#in this version maybe a member of the high guard stayed behind to keep an eye on orion and is able to get them out before they're killed

[peace-hunter]

tfone au where OP is created as the last of the primes but way after them, a sparkling born at what were thought to be the last days of the war against the quintessons, the beginning of a new generation of peace after eons of war. a child meant to be loved and raised knowing nothing of war nor sacrifice.

he's kept mostly out of the spotlight by his siblings, who don't wish to expose him to everyone's optics so young, and want to wait until the war is done and over to properly introduce him to their people.

except of course the primes are betrayed and murdered by sentinel, the war is lost and everyone who knows and cared for the truth is either banished or outright killed in order to suppress it.

and the high guard, the ones the primes trusted the most, the ones that were supposed to protect them, the ones who failed in their most important duty, have to make a choice. to take the last prime, their last hope, with them to the surface, a hostile environment where there's little to no supplies and where they'll be hunted down by both sentinel and the quintessons as the biggest threat to their regimen.

or hide him in plain sight. place him where sentinel won't think to look for him. one more sparkling among many. and hope it will be enough to keep him alive. pray to primus that he'll protect his last child long enough for them to come back for him when it's safer (even if most of them have already lost their faith on him when he allowed the rest of his children to be massacred like that)

they almost lose their resolve when they realize they will have to take the little one's cog away in order to make him blend in with the rest of the newborns (and oh do they burn with murderous intent when they see what sentinel has done to their people but it's not the time yet-) but in the end they decide an impaired little prime is better than a dead one.

and so in the chaos of thirteen dead primes and a sudden energon crisis, a little sparkling who very few mechs really knew about and even fewer had seen completely vanishes. and in the depths of iacon a mech in charge of a new batch of newborns scratches their helm in confusion as they realize they must have miscounted the first time.

optimus prime is quietly erased from any official records by sentinel, written off as dead when they find a sparkling's frame mangled beyond recognition after an attack on the base of those rebels that insist on being a thorn on his side. killing the sparkling hadn't been precisely in his plans, he probably could've found some use for it after all, but he's not particularly upset about it either.

and orion pax grows up with an ache on his spark that tells him he's missing something far more important than a t-cog and dreams of gentle and loving hands, cradling him against the frames of mechs he cannot recall the faces of.

[chaeiimimi]

HEY BUBS! I HOPE YOU’RE DOING GREAT, PART TWO WAS SUCH A BOMB AS WELL ALDJAKDJA I’M LOWKEY GETTING BABY FEVER ALREADY AT THIS POINT LMAO JK AKSJAKS IF YOU HAVE TIME, I’D LIKE TO REQUEST OSAMU / SUNA / OIKAWA / AKAASHI ALDHAKS ANY OF THEM WOULD BE FINE UWU 😫

HEY BUBS I’M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY BFIWBFIWBF MY LIFE’S BEEN PRETTY CRAPPY LATELY, I’M GLAD YOU LIKED THE SECOD PART AAAAA STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY BUBS ILY <3

Haikyuu Boys and a Single Mom Pt. 3

Featuring: Suna, Bokuto, Kenma

Suna Rintaro

despite being a professional volleyball player, Suna was still a university student, he evenly splits up his days to go to volleyball practice and university

he was always dreading to go to university, but he knew he needed it, and you, being his seating beside you in three classes, made university bearable

you had this amazing aura, always so gentle, and kind, you had a soft smile plastered on your face almost like a motherly smile, your voice was always calm and soft, you were just so breath-taking to look at

although you two never talked that much, Suna already knew a lot of little details about you, he once drove pass you walking to the kindergarten just one street away from your university, he knew that you carry a container of fruits in your bag, you always left as soon as classes for the day was over, and that was only a few among a hundred of little things about you

Suna admired you from afar, as much as he likes you so much it physically hurts him, love just wasn't his priority, his priority was volleyball and his career

or at least he thought

life surely has a great sense of humor because somehow you guys ended up being partners for a thesis paper

"I look forward to working with you Suna" you smiled

"likewise" he says with his usual blank face

Suna didn't want to admit it, but he was excited

"so, where do we work on this?" he asks looking at the notes he took for that class

"well, we can work on it at my place" you say casually while also looking at your notes

"are you sure it's okay?" he asks again to make sure, this girl, the person he's been crushing on for his two years in university is now inviting him to her place

"yeah, i can't really spend a lot of time outside, my son hates it" 

and just like that Suna was having a mini heart attack, you were married? you have a son? what-

“hey, you alright?” you asked worriedly

Suna quickly composed himself 

“uhh y-yeah, won’t your husband get angry?” he asks 

“oh don’t worry I raise Kiro by myself” you smiled

Suna looked at you strangely, unable to keep up 

you chuckled at his dazed look “I’m a single mother” 

Suna almost breathed out a sigh of relief, thankfully he was able to stop himself or else you would get the wrong idea

“yeah, yeah sure, let’s work on it at your place” he snapped out of it, did he sound too happy to hear that you were single? yes, but we ain’t gonna talk about that 

what was your ex thinking? he was pretty sure your kid was cute and you were so breath-taking to look at, what a stupid guy    

“what does your son likes?” 

“hm?” you asked him to make sure you heard him right 

“what does your son likes?” 

later in the evening, Suna showed up at your place with chocolate chip ice cream and the most expensive sushi he could find

you worked on your project for a good two hours, finalizing the outline of the thesis, while Kiro sat on Suna’s lap, your son immediately liked him, maybe because of the ice cream and sushi , but Kiro was very fond of him

“Kiro, baby, get off of Suna’s lap please he might get tired” you said to your son while you were keeping the things you used

“I don’t mind, he’s surprisingly light” Suna says as he bounces Kiro on his lap

“alright, if you say so, I’m going to prepare snacks” you made your way to the kitchen and left the two in the living room

“mister rin-rin” Kiro whispers while tugging on Suna’s shirt

“hm?” he answers looking at the kid, he was right, Kiro was extraordinarily adorable, it felt like he was looking at a smaller boy version of you and it was making her heart go feral, making him break his rules and try his best to get the both of you

“i want you to be my daddy” he whispers while fiddling with his fingers shyly

please this man is about to combust

he pats the boy’s head “sure bud” he said with a smile

“then can I call you dad?” he asks , eyes sparkling

“well it’s better to start early right? sure you can bud” he says, a full-blown grin plastered on his usually stoic face

Bokuto Koutaro 

the flashing and clicking of cameras occupied the whole room where the MSBY Jackals were holding their post-game press conference, they won the game by the way and Bokuto was in high spirits answering questions thrown at him by the reporters 

it was your turn to ask a question to the players and you stood up “Bokuto-san, your fans are always wondering why you’re always in high spirits, what is your secret?” 

Bokuto has never seen you before, were you a knew reporter? because damn he would’ve noticed you immediately if you were on their past press conferences, you looked like a celebrity to be quite honest 

“I’m playing volleyball, there’s no room for me to be unhappy” he simply says 

 it was you first day at your new job, quite frankly, you’re glad you quitted your old one, they forced you to stay behind the camera and write scripts for anchors when you finished a bachelor degree on broadcasting 

“Can’t blame him, I’m also happy when I do my job” you mumble to yourself as you remembered Bokuto’s answer to your question

“mama!” you looked at your son who was in the arms of your cousin Kuroo

“hey thanks for doing this for me couz” you say as they stopped right in front of you

“mama! have you seen the game?! they were so awesome! Uncle Tetsu promised me to go meet MSBY!” your son happily jolts in his Uncle’s arm

you looked at him with a motherly smile, happy that you’re son enjoyed the game 

“you coming with us?” Kuroo asked

“you two go ahead I’ll just rest for a bit” you were tired with keeping up with the game and asking questions 

the two nodded “alright, just show this to the guard and they’ll let you enter” Kuroo says, handing you a pass

you mutter a small thank you as you watch them walk away

let’s just say Gen, your son, was liked by every single member of the team, I mean, who could ever dislike such an adorable kid?

“MSBY cool! Shoyo pwaaa! Boto bam!” he says while jumping up and down, while Kuroo watched his nephew smiling

Bokuto was particularly very fond of him, was it because the kid was unbelievably adorable? or was it because the kid reminded him of a certain reporter? He’d like to think both

“Gen-kun who’s yer fav’rite player eh?” Atsumu asks the kid

the kid looked at eight full-grown man looking at him expectantly, his eyes stopped on the black-and-white haired spiker and made grabby hands towards him “BOUTO! BOUTO!” 

the members were disappointed but not surprised at all, kids tend to go to Bokuto or Hinata since they have the friendliest faces

“HEY! HEY! HEEEY!” Bokuto did not hesitate and lifted the boy up in the air, as they both giggle

“Tetsu?” your voice interrupted the commotion inside the room

Kuroo went to the door and opened it for you and the first thing you saw was your son giggling with the person stuck in your head for about twenty minutes now

“Mama!” your son screamed as soon as he saw you and asked to be put down to run towards you giving you a hug on your leg you looked down at him and patted his head gently

Kuroo cleared his throat “this is Y/N L/N my cousin, the mother of adorable the adorable Gen, she is single and ready to mingle, 2 in 1 you get an adorable son and a lovely wife, contact me for more details, the price can be discussed” 

you deadpanned at your cousin, why tf was he selling you like an auction, you shook your head 

you were hyper aware of the intensity of the owl-eyed spiker, making you blush

while Bokuto was over here thinking, damn he hit the jackpot an adorable son and an absolutely gorgeous wife? you bet he’s in and he’s gonna do everything he can to win you and make you and your son happy

“I’m sorry about him, please excuse me, my son and I needs to leave” you said politely and bowed as you take your son away

unbeknownst to you, Bokuto was in the middle of business with your cousin

“hey, how much for the details?” Bokuto whispers to his bestfriend as if they were in the middle of an illegal transaction

Kuroo looked at his friend with eyebrows raised

“I’ll pay any amount” Bokuto was very serious, which made the former Nekoma captain burts out laughing

“well, since you’re my good friend, a few drinks will do” Kuroo after his hyena laugh session

“Hey! hey! hey! thanks Kubroo!” Bokuto says in his usual cheery voice

later that night, you wondered why you were having dinner with your son, your cousin, and the former captain of Fukurodani, how he managed to get you flowers in such a short amount of time and this late at night was beyond your knowledge. But you weren’t complaining though, how could you when he looked adorable with a flushed face asking for your number after driving you and your son home.

Kenma Kozume

Kenma wasn’t fond of kids, he didn’t disliked them, he just preferred hanging out with adults who were less hyper, proceeds to hangout with Bokuto, Hinata and Kuroo

but he was a gamer and it is inevitable that some of his fans were kids, he didn’t mind it though he is thankful to each and everyone of his fans

being the twenty-eight year old youtuber/CEO that he is, he barely have time to go out and it happened very rarely, and today happened to be one of those rare occasions as he got out to get some ice cream in a very hot summer day

but he was in a for surprise, at an empty alley, he heard a ruckus

“give it back! please give it back!” 

it was never in Kenma’s personality to pry, but something was pushing him to go check out what was going on

he went inside to the dark alley and saw four boys, about eight years old, one was in the middle, his clothes all crumpled and dirty, his bag empty, his things sprawled out, scattered in front of him

“you want this thing? it’s not even the latest model, you think kodzu-” 

Kenma cleared his throat, already able to register what was happening

“ken” the bully continued

“you know kids, I don’t really like bullies” Kenma starts as he walks towards the little boy, picking up his scattered things one by one and putting it in his bag

“leave, before I report you to your school” Kenma says stoically which made one of the boys drop the game console in his hand as the three of them scramble to get out of the dark alley

the little boy picked up the game console and tried to open it, but to no avail, it was broken

Kenma went closer as he handed him his bag 

“are you okay?” he asked as he crouch down to the boy’s level, it was obvious that he was not okay, his face had little scratches and his clothes were all dirty and slightly damped 

but the little boy meekly nodded and looked down on his game console, which Kenma noticed 

“I can get you a new one” he says in attempt to cheer up the little boy, he didn’t know what was pushing him to do so, but his heart broke at the sight of him broke his heart 

“mister Kodzuken, can you please get this fixed for me instead?” for the first time, the boy looked at him with sad eyes

how could he say no to that face? he took the game console and looked at the boy

“is there a reason why you want me to fix it?” he asks

“my mom worked hard to get me that on my birthday, she didn’t buy her favorite coffee, her favorite bread, she patched up her shoes instead of buying a new one, she even lied to me that she wasn’t hungry when we ate out, I don’t wanna make her sad” the boy sadly said and wore his bag

Kenma was in awe, no wonder this boy was so polite and respectful

“alright, how but I’ll call your mother now, she is needed in this situation” Kenma says as he takes out his phone

the boy slowly dictates his mom’s phone number, and when he was done, Kenma was speechless, the number was already registered as his secretary’s number

Kenma shakily presses the call button

“sir?” your voice from the other line, never seize to make his heart skip a beat

“Y/n do you happen to have a son?” his voice was still calm

“yes, how did you know sir? i have a son he’s name is Eiji, he’s eight” you happily told him

“well, I kinda caught some kids bullying him, I think that you’re needed here” he says calmly 

“oh no, my baby, i’ll be there ASAP sir, please do send the location”

“I’ll send the location to my driver, he’ll pick you up” Kenma says and hangs up as he send a quick messege and the location to his driver

Kenma was supposed to ask you out tomorrow, that was the reason why he didn’t go to the office today, he was going to surprise you at his place because he didn’t want you, the girl he liked to the horrible people of the internet

you were too pure, too kind, you always made sure to get him something to eat despite his resistance, made sure that he doesn’t overwork himself and even going to the extent where you do some of his workloads, of course he trusted you enough to do so and you’ve been working with him for four years now

but you had a child? did you have a husband? but you’re resume said that you were single? is it a boyfriend?

“you know mister Kodzuken, mama always talks about you when I ask her about her day, I think she’s got a little crush on you” Eiji smiled softly at him

which almost made the former setter melt into a puddle, the boy was adorable, and even if his original plan was to just date you, he was more than happy to have Eiji, having a mini you around made it all even better, he wasn’t fond of kids but the little boy infront of him was an exception

“I think, I can make that happen” he smiles softly

the day after you appeared looking distressed, talked to your son’s bullies and their parents at the school’s principal office with Kenma and Eiji seating beside you, you were now inside your boss’ house, he was asking you to be his girlfriend, your son happily jumping up and down beside him

how could you say no, when four years ago, you were only dreaming of this moment? 

[zenlesszonezero]

As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

Uncover the Conspiracy in Zenless Zone Zero's All-New Version "A Storm of Falling Stars", S-Rank Agent Hoshimi Miyabi is here! With S-Rank Agent Asaba Harumasa Limited-Time Giveaway! Pre-register to obtain additional rewards.

[shijiujun]

Time for some BL/Danmei novel recs! 

You guys have probably (maybe) seen my novels list here - [X] - but it’s more for my own tracking than anything else, so here’s a brief list (I’ll probably do full ones of the ones I really love in another post, probably on Minmo).

The ones elaborated on below with the asterisks are the novels I’ve actually finished reading.

*since everyone more or less knows MXTX’s works - TGCF, MDZS and SVSSS, I’ll skip those!

1. SCI 迷案集 | SCI Mystery Series by 耳雅*

Summary: Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao are childhood friends and rivals that end up working together under the newly established SCI unit as co-leads, with Bai Yutang providing the brawn as Captain and Zhan Zhao the brains as Vice Captain and the team’s resident genius psychologist. They solve cases together and slowly unravel a wider conspiracy that involves their parents’ generation and beyond. At the same time they also realize that they’re meant for each other!

Other CPs: Bai Jintang (Bai Yutang’s older brother) & the medical examiner, Gongsun Ce, Bai Chi (Bai Yutang’s younger cousin) & magician Zhao Zhen, and at least three other gay pairings, one of which is considered another main couple of sorts from Vol. 2 onwards

Status: Incomplete (Began in 2010, author is still going on strong with one chapter every one or two months, we’re halfway through Vol. 5 right now and it’s been 10 years ;-; Love that the author is going on strong!! Everyone on JJWXC are like “please author it’s okay if you go slow as long as you keep going we’re here for you” and jfc I understand the fear of this not completing, also when will Vol. 5 be completed and printed?!! I need to complete the collection)

Translations: Unfortunately, only the first volume has been translated well so far on novel updates. The one on Wattpad seems to have caught up, but I would not recommend that one.

Drama/Live-Action: Season 1 was filmed and released in 2018 under the same name with slightly changed names for the characters. Season 2 was supposed to start filming this month but... oh well. First season basically covered Vol. 1 novel from start to end.

*I love this one only because it was my very first danmei and so it’ll forever have a special place in my heart, and also because it’s still ongoing so ya know, I relive how much I love this every month

2. 成化十四年 | Cheng Hua’s Fourteenth Year (The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty) by 梦溪石*

Summary: Tang Fan, a prefectural judge, and Sui Zhou, a high ranking officer in the Embroidered Uniform Guards, meet while trying to solve a murder case. Both of them end up partnering very well together, Sui Zhou ends up inviting Tang Fan to live with him, and the rest is history. Through their days living together and solving cases + a larger conspiracy involving the royal palace, they fall in love. Adding to this mix is also Wang Zhi, a powerful, young eunuch who befriends the pair, and the three of them basically help the crown prince to overcome challenges and his enemies to become the next Emperor

Other CPs: None XD

Status: Complete!

Translations: Ongoing on several websites. I’m only translating relationship highlights, but here’s an introduction post I did for it, if you guys would like somewhere to start without getting too invested - [X]

Drama/Live-Action: The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty was released earlier this year, directed by Jackie Chan and starring Darren Chen and Paul Fu, but cases are a little different and there are new characters in the show that weren’t from the novel etc.

3. 杀破狼 | Shapolang by Priest*

Summary: Set in a steampunk universe where flying boats named ‘kites’ and flying armour exist. Young teenager Chang Geng lives with his mother and stepfather - the former abuses him and the latter neglects him, and the only person that he cares about (and cares about him) is Shen Shiliu, his (very young) godfather. He realizes his identity as a royal prince when the Man tribe invades his city and Shen Shiliu, whose real name is Gu Yun, turns out to be an army general whose duty was to protect Chang Geng in secret (among other things). 

Chang Geng has been critically poisoned by his mother (who’s not actually his birth mother, if I recall she’s an aunt) which leads to him getting terrible dreams frequently with the end result of him being driven into insanity, while Gu Yun is half blind, half deaf due to poisoning + injury when he was much younger, and he can only regain his hearing and sight fully when he takes a medicine that is slowly losing its effectiveness with every dosage he has.

The both of them navigate learning about each other again, falling in love a few years later when Chang Geng is all grown up and also unravel conspiracies and fight bad guys (both external threats and internal as in the current Emperor and other parties) XD

*Note: The age old debate is that Gu Yun ‘preyed’ on and also ‘groomed’ Chang Geng, but I disagree and stand by the fact that Gu Yun was 90% of the time not around while Chang Geng grew from a teenager to a young adult as he was fighting wars elsewhere, while Chang Geng refused to stay at the Gu manor and insisted on running around, travelling on his own and seeing the world for a few years before they met again. And it was Chang Geng who’d always loved Gu Yun and devoted himself to caring about him, making advances on him etc. when he became an adult

Other CPs: Shen Yi (Gu Yun’s second-in-command) & Chen Qingxu (a renowned physician who ends up healing both Chang Geng and Gu Yun of their ailments) 

Status: Complete!

Translations: Fully translated the last I heard, it’s up there in the list of holy grail BL/danmei novels, so I’m sure it’s done hahaha.

Drama/Live-Action: Filming in progress!

*This is up there in the hall of fame for danmei novels for more than just the amazing content and writing - It’s also famous for being one of the most complex novels ever. I don’t know how the translations team did it because DAMN it was complex and I read all my novels in Chinese without much issues but I was honestly STRUGGLING WITH this one and I went through some existential crisis while reading because I was like ‘did I ever learn Chinese, am I even Chinese’ XD

4. 默读 | Silent Reading by Priest*

Summary: Luo Wenzhou, a police captain, and his team including best friend and partner Tao Ran, face a few challenging cases that end up being small parts of a larger conspiracy, and end up having to consult with Fei Du, a flamboyant, charming and flirty, young and rich CEO, who Luo Wenzhou describes as someone who is an expert at ‘crimes’. Not deduction, not solving crimes, but someone who is familiar with how the murderer or culprits would commit crimes. Both Luo Wenzhou and Tao Ran know Fei Du well, because they first met when Fei Du was in high school, when he called the police because his mother had hanged herself in the house, and since then Tao Ran and Luo Wenzhou look out for him, spending holidays with him, giving him presents here and there. Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du overcome their misunderstandings of each other and fall in love while solving all the cases and the larger conspiracy behind it.

Other CPs: Tao Ran and someone he knew first from his school days or was a neighbour when he was younger, I can’t remember, but they meet again at a blind date and end up living in the same building on different floors XD

Status: Complete!

Translations: Complete!! There’s a huge post floating around on Tumblr with all the links (I can’t find it right now) and on Twitter you can also find the collated, epub versions etc.

Drama/Live-Action: Rights for a live-action was signed, no casting confirmation or set dates yet

5. 犯罪心理 | Criminal Psychology by 长洱*

Summary: Police captain Xing Conglian drags psychologist Lin Chen out of seclusion/hiding to solve a case that is indirectly tied to him. Lin Chen was involved in a case a few years ago that led to four deaths - these four victims were the sons/daughters of four of the five huge old-money (super rich) families in the country and these family members sought to make Lin Chen’s life very difficult for him afterwards by making him lose all the jobs he can find, by surveilling his every move and ensuring that he’s not happy etc. Because of that, he backed out of the police force as well and quietly lived as a school dorm administrator, which is where Xing Conglian finds him a few years later. Lin Chen fakes his death after the first case (not deliberately but kind of a by-the-way thing), but as fate would have it, he ends up meeting Xing Conglian on another case, and he decides that he’ll move in with him and also involve himself again, consequences be damned, and they fall in love!

Other CPs: None XD

Status: Complete!

Translations: I think it’s not complete yet.

Drama/Live-Action: None that I know of.

6. 死亡万花筒 | Kaleidoscope of Death by 西子绪* (MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE)

Summary: Supernatural setting where people who are about to die get a second chance to live. These individuals are either in the midst of a dangerous situation (for e.g. a shootout or a deadly mugging incident) or are about to get into accidents (for e.g. an entire bus going off a bridge or a chandelier dropping from above and crushing the person underneath) or are ill (recently diagnosed with cancer or are terminally ill with a condition for e.g.) - The list is endless, and in the situation between life and death, 12 doors will appear before them. 

It is said that once these individuals finish all 12 doors, they will truly get a second chance at life and survive whatever cause of death they were imminently facing. 

Each door represents a creepy, supernatural mystery, and Lin Qiushi finds himself in a strange place after opening a door when he was trying to enter his apartment one day. He meets Ruan Baijie, a beautiful, tall woman who he happens to meet, and they realize that in this strange world, he and other individuals who came through the door have to complete a given task, find a key and an exit door, and make it out alive. The others in the team (some of which have already gone through several doors) explain to Lin Qiushi, who is a first-timer, what the doors are about. 

The catch is, if they die inside the door, in the real world, they’ll die immediately, by accident, throwing themselves off a building, or just throwing up blood until they die (just to name a few)

On the first night, however, three people are slaughtered and eaten by a long-haired ghost/creature. The good news is, Ruan Baijie isn’t all that she seems to be (for one, she’s not exactly a woman) and she takes a liking to Lin Qiushi immediately.

Other CPs: None XD

Status: Complete!

Translations: I think it’s not complete yet!

Drama/Live-Action: None that I know of, but honestly, this novel would be fricking EPIC as a live-action, and really creepy, but this is my all-time favourite novel, I kid you not!!!!

*I’m definitely doing a longer and more detailed to-read for KOD on my translation account, gosh you guys have no idea how much I love this.

7. 当年万里觅封侯 | Those Years in Quest of Honor Mine by 漫漫何其多

Summary: Yu She and Gu Wan were close friends for a short period of time when they were younger, but unfortunately their identities and positions meant that they were opponents. Yu She’s family was for the Second Prince and Gu Wan was taken in by the Sixth Prince’s family, but in the end it was the Second Prince who ended up getting to the throne, while the Sixth Prince was accused of treason and died somewhere far away at war after being captured. Gu Wan’s only wish was to keep the Fifth Prince’s children - Xuan Rui and a pair of twins, Xuan Yu and Xuan Congxin safe, and so he moves them to another province and asks the Emperor (the Second Prince) to demote Xuan Rui’s status to prove that they are no threat to the Emperor, if only to stay alive for another day.

However, their days of hardship have only just begun, and Gu Wan decides to namedrop Yu She, whose family is so powerful now, and claims that Yu She loves him and that he was wooing Gu Wan back in the days they knew each other so that officials and others would treat the children under his care better. A few years pass and Yu She doesn’t expose Gu Wan. Gu Wan thinks they can go on like this forever, until the Emperor asks Xuan Rui and the twins to head back to the palace for a visit.

Gu Wan meets Yu She again, but the boy he knew, who was gentle, a stickler for rules and a proper, well-mannered person, has changed almost completely. Cue palace conspiracies again, brothers fighting for the throne, scheming consorts etc. XD 

Other CPs: None XD

Status: Complete!

Translations: I think it’s not complete yet but I’m not super sure on this

Drama/Live-Action: None that I know of!

*They came out with a new reprint edition three days ago and it’s gorgeous! And comes with amazing freebies, and I am a sucker and read it on the day of the printed novel release because I saw the art and loved it, wanted to see if the story was any good, and damn after chapter 2 I WAS GONE and then I checked out two copies from different stores for the two different sets of freebies 

--

A list of those I haven’t read but I see are highly raved about:

1. 二哈和他的白猫师尊 | The Husky & His White Cat Shizun by Meatbun

- I’ve already been spoiled and I know what goes on mostly, and there are a lot of warnings for a reason, but I’m still a fan, and let’s not get into the debate on the content, I know I have to read this but the angst level is apparently ridiculous, so I need like some mental preparation before I sit down for it.

2. 千秋 | A Thousand Autumns by 梦溪石

3. 烈火浇愁 | Lie Huo Jiao Chou by Priest

4. 将进酒 | Qiang Jing Jiu by 唐酒卿

- A really good group of translators picked this up initially on Twitter, but then assholes were complaining that they were being too slow and insisting that machine translation (MTL) did an equally good and faster job, so the OG dropped it, and then another nice team picked it up, but MTL team is still being an asshole XD I’ve heard really good things about this one, it’s apparently quite complex as well, I’d liken it to Shapolang level? But it might be even more complex (with a lot of politics and stuff), so much so that apparently the printed novel comes with a relationship/character chart so readers are at any point in time clear on the characters which is like amazing XD

[chadillacboseman]

Stay Chapter 2

Pairing: Cobb Vanth x F!Reader

Warnings: Violence, death, followed by smut.

Word Count: 2.1k

A/N: You can find the first chapter HERE. NO USE OF Y/N

--

Cobb Vanth never knew it was possible to be loved the way you loved him. He’d had flings, sure, even one serious girl he thought he wanted to marry. But when you pressed yourself against him or planted a kiss on his cheek, he felt like his heart was soaring.

Word got around town pretty quickly- Mos Pelgo was small and the folks there had nothing better to do some days than gossip.

Hear the Marshal’s got a girl?

The pretty thing from the cantina.

Never thought I’d see the day.

He looks happy

Cobb was happy. Maker, was he happy. Some days, the desert beat him down so badly he felt like he couldn’t go on- then he’d come in the door and you were there, fresh clothes and a hot meal in hand. Some nights he wouldn’t get in the door until the suns were just about to rise and you were long since asleep. He’d crawl into bed, exhausted, and you always sighed and curled into his arms.

“You sure you want me?” Cobb had asked you one night as he walked you home, “There’ll be bad times, sugar, times when I don’t come home.” His breath had hitched in his throat, “Times when you’ll wanna hate me.”

He thought back to a woman from his past, of the ring she’d thrown in his face before leaving him.

You had cocked your head, your eyes gleaming in the moonlight, and stopped in your tracks. “I don’t think I could ever hate you, Cobb,” you had murmured.

“Promise?” A small smile crept onto his face as he spoke.

“I promise.”

--

And of course, there were nights when you worried.

Nights when Cobb didn't return home before sunset, and you sat by the window worrying for his safety. Inevitably, he'd come through the door, disheveled and often bloody, and you'd throw your arms around him like a schoolgirl and bury your face in his chest.

You worried, but you never resented him. How could you? He was keeping the town, and you, safe.

And when he did get home on those late nights, he fucked you like his life depended on it. Gripping you as if you might drift away at any moment, and rasping praises in your ear.

"You're so perfect, sweet thing," he'd whisper, his voice hoarse from the heat and the sand, "so tight and so beautiful with my cock inside you."

And when Cobb finished, he'd fall asleep with you held tightly in his arms, his breath warm on the crown of your head. In those moments, you knew there was nowhere you'd rather be, no man you'd rather spend your nights beside.

--

It was another late night for Cobb- staking out a smuggler den in an old mineshaft east of town. He'd been tracking their movements for weeks, taking down small-timers and caravans, but tonight was the night he expected a big deal.

When there was no movement for an hour, he got suspicious- maybe they had been tipped off or had gotten scared by the recent takedowns.

The distinct click of a primed blaster behind him made Cobb's heart sink.

"On your feet, Marshal," the unmistakable growling voice of a Dowutin.

A smuggler.

Cobb rose to his feet and let his blaster fall to the sand with a dull thud. He raised his hands in the air and turned to face the smuggler.

The butt of the blaster caught him off guard, and stars erupted in his vision as he crumpled to the sand in a heap with a groan.

The Dowutin laughed, a grating, evil sound that echoed over the dunes, "I can't believe the big bad Marshal of Mos Pelgo is out here all alone."

Cobb ran the scenarios through his head. He could make a run for it, grab for his blaster and run toward his speeder's hiding spot.

In his heart he knew he'd be gunned down before he made it ten paces.

"You've been a pretty big thorn in my side, Marshal," the Dowutin reached down and hauled Cobb up by the back of his shirt, "Gonna have to make an example out of you."

Cobb closed his eyes and tried to make peace. He knew what he was getting into- he knew how dangerous the job was-

But what about you? You didn't deserve to wait up all night. To worry and wring your hands until one of his deputies came and knocked on the door. He'd seen you cry before- seen your pretty face crumple into tears and choked sobs.

You didn't deserve that.

The Dowutin made a whistling sound and at least a dozen other members of his operation marched out from the mineshaft.

"Boys, meet Marshal Cobb Vanth, the one who's been taking out all our transports," the Dowutin clapped a massive hand onto Cobb's shoulder, his large claws digging into the Marshal's flesh.

"Think we better string him up by one of Mos Pelgo's precious vaporators and let the sandswimmers have at him."

The crowd of smugglers cheered and Cobb felt genuine panic begin to form in his chest. There was no escaping this- even if he managed to break free, they had him by at least twelve to one.

He was going to die here.

Cobb closed his eyes and thought of you, of every moment he had spent beside you. If he was going to die, it would be with his last thoughts focused entirely on your love.

A loud scream from the crowd of smugglers snapped him back to the moment. He opened his eyes and scanned, vision struggling against the dark.

"Massiffs!" One of the smugglers shrieked.

A pack of the reptilian hounds had unleashed upon the crowd, their powerful jaws ripping into flesh and bone. The Dowutin snarled in frustration and shoved Cobb to the ground, aiming his blaster into the Marshal's chest.

The gaderffii came out of nowhere as if wielded by the sand itself. The Dowutin's head collapsed in a spray of blood and his body fell to the ground with a sickening squelch.

Cobb had never been so happy to see a Tusken- standing tall, framed by moonlight, its gaffi stick gleaming with blood. He scrambled to his feet and turned to examine the bloodbath.

The moonlight glinted off of the bloody sand- what was left of the smugglers was being examined by Tuskens, searching for weapons and supplies.

Cobb mustered a weak thank you, and the gaderffii-wielding Tusken let out a guttural grunt in response.

The Marshal stumbled, weakly, through the sand to where his speeder was stashed. He paused to take a shaky breath before straddling the seat and beginning the short trek home.

--

Your eyes were heavy as you rose from the chair and headed to bed. Cobb still wasn't home, and the suns were already beginning to peek over the dunes in the distance.

You were reaching for the light when you heard the door open.

You spun on your heel to find Cobb framed in the doorway. His face was bloodied and his eyes looked wet.

"Cobb?" You whispered it, waiting for him to move or speak.

He stepped forward into the light and you let out a choked gasp. He looked terrible- there was a large, angry cut on his forehead and a set of bloody clawmarks on his shoulder.

You ran to him, tears already pricking in your eyes, "Cobb what happened?" You sounded hysterical, but you didn't care.

"Smugglers. Ambushed me," his voice was shaky, "Were gonna kill me, but-" he exhaled heavily.

You ran a hand, gently, through his greying hair, soothing him in the way only you could. "How did you get away?" Your tears were threatening to begin in earnest.

"Tuskens," he said simply, "showed up with massiffs and massacred 'em."

Your eyes widened with surprise, "They saved you?" He nodded in affirmation. You wondered, briefly, what the Tusken version of a thank you card was.

You took Cobb's hand and led him to the 'fresher where you wetted a cloth and began to dab the blood away from his face. He leaned into every touch, sighing at the feeling of your hands and the warm water as it passed over him.

You retrieved the first aid kit from a high shelf and cleaned the puncture wounds in his shoulder. You sprayed them with a bacta solution and wrapped them gently with clean bandages.

Cobb felt guilty. He watched you work, diligently, refusing to look him in the eye. He knew why- the second you made eye contact, the flood gates would open.

"Sweet thing-" he murmured, bringing a hand to your chin and turning your face to his, "I'm sorry."

The tears overwhelmed you and you buried your face in Cobb's chest, sobbing without restraint against his skin.

"I can't lose you, Cobb," you whispered between choked sobs, "I just can't."

He pulled you away gently and brought his lips to yours, kissing through the tears and the resentment he knew you were feeling. You leaned into the kiss and pressed your body against him; he felt his erection straining against his zipper.

Cobb pulled his lips away from yours, breathless, "I need you," he whispered, and you nodded and followed him to the bedroom.

Cobb stripped his remaining clothes and you followed suit, tossing your nightgown to the floor. He took a seat on the bed and pulled you onto his lap; you hovered above him for a moment, the head of his cock teasing at your entrance.

"You want me, baby girl?" He drawled, his eyes staring hungrily into yours.

You nodded and sank down onto him, letting out a breathy whine as he bottomed out inside of you. "You feel so good," he murmured, placing his hands on your hips and guiding you slowly up and down on his length, "so perfect."

"Cobb-" you breathed as you buried your face in the crook of his neck, "Please."

"What do you need, darlin'?" He rasped, and you clawed at his broad shoulders, desperately grinding on him.

"Touch me, please." You bit your bottom lip and looked at him through your lashes.

Cobb grinned and stood, pulling you up with him before tossing you to the bed and crawling between your legs.

"You want this?" He whispered, his breath hot on your soaked folds.

You nodded furiously, and he dipped his mouth to you, his tongue finding your clit and quickly setting to work on the bundle of nerves. You let out a strangled cry as he curled one, then two digits inside you, working them rhythmically into the spot he knew drove you wild.

"You gonna come for me, babygirl?" He murmured against your folds, the vibration sending you closer to the edge.

Cobb sucked gently at your clit, his fingers working inside you, until you finally spilled over the edge, your release soaking his digits.

"Good girl," he purred, pulling from you and pausing to taste his fingers, "you taste so good, sweet thing."

Cobb moved slowly on top of you, parting your legs and positioning himself between your thighs. "You got one more in you, darlin'?" He murmured, and you nodded, exhausted.

Cobb pushed inside you slowly, burying his thick length to the hilt with a low groan. His pace was intense, releasing all of the built up tension and fear he had been holding in since the botched stake out.

He braced himself on one hand and snaked the other back to your sensitive clit and pulling a low whine from you. You sounded so beautiful, Cobb knew he wouldn't last long.

"You want me to fill you up, darlin'?" He breathed, his pace faltering as he teetered on the edge.

"Please, Cobb-" you moaned, digging your fingers into his broad chest.

Cobb bucked his hips roughly and spilled inside you with a moan as you coasted past your own high.

He stayed inside you for a moment before rolling off of you and lying flat on his back, panting. You sighed and wrapped an arm around his chest, finding your comfort spot nestled against him.

"I'm sorry about tonight," Cobb murmured, "about everything."

You stared up at him in the moonlight, his eyes were full of fear- of worry that you'd be angry, that you'd want to leave him.

"Cobb," you paused to find the words, "I'm not upset with you. I knew what I was getting into. I'm just glad you're safe."

Cobb pulled you in and planted a kiss on your forehead, savoring the little contented hum you gave him in return.

"I promise I'll always come back."

--

This one is for @djxrxn and @calamity-queen 😘

[berrydoodleoo]

big bro gladio

This was just supposed to be a few quick headcanons? Instead it’s a fic. Less dialogue and action than I usually put in my fics, but eh. Anyway, have my thoughts about Gladio and his relationships growing up.

***

Like Noct, Gladio has spent his life on guard against false friends.

When he was seven, his dad pulled him aside after weapons training. “I don’t want you hanging out with that boy Lycus anymore,” he said, apropos of nothing as far as Gladio could tell. 

Shocked and angry, Gladio pestered him for an explanation, and eventually Dad said it was ‘a potential security issue’. Gladio spent hours trying to visualize how Lycus could be a threat to him -- Gladio was bigger and stronger, Lycus was hilarious and fast on the field but had no combat training whatsoever -- when he realized that wasn’t the point at all. Lycus could be a threat to Noctis. And as ever, anything that happened to Gladio was actually about someone else instead.

He imagined that his Dad had caught Lycus doing something when he stayed over. Going through his office, maybe, or trying to get into the weapons cabinet. He doesn’t mean to, but somehow the rest of the class turns against Lycus as well, and he stops speaking up in class, stops being funny and starts being mean. But not to Gladio; Gladio doesn’t talk to him anymore. As ordered.

Later, he learned that Lycus’ dad was in an argument with the King about infrastructure development in his district. That was all it was.

It’s not that he doesn’t forgive his father -- there are lots of things he’ll never forgive him for, but he’s learned to live with them -- it’s that he’ll never stop resenting him for it. Hating him, for making Gladio an instrument of his thoughtless cruelty.

~

It’s not that he envies Noct. Yeah, Gladio has to guard him, but Noct also has to guard himself, all in preparation for his future as the King. And Gladio has seen how the King lives.

Early in his training, he spent a lot of time trailing his Dad around, just seeing how things worked. After Noct’s thirteenth birthday, the press suddenly shifted their attention from the Prince (who they speculated about wildly -- was he doing well in school? Did he have friends, a girlfriend, post-traumatic stress disorder? Did he cry at his mother’s grave every year?) to the King. Was he planning to remarry?

Remarry? The King?

Gladio wasn’t sure where the question came from, but when it hit, it hit everywhere. Every state banquet was suddenly an opportunity for photos of the King and his conversation partners, accompanied by endless speculation about what that smile meant, that hand shake, that choice of drink, or tie, or watch, and so on. If the person they targeted didn’t answer their questions, they became the target of even more speculation. It wasn’t just the gutter press, either. Gladio turned on the TV at prime time one day and was shocked to see an hour-long special about the King, his courtship and marriage with the Queen, and the potential legal issues surrounding his (rumored) remarriage. They were going to have a special segment about the Prince, with a psychologist to talk about step-families and trauma.

Gladio turned it off, feeling voyeuristic. Everyone in the Citadel was tense after that, bristling with rage, but there was nothing they could do about any of it.

Gladio, in his role as his father’s obedient shadow, was also made privy to a top-level conversation on the topic between Clarus, Cor, and Drautos. Some of the figures pursued by the press had merely been caught in the crossfire, they concluded. Others were attempting to use the publicity to their advantage, which was not a problem for their offices. A few, maybe, had real aims on the King, and ‘love’ didn’t seem to be an option they even considered. Clarus ordered thorough security checks and surveillance on the biggest names, and the whole thing made Gladio sick.

But it didn’t end there. A few weeks later, to Gladio’s horror, the Council had their own version of this discussion, this time with a political slant. All directly in front of the King himself. His Majesty didn’t seem perturbed by the discussion -- he exchanged a Glance with his Shield, but remained otherwise unreadable -- and yet Gladio burned with embarrassment and indignation for him.

~

So as much as Gladio resents Noct sometimes, he also pities him. And so he guards himself, socializes carefully, makes friends among the children of his father’s associates, and never gets too close to anyone.

In high school, he falls in love once, and he’s too busy with dates that ended in making out and heavy petting to notice at first. When he did, he broke it off immediately, cited some excuse about his duties and his dad not thinking the relationship was a good idea. All he could think about was getting away, getting away, getting away. When he got home, his heart was still pounding, and he checked all the locks and codes twice. Was he scared, or guilty?

When they told him they’d confronted his father, his heart stopped. He was certain he was about to be caught in his lie. But the rambling, teary argument that followed revealed that Clarus had been sympathetic but firm, and had invented a completely false conversation to back up Gladio’s falsehoods. 

Afterwards, he never brought it up with his son, and Gladio never asked.

~

After high school, in the Crownsguard, Gladio makes a new set of friends. Many of them are older than him and worldly in ways he isn’t. They have their own routines, which Gladio is indoctrinated in. The whole idea of ‘friends with benefits’ was a pretty sweet deal, he felt, especially since these ‘friends’ often went out on assignment afterwards and he never had to see them again.

(Except Ignis. They only hook-up once -- okay, twice -- or maybe three times -- but they don’t talk about it. More than the weapons training or survival courses, it’s the most dangerous thing they’ve ever done.)

At the same time, fifteen-year-old Noct makes his first friend. Prompto. Weird kid, goofy, but likeable. Not cool, really, but then, neither is Noctis. They spend their time goofing around, playing video games and doing homework. Unlike Gladio’s ‘friends’, Prompto stayed, and Gladio was happy for it. Noct needed a friend.

Not like Gladio. Gladio didn’t need anything.

~

During his training with the Kingsglaive, Gladio developed a reputation of sorts. He was known for taking people on flashy dates to exclusive clubs (getting in was effortless, for him), hooking up, and then moving on. All perfectly friendly and above board. He worked himself to exhaustion all week, spent most of his weekend in bed with someone new, and went back to the routine again on Monday. Never the same person twice.

His peers admired him for it. His Dad asked a few questions, and when Gladio snapped, he backed off with a scowl. Iris … Gladio convinced himself she didn’t know what was happening.

Noct and Prompto started dating then, too. It was a terrible idea, and Gladio knew it, but it was clear the kids were in love and besides, he’d seen how the King lived. How Noct would one day live. Hell, he was already half-inside the bubble anyway. He covered for them, even from Ignis for a while (and boy did Ignis give him shit for that), and then he and Ignis covered for them together.

It was good. Nothing was missing, everything was in its place. It was good.

~

When the treaty discussions start up, Gladio ends his dalliances with his fellow Glaives and ‘Guard members. He needs to be focused. No holes in his, and thus in Noct’s, security; no gaps someone could wriggle their way through. It’s easier than he thought it would be. He takes up reading to fill his sudden spare time.

Before the betrothal is announced, Prompto and Noct stop … doing whatever they’d been doing. Noct called it ‘hooking up’, but couldn’t quite pull off the lie. Prompto started training with the Crownsguard, and Gladio had to stand by and watch Prompto run, face-first, into the same hook-up culture he’d just left behind. It was different, from this angle. He didn’t like that Prompto was getting off with people he didn’t know. He didn’t like how they didn’t care about him, how they used bad pickup lines and groped him in public. How they didn’t know about his photos, or his parents, or the kitchen scale on his counter, or his obsessive knowledge about calorie counts and chocobos.

They didn’t love Prompto, but Noct did. From a distance. The kid had turned into a good actor at some point

Prompto got pulled into the wash cycle of hook-ups and break-ups fast enough, but Noct continued on alone. More and more his eyes came to resemble panes of glass, from which something shadowy and mute peered out in silence.

~

After Altissa, Gladio starts sleeping beside Ignis. Just sleeping. They end up spooned together most of the time, Gladio at Ignis’s back, looking out into the darkness that Ignis can’t see. Guarding him from it. Ignis is weird, strangely muted and palpably discouraged, but he clutches back at Gladio as hard as Gladio clutches him.

~

In Zegnautus Keep, Gladio wakes one morning to see Noct and Prompto talking. They know he’s up and moving, their conversation soft and halting behind him. He hears when they fall into a kiss, and stays turned away, giving them their privacy. His face is burning but he’s also amused, a little heartsick, and quietly happy for them.

It’s the last morning the four of them will have together, although they don’t know it yet. Further in the Keep, the crystal and the darkness are waiting. Even further in the distance, a blood-stained dawn calls their names.

~

As they set out into the Keep again, Noct pauses and looks at him. At Gladio. His eyes are full of questions and uncertainty, like a kid who needs to hear that everything will be okay. That he’s done everything right.

“What?” Gladio asks, confused.

Noct just sighs. “Nothing.”

Gladio stares at his downturned face a moment longer, trying to figure him out. He doesn’t think he’s done anything to make him mad. 

“All right,” Gladio says finally -- dubiously -- and without another word, he leads the way.

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

Deep Blue Fantasy Part One

Pairing: Merman!Tamaki x fem reader

Warnings: None

{Pt. 1}  {Pt. 2}  {Pt. 3}  {Pt. 4}  {Pt. 5}  {Pt. 6}  {Pt. 7}

Author's Note:

It’s here! Finally! An AU by me! Yay! This is just part one of a little mini-series I decided to do. I had a lot of fun writing this and exploring the concept! I played around with different ideas and I think I might do another mermaid/man AU with a different character (because I like recycling ideas). Feel free to leave your own ideas, requests, and suggestions!

Btw, this whole story is going to be x fem!reader.

Also, after much thought I decided NOT to make Tamaki half-octopus (even though I thought about it and I love that idea).

I would like you to know that my friend calls him Tomato.

Enjoy some fun times with Mermaki and Merio!

-Sugar

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

You inhaled deeply, the sea breeze perfectly filling your lungs. Salty water sprayed itself over your bare legs, droplets collecting and running down in cool rivulets that tickled the surface of your skin.

Every morning you came out on the beach, watching the tumultuous waves crash over each other in the distance. Every day it was different. The sky might be a deep gray, reflecting upon the sea, turning her waters a mysterious black. Others the sky was clear and blue, and the ocean looked bright and inviting. But you knew her secrets. The ocean was one to be respected. No one dared enter her. The people of your island only looked on, scanning her depths. She was never benevolent.

You couldn't help but be drawn to her, however. The breeze flooded your senses, the sounds of the waves calmed you, and her sight hurled you into an almost poetic state. You began to hum, the music intertwining with the curls of deep green water. The form of a bird caught your attention, and you watched it catch the cool updrafts of the ocean breeze.

While you stood there, distractedly humming, something else was watching you. Someone.

Pale arms hugged a black rock protruding out of the water as the dark-haired figure watched your form, skirt fluttering in the breeze. He sighed, watching you, your gentle voice carrying over the water into his pointed awaiting ears. Tamaki Amajiki had a morning routine of his own, and that was watching you follow yours. Every day he would show up early to wait for you by the rocks, watching your angelic form as you gazed out wistfully at the sea.

Tamaki had decided that what he was doing was not spying, or at least, he detested thinking of it as such. He just . . . enjoyed watching you. He had no ill intentions behind it. He simply found you to be the most wonderful and interesting thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

There was only one problem. Well, maybe two.

One. He was shy. Even amongst peers that he didn't idolize as much as he did you, he often found himself struggling to speak. He had no idea how to approach you. What if you didn't like him back? What if you weren't interested in being friends? What if you thought the two of you were too different?

His second problem: he was a merman. You were a human. How could that even work out? The existence of his kind was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the ocean. He wasn't even supposed to be this close to shore.

Tamaki had always had a fascination with humans. He knew his part of the empire was close to a human settlement, but it had taken him up until a few months ago to work up the courage to go take a glimpse of the island's shore for himself. That was when he had spotted you, and upon cautiously swimming closer, heard your voice.

Ever since, he'd come back every day, just to see you, to hear you. He longed to speak to you, to learn more about you and your kind, but he simply wasn't ready yet.

He watched your chest rise and fall as you heaved in a final sigh of sea air. Tamaki pushed himself further down into the crashing waves and longingly watched you turn and go. What he would give to be able to follow you where he could not.

Once you were gone, he never lingered. As the sight of your (H/L) (H/C) hair disappeared over the crest of the hill, he would depart, not wanting to be spotted by another member of your species. With a few flicks of his powerful deep indigo-black tail, he was once again under the waves, alone in the comforting cold wetness. He sped through the water, making his way home.

Just as he saw the soft glow of the little town he'd grown up in, he was jolted to the side, being grabbed by a pair of strong arms. Tamaki made a little squeaking noise in his throat in surprise, squeezing his eyes shut.

Bubbles tickled his cheeks as they marched across his face, desperate to reach the surface. He opened his eyes again to be met with clear blue ones, still crinkled in the aftermaths of laughter.

"Got you!" Tamaki's best friend, Mirio, signed to him.

Tamaki rolled his eyes, relaxing his shoulders slightly. He had thought he had been discovered by one of the town leaders. He tried to make his visits to the surface as discreet as possible, but someone had to question his routine absence each morning eventually.

"I guess you did," Tamaki signed back.

The merpeople communicated in a combination of sign language and high pitched squeaks and clicks, much like dolphins. While their voice boxes had difficulties speaking like we humans do, they could manipulate them to create an eerie, haunting music, just as the ancient legends of sailors described.

"Where were you?" Mirio asked, his face changing from bright and humorous to nigh concerned.

Tamaki faltered slightly, trying to think of how to answer. "Just looking for shells for my collection," he lied.

Mirio looked down at his empty arms. "Didn't find any?"

"Nope."

He looked into Tamaki's face again, suspicion settling over his features. The two had been friends since they were very young, and Mirio had learned Tamaki's ways better than even his own parents.

"Do you want help finding some?" he asked, wiping the expression off his face and changing it to a more cheerful one. He'd let it slide, just this once.

"No, thank you," Tamaki responded. "I think I'll just head home."

"Okay." The blond merman watched his friend swim off. Something wasn't right, and he knew it was up to him to find out what it was that his friend was up to.

✤✤✤✤✤

The next morning, Mirio went straight to Tamaki's house. The blond was used to waking up early, but he usually spent his mornings with himself; working out or some other such self-improvement he allowed himself to indulge in in order to make himself the strong, cheery merperson he was. Today, however, he decided to check up on his friend.

Sure enough, just as he was approaching the mound of stones and sea mud that was the home of his best friend, Mirio saw the retreating dark purplish-blue tail of Tamaki. He subtly began to follow him, keeping a distance just enough so he would still be able to see the flashing of his friend's tail ahead of him. After about ten minutes, Mirio began to suspect where they were going.

Isn't that island in this direction? What are you doing over here, Tamaki? he wondered to himself.

Another fifteen minutes or so later, the water became more shallow and littered with black rocks. Mirio sped up, occasionally utilizing the new terrain to hide from his unsuspecting friend. Now that they were so far away, Tamaki had completely stopped checking behind him, and Mirio watched as he hoisted his waist out of the water, pulling himself up above the crashing waves.

Mirio stared at him, confused for a few minutes as his friend propped himself against the rock, clearly watching for something. He suddenly noticed him stiffen, now clearly more alert. It appeared as though whatever he had been waiting for had arrived. But what was it?

Mirio couldn't take it anymore. He swam the few lengths of distance that he had kept between them and popped his own head out of the water beside Tamaki.

His black-haired friend jumped at his sudden appearance.

"What are you doing?" Mirio signed.

Tamaki fearfully glanced toward shore before tackling Mirio, pushing him back underwater.

"What are you doing?" Tamaki frantically signed back.

"I wanted to know what you were doing."

Tamaki glanced up towards the surface, unsure of what to do.

"What's on the beach?" Mirio asked. "That's what you were looking at, right?"

Tamaki suddenly felt his cheeks begin to warm, color flooding his pale skin. "There's a human over there," he finally signed, deciding to tell his best friend everything.

Mirio stiffened, now uneasy. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"You know how dangerous they are, right? They're stupid but they'll kill you if you get too close. It hasn't seen you, has it?"

"No no." Tamaki shook his head, an uncomfortable feeling of annoyance settling in his chest. "I just stay over here and watch. Besides, I don't think she'd hurt anything."

"She?" Mirio asked, incredulous.

"Do you want to see for yourself?" Tamaki asked. "She should still be there."

Mirio narrowed his eyes warily.

"She hasn't noticed me yet," Tamaki went on, trying to soothe his friend. "I've been coming here for a while now. If you just make sure you're behind one of these rocks, it's like you're invisible."

Mirio slowly flared his gills in the merperson version of a sigh. Of course Tamaki would figure out how to be invisible.

Tamaki turned and hoisted himself out of the water again and Mirio did the same, pulling himself against a bigger rock a length away from his friend. He spotted you immediately, the light fabrics of your clothing contrasting the black sand beach. The two mermen watched as you gazed up at the sky, studying the white puffy shapes of the clouds above, being quickly blown about by the wind.

Mirio had only been to the surface a few times, and each occasion he was startled by how different the air was from the water, yet somehow almost the same. He knew that wind was the same as currents, birds an equivalent to fish, but clouds always amazed him. He liked their shapes and colors, each one decorating the atmosphere in its own unique way.

He found himself looking up too, and soon he spotted a cloud whose shape reminded him of a conch shell. He looked to Tamaki, prepared to point it out when he saw the expression on his friend's face.

He had never seen such a look of soft love swimming in his dark eyes. A small wistful smile had spread across his lips, and a light shade of pink dusted over his cheeks.

Beginning to catch on, Mirio looked from him to you and then back to his friend. He liked you, that much was blatantly clear. A grin of his own rose to Mirio's features, his sharp teeth flashing in the morning sun. He leaned over to Tamaki and nudged him, giving him a knowing look.

"You like her." Mirio signed, stating the obvious.

Tamaki blushed further, shrugging.

Mirio opened his mouth to click something, but Tamaki halted him by shoving a finger over his lips.

"Wait," he signed, pointing back to you.

As if on cue, music began to float over the water, carried by the breeze. They were lucky that the wind blew so, although it was still a bit of a strain to hear your voice.

Tamaki melted back against the rock, closing his eyes to fully take in the sound of your aubade.

Mirio watched him pityingly. His friend was hopelessly in love with a human; the most dangerous species on the planet. How had Tamaki, the cautious, sweet, shy boy he was, taken such an interest into something like a human?

It was no secret that the vast majority of the mer population had at minimum a mild interest in humans. There was an odd kinship in the blatant similarities between them, so there was an undoubtable draw to their kind. Merpeople also knew, however, of the dangers humans held. Ships, plastics, fishing nets, things called labs and circuses; each one posed its own horror story against the species, driving merpeople further away from the shores.

"I wish I could talk to her," Tamaki said, his fingers softly forming meaning with their nimble gestures. He finally turned to Mirio. "You haven't seen what I have. She's kind and smart and pretty. Maybe some humans are no good, but I'm sure she is."

Mirio pushed his lips to the side, torn and thinking. "Why don't you just go up to her, then?"

Tamaki almost fell back underwater. "I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Well, first of all, I can't even speak Human."

Mirio glanced over at you, then back to Tamaki. "If she's so smart, she should be able to figure out something."

Tamaki slumped. "Yeah . . . ."

"So just go then! Say hi!"

Tamaki looked back at Mirio, horrified. "But that's so against the rules! Besides, weren't you saying how awful humans are a minute ago? What made you change your mind?"

"How you look at her," Mirio stated simply, causing Tamaki to blush all over again. "Just kill a fish or something and swim up and present it to her. How different can she be from the mermaids back home?"

Tamaki had never really flirted with any girls, primarily keeping to himself and hanging around Mirio. It was completely foreign territory to him, and the fact that you were a human only made it worse.

"She wouldn't even like me—"

"Nonsense!" Mirio countered, now beginning to grow frustrated with his friend. He knew Tamaki struggled with anxiety, but sometimes he simply couldn't understand why his friend couldn't just go out and take what he wanted.

The boys noticed that the music had stopped. They turned back to shore, watching as you stood and brushed yourself off. You left the beach, taking one final look at the waves before disappearing onto land.

Mirio slumped back in the water. "Now she's gone. You said she comes here every day?"

Tamaki hesitantly answered. "Yes."

"Well, come back tomorrow and confess your love!"

"I don't love—" Tamaki faltered, realization flooding his being. He did love you. Or, at least, he admired you. He wanted to get to know you enough to eventually love you. "How do I even have a chance?" he clicked sadly. "We're so different—"

Mirio put a hand on Tamaki's shoulder. "Love finds a way," he said. "I'm going to help you."

"You will?"

"Of course. What are best friends for?"

Tamaki allowed himself a small smile. "Thanks, Mirio."

Mirio gave his back a firm pat. "No problem. Now come on, let's go home and plan."

Apprehension welled in Tamaki's chest. What had he gotten himself into?

...

The two had found themselves at the library, digging through scrolls to find as much information as they could on the landwalkers. Most of it was fiction and unhelpful; children's stories warning against getting too close to boats and land.

They found a few history texts about human alliances with the merpeople, most of them occurring thousands of years ago.

"What happened?" Tamaki quietly clicked, running his fingers over artwork of the deity Poseidon.

Mirio shrugged, glancing at it over his shoulder. He picked up another scroll, this one newer. He unrolled it to find a little leaf of seaweed paper, text scrawled on its surface.

"Tamaki, look at this." Mirio nudged his friend, gesturing towards his discovery.

The Sea Witch, Tamaki read. Ancient artifacts to make your dreams come true!

"Want to give her a try?" Mirio asked. "She only lives a few leagues away."

"That's still a lot of swimming," Tamaki said, his fingers hesitant.

"It's for love," Mirio countered, waggling his eyebrows.

Tamaki bit his lip. "Okay. I guess it's worth a try."

Mirio pumped his fist in the water. "We're going on an adventure!"

...

To be continued . . . .

[Part Two]

くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡くコ:彡

Taglist: @inumorph​ @engel-hageshii​​ @basicaegyo​ @iiminibattlehero​ @pyrofanatic​ @sokkasangel​​ @xoxopam4​​ @kingtamakimurder​​

[zenlesszonezero]

As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

Uncover the Conspiracy in Zenless Zone Zero's All-New Version "A Storm of Falling Stars", S-Rank Agent Hoshimi Miyabi is here! With S-Rank Agent Asaba Harumasa Limited-Time Giveaway! Pre-register to obtain additional rewards.

[fabulaee]

COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE

// A 🐺 fic based on my Stay journey’s aesthetics which was a coffee shop au bc they remind me of those times when I used to go to the café to draw and would see fellow regulars but unlike y/n and Chan, I never interact with them. We all just share a table 😂😂😂

*

*

*

Monday. Wednesday. Friday

That was the set schedule for your coffee run. MWF from 9 am to 10, then coming back with your study supplies from 1 to 4 in the afternoon. It was routine; the small college café a safe haven from the slight messy floor of your dorm and the formal vibe of the library. Here you were focused and at peace of mind. The aroma of the coffee beans and soft sounds of the coffeeshop’s playlist serving as background noise.

There wasn’t much students at this time of the day compared to the much later prime of the evenings. The café then filled with college youths grabbing a drink after a long day’s worth of lectures and test reminders or staying to cram a night’s worth of information. There was something about cafés that seemed inviting and less suffocating yet at the same time a place where you can find the nursing students with their big thick books opened with streaks of neon yellow running across them.

“Vanilla Bean Cold Brew for y/n!”

Standing up, you went to grab your drink leaving behind the pastel rainbow set of highlighters and gel pens on top of your notes. You quickly thanked the barista as he handed you a straw before plopping back down on your seat continuing where you last went off. Something about the history of impressionistic art. You sighed as you lifted your eyes across the room, it was currently 2:30 pm on a Wednesday afternoon. A good time to take a break before your mind starts to commit brain fart.

*

Chris Bang. Affectionally called Bang Chan by his friends. Music major with golden hands, a good candidate for the honor roll, member of the varsity swim team, and resident social butterfly. An all rounder any college is proud to have.

You heard about him once or twice from your common friend, Yang Hongseok. They met at the gym apparently and became quick friends through the Japanese exchange student, Adachi Yuto, and their shared love for fitness.

You see him sit at the same spot everyday since the middle of sophomore year. His laptop with the cute decal of Deadpool open and his AirPods snugly tucked in his ears. He's always has his blonde head bopping to a song he's playing on either his phone or his laptop. Always seemed so engrossed in this little world he made for himself across the room, ignorant to the bustling crowd of students that come and go.

He looks up catching you off guard. His lips curled slightly upwards, chuckling to himself as he watches your cheeks turn pink in embarrassment. Great, he must think I'm a weirdo!

With a quick exchange of nods you both went back to doing your own thing. Just a regular day at the coffee shop.

*

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

It's the Friday following Monday's slightly embarrassing incident. You looked up to find the same Chris Bang, laptop in hand, smiling at you like a friendly yet lost puppy. Warm brown orbs looking back at yours.

“My laptop's about to die and this is the only table with an outlet.” He explains himself, a tiny awkward giggle making up as the period.

“O-oh, of course!” You stuttered, hastily making room for him despite the large space as you swiped for the stray pastel highlighters and napkins closer. “No one's sitting here so go ahead.”

He whispered a small thanks before setting down his laptop to grab his bag from his usual spot while you went back to your notes. It was silent for awhile, only the sounds of pen against paper and the soft tick tack of the keys. At some point you hit a mind block, eyes glazing in boredom as you stared at the blank space of your notebook. You felt your table mate leave his stationary position too. he stretched in his seat before turning his attention to you.

Sensing his sudden gaze on you, you flashed him a small smile. You were never one to start a conversation, often keeping to yourself and minding your own business. A bit of a complete opposite towards the friendly Australian who somehow knows at least three students from each program.

He smiles back at you showing off his cute dimples and an outstretched hand. “Hey, I'm Chan. I never caught your name.”

Again with the cute giggle. It seems to be like a signature to him but it's cute still the same. You grasped his hand giving it a soft shake. “Y/n,” you answered curtly.

*

The following days you find yourself hanging around Chan more. Afternoon study sessions were no longer a date between you and the textbook or the small watercolor set you laid out on the table. Chan was there to fill the space making the long table that was a party of one to a party of two and maybe some on certain busy hours but mostly it was the both of you in your own tiny world.

You got to know him, his likes and dislikes. His major and passion for music, sometimes slipping in a few complaints about certain homework here and there; What else he likes to do. Apparently mr. Chris Bang was gifted in so many areas you often wondered what good he must've done in his previous life to be this gifted. Not only was he a jack of all trades, he's also the master of all.

You even had a small debate between Deadpool and Spider-Man. God, he's such a nerd it's adorable!

In return he knew these things about you. How you're taking up art as your major hoping to make it out as an illustrator one day—

“it would be so cool if you drew a variant cover for Deadpool!”

“Ha! We'll see about that, Chris Reynolds.”

He knows how you like to collect stickers and are quite passionate about making sure your notes are beautiful. He knows how you loved your drinks iced despite it being the middle of winter.

“Isn’t the weather too cold for that?” He’d ask with a quirk of his brow, amused brown eyes glancing at the iced hazelnut latte you have in your hands.

“Nope!” you replied, taking a sip as you did so. “It’s always the perfect weather for an iced coffee, Bang.”

He only chuckled at that.

*

It hit you like a freight train. You didn’t mean to fall for him. It wasn’t supposed to happen. You and Chan? No way, it was just supposed to be just friends. The kind where you hang out and have fun, no feelings attached. He was just supposed to be that regular from the café, right?

That was the plan, right?

But you can’t deny the small flutters from your heart much like those newly emerged butterflies. How you can feel that giddy feeling of excitement when you spot his mop of chocolate curly locks outside the café’s window. How you mirror his smile when you get together to talk about anything and everything under the sun. Bang Chan in all his cute dimpled glory, soft curls and hearty giggles was just too much to adore.

Yet it wasn’t that what pulled you in to the Music major. You felt love blossom when you both stayed up late, when the café was quiet after a busy day. The only people around being a couple medical students, some late night goers, and the employees. You felt the tiny flower buds start to bloom when he stayed with you then; keeping you company under the dimly warm fluorescent lights, laptop tucked away and a hand playing with yours.

You felt it bloom when you cuddled on the booth’s sofa one rainy November day. He scoots over next to you when he saw you shiver from the corner of his eyes. He’s naturally warm —you’d often tease him how he made the room hot. Why? well it’s because he’s from Australia! which earned the loud chorus of laughter from his friends and Chan’s ears turning into the color of the fire hydrant.

“Babygirl, you’re shivering.” He mutters as he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you gently towards him. You accepted the subtle invitation, sides sticking together as you both went through forgotten notes and half finished coffees.

You felt it when you caught yourself staring at him a little longer than intended. Eyes drifting from Jisung’s expressive face to glance at the older one. You watched him look at the former with such adoration in his eyes; how he looked like a proud dad. You watched him nod along and laugh to Jisung’s animated story about how he and Hyunjin would fight back in the day, a fact that still seemed to shock you seeing how they are the best of friends.

Your eyes would linger on him while he worked on his music; focused and determined, hiding the exhaustion and sleepless nights prominent on the dark circles under his eyes. He was handsome even if he looked like shit. Hell, he was handsome even when he sported the infamous broccoli colored hair. You’d find yourself in a trance, like it was a dream. The world didn’t matter as much anymore when it was only you and Chan in the small dimly table, surrounded by the aroma of coffee beans at the small quaint cafe at the corner of the street.

*

You loved him. You loved him in the most beautiful of ways; you loved him in the most perfect highs and in all those crevices full of flaws.

You loved him in those bright moments, when the lights were shining on him during a 3RACHA gig. How they made him more beautiful, how they made him stand out from the 2 younger members. You loved watching him do what he loves; how he immersed himself in a world that was different from yours. How his version of colors and dried paint were beats and melodies, rhythm and tempos.

You loved him in the lowest moments; when the tide was high enough to cover you. You loved how you fit perfectly in his arms, how he became a shoulder to lean on when you felt the world was against you and you to him. When he would open up to you about his worst fears and his grandiose ambitions; when he spilled his heart out at the underlaying insecurity that’s been biting him due to his perfectionist attitude. You became his confidante; the one he can trust his heart to.

You loved him in the times he was vulnerable. You loved him when he would bask in glory and shining lights. You loved him like those cheesy lines in love songs. You loved him like how the tides would look at the moon in awe and yearning; gravitating with every push and pull.

You loved him in ways words can never describe. How the seeds he planted in your heart bloomed to the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.

You love him simply because he’s Chan.

You promised yourself you’d be just friends. It was safer that way but then again, what is love when she’s not one without twists and turns?

What is love when she comes to you, sneaky and sly like a weed disguised as a flower, whispering into your ear that it’s him.

It’s him, it’s him, it’s him.

It was always him, it just took you some time to figure that out.

*

When you first met Chan, he was simply a friend of a friend. Someone you knew because your brothers are his friends. He was the guy you’d hear about in passing, the popular cool guy with a heart bigger than a massive sized teddy bear and a smile that could cure the most depressing of days. Someone who, in probability, would just be an acquaintance to you.

He was that guy you regularly saw at the coffee shop you visited every week. He was just some guy from the music department who would flash you a friendly smile because you were a familiar face.

Funny how fate made him more than what you originally expected him to be.

[every1studio]

REQUESTED: “what kind of yanderes would they be?” mafia version. [ateez]

genre: misc. + (mentions of violence & mental illnesses & self harm)

ficstyle: analysis + bulletpoints + reactions

requested: “ Ateez as yanderes??? “ + “ I'm not sure if requests are open, but can you do a Mafia yandere Ateez reaction to you trying to escape? “

note: I’m not sure if I wanna continue my most recent fic as a series, what do you all think?

You couldn’t handle it anymore. You thought he had it in him to treat you right, to take care of you. That’s what he promised after all. But that was all just a facade for what was hiding behind his mask. Everything you did had to go through him. This wasn’t love. This could never be love. The next chance you had, you are going to escape.. You were inches away from freedom until....

◇─◇──◇──◇──◇──◇──◇──◇──◇──◇──◇─◇──◇──◇──◇──◇─◇

HONGJOONG

(type: restraining domestic)

leader of his mafia; he has money and power, and with money and power he can get anything he wants 

he started out like any other guy; sweet and caring, only wanted what was best for you you didn’t even know he was in a mafia  

until he couldn’t take it any longer; he couldn’t have anyone else even look at you 

tells you that he’s the only one that can love you; he literally will do ANYTHING to keep you two together

uses anything to keep you within arms-length distance 

chains; that only allows you to stand, sit, lay down and walk up around a 1 foot by 1 foot box, signifying that you can only go where ever he allows 

cages; resembles a big bird cage, signifying that you are a rare, endangered species that he can never ever let go 

literally anything 

punishes you by making the restraints smaller

“all I do is love you.. why don’t you understand that?! everything I do is for you! for us! I found this place for us..”

you couldn’t see how he could see the world through those cold eyes of his 

you knew he probably had someone kill the people who lived in this house so that you two could live here 

speaking of that fact, you never saw anyone other than Hongjoong

everyone in his gang knew about you

but no one ever saw you 

You tried again and again how to escape the bird cage. To hide Hongjoong’s suspicion, you followed his every request. If you were good enough, he could let his guard down. And you were right. You felt a rush of bliss the moment you got successfully unlocked the hinged door. The was no moment to waste, you had to find an exit. Doors after doors, you went to where the light shined. It was like weaving through maze on an adrenaline rush. You could almost feel the sun on your skin. Until one door led you straight into Hongjoong’s arms. His gang was right behind him. Now they’ve seen you. And now Hongjoong was mad. 

“My little tweedy bird needs to know.. that some birds are never meant to live outside of their cage... And that they are never meant to see the light of day..” all it took was one shove for you to fly back into your cage.

“You belong in here... and you belong to me...”

You weren’t human anymore.. You were a possession. 

SEONGHWA

(type: manipulating trainer)

Seonghwa is cold to everyone; people started to see him smiling more because of you 

he is second in command of his mafia and deals with security 

kidnapped you on your way to work; he didn’t even live in your city 

he lived life by a routine; and in his routine, he always has it his way

if it’s not his way at first, it will always end his way  

he always went to his usual coffee shop for his usual iced Vietnamese coffee; you were a new worker and you had sparked his attention

he was a loyal customer so you saw him everyday; knew his usual order so you were nice to him  

to him, your simple act of kindness was what he saw as a declaration of love 

before you knew it, you were locked in a room of his mafia-ran building

“say you love me.. I know you do.. I know it from the way you look at me..”

he never uses force against you but he does leave you alone for days and days with minimal food and water 

he’s okay with leaving you in there for a while, since he watches you from the camera in her room 

he strokes at your tear-stained through the camera knowing that one day, you’ll turn around and that one day, you’ll love him as much as he loves you 

You heard from his members that he was going to go out on a business trip and that he wouldn’t be in the facility. You also heard that Seonghwa never really locked your door. But you could never touch the doorknob knowing that Seonghwa was watching you through the camera. His glare bore holes into your soul even through the screen. So once you heard nothing but complete silence. You took no chances and ran for the door. It was unlocked. You bolted for it, making little to no noise as possible. But the lights turned off and the alarms started to blare.. in fact it scared you so bad that you ran back to your room. The alarms stopped and you heard the doors mechanically locked. But for some reason, you felt comfort in that room. Seonghwa smirked from the other side of the screen as he grazed over your face. 

“You’re slowly learning your place.. and when you do know you’re place, you’ll be awarded..”

You had to deal with your stress in some way or another, so you just followed his orders. That was the only way you could feel like you received some shape of love. And that’s what you longed for as you were held captive, somehow brainwashing you to think that this was normal. That’s how you became Seonghwa’s pet, nothing more than a lapdog.

YUNHO

(type: obsessive worshiper)

Yunho is proficient in photography and computer networking and used that to his advantage; he is a member of a mafia as the hacker 

he was your childhood friend who grew an unhealthy obsession for you 

after your family moved out of your childhood home, he bought it with his dirty money 

he found comfort in your old room and assembled everything how you did back in high school 

back in high school, he confessed to you 

you didn’t give him an answer, you couldn’t; because you already had an idea of his obsession for you 

years passed and you recently met up with him again 

you were passing by your old house when you saw him exiting it

you thought maybe, now that he’s older, he’d gotten rid of his obsession with you 

the moment you stepped into the house, you wished you left it 

the house was plastered with your life since you separated from him

he knew what life you led and he was okay with who you were dating at the time; because in the end, he’s the one that going to have you

he locks the door and pushes you against it 

“all I’ve done was worship you, love you and now? I’ll. never. let. you. go.”

You felt cold vibrations flow through your spine. You were home but you weren’t in the comfort of your childhood home. Everywhere you look, you saw yourself. It wasn’t like a reflection in the mirror but it was like look at yourself through someone else’s eyes. Yunho’s eyes. It scared you because in most of these shots, you don’t know how he took them. 

“I’ll gonna go get your favorite taiyaki, the truck is still down the street. I’ll be right back~” He kisses you on the forehead and brings the keys with him. He probably didn’t know that there’s another way to open the door even if you locked it. All it took was to give the door a little wiggle and flip it like a dog door. You tried it but it didn’t work. You tried it and tried it and tried it until you heard Yunho come back. You scurry to the furthest corner of the room. He gives you a smile and cups your face.

“I’ve been watching you all your life. I know all your secrets. Every single one of them. So you can never ever be anywhere but by my side. Forever.”

YEOSANG

(type: self-harming schemer)

Yeosang is known for interrogating in his mafia; he also deals with the mafia’s finances 

you can say he’s always been intrigued with the richness of beauty 

that was no exception when it came to you 

he couldn’t control himself when he saw you 

it started off harmlessly; you didn’t even know he existed 

he started taking your used napkins or coffee cups that your lips touched 

then he started to take your notebooks and pens that you used to jot down your thought process and feelings  

and then your jackets that you hung behind your chair 

he offered you his jacket and since it was so cold, you reluctantly took it 

he became your friend, that’s what you thought 

until he made rather odd requests, if he could have a baby picture of you or your currently-used lipstick 

that’s when you knew something was off about him

that’s when you tried to distance away from him 

but that was the wrong path to take

“if you leave me, I’ll hurt myself..” Yeosang dug the knife close to his pulse on his wrist, if he applied more pressure he could bleed to death 

you teared up, you were scared of what he was capable of and you didn’t want him disappear on the face of the Earth because of you 

Since that day, you’ve been with Yeosang. To outsiders, it looked like you and Yeosang were in a happy relationship. But you were in a toxic relationship. He constantly had to threaten to hurt himself, even to the point of going to the hospital, to get you to stay with him. You told yourself that you could change him to be a more self-loving person. It seemed like everything was going fine, you could see the change in his character. You took this chance to escape. You bought a plane ticket and all you needed was a carry-on. Yeosang was at work; the mafia usually kept him at odd hours so you had to act fast. But he came home early and found your note. He didn’t even read it. He called you.

“Y/N.. if you don’t come home... I’ll kill myself. I can’t live without you.. I’ll die without you..”

Guilt washes over and you came home immediately. There was a scheming plan behind his suicidal tendencies. He knew that something happened to him, his mafia would go after you. They would dispose of you, you knew that, which was why you had to be with him to save your own life. He believed that was a forsure plan that you would meet him in the afterlife. That was what he believed was the both of your destinies. That you were always going to be together no matter what.

SAN

(type: delusional killer)

San was the most skilled hitman in all of the mafia in the Eastern Hemisphere

he wasn’t suppose to fall in love with you

you were a target but you were too beautiful, too innocent for this cruel world

he was so sure that you made eye contact with him through his binoculars

those eyes made him believe that you were seducing him  

he kills whoever sent him to kill you before coming into contact with him 

it took him a couple of days to gather enough courage to talk to you 

you found San charming but kind of off putting 

since San came around, you didn’t see any of your guy friends anymore

or even your male classmates 

that’s when you caught him cleaning your crush’s blood off of his hands 

he cocks his head as he smiles when his eyes meets yours, “Y/N... you came for me?”

you shook your head in fear as you tried to back away 

but your legs wouldn’t listen to you 

you ended falling back on a trail of blood 

“you’re so cute when your scared...” he left butterfly-like touches on your cheek 

you passed out from the shock and the next thing you knew you were in a bed with your ankle chained to the bedpost

San was patting your head as he laid next to you  

“I’ll make sure that your safe from men.. men are wolves and they will prey on you, my little sheep.. you can’t trust anyone other than me”

You were honestly scared of San. You knew what he was capable and that scared you. You don’t know how long it’s been.. your family and friends probably reported you missing. But you didn’t see any signs that they did on TV. You had to make sure someone was out there looking for you. You had to make sure that your loved ones knew you were safe. 

San was always on a mission, so he left you in his apartment. You tried to escape. Doors were bolted with several locks. Windows had bars. Air vents were too small. But he left his phone on the counter. It’s only been 5 minutes since he left, so if you called the police now, you had a chance to escape. But you felt an arm slither around your waist as the other took the phone from your hands.

“Sweetheart.. you don’t need to call the outside world. They won’t protect you like I will..” you could feel him smirk without even looking at him.

“I-I was trying to order dinner...” you tried to cover up.

San spins you around and cups your face, “How thoughtful of you.. don’t worry, I got some side dishes from your mother. You don’t have to worry about anything..”

“My mother?” you whimpered, you missed her.

“Our mother.. told her that we were married and you were so busy that you aren’t able to see them. And well, she told your dad and your dad told his friends and so on and so on..” 

That’s why no one went out looking for you. San had convince everyone you knew that you were fine. But you weren’t. How much longer can you last of this?

MINGI

(type: climax-chasing stalker)

Mingi was the one the mafia would turned to for intel 

he was also good at acting; used as a spy 

he was undercover as a teacher assistant when he knew of your existance

he kept on telling himself that you were nothing more than a pretty girl 

but he fell in love with you more and more 

that was when he began to stalk you; you saw him follow you home, asked your classmates about you and even gave you gifts in front of you while no one else was around

it creeped you out when he told you stories about YOURSELF as if he’s known you all your life 

that was where you had to draw the line 

you being the good student that you were, knew that it was wrong; he was your TA 

when you tried to bring it up to your friends, they would laugh it off, “I mean everyone has the hots for the TA but I don’t think he’d be that kind of guy..”

you pretended like everything was okay until his last day of being a TA 

you were the last one on cleaning duty 

Mingi steps in between you and the door, “Mr. M.. I need to get home...” 

“I’ll take you home..”

“that’s unnecessary, sir...”

he walks you out off the school

you hope that there was someone, anyone, around for you to call out for 

but he urges you to get onto his motorcycle

“I can see the way you look at me, Y/N..”

“I’m not-” he puts a helmet over your head, you couldn’t see anything

he revs up his bike, you had no choice to hold onto him

especially if you cared about your life 

he smiles as he feels your arms wrap around him, “I’m glad you feel the same way..”

You could’ve let go. But he was driving so fast and he didn’t stop for any lights. At first you thought that he was apart of one of those sex trafficking rings. But soon you found out that he wanted you for himself. You were gullible and hoped that he was still the good person that he came off to be. But he wasn’t. 

“You’re so innocent.. so beautiful.. I can’t wait to corrupt you..”   

Being as small as you were, it was easy to find potential exit routes. It was hard when Mingi was there in the same room as you. You thought maybe you could fight him off with the closest potential weapon you could get a hold of. Mingi’s just too big for you to handle. 

“Soon you’ll listen to me and soon you WILL love me...”

WOOYOUNG

(type: blinded by an old flame; dominating + desperate)

Wooyoung is the strategist in the gang   

the mafia turns to him for the next big mission 

so technically he’s the brains of the mafia 

he has a lot of free time so he spends his time having fun 

his eyes widened when he saw you in the clubs

you looked so much like his previous muse

unfortunately, she passed away getting in between two different mafias

he knew that she would reincarnate again and he would find her

so he was certain that you were her 

and this time, he wasn’t going to let anything happen to you 

he had the bartender spike your drink

the moment you started to feel dizzy, Wooyoung caught you in his arms 

“Aurora.. you came back to me...”

you fell unconscious moments after he said that 

you went hysterical when you woke up in an unknown place

Wooyoung smile as he tries to embrace you

but you slapped him in the face

his smiled faltered and his fury took over

he pins you down; you couldn’t shake him off even if you tried

“Aurora was never like this...  she always listened... you will listen to me..”

“I’M NOT AURORA!” you hissed at him

“you will be..” he smirked as he made sure to tame you into the woman he loved

It took you a full two months to stop fighting against Wooyoung. You were almost hospitalized during one of your attempt to fight back. Wooyoung kisses your shoulder as he finds you in your calm state. 

“See? Isn’t it better when you don’t fight back, Aurora? Here, I got you your favorite hibiscus tea~” You hated hibiscus tea. You had to play a facade if you wanted to survive. But you were so so sick of it. You shoved the hot tea onto his face and ran out. You ran and ran until you were out on the balcony. Wooyoung was getting closer; yelling a name that was not yours, over and over again. It was to either jump and somehow make it or be held captive and live a controlled life under a persona of another woman.

Wooyoung holds you before you could jump, you can feel his tears on your back. 

“You can’t leave me again... I don’t know how to move on without you.. Please.. Just please..”

“I’m not Aurora..” was all that you could manage to say, “I’m Y/N..”

“Y/N..Y/N, please don’t leave me alone...” he repeats after you. You know it’s only a matter of time before his sense of clarity fogs up again and no one but you will be his new obsession that will fade the line between reality and delusion. 

JONGHO

(type: uses power to insert dominance; may use violence)

Jongho was the strength of the mafia; his peers always looked up to him for advice on power

he used this to his advantage

especially when he laid his eyes on you

he slowly entered your life

it always seemed like he was joking around about being your boyfriend until it went too far

you were on a blind date when Jongho showed up saying that you were his girlfriend

when your blind date flat out called you a bitch for leading him on, Jongho took it another step to beat him until he was almost unconscious

you tried to pull him away but got hit in the process

Jongho would never mean to cause you any physical harm; on purpose

“Y/N.. are you alright?”

you pushed him away, “no! what the heck is wrong with you? you’re not my boyfriend!”

“of course I am.. you’re my girlfriend, whether you like it or not...”

he swept you off your feet and placed you in his car

“Jongho.. this isn’t rational..” you said as you tried to get out of his car

“love isn’t rational..” he mumbles as he reaches over put your seatbelt on

there was nothing you could say or do to get it through his head; he was convinced that he was your boyfriend, no matter what

You could never attempt to try and escape from Jongho. He was too strong for his own good. Sometimes he hurt you on accident. That would kill him when he did. But sometimes he would use it to get what he wants; whether it’s to get you to kiss him back or to get you to lay in bed with him. You knew that if you ever tried to escape, you’d get seriously injured.

“You know I love you right?”

You sighed before smiling at him.

“Yes, Jongho.. I do..”

“Please say it back..” Jongho held your hand quite roughly.

“I love you,” you lied, “I love you..”

[ masterlist + guidelines ]

[stachmousworld]

Meeting the Personal Assistant

Well, well, I got sidetracked. Again. Sigh. After watching to many Karens and reading about Juneteenth, and the Code Noir, which is the French version of the Black Codes/ Jim Crow Laws, my blood boiled so much I almost burst an artery. I had to write instead and transcript my feelings.

Words: 5k...oh my god..

SUMMARY: Bucky runs an errand for Steve and has to bring a box to Tony’s office. Once arrived, he’ll meet two women, who’ll change his life. This meeting will bring more than he’d imagine. Between an impromptu boner and the recovery of his memories, Bucky is in for a ride.

TRIGGER WARNING: mention of lynchings in the past (in early 20th century), and a racist Karen using racial slurs left and right. So now, you may call me Tarantino.

Please be aware that the term “lynching” was not used lightly. In the early 20th century, it was pretty common to keep a “souvenir” aka a part of the victim of lynchings. They would send postcards, aka real photos of these poor souls hanging from trees and they would send it. Via Post…

**You are officially warned. **

Also, I invite each and single one of you to listen to Bessie Smith. She was the most well-known singer in the 20’s and was nicknamed the Impress of Blues. My fav’ songs are: Devil’s gonna get you, Baby won’t you come Home and Send me to the ‘Lectric chair.

And read more about Forsyth County, here: https://www.npr.org/2016/09/15/494063372/the-racial-cleansing-that-drove-1-100-black-residents-out-of-forsyth-county-ga?t=1592961537890

Part 2 

 « Do I look like a dog, Stevie? » Bucky groaned for the umpteenth time.

Steve, aka Captain America, was serving him his best puppy eyes and it was working. Who’d know that after all these years those baby blues could weaken him. Bucky rolled his eyes, enjoying his last moment of peace and held out his hand. Steve sighed in relief and smiled wholeheartedly. Bucky snatched the box from him and spun around. If he’d stay one more second, he’d break and start smiling. The corner of his lips was already lifting, without his consent. He forced himself to look grimier than usual. No one would question him nor try to talk to him. Not that they did anyway. He warily checked for any cameras and strutted out of the room, confident that his struggle wouldn’t have been recorded.

« Thanks again, Buck’, » Steve yelled behind him.

Bucky didn’t even have in him to flip him off. He shrugged and growled to no one in particular. “I’m not a dog,” he whispered, pouting.

That was it. He hated the crowd. He hated the goddam Stark Tower and he hated the tourists glued in front of it, taking pictures as if this phallic building was something incredible.

He almost barked at a poor woman who asked him to take a photo of her in front of it. He almost threw her phone on the floor. He sent her a nasty look and entered the building. Next time he’d see Steve, he’d punch him in his “innocent” face, so no one would be subject to his “candid” blue eyes. But…he’d looked so disappointed in him. Bucky sighed, dramatically, making a few people look at him with concern.

What was worse? The candid eyes or the disappointed ones?

He waved at the security guards, who let him in with no problem. They just had to look at his vibranium arm to know his identity. He strode past the line of people waiting for the elevator and stood in front of the doors. The complains from the others started immediately. He tilted his head on the side, flexing his uncovered metal arm. The sound of the vibranium plates setting in place and rearranging under the pressure, made them all take a step backward.

Good. 

He couldn’t help it. Making people nervous was a residual from his time in Hydra. He had tried to overcome this need to instill fear. Steve had been disappointed. Again. And Bucky had buried deep enough his tendencies. But in a crowd full of stuck-up people, it was too easy to make them squirm a little. It was nothing but a life check.

And he was after all a vet, and a POW, he deserved some respect. They should have parted when they saw him. He may look younger and stronger, but he was older than all of them. So yeah, just because he was now enhanced, through torture, doesn’t mean he couldn’t benefit from his unused privilege. Everyone loved to cuddle Steve and pity him, but not Bucky. No. Nothing was ever funny for Bucky.

He bared his teeth at one particularly stubborn woman. She raised an eyebrow, flipped her hair, but didn’t move. He narrowed slightly his eyes and stood tall. Back off, or I’ll bite, he snarked internally. Wait! No. I’m not a dog, I won’t bark. He shook his head losing his stiff position.

Unaware that the doors of the elevator were already open the woman went in. Bucky followed suit, mumbling about the new generation and the lack of manner.

Really, it was not a good day.

The ride to the top of the Tower went smoothly, except for the nasty glances the other lady and he exchanged. He hoped with such a fervor that she’d leave soon, but no. They got off the elevator on the same floor. Tony’s. Bucky bowed with a sarcastic smile, arm stretched toward the opened doors. She huffed and left, bumping his metal hand.

If all those years being a soldier and a POW had taught him something, it was attack first and deadly. He unconsciously reached for his knife, almost dropping the box he held.

“It’s him, there. I want him out.” The lady barked in front of another young woman. “What kind of institution is that?”

Bucky strolled toward them. He toyed with his small knife, before putting it back into his pocket. He should have made her trip before getting out the elevator. Just a little fall never hurt nobody.

The scene played in his mind, leaving him deeply amused and satisfied.

“Madam, with all due respect, you have to calm down. I will do as much as I can.” The young black woman said in a soothing voice. “But, Mister Barnes, here, is what you may call a V.I.P.”

The other lady’s face grew red, her cheeks burning with either shame or rage. Bucky was almost afraid she’d burst a vein.

“I…I…” She took a deep breath. “This is inadmissible! I want to see Tony, Right Now!” She shrieked.

The young lady tilted her head, unfazed. She glanced at Bucky, then his box. An imperceptible smile appeared briefly on her face. His fidgeted under her whiskey eyes, feeling underdressed in front of this gorgeous woman. She pointed a comfy chair next to what was her desk. He nodded. The smile he gave in return felt more like a grimace, but she didn’t seem faze by it. If contrary, she chuckled, then cough in her hands to hide it.

Bucky shook his head and walked past them. The other annoying woman spluttered, before being interrupted:

“Madam, I’m sorry. But Mister Stark is not here. Do you have a meeting planned?”

The other woman backed away, shocked.

“Did you hear what I said, or are you deaf? I. Want. To. see. Mister. Stark.”

The young woman walked away and sat at her desk, still keeping a professional façade. Bucky was impressed and compassionate. At least as the Winter Soldier and a soldier in general, he never had to respect people who disrespected him.

“And I want a few millions and a rich husband.” She replied, the sarcasm laying on the thick in her deep voice. She bent under her desk to retrieve some files. Before then, she took the opportunity to take the box from Bucky’s hands and placed it in her drawer.

Bucky’s eyes didn’t miss the way her cleavage was clearly showing her bra, red (such a gorgeous color on her dark skin) and more importantly what they were supporting. Her breasts looked…mouthwatering. He only saw the top of them but could only imagine their softness, the shape of her areolas, the taste of her sweaty skin in her mouth, the way her nipples would harden after a particular bite. Bucky felt an unfamiliar tension in his lower region. He dazedly gazed down barely believing what he was experiencing.

He was hard!

He had an erection!

He stopped himself from patting his bulge and enjoyed the discomfort, the pressure on his sensitive member. It was…different. A different kind of pain than he was used to. The one, if his memories were correct that would leave him spent and boneless. He slumped back, head back, inhaling deeply. He felt lighter…good.

“I’m not broken, he whispered to himself.” A few tears trickled in his eyes and for one moment he wanted to let them fall but chose otherwise. He didn’t want to scare the personal assistant.

Unaware of his environment, he let the pleasure/pain combo flood through his system, whilst her intoxicating scent got him high. She smelt like monoi oil, maybe vanilla or cinnamon. She weirdly reminded him of “…fresh brioche out of the oven.”

“So, --" She started, before spinning around on her chair, looking quite confused.

Bucky blushed, mortified. He opened his mouth to apologize than closed it. What could he even say to explain that?

“What?” She asked, amused.

“Nothing?” He asked, unsure. Why was she so relaxed about it? He’d heard in his obligatory seminary on “women/men relationships as colleagues”, that compliments could be taken as harassment. So better not say anything. Unless you were close to the person concerned. Which he wasn’t.

“You said something about a brioche.”

“You heard that?” He asked, suddenly scared. He would not be able to survive another seminar. Not another weekend in some shithole place where they’d talk about their experience and their lack of decorum.

He would not go there.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you, you know?”

No. He didn’t. Bucky didn’t even know her name. He looked at her warily.

“So?” She pressed him, taking her attention off the other woman for a split second.

“You look like a…” He trailed off, his cheeks warming up again.

Her eyes widen as the realization set in. There was a short moment of stillness and then a rough laugh erupted from her mouth. She tossed her head back, body trembling under her laugh. Bucky threw a nasty glance at the other woman near the table, for good measure, before drinking in the heavenly body on his right.

The thin column of her neck was vibrating as air traveled through it, revealing more skin to Bucky hungry eyes. He had to use all of his experience to repress his envy to kiss and bite the exposed skin, descending through her collarbone and the apex of her breast, nuzzling his nose inbetween the God blessed globes. The rest was left to his imagination and expertise in examining people’s body to find their weaknesses. He came to the conclusion that her body was strong.

From her muscled calves, making his gums itch for a good bite, to her strong looking legs, supported by large hips and adorned with two…God. Two round and jiggly butt cheeks. It was a chance she hadn’t led him to the desk otherwise his problem would have been more noticeable.

But there came his favorite part. A little higher, there, in full display, her little round stomach, trembling and contracting under her laugh. He imagined himself caressing it, massaging it, grabbing, kissing, licking…

God, he was so going to this harassment seminary, he groaned internally. Again. Steve would never let that go. But maybe he’d forget about it when Bucky would tell him about his, still going, erection.

The other woman slapped the table hard enough to make her jump and surprise Bucky. His hands went straight to his holster, barely remembering that she was a civilian. Having a work ethic was definitely something he’d never get used to. But he’ll bask in Steve’s compliments after he’ll tell him about his day. Yeah, that’ll be the highlight of his day and a great reward. There was, after all, nothing better than Captain America’s compliments. Best friend or not.

“I want to talk to your superior, right now,” she yelled at them.

The angel next to him stopped laughing. Her joyful smile became shark-like. She stood up straight, head held high.

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, or, where you think you are, but we are certainly not in one of your Macy or Sephora. You can’t and won’t get whatever you want by calling the manager. Now, whether you get your ass out of here.” She leaned forward, hands balled into fists pressed on the table, dominating the other one. “Or I’ll call the security.”

The evil lady, lips tight, turned around, flipping her hair while walking to the elevator.

“I’ll make sure to tell Tony about you. Letting people like you …” She spat. “…into this pristine place. Really they should have sent you to your country.”

The doors opened, before they could react. Tony and Pepper stopped talking, their steps faltered as soon as they noticed all of them. Bucky felt fury run through his veins. That was it. Fuck Steve and morality, he’ll cut her up. He was sure Tony could help him hide somewhere outside the country. On that thought, he slowly stood up.

“Is everything ok?” Tony asked slowly, staring at the woman in front of him. Bucky finally noticed how he looked at her. Warily. Maybe a hint of suspicion and anger? Did they know each other?

“Tony? We have to talk.”

“Sunset…I didn’t know we had a meeting?” He asked, peering at his personal assistant.

“You didn’t, Mister Stark,” She replied subdued, fumbling through her papers, head down.

It was a contrast Bucky didn’t like. Seeing her so down didn’t go well with him. He reached for her shoulder, hand hovering. Fuck it. If I’m going to this seminary, I’ll give them a good reason to send me. He barely touched her shoulder that she leaned his touch. Bucky released his breath and tightened his grip. I’m here. Everything is okay, he wanted to convey.

“See, Sunset. We didn’t have a meeting and you know it,” Tony said, visibly annoyed. He was twisting his watch around his wrist.

“I'm sure I had called, and your stupid assistant didn't take the message,” Sunset sneered.

Bucky’s resolve was melting like ice on a torrid night. His fingers twitched around the handle of his knife. Jail time sounded like a vacation from all this bullshit. At least no one would disturb him there, he reasoned. No one. Not even Steve and his morning, to understand asscrack of dawn, marathon.

He let go of her shoulder, straightened his back ready to commit murder…

“Oh,” the personal assistant said. She was holding a piece of paper, where was written a date and a name. Sunset Bain.

“What is it?” Pepper asked, irritated.

She raised the hand holding the paper.

“There was actually a meeting planned, Miss Potts,” she admitted defeated. Pepper raised her eyes to the sky and sent her a tight smile. Tony looked somewhat disappointed. And Bucky? Well, he hated this world. The one where rich people faked everything and thought they were intitled to respect while being assholes. No matter what happened, this Sunset had been aggressive, not cutting either of them some slack. He looked down at the personal assistant. Her posture was still rigid, and nothing filtered past her poker face.

He grasped one of her hands, freeing the piece of paper from her trembling fingers. He pressed his palm against hers and let his heartbeat calm hers.

“I told you so and she didn’t want to believe me.” Sunset pointed her finger at her. “You people should be happy to be able to work in high paid jobs. And then you will complain about racism. What a shame…”

“Sunset, that’s enough.” Tony replied coldly, his hands balled into tight fists. “You have no right to come to MY office and degrade MY assistant over some mistake. As for our meeting, consider it over!” He spat, coldly.

Sunset only chuckled, shaking her long wavy hair.

“Your dad would have had a fit if a nigger had made this type of mistakes. Truly, you are weak.”

Before Bucky could react, the personal assistant yanked off her hand from his, and ran to the stairs. Tony and Pepper tried to stop her but couldn’t. Even though she was wearing high heels, that Bucky was a trained soldier and Tony a trained tin-can, she still succeeded her quick flee. With a silent agreement Tony took off after her leaving all three of them. The silent was broken by Sunset. Her chuckle had grown into a full body laugh.

Bucky silently walked toward them, barely registering Pepper.

“You understand what I mean. After all, women like us worked hard to be there and to…”

Pepper raised her hand and slapped her on the face. Sunset stumbled and met Bucky's broad chest. He clicked his tongue.

“You have five minutes to get away, or…” He leaned forward, next to her right ear. “You are going to meet the Winter Soldier,” he drawled.

Sunset tried to push him away but only managed to lose her balance.

“Y-you! a Negroe lover!” She spat, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. Her face turned an ugly shade of purple. “Weren’t you from the 30’s? Haven’t you seen what they did to our country since we freed them?” She raged, spitting at his feet.

The words felt like a stab. Negroe lover? The term resonated in him. A sharp pain speared through his skull. The first time he heard that expression, it came out of his dad’s mouth. His friends were with him and they were discussing some news on a Black singer…Bessie Smith, his mind provided. A vague image of a curvy woman, with short slicked hair appeared in his mind. Her voice has haunted him even through the war, he now remembered. It was the last thing he remembered when he fell from the train and the first thing he heard before Zola tortured him.

Bucky clenched his fists, enough to register the pain. He needed to stay grounded. He needed to come back to the present.

He suddenly reeled back under the flow of memories rushing through his mind.

Memories he hadn’t thought of.

Memories he didn’t want to focus on right now.

_“I tol’ ya these people were disgutin’ perver’s. No betta than animals!” His dad snarled throwing the newspaper to his friends. Each of them grimaced in disgust, making sure to comment, before passing the magazine. It didn’t take long until Bucky had it in his hands. For his dad, he was old enough, to stay with the adults, but he wasn’t to speak up before being spoken to. _

He grimaced in pain as a large arm fell onto his shoulder. He didn’t have to look up to know that the alcoholic breath, the bushy arm and the sweaty armpit belonged to Carl. His dad’s favorite friend and Bucky’s godfather.

He barely had a glance at the picture on the newspaper, that Carl spoke up:

“Y’kno’ er, boy?” He slurred, pointing at Bessie Smith. Bucky was tempted to say the truth, but a quick glance to the rest of room was enough for him to lie. He shook his head.

“Hm?” Carl clenched his hand around Bucky’s biceps and tightened his grip.

“No, Sir.” He replied quickly. Carl took his hand away, arm still slung around the frail frame of Bucky.

“This nigger is a singer. One of the best, they say, better than all of our women,” He sneered, raising his other hand in the air. Hair which held a full glass of whiskey. Bucky closed his eyes as the amber liquid spilled onto him, he wiped it gingerly. Carl’s gruff laugh erupted in the room, startling him.

“C’mon Boy, are ya a gurl? It’s jus’ a little drin’” He laughed, dragging him with him as he leaned dangerously on the couch. Bucky looked up to his father and swallowed. His grey eyes were now dark and his knuckles around his glass were white. Bucky feared the glass would break under the pressure. He barely got out of the last beating. He didn’t want to get one so soon.

“And you saw the rest of the article? She’s been perverting our women also…” His dad said, eyes still on Bucky, who nodded as if he understood the reference and was disgusted by it. What did he mean by “perverting our woman”?

“What could you expect from a nigger?” Another one asked.

_“Pastor Johnson told us ‘bout their…ha-ha-habits. They are de-devious, evil creature, the lot of ‘em. They…” A sneeze. “They’ll persuade ya to…to…” He trailed off, voice turning into a murmur. “They’ll promise ya love and heaven…” The rest of the room grew silent. The other men stared dumbly at him. Bucky’s brain was running in circle, trying to find the name of the man. Was it Dunker? No. Dunkan! _

_Dunkan’s posture screamed defeat. His body was coiled on itself, shoulders down, head down. Bucky couldn’t see his face because of the fringe of hair covering it, but he noticed one curious thing. Dunkan had been massaged his ring finger, since Bucky’s dad started talking about Miss Smith. The skin of the third knuckle looked sunk compared to the rest of his fingers. Bucky narrowed his eyes, trying not to be too obvious. It looked like Dunkan had a ring. _

Oh. Bucky leaned back on the couch feeling empathy for him. Maybe he had divorce with his wife. Yeah, that’s why he looked so broken, Bucky thought, letting the wave of compassion riding his heart. Poor man…

“They’ll take everything…everything an’ then…they’ll leave you just as fast.” Dunkan sprung to his feet and made a quick retreat. He waved at the rest of the room and left the apartment.

What had just happened? What…Dunkan said…did he have a relationship with a colored person? Bucky tried to think, but his brain was stuck on Dunkan’s words. His body barely registered when Carl moved away from him.

“Fuckin’ nigger lover,” his dad finally spat.

_Then, the room broke in an uproar. Bucky sat still, eyes wide, fear paralyzing each of his limb. He tried to appear smaller, to be forgotten, but his dad’s eyes were not leaving him. _

 Bucky came back to reality, in a heave. He blinked a few times and unclenched his hands. He staggered and turned around hiding his face in his hands. Deep breath in Buck’, breath in…

His lungs ached in a way it hadn’t done before. And shouldn’t. The super serum had eradicated all of the “imperfections” of the human body. And yet, here he was.

“Bucky, can you come with me in my office?”

He jerked away in surprise, his left hand clenching his chest. Tony came to a halt besides him. Despite his calm voice, his face was tensed, gone was his smile and warm eyes. Everything screamed murder.

Bucky nodded dumbly and started moving. Negroe lover? Two familiar faces appeared in front of his face.

A gorgeous black woman next to a lanky brunette man. Dunkan. They both looked joyful.

Bucky blinked. Another image came.

A black and white picture of two black people hanged from a tree.

Bucky swallowed with difficulty. Sadness drowned his heart and an unexplainable sorrow broke all of his barriers. Tears trickled in his eyes. He took a shaky breath and blinked, setting them free.

_“James? What are you doing here?” Dunkan asked, surprised. He peeked outside before closing his door. “Does your dad know that you are here?” _

Bucky stayed silent. Dunkan sighed.

“Of course, he doesn’t. Of course...” he grumbled.

_He led Bucky to his couch and went to his kitchen. Bucky looked around trying to take in all of the details. Dunkan’s house felt…he furrowed his brows, looking for the correct word…empty. The last time he came here, the atmosphere felt homey, but not now. _

As he was looking at radio, something caught his attention. There was a box, next to the door which looked out of place. The brown of the box turned red on the bottom. It looked wet. The floor underneath also seemed darker. Bucky counted to ten, like his Ma’ told him to when he wanted to do something, he would probably regret.

After the last number, he jumped to his feet and quickly made his way to the box, still aware of the noises in the kitchen. Bucky took a deep breath, steadying his feet and leaned forward. He opened the box slowly and peeked inside.

“James, do you like…?”

Bucky screeched and made a run to the door. He fumbled with the locker, trying in vain to escape the apartment. There was…there was…a bloody hand…in the box…

He screamed and kicked when Dunkan’s held him in his arms. Screaming with the full capacity of his lungs to let him go. He kicked and hit where he could reach, which was mostly air. Dunkan didn’t budge one.

It took Bucky a few minutes to admit his defeat. His body betrayed him and he literally sagged against Dunkan.

“James, breath in and out. You can do it.”

A part of him wanted to rebel and try again but his body wouldn’t. He’s going to kill me and cut me and put me in the box and…and…and…Bucky started to hyperventilate.

“Calm down, James. It’s okay. You are safe.”

He shook his head. Dunkan chuckled.

“Yes, you are. If you calm down, I’ll explain to you. I promise, it’s not what you think.”

_Bucky wanted to scream at him to let him got, that he’d never tell anyone. He just wanted his mom. Bucky closed his eyes, repressing his tears. Lost in his head, he didn’t move when Dunkan let him go. He glanced at the doorknob. His entire vision was tunneled. Just a few steps and he’d be free. _

_Dunkan sighed. “You can go if you want. I’m sorry…You’re just a kid. I should...I should…” Dunkan burst in tears. He stood up, wobbling to the box, and fell to his knees. He peered inside and howl in despair. Bucky stood still, paralyzed by the ugly sounds coming out of Dunkan. It reminded Bucky of the time he had found a baby dog outside the building they live. He had brought him back home, happy to show his mom his new friend. But his mom was already at work and it’s his dad he found instead. Bucky clenched his hands into tight fists. His sniffed a few times. The sound the poor puppy made when his dad… _

_“I’m so sorry, Ruth!” Dunkan wailed. A loud crash, Bucky spun around moving nearer to the door. Dunkan was hugging and kissing the feminine fingers. A ring shone on the fourth one. _

Everything in him wanted to run away.

Everything in him screamed to go.

Instead, he stayed.

“Who is Ruth, Mister Johnson,” Bucky asked, in a small voice. He didn’t think Dunkan heard him. Bucky wasn’t sure to be able to ask again. He was ready to go. To hell his curiosity.

“She was my wife.” Dunkan whispered, sobbing quietly. Bucky didn’t understand. His ma’ had told him that a white person and a colored one couldn’t get married so, how? “We ran away from Georgia because of lynchings.” He laughed, humorlessly. “Guess, you can never outrun your future.”

_“Your wife?” _

Dunkan’s head snapped toward his direction. Bucky grabbed the doorknob, ready to flee.

“I thought a white person and a colored person couldn’t get married, Sir.” He explained calmly. He was proud of his tone. It wasn’t wavering nor too weak. And most importantly it didn’t reveal his terror.

“A white person?” Dunkan asked, slowly, before laughing. “Me? A white person?” His laugh lasted a couple of minutes. Enough for terrorizing Bucky. He’s gone mad. Bucky twisted the doorknob.

“Do you really think I’m white?”

“You…look like it.”

Duncan nodded slowly, pensive.

“My mom was black and my dad white. My brothers and sisters looked more “colored” than me.” He looked down to the hand. The difference of colors was striking. Dunkan was so pale. How was it possible?

“My parents used to think it’d helped me. I’d fit better in this society, I’d have no problem…until I met Ruthie. She was…” He took a deep breath. “She was the best thing in my life. For a fella like me, a dame like her was…unbelievable. We got married in Forsyth County. We were already targeted because of my mom’s skin color, but my marriage set the entire city against us. My mom and dad…” Dunkan shrunk on himself. “They got murdered. Our house burned to the ground. The cross in front was still burning in the morning after. So we both, ran away…My brother and sisters went to the East, better for them, you know? Haven’t seen them for years.” He ended, softly.

Dunkan caressed the hand, gently.

“A few weeks ago, she received a missive from her mom. Something urgent about her health…All along I had this feeling in my guts that something bad would happen. I tried to make her stay, but it was her mom.” Dunkan explained detached. His eyes were now closed. “I received that and a postcard from the white side of my family. They…they…”

He broke down sobbing. “Ruth…her mom…lynched.”

“Bucky?”

“Bucky?”

“BUCKY?”

He stumbled backward, tripping over something on the floor and let himself fall. His back bounced in a loud thump. He blinked a few times trying to make sense of what he saw. It was the first time a memory came back this strong. Normally he’d have nightmares. He didn’t know which one he liked better. Either he couldn’t wake up on his own and were their prisoner.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the hard floor under body. This is real. I’m here. I’m breathing. My name is James Bucchanan Barnes and we are on the 21st of May 2018. Everything is okay.

“…happened?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Tony replied, panicked. “Sunset was there, and she said some racial slurs and it sent Bucky into shock.”

“Racial slurs?” A deeper voice asked, concerned.

Was that Steve?

“Yes, why?”

“Hm. I’ll tell you later, but if I’m right. Bucky will need our help.”

“Steve, you’re scaring me. What is…”

Bucky blinked slowly his eyes, the world turning faster beneath him. As he finally gave in and drifted away, a voice sang to him:

Judge, you wanna hear my plea

Before you open up your court

_But I don’t want no sympathy, ‘Cause I done cut my good man’s throat _

I caught him with a trifling Jane

I warned him ‘bout before

_I had my knife and went insane _

_And the rest you ought to know _

Judge, Judge, please, Mr Judge

_ Send me to the ‘lectric chair_

_Judge, Judge, good Mr Judge _

send me to the ‘lectric chair…

Part 2 

[popculturebuffet]

Darkwing Duck Reviews: Tiff of the Titans

Uh-Oh, Gizmoduck Comes to town! In the first of a series of reviews building up to Just Us Justice Ducks,  the dopey, arrogant, anti-charasmatic, national embarrassment heads to St. Canard to guard a super weapon from F.O.W.L. Naturally, he ends up being more of a problem for our hero than the actual bad guys. Also a look at Tad Stone’s claims the series isn’t in the same universe as Ducktales.  Full review and recap commissioned by @weirdkev27​ under the cut

This review, much like Death, Taxes and Thanos, was inevitable. I’d been planning to watch and review the first appearances of each of the justice ducks and fearsome five as my next step in watching Darkwing duck anyway, and while I’ve already got one member’s appearance in the wings anyway, I’ll get to that tomorrow or Saturday just in time for Halloween, hint hint, Kev pushed this one into the queue with a commission and I  was happy to take the side trip to see just what the Darkwing version of Gizmoduck and Steelbeak, two of my favorites in the reboot, were like originally. So welcome folks to the build to the greatest superhero team made up of ducks of all time, let’s get quackin. 

We open, here in Duckburg, where the Eggmen are breaking in. Sadly they do not have the master plan, but they are here to steel the Comarant, a super powerful land, sea and air device the military is storing there. They instead find Gizmoduck! Who makes a good first impression, being a hoaky superman parody in iron man’s costume in this continuity, but it’s a nice way to contrast to Darkwing’s batman parody with a touch of Sandman.. the pulp one not the neil gaiman one.  Sadly he doesn’t have a cool gas mask but the Darkwing Duck costume is iconic without it. 

Point is the eggmen are easily repelled, though they do get away by blasting Gizmo with a tank. The General in charge is thankful for Gizmoduck’s help, but notes the Comarant will be heading to St. Canard soon for a demonstration at the big air show, and asks that Giz go over and protect it, maybe even work with Darkwing to protect it. Though Gizmo shoots that down, and not only insults Darkwing but says he’s not sure if he’s good or bad. While the latter comment did sour me on the guy.. research bears out Darkwing has been framed once or twice, and my own experience with the pilot saw him you know breaking out of jail and basically clamming superheroes are above the law, so I COULD get why someone wouldn’t trust him, even if Giz’s attitude about it still isn’t great. So fenton quick changes behind a sign and heads off to see his old buddy Launchpad.  A quick aside before we get going this episode doesn’t so much torch Tad Stone’s retroactive claim this isn’t the same universe as Ducktales, as burn it to ashes, take a whiz on those ashes and send each separate ash on a seperate probe to the farthest reaches of space. This episode not only has a cameo by Scrooge on a billboard.. but it’s one for DUCKBURG. Where Gizmoduck is said to be from. He also knows launchpad well, and vice versa, and outright mentions McDuck Manor. the episode couldn’t be saying “this is the same universe as ducktales’ harder if Scrooge himself showed up and started ranting about a Sea Monster eating his ice cream. I do like and respect Tad Stones, but I will never like or respect this claim of his and even if HE had that idea in his head during production of the show, it’s very clear everyone else including Disney who greenlit the Darkwing Duck comics explicitly connecting the two universes, felt it was a shared universe, and there’s really no reason they can’t coexist. 

If it’s because “Well launchpad wouldn’t leave scrooge”.. besides the fact Scrooge tried to fire him MULTIPLE times, it’s not farfetched Scrooge would put him in charge of a hangar both because he trusts him.. and to get rid of him since he doesn’t like Launchpad very much. Plus Donald has to come back from his tour of duty sometime and likely could easily do Launchpad’s job as pilot, as he did in the source material. My point is there’s tons of ways to write the man out easily, and he could just as easily be doing both jobs like in the reboot. This feels like a weird, unnecessary retcon no one wanted and everyone just politely ignores, like the creators of Doug saying he and Patti didn’t end up together after High School. Which even then makes more sense than this claim, since at least there I get the creators not thinking a high school romance would last forever. That’s fair.. it’s just not something fans really wanted to hear after spending two separate series and a movie getting them together. It would be like if Girl Meets World had revealed Cory and Topanga had divorced. Yes it’d be possible since they’d broken up twice over the course of the series, but no one wanted that, why would you do that. I’m getting off topic, the point is a few breakups aside Doug and Patti clearly married eventually, and Darkwing Duck and Ducktales are in the same universe. Sometimes you just have to ignore Word of God for your own sanity.

Back at the actual episode we cut to Steelbeak’s Bowling Alley Hideout... and I do love a job that allows me to say things like that. But in a really fantastic bit Steelbeak is bowling his minions over as punishment for failure.. even though they have a valid reason but eh he’s the bad guy and he has to get his bowling average up for FOWL’s bowling team somehow. Their insurance covers evil punishment related accidents anyways, they’ll be fine. 

But yeah let’s talk about Steelbeak for a second. I honestly hadn’t seen any of the original version so I was curious.. and he’s really damn awesome. Rob Paulsen always does a great job though and is always a pleasure, but he really does a good job here and with the contrast in him: He’d seem like a dumb thug, what with his gangster accent and general cockiness and swagger.. but he backs it up with great combat and even greater planning. He’s a schemer, a fighter and damn if he isn’t fun to watch.  It also makes me love the reboot version even more. While I already loved him for being played by Jason Mantzokus, being enjoyably dim, while also still enough of a threat to be freaking cool, it’s even cooler knowing he’s still fundamentally the same character. Much like Drake he’s simply been tweaked a bit. For drake it was softening the edges since Ducktales isn’t as broad a show, and neither will the darkwing reboot i’m betting, so his ego and selfishness is sanded down considerably. For Steelbeak it’s giving him an actual origin: Instead of starting at the top of FOWL, he’s starting as a very competent but very wet behind the ears and full of himself agent, working his way up to becoming justifably full of himself like the original show. He has the same swagger and badassery, he’s just not a master planner yet and he’ll get there. Like many of the reboot characters, he’s simply an already great character given some extra depth and rounding out. I love both and can’t wait to see him again next ep and hopefully he’ll show up in the Darkwing reboot so they can go for round 2. 

So with that out of the way, Darkwing naturally interrupts, and cleans house with his gas gun, forcing Steelbeak and his crew to literally go underground into the sewers. This successfully fools drake, and Steelbeak bemoans how both Darkwing and Gizmoduck have been thwarting his plans.. until he gets a great idea; pit them against each other so he can pilfer the comerant while their too busy fighting. It’s a classic supervillain tactic, and one that works perfectly because one of them’s an egotist and a dick and the other is also that but with more style and likeability.  Back at Drake’s place, Gosalyn and Honker are watching a horror movie they clearly aren’t supposed to till Drake and launchpad come back in via their easy chairs flipping them in from Darkwing Tower which is just.. really cool. I like it. I also like that much like the Shakespeare bust in Wayne Manor, Darkwing has his own neat statue to provide acess to his lair... a tiny bronze statue of Basil from the Great Mouse Detective.. I REALLY need to fucking watch that film but it’s a nice nod. But yeah Launchpad brought them back because he feels drake could use a break while Drake refuses to stop because crime never stops and he doesn’t have time for it and your usual self destructive bollocks. It’s interrupted by a knock at the door? 

It’s Fenton! Whose stopped in to see his old buddy launchpad, who is happy to see his old friend and the two catch up, though Drake dosen’t like the interuption because Classic Drake is kind of a grumpus. Fenton naturally is here because Gizmoduck is but says he’s doing a job for the military.. which makes no sense but given Drake doesn’t know what he does and Launchpad dares to be stupid, if not nearly as stupid as his reboot version, no one questions it. When Fenton says he needs to find a hotel Launchpad, being Launchpad, invites him to stay and while Fenton watches the movie with the kids, Drake wants him gone because you know he has a secret identity to keep and a case to work on and they don’t know if they can trust him with it. It’s fair.. but since this is Drake he almost handles it with the subtly of a howitzer. But before he can try to literally throw Fenton out on his ass, a news report comes on about an attack at a local theater and both head off to take care of it.. we also get a nice moment where both react to it with the same words at the same time.  Fenton.. is actually really likeable. He’s a bit awkward, more in that he sort of barges in and makes himself comfy.. but it’s very easy to see from this and the one Ducktales episode of his i’ve seen where the utterly marvelous reboot version gets some traits from: his nervousness, his pluckness, his lack of thinking things through ocasionally when he’s not overthinking them. Fenton is charming. The issue is once he switches on the costume he goes from utterly charming to punchable REALLL quick. I’ll explain my problems with his alter ego in a sec. 

At the theater Steelbeak fakes it to look like Darkwing’s doing the bombing, if half haphazardly and leaves Darkwing with the bomb so when Gizmo shows up he thinks he’s responsible. Darkwing naturally says it wasn’t him, but Gizmo dosen’t buy it and asks if he’s so good how come he wears a mask... says the guy in a helmeted visor’s whose only defense when that’s pointed out is it came with the suit. Which yes is a joke.. but it fails to land and instead of being funny just makes Gizmo look like a hypocritical dick whose assuming someone is evil based on flimsy evidence, and what’s very obviously a setup. it makes him come off as the biggest dumbass alive instead of this world’s superman and that is annoying. More ranting about him in a minute. We do end up getting an incredibly funny bit where the two end up arguing over who gets to defuse a bomb, with both wrestling over it till Gizmoduck takes care of it and both fall into the theater. Gizmoduck tries to arrest Darkwing who ignores him and runs off.  The next day the Mallard family, including Honker naturally, watches Gizmoduck get a parade, a key to the city and other good stuff on the news while Drake sulks before turning it off. And yeah i’ve waited long enough let’s talk about this version of Gizmoduck and why he does not work. I get in theory he’s supposed to be “The Cape”, minus the cape: The big cheese that everyone looks up to and loves to Darkwing’s  dark avenger of the night, a parody of that whose also really dumb. The issue is two fold. The first is .. the classic archtypical cape type chracter has been parodied to hell and back by 2020. He’s been a monster, an asshole and as with here an idiot. And even for then a superman parody, if not in apperance or powers but in treatment, whose really dumb wasn’t very new. 

And you CAN parody a big silver age type hero: Justice League International did so well without being too overt, having most of the team either annoyed or actively hostile to Shazam/Captain Marvel. But it was done well there because well.. billy’s a very corny very earnest and likeable kid in an adult’s body. To us he’s charming and loveable. But to a bunch of actual adults he’d be offputting at best and annoying at worst. While some have been annoyed at how he was handled, I a fan of both JLI and Shazam liked it and thought it was an interesting take. Another REALLY good and REALLY hilarious take on this is from fellow superhero action comedy Danny Phantom, one of my favorites and one I need to revisit. One episode had Danny split himself in two so he could crimefight and have fun with his friends resulting in one self whose a burnt out slacker, and another whose an over the top crimefighter who says things like “you Felonious fiend!” And “This looks like a job for the vacuum cleaner!”. It’s a damn good episode. My point is it’s been better done before and since. 

What doesn’t help is the episode tries to paint it as equal, since Darkwing’s problem in part is Gizmoduck stealing his thunder.. but it doesn’t work. Darkwing is a fully fleshed out character we know and love who despite his huge ego and rampant jackassery, is a decent person whose fought hard for St. Canard, loves his daughter and most damingly... is entertainingly sickish. Gizmoduck’s dickery just makes him come off less likeable and incredibly dense, while Darkwing’s is part of his charm and, along with his ego, has backfired enough to balance it out. Gizmo just doesn’t get comeuppance for his behavior, and instead gets rewarded with a parade, a key to the city, cheerleaders and Gosalyn looking up to him just for having powers in his gadgets. And really his methods aren’t that different from dark wing: While Darkwing is secretive, a loner and uses gadgets.. Gizmoduck’s suit is basically one BIG gadget, and he refuses to see. And I get that’s probably the joke but it just. doesn’t. LAND. It just makes him insufferable. And as far as I can tell in the original show he wasn’t: he was an awkward dork we root for like in the reboot, not a gloryhogging jackass whose squandered his good will long before he gets Darkwing isn’t evil and tries working with him to the point I don’t care by the time that happens: He’s already been so obnoxious it dosen’t make up for it. Maybe later appearances are better but he’s just a chore to watch in costume here. And that’s WITHOUT comparing him to the 2017 version, one of my favorites there, one of the best animated superheroes i’ve seen in a long time, and a toughly likeable character who struggles due to his superhero identity but took it up for exactly the right reasons and wants to help people. Darkwing Gizmoduck thinks he’s the cape and an inspiration when a good guy when he’s worse than the guy he hates at times. Reboot Gizmo is an honest, decent guy who simply wants to help people and use the gizmotech as a way to do that, to help change the world for the better and save the helpless, and only clashes with Darkwing due to his ego and lack of understanding that Gizmoduck and him really aren’t that different. Finally if THIS is why Tad Stones wants them to be different universes, because this Fenton is different from the Ducktales one in personality.. then that’s on HIM. That’s on him for writing this version poorly or letting him get written so poorly and not on the fans who had no reason not to connect a dot. God this character was disappointing and hopefully when I watch more of him at work in Ducktales, he isn’t this obnoxious, nor will he hopefully be in his sequel episodes.  Thankfully moving on Darkwing gets to work, because you know he has experience, and finds Steelbeak trying to pilfer the cormorant but Captain Clueless interrupts and tries to arrest him. The two then finally fight and while it’s sadly short, it’s a fun clash and I genuinely hope the reboot has it’s own fight with them, as given how damn good they are at fight scenes, it’s bound to be even more awesome. But Steelbeak gets away, and uses the comarant’s secret weapon.. a giant fake egg that drops a giant pile of yolk to drown them. Gizmo finally realizes he’s been fighting the wrong guy but our hero's are now running out of time. Darkwing , being the actually capable one here, has Gizmo uses his propeller to beat the eggs and the two head off.. though after a funny bit where Gizmo breaks the Ratcatcher’s sidecar Darkwing lets him use his spare tier, which is huge and likely intended for the main vehicle. Good stuff.  The two get after Steelbeak and while Gizmo makes me pray for death but death won’t come we get a fun battle with Steelbeak including Steelbeak using his beak to bite down and destroy the gas gun. It’s a damn fun bit I must say. But eventually the good guys win, disable the comarant and Darkwing beats Steelbeak. The day is save, FOWL is foiled, our heroes are on shaky but better terms, and Drake and Fenton depart on good if equally shaky terms, before arguing about which of them is better. And we’re out.  Final Thoughts: This.. was a disappointingly mixed bag. Gizmoduck REALLY drug down what was otherwise a good episode with a great concept: Bringing in a hero whose stronger and more popular than Darkwing.. but mostly uses it to make Darkwing look good, which he didn’t need, and make Gizmoduck look REALLY bad, intentionally or otherwise. Steelbeak is a delight and his plan, and the egg trap, are really good, and as mentioned there are enough good set pieces to prevent this from being a terrible episode.. but as an old friend says for me time and time again...

[zenlesszonezero]

As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

Uncover the Conspiracy in Zenless Zone Zero's All-New Version "A Storm of Falling Stars", S-Rank Agent Hoshimi Miyabi is here! With S-Rank Agent Asaba Harumasa Limited-Time Giveaway! Pre-register to obtain additional rewards.

[queerchoicesblog]

Lawrence was a pleasure to see again, and thanks God he was there to talk some sense into Zetta ! "Sometimes our secrets are what makes our lives worth living. No matter with what high cost they come attached” What power in that sentence. What I also loved was that Zetta was honest with Richard. She has always been a straight shooter and it's interesting to see a dynamic where she would have much to lose from it but chooses to be (somewhat) honest anyway. With him. With herself. /6 (I think ?)

Part 2 of my response, sweet Nonny!

Let me start saying that:

1. You do not have to apologise for your English because it's brilliant and I'm Italian so no pressure!

2. I absolutely love your talkative mood and because of the kind words you reserved to my writing, I swear! I almost wish we would be sharing a table at a cafe (let's make it a patisserie: I'm a sweet tooth and you have decadent desserts up there!) and chatting about Zetta, Adele and a bit of everything 😊

Giving a voice to wlw characters is my main mission so thank YOU! I'm glad I could make fellow members of our community happy with my stories. I write them for free because it sounds like the right thing in these dark times when many face new personal budget struggles. Maybe one day, if I build enough confidence, I will try to get some works published but today's not that day.

Back to Titanic, I'm particularly glad you appreciate your compatriot Sabine (who will get a scene in the next chapter) and Lawrence. They were minor characters but gosh, how I love them. I tried to add more depths and give them a bit more space in the series since they only appeared from time to time in the original book.

I find the friendship between Lawrence and Zetta quite interesting and a bit endearing. At the Turkish Baths, Zetta described it in these terms:

Of course, it refers to the fact that they're both gay and they can understand each other better than anyone else. But these lines and the affability they showed when he joined Zetta's table for dinner in first class made me picture the two of them as that kind of friends who aren't close as they don't keep in touch or hang out together all the time but whenever they find each other, it's as though they never parted. As many of us feel today about their fellow gay/bi/trans and so on friends, they rely on each other for a support they cannot find elsewhere so they can chat of nothing and everything, laugh but also have deep conversations out of nowhere without needing explanation or excuses. They simply understand the need to talk of certain parts of their lives: finest historical mlm/wlw solidarity. I cannot bring myself to imagine, for instance Lawrence talking of Felix with other gentlemen but Zetta would surely ask him how he's doing. Vice versa I can see the only one Zetta would truly speak of Adele being him.

"Sometimes our secrets are what make our lives worth living. No matter with what high cost they come attached"

I must admit I am quite proud of that sentence 😅

I just thought the story needed something that could explain why Zetta eventually decides to "fight for Adele" in her own way, writing her that note begging to come to the party after months of silence, but also Adele's change of heart about secrecy. We know that Adele has been stagnating for some time after the sinking and the abandonment, dealing with trauma, loss and starting anew in a new country...or at least that's how I picture her? Hileni says she's hardly leaving the shop, she looks afraid to live in full survivor sense of guilt and suffering from the sudden disappearance of her love. Through those months she changes and I reckon this change includes the shift from this (in my playthrough)

To this:

Back on the Titanic Adele seemed almost unapologetic about showing her affection as if "pushing boundaries". True, she's an outcast unlike Zetta and the adeline pumped high in the aftermath of the collision but she was the lesbian hero everyone dreamed in the moment: proclaiming her love for Zetta and kissing her passionately in the crowd. Quite a shock for super closet lesbian like Zetta! Then, months later she no longer says "I don't care who's watching" but is the one proposing a secret romance, accepting to live her love behind closed doors and putting up a mask in public if that's what it takes to be with Zetta. I think she came to the same conclusion Lawrence stated. And I think it's interesting how the change in Zetta is somehow symmetrical: from freezing on the l word to realising she doesn't want to part from Adele - and kissing her on the deck uncaring of the crowd - to make it happen after her own stagnation.

As for the Richard discourse, I believe that what Mateo said was for once true:

Adele and her conscience, her courage inspired her to be a better version of herself while her compassion softened a bit Adele. At the beginning of the story, Zetta is bitter, sarcastic, utterly gorgeous but not so pleasant to have around, for her own decision: her guard is up and she's unhappy. Through the story, she shows a new side of her, compassionate, protective, smart and gentle that was there but Adele rekindled. In the next chapter I will give a hint of other ways in which I believe Adele inspired her to action.

But a change I picture being a tail end of this is being (somewhat) honest with Richard. Adele put her freedom at risk for her and I want to believe that gesture impressed Zetta more than she admitted to herself maybe. She praised her conscience and courage...now it was her time to be brave. Zetta not saying a thing after what happened made little sense to me, if she suffers so much as we get to understand. Complete honesty is not a safe route or at least one she is not willing to go for but she pushes herself as far as she feels comortable stating the truth: is he convinced to marry her even knowing that she cannot love him like he does? Seems like an honest and merciful warning: Zetta cares for her career but she is not a heart of stone and I headcanon she likes Richard even if not romantically.

Richard doesn't get the true meaning behind her confession but as you said, could she? Zetta is closeted and very careful not to draw the slightest suspicion on her. He couldn't possibly imagine the truth but I cannot bring myself to see it as completely dumb either. We cannot read a person's heart with Suisse precision but we can perceive coldness or when our feelings are not fully reciprocated. He probably knew already that Zetta didn't love him "like he loves her" and it explained it to himself as stemming from her independence, her being a lady who can't be entirely tamed. Which is not a lie, just one part of the truth.

Sorry, I went down a tangent here and ended up flooding you with words!

Hope to hear from you soon! Stay safe and healthy ❤

[mamourland]

Kissing Prompt #22 - Magnum/Higgins

Prompt #22 - A kiss that is leading to more, but is interrupted by a third party.

  Context: Season 2

  Rated: Mature

Magnum was leaning on his cue stick, observing his partner who was currently bending over the pool table to make her shot.

 Nothing would be wrong with this picture, they played more often than not lately. Since becoming work partners, they have grown closer and definitely more friendly.

 ‘No, nothing wrong.’, he thought as he swallowed his saliva. ‘Except maybe for the misplaced feelings he harbored towards his partner?’

 A few months ago they had a conversation about dates when he worked that case about internet dating and she told him she respected a man who could invite her in person rather than hidden behind a screen. And that information stayed lodged inside his mind.

 Maybe it was as simple as that. Maybe he should just man up and ask her.

 He must have zoned out for a while because she was staring at him with one fist on her hip, her cue stick in her other hand and her head tilted sideways, as she waited for him to play. He blinked a few times, trying to shake the enticing picture she was currently making.

 She was wearing the same clothes she wore the day she dazzled him with her golf drive – a short kaki skirt and a black halter top – minus the platform shoes that had been kicked out near the couch earlier. If this outfit had been inappropriate for golf – oh the images of her muscular legs his mind had conjured up afterwards - it was something else entirely when she was bent over a pool table, standing on her tiptoes because she was too short to reach the ball.

  It shouldn’t make him react this way, after all he had seen her in bikinis that were far less modest than this.

 « Magnum! », she snapped impatiently. “What are you waiting for? It’s your turn.”

 “Right.”, he croaked and cleared his throat to get rid of the gravel that seemed lodged in it.

 He walked towards the pool table and observed the disposition of the balls, trying to decide which ones he could pocket. He couldn’t concentrate though, her words were stuck in his brain.

 ‘What are you waiting for?’

 “Will you just do it already? What’s with you today?”, she grumbled.

 His head turned up towards her. Was she reading his mind?

 “Higgy, will you go on a date with me?”, he blurted so quickly he doubted she would understand his words.

 To his surprise, she agreed with a shrug and a ‘ok’ like he had asked her to go for a run or something equally trivial.

 “I’m asking you on a real date Higgy, not an undercover one.”, he enunciated slowly.

 “I know, I got that the first time.”

 “Oh. And you are okay with that, then?”, he asked.

 “I said I was.”, she said while being the epitome of calm.

 Magnum was beginning to be more and more skeptical about her agreement.

 “Juliet, you know what going on a date with a man entails right?”

 She scoffed.

 “Of course I do! Don’t patronize me, Thomas! We’ll both dress up and go to dinner. You’ll be the perfect gentleman, or your version of being one at least. And at the end of the night, we’ll kiss.”

 Magnum nodded slowly. She seemed informed about the usual expectations during a first date at least.

 “And you would be okay with all of that?”

 “We’ve already done everything but the kiss.  And why wouldn’t I want to kiss you?”

 “Why would you want to kiss me?”

 He put his cue stick on the pool table and crossed his arms on his chest, awaiting her answer.

 “What’s the matter, Magnum? Are you second-guessing your powers of attraction?”, she chuckled, clearly amused by his discomfort, yet still not answering his question.

 “I’m usually not…. With other women, at least. You, on the other hand, never implied that you were attracted to me.”

 “Sorry if I never advertised that fact. Besides, you never asked.”

 “Oh, so I just had to ask if you fancied me?”

 “That’s usually the best way to get an answer, yes.”

 He shook his head, dumbstruck by this conversation.

 “So let me get this straight. We’re both attracted to each other and we’re going on a date where we will kiss.”, he stated matter-of-factly.

 She nodded. “Looks like it.”

 He took back his cue and prepared himself to take a shot, not really believing what just happened between them. Unsurprisingly, he failed to pocket the #6 ball. He yielded her the spot so she could take her turn.

 He didn’t let his eyes wander towards her as she bent over the pool table yet again and the hem of her skirt dangerously rose up to the top of her thighs.

 “Since we already agreed on the kissing part, what’s stopping us from doing it.”, he hesitated a few seconds. “Right now?”

 She pushed her cue stick into the white ball but her aim was way off. Apparently, she wasn’t as serene as she was pretending. Magnum smiled, glad to take a bit of power back.

 She straightened so she could gauge him with her brown eyes, that sometimes carried a greenish hue, and shrugged but Magnum saw her throat work as she swallowed her saliva to mask her nervous state.

 “Nothing, I guess.”

 “Fantastic!”, he beamed as he grabbed her cue stick and all but threw them both on the pool table rug, making them disrupt the arrangement of the remaining balls.

 He wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her to his body before turning them so she was pressed against the wooden edge of the pool table. They were so close their breaths were mingled and Magnum’s heart raced at the thought of taking this next step with her.

 He was acting like the gentleman he was by letting her close the last couple of inches remaining between their faces especially since she seemed a bit apprehensive a few minutes ago. Their eyes met and stayed locked for a long moment, so long that they managed to synchronize their breathing.

 Higgins pushed herself on her toes to slowly join their lips in a chaste yet intense kiss. As soon as they came in contact, Magnum squeezed her tighter against him, not willing to let even air between them. She gripped his shoulders for purchase as the momentum made her upper body recoil slightly when he deepened the kiss.

 She moaned when his tongue slid inside and ran along the roof of her mouth. Magnum was pleasantly surprised as she was particularly responsive to his every touch. Usually, she was so guarded he couldn’t tell what she was thinking but right now, he could feel she was enjoying herself, which in turn made him enjoy himself as well.

 His palms trailed up her ribcage and paused beneath her breasts, not daring to move things forwards without checking for her consent. They eventually broke apart when their lungs started to burn from the oxygen shortage but they didn’t go very far as they pressed their forehead together.

 “Wow, that was a great first date.”, he panted.

 “Nu-uh, Mister, don’t think you’re getting out of the whole dressing up, wining and dining me and walking me back to my door just because we decided to do things backwards.”

 He was about to retort something about her ‘backwards’ comment but she placed her fingers to his lips to prevent him.

 “Spare me the crass joke, please.”

 “You know me too well.”, he mumbled against her skin. “And don’t worry, I can’t wait to go out with you on my arm so I’m not gonna bail on our first real date.”, he added once she dropped her hand.

 He pushed one of her blond curls behind her ear, addressing her a dazzling smile. She responded with one of her own while she ran her fingers in his hair to drag him to her lips for another toe-curling, mind-blowing kiss.

 Magnum was having trouble restraining himself, he wanted her so much, but they hadn’t discussed anything besides kissing and he didn’t want to pressure her or for her to regret anything that might happen between them. Therefore, he broke away from her sinful mouth and braced himself with his hands on the pool table behind her. However, he wasn’t willing to step back from her completely so he hovered near the length of her body leaving her the power of decision about where this was going.

 “Since we already established what we wanted to do on our first date, I thought we could fast forward a couple of dates and maybe, you know… keep going.”, she advanced, adverting her eyes to her hands that were stroking his taught biceps.

 Thomas’ heart skipped a beat at her words and he didn’t wait a second before he holstered her up on the edge of the furniture to step between her spread legs. They were now at eye level.

 “Are you sure, Higgy?”

 She pecked his lips and lingered there before kissing his cheek then the spot behind his ear. He closed his eyes, the sensations already fueling his desire for her.

 « I’m sure, Thomas. », she whispered in his ear. « I want you right here, right now. »

 With that she wrapped her legs around his waist in order to pull him even closer to her. Her skirt was preventing their centers to meet so Thomas slid his palms on the outside of her thighs to push the offending fabric upwards until his hardening member met her hot covered folds.

 They both moaned loudly when he ground his pelvis against hers. She struggled with his t-shirt, trying to lift it up above his head.

 « Thank God you’re wearing a t-shirt. No buttons. », she panted when she finally succeeded in removing it.  

 He chuckled but sobered up when he eyed her top and wondered how to take it off of her.

 « You could have done the same, you know? »

 « Just lift it up. », she instructed hurriedly.

 He grabbed the hem at her waist and divested her of the black, stretchy fabric. He choked slightly when he was met with the sight of her bare chest.

 « You’re not wearing a bra. », he stated the obvious in a high pitch voice.

 « I can’t with this top. », she shrugged.

 He growled as he wrapped his arms around her again and dipped his head to her collarbone first, peppering her soft skin with nips and kisses, then slowly made his way towards her breasts. He was about to close his lips around one of her nipples, encouraged by her scratching nails across his scalp and her breathless pants when he heard a foreign noise, something that didn’t belong in their surroundings. She must have heard it too because he felt her stiffen against him.

 They both opened their eyes and something caught Higgins’ attention behind him.

 « Jin?!? », she screeched.

 If there was something Magnum never wanted to experience again, it was Higgins screaming another man’s name while they were on the verge of being intimate. Especially Jin’s.

 « What the hell are you doing here? », she added.

 Magnum’s blood ran cold at Juliet’s question. He slowly turned around while trying to maintain Higgins’ decency and hide her from Jin’s gaze. She wrapped one arm around his collarbone to keep him in front of her and let her legs dangle from the pool table on each side of his hips.

 Jin was standing near the kitchen bar and was watching them with a smirk. He had the audacity to eat chips directly from the pack which was what Magnum identified as the foreign noise.

 « I knew you were that kind of partners. », Jin chanted, absolutely too pleased with himself.

 « How long have you been watching us like some kind of perv? », he asked instead of commenting.

 « Oh, not very long don’t worry.”, the Asian man answered before pushing a few chips in his mouth.

 The PI wasn’t exactly reassured by this answer.

 “I was looking for the both of you. I was wondering why you weren’t answering my calls but now I know why. »

 « How did you get in here? », Higgins asked and Magnum was asking himself the same question.

 « Oh, you know, I got my own tricks. »

 « Apparently, our security consultant needs to do a better job if your tricks can beat his installation. », she scolded as she wrapped both arms around his neck and glared at him.

 Magnum sighed, he had been in Heaven two minutes earlier and now it was literally Hell.

 « You might want to be careful with that or you might poke someone with it. », Jin smirked as he gestured to his tented shorts.

 Thomas closed his eyes in mortification and groaned, especially when he heard Juliet giggle into his shoulder.

 « Jin, you need to leave, now! », the PI growled, his patience stretched thin.

 “Why, am I keeping you from something?”, Jin chuckled.

 Magnum knew he couldn’t move from his position and risk exposing a half-naked Higgins but fortunately she came to his rescue. She brushed her lips against the shell of his ear before whispering.

 “Let me handle this. Cover your ears.”, she instructed.

 He did what she told him and heard a shrill whistle coming from the majordomo’s lips followed by barking dogs coming closer and closer. Jin’s eyes widened as he panicked at the sound of the Dobermans approaching.

 “You wouldn’t!”, he complained to Higgins.

 “She would, even if you hadn’t interrupted anything.”, Thomas chuckled.

 The lads entered the guesthouse through the open French doors and sat in front of the pool table, awaiting new instructions from their mistress. Juliet pointed towards the Asian man and ordered them to chase him away.

 The dogs obeyed and ran after Jin, who dropped his bag of chips on the floor before scampering away as fast as he could.

 “Next time, make an appointment!”, Magnum yelled at his retreating form.

 When the intruder was gone, Thomas and Juliet laughed, glad to be rid of the interruption. She didn’t waste time before wrapping her legs around his again and littering small kisses on the side of his neck. He closed his eyes, sensing his own private Heaven slowly coming back to him. Her hands trailed down his torso, from his chest to his stomach, before one of them sneaked underneath the elastic waistband of his shorts to stroke his receding erection. He groaned and pushed his hips in synch with her movements.

 “He’s right, you know. You might hurt someone with this.”, she purred in his ear.

 He turned his face to hers in order to brush his lips against hers.

 “Don’t worry, I only use it to give pleasure.”, he smugly advanced.

 She smiled against him.

 “Then what are you waiting for?”

 “For you to let me go because it will work far better if I’m facing you.”

 She tightened her hold with her arms and legs around him.

 « No, you’re going to carry me to your bedroom because I don’t want any other interruption. », she stated.

 « We didn’t even go on a date yet and you’re already showing me your bossy side. », he sighed.

 « You already know my bossy side. Besides, you have no idea what you’re signing for, Thomas Magnum. I have a lot of other flaws stocked away, just for you. », she beamed at him and his chest constricted with affection.

 « I bet I’m gonna love them all anyway. »

 He holstered her up on his back to take her up the stairs in a piggy back ride to continue what they had started before they were rudely interrupted.

[capricornus-rex]

Old Friend, New Family (2)

Requested by: Anon | Prompt:

Hey I was wondering if you’d take a prompt where the reader is an ex-padawan who’s master died pretty early on in order 66, and was instead saved by a clone that removed his inhibitor chip. Then maybe they get separated, and years later when the reader is a crew member on the Mantis, they come across the clone again? How would the crew, especially Cal and Cere, react to meeting a friendly ex-soldier clone who’s close with the reader? Could you make it full of angst then fluff? Love your writing!

Tags: Defected! Clone Trooper, Jedi Survivor! Reader, Order 66 Survivor

Also posted in AO3

Previous: Part 1 | Next: Part 3 | Masterlist

2 of ?

The Kel Dor master used the Force to open the door and at least five Clone Troopers clustered together at the door, blocking your only exit out of the room, and it’s only the two of you against them. Taking cover from their fire behind the office desk, banking their shots was the only possibly strategy if you want to get out of the office and to the Starfighters.

Mere minutes ago, you were guarding against blaster fire from droids… and now you’re trading them with your own clones—the men who you thought were your most trusted allies.

This can’t be happening! What went wrong?!

The distress in your mind was loud enough for Master Karos to take notice.

With your backs pressed against the desk for cover, Master Karos could only afford a few seconds to tell you a compressed version of his plan within less than twenty words.

“Padawan, listen to me very carefully. The clones have betrayed us. The Starfighters—we have to get to the Starfighters. It’s our only way of escape!”

“I don’t understand what’s happening. Why are they trying to kill us all of a sudden!?”

“The Council must have an answer for this. In the meantime, we have to get out of this palace and get to the landing pad. We have to get rid of those at the door. Ready?”

You nodded and followed your master’s lead. It appears some of them hugged the wall and blindly fired from where they hid. The last Clone Trooper standing in your way of the exit fell lifeless to the ground.

“The exit’s open! Go, [y/n]!” the Kel Dor bellowed.

You leaped over the pile of bodies that blocked the door from ever closing. The corridor is seemingly empty, but you’re half-anticipating that there would be more. Master Karos clutched your shoulder and bent down so his eyes are level to yours.

“Stay close to me. Keep running and don’t look back. Understand?”

You were stuck between catching your breath while fighting back sobs as you’re scared and confused all at the same time. The only reply he got from you is a nod, but it was an answer nonetheless. He stole a moment to look at you—suddenly, he remembered that small, bright-eyed child in the Temple and he stroked the back of your head before standing up.

Perhaps, this is the first time you saw him genuinely smile past his protective mask—and apparently the last.

“Now, [y/n]… Run!”

Keeping up with your master’s running pace, the clone troopers came from all sides of the halls. There was no need for close combat, though you had to deflect their blasts in quick succession—some ricocheted against the walls, others met its mark on the clone troopers’ bodies.

“Almost there, [y/n]—keep running!”

The more you both ran, the little you did in protecting yourselves from the clones in using your weapons, it was more evading their fire when it was only two of three of them—you only whipped out your saber when there was more of them waiting for you to show up in the next turn.

In bigger groups, Zal Karos would simply incapacitate the clones with his Force push and shut the door by destroying the panel. Later on, you ended up running ahead of him while he covers you from the flank. You went ahead in the next turn, but you were too eager to escape that you didn’t look the other way.

“I found the child!” the clone shouted and pulled the trigger on you.

Your last-minute deflect was flimsy, resulting to the projectile grazing the corner of your shoulder. The next shot was better and you returned fire to the clone trooper who injured you before continuing on.

“Master, I see the landing pad!”

“Good, [y/n], come on!”

By the time you got to the entrance of the landing pad, the clone troopers at your tail have increased in numbers. Master Karos could only hold them off enough for you to reach your objective. You’ve returned to the scene of the carnage from the siege that transpired mere minutes ago, but you and your master have been outnumbered by the clone troopers closing in on you from behind.

“Nowhere to run.” One of the clones snarled with a sinister persistence.

Indeed, it seems that there is nowhere to run. The Jedi Master saw only one last possibility for survival—and he wasn’t in it. However, he knew that perfectly well, and he made peace with that just now.

“[y/n], my Padawan, whatever happens… Survive!”

“What…?!”

The clones raised their rifles in full unison and their fingers curled against the triggers; a second’s notice was all he can afford but it was all Master Karos needs—he lifted you high up with the Force, he tossed you away to a distance far from the circle of clone troopers that surrounded you. From where you lie, you could barely see him over the clones’ shoulders that stood in the way, with your limited view you can see that he continued to fight even when it was a dozen to one.

The beams of the projectiles illuminated the circle of troopers and then you watched his body falter and jerk for every shot he took. You saw Zal Karos’s body fall flat to the floor but the clones continued to fire at him.

He fell down with his face turned to you, even with such a long distance, you can tell that your eyes meet.

“NOOO!!!” you screeched.

There was nothing you can do about him now.

SURVIVE, [Y/N]!

You heard his voice in your head, and that was enough to snap you back to your senses. Seeing that you were back outside in the city proper, you sought for a place to hide, stealing some detonators from fallen clones’ utility belts along the way for extra protection.

In the distance, the troopers exchange questions and orders.

“Where’s the little one!?”

“I don’t know, she can’t be far ahead!”

“Sweep the area! She can’t do much against us!”

You slipped into the wreckage of a LAAT gunship and hid in the cockpit for an indefinite time, despite its destruction, your size was enough for you to keep yourself out of sight. You curled into a ball, hugged your knees as you wept for this disaster and for your chaos. An ocean of questions flooded your little mind as the trauma slowly devoured your willpower.

Is it over?

Am I going to die here?

Please, anybody… help.

In a time that felt like days have passed, the thunders of war seemed to have ceased. You crawled out of your hiding spot and attempted to return to the scene where you saw Master Karos for the final time.

Master, did you die because of me? Because you had to save me? Did you really think I was helpless or useless or both?

Your feet dragged through the body-strewn streets of the city, careful not to step on any of the fallen clones’ bodies, you looked around and saw their lifeless eyes peeking through the broken portions of their helmets—you felt a chill crawl down your already-weak spine—but continued on.

Eventually, you found Master Karos’s body left to rot in front of the city gates. The dust has settled on his robes as he remained in the last position you saw him. You knelt down and gently rolled him over with the remaining strength you have in your body right now. His skin has paled, his head bobbed to your direction, and knowing that there is nothing you can do anymore, you clutched his cold, dead hands and hunched over his body to weep.

“It’s over…” you sobbed. “We lost… I’m sorry, Master.”

The wind has picked up, the inferno crackled from the distance, and you remained there with your master on the ground; you stayed there until you could regain enough strength to bury him. It’s the only honor you can bestow to him. Even though you’re stricken with grief, you can sense someone approaching you; you feigned, pretending that you don’t anticipate the stranger coming to you, the click of the safety prompted your ear to twitch.

What good can fighting do, anyway? I’m as good as dead.

You slowly raised your arms while still hunched over your master’s body.

“Oh, hey… Kid, are you okay?”

You’re startled by the compassion of the voice behind you—it was obviously a clone’s voice. Slowly lowering your hands and then glancing over your shoulder, you were correct when it was a clone but he didn’t behave hostile and trigger-happy like the others. The first thing you noticed is the motif of a horned creature with fangs painted above his helmet’s visor—from that, you knew which clone this was.

“Strig?”

He took off his helmet and revealed his face, confirming his identity—his head was shaven but growth had begun to show, a faint stubble traced his jaw and ended with a goatee, and the same motif was tattooed on one side of his head.

He was cautious with how he approached you, knowing that you’re obviously terrified with what transpired mere hours ago. He noticed the way you scoot closer to your master.

“Are you hurt?” he asked you again.

He slowly reached for your jaw, but you avoided him, apparently there was a cut that you must’ve gotten when Master Karos tossed you out of the line of fire; and then his hand hovered to your shoulder, pointing to where the blaster graze is.

Your fingers absentmindedly tapping the wound with the dried blood. “Are you going to kill me now?”

The clone’s eyebrows furrowed together, “No, why would I do that?”

“Because everyone else tried to.”

The clone sighed, seeming to be in the same page of confusion as you are—the only difference is that he has a better inkling about the manslaughter that happened hours ago. The seemingly-defected clone offered you his hand and helped you back up on your feet.

“Strig… what’s happened? Why did the clones tried to kill us?”

“That’s… look, it’s a bit complicated, [y/n],”

“Believe me, I’ve seen more complicated things to understand,”

Strig sighed when he knew you’re going to persist for answers. He sidetracked you on offering to help you bury Master Karos’s body.

“That was what you’re planning to do, right?”

“Yeah, I just… I was just too weak to move.”

“Okay, kid, let me give you a hand.”

The clone helped in digging the hole, in the meantime, you tore off the pauldron bearing the insignia of the Jedi Order, and then used the Force to gently put Master Karos along with his lightsaber in his final resting place. The pauldron acted as a marker.

“I’m sorry if it’s not much, Master. And I’m sorry that I wasn’t strong enough to save you. Still, I hope you find peace—for you are now one with the Force.” You prayed on your knees.

After your prayer, Strig helped you again on your feet, “Come on, kid. There’s nothing left for us here. But you don’t have to be alone anymore, you know. I got your back—as long as you promise you have mine!”

[ct-offical-sexyman]

Viveza and all the prequels

First of all; how dare you make me write out the plot of my own story. Second of all: thank you, this will probably help in the future.

Remember that this can all change in the future.

Spoilers for Viveza’s story below.

The Phantom Menace

Melinoe Lanami is sent to spy on the young queen of Naboo under the fake name Nize Raza. Her orders are to keep an eye on the girl until told otherwise. She takes up the disguise of Captain Panaka’s second in command.

She escapes the blockade with everyone else. A small communicator gives her a new order to signal the group's location to Maul.

When they arrive on Tatooine, Melinoe tries to go with Padme, Jar Jar and Qui Gon into town, but Qui Gon says they have enough people and forces Melinoe to stay behind. She doesn’t push it, knowing that insisting on following them would be too risky and blow her cover.

For the scenes on Tatooine Melinoe’s scenes are made up of her talking/sparring with Obi Wan or interacting with other members of the crew. I’m currently having reader block with this part of the story, because I’m trying to work out what Melinoe and Obi Wan talk about in regards to the life of a Jedi and the politics surrounding it. Because I feel like it could be really easy for me to fuck it up, and made really obvoius that Melinoe is a spy/sith.

Anyway; Jinn brings back Anakin and friends back to the ship where they’re attacked by Maul. Once they escape Melinoe and Anakin have a scene together where Anakin is still getting used to the cold on the ship. Melinoe finds him a blanket and sympathises with him saying that she grew up on a cold planet and it took a little while for her to get used to warmer places. This scene was originally between Anakin and Padme, but this is a good way to show Melinoe’s personality under the mask she puts up for herself.

At some point before they get to Coruscant Melinoe lets her guard down for a second and accidently reveals her real name to Obi Wan through the force.

During the Coruscant scenes Melinoe is put on guard duty over the handmaidens. So she doesn’t witness any of the stuff at the Jedi Temple.

When everyone goes back to Naboo, Melinoe is given orders to kill the Jedi just as Maul shows up to fight them.

Melinoe and Obi Wan get septured from Qui Gon and Maul when Maul pushes Obi Wan into Melinoe causing them both to fall off the platform. Obi Wan saves Melinoe by grabbing her hand, but they don’t talk about it because they’re both more focused on catching up with Qui Gon and Maul.

When Obi Wan starts fighting Maul, Melinoe gets caught behind the red force field. She has the opportunity to help Maul several times, but she realises ‘why should help him? I fucking hate him and hurt Eglantine on muiltable occasions’. Melinoe ends up leaving Maul for dead in order to make her escape from the planet.

She’s later seen back on Byss, giving Darth Heiss a report of what happened while leaving out and lying about several things. She’s informed that she’ll be punished for failing her mission and is dismissed.

Later on; she tells Eglantine about what happened, while being much more honest. Eglantine expresses relief about Maul’s death and Melinoe’s safe return.

Interlude

Abridged version of events in between TPM & AOTC;

Viveza stops using her birth name after Eglantine is killed by Heiss.

She disavows Darth Heiss and defects from Byss three years after Maul’s death, and two years after Eglantine’s.

Gets a ship and a T7 unit after taking it from a group of mandalorians.

Viveza travels to Eglantine’s homeworld of Marazi where she meets her first apprentice, Jaks Jr, and her eventual second in command, Jaks Snr.

While on Glee Anselm, Viveza meets her second apprentice, Thea, after Thea tries to chew her arm off. While breaking up a slave ring, Viveza meets Orianna and Nizzal, who become her third and fourth apprentices.

Meets Obi Wan again several times, but it’s always in a situation where she’s able to escape.

Attack of the Clones

Viveza is dragged into the plot when Obi Wan seeks her out to find information on the Kamino Saber Dart (knowing that after years of breaking up slave cartels she’ll have information about underground criminals like bounty hunters).

Since she owes Obi Wan a favour for saving one of her companions at some point, she agrees to help him. She tells him that the dart is from Kaimino. She later helps Obi Wan find his way to Kaimino when he hits a dead end.

While Obi Wan is having his conversation with Lama Su, Viveza is given a tour of the cloning facilities. This is where Viveza would meet Margo for the first time. They have a conversation where Viveza asks Margo what her life is like living on Kaimio. Margo avoids the question and eventually leaves.

They later meet Jango and work out that he’s the one who was hired to kill Padme. While Obi Wan is getting the council an update, Viveza is the one to notice that the Fetts are trying to escape.

After the fight between Obi Wan and Fett, Viveza is the one to throw the homing beacon on the Slave 1.

They follow the Fetts to Geonosis. Where they find out about Gunray making the order to kill Padme. They go back to Viveza’s ship where Obi Wan sends his findings to the council via Anakin's and Padme’s ship.

They are then captured by Jango and the droidekas. Viveza has her lightsabers taken and eventually they end up in the hands of Margo.

Viveza is put in a different cell to Obi Wan, and Dooku also tries to persuade her to join (but with a completely different speech). She refuses to hear him out, due to remembering the 14 years of suffering she endured at the hands of Heiss basically saying ‘I spent 14 years trying to escape and you expect me to go right back because of some empty words’.

I thought about having Dooku try to appeal to Viveza by playing the ‘i knew your father’ card, but then I realised there was no way Dooku could know who Viveza is, so :P.

Viveza is sentenced to death in the Geonosis Arena. Where she’ll face off against a Gundark. She manages to escape by tricking the gundark into running into the piller she’s chained to, causing the whole thing to crumble.

When the battle between the Jedi and the droids starts, Viveza holds her own without any lightsabers and still has her hands tied together.

When the Clones get there, Viveza takes the opportunity to leave and go look for her ship. When she finds it, she also finds Margo, who’s having a breakdown because her father just died and her brother tried to murder her.

Viveza’s plot on AOTC ends with Margo returning Viveza’s lightsabers to her and becoming Viveza’s fifth apprentice.

Interlude 2

I love you, Lou, BUT I CAN’T SUMMERRISE ALL THE CLONE WARS IN ONE POST! All you need to know is that Viveza wants revenge on Grievous for a lot of the stuff he’s done to her and her allies during the Clone Wars.

Revenge of the Sith

Viveza learns that Grievous is on Utapau and travels there hoping to kill Grievous herself. She runs into Obi Wan and they agree that it would be in their best interest to take Grievous on together. After defeating Grievous and getting Obi Wan’s lightsaber from Cody, Obi Wan starts escorting Viveza’s back to her ship via Boga (best girl, rip, I think?).

They get blasted off the side of a cliff but manage to escape. They meet up with Bail and Yoda and head to Coruscant to change the Jedi Beacon to make sure any other survivors know to stay away. Aftering finding out that Anakin turned to the darkside, Viveza is enraged that he killed all the younglings.

They go to question Padme about where Anakin is, but she refuses to tell them anything. When Padme leaves to find Anakin, Viveza and Obi Wan stowaway on her ship.

On Mustafar when Anakin thinks Padme betrayed him by bringing Obi Wan and Viveza he tries attacking her, but Viveza stops him by shooting him with force lightning. Padme is able to get away from Anakin with minor injuries.

Viveza and Obi Wan engage in a fight against Anakin. After the facility’s shields get deactivated, Viveza gets separated from Obi Wan and Anakin.

I can either have Viveza and Obi Wan meet back at the ship or have her find them just as Obi Wan gets ‘the high ground’, but the thing about the second option is that Viveza wouldn’t want to take any changes and would probably put Anakin out of misery when he’s burning alive.

Either way they end up back at the ship with Padme. While on the ship Obi Wan and Viveza have a moment where they just lean on each other in exhaustion.

Padme goes into labour as they're travelling to Polis Massa. She gives birth to the twins and is predicted to make a full recovery in time. (because fuck you canon!). She’s heartbroken by what Anakin has done, but vows to fight for her children.

The ending is another point where I’m not quite sure where to take it. I could just go with the original ending where Leia is adopted by Bail, and Luke is sent to Tatooine right away, but I feel like Padme wouldn’t want to be separated from her children. At the moment I’m thinking she’ll go into hiding for around two years but after one too many close calls she begrudgingly accepts to send each of them into hiding. With Leia being sent to live with Bail and having her name changed to Leia Organa and Luke being sent to live with Owen. Maybe I’ll find some other direction.

Viveza sets out to see how many of her allies and connections are still loyal to her or if they decide to shift their loyalty to the newly formed Empire. Her first order of business to find out what happened to Margo, because she hasn’t contacted Viveza since Maul’s capture.

[at-the-exd-of-everythixg]

][All questions for otp meme for Sal + Rhys][

@blind-mutant

Coffee shop AU: Who is the barista, and who frequents the coffee shop?

Sal's at the coffee shop...what? Every night? It always feels a little different and a little bit the same each time. Sometimes Sal appears in suits and a slick charm while other times he's there in luxury dresses and patiently putting on makeup while Rhys rushes to get his over sweetened drink ready. Rhys never really says anything about the fact that Sal's lazy flirts make his stomach flip, or the fact that Sal usually calls him Moonie so sweetly.

And Sal's just as drawn to the pretty little drink maker, who always gives him extra whipped cream. How could he not want to flirt with the beautiful man? The one who smiled so sweetly whenever Sal got there and felt like the only person who seemed to really listen to him. Sweet drinks and sweet men are all Sal wants in life.

Highschool/College AU: Who is the straight-A student, and who’s the backrow slacker?

Sal doesn't exactly want to be a good grade student. It fucking sucks and the stress piles on more and more, but he knows that even failing for a moment would result in Giles yanking him away from other people and back to the same little house where he and his siblings would just be hurt more and more. It means everything to Sal to work hard, and it isn't like Rhys Brennan helps any.

What makes it worse? Rhys is...aware of it, in a way. He can hear the stress and pressure in Sal's voice and maybe he likes to flirt and tease the smaller man, just to have he pleasure of Sal snapping back and even occasionally when Sal joins him. He wants to know more about Sal, wants to know why he's so odd and so...not human. And Rhys has always, unashamedly, been drawn to secret and rude little men.

Rivals to loves AU: Who takes their rivalry seriously, and who is half in it just to push the other’s buttons?

Rhys came into Eden's Fruit, eager to impress and find his place at a workplace where he could be appreciated. And maybe Rhys does want to be the best, because the best always have the most trusted positions and the best always get assured of their worth. Instead, Rhys has Sal, who wishes to snark and play rivals, who thinks it's funny how much Rhys seems to care about being the best.

Its funny to tease and watch the taller man grow frustrated, funny as shit to flirt shamelessly while Rhys flushes and scowls. The other man doesn't seem to have that same sense of fun that Sal had beaten into him. Rhys just needs a good kiss and a shove off the highest balcony so Sal can rip that sense of terror away and not remember the fact that he shared it so strongly once.

Enemies to lovers AU: Which one switches sides? 

Aspherane and Earth come to a clash and it's something everyone should have seen coming. Sal knows it's his part to leave Earth and go to the one place that won't one day kill him, just as Rhys knows that he should stay in Krakoa, the mystical island where everything should be safe and fine. Really, it's for the best that they stay apart and in their own separate world of shifting darkness and varied powers. The heavens and Earths were never really meant to mix.

So why do they still meet up? Like some sort of fucked up version of Romeo and Juliet in Sal's opinion, but it isn't like he can even think of not meeting up with Rhys in secret. Aspherane and Krakoa are meant to be their paradise and yet Sal won't ever stop thinking about simply meeting up with Rhys again and being able to kiss the other man. He considers trying to find a way to escape all of it, whether its beyond the stars or unde the Earth, where hell and demons reign strong.

Soulmate AU: Who is eager to meet their soulmate? Who absolutely does not want to meet their soulmate? 

Rhys used to want to meet his soulmate. Key word used to. Years of being locked away shut down those thoughts. Better to not care about any soulmate than to hurt himself with facing someone who won't think he's good enough for them. It's a big difference from Sal, who looked over himself every day, hoping to find any mark or symptom of a Soulmate, to prove that he was human enough and to prove that maybe he was still good enough to at least have one.

And then he meets Rhys and the taller man us everything Sal wants, he bares the mark of the soul that can only mean he belongs to Sal, only...he's spoken before about how much he didn't want a soulmate. Rhys wanted Sal, not whoever was supposedly written up for him by fucking fate of all things and now they're both stuck in an awkard position really; Rhys wants Sal and doesn't want a supposed soulmate while Sal wants Rhys but now thinks the man he loves doesn't want him. They don't even deserve to be called himbos.

Single parent AU: Which one is the single parent? (Alt. if they’re both single parents: Which one is open to starting a new relationship from the start? Which one is never planning on finding love again… Until they meet the other and are instantly smitten?)

Sal is...more than aware of the fact that maybe he should have told Rhys about his child before inviting him to come live with him. But then again, why should he have to tell Rhys? If Moonie likes him so much, then Moonie can deal with his Starling. The rules are simple and it definitely helps keep a barrier up in case things go to shit.

Unfortunately, Sal didn't account for the fact that Rhys adores him enough to adore his Starling, the only other part Sal has that's enough like his own and how could Rhys resist wanting to protect someone just like Sal? Ugh, he became a dilf though emotions and Sal isn't happy about his newfound attraction for the fact that Rhys is the only one who can seemingly handle a half alien and a quarter alien child, but damn if he doesn't get buzzy when watching Rhys interact with the brat.

Doctor AU: Which one is the longsuffering doctor? Which one is the patient? 

Rhys isn't...entirely sure what to make of the new patient in his institute, but Sal's angry scremaing and the way he quietly clings to Rhys at times means more to him than he would ever let on when trapped in such a dangerous place. Still, he tries to enjoy the brief moments he has between Blue and Sal while he can still get them.

And eventually they all get out. Blue dies and Rhys is grief torn and everyone leaves. Everyone except Sal, who was on his way to dying himself from the constant fluorescent lights. Rhys's constant darkness pulls him through though and now? Now Rhys is all he has and he saved him in more ways than one. Sal won't ever be Blue and that stings constantly, but the very least he could do is keep his feelings behind his teeth while doing what he can to keep him and Rhys alive.

Bodyguard AU: Who is the bodyguard? Who are they protecting? Which one is secretly pining for the other? 

Rhys is...not entirely sure how to deal with the little brat he's been assigned to guarding. Sal is apparently some fancy alien...explorer? Ambassador? All Rhys knows it that Sal tends to use more than just his words to charm high assed men of Earth and never seems to fully realise the danger he puts himself in. It doesn't help the fact that Sal is...exceptionally cute and often expects Rhys to do certain customs that fluster him terribly and Sal has no idea why.

And really, what's so odd about asking your bodyguard to get in the bath with you? To help with your safety and self care? Sal knows that maybe it's a little odd, but how can he trust someone with his life if they haven't seen him when vulnerable? It's so dumb and that's exactly why he's fine of sleeping in the same bed as Rhys ans eating together. Not to mention that his bodyguard is....very fucking cute in his suits and the way his voice sounds rougher in the early mornings.

Pirate AU: Who is the pirate? Who is the member of the royal family who did not sign up for this? 

I uh. Since were already doing this......Persephone and Hades au instead???

Rhys is....aware that his parents hated him, thought him to be evil and even he sees the irony of being a reborn Greek god of death when he's Irish. Getting out of the asylum was easier though and Rhys is grateful thay he cannot be held down as Kronos once did to him. Now Rhys travels looking for his reborn queen, whether she stays as she is or decides to be his husband or monarch of life.

And just as, Sal knows he was reborn oddly. Knows that flowers and Greek summers run through and that was enough for his Demeter to cast him out into the wild winters. Sal knows he should find his Hades, knows that a part of him aches for blooming spring and being able to kiss the person he loves primally. But Sal knows he bares the name from Maiden to Chaos Weaver and then it is his task to take, to perhaps hide from Hades and to save this reborn form of his husband from having to he stuck with him.

Then Rhys moves in and uh. Sal's kinda fucked, you know?

Childhood best friends AU: Which one was super obviously in love with the other the whole time? Who was oblivious until they were older?

How can Sal NOT be smitten with Rhys? The older boy is pretty and speaks funny and he always looks happy to see Sal, which is great because Sal likes his brother and sister, but he likes Rhys differently, like how Pap an' Mamné do. Rhys likes Sal too, but he doesn't ever seen to be aware of the way Sap clings to him and the manner of the kisses that get pressed to his cheeks, doesn't see the way Giles and his own parents narrow their eyes at it.

Then the institute happens and Sal's heart gets torn from him as Giles kicks him out. He's torn for years as he searches for Rhys and gets torn more when Cecil crushes and loves him sickly. By the time he finally meets Rhys...well, it's a big What If as to whether Rhys can truly stand someone whose been as ruined as he has, whose pale and scowls and flirts so horribly with anyone else but the reminder of his heart.

[kassies-take]

Super Shadowed

Warning: Angst

Danvers sister x b!danvers

Word Count: 2342

Part 1 || Finale

The day Krypton exploded Kal-El was sent to Earth and so was Kara Zor-El. What people didn’t know was that another member from the House of El was also sent to Earth. You were only eight when Krypton exploded, due to your smaller frame you crawled into the leg space as Kara sat in her seat.

When the pod got knocked off course from Krypton’s debris, Kara shielded your eyesight from seeing its destruction. You could tell she was scared too but she was doing her best to be the older sister.

There was only one time you woke up in the Phantom Zone and that was the most alone you’ve ever felt with Kara asleep, then you realized it has always been this way. You didn’t know how long you were awake. It could’ve been minutes, hours, days or even years. All you knew was that Fort Rozz was just out the window and that your life was going to be spent with Kara in a pod.

Earth was a whole different experience. If Kara was quiet you were quieter. This worried Kara, you were always the energetic bubbly kid sister, but she understood after losing a planet full of family and friends, it was difficult. You were both told to keep your powers hidden and only you kept true to those words. When your powers manifested you didn’t use them as much as Kara did.

While Kara was so hell-bent on being a hero you wanted nothing more than to be seen as a regular human. You were always overshadowed on Krypton and the moment Kara came out as Supergirl it all came back to you. How Alura favored Kara, how you were always babied by Eliza, Kara and even Alex, and ultimately how literally empty it felt to be in the Phantom Zone. Only Krypton and Earth were lonelier.

You made it clear to Alex and Kara that you didn’t want to be some hero. But that didn’t stop the three of you from being three peas in a pod. You and Kara fought over food, you and Alex teased Kara with her taste of music and there was never enough room on Kara Danver’s couch when you visited from school.

While Kara followed in Clark’s footsteps to be a journalist and reporter you put your mind to technology. After high school you went to M.I.T and received a job offer by Lena Luthor herself once you graduated.

Kara only managed to convince you to strap on the cape when she fell downhill with the whole I sent Mon-El away and now he’s married. Your suit was the same blue but the yellow and red were white and that was really when Superfriends knew of you at all.

“There’s another Danvers sister!” Winn beamed.

“(Y/N),” you introduced.

“T-that’s very human,” Winn stared at Kara

“(Y/N), abandoned her Kyptonian name. Kasa Zor-El.”

“Because Krypton is not here anymore!” You scoffed at the stares you received before you threw in the towel and flew away from Kara’s apartment.

Kara flew after you as you hovered over the city skyline.

“Kasa,” Kara pleaded with concern.

“Stop Kara, that’s isn’t my name!”

“Yes it is. This is how you keep Krypton alive. I get it, I really do. You had a life there, family, friends. But it’s been fifteen years, and on the way here I lost you.”

“I had no friends or family on Krypton!” You snapped.

“W-What are you talking ab-”

“I-I’m not talking about blood Kara. I had family yes but ieiu (mom) favored you, Aunt Astra loved you, Earth even loves you. I felt and still feel awuhkh (abandoned).” You said it in Kyptonese knowing it had more effect on Kara.

Kara’s face only fell in sorrow as she looked at you with pity. Something you definitely didn’t need.

“Kar, this is why I didn’t tell you. I don’t need your pity, especially after I told you.”

“That doesn’t explain how you got like this. You use to be so bright and cheery.”

“Nice to know I’m dark and moody,” you rolled your eyes and flew off towards the Fortress of Solitude.

“That’s not what I meant (Y/N)!” Kara screamed after you on your tail.

“KARA! YOU WEREN’T AWAKE. YOU DIDN’T SEE WHAT I SAW!” You landed in the snow

“What are you talking about?”

“The Phantom Zone,” you sighed. “I sat in our pod and looked into the empty void. At first I was afraid, but with Kryton’s debris around I realized that the empty void I stared at was just a reflection of my life on Krypton and now on Earth,” You eyes filled with tears and so did Kara’s.

“I didn’t know you felt that way ie (sister).”

“I’ve tried Kara. I’ve tried to go back. Krypton was my planet but it wasn’t my home. I don’t think I can stay here anymore. I’ll help you with your problem but I need to find my home.”

Kara pulled you into a hug, one that if your DNA didn’t hold Kryptonian DNA would surely break your bones.

Apparently Kara and Alex thought it would be a good idea to head to Barry’s Earth for his wedding. Kara thought meeting the whole gang would help you find a home within yourself, Alex just wanted you there cause despite your powers you were still her little sister.

Having seen the way Kara’s friends adored Kara made it worse. During the rehearsal dinner as Kara reconnected with her friends and Alex drank the night away, you were nowhere to be seen.

You sat over the edge of Jitter’s roof with your lead lenses glasses twirled in your hands. Yellow lighting appeared with a gust of wind behind it.

“So how do you know Barry or Iris?” A voice came behind you.

“Barry, when he went to Earth-38 and helped my sister.”

“Ah so you’re the famous Kasa Zor-El,” the voice approached you.

“(Y/N),” you turned to your right side.

“Wally,” he sat next to you. “I know that look, it’s the look of being in the shadows.”

You looked at Wally questionably as he continued.

“You have the same powers or you’re even better than the hero yet people only see you as the sidekick. You have powers yet people still see any threat as something you can’t handle. You try your hardest but will always remain number two a second option if their hero is gone.”

“I relate on a whole different level. I mean my Earth does not need another Super. Supergirl always saves the day,” you mimicked the tabloids.

You and Wally shared a good laugh or two as the person in the shadows. It felt nice to have someone you can relate too but as always the heroes need a babysitter for their hero work. That’s how you found yourself when Nazis stormed the church.

You and Wally were put on guarding duty.

“So what’s the game plan?” Wally asked with you trailing behind him.

“There is none yet. Whoever attacked us knows who we are, so just get Joe and Cecile as far as possible,” Barry explained.

“(Y/N), I want you to go with them,” Kara pleaded from the cortex entrance.

You looked between Kara and Barry.

“No way, we can help out,” you and Wally said together.

“You guys are helping by keeping our family safe,” Barry and Kara said in sync.

“They’re right, until we know what they’re planning, no one is safe,” Joe agreed.

Kara and Barry both gave a head nod as you and Wally sighed in defeat. Wally headed out with Joe first and as you prepared to leave you muttered a word of your feelings.

“Awuhkh, ” you said again before disappearing.

Though being a hero isn’t your forte, after the conversation you had with Wally you were not going to sit idly by while Nazis invaded Central City. It wasn’t your city but you did have the power and the knowledge to figure out what the Nazis wanted.

This was where you had more knowledge with than Kara. Now all you needed was a laptop or computer.

You connected to surveillance cameras of Star Labs to the screen and watched the process. Wally stood behind you as you both watched and pieced together the information given to you.

“Huh,” you laughed as Felicity found a location before a realization hit you that the prism they were after would mimic the red sun. “Oh crap.”

“What, What is wrong?” Wally asked.

“This prism can be altered to mimic the affects of the a red sun,” you explained.

“What does the red sun do?”

“Due to the yellow sun Earth has, Kryptonians are able to have different abilities. And the red sun gets rid of our powers, in short we will be humans.”

“So they’re trying to kill Kara?”

“But something isn’t making sense if they wanted to kill Kara they could just use Kryptonite.”

“Unless they’re making her body weak enough to cut her skin,” you physically snapped at Wally’s prediction and began typing.

The monitor zoomed into Alex with the Kryptonite arrow. Wally raised the volume at the previous recorded message with Earth X Kara having too much radiation

“Oh my god,” you froze.

“They’re using Kara as transplant.”

“And they just walked themselves into a trap.”

“You have to go,” Wally looked at you.

“What?”

“If Kara is going to be fighting herself there may be another version of you, I’ll stay here with Joe and Cecile. They need you more than they need me.”

“Godspeed Wally,” you patted him on the back before he pulled you into a hug.

“Go get em,” he smiled.

As you flew back to Central City what you planned on the way there was definitely a plan Kara Danvers wouldn’t like.

Getting through the Nazi soldiers that was the easy part, getting tthough to Kara X that was a different story. You walked towards Kara’s scared heart beat as you breathed in some confidence with what you were about to do.

You stood on the further side where the “red sun” couldn’t touch, you hid from Nazi soldiers that patrolled between the hallways before you headed towards the red room.

“It’s not going to work, you’re not going to get what you want,” you heard Kara say as you built up enough courage and walked towards the room.

“Really,” Kara X said and hovered over Kara

“Yes, really.” You’re own voice surprised you with how much power it had.

“Kasa,” Kara X stood in shock. “You died on Krypton!”

“In your universe maybe,” you stood your ground.

“And what. You’re going to stop me?” Kara X scoffed.

“No, I came for an offering.”

“(Y/N), you don’t have to do this!” Kara struggled to get out of her restraints.

“And what do you have to offer?”

“My healthy, younger heart in exchange for Kara and my friends freedom.”

You kneeled on your right leg with your right hand above your heart and your head slightly bowed. A Kryptonian promise.

“Kasa Zor-El! Don’t do this!” Kara was on the verge tears.

“Your sister died on Krypton, this way you will always have her with you,” you ignored Kara.

“I have to admit, normally I wouldn’t like such weakness but any warrior who faces their death with no fear is honorable,” Kara X beamed.

“She would’ve done the same for me.”

“Deal!”

As if on cue Thawne rushed in with Führer. Kara X and him shared a kiss before Thawne patted the gurney for Kara X to lay in.

“We’re going to need a new lab, I made a deal with my sister here,” Kara X pointed to you as Oliver and Thawne looked at you. “An exchange of her heart for her older sister’s freedom.”

“We don’t know if she’s a match,” Oliver growled.

“Do you dare defy me my husband?”

“No,” he puffed.

Thawne smiled “Don’t worry Kara Zor-El And Kasa Zor-El are practically twins.”

“Can the procedure be done on the Wellenreiter?” Oliver asked.

“With the prism it can be done anywhere.”

Kara X nodded, picked up Oliver and flew towards their version of the Waverider.

“Kara Zor-El ukiem, :zhalish. (Kara Zor-El I love you as my family, forgive me)”

You followed closely behind as Thawne smirked at Kara before he took the prism and disappeared. Kara still had the effects of the red sun in her system, she struggled harder and harder to release herself from the restraints as the leather dug into skin and drew drops of blood when Iris and Felicity entered the room.

“Kara,” Iris freed the restraints.

“W-where are the Nazis?” Felicity asked.

“Kara!” Alex threw the gun to the side and hugged Kara.

“Alex! They took her,” Kara cried. “They took (Y/N).”

Kara immediately wiped her tears and jumped onto the floor determined to get rid of her culture to save her sister. Only she has never felt as weak as she did at the moment as she collapsed onto her knees. She tried to get back up, the harder she tried the harder her body shook.

“Kara take it easy,” Alex held Kara once again.

“A-alex I c-can’t l-lose h-her,” Kara cried.

“I know, but if you go out there now. You will be killed!”

In that moment Kara finally felt you felt on Krypton, The Phantom Zone and even times on Earth. She hated it, she hated the lonely feeling even when the room was filled with friends and family, and she hated that you felt this way for you while life. A scream that rivaled the Canary erupted from Kara.

The whole room fell silent with goosebumps from Kara’s screams. No one has felt someone else’s pain as they did with Kara’s. It was the type of agonizing scream that puts any other thought on hold and drags everyone in a nearby vicinity into the same agony Kara was feeling. She lost her blood sister and felt guilty that you would never find the home you yearned for.