#in other news: hello its been some time but I'm alive and the last few weeks of hell are behind me BLESS

[shou-jpeg]

I need someone to sit on my lap and blush when I call them pretty. That would fix me.

[sheriffaxolotl]

Fallen: A Path to Redemption (Chapter 2) Alastor x Reader

"Solace, you say? Well, my dear fallen friend, in Hell, solace comes with a price."

“What kind?”

“How about... your soul, my dear.”

Word count: 5,403 ✿ Friends to Lovers ✿ Slow Burn ✿ Eventual Romance ✿ Drabble | Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 |

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Well, this certainly wasn't how you envisioned spending your day.

Taking in your surroundings, you find yourself standing in the grand foyer of a hotel. Normally, a hotel lobby would be alive with the hustle and bustle of guests and staff, but here, it resembles more of a ghost town - nothing but a hollow shell.

Despite its dilapidated appearance, there was an undeniable charm to the Hotel. Its faded grandeur spoke of a bygone era, a time when it had been a beacon of luxury and opulence. But now, it seemed destined to fade into obscurity, a relic of a forgotten past. Maybe that’s why you liked it.

With a wry smile, you couldn't help but shake your head in disbelief. It's a disaster in every sense of the word. This place would need a desperate touch-up. As you scan the room, you notice a few other individuals, their curious gazes fixed upon you. Some faces are familiar, adding a touch of familiarity to this otherwise surreal moment.

Charlie Morningstar. The name echoes in your mind, stirring up a knot of conflict over what you heard her discussing on the news this morning. Her vision for the hotel clashed and aligned with your own beliefs, leaving you torn between admiration for her ambition and concern for the consequences of her actions.

Husk. The feline demon's presence brings a wave of familiarity, and you share a silent acknowledgment with him. There's no need for introductions between the two of you; you were witness to the deal he struck with Alastor to retain his powers. You remember the mix of pity and sympathy you felt for him at the time, though you tried to convince yourself it was for the best.

Niffty. Your absence during the deal-making process for her doesn't go unnoticed. You had been on annual leave at the time, a rare break from the chaos of Hell. The irony isn't lost on you as you inwardly chuckle at the thought. Who would have thought the Radio Demon would grant you such a luxury? In some twisted way, the perks and benefits he offered over the years almost rival those of Heaven.

Alastor, the enigmatic Radio Demon, his presence here still puzzles you. What could have possibly prompted him to bring you to this strange place? You mull over the possibilities, the puzzle of his actions spins through your mind, each potential answer more confounding than the last.

The angry-looking moth lady and the arachnid demon are two figures you're unfamiliar with, though there's a nagging sense of recognition with the latter. You rack your brain, trying to recall if you've crossed paths with the arachnid before, but nothing concrete comes to mind.

Sensing that they're waiting for you to break the ice, you take the initiative and step forward, offering a polite introduction. "Hello, I'm (Y/N). It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," you say, placing a hand over your chest and executing a graceful curtsy.

The princess's eyes light up with excitement as she eagerly returns the gesture, albeit with a hint of haste and clumsiness. It's endearing, and a small smile tugs at your lips. She seems harmless enough – at least, that's the impression you get. But in Hell, appearances can be deceiving.

"Oh my gosh!" Charlie practically leaps towards you, her enthusiasm palpable as she seizes your hand and shakes it vigorously. The boisterous energy of her greeting threatens to jostle the rest of your body as she welcomes you to the Hotel with unbridled excitement. "Welcome to the Happy Hotel! I'm positive you are going to love it here!" she gushes, her words bubbling with genuine warmth.

You offer a forced polite smile as you reluctantly withdraw your hand. "Ah, well, we'll see," you reply, unable to shake off the uncertainty lingering within you. "I still don't know the exact reason I'm here for…" Your voice trails off as you cast a sidelong glance at Alastor, who looms over the scene with an intimidating presence. You can't help but feel dwarfed by his stature, a sense of insignificance washing over you in his grand shadow.

"Well, what else if not to help me and keep track of paperwork!" Alastor interjects with his signature taunting grin, gesturing mockingly to a stack of paperwork piled high on the reception desk. You suppress a grimace at the sight, inwardly bracing yourself for the daunting task ahead. That's a lot of paperwork to tackle …. It's going to be a long day.

"Wow. That's definitely a lovely stack if I don't say so—" You begin, making your way over to inspect the paperwork, but before you can even lay a finger on it, the poor pile collapses, sending papers cascading across the lobby in a flurry of chaos. "Oh! Oh no!" you exclaim, scrambling to gather the scattered documents before they disappear into the chaos of the hotel.

"I'm so sorry!" Charlie rushes over to lend a hand, her expression mirroring your panic as she apologizes profusely. "I really haven't had time to organize it, and Vaggie has been so busy—" Her words tumble out in a jumble of apologies and explanations, but before you can reassure her that it's okay, Alastor intervenes.

"No harm done, dear!" Alastor's voice cuts through the commotion, his wide grin betraying a hint of amusement as he surveys the scene before him. "Accidents happen, after all. No need to make such a fuss, dear!" Alastor interjects smoothly, his voice oozing with confidence as he effortlessly lifts the princess off the floor. " (Y/N) has an innate ability with paperwork! She'll get it sorted in no time! No time at all!" With a smug grin, he gestures grandly with his arm, the epitome of self-assuredness. "So, what do ya think?"

Charlie's eyes light up with unbridled excitement as she gazes around the lobby, taking in the flurry of activity Alastor has set into motion. "This is amazing!" she gushes, her cheeks flushed with amazement. She can hardly believe her luck right now. Before her was a real group of staff for the hotel. That Alastor had pulled out of thin air.

"It's... okay," Vaggie huffs, her demeanor a stark contrast to Charlie's bubbling enthusiasm. She stands by her girlfriend's side, arms crossed tightly over her chest, radiating skepticism. It's clear that she doesn't share Charlie's excitement about the new staff, her distrust evident in the furrow of her brow.

Vaggie's reservations stem from her deep-seated mistrust of the newcomers, all handpicked by one of the most dangerous and powerful overlords you can come across in Hell. While she loves Charlie dearly, she can't help but feel a sense of frustration and apprehension. She knows her girlfriend's heart is in the right place, but she also recognizes her naivety. Not all demons deserve a second chance, and Vaggie fears that Charlie's unwavering optimism might blind her to the true intentions of their new recruits.

Despite her reservations, Vaggie remains committed to supporting Charlie's vision of redemption. She wants to believe that there are demons out there genuinely seeking redemption, eager to turn their lives around. She's determined to protect Charlie and the hotel from becoming another pawn in the Radio Demon's twisted games. ‘At least one of the sinners Alastor brought looked half decent..’ Vaggie thought as she glanced over at you, watching as you had been glancing curiously through the paperwork. You don’t seem half bad.

Alastor's laughter fills the air as he pulls both girls close, his arms enveloping them in a deceptively warm embrace. "This is going to be very entertaining!" he declares with a mischievous glint in his eyes. With a swift motion, he distracts Charlie by extending his hand, inviting her to dance, while simultaneously maneuvering to push Vaggie out of the way. The room is suddenly filled with the faint strains of music, drifting in from some unseen source.

"Ugh," you groan softly to yourself as you gather up the last of the scattered paperwork, carefully restacking it onto the reception desk. Despite your best efforts, you couldn't help but be reminded of Alastor's flair for theatrics. It's almost impressive how seamlessly he manages to orchestrate chaos and entertainment in equal measure.

"You have a dream, you wish to tell," Alastor croons as he spins Charlie around the room, his magic weaving through the air to transform their outfits into something far more dapper, as if they were out dancing of an old fashioned movie. The sudden change catches Charlie off guard, but she adapts quickly, twirling gracefully in his arms. "And it's just laughable, but hey, kid, what the hell?"

As the impromptu song and dance unfold before you, you find yourself tuning it out, focusing instead on the task at hand. With a determined air, you break down the pile of paperwork into smaller, more manageable piles. Inventory. Bills. Subscriptions... You pause, a furrow forming between your brows as you come across a particularly peculiar document. What subscriptions could possibly be of interest in Hell? With a shake of your head, you push aside the thought, deciding it's best not to dwell on the mysteries of paperwork in Hell.

Caught off guard by the snap of fingers, you're swept up in a whirlwind of theatrics as a strange sensation washes over you. Before you can even comprehend what's happening, your clothes morph into an elegant V-neck black 1920s flapper dress, complete with fringes that sway with every movement. But as the music fills the air with its lively melody, you feel yourself being pulled into the rhythm of the dance by a mysterious force. It's as if invisible hands guide your movements, coaxing you to join the lively spectacle unfolding before you. But amid the musical chaos, your gaze catches a familiar sight—– the silhouette of a shadow whisking in front of you, unmistakably one of Alastor's shadows. The shadow pulls you further into the song and dance, its presence both eerie and mesmerizing. Despite the uncertainty of the moment, you can't help but surrender to the magic of the music, allowing yourself to be carried away by the rhythm.

"Inside of every demon is a lost cause," Alastor sings, his voice carrying through the room as he grabs Angel and Husk close, manipulating their movements as if they were mere puppets on a string. In the blink of an eye, hats appear atop their heads, completing their transformation into characters straight out of a vintage cabaret. Husk seems torn between irritation and resignation, his fist raised threateningly before ultimately settling for a defiant flip-off directed at the Radio Demon. Angel, on the other hand, merely smirks and responds with finger guns, already embracing Alastor's proclamation with a devil-may-care attitude. "But we'll dress them up for now with just a smile!"

Before you could even register what was happening, Alastor materialized in front of you, his presence commanding and unmistakable. A fox fur draped around his shoulders added a touch of elegance to his attire as he deftly wrapped it around your neck, the soft fur caressing your skin with a delicate touch.

With surprising dexterity, he spun you around, the fur trailing behind you like a playful companion. The sudden movement left you momentarily stunned, your senses reeling from the unexpected whirlwind of events. As you tried to regain your composure, your eyes widened in shock at the audacity of his actions.

A teasing grin played on Alastor's lips as his hand landed firmly on your backside, the gesture bold and brazen. A wink accompanied his playful demeanor, adding to the mischief dancing in his crimson eyes. The sheer audacity of his behavior left you speechless, your hand instinctively flying to cover your open-mouthed gasp.

Caught off guard by his unexpected antics, you found yourself at a loss for words, your mind struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

Alastor seems satisfied with his handiwork, his grin widening as he dances away with a flourish while he continues his song and dance. But on his way, he shoves Vaggie out of the way, a move that doesn't go unnoticed by the fiery moth demon who angrily shakes her fist at him. Anger burns in Vaggie's eyes as she glares daggers at Alastor, her frustration palpable even from across the room.

As I try to collect myself after the unexpected encounter, you didn’t how to interpret Alastor's bold actions. While he's always been comfortable enough to nudge me or place a guiding hand on my back, his recent actions were something he had never done before – even in jest.

Lost in your thoughts, you're suddenly jolted back to reality by a deafening explosion from the other end of the room. The doors to the hotel are sent flying, taking little Niffty along with them in a whirlwind of chaos and confusion.

As the chaos settles and the others rush to inspect the hole in the wall, you can't help but grimace at the impact the tiny demon took, already anticipating the soreness that will undoubtedly plague Niffty tomorrow. While the rest of the group shares a look of surprise, you divert to get the door off of Niffty, who miraculously bounces back up the moment the door is lifted off her.

"Again!" Niffty exclaims with a gleeful grin, her enthusiasm undiminished by the unexpected collision. Before you can offer any protest, she darts off, joining the others who have ventured outside to investigate the cause of the explosion.

It's only a few moments later that you emerge from the hotel, your gaze drawn upwards to the sight of a looming aircraft hovering ominously above. The sound of voices reaches your ears, and you strain to make out the words amidst the chaos.

"...harboring the striped freak!" The declaration draws your attention, and you look up to see a familiar figure—a snake-like demon you recognize from encounters with Alastor in the past. Memories flood back to you of the times when he would orchestrate ridiculous attacks on the Radio Demon, his antics once a source of amusement. But now, faced with the reality of the situation, amusement is the furthest thing from your mind as you brace yourself for what comes next.

As the snake-like demon addresses Alastor with a less-than-menacing expression, you quickly make your way to join the others, glancing up just in time to catch Alastor's contemplative expression.

"Do I know you?" Alastor's question is met with a wicked grin from the demon, his malicious intent clear despite the seemingly genuine tone of his voice.

"Oh yes you do!" The demon's reply is accompanied by a retreat into his aircraft, his actions accompanied by the aggressive clanking of levers and buttons being pushed. The tension in the air is palpable as everyone braces themselves for whatever comes next.

"And this time I have the element of... Surprise!" With those ominous words, a giant weapon emerges from the aircraft, positioned directly in front of you all at eye level. The air crackles with energy as the weapon charges, threatening to unleash destruction upon everyone in its path.

"Hahahaha, I'm so evil!" The snake-like demon's cackle echoes through the air, sending a shiver down your spine as you prepare for the inevitable confrontation that lies ahead.

As the menacing aircraft and its looming weapon are ensnared by fiery rings and engulfed in smoke, monstrous black tentacles emerge, gripping the ship tightly. The cacophony of sirens blares through the air, mingling with the snake demon's horrified screams as it struggles against its inevitable demise. Amidst the chaos, Alastor remains unperturbed, his signature grin etched upon his face.

Static crackles and arcane symbols materialize around Alastor, his figure shrouded in an aura of otherworldly power. His shadowy minions swirl around him, a silent testament to his mastery over the dark arts. The tension in the air is thick as the inevitable unfolds before your eyes.

With a deafening explosion, the aircraft erupts into flames, scattering debris in every direction. The group stands frozen, a mixture of dazed and terrified expressions etched upon their faces. However, you can't help but shoot Alastor a knowing look, silently questioning the necessity of such a dramatic display. After all, you've seen worse from him before – unfortunately.

Despite the destruction wrought by his actions, Alastor remains unfazed, his grin widening as he revels in the chaos he has caused. It's a chilling reminder of the darkness that lies within him, a darkness that you know all too well.

With a sudden shift in demeanor, Alastor's cheerful and oddly friendly persona returns in full force, his arms outstretched in a display of excitement.

"Who's hungry for some grub?" he exclaims, his voice exuding enthusiasm. "I'm in the mood for some jambalaya! My mother once shared with me her wonderful recipe for jambalaya. In fact, it nearly killed her! Ha ha ha!"

As he makes his way back toward the hotel, Niffty skips along beside you, her boundless energy infectious. You fall into step behind Alastor and the others, observing the dynamics between them. Angel Dust blows a playful kiss to Husk, who looks on with a mix of confusion and irritation. Charlie offers Vaggie a reassuring smile, but the worry still lingers in her girlfriend's expression.

When you lock eyes with Vaggie, you offer her a small, reassuring smile of your own, hoping to alleviate some of her concerns. However, your attempt at comfort is short-lived as you hasten your pace to catch up with the group. The events of the day whirl through your mind, leaving you with a sense of unease about what lies ahead.

You didn’t notice the sign on the hotel changing from ‘Happy Hotel’ to ‘Hazbin Hotel’.

You followed the group through the makeshift entrance, the remnants of the door scattered around. Your steps quickened as you headed toward what you assumed to be the direction of the kitchen, but your focus was abruptly diverted by the sight of the paperwork once again strewn across the reception desk floor.

"Oh boy," you muttered under your breath, a tinge of frustration evident in your voice. With determined strides, you hurried over to the mess, bending down to gather the papers. As you sorted through them, a sense of order began to emerge as you stack them into piles. Bills, reminders, a letter from... oh, coupons, and yet another bill—

"It’s not very polite to sneak up on people. One of these days something is surely going to happen," you remarked, your tone laced with a hint of mock warning as you sensed a familiar presence behind you. Turning slightly, you were met with the sight of Alastor, his grin as unsettling as ever. His presence always seemed to catch you off guard, his sudden appearance feeling like a twisted game of cat and mouse.

"Now, now! That's never going to happen, my dear!" Alastor dismissed your concern with a wave of his hand, stepping closer to inspect the stacks of papers you had organized on the desk. His jovial demeanor didn't waver as he continued, "Come on! This can be dealt with later, we have-"

"Am I not here to work?" you interjected, cutting him off abruptly. Alastor paused, his gaze shifting down to meet yours, towering over you with his imposing presence.

"Well, yes! But only charity work that I have volunteered you for!" His tone was almost gleeful as he spoke, seemingly reveling in the idea of assigning tasks to you. Despite the lightheartedness of his words, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease creeping into the back of your mind.

As you glanced up at Alastor, you noticed a strange mixture of pride and something else in his expression, something you couldn't quite place. It left you feeling grateful for the opportunity to contribute to something greater than yourself, even if it was labeled as "charity work." You had been working alone in that radio station for seven years. A change of pace would be nice. Yet beneath that gratitude lingered a sense of suspicion – it was unlike Alastor to offer assistance without some ulterior motive.

Lost in thought, you hadn't noticed his lean a little closer to you until you felt a stray strand of your crown braid being twirled gently. Startled, you glanced up to find his piercing gaze fixed on you, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

"You still wear your hair like you have a halo," he remarked, his fingers delicately toying with the loose piece of hair. His touch sent a shiver down your spine, igniting a strange mix of confusion and familiarity within.

A rush of warmth flooded your cheeks at his words and actions, the subtle intimacy of his actions stirring something deep within you. Despite your efforts to maintain composure, you couldn't deny the blush that heated your cheeks. You chalked it up to his absence, convinced it had impacted you more than you realized. Surely, it was just the result of your lack of social interaction or contact with others for the past seven years.

Your heart skipped a beat as he twirled that loose strand of hair and you found yourself holding your breath as you met his gaze. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, leaving only the silent exchange passing between your locked eyes. Was it judgment you detected in Alastor's gaze, or was there something else lurking beneath the surface?

The fleeting moment of connection sent a shiver down your spine again, but you quickly pushed aside the unbidden thoughts, refocusing on the task at hand. There were too many questions swirling in your mind, too many uncertainties to dwell on in that fleeting moment of intimacy. You forced yourself to maintain composure, burying the stirring emotions deep within as you turned your attention back to the paperwork, determined to remain professional despite the unsettling encounter.

With a small, nervous smile, you nodded in response to Alastor's comment, feeling your cheeks still flush slightly under his scrutinizing gaze. "Old habits die hard, I suppose," You replied, attempting to brush off the unexpected intimacy of the moment.

Alastor's grin widened, a knowing glint flickering in his eyes. "Indeed they do," he murmured cryptically, his tone laden with unspoken meaning. He lingered for a moment longer, his presence casting a shadow over your thoughts before finally stepping away with a flourish.

He simply grinned at the state you were in before turning away, his demeanor shifting seamlessly as he made his way back to the kitchen. You followed in his wake, your mind still reeling from the brief encounter. As you both navigated the bustling corridors of the hotel, a sense of unease gnawed at the edges of your consciousness.

Despite your efforts to quell your doubts, you couldn't shake the lingering questions about your friendship with Alastor. Was his warmth genuine, or was there a darker motive lurking beneath his charming facade? He had been gone for seven years – maybe you were just overthinking a little bit. You had spent too much time apart, and now that he was back, you were struggling to readjust to his presence. Memories of your past interactions flashed through your mind, moments of camaraderie and laughter mixed with shared experiences and moments of your odd friendship. You found yourself torn between the familiarity of your friendship and the uncertainty of what lay ahead. 'Mistaking a friendly gesture for something more… Come on, (Y/N)…'

In typical Alastor fashion, he moved on as if nothing had happened, his attention already focused on the task at hand in the kitchen. You hurried to join him, eager to lend a hand and put the unsettling encounter behind you.

As you worked side by side, the familiar rhythm of their collaboration brought a sense of comfort amidst the uncertainty. The clatter of pots and pans, the little calling of ingredients being pulled out —it was a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions swirling within you. It reminded you of old memories of similar moments like this – some with Rosie at your side as well. It causes you to smile to yourself a little.

You watched him move with effortless grace through the bustling kitchen, you couldn't help but wonder what he had been doing for seven years.

Before you could dwell on it further, Alastor snapped his fingers with a flourish, and in an instant, both he and you were adorned in matching aprons. The sudden change brought a startled laugh to your lips, momentarily breaking the tension that had been building within you.

"Ah, much better, don't you think?" Alastor chimed in, his grin widening as he gestured to their new attire. "Now we can tackle these culinary delights in style!"

You couldn't help but chuckle at his remark, feeling the tension easing between you. "Absolutely," you replied, a genuine smile spreading across your face. "Nothing like a bit of flair to spice up the cooking process."

As you worked together, the playful banter between you and Alastor flowed effortlessly, each teasing remark and shared laugh easing the tension that had lingered in the air. It was moments like these that reminded you why you had missed him during his absence, why his sudden return had stirred up such conflicting emotions within you.

But amidst the laughter and camaraderie, there was an undeniable undercurrent of something more—a subtle shift in the dynamic between you that left you feeling both exhilarated and apprehensive.

As you continued to work alongside Alastor, your attention occasionally drifted to the tender moments shared between Charlie and Vaggie. Their love for each other was palpable, evident in every glance and touch.

And of course, there was Niffty, flitting about the kitchen with boundless energy and enthusiasm, a ball of energy. Her antics never failed to bring a smile to your face, even if she was a bit odd at times.

You couldn't help but notice the way Angel Dust flirted shamelessly with Husk, his usual charm turned up to eleven as he attempted to win over the grumpy bartender. It was a sight that never failed to amuse you, the sheer audacity of Angel's advances paired with Husk's deadpan responses never failing to bring a smile to your face. You chuckled to yourself as you watched their interaction unfold, grateful for the lighthearted distraction.

During all this you got a moment to introduce yourself to Vaggie and Angel Dust, even if it was just quickly. The latter seems to really look you over with a raised brow. But you tried to not read into it.

Once everything had been finished and everyone did their own little jobs to get the table set – even with a bit of complaints from certain individuals -, it was a nice moment considering everything that happened that day.

At the head of the table sat Charlie, her vibrant energy filling the room as she presided over the idea that her vision for the hotel was coming to life, with a wide smile and infectious enthusiasm. To her left, Vaggie sat with a stoic expression, keeping a watchful eye on the newcomers, while to her right, Alastor lounged in his seat, his signature grin never leaving his face.

You found yourself seated between Alastor and Niffty, the energetic maid chattering animatedly as she passed around platters of food with lightning speed. Despite the chaos of the moment, there was a sense of warmth and camaraderie that permeated the air, a feeling of belonging that you had rarely experienced in the past few years.

As plates clinked and glasses clattered, conversation flowed freely around the table, a cacophony of voices and laughter that filled the room with life. The sound of Husk getting annoyed at Angel Dust flirting or Niffty popping off for a moment to chase something on the ground added to the lively atmosphere. It was moments like these that made you feel like maybe you had been missing out on something.

Despite the cheerful ambiance of the dinner table, you couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that lurked beneath the surface. As the conversation flowed around you, laughter ringing in your ears, you couldn't help but feel like an outsider looking in at that moment.

Charlie's infectious enthusiasm and Vaggie's watchful gaze created a sense of warmth and inclusion, yet you couldn't shake the feeling of being disconnected from the group. Memories of past betrayals and broken trust danced at the edges of your mind, casting a shadow over the otherwise joyous occasion.

You found yourself retreating into the safety of silence, unable to muster the courage to contribute to the lively banter. Despite the genuine smiles and friendly gestures directed your way, you couldn't help but question the sincerity of it all.

Was it all just a facade, masking hidden agendas and ulterior motives? Or were you simply allowing your past experiences to cloud your judgment, projecting your own insecurities onto those around you?

You tried to push aside the nagging doubts and insecurities that plagued your mind, but they stubbornly persisted, whispering cruel reminders of past betrayals and disappointments. The laughter and conversation continued to swirl around you, but you felt like a stranger in your own skin, unable to fully immerse yourself in the moment. You couldn't help but feel like you are a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. It was a familiar feeling, one that had haunted you since your fall from grace —a constant reminder of your inability to trust others completely.

As you sat there, feeling disconnected from the lively atmosphere around you, a subtle shift in the air caught your attention. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Alastor's gaze lingering on you, his keen observation picking up on the subtle signs of your discomfort.

With a knowing smile, he turned slightly in his seat to face you better. "My dear, forgive me if I'm mistaken, but you seem a bit... unsettled tonight," Alastor remarked, his voice low.

You glanced up at him, surprised by his perceptiveness. "It's nothing, Alastor," you replied, trying to mask your unease with a casual shrug. "Just... feeling a bit out of place, I suppose."

Alastor's smile faltered slightly at the edges, a flash of something flashed in his eyes before it was gone. "Is there something troubling you, (Y/N)?" he asked, his tone gentle yet probing.

You hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But with Alastor's gaze fixed on you, you found yourself opening up despite your reservations. "I suppose... I haven't been the best socially since your disappearance," you admitted, your voice tinged with vulnerability. "It's always been hard to trust others completely, especially after everything that's happened."

Alastor's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise, his lips curling into a playful grin. "Well, well, well," he teased, his tone light but tinged with amusement. "You mean to tell me that my absence has left you socially inept, (Y/N)? I must say, I'm quite flattered."

You rolled your eyes but couldn't help but chuckle at his jest. "Oh, please," you retorted, playfully swatting at his arm. "Don't let it go to your head, Alastor. I'm sure I'll manage just fine without your charming presence."

Alastor feigned offense, clutching his chest dramatically. "Ah, but where's the fun in that?" he replied, his grin widening. "Why, you'd be denying yourself the pleasure of my company, my dear."

"Perhaps you're right," you conceded with a smirk, enjoying the banter despite your lingering worries. "After all, who else would I have to keep me on my toes with their ridiculous antics?"

Alastor's grin widened, and he leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "Ah, but my dear (Y/N), you know you wouldn't have it any other way."

"But fear not, my dear (Y/N), for I promise to make your suffering as enjoyable as possible."

You couldn't help but laugh at his audacity, the tension in your shoulders easing as you shared this moment of camaraderie with him. Despite the uncertainties lurking beneath the surface, you found solace in Alastor's familiar presence, grateful for the brief respite from your worries.

Little did you know, however, that the calm before the storm was merely a fleeting illusion, and that soon, your world would be turned upside down once again.

♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿ ♡ ✿

My AO3 account!

Before I sign off, I wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for your comments and kudos/likes. Your support and engagement mean the world to me, and I'm genuinely surprised and grateful for the response the Drabble and the first chapter has received. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I can't wait to share more with you soon. Until next time! - Ivory

[thewritingofspencerrose]

Just Another Weekend

George Russell x OC!Vettel

It had just been a weekend like any other in May.

Well, the same as any other weekend when your father has spent the majority of your life racing and he's the only parental figure that you have.

But it was Monaco. And Monaco is its own breed.

I guess that's how we had ended up drunk off our asses, my father nowhere to be seen, George and I sneaking off ourselves.

liked by sebastianvettel, kimimatiasraikkonen, and 119 more

rosannavettel we're up early this morning in the josie & rose house and we're ready to watch some racing!

sebastianvettel can't wait to spend the day with my two favorite grils :)

rosannavettel who taught you how to do non-emojis

"Papa, ich verstehe nicht, für wen wir uns einsetzen sollen," (dad, i don't understand who we are supposed to be rooting for) I whisper, eyeing the headphones that are sitting snuggly over Josette's curls, her eyes shut tight with small snores escaping her lips.

She sounds just like her father did.

"Wir feuern Redbull an, meine Liebe," (we're rooting for redbull my dear).

"I'm going to pretend that I don't take offense to that," A sassy Monesque voice chimes from our side, making sense since the walls are painted red.

"Charlie, you know Papa means nothing harsh by it, you know that," I assure, him kissing my cheek and Josette's head in response before side-hugging my father.

"He knows he's tied with Mick for my favorite Grid Kids," Papa assures, Josette giggling brightly without reason, simply happy to be alive.

"And how is my favorite princesse (princess)?" Charlie asks, kissing Josette's head.

"I thought I was your favorite princesse?" Lando's voice rings, bringing more laughs out of the little one, clad in black romper with polkadots. "But if my replacement is as cute as this little muppet, I'm sure I can accept my fate."

"Lando, please meet my daughter Rosanna and her daughter Josette. Rose, meet Lando Norris, -"

"McClaren driver, number 4," I recite, "We met last year when I visited for the Monaco GP."

"Right, you told me you were barely 19 at the time, we bonded over being too young for all these old people," Lando laughs, eyes now drifting to Josette. "But you're a new addition, aren't you muppet?" He asks, leaning in shaking her hand jokingly, giving her enough time to get her other hand weaved in his curly hair and offer a yank.

"I am so sorry, we've been working on the hair pulling," Is all I can offer, untangling my daughter from his head as he waves me off.

"Don't worry, she get's me all the time," Papa assures the boy, who's name is called from somewhere behind us, earning the attention of the little group we have formed. It's when turning that I see them. See him. The other 2019 rookies.

"Sebastian, didn't know you'd be attending today!"

"Wanted to see Lando, Lewis and I for our home race?" George asks cheekily, Alex shoving his shoulder into the blonde when he makes eye contact with me.

"If it isn't Baby Vettel," Alex is the one to greet, gently pulling me into a hug around Jo. "You know, Lily was wondering why you were never up to go out when we've been in the area. But now I see there is a new baby Vettel, hello sweetheart."

"She's adorable," George compliments, an awkward smile gracing his handsome face.

"She kind of looks like you Georgie," Lan jokes happily, not realizing the magnitude of what he's said, with no one understanding what's been said.

Except for George. Because he's actually a very intelligent man, and he knows how to do basic estimation and math.

And based on the look in his eyes right now, this man is feeling intelligent today.

"Could I offer you two a tour of Mercedes? I'm sure Lewis would love to see you both."

Fuck, he used the secret weapon. He knows I adore Lewis, and so does my father.

"You go on Rose, I want to go say hello to a few more people," Papa assures, swatting my presence away before wrapping his arms around Alex and Charles, leading the group of drivers away.

"So."

"So?" I can't help but respond, Josette's head tilting slightly to the side at the presence of the man in front of us.

"Um, how have you been, Love? I see you have -"

"Just ask the question I know is swirling in your mind, George, there's truly no point in beating around the bush," I can't help but interrupt, never a fan of small talk.

"So then she's mine?" He asks, knowing the answer. "I had a feeling, but given what you've just said I'd say it's pretty clear what my answer is."

"Biologically she's yours, yes," I respond, Josette giggling and throwing her arms around my neck. "I would have mentioned it, but given that it was a one nighter and you didn't answer my calls for the first two weeks, I'd say it was difficult at best."

"What calls?"

"Don't pla-"

"No I'm being genuine Rosa, I never got any calls from you. I would have dropped everything if I had known about..."

"Josette Elise," I supply, "We call her Joss, although my dad calls her Ettie."

"Josette," He mumbles, his accent making Joss giggle as her attention is drawn to him. "I love it," He continues, her little hand reaching out and holding his finger, too tuckered to fully reach out for him but wanting the connection. "And she's wonderful."

"I'd like to think so, but she is entirely too much like my father," I can't help but complain, not at all meaning it.

"I'd like to get to know her, if you'd let me? Get to know you better as well, outside of being Vettel's daughter?"

I can't help but smile. He genuinely seems like he wants to get to know her. Know us.

"What do you say, Joss? Do we want to let him get to know us?"

She just giggles, smiling a cheeky smile and babbling happily.

Looking to George, I can see the love and admiration in his eyes.

So with a soft smile, I look to the man in front of me. "Looks like you'll be getting to know us."

And he smiles back.

"Brilliant."

two years later

liked by rosannavettel, sebastianvettel, and 221,926 more

georgerussel63 my everything 🤍

rosannavettel we love you georgie 🤍

[tales-travelling-trashheap]

Hey, hi, hello! 👋 How do?

I got post day this time, and also a few more drawings 😁 I'm still stuck on this crossover AU of Outer Wilds and Grow, and I've just decided to merge this AU with my Quantum Travelers AU.

And so now we have Quantum Alchemists!

Still working on the designs for the other travelers but for now we've got Hatchling (Sodalite in this AU), Solanum and the Prisoner as the Apprentice, Book and Coppertop respectively.

Ramble ramble ramble 😅 This is a big one.

===

This is another one of those AUs set in the new universe and everyone only kind of exists to some degree.

I think I've explained a bit of the gist of this before (probably also said that I'm merging this au and the other one before but I can't remember) but here's a few thoughts I've had since the merge, I'm kinda just copy-pasting some a lot of my notes.

The travelers have basically set up shop on the Eye of the Universe (I'm saying that as if they are all still alive but in reality they've been long dead and gone for eons now)

Sodalite is the last Conscious Observer (Last as in the most recent). There's probably been hundreds of conscious observers over many different universes but they all felt that they'd all had their fun and decided to "retire" (they know their time is over, it's time for the new era)

Soda, unfortunately, doesn't have that possibility for right now, because there's a problem with the Eye. And that's why they still exist as quantum in the new universe.

The Outer Wilds travelers (Esker, Gabbro, Chert, Riebeck and Feldspar) are taking over from some of the Everkin, they just have a bigger role in this AU. The Hearthians are still the main source of explosions just on a much bigger plane.

Solanum and Kaepora take the roles of Book and Coppertop, main reason being this: neither got to join their kinds in death. Solanum was 5/6ths dead on the Quantum Moon and Kaepora's body and soul was imprisoned by their own people.

The Eye of the Universe is the source of all life. It sang into being galaxies, whole civilizations with the Song of the Universe (Song of Myora), and many life forms had lived in harmony for a time.

But sometime during the creation of Soda's new universe, it stopped creating new life because the song shattered and something else has taken root; the Bramble (taking over from the Withering). This Bramble had somehow survived the old universe, or maybe its presence was inevitable, but it was very quick to fill in the gaps.

Maybe a few billion years have already passed in this new universe, though it doesn't feel that way to the travelers. It probably feels like only a few months or years have passed (time doesn't really exist when you're in a quantum space/you're also quantum). It's been long enough for them that everyone's gotten quite comfortable around one another.

Oh, and Alchemy! There is a new mechanic for this AU! The Travelers are trying to use Alchemy to create little world seeds to help the Eye. There had been many spectacularly colourful alchemical disasters over the years, but eventually they'd cracked the recipe.

Anyway! There's that ramble, hope you like it 😅

[dykevotions]

what's the buntom lore I've seen u post abt it a lot and I'm curious

HI. HELLO. WHATS UP . i be keeping this shit Short and Compact. Trust me

here are summaries of friday league and saturday league of beastlife. aswell as my beastlife guide post . neither of the summaries include the most recent season which. is the one buntoms in. but yknow. you win some you lose some.

SO. BUNTOM. WHATS HER FUCKIN DEAL !??!?!

feat. mild spoilers* for beasts, and . decently wordy! *some of you know already, but im trying to film a cool video about it and edit it tonight alright... .

SO. buntom is a animal crossing inspired cartoon character, who is an mctom (my cubito ocs) who only speaks in animalese and tomlang! now you might be asking. what the fuck is tomlang. as you should be. Ask all the questions ever.

Tomlang is a conlang I(1) made, based entirely off of symbols on a standard english keyboard. pretty + right?

link to the tomlang guide. not required reading, but its pretty short, and < think its pretty cool.

now if you read it (which. again. not required!) you'll have seen.... this

now this is not Andromeda(2) but is LUNATIC !! I LOVE LUNATIC TSHIRT THAT SAYS I LOVE LUNATIC (this is about buntom i swear. this will make sense)

lunatic (atleast this specific one!(3)) preforms hexes to be less than a pixel tall and understand buntoms thoughts. lunatic is the only person that has ever understood buntom, and nobody knows he exists.

insert comics . Yeah

so buntom exists with lunatic for a bit of time. not a while, but they just chill in the forest.

then buntom gets pulled into a death game (with a skyblock gimmick this season! how fun!) , with lunatic alongside her. this is where 🎈s #story really starts

to summarise everything to happen to buntom throughout the season (saturday leauge s4, plus a guest visit to friday leauge s3) : she is dehumanised , treated as an animal or uncontrollable/feral by multiple other teams, downright called his teams PET by someone (hi sonicmike. hows your day . ) and destroys shit and kills people over it. as you do. and also helps build a giant network of paths in the sky (skynet) which are burnt down (he rebuilds them) (wtf sonicmike)

he gets mixed up with sheeptom (the other mctom in beastlife) after they go to a wedding on applecraft (another server. hard to explain) and deals with new people who are.... nice to xem for the most part? And treat er like a person? he has to bury one of them. besides that, it was good for him. she likes the people in friday league.

and then ves back. and he wakes up at her teammates grave. with more time(4) and signs from sheeptom telling her that it was sorry that they had to do it. and that their teammates love them. there's a funeral for someone else. hardly anyone honors space for dying too. he resents them for this.

the only teammate he has around at this time, is echidna. and echidna is walking away from where they live, so fuck it. and he follows. and theyre in the middle of nowhere together, far above the others. and hes safe for a while there. they both have a few hours till they die, but its peaceful.

they shouldve broken the path to where they were. practically the entire server comes to find them and hunt them down. they spawn kill them. they barely escape. they go back to their old base. they get found. echidna runs out of time. buntom dies, but still has time. he hides. she goes to the nether. tom covers the portal in lava. xey trap themself in the nether for the last hour(ish) heart has to live.

he resents herself for this. xey cut their dyed parts of hair off (they liked their dyed hair. it was her favorite part of how he looked, but it made him not fit in. if only he was like the others, then maybe they wouldnt have hated him. maybe then echidna mightve been alive.) and play tic tac toe with lunatic. over and over. and over and over.

and its the last session

and you have 24 minutes left to live

and you play tic tac toe

over and over

and over and over

and you admit that you're scared to die (this isnt the first time you've told lunatic this. you did it when you first hid.)

and you make your own grave (and lunatic, you are buried together.)

and you make echidna a grave

and you play tic tac toe (your move!)

and you have 10 seconds

and you look at how you hid from the world

and you die

and you're coming back next season! but in the meantime, shes in hell :D ! all mctoms get their own personalized hell, and buntoms is made for two! buntom has lunatic ignoring and not listening to xer, and not moving, and is so scared that his best friend is like the others. that she really is what everyone else thinks of him. that this is how it was always going to end. and lunatic just has to stand there! and cant talk, or move, or communicate at all. horrible world for autistic people

thats . basically it. Yeah . i think that covers most of my bases . buntoms also canonically aroace and autistic. so . Win!

footnotes :

1: okay my brother helped a bunch and so its like. partially him aswell

2: echidnas friday leauge character! her name does that when he tries to say it.

3: see. worldhoppers vs worldbounds. except lunatic is a seperate third thing. theres multiple lunatics out there thats all u need to knoww

4: limited life gimmick. u know the deal

[assassins-and-hidden-blades]

Apocalypse!AU -- Reunion

Synopsis: Separated from his family after a coup destroyed their old settlement, Jacob spends three long months trying to find them again and bring them home, if they're still alive.

06/03/2024: I feel so bad for writing this years ago and then not posting. However, I'm glad I did, because I could read through it and see how sparse it actually was. I like this piece a lot and want to share it with you guys (proof I'm writing again! Spread the word!! Reblog!). This can be read as a standalone but there is other Apocalypse!AU content HERE, HERE, and HERE if you liked this one. It could be better, but I need sleep and a croissant (hello, priorities), and I just wanted to get something out there. Tell me what you think/if you want more/less/or you like the surprises. I surprise even myself, currently. Feedback is cool, too! Very big fan of feedback. Anyway, here you go!

Warnings: Violence, blood mention

[This is an F!Reader fic]

Word count: 3.2k (not bad, not bad)

The Complete Masterlist

----

Rubbing his eyes, Jacob crossed off another town on his map, leaning over the wooden table in his room. They were kind enough to give him a three bedroom house to reside in, despite having two and a half beds neatly made but untouched. On two of them sat a few different stuffed animals; some new, some familiar. Lily would always share her stuffed animals with Emmett, despite the older brother acting as if he didn’t need the comfort.

He stood up straight and took a sip of his now cold coffee. The mug was sat down amongst a handful of others, showing the true extent of his exhaustion. His return from an overnight supply run with Edward and Arno barely reaped any useful resources, save for some vehicle parts. No sign of anyone camping around. No sign of his family.

A knock at his front door pulled him out of his thoughts. “It’s open!” he called, sniffing to compose himself.

“Jacob?” Evie’s voice rang throughout the hallway, a thread of worry lacing her tone.

“Upstairs!” He chose to quickly knock back the rest of his coffee.

“Jacob, when was the last time you cleaned? Your living room looks like a minefield.”

“I haven’t had the time.”

Evie leaned against the doorway, concern on her features. “You’re exhausted. You need to rest.”

“I’ll rest after we… after…” He sighed. “Later. I’ll rest later.”

The older Frye twin glanced at the table -- at the map decorated with countless crosses, the coffee mugs with their corresponding ring stains. She began to gather them.

“You don’t have to--” Jacob began.

“I was talking to Altair and Kassandra. You’re going on another supply run?” She was quite to cut him off, leaving him momentarily stunned.

“Yeah, this afternoon. And you’re going on an overnight patrol.” Evie raised a brow at that. “I checked the rota.”

“You’re not going on the run.”

Jacob scoffed. “Says who?”

“Says everyone. You’re wearing yourself out -- killing yourself. And for what?”

“For them, Evie!” He was surprised at how quickly his temper flared. “Sorry.” His voice calmed immediately, returning to its original, tired state. “It was my fault in the first place.” Carding his fingers through his hair, he sighed. “I should have protected them.”

Evie’s heart stung at her brother’s demeanour. She glanced at the wedding band on Jacob’s finger, a sole reminder of their shared family. “Altair and Kassandra won’t go with you. They can handle being a man down while said man rests.” She put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. “There’s no point lamenting the past; It wasn’t your fault, Jacob. We’ll get them back. Go to bed.”

“But--”

Evie gave him a look, shutting him up instantly. “Bed. Now.” She followed his gaze towards the front door. “I’ll lock it when I leave.”

Jacob watched her leave his room, leaving his door slightly ajar. Standing up, he almost tripped over his chair. He moved to his bed, where a T shirt and pyjama bottoms sat. He has been working nonstop for days, and only now realised that he barely had time to look after himself. He never changed out of his overnight patrol gear, mud-encrusted and uncomfortable. A shower would be a smart option, and one he forced himself to take.

Evie was still downstairs as Jacob emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. His movements were less than lackluster, seeming to constantly be on the verge of giving up.

Perhaps a few hours of rest would do him some good.

He climbed into his bed for the first time in half a week, and listened to the ambient kitchen noises Evie made. Closing his eyes, Jacob tried to imagine someone else making that noise, but the movements were never quite the same. He pulled his pillow tight against him, closing his eyes. A tear still managed to escape, but Jacob had passed out before it had time to hit the pillow.

Altair and Kassandra dove for cover behind a car. “How are there so many hunters?!” She yelled.

“I don’t know! Just keep shooting!”

“Kill all three of them!” The leader of the group — standing at least ten hunters strong — commanded from across the street.

Altair and Kassandra exchanged glances, confused at the instructions. “Who else is here…?” Altair questioned, and was swiftly answered when gunshots rang out in front of them. Altair flinched against the car, trying to stay protected as he worked out what was going on. He spotted the third person the hunter was talking about fleeing towards an abandoned house, a hand pressed against her stomach. She dove inside and slammed the door shut.

“I suppose we found our answer,” Kassandra said.

“We should kill them all. We cannot let them get to that house.”

“Do you know her?” Kassandra asked, concern beginning to grow for this person.

Altair stood up and fired five shots before ducking again. “No, but she looks extremely familiar.”

That seemed to be enough for Kassandra, and she began to quickly eliminate the remaining five targets with a striking accuracy, likely fuelled by adrenaline and protectiveness. A few moments later, and they were all down.

“We should check if she’s alright. She looked injured,” Altair said, holstering his gun before jogging up to the door and knocking firmly. “Hello?! Are you alright? We want to help you! Are you hurt?”

No response.

He knocked again. “My name is Altair! This is Kassandra! We live in a settlement not too far from here. We have first aid and supplies! We can help you!”

Again, nothing.

“I’m kicking down the door! Please don’t shoot me…” and with that, Altair broke the lock on the door by booting it open. It was clear to see immediately that she had hidden upstairs, shown by the worrying trail of blood she left in her wake.

“Hello?” Altair became nervous; no response after an injury usually didn’t bode well for the injured. They followed the trail, Altair climbing each step purposely but with caution, eyes observing everything from the cracked yellow paint along the wall to the bloodstained bannister.

At the top of the stairs, the trail led into a closed door. He tested the handle; locked. He knocked politely. “Miss? We just want to help you. I’m coming in, alright?”

There were murmurings on the other side of the door, and Altair did the most efficient thing he could think of.

He kicked down the door.

Splinters flew, startled screams sounded out, and his hands automatically came up in surrender as he stood at gunpoint. The woman in question was lying prone on the floor, one hand around her crimson-stained stomach, and the other holding a shaking gun. “Don’t move.”

“We can get you help.” He persuaded calmly. “I can help you; I’m a medic.”

“What faction are you with?”

Kassandra mirrored Altair’s movements. “We didn’t know there were any factions.”

“You don’t dress like cultists… who are you?”

“We’re just survivors. Same as you.” Altair looked around, surprised to see two small figures crouching beside each other in the corner. “You’re protecting your children, we understand, but let us take you to our settlement. We have better medical equipment than here, and it’s safe there.”

“Survivors…” you let your arm with the firearm drop, hitting the wood with a thud. “Why are you here?”

“We’re searching for supplies.” Altair furrowed his brows in thought. That wasn’t the only reason they were out here. He glanced at the two children; one boy and one girl. “Where’s the father?”

“We got separated about three months back. I don’t know if…” she paused. “If he’s still alive.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jacob.”

“Jacob Frye?”

Your eyes lit up through the prevalent exhaustion. “Yes! That’s him. He’s alive? What about Evie?”

Altair rushed to your side, snapped out of his frozen state. “He’s been looking for you since you were separated. It must’ve been fated that the one time we told him to rest was the time where we found you.” He cradled the back of your head. “Lie back. Evie’s fine as well; she’s on an overnight patrol.”

You relaxed slightly, distracted by Kassandra introducing herself to your children. “You both look so much like your parents; I’m your pater’s friend. What are your names?”

“I’m Emmett!” Despite the situation, word about his father’s whereabouts must have excited him. “This is my little sister, Lily.” He grabbed her shoulders and stood behind her, wrapping her in a comforting hug. Lily held onto Emmett’s hands, looking away from Kassandra. “Is it true?! You know our father?”

Altair took some gauze and medical tape out of his backpack, beginning to pack and dress the wound. You bit your cheek to hide the pain from Emmett and Lily. “I can’t do much here without a needle and thread, but we have what we need at the settlement.” He wiped his hands on his shirt. “We need to go, now.” He wrapped your arm over his shoulders and heaved you to your feet. “Kassandra, get to the horses.” She nodded, and took the children by the hands, leaving the room first. You and Altair followed soon after.

Your knees kept buckling every few steps on the way to the front door, causing Altair to adjust accordingly. “Jacob will not be happy with us when we return with you in this state.”

You chuckled, a weariness to your tone. “I can imagine. That man has a tendency to overreact.”

“We’ll just have to beg for forgiveness this time around.”

As you and Altair limped out of the front door, Kassandra had rushed to bring the horses closer, the children both mounted on one of them already. “Okay, ready?” Altair asked, before hoisting you as best he could onto his horse, mounting behind you. Kassandra held both children in front of her, holding them tightly.

“Will Mama be okay?”

“She’ll be fine, little ones,” Kassandra comforted, though an uneasy smile rested on her face as she assessed the blood staining her friend’s hands.

“Stay as still as you can,” you told them, slumping heavily against Altair’s chest.

He urged his horse to turn back the way they came, kicking her into a gallop — sprinting as fast as she could go. Kassandra wasn’t far behind.

——

Upon arriving at the settlement, your pulse had slowed down tremendously. Your bandage (and Altair’s shirt) was almost drenched in blood, and you were slipping in and out of consciousness. Altair skidded his horse to a stop and slid off, taking you with him. He adjusted you up in his arms and carried you hurriedly into the infirmary. “Help! I need help!” A few doctors came out, and upon seeing the amount of blood, dove into action, taking you out of his arms. He looked down at himself, at the crimson soaking the cotton of his shirt, at the dried blood on his skin. A wave of nausea threatened to overcome him.

Gathering himself, he turned to move into the porch of the infirmary building, where Kassandra and the children were waiting, confused and distressed. “I’m getting Jacob,” he told her, sprinting towards the bar. It was the only place the group usually frequented; no doubt the familiarity would be a subconscious coping mechanism. The sun had dipped low under the horizon, chilling the air. Altair didn’t feel cold.

He slammed the door open with his shoulder, slamming it against the wall. The entire room fell into silence, eyes shooting to the scene. Jacob sat on a barstool, a glass of whiskey in front of him. He also snapped his gaze to Altair while pocketing his wallet.

The look on his friend’s face told him everything.

They’re here. We found them.

The blood all over him told him something else, and his blood turned to ice. “Oh, Christ.” Jacob flew off of his stool, running faster than he thought possible behind Altair.

Who was hurt? How bad is it? Are they…?

They sprinted across the street in what can only be described as the longest ten seconds of his life. Reaching the front door of the infirmary, Altair let Jacob overtake him as he threw open the porch door.

He fell to his knees when he saw his children again. “Oh…”

They ran into his arms, and he embraced them tightly. “Are you both alright? Are you hurt?” He pulled away, voice cracking with worry, even as he tried to hide it.

“No.” Emmett said, tears in his eyes. He flung his arms around his father’s neck.

Lily’s had already started falling. “I was so scared,” she whispered, clinging to his shoulder.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now. You’re alright. My gorgeous girl.” He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead, bringing her back into him. “My beautiful boy.” Emmett held him tighter. He never thought he would savour this moment again, holding his children in his arms. Waiting for a moment, he steeled himself. If neither of his children were hurt, that left one possible heartbreak.

He pulled away after a few moments. “I need to check on Mum. You two need to stay here, alright? Stay with my friends, while I go inside. I’ll be back in a minute.” He could tell that they didn’t want him to disappear so quickly, but they nodded anyway. Kassandra took them to a small play area in the corner.

Jacob moved to knock harshly on the door. “Hey! Open up! I need to see my wife!”

The door unlocked rather quickly, the doctor perhaps intimidated by the possibilities of Jacob’s tone. He barged in, freezing at the sight before him; you lying in a hospital bed, your skin tone sickened, your eyes closed. a couple of doctors busied around your wound and were checking your vitals. Two trolleys sat beside them; one of clean bandages and medical equipment, and the other held bloodstained fabric.

Jacob’s stomach dropped, filling with lead. “No…”

Rushing to the bedside, he caressed your head with one hand, and grasped your own with the other. “Y/n, God…” He didn’t need to compose himself anymore, tears spilling down his cheeks in both worry and relief. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, sosorry.”

Semi-lucid, you feebly squeezed his hand. “I found you.”

He laughed, tears brimming in his eyes. “You did.” The light mood was quickly dissipated by the way you were blinking. Slow, fatigued eyes staring slightly out of focus. “Who did this to you?” Anger bled through his gritted teeth.

“They’re dead, Jacob. Don’t chase headless chickens.”

He sighed and couldn’t help but smile at your familiar phrases. A whirlpool of emotions overwhelmed him, constantly switching between anger, devastation, and relief.

He looked up to one of the doctors. “Is she going to be okay?” His thumb caressed your cheekbone.

The doctor kept looking between you and Jacob. “We’ll take care of her.” He walked away quickly, as if fetching something.

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?!” He began to sit up, worried, but you pulled on his hand.

“Don���t, Jacob. Let him go.” Frowning, he instead pulled up a chair to sit beside your bed.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you sooner.” His elbows rested on the mattress, his hands enveloping yours, pressed against his forehead. “I never should have stopped.”

You brushed the tousled hair out of his eyes, smiling at his loving gaze. Concerned and guilty, but loving.

“From what I heard, you were working yourself to death. I’m glad you weren’t there; you would have panicked.”

“But… I could have prevented this.” His lips pressed against your knuckles; a constant kiss.

“You don’t know that. I’ll be fine here, but our children need somewhere to sleep and bathe.” You studied his features, keeping to yourself concerns about his own health. His eyes looked sunken, and if it wasn’t for Evie’s presence you would have been certain that he wouldn’t be eating either.

“I can’t just leave you here.” He breathed a tone of fatigued defiance.

You scoffed playfully. “I’m in the safest place in the world. Literally.”

“But what if—“

“Shhh.” You rubbed your thumb over his knuckles soothingly. “Nothing will happen. It won’t happen.”

He geared himself to leave, but paused at the last moment. Turning to you again, he opened his mouth to say something, but a tearful scoff came out instead. “I thought… I thought I’d never see my family again.” He grasped your hand tighter. “Now that you’re here, I don’t want to let you go again.”

You wiped a tear from his cheek. “We’re not going anywhere. I promise.” A wall of fatigue overcame you, and you found your eyes fluttering closed.

“Y/n?” You hummed, feeling your husband’s hand on your cheek.

“I’m resting, Jacob. I’m okay.”

He sighed, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “Sleep well, my love.”

——

“Hey, have any of you seen Jacob?”

Evie found her way into the bar in the morning, having just returned from her overnight patrol. The entire squad had bagged the biggest booth that morning, conversing in relieved and content murmurs. She eyed them suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

Altair regarded her with the most emotion she’d ever seen him wear. “Go find out. He’s in the infirmary.”

“What?!” She turned on her heel and ran. What trap did he fall into this time?

She opened the infirmary door, expecting Jacob to be bandaged up and drugged on morphine (which happened more often than she would like). “Oh my God.”

Jacob was sat in a chair at your bedside, chuckling quietly at one of Emmett’s stories, his actions and facial expressions entrancing Jacob fully as he sat cross legged on the bed. Lily was playing with his hair in his lap. He held her tightly in one hand and held your hand with the other. The children snapped up at the sound of her voice.

“Aunt Evie!”

She dropped to her knees as they bolted towards her. Laughing, she kissed their heads multiple times as they collided into her arms. “Oh my God; you’re here! I missed you both so much!” She couldn’t help tears of joy breaking through. “Don’t cry, Aunt Evie,” Emmett said sadly, wiping her tears.

“They’re tears of joy, darling. I’m so happy you’re safe.”

“They’re tears of pain, really; you naughty rascals are going to drive her up the wall.”

They groaned at their father’s jokes. “No, we drive her down the wall; you’re the one who drives her up it.” Jacob was impressively stunned at Lily’s comeback, while you and Evie laughed. Suddenly, you winced, shifting uncomfortably on the bed.

Jacob’s attention was on you in an instant. “What happened?”

“Nothing, I’m okay. I laughed too hard.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Jacob raised a suspicious brow.

“I promise I’m okay.”

Seemingly satisfied, Jacob smiled softly before leaning down to kiss you ever so gently, as if you were made of porcelain. You couldn’t help but smile back; he radiated so much joy and love in this moment, it was impossible to ignore.

Emmett groaned at your and Jacob’s act. “Aunt Evie, get us out of here!”

[lexosaurus]

Hello! Very random and no worries if that's not your intention for the blog, but I love reading about your teacher experience and insights! Take this ask more so as encouragement to write more about it if you feel like it, because I'm going to start teaching soon (and yes, many people I've met have warned me about both its miracles and horrors lol) and it's really helpful to hear others' experiences :)

Thanks for the ask! Honestly I'm just a first year, so I don't have a tonnnn of advice to give. But here's a few general first year tips from one to a future another:

1 — No matter what, having a good department team is ESSENTIAL. You're going to be relying on them a lot your first year for help, advice, curriculum stuff, behavioral management stuff, etc. Talk to them, get to know them, have lunch with them, share issues/seek advice from them. You're going to encounter situations that your degree did not prepare you for (likely, in the first week lol. For me, it was Day 1) and having people around to help you judgement free is going to be crucial. I was super lucky that my department team and all the teachers from other departments that I work closely with are really amazing, easy to work with, etc.

2 — You're also going to want a good relationship with the "other" departments. The library staff, tech staff, sped department, guidance, janitors, etc. They're all lovely people, so don't be afraid to pop in to introduce yourself on the first week!

3 — Crazy things are going to happen. Like....all the time. Don't bring them home with you. As soon as you exit the doors, shake it off. All your students made it on the bus to their parents alive, so it's fine. Your job is done for the day. I've been going to the gym a lot right from school, and it's been really helpful to prevent myself from taking anything home with me so to speak.

4 — Document, document, document. Did something happen? Document it, email a copy to whoever's applicable: admin, guidance, sped, BCBA, etc. "Hello, just emailing a summary of what happened today" is not an uncommon email for me to send out. If an IEP isn't working, well at the next IEP meeting it shows they have 10 emails in the last month from you about little Timmy's hourly verbal threats and attempted physical violence to his classmates, so maybe the BCBA needs to do some data collection to adjust his BIP, or they need to give him a 1-1, or give him more resource intervention, etc.

5 — This isn't so much of advice, more like reassurance. The small moments when it clicks for a student and they get something, and then the confidence and excitement shows, it's really the best. That's probably why I've fallen so in love with working where I did. The other day, after weeks of struggling to help this student with Downs with his math, I tried a totally different approach based off a few example problems I saw in a math intervention workbook and hOLY HELL IT WORKED. It totally clicked for him, and the kid was so excited to do a problem out on the board for the class. It was amazing. Another student with an LD who I've been helping heavily school aced a quiz in one of her classes and legit ran into the room to show me. Cue me literally jumping out of my chair to high-five her, and her calling her parents to deliver the good news. Like, little things like that are really really special, and they're going to mean so much to you. And I hope you get to experience LOTS of them too!

[purplesigebert]

WIP Wednesday Week #16 - DW Crossover

Hello, hello everyone, I'm back!

This week we are stepping inside Miss Rose Tyler's mind. She's new to the TARDIS, and is still finding her way around.

Caroline helps her.

The past few days had been mind boggling. Her job had been blown up, she had been threatened by window shop dummies, and a bitchy trampoline had declared herself “the last human” at the end of the world.

Oh, and "Toxic” by Britney Spears had been described as a “classic Earth ballad.”

The future was weird.

But if the future was weird then the man who brought her to it was weirder.

Honestly, he thought he was so impressive, she rolled her eyes, a tiny smile coaxing its way onto her lips.  She looked around the room that the machine, the TARDIS, had provided her, amazed that it very nearly matched the one in her mum’s flat.  The only difference was the view - instead of the roofs of London, there was a lush waterfall.

As Rose left her room, she bumped into Caroline.  She wasn’t sure what to think of the twelve year old that travelled with the Doctor.  Clive hadn’t known much about her, but she had appeared in a few of the pictures and drawings that the conspiracy theorist had.  What was disturbing was that in some of the pictures, the Titanic one in particular, Caroline looked even younger then she was now.  How long had she been travelling with the Doctor?

“Hi Rose!” The younger girl grinned. “How are you settling in? Do you need anything? If you do then you just have to ask the TARDIS and she can get or make it for you! Or you can ask Dad!” 

Rose was overwhelmed by the amount of information and questions that the other girl flung at her.

The box was alive, and female? The Doctor was Caroline’s father? And what was going on with Caroline’s accent. It shifted from the Northern burr that the Doctor had to an American one. What was that about?

“Er no, thanks Caroline, I’m fine at the moment, still getting my bearings,” she aimed for a reassuring smile. Inside her thoughts were still whirling.

“Cool, just let me know if you need anything.” She paused, seemingly deciding whether or not to ask another question. Rose sent her what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

“So, what you did to save all of us from the Nestene Consciousness was fantastic!” 

Caroline started to walk down the unending hallway that already Rose had gotten lost, twice in her brief time aboard, the other blonde looked perfectly at home here, like she could walk around blindfolded and still find her way.

“You mentioned that you were a gymnastics champion?”

“Yeah, I got the bronze.”

“That’s so cool! I was wondering if you could teach me some stuff? I’ve always wanted to learn how to do a roundoff!” Caroline was flushed with excitement as she rambled.

“Sure, I can do that.” Rose sighed in relief. “We just need a big enough space.”

They stopped in front of a door that didn’t look any different than the ones that had come before it.  Caroline smiled and opened the door.

Rose gasped and nodded when Caroline asked if the room was big enough.

The door led to a large gymnasium that was easily three times the size of Jericho School’s.

Rose didn’t think she would ever get used to her new life. 

****

She wouldn’t.

[butmakeitgayblog]

Hello!!! I’ve just started gently reintroducing myself to The 100 after 7 years these last few weeks (rewatching for the first time since 2016 in fact!) and of course part of that involves checking out what the fandom’s up to since then. I’ve just started reading fic again and I’m really enjoying your Medusa AU so far!!! Combining one of my most nostalgic ships with my favourite Greek myth scratches an itch in my brain quite nicely and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds! I haven’t read any of your other fics just yet but I’ll definitely check them out ASAP :) Keep it up!!! 🫶🏻

(PS I love how involved you are with your readers and how passionate you get about your ideas, even in a fandom which someone more cynical than myself may have expected to die down quite a bit some time ago. I find it really lovely.)

Well that? Is just one of the loveliest things I think I could've read this morning. I'm really glad you're liking the myth setting for the fic. Ngl I was talking to another clexa writer about how I've been nervous since Medusa is such a well known and loved myth. Been afraid people will go into it thinking it'll be a retelling of the story or that it'll be entirely myth style instead of the... strange... amalgamation I've contrived 😅. So yeah, I'm really glad to hear you like it 😌

Also, oof. Bless you for rewatching the whole show. Idk if I could do a full rewatch after everything so you are stronger than I lol. And the truth is the fandom has shrunk quite a bit, but that doesn't necessarily bother me. I understand, people move on and find new ships, and honestly I'm happy for them. I just personally haven't found anything that resonates with me like Clexa so I'm, whew, still here 🥴. And I find that the smaller fandom has its perks. I mean it sucks because it's harder these days to get people to share work and comment and stuff, but there are advantages. A lot less drama and fighting than in its heyday for sure. A lot of the ride or die OGs are still kickin around and keeping the fandom alive, which I always appreciate. And it's funny, there always seems to be newbies all the time showing up who've just discovered the show and wanna jump in, and it's always fun to kinda catch them up on all the fandom lore that they've missed. It's just fun. This is a wonderful fandom, hands down the best I've ever been in. The pairing is timeless, the people are pretty damn great, and the talent is just unmatched. It's just really easy to get passionate for this stuff, so I'm really glad it shows 💕

[the-oc-lass]

Nimona OC - Charlotte Swiftheart/Corova

Aaaaand HELLO! As a special treat for this being the last part of my canon + Charlotte storyline, you get to have it an hour earlier than usual.

Reminder that the poll to vote what I write next should (if I've done my math correctly) have about one hour left, so vote while you still can!

But all that aside, here we go! By the way, was no one going to tell me that there's a damn WHALE PLUSHIE in front of Nimona's memorial wall? I'M GOING TO CRY SOME MORE, DAMN YOU.

First, Previous

Golden "Twins" Rebellion AU

Snippets?

Knight Charlotte AU

Whatever else comes next?

"Mom?"

"Yes, Charlotte?"

"Why are things the way that they are?" Minara purses her lips as she thinks, and Charlotte watches her carefully. Her mother looks so very tired, and Charlotte is old enough to know that she has a great deal on her shoulders. Minara Corova is much too young to have seen as much as she has. Finally, she speaks again.

"This kingdom is broken in ways that its people simply don't understand, my love. These cracks have been woven into our society for longer than any of us have been alive. It was always doomed to be this way," she says. Charlotte tilts her head.

"What do you mean?" she asks. Minara hums softly, closing her eyes for a moment as she thinks. Then, she looks down at her daughter.

"Look at how people treat Ballister, dear. Look at the lies we had to tell so that you could join the Institute. Does any of that seem right?" Charlotte shakes her head.

"No."

"But do you know why that's how things are?" Charlotte frowns, casting her eyes down.

"Because we're commoners. They think we're less than them." Her mother sighs.

"Yes, my love." After a few moments, a hand reaches out and gently tilts Charlotte's chin up. "Our ways of life are broken, Charlotte, but they don't have to be. They can be changed and fixed. It may not happen today, nor tomorrow, but one day, you will stand in this kingdom as you are, not as the lie that we've woven for you, and you will be seen for who you are, not by what blood runs through your veins."

"You really think so?"

"Oh, I know so. You will be there to help bring in a new era of this kingdom, one that's better for us all. It will take time, but in the end, it will be beautiful."

The past few weeks (months?) have been like a dream, but the type of dream where you know that something is missing. She knows exactly what (or, rather, who) that missing thing is, but she tries not to linger on it too much. She mourns, but she lets life move forward. The wall had been broken open on that fateful night, and a thousand years worth of knowledge and history had been brought to light and questioned. But they've been healing, rebuilding. Ushering in a new era for their kingdom, just as her mother once said. Things have been getting better every day. People are traveling beyond the wall, and the Institute is being reformed into what it always should've been. The wall itself is no longer simply a structure to protect them, but has been transformed into somewhere lively and beautiful. The cannons are still coming down, but soon, even those will be gone and forgotten. The Knights Betrayed have disbanded, instead turning their attentions on these reforms, and on the new sanctuary. A sanctuary that no longer needs to hide in the shadows. She still heads it, of course, but Ambrosius has been there to back her, financially and otherwise. After he and Ballister had both recovered, the three of them had gotten to work, working to fix not only the kingdom, but their relationships with each other. Ballister and Ambrosius's romance had rekindled as if it had never gone out, and Charlotte has found herself just as close with her two best friends as she once was. And the kingdom knows Ambrosius not only as her friend, but as her brother. He'd been adamant about it, actually.

"They should've always known. I never cared what it might cost me. I just wanted my sister."

And the reception had been mixed, but that's always what she expected. What matters to both of them is that it's not a secret they feel that they have to hide anymore. Maybe things would've been different if the truth had been known sooner, but they'll never really know.

But she has to return to the elephant in the room sometimes. Or, rather, the lack of elephant. Nimona is still gone. The kingdom is finally changing for the better, seeing her for who she truly was rather than what they'd all been brainwashed into seeing since birth. But Nimona isn't here to see it. She's still gone. And Charlotte's very being aches when she thinks about that for too long. Yet here she stands, before the memorial wall made in Nimona's honor. Covered in drawings from the sanctuary's kids and others, gifts lain at its base. Charlotte cradles her bouquet in her arms, staring at the wall for a moment before she looks at the flowers. Paper, made by her own hands, in all of the most beautiful colors.

"I hate the way the real ones make me feel, but I don't know how to tell the kids no."

She's only broken from her thoughts when she feels a gentle nudge against her shoulder, and she lifts her head. Ambrosius smiles softly at her, and she smiles back just as softly, leaning over and nudging his shoulder back. They both look toward the wall again, and they linger in silence. Eventually, she sees him lean down in the corner of her eye, and she looks down at him. He lifts a drawing from the ground and holds it out in front of Ballister, who takes it carefully and looks at it. She watches a small smile appear on his face, then a look of scrunched contemplation. Finally, though, the smile returns and he looks up at the wall. Eventually, he looks over at them.

"There's something I need to do," he says. They smile back at him, and Ambrosius nods in understanding. Ballister's eyes find Charlotte's after a moment, and he tilts his head. "Do you want to come?" Her smile saddens slightly, and she shakes her head.

"You go. That place belonged to you two, not me," she says. She moves around Ambrosius, however, to set her hand on Ballister's shoulder. "But if you need us, need me...Just ask." His smile softens, and he reaches up one hand to place it over the one on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"Thank you," he says softly. She smiles back, then leans forward and kisses his cheek. When they step away, she plucks a light pink paper flower from her bouquet and offers it to him.

"These were her favorites," she says. He takes the flower, holding it like a treasure, then gives her a final nod before he turns away and heads off on his own. Charlotte turns away as well, finally walking forward to set her bouquet among the dozens of other gifts. She looks up at all of the artwork lovingly decorating the wall, and her heart aches. A hand settles upon her shoulder, and she rises, turning to look at Ambrosius.

"Let's go home." She nods, settling against his side and slipping her arm around him as his wraps around her shoulders, guiding her away from the memorial.

Although she and Norshe finally have a home of their own, Charlotte admits that Ballister and Ambrosius's place feels a lot more like home to her. She's here a lot, both with and without her fiancée. Being here, with them...It helps.

"Do you think he'll be back soon?" Ambrosius asks, his mug of freshly brewed tea between his hands. Charlotte sips at her own tea for a moment, then finds herself staring down into the mug.

"I think it depends on how he feels now that he's there. It's one thing to be somewhere she never was. It's another to stand where she should be," she says. She had almost broken down when she'd returned to the sanctuary after that night. She had broken down when she'd found Nimona's stash of trinkets and gifts in the small nook she'd once commandeered for herself. She takes a deep breath and lifts her head, looking over at Ambrosius. "But he needed to do it. For himself as much as for her." Ambrosius looks at her with a sad, sympathetic gaze.

"I wish I'd gotten to know her how you and Bal do," he says. She blinks back tears.

"Me too." She can't help but smile a little. "When you weren't fighting on opposite sides, I think you would've really liked her." She lifts her hand to brush away a tear, but she quickly realizes that the tears aren't stopping. Ambrosius takes her mug and sets their tea aside, then tugs her into his arms. The cry isn't as bad as others have been, but she still loses track of time. They might sit there for hours before she finally pulls away, sniffling slightly. Ambrosius gently wipes the remaining tears off her cheeks, shushing her when she tries to apologize for crying.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he says, soft yet firm. It's what he always says when she cries these days. She's tried to argue with him before, but he shuts her down in the way that only he can. Once she's properly calmed down, he reaches over and picks up her mug, handing it back to her. As she takes a long drink, she hears the front door being unlocked, and it opens shortly after. Ballister must be home. She lowers the mug from her lips to call out, but whatever her words might've been die in her throat. She must be dreaming.

"Nimona?" she all but whispers. Nimona smiles softly at her.

"Hey, Chari." Ambrosius takes Charlotte's mug from her before she can drop it, and she rises and rushes around the coffee table, practically tackling Nimona in an embrace.

"Nimona." When she squeezes the shapeshifter, she's squeezed back just as tightly, and the tears begin to flow again. Nimona's alive. She's back. She's home.

Perhaps Ambrosius will get the chance to know her after all.

Fin.

Lovely tagged people:

@ammonitetheseaserpent @perfectkittystranger @madlad06 @xxlunadrawsstuffxx @floxu

[theallenshorefangirl]

ISM OC Tape (Updated Version)

Zoe's Tape Intro (Before the Accident)

Desmond Was in his chair clasping onto his clipboard,clicking his pen as Allen walked out.Desmond hear a thud before Zoe walked in."Oh Zoe are you ok?" She nods as her purple and black hued scarf that was wrapped around her face and shivered."I'm just…ugh…mmh…yeah cold." She sat down in the chaise lounge. Desmond clicks the tape recorder.

(Tape 1) "Alright Zoe how about you tell me about how your sleeping has been" "It's just not good,I've been seeing something lurking at the corner of my eyes and when I go to check nothing is there,and I seen men in suits just like Allen has and well its very bad." the nervous tapping of what sounded like her shoe could be heard from the tape and a nervous and shaking sigh. "And I could see a man with red irises with them and he looked me dead in the eyes and he seemed to mouth your next or something." (End of Tape 1)

(Tape 2) "How about we run a rorschach test.Do you know how they work?" "Yeah,you show me a ink blob and I say whatever it is and then you will probably call me crazy and then send me away." She stood up pacing the floor. "No,I won't,may we just run through the test…please." Desmond sounded concerned.(End of Tape 2)

(Tape 3) "Ok first one,what comes to mind?" "Umm a man yelling at a kid" Desmond nods and shows another. "A group of people laughing at someone." Zoe sounded like she was on the verge of tears."Deep breaths,only a few more." She nods.He shows her the next one and oddly it looked like one he showed Allen only more detailed."A man being pulled into a bottomless pit." Desmond nods and shows the last one."It looks like there's stars in the back with a woman and tears falling from the eyes with a weird mouth and dripping jacket of some kind?It's making me feel nauseous and…..kinda umm…yeah." (End of Tape 3)

(Tape 4) "Interesting,well you got through it.I see you said something about men in black? Allen mentioned them too.And I don't know about the other one you said,but I believe I saw almost the same thing here or there." She clutched her knees to her chest crying"Is everything alright?" She ran out of the room and the tape clicked off.(End of Tape 4)

⚠️ Abuse,drinking,mentioning of death and other dark and heavy topics ⚠️

(Tape fragment 1st session 1/5)

"Oh hello you must be new to Milton Haven." "Y…yes I am." Desmond clicked his pen and scribbled down on a piece of fresh paper."What's your name,date of birth you know all that,I want to know all about new patients and how I can help them." "Oh ... .I'm ... .Zoe or Z I'm 18 I'm a March 25 born kid and kinda…well." "Go on, I'm listening,I'm here to help.Tell me about your past and why you came to Milton" (End of fragment tape 1)

(Tape Fragment 1st Session 2/5)

"Well I was raised with my parents, my mother worked with pharmaceutical prescriptions and my father is a truck driver…..and well It was a nice time till the seams came undone like a fragile doll." Desmond wrote down on the clipboard."And one night my mother passed and I called grandma and we held a funeral for her ... .and when my father came home he went right to the bar and came home badly drunk ...." Zoe sniffled.(End of Fragment Tape 2)

(Tape Fragment 1st Session 3/5)

"He had a broken bottle and he slashed my my arm…he left a good cut too,I was gonna called the ambulance,there was a lot of blood or so I thought I could see through my….m..my tears and well he dragged me to my room and he locked me in there." Desmond looked terrified and very worried."That must have been really hard,did you get help?" "Yeah…..but I had to wait till he left again….." She sobbed and sniffled "When my mother was alive he was happy and now ... .its gone!? All gone…" (End of Fragment Tape 3)

(Tape Fragment 1st session ⅘)

"He would go through this never ending cycle and I'd sleep with the lights on in fear of him sitting in the dark,and then I started not sleeping and then I seen movement of something not there and my grandparents took me to the doctors like twice and well said I was fine just bad case of sleep insomnia and deprived and depression they said.And then they would take me home and he would be there…..ANGRY." She scooted herself back in the chair sobbing,burring her head into her knees."It must have been very terrible living there wasn't it." She nodded "And he would yell at me saying it's my fault my mother's dead,I couldn't do anything if it was a heartattack and a stroke at once what do you want me to do!? I was only 10 when it happened and he was out busy taking loads out in the middle of God knows where!?" She sounded stressed and panicked.(End of Fragment Tape 4)

(Tape Fragment 1st Session 5/5)

"So who brought you to Milton? If I may ask?" She huffed and sniffled."I did it myself!I was done with my fathers shit…of his yelling and screaming mad drunk at me for something I couldn't really do much about….." "How did you get here?" "Few days ago I packed my things,took some money from my little plastic vault I had owned and some from my dad's wallet,bought a bus ticket and I arrived here.I was done with his shit…." "Are you staying with anybody? Or in a safe place to rest?" She nodded "Yeah with the local lighthouse keeper in a spare room he cleaned up for me and said I can stay….I said I can help and get a job at the shopping place that opened up ... .and maybe learn a thing or to at his job at night." "Oh Mr Shore,and Homa Mart if I'm not mistaken.I see your in a rough patch right now,maybe after a few more sessions we can work things out slowly.I promise I'll do everything that I can to help you.Alright." "I hope you can,I really hope you can." (End of Fragment Tape 5)

(Ending Tape Night of Accident)

(Tape 1) "You've reached the office of Dr.Desmond Wales please leave a message after the tone [Beep] "Desmond….Desmond!? Damn it,something bad is happening I can feel it,Allen went to his house to try and rest an I see them,the men in black!?Allen is in one of the rooms I can see a lantern on down there." She struggled to talk with her panicked tone in her voice (End of Tape 1)

(Tape 2) "They are close,those men in black and I see….Him…Max Nygaard,I have a afternoon sitting job and I know his kid Maddison Nygaard and Virginia's brother Freddy Ruhl….no time for that they have cameras and they have something in the back of their truck?" She was heavily breathing….panicking.(End of Tape 2)

(Tape 3) "The guy with the red eyes I thought I saw too!?" She he took a sharp deep breath."Allen and I saw a list for a shipment that wasn't scheduled and then the lights at the lighthouse just stopped.He went to go check and I tried to p…po…power back on the lighthouse ... .Wait, something is happening……" A loud explosion could be heard and the line went quiet. (End of Tape 3)

(Tape 4) a gasp and hyperventilating could be heard and the name "Allen" could be heard as the line went dead from the blackout.Desmond looked down at the last recording that was near the dark midnight sky like sea that had glowing stars in the water that was mesmerizing.He could feel and picture her fear and sadness that night and he began to cry kneeling at the last tape recording by the sparkling door.He felt his heart was torn out like he failed her,like he could feel the pain she felt.After about a hour he got up and left through the door.(End Of Tape)

Her file and what seemed to be two tarrot cards and her kitsune plush were near her files on the file cabinet. Instead of the shelf, one was the sun tarrot with Allen's Shade form on it, and the other was the Moon tarrot with Sorrow her shadow form on the card and the kitune plushie was her weighted therapeutic plush.He doesn't know if she's safe or not but he's hopes she's alright and safe.

[cdroloisms]

hello hello!

not to add onto an old post, but i thought i'd add a few thoughts into this bc guard dog has evolved quite a lot since its earliest iteration and it's kind of funny, looking back--but at the same time, for something so ubiquitous in the fandom in the current day, a lot of its origins have obviously become quite murky judging by this post xD so, might as well supply a little bit of context?

to clarify: Guard Dog AU kind of spread itself around c!Dream apologist spaces in mid-2021 and beyond, but its initial origins come from a c!Dream centric group chat on twitter (🟩⛏️, iykyk) and a conversation between myself (hai o/) and @stabbysideblog in spring 2021. I deeeefinitely can't pull up the original chat (unless I feel like scrolling up in a twitter group chat for the next three days straight LOL), but a little digging meant I could find the first time Sunny mentioned the AU on his twitter account on April 4th, 2021. For context, this would've been 19 days into c!Quackity's beginning to torture c!Dream, over a week before LN2 was streamed on Quackity's channel, and almost a month before Wilbur's revival. Safe to say, meta about c!Dream, the prison arc, and the future of the server looked very different at that time.

of course, the AU spread quite a bit from that initial "bouncing ideas off the wall for fun" conversation, and a lot of the details evolved in fandom spaces quite far removed from my and sunny's personal input, haha. (which, for the record, was really cool to me! I never did much personal writing for GD AU, even though I was one of its cocreators, but watching the way it evolved in c!Dream apologist spaces beyond that initial conversation was awesome.) so, obviously, i'm not going to sit here and claim total final say on Every Detail on Every Version of an AU that was written and rewritten by sooo many people in this fandom. that being said, I think I can answer some of the logistical questions with the context of the AU's creation and some details about the version of the AU in its earliest iteration, haha.

Onto the logistical considerations as outlined by swordfright! (very good considerations all around, xD, and definitely things that would've been considered more heavily and fleshed out more if the AU was written later + more fully developed before it entered the public consciousness) --

Sam would never let Dream out, even on parole. This is true--and I think any level of writing this AU now would have to consider a LOT of samity Rituals (tm) around c!Dream. That being said, it's interesting because in the earliest version of the AU, c!Dream is never "borrowed" as much as moved to a new prison. A lot of the AU surrounded the idea of abusing the revive book as a means of control, and without the consideration of the possibility of the revive book holder being able to revive himself (and without the knowledge of the depth of c!Sam's obsession with c!Dream, alive), Limbo-as-a-prison was utilized. Very heavily. The only prison more inescapable than Pandora's Vault was death itself, and Sam and Quackity now had access to that key. A lot of the answers to c!Sam characterization came quite a bit later into the arc, tbh--at the time, I don't think there was much specific reason to assume that c!Sam would be so invested in keeping c!Dream alive; after all, the last time we had seen him do anything, it was let Quackity in to torture c!Dream into giving up the book. His interests in preserving the book, at the time, seemed more pragmatic than personal. All of that being said, in the earliest version of GD AU, c!Sam was c!Dream's primary handler--not c!Quackity. To summarize--c!Dream can be "securely contained" through Limbo as well as other additional security measures, c!Sam prefers him under control to completely gone, and c!Quackity has the choice between putting this time in his life to rest and reveling in his success at making the most powerful man of the server his bitch. He chooses the latter.

What is Dream actually capable of contributing to LN? In other words, would initiating Guard Dog actually pay off for Quackity in tangible ways? Honestly, the biggest payoff, even at the time, was about c!Quackity's ... complexes, about power. Having control over Dream is a sort of high, isn't it? The other main aspect of this question has a lot to do with Las Nevadas--and more specifically, the expectations that the fandom had around Las Nevadas. When c!Quackity described wanting to make a bustling Vegas to serve as the center of the server's activities, at the time, a lot of people were pretty excited for Las Nevadas to become something...quite different than its ending. Even though the server population limited it from ever feeling like a true urban center of the server, the concept of it being closer to c!Quackity's original aspirations was something that I think quite a lot of people were hoping for, and writing it as. c!Dream was therefore conceptualized as a sort of executioner's axe, for those who crossed c!Quackity or couldn't pay off their debts. There was a little bit of finagling with the idea of messing with the revive book to take people's lives for yourself, as well--a bit of additional insurance that would've appealed quite a bit to c! "keeps getting fucked over in his power grabs and revenge plans and can't PVP for his life" Quackity. Mostly, though, it's a power play. c!Dream, as a character, is a sort of status symbol and has been for a long time--fear, power, etc.

What threat is Dream even guarding LN from? Tbh, it wasn't ever really about guarding c!Quackity from any particular threat as much as it was about using him as an, uh, asset he casually tried to take over the world the server with his beautiful insane villain plot that he made with c!Sam in that one stream. It wasn't really meant to antagonize c!Techno--though in all fairness, the guy reeeeeeally went for c!Techno again in the prison arc even though it went HORRIBLY for him in NLM, wonderful decisions all around, c!Quackity--but etc etc power as a zero sum game and c!Q is trying to amass as much of it as he can. There's probably something to be said about the influence of that scene in LN1 where c!Quackity talks about having c!Schlatt work for him in the casino as well, in that there was already a concept in canon of c!Quackity utilizing dead enemies to his benefit--though obviously he tells Glatt that he'll never revive him. Anyway. Probably attributed more thinking ahead than is reasonable to this guy (lol) but the concept of c!Quackity being more of an antagonistic force than he ended up being to the rest of the server as LN never really became as much of a conflict-begetting entity as a place like, L'manburg, meant that c!Dream-as-guard seemed way more reasonable earlier on into the LN arc than later.

Dream's presence in LN would change the faction's dynamic and Quackity is sooo poorly equipped to navigate that. For sure!! Hence c!Dream being...well, a sort of secret. When we made the AU, c!Dream was actually kept dead until he was needed to Fucking Terrify Someone or whatever, and most of the time he spent when not dead or Being Tortured in c!Quackity's secret murder basement was spent with c!Sam trying the good cop act, which is probably the biggest ooc crime in this AU thus far (joking, joking). That allows c!Quackity to spend a vast majority of his time cosplaying as benevolent dictator (sorry LOL) of peak success country on the server. Of course, there's also an aspect of this where c!Quackity is a little more comfortable with being openly ... fucked up, I think, than is usually seen from him at that time on the server, but at the same time this is mister "decided on butcher outfits to execute Technoblade" and "ate his exhusband's heart at his funeral in front of everyone" and "open and obvious glee at humiliating c!Dream on the wall and having total control over him before Spirit speech" and [coughs in that one scene from the mexican lmanburg negotiations] and "makes tongue in cheek references to the torture for no good reason" etcetera. Point is, I don't think it's pushing it that far for him to weigh the cost/benefit power/fear balances and come out the other side concluding that hey, showing off the power he has by killing and reviving Universally Hated Guy Who Deserves Everything He Got Because He's The Fucking Worst is going a little too far. Mostly on account of the "eating his exhusband's heart in front of everyone" thing, because wtf man.

The revive book complicates all of this. Yeagh. It's a situation, I think, where it's like ... the AU began from a hypothetical surrounding c!Dream's giving up the book. Of course, his giving up the book in itself never would've worked out for him, which is why it never happened, lmao, but this was early into the torture and the foremost question on most of our minds was 1) would c!Dream give up the book and 2) what would happen if he did. Obviously, the fact that he's giving up the book at all isn't exactly "realistic" and the AU's whole premise kind of emphasizes that, because giving up the book is part of what gives Quackity and Sam the ability to control and torture him, but well--the point of the AU was to explore this hypothetical, so a level of contrivance is a little inescapable :P . It's true that c!Dream giving up is something that would never go well for him and the whole point of the AU is how bad it could go for him if he gave up...but that doesn't stop the AU from starting from a perspective of "what if he gave up?" which I think is especially understandable considering the context of the timeline when this AU was created.

ANYWAY. It's safe to say that if I were to write a Guard Dog inspired AU now, with way more context on Las Nevadas, way more context on the natures of all three of our main players (my understanding of c!Dream was quite different in spring 2021, LMAO, never mind the other two), etc, it would look quite a lot different from this! (There'd be a lot more awesamdreamity, for one XD) -- a lot more c!Sam and c!Quackity rituals, a lot more finagling with the revive book in particular, a lot more emphasis on c!Dream's attempts at survival + escape and judgement calls, good and bad, in the prison and out of it. I still like the idea of playing with the idea of Las Nevadas in the vision that it was first outlined as, but obviously a more canon compliant version of LN would involve a lot of the logistical concerns outlined by swordfright. It's a fun thought exercise, even though I don't see myself revisiting this AU with a more current understanding of the Dream SMP any time soon. And of course, seeing how much this AU evolved in this fandom was in itself really, really fun. Hope this helps :D

what are your logistical questions about the guard dog au?

Ohhhh boyyy. Well. First of all I'm sorry it took me like a month to answer this, I got busy.

I wanna start by saying I wasn't around when Guard Dog AU was created, it was before my time (just barely) but I have read dozens of fics with this premise so bear in mind that I thiiiink I have a pretty solid understanding of how GD is supposed to work?? But I could be wrong about some details, in which case please feel free to correct me! Also, I wouldn't normally poke holes in someone's AU because at the end of the day, AUs are supposed to be fun fantasy what-if scenarios and not airtight canon-compliant thought experiments. The only reason I feel comfortable doing it with Guard Dog is because, from what I can tell, this AU wasn't created by any one specific person, it just sort of manifested on twitter in like 2021 and now there are literally hundreds of pieces of fan content about it. What I'm saying is, Guard Dog is The People's AU and that's the only reason I don't feel weird answering this ask.

Yeah, so. My logistical questions are as follows:

What's Sam's motivation for letting Q borrow Dream?

When in the timeline is this taking place? (because that affects EVERYTHING)

What threat is Dream purportedly guarding Las Nevadas from?

How does Dream's presence change the preexisting dynamic in Las Nevadas?

What is Quackity actually getting out of this?

Who does or doesn't have the revive book at this point?

I'll try to address these as neatly as I can. So, my understanding of the premise: Quackity somehow gets Sam to agree to let Dream out of the prison so he can live out the remainder (or some unspecified portion?) of his life sentence acting as security for LN. In some variants it seems like this is happening after Dream gives up the revive book, but in other variants that's not the case or it's left unclear. There are a couple points at which this feels implausible/OOC, namely:

1.) Sam would never let Dream out, even on parole. He does not want Dream under anyone else's watch. He wants Dream in Pandora at all costs. You cannot convince me he would just let someone borrow the prisoner for a bit, for any reason - especially not Quackity, who imo Sam probably sees as a greater threat to his authority as warden than almost anyone. Think about it: aside from Sam, Q has probably had the most consistent contact with the prisoner during his incarceration; Q's violence and general temperament mean that Sam likely knows Q killing Dream is a possibility, and that without the warden's supervision this could very well happen. Sam obviously isn't concerned for Dream's wellbeing, but he does want his prisoner alive because otherwise he's not a prisoner and Sam's not a warden. So yeah. "Just me and him" line etc etc. Dream ain't never gettin' outta there if Sam has anything to say about it.

2.) What is Dream actually capable of contributing to LN? In other words, would initiating Guard Dog actually pay off for Quackity in tangible ways? It depends on where in the timeline we are. If this is happening post-torture era or even mid-torture era, Dream is likely physically incapable of performing the feats of combat he was capable of prior to prison. Hell, even if Guard Dog era is happening instead of the torture era, Dream has still been in prison for a while and is probably already experiencing the disabling effects of prolonged malnutrition and neglect. So if Dream is known for PVP and his PVP skills took a severe blow recently, then what use is he as a security guard? Which brings us to the next question...

3.) What threat is Dream even guarding LN from? Quackity's foremost enemy is Technoblade, who has largely peace'd-out between Doomsday and Jailbreak. Q is evidently not eager to reignite a direct conflict with Techno because he got his ass handed to him last time. Also, he's aware that Techno and Dream are allies, so why would he put Dream in a place that's easier to rescue Dream from than Pandora? You could argue that maybe by publicly turning Dream into a glorified slave laborer Q is indirectly flaunting his power (the power of ownership) in Techno's face, but I don't see this as terribly likely given that (based on some of the visitation dialogue) Q misunderstands the nature of Dream and Techno's relationship. Critically, he doesn't seem to realize that they are comrades in addition to allies. And I think flaunting ownership of Dream would only make sense if you thought you were really hurting Techno in the process - Quackity just doesn't seem to have picked up on the fact that this is even a possibility. Based on all this, the enemy Dream is supposed to be fending off probably isn't Techno, so who is it? Las Nevadas is pretty much a neutral state. Q has people he doesn't like, but his list of Actual Real Enemies is surprisingly short. The population of the server is also comically small, so like...intruders? What intruders??? It's not as if Q really has to worry about strangers breaking in and robbing him or something, which is usually what guard dogs are for. My current answer to this question is that the threat would have to be the Egg. Possession by the Egg can turn people you know into strangers, and the entity that is the Egg can travel/infiltrate new spaces by way of the vines. Also, this conveniently answers the sub-question of "what threat can Dream defend LN against that the actual members of LN couldn't?" If you suddenly have to worry about contamination, it makes sense that you would send someone disposable to deal with the contaminant - not your own friends or employees. Speaking of which...

4.) Dream's presence in LN would change the faction's dynamic and Quackity is sooo poorly equipped to navigate that. Quackity's whole shtick is that he's charismatic because he can't be strong. He's volatile, conniving, violent, insecure, hedonistic, profit-motivated and has poor impulse control, but he's also able to project confidence and affability in ways that have been advantageous to him. There are two sides to Quackity and he seemingly likes to keep them separate. If Guard Dog is happening after the torture arc, then Quackity is used to showing the worst aspects of his personality only around Dream. In Pandora, he's a torturer; in Las Nevadas, he's a leader. So what happens when those two places effectively become the same place? If LN is Dream's new prison, how is Quackity supposed to act there? Sure, he's not particularly kind and caring when dealing with his staff (most of them were recruited via intimidation, after all) but they've never seen the side of him that Dream has seen. How is he supposed to maintain that authority over Dream while continuing to be the version of himself that Fundy and Purple and Foolish and co. know? Quackity talks a big game about (and makes gestures toward) not caring that people know about the torture, but he obviously does have reservations about it. When Wilbur asks him about visiting, he dodges around the question. When he discourages Foolish from breaking in, he's weird and cagey about it even though he knows he needs to come clean. When Tommy confronts him about the torture directly, he says "Don't ever say that, not even as a joke." He's defensive. This is another one of Q's hilarious contradictions: he wants to enjoy the benefits of being known as a dangerous person without the downsides of people being actually scared of him or finding him repulsive. He wants to have his cake and eat it too, and Dream's presence in Las Nevadas puts that impulse in jeopardy. There's a big difference between people suspecting you may have done some torture vs people actually witnessing that torture firsthand, or even seeing its aftereffects. Not to mention, there are now other people for Dream to interact with besides Sam, Q, and the prison guards! That changes things, even if Dream isn't allowed to speak to them directly. In Pandora, Bad and Ant had one job, which was to keep the prison running and keep Dream inside it - that's not the case with the LN crew. These people have shit to do! Foolish is building Quackity a replica of the Eiffel Tower, he doesn't have the time or interest to be a prison guard. I could go on but you get my drift. Things would get so weird so fast.

5.) The revive book complicates all of this. If Dream actually did give up the book and Sam understood how to use it, I could be convinced that maybe he would let Quackity borrow Dream for a bit - because hey, if he kills Dream then Sam can just revive him! However, I don't feel confident saying that Q wouldn't just kill Dream immediately after getting the book. We know Q enjoys torturing Dream, but we also know that he seemingly gets bored of it after a while. We also know he has at least some level of concern for propriety/his own rep, so he does have plausible reasons to just straight-up kill him after getting the book. Like, he got what he wanted (necromancy knowledge + a fun 3 months of recreational activity) and if he kills Dream then that's one less person to potentially spread word of Q's uhhhh proclivities around the server - which, again, he paradoxically does seem to care about. Even if Q's plan was to relocate Dream to LN to better access to his fave chew toy and never intended to kill Dream, would Sam believe that?? Q can't directly go against the warden's orders when he's visiting Pandora because that would be stupid and dangerous, but in Las Nevadas? Hm. I think Sam may see Guard Dog as an attempt on Q's part to move the prisoner to a location fully under Q's control so that he can kill Dream without risking retaliation from the warden. Basically, I think this au only has a chance to work in a scenario where Dream has given up the revive book to Sam, but not to Quackity. Because otherwise, Sam just wouldn't let him go. Quackity does want the revive book, but moreso he enjoys torturing Dream, so I do find it semi-plausible that Q would initiate Guard Dog even if he didn't have the book yet.

Ummmm so yeah! These are my questions and thoughts about Guard Dog! i think it's a really fun AU with a lot of potential, but there are kinks in the premise (pun intended) that I find it difficult to wrap my head around. anyway please talk to me about this because I think about it all the time and I wanna hear some other folks' takes too.

[yellowspiralbound]

Okay so for a while after The Lightning Thief musical release I really wanted them to keep making musicals (now I'm glad they didn't) but to this day I want songs based in HoO. Here are my favorite ideas, some with more thought than others:

A Nico reprise of Good Kid sung to Percy where the premise is basically "Hey remember how no one ever wanted you and how if anyone should have understood me it should have been you but instead you pushed me away and dismissed me as a bad kid?" It could be during when he told Percy he had a crush on him too - one of the lines could be something about someone you loved from afar seeing you as just another enemy when you're just a "good kid with a bad run."

A duet between the crew of the Argo II and Nico in the jar would be phenomenal - Nico starts, begging someone to save him and he slowly gets drowned out by the crew wanting to abandon him. Hazel has a cadence part that calls for saving him and she could do like an operatic high note to get them to shut up and listen to her. Just,,, the possibilities for an absolutely heartwrenching song in that scene are basically endless

Hazel could have a song while she dies. It ends in not-quite-silence. Like, horror movie silence where they use a high pitch or a tune specifically designed to inspire fear. There'd be a reprise when she comes back to life but it still ends the same way because she just went from one war to another.

A song that Sammy sings to Hazel about "undying [insert word here: love, devotion, etc.]" that Leo has a reprise of later.

Frank has a song about the Stick called St(ick)yx or something where he compares the Stick to Achilles' heel because it both keeps him alive and is his greatest weakness.

Idk what it would be about but there would definitely be a song called Panda Pillow Pet. Possibly with some sort of chorus like "I don't know who I am but I'll be okay as long as I've got my panda pillow pet"/"It's just me and you, my panda pillow pet"

Leo has a song as he flies Gaia into the explosion. It starts with him talking about how he's burned everything he's loved to the ground. Gaia reveals his mother's death was her doing (I know its not book accurate timing wise but ✨️drama✨️) The song ends with a verse along the lines of "Do I even want this cure to work?" followed by a bang a la Dead Girl Walking Reprise from Heathers. Perhaps even a line about how he's "had two lives already; do I even deserve a third?"

Thalia and Jason have a duet - think The Mother We Share by CVURCHES

A HERA & ANNABETH DUET

A percabeth duet that starts in Arachne's web and ends in hell

Hypothetically, there would have already been a song about Zoe's death in a previous musical and Bob would have a reprise of it ending in "tell the stars I say hello" this is immediately followed by a poorly recorded version of Escape by Rupert Holmes. Not the full thing, but just that and nothing else as the elevator rises.

A Last Day of Summer reprise following the final battle - Dionysus gets Percy's name right this time. He sounds exhausted - borderline sorrowful, not angry.

A duet between Reyna and her father's ghost

I want a solangelo song because I love them. I'm thinking Will has a few lines in a song during the Battle of New York and there's some kind of call back. "I've lost more lives than I've saved - don't make yourself the first blood shed today" Nico has no idea how to react to being cared about and his verses reflect this. [spoken not sung, interrupting Will's verse about keeping Nico alive] "why do you care?" "...why wouldn't I?" "You need a soldier ready for action. Right. Stupid question." "No!"

You can probably tell I'm bad at comedy lol. Anyway feel free to share your song ideas because I LOVE THEM.

[wornoutmouse]

Fun fact: demon slayer starts in 1912 and ends in 1927(or at least that's when the Tashio era ends). Using that math Tanjiro (as long as he kept his health good) would very well be alive today at the ripe age of like 78 if my math is correct since he started as 13 in the series. (My math probably wrong asf)

Power imbalance, power bottom reader, knife play,  blood but not blood play...

He hated you.

Your very being irked him more than anything he'd ever experienced in all his centuries of living. You were clumsy, boisterous, and played that arrogant music all throughout your home while walking around half naked. Well in Muzan's opinion you were half naked, he couldn't even begin to describe his disbelief at the trend of exposing skin. 

It didn't help that you had that insignificant filth running through your veins. At first he was unsure, after all this was a completely different country than Japan, not to mention your darker skin and coiled hair. But no, he could smell and recognise the Kamado blood running through your veins just as strongly as it had run through all your ancestors. 

Completely undiluted. 

At the very beginning when you first moved in, you  came to his home. Knocking aggressively on his front door already getting off to the wrong start. When he opened it, you slipped past him and walked into his living room barely even saying hello as you put poorly decorated sugar cookies on his obsidian coffee table. "This is a nice place you got here Mj." 

Muzan's eyes twitched, that joke had long since gotten old since he moved to America. 

Now that you were closer he could definitely smell, the century old stench of rivaling bloodlust simmered just below your onyx skin. At any moment he expected you to attack him in some way or form. "Anyways I'm here to say hello neighbor, my name is Y/n and I'm your new best friend!"

Your happy attitude also agitated him to no end. Even though the knowledge of demons had dwindled down to only a few select families, even basic humans were wary of him as their baser instincts made them aware of his dangerous origins. This fact had long since forced Muzan to only prey on the elderly to survive. You had stayed a bit longer babbling about some nonsense that Muzan never acknowledged as he watched you from a good distance.

"You know you really got to add more to your wardrobe than 1963 suits." You walked from the back of his home, an area that he didn't even notice you wandered to. Finally getting bored, you open his door bidding your farewells. 

Just before leaving you stop and with a cheeky grin say, "If you ever need anything just come on over. We Kamado's are known for our kindness." 

Since then he'd been on edge around you. The point of relocating was for him to keep a low profile but now it seems he'd have to come face to face with an old nemesis reborn. 

Muzan snapped out of his thoughts with a flinch as he pierced his hand with his nail. He watches the dark blood well up from the wound and drip down his wrist. In the end this world had long since lost its hostility dwindling the average human incapable of basic combat. Giving you were no doubt a great descendant, Muzan failed to see you as a true threat.  

But one can never be too sure

🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢

You heard a knock on your door, soft and hesitant. "I don't think I'm expecting company." You checked your watch and peered out of a nearby window. It was at least 8 at night, you were braless wearing sweats with a red T-Shirt and on your way to bed.  In the back of your mind you visualize your two grand-uncles Inosuke and Zenitsu coming over to make you spectate their fights. For two old dudes they still had enough strength in them to do hip breaking nonsense.

You open the door shocked to see your next door neighbor standing before you. For once he wasn't wearing a suit that cost more than your house. His attire was still expensively dressed but in a more casual sense, that being a black dress shirt and slacks. His sleeves were rolled up displaying his pale skin. "Can I come in?" A dazzling smile you had never seen before practically blinds you as he walks past you into your home.

When Muzan walks in his eyes immediately dart to the clear as day Nichirin Blade sword displayed recklessly on your living room wall above your couch. "You like it?" A hand on his shoulder makes him jump, "Got it from my grandpa, he says it's really special but I feel like he's exaggerating. You know how old people are." Muzan shakes out of his stupor. "I don't quite understand what you mean by that, however I do know that it's much more wise to listen to your elders than ignoring…..It could save your life."

Muzan replicates you and puts a hand on your shoulder gently squeezing. This was it, he'd go in for the kill and it would be over, the amount of blood he'd pump into you would be enough to watch you meet a satisfying end of combustion completely untraceable if the police were to get involved. How he wishes he'd be there when your poor grandfather walks along your remains splattered on every surface in your living room. Unable to do a thing as he's finally in his last stretch of life. 

The beauty.

Muzan's finger only twitches in the slightest before pain sparks from his own neck. "The thought of you coming into my own home unprovoked and at night no less, was the most obvious sign one could ask more." You had his hand gripped so tight your veins popped while your other hand held a small pocket knife that burned  brighter than any Nichirin sword he'd ever encountered. He didn't understand, he was quick enough to kill even the best of the ancient Hiroshima. So how did a little foreign girl like you get the upper hand?

It was embarrassing and almost laughable if any of his pillars were alive to tell the tale.

You press the blade harder before bringing your other hand to caress Muzan's cheek,  "Did you think I'd be just an ignorant descendant of an infamous hero?" You clicked your teeth disappointingly. "How naive, you've really become lazy after all these millennia huh?" You walk forward, pushing Muzan back with seductive strength. He allows you to push him into your couch,  I say allow because at any time he could have stopped you.  

Muzan is most definitely not holding me at gunpoint right now. 

The knife never wavers even as you climb into Muzan's lap, pressing it even closer against his jugular. "You do know getting beheaded will not kill me, and I doubt this petty little kitchen knife will get the job done in the first place." Your lips draw into a smirk and you press the knife closer as you trail it down his chest, "That may be true but it's gonna take one hell of a time for you to grow back." Your hand jerks down, popping his shirt buttons open.

Muzan watches with interest, your eyes light up as more skin becomes exposed. The tones of your dark skin contrast strikingly as you caress his pectoral with the tips of your fingers. "For a 1,000 year old grandpa you look decent." Still threatening his life with your blade, you kiss him. It's deep and carnal. Your lustful desires being made known as you grind in his lap. The flesh of your ass snuggly hotdogs the forming outline of his cock. "I've always wanted to be with a demon. You've had to of become a real freak after living this long!"

When you pull away Muzan's thin lips are pink and a bit swollen. He is out of breath despite needing none, "You have a lot of nerve for a mere human." With your free hand you loosen the belt of his slacks, only standing to pull them off, pleased when Muzan voluntarily raises his hips to aid you. 

Don't get him wrong, he was still planning on killing you and ending your wretched bloodline once and for all, he just needed his mind to clear itself. Your scent, your confidence, strung him along like a puppet. His hands grip onto your ass cheeks like a lifeline. Molding them between his fingers, even giving them a shake through your sweats. His nails elongate and puncture the thick fabric as if it was nothing more than a spider web. 

Your sweats are tugged off completely leaving your lower half nude. Muzan moves his hands to hold your ass again but your blade politely makes itself known. You are out of breath and clearly flustered. "Watch yourself, demon, I'm the one calling the shots, don't forget that." Muzan bites his tongue with sharp glare. He raises his hands in surrender, "Of course." 

Muzan can feel your wetness against his leg and it's driving him insane. "Hey…" red eyes refocus on yours, "You ain't got any diseases do you? And you can't get me pregnant right?" Muzan smirks hands enclosing around your ass despite your protest. "I can, however it will cost a lot more than doing it once." The odds didn't seem in your favor but you were in no position to stand down and grab a condom and Muzan knew it.

You curve the blade towards his chin, "If you are lying and give me some ancient unknown disease or I find out you have superman sperm, I will kill you." Muzan links his lips, "Wasn't that the plan from the beginning or have you had a moment of level headedness?" Your wrist is quick and precise, cutting a thin slash along his jawline., not enough to scar and it barely even bled, but the threat was clear.

You grab Muzan's dick and use your thumb to attack the underside with fast strokes. Said man doesn't react outwardly, the only sign being his eyelids lowering by a fraction. "Were you always this well endowed or did you adjust this part too?" Muzan was not amused by your insinuation. Deciding to once again display the true power imbalance this situation had, he loops his arms underneath your large thighs and lifts you just enough to thrust his cock against your hole. 

From there he let's go, making you plop down on his length, making you yelp and allowing him to lean back with a relaxed sigh. You were so warm and tight. Now even though I explained what had happened with great detail,  keep in mind that in reality it all happened within a fraction of a second. 

Your large and in charge persona was cracking.  You gripped Muzan's sides tightly as your pussy spasmed around his girth. "F-Fuck it's too….." you trail off not wanting to give Muzan the credit he was truly due. 

It takes a few moments for you to get your bearings all the while Muzan and his dangerous jaw swayed in the crevice of your neck. A viper playing with its prey. The blade is back against his neck once again making his cock twitch. If he were human this would be a dangerous feat.  Your grip never slacked nor lessened against his neck, slicing into a growing wound that dropped dark blood down his chest and to his abdomen. 

His dick stretched your pussy and made it weap on each downstroke. Muzan's hands grip onto the cheeks of your ass with gritted teeth.  Your insides gripped him ever so slightly.  Sucking him back in as if he belonged there.  He felt used and it felt good.  His black ringlets stuck to his face from sweat and his red eyes grew in intensity. 

He couldn't see much of your body, hell he could barely even touch. In the back of his mind humorous thoughts such as how he knew Tanjiro would lose his sanity if he knew his granddaughter was being bedded by the man he despised. But the more you bounced, the more you squeezed, the deeper you cut into his neck proved that you were truly the one in charge. 

"Oh God you're so deep!" Your deep almond eyes shut themselves with pleasure. Muzan could feel your legs shaking with exertion at the same rhythm your pussy twitched. His balls felt tight after having no action in over a dozen years. "F-Faster." He has no care for your blade, only wanting to cum and feel the sweet ecstasy he knew your creamed pussy would provide. "Come on human, go faster." Muzan locks lips with you, gaze hardened and intent on proving some sort of point.

Tossing the knife you wrap your arms around his neck pulling his head closer. Red eyes target brown ones as his hands take a stronger grip on your ass. He uses his strength to bounce you. The sound of his balls slapping against the curve of your ass is just as disgusting as it is sexy. Your nipples rub against his through your tank-top making you both moan. The feeling blood stains your shirt making you shiver from the cool wetness

The couch you rest on bangs against the wall behind you the faster you both go. Muzan's feet are planted firmly in the ground, his fangs further elongated. He looks feral and it is in this moment where you get a glimpse of the horror many people felt when he took their lives. "Focus little Kamado, you wouldn't want to disappoint me now would you?" 

Muzan's hips meet yours, spreading the tempo. Your juices coat his lap before finally you tense up completely into a cramp inducing stance as Muzan impaled you on his cock one last time. "Ahh.." Muzan empties himself within you with a relieved sigh. 

Maybe the Kamado bloodline could go on.

[dangerousstrawberryshark]

Love in a Hopeless World

A/N: Hello, my 🍓Little Strawberries🍓! I’m back with another fic for you! This was one of the options given to me.

Pairing: Chris Redfield x Male reader

Requested: @evansphnx12

Rating: Mature

Warnings: NSFW, smut, bottom male reader, sir kink, degradation, creampie, size kink, Choking kink, breeding kink, masturbation, and all characters are above the age of 18+

Word Count: 2355

Summary: Its turns out there weren't that many supplies in the old abandoned campus. So, you and Chris have to go deeper into the city to find more but during the little scavenge, Chris began to dirty thoughts...

I hope you enjoy it! Sorry if it’s bad! And sorry for any errors that are found!

If you like what I write, how about check out my masterlist?

Keys:

M/n: Male name.

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[1]

[2] YOU ARE HERE

DISCLAIMER!: I never played or watched any gameplay of the resident evil series. And this doesn’t follow any of the resident evil timelines, it’s on its own.

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MINORS DNI. FEMALE READERS… I’LL ALLOW YOU TO READ MY FICS BUT DO NOT FETISHIZE ANY OF MY STORIES

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Previously...

Then y'all had another round of hot steamy sex. And the others at the base had a hard time sleeping that night.

«••••••••••••••»

Your eyes twitch at the unpleasant light hitting it directly. 'It's morning already?' you moved around only to feel wet sheets. 'What happened last night?'

Then you felt a body move and a muscular arm grab you, pulling you closer. You could feel the warmth, and muscular chest pushed against your back.

'Oh! That's right!' now you remembered why you were all sticky and sleeping against Chris. 'I had sex with my superior! But he felt the same.'

Then you felt Chris move around and waking up. "Hey, baby boy," Chris said with a raspy and deep voice. "Morning." you pressed your lips against his.

"If you continue, we may have to repeat what we did last night, baby," Chris growled as pulled back, gripping your waist. You smirked before getting up.

"Come one, we have to get ready. We have important business," you said. "Ugh, can't we just sleep in and have some... Fun?" Chris complained.

"I know you haven't had sex in 5 years but we need to go get those people. We'll have fun at the end of the day," you said stressing your muscles and popping your back.

The bed creaked meaning he finally got off his ass to get ready. "We need to go get those survivors. And scavenge for more supplies," you said putting your armor on and fixing it up.

After you both got your gear and weapons, you both walked into the main area with all the others.

Everybody looked at you both and immediately looked at way. There was awkwardness in the room. 'They must have heard me last night!' Hell! maybe the whole city heard it is quiet

"Uh,- sir... We have a situation." one of the soldiers said. "shot." Chris said. "Well... it turns out there weren't that many supplies found on the campus. We need more supplies if weren't gonna go get those survivors." the soldier said

You heard listening but your mind began to wonder. You still couldn't let go of the past, you remembered one of your siblings was accepted into MIT. This was 3 months after the Raccoon City Incident.

You would see on the news- Raccoon City survivors being discriminated against by the American people. "Hey, what do I keep saying?" Chris said next to you. His conversation was done.

"Stop thinking about the past, it's long gone," you replied, mimicking his voice. Chris laughed, "Okay, baby. But we need to go get those people."

You nodded but kind of chuckled at the fact that he didn't want to do anything today but now wants to do business.

"Come on, M/n! We have to get going. EVERYONE, protect the base at all cost." Chris commanded. "YES SIR!" they all said at the same time.

You, Chris, and a few others left the confines of the base. Even though it was morning, the sky still had a grey color to it. You open the door to the back seat and closed it.

"We should be there in 20 minutes or less." the driver said starting the engine up. "Alright, let's go." the armored car pulled out before driving down the messy road.

It wasn't long before you reached the waterfront. You could see the skyline perfectly, most buildings were on the verge of collapsing. Others were burnt to where the wall showed the skeleton.

Up ahead, you saw a bridge leading into Cambridge was destroyed. 'Longfellow Bridge.' You have been to Boston before and got to explore everything before the world went hell.

The ride continued for a while. There was nothing or anyone in sight. You could see the freeway ahead but like all other ways leading into Cambridge was destroyed.

"We're closing in on Bunker Hill. They said they are taking refuge by the monument." one of them said.

And wouldn't you know it? In the distance, you could see the tall granite obelisk peaking out. It kind of looked like the one down in D.C. but this one is still standing.

What you meant by "This one is still standing" is because the capital was hit by a nuclear warhead, along with other cities across the US.

The President and other government officials were evacuated and the countries important documents were evacuated as well. So, the legacy of the US would still live.

That means the President is still alive and is in some remote area devoid of zombie life.

"I see some people! They appear to be walking around." one of the soldiers said. And the people seem to notice us because they were waving at us.

"Stop the car," Chris said, the car stopped. He and others got out. Two of the survivors looked familiar? Like you have seen them before. They both were tall and had beards.

They walked up to y'all. "Please, are you here to rescue us?" one of them pleaded. "Yes, we're here to take you to our temporary base," Chris said.

They all smiled and some hugged each other. Chris ordered the soldiers to help some things and you approached the two survivors. "Why do you two look familiar?"

One of them laughed and smiled. "Well...- are you fan of Captain America and Thor?"

Your jaw dropped and your eyes widen. "No. Way. You're Chris Evans and Hemsworth!" you were lost at speech. "I thought y'all was dead! I- how-"

"Well, we survived! I'm not too sure about the others though..." Chris H said with that thick Australian accent. You both were just talking, unknown to Chris R was glaring holes into your head.

After y'all returned to MIT Dorms, you still talked with Chris E and H. You didn't even acknowledge Chris R's glares.

He was getting more and more jealous. 'I hate those two!' Chris yelled in his mind. They were taking your attention from him.

"We have to go M/n! We need to find supplies." Chris yelled at you. 'What's wrong with him?' you thought to yourself. "Bye guys!" You waved at the two Chris.

"He was fun to talk to." Chris H said and Chris E agreed.

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TIMESKIP (To Supermarket)

«••••••••••••••»

You and Chris arrived at the market. There were some abandoned cars in the parking lot. "Come on." You both walked to the doors and opened them.

The place was absolutely trashed. Lights flickering, aisles tipped over, some cans on the floor - also money, which was useless-, and the roof caved in on the left side.

"Look for non-perishables. Canned food would be good and find any water- if there is any that is." you nodded your head before going down one of the aisles.

There were some canned foods but no water. The smell of a rotting corpse filled the air, you could hear flies buzzing. "Ugh." you covered your nose and looked at the rotting corpse. "Poor bastard..."

Meanwhile, Chris was looking for the same stuff, but he was still bitter about you talking to those guys. And completely ignoring him. He could already imagine your punishment.

He could imagine you begging for more, feeling the tightness of your ass wrapped around his cock. 'Shit.' Chris was getting hard. His cock was feeling restricted by the tight pants.

"Hurry up, M/n!" Chris yelled from the other side of the store. "Okay!" you finished gathering anything you could find. 'Why are we leaving early? We have few more places to loot/raid.'

You left the aisles and made your way to the front doors. "Come on, we have to go." you both we made went to the vehicle and drove back to base.

You had found some supplies. 15 canned foods, and some water as well. It wasn't much, but it's something.

«••••••••••••••»

TIMESKIP (Arrival at the base.)

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You and Chris arrived at MIT. You were gonna go talk with Chris E and H, but Chris R wasn't having it.

"Hey-" Chris grabbed your hand and began to rush to the room. Everyone knew what was gonna happen. 'Ah, shit- there gonna go at it again.'

At the room, Chris pinned you against the wall and latched his lips onto yours. The kiss rough, his much larger body pushed against yours shows the difference in size.

His tongue pushed against your teeth telling you to open them. You slowly pushed your mouth, Chris immediately pushed his tongue and invaded your mouth.

"Mmm-" you moaned into the kiss as Chris began to grip your ass. "Up." He growled into your ear. You wrapped your legs around his waist and continued to make out.

He lifted you and carried you to the bed. He slammed you onto your back before pulling away and attacking your neck. "A-ah!" Chris found your sweet spot.

"You belong to me, M/n! I claimed you that night we had sex last night!" Chris growled. "Strip." he quickly removed his clothes, leaving him in his boxers.

You could see the outline thick meaty cock. "You got hard from just kissing me?" you laughed. "You don't talk me like that! You're the slut here." Chris growled as he gripped and slapped your thighs.

You whimpered under the touch. "Look at you, whimpering under me. And your pathetic cock got hard from me hitting you. But let's see what this ass has to say." Chris said as he put your legs on his shoulders

You then felt his thick slicked fingers at your entrance. One finger slips in, your muscles immediately clenched at the invader. "M-mm." you gripped the sheets as his finger pushed deeper.

Then a second finger went in. You clench even more as it did a scissor motion. "Aagh!" you felt his fingers touch the bundle of pleasure. "You're ready."

Chris pulled his fingers out to see your hole doing a grabbing motion. 'Fuck... that's hot.' Chris threw his head back while jerking his cock. "Can't wait to pound this slutty boipussy."

You felt his fat tip push past your tight ring. "Mmm... C-Chris!-"

Smack

"YOU DON'T CALL ME THAT! You didn't learn from last time? You. Call. Me. Sir. You got that?" Chris growled/yelled. "Y-yes, Sir... It's just that... You're so big..." You whimpered.

Then with one Thrust, Chris pushed his entire cock inside. "See? You're taking all 12 inches of me! Fuck, so tight..." Chris groaned. His cock was touching your prostate.

His thick meaty cock filled your insides perfectly. Like you were made for each other. "Y-you're... splitting m-me... in two!" you moaned as you felt it throb and twitch.

"P-please... fuck me... make me your slut." you begged. Chris smirked before snapping his hips.

He began pounding into you. His big cum-filled balls smacked against your ass as he thrusts harder. "S-sir! Y-you feel... s-so good!" You moaned as you threw your head back and gripped the sheets tighter.

"You think those guys can fuck you like I do?! Only I can give you this pleasure, only me!" Chris growled as he thrust harder, hitting your prostate repeatedly.

You used the last of your strength to get up and wrapped your arms around Chris's neck. You clawed his back as he thrust more, you were sure those were gonna leave marks.

"Maybe those guys can give me more pleasure," you smirked at your fake statement. You heard a deep growl as Chris dropped you on the bed and flipped you onto your stomach.

"You fucking slut! Only I can give you this much pleasure! Those guys don't deserve you. Bet their cocks aren't as big as mines." Chris growled as he gripped your hips.

Sounds of skin-slapping and balls slapping against your ass filled the room and the others in the building had to hear it. The walls weren't soundproof.

Your cock was twitching, ready to release a load. "You're about to cum without me touching you! Well, I'm -FUCK- about to cum too." Chris groaned as you tighten around him.

"P-please... give me... y-your load!" You moaned as you arched your back to give Chris more access. "Want me to fill this slutty ass with my cum? Gonna... cum... soon!"

After 5 more thrusts, Chris reached his breaking point, and so did you.

"FUCK! I'M CUMMING! CUM WITH ME!" Chris groaned, he wrapped his hand around cock stroking it before you released it all over his hand. That was enough for him.

"FUCK!" you felt his cock twitch before pumping his hot load inside, filling you up to the brim.

*Breathing intensifies*

Chris collapses onto the bed right next to you with his cock still inside. You felt him pull out with his cum leaking out. "I'll never leave you for those two. My heart only beats for you," you said sincerely turning over to face him.

"I'll never leave you too. We'll be together until our time runs out." Chris said pulling you into a kiss filled with passion and love.

'There is still Love in a Hopeless World.'

THE END.

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A/N: Finally this is done! I hoped you enjoy this, by 🍓Little Strawberries🍓!

[nilolol30]

Endangered: 3

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

"Thanks again Kosma" I say hopping over the spilled paint on the floor I don't want to make more of a mess.

"Oh anytime soft one but if you can tell those two up their to quit with the paint tossing" Kosma shook their head and started getting to work with cleaning.

"I will see ya" looking around I'm definitely going to need a way up and luckily I found a good way next to the shop was a bin next to a small platform I could easily climb up!

Climbing the bin and the platform was easy but now I have to jump onto the air-conditioning and jump onto the other one on the other side.

After doing so I climbed on top the small balcony using more of the air-conditioning I climbed to the roof when I made it I saw another companion laying on some mattresses.

I swear if I find out I took the hard way up I'm gonna cry.

"Oh hello I was wondering what those noises were" the companion says looking at me.

"Ah sorry if I startled you"

"No worries I was looking at the circles of light I wish I could see the real sky one day" oh poor guy I remember the stars the lights here look nothing like them.

"I hope you do the normal dark sky is way beautiful than this one" the companion made this cute whirring noise and a heart popped onto it's screen.

"Really? I can't wait!" I couldn't help but laugh a little I gave to companion a goodbye wave and looked around just on the other roof was a couch and Tv.

Not questioning it I jumped down on the other side was a air-conditioning with some beautiful yellow flowers I'm surprised that they can grow without sunlight maybe evolution?

Climbing up I finally sat down the couch was a bit worn out but still comfortable and the remote was on the couch too curious on what future tv is like I turned it on seems like a news channel but there was no sound and I couldn't read the text but a small picture of a robot with a top hat was on the corner.

I sigh honestly I kinda thought by now I'd at least remember my own name but I can't even do that and I doubt any of the companions here can really help me I doubt they know much about humans if they're shocked when seeing one.

Because everyone is dead...my parents, my friends everyone I'm literally the last person alive...I can feel myself hyperventilating trying to stop myself from crying its obviously failing since I can feel the tears.

I can never talk to them again there gone and I can't do anything about it I don't even have a fucking photo of them why was I in the cryopod in the first place why was mine the only one to have survived that's not fair.

I could have at least died with my family or friends that would have been more peaceful than this.

I'm not sure how long I was sitting here crying long enough for me to get thirsty again or maybe it was hunger I can't tell anymore the sound of faint pots breaking distracted me from my own pity party.

A few roofs over I could see Stray push some empty pots over for them to break ha classic cat stuff I quickly whipped my eyes and snot I should keep moving I really don't want to end up falling asleep outside.

Turning around there was a balcony with a blue neon sign with a frown since it looks easy to get in I hopped over and moved the wooden board away and pushed the white boxes to the side then opened the door.

It looks a its a library books everywhere ahead was a bunch of computers walking forward on the right I saw another room the entrance was full of piles of books I tried to carefully move over them but they still fell over.

"Ah shit hopefully there isn't an angry librarian in here" of course there wasn't but on the mattress there was a note and keys but again it was in a different language but maybe I can look around to see what the key opens.

So I did that walking out I took a left turn and saw a bigger room in the middle of all the book shelves there seems to what I can only guess is a dead companion and a piano the poor guy though must have been there for a long time from what the spider webs tell me.

On the piano was a music sheet I can't read the title but maybe B-12 can I'm a bit curious so I folded the sheet and put it in my pocket oh wait I walked past a hall and on the other side was a box I should check that.

There is so many book piles here it's a pain I didn't even take four steps and I already tripped over knocking more down with me.

"Okay curse whoever did this!" I couldn't help but try to hit the shelf next to me out of anger but when it did it wasn't books it was a frikin safe!?

"This library is making a mockery out of me" the key is definitely opening this and guess what it did! There was a small book with the same symbol as the sign at the door on the back of the book was a drawing of a dragon maybe B-12 can translate this it must be important I definitely need to find the cat.

Getting out and climbing down was way easier than getting up the Guardian probably seen Stray by now so that's who I headed to.

"Ah yes I've seen the cat go down there" Guardian pointed left down some other stairs.

"Thank you!" Not wanting to miss them I ran downstairs but I could already see Stray laying next to a companion with a guitar.

"Oh human we were listening to Morusque play music we've been giving him music sheets" B-12 popped out the little bag again.

"Music sheets huh funny I just found one!" Morusque seems happy hearing that.

"Really may I see?" Nodding I handed the sheet over.

"Mildly important information. This one was composed by a renowned algorithm" Morusque starting playing the song was really nice almost calming Stray even started purring sadly the song wasn't long.

"Where did you find that human?" B-12 asked.

"Oh! in the library with this" I held out the notebook and B-12 immediately started translating.

"This notebook seems to belong to someone named Doc "After weeks of research I've combined a spectrometer with a powerful UV lamp. With this, we should be capable of warding off the Zurks on our way out. The initial attempt was explosive I might have to test it under real conditions" we actually found two other notebooks good job human!" B-12 softly dropped itself on my head as it's own way of a headpat.

"Hah thanks we should probably go to Momo's now" looks like Stray agreed because they started walking off and meowed at me to follow.

Stray took me to the side of Kosma's place and climbed up this was definitely a bit more difficult but on my way up I only slipped a little but other than that I finally got up unfortunately my clothes get a little dirty sorry Kosma...

Ahead of me was one of the little bots that was tossing the paint.

"Soft one! Sorry about the paint it was an accident!" The bot immediately panicked spotting me.

"Hey it's okay but Kosma really doesn't like cleaning the mess you made why don't you guys find another way to move the paint?"

"But me and my friend love tossing buckets at each other..." Well that's a weird hobby.

"Well why don't you toss empty buckets?" The companion thought for a moment and nodded.

"Ok yeah that's a good idea thanks soft one!" Laughing I bid them goodbye and followed Stray as they jumped over the balcony and yet again we had to climb air-conditioners to get into Momo's balcony.

"The window seems to be open stay here human and we will open the door for you" nodding B-12 and Stray climbed in I could hear something smash and some beeps and all sorts of robotic sounds.

Soon the door opened there was a companion with a rainbow screen and flamingo coat they visibly stumbled back.

"H-Human!?" Without saying anything I just gave him a small wave.

"This is our friend they don't remember their name so we've been calling them human for now they actually have one of your last notebooks!" B-12 says spinning around.

I handed Momo the notebook poor guy must be so confused.

"Oh this belongs to Doc he was really a huge nerd for electronics and stuff he was always on the verge of a great discovery! Wait you actually found all my friends notebooks? Oh a note? The transceiver can be repaired? This is incredible! That means we should be able to communicate outside the slums! Clementine, Zbaltazer, Doc I'm sorry I doubted our cause I'll promise you I'll find a way to the surface. Thank you we might be able to find a way up now let's fix this junk transceiver" Momo was really quick to start fixing the transceiver.

While was doing that B-12 quickly filled me in on what happened poor Momo he was too scared to follow his friends I guess Momo was so happy he got super speed because the transceiver was now fixed.

"ET VOILÀ! it works! Come with me" Momo walked to the window and opened it.

"Up there! See that building, high above the others? If you install the transceiver at the very top of that tower, we should be able to communicate with the whole city. My friends might still be out there if there is a way out, they'll know it" Stray meowed hopping onto the window I walked over ready to follow.

"I think the cat is the only one small and quick enough to evade the Zurks human you should stay" Momo says lightly holding my shoulder.

"Huh no way I'm not gonna let Stray and B-12 go out by themselves!"

"I agree Human you already struggle with climbing up here and you should keep Momo company plus we aren't by ourselves we have each other" with that Stray jumped outside the window.

"Good luck little outsider" Momo waves and closed the window leaving it unlocked.

Not gonna lie being left behind hurts.

"So wait how are you alive soft one? Are there more of you?" Momo asked fiddling with his knuckles.

"Ah sorry I'm most likely the last one my cryopod somehow survived everything and Stray somehow opened it"

"Stray? Is that the cats name?" I nodded it is a funny name for a cat.