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clean-bands-dirty-stories · 1 year

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Space ~ B.A.

A/n: LOVE touching on the way Iris and Barry create their relationship by high key sabotaging every other possibility bc they feel inevitable... great shit.

Request: “Barry x male reader, reader and Barry been having issues so reader goes to stay with Kara for awhile.” By anon

Word Count: 2,000+

MASTERLIST

"So... are we going to talk about that?"

Y/n's jaw worked as he mulled over Kara's question. He couldn't expect her not to ask questions after all of that. She was a good friend, she worried. And Y/n didn't want to spend this entire trip running from his feelings. It would only make things worse.

On the other hand he really didn't want to talk about it.

But that may have been him trying to run from his feelings. Like usual. How well did that ever go?

He looked at her, taking in her barely contained curiosity and anxiety. The last time she had run into Barry and his boyfriend the two were newly in love after ages of pining and beating around the bush. They were full of relief at being able to hold hands and use pet names, and got borderline ridiculous if they ever kissed. Kara had joked they were the goal; the base line. Someone would look at her that way someday.

Now the two men were cold and distant, and when they'd gotten Kara the help she needed and Barry went to go back to his own world Y/n had asked to stay? In an entirely different universe where Barry Allen didn't even know who Y/n L/n was. Had never even heard of him. They were complete strangers in this world.

Sighing, Y/n leaned against the desk behind him and Kara tried not to grin as she realized he was about to talk about his feelings. Y/n never did such things no matter how many times she prodded and begged - but this was not a situation that called for smiling or teasing. She listened instead as Y/n began, "Barry and I have been having problems."

Kara raised an eyebrow. She was hesitant to push such a delicate string of luck but it seemed Y/n was about to stop and he really hadn't said much yet. "Problems?"

Once he started he couldn't stop. "First it was the newspaper with Iris' byline. I mean, he's been in love with her for near his entire life and everything was screaming that she would choose him back eventually. Eddie died, Patty and Linda didn't work out for several reasons - mostly because he couldn't open up to them. But that's not-" He closed his eyes, realizing he was going off on a tangent. "The point is," he began again slowly. "Barry and Iris are like, soulmates? Or something? And it started with the newspaper but then there was Earth 2, and the fact that they always know each other everywhere we go - even if vaguely. Like they're drawn to each other. Inevitable. There are worlds where I don't know Barry Allen and he doesn't know me, but they always have each other."

Slowly, Kara asked, "You're jealous of Iris?"

Y/n scoffed. "I'm not just mindlessly jealous. It wouldn't bother me so much if the name on the by line of the newspaper had changed. If it said Iris West instead, or Iris soemthing-else. But it doesn't. It still Iris West-Allen. And I feel like... a filler." His shoulders sagged and his face twisted with agony. "It doesn't help that he started to drop our plans to hang out with her. And I realized that actually he always prioritizes her. Our plans never overlap, like he's desperate not to have to choose, and then they do and he chooses her. And it's fine, she's family, but I thought I was too. I thought we'd at least be equally as important. And then Savitar comes and he goes after Iris - still. Iris and Barry weren't together, but his life falls apart if she dies. Like-" He blinked tears out of his eyes. "Like she's his whole world. Cisco can't save him, or Caitlyn."

"Or you," Kara realized, her face crumbling as it fully settled in.

The man shrugged. "Or me. And I tried bringing it up to him but he refuses to acknowledge it and scrambles to avoid the topic and I feel like he knows he's in love with her but doesn't want to admit it. I feel like I really am filler and he knows it, that his very atoms are waiting for her and it's just this unspoken inevitability. I'm only here for now and that's it and I'm not supposed to address it, I'm not supposed to see it, but I do and that really sets him on edge. Or- something does at least. I don't know! He won't talk to me!"

Immediately Kara pulled Y/n into a hug. Y/n let her, curling into her comforting warmth and knowing he could fully collapse and she would be fine. "Would it help if I helped you work through what other options there are? Discussions are hard to have if you have one out come stuck in your head, and then often turn into arguments that accomplish nothing."

Chuckling, Y/n wiped his face. "You're so smart Kara." And he meant it so genuinely she couldn't even joke that he was full of it. He seemed relieved to be able to talk about it, talk through it. She believed that truly was the case. "Please," he sighed. "Please tell me there are other options than what I think there are."

Kara hummed, tightening the hug for a split second before leaning away so they could meet eye to eye as they spoke. This was a conversation where he needed to know she was being absolutely truthful and genuine. "Well, first of all he could have the exact same fears as you. He could truly and deeply be in love with you and be scared that it'll all be for nothing. Fate and knowing your future - it';s a terrifying thought. Especially when no matter what you do, it never changes."

Y/n nodded. That was a perfectly logical option. "Anything else?"

She was ready for the question. "His life has been really difficult. He's constantly losing people, and being a superhero is extremely hard on a person. It's demanding and draining and leaves no room for even a single mistake. You're gambling with the life of every single person. Their happiness and stability. It's not a reason to treat anyone badly but I could understand if his work life and super hero life being so complicated and dangerous doesn't leave a deep desire for a normal, more straight forward life. Maybe he got it in his head that things with you were supposed to be easy and now... they're not. And he's too burnt out or anxious to address it."

Oh. Very quickly Y/n was calming down. Hearing all the other alternatives were very grounding and loosened the pit of doom in his stomach. "Anything else?"

Nodding, Kara continued. "He may not be taking your emotions seriously and either isn't realizing how your emotions are affecting you, or thinks they're some kind of accusation. He may even not understand that when you bring this up its concerning how you feel about it and not necessarily about him or anything he's doing at all. It's a pile up of things that all point your brain in one direction, and the way that makes you feel may be irrational or very rational, but either way he isn't the person who chooses Iris. And he may be one day, or he may not, but if he thinks you're accusing him of some sort of cheating when he couldn't imagine ever doing something to you?" She shrugged. "Like getting mad at someone for doing something in a dream. And it still means something to you but he isn't clocking that - all he can see is you blaming him for something he didn't do."

Y/n actually had the audacity to smile. "We would argue over me feeling insecure and it making him feel like I hate him. Or doubt him." He rolled his eyes but there was a little fondness there and Kara felt hope surge through her. Not all was lost yet. "We would end up arguing like we are over both of us just being insecure and not communicating it int he way we need to." He sighed, long and laboriously.

Kara just decided to skip to another option. "Or he's being an asshole and he does know it upsets you but he just doesn't want to acknowledge it or take it seriously."

They looked at each other for a second before slipping into soft, breathy laughter. It was weak and quiet but Kara wrote it down as a win. The idea that Barry would be so harsh and cruel truly was laughable. Maybe another Barry, another universe, but not this one.

After a second Y/n deflated again. Not as broken down but definitely exhausted. "What do I do if he won't talk to me? I can't just not know."

"Tell him that." When Y/n seemed doubtful, kara shook her head. "I'm serious. Say it even before you start the conversation. No warning, no chance to shoot you down or change the subject. Lay down the law. If you need this, you need this. It doesn't matter what he's feeling about the situation - you need to talk about this. This is a need for you; a deal breaker. If you break up you break up. He doesn't deserve you if he can't get over himself for an hour to talk to you and give you something you actively need."

Y/n melted in relief, eyes wet. "You're an amazing friend Kara."

The compliment, bursting with appreciation that could not be put into words, made Kara grin. "You deserve a good friend. Come on - we can take a few days before you have to go back."

So they did. A little less a month passed before Y/n went back. neither of them had meant for it to go on quite so long but Y/n's powers that were so often utilized by Barry were perfect for the threat Kara was facing and beating the bad guy was the last step. They had to go through so much before they could do that. It kept them.

When he did go home, there was something different about him. He got to see more and experience more. He realized how much pressure he was putting on Barry and codependent he'd become. he seemed finally completely at peace with whatever happened - whether or not they broke up, he knew he'd make it through - but was also ready and willing to fight for it.

If only Barry would fight too.

In the end Kara had been right. Her very first guess had hit the nail on the head, and it had all come undone the second Y/n set a hard boundary. He needed this and Barry delivered. Their relationship was important enough to the speedster to put aside fear or pride and face it. They had a long talk about the whole situation and how out of control they both felt. How that scared Barry even more because he didn't want such a future. Because he wasn't allowed to be out of control like he was now or people died. Y/n clarified his feelings not being a reflection on Barry as a person and the kind of person or partner he was, and that seemed to help too. They decided at the end of it all that no matter what happened they loved each other and nothing could get in the way of that. That even if Iris and Barry did end up together, it wouldn't be the Barry that was now.

That Barry was Y/n's.

For the first time neither of them felt the need to check to see if Iris' surname had changed on the byline. It was Cisco instead who came crashing into the room, eyes wide with worry. He pulled up the article and pointed out the byline.

Iris West.

No Allen attached.

The article was the same, with a missing Barry, but the byline was different.

Barry and Y/n looked at each other, eyes opened for the first time. It was almost a slap in the face to realize that Iris and Barry ended up together in this world only if they thought they did. That the anxiety of the felt inevitable could destroy all of their relationships, and that the second they decided it didn't - it didn't.It was beautiful in a way. And suddenly they both felt that they could do so much more...

And they did. Together.

Male Readers: @ravenpuff-oli @sortzz @fadedver

#male reader #Barry Allen #The cw flash #the flash #grant gustin #barry allen x male reader #barry allen x reader #barry allen imagine #the flash x reader #the flash x male reader #the flash imagine #grant gustin x male reader #grant gustin imagine #grant gustin x reader

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dianawinchester03 · 5 days

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₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊ chapter six | leave it to me ₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊

chapter six is ready!! a little shorter than anticipated but it’s just filler. i hope everyone enjoys it!

word count: 5224 words

warnings: angst (if you squint really hard), forced proximity.

•August 10th, 2009

It had been three days since Dean had seen or spoken to Y/N. The absence had left him in a state of constant worry and unease.

He tried his best to focus on his work, but his mind kept wandering back to her. Every time his phone rang, his heart would skip a beat, hoping it was her. But it never was.

Today was different though. Today was the day they all planned to go to Sam and Jo’s wedding, which y/n invited Dean to go as her plus one. And Dean’ll be damned if he was gonna miss that. He was going to win back his girl.

Y/N busied herself packing up her things, her mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Dean and the situation at work. As she packed, she heard a knock on her door. She frowned, wondering who it could be. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Billy, make sure you pack clean underwear!!” Y/N shouted across the hall as she made her way to the door. Billy rolled his eyes from the other room. "I know, I know," he called back, groaning. Y/N rolled her eyes at his typical teenage attitude, before she reached the front door and opened it.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw who was standing there. Dean was leaning casually against the doorway, his hands shoved in his pockets and a smirk on his face. "Hey, doll" he said, his voice low and gravelly.

“What are you-“ Her eyes widened until she saw the suitcase next to him, “Fuck” She cursed, assuming that Dean wouldn’t bother to come again since she said she wanted space but boy was she wrong.

Dean chuckled at her reaction, taking in her wide-eyed expression. "Did you forget I was coming with you?" he teased, his smirk growing wider. “No I didn't forget but I asked for space, Dean. This isn’t space” Her jaw clenched, gesturing between the two of them.

"You asked for space, not radio silence" he retorted, his voice still playful. "And I give you my word that I won’t bother you during the trip. I’ll even sleep in a different room if it makes you feel better."

Y/N crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at him. “Fine, but no touching, no teasing, and no ‘doll’. Kapishe?” She chided, pointing a firm finger at him, her tone somewhat motherly.

Dean raised his hands in mock surrender, that charming smirk still on his face. "Yes ma'am," he teased. "No touching, no teasing, no 'doll.' I'll behave, I promise." Showing her he was following her rules. "Kapeesh," he added, mimicking her tone.

She glared at him once more before opening the door wider for him to enter. “Billy, hurry up! We’ve gotta be there by 8!!” Y/N shouted, marching to his room.

Billy groaned loudly from the other room. "I’m coming, I’m coming!" he called out. Dean snorted as he watched Y/N march off, a mixture of affection and amusement in his eyes. He picked up his suitcase and stepped into the house, closing the door behind him.

"Come on, William, get your ass moving!" he heard her yell towards her brother's room. Dean snickered to himself and set his suitcase down next to the couch before making his way to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water.

Y/N was sitting in her seat on the plane, her phone tucked to her ear as she spoke to Jo, her best friend and Sam's fiancé.

Dean was sitting in the seat next to her, his eyes flickering over to her every now and then. He couldn’t help himself. Sitting so close to her, being near her...it was torture. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to hold her, to kiss her. But he had promised her he wouldn’t.

“Yes, chick. I made sure to pack those flats you like for when you’re drunk and wanna change out. And yes, I packed the makeup and extra Advil. Relax, okay? You’ll be fine” Y/N groaned into the phone, Jo was being a bit of a bridezilla, but who could blame her? It was her wedding day.

Jo’s voice came through the phone, high-pitched and excited. “I just want everything to be perfect, y/n! This is my big day!” Y/N chuckled softly, rolling her eyes. “I know, Jo. But trust me, everything is going to be fine. You’re gonna look stunning and Sam is going to have a heart attack when he sees you walking down the aisle.”

Sitting next to her, Dean strained to hear her side of the conversation, he was curious to know what she was discussing. However, he could only hear snippets. From what he gathered, she was talking to Jo and it sounded like it was related to the wedding.

As he glanced over at Y/N, he couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat. Despite their current predicament, she looked as beautiful and radiant as ever. He mentally shook himself, trying to keep his promise and refrain from touching her.

“And don’t forget. Shots are on me for the bachelorette party, okay? I love you girl” She sent a playful kiss through the speaker phone. Jo let out a giddy squeal, her excitement obvious even through the phone. “Shots are on you! And I love you too, chick. See you soon!” she cooed before they hung up.

Y/N let out a sigh as she put her phone away, leaning back in her seat. She glanced over at Dean, who had been silently listening in on the conversation. Y/N reached infront of her to where her brother was seated in the other row. Tapping his head, “You good, bud?”

Billy grumbled, swatting her hand away. "Yeah, I'm fine, just tired." he mumbled, his eyes half-closed. Y/N chuckled as she ruffled his hair affectionately and leaned back once more. “Alright, get some sleep. It’s only a three hour flight to Cancun” She instructed him.

Billy grumbled something unintelligible before shifting in his seat and closing his eyes. Y/N chuckled again, watching as her brother soon fell asleep.

Dean watched the interaction with a small smile, affection for y/n growing as he saw how protective she was over her younger brother. The thought crossed his mind of how amazing of a mother she would be one day.

As Y/N settled back into her seat, she was suddenly aware of the fact that Dean was sitting right next to her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body and his intoxicating scent filled her nostrils.

She tried to play it cool, looking out the window and pretending to be fascinated by the empty runway outside. But the proximity was torture. “So…did HR fire the bitch?” Y/N broke the silence.

Dean grunted, his expression darkening a little at the mention of work. "Nah, they didn't fire her. They gave her a slap on the wrist and moved her to another division. But I've got my eye on her."

Dean's voice was casual and his tone dismissive, but Y/N could sense the underlying anger and frustration. The fact that Naomi remained employed after all the damage she had caused was a constant source of irritation to him.

He turned in his seat to look at Y/N, his eyes roaming over her face. He longed to reach out and touch her, to trace his fingers over her jawline, to brush her hair away from her face. But he refrained. Meanwhile Y/N was trying not to bubble over with anger at the fact that Naomi was still an employee.

“Of course they did” She scoffed, shaking her head. Dean’s jaw muscle ticked in irritation. "Yeah, it’s bullshit, if you ask me. But it’s the way the corporate world works." He paused, his gaze still fixed on her.

Cancun, Mexico

As the airport taxi pulled up to the resort, Y/N was in complete awe of the grandeur of the place. The lush greenery, the beautiful architecture, and the sound of the nearby ocean were all breathtaking.

She was shaken from her thoughts by Dean's voice. "Damn," he whistled, taking in the view as he handed the cab driver some cash. "This place is gorgeous."

“Y/N!! Dean!! Billy!!” Jo’s voice rang out from the grand entrance of the hotel. Upon hearing her voice, Y/N, Dean, and Billy all looked over to see Jo standing at the resort’s entrance, waving excitedly.

"Hey, bride-to-be!!" Y/N shouted, a wide smile spreading across her face as she started to jog over to her best friend. “Where’s Sam??” Billy asked, his eyes darting around the large hotel.

"He's getting checked in, he'll be out in a minute" Jo replied, her eyes sparkling as she gave Y/N a tight hug. As the two women embraced, Dean made his way towards the group, his eyes glued to Y/N. Something about seeing her so happy and carefree made his heart clench in his chest.

“Thanks for coming, Dean” Jo pulled Dean into a tight embrace. Y/N gave Jo the rundown about the situation at work, and while Jo was pissed about it, she was happy to see that Dean still made it.

Dean was taken aback by Jo's sudden hug, but he relaxed into it, patting her back gently. "Thanks for inviting me, Jo. Congrats again." He glanced over at Y/N, overhearing her conversation with Jo. But he refrained from getting involved, figuring that it wasn’t his place to chime in.

“Did you book our rooms?” Y/N asked Jo as they began getting checked in at the front desk. Jo nodded, grinning as she handed Y/N two room keys. "Yep, I got it all sorted. Me and Sam are sharing, and Billy gets his own room, of course.”

She then turned to Dean, who was standing behind Y/N, and smirked. “And you, my handsome friend, are sharing with Y/N” Y/N’s jaw dropped. “I told you th-”

“Ah ah, don’t blame me. The room booking was last minute. And it’s too late to change now anyway.” Y/N’s jaw remained slack, her eyes wide with shock. This was not happening. She was not about to share a room with Dean.

She grinded her jaw, choosing not to blow up on her best friend on her wedding weekend. “We can make it work, right do- Y/N” Dean chimed in, clearing his throat as he almost called Y/N ‘doll’.

Y/N’s jaw stilled as Dean almost let the “doll” slip out. She shot him a warning look, silently daring him to call her that again. She then turned back to Jo, trying to keep her voice steady. “Yeah, it’s fine.” She muttered, her voice laced with resignation.

Jo grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying the predicament she had put Y/N in. Y/N could feel Dean’s eyes on her. He was undoubtedly enjoying this. He had that smug look in his eye that Y/N had come to know all too well.

“Okay, babes. Go get settled in, and we’ll meet up in my room tomorrow for the bachelorette party prep” Jo said to Y/N sweetly as Y/N handed Billy his room key. Y/N nodded, still somewhat speechless at the prospect of sharing a room with Dean.

She handed Billy his key, who snatched it from her hand with a muttered “thanks”. He gave Y/N and Jo a quick hug goodbye before heading towards the elevators.

Y/N’s mouth fell open as she walked into the suite. The room was huge, with a four-poster king-sized bed in the center, French doors that led out to a private balcony which faced the ocean, and a bathroom that looked like something out of a spa retreat.

She turned to Dean, her eyes wide. “This is the honeymoon suite.” Dean grinned widely, biting his lip to rephrase from saying anything as Y/N muttered, “I’m gonna kill Jo”

Dean chuckled, tossing his bags onto the bed as he took in the room’s extravagant decor. "Relax." he said with a wink. "It's not that bad. We're adults. We can handle sharing a room for a few days."

Y/N muttered coherently about ways she was gonna make Jo pay as she rolled her suitcase in and tossed her handbag on the bed. “You’re sleeping on the couch” She said firmly to Dean.

Dean scoffed incredulously, his smile widening at her demand. "No way. It's a King bed. We can share it just fine" He walked towards her, a sly smirk on his face. "Plus, I don't do couches."

She crossed her arms over her chest with a scoff, “You did that night when I got drunk and you drove me home” She reminded him. He chuckled at the memory of that night. "Yeah, and I suffered a kink in my neck for a week because of it.”

He took another step closer to her, his gaze darkening with a hint of playfulness. "Trust me, the King bed is more than big enough for the two of us."

“Whatever, you stay on yours and I stay on mine” She huffed before pacing over to the bathroom. Dean chuckled as he watched her stalk off to the bathroom, admiring the way her hips swayed with each step. Damn. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"Don't worry, sweetheart." He called after her. "I'll keep my hands to myself."

Everyone in their group was sat in a large booth in the restaurant on the hotel’s patio, enjoying a nice dinner together. The air was warm and the ocean breeze was gentle, a perfect setting for the evening.

Dean was sat next to Y/N and across from Sam and Jo. He had one arm slung over the back of Y/N’s seat and he was constantly stealing glances at her. He didn’t even try to hide it.

Y/N was squeezing her legs together, angry at herself for being so worked up over just his hand draping around her chair. All those months of pining and waiting to do it at the wedding built up. And now, they’re here, and they’re not even together…well….kinda.

Meanwhile Billy was hungrily eyeing the menu, licking his lips as he scanned the options.

“So, Y/N.” Jo said suddenly, dragging Y/N back to reality as she looked up from her menu at Jo. “What are you gonna wear to the bachelorette party?”

Y/N shrugged, “I don’t know, I’ll probably just buy something here.” She said, flipping through the pages of the menu. She could feel Dean’s hand casually brushing her shoulder and she tried to tamp down the shiver of pleasure it sent down her spine.

“You’ll probably get something cute like maybe a tight little dress,” Jo smirked, taking a sip of her drink.

Dean chimed in, “Yeah, something tiny and red or black would look pretty good.” He said, glancing at Y/N out of the corner of his eye. “Gross” Billy groaned in disgust, his face scrunching up at the thought of his sister in a tight dress.

Y/N’s cheeks flushed at Dean’s comment and she quickly looked down at her menu, trying to hide her reaction. She couldn’t stand that he could still manage to knock her off balance like this.

Jo and Sam both glanced at each other and smirked at Y/N and Dean. They could see right through Y/N’s feigned indifference towards Dean.

Meanwhile, Billy groaned again in disgust. “God, please, stop talking.”

A little into the night, Sam and Dean had one too many and were now laughing loudly as they conversed. The girls tried to suppress their own laughter as Billy looked at the two men with raised brows.

The others were equally as entertained by watching them, especially Y/N.

She was admiring the way Dean’s face lit up with laughter, and she couldn’t help but find his carefree behavior endearing. As she watched him joke around with Sam, she felt herself being drawn to just coddle him.

Meanwhile, Billy was sipping his soda, his eyes darting between Sam and Dean with an unimpressed look on his face. "Wow...They're absolutely trashed" he commented, shaking his head with an amused snort.

“If you want, you can go back to the hotel, bud. I’ll call you a cab” Y/N said to her brother gently, reaching behind her chair to fish her phone out from her bag. Billy shrugged, taking another sip of his soda before replying, “Yeah, I think I will. These two are about to act stupid soon”

He gestured to Sam and Dean, who were currently in the middle of some sort of arm wrestling match, both of them giggling like idiots. Y/N and Jo shared an amused look at the two men as she pressed her phone to her ear.

They rolled their eyes in unison, watching the two men wrestle comically with each other, trying to outdo one another while they were both completely wasted.

Dean was struggling to keep his arm down, laughing deliriously as Sam tried to keep him pinned. And Sam wasn’t faring much better, his hand was sweaty as hell from holding his drink and his grip kept slipping off Dean’s hand.

Jo shook her head, “This is ridiculous.” She joked as Y/N hung up the phone, “Tell me about it” Y/N snorted, “They’ll be here in 5 minutes” Y/N informed Billy.

After Billy had gone, the girls had decided to stay a little while longer. Sam and Dean were now slumped in their seats, their faces flushed and slurring their words.

Sam kept talking about some funny stories from his high school days with Y/N and Jo, while Dean mostly just laughed drunkenly at Sam’s stories.

Jo was shaking her head, clearly used to dealing with Sam when he was drunk, but Y/N was trying not to giggle at how silly Dean looked, his face all flushed and his hair slightly messy.

“Dude, you should’ve seen these two on the squad with their pom-poms and shit. Y/N used to cartwheel and split every chance she got!” Sam cackled as he slurred.

Dean perked up at the mention of Y/N in her cheerleading uniform. It wasn’t the first time he had heard about her cheerleading days, but he never got tired of picturing it.

A wicked grin spread across his face as his gaze turned to Y/N, “Oh really?” he drawled with a smirk. Y/N blushed and rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink. “Shut up, Sam.” She muttered, embarrassed by Sam’s tipsy honesty.

“Wait, wait, wait” Dean said, leaning forward across the table, his eyes fixed on Y/N. “Do you still have that little uniform?” Jo and Sam both burst out laughing while Y/N went redder than a tomato.

Sam and Jo snickered at Y/N’s quick change of subject. Meanwhile, Dean leaned back in his seat with a smirk, the image of Y/N in her cheerleading uniform was now burned into his brain.

Y/N and Jo stumbled into the hotel, trying to keep a firm grip on a giggling Sam and a drunken Dean. Both men were practically hanging off of the girls as they stumbled towards the elevator.

Y/N and Jo were struggling, both of them were pretty short in stature and both Sam and Dean were both much bigger and muscular than them. Despite their efforts, the men kept stumbling and leaning against them.

“Come on, fellas, work with us here” Y/N grumbled as the men chuckled goofily. They managed to get into the elevator, but it was difficult with Sam and Dean practically hanging on them like giant drunk babies. Y/N and Jo huffed in annoyance as the men started giggling again.

Sam leaned against the wall of the elevator, trying to balance himself. But he lost his footing and stumbled forwards, nearly taking Y/N and Jo down with him.

Dean snickered as he steadied himself on Y/N, his hand resting on the small of her back as he mumbled something incoherently under his breath.

While Sam’s arms were now wrapped around Jo’s shoulders, his head nuzzled into her neck as her back pressed against his chest. “I lovvveeee youuuu, angeellllll” Sam slurred into his bride-to-be ear.

“I love you too, big guy” Jo replied with a chuckle, patting the arm wrapped around her shoulders. She turned to Y/N and shared an amused look with her, both of them trying not to laugh at the drunken men hanging onto them.

Dean nuzzled his face into Y/N’s neck, his breath hot against her skin, “You smell good” he mumbled, his hand on her back tracing circles. Y/N blushed and tried to ignore the way her body reacted to his touch.

The elevator dinged, indicating they were now on their floor. Instead of responding, Jo and Y/N shared a look of relief as they began hauling their respective men out. “Come on, handsome. Let’s get you to bed” Y/N groaned as she walked Dean to their room. His head slumped on her shoulder, his arm wrapped around her waist.

“I don’t want to go to bed” Dean mumbled, his voice low and gravely, “I wanna stay up with youuu” he whined, his grip around her waist tightening as she led him down the hall.

Y/N rolled her eyes, pretending she wasn’t affected by his words. “You’re too drunk to stay up. You need to lie down and sleep this off” She retorted, trying to keep her voice steady as his body pressed against her.

She fumbled for the key card to their room in her purse, quickly inserting it into the hole. In two seconds, the knob clicked, opening the door. She instantly pushed it in, dragging Dean by his arm into the room before locking the door behind her.

Once they were inside the room, Dean immediately stumbled over to the bed, falling onto it face first. He lay there for a second, his limbs splayed out on the bed as he mumbled incoherent words into the sheets.

Y/N walked over to him, shaking her head in amusement as she pulled off his shoes. She then began peeling off his jacket, startled when Dean suddenly screamed, “Get your hands off of me woman! I belong to Y/N!”

Y/N jumped, her hands frozen in mid-air as she stared down at him. She burst into laughter at his declaration, knowing it was just the alcohol talking.

“I am Y/N, you dummy” She retorted, continuing to peel off his jacket, which came off after a few tugs. Once it was off, she tossed it onto a nearby chair.

“No you’re not” Dean mumbled, rolling onto his back to look at her. She could hear Dean mumbling again underneath her, something about “Only Y/N can touch me”. Slowly, she continued pulling off his jacket, setting it aside before moving onto his tie.

She crouched in front of the bed to face him, her fingers gripping his chin. “Do you need to puke, honey?” She asked gently. Dean looked down at her, his expression dazed and slightly confused. He shook his head, “No, I don’t wanna puke” he replied, his lips forming a pouty frown.

Y/N smiled softly at his expression, his cheeks flushed from the drinking and his hair messy from being face down on the bed. Her heart swelled at how adorable he looked.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding his face between her fingers. “Here” she said quietly, “Sit up.” Dean complied, slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position, his back pressed against the headboard of the bed.

He still had the pout on his face, and he was gazing up at her with big, puppy-dog eyes. Y/N chuckled at his expression, he was even more adorable like this.

She reached out and began unbuttoning his white dress shirt, her fingers nimble as they worked their way down the row of buttons. “Why are you taking my shirt off?” Dean whined, still pouting at her.

Y/N rolled her eyes at his childish behavior, she found it so ridiculous, yet so damn cute. “Because you can’t sleep in your nice clothes, genius” she joked, pulling off his shirt and laying it on the chair.

She then made her way to his suitcase, pulling out one of his black t-shirts before pacing back to the bed. A shirtless, messy haired and very drunk Dean was now sprawled out on the king sized bed.

Y/N could feel her cheeks warm slightly at the sight of him laying there, her eyes lingering on his toned muscles and the trail of dark blond hair leading down to his waistband.

He looked so sexy like this, but she pushed away the thought immediately. She pulled his black t-shirt over his head, “Arms up, mister” she said firmly as if she was talking to a child.

Dean lazily raised his arms above his head, letting her pull the shirt down over his torso. The fabric settled over his chest, clinging to his muscled frame and hugging his pecs in all the right places.

Y/N had to tear her gaze away from the sight, feeling a heat pooling in her stomach. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. “Get under the covers, now” she ordered.

Dean grumbled but complied, crawling further up the bed and under the covers. He lay there on his back, his head resting on the pillow as he continued to stare up at her with a goofy look on his face.

Y/N chuckled as she sat down on the edge of the bed again, looking down at him. He looked so innocent and boyishly cute like this. She reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair out of his face.

“I’m gonna go change my clothes, okay? Holler if you need anything” She said gently, placing a quick kiss on his forehead. Dean mumbled something in reply, his eyes closing and his pouty bottom lip sticking out slightly. He looked like a grumpy toddler, and it took all of Y/N’s willpower not to pounce on him and cover his face in kisses.

She shook her head at the thought, standing up from the bed and grabbing her overnight bag. “I’ll be back in a minute” she said quietly, heading into the bathroom to change.

Y/N walked out of the bathroom after changing, her hair loose and her face free of makeup. She wore some shorts and a tank top.

She found Dean in the same spot where she had left him, now fast asleep. He looked so peaceful and innocent like this, his handsome features relaxed and without the usual cocky grin he often sported.

His chest rising and falling with his steady breaths. Y/N smiled at the sight, he looked so peaceful when he slept.

After crawling into the bed next to Dean, Y/N clapped her hands twice, the light in the room flickering off with the sound. “Cool” She muttered impressed to herself as she relaxed into the soft comforter.

After settling into the bed, Y/N turned onto her side to look at Dean. He was still asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. His hair was tousled and messy, and his features were relaxed and peaceful.

She found herself staring at him for a few moments, her eyes tracing over his face. In the dim light, he looked even more handsome than usual, the soft glow highlighting his sharp jawline and high cheekbones.

She could feel the tears sting at her eyes as her mind swirled with all that had gone down a couple of days ago. “I love you” She croaked before shutting her burning eyes. As Y/N drifted off to sleep, she heard a soft whisper in the darkness. “I love you too doll...”

But in her sleepy haze, she couldn’t quite be sure if she had really heard it or if it had just been a figment of her imagination. Either way, the sound of those words sent a warm feeling spreading through her chest, bringing a small smile to her lips as she finally drifted into unconsciousness.

Y/N slowly opened her eyes, blinking blearily as sunlight poured in through the curtains. She became aware of a heavy weight draped across her torso, and with a start she realized that it was an arm.

She looked down to see that she was wrapped in Dean’s embrace, her back against his chest, his arm wrapped around her waist, his chin pressed against her shoulder. The realization made her heart flutter.

She wanted to pull away but she couldn’t bring herself to do it, relishing in the feeling of Dean’s body heat engulfing her. Y/N felt her cheeks warm as she stayed like that, feeling the steady rise and fall of Dean's chest against her back and the strong arm wrapped around her waist.

She knew she should pull away, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Dean stirred behind her, his breath hot against her neck as he nuzzled his face into her hair, pulling her closer to his body. “Morning” he mumbled, his voice low and rough with sleep.

“Good morning” Y/N mumbled back, forcing herself to unhook his arm from her waist. Dean groaned as she pulled away, his grip on her waist tightening for a moment before he begrudgingly released her. “Why’d you have to move?” he asked, his voice still groggy with sleep.

He sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and stretching his muscular arms above his head. The movement pulled at the material of his t-shirt, revealing a strip of hair running down his navel.

“You promised space” Y/N retorted as she now stood in front of the bed, her hands residing in her hips. Dean groaned again, flopping back down onto the bed. “I was sleeping” he mumbled, his arms splayed out on either side of him.

He looked up at her with a pouty frown, his messy hair sticking up in all directions. He looked irresistibly handsome like this, and Y/N had to resist the urge to crawl back into bed and kiss him senseless.

She forcefully tore her eyes away from him, “Yeah, yeah. Sober up, we got party planning to do” She mumbled before pacing to the bathroom.

Dean watched her stride into the bathroom, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “Not even one little kiss?” he taunted, propping himself up on his elbows.

But Y/N was having none of it, so she shot him a stern look over her shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom and closing the door firmly behind her.

Dean slumped back onto the bed with a sigh, his mind already racing with ideas for the bachelor and bachelorette party planning.

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kismetconstellations · 3 months

Text

@sockdooe Are there legitimately, truly, and genuinely people who fight about that?

I'm pretty sure that the Black Lion, herself, definitively answered that question.

She came to Shiro's aid by awakening and allowing Keith to pilot her when Shiro was being attacked and on the verge of losing his life to those raptor creatures in the second season's opening episode.

She severed Zarkon's connection to her in favor of bolstering her bond with Shiro, because Shiro understood that the relationship between Lion and Paladin is "not about power. It's about earning each other's trust."

And, she cherished Shiro enough to hold onto his essence after his body was destroyed.

Shiro was the first to master seeing through his lion's eyes, all the way back in Season One.

He and Black had a deep enough desire and willingness to fully understand one another that she showed him her history and abilities that she and Shiro had yet to unlock together.

There's no debate to be had, here. Shiro is the ultimate Black Paladin, as determined by the Black Lion, herself.

I can only guess that there's an element of ageism, perhaps even ableism, and undoubtedly superficial vanity at play when it comes to the fandom's preference for Keith, Lance, and the pairing of the two of them that shall not be named. Keith and Lance are skinny, elfin-faced twinks with a cliche rivalry and certain vulnerabilities that appeal more to the younger demographic. Shiro is a square-jawed, six-foot-tall adult man with bulging biceps and abs of steel, and the sort of trauma that would take years to even begin processing, let alone healing from, who seems to be much more popular with the older, adult fans, and Eastern audiences. The younger, American fans took to calling Shiro a "dad", after all, despite him being twenty-five years-old; nowhere near old enough to be a father to any of the teenagers he finds himself put in charge of. I've also seen Keith/Lance shippers calling Shiro "Keith's dad", which feels vaguely racist, and arguing that Shiro "raised" Keith, which is ludicrous. It doesn't help at all that the show, itself, feeds into the ageism and ableism by sweeping Shiro's trauma under the rug, sidelining him when he's down an arm, and sequestering him and Coran off with the other adults while the teenaged- sans Keith, who was at least twenty-one throughout the latter half of the seventh and whole of the eighth season- Paladins go off on their adventures.

I know the intention was to kill Shiro off permanently before the producers vetoed it due to Shiro's popularity and status as the show's only (living, explicitly confirmed, and relevant) gay character. Perhaps because he has no one-to-one equivalent character in the original series this was a remake of, and Keith was the leader in that same original series, so he was destined to be the leader, here, as well. Or, because the VLD showrunners were under the- delusional- belief that they could have Keith redo what Shiro had already done, only better, somehow, because they prioritized spectacle over narrative substance. Regardless, it's apparent that Shiro is only still around out of obligation, come the eighth season, and there was no desire on the writers' parts to further explore or develop his character. Hence him having no family, and, by extension, no real support system, being largely isolated from everyone, only really getting to shine in an episode that's half filler and unintentionally perpetuates more ableism, and then being married off to a "character" who might as well be a glorified piece of set dressing for all of the personality and importance he's given.

It's absolutely mind-boggling to me that,

1. The majority, or at least the most vocal parts of the fanbase cared more about shipping and complaining about being "queerbaited" over Lance/Keith when Shiro is right there.

And, 2. It seems like Josh Keaton, Shiro's voice actor, was the only member of the crew who truly appreciated Shiro, enough to offer his personal headcanon about Shiro's family- that Shiro was raised by his grandfather- state that he intentionally gave the clone's voice a harder edge compared to Shiro's softer, gentler tones in order to distinguish between the two of them, showing his implicit understanding of Shiro's character, and even made a video tribute to Shiro after the show had ended.

Aww, thank you for enjoying my angry rant on Shiro's behalf. Believe me, it burns that Shiro is overlooked entirely as the stepping stone he was on the path toward gay representation in children's media, purely because this show's quality plummeted so hard, and the fandom earned itself a reputation as one of the worst in recorded history. He deserves to be honored and celebrated, as not only a proud gay man who told Pidge that "owning who you are is going to make you a better Paladin", but also as a trauma survivor who strove to remain gentle, patient, and kind, and devote his life to saving others.

And, yes, he also deserves the best therapist in the universe, and all of the cuddles. ❤

#Correspondence.#sockdooe #Takashi Shirogane #Shiro #You're nothingness but shining and everywhere at once.#Voltron: Legendary Defender #Meta.#VLD Meta.

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cottonkendi · 1 year

Text

Betrayal | 9

MASTERLIST

Kunikuzushi x Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Genre: idk, it’s like a filler… what genre is this? ksksks

Warning: None

Synopsis: Suspicious Figure

Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

a/n: ayeee, it’s an update that’s not 2 months late 🥳 n e ways, here’s to hoping that this writing fever lasts until I finish this series and maybe even more so that I can actually start taking in requests and ACTUALLY writing said requests 😖

Wordlessly, you kneel before the throne, eyes staring straight ahead as you await for the shogun’s words to allow you to speak.

It’s barely been a year since everything has fallen apart, barely a year since Kunikuzushi was shunned away by the god before you.

And now, you stare her down, fists tightly curled on your lap, willing the swirling emotions away.

It is not your place to feel such things, much less towards a god.

No matter how much your insides burn, you have no place to act on it against the god before you, even if you wished to do so.

No.

Your duty is to be the geo archon’s yaksha. If you so much as speak out of turn in front of the electro archon then you may as well start another war between the gods. And for what?

For Kunikuzushi… only for Kunikuzushi.

“I heard that you have taken him under your wing.” The archon’s voice echoes inside the barren room, the vicinity ice cold, like that of an abode. It feels like it’s disconnected from the normal realm with its blurring views, thunder clapping in the background despite the foggy walls around you.

The plane of euthymia…

“I can’t say I’m opposed to you protecting the puppet… though I am curious as to why you would do such a thing… Answer me, yaksha.” Beelzebul drawls out though you can see the look of steel in her eyes, can see the way her hand tightens around the arm of her throne.

“I have vowed to protect Kunikuzushi, your son, for the rest of my existence. As long as I shall be alive in this world, then Kunikuzushi will be under my protection-”

“He is no longer my kin. He is but a citizen of Inazuma or any other country for that matter. I wish not for him to be tied to me.”

Your jaw clenches at her words, hands tingling as you start to feel the hilt of your claymore materialise though you try your best to will it away. “Whether he is part of the electro archon’s kin or not does not matter. My vow still stands and your words shall do nothing to change it. Though if I were to give my humble words of advice, I do not think that pushing him away so suddenly was a wise idea. Protecting him by hurting him… I do not think that the late electro archon would be pleased.” By now, you have stood up from your previous position, just as the thunder starts getting louder.

“You speak of my sister with such familiarity, yaksha. I suggest you know your place.”

Turning around, you are met with the sight of Beelzebul holding her sword as she stands before her throne, looking down at you. “The battlefield is a place that I am quite familiar with, electro archon. I have spent quite the time with Baal. In fact, Kunikuzushi himself shares a lot in common with her. Perhaps that is why you’re so afraid of keeping him close…”

With that, you make your way out of the plane of euthymia, your hair starting to stand up as lightning strikes the ground.

The heavy feeling in your body quickly disintegrates as you’re met with the sight of Kunikuzushi laughing with the village kids, racing their way towards the blacksmith for their usual afternoon lessons.

It’s only been a few months since you got Kunikuzushi out of your abode and into Tatarasuna. A small island near the main Inazuma island which hosts a small village where you met Niwa who was quickly taken with Kunikuzushi.

The man quickly opens his home to the both of you, offering to help Kunikuzushi with whatever he may need on the island. The two of you were quite hesitant to be so comfortable with him but soon enough, Kunikuzushi takes to liking Tatarasuna, having his days filled with classes with Niwa wherein he teaches him how to forge swords, along with helping around in the village, you’ve never felt more assured with leaving him alone for a day or so while you continue to do your responsibilities in Liyue.

“Kunikuzushi was looking for you, y’know?” Humming, you look to your side where Niwa makes himself comfortable against the tree, chuckling to himself when he sees your ever so serious face. “The kid was sulking all day when you didn’t visit at your usual time. He said that even though he can call you at any time, he didn’t want to bother you while you were off doing your duties in that foreign land. He likes telling the village stories about your journey, y’know? Sometimes, he even brings out books about you.”

Crossing your arms, your gaze moves back to Kunikuzushi who’s starting on forging the metal that was freshly out of the water.

Sighing at your usual silence, Niwa pushes himself off of the tree, a small smile on his face. “Dendro yaksha, you shouldn’t worry so much about Kunikuzushi… the village practically treats him as family, we’ll protect him.”

Taking in a deep breath, you finally look Niwa in the eyes. “Please do so. His safety and happiness is the only thing that matters. Kunikuzushi deserves at least that much.”

A little taken aback by your words, it takes the man a few seconds to respond, but when he does so, he offers you a genuine smile. “I promise you, I will do everything that I can to protect him. He is in safe hands.” Patting you twice on the shoulder, he starts to make his way over to the village once one of the villagers calls out to him. “Now c’mon, yaksha, there’s this Fontaine merchant that’s been visiting for the past week and he seems to have taken an interest in the village’s metal work. He’s been talking about making this place a more appropriate place for the forging, something about bringing in some new equipment.”

Raising a brow at that, you silently follow before him, the pit in your stomach growing restless as you sense something shift in the air the closer you get to the village.

Something’s not right…

“Along with that, he’s even taken an interest to Kunikuzushi. The man’s been bringing in different devices from Fontaine, said that it’ll surely enhance Kunikuzushi’s abilities.”

Frowning at his words, you can’t help but be unsettled at the thought of this man though perhaps it’s just because you haven’t met him personally… you’ve always been wary of strangers.

“Ah, there you are, Niwa and oh? Is that the yaksha that everyone’s been talking about in the village? My my, it’s an honour to finally meet your acquaintance.” The man dressed in foreign attire greets you, a smile on his face as he holds out his hand.

Immediately, you feel something trigger your senses. This man… feels familiar.

“My name is Escher, it’s nice to meet you.”

taglist:

@salty-salty @esthelily @etherisy @luvloriii @reblogingscarastuffuntiligethim @alatusorrow @ayamvirus @kino-alternative @louise-rosita-leroux @theflatdoorkicker @aintrovertmortal @spookyqueenduck @swivy123

#genshin #genshin impact #genshin fics #scaramouche x reader #kunikuzushi x reader #raiden shogun #genshin x reader #scaramouche fics #genshin fluff #scaramouche fluff #scaramouche x reader fluff #scaramouche imagines #genshin imagines

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aries-writingblog · 2 years

Text

Enemy Fire: 24

Summary: There's a new kid in town, and she's got a city to usurp.

Pairing: Jason Todd x Fem! Reader

Word count: 3.6k

Warnings: language, mention of death

AN: photos from Pinterest (credit to original creator); More of a filler before we get to the real fun

“What do you think about owls?”

“I think you should shut up.” Jason suggested. YN rolled her eyes, ignoring him for the most part.

Her foot nudged his side. He ignored it. Her body was draped over the couch in the library, feet near his thigh. Jason had sat himself in the corner of the chair, one leg propped on the couch, where YN was lying, the other had fallen off when she had readjusted earlier.

Her foot prodded his ribs again, drawing his attention away from his book. Only for a moment, though; Leaving her grumpy with his lack of focus on her.

So she poked him again.

“What the hell do you want?” Jason growled, the book in his hand dropping to his lap. Thumb marking his place.

YN tilted her head, deciding on what would keep his attention the longest.

“What do you mean?” She asked sweetly, brows tilted inward.

He grit his teeth, jaw clenching tightly. She nearly broke character to laugh at him— amused at how irritated he had become.

She had spent all day riling him up, she wouldn’t break now.

“I mean, why the hell have you been on my ass all day? Don’t you have shit to do?” He snapped, eyes focused on her.

She shrugged, her own eyes locked with his.

“Not really. Just wanna bother you. It’s amusing.”

“Terrific.” He muttered. Attempting to return to his book, he lifted it again. All he could focus on, was her eyes on him. It was unnerving, at the least. And with how annoyed he was, already, it was just enough to make him give a response. “Why don’t I put my foot up your ass?”

“Kinky.”

“Fuckin’ A.” He groaned. Jason shoved his bookmark into the crease of the pages, tossing the book to the coffee table and shoving to his feet. YN was on his tail, instantly, tagging along behind him. She followed out into the hallway, where he was walking faster to escape. “I can’t pay you to fuck off?”

“Nope. What’s the problem with spending time with one with your friends?”

“We aren’t friends.” He laughed, disparagingly. Trying to shake her.

“Sounds like bullshit.” She sang, her hands clasped together behind her back. Jason scowled, quickly pushing her body into the wall. She yelped, her arms flailing as she stumbled into it. “Hey!”

He huffed a quiet laugh, a smile sneaking it’s way onto his lips.

“I saw that.” YN pointed at him, righting herself. Regaining her balance. Jason quickly wiped any evidence of a smirk from his face. But it was too late. “You like me, liar.”

“Whatever.” He grumbled, returning to his previous task of ignoring her.

YN grinned, finally getting him to loosen up. He was so stiff all the time— no wonder he was easy to piss off.

Stephanie peeked into another room, cursing the architects of Wayne Manor. Why they felt like making a million rooms, was completely beyond her. It was a little ridiculous; She had been searching for one person in this labyrinth for an hour.

She was beginning to contemplate trackers, and injecting them into everyone’s necks. It would be a lot easier to find people.

The blonde huffed and spun out of the room, stomping down the hallway. A deep, smooth voice came from around the further up, around the corner.

Jason.

Finally— he was sure to know where she was.

Moving quickly, to catch up to him, she nearly shouted in accomplishment when she heard YN respond to whatever he had said.

She barreled around the corner, nearly colliding with the wall. Jason looked over his shoulder at the disturbance. A very disheveled blonde, sprinting at them.

“There you are— I’ve been looking all over for you.” Stephanie exclaimed, reaching both hands out and snagging Yn’s.

“What’s going on?” YN asked, a nervous edge to her voice.

The blonde grinned, broadly. Eager to showcase her work to her friend.

“We have a surprise.”

Stephanie tugged, hard. YN yelped, stumbling after her. She glanced over her shoulder, back at him.

“Jason!”

He chuckled, softly, shaking his head.

She was settling in nicely.

“I’m right behind you.” He confirmed.

Stephanie pulled the door open to the stairway, ushering YN down.

“You’re gonna love it— I gave you these wicked knives and the holsters are authentic leather,” She gushed, pulling excitedly.

YN couldn’t get a word in, as Stephanie kept going. Explaining details of every choice in materials and placement, and the whole design.

She wasn’t sure what this design was for, or when she even had time to make it, but she was amused by the childlike gleam in her friend’s eyes.

When they reached the Batcave, they didn’t stop at the gaggle of Batboys standing off to the side.

They went further back, into the uniform storage closet.

Jason made it down the steps, his feet carrying him deeper into the cave. He lost sight of the two girls almost as soon as the door had opened, but they were there somewhere.

“What is this?” Jason asked, nodding to the accumulated group.

Tim glanced up from his phone, thumbs moving across the screen rapidly.

“Her uniform is ready.” He answered.

Jason hummed. The smallest of smiles took over Tim’s lips for half a second, before it was wiped away.

Another boy.

This family was just full of heartthrob romantics, wasn’t it?

“Did Dick have any say?” Jason pressed his fingertips against the bridge of his nose.

“A little, I think.”

“Oh, this is gonna be gold.” He laughed.

“I happen to agree.” Dick added, crossing his arms.

Jason arched a brow. He couldn’t believe that after all these years, Dick still thought he was the best designer out of the whole bunch.

“You do know that you nearly always choose rhinestones over a solid color?” Tim asked, not even looking up from his text message.

“And you have as much skin showing as possible.” Jason added.

“If you aren’t showing it directly, you’re wearing something skintight.” Damian chimed in. Dick spluttered in outrage.

“That’s the best material for acrobatics, that’s not my problem!” He argued, narrowing his eyes. “Take that up with the god of acrobats.”

“You wear that to show people you have abs.”

Dick’s hands fell to his hips, preparing himself to argue the point further.

Just in time for Stephanie to round the corner, tugging a very reluctant YN behind her.

“What do we think? Badass enough for you fellas?” Stephanie called out.

The group turned, attention being dragged away from the petty argument and toward the middle of the computer center.

The uniform wasn’t revealing— the only portion of skin he could see was her arms. The long sleeved, athletic shirt beneath her armor kept the abrasive material off her skin. She had it pushed up to her elbows.

Kevlar strapped across her chest, knee pads and industrial boots. Fireproof pants and fire-friendly gloves. A hooded cape hung from her shoulders, the tail end brushing her calves.

Almost all of it was black, bar the soles of her boots and the trim of her protective gear. It was a light orange tint. A small, yellow bat emblem stamped on her sleeve displayed her alliance.

“This seems highly impractical.” YN muttered. Her hand grasped the edge of the fabric hanging from her shoulders. She swung it, fanning it through the air, her brows furrowed. “Why do I have a cape?”

“Because they’re awesome.” Dick cried, his palms splayed out to gesture to her uniform.

Damian’s eyes rolled over to meet Tim’s— a side eye glance that most in the household could interpret, quite easily when it came to Dick.

“It’s the equivalent of a long ponytail, someone is going to yank it.” She reasoned, tugging on the fabric for example.

Dick scoffed. He had wanted to go all out on her suit— plunging neckline, hip windows, knee high boots with blood red laces. He wanted to add more color to the fabric as well, maybe a little shimmer.

She had the figure for it, why not show it off and save the city in style? Besides, no one else appreciated his sense of adventurist style.

Then he was booted out of the Batcave and the girl’s took the reigns.

And here they were— yet another boring costume.

“Relax, it’s removable.” Jason interrupted, stalking into the loose circle. He made certain his fingertips didn’t linger, just barely giving himself enough time to unsnap the cape from her body. “They put one on mine too.”

“You’re no fun, Little Wing.” Dick complained, crossing his arms.

Jason scowled, balling the fabric up and tossing it directly at his smug face. Dick shouted, his arm blocking it.

The one thing that he was allowed to add to her uniform and they took it off.

“Need I remind us all of Discowing?” Jason prompted, lifting a brow.

“I like that suit!” Dick challenged.

“Exactly.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes; The pair of boys started arguing louder, but she kept her eyes on YN. She straightened out a crease in the undershirt’s sleeve with a small smile.

“I didn’t know how comfortable you were with exposed skin.” She began, tucking her hands into her pockets. “Besides, Dick’s uniforms never give the person any safety or warmth. It’s a little heavier, harder to move around in, but ultimately safer.”

“I’m used to the vests. The pants are nice, though.” YN grinned, shifting her weight. The boots were a thousand times more comfortable than her last pair.

“Duke says dinner is ready, please, for the love of everything, shut up!” Tim shouted, shoving past the argument— that was still going— and opened the elevator doors.

Dick finally gave up his hopes of making Jason understand the complex nature of his fashion studies.

With a final, disapproving glance, he turned and followed the rest of the Wayne siblings to the elevator.

“You guys coming?” Stephanie asked, holding the doors open.

Jason hesitated, his face warming.

He wanted to speak with YN, without prying ears, but he knew his siblings.

The shit they were gonna talk once those doors closed, if he spoke up now…

“We’ll be up in a second.” YN called.

Stephanie nodded, moving her hand away. The doors closed, silently.

The air inside was tense. Stephanie exhaled, clicking her tongue before speaking.

“I swear to Christ if they kiss—“

“I’m getting the camera footage.” Dick interrupted.

A chorus of protests sounded off, leaving Dick to defend his position by raising his voice louder.

Jason turned to face YN, taking a few paces around her. Taking in the entirety of the suit. All gleaming and clean, not yet dirtied by grime and sweat. Still unbloodied.

“Looks good.” Jason declared.

“Mm.” YN replied. Her bottom lip tucked between her teeth.

Jason’s head tilted down, attempting to catch her eyes.

“What?”

“Just… thinking.” She responded, softly. Her fingers picked at the threads of her gloves.

He fought the urge to make the situation uncomfortable. It was all in good faith— he wanted to tell her everything would be okay, he wanted to help her fix things. But that wasn’t so straightforward. Never would be.

And that was an estranged thing to say to her. Or at least he felt it to be estranged.

But… he didn’t know what was going through her head. He never did— it was how she managed to throw him off guard nearly every time she opened her mouth.

“Overthinking.” He corrected. YN’s eyes broke away from her palms, trailing up to his face. Only for a moment, before they moved again. Unable to hold contact for much longer. Jason sighed. “Try not to get too into your head about this. You’re doing great so far, and I have no doubt you’ll do fine.”

YN swallowed, hard.

She didn’t know what to think anymore.

Bruce’s talk about forgiveness and moving forward had sent her into a tizzy. She knew it was right to want to move forward. To move on.

But she didn’t want to.

She still wanted someone to hurt the way she had.

All her targets were gone, now. Adrian was dead, Bruce turned out to not be an asshole, Dick wasn’t a stalker. Jason was a better person than she had ever anticipated him to be.

Who was she supposed to be angry at? What was she supposed to do with this rage, this resentment?

And Jason…

Every time she looked at him, those mismatched eyes gleamed with hope. For her. Something she wasn’t deserving of. That much, she did know.

YN pushed it all back, shoving it into the darkest corner of her mind. She couldn’t look uncertain in front of him. He would lose that sparkle— all his hope in her.

So she straightened her posture and plastered a half grin over her features.

“That made me nauseous, please go back to insulting me.”

Jason smirked, a quick shrug following.

“You look like a dweeb in that cape.”

“Who says dweeb anymore?” YN scoffed, her eyes rolling. Jason hummed, a smile pulling his lips.

“You just did.” He bumped her out of his way, putting his hand on her forehead and pushing her back. YN slapped at his wrists, missing by a wide shot as he pulled away. “Hungry?”

Jason moved fast, out of her range. She had knives in those holsters and he knew she wouldn’t hesitate a second to pull one.

They were new, and she was brimming with the want to break them in.

“Starved.” She replied, easily catching up to his long strides. He paused at the bottom of the stairs, allowing her to go up first. Possibly a terrible idea, as her ass was directly in front of him. Even in utility ware; What the actual— “I went on my first patrol last night.”

Jason tore his eyes away from her back side, focusing his attention on the stairs beneath his feet.

“What?”

YN repeated her previous statement.

Irritation wiggled it’s way up and planted itself back in his chest. Wrapping viciously about his sternum.

The old man just couldn’t help himself, could he?

“Bruce took me out with Damian.” She explained, opening the door. He held it open, arm stretched over her head. YN turned, walking backwards to face him and talk at the same time. “Wasn’t very eventful— can you believe that? My very first night as a legitimate vigilante in Gotham and no one was killed? Truly, disappointing.”

He smiled, barely attempting to suppress his amusement. When he looked up again, meeting her eyes, he saw a similar smile, playing on her lips.

She was teasing him… how rude… his heart was likely to give out before long.

“That isn’t the point of vigilantism, you know that, right?” He questioned.

She shrugged, turning again to walk forward again.

“I know.” YN nodded, throwing a faux pout over her shoulder at him. “Still gives the evening a little spice.”

Jason snorted, shaking his head.

Bruce wasn’t surprised to see Jason leaning against the wall, waiting for him to exit the bathroom.

The pair often had confrontational meetings, when around each other. This was no different. Jason was a ticking time bomb— he always had been.

Even the smallest of opportunities to piss him off, or yell and get angry, Jason would take it.

And they were overdue for an argument. Jason had been giving his father a wide berth, ignoring and avoiding him for weeks.

“I thought I said I didn’t want her going out there without me.” He grumbled. His eyes seemed to glow— casting shadows over the remainder of his face.

Features plastered with an irritated, nearly enraged scowl.

Bruce thought of telling him he had overreacted.

For her first patrol, she had done wonderfully. She had kept herself in line, using minimal fire power— she didn’t even use a single weapon.

They hadn’t had many run ins, of course, it had been a slow night.

But he knew Jason had his reasons.

He didn’t want anyone killed, firstly.

Secondly— Bruce knew for a fact that he wouldn’t admit it— Jason had grown possessive over the girl.

And his streak was half a mile wide.

“She’s an adult, Jason. And I am perfectly capable of handling any sort of mood swings.” Bruce sidestepped, making it a few paces away before Jason was back in front of him. Blocking the escape.

He knew it was a jab at his own moodiness; He had put his adoptive father through paces. As an adult and a child.

Bruce had done the best he could, but in the end, Jason was who he was. There was no escaping that— especially not at his age.

He had practically raised himself for so long, he didn’t want a parental figure.

And now, he was grown.

He thought he didn’t need one.

“I think she would follow me just about anywhere. You want her leaving?”

“She can’t. Parol.” Bruce shot back, propping his hands on his hips. Jason scoffed, unimpressed by the excuse. “You want her back in prison?”

He clenched his jaw shut.

Bruce had a point.

Damn, he hated when that happened. Because Bruce knew it— if the smirk on his face was any indicator.

But Bruce wasn’t even thinking of his successful checkmate.

He was overjoyed— thrilled— that Jason had found someone else he could care for.

While Bruce was a spree adopter and foster parent of people, Damian seemed to get the animal side of the coin. But Jason?

Jason adopted friends.

People down on their luck, in bad places. He pulled them all together into an uncohesive family unit for himself.

He would find an underdog and take them in. Even if said person had tried to kill him.

Bruce couldn’t be more proud of the way his son turned out; But he wasn’t proud of the way he came to be. How much pain he had been dragged through.

And how he saw even the smallest of confrontation as a threat to his family.

His responsibility to guard and protect them.

Bruce sighed, inching closer. He stopped when he saw Jason tense.

“I know it’s difficult to give up control.” He began, tucking his hands into his pockets. Jason’s jaw clenched; Bruce knew he’d hit the nail on the head. “I know it’s hard being here and trying to fit into your previous space here. You aren’t the same Jason, no one expects you to be.”

“I know I’m not the same— I died.” Jason hissed, his voice trembled. He blinked rapidly, trying to force his eyes to stop stinging. The onslaught of tears was ready to fall at any second but he couldn’t let them until he was finished arguing. “I was half alive for months. Terrified. I was scared. I’m still scared. And I don’t understand.”

He knew it wasn’t fair for him to keep dragging this out. To keep pulling that card. Dick had seen his parents murdered, he had witnessed atrocities. Committed murder. Tim had been kidnapped and tortured, Cassandra used as a weapon for her father. Damian wasn’t even human some days, his mother and grandfather had fucked him up so badly.

Everyone had a past. Everyone in the manor was fucked over, life had brutally bashed them all over the head.

It didn’t change the hollow confusion, writhing in his chest. It didn’t change the fact that he had died. Clawed his way out of a buried coffin, wandered the streets until Talia found him. The fucking Pits.

They were a hell in of themselves.

Bruce felt his nose sting— pressure building in his chest at the rush of emotions on Jason’s face. The clarity of his words.

It was cliche to think, but Bruce could feel the pain of his children. And when they admitted it, the ache throbbed harder. To hear Jason, of all people, admit to being hurt… that sent pains wracking across his nervous system.

He wanted to reach out, hold his son against his chest like he wasn’t a six foot beast of a man. Like he was a child. A real one this time— not one who was forced to grow up too quickly.

But Jason had always been finicky about touch. Holding him close was out of the question. Even just a brush against his shoulder could send him reeling some days.

So he had to settle for what he could give, considering the circumstances.

“You are never alone. You don’t have to be.” Bruce repeated.

Jason grit his teeth and turned away, his eyes lifted to the ceiling. Trying desperately to keep his face dry.

He wouldn’t cry. He would not cry.

Fuck, he was gonna cry.

Bruce made it impossible to hate him, nowadays. Which was enraging, because Jason wanted to hate him.

For letting his death go unpunished, for letting the Joker keep his grasp on Gotham. For letting people suffer at his hands. Live in fear of the madman.

But in the end, those reasons were barely feasible anymore.

All the hate had been drained from them.

Leaving Jason lost, confusion and hurt replacing his anger.

It sucked ten times worse than the anger did.

“Cassandra asked us all to watch a movie. Are you joining?” Bruce asked, quietly. An attempt to lure him out of his spiral. He was afraid of what Jason’s silence meant this time.

But Jason shook his head, biting down on his lip.

He felt sick— something about the conversation made him feel nauseous. Vertigo sucker punched his stomach, leaving him off balance.

“I’m gonna… I’m gonna pass, right now. I don’t think…” He swallowed against the bile, rising in his throat.

Bruce nodded— infuriatingly understanding.

“Be safe, Jason.” He brushed past him, leaving the younger man to sort himself out as he pleased.

Deciding not to intervene in the progress that was going to begin taking place.

#enemy fire #jason todd x reader #jason todd x y/n #jason todd x you #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x f!reader

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stigmvtas-archived · 8 months

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this hurt that i'm holding's getting heavy. but i'ma keep a smile on my shoulders 'til i'm sweaty. beggin' on my knees, "someone come and help me". hallucinations, violence, blood, gore, stabbing, etc. following. proceed with caution.

the skin dissolves off of their faces like it's nothing more but wet cotton candy, melted sugar and flesh pooling onto the ground - their smiles still smiling, still laughing, still moving alongside their skeletal jaws like a misplaced song. myria's been high before - myria's been high plenty of times before. if she ever bothered to count the times - she'd realize that it was an almost - daily occurrence. pills littering the bottom of her purse like misplaced candies, a fun treat in store no matter which one plucked.

this isn't that kind of high. it's not the good kind of high - the kind that soothes her, that keeps her limbs limber and her movements fluid. this high doesn't comfort her - because the people around her are melting, slowly but steadily, like botox fillers gone wrong. there's too many of them - too much flesh and blood pooling beneath her feet, slippery beneath her heels; too many skeletons looking at her - staring at her with their empty sockets and quick decomposition. she's watching death decay right in front of her - the butterflies adorning her mask scattering from her features and flittering about to collect nectar from their rot. butterflies and rot. rot and decay. decay and death, over and over on repeat.

when will she ever be free?

her breath quickens - and she knows she needs to leave; she needs to run, as fast as she can. as far as she can. she has to get away - a quick turn of her heels to descend down the nearest hallway, past every exhibit she's visited half - a - million times, knows like the back of her hand. but the hallway keeps extending - further and further, like she's not running at all; but the exhibits are changing with every glance, like the slots of a machine - cherry, cherry, money sign. bell, bell, bar. seven, seven, seven. has she gone up? down? how long has she been running? how much further can she go - when will it stop? when will it stop? when will it stop?

the dimmest light. her aching legs, like she's run the entirety of a marathon, climbed the highest of staircases. the hallway stills, but her legs still go - she can't stop now. she's too autopilot - actions barely her own as she creeps upon the exhibit; the egypt room. tomb laid in the middle like a ready - to - mourn funeral, like a scene she's seen all - too - many times. sickness lays at the bottom of her stomach - nauseous, suddenly; from the drugs, or the running? or what's to come, maybe - creeping familiarity as she nears the opened tomb. why is it open? it's never open - not in all her memories, now dim and far as she peers over the ledge. blonde hair, sticky red.

myria gasps - and with that gasp comes a sharpness, sudden as it strikes; panic restricting the breath in her lungs as it rises over, threatens to spill out. a warmth spreading across her back - no, not panic; no - no, no. a scream falls silent across her lips as she feels the sharpness of the blade strike her again. her hands grip the stone, urging her to barrel forward - to crawl across the body already laid; but the hands that encase her are stronger, tighter - tossing her squirming form over as the knife sinks into her lower abdomen, again and again - and again. all she feels is hot and cold, her entire body a pulsating throb of pain, fingers and toes tingling with the numbing cold. is this what it feels like to die? it'd been so long - she'd almost forgotten the feeling.

"someone -" croaks out, and she thinks she's screaming - she has to be screaming, right? someone has to hear her, has to come and help her. she can't die like this - but she feels that numbness spreading, eyes catching on nothing but red, all red. is it blood? is it all blood? is it all hers? " - i don't wanna die. please." it's a sob, now. a plead - hands trying to grasp out for anything - for the tall figure attacking her, but her grip's too weak now. they've moved on - she can barely feel it, the sensation; the blade cutting into her cheek - her stomach dropping further and further as through her dimming sight, her deafening mind - she realizes what's happening. she's going to be another body in the morgue. who'll play britney for her? who'll tuck her hair back, close her eyes - dress her pretty for burial? who will she reincarnate as? does she deserve it - reincarnation? into a better person? myria has so many regrets - too many to carry, too many to think about.

so she stops thinking - her mind clearing from worry. what point is there now? she can only slowly await the darkness that accompanies death. can only rock slowly into it; can only try to find comfort in what's to come. she can only wait.

and wait.

and wai

#––– ❛ myria saengkaew 【 little blurry stars scattered all across / para. 】#hallucination tw #violence tw #blood tw #gore tw #stabbing tw #drugs tw

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carloswilson0 · 2 months

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#jaw filler near me

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chrisginny · 4 months

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day 7 of @chrisginnyweek: prom

finished chapter 2 of my fic "sittin' back, sittin' back, in the backseat of your car" for chrisginny week! you can read it here, or on ao3 via the link above. <3

As it turns out, finding a moment alone with the shared family telephone is of Olympian difficulty. Ginny feels neither like asking her parents nor speaking in code to Chris while they stand close by, so she waits – painfully. Her jaw locks in annoyance when she realizes just how much time her mother spends inside the house.

But one day, when Joe is out late at work and Janette is attending a Parent-Teacher Association meeting at Ridgeway, Ginny encounters the perfect window of opportunity to finally call Chris. She’s shy, at first, and so is Chris; but somehow, through grainy audio and nervous fidgeting, the pair get to know each other a little more. And they settle on a date and time for – well, a date.

If calling Chris was an English class assignment, Ginny would have two major takeaways: that she’s going on a bona fide date in four days’ time, and that it’s with the – albeit uncontested – girl of her dreams. The only issue that stands in her way, then, is mustering the courage to seek her parents’ permission for a night alone in town without raising suspicion.

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

Ginny completes many, many assignments and chores unprompted in the following few days, and her tireless work pays off. Janette grants her the ever-coveted permission she needs. But unlike with Chet, there’s added emphasis on continued responsibility, both inside and outside of the Danburry home. The conversation leaves Ginny equally relieved and frustrated.

It turns out near-perfectly, though, when Chris leans through the window of her car on a warm, breezy Saturday night, beckoning Ginny with her left hand. Frustration is one of those things easily escapable around someone like Chris; and Ginny finds herself exponentially more willing to go extra lengths at home just to continue seeing her.

And seeing Chris – well, really, it feels like the easiest thing in the world to do. Ginny holds her hand as the pair drive downtown to Silver’s Diner, windows open, the sweet spring wind kissing their faces and ruffling their hair. Chris can barely keep her eyes on the road ahead because she’s too busy looking at Ginny. If they end up in a car crash, at least Ginny can say she died happily, capturing Chris’ glances like a prism does with sunlight.

Chris and Ginny choose a spot indoors – a cozy booth with a big window in a secluded corner of the diner. In between taking bites of pancakes and hashbrowns, they talk about different things: school, family, friends, hobbies. It’s filler content, really; Ginny needs to ask Chris, but she doesn’t find an in until they’re both sipping vanilla milkshakes for dessert.

“Can I ask you something?” says Ginny, her mind already erratic.

“Is it that important?” Chris looks surprised. To be fair, most of their conversations as of late have been back-and-forth questions.

“Yeah.”

“Then, sure”, Chris says.

Ginny sucks in a breath. “I really like you. We’ve been seeing each other for a while. And I think it’s appropriate to ask”, Ginny continues, a bundle of nerves, “if you’d want to be my girlfriend.” She falters, possessing anything but the knowledge of what to add after such a heavy request.

Chris bites her lip. Ginny holds her breath, waiting, mere nanoseconds seeming like hours to her. Moonlight beams hazily through the window, dousing their booth in shades of beige and blue.

“You tease”, Chris laughs. She reaches her hand out towards Ginny’s own. “I always wanted to be yours.”

“I take it that’s a yes, then?” asks Ginny.

Squeezing Ginny’s hand, Chris replies, “In what world would that be a no?”

Ginny smiles bashfully. “You know me. Sometimes I’m living on a different planet.”

“Well, maybe you should let me visit”, jokes Chris.

“Maybe I should.” Ginny separates her hand from Chris’, tuning back into her surroundings – the public. She smiles at Chris from across the booth, reacquainting herself with the comfortable quiet that falls between them all too often. Her heartbeat regains its normal pace, anxiety extinguished by milky moonlight and the sincere promise of a continued romance.

“We should go to prom together”, suggests Chris out of the blue. She tucks a strand of pale hair behind her ear, the sight toying with Ginny’s emotions.

“Prom?” Ginny parrots, suddenly cotton-mouthed.

Chris shrugs, taking a sip of her milkshake. “Yeah, at Ridgeway. What?” she questions – Ginny’s lips are frozen in the shape of a silent oh. “You don’t wanna go to prom with me?”

“No, it’s just…” Ginny pauses, fiddling with the napkin on her lap. “It’s a lot to take in. I mean, I’m still recovering from asking you to go steady”, she adds with a laugh.

Chris rolls her eyes playfully. “Oh, come on, Gin, that was a guaranteed yes.”

Beneath the table, Ginny taps Chris’ foot with her own. “Shame on you for making me so nervous, though.” A moment of silence, then: “Alright, I’ll go to prom with you.”

Grinning ear-to-ear, Chris replies, “It’s only fair.”

Ginny slurps down the dregs of her milkshake. “Let’s get out of here”, she says. It’s become their code for running off to make out; but tonight, on their first real date, there’s added significance. What Ginny really means is to ask if Chris will drive her back to the Noel house: spacious, comfortable, better than the backseat of a car in every way under the sun.

Chris looks Ginny up and down a few times. “Of course”, she agrees, blushing. “I’ll get the check.”

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

“Hey, cover for me? I’m at Chris’ house tonight”, says Ginny, running a hand through her bangs. She’s using the wall phone in the parlor with Chris’ permission, calling Chet to make sure their parents question nothing.

“So it’s not just backseat bingo anymore, huh?” Chet asks, and Ginny can practically see the smug expression on his face. “You finally put on your big-girl pants?”

“Could say the same for you and Charlie”, Ginny retorts.

There’s a pause, weighted, on the other end of the line. “Do you love her?”

Ginny wants nothing more than to blurt out yes, of course, is it too soon?, but she bites her tongue. “I like the way her perfume smells”, she says instead, decisively, in the event that Chris lurks just a thin wall away.

“Alright”, says Chet. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you”, repeats Ginny, hanging up the phone.

“It’s Nina Ricci.”

Ginny whirls around. She thought right; standing face-to-face with her is Chris. “What?” she says, confused.

Chris giggles, leaning on the door frame. “My perfume. Sorry for startling you.”

Ginny’s eyebrows shoot upwards. “You heard that?”

“I heard just about everything.” Chris’ eyes have a playful glint to them.

“You–” Ginny starts, but is promptly cut off as Chris, in one swift move, grabs her face and kisses her. Her brain all but taps out as Chris trails soft kisses from the corner of her mouth to her jawbone, and then down her neck. Back pressed against the floral print wallpaper, Ginny almost forgets where she is; Chris becomes her Earth, her entire world.

Chris puts distance between herself and Ginny, teasing her with a stray finger on her collarbone. “Let’s not spend all night here”, she whispers, tugging at Ginny’s dress. “Let me show you my bedroom.”

Ginny nods, words refusing to form, her body like memory foam for Chris’ touch. She follows Chris up the stairwell, one hand gliding along the wooden railing and the other holding Chris’ slender wrist. The upstairs hallway is carpeted in red, and paintings break up empty space on the sparse walls. Chris’ bedroom is an oasis of femininity; pink colors and attractive movie stars decorate nearly every surface. Her bed looks too cozy to ignore, and Ginny has no choice but to sit down on the soft blankets, or so she tells Chris.

“What do you think?” asks Chris, sitting beside Ginny.

“It’s perfect. I could live in here”, answers Ginny, kicking off her Mary Janes and fully laying down. “Don’t leave me hanging.” She frowns up at Chris.

“I would never”, says Chris, resting her head on Ginny’s chest and pressing a kiss to her hand.

Ginny hums in appreciation. “You know I missed you all the time, right?”

“What do you mean?” Chris says, confused.

“Well, between Chet’s games”, Ginny clarifies. She wraps her arm around Chris’ shoulder, moving so that the two of them can be side-to-side, completely enveloped in each other. “But now I don’t. I mean… prom, and dates, and sleeping over at your house? It’s so much better.”

“It really is”, Chris agrees.

“When is it, anyway? Prom”, says Ginny, turning her head towards Chris.

“Oh.” Chris pauses, thinking. “In about a month, I think. Why?”

“I just– well, it’s just a thought, but maybe we could match”, Ginny answers, her face flushing slightly. “Dresses, corsages, jewelry. The whole nine yards.”

“I’ll take you shopping anytime, Gin.” Chris thumbs Ginny’s cheekbone, kissing her forehead softly.

Ginny holds Chris’ face in her palms. “How about you come here and kiss me for real?” They’re both so close, enough that Ginny can almost feel the fluttering of Chris’ eyelashes on her own.

Chris nods silently, her eyes half-lidded, dreamily staring down at Ginny. “I think I can do that.”

Her lips meet Ginny’s, and it’s heaven. Like silent film, a messy tapestry of memories plays in Ginny’s mind: spotting Chris on the Ridgeway field; glossy hair and pom-poms; shoes dislodging turf as they walked across the field to Chris’ car; admitting to herself that she might be queer; holding hands for the first time.

Chris kisses Ginny with increasingly more fervor. Soon, their limbs tangle and their hearts beat in sync. It’s a rough start; but it’s theirs, and Ginny can’t wait for more.

#gail speaks #dps #chrisginny #my fics #queue tag #chris noel #ginny danburry #chris x ginny #ginny x chris #noelbury #noelburry #dead poets society #dps fic #dps fics #sapphic ship #lesbian ship #wlw ship #chrisginnyweek

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elm-writes-stories · 1 year

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Cuphead: Isle of Shadows (Rewrite)

*Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter/episode of Cuphead: Isle of Shadows Rewrite! This is a bit of a filler episode with a lot of fluff. No angst till the next episode. This episode is published on August 3, 2023. If you guys like this episode, don't be afraid to heart, reblog, and comment! That would be wonderful and appreciated! I'm so sorry for the long episode. Enjoy!*

Episode Eight: Love In The Air

In the rough storm, the ship rocked side to side from the waves hitting them continuously. Captain Brineybeard steered the wheel of the ship, clenching his jaw in fear.

“This ship is going to sink!” the captain cried. “Furl the sails!”

The crew that consisted of Elder Kettle, Cuphead, Chalice, Canteen, Aurora, and Natalie did as they were told to keep the ship steady throughout the storm.

“There’s one coming for us!” Cuphead shouted while pointing at the rogue wave coming toward them.

“Where’s me first mate?!” Captain Brineybeard shouted. “Mugbeard! We need yer help!”

The little pirate mug with the tiny mustache and beard swung in beside the captain. “Aye, captain?!”

“Lower the boats! This ship be goin’ t’ sink!” Captain Brineybeard ordered urgently.

“Aye, Aye, Captain!” Mugbeard shouted as he jumped onto the desk and hurried over to the side of the ship, urging the other crew members to get inside the row boats. The crew hurried onto the boats as Mugbeard looked back to see Captain Brineybeard still steering the ship.

“Captain! The crew is in the row boats! You gotta join them!”

“Nay! I’ll face this storm alone, mate! Get in with the others!”

Mugbeard hurried over to the steering wheel by his captain, pushing the captain aside while the boat tumbled. The captain fell onto the other rowboat by accident. The boats fell from the ship, landing in the water and floating away from the ship. Mugbeard tried to control the ship until the final wave crashed into the ship.

“MUGBEARD!!!” his captain and his crew cried out in fear.

The waters flipped the wood off the ship and tore through the deck, ripping it from the inside out. Mugbeard was knocked into the water, blacking out from the impact. He drifted into the deep blue sea with the debris falling with him. There seemed to be a lack of hope that he will ever reach back to the surface. It was then, he felt someone lifting him up through the water. Was it an angel?

The next morning, he could’ve sworn he heard someone talking, caressing his porcelain cheek. He fought to open his eyelids. In his blurry vision, he could see a silhouette of a beautiful sea creature. Before he could get a good look at her, she heard the men shouting and jumped back away from him.

“Mugbeard!” The familiar voice shouted. Mugbeard was helped up to his feet by Captain Brineybeard and his crew. “Are ye alright? Wha’ happened?”

Mugbeard rubbed his head. “Aye, I’m fine. I, uh--” He looked onward to find the sea creature that saved his life. He saw it though, way out into the open ocean and on the rock near the shore, there was the creature. He stood in awe of her beauty.

The moment he saw her, he felt his heart skip a beat. This sea creature had cat-like ears, her fur as red as his blushing face. Her raven hair gleamed in the sunlight. Her tail had no scales and her ray-fin flashed a burgundy color in the light. Her whiskers flinched when she smiled at him.

“Wha’ are ye lookin’ at, lad?” Brineybeard asked and looked to where Mugbeard was looking. Once the captain looked, the mer-cat disappeared without a trace.

It was at this moment, Mugbeard fell in love with the sea creature. Every night, Mugbeard would venture out of the village and to the shore. Normally, he’ll let his crew come with him on his rendezvous, but on this trip, this was something that he knew, they will never understand.

Mugbeard snuck through the village and towards the wooden port. He sat at the edge and looked around, waiting for her to make her appearance. The bubbles surfaced and the mer-cat popped out of the water with a bright smile.

“Wow,” Mugbeard uttered while she brushed the water droplets out of her black short hair. She perched on the edge of the port, looking at him with sparkling eyes. “Oh, sea creature, your eyes are like starlight. Your voice is a symphony. Your fur and hair soft as a pillow.”

The mer-cat giggled at the pirate. “I have a name, silly. You can call me Cassi.”

“Cassi~” Mugbeard repeated with a lovesick smile. “Beautiful~.” They leaned in to share a kiss until--

“Mugman…MUGMAN!”

~.~

Mugman jumped when he heard his name being called.

He realized that he was just reading the book…but he wasn’t really reading it. Instead, he went off on his own little world and forgot where he left off. He also realized that he was in the kitchen in the Ruth Mansion with Elder Kettle and Cuphead staring at him in confusion.

“You were reading your book upside down,” Cuphead pointed out.

“What—?”

Cuphead was right, Mugman was reading the book upside down.

Mugman turned it right side up. “There…heh…I don’t know what came over me.”

Cuphead and Elder Kettle exchanged glances at each other and then back at Mugman.

“You would never read a book upside down before,” Cuphead said suspiciously.

“I’m just having an off-day, alright?” Mugman said while trying to read the book.

“You’ve been acting weird since last night,” Elder Kettle replied. “We’re just concern is all. No need to get defensive.”

Cuphead arched a brow. “I mean, you and Cassi were alone for a while…” He looked at his brother with a smirk to find Mugman was blushing. “Oooooh….”

“Y-Yeah, we were, but we didn’t do anything,” Mugman said nervously, his face in the book.

Elder Kettle smirked at Mugman. “Aww, Mugman, you don’t have to keep hiding your feelings anymore. We know you like Cassidy as more than a friend.”

Mugman raised his head up with his face red. “What?! No…No, it’s not…”

Cuphead and Elder Kettle arched their brows higher with smirks.

Finally, Mugman groaned. “Fine. I like Cassidy more than a friend.”

“Finally!” Cuphead blurted out.

“Don’t say it out loud!” Mugman scolded his brother.

“Finally, you admitted to liking Cassi. It took you long enough,” Cuphead said with his fists on his hips.

“Soooo….what are you going to do with those feelings?” Elder Kettle asked Mugman.

“Uh…stuff it down?” Mugman answered.

Elder Kettle shook his head. “Don’t do that. Tell her how you feel.”

“How? I mean…I don’t know…what if she regrets kissing me on the cheek last night and says that she never meant it?”

“Wait, what?!” Cuphead gasped in shock.

Mugman glanced at them. “Oh…yeah…she did that last night.”

“Oooh~” Cuphead said with a smirk. “She likes you back.”

“Well…what happened after she kissed your cheek?” Elder Kettle questioned in curiosity.

Mugman covered his face in embarrassment. “I almost kissed her in the lips.”

“WHAT?!?” Cuphead and Elder Kettle shouted simultaneously.

The mug’s face turned brighter red with a groan.

“I knew I should’ve told Natalie to be quiet,” Cuphead replied with a groan.

“Wait, wait, wait, did she almost kissed you back on the lips?” Elder Kettle inquired.

“Uh…yeah…” Mugman answered shyly.

Both Elder Kettle and Cuphead gasped.

“She likes you back!” Cuphead replied happily.

“Nah…it might not be—”

“Mugman, how could it not be the fact that she likes you back?” Elder Kettle said with his fists on his hips. “When she consented to kissing you back, that means she likes you back.”

Mugman rubbed his arm nervously. “Eh…maybe…”

“Just ask her out on the date,” Cuphead encouraged.

“But…how?” Mugman uttered. “I’m going to mess it up.”

“Nonsense,” Elder Kettle said with a reassuring smile. “The worst she can say is no.”

Mugman’s lips trembled a bit.

“Hey, it’s better to ask than not ask at all,” Elder Kettle encouraged.

“O-Okay. But if she were to say yes…where would the date be and when? I’m not sure we can do it during the Night Stalker situation. What if they come in today or tonight and try to kill us?”

“Well, I can’t see why not do it before they get here. We are wasting time by waiting for the Night Stalkers to show up and kill us. So…why not make time to do things before we get found by them? I mean, maybe they died down and hadn’t done much killing in the city. So, why not ask her out on the date? Better now than never, right?” Elder Kettle encouraged.

“Yeah…I guess,” Mugman uttered.

~.~

Cassidy was groaning and covering her face in utter embarrassment, concerning both Jerry and Porkrind in the bedroom.

Porkrind was the first to approach his daughter by sitting next to her on the bed. “What’s going on, hun?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Jerry asked while sitting next to Porkrind.

Cassidy uncovered her face to reveal that she had been blushing. “I did something stupid last night.”

“What kind of stupid?” Porkrind uttered.

“I-I don’t know…I, um, I can’t believe I did it last night. Now he’s going to think I’m a burden.”

“Who’s going to think you’re a burden?” Jerry questioned.

“Mugman.”

“Mugman?” Porkrind repeated. “What did you do that would make Mugman think you’re a burden…?”

“I-I—” Cassidy took a deep breath and looked up at Porkrind and Jerry. “I kissed his cheek.”

“You did what?” Porkrind asked with a brow raised.

“I kissed his cheek…I don’t know what came over me. I…I thought he was such a loveable goofball and kissed him on the cheek without even thinking about it. I-I—I can’t believe I did that—”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Jerry soothed the red feline. “I’m sure he didn’t think anything of it.”

“Do you know what’s worse? He almost kissed me on the lips last night and I almost kissed him back,” Cassidy said with a groan.

“I’m sorry, he did what now?” Porkrind said with a growl.

“Wait, he almost kissed you on the lips last night?” Jerry questioned. “And you almost kissed him back?”

“Yes!” Cassidy cried while covering her face. “I have feelings for him and I don’t want him to hate me for that.”

“Aww, Cassi, it’s okay. Knowing Mugman so far, I doubt he would hate you for it. I mean, if he was the first to initiate kissing…well, it means that he has feelings for you too. Ain’t that right, Porkrind—? Porkrind, put down the knife!”

Porkrind was seen holding up a knife slowly while breathing heavily in anger until Jerry told him to put down the knife. “What? I’m using it on Mugman.”

“What? No! Put it down! She has feelings for him too,” Jerry explained while lowering Porkrind’s hand that held the knife.

Porkrind grumbled and lowered the knife. With a sigh, he looked at his daughter. “Honey, I’m not criticizing your taste in guys, but…what do you even see in Mugman?”

Cassidy uncovered her face and rubbed her arm shyly. “He makes me laugh.”

There was a brief silence as Porkrind nodded his head.

“I guess that’s valid—”

“And he’s just so adorable and sweet and kind and goofy and protective over me. Like, he nearly attacked a couple of kids when they said that I shouldn’t even be born,” Cassidy replied sheepishly.

“I would’ve nearly attack a couple of kids too if I was there,” Jerry said with a growl.

“Same,” Porkrind agreed with Jerry. “Although, with Tremaine inside of him, he oughta be more careful with it.”

“Yeah…” Cassidy uttered and looked away. “Should I ask him out?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Jerry and Porkrind exchanged glances at each other.

“What do you mean no?” Jerry questioned Porkrind.

“What do you mean yes?” Porkrind argued back.

“I’m asking you first,” Jerry replied.

“I meant what I said. No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I said so.”

“Not a good enough answer.”

Cassidy sighed and cuddled her father’s side with a purr, getting Porkrind’s attention.

Porkrind rubbed his daughter’s shoulder with a sigh. “Honey, I want you well and happy…I just…don’t know…I guess I’m a little worried about ya.”

“I know, Dad. I know,” Cassidy replied.

~.~

Mugman paced back and forth in front of Elder Kettle and Cuphead, who were joined in watching Mugman pacing by Natalie, Canteen, Chalice, and Aurora.

“C’mon, Mugsy, asking her out ain’t gonna be that hard,” Chalice reassured her friend.

“I’m trying to think of something cool to say to her,” Mugman uttered, pacing back and forth.

“Don’t overthink it,” Elder Kettle advised. “Just practice. As I always say, practice and you’ll get good. But don’t practice, and you won’t.”

“You don’t always say that,” Mugman said.

Chalice rolled her eyes and pushed Cuphead towards his brother. “Here, just pretend Cuphead is Cassidy.”

“But that’s my brother!” Mugman replied disgusted.

“Ew, no, you’re not asking your brother out. You’re asking Cassi out,” Chalice said while gesturing to Cuphead. “Cuphead, try your best to imitate Cassidy.”

“Okay, okay,” Cuphead said while taking a deep breath. When he was about to imitate Cassidy by rubbing his arm, he suddenly shape-shifted into Cassidy without even realizing it.

“Sooo, you wanna ask me somethin’, Mugsy?” Cuphead’s voice changed into Cassidy’s voice, much to the shock of everyone around him. “What are you weirdos lookin’ at?” Cassidy looked at her paws and gasped excitedly, the disguise disappeared and revealed to be Cuphead looking at his own hands. “Holy cow! I didn’t think I can do that!”

“I didn’t think the potion can give you the ability to shape-shift,” Elder Kettle muttered to himself in shock.

Cuphead turned to Mugman and smirked. Once he started to imitate Cassidy rubbing her shoulder, Cuphead soon transformed into Cassidy, earning a blush from his brother.

“Soooo, you wanna ask me something, Mugsy?” the fake Cassidy said with a cheeky grin.

Mugman groaned and rubbed his face. “Uh…okay…um…Cassidy Cat, would you—uh—like to go out on a date with me?”

“Uuuuuuuhhhh…no,” the fake Cassidy said with a smirk.

Mugman gave the fake Cassidy a deadpan stare. “You know, you’re not helping.”

“He’s just preparing you for the worse case scenario, I guess,” Canteen answered while scratching the back of his head.

“Ask again,” Chalice suggested.

Mugman sighed and looked his brother disguised as Cassidy. “Okay.” He tried to do a cool stance by leaning on his elbow on the table and do the suave voice. “Hey, baby, how about you and I go on a date?”

“Hm, let me think about it. Uuuuuhhh, no,” Cuphead as Cassidy answered with mischievous smile.

Natalie tried not to laugh at what was happening.

“Yeah, you kind of deserve that no,” Natalie said.

Mugman stopped acting cool and rubbed his arm. “Okay. Uh, Cassi, um, I know that we are in a sticky situation with the Night Stalkers and all, but I couldn’t help but have feelings for you—”

The gang looked to the side and gasped in shock at what they saw, even Cassidy’s doppelganger.

Mugman rambled on. “—I mean, I know that maybe you might not feel the same and it’s totally fine if you don’t. I just can’t hold them in any longer. You’re smart, beautiful, cute, adorable, and you are an awesome fighter. I mean…I know it sounds weird to say…but you’re like an angel. The most beautiful cat angel I’ve ever met—”

Cassidy blushed at his words.

“—so I wanna ask now because it may be never if I keep putting off, but, um, uh…would you like to go on a date with me? Not like a friend date but maybe…like a more-than-a-friend date?” Mugman asked nervously.

Cassidy giggled. “Sure.”

“Oh…just like that, Cuphead?”

Cassidy arched a brow. “I’m not Cuphead.”

“Wait, what?!” Mugman gasped in shock and looked over her shoulder to see Cuphead shape-shifting back to his old self with a smirk behind the real Cassidy.

“I guess Cuphead…um, switched places with me while you were talking,” Cassidy said nervously.

“Oh…uh…date?” Mugman asked with a nervous sweat and a smile.

She giggled. “Y-Yeah. I was actually just about to ask you the same question.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I, um, also have feelings for you too.”

He blushed. “O-Oh? Uh…well, I guess, um…I guess we have a date then…uh, tonight?”

“Sure. What time?”

“I, uh, honestly, I didn’t think I was going to get this far,” he said, earning a giggle from her. “Um…maybe 6:30?”

“Sounds good,” she responded with a giddy smile.

“I’ll find us a place to, uh…eat at,” he replied, relaxing his body a bit more but his face was still red.

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“I’ll see ya tonight,” he repeated with a smile.

She walked away with Chalice, Aurora, and Natalie following Cassidy.

“Do you have any dresses?” Chalice asked Cassidy.

“Um…no,” Cassidy uttered nervously.

“Ooh! I got a bunch of dresses to try on!” Natalie exclaimed excitedly to her best friend.

Canteen, Cuphead, and Elder Kettle stayed behind with Mugman.

Elder Kettle noticed a love-sick smile on Mugman’s face. The old tea kettle sighed wistfully. “Ah, young love. Anyways, might need to find a place for your date.”

“Right, right,” Mugman snapped out of his thoughts. He hurried out the door.

“Mugsy, wait up!” Cuphead shouted while Canteen followed after Cuphead.

Elder Kettle glanced to the side to find Porkrind and Jerry standing in the shadows, watching the entire scene unfold.

“You know, that’s kind of creepy for you guys to be standing in the shadows like that,” Elder Kettle pointed out.

“So?” Porkrind asked with his arms crossed.

“Nevermind,” Elder Kettle said with a sigh and walked out of the house to find the boys.

“Maybe we should keep the girls safe,” Jerry suggested to Porkrind.

There was silence until Porkrind nodded his head in agreement.

“We should.” With that said, Porkrind and Jerry kept an eye on the girls in the mansion.

~.~

Mugman’s hands fidgeted together, sweating nervously while trying to find a place to eat at in the coastal a few blocks from Natalie’s house. Cuphead and Canteen side by side with Mugman.

“Relax, Mugsy, the date is going to be fine,” Cuphead reassured Mugman.

“What if it doesn’t go well? What if—I didn’t even think about this—Tremaine? Tremaine is still inside of me. What if the potion wore off tonight and I become a monster? What if I end up hurtin’ Cassidy?” Mugman started to sob a bit. “I don’t wanna hurt Cassidy.”

“The potion is a lot stronger than what I give it credit for,” Elder Kettle spoke behind them. “Maybe it won’t wear off tonight.”

“Just don’t get angry,” Canteen responded with clenched teeth.

“Yeah, don’t do that,” Cuphead added.

“Yeah, yeah, won’t do it,” Mugman said while taking a deep breath. “We just need to find a place where both Cassi and I can eat.”

Elder Kettle looked at the restaurant that had salmon as its sign. “How about this place?”

Mugman gasped happily. “Perfect! Cassi loves salmon!”

Before they could go inside and get reservations, they noticed sign that had a drawing of a red cat and red circle around it. The red slash was over the red cat’s drawing as if to say that red cats were not allowed.

“Wait, why have the sign up? The red cats were extinct,” Elder Kettle said more to the sign than to the kids.

“Except for Cassi,” Mugman uttered sadly.

Canteen peeked through the windows to find more cats dining, but they weren’t all red cats. “I can see the cats dining in there. Waaaait! Why are the red cats the only cat kind that is getting hated? Like I get that they ‘caused’ some Tremaine outbreak all of those years ago, but…shouldn’t they get over that kind of hate or…?”

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Elder Kettle said sadly. “I thought Tremaine was extinct along with the red cats and—you know what, let’s not focus on that. This is about a date between Mugman and Cassidy. We can talk about that later.”

Cuphead turned his head and gasped in shock. “Wait, is that what I think it is?!”

Mugman, Canteen, and Elder Kettle glanced at what Cuphead was looking at and gasped to see a familiar ferry boat docked by the shore with two familiar frogs standing in front of it.

“Step right on in, folks!” Ribby, the shorter frog in a green suit, encouraged the passengers into the boat. “The boat will be leaving tonight for a little cruise.”

Elder Kettle, Cuphead, Mugman, and Canteen approached Ribby and his taller brother in a blue suit, Croaks.

Ribby noticed them and nudged Croak’s chest. “Hey, hey, look who shows up!”

Croaks grinned. “Well if it ain’t the cup brothers!”

Cuphead and Mugman waved nervously.

“Uh…h-hi…wait, you ain’t mad at us?” Cuphead questioned the frogs.

“Mad at you for what?” Ribby inquired.

“For destroying the ferry boat,” Mugman clarified.

“What?! Psst! Youse two didn’t do any damage,” Ribby responded. “Ain’t that right, Croaks?”

“Right! That was our own doing,” Croaks replied. “Not once have we blame youse two for it.”

“Oh?” Mugman uttered.

“Yeah, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Ribby replied. “It’s all water under the bridge.”

“Oh!” both Cuphead and Mugman exclaimed.

“We didn’t hear that part since we were sinking,” Mugman stated.

“Oh, right,” Ribby replied. “Well, youse two got a beautiful brotherly love that Croaks and I were trying to model it to the best we can.”

“Doesn’t mean that we got it perfect though.”

“All it matters is we keep trying. By the way, we got the ferry boat repaired and everything.”

“Just don’t go in without paying to get inside,” Croaks answered.

Elder Kettle smiled softly. “Well, I’m glad you all got along in the end. But I don’t see any signs that says that red cats are not allowed.”

“Yeah, businesses put those signs everywhere,” Ribby explained while pointing at the other businesses.

“So, you can let us in!” Mugman said excitedly.

Ribby arched a brow. “What are we letting you in for?”

The group turned to Mugman, who blushed.

“U-Uh, a date,” Mugman uttered shyly.

“Ooh, hear that, Croaks? A date,” Ribby said with a sly smirk.

“With who?” Croaks asked with a grin.

“Her name is Cassidy. She’s a red cat and—”

“Wait, Cassi?!” Ribby exclaimed with a bright grin.

“Y-Yeah, wait, do you know her?”

“Yeah, since she’s a little kitten,” Croaks explained.

“Yeah, she’s like a little sister to us,” Ribby replied happily. “Hey, she should come visit us sometime when we ain’t so busy. It’s been a while since we’ve seen her.”

“Like two weeks ago?” Croaks questioned.

“Yeah, that’s about right,” Ribby responded. “Normally, though, we don’t let her in the Fly Trap. Nothing against her at all, but it’s bad for business to punch people that say mean things about her. On top of that, we don’t want her to get hurt by people who had more of a, uh, violent tendencies against her kind if you know what I’m saying. But, since this is a fancy date for her, we can squeeze in the reservation in a secluded area in the VIPs.”

“Ooh, that would be wonderful!” Mugman exclaimed excitedly.

“Wait, Mugman,” Elder Kettle said while taking out his wallet. “How much?”

Ribby shook his head. “Oh, it’s free.”

“Free?”

“Usually we charge sixty dollars for eating at the VIPs,” Croaks replied. “But since it’s Cassi’s first date, we can make it free.”

“Oh, okay…I didn’t have that kind of money anyway,” Elder Kettle responded bashfully.

“This is only one time though,” Ribby reassured them and turned to Mugman. “We can squeeze in youse two in about 6:45 tonight. How does that sound?”

“Sounds wonderful!” Mugman replied with a smile.

“Oh, and Mugman,” Croaks added while drawing his brows together and showing his boxer gloves. “Break Cassi’s heart in any way and we’ll pound ya!”

“Easy there, Croaks,” Ribby replied. “He’s a good kid. I’m sure tonight will go along just fine.” Then he turned to Mugman with a threatening stare. “But if you dare break her heart, we’ll both pound ya in yer sleep. Got it?”

Mugman, terrified, nodded his head rapidly.

“Good,” Ribby replied, losing his threatening stare. “We’ll get it all set up for tonight. You need to find something nice to wear.”

“That’s right,” Elder Kettle said while watching Ribby and Croaks entering the ferry boat. “Thank you!”

Cuphead wrapped his arm around Mugman. “Well, Mugsy, looks like we oughta find something nice for ya to wear for your date.”

Mugman blushed at the thought of the date. “Right. Right.”

“Hey, I think we walked past a place where there were suits for the dates. We can check there,” Canteen suggested.

“That’s a great idea,” Elder Kettle replied. “Let’s do it.”

~.~

The jazzy music played in the streets of the coastal town while Elder Kettle looked through the tailor shop for suits that would fit Mugman. Cuphead and Canteen helped picked the suits from the racks.

Mugman had tried on a few of the suits, which Mugman didn’t like so far. Elder Kettle picked out a few suits that included turquoise, blue, and purple. The only suit Mugman liked so far was the dark blue suit. Elder Kettle paid for the suit with a smile on his face when Mugman decided to go with the blue suit for the date.

Canteen and Cuphead planned on watching over Mugman’s date with Cassidy and looked for suits themselves with Canteen mostly wearing a bowtie and Cuphead liking the bright red suit. Elder Kettle decided to not to wear any suits, but he did pay for both Cuphead and Canteen despite Canteen saying that he got it covered.

Once they went out a tailor shop, Mugman wanted to look through the shops to get something for Cassidy on the date. Elder Kettle suggested jewelry like a pearl necklace or something along those lines. Cuphead and Canteen wanted to help Mugman pick a gift for Cassidy, hoping that whatever Mugman will get for Cassidy will be great. However, Canteen decided to get a gift on his own, but he was too embarrassed to say who it was for. Cuphead thought of getting a gift, and did get it with Elder Kettle paying for both of the brothers’ gifts and Canteen buying his gift with his own money.

Meanwhile, back at Natalie’s house, Porkrind and Jerry watched over the girls to find Cassidy trying out Natalie’s dresses. Porkrind smiled at Cassidy’s excitement to try on the dresses. Natalie wasn’t wearing them as much anymore, so Natalie offered them to Cassidy to keep if she was going to go on future dates with Mugman.

After Cassidy was offered dresses, Chalice decided to show her how to dance with a jazzy music turned on. Cassidy was a bit clumsy at it at first until she started to get the steps Chalice taught her.

To join in the fun, Aurora wanted to dance with Natalie. Natalie smiled and giggled while dancing with her little sister by holding her little sister’s hands. Chalice and Cassidy were having fun dancing with each other until she passed Cassidy off to dance on her own. Jerry caught Cassidy and danced with her with a bright grin behind his scarf.

Porkrind huffed up a laugh watching his daughter dance with Jerry. Jerry noticed Porkrind sitting out and gestured for him to dance with Cassidy. Cassidy gave a pleading look in her eyes to her father, who sighed with a smile and got up from his seat. Porkrind danced with Cassidy, although he was just as clumsy as Cassidy was. However, once he got the hang of it, he started to watch his daughter laugh in joy, which was something that he hadn’t seen in a while.

Although, once he let go of his daughter’s paws, he saw her twirling around towards her friends. However, Cassidy tripped and fell on Chalice. They both laughed at the predicament while Porkrind watched with a fond smile at Cassidy. But there was something else. Something that felt soft and familiar. Porkrind didn’t need to turn around to know whose presence was right beside him.

The instant tear fell from his eye. He didn’t know why he was crying or what the tears were for. He couldn’t help, but smile until he heard the voice.

“Thank you, Po.”

Porkrind nodded his head, clenching his jaw. “I miss you, Shay.”

“Huh?” Jerry said while turning around to see Porkrind. He noticed Porkrind wiping tears away from his face. With a softened gaze, Jerry placed a hand on the pig’s shoulder to comfort him while watching the girls laughing and having a good time.

~.~

It was reaching towards night past six o’clock.

The guys went back to the mansion with Elder Kettle helping dress Mugman up for his date. Mugman tried to calm himself since he was sweating nervously.

“Take deep breaths, Mugsy,” Cuphead reassured his brother, putting on his red suit and slacks. “It’ll be fine.”

“Man, I feel like I’m going to mess this date up,” Mugman said nervously.

“Now, Mugman,” Elder Kettle replied, straightening Mugman’s tie. “You’re not going to mess it up. Just be yourself.”

“Be myself? Since when has that ever worked?” Mugman questioned.

“Well, Cassidy wanted to go out with you and you’re yourself,” Elder Kettle answered. “Just don’t get too crazy when going out on the date. You and Cassi might get this bubbly feeling and…well, let’s just say that you both might end up with consequences if taken too far.”

“Take what too far?” Mugman asked with a brow raised.

“I’ll tell you later,” Elder Kettle responded. “And there! Now, you’re ready for your date.”

Mugman picked up the bundle of red roses, clutching the stems tightly with a deep breath. “Okay…I think I’m ready.”

Cuphead smiled while stuffing his gift he got from the gift shop in his suit pocket. Canteen straightened his bowtie for the last time and they both followed Mugman out of the bedroom door.

Mugman walked to the living room and waited for the girls.

Meanwhile, Cuphead knocked on the door the girls were at.

The door opened to reveal Natalie in a dark pink feathery dress and white gloves on.

“You’re going to have a little while longer, Mug—oh, Cups,” Natalie said with a surprised tone when she noticed Cuphead standing outside.

“Cups? No shorty or peasant?” Cuphead asked with a raised brow.

“Well, you’re still a shorty and a peasant, but since you’re part of the friend group, I figured I picked another nickname for ya,” she said with a shy smile.

He smirked. “Not for any other reason?”

“Well, other than the fact that you’re more than just a shorty and a peasant, there ain’t other reason.”

“Sissy wikes Cuppy!” Aurora replied with a happy grin from in the room.

She blushed. “As a friend.”

“Of course,” he said with a blush as well. “Well…uh…I went by a gift shop earlier and I thought of you when I got this.” the cup took out a small box and opened it to show a pearl necklace.

She looked at it, puzzled.

“I know it ain’t that fancy, but it’s a bit cheaper…I probably shouldn’t have said that,” he uttered bashfully. “I’ve never seen you wear a necklace before…so I thought I would get you one.”

She received the box and examined it.

“Yeah, I know it’s simple. You can give it to Aurora when she gets older if you don’t like it,” he replied.

“Hm? Oh, um, Aurora doesn’t like jewelry. Mom tried to put jewelry on Aurora and she threw a hissy fit one time,” she stated. “I’ll be honest that the necklace isn’t as fancy as the ones Mom forced me to wear, but…I actually like it.”

He widened his eyes. “You do?”

“Yeah…you don’t mind if I keep this, right?”

“Well, I got it for you…”

She smiled softly and put it on. Once she successfully put it on, she showed it. “Um…do I look okay?”

He tilted his head. “I’m not exactly an expert on fashion, but you do look nice.”

She smiled. “Thanks. Well…it’ll be another five minutes till we put on make-up on Cassidy. Once Mugs sees Cassi, she will knock his socks off.”

“Oh, I’m countin’ on it,” he said with a grin.

She gave him one last smile before closing the door. Cuphead felt the warmth on his cheeks while he couldn’t stop smiling from interacting with Natalie. He walked away and waited in the living room with Mugman, Canteen, and Elder Kettle with nothing but a warm smile.

Five minutes later, Chalice, Natalie, and Aurora came out with Jerry and Porkrind behind them.

“Alright, Mugsy! Your date is ready!” Chalice said with a wink at the mug.

Before Mugman could go and see Cassidy, Cassidy came out nervously towards him. Cassidy’s ebony hair was shiny and silky, glistening under the light. She had a light pink blush on her red furry cheeks and her eyelashes darkened from the mascara. She had a bright red dress without shoulder straps and white gloves that went up to her elbows.

“I am not sure if I picked the wrong dress or—”

“Beautiful,” Mugman uttered without hesitation.

She looked up and noticed his stare at her. His face soon turned red and pulled up a red roses.

“U-Uh, here ya go. Um…I found this while going out, uh, today and I thought of you,” Mugman stuttered.

She smiled at him and sniffed the red roses with a purr. “Thanks.”

His heart fluttered when she received the roses and placed in an empty vase next to her. He couldn’t stop staring at her no matter how hard he tried not to. When she looked back at him with innocent looking eyes, his hands felt sweaty in his gloves.

“Mugman,” Elder Kettle’s voice snapped Mugman out of his trance.

“Uh, right! Ahem…shall we?” Mugman said while holding his arm out for her.

She blushed and nodded her head. She wrapped her arm around his and they both walked out of the door.

The other kids soon followed with Elder Kettle standing by Porkrind and Jerry in the shadows.

“Ah…the kids are growing up so fast,” Elder Kettle said with a soft grin.

“Yeah,” Porkrind agreed, his voice cracked.

“Maybe we should spy on them,” Jerry suggested.

“Great idea,” Elder Kettle said.

“Yep,” Porkrind responded.

The adults went out of the house to make sure the kids were alright.

~.~

Mugman and Cassidy arrived at the Fly Trap at 6:45 pm with the other kids not far behind them.

Ribby and Croaks waited outside for them and smiled once they saw Cassidy coming towards the frogs.

“Cassi!” Ribby and Croaks called while running towards them.

“Ribby! Croaks!” Cassidy recognized with a bright smile.

Ribby and Croaks lifted Cassidy up in their arms as she giggled.

“Aw! We miss you so much!” Ribby explained.

“I was hoping you guys made it out of the city alive!” Cassidy replied happily.

“We did. We did,” Croaks confirmed.

“Darn lucky too. Those Night Stalkers would’ve set our ferry on fire if we hadn’t escaped with the people just in time,” Ribby added while the frog brothers put Cassidy down next to Mugman. “Well, since your ‘boyfriend’ made reservations, we’ve made a perfect secluded spot for youse two in the VIPs.”

“Oh, really?” Cassidy said with a blush.

“Of course. We want ya to have a good time,” Ribby reassured Cassidy.

“Ugh, what a burden.”

Ribby and Croaks looked at one of the fancy rich lady with a sneer.

“Say it again and I’ll pound ya!” Croaks growled, scaring the rich lady away from the ferry boat.

Ribby nervously smiled at Cassidy and Mugman. “That’s why we made the spot secluded. I’ll show ya!”

Ribby showed Cassidy and Mugman a secluded spot in the VIPs the frogs mentioned while the other kids were following them in until Croaks stopped them.

“No! You didn’t get a reservation!” Croaks said with his arms crossed.

“Oh come on, we’re with them! You know, just to make sure everything went smoothly,” Cuphead explained.

“Well, you ain’t gettin’ in the ferry without paying sixty dollars for each pair—”

Croaks suddenly noticed hundred and twenty dollars given to him by Natalie, who had a small pink purse. Croaks picked up the money and sighed. “Alright, you can get in.”

The kids brightly smiled and walked into the ferry with Cuphead being a little more impressed with Natalie.

Once the kids were inside, Ribby and Croaks closed the doors to the ferry boat restaurant and let the ferry cruised off the shore. Elder Kettle, Porkrind, and Jerry arrived too late to find the ferry boat cruising out into the gentle waters.

“Great, we’re too late,” Porkrind grumbled.

“Well, at least the kids are safe now,” Elder Kettle said with a shrug.

Jerry nodded his head. “Yeah. Hopefully.”

~.~

Back to the Fly Trap, Ribby didn’t lie when he said that he had prepared a secluded place for Cassidy and Mugman away from everyone. It was outside with the small stage fit for two frogs only. The night was cool while Cassidy and Mugman sat across from each other awkwardly.

“Uh…so,” Mugman began. “What do you want to talk about?��

“Um…well, I’m not sure. I guess I’m still processing that we’re dating right now.”

“Me too.” Mugman rubbed his shoulder nervously. “So…what’s your favorite color?”

Cassidy smiled at him. “Green. What about you?”

“Red,” Mugman blurted out.

“Red, huh? Is it because it’s your brother’s color?”

“Well, red used to not be my favorite color till I met you…soooo….yeah.”

Meanwhile, Cuphead, Natalie, Chalice, Aurora, and Canteen spied on Mugman and Cassidy.

“It seems to be going well,” Canteen said with a proud smile at Mugman.

“You don’t say,” Cuphead replied happily. “I’m happy for ‘em.”

Chalice looked to the side to see someone enter the deck with her brow raised. “Who are they?”

The group looked and saw two dogs walking into the deck, one a golden retriever and the other a labrador. They were both laughing and joking, making Cassidy hide behind her menu. Mugman looked at them in confusion while the others tilted their heads in curiosity.

“Oh no,” Natalie groaned.

“Big bad doggies,” Aurora said with her brows furrowed.

“What?” Cuphead questioned both Natalie and Aurora.

“Jimmy and Jamie. They’re the worse bullies that Cassidy had,” Natalie said with a growl.

“Worse bullies? But…would not allowing her into restaurants, saying that she should never be born, and making sneer comments considered worse bullying?” Canteen asked with a brow raised.

“Of course. But it’s not as merely as bad as, you know, throwing Cassidy into the lake, locking her in a closet, riling students up to bully her, throwing her into the hollow tree, and almost throwing her into the fire pit,” Natalie listed with a growl.

“Did they do all that?” Cuphead asked with his eyes widened in shock.

Natalie nodded her head. “Cassidy only swiped at Jimmy one time when he was about to throw her into the fire pit and the teachers punished her instead of them.”

The group had their eyes broadened in horror and looked at the two dogs, who noticed Cassidy trying to hide herself behind the menu.

“Oh look here, Jamie,” Jimmy, the golden retriever, snickered while going up to the couple on a date. “It’s the piece of burden cat on a date with…whoever he is.”

“It’s Mugman,” Mugman said with his brows drawn.

Cuphead could tell his brother was about to become angry. “I’m debating on whether I should let Mugsy attack them with Tremaine inside of him or we should do something about it.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did let Mugsy attack them,” Canteen responded. “After hearing all of that, who knows what they’re going to do to her next.”

“But then Tremaine will break through sooner than later,” Chalice replied to Canteen.

“I wanna kick them,” Natalie said with a growl. “But I’m too small to do it.”

“Ooh, Mugman. What a stupid name,” Jimmy cackled at Mugman.

Cassidy started to snarl at Jimmy when he was bullying her date.

“Oh, there she is, the aggressor. The cause of all of our problems,” Jamie pointed out to Cassidy. He leaned in to show Cassidy his face, which had claw marks. “Remember what you did, piece of burden? You clawed me up. It’s a good thing that the teacher punish you. You deserve it.”

“Say that again,” Mugman growled, his eyes turning yellow with red irises and his teeth sharpening.

Cuphead gasped. “Wait, Jimmy? He’s the guy who stole my lunch money when I was little. Jamie also beat me up for my lunch money too.”

“They stole your lunch money?” Chalice gasped. She glared at the dogs. “That’s it. They’re going down.”

Before Chalice could turn into a ghost and possess them, Cuphead stopped her.

“Wait, I have a better idea,” Cuphead replied and looked at Natalie. “You said you wanna kick them, right?”

“Yeah…? Why?”

Cuphead whispered something to Natalie, with her gasping in shock.

“Can you do that?” Natalie asked.

“Let’s see,” Cuphead responded.

~.~

Mugman glared at Jimmy and Jamie, trying to resist every urge to let Tremaine take over and attack them. Once Cassidy was cornered by the two dogs, Mugman put down his menu and was getting ready to attack them until—

“Hey!”

The dogs turned to see Ribby and Croaks standing there with their fists clenched. With relief, Mugman’s yellow eyes went away and his teeth were no longer sharpened.

“Youse two didn’t pay your way in here,” Ribby pointed out to Jimmy and Jamie.

“Yeah!” Croaks agreed with a growl.

Jimmy and Jamie instantly became terrified.

“W-We did pay our way in. D-Don’t you remember?” Jimmy stuttered.

“Your money is fake money!” Croaks growled.

“Yeah,” Ribby agreed. “Youse two better have a good explanation for sneaking into the ferry boat.”

Jamie looked at Cassidy. “She’s not supposed to be here, right? Businesses usually have no red cats allowed. She’s a burden to our society and you should throw her out!”

“Nice try, buddy,” Ribby said with a snarl. “Unlucky for you, we don’t have that sign that said red cats are not allowed.”

“But what we don’t allow in our boat is bullying and harassment. And youse two just broke those rules,” Croaks growled.

“Do you know what bullying and harassment could get ya?”

“Wait!”

Croaks picked up Jimmy and Ribby picked up Jamie by the scruffs of their necks and walked over to the edge of the ferry boat.

“A kick in your pants!” Croaks answered.

Both of the frogs kicked the dogs out of the ferry boat, letting them fly into the water. Luckily, they were near the shore.

Ribby and Croaks smiled until Croaks looked at his hands.

“OOOH! I’VE BEEN WANTIN’ DO THAT IN FOREVER!!!” Croaks shouted. With a poof, they were transformed into Natalie and Cuphead, indicating that Cuphead shape-shifted both himself and other people.

“Whoa, what happened?” Natalie questioned.

“I think it stopped workin’ once we get out of character,” Cuphead said. “Neat! I can shape-shift and shape-shift other people! That’s cool!”

They looked to see Mugman and Cassidy widened their eyes in shock. And they turned to see the real Ribby and Croaks standing by the doorway with the sizzling hot meals for the date. They might have seen the whole thing.

“What in the heck?” Ribby uttered with his brow raised.

Cuphead nervously laughed.

“Hey, you paid for your tables,” Croaks stated.

“Yeah, hows about you all take a seat at the other tables. Ya know, as dates!” Ribby suggested.

The kids in the group blushed except for Aurora, who giggled at Ribby’s suggestion.

“Sissy wikes Cuppy!” Aurora said with a giggle.

“Shh, no one needs to know that,” Natalie whispered to her little sister.

“Yeah, you paid to be here. Why not?” Croaks responded.

Mugman couldn’t help but trying to hold in a chuckle at his friends since they had been teasing him about his crush on Cassidy.

“It’ll only be a friend date though,” Cuphead replied nervously with a blush cheek.

“Yeah,” Natalie agreed.

Chalice and Canteen nodded their heads with ‘yep’.

Ribby showed Natalie and Cuphead their seats with Aurora sticking with her big sister. Croaks showed Chalice and Canteen to their seats.

“While you folks are settled down, why don’t we sing a little song?” Ribby responded with a bright smile. Ribby and Croaks looked at the small band up on the small stage and Ribby snapped his fingers for them to start to play.

Ribby and Croaks stood up on stage, looking at everyone once the jazzy music began softly.

Ribby was the first one to sing.

“Here you are, standing under the limelight.

No words can describe this kind of night.

No one can ever take away this euphoric moment.

How could they ever judge the love in the air?”

Cassidy blushed at Ribby and Croaks singing along with Mugman.

“I’m not expecting this,” Cassidy whispered to Mugman.

“Me neither,” Mugman said with a shrug.

Ribby continued to sing while the music began to pick up a bit.

“You are here now,

Laughing in the tragedy.

A good time that will end soon.

You know what to do next!”

Natalie glanced over at Cuphead, who just shrugged his shoulders.

That was when the music started to pick up at the chorus and Croaks joined Ribby in singing. Both of the frog brothers danced on stage with bright smiles on their faces.

“Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Let this love flow in the air!”

Chalice brightly smiled at the frog brothers while tapping her foot to the beat of the music, drawing Canteen’s attention. She got up to dance and grabbed Canteen by the hand.

“Care to dance?” Chalice said with a smirk on her face.

Canteen blushed madly. “O-Oh no, not at all.”

“Good.” Chalice pulled him onto the dance floor, dancing with Canteen. Canteen was a bit clumsy on his steps, but once he started to follow Chalice’s lead, he started to get the steps down.

Mugman grinned at Chalice and Canteen and got up from his seat. He held his hand out for Cassidy. “Wanna dance with me?”

Cassidy smiled and nodded her head. She took his hand as he pulled her off of her seat and danced with her. She was a bit clumsy, but was so Mugman. So…they were both clumsy together, exchanging small laughter and whispers.

Natalie watched Cassidy smiling and couldn’t help but smiled for her best friend. However, she frowned a bit. She wished she could find someone to love like that.

“Wanna dance?”

Natalie glanced up at Cuphead, who softly smiled at her.

“Pwease, sissy?” Aurora begged.

Natalie rolled her eyes playfully at her little sister. “Fine. I’ll embarrass myself for this one night.”

Cuphead chuckled and watched her take his hand.

“If I step on your toes, I’m sorry in advance,” Natalie said while including Aurora in the dance.

“I ain’t too worried about it,” Cuphead replied softly.

Natalie smiled at him while they started to dance.

Croaks started the second verse with glee.

“Here you are, dancing to the jazz.

Your hearts synced together.

The world fades from all around you.

Don’t let other’s judgments scare you.

Tonight might be the last night

That you’ll ever have peace.

So, why not focus on tonight?

You know what to do next.”

Ribby and Croaks crooned together in the chorus.

“Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Let this love flow in the air!”

The band approached the bridge while the kids were dancing and laughing together as if it was their final night of being at peace and joy.

Ribby and Croaks sang together in a harmonizing melody with passion on the bridge with Ribby singing his first part.

“Now’s your chance.

Now’s your chance, whoa!

Sweep her off her feet!

Dance with him under the moonlight!”

Croaks sang his part with his eyes closed.

“The daylight is comin’, don’t waste time now.

Tonight might be the last night

We will live without the Night Stalkers.”

Both Ribby and Croaks repeated the bridge together.

“Now’s your chance.

Now’s your chance, whoa!

Sweep her off her feet!

Dance with him under the moonlight!

The daylight is comin’, don’t waste time now.

Tonight might be the last night

We will live without the Night Stalkers.”

Natalie stepped on Cuphead’s toes by accident, who didn’t feel it strangely…although it wasn’t like he cared whether he felt it or not. Chalice and Canteen were having a great time dancing while Mugman held Cassidy close to him.

Ribby and Croaks sang the final verse.

“Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Make a move!

You know you love each other.

Let this night last forever.

Let this love flow in the air!”

As the music was dying down while Ribby and Croaks continued the chorus until the jazz softened. Chalice and Canteen were chatting to each other about how fun the dance was. Natalie and Cuphead tried not to look at each other while blushing around each other, which earned a giggle from Aurora.

Meanwhile, Mugman held Cassidy close to where he could whisper in her ears.

“How was that for our first date?” Mugman whispered to her.

“It was perfect,” Cassidy said while leaning away from him.

Cassidy and Mugman stared at each other, the world around them fading around them. The moonlight shined down on them while the stars twinkled and reflected on the water. Cassidy smiled at him warmly and kissed his big blue nose. Mugman shivered from the kiss, feeling his heart racing from her kissing his nose. He giggled when she pressed her head against his forehead with a purr.

Mugman blushed and hugged Cassidy close to him, swearing to himself silently that he would never let her go.

The ferry boat arrived back on shore with Elder Kettle, Porkrind, and Jerry waiting by the shoreline to pick up the kids.

The kids got out of the ferry boat after the passengers left already, bidding Ribby and Croaks farewell and thanking them for a wonderful night. The ferry boat took off to park at the shore near the dark forest between the big city and the coastal town.

Cassidy and Mugman held hands and their shoulders were more closer than before.

Natalie, Cuphead, Canteen, and Chalice walked out of the ferry boat with blushes around each other while Aurora was holding Natalie’s hand.

“Sooo, how did you guys like your date?” Elder Kettle asked.

Mugman and Cassidy sighed dreamily with a love-sick smiles.

“I guess it went well,” Jerry responded. “You can put down the knife now, Porkrind.”

Porkrind lowered his knife with a grumble. “He’s lucky that the date went well.”

Jerry patted the pig’s shoulder. “I know. I know.”

“Let’s go home,” Elder Kettle suggested.

The kids nodded their heads in agreement and walked with the adults back to the mansion with their hearts warm and their smiles never-ending.

Unbeknownst to them, Ribby and Croaks were knocked out and carried out of the ferry boat by a couple of hooded assassins.

To Be Continued...

#cuphead #cuphead: isle of shadows rewrite #mugman #ocs x canons #elder kettle #porkrind #cuphead jerry #canteen hughes #ms chalice #ribby and croaks #captain brineybeard

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