#let things unfold before jumping to conclusions

[twopoppies]

This fandom is so lame. Harries really desperately want to link him to any woman cause they need him to be a sex vamp so bad so they can project lol it’s disgusting. Speculating of Harry left with Olivia and what it means and all these quotes saying mhhhhh 😂 you are all insufferable. Fact is, he left during the final song as always! Sam’s boyfriend also left (he’s in front of Harry) and someone from Olivia’s team left behind Harry. So if she also left? Makes total sense? You don’t want to stay there when the lights go on and you have to squeeze he your way through a crowd and the fans 😭 it’s common knowledge- how dumb are people? Has nothing to do with Harry’s and Olivia’s potential friendship!!! Although he didn’t seem to engage much with her during the gig at all lol like it’s just desperate at this point. Let the man have friends in the industry I BEG! If this were a random male actor or singer people wouldn’t freak out this much! The double standards are sickening sometimes and so f annoying :)

I ghost wrote this.

[bodybaggage]

Shadows in Gotham

---

Gotham’s twilight sky was a patchwork of purples and reds, a fading canvas that gave way to the inky blackness of night. The city was alive with the usual sounds of distant sirens, honking horns, and the underlying hum of danger that never quite left its streets. For Danny Fenton, now in his early twenties, Gotham was supposed to be a fresh start—a place to lay low and raise his unconventional family.

His daughter, Danielle, Ellie, as she preferred—skipped ahead on the cracked sidewalk, her energy boundless despite the long day. She looked about ten years old, though she was technically more of a clone than a traditional daughter. She had Danny’s black hair but with an unruly curl to it, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. Beside Danny, holding his hand, was a boy who looked no older than eight. His hair was tousled, and his expression was a strange mix of innocence and the haunting wisdom of someone far older. This was Dan, Danny’s de-aged evil future self, a living, breathing reminder of what could go wrong if they weren’t careful.

The trio moved through the narrow streets, Danny’s senses on high alert as they made their way back to the modest apartment they now called home. He had retired from the life of a ghostly vigilante, focusing instead on keeping his small family safe and hidden from the relentless pursuit of the Guys in White (GIW). To the world, they were just another struggling family in Gotham. But beneath the surface, their existence was anything but ordinary.

“Can we get pizza tonight?” Ellie asked, her voice full of hope as she glanced back at Danny.

“Pizza sounds good,” Danny replied with a smile. “But it’s Gotham, so let’s hope the delivery guy makes it to our place in one piece.”

Ellie giggled, and even Dan let out a rare smile, though it was fleeting. The moment of normalcy was interrupted by the sound of a scuffle up ahead. Danny’s instincts kicked in as he pulled his kids closer, eyes narrowing at the scene unfolding just around the corner.

A man, clearly desperate, was trying to rob a woman at gunpoint. The woman’s purse dangled from his shaky hand, and fear was etched across her face. Danny knew he should keep moving, that getting involved could blow their cover, but he couldn’t just walk away.

“Stay here,” Danny whispered to Ellie and Dan, his voice firm.

Before he could intervene, a shadowy figure dropped from the rooftops, landing silently behind the mugger. The man didn’t stand a chance as a blur of red and black moved with lethal precision. Within seconds, the mugger was disarmed and unconscious on the pavement.

Red Hood stood over the man, his stance relaxed but ready, as if this was just another routine night in Gotham. He turned to the woman, who quickly grabbed her purse and bolted, muttering her thanks. It was only then that Red Hood noticed Danny and the kids standing just a few feet away, watching the scene unfold.

Danny tensed as the vigilante’s eyes—hidden behind that crimson helmet—seemed to study them. He instinctively placed a hand on each of his kids’ shoulders, ready to flee if things went south.

“You alright?” Red Hood asked, his voice rough but not unkind. He seemed to soften at the sight of the kids, his posture relaxing ever so slightly.

“Yeah, we’re fine,” Danny replied, his tone cautious. “Just heading home.”

Red Hood’s gaze flicked between Danny and the children, and Danny could almost feel the wheels turning behind that mask. This was Gotham, after all, a city full of dark secrets. A young man, barely an adult, with two small kids in tow—it wasn’t hard to jump to conclusions.

“You live around here?” Red Hood pressed, the curiosity in his voice making Danny’s stomach tighten.

“Not far,” Danny answered, hoping to end the conversation quickly. “Just trying to keep my family safe.”

Red Hood nodded slowly, as if weighing his next words. “Gotham’s not exactly the best place to raise kids, especially if you’re... alone.”

Danny’s jaw clenched, recognizing the underlying question. “We manage.”

Before Red Hood could probe further, Ellie stepped forward, her usual boldness taking over. “He’s the best dad ever! And we don’t need any help, mister.”

Red Hood chuckled softly, the sound almost disarming. “I’m sure he is, kid. But just in case, you should know there are people around here who can help... if you ever need it.”

Danny forced a tight smile, grateful for Ellie’s fierce loyalty but wary of the attention they’d attracted. “Thanks, but we’re good.”

Red Hood seemed to accept this, though the suspicion in his stance didn’t entirely fade. “Take care of yourself,” he said finally, before turning and vanishing into the shadows as quickly as he’d appeared.

Danny let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The encounter had been brief, but he knew it wouldn’t be the last. The Bat Family had eyes everywhere, and their curiosity was piqued.

“Let’s get home,” Danny murmured, guiding Ellie and Dan down the street with renewed urgency.

They reached their apartment without further incident, the familiar creak of the stairs a welcome sound. Once inside, Danny locked the door and sagged against it, the weight of their precarious situation pressing down on him.

Ellie flopped onto the worn couch, her earlier bravado replaced with concern. “Are we in trouble, Dad?”

Danny ruffled her hair affectionately. “No, Ellie. We’re just... being careful. That’s all.”

Dan sat quietly at the kitchen table, his eyes distant as he processed the night’s events. “He was one of the Bats, wasn’t he?”

Danny nodded, joining Dan at the table. “Yeah, Red Hood. He’s... complicated. But we should be alright if we keep a low profile.”

The night passed uneventfully, but the encounter with Red Hood lingered in Danny’s mind. He knew that living in Gotham meant constant vigilance, but the thought of the Bat Family watching them added a new layer of stress.

---

Meanwhile, across town, the Bat Family gathered in the Batcave, the massive space filled with the glow of computer screens and the quiet hum of machinery.

“Interesting case tonight,” Red Hood—Jason Todd—began as he removed his helmet, revealing the slightly tousled dark hair underneath. “Ran into a guy with two kids. They seemed... out of place.”

“Out of place in Gotham?” Dick Grayson, quipped from where he was perched on the edge of the Batcomputer’s console. “That’s pretty much everyone.”

Jason shot him a look. “Not like that. The guy was young, barely in his twenties. The kids were ten and eight, maybe. And something about them just... felt off.”

Bruce Wayne, Batman, looked up from the screen, his expression unreadable. “Off how?”

Jason hesitated, searching for the right words. “I don’t know. There’s something he’s not saying. And those kids—they’re attached to him, but it’s like they’re all trying to stay under the radar.”

Damian Wayne, the current Robin, scoffed. “Plenty of people try to stay out of sight in this city. It’s not our problem unless they break the law.”

“Yeah, but...” Jason trailed off, running a hand through his hair. “There’s a chance that guy’s a victim. The way the girl talked about him, it was like she was protecting him.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think the children are in danger?”

Jason frowned, shaking his head. “Not from him. I think they’re all running from something.”

Silence settled over the Batcave as they considered the implications. Bruce stood, his presence commanding as ever. “Keep an eye on them. Gotham has a way of uncovering secrets, and we can’t afford to overlook anything.”

---

Back at the apartment, Danny lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The shadows played tricks in the dim light, reminding him of the life he left behind. He had taken on more than just the role of a father—he had become a protector, a shield against the darkness that sought to consume them.

But Gotham was relentless, and he knew their time in the shadows was running out.

---

🧌

[kyywritess]

CHAPTER 11: KNOW ITS FOR THE BETTER

pairing: aged up!katsuki bakugo x fem!reader

summary: After six intense years in Japan, YN LN has firmly established herself as a renowned gym owner. She's known by many pros for her charm, strength, and boxing abilities. She has a strong support system and amazing friends... her life in Japan was everything she dreamed it would be.

But everything changes one fateful night when a mysterious package appears on her doorstep. No note, no return address—just a plain box wrapped with a single pearly pink ribbon. As she unravels the contents of the box, she’s drawn into a dark, twisted mystery that seems to reach deep into her own past—a past she thought she had buried when she left her old life behind.

wc: 3.6k

an: Another cliffhanger I'm sorry, dont be mad at me.

---

If there was one thing Katsuki Bakugo wanted in his current life, it was you. After the car crash, rage consumed him, his mind bent on tearing apart the driver responsible. But everything shifted when he heard Kirishima's frantic voice calling his name. The look on Kirishima's face made his heart plummet into his stomach.

He had barely dropped the man he intended to pummel when blinding white lights flooded the area. Three cars screeched to a stop, surrounding him and Kirishima.

Then, a man stepped out—tall, pale, and with piercing green eyes that Bakugo could never forget. Moretti.

Instinct screamed at him to run to you, to grab you and flee. He tried, unleashing explosion after explosion, each blast aimed at Moretti and his men. But amidst the chaos, Kirishima had disappeared to get help, and Moretti’s men had reached the wreckage.

They were pulling you out of the car. Limp, lifeless. Blood poured from your leg, staining the ground in a deep crimson pool.

“Get in the car, or I shoot the girl,” Moretti commanded, his tone as cold as steel.

Bakugo froze. There was no real choice. His gaze locked on you—your ghostly pale skin, hair matted with blood and dirt. You looked strangely serene, as if you'd made peace with the horror unfolding.

He wouldn’t let them kill you. Not while he was alive to stop it.

So he got in the car, seething with suppressed fury as they bound a tourniquet around your leg and checked your pulse. The contradiction gnawed at him: Moretti threatened your life, yet kept you alive. Why?

Now he sat in a chair too small for his broad frame, wrists bound but mind racing. Across the room, you lay unconscious, your chest rising and falling faintly—a fragile sign of life.

Your skin was deathly pale, a dark wound visible just above the blindfold they’d placed over your eyes. The blindfold seemed ridiculous—after all, you’d been unconscious for hours.

For two excruciatingly silent hours, he hadn’t seen or heard anyone and it was driving him mad.

The warehouse they were in was heavily guarded. Armed men patrolled the perimeter like it was a military base. Inside the room, there was only one door and a single vent leading who knew where. Security cameras loomed over the room, scanning every corner—except behind him.

He flexed against the ropes, testing their strength. He had to get out, to get you somewhere safe.

It was painfully clear now that you weren’t working for Moretti. Guilt hit him like a sucker punch as he remembered his earlier accusations. He’d jumped to conclusions, faster than he ever had before.

The thought of you lying to him, keeping something so monumental hidden, had stung more than he’d imagined. But the sight of you now—broken, fragile—eclipsed his hurt.

If you both made it out of this, he’d spend every day making it up to you.

He knew Kirishima had to be rallying backup, but the real challenge was figuring out where they were.

And then there was James. Whatever your connection to him, Bakugo had to hope James had realized you were missing.

But right now, nothing else mattered except getting you out alive.

---

When you first came to, you were met with complete darkness. A coarse fabric was draped over your face, muffling your breath and adding to the suffocating sense of confinement. You tried to move, but your wrists were bound tightly behind you, the rough texture of rope biting into your skin. The faint ache in your leg brought the memories flooding back—the car crash, the chaos, and then... nothing.

The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the distant sound of dripping water. You weren’t sure how much time had passed, but the shift in the air told you all you needed to know: Moretti had found you.

The harsh scrape of a chair across concrete jolted you. You flinched instinctively, your pulse quickening as a familiar presence filled the room. That scent—carmel and musk, faint but distinct—was unmistakable.

“Stupid fucking chair.”

Bakugo’s voice cut through the darkness, low and gruff, filled with irritation.

Relief and dread tangled together in your chest. He was here. They had taken him too. Your heart sank at the realization. Not only had you been captured, but now the one person you’d tried to protect was caught in this nightmare with you.

You remained silent, your breathing shallow as you processed your surroundings. The pressure wrapped around your thigh was unmistakable—a makeshift tourniquet, crudely tied but effective. The pain was simmering, dulled only by the adrenaline still coursing through your veins.

The scrape of Bakugo’s chair yanked you from your thoughts.

“Stop. Head hurts,” you muttered hoarsely, wincing at the sound of your own voice.

The noise ceased, leaving the room to drown in silence once more.

“Fuck, you’re alive,” Bakugo muttered, almost to himself.

“Mmm,” you hummed, your mind still foggy. “How’d Moretti get you?”

“How’d you know it was Moretti?”

The words slipped out before you could think. “He’s notorious for tying people up in chairs. Plus, I can feel him.”

“Feel him?”

“Are you gonna keep asking questions?” you shot back weakly.

His voice darkened, low and dangerous. “Are you gonna keep lying to me?”

The accusation hit you harder than you expected, but now wasn’t the time to argue. “I only lied to you because I care for you.”

“Right.”

The weight of his skepticism pressed down on you. You needed to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Do you have a blindfold on?”

“No, but hands are tied.”

The deadpan response caught you off guard, and before you knew it, laughter bubbled out of you. It wasn’t the right time, and you knew it, but the absurdity of the situation made your head spin.

“Glad to see you still have a sense of humor.” Bakugo snapped, his irritation palpable.

You struggled to catch your breath between fits of giggles. “I’m sorry—it’s not funny… it’s just—how did they even capture you?”

“They rolled up on us after the crash,” he admitted, his tone sharp. “They were gonna kill you if I didn’t comply. I had no choice.”

The laughter died in your throat, replaced by a lump of guilt.

“Yeah, not so funny now,” he added bitterly.

You bit your lip, your mind racing. There was only one reason Moretti would take Bakugo—it wasn’t just about you anymore. Moretti had been watching, studying you, and he knew exactly what buttons to press.

“Katsuki—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he cut you off, already piecing it together.

“Why?” you whispered.

"Cause I couldn’t stand there and watch another man take you. Even if nothin’ made sense,” he murmured, the softness in his voice catching you off guard.

“I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you,” you said quietly.

“Did—was anything ever real?”

The question hung in the air like a blade poised to strike. Of course it was real. The way your heart beat for him was real. 

“The way I feel about you is real,” you said, your voice trembling.

You could feel his eyes on you, even through the darkness. A smile crept onto your face despite the situation. “Stop staring at me like that.”

“Wha—”

“I have a lot to explain to you,” you said, cutting him off.

“Yeah.”

“Is Kiri okay?” You asked, redirecting the conversation again.

“Yeah, he was able to escape before they got to him.”

Relief washed over you. The plan you and Kirishima had made flickered in your mind. He’d be on his way to the cabin now.

“Good,” you muttered.

Bakugo spoke up, an unusual softness to his voice. “M’sorry. Thought you were working with him.”

You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head even though you knew he couldn’t see it. “I’d never work for a person like Moretti.”

“Then how are you tied to him?”

“No relation. Just a scumbag I want dead,” you said bluntly.

“Tch. Tell me about it.”

“One day,” you promised, your voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ll tell you everything. But right now, we don’t have time.”

The air shifted again, heavier now, as if Moretti’s presence loomed closer. You could sense it before it happened.

The sound of footsteps echoed from outside the room, growing louder. Bakugo stiffened in his chair, and you could feel his energy change, coiling like a spring ready to snap.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” he growled, his voice like thunder as the door creaked open and footsteps moved towards you. 

A pair of hands fiddled with the knot of your blindfold, yanking it away. Blinding white light seared your eyes, and you blinked rapidly to adjust. When your vision cleared, there he was: Moretti.

His piercing green eyes bored into yours with a predatory gleam, a smug smile spreading across his face. He looked older than you remembered, the years of prison etched into the lines around his mouth and eyes, but the malice was as strong as ever.

“Well, isn’t this a treat? Two of Japan’s finest, tied up like common prey,” Moretti drawled, his voice dripping with venom. “Dynamight, the explosive hothead. And Y/N, America's sweetheart. Tell me, do you think the public will mourn you more if I kill you together or one at a time?”

The tension in the room thickened like a fog, suffocating and heavy. Bakugo’s crimson eyes burned with defiance as he pulled against his restraints, the cords creaking ominously under the strain. “Try it,” he spat, his voice a razor-edged promise. “See how far you get before I blow your head off.”

Moretti chuckled, a low, mirthless sound that sent a chill down your spine. “Ah, there’s that famous temper. But let’s not forget who’s holding all the cards here, Dynamight.” He gestured to you, his fingers grazing your cheek in a way that made your stomach churn. “One wrong move, and she’s gone.”

Bakugo’s jaw tightened, his entire body trembling with barely contained rage. He wanted to lash out, to reduce the entire building to ash, but the sight of you—still pale, still weak—kept him anchored.

You shifted slightly, your hands numb from the ropes biting into your wrists. Despite the fear gnawing at your resolve, you forced yourself to speak. “You wont kill me.” Your voice was hoarse, but steady enough to earn his attention.

Moretti’s smug expression didn’t falter. If anything, his predatory smile widened, his piercing green eyes boring into yours with a sinister gleam.

“Of course, you’d say that,” he drawled, his voice low and venomous. “But let’s not play coy. I didn’t kidnap you on a whim. I know exactly what you know.”

You froze, the ropes biting into your wrists as your blood turned to ice.

“That’s right,” Moretti continued, circling your chair like a vulture. “You know where my daughter is. The one thing the police couldn’t break out of you, even when you testified. You kept that little secret buried, didn’t you? To protect her, I assume. But how long do you think you can hold onto it when his life is on the line?”

Bakugo’s eyes flicked toward you, sharp with confusion and fury. “What the hell is he talking about?”

Moretti’s grin widened as he watched Bakugo’s expression twist with confusion and rage. “You really don’t know, do you?” he said, a mockery of sympathy in his tone. “Oh, this is rich. Japan’s greatest hero, clueless about the woman sitting next to him.”

Moretti turned his attention back to you, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. “You didn’t tell him?” He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with mock disbelief. “You mean to say you’ve been playing the role of a helpless civilian this whole time? That’s cold, even for you, Nova.”

Bakugo’s gaze snapped to you, the weight of Moretti’s words settling between you like a live wire. “Nova?” he questioned, his voice low and dangerous. “What’s he talking about?”

Your stomach churned, but you kept your expression neutral. “Don’t listen to him,” you said quickly.

Moretti laughed, the sound cutting through the tension like a blade. “Oh, no, no, no. Let’s not brush past this. Dynamight deserves to know who he’s risking his life for.”

He straightened, turning to Bakugo with an almost theatrical flourish. “Meet Nova, America’s former golden girl. Once a top-tier hero in her own right—complete with a shiny little quirk she’s kept hidden from you.”

Bakugo’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing into slits. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Moretti raised a brow, then gestured toward you. “Go ahead, ask her. Ask her about the years she spent hunting down villains like me. About the testimony that put me in prison. About the daughter she stole from me.”

“Shut up,” you snapped, your voice cutting through the air like a whip.

But Bakugo was already staring at you, his crimson eyes ablaze with confusion and betrayal. “Is it true?”

You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. 

Moretti clapped his hands together, delighted by the unraveling tension. “Ah, the sweet taste of betrayal. Isn’t it delicious?”

“Shut the hell up!” Bakugo snapped, his glare burning a hole through Moretti.

Moretti’s cold, predatory smile grew as he savored the moment, watching Bakugo struggle with the weight of his words. “And if you thought this was the worst of it, you’re in for a surprise, Dynamight.” He turned back to you, his gaze like a vulture eyeing its prey. “She didn’t just hide her quirk from you, or hide who she was. No, she faked her death.”

Bakugo’s eyes snapped to you, the fury and confusion in his gaze sharp enough to cut through steel. “You were the hero that died in the car accident?” 

Moretti’s laugh echoed around the room, harsh and mocking. “Yes, indeed. That little stunt she pulled after her so-called ‘hero career’ ended. She made everyone believe she was dead—her friends, her family, even the people she’d worked with. But the truth is, she’s been hiding from me. Hiding because she knows I’ll never stop hunting her. Not while I’m still breathing.”

Your heart hammered in your chest. This was worse than you could have imagined. Moretti was unraveling everything you’d fought so hard to bury. Every secret, every lie, coming to the surface in the worst way possible.

Bakugo’s gaze never left you, his expression a mixture of disbelief, anger, and hurt. “Why?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I had no choice,” you said, your voice trembling despite your best efforts to stay calm. “Moretti was looking for me. He had connections everywhere. I couldn’t let him find me, so I made them believe I was dead. I had to disappear. I couldn’t risk anyone else getting hurt.”

He leaned closer, his grin widening. “Your precious Nova here is the reason I rotted in prison for six years. She testified against me. She took everything from me.”

You struggled against the ropes, your voice steady despite the tremble in your body. “You don’t deserve to find her. After everything you’ve done, after all the lives you’ve destroyed, she’s better off without you.”

Moretti’s smile disappeared, replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “You don’t get to decide that.”

Bakugo snarled, thrashing against his restraints. “You touch her, and I’ll kill you. I swear to god, I’ll rip you apart!”

Moretti glanced at him, amused. “Oh, its not her you should be worried about Dynamight. No, I’ll break her—piece by piece— as she watches, until she tells me what I want to know.”

He straightened, motioning to the guard still holding the syringe. “And when she does, I’ll kill her anyway. After all, she’s the reason I lost everything. Call it poetic justice.”

The guard stepped closer to Bakugo, gripping his arm, and panic surged through you. “Moretti, if you hurt him, you’ll never find her,” you said quickly, your voice rising.

That gave him pause. He raised a hand, signaling the guard to stop, and turned to you with narrowed eyes. 

“You know I’m the only one who knows where she is,” you said, forcing yourself to keep calm. “If you kill him—or push me too far—you’ll lose any chance of finding her. Forever.”

Moretti’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. He leaned in close, his voice a low growl. “Then start talking. Or I’ll make sure you wish I’d killed you instead.”

Beside you, Bakugo’s crimson eyes blazed with rage and desperation. “Don’t tell him anything!” he shouted. “He’s lying—he’ll kill you no matter what!”

But you weren’t ready to give up. Not yet. You had to play this carefully, or neither of you would make it out alive.

Taking a deep breath, you looked up at him. “She’s dead.” 

Moretti froze, his eyes narrowing, his hand still suspended in the air, ready to give another order. The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Bakugo's furious protests faded into the background as Moretti processed your words.

“What did you just say?” Moretti’s voice was low, dangerously calm.

You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to hold your ground. “She’s dead. Milly’s gone.”

Moretti’s gaze turned icy, a flicker of disbelief flashing across his features. “You’re lying,” he hissed. “You’re just trying to buy yourself time.”

But the raw edge of fear in his eyes gave him away. He was already questioning everything.

“I’m not lying,” you said, your voice unwavering despite the terror clawing at your chest. “I knew you’d come for her. After I received your little ‘gift,’ I realized I had to act. She didn’t deserve a life with you as her father, so I did what had to be done.”

Moretti’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. “What are you talking about? What did you do?”

“She’s in a place now where you’ll never reach her,” you continued, your words cold, resolute. “A place where you can’t hurt her anymore.”

Moretti’s expression twisted into a snarl. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”

The room seemed to grow colder at the intensity of Moretti’s roar. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, and his breathing quickened as his eyes locked onto you, as if trying to burn a hole through you with sheer force of will.

You held his gaze, knowing full well what you had just said would push him beyond the edge. “I did what I had to do,” you repeated, your voice firm even as your heart hammered in your chest. “She’s gone, Moretti. I made sure she was safe. You will never find her. No one will. She’s in a place where you can’t touch her anymore.”

Moretti’s chest heaved, his anger mounting with each word you spoke. “No,” he spat, his voice low and dangerous. “No, you didn’t. You didn’t do this. You didn’t kill my daughter.”

“I did,” you said, the weight of your lies sinking deep into your chest. “I made sure she was free of you. From your cruelty, your obsession. I couldn’t let her grow up under the shadow of someone like you. You’re a monster, Moretti. And she didn’t deserve that life.”

Moretti’s face twisted in fury, his eyes wild with disbelief. He took a step toward you, the threat of violence hanging in the air. “You’re lying. You’re lying to protect yourself. Tell me where she is. NOW.”

The guard, still holding Bakugo's arm, prepared the needle, but you hadn't noticed. You were focused on Moretti—the man who had destroyed so many lives, including his own daughter’s. You didn’t back down.

“She’s gone, Moretti,” you repeated, your voice colder now. “I ended her suffering. And now you’ll never get your hands on her. Not now, not ever.”

The silence in the room was suffocating, thick with the heavy realization settling in Moretti’s mind. His jaw clenched, his muscles trembling with barely contained rage, but there was something else there, something darker: desperation. He had nothing left to hold onto.

“You think I’ll let you get away with this?” he growled, taking another step forward, his hand reaching out as if to strike you. But something in your eyes, something in your stance, seemed to hold him at bay. For a brief moment, the fury in his eyes faltered.

“You already lost her,” you said, your voice low, cold with the finality of it all. “And now, the only thing left to you is vengeance.”

The guard beside Bakugo glanced nervously at Moretti, who was seething with rage, but it was clear he was struggling to process the depth of what you had just said. His emotions were a storm, a swirl of grief and anger, confusion and disbelief.

“Take her down the hall,” Moretti commanded, his voice sharp and final as the guard moved from Bakugo to your side.

You glanced over at Bakugo, watching his face twist in confusion and fury as he processed the weight of your words. His protests grew louder, his anger mounting with each passing second. But the guard was relentless, yanking you to your feet and dragging you toward the door.

You didn’t know if you’d ever see Bakugo again, but in that moment, you knew this was the only way. Moretti would stop at nothing to get what he wanted—he’d torture you until you spoke. So, you had given him the answer he was desperate for.

Now, all you could do was hope. Hope that while Moretti took his time with you, it would give Bakugo the chance to escape, to find a way out before it was too late.

---

TAGLIST: @emmaafinchh@faetoraa@iissza@theasgardianmexican @cax-per

[lovelynim]

Pocky Day

Genshin Impact - Lyney x Aether

A/N: I know I'm a few days late, but I'm at the end of my semester, so be nice to me and let this one slide off

Summary: Lyney shows Aether his new magic trick

Word count: 827 words

“Traveler ~” Lyney sang, waving his hand high above his head as he spotted Aether. The Serenitea Pot wasn’t that large, but the pocket dimension seemed to be big enough to make their encounters a little harder than Lyney expected - not to mention the other people wandering around from time to time.

Having his attention picked by Lyney’s voice, Aether turned his head back and watched Lyney approaching him with a happy facade while holding something behind his back. What would he be up to this time, the traveler thought.

“Did you call me, Lyney?” Aether said, leaning his back on the couch’s back while watching Lyney walking around to stand in front of him, winking charmingly at him.

“Of course I did, mon chéri,” the magician continued, now holding whatever it was behind his back with both hands. “I came up with a new magic trick and you happen to be the perfect assistant to help me practice it, so here I am, asking for your aid.”

Aether rolled his eyes with a soft chuckle. He and Lyney had been getting… a little closer since he arrived in Fontaine. It was hard to tell when the magician was flirting for real with him or just jesting to keep their relationship interesting, but Aether liked the casualty of the whole thing. Right now, he couldn’t tell which one it was - truth to be told, it was always hard to know what was going on inside Lyney’s mind.

Sighing, Aether stood up, lazily stretching his arms as if to get prepared for the upcoming action. “Alright, what do I have to do?” The traveler asked, noticing how his words made Lyney beam with excitement.

The magician finally revealed what he had in his hands: a pocky box. He had heard of a new candy getting popular among the people in Fontaine, but didn’t have the chance to try one for himself yet. “A pocky?”

“My dear, isn’t it too soon to jump to conclusions?” Lyney scolded him lightheartedly, shaking his head in “disapproval”. “I didn’t even have time to set up the stage, why such a hurry?”

“Fine,” Aether muttered, crossing his arms, waiting for the magician to continue. Lyney, making sure to put up a whole performance around each and every act, pulled one pocky from the box, looking to Aether.

“Now, my dearest assistant, say ‘ahhh’ to me,” Lyney cooed, holding the pocky in front of Aether’s lips with the tip of his fingers. The traveler blushed slightly, swallowing dry as he tried to ignore the way his heart skipped a bit seeing Lyney like that in front of him.

“A-ahh…” But he obeyed, nonetheless. Lyney carefully placed the candy inside his mouth, letting him taste the sweet chocolate of the pocky. Aether hummed happily with half of the pocky hanging out of his mouth while Lyney tossed the box away.

“Now, for my next trick,” Lyney said, grinning, “I’ll make the pocky disappear! Don’t blink or you might miss it,” he announced and Aether raised an eyebrow.

Was that some kind of prank? Would Lyney make the pocky turn into a flor or something like that? It was hard to figure out how he would make it vanish from his lips, but that should be something within his skills as a magician.

“In one… two…” Lyney began to count and Aether looked down to the pocky’s end sticking out of his mouth, ready to catch any action - or magic - that was about to unfold before his eyes. “Three!”

As the countdown ended, Lyney quickly cupped Aether’s cheeks with his hands, pulling the traveler a bit forward and pressing his lips against his, kissing him gently, but briefly. Before Aether could protest - or even process the whole act - a small ‘crack’ noise echoed from between their mouths as Lyney bit the exposed end of the pocky, quickly munching it and, indeed, making it disappear.

“Ta-da! ~” Lyney cheered, taking a step back while Aether nearly choked with the other half of the pocky.

When he finally managed to swallow it, he felt the heat reach his face, now able to realize the whole thing. “D-don’t just ‘ta-da’ me, w-what was that?”

“Oho, mon chéri, you should already know a magician never reveals his tri- w-woah!” Before he could finish his usual saying, Aether grabbed him by his wrist, pulling Lyney down to the couch with him.

“You little brat,” Aether scolded, trying to sound angry despite the blushing mess he was, eagerly digging into Lyney’s sides and tickling over his stomach to ‘punish’ him for his trick, “do you think it’s funny to fluster me like this?” 

“A-AhahAHa, t-trahahahaveler! WahAHait, i-it wahahas just a jehehest!” Lyney laughed, wrapping one of his arms around his own torso while trying to push Aether’s hand away with the other. “N-nohoho neehehed for thihihs!”

Aether huffed, not convinced by Lyney’s excuse, but he couldn’t deny: that was, indeed, a good magic trick.

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: daily transits 9/27

Friday, 9/27, brings a focus on romance and relationships, with early morning aspects highlighting both passionate connections and potential conflicts. A playful sextile between the Leo Moon and Libra Sun creates a warm, romantic atmosphere at the start of the day, but emotional tension rises as the Moon squares Venus in intense Scorpio. Later in the evening, a Venus–Jupiter sesquiquadrate advises caution in matters of love and indulgence, as the desire for instant gratification may lead to complications down the road.

Aries Rising Early romantic feelings may be exciting, but the tension will rise as intense emotions surface, especially around personal values or shared resources. Be cautious about impulsively pushing for what you want in relationships today—moderation is key, particularly when dealing with money or intimacy.

Taurus Rising The day begins with romantic vibes in your 4th house of home and family, but conflict could arise within your close relationships. You may feel pulled between your desire for harmony and the need to address deeper emotional concerns. Resist the urge to control the situation, and practice patience in conversations.

Gemini Rising Playful communication lights up your morning, but emotional intensity could soon follow, especially in your interactions with co-workers or siblings. Keep your expectations in check, as trying to get immediate clarity or results will likely cause friction. Allow time for deeper understanding to emerge naturally.

Cancer Rising Romantic energy boosts your sense of self-worth, but an emotional clash over money or values could arise later. You may feel the need to spend or indulge impulsively, but avoid letting this lead to future regret. Instead, focus on long-term stability, especially in financial or romantic matters.

Leo Rising You start the day feeling confident and radiant, but emotional turbulence might stir up conflict in personal relationships. Be mindful of how your desire for affection clashes with deeper unresolved issues. Avoid rushing for emotional satisfaction—slow down and address the underlying concerns.

Virgo Rising A light-hearted mood may give way to intense feelings brewing beneath the surface, especially around unresolved matters in your subconscious or private life. Old emotional patterns might rise to the surface. Don’t force immediate solutions; instead, let things simmer and focus on inner healing before confronting others.

Libra Rising Romantic interactions with friends or within your social circle feel uplifting early on, but financial or value-based conflicts could emerge later. You may be tempted to overspend or overcommit in relationships. Take a step back before making any big decisions. Keep things balanced to avoid future regret.

Scorpio Rising You’re magnetic and commanding early on, especially in your career or public life, but emotional intensity in your personal relationships could clash with your professional goals. Resist the urge to dominate conversations or control outcomes. Practice restraint, particularly in areas where your reputation is involved.

Sagittarius Rising Excitement for new experiences and connections may arise, but emotional intensity surrounding your beliefs or future plans could create tension later. You might feel the need to have all the answers now, but pushing too hard could create unnecessary pressure. Stay open to learning and let things unfold gradually.

Capricorn Rising Early flirtation and romantic energy may focus on shared finances or intimate partnerships, but emotional intensity surrounding trust or control could stir up conflict later. Avoid jumping to conclusions or seeking immediate results. Instead, focus on the long-term depth of your bonds, allowing space for trust to grow.

Aquarius Rising Romantic energy with partners or close friends lights up your morning, but deep emotional needs around control or power dynamics may create friction later. You may feel tempted to push for clarity or reassurance, but resist acting too hastily. Let time smooth over any disagreements before taking action.

Pisces Rising Playful energy in your work or daily routines may start the day, but emotional tension could build over unresolved health or work-related concerns. Avoid the temptation to seek quick fixes, especially in relationships with co-workers or loved ones. Focus on finding balance and harmony, allowing things to evolve naturally.

follow for more astro insights like this and head on over to @quenysefields or my etsy --> sensualnoiree to grab my new astrology guidebook on reading your own natal chart :)

[trulybetty]

Sunday | Week In Review I

So in order to try and be consistent with this, I’ve kept a running Notes page open to keep track of my week.

As I mentioned last week, I don’t expect this every week, I am me. But I am going to keep trying to make an effort to support my fellow creators.

If there’s something you’ve enjoyed this week, please feel to reblog this and tag me so I can check it out and share 💙

Also, not that I feel it needs to be said, but this is a reflection of what I have personally read and enjoyed.

B x

Truly Betty Updates This Week���

New York Part I (Marcus Pike x f!reader)

Fics I Enjoyed This Week…

Conversations with a Movie Star | Chapter 1 by @gnpwdrnwhiskey Even if you’re not a fan of Dieter Bravo, the dialogue in this alone is worth checking out this opening chapter for this new fic. Ava is an OFC down on her luck after being fired, from her families paper no less, and has stumbled across the Bravo Inn… I’ll let Lellen’s writing do the rest

Stripper Jack Trilogy | P. III by @psychedelic-ink The conclusion of maybe the definitive trilogy of trilogies? I don’t think anyone had Stripper Jack on their 2023 bingo cards, but he’s earned his space and I won’t have any arguments on it. 

Hungry Hearts | Chapter by @atinylittlepain Not many Joel AU’s I’ll jump into, but Bruce Springsteen and Joel Miller? Signed myself the fuck up for that as soon as it was announced. The unfolding of Joel and Cherry's relationship in the summer of '86 against them running back into one another 17 years later is such a great dynamic. 

Fall Apart Again | Chapter 1 + 2 by @wildemaven Heidi spoiled us this week, with not one, but TWO chapters of her new Joel fanfic. I don’t think I’ve gotten so emotional over an opening chapter to a fic before like I did with this one! Then the second chapter? Just bury me now… but actually don’t, I want to see the end of this fic first!

The Layover | Chapter 9 by @goodwithcheese How did Megan describe her fanfics? Hallmark movies with smut? She's not wrong. This whole series so far has been a rollercoaster of emotions and keeps delivering each week without fail. Not only are you rooting for Reader + Frankie, but Jules and Santiago anyone? Or maybe just Jules herself because she's just the boss.

Late Night Texts | Chapter 9 by @mvtthewmurdvck I think it's safe to say it's fanfics like Late Night Texts that have got me back in my rom-com/hopeless romantic era. I don't want to give too much away if you've not had the pleasure of reading this - but it has all the hallmarks of a good rom-com set on the backdrop of the early 2000s and with Javier Peña. If you're like me and still trying to make your way through Narcos or haven't watched it yet - please don't let it stop you, you won't be sorry!

A Little FaceTime by @stardustandskycrystals I’m still thinking about this fic days later and may have gone back to read it again. Trust me, just read this - you don’t need an explanation or reason, just read it. Even if Javi isn’t your jam (wasn’t on my list before, that’s all changed now) - it won’t disappoint!

Things I’m Looking Forward to Starting…

Decoherence by @prolix-yuy Westworld and Jack ‘Agent Whiskey’ Daniels crossover, yes, please! It is also reminding me that I never finished season one and should do something about it…

Pleased to Meet You by @intheorangebedroom This is a constant on my dash and on my TBR pile for a while with so many good comments - also getting into my Frankie era, so it’s perfect timing!

The Pilot & His Girl by @avastrasposts Been waiting to savour this one! So you’ve got the Last of Us and you’ve got Triple Frontier, two of my favourite things… what happens when you mush them together? You get a wild ride through the outbreak with Frankie & Reader - I cannot wait to get into this!

Visiting by @ladamedusoif This is another regular on my dash and on my TBR that I’m hoping to get stuck into this week. A college AU of Mr. Ben from the SNL sketch. Fully fleshed out and on the backdrop of New England, I’m ready to get swept away with this promise of a slow burn.

The House by @gemmahale A Jack Daniels x OFC (Best Friend) series coming soon focusing on a long-lost friendship, an inheritance, and Jack sounding like the scallion he is? Cannot wait.

Posts I Enjoyed This Week…

@rhoorl’s announcement of their Triple Frontier AU, Delta Landscaping with mood board and logo! The residents of Tumblr won’t know what’s hit the neighbourhood when they roll into town! 

Thanks to @gnpwdrnwhiskey I will never look at baby hippos without thinking of Dieter Bravo

Everyone’s participation in the WIP poll tag game, it was so fun to see my dash just filled with so many creative people and so many amazing ideas! It was a neat peek into everyone’s draft folders!

Things I’ve Enjoyed This Week…

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - FINALLY got to see it this week, and it did not disappoint. Have not stopped thinking about it since!

My rom-com era has returned, and I’m deep into embracing my forgotten love of a good rom-com. So far this week it’s been The Lake House, You’ve Got Mail & Always Be My Baby. Also it gave way to a Keanu Reeves appreciation post, come share your favourite Keanu!

This Week’s Song… Went waaaayyyy back for this one, an amazing album too - the Sterephonics are one of my favourite bands of all time 🩶

Hope everyone has a great Sunday & here's to a new week!

Please feel free to share your own favourites from the week or what you're looking forward to this week - not a tag game, so no pressure for you to share if you're not feeling it ❤️ xx

[sonkitty]

The Sideburns Scheme Post #53

(For reference: The Sideburns Scheme)

Crowley, Good Omens 2, Episode 4, The Hitchhiker, bomb

...

Sideburns Check

The sideburns are short.

In the present day, short sideburns trend toward the "human" reading. They show up in the coffee shop in episode 1, after a drive finishes in every episode, and when Crowley crosses the street with Aziraphale during the day in episodes 1, 2, and 5. The short sideburns show up with Muriel literally lying about being human.

Short sideburns do not trend toward the "human" reading in this minisode.

Short sideburns trend toward the "supernatural" reading this minisode.

I haven't figured out everything in this minisode, but what I have figured out is that for the theater and the magic shop, Crowley has longer sideburns, whether the space has one human, zero humans, or a lot of humans. These spaces are not the bookshop and not the church.

One of the bigger clues to figuring out short sideburns are the "supernatural" reading is to look at Good Omens season 1, episode 3.

In that episode, the story establishes that Crowley is on consecrated ground. This space knows Crowley is a demon when he has short sideburns; that's why he had to walk down the aisle like his feet were on a hot beach in the flashback of this scene during S1E3. This minisode doesn't show that walk, but I know it happened because I watched season 1. I have to make the jump to that conclusion myself given that knowledge and the other clues within the minisode.

This church also had candles inside. The candles are gone after the bomb goes off, but there are flames from the bomb. Fire will show up with the short sideburns again later.

Basically, this minisode somewhat reverses how the sideburns work compared to the present day. For now, I've looked at it is a test for me as an audience player though I don't really get why the test is here. Does it somehow help throw off the Metatron if he's reading the story? Is it some other reason?

It's not an exact reversal, but I've found enough to think that's generally what is happening. I've seen switches happen during the story and during the games, so it looks plausible too.

...

Brighter Red Streak Check

There is no more saturated red streak of hair since Crowley keeps his hat on during this part.

...

Hairstyle Changes

Hairstyle changes are not applicable since this scene is the first in the minisode.

Earthly Objects

(For reference: Earthly Objects)

Crowley might be considered to have a miracle touch on the bomb itself that drops. Greta is holding a gun.

After the bomb goes off, Crowley is touching his sunglasses and a kerchief to clean them. Aziraphale removes his hat. He had not been wearing one but presumably put it back on somewhere along the way.

Crowley touches the bag that stores all the books in it and asks the question, "Lift home?"

In season 1, the pass from Crowley's hand to Aziraphale's was shown with a touch, but that does not happen in this minisode. The camera is focusing on the dying Nazis.

Then it is shown that Aziraphale is holding both the bag of books and his hat.

...

For paying attention to the pockets...

Crowley's gesture upward to indicate the bomb is on its way basically pockets himself between his hands and raised fingers, especially the hat. His tongue is visible in the gesture too.

The closest thing he gets to an Overhead Light is that some flame visibly above Crowley's left ear when Crowley moves to grab the bag with the books in it. The flame is with the statue behind Aziraphale.

...

Story Commentary

Before this scene was one between Aziraphale and Shax in the present day and the actual opening sequence to the episode.

In the present day scene, Aziraphale is shown being more polite to the car by asking for a song. Crowley does not interject, but let's keep in mind that it was when Aziraphale addressed the car about music before that Crowley was shown to tune in with what was happening.

The scene unfolds such that Aziraphale and Shax both end up saying the names "Crowley" and "Gabriel" with Aziraphale eventually revealing to Shax that Gabriel is, indeed, in the bookshop. The conversation also included the name, Furfur, who is a character that will show up later in this minisode.

So, Crowley could have been eavesdropping during the whole exchange, even if the story does not explicitly say he did.

...

To start off the minisode, "London 1941" appears in a font reminiscent of a horror movie over a black and white image of a burning London. I take that as a clue that this story is actually initiating from Crowley's point of view since he's the one who likes movies.

In season 1, episode 3, one of the lines is, "And, if in 30 seconds, a bomb does land here, it would take a real miracle for my friend and I to survive it."

In this scene, the line is changed to, "And if a bomb does land here, it would take a real miracle for my friend and I to survive it."

Why the change? It could be POV, but even if it's not, I can tell you as someone who studies Earthly Objects, that a dialogue point was taken away because the number "30" went missing in the line.

As I've noted in other posts, I think each minisode is supposed to match a horseman of the apocalypse that is not Death. This one is a match to War.

...

As a general FYI, I'm hoping to go through this minisode quickly. This episode is my least favorite since this minisode takes up so much story space within it, and I hate flesh-eating zombies that kill people. A big plot point of this minisode is that it has flesh-eating zombies that kill people.

I still decided the minisodes were worth taking a look this time around, just in case. Plus, we're going to encounter some significant clues about The Door Catch, not to be confused as "The Bullet Catch 2.0".

The Door Catch is linked to a Threshold Trick, The Door Trick, and I believe one of the rules of the Threshold Tricks is, "Never do the same trick twice."

...

That's it for this post. Sometimes I edit my posts, FYI.

...

Main post:

The Sideburns Scheme

[elizaditton]

Too Small To Be Afraid (Chapter 4)

Links:

Cover / Master Post / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

- - - - - - - - - -

I drag my pencil along my paper, trying my best to sketch out Captain Tristen's form. It feels good to be drawing again after all the work it took to move into the new apartment. There's nothing I'd rather be doing right now than drawing Stranded fan art.

A knock on my door catches my attention. I look up from my work to see Dad entering my room with a box tucked under his arm.

"What's that?" I ask, gesturing to the box.

"Just something you'll need for tomorrow," Dad says. "What's that?"

I race to cover my drawing of Captain Tristen with my hands, my face turning red. "Something that's not done yet," I say.

Dad chuckles, setting the box on my bed. 'Kaylin Finch' is scrawled across the side in permanent marker.

"But really," I protest. "What is that?"

"You'll just have to open it and find out," Dad says, giving the box a good pat. "I'll be in the other room if you need me." He heads for the door and exits before I get the chance to ask him anything else.

I put my sketchbook and my pencil aside to examine the box on my bed. Why would a box have my full name written on it? Could this be left over from the move? What could possibly be tomorrow that I'd need whatever is in this box for? And why was Dad so quick to leave me alone with this thing?

Peeking at the top of the box, I realize it isn't taped shut, and there are no mail markings. Where did Dad get this? I flip the top open and peer inside. A pair of loafers and a pair of tennis shoes sit atop two gray pieces of fabric. A smile creeps across my face and I let out a sigh of relief. Finally, I've got my uniform for the new school. I'd completely forgotten about orientation day happening tomorrow since we were so busy unpacking. I'm surprised Dad didn't forget, too.

I lift the shoes from their place in the box and examine one of the pieces of fabric underneath. Lifting it up and unfolding it, I find it's a pair of shorts. Must be for gym class. I set them aside and reach for the other piece of fabric in the box. I'm about to unfold what I'm certain is a skirt when the item underneath catches my eye.

Green?

I set the skirt aside. Ascend Human Academy's colors are blue and yellow. What could I possibly need that's green? Confused, I reach for the green fabric and lift it up. Unfolding it, I find it's a blazer.

A blazer?!

How could Dad have gotten the wrong color? Where'd this stuff come from, anyway?!

A golden patch to the right catches my eye. It's embroidered with a shiny, metallic thread. In the center of the patch is a blue circle, containing a set of three red triangles pointed downwards while a yellow circle floats atop each one. The symbol sort of resembles a flower. Or maybe people?

Below this icon is a single line of text embroidered over a faux folded ribbon.

'Pacific Deskmate High School.'

The blazer falls out of my shaking hands. A deskmate school?! There must be some kind of mistake!

I grab the blazer, jump off my bed, and race down the hall. I find Dad in the living room, sitting on the couch working with his laptop. He pushes up his glasses and looks up at me, smiling.

"So, did you open the box?" he asks.

"Dad," I say, holding up the blazer and pointing to the golden patch. "Why do I have a blazer for a deskmate school? I'm supposed to be going to Ascend, right?"

Dad frowns and turns away. He rests a hand on his chin and heaves a sigh.

"You see, Kaylin... there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

My insides do a somersault. This can't be happening!

Dad sets his laptop on the table and pats the spot on the couch next to him.

"Come on," he says. "Let's have a talk."

I stay in place for a moment before reluctantly moving towards the couch and plopping myself down in the spot next to Dad.

"I want you to know I've thought long and hard about this," Dad says, "and I ended up coming to the conclusion that stepping outside of your comfort zone and socializing with pertheans at school will be better for you than staying in an all-human school. The only reason I didn't want to pull you from your school before was because I knew that's where all your friends were going."

I cross my arms. All the friends I had at school either moved away from Maedri or transferred to other schools before stage four. I'm not gonna lie, making friends at a school like West Maedri Human Academy was pretty hard. At best, I made a few acquaintances, but most of the people there were snobs. Either way, up until this move, saying I have friends at school has been my one excuse to not be transferred to a public school where they start teaching humans and pertheans in the same classrooms in stage two. But a deskmate school? This is a thousand times worse!

Dad continues, "I regret not letting you have the opportunity to socialize with pertheans as often as you could have if you had just kept going to public school like you did in stage two. I believe I've actually done you a disservice, and for that, I'm sorry."

"A disservice?"

"Yes," Dad says, scooting a little closer. "Look at what not being around pertheans has done to you. You won't look at them, talk to them, or even stand anywhere near them."

"That's because—!"

"I know it's because you're afraid," Dad interrupts, "but your coping strategies are not helping, nor are they working for you. Don't you wish you could just get along with pertheans?"

I look to the floor. I suppose life would be easier if I could 'get along with pertheans,' but it would also be easier if everyone was the same size so we wouldn't have to worry about these things. Then everyone could live above ground together safely.

"I guess," I sigh. "But how is forcing myself to live in fear every day supposed to help me to get over it?"

"I know you're not going to 'get over it' that easily," Dad says. "But I do believe that with exposure and with time, things can get better. Don't you remember anything Mrs. Cherie taught you?"

"Mrs. Cherie?" I ask. Now that's a name I haven't heard in years.

"Mrs. Cherie! Your therapist after—"

"I remember Mrs. Cherie," I interrupt. "But I was too little to remember anything useful from those sessions. All I remember is playing board games."

"Well, then maybe you're due for another round of therapy." Dad puts an arm around my shoulder. "Kaylin, I wouldn't send you to this school if I didn't think it would be good for you. I'm sorry I lied to you about going to Ascend and transferring for work, but I really believe this is what's best for you and that it's going to help you."

I turn to Dad, eyes wide. "What do you mean you lied about transferring for work?"

Dad laughs nervously. "About that..."

"I thought your boss wanted you to transfer here because Chancelor is your hometown," I search his eyes for answers as the pieces start to come together in my mind.

Dad gazes out an artificial window we finally managed to get working this morning. He takes a deep breath, looks to the floor, and then looks back at me.

"I've wanted for you to go to a deskmate school for a long time now, but there weren't any nearby. So, as soon as the company started operating around Chancelor, I put in a request for a transfer."

"So that I could go to a deskmate school?" I ask, my brows twitching.

"Yeah," Dad says. "Although it's not just any deskmate school. This is the one I went to when I was your age," he smiles. "And my deskmate ended up becoming one of the co-principals."

Oh, great! Just what I need, an old friend of my dad's who might know about my fear as one of my new co-principals. What if word gets around that I have a fear? What will I do then?

"Kaylin," Dad says, "just trust me. You'll see this will be good for you. You're in good hands at Pacific."

"I don't want to be in anyone's hands," I protest.

"You know what I mean," Dad says, patting my shoulder.

My fists clench tightly. I stand up, clutching my new blazer, and walk back to my room, leaving Dad alone on the couch.

[writefightandflightclub]

it's almost time for chapter two of ride or die 🤗🤗🤗🥰🥰 I'm readyyyyy.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

Anyways, I have a question for you.

What made you decide on writing the whole story first before posting instead of like everytime you finished a chapter you posted it? Did u write it chronological? Or was there certain scenes you just HAD to write first bc they were making you sleepless? What's the story behind the fic? Did u had the story in mind when u posted that first chapter years ago? Or was the support of the readers asking for a second part the thought that made you go: "I can totally make this a story"?

Sorry if those are a lot of questions....I'm just a curious girl. 🫣 Feel free to not answer me if u don't wanna.

Take care 💜

Lola, you are giving me LIFE.

Thank you for indulging me. My lil writer heart is so happy to receive these questions! 🧡☺️🥹

So, I decided to write the whole series before posting mainly so I could force myself to finish it! I’ve completed some series before by posting chapters on the fly… but I also have others which are unfinished with the concluding parts languishing in my drafts. So, I really wanted to know this was DONE, in part so I could escape the pressure / guilt (self-imposed) which sometimes comes with winging it. But also so I could give a satisfying conclusion to anyone who chose to kindly invest their precious time in it.

As well, omg. I felt so wrapped up with these characters that I sorta wanted to write their story free of external comments and perspectives. I felt like there were specific places I wanted them to go, and I wonder, if I had been responding to comments as the story was still unfolding, might I have started second guessing things or taking it in a different direction? And don’t get me wrong, comments are my FAVE thing, I live for hearing all the different takes and interpretations, and feedback has been endlessly helpful and meaningful to me. I’m grateful for every single one! I just sorta wanted to let the characters in my head have first dibs on where they wanted to go this time, you know?! ☺️ An honestly, most of the time I have NO IDEA where I’m going with something, but this time I had a little bit more of an idea of the arc I wanted, and so this made sense.

Practically, it was also so I could get the continuity right from chapter to chapter. A later moment might change my perspective on an earlier scene, and if I posted outright I wouldn’t have had the flexibility to make changes.

On that note, the flexibility turned out to be needed. Some things even changed pretty last minute.

I definitely didn’t write it chronologically. I jump around a lot when I write. It’s CHAOS!!!

Tbh, I never had any continuation or larger story in mind when this started, and I fully credit all of the wonderful readers of that one-shot for this being a thing AT ALL beyond that! Chapter 1, in its OG form, was actually my first EVER Santiago one shot, and I loved the pairing so much that, with encouragement, I resolved to do a “part 2”!

However, their situation is actually so complicated that it… wouldn’t resolve quickly, yk?! The characters needed more space to breathe and grow (and to go through some stuff). And so now it’s LONG. It just… expanded as the characters pushed it apart.

I had a blast 🤣🤣🤣

In terms of scenes that were making me sleepless? Hmm. I spent a LOT of time thinking and pondering and playing out variations in my head. A LOT. There’s a flashback scene I was itching to write for a very tender moment contained in it (that chapter is far too long gah). And there’s a scene between Santi and Frankie that’s a real highlight for me.

Also, I cried MANY times while writing this agshsjajshahkahshsjjaj.

Thank you so much for being so sweet and being interested. I can’t tell you how much it means, fr. 🥹🧡

[mapmydestination123]

Top 10 Places to Visit in Rishikesh

Introduction

Rishikesh, nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, is not just a destination; it's an experience. From spiritual retreats to thrilling adventures, this quaint town on the banks of the Ganges has something for everyone.

Places to Visit in Rishikesh in One Day

For those on a tight schedule, Rishikesh offers a condensed yet enchanting experience. Start your day with a visit to the iconic Triveni Ghat, where spirituality meets the rhythmic flow of the Ganges. Follow it up with a trek to the breathtaking Neer Garh Waterfall, ensuring Map MyDestination is your guide.

Romantic Escapade: Places for Couples

Couples seeking a romantic getaway won't be disappointed. The Beatles Ashram, with its serene surroundings, is perfect for a leisurely stroll. As the sun sets, head to the Laxman Jhula Bridge, where the hues of the evening create a magical atmosphere.

Two-Day Itinerary in Rishikesh

Extend your stay for a richer experience. Day two can include an adventurous river rafting expedition, starting at Marine Drive. Explore the ancient Kunjapuri Devi Temple for a spiritual touch, and let Map MyDestination navigate your journey seamlessly.

Things to Do in Rishikesh

Beyond sightseeing, Rishikesh caters to the adrenaline junkie. Engage in bungee jumping at Jumpin Heights or experience the thrill of zip-lining. Map My Destination ensures you never miss a beat when seeking these thrilling escapades.

Outstation Cab Booking: Your Travel Companion

When exploring beyond Rishikesh, outstation cab booking becomes crucial. Ensure a smooth transition from one destination to another, allowing you to focus on the journey, not logistics.

Outstation Taxi Service Near Me

Convenience is key, and having an outstation taxi service nearby provides peace of mind. No more delays or uncertainties; your adventure begins right at your doorstep.

Best One-Way Taxi Options

Opting for one-way taxis offers flexibility and cost savings. Choose the best one-way taxi for your journey, and let the road unfold before you.

Intercity Cab Booking Made Easy

Seamless intercity travel is a breeze with cab booking services. Map MyDestination assists in charting the best routes for a hassle-free journey.

Car Hire for Outstation Explorations

For personalized travel experiences, consider renting a car. Enjoy the freedom to explore hidden gems at your pace, with Map MyDestination guiding the way.

Outstation Cab Service Near Me

Locating a reliable outstation cab service nearby ensures a stress-free start to your journey. Convenience and accessibility redefine your travel experience.

Cab Sharing for Outstation Trips

For eco-conscious travelers, cab sharing is a responsible choice. Save costs and reduce your carbon footprint as you embark on a shared adventure.

Conclusion

Rishikesh, with its blend of spirituality and adventure, is a destination that leaves an indelible mark. Whether you're a solo traveler, a couple seeking romance, or a group of friends on an adventure spree, Rishikesh caters to all. With Map My Destination as your trusty guide, explore the beauty and excitement this town has to offer.

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[hellsingmongrel]

Honestly, wherever you start.  All three versions have their own pros and cons and all are great in their own ways.  I personally feel the Manga is the best version, but almost all of us started our Trigun journey with the 98 anime when we were kids, and it’s a pretty lighthearted way to break into things, at first.

At the same time, it’s aged a bit by today’s standards and might not be your cup of tea, and is tonally very different from the new series and the manga, which both run a lot darker and less goofy.  The animation in the new one is amazing, though you’ll have to be content with only getting part of the story because we’ve only got one season of a multi-season story so far.  And if you start with the manga, you can get the entire story, but that would spoil so much for the new series before we see it unfold on screen, even if events happen a bit differently, and it will leave you wondering where the rest of the story went at the end of the 98 anime because that was finished long before the manga was, so had to take its own road to a conclusion.

In the end, whichever way you start doesn’t really matter too much.  They’re all really good and you’re in for a wild, crazy, unexpectedly emotional ride.  Don’t have time for a full anime or to read the full manga?  Start with Stampede.  Like reading manga before you get into an anime?  Start there.  Want to get a full story without the time commitment or spoiler territory of the manga?  Go with 98.

Or, you could always just watch Badlands Rumble as a sort of jumping into the deep end with only a roughly two-hour commitment.  You’ll meet people out of order, but the animation for that is far superior to the 98 anime, though it’s visually in the same Universe (even if there’s speculation that it’s not technically in the same canon as the anime?  My brain just defaults to saying it is, the differences are so minute that it really can be seen as a part of the story that we hadn’t had a chance to see before just told a little late.)

All the different versions will give you a different flavor of Vash, but at the core, they are all very much the same character just seen through different lenses, so don’t let that bother you too much.  He’s the most important element, and all of them have been almost perfect for what point they’re trying to show him at, even if the old anime and Badlands Rumble give him a bit of a stereotypical-90′s-anime-hero pervy side.  Just ignore that and tell yourself he’s doing it to make people think he’s an idiot and ignore him, and it makes it less irritating.

so if i wanted to get into trigun where would i start

[henqtic]

fluttery . xavier thorpe x black!reader . wc: 2514.

continuation of my only girl.

i also decided to write this part with you / your pronouns just because i feel like it’s just be better when writing mostly fluff. it just feels like you’re more there more, you know?

note: the beginning is sort of filler ( i adore filler ) but if you don't, just go to where it says the gift . . . !

·:*₊‧ masterlist . taglist form . request works . ·:*₊‧✩

opening . . . 

After what happened in his art shed that night, the thing Xavier had been planning to gift to you had become more of an. . . afterthought of sorts.

Not that it wasn’t important or anything – it was initially how he was going to tell you, or rather show you how he had been feeling. But since everything found its way unfolding all on its own, he felt as though it would’ve been overwhelming in a way.

His sketchbook had been an outlet for him, not anything like the other where it was sweet and just things that came to mind. It was about his relationship, or therefore lack of with his father. 

How his mental health restricted so much of him. It went from doing what he wanted to do to feeling how he wanted to feel. Overwhelming insecurities and distrustments that led to him letting a lot of good things pass him right by.

But he wasn’t going to let you slip away, within the millicencond your hands found their way in his hair that night, he made it official.

For every page right in the eye of the spinning hurricane of his mind, was one centering his feelings about you. It was like a diary, a diary that had [ your name ] written in sparkly pink ink with hearts around it. Its existence and the circumstances he used it under, was the reason you had felt so differently that night, and jumped to the worst possible conclusion.

He wanted to share it with you, to explain everything in a way he had never even attempted to before. But it would have been so much all at once.

So he didn’t plan on giving it to you for at least two weeks afterwards, and then those weeks passed, and then the next pair, and the ones after that. And then it just faded away.

He was much too preoccupied with what was in front of his face.

Because it was you.

Your lips, and your hair and your voice, your smile, smell, touch, everything about you was just within fingertips reach. There wasn’t anymore angst or weary about whether or not a boundary in your friendship was liable to be overstepped.

Just simply yearning to get impossibly closer.

That was his favorite part.

The fact that he didn’t completely give up his best friend and that relationship, but finding new things that made you even more inseparable.

You didn't hold back or hesitate anymore. Knitting your fingers together while walking to classes, doing homework, or lying down.

There were mandatory goodbye, hello, and ‘just because you looked very kissable’ kisses. And mindlessly tapping the beat of the music playing through your headphones on to his legs, never noticing the blush that would infiltrate his neck and ears.

Or especially late night when he’d sneak in through your window - your hands never leaving his skin.

Past times were filled with his head snuggled into the crook of your neck, your manicured nails running smooth on his scalp until soft and rhythmic tufts of breath would let you know he’d fallen asleep on top of you.

His lips on the supple skin of your neck, not stopping until a pretty [ purplish / reddish ] hue was speckled all around. He’d spend hours on them if he could. And each and every time he debated whether or not it would show with the uniform; plotted really, conveniently misplacing your concealer in different spots every morning until you started hiding it from him.

For the past four months, you weren’t sure if you had been participating in meaningful conversation with others, or just looking right through them to find each other. And after the first actual big argument, and the tears, and the ignoring, and then bouncing back even better, he decided that there wasn't a better time to finally give it to you.

the gift . . . 

Getting a text from Xavier early in the morning had become a part of your routine, just a simple good morning and an offer of a plate of breakfast to be brought up to your dorm, or a companion to walk to the dining hall with. 

This morning, though, he sounded a little more hostile; don’t wear shoes you love, old sweater, dark jeans, not the flares. You’ll be upset with me if you mess them up, love you.

When you responded with nothing but a few question marks, he said that it was a surprise and just to go with it. So you did, allowing him to place his hands over your eyes the minute you reached the woods, with the hopes that he wasn’t planning on throwing you in some lake.

No lake, just a puddle. Some upturned roots, rocks hidden underneath leaves, and a few odd looking mushrooms – not that you’d know, he hadn’t let you see anything in about ten minutes and narrated the whole way.

It was a bubbly adventure, to say the least, attempting to stay upright and still keep it all a secret. He was like a direction blind GPS, the only one in your pair who knew where you were going and still somehow giving himself the worst possible directions.

So, when he finally came to a halt that wasn't followed by a sharp breath, your voice was eager, “Can I please open my eyes now?”

“Uhh,” Xavier drawled as he kept his palms in place, tapping his fingers on your face – you could almost feel the smirk on his lips.

He wildly turned your body in a circle — this way, that way; like a birthday girl getting ready to hit the piñata, laughs breaking out from your stomachs.

A curse was muttered under his breath as he almost lost his footing. You stumbled backward, grabbing onto his sweater tightly, not having much faith that this time wouldn’t be the one where he finally made you both fall on your faces.

“Xavier. If you twist our ankles I’ll never even look at you again,” you threaten lightly, your back flat against his broad chest.

“I won’t twist our ankles baby — ”

“Mhm.”

“Mhm? How about I make it up to you by giving you your sense of sight back?” He offered teasingly, tilting his head down so that his cool breath blew on you, taking the way the fat of your cheeks rose and warmed like a ready cake as a yes.

You blinked rapidly, adjusting to the light as he uncovered your eyes.

He decided that the most appropriate way to give you the gift was as a surprise.

You love surprises. As tedious as they may be, surprise doodles on your arms, surprise kisses, surprise dates, surprise gifts, and hopefully, this surprise would end like all of its predecessors.

Today was a nice day. Sunday, and thankfully, there weren’t any classes scheduled for tomorrow. 

The sun shined exceptionally bright, just to spite the cool wind making the trees sing. The grass was just the right amount of rained on so that it wasn't stiff and sharp, but it wouldn’t leave mud stains on your pants.

It was the perfect spot, littered with beauty he’d never seen in the town before. There were fields of bluebells around in some parts of the grass, along with daisies, mums, and some other flowers he didn’t know the name of. Maybe it was abandoned by the gardening club?

He actually didn’t even know of a gardening club at Nevermore so maybe he was a part of the reason why it potentially got disbanded. Either way, he was happy to see that everything looked nearly untouched. The little date was set up in a clearing by a tree.

“This place is so beautiful,” you looked around in awe of the blooming nature before anything else, gleaming at the setup once noticed.

Two canvases were waiting in front of you, much smaller than his usual ones, paint brushes, acrylic paints, mason jars of water, and a particularly sharp pencil if you created something that needed it.

You continued holding onto his forearms, loosening your grip so that you could turn around and show him your wide grin.

“Xavier Thorpe. Have you decided to reopen my drawing lessons after a full year. . . and a month?”

He was smiling just as, if not more radiantly than you were. Boyish dimples prominent on his cheeks, happy at your excitement at it all. His mouth opened, moved, and closed as if it’d forgotten how to formulate words.

“Yeah. I decided that since I’m such a kind and forgiving boyfriend, I should give you another chance. Even after you not only almost got yourself but two other people mangled by a killer creature.”

He nearly rethought his decision altogether after saying the last sentence with some desperation.

"Oh please, Dabeer wasn’t even that bad, just a little you know, feisty.”

Your attempt at reasoning made a look of disgust riddle his face.

“You gave that thing a name?”

“I gave him a name. He only started rampaging when you said ‘Jesus that thing is ugly.’ You gotta learn to be more sensitive Xavier.”

You scoffed half-heartedly as he shook his head, pushing his chest away lightly and making a run towards the tree.

A bunny had nestled itself in the flowers right in front of your date, peaceful and sleeping, and just the thing you needed to jumpstart your little contest.

It was a thrown game, obviously, he could outdraw, paint, sculpt, and whatever other artistic secrets he had, anyone in Jericho. So he gave you a ten minute head start, most of it just being him looking up the anatomy of a bunny.

“Okay so on the count of three we reveal.”

“One. . . two. . . three!”

Compared to his, yours looked . . . subpar. As expected.

He’d taken it upon himself to draw a bouquet alongside the animal, already animating them just enough for the wind outside to blow them around too.

Yours, on the other hand, was unfinished and very. . . fun looking, to say the least. That was literally the only adjective he could come up with before he hid his face behind his canvas to laugh.

“Stop it, you’re making him feel bad,” you frowned, turning over the painting to take a second look at the animal.

“I’m sorry babe, just- look at it. It looks more like a kangaroo with a deformity than it does a sleeping bunny.”

“You know what?" You challenged with a gleam in your eyes, “I’m gonna take a picture of this and ask people what they think it is. Because it does look like an adorable normal bunny and not something painted by an overachiever.”

“Is it really overachieving if I’m just naturally better?”

You rolled your eyes at the cockiness radiating off of him. Starting to fish for your phone somewhere in your bag, giving him the perfect chance to grab the box from out of his and sit it in the space in between your bodies.

“Here it is,” you exclaimed, opening the camera app, then immediately dropping it right back into the abyss of your tote bag once your attention landed on the neatly wrapped box instead.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a gift.”

“Well yeah it’s a gift, but I didn’t get you anything,” your features softened, “I thought I was gonna be able to beat you to the next date.”

“Don’t feel bad, it's actually the one I was gonna give you when you first came by the art shed.” A breathy laugh followed.

Your eyes illuminated by as you recalled the memory.

“Why are you just now giving it to me then?"

“Well, just open it. I’ll explain.”

Your eyes followed him for a moment, lifting the top of the box. Inside was a familiar sketchbook. With fraying corners, leather wasting away in some places, and filled to the brim with filled in, ripped out, and additional pages added.

It was his sketchbook, the one you were never allowed to take a close look at.

“Can I open it?” You asked carefully, holding it like it was one of the most sacred objects in the world.

“Yeah, of course.”

In the pages lay drawings, mostly black and white per his usual drawing style. Some were more frantic than others, with scribbles and swirls around a face, more refined and older that always had some look of disapproval. His father, probably. He'd told you enough to understand the strain of the relationship. And then there were the ones of you.

Smiling softly, face scrunched in confusion, disgust, sadness, tiredness, but most of it happiness. Your side profile, hands moving in different positions of your face that proved to say he probably took inspiration from a slow day in class. One of you with the same hairstyle you’d worn some day when you were at the weathervane laughing at someone's dog eating whipped cream out of a water cup.

“Why are you giving this to me?” Your voice was gentle, closing up the sketchbook and placing your hand on top of his.

He quickly flipped his over, allowing your fingers to weave together.

“Well it’s originally how I was gonna confess to you and you know open up about everything — but then everything happened and if I gave you this too then it would’ve been too much. And I didn't want what we had to just end so soon.”

“Why would it be over? This is just as beautiful as your art studio is not more.”

“It’s just, you know, we just found out we’re in love with each other, and if I added this too it was gonna be like some nuclear love bomb and relationships never last that way.”

“That’s what you think?”

“That’s what I know. Have you seen Ajax this past week? He’s moping cause Enid said she needed space. Which isn’t that surprising cause they were always with each other. Like sickeningly, like there was no way they could physically think longer than two minutes. But still, I thought they were gonna last for —”

Your stomach flutters as he opens his mouth to continue on, picking up your rambling trait. So you keep him quiet instead, leaning in to cup his cheek and kiss him. It was different from all the others, slow and sensual like he could feel everything you wanted to say.

“If you gave this to me in the art shed, or an hour after we left it, I would’ve felt just like I do now.”

“And how do you feel?”

“I feel really. . . fluttery.”

“Fluttery?” He gave you an affectionate smile, his dimples carving out his face beautifully as he attempted to understand the descriptions you gave of your emotions.

“Like, flustered. But in a really really good way. I—,” you huffed out a heavy breath, “I love the thought behind this. I love and appreciate the fact that you’re comfortable enough to show me this sketchbook. I’m happy that you’re actually trying not to close me off anymore. I love this and I love you.”

“Thank you, Xavier.”

🔖— @wxnderingthoughts​ 

thank you for reading, every like and reblog is appreciated  🌷 !

[sxcret-garden-archive]

Part 4 - Intak ✧ Shut Up

✧ P1Harmony - 7 Minutes in Heaven series ✧ P1Harmony Intak x reader   ✧ words: ~1.6k ✧ genre: fluff

← Part 3 - Soul | Part 5 - Theo → 

“Another new couple~,” Keeho announces excitedly while looking at the last pair that came back from the closet. If his behaviour hasn’t been suspicious up until here, then he’s certainly stepped over the line now. Ever since the beginning only people who were more or less obviously in love with each other or who would simply make a good couple have been sent to the closet together, and slowly but steadily you’re starting to think that this is something more than mere luck or fate. So once Keeho’s girlfriend calls out your name, you jump up and walk over to her on quick feet.

“Alright, then let me pick my partner by myself!” you demand, while both she and her boyfriend shoot you stunned looks. 

“That’s not how this game works-,” she tries to make you back off, but you don’t give up so quickly. You’re almost sure you know who she would try to set you up with if she ever got the chance, and not only do you wish to avoid being in a narrow room with him for seven whole minutes at all cost, you also just don’t like cheaters.

“Oh, but cheating is the way?!” you respond somewhat angrily, and before she can react you already put your hand into the hat. For once you don’t care that everyone is staring at you, until you suddenly become uncomfortably aware of everyone’s gazes glued to your back when you unfold the paper in your hands. “This…” you attempt to talk but your words fail you. This can’t be.

“Hm? Who is it?” Keeho asks as he tries to peek at your paper, while his girlfriend is already grinning in victory. You’re not sure if she saw the name written on the paper you pulled or if she can simply guess from your sudden change in mood. Either way you can’t believe this is happening. You slowly turn to look at the guy in question, who raises his eyebrows and points at himself with a questioning look on his face once he realizes it’s really him you’re looking at.

“Intak…” you eventually announce the name on your paper, and the couple standing in front of you bursts out laughing. They’ve indeed been cheating for the entire game, you’re sure of that now. Another thing you’re sure about is that you’re just really unlucky today. You begrudgingly crumple up the paper in your hand and throw it somewhere in the general direction of the girl holding onto the mystery hat, and then Keeho leads you and the guy you’ve been having the worst crush on for who knows how long to the closet. Arriving there, you immediately press your body against one of the walls, as far away from Intak as possible. However, this “as far away as possible” isn’t nearly far enough, because this room is just too damn small.

“Don’t-,” Keeho is about to say something, but seems to change his mind mid-sentence. Not like you’re able to properly pay attention to him like this anyway. “Ah, nevermind. Do whatever you feel like!” You think you can see him shooting a wink at his younger friend, before he locks you in and makes his way back to the living room. Your eyes find the guy in front of you, and his find your frame at the same time. From the way his body suddenly seems unnaturally stiff you figure you might not be the only nervous wreck in here. Strangely enough, that fact helps you relax a little, and you take a deep breath which you let out as a sigh.

“This is awkward…” you say, hoping to ease the tension in the room a bit by talking about god knows what. “Also annoying.”

“Do you really think they’re cheating?” Intak suddenly asks, and you nod.

“Yes…”

“So the way the pairs were picked isn’t a coincidence…?”

“I’m pretty sure they’re trying to…” you hesitate for a second, but push yourself to keep talking, “set people up here.” You would’ve expected him to react with surprise, but instead he lets out a short laugh, scrunching his nose up slightly, before coming to a conclusion.

“Does that mean you like me?” You’re speechless, and you can’t help but wonder how he could be so straightforward about this.

“I-... what?! Why would you even-... That’s not-” you stammer on and on, until he releases you from your inability but at the same time pressing need to form a coherent sentence by cutting you off.

“Well, if they’re trying to set people up here that must mean you’re interested in me,” he assumes. You find an amused grin on his face. He’s having way too much fun here.

“W-what about you then?” you decide to counter-attack. “Wouldn’t that mean you like me too?”

“I do.”

“Wh-.” You can’t believe your ears. “You what?”

“You don’t believe me?” he questions, and you wish you could tell him that you do, because the way he kept making advances that you didn’t dare to count as such suddenly makes a lot more sense in your head, but instead you just can’t say anything. The grin on his lips doesn’t fade as he steps closer and leans in a bit, placing one hand on the wall right behind you to trap you between him and the closet wall. “Want me to prove it? Keeho did say we should just do whatever,” he utters, and you can’t believe your ears.

“E-excuse me?” are the only two words you can think of right now, having him so close to you and feeling the way your heart is about to jump out of your chest. He laughs softly and eventually retreats, apologizing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to fluster you like that.” As much as you feel relieved when he gives you just a little more space to breathe, you’re also feeling a sense of deprivation. You stare at him for one second, two, three, and the longer you make him wait for an answer the more angry you become at him toying with you like that. You’re not sure what’s come over you so suddenly, but without thinking you take a step forward, and with him rendered unable to react fast enough, you grab his collar and pull him towards you to kiss him. You smash your lips against his somewhat ungently, but all your worries about that are erased within the blink of an eye as you can feel his hands wrapping around your wrists and the way he kisses you back. Your lips stay attached to each other for as long as the air in your lungs lasts, and once you’re forced to separate, all you can focus on is the way he seems to have lit up a fire deep inside you, and the way that the look in his half-lidded eyes only fuels those flames. You don’t question it, though. Instead, you just act on instinct and kiss him again, letting your fingers relax as you let go of his shirt to wrap your arms around his shoulders instead. He too removes his hands from your wrists, only to place them on your waist to be able to pull you closer.

“This took way too long…” he mumbles between kisses, but he gladly lets the words get lost in the air just to feel your lips on his for a while longer. He can probably figure out what your verbal answer to that would be from the way you capture his bottom lip with your teeth and bite down just a little bit too hard, luring a small whine out of him. Suppressing a grin, you run the tip of your tongue over the spot you bit down on to soothe it, before reconnecting your lips properly. Just when he’s about to break the kiss, you pull him closer to make it last for just a while longer, and when you hear the closet door open you realize why he was trying to bring some distance between the two of you.

“WHAT THE-” You hear Keeho’s voice as you finally tear yourself away from Intak and you glance to the side to see the older guy hiding his face behind his hands, peeking at you from between his index and middle finger. “This is not what I meant by you can do whatever you want!!” he protests and you step away, being surprisingly unfazed despite having been caught in this situation, whereas Intak doesn’t seem to be taking it that well. Granted, you’re both blushing madly at this point, but he doesn’t even know what to say to his friend now, so he just stands there, opening and closing his mouth like a fish in the air.

“We were doing what you wanted everyone to do in here, weren’t we?” you retort, still somewhat furious about them cheating. “So sorry about the image that was just burned into your memory, but it’s kinda your own fault.” With that you boldly grab Intak by the hand and pull him out of the closet, dragging him back towards the living room along with you, while Keeho seems to still be unable to move, trying to recover from the shock.

[lampmanliveblogs]

Mid-Season Intermission

Where I talk about a bunch of stuff

So now that I’ve finally watched episode 10, I’ve reached the rough halfway point of the season and I wanted to take a moment to talk about a bunch of stuff.

Mostly, I wanna go over all of the plot points and threads that have been brought up, established and left hanging, as well as some of my theories, predictions and wishes going forward.

A reoccurring sentiment I’ve brought up several times is that this season so far has felt like the writers are constantly poking me to make sure I don’t fall asleep by introducing new things or developing the plot in exciting ways every single epsiode. Based on what I know of the show’s development and that they’re working with very limited time, this is not all that surprising.

If you look at season 1, that season had a lot more low-stakes episodes or more comedic episodes. Sure, there were hints at bigger things to come, but The Plot really didn’t start picking up properly until the second half of that season. Compare with season 2, which has been basically all plot and character development.

This development is not necessarily a bad thing, I’ve liked every episode so far and I have very few complaints. It’s just different and I wanted to point it out. 

Anyways, let’s get into the real meat of this post. These points are in no particular order.

Chiroptera Queen (a.k.a The Bat-Queen)

Back in season one, Luz promised the help the Bat-Queen rediscover her past which she has forgotten. As seen in S2E6, we saw that Eda still has the whistle Bat-Queen gave her previously, the one that lets her call for help. I would like to see at least one of these two things used or explored by the end of the season. The whistle in particular seems like it could come in clutch during some escapade where they get trapped and need rescue.

As for my current theories… we know Bat-Queen once belonged to a grand staff which belonged to a giant thousands of years ago. The obvious conclusion to jump to is that she used to belong to the Titan before it fell… although I think she’s a bit too small for that, unless the Titan walked around with a palisman the relative size of a mosquito. But if not the Titan, then who? I recall seeing one giant student at Hexside in one episode of season one, so there might be some race of giants out there. In S2E3 we also saw what looked like a giant creature holding a staff fighting King’s dad or ancestor. The Crescent Moon figure we saw in S2E8 was also pretty tall I guess.

This is all to say that I have no idea. I will say this though; combining Bat-Queen’s origin with another already established plot point, whether it be the Titan’s origin, the history of King’s family or whoever Crescent Moon is would make for effective storytelling, which is why I bring them up.

A Little Too Close To Home (a.k.a Camila, Vee & Gravesfield)

I wanna see my snake daughter again!

That’s it.

Well, okay, I guess there are some other things to talk about. S2E10 saw us return to the Human Realm properly for the first time since the very first episode of season one. We’ve seen a few short glimpses, but those were only that; glimpses. In the last episode we got to see an entire story unfold in the Human Realm, with our main character Luz only able to watch and give guidance from afar. We learned the tragic story of Vee and Camila became aware of what is going on with her daughter. Jacob Hopkins unfortunately also learned a little too much for his, or anyone else’s good.

We also learned a bit about Luz’ hometown of Gravesfield. In particular, that there were two brothers that, according to Jacob (who is not the most reliable of sources) were brought by a witch to a realm of pure evil. The to me obvious implication here is that Philip Wittebane and his brother were both taken to the Demon Realm. But more about them in a minute.

The thing I really want to talk about is that I think we’re gonna return to the Human Realm again. Exactly how I’m not sure. They might build another portal to the in-between so Luz can talk to her mother and Vee. Maybe they build a functional portal or make use of Belos’ to get back. Either way, I think that there are significant revelations to be had in the Human Realm in regards to Philip Wittebane that will prove important. Hopefully, Jacob doesn’t have to make a return for those revelations to be had.

I also wanna see more of Camila and her newly adopted daughter. I wanna see her reunite with Luz and for them to work through their issues. I also wanna see Camila and Eda meet. I think some fun and emotions to be had there.

The Parents Blight (a.k.a the Blight family)

Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of Amity’s parents and that they still have some part to  play. For one thing, I wanna see their reaction to finding out that Amity and Luz are now officially dating (and by that I mean Odalia’s reaction). If nothing else, I’d expect the twins to eventually out Amity when they accidentally tease her within earshot of Odalia. I also want to point out that while Amity started gaining some independence for herself in S2E2, her upbringing still left some deep marks, as we saw in S2E9 with her interactions with Hunter.

However, I also think the Blight parents have a role to play in the overarching plot. The Emperor seems to trust the Abomatons and allow them within his deepest chambers, close to him. But if push comes to shove… if Amity keeps causing trouble and Belos threatens her… well, I’m sure Alador left a backdoor access for him to take control over all the Abomatons. He’s a mad scientist, not a stupid scientist. Darius also mentioned Alador by name, implying some rivalry and possible conflict between them. That might be something that comes into play in the future.

The Nine Heads of the Dragon (a.k.a the nine coven head witches and their role in all of this)

Speaking of Darius, I expect to see at least him and Eberwolf play some part during the rest of this season. I also think we’re gonna get proper introductions for at least some of the other Head Witches before the end of the season. Considering the fact that they seem to be vital for Belos’ plans during the Day of Unity, I’d be surprised if we didn’t learn a little more about some of them.

For now, my current theory is that the Coven Head Witches are needed to drain magic from the witches in their Covens in order to power the spell that will merge the Demon Realm and the Human Realm (if that really is what the Day of Unity is about). We do know the Emperor’s Coven studied/studies basilisks to figure out how they drain magic. so that too will probably play a part in that event.

Rainestorm (a.k.a Raine and maybe also the BAtTs)

I just want Raine to be safe and happy and also maybe dating Eda. Is that so much to ask for?

It’s not entirely clear if Eda knows Raine is in captivity or not. She left Raine in the forest with two very powerful witches. Eda might think Raine is dead.

Now, granted, Eda does know that Belos needs the Coven Head Witches for his little group project, but still. They are important, but still replaceable. As far as Eda knows, they killed or petrified Raine and went on to find a replacement. Which is also why I’m holding out the hope that the Owl House crew might attempt a rescue operation to free Raine from… wherever they are. Maybe if they had someone on the team with a bit of insider information…

Oh, and I guess they could free the rest of the BAtTs while they’’re at it. Luz did say she could break in/out of the Conformitorium again if she wanted to.

Prey (a.k.a Hunter)

Hunter, my boy. What do we do with you? I’m not sure if I’ve ever said it outright, but, ah… I kinda know the general direction of his story. That being, he joins the Owl House crew. Also, he gets shipped with Willow. Now, I try to avoid spoilers because I feel that knowing things that are going to happen beforehand can take away from the experience in the now. Those details end up hanging in the back of your mind and you don’t experience the story as the creator/s intended. I don’t mind too much in this specific case. I’m still very invested and interested in his story and curious about what it is that’s going to make him betray Belos.

I can’t say that I have many theories about Hunter, I mostly just have questions. Like what happened to his father, who is his mother, when was he born, how wild magic supposedly played a part in their ill fate? And perhaps the biggest question, why is he so important to Belos and the Day of Unity? Belos did say that he could find a replacement, but that it would be a hassle. Which is almost the exact same thing Kikimora had to say about Raine. With Raine and the other Coven Head Witches, I speculate it’s because they’re needed to drain magic, but what of Hunter? Is it to drain the magic of those in the Emperor’s Coven?

I could go on, but I think its safe to say, Hunter’s story this season is far from over and by the end, he will have a difficult choice to make…

Long Live the King! (a.k.a King and his family)

Our weird little skull dog boy has come a long way since season one, where he was more often than not relegated to comedic relief or inducer of episodical plot events. Now he’s all that AND a potentially very important character to the lore of the show. We haven’t really learned much more about him since S2E3, aside from that there is some relative or similar looking demon out there trying to get ahold of him.

What we do know is that his father, (and potentially a long line of his family) lived on a magically shielded island with ruins that according to Lilith are very old. Which implies that King’s family has a long history. They are also implied to have been very powerful. Most people who live in large towers filled with strange guardian creatures on magically shielded islands are very powerful. I know from experience.

What exactly this history is we don’t know. It might’ve been that they were some form of rulers or at the very least a powerful tribe on the Boiling Isles that have since then been driven to obscurity. My current working theory is that Belos is the one responsible for that, taking out a group of powerful rivals that threatened his crusade to take over the Isles. King’s powers, which I believe to be some form of wild magic might also have something to with it.

King believes his father is out there somewhere. I think he’s dead. History will be our judge. But it is obvious that the search for King’s father and whoever the relative is are going to be VERY important plot points going forward.

…granted, part of the reason I say that is because I happened to see the name of the last episode of the season, and know it has to do with King.

Like I mentioned before, I think that whatever King’s power is, it’s some form of wild magic. It appears powerful but primitive, unrefined, untamed. And we know Belos has some hangups when it comes to wild magic.

A Clawthorne in My Side (a.k.a Eda and her family)

At the end of S2E4, Eda’s relationship with her mother Gwendolyn had been repaired, or at least on the path towards healing. That doesn’t necessarily require more development, but I feel like there are some things they could do with Eda and her mother, especially considering the whole ”Eda as a mother figure” thing brought up in S2E7. If we see those themes developed further, I’d like to see Eda going to her mother for advice or maybe just someone to talk to. Gwendolyn had a lot of faults, but she might still have a few nuggets of wisdom to share.

I’m also curious about Dell. It was mentioned in S2E8 that he travels a lot and the implication is that Eda might not have seen him since the night she transformed and attacked him. So I’d definitely love to see a reunion between them.

We also have Lilith. Her and Eda’s relationship seems to have been repaired well enough, There is certainly possibility to develop things further, but things are good as they are. Really, I just wanna see Lilith again and see her interacting with Hooty, their friendship was so cute. I’m also curious about how the curse interacts with her. Specifically, if she too has an Owlbeast within her and if she might be able to do something similar to Eda’s harpy form.

Moonlight Shadow (a.k.a Eda’s curse, the Owlbeast & Crescent Moon)

S2E8 taught us a lot about Eda’s curse and at the same time, it made things so much more complicated. My current theory is that the Owlbeast either existed as a curse before Eda and had a previous host, or that it was its own creature. At some point, it encountered the figure I’ve dubbed Crescent Moon who tried to capture it. The Owlbeast managed to escape, but fell into the Boiling Sea. It turned into the curse scroll, which washed up on the shore where it was picked up and eventually sold to Lilith.

Eda and the Owlbeast are at a truce, but will it last forever? The imagery in S2E8 suggested they are truly bound together forever, inseparable quite literally till death do them apart.

There is of course also the mystery of Crescent Moon. Who are they and what did they want with the Owlbeast? I have no idea so I’ll just have to wait and see.

Familiar (a.k.a Luz’ palisman)

Luz still has that piece of palistrom wood that she has yet to carve a palisman out of. She decided to wait with doing so until she can figure out what she is gonna do with her future. Which means it might take a while. I mean, I’m twenty-three and still looking for the manual Miss Li sung about.

The day Luz figures out her heart’s truest desire will probably be an important one so that is something to look forward to.

There’s Magic in the Air (a.k.a wild magic, glyphs, and the Titan)

Emperor Belos claims that he and he alone can communicate with the Titan, the Titan whose corpse makes up the Boiling Isles. The Titan that gives the power of magic to the people clinging to its body. Belos claims that everything he does is in accordance with the Titan’s will, that it is all part of the Titan’s grand plans.

By now, you should be well aware that I am more than skeptical of Belos’ claims. I think that it’s gonna turn out that he’s a fake. A false prophet. A sham. But that does raise the question; is there a piece of the Titan’s soul left, some shred of consciousness preserved deep within the rotting corpse? Does the Titan still have a will, and if so… what is it?

Even if it turns out that the Titan has long since passed away to the great unknown beyond, i’d still love to see an origin for the mighty giant. This might tie into the Bat-Queen, it might not. Eitehr way, I’ll be here for it.

I also feel like we’re gonna learn more about wild magic and more specifically why Belos hates it so much. As of this moment, I don’t really have any theories.

The Day of Unity Comes and Your World is Already Lost (a.k.a just what is the Day of Unity actually about?)

What is the Day of Unity really about? is the big question. Emperor Belos says it’s going to merge the Demo Realm and the Human Realm together. But as should be well established by now, I don’t trust much of what he says.

But let us entertain the idea. What are the benefits of merging the Human and Demon Realms together? Belos claims that this will (somehow) get rid of wild magic. But like… how? Why? Maybe doing so would actually remove magic or spread it so thing that no one could use it.’

One idea I’ve thrown out is that whatever curse or affliction is Belos suffers from can be cured if the realms merge together and that’s why he’s doing it. Or maybe it really is just to get rid of wild magic. Who knows? You do! Probably. But I don’t.

There are some questions regarding the physics of merging a large landmass like the Titan’s body with the Earth that concerns me, but this is a fantasy series for kids. There is literal magic. The laws of physics are more of a suggestion.

The Brothers’ Grim Fate (a.k.a Philip Wittebane, his family & Belos)

In the year 1635, a town called Gravesfield was founded in what is today known as Connecticut. At some point after that, two brothers were, according to the legend, brought to another world, implied to be the Demon Realm, by an evil witch.

One of those brothers was Philip Wittebane. Philip set out to find a way back to the Human Realm. What happened to his brother is unknown. Philip did eventually manage to build a portal to the Human Realm. What happened to him after that is unknown.

Roughly fifty years ago, some time during the 1970s era, the man that would become known as Emperor Belos seized power over the Boiling Isles. He claimed to be the messenger of the Titan and instituted the Coven system, which he said was the will of the Titan. He began working towards the Day of Unity, which will supposedly merge the Demon Realm and Human Realm together.

At some unknown date, Belos’ nephew Hunter was born. It is also implied that Hunter’s parents died at some point after his birth due to an accident involving wild magic. Belos took his nephew under his wings.

I’ve hinted at it a few times, but I’m pretty sure Philip Wittebane is going to turn out to be Emperor Belos. Like, there’s always room for error, but I’m like at least 109% sure.

That said, there are a number of questions this brings up that I’m having a hard time answering. If Belos is Philip, then how is he still alive after four hundred years? What’s up with weird curse/affliction he has? Why does his ears look like that? What’s his deal with wild magic? What happened to Philip’s brother? When was Hunter born and who was his other parent? How did Philip get the idea to become a tyrant and initialize his Day of Unity plan? If he’s human then how can he use magic without glyphs?

The list goes on. I’ve speculated about the answer to some of these questions. The weird curse and his ears may be due to prolonged stay in the Demon Realm and exposure to magic. That might also explain his long lifespan, or that might be caused by consuming the life force of palismen. There is also the possibility that he draws his magic power from his staff, like Hunter does.

It’s pretty much a given that we’ll be given answers to at least some of these questions by the end of the season. I just hope I’m ready for it.

In Conclusion There’s A LOT of stuff to look forward to in the second half of the season. Maybe not all that I discussed here, there’s gotta be some material left for season three after all, but it’s still going to be a lot. Which means I better get going! See you all next time! Until then, take care of the planet Earth and remember that anything can happen in space!

<--Previous Episode: Yesterday's Lie

Masterlist

Next Episode: Follies at the Coven Day Parade-->

[its-whitetomorrow]

OK, guys, but what if... assuming the episodes actually aired and the original plan wasn't immediately flashed down the toilet and put into jeopardy (with Ghetsis actually introduced as the mysterious leader of Team Plasma, the hero being mentioned and Team Plasma debut in their original uniforms). Whatever shape and form it would take, I doubt they would just suddenly act and pretend Team Plasma were always just black uniformed ones, like they did in that short coronation flashback of Episode N, something they could only get away with because they never aired the lost episodes.

Also, don't forget B2W2 actually included two Team Plasmas, with one being the old uniformed reformed version. While I doubt they would be willing to overcomplicate things with too large cast of characters/two differently uniformed Plasma agents (...on top of Team Rocket already being villains of the series), I guess they would be able to easily transition to the second Team Plasma following the failed plot of the original one.

Let's say the episodes aired and perhaps we even get to see the original writers' plan unfold with a second (or third?) BW Plasma appearance (or N appearance in a lone episode?) before the word gets out the plans have changed. At this point, with one episode alone, they could just work in new elements that push it in a whole different direction, with BW Team Plasma falling apart for one reason or another, N disillusioned, maybe an early hint of Colress (just show some Looker investigation into a hidden lab, like they used to do with him for Galactic, and, if those two episodes had aired, Looker would have been set up for an inevitable return in relation to Plasma) and the true evil face of Plasma (black uniforms) revealed, perhaps with Ghetsis' face revealed for the first time. Then they're out of the picture along with Ghetsis, to regroup (kind of like Giovanni himself was out of the picture for a long time in Unova) until they return after the league. Plus, they would have the time to also take care of Team Rocket and get them out of the picture before they have a whole B2W2 based arc, although yeah, possibly Operation Tempest wouldn't exist as it exists now. But for Plasma stuff shown before their actual B2W2 arc truly kicks off - it would just go in place of some of these boring fillers that we got, no? Say, the Black Stone episode. Or damn. Team Vanillite! I don't think it would have been that terrible and perhaps more sense/nuance for the following B2W2 plot than what we got in Episode N - with this totally out of whack Reshiram/Ghetsis backstory told to us in 2 seconds.

That being said, the finale at the league that incorporates parts of both BW1 and B2W2 would have been sick. Jumping to conclusions and speculation, Lysandre bragging to Alan about the end of the world and putting him down on his knees did felt kind of like it could have been Ghetsis at the overview of the league revealing the true face of Team Plasma to N, with mind-controlled Pokemon possibly wrecking havoc on the city. But it's more along the lines of whether it was an egg or the chicken that was born first. Whether, at some point, they truly entertained such scenarios and there was a real chance for it during Best Wishes if only there wasn't as much meddling (and mother nature's meddling). Or whether it was something that Tomioka conceived (or suddenly realized, just no shit) only after the fact and when Best Wishes was already over.

By the way, the Japanese editions still show the previews and/or Ash flying off to investigate with Juniper, right? This gotta be the best part in all of this. LOL.

Unpopular Opinion Re:Pokemon

So, after a long time and a lot of hard work, we finally have the scripts to the legendary lost Best Wishes anime two-parter, “Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma!”  We’ve got the whole story.

I wish the 3/11 disaster had never happened…mostly because so many people would still be alive today and so much damage to Japan would not exist, but also because these episodes could have aired. And I wish the staff’s original plan for the overarching story for Best Wishes based on the Black/White games could have come to pass, as it would have been amazing.

However, in the end these wishes are hollow Ideals, and we have to face the harsh Truth. And part of this Truth is that Game Freak passed on doing a Gray version in favor of doing Black 2/White 2, which means the staff’s plan was going to be scuttled regardless of whether the 3/11 disaster transpired or not. They would’ve done Episode N and just placed Reshiram putting a halt to N’s coronation in the present day rather than two years prior. So that’s why….

….I’m kind of, sort of glad that “Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma!” never aired.

Don’t get me wrong! The executives in Japan not allowing the full episodes to be released in any capacity in favor of remaining Lost Media just because their events no longer line up with subsequent canon is stupid. They have lots of grown-up viewers who understand the facts and still won’t mind…heck, probably lots of kids as well! However, the episodes not being broadcast and being relegated to a nebulous space in Japanese canon ended up working to the series’ advantage when Tomioka and the other writers were freed up to recycle elements from them. Most specifically, in the Operation Tempest two-parter, which is honestly an even better pair of episodes than “Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma!” and I just have a hard time imagining them in any form other than the one they’re in now. If not for what transpired with “Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma!”, we might have never been blessed with this scene:

Pikachu using a giant Electro Ball on a nuclear space rock just doesn’t hit the same way that him using it on Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket whom Ash had never faced up until now and whom had always doubted Pikachu’s abilities when Jessie, James and Meowth talked them up. Pikachu doing it to save not only the entire Unova region but also Meloetta, a character that we’ve come to love and care about, is also far more dramatically satisfying.

Really, I’m more sore about how the show’s third year turned out due to Junichi Masuda’s Gen VI-related meddling (since it really should have been something more like this) than I am about “Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma!” and the intended arc it was setting up. As great as it would have been to see, it just wasn’t in the cards and, unlike said Gen VI-related meddling with the third year, I don’t believe that Best Wishes suffered all that much from its removal.

Tl;dr - I’m honestly kind of cool with this as all we have now.

[violettelueur]

— JUJUTSU KAISEN EPISODE NINETEEN || BLACK FLASH

↳ featuring : basically everyone at this point from jujutsu kaisen

↳ warnings : mention of blood + mention of violence + EXTREME grammar issues

↳ form : story

↳ published : 13 april

↳ pronouns : she/her

↳ word count : 4.6k

↳ synopsis : within the jujutsu world, there were three famous clans to be aware of, the Kamo clan, Zenin clan and the Gojo clan. However, unknown to many sorcerers there was one last family that was known to be apart of the three, only for them to disappear after the golden era leading some to speculate that they had died in battle after the sealing of ryomen sukuna, but....

↳ previous episode : sage

↳ next episode : nonstandard

↳ barista’s notes : let me admit, this will probably have terrible grammer issues here and there because i started this at 10:30pm and how it is 4am....ʕ ㅇ ᴥ ㅇʔ but also fun fact, when i was writing the fight scene, i legit had to grab a chopstick and try to reenact the scene i needed to write for in the kitchen ʕ ꆤ ᴥ ꆤʔ BUT moving on from that, thank you so much for being so patient with the series and hope you enjoy this special cup of classic black coffee ʕ•ᴥ•ʔﾉ♡

BEFORE READING, I NEED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THIS:

1. the whole story belongs to Gege Akutami and the credits go to them and them only.

2. the spell curses used belong to Tite Kubo due to them being the ‘Kidos’ being used on the manga and anime ‘Bleach’ - but none is mentioned in this chapter.

2.5. for the ‘cursed spells’/kidos (bleach) i will link this video here and tell you the time stamp to check out what i am intending to show - remember i add a few twist here and there by adding the katana to link with Y/N’s cursed technique : hopefully this video is slightly better...

Destructive Curse Spell Number Sixty Three : Raikoho (6:29-6:44)

Destructive Curse Spell Number One : Sho (4:56-5:04)

3. if you are confused on anything, please don’t hesitate to message me since i know this whole thing is so confusing.

A multitude of running footsteps continuously pounded against the wooden floor below, as everyone was determined to get away from the special-grade curse that was chasing them at this very moment in time, as what followed everyone was a vast wave of wooden branches that was violently destroying the corridor behind them.

“Are you all right, Inumaki-senpai?” Fushiguro asked with concern enveloping his overall tone, as the mentioned upperclassmen seemed to be struggling right now.

“Salmon,” Inumaki replied, in an attempt to reassure his classmate that he was doing and going to be alright, when in fact it looked as if it was the complete opposite currently.

“Here it comes!” Kamo yelled out to warn everyone as he spun around to face his opponent, leading the cursed spirit to launch a few sharp branches towards him as well as you, once you fully turned around to make sure that your classmate from the Kyoto side was going to be safe.

“Stop,” Inumaki commanded leading his curse technique to come to effect as his voice not only echoed through the hallways but forced the curse and its attack to come into a sudden halt, leading Kamo the given opportunity to launch his technique as a rapid long-ranged shot of blood directly attacked towards the curse’s head (which was somewhat covered in burns due to your last technique before everyone started to flee by your command) causing some fragments of it to chip off to which surprised Fushiguro slight as you stood at the top of the stairs just above Inumaki.

“Hurry! He’s just gonna heal right away!” Kamo instructed everyone as he ran up the stairs causing you to give one last look at the curse before rushing up the wooden steps as Kamo has told you. 

From what you could observe, the branches seemed to be the curse’s weakest point since Kamo’s last attack managed to hit its head causing you to come to that conclusion while your curse spell managed to cause some permanent damage to the curse due to the damage that remained after. However, even if you did want to continuously use the same curse technique over and over again, to not only cause the building that everyone was residing in to collapses and burn down but it also put your comrades in danger, something that you ultimately wanted to avoid at all cost.

Hearing a small but noticeable cough, you quickly turned your head back slightly to discover Inumaki’s face glistening with sweat as he took another sip of his medicine leading you to become more concerned about how much longer he could since this plan that suddenly came about wasn’t the most practical of them all, yet...it was the best for now.

Right as you turned back to look forward, you noticed that you were coming to a door leading you to push yourself further as you reached your arm out to slam the door open before jumping over the balcony to the roof that was slightly down below leading the boys to follow after. However, mere seconds later, there was an explosive sound erupting from behind causing you to quickly turn back to find that the curse had already made a wooden pathway with its branches as a way to walk over to everyone.

“Inumaki-senpai will stop it. Don’t worry, just go,” Fushiguro mentioned as he guided Nue towards the curse, leading the shikigami to fly straight towards the opponent with no hesitation.

“No wait!” you shouted, as you reached your whole arm out like you were able to reach the owl-like creature in time. However, the second Fushiguro turned to face you to see what was wrong, the curse’s arm swiftly punctured the shikigami straight through causing Inumaki to collapse to the ground with blood seeping out from his mouth leading you to realise that your upperclassman was at his limit.

On the other hand, before you could even react, you heard someone behind you being thrown causing you to look behind only to discover Kamo’s body being flung to the other side with Fushiguro right behind him to catch his fall leaving you in the middle on the rooftop between your classmate and the curse.

“Are you alive, Kamo-san?” Fushiguro questioned in a panic since he was not only troubled by the fact that one of the students could be in life-critical condition but with you also being in danger due to where you were standing currently and him having no idea why the curse was going after you.

Steadily, your hand slowly moved towards the dark blue metal pole that has been hanging on your belt for some time as you hooked your katana horizontally on your back, so your other hand will be free to freely manoeuvre the weapon of choice that you were choosing to handle the curse.

However, it seemed as if Fushiguro had other ideas as his hands shakily began to hesitantly raise up as if he was going to summon another shikigami into the battlefield. Although, before he was able to completely commit to his plan, there was a sudden pressure laid upon his shoulder catching him by surprise as he turned to look back at Inumaki, who was somewhat struggling to stand.

“Mustard leaf,” Inumaki stated with determination with a hint of tiredness lacing in his tone, leading you to turn your head back to notice him beginning to stagger towards you.

“Inumaki-senpai...That’s enough!” Fushiguro mentioned in a worried tone causing you to grab onto his sleeve once he stood by your side, only for him to present you a small smile once he turned to you - as if to tell you that everything was going to be okay.

“Blast away!” Inumaki suddenly roared leading to curse’s body to instantly flung itself to the other rooftop that was positioned above you just a slight bit before he fell to his knees with blood began to profusely run down his mouth causing you to kneel down by his side as you supported his body with one hand while your other hand gently on his neck to begin the process of reverse cursed energy to ensure that he was going to be stable before someone was able to take him to Shoko - if someone even could at this point.

However, it seemed as if Inumaki’s attempt was futile as the special grade curse sat up with no issue at all leading you to wonder how strong this curse was since it didn’t seem to take any damage whatsoever from Kamo’s and Inumaki’s attempts leaving you to the conclusion that you had to use your curse technique at this point.

“You can’t cut me with that dull blade,” the curse stated before raising its arm to not only block but shatter the weapon Maki was swinging towards it leaving her to look at it with widened eyes before tutting in annoyance leading Fushiguro to jump over you to attack the curse with his weapon once again, only for him to miss slightly as he managed to slice off a piece of the branch that acted as its eyes.

“Now this sword isn’t so bad, but you could just give me the girl as we will call it a day,” the curse commented while healing the tattered branch causing it to grow back, leaving no trace of it ever being cut off by Fushiguro.

Although, it seemed as if Fushiguro and Maki had something else planned as your classmate reached into his shadow that was manifesting below him to replace his sword with another cursed tool before giving it to Maki, who tossed the broken tool she had to the side.

“I have something even better. This one feels disgusting to use, though,” Maki mentioned before quickly unfolding the weapon to reveal a three-sectioned staff before swiftly spinning around to swing the weapon across towards the curse, resulting in the curse to block the attack, only for it to be violently and forcibly pushed forward into the forest.

“Gojo, run towards the edge of the veil and stay there!” Fushiguro yelled out to you before him and Maki sprinted forward towards the direction to where the curse was located, causing you to stare at him in confusion before instantly turning back to check in Kamo was still right behind you to which lead to carefully place Inumaki down on his back as you rush towards the Kyoto student’s side before you proceeded to turn his body to discover that his face was damaged badly causing you to place your hand over his head leading you to heal what you could before transport arrive.

On the other hand, before you could even worry about how you were going to get both Inumaki and Kamo to the end of the veil, you suddenly heard someone calling out your name causing you to peer up to the sky, only to find both Itadori and Todo coming down towards you in a speed that not even Sonic the Hedgehog could even achieve.

“GOJO!” Itadori yelled before powerfully landing right in front of you, leading you swiftly to grab on to the top of the roof to maintain some balance while using your other arm to cling onto Kamo’s body to make sure he didn’t fall as well.

“Itadori!” you replied in relief causing your classmate to smile at you even in the tough situation you were in right now.

“Gojo, Nishimiya is going to get those two out of the veil but according to her, the veil is an anti-Gojo Satoru one,” Todo inform you causing you to look at the first-grade sorcerer with widened eyes before you turned your head to the side to observe the veil that was enveloping all the students right now.

“Anti-Gojo?” you muttered under your breath, before turning your head back towards the muscular student, only to see him smirk confidently at you before Itadori took his hand out as if to help you up.

“Don’t worry about the other two, they will be safe, we all need to head to where the curse is right now!” Itadori mentioned leading you to turn to him as you quickly noticed the amount of cursed energy that was surrounding him right now, causing you to wonder how much he has improved over the past few months he was away.

Placing Kamo gently on his back, you grabbed onto Itadori’s hand causing your friend to pull you up before Todo stretched out his arm behind you, trying to convey for you to sit there so both he could carry you to the destination where you needed to be at this very moment in time.

“Todo...I need you to follow a plan,” you sudden declared, causing him to turn to you with a confused look while you seated yourself on his large arm (which surprisingly managed to keep you still with the help of Itadori, who placed his arm behind your back). “Just promise me you won’t tell anyone about my curse technique at all, not even a single word of it,” you said to him with a threatening tone causing itadori to look at you with a somewhat frightened expression on his face while his friend peered at you with a smile.

“I’m fine with that, but I also need you to help me with one thing,” Todo mentioned as he turned his head to face forward.

“And what would that be?” you asked.

‘Ah...this is going to be a drag…’

                                                ꕥ

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Destructive Curse Spell number sixty-three: Raikoho!" you chanted, as you placed your hand out like a claw leading to an exciting orb of yellow concentrated cursed energy to manifest itself within your palm, before rapidly striking down towards the targeted special grade curse like a destructive lighting bolt leading Todo to grab Maki within his grasp a second before the cursed spell hit the ground which leads to your opponent being paralysed.

“Keeping to the deal?” Todo asked you with a smile on his face causing you to shift your eye to the side, where he stood before unhooking the metal pool from your belt.

“Yeah, I am,” you answered causing him and Itadori to move to the side for a second - which Itadori was confused about since he didn’t know what show he was in for.

Fushiguro, who was crouching down with a speck of blood trailed down on the corner of his mouth began to argue against the appearance of you and Itadori. However, it seemed as if you weren’t listening to him to or to any of the student behind you at all since you needed to concentrate on both the situation you were in right now but also on the little deal you made with Todo - even though, regardless if you were able to show him the technique or not, you knew that Todo was keeping his word about keeping your technique a secret...that was what you could rely on him as well as his strength.

‘Black Flash huh...now that is a drag…’

“Now that you are here, why don’t you come peacefully?” the curse asked, causing you to mentally sigh as it was causing your concentration to waver, but you really weren’t in the mood to answer.

Stretching out your arm, you held the dark blue metal poll right in front of the curse before letting the weapon extend itself before forming an extremely sharp blade at the top leading the curse to look at it in confusion since it seemed to notice that your katana was missing due to it remembering that it was handing behind your lower back area.

                                                ꕥ 

“This is my gift to you! Think of it as a welcome to the Gojo Clan gift!” Gojo excitedly announced as he presented you a gift box with a bright smile on his face, causing you to look at the gift in surprise since you didn’t expect him to give you anything when you came to his clan estate but also by the fact that the ribbon tied into a bow was the same colour as his eyes.

‘I don’t know if it’s because he is being egotistical or he just like the colour blue’

“Thank you,” you said with much gratitude before taking the box away from his grasp leading him to gleefully chant that you open it in front of him since he was desperate to see your reaction. 

Looking at the box, you couldn’t help but notice a little note saying ‘a gift from a father to a daughter’ leading the corners of your lip to twitch a little since you came to the realisation that it had been a while that someone had ever given you a gift before you processed to tug the tail of the bow before lifting the lip once the ribbon was fully removed.

“A metal...pole?” you said in a confused tone as you tilted your head to the side, before letting your fingertips touch the ice-cold metal as they began to trace the gold detailing that was embroidering the gift.

“No, no dear, it’s a polearm that just needs to be extended with cursed energy! It was made by your ancestor during the Heian era and I’m surprised it managed it stay intact after all that time here in the Gojo Clan since it was a gift from them to us,” Gojo informed you, as he took a sip of the sweetened coffee that you had brought from him before coming to his estate. “I thought that it might be better if it was in your hands from now on, besides it does technically belong to you,” Gojo suggested with a bright smile on his face, once you lifted the weapon out of the box to observe it more.

Turning it around in the light the room provided, you couldn’t help but suddenly notice a small design of what seemed to be a small flower depicting a tsubaki painted in a light pink right in the middle of the metal pole causing you to stare at it in absolute curiosity.

“Thank you so much, Gojo-sensei,” you stated once again in appreciation once you placed it back into the box causing Gojo to pout at you which led you to look at him in complete confusion the second you looked up to face him.

“CALL ME DAD, Y/N!”

                                               ꕥ

“Are you even listening?” the cursed questioned you as if seemed to be getting annoyed at the fact that you were just standing in front of it with no emotion attached to your face, causing the students behind you to look forward since they were beginning to become confused on why you haven’t attacked yet.

Although, it seemed like it didn’t have to wait long since you used your other hand to grab onto the pole before beginning to spin the now extended polearm aggressively leading the curse to now be on its guard since it had no idea what you were planning on now.

‘Black Flash is a distortion in space that occurs when cursed energy is applied with 0.000001 seconds of a physical hit, it can amplify a normal attack’s force by 2.5. It’s such a drag process but since this curse likes to get up close and personal, it seems like the best choice for now’

Suddenly, you quickly grabbed the polearm halting the spinning motion before using the ball of your foot to push yourself swiftly across the lake to appear in front of the curse, catching it by surprise since it seemed like you had just teleported right in front of them, only for you to violently swing your polearm down onto its shoulder leading it to groan in pain causing you to speedily spin around behind it leading the polearm to now swing across before forcibly landing the sharp blade to its side, suddenly causing the formation of a familiar black spark that danced around the area you were in like electricity currents causing Todo (who was observing from the sideline) smile at the scene with confidence, while Itadori looked at the same battle in shock.

However, before Todo could even call you to remove yourself from the battle, you instantly placed your hand above the other in order to rapidly rotate the polearm leading the other end to strike its other shoulder (while the blade was now facing downwards) causing another flash of black to appear once again to which lead the curse to cry out in agony, causing everyone to admire the fight with such astonishment.

“Gojo! Switch!” Todo yelled out, leading your concentration to instantly waver once again which caused you to push the heel of your back foot to quickly retreat to the side where everyone was before the curse could even afflict any attack on you in retaliation on what you had just done to it.

“Told you there is nothing to worry about,” Todo mentioned as he looked down at Fushiguro causing the shikigami user to look at you with his surprise before turning to look at Itadori.

“If you die again, I’ll kill you myself!” Fushiguro declared causing you to look at him with a complete perplexed look on your face since the sentence he just stated didn’t make any sense, leading Panda to extend his arm out to carry his lower classmen to the other side of the veil.

“Pandash!” Panda yelled out before carrying both Fushiguro and Maki to safety.

“Guess I can’t afford to die now,” Itadori muttered before rolling his shoulder to prepare for his turn on the battlefield with determination after witnessing your performance.

“I won’t lift a finger to help, Itadori. Not until you land a Black Flash. If you can’t land a Black Flash, then I’ll just watch you die, no matter what happens to you,” Todo declared with his arms crossed with one of his hands holding on to your katana, leading you to stand up straight with a dumbfounded look on your face after what he had just yelled out before taking your original weapon from his grasp.

‘HUH?! WHAT WAS THE POINT IN MY LITTLE PERFORMANCE THEN?!’

“Got it!” Itadori replied after letting out a breath, causing you to look at your classmate with the same surprised expression, even though his back was facing you right now.

“Don’t you think that is a bit dangerous?” you queried as you turned back to look at the Kyoto student, only for him to give you a serious look on his face as if to say that he believed in Itadori and his threat was just a fluke.

“I guess I can’t stop you then...I already know he’s got this,” you muttered before shrugging your shoulders since you knew there was no way Itadori wanted you to interrupt this lesson.

To be honest, Black Flash was the perfect move for him.

Suddenly, you heard a loud explosion from behind causing you to turn your whole body around to find Itadori punching the ground leading a huge splash of water to arise before noticing two pieces of rock attempting to strike the curse, only for them to be deflected the second it touched its hand.

Once the water dropped down, you witnessed Itadori’s fast reflexes as he managed to dodge the curse’s attack, landing a few kicks towards its stomach before Itadori used his last kick to target its face. However, you could tell then intensity was low meaning he wouldn’t even hit a single Black Flash with an attempt like that, only for the result you had come to happen as he attempted the technique once he landed a punch against the curse’s torso, only for Itadori to force himself back once the curse retaliates by trying to hit him with its branches, only for the effort to be futile.

“My friend,” Todo said causing Itadori to look at him, only to receive a smack across the face leading you to look at the scene with a fed-up expression since the connection on Todo’s hand and Itadori’s cheek was quite loud for a normal slap to sound.

‘What...The...Hell?’

“Anger is an important trigger for sorcerers, sometimes then can be taken down purely because they accidentally angered their foe and the opposite is also true. Sometimes they lose because their own anger disrupts their cursed energy, so they can’t exercise their abilities. Your friend has been wounded, and worse yet, they’ve rained on your honeymoon with me, you best friend, so I can really understand why you’d be boiling with rage,” Todo expressed with understanding, only for you to look at him with an extremely fed-up expression depicted on your face.

‘I don’t think the ‘best friend’ bit is why he is really angry, you drag’

“But that rage is too much for you, put it away for now,” Todo then informed Itadori before slapping his face again leading you to vocally express your confusion about the scene that was happening right in front of you.

“Huh?” you uttered out.

“Are those stray thoughts gone now?” Todo questioned with a small smile plastered on his face.

“Yeah, not a single one left. Thank you so much, best friend!” Itadori replied with a confident smile on your face leading you to tilt your head to the side as you witnessed this scene - if you were going to tell this to Kugisaki, you wouldn’t know if she would believe you or not…

Walking back out into the river, Itadori raised his fist up while peering at the curse with an intense stare only for his opponent to quickly push itself forward leading Itadori to follow as branches began to invade his side. However, it seemed as if Itadori hadn’t noticed them at all since he was directing going straight down the middle, leading his fist to make contact with the curse’s torso causing the manifestation of the black spark that you and Todo were waiting for.

“He did...it,” you muttered in amazement as the curse’s branches suddenly disappeared while its body was forcibly pushed back.

“Now you understand the taste of cursed energy,” Todo mentioned as he proceeded to walk into the shallow river with a proud smile on his face. “Up until now, you’ve just been throwing an ingredient you’ve never tasted before into a pot and boiling it without knowing why. But after experiencing Black Flash and understanding the taste of your ingredient, your cursed energy, you stand on a completely different level as a chef than you did three seconds ago. Congratulations, brother, you can become strong,” Todo then expressed with joy leading your classmate to look at him with a concentrated expression on what he was trying to explain.

‘I guess that is a good way to describe it. To be honest, it is kind of similar to Gojo’s teaching but a tiny bit better…’

“It can heal?!” Itadori asked in shock, as it noticed the growth of the curses’ hand.

“A cursed spirit’s body is made up of cursed energy. Unlike us, they don’t need any advanced reversed cursed technique to heal like how Gojo does. An injury like that is nothing to a special-grade, but there’s no doubt that it shaves away their cursed energy and if you crush their head, it’s game set,” Todo explained before turning to look at you with a 

“Now, shall we get cooking?” Todo asked you and Itadori in an assertive tone, leading you to look at him with a surprised expression before sighing as if you had a choice to not fight anyway.

However, before you could even take a single step into the river, you notice something from the corner of your eye causing you to raise your polearm swiftly seconds before you were now suddenly violently pushed back to extreme lengths away from the battle you were going to involve yourself in causing Itadori to yell out your name in complete panic. Although, there was no point in chasing after you, as you were now concealed within the multitude of trees that were surrounding the area with a hooded intruder, who was now keeping you at more than an arm’s length away from the two students you were supposed to keep an eye on.

“Destructive Curse Spell number one: Sho!” you chanted, leading a small ball of concentrated cursed energy to form in the middle on your polearm leading to the weapon and the person, who was pushing you, to be blasted back leading a distance to be created between you both giving you the space to press your feet down onto the ground to gradually pause your movements as you placed your hand on the ground to give you more support.

“Who are you?” you asked in anger before standing up straight in a defensive position and you aimed the polearm’s blade downwards to the ground, leading the person to raise up what seemed to be a pair of tonfa’s like the ones Fushiguro had earlier during the event, only for them to be metal rather than wood.

“WHO ARE YOU?!” you queried once again, getting irritated at the fact that the person was just giving you the silent treatment which caused them to giggle slightly as your frustration.

“Isn’t that a warm welcome for someone that took care of you so dearly?” the person spoke with a soft tone, causing you to freeze up in shock after realising how familiar that tone was to you to which lead the instructor right in front of you to slowly remove their hood leading their hair to spill out as well as to slowly reveal their face to you under the light the tree could, causing you to let out a breath of shock as your eyes widen at the sight in front of you.

“Mother?”

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