#im just going to pass away when we get to this part..... goodbye

[demigod-of-the-agni]

call me insane, but if Jenova (and to some extension, Sephiroth) can appear as anyone you know, fear or love, what are the chances that Cloud kills someone else in this scene

And Sephiroth hugging Cloud? it's just that other person slumping over him as they die

[livinggxd3adgirl]

synopsis— this is a part 2 of “what’s that supposed to mean?”

a/n— I did not expect so many people to like the first part and want a 2nd part .I thought it was going to going to flop. But thank you guys sm! As always there may be errors so pls forgive me. Likes and reblogs are always greatly appreciated!

It had been about 2 weeks since you left gojo. You had been staying at his best friends, geto’s house. You were wearing getos clothes nice all of your was at your apartment that gojo is currently living in. Gojo had called you a few times, but you never answered. You weren’t sure what he wanted with you, but frankly, you didn't care what he had to say. You sat on the sugurus couch. The house filled with silence. All you could hear was the sound of your beating heart. Your mind ran through what happened that night over and over again until you couldn't even remember your own name.

you were snapped out of your thoughts about gojo when you heard the door click open and getos soft voice. "Hey .. im back, I brought us some food. " Geto had been trying to comfort you with all your favorite foods and just be by your side during this hard time.

"Thanks, suguru.. really, " you gave him a weak smile. Suguru set down his keys before he set the bag of food down on the coffee table in front of you.

"Listen.. I know that you're still heart broken about gojo and all, but he's coming here later. He said he wanted to talk to me about something. " he sounded reluctant to tell you that Gojo was coming and for good reason.

You nod your head as he spoke. He sucked in a deep breath before you spoke. Your throat was itchy because of all the crying you have been doing for the past 2 weeks. "I understand geto, ill leave after I eat." Your weak smile pulled at Geto's heart strings. He truly couldn't reason why he even let you stay so long. Geto felt bad for you, of course, but there was something else he felt for you, but he just couldn't understand what it was.

Before geto could stop himself, he quickly spoke, "You dont have to leave, sweetheart..." he gave your hand a reassuring squeeze. "You can stay in my bedroom while he's here. I can't fathom letting that idiot drive you out of here, too. " You finally let out a real smile as you sniffle. For the first time in 2 weeks, you felt like you finally had someone that was on your side.

"Should we eat?" You ask whike smiling. Geto, let's go of your hand as he starts working the bag open.

2 HOURS LATER

You and geto had eaten and watched movies for a while before gojo texted suguru he was in his way. "Stay here, sweetheart. I'll come get you myself, " Geto reassured you as he gave your shoulder a soft squeeze.

"I'll be here waiting.. and geto thank you, really I'm very grateful for everything you have done for me. " Geto couldn't fathom how stupid Gojo was for letting someone like you out of his sight. God, if you were his, he would never let you leave his apartment.

Sugurus train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. He quickly said his goodbyes and answered his front door.

You sat on Getos bed and stared at the closed bedroom door. The mere thought of gojo being just a few feet away from you made you want to throw up. As time passed, it felt like hours, but in reality, it had only been a few minutes.

Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard gojo and getos' voice gradually get closer and closer to the door. You can hear geto say "cmon dude don't go in there really just go wait in the living room ill get it for you".

Before Geto could even stop him, Gojo flung the door open. His eyes immediately widen as he sees you sitting comfortably on Sugurus bed.

"what the fuck are you doing here?"

edit!: prt 3

tags!! @ourfinalisation @96jnie @qashmer @sugurugirlie @gollumsmygel @ritzes28

[sugarushwriting]

ot7 vampire enhypen part (four)

back to school after ni-ki fudged up

ni-ki meets a stranger who happens to know his secrets

you also meet this stranger who has you questioning the boys and the situation

nsfw - towards the end

please comment share and reblog! but please don’t repost or translate!!

₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡

you walked on to campus monday morning and everyone acted like last week didn’t happen. the girl was doing better, can’t remember what happen, and the cops never found the culprit.

well, you were looking the culprit in the eyes right now as he was getting a lecture from his two elders.

“you may have classes without us, but you are to be home before 5 pm. all your classes end by 3. if we catch you one on one with any human, we will find a way to get you your own babysitter.” jay ranted to the youngest.

ni-ki nodded. “i understand and i won’t fuck up again, i promise.”

“don’t make a promise you may not be able to keep.” sunghoon stated.

“come on ni-ki, i will walk you to class. my first class isn’t until 11.” you said with a smile.

“and don’t be late.” jay pointed a finger at you. you stuck your tongue out.

linking arms with ni-ki you walked him to his first class which was at 9. it was currently 8:47 am.

ni-ki sighed. “will i ever have their trust?”

you sighed as well. “yes, but it’ll take awhile, okay? just give them time. they just worry and are hard on you because they care.”

while walking to class with ni-ki you noticed a girl with blonde hair watching the both of you.

“who’s that?” you asked.

ni-ki looked over to where you were looking, and shrugged. “dunno, i think she’s in a class or 2 of mine. haven’t really interacted with her. don’t know her name.”

you smiled, “well she’s really pretty.”

ni-ki deeply chuckled, “no fraternizing with humans, remember?”

“i mean you can talk to her, just not alone, okay?” you stopped in front of ni-ki’s class building and patted his shoulders. “do good in class. learn something!”

ni-ki groaned and you happily skipped off.

once you were gone, ni-ki walked into the building, and soon the blonde girl was beside him, cutting him off as she stood in front of him.

“i know what you are, blood sucker. and i know what you did.” she smirked and walked off towards class.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

meanwhile when close to 11 came, you made it to the class jay was a teaching assistant for, and just on time. you sat in the back while 96% of the girls in the class sat up front. mainly to ogle jay.

“we’ve missed this class!” one girl shouted.

“i was so sad when classes got canceled.” another shouted.

one girl argued, “it was for our safety though! i hope that creep is found!”

your heart sank knowing they were talking about ni-ki. jay and sunghoon had warned you and the other boys, people will be talking and saying rude things, but to not take it personally or say anything aloud.

“let’s get class started, shall we?” the professor of the class cleared his throat and began his lecture. as the girls attention was glued to jay and his jawline, jays attention was glued to you as you focused on the lecture.

jay hates the fact you don’t make flirty eyes with him in class, but you told him and the other guys, your studies come first. they respected you for that.

class ended 50 minutes later, and your next class wasn’t until 2, so you agreed to meet your roommate for lunch.

without bothering to say goodbye to jay, since he was busy with the girl students in class, you made your way towards the student center where most of the food options were.

while walking down the path you saw a familiar blonde from earlier. and once again, she was staring at you.

you walked up to her as other students passed, going along their day. “is there a reason you keep staring at me?”

the girl smiled and stuck out her hand. “im eunchae.”

“im—,”

“i know who you are.” she cut you off and stood up. “i also know what you are to those blood suckers.”

as eunchae went to walk away you grabbed her hand, “wait—,”

“don’t worry im not going to tell anyone.” she shook her head. “just know those boys don’t care about you. they give you precious attention now, but what happens in a few years? you get older and what, they stay the same age? they won’t have you as their precious feeding tube much longer. they’ll throw you to the curb sooner or later.”

you were too stunned to speak, and eunchae walked off. when you came to your senses, you walked to meet your roommate for food.

“hey, are you okay?” she asked and you mindlessly nodded, picking at your food. you were currently rethinking, and over analyzing your conversation with eunchae.

what would happen once they were done? you did get older and they wouldn’t, right? you weren’t their first human to primarily feed on and you won’t be the last. how many others have jay and sunghoon roped into this? how many others did they call love and baby doll and treated so well? would they erase your memory once they were done? would they just pack up and leave without telling you? would they kill you?

your mind raced and you felt so sick. “i think im gonna skip my 2 pm class. im not feeling well.” you stated while packing up. you would take the remainder of your food with you.

your roommate looked at you with concern. “okay, get some rest!”

you nodded with all your things and walked to the one place you might get answers. the guys house. and with them all being on campus until at least 4, you would have time to snoop for answers.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

ni-ki was walking on campus when he spotted the blonde girl from earlier. he’s had two classes with her and each time she’s ignored him.

she was lying on a blanket on the grass reading as ni-ki walked up.

“we need to talk.”

“aren’t you not supposed to be around humans alone?”

ni-ki looked around. technically they weren’t alone, there were other students scattered about. “is this a test?”

the girl closed her book and sat up from her lying position. “a test?”

“did jay or sunghoon put you up to this?” ni-ki asked annoyed. did they really not trust him that much?

the girl shook her head but patted the spot next to her. “sit down riki.”

ni-ki’s jaw nearly hit the ground. riki was his birth name, but he always went by ni-ki. only certain people know his name is riki or even call him that.

ni-ki sat down on the blanket.

“im eunchae.” she held out her hand and ni-ki shook it. “and no, the guys didn’t put me up to anything.”

“then how—?” ni-ki couldn’t even finish his sentence as he was so confused. eunchae laughed.

“let’s just say, im not a vampire, but a supernatural creature as well.”

ni-ki’s eyes went wide as he looked at eunchae. “what kind of supernatural creature?”

“ever heard of a seraphim?” eunchae asked. “we’re also known as fallen angels.”

“oh.” ni-ki said. “what is it that you do?”

eunchae smiled, “maybe i can tell you that later tonight.”

ni-ki frowned, “i have to be home by 5.”

“yikes they put you on that much of a strict curfew because you lost control and fed on a human?” eunchae faked gasped. “just ignore it.”

“i—i can’t.”

“what are you gonna do, suck my blood? i promise my blood will not taste good.” eunchae said and stood up grabbing her book. ni-ki followed.

eunchae added, “i’ll also make sure you don’t feed on any innocent people.” eunchae promised with her hand up and her big eyes round and her lashes batting.

“you aren’t a good influence.”

“im a fallen angel riki. and i never said i would be a good influence.”

“how can i trust you’re telling the truth?”

“you can’t, that’s the thrilling the part.”

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

you arrived to the guys house and immediately went up to the library. the library had old books so it had to have something from jay and sunghoons past.

you searched and searched the shelves, not finding anything much helpful. you found a few books on the lore of vampires and made note to look at those later.

your attention turned to the desk. as you opened the drawers, you found a photo book. bingo.

but as you opened it, it was empty.

“love, why aren’t you in class?” at the sound of jay’s unexpected voice, you literally screamed. your heart rate was definitely up, but you took a few deep breaths.

“i wasn’t feeling well. so i came here, to my favorite place.” you smiled hoping jay bought your lie. since your heart rate was already up from being startled, he wouldn’t notice the difference because of your lie.

jays eyes soften. “aw love come here.” he waved for you to leave the comfort of the library into his awaiting arms.

you gave him a hug in the threshold. he smelt so good. you sighed into his chest. “wait, how did you know i wasn’t in class?”

“i went to look for you. i know we aren’t to interfere with your studies so i was gonna ask if i could feed before or after class.”

“how was you going to feed before my class?”

“take you to my office.” jay smirked and your face felt hot.

“well im here now.”

jay frowned, “but you aren’t feeling well.”

you shook your head, “im a bit better. honestly i just didn’t want to go to class and hear more people talk about what happened.”

jay held you closer, rubbing your back. he kissed the side of your head. “thanks for caring about us love, but people will talk, okay? we’ll get through it.”

you nodded and jay led you to his room. “are you sure you’re up for it, love?”

you nodded, and took your shirt off throwing it somewhere in his room then began unbuttoning your jeans.

“hey!” jay scolded. “undressing you is one of my favorite things.” he pouted and you laughed taking your hands off your button.

jay took his time undressing you, kissing every inch of your body, giving light nibbles up your thighs, stomach and chest.

his lips made its way to your lips for a deep and slow kiss. jay was always so gentle and romantic and sometimes you wish he wasn’t. you always wondered deep inside if he had a hardcore dominant side of him.

when you two made eye contact, you asked, “jay, why are you always so gentle with me?”

jay smiled, “honestly, because if anyone of us goes full force you genuinely may not be able to walk for a while.”

“what if that’s something i want?” you teased.

jay shook his head with a smile, “maybe on a day where you don’t have class for the next few days, okay?”

your hands ran through jays hair, “what’s the most public place you’ve had sex? i mean you’ve been a vampire for so long, there has to be somewhere interesting you’ve done it.”

“penthouse balcony.” jay replied. before you could reply further, jays fingers snuck down to your core, and entered your pussy, earning a low moan from your mouth.

he kissed and sucked your neck while his 2 fingers entered in and out of you, all while his thumb laid pressure and lazy circles on your clit. he had to get you pretty ready for him as although jay didn’t have inches, but he sure enough had thickness to his cock.

“so wet for me.” jay whispered in your ear and pulled is fingers out when he thought you were wet enough for him. giving you one last kiss, he aligned himself with your entrance and slowly entered you. you immediately felt the stretch, as he placed your legs on either side of his waist so you could feel him deeper. “i don’t think you’re ready for the damage i could do to you in bed, love.”

that earned another moan from you, “yes—yes i could.” you stuttered as jay was rocking his hips to yours, sounds of skin slapping the only noise to be heard.

jay sat up so he could hold your legs straight up, them vertical against his chest. this position offered a new feeling and ways for him to satisfy you, and he picked up the pace, your ass becoming red with the speed of his thighs hitting them.

spews of profanities left your lips at this new sensation and feeling. you loved it. your hands gripped the sheets to his bed, as jay held you in place. you were close and jay could feel it.

he pulled out, you hissed at the loss of contact, almost in tears when jay helped you get on your hands and knees for him to fuck you from behind. no warning, he bottomed out, a louder than usual moan leaving your mouth, the front of his body connecting with your back, and his lips finding your neck, his favorite spot.

his vampire teeth sunk into your skin, and you let out a moan of pain followed by a groan of pleasure, groaning jays name over and over, encouraging him to pick up his pace and chase both of your orgasms. soon, you felt jay release his come into you, and he slowed down, his vampire teeth retracting as he licked where he fed.

you were so thankful that although he could come, you couldn’t get pregnant since his sperm was dead.

you collapsed on your front on the bed, trying to catch your breath. although you know jay didn’t go full out, he did go harder than usual. jay rubbed your back, his breath already returning to normal, as he put on pants and covered you up with his sheets and comforter.

he looked down so he could face you, “are you okay?”

you nodded. once your brain fog from the orgasm started to go away, you remembered the whole reason why you were even there.

you turned around to face jay who was sitting on his bed next to you scrolling on his phone.

“jay?”

“mhm?” he hummed and looked to give you his attention.

“what happens when yall are done with me?”

jay pouted in confusion. “love, what do you mean?”

you sighed and sat up, covering yourself with the sheets. “i mean when you all are done using me as a human blood bank. do yall kick me to the curb? pack up and leave without telling me? kill me?”

“love, where is this coming from?”

“don’t—don’t call me love right now.”

“where is this coming from? why all of a sudden are you thinking about this?”

“jay, i gotta think about my future, okay? unlike you all, i get older, okay. i will eventually meet the love of my life, get married, have kids,”

“absolutely not.” jay stated, his tone darker than usual. when you looked him in the eyes you realized his eyes were red.

“jay—,”

“you belong to us and only us.”

“jay that’s not fair,” you said, “i can’t be at your beck and call.”

“yes you can and you will.”

“what happens when yall are done with me?”

“we won’t be.”

“then are you gonna turn me to keep me young?” you argued.

jays eyes went back to normal and his face softened, “no. i don’t turn people unless their life depends on it.”

you got up quickly from the bed, “jay, this makes no sense! how are you gonna say i belong to yall only, but not tell me what my future will look like?”

jay tried to reach for you but you pulled away. was you being unreasonable? you didn’t know and you didn’t care. you just know eunchae had you thinking more about this situation you got yourself in.

you looked around for your clothes, and immediately started to get dressed. “i need to go. i need to go home and think.”

“love,”

“NO!” you yelled to stop jay. “just no.”

you finished dressing as jay watched. your belongings were in the library so you walked down the hall to grab your bag and uneaten food. jay was following you around the house.

“im leaving. i don’t think this is a good idea anymore.” you said as you walked down the steps and that perked jays ears as well as sunghoon who happened to be listening.

“baby doll,” sunghoon began and it slightly startled you as you turned to look at both men. they both looked hurt, but angry at the same time.

“love, you belong to us, end of story,”

“not end of story jay, fuck you!”

“baby doll, behave.”

“and fuck you too sunghoon!”

you stormed out of the house, hearing jay tell sunghoon “let her go, for now.”

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

you held back tears as you walked around campus. you weren’t ready to go back to your dorm just in case one of the guys were waiting for you.

but it wouldn’t matter, they could probably track you by your scent. they’ve always said you were different.

“did they hurt you?” for the what, third time today? a voice startled you.

you looked behind you and saw eunchae. “no.” you shook your head then shrugged, “i don’t know.”

“come with me, i have some girls you might want to meet.”

you wiped your tears, “huh?”

“trust me.” eunchae smiled. “plus i think the person i arranged to meet at 5 won’t show up.”

ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡

[sabh0]

"If you want me to talk solely about the manga vs anime skk"

I do, actually.

Please.

Pretty please with a cherry on top.

PART 1.

Aight!! I will be just pointing out some differences/stuff that was deleted from the anime.

Under the cut

THE DUNGEON SCENE:

-When they first meet again in the manga, they throw some silly jokes at each other (like Dazai asking Chuuya if he's hiding a bald spot. And Chuuya just taking his hat off to show him he's, in fact, not balding)

-In the manga when Chuuya calls Dazai the youngest mafia executive, in his mind Dazai is wearing his ADA clothes but keeps the black coat and the bandaged eye. I think it's a very silly detail

-In the anime, in anger Chuuya actually cuts Dazai's cheek with his knife. In the manga, the moment he starts getting angry he jumps away from Dazai and then throws the knife to the floor, not touching him at all

-Manga Chuuya falls to his knees (basically standing on all 4s), having a lil crisis after realizing Dazai only stayed in the dunegon to meet him. He gets up in a while, just to yet again squat on the floor after Dazai yapps more

-Obviously the pigeon-stand scene: in the manga Dazai is laughing to tears at this, while in the anime he stays silent. (Tho i must say i find it funny that Chuuya gets angry over Dazai not laughing,, like he tried so hard and this guy just :| him)

LOVECRAFT FIGHT:

-This is not about skk but lord yall know that panel where Chuuya ie standing on all these Guild ppl being all like im gonna beat ur ass next. He's just standing normally on the floor in the anime. Aughhhhh this panel is so good aughhhh. Ok anyway back to skk

-When Dazai nullifies John's ability, in the anime Chuuya just kicks Steinbeck from behind. In the manga, skk perform that silly move where Chuuya jumps from behind Dazai. It just shows how even after 4 years of not working with each other, they instantly work together as well as before

-Skk arguing about who's walking next to who like some preschoolers ('dont walk next to me' 'its you who's standing next to me' typa thing) then deciding that they're gonna stay at least 2 metres away from each other

-The manga clearly shows Chuuya's expression when he's talking about 'being happy when Dazai left'. He definitely doesn't look very happy. (In the anime we just get some background drawings)

-Manga Chuuya's lil blush when Dazai compliments his taste in shoes 😭😭

-When Dazai asks for Chuuya's knife, in the manga Chuuya just goes 'oh sure lemme find it' and is actually ready to give him the knife. In the anime? Chuuya doesn't search for the knife, instead he just gets annoyed

-Anime deleted the scene where Dazai talks to Chuuya about recording Kunikida while he was cursed with Q's ability. Chuuya going bruh he also annoys ppl in the agency

-those two idiots calling each other stupid nicknames for half of a page

-Chuuya mentioning keeping a track of women Dazai made cry and threatening him with sending them Dazai's address????

-Dazai telling Chuuya that his intelligence will be consumed by his hat (im currently looking at my polish version of the manga so the translation may be a bit off but anyway)

-Before activating Corruption, they yet again call each other a bunch of stupid nicknames (ahah consider this a silly form of goodbye if anything happens)

-Remember my post about Dazai keeping his eyes on Chuuya at all times during Corruption in the manga? In the anime he looks either at John or at Lovecraft, no puppy eyed loser

-Just a mention that in the manga we see Chuuya sleeping while he's sitting, he doesn't flop passed out to the ground (until later)

Well i will stop there for now bc it's past midnight and umm this is gonna be long af if i continue with the rest so,, i will add the differences in the next skk interactions tomorrow or something muah

[https-florals]

you said, baby, no attachments - r.c.

part one || part two

word count: 2k

summary: after a very stupid, very impulsive night with rafe, you make a lot of  questionable decisions.

warnings: mentions of sex, suggestive!!! friends-with-benefits but without the friends, mentions of drinking, cursing, little angst, little fluff.

a/n:  FIRST EVER RAFE FIC!!!!! i have such a massive crush on drew starkey and tbh i’m shocked ive waited this long to write my bae rafe. anywayssss if this doesnt flop lol there may or may not be a pt 2 im working on!!! my plan is for this to have four parts, but that could change and i might condense it. this is based on casual by chappell roan!!

Stupid things have good outcomes all the time. JJ lives by that phrase, and after hearing it for years, it’s rubbed off on you. But apparently, that’s not a good excuse in an argument with him, and here you are, palms sweaty and slipping off your bike handles, repeating the words over and over and over like you’re trying to convince yourself they’re true.

Today’s stupid thing? Responding to a text from none other than Rafe Cameron. Okay, that’s been your stupid thing for about a month.

You had a little thing going with Rafe. It started at a party, a drunk hookup, neither participant quite realizing who the other was until they woke up in bed together. You had practically run from Tannyhill like the house was on fire, only after both of you fought a little, fucked a little more, and then promised never to speak of it again. You had thought that this pact also entailed speaking to each other, but about a week later Rafe caught you at work, smiled at you, and hit you with some stupid line you couldn’t quite remember. Something about being the prettiest girl in the room, which wasn’t exactly hard, considering you were indeed the only girl in the room as you worked the counter at the country club’s pro shop. When he slipped back his signed receipt to you, there were 10 digits scrawled across the bottom below his signature. 

“Rafe, what is this?” you had to ask, tone a mix between a laugh and a sigh. 

He shrugged, and attempted to grab his bag and run out, but you slid the fancy paper bag away from him. “I thought that we said we weren’t gonna talk to each other anymore,” you had stated softly, smiling at the way his cheeks tinted a little pink.

“Nah, I said I didn’t wanna talk about it,” he stressed, “But talking to you is way different.”

You just rolled your eyes and pushed the bag back to him, and he waved you goodbye as he left.

You can count on one hand all the interactions you’ve had with that boy, and that had to be the oddest. Well, maybe not as odd as having sex with him.

A week passed before you texted him. It wasn’t for anything really important, a scolding, if anything. All you did was remind him that again, he can’t just randomly take his shirt off while golfing. It’s a sophisticated establishment, the old ladies complain, blah, blah, blah. His response?

rafe c. - so you’re saying i distract you?

Yes, unfortunately, that is exactly what you’re saying.

The situations just get weirder, when the first time the two of you hang out is when you call him for a ride to the grocery store. No one’s at the Chateau, you’re out of gas, and every form of transportation you could possibly steal for a bit is with their respective owners. You doubt you could’ve balanced on JJ’s bike anyways.

The ride is a little awkward, but by the end you feel.. Comfortable. At peace, almost, in the Kook prince’s passenger seat with his hand ghosting over your knee. In the grocery store, it’s painfully obvious Rafe has never been shopping for food in The Cut. He’s wrinkling his nose at the cheap prepackaged salmon you buy, with generic bread crumbs. But then he helps you comb through the bell peppers to find decent ones, and carries your groceries to his truck. He even lets you play whatever you want over the aux.

You’re waking up with him in your bed the next morning, pushing him out the window so no one sees him.

And that’s how it starts, and how it continues- brief text convos, long hangouts, good sex and fake nonchalance. He stays true to what he said, and you don’t talk about it. To anybody. That was the whole thing- it was understood that it was a secret. No strings attached, forbidden kind of kook and pogue relations that would have your friends livid.

So why are you so nervous on this particular evening? Maybe it’s because Rafe let it slip to Sarah that you’re hooking up. Maybe cause Sarah just had to say something to John B, who then told JJ, who then fought with you in front of the entire group. Everyone knows, and everyone is telling you you’re crazy. It’s not something you can handle, so when you see that Rafe asked you to come over, you’re hopping on your bike and speeding to Tannyhill. 

When you get there, you automatically rush into Rafe’s room, a sweaty mess.

He’s laying on his bed, in just boxers as he scrolls on his phone. He jumps when you walk in, setting his phone down quick and standing up like you’re the queen or something.

Your gaze tracks to a bottle of lotion and a box of tissues on his nightstand, and you groan and fake gag as you flop facedown onto the mattress. 

There’s an almost soundless little intake of air, but you do hear it, and cut Rafe off before he can even speak. 

“I’m not helping you get off!” you declare loudly, and the boy visibly deflates.

“Come on,” he whines, like a little kid not getting his way. “You came in at the perfect time.”

You roll over so he’s in your peripheral vision, and huff. “I’m mad at you.”

He sticks his bottom lip out, a little mocking as he crawls onto the bed beside you. “Awe, what’d I do now?” Rafe lays on his side, head propped up on his hand as he watches you. He likes to watch the way his lamp reflects in your eyes, and how you roll your eyes everytime you catch him staring at you. His fingers creep up your side, but you push him off. Oh. You really are mad, he thinks.

“Why would you tell Sarah?” you ask, voice quiet as you stare him down. The apples of his cheeks turn a little pink, and his eyes widen.

“Uh, what did I tell her?” Rafe lies, because he remembers exactly what he said to Sarah, and the way her jaw dropped after he spoke.

“I just- I really like her, Sarah. Forget about the sex and all that shit. When I’m talking to her, it feels like…” He’s stumbling over his words, not quite able to say what he wants. “She’s fresh air, and I feel like I’ve been stuck in a room without windows, or some shit.” 

He was never much of a poet. He also remembers the vise-like grip she had on his arm as she told him she would kill him if he ever hurt you. Rafe promised he could never.

But right now he lies, lies and tries to level his voice. He’s a little shocked that you believe him, or at least don’t press the topic further.

“You told her we were sleeping together!” You hiss, lightly smacking him on the side of his head.

He winces, but internally he’s heaving a sigh of relief. He makes a mental note to never get drunk with his sister ever again as you continue to rant. It’s something about the Pogues wanting to kill him (nothing new), along with a couple of jabs about how he’s just the worst, and that he's annoying, and blah, blah, blah. Rafe isn’t really listening, rather just thinking about his stupid decisions. One of which is looking real pretty as she yells at him. Pretty enough to fall in love with. He absentmindedly tucks your hair behind your ear and you instantly exhale, losing your train of thought altogether in record time. It’s like you have the attention span of a damn goldfish around him.

You just groan again, and murmur, “I can’t stand you,” right before you press your lips to his.

Rafe laughs against you, pulling you on top of him in one smooth motion. “Good thing you’re sitting on top of me then.”

His hands slip under your shirt, and your fingers push through his hair. The calluses on his hands scrape against the soft skin of your stomach and catch on the lace of your bra. Hard hands for daddy’s money, you think. Your fingers tuck against his jawline, cradling his face while his tongue slips against yours, his lips curling up when you make any little noise.

You pull back to catch your breath, and Rafe just stares up at you, kind of punchdrunk.

“Rafe?”

“Mhm?” He reaches up to brush his thumb over your lips.

You’re silent for a second as you think about what you’re about to say. ‘What- What are we doing?”

Rafe’s mouth is parted, and you can’t quite decipher his expression as you watch his eyes flick over your face. He swallows, and says, “Whatever you want.”

You don’t really hear him, and blurt out, “I need this to be casual.”

“Casual?” he repeats.

“Strictly like, sex. No strings attached.”

He sits up, pulling you with him so you’re still on his lap but he’s eye level to you. He’s hard underneath you, but you ignore it as you continue to speak. 

“Okay, just sex. Why?”

It’s actually very hard to ignore, literally and figuratively. Rafe is thinking the same thing when you clear your throat and move a little on him, subconsciously. 

You shrug. “Listen, I don’t have the time for anything more than that. Plus, we know we couldn’t date, like ever.”

He nods, fake-stretching as a means to buck up against you. “And why couldn’t we date?” When you give him an incredulous look, he continues, “Just to play devil’s advocate. Not that I don’t agree with you, cause I totally do. I just wanna know what you’re like, thinking, if we’re on the same wavelength, or whatever…” He trails off, knowing he’s babbling and should stop.

You laugh a little nervously. “Okay, Cameron.” You take a deep breath, and hope that what you’re about to say makes sense. “I have an itch to scratch, and the only thing I want to do is scratch that itch.” You pause to think. “Itch that scratch?”

“You had it right the first time,” Rafe laughs, but the lilt of it is a little annoyed.

“Okay, whatever. Anyway, you’re good at scratching that itch.”

He grins with pride, bottom lip tucked between his teeth, and just the way he’s looking at you makes you squirm.

“Really good at scratching that itch,” you exhale a little shaky. “But y’know, I don’t really like you as a person.”

His eyebrows shoot up, eyes wide. “The fuck? Thanks a lot.”

“You’re an asshole, Rafe. Plain and simple. I’m not trying to be a bitch, but come on.” You’re thinking of all the times he’s been an absolute dick to your friends.

He’s thinking about all the things he’d lay down for you. “Not to you.”

Your words evidently sting him a bit, and you go red. You hadn’t really meant to hurt him.

You groan. “You know what I mean. My friends hate you. We just couldn’t work.”

Rafe doesn’t really know what to say. This isn’t really the way he thought this would go, but then again, what did he really expect? Everything is jumbled in his head, and all he wants to do is get high and forget about the conversation. But, even though you basically just told him that he's unlikable, you’re still regrettably pretty, and still on top of him. He grips your hips hard, holding you in place as he rolls against you. “So fuck buddies, but we can’t stand each other?” One hand snakes underneath your shirt to unclip your bra, and he does it faster than you can blink.

“Exactly,” you say somewhere in between both of your shirts coming off. “Just stress relief.”

His hands are hot all over you. There’s a hardness in his gaze that’s so different from the softness of his touch.

“We have to have rules,” you manage to state when you’re shimmying out of your shorts, breathing hard while Rafe toys with the little pink bow on your panties.

“Whatever you want, pretty girl.”

It’s a filler phrase, you think. He must desperate for you to shut up and fuck him, so he’s saying anything. 

He’s still thinking about how he’d do anything for you. Anything.

You still for a second to catch your breath, and say, “No feelings. No staying overnight. And we can’t go anywhere together that we would be seen.”

“Why not?” Rafe groans as your clothed heat slips over him.

“Rafe! People will talk. They’ll think…”

He presses a finger to your lips, effectively shushing you. “That we’re fucking? Well, hate to break it to ya, baby, but we kinda already are.”

“And no calling me baby.”

Rafe ignores you and slips his hand between your legs, and you forget that you’re supposed to hate him.

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[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirate's Promise

This gif because it was mad funny! Zoro and his Sake Lmfaooo

Chapter 38: A Promise Between Goodbyes

A/N: We are back at it again with another chapter!  We getting a letter written by Sabo, and we are also getting an updated Wanted poster and alot more revelations too! Yall im currently writing the filler chaps, along with the Bonus Chapter so that once we hit whole cake its going be dedicated to that. When I tell you shits stirring like the plot is plotting!, but again all is fair in love and war ;). Thank you everyone for following, liking, commenting, interacting! And without further ado let the adventure begin.  

Word Count: 9.6K

Sanji X Reader, Sanji x Y/N, One Piece X Reader, 

Y/N POV…

A few hours had passed, and Robin and I laid together when I heard the noise of a bottle being passed around. I sat up once more and saw Zoro and Kyros sharing a drink.

"Everything good with you?" Zoro asked, concern flickering in his eyes.

"Yeah, Zo, I'm fine," I smiled, trying to reassure him. He took another swig from the wine bottle, and slowly, I got up and made my way toward him. Not sure if it was the alcohol talking but Zoro decided to grab my waist and place me on his lap.

“Careful now,” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. “If you keep getting this cozy, people might start thinking I’m your favorite.”

I grabbed the bottle and took a sip of the wine. "Wow, this is good wine," I remarked, savoring the rich flavor. Kyros nodded, laughing.

“At some point, I’d really like to spar with you,” Zoro said to Kyros, his right hand securely holding my waist in place.

“Coming from a swordsman of your caliber, that’s an honor. Maybe someday when our wounds heal,” Kyros replied, a grin on his face as he eyed Zoro.

I took another swig of Kyros’s wine. “I’m definitely going to need a bottle of this wine, Kyros,” I said, relishing the warmth it brought me.

I handed the bottle back to Kyros, who took another swig. Zoro, now with both hands resting on my waist, began rubbing small circles with his thumbs, sending a flutter of warmth through me.

“You know,” he said, a teasing smirk on his lips, “I might just take a nap right here if you keep this up. Who knew a little wine and some good company could be so relaxing?”

I shot him a playful glare. “Oh really? Are you using me as your personal pillow now?”

Zoro chuckled, leaning in closer. “Only if you promise to keep being this cozy.”

Kyros smiled and nodded. “You two should rest; I’ll keep watch.”

“You sure, Kyros?” I asked, a hint of concern in my voice.

“It’s not a problem, princess,” he reassured me, his kind smile easing my worries.

“In that case,” Zoro said, pulling me up and wrapping a blanket around us both. “I guess I’ll just have to make sure you’re comfy.” He settled back against the wall, pulling me closer to his chest.

As the soft sounds of the night enveloped us, I felt the weight of the day slip away. Zoro’s heartbeat was a steady, comforting rhythm against my ear, and despite the chaos surrounding us, this moment felt safe and cocooned.

Just as I was about to drift off completely, Zoro stirred slightly, his fingers still tracing gentle patterns on my waist. “You’re really not going to let me nap in peace, are you?” he mumbled sleepily, one eye cracking open to glance down at me.

“I’m not the one who started it,” I replied, a teasing lilt in my voice. “You’re the one who pulled me into your nap trap.”

“Nap trap? That sounds more like a scheme,” he said, feigning seriousness as he stretched his arms above his head, inadvertently pulling me closer. “Maybe I should add it to my repertoire.”

I laughed softly, nudging him playfully. “Is that how you plan to become the nap champion? By setting traps?”

“Of course. It’s all part of the strategy. Gotta keep the competition guessing,” he replied with a smirk, clearly enjoying the light-hearted banter.

“Well, I guess I should watch my back, then,” I said, feeling a warmth bloom in my chest. “Can’t let the ‘fearsome pirate’ sneak up on me.”

“Too late,” he said, his tone mock serious. “You’re already in my grasp. No escape now.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, a smile still playing on my lips. “Oh, really? I didn’t know I was a prisoner of war.”

“Prisoner of my awesomeness, more like,” he shot back, a smug grin stretching across his face.

“Wow, your ego is really something,” I replied, trying to suppress my laughter. “You might want to keep that in check.”

“Never,” he said, looking completely unfazed. “Besides, it helps fuel my napping skills.”

“You might be onto something there,” I admitted. “Maybe I should start taking notes.”

“Just don’t expect me to teach you my secrets. I can’t have you stealing my nap champion title,” he warned, mock seriousness creeping back into his tone.

“Fine, fine. I’ll let you keep your title… for now,” I conceded, sinking deeper against him, letting my eyelids grow heavy.

“Good. Now you can be my nap sidekick,” he said, his voice thick with sleep.

“Nap sidekick? That sounds a bit lame,” I joked, rolling my eyes but unable to hide my smile.

“Lame? You’re just jealous of my title,” he retorted, smirking down at me.

I chuckled, feeling the warmth radiating from him wrap around me like a blanket. “You know what? I’ll take it. I’m okay being the sidekick if it means I get to nap with you.”

Zoro chuckled softly, his laughter vibrating against my body. “Then it’s settled. Sidekick it is.”

As the night continued, I felt my eyelids grow heavier, lulled by the soothing sounds around us. Zoro’s gentle presence was calming, and I could feel myself surrendering to the fatigue that had been building throughout the day.

“Goodnight, sidekick,” he murmured as I began to drift off, his voice a low rumble.

“Goodnight, champion,” I whispered back, a smile on my lips.

Time passed as I lay still nestled against Zoro’s chest, the gentle rise and fall of his breathing lulling me deeper into sleep. Suddenly, I was pulled from my dreams by a chorus of muffled voices drifting in from the other room.

“Sanji is about to crack Zoro’s skull in half!” Usopp exclaimed, his voice full of alarm.

“Come on, bro! Let Y/N rest; she’s recovering from that super fight!” Franky interjected, trying to play peacemaker.

“Roronoa! Why are you cozying up to Y/N like that?!” Law’s voice cut through the air, sharp with irritation. 

Zoro stirred beneath me, instinctively pulling me closer as if to shield me from Law’s glare. I let out a soft groan, murmuring Zoro’s name as I nestled deeper into his warmth.

“Shh, keep resting,” Zoro murmured, his voice low and soothing. I felt his hand gently brushing my hair back, and I couldn’t help but smile, feeling safe in his embrace.

Suddenly, Kinemon’s voice rang out, announcing, “Food is ready for us to eat!”

Zoro shook me lightly, his grip still firm around my waist. “Hey, Y/N, time to wake up. We’ve got to eat,” he said, his tone a blend of teasing and affection.

I blinked up at him, still in a sleepy daze. “Five more minutes,” I mumbled, burying my face into his chest again.

Zoro chuckled, “I wish I could, princess, but we need to get your strength back up.”

With a reluctant sigh, I muttered, “Fine,” as I sat up, the blanket falling away and revealing my bandaged body. “I can’t wait to get changed; can’t be heading to new places with these things,” I said, glancing down at the wrappings.

Law turned to me, his expression a mix of concern and amusement. “Good morning, Doctor. How was your rest?” I teased, unable to resist the urge to poke fun at him.

His cheeks flushed slightly, and he smirked, pulling me in closer. “Well, considering I was up all night worrying about you, I’d say I could use a nap too,” he replied, his tone playful.

“Are you saying you didn’t sleep because you were too busy thinking about me?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Zoro’s expression darkened slightly at our exchange, a hint of jealousy flickering in his eyes. “Yeah, right,” he muttered, crossing his arms as he watched us.

Law shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk still dancing on his lips. “Just stating the facts, Zoro. You should try it sometime,” he teased, enjoying the slight tension building between them.

Law then reached into his pocket and handed me back my tiara, which I had nearly forgotten about. “My tiara! But… how?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

“You left it beside me before your body fell to exhaustion,” Law explained, his tone softening. “By the way, I need to check to see if your wounds have healed.”

I nodded, my heart fluttering at the attention from both of them. “Sure, just don’t poke too hard, okay?”

“Trust me, I’m a doctor,” Law replied, his smirk returning as he gently inspected my bandages.

Zoro, still slightly annoyed, huffed, “Just make sure she’s alright, and don’t take too long. I’m not a fan of waiting.”

“Jealous much?” Law quipped, glancing at Zoro with a teasing grin.

Zoro shot him a glare. “I’m not jealous. I just don’t like waiting for you to finish flirting with my crewmate.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the banter lightening the mood.

“Alright you guys, we can do the check-up after; right now, let’s eat. The Navy might get here any minute,” I said, grabbing a piece of meat from the tray.

“Okay!” Luffy exclaimed, digging into the food as if it were the last meal he’d ever have. “We gotta hurry and catch up with Sanji's group too!” he added before dozing off mid-bite, only to snap back awake and say, “I’m sad I didn’t get to see Sabo,” as he continued to stuff his face, then promptly fell asleep again.

“Yeah, I’m sad Sabo had to go too,” I muttered, taking a bite of the meat in front of me.

“Ohh, that reminds me, Y/N. He left you his coat and a Vivre Card along with a note for you,” Robin chimed in as she sat down with us.

“He did…” I said, feeling the familiar wave of emotions wash over me. “Robin, may I please have his coat and letter? I’d like to read that first. As for his Vivre Card, can you hold off on that one? Once we get to our ship, I’ll put it somewhere safe.”

“Sure thing, here,” she said with a smile, handing me the coat. As I felt its warmth envelop me, I noticed the right sleeve adorned with goggles, a reminder of Sabo’s adventurous spirit.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I said, making my way out the door and to a safe distance where I could read the letter without interruption. My heart raced as I opened it, the familiar scrawl filling me with anticipation.

Dear Princess,By the time you get this letter, it’s either because I’m far away back on my ship, or I never got the chance to hand this to you in person. I want you to know how much you mean to me. Every moment we spent together has been etched in my heart, and though I may be miles away, my thoughts are always with you.

I know that goodbyes are hard, and I wish I could be there with you now. But one day, I promise we will meet again. Even if I have to make up an excuse to visit Luffy just to see you, I will do it without hesitation.

Here is my direct line for my Transponder Snail, just in case you miss me. I want to hear your voice, even if it’s just to check in. Know that you’re always in my heart, and I’m forever yours.

With all my love,Sabo

As I finished reading the letter, tears welled in my eyes, a mix of gratitude and longing swelling within me. I clutched the paper to my chest, feeling the warmth of Sabo’s coat wrap around me like a protective embrace.

“Thank you, Sabo,” I whispered to myself, a smile breaking through my tears. 

I carefully folded the letter and tucked it into one of the coat pockets, promising myself I would put it in a safe place once we returned to our ship. As I made my way back to Kyros, a new sense of emotion washed over me— a warmth that came from Sabo’s words.

“No fair! How come Sabo gave you stuff?!” Luffy exclaimed, his eyes wide with curiosity.

I couldn’t help but laugh, wiping away a tear that had fallen. “Let’s just say Sabo and I go way back,” I replied with a smile, taking another bite of the meat.

Robin caught my eye, her smile knowing and supportive, as if she understood the deeper connection I had with Sabo.

Usopp and Zoro were in the middle of a lively bicker with Luffy, who was still half-asleep, shoveling food into his mouth. Every few moments, he would nod off, only to jerk awake and dive back into the meat with a fierce determination.

Kinemon and Kanjuro began discussing the rumors circulating about Rebecca and Kyros. Kyros, with a serious look on his face, explained, “I wanted to live in the light forever, which means it’s the only way to make amends for failing as a father to her.”

“Yeah, well, we all know how Luffy feels about it,” we chimed in unison, casting a glance at Luffy, who was obliviously munching away, a look of anger on his face.

Just then, the door swung open, and in walked “rooster”, “Mr. Zoro!” he exclaimed, his eyes scanning the room until they finally landed on me. He quickly made his way toward me, his expression shifting from surprise to sheer joy. “Princess! Omgggg I can’t believe it! It’s really you!”

I was taken aback by his enthusiasm, looking at the group and mouthing, “Do you know this guy?” confused.

“You were so badass! Fighting Doflamingo twice and taking out a top executive!” he continued, tears welling in his eyes as he inched closer. “How did you turn blue, then the red lightning came from the sky?”

“Umm…” I stammered, caught off guard by the sudden attention. How was I supposed to explain what happened? 

“Six Straw Hat Pirates in the same place?!” the rooster guy exclaimed, throwing his hands up in dramatic disbelief. “I’m too weak; have mercy! It’s like a laser beam of awesomeness is blinding me!”

As the excitement continued to swirl around the room, I felt a wave of discomfort wash over me. Sensing my unease, Zoro effortlessly pulled me back onto his lap, his strong arms wrapping around me in a protective embrace.

“Just relax,” he said softly, his voice steady against the noise.

Law’s eyes narrowed at the sight. “Roronoa! Why do you keep dragging Y/N onto your lap like that? She can sit on her own, you know!”

“Yeah, but she’s not going to,” Zoro shot back, a smirk playing on his lips as he tightened his grip on me. “Besides, I’m just keeping her safe.” “Got a problem with that?”

Before Law could retort, Zoro turned to the rooster guy and said, “If you’ve got something important to say, can you get on with it?”

I chuckled at Zoro’s impatience, reaching for an apple nearby, but Zoro intercepted it, grabbing it from my hand and slicing it into small pieces with the precision only a swordsman could have.

“Really, Zo?” I said, laughing as he placed a slice into my mouth.

“Yeah, gotta make sure you don’t choke on it. Can’t have you passing out again,” he teased with a grin. 

Law, clearly irritated, crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “She can eat on her own, you know. You don’t have to coddle her like that, Roronoa.”

Zoro smirked at Law’s irritation, clearly enjoying the subtle competition. “She doesn’t seem to mind, right, princess?” he asked, looking down at me with a teasing grin as he fed me another piece of apple.

I chuckled, shaking my head at his antics. “You’re impossible.”

Law clenched his jaw, stepping closer. “Roronoa, you’re acting like a babysitter. Y/N isn’t some fragile porcelain doll. She’s a warrior. And you—”

“Warrior or not,” Zoro interrupted smoothly, “she’s still recovering. So unless you plan to take over, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.” His tone was casual, but there was a hint of challenge in his eyes.

“Sanji’s going to flip when he hears about this,” Usopp added with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding. “He might even kick down the door and go all out. This is premium-level jealousy material.”

Zoro shrugged, not looking the least bit concerned. “Let him come. Won’t change anything.”

I laughed, finding the entire situation ridiculous but somehow comforting. “You two seriously need to relax. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”

Law, still frustrated, muttered under his breath but eventually backed off, allowing Zoro to continue with his overly attentive care.

As Rooster continued to talk about the incoming Marine Admirals, I interrupted, biting into another piece of the apple Zoro had just given me, "So they sent a couple of big shots to try and take us down, huh? What a surprise."

I glanced down, noticing the faint grey hue illuminating from my blades still strapped to my thigh, their glow reacting to the tension in the air. Leo’s voice crackled over the transponder snail in Kyros' hand, “The Navy’s here to attack you!” Leo’s frantic tone matched Usopp’s sudden freak-out.

“Our luck has run out!” Usopp shouted, looking panicked.

“What a pain…” I sighed, already feeling the pressure mounting as we all stood up to prepare for what was coming next.

“There’s nothing to prepare,” Kinemon said calmly, adjusting his gear. “We’ve been ready for days, just waiting for Sir Luffy to wake up.”

“Days?” I asked, suddenly feeling the weight of the tiara on my head again, its presence a reminder of how much had already happened. I stretched, trying to loosen my muscles, still tight from everything that had unfolded.

Rooster stepped forward, his enthusiasm undiminished. “Time to get moving. We’ll make a B-line for the port in the east. Our people are stationed in strategic places, ready to back us up. Plus, there’s a ship waiting to take us out of here.”

“Well,” I said, still stretching, feeling the glow from my blades intensifying, “Looks like it’s about time we haul ass.”

“They're here! No time for chit-chat!” Rooster shouted, leading the way out. The urgency in his voice had us all moving faster.

“Found them! Don’t let those pirates get away!” a Marine yelled, and in an instant, gunfire erupted in our direction.

“Everybody, follow me, alright!” Rooster said as he raised a barrier, blocking the bullets from hitting us.

I glanced back just in time to see Luffy stop running. “Luffy, what are you—” I began to say, but he cut me off.

“You guys go ahead. I’ve got one more thing I need to do,” Luffy said with a determined look before darting off in another direction.

“Luffy, make it quick! We gotta hurry!” Zoro shouted, still running the wrong way.

“Zoro! Wrong way!” I called out, trying not to laugh as he cursed and redirected himself back on track.

We reached the town, sprinting through the streets as chaos unfolded around us. “Head straight to the port! We’ll cover you!” yelled the allies from the Colosseum, appearing like a cavalry at just the right time.

“Thanks, guys!” I shouted back, pushing myself to keep up the pace.

As we neared the port, I saw a pile of Marines sprawled on the ground. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Damn, sucks for them!” I laughed breathlessly.

“Now’s not the time to be laughing, Y/N!” Usopp shouted from ahead, clearly frazzled by the situation.

I opened my mouth to reply, but Zoro beat me to it. “Let her laugh if she wants to. Keeps her focus.” His tone was half-teasing, but also protective, as if he was daring anyone to argue otherwise.

We finally made it to the port, my hands resting on my knees as I huffed, “Man, I’m out of shape.”

“Luffy isn’t here yet?” Usopp asked, scanning the area frantically.

“I haven’t seen Law either,” Cabbage added, frowning.

“Wait! What do you mean? Where did he go? He was right behind me,” I said, standing up and still catching my breath, my concern growing.

“Here he comes,” Zoro said, his voice steady as we all looked up.

Fujitora came flying in, his presence instantly commanding attention. Zoro’s grip on his blades tightened, and I instinctively reached for my own, ready to jump into action.

But Zoro stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “Just what do you think you’re doing, princess?” he asked with a grin, not taking his eyes off Fujitora.

“Hey, I’ve got beef with this marine admiral too, you know! He sent me crashing into the colosseum and ground, remember?” I shot back, one of my blades already drawn, glowing with a vibrant yellow hue.

Zoro chuckled but kept his stance. “I remember, but this one’s mine.” His voice was firm but teasing, a challenge hidden behind his grin.

I rolled my eyes but held my ground. "Fine, but if things get ugly, I’m jumping in."

“Wouldn’t expect any less,” he smirked, focusing back on Fujitora.

"Fujitora!" Usopp shrieked, his voice cracking with panic. Rooster added, equally flustered, "Yup, we’re dead."

Zoro wasted no time, launching himself at Fujitora with a swift attack. But Fujitora effortlessly dodged, his calm demeanor unshaken.

"Mr. Zoro! You and your friends should head out now! We can handle this!" Rooster shouted, as he and the other allies formed a barrier, covering us.

"This looks bad!" Usopp continued freaking out, his hands trembling. Suddenly, objects and debris began lifting from the ground, slowly being pulled into the sky.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked, my eyes darting around in confusion as the ground beneath us seemed to stir.

Fujitora’s calm voice echoed through the chaos, “Since you don’t need all this debris and rubble, I thought I’d put it to good use.”

I shook my head, exasperated. "It's way too early for this crap." The debris and rubble continued to rise, swirling ominously above us.

"Hey guys! No place is safe here. Head to the port now!" Law’s familiar voice suddenly appeared beside me.

"Alright, Trafal... wait, Law! Where were you?! We were waiting for you and Strawhat!" Cabbage shouted, clearly frustrated.

But Law ignored him, his focus shifting entirely to me. "Y/N, I apologize for leaving abruptly like that. You must have been worried," he said softly, grabbing my hand.

I blinked at Law, momentarily caught off guard before offering him a reassuring smile. "Glad to see you're back."

"I'm fine with getting the hell out of here, but I have a feeling he won't make it easy," Zoro grumbled, his eyes locked on Fujitora.

Suddenly, Usopp’s frantic voice cut through the tension. "Hey, it’s Luffy!"

"About time!" I exclaimed, turning toward Luffy just as he made his grand entrance.

Luffy, ever bold, shouted, "Hey, gamble man! Do you remember me?" before unleashing a massive attack. "Gomu Gomu no Elephant Gun!" His punch barreled towards Fujitora with raw force.

"Why should I run away? Why should I back down from the navy? I did that two years ago, and I'm not doing it now!" Luffy declared, his voice full of resolve.

We all paused for a second, caught off guard by his words, as memories of two years ago flashed through our minds. Nodding in unison, we shared a knowing grin.

"Fine, if you're gonna kick his ass, do it right!" Usopp shouted, joining in the support.

"Get him good, Luffy!" I yelled, fists clenched with excitement.

Zoro, standing beside me now, added with his usual smirk, "I'm all for him beating Fujitora, but calling out his moves like that..."

"You're right, it's like he's giving him an advantage," I agreed, watching as Luffy squared off against the admiral. Fujitora's gravity powers began creating dents in the ground, chasing after Luffy with dangerous precision.

"It's that weird move again..." I groaned, remembering too well the sensation of being crushed by his gravity.

Then, Fujitora launched his attack: Raging Tiger. The air trembled as the powerful blow tore through the ground.

"Crap, run!" Zoro shouted, grabbing me in one swift motion as we sprinted to avoid the attack. Luffy was sent flying, crashing through the air.

Zoro gently set me back down once we cleared the immediate danger. "Thanks, Zoro," I said, a breathless smile forming as we quickly resumed our mad dash toward the docked ship.

Just as we picked up speed, the sky above us darkened unnaturally. My heart sank when I looked up and saw the massive debris Fujitora had gathered now following us like a deadly cloud of rubble.

"I don’t wanna be crushed to death by trash!" Usopp screamed in terror.

"Well, pick up the pace!" I shouted back, unable to hold back a laugh despite the situation. We ran faster, our hearts pounding as the looming threat of debris chased us down.

Luffy laughed from atop the giant as debris rained down around us. "Would you look at that, it's like the city came to say goodbye!"

I couldn't help but smile at his carefree spirit. Finally, we reached the massive ship, the Yontamaria, towering before us. "My Yontamaria is at your call," declared the captain with a flourish.

"Why, thank you," I said, standing beside Robin and Law as we took in the ship’s grand presence.

As we boarded, the allies began explaining the concept of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Bartolomeo stood proudly in front of Luffy, holding a massive cup of sake. "Mr. Luffy, exchange cups with each respective crew. We will exchange cups of sake as father and son!" Bartolomeo announced. "We ask that you take us under your wing."

Everyone smirked at the sentiment—everyone except Luffy. "Now bring on the sake!" Bartolomeo started pouring the sake into cups, including a particularly oversized one for Luffy.

Zoro and I glanced at each other when we saw the sake. "Nah, I think I'll pass. I'm not really into sake," Luffy said nonchalantly, waving it off.

Bartolomeo hurriedly explained, "The sake isn’t for drinking, it’s more symbolic. It’s to show that we’ll back you up if you ever need us."

I leaned toward Zoro and whispered, "That sake… looks really good."

He smirked, eyeing the cup. "He doesn’t care, you're wasting your time," he teased, already making his way toward the massive sake cup.

"Now, if you put this in a beer mug, I’ll drink it," Zoro remarked as he dipped his hand into the large cup.

"Excuse me! I want to drink it too!" I called out, following Zoro, my eyes on the glistening sake.

His gaze met mine, his expression unreadable but intense. As I reached him, I grabbed his hand and cupped some sake into my mouth, the liquid dripping down my chin and wetting my bandages.

“Mmm, so good,” I said, savoring the taste, my eyes locking with Zoro’s, a grin tugging at my lips.

“Use a cup, you two!” Usopp shouted, looking horrified.

Law, watching with narrowed eyes, muttered something under his breath, clearly displeased at the scene unfolding between Zoro and me. His jealousy was almost palpable.

Bartolomeo, still trying to explain the symbolic nature of the sake, sighed. "It’s not for drinking!"

Zoro grinned and wiped the sake from my chin with his thumb. "Damn, that’s good stuff. Knew it."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Told you it was worth trying!"

hey me next! I want some too!” Franky yelled, practically bouncing.

“I’ll have a cup as well,” Robin chimed in, her smile warm and inviting.

“Fine, me too!” Usopp added, clearly caught up in the moment.

“Damn, this is good!” Franky declared, taking a hearty swig.

“Told you!” Zoro and I said in unison, exchanging amused glances.

I turned to Law, who was still standing nearby, observing the chaos with his usual stoic expression. “Law, would you like to try?” I asked playfully, beckoning him over.

To my surprise, he stepped closer, taking my hand and guiding it to the sake cup. The warmth of his grip sent a flutter through my stomach, and I glanced up at him, my heart racing. “Taste delicious, huh?” I said, wiping a little bit of sake from the corner of his lip with my thumb.

Law's cheeks flushed slightly at the contact, and he smirked, trying to play it cool. “It’s alright,” he replied, his voice steady, but the hint of color on his face betrayed him.

“Remember, you and I have to go check your bandages later,” he added, a teasing grin spreading across his face as he held my gaze.

“Oh, so you’re not just using me for my sake?” I quipped back, feeling a thrill at the banter between us.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he shot back, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“How about this,” Luffy started, his voice booming with determination. “If I’m ever in trouble, I’ll call you guys. You’re my friends, and if you need help, I’ll be happy to help. I couldn’t beat Mingo without you guys.” His words hung in the air, the sentiment shared among us, creating a palpable bond of camaraderie.

Bartolomeo’s eyes welled up with emotion. “You’re so right, Captain!” he exclaimed, nearly choking on his words. Just then, a sudden boom echoed across the port as cannons fired from an enemy ship, breaking the moment.

“Whoever it is, take ’em out!” yelled one of the captains, urgency etched across his face.

“Hold up, guys, I got this,” I declared, my heart racing. I grabbed one of my blades, feeling the familiar energy course through me as the blue hue illuminated it. “Luffy, I’ll be right back!” I added, glancing back at him with a reassuring smile.

Luffy chuckled, already knowing what I was about to do. “Y/N, I swear to—” Law started, but I wasn’t waiting around to hear his concern.

With a powerful leap, I soared into the air, my blade poised for an attack. Just as I was about to launch it, the rumble from the sky intensified, shaking the enemy ship below. “Well, that’s another way of doing it,” I muttered to myself, my heart racing with excitement.

I gracefully landed back on our ship, a triumphant grin spreading across my face. “Looks like they’re being taken care of!” I announced, sliding my blade back into the thigh halter, the glow fading as I regained my composure. Just then, the Straw Hat Grand Fleet began to drink from their sake cups, reciting their oaths in excitement.

“I didn’t say you guys can do that!” Luffy protested, his voice filled with mock indignation. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene unfolding before me.

“Hey, I did not drink this stuff!” Luffy exclaimed, holding up the giant cup he’d been given. “Wait, who drank...?” I began to say, turning to my right and spotting Zoro, wiping his lip with a satisfied look on his face.

Soon after, food started being brought out for us to celebrate. “Are we setting sail?” Luffy asked eagerly.

“Right, the boss said set sail!” one of the captains responded.

“I didn’t say that, and I’m not your boss!” Luffy yelled, shaking his head in exasperation as we began to set sail, leaving Dressrosa behind us.

“Alright, guys, let’s raise our cups! Our team kicked the Mingo family’s ass, so here’s to us and victory!” Luffy shouted, and we all cheered in response, drinking from our cups and indulging in the delicious food prepared for us.

Zoro walked over to Law, a smirk on his face. “Hey, get over here,” he said, pulling him closer as they refilled Law’s drink. “Let go,” Law muttered, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the amusing dynamic.

Soon after, I made my way up the stairs, watching as we drifted further away from the chaos of Dressrosa. “Mind if I join you?” I turned to see Law, who had managed to escape from Zoro’s grasp.

“I thought Zoro had you in his clutches,” I teased, a playful smile on my face.

Law grinned, slowly approaching me. His hand brushed against my torso, sending a shiver down my spine. “I have something I want to give you,” he said, reaching into his coat.

He pulled out a necklace, and I blinked in surprise. “Wait, is this...?”

“It is,” Law confirmed, a smirk dancing on his lips.

“But I thought...”

“I saw it on the ground once my cuffs were gone. It did crack, but I thought, why not? You have one, and I have another to keep,” he explained, gently putting one half of the necklace around my neck and clasping it in place. It rested delicately on my collarbone.

I took the other half and clasped it around his neck, his resting just below his own collarbone.

“Well, looks like it’s connected!” I laughed, feeling the warmth of the moment.

Law pulled me into a tight hug, his head resting on my shoulder. I scratched the back of his head affectionately, feeling his body relax against mine. “You know,” I teased, pulling back slightly to meet his gaze, “I’m really curious about what you’d do now that those cuffs are gone.”

A smirk danced on his lips, his eyes glinting with playful mischief. “Oh, I have a few ideas, but you might find some of them a bit… enticing.”

“Enticing? Now you have my full attention,” I replied, leaning in closer, intrigued by the challenge in his tone.

He leaned back, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. “Let’s just say I could show you things that might leave you breathless. But I think you’d enjoy the anticipation a bit more.”

“Anticipation? You really know how to build suspense, don’t you?” I asked, my heart racing at the prospect of what he might have in store.

“Only for you,” he replied, his voice smooth like silk. “I like keeping my favorite princess intrigued.”

“Am I really your favorite?” I asked, teasing but sincere.

“Of course. Who else would I share a matching necklace with?” He traced a finger along the chain that connected us, his touch igniting warmth across my skin.

“Good point,” I smiled, leaning slightly into his touch. “But I want to know what those enticing things are.”

Law leaned in closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “How about I start with a kiss?” His voice dropped to a sultry whisper that hung in the air, thick with unspoken tension.

My breath caught in my throat. “A kiss? That sounds tempting. But can you handle it?”

He chuckled softly, his confidence radiating from him. “Oh, I can handle more than just a kiss. I promise you’ll be more than satisfied.”

“Is that a challenge?” I asked, my heart racing, eager for his response.

“Consider it an invitation,” he said, his voice low and inviting. “And if you’re lucky, I might surprise you.”

I felt a thrill at his words, the promise of something deeper igniting the air around us. “Well, I do love surprises. Just make sure they’re worth the wait.”

“Trust me, Y/N,” Law whispered, his breath warm against my skin as his lips traced along my neck, sending shivers down my spine. His hands tightened on my waist, pulling me closer as I gripped the back of his head, my fingers tangling in his hair.

He kissed a trail from my collarbone to just beneath my ear, and I stifled a moan, my body trembling under his touch. His smirk brushed against my skin, his voice low and teasing. “You’re holding back,” he murmured, his lips lingering near my ear, “Don’t. I want to hear you.”

I exhaled shakily, feeling my pulse race under his teasing. He pulled back slightly, just enough for his heated gaze to meet mine. “You like it when I do this, don’t you?” he asked, his thumb brushing against my lower lip as his eyes darkened with desire.

I couldn’t find my voice, so I just nodded, breathless. Law’s smirk deepened. He leaned back in, capturing my lips in a kiss that was slow but intense, his hand cradling the back of my neck. I melted into him, lost in the overwhelming heat and need that simmered between us.

As the kiss deepened, he pulled away slightly, his lips hovering over mine. “There’s more I could show you… if we weren’t constantly interrupted,” he whispered, his tone a mix of teasing and promise. 

I could feel the heat of his breath still lingering as he slowly let me go, the smirk on his face growing as he watched me catch my breath, clearly amused by the effect he had on me.

Adjusting his sword at his side, he stepped back, his gaze lingering on me for just a moment longer. “This was just a preview,” he said, his tone soft but filled with intent. “The real deal will be soon.”

With that, Law turned and walked away, leaving me standing there in a disheveled mess, my heart still racing. The cool breeze hit me, but somehow Sabo's coat, which I had been wearing, suddenly felt much warmer than before.

I stood there for a moment, trying to collect myself, my fingers brushing my lips where his kiss had left its mark. The promise of more hung in the air, the anticipation of what was to come making my pulse quicken again.

Hours passed, and we all transferred to Bartolomeo's ship. When I tell you it's every fanboy's dream, it truly is. The entire vessel was like a shrine to the Straw Hat crew, with tributes and references in every corner.

“Look around all you like, it’s a loving tribute to all things Straw Hat. Welcome to The Going Luffy,” Bartolomeo said proudly.

“Hey, look!” Luffy shouted, pointing at a replica of the Going Merry. "It has evil eyes!" Zoro remarked, causing me to laugh at the little details.

Every inch of the ship paid homage to us. From Nami's iconic tangerine trees, to Chopper, to Luffy's stretchy arms. But then I spotted something that made me stop in my tracks. "Wait... is that..."

“Yes, Princess!” Bartolomeo beamed, practically vibrating with excitement. "It’s a replica of your sword—the one King gave you! Each gemstone adorning it is perfectly replicated."

I walked closer, inspecting the fine craftsmanship, marveling at how carefully every gem on the blade mirrored the real thing. My fingers lightly brushed over the hilt, impressed by the attention to detail.

"Wow, you really went all out," I said, smiling at Bartolomeo. He blushed furiously, almost tearing up from the praise.

"Anything for the Straw Hat crew, and especially for you, Y/N!" he exclaimed.

Bartholomeo proudly showed us a glass-encased Vivre Card of Luffy, his eyes gleaming with fanboy excitement. Luffy, of course, laughed at the sight. “They’re all fanboys, huh?” Usopp said with a chuckle as we sat down on the sofa. I found myself sitting between Law and Zoro. Zoro was reading the newspaper, his usual calm demeanor intact.

“Bartolomeo, stop wasting time and get to Zou,” Law said, his tone sharp.

I leaned toward him, whispering, “You could be a little nicer, you know.”

Law smirked at me. “I don’t take orders from you.”

Zoro, not even looking up from the paper, muttered, “You should hurry it up.”

Bartolomeo, ever the Straw Hat admirer, gushed, “Of course, Mister Zoro! Right away!”

As the ship set sail, Usopp voiced a concern. “I wonder if the rest of the crew made it safely to the island.”

“They better have,” I added, a twinge of worry in my voice. “I still need to talk to Sanji. I’m sure he’s gone through several packs of cigarettes by now. The last thing he probably heard was me yelling, followed by a gunshot.”

The memory of that moment replayed vividly in my mind, and I could feel a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. “Nami was with them, though, so I know they didn’t lose their way,” Franky reassured.

“But if Big Mom caught them, that’s going to be bad news,” Franky added.

“Wait, Big Mom attacked the ship?” I asked, my confusion growing.

Usopp nodded, looking at me. “Oh, that’s right. You were already taken by Doflamingo when that happened.”

A wave of realization hit me as I pieced together the events I’d missed. The concern for Sanji and the rest of the crew weighed on me as I sat there between Zoro and Law. A wave of frustration washed over me as I pieced together the events I’d missed. I crossed one leg over the other, letting out a sigh. “I’m definitely going to need the rundown once we get to Zou,” I said, my mind already racing.

Zoro, still absorbed in the paper, looked up. “Hey, Luffy, looks like our bounties just went up.”

“No way!” I exclaimed with a grin. “Let me see!”

Luffy’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Huh! I wanna see!”

Bartolomeo was quick to jump in. “Oh, yeah, I thought you already knew! I’ve got yours up in my room. Come this way!” He motioned dramatically, a red carpet rolling out before us.

“You’re really pulling out all the stops, huh?” I said, laughing as I got up from the sofa.

He led us to where the wanted posters were displayed. “I threw away your wanted poster, Law, but your bounty is up to 500 million.”

Law shrugged, seeming indifferent to the amount.

“And now, gaze upon your own glory!” Bartolomeo exclaimed, presenting the framed posters of each of us. Usopp’s eyes widened, and he pointed. “You framed them?”

“Yeah, along with the autographs you gave me,” Bartolomeo added proudly.

“First up, Strawhat Luffy! 500 million berries!” Bartolomeo declared.

I let out a whistle. “Way to go, Captain!”

“Yeah! I’m getting up there!” Luffy cheered, his usual carefree grin on full display.

“And next, Pirate Hunter Zoro! 320 million berries!” Bartolomeo continued, his voice brimming with excitement.

Zoro smirked, crossing his arms. “Nice! Can we celebrate with a drink?”

I giggled at Zoro’s typical response, but then Bartolomeo’s voice echoed in my ears. “Princess Vinsmoke Y/N! 340 million berries!”

“Wait, what?!” I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes wide with disbelief. “Who the hell is Vinsmoke, and why the hell is that on my name?! That’s not even my last name! These government bastards!”

I groaned in frustration, collapsing onto Zoro’s chest. His hand rested lightly on my back, offering silent support. “And they used the picture with me in the corset dress and tiara?! I just know the guys back on the all-male island and King are having a field day with this image.”

But before I could rant further, Zoro added something that made my blood boil even more. “There’s something else. Your poster says ‘Only Alive.’”

My hands clenched, and I felt the familiar hum of my blades strapped to my thigh halter as they began to glow faintly blue. The anger surged, and my instinct was to prepare for a fight.

“Relax, Y/N,” Zoro said, his voice steady but concerned. “It’s probably just some guy—”

“No!” I growled, cutting him off, my voice sharp with anger. “No way! This Vinsmoke crap is not flying under my radar!”

Bartolomeo, sensing the rising tension, tried to diffuse the situation. “Please, Princess! Let’s not blow up the ship!” It's brand new, and we’re huge fans of yours!” His voice was frantic, as if he genuinely feared the worst.

Zoro, sensing my frustration, pulled me closer, wrapping a strong arm around my waist. “Easy, princess,” he said in a calm, low voice, rubbing my back in a soothing gesture. The gentle contact began to ease the pent-up rage swirling inside me. Slowly, the blue hue of my blades faded away, signaling that I was regaining control.

I let out a frustrated sigh, my fingers brushing my hair back. “I’m so mad, Zo... who the hell is this Vinsmoke guy, and why is my name attached to him?”

Zoro’s smirk grew as he glanced down at me, giving my waist a light squeeze. “Don’t worry about it. Once we head to Zou, we’ll kick his ass twice as hard and get this sorted out in no time,” he said with unwavering confidence.

He then turned to the rest of the crew, his voice booming with pride. “Hey!, the princess’ bounty though!” He held up my wanted poster for all to see, and Bartolomeo’s crew gasped in awe. “340 million berri’s... and that’s what makes you my partner,” Zoro added, smirking as he looked at me with a glint of pride in his eye.

Usopp, always quick to join the banter, piped up. “Sanji’s going to kick your ass so hard for that one, Zoro. He won’t be able to stand it when he hears you claiming her like that!”

Law, standing off to the side, crossed his arms, clearly displeased with Zoro’s comment. “He might not be the only one who takes issue with that.” His voice held a note of challenge, but he stopped short of engaging in another full-blown argument, for now.

I rolled my eyes at the rising tension between them. “Honestly, I’ve got more important things to worry about than your little rivalry,” I muttered, though I couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at my lips.

I couldn’t help but smirk as the tension between Law and Zoro began to fade into the background, and Bartholomeo continued with the bounty announcements.

“Let’s continue!” Bartolomeo said eagerly, his fanboy energy still in full force. “Demon child Nico Robin, 130 million berris! Cyborg Franky, 94 million berris! And... God Usopp, 200 million!”

Usopp’s face immediately turned pale with panic, his eyes wide. “They’re coming after me now!” he wailed, torn between fear and the pride of having such a high bounty. “But that bounty…” His voice wavered, clearly unsure whether he should be thrilled or horrified.

I chuckled as I glanced at his wanted poster. “What’s with that awful picture, Usopp?” I teased lightly, watching him wave his hands frantically.

“Next up, Blackleg Sanji, 177 million berries!” Bartolomeo exclaimed, dramatically presenting the poster.

I leaned in to get a better look, smirking. “And it’s not that terrible drawing anymore!” I said, causing Zoro to mutter something under his breath.

“This sucks, now I can’t make fun of him anymore,” Zoro grumbled, clearly disappointed by the lack of material to tease Sanji with.

I elbowed him lightly, grinning. “I’m sure you’ll find something. You always do,” I teased, knowing how the rivalry between Zoro and Sanji never ceased, regardless of circumstances.

Zoro chuckled again, clearly amused by the banter. "Plenty of material," he repeated, his smirk widening.

Bartholomeo continued with the bounty announcements, his enthusiasm unwavering. “Cat Burglar Nami, 66 million berries!” Nami, ever graceful, struck a confident pose. “She  posed for your picture again, huh?” I teased.

“Cotton Candy Lover Chopper, 100 berries!” Bartolomeo exclaimed.

“Soul King Brook, 83 million berries!” Bartolomeo continued, his voice dripping with excitement. “How did he get a show poster as his wanted poster?” Franky said, incredulous as Brook's bounty poster displayed him in a rock star pose.

But the moment quickly shifted when we noticed something peculiar. “Hey, I just realized,” Zoro pointed out, his voice serious again. “Sanji’s poster says ‘Only Alive,’ just like yours, Y/N.”

My eyes widened as I processed this. “Wait, you’re right. Why does it say ‘Only Alive’ for both of us?” I asked, tension creeping back in.

Usopp scratched his head, trying to come up with a theory. “Eh, knowing Sanji, he probably flirted with some girl, and now some guy wants to take him out personally.”

“That actually sounds about right,” Franky added with a grin, clearly entertained by the idea.

The tension broke once more as Luffy, Usopp, and the rest of us started laughing at the thought.

Hours passed, and the sky turned a gloomy gray, the horizon engulfed in thick fog.

“How are all of you seasick? And you call yourselves a pirate crew!” Zoro grumbled, crossing his arms as the Bartolomeo crew all chewed gum, trying to stave off the effects of the choppy waters. Unfortunately, the gum had gotten stuck all over the boat, and I winced at the sight. “This is nasty,” I muttered, attempting to avoid stepping in any of the sticky mess.

“A moving mountain, let’s go—” Luffy started, his excitement bubbling over, but Usopp quickly tried to hush him, panic creeping into his voice. “Hold on, god,” Law said, his tone sarcastic.

Usopp turned around, blushing furiously. “Aww, you don’t have to call me god; must be the 200 million berries, huh?” he shot back, a mix of pride and embarrassment showing on his face.

Just then, Franky appeared out of nowhere behind Usopp, still miffed he hadn’t reached 100 million berries yet. “With a bounty like that, I’m sure the Navy is hot on your trail now,” Law added, raising an eyebrow and a teasing smirk.

Usopp began to reconsider his excitement, looking visibly paler. I couldn’t help but giggle at his reaction.

“Let’s see, the Vivre Card is pointing that way,” Law said, glancing down at the little paper in his hand, which directed us toward our destination. 

“It is! Must mean your friends are there too!” Luffy cheered. I hugged Law from the side, my head resting on his chest, feeling a rush of warmth at the thought of reuniting with his crew. “You get to be reunited with Bepo!” I added with a smile.

Law leaned closer, his voice low and playful. “You seem pretty comfortable with him. Just remember, I might get jealous,” he teased, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief.

Before I could respond, both Robin and I turned to Usopp, who looked even paler than before. “Oh my, do you need gum as well?” Robin asked, concern etched on her face.

“I’m fine!” Usopp protested weakly, but his face told a different story.

"They say Zou is naturally resistant to raiders due to the fog and current," Law explained as we sailed further into the mist.

"Wait a minute, are you sure this is Zou?" Luffy asked, squinting at the strange sight before us.

"Then we should leave! Turn this sticky ship around!" Usopp exclaimed, his voice shaking with fear.

"Believe it or not, that's Zou," Law said, and we all stared in awe at the enormous elephant in front of us.

"An elephant... how strange," I remarked, unable to hide my fascination.

"Yeah, the land of Zou rests on the back of the elephant, which is why it’s called a phantom island," Law continued. "Since it’s showing its back, Black Leg’s team must have gotten here long before us."

"So, this whole time it’s been steadily moving away from us," Robin noted, piecing it all together.

"Let’s get ready to disembark," Law commanded, and I felt a rush of excitement.

"Wait! I heard the inhabitants of Zou are hostile," Kanjuro piped up, glancing nervously at Law.

"Yeah, they’re called the Minks. All humans have been banned here," Law confirmed.

"Wowww," I whispered in amazement.

"Hey, is that..." Luffy shouted, pointing excitedly.

"The Sunny!" I echoed, my heart racing with joy. "Finally! I can change out of this and get my sword back too!"

Bartolomeo began freaking out at the sight of our ship. "Ohh good, so they did make it before we did," Robin noted with relief.

"And I don’t see any major damages, which means they avoided Big Mom’s ship," Franky added, giving a sigh of relief.

"Phew, that’s a relief," I said, feeling lighter. Luffy called out for the rest of the crew, including Caesar, and then lunged himself onto the ship, eager to see where everyone could be.

I clenched my left hand and leaped into the air, landing gracefully back on the Sunny. "Ohh, how I’ve missed this," I laughed.

Suddenly, the elephant began to move, causing Luffy and me to sway. "Weee!" we both exclaimed in unison.

"Stop weeing!" Usopp yelled from Bartolomeo's ship, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern.

The elephant then stopped moving, allowing the others to board the Sunny. "Do you see anyone?" Usopp asked, scanning the ship.

"Pretty sure they left," Luffy replied, his voice echoing in the empty space.

I turned to Robin and asked for Sabo’s Vivre Card. She handed it to me, and I said, "Alright, guys, give me a good 10 minutes. I'm going to drop these off and get my sword." With that, I dashed to my room.

Opening the door, I muttered, "Room sweet room! I missed you so!" But when I stepped inside, I noticed that my room looked a bit neater than how I had left it. "Strange?" I said, furrowing my brow.

I made my way to the dresser, pulling out a small hidden box. I carefully placed both Sabo's letter and his Vivre Card inside, sealing it and placing it back. I took off his coat and hung it in the closet, ensuring it was tucked safely between my clothes.

Then I started to look for an outfit, making my way toward the closet when I caught sight of myself in the mirror. The bandages adorned my body once more, a reminder of the battles I’d faced. "Hmm, maybe if I just..." I murmured, reaching to pull the bandages off when—

"Are you ready now for me, princess?" Law's voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to see him casually leaning against the doorframe.

"How the..." I started, but then remembered his Room technique. Never mind.

I walked past him, pulling out a simple white long-sleeve crisscross top that ties in the back, along with a blue ruffled mini skirt. For shoes, I chose my black heeled ankle boots, setting them on the edge of the bed.As I began to unwrap the bandages, I noticed how quickly my right arm had healed, even though the wound had been pretty deep.

With a small smile, I moved on to the bandage on my torso, unwrapping just enough to put on my top. Once I secured it, tying it neatly in the back, I slowly continued to unwrap the remaining portion. Just as I was about to finish, Law stepped forward and stopped my hand, his eyes darkening with desire.

“Doctor?” I teased, arching an eyebrow, my heart racing at his sudden proximity.

“Yes,” he replied, his voice low and charged with intensity. In one swift motion, he backed me against the wall, his forehead resting against mine, creating an intoxicating tension that made my breath hitch.

“You’re making this really difficult,” he said, his gaze locked onto mine, desire flickering in his eyes like a flame.

“Oh? Is that so?” I replied playfully, leaning in closer, reveling in the moment.

"Very," he murmured, his breath brushing tantalizingly close to my lips. I leaned in closer, my breath warming his neck as I placed a soft kiss there, feeling his body tense beneath my touch.

"I'm sure a doctor of your caliber has faced many difficult patients before," I whispered teasingly, my fingers threading through his hair and tugging gently at the back, drawing a low groan from him.

"You like this, don't you?" I asked, watching his usually composed expression falter as his hands began to shake, his usual calm demeanor crumbling. The control he usually held was slipping, and I relished in it.

His focus wavered, and I trailed my hand down to his chest, my fingers brushing over the fabric of his black v-neck dress shirt. Each delicate touch sent a wave of tension and desire through him, his groans deepening. "You’re making this impossible,” he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice strained with want.

I giggled, slipping away playfully, pulling back just enough to let him regain his composure as I turned to grab my skirt. Law’s hungry gaze remained locked on me, his chest rising and falling rapidly, as though he was trying to gather his thoughts.

As I removed the last of my bandages, I made my way to the mirror, studying my torso. The rapid healing was remarkable, and for a moment, I wondered if the ointment used was the same as what I’d applied before. “I healed quickly... what did they use on me?” I thought out loud, admiring the lack of scars.

I slipped into the blue ruffled mini skirt, adjusting it around my hips as it sat low, complementing the white crisscross top that accentuated my chest. Smiling at my reflection, I switched out my heels for the ankle boots. The boots added just the right amount of edge to my look.

Removing the crown from my head, I placed it carefully on the dresser and reached for my sword, grabbing the hidden halter for it as well. One last glance in the mirror ensured my hair and lipstick were in place before I turned, noticing Law still leaning against the wall, trying to recover his breath, his eyes dark with lingering desire.

I smirked, walking over to him, placing a soft kiss on his lips. “I can’t wait to see all those ideas you have for me,” I whispered into his ear, letting my lips brush his neck again. The moan that escaped him sent a thrill through me, his desire evident as his body reacted.

He tried to pull me closer, his hands gripping my waist with possessive intensity, but I giggled softly, slipping from his grasp before he could draw me back in completely.

“Later,” I teased, leaving him wanting more as I made my way out of the room, still feeling the heat of his gaze on my back as I headed to rejoin the crew.

[knightofmidnightsun]

The both of us are no good [epilogue] | HELMUT ZEMO

Summary: As you and Helmut confront the events that had shaped your journey together, it's time to face what awaits for you.

Warnings: Angst. a lot of angst again, as always so be ready. and, well, no more I think? Maybe reference to mental illness if you squint your eyes? Consider it the chapter more chill when talking about warnings.

Word count: 18K

Skeletons, skeletons series: [1], [2], [3], [epilogue]

Notes: Well, that's it!!!! So sorry for getting so long to write it, I just got into a internship!!! (SCREAMS) and have been really busy with my scientific research, so yes, my life has been a hurricane. BUTTT, im finally had time to finish reader and Helmut's journey, or the first part of it. I hope you enjoy it!! We will met again!!

The steady hum of the aircraft blades droned on in the night, blending with the quiet breathing of Sam and Bucky as they slept nearby. The dark sky outside was only occasionally broken by distant, flickering lights below.

You sat in your corner, a book in your hands, but the words blurred as your mind wandered elsewhere. Sleep had been impossible ever since the morning’s events.

Every time you closed your eyes and dared to go to sleep, you could hear his voice. Faintly, but you did.

You moved away from your seat with Helmut soon after risking sleeping off your plans, claiming one of the empty seats near the window—hoping the view of the night sky might distract you, keeping your thoughts at bay.

But even as you tried to focus on the passing darkness outside, the steady churn of your thoughts returned. The weight of it all—the missions, the memories—struggled around you like a vice.

Not only because of what had happened today, but for what would happen in the next morning, in less than eight hours.

Five years by Helmut’s side, through every mission, every battle, and now, tomorrow, you were supposed to hand him over to Wakanda. A final goodbye after all that time.

The thought had been tormenting you ever since Joaquín arrived to rescue you all and announced that the Dora Milajes had demanded your presence in Wakanda. All of you were aware of what it meant, you didn’t need to say a word or ask for clarification.

Since then, you tried not to look at Helmut as he sat in the shadows, sleeping so peacefully. He hadn’t said much since Joaquín announced the news, and part of you wished he had.

Helmut could have changed along the last five years—but he still was Baron Helmut Zemo.

God forbid he tells you what he's thinking, how he’s feeling, knowing now that after five years, he'll be back in his cell.

You tsked, also angered at yourself for not gathering the courage to question him.

You had courage enough to trap your demon-father in your mind but not to face Helmut’s departure.

Sometimes, you wished you could slap yourself.

You turned your gaze back to the book in your lap, forcing your eyes to scan the page, but the words might as well have been in another language. None of it made sense, none of it stuck.

Your mind kept returning to the past, thinking about the first time you had seen him, when you watched T’Challa imprison him—the baron’s words forever stuck into your consciousness. There was also the moment Bucky decided to break him out of prison, all the time you spent together in the serum’s mission and, then the aftermath: Helmut being escorted to Wakanda’s prison.

Then, there was the night after the cookout in Sam’s community—the same night that Bucky had suggested breaking Helmut out again. It had been so surreal, for sure, the idea sounded too delusional at first.

If someone had told you a few years ago that Bucky Barnes would be the one to advocate for working with Zemo, you’d have laughed. And there you were, in a world where the impossible seemed to happen every day.

Back then, you and Sam had exchanged disbelieving looks, waiting for Bucky to backtrack or admit it was some kind of joke. You didn’t believe that Bucky was the one to come up with the idea, specifically him of all people, and Sam didn’t believe in what their friends were suggesting.

But he wasn't joking. He’d been dead serious, and after the initial shock wore off, neither of you had argued against it.

Because deep down, you knew he was right. Helmut Zemo had become more than just a means to an end to the three of you. He had proven himself to be… More than you had thought about him at first, time and time again, even when none of you had expected him to.

After the fight with the Dora Milajes, as soon as Helmut disappeared, he came back. At the time, you didn’t understand why. At the time, he reasoned by saying it was to finish what you all had started. But, after some years, all of you knew that wasn’t true.

He had grown as attached to you as you had grown attached to him. And neither of you could admit it five years ago.

Still, you couldn’t help but wonder what would happen tomorrow when you reached Wakanda. Would this be the end? Would Helmut go back to his cell and fade into the background of your lives, just another chapter closed?

You refused to believe that this would be it and that was it.

The sound of footsteps caught your attention, and you looked up to see Joaquín approaching. He wasn’t as good at sleeping on missions as Sam and Bucky were. A habit he hadn’t quite grown into yet.

“You’re still awake?” he asked, his voice hushed, though there was no need to whisper in the quiet of the cabin.

By the sound of their snores, you doubted that Sam and Bucky would even awake if the aircraft fell.

You gave Joaquín a small smile, even though your chest felt heavy.

“Sleep isn’t coming easy today, but why are you awake?” you asked him back, “Shouldn’t you be asleep like the others?”

It was way easier to deflect from further questions than elaborate your answers.

Joaquín shrugged, “I’ll sleep when we land,” his eyes drifting to the sleeping figures of Sam and Bucky. “I noticed you were awake, though. Seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

That, for sure, was an understatement.

You felt his gaze upon you, but you looked down at the book in your hands, fingers tracing its worn edges. It was better to ignore what he meant by his words than to consider them.

“I guess I do,” you admitted, your voice quieter than usual, “A lot happened today.”

You weren’t about to tell him everything—the things that had been plaguing you since you left the temple, the many scenarios that ran through your mind. How your own thoughts corrupted your conscious and subconscious after every second, the more you dandred about tomorrow.

When you closed your eyes, trying to find some peace, you could swear to hear Chthon’s voice, a faint whisper. But never far enough away.

I’m still here, you can’t ignore me forever. However, you could try and you would.

Joaquín raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

“Yeah, I’ve been wondering,” he crossed his arms, moving closer to you, “They didn’t tell me much when I came to get you. Just that... It was big. And that...” He hesitated, then lowered his voice even further. “Is it true? The whole thing about you being a... Witch?”

You bit your lip, even now, you were incapable of processing it yourself. Wonder about tomorrow? Yes, that was painful but easier than thinking further about the fact of who you truly were, with the words altogether.

After everything that had happened, it felt strange to hear it out loud from someone else’s mouth.

It didn’t sound real.

“Yeah,” you sighed, closing the book and placing it on your lap. “It’s true. I guess I’ve always been more witch than mutant. I just didn’t know about it until recently.”

Recently slash hours ago.

Your whole life, you had grown believing you were a mutant, and now… You had discovered you were a witch. Maybe, you could have some mutant genes from your ancestors, but it had no effect compared to the bloodline of your biological parents.

Joaquín’s eyes widened, his curiosity barely contained as he sat by your side.

“So... You have magic?” You could truly see how the young man was doing his best to hold back his enthusiasm. “Real magic?” 

A soft chuckle escaped you at his amazement.

You couldn't blame him, your references to magic were full of big names: Magik, Nico Minoru, Dr. Strange, Wanda… In short, it was a long list. It would take you a while to get used to the idea of ​​you being one of them, not on the same level, but part of the same world.

The daughter of a witch and some demoniac god known for his use of chaos magic. What a reputation to have.

“Yeah, magic. Chaos magic.” You agreed, merely nodding as you shrugged. “Whatever you want to call it.”

Joaquín leaned back slightly, taking in the revelation. You almost laughed at the light that lit up in his eyes, like a child who had gotten the train set he had been looking for for years.

“And all this time, we thought you were the other big one from the Big Four,” he muttered, his mind somewhere else.

And you had no idea where it was or what he was talking about.

“Big Four?” You asked, “Isn’t it the Big Three? Androids, aliens, and wizards.”

Unfortunately, spending day after day with the boys meant you knew weird and useless things like that. No one referred to the threats you usually faced by that term, but Bucky, Sam, and Joaquin had a strange list of inside jokes and that term was included in it.

Bunch of weirdos.

“No, Big Four,” Joaquín corrected you, as if it was the most obvious fact in the whole world, “Androids, aliens, wizards and superhumans.”

You raised a brow, the term catching you off guard. Superhumans. It made sense since there weren’t only supersoldiers now, but mutants.

You didn’t know what was weirder about it: knowing that behind your back, the boys referred to you as a superhuman or that you would have to grow used to being referred to as a wizard now. As if you were one of the majestic magic users that you all knew.

You didn't even believe you could be labeled as such, you didn't have the same level of knowledge, control over your magic and, well, nothing at all.

The best term for you was: a time bomb that needed experience to not explode. Not 'wizard' nor ‘magic user'.

Joaquín seemed to sense your hesitation, glancing away as if giving you a moment to digest it, “I mean, it’s not every day you meet someone who can do what you do. Chaos magic and…”

You offered a small smile but said nothing. Joaquín’s reaction was almost refreshing—his curiosity a welcome distraction from the heavier thoughts weighing you down, whether you liked it or not. Relieving the stress that plagued your mind, the thousands of thoughts that kept you from closing your eyes… Your heart felt a little lighter.

Joaquín had that effect sometimes. You liked to believe that it was because he was still a kid in this world of heroes in villains in comparison with the rest of you.

He had some of that big shining light you all arrived with when you stepped into that world.

“And Helmut?” Joaquín’s question caught you off guard, the shift in topic unexpected. But unavoidable.

And quickly, that peace was gone.

“What about him?” you asked, though you knew what Joaquín was getting at.

At least, now calmer, you didn't feel the ties in your heart every time you tried to put into words what you were thinking. What you were thinking about that subject.

You had more courage to talk about it with Joaquín than with the subject himself.

You looked over at Helmut again, still seated in the shadows, his figure barely moving, as if he were part of the night itself. In deep sleep, you almost smiled at him, he looked so serene.

Joaquín tilted his head, his gaze following yours as you glanced back toward Helmut, "You don’t just spend five years with someone and walk away like it never happened, right?"

The air seemed to thicken at his words, and for a moment, all you could do was stare at Helmut’s still form. Soon, he would be behind bars one more time, and you doubted you would see him again after that.

Today and the next morning would be the last time you would have to see him, talk to him.

“No,” finally, you said, your voice barely a whisper. “You don’t.”

Five years was a long time, you’d seen sides of Helmut no one else had—vulnerabilities he would never admit to others, not even to himself. But you had seen them since day one, or suspected what they were.

The Baron was a man who hid who he was, layers beneath the cold, calculating mask. Never showing the cards he had under his sleeves, never opening his chest and showing if he had a heart. Always too far away, in his own thoughts, back to his past.

You had never thought that man would disappear. That mission after mission, conversation after conversation and glance after glance, he would start to tear away the pieces that made him the Baron. And after all this time, his mask was nothing more than cracked wood and that there would be Helmut behind it, showing who he was to you and only you.

By you, you meant you and the boys, of course.

Joaquín nodded slightly. He shifted on his feet, "Doesn’t seem like you’re ready to say goodbye."

You let out a bitter laugh, though it lacked humor, "I guess no one ever is."

Joaquín gave you a look, sympathy and understanding behind his gaze, and you could almost hear the words stuck in his mind but unable to be said: But it’s harder for you, isn’t it?

You didn’t need to answer it. The silence that followed was enough.

The aircraft's hum filled the space again, giving you both a moment to let the conversation breathe. Joaquín shifted again, his hand absently tracing the edge of his seat, clearly unsure of what to say next.

He tilted his head, glancing at you with a softness that almost made you feel exposed.

"You don’t have to explain it to me, you know. Whatever’s going on with you and Helmut—it’s yours. I just... I just wanted to know if you’re okay with all this.”

Were you okay with it? Could you ever really be okay with letting Helmut go? Be okay about closing this chapter of your life? The thought made your chest tighten.

You didn’t need to ask any of these questions to yourself. Since the moment Joaquín had told you what was coming, you already had their answers.

After a long pause, you exhaled.

"I’m not sure,” the words slipped out before you could fully process them. “I don’t think I ever will be.”

As soon as the words left your lips, you felt a strange sense of relief. You didn’t need to pretend with Joaquín—not here, not now. He wouldn’t push for answers you didn’t have or felt uncomfortable sharing.

Joaquín offered you a gentle nudge with his shoulder, "Well, you’ve got some time to figure it out. Just... Don’t beat yourself up too much, okay?"

That was a hard thing to ask.

“I know,” you just didn’t know if you would be able to.

Still, you smiled at him, trying to reassure him. He didn’t need to say anything else, his presence alone was enough to help you, to remind you that it was okay to not be okay about it.Joaquín stood up slowly, stretching before giving you one last, knowing glance.

“I’ll leave you to your book,” he said lightly, before making his way back to the cockpit, the conversation fading into the soft murmur of the aircraft blades once more.

You watched him go, your thoughts still following you wherever you went, but they were less noisy now. You were left alone with the book in your hands, the words blurring on the page as your mind stubbornly wandered to the man sleeping in the shadows.

There was no peaceful way to resolve what lay ahead.

Would this be the last time you saw him like this? The thought haunted you, gnawing at the edges of your resolve, you already knew it would be, but it didn’t hurt less.

How could you just let him go back to a prison cell? How could you pretend it wouldn’t change everything?

Your fingers traced the edge of the book in your lap, the worn leather cover a poor distraction from the churning thoughts that refused to settle. You tried to focus on anything else, the dark expanse of sky outside the window, the steady rhythm of your breathing—but it was futile. Your mind always circled back to the same question.

Did Helmut still want to go back there? Five years ago, it was his only wish.

He hadn’t said much since Joaquín had mentioned the Wakandan's request. He had stayed silent, as he always did, keeping his cards close to his chest. Part of you wanted to ask him, trying to figure out what he was thinking. But the other part—the part that had always been cautious—feared what his answer might be.

“You’ll wear yourself out thinking like that.”

You blinked, startled, your gaze snapping to Helmut, who was now very much awake and sitting beside you, his expression unreadable in the dim light. His voice was quiet, soft.

But there was an edge to it. The kind of edge that came with knowing.

He knew exactly what you were thinking.

"Helmut..." Suddenly, all the questions you had been avoiding felt impossible to ignore, “You… Are awake.”

It was the least stupid thing you could have said among the others begging to be gotten out of your mind.

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes sharp, even in the darkness.

"So are you,” he said, his gaze fixed on you in that way he had—like he could see through every wall you put up, “and quiet, that’s not like you."

"I could say the same about you," you replied instantly.

He let out a small, humorless chuckle, leaning back in his seat.

"I’ve learned to be quiet when it matters."

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence between you thick with unspoken things.

"I just..." you began, hesitating, unsure how to put the thoughts swirling in your head into words. "I keep thinking about tomorrow. About what will happen next."

His gaze didn’t waver, but you saw something flicker in his eyes—something he tried to hide.

"You mean my return to Wakanda?" he asked bluntly, his voice steady, though there was a hint of something beneath it, “I always knew this day would come. That I would have to go back.”

"But do you want to?" 

You felt raw, exposed, but you needed to know.

After everything you had been through together, did he still want to return to that cell?

His silence stretched between you, the only sound the steady hum of the aircraft. When he finally spoke, his eyes set upon you.

"What I want..." he began, his voice low, "isn’t what matters. There are things we cannot change and there are debts we must pay."

You glanced at him back, not taking his answer as true. Why did he have to be like this? So enigmatic.

It was a yes or no question, why did he always have to make it difficult?

"You’ve always believed that," you murmured, more to yourself than to him. "How people should pay for their sins."

"And they should," he replied, his gaze locking with yours. "Do you disagree?"

You hesitated, remembering everything that had happened over the last five years—every battle, every sacrifice.

Sam and Bucky flashed in your mind, the moments where each of you had faced impossible choices, where the lines between right and wrong blurred. You had seen foes who were more than villains, people trapped in cycles of pain, anger, and grief—reminders of the complexity of it all.

"I don’t disagree," you said slowly, "but I don’t think it’s that simple either. People aren’t always driven by bad intentions, Helmut. There is anger, injustice, loneliness, guilt…" 

His expression didn’t change, but you could sense the shift in him, "You still see hope where others see ruin."

His fingers briefly brushed against his temple, a small, almost imperceptible gesture, and for a moment, you saw something flicker in his expression—a hint of a smile that never fully formed. The tension between you felt heavy, like a palpable force, but there was also something softer there now.

You held his gaze, refusing to let him retreat into himself like he so often did.

“And what makes you think you’re beyond saving?” you asked quietly, the challenge in your words unmistakable.

He blinked, his brow furrowing slightly, and for the first time, you saw the uncertainty in his eyes. It was subtle, just a brief hesitation, but it was there.

Helmut, always so sure of himself, was suddenly unsure.

“But for the last five years, you’ve been helping us—choosing to stay when you didn’t have to. And why? Why did you stay?” You continued, nonetheless, your voice steady. “None of that makes you seem like a man who’s given up.”

He sighed, his fingers brushing lightly over his knuckles, a gesture you’d come to recognize as a sign of his restlessness.

"Perhaps I stayed for selfish reasons," he said, his tone more contemplative. "Perhaps I needed to believe that I could still have a purpose. That all of this—everything I’ve done—wasn’t for nothing."

You leaned forward slightly, refusing to let him retreat into the walls he always built around himself.

"You stayed because you cared,” You brought your hand closer to his, letting it rest on his knuckles. He frowned at you and would say something before you interrupted him, “Don’t tell me I’m lying, you know I’m not. You care, don’t pretend it doesn’t matter, it does."

Helmut’s gaze dropped to where your hand rested on his, the touch gentle but grounding. His fingers twitched beneath yours, but he didn’t pull away. His expression softened, a vulnerability he rarely allowed to surface.

But with you, lately, it was becoming a habit.

"I don’t know if it matters," he said quietly, almost as if he were testing the words.

You squeezed his hand lightly, urging him to continue. "It does, Helmut. You didn’t stay because you had no choice. You stayed because you wanted to. I know you, you don’t do anything you don’t want to."

His eyes met yours again, and for a brief moment, you saw a crack in the armor he wore so carefully. He took a deep breath, as though he was trying to find the right words, trying to find a way to explain what he himself hadn’t fully processed.

"I don’t know what I want anymore," he admitted, "For so long, I’ve been driven by a single purpose. Revenge, justice and now…"

He trailed off, his voice dipping, and you could see the conflict in his expression, as if standing at a crossroads and not knowing which path to follow into.

"You’re not the same man you were," you said, tightening your hand in his. "And you don’t have to be. You’ve proven that you’re capable of more than just revenge."

Helmut let out another brief, humorless chuckle, "You make it sound so simple."

"It’s not simple," you corrected yourself, gently. "But it’s a choice. And I need to know if you want to stay, or if you want to go back." You paused. "I need to hear it from you."

His breath hitched slightly, and he shifted, clearly grappling with the question.

For a long moment, he said nothing, his eyes scanning your face back. You were looking for an answer while he… You weren’t sure, relief? Courage? Whatever he was searching as he gazed at you, it looked like he had found it.

"You ask me what I want," he began slowly. "But wanting something doesn’t mean it’s possible. I want to believe I can move past what I’ve done, I want to believe I can help you, Sam and Bucky without my past dragging me down."

You pressed your lips into a tight line, you could see the internal battle raging behind his eyes—everything he had done and his desire to find peace. True peace, not the temporary one.

It wasn’t easy for him to say these things, to let his walls down. But you knew that admitting it was his first step. He took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice sounded rougher than before.

"I lost everything when I lost my family," he said quietly, as if the words were for him more than for you, "My wife, my son, my father, my home... It wasn’t just Sokovia that was destroyed—it was my whole life. I didn’t see a reason to keep going, I didn’t think I could live in this world anymore."

His voice cracked slightly, and you could feel the depth of the wounds that loss and grief had carved in him, "They were my purpose, and when they were gone, I thought there was nothing left for me."

"You’ve spent so long believing that there’s nothing else left," you whispered, the sincerity of your words cutting through the lingering silence. "But there is, Helmut. It may be hard to see it, it takes us time, but I hope you find it someday."

You waited, watching him closely as your words got into the machines working inside his head. His brows furrowed and you almost could see smoke escaping from his ears, as if he was resisting the idea.

But you could see the cracks forming in his resolve. For so long, he had those weights binding his feet and holding him back, it was difficult to imagine anything different. Or to confess any of the ideas that he entertained in his imagination.

“And who said I hadn’t?” he asked, holding your hand back, “I just don’t know if I deserve it.”

He had built walls, brick by brick. And now, here you were, trying to crumble it down and suggesting there could be more for him.

“I’m not asking if you think yourself worth it, Helmut. I’m asking if you want to stay."

There was a long pause, his gaze locking with yours as he processed your real question. You could see the gears turning and squeaking in his head, the past pulling him in one direction, while another thing pulled him in another. Hope? Yearning?

For a long time, he had clung to the idea that there was nothing left for him, that his path had been set in stone the moment he lost his family. The notion of moving forward was foreign to him. But you could sense his hesitation, the slight crack in the armor he had kept around himself all these years.

And then, you saw it. There was the man behind the armor with all his bruises and scars.

It wasn’t a brief vision, he was in flesh and bones behind those brown eyes.

"I don’t want to go back," he admitted, his voice resolute. You saw the walls around him falling, piece by piece. "But we both know that I can’t stay."

It panged your heart, that was true. The world had been too cruel to him, had taken too much, and even though he had found a place with you, with Sam and Bucky, the burden of his past was a heavy one.

There was nothing that he or you could do about it, no matter how much you could try. His actions had brought him consequences that would follow him even if he no longer was the same man who had orchestrated them.

"You can’t, but I don’t want you to go either," you whispered, your heart racing as the distance between you seemed to close. "I wished that you had changed your mind and wanted to stay, even if it meant you would wish for something you can’t."

That was the least you could do: to not leave his side until it was time.

Helmut’s gaze softened, his hand moving to gently cradle your cheek, his thumb brushing along your skin. There was a tenderness there, something you had come to recognize in him, but only when the world around you had quieted. It was in these rare, quiet moments that he allowed himself to show the sad happiness that harbored in his heart.

Once, you had thought his tender side was something that he only revealed to you after the airship, inside the hut. However, the more you pushed your mind back through the past five years, the more you realized he always had shown you.

Since the beginning. You were just too blind to see it, or believe it.

"I stayed because I wanted to believe I could be more than what I was," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "Even if it meant that once I had achieved it, I would be sent back to my cell. I just do not know if I achieved that."

"You had, Helmut," you replied, your voice steady despite the pounding in your chest. "You always had the potential to be more than a man with thick skin."

The silence between you thickened with what you had stuck in your throats, the tension palpable in the air. His eyes flickered down to your lips, then back up to meet your gaze, as if caught between saying it or not, all the words tangling in his chest.

For the briefest moment, a flicker of something crossed his face—you were still unsure if it was hope or yearning. A quiet feeling he had long thought lost.

But it was fleeting behind his eyes, as a flame resists the wind. And then, you saw it, he traveled back to his past and a sob escaped from his throat.

"I… I do not know if I will ever stop missing them," he confessed, his voice fragile, like the words themselves might break him. "But I am starting to understand… You were right. They wouldn’t want my life to be consumed by their loss. They would want me to be more than that—way more."

You smiled softly, your thumb gently stroking the back of his hand, “They must be proud then, because you already are, Helmut. Believe me.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, his thumb continuing to brush your skin, a gesture that felt as though he was grounding himself in your presence, making sure you were real and still there. When his eyes opened again, the guardedness that usually defined him had completely faded, leaving something softer, something freer in his gaze.

You leaned into his touch, the warmth of his hand against your cheek comforting, and you felt the tight knot of tension in your chest slowly begin to loosen as well. Helmut had become a presence you never anticipated—steady, constant, and grounding.

From the beginning, there had been something between you. A strange sense of familiarity, like you’d known him far longer than the years you had spent together. Usually, you were someone who kept your walls high, when someone asked what had happened, you were incapable of putting into words—so you lied. But with Helmut… It was different.

With him, everything was always different.

Since the mission in Madripoor, then Riga, those walls had started to crumble, day by day, piece by piece. For some reason, with him, you had no fear of admitting fractions of what was rushing inside your mind. You had let him in more than you realized at the time.

And now, after all you had been through, here he was, letting you see the vulnerabilities he had kept so tightly guarded, exposing parts of himself that even he might not have understood.

In the quiet between you, a thought settled into your mind, clear and undeniable: you had trusted him long before you ever admitted it to yourself. Long before that night in the hut, long before Wakanda, before Riga. It had always been there.

Helmut broke the silence first, his voice so quiet you almost had to strain to hear it.

"I need to say it," he began, the vulnerability in his tone startling, "I didn’t think I could ever care about anything again." He paused, his hand trembling slightly against your cheek. "But being here, with you, with them... For the first time, I believe there’s more out there for me to explore."

"There’s always more, Helmut. And you deserve to discover it all." You whispered, the intensity of your emotions swelling inside you, “I just wish I could discover it all with you, if you had me.”

The man who had once believed in nothing but vengeance felt so distant now. The man in front of you was miles away from the bitter, angry figure you had first met. But even as he opened up to you, that core part of him remained—the part that believed people were corruptible, that power could expose the darkest parts of someone's soul.

Helmut still clung to that philosophy: justice was blind, and sometimes, someone had to guide it.

Yet, it wasn’t as absolute as it had once been. His encounters with you, Sam, and Bucky had cracked that certainty. You could see it in his eyes, a subtle wariness.

He had once believed that his way was the only way—that destroying those who wielded power would bring balance. But now? Now, there was something softer, something that questioned the starkness of his past views. He didn’t regret all of that, just small acts that he could have prevented.

The thing was, for the first time, he was starting to believe that there were people who could change for the better. Including himself.

"I do, I would," he whispered back to you, his voice barely holding together.

A weak smile tugged at your lips as you whispered, "Maybe one day."

His eyes locked onto yours, searching, as if testing the truth of your words. Slowly, you saw the tension in his frame begin to melt away, like a weight he’d carried for too long finally easing. The guarded man you had come to know was letting himself be vulnerable in a way he hadn’t before, finding a kind of peace that hadn’t existed in him for years.

You could almost hear the sound of an armor falling against the ground, the metal banging against the floor in a prolonged ring.

"For as long as you have me, mein schatz," Helmut breathed, his voice barely reaching your ears.

The question lingered in the air, even if it was not made as a question, for sure sounded like one.

"And for as long as you have me," you whispered back.

His gaze was unwavering, holding yours in that silent exchange you both had come to understand. For so long, words had gone unsaid, and yet, in this moment, everything felt crystal clear.

Helmut’s hand moved to rest over yours again, his touch hesitant, as if testing the boundaries of what this moment could mean. You felt a surge of warmth bloom in your chest, your heartbeat syncing with the tension that crackled between you both.

You could also hear your own armor falling against the ground beneath your feet, echoing between your ears.

Helmut’s breath caught, his thumb brushing across your knuckles, the tiniest gesture, but it sent a ripple through you. You had never been good at letting yourself feel this way—vulnerable, exposed. But with him, everything was different.

You leaned in slightly, your forehead pressing gently against his, your lips hovering just a breath away. Neither of you had to say it out loud, but the silence spoke volumes itself.

This was the culmination of five years, of quiet, unspoken truths lingering between every step you took, every decision you made.

"Six hours..." he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small, bittersweet smile.

"Then let’s not waste another second," you smiled, the tension between you two finally snapping.

And then, as naturally as breathing, you closed the distance, your lips meeting his in a soft, tentative kiss. It wasn’t hurried, nor was it desperate, just an honest expression of everything you’d held back for so long.

For once, on that night, you didn’t worry about what you would see or hear once you closed your eyes, you just did—you closed your eyes and let yourself finally feel.

Helmut’s hand cradled your cheek tightly as the kiss deepened, the years of restraint melting away in the warmth of the moment. There was a softness to the way he held you, as though afraid you might disappear when he opened his eyes again.

You could taste the ghost of his past in that kiss, feel the heaviness of everything he had carried for so long, but there was something else too—yearning, a desire to seize the life he had once believed he would never be able to appreciate. 

When you finally pulled back, just a fraction, your forehead rested against his once more, your breaths mingling in the space between you.

"Whatever time we have," you whispered, your voice shaky, "it’s enough."

Helmut exhaled softly, his thumb still gently caressing your cheek as if reassuring himself that you were still there. His brown eyes, once so wary, now softened with an emotion he had spent years hiding away. You could see it all now—the regret, the hope, the silent promise that he would stay, even if the world was pulling him in another direction.

It wasn’t one emotion, but a collection of them ready to be shown, all of them in their due time.

In the quiet, as the aircraft hummed around you, the future felt uncertain, but for now, in this moment, you had each other. And that was enough.

Until six hours passed by the clock and the air inside the interrogation room felt stifling, even though you sat calmly at the long table, flanked by Sam and Bucky. Across from you, Ayo and the others Dora Milajes stood firm, their expressions unreadable, but the tension was there. An inch away from all of you.

Helmut sat at the far end of the table, his posture composed as always, though you could see the subtle stress in his frame. His eyes flickered toward you for a moment, but the pressure of the situation pinned down any silent communication you might’ve shared. This was it—the moment when he’d be back to his cell while you, Sam and Bucky would continue with your lives.

You clenched your fists under the table, biting back the sense of helplessness. It didn’t matter what any of you felt; this had been inevitable from the start. You had known this when you’d second broken him out. Still, that didn’t make it easier.

Joaquín was right, you didn’t just spend five years with someone and walk away like it never happened. You would continue with your lives but you would forever be followed by the millions of memories that you had created together. Something that the elders never tell you was how a friendship forged from hate to companionship was the one who hurt the more once parted away.

You were hurt, but Sam and Bucky? They could have told you little about the subject, but you knew all too well how they were wounded. More than you, neither of them thought they would grow attached to the ex-criminal, and there you were, incapable of dropping his hand.

And there you were.

Ayo’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and direct. “Baron Zemo will be returned to Wakanda to serve the remainder of his sentence, as per our agreement. Are there any objections?”

The words were final, like a judge laying down a sentence. You glanced at Helmut, waiting for his response. But he stayed quiet, staring down at his hands, his composure unbroken.

But then, he spoke.

“If there were a way…” Helmut began, his voice measured, calm, yet filled with reasoned fear. “If there were a way to continue with them—Sam, Bucky, and... Her—would you consider an alternative?”

Ayo’s expression hardened at his words, her lips pressing into a thin line as she weighed the situation. Her eyes flicked to Sam and Bucky, then back to Helmut. The straining in the room rose another notch, a silent warning.

She was seconds away from shutting him down, reminding him of the agreement, the promise they had made to return him to Wakanda. But Helmut didn’t back down.

His voice remained calm, respectful but firm.

“I understand the weight of the agreement, Ayo. I know what I owe.” He paused, his gaze unwavering as he met hers. “But if I may, I ask for just a moment to speak.”

You frowned, this wasn’t just another calculated move. There was something rough beneath it. Ayo, despite her stoic demeanor, seemed to catch on to that as well. She didn’t respond immediately, her eyes narrowing further as she considered his request.

“Speak,” she finally said, her voice cold, but she gave him permission. “But make it quick.”

Helmut exhaled softly, and you could see a hint of relief cross his features before he masked it behind that familiar calm exterior. He straightened in his seat, his posture shifting ever so slightly as he began.

“I know what I did. The sins of my past cannot be undone. I once believed that what I was doing was the right thing, avenging my family, tearing apart the Avengers, seeking balance where there was none.” His voice was low, measured, but you could feel the weight of every word. “But time... Time has a way of showing you things you didn’t expect to see.”

He glanced at you for just a heartbeat, the moment fleeting, before his gaze returned to Ayo.

“When I first worked with them, it was out of necessity. I had nothing left. I was a man driven only by the need to end what I believed was a threat. But over the past five years, I have learned there is more to this world than pain.”

Ayo’s expression remained steely, but she didn’t interrupt. She was listening.

“I regret many things,” Helmut continued, his voice softening. “None of them related to the avenge of my family, but little actions that I could have prevented or went in another direction. Including the death of your king.”

The name of the Wakandan king—T’Chaka—hung like a blade among everyone in the room, heavy with the reminder of his loss upon the reign. You could feel the palpable shift in the atmosphere, the ripple of emotions passing through Ayo and the Dora Milaje at the mention of their king.

T’Chaka’s death was a delicate wound, one that had never fully healed for Wakanda. There was a reason for Helmut's obligation to return to his prison.

“I was blinded by my grief,” Helmut continued, his voice steady but lined with regret. “I wanted to destroy those responsible for my family and home’s death, and in doing so, I became the very thing I hate most. The pain I caused… It’s something I carry with me every day. And I am truly sorry for the part I played in your king’s death.”

Ayo’s eyes flickered, a small crack in her stoic exterior. Her grip on the table tightened, “You were the whole part, Baron.”

“I know,” Helmut sighed, his torment never leaving his voice nor eyes, “I am not asking for forgiveness. I know what I’ve done, and I have paid, and will continue to pay for it.”

The silence that followed his admission was thick, fuming over the table like a storm about to break. Ayo’s gaze remained fixed on Helmut, her expression a stone mask of discipline.

She was listening, but there was no forgiveness in her eyes—only duty. If Helmut gave her an excuse, she would kill him in his very seat.

“In the past, I believed that I was serving justice,” Helmut continued, each word deliberate, as if measured against the inevitable consequences. “I see now that I was blinded by my own pain. The death of your king, of T’Chaka, is something I will carry with me until my last breath. And I know that I can never undo that, it was a means to an end that I can only wish I had never opted.”

He paused, glancing at Sam and Bucky, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. You noticed how Sam’s expression was unreadable, while Bucky’s jaw clenched ever so slightly. The room was brimming with tension, with all eyes locked on Helmut.

Every one of you was waiting for what he would say next.

“I believed I was correcting a wrong,” Helmut continued, furrowing his brows. “But all I did was create another. And for that, I am deeply regretful. But... If there is one thing I’ve learned in these past years, it’s that sometimes redemption isn’t found in isolation. It’s found in what we do next, in how we face the challenges ahead.”

He shifted his gaze to Ayo, his expression unyielding but sincere.

“That is why I ask—if you will allow me—to remain with them,” Helmut’s voice was low, silently pleading. “There are still threats in this world, dangers that we have only begun to confront. I can still be of use to them, and in doing so, perhaps find some semblance of redemption.”

Ayo’s eyes narrowed, her hands gripping the edge of the table. She stood silent for a long moment, her fingers curling tighter around the table’s edge, her posture rigid.

Her gaze flickered briefly toward you, Sam, and Bucky, then back to Helmut. The decision she faced wasn’t just about law or justice—it was about the future, the bigger picture, and whether or not to gamble on the possibility of redemption for a man who had taken so much from her people.

You had shared your time with Helmut, you had seen his true self. Wakanda hadn’t. And, honestly, even if they had, would it still be right for them to erase the loss of their king only to free a man who wounded their reign?

“No matter how sorrowful you are now, Zemo,” Ayo said, her voice cold but steady. Her jaw clenched, her eyes locking onto Helmut with a fierce intensity, “You have committed a crime against Wakanda, and you must pay for it. I allowed you to assist them, not because of mercy, but because I understand the depth of your expertise against forces that threaten us all. But know this—your debt is far from paid. The selfish forces you’ve helped defeat don’t absolve you of what you did to us.”

Her words echoed through the room, cold and final, and you felt the sharpness of them settle in your chest. Helmut remained silent, though you could see the hope leaving his eyes, replaced by something quieter—acceptance. His expression didn’t falter, but there was a resignation in the way his shoulders subtly dropped. He knew this wouldn’t be easy. He had known all along that he couldn’t escape his past.

He had always known this moment would come, that the weight of his past sins wouldn’t be easily cast aside. The loss of King T’Chaka, the devastation he’d wrought—not even him would be able to let him go, the pain all too familiar.

In the silence, you caught the faintest tremor of doubt in Helmut’s eyes, the kind that comes when a man realizes he might never outrun the ghosts of his past.

It was inevitable, but you had wished that it wasn’t. The pain in your chest carving you apart despite your will to hold yourself upright.

“Wait,” Sam’s voice cut through as a dagger would cut flesh. The suddenness of it jolted everyone, pulling the air from the room. His tone was calm, but there was an undeniable intensity behind it. “Ayo, with all due respect, the deal was that Zemo would stay with us until we dealt with the threats. But the threats aren’t over. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, and we need all the help we can get.”

Sam’s words weren’t just a defense of Helmut—they were a reminder of the larger picture, you still had to go back to Strange and tell him more about what had happened in the last days. You had already sent him a message summarizing everything but you were sure that soon he would require your presence for a better conversation about everything that had happened.

Far from what you all knew about the world of wizards and magic and everything related to it, there was always more.

So, there was no denying the truth in Sam’s statement—the world wasn’t safe yet, not by a long shot.

Ayo’s jaw clenched as she narrowed her gaze at Sam’s interruption. The room was buzzing with tension, everyone waiting to see which way she would lean. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady but laced with ice.

“The deal was made to serve justice, not prolong his freedom,” she said. “The threats you speak of have been defeated. Zemo served his purpose. His place is in a cell.”

For a moment, it felt like the verdict had been decided, that nothing Sam, Bucky, or even you could say would change her mind. But something clicked in your head—a realization.

You took a breath, stepping forward and gathering your courage, “We never specified what those threats were.”

Ayo’s eyes snapped to you, her brow furrowing as if you’d just insulted her, “Come again?”

And you went. How, until today, you don’t know.

“When we made the deal, we didn’t list the exact threats we wanted to eliminate. We left it open. Chtolon was only a part of a much bigger problem. We still don’t know if there are more threats out there, and if we send Helmut back now, we will lose a valuable asset in that fight.” you clarified, already fearing that your words had been the sentence for the Dora Milajes to behead you and your friends.

Her face tightened, the hard lines of her expression deepening as she processed your words. For sure, she was pondering to behead you indeed.

“The threats we face aren’t just the ones we’ve already fought,” you pressed. “There are more out there. And Helmut has the knowledge we need to stay ahead. If we send him back now, we’re weakening our chances.”

Ayo remained silent, but her eyes were burning with an intensity that made it clear she was not easily swayed. She glanced at Sam and Bucky, then back at you, and finally, her gaze rested on Helmut.

“You speak of unspecified threats,” Ayo said, harshly. “But that does not absolve him of his crimes.”

“I’m not asking for absolution,” Helmut added, his voice quieter now, but no less sincere. “I know what I’ve done. But if I can use my knowledge to stop what’s coming, then perhaps... I can start to make up for it.”

Ayo’s gaze remained sharp, but there was hesitation in her eyes. She took a breath, and when she spoke again, you felt like a blade was near your neck.

“The deal may have been unclear,” she said slowly. “But understand this—Zemo’s freedom will not be indefinite. The moment these threats are dealt with, he returns to Wakanda. No exceptions. And if he steps out of line even once, we will take him ourselves.”

Ayo’s final words settled heavily over the room, but there was a shared sense of relief, a small victory—Zemo’s fate wasn’t sealed, not completely. The tension that had been straining the room seemed to ease slightly, but the pressure of the responsibility loomed larger than ever. You couldn’t ignore the tight knot of uncertainty in your chest, knowing this was only a temporary solution.

Helmut, for the first time, allowed a breath of relief to escape his lips. His eyes flicked toward you, then to Sam and Bucky. Though he didn’t speak, there was a silent acknowledgment, a gratitude that passed between you all. And yet, you felt the stiffness beneath his calm exterior.

“I think we’re done here,” Ayo said firmly, stepping back from the table. The Dora Milajes remained poised, ever watchful, but it was clear that—for now—there would be no further argument. “But remember, this is not a pardon. This is a postponement.”

Sam nodded in agreement, though his expression was hard to read.

“We appreciate the consideration,” he replied, but you knew Sam too well. He was just as aware as you were that this wasn’t truly the end of the conflict.

The larger battle was still up, not just with external enemies but within yourselves—especially for Baron Zemo.

As Ayo’s gaze lingered on Helmut, you couldn’t help the sharp pang in your chest. You had spent so much time alongside him, seeing past the man who had once only been driven by vengeance. But now, in this moment, you realized how fragile his freedom truly was.

You didn’t know how long you had before Wakanda’s patience would run out. That knowledge settled over you like a heavy weight that you didn’t know you would ever be able to lift.

The Wakandans left the room in silence, the door shutting with a soft thud. Only the four of you remained. The tension, while less intense, didn’t fully dissipate.

Helmut exhaled slowly, his hand resting on the edge of the table, his fingers tracing the grain of the wood absently.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever breathe free air again,” he said in a whisper, almost to himself.

You glanced at him, a mix of relief and concern swirling inside you despite the pain in your chest. You had fought for this moment, but even now, you weren’t sure what came next. You wanted to believe that Helmut could find his way, that he could become more than what he once was.

But part of you feared that the world wouldn’t let him.

Sam’s lips quirked into a small smile, “Well, you’re not out of the woods yet.”

All of you were well aware of that, you weren’t the only one with those thoughts eating you alive.

“No,” Helmut agreed, his voice low. “But I suppose I have you all to thank for delaying the inevitable.”

Bucky, who had been silent for most of the conversation, piped up.

“Don’t thank us yet.” His voice was gruff, but you could hear the softness beneath the rough exterior, “We’ve still got work to do.”

A lot of work you had indeed.

The towering bookshelves of Strange Academy stretched up to the ceiling, each one filled with ancient tomes of magic, knowledge, and power. You’d been here before, but this time, the air felt different. There was an unmistakable thickness, a reminder of the power that lay within the walls.

Raw magic all over the place. And, for the first time, you could feel all of it in its true form.

Joaquín’s face had been lit up in excitement when you first returned after the conversation with the Dora Milaje. He suggested celebrating, but that idea quickly faded as Strange called you to meet him here, in this very room.

It was difficult for any of you to have a single moment of peace for too long.

Beside you, Wong was explaining something about the Darkhold. Strange, always poised, was going through a series of magical texts, muttering under his breath as he examined their contents. Wanda stood nearby, quietly observing, her presence a reminder of just how far you had come from the battle in Sokovia, a young adult still trying to understand what was your place in this world to the woman who had fight and trapped the eldritch demon-god slash father and discovered the truth about your powers.

Yet, what lingered from the young girl was the uncertainty of what you should do next in your life.

“Wait, let’s see if I’m understanding this correctly,” Bucky interrupted Wong, his brows furrowed in confusion. His expression mirrored your own—Wong might as well have been speaking an entirely foreign language. “There are other pages from the Darkhold scattered around the world? I thought you destroyed the whole book.”

He turned to Wanda, who was stoically reading from what looked like a very old journal. Bucky’s tone wasn’t accusatory, and Wanda, knowing him well by now, didn’t take it as such. She glanced up briefly, her expression unchanged.

“I did,” she confirmed, her Sokovian accent adding a distinct weight to her words. “But after everything you told Stephen, we started looking into records—anything with even the smallest connection to the Darkhold’s history, trying to understand what could have happened.”

“It seems,” Dr. Strange chimed in, his voice thoughtful as his eyes briefly met Wanda’s before turning to the group, “Some of the pages acted as a sort of... Exhaust valve. Only the ones used in imprisoning the Elder Gods were affected.” He paused, his gaze sharpening as he continued. “Though ‘imprison’ isn’t the right word—those pages were more like gateways. They allowed humans to contact these beings and try to forge pacts with them, no matter where these gods resided.”

Helmut crossed his arms, his brow furrowing as he shot Strange a skeptical glance. “What do you mean by trying? Sounds like a dangerous game to me.”

Wong took a step forward, elaborating,

“Take Chthon as an example. He isn’t someone you can control. These gods... They're dangerous, unpredictable. Anyone trying to make deals with them is playing with their life. They won't just get hurt; they'll lose everything."

As Wong spoke, you remembered the feeling of Chthon almost consuming you. Facing that, you’d seen how close you were to losing control, to losing yourself. Knowing others like him could still be out there—that someone could try to summon them—it sent a shiver down your spine.

Wanda moved closer, flipping through the pages of the old journal before holding it up for you to see. Her fingers traced the images of twisted figures, their monstrous forms etched into the parchment.

“There are others like him,” she began. “Others who see humanity as tools, as playthings. And through the enchantments in these pages, they can be bound. Their power is available to anyone reckless enough to seek them out.”

Sam stepped forward, brows furrowed, “So what? These pages are like some messed-up genie lamp?”

“In a way,” she said, handing you the journal. “But this is worse. These beings can’t be controlled—only bound temporarily.”

“This I think all of us were capable of catching,” Helmut muttered, walking up close to Sam, taking a glance at the pages the man was reading as well.

A chill ran down your spine as you processed what was being said. The gods you had encountered, the darkness that had nearly consumed you—this was no mere game of wishes. It was something much more sinister, more insidious.

Helmut’s eyes narrowed, clearly deep in thought.

“And these pages are still out there?” he asked quietly, his gaze drifting from the pages to Strange, Wong and Wanda.

Strange nodded, “Unfortunately, yes. We believe the pages are scattered, lost across dimensions and realms. They’ve been hidden for a reason, but with the right tools—or enough desperation—someone could still find them.”

You exchanged a glance with Helmut, then Sam and Bucky. The room was silent, save for the faint rustle of pages as Sam flipped through the book in his hands. The reality of what lay ahead was starting to sink in.

“Well, who wrote these enchantments?” you asked, turning to Wong, “I assume it was not Chthon, he would never write something that put himself at risk of being caught in a pact that would not be beneficial for him. If we find the person, perhaps we could discover how these valves work and how to locate them.”

Wong’s silence was loud. His eyes flickered briefly to Strange and Wanda, as if he was weighing if it was a good idea or not to say what he was about to say.

“Chthon didn’t write these specific enchantments,” he agreed, clearly reluctant, “They were added later, by someone else.”

Your heart stilled. The ominous in his words encouraged you into trying to decipher the insinuation that lingered there.

Wanda stepped closer, her gaze softening as if she was preparing you for the blow, “These pages... They were written by your mother.”

That was a punch to the gut, leaving you momentarily breathless. The room seemed to blur around you, your world narrowing down to those words.

Your mother.

When Wanda said your mother’s name next, it was like listening to the beginning of a ghost story. Because, that was always how you had pictured your real mother in your life: as a ghost. An unknown face and person.

And, now? Now, her name carried an even heavier haunted aura than before.

“My mother?” The words slipped out, half-question, half-disbelief. How could the woman you barely remembered—the mother you'd never really known—be even more tied to all of this? “She wrote the enchantments?”

Wanda nodded slowly, "She didn’t mean for this to happen. Chthon tore at her mind, twisted her intentions, but her goal was to protect us. To protect you."

The silence that followed felt too loud in your head. When you were young, sometimes you would play pretend and imagine how your mother was.

She was a figure in your life you’d held at a distance, a ghost from a past you’d long decided to forget. But now? Now you had her magic inside you. Her choices had shaped the very chaos you fought against, even if it wasn’t intentional.

There was nothing that you or her could have done, it just happened.

Wong interjected, sensing the initial distress in your face,“She didn’t write the entire book, but the parts about the escape valves that govern the Elder Gods. She was one of the most powerful witches of her time—one of the last white witches beside your late aunt—but toward the end of her life, her mind... Broke.”

White… What? It was a really good question but, now, you were too sunk in your own thoughts to consider it.

The more you thought about it all, the more you felt the air leave your lungs completely. You were incapable of facing any of your friends, you only maintained your eyes to the Scarlet Witch and Supreme Sorcerer.

It made you feel less judged. Even if a great part of the judgment you felt over your shoulder came from yourself and no one else.

All that mess, all the problems you had been facing and would face in the future, it was your family’s fault. You couldn't stop yourself to wonder what your friends were thinking about you. Your mother hadn’t just disappeared from your life—she had left behind a legacy of destruction, one you and your friends were now tasked with unraveling.

Helmut, who had been standing quietly next to you, reached out. His hand settled gently on your shoulder.

“She was caught in something beyond her control,” he said, his voice quiet but steady. "Don’t let this consume you."

Yet, it was easier than done. Helmut’s hand remained steady on your shoulder, but your thoughts felt anything but.

The revelations about your mother—that woman you had never met until today—was unraveling everything you thought you understood about your past. It was almost impossible to wrap your mind around the idea that her actions, intentional or not, had led all of you to this tangled web of chaos.

Every time you figured that a fraction of your past was a lie, the world around you became smaller and smaller.

"I don’t know if I can..." you finally answered Helmut, gathering the courage to say something to him, anything really.

"You can." His hand tightened just slightly, offering a reassurance that was hard to ignore, "This is not a legacy, nor a burden. But, it's your choice what you do with it now."

But how could it not be any of that? Not a legacy? Not a burden either?

Your mother had written those pages, had created the very spells you now had to hunt down. Everything page you thought you had turned was suddenly crashing back into your life, and the ink of each one was tainting your hands.

The journal you held was heavier than before, not just because of its age, but because of what it symbolized—a link to the past you never fully understood, and now had to confront. Your thumb traced the worn edges as you tried to absorb everything Wong, Strange and Wanda had said.

The truth was undeniable.

"Your mother didn’t want this," Wong reminded you, sensing your turmoil. "She did everything she could to stop Chthon. But now, her attempts to protect the world are also what could also doom us if they fall into the wrong hands."

You swallowed hard, your chest tightening with dread. Every second felt like a countdown, the ticking of an unseen clock reminding you that every moment spent debating was a moment wasted. But the fear of rushing into something so dangerous, so unknown, kept you tethered to the spot.

It was very clear that they would ask you to hunt those pages. All of them had their own troubles, in the same level of danger as this one. The obvious thing was to task you with this mission.

Yet, there was something unsaid hanging among you. Wanda, Strange and Wong were acting as if they were circling around a specific topic. But, you could already assume what it would be.

The original caster of these enchantments was gone, you were the only one left of her family. The conclusion after that was kind of obvious.

But it didn't ease your thoughts.

What were they actually expecting you to do exactly?

You were her daughter from what they had said, okay. And, that also made you a ‘white witch’, even if you had no idea of the meaning of it. Okay… What did all of that mean exactly?

Strange’s sharp voice cut through your thoughts before you could go further, "The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we become. These pages won’t stay hidden for long."

"So we’re running out of time," Sam spoke up, his tone laced with concern, more aware now of the gravity of the matter you were discussing. Honestly, in the beginning, you also had assumed that Wong’s monologue about the Darkhold was a bunch of weird and complex concepts for your mind to grapple in. "When should we go?"

Wanda, who had remained quiet up until now, stepped forward. Her gaze stayed fixed on yours, steady and strangely gentle at the same time, as though she understood what you were grappling with.

"Well, that's what makes the task complicated," she said quietly, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow. "It's not only about finding the pages... It’s about making sure you’re ready to face what comes with them, ."

Her words echoed in your mind, pulling you back to the core of your fear. You knew exactly what she was leading too, but you thought that ignoring it would make it untrue.

"So, you're saying..." Helmut began, his voice quiet as he glanced at you. Just like you, he was well aware of what Wanda would say next.

The Scarlet Witch slowly nodded, turning in your direction, “You are a white witch as her mother and her aunt were, and all the witches before them, these enchantments were written with white magic, order magic. Only a white witch can find the pages and undo their enchantments.”

Which meant: you.

You blinked, trying to absorb the enormity of what she was saying by this little implication. The heritage you had never fully known was now over your head, pouding as a drum, urging you to take responsibility for something that had been decided long before you were even aware of it.

How could you, a day or two after you discovered exactly who you were, take the reins and steer that runaway carriage back onto the road? Easy, you couldn’t.

"I don’t know if I can," you admitted out loud, "I’m not ready."

It was a subject that Wanda, Strange and Wong were avoiding, and you weren't stupid, it was pretty obvious why. They had barely mentioned what it was, only mentioning how it was complicated to discuss when you should go.

"None of us ever are," Wanda replied instantly, stepping closer. "But you have more strength in you than you realize."

That didn’t answer the question, how were you supposed to go there immediately ready for what would come next? There wasn’t, not if you wanted to prevent the problem before it could bite you in the ass.

"I don’t want to waste time," you said, your voice quiet but more certain.

"Then we won’t," Sam reassured you, his voice calm. "We’re ready when you are."

But you didn’t mean that you were ready. Quite the contrary. You just didn’t want to lose any time, who would guarantee that while you were training in a safe space, the world would stop and wait for you?

“I still can find them, I will figure out a way,” you reassured them, closing the book and clutching it close to your chest. Honestly, you were more reassuring yourself than them. “You said I’m a white witch, whatever this is, so that means I can figure out a way, nonetheless.”

Wanda nodded, but her face didn't seem to agree so much, “And a red witch, yes.”

There was no hesitation in her words, but a layer of caution. The same caution was present in Strange and Wong’s eyes as the three of them exchanged glances.

“Your mother’s magic was a force of protection, very powerful, but yours has become…” Wanda hesitated, trying to look for the words again, “Different. You carry both the light and the darkness within you now, order and chaos. It’s a rare, dangerous combination in a witch.”

The Scarlet Witch sighed, taking a final look at Strange’s direction. Wong shook his head up and down, as to motivate her to say what she should say.

“It’s difficult to say how your magic will manifest. Before, you only showed glimpses of your mother’s powers. Now, you have access to all of it—and the chaos magic.” Her eyes locked onto yours one more time, “It will be hard to tell them apart, especially when you need it most.”

“But it is possible,” you interjected, your voice firm, holding onto a sliver of desperation.

You needed assurance that despite everything—this was a battle you could fight and win without waiting for the inevitable. Without being stuck in a school for a couple of months, as if the danger would wait for you to learn what was the power inside you.

Wanda paused, before nodding quietly, leaving you to face Strange’s strong will.

“Yes, it’s possible.” He agreed, shaking his head. You already could hear the disapproval. “But only if you learn how to control both forces without letting either consume you. That’s why If you choose to stay here, in the Academy, we can help you. Wanda can teach you what she learned about chaos magic to get to where she is today, while Wong and I help you understand more about the history of your ancestors, everything that may be necessary for the mission.”

His words echoed in your mind, but it was hard to focus on them. Your thoughts kept drifting back to the journal in your hands. It felt heavy in a way that had nothing to do with the physical weight of its pages.

“And when will I finish my lessons?” you asked, looking at the three of them.

No one of them seemed excited to get the short end of the stick about giving you the answer.

“Hm,” Wong gulped, driving his eyes away from you, “If we are lucky, two months.”

Two? And that if you were optimistic?

The urgency inside you churned, making you feel restless. Every second seemed to be slipping away from you, and the idea of staying behind to practice, to learn, understand… All of that felt absurd.

“I don’t have time for this,” you said, “I can’t stay here while something can go wrong as we speak right now.”

Unlike you, Wanda, Strange and Wong remained calm, as if they’d expected that reaction. It made you hate the situation even more.

“We understand,” Wanda said, sympathetically, or trying. Did they, though? “But you also need to be prepared. You’re not just dealing with the chaos around you; you’re dealing with what’s inside you.”

The reminder made you chill, as if something was crawling off your pores. There was the faint voice again, far away from you since the last time you saw him.

But, there wasn’t a moment that you didn’t feel him or hear him. He wanted to make sure you wouldn’t forget him.

Wong stepped forward, looking at your friends.

“This isn’t just a mission to retrieve some lost artifact. You’re going to be facing forces more ancient and powerful than anything you’ve encountered.” He glanced at the journal in your hands. “If you go out there without knowing how to control what’s inside you... It could destroy you.”

Strange joined in, his voice pragmatic and weighted with experience. They were truly teaming up against you.

“And let’s not forget the threat already within you—Chthon,” When did they? That was… What? The third time? You’ve lost count,” He’s not just waiting for you to find those pages. He’s waiting for you to slip up. Every moment of hesitation, every decision you make, he’ll be there, trying to influence your magic, your choices.”

Your jaw clenched, trying with all your might to understand their point of view, to believe that what they were saying was true. And it was, it was true, but the problem was that at no point did they deny the likelihood that danger would arrive and it would be too late for you to fight it.

And then what? What would have been your training for? Nothing.

It would never have mattered.

“I’ve faced chaos before,” you stated, taking a step closer to the three members of the Academy, “I’ll be able to handle this.”

But the doubt had already dipped in, curling around your words before they left your lips.

Could you handle this? The uncertainty that clawed at your chest made you wonder if you were trying to convince yourself more than anyone else. You had fought against your father, but you didn’t win. If you had, he would be out of your mind and never to be heard again.

That was not the case. And after that, your mind was in tunnel vision as you used your magic to do exactly what you wanted. You were still running on adrenaline, too distracted to think about what had happened. Summing up, you have gotten lucky.

If you tried to do the same thing now, would you be able to do it again on the first try? You doubted it, really.

You weren’t quite sure, but what better choices did you have left? Either way, danger would be following you in every corner.

Wanda’s expression softened again, her gaze never leaving yours, “Surviving isn’t the same as controlling.”

You knew where she was coming from.

After Sokovia… Things had been hard for Wanda, you felt bad even thinking about talking about it whether she was in the room or not. For so long, she had a sad history, and now that she was finally enjoying a peaceful life, you felt like talking about the past would ruin it.

“Your magic is different now.” Wanda muttered, leaning her head as she spoke, “Stronger, yes, but also more dangerous. Chthon’s influence is like a shadow—always there, always lurking. You’re not just fighting what’s out there, you’re fighting yourself, Strange is not wrong.���

The truth of her words struck hard. But before you could respond, Sam stepped forward.

He seemed more frustrated than you, his brows drawn as he frowned.

“She’s right,” He met your gaze, and for the first time, you allowed yourself to look back at him, truly see him.

You closed your eyes, your face turning to a random corner rather than his figure. You were brave, but not enough to face a friend about to shove in your face that the grown-ups were right and you shouldn't disagree.

“You’re not invincible,” Sam continued, “And you don’t have to be. Whatever you choose, we will go with you either way.”

Quickly, your eyes opened as they snapped back at him, you glanced at Bucky and Helmut’s direction as well, as if to believe he and the others were serious. They all shared the same passion in their eyes, a sense of trust that had always been there, but only now were you aware of it.

The mere thought of it made your heart melt.

The words were at the tip of your tongue, but something held you back. A nagging thought that had been building in the back of your mind.

“I thought... I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to go,” you admitted in the silence, hoping no one would listen.

But of course they did. You wished they wouldn’t, saying it out loud made you sound so stupid.

Bucky’s blunt tone cut through the room like a knife, “After everything?” He raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady.

His voice made you feel stupid for thinking such a silly thing.

“You really think we’d follow you this far just to walk away when things get tough?” His arms crossed, and there was a hint of exasperation in his voice. “Whatever you decide, we’re here. We’ll go when you’re ready. Not a second before or after.”

Helmut, who had been silent until now, stepped closer. His hand never left your shoulder, not once, a silent anchor in the storm brewing inside you.

“This isn’t about rushing into danger,” he said quietly, caughting your attention. “Whether you stay or leave... We’ll follow you, wherever you go.”

You swallowed hard, the weight of the decision pressing down on you. It has always been your instinct to bear the responsibility alone, to carry the burden of your duties on your own. But here they were, offering something you hadn’t realized you already had, for a long time.

Their belief in you.

It just took you a long time to realize it fully.

“I don’t want to waste time,” you said again, your voice quieter than ever but still filled with the urgency you couldn’t quite shake.

Sam smiled softly, his hand joining Helmut’s on your other shoulder, “Then we won’t waste time,” he reassured you. “Wherever you go, we’re right behind you.”

Wherever we go, you whispered back in your mind. For a moment, you would allow yourself to do what was right for you, choosing to forget the fear of making a mistake pounding in your head.

Darkhold was written by your father, your mother had written the enchantments that chained him and the other Elder Gods into some of the pages. Now, it was up to you now to stop it once and for all. Well, you and Sam, Bucky and Helmut. And, a little of Joaquín as well.

You could know almost nothing about being a witch or controlling magic, but you were smart, you could still figure out a way before losing yourself.

At least, you should try. You would never say it out loud, because you knew how immediately the boys would change their mind, but you rathered danger, cornering you and you only than the whole world.

If the scattered pages were the future ruin that would befall you, they would have to first face you and your lack of control before they could find anyone else. You would ensure that they reached no one else, even if it doomed you.

Strange, sensing that the decision was made, rubbed his temples, already preparing for the inevitable consequences. You were well aware of them too.

“Fine,” he muttered, resigned, “If this is what you’ve decided, we won’t stop you.”

Wong, still unsettled, stepped forward. Sighing, he shook his head, he had also given up from changing your mind.

Even if any of them tried to convince you otherwise, they knew how stubborn you were. The most impossible thing in the world was to stop you from doing something once it stuck in your head.

“At least,” the Sorcerer Supreme said, his shoulders slacking, “Let us offer you a place to rest. You’ve been in the air for days—you must be exhausted.”

You blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. Then Wong added, “You can stay in the Academy until you’re ready to leave. So rest, regroup… And about your Falcon friend,” he glanced at Sam, “he can land here, rather than continuing in the aircraft. It’s safer.”

You hadn’t realized how much the fatigue had settled into your bones until he mentioned rest. You had been running on sheer determination, your parents’ legacy pressing down on you like a vice. Now, in the quiet aftermath of the conversation, that weight felt even more suffocating.

Helmut’s hand remained on your shoulder, grounding, though the silence that followed Wong’s words made it harder to keep your own thoughts at bay. Rest, you repeated in your mind, the concept almost foreign. You’d been on edge for so long, fighting battles—both internal and external—that stopping, even for a moment, felt unnatural.

But perhaps it wasn’t just rest you needed. Perhaps, what you needed was time to process everything, to sift through the chaos that had become your life.

The room began to clear, Sam gave you a reassuring nod before he quietly followed Bucky out the door, along with Strange and Wong. Leaving you and Wanda in a silence that felt both heavy and comforting.

You held the grimoire in your hands, its weight somehow tormenting what was left of your thought, but even as the room emptied, you were still aware of Helmut standing by your side. He hadn’t said anything since Wong’s offer to stay and rest for the night, but you could feel him—his presence, solid and unyielding. His hand, which had remained on your shoulder for what felt like forever, suddenly tightened, just slightly.

There was a warmth in his touch, a quiet reassurance that you weren’t in this alone, no matter how much the world demanded of you.

You turned to meet his gaze, his eyes softer than you’d ever seen them, a mixture of concern and something else you couldn’t quite place. There was always a guardedness about Helmut, but now? It felt like the walls between you were thinner, as if something had shifted in the space between you both.

And had, hadn’t it?

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence stretching out. Then, with a tenderness that caught you off guard, Helmut leaned down, pressing a kiss to your cheek. It wasn’t hurried or rushed, but soft, lingering, as though he was savoring the moment.

When he pulled back, his voice was low, almost a whisper, “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

The words, simple as they were, carried a weight that settled in your chest, mingling with the exhaustion and the uncertainty of everything still ahead. But somehow making the storm inside you a little less overwhelming.

Helmut’s fingers slid away from your shoulder, and as he stepped toward the door, he cast one last glance over his shoulder, his eyes lingering on you for a moment longer before he turned and left the room. The quiet sound of the door closing behind him was soft, but it echoed in the space he left behind.

You stood there for a moment, your cheek still warm from the brief touch of his lips, the weight of the grimoire in your hands grounding you once again. But now, you felt a little steadier, knowing that when you left this room, when you stepped out into whatever came next, you wouldn’t be facing it alone.

Your fingers tightened even more around the edges of the journal Wanda had handed you. The cool, worn leather felt solid in your hands, but the reality of what it represented was anything but… Only to remind you that you weren’t alone.

"I understand you, more than you know,” Wanda said softly, breaking the silence as she approached, her gaze soft but focused. “When I first came to understand my place in this world—my powers—it felt like everything that happened, everything I had to face, was my responsibility to fix."

You turned to face her, your grip tightening on the book. There was an odd comfort in hearing her say those words. She had lived through chaos, walked through fire, and here she stood, offering understanding that no one else could.

“At least you’ve realized something I hadn’t,” Wanda continued, a small, almost wistful smile tugging at her lips. “You know you’re not alone in this. It took me much longer to figure that out.”

Her words settled over you, heavy with truth. She was right. You did have support, even if the weight of the responsibility still felt unbearable. The boys were with you—Helmut, Sam, Bucky. They had followed you this far, and they weren’t turning back now. But still, the burden of your lineage felt like something only you could truly carry.

“You’ve come far, too,” you said quietly, looking back at her. “You’ve learned how to balance the power inside you.”

Wanda’s expression shifted slightly, the smile fading as she nodded.

“It took time... More time than I wanted to admit. But I got there eventually. And you will too.” She stepped closer, her eyes filled with that same sadness she often wore—a sadness of someone who had lost much and gained little in return. “But you have to be careful. Chaos magic... It doesn’t play by the rules. And mix with order magic? It’s difficult to predict what will happen.”

You swallowed hard, feeling the truth of her words settle in your bones. Chaos magic wasn’t something you could tame easily. It was wild, unpredictable, and you weren’t entirely sure how to navigate it yet. The thought of staying behind to learn more gnawed at you, but the idea of what could happen with those pages in someone else’s hands… It haunted you even more.

“Do you think I made the wrong choice?” you asked, your voice low as the question finally slipped out. You needed to hear her say it, even if part of you already feared the answer.

Wanda sighed, stopping by your side, taking a look at the journal that you held before responding, “I guess there isn’t a wrong decision, if that’s what you are truly asking me.”

Relief flowed through your body momentarily, your limbs relaxed at the same second the answer arrived to your ears.

“It’s just that…” You hesitated, cracking your fingers one by one, “I don’t see the point in training when, meanwhile, someone can already take their hands in one of the pages. There is no guarantee of safety while I’m training, are you sure there aren't any more white witches out there?”

The witch offered you a sad smile, “No, there aren’t, I fear. They were already few back then, your family is the only one that remains. By what we had consulted with America before you arrived here, you might as well be our only option in the whole multiverse.”

How ironic that was? Were you truly the only variant alive that was a white witch?

You scoffed at the idea of it, how unlucky you were? The last days had proved to you that you were a lot, in fact.

“In the end, what does it mean exactly?” you lifted a brow in curiosity, “Being a white witch?’

Wanda walked away toward the towering shelves, her fingers lightly brushing against the spines of the ancient books.

"Being a white witch isn’t about just using your power for good or for protection,” Wanda explained, pausing to pull a dusty volume from the shelf. She turned back to you, "It’s about maintaining balance—within yourself and the world around you. Your family was one of the last to truly understand what balance is.”

“You said something about order as well,” you mentioned, seeing the witch taking some of the books from the shelves and piling them over one of her arms.

“I did,” Wanda agreed, glancing at the books she had gathered. She placed them on the table by your side, the weight of each one making the surface creak slightly. “Being a white witch means understanding the balance between order and chaos. There must not be too much or less, just enough. Your family knew that without balance, magic can consume you.”

She paused, her eyes scanning the ancient texts in front of her.

“Your mother, your aunt—they were both remarkable in their own ways. They strived to protect the world from forces they knew they couldn’t fully control. But that’s what being a white witch is—recognizing the danger and facing it anyway, trying to keep the scales even.”

You furrowed your brow, still trying to wrap your mind around everything Wanda was saying. It felt like every answer brought more questions, every revelation only deepened your uncertainty.

“And what happened with my mother?” you asked, “Why did she try to cage the gods? Was she under Chthon’s influence before?”

Wanda’s expression darkened for a moment as she considered your question, “Your mother’s intentions were pure, but... Chthon had sickened her mind, he corrupted every thought of hers. She didn’t realize that by trying to stop him and the other Elder Gods, she was upsetting the balance herself. She thought she was preventing chaos, but in doing so, she brought it closer.”

You felt a chill run through you, the realization settling in.

“So, all of this… The chaos, the Elder Gods, everything—are because of her.” It wasn’t a question anymore, you were only looking for confirmation, no more excuses. No more ‘no intentions’. That was it, she had done it.

Wanda nodded slowly.

“She didn’t mean for it to happen.” she told you, her lips pulling in a half sad smile, “She was trying to protect you, to protect the world. But the problem with magic is that even the best intentions can have unintended consequences.”

You stared down at the journal in your hands, its pages filled with knowledge you hadn’t even begun to grasp. There were other Gods in your world worse than Chthon in many ways.

You had faced your father less than three days ago and you were already facing the fact that he wouldn’t be the first, there were more, just waiting for a selfish or disparate soul to get their hands in one of the pages and have their mind corrupted.

Did you have to be the last white witch? You asked yourself, staring at one of your hands as you slowly summoned a little of your magic only to see the white, black and now red energy flowing through your fingers.

"Why white, though?" you asked, eager to change the subject before your thoughts spiraled too far. "There’s black in the way I manifest magic. So, why call it 'white'?"

Wanda chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to echo through the quiet library. She opened one of the books she'd laid on the table, her fingers tracing the old, weathered pages.

"Originally, their name in Latin was 'veneficae concordiae in tenebris'—witches of harmony in the dark," she explained, her voice gentle but precise. "It referred to their understanding of both the light and dark forces within magic. But over time, people started calling them 'White Witches' to avoid the fear or suspicion that often comes with darkness. It wasn’t about purity—it was about balance. Your family, the witches of harmony, knew that true magic requires both light and shadow. They held the order in our world long before books were written."

You blinked, processing what she was telling you. "So, it’s about bringing harmony in darkness, in the literal sense?"

Wanda nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Exactly. Your family’s magic was never purely light or dark. It was about ensuring one didn’t overwhelm the other. That’s why their magic is both black and white. It’s a reflection of the order they maintained—within themselves and in the world around them."

A silence settled between the two of you as you absorbed this new information. It was strange, hearing that your family, that you, were part of something much larger than you had ever realized. All this talk about balance, light and dark, made your role feel bigger than just fighting Elder Gods or stopping dark magic.

And yet, that same sense of responsibility weighed heavily on your chest.

"Your mother was part of this balance too, I know I had said that many times now, but I must be sure that you understand that" Wanda continued, her tone softening. "But when your mother tried to stop Chthon… She didn’t realize how deeply his influence had rooted in her mind."

The mention of your mother again brought you back to the reality of the situation. You bit your lip, eyes flickering down to the journal in your hands.

"Do you think I’ll make the same mistakes?" you asked, not looking up. The question lingered in the air, and you hated how vulnerable you sounded.

Wanda paused, considering your words carefully.

"I don’t know," she admitted, a sad and strange smile adorning her face again. "But what I do know is that you’re different. You’ve seen what unchecked power can do. You understand the stakes now. And you have us."

Us. What a strange word to use, you thought.

In part, you knew she was telling you the truth, because it would be the same thing that Helmut would tell if you had asked him the same question. Everytime you would ask why his morals didn’t apply to you, he would say that you were different.

That despite the power you held, then and now, you would never be the type of person to let it consume you. Even if you wished in a twisted future, you were incapable to, in your soul. And, deep down, you suspected that he was right.

There was a reason why you had resisted Chthon.

“You’re not alone in this.” Wanda’s voice pulled you from your thoughts, grounding you once more. “You have us. You have Helmut, Sam, Bucky, and me. And... You have this.” She made a gesture and, by a twist of her hand, a red energy entangled her fingers and a book was summoned in her hands.

“Go on,” she handed it to you, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she tried to hide it, “Take it.”

You left the journal about the Elder Gods over the table so you could pick up the new book Wanda had given you. The weight of it was different—not heavy, but dense, like it carried centuries of knowledge within its pages. Its cover was a deep, muted red, worn and cracked along the edges, as if it had been passed through many hands before reaching you.

The intricate, faded designs on the cover seemed to shimmer faintly under the dim light, the patterns twisting in on themselves like spells hidden in plain sight. A subtle pulse of energy emanated from the book, almost like a heartbeat.

As you held it, you felt a warmth spread through your fingers, not unlike the sensation you experienced when your magic first awakened. It was... Welcoming. A strange comfort in a world that had been anything but.

“This is no ordinary book,” Wanda said, watching your reaction carefully. “It contains notes from your aunt, but also from me when I first started to understand my own powers. It’s not just a record of spells—it’s a guide, a roadmap to understanding yourself. There’s even space for your own thoughts and creations, for you to make it yours.”

You turned the book over in your hands, feeling the texture of the leather, the way the edges of the pages seemed to hum with untapped potential. You traced your finger along the spine, feeling the faint pulse of magic running through it, as if the book was alive in some way.

“So,” you hesitated, looking up to the woman, “Is it a grimoire?”

My grimoire? It was what you wished you had asked, but you were too shy to dare to do so. The question sounded too silly to get out of your thoughts.

“Don’t know, maybe,” Wanda gestured toward the last section of the grimoire. "Go ahead. Open it."

You hesitated, the grimoire heavy in your hands.

It wasn’t just a book. It was a symbol—a connection to your family’s legacy, to Wanda’s journey, and now, to your own. If someone had told you years ago that this would happen, you for sure would have admitted the person to the mental hospital. The whole idea was crazy even now, as you opened the book.

The pages crackled softly as they turned.

The first few pages were filled with your aunt’s careful, precise handwriting—notations, diagrams, sketches of magical symbols you didn’t yet recognize. Some pages were devoted to protection spells, others to the delicate balance between chaos and order, her ideas and theories. But as you flipped further, you found notes written in a more familiar hand—Wanda’s.

The ink was darker, bolder, but the messages were clear. There were all her enchantments, spells she had created herself or learned on her own.

You could see her struggles, her fears, her questions, written in the margins. It was as if she had left pieces of herself in the book, to guide you, to warn you, to reassure you that even she had once felt the weight of this responsibility. She and your aunt as well, all of them there to help you in your own journey.

And then, as Wanda had said, the pages became blank.

Your pages.

You paused, staring down at the empty space, the crisp paper waiting for your words, your thoughts, your own runes, spells and enchantments.

“This grimoire,” Wanda said, her smile widening, “is yours now. It carries the past, but it’s yours to shape. Whatever path you choose, it will guide you to your own person.”

A map to your place, to where you will fit in this new world that has opened its doors for you. Your heart jumped with the thought, comforted by the gift as if Wanda had just hugged you. Without you noticing, a smile creeped out of your own lips.

You looked up at her again, "Thank you," your voice barely audible.

She shrugged, the smile never leaving her face.

"It’s not about what’s written," she said, placing her hands over your shoulders, "It’s about what you’ll write next."

You glanced down at the blank pages again, your heart beating steadily, though your thoughts were a storm of uncertainty. In a way, the empty pages felt like a mirror of your life—unwritten, waiting for you to fill them with your next choices.

There weren’t wrong decisions, only attempts to do the right thing. And, while it was an attempt, it was enough. In a way or another, you would find the right path.

“Take it one step at a time.” she reminded you, “You’re not alone in this.”

Her words echoed in your mind as she slowly turned away, leaving you alone with the grimoire in your hands. The grimoire and your thoughts. And that voice.

Whether you liked it or not, it would always be there from now on.

You made your way to the upper floors of the Strange Academy, feeling the ancient energy pulse in the very walls around you. After winding through several quiet corridors, you finally found Helmut standing by a large, arched window that overlooked the academy’s training grounds.

The scene outside was almost serene—students practicing their spells under the watchful eye of a professor, their magical auras creating bright flashes of light against the twilight sky. The view was mesmerizing, but Helmut seemed lost in thought, his focus elsewhere.

He himself looking like this, his thoughts straying away and eyes working their way around his mind, was quite the view as well.

You approached quietly, noting how his posture was tensely calm. His hand rested lightly on the window’s frame, his eyes followed the students below.

"Do you regret it?" you asked in a whisper, breaking the silence.

Helmut glanced at you but remained silent for a moment longer, his gaze drifting back to the grounds.

"Regret?" he echoed, his voice thoughtful as he gazed at you, “Regret what?”

“Never going back?” you looked away, focusing on the little kids trying to levitate light and heavy objects, “Not in Madripoor, not in Riga, or in the last five years?”

Helmut turned his gaze back to the students, watching their movements with an intensity that contrasted with the serene scene. For a while, he didn’t answer, letting the weight of your question settle between you both.

The light from the window cast a soft glow on his face, highlighting the lines of experience and reflection etched in his features. Not that you were looking at him, of course, you were not.

“I thought about it,” he finally admitted, “In Riga, Madripoor, there were moments where it would’ve been easier to go back and just… End everything. To let things play out the way they should have. But…”

He trailed off, his fingers drumming lightly against the window’s ledge. You could sense the conflict within him—how deeply he wrestled with the choices he had made. You waited, not pushing, knowing he would continue when he was ready.

“But I didn’t want to return,” Helmut continued, turning his gaze toward the horizon. “Not after everything I had seen. Not after you.” His voice softened, losing the edge of calculated detachment you had grown used to, “Somehow, leaving felt like a betrayal of everything I had begun to understand. Of who I was becoming.”

You felt your breath catch slightly, his words weaving between the delicate threads of your emotions. He had always been a man of precise decisions, but hearing him speak so openly now about a choice that felt deeply personal—about staying with you—shifted something inside you.

“And after Wakanda?” you pressed on, stepping closer. “After all that happened?”

Helmut’s gaze flickered for a moment as though recalling the events—the battles, the loss, the redemption that never seemed fully within reach.

“That was different,” he said, quieter now, “There, I thought for a moment that perhaps I had finally paid the price. That I could put everything to rest.”

“But you didn’t,” you concluded. “... You can’t.”

He nodded slowly, his expression solemn, “No. Because even after everything, I realized that there’s still more left to do. More for me to understand.” He paused, then looked at you, his eyes searching. “And more to protect. That’s why I stayed.”

A comfortable silence lingered between you, the need for words fading. Helmut stood beside you, his presence steady, and for once, the air wasn’t filled with tension or questions. It was just the two of you.

You glanced out the window at the students, their laughter and lightheartedness contrasting with the heaviness of your conversation.

“We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?” you mused.

Helmut smiled faintly, “We have,” he agreed. “But we are still here.”

Turning to him, you asked the question you’d been avoiding for a while, “So, what now? What's next?”

Helmut didn’t hesitate this time.

“I thought our promise was still valid,” he lifted his brows at you, a small smile taking hold of his face, “I will be by your side as long as you will have me.”

As the golden light of the setting sun filtered through the window, you couldn't help but notice how it bathed Helmut’s face in a soft glow, highlighting the sharp planes of his features. The warmth of the light softened the intensity of his gaze, casting an almost ethereal glow around him.

Somehow, it made his brown eyes shimmer, reflecting the warmth and depth that had always drawn you in. The sunlight danced in them, as if the very essence of the sun resided there.

Without thinking, your hand reached up, gently cradling his face. Your thumb brushed lightly over his cheek, the warmth of his skin bringing you some life.

The small smile he wore widened just a little, seeing him like that was no longer a rare sight.

“As long as you’ll have me, my dear,” you whispered as you gazed deeply into his eyes, drawn into the light that seemed to radiate from them.

In that instant, everything fell away—the worries, the chaos, the uncertainty. It was just the two of you, standing together, connected by something unspoken yet profoundly real.

With a slow, deliberate motion, you closed the distance between you. Your lips met his in a kiss that was tender, soft, and full of quiet promise. It wasn’t rushed or desperate, it never was, but rather a gentle affirmation of everything unspoken between you. His hand moved to the small of your back, pulling you just a bit closer, as if anchoring you to him.

For a moment, the world outside the window seemed to blur, the sounds of the academy and the distant echoes of training disappearing. It was just the two of you in that warm, golden light, sharing a moment that felt like the beginning of something more.

As you pulled away, your foreheads rested together, and for the first time in days, you felt a moment of stillness wash over you. It was a fragile peace, one that you knew could shatter at any second, but you clung to it, savored it, for just a little while longer.

“I guess we have a lot ahead of us,” you whispered, still close enough to feel the soft warmth of his breath against your skin. “More than we know.”

Helmut’s grip on you tightened ever so slightly, his voice low and full of quiet understanding, “We’ll face it together then.”

You wanted to believe him. At that moment, you really did. But as the golden light began to fade and the shadows stretched across the room, you felt it—just the faintest hint of something cold creeping at the edges of your mind.

Him.

The voice was barely a whisper, but it slithered through your consciousness like a serpent, wrapping itself around your thoughts, tight and unyielding.

You haven’t forgotten me, have you?

Chthon’s voice.

The dark presence that had been lying dormant, waiting in the corners of your mind, was stirring again. You felt it, like a distant echo, just enough to remind you that no matter how much peace you found in this moment, the chaos was never far behind.

Helmut pulled back slightly, his brow furrowing as if sensing the sudden change in you.

“Are you alright?”

You forced a smile, nodding quickly, though the lingering whisper of Chthon’s voice made your heart race.

“I’m fine,” you lied, pushing the dark presence deeper into the recesses of your mind, locking it away. At least for now.

But as you leaned into Helmut’s embrace again, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against yours, you couldn’t help but wonder how long you could keep it there.

How much time would you have until the bomb detonated?

You can’t hide forever, the voice whispered, almost too quiet to hear.

He will be waiting.

[disneyanddisneyships]

@gyubby99 I'm sorry

Warnings: angst. Mal and Lilly being in emotional pain. Goodbyes

Summary: Aponi Lilly is finally going to heaven.... but she didn't realize she'd have to say goodbye to her best friend... again.....

For Good

Mal ran quickly into the hotel.

The news that a bright light had opened up in the sky got around quickly and..... she hadn't seen Aponi.....

She practically broke down the doors of the hotel building when she ran in....

Only to find an angel standing in front of Lilly.

"Mal!" Aponi shouted before running up to her friend, giving her the biggest hug. "Mal, it worked! We're going to heaven!" Aponi stated as she pulled away from the hug, placing her hands on Mal's shoulders.

"Wait.. we?" Mal asked, still trying to process what was happening.

"Well actually... as of now, Lillian Carlton, you are the only one who has been redeemed," the strange angel spoke out.

Aponi's eyes widened and her smile faded.

"No.... no not... not without them..." Aponi stated, gesturing to her friends and Husband, alastor. "Not without you," she muttered, turning to mal, holding her hand.

"Lilly..... one time chance.... you... you dont belong down here," Mal stated, pushing down the heartache.

"No..... no Mal i.. I can't go up there without you... not again... I won't...." Lilly stated, tears welling up in her eyes.

Mal sighed and pushed Lilly's hair out of her face to see both of her eyes.

"Just look at me," Mal started. "Im.... I'm not built for life up there," she muttered.

"No no. I'm limited without you-" Lilly began.

"Just look at you! You c an do all I couldn't do, Lilly," Mal interrupted. "Now it's up to you.... for both of us..." Mal stated.

"........ Then do me two favors," Lilly started.

"Anything," Mal replied.

"You have to try to get up there... as hard as you can. Try... please," Lilly stated, taking both of Mal's hands.

Mal sighed. "Alright.. I will," she lied.

"Alright.... and.. one more thing...." Lilly stated before looking at mal with a small smile. "One more duet?" She asked.

Mal chuckled, a tear rolling down her face.

"I know a song," Lilly stated before giving alastor a Wadded up peice of paper with music notes on it and sending him to the piano.

Mal gasped at the music....

Wicked..... their favorite musical since they were 10......

As the music started Mal took a breath. "I've heard it said... That people come into our lives For a reason," she sang as a tear rolled down her face. "Bringing something we must learn.... And we are led to those..... Who help us most to grow if we let them.... And we help them in return," she stated as she looked around at all the demons who inhabited the hotel now.....

Angel stood over to the left,, holding fat nuggets.. and Mal knew that they had helped people.....

"Well, I don't know if I believe that's true," she sang before turning back to Lilly and holding out both of he rhands for Lilly to take. "But I know I'm who I am today, Because I knew you," she sang as Lilly took her hands. "Like a comet pulled from orbit As it passes the sun," she sang as she looked up into the sky... Sheyhadnt seen the sun in years...

She turned back to Lilly. "Like a stream that meets a boulder Halfway through the wood," she wiped a tear that threatened to fall a. The looked at her best friend... "Who can say if I've been changed for the better But...... because I knew you," she took a deep shaky breath as She thought about how much Lilly loved her... "I have been changed for good,"

Lilly took a deep breath as she wiped away a tear on Mals face before beginning to sing as well.

"It well may be That we will never meet again In this lifetime...." she snag as she realized she might never see anyone down here again... "So, let me say before we part," she took a deep breath before tightening her hold on Mals hands.. "So much of me Is made of what I learned from you! You'll be with me.... Like a handprint on my heart," Lilly sang as she tried not to break down... she was leaving her lifeline....

"And now whatever way our stories end..... I know you have rewritten mine.... By being my friend," She sang as she remembered when they were little... just meeting one another.... "Like a ship blown from its mooring, By a wind off the sea..... Like a seed dropped by a sky bird In a distant wood...." her voice cracked as she sang. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better... But..... because I knew you," she sang, looking at mal with a loving smile.

"Because I knew you," Mal sang in return.

"I have been changed for good," both the girls sang at the same time as hell seemed to melt away.. It was just them against the world again....

"And just to clear the air, I ask forgiveness, For the things I've done, you blame me for," Lilly sang, somehow singing about when Mal had pushed her away all those years ago..

"But then I guess, We know there's blame to share," Mal sang in return.

"And none of it seems to matter anymore! Like a comet pulled from orbit (like a ship blown from its mooring), As it passes the sun (by a wind off the sea), Like a stream that meets a boulder (like a seed dropped by a bird), Halfway through the wood (in the wood)," the girls both sang their respective verses, turning away from each other, one of their hands still holding onto the other.

The girls turned back to each other, tears in their eyes as they sang... "Who can say if I've been changed for the better?" The girls sang, their voices cracking and breaking with the urge to jildnonto one another and cry.. "I do believe I have been changed for the better," with the way they looked at one another... you could tell... they were telling the truth through the lyrics.

"And because I knew you," Mal sang, her voice cracking again before she sniffled.

"Because I knew you," aponi sang in return, looking sadly at her best friend.

"Because I knew you," the girls both sang. "I have been changed," as hell made itself back into their concious minds, the girls felt heavier. "For good," when the song finished, the girls gave one another the tightest hug..

"Don't forget me, okay?" Mal asked, her eyes screwed shut, almost as if, if she opened them, Lilly would be gone.

"The day I forget you is the day I forget how to feel," Lilly muttered into Mal's neck.

"You are wonderful, and pure, Lillian Carlton. Never lose that," Mal muttered.

"And you are amazing, and lucky... and to me, your full name means to be utterly and wonderfully you.... and as long as I am in your head you are never allowed to forget how much I love you, Hotaru," Lilly sniffed as she used the name Mal's mom had given her.

Mal began to sob, holding on tighter to Lilly.

The angel floated up, placing a hand on Lilly's shoulder.

"It is time," The angel stated.

Lilly pulled back before quickly running to kiss alastor.

"Te amo, mi amor," Alastor spoke against her lips.

Lilly laughed. "You said it right.... you practiced," she muttered. "je t'aime aussi," she muttered in response before a bright light overtook the room.

When everyone opened their eyes......

Lilly and the other angel were gone.

Mal fell to her knees in tears, holding herself.

"Calm down.. shh shhhh Mal calm down," She muttered to herself as she rubbed her own arms, trying not to have a panic attack.

Angel dust turned to Alastor, putting a hand on the radio demon's shoulder.

Alastor shrugged him off sharply.

"Well then! Shall we all have some dinner?" Alastor asked. His voice extra glitchy as he attempted to act like he was okay.

"Do you just not care?!" Mal sobbed, anger and sadness on her face as she looked up at him.

"Oh, darling if I cared about every lowly demon who made a deal with me, I wouldn't be who I am today, now would i?" Alastor asked.

"You heartless asshole!" Mal shouted.

"Well then. I can see that this is a very hostile environment. I'll be in Aponi's room, cleaning out her things!" Alastor exclaimed, turning to the stairs.

He barely made it up one step before Mal spoke again.

"Her name was Lilly! And she loved you, you.... you demon!" She screamed.

Alastor continued his walk up to Lilly's room, closing the door.

........

Alastor stood in the room....

He just stood.... nothing else....

His smile fell and the tears he was holding back were let free.

He walked over to Lilly's closet, taking out one of her shirts...

It still smelled like her.....

He walked over to her nightstand, grabbing her phone, struggling to get to her gallery before landing on a photo of her kissing his cheek, a blush on his face.

"Please Lilly..... tell me what to do...." Alastor mumbled as he sat on her bed, setting her phone down and looking around the empty room.

..........

"Mal, you gotta get up," Angel stated as he crouched down next to mal.

"Please go away.... shes... she's gone..." Mal whispered.

And she was right....

[sonofarathorns]

i finished reading the fellowship of the ring for the first time!!!

• one lasting impression i have is that i love boromir so much. when it started snowing on the mountain, he was so concerned for the halflings, it was so sweet. there were many instances like that where both he and aragorn fiercely defended the hobbits, or carried them, and i may pass away if i think about it too much.

• b-bill… 🥺 i was genuinely so sad for sam to have to send his beloved pony away to certain danger. if i didn’t already know from tumblr tolkien lore that bill lives, i would be really sad right now.

• damn, the movies really did gimli dirty, didn’t they? (don’t get me wrong, i love the movies and i have little to no problems with them) but literally no one wanted to go to moria because they knew how dangerous it was going to be. in the movies, it was like gimli was trying to convince the company to go that way. just a difference i noticed!

• i just put the book down, just now, to come type this bullet point because i needed a breather. i am currently, right now, on the edge of my fucking seat!!! (im laying in bed but you know what i mean)

my heart is beating out of my chest! like, i know what’s gonna happen, but they’re sooo close 😫 imagine never having read the books, and the first movie comes out, and you don’t know that gandalf comes back. that would be so insane/devastating.

• lmfao because of that one post on tumblr “when watching fotr with your friends and the balrog shows up you can tell them, this is where legolas starts screaming in the book” but friends. he’s not screaming. he’s wailing it (honestly valid, i would react the exact same way but for a minute just picture movie legolas wailing upon the arrival of the balrog and tell me that’s not funny).

• i like that we get more detail and interaction with the elves in lorien. book galadriel comes across softer, friendlier, less scary (maybe that’s just because movie galadriel scared me with that one scene when i was younger).

• i kept waiting for boromir to die, and i was like, he’s (tolkien is) running out of time here! how can we get to that part AND adequately say goodbye to him?

when i had like 5 pages left i was like yeah there’s no way. i went to my husband all stressed about it and he told me it doesn’t happen until the second book! i was like ohhhhh, okay.

• i can’t wait to start the two towers! of the movies, it’s my favorite and i’m interested to see how that differs.

[gaysindistress]

As Good a Reason - six

pairing: ⚠️Dark!Mob!Bucky⚠️ x reader

summary: when Brock Rumlow picks a fight he can’t win with the White Wolf, he drags his Snake back. Six years after she ran away, Y/N Rumlow is faced with a choice to make; do as she’s told and kill the White Wolf or overtake her father instead because spite’s as good a reason to take his power?

warnings: ⚠️Dark!Mob!Bucky⚠️, cursing, Y/N getting slapped and being held at gunpoint, this part gets dark so please read with caution, mentions of creepy fathers (aka Brock all of time), feral Bucky, character death (two to be exact)

word count: 3k

A/n: Im moving states this weekend so the next parts are going to be delayed. I won’t be posting Monday or Wednesday but after that, it should go back to normal!

Tag list @kandis-mom @casa-boiardi @blackwood-bodecker-housewife @cakesandtom @unaxv @vonalyn @hidden-treasures21 @emerald-writes

five | series masterlist

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on Google/Pinterest. The women in the banners are not how Y/N is supposed to look. They are merely for aesthetic purposes and Y/N is written for anyone to see themselves in her.

“Hel…Hello?” Victoria stutters into the phone with her eyes trained on her father. He nods, urging her to stay on the phone and keep talking like they’re negotiating the release of a hostage. 

“Is that you, Victoria Marie?” the other voice asks with a sinister smile in their voice.

“Let me talk to Y/N.”

The voice hums, thinking about the imaginary options they have before settling on a monotone, “No.”

“Please…” she pauses, looking to Brock for the name, “James. I just want to make sure she’s okay.” “If anything, she’s the one who needs to see if YOU’RE okay.”

“Then let me talk to her.”

James sucks his teeth for a moment, “I’m assuming Daddy dearest is next to you.”

Brock shakes his head, telling Victoria to say no and she does. 

“Don’t lie to me, Vikki. I don’t like when people lie to me.”

Victoria corrects her mistake before Brock can stop her and he lets out a frustrated sigh. 

“Good girl,” he ends his portion of the call and assumingly passes the phone off to Y/N.

“Vic?”

“Y/N oh my god, are you okay?” she asks frantically. 

“I’m fine,” the strain is evident in Y/N’s voice but she keeps a collected composure, “how are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m in a little pain but I’m okay.”

“Good. That’s good to hear.”

“Y/N, come home. Please, it's not safe. Dad told me..”

The woman on the other side interrupts her sister, “Dad?”

Victoria freezes but keeps up with her ardent pleading with Y/N to come home, find a way around it all, and get to safety. Y/N listens but doesn’t acknowledge a thing her sister is saying for it’s all lies. The moment Victoria said dad instead of “our father” or “Brock”, she knew that something was up and anything that was about to come out of her mouth would be a direct copy of whatever Brock forced her to rehearse. 

James reaches over and presses the mute button before saying what they’re both thinking, “It’s a setup.”

“Clearly.”

He rolls his own eyes, “Get her to agree to a meeting.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you need a way into his house,” he states as if it’s the most obvious thing and unmutes their side before she can answer. 

“Y/N, seriously please come home,” Victoria’s voice cracks with emotion as she finishes her tearful statement. 

“James won’t let me without a meeting between him and Brock.”

“Okay! We can set that up.”

James feeds her the details;

Two days from now, 8pm sharp at the Rumlow house. 

Victoria agress on her father’s behalf and both sisters, acting as mouthpieces for the men controlling them, say their goodbyes before hanging up. 

James takes the phone from Y/N and gives her his permanent wolfish grin. 

“I’m proud of you.”

She deflates into her chair, sinking into it and trying to make herself appear smaller so as to not be seen by his watchful eye. However under the eye of this wolf, there is nothing that goes unnoticed by him, especially not his favorite little snake. 

“What’s wrong?” he tries to fake concern but it falls flat. 

“Nothing.”

“Try again.”

Y/N sits up and leans forward as she over enunciates the word, “Nothing.”

Mimicking her actions, he leans forward too and meets her on her level, “Try again, little snake.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not?”

With as much disgust as she can, she spits out, “Because I’m not your little snake. I’m no one’s snake.”

His grin turns sour and a sinister look takes over his face, one that he dons when the White Wolf controls his actions. He goes from charming to alarming in seconds but Y/N has come to learn that showing fear will only end badly for her so she matches it as best as she can. They stare at each other, waiting for the other back down but neither do. She can sense his hands itching to make a physical attack but they stay in his lap as long as she doesn’t move. It’s similar to how a wolf might stalk its prey; waiting for the kill shot but she is not a bunny to be eaten. 

She is the Snake after all; quiet and patient, waiting for the moment to strike. 

James relents and sits back into his seat with a look she can’t figure out. There is no anger but there is no joy. There is not a hint of anything that might give her a clue to what he’s feeling but his next sentence clues her into exactly what’s brewing beneath the surface.  

“That’s where you’re wrong. You are because you’re mine.”

“We’ll see,” she ends the conversation and gets up, leaving him to fume at the idea that’s resisting him even more than before. 

Mere days ago she would’ve jumped at the chance to be with him however the more he tries to control her, the less she wants to submit. The more he exercises what power he has over her, the more that she's going to fight to get away. 

But then again this isn’t the average man and her push back only makes him want her more. 

“I need you. Now.”

Steve raises his brows with a smirk and glances at Sam who matches his expression. Y/N rolls her eyes and disappears back into the dark hallway she came from. 

“Now.”

He follows after with a swagger in his step and it reaches his head when she slams him against the wall. He lets out a deep chuckle, craning his head up to avoid the blade that rests under his jaw. 

“Kinky.”

“Shut the fuck up. I’m not trying to sleep you, you filthy pig,” she sneers at him, pressing the blade further into the soft skin, “I need a favor.”

“A favor?” he parrots back as his eyes dart down to her lips. 

“Before the meeting, I’m going to sneak in and get my siblings out. I need you to get them to safety.”

“Why would I do that?” “Because I will slit your throat right now if you say no,” she says, pressing the knife hard enough to draw a thin line of blood.

Steve freezes and grimaces at the feeling before agreeing, “Okay, okay. I’ll do it. I’ll even get Sam to help.”

She flashes him a devilish smile and backs away, keeping the knife pointed at him. 

“That’s not the only thing you’re planning on doing is it?” he asks as he touches the wound she made, drawing his fingers away and making a face at the blood that’s dripping down his fingers. 

“You might want to get a bandaid,” she throws at him as she turns, leaving him alone in the hallways and disappears into the shadows of the prison they call home. 

Cyanide wasn’t her first choice. 

If she had her way, she would’ve picked something that took longer so she could watch Brock slowly lose control over his own body. It would’ve brought her great joy to watch him lose the control that he exercised over everyone else but she didn’t have that time. 

Cyanide acted fast, too fact for some but for the Snake, it would work just fine. 

The little glass bottle is tucked into the breast pocket of her vest, the safest place it could be until it found its rightful place in Brock’s body. Her feet make no sound as she drops from the window into his office. Just like she had hoped, it’s empty, save for her generational anger and spite. 

Beyond the doors, she can hear his voice and John’s arguing over something that seems insignificant in comparison to what she;s doing. Within seconds, she spots the glass bottle filled with his favorite amber liquid and she’s pulling off the cap before she lets out her first breath. Taking out the bottle and taking off the cap, she’s pouring the pale blue poison into the bottle as she lets out her second breath. On her third, she’s putting the bottle back and slipping back out the window. 

Inching her way across the ledge, she drops herself onto Victoria’s balcony where Steve is waiting for her. He goes to ask her what she was doing but he doesn’t get the chance. Y/N is picking the lock and pushing open the door in a matter of seconds. Something sits horribly wrong with him but he doesn’t have the time to question it. 

Laying in her bed is Victoria covered in bandages and with numerous machines around her. Y/N wrinkles her nose at the sight, willing her tears to absorb back into her body. Sam opens the bedroom doors to the sight of Steve pointing a gun at her; however , it's dropped when the threat of Brock proves to be false. Wordlessly the three work to undo whatever is holding Victoria to the bed and Steve scoops her up into his arms as Y/N slips back out of the french doors. 

In the next room, Sam meets her as she’s whispering, arguing with Niklaus. 

“What? Are you stupid?” Niklaus growls at her as she levels her signature bored look at him. 

“Go with him. Now. He’ll get you out of here before all hell breaks loose,” she tells him as she pushes him towards the door. He keeps trying to argue with her and she’s not having it. When he’s too preoccupied to worry about Sam taking him, she stabs a syringe into his neck and he goes limp in Sam’s arms. 

“Jesus, was that really necessary?” Sam groans as he lugs Niklaus’ limp body onto his shoulders. 

“Oh I’m sorry did you want Brock to hear him and catch us?”

He glares at her and keeps his mouth shut as he makes his way back towards the entrance. Y/N slips into her old room and finds clothes to change into. Re Emerging from the room dressed in loose fitting cargo pants, a white shirt, and a dark wash jean jacket, she spots John at the top of the staircase. She throws herself against the wall and hopes to whatever god is listening that he didn’t see her. 

Her prayers are ignored. 

“Y/N?” he asks as he peers at where he saw her and makes his way in that direction. She tries to slip back into her room but the clicking of the lock tips him off to her location and he grabs her by the wrist, yanking towards him. He traps her hands in one of his and with the other points his gun at her. Narrowing his blue eyes at her, hurt and betrayal flashes before he can turn him into a wall of stone. 

“What are you doing here?” “There’s a meeting about to take place.” “What are you doing here?” he asks again. 

She repeats her first answer much to his dismay but he lets it go to further question her, “How could you take his side?”

That hurt and betrayal from earlier sneaks into his voice and it takes all her strength to not roll her eyes at him. The cold gun against her temple isn’t a bad reminder either to not piss him off. 

“I didn’t exactly have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” his voice wobbles as he grows more emotional and his grip grows tighter, “We could’ve gotten Victoria and Klaus back without you making that stupid deal. You didn’t have to do this!”

The more frantic he becomes, the harder the barrel digs into her skin and she winces at the feeling. Her reaction shakes him back to reality and he lowers the gun. 

“I… I’m sorry,” he tells her as tucks his gun away and uses his free hand to caress her face, “I was so worried about you. All the things I heard about him, I just.. I was so scared for you. Did he…hurt you? Touch you?” She suppresses the urge to cringe at the feeling and puts on a sincere face, “No, he didn’t do anything.”

John smiles a little, “Good. I’d have to kill him if he did.”

Y/N looks down in disgust but he mistakes it as something else and leads her by her chin to look back up at him. Her worst nightmare comes true as he leans down to kiss her. His rough lips try to get her to kiss him back and she opens her mouth as he tries to deepen the kiss. 

A fatal mistake for him. 

Biting down as hard as she can, her teeth tear into his bottom lip and blood rushes forward. He jerks away in pain and touches his bleeding lip as he can’t believe that she would do that. He’s met with the sight of her smiling with his blood dripping from her lips and it strokes a fire long dead inside him. He back hands her so hard that her cheek splits and she falls to the ground. The ring his father gave him just before he died glistens with her blood but he doesn’t care. 

“You bitch,” he growls at her and goes to yank her up but another pair of hands pull her up and away from him. 

The voice she dreaded the most pretended to soothe and comfort her, “It’s, okay, baby girl. Dad’s here.”

Her mother never cried a lot. She took the punches and violent threats that Brock threw at her but she never fought back. Y/N used to hate her mother for it, wishing that she would’ve done something to help her children but she never did. Jasmine always nursed her wounds in secret and put on a brave face for her daughter and her siblings. In hindsight, Y/N knew that she had no choice but to endure for the safety of her children. Fighting back meant that his wrath would be directed at them and a punch hurt a child more than a grown woman. One night after a practically bad lashing, Jasmine held Y/N and wept for hours on end. 

As she wept, she told her daughter that “someone who loves you wouldn’t do this.”

Now Y/N knew that to be turned and it took everything in her to now scream, cry, fight with all of her might to get out of her father’s arms. 

Holding her in a bruising grip, Brock pretends to comfort her and whispers threats veiled as reassurance into her hair as he walks to the office. John is grumbling behind them as he holds a handkerchief to his bleeding lip but no such thing was offered to her as her cheek bleeds as well. It stains the dark fabric of Brock’s shirt but whether he notices or cares, she can’t be sure. 

James and Steve are waiting for them in the office, sitting as they exchange words in another language. Steve stops mid sentence when he sees the trio walking in and James follows his line of sight with fire in his pale blue eyes. He licks his lips as he reigns in his emotions and settles into his chair against the wishes of his heart. Or what’s left of it. 

Brock makes a show of seating Y/N in his chair and tends to her wounds, a cut on her cheek from John’s ring. Steve looks to his boss for his reaction and to his surprise, there is only a murderous look upon his face. 

James knows better than to make a comment about it and instead moves to the top of the meeting, “How do you propose we solve our ‘little’ tiff?”

Brock lets out a deep sigh as he places a bandaid on her cheek, pushing too hard as he does so, “Give me my daughter back.”

“No. I like her, I want to keep her.”

“She isn’t a toy, Mr.Barnes. She’s a human.”

“I never said she wasn’t,” James says cooly, “But that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to give her up and especially not to a man like you.”

Brock’s jaw tightens as he turns to face James, “What do you want for her?”

A wolfish smirk, feral and dangerous, spreads on his plump lips, “Your head.”

“My what?”

“You heard me.”

Brock scoffs at his request, “That’s ridiculous.”

“So is the way that you hunted her for six years but never found her until I gave you a shred of information,” James mocks him as he stands.

Y/N’s eyes narrow at the revelation. He had led Brock to her? “I knew where she was the whole time.” her father counters. 

James shrugs his shoulders but the pure predator look doesn’t leave his unnatural eyes, “You know what else is ridiculous? The fact that I can see the disgusting thoughts that you think when you see her in your eyes.”

Brock doesn’t answer and shakes his head to wordlessly combat the accusation. 

“We can all see it. For a man who claims to be her father, you sure would end up in hell for the thoughts that pass through your mind.”

Y/N can’t tell if he is telling the truth or just riling up her father but either way she sees her chance to slip away. Steve is faster than John and has him on his knees within seconds as she rushes to stand behind James. Instead of tucking her behind him like she had hoped, he pins her back to his chest and presses a knife she hadn’t seen to her neck. His hot breath on her neck sends shivers down her spine but her body goes completely still when the knife makes a small cut in her soft skin. Breathing hard to keep the fear below the surface, Y/N squeezes her eyes shut and wills herself to keep breathing. James licks up the blood that trails down her neck and she can almost feel the sinister intentions that he has. 

“She’s sweet, sweeter than anything I’ve ever tasted,” he looks Brock directly in the eye as he chuckles and wipes her blood from her lips, “I can see why you wanted her.”

“You’re sick.”

He shrugs, “maybe but there’s no one worse than you, Brock. You didn’t even try to deny it.”

Y/N trembles in his arms and he quietly shushes her before diving back into his onslaught on Brock, “Do you know things I’ve heard about you? I would tell everyone all of the awful things you’ve done but I think you should. There’s nothing better than the monster admitting to their own wrong doings. So go on, tell everyone all of the terrible and disgusting things you’ve done.”

“I don’t… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brock tries to protect himself but it’s no use against the White Wolf. 

“No?” James parrots, “Did you forget? Did it slip your mind that you’ve kidnapped and beaten your children's mothers? Or did you forget that you killed all three of their mothers because they weren’t compliant anymore? Or was it that you’ve abused your children in too many ways to count? 

“I didn’t do any of that.”

“You can’t lie your way out of this.”

“It’s not lying if it’s not true.”

“Tony Stark would say differently.”

Brock visibly freezes at the mention of that name. 

“He told me everything: everything you did to LeeAnn, Elena, and Jasmine. Oh Jasmine, you were the devil to that poor woman,” James cranes his neck to look at Y/N, “Why don’t you tell your DAUGHTER what you did to Jasmine?”

Brock locks his jaw and stares ahead without a word. 

Y/N deflates in his arms but he grips her tighter so she doesn’t fall. 

“Do you want me to do it? I won’t be nice if I do it.” “I didn’t do anything to that bitch that she didn’t deserve.”

James tuts at him, “now is that any way to talk about your dead wife? Oh wait, she wasn’t your wife, she was Tony’s wife. You got jealous and took her because why would anyone not want you? I can’t imagine how angry you must have been when you found out she was pregnant with his child, a sweet baby girl. That’s why you killed him, isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about?” Y/N whispers to herself more than anything. 

James leans closer to her ear, “Brock killed your parents.”

A single tear falls down her face and she allows herself to find comfort in the man behind her. She turns to hide her face in his chest and she can feel it swell with triumph at her actions. 

Brock tries to defend himself but James will not have it, “No. There is nothing on God's green earth that could excuse that transgression. I hope for your sake that Y/N gets to you before I do because I demand a pound of flesh for what you did to her.”

Brock clenched his jaw and the muscles flex as he mulls over the threat in James’ words. 

Satisfied with the fear he’s planted in Brock, James turns his attention to Y/N and inspects the damage to her face. “Who did this to you?” he mummers into her ear as he presses gentle kisses to the broken flesh. 

She tells him what he wants and feels him make a gesture to Steve. John tries to plead with him to save his life but Steve’s cold heart does not care for his words and a shot rings out. She flinches, earning her a tighter hug from James and more promises to keep reconciling the wrongs that have been done to her. 

“What do you want from me?” Brock’s words are muffled to her ears but James’ voice is crystal clear. 

“Ideally you’d kill yourself but I don’t see that happening so I’ll settle for letting you disappear. Get out of New York and find a hole to crawl into for the rest of your life. If I hear so much as one whisper about you, I will hunt you down, drag your pathetic ass out of hiding, and butcher you like the pig that you are.”

“I’ll do it but I want my daughter back.”

“No,” the harsh word rumbles in James’ chest. 

“I want my daughter back,” He tries again. 

“You have two hours to get out.”

With that James, Steve, and Y/N walk out of the office, leaving Brock to lick his wounds and plan a way to get out before the White Wolf returns. 

However it doesn’t take two hours for Brock's life to come to an end. 

Fuming that he’s lost, he pours a drink of his favored amber drink. A bitter almond taste fills his mouth and he spits it out as the horror sets in. His body starts to betray him and he begins to lose control of it. Twitching and seizing, Brock cries out in his mind as the poison takes over. He falls from his chair, landing with a thud on the ground as foam leaks out of his mouth. 

The Snake struck without him noticing and now he has paid the price.

[unidentified-ending]

"Out of the Shadows"

Part 4

Guys, this might be the last one, if not then part 5 definitely wil be so, stick around for the next one :D

Tw: violence, injuries and (harsh?) transphobia. Not for the easily upset

Aizawa and Class 1a x ftm!bullied!reader

Before we start, I just wanted to say thank you all for the likes and follows, it may not seem like much but I really appreciate it. Thank you for supporting my work

And with that being said, let's do this

"I think you'll want to see this" It was strange for Katsuki to be quiet so something serious must of happened Aizawa thought so he walked outside and closed the door behind him.

He widened his eyes in shock.

"What...What happened?" He said, looking at your limping form on Izuku's shoulder.

"We're not sure. According to the nerd (Deku) one of Minato's friends, Kyou, called for him and me to go to the locker rooms and we found Y/n lying on the floor, nearly unconscious" Bakugo explained.

"It wasn't even that bad, it was just a little miscommunication that led into a fight. Im literally fine.-" You said but Bakugo shouted

"Well what the hell was all your lunch, stationary and other stuff doing all over the ground huh!!"

"Alright Bakugo and Midoriya, thank you. I would like to talk to him alone. Midoriya could you please hand out the worksheets to everyone? Do what you want just dont cause much trouble. Y/n can you walk?" Aizawa concluded.

"Yes, but I think my foot is injured" You said while Bakugo and Midoriya walked back into class, all your classmates asking them questions before they walked filly into the class.

"Alright, let's go to recovery girls office, she'll heal you." He said as he walked by your slightly limping figure.

Once you guys got to recovery girls office you sat down at one of the beds.

"Alright, please tell me what's going on. I need no lies at this moment forward" He said seriously, looking at your nervous eyes, waiting for some answers.

You sighed shakily but finally gave him the truth

"Well, these kids have been bullying me, since the day I saw them. They've been picking on me and hurting me. I know I've been keeping this a secret. I'm sorry" You say, tears starting to well in your eyes.

"It's ok, let it out I'm here" he said as he stands up to hug you, you grip onto his hero costume like its the last thing on earth and sob in his shirt until you calm down, sniffling and red-eyed.

"It's alright, I've got you. Recovery Girl will heal your foot, get some rest kid. You need it" He said after you calmed down,

"Y/n, we will get these kids expelled. For you. For all the victims"

You nodded and climed into one of the beds, you couldn't resist the cozy comfort of the bed and quickly fell asleep, in a matter of minutes.

You woke up and it was evening, you could see it through the big class windows which were shining through a yellowish orange glow inside.

"Good evening dear, your teacher left a note for you. Its just by your side" recovery Girl said as she noticed your were awake.

Your foot had been healed though you felt very tired, she handed you the note that read

"Hey kid, come to the dorms as soon as you can. Your classmates have something for you"

You sighed and got ready to leave, your bag and your belongings beside the bed you were in. You said your goodbyes to recovery girl and left the room, wondering hat your friends and classmates had done for you.

You were so drifted out of your thoughts that you never noticed Kyou who accidentally pushed passed you. "Sorry dud......" when you saw who it was you froze.

"I'm not gonna do anything to you, I need to go" he said rushing away in a hurry, you had so many questions for him that were unexplained but he just ran off so you saved it for the next time you saw him.

You were so lost in your thoughts, again that you didn't realise you ran into someone else, two people. When you tried to apologise, the only word your mind could conjure up was

"shit"

Minato and Haruki.

As soon as they saw it was you, Minato slammed you right into the wall. You really couldn't catch a break..

"What the fuck did I tell you, you fucking freak" Minato said as he opened the door to an empty classroom and threw you in there.

"You stand guard and get Riku to come with weapons. Im finishing this now" He said, eyes glinting with rage and malice, his true intent was to get rid of you.

Forever.

"Please man, I haven't done anything to you."

"Your existence alone is enough reason to make your life miserable." Minato said and Haruki added on from the side

"Pathetic. Trying to fit in won't change what you really are. A girl, A female. A woman"

Your heart shattered into a million broken pieces as the reality of what they said sank in. It was true, that's all you were. After years and years of trying to fit on and be a real man, just shattered over a few words.

He threw you at a table and desk and you slammed right into it, your body aching with pain. He lifted you up and slammed you back down on the ground, the nerves in your back shooting all the way to your brain.

He then towered over you.

You felt the cracking of bones and the gush of blood as the punches rained down upon you, your face becoming a grotesque battlefield of pain and blood.

The ringing in your ears just wouldn't stop.

Just then Riku, Asahi and Kyou walked in.

Riku's eyes glinted with mischief as he reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a collection of bats, one for each person. With a sly grin at you, he started handing them out, creating an unwatchable atmosphere in the room.

"I want him gone"

Ahhhh, cliff hanger. This is the 4th part.

I kind of got lazy with this one considering it's 3:18 in the morning so forgive me if any silly mistakes were made.

The final part is coming tomorrow, or today so stick around for that

And remember:

Always drink water and eat something, You deserve it :DD

[rodolfoparras]

from the rdr2 ask

r is reader akssjsjs 😭 and rdr2 is like 1899 wild west cowboys set in usa (for context)

I'm thinking r gets up on his horse (who's actually a horse of one of the men he killed), he looks back once again, the white of his eyes standing out in the blood covering his face, and catches gaz's eyes. it's a silent goodbye, but not one on a good note. r gallops away from where the 141 has set camp, not knowing where to go next or even where he's going to get a meal or sleep tonight. honestly he fall asleep right now from how exhausted he is from the fight and the lack of sleep the last few days, but he keeps riding till he's certain no one has followed him, then finds a nice tree to pass out under.

meanwhile, back at the camp, gaz is at a loss of words. people he considered family, people that Are his family lied to him about you. worse than that, they left you out to die, after gaz had been the one to save you. when they first met you, you were apprehensive of tagging along w them, not wanting to be a burden, and gaz reassured you it's okay. and all he can think of now is how you must think that gaz's promises meant nothing. and he knows you'd be right to think so when the people he trusted the most have betrayed him like this. he asks them one simple thing, "why?" he didn't shout or look angry, but everyone knew better than to think he wasn't. he was fuming.

"kyle, you can't expect us to just up and trust some stranger. you know we have plans in motion, plans that we can't risk anyone else getting the wind of..." price spoke up.

"so you left him to die? if that is what we are now, I want no part of it," gaz said, and he could almost see soap's eyes bulge out at the insinuation of leaving. they might be wary of outsiders, but they still love gaz dearly. and gaz loves them too, and deep down he knows he could never really leave them.

"i wasn't going to wait for him to slit our throats in our sleep, yeah?" soap said in frustration and a second later price and ghost had to break gaz's grip on his throat, pushing them apart.

"why do you even care so much, eh? in love w the lad or what?" soap coughs out, and the look on gaz's face says everything. first the knowledge of gaz possibly caring about this stranger sinks in, then comes the dread of what they did to the man gaz cared about, their heads now hanging low. ghost tries to say smth, but it's too late and gaz is storming off, trying to find some place to be alone.

he settles down near the stream, he tells himself he has to accept the fact that he might never see you again. that is if you're alive. he's so worried about you, wondering how you manage the injuries all on your own, just one horse to keep you company, the blood soaked clothes on your back, and not much else. by god, he's so worried about you he could cry. and he knows even if he sees you again, you'll want nothing to do w him. he can't go after you. he can't bear to see the faces of his family, the people he asked you to trust, after they've all but stabbed you in the back. so he sits alone, and thinks and think and thinks.

he thinks about how you must've felt, when left alone in the middle of an already unfair gunfight. he can't imagine what that feeling of being completely alone in the middle of certain death must've felt like. but then he thinks about how you made it out anyways. always fighting death. he thinks of how he's seen you survive against all odds, cheating death twice in the time he's known you. he hopes that you live through the aftermath of the fight too. and he hopes to find you again some time. he hopes he can get the chance to apologize and maybe, just maybe you'll believe him. he wants to hold you, he wants to tell you all the things he wasn't brave enough to in the 10 weeks you travelled w them. he hopes he hasn't missed his chance.

-❕️

SUGAR THIS WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL READ IM BEING SO SERIOUS THIS IS SO WELL WRITTEN I LOVED THIS you can genuinely feel how sad gaz is for reader and how torn he feels being in the position that he is in it’s also very clear he absolutely loves reader please 🧎🏻‍♂️ BUT WHY ANOTHER CLIFF HANGER IM GOING TO SCREAM

[project-sekai-facts]

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW LEAKS im crying and throwing up do you think wxs is going to disband what is happening :((((

I’m writing this the day leaks came out but scheduling it to post the day the preview drops. Sorry about the delay in answering.

(Also I won’t talk about any cards outside Emu’s untrained because they don't drop until tomorrow)

First: the title. Our Happy Ending.

I get why this is starting a panic in the fandom especially since the disbanding thing has been teased for a while and we know endings for every unit have been written in advance,

BUT

Emu’s grandad. We know parts of this event will be flashbacks to Emu’s childhood and times with her grandad. And he’s dead. I think the happy ending refers to his passing. Like I would not be surprised if the flashbacks are to him dying and the promise Emu made with him to smile which is shown in Smile of Dreamer. They did it with Nagi which means it’s on the table.

Second. Rui’s idea.

Rui had never had close friends until WxS came along. As curtain call and events since then indicate, he doesn’t want to leave them. I’ve done a few posts on this before and the truth is that he can’t stay with them forever, all of them want different things, and change is natural. I know Pandemonium just gave him some new friends at school but it would feel a bit... Wrong, I guess if they just suddenly snatched WxS away from him following chapter 8 of that event. Also they’re still in school why would the disband when they’re still together unless the writers pull a scholarship for Tsukasa out their asses but it’s been established that he’s behind other actors his age, so if anyone’s getting a scholarship it’s Sakurako. Rui getting one is pretty much off the table as well since he already turned down the offer from Asahi, so after realising that he wants to stay with wxs for as long as possible I think he'd turn down any other offers.

Third. The summary.

Is WxS disbanding.

No.

As I just said, they’re still in school together so there’s literally no reason to have them split unless one of them is forcibly dragged away. One of them needs to be on the anniversary banner and as I posted a few days ago it’s quite likely that the banner will be for Nene. Also they need a vsinger on the vsinger event they’re not getting written out of the story just yet. And Emu needs another birthday card and a mixed event which won’t be until at least October unless she gets back to back events for some reason. Nene will need a mixed event if she doesn't get the anniversary one. Oh and Rui and Tsukasa need their 4th unit events.

Here’s my personal theory for this event and spoilers for a ten year old anime I’m gonna talk about Love Live again (pretty sure I said this already before but oh well). So towards the end of the second season of that anime, the third years get close to graduating and muse have to decide if they want to continue without the third years or end the group there. They ultimately decide to disband once the third years leave because it wouldn’t be the same without them and then they cry about it and basically I think that’s probably what’s gonna happen. They know they can’t stay together but they’ve got a year left and they’re gonna enjoy it. As I said already I think all this stuff about endings and saying goodbye probably refers to Emu grieving her grandfather.

Also Asahi said he’d be back to offer Rui a job again once he’s done with high school isn’t that confirmation enough that we’ve got three years to go?

Also if it was the final wxs event you’d think they’d. Y’know. Mention it. In advance.

[dearabby1990]

Is this the end? Part 2

Outside you both indulge in a cigarette after meeting the twins and nica. You’re just happy to be with him and that he seems less tense then when you first got there. He tugs you to the side for a moment a few moments of peace away from peaking eyes on the side of the building. Gently ushering you against the cold stone wall hand cradling the back of your head as his hazel eyes sparkle “don’t think I forgot love I’ve kept track of the days happy 5th anniversary my sweet girl” you smile looking at him through your lashes as he ghosts his lips across yours “happy anniversary I love you so much” “I love you too” pulling you into a desperate kiss filled with everything you’ve both been feeling since you’ve parted putting into it everything you want to say and more. Your hands running through his now very long hair before giving it a gentle tug earning a low groan from him causing you to smile against his lips before he pulls back holding your face rubbing circles against your cheeks taking you in like he can’t believe you’re even real. “I say we go home I run you a bath and we can give you a nice shave and haircut how’s that sound mr barclay?” “Sounds like heaven im ready whenever you are” you take his hand “come on let’s go say goodbye to everyone” you both head back to the front Kyle giving you a knowing smirk laughing as she shakes her head “damn love birds” “hey Kyle me & Jamie are heading out let me know you got home safely okay?” She waves you both off “yeah yeah little brother you too give me a text or call”. You help him inside the car closing his door for him hopping in the drivers seat and starting up the car “there’s a little something in the glove box wasn’t sure if you’d want it or not so brought it with me just in case” he opens it and a preroll falls into his lap “oh fuck yeah thank you” “you’re welcome love here take my lighter” you toss him your zippo and he lights it taking a much needed deep pull and then another and then another “oh I’m sorry here princess” passing it to you & you giggle “you didn’t have to share Andy but thank you” he looks confused “what? We always share” you sigh “I know that but you’ve been through hell I figured you deserve one for yourself” you shrug “nah there’s no way you didn’t suffer too we share” he nudged you and you take it taking a few drags “you hungry honey?” He nods like an eager child “starved” you laugh “okay anything you want just let me know and we’ll stop” he’s in deep thought before turning around to you “what about our favorite take away spot?” You look over “the Chinese place?” “Yeah we usually always get that on our anniversary and watch movies together I wanna do that tonight” you nod smiling at him “you got it handsome here take my phone & call it in we’ll grab it on the way home that way we don’t have to wait”. He takes your cell dialing and orders all of yours and his favorites along with sushi your heart just feels full having his presence next to you it doesn’t matter what you do as long as he’s there you’re happy. The ride home was filled with soft music and reminders of how much you love and missed each other taking turns putting hands upon thighs and taking each others hands. You went in to grab the food and head to the apartment him helping carry up the bags “everything is piping hot what do you want to do first love bath or food?” His shoulders relax fully “bath please I feel like captain caveman” you chuckle “if it’s any consolation I think you look sexy either way” you peck his cheek before heading into the bathroom running nice hot water getting him everything he needs. He enters the bathroom you help him strip down and ease into the water careful of his injury. He sinks back letting out a deep long sigh of contentment you smile picking up a cup to run some water over his head and wiping his face with a warm rag before shampooing his hair making sure to be extra loving and gentle scratching his scalp hearing him hum in enjoyment before you rinse him and condition out all the tangles & wash him up. Grabbing a towel for him and his robe you pull out

a stool and tap on the seat to let him know to get comfortable. You plug in the clippers and grab your shears taking his long hair into a ponytail before chopping it before the elastic band as it hits the floor you release his hair freeing it as you trim the back sides and top before using the clippers for some of his hair and his face “okay love do you want it all off your face or just trimmed down?” “Trimmed please I look like a kid with no facial hair” you giggle “I don’t mind either way I just want to make sure your comfortable” he takes your hand “you’re something else ya know that?” Smiling “I’ll take that as a compliment now stay still please” you take his chin trimming down everything for him and then dust him off once your finished & run your fingers through his hair getting him to turn around and see himself in the mirror he gets up straightening his pajamas and turns to pull you into a hug taking in the scent of your perfume he’s missed so much “thank you sweetheart” pressing a kiss to the crown of your head “no need to thank me hun now come on let’s go eat before it gets cold” you tug him along out to the living room that you have dimly lit with tea light candles & the favorite cinnamon brown sugar candles you both would get all the time with a stack of films on the coffee table “you pick the movie im gonna grab the food and drinks” you head into the kitchen going into the fridge pulling out a six pack and some plates and utensils before grabbing the food ushering everything to the coffee table andy stands up to help you setting up the dishes and looking at what kind of beer you pulled out he starts to laugh “what’s so funny barclay?” Shaking his head “nothing… just.. when did you start drinking these I know you love your wine and hate this” you blush “well.. when you were gone and I’d have a bad day and miss you more than ever I’d pull out one of those.. I don’t know it’s stupid but.. they reminded me of you & I just became accustomed to swapping things up a bit on those extra hard days” you shrug his eyes glistening as he gives a small half smile while you pull out the food making both of your plates “so what did we settle on for tonight?” “Back to the future?” “Sounds good I’ll set it up you get us each out a drink” you put in the movie going back to your spot on the sofa. The both of you enjoy each other’s company & some hot food he’s really appreciative of right now as he scarves down what’s in front of him in between sips of his beer. You both finish up and nuzzle back into the furniture you patted your lap gesturing for him to lay his head down smiling as he gets comfortable legs stretched across the cushions nestling his head onto your thighs. Your fingers automatically in his hair massaging his scalp your other hand on his back tracing small shapes mostly hearts and you spelling I love you but you won’t tell him not right now as he’s so comfortable relaxed into you soon hearing him snore as you chuckle and continue watching the movie rubbing your hands through his hair. You get an idea an opportunity to tell him all you feel with no embarrassment because he’s sound asleep. “You know… I’ve loved before in my life I won’t lie but I’ve never in my life loved anyone the way I love you. Being without you is like forgetting to breathe like life’s just not as important anymore… never has someone felt like home by just being in their presence I love you more then I’ve ever loved any person ever and I don’t want to know what life is like without you. Andy I love you more then life itself & if that fuckin prick ever finds a way back to you I’ll give my last breath to protect you… no more leaving me out of the loop we fight together all three of us I’m not scared of him or his bat shit crazy wife because what she doesn’t realize is she’s fucking with the wrong people if they want to play fuck around and find out then so be it… but like it or not I love you with every fiber of my being and you’re not in this alone” you take a deep breath and sigh and then you notice he’s exceptionally quiet.

Just the sounds of steady breathing & start to panic face feeling as if it’s on fire “I love you too sweetheart I promise I’ll always keep you included in whatever happens if it ever happens… I just hope it’s really over so we can live our lives would kind of be impossible to plan a wedding while head hunting possessed children’s toys” you just caught on to what he’s just said eyes wide “wha what who’s getting married?” He sits up looking at you putting his hand on your face rubbing his thumb along your cheek before getting up leaving the room to the kitchen you tilt your head to see what he’s doing as he stands on a small step ladder opening the vent above the refrigerator pulling something out of this dusting it off walking back over you stand up and he kneels down & spot a small black box “I had this for when I came back that night but things didn’t go as planned but…. I don’t want to wait anymore I know what I want and I hope I’m what you want… you make my life mean something you give me purpose one worth waking up to.. so would you do the honor of being my wife and marrying me?” Your feel like you can’t breathe hand clutching your heart as you start to cry you fall into him putting your head in the crook of his neck “of course I’ll marry you” coming out cracked as you start to fully let go crying he takes your hand pushing the ring upon your finger smiling standing up as he lifts you off the floor twirling you all over the apartment. Laughing and pressing kisses all over his face you lean down to whisper in his ear “take me to bed love” in a seductive sultry tone you feel him shiver as he nips at the shell of your ear before whisking you off to your shared bedroom your legs wrapped around his waist as he makes his way into the room kicking the door shut behind you before pressing your back against the door cradling your head as he ghosts his lips down your neck and across your collarbone before cradling your face with his free hand looking into your eyes as you watch his shine in a way you’ve never seen before like every brick in the walls he had built around himself came crumbling down right in that moment both of you glossy eyed admiring the other an unspoken bond not needing to say a thing as you’re both reading each other both breathing heavily chests falling and rising. You feverishly close the gap cupping his face with both of your hands. Melting into each other he takes you over to the bed sitting down while your legs still straddle his torso kissing the shell of your ear “turn around for me pretty girl” he whispers causing your whole body to shiver you obliged standing up to turn around but before you turn he stops you….

To be continued…..

[violentlyexplosive]

not to be Vulnerable On Main, but I'm going through it and need to vent my thoughts into the internet aether where i can pretend the people reading it aren't real. um. trigger warning for sad animal stuff and some mentions of blood, sh, and sa.

pet loss is so weird. like. i keep waking up at 5 am, half asleep, like "ah yes, i have to get up and let the dog out now" but then there is no dog. i had never had her as my phone background until she died. i keep looking to the couch every time i walk into the living room and there is no dog there. i look behind myself when i move around the kitchen so i don't step on her but there is no dog behind my feet. i go on a walk every day at 8 pm because i cannot fathom a routine without her. every time i pass the neighbourhood kids i hold my breath, cus is this going to be the time they ask? am i going to have to explain to a gaggle of six year olds that the dog had to go away? where she went? am i going to have to be the one to say it because my father is older and softer now and will cry? do i get to cry?

I've never been close to my extended family, and it's always baffled me when others would talk about grieving their grandparents. somehow a part of me views it as, idk, a lesser grief? not in the sense that i don't believe you should grieve your family members, no matter how many degrees of separation between your bloodlines, but because it is simply not something i have or will ever experience as a product of my upbringing and culture. i already struggle with empathy on a good day, having been medicated since pre-puberty, and i just can't... understand this form of grief. i do not think less of it, i just can't find the shape of it.

and i feel sort of similar in this? like. this stupid fucking dog was in my life from 13 years old to nearly 21. she saw me through ugly, awkward haircuts and acne and my first bad period and watched me harm myself and come home traumatised with invisible hands tattooed onto my skin forever. we got her to help me with my debilitating social anxiety/agoraphobia and depression. she got me out of the house and forced me to talk to people to explain "oh I'm sorry, she barks at men, we think she was abused as a puppy" and laid in bed with me when i was too sick or pained to get out of it. and in return, i held her during thunderstorms and fireworks, wiped her mouth and ass when she threw up or pissed the bed. i slept on the couch with her when she couldn't make it up the stairs after surgery, then again years later when she got too old and sick. i hand fed her when she didn't have the energy, i spit water into her mouth when she couldn't get up to drink it herself, i kissed her little, golden head every time she gagged on the pills i had to force down her throat because no amount of ham or cheese or peanut butter could make her swallow them. she was clever like that, in the dumbest ways possible.

and it's so fucking weird without her. i never realised how much my routine revolved around her until she wasn't there to cry at me to feed her anymore. and i feel stupid for feeling so broken up over a dog of all things. like i said, a lesser grief. animals come and go, i know this. have known it since i lived in the countryside and saw my first dead deer, since i had to kill an injured bird for the first time. i knew she was going to go, and i knew it was going to happen soon. i knew the moment the vet called to say she had blood in her tummy because i hung up and screamed. i screamed. over a dog? over the one thing in life i knew how to love right.

i dont know. I'm ovulating, and it's been officially seven days since she said goodbye, tail wagging to the very fucking end. it's too quiet at home, and my mother (mentally unstable narcissist that she is) is already talking about wanting to get another dog. we have a 12kg bag of food and two pallets of canned stuff that came a couple days after she went, that im going to donate. i carried the 40kg ball of fluff and blood to the vet, 12 is nothing after that. i take solace in the fact that i believe in god not in the abrahamic way, but that god is the universe and everything within, and that energy cannot be created or destroyed, meaning she's still out there somewhere. maybe if i listen really hard I'll hear her again.

[xchoxix]

Shuri Angst HCS

It’s been long enough, and I haven’t feed y’all with anything😭 so here are just some silly HCs I thought of, I honestly enjoy angst very gery much. Even though im not really supposed to. I just feel like there isn’t that many stories or HCs that talk about what she’d do when T’Challa passed. And I honestly lowkey like reading angst, there’s just something about it😮‍💨 but yea Lmk if y’all want a part 2!

Mentions‼️: SH, attempts of suicide, depression, eating disorder, ADHD (not sure if I missed anything else)

Tags gng: @neptoons1998 @s0lam3y @mal-urameshi

(Most of these are connected which would most likely be under it or would be somewhere!)

-After T’Challas death she took sleeping pills because without she’d end up laying thinking about him. She also tried to take them when her mother died. But they don’t work due to the herb.

-would draw T’Challa all the time, and even thought about tattooing a sketch she did of him on herself

-T’Challa always smelled good, so when shuri found a shirt that she had stolen from T’Challa, she began to cry uncontrollably because it didn’t smell like him anymore

-shuri began to isolate herself so everything could hurt a lot less. Especially after her mothers death.

-After Ramonda told she T’Challa passed Shuri ran to the table and shouted out at him. Telling him to wake up, but was held back by 5 Dora’s including Ayo and Okoye because she was “disturbing” his peace.

-When Shuri began to think less of brother she slowly forgot what he looked like.

-Never got to say a finale goodbye to T’Challa

-Locked only herself in her lab for an entire month with no food or water as a form of punishment

-Every day for the month Okoye, Ayo, Aneka, M’baku, and the Dora army would try to open her lab

- Once they were able to open it they found her on the ground on the verge of death. She was very skinny and lacked a lot of sleep and energy.

-Everytime someone would try to get her to talk about her feelings she’d blast her music till they sounded on mute

-One of the main reasons why she made earrings, was to be able to ignore people with her music

- Her last words to T’Challa was “Shut up! Can you stop apologizing and saying that I can’t do anything anymore? You’re not going to die, I won’t let you!”

-Everytime Aneka found her having a breakdown she’d called the lab and told griot to lock it for the day so she’d grief properly

-but she would always find a way to go to her lab

-Hallucinated about T’Challa during the day in her lab, and would do the talking for him. She’d often do their handshake that they’d do

-Her lab members would look at eachother knowing that itd be best if they left. Because it would normally end off with Shuri realizing he wasn’t there and she’d get mad

- Always always had eye bags even before his death but it wouldn’t be as noticeable till he did pass away. From afar you could be able to see them, and would think that they weighed a ton.

-Because Shuri would always pull pranks on T’Challa, he’d return them but they’d be a little too much. So when she was shouting out to him on the table, she shouted out “Get up, I don’t like this prank. Please”

- Would make the things T’Challa would ask her even if they were dumb like a some figurines T’Challa liked from movies.

- Sometimes while working if she’s in a bad mood she would often break her pencils or supplies due to the grip/strength she would hold them at

- She left Nakia short, but harsh and cold voicemails the first 2 times she tried reaching out to her. And would ignore the other voicemails

- Sometimes for the fun of it she’d answer the calls and would quickly end it

- Changed her wardrobe because T’Challa really liked Shuri’s style (it was a mix of American style and his style) but at the end she just dressed up likeT’Challa.

- Completely destroyed the outfit that we saw at the beginning of BPWF because it reminded her that it was her fault for his death

- Always late at events because she’d spend so much time in her lab she’d forget what day it was

- She would yell at everyone if they bothered her or reminded her to eat while she was working

- Had mood swings

- She would often fidget with her pen or anything she had near her.

- Would randomly get the most horrifying sickening nightmares or visions/flashbacks about T’Challa. And would act like nothing ever happened

- every time she’d try to sleep she always get nightmares

- Some nightmare,vision/ flashbacks she’d be most afraid was 1. Her being T’Challa’s lifeless body on the table with her screaming to to wake up. 2nd, Falling in pitch black and she’d be surrounded by everyone blaming her for not saving T’challa. 3rd, Her having the best percentage of the herb to save him, but before she could make her to him, there was something keeping her away from giving it to him so she watched him die

- Had sleep paralysis for the first time. It happened during the dream where she’d be T’Challa on the table lifeless while seeing herself shouting at him

- Her sleep paralysis demon would be her family(including Nakia, Okoye, M’baku, Ayo, and Angela) mumbling about how she was a failure

- Tried unaliving her self countless times but was either caught or stopped herself thinking that what would everyone feel like after she did. And how would she help Wakanda from invaders

- she survived her first and last attempt but was caught on her other attempts

- She would SH. And would use raw vibranium to burn herself. So she has burn marks from raw vibranium and scars all over her body

-She skipped her meals every day so Ramonda would watch Shuri eat or send Okoye or Aneka or Ayo to do it

- She would often freeze and begin to uncontrollably shake while having visions when she’d remember T’Challa in some type of way.

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Live, laugh, love, Angst🫶💕

If you wanna be tagged in my next projects also lmk!

Hopefully y’all don’t hate me after this🌚🌝