#it speaks like a massive crowd in unison
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kismetmoon · 1 year ago
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whenever i listen to my embarrassingly gigantic playlist filled with just completely random songs that i like and have been thrown in there, it likes to play ‘Taurnado’ from Centaur World every time without missing a beat
and every time i hear it i immediately think about how the Nightmare Realm might just be built on top of Bill’s home dimension with all of the burnt second dimensional corpses
and what if they could manifest themselves (via ‘left-over’ Nightmare Realm madness magic whatever) into a giant ghost or spirit type creature (akin to the Taurnado) - all working together as one giant organism - to just fuck with Bill for killing them. roaming around the waste of a dimension or appearing during storms (if they even have those there) or just randomly to scare the shit outta ppl
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[Plain text ID: two digital drawings of an original Gravity Falls / Flatland crossover character named The Mosaic.
In the first photo, The Mosaic is depicted in it’s ‘line form’. It is a humanoid creature made up from various, small, monochrome shapes and lines and has a large glowing red eye for a head with a point on top and no pupil. It is holding out two of it’s hands to each side, while it's legs hang down loosely as though suspended in the air. A small depiction of Bill Cipher, a yellow triangle with a black top hat, and Kryptos, a teal rhombus, can be seen above The Mosaic’s right hand. The background is a very dark grey with a white circle that contains a light grey hexagon, a dark grey upside down triangle and an even darker grey line behind The Mosaic.
In the second photo, The Mosaic is depicted in one of it’s various ‘shape forms’ - as an isosceles triangle creature with limbs and a large centre yellow glowing eye made from smaller and monochrome shapes and lines. They are holding one arm slightly raised and a tiny depiction of Bill Cipher can be seen between their loosely pinched claws. The background is dark grey with lighter grey swirling patterns.
End ID.]
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jimsbeetroot · 2 months ago
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(Never did a request, but there is always a first time) I would love if you could write a oneshoot about reader and Jim root where she goes on tour with them and there is just this cute interaction between Jim being on stage and reader watching them (just basically something fluff)
𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ♱ 𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭
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fluffy! hope you enjoy!!
no warnings for this one!
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The crowd roared like a living, breathing creature as Slipknot conquered the stage. You stood just off to the side, tucked behind a row of amps, watching the chaos unfold. It was mesmerizing—thousands of people screaming lyrics in unison, bodies thrashing in time with the pounding drums and snarling guitars.
But your eyes were on him.
Jim was a towering figure in the midst of the madness, his long limbs moving effortlessly as he shredded through the current song’s outro. He was a blur of black and crimson, his mask resembling a scary joker. The mask used to scare you, but it'd gotten better after he'd let you seen the whole process of getting ready and putting in the mask itself. And even after years of being together, watching him perform still gave you butterflies.
You tugged your jacket tighter around you, the chill of the outdoor venue creeping in despite the heat radiating from the crowd. Jim glanced your way mid-solo, his dark eyes catching yours through the slits of his mask. He tilted his head slightly, a silent acknowledgment that he knew you were there.
Your heart fluttered.
The song ended in a crash of cymbals and distortion, the crowd screaming louder than ever. Corey strode to the front of the stage, gripping the mic and pacing like a caged animal as he addressed the fans.
You watched Jim grab the hoodie, he'd usually wear after the show and throw it over his shoulder. He stayed near his station, playing a steady riff as a buildup for the next song. He stepped closer to the side of the stage where you stood, and to your surprise, he motioned you over with a nod of his head.
You hesitated, glancing around as if someone might stop you. The crew was too busy to care, and the crowd was far too focused on Corey to notice. So, you stepped forward, your sneakers scuffing against the stage floor. You were still standing at the side of the stage and no one could see you, but it was nonetheless an overwhelming sensation to share the stage with Slipknot, even if it was just for a few minutes.
As you reached him, you craned your neck to look up at his towering frame. At 6’6, Jim was already tall, but in his stage gear and boots, he looked absolutely massive.
“You cold?” he asked and nodded down to your shivering ahoulders. You smiled and shrugged. “A little.”
“Take the hoodie,” he said and turned his shoulder, from where the hoodie was hanging. You took it and mumbled a thank you, blushing over how considerate he was.
He leaned down, nearly folding himself in half so he could speak to you. “My mask’s digging into my face. Can you fix it?”
His voice was warm and familiar, even muffled by the mask. You reached up, your fingers brushing against the rough fabric as you assessed the situation. Sure enough, the straps had shifted slightly, pressing awkwardly against his skin.
“I have to have to take it off,” you said, your voice just loud enough to be heard over the music and Corey’s speech.
Jim nodded, carrying on with the consistent riff, nudging you to back up a bit so he was out of sight. People knew what he looked like by now, but it just wouldn't be the same if everyone suddenly saw his face at the show. He'd told you, how naked he felt without it on.
You gently unfastened the straps. You worked quickly, careful not to smudge the makeup beneath it. Once the mask was off, you saw the red marks where it had been digging in, and you pouted a little.
“Does it hurt?” you asked, brushing your thumb lightly over the irritated skin.
“Nah,” he said with a small smirk. “It’s nothing.”
Still, you frowned at him. “Hold still.”
You adjusted the straps, making sure they wouldn’t gnaw at his face again. But before you fastened the mask back on, you rose onto your tiptoes, cupping his face in your hands. Jim froze for a moment, his dark eyes widening slightly, and then he tilted his head down to meet you halfway.
You pressed a kiss to his lips, your heart racing as the crowd’s cheers echoed in the background. For a moment, it was just the two of you, the chaos of the stage fading away.
When you pulled back, Jim gave you a rare smile—small but genuine, the kind of smile he saved just for you.
“Better?” you asked, holding up the mask.
“Much better,” he replied, leaning down again so you could secure it in place.
Once it was fastened properly, Jim straightened to his full height, looking every bit the intimidating figure he portrayed on stage. But as he glanced down at you one last time before stepping back into the spotlight, you caught the soft gleam in his eyes as he mouthed a quiet I-love-you.
He returned to his spot just as Corey finished his speech, and the crowd erupted as the band launched into the next song. Jim’s riff sliced through the air, raw and unrelenting, and you couldn’t help but grin as you watched him come alive on stage.
Every now and then, he would glance your way, his head tilting slightly as if to check on you. And each time, you gave him a little wave, your chest swelling with love for him.
You stayed there for the rest of the set, your feet planted firmly on the side of the stage as you watched the man you loved command an ocean of fans. And though he was a monster on stage, a force of nature that couldn’t be contained, you knew the softer side of him—the man who let you fix his mask, who bent down just to kiss you, and who never missed a chance to remind you how much you meant to him.
By the time the show ended, your cheeks hurt from smiling, and your heart felt full enough to burst. As the band left the stage, Jim was the last to pass you, his long fingers brushing against backside and delivering a small smack, making you jump a little. You chuckled and you could by the way his eyes scrunched under his mask, that he did too.
“Wait for me,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with promise.
And you did, knowing that no matter how wild the night got, you would always have this—moments of quiet connection in the midst of chaos, moments that reminded you why you fell in love with Jim Root in the first place.
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danco110 · 4 months ago
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“Make way! Boss coming through!”
The crowd quickly parted to make way for the massive cruiser. Atop its flat platform roof was an entourage of aetherborn, all armed and surrounding their seated leader. Despite their raised hood, the nearby pedestrians could clearly see the trails of aether emanating from the boss’s face, signifying that their time was running short.
Finally the ride slowed to a stop, before the front door of a plain, nondescript building. Only when the guards crossed the threshold of the first room - the main room of a plain apartment - did they finally relax, taking seats among the rather ordinary furniture.
“So, boss,” sighed one of the attendants, “you handled all kinds of business today; ate like a king at the Prakhta Club, patrolled the night market, and even found one of those Consulate holdouts!”
The group’s leader nodded once, signaling for them to continue.
“So…Did you have a good time?”
The group’s leader chuckled wryly before speaking, in a weak voice with breaths that sent more aether into the air. “I did. But…well…when I said I wanted to ‘feel like a boss’? I was mainly just repeating something I’d heard from one of those ‘planeswalkers’ who’d helped save the city.”
“Oh no…”
“I didn’t mean a crime boss-”
“Oh noooo…”
Almost in unison, the entourage all groaned and put their heads in their hands.
“No, I mean, I still had a great time! Even if it wasn’t…in the way I was expecting. So, thank you all.”
“I take it you want us to leave?”
“Not because of today. But yes. See, in my free time, I like to raise plants!” The fading aetherborn opened the door to their back room, revealing a large potted plant with glowing pink flowers. “I think…I think I’d like to make sure they’re watered before I…go.”
“W-We can take care of-”
“No.”
The guards finally relented and left in a single file line. Their “leader” smiled silently to themself and entered the back, taking a watering can from a nearby table before closing the door behind them.
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[Cmon wizards, print more aetherborn! Or do a return to Kaladesh! Or something! Also dang, Live Fast and Die Young, those two cards just pull at the heartstrings!]
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dimorphodon-x · 1 year ago
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Sleep hasn’t been very easy the last few days so last night I wrote something silly.
The Decepticon higher ups weren’t entirely sure where to put him when they first took him in, but after his recovery, Razorfin was lumped in with a seeker team. Everyone was already aware of their roles in the upcoming mission, a relatively simple yet dangerous one.
Razorfin didn’t allow himself to react as red eyes turned to him, a rainbow of twitching wings signaling to neighbors in a silent language he never would be able to understand or speak. But from their faces he could assume they couldn’t make heads or tails of him either, the segments from his alt mode made little sense to them.
There were turbines on and behind his shoulders, those they recognized, but there were no obvious wings (“come now, you can hardly call those little nubs ‘wings’!”), and he had what they could only assume was a tail or weird rudder hanging from his back. Ugly.
The newcomer ignored the seekers scrutinizing stares as he took a seat and quietly waited. Razorfin could handle their stares, it felt familiar to him, and it was better than being alone anyway.
They didn’t need to wait long before the hatch opened, and the seekers poured out, Razorfin joining them. The fliers changed to their jet alt modes, flying in formation. Razorfin’s altmode joined in unison, tailing the jets.
[What the frag are you supposed to be??] one seeker sputtered over the coms, disgust laced in their tone. Razorfin groaned softly in mild irritation.
[Stay focused.]
He could almost hear their grumbles over the sound of the passing wind and explosions down below. He briefly glanced down at the battlefield, watching mechs fights. He didn’t recognize any of them, yet there was something rather foreign about fighting against familiar beings in such a violent battle. He didn’t like it.
However there was little he could do about it, and Razorfin turned his attention back on his teammates. They’d very soon send down a barrage of missiles to break the Autobot’s defenses, allowing the Decepticons to overwhelm them.
Of course not one of them would be going down without a fight, it was only natural. Their weapons were suddenly turned upwards, aiming for the biggest target.
An anguished song echoed from Razorfin as bullets showered his underside. His eyes widened and tail lashed in shock, panic tugged at his beating spark.
Trapped in the mind of a terrified beast, he could only try to swim faster to escape his pursuers. In the air or underwater, he was not safe. Spears pierced his hide and encouraging shrieks and cries from the crowds urged his predators to continue their sport until the beast fell from pain and exhaustion. He would be dragged away to be repaired, but he never knew if he’d survive to see the next day.
Razorfin wobbled in the air, a sudden realization striking him. He was not helpless as he was before. He had the mind to fight back.
A newfound anger bubbled up within his core as he turned his attention downward, the seekers having already scattered and abandoned him. He was not prey today.
Razorfin opened his mouth, wails and booming songs of vengeance spilling out into the air as he turned and dived. The pointed snout of his altmode acted like a battering ram as he plowed through the mechs that were shooting at him just moments ago, their frames exploding upon impact. Those who ducked ended up crushed underneath.
Pink showered his face and dragging underbelly. His tail slammed the ground, knocking those nearby off their feet. His thrusters slowed, leaving Razorfin beached on the ground, but he was still fighting.
He arched his back with a wailing cry, lifting his massive head and tail before slamming back down, crushing any who had gotten too close.
A shower of bullets from the air warded off survivors. Razorfin looked up. One of the seekers had returned and was circling overhead.
[Get out of there you idiot! We’ve done our part!]
With a huff, Razorfin shifted to bot mode, briefly looking around at the carnage before running from the scene. He needed a good jump to get back into the air, his tail grazing the ground as he climbed back up into the sky after the seeker.
They flew in silence for a while as they left the battlefield. The seeker then spoke over the coms.
[So… what is your alt mode? It looks… beastly.]
Razorfin grumbled. It took him a moment to remember.
[Fin whale.]
[That's an Earth creature, right? Why choose that form?]
Another grumble, air hissed from his vents [I don’t know. I think I’ve always had it.]
The seeker flipped over him, Razorfin allowed the mech to examine his form.
[A flying whale. How silly.]
[Tell that to the guys I just demolished.]
The remainder of their flight was silent.
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talltoontales · 6 months ago
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High Rolling Spider-Man: Rushed
Prompt: This week kicked my $h1t in, and I forgot to write a story. You know who that reminds me of?
Prompt By: Me (ToonMan)
Started Writing: 06/22/2024 at 11:29 pm (Good Lord!)
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Two women, one brunette and one ginger, stand on the side of the road outside a busy restaurant. Surrounded by excited chatter, the ginger woman steps away from the crowd, pulling her phone out of her purse.
// // // // // // // // // //
Across town, Spider-Man flies back-first into the side of a parked car. Across the street, a man in a brown and yellow jumpsuit armed with metal gauntlets and a matching belt walks toward Spider-Man. Spidey starts pulling himself from the side of the car only to get hit in the chest with a blue ray fired from the thug's gauntlets.
“Oh no, don’t get up,” says the man, “I’ll make this nice and quick for ya. Won’t feel a thing!” The man fires another blast, but Spider-Man pulls himself from the car, flipping over it and using it as cover.
“Come on, Herman!” says Spider-Man. “Don’t you have anything better to do than take potshots at me?”
“Well, normally I’d be at work right now,” says Herman as he fidgets with the dials on his gauntlets, “but it turns out someone got the place shut down!” Spider-Man leaps upward onto a wall right as Herman fires a massive blast at the car, causing it to explode.
“Hey! I didn’t know you worked there,” says Spider-Man. “Besides, I did you a favor. You just got on parole. The last thing you needed was your parole officer finding out you were doing guard work for a known pimp!”
“An alleged pimp,” yells Herman, firing another blast at Spider-Man. “And it doesn’t matter anyway! He was the only one who would hire me in this stupid city, and without a job, I’m screwed either way!” Spider-Man dodges several blasts from Herman when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He taps on the earpiece inside his mask.
“Who’s calling, and can I call you back?” asks Spider-Man.
“Peter! Where are you!?” asks the ginger woman.
“Heeeey, Angi,” whispers Spider-Man. “Don’t sweat it. I am on my way as we speak.”
“As Peter or as Spider-Man?” asks Angelica.
“Uhhh. One sec,” says Spider-Man. “Hey, Herman, do you mind if we pick this up later? I got something I gotta take care of.”
“Are you serious!?” says Angelica & Herman in unison.
“You think you can ruin my life and just brush me off like I’m nothing!?” demands Herman.
“No, I didn’t mean it like—” Spider-Man leaps over another blast only to get knocked higher into the air by a second blast. Herman proceeds to juggle Spider-Man in the air.
“No suit,” says Angelica, “that was the deal. I set you up with Betty, and for one night, Spider-Man does not exist. Do you have any idea how much I had to talk her into this?”
“Seriously, can I call you back?” asks Spider-Man, “Besides, you make it sound like I’m not that great of a person,” groaned Spider-Man.
“You’re not,” says Angelica and Herman, again.
“Look, I’m on my way. Ten—” Herman lets Spider-Man faceplant onto the ground. “…fifteen minutes tops. Just tell her I…uh…you know what, users’ choice."
“Who could have seen that coming?” mocks Angelica. “Once again, I have to salvage the remains of your social life.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, shocker, I know,” says Spider-Man.
“What did you just call me?” demands Herman. Spider-Man looks up to see Herman standing over him.
“Oh crap,” says Spider-Man.
\\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\
Angelica winces as Spider-Man screams into the phone before cutting off. She sighs as she regains her composer.
“He’s not coming, is he?” Angelica turns around to see Betty standing behind her.
“No, he’s coming. He just got caught up in work,” says Angelica, “lost track of time.”
“Look, I appreciate what you’re doing for me," says Betty, “but I think I’m gonna call it a night.”
“No, Betty, come on,” says Angelica, “I promise, Peter’s coming, and by the end of the night, you’re gonna be thanking me ten times over for getting you out of that stuffy apartment.”
“He’s that amazing, huh?” asks Betty.
“I wouldn’t say he’s amazing,” says Angelica, “but he has his moments. Plus, would I drag you all the way here for a subpar night?” Betty rolls her eyes. “Exactly! Look, you don’t have to believe in him, but believe in me who believes in him.” Betty snickers, leading the two girls into laughing together.
“Alright, fine,” says Betty, “I guess I can hang out for a few more minutes.”
“Thank you,” says Angelica. “And who knows, Pete might shock the both of us…”
. . . . . . . . . .
(Holy crap, that was close!)
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story! If you have any comments, critiques, or criticisms, please don't be afraid to let me hear 'em (as long as they're constructive (or comical)). Also, if you have some spare time, check out my blog for more stories like the one above. Stay safe, drink plenty of water, and be kind to yourself and others. ToonMan, AWAY!
[No joke, this week rocked me like I owed it money. Still working on week one's story, and for better or worse, it's getting posted before the end of the week. See ya then.]
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bite-of-witchcraft · 2 years ago
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∇ - TOMBSTONE - who they are versus who they appear to be
Monstrous Headcanons
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(Trigger Warning: Violent, Animal Cruelty)
-Crimson Forest, Drustvar Wilderness-
Various flora lay scattered about the large stone disc on the forest floor. Placed meticulously within symbols drawn with soil, some were ground to a powder while others were reduced only to their petals. Four crystals impaled the stone in carved-out holes, secured in their upright position by woven-together branches and wicker. A rabbit skull sat at the center of the stone, surrounded by five unlit candles.
As the moon above approached its zenith Amelia lowered the dark hood and with a shrug of her shoulders, the robe fell to the ground. The night breeze kissed every inch of her nude body as two fingers dipped into a foul-smelling fluid and proceeded to paint lines and ancient runes across her body. Down the arms, legs, and across her bare chest and stomach.
Amelia Spoke in tongues of a language long since forgotten by current civilizations as she worked, the five candles spontaneously igniting with a wave of her hand. The crystals cracked down their centers in unison as the soil-drawn lines began to glow with Drust magic, black and teal energy rising like smoke in the night.
Reaching into the cage at her feet, the witch picked up the black car by the scruff of the neck. Collecting the feline's hind legs together she twisted violently, snapping the neck bone and opening the flesh to let the blood pour into the carved channels within the stone. Chanting another verse in tongues the deceased feline was lifted, letting the anima trickle across her body as she entered the ritual circle.
The earth shook and split open, and an incorporeal being sapped the teal and black energies from the circle as it took form, donning the rabbit's skull as a mask.
Amelia smiled sinisterly as she stared into the empty sockets.
-Fallhaven, Drustvar-
The main street market bustled at midday. Farmers, traveling merchants, and city folk looking for unique items all crowded the center square of Fallhaven. A cacophony of barkers, criers, and children's laughter with parental shouting rivaled that of Boralus' harbor.
Amelia carried a basket in the crook of her elbow, filled with purchased baked goods, herbs, new cutlery, and sewing needles. Buried at the bottom beneath a deep green cloth, her true reason for attending the monthly market, was a silver dagger.
Two small children bumped into the back of her leg, the younger boy falling back onto the ground as the sister helped him up. Amelia turned around with an arched brow and a soft smile.
"Sorry miss!" The younger girl chirped. "Matthias don't always watch where he is goin'."
"Oh, that's quite alright." Amelia cooed, lowering herself to their level to inspect the boy's scraped knee. "Just a bit of friction rash, no broken skin. No worry of infection."
"It—" the boy sniffled, "—hurts like fira on the skin."
"Well ye know wot'll help?" Amelia said with a smile as she watched the children's brows perk. "A few sweets."
She pulled two large chocolate chip cookies from the basket which she had purchased from the local baker's stall. Offering one to each child.
"Oh, wow, thanks lady!" The girl squealed as she eagerly took a bite of the cookie and then proceed to speak with her mouth full. "These are from Gran's bakery! I can tell, only she uses these massive chocolate chunks!"
"Jenny!" The boy swatted his sister's shoulder. "Mum says not to talk with yer mouth full! Yer spraying crumbs!"
With a smile and a tip of his head, the boy collected his sister with a cookie in hand and the two ran off again.
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influencermagazineuk · 27 days ago
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While playing at Co-op Live in Manchester, Sam Fender's performance felt as though it was a personal conversation with each one of the 23,000 people in attendance. With the show's scope so massive, Fender never let himself become humbled out of an approachable presence. As the crowd let out in unison, singing along to his anthemic "whoah-oh-ohs," he bantered back with a flip comment: "Got some singers here, haven't we?" His self-deprecation and effortless charm made the cavernous venue feel like an intimate gathering at a local pub. Fender has gone from playing tiny, intimate venues to packing stadiums. The 30-year-old from North Shields has, in five years, come from being a budding talent to a festival mainstay and a stadium performer. Last night's first of two nights at Co-op Live felt almost like a cozy preview of the bigger world he now occupies. His early career as a barman in Newcastle has no doubt left its mark on his connection with his audience, and his music very often shows the personal strife and victory of his working-class roots. Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons One of the main reasons for his success is how he is able to take something deeply personal and turn it into a universally relatable anthem. Tracks such as "Seventeen Going Under" speak to really hard-hitting issues - the struggles of the benefits system, say - in raw, unflinching honesty. As the lyrics go, "I see my mother/the DWP see a number," he sings in that haunting line expressing frustration with the coldness of the system. His songs are not only about his own life but resonate in so much more people as Fender puts his heart and soul into every performance so his audience could draw their own meaning from his songs. Dead Boys" opens the night with an address to male suicide. Such a heavy subject somehow finds itself as an arena opener, and it shows Fender's skill for making somber themes live in such a way that their weight resonates with the audience. With this in mind, it was now time for everyone to soak up that weight as a crowd and begin the evening ahead. Fender's voice is full of passion and vulnerability; he previewed his next album, People Watching, which will come to the public in the next year. The title track off the album is a powerful anthem of Fender's signature sound. With lines like "somebody's darling's on the street tonight," it paints this stark, vivid image of broken society observed through the eye of a late-night trip home. The track captures the same gritty realism that has always defined Fender's music, taking a sweeping, almost cinematic look at the struggles of modern life. The same goes for "Nostalgia's Lie", which refuses to romanticize the past. The singer sounds, philosophically reflective, "these streets break my heart" while dismissing the comforting illusions of nostalgia. While these tracks displayed Fender's hallmark anthemic style, the set also had its quieter moments. Songs like "Wild Long Lie" and "Arm's Length" were much more introverted, but with the kind of soundscapes that would evoke the likes of The War on Drugs or fellow Geordie, Mark Knopfler. New addition to the band, Brooke Bentham, whom Fender has known since their busking days as teenagers, adds a new dimension to the live show. Bentham's vocals and guitar work brought a feminine feel to the group, balancing out Fender's passionate, gritty delivery. With night growing on, the setlist reached back to Fender's deep catalogue of work, including hits such as "Howdon Aldi Death Queue," with its punk-attack punch and the contemplative "Spit of You." One more that stands out is the incisive, pointed political commentary of "Hypersonic Missiles," capturing what may very well be the greatest characteristic in Fender's work, the ability to mesh the personal with the sociopolitical in a manner so relevant to his fans. Throughout the performance, Fender's minimal stage banter only seemed to add to his appeal. His emotional voice proved to blend so perfectly with the reserved undercurrent of his presence and create a magnetic atmosphere where the fans were engaged. The powerful sing-alongs that punctuated the night were a testament to the connection between the artist and his fans. The whole crowd seemed united by the catharsis of music, none more than at the chorus of "Seventeen Going Under" - an anthem for day-to-day struggles. It's that song that captures both heartbreak and resilience of ordinary life - and it was clear that the performance meant as much to the audience as it did to Fender. There was more to Sam Fender's shows than just being concerts-they were an emotional experience. He delivers the songs so passionately and truthfully that his fan base grows exponentially as does the loyalty. Co-op Live was the best demonstration of why he has become one of the biggest influencers in today's music world. Whether personal or societal, Fender speaks about his issues rawly and on a level that hits the bone. The fans feel his music, which he feeds off, in their bones, and he, through them, creates a great and very symbiotic connection. The performances are approaching, and for sure, he is not nearly done with his journey - there is the O2 performance in London. His upcoming album promises more of the poignant storytelling and cathartic soundscapes that have become his trademark. With each performance, he proves that, no matter the size of the venue, the music always comes first, and it's this honesty and passion that will continue to carry him to even greater heights. 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saratogaroadwrites · 1 year ago
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For King and Country (100/122)
For King and Country | saratogaroad rating: T total wordcount:  280,466 characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Batu, Tani, Lofty, Leander Aristidies, Bracken Meadows relationships: Roland Crane & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Aranella & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane & Aranella, Batu & Tani, Batu & Evan, Tani & Evan, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum & Lofty, Rolander other tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Mother-Son Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Place Slowly Becomes Home People Slowly Become Family, Found Family, For Want of A Nail warnings: none
Pulled from his world by mysterious powers, former president Roland Crane finds himself caught in the middle of a coup meant to take the life of the young King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum. Joining forces with Aranella, the pair of them set out to aid Evan in making his dream of a kingdom where everyone can live happily ever after a reality.
But the road to peace is a long and treacherous one and there is no promise of success in a world where darkness spreads ever thicker with each passing day. If they are to stand a chance, they must stand together, for king and for country.
(A retelling.)
=
Dell had changed.
In the first few moments of dawn’s gray light, Evan took in the city that had once been his home. The cobblestone back roads and familiar houses and shops had been buried under more than a little snow as the storm had blown through, but even that cover couldn’t take away the sensation of wrong that hung over the city like a pall. He frowned, clutching at his chest with his free hand. Still clutching at his other hand, Tani shuddered.
“Does anybody else feel that?” She asked, peering out from under the archway that separated Kingsway from back road. “Like there’s something really heavy in this air?”
“I can feel it,” Evan said softly. He took a deep breath of cloyingly sweet air, already sour stomach churning. He looked up, half expecting to see some massive dark cloud hanging over their heads, but the only clouds up there were snow clouds. An ear twitched against the inside of his hood. “I think it’s the Darkness.”
“It is.” Leander and Nella confirmed in near perfect unison. They shared a glance, and a grimace. Leander adjusted his glasses and added, “A very thick Darkness. I doubt that Doloran could be the only cause of this.”
“Pah.” Batu sniffled, “Course he ain’t. Not with that rat king hangin’ about. We oughta—”
A distant sound caught Evan’s ears. They pricked forward, trying to trace it, but Batu’s voice was too loud. He turned, opening his mouth.
“Oi!” Lofty hissed before Evan could speak, no doubt reading his intention, “Pipe down, would you? Somethin’s goin’ on.”
The group went silent. As their voices died away, Evan was able to separate their breathing from the murmur within the city. It was distant, quiet, and could have easily been mistaken for the wind except the wind had also gone still. It wasn’t water; even the river beneath the bridge had to be mostly frozen by now. It was…people?
Oh. Public execution. His stomach churned and he tightened his grip on Tani’s hand.
“It’s a crowd,” He said, lifting his head. Now was not the time to curl up into a ball and cry, no matter how he wanted to. “I..think it’s the public part of the execution.”
“It likely is,” Nella agreed, looking at him sympathetically. “I wouldn’t doubt Mausinger having the soldiers rouse everyone to make a spectacle of this. They’re most likely in the plaza by now.”
“Then we’d better hurry,” Bracken said, eying the slowly lightening sky. “Dawn’s not that far off.”
So hurry they did; Batu and Nella took the lead, darting through the back roads. Evan didn’t stop to think as they ran through snow covered streets, the Higgledies struggling in the tracks they left behind. He didn’t think about how much his old home had changed, or about how cold the place felt in his heart. He didn’t stop to think about what would happen if they couldn’t stop this in time.
He couldn’t let himself go down that road. Not yet. Not while they still had a chance.
Lofty, bouncing alongside him, poured comfort through their bond. He drew strength from that, and from Tani’s hand in his, but even those two couldn’t entirely hold back the chill of fear that was threatening to swallow him whole. Up ahead, Nella leapt back as Batu rounded the corner, grabbing a mouse soldier in both beefy arms and pulling him into the alley. Evan felt a twinge of guilt as the poor soldier didn’t even have time to shout before he was out, knocked clean into unconsciousness by a blow to his head. Batu set him gently down, leaving Nella to peer around the corner.
To Evan, her hiss was as loud as thunder.
“N-Nella?”
She shook her head, gesturing them forward. Her hand skimmed across his shoulder as she pointed into the plaza.
“Oh, Gods,” Leander choked, sounding as if he were about to be ill.
Evan couldn’t blame him. He had to swallow back his own ill feeling, blood running cold as he processed the sight in front of them. It seemed as if all the citizens of Dell had gathered in the Plaza just ahead. None of them looked happy; clumps of Mousekind and Humanfolk huddled together, bundled against the cold and warily watching the soldiers that patrolled the roads nearby. Parents held children close, hands over their ears. Friends and lovers held hands, hiding faces in shoulders. None of them cast more than passing glances towards the castle, too busy trying to keep calm. Some, he saw, had faces streaked with tears. They were scared.
They didn’t want this. These people…they had to be aware of why they had been gathered, and none of them wanted it either. He looked up to Nella.
“We have to get into the crowd,” He said, “Get to the front and get these people back before they bring Roland out. We need the room.”
“Yeah, but where can they go?” Bracken piped up, peering over Nella’s shoulder. “There’s soldiers everywhere…”
“We’ll have to take them out,” Nella said. She looked at the sky, then back at Evan. “You and Tani stay here. We’ll take care of the soldiers. Once they’re out, we can get the civilians to leave and take it from there.”
Evan didn’t really like it, but there was no time for a better plan. Swallowing back his trepidation, he nodded once. It was all the answer they needed. With one last pat to Evan’s shoulder, Nella headed out first, turning a corner between two emptied shops. The other three adults followed in her lead, Batu’s normally thundering footsteps oddly quiet amidst all the snow. Soon, even those faded out of Evan’s hearing. He sighed a cloud of steam, watching the crowd.
“The flip’s ol’ ratface waitin’ for?” Lofty muttered, pacing back and forth between the two of them, “Got a crowd an’ the sun’s already halfway up!”
“Don’t jinx us, you,” Tani shot at him. “Maybe he changed his mind or something!”
“I don’t think so,” Evan shook his head slowly. “Mausinger was always very stubborn. Once he had decided on something, he would always see it through. He won’t change his mind unless he’s forced to.”
It was going to come down to a fight, wasn’t it? He had wanted so badly to avoid this, to not have to fight someone he had once seen as family, but…there was no choice anymore. He had waited too long, made the wrong calls, and now…
This was his fault. He had to fix it.
“Told you we shoulda just clobbered ‘im,” Lofty muttered, but his words were without heat. Evan opened his mouth, stopping as a sound caught his attention. It wasn’t the soft yelp of a guard being pulled away, or a voice, it was something creakier, metallic. Metal cringing in the cold.
He knew that sound. Door hinges. Large ones.
“The castle door just opened,” He said, taking a sharp breath. Someone was coming out. He peered around the corner; there were fewer soldiers now, but he could still see some patrolling the streets. There was no sign of Nella or the others yet. He turned to Tani. “I need to get into the crowd. I have to try and stop this!”
Tani searched his face for a long second, then shook her head.
“Not on your own, you won’t. Come on.” She peered around the corner. “Keep your hood up and—now!”
Honed by weeks of fighting side by side, he knew what she meant for him to do without explanation. Lofty bounced onto his shoulder before the pair of them bounded across the road, slipping between the skirts of a Mouse-matron and the coattails of a humanfolk at the edge of the crowd. Bodies shifted out of the way as they kept their heads down. Evan’s ears twitched wildly as a murmur began in the crowd.
“My dearly beloved citizens!” Mausinger’s voice brought them both up short, hidden behind yet more skirts. He didn’t dare look up; they weren’t at the front of the crowd yet. Neither could risk being spotted. “For days, a threat has walked among us all. A specter in the night, holding a blade to the throats of us all.”
Evan grit his teeth, slipping after Tani. A human man stepped out of the way with a grumble.
“This threat was sent to our doorstep by the tyrant, Tildrum! He has made attempts on the lives of many of your fellow mousekind, and on the crown itself!”
A gasp rang through the crowd. Tani had to skitter back, crashing into Evan’s chest as one of the noble-mice at the front stepped back with a near shriek. Evan looked around wildly. There had to be a way to get to the front!
“There is no need to fear,” Mausinger went on, “For he has been brought to heel, and now, he faces the justice he and his ilk so richly deserve.”
Over the mutter and murmur of the crowd, Evan could just hear a grunt and the sound of flesh impacting stone. His heart raced even harder, thumping against his ribs as his imagination sent horrible images skittering across his mind’s eye. He knew that voice. He looked up, seeing the backs of another dozen mice. They were almost there!
“This criminal has been found guilty of espionage! Guilty of assault against soldiers of the crown! Guilty of treason against the crown itself!” Mausinger paused to draw breath and then, “The sentence is death!”
The sound of metal sliding against a scabbard sent the crowd back another step, fearful for the own lives. In that same instant, Evan saw an opening between two portly mice nobles, and through that opening, to half of the plaza nearest the castle bridge. Three more guards stood watch, wickedly sharp halberds in hand, over a man on his knees.
Roland, ashen and exhausted, his hands clapped in irons in front of him, was kneeling in the snow with his head held high, his only half focused eyes full of a steely resolve. He had to have been terrified, but it didn’t show on his face.
Evan’s heart stopped its racing beat. The world itself seemed to stop for just a few moments, everything hanging suspended in that one, crystalline second. Mausinger, a pace or two away from Roland, had drawn his blade. Judge and jury and executioner, he lifted the blade at such an angle that one strong swing would cleave Roland’s head from his neck. Roland had no way to defend himself from such an attack; if he moved, the guards would be on him. He had no weapon, no shield, no chance of getting away.
Evan’s heart thumped back to life, racing once more. The world spun back up. The crowd started to scream, people begging Mausinger not to do it, to show mercy, to be better than Tildrum would have been. At his side, Tani elbowed her way wildly through a knot of Nobles who were stumbling back; her hand slipped from Evan’s and he threw himself forward. Lofty, unprepared, fell back into the crowd with a cry, lost to the rush. Two shrieking nobles stumbled backwards, dragging Evan back with them even as he managed to get between them. They were in his way and he couldn’t get through them fast enough!
He looked up in time to see Roland lift his head to greet the rising sun, his face peaceful. If he was going to die, that expression said, it would be with dignity. One last look at the sunrise was the best he could do.
He saw Evan instead.
Evan saw the panic flare to life on that familiar face. His eyes went wide, his skin somehow going even paler. He shook his head once, mouth soundlessly forming a no as he tried to get to his feet, tried to get off his shaking knees, but the guard that was standing nearest to him reached out and shoved him back down, holding him down despite his struggles. Roland tried to jerk free, but it was no use. Mausinger, either ignoring or heedless of the sudden shift in the air, closed the gap between them. His blade gleamed as he lifted it for the final swing.
In that instant, Evan was sure he had no way to get close enough in time. The mice were too thick, too terrified, too close together. He strained, pushing and shoving, but he couldn’t get through. He had no way to make it in time. No one, not even the Higgledies, was close enough to help.
He wasn’t going to make it. He was going to watch Roland die.
Roland knew it, too. He locked eyes with Evan, apologetic and panicked and so, so very scared. He tried to smile, mouthing something that Evan couldn’t see due to the tears flooding his eyes.
He was going to watch his father die. The thought struck with such clarity that his knees nearly gave out beneath him. He would have fallen if it hadn’t been for his grip on the skirts of the mice closest to him.
This couldn’t happen. Not again!
No. No! No, he wouldn’t let this happen!
“STOP!”
His yowl, the loudest noise he’d ever heard himself make, bounced off shops and houses. Everything stopped for just a second, and then motion. The mice and humans startled back, staring at him. He almost dropped as the two nobles blocking his view backed away in a great big rush, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. There was a kerfuffle behind him, and then Tani was at his back, spear gleaming in the watery sunlight as she brandished it to keep everyone back. Lofty, grumbling angrily, jumped up to his shoulder.
Evan didn’t dare take his eyes off of Mausinger, who had his sword so close to Roland’s neck that a single drop of blood welled up, rolling to drip down the tip of the blade. The mouse-king was staring at him with wide eyes that quickly flooded with rage, and hatred. Evan clenched his fists, holding his ground.
“Let him go, King Mausinger!” He called past the stunned guards. “Your quarrel is with me, not my father!”
A gasp went up through the crowd, but it didn’t matter. None of them mattered now.
“Father?” Mausinger scoffed. His sword rattled in his hand. “So, you would turn even on your own flesh and blood, replace even Leonhard himself?” He pulled the sword from Roland’s neck, taking one, stalking step towards Evan. Evan shifted his weight. “How very like you, Tildrum. You are a betrayer, just like every other member of your accursed line!”
“Mausinger!” Roland shouted, “Touch him and I swear I’ll—”
Whatever Roland’s threat would have been, no one heard it. One of the guards hit him in the side of the head with a gauntleted fist, sending him crashing to the ground. Tani shouted in alarm. Evan’s heart lurched.
“Roland!” He cried out, then jerked around and stared Mausinger down. The mad king was closer now; Evan reached for Lofty’s offered power and his arms band at the same time. “Mausinger, stop this! I didn’t come here to fight you—I don’t want to fight you! Just let him go—this doesn’t have to end in bloodshed!”
“Pah!” Mausinger scoffed, eyes wild. Flames licked down the flat of his blade, startling the crowd into scattering. Someone, multiple someones, called his name from within the stampeding chaos. Evan didn’t dare turn back to search for them. “You would dare speak to me of bloodshed? Have you any idea how much blood your people have caused mine to shed? How many of mine have died because of your accursed line?!” He was shrieking now. Evan grit his teeth and held his ground. “What is the life of one man worth after all of that?!”
“Every life has worth!” Evan retorted firmly. “It doesn’t matter who or what they are—each life is precious!” Baring his teeth he shouted back, “And I’m not going to let you take his!”
“I could not agree more.”
Without warning, Darkness exploded across the plaza. Any citizens reckless enough to have stayed during the yelling finally turned tail and fled, running for whatever cover they could find as the shadows seemed to come alive. Goos and Skeleplasms melted out of the ground, heading for any soldier unlucky enough to be nearby, and there, between Roland and Mausinger—
Doloran.
Evan knew what he was here for, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Seizing his chance he turned on his heel and bolted for Roland. Across the plaza, Leander and Batu popped out of the crowd and were rushing towards him as well. By virtue of their longer legs, they got there first.
“On yer feet, lad!” Batu reached down, hauling Roland to his stockinged feet, “Can ye run?!”
“We can’t—” Roland shook his head; there was a red mark on his temple from where he had been struck, and he swayed forward. He would have fallen if not for Leander catching him first; Evan’s stomach flipped. This wasn’t good. “Doloran’s going to—”
“Leave ‘im, Rolly-boy!” Lofty yelled from Evan’s shoulder, “We gotta go!”
“Go where?!” Tani practically appeared at Evan’s side, spear dripping the remnants of Goo onto the stone. She gestured back the way they had come. “The crowd’s all tangled up that way! We’re stuck!”
“Not yet—” Evan leaned back on his heels, searching the crowd. This city had been his home for years. He knew where to go. “We’ll go to the Well and find another way out—come on!”
Snatching Tani’s free hand, he took off at a run. Behind him Roland let out a startled protest. Evan looked over his shoulder to see that Batu had slung him across his back like a sack of potatoes, quickly leaving Mausinger and Doloran in their wake. Soldiers lay scattered across the plaza, having no doubt been sent flying by Doloran’s magic, and it was obvious that Mausinger was on the losing end of the battle.
Still, he was trying. His swings were wild, his eyes wide and desperate. Whether out of fear for his own life or anger, he was fighting back with all he had.
It wasn’t enough. Doloran was easily fending off every one of his swings, and it was obvious that he was just toying with Mausinger, just waiting for him to summon Oakenhart.
Evan slowed down. He knew how this would end. Mausinger would summon Oakenhart and Doloran would snatch at the Kingsbond. Oakenhart, enraged and in agony, would attack the city. The people would suffer needlessly for the fault of their King.
Losing his Kingsbond is what Mausinger deserves, Evan thought viciously, and yet.
Was it what the Dellians deserved?
No. It wasn’t.
Gritting his teeth he slid to a halt, his hand slipping from Tani’s as she ran a few more paces before she realized he had pulled free. She turned on her heel, eyes wide.
“Evan!”
“Keep going!” He called back to her, calling his wand from his arms band. Already knowing what he was up to, Lofty poured his magic across the Bond. Evan’s cape and hair began to lift at the sheer power swirling around them. He just needed to distract Doloran. That was all. Maybe it would be for nothing, but he had to try.
With a shout, he let loose a tremendous fireball. It seared across the plaza, taking out an unlucky pair of Goos as it went. Evan watched as Mausinger caught sight of it, his eyes going even wider. With a shriek the mouse-king threw himself aside. Doloran whirled around, disappearing in a wash of shadow.
The fireball exploded against stone, showering anyone unlucky enough to be close in embers and shattered brick. He waited long enough to be sure that Mausinger was alive, watching for only a second to be sure he could get up, then turned on his heel and ran for the Well. Nella, waiting at the stairs, grabbed his hand.
“Quickly,” she said, “down here!”
Together once more, the group slipped into the shadows of Ding Dong Well.
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scintillasofbeomgyu · 4 years ago
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➷ a star called you — chapter 6: “dear sputnik”
pairing: choi beomgyu x reader. genre(s): fluff, band txt, college au, smau (this chapter is semi). wc: 889. warning(s): none. an: last photo is suhyeon's pov !!
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[01:01 pm] — haewon ushers you and suhyeon into the bleachers, where they had miraculously managed to find three empty seats amidst what they believed to be no less than 80% of the student body. heart thumping harshly against your chest, excitement practically pumping through your veins, you take your seat between haewon and suhyeon and clasp your hands together.
“this is insane, they make an announcement less than two hours before they perform and there are people here i haven't even seen before,” suhyeon snorts, glancing around where they sit.
your eyes travel to the centre of the stadium, where on the soft patch of grass that is the soccer field, instruments, a band stand and massive speakers are set up. you giggle at the sight of taehyun shoving kai playfully as they adjust their ear pieces. soobin and yeonjun are messing around too; you giggle once more when yeonjun grabs onto soobin's nose and wriggles it around aggressively.
spotting a mop of dark brown hair tuning a guitar, you gulp and your heart stops. his back is turned towards you, but before you could get a better look yeonjun's voice rings through the speakers, “seoul national university! are you ready?!”
hundreds of voices, including yours, scream a sea of cheers in response. you find yourself wondering what they will play today; not that it would matter much. semester stress and the fear of possibly flunked tests have long been tossed out the window. a completely different kind of anxiousness had now taken over you as you watch the boys take to their positions.
beomgyu's fingers strike the chords of his guitar, sending shockwaves which seem to rattle the ground and the stadium resting upon it, and the crowd falls silent. then come their voices in magnificent unison, a small group of five, echoing off the space existing between them and the crowd before kai and yeonjun come with the first verse.
they're singing "dear sputnik", a song kai had written for your show with the same name. a song about feeling lost and in despair before finding that one person, your sputnik, with whom to share the journey of the vast unknown galaxy. you hoped to be that presence for people who felt like they had no one, for you knew all to well what it was like to feel utterly alone – even when you weren't.
a smile curls onto your lips as you join the crowd in standing, pulling suhyeon and haewon up with you as you did. “i can't believe we got this lucky!” you attempt to speak over the screams and chorus, haewon offers an enamored grin and ruffles your hair before turning back to the performance.
suhyeon looks to you, then back down to the field where the boys putting on a powerhouse performance; charisma shining in their every fibre. “you're right...” they say, their eyes fixed on taehyun.
you feel your heart race once more as they get closer to the bridge, knowing beomgyu's about to take centre-stage. you take in the way he moves around the stage, a breath-taking smile spread across his face flashing his pearly-white teeth to the audience. the ends of his long, nearly-black hair are damp as they fall across his face, and even as they fall into his eyes, he looks ethereal.
he steps up to the microphone with taehyun, flicking his hair to the back, skin glistening and glittering under the noon light, his eyes glazed over with adrenaline search the bleachers. just before he sings, his eyes lock with yours and your breath hitches. your fingers clench into your shirt as time seems to slow down before stopping completely.
“in a crumbling world,
i found a star called you,
i need you, my love ”
his eyes left yours not once as his voice, like bittersweet honey straight from the dipper, trickles through every inch of your being and fills you up with each and every raw emotion it carries. haewon and suhyeon place a hand on either of your shoulders and your're pulled out of your reverie.
“are you breathing?” haewon asks with an amused look in their eyes, though you can just about hear them over the chorusing stadium. when you only blink in response, haewon chuckles before scrunching up their nose, “you're so in love with him it's gross.”
you glance back to the boys as they finish off their performance, and beomgyu's fingers dance across his guitar a final time before they all run down to taehyun in the centre and fall into a bow. had you imagined it?
the crowd roars for the last time, high pitched screams coming at the boys from every direction. as they pick themselves up, beomgyu's eyes find you in the crowd again. a warmth spreads in his chest and he finds himself smiling softly, completely unbeknownst to you, who is excitedly recounting the performance with your friends, deep shades of red tinting the apples of your cheeks.
an arm wraps around beomgyu's shoulders before loosely draping across them. he finds taehyun throwing him a thumbs up while the others jog toward them excitedly.
“you think it's a mission accomplished?” yeonjun asks, catching his breath before following beomgyu's gaze to the group of friends still sitting in the bleachers.
beomgyu grins, nodding his head fervently, “they're smiling.”
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keewriting · 3 years ago
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Cove x MC - One Shot #5 (request)
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[Read on google docs to insert your MC's name]
You blinked your eyes open and adjusted to the blearly blue scenery. Your eyes stung, but weeks of practice made the pain bearable. A fish the size of your head swam past you swiftly. You recognized it as Gerald, the parrotfish that you became well acquainted with these past few weeks. Your coworkers helped you come up with the name after realizing how attached he was to the divers. He had a rough scar across his forehead that helped distinguish him from the other fish.
Gerald was one of many fish that lived in the mermaid performance tank. A dimly lit room with space for 60 audience members held the massive circular tank. Cove Holden would stand among those 60 people during the show this afternoon. His presence in the audience induced a mixture of nerves and excitement within you. Three years ago you admitted your feelings to each other but there was still an air of uncertain awkwardness between you two. Despite that, you invited Cove to watch your first live performance today.
You looked at the waterproof stopwatch on your wrist. One minutes and 37 seconds. Your breath-holding record was almost five minutes. Growing up by the ocean gave you years of experience underwater, but the divers at the aquarium taught you techniques to extend your lung capacity. It was enough time to last through the entire four-minute performance.
You swam around the tank, propelled by your finned feet. The tank decorations made it feel like you were exploring the ocean floor. Schools of bright tropical fish populated the coral structures. A variety of colorful aquatic plants shot up from the sand. The previous part-time job you had couldn’t compare to this one. You felt at peace in the water, and more connected to Cove, who you still suspected was a real mermaid.
The pressure in your head increased and you knew it was time to surface for a breath. You checked the stopwatch as you ascended. Four minutes and 49 seconds. A new record. The air filled your lungs desperately when you broke the surface. You had plenty of time to continue practicing before the performance in four hours.
Four hours later
The chatter of a crowd filling the room triggered your nerves. The secret entrance to the mermaid tank hovered above the auditorium out of the audience’s sight. You stood between your two fellow mermaids, gripping the railing to maintain balance on finned feet. You took a deep breath and focused on the ethereal notes of the ocean lullaby.
The show’s director held up a hand to count down from three. Two. One. You followed the lead mermaid into the tank with a graceful dive. The splash of the third diver behind you was your cue to open your eyes. Once again, your sight adjusted underwater. You thrust downward with your fin and pulled up into a full loop. The guidelines for your performance were lax— as long as you executed the main tricks the show would be a success.
Finding Cove in the audience became your first goal. The visibility was low in the tank, but you couldn’t miss his seafoam green locks. He was also the tallest figure standing among a sea of small children. You swam towards his side of the tank, flapping your tail teasingly. As you drew nearer, the features on his face became discernable. The refracting light from the tank reflected beautifully on his ocean eyes. He stared at you adoringly, his mouth hung open.
You winked at him and swam swiftly to the center of the tank to avoid lingering in one spot. One of your mermaid companions held out her hands to you. In unison you held each other’s hands and pressed forward. Your faces met inches apart. She smiled at you sweetly as her long mane drifted around you. The intimacy made you blush, but your mind still drifted to Cove. You both pushed apart from each other into a smooth underwater backflip.
You swam a lap around the tank, waving to everyone in the crowd. The glowing amazement on the children’s faces filled you with warmth. Your pace slowed as you approached Cove. He stepped forward and pressed his hands against the glass. His red cheeks were unmistakable and he looked as captivated as the children on either side of him.
You thrust yourself backwards with your arms pointed above your head. Your core tightened as you performed the drill spin. The spiralling motion made you dizzy, but you recovered and stabilized. You couldn’t resist stealing another glance at Cove. His smile was wide, the childlike wonder apparent in his expression.
The final act on your list was the beloved mermaid kiss. You steadied yourself in front of Cove with your arms outstretched. His eyes widened and he moved his face closer, nose nearly touching the glass. You placed your palms on either side of your mouth and moved them into the shape of a heart while blowing air outward. The burst of bubbles formed into a heart that traveled to the glass in front of Cove. You could hear the faint sound of children squealing, but your eyes focused on Cove’s reaction. His blush deepened and he beamed at you.
Cove's expression sent butterflies to your stomach. His admiration was addicting, but the pressure felt unbearable. Your lungs needed air. You gave one final wave to the crowd and swam upwards to the dock. Your mermaid companions followed suit. The diving assistants helped the mermaids out of the water and into the locker rooms. Too focused on breathing, you all remained silent.
Your mind was racing with thoughts on how you performed and Cove’s perception of you as a mermaid. Earlier this morning you asked him to meet you outside the employee locker rooms after the show. You couldn't wait to hear his thoughts.
After the assistants helped you out of the tail you toweled off and changed into casual clothes. Your hair was still damp, but meeting with Cove was more important than looking presentable.
You bounded out of the locker room offering a quick farewell to your coworkers. The hallway stretched onward with no sign of Cove. You walked forward, hoping that he didn’t forget your plan to meet. As you turned the corner, an out of breath Cove halted in front of you.
Cove: Y/N!
You jumped backward, startled by his enthusiasm.
Cove: Oh my God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.
Y/N: It’s okay! I thought you forgot…
Your eyes lowered from Cove’s face to his hands. He was holding a colorful faux coral figurine and a dolphin balloon. You met his gaze again, one eyebrow raised quizzically. He sighed and offered the treasures to you.
Cove: People usually give bouquets of flowers after a performance, but the gift shop didn’t have any.
You didn’t speak, stunned by his thoughtfulness, but accepted the gifts. Your heart was pounding. Cove continued nervously.
Cove: I know coral isn’t a flower, or even a plant, but it’s pretty, and your performance was pretty. It made sense in my head. I hope it’s not stupid.
You wanted Cove to continue rambling, but he stopped and waited for your reaction. He clenched his fists at his sides. You couldn’t hold back a smile any longer. Relief washed over Cove’s reddened face.
Y/N: You’re seriously cute. Thank you for this.
Cove: It’s nothing, really.
His eyes darted away from you. With the coral in one hand and balloon in the other, you wrapped your arms around Cove. He gasped, but wiggled his arms out from your embrace and returned the hug. You nuzzled your face into his comforting chest. Your damp hair soaked into his t-shirt. When you pulled away you grimaced apologetically at the wet spot.
Y/N: Sorry about that.
Cove: No worries, a hug from a mermaid is always welcome.
He spoke with a hint of flirtation in his voice. You appreciated that Cove was trying.
Y/N: Soooo, what did you think? Spare no details.
Cove: Uh— I think I’ll spare some details.
He looked surprised by his own words, but continued speaking.
Cove: Anyway, I enjoyed it. The tank looked awesome, and the music was nice.
You stared intently at Cove, waiting for him to mention you specifically.
Cove: I thought Gerald did a great job. He almost stole the show.
That got a booming laugh from you. You told many stories to Cove about Gerald the fish and how he lingered near you during practice.
Y/N: I’m impressed you recognized him. Almost stole the show, you say?
You raised your eyebrows at Cove, who appeared like a deer in headlights.
Cove: It was hard to keep my eyes off you.
Cove paused, forming his next sentence carefully.
Cove: Your movement was fluid and mesmerizing, like a real mermaid.
You chuckled abruptly.
Y/N: A real mermaid? You mean like you?
Cove rolled his eyes and crossed his arms conclusively, not willing to speak anymore. You weren’t letting him off the hook this easily.
Y/N: I’d like to hear more of your thoughts. What was your favorite part?
Cove: Oh, hm.
He tapped his finger on his chin, pretending to think hard about the question. His words were a soft mumble.
Cove: The bubble kiss…
Y/N: Speak louder, Cove.
Cove huffed and hugged his arms around his body tighter.
Cove: I know you heard me, Y/N.
He groaned and hung his head. You stepped closer to him, the tips of your feet touching his. You whispered.
Y/N: Did you like seeing me as a mermaid?
Cove’s radiant eyes snapped upward. You stared into them intensely. Cove powered through your scrutiny.
Cove: Of course I did!
You burst out laughing.
Y/N: I tease you too much, don't I?
Cove: Uh-huh…
You squinted at him and stuck out your tongue.
Y/N: Or maybe not enough.
Cove: Is the interrogation finished?
You feigned indignation with an exaggerated scoff.
Y/N: Well if that’s how you see it!
You grinned mischievously and bopped his nose with your finger before stepping backward.
Y/N: If you’re lucky you might get another mermaid kiss someday.
Cove bit his lip, unable to hide that he wasn't unphased by your words.
Cove: I am proud of you. I know how hard you’ve been working.
Your expression softened.
Y/N: I appreciate that, Cove.
A wave of bashfulness consumed you for a moment. Cove’s sincerity wasn’t unusual, but it felt different this time.
Y/N: I’m glad you came to watch. Even though you were kind of a distraction.
Cove looked appalled.
Cove: What?
Y/N: To be honest, it was also hard for me to look away from you.
Cove: I wasn’t doing anything, Y/N.
Y/N: You don’t have to do anything to be a distraction.
Cove was silently pensive. You decided to be explicit for the sake of his brain.
Y/N: I like you, Cove.
His mouth fell open. You refused to believe that this was a shock to him
Y/N: But you already knew that.
Cove: You— agh. Can I take you somewhere for dinner?
The subject change caught you off guard, but you didn’t want to push Cove.
Y/N: Yes.
You hooked your arm into his.
Y/N: Lead the way, landlubber!
Cove chuckled and walked with you out of the aquarium. You felt proud of your performance, and thrilled about Cove's reaction. It was fitting that the way to his heart was through a mythical sea creature. You hoped Cove would be willing to continue the conversation about your feelings during dinner.
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bloodycassian · 3 years ago
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 Cauldron Damned. 
Reader x Cassian + Feyre BFF
Prompt -  bestie bestie bestie a cassian x reader fic where reader helps feyre with the cauldron - not rhys and she ya know  like rhys did and cassian basically breaks down and it’s super angsty but rhys lives so the reader gets to aswell ig tag @ bellefleurs and @ eerievixen
Her hair was a mess and painted to her neck with sweat but you still held her. Still gave and gave, until you were out of breath. Until you could feel yourself slipping. "Keep going.... You're doing so good." You panted out, trying to put a smile in your tone. She was the Mother herself, forging that cursed Cauldron back together.  Rhys was breathing heavily behind you after being knocked out by Lucien. You had given the Autumn court son a look and he had known what you needed him to do. Rhys would be snarling mad when he woke, but you knew what you had to do. To save your home, to save the entire world. Feyre was ready to risk it all, fearless and full of hope. You had to save that hope for your Court. Better you than her, better the high lady and lord survive than just an officer. You smiled at the thought of what you'd told Cassian before this final battle. Before you knew it would turn into saving the entire world from the Cauldron's vengeance.  "You better make damn sure my memorial statue looks fantastic. No priestess, though. Make sure it makes my wings stand out." You joked on the flight to the base camp. Cassian danced around death like he was it's balancing point. Like he was in tune with each and every death or life dealt. He laughed at your abruptness on the subject.  After months of skittering around each other, of trying not to stare too long or acknowledge that pull you felt towards him... It was nice to finally be alone. To let that tension ease out with a few jokes. It was too easy to be with him, like you'd known him much longer in the year of preparation for this battle.  "And you better make sure my wings are bigger than yours on that sculpture." He banked around a large cliffside and you followed, like a magnet. Like you could read his mind, you turned when he did. He rose with you, compensating for the cool mountain wind.  You rolled your eyes dramatically, flapping a bit higher than him for emphasis as you drawled out "Poor War General, his wing size matters so much to him." He shrugged, circling lower and lower with you until you were on the ground together amid a clearing. The grass was soft, covered in early morning dew. "Some say wing size dosen't matter, you know." You said with a wink, making him double over with laughter. It made you begin laughing too when he started running out of breath.  Once you had both collected yourselves, You began building a fire together. Rather, a massive bonfire that was to act as the signal to the army for where to move. His face was grim when he threw the last of the logs together. You understood why. "The Kings army will be here before us." You said, voice low. He only nodded. You kneeled in the wet grass, one knee down the other one supporting your wrist bracer. He followed you silently.  You spoke in unison, the ancient words from all the Illyrian warriors before you: "Name me God of Death today. Let us bring that name to those who do us wrong." + Feyre muttered something you couldn't hear. The darkness crept further in on you. You could see some light between your blurred vision. You could see how her hands lit up the cracks in the ancient stonework. You could feel her practically vibrating with the strain.  Your tears dribbled on to her shoulder, knowing these would be your final moments with her. Your final moments in this world. There was no better way you'd spend it than saving her. Spending those last few minutes being able to tell her how amazing she was. You felt her smile when you leaned your head against hers. Your heart ached. You whispered what you hoped were encouraging words in her ear. A rupture of sound- a crack fully mended -and your chest filled with blooming pride at your friend.  There was something crackling, ripping. You weren't sure if it was inside you or if it was the magic Feyre was performing. There was a gasp behind you and rustling, but you dared not take your concentration away from her. Away from how she leaned back into you. Dared not speak a word to distract her other than giving her those little jabs of confidence when she started to shake.  "You got it, Feyre. You can do this." You managed, before that caving feeling in your chest seemed to give in. You were breaking, you knew that much. But she wasn't done yet. Your breath leaked out from you, like you were being squeezed.  "Make it all worth it, Feyre." You managed to whisper out before you could no longer hold yourself up anymore. You laid back, your legs wrapped around her, mirroring her own. You hooked a foot on top of hers and gave her what you could from where you crumpled.  Death was easy, slow. Like a soft lullaby taking you away. You knew what lay before your body, and only hoped you were enough to get Feyre to where she could mend the rest on her own. You gave her all of your soul, all your being. She had to make it. You let the wave of that soft lullaby take you under.  + Cassian didnt think before shoving his way through the crowd into the tent. Didnt consider what he might find there, and how his heart may be ripped from him at the sight of it. The death that crept at that tent was a feeling he wouldnt forget in a thousand lifetimes.  His best friends lying unconscious on the floor before the cauldron. He went numb, still like a cold glacier. Lucien frantically shook Rhys, attempting to wake him. Cassian's head roared and he was falling to his knees at your side. He took your head in his lap, gently. As if he could still hurt you. He didn't notice he was crying until he saw the fat teardrops on your cheek. He wiped them away, leaving dirt smeared there. Another yell of anguish, and Rhys was coming to. From the sound of the yelling or from Lucien shaking him.  Azriel entered the tent then, solemn. Then his eyes widened. Those shadows darted around the room, taking each member of the court into account. The shadowmaster rushed to Feyre, checking her pulse and sighing. He noted the way your leg tangled around hers. His heart gave a painful squeeze. He saw both his brothers in agony. And he swore on his life there would be no place for the cauldron to be found again. Cassian cradled his mate's head in his lap, rocking gently. Rhys' dark power cracked the sky outside the tent once he was conscious.  Rhys rushed to Feyre, scooping her in his arms. He brushed her hair back from her face. Azriel could practically hear the mental screaming coming from both of them. The shadowmaster laid a hand on top of yours, closing his eyes and letting his tendrils of power, of those whispering shadows reach out. They circled your head, slowly like a snake.  He felt that song then, singing back with his own. The essence of your soul, dancing around your aura.  His eyes flashed open in surprise, then a manic laugh rumbled from his chest. "Rhys-" He breathed, pulling his attention away from a waking Feyre. Cassian looked up in a flash at his brothers, watching them exchange looks.  "Bring my mate back now." Cassian growled at Rhys. The tone was utterly deadly. Promises of death from the Lord of Bloodshed if his command was not answered. Azriel's eyes darted between his brothers. As if he was expecting Cassian to attack. The high lord would have been gaping at him if he hadn't experienced the same pain of almost losing a mate. He nodded, pulling himself together long enough to enter your vacant mind. Then the cauldron was humming, as he dipped a mental hand into it as well. +  Rhys' commanding voice rang out over your land of lavender and sunshine. "She will miss you." His voice was soft, but the attention it drew was still there. The meadow you laid in was softer than any silk in Velaris. More luxurious than any chair made to accompany your wings. You sighed, taking in the sweet scent before he spoke again.  "Too much, I believe. Especially when she hears about what you did to save her." He appeared at the edge of the soft meadow, the grass around him waving like the sea. You sat up, dazzled at the sight of him here. In such a bright, lovely place. His tanned face seemed to glow with the smile he held for you. "I'm tired." You said, voice groggy. You wanted to lay back down. You closed your eyes, for just a second and when you opened again he was in front of you, crouched. He held a tattooed hand out, giving you a nod. "Just come with me and you can nap all you want." His eyes sparkled. Not with that starlit power, but with tears ready to spill over.  You took that hand and closed your eyes.  + Feyre's warm hand in yours was the first thing you felt when you woke. Rhys held her in the corner atop a pelt rug beside you. The brothers leaned against each other. Rhys played with Feyre's hair as she rested. The sight of them together, him protecting her so well made your heart sing in approval. you knew she always deserved someone as good as Rhys. The fire where the Cauldron once was made the tent cozy. There were no sounds other than the soft breathing and the occasional pop of wood on the fire.   Azriel sat at the door, sword on his lap. Ready to kill if anyone dared enter. Then, you looked to the softness that cradled you. Cassian's face was covered in dirt, blood and more. He looked exhausted. Like he had been beaten, lost and beaten again. You tried a weak smile at him.  Clean rivers ran down from his eyes, revealing the dark skin underneath. "I couldn't let you get a statue without me." He said, voice trembling. You smiled the best you could and reached a hand to stroke his cheek.  "How-" You began, but he shushed you. "Just..rest for now. We can talk in the morning." He brushed a thumb over a silent tear that trickled from your eye. You nodded, and let him pull the blanket more firmly around you. Lulling you to sleep with soft humming.
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ourlittleforever · 2 years ago
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A Day at the Fair
thr.awn + thalassa
In which Thr.awn is bested by his toddler.
Just a cute fluffy piece :) featuring appearances from T.arkin, Yu.laren, and Pr.yce
I’m just going to check out those doll booths over there. I saw something a certain someone might like. You’ll be okay for a while, right?
Of course I’ll be okay, Thr.awn had said to his wife, Millie. He could keep an eye on their three-year-old, no problem. She was a toddler, and he was a grown man. Anyone could do it.
How wrong he was.
Thr.awn had set Thalassa down so he could take a break from carrying her around the fair. It was Family Day during Ascension Week, and the little family had decided to visit the Family Fair at one of the Empire’s massive convention complexes. Thalassa had never seen so many people; she eagerly babbled to anyone who got close enough. “Hi!” she squeaked. “It’sa fun day!” He didn’t realize she was gone until he noticed she hadn’t spoken in about a minute.
Thr.awn scratched the back of his head. He was a logical man; he couldn’t panic, even though the father in him was, by all accounts, panicking. She enjoys animals and dolls, he thought. I’ll start by visiting those booths.
He glanced behind him, spotting Millie over the crowd, and he could tell Thalassa wasn’t with them. He sighed, then set off into the sea of people ahead of him.
Thrawn wove through the crowd, trying to keep an eye out for his daughter. However, she was impossibly tiny, and easily blended in between legs and bodies. The Chiss frowned. Surely a Grand Admiral could find a toddler without resorting to yelling?
He saw Thalassa at a booth advertising Corellian dolls, but several officers with teenagers crossed between him and her. When they passed, she was gone again. Thr.awn gritted his teeth. He was surprised to find that he wasn’t upset with her – merely afraid for her safety.
Thalassa’s giggle echoed behind him, but when he whipped around, she was nowhere to be seen.
Thr.awn rubbed his temples. Millie would never forgive him if something happened to her… and he'd never forgive himself.
Up ahead, he noticed a stall advertising a loth-cat petting zoo, and he sighed in relief when he spotted Colonel W.ulff Yularen, Governor Ar.ihnda Pryce, and Grand Moff W.ilhuff Tarkin at the stall. Perhaps they could help him?
The three were looked down in unison, and as Thr.awn stepped out of the crowd and into the stall’s radius, he saw his daughter.
“I’m Miffalasshafish!” she said cheerfully. She held up three chubby fingers. “And I’m this many old!” Thalassa turned around as her father stepped up behind her. “Papa!” Her toothy grin made it impossible to be angry as he scooped her up and set her on his hip. Besides that, a part of Thr.awn begrudgingly admired her ability to evade him.
“'Miffalasshafish,' Grand Admiral?” Governor Pryce inquired, raising a brow. “I was under the impression your daughter had a proper name, not Fish. Certainly your wife wouldn’t have allowed that.”
“Mitth’alass’afis,” he explained. “Core name Thalassa. She still struggles with pronunciation, but I make an effort to practice with her every day.”
“Don’t tell me you’re making the girl do drills.” Yularen turned his attention to Thalassa, who was waving at him. He waved back before speaking to Thr.awn again. “No wonder she wants to run off and do whatever she wants without regard to others. Reminds me of someone else I know…”
Pryce piped in. “Thalassa, is your Papa mean? Does he make you practice a bunch?”
“Nope! My Papa’s the best!” Thalassa tugged on his epaulet as she spoke. “We play dolls. He plays Mister and I play Woman and Elbow. And, and… he makes me sammiches, and gives me juice boxes. And he helps me with my jammies.” She suddenly looked a bit crestfallen. “But I can’t see him when he’s workin’. I miss him.”
“Oh, how dreadful!” Pryce exclaimed in faux sympathy. “Grand Admiral, are you depriving your daughter of her father?”
If Millie were here, they would have politely but firmly ended the conversation then. Thr.awn, however, felt his political obligations weighing on him; he couldn’t be rude, not with Tarkin and Yularen standing there. “The bridge is dangerous. I would prefer my daughter remain safe.”
“Well, you’ll have to get a fun babysitter then, hmm?”
“Her mother takes care of her just fine.” Thrawn felt himself relax some as Thalassa kissed his cheek and laid her little head against his.
“Oh, Thalassa, are you enjoying the petting zoo?” Millie’s voice sounded from behind the group, and Thr.awn was instantly at ease as his wife came to his side.
“She hasn’t gotten to pet the loth-cats yet,” Thr.awn said. He carried his daughter over to the pen and set her down inside, both ensuring she could pet the fluffy beasts and that she couldn’t escape his clutches again. “There.”
Thalassa plopped down beside a massive sleeping cat. Gingerly, she reached out and stroked the loth-cat’s fur, her eyes widening. “He’s soft,” she wondered.
“That’s Mari, and she’s a girl,” the stall’s owner said. “She’s very sweet. Good with kids.”
That was evident, as Mari stood, stretched, then climbed into Thalassa’s lap. The girl squealed in delight and began petting the loth-cat with both hands.
Millie laid a hand on Thr.awn’s back and leaned into him. “You know, a loth-cat is a child’s best friend.”
“The Navy doesn’t allow pets aboard its ships.”
“Thr.awn, since when do you follow rules by-the-book? Besides, you could always say the cat’s pest control…”
The Grand Admiral glanced at his daughter, who hugged the relaxed loth-cat like a plushie. She pressed her chubby little face into its fur and made a soft little squeak of contentment. If Thalassa had a loth-cat, would it keep her out of trouble, or would she take the pet with her into her mischievous exploits?
She kissed the loth-cat on top of its head, then looked up and smiled wide at her father. Thr.awn felt a tug on his heart, and with a sigh, said, “...I’ll consider it.”
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heliads · 4 years ago
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Lucky Number 6
Based on this request: “5 times Luke almost admitted his feelings to the reader (Julie’s BFF) and one time he actually does?”
masterlist
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#1: The one time Alex and Reggie interrupt him
Luke’s heading over to Julie’s studio. It’s been a long day, and a pretty boring one at that. With Julie at school all day, he and the boys can’t really play as a band until the afternoon when she comes home. They had been distracting themselves outside the house, but Luke left to return back to Julie’s house because Willie showed up and he’s not really in the mood to watch Alex flirt with the skateboarder any longer. Reggie stayed behind, claiming that he was going to be a chaperone, but even that doesn’t really tempt Luke to stay.
When he shows up at the house, he notices that Julie is already inside the studio, talking to a girl who’s got her back turned to him. When Julie glances up and sees him, she gestures for Luke to join the two of them. “Luke! Good to see you! This is my best friend Y/N!” The girl- Y/N- turns around to face him, and in that moment Luke swears that time stops. 
She’s beautiful. No, more than that. Gorgeous. Her eyes are warmer than a sparking fire, and they draw Luke in like the opening notes of a guitar riff that he’s been dying to play. Her smile is infectious, and he feels himself start to smile in return. He barely manages to stammer out a sentence. “I’m Luke. You’re-” He’s cut off as Reggie and Alex poof into existence, and the two boys instantly start talking over him in their rush to speak to Y/N. The words die on his tongue. You’re really pretty.
Luke feels a slight pang of annoyance that his friends would interrupt him at this moment, but as he watches Y/N talking excitedly with them, he realizes that it might have been for the best. What was Luke going to do, anyway? Ask Y/N out on a date when she’s the only one in the world who can see him? Y/N’s turned back to him, now, and the intensity of her gaze makes Luke feel like he’s caught in a strobe light. “Luke, weren’t you saying something?” Luke just shakes his head. “Nah, forgot. Nothing important.” Nothing important indeed. This isn’t going to go very well.
#2: The one time Julie interrupts him
The setting is a fairly large jazz club, home to throngs of people milling about and listening to the music of Julie and the Phantoms. Julie’s killing it on the vocals, of course, and Luke feels like he’s coasting on the clouds as he plays along on his guitar. The entire club is full of people, but yet Luke’s gaze keeps returning to one person and one person alone: Y/N. Before he knows it, the song is over, and he’s bowing in unison with the rest of his bandmates before poofing out of existence along with his guitar. 
Luke notices that Y/N’s heading backstage, and so he poofs a few feet in front of her. She jumps, startled, then flashes him a grin. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.” Luke winces. “Sorry! Keep forgetting that randomly appearing out of nowhere isn’t normal.” Y/N laughs, and the sound makes Luke want to make a thousand more jokes just to hear it again. “No worries. By the way, you were amazing out there! You guys sound terrific.” Luke can’t help but smile at her words. “Us guys?” She nods. “You.” 
Maybe it’s the pounding of the music overhead, or the adrenaline of performing, but Luke takes a step closer to Y/N. He watches as she tilts her head up at him, not backing away and maybe even intrigued. His heart feels like it’s pounding a million times per minute. “You know, Y/N, I-” There’s the sound of running footsteps behind him, and Julie jogs up next to the two of them. “There you are! I was looking for you guys everywhere!”
Luke realizes how this looks, the two of them inches away from each other, and he backs away quickly before Julie can realize what he was going to say to Y/N. What he’s been trying to say, but never got the chance. He scratches the back of his head awkwardly. “Well, we’re, uh, over here. Good work out there!” Y/N nods at this, congratulating Julie on the performance. Julie starts to lead her best friend away, but Y/N glances back one last time as if to apologize for not finishing the conversation. Luke can only stand there. How can he tell Y/N how he feels if he keeps getting interrupted?
#3: The one time when she’s into music too
Luke’s bored. School’s technically still in session, but he doesn’t have anything to do and so he shows up to Los Feliz High School anyway. Julie’s in the middle of a test, so he can’t bother her. Instead, Luke just wanders down the halls, idly making lockers open and close when he’s sure nobody can see it. As he rounds a corner, he hears something. It’s faint, coming from further down the hall. Curious, he follows it, and ends up finding himself in front of a closed door to a music room. It’s empty, except for one person seated at a piano. Y/N.
He can’t help himself, and Luke walks through the door to come to a stop in the room. Y/N’s bent over the piano, focusing on the piece at hand. It’s simple, certainly far less advanced than anything Julie’s been working on, but it’s beautiful and makes Luke stand still, watching with a slight smile on his face. A few seconds later, Y/N looks up, her hands falling silent at the keys.
Luke walks over, smiling. “I didn’t know you could play. You sound amazing.” Y/N grins, nervously straightening the sheet music in front of her. “I can’t, or at least not very well. Julie’s teaching me so I can accompany her if she needs anything. She says she wants me to learn because if I play her pieces, she can listen and find mistakes more easily. I’m not sure how much that really works, but I’ve been meaning to learn for a while so I figured I might as well go with it.”
Luke nods, heading over to the piano bench. Y/N scoots a few inches over, and Luke takes a seat next to her. He considers the sheet music propped up on the piano. “To be honest, I’m not that good at piano either. I was always more of a guitar kind of guy, but I’ll learn if you’re there with me.” Y/N beams up at him. “Sounds like a plan. There’s this one line, right here, that I’m having some trouble with.”
Luke nods, scanning the notes. He positions his hands on the keys, skimming just a few millimeters away from Y/N’s fingers. “I think it goes like this.” He plays a few chords, and she nods, brow furrowed in concentration as she tries it herself. Their hands move in tandem, his guiding hers to the proper places on the keys in a quiet dance to the music she’s playing. Luke realizes that Y/N understands the piece now, but he can’t quite convince himself to move his hands away. His arm is neatly wrapped around her shoulders, just a hair away from touching her.
The room is silent, and Luke realizes that she has finished playing the piece. He looks up at her, at the way her chin is tilted up just a few inches away from his own. He wants to say something, anything, but his mouth feels dry and he finds he can’t do anything but stay silent. Y/N blushes slightly, looking away. Just then, her phone rings, and Luke notices the caller ID displays her mother’s name. He unwraps his arms from around her. “I think you had better answer that. It looks important.” She nods, reaching for her phone. Is it just his imagination, or does she look just as reluctant as he does to end this moment?
#4: The one time he realizes he won’t be enough
Luke’s feeling determined. He has to say something to Y/N, to tell her he loves her. He’s been dancing around it for a while now, but he thinks at last he has the confidence to speak up. How is it that he can play with the band in front of massive crowds, but yet talking to a pretty girl makes his heart pound like a drum in his chest?
Y/N’s back at Julie’s house again, and they’re getting ready for another garage show. They hadn’t planned on doing any more performances at Julie’s house, considering that the Phantoms were so well-known that they could afford to play at larger venues, but Ray had asked and so the band would deliver. Y/N’s helping them set up, and Luke’s about to tell her how he feels. For real this time, no interruptions.
He rounds the corner of his house and sees her, the confidence in her stature and the smile in her eyes. It takes him a second longer to realize that she’s talking to somebody. Nick, that boy from school who’d had a crush on Julie. Guess he’d moved on. Luke hangs back, realizing that Y/N can’t see him from this angle. As he watches, Y/N laughs, hitting Nick playfully with the palm of her hand. They look so happy together, and get along so well.
There’s some difference here in the way she acts with Nick than with him, and it hits Luke like a ton of bricks. Nick’s right there, and he can be a regular, ordinary person with her. She can hit him playfully, can tap him on the shoulder, can take his hand and never let it go. Luke feels his ghostliness keenly in this moment, in a way he’s never felt it before. Will it always be like this, with him an undying outsider? Will he have to watch as she grows up and moves on from him, even when he can’t move on from her?
Y/N is starting to turn around now, and Luke quickly moves away before she can see him. So much for that conversation happening- he can’t see a future where she would ever want to be with him. Why would she, when no one else can even look at him?
#5- The one time there’s a miscommunication
There’s a crowded afterparty at Flynn’s house. Flynn had been proud of Julie and the band, and, not wanting Carrie to take advantage of the crowd’s high spirits, had hosted the party herself. Luke is here, although he’s not quite sure why. Nobody can see him anyway. In fact, the only reason he showed up at all is because Y/N had asked him to. He’d do anything for that girl, he knows that now. He doesn’t even know where she is, and he’s still here. Luke’s head is starting to pound from all of the noise, and he heads out to a quiet room out back to let his thoughts settle.
There’s a quiet noise behind him, and he turns to see Y/N standing next to the door. She smiles at him. “Not quite enjoying yourself?” Luke shrugs. “It’s kind of hard to appreciate the party when you’re not really there to everyone else.” Y/N smiles. “You’re here to me, Julie, and your bandmates. You can still hear the music. Isn’t that enough to make it different than most nights?” Luke smiles slightly in spite of himself. “You’re right. I apologize.” He looks at Y/N with an obviously feigned pout that makes her giggle.
Y/N considers the red plastic cup in her hands, then looks at Luke through eyes that have suddenly turned serious. “Luke, I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while now about something.” Luke nods slowly. “Shoot.” Y/N sighs, letting her words spill out in a flood as if letting them churn inside her head for a second longer would’ve drowned her. “I love you, Luke. I think I have for a while now.”
All Luke can do is stand there. Is this really happening? He wants to look around for the distraction, for the inevitable interruption that always seems to happen whenever he tries to confess his feelings to her. This can’t be real. Why would she ever feel the same way about him? Luke comes back to reality when he realizes that Y/N isn’t looking at him with the same expression. In fact, she seems far sadder than normal. Her voice is barely above a whisper. “Do you not have anything to say?”
Luke’s eyes widen. “What? No, that’s not- not what I meant.” The door to the room opens, and Alex and Reggie bound inside, laughing. Y/N flinches when she hears them come in. “I guess I know how you feel. I think I’m going to go.” Luke reaches out his arm to her, panicked. “Wait! I-” She’s not listening anymore, already turning to leave. 
#6: The one time he actually does
Reggie and Alex glance at her, then turn their attention back to him. Reggie throws an arm around his shoulders, and Alex does the same. “Hey, guess what! Flynn thinks we should perform again. Come on, we’ve got everything set up.” Luke shakes his head, trying in vain to see where Y/N went. “I can’t, I’ve got to talk to Y/N. I think I really messed up.”
Reggie rolls his eyes, grinning. “You can talk to her later. Come on! We have to go. Are you really going to give up a chance to play with the band?” Luke looks at his friend apologetically. “Yeah, I think I am. Sorry, but I have to go.” With that, he shrugs off his friend’s arms, diving out of the room.
It takes him a while to find Y/N. He poofs in and out of different rooms, searching for the girl he loves. After a minute or two, he finds her. She’s standing alone in the garden out back, staring at the flowers with an expression that looks all shades of blue. She glances up when she sees Luke poof into existence next to her.
“Look, you don’t have to say anything. I shouldn’t have told you that, we should have stayed friends. You don’t have to come cheer me up, Luke.” Luke shakes his head. “I don’t want us to be friends.” Y/N looks taken aback. “What?” Luke just grins. “I love you, Y/N. I don’t want to be friends because I love you. I’ve been trying to confess for ages now but people keep interrupting me.” Y/N stares. “What? Then why didn’t you say anything when I told you?”
Luke grimaces. “Honestly, I’m not quite sure why. I think I was just so surprised that I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t realize how it would look until you left.” Y/N laughs, slight incredulity starting to tint her smile. “You’re serious? You really do love me?” Luke flashes her a grin. “Really do. Have since the moment I met you. I’m just glad that you love me back, or I would have been trying to confess many, many more times.” Is this really working out? Luke’s not sure what kind of cosmic luck he must have, but Y/N actually likes him back. Well, maybe the sixth time’s the charm for telling someone you love them.
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absolutepokemontrash · 3 years ago
Text
Beach Day!
Masterlist~
As requested by an anon, The Half Demon kids get to have their beach day! Please enjoy!
‘‘Twas a summer’s day in the Devildom, and school was out for the next couple of months, what else was there to do other than have a fun little beach vacation?
“Do we have towels?”
“Check.”
“Umbrellas?”
“Yep.”
“Beach toys?”
“Uh huh.”
L!MC and Lucifer were running through the long list of items as the rest of the family loaded everything into their (several) cars. Mammon grunted and shoved one of three umbrellas into a gap in the piles of luggage, they were all packing the rapidly filling car like they were playing a game of Tetris from hell.
“Ya know, you two can try and, I dunno, help a little?!”
Lucifer raised an eyebrow and looked up from his list. “I am helping, Mammon. I’m making sure this doesn’t end up like the last family vacation we took.”
“What happened last time?” The soft voice of A!MC piped up, they were carrying roughly four different carryon bags into one of the cars.
“Mammon forgot to pack sunscreen during our last little visit to a human world beach and we all got horrifically sunburned. That’s why this year we’ll be visiting a proper Devildom beach.” Lucifer explained.
“That stupid mistake nearly cost me my perfect skin.” Asmo grumbled, A!MC patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t feel too bad, dad. You look great!”
“Oh little butterfly,” Asmo patted A!MC on their head, much to the kid’s delight. “Go on~.”
“Hey pop!” Mammon’s head whirled around as he looked for the source of the voice. “THINK FAST!”
A duffel bag slammed into the side of Mammon’s head, knocking him into the side of the car.
“What the hell M!MC?!”
The little culprit gave their dad a fanged megawatt smile and shrugged. “I said think fast.”
“M!MC, he can’t think fast, he doesn’t have a brain.” Asmo smirked over at Mammon, who not so graciously flipped him off. A blast of water from wiped both the smirk and some of the makeup off Asmo’s face.
“Whoops,” M!MC lowered their water gun. “Misfire.”
Lucifer massaged his temples as he watched this complete and utter chaos unfold. This was ridiculous, he turned to L!MC. “I refuse to subject you to this, I don’t was CPS to come knocking. You are riding with Lord Diavolo and I.”
“Wooop!” L!MC cheered, then paused. “Was I not riding with you two before now?”
——————
After arriving and unpacking, everyone set out to the beach, per Lucifer’s totally reasonable beach rules, no cameras within eight feet of the beach. Asmo had to compromise and take his Devilgram selfies at Diavolo’s villa in the five minute window of time before everyone set out for the beach.
While the group made their way to the beach, M!MC proudly presented their shiny new metal detector to the crowd of not too impressed family members. Well, everyone but Mammon, he was hyped as all hell to try and find buried treasure.
As M!MC and A!MC lagged behind and chattered aimlessly, something flew right into M!MC’s face. Reeling at the sudden loss of their sight, M!MC’s hands flew to their face and peeled the thing off of them. A…piece of paper..?
No, not a piece of paper, it was a map! Well, half of a map!
“Woah… Pop! Check it!” M!MC waved the piece of paper in the air. “What if we use this to find treasure or something?”
Mammon’s eyes practically sparkled as he swiped the map from M!MC. “Kid, we’re gonna be rich. Not the lame kinda rich either, we’ll be… multiple yacht rich!”
“Oh geez…” A!MC murmured.
By the time the entire group had gotten to the actual beach, Mammon and M!MC had already had the layout of their fabulous Hollywood mansion planned out and were busily describing the kinds of cars they wanted to own. Armed with only half a treasure map and a metal detector, the two set off down the beach.
L!MC, Belphie, and Satan snickered like a bunch of kids as they set up their new pink unicorn floaty. It was just perfect for just slightly ticking off Lucifer. A!MC hummed happily as they unpacked all their sand toys, perfect for making a sand-empire! The rest of the adults set up the umbrellas and beach chairs and practically deflated when all the work was finished.
Hang on- where was Levi- OH! There he was. He had ran right into the water and was petting Lotan. Man… Lotan was fucking massive.
“Hey, Luke,” L!MC called out. “Why are you wearing water wings? You know those things don’t work, right?”
“H-huh?” Luke tilted his head in confusion. Like a chihuahua- “What do you mean?”
“Well, water wings aren’t like life jackets, water wings only keep your arms out of water. If you start to drown, those aren’t helping.” L!MC dutifully explained. “There are documented cases in the human world of kids drowning with their arms still afloat because of the water wings.”
Luke was having such a good day forty five seconds prior, now he was petrified.
——————
“Ah, this is the life, right Sea Monster Levi?” L!MC leisurely floated around on their giant pink unicorn floatie as Levi swam around them.
Levi couldn’t exactly speak, but the terrifying eldritch shriek of delight was enough of an answer.
“See, you should go outside more often, the ocean is outside, fresh air is outside,” L!MC continued to list lovely things that just happened to be outside until Lotan poked four of his heads above water. “Lotan’s outside,”
Levi grumbled and slammed his tail into the water, sending a massive wave over to L!MC.
“Fuck.”
Those were L!MC’s last words before the wave crashed into them and tipped over the floatie, leaving them angrily starfish floating in the water. “You fucking hikikomori.”
—————
A!MC carefully placed their bucket full of sand onto the ground upside down and slowly pulled the bucket away. Perfect! That made a great castle tower! The sand-city that A!MC had concocted could put any city to shame, there was a town hall, a bank, a museum, and multiple construction projects headed by Luke. Well, the chihuahua wasn’t doing too well with his castle-building.
“Aww…” Luke pouted as his castle crumbled. “I ruined it…”
“You should add a bit of water to the sand, Luke.” A!MC said as they carefully placed some seashell decorations around their castle tower. “It’ll help stop your towers from crumbling.”
Luke vehemently shook his head. “There’s no way I’m going near that water. Not after what L!MC said…”
“Luke, L!MC’s just being a butt, you won’t drown-” A!MC was unceremoniously cut off by Lotan rising from the depths of the ocean and L!MC’s squawk of protest when he began to bat their unicorn floatie around.
“Y-yeah… I won’t drown, I’ll be eaten by a sea monster…” Luke shuddered.
“A!MC, I’m living here.” Belphie laid his towel out a little ways away from the sand-city and collapsed into a snoring heap on the sand.
“Great! A new citizen!” A!MC smiled and clapped their hands. “Beel, are you going to join us?”
Beel took a large bite out of a watermelon and sat down next to Belphie. “Yeah, I’m going to live here too.”
“We’ve got a real kingdom now!”
—————
The metal detector beeped for the thousandth time that day and M!MC and Mammon were beginning to get tired. They had found a total of 45 cents and a bottle cap, not the heaps of pirate treasure their map promised.
“Alright old man, dig.” M!MC lazily motioned towards the spot in the sand where the metal detector beeped.
“Why do I gotta dig?” Mammon whined. “You do it this time!”
“I’m holding the metal detector!” M!MC snapped. “Lookit! This shit’s heavy!”
“UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH.” Mammon dropped to his knees and began to dig, unearthing a second bottle cap.
“Have our intrepid treasure hunters struck gold yet?” The taunting voice of Satan wormed its way into M!MC and Mammon’s ears as they both rolled their eyes.
“Why do you care, Satan?” M!MC sneered. “Shouldn’t you be off waxing philosophical about the demon condition or some other pretentious shit right now?”
Satan scoffed and shook his head. “So you haven’t found anything, shocker.”
“Ya didn’t answer the question, Satan.”
“Fine, you two dumbasses forgot to bring water after you immediately ran to go find your treasure.” Satan chucked two metal water bottles at Mammon, both of which hit him in the face. “So where’s your little treasure map?”
M!MC grumbled and pulled the map out of their pocket. “Here.”
Satan raised an eyebrow as he looked over the map, then looked back up at Mammon and M!MC. “I’d expect this level of idiocy from Mammon, but not you, M!MC.”
“WHAT WAS THAT?!” M!MC and Mammon shouted in unison.
Satan flipped the map around so it was facing the pair, he pointed at the X. “You’re supposed to be going that way,” Satan pointed back towards where they had set up the towels and umbrellas.
“…shit.” Mammon murmured. “I swear if we just wasted two fuckin’ hours on this-”
“Don’t blame me! I’m a mathematician, not a fucking geographer!” M!MC hissed.
“Actually, cartographers are the ones that make maps-”
“SHUT UP SATAN!”
——————
“Ugh… I hate the ocean now…” L!MC trudged over to Lucifer and plopped themselves down next to him. “0/10. Next year, can we go somewhere with significantly less seaweed?”
Lucifer wordlessly pulled a clump of sea-gunk out of L!MC’s hair and dropped it on the sand next to them. The fucking gunk-thing then began to MOVE-
“…is that alive?”
“Probably.”
L!MC grabbed the thing and threw it as hard as they could into the water. “I’m not allowing that eldritch terror the privilege of evolving.”
Lucifer chuckled and shook his head. “This is karma for the unicorn floaty.”
“That wasn’t even all my idea!” L!MC hugged their knees to their chest and grumbled. “Where’s Belphie, Satan and M!MC’s karma?!”
“I’m sure it’ll come soon.”
“Now would be nice…” L!MC growled.
“If you’re going to go sit and whine for the rest of the day you can walk back to the villa by yourself.”
“Ugh!” L!MC threw up their hands and walked away. “So Belphie can angst all he wants but I can’t?! This is bullshit!”
“LANGUAGE!”
—————
A!MC’s burgeoning kingdom had grown in population in the last few hours; Barbatos and Diavolo had moved in and were gleefully helping out with the construction projects (well, Dia was gleeful, Barbatos was standing off to the side holding lemonade), Simeon had joined in and was making a moat, and L!MC was designing the flag.
“Our walls will be impenetrable!” Diavolo proclaimed as he continued to reinforce the sand-walls. “No one would dare invade us!”
“Where’s our sand-army? I call dibs on being sand-general.” L!MC raised their hand. “Luke, you can be a sand soldier.”
“Huh?”
“Here’s your sand-sword.”
“L!MC this is driftwood…”
“Hit a bitch with it.”
“There will be no hitting of any bitches.” Simeon gently took the driftwood from Luke and chucked it into the ocean.
“Lame…” L!MC rolled their eyes.
A little while into the kingdom building, A!MC surveyed their land with a proud smile. Every little building was adorably decorated with shells and pebbles, the roads were laid out perfectly, the castle was stable… Ah. Perfection!
A familiar trio sauntered over looking down at their map and occasionally back up at the surrounding beach until they stopped right outside the moat outside of A!MC’s kingdom. Satan, Mammon, and M!MC looked up at the group and pointed their shovel and metal detector at them.
“Hey kiddos, and… not kiddos. We’re gonna need ya to move over. There’s treasure in the area and we gotta dig!” Mammon proclaimed, standing up straight and putting a hand on his hip.
“Uh… no?” A!MC sat down on their beach chair, but to them, it was more like a throne. “We spent forever building this, we aren’t just going to let you destroy it.”
“Can’t you build somewhere else?” M!MC waved their hand to a place farther down the beach that was just littered with holes from M!MC and Mammon’s treasure hunting. “Couldn’t have taken that long.”
“Are you stupid or just ignorant?” L!MC hissed, protectively moving in front of the sand-wall next to Diavolo. “This took literal hours. You three can piss off.”
“L!MC, don’t be dramatic.” Satan rolled his eyes, then looked to the adults. “Come on guys, this may actually lead to something historical. Can you guys move out?”
“Uh… fuck off?” Belphie sleepily looked up from his towel. “We were here first. Finders keepers.”
“Yeah,” Beel paused his job of helping clean up the toys and buckets. “Belphie napped here, this spots been claimed.”
Barbatos and Diavolo nodded in agreement.
“A!MC has claimed this land, therefore, it’s their kingdom.” Diavolo said.
“Guys, this ain’t a joke! There’s actual treasure here!” Mammon waved the map in the air.
“That doesn’t matter. our sandcastles, our rules.” Luke crossed his arms and huffed.
“Oh bullshit! Move over! Money and treasure is under your city and we’ll take it by force if we have to!” M!MC crossed his arms and glared.
“Really now~?” L!MC cooed, slamming their fist against their open palm. “Fucking try us.”
————
A fight would have broken out if it weren’t for Lucifer calling for everyone to eat. Everyone sat down on their towels and angrily munched on their macaroni salad and sandwiches.
Team Treasure hunter (it was generous to call them a team considering there was only three of them) were forming a plan to try and get passed the much larger Team Sandcastle. M!MC and Satan bounced ideas off of each other while Mammon stole everyone’s potato chips.
“So, we need to lure at least some of them away… but how?” M!MC stuck their hand into the much reduced bowl of chips and took out a fistful.
“Mmm…” Satan murmured. “Well, there’s a thief in our midst…”
M!MC knitted their eyebrows in confusion, then began to nod in understanding. “Ah… and we have someone very quick…”
Both Satan and M!MC turned to Mammon, who was polishing off the chips and counting their metal detector money. He stopped mid chew and tilted his head.
“What are ya lookin’ at?”
Over with Team Sandcastle, L!MC carefully traced Belphie’s hand onto a piece of paper with a vindictive smirk on both their faces.
“What are you doing?” Luke asked as he bit into his kebab.
“It’s an official declaration of war.” L!MC quickly finished up the tracing and proudly showed the picture of Belphie’s middle finger to the assembled team. “I think it’s very clear and concise.”
Simeon slapped a palm to his forehead as Luke let out a gasp.
“L!MC! That’s so vulgar and awful-” Luke’s irate yapping went completely ignored.
“It’s a very nice picture.” Beel calmly observed, turning over the paper in his hands.
“Enough about the declaration!” A!MC stood up and put their hands on their hips. “We need to take action immediately! I’m not letting our sand kingdom fall into their hands!”
“We know that A!MC, but we need to at least give them some kind of warning that we’re going to beat them into the ground.” L!MC said.
“They got their warning. Now is not the time for being polite, now is the time for curb stomping.”
“Is it just me,” Belphie leaned over to Beel and cartoonishly whispered. “Or is A!MC getting really intense about this?”
—————
Team Treasure Hunter’s battle plan did not go as well as they thought it would. Satan and M!MC did not factor the fact that Mammon would be stealing something and then running in sand, and next to no one can properly run in fluffy beach sand, what this poor narrator is trying to say is that Mammon got football tackled immediately because he couldn’t run after he stole something as a distraction. Oh well… at least the sand was soft…
Team Sandcastle’s superior numbers meant superior ideas, and one of their ideas was for A!MC to politely ask some of the beach dwelling creepy crawlies to attack the other team. Well uh… toes were pinched that day…
“Fools,” A!MC sat straighter in their beach chair. “All of them.”
“I’m loving the supervillain vibes, A!MC, but-”
“But nothing!” A!MC cut L!MC off with a huff. “I’m not a supervillain either!”
“Sounds like something a supervillain would say.” Belphie snickered, only to be blasted in the face with a water gun. A!MC was turning on their own people…
“Alright, everyone who dares to doubt me gets the water gun.” A!MC sneered. “My kingdom won’t fall!”
The kingdom fell.
One giant wave caused by Lotan and Levi playing in the water nearby crashed onto the beach and absolutely flattened the detailed sand kingdom. A!MC slowly moved their hair out of their eyes and turned to Lotan and Levi in the water.
“You… you…” A!MC growled, a tick forming in their right eye. “YOU SHUT-IN PIECE OF [Hello, this is the narrator, I’m very sorry but I cannot repeat what little A!MC said here. I hope you all can find it in your hearts to forgive them for this outburst, their kingdom just got destroyed after all.]”
Simeon vaulted forward and covered Luke’s ears while the rest of the group on the beach stared in wide eyed shock as their sweet little A!MC cussed out two giant sea monsters. This was… not what they expected from their beach trip…
Beel quickly recovered from his shock and scooped A!MC up into his arms. A!MC didn’t seem to care all that much as they continued to kick and scream profanity at the giant sea monsters. Beel lumbered over to Asmo and handed the screeching A!MC to him.
“This is yours.”
“…Beel dear,” Asmo looked at the practically feral child that had managed to shift into their demon form, then looked to Beel. “Are you sure?”
——————
Ever the opportunists, Team Treasure Hunter managed to dig in the area where the sand kingdom once stood. After roughly an hour of digging, Mammon struck something… wooden. Hmm…
“Hey I uh… think I found somethin’!”
“Really?” M!MC exclaimed. “Lemme see! Let’s get it out!”
“Allow me,” Diavolo motioned for everyone to move away and leaned in. He yanked a massive treasure chest out of the sand like it was nothing and plopped it onto the beach. “Oh! It is a treasure chest! How novel!”
Mammon jumped forward and yanked the chest open, inside was an absolute mess of glimmering gold and jewelry.
“DON’T TOUCH THAT.” Lucifer’s booming voice stopped Mammon dead in place. Everyone’s heads swivelled to look at him. “It’s probably cursed gold, you idiots.”
“As much as I hate to agree with Lucifer, we should at least check before we touch anything.” Satan crossed his arms and grumbled.
The gold was hella cursed and basically useless. No one went back to the villa happy.
———————
A!MC sulkily kicked off their shoes and flopped backwards onto their bed. They stared half-vacantly up at the ceiling, they were so tired despite the fact that they hadn’t even gone swimming… they had spent their entire day building that stupid sandcastle kingdom…
M!MC flopped down next to them and let out an explosive sigh. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Sorry about your sandcastle stuff…”
A!MC sighed and shrugged. “Yeah… sorry about your treasure…”
“Yeah… so far this trip blows.”
L!MC flopped down next to A!MC and practically deflated.
“What’s wrong with you?” M!MC asked, rolling over onto their side to look at their cousin.
“I’m in mourning…” L!MC grumbled, holding up a piece of pink stretchy plastic. “Lotan ate my unicorn floaty.”
“Aww… I’m sorry L!MC.” A!MC patted them on the shoulder. “Let’s go fight Lotan and Levi for revenge.”
“A!MC. I’m grieving, not suicidal.” L!MC said seriously, then their face melted into a grin as they began to giggle. “Dummy…”
“I’m not a dummy! I think we might have a chance!”
“Yeah, a chance of gettin’ eaten!” M!MC snickered.
“Okay… maybe…” A!MC giggled.
“Hey guys,” Simeon knocked on the door and poked his head in. “We’re making a fire for s’mores, you all better hurry up before Beel gets to everything.”
The three kids stuck their thumbs up and got ready to go. S’mores fix everything!
————
Author’s note: Okay, back in like… May, I promised I’d write a beach day episode for these characters, and it’s finally done!!
The whole sandcastle war is something that actually happened when I went to a summer camp ^.^
It was less about digging for treasure and more about who had the best sandcastles, and I shit you not, a wave slammed into the rival team’s sandcastle. It was funny as S H I T. HA! TAKE THAT RIVAL TEAM! MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE MADE YOUR CITY SO CLOSE TO THE WATER!
94 notes · View notes
mandoalorian · 4 years ago
Text
People Can See [Maxwell Lord x F! Reader] SMUT
Request by @luvzoria​: hey sweetpea! i have a req! you obviously don't have to do this but it's my birthday today and it gave me the idea of surprise sex? with any pedro character (personal favs tho : max lord, pero tovar, frankie, marcus moreno, and javier peña)surprise birthday sex 👀 in a risky public place maybe? public teasing? if you're okay with that!! again thanks hun!!
Rating: 18+
Warnings: SMUT— unprotected p in v, public sex, exhibitionism, creampie, Max has a daddy kink, a lot of teasing, fingering, and also mention of food.
Word count: 2.6k words
Authors note: Happy birthday lovey!​ Michelle, I'm sorry this is a few days late but this is for you angel! I hope it's okay and I hope you had a fab day all things considered. I send you all my love. Xx 
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"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," the guests at your annual birthday gala hummed in unison as your favourite chef brought over your cake. Courtesy of your boyfriend Maxwell, it was a three tier chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and your name delicately placed on top in intricately detailed fondant.
"Maxie," you whispered, tears pooling in your eyes. You placed your hand on your boyfriend's thigh, rubbing it under the table. "This is too much. You shouldn't have." 
"Anything for you, my princess," he whispered, his warm breath fanning over the shell of your ear. Leaning in further, he pressed a kiss into your lobe, before giving it a small and teasing kitten lick. You grabbed his thigh even harder, your fingernails digging into his skin and giggled at your gesture. When he pulled away, he quirked an inquisitive eyebrow, as if to ask why are you giggling? He knew fine well. "Make a wish." he mumbled as he interlocked his fingers with yours.
There was no way you could possibly wish for anything. Dating Maxwell Lord meant that you could never want for nothing. He provided you with a beautiful home, lavish and luxurious clothes and jewellery, but most importantly he provided you with his love and warmth. You closed your eyes and wished that this happiness would last forever. There was no place you'd rather be, surrounded by your family and friends on your birthday— but most importantly, with Maxwell, the love of your life.
"You kept teasing me at the table." you muttered with a joking roll of your eyes. You and Maxwell were walking along the table filled with little bites to eat. Picking at the finger food, you both filled up your plates.
"Now sweetheart, you know that wasn't teasing," he chastised with a smirk. You nodded, knowing that he could do much worse. "Teasing could be you rubbing my thigh all night, huh? Did you think about that?"
As a matter of fact you had. Maxwell looked so handsome in his three piece tuxedo. The black pants and matching Armani jacket with the white button down suited him so well, but it didn't change the fact you desperately wanted to peel off that bow tie and have him gag you with it. You supposed it could wait until you got back to your hotel suite. You didn't answer, picking up a small item of food and shoving it into his mouth. He took it willingly, but stopped to wrap his lips around your finger, sucking teasingly.
"Maxie," you groaned wantonly. "People might see." He pulled off you with a pop.
"Let them watch." he shrugged casually before picking up another piece of food to go onto his plate.
Your birthday gala was a massive success, but you had no doubt it would be. Maxwell was always the best at hosting events. Your favourite part of the night was when he held you in your arms and you slow-danced to Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis, which was one of Max's all time favourites. You rested your head into your boyfriend's chest as his arms held your waist, swinging your hips in time with the music.
"You look absolutely stunning in that dress," Maxwell growled in your ear. You recognised that lilt in his voice immediately. Leaning back, you caught a glimpse of that primal look on his face, as well as a glint of lust in his already darkened eyes. "So glad to call you mine."
His hand maneuvered round to the curve of your ass and you felt your cheeks begin to heat up as you slowly looked around the ballroom, hoping nobody had noticed Maxwell's sudden onset affection. Thankfully, they hadn't. Other couples were too busy gazing into one another's eyes, or feasting upon the buffet on the other side of the room. In a crowded room, all Maxwell could focus on was you, his drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend.
"I love you." you confessed with a happy hum.
"I love you too darling." 
The night was still young but it seemed most people had taken a break from dancing, filing back to their tables to chat some more. You were making your way around all the different tables, wanting to make sure to speak to everyone and thank them for coming and bringing gifts. You slid into an unoccupied seat at the Black Gold Cooperative table, a huge smile on your face as you began talking to your old colleagues, and Max's employees.
Max approached you, holding a tired Alistair in his arms. Alistair, his son, was hugging one of your balloons tight to his chest as he fell in and out of sleep. "I'm gonna take Alistair back to our hotel room, he's exhausted," Maxwell announced and you nodded in affirmation before gently pressing a kiss into Alistair's forehead. "I won't be long." he promised before walking away.
"Mr Lord is so sweet for doing all of this for you," Raquel, Maxwell's assistant gushed.
"You know you can call him Max when he's not here." you giggled and Raquel blushed.
"Well I remember when Mr Lor- I mean Max first met you. He changed almost instantaneously. Less miserable, more polite. We all think you made him into a better person." Raquel revealed.
"Really?" you questioned, your eyes going wide at her revelation. The rest of the table nodded their heads in unison, confirming your question.
When Maxwell returned, his bow tie was slightly wonky and his hair had fallen out of it's style. You tucked a loose strand back into place. "You okay?" you pouted, letting your fingers trace the buttons on his shirt. You pulled out a chair next to you so he could sit down at the table.
"Yeah, Alistair couldn't settle so I had to sing to him," he frowned. "You should've been there," he chastised you teasingly. "You're usually the one who sings him lullabies."
You giggled, resting your head on Maxwell's shoulder. "You're such a good daddy."
Daddy— it was the word that set a fire in Maxwell's stomach and you knew it. Everytime you said it, you said it deliberately. You said it to gain a reaction out of him. You felt his body stiffen up and you watched as his hand slowly glide over his crotch, covering his hardening cock. It was crazy how just one word spoken by you could get him going. The rest of the table cooed and awed in delight at how sweet you both were, but even Max knew that your intentions were far beyond sweet. He'd been teasing you all night at your own birthday party, but two can play at that game.
Maxwell stayed silent for the next few minutes as you laughed and joked with your friends, telling them about how brilliant your birthday had been. He fidgeted awkwardly, his dark eyes watching you intently as you took small sips of your champagne and fumbled with the gold rings adorning your fingers. You were truly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky.
When you were deep enough into conversation with Raquel about the brand new 1984 Polaroid camera Maxwell had gotten you, he took his chance to slide his hand up the hem of your dress. He peeled back the thin glittering sheath and drew small circles into the inside of your thigh. His actions almost took your breath away but you kept your cool, acting unfazed, like it wasn't even bothering you.
It would be okay. His hand was under the table cloth and nobody could see anyway. If he just wanted to stroke the soft skin of your legs, that was fine too. As long as you acted normal, pretending like your boyfriend wasn't touching you in front of all these people. You were doing a good job of seeming unbothered, it actually irked Max. He was doing all of this to see your reaction. He maneuvered his large, ring clad hand to the apex of your thigh, rolling the pads of his middle finger and index finger along your slick wet folds. You were evil for not wearing panties tonight. He couldn't believe how soaked you already were from just the slightest of touches, but, to be fair, you two had been teasing each other all night. His finger inched up to your clit and he began to swirl it around in tight circles.
The gasp you let out was almost inhumane and you felt your cheeks heat up. Maxwell kept working at you, trying to hide the smirk that graced his lips.
"Are you okay?" Raquel asked inquisitively.
Before you could even reply, Maxwell slid one thick finger into your aching core, doubling down until you felt his knuckles against your skin. "Y-yes," you choked out, reaching for your glass of champagne. "Think I just need a drink."
Your boyfriend continued to pump his finger in and out of you whilst sitting at the same table as his own employees. You kept taking sips of your drink to try and hide the longing moans that escaped your lips as he stretched you out. You felt wonderful around him, and he couldn't help but slip a second finger in. You made a fist, bunching up the material of your dress in your hand. When you began to feel your walls flutter around him, you knew your orgasm was approaching and that you wouldn't be able to stay quiet for him. You grabbed his wrist and shot him a knowing look. Slowly, he removed his finger from your core and you groaned at the loss of his fullness.
"Want more?" he whispered into your ear. You nodded quickly and he took your hand, whisking you away from the table and into a dark corner.
You began to palm at him through his pants, already eagerly trying to tug off his tuxedo jacket and pull off his bow tie. "C-can we go to the hotel room?" you asked, giving him your best puppy dog eyes. You pushed your body against his as his hands stroked your bare arms, relishing the moment.
"Oh honey, but Alistair's up there sleeping," Max cooed, shaking his head. You furrowed your eyebrows together in disdain.
"Maxieee," you groaned, pressing your thighs together. "But I need you."
The three words made Maxwell's cock twitch. He needed you too. He could already feel his precum begin to leak out from the tip of his manhood, staining his underwear. He looked around the ballroom. Everyone was too busy dancing and talking to notice you and Max had even left the scene. "Do you think they can see us?" he asked quizzically, his voice low as he brought his hand to your breast. He began to massage it through the thin material of your dress, giving it the occasional squeeze.
You contemplated his words. You were under a canopy, in the shadows. They probably wouldn't be able to see you from where they were standing, but if anyone approached this area, you'd soon become visible. "Right now? No, I don't think so." you hummed, weighing the scenario out in your mind. Max nodded his head in agreement before bringing his hand to your face. Under the dim light, his fingers still shone with your arousal, from when he had fingered you under the table earlier.
He brought his index finger to your lips, tracing them gently before pushing it into your mouth. You whimpered, sucking on his finger (just like he'd done to you earlier), and lapping up all your juices. Your bodies were pressed together and you began to run your knee over his erection, earning a few strangled moans from Max. "Now now Maxie, what are we going to do about this?" you hummed around his finger before he eventually pulled it away from you.
He looked around the ballroom once more, astonished that it had been a few minutes and no one had yet to see you both. He placed his hands on your hips and pressed you against the wall, unzipping his pants and pulling them down to his knees, along with his black pair of boxers. Your eyes widened when you saw how hard he already was for you, how desperate his thick cock was for your pretty little cunt. You dropped your hands to the base of his manhood and gave it a small stroke.
"Ngh— no," Max shook his head as he choked out a groan. "Just need to be inside of you." he confessed.
He pulled up your dress so it was bunched around your waist and propped up one of your legs, wrapping it around him. He pressed the blunt head of his cock against your entrance and you gasped wantonly, spreading yourself as open as you could and running your fingers through his hair.
"People might see." you whispered, grinding your pussy along his cock in desperation. He kept nudging himself against you, teasing, as always.
"You're so fucking hot," Maxwell whispered, gently pushing himself into you. His hand snapped up to your mouth, trying to silence your moans of pleasure as his thickness stretched you open. "You're so tight for me, aren't you princess?"
You couldn't even reply, and instead just nodded as the lust clouded your every thought. He doubled back before pushing himself completely into you, enjoying the way felt around his manhood. He couldn't believe how lucky he was, having you all to himself, not having to share you with anyway. He couldn't believe was fucking you in front of hundreds of guests at your own birthday gala— and you were letting him. "You- fuck, you take me so well." he praised.
"Oh Max, I don't think I'm gonna last long." you admitted, digging your fingernails into his dress shirt as he increased his speed. He was hitting that sweet spot inside of you everytime. 
"I'm gonna make you cum at your own birthday party," he announced with a low, gravely chuckle. "Gonna cum around daddy's cock, aren't you princess?"
"Mm, yes daddy. Please let me cum on your cock— ah!"
You bit down on his shoulder as his hips snapped into yours and you felt your climax undo, nothing but pure satisfaction washing over you. As Max felt you quiver around him, it spurred him over the edge and he spilt ropes of his seed inside of you, painting your pretty walls.
You stayed there for a few moments, against the wall, both heaving and panting, until Max's cock eventually softened and fell out of you. He sighed, carefully dropping you back to the ground and tucking himself back into his pants. You smoothed out his hair and he used his thumb to swipe away any of your smudged makeup.
"Happy birthday princess," he mumbled, pressing a sweet kiss into your lips. "Are you ready to go back to the party?"
You nodded happily, kissing him back. "I am. I love you so much."
Maxwell took your hand and held you close, the both of you heading back into the light and walking over to the dance floor. "I love you too." he revealed as he wrapped his hands around your waist and began to slow dance with you again.
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alicemitch09writes · 4 years ago
Text
lame
10.
you’re both so lame
Bakugou Katsuki was roughly 16 when he realized the stakes to be the best, the top, the number one hero. It was more than having a strong quirk, physical strength, keen observational skills, smarts, or being brave – it was all these things he realized that he lacked something more. He realized that you had to have heart, compassion, something he sorely lacked.
After all, what good is a hero working for himself and not for others?
Failing his Provisional License Exam made him realize that, putting up with shitty Half-and-Half.
He could be the hero he wanted to be, but that'd put him in leagues of Endeavor, and there was no way he wanted to wind up as shitty as that old fart.
He was lacking, but he just didn't know where. No, he knew where he lacked but just didn't know how to consider them.
He wanted to be more, bigger - become a better version of himself.
Considering his shitty self, however, that seemed like a laughable and farfetched idea.
“Are you stupid or something?”
He looked up at the figure who stopped in front of him under the pouring rain, meeting your gaze - surprised, annoyed, angry, and worried, all at once. Too lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t realized that it had rained and that he was soaking.
Grabbing his hand, you forced him to his feet. “Come on, get under here.” Once under the umbrella, you practically shove it in his hand, letting him hold because he was taller. Slipping your bag in front of you, you rummaged through your things for a handkerchief. Once finding it, you wiped his wet face, grumbling under your breath. “Seriously, if you want to be number one, we can’t have you getting sick on me.”
At the sound of your voice, your mothering, he slowly came to. “Sorry,” was the most intelligent thing he could think of saying to you. Going back on your words, he found his voice again. "you remembered."
Rolling your eyes, you poked between his brows. "How could I not? It was all you could talk about." Shaking your head, now that his face was dry, you began to walk, he followed. “So, where’re ya headed?”
“Home.”
“Really? School break?”
It still surprises him at how easy it is to speak to you now, even after everything. And he means everything. It amazes him how natural it was to talk to you, how at ease he feels.
“Something like that.”
Humming, the two of you make your way through the wet road, waiting by the crosswalk as cars pass by, the light overhead blaring red. “Well, you’re lucky I’m heading home. I’ll just drop you off first, okay?”
Once the light blinks green, the two of you began to walk with the crowd.
Shrugging, he adjusts his hold on the umbrella, slipping his free hand into his pocket. “Yeah, alright.”
You said nothing else, and walked on, the falling rain filling in the noise.
In turn, Bakugou had little else to say with his mind riddled with his thoughts filled with insecurities and fears regarding the path he wants for himself.
At 16, he realized now how quirks were nothing more than an added bonus, they could either make or break you, depending on its usage. Like you said in middle school, there’ll always be other quirks better than yours, and nobody would give a damn about how you well you did in junior high when you get to the real world. UA was such an eye-opener. That, and you and Deku.
Now, as he turned to you, watching you hum a tune under your breath as you skipped happily on the wet ground, carmine eyes softened as he realized just how much he wanted to be someone’s hero.
“For what it’s worth…I’m working my way to the top.”
Blinking, you turned to face him, the corners of your lips lifting. “Yeah?”
Nodding, he regarded you in kind regards, feeling the darkness seep away just by the curve of your lips, the warmth in your eyes. “Had a few speed bumps to get through, first.”
“And how’s that working out for you?”
Exhaling, sharply, he tilts a bit, careful to not bring the umbrella with him lest he gets you wet. “…exhausting, but no way am I fucking giving in that easy.”
“Glad to hear that then.”
At 16, he remembered that one thing he wished for the moment he got his quirk, the one person who mattered the most to him, the other person who helped propel him to the top, he finally remembered what he had to do.
Finally smiling, the best he could do anyway, you rolled your eyes at him, playfully punching his chest. “There’s the fucker, I know.”
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Being friends with someone like Midoriya Izuku is both a blessing and a curse – one, you have this sweet cinnamon roll, whose life goal was to be the best hero at his own pace whilst ensuring that people are safe and sound; then, there’s the fact that he’s disturbingly perceptive and dangerously analytical. For short, he can read you like a book.
Since you were younger, Izuku knew of your crush on Bakugou.
He was actually rooting for both of you to end up together, which was only solidified during the ‘proposal’. Dear God, that was so long ago!
Even when the blond boy turned out to be a shithead, lording over with his overgrown pride, Izuku was there to assure you that your crush is valid and that there's almost something good underneath Kacchan's pride. 
One Valentine’s day, sophomore year of middle school to be exact, with some push from your green-haired best friend, you were planning on giving Bakugou Katsuki Valentine’s chocolates. The idea intimidated you to no end, but it was a step. Your mother had helped you make them, all while teasing you throughout the process. Your dad had cried the whole time, whilst your grandparents drank tea to the tune of his wails.
You had given some pieces to Izuku, who enjoyed them much to your relief. So now, the only problem was actually giving them to the blond boy.
“B-Bakugou-kun!” a girly voiced called out, startled, you hid, back against the wall. “I-I made you chocolates! T-These are for you!”
It didn't help that you were not the only one who harbored a crush on him, in fact, half the population liked him, you had a lot of competition. Izuku would say that you had a leg against the rest, just because you were childhood friends. (To which you'd roll your eyes on because it was so fucking cliche)
"HAH?"
"Um, um...I was hoping to give them to you! A-Also, I-I...like you! Please go out with me-"
"Like I'd go out with an extra like you," he cuts her off harshly, sadistically. "none of you are fit for someone like me." There was a whimper, followed by a dark chuckle. "And you have the gall to actually hand me these? You must be outta your mind. Double, if you think I'd ever want to be found dating an extra like you."
Though they weren't directed at you, every word said sent a painful jab to your heart, loosening the grip on your chocolates.
You should have known better that Bakugou wasn’t one for Valentine's Day, he’d either snub the gifts, burst them to bits, or pass them to his ‘friends’. Today was no different. Braving a look, you saw as he harshly took the chocolate off the girl's hands and blew them to bits, his 'friends' laughing behind him while the girl stared in horror before running off crying.
Had that been you, it could've been worst.
Bakugou Katsuki could care less about feelings or liking someone, he cared for nothing but himself.
So, instead, you gave them to Izuku, meaning he got two chocolates for Valentine’s Day.
"EH!? (Nickname), what happened!?" seeing the look in your eyes, Izuku was by your side.
“Sorry, Izuku, I couldn’t do it.” you murmur, defeatedly.
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”
You could only exhale, limply leaning against him. Still worried, he wraps an around your shoulders, squeezing comfortably. Seeing the chocolate in your best friend's hands, you felt the burn in your eyes, the squeeze in your chest, remembering all that time you spent working on it only to go to waste. In a way, it was metaphorically like dealing with your feelings, this stupid one-sided crush.
“Honestly? I’m tired of this stupid crush.”
Numbness washed over you, crawling over your nerves.
Seeing the weariness in your eyes, Izuku relents his words and works on a smile. “I-I’ll give you double for White Day!”
Smiling weakly, you replied. “Thanks, Izuku, I look forward to it.”
(Unbeknownst to the both of you, a blond teen listened in, hands balled into fists, sparks going off, before stomping away angrily.)
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“Um, Aizawa-sensei, is there a reason why we’re doing night classes?”
Lazily glancing at Jirou, seeing her in gear like the rest of her classmates, who seemed tired and confused for being in the gym at 09:06 in the evening.
“Since you’ll be heroes soon, you have to keep in mind that you work around the clock. Meaning, there’s a chance that you’re more likely to work day shifts or night shifts.” His students shifted, reacting to his words.
“Well, that’s true.” Satou nods, arms crossed against his massive chest.
“Well, I work better at night, since I love to sleep in~” Kaminari says, grinning ear to ear.
“Tokoyami-chan, wouldn't you be better suited for the night?” Asui asked Tokoyami, who nodded once.
“Yes, as Dark Shadow and I have been making progress.”
“That being said, we’re only doing these night classes at random, to properly prepare yourselves. With that in mind, I’ve called for help with these classes.”
The class gasped in unison, half were excited, half were in awe. After all, it’s not every day you get outside help. Who knows who they'll meet?
As if being summoned, two figures appeared from the shadows, both sporting ninja-like costumes and donning masks - a sly kitsune on the small female, and a stoic angry-looking fox on the tall male. Together, the two bowed - holding their fists in their palms - at Aizawa, then at the class.
Standing straight, they began to take off their masks, lowering their hoods.
Midoriya and Bakugou gasped, immediately recognizing the two whose eyes glinting a dangerous yellow.
“They are from the Yoruichi dojo, they’re trained and proficient in combat, especially at night. We'll be under their care.”
“E-EH?”
"Hold up!"
“Isn’t that Midoriya and Bakugou’s childhood friend?”
You waved a two-fingered salute, rather nonchalantly. “Yo!”
“(Nickname)!” Izuku called to you, excitedly, his shock wearing off.
“What are you doing here?” Bakugou shouted, still in shock.
Tutting you folded your arms against your chest, fixing a dull look towards your childhood friends. “Weren’t you listening? Or were your explosions too loud that you’ve gone deaf?” those words were specifically directed towards Bakugou, who yelled incoherent words at you. Turning your head away, avoiding his yells, you stuck your tongue out childishly.
Beside you, your grandfather stoically took in the group before him, before his eyes fell on green and blond. “So, this is the two of you donning your heroics? Not too shabby.” Says your grandfather, the two boys stood straighter, much to the shock of their classmates, especially for Bakugou.
“Shihan!” Bakugou and Midoriya say in unison.
“Ah, the two of them straightened up!”
“Even Bakugou!”
“Just who is this old man?”
"He's the head of the Yuroichi clan," Aizawa said, hands still in his pocket. "a retired underground hero who's trained countless heroes, mastered the art of stealth and even earned the respect of several Yakuza clans for his many feats. He is simply called Shihan." Scratching at his cheek, he added. "Even I trained under him."
"That's an impressive track record," remarked Yaoyorozu, Todoroki nods beside her. "Countless heroes have been under his wing, he must be that impressive."
"Y-Yakuza clans!?" shrieked Urakaka.
"An experienced underground hero to help us further enhance our skills, as expected of UA!" Iida praised, hands moving animatedly, his classmates were careful not to get hit by them.
"He even trained Aizawa-sensei, that's so cool!" Kirishima comments, fists bumping producing a satisfying 'clack' sound.
“But, 'Shihan'? Isn’t that just a title?” Mashirao asked, confused. Beside him, Mezuo shrugged.
“Well, you get to know his name only if you’ve rightfully earned it.” You tell them, dangling against the banister, legs swinging.
...
...
...
“What the hell?”
“When did she get there!?”
Giggling, you drop to the ground soundlessly, landing next to Izuku to hug his arm. Shooting the blond a look, you playfully kicked his boots.
"(N-Nickname)!"
“Granddaughter,” called your old man, arms folded behind his back. “get over here.”
“Yes~” taking a step back from your friends, you flipped backward to your grandfather, landing easily into a seating pose, yellow eyes alight with mischief.
“W-Wait, sensei, you said that we’d have to train against them right?”
“Correct. The Yuroichi clan is the best martial artist you’ll find, but you won’t hear squat of them in the real world because of how good they keep their façade.” At that, you winked at your (still) gaping best friends. “That being said, within this class, you’ll see exactly how you’ll fare in the real world especially at night.”
Impassively staring out, your grandfather continued to stare down at the students of Class 2-A, his yellow eyes gleaning on each one of them whilst you rocked in place beside him.
“You may have had your work studies, internship, and last year's fiasco cut out for you, but that's still a fraction of what's to be expected of you as heroes." Some of the group fell silent at the mention of their freshmen year, a lot of things happened to them that forced them all to grow up too fast.
"Yuroichi,” Aizawa turns to you - cutting everyone's thought process, bringing them to now, you blink. “you can start out by picking the person you’d like to go against.”
Humming, you gave the class a good look, yellow eyes dancing from person to person. Izuku's detailed analysis flowed in your head, regarding each of his classmates.
Eventually, you chose Ochako, because you had been told that she’s one of the best combatants in class. Also, she had a rather interesting quirk you'd like to see with up close.
"I won't go easy on you, (Name)-chan!" the brunette says to you, fists clenched against her chest.
Nodding, the two of you walk forward to the mat, Class 2-A stood in line to watch from the side.
“Good luck, Ochako-chan! Gero~”
"Ochako-chan, let's go!!!"
“Go kick some butt, Uraraka!”
“This’ll be good! Some girl on girl action!” someone said, which was met with an angry bark and explosion soon after.
“Take your position,” says Aizawa. “everyone, keep your eyes on the two.” Lifting his hands in the air, readying. “Begin.”
Just as his hands slapped against each other, the slap resounding throughout the gym, you had Ochako pinned down to the ground, both her palms open and outstretched away from each other.
“What!?”
“What the hell?”
“She’s too fast!”
From his spot, your grandfather scoffed angrily, unimpressed. "Granddaughter, don't show off."
Smiling cheekily, you released the brunette and walked back to your position. "Yes, yes. Sorry~" came your breezy reply, to which he rolled his eyes at. Turning to Ochako, you offered a peace sign in apology. Rolling her shoulders, her eyes remained wide in confusion at how fast it all went down.
Aizawa, unfazed by how fast things were going, stood idle. "Alright, we'll try again. This time, play fair." He says to you, mostly. Eyes flashing red in warning, causing chills to run down your spine, your expression sours a bit.
This time though, as you both circled the training mat and settled into positions, you took a deep inhale, eyes closing. As you exhaled, your eyes slowly peeled open and revealed (e/c), much to the confusion of many - save for your grandfather, Aizawa, and your best friends.
"Begin."
Ochako struck first, coming at you with her hands open to take you down, but you managed to dodge easily in time, rolling on her back to land on your feet. Striking for her head, she easily deflected your attack and grabbed your arm. Anticipating this, you twisted your whole body, causing her to lose balance and trip. 
"Uwa!"
"That was so cool!"
"GO KICK HER ASS, URARAKA!"
While the class cheered, as the fight went on, two boys were especially keyed on the fight between the two females, taking note of your eyes.
Surging towards you, trying to get at you again, you stood your ground and waited. When she was within reach, you easily slipped your arm in hers and twirled around, as though you were doing the rodeo, and tossed her. Disoriented, she quickly got back to her wits, throwing punches your way, which you parried off quickly. And with your attacks, she easily dispatched your chances.
It was a rather even match.
"Wow, they're amazing..." commented Sato under his breath.
"I keep forgetting how good Uraraka is in terms of close combat." Sero seconds, just as Ochako aptly deflects your kicks.
"Yeah, but have you seen Yuroichi?" Throughout the fight, you ensured to knock away Ochako's hands - removing all chances of her using her quirk, cutting all her openings, and slipping through her defenses. "Damn, since's good."
Ochako grabbed hold of your arm, and you let her. Feeling weightless a playful smile plasters on your lips, much to her confusion, before you grabbed at her arms, throwing yourself back and using gravity to your advantage, maneuvering with her weight until you kicked her by the backs of her knees. Once again, the brunette found herself pinned to the ground. "And, dead."
"Alright, Yoruichi wins."
A series of cheers echoed behind you.
Grinning, you got off Ochako - who immediately released her quirk, and helped her up. "Thanks for the fight, Ochako~"
Despite being bruised all over, she mirrors your grin. "My pleasure, (Name)-chan! You're so cool!"
"Not as cool as you were!" you swayed a little, finding your footing. "Man, your quirk is no joke."
"Now, can anyone tell me what happened?" Aizawa turned to the class expectantly.
For a moment, there was silence, before Sero spoke up.
"Um, Yuroichi moved too fast?"
"And?"
"She...well, she shifted her fighting style time to time." Mashirao added, his tail noticeable shaking excitedly.
"Oh yeah! That!" Kirishima blinked, like he had a light bulb moment, hammering a fist into his open palm. "It's like one of those characters in those fighting games!" Ashido, Sero, and Kaminari nodding in agreement.
"And because of Uraraka's fighting style, she had to be the antithesis of her to catch her off-guard." Todoroki supplemented.
Aizawa nodded - save for Kirishima's comment, at every comment. "Anything else to add?"
"She was studying Uraraka," muttered Katsuki, arms crossed against his chest. "from the moment she chose her to the moment she stepped in the mat."
"Also, with her quirk allowed her to predict exactly how she'll attack." Izuku seconds in, remembering your eyes flashing quickly from (e/c) to yellow. "However, she only used it when it suited her."
Narrowing your eyes at your childhood friends, you called out. "Hey, that's cheating! The two of you know too much!"
"No, that's true." Aizawa pointedly ignores your complaints, nodding at the two.
Grumbling under your breath, Ochako could only give you a laugh before handing you a towel. Nodding in thanks, you dropped to the ground, sitting.
"Alright, so now, you've just paid witness to what you're up against. Next, we're going to test the rest of you. Shihan," Aizawa turned to your grandfather "I believe you've made a decision?"
Your grandfather grunted. "Yes." he nods, turning to the shorter man, shoulders relaxing. "Standard Rabbit Hole exercise."
Pursuing your lips at your grandfather's words, eyes widening slightly, you hummed afterward. "Heh, okay~"
"What does that mean?" a confused Asui asked, poking at her cheek. "Gero?"
"I believe it's an exercise where a whole group is to capture one chosen person. It's a common stealth exercise that the military uses." Yaoyoruzu explained kindly.
"You heard him, your objective is to capture Yuroichi."
Half the class blinked in disbelief, eyes wide like saucers.
"Wait, all of us?"
"All of you." Shihan confirmed with a small smirk, one that sent chills down the students' spines. Aizawa mirrors his mentor's smirk, albeit it was a smaller and softer-looking one.
"The person to catch her gets a free lunch stub for a week."
Mirroring your grandfather's smirk, you hopped to your feet. "Well, this'll be fun."
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When you were younger and when your quirk first started to appear, it was rather unpleasant. Because first of all, you had your first period. You honestly thought you were going to die then and there had your mom and grandmother not been there to guide you. Second, straight after your period, you were overwhelmed by senses you started feeling - smell, sight, hearing, taste. It was all too much that you puked, nearly passing out on the spot.
It took you a while to get used to it, scared shitless at how much you could feel and sense things, and especially how more alert you these were happening at night.
At the time, Izuku was wildly concerned about how you've been losing sleep. You didn't have the heart to tell him about your quirk just yet, fearful of the power you had and how alienated Izuku would feel.
You were ever grateful to have such an amazing family to walk you through your quirk, the family's secretive history, and being a hero in your own way.
Since you were younger, you had joked that your family might have been descendants to ninjas, something your grandfather had yet to confirm or not. (Judging his dealings with Yakuza, you'd bet it was true)
Training hadn't been easy over the years since you were expected to master a great deal of martial arts. Some years later, you were forced to go through rigorous training to heighten your senses, learning when to turn them on or off. From your grandmother, you had learned to preserve energy and make use of them any time during day time, just remembering its drawback.
Quirks were always an added bonus, something that just made you special than the average man. Yet, quirks don't make you.
You learned that from your two best friends - Izuku, quirkless at birth, but proved that even without a quirk, you could still be a hero; and then Bakugou, though was gifted with an amazing quirk, if you had a shitty attitude, you were basically nothing without it.
Yellow eyes gleamed under the light, a glint of mischief playing through that mirrored the mask in your hand.
At the age of 14, you finally mastered your senses, allowing them to come on its full potential once it was dusk. Per family tradition, you were given a mask - one that helped protect you and leave enemies unaware of you using your quirk.
Now, at 17, you were seeing your quirk - quirks, as a whole - with a new set of eyes.
Donning the mask on, a loud blaring alarm rang out, signifying the start of the exercise.
The fox was ready to play.
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20 against 1 should be an intimidating feat, but you, it felt strangely exciting. That, or maybe it was the warrior in you. These kinds of things were exciting in a way. This play of cat and mouse - well, rabbit, the thrill of the chase, stealth, saboteur, ambush - you could feel your blood tingle in glee.
The object was simple: one of the twenty students had to find and capture you. Should be easy, considering they had really strong quirks and experience you sorely lacked.
But as a Yuroichi, you were always taught never to underestimate your enemy and to always make use of your environment as much as you should use your quirk, they always helped to your advantage.
5 minutes in and you were caught in what seemed to be a crossfire of students, all deadset on capturing you - for their grade or that week's worth of free lunch. Frankly, having everyone come at you all at once was adorable, yet, it was rather fool-hardy.
It made them all the more reckless.
Grunting, you felt the echolocation sound back to you, giving you an idea of the area around you and the number of students in the way. Mapping your way, you avoided grabbing hands (appendages, tapes, and acid, oh my), hopping from one's shoulder to one's head, until your foot met the wall. Kicking yourself off, you were sent back, hands grabbing a ledge before using your weight to drop the ladder a few inches.
Hanging upside down, you lazily eyed the two heroes before you who individually kinda reminded you of grapes and banana.
"We got her!"
"That lunch is mine!"
Carefully coursing through the two, whisking through the grape boy’s balls, until you were in front of them, hands moved at lightning speed striking their abdomen, sides, and inner biceps, leaving them paralyzed and down.
"I-I can't move...?" Satou flexed his fingers but to no avail.
"GAH! Bested!" Mineta's balls fall to the ground, no longer sticking and rolling off like a ball.
Sensing someone behind you, you threw yourself forward, ice barely kissing the tips of your sandaled feet, barreling on the ground before crouching.
"Mineta, Satou! Are you okay?"
"How and why are you down?"
"S-She did something to us...!"
Mismatched eyes watched you coolly, you didn't let up, stance readying. 
You felt a rush of lighting behind you, followed by iron-clad soles hopping wall to wall. Seeing the mismatched teen's shifted posture, you smirked beneath your mask. Just as hands touched your head, you grabbed hold of his wrist, striking your knuckled index finger on his arms, before tossing him to the mismatched teen, his eyes widening at the incoming body.
"(NAME)!" an explosion sounded off.
As smoke filled the area, you stilled a moment, grunting lowly before turning on your heel and rushing the opposite direction. Hopping off the ground, you leaped building to building, not stopping once even as heroes followed after your trail.
Turning on your heel, eyeing the remaining heroes, you gave a two-fingered salute before falling backward. In midair, you twirled around, dodging an incoming combo move by Ochako and Sero, using the latter's body to cushion your fall, Ochako knocked out next to him.
Suddenly, you found yourself in some open area, with the remaining class surrounding you. Beneath the mask, you were smiling - almost madly, like the fox.
Easing into a stance, you all but raised a hand, flexing your index forward as if to say, 'come at me'.
And then it all came in a blur.
Attacks came left and right, but you were in tune with your senses enough to avoid each hit that came. You moved like water, fluidly, unyielding, splashing coolly on to the other even though the hit wasn't yours.
With your whimsical and unpredictable fighting style, it made it difficult for the class to know how you'd approach each of them, using their confusion to your advantage. Moves quick as lightning struck through through the bodies, but not enough to kill just enough to bruise and leave a mark. Adrenaline spiked through your veins, making you feel alive as your body danced with quick, harried moves. Not a single wasted hit. Carefully dodged attacks. Perfectly executed moves.
You were listening. Listening to everything, commanded only by your drive to fight. It was in the family and your blood was singing with every move. Hearing. Reacting. As your grandfather had said, you had to be one with the creatures and dance the night away.
Despite being unable to use his other arm, Izuku readily deflected your attacks with Black Whip working on trying to catch you off your feet. What he forgot was how much you knew him, how much you had helped him with his Shoot Style, and just how much you had predicted his actions. Letting Black Whip capture you, you allowed yourself to be swung around. Reaching Izuku, you took advantage of the proximity and wrapped your legs around his torso, thumb, and index finger pressed together jabbed at his elbows. For extra measure, you pressed at his inner arms.
Swinging your form back, yellow eyes fell on mint and blond who were fast approaching, hopping off your now paralyzed best friend.
A great leap over, you appeared between the two powerhouses. Grabbing their wrists, you forcefully tugged, switching sides and throwing them off, before kicking down to their ankles up to their torsos. Angered, Katsuki lifted a hand, to blast you away. Apparently, Todoroki thought of the same thing. Thankfully you ducked in time, but not enough time for the boys to realize their actions, and a loud explosion sounded off. The two were incapacitated from the blast meter...and anyone caught near it.
You landed soundlessly in front of them all, a few scratches on your costume but your fox mask still smiling.
Thirty minutes later, twenty students were down, half were paralyzed, unable to move their limbs, and had to be helped up by a fellow classmate, and half had bruises on their bodies.  A smirking Shihan greeted them, next to an impassive Aizawa, eyes glinting with a strange glee. 
"All twenty of you failed to capture Yuroichi," it was a simple statement, but man did it hurt their ego. First day of sophomore year and already they failed. "I'm not going to mince on you one by one, we can do that tomorrow. For now, tell me where you went wrong."
Grunting, the group looked at each other before it was Jiro who spoke first. "W-We were caught off guard...?"
"Correct."
"Yuroichi was too skilled." Mezo added, holding on to one of his arms.
"That's debatable, as you all should be, too, considering what you've been through in your first year. Anything else?"
Whilst the class were discussing amongst themselves, you walked towards your grandfather, his eyes regarding you with a soft, praising mien. He didn't say it, but the look in his eyes was the highest form of praise you'll get from him. Also, he handed you a bottle of water. Gleefully, you took off your mask, grinning toothily to your old man. Rolling his eyes, he ruffled at your sweaty hair.
"She fought dirty," came Katsuki's loud statement, glaring daggers at your smiling form, a bottle of water halfway through your mouth. You offered a peace sign, chugging at your drink greedily. "she's well-adept in close-ranged combat, especially because she knows all forms of martial arts and used it to her advantage and throw the lot of us off."
Izuku turned to his friend, eyes shining, as though he took his analysis right off his head.
"Furthermore, she used the situation to her advantage." Tokoyami's voice was loud and clear, Dark Shadow - a little worst for wear, nodded beside him. 
"Explain."
"She's well acquainted with the night, similar to my quirk, to which she uses her full potential and take us out whilst we are unaware of her capabilities as a fighter."
"A bit of stretch, but more or less right on the money." says your grandfather, nodding at Tokoyami. "Though, a few of you did give her a run for her money."
About to protest, you recalled Todoroki's ice, Katsuki's forwardness, Izuku's many quirks with One for All, and even Hagakure and Uraraka's teamwork, shoulders shrugging as you nodded once.
"It just goes to show that some of you may have underestimated Yoruichi for the mere fact that she has a latent quirk, too bad. Lest you all forget what happened when you all dealt with Togata Mirio last year?"
Your ears perked at that, remembering Izuku talking a mile about this amazing senior of his.
"Just because someone lacks in one aspect, doesn't mean they can't compensate elsewhere. Today's exercise shows that some of you are still leagues away from fully realizing that, and some of you are yet to be a testament of being more than your quirks. You all failed today. But make no mistake, there'll be brighter days to come. Or evening."
Aizawa's roundabout way of comfort did its job, easing the moods of his students. It was easy to find how he's such an amazing father figure to the class and yourself.
"Yuroichi-san, you were so cool!"
"Ne, ne, can you tell us more of your quirk?"
“More importantly, what the hell did you do?”
"You're seriously like that one character in those video games!"
"Can you do other stuff, too?"
Suddenly, the class was on you, questions were thrown left and right - it was making you a bit dizzy. Despite their injuries, they never looked so alive. You take a cautionary step back.
“Yes, please! (Nickname), please tell us!” Izuku asked eyes lit with life, his fingers making writing gestures.
“Yeah, Mineta and Satou were fine moments ago, then they’re not!”
"Hey, don't forget about Aoyama and Kaminari!"
"Tokoyami, too! I thought they'd be toe-to-toe at least."
"Oi, give her some fucking room to breath, stupid extras!" yelled Bakugou, hands sparking in warning.
Finishing your drink, you smiled at your explosive friend in thanks. "Well, my quirk's called 'The Night One', which means that I have the senses and abilities of nocturnal animals." Some nod at that, some try to digest the information. Giggling, you continue. "It basically means that I can see like an owl, hear like a bat, move like a cat, smell like a raccoon, and the like. It's major drawback though is that I get really sleepy in the morning and dehydrated."
"Why dehydrated?"
"Well, nocturnal animals are known to move better because there's no sun and it's easier for water balance to keep the body going. In the morning, all my water reserve's used up and I constantly have to keep myself hydrated to move."
"That makes sense," comments Mezuo, Koda nodding next to him.
Somewhere, Kaminari's and Ashido's head were spinning from the mini-Biology session.
“And as for what I did to some of you lot, it’s called ‘Chi-blocking’,” you explained simply, earning mix reactions – some were intrigued, some were confused, and some seemed perplexed. “In simpler terms, hitting your pressure points." Bringing your hand up, balling them into fists but curling index finger inward exposing the second joint, your thumb then locked in behind it to support the new position. You strike at nothing, just showing how you did what you did. "Which means that by blocking these areas, I’m also blocking out your quirks. After all, my quirk’s not that great, so I’d have to compensate greatly in martial arts.”
“That was a mouthful, foolish girl.”
Rolling your eyes at your grandfather, you flipped back to return to his side.
"She's practically a ninja at this point," nods Mashirao.
"Right, right, right!?" Hagakure says excitedly, jumping up and down.
"Eh, maybe. But again, my quirk's not that impressive."
"Nonsense, your quirk's plenty amazing, (Nickname)!" says your best friend, ever so ready to assure you, eyes bright. "It's perfect for any stealth mission!"
Katsuki nods, shooting you a look. "What Deku said. Don't sell yourself short, (Name)."
Your best friends' words made you smile the most, you duck your head into your scarf-hood to hide a dopey grin. "Dorks."
"Alright, that concludes tonight's lesson. Your classes have been adjusted. Get some rest."
"Ah, geez! Would you look at the time!"
Time check: It was now 02:32 am. To you, that's practically noontime.
“Oh," you say mostly to yourself, catching the attention of your two best friends, who turned to you. "and this might be probably too late to tell you guys now, but I’ve been transferred to UA, specifically in the Heroics Department…specifically in 2-A. Your class.”
Your parents were pro-heroes alright but were good at keeping a low profile and keeping a front. Many of their friends - the Bakugous and Midoriyas, especially, were led to believe that your father worked as an IT specialist while your mother was a customer support supervisor. It was a good alibi, especially considering that they were night shift jobs.
You could understand why your grandfather, parents, and Aizawa-san, chose to remain under the spotlight to save lives. You realize that it was rather half-assed of you to throw away their legacy, despite the fact that they were okay with whatever you wanted to do with your life so long as you were happy.
But you wanted to do more. You wanted to make them proud.
"This was more or less a formal introduction."
Their eyes bulged as your words began to sink in.
"I'll be in your care now~"
“…WHAT!?”
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Name: (Name) Yuroichi
Quirk: The Night One | A quirk that grants the user the abilities and skills of every nocturnal creature, heightening their senses, abilities, and more but only at night. Because of its nocturnal nature, the user is rather restless and dehydrated during day time.
Power: 4/5
Speed: 5/5
Technique: 5/5
Intelligence: 4/5
Martial Arts: 10/5
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Life at UA was…interesting. Much more interesting than how Izuku put it.
As much as you hated to leave your old school, your club, and your grandfather, you knew that it wouldn’t be fair to just hide away forever. You wanted to make something of yourself, regardless if it meant a shitload of challenges.
Thankfully, you had your best friends to keep you on your toes, making your transition to UA quite smooth.
Oh, and there was also the class, who readily took you in.
You found yourself getting along with Tokoyami, because like you, he worked well at night, and Ojiro, because he was a martial artist like you. Shoji was also an interesting character, as was Todoroki. Koda was someone you adored because he could get all the animals - especially the nocturnal ones you've been so fond of. Mostly, you hung with the boys, never really getting over your boyishness. But, you did enjoy Ochako’s company. And then there was Jirou, whom you shared a similar interest in a certain music genre. Momo made you feel like a cheap peasant, undeserving of her presence and grace. The rest of the girls were too girly for your taste but were nice enough.
Hitoshi - who had been placed in Class 2-B, was someone you'd considered a good friend. After all, you did help train him. He seemed to see you in the same regard. At times, when both of you were free or there'd be joint classes, he'd spar with you.
The struggle though was keeping up, now that you’ve mastered the way to balance out your energy. With enough water intake, you were up and about, allowing you some rest at night. Still, it was difficult to stay awake during classes. Thankfully, your teachers understood and allowed you to sleep in, your classmates – Izuku, mostly – had notes ready for you when you woke up.
After years of public school, you felt rather out of place in a prestigious school such as UA. It had a sort of elitist feel to it, especially since practically everyone was working their way to be a hero. Or a side-kick. Or a something. But, then again, it was just like every high school. You were going to make the most out of it.
“Why’re you still working, anyway? Isn’t your family loaded or something?”  Katsuki asked with a frown, fingers wrapped around his drink.
(E/c) eyes narrowed down at the blond.
“What, so I’ll mooch off them like you? Fat chance.”
Summer break finally came, you miraculously survived a semester at UA and were allowed to go home for your short vacation.
But first, you had a shift to cover.
Your two friends decided to tag along since all three of you were going to spend your breaks at Mustafu anyway.
“But didn’t your parents leave you money?” Izuku's bright green eyes turned to you, head tilted slightly.
True. A fat sum of money was left under your name when your parents died, waiting for your perusal.
“Yeah. But I just want to work, yanno?”
Truth was, working was supposed to be a distraction to help you cope with your parents’ death. After all, you had lost your closest confidant - Izuku, busy with One for All, and Bakugou had been a dead fuck at the time, they were all you had. You may have your grandparents, but it was just different when it was your parents who knew you best and all. When they died, a part of you died as well. You were left hollow, numb.
But now, things were...things were great.
"And besides, I donated some cash to my old school, specifically my old club." It kinda hurt to mention your old club, because you really enjoyed your time there and everyone was welcoming and warm (even though some gave you the stink eye because you were your grandfather's granddaughter). "They need it more than I do. I just had to make it Anonymous though."
"I'm sorry you had to leave your old club, (Nickname)."
Waving it off, you replied. "Nah, they'll be fine. Besides, they've always been plenty strong on their own." Humming in though, you shrugged then. "It does suck that it means I won't have to spar much though."
"You spar plenty in UA anyway," Katsuki scoffed, running a hand through his hair. Izuku nods furiously at this.
"You'll give Gunhead a run for this money at this rate!"
Since your transfer you were fast becoming the top (female) combatant in the class - maybe even your whole year! It also included the fact that you've had martial arts awards under your name and a family name as a sort of branding.
"Well, yeah. That, and I don't have to pretend I'm quirkless anymore." 
Both your friends reacted to that, mulling at your words. The word 'quirkless' cutting deep for both of them - all three of you, but you're all way past it now considering the path you've all decided to walk on.
"But it is nice to know that I'm free to exercise what I can do to the best of my abilities." You flex out your hands, turn them up, and gazing at your open palm, closing them to a fist.
"That's the spirit, (Nickname)!"
"Just don't let it go to your head."
"What, like you?"
"At least I'm strong."
"Fuck you, I'm plenty strong on my own, too." Turning on your heel, intent on returning to the counter. "Don't forget who beat your ass without having to use their quirk, asshole."
Katsuki sputtered on his drink, its contents flying everything much to your chagrin and joy. You couldn't help snickering.
Izuku could only laugh at you both, hashing out words at each other - words that weren't full of venom of hate, all in good fun, and just full of youthful energy. Somewhere, your manager eyed the two of you worryingly, especially at the language spewing out of your mouths.
The two stayed until the end of your shift, the three of you walking home comfortably under the night sky. Just like old times.
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When you participated in your first Sports Festival, it was during a high time when you had mastered using half the energy reserve for the daytime. Coursing through so many obstacles was not an easy feat, especially when it was a hot morning and you were losing water in your system fast. Conserving energy for a nocturnal quirk user was not easy, after all.
Countless water bottles were finished in record time, boosting your system for the remaining games.
It was only during the semi-finals (yes, for some reason you made it that far) that your body finally gave out.
Slowly blinking your eyes open, only for them to snap shut at the bright fluorescent light above you, you groaned weakly. Fabric conditioner, soft pillows, fresh-smelling sheets, - you were at the clinic. The smell was almost too much. There was an aftertaste at the back of your mouth, but couldn't put a name on what it was exactly.
"Did I lose...?" you slurred, body heavy, your mind in a haze.
Trying to recall your fight, a slight frown fixed itself on your face. Everything that happened came out blank, your mind seemingly wanting you to shut down. Then, something soft nudged between your brows, as though to smooth it out. Blinking, you realized that it was someone's thumb. Once the frown eased off, the hand hung there, unsure what to do with it, before tucking strands of wayward hair away from your face.
Slowly, everything came into focus. "Katsuki..."
"That was quite the fight you had there," he comments, voice tight. You hum, things slowly returning to mind.
"He overloaded my senses," you remember, shuddering at the memory. You had been up against a Tech Support student, who was armed with all sorts of knick-knacks. "it was horrible."
"Yeah, it was." He grumbled in response.
The student you were up against armed himself with all sorts of knick-knacks to disarm anyone, and since your quirk gave you finely tuned senses, he thought you were the perfect candidate to test out his latest works. When it happened, small sparks were dangerously coming out of Katsuki's hands. He half-tempted to jump in then and there, but couldn't out of respect for you. Izuku had to hold him back, but even he was frustrated at how one-sided the fight had seemed. The memory of you falling on your knees, senses overstimulated by the Tech student who proudly advertised his knick-knacks to spectating companies, much like Hatsume Mei's a year back, sent him roiling. But then, you had used a tactic he and Izuku never saw you do before, you took off your jacket - to which, Mineta and Kaminari excitedly watched - and wrapped it around your head, leaving you blind. The Tech Support had tried to overstimulate your senses again, but with scaringly fast reflexes, you got to him, beat him to a pulp, and knocked him out for good. "But I'm proud of you for winning that bout."
Turning to your side, you worked on a smile. "Thanks," but did you really win? You did pass out after all. Maybe it ended in a draw? "where's Izuku?" you asked instead, in the end caring very little about your match.
"Probably preparing for his match," he replied, relaxing in his seat. "He's up against Monoma."
Ah, him.
"That would've been interesting to see."
"Like Deku would lose."
"Exactly."
Yawning, you rubbed at your eyes, realizing just how heavy your body feels, how you felt tingly all over.
"How are you feeling?" the concern was thick in his voice.
"Heavy." You reply, nosing your pillow. "Tired. Weak. Irritable? Hungry."
Unable to help himself, he laughs. 
At the sound of his laugh, a sleepy smile broke into your face. Reaching out a hand, you took his hand in yours, giving it a small squeeze. 
Unsurprisingly, his hand was much larger than yours but ever so gentle and warm to the touch. Much to your surprise, however, his hand was actually softer than it looked - despite having to blow up every goddamn time. Also, it had a sweet scent coming off of it, like burnt sugar. Nitroglycerin sweat.
"'anks for checkin' up on me, for being here..."
As much as he can, Bakugou tried not to implode then and there. His chest though? It was pounding, madly.
So instead, he held your hand tighter.
The next few minutes were filled with a gentle rumble coming from the ongoing fight, both of you were wondering how it went because it's your broccoli boy, some yelling from outside (to which he had half a mind to yell to keep their voices down), their voices softly discussing each other's earlier matches, some pointers, and Bakugou's upcoming fight.
"...Do you know who you're up against?"
"Dunno, don't care."
"Liarrrrrrrrrrrr." you dug your thumb nail into his skin, teasingly.
He barely flinched, face smug. "So what? I'll win either way."
"You are so full of shit, you know that?" Gone was the animosity and venom in those words, enough to crack a grin on the blond's face.
"At least I didn't puke all over the stadium."
"Exaggerating my case makes you look bad, just so you know." With your free hand, you weakly punched him. He caught your hand and tucked it back to your side.
His other hand holding yours the whole time.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, the door creaked open to reveal your green-haired best friend, tired-looking yet standing tall. Victorious.
"Hey, 'zuku..." you called out weakly. "Congrats."
The green-haired teen offered a small smile in return. "Hey, (Nickname), how are you feeling?"
"Better now that my boys are here," you chuckle, feeling tiredness creeping. "didja win?"
Nodding, your friend turned to the blond. "Kacchan, it's time for you to prepare."
Bakugou blinked, eyes dropping. Smiling sleepily, you tug your joined hands, carmine meeting (e/c), a happy sigh leaving your lips. "Go win some...Katsuki...'kay?"
Exhaling softly, eyelids falling close with lashes kissing the tops of your cheeks, your hold loosening in his, carmine eyes took in your sleeping frame. He stayed a few minutes, just watching you sleep. Just as he stood, he remembered your joined hands.
Unable to help himself, he raised them to his lips, kissing the back of your hand, your knuckles, and fingers.
The door shut behind him as he walked on, his best friend walking behind him. If Izuku made mention of the fact that both of you held hands, realizing that it had been like that long before he came to fetch his best friend, or that he purposedly walked out when you fell into a slumber, he made no mention of it.
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In February, you got word of your grandmother had finally come home. Excitedly, as you were granted a leave, you merrily walked on the snowy streets, practically skipping out of UA.
"Where has she been all this time?" Katsuki asked next to you, hands in his pocket. He was insistent on walking you to the station. Izuku had "other things to do", the little sneaky shit.
"Things." You reply, cryptically.
"Things." He repeated, dumbly.
"Like I'd tell you, dork." you roll your eyes at him, the snow falling all around. "And don't worry, even Izuku has no idea where my granny's been."
Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, his eyes settled on you, his jacket - that he lent you a few days back, because you're so reckless under the snow and 'how could an idiot forget their own fucking jacket?' - dwarfing your frame. 
The relationship between the two of you was a hot topic amongst students in UA. Everyone knew that you were childhood friends who had a rift and rocky relationship growing up, but now, everyone saw that something had changed. Mostly, people noted how Bakugou was especially towards you.
There was no name, no label, no nothing yet - Izuku sometimes felt like knocking both your heads together in frustration - it felt rather nice to just be in his presence and bask in this wonderful feeling. And whenever he can, he'd purposedly leave you two when you were lounging, studying, or keep people away from intervening between your supposed moment.
"How long you gonna be out?"
"Hm, two days tops. Granny brought some treats with her and I've been meaning to spar with her." you continue trekking, humming happily under your breath.
"How come I've never seen her?"
"Oh, you have. Both of you. It's just that she likes to be in the background."
He tries to think back to his childhood, trying to remember the times he spent at your place, trying to remember, but the longer he tried to ransack his memory, the more he was left with nothing. And that led him to a snowball pelted to his face.
"OI!" your laugh resounds as his rage fuels up to melt the snow.
"Bet you were trying to nail down, weren't you?"
"I can't help it! I don't remember her!"
Scoffing, you throw another snowball, which he melts easily with his quirk. "It's okay. I mean, what's to remember about you anyway? You were loud, so full of shit, a tiny, whiny, demon. The complete opposite of sweet little Izuku- hey!"
Out of nowhere, snow pelts you in the head. Katsuki smirks at you, happy to get back at you.
"Katsuki, you fucking ass!"
He sneered, bending over to build snowball and throws them. With your quirk, you easily dodge. "Fucking cheat!"
"Don't be a sore loser, Katsuki!"
Squeals and laughter fill the sidewalk, passersby avoiding the mini-snowball war between two teens lest. 
"Alright, alright, I jest! Come on!"
Catching his breath, the blond wipes his mouth with the back of his gloves. "You fucking started it."
"Don't act like you didn't have fun, Katsuki."
He liked the way his name came out of your mouth. There was just something about it that made it more special, and really acknowledge that it was his name. It was different when his parents say it.
His name means ‘victory’ and it might as well be one whenever you say his name.
"By the way," you call, cutting him off his reverie. "don't forget to ring your parents time to time, yeah?"
"Where is this coming from?"
You shrug easily adjusting your backpack strap and shaking the snow off your hair, leaving it frazzled. "All this talk about my granny made me think of families, mine, Izuku, yours." Hastily, you run a hand through it.
"My folks are fine."
"True," the train station came to view, snow continuing to fall down the sleepy city "but that doesn't mean you should stop checking up on them."
His nose scrunches, uncomfortable with the topic of coddling. "Do you talk to them?"
"Duh, what do you think?" you gave him a look, almost offended. "I talk to Auntie Inko, too. Not just my grandpa, you know."
The fact that you take the time to talk to Izuku's mom and his parents spoke plenty, seeing how fond the adults were of you. He could imagine just how close the lot of you were, remembering the many dinners you three have had and the holiday visits. Also, there was the fact that you were an orphan. 
As much as he hated his old hag nagging at him, his father's needless coddling - he was lucky to have parents like them. You didn't have that anymore.
Grumbling, he complies. "Fucking fine."
Reaching a crosswalk, the two of you stop at red, cars whisking through. Despite being damp from the top up, his quirk helped warm him just a bit. He'd have to hurry back to the dorms lest he catches a cold. The fact that he was with you, however, that made him warm - fuzzy, annoyingly warm that he could feel from his head to his toes. When the light flashed green, the two of you walk.
"You've changed." you say, he turns to find you staring at him in awe, surprise, pride in your eyes. “What are you up to?”
He feels his blood rushing to his cheeks, feels something catch in his throat, feels a flutter in his belly.
“Small things. Little things. Anything for a chance at redemption.”
“…a chance at redemption.” you repeat, testing the words.
He sighed, eyes forward. “For you, Deku, and myself.”
Bakugou Katsuki truly has grown so much since you last saw him. It made you proud, so fucking proud.
Weirded out by your silence, he turns to you, about to berate, only to freeze at the way you were glowing at him, for him.
It was reminiscent of the one he remembered from his childhood. That silly girl with dirt on her hands and fingers, leaves on her (h/c) hair, holding his hand with a flower ring she made for him. It was the one smile he could never forget, treasured, and one he'd never thought to be at the receiving end ever again.
“You’re so lame, you know that?” Sputtering, you didn’t give him a chance to explain himself before tossing him something. “Here,”
Although caught off-guard, he catches it easily. Way too easily.
Asshole.
He didn’t have to ask to know what it was, cheeks warming and reddening.
“Happy Valentine’s Katsuki~” giving him a two-fingered salute, you walked into the train station, smiling silly to yourself.
“O-Oi!”
Looking over your shoulder, (e/c) eyes blinking curiously at him, he could very well see your cheeks were just as red.
“…expect double- no, triple on White Day!”
Snorting, the silly smile returned, only, it was aimed at him. Surprised, but honored.
“Lame ass.”
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Izuku was in the common area, furiously checking up new hero updates on his phone, a bag of chocolates shaped like All Might you had given earlier half-finished, a cup of hot cocoa sitting next to it when the front door slammed open.
“Oi, Deku!”
“Ah? Kacchan?”
The blond teen walked towards him, noticeably wet and red in the face.
Once he stood in front of him, he seemed to deflate. Scratching the back of his neck, chin tucked in, his actions very uncharacteristic of the loudmouth he’s used to making the green-haired teen worry.
"Kacchan?"
“…w-what does (Name) like?”
"Eh?"
His eyes caught on something on Kacchan's pocket, chocolates. Not just any chocolates, those were your chocolates!
Unable to help himself, Izuku combusted then and there – finally, his ship was coming to life!
[end]
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