#i’m a c*t anti through and through

[buddiesronance]

will forever hate the writers for making spencer kiss the person who mentally ab*sed him 😐

[dreamerinthemoonlight]

Genshin as Boyfriend HCs: Part One (Kaeya, Xiao, Thoma)

Fuck it. I think if I work on my original project any longer I’m going to scream bloody murder. I am realizing that a post apocalyptic (taking the world population down to a couple million level apocalypse) story that doesn’t take place in the chaos/murder/destruction/warlords/shit just hit the fan time period is incredibly difficult. Especially since I’m generally anti-shortcut. How do I solve being overwhelmed? Fluffy Head canons. Because the Genshin guys live rent fee in my brainpan. Let’s see... Kaeya, Xiao, and Thoma. Please be kind on Xiao and Thoma. I don’t know Xiao very well and have only written for each of them once

GN reader

Fluff under the cut

Kaeya

I know we head canon Kaeya as a huge tease--which he is, ain’t gonna lie--but I think he’d be crazy sweet

High up on the level of most observant boyfriends ever. Wait... That’s most every one on my “Genshin character’s I will write for” list hehe

But no, seriously, he pays attention and even though he’s a tease, he’d definitely know where to draw the line

Also as charming as he is, I bet it backfires sometimes

I bet he picked you up for a date early on in your relationship and cuz he’s charming as fuck, he gave you roses

One problem, I don’t think he’s the most experienced with relationships. It’s the whole secrets thing, ya know.

SO I can see him being super excited, but hiding it really, really well

Until he gave you those roses I mentioned. Roses made using his vision. Roses that melted in your hands because he was so excited and wanted to impress you so much he didn’t think it all the way through

Any passerby died laughing. You just give him a look like “really, Kaeya? Really?” 

Though there’s a chance you both start laughing, because Kaeya just isn’t the kind to take that hard. He’s embarrassed, but he laughs.

You like to bring this up every now and then just to get a reaction out of him (It’s fucking hilarious)

After that he’s a bit more successful

Still extremely sweet and supportive despite his charm

PDA is definitely a thing, unless you’re super uncomfortable with it--which he will pick up

In private, he’s always touching you. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, brushing shoulders, he just likes the physical contact

Xiao

Xiao and dating

That’s a hard one. I mean, he makes me seem like a successful extrovert which I am not

I think you two would be a very private couple, in large part because he is a very introverted private person

But you respect this and don’t push him too hard

Dates often consist of hanging out on a rooftop or somewhere else quiet

I think the two of you do a lot of hand holding or linking pinkies, things that are subtle, but soft and meaningful all the same. 

The fact that he’s willing to do so, and eventually seeks it out makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Speaking of dates

He definitely went to Zhongli for advice and followed that advice to the T

You two had a very traditional Liyue style date. Which you enjoyed. You appreciated that he put in so much effort and went so far despite his introversion and discomfort around people---it really makes you want to go the extra mile too On a side note, someone please update Zhongli on dating practices. I know he’s aware of what goes on in Liyue, but I can’t see him being totally up to date. 

After that you do a lot of the planning, making sure to take both of your preferences into account, which he appreciates

Despite his introversion and strong boundaries, which take time to get through, he’s always there for you and ever so slowly he starts to let you be there for him

Thoma

This guy is what you call on top of it

Of the three I think he’s the only one who really hits his stride from the get go

He managed to take you on a date even you didn’t think you would want

Flowers, dinner, nice sunsets, it’s no wonder he’s so well regarded by Ayato and Ayaka

On a day to day basis, the guy is busy, but he still makes time for you whenever he can

He’s definitely the kind to randomly sweep, mop, and just take care of extra chores around the house while you’re off on some sort of adventure, not just because he wants to support you but because he really enjoys cleaning. And it’s not like you’re going to complain

On his days off you’re definitely his first choice for company

Definitely take you to see the cats outside of Inazuma City

It’s a very domestic relationship

There’s not a ton of PDA, because he is a figure so strongly associated with the Kamisato Clan, but he really does like to hold hands, ruffle your hair, little stuff like that

At home, after a day of cleaning and serving Ayato and Ayaka, he’s happy to sit and cuddle with you, talking or not talking

And if you fall asleep on him, he’ll definitely let you stay there for a bit, watching the play of dreams on your face he’s smitten before picking you up and tucking you in bed. 

He actually likes it when this happens because it means you trust him enough to completely let your guard down

Actually, he’s done the same to you a few times. After a long day he’ll fall asleep on you, though carrying to bed is more like dragging a rock because he’s tall

After the first time you decided that you’d either wake him up and move him of just leave him and fall asleep too

It’s just all so domestic

[thebellearchives]

hello ^_^

can you write something for solomon saying this to mc? 13."When you laugh like that, it just - you're so beautiful, you know that?" for mc who is insecure about their teeth ♡

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒

~ solomon ; obey me

✧˚ · . S Y N O P S I S : your insecurities may nag at the back of your head before going on your first date with your magic teacher, but turns out you won’t have to worry about it at all

‧₊˚ c o n t e n t s : gn!mc, fluff

‧₊˚ a / n : the way i wish this would happen to me 🥲 thank you for requesting anon hope you like it ! 🥰

prompt list

You checked yourself in the mirror for the millionth time in the last fifteen minutes. The nerves were eating away your insides, and your hands would constantly flutter around your face to make sure you were perfect for the night. A sigh left your lips in an attempt to calmn down, staring at your own reflection in the mirror. You tried to smile to yourself, but immediately regretted it. You just looked… so weird. But you shook your head once again and picked up your things. It’s okay, it’s fine, as long as you smiled without showing your teeth you could make it through the night.

Making your way towards the House of Lamentation’s entrance, you happened to run into Lucifer.

“MC?” he seemed surprised when his eyes met you “where are you going?”

“I’m going out with Solomon, remember?”

He frowned in confusion, blinking a couple of times and inspecting your pretty and thought out outfit.

“For… sorcery class, I assumed.”

Suddenly the doorbell rang, you finally let out al the air you had been holding from the moment Lucifer had stopped in front of you.

“Give Beel my dinner! And don’t wait up for me, okay?” quickly you made your way past him, staring at the floor.

“Wait-”

“I also heard Belphie and Satan were having an Anti-Lucifer League meeting so you might wanna check that out?”

Lucifer sighed loudly, he closed his eyes and pressed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index.

“Fine, but don’t come home after-”

“Bye!”

You opened the door and hurried outside as quickly as you could. When you closed it right behind you, you were met with with the sight of your magic teacher standing in front of you, his lovely and shiny eyes raising up to meet yours.

“MC” he smiled.

Oh god. He was wearing a nice, black button up shirt, the cuffs were rolled up and the first button undone. Nice dress up trousers and fancy black shoes. His white hair was still a bit damp, and you could faintly perceive the smell of cologne and shampoo. The butterflies inside of you almost clogged up your throat and your blood rushed to tint your cheeks with a soft pink colour.

“Solomon” a soft smile appeared on your lips.

“You’re ready?”

“Yes, let’s go”

Solomon offered you his hand and you took it without hesitation. That was the start of the most wonderful date you had ever been in your life. The sorcerer had picked up the perfect restaurant with the perfect food, there wasn’t any awkward silences or stupid small talk, just smooth sailing conversations, flirty comments here and there that would make your heart flutter in your chest and charming smiles that would leave you melting on your seat. You found yourself getting lost in those silvery eyes of his, in that ring of copper arround his pupils, while he told you about that time Simeon had asked his phone to fold laundry when he heard you could ask anything to the virtual assistant. The story had made you laugh, and as he went on telling you about funny occurrences that happened daily in Purgatory Hall you couldn’t stop laughing.

“That’s ridiculous” you cleaned up the tears from you eyes with the back of your hand after you had calmed down “but still I can promise you it’s not half as chaotic as the days in the House of Lamentation”

“Yeah, I bet” resting his chin on his hand, his gaze rested lovingly on you, a cute smile on his lips.

“What’s up?” you chuckled, he didn’t seem to want to say anything else.

“When you smile, when you laugh like that, it’s just… you're so beautiful, you know that?”

Your eyes went wide. It was true, you had been laughing all night with no regard of your grin, and yet… did Solomon just say he liked your smile? Had he just called you beautiful?

A sweet feeling of comfort made it’s home in your chest, your face became flushed once again. If the one person you were head over heels for liked your smile, then did you really have anything to be afraid of for the rest of the night? He liked you just the way you were, insecurities and all.

“Thank you Sol, you’re really so sweet” a smile brightened your face.

[thewickedlorchqueen]

Lily really thinks her works are unique to the world of fanfiction, but the fact is, it's the same shit with a different name.

People hated Niva when she was called Darth Amarosa. And they hated her when she was called Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way.

Or Ronan Beelzub.

Or Jenna Silverblade

Or Rose Potter.

Or Sonichu.

Or... shit, you get the point.

Lily's MCs are the same obnoxious Mary Sues that have plagued the Fandom space for decades, and the only reason she's gotten less roasting for it is because Max Landis shit in the punch bowl and made Mary Sue a dirty word.

See the thing is I love Mary sues, fanfiction camp is peak and they can be super fun.

However Lilys works aren’t fun, they aren’t the wholesome uwu stories she thinks they are. There fanfictions written by a white suburban college kid that identifies as an anti. And hasn’t developed her writing skills since middle school.

Someone else said it better than me but she just skips to the parts she wants to write and skips the middle that developed the characters and what people enjoy. How am I suppose to ship Amarosa and Rey when I don’t have any reason to believe Amarosa has any interest in Rey outside of her looks (They have scenes talking but Amarosa seems drawn and crushing on Rey since day one) how am I suppose to believe c!Mikaila and c!Lily are truly in love when they aren’t even shown on a date? Keira and Iris have this strong bond when we do t even get to see them be friends?

Outside of the super intamate scenes they have no connection. I mean is it really hard to say they like going on walks or to the movies? Playing games (I mean think about how cute it would be if Iris and Keira always played Mario and Luigi during Mario kart. Laurisa would be princess peach, or Keira plays as Rosalina, Keira as daisy and Laurisa as Peach (some people ship them)little things)

I don’t mean this bad but when Iris was shot I didn’t even care. I knew she was going to make it and I’m all honesty the angst fell through because the relationships were bland. I mean Lily couldn’t do a scene with Iris learning she’s becoming an aunt.

Tdlr: Mary sues are fine because they’re fun, Lilys ocs are just boring attempts at Sis-con in disguise.

[highladyofterrasen7]

People who are going on my suicide note- sjm edition

Please note that this is satire and I’m not going to kill myself

Also, it’s the entire alphabet

A. People who hate rhys for how many houses he has

B. People who undermine what Mor went through (especially the Eris part)

C. People who praise Nesta for how she acted in acotar, acofas, and the beginning of acosf primarily

D. People who say it’s misogynistic to dislike Elain

E. People who came up with the “gwyn is a lightsinger” theory bc they realised their favourite ship is sinking.

F. Anyone who talks bad about my girl Feyre

G. People who say Cassian is abusive

H. People who say Rhys drugged and sa’d feyre utm

I. Anyone who says anything good about tampon

J. Quinlar deniers

K. People who say Danika was a terrible friend

L. Anyone who says Aedion’s reaction for the aelin-Lysandra secret wasn’t justified

M. People who in the same breath as attack rhys and cassian for keeping the mating bond a secret will praise aelin for doing the same

N. People who say Dorian isn’t the best tog man

O. Full and 100% chaol stans

P. That one person that said rowaelin aren’t allowed to dislike Lorcan and wrote a whole paragraph about it

Q. People who think acosf was the best book in the series

R. People who dislike acofas

S. Anyone who says anything bad about Sam

T. Anyone who is anti inner circle

U. People who ship lucien and tampon

V. People who attack fanartists for depicting utm rhys as pale when he’s literally described as pale

W. People who say manorian shouldn’t get a novella

X. Those weird people with their Eris and Nyx things

Y. People who say feyre is boring now (bc she had a baby)

Z. Anyone who uses there every breath to attack and find plot holes in sjms work (if you don’t like it, don’t read it) get a life

These are very me-specific opinions

Lmk which ones you strongly agree with

[sevasey51]

What type of women supplies would Connor keep in the house for endo flares?

Prepared Is Protective

Summary: Connor Rhodes doesn’t just know his wife has endometriosis—he understands what it means for her day-to-day life. And more importantly, he plans for it. The cabinet above the washer? Stocked with everything she might need. The drawer next to their bed? Labeled and ready. He’s not just her husband—he’s her surgical-grade support system. From heating pads to emergency scripts, from period-safe snacks to dark towels she won’t have to apologize for, Connor keeps the house prepared not because she’s weak… but because he loves her in the most powerful, practical way.

It started the week she passed out in the hallway.

Not a crash, not a full syncopal episode—but a deep, bone-aching, breath-hitching flare. The kind that left her on the floor sobbing, not from fear… but from pain.

She was mortified.

He was already moving.

Blankets. IV fluids. Meds. Heating pad. Cramp balm. Ginger chews.

Everything in arm’s reach.

But after that night?

Connor went into full surgeon-husband mode.

The “ENDO ARMORY” — aka the Hallway Cabinet:

Labeled in sharp, clean lettering with a discreet symbol only they’d recognize, the cabinet above the laundry shelf had three organized shelves:

1. Heat & Relief Shelf:

• 2 heating pads (one for the couch, one for bed)

• Microwavable heat pack

• Electric blanket (with auto shut-off)

• Topical cramp balm with lidocaine

• TENS unit with extra leads and a portable battery

2. Medication & Crisis Supplies:

• Prescription painkillers (only used for extreme flares)

• Extra anti-nausea meds (Zofran, ginger lozenges, peppermint oil)

• Tranexamic acid (for clotting help when bleeding is intense)

• Emergency progesterone and NSAIDs

• Extra syringes and antiseptic wipes for injectable meds

• Her favorite migraine blend of Tylenol and sumatriptan

3. Period & Practical Comfort Shelf:

• Organic cotton pads in all absorbencies

• Overnight heavy flow underwear

• Wipes, dark washcloths, and soft tissue packs

• A mini box labeled “I Can’t Move Today” with:

• Mini electrolyte drinks

• Protein bars

• A lavender stim putty

• Her favorite sour candy for nausea

• One of his T-shirts, folded, soft, and always warm-smelling

The Bathroom:

He switched to all dark towels after one night where she cried because she “ruined” the white ones.

He stocked every drawer with duplicates: wipes, backup meds, tampons (just in case she could tolerate them), and a container labeled “Only For Bad Days” that had a few heat-activated pads and extra underwear.

The Bedroom Drawer:

Next to her side of the bed, in a drawer they both had memorized, sat:

• Her favorite sleep shorts

• A small sound machine for when the pain was too loud to sleep

• Emergency mid-night meds in pre-labeled bags

• The syringe box

• Heating pad plug already fed through the headboard

And tucked inside a note, scrawled in his handwriting:

“If you’re reading this, and I’m not here yet—lay flat, breathe slow, and remind your body that it’s mine to protect too. I’m on my way.”

– C.

He never made a show of it. Never called it his system.

He just quietly built her a battlefield and stocked it with armor.

Because love, to Connor Rhodes, means no one should have to ask for relief when they’re in too much pain to speak.

[tamelee]

Hello! What do you think of SNS shippers who make it very clear they only ship either Sasunaru or Narusasu? I’ve mostly seen Sasunaru shippers putting stuff in their bio like "Sasunaru 🔄❌" or "Sasunaru only, Narusasu DNI" and I find it pretty sad. If the only thing you like/ think about in Sasuke and Naruto’s relationship is the sexual aspect of their relationship… Then I don’t think you even like the pairing.

It just feels like the pairing is a way for them to self insert into a character, because they make an obsession of this top/bottom stuff… it’s just ridiculous to me. And sometimes it honestly sound… fetishizing of gay people.

Like, how does one favorite sexual’s position change the way they act with others? How does it could impact the way they are?

Hi! 💕

Ah, I understand what you mean, but I would approach this a little bit differently though. The issues that you bring up are included in that excruciatingly exhausting t/b-discourse and addressing these requires a lot of patience that I don’t even have, nor the energy. And then there’s this whole thing about what SNS even means when differentiated through an order in names in such a picky way, and why. Which, in the context of canon/headcanon, the story/fanwork, won’t even bring the same answer nor do people even agree in the first place. I’ve seen the most insane takes about it where pretty much an equal amount agrees and disagrees. (Hence the length of the discourse I guess.) Using SN/NS (in tags for example) done by very large groups of different people, isn’t always to indicate the same things as a (strict) t/b-preference (and I’m using the word ‘preference’ very lightly here) or a character dynamic- (for which there are endless different types, isn’t always mutual in literature and isn’t determined by just this one thing but relies on context)- aren’t the same.

So anyway, it really isn’t worth it :’)  

In conclusion about the approach though, your conjecture didn’t really specify why you think there is a positive correlation between ‘SN/NS’ and the sexual aspect/’t/b’, but this basically has your ask state that ‘because A is true, B is also true (and therefore C, D, etc- as well)’ "so now, what do you think of it?". That makes it very hard to answer without unloading it in the first place, dykwim?

So, I’m left to assume that you either really think that is the case (which it isn’t always), or you may mean the obsessive behavior that you’re referring to specifically, that then results in the other things. The ‘anti-ing’ of ‘the other’, creating unnecessary oppositions, harassing and dogpiling creators, policing tags, etc- It’s a different approach because one says the cause is simply a ‘preference’ one may have on its own and the other faults the behavior first that possibly can come with such a preference. I’m pointing it out only because I think it’s an important distinction to make as that (the latter) is a (relatively) small number of people in the end, but frankly, aside from tag-policing (even on my sfw art)- they are none of my business ┐(´ー｀)┌

[sissa-arrows]

Happy Independence Day to my beloved Algeria.

Allah yarham chouhada.

Translation of the testimony of a man who lived through that day as a child.

“July 5th 1962: The independence of Algeria. What can I say: the joy in the streets, people colonized for 132 years gaining back their freedom… I was a kid of the Casbah, I was 12 back then. The moment was crazy and filled with euphoria. The French of Algeria (colonizers) had started to leave in May and they were leaving faster now. For them it was “A coffin or a suitcase”(1). They didn’t see it any other way. Bab El Oued, Michelet street and Isly street(2) were emptied of their residents. During the last days, they were panicking. The “yes” had gotten 99,72% to the referendum of July 1st, the first loyal voting process in 132 years(3).

For at least 10 days, Algiers wasn’t a city anymore but an endless party. Women were not talking anymore we only heard their zagharit(4) all day long. Children were children again. The older ones too. There was a sort of happy anarchy. It was a permanent happiness, an event I will never forget even if I was to lose my mind. After the constant persecutions, the constant fear and nightmares, it was like a divine revelation and a new birth.

They (the French colonizers) called us Muslims, Arabs, savages(5) but never Algerians. The Arabs who were barbaric, lazy and filled with excessive pride. The contempt from the Europeans and the humiliations made the Algerian into a bad guy, a rebel, a revolutionary filled with the desire for freedom and justice.

Being able to live without that fear, imagining that we were able to move freely, screaming our joy without having to justify ourselves it was something unheard of, it was almost unbelievable. They forbade us to be Algerians, strangers in our own land, us the b****, t**** d* f******, r*****, c********, s*****, b*********, (6) subhumans, on that day everything was allowed everything seemed possible.”

[…]

“The biggest joy was the return of my two brothers. They came back home alive and safe, in a free country after having be jailed in Serkadji and condemned to the death penalty.

During their absence, weapons and money was hidden under my parents’ bed. I always had a gun hidden in my school bag.

[…]

With armed friends we went in the European neighborhood, on the cars’ hoods, screaming happily “Tahia El Djazair” (long live to Algeria).

I actually hurt myself falling from a truck in Lyre street. July 5th 1962 will stay for me an unforgettable party. The historical festive atmosphere, cemented in my memory. Even with my mouth filled with blood and two broken tooth.”

Notes:

1: There a myth that the colonizers were threatened. There was some well deserved threats toward the ones who fought against the independence. The other ones were allowed to stay ONLY if they took the Algerian citizenship and considered Algerians as their equals. But they refused and left. They saw staying in Algeria with indigenous Algerians being equal to them as death.

2: The places named here were famous for having a very important population of colonizers. And like all colonizers they were very violent.

3: At the end of the war and to try to calm down the French colonizers a referendum for the independence of Algeria was organized. It was the first and only time all Algerians (actual Algerians) were allowed to vote and their vote were equal to white people’s vote.

4: He uses the word “Indigenes” which means indigenous or native but the French didn’t use it as a way to acknowledge we were indigenous to the land unlike them they used it a synonym for savage so that’s how I’m translating it.

5: zagharit are happy ululation we make during moments of happiness and joy (talking for Algeria specifically other SWANA countries do it for other reasons too).

6: Those are all anti Algerian slurs… when I say that France hates us. Who the fuck has that many slurs for ONE group of people only?! And they are not all on the list…

[truckreincarnation]

‘Neath Dark Waters || The Final Hours [1/3]

Getting walloped in the face with rocks aside (easily taken care of with a quick healing spell), it seemed like the discussion was reaching an endpoint. Even if… even if Esmée was as compelling a diplomat as ever, reaching out to her directly, even if Yuliya denounced their justice, there was something burning in Manami’s core that wouldn’t let her listen, even if she could hear it. She couldn't let Harriet reach her heart now, whether she wanted to or otherwise. Not yet. Not yet.

“I’m still not convinced there’s anything to negotiate.” She turns to face everyone, anyone else who isn’t Germain. “My role is to facilitate my King’s will. He wants the place gone, so I want it gone. Simple as!!”

Back to Germain. Eyes narrowed.

“But you. You take away my ink, you steal my kill… I might have lost connection with my Domain in this ritual, but I think we can spare a little time before the big finale. And I’m going to get what I want out of this, too!”

While the words drip like venom from her fangs, there’s a curious disjoint to it. The slight echoey lilt to her voice, the reverb itself, almost sounds ecstatic.

"I h»¶Të you... I h»¶Vê you so much...!! For that, you’re gonna have to stand in for your dumbass boss one more time. Do it for me!”

Germain raises a hand defensively over their chest, only stammering out a string of incoherent, confused chirping sounds. Their eyes are wide with fright, ears drawn back, flat against their head. Pettiwhisker’s back arches, as they let out a hateful snarl at Manami.

“Run!”

Germain bolts - crouching low as their digitigrade legs launch them with a surprising show of force, leaping out and away from the summoning circle. 

In the blink of an eye, Manami’s taken to the air, keeping her gravity cannon trained squarely on Germain.

“No! You don’t get to run away, not this time! You’re going to have to show more conviction than that if you want me to believe this is worth my time!! Give me something to work with here!”

She snarls, ‘pupils’ narrowed to pinpricks.

“R-Really? Are you s-serious right now?” Regaining some of their composure, Germain’s voice sounded downright indignant. “Th-That’s what you’re upset about? F-Fucking… kill-stealing?” 

Germain jumps again, perching themself on the back of Francis’s chair. Momentarily, they stop to hiss at Manami, before they leap again, away from the intensifying metallic crackling of her weapon. Manami’s gun, hissing in return. 

“The k-king is d-dead! Who c-cares how? You g-got what you want, your m-mission is com- yeeOOOWR.”

Their exasperated voice devolved into a panicked, squawking yowl as their feet never connected with the ground, held aloft by a bright blue beam of energy.

“My mission…? My mission? You think just getting to point B from point A is good enough, even if you let me say I did it?! Come on, you of all people should know better than that! What’s the point if that’s all this amounted to?!”

She keeps them held there in the anti-gravity field, shaking them a little bit for emphasis as she stares daggers through them. They flail wildly, struggling against the gravity field as their claws slash at open air.

“We d-don’t need to - urgh - why are we f-fighting?”

“Why wouldn’t we? That’s what we’ve always done, but I’ve been holding back for a looong time. Even if I get credit here, that doesn’t mean I got to play the actual game-- FUCK!”

Pettiwhisker - now in their full-sized battle form - rams into Manami, knocking the air out of her chest as her grip on the gun weakens. Her extra set of hands scramble into position to keep from dropping it, and while it doesn’t slip out of her grasp, the field around Germain dissipates. Her look of shock splits into a toothy grin, and her toothy grin splits off in a flicker of static. A mimic wouldn’t have the benefit of speed, but it could keep Pettiwhisker occupied long enough for her to make a dash for the Lynchpin themself.

And so she does, at a breakneck pace. She’s on them in double time, claws digging into their undershirt as she hoists them up physically, staring them dead in the eyes. That creepy, wide smile hasn’t left her face.

Germain has a pained, almost fearful look to them, as they hold tightly to Manami’s arm - for their own support, rather than to push her off. Their eyes wide, searching for some meaning in Manami’s expression - fixated on that frightful smile. 

“You think standing around here talking is an appropriate way to kick off the endgame? After sitting on your claws this whole time, you’ll only raise them against Calum?” The distortion around her hands almost appears to be spreading to Germain.

“... Appropriate?” They struggle, more out of obligation than anything, against her grip. “S-Stop treating this like it’s a g-game! These are p-peoples’ lives!”

All that gets from Manami is a brief, quizzical look, followed by more laughter.

“After all this time here, you still don’t get it? We’re all just players in this second game of life! If you’ve got some kind of problem with that, maybe you should actually try to stop me…? A hero’s supposed to give the antagonist a good fight!”

To punctuate her statement, she musters all her strength and takes off with Germain in tow, whirling around at freakish speeds to slam them against the husk of the great tree. It’s forceful enough to splinter the bark with a resounding crack. Germain’s body twists in pain from the impact. A quick, forceful cough lets out some blood. They grip Manami more tightly, their breaths coming out in slow ragged gasps as understanding finally dawns on them.

“... Oh.”

Germains hands lowered from their grip on Manami, hanging limply at their side. Their head sinks as their expression goes… empty. No more fear or frustration. Quiet acceptance. Manami’s distortion continued to spread, a corrupting influence that Germain no longer bothered to stop. Their hair hangs over their eyes, which casts a dark shadow over their face. With their pallid complexion, it was easy to see them for the corpse they were.

Manami leers down at their limp form, almost disappointed.

“Right. I forgot. You aren’t a hero anymore… That’s too bad. I was hoping you’d show me what you’re really capable of, but if you’re going to be so dull and boring about this, maybe I should stop wasting my time! I’ve got better things to do, anyways.”

The glimmering reflection of the lake catches her eye from their current vantage point.

“Take some time to cool off and think about it, maybe. You know where I’ll be if you ever change your mind…!”

Without another word, she swings around, beelining straight for the surface of the water. At the last moment, she pivots back upwards, hurling them in without a second thought and dodging the consequent splash with a stutter courtesy of her Domain. She lands at the water’s edge so quickly and forcefully that she leaves long claw-mark trails in the soft terrain, brushing herself off absentmindedly.

“... Sheesh! That was kind of a wash.”

She turns her back on the water.

“Oh well~! At least it’s done now…”

[alanlechuszaauthor]

Sheena Had Faith In Being A Pop Punk Rocker - Can Pop Punk Be Positive? A Discursive Reading

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, Fandom, https://hero.fandom.com/wiki/Sheena,_Queen_of_the_Jungle

The Ramones, “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” (official video), Rocket To Russia,1977.

It’s that season, Comic-Con.  I continue to get email advertisements seeking my attendance to this iconic subcultural event.  I’m not even a fan of comics, fantasy, or other relations within this cultural sphere.  Yet, my limited attention to these items does not prevent the Comic-Con publicist from sending me warm emails inviting me to join the festivities.  Not that I could ever see myself attending such an event, but, in contrast, what these emails did do was make me think about how alternative Comic-Con started, and yet how popular it has become.  With Comic-Con’s punky subcultural origins I was drawn to recount origins of another punky subculture, punk rock.  Thinking through punk rock’s dramatic history my thoughts gravitated toward a specific branch of punk rock - pop punk.  This minor mental detour led me to question, “can pop punk be positive?"

Nebens, Richard. Comic-Con, July 20, 2023. https://thedirect.com/article/comic-con-2023-schedule-when-time-movie-tv-gaming-panels  

Punk, as a cultural expression, has the stereotypes of being anti-social, rebellious, often aggressive and a negative discursive agent for a subcultural identity.  But are these the only signifiers of punk that apply?  Is punk really that limited?  Is it possible for punk to be influenced by, and contain a positive faith-centered objective?  It may be a surprise to some that the answer to each of these rhetorical questions is a dynamic, “yes.”  Following this dialectic agenda, I had to listen – again – to the godfathers of punk, The Ramones.  Who better to serve as a megaphone for punk – at the origins of the punk culture, than a band who established themselves at the epicenter of punk and have gone on to be synonymous with the term itself, “punk rock”.  Fast, short songs, the model uniform (black leather jackets, cut-up jeans, black t-shirts), and song titles that had the hooks built right-in.  Yes, The Ramones clearly cast the definition of what punk was in the 1970s and through to this day (c. 2023).

The Ramones, IMdB. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0708506/

The founding image and voice of the band, Joey Ramone, had some interesting views about pop and surf music during the dawning days of the punk movement. Joey Ramon’s deep infatuation with surf music and bubblegum pop of the 1960s led to aid in the creation of punk anthems that still ring loud and surprisingly clear today.  But were these elements and inspirations too easily overlooked by music journalists, pop musicologists, and fans alike?  Again, the answer to these rhetorical questions comes as a surprised, “yes.”  Taking that absent lead, set in motion by Joey Ramone, I began to wonder, research, and listen to the prophetic 1977 song, Sheena is a Punk Rocker.  This central track to the 1977 Rocket To Russia record, is the kernel of how a punk song was to be formed, produced, expressed.  Simple lyrics, short verses, no extra guitar solos, and a hypnotic hook, Sheena started as a punk troupe, but found itself embedded within the hallowed halls of punk history.  Given all this context, how does this track, Sheena, outline or draw attention to faith in punk?  That’s where the fun begins.

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, cover, 1977. https://www.discogs.com/fr/release/3307050-Ramones-Shes-The-One-Sheena-Is-A-Punk-Rocker/image/SW1hZ2U6NzIyODQ1Mw==

In 1937/1938, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, a fictional comic character who is a female counterpoint to Tarzan, King of the Jungle, makes her global debut.  Equipped with abilities to weave various weapons and enduring the untamed jungle landscapes of Africa, Sheena caught the attention of young comic fans at the time (and had a resurgence in 2007). 

Unbeknownst to comic and rock fans alike in the late 1960s/early 1970s, this hypersexualized feminine character was to become the main character in the Ramones song, Sheena is a Punk Rocker.  Joey Ramone’s interest in the comic led him to contemplate what Sheena might consider about punk rock.  In Joey Ramone’s opinion, Sheena would be a fan, hence the birth of the song title and forthcoming iconic track.    Signifying with the developing aesthetics of punk, laced with the sounds of surf and bubblegum pop at the time, The Ramones recorded the song, Sheena, which they coined as the first surf/pop punk song.  It’s this positive punk action which rebels against the negative image of punk’s youthful years.  It was Joey Ramone himself who said, in a 1988 interview that The Ramones were always a positive band (Harris 1988).

A GQ article in 2020 notes that, “The Ramones took positive[ity]…to a whole new level (Jones 2020)”.  Jone’s article continues that The Ramones, “were too postmodern [when they first arrived on the punk scene]…but then at the time the world appeared to be crying out for postmodernism, especially in the music world (Jones 2020)”.  To further exemplify this point, Bono – of U2 fame – notes that U2 was formed around the “idea of friendship and shared spirit.. [t]hat was a preposterous notion before the Ramones (Jones 2020)”.  Following this trajectory, it is not a far stretch to see how the origins of a faith-based pop punk vernacular could be developed and progress going forward following the undercurrent lead The Ramones did and did not speak of nor draw attention.

Positive punk bands - those aligned with a faith-based centrist value - contextualize their faith within the socio-pop linguistics of pop punk c. 1980/90s California/West Coast surf/pop style.  This activation does not reduce the intrinsic faith of the bands, nor their use of punk as a signifier, but rather provides a fruitful platform through which these bands communicate, articulate, produce, develop, and expand the core of their faith. 

This pop faith-based punk genre obfuscates the otherwise noted “positive punk” genre which musicologist have recognized as being the forerunner of the goth, emo, and shoegazer genres (NME 1983).  Avoiding the pitfalls of a negative punk image, that has become a social stereotype in witness to a general essentialist viewpoint of punk being an anti-social, operating outside assumed cultural norms and in objection to being labeled or reduced to a status quo.  The pop punk direction is self-explanatory, “a subgenre of punk utilizing pop culture icons and signifiers.”  This conversive angle embraced by pop punk bands allows for the investment of faith within an expressive discourse operating and communicating beyond assumed negative signifiers of punk.  A voice in faith, a sound in pop punk, a directive positive agency for audience recognition become the outliners for faith-based punk.  There is no shame, no veiled rhetoric, no metaphorical twist or turns for positive faith-based punk bands to express their faith.  The fluidity and dynamics of the punk expressive vernacular are fully and creatively embraced.  The socio-linguistic realities of punk are re-presented through a positive lens to display – on a growing contemporary platform – the necessity for such faith-based punk sounds to help draw attention to current issues facing younger audiences and their balance of social pressures with core faith values.

Faith-based punk bands continue to outsell other “authentic” or “pure” punk bands and genres (2023).  Electing not to be limited to the acceptance from the scripted stereotypes of the punk genre, faith-based punk situates itself in a counter antisocial perspective - functioning outside perceived historic punk norms.  This methodology allows faith-based punk groups to operate freely of the punk industry mechanics, focus on positive actions to issues facing their audiences, and fortify their own faith through the binary agency of punk vernacular and core faith expression.   Founding bands such as Squad Five-O, Slick Shoes, Dogwood and Pocket Change helped pave the road for other bands such as Relient K, FM Static, Flatfoot 56 and This Providence, to speak toward, encourage, and develop a punk expressive situated in faith, positive action for their communities, and location of contemporary culture.

Relevant, 1 September, 2022 https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/just-25-songs-from-christian-bands-that-are-still-pretty-great/

Joey Ramone turns out to be more than just the noted “godfather of punk (Jones 2020)”.  He was a prophetic when it came to the direction of positive punk.  It may appear complicated to see how, back in 1976/1977 that a punk band from the alternative outsider music scene in New York would steer the course of where punk was to go in the coming decades.  Yet, by relying upon his belief in being different, Joey Ramones and his fellow bandmates were able to see beyond their personal/political differences and define a clear path that would eventually lead the future of faith-based punk bands to see how possible it is to remain dedicated to their beliefs, appropriate pop punk signifiers and re-present a punk dialectic centered upon positive image, identity, and faith. 

As stated earlier, most musicologist and journalist see the trajectory of the positive punk genre as a subgenre of the punk cannon, a predecessor to other subgenres of punk that bridge together fringe rock expressions.  This review is not entirely incorrect, but does avoid other popular directions for punk, that are not subservient to any sonic hierarchy.  Yes, positive faith-based punk brings attention to a side of punk that may look like an oxymoron, but is more commercially successful, thriving for a global audience, and secure within its own sounding sphere of influence built on faith, positive image, and The Ramones “be yourself” model.

Alan Lechusza

alanlechusza.com

alanlechuszaauthor.com

[ateezscupid]

Hello is it ok if I can please request idol!hongjoong x idol trainee! Reader who for their audition does antifragile and just completely has hongjoong mesmerized with the way their body moves while dancing

﹟𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗘 ⋆ 𝗄.𝗁𝗃 𝗑 𝗀𝗇!𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗭 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 / 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧

plot - you auditioned as a trainee for kq ent., and practiced your dancing in front of hongjoong, not knowing you'd have him falling head over heels for you.

warn - fluff, that's it!

w/c - n/a

𝗧𝗔𝗚S - @felixs-voice-makes-me-wanna @starillusion13 @mingitheskzstan

“okay, next!” yelled a staff member from the room. it was your turn to dance in front of hongjoong; to prove you were kq material and to prove you had the talent to become a kpop idol.

to be completely honest, you were scared out of your mind. there was no way you were going to be accepted. it was a bad mindset to have but you couldn’t think of anything else, you were terrified. dancing in front of your idol, dancing in front of the man you’ve looked up to even before his group debuted.

you stumble to your feet and brush yourself off before you stepped inside. standing in the room as well was hongjoong, yunho, san, and a few of kq’s staff members. you didn’t know you were going to be dancing in front of this many people, but you had to push through.

“introduce yourself, then tell us what dance you’ll be doing.” yunho said with crossed arms against his chest.

it almost felt like you were dreaming seeing them in person. no makeup on, no flashy outfits, just sweats and a t-shirt with bare faces and baseball caps. you felt like you were going to collapse when yunho spoke to you. he was much bulkier in person than how he looked on your phone. his shoulders were more broad and — in general, he looked like a giant compared to you.

it wasn’t any different with san either. he was shorter than yunho, obviously, but he was still bulkier than you imagined. you almost felt a little nervous having to dance in front of him. the choi san. the man who’s dancing is top tier, you could never reach his level. though, your plan wasn’t to reach his level, but it didn’t matter. all in all, you were nervous and afraid to dance.

then came hongjoong. he was so much prettier with his bare face, and in real life, you felt like you were staring at a porcelain doll. his pretty eyes, pretty lips, just in general his pretty face could’ve brought tears to your eyes. he wasn’t as bulky as the others, but he was still somehow bigger and taller than you, which was a shocker since he was the shortest out of the bunch. the way he sat in the corner, eyes appearing at the very edge of his baseball hat as he looked at you, you wanted to pounce on him right there and then.

but, stay focused. this was a once in a lifetime moment and you weren’t possibly going to give it up or ruin it because you were too mesmerized by the members. you cleared your throat and took a deep breath. your nervousness was visible.

“i’m y/n l/n, and i’m—i-i’m gonna perform anti-fragile by lesserafim.” your hands were behind you as you rocked back and forth slightly. picking a kpop song to dance to at an audition might not have been the smartest idea, but it was the only dance you knew you had down to the bone.

“alright,” yunho nods and walks back to the bench san and hongjoong were sitting on. “show us what you got.”

you nodded to the man, your eyes wandering to hongjoong again before you stood in the middle of the room waiting for the music the play. one of the staff members moves to the back of the room and starts typing away at a computer, looking up anti fragile and beginning to play it.

you started dancing, trying your absolute hardest to hit every move but not be too sharp with your movements. the hardest part of it all was to not dance ahead of the song. you tried your very hardest to stay on beat, not trying to be too fast and not trying to be delayed. you hadn’t realized how much you had focused since it seemed like light work. and the cherry on top was your facial expressions.

hongjoong tilts his head at the sight of you. the way your body moved along with the music made him feel a bit lightheaded. you weren’t stiff at all, you had every move down, and your facial expressions only made things better. you were so expressive and energetic, he loved it.

“they’re pretty good,” joong whispered to san who was closely observing your dance. though there wasn’t a visible expression on his face, it’s clear he liked your dance.

“do you think they’ll be accepted? i think they should.”

“well, this is only the dance portion of the audition,” yunho cleared his throat. “they still have to do the vocal and rapping bit. luckily, they’re already good at dancing so they have a leg up in the competition.”

“i like them.” san nods slowly. “they’re movements are sharp, but not so sharp to the point they’re stiff. and they’re still pretty fluid.”

“okay, mr. dance teacher.” yunho rolls his eyes. hongjoong still couldn’t take his eyes off of you. if the others said you weren’t going to be accepted, he was going to try his hardest to change their mind. the way your body moved caught his attention, and he was sure that’s what you wanted since you winked at him while dancing.

the second the song ended, the three of them stood up clapping and cheering. clearly it was a joke and they weren’t being serious, but they did enjoy your dancing. they all sat back down and started talking amongst each other, mumbling things you couldn’t understand. they made a few glances at you but didn’t say anything to you directly.

“we’ll update you tomorrow if there’s any new information.” a staff member spoke from the back of the room. “you can exit through the door on your right!”

you nod quickly and gather whatever you brought with you inside the dance studio and move toward the door, opening it and walking out. once the door was shut, you dropped your things and slid down a wall, kicking your feet and giggling uncontrollably. you just danced in front of ateez, or 3/8 of ateez, but still. you just danced in front of the choi san, the jeong yunho, and the kim hongjoong. your heart was beating so fast you were having a hard time breathing for a second. you could’ve passed out on the floor right there and then just from excitement.

“if you’re gonna get excited, don’t forget to breathe.” a voice rung from beside you. turning your head, you saw it was hongjoong. right now would’ve been your cue to pass out, but you didn’t want him to think you were a weirdo.

“i-i—right, um, i can still breathe!” you chuckle softly and scramble to your feet. “um, thank you—i mean you’re welcome! wait—no, i meant thank you. thank you.”

“no, thank you. i haven’t had someone come in and dance like that in a while. you were pretty good.” he crossed his arms, his tattoo appearing just below his rolled up sleeve. “in my opinion, you have a really high chance at being accepted. not just because you were really good, but because i’m gonna tell them to choose you.”

“you’regonnawhat?” you spoke so fast you almost choked on nothing. hongjoong telling the staff himself that he wanted you to be picked? it all felt like a dream.

“you’re cute,” he chuckles. “i want you to be accepted, i see a lot of potential in you.”

“o-oh, well, thank you! uh, sorry if im being awkward, it’s a little… unreal how im talking to you right now like you’re a normal person. not that you’re not a normal person because you are! you’re just famous! n-not saying you being famous doesn’t make you normal but—”

“shh, stop rambling.” he shut you up immediately. “i get it, no need try and explain yourself. just know you’re a really good dancer and you have a lot of potential.”

“…thank you.” you nod your head quickly.

“also, uh, are you free after this? or do you think you’ll be free? you seem pretty cool and i wanna get to know you.”

was hongjoong asking you out on a date? no, he couldn’t have been. maybe he was just—just… oh god, he was asking you on a date. there wasn’t any other way around it either, you knew he was asking you on a date. you thought saying yes would make you seem desperate, but it was kim hongjoong? anyone would be desperate for him.

“i, uh, yeah i am! but, i don’t know how you’re gonna get to know me since i’m pretty sure everyone knows you. we can’t really go out without you being recognized. and if someone catches you coming to my house, it’ll cause a scandal.”

“i can wear a disguise? and we don’t have to go to an area that’s busy. i can rent out a cafe space if we need to.” he smiled.

“oh, okay…” you clear your throat and pick your things up. “i wouldn’t mind going out…”

“cool. what’s your number?” he pulls his phone out from his pocket and you—nervously—tell him your number. you stuttered the entire time you spoke but he still got your number, and even texted you to make sure it was the right one.

“see you then!” he smiled and walked back into the room, leaving you shaking and in complete shock.

“s-see you..”

[justapitcherofwater]

oh boy oh boy analyses time :DDD

So I think I’m just gonna start with this; I think c!Badboyhalo may just be the most interesting villain I’ve ever encountered.

And he is definitely a villain, they make it abundantly clear that he is some sort of villain on the dream smp (at the very least he is a local menace with generally selfish intentions). He hardly ever gives anything without gaining something in return, he has all the aspirations for power and control and chaos, heck, that was the reason for the badlands in the first place, that was probably the reason why he originally followed the egg (before the thing with skeppy), because it promised all those things to him! A lot of his actions and motivations could actually be compared to c!Dream if it wasn’t for one small yet incredibly significant detail.

c!Badboyhalo is very very empathetic and compassionate.

Empathy is not a common villain trait. At all. In the slightest. It's actually usually associated with the hero, and seen as a weakness by the villain, and the only times you ever really see empathy in a villain is when the villain is using their empathy to manipulate and generally hurt the people around them, and you practically never see a villain who is in any way compassionate. “You care too much!” In many narratives is used as an insult and is framed by the villain as a fatal flaw, until our main character and all the friends they made along the way come together to defeat the bad guy using teamwork and determination, and it turns out it wasn’t a fatal flaw at all, it was their greatest strength. 

I think this is what makes c!bbh such a weird character. He wants power, he wants to create chaos and discord among others for his own benefit and he would probably succeed if he didnt keep fucking himself over with his own empathy. He is literally the definition of “you care too much”, because he does, he cares way too much for his own good and it keeps getting him hurt. He knew that the egg was manipulating and brainwashing him, and yet he still went back to it off his own accord when it took Skeppy so that he could be with him. He knew that he would get in trouble if he let Dream escape from the prison, it was his job to keep him in the prison, but he also knew that Dream was getting tortured, that he was suffering and that there was little to nothing that he could do about it. So he let him go. He gave the blueprints to Ranboo for the same reason he let Dream escape. Because he felt bad for him. Because he wanted to help and not let Dream suffer but there was little else he could do (even saying outright in one stream “I thought it was the right thing to do,”).

And where did all of this get him? Did it further his goals of monopoly? Did it gain him more power, or followers, or allies? No. He pushed away and hurt all of his friends. He accidentally killed Skeppy. The Eggpire fell. The Badlands fell along with it. Dream got out, and now he’s going back to terrorizing the smp. Because of this, Sam threatened to kill Ranboo to try and make him come back, and subsequently went through with it when it didn’t work, which would, indirectly, be Bad’s fault. He lost his job. He lost everything. As of currently in the Dream smp, c!Badboyhalo is a complete wreck of paranoia and using unhealthy coping mechanisms in a poor attempt to deal with his extensive trauma. 

He really is a tragic character, because every single time he tried to do something for other people it blew up in his face.

It really puts that “You care too much” view that a lot of villains have in media into perspective, because as we can see through c!bbh, for them it would be a fatal flaw. You can’t be compassionate and still succeed as a villain, or, you can, but it’s damn near impossible. Most villains that even have any empathy or compassion either gain it over the course of the story, or they already have it and they end up being closer to anti-heros than villains. In either situation the villain usually ends up turning to good and joining the heroes. You can’t have empathy as a villain, it's not sustainable, it’s not productive, and it will lead to ruin. c!Badboyhalo’s intention in those moments was to help, but due to his goals and plenty of his actions being conflicting, it ended up with everybody getting hurt.

I mean, I’m sure it wasn’t all because of his empathy, he’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the box, and that factor certainly didn’t help, but my point still stands.

[artistfingers]

There’s one ~silver lining~ of my iPad being broken: I’ve had loads of time to think about my many half-formed undercover phantom au ideas! Since I have no idea when or what will make it to comic form, here’s the lowdown…. AKA, everything that’s been rattling around my brain recently :P

For context: Danny, Sam and Tucker have never met, and nobody knows Danny is Phantom. When Vlad’s newest bit of tech gets Danny stuck in ghost mode (with the rest of his powers on the fritz to boot), he meets Tucker and Sam—who instantly see through his disguise and lend a helping hand. (Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4!!)

So. After that, Danny—no, Phantom—becomes friends with them. It’s exciting! He was invisible at school even before the ghost powers; he was pretty isolated and lonely and being Phantom for the last year hasn’t exactly been a social boon. Kid’s lonely, ok?

But now… two human friends? Who’re his age & share his interests? It’s like a dream come true! If only they weren’t exclusively friends with his ghost self… and if only they didn’t wanna be so involved in his dangerous ghost hunting things…Uhhh. Hm. Could be a problem.

Danny angsts about the danger he’s putting his new friends in, and about not being able to befriend them as a human. He plays with the idea of telling them Everything but that’s… risky to say the least. He’s only known them a few weeks! ugh….!! it’s too much. maybe he should just throw the towel in.

Buuut Sam & Tucker don’t take no for an answer. Especially after they rescue him a third time.

Thus… Phantom friendship shenanigans!!

Sam filched some parts from the Fentonworks Lab when Phantom took them there, and later convinced Tucker to help her build a custom mini ectogun in case of emergency. They didn’t tell Phantom.

Danny is really sentimental about that DP hat he wore when he first met Sam & Tucker. He wore it as Phantom for a while but it got singed in a fight. He still wears it when he hangs out with Tucker & Sam but otherwise keeps it squirreled away for Sentimental Reasons.

“So Phantom, how old are you?” “I’m 15.” “15 now? Or 15 when you died?” “Yes.”

Tucker has a bunch of awful 90s button up shirts, and gives one to Phantom

They aren’t able to convince Sam to wear one too, but they sure do try.

Phantom won’t tell them when he died, so once he starts wearing 90s shirts they start using terrible 90s slang with him

“I am NOT from the 90s!!! They didn’t even SAY that then!!!” “methinks the lady doth protest too much…..home slice” “NOOO!!!”

“Phantom I have an extremely important question. Like, life or death. SHIT is on the LINE here. Are you listening?? I really need to know…. Do ghosts play video games”

The answer may surprise you (no it won’t)

Sam is completely convinced they can ACTUALLY get a good working guess of when Phantom lived and died based on the fact he liked Nasty Burger when he was alive, since NB’s a regional chain with a not-so-distant past. Tucker meanwhile thinks Phantom probably has a good reason for keeping them at arm’s length—but regardless of method, they can agree: they want to break down Phantom’s walls.

The next arc is less “Undercover Phantom” and more “Undercover Fenton” because the juxtaposition of him having to do hidden identities squared (squared again) is too good for me to pass up. It boils down to this: during a ghost attack at school, Danny finds himself stuck being “protected” by Sam and Tucker.

Sam and Tucker take their new jobs as Phantom’s ghost hunting companions too seriously to let this skinny stranger they just met run TOWARDS the danger. WHY does he keep trying to run TOWARDS the danger

NO YOU CANNOT GO TO THE BATHROOM THE SCHOOL IS ON G H O S T L O C K D O W N

Sam pulls out her ectogun.

Danny: WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!

Sam does not tell him.

“Wait, your last name’s Fenton? Like Fentonworks Fenton?” “No, the other Fenton.” “Oh… well, that’s too bad…” “YES LIKE FENTONWORKS FENTON”

Sam is initially wary of Danny because of his parents’ super strong anti-ecto views. Danny is clueless as to why she isn’t very friendly to him-as-a-human when she’s great with him-as-a-ghost. but she warms up after he helps resolve the ghost issue in a way that shows he doesn’t subscribe to his parents’ views.

afterwards you get this excellent situation where Danny is now friends with Sam and Tucker as Phantom and as Fenton, and they’re not connecting the dots as quickly as they did when it was just “that’s Phantom wearing a hoodie and a cap with his own logo on it”.

the potential here? *chefs kiss* here’s a few things but honestly? the possibilities are limitless

Danny pretending to not have a cell phone because he already gave them his number as Phantom

Tucker: *dials Phantom*

Danny, standing directly next to him: *frantically attempting to silence his phone*

Sam & Tucker try to introduce Danny and Phantom. Danny has to make excuses to avoid this happening in both forms.

Danny takes Sam & Tucker down to the Fentonworks Lab to get them some real equipment. Sam & Tucker pretend (very badly) that they’ve never been there before

Rooftop chill sessions as Phantom, late night teenage hijinks as Fenton, plus school AND fighting ghosts does not do any favors for Danny’s sleep deprivation. Tucker introduces him to caffeine pills with… mixed results.

Tucker and Sam teach Phantom some sign language. Later Danny slips up and uses it casually with them as Fenton

…. And many other silly mixups that I’ve yet to think of because I live for that shit

Sam & Tucker have theories about the Fenton-Phantom connection and they’re all wrong but somehow also plausible and that freaks Danny out just a little bit if he ever overhears them

Ultimately, I see this AU having a final arc where a New Situation occurs in which Danny-as-Phantom has to—once again—pretend to be human. This time, he’s with Sam & Tucker as Phantom from the get go, and can’t disappear or transform, even if being Phantom is extremely dangerous at that moment. Somehow this scenario would lead to the Fenton-is-Phantom (or, in this case, Phantom-is-Fenton) reveal…. But the details still escape me :P

so in short………… I really like hidden identities

[curatoroffiction]

MC Who Loves Cyphers/Coding

I just remembered this thing a friend and I used to do back and forth, and now I have an MC concept. Okay, so, my buddy and I used to do this thing where we’d send each other coded messages back and forth. At first, it started with us learning Morse Code, at which we very quickly realized we could force the other person to decypher messages like “Ur a bitch” which was so funny to us, that we started upping the anti. Over time, we started using new codes to trip each other up, not telling the other person what codes we used. It had to be something the other person could find/study if they were clever enough, but outside of those parameters, it was mostly free-game.

Eventually, we started nesting the cyphers. Which means, taking the already cyphered message and running it through another cypher. This would result in paragraphs upon paragraphs, even upwards of pages of text that would amount to a message like “You’re the bitchiest bitch of all of the land and I bet you took too long figuring out this message. Fight me.” So I’m imagining an MC who, one day, decides to bring up cyphers to another character. They explain them, and show them how they work, and they send them a cypher message for them to decode. Only, it’s an insult and the MC is grinning like an idiot. Over time, this back and forth escalates between MC and the character, and they reach a point where they are sending pages upon pages of coded messages back and forth. Where coding comes into this, is that I’m learning coding (C++ and C#) and I was thinking back on this time period, and I wish I had a ‘fight buddy’ to fight through coding programs and stuff. Someone who we could go back and forth, having to analyze each other’s codes, compile them, and then go back and forth between the code and the program to decypher the messages, which would amount to insults. It’s a really great system. I’ve been told it’s akin to having a rival relationship, but super nerdy. Lmfaoooo I imagine this MC would get along really well with characters who’re book nerds/coding/programming/game design nerds? These would be your characters who’re obsessed with machines and programming stuff, or characters who love a challenge of unraveling something by their own wit and grit. When I fought my buddy, I’d go out and get help from other friends who were  well-versed in cyphers, so I also imagine this MC going and roping other characters into this little game and it just becomes a very fun back and forth, only the characters who get roped in don’t realize that they’re putting all of this work in to decypher an insult. Hahahahaha “I DID IT, I FIGURED IT OUT, THEY’RE USING A MODIFIED VIGENÈRE CYPHER!” “Ooh, what’s coming through??” “Y O U A R E A M E G A B I T C- What the fuck are we decyphering” “Oh I’m writing a rebuttal as we speak.” “We’ve been spending an hour on this” “Yeah, and now they’re gonna spend two decyphering our insult.” --- I just imagine this MC sitting with a group of folks, chatting away, and one of the characters just walks up and drops a stack of papers in front of them and silently throws a white glove in their face and walks away. MC, now looking through the papers, realizing they’re looking at code, just going “No.. no... NO.. NO I HAVE TO TRANSCRIPT THIS, YOU BITCH!?” and all the characters around them being confused like “What is happening right now” I love when tormenting people is a love language.

[lord-fallen]

hey, i’m dominik (alt: dominic). over twenty, with pronouns he/him. i write/read dark fantasy, gothic fiction, and classics, but i make exceptions every now and then. i love world-building and mythology. kind of a vampire fan and the aesthetic surrounding it. an all-consuming greed for power is sort of a thing in most (if not all) of my works. i also primarily focus on the villains, anti-heroes and corrupt characters alike. oh, and i make templates for the muse.

N A V I G A T I O N

[ ask ] .  [ creations ] . [ gdoc templates ] . [ notion templates ] . [ writing resources ]

P R O J E C T S

[ hunted by ] . [ terror in the mind of a priest ] . [ darling, dearest, dead. ] . [ color of greed ] . [ sick thoughts ]

A E S T H E T I C S

. to descend into chaos is a choice many are deprived of - the pit . the dominik and katja vampire book club  . love, shaped like two hands wrapped around a throat, like an empty stomach - love as hunger . love like having your throat cut - violent love  . i don’t want comfort; i want danger, freedom, sin; i want to be hungry - hunger . beauty is terror, beauty is something inhuman - beauty . eat what makes us holy; eat the god who didn’t save us - religion . do you know what it means to be loved by death - vampires, blood . villain status - taglines  . daily kafka - some kafka . a place to suffer formally

more project details under cut.

hunted by - (dark) folkloric fantasy, dark romance

Sworn to the Northern Kingdom as their leading huntsman, Kalypso was trained by one principle: thou shalt not trust Versipellis - cursed shapeshifters who turn into macabre versions of themselves at moon’s peak. His path was never meant to cross with the wicked leader of such, but a web of dark, forbidden romance and vengeance ensnares him in a cunning twist of fate.

[ introduction ] . [ tag ] 

themes .  cursed shapeshifters / eternal winter / kingdoms / werebeasts vs. hunters / witchcraft / god is a woman and there are multiple / folkloric creatures / royalty / rivalry and vengeance / becoming god

terror in the mind of a priest -  gothic fiction/romance, horror, paranormal and dark fantasy, mystery.

The epistolary story follows an expert doctor who works alongside the police to make autopsy reports for all sorts of complicated deaths. His assistance is asked in a place far from home to investigate an unexplainable chain of murders. These occurrences are unlike any he has seen before, suggesting  the existence of unfathomable creatures. Sceptic at first, he is eventually thrusted into the world of otherworldly research, meeting the Father of the Local Church along the way.

But something about the priest isn’t right. And while the priest offers his help, the doctor seizes the opportunity to study his suspect up close.

[ introduction ] . [ tag ]

themes .  demons exist / power and corruption / facing darkness disguised as beauty / dancing with the devil / seduced by the villain / story expressed through protagonist’s pieces of writing / doctor as detective / studying the monster

darling, dearest, dead. -  (contemporary) fantasy, new adult, (dark academia)

A leading figure to the university’s secret society , Laurent was always known to be brilliant to the point of cunning. He is arrogant, sharp, unwavering, with poisonous charisma and genius hiding behind madness in pursuit of something others deem impossible: immortality. All he ever lacked was a push — that was, until after he met Will, a biology student with a matching sharpness and undeniable chemistry. In their constant wars of will and philosophical sparring, a desired push comes to an inevitable shove and theory turns into the experimental. But when one accident leads to a chain of murders, ambition becomes obsession, intrigue turns into jealousy, and power results in betrayal. Will and Laurent are left standing on ashes of what used to be friendship, each with a narcissistic desire of their own - now as archnemeses.

[ introduction ] . [ tag ]

themes .  life, death, carpe diem /  hedonism / immortality / entertaining the what-ifs / in the name of science, art, and philosophy / the constitution of good versus evil / modern tragedy

color of greed - science fiction, romance/erotica (nano 2021)

(wip shelved.) In a society where the filthy rich live in the skies and everyone else below, an heiress to one of five noble families is offered a captive as a gift - one with a deadly and, fortunately rare, affinity for mind control. He is one of last and his genetic skill must be kept a secret while the heiress seeks to rob her brothers of their father's throne, all for the hungry desire to rule an inhospitable, divided world. [ introduction ] . [ tag ] themes .  power, religion, and politics / inheritance and nepotism / familial competition for the throne / mind control / master and captive dynamic (except the master is an heiress and the captive is deadly) / power play

sick thoughts -  new adult, horror fiction, gothic romance, paranormal fantasy

(wip shelved.)

[ introduction ] . [ tag ]

themes .  vampires / not-so-ordinary university life / town full of secrets / bromance despite family-rivalry / new murders / former shy one becomes the new hot / decadent aristocratic family / the grotesque, the dark / power and greed    

O T H E R

(send an ask or comment to be +/- to the general taglist.)

🦇 . i’d love to be added to taglists of active wips, so if you have anything that falls under dark fantasy, send an ask and i’ll check it out. 

[uvobreakmylegs]

Catch and Release

Long fic with over 9k words in which the reader is a bodyguard working for the Nostrades and is present at the events of Yorknew. Events in the Yorknew arc have also been altered

Warnings: kidnapping, threats of violence, degradation, kink talk, mentions of death, the reader makes some not very good choices

To say that it was nerve-wracking to be sitting in such close proximity of one of the Phantom Troupe would be a massive understatement. You, along with the other remaining bodyguards of the Nostrade family, had witnessed this man – the one Melody had heard being addressed as 'Uvogin' – slaughter an entire group of mafia bodyguards and four of the Shadow Beasts completely on his own.

And now that same man was sitting next to you in the backseat of the car, the only thing keeping him in place being Kurapika's chains.

Luckily, though, his attention wasn't on you.

“Hey, driver. You think these chains can hold me?” Uvogin sneered at Kurapika, “if you don't kill me now, you'll regret it later.”

“Shut up.”

It seemed that you and Melody had the same idea to keep quiet and avoid attracting attention to yourselves, as you both kept your mouths shut and avoided eye contact. You didn't feel safe in that car. With either of those men. Even though he was on the same side as you, Kurapika had been out of control earlier, and with how much clear hatred he had for the cannibalistic murderer sat next to you, you worried that he would snap and endanger everyone again. Hopefully Melody would be able to calm him down if it came to that.

“Don't you understand? This is a golden opportunity,” he continued to taunt.

“Stop wasting time and just-”

The chains around him tightened and you could hear him grunting in pain.

“I told you to shut up!” Kurapika yelled, as he went as far as to turn around in his seat to glare at his captive, ignoring Melody's pleas for him to watch the road.

Uvogin was clearly taken aback by Kurapika's abilities, struggling against the hold of the chains as best he could in his weakened state. He had been shot at point blank range with a anti-tank cannon, and now it was chains that were doing him in.

You silently prayed Kurapika's hold on him would remain tight; it would be so easy for this giant to lean over and take a bite out of your head. You happened to have the binoculars at the exact moment he did that to one of the Shadow Beasts, and of all the things you had witnessed tonight, that had been among the most disturbing. Either Kurapika's chains were able to keep his movements restricted enough, or Uvogin just hadn't thought to do that yet.

The death-glares were still being exchanged between the two men with Melody becoming increasingly insistent for Kurapika to keep his eyes on the road. Not wanting the car to crash, you were about to try and get Kurapika's attention back on the road as well when Dalzollene suddenly called.

“Kurapika, floor it! It's a tail!” your boss's voice sounded over the phone.

“A tail? But who-”

You all seemed to have the same thought, using gyo to look over Uvogin. A needle stuck out of his thigh, a thin nen thread leading past your face and out the window.

“Shit,” you hissed, pulling the needle out and tossing it through the window as you rolled the glass down. It vanished into the night as Kurapika sped up. It had to have been the rest of the Phantom Troupe following.

You stayed twisted in your seat, looking back at a car that was following. It would be hard to lose them in the desert, and it seemed unlikely that your group would be able to make it to the city to ditch them.

Then, though you had a hard time making it out, you saw something fall onto the hood of that car, and it suddenly began to move about like no one was controlling it. The headlights behind Dalzollene's car completely vanished after that brief commotion, and after a few moments, it seemed as though they had been stopped.

“I don't think they're following us anymore,” you said. One could hope, at least.

“Not sure why they stopped, though,” you added.

“It doesn't matter,” Kurapika said.

Surprisingly, Uvogin had been quiet the whole time. When you turned back around and glanced over at him, he was staring blankly at the ceiling of the car, his anger from mere moments before seemingly dissipated.

“This is our chance to hurry back to the city,” Dalzollene spoke again.

“Roger that,” Kurapika answered.

“We'll switch the location to pattern C,” Melody said. She then looked back to you.

“We don't want muscles here putting up a fight. You can do that, right?”

“Of course,” you answered.

Now was not the time to lose your composure; right now, you needed to prove that you did have value as a hunter working for the Nostrade family.

Bringing up your arm and holding your palm so it was facing up, you focused your nen, and a small anemone bloomed in the center of your hand. You turned to face Uvogin, who was looking at you now, an eyebrow raised in question as he looked at the flower made of nen in your hand. You blew softly at the flower, causing the petals to flutter off and into his direction.

“The fuck is that supposed-”

Uvogin couldn't get any more than that out before the petals hit him, vanishing as your nen entered his system and forced him into a deep sleep. He slumped forward, and you were finally able to relax slightly, now that you didn't have to fear immediate death from a man who proved he could kill without the use of his arms or legs.

“Don't relax just yet,” Melody chided, “we still need to get him into a secure location.”

You nodded.

“Right. Sorry.”

You felt better when he awoke next. For one thing, you weren't stuck with him in a tiny, confined space, instead standing to the right of Dalzollene and having more than just Kurapika and Melody with you, as the entirety of the remaining hunters were surrounding him. It also helped that he had been completely strapped down to the metal table that took up the majority of the room, various restraints and wires around his neck and limbs keeping him secured.

Though with the way those bonds seemed to be straining against his muscles, you had to wonder if they'd be as effective if he didn't have the drugs that Dalzollene had pumped into him earlier.

He looked about the room after waking up, taking in all of you that surrounded him. His gaze seemed to linger slightly longer on Kurapika, you noted.

“Do you understand what's happening here?” Dalzollene asked, “where did you put the stolen merchandise?”

Uvogin seemed unconcerned, sighing a bit as he glanced at the hunters around him.

“What time is it?” he asked.

He spotted you, and asked “how long have I been asleep?”

You kept your mouth shut, instead looking over to Dalzollene, who seemed to have grown angry with Uvogin's nonchalance about the situation. Pulling his sword forward, Dalzollene readied himself for a strike.

“It seems that you don't grasp your current situation,” he growled, “I'm asking the questions here!”

He thrust the sword downwards, intending to stab the spider in the leg.

Uvogin's aura flared, and the tip of the sword broke off as it struck him. The piece of metal went flying into a breaker box on the other side of the room, lodging itself deep inside of it.

The noise echoed in the room briefly, and then silence overtook it. To think that even with those drugs in his system, Uvogin still kept his composure and was still able to use his nen so freely. He stayed quiet, looking blankly at the ceiling again. This man truly was something else.

He looked to Squala.

“Let's make a deal.”

“What?”

You hadn't even realized you had said that aloud until he looked over at you in response.

“I'll spare your lives, so let me up now,” he said to you.

“Huh? Wh-what is he saying?” Squala asked, looking to Melody, “is he insane?”

Although you and the rest stayed quiet, you were certain that sentiment was shared by most of your fellow bodyguards.

“He's serious. I think,” Melody answered.

It was easy to write this man off as just being insane, but when you thought about it more, it wasn't like that: the Shadow Beasts, nen masters who were more powerful than you could ever hope to be, had been so easily disposed of by this man. If he could take care of them within a matter of minutes, the rest of you didn't stand a chance. And he knew this. He was literally only making this offer because it would be less of a hassle for him.

Strange to think that this was likely Uvogin being charitable.

“Let me make something clear: We're after the auction merchandise that was stored underground,” Uvogin explained, “if you guys don't know where it is, I have no business with you.”

A beat of silence passed as everyone took in his words, broken by Basho as he began to talk, clearly annoyed by Uvogin's words.

“Wait a moment,” Melody said, interrupting him.

“You didn't steal the merchandise?” she asked Uvogin.

“The safe was empty when we arrived. The Shadow Beasts had already taken it all. I guess they didn't bother telling grunts like you.”

His words stung a bit, forcing you to acknowledge just how low the Nostrades were on the mafia social ladder, but to you, it didn't seem that he was trying to pick a fight or get a rise out of anyone. He was simply explaining the situation and calling it as he saw it: you and the others were insignificant, and even after going as far to kidnap and drug him, he saw all of you as being so little of a threat that he was willing to forget about it.

You didn't need Melody to tell you that he was telling the truth.

Squala was sent into a mild panic at the realization that Uvogin wasn't bluffing, and the way the spider smirked at that panic made everyone tense.

And then his gaze went to you.

“Everyone makes mistakes. We haven't stolen anything yet,” he said, and then looked back to Dalzollene, “so take these off, and pretend you didn't see anything.

“If you do that, you get to live.”

His words sent a chill down every spine in the room, and despite your best efforts to stop it, your hands began to tremble, forcing you to clench your fists so hard that your nails dug into the palms of your hands.

Everyone seemed to be in a similar state as you.

Everyone, except Kurapika.

“What about the guests?” he asked.

“Guests?”

“The guests who were in the auction hall. Some of our colleagues were there.”

It was a terrible thing to admit, but in the midst of everything that had happened that evening, you'd managed to forget about the hunters who had gone to the auction. They were likely dead. And Kurapika had to have known that.

Another thing you had managed to forget was Kurapika's reckless behavior from earlier. Perhaps you should have been impressed that he had kept his composure for this long. But if there had been any chance of your boss deciding to take Uvogin's deal in exchange for your lives, you could just feel that Kurapika was about to put an end to that.

“I see. That's too bad,” said Uvogin, “we killed them. It was part of our plan-”

Kurapika punched him in the face as anger clouded his judgment again, his expression turning to one of rage has he yelled “how many lives do you think you took to carry out that plan of yours?!”

Before he could get another punch in, Basho stepped forward and pulled the younger man away, yelling at him to stop.

Uvogin didn't seem upset at all, despite the bruise on his face and the blood coming from his nose. If anything, he seemed amused.

“If the merchandise is in safe hands, we don't need him. We'll hand him over to the community,” Dalzollene said, having regained his composure during Kurapika's outburst.

Uvogin wasn't paying attention to him, but instead was still grinning up at Kurapika.

“So no deal?” he joked.

You all left the room as Dalzollene stayed behind to double-check the restraints on Uvogin, but before you could exit, he instructed you to wait for him in the next room. Kurapika, Melody and the others went down the hall to another room while you stood outside the cell door. It worried you that Dalzollene had asked you to wait, and you had a bad feeling he was going to tell you to keep watch in the room where the prisoner was being held.

“I just made sure that he was attached securely to that table, and I've put in another dose of those muscle relaxants,” Dalzollene said to you as he came out of the room, “but just to make sure he doesn't do anything, I want you to wait in there until people from the community come for him.”

God fucking dammit.

“You think he'll be able to get out even with all of that?” you asked.

“No, but I want to make certain that he can't try anything,” he answered, “we've all seen what he's capable of, and I don't want to risk him bringing down this whole building just from his shout. If he looks like he's going to do anything, I want you to knock him out again. Among those of us who are left, you and Kurapika are the only ones who can do that easily.”

He sighed.

“And with how Kurapika has been acting, I can't trust him to not do something stupid, especially if he were to be left alone with him. So that just leaves you.”

“Okay boss,” you said, nodding slowly.

“If you think you can get any information out of him, then do it,” he continued, “but overall, just keep him in line.”

Dalzollene dismissed you with a wave of his hand, heading to the desk on the other side of the room, presumably to make whatever calls he needed to the community. You could hear him muttering something under his breath, something about wishing Baise were here instead.

Going back into that room was the last thing you wanted to do – especially when you would be completely alone with him – but you forced your legs to carry you back to that door.

Uvogin's eyes were on you the second you entered that room, making a chill run through you as he looked you over. You ignored it as best you could, situating yourself next to the door and leaning against the wall.

“So you'll be keeping me company while we wait for those mafia idiots to come and get me?” Uvogin asked.

You had really been hoping that he wouldn't talk, that he would be more like he had been in the car, or after he'd woken up. Dealing with him not speaking and staring at nothing would have been easier, but it seemed like he was riled up after Kurapika's outburst, and now you were the only one left for him to take it out on. And of course, now you had no excuse to disobey Dalzollene's orders to try and get information out of him.

“Looks like it,” you answered.

“Hm. Guess I lucked out with that,” he said, “you're easier on the eyes than some of those others in your group.”

'Please just shut the fuck up,' you thought to yourself.

“What, going to give me the silent treatment? You were pretty quiet earlier, too.”

He paused, thinking of something.

“You mad about your friends, too? Did we kill someone important?”

“.... Not really. I barely knew them,” you admitted.

He let out a low whistle.

“That's cold. At least that other guy cared.”

“It is what it is,” you said.

Maybe if you just kept your answers short, he'd give up on talking to you.

But probably not.

“So then this is purely business for you?” he asked.

You said nothing, keeping your gaze on the floor.

“Is it worth losing your life over this?”

You couldn't help the way you tensed, and he chuckled at you when you when you crossed your arms over your chest. You were trying to appear nonchalant, but he saw right through it.

“It looks like the others have made their choice,” Uvogin said, “but my deal is still open for you: let me go, and I'll make sure you live.”

“I can't do that,” you answered.

“You were watching while I took out those mafia, right? You really think it's safer to side with people that weak? When I get out, you can be damn sure they won't be able to protect you.”

“If I let you out I'd need protection from them,” you snapped, “and right now I'm more scared of my boss than I am of some guy who's going to be tortured to death.”

“Hmm. Your boss, huh?” he said, looking back over to where the sword tip was still jammed into the breaker box.

“Can't say he impresses me. And you can't be anything special if a guy like that can keep you in line.”

Your eyes stayed on the floor, and you refused to react to the taunt. It wasn't like he was wrong.

“I can't help but wonder. Why the hell is someone like you involved with a mafia family?”

You stayed quiet.

“I asked you a question,” he growled.

His tone sounded dangerous, and it spurred you to reply.

“I need the money,” you said.

“What for?”

“That's private.”

He laughed.

“Well now I really want to know. What, you looking to save up for something? You got a boyfriend waiting for you back home?”

It wasn't anything like that, but you weren't about to explain yourself to him. You worried you might need to tell him something anyway. He seemed amiable enough at the moment, but it looked like his mood could change pretty fast.

“What's your name?” he asked suddenly.

“.... Why?”

“Because I want to know.”

Uvogin was the prisoner of the Nostrade family, and yet he was clearly in control of the conversation you were having as you complied with his request and told him your name.

“So how long have you been working for these idiots?”

“.....”

“Oh come on! Is it going to hurt that bad to answer a few questions? You said yourself that I'm going to be tortured to death, what's the harm in humoring a dying man?” he asked, “you think they're going to ask me about you?”

The 'you' at the end was virtually spat out, as if to cement the fact that you really meant nothing to anybody. Looking over to the camera that was in the far corner of the room, you wondered if Dalzollene could hear the two of you. If he could, he hadn't yet felt like he needed to step in. Your boss had told you to get information if you were able, but given how this was going, you weren't sure if it was possible to accomplish that.

“I... I only just started working for them,” you answered, “a lot of us were hired just for this job.”

“Just for the auction?”

“Yeah. Our boss wanted to bid on some of the items.”

“I'm guessing your boss wasn't among those that we killed,” he said.

“What makes you think that?”

“Because why would you grunts go after us if there was nobody to sign the paycheck for you? If it was just one of you with a vendetta I'd get it, but all of you? Nah. The majority of you would have run off the second you lost your reason to care.”

…. His reasoning was pretty sound, though you hated to admit it.

“So who all did die at the auction?” he asked, “just a bunch of the new hires?”

“No,” you mumbled, “only one of them was.”

Uvogin scoffed.

“Too bad for them. But I'd say they were luckier than you.”

“They were lucky?”

“Yeah. They're deaths would have been pretty quick. But none of you are going to have a that luxury when the rest of the troupe finds you.”

It would be telling him too much to mention that you were almost one of those casualties. Originally you had been assigned to go to the auction with Tocino and Ivlenkov, but Baise had approached you and asked to swap places. She said that she was curious about the auction and wanted to see it for herself. It didn't matter much to you either way, so you had agreed, taking her place outside the auction house with Linssen and Basho. It was a simple decision, and one that had saved your life while it condemned hers.

Telling him all that would be far too much.

“You've gone quiet again,” Uvogin said, “you sure we didn't kill someone you cared about?”

“I told you, this is just business for me,” you answered, “I'm surprised you care at all. I would have thought it would be the same for you.”

“Oh, it's business for me as well. But this is a job I do because I enjoy it. If I see something I want, I take it. I don't give a shit about money.

“You'd probably be happier if you didn't care as much about money.”

“Good for you; not everyone can live like that,” you said dryly.

“More people should. It would make things more interesting.”

“I'm sure it would,” you sighed.

“Don't be like that. We'll probably be stuck in here for a while before those idiots come for me, so might as well make the most of it.”

“..... You're not worried about the community getting you.”

“Why should I be?” Uvogin asked, “you saw what happened with the Shadow Beasts, right? If that's the mafia's best, what do I have to be worried about?”

“Might be different when you're in custody,” you said, “they might have someone who can get through that nen shield of yours.”

Uvogin snorted.

“Doubt it. No one can take me down.”

“Except my colleague.”

Uvogin scowled at that and glared at you. You tensed again, readying your nen in case you needed to knock him out, unsure if he would let out another earth-shattering yell or start spitting pieces of human skull at you. With the strength and power he had demonstrated, you were grateful for the drugs Dalzollene had put into him, because the more you looked at that muscled body, the more you were certain that the restraints on their own weren't enough to keep him down.

“Yeah, except for him,” he hissed, “and you. I'd say it was impressive that you two incapacitated me and managed to not die afterwards, but sneak attacks have never done much for me, and they never work twice. Neither of you will catch me off-guard again.”

“I don't think we really need to,” you answered carefully, “you're not really going to be our problem after you're collected.”

He grinned at you again.

“Feel free to believe that.”

There wasn't much you could respond to that with, so you stood there in silence. The community couldn't get here soon enough. This situation was stressing you out more than anything else you had ever been through, and this was only your second day in Yorknew. If the mafia was able to get things under control, there would still be a few more days of the auction that you'd need to participate in for Neon's sake. And that was if the rest of the Phantom Troupe didn't try anything else for the rest of the days.

If the Phantom Troupe was as tight-knit as Uvogin was making them out to be, there was a chance they would come after all of you in retaliation.

Why the hell did you get yourself mixed up in underworld business?

“Oh, that reminds me – I might die before the community comes to get me,” Uvogin said.

“What?”

“That fat bastard from the Shadow Beasts infested me with leech eggs,” he explained, “apparently they're going to hatch inside of me and when they do I'll die. You might want to help me out with that unless your boss wants to hand over my dead body to the mafia.”

“..... I saw you being shot at by an anti-tank cannon. You seriously expect me to believe that you'd be done in by baby leeches?” you asked.

“It's a bit different when something is hatched inside of you,” he said, grinning as he continued “but I guess I can't force you. It's not like it's on me if I die before I can be interrogated.”

There was no doubt it would be bad if he died before he was in community custody, and since you were the only one with him, the blame would probably fall on you.

“How long before they hatch?”

“Who knows.”

The way he said that made it seem like he was lying, and with the way he grinned, it seemed like he knew that you knew and that you couldn't do anything about it. The man's body in the picture frame at the Nostrade mansion came to mind, and if that was what Dalzollene was capable of when it came to a slip-up, who knew what would happen if you failed on this.

Pushing off of the wall, you sighed.

“I can't take out the leeches,” you said.

“But,” you continued before he could say anything else “I can slow down their hatching process.”

Holding out your hand, another flower bloomed in your palm. This time it was a lotus. Just as you had done earlier, you blew on it softly, and the petals fell off and flew towards him, vanishing as they landed on his abdomen.

He watched in silence as the petals vanished before looking back to you.

“You said you were only slowing it down?” he asked.

“Yeah. I usually only use this to slow down a bad wound from bleeding out too much,” you explained, “but it should work for this. However long it'll take for those leeches to hatch, it'll take twice as long now. So if you only had 24 hours, it's now 48. That should be long enough for whatever the community does to you.”

“Hmm. You did something different in the car,” he mused, “what nen type do you have? Conjuration?”

You didn't answer, not wanting to tell him any more about your nen ability.

“So I'm right?”

“.....”

“C'mon, sweetheart. You can't answer that question?”

“I think I've been pretty good about answering your questions,” you said.

“Yeah, and I've got a feeling it's supposed to be the other way around. That boss of yours told you to interrogate me, right? And you can't even do that much,” he sneered.

“I came to the conclusion that trying to ask you anything would be a waste of time,” you snapped back, “you're not going to give me any meaningful answers so why bother talking to you about anything important?”

He seemed amused by your reply.

“Took you a while to finally snap. But how long will that last?”

'Stop responding,' you told yourself. That brief burst of anger that had built up purely because of how annoying he was insisting on being dissipated before he had even finished speaking, and by this point, you had just been ridiculed for far too long.

Uvogin demanded that you speak again, and even though you tensed again at the way he growled that order, this time you refused to say anything. He glared at you, and you readied your nen, preparing to knock him unconscious.

He tsked, but did nothing else, looking bored as he watched the ceiling. You didn't lower your guard, though, still watching for any sort of sign that he would try something.

You weren't sure how long you stayed like that, waiting for him to make a move.

When he did say something again, you managed to not come off as startled as you were.

“Was it also part of your instructions to be staring at me the whole time?” he asked, “not like I'm going anywhere.”

“I was under the impression that you liked having eyes on you.”

“Sure, I like the eyes of my victims on me before I kill them.”

You couldn't help letting out a little bit of a laugh at the corny threat. His eyes snapped over to you instantly.

“Something funny?”

His voice was low and dangerous, and the more sensible part of you knew that it was smarter to ignore him again. But the petty side of you wanted to see if you could upset him as a miniature vengeance for how the conversation had gone earlier.

“Yeah,” you answered, “I was just thinking that you're pretty lucky that it's me watching you and not one of my colleagues that you killed. She had the ability to make men fall in love with her by just kissing them. If she'd been here, she'd have had you spilling your guts about everything. She also would've had you liking the way you were tied up. Maybe have you begging her to step on you.”

You tilted your head to the side slightly as you smirked.

“That would have been pretty embarrassing for you, but it also would've been pretty funny for the rest of us.”

He didn't say anything.

You expected some sort of response. Maybe some outrage, maybe some threats, maybe even managing to flip your taunt back on you in some way and continuing to dominate the conversation as he had been the whole time. There was definitely anger in the way he looked at you, someone so much weaker than himself mocking him, but he still said nothing, just frowning as he looked back to the ceiling.

That made you more on edge than if he had begun to yell at you.

The air between you two was far more uncomfortable than it had ever been, and you found yourself wishing that the people from the community would show up already.

“You really don't pull off the tough act very well, sweetheart,” Uvogin said.

“But congratulate yourself on managing to piss me off.”

He said nothing more than that, continuing to stare at the ceiling as if he hadn't said anything at all.

Fuck you messed up.

The regret from saying the things you did hit you like a bucket of cold water. Why the hell did you do that?

The sound of the door opening made you jump, forcing you to stand to attention as Dalzollene walked in.

“The people from the community should be here soon,” he told you, “I'll meet with them when they arrive, so you go to the room where the others are.”

Before you could answer, you heard Uvogin scoff behind you.

“Making sure all of your subordinates are gone so you can get the full credit?” he asked, the distaste clear in his voice. He looked over to you, asking “why do you follow a guy like this?”

“You should be worrying about yourself, not her,” Dalzollene snapped.

He motioned for you to leave, which you did. You looked back one last time before the door closed behind you.

Uvogin looked bored again.

Not even five minutes had passed after entering the room with the others when Uvogin's roar echoed through the building, shaking the foundation and making you cover your ears in a feeble attempt to protect your hearing. There was no time to question what had happened; Melody ordered everyone to follow her, and you all did, running down to the express elevator and piling yourselves into the car as you heard walls being smashed behind you. For whatever reason, no one came after you, and you were all able to escape back to the hotel where Neon was staying.

It wasn't hard to figure that Dalzollene had been killed, and now there was no leader and a very angry spider who would be coming after you for revenge.

The events that followed were like a whirlwind for you: Kurapika was voted in as the new leader, Light Nostrade was coming in the next day to take Neon back, and then Kurapika realized that sensitive information regarding the Nostrades and the buildings they owned in Yorknew was available on the Hunter website, and from that, he had determined that Uvogin would find your current location. You'd then needed to move Neon and all of her things into a new room at the same hotel while Kurapika stayed in the top suite to wait for him.

“His focus will be on me,” Kurapika had said, “as long as the rest of you stay in the new room and don't come out, he'll leave you alone.”

You were happy to listen to his instructions and had been ready to wait for him to take care of Uvogin once he arrived.

But then Neon started complaining about something.

Evidently she had lost a cellphone charm, probably in the other room, and was throwing another tantrum until she could get it back. The two women who worked as her servants were, understandably, a bit nervous to go out into the halls while everyone waited for the spider to arrive. So you had volunteered to go for them, making a bit of a show for Neon as you said that you would go get it and for her to wait for you to come back. That had seemed to calm her down, and the one servant, Elisa, whispered a small “thank you” as you left. You weren't stupid enough to go back up to the top suite, however. The last thing you wanted was to be caught in the crossfire. So instead you planned to hang out somewhere on one of the lower floors, and then you'd go back up for Neon once you had gotten confirmation that everything was safe. Hopefully during that time the servants would be able to placate Neon until you got back.

You made your way down a few flights of stairs before picking a random floor where you would wait.

The door opened before you could grab the knob.

Uvogin stood there.

Time seemed to stop as the two of you looked at each other, his eyes widening in surprise as you looked at him in shock. You were completely alone with him, again, and this time there was nothing restraining him.

You were going to die unless you did something now.

It took only a few seconds for your nen to conjure a flower you could use to get out of this situation. But it was a few seconds too long. Before you could bring your hand up Uvogin had grabbed you by the throat and slammed you against the wall in the stairwell, holding you at eye level so you were several feet off the ground. Your hands went up to your neck as you tried to pry his fingers off when he began to squeeze.

“I was wondering if I'd see you again,” he said, “I thought maybe you'd have run away from Yorknew after last night. Good to see that you stuck around.”

Black splotches were starting to appear at the edge of your vision, and you let out a pathetic wheezing sound as you tried to get in a breath.

“Need to breathe already? I guess I can do that if you do something for me first. Blink if you understand.”

The grip around your neck left you unable to concentrate and form something with your nen, so you complied, blinking at him.

“Good. Now, blink once for 'yes', twice for 'no',” he said, “is the chain-user up there?”

You blinked once.

“Good.”

True to his word, his grip on your throat relaxed slightly, and you took in a few desperate gulps of air while he chuckled at you.

“Not so fun when you're the one being held against your will, is it?” Uvogin asked. When you didn't respond, his eyes narrowed and he growled “huh? Didn't I ask you a question?”

“N-no...” you said, finally finding your voice.

“That's what I thought,” he sneered, “before the night is over that chain-user is going to learn a few things, too.”

He looked up at the stairway.

“I'm guessing he's waiting up there for me.”

“Yeah,” you whispered, “he-he knew you'd be coming, and he wants to f-fight you by himself.”

That blood-thirsty grin appeared on his face and you shuddered.

“That's great. I can't wait to pummel that guy into nothing.”

He looked back to you.

“But what do I do with you? I can't just let you go, can I?”

His grip was becoming tighter again. Your struggles were renewed, clawing as best you could against him and trying to push him away with your feet.

“Wait-!” you began.

“Settle down.”

He pushed himself against you, the arm that held you up now pressing uncomfortably against your chest while the other went down to hold your leg in place against the wall.

“Where'd that sass from earlier go? Or were you acting like that just because you thought you were safe when I was chained up?”

“Wait-!” you tried again.

“Should've taken my deal,” said Uvogin, “then you wouldn't be here, begging for your life like a pathetic wretch.”

“No-!”

“The underworld is a nasty place, sweetheart. You should've realized that before you signed up for this. I gave you a chance and you threw it away. Now you have nobody to blame but yoursel-”

You had continued to struggle, your free legging pushing against him as best you could, and somehow, one of his legs had ended up between yours, and when his thigh had brushed against your clothed cunt, you gasped.

He stopped talking, looking slightly confused until he looked down.

Moments that felt like small eternities passed in silence while you continued to pull at his hand, managing to wrap one hand around his thumb.

Uvogin began to laugh.

“What, you like that?” he asked, pushing himself harder and grinding against you. You couldn't help the way you blushed, and the shame you felt was overwhelming when he continued to laugh at your expense. The noises leaving your mouth didn't help either, and they didn't stop even when you bit down on your lip to try and keep quiet.

“I didn't peg you for a slut, but I guess you learn something new every day,” Uvogin said, clearly enjoying himself as he continued his ministrations.

“Stop! I don't want this!” you yelled.

“Don't lie to me sweetheart. Not when it's written all over your face just how much you enjoy this.”

He grinned at you.

“You mentioned something earlier about me liking being chained up and wanting to be stepped on,” he whispered, “was that you trying to tell me what you wanted to see?”

“No!”

“I can't believe that. It was too specific of a thing to bring up without being into it. You liked seeing me tied up, huh? Do your colleagues know about that? Do they know how much of a desperate slut you are? I wonder....”

He trailed off, then leaned in closer to whisper directly into your ear.

“Do those nasty little kinks of yours go both ways? Would you like it if I chained you up and tossed you around? What else are you into? I'd love to find out.”

Your hands left his one that held your throat, pushing against his face to try and get him away from you. He didn't budge, not even slightly. All you accomplished was him laughing at you again while your pride was slowly torn to pieces.

Without any warning he let you go, and you tumbled to the floor in front of him. You scrambled back into the corner of the stairwell, one hand raised as you prepared to defend yourself. Uvogin remained relaxed, smirking down at your shaking form in the corner.

“Don't bother trying to do anything; I'm not going to let you hit me with that again,” he said, “if anything you should be grateful.”

“.... Grateful?” you asked incredulously.

“Yeah, because I'm going to let you live.”

“Huh?”

“Tch. That's all you can say to that?” he scoffed, “be a little more happy; you're not dying tonight.”

He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.

“Once I take care of that chain-user, I'll be back for you. I was actually thinking you might be worth leaving alive anyway; I think my boss might like certain aspects of your abilities. And once he's taken them, I'm sure he won't care if I keep you for myself afterwards.”

You were lost for words and could only shake your head at him.

“I told you earlier,” he said, “the underworld is a nasty place; you've got no one but yourself to blame.”

Finally, finally, he turned and began to make his way up the stairs, leaving you in that corner while you tried to process what just happened and the things he had said. You wanted to run, to at least get out of that stairwell and into a space that felt safer, but until Uvogin was further up those stairs and far away from you, you stayed still.

He paused when he began up the second flight of stairs, looking back to you and speaking your name in a way that made you tense again.

“You can try to run if you want,” he said, his tone more serious and seeming much more collected, “but if you try that, I will find you. And things will be much, much worse for you if you run away, you can count on that.”

He grinned, and somehow this one seemed deadlier than any other you had seen thus far.

“I'll be seeing you.”

And with that, Uvogin continued to make his way up the stairs and to the top suite where Kurapika waited. You heard his footsteps echoing against the metal of the stairs, getting softer as he went further and further up, but you still didn't move. Only when you could barely hear him on the stairs did you finally get up.

Bursting through the door, you all but scrambled to get to somewhere safe. You were a mess, your thoughts all over the place and emotions running wild, and all you could do was pray to whatever God might be listening that Kurapika would be able to dispose of that man.

In his state of zetsu, Shalnark standing behind a corner went unnoticed by you as you ran off. Had he not been listening to your conversation with Uvogin, he would have killed you right there. But instead, he smiled to himself, waiting until you were out of the way completely before entering the stairway himself and continuing to follow Uvogin as he had been all afternoon.

Kurapika didn't come back.

The late night had transformed into morning, and he didn't come back.

The immediate thought shared by the group was that he was dead, and the second one was that Uvogin was going to be coming back for the rest of you.

Basho and Melody were the ones doing best at keeping level heads and trying to keep the group calm. Just because Kurapika isn't back yet doesn't mean he's dead, Melody had told all of you. He'll be back, she assured you.

God you wished you could believe that.

It had been determined that you all should wait until Light Nostrade made it in, then he and Neon would leave with a few of the bodyguards while the rest moved to a different building to continue with the auction. At this point, bidding in an auction was one of the last things you wanted to do, but you had a bad feeling that you wouldn't be one of the lucky bodyguards that would be leaving with the Nostrades.

Uvogin's words repeated themselves in your mind, and every time his name was mentioned you couldn't help the way you shuddered. No one seemed to notice that, however.

Except Melody.

She caught you in the late afternoon when you were alone and asked what was troubling you, citing how rapidly your heart would beat when Uvogin's name was mentioned.

The emotions that you'd been trying to bottle up overflowed and you broke down, full-on crying in front of her as you told her everything. From the time with him in that room to when he'd caught you in the stairwell, you told her every little thing he had said to you, every threat he had made and just how terrified you were of him coming back to get you like he said he would.

Melody had been horrified at your confession, and for the first time in what felt like a long time, you felt genuine compassion from another human being. She held you and rubbed your back in a soothing motion as you sobbed into her.

“He won't get you, I promise,” she said, “everything will be okay. But I'll make sure that you go back with the boss tonight, alright?”

You didn't answer. You just tried your best to calm yourself, wiping away your tears while sobs still hiccuped from your throat.

“Maybe some fresh air would do you some good. Basho was complaining that there weren't any good snacks in the building. How about you run down to the store and grab some things for everyone?” Melody suggested.

“Should.. Should I really leave? Right now?” you asked.

“I'm sure it'll be fine. It's just a quick run to the store, right?”

“.... Okay.”

Grabbing a hoodie on your way out, you pulled up the hood and kept your face down, trying to hide the fact that you had been crying. It felt strange to run such an errand during a time like this, but maybe Melody was right and it would be good for you. And maybe by the time you came back, Kurapika would have returned.

With two plastic bags full of junk food and a few drinks, you had exited the convenience store at the corner, the bell on the door ringing as you stepped outside. There had been a bit of a line behind you so when you were given the change from the cashier, you had hastily thrown it into one of the bags as you were eager to keep the line moving. After leaving the store, you stepped to the side of the building, your back facing the street as you began to dig through the bag you had thrown the change into. It wasn't like it was even that much, but you didn't like the idea of just leaving it in there with everything else.

As your sole focus was on reaching around inside of that bag for the change that had made its way to the very bottom, you didn't notice the large group of people that had come up and were passing by you.

Not until you heard a familiarly deep, boisterous voice that made you freeze.

He was talking to someone, saying something about still being mad that they had followed him. A different voice responded saying that it was a good thing they had done that. There was an answer from him, but you couldn't hear it very well with the way your heart was beating in your ears.

The voices were getting further away now. You tentatively peeked out from under your hood to see if it really was who you thought it was.

Even from behind, there was no mistaking Uvogin in a crowd.

He walked with a group that you recognized some of as being the other spiders that were there with him on the night of the auction attack. Others you didn't recognize, but if they were traveling together, they must have also been part of the troupe. At the head of the group was what looked like a man in a long black coat, seemingly leading the group.

Right in the direction of the Nostrade's hotel.

You swore that your heart was beating so loud they all should have heard it and then you would have been at their mercy. But they continued walking, not paying attention to anyone else around them. Realizing that you hadn't taken a breath since you had heard Uvogin's voice, you let out a soft, shuddery breath as they walked further and further away. They were still close enough for you to see clearly when Uvogin gave a playful slap on the back to the samurai in purple robes, who stumbled forward slightly and began to curse out the taller man.

When he had pushed him forward, you noticed a small piece of folded paper that slipped out of his robes.

The group turned a corner, and only when you couldn't see any of them anymore and you could no longer hear any of their voices did you move, slowly walking forward down the sidewalk, constantly checking to make sure none of them came back as you went for that slip of paper.

Your hands were trembling as you picked it up. Why you were concerning yourself with something they had dropped you didn't know. There were more important things, like getting back to the hotel before them and warning the others, but your brain was in a horribly familiar panic-mode and you weren't thinking straight.

Unfolding the paper, you found a set of pictures – headshots of the Nostrade family bodyguards. Dalzollene's picture had been crossed out, but Basho's, Squala's and everyone else was featured.

But what truly sent you into a panic were the two pictures that had been circled in pen.

One was of Neon.

The other was you.

All you could hear for a bit was your own harsh breathing, unable to focus on anything else while you looked at that bit of paper.

He was doing as he had promised. Uvogin and those others were going back to that building and they were going to kill everyone and then take you.

The remaining time you had to warn the others was slipping away and you stood petrified as you tried to figure out what you could do.

You couldn't fight them.

None of you could. The only one capable of that was Kurapika, and if Uvogin was still walking around, then he had to be dead.

You couldn't fight them.

The paper and the convenience store bags you had been holding fell to the ground as you bolted off in the opposite direction. You ran as fast as your legs could carry you until you were out of breath and aching all over. And even then you continued running. Uvogin's words, the things he did and the way he looked at you were still fresh in your mind. You couldn't face that; you knew you wouldn't win and you just needed to do whatever you could to get away from him.

Even if it meant only saving yourself.

Your kept running, sometimes bumping into people or cars, ignoring them as they yelled at you so you could keep going.

When you were thoroughly exhausted and ready to fall over, you made it to the airport, taking a few seconds to stop and catch your breath, resting your hands on your knees as you were ready to heave out your lungs. One of the airships would have to be departing soon. Buying a ticket wasn't an option; you'd need to go with a riskier route.

You jumped the fence into the airfield and were stopped almost immediately by a security guard.

“I don't know what you're thinking,” he yelled at you, “but you'd better be ready to-”

You focused your nen and a hyacinth formed, and you blew at the petals in the direction of the guard. When the petals hit him, he stopped his rant and his gaze turned blank as he stared at you.

“Let me on to the next departing airship,” you ordered.

“Yes miss.”

He moved robotically, leading you to an airship at the end of the field. Luckily nobody else approached you two. When you controlled someone with this ability, you could only give them three simple orders, and you could only use it on only a few people during a short period of time, and you didn't want to waste any of it using the guard to keep people off your back.

When you reached the airship, you told him “go ask the stewards to meet me at the entrance. And when you're done with that, I want you to go back to your station.”

“Yes miss.”

Once your last order was completed, he would be out of your control and would have no memory of you or anything that happened.

After ordering the stewards to take you to an empty cabin and to not let anyone enter during the flight, you let them go, slumping down in the window side seat after you had locked the door. The airship was taking off, and soon you'd be away from this nightmare.

The others wouldn't, though.

The reality of the situation struck you then, that you really had just run off and left them to fend for themselves. Unless some miracle happened, they were going to die. Melody didn't deserve that. Neither did Squala. Or Basho, or any of the others working for the Nostrades. Neon was a brat and she had proven that she didn't care for you or anyone else who worked for her, but that really wasn't her fault. And even if it was, it didn't mean that she should suffer for it. Not like that.

Tears began to roll down your cheeks, and you wrapped your arms around your knees as you curled up into your seat, cursing yourself for your cowardice and for just how pathetic you were as the airship lifted you higher.

The story you read months later was that of a mystery disappearance of multiple people in the hotel owned by the Nostrades. The bodyguards and employees had all vanished, leaving behind hotel rooms filled with signs of violence, but no sort of blood or bodies in sight. The only one left was a thoroughly traumatized Neon who could barely speak and was unable to offer any explanation as to what had happened. Not even her father was able to get her to speak. Nor could he get her to use her ability, and without his daughter's fortune telling, he lost that place he had carved for himself in the mafia community and quickly fell from grace.

The articles in magazines and newspapers focused more on that aspect of the story, of the millionaire who fell from his high social standing. No one seemed to care much about the people that had vanished. Very few articles mentioned the bodyguards, and fewer still bothered to name any of them. Your name had been listed in one of those articles as one of those who were missing, but what had made you sick was reading the names of the others and knowing that they weren't missing, but that they were dead.

'This was what you chose,' you told yourself bitterly. Instead of trying to take on the troupe in an effort to save them, you ran away like a coward. Though it wasn't like anything would have changed if you had confronted them, but maybe if you had, you wouldn't need to live with the guilt of knowing that you did nothing to try and help.

You were just too weak.

The world of the hunters, that thing that you had worked towards for so long, having gone through that exam so many times and coming so close to death every time you did, was no longer something you wanted to be apart of. The dream that you had of everything being alright in your life if you could just get that license was shattered after learning about nen. Even with that treasured license, you were still so horribly insignificant in this world, and the power that you held was ultimately meaningless in the long run.

After that eye-opening experience, and after everything you had been through in Yorknew, all you wanted was to go back to a normal life.

You sold your license and made a new home for yourself on the other side of the world, far away from Yorknew and anything remotely to do with the mafia community. You lived in a humble apartment and worked a decent job while you lived life with your head facing down, staying under the radar as best you could. Just existing with yourself as best you could.

Not a day went by that you didn't think about the people you had abandoned, or the words Uvogin had said to you on the stairs. That he would find you if you ran, and that the consequences would be worse for you if you did that. Months had gone by since that day, but your anxiety didn't allow you to relax in the slightest; he had been confident in his words, and after everything you had seen, you were certain that he wouldn't give up on finding you that easily.

Time had continued, and you were coming up on almost a year since the incidents in Yorknew. Returning late to your apartment after your shift, you were struggling to keep yourself awake as you slipped the key into the front door lock. You were ready to pass out as you entered, turning as you shut the door behind yourself. Had you been a bit more alert, you might have noticed the light that was on within your apartment that shouldn't have been on, or the shadow that loomed behind you the second you turned your back to lock the door.

What you did notice were the two strong arms that wrapped around your form and pulled you against a solid chest, and the breath that tickled against your ear as a terribly familiar voice whispered to you, putting you on full alert as you realized who held you.

“Gotcha.”

And like that, your time of living in hiding came to an end.