#land freight forwarding

[cargomate-logistic]

Unlocking Efficiency: Cargomate Logistics Pvt. Ltd.'s Land Freight Services

In the fast-paced field of logistics, effectiveness is paramount. Every mile counts, whether you're shipping goods across continents or to nearby marketplaces. We at Cargomate Logistics Pvt. Ltd. are aware of how important land freight is to the ecosystem of the supply chain. We provide comprehensive land freight services that redefine affordability, efficiency, and dependability because to our unwavering dedication to quality.

[bestcargoservices]

 Eight Tips to Select the Best Freight Forwarders in UAE

Choosing the right freight forwarders in UAE is crucial for efficient logistics. Check out our Quora article for eight essential tips to help you make the best choice.

https://www.quora.com/profile/Altaj-Cargoservice/Eight-Tips-to-Select-the-Best-Freight-Forwarders-in-UAE

[logyxpress]

Whether you're shipping across continents or just down the road, we have the expertise and network to get your freight moving smoothly. Contact us today and discover how LogyXpress can tailor a solution to meet your unique road freight needs. https://logyxps.com/road-freight/

[forwardaircargo]

SHIPPING FROM DUBAI TO BURUNDI

Shipping from Dubai to Burundi: Efficient Sea and Air Freight Solutions with Car Shipping Options

Burundi, known as the "Heart of Africa," is a landlocked country that relies on efficient logistics solutions to facilitate international trade. While the country does not have direct access to the sea, it has established dry ports as vital gateways for trade. These dry ports serve as strategic transit points, enabling smooth movement of cargo between sea shipments and inland destinations. Additionally, Burundi is well-connected through international airports such as Bujumbura International Airport, allowing for seamless air cargo transportation.

When it comes to shipping goods and vehicles from Dubai to Burundi, Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC is your reliable logistics partner. With their expertise in sea and air freight, they provide seamless transportation solutions to ensure your shipments reach Burundi efficiently and securely.

Air Freight:

Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC offers timely and efficient air freight services from Dubai to Burundi. Their dedicated team handles all aspects of the air shipping process, from careful packaging to managing documentation and customs procedures. With their extensive network of airline partners, they provide reliable air transportation tailored to your specific needs.

Sea Freight:

Although Burundi does not have direct access to the sea, Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC offers innovative sea freight solutions. They can transport your cargo by sea to the nearest ports, conveniently located near Burundi's dry ports. With their experienced team, they ensure proper handling, loading, and secure transport of your cargo throughout the entire journey. Whether you require full container loads or less-than-container loads, they have the expertise to meet your sea freight requirements.

Car Shipping:

If you need to transport vehicles from Dubai to Burundi, Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC provides reliable car shipping options. They offer both container shipping and Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) services. Container shipping ensures the safety and security of your vehicles during transit, while RoRo services offer a convenient and cost-effective solution for larger vehicles. Their team manages all necessary documentation and logistics to ensure a seamless car shipping experience.

While customs clearance is an essential requirement for shipments to Burundi, it is important to note that Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC can assist in finding trusted customs agents at the destination. These professionals will handle all necessary customs procedures, documentation, and paperwork, ensuring a smooth and efficient clearance process for your shipments.

Choose Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC for your shipping needs from Dubai to Burundi. With their commitment to excellence, competitive rates, and reliable transportation solutions, you can trust them to handle your air and sea freight, as well as car shipping requirements. Contact them today to discuss your shipping needs and experience a seamless shipping process to Burundi.

Advantages of Choosing Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC:

Expertise and Experience:

Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC has extensive experience in the logistics industry, particularly in shipping from Dubai to Burundi. Their team of professionals possesses in-depth knowledge of international shipping, enabling them to provide tailored solutions and effectively handle potential challenges.

Reliable Network and Partnerships:

Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC has established strong partnerships with reputable airlines, shipping lines, and local agents in both Dubai and Burundi. These collaborations allow them to offer reliable and cost-effective shipping options while maintaining the highest level of service quality and customer satisfaction.

Excellent Customer Support:

Forward Air Cargo Service and Clearance LLC prioritizes delivering exceptional customer service. Their dedicated support team is available to address any queries or concerns you may have throughout the shipping process. They provide timely updates on the status of your shipment, ensuring transparency and effective communication.

for more www.forwardair-cargo.com

#shipping#burundi#cargo#logistics#aircargo#seacargo#landcargo#transport#transportation#shippingcontainer#containershipping#container#airfright#seafreight#landfreight#cargoservices#cargoindubai

[pujajoshi-6]

How to Optimize Your Supply Chain for Greater Efficiency with CG Logistics' Innovative Solutions

CG Logistics, also recognized as CGL India, is a leading cargo logistics company that offers a number of services, including air charter, project cargo handling, and freight forwarding. With their significant experience in the sector, they have created an image as one of the best logistics companies in India.

Currently, having an efficient and reliable supply chain is considered one of the most important aspects in the logistics sector. In the competitive environment, in order to get success by the companies, it is essential for them to get your products and services to consumers rapidly and cost-efficiently. That’s where CG Logistics comes in. With their innovative solutions and expertise in the logistics sector, they can help you in optimization of supply chain for greater efficiency.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the innovative and unique solutions that are provided by CGL for the optimization of the supply chain with greater efficiency. In this blog, we will identify how CGL's innovative solutions can help you optimize your supply chain for higher efficiency.

Air Charter Services:

Air charter services are provided by CG Logistics for businesses that require moving goods rapidly and efficiently. They are engaged in working with top-rated aircraft charter companies to offer numerous aircraft options for your particular requirements. Whether you require the transportation of perishable goods, oversized cargo, or urgent shipments, CGL can offer the right aircraft for the job.

Additionally, they have collaborated with some air charter companies in India and can offer the best air charter solutions in the region. This shows you can trust them to offer the most reliable and cost-efficient air charter services for your business.

There are various advantages to using air charter services from CG Logistics, such as:

Flexibility: Air charter services offer businesses more flexible and personalized solutions for their transportation requirements, permitting them to transfer their goods more efficiently and quickly.

Speed: Air charter services can help businesses save time as they offer faster transportation solutions than frequent commercial air transportation.

Efficiency: Air charter services can support businesses in the optimization of their supply chain, decreasing the cost of transportation, and improving efficiency.

Project Cargo Handling Services:

CGL specializes in project cargo handling and offers end-to-end solutions for businesses that require the movement of project cargo. Their expertise in this service means that they deal with all aspects of project cargo movement, including planning, transportation, and delivery.

Additionally, CGL offers project cargo handling services that involve the following aspects:

Heavy-lift transportation: CGL has the expertise and equipment needed to deal with heavy-lift cargo movements. They can handle the most comprehensive and challenging projects.

Oversized cargo handling: CGL can deal with cargo that is oversized and needs specialized handling. This comprises cargo that is broader than standard shipping containers.

Customized solutions: For businesses that have unique requirements, CGL provides customized solutions. They work closely with their clients to form a logistics plan that satisfies their special requirements.

Freight Forwarding Services:

In the logistics sector, freight forwarding services are considered essential. They include the transfer of goods from one place to another using several mechanisms of transportation, including sea, air, and land. The activities of freight forwarders are like those of intermediaries between shippers and carriers, coordinating the movement of cargo and confirming that it reaches its destination timely and safely.

CGL provides a comprehensive range of freight forwarding services to businesses in numerous sectors. Their services involve:

International and domestic freight forwarding: CG Logistics is engaged in providing domestic and international freight forwarding services. Their services involve air, sea, and land transportation, based on the particular requirements of the client. They have an international network of partners and carriers, confirming that the clients have access to the best transportation options available.

Customs clearance: It is considered a critical element of freight forwarding services. CGL has a team of customs clearance experts who can deal with all aspects of the customs clearance procedures. They work closely with their clients to confirm that all essential documentation is in order and the goods are cleared rapidly and appropriately.

Warehousing and Distribution: CGL has a network of warehousing facilities around the globe, offering businesses secure storage for their cargo. Their warehousing services involve inventory management, order fulfillment, and distribution. CGL could manage the distribution of goods across the globe, offering last-mile delivery services to confirm that the goods reach their ultimate destination.

Value-added services: CGL offers a range of value-added services to support businesses in managing their supply chains in a more effective manner. These services include packaging, labeling, and others. They can also offer assembly services for businesses that need their products assembled in a particular location.

This analysis reveals that there are a number of benefits to using freight forwarding services provided by CGL, such as the following:

Expertise: CGL has a team of experts who have extensive knowledge and experience in the logistics sector, confirming that their clients receive the highest quality services.

Efficiency: CG Logistics can optimize the supply chain, decreasing transportation expenses and improving efficiency.

Compliance: The customs clearance experts at CGL ensure that all essential documentation is in order, ensuring compliance with rules and regulations.

Risk Mitigation: CGL’s expertise in freight forwarding supports businesses in reducing the risks connected with international trade.

Overall, the freight forwarding services of CGL are designed to support businesses in the management of the supply chain in a more effective manner. They offer a range of services, including international and domestic freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution, and customs clearances.

In conclusion, if you want to optimize your supply chain and improve efficiency, CGL is the logistics partner you need. With a wide range of services, experienced professionals, and innovative solutions, CGL can help you manage your cargo transportation more effectively. Contact CGL today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your logistics goals. Avail the experience of reliable and efficient logistics services with CGL India. We have the expertise and resources to deliver your cargo on time and in a cost-effective manner. Don’t wait any longer! Connect with CG Logistics today and take your business to the next level!

[kinkandkreep]

Could I request a Miguel x Spider!reader where they died in Miguel’s universe but is alive in Miles’s universe?

Lost and Found

♡︎ Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Fem!Spider-person!reader

♡︎ CW: MCD, major injury, mention of blood

♡︎ "__" represents your name

♡︎ A/N: Hey hey! Thanks for sending this in! I haven't watched the movie yet and am subsequently unsure of how the multiverse hopping...situation works, so this is kind of short, but I hope you enjoy! I'll most likely come back after I've watched the movie and update it.

Miguel wasn’t normally one to cry. 

He could become emotional, yes, and he certainly knew how to express that emotion. Maybe not always in the healthiest manner, but still, he knew how to let others know when he felt strongly about something. 

Arguably, the thing- or rather, person- Miguel felt strongest about was you. 

You, who barged into Miguel’s life like a freight train smashing straight through a buffer stop. 

What with all his responsibilities, Miguel was in no way looking for love when you appeared. Initially, he was cold and even somewhat rude towards you, something you found irritating but nevertheless, you disregarded him and his tomfoolery. You had a job to do, one you couldn’t afford to let be hindered by an, admittedly, very handsome man in need of a serious attitude adjustment. 

The two of you skirted around each other for the longest as you worked to keep the multiverse in check. Over time, he warmed up to you; slightly at first, but eventually as he begrudgingly began to notice how capable and dedicated you truly were, he came to respect you. 

And as the amount of time you two had to spend together increased, it grew into something else entirely. 

Miguel found himself looking forward to patrols with you. He wanted to see you smile more often, and hear you laugh despite your situation. 

He appreciated that you could appreciate silence, but also knew how to appropriately fill the silence when the occasion called for it.  He found it fascinating that for the most part, you were reserved and calm, but also seemingly able to flip a switch, becoming more outspoken and boisterous. That particular quality of yours came in handy when interacting with the public and especially children, of whom you seemed fond, if the extra care you took with them was anything to go by. 

He liked that you could make him laugh, whether intentionally or not (Miguel was also not one to laugh very often) and he hated seeing you cry, whether because you failed to save someone or even because of a particularly sad film or video you found on Youtube.

Before he knew it, you and Miguel had spent a majority of the hours out of everyday together, and had grown very close. Almost inseparably so.

So, he couldn’t say he was entirely surprised when one night, after a particularly bad fight with a drug and rage fueled criminal, Miguel nearly blurted out his feelings suddenly. He’d gone berserk when the thug threw you through a wall, and he was forced to watch your body limply land on top of a mountain of rubble. 

Miguel swiftly dispatched the thug after that, now fueled by his own rage. 

You had been knocked unconscious by the impact, and Miguel quickly checked you over for signs of anything being broken or potentially fractured. He breathed out a sigh of relief upon finding that everything seemed to be still intact, and carefully lifted you up, speeding off into the direction of his apartment. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

It took some time for you to wake up, and Miguel spent a majority of that time pacing about his living room, a nervous habit of his. 

When you finally ambled dazedly out of his bedroom- yes, his bedroom- he rushed up to you, starting to bombard you with questions, before remembering that you had just been tossed through a wall and were probably very confused at the moment. 

It took you a little while, but eventually you seemed well enough to walk more steadily. Once the dizziness you were experiencing wore off completely, you thanked Miguel for taking care of you and apologized for any inconvenience. 

“No need,” he’d said, shaking his head with raised hands. “It was no trouble at all.”

With a nod, you were preparing to leave when he suddenly blurted out, “Wait!”

You turned, a bewildered expression etched across your face. 

“Yes? Is something wrong Gigi?” 

There was an awkward expanse of silence. 

“Um, it’s…it’s nothing. Sorry. Good night.”

“Uh, goodnight.” 

With that, you were off, and Miguel mentally kicked himself upon realizing that he had missed his opportunity and managed to make himself look like a weirdo at the same time. 

Sighing frustratedly, he moved to begin his night routine, intending on calling you the next day. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

The next day came and went, and somehow Miguel never ended up calling you. 

He would say he was too busy to do so, and it simply slipped his mind, but in reality he was too scared to say anything to you just yet. 

He thought you probably would want space from him as well, but was proven wrong rather spectacularly when you came barging through the door to his personal gym while he was in the middle of completing his at home fitness routine. 

“Gigi! You wanna explain why-...” You paused upon seeing him, shirtless and covered in a light sheen of sweat. His eyes are wide as he stares at you, body frozen in the middle of a crunch. 

“Uuuuhhh, anyway, you wanna explain why I didn’t hear from you all day yesterday?” You try to maintain eye contact with him, so as to keep your eyes from inappropriately wandering. Now, Miguel is standing, using a towel to pat himself down. 

“I uh…I was busy yesterday.”

“Too busy for me?” You don’t mean to sound so pouty, but you manage to anyway. 

At this, Miguel internally startles. Externally, he averts his eyes, using his towel to cover the lower half of his face. 

“I-I’m sorry.”

Fondly rolling your eyes, you approach him, playfully punching his peck. “Nah, you’re fine. But seriously don’t leave me hangin’ like that again. I was worried, but figured you needed some space so I left you be.”

Turning, you begin exiting the gym, throwing up a hand over your shoulder. “Come on, get cleaned up and let’s go out. We’ve got a whole day’s worth of catching up to do.”

With that you’re gone, and Miguel smiles despite himself. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

The remainder of the day is spent pleasantly, the both of you enjoying your time together. Miguel feels, for the first time in a long time, free and unfettered by his seemingly innumerable responsibilities. 

As the two of you sit perched on the edge of the rooftop of a random skyscraper near the middle of the city, and as Miguel watches you laugh around your mouthful of fries, he realizes that he also feels something else he hasn’t felt in quite a while.

Love.

The thought strikes him suddenly, and he’s left a little winded. 

He considers, really considers for a moment, telling you as soon as he realizes he’s in love with you, but ultimately decides against it, instead taking a bite of his burger and swallowing it and the lump in his throat. 

It’s a decision he soon regrets.

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

“H-hey. __?”

Miguel watches, petrified as your body begins falling. 

He wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but he knew that one second the both of you were fighting a villain and the next, you were…

“__?!” 

Miguel runs, catching you just as you hit the ground. 

There’s blood pouring from a gaping wound in your abdomen, and Miguel’s not sure how much time you have left, but he knows it’s not much given how quickly the awareness is fading from your eyes. 

He can’t move, can’t even register what’s happening around him as he gapes at you, finding that the words won’t come out no matter how much he wills them too. 

You, on the other hand, seem to have accepted the situation for what it is, managing a small, bloody smile at Miguel and weakly grasping his hand where it rests on your chest. 

No words are exchanged between you, and as your hand goes limp and the final breath stutters from your lungs, Miguel finds he regrets it for a very long while after. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

It’s years before Miguel sees you again.

He hasn’t been the same since he lost you, and his temperament has suffered greatly following your loss. Miguel’s heart hardened after losing you, the previously opened doors guarding his emotions slamming shut and sealing themselves tight. 

His run-in with one Miles Morales and the subsequent fallout from that ordeal surely hadn’t helped. 

That is, until he saw you.

You, who gaped at him with wide eyes, surprised by his sudden tight embrace. 

“G-Gigi? Are you ok?”

Oh, how he’d longed to hear that name fall from your lips one more time. 

Pulling back, he studies your face, slightly unbelieving. But that feeling is quickly overridden with joy as he realizes that yes, it is you. Alive, and in his arms. 

Miguel wasn’t normally one to cry. 

But in that moment, reunited with his lost love and refusing to ever let you go again, he sheds genuine tears of relief. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

ᵇᵘʸ ᵐᵉ ᵃ ᵏᵒᶠⁱ?

[indigosunsetao3]

The place is packed. Midmorning on a Tuesday you thought it wouldn’t be so bad, but your assumptions were wrong. It also didn’t help that there was a wreck on the highway that prolonged your drive in by thirty minutes.

“Come on, come on,” you groan hitting the elevator door shut button over and over. Just as it’s about to shut a hand slides in to stop it and a family pushes in with their bags. You don’t have time for this. Pushing past them you sling the strap of your bag over your shoulder and head back out into the crowd.

“Sorry, excuse me,” you mutter as you shove past people on the escalator. Most people move. Some with agitated looks, others simply with lazy sidesteps as if they had seen it all before being usuals flying for work.

But you aren’t late for your flight, you’re late for his. Glancing at one of the televisions as you hustle past you spot the arrivals, he landed over twenty minutes ago. Skidding at the bottom of the next set of steps you find the baggage return carousel is empty, not even a lonely forgotten bag on the track. Everyone already grabbed their things and left.

“Please still be here,” you gasp to yourself as you dart outside to the line of cars picking everyone up. There’s a hodgepodge of buses, families picking up loved ones and taxis all over. He had told you not to worry about getting him, a taxi wasn’t a huge deal. He knew you had work and it was a busy time, but four months apart you’d be damned if he was getting a taxi home.

Then you spot him. He’s standing by a pillar, phone in one hand texting, duffle hanging loosely in the other. Four months of waiting, of hoping for his safe return and there he stands. The sudden wave of happiness and peace that he’s home hits you like a freight train and it’s enough to stop you in your tracks.

Your phone vibrates in your pocket and you know it was you he was texting. You reach for the phone to see what he said, smiling that you were the first person he’s reaching out to.

But then he’s moving. Stepping towards a yellow cab and you’re jolted from your reverence as someone knocks into you.

“Alex!” You yell out, lurching forward toward him. He doesn’t hear you. The slamming of car doors and roar of engines were deafening in this little tunnel. “Alex!” You try again as you get closer and he hesitates, turns his head, as if unsure if he heard his name. He looks tired as he glances around. A fresh red mark adorns his cheek, and while that causes you to frown internally, the smile on your face doesn’t waver.

“Alex!” Another shout as you sidestep a car that slams on its brakes as you enter the crosswalk. He spots you now. The hand that was braced on the taxi door lets go and he turns to you with a look of shock and amusement.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” you breathe out as you crash into him full on sprinting. He stumbles back a step, his hands wrapping tightly around your middle as he drops the duffle to the wet ground. “Traffic was awful and this airport is so huge,” you babble into his chest as you hold him tight, your feet leaving the ground for a second. “Why are there so many people during the week?” You mutter as he cups your face to get you to look at him through the happy tears.

“What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” He asks as he kisses you, his facial hair scraping against your lips and cheeks having filled in over the past few weeks; wild and untamed. “I would have waited.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” you answer before peppering him with more kisses, still slightly breathless. “I had this whole thing planned,” you explain as the taxi driver rolls down the window to ask if you’re leaving or not. You both ignore him for a second, too lost in one another to look away.

“Well, you got the surprise part down,” Alex answers as he gently tugs you away from the taxi while grabbing his bag. “Tell me about the rest of it. Where did you park?” He asks as he looks around the pickup area to see if that was where you came from.

“Ah,” you squeeze his hand as he leads you. “Pretty sure I made my own parking space in the garage so we may need to hurry before security gets there,” you explain before laughing as he picks up the pace.

Random thought this morning while combing through all my work emails. The airport was packed on the way home yesterday so I guess my brain latched onto that.

[wutwutno1]

Doll X Reader nom? If you do X readers of course.

I will gladly do a Doll x Reader, Anon! This was really fun to make!

(Content Warning: vore, shrinking, and fear, I guess.)

It had been approximately a week since the prom went so horribly wrong. Doll's rampage was still fresh on everyone's minds. No one could stop talking about it. No one expected Doll, the quiet Russian girl, to do something so violent. Unfortunately, no one but that purple eyed Hot Topic girl saw the whole incident, and she refuses to tell anyone what happened after everyone left. It was probably for the best.

You set your backpack down next to your bed with a sigh. Class was over at last. You could finally relax. It was the weekend too, so an extra two days to do what you wanted to do. You flop into a nearby chair to contemplate what you would do for that time.

You barely had a chance to even think when a black hole surrounded by red electricity appeared in front of you, and a second later, you saw her. You recognize the long purple hair, the cheerleader outfit, and the red eyes of the now scariest drone you know, Doll. Hunched over and strangely quiet.

Your oil pressure immediately spiked. You could feel your mechanical heart thump hard against your chest casing. Your breathing quickened and your joints locked in place. The second it took for Doll to sit up and look at you felt like minutes. She reached out her hand, that strange hexagonal symbol with three arrows coming from it flashed, and everything went black.

When you came to, one thing was immediately clear; everything was huge. The surface you were sitting on was plush and soft. When you sat up, you realized it was your bed, but it seemed to stretch for hundreds of feet. You looked around for a few seconds before you hear a soft, "ehem," from behind you.

You slowly turn to see Doll's giant eyes staring at you. You freeze, not knowing what comes next. Doll was kneeling next to your bed, her face level with yours.

"Do not be afraid, little one," Doll slowly spoke, your built-in translator allowing you to understand her russian, "I'm not going to hurt you." Doll's hand slowly reached forward and delicately picked you up with her first two fingers and thumb. You could swear you felt your heart stop for a second as your feet left the bed and dangled helpless in the air.

You felt the cool bunker air rush past you as Doll brought you to her face. "All will be explained in time. Please to not struggle too hard," Doll spoke softly, yet in complete monotone. You confused face was replaced with fear as Doll opened her mouth and brought you closer.

You could feel the warm exhaust of Doll's breath flow over your legs as she slid them into her mouth. You flinch as you feel the soft spongy texture of Doll's tongue meet your feet. Doll continues to slide your body into her mouth despite your protests.

Doll lets go of you and you free fall the rest of the way into her mouth, which shuts behind you, her teeth clack softly, missing your head by mear millimeters. Your breathing quickened as you fully realize the situation you're in. You feel Doll's grey tongue lap at your face, coating you in thick slimy saliva. Soaking your clothes, and messing with your hair. You wonder if she's savoring your taste as well. You start to feel yourself slide towards the back of her throat. You take a sharp breath and,

"Gulp!"

Doll swallows, tracing your decent with her finger as she does so. Inside, the strangely fleshy feeling throat joints tug and drag you down into the depths of Doll's body. You hear the mechanical heart-like thumping of Doll's oil pump grow louder and louder, then grow quieter as you pass it by on your decent. Eventually, you land in a slightly less confined space.

Doll's stomach groans to welcome your arrival. The soft, way too fleshy and comfortable, surface flexing with your weight. The warmth and humidity hitting you like a freight train. The walls kneed at your body as you hear Doll sigh with relief above you. Doll pats her belly, which you feel as the stomach shake twice with loud thumps.

Doll starts to walk away and out of your room, her stomach bouncing you slightly with each step. "You won't understand until later, but this is the only way to protect you and the others," Doll begings to explain, "You will not be harmed while you're in my tummy, so get comfortable. You're about to have guests."

"I hope Tessa doesn't notice anything."

[jasntodds]

Petrichor Chapter 12 Teaser - Full Chapter coming 11/08

Pairing: Jason Todd x Fem!Powered!Reader (little bit of fwb) Teaser Words: 1,834 Chapter Warnings: Swearing, angst, blood, violence, canon violence, manipulation, gunshot wounds, mentions of drug use, reader is fed the fuck up, description of withdrawal Summary: ❝Pylades: I’ll take care of you. Orestes: It’s rotten work. Pylades: Not to me. Not if it’s you.❞ Gotham is home, not just for Jason but for you, too. And now that you’re both finally back home, together, you’re ready to see where this next chapter brings the two of you. He’s your best friend and you’re his. And you both might want a little something more with being back home, the place you both feel most comfortable. Surely, nothing could possibly go wrong now. A/N: I've really been looking forward to this chapter and it's because of this scene lol You can add yourself to the tag list below, ask me to be tagged, or you can follow my library blog @jasntoddslibrary and turn on notifications if you prefer that!! I love feedback, I swear it keeps me posting on a weekly basis 😭

Tim is about to start talking all over again with even more enthusiasm and proof but he gets a look at your face, eying the men as they walk further into the restaurant. Maybe you're just paranoid but they look like they’re up to something. It’s that their walk is steady, determined, but careless. Their eyes don’t land on the menu or Tim or Mr. Drake. They’re pointed at the register. And that’s when you see the reflection of metal sticking out of the last guy’s waistband. He looks to you and then it starts.

The throbbing kicks in like a freight train. It’s an armed robbery and they plan to go out swinging. You're quick, rushing to Tim as they pull out their guns. Gunfire surrounds and encompasses the restaurant as you tackle Tim to the floor behind one of the counters.

Tim leans against the counter, ducking his head with every echo of a gunshot. His eyes are on you as you take a breath, as if to be debating what you're going to do. And Tim knows you knew this would happen. You were running to him before they had their guns pulled. And his thoughts are confirmed when you look back to him with fury in your eyes.

It's been less than five seconds but it gives you enough time to gather yourself. It's all you need. These people are not going to walk in here and murder the people you care about. They picked the wrong restaurant on the wrong night during one of the worst months of your life.

You lift your hoodie, pulling a knife from the belt around your waist before you pop up from behind the counter.

“Ya fucking missed, assholes!” You yell over at them as the knife leaves your fingers, connecting with one of the guys’ eyes, embedding itself deep into his skull as he drops to the ground.

The throbbing starts again from the side and you duck down just before a shot comes your way. You take another deep breath before grabbing another two knives and throwing one, hitting one of their jugulars. The last one still standing locks eyes with you, his gun pointed right at you. He has this...grin, one you almost swear you've seen before but you've never seen him before this. His breathing is steady and he actually looks relaxed while you have your arm ready and aimed with a knife, right at him.

His pupils are blown.

And then your heart sinks because Crane is free on the streets and these guys came in here completely fearless. This one finds the whole damn thing amusing. Maybe he's just high on something else, or maybe you're right and Jason and Crane have moved to disruption. Excellent Gotham wouldn't just be a coincidence.

“Give me the money and it’ll be over.” He says so easily you nearly roll your eyes.

“Kiss my ass.” You throw the knife, hitting this one in the arm with the gun. Then you throw another one, hitting him just below the eye. He drops to the ground in a hard thump, leaving the restaurant a glass and gun-shelled mess. The smell of gun metal seeps into the air while an eery and dense silence consumes the place.

Tim calls your name not ten seconds after the last man drops. There's panic in his voice, a sense of dread. You rush right over to him where he's against the food counter now, his dad leaning against the side of it. Blood seeps through Tim's hands are he tries to hold pressure on the wound. You kneel down, seeing Mr. Drake breathing heavily. Your eyes scan over him, quickly running over the crash course Jason gave you in gunshot wounds once.

“He’s been shot!” Tim yells, desperation in his eyes as he looks to you.

"Okay, move." You urge as Tim pulls his hands away. You lift Mr. Drake's shirt, seeing the wound oozing and you think you might prefer knife wounds instead of gaping holes. "It's gonna take the ambulance ten to fifteen to get here," You rush out. "So, we--"

"Is that...?" Tim asks, cutting you off as his eyes are on the window. He only even looked up to see if he saw someone for help or Stephen but instead of help, he just saw one person.

Jason Todd.

You look up just in time to catch a glimpse of him before he turns around. This cannot really be happening right now.

“Okay, keep pressure.” You look to the door, seeing Stephen rush in. “Stephen, call an ambulance and grab some towels!” You yell as you get to your feet. “Stay here, hold pressure with the towels. I’ll be right back.” Your words nearly slur together as they come out as fast as your mouth will let them,

You rush outside where you see Jason, his back facing the open windows of the restaurant. You can’t believe this. Of all the things he could do, of all the damn people in Gotham he could target, he really came for you. For your friend and his family. You can’t fucking do it anymore. This is insane. If he wants to go after Dick, fine. Sibling rivalry bullshit taken to an extreme. But this? This is targeting innocent fucking people.

“Jason!” You seethe as you approach him. “What. The. Fuck!?” You scream, nearly vibrating from the anger coursing through your veins.

But then Jason faces you.

The anger washes away as your mouth opens, looking for words. There are dark circles under his eyes, a hollowed expression of the charism that used to radiate off of him. Maybe it’s the dark lighting but you swear the green in his eyes is pale, his skin is pale. He looks like a shell of who he used to be. He’s been acting like it but now…he really looks the part and you're getting the idea that something really bad is happening.

Jason’s eyes are wide, tired, and exhausted but wide as he sees you come to a dead stop a few feet away from him. Why are you here? You're not supposed be here. He didn't see you inside of the restaurant. Not before the gunfire or after. How did he miss you? It can’t be you. He just wanted to show Crane he was right. He wanted to prove he could do this. He chose Excellent Gotham on purpose, a way to show Crane it’s a threat at you without being a real threat. He knows you went to Tim for help. You weren’t supposed to be here.

Jason questions your name, closing the rest of the distance between the two of you.

His hands immediately come to your face for just a second. He keeps his right hand on your cheek, while the other hand goes to your waist. His eyes scan you over quickly, desperate to make sure you weren’t hurt in the gunfire. He didn’t take the drug again yet, he was saving it for after. He’s scared. Panicked. Desperate and guilty. You have blood on your hands and on your clothes. Can’t be yourrs. Not you. 

Please not you

“Are you hurt?” Jason rushes but his voice is weak and fragile, echoed in pain.

You eye him and you're stuck between wanting to punch him and wanting to kiss him in hopes to make it all better again. He’s slipping so far away from you and you're scared how far he’s willing to fall. Crane is doing something to him. He has to because he didn’t look like this last night. He didn’t even seem like he cared this much last night. Right at this exact moment, he feels like the old Jason. And you nearly get sucked right back into his gravitational pull.

“What…” The venom is gone from your voice. “What is he doing to you?” You ask, your hand comes to to his face. Not him. Not again.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Jason’s voice breaks.

“You know I’m always here. I was hanging out with Tim. Jason…what the hell is he giving you?” You look him over and you notice him favoring his leg. You haven’t seen him much since he’s been back from the dead but this is the first time since that first day you're noticing it. You always notice it.

“Are you hurt?” Jason asks again and he can feel his heartbeat in his throat. He wants to spit his own heart right onto the ground in hopes it’ll stop the pain in his chest.

“No. I’m fine. It’s not mine.” You urge, catching him glancing at your free hand. “Jason, what is Crane giving you?”

Jason shakes his head, dropping his other hand to your waist. He misses you. He’s been so damn high all the time, he’s been able to ignore the longing in his chest. The one who always swore was his heart searching for yours. He could ignore it with ease but Crane has been keeping the drug close to his chest and this batch isn’t very good. He can feel it more tonight. It’s wearing off quicker. He can feel the worry for you and the care and the fact he fucking misses you. And the guilt for everything that’s led you both here.

“Same shit.” Jason grits his teeth. “You took it, you know.” He hates the words leaving his lips because they sound bitter and angry but it’s not at you. He just wants you to be okay and he wants to get the fuck out of here.

“No.” You shake your head, your voice soft. “Are you sure it’s the same drug? Jason, you look…is he withholding it from you?” His skin is cold and clammy under your fingers and his hair is flatter than usual.

You've seen it, what withdrawal looks like. You saw it on the streets and that’s what Jason looks like. Why would Crane do that? He’s insane and he doesn’t actually give a shit about Jason but Jason has been doing all of his bidding. You figure Jason is here with the drug. That’s why he just stood here while Excellent Gotham was attacked, he probably gave it to them. Surely, that has to be part of the plan. But, if that's the case, then why does Jason look like he's been thrown headfirst into withdrawal? And why would Crane be doing this?

“Stay the fuck out of it. I have it. It’s the same shit. It’s fine.” Jason grits his teeth. He wants to break. He wants to lose it for the first time since that first day on the roof with you. It feels like it's been months since and it's only been a week. And you look at him with worry and fear and you have always had a way with getting Jason to breathe. But, he can't afford that right now. Not you. “Please.”

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[rainisawriter]

Sick for You (Ryu) {Sicktember 2023}

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━━

Genre: Fluff, slice of life, angst, comfort, domestic, comedy, romance

Word Count: 8,564

Pairing: First Person x Ryu

World: The Rampage

A/N: Okay, let me say that this is 100 million percent self-indulgent because I am a certified Ryu simp. I would die for this man, okay. This also took like a week to write lmao and it was written for @sicktember 2023. I wasn’t originally gonna do anything for this because of Flufftober but then this idea hit me like a freight train c: Also shout out to Kels (@babyboybinbin), Dia (@sieunkinnie) and Sweet (@xsweetelegantdisasterx) for letting me abuse them in this fic~ I regret nothing ò.ó)

Prompts (in order): #11 -Beginner’s Guide to Faking Sick / #18 – “Wear your coat, you’ll catch a cold.” / #4 – Hiding An Illness / Alt #3 – Pounding Headache / #23 – Coughing Fit / #16 – Consulting the Internet/Web MD / #19 – Curled Up With A Pet / #8 – Persistent Fever / Alt #4 – Forehead Kisses / #12 – Home Remedy/Old Wives Tale / #21 – “But if you stay, you’ll get sick too.” / #24 – “Did you just sneeze?” / #3 – “What happened to your phenomenal immune system?” / Alt #1 – “I could really use a hug right about now.”

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

Light streamed through the curtains, landing conveniently across my eyes and bringing me from my sleep. I looked at the clock through blurry eyes, realizing that I needed to get up soon for work but I really didn’t want to. My bed was so comfy and the body wrapped around my own was warm. Why would I ever want to –

Wait a damn minute… I blinked dumbly at the wall for a moment. Why is there a body in my bed? I turned slowly so as not to disturb them, a smile instantly coming to my face when I realized who it was.

Ryu was sleeping peacefully behind me, strands of hair falling across his face. He was already a gorgeous man but he looked like a damn angel when he was sleeping so peacefully. I slowly reached forward, tucking the hair behind his ear. He stirred, gorgeous brown eyes meeting mine.

“Morning,” he mumbled, stretching out his long body.

“When did you get here?” I wondered, propping my cheek up against my hand. “I thought you were on tour for another three days.”

“We had to end it early because of the bad weather.”

“You shoulda woke me up.”

He hummed, fingers curling around the hem of my shirt. “You looked too cute. I didn’t want to bother you.”

I ignore the fluttering of my heart and the warming of my cheeks, leaning down to claim his lips. “Babe, you could never bother me.”

He gave me a goofy grin, eyes lighting up. “You have to be at work soon, right?”

All thoughts of work had gone out the window when I realized he was in bed with me. I rarely got to see him because of his hectic schedule and there was no way I was going to work. 

I forced myself up, grabbing my phone off the bedside table and bringing up Google. Ryu propped himself up on his elbow, looking curiously at my phone screen.

His brow furrowed as he read the words of the article I had clicked on. “‘A beginners guide to faking sick.’ You’re gonna lie to your boss?”

“No… I’m just gonna bend the truth a little,” I defended, trying to ignore the stern look he sent me. “Is it so wrong to want to spend time with my beautiful boyfriend, hm?”

He fought back against the smile trying to overtake his lips, still trying to appear stern but I knew I had broken him. It was my special ability at this point. “Fine, but you have to make it up to him later, okay?”

“I’ll bring him donuts or something.”

Ryu laughed, shaking his head before climbing over me to get off the bed. He started to leave the room but paused as if unsure. “Do you want me to make you breakfast?”

I wasn’t sure why, but he was always cautious when it came to cooking. It’s like he wants to, but he just doesn’t have the confidence in himself which breaks my heart. I offered him a playful grin. “Well, the last time I cooked something that wasn’t instant ramen, I set the kitchen on fire, so…”

He paled as the memory came flooding back to him. “Ah… I’ll cook, then.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” I followed him into the tiny kitchen, settling down at the table with my phone. “I love your cooking. Your food always tastes so good.”

“Really?” He glanced at me with a shy smile and I nodded.

“Yes, really. If I could cook like you, I wouldn’t be a Fire hazard.”

He laughed, pulling the eggs out of the fridge. “Just don’t attempt it when I’m not here, okay?”

“Okay~” I promised, pulling up my boss’s contact. I took a deep breath, clearing my throat as I pressed it to my ear. I hoped it would go to his voice-mail, but no such luck. 

“Hello? Takanori speaking.“

“Hey, boss.” I tried to lower my voice and sound as if I was dying, but judging from the look Ryu was giving me, it wasn’t working as intended. “I, uh… I can’t come in… today…”

“Oh? Are you okay? You sound terrible.“

“Yeah, I -” I faked a few coughs and Ryu sent me another stern look, clearly not approving of the lie. “- I’m not feeling too hot.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Get some rest and –“

There was a sudden loud clang from the kitchen. Ryu had dropped the metal spatula on the floor. ‘Sorry,’ he mouthed, sending me an apologetic and guilty look.

My boss called out my name, sounding worried. “What was that noise? Is everything okay?“

“Yeah!” I replied quickly, forgetting my tone change which I quickly fixed. “Yeah, sorry. I… I dropped my cup…”

“You should be in bed,” he scolded softly. “Don’t worry about anything. I can get Dia to cover your shift.“

“Thanks, boss.”

“Take care.”

I hung up the phone, releasing a relieved sigh as I sat back in my chair. “Man, acting is hard. I don’t know how you do it.”

“A lot of practice,” he hummed, breaking the eggs into a bowl. 

I watched him for a moment, admiring how careful he was with each action. “What should we do today? A new store opened up a few blocks away. Looks interesting from the outside.”

“Is that a smart idea? What if your boss sees you?”

“He works in an office building on the other side of town and he’s a workaholic so he stays way later than everyone else. The chance of him seeing me is,” I formed a circle with my hand. “Zero percent.”

“Famous last words,” he teased.

“For you,” I came up behind him, arms around his waist and face buried in the back of his shirt. “It’s worth the risk.”

His hand found mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. It was something he did to show thanks when words failed him.

After breakfast, we started to get ready to head out.

Ryu checked his phone before glancing at me. “It’s supposed to rain and the temperature is going to drop. Wear your coat, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Don’t worry so much, you know I love the cold,” I replied, shoving my feet into my boots.

“Loving the cold doesn’t make you immune to it.”

“I’ll be fine, I promise.” I held my hand out to him with a reassuring smile and he reluctantly took it, his hand easily dwarfing my own. “Besides, I’ve got you to keep me warm.”

He quickly turned his head but not before I noticed his blush, bringing a grin to my lips. He tugged me out of the apartment, the chilly autumn air nipping at my exposed skin. The sky was covered with gray clouds,  thunder rolling softly in the distance. 

He glanced up and hummed thoughtfully. “We should buy an umbrella first.”

“The convenience store on the corner sells them, I think.” I tugged him in that direction, feeling in high spirits. How could I not be? The love of my life was home, it was nearly October, it was cold out and it was probably going to rain. It was a recipe for pure joy.

The store had an entire rack of umbrellas for sale, including a blue one with lamas printed on it and a teal one with cats printed on it. It took me an embarrassingly long time to choose one while Ryu waited patiently, standing behind me with his arms around my waist and chin on top of my head. It was an easy feat given our height difference.

“If you want, you can buy both,” suggested Ryu softly.

I considered it for a moment. “They’re overpriced already and I don’t need two.”

Ryu chuckled, picking them both up and heading to the front despite my protests. He didn’t hesitate to pay for them both, again, ignoring my protests. I sent him a disapproving look when he held them out to me.

“Don’t be mad,” he pouted. “I like buying things for you. It makes me happy.”

Well, I can’t argue with that. His happiness is my happiness. I clicked my tongue, taking the umbrellas from him. “Thank you, I really do appreciate it.”

“Of course. Should we check out that new store now?”

“Yes, let’s go~!” I grabbed his hand and dragged him from the store, prompting a laugh from him.

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

I stifled a yawn, rubbing the back of my neck. We had been out for hours, mostly just walking around and enjoying each other’s company. The shop hadn’t been anything special, though Ryu did find a jacket that he liked.

He threw his arm around my shoulders, rubbing up and down my arm. “Should we head home?”

“Yeah. We can watch a movie if you want.”

“I’d like that. You can choose.”

“Oh?” I sent him a grin and he frowned.

“Am I going to regret that decision?”

“We are so watching The Worst.”

A faint tint came to his cheeks. “We’ve already seen it a hundred times.”

“And I wanna see it a hundred more because my baby is in it and he’s incredibly talented.” I smiled warmly, reaching up to cup his face. He leaned down to make it easier, his warm hand covering my own. “You’re an amazing actor, you know? And an amazing dancer. And a genuinely amazing person in general.”

He shifted nervously, glancing away. 

I knew complimenting him made him feel shy and nervous, but it felt important to me. I needed him to know how important he is, how special. Maybe that makes me selfish, I don’t know. 

I pulled back, releasing my grip on him. “Come on, let’s get home before -“

As if sensing my thoughts, the sky opened up with a loud roar of thunder. Sheets of rain fell on top of us, causing the others on the street to cry out and rush for cover. Ryu grabbed my hand, pulling me under the cover of a nearby Cafe. As badly as I wanted to enjoy the rain, I was more concerned about him. It would be bad if he got sick and couldn’t rejoin the other Rampage members.

“We should get home so you can change,” I murmured, frowning at the water that clung to his hair. I opened the cat umbrella, making sure to hold it high enough so it wasn’t resting against the top of his head.

“You need to change, too,” he pointed out, putting his arm around my shoulder and tugging me against his side to ensure that the umbrella covered us both. The wind picked up, sending a chill down my spine. It took everything I had not to shiver simply because I didn’t want to worry him.

The apartment was chilly, providing little warmth.

“Hurry and get changed,” said Ryu as he shrugged off his jacket.

“You first.”

He sent me a pointed look which I returned. 

“Don’t look at me like that, Ryutaro. Think about the other members if you get sick.” I folded my arms over my chest, watching as he bit his lip. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be quick.” He pecked my cheek before rushing into the bedroom. Kazu came rushing out when he opened the door, easily slipping through his legs before rushing over to me.

I clicked my tongue, kneeling in front of him. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in the room.”

He stared at me with his large blue eyes, tail swishing back and forth in annoyance.

“Will a treat make it up to you?”

Mrow~

I chuckled, patting the feline on the head before standing up to enter the kitchen, him hot on my heels. He hopped up onto the chair, waiting patiently as I searched for the treats. Where the hell are they? I tugged open the cabinet, spying them on the top shelf.

Well, shit. I stood on my tiptoes, reaching up but only the tips of my fingers brushed against the plastic container. I tried pushing it closer to the edge but I think I just pushed it farther away.

A chest pressed against my back, his hand appearing beside my own and easily reaching the container. “I’ll feed Kazu. Go get changed.” He pressed another kiss to my cheek before approaching the annoyed feline.

I smiled at him before doing as I was told, changing into a t-shirt, a rampage hoodie, and some pajama pants with little ghosts printed on them. I felt much warmer now, but there was a tickle at the back of my brain. I couldn’t describe it, I just knew I didn’t feel quite as energetic as I had this morning. Then again, it was a long day.

Ryu was sitting on the couch waiting for me, Kazu curled up beside him as he gently brushed his fingers over the feline’s white fur. I settled down on his other side, seeing the movie already pulled up and ready to play. He pulled me against his body, arms wrapped protectively around me.

With a smile, I pressed play on the remote before letting myself melt against him, chest filled with warmth and love.

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

Over the next couple of days, I started to feel worse and worse. My body felt heavy as if it were made of lead, someone seemed to be endlessly pounding on my skull with a hammer and I barely had the energy to live. Even so, I knew I had to hide it from Ryu because he’s the type who would drop everything for his loved ones.

I refuse to be the reason behind him getting into trouble or, worse, getting fired and losing his dreams. It was hard as hell to pretend to be okay, but I managed by pretending it was a video game. Besides, he leaves tomorrow morning so I can die in peace without disturbing him so long as I make it through the night.

The smell of paella filled the apartment and I swallowed hard, hit by a wave of nausea. Not that it smelled bad or anything, but in my weakened state, I simply wasn’t hungry and I couldn’t trust myself not to throw up if I actually ate something. If that were to happen, Ryu would blame himself for messing it up and I didn’t want that.

On the other hand, telling him I didn’t want to eat would probably make him feel self-conscious and sad. He put in the effort to cook for us despite not having a lot of confidence in doing so, I couldn’t just crush him like that.

I brought my knees to my chest, groaning softly into my knees. Kazu was staring at me from the recliner. I don’t know if he understood my predicament but it felt as if he was judging me for my choices, the little shit. He reminds me of someone else who just so happens to share the same name.

Ryu’s feet padded softly across the wooden floor as he appeared beside the couch. “Dinner’s ready. Do you want me to make you a plate?”

I took a slow, deep breath. ‘Come on, get your shit together. Do it for him.’ Lifting my head, I gave him an apologetic smile. “Actually… I think I might skip dinner tonight.”

He sat beside me with a frown, brow furrowed in worry. “Why? What’s wrong?”

My stomach lurched, a sharp pain shooting through my skull simultaneously and I nearly cursed aloud at my body for conspiring against me. I wrapped my arms tightly around my stomach to try and ease some of the pain I felt. “I’m about to start my period so my stomach is a bit… wonky at the moment.”

“Already? You’re not due to start for another week.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew that because he was always on top of things like that, always trying to ensure I was comfortable and prepared each month, even when he was away. “Uh… better early than late?”

His face burned at the comment and he brought the back of his hand up to cover it. “Go get some rest.”

“I’m sorry, Ryu.”

“For what?”

“You cooked for nothing… I should have said something sooner.”

“It’s okay,” he replied softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You can eat it when you’re feeling better.”

I wanted to kiss him so badly for being such a sweetheart but I didn’t want him to get sick so I settled for a thankful smile. “Thank you, baby.”

“Of course.”

I waited for him to disappear back into the kitchen before standing up and hobbling my way back to the bedroom, holding onto the wall for support. The room was spinning by the time I made it to bed and I was all too happy to fall face-first onto it, the pillow muffling my groan.

Despite feeling exhausted, I just couldn’t fall asleep. My head was hurting too bad, the painkillers not even touching it. For two hours, I lay there staring at the wall, trying to will myself to succumb to the darkness of sleep but my body refused to obey. When Ryu finally joined me, I pretended I was asleep, urging myself not to move as he slid in behind me, arms wrapped protectively around my body.

I guess that was the missing link because the last thing I remember was him kissing me on the cheek and whispering, I love you, something that he rarely said out loud. 

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

I startled awake as a coughing fit grasped me tightly, forcing me to sit up. The room was bright with Ryu nowhere to be found. I glanced at the clock and cursed, realizing that he had already left. I was already late for work, too.

As badly as I wanted to just bail and call in sick again, I knew I couldn’t. This was my karma for lying about being sick in the first place, I knew. With a groan, I threw the covers off of me and immediately started to shiver as the cool air wrapped around me. My head still hurt, my nose stuffy and the room spun when I tried to stand up.

“Shit,” I muttered, sitting back down and squeezing my eyes shut. I waited for my head to stop swimming before standing up again, walking slowly so I didn’t fall. Kazu followed close behind, his big eyes not leaving me once. At least he didn’t seem to be judging me this time. If anything, he looked worried. 

“I’m fine,” I told him, though my voice was hoarse and my throat scratchy. He flicked his ear, eyes narrowing. “Don’t give me that look. I’ll never give you treats again, you little -” My threat was interrupted by a coughing fit, my throat burning.

It took longer than I’d like to admit to get ready for work and, if I’m being completely honest, I don’t remember how I got to work. It felt like I blacked out and when I came to, I was sitting at my desk with a sheet of paper in one hand and a pen in the other.

I felt a familiar tickle at my nose and I scrunched it up on instinct, only making it worse. I tried to hold it back but a loud sneeze ripped from my body, sending the stack of papers flying off the desk. I groaned at the throbbing in my skull, eyes half-lidded. 

“Are you okay?” A hand rested on my shoulder and I slowly lifted my head, seeing my boss frown. “Geez, you look like death.”

“Am okay, boss,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. I started to get up to retrieve the papers when the world started to spin violently around me.

“Woah!” He threw his arm out to steady me, slowly lowering me back into my seat. The back of his hand rested against my forehead, his frown deepening. “You’re burning up… wait here a minute, okay?”

I didn’t have the energy to reply, my body slumping forward onto the desk with a groan. Why does everything hurt so bad? Am I dying right now?

“As you can see, she’s not doing so well,” stated my boss as he adjusted his glasses, returning to my side. “Can you take her home? I’ll pay for the Uber.”

“Of course, boss,” replied Dia. “Leave it to me.”

“I’ll call them, then.”

As soon as the car arrived, Dia helped me down to the first floor, allowing me to lean against her even at the risk of catching my cold. At least, I think it’s a cold. Maybe it’s the flu, I don’t know. Either way, she was selfless and I loved her for it.

There was a car parked in front of the building, tinted windows making it impossible to see. I could hear K-pop music blaring from within and I dreaded getting inside with my head hurting as badly as it was.

Dia knocked on the passenger window and it slowly slid down, the driver leaning toward it. She was wearing a strange pink thing on her head, the fabric secured beneath her chin with velcro. On the top was something resembling a tentacle, though it was different. I felt as if I knew what it was, but my feverish brain couldn’t quite place it.

She tilted her head down to peer at us over her sunglasses, yelling to be heard over the loud music pumping through the car. “You Dia?”

“I can’t hear you!” She yelled back.

Shaking her head, the driver flicked the volume dial and repeated the question. 

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Cool, I’m Kelso. Hop in and let’s go for a ride,” she grinned, rubbing her hands together like some kind of anime villain.

Dia sent me a concerned look as she helped me into the backseat, though I wasn’t sure if it was because of my illness or because our driver might be certifiably insane. The cold air of the ac felt good against my heated skin and I sighed softly, resting my head against the glass.

The car was quiet at first, broken only by the soft music playing in the background.

“Hey, you know sharks don’t have any bones?”

“I – huh?” Dia looked at the woman, startled. 

“Yeah and don’t say their teeth, either, because that shit is calcium, not bone.”

“Sure…”

The song changed and Dia gasped. “Oh my god, I love Pentagon!”

“Really? Me too!” She grinned, turning in her seat so that she was half-facing us while still driving down the road. “Who’s your favorite member?”

Dia didn’t seem to notice that our driver was no longer looking at the road despite driving at such a high speed. “I love Jinho.”

“My bias is Wooseok.”

My wide eyes stared forward as cars and buildings zoomed past us. My heart was racing in my chest, and my head seeming to throb in tandem with it. I looked at Dia in horror, trying to get her attention but my voice seemed to have left me. When I turned back to the front, there was a woman relaxing on the hood, not seeming the least bit bothered by the high speed at which we were traveling.

She slowly turned her head, smiling warmly at me when our eyes met, but it quickly fell into a worried frown. “You don’t look so good, hun.” Despite being on the outside of the vehicle, it sounded as if she was talking from right in front of me.

“I…” My voice was scratchy and I ended up coughing a few times before I could speak again. “I think I’m dying…”

She chuckled softly, amusement dancing in her eyes. “You’re not dying. Not yet, anyway.”

“How are you on the hood of the car? How haven’t we crashed yet?” I glanced at Dia to find her still chatting animatedly with Kelso, but they weren’t making a sound. It was as if someone had pressed the mute button on them. “I’m so confused,” I groaned, resting my face in my hands. All I wanted was to be back in Ryu’s arms, but he would be gone for a while.

My heart clenched painfully at the thought, tears stinging at my eyes.

“Don’t cry,” said the woman, her voice soft and comforting. “Everything will be alright, I promise.”

Maybe she was right, but at that moment, it felt like everything was collapsing in on me. 

“Rest,” she ordered.

Warmth spread throughout my body, my eyes growing heavy. I shook my head, trying to keep them open but I wasn’t strong enough. Before I knew it, darkness had claimed me.

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

I tugged the comforter tighter around my body, feeling as if I was freezing. It wasn’t even cold outside and the AC certainly wasn’t on, yet my body refused to warm up. What in the world is happening to me? I rarely get sick and it usually knocks me on my ass when I finally do but shit. It feels as if I’ve been sick for weeks, though I know it’s only been a few days.

I wasn’t feeling quite as bad as I had been yesterday, so that’s an improvement, I guess. I felt exhausted and barely got two hours of sleep last night, yet sleep seemed to be running away from me.

With a sigh, I rolled over so I could grab my phone off the bedside table. I was hoping to have a message from Ryu to lift my spirits, but he still hadn’t replied to my last message. I knew he was busy but, already feeling so shitty, it hit me harder than it should have.

I pulled up Google, contemplating my next action for a moment before deciding to search for my symptoms. If I knew exactly what I had whether that be the cold, the flu, or something else entirely, then I could take the proper medication and finally recover from this shit. Regular cold meds and painkillers don’t seem to be cutting it.

After inputting all of my symptoms and the time frame into Google, I skimmed through most of the results because my head was still hurting and my vision slightly blurry, but most of the links I clicked all said the same shit – you’re probably going to die.

No fucking shit. Were all gonna die eventually. I groaned in frustration, throwing my phone onto the bedside table. As if disturbed by the sudden noise, Kazu came running into the room, tail straight up in alert.

“I’m still alive,” I grunted. “Barely.”

“Mrow~” He jumped up onto the bed, looking at me expectantly. 

“What?”

“Mrow~“

“I don’t speak cat.”

He blinked at me and I blinked back. After staring at each other for several minutes, he hopped up onto the bed, flopping down against my side. I slowly turned, throwing my arms around him in an attempt to cuddle. I figured he was going to run away because Ryu was the only one who could get away with cuddling him.

He didn’t, though, allowing me to hold him against my chest. I buried my face in his soft fur, wishing that I would stop feeling like the damn walking dead. More than anything, I wished Ryu was here. Maybe I was being clingy but I missed him something terrible, my heart aching.

I heard the front door open, Kazu’s ear flicking to indicate that he heard it, too. Dia appeared at the door of my bedroom a minute later. “Morning. Feeling any better?”

“If by better you mean death then yes.”

She frowned, touching my forehead with her hand. “That fever is being really persistent… I think you should go to the doctor.”

“Doctors are expensive,” I muttered. 

“You’re dating a celebrity, I think you can afford to see a doctor when you’re sick.”

I shook my head, frowning at her. “It’s his money, not mine.”

“You’re supposed to share things in a relationship.”

“Don’t care. I refuse to use his money. Besides, if I ignore it long enough, it’ll give up and go away.”

She sighed deeply, bringing her hand to her face. “Are you hungry?”

My stomach twisted painfully at the thought of food, my nose wrinkling. “No.”

“You have to eat if you want to get better, you know.”

“I ate last night.”

“Half a slice of bed is hardly nutritious.”

“I’m fine, mom.”

“I’m just worried about you,” she frowned. “Have you even told Ryu-san?”

“Of course not!” I replied quickly, scowling at her. “And I’m not going to. As far as he’s concerned, this never happened.”

“Don’t you think he’d want to know?” 

“Of course, he would, but I know him. He’ll obsess over it and worry himself into the ground. He needs to focus on his group, not me. There’s nothing he can do for me so there’s no point telling him.”

She clearly didn’t agree, making me narrow my eyes at her.

“If you tell him, I will steal all your K-pop albums and sell them for one penny outside of Seiyu!”

She gasped dramatically, hands coming up to cover her mouth. “You wouldn’t dare…”

“Try me.”

“Fine,” Dia huffed, putting her hand on her hip. “Do you need anything before I head to work?”

“Can you get me a Dr. Pepper from the fridge?”

Without a word, she left the room, returning a minute later with a bottle of water.

“That’s not Dr. Pepper,” I scowled.

“You shouldn’t be drinking soda while you’re sick. Drink water so you hydrate, not diedrate.”

I scoffed in annoyance, knowing she was right but refusing to admit it.

She set the bottle on the nightstand, giving me a smile. “I’m off, then. Call me if you need me and get some rest. Don’t do anything stupid.”

I watched as she disappeared from the room, listening to the sound of her footsteps fading as she headed for the door. The hinges squeaked when she opened it, squeaking again when she closed it.

I don’t want to rest, I’ve been doing nothing but resting for ages and I’m starting to go stir crazy. I pressed a kiss to the top of Kazu’s head before slowly crawling out of bed, taking a moment to regain my sense of balance. “Kazu, don’t tell Dia.”

He tilted his head back, staring at me with narrowed eyes. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to say he disapproved of my actions or if he just didn’t give enough fucks to tell her even if he could talk.

After making sure Kazu had food in his bowl, I grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the fridge and curled up on the couch to watch some Netflix. I hoped it would distract me from everything or ease my stir craziness, at the very least. Kazu hopped up into the recliner, crossing one paw over the other before resting his head atop them, large blue eyes staring straight at me.

It was only slightly unnerving.

“I’m not just gonna, like, keel over and die ya know,” I scowled at him, earning just a blink in reply. I really wanted to watch The Worst again, but I knew it would only make me long for Ryu more so I chose a funny movie instead. Thank god Deadpool is available in Japan. It’s easily one of my comfort movies and I love Ryan Reynolds so much.

Man, I’d kill to be able to eat some popcorn right now, but the thought of it had my stomach doing painful flips. I scowled, patting my belly. “Relax, ho. I’m not gonna feed you so chill out.”

About halfway through the movie, I felt my eyelids growing heavier but I fought to stay awake. I was tired of sleeping, I just wanted to watch Deadpool and laugh my troubles away! I slapped my cheeks, shaking my head to try and wake myself up and it worked… for about twenty minutes.

Maybe if I just rest my eyes for a few minutes, it’ll help. Yeah, that’s right. I’m just… resting my eyes…

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

The feeling of being lifted startled me awake, my eyes snapping open and my limbs flailing in panic.

“Calm down, it’s just me.”

I blinked dumbly, slowly lifting my gaze to meet Ryu’s. “You’re not supposed to be here… am I hallucinating again?”

“Again?” He frowned at me, his jaw tense. He didn’t say another word as he carried me to the bedroom, setting me gently down on the bed. “Do not get out of this bed.”

I frowned at him, not used to hearing him sound or look so annoyed. My eyes followed him until he was out of sight and I heard the front door open and close loudly, making me wince. Ryu was always so patient and kind, even when someone was trying to rile him up. He playfully gets mad with his members, but it’s nothing serious.

Seeing him act this way now… I knew I had fucked up royally. Tears stung at my eyes but I blinked them back, sniffling loudly as I reached for a tissue to blow my nose. God, I bet I look like an absolute mess.

I’ve always been self-conscious around him because he’s just so beautiful and I know I don’t deserve him, but my insecurities have, for the most part, stayed hidden in a dark corner of my mind. He made me feel loved and accepted, seeming to crush those negative thoughts every time they tried to crawl out into the light.

Now, though, I was completely overwhelmed. My body was at its limit and it was affecting my mind, as well. I felt weak and pathetic, like a burden on Ryu who had raced home to help me because I couldn’t help myself. Was he going to get into trouble for this? Would he lose his spot on The Rampage? 

He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded over his chest and jaw clenched. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t want to bother you -“

“Bother me?” He echoed in disbelief. “Do you even consider me your boyfriend?”

“What? Of course, I -“

“You never tell me anything. You’re always hiding your feelings, hiding when you’re sick. Don’t you trust me?” He shook his head, brow furrowed in frustration. “Do you not want to be with me?”

The question was enough to finally break me and send tears rolling down my cheeks. He looked at me with a startled expression, body tense as he pushed away from the doorframe.

I quickly rolled over to face the wall, biting my lip to try and muffle my sobs. I tried so hard to stop crying but, as always, my body refused to obey.

The side of the bed dipped, his warm hand on my back. “Please don’t cry… I’m sorry.”

I was the one who fucked up but he is apologizing? Goddamn it.

“Hey,” he called softly, trying to roll me over to face him but I refused, shaking my head. Instead of forcing me, he slid in behind me until his warm chest was against my back, arms wrapped protectively around me. “It’s okay, darling. I’m right here.”

His words only made me cry harder, fists clenching around the sheets. I was a fucking mess and I hated showing this side of myself to him. He was patient with me, though, whispering comforting words to me and rubbing my arm to try and calm me down. It took a while, but I guess I finally ran out of tears.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice hoarse and throat sore. My eyes felt puffy and there was a wet spot on my pillow from all the tears I had shed. “I… I should have told you, I just… I don’t want to, to ruin your career…”

“That won’t happen,” he assured me, trying to roll me toward him again. This time, I allowed it, not having the strength to fight back. His brown eyes met mine, swimming with love and warmth. He cupped my cheek, thumb brushing away the remnants of my tears. “I thought my heart stopped when Dia called me.”

“I told her not to,” I muttered, focusing my eyes on his necklace, unable to hold his gaze.

“I’m glad she did. You’ve been suffering alone for days,” he frowned, reaching down to press a kiss to my forehead. “You still have a fever.”

I pushed at his chest while simultaneously trying to sink into the mattress. “You’re going to get sick!”

He chuckled, taking my hand and pressing it over his heart. The steady beat was comforting. “I’m not leaving your side until you’re better.”

“But The Rampage -“

“Sends there get well soon wishes. I can’t promise Likiya-san and Zin-san won’t scold you when they see you next,” he smiled, pressing another kiss to my forehead before standing up. He started to leave the room but paused, sending me a stern look. “Don’t you dare move.”

While he was gone, I sat up to grab some tissues to wipe away my tears and blow my nose in an attempt to look a little less like a bog witch. I doubt it helped much, but he didn’t seem to care as he returned with my favorite Halloween mug, steam rising from it.

Ryu sat on the side of the bed, careful not to spill it. “Drink this, it’ll help.”

I tried to sniff the air but I couldn’t smell anything. I eyed it wearily. “What is it?”

“Ginger tea. My lola used to make it for me every time I got sick. She swears by it so she made sure to teach me how to make it.”

I was a picky eater, so trying new things always made me feel weary.  I trust Ryu, though, so I took the mug from him and gave it a careful sip. It filled my body with warmth, tasting slightly spicy. Not like chili pepper spicy but more like… herbal spicy.

“It’s good,” I murmured, closing my eyes as I drank more of it. My throat was already beginning to feel less scratchy and sore.

“I’m guessing you haven’t eaten, either?”

“Define eaten.”

He held back a sigh, running a hand through his hair to compose himself. “I’ll make you some Lugaw.”

“Lu what now?”

“Lugaw,” he repeated with a chuckle. “My lola always told me that it has healing properties and it always made me feel better as a kid. I… don’t know if I can make it correctly, but I’m going to try.”

“I bet it’s going to taste amazing,” I assured him, reaching out for his hand. “You’ll put Gordon Ramsay to shame.”

His cheeks tinted, a goofy smile on his lips, and his eyes lighting up. “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

When he stood up, I tried to follow only for him to click his tongue.

“No, you need to rest.”

“I’ve done nothing but rest,” I scowled. “I want to watch you cook. It calms me.”

He seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding and holding out his hand to help me up. His arm remained around my body as we headed to the kitchen and he didn’t leave my side until I was safely on the chair. Watching him truly did make me feel calm, along with the beverage that I was drinking. 

I felt a tiny bit better already. Maybe his grandma is really onto something with these home remedies. “How long are you staying?”

He hummed as he cut up more ginger. “I told you, I’m not leaving until you get better.”

“And I told you, the longer you’re around me, the higher the risk of you getting sick. You’re already missing work because of me. If you get sick, you’ll miss even more. What if they fire you?”

“I promise you, that’s not going to happen.” Ryu sent me a reassuring smile but I didn’t feel very reassured at all. “Our managers were very understanding when I told them.”

I slid down in my chair, setting the empty cup on the table. “You could still get sick and spread it to the other members.”

“I won’t get sick.”

“How can you be sure of that?”

“Because I have a phenomenal immune system,” he grinned, making me scoff. 

“What was that you said to me? ‘Famous last words,’ was it?”

“Except I’m not going outside in the winter without a coat only to be caught in the rain.”

I opened my mouth to reply only to scowl, realizing he was right. “Wipe that grin off your face, Ata Ryutaro.”

“Yes, darling,” he chuckled, returning to the task at hand. 

I tried to ignore the fluttering in my chest and the warmth at the tips of my ears when he called me that. I adored it when he called me darling, but it wasn’t something he said often, especially not in public. 

I couldn’t find the smile that came to my lips. I truly was the luckiest human on earth. “Hey, Ryu?”

“Yes?” He paused what he was doing to look at me. “Do you want some more tea?”

I shook my head. “I just wanted to thank you. You really are an amazing boyfriend.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he mumbled, hiding his face from me.

“I love you.”

His eyes met mine, filled with love and warmth. “I love you, too.”

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

I stretched my arms over my head, smiling as I breathed in the fresh air of the morning. After a couple of days under Ryu’s care, I was nearly back to my old self, though my body was still a bit achy. At least I could breathe properly now and the room didn’t spin when I got up too quickly. 

The time spent with him was a nice bonus, too. I never wanted this to end, but I knew he had to be getting back to work. With one last look at the cloudy sky, I headed back inside to wake up Ryu. Just as I reached the door, I heard a sneeze from the other side followed by a soft groan. 

I pushed the door open with a frown, taking in the appearance of my boyfriend. He still looked tired, his brown eyes lacking their usual luster. He seemed pale, too. “Babe, you okay?”

He smiled at me but it was obviously forced. “I’m fine.”

“You just sneezed.”

He seemed embarrassed that I had heard him. Before he could reply, though, another sneeze ripped from him, followed by a groan as he clutched his head. Rather than deny the obvious, he just pouted at me.

I hummed, approaching the bed so I could take his face between my hands. I could feel how warm he was before my forehead even met his. “You’ve got a fever.”

His fingers curled around my wrist, lips brushing against my own when he spoke. “I think I caught your flu…”

“Yeah? What happened to that phenomenal immune system of yours, hm?” I teased softly, brushing the hair from his face.

“You’re really going to tease me when I feel this bad?”

“Sorry, baby,” I chuckled, pressing a kiss to his lips. When I tried to pull away, he chased me with a whine. I chuckled, knowing how clingy and whiny he could get when he was sick. “Well, on the bright side, I get to return the favor and nurse you back to health.”

“‘M sorry,” he mumbled as he laid back down. “Will you stay with me?”

“You don’t even have to ask.” I slid in next to him and he slotted his body against mine, face buried in my neck as his limbs wrapped around me. I hummed softly, running my hands through his hair until his breathing evened out.

Maybe this makes me a bad person, but… I’m kind of happy that he caught my flu. God, I sound like such a bitch thinking that way, especially since I knew he was going to be feeling miserable, but I do love being able to take care of him. Despite being younger than me, he’s always been the caretaker in the relationship, going out of his way to accommodate me and my needs. It feels nice to be able to take care of him for a change, to have him rely on me.

His phone vibrated on the bedside table and I cursed softly, reaching my arm behind me to try and grab it. It was not comfortable at all but his limbs were like chains around my body, holding me in place so I couldn’t really move. I’m not entirely sure how I did it, but I managed to grab a hold of his phone, answering it without much thought so it wouldn’t wake him up.

“Hello?” I spoke softly, not wanting to disturb his sleep.

Zin said my name in surprise. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling great, actually. Ryu is a really good nurse.”

“That’s good to hear. Why are you whispering, though?”

“He’s asleep and I don’t want to wake him up.”

There was a moment of silence and then a deep sigh on the other end of the line. “He’s sick, isn’t he?”

“Um… kind of?” I replied sheepishly. “I’m really sorry, Zin-san. I tried to get him to leave but you know how stubborn he is…”

Zin chuckled. “Yeah, I know. No need to apologize.”

There was muffled talking in the background before the phone shifted to Likiya. “Hey, little one. You feeling better?”

“I’m doing great, Likiya-chan, but Ryu caught my flu, I think.”

“I figured he would,” he replied with a laugh. “Listen, we’ll be there soon but don’t tell Ryu.”

“Eh?” I replied louder than intended, making Ryu mumble and squeeze himself closer to me. “You’re coming here? What for?”

“We wanted to check on you and cheer you up, but I suppose we’ll be doing that for Ryu now.”

“But all of you are going to get sick, too,” I frowned.

“Don’t worry about us, little one, just worry about taking care of our Ryu. See you soon.”

I blinked dumbly as the sound of the dial tone filled my ear. Do these boys have no self-preservation at all? They’re skipping work to come here and risking getting sick in the process, thus keeping them out of work even longer. I sighed deeply, setting the phone down on the bed.

Something tells me this isn’t going to end well. The Rampage is known for having only one brain cell combined and stuffing them all into our small apartment with a sick Ryu and an introverted Kazu? What the hell could possibly go wrong?

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━

I stepped outside, hands stuffed into the pocket of Ryu’s hoodie as I glanced around. Likiya had messaged me a few minutes ago saying that they were about ten minutes away from the apartment so I figured I’d come out and meet them. A few of my neighbors aren’t very fond of strangers in the building and these guys would no doubt be loud on their way up. I also didn’t have much faith that they wouldn’t go to the wrong apartment despite knowing where we lived.

A familiar-looking black car pulled up to the curb and Dia stepped out of the back, looking annoyed. The driver was Kelso again and she, too, looked annoyed as she jumped out of the car, eyes narrowed at Dia. She was still wearing that ridiculous hat which I now realized was Buu from the Dragonball series.

“Go away!” Dia scowled, folding her arms over her chest. “I already told you, I’m not buying your fake CDs!”

“How dare you! They’re not fake, they’re economic,” defended Kelso with a huff.

“They’re fake and you should be in jail!”

“Jokes on you, I was just released from jail!”

I watched the two of them argue back and forth, unsure of how to proceed. Do I try to break it up? That sounded like more effort than I was willing to spare, especially since I needed to be at full battery to deal with the storm that is the Rampage.

Speak of the devil…

Two tan vans pulled up to the curb behind the black car. The sliding door on the first van opened up before it even came to a stop, Shohei jumped out of the vehicle with a grin as he cried out my name. I had no time to prepare myself before his body barreled into my own, arms so tight around me that it knocked the air from my lungs.

“Nee-chan~” he sang with a grin. “I missed you~”

Likiya rushed over with a scowl. “Put her down, Shohei! She just recovered from being really sick!”

He pouted at being scolded before doing as he was told, putting me back on the ground.

I sucked in some air, resisting the urge to cough as I patted his shoulder. “Good to see you, too, Sho-chan.”

“How are you?” asked Likiya softly, holding out his arms for a hug. It was much softer than the one Shohei had given.

“I’m doing well. Wish I could say the same for Ryu.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll be better in no time,” he reassured me, giving me a gentle squeeze before pulling away.

I realized the arguing had stopped and I glanced over at the two women, both of whom were staring at the men with wide eyes. Dia’s eyes were trained on Makoto while Kelso’s were trained on Takuma. The scene behind them changed to pink, sparkles and roses appearing around their heads as hearts appeared in their eyes.

Shit, am I hallucinating again? I quickly shook my head, rubbing at my eyes before looking at them again. They were just standing there staring at the men, no sparkles in sight.

“You okay?” Kazuma patted my arm, tilting his head to the side. Hokuto was beside him, sending me a concerned look.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” frowned Hokuto, reaching forward to feel my forehead. “You’re not warm, that’s good.”

“Sorry, I just zoned out, that’s all. Why don’t we all go inside? It’s getting colder out here.”

Shohei and Kenta didn’t need to be told twice as they darted into the building, followed by Zin who was trying to wrangle them in. The rest slowly filtered inside and I noticed the two girls following as if being pulled by an invisible stream tied to their bias.

Rui was the last one outside, getting a bag from the van. As he turned toward me, I noticed the woman from the car sitting on top of the van. Just like the other two, there were sparkles and roses around her head as she stared at Rui, hearts in her eyes.

“So dreamy~” she sighed, grinning like a fool.

Rui blinked, looking at me. “Did you say something, nee-san?”

“You heard that, too?”

“Yes.”

My eyes widened at the woman. Was she not a hallucination, after all? I quickly waved at him. “Come on, Rui, let’s get inside! I think the cold is getting to our brains.”

The woman looked up, winking at me before disappearing before my eyes.

━━━━━━༻☔༺━━━━━━

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ODESA, Ukraine—In his office overlooking Odesa’s Pivdennyi Port on the Black Sea, Viktor Berestenko smiled contentedly at the half-dozen large international cargo ships just beyond the harbor. “It’s as beautiful as your first kiss,” said the grinning president of the Association of International Freight Forwarders of Ukraine. Speaking to Foreign Policy in late March Berestenko was only too happy to inform me that Ukraine’s three free ports—all in and around Odesa—are operating 24/7, and that the country’s grain exports are back to prewar levels.

The restoration of Black Sea trade is a major breakthrough for Ukraine, in stark contrast to the losses it has endured this year on the eastern fronts. In the Black Sea theater, Ukraine has pulled off the unthinkable: beating back the esteemed Russian Navy even though it has next to no naval force of its own.

From the tiny swath of coastline around Odesa, Ukraine has stymied Moscow’s attempt to landlock and hobble its economy by rendering it unable to market its voluminous agricultural exports. In the spring of 2022, the Russian military barricaded Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and brought exports to a standstill. This forced Ukraine to shift to land routes to market its goods and caused worldwide grain prices to spike, which raised concerns about famine in the Middle East and Africa. Today, Russia still occupies 16 Ukrainian ports. But the Black Sea front looks more hopeful for Ukraine than at any time since the war’s onset more than two years ago.

The Ukrainian fleet lost 80 percent of its vessels after the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014. But, relying a combination of missile systems and unmanned drone boats guided by advanced GPS and cameras, Ukraine’s armed forces claim to have crippled a third of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. They have also upended the Russian supply lines that serve thousands of troops in the occupied areas of southern Ukraine.

On March 24, Ukraine landed another blow, reportedly using U.K.- or French-made air-to-surface missiles, taking out two large Russian landing ships and other infrastructure near the occupied Crimean port city of Sevastopol. Russia’s fleet has suffered such a drubbing that it prompted the firing of its top admiral, Nikolai Yevmenov, in mid-March. Today, Russia’s remaining ships are in docked in berths along the far side of the Crimean Peninsula, out of sight but not entirely out of Ukraine’s reach.

“Russia wanted to turn the Black Sea into a big Russian lake. But Ukraine reversed it,” said Volodymyr Dubovyk, the director of the Center for International Studies at the Odesa Mechnikov National University. “Russian ships today don’t venture into the northwest of the Black Sea.”

This cover has enabled Ukraine to improvise a sea corridor that begins in Odesa and hugs the safe shores of NATO members Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey as ships travel southwest en route to the Bosphorus Strait, through which most Black Sea trade passes. Exploiting a bumper crop, Ukraine is now exporting as much grain—corn, wheat, and barley—as it did before the war, as well as other goods, and has opened its Odesan ports for nighttime business to handle yet more. Prior to the war, Ukraine traded more grain than the entire European Union and supplied half of the globally traded sunflower oil, as well as iron ore and fertilizer, according to Bloomberg.

“This is enormously important for Ukraine’s economy, for the Odesa region, and for our future,” said Sergey Yakubovskiy, an economist at Odesa National University. “We have to do everything to keep this route open and reliable.”

Ukraine’s asymmetric Black Sea strategy relies ever more upon Ukraine-made drone boats—known as uncrewed surface vessels (USVs)—that speed across the water beneath Russian radar carrying up to 800 kilograms (1,760 pounds) of explosives. These projectiles have sunk or disabled some of the 24 lost Russian warships, evidence that Ukraine’s domestic arms production has been stepped up and is increasingly consequential in the absence of anticipated U.S. and European assistance. According to the Guardian, there are currently 200 drone manufacturing companies in Ukraine, some of them bankrolled by crowdfunding campaigns. In December 2023, they delivered 50 times as many robotic explosives as in the entire year of 2022, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation.

Ukraine’s strategy is to maintain its presence in the Black Sea with the prospect of soon acquiring the longer-range missiles that it needs to hit Crimea itself and Russia proper beyond it, Dubovyk said. For Ukraine, he explained, the pressing issue is what comes next. “Crimea is in play, and if Ukraine can put more pressure on Russia there, it can make the occupation untenable. It would change the war’s logic if Russia couldn’t supply the eastern fronts from Crimea,” he said.

Russia’s response has been to target Odesa’s ports, energy infrastructure, and housing blocks with ballistic missiles. Seldom does a day pass without air raid sirens in the port city, which send its residents scrambling into their cellars. In March alone, Russian attacks killed 32 civilians.

One would think that the new coastal sea route would obviate Ukraine’s need to access EU markets via land, namely through Central Europe, and thus ameliorate the friction it has caused between the Central Europeans and Ukraine. Following Russia’s invasion, the EU allowed Ukraine tariff-free access to its markets, which had the effect of undermining the Visegrad Group states’ own grain trade and prompting farmers to take to the streets in anger, above all in Poland. Now, logically, trade could revert to its previous routes and the injurious tiff come to an end.

Not so quickly, explained Yakubovskiy, the economist. He pointed out that Ukraine’s new sea corridor is a temporary and unsanctioned byway, possible now only as a result of Russia’s naval weakness and an informal agreement between Russia and Ukraine not to target civilian shipping. It could end at any moment, he said.

As for Russia, it is not likely to improve its Black Sea positions soon. This is because Turkey controls the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, and Ankara has chosen to adhere to the letter of the 1936 Montreux Convention, which prohibits the passage of warships through the straights into the Black Sea in a time of war. Russia thus has no way of getting reinforcements to its ports.

The upshot of Russia’s retreat from Black Sea waters and Turkey’s control of the straits has put Ankara in the driver’s seat. Whether Ukraine maintains its new trade route thus depends, to some extent, on Turkey.

In the past, Ankara has shown itself deft at using leverage to promote its own interests, whatever they may be. It could turn Viktor Berestenko’s bliss into a short-lived fling.