#i'll dust First. before i start cleaning the floors. just so i can get up anything that falls down there After.

[iveseenthatlovebefore]

Okay so hear me out—Templar!Desmond AU

I mentioned it before but you don't understand. Not an on-purpose Templar!Desmond AU. Accidental Templar!Desmond AU.

Like what if he got fired from the Bad Weather for whatever reason? The Templars wouldn't have found him at the start of AC1 but because of PLOT, Desmond found THEM because he needed to pay the damn rent and oh hey, that's an awfully convenient job opening.

Now what kind of job, you may ask? Well, Des ain't no scientist and he has zero credentials to his name, but—you know who also has no credentials to their names, zero experience, and the perfect amount of fake it till you make it attitude?

Interns.

He gets an internship at Abstergo, somehow, and it just SPIRALS FROM THERE.

Imagine—Desmond doesn't even realize he's joined the Templars. This would be before he even found out about his Assassin bloodline. He only applied for the experience—for the paycheck but somehow he finishes the internship, gets the job, gets PROMOTED??

Maybe somehow Abstergo finds out about his Assassin bloodline, but he's super clueless and is already employee and so they're like, ok, hey you wanna maybe join this special project? Comes with extra benefits!

Cue maybe some mind control/hypnotism/other BS hyjinks or something idk and he somehow goes from desk job Templar to junior fieldwork Templar agent but with a pension plan.

Also maybe a sprinkle of Tsundere!Daniel Cross who is attached at the hip because Desmond is some sort of Templar Advil that makes Daniel's bleeding effect waaaay more manageable.

Can you imagine this?!

Because I sort of did.

Desmond didn’t mean to get fired.

It kind of happened in a blur.

He’d been halfway through his shift at Bad Weather—a moody, brick walled bar downtown where the cocktails were overpriced and the lights were too low—when he spotted the guy. Mid-thirties. Designer jacket. Confident smile. The type that watched people a little too closely and tipped just a little too much to be normal. Not too unusual—not unexpected—but what was was the move he did when his hand hovered over a girl’s drink as she looked away.

Quick. Practiced. Something small and clear dropped into the glass of a drink—his signature drink—and the moment it registered, instincts kicked in before his brain caught up. The punch landed clean across the guy’s jaw. The sound was satisfying. The guy hit the floor. The bar went dead quiet.

The girl cried. The cops came.

The guy claimed Desmond misunderstood. The girl couldn’t stop crying. Management said it was a ‘PR issue.’

The next morning, Desmond was out of a job.

That was six months ago.

Now, he was twenty-four, unemployed, broke, and lying on a sun warmed mattress in his studio apartment, watching dust float through a shaft of light.

He spent the first week of unemployment scrolling job boards like they owed him something. The second week, he gave up and scrolled online forums instead. The third, he shaved and updated his resume.

He applied for everything. Any bar that had openings. Bookstore clerk. Front desk at a gym. Data entry for a moving company. An assistant mailroom position at a tax office that ghosted him after a second interview. Unfortunately, it seemed like the economy must have gone to shit because out of the thirty one jobs he applied for, he got three interviews. One was a pyramid scheme. One wanted him to relocate to Oregon. The last said he was ‘overqualified’ and ‘seemed too independent minded for the team culture.’

Desmond had stared at that email for a full minute before replying, “Thanks for the feedback. I'll try to be dumber next time.”

What saved him—if you could call it that—was that he’d started taking online business courses a year before he got fired. His previous manager at Bad Weather had pulled him aside and pretty much kickstarted him into it.

“You’ve got decent instincts, Francisco.” She’d said and even after eight years of using the fake alias, he still couldn’t get used to it. “But instincts won’t carry a business. If you want to run your own place one day, you need to know the numbers. Think ahead.”

So he did. 

Two weeks later, he signed up for online classes—Intro to Business, Financial Accounting I, and a random management course he promptly ignored and unenrolled out of midway through the semester. He didn’t plan to get a degree—he wasn’t trying to become a CPA or anything like that, but he figured he’d take just enough to not get screwed if the opportunity ever came along. Besides, if he ever ran his own bar, he should know how to balance a ledger without crying. Or at least learn how to use QuickBooks.

He’d liked it more than he expected.

Accounting wasn’t exciting. He didn’t fully grasp the theory and couldn't explain what compound interest was or how to calculate materiality without cheating to save his life, but the numbers made sense in that weird intuitive way, like catching someone in a lie. If the totals didn’t add up, it meant someone made a mistake—or lied. That part he understood.

And Desmond was good at spotting lies.

He was halfway through the Accounting for Beginners (5th Edition) textbook again, legs sprawled across his mattress, when a job listing popped up in his inbox.

Abstergo Entertainment – Accounting Internship (Spring Term)Entry-level, flexible hours, possible long-term offer. Must sign NDA.

Compensation: Competitive.

Requirements: Coursework in accounting or finance. Self-motivated. Discreet.

Discreet was a weird requirement.

So was the sender name—just ‘J_.’ No full name. And the email had no footer. No unsubscribe button. No contact information.

Honestly, it looked like a phishing attempt, but the link checked out, and the listing was real.

Still, it beat unemployment.

Desmond clicked Apply.

Thus was how he ended up standing in front of Abstergo Entertainment a month later, holding a laminated visitor badge and wondering if he was accidentally participating in a social experiment.

Technically, Abstergo Entertainment’s HQ was in Quebec. This was just a New York satellite office—probably for accounting, PR, or whatever vague nonsense they didn’t want cluttering the actual work. Desmond figured if you had enough money, you could slap your logo on a downtown skyscraper and call it a branch. Seemed legit enough.

The building was sleek—glass and steel and way too many security guards for an accounting internship. The lobby was quiet, temperature controlled, and smelled faintly like printer toner and lies. There was a small cafe to the side of the lobby, past the security checkpoint. 

There were over twenty floors, but the building directory only listed one name: Abstergo. No shared offices, no law firms, no dentists or startups—just Abstergo Entertainment, in crisp sans serif font, like they’d eaten the entire building and were still hungry.

Desmond frowned at that. Most companies, even the big ones, rented. Shared. Leased space like normal people. But Abstergo apparently just bought skyscrapers like they were Starbucks gift cards. Rich people were weird.

He checked in at the front desk, got his picture taken, and was directed to the 16th floor. “Intern Orientation.” The woman said with a practiced smile. “Don’t stray from the green line.”

There was, in fact, a literal green line on the floor.

He followed it to a bland conference room already half filled with nervous looking twenty-somethings. Some were dressed like it was a casual startup. Others wore full suits. Desmond had settled on jeans, a button-down, and the lingering aura of someone who hadn’t had a real job in seven months.

He grabbed a seat near the wall, dropped his notebook onto the table, and was so glad he had decided to grab a cheap coffee from the cafe. Having a 12 oz latte made him feel like he belonged.

When the room finally filled, that was when the presentation began. Orientation was standard corporate fare. Rules, nondisclosure agreements, company history. Some guy in a polo said something about ‘organizational synergy’ and ‘data transparency’ with a straight face. 

Desmond was already regretting this and zoned out somewhere between the sixth and seventh slide about ‘industry alignment’ and ‘core competencies.’ 

When the presentation finally wrapped and Desmond had the chance to stretch his legs, everyone was herded toward the second conference room for icebreakers.

Desmond stared at the sign taped to the glass door. "Get to Know Your Intern Team!" Under it, in smaller font: Mandatory Attendance.

He considered walking into traffic.

The room had been rearranged—circle of chairs, catering trays in the corner with sad muffins and fruit that looked suspiciously dehydrated. There was an intern packet waiting on each seat, complete with a name badge, department assignment, and a branded stress ball in the shape of a pyramid.

Desmond found his badge on a chair near the back and when he settled down, turned the stress toy over in his hands. It was soft, cheap foam. The company logo was printed across the base as Abstergo Industries—which was weird. What was that, the parent company? Of all the logos they chose, why did it have to be a pyramid? Was this some subliminal messaging? Was this all a pyramid scheme? Illuminati? 

Desmond grimaced. God, he was sounding like his parents. 

The triangle shape was probably just branding.

Probably.

Around him, conversation buzzed.

“So I’m a junior at Columbia, but I just transferred out of pre-law.” One girl was saying. “Accounting resonated with me more, you know?”

“I’m double majoring in finance and international business.” Said another guy. “I want to work in public. Maybe regulatory compliance if I’m feeling crazy.”

Desmond pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly.

He was twenty-four. Not old by any real measure, but sitting among a sea of nineteen and twenty-some-year-olds, all chirping about master’s programs and networking opportunities, made him feel like a cryptid someone accidentally let into the building.

Someone to his right leaned over and offered a wide smile. “Hey! What school are you from?”

“Uh…” Desmond tried not to sink into his seat. “Not in school right now.”

“Oh! Like… gap year?”

“More like a gap lifestyle.” He deadpanned.

The guy laughed politely, unsure if it was a joke.

Desmond was saved from filling in the silence when the coordinator clapped her hands for a group activity. They were instructed to go around the circle and introduce themselves. Name, school, something fun.

Fuck.

When it was his turn, Desmond winged it. “Francisco Randez. No school. Took some online classes. I—” He hesitated, and thought fuck it. “—once got detained for climbing a museum exhibit because it looked like a staircase.”

A few people laughed nervously.

He gave them a pleasant smile and passed the metaphorical mic to the next intern.

The orientation dragged. The HR coordinator was all buzzwords and strained optimism. Synergy. Collaboration. Brand alignment. Desmond spaced out halfway through, watching the second hand tick on the wall clock and mentally calculated how long he could stretch his meager finances if this didn’t work out just to stay awake.

By the time lunch rolled around, he was starving, underslept, and ready to question every life decision that had brought him to this glass paneled hellhole. The Company had a lunchroom, outfitted with kitchens from various vendors that you could order at kiosks. Desmond took one look at the prices and walked out. 

He stepped outside, walking past the lobby security and immediately regretted it. The spring air was too fresh—like the world was mocking him with sunlight and competence.

He ducked around the corner of the building, pulled out his phone, and opened his banking app. The number on the screen made his soul leave his body for a full three seconds.

He had enough for groceries or rent.

Not both. 

He pulled out the granola bar he���d stolen from orientation snacks from his bag and chewed it bitterly, watching pigeons fight over a discarded panini with more dignity than he currently had.

Then, his phone buzzed.

Shaun:

how's the first day?

Desmond sent a gif of a dumpster fire. 

Shaun:

oh good, you're settling in.

Desmond:

watching two pigeons fight over a sandwich

one of them won

it was not me

i’m eating a granola bar i stole from orientation snacks.

lunch prices are criminal.

Shaun:

i warned you

that building is a temple to late stage capitalism and soft cult vibes.

Desmond:

it smells like printer toner and regret.

the receptionist has dead eyes.

Shaun:

told you

something’s off about that place

Desmond:

yeah well

off is paying better than broke

Shaun:

hm.

i have an idea.

Desmond stared at the screen, then typed slowly.

Desmond:

i don’t like it when you say that.

Shaun:

you’ll love this one

i applied to the cafe in the lobby

Desmond:

wait what

Shaun:

barista job. i start next week.

figured i’d keep an eye on you

make sure the capitalist death cult doesn’t eat you whole

Desmond:

i’m fine

you don’t need to go undercover

Shaun:

too late

call it espionage adjacent moral support

Desmond stared at the screen, watching the message linger like a slow loading virus, and shook his head.

Shaun was crazy.

Not dangerous crazy, but definitely ‘might build a hidden server farm in a storage unit just to expose corporate tax fraud’ crazy.

Desmond hadn’t looked that deep into Abstergo before applying. Technically, Abstergo Entertainment didn’t exist. Not officially. Not publicly. The website was half-built, the branding was inconsistent, and even the job listing had felt like a phishing attempt. He’d Googled it once—got a corporate landing page and a PDF press release that might’ve been made in Microsoft Publisher.

Supposedly, it was a “pilot division.” Something to do with interactive media. A new branch of Abstergo’s tech empire focused on storytelling and “memory-based experiences.” Whatever that meant.

Desmond figured it was probably just some exec’s passion project with too much funding and no oversight. Which would explain the stress muffins, the biometric elevators, and the eerie sense that the walls were watching.

Abstergo Entertainment was just another subsidiary of Abstergo Industries, which supposedly did medical tech, biotech, and some research stuff too. Something about ‘memory science.’ He’d skimmed the corporate site long enough to copy buzzwords into his cover letter, then stopped caring. As long as he got experience and a paycheck, he could ignore the sterile lobby and pyramid logos.

Shaun, on the other hand, cared.

Too much.

Desmond didn’t know how the guy found half the things he did—old court filings, shuttered LLCs, redacted patents—but he had a talent for digging. If there were skeletons in the closet, Shaun would find them. Probably label them. Possibly send them a polite email.

Still, Desmond had to wonder. Was this whole barista thing really about some undercover scheme?

Or was Shaun just being… Shaun?

The guy did have a weird habit of showing up when Desmond looked like he might spiral. Maybe this was less about Abstergo and more about moral support disguised as espionage.

He didn’t ask. He just shook his head again, stuffed his phone into his pocket, and went back inside.

——

By the time Desmond returned, the room had been rearranged again. Chairs in rows now, not circles. Everyone had settled in like they were preparing for a final exam.

The HR coordinator was already standing at the front of the room with a new slide on the screen.

“Welcome to your official rotation schedule!” She chirped, like this was exciting news.

Desmond slid into an empty seat near the back, sipping the last of his coffee like it was all that tethered him to this dimension.

“You’ve all been accepted into a ten week internship program.” She continued. “Every week, you’ll rotate through a different department in our Finance Division. That means new mentors, new challenges, and lots of opportunities to learn!”

There were some murmurs of excitement. Desmond resisted the urge to die.

“You’ll be in groups of three for each rotation. These groups will stay the same across all ten weeks, so please lean on each other. Support your team. Build those connections!”

She winked, too exaggerated to be normal.

Oh god, it was a group project. For a corporate summer camp.

“Each rotation will introduce you to a key department in Abstergo’s financial operations.” She said, clicking to the next slide. “These include, but are not limited to—” The slide flashed, bullet pointing the departments against corporate approved background: 

Accounts Payable

Accounts Receivable

Payroll

Financial Reporting

Internal Audit

Cost Accounting

Capital Expenditure Management

Budgeting & Forecasting

Inventory Management

Compliance & Risk Management

“Don’t worry if some of these sound intimidating. Your mentors are here to help. Just show up, ask questions, and take notes!”

Desmond nodded along, mostly to pretend he was listening. Ten weeks. Ten departments. Two interns glued to his side the whole time.

‘Guess I’d better hope they’re not insufferable.’ He thought. Or worse—motivated.

As the coordinator read off group assignments, Desmond barely registered his name until—

“Group 4: Francisco Randez, Caleb Larson, and Andrea Lin.”

He blinked. That was him.

A guy two rows ahead shot up like someone had just called him up to the Price is Right stage.

“That’s me!” He said brightly, like a labrador in a business casual button-down. He had blond hair, bright blue eyes, and the energy of someone who unironically said things like—‘Let’s crush it today!’

Desmond raised a hand halfway in acknowledgment. The guy immediately made his way over.

“Hey! Francisco, right? I’m Caleb.” He beamed. “Stoked to be on your team, man.”

“Yeah.” Desmond said and tried to sound more excited than he felt. “Can’t wait.”

From the side, a girl slid into the third chair with all the grace of a housecat hopping onto a sunlit windowsill. Sleek black hair, winged eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man, and an expression that said she’d already decided how much effort this internship was worth—which was not much.

“Andrea.” She said, voice smooth but flat. “Don’t expect morning conversation.”

“Got it.” Desmond replied, respecting the vibe.

Caleb didn’t get it.

“That’s cool! We all bring something to the table.” He said, completely unbothered. “I’m just excited to get started, you know? Learn everything. Meet people. Network.”

“Gross.” Andrea muttered, already scrolling on her phone.

Desmond leaned back slightly and looked at the two of them. One radiated sunshine. The other looked like she’d bite him if he breathed wrong.

‘I’m going to die.’ He thought. ‘I’m going to die in a corporate sandbox with a human golden retriever and a feral alley cat.’

The coordinator clapped again.

“Group lists are final!” She named the groups and their assigned department before turning to Desmond’s group. “Group 4, you’ll be heading to your first rotation in Accounts Payable after the break. Your mentor will meet you there. Don’t be late!”

Caleb gave a thumbs up like this was a motivational retreat. “Awesome! That’s where the magic starts, right? Payments, invoices—money in motion?”

Desmond looked at him, personally offended by the phrase ‘money in motion.’

Andrea didn’t look up from her phone.

The coordinator continued. “You’ll report to Janet from 9am to 1pm each day. She’ll walk you through the basics—vendor tracking, payment logs, invoice reconciliation, and so on. At 1pm, all interns will head back to the 16th floor for the daily group session. After that, you may return to your departments at 2pm before being released at 5pm. Pretty straightforward.”

Desmond just sighed.

Only ten weeks, he reminded himself. How bad could it be?

(Spoiler: it would be very bad.)

------

IDK if I'm even capable of continuing this cause I have my main wip, but like imagine William’s reaction. Imagine Desmond's reaction when he finds out about the mind control and human experimentation and is like, oh no I've accidentally joined another cult and he's like SHIT.

Cue:

Office spy!Desmond

Feral Tsundere!Daniel defecting to be with bae

Desmond stealing a POE

?????

Corporate espionage that ends with Desmond nuking Abstergo servers using Clippy as the virus--("Hi! It looks like you’re trying to commit genocide. Would you like help with that?")

SOLAR FLARE? IDFK. Why touch it in the first place? It needs Desmond's touch? FINE. Desmond sneezes, hits the Eye/ORB THING. BOOM. SOLAR FLARE CANCELED. THE WORLD IS SAVED.

[gocryaboutitt]

Someones a little sick

back at it guys. same character yknow the shit by now

your point of view;

As im walking around my house fixing up things that were broken or covered in dust, i hear my phone start to ring which results in me letting out an aggravated sigh while picking up the phone.

"Hey sweets" i hear tommy sniffle before the phone gets snatched out of his hands, "Jess, you need to let us in, NOW!" demands mick as im finally allowed to speak. "Hello to you guys too, why do i need to let you in exactly? You idiots will mess up my house", "because we're sick and don't know what to do" argues mick as he begins to cough, "ugh, fine" i say while slamming the phone on the reciever and walking to the front door. While i bask in the feeling of a clean house, i open the door to reveal the four man-babies.

"Jess, help me!" screams vince as a runs up to me, while might i add, sniffling "how did you guys even get sick? was it from one of the many groupies, did it finally catch up to ya?" i say while widely grinning, and stepping aside for them to walk in.

"If any of you idiots mess up my place i will make you suffer in silence" i snicker while ushering them to the living room. "Go sit down and tell me what happened".

"Promise you wont laugh," begs nikki "can't make any promises, nikki" i say while walking to the kitchen to make tea "I got sneezed on by a groupie when i was making out with her," him saying this resulted in me letting out a wheeze before regaining my breath. "And the rest of you?", "he went around the studio sneezing into the air!" whines vince as his voice is barely able to keep one pitch. "Mhm, and i reckon it affecting you the most isnt it blondie?"

I chuckle while walking into the living room holding a tray of teas, "Yes! It is! I can't sing without my voice breaking" he groans while taking one of the hot beverages.

"Shut up blondie" whined both tommy and nikki as mick sat there drinking the tea, "atleast you don't have to worry about playing an instrument while youre coughing up a lung" groans tommy. "well this is the last time im taking care of you guys," i say, sighing "i guess you imbeciles are going to want to stay here tonight, right?"

"Can we, please?" asks mick as he finishes the drink, "yeah i guess, since youre my favourite mick, you can take my room" i suggest while softly smiling at him.

"Really? are you sure-", "yes, im sure, mick, go on the beds made and there should be a bin nearby" i stop him mid sentence with a light chuckle. "Thanks, jess" he smiles with a nod and walks up stairs.

I sit down in his seat while the other look at me in disbelief, "How come he gets your room?", "he gets to be so close to you panty draw, and i dont?!" i groan while rolling my eyes "because he's actually tolerable". "I'll be sleeping out here if it makes you guys feel better, god this couch sucks ass" i say with a groan as i get up and lay on the floor. Tommy was the first one to move and took this as his chance to lay his head across my thighs, this was followed by vince laying on the oppsite side of my body but with his head on my stomach, which was later followed by nikki laying across my chest.

"What the fuck do you guys think i am? a pillow?" i sitfle a groan as one of their bodies shift against mine, "a pretty damn comfortable one," grins nikki as he buries his face in my chest.

"so fucken help me, if i get sick from you idiots" i start as im cut off with a sneeze from vince which somehow racks through my body, "awh man im sorry" he sheepishly apologises "im going to kick your guy's ass's" i say while giving up and laying there.

"What ever you say, sweets", "shut up tommy, just go to sleep".

roughly 4:04 am

i woke up to someone snoring, fucked if i know who's, up shoots vince as he runs to where im hoping is the bathroom. I prop my body up against the couch as he comes back into the room looking a bit too pale, "hey blondie, are you alright?" i ask as he sits down beside me "yeah, 'm just tired" yawns vince as he nuzzles into the side of my body, "go back to sleep, vinny, i'll still be your guy's pillow" i whisper while raking my fingers though his hair "Mm, thanks doll" he groans, practicly asleep.

I flick on the tv as i decided i wasnt going to be able to sleep any time soon, as i flip through the channels i decided on The Karate Kid movie.

It was around 8:13 am, and i had resulted in watching any movie that came on, i was silently watching The Breakfast club as i felt nikki and tommy begin to stir. "Morning, guys, sleep well?" i softly ask as they sit up and adjust to the light, "yeah, thanks for being my pillow," snickers nikki as he stands up and walks into the kitchen, "how about you, t-bone?" "mm, it was good thanks sweets" he yawns while shuffling up to me, "how are you feeling?" "like shit" he groans while leaning onto me "its alright,t-bone you'll get better eventually" i smile while raking my fingers through his hair.

"Mm, i hope so." grins nikki as he walks through the door "dude! you took my spot" he whines "be quiet nikki its too early, and blondie here is still asleep, here" i slightly open my legs "even better" he smirks before sinking down in between them "shut up dude, you hogged her boobs all night anyway".

"what the fuck did i just hear?" groans mick as he walked into the living room, "how are you even comfy with them on you, it looks like a doggy pile", "it is mick, i havent moved all night" i sigh while look up at him "you poor thing" chuckles mick as he sits behind me on the couch.

that was fun lmao. i hope you enjoyed it

:)

love you guys

[sailorsenshishitposter]

JJK X Disney Crossover

"You are hereby invited to the royal ball at the magic kingdom."

Cinderella read the note again. Surely this couldn't be right? Why would the king invite a lowly commoner like herself to such an extravagant event?

It turns out that Kenjaku had found Walt Disney's frozen corpse and hijacked it. Frankly, he was still bored and just looking for more people he could bring into the culling games. He was also forcing Sukuna to participate (how he got him to agree we shall never know).

Cinderella was too dazed to notice the ugliest step sister's approaching.

"What's that in your hand!?"

"Mother, Cinderella is stealing your mail!"

Out came a haggard old woman who looked like she got lost from the set of corpse bride.

"Wretched girl, let me see this!"

She snatched the envelope from the poor girls hands and read the contents aloud.

"Drizella, Anastasia, it turns out that the king has invited the two of you to a royal ball! I must prepare the two of you if you are to woo his son. Come along, we must find the perfect dresses for the two of you at once!"

She then turned towards her stepdaughter.

"If you clean the entire house I may entertain whatever stupid question it is that you are thinking. Now get started!"

Cinderella began scrubbing the floor but decided it would be better to scrub her ears first due to Drizella's god awful singing.

"Why couldn't the good lord make me deaf?" ______________

Cinderella noted that she had extra time left so she asked her animal friends if they could help her with her dress. There may have been rat droppings and bits of a birds breakfast in the finished product but she had to admit that it was nicer than the rags she was currently wearing. She then ran downstairs to find her stepmother.

"Mother, I have finished all the household chores."

"I thought I told you to never call me that!"

Lady Tremaine then stopped what she was doing and gave a sneer.

"What are you all dressed up for?"

"What do you mean? I thought you said that I could go?"

Her stepmother than snapped her fingers.

"Girls, do you think something seems familiar?"

One of the girls let out a scream.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING WITH MY NECKLACE, WENTCH!? THIS IS A LUXURY SET OF PEARLS I GOT FROM CLAIRE'S!"

She then ripped them off. Looks like Drizella wasn't getting her $4.50 back.

"AND JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SASH! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS MADE WITH THE FINEST SILK THEY HAD AVAILABLE ON ALIEXPRESS!"

Anastasia then tore it off which was easy since it was made by sweatshop workers who were no older than eight and had little sewing experience.

To add insult to injury, Lucifer then raised his hind leg and began to pee on the remaining fabic.

"Toodleloo, Cinderella! When I get back I expect you to have finished cleaning the toilets!"

"But I just cleaned them three hours ago!"

"Yes, well we stopped at taco bell on the way home and you know how well Anastasia takes to mexican food."

The door then shut and Cinderella began to sob. She didn't notice the card on the floor as her tears began to hit it and suddenly there was a burst of light.

"Who are you?"

Standing before her was a masked man in robes with white hair.

"Why sweetie, I'm your fairy godmother."

"Aren't you a boy?"

"And you're asking too many questions. Now do you want my help or not?"

Cinderella stopped sniffling.

"Help? How can you help me!?"

The man then took out a wand and began to move it.

"Like this. Bibbity boppity boo, I call upon blue!"

Cinderella was then knocked back by a magic ball of blue light.

"Oops. Looks like I used too much..."

The girl then removed herself from the human shaped hole in the concrete wall and began to rub the dust off her shoulders.

"WHAT IS THIS?"

She was now wearing a powder blue ball gown along with a pair of glass slippers.

"If you think that's cool then check out this! Red!"

The man sent a spark of red energy at the garden, causing the pumpkins to explode.

"Shit! I guess I'll have Ijichi drive you..." ______________

Cinderella got in the car and the man knocked on her window. "The names Gojo by the way. Now, before I forget, you need to be back home by twelve or-"

Ijichi was already driving away.

"That's it, I'm going home!" ______________

Cinderella was in the ball room when her mouse scampered out of her dress.

"Wait, come back!"

As this was happening, Naoya was making his complaints about the server to the knight on duty.

"I refuse to eat something that she has touched, Nanami! You tell Gojo that I won't tolerate the presence of a ni-"

Before the man could finish, he was being punched by Nanami.

"Don't you dare insult Tiana again!"

He then dropped Naoya off into the Kitchen.

"You now have everything you need to make Sukuna's meal."

Uraume then got started on the banquet. ______________

"I wonder where the prince could be..."

"I think he's around here somewhere."

Cinderella then jumped back.

"GOJO?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out. Now if you don't mind, I'm off to find Suguru!" ______________

The two men were dancing when another voice cut in.

"Gojo, how could you cheat on me like this! Especially right in front of our son!"

Killua then cried and ran off to find Gon.

"WAIT, YOU'RE THE PRINCE GOJO!?"

"Satoru, who is that?"

"I'M HIS WIFE, ELSA! GOJO, WHO IS THIS OTHER MAN!?"

A third voice then cut in.

"If anyone's looking for a mouse, I stepped on it. You should really hire some cleaning staff, Gojo."

It was none other than Sukuna.

"I think I'm going to faint..."

Cinderella then fell to the floor.

"Why is my dinner on the ground? You know I like my meat well done! Oh well, I guess that's why they call it the five second rule. Malevolent Kitchen!"

Sukuna then roasted the girl into nothing but cinders.

"My bad, I guess I left the oven on too long. I'm going to see if Uraume has anything else to eat..."

Geto then slapped Gojo.

"HOW COULD YOU SATORU!? I THOUGHT I WAS SPECIAL!"

"WAIT BABY, COME BACK, I'M SORRY! SHE DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME!"

His son Killua was now gorging on chocolate robots.

"Gojo always seems to be inserting himself in others lives doesn't he? You know he took custody of my son right?"

Buzz's wing popped out. He couldn't believe he was so close to such a handsome man.

"I'm sorry but I didn't catch your name?"

The man smirked.

"It's Toji. Toji Fushiguro and you better remember it!"

He then began to kiss Buzz passionately.

Megumi then gave a disgusted look.

"Gross dad! I told you not to embarrass me in front of Ariel!"

Bagdamagus was never born rip

[ilovefoodandslasherswithmasks]

Brahms Heelshire x reader who is just kinda weird, like collects bones and shit. Also hates people (aside from Brahms who they absolutely adore)

OH MY GOD, okay yes totally. Idk if should write this going into spicey in the end or if you want it normal and more fluffy?? Just reply again I'll make sure to do it 🦦

(Also my first request my god I'll remember this 4 ever fr) so I'm doing it again. Let's hope it's not gonna delete 🏃��♀️. (Update, IT WORKS SO HERE YALL GO, and here you go love since you asked for it ♡)

I'll be death itself for you.

After driving 7 hours with a heavy ass trailer behind you. You finally arrived at the Mansion you bought. In an online auction..which well is a bit questionable, thr house was cheap for its size. Condition was well not the best but it still cost a lot less than it would've. So after buying it and getting up and about, you're more than relieved when the house turned out to be real. Made of bricks, windows and doors.

"Gosh look at this place.." you exit your packed car and hold the old keys in your right.

"Yes yes I'm coming Luc" Lucifer, you're calico cat, busy scratching on the window. Surely couldn't wait to get out of the car after being stuck in it for hours with you.

Opening the door you take her leash.

"Impatient much?" Slowly making it up the stairs letting Luci smell what she felt necessary. You finally got to the door and she sat by your foot waiting. Unlocking it was a but hard, the lock seemed a bit rusty by now and when the lock finally clicked, you tried to open the door. And my god those doors! They didn't have such a huge size for nothing, they were heavier than expected. So using your whole body weight it finally budged just enough for you two to slip in.

"Pray the electricity works.." trying the first light switch, nothing, the second nothing, the third a quick flicker and then a burst light bulb. "Great" you mumble and finally decide that's a problem for the evening. Walking through the hallway and expecting the rooms with Luci was more than disappointing. Everything was dusty, one room had broken furniture, a sloppily fixed wall (hehehe) and a dead mouse in a trap in the backroom of the kitchen. A life one right next to it stuck in a saver trap. You made a mental note to go out to the woods and let the mouse go.

"Okay" you think before you pick Luci up.

"You're to slow girl, the rooms upstairs are not gonna be around all day."

Walking back into the hallway and then up the stairs, passing open doors and not finding any particularly interesting. The child's room looked so sad..and cold...almost creepy but it also filled you with the want to rebuild it as best as you can. Just because..

You settled for the last room at the end of the hall, it has a bathroom too ans the bed was amazing, so was the dresser and closet. They fit perfectly for you. You let Luci down and she imidiatly found it necessary to leave the room. And just explore again. You were fine with it thou, Luci always made sure to let you know when something was up.

"Mh...maybe I should start by cleaning...everything is old and messy..bed first"

Going to grab the old mattress and covers you imidiatly regret it. The huge cloud of dust hitting you in the face. And not just dust, it smelled horrible. You actually almost gagged while sneezing.

"Jeez need a mask huh?" After grabing a mask and some gloves, just to be sure, you finally get to work. The window were painted shut, so great, all the way downstairs and out the backdoor with the trash you go.

Hours later you finally manage to get the bedroom empty and clean, also the bathroom, which is very important ☝️.

You decided to bring up your own bed stuff mattress, pillows what not. The clothes you owned still stacked in boxes on the floor. You got yours and Luci's food...well after you decided you could carry 6 bags in one go, which cost you a stubbed little toe, a ripped open bag, and a bruised ankle.

So yeah no, one trip, was actually not enough.

You needed more than that but it's fine.

You groan as Luci just watches you gather up her spilled dry food. Luci was a diva, she wouldn't eat anything off the floor. Well this food was gonna end up in a bowl soon after anyways and she'd eat it perfectly fine.

"You hungry Luc?" Grabbing wet food you make sure she eats before heading back out and getting the box with your most precious items, your hammer and some nails.

You carry it all back up to your room and set it down on the little bench at the end of the bed. Looking at all the free wall space imagining which one would be best suited. The last wall on top of the dresser seemed perfect for your collection, you smile as you open up the box, carefully grabbing out the fragile skulls, the picture frames that held pinned bugs, two bats and the smaller bones that were inside a see through glass box. Luci liked to steal them, you'd never see them again.

Putting up all the picture frames and skulls, you were happy with it. Only small parts of the wall were still free which should keep you in check, but you couldn't wait to add more to your collection.

You loved to pin dead butterflies, moths and some spiders. You got some while on long walks, some you raised yourself. They were very important to you. The fact you could let them be in their full glory and beauty even in death was something you loved.

After finishing the wall, and the sun slowly set you decided you needed to find some damn candles. And lucky as you were, there was an entire cabinet full of them, one of the drawers was full of matches.

"Mh so busted light bulbs ain't new here huh?"

You leave the study with a huge box filled with candles and set them up. Putting a few on the tables and shelves that were safe enough to hold candles, and some in the hallway and up the stairs on those mirrored candle holders. Which were pretty rad to you. Watching as Luci scratched at a wall and smelled it, "what's up girl? Don't tell me we got rats or something in the walls?!" You gasp as you walk over to her, pressing your ear to the wall. Nothing, but a faint buzzing of the electricity...well the electricity didn't work but sure did?

"This should do.." finally done with most work you decided to eat dinner. Of course the kitchen didn't really help with that so a sandwich had to do.

Seated in the study room with Luci leaving from the small couch as soon as you arrived to go upstairs with her attitude and ready to use the bathroom.

You decided to just eat, you eyes flickering over the walls and shelves filled with books. Beautiful hard leather bound ones, some definitely seemed to have potential for a lot of money if sold well.

After picking up the one that sat on the small table next to the couch and looking through it you dropped it as you flinched. A loud crash could be heard from upstairs, Luci never broke things. Yes she was a drama queen but she never did.

When she came running down the stairs hurriedly hiding behind the couch you were seated on staring towards the stairs with growling and hissing. You get up carefully, "what's wrong baby?" you ask a bit shaken by now.

She never acted like this not for no reason at least.

Grabbing the pointy letter opener you slowly make you way to the stairs. Great, the too of them was dark, the entire hall was, hell the entire first floor was a creepy pit.

"Oh...mh okay..it's okay you're the only person in this house." Trying to sooth yourself with self talk didn't help as much as you'd hoped only the zippo in your pocket would grant you light up in that black hole.

Walking up the creaky stairs with your 'dagger' pointed and ready to be used, and you zippo lighting the steps extra with the candles that lined the wall. Swallowing hard you call in like a fool, "hello?". Like girl, be for real. You're a horror obsessed freak and don't follow the rules? Wow..

Down the hall you only see the light of your lighter, and your slight reflection in the window, "shit...I'm gonna die and become cat food aren't I?", you huff out before you start walking.

"I'M ARMED AND I'M SCARED TO USE IT!", you yell out. Again, like an idiot. You walk past all the rooms to yours and nothing. Not a person, not a broken piece of whatever broke, nothing...or...wait..

"That's not mine...." you say staring at the stuffed owl and crow that now sat on your dresser, decorating the room just as nicely as your wall.

"Okay ahahah what?!" Feeling a buzz off fright thunder through you when you hear a loud thud in the hallway. Just around the corner of your doorway.

"Mhh great.....hello?? Ghost??" you ask into the silence nothing, so the only valid thing to do was jump into the hallway with a war scream (squeal) Just to find a porcelain doll sitting up against the wall next to you.

"Who are you you little freak?" you knew who this doll was. Brahms Heelshires replacement, you knew reading up about this suspiciously cheap mansion was a good idea. You expected this place had held many deaths but well...this one the last generations of Heelshires passing was probably the saddest of them all.

The poor boy who passed away, so horribly, burned, and the parents who ended up going with a different element, drowning. You huff as you brush your hair out of your eyes (yes you got hair or a wig idc).

Crouching down next to the doll, "hi..um I hope you don't mind my intrusion, but well I own this house now..so maybe we should co-exists..or I'd have to sage your ass...which I don't wanna do you're a kid after all" you say, mostly talking to yourself like a dork.

"I don't know how you managed to bring me those stuffed animals, but uhm..thanks? They're nice? I suppose...or um a warning I suppose.."

Basically jumping out of your shoes when all the lights on the floor suddenly turned on and probably the ones downstairs as well.

"SHIT!.. gosh....pff um..Thank you?"

The rest of the night was rather pleasant, a few thuds here and there and a few of Luci's hissing at the wall and sleep seemed so easy to get.

Little did you know. This house came with more secrets than ghost's and haunted objects.

[patchworkcuddlebug]

The Prisoner

The doll steels its nerves. It was just a routine cleaning assignment. It is to enter the dungeon, dust the walls, sweep the floor, and leave.

Every second of hesitation felt improper. It was a good doll, and good dolls obey. But it's seen what's down there. It didn't want to feel like a bad doll again.

As the uneven stone steps took it deeper underground, the doll felt itself chill. It had no heart or blood to keep it warm, so it had no recourse to fight off the bite of the untended cold. It wished it had nerves to shiver, something to offer a reprieve, a reaction to its body, something that the winter months never left it wanting for. But it simply marched along, obedient and docile.

It's a simple structure. At the bottom of the descending cobblestone hall was a single door, wide enough for two people, with iron keeping it bolted in place. The wood is frayed and gnarled, saturated with untold humidity and rotted enough to almost give way to the view behind it. The iron was pristine, like new.

Still keeping it held close to its chest, the doll took a single hand off the handle of its broom, just enough to push the door open. It's still just as heavy, needing the full lean of the object's weight.

He comes into sight. The fae seems comfortable. He looks well fed, his clothes look freshly sewn, and his hygiene seems immaculate. He even has a smile, only on his face. His shackles seem like a mere suggestion, thin and loose-fitting, letting him move around the whole of the stone enclosure. As if he kept to the far wall by choice.

The doll wastes no time. It retrieves the feather duster from its belt, extending it to reach the upper corners of the cell. It brushes in swift, yet firm motions. The tickle on its nose as some of the dust is knocked loose makes it wish it could sneeze, especially with the miasma of must the seemed to haunt the stone surroundings.

"Can you tell me about stillness?"

The doll moves on to the next wall, struggling only for a moment to nestle the duster into the deepest crux of the corner wall. The stone way laid unevenly, as much as one could say a room spawned of ambient magic was laid, making it difficult to fully clean.

"I can hear your ticking. Please, don't be scared."

The fea bends its legs inward politely, letting the doll step around it to dust the wall behind it. Some of it lands on his clothes, breaking his already thin veneer of glamour. The dust bores holes in his tunic, showing the threads as frayed and ripped. His cheeks are already starting to sink.

"I'll let you breathe. You want that, right?"

The doll has made its way to the bed. It's a wooden slab, long enough to comfortably fit a doll, but too thin to support its weight. It's bolted to the wall on hinges, with diagonal chains to keep it from overextending. It's out of reach of the fae.

"Your old name. Soreness, the flu, getting drunk. Anything that one wants."

It begins to brush the dust off of the top, before holding it up with one hand to give the bottom and edges a quick dusting, those parts not having as much accumulation.

"I need to be still. Please. I can't take much more."

Now it can move on to the floors. It collects up the dust fallen from the walls and the dust that naturally accumulated on the floor in a single sweeping. That's one of the first things it learned after it became.

"I won't take it from that one. I just want to know how you do it."

The doll pulls a small garbage bag from its pocket, taking a moment to flick it open with air. It then detaches the dustpan from the base of the broom, bending over to sweep the dust into it.

"Please, just... talk to me. Please."

It takes a few tries to collect all the dust, but once it does, it ties the bag closed. It leans the broom against the wall, using its free hand to close the heavy door behind it.

It looks at the fae. He pulls his knees to his chest and buries his face, arms still kept in place against the wall. He tries to keep himself quiet, to seem fine, and fails.

The doll quickly looks away. It wants to call itself a bad doll for looking at him. But it can't think of a reason why. It hasn't been disobedient. It just feels restless. Like there's another chore that it's ignoring, something it should be doing.

The doll rests only for a moment at the top of the stairs. It tries to be still, only for a moment, appreciating the warmth trickling in through the windows and the freshness of the surface's air. It wishes it could exhale, or sweat, or curse. Anything to relieve this tension.

It doesn't stop long. It needs to tell Miss that her fae's glamour is weakening, and she needs to consider replacing him within the next few years.

[navyhealthyglow]

a fresh start - glow up guide no.1

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED SOMETHING SO BAD, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START?

Me too, and that's why we're focusing on this today. Here is what you need to do, to start your glow up era with a bang 😎

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Welcome to the first post of the Glow Up Guide series! In this series I'll be discussing everything you need to know step by step, so you can have your best glow up and become your highest self.

Let's begin! ⭐💙

STEP ONE - DECLUTTER

Before we begin, put your phone down for a bit and declutter your room. You can go as crazy or little as you wish, however I prefer to do a deep clean. Dust your shelves, counters, vacuum the floor, clean out your closet etc. Make sure your desk is organized, you know where your stuff is and everything looks neat. A fresh environment supports a fresh mind, so let's start here. If you wish, you can also throw out your old clothes and replace them with new pieces. Although don't feel pressured to do so, we're trying to glow up here, not spend a reckless amount of money.

STEP TWO - JOURNAL

How can we start our glow up journey without knowing where we are now? So grab your journal, a piece of paper or open your notes app. Write down what your situation is and why is it happening. Explain what would you like to change and acknowledge your starting position. This will help us set realistic goals later on.

STEP THREE - VISION

First two steps done, bravo! Let's keep it up then and now think about who do we want to become. Write down your vision. Who is this person? What do they look like? What do they like/dislike? What are their boundaries, beliefs? How do they act, dress, workout, eat, etc... If you're having troubles with creating your vision, don't worry, I'll make a post about it soon, but until then just look some prompts on pinterest 😽

STEP FOUR - GOALS

Now we have that, write down what do you want to achieve before 2024 ends. This can be anything depending on your personal glow up preference. If you don't know what you want to accomplish yet, don't worry. Here are some goal examples for you: ⟶ read three non-fiction books ⟶ implement a morning and evening routine ⟶ finish a project ⟶ get a certain grade ⟶ prioritize sleep and self care ⟶ focus on your gut health and diet ⟶ save 500$ These are just some examples you can use, but remember to find a goal thats meaningful to YOU! If you're reading this after 2024 ends, just write down your goals for the next three months.

STEP FIVE - PLAN!

It's time for the last step - planning. Review what you wrote about your goals, your vision and where you are now. Now take it and break it down into weekly goals, and break them down to bite sized habits that you can implement daily! Here is an example: If my goal is to get fit, first I'll start drinking more water and cut out processed foods. I will buy a gym membership or find an activity that works for me (walking, running, dance, swimming, etc.) and do it regularly, let's say 3 times a week. I'll also move my body daily and try to get at least 7k steps in. This is just an example, but this is basically how this works. If you need help with planning your schedule, feel free to use AI as a tool. Tell it to create a glow up plan according to your current situation and your vision and adjust it to your needs. A tip I found very helpful, is to put everything like workouts, classes and plans in a weekly calendar. This will help you stay organized and keep up with your plans. I'll show you how I did mine below!

You can find these free templates on canva, picsart and pinterest! I got mine here.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

That's the end of todays post. I hope you had a great time reading it, and let me know if you'd like to see more content like this from me!

I can't wait to hear what you planned for your glow up in the comments, feel free to share<3

Find me here: 🤍💿

#navyhealthyglow - all my og content #navyhealthytips - glow up tips #navyhealthyjourney - my glow up journey

[ma-chi1993]

🛁 for Gihun 👉👈 I would love for him to feel some comfort

You feel me dear, you feel me

Also accidentally made it junhun because the muse said so, hope it's not a problem

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

The bath is large, enough for at least three people to fit comfortably - this was a love hotel, after all.

The water is warm, not too hot, the perfect temperature for his old bones, and it smells lovely thanks to the bath bomb purchased by Junho, shaped like a white flower and that made the water sparkle and smell like a ripe fruit. Gihun it's not an experts of smells but he could swear that there's pomegranate in it.

He sighs and stretches his body, sore after a day spent training in hand to hand combat, before resting against the bathtub. He really hopes he will never be involved in a physical fight, he's not a trained soldier and he sucks at throwing punches like the training session against Junho has demonstrated. Ah but enough of that for today: now it's time to rest. And possibly enjoy this time of relaxation.

He turns his head towards the line up of different scented shampoos and conditioners - another gift from Junho - and chooses the ones that compliments the scent of the bath bomb the most and washes his hair. While he lets the conditioner work on his hair he takes one of the battles of soap, the one vanilla scented - again, Junho - and cleans his body, washing away the day and all the fatigue.

He takes a deep breath, inhaling the fruity scent of the water, before submerging himself. He stays still, floating, any sound dampened by the water, surrounded by warmth; a primal calmness fills his body, something older than him, older than anything. After a few minutes he has to reemerge; he finds Junho leaning against a nearby wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking at him.

He should feel more surprised.

"I knocked before entering," Junho says as if to justify himself, cheeks dusted with red, "You weren't answering."

"I'm trying to relieve some stress from today," Gihun replies, water dripping from his hair into his eyes. He rubs them, careful, before speaking, "You really did a number on me today."

Junho smirks: "You are getting better."

"You even mock me after throwing me on the ground a dozen times?"

"I'm being honest, considering your age you are doing great."

"Aish, you punk," Gihun throws some water at him, not minding the now wet floor. Junho laugh, avoiding most of the water by taking a few steps back.

"Why are you here?" Gihun asks after a few beats of silence.

Junho rubs his head, sheepish: "Wanted to... Check on you."

Gihun hums. He almost believes him. Or, better: he does believe him, but he knows that this is not the only reason his... companion is here, in the bathroom with him right now.

His companion. That's a way to put it after last night.

"I'm okay, just sore," Gihun says, them looks at Junho, "You didn't shower yet."

"Oh yeah, I stayed practicing some more after you left. Now... Now I'll go then."

Gihun sighs and scoots forwards, looking at Junho eloquently. Junho blinks, surprised by the boldness of that silent request, then he smirks and starts undressing himself with a youthful haste. He's almost cute.

Gihun can't help but smile when Junho sighs, pleased, as he enters into the bathtub sitting behind him.

"Is the water okay?"

"Perfect," Junho rests his chin on his shoulder and inhales, smirking, "You used the stuff I gave you."

Gihun blushes: "I-It's just the first thing I grabbed," he replies, cheeks getting even redder as Junho's arms surround his waist. He closes his eyes when he starts moving them left and right, slowly, as if to lull him, and he gets a bit sleepy quite fast.

"Can I wash you hair?" Junho asks, his voice low. Gihun nods, sighing when the hot water hits his head and the other's fingers massage his scalp. When he's done, Gihun is even more sleepy.

Junho returns to their previous position, tracing lazy patterns on his stomach, hesitating near the scar on his abdomen. He doesn't ask. He didn't last night either. Gihun rests his head on his shoulder and closes his eyes.

"You can sleep," Junho murmurs, placing a small kiss on his neck.

Warm, surrounded by the sweet scent of ripe fruits, resting against Junho - the closest he has been to another person in years - Gihun does just that. From experience, he knows that the nightmares won't come.

[50calmadeuce]

Ch. 35: Back In Fighter Town

Warning: Mention of miscarriage. Some chapters have sex.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Top Gun: Maverick world, trademarked by Paramount Pictures Corporation. I do not claim ownership of the characters and the world that I am borrowing.

The story and situation I am creating are a work of my imagination and I do not ascribe them to official story canon. This work is for entertainment only and is not a part of the storyline.

I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story, but I do hope it gives you happy thoughts.

These stories are my own, so please do not take them and use them for yourself without my permission. If you see them somewhere else, please let me know. :)

Thursday evening, you and Jake walked through the doors of his apartment. You could tell no one had been here for a month and a half. A thin layer of dust had settled on the furniture, and the air felt slightly stale.

Jake set down his bags and looked around. "Feels weird being back here after so long."

You nodded, placing your bag on the floor. "Yeah, it does. But it's nice to see it again. Feels like a second home."

He smiled, walking over to open a window to let some fresh air in. "Let's get this place aired out. I'll check the kitchen and see if we need to toss anything."

You headed to the bedroom to start unpacking. As you opened the closet, you found a few items left behind, a reminder of the last time you were here together.

Jake called from the kitchen. "Looks like we need to restock the fridge. Most of the stuff in here is expired."

You laughed. "No surprise there. We can do that first thing tomorrow."

He joined you in the bedroom, wrapping his arms around you from behind. "I'm glad you're here with me."

You leaned back into him, feeling the comfort of his embrace. "Me too, Jake. Me too."

Jake's phone beeped, and he sighed, taking it out of his pocket to see who it was.

"Everything okay?" you asked, turning to face him.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's just Coyote asking if I'm back and asking if I need a ride in the morning." He looked at you.

"Go ahead. I'll do a bit of shopping and you and Coyote can catch up."

Jake smiled, appreciating your understanding. "Thanks, darlin'. I'll let him know." He quickly typed out a reply to Coyote, confirming their plans for the next morning.

As he put his phone away, he turned to you, his expression softening. "Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

You nodded confidently. "Absolutely. Max will be here tomorrow evening."

Jake's face lit up with relief. "Tell him to meet us at The Hard Deck."

"Will do," you said, smiling.

You both felt a sense of comfort knowing Max would be there soon. It was one less thing to worry about as you enjoyed the rest of your evening together, making the most of your time before Jake's deployment.

The evening passed quietly as you and Jake settled into the somewhat familiar space. You both took the time to clean up the apartment, dusting the surfaces, and airing out the rooms. The simple, shared tasks brought a sense of normalcy, and it felt good to be back in a routine together.

The next morning, you woke up to the sound of Jake moving around the apartment, getting ready for heading back to work. You stretched and smiled, and then turned toward your husband who was now dressed in his khaki uniform. Your smile got bigger as you thought about how he could make any item of clothing look good.

Jake must've realized you were awake because he looked at you. "Morning, darlin'. I tried to be quiet," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed and gently moved a hair from your forehead.

You smiled sleepily at him. "Morning. It's okay. I appreciate it and the view."

Jake chuckled as he leaned down and gave you a soft kiss. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired, but I'm okay," you replied. "Between the baby and the time change, it's a lot, but I'll be okay."

Jake's expression softened with concern and his green eyes turned sad. "I wish I could be here with you."

You reached up and gently touched the side of his face. "I'll be fine. You just worry about what you have to do and coming home."

Jake's phone dinged. "That's Coyote. I told him to text so we didn't wake you."

He leaned down and kissed you. "Don't forget. The Hard Deck later."

You smiled. "I won't."

He stood up. "Great. See you later."

You heard him walk through the apartment and then the door closed behind him. The apartment fell silent once more, leaving you with your thoughts.

Later that afternoon, there was a knock on the apartment door. You slowly walked over, looked through the peephole, and saw Max standing outside. You opened the door.

"Hey, Max," you greeted him with a warm smile.

"Hey," he replied, stepping inside. "How are you holding up?"

You chuckled as you poured yourself a glass of water. "Yeah, I bet you have. Thanks for being here, Max."

Max settled onto the couch, stretching out and getting comfortable. "No problem at all. I'm just glad I can help out."

You joined him in the living room, sitting in a chair across from the couch.

"So, he leaves tomorrow?"

You sighed, looking down at the floor. "Yeah."

Max sat up. "You know, he's lucky to have you. I honestly never thought I'd see you settle down."

You looked at him.

"And as rough as those four years were, you never gave up on him."

You took a deep breath, meeting Max's piercing blue eyes. "Yeah, I guess I didn't. It wasn't easy, but I knew deep down he was worth it. We were worth it."

Max gave a small smile. "That's true love for you. Sticking it out through the rough patches."

You smiled back. "I'm sure you'll find someone some day."

Just then, your phone dinged and you looked at it. It was from Penny. "Oh. Penny says she needs me at The Hard Deck."

Max stood up. "Well, let's go then."

You stood up and followed him out the door.

When you arrived, Penny was behind the bar and her eyes lit up as she saw you. 'Y/N!" she exclaimed as a bunch of people in khaki uniforms jumped out.

"Surprise!!" they shouted, some holding light blue balloons.

The sudden burst of voices and balloons took you by surprise, and you couldn’t help but laugh. Penny came around the bar, enveloping you in a warm hug.

“Happy pre-baby celebration!” she said, beaming.

You looked around at the familiar faces of Jake’s squadron mates, who were grinning from ear to ear. Jake walked up behind you, wrapping an arm around your waist.

“We wanted to throw you a little surprise before I leave,” Jake said, his eyes twinkling with affection.

The Hard Deck was decorated festively, with blue balloons, streamers, and a banner that read, “Welcome Baby Seresin!” Penny had even set up a small table with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks just for you.

“Thank you, everyone! This is amazing,” you said, feeling a swell of gratitude and love. You then turned to Jake. "Jake. I can't believe you did this?"

"He wasn't the only one," a female voice with a Texas drawl said and you turned to see Cindy followed by Jake's sisters walk towards you.

You hugged Cindy tightly, overwhelmed with emotion. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Cindy said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Jake’s sisters surrounded you, each taking turns to hug you. “We wanted to be here to celebrate with you,” one of them said, smiling warmly.

Jake grinned, clearly pleased with the surprise. “It was a team effort,” he said. “We wanted to make sure you felt loved and supported before I head out.”

You looked around the room, taking in the sight of your family and friends all gathered together. “This is perfect. Thank you all so much.”

Later that evening, you sat on a barstool as the group played pool. Wearing a sash that Phoenix had made, which read "Baby Seresin," you sipped from a bottle of water. Max had decided to challenge Jake to a game of pool, and it was getting pretty intense.

Jake and Max were locked in a fierce battle, their competitive spirits evident in every shot. The clinking of pool balls and the occasional cheers and groans from onlookers filled the room. You couldn't help but smile at the scene, feeling a sense of warmth and camaraderie.

Phoenix walked over and leaned against the bar beside you, glancing at the sash with a grin. "Looking good, Momma," she said, nudging you playfully.

You chuckled, adjusting the sash. "Thanks, Phoenix. This was a sweet touch."

"Anything for you and Baby Seresin," she replied with a wink. "So, who's the tall drink of water?" she asked, nodding toward Max.

"That would be Max."

"I know that. How do you know him?"

"We tried dating before I met Jake. It just didn't work out. He used to work for the FBI, but now he's with a private company and acts as my personal bodyguard."

"I wouldn't mind if he guarded me," Phoenix said with a sly smile.

You looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Tasha!"

She looked at you with a hint of curiosity. "He's probably taken by now."

You grinned. "As a matter of fact, he isn't."

"Hm," Phoenix said with thought.

Cindy walked over and handed you a small plate of appetizers. "Here, make sure you eat something," she said, her maternal instincts kicking in.

As the game of pool continued, Jake leaned over the table, eyeing his next shot. "You ready to lose, Max?" he teased, a confident smirk on his face.

Max shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. "Not a chance, Hangman." He said, his fingers making quotes. "I'm just getting started."

You sipped your water, feeling a flutter of excitement watching them. It was moments like these that made you appreciate the close-knit bond you all shared. Even though challenges lay ahead, you knew you had an incredible support system to lean on.

Later that night, you crawled into bed while Jake helped Max with the baby items from the baby shower. Leaning back, you placed your hands on your stomach and watched the baby move.

The gentle movement of your baby was soothing, a reminder of the new life growing inside you. As you watched, you couldn't help but think about the future and all the moments you were looking forward to sharing with your child and Jake.

Jake came back into the bedroom after a few minutes, looking tired but content. He smiled when he saw you watching your stomach. "He's really active tonight, huh?" he said, climbing into bed beside you.

You nodded, taking his hand and placing it on your belly. "Yeah, he's been moving a lot. I think he knows it's a special night."

Jake chuckled softly, feeling the baby's kicks. "He probably does. Our little one is already full of surprises."

You both lay there for a while, feeling the baby's movements.

The gentle movement of your baby was soothing, a reminder of the new life growing inside you. As you watched, you couldn't help but think about the future and all the moments you were looking forward to sharing with your child and Jake.

Jake came back into the bedroom after a few minutes, looking tired but content. He smiled when he saw you watching your stomach. "He's really active tonight, huh?" he said, climbing into bed beside you.

You nodded, taking his hand and placing it on your belly. "Yeah, he's been moving a lot. I think he knows it's a special night."

Jake chuckled softly, feeling the baby's kicks. "He probably does. Our little one is already full of surprises."

You both lay there for a while, feeling the baby's movements.

Eventually, your eyes grew heavy, and you yawned. Jake pulled you closer, wrapping his arm around you. "Get some rest, darlin'. Tomorrow's another big day."

You snuggled into him, feeling safe and content. "I wouldn't exactly call you leaving a big day," you answered sleepily.

He kissed your forehead and pulled you closer as you fell asleep. "I know, darlin'. I know."

Tags: @buckysteveloki-me @bellyliveslife @86laura11 @callsign-barbell @dizzybee03 @tgmreader @kmc1989 @guacam011y @nerdgirljen @hookslove1592 @dempy @djs8891 @smoothdogsgirl

[lee-doesnt-knoww]

One kiss

Gojo Satoru x fem!reader smut

tags: friends to lovers, jokes, messing around, thigh riding, kissing, spit kink, smut, fighting, blood implied, slight implication of nanami, nanami x reader (platonic)

ps: this was actually inspired by a character.ai bot & not proofread ☆

October 31st, 2017. Shibuya Station

Watching him tear a curse apart with his bare hands surprisingly wasn't the weirdest thing you've seen all day. But you'd never really seen this side to Satoru. His blue eyes wide, a crazed look inside them. His smile with toothy, but there was nothing happy about it, Someone's blood on his face. He looked up at you, some curse's head in his hands."Are you okay?"

"Mhmm" You nodded looking up at him as you started to wipe the blood on his face "thanks to you, honored one" Gojo felt your hand touch his face, cleaning the blood off it. He's never really let anyone touch him like this before, letting his guard down for a short moment. "You can stop calling me that ya know." He said, a smirk growing on his face "I knoww but I dont want to "you chuckled "no but really, you looked crazy out there, are you sure you're alright satoru.?" you looked up at him, slightly worried as you put his hair back into shape.

A light pink dusted his cheeks, and his smile softenea slightly at how you treated him so gently. He chuckled a little. "I always look crazy, love." He put his hand or your chin, tilting your head to look up at him more "Don't worry about me. 'M fine." He said, despite the obvious fatigue he felt. "Love"? who do you think you are satoru, mhh?" you teased "I saw a safe area nearby, you can rest there for a little bit" Satoru just smirked, enjoying the teasing. "Can call you whatever I like." He chuckled, noticing the safe spot you mentioned. "Oh? I'd rather stay with you though." He said jokingly, though his eye bags told a different story.

You rolled my eyes at the first part "I wont be far, I'll stay at this floor in case some cursed humans decided to come look for you, how does that sound mhh?" He laughed a little at your eye roll, he enjoyed how you reacted to everything he said. He thought for a moment, considering the idea you gave him. "How about this then? I rest here for a moment, and you stay here with me." He said, grinning. He just didn't really wanna be left alone. Not here. Not now. You sighed, looking directly into his eyes, knowing he teased but there was a bit of truth in his words, he didnt want to be alone right now "..I'll call nanami then you can rest, mkay?" You stood on your toppy toes to pat his head affectionately.A soft, warm smile appeared on his face as he looked down at you. He had never really experienced any kind of affection before. But something about you just made him want it more. He subconsciously leaned into your touch a little. "Mkay." He mumbled, as you pat his head. Something clicked in his head then, making him want to tease you even more.

"Nana? yes, I'm with satoru on the third floor near the dinner on the left, he needs to rest" your back was facing gojo as you spoke on the phone.

You smiled as you started leading the way to the safe area, getting out your phone to call Nanami. Gojo followed behind you, watching as you called. His eyes were on you the entire time. He suddenly smirked again, having a new idea to get more of your attention, making him act more immature than usual for a 27 year old man.

He smirked, knowing he had a perfect opportunity Suddenly, his arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you back towards him from behind. Gojo's chin rested on your shoulder, his head in the crook of your neck. He was acting like he was tired, but truth was he just wanted your attention. He nuzzled his head against your neck, not listening to whatever conversation you were having with Nanami. You just smiled to yourself, playing with his hair, muttering to him "You cant be left alone for a minute, can you mhh?" he just grumbled against your neck in response, enjoying your hands in his hair. He buried his head a little deeper into your neck, his arms tightening around your waist. He was obviously still very stubborn, not wanting to admit that he actually needed your comfort and touch for a change. You turned back to your phone. "l'll call you when he's back in shape Nana, be careful alright?"

He listened to your conversation as he held you,

secretly wishing you'd pay attention to him instead of on the phone. He had never really been this clingy when it came to people, but with you? He never wanted your affection to go away. He let out another grumble, nuzzling his head into your neck once more. You hung up, turning towards him "Hey there, I'm done now alright? You should go on that bench to rest a bit, mhh?" Gojo just mumbled under his breath, keeping his chin on your shoulder. He tightened his arms around you again, not wanting to let go of you. He nuzzled his head against your neck with a huff. "No.. don't want to.." He was behaving like a literal toddler at the moment.

"Satoru..." You said in a soft but stern voice. Gojo let out a sigh when he heard you sternly say his name, he knew he couldn't get away with anything when you spoke like that. But he stil stubbornly pulled you even closer against him "Don't wanna. ..wanna stay with you" You sighed, holding him tight "how about this, I stay close to you while you rest?" He hummed, seemingly pleased with the compromise you offered.

Slowly, he loosened his arms around you. He pulled away from your neck, standing beside you to look down at you. He gave a small nod, agreeing to your conditions. He moved over to the bench, sitting down on it. He patted his lap in a silent way of asking you to sit with him on it. You rolled your eyes with a smile, not exactly expecting this "I still manage to get surprised by you, you know?" You stepped closer, sitting down on his thighs sideways carefully.

He chuckled as he watched you sit on his lap, wrapping his arms around your waist again. Truth was, he needed you right now. He just couldn't admit it out loud. He pulled you a little closer, so much that you were practically sitting on his lap completely. In any other situation, this would've seemed out of character for Gojo. But he just needed you right now, and he didn't care how he acted to get it. You shifted around "Can we move position? not really comfy right now, toru" Gojo just chuckled again, amused at the fact that you were shifting around in his lap. He hummed, agreeing to your request. "Mhmm, of course we can, sweetheart. How do you want me to hold you then?"

You stood up in front of him, then sat down, straddling him, one leg on either side of him as you hugged him "Good for you?". He felt a small jolt of electricity when you sat on his lap like this, and he immediately wrapped his arms around your waist. He held you closer against him in this new position, his face buried in the crook of your neck, He liked the fact that you were so comfortable with him on his lap.

"Mhmmm. good.." He murmured as he nuzzled his head against you again.

"Perfect then" You played with his hair to calm him down knowing that he'd be probably overthinking right now".

He hummed in response, enjoying the feeling of your fingers in his hair. You were right. He was overthinking. Overthinking so many things right now. He silently pulled you closer against him, almost like he was afraid to lose you.

"..You'll. stay with me, right?" He murmured, sounding more vulnerable than usual as he spoke.

"Yes toru, until the very end, forever and ever" You booped his nose with mine, looking straight into his mesmerising eyes. His grip around your waist tightened as you booped his nose, holding you as close as he possibly could. He looked into your eyes, feeling every bit of tension and stress disappear. The fact that you said you'd stay with him forever made him feel comforted. "Promise..?" He asked softly, searching your eyes for any hint of dishonesty. If you actually meant what you said, you had him wrapped around your finger forever. But he didn't mind that at all. He actually liked it,even though he was hiding it, you knew. You knew him. "Toru..look at me mhh..? You tried to tug his head backwards from his hair.

He was so focused on searching your eyes for any hint of dishonesty, that he didn't notice what you were asking him to do. He let out a grumble when you tugged at his hair, a slight pout on his face. He let you pull his head up though, his eyes looking down at you. "Hmmm?" You kissed his cheek, then his forehead, and his chin, his nose you dont have to keep up your honored one façade with me...love."

With every kiss you placed on his face, he seemed to melt into you a little more. He hummed quietly, enjoying every single one of them. He knew he could be vulnerable around you, but a part of him still felt a bit scared of it. He smiled slightly at the term of endearment you used, and he pulled you even closer against him. He buried his head against your chest, not wanting to look you in the eyes at the moment. His voice was slightly shaky as he spoke again "..Don't leave me. Ever."

"Toru..?" you asked, waiting for him to look up as you blushed slightly. He heard your voice, and he slowly looked up at you again. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes silently spoke volumes. You clearly see it. He was vulnerable

completely wrapped around your finger. He just

wanted you to reassure him. You put your hands over his eyes, leaning in quickly and pressing a quick peck to his lips.

Gojo let out a quiet gasp as you suddenly kissed his lips. The gesture was so quick, it made him want more. He felt a burst of electricity, and his heart began to beat faster. He suddenly pulled your hands away from his eyes, looking at you with a bit of a shocked look on his face.

"Did you just..?" He asked, seemingly a little bit dumbfounded by what just happened.

"Toru.." You placed your arms around his neck "...ever.." As you suddenly wrapped your arms around his neck, he gently put his own arms around your waist. He still couldn't believe you'd actually kissed him. It stunned him for a moment, but the shock quickly faded as he suddenly pulled you even closer into a tight hug pressing his face into the crook of your neck. "Again. Do it again." "I- ..please..." You waited for him to lift his head up. He didn't even hesitate. As soon as you said please. He immediately pulled his head back, looking at you. His eyes were wide, but focused. All he wanted right now was another kiss. He held you tight, waiting for you to kiss him. You closed your eyes, pressing your lips to his gently as your hands rested on his shoulders to stay upright.

He pulled away for a moment, his breathing slightly uneven as he spoke in a low voice.

A small gasp escaped his lips once again as you kissed him once more. He started to enjoy the gentleness, wanting even more in a way. His own hands gently moved to your hips, holding you firmly to keep you steady at the same time.

"Again.." He almost whispered the word, wanting a third kiss. You kissed him again, your lipstick slightly smudging.

Surprisingly, he actually liked the feeling in a way, and he felt his own desire grow. His arms wrapped around your waist even more tighter, as if to keep you as close to him as possible. Once again, he pulled away for a moment to catch his breath. "One more." He whispered, not wanting to stop. You kissed him again, your breathing starting to grow heavier.

He kissed you back, enjoying the feeling of your lipstick starting to smudge on his own lips.

The fourth kiss was a little more heated than the previous ones, and Gojo was actually a little overwhelmed by the sensations he was experiencing. His heart was beating faster than ever as he quickly became addicted to the feeling of your kisses. He held you tighter, and he didn't bother to pull away anymore. Instead, he suddenly tilted his head, changing the angle of the kiss to feel more of your lips on his own.

You let out a gasp at the new angle, your lipstick staining his lips and smudging all around both your mouths. He smiled against your lips as you gasped, the sound sending a wave of pleasure through his body. Feeling your lipstick smear all over his lips only spurred him on even more, and he suddenly bit your lip gently to get another reaction out of you. You moaned slightly at this, your hips moving on their own.

When you actually moaned, his brain started to become foggy. He could only think about how you sounded right now, and the way you were moving your hips against him. It was driving him insane. He gripped your hips, wanting to feel you even more. He spoke against your lips in a low voice. "..More." "ahh...toru..'m sorry.." You lifted your hips up, embarrassed.

He let out a quiet groan as you suddenly lifted up your hips, feeling the movement against him. He actually wanted you to keep doing it, but somehow managed to speak instead. ''..Don't be.." He said in a strained voice. "..Don't apologize. Please.." You whined at his state, seeing and feeling he was desperate "..toru.." You lowered my hips gently, barely resting against him.

He felt another burst of electricity shoot through his body at your whine, and he actually thought it was kind of cute how you seemed flustered at the moment: His body was getting more and more sensitive, and as you lowered your hips against him, he couldn't help but let a soft moan escape his lips. "..Please. move.." He pleaded in a low voice, wanting more sensations. You grounded my hips against his, then started grinding slowly "like this toru..? does this feel good for you.?" You asked, out of breath as you kept whining and moaning.

He threw his head back as you suddenly started to grind against him. He let out a loud moan, gripping your hips again, encouraging you to keep going. Everything felt so overwhelming, and all he could think about was wanting more from you. "..Yes.. feels so good. Keep going." He almost said it like a plea, desperate for you "nhm...anything for you toru" you kept grinding against him, your hips sometimes spasming as you felt true pleasure, letting out small praises until one that came out unasked "..love you..ahh....love you s-so much toru..".

He couldn't help but moan each time your hips spasmed against him, and he felt like he was nearing his limit, When you suddenly spoke the words 'I love you', his mind started to fog up again. He never thought he would get this worked up and vulnerable in your hold like this, but here he was, completely wrapped around your finger. "..I love you too.. so much." He managed to say in a strained voice, his breaths coming out in small pants. You whined, your hips starting to feel tired, now almost only spasming "..toru.. i cant-".

He seemed to understand that you were getting tired at the moment. But he was at the limit, the way you whimpered while your hips were moving against him was too much. He was breathing heavily, trying to speak in a steady voice.

"..I know..i know sweetheart.. it's alright." He suddenly moved one of his hands to grab your hip "Can you.. do something for me?" You nodded quickly before kissing him hungrily "anything for you please toru". He kissed you back hungrily, wanting more of you at the moment. But he wasn't thinking straight, so his request was a little greedy ".Can you..ride my thigh..?" He managed to murmur against your lips, his voice low. "ah but- thats doesnt-i mean you-" You whined at the thought. "...fuck toru.."

He chuckled at your whining, and he started to understand your hesitance. "..please love.. you can't imagine how bad i want this." He nipped your lower lip gently, still holding on to one of your hips. You moved to straddle his thigh, feeling the rough muscle laying there as you held onto his shoulders, looking up at him to know when you should start.

He watched you move to straddle his thigh, and his breath hitched for a moment. He silently appreciated the fact that you were doing this all for him, and he gave you a nod to signal you could start. "..please.. He practically begged, his eyes darkened with desire. "ah fuck toru, love you please please". You started to ride his thigh, grinding down gently, leaning forward to kiss him, your mouth slightly open as your tongue was a little bit out, allowing your to breathe. He let out a strained moan when you started to grind against his thigh, and he quickly pulled you closer against him. He saw your tongue sticking out and he couldn't resist the sight. He darted his own tongue out, gently licking your tongue for a moment before he pulled away for a moment.

"Love you too baby. you're so good for me." He managed to say in a low voice, watching you intently as you continued to move against his thigh. You moaned as his tongue licked your own, then whined at his words, grinding down harder, with more fervour, your mouth slightly agape as you stared up at him.

He watched you as you grinded down on his thigh, getting more energized at the sight. His own breaths were coming out in low pants now, and he gripped your hip a little tighter, wanting to feel more. "..that's it, sweet girl. keep going." He said in a low voice, watching you with lust-filled eyes. At this, your hips started bucking up uncontrollably, making your drool out in pleasure, chanting and moaning his name like a mantra.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of you at the moment, seeing you completely giving up control, and moaning his name like a chant. It was absolutely driving him crazy, and he felt his own control begin to slip more ir his own pleasure. "..That's it, that's it, just keep going. good girl.." He was basically praising you at this point, wanting to see what state you were in at the moment. You bit your bottom lip, holding in your moans as you grinded down like a bitch in heat, feeling your climax nearing. He noticed you were holding your moans in, and he suddenly gripped your hair and pulled you to look into his eyes. "Don't hold back, sweetheart. want to hear you." He whispered in a low tone, still watching you with a lustful look in his eyes.

At this, you let your bottom lip escape, a tear of blood rushing down from biting so hard "ahh toru please so close-" You started speaking nonsense. His breath hitched when he saw the tear of blood from your lip, and he quickly leaned and gently licked it away. Seeing you this way was making him a little lightheaded, and he felt his own climax nearing "..I know baby.. I know..just a little more.."He whispered, knowing you were going to finish soon and he wanted to see you reach your limit. You closed your eyes, letting your hands travel all over his torso, face and hair, needing to feel him everywhere.

He watched intently as your hands roamed around his body, and he suddenly felt an overwhelming desire. Without a word, he grabbed your chin with his thumb and index finger, puling you up to face him. "..Open your mouth for me," He said in a low voice, and when you obeyed, he suddenly spit into your mouth and watched intently for your reaction. You just moaned and swallowed it, as you came on his thigh, your hips and thighs trembling around him.

He watched your reaction as you came undone around his thigh, and he felt an overwhelming feeling wash over him. The way your body trembled around him felt so good, and he couldn't help but smile a little at your actions ''Good girl.. good girl. you did so well sweetheart." He praised you, still speaking in a low voice. He slowly ran his hand through your hair in a gentle manner, helping you come down from your high..

[shiny-kaibernyte]

May I request Mondo x Ultimate!Herbalist reader?

You are my first Danganronpa request... and you request my third favourite character. Congratulations! You are now my new favourite person random stranger! This ended up being a lot harder to write than i thought it would be. I went back and forth for ages on this. If there is anything you don't like let me know and i'll fix it.

Warnings: Mentions of blood / Takes place during the killing game / Swearing. You know just Mondo being Mondo

Mint Leaves | Mondo x Ultimate Herbalist (Reader)

“Dammit…” An almost silent curse left Mondo’s throat. All he could see in his vision was the annoyingly bright red lights of the dormitory hallway, and a door. This singular cursed door he just couldn’t seem to do anything with. Just staring at it, almost afraid to even touch the door. “Come on… be a man and just knock. Not that hard!” 

And yet, he didn’t move, the staring only continuing. If the door had eyes, Mondo would be winning this staring contest.

“Ugh this is fucking stupid!” Mondo’s voice echoed loudly throughout the empty hallway, throwing his head back in defeat. The door had won this round. “It’s a damn door! So why can’t I just knock!?”

“As much as I enjoy hearing you howling like a wounded cub. Some of us are trying to sleep.” An almost snake-like voice yanked Mondo back to reality, snapping his neck to the side irritated. Togami… The definition of an annoying rich boy who thinks he’s better than everyone. 

Mondo’s eye twitched as his lip turned into a snarl, staring down at the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. Togami wasn’t close by, merely standing outside his door, arms crossed with a raised eyebrow. Which only angered the Biker even more. “The hell you say to me? You trying to start something rich boy!?”

“Hm… It’s certainly amusing to watch you bang your chest like a caged monkey.” A smirk crosses Togami’s face as he adjusts his glasses, moving a hand to his hip as the other gestures to the floor by Mondo’s feet. “However, you're getting blood on the floor. If you aren't going to knock on the door. At least clean up after yourself before you scare the poor thing.”

Blinking in confusion, Mondo stared down at his feet only to realise a small pool of blood no bigger than his foot had appeared courtesy of the giant gash on his palm. That was why he was here, standing outside your door and now being berated by Togami. A defeated sigh left Mondo’s lips as a satisfied hum left Togami’s, followed by the sound of footsteps. “The hell you doing!?”

“Relax will you!” Togami snapped now standing next to Mondo, an arm reaching out towards him. Before Mondo had a chance to either hit or step back from Togami. The sound of knocking filled the Bikers ears like a wave. “I’m doing what you seem to be to chicken to do. Now hurry this along and let the rest of us sleep in peace.”

Staring blankly at Togami, mouth agape as he watched the rich boy quickly flee, a trail of dust behind him as he ducked into his room seemingly not wanting to be seen. If he wasn’t so calm about it, perhaps it would have been funny.

“Mondo?” Now it was your turn to snap Mondo out of his trance. His face turned bright red as if caught doing something bad, he couldn't even muster up anything more than a nervous stammer before you noticed how he was holding his hand. “What happened! You’re bleeding!” “I shouldn’t be here! Ignore you saw me yeah!?” Making an escape attempt, Mondo spun on his heel and attempted to follow Togami’s escape plan only to find himself being Yanked into your room. Surprisingly he didn’t lose his balance and stayed up right.

“I said let me look. I can’t have you bleeding on the floor now can i?” You respond sternly, letting go of his coat which you used to yank him back. Pointing down at the puddle of blood outside your door. “You were outside my door for a reason so please, let me at least look at it.”

Looking at your face, he found it impossible to say no. The glow of hope in your eye, the almost pleading pout made him want to yell. As much as he hated getting help from others, he couldn’t say no. So with a hesitant grumble of defeat he let you take his hand in yours. The moment you grabbed his wounded hand, his head snapped to the side, unable to look at you anymore. Mondo was ashamed of himself for seeking your help, he shouldn’t be relying on you to help him. It should be the other way around, right?

“How did you even do this? It's so deep… clean though which is good.” You mumbled to yourself, examining the cut on Mondo’s hand, it didn’t look like a knife gash. You would need to wrap this quickly. Sure it was a clean wound but that didn’t mean it wouldn't get infected regardless. “Come, sit down, let me wrap this.”

“You don’t need to do that. I can do it.” Mondo hastily replied, pulling his hand away from you. 

“Stop being so stubborn! Sit down and be quiet, let me take care of you!” You snap, arms wrapping around his arm to pull him towards your bed. Despite saying he didn’t want your help, he was quick to move with you, even letting you sit him down on the edge of your bed. “Hold on i should have something around here somewhere”

Leaving Mondo sitting on your bed, you swiftly make your way to a bag on the floor, digging through it carefully. Mondo’s eyes carefully examining you, a soft smile warming his face, unable to stop the admiration from shining in his eyes. He really did have a soft spot for you, maybe that's why Fujisaki kept always trying to push him towards you. Or the fact Ishimaru would always try and weave you into whatever they were talking about, only to leave both of you alone.

“Found it!” With a yell of victory, you pulled out a small jar and a white box from your bag. “I was a little worried i didn't grab any of this stuff from the garden and hospital room! Can I see your hand again?”

“Hold it! Hell is that?” Mondo had already returned to his usual stoic look when you turned around to approach him again. He had risen to his feet once he saw what you were holding. The small jar had some kind of orange fauna in, whilst the box had a somewhat spiky looking plant and some fluffy looking leaves.

Dragging him by the arm, you force him back down on the edge of the bed. “These are going to help you. I'm no fool Mondo, I know you won’t go to the Nurse's office upstairs no matter what anyone says. So you get me instead. I may not be able to cure disease but I can stop infection and skin irritations. So shush and let me see your hand.”

“You ca-”

“Shush” 

Promptly shushing. Mondo finally lets you dot on him, holding out his hand for you. A smile of victory briefly flashes on your face before turning to one of focus. Mondo’s returning to his secret but not secret soft smile. Time flew by as you worked carefully to treat the gash on his hand, using the Aloe Vera gel to help with disinfecting the wound, cleaning up any extra little dirt that may have been left behind. It was cold surprisingly tingly, causing Mondo’s hand to tense a few. Not once did he pull his hand away, more flexing into your touch than away, giving you all the motivation to keep going. 

Once you’d made sure the wound was evenly covered and cleaned, you reached for the jar and took out a small amount of Calendula petals, spreading them gently and carefully around the edge of the cut. Carefully covering the orange petals with a tiny amount of aloe Vera, before you reached for the more fluffy looking herb. Lamb's ear, nature's bandage. 

You carefully wrap the hand using a combination of the herb and some actual bandages you’d raided from the nurses office. “That should do it. Is it to lose? Too tight?”

“It’s fine… thanks.” Mondo nods, adjusting his grip as he admires your handiwork. “That herbalist stuff of yours… really is something else huh. I don’t understand a thing you did but I ain't gonna lie. My hand does feel good, I can't even tell there's anything wrong.”

“Good! Make sure to have someone change the bandage every few days, or if you're confident I'm sure you can figure it out yourself.” You tease, poking his nose briefly before placing your remedies back into your bag. Mondo’s face painted a lovely shade of red once more causing you to burst out laughing when you noticed.

“Hell you laughing at!” Mondo snapped, the embarrassment only made things worse and your laughter progress.You had never seen him break composure so many times in one night before so for him to turn into a tomato from a single tap made you break your own composure. Seems your laughter was contagious, as soon enough Mondo found himself chuckling alongside you. How did this night go from him being too chicken to knock on your door. To now the pair of you leaning into each other, laughing over a single poke. This certainly will be a memory Mondo will never forget.

[the-flaming-nightmare]

WIP tag game!

I hope you don’t mind me picking multiple ❤️

7. Fatherly Love (Black Butler)

14. Caregiver!Dean and Little!Sam (SPN)

17. A Cold Misery (Black Butler)

I don't mind at all! 😁🥰

A snippet from the 9th chapter of Fatherly Love:

"Is there anything we can do to help, M-Mr. Sebastian?" Mey-Rin asked.

Sebastian opened his mouth to politely refuse, but quickly decided against it when he realized it would be the best opportunity to keep the three of them busy and out of the way while he tended to Ciel.

"Yes, actually." Sebastian looked over at Bardroy first. "Bard, I need you to go out and kill and clean one of the hens. I'm thinking a simple chicken soup for this evening's dinner. But only kill and clean it. I'll take care of cooking it myself. However, you may choose the vegetables and chop them up as well afterwards." He then turned his gaze to Mey-Rin. "As for you, Mey-Rin, I need you to take care of the chores I was meant to handle when we got back: dusting the drawing room and the young Master's office and mopping the floors." Lastly, he turned to Finny. "And, Finny, I need you to go out and chop more firewood. It's going to be another cold night."

Sebastian gave each of them a look. "Can I trust you three to manage those tasks efficiently?"

They nodded, eyes full of determination that Sebastian desperately hoped would be enough to keep them from making any mistakes he would be forced to rectify later.

"Sir, yes, sir!" They exclaimed in unison before taking off.

Once the sound of their footsteps had grown far enough away, Sebastian turned his attention to Tanaka.

"Tanaka, if you be so kind, I believe the young Master could use a warm drink after his bath," Sebastian said, before also adding, "I will also explain the events of this afternoon to you just as soon as I get the Master cleaned up."

"I'd appreciate that very much," Tanaka replied, hand over his chest and a small, relieved smile on his face. "I will see that the young Master's drink is prepared by the time he is done with his bath."

Sebastian gave the old butler a smile of gratitude. "Thank you, Tanaka."

A snippet from Caregiver!Dean and Little!Sam:

Sam slapped a hand over his mouth when a sob slipped managed to still slip past his lips. Try as he might to hold it together, Sam couldn't stop himself from bursting into full-blown tears. Nor could he stop himself from dropping into his little headspace.

"Mm... Sammy?"

Sam flinched at the sound of his brother's groggy voice. He immediately threw himself onto his belly and stuffed his face into the rough, musky motel pillow in attempt to mask his cries.

After a several long seconds of silence, Sam thought he was in the clear, that maybe upon receiving no response Dean would simply fall back to sleep. He realized he was wrong, however, when the edge of the bed dipped and he felt a hand on his back–cutting his sobs to an abrupt but brief stop.

A snippet from A Cold Misery:

Ciel frowned at his response, disappointment lining his gaze. Fortunately, though, the little boy didn't become anymore upset by his response. Which he knew was likely only due to Ciel not feeling well and not having the energy to put into more of a protest. Instead, he just pressed his blankie to his cheek and stuck one of Blue's ears into his mouth to suck on, letting Sebastian take care of his wet nappy.

As soon as Ciel was clean and wrapped up in a fresh nappy, the Caregiver swapped grey ear now soggy with drool for a dummy. With that all taken care of, he picked the boy back up and made for the stairs once more.

Arriving back to the kitchen, Sebastian placed Ciel in his highchair (which earned him a muffled, grumpy whine in response) and quickly got to work on packing his breakfast to go and putting the rest of the food away. And while he did that, he also began to make the calls in search of an impromptu babysitter for the day.

He started with Diedrich.

Thank you so much for the ask!! 🧡🧡

[jpitha]

Between The Black and Gray 11

First / Previous / Next

With the door shut, and the immediate danger passed, Fen collapsed in the airlock. Gord turned and touched her shoulder.

"Fen, we're not out of the woods yet. Come up to the Command Deck. We're leaving, and I could use your help."

Fen looked up at Gord, her face wet with tears. "What can I do Gord? I don't know the first thing about any of this. Ma-ren is.. is" Fen choked back the words.

Gord squatted down to Fen's level. "Fen. I am over three thousand years old. I have lost more people than you probably knew your entire life. I'm here to tell you that for one, it doesn't get easier. For two, life goes on. It doesn't feel like it can right now, like there's no way for the stars to keep moving or the station to keep turning, and yet, it does. That doesn't mean you'll forget her, it doesn't mean that you'll think about her any less. It means that one of your jobs now is to carry her memory. But that won't happen if Tam'itarr's goons kill us." Gord stood and held out his hand.

Fen looked up at him and sniffed. She took his hand and pulled herself up. "But, we're inside Spyglass, how can he get us?"

"Hey Gord? Traffic Control says I do not have authorization to leave, and to stand by for boarding."

Gord inclined his head. "That's how. Come on Fen." As they walked, he also spoke to Spyglass. "Pretend you didn't understand them, repeat the orders wrong, it doesn't matter. Delay them."

"I'll do my best Gord, but they still think I'm just a dumb ship. If I start lying, they'll suspect."

"Don't lie then. Just... bend the truth."

Fen followed Gord, bewildered. What was she going to do to help? How could she help? As they entered the Command Deck, Fen noticed that since they were in here last, Gord or Spyglass herself had cleaned up, things were dusted and bright and looked nearly new. Gord sat in the large chair in the middle and tapped at the screen on the arm. "Spy, how much printable mass did we wind up with before Tam'itarr decided to take things into his own hands?"

"About half, Gord. Enough to print bodies or reactor parts, but not both."

"And the second reactor he promised from that K'laxi?"

"Never delivered."

"Shit." Gord looked over at Fen. "We're running at a sixth of the power Spyglass had in her heyday, it's just us three, and none of us knows if the wormhole generator still works. Still up for a ride?"

Fen nodded. "I'm not going back." She thought for a moment and added. "Not without one of those huge rifles you were using before at least."

At that, Gord smiled. "We'll see what we can do."

While Gord worked out details with Spyglass, Fen leaned back in the chair. At least it was comfortable. She couldn't believe that Ma-ren was gone, just like that. In less time it took for her to breathe, she went from being her partner, her friend, her lover to... a body on the floor in the docking bay, gone. "Oh Ma" she whispered. "What am I going to do?" As she shut her eyes and wept, Fen heard a rhythmic banging. She opened her eyes and sat up. "Gord? Do you hear that?"

Gord stopped talking to Spyglass and cocked his ear. "Yeah, I do. Spy, are they trying to break in?"

"Looks like Gord, but they're just banging on the airlock door. They'll never get in that way. I was built to resist boarding it'll take a lot more than large hammers and chisels."

"Still, I don't like it. Let's cast off." Gord looked ahead to the large screen on the command deck. Right now it just showed the view out the front of the side and bottom of the station.

"Gord, the clamps aren't listening to me. They don't want to release."

"Attention Spyglass. Please do not attempt to leave. You have not been cleared for departure. Await boarding and further instructions."

"Station!" Fen shouted. "Spyglass can I stalk to Station?"

"Uh, sure, the mic is yours Fen." Spyglass sounded wary, but opened the line.

"Station! They killed Ma! They shot at her when we were running to get to Spyglass! We were so close and they just shot her in cold blood. She's gone Station, she's gone!" Fen's lip quivered and she took a shuddering breath. "They're going to try and kill me and probably Gord. They want Spyglass. Can you please let us leave?"

There was a long pause. "Fen, I-I-I can't, you have n-n-not been cleared for d-d-departure. Please s-s-s-stand by."

"Station! Please! I know you're sapient! You're not just a machine. You're not just a tool of Tam'itarr and the other gangsters. Please let us leave!"

"Fenchurch, I.. Fen, I." There was a loud bang, deep towards the rear of the ship.

"One of the rear clamps have disconnected." Spyglass announced. "We're not free yet."

Fen sighed. "Thank you Station. Can you disconnect the other clamps?"

This time, there was static on the line and a warbling clicking noise. Station was seemingly at war with itself.

Gord looked at Fen and then down at the screens and up at the main display. "Spy..."

"Yeah Gord. On your order."

"Do it."

"Do what?" Fen looked at Gord.

"Spyglass is going to disconnect the rest of the clamps herself. I was hoping that your friend Station could do it, but it appears they are being prevented from acting." Gord shrugged. "It gives away the fact that Spyglass is an AI, but they'd learn that sooner or later."

There were a series of bangs running from the back to the front of the Starjumper after Gord explained things. Then a lurch, and Fen felt pulled into her seat as Spyglass' gravity generators took over. "Why do I feel so heavy?"

Gord looked over, and snapped his finger in recognition. "Oh that's right, you were born and raised on a Gren station. The Gren's homeworld is lighter than Earth. Their gravity is about three quarters Earth. Spyglass, being human built has her gravity generators set to Earth standard. You'll get used to it soon enough."

"Gord? Station is still out of sorts and I think is telling me that we have ships incoming."

Gord looked up sharply. "From the Gate?"

"No, looks like local authorities. Though knowing what we know, it's probably just Tam'itarr's goons again, or some other gangster."

Gord tipped his head down and put his palm on his forehead. "Any weapons?"

"On them, or us?"

"Either."

"Uh, I think they have some missiles, but they don't seem to be very large, and I could manage one laser battery, or thrusters, but not both."

"Shit. Okay." He turned toward Fen. "Any ideas?"

Fen blinked. "You're asking me?"

Gord nodded. "Sure. You know Tam'itarr better than either of us. What do you think would get him to back down?"

"Well, he already... shot Ma... so I don't know if I'm the right person to ask, but..." Fen took a deep breath and let it out. She did it again and slapped her own cheeks gently. "Spyglass, put me back on to Station."

"The line is hot Fen, whenever you're ready."

"Station, This is Fenchurch Millenny. Put me through to Tam'itarr."

"One moment please."

There were clicks and hisses on the line, and then Fen heard a familiar voice. "Fen! You would not believe how surprised I am to hear from you."

"Surprised that I'm still alive, Tam'itarr?" Fen's voice was venemous.

"We'll leave out the whys for now, Fen. My condolences on Ma-ren."

"Tam-" Fen took another breath. "Tam'itarr, you will call off your goons right this instant. I know that the 'local authorities' coming towards us are on your payroll."

"Coming towards- One moment please." There was a click, and a scratch. Gord raised an eyebrow but said nothing. When Tam'itarr returned, his voice was much more menacing. "Fen, those fellows are not mine. They're Penfenn's. He's... well to call him my boss would be incredibly gauche, but the definition will have to do for a human's understanding. If you've gotten Penfenn's attention, then there isn't anything I could - or would want - to do. Good luck, you'll need it."

"Holy shit. What have we gotten ourselves into." Gord shook his head. "Things haven't been this exciting for a century or more. Spy, you think that your wormhole generator will work? At least one more time?"

"To be honest Gord, I have no idea. I can feel it, it's online, but I don't think I've ever linked with only one reactor. I'll have to kill life support and gravity."

Gord shrugged. "It's just the two of us, you're large. I'm sure it'll be fine. Spyglass, I authorize you to route all necessary power to the wormhole generator. Please link us away when you are able."

"Aye Gord. Destination?"

"Hmm, we shouldn't go to human controlled space right now, and word will get out soon enough from here so we should stay away from the Gren. The Sefigans are nice enough, but they use that FlashWarp drive, I hate it. They won't have any reactor parts we can use." He looked up at Spyglass' camera. What about the Innari?"

"The Manganese breathers? You won't be able to go anywhere without a suit. Besides, they're afraid of humans."

"True, but their reactor tech is similar. I think we used to trade parts with them. I know there was a lot of knowledge transfer right after Contact."

"You're in charge Gord, just let me know."

Gord turned back to Fen. "What do you think? Wanna go meet some Manganese breathers?"

"Gord, I don't even know what that is, but sure. Anything to get away from here."

He made his right hand into a fist, all the fingers bunched tightly against his palm, except for the thumb, which stuck straight up. "Right on."

"What's that gesture, Gord?"

Gord blinked and looked down at his hand. "Oh, it's a thumb's up. Means like, positive acknowledgement. I forgot you wouldn't know it."

"Because I grew up on a Gren station, or because it's thousands of years old?" For the first time, Fen smiled slightly.

Spyglass laughed, startling Fen. "She's got you there, Gord."

Gord harrumphed and turned back to the screen, but his eyes were smiling. "Both can be true, you know. Spyglass, look for Habilamen in your database. I added some new addresses when we spoke."

"I have it Gord. Shunting power from life support and gravity to the wormhole generator. Please stand by."

A noise that Fen didn't realize she was hearing in the background ceased and the ship suddenly became much quieter. She felt her hands rise from her seat as the gravity left. She was able to notice a creaking and groaning that she didn't hear before. Fen was amazed at the realization that Starships made noise as they soared through space! She also heard another thing, sort of like the reactor noise, but more insistent, higher pitch.

"We are ready to link Gord, on your order."

"Please proceed Spyglass. Link us to Habilamen."

There was a flash of white and...

[gettingfrilly]

Can't get you out of my Ed

Chapter one of... 39 chapters lmao. This fic will kill me and I'll be damned if I don't take some of you down with me. Read it here or on ao3. Super mega thanks to @fish-bowl-2 for betaing and also for giving feedback on my massive outline.

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

“Ppbbbbbbththtbbbhththtthhhhh.”

“Dude.”

“Dude yourself.” Eddy mutters, not caring if Kevin objects to his bored mouth noises. What else is he supposed to do? It’s Wednesday, five pm, and raining. No one's been in the candy store for hours, and ain’t no one gonna show up before they close at six. So he stands here bored out of his skull, full weight propped against the counter with his face squished in his hands, elbows velcroed to the permanently sticky wooden surface. He keeps his eyes where they’ve been glued for the last hour, which is directly on the nostalgic kitsch wall clock with plastic lollipops for hands and pounded sheet metal with a scene from some 50’s style soda shop superimposed on it for a face. It goes well with the completely non-functional jukebox in the corner, the rows of dusty, empty, retro soda bottles lining the shelves on the wall opposite the front door, and the 40 year old ice cream machine behind the counter that’s been out of order since last summer. Eddy had felt giddy when Kevin first got him a job here his freshman year, tickled by his younger self’s hypothetical jealousy over how easily he could pocket a jawbreaker here and there. The garish clashing of the puke green tiles and pastel pink walls had filled him with bittersweet memories of childhood, familiar and welcoming for a first time job.

Now he just finds the whole store ugly. 

“You could, ya know. Work.” Kevin suggests. “Clean something. Stock something. Anything other than standing there with your thumb up your ass.”

“Oh? And you can’t?” He asks while side eyeing Kevin, who is also currently standing around with his thumb up his ass. More specifically, he’s leaning backwards against the displays behind the counter, wide shoulders slouched as his arms dangle at his sides. The clean hairline of his crew cut frames his wide, blocky face with sharp angles. He’s been made up of solid, sturdy shapes since he started playing for the varsity team in his junior year, and his workout regimen has further defined his muscles in the years since. Eddy wouldn’t exactly describe him as beefy, but his build is athletic for sure. He’s also classically handsome, Eddy begrudgingly admits to himself, though he’s not really his type. Too much of a normie for his tastes, with his basic sense of style and outfit compiled of store brand athletic wear. Guy shops at Old Navy for sure. Well, more like his mom shops for him there.

“I’m the boss. I’ve got underlings to do that kind of stuff for me.” An annoyingly smug smile graces his shovel shaped chin, and Eddy can’t help but grind his teeth.

“For your information, bossman, ” he hisses the title, “shelves: dusted. Floors: mopped. Inventory: stocked. Windows: windexed. Hell, I even ordered the lollipops by color out of fucking boredom. There is truly not a single thing left to do.”

Kevin hums and scratches his ten acre chin. “Oh. Well. Pbth.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

‘ Come now, with your cleaning skills, surely you left something amiss. Did you wipe down the floor trim? Deep clean the register? I see plenty of snack crumbs wedged between those sticky keys. And you didn’t even mention the employee bathroom, for heaven’s sake. ’

“Shut up.” He mumbles under his breath. “Huh?”

“Nothing. Hey, how’s Nazz doing?” Kevin’s and Nazz’s shaky relationship isn’t exactly his favorite can of worms to open, but he’s starting to get bored enough to peel his eyelids off of his face, so he better strike up some kind of conversation. 

“ Man- ” Yup, here we go, “I don’t get what’s up with her. Ever since she moved to Buffalo she’s been acting all different and weird. Dunno what happened to the Nazz we used to know.”

‘ She grew up. Which is something you may want to look into yourself, Kevin. 19 years old and no interest in pursuing a higher education or a greater calling like our dear Nazz has. Tut tut.’

“Yeah, it’s almost like she cares about shit now or something.”

“Exactly,” Kevin bemoans, completely missing Eddy’s sardonic tone. “I don’t get all the polisci stuff she talks about. I’m just not a political guy, ya know? Why can’t things just go back to being simple between us? College wrecks people, man.”

On one hand, even Eddy can tell Kevin’s being pig-headed about this. On the other hand, he can relate on a very painful, squishy, sore, and tender level.

‘Well you are quite pig-headed yourself.’

“She just outgrew this small town shit. We all should. I know I’m getting out of here as soon as I graduate.”

“Speak for yourself. I like it here.” Kevin mutters while crossing his arms petulantly.

“Of course you do, mister former high school quarterback nepo baby. You already got shit made here. Doesn’t your dad own the candy factory now?”

“Vice president. But yeah, he’ll own it soon. And he’s thinking of expanding. But what are you complaining about? Aren’t you all set up to inherit your old man’s dealership? That place makes decent dosh.”

“I’d rather eat nails.” The words come grinding out of his mouth as if it were already full of sharp, pointy metal.

“What? No way, man, you used to brag about that place all the time. Said it was your legacy and that you were gonna make it the hottest place in the county to get a used car.”

“Times change.” That’s the only explanation he’s willing to offer.

Kevin just shrugs, much to Eddy’s gratitude. That’s probably the best thing about being friends with Kevin; guy doesn’t ask questions. Makes him a solid person to vent to.

‘Especially if you’re allergic to discussing your feelings.’

With a long suffering groan, Eddy literally peels himself off of the old counter to do another useless perimeter search of the shop. He knows he still won’t find anything to do, but at least it’ll get his body moving. His sneakers squeak against the freshly mopped floors (so bored he even got out the mop, for chrissake…) as he eyes the displays, watching his reflection warp and transform from one glass container to the next, an endless hall of funhouse mirrors mocking him with his own boredom, irritation, and overall misery. His fault for scrubbing them all until they were spotless. The hole punched cardboard pallet that holds a variety of different brands of lollipops is just as hue spectrum oriented as he left it, so this time he goes for ordering them by size and shape instead. Well, that killed two minutes. Walk by the freezers, rearrange  some mismatched soda bottles he missed before. 30 seconds. Scrape a fleck of taffy off of one of the sliding door handles. 20 seconds. Stare at the wall for five seconds. Bang his head against it. Another second. Bang. Another second. Bang. Another second. Bang.

“I’m taking a smoke break!” He calls loudly over the shelves in the direction of the front counter, not waiting for Kevin to respond before frantically scrambling towards the backroom. He nearly trips over a broom as he bursts into the cramped space, swearing at it uselessly as he stumbles over to his locker. It gets jammed as usual, the damn thing, Eddy jiggling the handle with a growl before he finally tears it open. The hood of his windbreaker catches on one of the locker’s internal hooks, causing Eddy to shout obscenities until he finally shakes it loose and shoves his arms into the sleeves. He stomps towards the back door and bumps it open with his hip as he wrestles with the zipper, getting himself encased once he steps outside into the muggy July evening air.

The door slams shut behind him as he huddles under the small overhang of the dirty green awning adorned above the back door, fishing his pack of camel menthols out of the pocket of his windbreaker. The hush of rain against the pavement and rhythmic pounding of droplets plunking against the rusty metal of the awning harmonize well together, creating a nice soundscape to back up the click click click of his lighter. He mutters swears under his breath like a prayer, internally praising glory hallelujah once the cig balanced between his lips lights and he can breath in deep and slow, the mint flavoring tickling his nose hairs and soothing the burn of hot smoke in his windpipe. Smoke billows from his mouth and nose after he’s held in his lungful for as long as he can, his exhale audible and pointed heavenward, smoke catching and lingering on the underside of the sheet metal above. 

‘Those will kill you.’

“The sooner the better.” Eddy mumbles, letting gravity pull his loosening body down against the wooden door behind him, desperate for a paint job. He takes another grateful drag as he watches the rain bounce and slide off of trashbags, forming muddied puddles in the potholes below. The hit of nicotine puts a fuzzy blanket over the constantly firing nerve endings in his brain, making his eyes droop as he fights back a yawn. Double D doesn’t know what he’s talking about, calling nicotine a stimulant. Smokes practically put him to sleep. 

He sneers down at the ground. What’s he got to even do these days other than work, smoke, sleep, repeat? The only thing he has to look forward to are the occasional phone calls he makes to Ed at the military school his shithead mom shipped him off to last summer before they all started their junior year. Double D and Ed were inconsolable that day, clinging to each other and sobbing as Ed’s dad silently packed his red commodore with sparse necessities, the rest of Ed’s belongings in boxes marked for the salvation army. The memory still makes Eddy’s eyes burn, the same way they did that day as he blinked to hold back his tears, repeating to the other two that they’d call, they’d write, they’d visit, and once senior year was done in two years, the three of them would be out of here. Double D would definitely get accepted to some fancy shmancy school on a fancy shmancy scholarship, and the two of them would follow along, working whatever jobs available so that their combined income with Double D’s scholarship funds could net them a nice apartment in whatever fancy shmancy city Double D went to for school. They’d be free of this pimple on the map of America called Peach Creek, free from their families, free from public school, free to be themselves. There’d be a queer scene, he told Double D. They’d be accepted there, he told him. It wouldn’t be like it is out here in the boonies. They wouldn’t have to hide.

Well, his plan may have less people in it now, but he’s sticking to it. He can’t stand the boredom anymore, can’t stand the confinement. If he spends one more summer afternoon staring at his bedroom ceiling, has one more shift during the dead hours of the candy store, has to give his dad one more excuse as to why he’s not dating anyone now that he’s got a paycheck, he’s going to burst out of his own skin like some kind of insectoid, brain sucking monster from one of Ed’s B-rated black and white horror flicks and suck the noggins of everyone in a five mile radius. He’ll get out of this shithole come hell or high water. He has to get out.

‘And go where, exactly?’

‘Anywhere but here.’

‘To do what?’

‘Live. Breathe. Stretch out and run around and scream and cry and shout and kick and hit and go and go and go.’

‘With who?’

‘Ed. Or no one. Who cares.’

‘You’d be alone.’

‘I’ve always been alone.’

‘That’s not true. You know that’s not true.’

Water streams from the corners of the awning, creating a puddle dangerously close to his Air Force 1s. An errant raindrop lands right on top of the toe of his left sneaker, and he grumbles as he bends over to swipe it away, cursing himself for not looking at the weather report before putting these on. He curses louder when a chunk of ash falls from his cig and takes up residence where the water droplet just vacated, grabbing it from his mouth to hold it out to the side as he frantically brushes off his shoe.

‘Please, Eddy, be careful! Think of how much money your mother spent on such a frivolous purchase.’

Eddy snarls, sick to death of this incessant nagging. “Just shut uuUGHH!”

The smack of the wooden door against his ass throws him completely off balance, staring down at his shoes one second then catching himself on his hands and gazing at a puddle inches from his face the next. Adrenaline rushes through his body, making his lungs seize up and his eyes go wide, the rain falling on the back of his head feeling far colder than it should be on a warm July evening. He keeps himself propped up on one hand as he swivels around to identify his attacker, blinking owlishly when he sees Kevin standing in the lit doorway, giving Eddy the same, wide eyed look.

“Dude. You okay?”

Anger quickly intermingles with his gut-dropping fear, gritting his teeth as he pushes himself back onto his feet. “Watch where you’re going, shovel chin!”

Kevin places one hand on his hip while he holds the door open with the other, expression blasé. “Doors are for opening, man. Anyway, we’re closing up. Just wasting money at this point.”

He finally catches his breath, raising his cigarette to take another calming drag, only to feel something unpleasantly cold and soggy touching his lips. Damn it. His hand must have landed in a puddle. He groans and pushes his now wet hair out of his face.

“These ain’t fucking cheap.” He grumbles, flicking the unlit stub to the ground.

“Did you even hear me, man?”

“Huh? Oh.” Calmer and less distracted now, his brain finally catches up with what Kevin said. “Yeah, great idea, bossman!” The title is used in a much more jolly manner than before, giving Kevin a pat on the back and leaving a stubby, wet handprint behind as he pushes past him and back into the backroom to grab the rest of his stuff. He kicks off his nice sneakers to trade them for the ratty back ups he keeps in his locker, stepping into the worn pair as he puts his multi-colored Nikes into his water proof backpack for safe keeping.

Kevin sneers and murmurs something Eddy is sure was insulting as he looks behind himself and at the back of his shirt. “I’ve got to count money and lock up if you wanna stick around to help-”

Eddy’s locker slams abruptly, echoing loudly in the small space as he slings his drawstring bag over his shoulders and puts his hood up in quick, jerky motions. “Bye, seeya later, hasta la vista, sayonara, annyeong.” He half-jogs out of the back room before finishing his goodbyes, ignoring Kevin’s jeering as he slips through the door to the front room. He continues his half jog past the candy displays, snagging a jawbreaker and shoving it into his pocket next to his smokes before heading out the door and back out into the rain.

He breathes in a deep breath of freedom as he stretches his arms out to his sides and then over his head, making his way back to the cul de sac with a skip in his step. The world is his oyster now that he’s off of work. Now he can… he can… well.

The skip turns into a slow trudge as Eddy remembers he doesn’t actually have anything post work to look forward to, mood sinking further and further with each dark and empty store he passes by. Looks like Kevin wasn’t the only one who decided to close up early; all of downtown is dead. And it’s just not the cafe, the butcher shop, and the shoe store that are dark. It’s too early for the street lights to come on, but the sky is thick with heavy rain clouds, keeping the sunlight prisoner behind the bubbling veil of black and gray. His eyes turn down to the wet cement of the sidewalk with its divots and potholes, floating cigarette butts in the puddles that formed within them, scowling at his feet as they pointlessly move beneath him. What’s he even going home to? Another evening zoning out in front of the TV? Maybe lying upside down on his bed and listening to saccharine sweet slow dance songs? Then whatever he does will just be followed by chain smoking in the backyard until he’s tired enough to pass out as soon as his head hits the pillow, welcoming oblivion as an alternative to being left alone with his thoughts. It’s the same damn thing every day. And it’ll keep being the same damn thing every day until he gets out of here or dies. Dying may be the more convenient option at this point. It’d be a lot easier than having to finish high school before he beats it. All he has to do is wait for a car to come by and then jump out in front of it.

But no cars come. No one coming, no one leaving, a town stuck in stasis, the white noise enough to deafen him. His shoes are getting soaked. He’s gonna get cold feet.

Christ, he needs to quiet his fucking mind before he ends up as roadkill. He reaches into his pocket, fingertips brushing against the cool metal of his lighter before he finds his pack of camels, grasping onto it like a lifeline. He takes out the light with it, shaking a cig loose from the pack and into his waiting hand. He balances it between his pointer and middle finger, bringing it up to press it between his lips and under his hood so he can attempt to light it-

Only to immediately pull his hand away when he tastes blood on his tongue.

“The fuck?” He squeaks out, high pitched and startled. He looks at the cig and finds fresh red blood smeared on the paper and filter, but that’s not what’s most alarming; what has him wince and hiss under his breath is the sight of his hand, dark, slimy globules clotted together in the center with dried and flaky trails of blood running down between his fingers, some of it gathered under his nails, in his nail beds, and around the gold band on his ring finger. Rain splashes down into his open palm, the droplets saturating themselves with blood before they roll down the sides of Eddy’s hand and down his wrist, leaving trails of pink behind. He swipes his thumb gingerly over his palm and squints, scowl deepening when he discovers the cut beneath, small but deep. 

Damn it. Must have happened when he fell. Probably glass from a broken bottle. How did he not feel it? Stupid Kevin. Stupid door. He clicks his tongue and keeps walking, placing the cig back between his lips; he’s not gonna waste another one of these. It brings him minimal relief once it’s lit, his frayed nerves further agitated by the site, smell, and taste of his own blood. He’s had e-fucking-nough of that for one life time. Thankfully the shops start to become far and few between, with residential houses looming on the horizon. He’ll walk in through the back door to his room before his mom gets a chance to see his hand and starts freaking out. He’ll clean his hand, dry off his feet, and get out of this fucking rain. That’s something to sort of look forward to. Isn’t it?

When he turns the corner of rethink avenue several minutes later, all thoughts of the creature comforts of home disperse like a warren of rabbits intruded on by a fox. His cig, burned down to a stub at this point, dangles from his parted lips, eyes frozen on the looming portend of the past come to haunt him currently parked in his own fucking driveway. He’s freezing suddenly, all heat sapped out of him like someone pulled the plug, lungs becoming a vacuum as cosmic background radiation burns within them, singed by his only source of heat. It’s like he’s falling again, shoved from behind and just barely managing to protect his face from scraping the pavement. An unknown attacker from behind, the familiar sound of him breathing through his teeth.

He tastes blood on his tongue.

The cigarette butt falls from his lips as he turns away from the sight of the whale shaped trailer in front of his house, breaking out into a jog to the only other house he can think to go to, nestled right on the corner he just turned. His bedroom lights are on. His parents, as usual, aren’t home. He misses him with an ache deeper than anything else he’s felt in a long time.

He hopes Double D actually lets him in.

[braveclementine]

Chapter 5

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (However they are very few so those under the age of 18 can still read a majority of this book. However please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

ℑ𝔴𝔬𝔨𝔢𝔲𝔭 to Mrs. Weasley banging on my door and saying, "Elizabeth! Get up! We've got a busy day ahead of us today!"

I groaned and rolled over on top of Severus. I gave a start, only now remembering that he'd stayed over.

"Hello love." Severus muttered sleepily, reaching up and tucking my hair behind my ear. "What a wake up call."

I groaned. "I hate cleaning this house."

"We still have a few minutes." Severus said, pushing me off of him and then rolling over ontop of me and pressing his lips to my throat. I gasped.

"Yes, well." I said with difficulty. "Dad could come up at any moment and- and-" Bloody hell, he was distracting! "-kill you possibly?"

He chuckled and pressed his lips to mine again and rolled out of bed, pulling me out with him. I shivered in the cold air. He rubbed his hands on my shoulders. "I ought to sneak out then, shouldn't I?"

"Something like that." I said through clenched teeth so they didn't chatter. Who knew August could be so cold?

He kissed my temple and then slipped out the door. I didn't hear any outbursts of rage and I quickly got dressed and made the bed, feeling much happier than I had last night.

However, my happiness dissipated about half an hour later in the drawing room. The drawing room was olive green and on the first floor. The carpets were dust filled. The moss-green velvet curtains were buzzing with hidden doxies. Lovely.

Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George were already wearing cloths over their faces and holding a black bottle of Doxycide. Harry and Ron were standing in front of me, having entered the room before me.

"Grab your face masks and take a spray." Mrs. Weasley said, nodding to the table. I took a mask and hooked it over my ears and picked up a bottle. "It's Doxycide. I've never seen an infestation this bad- what that house-elf's been doing for the last ten years-"

"Kreacher's really old, he probably couldn't manage-" Hermione said while I rolled my eyes.

"You'd be surprised what Kreacher can manage when he wants to, Hermione." Sirius interrupted, coming into the room and carrying a bag of dead rats.

"Kinsley's about to ring the doorbell." I warned Sirius.

"Thanks for the warning, Elizabeth." Sirius said. "I was just coming in to take a look at the writing desk. . ."

"It's a boggart." I confirmed, "But you guys will have Moody check anyways. I'll tell Harry why you've got a bag of rats too. Stop Kingsley before your mum starts screaming again."

"Right you are." Sirius said, carrying the bag of rats out and closing the door behind him. But it was to late. The doorbell rang and though we couldn't hear, Mrs. Black was screaming somewhere upstairs. I sighed.

"You tried." Fred said, shrugging. I shrugged too. Didn't do any good.

Mrs. Weasley was looking through Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. I nearly snorted. "Right, you lot, you need to be careful, because doxies bite and their teeth are poisonous. I've got a bottle of antidote here, but I'd rather nobody needed it."

Harry inched over to me, "So why does Sirius have a bag of dead rats?"

"Buckbeak." I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.

"All right-" Mrs. Weasley was saying, "Squirt!"

I sprayed the bottle liberally until the doxies actually came out of the curtains. Then, I started spraying them like in a shooting game that Trang and I had played once at her house. She'd introduced me to a new favorite Muggle past-time: Video games.

I threw the paralyzed doxies into the bucket and sometimes- on purpose- missing and throwing them straight into Fred and George's hands. They were pocketing them for their skiving snack boxes.

After we finished with the doxies, Mrs. Weasley pointed at the dusty glass-fronted cabinets and said, "I think we'll tackle those after lunch."

I looked inside the cabinets out of curiosity. There were many rusty daggers and claws in one of the cases. Another held a coiled snakeskin- probably because the family had been in Slytherin. Or maybe because the Black crest had a snake in it. In another was multiple silver boxes that were tarnished and inscribed with runes and several different languages. I recognized Bulgarian, Korean, and Greek out of a few of them. On the top shelf was a crystal jar with an opal stopper in it. It would've been pretty if it wasn't filled with some sort of blood. I wondered if along with chopping of house-elves heads, Mrs. Black drained them of their blood too. I shivered and looked away.

The doorbell rang again and a moment later, Mrs. Black started screaming again. Mrs. Weasley grabbed up the bag of dead rats and said, "Stay here. I'll bring up some sandwiches." I wrinkled my nose. I hated bread.

After she left, the others dashed to the window and I slipped out the door and down the stairs. Sirius and Kingsley were in the hallway, opening the door. Mundungus was on the front step with a stack of cauldrons.

"Molly's going to have another child Dung." Sirius said, shaking his head. "I don't know if we can keep them here. . ."

I stepped off the stairs and trailed behind them to the kitchen. What I really wanted, was food- and not bread.

I made myself a plate of cheese, salami, pepperoni, and grapes. Tonks and Dad were talking in the kitchen. "Who's at the door Elizabeth?" Dad asked me, looking up.

I nearly replied "I don't know" but instead said, "Dung. He's-"

But at that point, Mrs. Weasley shouted at the top of her lungs, "WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!"

Dad sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "Wonderful." He said, his hand clapping down on his leg.

"-COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING STOLEN CAULRDONS INTO THE HOUSE-"

I sighed. "Don't know why she cares. Half the stuff in this house could get us put in Azkaban."

"That's why we're getting rid of it." Dad said lightly.

I shrugged. "The cauldrons will be here for a shorter amount of time than half the things in this house anyways."

Mrs. Weasley came storming into the kitchen and saw me. "I thought I told you to stay upstairs Elizabeth!"

I gritted my teeth and picked up my plate of food and went back up the stairs. I might row with dad, but I wasn't going to row with Mrs. Weasley when nearly everyone was rowing with her back.

Back in the room, I noticed Kreacher was in there. He didn't seem to notice anyone and was muttering, ". . .if she knew the scum they've let in her house, what would she say to old Kreacher, oh the same of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves, poor old Kreacher, what can he do. . ."

I was feeling angry already and angrier still that Kreacher was talking bad about the people I loved.

"Hello, Kreacher." Fred said very loudly.

"Kreacher did not see Young Master." Kreacher said, turning around and bowing to Fred. "Nasty little brat of a blood traitor it is."

"Sorry?" George asked. "Didn't catch that last bit."

"Kreacher said nothing." Kreacher said, bowing to George now and saying, "and there's the twin, unnatural little beasts they are."

Harry looked confused, looking like he didn't know if he should laugh or not. I supposed, for an outsider, it would be funny.

"What are you doing Kreacher?" I asked.

Kreacher turned to me and bowed and said, "Kreacher is cleaning. And there's the bitch of the werewolf. . . oh my poor mistress."

I gritted my teeth. Harry had stopped looking like he might laugh.

Kreacher had straightened up now and was saying, ". . . and there's the Mudblood, standing there bold as brass, oh if my Mistress knew, oh how she'd cry, and there's a new boy, Kreacher doesn't know his name, what is he doing here, Kreacher doesn't know. . ."

"This is Harry, Kreacher. Harry Potter." Hermione said tentatively. I rolled my eyes. Somehow, Hermione thought kindness was the best way to deal with Kreacher. Bloody hell.

"The Mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend, if Kreacher's Mistress saw him in such company, oh what would she say. . ." Kreacher said, his eyes widening.

"Don't call her a Mudblood!" Ron, Ginny, and I all exclaimed together.

"It doesn't matter. He's not in his right mind, he doesn't know what he's-" Hermione whispered to us.

"Don't kid yourself, Hermione, he knows exactly what he's saying." Fred said, eyeing Kreacher with great dislike.

"Is it true? Is it Harry Potter? Kreacher can see the scar, it must be true, that's that boy who stopped the Dark Lord, Kreacher wonders how he did it-" Kreacher muttered.

"Don't we all, Kreacher." Fred said.

"What do you want anyways?" I asked again.

"Kreacher is cleaning." He said.

"A likely story." Sirius' voices said from behind me.

Kreacher flung himself into a ridiculously low bow that flattened his snoutlike nose on the floor. Sirius, Fred, George, and I were all glaring at Kreacher.

"Stand up straight. Now, what are you up to?" Sirius asked a bit impatiently.

"Kreacher is cleaning. Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black-"

"-and it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy."

"Master always liked his little joke. Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart-"

"My mother didn't have a heart, Kreacher. She kept herself alive out of pure spite." Sirius snapped.

"Whatever Master says. Master is not fit to swipe slime from his mother's boots, oh my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how she hated him, what a disappointment he was-"

"I asked you what you were up to. Every time you show up pretending to be cleaning, you sneak something off to your room so we can't throw it out."

"Kreacher would never move anything from its proper place in Master's house. Mistress would never forgive Kreacher if the tapestry was thrown out, seven centuries it's been in the family, Kreacher must save it, Kreacher will not let Master and the blood traitors and the werewolf's brat destroy it-"

"I thought it might be that." Sirius said. "She'll have put another Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of it, I don't doubt, but if I can get rid of it I certainly will. Now go away, Kreacher."

Kreacher went, still muttering as he shuffled out of the room. "-comes back from Azkaban ordering Kreacher around, oh my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw the house now, scum living in it, her treasures thrown out, she swore he was no son of hers and he's back, they say he's a murderer too-"

"Keep muttering and I will be a murderer!" Sirius said irritably, slamming the door shut.

"Sirius, he's not right in the head. I don't think he realizes we can hear him." Hermione said in a pleading voice.

"He's been alone too long, taking mad orders from my mother's portrait and talking to himself, but he was always a foul little-"

"If you just set him free, maybe-" Hermione started hopefully and I snorted.

"We can't set him free, he knows too much about the Order. And anyway, the shock would kill him. You suggest to him that he leaves this house, see how he takes it."

"Probably fine." I said scathingly. "He'll just show up knocking at the Malfoys' door and spill all our secrets."

Sirius was walking across the room where the tapestry was plastered against the wall. Everyone followed him over. It was an immensely old piece of fabric; faded and gnawed on. The golden thread, however, glinted brightly to show the family tree it held. The large words at the top of the family tree read: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black "Toujours Pur"

I snorted, "Always pure?"

Sirius looked at me in amazement. "You know French?"

"A bit." I said.

"You're not on here!" Harry said.

"I used to be there." Sirius said, pointing to a burn mark on the tapestry. "My sweet old mother blasted me off after I ran away from home- Kreacher's quite fond of muttering the story under his breath."

"You ran away from home?" Harry asked in interest.

"When I was about sixteen. I'd had enough."

"Where did you go?"

"Your dad's place." Sirius said and his eyes darted to me and back to Harry. "Your grandparents were really good about it; they sort of adopted me as a second son. Yeah, I camped out at your dad's during the school holidays, and then when I was seventeen I got a place of my own, my Uncle Alphard had left me a decent bit of gold- he's been wiped off here too, that's probably why. Anyways, after that I looked after myself. I was always welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's for Sunday lunch though."

The only grandparents I had was dad's dad. I supposed once Dad married Tonks before my seventh year, Tonks parents would become my grandparents. I wondered if Dad and Tonks would give me a sibling. I certainly hoped so- but I didn't dare see that far- I might've passed out if I'd tried.

"Because I hated the whole lot of them: my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal. . . my idiot brother, soft enough to believe them. . . that's him." Sirius said, answering a question I hadn't heard. I looked where he pointed- REGULUS BLACK. He was dead.

"He was younger than me and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded."

"But he died." Harry said.

"Yeah. Stupid idiot- he joined the Death Eaters."

"You're kidding!" Harry exclaimed. I examined the death date. He was only fifteen years old when he died. . .the same age as Harry and I. I gave an involuntary shiver. Maybe there was some truth to what dad was saying. Maybe we were too young for the Order. But still. . .

"Come on, Harry, haven't you seen enough of this house to tell what kind of wizards my family were?" Sirius asked.

"Were- were your parents Death Eaters as well?"

"No, no, but believe, me, they thought Voldemort had the right idea, they were all for the purification of the Wizarding race, getting rid of Muggle-borns and having purebloods in charge. They weren't alone either, there were quite a few people, before Voldemort showed his true colors, who thought he had the right idea about things. . . They got cold feet when they saw what he was prepared to do to get power, though. But I bet my parents though Regulus was a right little hero for joining up at first."

"Was he killed by an Auror?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Oh no. No, he was murdered by Voldemort. Or on Voldemort's orders, more likely, I doubt Regulus was ever important enough to be killed by Voldemort in person. From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out. Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death."

"Lunch." Mrs. Weasley's voice said. Everyone except Harry and I left. We were each standing on either side of Sirius.

"I haven't looked at his for years. There's Phineas Nigellus. . . my great-great-grandfather, see? Least popular headmaster Hogwarts ever had. . . and Araminta meliflua. . . cousin of my mother's. . . tried to force through a Ministry Bill to make Muggle-hunting legal. . . and dear Aunt Elladora. . . she started the family tradition of beheading house-elves when they got too old to carry tea trays. . . of course, anytime the family produced someone halfway decent they were disowned. I see Tonks isn't on here. Maybe that's why Kreacher won't take orders from her- he's supposed to do whatever anyone in the family asks him. . ."

"You and Tonks are related?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah, her mother, Andromeda, was my favorite cousin. No. Andromeda's not on here either, look-" He pointed to a blasted burn between the names Bellatrix and Narcissa. "Andromeda's sisters are still here because they made lovely, respectable pure-blood marriages, but Andromeda married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks, so-" Sirius mimed blasting the tapestry with a wand and laughed sourly. I put an arm on his shoulder and he put his arm around me.

"You're related to the Malfoys!" Harry cried out in amazement.

"The pure-blood families are all interrelated." Sirius said. "If you're only going to let your sons and daughters marry purebloods your choice is very limited, there are hardly any of us left. Molly and I are cousins by marriage and Arthur's something like my second cousin once removed. But there's no point looking for them on here- if ever a family was a bunch of blood traitors, it's the Weasleys."

"The Longbottom's should be on here then, shouldn't they?" I asked. I would've leaned forward to look at it more closely but didn't want Sirius' arm to leave my shoulder and contended myself to pushing my glasses up on my nose.

Sirius shrugged, "Could be, but probably not anymore."

Harry was still staring at the picture of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Lestrange?" he asked.

"She's the one who. . ." I looked over my shoulder and then back to Harry and said, "Tortured Neville's parents along with Barty Crouch Jr. and her husband Rodolphus and his brother Rabastan. We talked about the trial a bit in the cave last year."

"Right!" Harry said. "You never said she was your-"

"Does it matter if she's my cousin?" Sirius snapped angrily. "As far as I'm concerned, they're not my family. She's certainly not my family. I haven't seen her since I was your age, unless you count a glimpse of her coming in to Azkaban. D'you think I'm proud of having relatives like her?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean- I was just surprised- that's all." Harry said quickly.

"It doesn't matter, don't apologize." Sirius said, removing his arm from my shoulder and sticking his hands in his pockets. I leaned forward, still searching for the Longbottom's. I wasn't really sure why I was looking for them- I just felt they should be on there. But I guess after Bellatrix tortured them, they'd have been blasted off anyways. "I never thought I'd be stuck in this house again. It's ideal for headquarters, of course. My father put every security measure known to Wizard-kind on it when he lived here. It's Unplottable, so Muggles could never come and call- as if they'd have wanted to- and now Dumbledore's added his protection, you'd be hard to put to find a safer house anywhere. Dumbledore's Secret-Keeper for the Order, you know- nobody can find headquarters unless he tells them personally where it is- that note Moody showed you last night, that was from Dumbledore. . . If my parents could see the use it was being put to now. . . well, my mother's portrait should give you some idea. . ."

"Yeah." I said with a roll of my eyes. "And if you're blind Harry, listening to Kreacher should give you an idea too."

Harry grinned.

"I wouldn't mind if I could just get out occasionally and do something useful. I've asked Dumbledore whether I can escort you to your hearing- as Snuffles, obviously- so I can give you a bit of moral support, what d'you think?"

"Great Idea." I said. "If only Lucius Malfoy wasn't going to be in the hallway and knows what your disguise is."

Sirius glared at me.

I sighed. "Tomorrow's Saturday. I'll see if Dad'll let you come and hang out with Trang and me. It'll get you out a little and we're always in the forest by ourselves anyways cause we're usually flying on our brooms."

Sirius brightened up considerably.

"Don't worry." I said to Harry, who was most definitely worrying about the trial. "I'm nearly positive they're going to clear you, there's definitely something in the International Statue of Secrecy about being allowed to use magic to save your own life."

"But if they do expel me, can I come back here and live with you, Sirius?" Harry asked quietly.

Sirius smiled sadly and I looked down at the ground. "We'll see."

"I'd feel a lot better about the hearing if I knew I didn't have to go back to the Dursleys." Harry pressed on.

"They must be bad if you prefer this place." Sirius said, but didn't answer.

I clapped Harry's shoulder. "Tell you what, if they do expel you, which they won't, you can come live with me. Dad's got a place. And besides," I pulled out a house key Sirius had given me for my 14th birthday. "Sirius still hasn't told me what this goes to but the runes say house."

Sirius smiled and opened his mouth but Mrs. Weasley said, "Hurry up you three, or there won't be any food left."

We all went over and the conversation was dropped. After lunch, cleaning commenced. There were a bunch of lovely things hiding in the piles of dangerous items. There was a snuffbox that bit and Sirius was on the receiving end of it's bite. But Sirius simply tapped his hand with his wand and said, "must be Wartcap powder in there."

There was also a strange silver instrument like a many legged tweezer that scuttled up Harry's arm. When Sirius attempted to smash it with a heavy book, it jumped onto my chest. I yelled out and fell backwards. Sirius threw it across the room and threw the book after it, smashing it. There was a musical box that Fred decided to wound up for some reason and we all stood there, getting more and more tired before Ginny finally closed the lid. I smashed it out of spite. There was a heavy locket we couldn't open, wine glasses that smashed themselves in Hermione's hand, cutting her hands open, and boxes of certificates and medals and other things.

Several times, Kreacher came in to try and take things away, insulting all of us as he did so. Every time he called me a werewolf brat or the werewolf's bitch, my hand instinctively flew towards my wand to curse him and I had to remember that I couldn't do that.

Kreacher actually wrestled with Sirius over a large golden ring and when Sirius managed to get it out of Kreacher's hands, Kreacher burst into ugly sobs and tears.

"It was my fathers." Sirius said, throwing the ring in the sack. "Kreacher wasn't quite as devoted him as to my mother, but I still caught him snogging a pair of my father's old trousers last week."

I giggled and after everyone had left, it was just Sirius and me.

"Sirius?" I asked. "Why do you and dad treat me so differently from Harry?"

Sirius looked at me thoughtfully and then at the wall. It took him a moment to answer and he said, "I suppose because. . . well Remus- he sees you as the little girl that he raised and he can't bear to think about you being hurt. . . on the frontlines of a war. . . when he heard what Crouch Jr did to you last year. . . I don't think I've ever seen him so upset. . ."

"But Harry went through nearly all the same things I went through, and a bit more, and you and dad seem to think he's an adult and I'm a child." I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding like I was complaining. "Is Mrs. Weasley right? Do you see him as James and me as Lily and keeping Lily out of things the way you would have at school?"

Sirius looked at me sharply and rubbed his chin. "No. I suppose. . . I suppose I see you as the little girl too. If anything happened to you. . . I nearly ripped Crouch Jr. . ." he drifted off and then started up again. "Perhaps it's because your father and I feel more protective of you. We aren't the only ones, you know. Kingsley, Mad-Eye, Bill. . . even Snape." he added grudgingly.

"I notice how everyone you named is a male." I pointed out.

Sirius grinned. "Yes, well, you do look awfully like your mother. While your dad and I and Dumbledore don't say anything about your relation to Harry. . . well. . . I think if you had Harry's eyes. . . some might think you were your mum."

"Yes." I mused. "Dad said it was going to get harder to keep denying my relation to Harry but. . . it's not like I want to. . . you know?" I sighed, frustrated and ran my hands through my hair. It was much longer, past my knees now. "I need to apologize to dad when he gets back."

"He's going to be gone for the weekend." Sirius said and I groaned.

"So I won't see Trang tomorrow?" I asked, frowning.

"No" and here, Sirius smiled. "I get to take you."

"Lovely." I said, beaming and I walked out the door for dinner. 

⬅️➡️

[doggonewhumper]

Whupcember 4

Hidden Injury

@whumpcember

There was a servant in the castle who was about Reyna's age, so when Roman told her to "go make some friends," she decided to talk to him. He was a quiet boy with fluffy blond hair and cloudy blue eyes, short, but still taller than her. She went out of her way to say hi to him every day, and after about a week, he opened up to some small talk.

"I'm Reyna. What's your name?"

"A-avery. It's Avery," he stuttered, hands shaking a little as he wiped a plate clean. He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on his task,but she had a name now, so that was a good start.

The next day, she met him as he was setting the long, ornate table with silverware for the king's dinner. He hadn't noticed her yet. She saw his hands were steady and sure, meticulousy placing each fork and spoon in the perfect spot. She almost left, not wanting to interrupt him, but he turned and noticed her.

"Oh! Hello, um, Reyna. Wha- Do you need something?" he asked. His hands shook again.

"No, it's alright. I didn't mean to distract you," Reyna replied. "I can go, so you can work in peace."

"No! Er, I mean, you don't have to- to leave. I'm okay with company," Avery said.

"Okay. You're usually working alone, so I thought you preferred that. But I'll stay with you!" Reyna smiled, and Avery smiled uneasily back.

"None of the other servants really, um, like me very much... They say I am given all of the 'easy' jobs," Avery muttered, placing down more silverware. "I just get the jobs that require a, um, a finer hand, I guess. Like placing silverware or dusting fragile relics. Ive never- never been given outside work."

Reyna nodded, listening carefully. That sounded so unfair! It wasn't like he got to choose his tasks. His hands were steady, when he wasn't nervous. She noticed they had stopped shaking while they were talking. Before she could share her sympathy, another servant walked in.

"Avery! You're not slacking, are you? You're here to work, not make friends!"

"No, sir!" Avery yelped. "I am working! R-really hard, I promise!"

The other servant eyed Reyna suspiciously before storming out of the dining hall. Avery had gone red, sheepishly avoiding her gaze again.

"Sorry. We can talk later," Reyna whispered, turning to leave. Avery didn't respond.

Reyna saw Avery dusting the next day, but there was something off about him. His movements were stiff, and he slightly limped when walking to different tables with treasures. He didn't stand straight either, hunching down and curling inward. She didn't want to get him in trouble again, but she had to know what was wrong, if she could help.

"Are you okay?" she asked, walking up to him loudly so he wasn't surprised. He jumped out of his skin anyway.

"Y-yes! I'm fine. J-just fine," Avery stuttered out. He wouldn't look at her.

"Are you sure?" Reyna asked. She saw, now that she was close to him,that he was pale and clammy. Pale and hunched over? Maybe his stomach hurt?

"V-very sure. Very sure."

"Okay... you don't need the healer? It's okay to be sick," Reyna soothed. Avery shook his head, not trusting himself to speak. He was shaking worse than ever. Reyna squinted, but left him be, turning to walk away.

THUMP

Reyna spun around. Avery was curled in on himself on the floor, moaning. Reyna knelt down and gently put a hand on his arm.

"What happened!?" she cried out. Avery looked nervous, but he slowly moved his hands and lifted his shirt, revealing extensive bruising along his stomach. "Who did that?"

Avery flinched. "Um. Th-that servant from yesterday. He didn't like that I-I had a friend, I guess..." Reyna's face turned red, fuming, but Avery grabbed her arm. "P-please don't be mad!"

"I'm not mad at you! I'm mad at him! Why would anyone do this to you!" she hissed. Avery only shook his head.

"It-it is't the first time. P-please, just take me to the h-healer. Don't tell. Please!" he begged. Reyna desperately wanted to get that other servant in trouble, have Roman teach him a lesson, but she couldn't say no to the earnest, desperate look in Avery's eyes. So she simply nodded, not trusting herself not to take out her rage on him, and helped him up. Together, they limped all the way to the healer, arms around each other.

Reyna wouldn't forget that other servant, though.

[ninjastudioart]

Answer Questions

(Part 2 of Sleep Schedule. Special thanks to @silentslxmp for the lovely ask)

School had been over for an hour, but the ninja had yet to start training. Wu had gone to get more of his weird tea and the ninja decided to clean the weapons in Wu's closet for him. To be fair, they were already pretty clean but they knew Wu would appreciate it. Especially since Lloyd had yet to get back.

Zane had become very nervous about that. Lloyd had said he'd be back by late Tuesday, and Zane had assumed at latest he'd be back early Wednesday. It was Wednesday, close to 18:00, and there was still no sign.

He tried to ignore it, focusing on his friends talking and just wiping the dust off the various weapons. He was sanding the wooden handle of one when the door slid open.

The ninja jumped up to see who it was, and to there joy it was Lloyd. Though, the joy faded almost immediately into shock.

The bloody sword clattered across the floor, cracks forming in the dried body fluid. Lloyd stumbled in, limping on his right leg. His suit was torn in various spots, and under the cloth in some spots you could see wounds in the process of healing. Glowing green despite the blood being pink-purple. But the largest shock was the obvious chemical burn across his chest and stomach, damaged skin with bits of what remained of his suit and leather-armor melted in.

Kai and Nya ran over, grabbing Lloyd by the arms as his injured leg buckled under his weight.

"Oh my FSM Lloyd!?! Wh-what happened?!" Nya asked, face etched with worry as Kai grabbed at Lloyd's mask. Zane noted it seemed to have been crudely repaired, and he saw why when he saw the burn across the right side of his face.

Jay, already up, ran to grab a first aid kit, followed by Nya who ran into a different room to grab the hydrogen peroxide.

"Cole, help me carry him to the kitchen!" Kai could lift Lloyd alone in terms of weight, but he was worried about hurting him more. So Cole ran over, signaling Zane to follow.

Lloyd was unconscious by now, probably from pure pain. Cause not only had he been hurt, he would have had to come all the way back to Ninjago...on horseback.

He accepted the med-kit, and immediately started to work.

Wu talked to the ninja in the background, but it was all an auditory blur for Zane as he carefully pulled another piece of fabric from Lloyd's skin. He was glad his friend was unconscious, since this would be a very painful experience otherwise.

He dropped it into a small bowl filled with alcohol, and moved back for another shred. One finger formed into tweezers, he carefully poked and prodded at the skin to find something else.

"Zane?" Zane nearly jumped out of his fake skin, making sure to pull his arm up so he didn't accidently cause more damage.

His blue eyes darted to meet Lloyd's, well, his one eye since the other was unable to open. He looked tired, and tears beaded at his bottom lid. His mouth was slightly ajar, but only on one side. The other was still melted together.

"Lloyd! You're awake! I'll tell the-" A cold hand rested on Zane's, and he immediately stopped and looked at his friend.

"I'm sorry...for what I-I said. Didn't-didn't deserve to be-" Zane placed his free hand on Lloyd's, smiling at his friend.

"Lloyd, it's fine. You don't need to apologize for anything. If you'd like we can talk about it AFTER we finish here, okay?" He seemed to accept the answer, if not just out of tiredness, and closed his eye.

Zane smiled, before jumping back into his work. He grabbed a piece, but looked to Lloyd before he continued.

"This will hurt."

And then he pulled it off, Lloyd squirming and biting back a scream.

Jay paced back and forth. Nya watched him...pace back and forth. Kai layed on his back staring up into the eternal abyss of the universe.....hidden by the ceiling. Cole also watched Jay pace while doing jumping jacks. Overall...not a fun atmosphere. Especially since Wu was scribbling a message asking what the hell happened since in his own words, "the mission wasn't anything crazy sounding."

Zane walked into the room, instantly met with all the attention of each member.

"So, is he alright?" Kai, tried to sound calm, but he was clearly worried.

"Yes, he's fine. I just need to bandage him up." Wu smiled at Zane, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll bandage him up, you go ahead and rest. Thank you for everything Zane." Zane gently grinned, then moved to join the others, preparing to answer their questions.

"I'm guessing he was awake?" Zane only nodded. Despite biting back the screams in impressive fashion, having cloth and leather torn from your skin wasn't the best thing to have happen while trying to stay quiet.

"Will he be okay?" Nya grabbed his arm gently, face usually drawn in nonchalant-ness now scratched with worry for their leader.

"Yes, he was already healing. I was more worried about his body healing AROUND the fabric and leather. He'll heal fine now, it may take a few days though." The last part still felt wrong, but they had watched Lloyd have his spinal column snapped in half, only for him to wake up 4 days later, able to walk and everything. He knew Lloyd would recover quickly, well, physically at least.

Zane was still curious, and worried, so he decided he would see if Wu needed help. He slid out of his blanket, and stood from the thin mat he slept on, laid across from Lloyd's. He carefully avoided any objects strewn across the floor, not wanting to wake his friends, before leaving the room.

It was quiet, other than the sound of muffled voices coming from Wu's room. Zane stopped, listening for a moment.

"Lloyd I would appreciate it if you DIDN'T keep getting hurt with chemicals."

"Those bastards had be cornered, I had no choice. Besides, I've done it before."

"I would rather you didn't mix up a batch of acid and then dump it on yourself."

What did that mean? What had Lloyd made? And why did he make acid?! That was the better question.

"I didn't TRY to get it all over myself, but when I poured the bottle and dropped it, one of them grabbed it and threw it back at me! Fucker was lucky, there was still shit in there."

Zane, puzzled, decided to keep listening, intrigued by how open Lloyd seemed with Wu.

"...so why did they corner you?"

"Fucking prick, did what he asked, but that pompous shithead decided to send his guard dogs to play fetch." Zane was even more confused, until realizing Lloyd was being sarcastic. There were no actual dogs, which was good since Zane didn't think dogs could throw bottles of acid at people.

"Fucker got what he deserved though, his little commanders gonna have a rough day after seeing that dickhead strung about his room."

"Lloyd please don't give me that imagery. Bad enough seeing you."

"You've seen worse!"

"I'm aware I've seen you before."

Zane found himself smiling at the playful banter, leaning against the wall. He wondered how long Lloyd had known Wu, or if that even mattered.

"...Those kids...they're okay right? Had to leave in a rush...mask was ruined."

"Yes. I got the message back from the Imperial Palace. They said the kids were safe and had been returned to their families. They will be sending a diplomat to "guide" the district leaders heir. Make sure he doesn't do the same as his predecessor."

"Good, then everythings fine. What's a little burn as long as they're okay..."

Zane's smile faded a bit. The sentence itself was mostly fine, but the way it was said. It reminded him of the way Lloyd joked about himself. It was clearly meant to be seen as positive. But the tone. It was so...sad? So...sincere.

He wondered if all the jokes, all the statements of uselessness and self-hate, were not jokes at all. But a way Lloyd tried to cope, to seem okay.

It made him feel somewhat guilty, but Zane brushed that off. How could he know? Only Lloyd knew if the jokes meant more.

Zane decided he was done spying, not wanting them to realize he was there, and opened the door.

Lloyd nearly jumped into the great beyond, Wu having to hold him still as he tightened a bandage.

"Lloyd calm down please. It's Zane." Wu turned with a smile, his beard tossed over his shoulder, probably to avoid getting a bandage stuck to it.

"Hello Zane, can I help you?"

"Hello Wu, I was just wondering if you needed help. I also wanted to make sure Lloyd is okay and healing properly!" Zane stepped around, getting a look at Lloyd's face.

It was mostly bandaged, though his mouth was visible. It was still deformed, but where Zane had cut the lips apart was looking better already.

"I'm just about done bandaging him up, but if you'd like to examine him go ahead."

Lloyd seemed betrayed as he looked at Wu, eyes swearing to make him pay for that. But Wu only smiled, shockingly smug as he wrapped bandages around Lloyd's neck.

"Thank you Wu." Zane kneeled down on the floor with Lloyd, smiling in an attempt to not make Lloyd more uncomfortable.

"How are you feeling Lloyd?"

"Lloyd's face was nigh-emotionless as he spoke.

"Bad."

Zane stared, unsure what to do with that information.

"Can you be more specific?"

"Like I got the shit beat out of me and then got acid dumped on top of that?"

Zane could only blink rapidly as he did his best to imagine how that would feel. And, in all fairness to his friend, bad was a good word for it.

"Do you feel any different? It has only been a few hours, but some of your burn should be healing." He knew Lloyd's body would prioritize the burn at this point, so he hoped that meant the pain was mitigated.

"Itchy, but-" He motioned a hand at all the wrapping, and Zane nodded.

"I wouldn't recommend scratching it, your claws may breach the gauze and expose the wounds to the air." Could Lloyd get infections? His body fought against literally anything it deemed un-belonging, but he wasn't sure. Maybe he'd ask later.

Wu cleared his throat, standing.

"That's all the bandages done. Now, I am heading to the store to get some more since-" He pointed at the sheer amount of wrappings on Lloyd's damaged body, "so you're done Lloyd. But Zane should examine you to make sure you'll be alright."

Lloyd seemed unimpressed with that course of action, but nodded in agreement before Wu left the two alone.

Zane watched him go, wondering if Wu was aware Lloyd largely needed nothing at this point other than to rest. Or if he was just extra concerned.

Zane, confused once more, turned to see Lloyd scratching at his scalp.

"Are you alright? Did you get any cuts on your scalp?"

"Huh? Oh, nah. Just itchy since I'm probably filthy." Zane nodded, staring for a moment. Lloyd would probably be dirty for awhile, since he couldn't really shower with all the bandages in the way.

"If you'd like, I have some dry shampoo! It isn't the greatest fix, but it might help!" Zane suddenly popped open his chest cavity, reaching in and pulling out a bottle.

Lloyd, initially perturbed by the sudden horror, smiled.

"Thanks Zane."

He went to reach for the offered bottle, before realizing his range of movement had been fairly limited, even with his freakishly long arms.

"I can do it for you if you'd like, but I'd like to brush your hair first if that's okay." Lloyd seemed to pull away a little, but he stayed still, looking away.

"You don't-you don't have to do that. I'm fine, not like I haven't been gross before, kinda my usual state, heh." It was clearly meant to be a joke, but it made Zane feel a little sad.

"I want to help you, besides, your hair needs as much help as it can get with how little you brush it." Lloyd mockingly acted offended.

"I brush it every morning and most night. Not my fault it decided to be this thick."

Zane smiled, moving to sit behind Lloyd, slowing down when he saw how his friend tensed at the sudden movement. He reached into his chest, again, and removed a brush.

Zane loved Lloyd's hair. Despite its messy and untamed appearance, the hair itself was like silk, or cashmere, and it was thick with lots of volume. He had some trouble thanks to that last compliment, but persistence worked to get through most of the tangles.

Lloyd seemed content with the brushing, and Zane could see he had his eyes closed in the mirror sat in front of them.

His hands moved slowly through the platinum blond locks, enjoying how it felt. Even his dyed hair had retained it texture, a shock since it was some pretty dramatic dye work.

He pulled the brush through again, resting one hand on Lloyd's head and scratching his scalp. Or what he assumed was his scalp. It was impossible to see due to all the hair.

He heard a humming sound, or a sound like an engine, but realized it was Lloyd purring as Zane scratched his scalp.

It made him smile, how strange yet endearing Lloyd could be. It was a stark contrast to how he carried himself at school. From an intimidating and violent "jerk", to a purring kitten. It made Zane smile, and he felt more relaxed by the fact he seemed happy.

Lloyd opened his eyes, realizing he was purring, but unsure how to stop it. He looked into the mirror, seeing how Zane smiled softly as he brush and brushed the mop of hair on his head. For some reason, it made him feel guilty. Like Zane had forced himself to accept he'd be hear for awhile.

He hated to be a bother to his coworker, especially after he'd done so much to rip shreds of cloth and armor from his skin.

" Alright, I'll just spray some in and try to rub it into your scalp since, well, I can't really get to it heh." Zane seemed amused, but for some reason it made Lloyd feel...bad. He felt the all-to-familiar lump in his throat, burning as he looked down at the floor.

Zane began his work, but quickly stopped as he realized Lloyd seemed to be shaking. He looked into the mirror.

Lloyd was crying.

The false magma dripped down his face, burning orange and yellow as it fell, hissing into a cloud of, smoke? Zane didn't know what Lloyd's tears were, like liquid fire he guessed. But that was beyond the point. His friend was crying.

"Hey, did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, for-for being a nuisance. You should just leave...I can take care of myself." Lloyd pulled away from Zane's hands, crouching, preparing to leave.

His hair fell over his eyes, shadowing his face. But his ears hung to the sides, drooping down as the tears only fell faster and harsher.

Zane stared for a moment, debating. Should he let him leave? He made his decision pretty quickly.

Lloyd felt every muscle in his body tense as two arms wrapped around him. Every warning sound was blaring in his head, every alarm designed after his years in this city. His years in this life really.

Zane pulled him back, and Lloyd realized his teammate was hugging him.

"Why?" He managed to choke the word out as Zane held him close, comforting him. But that made him feel worse.

"Why are you being nice to me?! I'm a-I'm a monster. I'm an asshole who-who HURTS people! Why would you-" He was cut off as he choked back a sob. He was shaking, and the feeling of nausea was creeping into his body.

"Because you're my friend, and you're upset? Besides, it not like the kids you fight don't deserve it. Last I checked threatening to 'skin and hang you from a meat hook' is a pretty fair reason to fight someone. Not a justifiable reason maybe, but a good one."

Lloyd didn't know what his mind was more stuck on. Zane defending his awful habit, or being called a friend.

Did he consider Zane a friend? Did he consider any of the ninja friends? He tried to keep it professional. Refer to them as his team, his coworkers. But was that how he felt?

Did he deserve friends? Zane seemed to consider him one, but why? He didn't deserve that, he didn't deserve anything to be honest. He was a monster, and monsters like him only deserved to suffer.

But he couldn't make himself pull away, not when he had already been a jackass to Zane. Which reminded him-

"Zane...what did you ask me again? B-before I left..."

"Lloyd we don't have to talk about that-"

"You-you asked me why I don't sleep, right? I-you got my note right? I-wanted to answer that question."

Zane would have felt happy, if not for the fact Lloyd was crying his eyes out and only telling him out of some weird obligation he had created for himself. He wanted to know, but he wanted it to be on Lloyd's terms as well. This felt like it wasn't.

"Lloyd I want you to tell me when you-"

"I'm scared."

The words were so simple, yet crashed through Zane's mind like a crossbow bolt.

"What?"

"I-m scared, scared of.... I don't want to see the memories anymore."