#like bro was SLIGHTLY annoying in chapter one and the beginning of chapter 2

[silly-salty-utdr-rants]

something people need to acknowledge is that berdly is the fucking mvp of chapter 2, after getting free from mind control he HAULS ASS to round up FUCKING EVERYONE (EVEN IN THE NEUTRAL ROUTE WHERE HIS ARM IS FUCKED UP)

saves kris susie and ralsei from FALLING TO THEIR DEATHS and

(best image i could find of the scene)

uses the berdly statue as the base for the robot to fight queen with.

(image not found)

I SHIT YOU NOT THIS IS JUST WHAT FUCKING HAPPENS!!! LIKE LITERALLY REPLAY CHAPTER 2 AND IT HAPPENS!!!!! NOT TO MENTION SNOWGRAVE WHERE HE ACTIVELY TRIES TO SAVE NOELLE FROM US WITH NO WITTY BANTER AND RAMPED UP ATTACKS REQUIRING THE FATAL SPELL SNOWGRAVE TO EVEN KILL!!!!

HOW IS BERDLY STILL ONE OF THE MOST HATED CHARACTERS???

[nancyheart11]

vbhjasbhkjbka I got tagged by 2 amazing writers!!! thank you @skyward-floored @ajscico

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

9! (though i have one i'm planning to post tomorrow ;)

2. What’s your total ao3 word count?

54,472! though without others words in Dad squad it's closer to 45,000

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Legend of Zelda and linkeduniverse mostly these days. Occasionally write a tiny bit for Danny Phantom

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

The Blush of Dawn My longest fic by far and the one that made me get into writing fic for the first time since middle school! It's about Twi getting turned into a shadow beast :)

Baby Breeze A tooth rotting fluffy fic featuring De-aged Wind and Big-bro Twilight. Was supposed to be a one-shot and whoops now i need to come up with a third chapter XD

Warriors nervous breakthrough What if Warriors had such bad nerve damage from the war it caused problems? also featuring a fun hc for the beginnings of the Yiga.

A hero hiding in Wolf's clothes My Wolf form reveal to the Ordon family fic! Colin is so sweet that it has stumped me on how to move the plot forward for months.

The Many Misadventures of Dad Squad The fic that I expected to be #1 quite honestly, mostly written by the wonderful @skyloftian-nutcase! it's got slightly possesed son/god Dad, tired of everything Dad, and Farmer/Renegade Dad!

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes!! I love love love comments and i'll tell you right you kudos and comments are the only reason i'm going to finish Blush, since they remind me people enjoy my thoughts and efforts!

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably the Dad Squads chapter where Rusl passes out thinking that his son is in chains or muzzled while feeling like a burden to the other Dads. Could also be a 3 sentence fic lol.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Sky's encounter with kitten kind which is so fluffy it has Comfort/No hurt as a tag

8. Do you get hate on fics?

no, I have gotten weird comments, but they are just people who are really excited about things.

9. Do you write smut?

Nope! and i'm not planning to start

10. Do you write crossovers?

Yep! usually Dp x Dc since those are the writing prompts I see cross my Dash.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

also no, though i would explode with happiness if that ever happened.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yep! the Dad Squad series is a fun mashing pot of different amazing Writers (Lofty definitely does the most writing for it because she's an amazing writer with brilliant ideas)

14. What’s you’re all-time favorite ship?

this year has been Rusl and Uli all the way, but a romance that i adore would have to be Galen and Rose from Princess of the midnight ball.

15. What’s the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

A funky 1000 words of pure emotional hurt I wrote at 3 am on a bad night.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Emotions i think. I love writing the way your stomach swoops from a drop or your throat goes tight and hot and heavy with shame :)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

everything else.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think it would be really cool! I am not confident in my ability to do it at all though.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Does my Dad's old DnD campaigns count? if not either Harry Potter or DP (luckily those fics will never see the light of day cause oof they made no sense)

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

I love Blush of Dawn but don't want to annoy people with my ideas when i could be ... finishing the fic so they can read them in a more engaging form with clearer flow.

no pressure tags @unexpectedstormy @hermitdrabbles56 @telemna-hyelle @gemglyph and anyone else who wants to!

20 questions for fic writers

Tagged by @the-real-azalea-scroggs! Had to wait until I was of my phone because doing these is a nightmare on mobile lmao

1. How many works do you have on A03?

18 as of a few days ago!

2. What's your total A03 word count?

60,763! Which is. Only a fraction of the word count in my Docs folder. Be prepared.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I mainly write for The Legend of Zelda; specifically Linked Universe! In fact, that's all that's posted on my Ao3 currently, since my fall into that fandom began with me uploading there! Pre-Ao3 I wrote for Black Cat (Anime/Manga), Megaman NT Warrior, various Pokémon things, Assassin's Creed, Yugioh, Final Fantasy XIV and Octopath Traveler! Some of these I still write privately, but I haven't gotten around to re-posting any.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Whistling on Deaf Ears - My longest fic on Ao3, focusing on Wild and Twilight's friendship and how good intentions can lead to disaster.

Iconoclasm - Warriors deals with the room full of portraits in Cia's palace. The Chain also deals with it, but with a bit more fire.

Deserving - Twilight finally tells Rusl that he was the wolf in the village during TP, but that also means dealing with some heavier topics. Colin half overhears them and forms his own conclusions.

Something Greater - The start of the "Hyrule can see magical auras" series! In this one we deal with Legend and his many rings.

Ocean Magic - Mermaid Legend and Zora Time have a race and then fight one of the Big Octos from WW! Fun times.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Every single one!! I love comments, they give me an excuse to ramble about my fic more!! I am always down to ramble about every single insignificant detail of any line and/or section. If you ever want more background info about one of my fics, look to the comments! So please, I adore comments, I treat them like treasures, not responding to them would be a CRIME.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

There's no contest; Inevitable, my (so far) only MCD fic.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hmmm, that's hard to quantify. I usually try to end fics on a hopeful note regardless. I'd say possibly either Deserving, where Twilight reconnects with his family, or Shimmering Blue, Striking White, where Time meets the Fierce Deity settled down on Satori Mountain and they both get closure.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully, no! I've been blessed with mostly amazing and patient readers, even when my upload schedule isn't the best.

9. Do you write smut?

No, not really. I've attempted it, but I'm too asexual for it lol

10. Do you write crossovers?

Very, very rarely. Mostly privately, and only very specific ones. Only a single one has had an actual plot, so far (more on that one in question 15!).

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Also a nope! I tend to write for smaller fandoms, where these things don't tend to happen a lot!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have! But it's been a while. Over a decade, in fact! I tried to find the fic to link it here, but it was on the German fanfic website fanfiktion.de, and my friend who posted it back then must have deactivated her account, because it's nowhere to be seen (I still have the Word file though!). It was a Multi-Crossover that started as an RP in a forum, and we took turns turning the RP into prose one chapter each. "If a Hero Turns to Dark" was its title. We were edgy teenagers.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Hissssss. Bad question. Shoo. They are all equally important!! But it's probably TenRose from Doctor Who.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

One of the very few crossovers I've ever worked on; a crossover fic between Assassin's Creed and Doctor Who, that I have mapped out in both chronological and timeline order, and yes, those are different. I only ever wrote about a quarter of it, since my primary audience of it disappeared when we graduated. I doubt I'll ever pick it back up properly, and if I do it'll probably go through heavy rewrites first since it's so old. Finishing it is a nice thought, but realistically, after 9 years it'll never be high priority enough for it to actually happen.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, especially arguments, and emotional impact. I've been told I do really well making characters feel alive and believable! Also I like to believe I'm decent at setting a scene and giving it the vibe I want it to have!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I struggle with dialogue tags when nothing much is happening besides the talking. I always feel it's too bland, and fall back on the same phrases. My scene transitions could use some work too.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done this with Japanese phrases, because I was a massive weeb. Usually I followed them up with their own translations, though; I'm not the biggest fan of footnote translations, unless they are properly linked to. Simple dialogue tags are my favourite way of indicating a language switch.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Black Cat the Manga/Anime! It's a series about an assassin turned bounty hunter trying to live a life separate from his murdery past, but getting dragged back into things by still wanting to avenge his best friend's death. The series has a special place in my heart and my bookshelf, it left an imprint on 13-year-old me that will never leave.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Probably Jailbreak, uncharacteristically enough! It's one of the only fics I never got stuck in once. Writing it was a great feeling from start to finish. I love writing all of my fics, but that was a special few days.

Tagging @ahrva @nowhere-to-go-but-down @silvercaptain24 and @aeghina! And anyone who wants to do it, really, go wild

[banalbones]

The Petite Prince: Chapter 5

Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

Chapter 5: The Treasure Hunt, Part 2

Summary: Roman is a child. Virgil and Logan lost him, and have been questing to find him for way too long. Remus loves his bro, but is feeling a bit more chaotic.

Words: 2485

Ships: Familial prinxiety, logince and Creativitwins. Eventual familial royality, roceit and DRLAMP  

Genre: Fluff with a side dose of angst

Warnings: A few swears, tiny blood mention, arguing, a mention of being unconscious, a dragon, falling, tell me if there’s any more!

Taglist: @pricklyfish777 @sunflowerblondeuwu  @itriedandimtired @draw-your-perfect-world @cemmy @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun @nonbinary-lizard-2

_________________________

The ‘twins’ were doing karaoke with the birds.

“Love is an open doo-oo-oor!”

The song was perfect for the pair, an adorable ‘love’ song for Roman, and a Disney villain tune for Remus.

Roman was grinning madly, his gap tooth showing, as his sweet little child voice perfectly nailed all of the notes.

“You’re really good at this,” Remus commented, taking a break from the song. “But Elphaba’s better.”

Cue the *o f f e n d e d p r i n c e y n o i s e s*.

“She’s a bi- she’s a bird! How can she be b- be better?”

Remus cackled. Annoying his brother was fun, even when he was a child.

He probably shouldn’t be thinking that, but still.

Quoting Virgil, sometimes I just gotta be me-an.

The smol one wacked his leg with the stick.

(Remus truly didn’t know how he kept getting it.)

“You know,” he said, “We could decorate the stick.”

That was a thing kids did right? Decorating sticks? 

Apparently it was, as Roman squealed in delight and jumped around, whilst simultaneously summoning paint and glitter and smaller sticks and a whole lot of other stuff Remus didn’t bother to acknowledge.

I would have just gotten blood.

_________________________

“Are we supposed to climb this thing?” Virgil asked incredulously.

Logan wasn’t looking at the tower, so much as the dragon. It had shimmering scales, the color of the sea, covering the entirety of its lithe body, with accents of a bright gold littered throughout. The sunset colored wings however, were the things that stuck out most.

The dragon was quite beautiful and had cool wings, in an abbreviated sentence.

It also appeared to be asleep, which was definitely a pro in this situation of cons.

“If we wish to retrieve Roman, I believe so.”

“Well, fuck.”

_________________________

Virgil for all his faults, was loyal. Or so he told himself. Janus (?!?!), when the emo was still a part of the Others, had told him that dark sides were extremely protective of what they deem to be theirs.

So he supposed it made sense that he, the literal embodiment of anxiety, was about to climb a fifty foot tower with no safety precautions, just to save the little prince.

He turned to Logan and grinned sheepishly.

“So, uh, do you want to start?”

Just because Virgil was going to do it, didn’t mean he had to go first.

_________________________

The Dragon Witch smirked slightly as she rested her scaled head atop the tower’s black roof, gazing down at the two sides.

Looked like it was time to drop the ladder.

_________________________

Logan rolled his eyes at Virgil and began to reach for the tower, not sure what he was actually going to do when he touched it, when suddenly a pile of pili fell on his head.

“What the heck?”

The sub-astute teacher looked up to see… a rope of hair?

What?

“It’s like in Tangled!” Virgil said, somewhat excitedly.

“The Disney movie?”

“The Disney movie.” Virgil nodded.

“So what do we do, climb it?”

“I mean I guess,” The Supreme Dark Overlord of Negative Commerce (That’s a throwback) paused, “Because I don’t see any stairs.”

Logan, once again, rolled his eyes.

Might as well start climbing.

And so he did.

_________________________

Roman watched LoLo begin to climb through the fly-eyes. It seemed so fun!

Maybe he could do that one day…

If Remus would let him.

Roman giggled.

He probably would.

_________________________

Remus had wanted to add a thorn bush at the bottom of the tower, to be true to the original, ya know? But the smol one hadn’t wanted them to get hurt.

Again.

So instead, he had come up with an ingenious compromise that Logan would have been proud of.

Put vines at the bottom, but make them look like thorns!

It would be so funny to see Virgil panic and try even harder not to fall, especially with the armor-

Oh yeah!

“RoRo, do you want to give them the armor now?”

The little prince nodded enthusiastically, his face scrunching up in concentration.

And then…

“I did it!”

Little did the prince know that Remus had done a slight flick of the wrist, ensuring that the metal protection would… weigh them down.

He may be my brother, and I still love and will protect him at all costs, but I am always a chaotic rat man.

_________________________

I can’t believe you acknowledged that you were a chaotic rat man.

I can.

_________________________

Patton hummed softly, twirling around as he made the brownies.

He had tried checking on Roman in his room, but the princely side hadn’t answered.

So, he decided to make brownies to give to Roman when he felt like he could talk to him again!

If he ever felt like he could…

Patton shook his head quickly, dismissing the thought.

He would! It was Roman, after all!

Patton swallowed.

It was Roman, after all…

_________________________

Logan was halfway up the tower (and the hair) when he felt a weight be placed on his body. A very heavy weight.

The logical side was now extremely glad he had made Virgil stay on the ground.

Gravity tugged a little too hard on Logan for his own liking, and then he was falling.

And falling.

And f

           a

                 l

                      l

                           i

                               n

                                       g

                                            .

Into a pile of thornbushes?

Logan inwardly groaned. It was like in the Grimm Brother’s version of the fairytale.

The prince fell into a bunch of thorns and got blinded.

I’m already blind enough, come on!

He barely registered Virgil screaming out his name through the rush of air and thoughts.

And then he landed.

________________________

Virgil screamed as Logan fell.

He was gonna die!

Could sides even die?

He didn’t think so, but what if they could?

The emo’s mind was so filled with what ifs, that he barely registered the dumping of heavy metal on his shoulders.

It was like a weighted blanket but five times heavier.

“Oof.” He was pulled to the floor, just as Logan landed… in a pile of thorns?!

How had he not noticed that?

“Holy shit! Logan!”

He heard a groan.

“Ow.”

Virgil breathed a sigh of relief.

At least he was alive.

_________________________

You fell off a tower?!

Yes. I just said that.

How did you survive?

We’re getting to that.

_________________________

The teacher figure groaned as he opened his eyes. He wasn’t blind, and he wasn’t bleeding.

That was a good sign.

It seems I have not, in fact landed in a pile of thorns.

“Holy shit! Logan!”

Logan attempted to move his head. A fall like that could not be good for his neck.

He managed it, if only slightly, to see a raccoon-like side running, well trying to run, towards him.

“Hello, Virgil. Before you ask, no, I do not know how I am alive.”

“Are you-”

“Yes, I am indeed hurt,” Logan interrupted, “I fell twenty five feet, what did you expect?”

“I don’t… whatever. How come you’re wearing armor?”

Logan responded with a dry “You are too,” before craning his neck (ow) to see that he was, in fact, wearing a bunch of bulky metal.

It was very blue. Or indigo, depending on how specific you wanted to be.

“Why is it so heavy?”

“That’s because of Remus,” a very familiar, lilting voice answered, as weapons materialized in the boys hands.

“Oh shit,” he heard Virgil mutter.

Logan looked up (once again, ow) to see the dragon that had been sitting atop the tower flying towards them.

It let out a roar.

To mirror Virgil’s earlier words, oh shit.

_________________________

Roman stood proudly, brandishing his stick for all to see.

By all, he meant Remus and the birds, as they were the only ones left to see it.

(The other forest creatures had to go, they had told Roman, it was almost dinner time for them.)

Apparently, birds had really weird eating schedules.

Big me had a really weird eating schedule too. He only ate during the night.

That, along with the fact big him never slept at night either led to the little prince forming a rather intelligent conclusion.

Big him was nocturnal!

Like an owl!

Wait…

If Big him was nocturnal (or an owl)…

Did that mean ReeRee was too?

…

“ReeRee… are you a- you an owl? Or noc- or noc-tur-nal?”

The Duke turned.

“Also, do yo- do you li-li-li’ my stick? Its glitty-ery!”

The tiny royal’s big brother looked confused.

“No? Why? Your stick is splendiferous, by the way.”

Now it was Roman’s turn to be confused.

(He was happy with the reaction to the stick.)

“Big me is. How co-how come you aren’t?”

Maybe the lack of sleep at night isn’t something that owl’s do.

Oh! Elphaba’s leaving! Byeee!

The petite prince was so caught up in his train of thought that he didn’t see Remus’s concerned gaze.

Bye bye birdies!

_________________________

Virgil stared at the bedazzled dirk in his hand, the onyx gems glinting in the light of the fire.

Wait, fire?

The emo turned to see a large green dragon (?!?!) diving towards him, flames spewing out of its mouth.

A dragon?

Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit

“Virgil! Move!” he heard a voice shouting.

But for a moment he was paralyzed.

Then, in a way that was opposite his regular behavior, he let out a battle cry and leapt towards the reptilian rapscallion (Roman would be proud), brandishing his weapon.

The dragon roared as Virgil threw one of his dirks, the sharp metal burying itself in a shimmering teal scale.

No blood emerged.

One weapon wasted.

“What the fuck are you doing, you inbecile? Run!”

For some reason, Virgil decided to ignore the admittedly good advice.

The dragon swiped at the anxious side, knocking him into the hard brick of the tower.

The scaled beast crept forward.

It poked Virgil’s head, slamming it back into the stone.

And then the world was fading to black.

Well, he knew that wasn’t good.

_________________________

Logan shut his eyes, restraining a groan of frustration.

WHY did people (metaphysical people) never listen to him?

Virgil was the smallest of the sides (apart from Roman, at the moment) and though he was fight or flight, the anxious side really didn’t know how to defend himself, especially against dragons. It also didn’t help that he only had a tiny daggers and a leaden suit of armor to protect himself.

Logan took a deep breath.

…

When the logical side’s eyes reopened, he was subjected to the view of Virgil being yeeted (slang words) into the tower.

Virgil was quickly climbing up the idiot list.

Very quickly indeed.

_________________________

Where am I on the list right now?

The same place as you were when this happened.

Where was I?

That is not important.

What? Yes it i-

_________________________

Remus was concerned. Which was weird for him.

What did the smol one mean?

An owl?

Nocturnal?

Was Roman secretly an owl? Or did his twin have a really unhealthy sleep schedule that led to negatively affecting his mood, energy levels and attention span, making him lash out in even the slightest of stressful situations whilst simultaneously causing his metaphysical human being-like health and mental health to deteriorate?

Nah, he was probably an owl.

And with that (most of) Remus’s concern washed away.

His brother was an owl.

_________________________

Roman was watching the battle through the fly-eyes. Well, battle was an over exaggeration. It was really just VeeVee getting smacked into a wall by a dragon (who looked suspiciously like the Dragon Witch Big him had killed a while ago).

The prince looked to where Logan was.

The nerd looked reeeeeally annoyed.

Probably because now he had to defeat the dragon all by himself.

What’s he gonna do?

Roman watched as the logical side got up, a broadsword appearing in his grasp.

The prince summoned a bowl of popcorn.

He should throw it. Mama should definitely throw it.

Logan threw it.

And missed.

The sword didn’t even get near it!

Come ooooon, Mama.

The dragon roared and pounced on Logan, baring its teeth.

Roman leaned forward, a handful of popcorn nearing his mouth.

This was getting good.

A drop of saliva dripped onto Logan’s face…

Aaaaaannd…

He was whisked away from the fly-eyes view by a pair of grimy hands.

“ReeRee! No fair!”

“Sorry RoRo.”

The little prince pouted, and Remus held something out to hi.

“Look I made a stick!”

_________________________

Did it work?

Did what work?

The stick. As a distraction.

It wasn’t a distraction, I just really wanted to show him my stick!

Liesssss.

It was also a distraction.

_________________________

Patton was becoming concerned.

Roman usually would have come out by now.

Maybe he decided to talk to someone else.

But who?

Definitely not Janus, for obvious reasons. Maybe Virgil?

I should check. Just to see if he’s okay.

I’ll bring the brownies.

Just in case…

And so the walk to Virgil’s room began.

_________________________

Do it for the child.

That was the mantra that Logan was repeating in his head.

He truly did not appreciate being carried through the sky in a dragon’s claws, especially since it had caused his glasses to fall off of his face.

For the last time, I’m already blind! Why is it always me?

It also didn’t help that every single part of his body was aching.

_________________________

Do it for the bean.

That was the mantra that would probably have been repeated in Virgil’s head at this moment, if he wasn’t unconscious.  

_________________________

Patton frowned.

Virgil wasn’t there.

Maybe Roman and his dark strange son were with Logan!

And so the walk to Logan’s room began.

_________________________

Remus giggled.

RoRo had forgotten about the fly-eyes almost immediately, being too distracted by the glowing stick.

He waved his hand.

A visitor (or two) was about to drop in.

_________________________

Patton furrowed his brows.

Logan wasn’t in his room either.

Were they all together?

Who else could they be with?

Remus?

It was worth a shot.

And so the walk to Remus’s room began.

_________________________

Back in the dragon witch’s claws, a fully healed, very confused Virgil awoke, and Logan felt all of his physical pain disappear, along with the stupid heavy armor.

And then they were thrown through the window of the brick monstrosity,

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

As Patton twisted the door handle,

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

As Virgil and Logan crashed through the floor of the tower,

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

As Remus looked up to see the ceiling falling in,

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

As Patton pushed open the door,

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

As the left brain boys fell into the Duke’s room.

Oh boy.

_________________________

Roman looked up from the stick to see ReeRee grinning like a madman (That’s pretty normal), VeeVee and Mama sprawled on the floor (Yay! Why’s the ceiling broken?), and Da- Patton glancing around the room with a plate of brownies in his hands (ohnohonohonohonohonoh).

The petite prince was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

“Wha?”

_________________________

Thanks for reading this chapter of the Petite Prince!

(And by the way, at the time of the stick distraction, Roman is around five. If you’re confused, don’t be scared to ask.)

Any and all feedback is appreciated!

[anomander-dragnipurake]

Possessed Part 2 Chapter Five: Turns

For the sake of my sanity, I chose to split this chapter into two parts because after all the heavy edits I performed on it, it was too long and there was already a cut point in the middle anyway.

Waking up in his old room was very odd. It was bare, the shelves empty and the walls free of decoration but the glow in the dark stars he’d stuck to the ceiling shortly after moving in were still there and the comfy bed with its green bedspread felt the same. It felt wrong to be in a place he used to feel so safe and cozy in with King Boo in his body, making everything so awful.

King Boo scoffed internally at that as he dragged them out of bed. They would both rather stay sleeping but even with the aid of magic and willpower they could only sleep for so long. Luigi would’ve been content to stay lying in bed, pretending to sleep, but King Boo wasn’t having it so up they got.

Stepping out into the hall, they almost ran into Mario. He jumped back, putting on a smile. “Good morning Luigi.”

“Good morning,” Luigi replied even as King Boo ignored them both as he headed straight for the living room.

Once there, he paused and glanced around until he spotted the phone. ‘What’s E. Gadd’s number?’ he asked, as he beelined for it.

Luigi gave it to him as he dialed it in.

It rang twice before someone answered it. “Hello!” It was Gooigi.

“I need to talk to E. Gadd,” King Boo said before Luigi could try to return the greeting.

Gooigi mumbled something in reply followed by a call for E. Gadd. A few seconds later the sound of the phone changing hands occurred.

“Who is it?” E. Gadd asked from the other side, his tone mildly annoyed.

“Any more progress on your machine?” King Boo asked, not wasting time with being polite.

“Nothing significant and your call is only slowing me down.”

“You need us down at the lab for anything?” There probably wasn’t anything either of them could help with at this point but Luigi might as well cut in and ask to make sure anyway since they were already on the phone with him.

“Hmm… not right now. I’d like you down here later tonight though. I might be able to measure how fast your souls are merging if I can scan them around the same time each day. So, I’ll see you later tonight, an hour or so after the time you show up yesterday. For now, goodbye.” He hung up.

King Boo hung up too before turning around to frown at Mario who was standing behind him.

“Any news from E. Gadd?” he asked.

King Boo mentally nudged Luigi to answer because he didn’t want to talk to Mario if he didn’t have to. So… “Not really. But uh… he wants us back at his lab later tonight to try to measure how fast the uh… soul thing is happening.”

“Well, I supposed that’s to be expected. What are we going to do in the meantime?”

Luigi opened his mouth to answer but… he didn’t know. It was still early morning, they had hours before they were needed at the lab.

‘Does your brother keep any alcohol in the house? Or perhaps other ways to make time seem faster?’

Luigi would’ve been tempted to go along with that idea – anything to dull his misery and make the passage of time feel faster – if it wasn’t for Mario. In general Luigi would rather never be seen while overly intoxicated on any substance but with Mario it’d be even worse. So… No, we’re not doing that.

King Boo frowned. ‘How ‘bout I do it anyway? If there’s none in the house, I’m sure we could find some elsewhere.’ Even before completing the thought, he was already headed for the kitchen; the most obvious place to look for alcohol.

He only took two steps though before Luigi tapped in his magic – he was getting better and more used to that each time he did it – and stopped him from taking another. Excepting it this time, King Boo managed to keep his balance this time, he did stumble a little though.

“You okay?” Mario asked as he walked around to stand in front of them.

‘What do you propose we do then, huh?’

I don’t know, just not that, okay?

If not cooperating was a viable option King Boo would’ve told him to fuck off and do as he pleased anyway. But as it was, he had no choice but to acquiesce for now. ‘Fine! But just so you know, I refuse to let you make all the calls about what we’re going to do or not do until the machine is done, got it?’ While he didn’t have full power over Luigi anymore, he still had a lot and could definitely make his life a living hell if he tried pretend like he was in full control now.

It was Luigi’s body though so… Luigi didn’t even let himself finish that thought because King Boo didn’t care. … Yep, he was here and stuck so Luigi was going to have to deal with him for a while longer. … Which meant they’d have to make some kind of compromise if they wanted to maintain their peace agreement.

‘All right, how about this: we don’t get drunk or high off our asses but otherwise, I call the shots.’

No. Luigi wasn’t going let himself be walked over any longer. We can take turns choosing how we want to spend our time. It was the fairest they could probably be about this and hopefully it would only be for a few days. Though that was unlikely, it’d probably be at least a week if not more.

King Boo sighed and groaned, he didn’t like that idea but… ‘Fine, whatever.’ It would guarantee him some time to do as he pleased without having to fight Luigi for it. Though he’d have to do the same back which was lame. This whole playing nice thing was even worse than he’d thought it be. When he was free of this, he was never ever going to possess anyone or even anything ever again. … Good! As far as Luigi was concerned, he never should’ve in the first place.

Pushing aside King Boo’s answering annoyance, Luigi turned his attention back on Mario at last. He was watching them with a slightly worried expression on his face.

“We’re uh… fine,” Luigi said, forcing a smile. They were about as fine as they could be given the situation. “We decided to take turns on deciding what to do to pass the time. It’s my turn first.”

‘I never agreed to that!’ … Luigi didn’t care, he’d already spoken so for once, he was going to make things go his way here. In large part because he just wanted to spend some time with Mario. He deserved that after everything he’d been through lately, right? … ‘I don’t see why he’d want to spend time with you.’ … Luigi was not going to reply to that or dwell on it.

“… but it’ll have to do for now until we can get rid of him,” Mario was saying as Luigi focused back in on him. “Which will be soon I’m sure. So uh… what do you want to do?”

“He wants to spend time with you,” King Boo cut in with a derisive tone before Luigi could answer. “It’s pathetic.”

Mario scowled before putting on a smile. “We can hang out. We’ll just ignore him; pretend he isn’t there.”

“Good luck with that.” King Boo scoffed. “Letting him do as he pleases, doesn’t mean I’m going to stay quiet in the background.” Not surprising, that’d be far too much for Luigi to even hope for let alone expect from King Boo. He’d have to take what he could get.

Mario didn’t respond though, not even with a glance as he turned towards the kitchen. “Let’s have some breakfast and then we can hang out and play video games for a while, it should be fun.”

 -

‘Fun’ was harder to have with King Boo’s grumpiness about everything bleeding into Luigi’s feelings. And his occasional mean comment, both out loud to Mario and internally were a bit of a downer too. Luigi did his best though. And Mario, always the best bro ever, ignored everything King Boo said, somehow always knowing when it was him talking. How much it annoyed King Boo was honestly pretty funny at times especially since he didn’t want either of them to know it affected him any.

Overall, despite King Boo and his best efforts, it was definitely the best day Luigi had had since the start of this nonsense – not that there was much competition for even a good day, let alone the best. They played video games and watched some TV together, eating junk food. It was almost like the good old days before they’d gained any real responsibilities or learned how cruel the world could be. Back when they’d been nobodies; not heroes or anyone’s rival or anything else, just a couple of bros who’d gone into the plumbing business together.

Alas, as with all things, it had to come to an end at some point. Eventually it came time for them to go back to E. Gadd’s lab. Mario drove while King Boo decided to take a nap lying in the back seat. Neither Luigi nor Mario approved of the no seat belt necessary for that position but King Boo didn’t care and it wasn’t worth fighting over much so he got his way.

Gooigi greeted them at the door when they arrived, answering the bell within seconds as if they’d been waiting for them, probably at E. Gadd’s request. Immune to Polterpup’s barking, they lead the way into the lab proper.

The boxes and piles of junk had been moved, allowing for the beginnings of a new invention to be built to the left. It wasn’t much but it was a start. Hopefully when it was finished, it would work.

E. Gadd was already setting up the scanner again. Making it easy to quickly get to the reason for their visit without even exchanging greetings of any sort.

“Your souls are definitely more merged than they were this time yesterday,” he said a short time later, not even looking up from the scanner readout on his laptop yet. “I don’t think it’s a worrying amount though, not yet anyway. I want to keep a close eye on it though so come back this time tomorrow. But for now, shoo.” He closed the laptop as he stood up, making a shooing gesture with one hand at them. “I need to get back to work.”

King Boo had no complaints about that so with a shrug, he turned and strolled out of the lab. Luigi would’ve preferred to hang out a little bit, make sure all was going well and help out with anything if it was needed but… ‘It’s my turn now.’ And King Boo didn’t want to stick around so they weren’t.

“Uh… be sure you’re not overworking yourself or anything,” they heard Mario say behind them before he ran to catch up with King Boo as he exited the building entirely.

“Drop me off in town on your way home,” King Boo said to him without even glancing his way as they headed back towards the car. “I have some stuff I need to take care of.”

“You really think I’m going let you run off by yourself again?”

“Yes, actually. That’s part of the deal I made with your brother, remember? I let him have fun with you, now it’s my turn to do whatever I want. He’ll be the one to pay for it the most if you try to stop me.” Completely confident that Mario would do as he said, King Boo climbed back into the backseat of the car. After closing the door in Mario face, he lay back down and threw an arm over his eyes to block the light.

A few seconds later, Mario climbed back into the front, slamming the driver-side door hard enough to shake the whole car. “Fine, but I want him back home before midnight.”

“I’ll have him back at not long after sunrise tomorrow, no sooner.”

Luigi would rather not stay out that long but they did need less sleep now so it wasn’t the end of the world. And it would give him plenty of time to spend with Mario tomorrow. So… “I’ll be fine bro, don’t worry about me,” he said before Mario could try to protest. “He already agreed not to… do anything bad or… you know, so it’ll be fine.” Or at least as fine as it could be.

“All right, I guess.” Mario still sounded unhappy about it as he started the car. “I suppose it’s not like he’s gonna run off anywhere anyway.”

[bubbyleh]

it was arrogance to think you knew how to handle this - chapter 2

yeah, sorry. not enough time has passed between the posting of the last chapter for me to provide any new insight! again, scroll down my blog for the ao3 link if interested.

chapter 2: green to blue

Gordon immediately rushes to Josh's room, who he wakes when he scoops him out of bed. At first he's groggy and confused, but Joshua is comforted by his father's presence and quickly falls back asleep. Gordon holds his son, the most precious thing in his life, as he sits on his couch. He holds the kitchen knife tightly, away from Joshua.

He's not sure why nothing is happening. Gordon is half an hour deep into planning a move in his head when he realizes this. The Fae who was outside seems to have just done... nothing? Gordon's not entirely willing to believe they've just given up.

The sun begins to rise. The clock begins to creep closer to a time Gordon would usually wake up. He convinces himself, maybe, that the random Fae was just a one-off encounter. Gently, Gordon sets Joshua down on the couch, making sure he's still covered by the blanket from his room. He doesn't really want to leave Joshua's side, but at least he can still see him from the kitchen.

Joshua will probably be up soon, and Gordon wants to have breakfast ready by then. Having something to eat will occupy Josh for at least a little bit, which means any chaos he causes today will be delayed for at least a little bit.

As quietly as he can, Gordon starts sorting through his kitchen. He leaves the knife on the counter, within reach should the need arise. Normally he wouldn't make pancakes without a special occasion, but after the stress of last night, let alone the stress of the past month, he thinks he deserves some goddamn pancakes.

It's extremely easy to disappear into a task. Making breakfast while keeping an eye on Joshua is enough that Gordon doesn't begin asking himself questions, like why Fae would even be coming around and asking for Joshua now. He pushes thoughts like those aside, because he's a rational adult who's fully capable of compartmentalizing! He can have a panic attack later, when they've safely skipped town!

Once Josh wakes up, he's quick to his father's side, repeating "Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!" Josh jumps as he speaks, grabbing onto the edge of Gordon's shirt.

Well, Gordon thinks, Fae or not, kids love pancakes. He picks Josh up, holding him with one arm as he flips a pancake. "Whoah, no good morning?" he teases.

Josh grumbles out a, "Good morning" before attempting to climb over his father towards the stack of finished pancakes.

"Slow down there, kid," he says, pushing Joshua's insistent hand away from the plate. "What makes you think you're getting any?"

The absolute look of betrayal that Josh's face turns into is absolutely hilarious, so much so that Gordon has to stop himself from completely bursting into laughter. "But I want them!" Josh insists.

"Yeah, well, maybe I made them all for myself. Didn't think of that now, did you?"

Joshua furrows his brow and attempts to wiggle out of Gordon's grasp towards the pancakes. The safety hazard that is Josh messing around near a heated iron pan is not lost on Gordon, who cries out, "Josh, hey!" The words scare Josh enough that he freezes, allowing Gordon the chance to get Josh back on the floor, away from the stove top.

"Joshua," he says, in a typical dad warning tone. "What's the rule when Daddy's cooking?"

"Be careful around fire and pans," Josh mumbles, looking towards the floor. Gordon sighs, relieved both for Josh's safety and the fact he knew the rule. Gordon kneels in front of his son.

"I know it was an accident, okay?" he assures him, placing his hands on Josh's shoulders. "I just got real scared, there. That pan's hot enough that it'll hurt me if I touch it, you could have gotten seriously hurt." Which is... definitely something Gordon doesn't want to think about the implications of. He doesn't know if iron and fire burning stacks for a Fae, but he'd rather not find out.

Josh reaches forward and hugs Gordon, and for a moment, that anxiety is gone. Gordon just hugs his son back. He takes a deep breath, internalizes it for a moment, and then gets back to dad business. He pulls back.

"Why don't you go sit at the table, and I'll get some pancakes ready for you?" Gordon suggests. Josh's eyes immediately light up, and he nods happily. Gordon smiles as Josh climbs into his usual chair at the table.

Hopefully, that filled today's Joshua Incident quota.

- - - -

For most of the morning, it rains, which Gordon is thankful for as it means he doesn't need to provide to actual reason he wants to keep Josh inside. However, it doesn't stop Gordon's eyes from straying towards the window, keeping an eye out for any movement. Even as Josh rambles as he scribbles vaguely humanoid shapes, Gordon can't find himself completely able to focus.

Because, horrifyingly, someone came to his front door with the purpose of taking his child. All Gordon can think about is potential encounters with this Fae increasing in severity. What the fuck do they even want Joshua for? It seems like a reversal from the old warnings he would hear growing up, that Fae would steal a human child and replace it with one of their own. Oh, if only Gordon could laugh at that now. Instead, he's clenching his teeth so hard that not even a single "hah" could pass through.

"Josh," Gordon says suddenly, interrupting the four-year-old mid-rant about princesses. Joshua looks up at his father, orange crayon stilled.

Despite Joshua's more chaotic tendencies, Gordon's heart swells when he looks at him. He thinks about their house, the place he's raised Josh in for the past four years. It's where he brought his son home for the first time, where Josh took his first steps, said his first words. The place their little family of two lives.

Which is why Gordon takes a deep breath before he says, "What do you think about moving?"

"Moving?" Josh parrots, his head tilting to the side slightly.

"Yeah, moving," Gordon keeps his voice steady. "Like to a new house. Somewhere else."

Josh turns back to his paper and continues drawing. "Um, all our stuff is here," he remarks.

"We'd take that with us, buddy," Gordon chuckles.

Joshua's eyes light up. "Let's take the house with us!"

Gordon hears the mail slot on the front door jostle, like someone is having trouble getting a letter through. Weird, they don't usually get mail. He decides to check on it later.

He shakes his head. "We can't take the house."

Joshua's bright smile turns to a frown. "But I like the house." He grips his crayon a little harder.

"The whole point of moving is that we get a new house," Gordon explains, but Josh still doesn't look too happy.

"But I wanna stay in this house! I wanna take it with!" Joshua begins shouting, and dear god, Gordon does not need to deal with this now. He's halfway through formulating a response when...

"Bro, just take the house with you."

Both Freemen snap their heads towards the hallway, where the strange voice came from. Gordon's heart nearly stops, as he recognizes the Fae from last night (or, more accurately, earlier in the morning). Except, he isn't exactly person-sized anymore. No, the Fae is closer to the size of Gordon's hand this time around, but that does not stop the anger that begins to rise in him.

"I don't understand the problem," the now small Fae says, absentmindedly scratching the stubble on their face. "S'not like you can't just take the house somewhere else."

Gordon shouts, "You again!?" at the same time as Joshua's, "Little guy!" He's almost too slow to stop Josh from running towards the Fae, grabbing him by the back of the shirt and holding him with one arm. It's easier, actually, to grab the Fae, who's four inches tall and doesn't make any effort to flee.

"What the fuck is your problem!?" Gordon yells into the tiny Fae's face. He ignores Joshua's scandalized gasp.

The Fae just looks annoyed and crosses their arms. "Man, I told you this, like, six hours ago. You should've remembered better." They point down at Joshua. "Just, um, give us the baby thing and we're all gonna leave you alone."

"I'm not going to give you my son!"

The Fae hums for a moment. "What if I like, marry you. Then it's also my son and I can take it."

"Wh- no!" Gordon sputters, "First of all, don't call my kid an it! Second-"

Gordon's cut off when the Fae begins to sing, small blue orbs flying into Gordon's face. Because, suddenly, a whole chunk of Gordon's anxiety and rage is gone, and he can't really remember why he was so mad in the first place. Mostly he feels... confused? He can faintly hear Josh saying, "That's pretty!"

Gordon gently lets Josh down on the ground, but he still keeps a grip on the Fae in his hand. "What did you just do to me?" he asks, his voice a little too unsure.

"Calm down," is all the Fae says. "Just give me the kid?"

Very suddenly, Gordon's anger returns tenfold, because of course that's why he was so upset, how could he forget? He's about to give this little shit a piece of his mind, but then Joshua sings. A stream of green and blue orbs exit his mouth, just like the one the Fae just used on him.

"Oh shit," the Fae, for once, looks thrown off. They squirm a bit. "You didn't tell me little dude was a mimic, man."

Gordon, once again, feels entirely unprepared for what he just witnessed. After a long pause, all he manages to get out is, "I've never seen him do that before."

The Fae laughs, but to be honest, it sounds more like cackling. "No shit. He can only do that when I'm around, because he's copying me. Stupid." They sigh. "He'll be able to do it a lot more if you just let him come with me, man. It would be way more fun."

Gordon's gaze finally returns to the itty bitty Fae in his hand. Walking them back to the front door, Gordon chucks them as far as he can into the woods.

[limitededitionsanderssidesblog]

Love Like You - Chapter 2/2

Ships: Anxceit, Logicality

Summary: Nearly half a year has passed since Virgil first walked into the Stork House and met mysterious and hardworking caregiver, Dexter Serpente, and the odd pair of eleven-year-old twins, Roman and Remus. Over the past few months, with weekly visits, Virgil finds himself slowly falling for both Dexter and the boys. However, shadows of his past and fear of the future hold him back.

This Chapter is twice as long as the last, so sorry in advance.

Chapter 1 AO3 - Here

- The sun began to set as the day grew sleepy. Cars filled the traffic lanes as working adults returned to their homes after a long day at their jobs. They honked and beeped their horns, impatient to get home; while Virgil honked his horn for another reason.

“The light is green! Get off your phone and drive!” Virgil shouted at the car in front of him that refused to move even though it had changed ten seconds ago.

He never did like sitting in traffic, but today it was even worse since they all had planned to take the kids to the movie theater to watch the latest Pixar movie. They ended up leaving the Stork house a little late since it was hard to corral ten kids into three cars. They almost had to cancel entirely because one of the other volunteer helpers couldn’t make it. Virgil quickly grew nervous about getting there on time, but his rushing around didn’t do much of anything to help the issue. Dexter called his other volunteer but they were occupied as well. 

Virgil nearly had a meltdown then, Dexter was also slightly panicking but he remained calm enough to soothe Virgil. Dexter then asked Patton if his boyfriend would be available to drive them to the theater, and, after a swift call, he was.

Logan came and took four of the older kids in his white Corvette, Patton drove his KIA and took four of the toddlers, while Virgil volunteered to drive the agency’s car to take him, Dexter, and Roman and Remus. A small argument between who should drive stalled them a few minutes longer, but Virgil quickly settled it by snatching the keys and bolting for the car. He felt a little guilty for acting so childish, but he felt that he needed to make it up for ruining the night.

“How much time until the movie starts?” Virgil questioned, speeding up a bit, but not too much that he’d risk getting a speeding ticket.

“Seven minutes,” Dexter replies looking at the digital tickets he bought online.

We’re still ten minutes away. We’re not going to make it. We’ll miss the beginning of the movie. I’ve messed it up for everyone.

Cue the shaking and shortness of breath to take over his body as his anxiety skyrocketed. Dexter noticed his panic and was quick to reassure and comfort him.

“The ads last fifteen minutes, we’ll make it on time,” Dexter said.

Virgil nodded his head, but only to not concern Dexter any further. The man already had so much on his plate and did so much for him, he didn’t want to be any more of a burden on him. Instead, he focused on the twins in the back talking excitedly about the movie they’ve been waiting to see.

“I can’t wait to hear the new songs!” Roman cheered, bouncing a little in his seat.

“There aren’t gonna be any songs, stupid. It’s a Pixar movie, not a Disney movie.” Remus chided beside him.

“Toy Story 2 had a song in it! And I’m not stupid, you’re stupid, stupid!” Roman argues back, sticking his tongue out at his brother.

“Idiot!”

“Dummy!”

“Boys! Quiet down back there!” Dexter demanded, giving them each a glare through the rearview mirror.

Roman and Remus stopped their little spat but continued to glare and make faces at each other. Virgil watched them in the mirror and smiled a little to himself.

It had been a grand total of four months since Virgil had turned the big three-one and realized that his chances of ever having someone in his life had escaped him, and when he admitted that he was not physically, mentally, or financially capable of adopting a child. Though, instead of accepting a life of loneliness filled with nothing but endless days at work and the occasional excursions with his two friends, Virgil decided that he would visit the Stork Agency at least twice a week to volunteer and be around the kids.

At that time, he had grown very close with the two eldest kids at the Agency, falling for their quirky personalities. Virgil would usually come on the days when Remus wasn’t allowed at school to help tutor him. He’d bring books on his grade level math, science, and English and help him with his homework. When he wasn’t tutoring him he’d read stories to him to help his reading comprehension. Improvement in his grades began to appear after three weeks of work and Virgil remembered the smile on Remus’s face when he brought home a C+ on a math test. Dexter had felt such pride over the score and even hung it on the fridge to celebrate.

When he wasn’t helping Remus catch up with the rest of his grade, he would play video games with him on the WiiU. Remus was a near master at Mario Kart and it was practically impossible to beat him, but when it came to games like Super Smash Bros, Virgil reigned champ. Dexter wasn’t much of a gamer and often just sat by and watched them play if he wasn’t too busy taking care of the other kids. The best part was watching Roman and Remus play together since they were both just as good and their matches went on for long periods of time in a tight struggle.

Although video gaming and reading stories were enjoyable, the most entertaining activity they liked to do was anything creative. Remus loved to draw, and while his drawings were at times weird and sometimes disturbing, he had a real talent for it. Roman, on the other hand, was a storyteller and liked to write scripts for his own plays that he would act out with whoever he could get to join him.

Four months may not be a long time to know someone, but Virgil already felt like attached to the boys, and watching them act silly was one way he was able to calm down. Although, the best way for him to calm down was by watching Dexter beside him parenting them. Even if he was annoyed or frustrated with them, he had a knack for handling the wildness that gave him a special kind of shine.

The twins were not the only ones who somehow worked their way into his heart over the past four months, despite his best efforts to keep it secured under lock and key.

Miraculously, traffic began to clear up and they were able to navigate through the city a bit faster. This put Virgil slightly more at ease, and he refused to look at the car’s digital clock to keep his anxiety down to a minimum. When they finally did arrive in the theater parking lot, Logan and Patton in tow behind him, Virgil raced around until he found a parking spot with empty spaces around so the others could park as well. 

Practically leaping out of his seat, Virgil opened up the door for Roman behind him, while Dexter did the same for Remus, and walked to meet up with the others so Dexter could do a headcount before heading into the theater. 

Dexter went on ahead to give the clerk their tickets, while Virgil led the children to the theater, while Logan and Patton went to buy the popcorn. Just as Dexter said it would, the movie trailers were still playing by the time they walked in. Virgil guided the kids to their seats, making sure to leave a few seats empty so that the other adults can sit around and keep an eye on them.

The movie trailers reached its final one by the time Dexter walked in and took his seat in front of Virgil. 

“See, I told you it would turn out alright.” Dexter smiled over his shoulder, turning to look at him from one row down.

“Yeah… it did.” Virgil breathed out, his heart rate still calming down from his near panic attack.

Dexter smiles once more, then turned back to face the front as the movie began. Logan and Patton walked it with everyone’s snacks just in time.

The movie was definitely a lot more interesting than Virgil had thought it would be, not that he thought it would be completely boring. The plotline follows the story of a young girl who accidentally stumbled into her father’s laboratory and travels into another dimension, where she believed he disappeared to when she was a baby. The young girl then seeks after her father in the strange world, making friends along the way, and drawing attention from, and being hunted by, the people who captured her father. In the end, she reunites with him, the meeting was emotional enough to jerk a few tears from more than just him, and they go home. There was even a song sung for Roman to enjoy, and just enough violence to keep Remus entertained, but not so much that it was majorly concerning. A little over two hours later, the movie ended and the adults had to, once again, escort a crowd of small children out of the theater, which was no easy feat.

Along the way back to the cars, Roman practically bounced up and down as he reported every moment of the movie that he enjoyed. Dexter held onto his right hand and Virgil held onto his left, walking closely with the boy in between them. Remus basically hung off of Dexter’s shoulders, having asked to sit atop of them when they walked out. Dexter looked tired and repeatedly told him to stop squirming around, but it did little to calm the energized eleven-year-old. The scene warmed his heart and Virgil nearly laughed out loud at how silly he looked. He desperately wanted to take a picture but didn’t want to appear creepy. 

On the road back to the agency home, the twins sat and talked excitedly about the movie in the back. In the front, he and Dexter sat in silence. Virgil wanted to say something, anything, but all his words got tied together whenever he tried to speak. Dexter made a few comments towards him, but Virgil was only able to reply in short, broken, phrases. By the time they arrived back, Virgil still had said barely two words to the other man.

Why am I like this? Why can’t I do anything right?

Logan and Patton pulled into the driveway and along the street just a minute or two after them, both looking fatigued. Both Logan and Patton had worked full shifts that day, while it had been Virgil’s day off. He offered to help the children in and to bed so that they could go back to their apartment sooner. Patton argued against it at first, but one hushed word from Dexter, that Virgil couldn’t quite hear had him readily leaving with a smile, quickly dragging Logan along with him. A thrill of foreboding ran down his spine and Virgil then felt like he had made a mistake by offering to do so.

“Racoon man!” Remus cried, pulling on his arm violently, “I want soda!”

“No can do little man, it’s past your bedtime,” Virgil said, hauling him up into his arms, grabbing another kid’s hand, and leading them to the house. The movie was a late one and had ended at nine, which was just an hour before lights out. That meant that He and Dexter had a lot of work to do before then.

Dexter went on ahead to help the smallest toddlers to sleep in their room next to his in the basement. Virgil took it upon himself to help the older children get ready for bed upstairs. Setting Remus back down, he nudged him inside and directed him upstairs, almost closing the door behind him until he noticed Roman still standing out on the porch.

“Roman? You okay, little dude?” Virgil asked, walking out to him. Roman jumped slightly at the sound of his voice and quickly turned his head away, rubbing his face with the back of his arm.

“Yeah!” Roman replied, turning around hastily, head low. “Just allergies,”

Virgil wanted to interrogate him a bit further, not believing the excuse behind the tears the boy thought he didn’t see, but he ran inside and up the stairs before he could ask any further questions. Virgil sighed with a frown and followed after. 

It was truly a task to get all the kids to settle down enough to change into their pajamas, brush their teeth, and get into bed; but he didn’t have to do anything at all for Roman, the downcasted boy was in bed before anyone else. Virgil wanted to find out what was wrong but had a feeling that he just needed a little time to himself for now.

By the time he settled all the kids to bed and turned out the lights it was well past ten at night. Taking one final look at the twins resting in their beds, longer than the looks he gave the other kids, he went back down the stairs to head out and get some sleep of his own.

He grabbed his keys from the coffee table and had one foot out the door when Dexter suddenly walked in from the kitchen behind him, making him jolt slightly as he looked nothing more than a shadow in the lightless room.

“You heading out already?” Dexter asked him, switching on a lamp near him. Virgil squinted against the abrupt introduction of light, but once his eyes adjusted he noticed the simple cashmere black long-sleeve Dexter had changed into that hung eye blindingly tight against his body, and a small bottle of wine in his hand. Virgil turned his eyes up to his face to stop mentally drooling over him, but by the smirk on his face, Dexter had already realized what he had been doing. 

“I thought you weren’t supposed to have alcohol in the house?” Virgil coughed, trying to regain the cool that he never had.

“It’s my own small stash from my safe, the kids won’t ever get to it.” Dexter said matter-of-factly stepping away from the entrance frame with a push of his hip, “So…?”

Virgil looked to him and then to the small bottle of alcohol. A large part of him screamed not to risk it and run away and never come back. Deep down he knew what it would lead to, he isn’t dense, he’s noticed the attention Dexter’s given him over the past few months, but he didn’t trust himself not to ruin it.

I ruin everything. I’m the reason everyone left me. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t even try.

Even so, despite his best efforts to remain indifferent and unaffected by his charms, Virgil constantly found himself falling for his charisma and passion. He hoped that, just maybe, he would have another chance at a relationship.

“Maybe just one glass.” Virgil concedes, closing the door and following after Dexter into the back room.

The sat on the long couch, a foot of space between them, with wine glasses each in their hands. Dexter pop opened the bottle and poured a bit in both their glasses. They clinked their drinks together in toast and took their first sip. Virgil usually wasn’t much of a wine drinker, but the fruity taste sat deliciously on his tongue and drew him back for more.

“I wanted to thank you for all your help tonight, Virgil,” Dexter spoke up after their cheer, the rim of his glass against his lips.

“I didn’t really do anything.” Virgil huffed, twirling the drink in its glass.

“Yes you did, you made my job easier just by being there,” Dexter confessed urgently, chasing away his self-deprecating thoughts as soon as they came, just as he always did. “The children really like you.”

“Well, kids are easy to please.” Virgil blushed, turning away shyly, wrapping an arm around himself.

Slowly a hand reached out and gently grasped his chin, softly pulling it back as it were a moment before. Virgil then realized just how close they had become, the foot falling to a mere few inches. Their faces were within breathing distance and he could feel the steamed warmth of Dexter’s breath blowing against his cheek.

“They aren’t the only ones who like you.” He whispered,

A pull drew them closer together, closing the space between them. The grip on his chin was soft and gentle, allowing room for him to pull away at any moment. Virgil’s mind roared in his head as he lost himself in the moment and in Dexter’s caramel brown eyes. The time it took for them to finally reach each other was painstakingly slow, as though an eternity had passed by without them as they stayed still together, trapped in each other’s embrace. For the first time Virgil felt relaxed in someone else’s arms, he wasn’t afraid about what could be and could only think of what currently was.

However, the warm touch of Dexter’s lips against his reawakened those fears.

What if my breath smells? Am I out of practice? Am I a horrible kisser? Why is this happening? Why is he doing this? Why does he like? What if I screw it up? What if I push him away? I can’t lose him!

“Wait, stop!” Virgil shouted, pushing Dexter off of him.

Dexter fell back into the cushions roughly and looked back at him in surprise, confusion, and regret.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that-” He immediately began to apologize, which only made Virgil feel worse.

“No, it’s not that, it’s just-” I ruined it. I ruin everything. Why did I push him away? I’m so pathetic. I hurt him. I’m pushing him away. I don’t want him to leave. I have to do something to fix this. “Ca-can we just be friends?” He stuttered out, shutting his eyes closed and tightening his fists on the fabric of his jeans.

He shook in his spot, sobs trapped in his chest begging to break out, on the cusps of an emotional outburst. It took all of his strength and focus to keep from bursting out in tears and cries. Even so, a few tears managed to slip past him and fall down his cheeks.

A hand reached out and grasped his face, but only to wipe away the tears that had fallen through.

“If that’s what you want, then of course.” His kind voice answered, much too forgiving after what Virgil had just pulled.

“I’m sorry.” He hiccuped with a sob, causing another round of tears to fall.

“Don’t be, I don’t want to force anything onto you.” Dexter smiled, though he could see that it was forced and hurt.

Fuck, I’m the absolute worst.

-

The next few weeks were awkward as hell, though it was mostly his fault.

After, whatever the hell that was happened, Virgil practically ran from the house and scrammed his way to his apartment condo. About an hour later he received an incoming text from Dexter.

Dee: I’m sorry, forget what happened.

He wanted to, he really did; if it were possible he’d erase the feeling of being held so gently, he’d erase the image of Dexter’s eyes boring kindly into his, erase the smell of his burnt wood cologne. If the power to erase his memories existed within him he would do so in a heartbeat, so that his heart would stop beating so heavily and his clutch onto hope could come undone.

But no, he didn’t have that power, so now he was left to remember it all in excruciating detail. The hope inside him that he had desperately been trying to push down and squash had now gotten the upper hand.

No matter what he did, or told himself, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore the emotions building inside him. Yet, it seemed that it didn’t make a difference in the end what he felt towards Dexter since he had already gone and ruined it, whatever it was.

In an attempt to avoid him and the awkwardness, Virgil switched from going twice a week to just once a week, but that did very little to help, in fact, it only made it worse. Before it was just strained and uncomfortable glances and awkward small talk, but after he started cutting his visits short they began to talk less and less, sometimes he wouldn’t even see Dexter because he’d be too busy with the other children. It wasn’t unusual for him to be busy with the other kids, but he had always somehow made time to talk with Virgil, but now it was as if he wasn’t putting in any effort.

Virgil didn’t blame Dexter for being terse or angry with him, he would be too if he had that shit pulled on him, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Although the biggest problem to come out of all this wasn’t the tension between the two men, it was the effect it had on the kids, Roman and Remus specifically. Since he only came once a week now Virgil had barely any time to be around them, and sometimes he’d only be able to see one or the other if either of them at all. His usual tutoring with Remus had been cut short and he could tell that he was beginning to struggle again as his class began to take a lead on him the more new material was introduced. Remus promised to work his hardest without him and said that Dexter helped him when he found the time, but Virgil couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Roman had taken it differently and had taken Dexter’s side, although he didn’t even know what happened between them. He grew quieter and would say barely two words to him. Virgil didn’t know what to do about it, wasn’t sure how to fix everything he had destroyed.

But he had to make that first step.

It was almost dinner time for the kids, Dexter occupied the kitchen preparing the food while Jessica, a volunteer, sat with Virgil and the other kids in the backroom as they watched Barbie. Remus sat by his side, pretending to be working on his scheduled reading homework, but really was focusing on the movie. The only one not there, besides the smaller toddlers taking their nap, was Roman.

Looking over his shoulder, Virgil stared out of the window into the backyard at the small treehouse in the great oak that sat alone out there. Recently, Roman had been retreating to his ‘tower,’ purposefully avoiding him. Virgil decided that, at the very least, he could try to earn the boy’s trust again.

Ruffling Remus’s hair as he stood, Virgil went out the screen door to the backyard and went over to the treehouse the boy was hiding in. Climbing the wood ladder, Virgil gently knocked on the door before he pushed it open and let himself in.

The treehouse was pretty scarce of anything, but it had an old pillow and a few stuffed animals strewn about on the floor. The ceiling was really low, which meant it was impossible for Virgil to stand, so he had to remain seated the entire time.

“Hey bud,” Virgil greeted, crawling into the cramped space, “You mind if I join you up here?” Roman didn’t reply, sitting in the corner of the wooden fortress with his back faced towards him. “Look, I know you’re angry at me right now, but I didn’t mean to-”

“Why are you still here?” The sixth-grader cut him off, his voice icy and hard.

“I- Excuse me?”

“I can tell how much you hate being here. Why don’t you stop faking it and just go?” Roman spat, curling further into himself. “All they ever do is leave, even if they promise to come back, they never do. So why don’t you go away!” He shouted in a broken sob that pierced Virgil’s heart.

Roman had always been a cheerful and energetic child, similar to his brother but in a more controlled way. However, there were moments when he seemed quiet and subdued. The moments never lasted long and were far and few in between, and whenever Virgil asked about it he would always change the subject or give a simple answer. He thought it was just one of his many quirks, he should have realized sooner that he was feeling this way. It made perfect sense, Roman had lived the past ten years of his life in disappointment as he watched the children around him steadily be adopted one by one, which he and his brother were left behind. Perhaps they had been considered by a few families, and maybe some of them even promise to come back and never did. They grew up being judged and rejected by adults, they’ve known nothing else, it’s become their entire existence and identity; what did a child make of that?

“Was- was it me?” Roman asked sobbing, more to himself than to Virgil, his eyes blurred with tears and snot running down his nose.

Suddenly, without thinking, Virgil snapped and reached out, pulling Roman into a massive hug, holding him tightly against his chest and running his fingers through his hair.

“Roman, Roman no. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He told the crying by, setting his chin on top of his small head.

“Then why aren’t you around anymore?”

“Because adults are idiots sometimes.” Virgil chuckled dryly.

He’s been a damn fool lately, running away from his problems won’t solve anything, and not talking about it made it worse. He hadn’t meant to cause anyone harm, never intended for the boys to be affected the way they were. But it happened, so he had to fix it.

Once Roman calmed down and regained himself Virgil lead him back inside the house, hand in hand, and sat him with his brother in front of the still playing movie. He could tell the boy didn’t want him to leave his side, but the sooner he fixed his mistake the better it would be for everything else.

Dexter was still in the kitchen, placing a casserole into the oven. Virgil watched him for a moment, observing how calm he looked when he was focused, calm and beautiful. Dexter set the casserole on the middle shelf and closed the oven door, setting a timer on the stove, and then turned and caught Virgil in the middle of his staring.

“Hello.” He greeted, his usually warm smile appearing slightly strained.

“Hey, Dexter,” Virgil returned his greeting looking down at his feet, “c-could I talk to you?”

“Of course, what is it?” He asked, taking off his oven mitts, throwing them on the counter, and leaning his weight against the refrigerator. 

“I…” Virgil began, still looking at the ground, crossing his arms and rubbing his sides nervously, “I wanted to say I’m sorry… for pushing you away.”

Dexter’s calm and relaxed facade suddenly fell away and he became rigid and stood straighter. Even his fake smile cannot remain, his face becoming harder and somber with retrospect.

“I told you before, it’s alright.” Dexter reminded him, sounding downtrodden.

“No, it isn’t, I made you think that you were the problem. I never wanted to do that to you.” Virgil argued shaking his head as he looked up from his feet, his voice unintentionally growing louder.

Dexter his eyes grew wide and surprise, as did Virgil‘s, neither were used to say anxious librarian using a loud tone or becoming aggressive. It wasn’t that Virgil was never aggressive, in fact, he could be quite aggressive, although not physically and rather verbally; but since whenever he was around Dexter he was also around children the former never really had the chance to see that side of him. Virgil froze for a moment, fearing what Dexter would think of him after he yelled. However, Dexter didn’t appear to be offended, and he actually appeared endeared by it. It’s my return, but just for a moment, except this time it was real.

“Well, I forgive you, and I’m sorry as well.” Dexter exhaled, leaning away from the refrigerator.

“What for? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Virgil asked in confusion.

“Yeah I did, I made you uncomfortable, and spent the time since avoiding sulking about it. I’ve been acting like a child.”

“If anyone’s a child it’s me, I’ve been avoiding you like an idiot.” Virgil disagreed, putting himself down that he might build Dexter up.

“Don’t say that about yourself.” The caretaker said in an almost commanding voice, becoming rigid in his stance once again. This time it was Virgil‘s turn to be surprised at the other new show of aggression. Sure, Dexter was no saint, Virgil had seen him get frustrated and annoyed with the children multiple times since he first came to the Stork House, but it was always in a nurturing way, like a parent to a child. His tone of voice and the look in his eyes showed something else besides parental affection, kind, caring, and intense.

It’s the truth, though.

Those were the thoughts that Virgil always told himself and believed. It was easier to take the blame than to risk hurting someone else. Still, it was nice to have someone to help combat those thoughts, even if he didn’t listen.

Their eyes stayed locked for a few moments more, taking part in an unspoken battle against each other for a prize he couldn’t figure out. A heartbeat or two more passed when Dexter’s strong stance and expression began to crumble away into one more relaxed, and he began to laugh, although Virgil wants sure if he was laughing at him or something else entirely. Dexter’s hearty and breathless laughter filled the room and chased away the tension; Virgil had no choice but to join in until they both became laughing fools.

“I think the kids are starting to rub off on us,” Dexter chokes out between laughs. 

“I think you mean just you,” Virgil teased, holding his now hurting stomach.

“Says the guy pointing fingers like a child,” Dexter smirked.

Virgil feigned offense and put a hand on his chest and pretended to be wounded, just like Roman would do. 

Perhaps the children really were rubbing off on him, but he didn’t consider that a bad thing. So what if he acted like a child from time to time, being around these kids had been some of his best days. Ever since he came to the Stork Agency Virgil has found it in himself to smile again without it being fake or forced. He’s having actual fun again, he feels like he’s contributing to something bigger than himself, and he feels almost whole again.

Dexter excused himself to call the kids to wash their hands before dinner, which was finished and set out on the counter. 

Virgil watched the man in both wonder and curiosity. He had never laughed like that with anyone else, not since Matthew, and he had never expected to do so again. Virgil had welcomed in failure with each relationship he walked into, he expected and built up walls to protect himself for when it inevitably happened. Yet, this man, in just a handful of months, had managed to put a dent in his walls and threatened to break them down for good.

In his fear and natural reflex, Virgil wanted to put an end to the threat and keep his walls up higher than they were before. He had been hurt too many times and feared being completely shattered if he took one more blow. Even so, Virgil found himself welcoming in the destruction of his walls. He had trapped himself in a box for years, relinquishing his freedom and joy in exchange for security. He was bound by the chains of his own creation with the key in his hand at all times.

Virgil had a choice to entrust that key to someone else, but he still wasn’t sure if he could bring himself to. However, with how things were going, not only would his walls be removed, but he will also hand over the key to his heart as well. And Dexter would be at the center of it all.

-

“So if this is the tens place, and this is the hundreds, which one is this?”

“Uhm… it’s the… it’s the thousandths place.” Remus replied, head bent over his homework booklet as he stared intensely at the numbers on the page.

“Good job! So if that’s the thousandths place, where does this number round to?” Virgil quizzed, pointing at the four at the end of the equation.

“It…It…um, it doesn’t.” 

“Correct! But why doesn’t it?” He continued, making sure that he wasn’t just guessing.

“Because… it’s less than five, so… it doesn’t round up.” Remus answered, his eyes lighting up.

“Great job bob, Einstein is gonna have to look out.” Virgil congratulated him, pulling him into a hug and affectionately ruffing up his hair.

“Yeah or else he’ll have a chicken stuck up his butt.” The boy proclaimed with a grin.

“Mister Virgil? Can you help me?” Another child, Samantha, asked. Virgil nodded and scooted over to her to look over her work and help her where he could. 

The fresh spring breeze blew through the open windows and ruffled up the worksheet, nearly blowing them off the table. May had come, and with it, the warmth partnered with the ending of spring and the approaching summer. Not only did it bring a change of weather, but also the impending student stress of finals. Virgil, who had actually somehow made it through college all four years and was a surprisingly decent student, due to his anxiety over failure, offered to help them. After all, how hard could grade school classes be?

At first, he had helped only Remus since he was still a ways behind his class, but soon after all the other children gathered around him asking for help in their studies. He would have been overwhelmed if it wasn’t for Patton, who offered to help in English and History, while Virgil helped with Math and Science.

By far, the hardest subject for Remus to grasp was math. He really was a creative boy and was more of an artist than anything else, the math simply didn’t come easy for him; it was the same for Roman as well. If he could, Virgil would move them to a fine arts school where they could cultivate their talents and focus on what they were good at and not be held back. Roman had a better time in math and science than his brother, but they still weren’t his favorite subjects, so he didn’t need to ask for help as often, except when it came to mean, median, and range.

“This is stupid! Why do I have to know this?” Roman complained, throwing down his pencil in frustration.

“Honestly I don’t know bud,” Virgil sighed and patted the boy’s head, “But if you pass your test I’ll take you out for ice cream.” 

Roman’s eyes lit up at that and he immediately took the bait, returning to his work and giving the problems more of his attention. Virgil smiled as he watched the boy’s comedic face as he focused solely on the homework sheet. Virgil remembered hating math in school, despite being good at it, and it did little to serve him outside of the education system. Unless Roman wanted to go into a science or math-related field, which he probably didn’t, Virgil doubted he’d really need the information he’s learning.

“Hey raccoon man, are you busy next Tuesday?” Remus suddenly spoke up from his seat beside him, using the nickname he had received the first day they met.

“Besides work in the afternoon, not really, why?” Virgil inquired of the boy.

Roman, who seemed to already know what his brother was talking about, tensed up and gave a commanding, “Don’t.”

But he went ignored as Remus continued on anyways.

“We’re having parents day at school. Snake man is going because he’s our guardian, but I want you to be there too.” The eleven-year-old beamed brightly, bouncing around excitedly in his seat.

“That’s such a good idea!” Patton gasped and smiled widely with a clap of his hands, taking a break from helping Maddie to listen in on their conversation.

“Oh, well I’m not sure if it’s okay for-”

“He’s not our dad, Remus.” Roman spat out loudly, causing the room to quiet down and turn to them. Realizing that all eyes were on him, Roman flushed a bright red and turned his head down, but still remained upset. “He’s just some guy.”

The room was deathly silent as all the children and both adults stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the young boy’s sudden outburst. Roman froze as realization dawned on his face that was quickly replaced with a mix of anger and guilt. Standing from his seat at the coffee table, Roman ran away down the hall and upstairs, the sound of footsteps echoing in his wake.

No one made a move for several moments after and just looked around at each other at a loss for words. Virgil, however, snapped out of his shock and swiftly followed after him. It didn’t take long to find him as he wasn’t really hiding, and was simply lying on his bed on the bottom bunk with his back turned towards him.

“Hey, you okay?” Virgil asked, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

“I’m sorry Mr. Virgil,” Roman apologized, turning over to face him, his eyes full of tears and snot running down his nose.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Virgil told him and pulled him into a side hug with one arm, “I understand.” 

Even though it surprised him, even though it hurt a little to hear those words, Roman was right, he wasn’t their dad, he had no right to act as if he was. “I know I’m not your dad, but if you’d let me, I’d love to go to your school.”

“Really?” Roman wondered, his glassy eyes shone bright with excitement and he sat up on the back of his legs.

“Yeah, of course.” 

Still, despite the legality of it all, he wanted to go to their school and feel like their parents, even if it was just for a day.

“So I heard you're coming to parents day.” Dexter started, speaking first between them as they walked together through the supermarket. 

Normally it would be Patton’s duty to help with groceries, but he was currently out of commission taking care of a sick Logan. Virgil had warned him that he was getting too much dust and not enough sunlight from overworking himself as per usual at the library. Well, it wasn’t as if Virgil practice perfectly healthy habits either, but which one of them was sick in bed? Exactly.

Either way, Virgil was now stuck pushing a cart around while Dexter read off his list and filled the basket with different foods, sauces, spices, and treats. He wasn’t too bent over it though, spending time with Dexter wasn’t a complete punishment. Ever since they had that talk two weeks ago the tension had basically dissipated. Until today that is; Virgil didn’t know exactly what had happened, but ever since his last visit earlier that week Dexter had been more quiet than usual, almost like he was busy thinking.

“Yeah, Remus invited me.” Virgil agreed, taking the cans of alfredo sauce the other man held out to him and placing them in the cart. “Roman didn’t like it at first, but he’s alright with it now.”

Dexter check pasta sauce of his list and stayed silent for a moment, gazing far ahead of him at something Virgil couldn’t see, his eyes cold and focused. Virgil gulped down a breath of nervous air as he grew anxious about the conversation.

Is he mad at me? Does he not want me to go to parents’ day?

“I worry about them sometimes.”

Virgil blinked and snapped out of his anxious thoughts before he could spiral, stunned and intrigued by the statement.

“Huh?”

Dexter walked on ahead, reading over his shopping list and leading them to the next item they needed. Virgil watched him walk in front of him, noticing the tension in his shoulders, and followed after.

“They’re so used to disappoint and being rejected by every foster and adopter that comes to the house,” he began, his tone low and somber, “but you’re the only one to ever wanted to come back and see them. I worry sometimes that it’s raising their hopes.” He confessed head hung low as he came to a slow stop and stared down at his feet. “Do you ever think you’ll adopt them?”

The librarian opened his mouth to respond but hesitated in his answer. Will he adopt them? There was no denial that he had grown attached to the boys since he first met them on his birthday six months ago, that being with them brought him a sort of joy and fulfillment he hadn’t felt in a long time. Of course, there were times he has been annoyed with them and wanted to walk out, such as when they were being stubborn and difficult or throwing tantrums, but they were only children and he came back to see them anyways.

Even so, was he ready to take care of two children? It’s not like he was making a whole lot of money at his job as an assistant manager if it was just one of them it might work, but there was no way he could choose between them or split them apart. And if he did take both of them, would there be enough room in his condo for them to live. His condo wasn’t that big and had only two rooms, both of which were currently being used. He could empty out his office, but that would mean they’d have to share a small amount of space. That may work for now, but what about when they’re older? Plus, with his work hours, he wouldn’t come back home until around ten at night five days a week, he couldn’t leave them alone like that.

“Its a big change in life to have a kid, let alone two. I still don’t know if I’m ready.” Virgil admitted regretfully.

The last thing he wanted to do was to toy with the boys’ feelings, but he couldn’t take them in, not yet at least.

“No one ever truly is.” The caregiver stated, his voice sounding serious but his face was kind with affection and understanding, “I’m not going to pressure you into making a decision, but please consider it. I can tell how much you love them just by watching you. And I know for a fact they love you back.”

Virgil smiled to himself, but it was slightly strained, his emotions were a haywire mix of joy, grief, pride, and guilt. Even if he loved being around them, wanted to see them grow and be there for them, they weren’t his and he had no right to them. If Virgil had been brave he would have admitted it to himself by now, that he couldn’t imagine life without the twins anymore, he could picture a future without them in it. But he feared what that kind of commitment entailed, and distressed over whether his broken self could manage it.

-

Requesting the day off to attend a parents’ day event at one of the local middle schools for two children who weren’t his that he met at an orphanage less than a year ago had certainly been an interesting way to start off his Tuesday morning. He had the date marked down on his Twenty One Pilots calendar, on his iPhone planner, and had even written reminders on sticky notes and placed them throughout his condo. Virgil did not want to miss it for the world. Thankfully his boss hadn’t questioned him too much on it and gave him the day off.

The next part of his morning had been dressing the part, even if he wasn’t their dad he wanted to make a good impression on the teachers. Besides, Dexter would be there too, and he didn’t want to slack off in front of someone who always somehow managed to look irresistibly good.

Not that that was the point of today.

Starting off with a quick shower, Virgil carefully blow-dried and styled his hair, keeping his bangs out of his face this time. When it came time to get dressed, he settled on a clean pair of non-ripped black jeans and a dark grey tee shirt without a printed design, since they were some of the few clothes that seemed appropriate to wear at a middle school. The real trouble came with picking a jacket, most of his wear oversized hoodies he had modified himself that definitely wouldn’t fly, but after some extensive rummaging through his closet, he found an old black blazer he only ever used for formal occasions. Once he was dressed he looked at himself in the mirror and decided it was good enough if not a little foreign. 

He had promised to meet Dexter and the boys at the school gates before class started, so when he had parked in the visitor lot and jogged up to the front of the school he could see the three standing on the side waiting for him.

Just as he had expected, Dexter looked stunning. Shaking that thought out of his head, Virgil focused on the boys and continued to jog over to them.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, “You ready to head in?”

“Duh, we were waiting for you, raccoon.” Remus retorted, and then received a hard nudge from behind by Dexter.

“Remus, That’s not how you should speak to people.” The caregiver warned the boy. “Now let’s get going.”

“Yeah stupid!” Roman mocked,

“I’m not stupid, stupid!”

“That reply was stupid.”

“Snake man!” Remus cried loudly,

Dexter groaned in exasperation and walked in between, separating them before they could continue any further, and pulled them along by their hands. Virgil chuckled and followed along, taking Remus’s free hand in his as he walked alongside them.

“Rough morning?” Virgil asked, having a side glance to Dexter.

“You could say that.” He muttered, “Johnathan canceled on me, but luckily Ashley was able to watch over the kids while I was away.”

“That’s rough buddy,” 

“Whatever you say, Prince Zuko.” Dexter laughed, understanding the reference. Virgil grinned and laughed along too, glad that he was able to bring a smile to his face.

The boys’ classroom was in the third wing of the school near the very end of the hall, but before they went to class they stopped by their lockers so they could put away their backpacks and grab their books. The room was decently large, with desks lined up in rows of four by six, extra chairs had been placed near the outer desks and in the back.

The first class of the day was English and Reading, which meant pretty much the entire hour was spent with the children just reading books on their own and discussing what they read, which was honestly kinda boring. Virgil tried to pay attention but once he noticed the other parents all on their phones or, not so secretly, taking naps, he succumbed and pulled out his phone as well.

The next class was much more exciting, and not just because Virgil was partial to the subject. The makeshift not-family walked together to the classroom directly across the hall to Mr. Humford’s basic Biology class. This class was a far cry from the last as this teacher decided to hold a parent and student team biology game. Although he had been a duel science major, his studies had been in computer science and library science, and yes that is an actual science. 

For the game, parents and children split into teams of two and went up to the whiteboard to face off against each other three at a time. To do this, Virgil teamed up with Remus, while Dexter paired with Roman. 

Dexter and Roman went up in the first round but lost, coming as a bit of a shock to Virgil. The caretaker came off as a highly intelligent person, but perhaps science wasn’t his strong suit. Virgil and Remus went up in the third round and actually managed to win theirs, which brought them into a final showdown against four other groups. They didn’t win, but they had finished in third place and got some candy as a prize. The teacher and other students looked extremely surprised at Remus when he got his award, but Remus was simply happy and proud and rubbed his reward in Roman’s face. 

This caused Dexter to force him to share when the older twin began to loudly complain, which only made Remus complain and disturb the classroom. The science teacher looked at him in agitation and looked like he was about to say something, but Virgil swiftly handled it by covertly giving Remus some more candy when their backs were turned, winking and holding a finger against his lips to keep it a secret.

After science, there was a ten-minute break that passed by in a flash and then they were suddenly in math class. The class was similar to the first in that it was filled with the kids doing boring work and parents hanging out on their phones. The first fifteen minutes were filled with the children doing a math warm-up sheet, which then turned into a forty lesson and discussion. 

Virgil could tell that the teacher was trying to engage the children and get them excited for the lesson, but he couldn’t really blame them for being bored in a math class.

“Okay, so today we’re going to go over a new topic, I hope you did the pre-reading I told you to do because it went over what we’re about to learn: absolute value. Now, can anyone tell me what the absolute value of one hundred and two is?” The young female teacher asked, moving back and forth in the front as she looked across the rows of preteens.

No one raised their hands, obviously not having read the assigned math book. The teacher looked slightly distressed and called out again, “Anyone? Anyone at all?” 

In the back row, in the very far corner, Remus energetically raised his hand up high, a grin on his face. Virgil beamed with pride over him taking the initiative, especially since he had helped Remus with absolute value last week.

The teacher, however, either didn’t notice Remus or pointedly ignored him. With a heavy sigh, she turned towards the board to do the equation herself.

“Excuse me miss, but Remus has his hand up,” Vigil spoke up, catching the teacher’s attention before she could write the answer on the board.

The teacher looked over at him in surprise, as if she didn’t believe him, and turned towards Remus slowly, hands on her hips.

“Well, Remus, do you actually know it?” She asked, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. A few of the kids around him chuckled among themselves, but Remus didn’t seem to notice.

Dexter twitched a bit in his seat beside him and scrunched his face in annoyance, and Virgil couldn’t agree more.

“It’s one hundred and two, Miss Lady!” Remus shouted, louder than it was necessary.

“Hm, that’s correct, though it wasn’t that hard of a question.” She chided, writing the answer on the board. “You see, when you have an absolute value symbol in any number, the answer will always be-”

Remus wasn’t called on for the rest of the class period, even though he raised his hand several times, and despite Virgil mentioning it, the teacher refused to call on him. And as they went through the day he realized that she wasn’t the only teacher to do that to him. In almost every single one of his classes, Remus went ignored, left out of discussions, or had discrete, snide remarks sent towards him.

He could tell that he wasn’t the only person to notice this, as not only did Dexter see the difference in treatment Remus was receiving, but Roman did as well and sat glaring daggers at the teacher and the other students.

Sadly enough, this was a recurring issue throughout the rest of the day in almost every class. If it wasn’t the students leaving him out of groups or ignoring him it was the teachers using underlying tones or making quiet remarks towards her intelligence or personality. It was always “Remus, focus,” and “Stop bothering the other students,” and “Please apply yourself more,” or “Put in more effort.”

They tried to make it seem like they were being benevolent or helpful since they were being watched, but Virgil could see through their facade and knew they were usually straight-up assholes. Especially the teacher they were currently with who had no issue pausing in his Geography lecture to straight-up yell at the boy.

“Remus Sanchez! Stop fidgeting!” The teacher, and thankfully last one of the day, ordered in a commanding, boisterous bellow.

Remus, who sat directly in front of his desk, had been rocking back and forth in his seat, tapping his own tune on his leg with his pencils as if they were drums as he listened to the boring lesson on the geography of Florida. The sudden shout had scared him into stillness and he immediately sat up straight in his chair. The way he reacted so swiftly and in an orderly fashion hinted that it had not been the first time Remus had been yelled at.

“Sorry Mister Sir, I-” Remus began but was cut off with another shout.

“And stop with that childish nickname! It’s Mr. Ruiz, I expect that even you can remember that.”

Remus didn’t answer back and instead simply turned his head down towards his desk and gave a small nod. 

A few parents looked around at each other in concern and simply shrugged, knowing it was wrong but not willing to do anything against the geography teacher. Virgil clenched his fists and looked over to Dexter, who looked back equally as furious, but more as a quiet cold fury rather than Virgil’s boiling hot rage. Dexter shook his head and mouthed “after class.” But that wasn’t enough for him, this dick didn’t deserve to be let off easy for what he just did.

Mr. Ruiz turned with an approving nod at Remus’s submission, and went back to his powerpoint but  said barely two words before Virgil said loudly, “Excuse me, Mr. Ruiz, can you not speak to Remus like that?”

The teacher paused in his lecture and turned slowly to face whoever had dared to cause such an offense by interrupting him. Mr. Ruiz looked directly at Virgil in disdain and astonishment, as though he actually couldn’t believe that a “family acquaintance,” as he had been labeled several times that day, had actually spoken up in defiance.

“I beg your pardon?” He questioned,

His heart pounded in his chest at the upcoming confrontation, his anxiety yelled at him in his ears to shut up and apologize, but he shoved it all down, letting his anger drown out his fear. Virgil raised his head to face him and stood from his chair, his shaking at his sides.

“I said, don’t speak to him like that. Ever again.” Virgil spoke through tight lips, drawn into a sneer.

“Mr. Black, I highly doubt that now is the proper time to act in such a way-”

“But it’s time to yell at a kid in front of his parents? Are you trying to send a message or something?” He challenged, 

“Virgil, maybe you should calm down-” Dexter tried to calm him down, placing a gentle hand on his arm, but failed as it only made him even more riled up.

“No, Dee, I’ve had enough of watching these moronic teachers pick on Remus. You claim that he’s failing school but you keep him out of discussions and refuse to be decent educators!” He roared and ripped his arm away to point an accusatory finger at the teacher.

A stir started up among the students as they whispered among themselves, questioning and wondering about the claims Virgil was making. They looked to their own children, concerned whether or not Remus was the only one being mistreated by the faculty. Mr. Ruiz watched from the front as his classroom began to become distraught and flushed red in anger.

“Mr. Black!” Mr. Ruiz hollered, “Now is not the time for a family friend to file in complaints. Instead of pointing fingers you should focus on finding him someone who can raise him properly.”

The classroom quieted down at the loud outburst and blatant insult towards not just Virgil, but also at Dexter, who had spent the past ten years raising Remus. Virgil knew that he did every possible thing he could to support him while taking care of ten other children, the nights that were wasted away, the days he couldn’t leave the house, the countless hours that went without getting a break. No one had ever tried harder than Dexter, so Virgil knows that that comment hit deeper for him.

“I wouldn’t say another word if I were you,” Dexter warned in a dangerously low voice, his eyes filled with a near murderous glint as he slowly rose from his chair. “Yes, yelling in class on parents' day is not okay, but neither is degrading a child in front of his caregivers and other parents on the day you as a teacher are supposed to show to us that our children are in capable hands while we’re away at work. I have half a mind to sue the school for the discriminatory treatment he receives here.”

Mr. Ruiz stared flabbergasted with his mouth hung open, as did the rest of the entire classroom, the teachers and the students included. Not missing a beat, Dexter moved to Remus and gathered his things and pulled him out of his seat by the hand. Virgil followed suit and went to Roman, chasing after them as the caregiver practically charged for the door. “Have a good life, Mr. Ruiz. We’re leaving.”

Class ended for the day, ending early at noon for the working parents, but the four of them had long since been gone. After the miniature showdown in the geography classroom, Dexter has gone and signed out Roman and Remus for the rest of the day and scheduled a time to meet with the principal. Virgil stood a few steps behind the fuming man, the boys’ hand in his, letting him have his space to calm down. 

While he had been the one to make the first move and yell at the teacher, Dexter ended up becoming even more livid than he did. He felt partially responsible and almost guilty about what had happened, but he reminded himself that he had done it for Remus’s sake and wasn’t completely in the wrong.

In the end, they decided to treat the boys to some ice cream and went to the nearest McDonalds to get a cone and sundaes. Virgil offered to pay since he felt guilty, so Dexter went with the kids while they played in the play place. Of course, the ice cream machine was broken, so he just got everyone McFlurries instead. By the time he finally had everything, the boys were lost in their own little world, while Dexter sat on the sideline lost in thought.

“Sorry, the ice cream machine was broken,” Virgil said as he walked up and set the drinks on the table.

“That’s alright,” Dexter replied, giving him a small, tired smile. “Thank you.”

“It was only, like, three bucks, so-”

“No, not that.” Dexter shook his head, letting out a light chuckle, “For earlier.”

“Why? I made a scene and yelled at the teacher.”

“Yes but you did what I could not, guess it’s a good thing you’re the hot-headed one.”

“Gee, thanks.” Virgil huffed and leaned back in the hard plastic chair, tapping at the table lightly for a thoughtful moment, “I’m glad I am too but have they always been that way with him?”

“Well,” Dexter began but paused when the twins came running over, cheering as they sat and grabbed their flurries, not appearing to care that it wasn’t what they had originally been promised, which is a miracle in its own. “Why don’t we finish this later?” Dexter offered, opening the straw and putting it in the McFlurry for Remus, who had been struggling with the packet.

Virgil nodded and grabbed his drink, turning to Roman to chat with him to get his head going. Today had been primarily focused on Remus, but that didn’t make Roman any less important, and he wanted to make sure he didn’t feel left out. As he prattled on about his favorite Disney princes, which eventually roped Remus in, Virgil smiled at the way he lit up like a Christmas tree and the peasant energy he gave off. It was a mystery how they hadn’t been adopted until now, but with each passing moment, he found himself more and more relieved that they hadn’t been.

You’re not ready to be a parent.

Virgil ignored that thought.

-

When they arrived back at the Stork house Patton had dinner going, while most of the kids sat in the living room playing a game. The others were presumably spread out through the house. Dexter went and offered to take over and let Patton go home early. As his best friend left, he winked at him and whispered “good luck” before he headed outside to leave. Virgil blushed and stuttered but was unable to reply or come up with an excuse before he was out the door.

Both Patton and Logan knew about his conflicted emotions for Dexter and, despite knowing his past, encouraged him to pursue it. Thankfully they didn’t butt in and do anything to force them together, which he was truly grateful for.

The night went on as it usually did whenever he came there after dinner was served the children were allowed three hours of free time spent watching TV and playing games before he and Dexter got them all ready for bed before lights out at ten. Tonight Virgil and Dexter switched roles and he was the one to help the toddlers while the other helped the older kids. He didn’t hate the toddlers, but they were a pain in the ass to get to settle down. At least two of them refused to get changed into their pajamas, and nearly all of them didn’t want to brush their teeth. By the time he got them into bed and, presumably, go to sleep, Dexter was already waiting for him on the couch, finishing with the older kids way before him.

“You could have helped you know.” Virgil chided falling back into the, kinda, soft cushions. They seriously needed a new couch, one not stained and lumpy from ware tear. 

“I thought you could handle it.” He grinned, leaning on his side, resting his head in a palm. His cat-like smile became serious, “I got an email from the school. They offered to suspend the teacher for thirty days, but only if they get a written apology from us.”

“Fucking bullshit if you ask me.” Virgil groaned, throwing his head back he dragged a hand down his face and rubbed at his tired eyes. “Guess they don’t actually give a shit do they?”

“Even if I did threaten them with a lawsuit, they know I’ve always been tight on money and can’t afford an actual lawyer,” Dexter said with a grimace.

“Havey they always been such dickwads?”

“Careful with the language, the kids, and pretty much yeah. It was fine at first, but then Remus began to show signs of an undiagnosed child development disorder that’s thus far gone untreated. Because of that, not only the kids but the teachers as well, treat him horribly. And since he isn’t diagnosed, I can’t switch him to the special ed classes where he could potentially get better care.”

“You haven’t taken him to a doctor?”

“Believe me, I wish I could,” Dexter sighed, eyes tired. Suddenly he looked as if he had aged ten years, the weight and worry giving his stress lines beyond his age. “But I just don’t have the funds. I’m basically a single father with ten kids. Roman accepts his brother as he is, and that’s already more than I can ask for. I just wish I could make it easier for him.”

He went quiet, shifting to sit forward and lean over, elbows on his knees and hands in his hair. It was hard to see in the dim light, but Virgil noticed a few gray hairs peeking out from where his head was usually covered by those hats he liked to wear. Virgil frowned and looked out the window at the night sky, which was more visible with the new moon. All around there were stars, and most all of them shone white and were small, but there where a few that stood out. Ones that were large, twinkled a little more or shined other colors like blue or red. They stood out and were different, yet they were the most beautiful of all. 

It was a common woe of a parent to have a child that stood out, naturally, they wanted to make their life as free sailing as possible. And sometimes being just like everyone else is what is easy, it’s what’s considered normal, while diversity is often difficult, but that is what makes it so beautiful. Over the past couple of months, he had come to know Remus as the quirky boy he was and he had come to love him because of it, both he and his brother. They were the kindest and friendliest kids he had ever met, and if their school refused to see that, then they didn’t deserve to have them as students.

“There’s a school not too far from my place, they could go there next year.” Virgil offered, voice barely above a whisper.

Dexter raised his head and gave him an incredulous look, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“But that’s on the other side of the city. I’m not sure if they would be able to make it to school on time each day.” Dexter told him.

“Then they could move in with me. I live just down the road.” Virgil said, trailing off and growing quieter with each word as his insecurity and doubt began to rise up. 

What am I doing?! Shut up! This is too much commitment! His anxiety screamed at him like an unhelpful, angry track coach. Virgil tensed up slightly in his shoulders as his body began to lightly shake. However, before he spiraled, Virgil centered himself and breathed in and out deeply and tried to change his thoughts. 

You’re not ready. Yes, I am. You’ll be a horrible father. No, I won’t. You don’t know the first thing about parenting. I can do research online and at the library. They won’t want you as their father. I don’t know that. You can’t. I can.

“I want to adopt them. I’m ready.” Virgil said, more to himself than to Dexter.

Dexter beside him smiled and nodded his head, his lips visibly trembling as his eyes became water and tears filled the corners of his eyes. So many emotions passed over his face within a short moment; happiness, relief, pride, surprise, and joy to name a few. It was as if a ten-year-long wish had finally been granted, and it most likely had.

“Thank you.” Dexter muttered voice choked up before he cleared his throat, “I’m glad to hear that and proud that they’re going with someone like you, but I’m afraid it may not be possible.”

Now it was Virgil turn to feel an array of sudden emotions, mostly confusion and hurt.

“What? Wait, why?”

“Well, as you said before, you are not financially fit to care for two children. If you were to apply for adoption it’s likely you’d be rejected.”

“So what? After all this your telling me I can’t adopt the boys?” Virgil nearly shouted the previous calming and celebratory atmosphere went now that he was pissed. Dexter, however, just smiled.

“Let me finish.” He chuckled, making Virgil frown deeper, “There is an option to have a cosigner apply with you to help you care for them and pay the fees. If you have someone sign the adoption papers with you and help pay the deposit, you should be allowed to adopt them pretty easily.” He explained, leaning back into the couch slowly, turning his body towards him again.

“I’ve raised Roman and Remus since they were two years old, they are as much my sons as anyone else’s. I’d like it to remain that way.”

Virgil thought for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant, and then blushed when it finally hit him. He swiftly became aware of how close their bodies had become and the soft, alluring, look on Dexter’s face that threatened to give him a heart attack.  All his anger from the moment before had been utterly replaced with nervousness.

“Is-Is this some kind of marriage proposal or something?” The librarian asked,

“What?! Of course not, I mean I like you but that’s a bit too fast.” The caregiver said in a rush, his face and ears reddening as well.

“Okay good! Yeah sorry, I just got freaked out there. Thank god!” Virgil breathed out in relief, sinking down in his seat, a hand over his beating chest.

“Do you not want to get married? Like… ever?” Dexter inquired, looking a little worried.

“No! I mean… kinda? I don’t know, relationships have never been my forte.” 

Dexter watched him carefully for a moment, and then asked, “Was is someone specific?”

Virgil bit his tongue and sunk a little lower in his seat. It wasn’t something he liked to revisit or tell others. To him, it was his single greatest failure of his life and his biggest regret. He had wished endless time that he could’ve gone back in time and done it all different back then. Part of his felt like he’d never move past it, but maybe this could be his starting point. He liked Dexter, he really did, but his fear from his past was holding him back from doing anything about it. Perhaps telling him would help.

Another few moments passed, Dexter waited beside him patiently, not rushing or pressuring him. With a deep breath, he opened his mouth.

“Well, I’ve always been awkward in relationships, especially when they became intimate. But, back when I was in college I dated this guy named Matthew. He was amazing, sweet, and pretty much my best friend. In truth, it was the only time I’ve ever been in love. After three years, he popped the question and I-, I wasn’t sure. I told him that I needed a little time to think and focus on my final year of college. Matthew promised he would wait, ‘Until the end of time,’ he said. Three months passed and I had my degree and my answer. But when I went back to him, he had moved on with someone else.”

Virgil swallowed the lump clogging his throat and heaved a shaky breath. Dexter put a comforting arm around his shoulders, Virgil leaned into him gratefully, sighing as the other rubbed his shoulder in reassurance.

“I’ve tried so hard to recreate what I had with him with other guys, but all I could think about was how I wasn’t enough for Matthew. That I had kept him waiting too long, and that I wasn’t enough to wait for.”

“Bullshit.”

“Huh?” Virgil spluttered in shock, leaning away to look up at him in confusion.

“Bull. Shit.” Dexter repeated, firmer and more intensely, “You’re more than enough. That asshole said he’d wait forever and couldn’t even handle three months, that dick didn’t deserve you.”

“I don’t know about that,” Virgil mumbled, turning his head down.

“Virgil.” Dexter said softly in a firm tone, gently pulling up his face with his hands, “You are the most amazing person I’ve known. You’re honest and diligent, caring yet stern, intelligent and brave. What more can I need to know I want you, and to raise the boys with you?”

“A thirty-year-old that doesn’t look like a depressed teen emo?” Virgil said half-jokingly, 

“You make it work.”

The pale yellow-orange light from the table lamp shined as they only source in the room, highlighting Dexter’s face in a soft glow. He couldn’t help but gaze up at his warm caramel eyes in awe. Carefully he reached up and placed a hand against his cheek and rubbed the scar under his left eye tenderly. Dexter placed one hand over his, and with the other he brushed away the long bangs that had fallen in front of Virgil’s eyes, letting it rest on his cheek as well. There were barely two inches of space between them, yet Dexter didn’t make a move like he did last time. Virgil knew that he was letting him make the call this time if he wanted it or not.

Virgil decided that he did.

Slowly, and a little awkwardly, Virgil pulled them closer until no space was left, and pressed their lips together. It was soft and careful, not rushed or hard, they took their time and savored every moment. Dexter’s lips were slightly chapped, but he couldn’t bring himself to care, his own breath probably smells bad anyway. Dexter quickly took over the kiss and Virgil let him, leaning him until their chests were practically pressed against each other. After a few minutes, they parted to breathe, both gasping and out of breath, and Virgil laid against him with a happy sigh, resting his head under Dexter’s chin in the cuff of his neck.

They laid there together for the next hour, content to simply sit with each other, no words needed. All the while Virgil found himself in wonder that this was his life now. Six months he relinquished himself to live the rest of his life alone, he still couldn’t believe how far he had come. He was with the man who made him happy, about to become a father to two wonderful boys.

He couldn’t wait to tell them the news.

-

The very next day Virgil requested the day off from work to fill out the paperwork and applications with Dexter, which ended taking up a good couple of hours. While they were busy in the office, Patton offered to watch over the kids, since it was a Saturday and he had no school to teach. 

When they had told Patton the news that both of them were going to adopt the twins the friendly elementary school teacher had literally fainted. Virgil freaked out, thinking they had accidentally killed him, while Dexter simply helped the fallen man up and onto the couch in the front room. Patton woke up a minute later and instantly cheered them on, playing it off as if hadn’t just blacked out.

“I’m so happy for you! Both of you!” Patton beamed brightly, pulling Virgil into a tight hug, and Virgil returned the hug just the same, “I knew you could do it.” He whispered in his ear, squeezing his shoulder.

Two hours later, as they discussed living arrangements for the boys, since neither of them wanted to live in the shelter anymore but knew that Virgil’s condo wasn’t the most ideal place to raise them, Logan busted in through the door and charged into the office, currently on his lunch break. Apparently Patton hadn’t been able to keep the big surprise a secret for more than a few hours. Virgil wasn’t surprised though, those two couldn’t keep anything from each other. 

“So you finally took our advice.” He said.

“You better not say ‘I told you so’.” Virgil deadpanned at his oldest friend, knowing full well how blunt and forward his best friend could be.

“Fine then, I'm glad you finally heeded my words.”

“Seriously, Lo? Can’t you be-”

Out of nowhere, absolutely out of the blue, Virgil was pulled into a hug, which was completely out of character for Logan to do with anyone who was not immediate family or his boyfriend.

“I’m glad you’re happy again,” Logan told him, sounding honest and thankful.

Logan was Virgil’s oldest friend and had been with him in the thick of his break up with Matthew. He had watched him struggle ever since, tried to help, and was always there. This was a victory for him as much as it was for Virgil.

“Yeah, me too.” Virgil agreed, returning the hug.

Soon after, Logan had to return to work once his one hour lunch ended. Virgil and Dexter returned to the task at hand until they were finished. Since Dexter was one of the applicants, they had to send it to a third party so it would remain impartial and fair. This worried Virgil a little, but Dexter remain confident that it would go well.

“So they boys will be sharing a room, which used to be your office, so we’ll have to clean that out before they can move in. Arrangements with the new school will have to be made. And,”

“And I’ll schedule an appointment for Remus.”

“Are you sure? It can be expensive.” Dexter asked, looking up from his opened notes on his computer desktop.

“I have medical insurance, besides, I want him to get the help he needs.” Virgil affirmed.

He knew personally how important getting help can be, especially as a child. He wished his parents hadn’t waited until his last year of high school to get him therapy for his anxiety disorder, life would have been easier if they had. So Virgil wanted to be different.

“Alright, then that just leaves custody and visitation since we’ll be living in different houses,” Dexter announced, typing away at his keyboard, his hyper-focused face looked adorable as it always did.

“Obviously we’ll have it be open,” Virgil said matter-of-factly,

Dexter smiled and typed at his keyboard, “It would be nice to live together one day though.” He said nonchalantly as if it had been an afterthought. Virgil choked on his spit and immediately sat up straight from his previously relaxed position, blushing furiously. Dexter laughed and waved a forgiving hand him,  “Not now of course.”

“Right,” He breathed shakily, laughing it off unconvincingly. His heart raced in his chest still from the sudden scare, not appearing to want to calm down anytime soon.

Dexter went back to typing on his computer, listing off things they would have to take care of and things they would need to buy before the boys could move out of the agency house. Virgil watched him, albeit a bit bashfully, making small comments to his statements. They were so different from each other, and, to be honest, he wasn’t the type of man Virgil would usually pursue. Perhaps that was one of the reasons he didn’t think anything could come out of them in a romantic sense. Yet, he had been entranced and pulled in by him, almost as if he were put under a spell. Everything he did was enthralling, from the simple sight of him cooking in the kitchen, to the entertaining banter they would engage in. They had known each other for only half a year, but he could already imagine a world where he was in it every day.

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” He murmured under his breath, a small smile falling on his lips.

It was a month until they had heard anything back from the social workers at the third-party agency. Usually, it would take a lot longer, but Dexter was able to pull a few strings to speed up the process because of some people he knew in the field. So when the notice came in that June, both of them opened it slowly with haste. 

It had gone through and they had been accepted. There was a three week waiting period, but neither of them could bother themselves enough to care at that moment. Once he found out, Virgil called both Patton and Logan and told them the good news and they all celebrated together. After that, the only step left was to tell the boys.

“Roman, Remus could you come here for a moment?” Dexter called from the back porch, as the kids were all currently caught up in a game of freeze tag.

“I swear, the toilet paper was Remus’s idea!” Roman shouted, pausing in his pursuit as a tagger, holding his hands above his head as if he had been caught redhanded in a crime.

“No not that- wait what toilet paper?”

“We’ll come back to that later. Can you two just come here for a second?” Virgil spoke up, waving the boys inside.

Roman followed the direction and walked toward the backdoor into the house, his head held down slightly in guilt. Remus chased after him and came bouncing into the living room. Once they were both in, Dexter closed the backdoor and sat them down, the young boys sat in between the adults.

“Now, Virgil and I have some news for you that we’re very excited about,” Dexter said.

“You’re pregnant!” Remus said excitedly.

“What? No! Remus that’s not biologically possible.” Virgil told him,

“But I’ve read stories online where it happened.”

“We’re going to talk about what you’ve been reading, but not now. What we wanted to say was,” Dexter cut in again, a lecturing look on his face, but got interrupted again.

“We’re getting a dog?!” Roman cheered out a guess, eyes bright with hope.

“Nope, I’m adopting you!” Virgil said, saying it quickly to avoid anymore stalling or excited shouts from the boys. Dexter coughed a little and waved at him, clearly not happy that he had been left out of that statement. “Well, we’re adopting you. Our application was accepted, so we’re officially your parents.”

The boys were both quiet for a long while, staring at them in shock and disbelief. They looked between them and at each other, seeming to share the same thoughts as each other. Slowly the broke away from their silence, as Roman began to tear up and cry, and Remus beamed a wide grin and cheered while bouncing up and down on the couch.

“I’ve been waiting so long for this…” Roman sobbed, rubbing away the tears as they fell and sniffling as his nose became clogged. Virgil pulled him into an embrace, rubbing a hand through his hair, while Roman clutched onto his shirt and cried and laughed.

“Does that mean I get to call you snake-dad and raccoon-dad now?” Remus asked, breaking from his jumping, landing in Dexter’s lap, to look up at them in joy and wonder.

“Of course bud,” Virgil told him, “Of course,”

.

.

Taglist: @omikkydraws @stormypaint @strickenwithclairvoyance @lolanomsgranola @hunter-shyreen @venus-fuck

[etrnlscn]

12 Days Of Christmas

a Bakugou x F!Reader

series masterlist

Chapter 2: It's Beginning To Look a lot like Christmas

"Wake up mopey", Mina busts into Y/Ns room. "We're going shopping with everyone,"

"Huh-"

"You have 30 minutes."

"Mina-" Y/N groans, but shes already left. Y/N hops out of bed, she completely forgot about christmas shopping. Gift giving was way harder than it should be. She tried asking everyone for specifics, but Shinso said he didn't care what she got her, and she doesn't know where to find Kaminari a hat that he doesn't already have.

All she could think about last night, was her terrifying encounter. Surely it was a one time thing, Bakugo has better things to do, and Y/N was pretty sure she's the last person he'd want to hang out with, and vice versa for herself. After quickly getting ready. Y/N, Kami, Shinso and Mina all leave for the mall.

"I invited Kiri too! He said he's bringing a plus one but he wouldn't tell me who" Mina says to Y/N as they walk through the entrance. "Sounds great but-",

"Well would ya look at this shit" Shinso cuts Y/N off. The building was busy as hell with last minute shoppers. It was probably a bad idea to wait so long. "So, we're part of the idiots who waited until almost a week before Christmas to buy anything" He says, "Theres probably nothing good left".

"Well, good thing its the thought that counts" Y/N replies laughing nervously.

"Ugh come on guys, I said I'd meet Kirishima in the food court 8 minutes ago" Mina hurried everyone.

Everyone finally gets to the court after fighting they're way though crowds of raging moms trying to get to every store in the building. There in the distance they see a waving Kirishima, with a blinding smile on his face. They made their way over.

"Hey guys! Its hectic in here, I didn't think you would make it" He laughs. "Yeah I know, almost had to fight some middle aged woman" says Kaminari. Y/N looks around for a second, "Mina said you brought someone?" She asks. Before she could get an answer, Y/N is bumped to floor by a passer by.

She sits up, "Hey asshole, watch where you're going!" She yells.

"Watch where you're standing- Oh."

Kirishima looks at the scene and scratches the back of his neck. "Oh yeah... I brought Bakugo. Surprise..."

He says laughing nervously. Y/N looks at Kirishima, then looks up to see the piercing red eyes staring at her. She gets up, really god? really? she thinks to herself. "Hey." She says trying to compose herself. "Hey", Bakugo replies.

"Bakugo's actually staying with me for the entire break!" Kiri says. Y/N looks back at Mina and Kaminari as they give her a nervous smile. "No need for the introduction shitty hair, we've already seen each other." Bakugo says to Kiri who looked confused. "Oh! Cool". The red head replies.

Everyone stands awkwardly for a minute, not knowing how to react. They all knew the Two's history and how this time of year was especially significant to it, Kirishima thought pushing Y/N and Bakugo to talk to each other would be a great way to close the distance and get the gang back together.

Ever since they broken up, its been hard to hang out again because of the tension between the two. Y/N and Bakugo used to be inseparable, it's amazing how a couple of broken hearts can change everything.

"...Lets get shopping before everyone wakes up to a lump of coal Christmas morning" Kaminari breaks the silence.

As the day goes on, the gang looked desperately for the things on their lists, checking almost every store in the mall. Thankfully they crossed a lot of things off, Y/N even found Kaminari a royal blue sequinned fedora. It was hideous.

So he'll definitely wear it

Throughout the day Y/N and Bakugo barely interacted, the rare discourse was fairly awkward, as aspected.

Later, everyone split up in a department store to browse, Y/N and Bakugo happened to end up in the same section. Bakugo doesn't notice until she speaks up.

"Are we gonna act like this all day?"They were in the christmas card aisle, and Y/N tried to start a conversation.

"You haven't attempted to talk to me until now." He replies looking still looking down at the card in his hand.

"Ditto for you" Y/N said.

There's silence for a moment. Y/N walked over to the section Bakugo was looking at, standing beside him.

"So. How've you been?" She asked, not making eye contact. Well I'm not gonna be the pussy, she thought. He looked over at her and sighed,

"Fine. you?" He asks

"Great actually." Y/N replies

"Why are you here anyways?" She blurted, she sounded slightly annoyed. Bakugo gave a confused look, "Is there a problem?", He replies putting down the cards he was browsing.

"No." She stiffens at the feeling of his gaze. "It's just, you haven't come back in years, why now?"

Yeah, why now

"Well I didn't get to make it last year so, here I am now." He replies firmly.

No other reason?

"Right." Y/N laughs nervously

Is he just gonna ignore everything that's happened?

Before the tension could grow any quicker, Kirishima came walking into the aisle. "There you guys are, we've been looking all over." He said making his way over to them, "Heeeey, you guys are actually communicating? Wild". Y/N and Bakugo looked at each other, then looked away.

"Yeah..." They replied in unison.

"Ha, right uh if you guys are done, we're gonna head back to Mina's", Kiri says gesturing his head to the exit, they all leave the store together.

Back at the apartment

"YOU CAN'T STACK PLUS FOURS." Bakugo yells. "I DO WHAT I WANT." Kaminari says as he drops 3 'plus 4' cards on the deck.

The uno game has been going on for about 15 minutes and everyone was going absolutely apeshit. "ILL KILL YOU BASTARD." Bakugo shouted almost, standing up. Kirishima grabs his arm and stops him before things got out of hand "Dude it's just a game it's fine." He says trying to calm him down.

"Let's just stop now. i'm not cleaning up any unnecessary mess that might come out of a fight." Mina says dropping her deck and heading to the kitchen where Y/N and Shinso were, Kirishima and Kaminari packing up the cards, Bakugo pressed as hell.

"How did you put up with that for all of 15 minutes" Shinso asked as she walked over. "If I can't survive a game of uno with a couple of guys i'll be a dead man on the streets my guy." She replies confidently. "The streets? This is suburban Japan." Y/N says and continues to sip her drink. "Fuck you." Mina says.

Kirishima looks at the time on his phone, "Aw man its already 12? Me and Bakugo should get going before you're neighbours complain." He laughed. "Right" Shinso said dryly.

"Hey wait!" Kami piped up, "You guys comin' tomorrow?". Y/N chokes on her drink, "Tomorrow?" She manages to get out.

Tomorrow.

"Yeah we're going to Y/Ns Parent's dinner! I'm sure they'd be happy to see Bakugo."

He could've just sat there and ate his food

"AW MAN YOU'RE RIGHT! I forgot! How's that sound Baku-Bro?" Kirishima turns to Bakugo. He's frozen for a second and looks over to see Y/N starting at him, awaiting a response. "I mean- maybe I shouldn't-"

"No! Come! It's totally fine." Y/N says without realizing. I-Its the right thing to do. She thought

"You're sure" He asks. No. "Yeah." She sighs.

"Awesome! See you guys then!" He said rushing out the door. Mina waved and closed the door,

"Wow." She said.

"Character development." Kaminari added, laughing.

This is gonna be a shit show.

A/N: okay okay this one was a bit longer. We love some tension now don't we 😀! Thanks so much for reading :)))

[cutegirlmayra]

Commission receipt: Ember’s Story, another chapter

Ember’s Story Commission Receipt

@marydragneell Commission for The Flares That Come From Ashes (Another chapter to Ember’s story)

Time: about 2 months or so.

Review: @marydragneell :  OMG IM ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH IT ❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤ The beginning is so cute 😍 how ember and manic are with each other. Her being in manic's band❤❤❤❤How cute and adorable they are together. Love the sinister appearance of mephilis perfect for him. Manic being a awesome badass for his girlfriend. Shadow acting jealous in such a cute sibling way. The perfect reaction to her trigger of seeing someone she love hurt 💔 ❤The recomforting ❤🖤❤🖤❤🖤❤ Just manic calling shadow big bro XD and pocking fun of shadow. All the " i wanna get your blessing ". Perfect representation of the duality of ember mental state, her nature and how she act. AMAZING BATTLE SCENE!!!!!!!!!!! The characters grow 👌 And the fact that you show that the fusion did left a permanent impact on her.

Me: Boy it was fun! Thanks again for the opportunity. ^//u//^

Paid Amount: 60$ for 50+ pages to add to the wonderful story of Ember the Immortal Wolf, prototype to Shadow The Hedgehog, and embedded with the rejected Cursed Emerald.

Product Preview: With permission from @marydragneell, here is the ROUGH DRAFT of the product.

The Flares that Come From Ashes

Another short story for the amazing Mary!

By: Cutegirlmayra

"La, la, la~" Ember tapped the mic, then garbled some gibberish to clear her throat. "Do, ray, me." She spoke, smiling nervously as she seemed a bit spooked by the stage lights. "Come on, Manic. You really think I'm ready for all this?" Ember twiddled her claws lightly against each other, ducking her head slightly as she tried to see through the blinding spotlights and turned to see the rest of the band practicing in their own respective places on stage. "It just seems... like maybe I'm not cut out to be in a band." She rubbed her arm, shyly admitting her fears of joining his group.

"Nah, girl. You really are ready." Manic, leaning against the side of the stage, finally walked out to reveal himself and stood beside her, drumming her shoulder, then her head, then her mic as she giggled and pulled her head slightly away from his reach. "You just need some confidence singing in front of others, is all."

Ember smiled sweetly, blushing at his cute charms. "This will be a lot different than helping Shadow at..." she gagged, not wanting to say G.U.N's name and still having a biased against them.

"Right. No more secret missions." He winked to her, then leaned with his arms crossed on the mic. "Babe, you really think you can't have a first debut with my band?"

"I'm just..! Psyching myself out!" she shook her head, her long coat swishing with the motion as her tail fluffed out in hopes of getting herself pumped. "Let's practice, just one more time!" she gripped the mic and he moved for her, but placed a hand right where hers was on the mic, then moved it up to show that he would stand there as emotional support. He gripped the mic to hold it steady for her, and for a second, their fingers intertwined, just the pinkie and ring finger, making Ember smile at his tender touch of compassion.

"Remember your diaphragm is your strongest tool, use it well. But it needs to breathe." He teased, leaning to her cheek to and letting their faces touch. His breath was warm, and the scent of their last home-cooked meal made her giggle and wiggle her nose a bit. Tingles came from her hands up to her cheeks, and she blushed at how close he was.

Nodding and swooning at his flirtations, she finally took a deep breath... honing all the knowledge about music, tempo, and breath-control he had been teaching her and began to sing lightly.

"Louder, Ems!" he bounded towards the edge of the stage, "Louder, girl!" then jumped off, moving back and spreading his arms out. "We gotta hear ya in the back!" he started drumming on the chairs, "I can't hear you, and I'm up in the front!"

She tried to sing a little louder, swishing her body back and forth but still nervous and more focused on what he was doing.

"Where's my girl's voice? I thought this was a rockin' concert!" He drummed louder, since she couldn't see through the lights, letting her know he was now towards the back of the venue they were playing at tonight.

She took both hands and pulled the mic's stand towards her, the wires whiplashed and she hoisted it up above herself, belting as loud as she could a powerful note that suddenly blasted through the speakers like an avalanche on a mountain's side.

The whole of the arena shook in the vibrations, making the band behind her almost lose balance and a few plug or stuck a finger in their ears from the deafening sound.

"Whoo! Now that's what I call a lion's roar Friday and no canary Saturday! Yeah!" He seemed to be hyped about her new found sound but his band mates all shook their heads and itched inside their ears again, hearing a ringing from that loudness.

They clearly weren't thrilled about her almost blowing out the mics, but she patted it lightly and whispered, "Sorry." with an embarrassed smile. She just wanted to get back at Manic, trying to prove a point that she didn't want to—literally—bring the house down.

However, Ember was only focused on pleasing Manic at the same time. She still wasn't the best at making friends, but with the ones she was able to gain, she treasured them dearly and without hesitation.

She trusted Sonic and his gang, Shadow—obviously—and lastly Manic... first and foremost.

She was still a little hesitant about Rouge... but that was just because she worked close with Shadow, and she didn't like how close they seemed to be in more ways than just work...

Either way, this was family. What she had wanted from the very beginning. To not feel alone or useless... Manic and the others accepted that she was dangerous, but also that she was loving, funny, and sweet.

Sure, she could be sassy, but only when provoked to and by appropriate means... sometimes.

She giggled, thinking of times she's purposefully ticked Sonic off just to make Shadow smile. Though he'd scold her, it would be a light whack on the head, and she knew by the light pat afterward where he hit her that he was glad she shut his annoying mouth for a change~

Most of the time, she acted a bit like the gang's grandmother. She would pick flowers with Cream, try and help Amy to learn to sing, and duke it out with Knuckles! She wasn't always keen on the technical stuff Tails liked to do, but even then, she let him research her powers every now and then. Showing off her strength was fun too, but Shadow always told her to hold back a bit... which was hard, since Ember could get super competitive!

"Hey, let's go over some songs real quick. We still got time." Manic hopped up to the stage and sat on the edge, pulling out some sheet music and pointing to some parts. "You struggled before with this one but I think you've nailed it since. Still, no harm in rehearsing and making sure it's picture perfect right?"

'Perfect..?'

Ember lowered her mic's stand back down lightly to the stage. sorrowfully, she was pulled out of her funny, perfect memory and placed in another conflicting stance. There was no better word to dampen her spirits than that one... and it hadn't been so long since she felt so imperfect and dangerous. It was definitely something she struggled with, but worked hard to overcome within herself.

Those children... they were still screaming for food or hugs. Maria... and Dr. Gerald Robotnik... they were still marveling at Shadow before he had awakened.

Some things never changed, but her memories of not being able to save anyone... those were the hardest to lock away and turn her mentally gazing eye from.

"Huh? What's wrong, Ems?" Manic got up, noticing her change in demeanor. "Uh oh, did I cramp your style?" He moved his hand in an old 90's way and she shook her head, realizing he was trying to cheer her up again.

"Shadow's the ultimate life form... the perfect cure or whatever..." She swished her body to the side, ignoring his cuteness for a moment to try and explain herself. she nervously held her hands behind her back and rubbed them together too, trying to hide her fidgety nature. She sighed a long, breathy wind out onto the mic from her nose and then felt arms around her waist. "H-hey!" she blushed, getting lifted up into the air, her arms coming out by her sides.

"Well, it's true no one's perfect." Manic tickled her with his long, hedgehog nose by her exposed belly, making her fidget to get out of his grasp. "But your perfect for me, babe. I don't need you to do the world's sense of perfection, but only your very best self should be on this stage. Alright? Otherwise... I'm gonna have to have a private session with you in the back..." he turned her around and began to kiss her neck, making her laugh at his suggestion.

"Oh, no audience, eh? Taking the pressure off?" She teased, patting his chest lightly to pretend to get him off of her.

"Emm... something like that." He head-bumped her forehead affectionately, "Just us two. Playing... somewhat what we're supposed to do." He took her hands and pulled them out a little to her sides, just messing with her and helping her loosen up.

Her tail wagged slightly and she looked up with a red muzzle. He really was a charmer... "Are all hedgehogs born charming?"

"Naaaah," Manic let one of her hands he was holding onto go and waved her compliment off in a comical way, "Your brother was created with his natural, flaring smile." He gestured to his smirk and she fell to the ground laughing. "Engineered to be devilishly handsome, I suppose. Your family has good genes."

"Hand-selected." She teased back and the two fell in howling laughter on the ground, rolling to their backs and having their arms grasping around their waistlines, the tip of their heads right up by each other's.

"Yo, can you two stop acting so precious?" One of the band mates smiled to them, "We need to get back to practice, you know. And you two would be wise to do the same, as well!"

Manic just nodded, pretending to be serious again. "Right, mate. Of course, don't let us stop you guys from your hard work either." He held up a hand and as soon as the member turned around, he expertly threw a lightly spinned drum stick to hit his head.

"Ow! Why you-!" Then the whole of the band started laughing, jumping in to dog pile Manic.

Ember smiled at the ruckus, wagging her tail as she got up to avoid the squabble. Seeing how close he was to them, made her happy... but... She crawled away from the fight, hugging her legs to resist the urge to join them. Though she really, really wanted too jump in and roughhouse with them. She knew she was a bit too powerful to do that though... So her ears bent back and she placed her head on her legs, waiting patiently and enjoying the boys' playful wrestle match, all in good fun.

"We don't care if you bring your girlfriend in to sing, but do you have to be so cute with her, Man!?" one stated and she blushed. They never really officially told anyone... maybe just Shadow, but he denied it fiercely.

She wondered why... after all, Manic kept her away from Shadow most of the time. She stayed out of trouble too... so why was he so opposed to him?

He had stated he was fine with her having friends, so why not a boyfriend? Last time he saved her from Scourge, Shadow had admitted Manic wasn't so bad a guy... maybe he was prejudice against his hippie vibe persona? Though she knew in her heart he was raised in the rough streets where he had to steal most of the time... maybe that could be a player in Shadow's obvious disapproval of him?

"Lay off, dude, I can't help but want to hold her. Got a problem with that?!" Manic grinned from ear to ear, hitting the blokes off in their tussling sport before they all seemed to be done with messing with him. Panting and looking tired, they probably just needed to blow off some of the nerves they were feeling. It was their big night too... Ember couldn't screw it up.

"Whatever, just keep to a schedule. Kiss and coo after the performance, okay?" One went to get his fallen shades for his eyes and shook his head, just making fun of his friend.

"Yeah, at least we can avoid it then." Another stated, giving Manic a nudge in the shoulder as brothers would do.

"The love police, Ember. They're everywhere!" Manic got up with a quickened step, stumbling over as fast as he could back to her, scrambling to stay on his feet but really just crawling to her. She just couldn't help but fall for him over and over again... as he kept falling over and over trying to get to her.

He helped her up and she jumped to her feet, "Maybe we do need to just go solo then."

The band groaned and they laughed, "Don't take our best drummer, Ember." They teased in reply.

But as all seemed to go back to normal, the band rehearsing and Ember warming up her voice, a strange wind storm picked up... there was a rustling in the leaves as they flew up towards the stage lights... causing gentle shadows over the harsh beams of white. The wind blew a warning sound, bellowing as though trying to speak over Ember's singing voice. But in the darkness of the sky there twisted out a small, purple portal. It's mouth gaped wide, spinning with loops of different shades of darkness like blues and purples into a wavy effect in the black sky.

Finally, looking away from Ember a moment as he drummed, Manic sensed something off as his quills picked up in the wind's fierce direction. He stopped by reaching out and touching his drums, stopping the beat and vibrations to look around. "What is that?" Manic held up a hand for the others to also cease a moment... and listen. He then turned to his band, "Get on guard, dudes. There's only one thing that makes me this chilly." He began, getting off the drums and clutching his magical necklace a moment, "Dangerous schemes..." he narrowed his eyes towards the purple portal.

They all hurried to the back of the stage as something misty and liquid dropped like runny goop from the rift in the sky. It began to form from the shadows around it, rising from the ground in what looked like a misty, disfigured water fountain. A figure solidified... rolling its head into place and crooking its two arms out like a scarecrow in the isle of the arena...

The figure had distinct hedgehog quills... then a white tuff that looked almost grey a moment... bluish gleams from its silhouette.

It almost looked like... That obsidian color...

"...Shadow?" Ember stated in disbelief as the rift blasted away as though something fiery were on the other end. Flames that torched the sky and even blinded the band who tried to shield themselves with their arms. "Ahh..!" Ember felt like the flames were brighter than the stage lights... At last, the figure looked itself over, as though checking to make sure it survived whatever had brought it here.

The colors were slightly wrong, the grey instead of the red... what was this? An illusion? Some sort of trick?

His eyes were covered in what seemed like a green glaze, though it was clear it did resemble Shadow, in a striking way.

"Strange... this time was my only escape... I don't have long before Sonic and his friends blow out my other half..." He then sharply looked over to Ember, narrowing his eyes as he felt the pull of an odd chaos emerald. "Interesting... I sense a great sorrow in your chest... mind if I remove it?" he slowly, creepily moved in a zombie fashion with flimsy gestures with his hand to point at Ember. "It won't take long... but it will be painful... hahahaha." He laughed as though an axe hacking at stone.

"This doesn't look so good!" Manic grabbed the silver necklace that dangled loosely by his chest and a set of magical drums—different than his band's—sprung into existence through sparkles from the arena. "Get out of here, Ember. I don't think this guy is anywhere close to being your brother."

"B-but..." She covered her cursed emerald, and looked to Manic. "What about you? I'm not just gonna run while you take on this... this thing!" She was clearly spooked, but would never abandon Manic.

'It could be a clone,' was her first thought, remembering Shadow's stories and how Eggman had cruelly tormented him by making him think he—himself—was nothing more than a fake. Luckily, he was the original, and Ember could tell that right away... though she had never seen a clone.

"Shadow... I haven't heard that name in a long time." The figure slid his foot up to step forward, "Nor have I heard... Brother?" He seemed to twist his head as though stretching his neck back. "I wasn't aware there were more of his kind... but that explains why that dark essence hasn't eaten your life away just yet..." He was like a ragdoll, and quickly seemed to regain himself, rolling his spine as up to straighten himself, but instead his back lurched back and his arms dangled again to his sides. "I need a host soon, or my very being, the will and mind of Solaris, will be destroyed fully in my flame body, Iblis... Which Sonic currently is trying to defeat." His words made no since to them, but Ember gathered that he knew Shadow.

"You know Shadow The Hedgehog?" She stepped forward, but Manic just looked back at her, worried.

"I... drew my form off his shadow." His head lowered as his eyes seemed to pierce like spears through to her core. "And soon... I'll draw form from you as well..."

"Ember, don't listen to him! I can feel his vibes, he's no good!" Manic tried to warn her, getting antsy on his drum seat. However, she seemed entranced with the idea of someone that looked like Shadow... maybe another experiment?

Though she had a perfect memory, she knew for a fact that Gerald hadn't created any similar copies of Shadow...

'Flame body?' she wondered, her ears flicking as she pondered his words. 'Form?'

"Ah, I see you're of the sensible kind... excellent. Hahahaha..!" The figure laughed in his sadist way again, plotting something... "I was ripped apart from my other half by your... brother..." He gestured to his body, "I assume his form now only to survive, but since I have failed after merging with my glorious true form again... I have no choice but to rewrite time while I still have a silver of flame left in me... Reunite me with a new half, and I can tell you what will befall Shadow in the future... The persecution... the misery of his shamed life." He wildly swung a hand out to her, the side of his body faltering as he tilted with his outstretched hand, down and to the side.

Ember was immediately pulled into that promise, wondering what he meant and if he was somehow tied to another time. She stepped forward again, but this time Manic grabbed her arm back, "Ember, don't-!" he warned, but this figure only laughed at his attempt.

"Ember... what a befitting name... the last flares of my life... mixed with the ashes that shall soon be the remainder of your own... It's perfect poetry... hahahaha!" The figure stood like a scarecrow again, laughing as more dark flares formed around him, rolling his head back in dark humor.

At that last sentence Ember stepped back, and the lure he had over her lessened.

However... for Shadow's future's sake... she wanted so desperately to know more.

"I escaped a deadly fate, I only want to release you from your imprisonment... and allow it to be my salvation." He gestured his hand out to speak, seeing he had her strung on his previous words, "But not just my own... but to save your fellow immortal... as well..."

"He has answers. I knew G.U.N would betray us!" she began to grow angry, her fangs bared with her clamping bite as she gritted her teeth and growled.

"Yes... the world will never accept you... After all, we're both of the dark." He lowered his head, having her emerald embedded in her chest glowing the same purple mist with darkness lining its power in his crystallizing eyes with magma red glowing from the sockets... "Together... we can change the future." He flashed in a light and seemed to crystallize fully, "Now then... with the last of my power, I have altered time and come to this world... Ember... Give me of your power!"

"Ember, please." Manic didn't like holding her back, but he knew something was off. "You've accepted yourself, remember? The world doesn't matter, but those who love you do!" he gently tugged on her arm again, trying to get her to stand behind him on this one. "Please... this guy doesn't have your best interest at heart! Isn't that obvious?!"

"But he might have Shadow's..." Her eyes softened, but she didn't want to just shake Manic off. She knew in her heart that would be wrong, "If there's a way I can help Shadow..."

"Keeping you alive and happy will help Shadow!" Manic spun her around, turning her gaze from the figure, who lifted his head in a twitching jolt at losing sight of the cursed emerald... "If Sonic defeated him and he's running, don't you think that's a bad sign?" Manic tried to convince further, "I just can't have you go with him, Ember. Please, listen to me. Just this once, okay? You can ignore me the rest of the concert but hear my words now, at least now, Ember!" He was struggling to have her look at him, but she just kept ducking her head. She hadn't seen him this worked up before, but the idea that Shadow's future could be spared... But was he really a bad guy from another time and world? Would Sonic know of him?

She longed to have joined in that playful wrestle with Manic and his friends... If she was rid of the cursed emerald, could she live a normal life? Would her immortality fade and she could have a life with Manic? Finally end this suffering? Would her super powers fade and she could be a regular lady without a single care in the world?

Or would the world be better off without her... if she was so dangerous, maybe at least... she could leave Shadow with some hope for his future...

Impatient, the figure's being rose in the air. "I am Mephilis the Dark. I'm your only means for salvation." He began to form what looked like a crystal in his hand. It carried down to form a crystal around his body, and soon, he blasted into a hardened form with seemed to have a silver tuff that looked strangely like a bird... "Come to me, chaos emerald! Join your form to a more suitable host!" he formed a purple sphere in his hand and threw it towards her, a large dark beam flung behind her to block the other members of the band from interfering.

A huge ridge was created in the stage, and the others moved away to escape the glowing beam before Manic turned to see Mephilis charging through the air towards Ember, reaching for her emerald.

Ember's eyes looked ready to reflex... but relaxed... as though thinking it was time to accept whatever fate had in store... maybe for the greater good.

"No!" Manic slammed his drum sticks against his magical drum set that blasted out a sonic boom.

Mephilis pulled back to block the attack,... "Grr...ahhh!" In frustration, he was held back.

Manic looked to Ember, a sense of urgency and concern in his eyes, "Look, I've lived on the streets! Take my advice and get outta here or I'm gonna have to fight this guy!" he seemed really serious, "Go!" he was done saying please, and Ember could see it.

With regret at not trusting him right away, she looked back at Mephilis, then Manic. "You run too, then!" she cried out, but he was already locked in a battle with the strange figure now known as Mephilis... as dark orbs launched towards him but Manic played a sick beat that blasted them away.

"No! Go find Shadow! I'll stall him!" He seemed dedicated to the fight. "Trust me, I'll be okay! You guys go too!"

The bandmates all hesitated as well, but then took hold of Ember, trying to pull her back and let them flee with her.

"Noo..!" She shook them off, almost throwing one of them, "I won't leave you!"

However, the bandmates looked to each other and one put their hand on her shoulder, "Look, Ems. He's Sonic's brother, right? If he says he's got this, we gotta trust him." He nodded to her, "That weirdo's after you, right? He's only trying to protect you. Come on, we can fight another day. Especially when we learn more about this impostor!"

She took one final look back at Manic... "Promise?" she knew he would never go back on one...

Manic didn't say anything... but gave a light nod. "Take care of her for me, boys... her brother can keep her safe and I'll figure out more about this dude. Go now!"

"Manic..." She felt tears coming to her eyes but with an orb being sent her way, a bandmate stepped forward and whacked it back with his guitar. At least, he tried, but upon impact the guitar exploded and sent the bandmate flying back.

Ember outstretched her hand and grabbed him, moving with the others to retreat. "You better promise me... in your heart! I'll be waiting for you! Otherwise... I'm... I'm coming for you!" she was rushed with the bandmates out through the back...

"I don't take lightly to people trying to rip my girlfriend apart!" A side of Manic that Ember hadn't really seen in him came out, a protective and hardened side of Manic she didn't know was there.

She knew he lived on the streets, was a thief and all, but he always talked about having honor with it.

As she took off, she could hear him bantering with Mephilis, and knew he'd be somewhat okay. She could picture him winking to her, blowing her a kiss, and saying to find somewhere safe. But the only safe place right now would be... ughh...

She groaned in her thought process, "Shadow's going to be so mad..."

G.U.N HQ

"I didn't bail on Manic! He's not into fighting, true, but he knew something was up and I just didn't listen to him. I wanted to know what future that look-a-like was talking about for you, can you blame me?" Ember tried to explain herself, but Shadow turned around abruptly to cut her off from any further justification she would have thrown at him.

"Yes, and I will." He moved to the other side of the room, "This is bad timing. I get a headache when you say his name, and I can't remember where I would have met him. You say he has my form?" he looked back at her as she nodded, once figuring out he wasn't talking about Manic.

"Truthfully! I thought it was you at first..." she held her head down, worried about Manic again, and then tried to give him her best 'pleading little sister wolfie eyes' to get him to help.

Shadow just sighed, taking a moment to accept that she wasn't making things up for his attention. "Fine. I'll look into it, see if Gerald-"

"No! I know his secrets, this isn't one of them!" She swiped her arm out, declaring it thus. "Let's not waste time with reading insignificant files! We have to go and get Manic!"

"Calm down, sweetie. Your boyfriend's defeated but he isn't dead... yet." The womanly voice flew down from the rafters, flexing her wings out and patting Ember's head. However, the action was taken as a insult, Ember thinking she was demeaning her by making her feel like a child being comforted, "There, there. What a whiny little sister you can be sometimes. Especially since you're a number one target for that escapee recently."

"Rouge." Shadow's eyes narrowed to her, as if telling her to remain silent on that.

"Escapee?" Ember thought a moment, moving her fingers as if trying to put two and two together, then her eyes widened in shock. "SCOURGE!?" Ember gripped her head, then looked wildly to her figurative brother, "Scourge is out now, too!?"

"Apparently, seeking revenge." Rouge walked around her and headed towards Shadow, folding her arms. "You were instructed by G.U.N to track him down, yet you didn't even warn your own sister yet?"

Shadow just verbally let out a groan at her spilling the information without going over it with him first. "I didn't want to worry you." He looked to Ember, "I would have handled it silently, no need to get you fired up over a rematch."

Ember would have liked the idea but now was not the time, "E-Everyone's after me cursed emerald!" she shouted out like an Irish leprechaun, but stuttered in trying to make the atmosphere lighter than what seemed like impending doom... "So he's broken out of prison, there's a time traveling—I guess—looney now. Anything else I missed?" The room remained silent, eyes turning away from her. "Great, this is too much for a young, single, totally attractive immortal wolf to handle." She dramatically leaned against one of Shadow's desks as he glared at her.

"Knock it off. Try and act seriously for a change." He scolded.

"Isn't that why G.U.N... 'let me go'?" she did the bunny ears, but clearly she was fired from working alongside Shadow.

"You were a menace to them. You couldn't see it the way I... no, the way Maria wanted us to see them." He turned back to her, and she was slightly triggered on her name, but just shook her head.

"I've handled way worse before... than just losing Maria." She turned her head away, but knew Shadow was probably throwing daggers into her back with his eyes as she said that. Those kids... it was more than just Maria at this point, so... much more.

"...Look," To break the tension, Rouge stepped in-between, holding her hands out to calm Shadow and try and reason with Ember. She seemed to be struggling finding a good way to accomplish that... however, "You can't stay at G.U.N if you don't work for them, and since your last boot, Shadow and I have lovingly referring to you as the new apprentice to that hippie." She seemed to lower her eyes as if annoyed by that.

"Boyfriend, and I'm not a hippie." Ember folded her arms in protest, then stuck her tongue out at Shadow, knowing he didn't want to refer to Manic as that.

"Is it official, though?" Rouge raised a shoulder up over her cheeky look, disguising her clear curiosity but also sinister ploy to get her to admit that nothing had really happened yet between her and Manic...

Ember flinched, holding back wanting to fight her.

"Either way, your brother doesn't like that crowd, apparently." She looked over to him, "Jealous, maybe?"

"Enough, Rouge. He protects Ember, that's all I need to know." Shadow turned back to the door of the facility, having it open as guards waited with shields and guns, ready in case Ember 'acted up' again.

"And he's not a hippie!" Ember was humored by their efforts but was too busy with other important problems to 'play on G.U.N's fear' though she wanted too... badly.

"I disagree." Shadow kept walking and she walked behind him.

To lessen G.U.N's concerns, Rouge also walked behind her. "Seems to be the underlining case... I think you disagree wholeheartedly." she shrugged her arms out.

"Thank you, Rouge." he didn't pause in his stride.

"-That maybe he doesn't like the fact that you're spending so much time with another hedgehog other than himself." She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as Ember gasped and Shadow tensed up, turning his head around.

"Rouge!" he scolded.

"Uh oh, did I touch a nerve?" Playing innocent, Rouge smiled and looked away from him, seeing as Ember also seemed touched and went to hug him. However, he outstretched his hand in an attempt to hold her back.

Upon exiting the steel facility of G.U.N, the team decide to drop in on Sonic, seeing if the team of adventuring friends had any luck with remembering this enemy... but to their surprise—"Huh?"

"I've never heard of someone with the ability to shape-shift like that..." Tails placed a book down, trying to look through his journals but nothing was popping up about this strange Shadow figure...

"Maybe you have an admirer, Shadow." Sonic tilted his head back and to the side, giving Shadow a cheeky grin sneakily, but Shadow was too observant for his teases. He just rolled his eyes at Sonic's antics, choosing not to entertain him with a response.

"According to Ember, you were in battle with him before." Shadow explained, giving his full attention to Tails as Sonic dipped his head down and smirked, seeing as Shadow was trying to take everything too seriously again for his tastes.

"Oh? Must have trounced him then!" Sonic gave himself a hearty fist swing, as though to celebrate his victory that he didn't even understand had happened or would happen yet. "Maybe he's from the future? We could ask Silver..."

"No good, there's nothing about him here. Technically, if what Ember says is true, he does sound like it's his 'past' to him..." Tails deciphered through Ember's perfect retelling, trying to pinpoint terms that could lead to an answer.

"You assume I'm not?" She played, looking to Sonic to show that his sense of humor wouldn't go unnoticed.

He gave her a quiet snicker with his eyes closed, enjoying the fact that at least one immortal had some charm.

"N-no, of course not!... heeeyyy..." Tails worried he had upset her, but seeing her and Sonic's shoulders bouncing and grins, he knew they were laughing together. "Don't pick on me..." He whined cutely.

"Oh, never Tails." She swished her tail behind her, "Never without the intent to sweetly embarrass you."

He sighed and continued, "Anyway,... we don't know if it's our future or past. Not for certain, but it does sound like something that was currently occurring for him, and he knew he wouldn't be around much longer in that time-frame of space..." Tails tried to think over what Ember said, it was still hard to identify where this villain would have originated from in their timeline.

"Another world? Dimension, maybe?" Sonic questioned, trying to help him out with half the thinking.

Tails scratched his chin, moving his torso around before gripping his head in frustration, "Oh, I just can't figure it out! I need more information..." He looked downhearted, unable to help. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry, Tails." Ember lightly patted his head, "Maybe he's just some jerk, that's all we need to know, right? A bad guy..?" She still wasn't sure about that... he seemed to know about Shadow's future...

She was still curious about his origin... but mostly about what he knew of whatever future he had seen or known for Shadow...

"A-Aren't you curious?" Ember turned to Shadow, who walked over beside the couch and folded his arms, facing away from her. "Whether he's an enemy or not? He tried to take your emerald, which I believe sustains your life since you are a prototype. He openly admitted that Sonic had fought him and was winning. Wouldn't that mean he is?" He turned to look at her over his shoulder. "I've always known my path would be full of human fear and deceit. But I don't do it for myself... you know who I promised. I can't withdraw from this life, even if I know it will be misfortune in the end. My form will only be useful for such things as pertain to this world... If this Mephilis uses my form and seeks to remain in this world by your power, then he is corrupting both our purposes." He tightened his fist.

Ember rubbed her arm, sensing she had struck a nerve. She didn't want to push the subject and trigger the tragedy, but she also knew he didn't understand what she was actually asking, "That's not quite what I-" but before she could finish, the door to Tails's workshop slammed open.

"Get this kid some place to lay down!" Rouge had shoved the door open with one hand and holding Manic by her other arm. He was slumped over, his head down and slowly looking up with a bruised eye, squinting it open slightly to look around. He was clearly hurt, his arm around Rouge to support himself as she tried to get him over the step and into the house.

"E..Em...Ember..." he spoke faintly with a weak strength that barely let him slide a foot under himself to help Rouge move him easier.

His black eye shut again as Rouge looked over to Shadow, "Let's get him on the couch. I went to check on him like you asked me to... but..." Sonic and Shadow moved swiftly, lifting him from Rouge's care and placing him on the couch as Ember's eyes trembled, seeing someone she loved so much in pain...

She covered her mouth, "No... no more... no more hurting..." she shut her eyes, unable to bear the sight any longer.

So many memories... of the ones she's grown to care about hurting so much... because of her.

Manic coughed, being laid on the couch as Sonic gave him a worried smile, "Like old times, eh? What happened to you, Manic? At least tell me you won... right?" He meant to say 'are you okay?' but that was just how him and his brother spoke to one another.

"Oh yeah, I did decently." He tried to open his eye more for his brother, giving him a playful wink. "Ouch..." He flinched, the action might have been too strenious. But that didn't stop Manic from trying to pull it off.

She had pictured that wink... but now it was so very, very different...

He was hurt.

It was all her fault...

Though that villain should be to blame, Ember couldn't help but direct the guilt to herself.

"They got the better of me... still, my Bandmates got Ember to Shadow, and they themselves found me pretty banged up... but those two... they made a deal." Manic's last words had caught the attention of everyone in the room.

He looked over to Ember, seeing as she was lost in her own thoughts, looking anxious. "Hey, don't be afraid, Ems. I'm okay... really..." He tried to grab her attention, but she was lost in her own self-grief and pity. "I just got beat up by some powerful, wicked bad dudes, no biggie. I'm still here, see?" He smiled kindly, though worse for wear, he outstretched a hand in compassion towards her.

He wanted her to come to him... even though he had gotten hurt for her sake?

She slowly approached, but her memories of the fallen were a lot for her to take.

She didn't want him to suffer the same fact as others who had known her.

"Shadow was right." She fell to her knees and cried, unable to grab his hand as the others watched her in shock. "Our only future is misfortune... especially for those around us..."

They all looked worriedly towards her, but remained silent in her sorrowful display, not knowing how to comfort her.

"I should have stayed!" she cried out, "You should have let me fight beside you..!" She wiped the tears from her eyes as he smiled at her gentle display of compassion towards him, but also knowing she didn't want anyone's sympathy, just like Shadow. He was too prideful to comfort her, so he just let her cry, closing his eyes to give her a moment of respectful distance.

"Look at my girl... so strong, like her brother." He looked to Shadow, almost like to mock him for not being emotional about his tragic fate either. "Heh, I didn't want to see you hurt either, Ems. I did what a man should do." He nodded his head back to her, dismissing Shadow, who opened his eyes to try and judge what he meant by that. "Protecting the people you love isn't easy, it isn't easy for anyone, but that doesn't mean you don't take risky chances to ensure their happiness."

"How does this make me happy!?" Ember gripped and shredded some of Tails's wooden flooring... "How does this make anyone happy!?"

"... I am happy, knowing you're not hurt, or worse." He tried to get up, but began to show the pain and couldn't quite do it. "Now come on, Ems. Come sit with... me." Ember worriedly raced to him, skimming his back and letting him rest his head on her lap as she gently eased him into letting her sit down and look after him.

"Dummy, I can heal faster than you!" she helped him relax again and he gave her a huge, dorky grin.

"Does this mean you'll take care of me? Man, so worth it!" he joked, settling into her loving care.

She gently massaged his shoulders, rubbing his chest, and trying to self-comfort herself that he was alive. "I am glad you're alive... but I refuse to just let you talk me into running off like that again... I don't care how mad you get."

"Heh... I guess saving your life is only good for a one-time thing, eh?" Manic closed his eyes, and even with everyone staring at him, he leaned his head towards her and began to try and take it easy. "You're so used to Shadow always partnering up along side you... I just wanted to be a daring, brave hero for you... at least once."

Shadow twitched an eyebrow, but moved swiftly over to Sonic and Manic, seeming to want to change the subject and ignore the two's intimate moment. "We need you to tell us exactly what happened." he spoke with a lot of authority, but also with a hint of annoyance... maybe he just wanted to get more details out as soon as possible?

Manic turned his head slightly to Shadow, then smiled weakly. "What's up, big bro?"

Shadow flinched again, "I asked you a question. It's urgency couldn't be more dire."

"...Isn't that the same thing?" He looked jokingly up to Shadow and then to his brother, "Did you see him march over here like I'm some kinda crook?"

"You do have your head in his sister's lap, bro." Sonic folded his arms, giving him a sly look.

"Ha, I'm not the dog here." He looked lovingly up to Ember, "I'm a gentlemen."

She leaned down to his head, lightly kissing it. "You're a gentlemen rogue." she teased, "Stealing my heart and all."

"But she gave you her lap freely." Sonic snickered under his gloved hand, giving a sideways glance to Shadow, seeing his reaction.

Shadow refrained from making a comment, but it was clear he was starting to get upset.

Ember tilted her head, "Shadow? Does this really bother you?" She couldn't understand why, but wondered if he really was protective of her or not.

Shadow turned his head away, and after a long, awkward silence, Manic spoke up again.

"Can't a man catch his breath first?" he turned his head to Rouge, "Can I get some water? My mouth's a little dry here..." But Ember bent down and kissed him again, instead. "Woah..! Did I die and go to heaven already?" he marveled at her, but she just giggled as Rouge covered her mouth and seemed to enjoy the young lovers having their 'catching up' moment before retreating to the kitchen. She slid her hand over Shadow's arm, whispering something for him to relax and then came back with some water, handing it to Ember to help Manic drink.

"Let him rest a moment, Shadow. There's no use in pushing him too far." Rouge stated, nodding towards Ember. "Besides, your sister can get more out of him than you ever could~" she teased. Ember smiled up to Rouge, realizing she wasn't as bad as she thought...

At least she was siding with her and Manic, for now, anyway.

After gulping down some sips of water, Manic gave out a long, happy sigh. "Ahhh... now that hit the spot. I feel much better, able to talk more now, too." He looked to Shadow. "That guy called himself Mephilis the Dark, right? While we fought, he was insanely strong! No matter how much I hit him, he never seemed to fade in strength all that much... however, I think I almost figured him out, at least his fighting style, but..." He trailed off and looked away, seeming disappointed in the turn of the events, "That's when that Scourge guy showed up with his gang." Manic narrowed his eyes a moment, remember the encounter. " I remember his name alright... They jumped me and my drums formed back into my necklace... they held me down and beat on me as Scourge demanded to know where Ember was, but Mephilis must have saw him as an opportunity to find her as well."

Ember bit on her lower lip, worried about them tag-teaming to find her...

"I don't know why Scourge agreed, but I have a feeling he's not gonna be honest in that arrangement... but then again, I don't think Mephilis was too keen on honesty or trust either... They all look like backstabbers to me, and they're all after your Cursed Emerald, Ember..." He looked up at her again, lifting his hand to cup her face a moment. "But don't sweat it, I'll make sure they never get you. Mark my words, babe." They touched foreheads a moment, as Sonic and Tails looked to each other, concerned.

"We'll try and figure out where Scourge is and what he's up to with this guy. If they are hunting Ember down, we should plan out if we're gonna bait them or hide her." Tails gestured a hand out, stating the necessity for a plan, but Shadow immediately stomped up to him.

"There won't be a need to use Ember." he stated, looming over Tails. Tails moved back a bit, but Sonic countered by moving up towards Shadow, stopping him from intimidating his friend.

"If they've teamed up, who knows how powerful they are now. He interrupted Manic's fight, and are probably after the other emeralds. Me and Tails will try and split up our gang, find out if they're heading to Angel Island or are abandoning everything to find the impure emerald." Sonic tried to bring reason and logic into his actions, which calmed Shadow down a bit. "If you and Manic take Ember, Rouge can go off on her own to try and spot them and stay as a spy. We'll cut them off before they can cause any further trouble. But let's hope they're only after Ember... that trouble we can ambush, sound good to you?"

"...Ember doesn't do well with plans." Shadow glared back at Ember, as though implying that she needs to agree to this too.

Ember nodded her head, looking determined to get back at Scourge for hurting Manic, and also hoping to find out what this Mephilis the Dark guy knew about Shadow... and if it was true or not.

"You've gotta let me come with you, Shadow." Manic winced in pain as he got up, which made Ember panic and grab his arm to help him. "I care about her just as much as you do... I may not be as strong or accomplished at saving things like Sonic is... but I'm just as good as my brother when it comes to protecting those I cherish..."

Sonic nodded, giving his brother a thumbs up for his bravery. "You won't find a better man, Shadow!"

"...Alright." Shadow conceded. "I don't need any further convincing. If Ember wants you along to help, I won't oppose." He began to walk out the door, "But listen... heed this warning... Scourge, we understand his ways, but Mephilis, we do not. We need to be cautious, for Embers sake." He looked to her as if saying she really needed to act mature during this, and Ember just embarrassingly looked away, still holding Manic's arm as he kissed her cheek to try and cheer her up.

"Ugh." Shadow turned away, disgusted by the display of comforting affection, and walked to open the door. "Come on, we should keep a constant movement..."

"Your brother once protected the president before, right?" Manic wanted to encourage Ember that he probably knew best, but she just laughed.

"And tried to destroy him."

The room grew silent.

Then Sonic let out a huge roar of laughter, gripping his stomach.

Scourge and Mephilis, on the hunt...

"We've scowered everywhere for this girl! Why is she so hard to find?!" Scourge kicked over a burning trashcan, watching it's tin tink against the dark street... there were people screaming to escape the fires, and Scourge just looked at his hand, gripping it tightly. "What good is causing mayhem and panic if I know I'm not the most terrifying thing out there!?"

Mephilis had his arms crossed, standing next to him, looking like stone... "I think we'd get along... if you weren't so deranged." He mused to himself, turning to him as Scourge got right up in his face.

"I only make friends with subordinates. We agreed you'd let me do this my way! Flush out the rat with flames!" he threw his hand back to the burning city. "Besides, you look as twisted as I am..." he muttered under his breath.

"I have no issue with you burning the world... but as for sniffing or snuffing her out, I doubt you'd find her." He moved with strange elegance, and placed his hand on the ground. Shadows of whispy, black vines began to mutate around him, "If what you say is true... then her emerald has negative chaos energy... compared to it's seven, pure siblings... it's power can't be controlled or harnessed... It's a mad stone. One who needs a host able to contain and manipulate its madness..."

The darkness began to grow, dodging the fires but being born from their flickering shadows cast to the walls as well, upon the walls they danced... and began to search for every living soul... Like a reign of purple and misty hound dogs, falling over each other as they searched for the same... strange... energy...

"What's that your doing?" Scourge growled, scowling at him doing something without an order from himself. "I don't like things done behind my back!"

"...Finding the diamond in the rough..." Mephilis laughed, his dark power moving under screaming feet, the fires burning everything they touched. He had missed this feeling... but soon, with the Cursed Emerald, he'll have it all over again... "The shadows I'm made of are linked with a strong connection to the ultimate life form... if she is at all with Shadow, I shall know of it... and take what I need to survive."

The shadows, almost like the fire from which they were spreading, continued forth out of Mephilis and searched with a lapping, slithering haste that seemed to crawl everywhere in a furious urgency.

Soon, they were outside the city, spreading themselves into the forest. Little Flickies hid in their tree truck holes and cowered from the impending doom they seemed to send.

One of the shadow tips lingered as though to spike through a piggy that was holding its bunny friend, shivering in fright. It came closer before it sensed something, and immediately slithered towards where Shadow was, diving into his shadow...

Mephilis tilted his head, as Scourge once again grew frustrated. "Did you find something..? Care to share with the rest of the class?" He bent down and gestured a hand up as Mephilis just creepily turned to him, but didn't look directly at him.

"I found him... I'm... listening and looking to see where they are..." He heard Shadow speak and was pulled back to the moment at hand.

Shadow, hiding behind a bush with Manic, were clearly alone for right now. "She's well hidden?"

"I told her to stay put." Manic grumbled, "But you know Ember... she's always excited about a new test of strength."

"This isn't a game, she'll listen to you." Shadow was once again so serious, and it was really bumming Manic out.

"I know, I know. But she'd do anything for you." He smiled to Shadow, "You know, she's really attached to you. It broke her heart when G.U.N said she couldn't work with you anymore. It felt like they were taking something else away from her too." He explained, wondering if Shadow knew.

Shadow remained silent,... a moment went by before he sighed quietly and spoke up again, gentler this time. "I tried to warn her. She wouldn't follow orders... G.U.N is different from the past, they're trying to live better than they were..."

"You forgave them, which I respect." Manic nodded his head to him, "But for Ember... it's kinda a betrayal."

He looked away, "G.U.N was run differently in the past. They've learned to accept my power as long as it's used for good means."

"Their means." Manic countered, fiddling with a twig as Shadow glared at him. Manic was momentarily distracted with the twig, playing with it and bending it but not to the point of snapping before looking up to Shadow and then throwing his hands up in apology, and hoping he may calm down and back off a bit from the intense glare of annoyance. "H-hey, now! I'm only saying what Ember's told me. You know, you two should really talk more... she misses you." He gently put the fallen twig back into the bush. "She feels like this twig here... broken off from every family she ever made. Too dangerous to stay with anyone for too long... and mostly hunted down for her power. You can understand how she feels, can't ya?" He gave him a half-forced smile, "You have to understand... how much she longs to be in a real family..."

Shadow 'hmph'd to the side, "She's always been sensitive." but there was a warmness in that tone... A bond that Manic was happy to see shine through.

"Hey... is that a smile?" He teased, gesturing to the gentle curl in Shadow's lips.

Shadow patted Manic's accusing finger away and flicked his nose, "So she's gathering berries and other wild provisions?"

"While we remain lookout, yeah... she didn't like that plan all to much." Manic made a face and Shadow only chuckled.

"That is Ember." He joked,"And you were pretty useless in that condition... I'm... glad you recovered well." the two shared a mutual moment of fondness for her, and then looked to one another. It was as though Shadow had accepted that fact, that Ember loved Manic, but also that Manic was a good man. For a moment, he gave a look of acceptance, before looking off again. "Ember... Heh." He seemed to be thinking back on their adventures together. "She's headstrong, like Sonic. Doesn't stand still for a moment... all this and more... is why she's who she is. Which is exactly why I worry she may never find a decent job in this world..."

"She's doing pretty good at singing." Manic volunteered the idea, trying to lighten the downplay on Ember's talents but Shadow only made a face. "What? Singing don't jell right with you, big bro?"

"Don't call me that." He looked annoyed again.

"All I'm saying is maybe Ember isn't cut out for army or military stuff. She's not like Rouge, a secret agent and spy. She can't always be stealthy," Manic started.

"She longs too much for the attention." Shadow mused to himself while Manic just lowered his eyes and looked back at him as though thinking he was purposefully being a downer now.

"She's powerful, yes. But she also has a powerful, beautiful soul to her as well." He started drumming the ground, "We each have our own rhythms, Shadow. Maybe her's is better suited to things outside of fighting?"

"Yet, she loves to tumble." Shadow joked again, which made Manic just throw his arms up and laugh.

"You're not gonna give my thoughts on Ember the time of day, are you?" He seemed to realize Shadow was blocking him out, but Shadow just pushed his head down, done talking about this for now.

"Just duck down low and do as you're told... Ember wants you here, that's why you are here." He warned him, but Manic just scooted on up to him, moving his hand and seeing a brotherly side of Shadow showing.

"Hey," he grinned widely. "I've been meaning to ask you... I never did get your blessing on asking Ember to date me."

Shadow seemed to lose the slight smile he had, turning to one of more worry and anxiety.

"I wanted to make it more official after I talked with you about it, but you were always caught up with work," Manic continued, but didn't notice Shadow's shifting eyes, and the fact that he adjusted his squat away from Manic. He seemed so unsure of the topic... but what was really bothering him? "And I didn't want to tip Ember off too early about it... Mind if I ask now?"

"No." Shadow abruptly stated, closing his eyes as though to tune Manic out.

Manic took a moment to wait and process that, before speaking up again, "No..? On the timing or..?" he finally turned to try and read Shadow's expression, but Shadow kept a low-profile when it came to his emotions.

"Ever." Shadow moved away from him, and as he did so, the shadows began to move and peer around him, as though fading and glitching out of reality.

"Now hang on a sec-" Manic got up with him, trying to stop him from retreating during an important—and vulnerable—conversation before seeing the abnormality start rising up and swarming the shade around Shadow's silhouette on the ground.

"W-woah!" Manic got up from his squat, "Shadow, what is that!?" He pointed, as shadows seemed to spray out like vines whipping the ground, like an octopus's tentacles lashing out from a spaced hole on the ground, in the shape of Shadow...

Suddenly, they faded into nothingness... Shadow's shadow... was immediately gone.

"Grk..! GAHH!" Mephilis pulled his hand up, the shadows quickly retreating as if being drained back to him forcefully as he gripped his wrist. Scourge had stomped on his hand, seeing him flicker, and thinking he was going to leave them.

"Where ya going, friend?" he sneered, grabbing him and pulling him up as he continued to glitch out and in of reality, causing Scourge to barely have a hand on him. "What are you thinking of doing? Running!? Getting out of the deal!? WHERE IS SHE?"

in his wildness, Mephilis was also held back by Scourge's team: The Destructix. However, in a flash of light, Mephilis completely broke free of them and sent a blast out to knock them back. Slowly moving towards Scourge in his strange movement way, he then fired out a huge beam of power to skim Scourge's ear, spooking him back...

"You're not king... yet." Mephilis landed a manipulative intimidation, faking that they were one in the same goal. He looked at his hand again, examining the strange rift of time and space... his time was running thin. "I could erase you all from ever being born... but I chose to use my power to aid you... if we don't move now... my existence in this timeline will fade... and my own world events... vanish." He glared, threatened by the limited moments he still had.

Scourge may be in a hurry, impatient without question, but he could tell that Mephilis was trying to deceive him just as much as he was trying to trick Mephilis... "You gonna back-stab me, Dark? Better do it while I'm in a good mood..." He smirked, getting up in his face again and not fearing the power he demonstrated earlier; or at least, shaking it off. "Ember's mine. I'll rip the gem out, then you take it as host, and I control you. We all in accord again?"

Mephilis just stared at him, and as though dismissing conflict, moved Scourge aside with a soft swing of his arm. "When I am host to the Cursed Emerald... you shall have a world that will burn in black flames..." He continued on, dipping as though sinking down into the shadows...

Scourge was getting ticked off, "He'll set me aside for the last time... do you have what I asked for?" the team showed him that the portal Mephilis created did in fact lead to a forested area, and seemed to have Manic with Shadow.

"Excellent..." Scourge put his sunglasses back into place, then adjusted his crown. "Let's stick to the plan for now... we'll deal with Darky later..." he then snapped his fingers for Fiona to speak up again. "What about Sonic and the other Chaos Emeralds?"

"They've fortified the island. It will be tricky... but with Mephilis's portals, we should be able to-" She stopped as he spun around, grabbing her waist, and gripped her to him.

"Shh... you're so fidgety lately..." He cooed, lowering his sunglasses, "Babe, all I'm asking is that we plan for that guy to be smoke and dust by the time I get the Cursed Emerald..."

"R-right." She sweat-dropped, knowing that he planned to ditch Mephilis as soon as possible. "In that case~" she flung the paper back behind her, letting it drift in gentle sways to the burning grounds behind them. It was clearly her report from her spy mission, and decided to loop her arms around his neck, "We'll need a long rope... or you'll have to chaos teleport our merry band of thieves..."

"And I, their king." He shoved his face into hers, kissing her as the others waited while they messed around...

Rouge watched as they all disappeared into the portal... behind them, thousands upon thousands of burnt ruins... and flying pieces of flaming fabrics blew in the wind...

"I have to warn them!" she worriedly began to fly into the alley but turned when someone cried out for help, and flaming beams from streets and houses began to topple over one right after the other, some in the distance and others sparking as lamppost exploded as they hit the ground. "...They need me too, though." In her moment of conflict, she flew towards the burning city...

"Please be alright... Shadow... Manic... Ember..." she pleaded under her breath, "I'm leaving them to you all now."

Ember was forging but finding it hard not to pluck a berry with her claw, and then lick the juices and call it 'not eating' her bundle.

She knew Shadow would disapprove but Manic? He'd probably think it was funny. She hummed as she tried to not think about all the evil people that were after her. After all, it wasn't new, it was just kinda exciting. She was immortal, never really aged, but seemed to have never truly lost her immaturity at finding humor in even the most outrageous and life-threatening circumstances.

Sure, you get hurt, but as long as its only her getting hurt she's okay with it.

She thought back to Maria and Gerald Robotnik, how no matter what went wrong, they were always together.

The kids she'd look after and who'd treat her with their skits and plays to entertain one another... they were always together.

Shadow, however... seemed to be more concerned about his 'duty' then spending much time with her.

She loved going on missions with him, trying to impress him. He always acted like she was a liability though... even though he knew how powerful and capable her abilities were.

She could control some chaos, she could do some amazing feats, why did he always scold her on her strength and acting first before asking questions later? She was very much the same with doing something and apologizing later, her simple mottoes, she supposed. It was just her nature, and it seemed to bother Shadow... Was it truly her downfall? Curiosity only killed cats though, not wolves.

Even so, Shadow was kinda always protective of her, now that she thought of it. Even before he accepted her as his experimental prototype for his creation, he seemed to have a distaste for leaving her be too long. Isn't that what brothers are supposed to do? She couldn't really know... but seeing how Manic and Sonic joked around, verses Sonic and Tails, or Manic with his bandmates... it seemed like Sonic and Manic could goof off, wrestle, and even tease without worrying too much about the other.

So then... what was Shadow's deal? Why didn't he trust her... why didn't he want her around..?

She felt her tail swish down to the ground at the thought... She had always taken care of others, maybe that was Shadow's way of showing affection too?

Wasn't she overprotective? Wasn't she always on-guard? Perhaps she just hoped her and Shadow would be different. A true sibling bond.

She would want to return the favor, but how? He didn't even like hugs... but they did trust each other, right?

She trusted him... he seemed to trust her... was Rouge right? Was that why G.U.N kicked her out? Simply because they did trust each other but maybe two experiments was too much for them.

She paused and looked at the food in her hand, growing sorrowful again. Was the world jealous, or just Shadow?

He was the perfect weapon... the cure to all humanity... and yet, she was meant to protect him.

Then why... does it seem like he's protecting her?

Were they really... ever gonna be like a real family?

Or were they already one? But an imperfect one?

She slowly... let her hands fall and the berries drop out of her arms. Sighing, she looked to where she knew Manic and Shadow should be, "I got the food... some of them aren't stabbed... hehe..." She tried to play off her pondering emotions and licked her claws again. "They're good, at least." she teased.

No one answered...

"Shadow?" she called, trying to look over the foliage and tree trucks. "Manic?"

But no one answered.

She narrowed her eyes... and began to sneak around to see what she could find.

As she twisted herself through the bush, she let out a quiet gasp and plugged her mouth, seeing Manic and Shadow each tied up by what looked like shadowy vines that clung and tightened with their struggling movement.

In her surprise, she comically looked for somewhere that could conceal herself. So while still covering her mouth, she dived into what looked like a mossy patch near some water, and let the moss cushion her hasty fall to hide.

"Chaos... Spear!" Shadow was able to shoot out some beams to hit back Mephilis and Scourge's team, but Scourge took out a knife with a refined blade and held it to Manic, then a gun with a black coating and held it to Shadow's head.

The others had successfully dodged the spears, and snickered at their futile attempts.

"You can't contain me, I'm-!" Shadow began but realized these shadows had a strange power to them... he didn't realize they were infused with his own shadow... thus making them successfully able to contain him and his own power.

"Quick the light spectacle and realize when you're beat." Scourge pressed the gun's barrel against Shadow to move his head back against the tree they were tied up too. Manic couldn't reach his necklace, but Mephilis saw his attempts.

Floating on some shadows with his arms out wide, he turned to instruct Scourge, "Rip that silly trinket by his neck... Let him know true despair, when one holds no power, and takes everything away from you..." sadistically, he held up his hand, as if a dark sense of torment was awakening once again in him. He crushed his fists together, "I want to see the look of helplessness... as I take that light of hope from his eyes..."

"Oui! What'd I say about you giving me orders?!" Scourge flicked the knife under the necklace, "Only I'm allowed to do that!" twisting the sharp side of the blade to his necklace's bond around his neck, he yanked it off of him, pulling back the band and making his neck snap a little back as he tried to resist having his precious, childhood power and gift removed from him.

"Nooo..!" Manic saw the magical necklace fly through the air, glistening in and flipping through the gaps of light through the trees... his most precious possession left to him, which reminded him of his beloved mother... like having his family torn from him when he was an infant. It fell to the dirty soil and barely made a noise, due to the soft ground beneath...

He hunched a little, already seeming defeated by not having any special abilities, and now... not even having his only means to fight back besides his natural struggling force. "Now... I'm really mad." Manic gritted his teeth, some tears forming on the sides of his eyes. "I won't let you get away with this... with hurting Ember... or with taking any of my family from me!" he looked up with eyes full of righteous vengeance.

Shadow had never seen this side of Manic before, and it surprised him somewhat, but now was not the time to be in awe. Instead, he noticed that Manic and Scourge had created a kind of opening. This distraction allowed him to sneakily reach back and get a firm touch on his communication device. Swiftly, and trying to be discreet about it, his G.U.N training kicked in and he began typing in coordinates for Rouge and Tails. Hoping the signal wouldn't get spotted by the others... Shadow hid the device under his gloved wrist as it sent the code, however, transferring it to the others remotely was going to take some time...

Mephilis, highly sensitive to Shadow's movements, rose his head in Manic's defiant spirit and tenacious attitude, but sensed something off with Shadow. He was delighting in Manic's sorrow and frustration, but that would have to wait for now...

"He's fidgeting too much..." Mephilis lifted his hand and in a whirlwind of speed, slashed Shadow in the head and knocked him out. "There... that's better... Hahahah!" his infamous laugh carried through the forest, as Ember's hands twitched in rage.

Her Cursed Emerald began to glow...

"Heh, I like your style." Scourge used the bunt side of the gun to knock out Manic from his neck, "Now what? Where's the girl!?" Scourge turned to Mephilis, pointing the gun to him... "I think you already figured this out but... I don't like to be kept waiting..."

Ember couldn't contain her rage anymore, the insanity from the Cursed Emerald drove her out of hiding, her emotions spiraling out of control. This wasn't the first time, but she wanted it to desperately be the last time anyone messed with her friends and life. 'I'm tired of people telling me not to fight!' she felt her body lose control as she ran on all fours to defend her beloved family...

"RRAHHH!" She jumped into the air, the curse in full swing as her entire body was filled with her insanity mode flaring to life. "Let them go!" Black flames burst from her purple emerald, and Mephilis's eyes reflected their glow.

"Yeeess... You'll do nicely." He seemed fixated on the dark power it contained, seeing it as the perfect host for this new timeline.

Her eyes burned white as she came down, but Mephilis moved quickly back, floating on his shadows as the earth shook and cracked under her power.

"Alright! An ultimate showdown! At last!" Scourge readied himself, but Mephilis drifted in front of him, his shadows like a catching up behind him. "What!? What are you..? Out of my way, freak!"

He shot the back of Mephilis's head, "I'm tired of this game!" But Mephilis's head just bent forward with every shot, and it was clear nothing was penetrating through his crystal hide... The bullets looked squished and condensed upon impact with his quills.

He slowly turned back... "I'll deal with you... after my form becomes permanent in this world..." He was fading, but reached out to Ember, "I can kill Shadow, and he has the power to destroy your beloved friend as well..." He then gestured to Scourge and Manic. "What will you choose? Immortal... a prototype? You were made to be a mistake, to learn from... But with me, I can give you your ultimate purpose..." He lifted his arms up into the air, showing the half-destroyed moon. "There must be revenge that you seek... much like your figurative brother..." He slowly turned his attention back to her. "I have the means to control your cursed emerald... join to me, child of error, and I shall make you the key to all destruction!" he clenched a fist up by her, showing his resolve to want to 'help' her.

However, Ember—still wild—had already broken through Scourge's goons that had come around from behind, and slowly hunched over at Mephilis's words.

The Destructix's lay panting on the ground, remembering last time... and knowing they're efforts were futile.

Even Scourge looked pathetically over to them, seeing that without Mephilis, taking Ember head-on again might be a bad idea...

Her eyes seemed vast and hollow, as though Mephilis's words meant nothing in this state. Instead, they were simply filled with the power of negative chaos energy...

"You have a choice..." Mephilis began, speaking plainly as he could tell that Ember was no longer present, but only the Cursed Emerald's protective recognition remained. "Surrender yourself to me... or let me take over your current host's form." he flicked his fingers out, before jamming his claws into Shadow's side again. "Otherwise... I make your host's life even worse... more alone than ever before... and you, the soul who reigns over her... forever. Hahahaha!" he had figured it out, her emotions got the better of her and let out it's full power. He truly was clever, and using Shadow as a trigger, hoped the Cursed Emerald would be fueled off of her emotions, and get even stronger. "Do you now see where my loyalty lies? Now... let us join together! We shall rule this world with a burning blaze!"

Ember's power skyrocketed as her body jerked forward and then back, seeing Shadow reel back in pain before going unconscious again. It was as though the amount of empathy felt in that moment gave Ember's body the same amount of pain as it saw Shadow endure.

"Mortal... immortal... nothing escapes fate." Mephilis pulled out his claws, his shadows released Shadow from his bonds around the tree truck and he fell forward. Mephilis never ceased in his dark pleasure of torment and pain, laughing and laughing in his sadistic delights, leaning his head back as though to gloat and strike envy. "It never gets old... seeing the fear and hatred on their faces... when I kill all they care about..." Was he speaking to himself? Or to Scourge?

Now it didn't matter what he knew about Shadow's future, it was clear he wanted a ill fate for him, and for Ember as well... Though trapped inside her own mind, Ember clawed for redemption. 'Manic... everyone... if I let this fiend live, he'll tear apart the whole of what I've found!' she pounded against the dark energies that kept her locked up tight. 'My emotions... they're not meant for evil! Cursed Emerald... you're not cursed anymore! You're my power! And I choose to use you to protect my family!"

Mephilis all at once... became her new G.U.N.

Getting a momentary grip on herself, Ember reached into her chest, scratching and digging to try and pull the Cursed Emerald out of her. 'I can't lose him!' she began to cry through the searing pain as her claws bore into her flesh. However, it was instantly healing itself, burning to seal the scars she was making. She couldn't pull it out, and it wouldn't be ripped from her either... soon, it back-lashed and forced her into a full state of control, meaning that it now had full power over her... and was completely consumed in her emotions once again.

"Join me, Cursed one!" Mephilis spread his shadows around her, but the Cursed Emerald controlling Ember's body tilted its head, only interested in destruction.

Bursting into raw chaos energy, Ember's body looked more like a giant, standing wolf than anything else... her power radiated into a beast in it's rising aura...

Mephilis was slightly taken aback, "This power... Iblis would be pleased." He laughed, "Very well, I shall take you on!"

Dark orbs were thrown towards Ember's body, but she shredded through them with her dark energy claws, her true form hidden within the massive dark aura-wolf. It blasted the shadows away that tried to consume the Cursed Emerald, showing that it wouldn't be taken without a fight.

Manic's head looked up, feeling the shadows loosen and weaken from around him as he fell down from the tree he was tied too. "What... what happened?" he looked to his necklace, and reached for it in a sudden moment of clarity.

"Ah-ah-ah." Scourge kicked it away, mimicking Sonic's infamous finger wiggle and grabbing him into a choke hold. "Who said you were allowed to wake up!?"

As Manic struggled, trying to reach for a punch, it was clear Scourge was stronger than him. "Hahaha! Pathetic! She chose you over me!?" He raised an eyebrow, "I'll let Mephilis weaken her down a bit first, after all, I tried to fight her and look where that got me?"

He threw Manic as he slammed against the tree, falling back down and struggling to get up.

"But you? That's the easy part. You don't have your precious little girlfriend to protect you." He pulled out his gun, firing off some bullets as Manic rolled on the ground to dodge them. "Darn that Dark... he took all my bullets like it was nothing..." Scourge rolled his shoulders back, arching his steps around Manic and tossing the gun after it seemed emptied of bullets. "Guess we'll do this the old fashion way..." He took his knife and and then stomped directly on Manic's necklace, making Manic look up and glare in his pain.

"You're gonna end up just like him..." Scourge flicked his head to Shadow's limp form, as Manic gasped, seeing it.

"Shadow! No!" he cried out. "Shadow! Get up! Ember needs-!"

"Nothing but death!" Scourge laughed, "Same's gonna come to you, and I'm not sorry. Let's consider it a mercy kill, eh? You don't have to see your doggy dame maimed before your eyes!"

But as soon as he said that, Manic jumped at him and began to push back, grabbing his arms. "I may not be as strong as you... but I'm ten times more clever than you!" he slid his foot between Scourge's feet, then pulled it back around his foot to have him trip and fall backwards.

Manic's drum necklace skidded from the action over the ground. Manic reached and grabbed it with a tumble, rolling before having it glow in his hands. "And she picked me because I'm handsomer shade of green than you! The ones that not representative of envy!" Manic summoned his drums, then took out his drumsticks and began warming up with a drum roll. "I don't think you can take this beat, Scourge!" he began to fire off sonic booms from his drums, pushing and shoving Scourge down, as the knife in his hand was pulsed back by its sonic power.

"Grr..! No!" Scourge used his super sonic speed to start moving to dodge each drum beat. "You think you're stronger than your own anti-brother!?" but right before reaching the drums and seeing the white in Manic's worried eyes as Scourge reached out for him...

"HRRAHH!" Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles jumped from the bushes, tackling into Scourge as Manic stopped playing in awe.

"Everyone!" Manic's eyes widened and then relaxed in relief. "Thank you." He breathed out, and then looked to see Shadow starting to get up on his feet, gripping his torn and pierced side.

He crawled towards Ember's insane, dark aura-wolf form as though desperate to reach her.

"Em...ber..." He stumbled to his feet, but looked a bit woozy from the loss of blood. "I'm... com-...ing..."

"Shadow!" Manic unsummoned his drums and kept a firm grip on his magical necklace, but grabbed Shadow to help him stand better. "What'd he do to you?"

"Urk... She... needs my... help." He tried to move forward, but Manic helped him not fall.

"I know, I know! But she'd never forgive me if I didn't help you first!" Manic looked to see Scourge's crew start coming too, and Ember's insane form fighting Mephilis. "This looks ugly... I know you guys recover fast, what do you need me to do?"

Shadow gave him one look, and he knew.

Save Ember...

for me, in my place.

Mephilis began compiling all his being into one, super mass of his collective consciousness. "Now... you're mine!" as though a miniature storm, flashes of lightning formed around the purple mass as the shadows circled all around it quickly, helping to move it towards Ember's insanity frame. Diving into Ember's form, other shadows leaped up from the shade of the trees to tie her down as she remained on her feet, growling and straining against their takeover.

"At last... though not Iblis... you and I shall be... Cursembaris!" Mephilis's ball of dark energy blasted the dark aura-wolf as it howled in defiance, but was absorbed into his purple and blue darkness, which then engulfed Ember's body.

No matter the power of the Cursed Emerald, Mephilis the Dark soon sealed himself in fire within it's core...

The shining emerald suddenly dulled with shadows, and soon...

"I can't waste another moment..! You're power must fuse with mine, or I will fade from existence of all worlds! I can't fight any longer without a host... You will do nicely! Hahahaha!" Mephilis got her down to her knees, as her form took on a crystallized state, and her eyes shifted to Mephilis's own...

Suddenly, her form was overwhelmed by flames, bursting up and spreading out to form her into light that mixed with his shadows.

The fire raged and burnt the ground beneath as she was lifted into the air, and then made into a black flame, crystallized, large wolf.

Cursembaris looked at it's new body... moving up to its full height, it laughed manically in a monstrous howl that blasted the wind back and forced the others to brace against the wind storm.

Suddenly, with the power of a cursed chaos emerald, it summoned many shadows. All resembled his previous form: Mephilis, and a deadly horde began to materialize to finish off Mephilis's original goal as Solaris.

"Now... to finish off this world... and burn it all, as I have promised you, Scourge... Hahaha!" Mephilis's voice was mixed with Ember's, and their laughter was more fine-tuned, making it sound even more sinister than before...

"Grk..!" Manic forced himself up, his drums ready for battle again. "I've fought you once and held my own! Release Ember, now!" he hit the drums hard, but the fused creation just flicked his wolf's paw, and thousands of the shadow-horde began to run towards Manic.

Cursembaris laughed through it's crystallized body as though cackling howls from rocks banging against an echoing cave... Ember's voice being drowned out by Mephilis. It stalked around the battlefield as though eyeing its prey, watching Manic desperately fight back against the horde. It kept it's head low, readying to pounce at any moment...

The shadows were destroyed by different drumbeat sonic booms, but Manic was already feeling the weariness setting in. Gritting his teeth, he tried to send the blasts where they needed to go.

"This world will be too easy..." Mephilis mused, holding a clawed, crystal paw out, as though ready to hunt. "I will destroy the ultimate life form... take out Sonic once and for all,... and then leave you as a toothpick for when I'm bored!" Cursembaris's snarl spewed fire through its bared teeth. This was driving Manic insane, he hated it with a deep passion and anger, hearing Ember's lovely voice mingled with such evil.

Shadow, still hunched over, brought out his hand to his side, 'I can't let this stand... I won't lose her. I won't lose anyone else!' He looked up at his sister, seeing a form which he didn't know or understand. His fist tightened, "I had to let you go once... I won't do it again!" He took off his limiters, preparing himself as he stored his power up. "Chaos... spears!" he was able to successfully target a few spears that pierced through the shadows, having them automatically disintegrate and then strike through Cursembaris's crystal hide. They were made of pure light and chaos energy, stabbing with an effect into a dark being like Mephilis and the Cursed Emerald meant it began to weaken the shadows around it, causing actual damage.

It's crystal wolf body was jammed back with each successful spear glowing an area of effect around it, spreading light through its being...

"Hopefully... you can... push through it..." Shadow fell back to his knees, then fell down as his body began to recover and forced him to yield.

It's head slowly looked up to Shadow after examining itself, and almost with concern, it stared... until Mephilis's voice, the dominant sound, rang through again in it's muffled cry. "You'd injure your own sister..? For the sake of the world..? Shadow... I never thought you so cruel..."

Shadow frowned openly, his fangs bared, gripping his injured side as he twitched helpless on the ground. "I'm not aiming for her..!"

Cursembaris tilted it's head, then turned to see Scourge had fought off Sonic, throwing him off of him but seeing his team still apprehended. He glared to it and charged, jumping and grabbing the Cursed Emerald in glowing purple as he was burned by its natural protection of itself. "My turn!" his eyes blazed with power... though the Cursed Emerald wanted to lash back and fight, it was being controlled by Mephilis... So it could only sear him for now...

"This power is meant to be mine!" Scourge used all his imbued Master Emerald strength to try and force the Cursed Emerald out. The natural repulsion was actually working in his favor... The gem began to move out from the spiraling flames and dark purple mist... Thanks to Shadow's Chaos Spears still giving the creature splotches of yellow glowing light to weaken Mephilis's control and power over it.

"N...Nooo!" Mephilis, weakened by the now exploding Chaos Spears Shadow had thrown, felt them pulse off with every hit from Manic's other light and sound based attack...

Soon, Scourge's tug-o-war was actually succeeding, as his gloves were consumed in flame, his insane smirk never left him.

Manic's feelings pounded the drums with a powerful beat that exploded his sonic booms to push Mephilis back and Scourge closer to pulling the Cursed Emerald out. Shadow watched as he flicked his fingers and wrists, letting the Chaos Spears go off one by one in rhythm with Manic's attacks.

Howling into whimpers, Cursembaris reeled its massive form skyward, leaning its head back in the pain and slowly defusing at Scourge's persistence.

"Nooo..! I refuse to lose! I must at least destroy Sonic The Hedgehog! The Iblis Trigger!" Mephilis began to fade... his time running out. He turned to Sonic and his gang, who were unsure of how to approach the creature without getting burned. Bringing out the pure Chaos Emeralds, Sonic turned Super, and stared into the magma stones that made the being's eyes... dead in their centers as his form glowed the same way the Chaos Spears had...

"You want some?" He gestured to his new, light-based form. "Come and get me!" he bolted off at incredible speeds, flying behind Cursembaris and charging into it's neck. Digging his way through, Sonic pushed and punched the Cursed Emerald towards Scourge, helping to remove it.

According to Tails, if the Cursed Emerald was removed from Mephilis, Ember would return. He noticed the shift of polarity around the two converging timelines that were still being affected by Mephilis's presence, and determined that if they stalled long enough, Mephilis the Dark would fade from this reality, his own being wiped out in the process...

"Why... can't I... fight back?!" Mephilis's voice rang through as Cursembaris swung it's head around, trying to resist the urge to create more destruction and hacok. With all these forcing whamming into it, causing great damage to the Dark forces controlling it, the light side began to shine through...

It leaned it's head up, it's eyes filling with the white fire that Ember's would have had if still in her insanity mode.

"I ... won't... hurt... my family."

Ember's voice... was finally in control.

Scourge—at last—had gripped a Chaos Spear that hadn't exploded yet, feeling his hands burn from the light of that as well as the whipping backlash from the Cursed Emerald, and ripped it out of place. He forced it deeper into the beast, jamming it behind the Cursed Emerald and desperately trying to excavate it out as he wiggled the Chaos Spear around to hopefully pull it lose. Finally, he ripped Ember's fusion out from Mephilis as he faded away in a blaze of glory.

"Ah... HAAA...ahhhhh..." Mephilis's form began to drift towards the ground, as Ember's landed in ashes... "Now... I shall truly be... forgotten..." Mephilis's consciousness, a purple mass of shadows, slowly dwindled out on the ground... a puddle becoming less and less... before all at once... getting blown gently out of reality and time...

Ember opened her eyes gently, seeing the ash below her clawed fingers drift as scourged sunglasses tank'ed against the ground near her. As Mephilis disappeared, Super Sonic slowly returned down to the ground, and looked around for Scourge. "Where is he..? What..?" He saw the sunglasses, as Ember seemed to refuse to reach for them.

Super Sonic remained silent, horrified but also dropping his jaw at the fact that the heat had been so intense that perhaps... Scourge was was burnt into oblivion too...

He turned his head down and closed his eyes, but in his moment for the dead, Scourge was glowing green behind him. "Aw, I'm touched." and then sucker-punched Sonic. "But if that emerald won't budge, I'll kill her and take it for myself!" Hearing that he may try and fuse with the Cursed Emerald, Ember slowly got up, clutching her now completely black and soot-covered chest... forcing herself upright.

Shadow gripped his side and stumbled over to Manic, giving him a nod. He knew now that Manic would do whatever it took to protect Ember and keep her safe. Giving him a thumbs up... he turned to Ember, mouthed words she only wished she could have heard... and then collapsed.

"Shadow!" Manic didn't leave his drums again, seeing Scourge crash Super Sonic against multiple trees and then grab Ember, still trying to control her power.

However,...

"You never learn..." Ember muttered, sending him back in a backlash as she moved her arm and let him grab the Cursed Emerald again, but was blown so far away in its fury... She then, seeing the damage done, knew what last thing she should try.

Surrendering fully to its cursed power, she leaned her body back. "Shadow... I love you too. I won't forget again... that you accept the good I see in Manic, and that you don't want to lose me just as much... as I'd hate to lose you too." She let out some tears, as the Cursed Emerald began its last stand at defending itself. "Manic... I've seen you struggle, and do everything within your power to protect me... I won't forget this... I won't forget your love and devotion. Even if you only have the power of a mortal... you fought an immortal cause. You have gained your victory... And I will love you forever." Then she spread her arms out, "I'll remember... but you won't need too... This awful fate... that threatened my friends and family... will never be again." She closed her eyes, as Manic tried to run to her, "Chaos... Unleashed." A huge white light engulfed the entire area...

Time was rewritten, as is what the power of the Chaos Emeralds can do... though this power was reversed in that it could completely rewrite fate only if severely threatened by removal and/or death.

Ember was sitting down with Manic after the concert, leaning on his shoulder. 'Finally... Peace.' she thought to herself, proud that she was able to muster the courage to perform after all the emotional and painful turmoil of the time that never was...

Only she alone remembered... Shadow's figurative blessing to Manic in a simple accepting thumbs-up, and that mysterious figure that she still didn't know who or what he was... She had already called Shadow to warn him about Scourge's escape and they found him right away. It was as though she saved her family without a single soul knowing about it.

'Good... who needs another gloat, anyway?' she joked within her mind, smiling as Manic kissed her forehead, still thinking she was just calming down from stage fright.

Shadow's Chaos Spears had weakened both Mephilis and the Cursed Emerald's power, allowing Scourge to pull her out. Then, when the spears disappeared, Ember had control over her insanity power for a split second, and used it to go back... knowing Mephilis wouldn't be there to screw up her future this time... But the unleashed Chaos came with a price...

She leaned up to look at Manic, "When I predicted Scourge's eventual escape, I also told Shadow how much you cared about me... I think he's willing to see that I want time with him... and with you, too." she gently put her hand into his, grasping it lightly. "Is that alright?" she looked down as though shyly to his hand.

He chuckled to himself, growing nervous. "W-what? What brought that up all of a sudden?" He rubbed behind his quills, but she fiddled with his long-hanging bangs as he smiled warmly to her. "Did you learn my secret?"

"What secret?" she looked away, pretending like she didn't know he wanted Shadow's blessing. She had heard a lot through Mephilis's fusion with her, and his shadows and knowledge of them were something she was able to discover. Though... she still didn't understand his reasoning when she searched his mind for 'Iblis Trigger' or 'Solaris'. It was all too confusing, anyway, and she didn't stay fused for too long either.

But his influence over her was still there... the longing for destruction, the cunning and manipulation... her Cursed Emerald's flame would never glow the same...

"Never you mind how I know things~" she teased, fanning them away and disregarding her own sinister thoughts that she would push away. She was strong enough to resist whatever power was still infused in her emerald... she didn't care. She only wanted to use her power to protect those she cared about. The power would be used for nothing else, "Just come here and tell me what a great singer I was tonight..." she cupped his face, knowing he really did try everything to protect her in that other, erased timeline now. They kissed very sweetly, but he soon pulled her into a deeper, more passionate moment.

"You sang like a dark angel." he slowly moved over her, as she spread her back slowly against the stage's floor, letting him make his way over her. "Like a siren through the sea of lights..." She was feeling her heart rate escalate with the moment when...

Suddenly, a voice came from the rafters.

"Now, now, you two." The alluring woman's voice slyly added, "Play nice! After all, I'd hate to tell Shadow that when he sent me to look after you, that you and your new boyfriend —who he so graciously allowed for you to be with —were being naughty..."

Rouge's voice rang a thousand times in Ember's ears and mind when she pulled away from Manic and shook her fist in frustration. "SHHHADDDOWW!" she whined in disapproval, not liking that he sent Rouge to spy on her, still thinking her a child.

"Hmph!" she folded her arms, turning from Manic and pouting. "He still can't trust me!?"

Manic just laughed, "Ohhh, now I see the family resemblance!" he pointed to her frown and then clutched his head and stomach, belting out a hardy, but joyous cascade of laughter.

She couldn't help it, she may be imperfect but so was the rest of the world. She had a family... and no matter what twists in time or space was brought their way, they would always love each other, and want to spend time with one another.

That brought her peace. Love and family, imperfect people being perfect for each other.

She hugged Manic and laughed too, enjoying the moment with him, as Rouge smiled sweetly down to them and then flew off, giving them their alone time and space... since this was the timeline within this universe's space that they could do so... without any distractions or restraints~!

END.

[somethinglacking]

Shooting For Stars: Chapter 1

Summary: 

Hyuna Lee just started college, and while procrastinating decided to give a popular MMO called LOLOL a try. Here she will meet new friends, battle monsters, part takes in epic quests, and potentially find love!

Most of this will take place in LOLOL at the beginning.

This takes place a year/ year and a half after Seven's good end, and the secret endings. Yoosung x OC

**Update's once a week**

Smut in later chapters, of course ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Hyuna groaned as she sat staring at her computer. Her assignment was to draw something that inspires you, some sort of introductory assignment for the Professor to get to know her small class of Art Student Misfits. Nothing seemed to inspire her as of late, and no matter what she did manage to sketch out onto screen seemed to call her out: The Un-Inspired Art Student with no muse or motivation. Her fingers ran the length of her caramel brown locks, and her nails lightly scratched her scalp trying to ease her growing frustrations. Hazel glared at the taunting screen before her, daring it to keep on challenging her. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the artist sighed in defeat. Nothing was coming to her, and the lines she had managed to get down didn’t seem to be coming together as anything. Annoyed with herself and lack of a muse, she set her tablet to the side and opened her social media. Not much was going on, and she didn’t really have any friends anymore. Her sister posted a photo of her and her little class of second graders. They were cute and her sister looked happy. Smiling at the photo she offered it a thumbs up. 

When she was done scrolling her newsfeed she opened boogle. Bored she searched for fun things to do on the internet. The search results varied in interest, but an ad on the web page she was on showed a popular MMO and a free trial. Curious she clicked it and went to the homepage of the game. She read of the spec’s and nodded noting it would work on her pc. She clicked the download icon and downloaded it. 

Hazel eyes read every bit of detail the game had to offer her as it booted up the character creator. Feeling a little nervous, having never played an MMO before and unsure if she’d actually like being in contact with actual people. Logically she knew she could just play solo and ignore the events, or even delete her entire account after the free trial ran out and simply say she tried it. Biting a plump bottom lip she was greeted with page after several final updates. 

First, she selected her gender debating on being a boy, but ultimately settled for female solely because she knew their armor would be cuter the further she got into the game. She clicked through the races and settled on an elf. She smiled customizing the hairstyle and making the hair a lovely hue of blue. The eyes matched her avatar's hair. Hyuna chooses the least appalling beginner to wear praying she would be able to get something that wasn’t such an eyesore to wear easily. Overall the artist was pleased with the look of her new online persona and moved onto the next page.

Here she had to choose a username. Chewing on her lip she knew she go to Sapphire would be already taken in such a massive game, but gave it a go anyway. Slightly disappointed when it was already taken she contemplated what to use. She typed in several weird spelling of the name before Sapfyre worked. Making a surprised and pleased noise, she made haste to click the arrow button that would take her into the game. 

The screen loaded and she took her time going through the tutorial and getting the hang of the world, and command functions. Hyuna watched as her pretty avatar moved about doing little missions and basically busy work with prompt boxes explaining the gameplay.

 Soon enough she had completed her ‘training’ and was warped to a busy square full of other players. Hyuna blushed feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of avatars on the screen. She had picked one of the busier servers, but she hadn’t imagined it’d be this popular. Chewing her lip she ran around getting used to the shops and how the currency worked. Hazel eyes scanned the screen and took notice of where the world chat was, besides it was a little icon that lights up red with a little 1 beside it. Curious she clicked it and noticed it was the private messaging system. 

SupermanYoosung★: Hey you look lost ^^ SupermanYoosung★: You must be new! SupermanYoosung★: If you want help doing some quest or anything let me know. Hyuna tapped the pads of her fingers against her lips reading the message over and over again honestly wanting to take them up on their offer. Yet, she also felt rather shy about it too, it was strange. It wasn’t like it was a real interaction with someone, just two gamer bros going on a digital epic quest, so to speak. That being said, the artist wasn’t really a people person. Taking a moment to think about the other player's offer she opened the tab at the top that showed the servers rankings and who was online at the moment. Hazel went wide as she stared at the first couple name’s noticing the friendly strangers rank. They where rank number 2, basically LOLOL royalty. Hyuna let out a girlish giggle in disbelief. She clicked back onto her private messages and re-read the person’s name. It was for sure rank #2 SupermanYoosung. Before her brain could catch up to her fingers the typed with speed across her keyboard. 

Sapfyre: Oh wow! Sapfyre: I just check up on you, and it says your rank #2 ^^; Sapfyre: You must have better things to do than help a little noob like myself!

Before she knew it an impressive tank build avatar ran towards her. Hyuna bumped her forehead lightly with her fist watching as he positioned himself next to her Hobo of an Elf avatar. What a contrast that was to behold. However, if he did have time to waste with her, she almost wanted to beg him to help her get something more suitable for her avatar to wear. Something less beggar and painstakingly noob. 

SupermanYoosung★: Hahaha Yup! That’s me, I’m pretty awesome, huh? 

Hyuna couldn’t help but roll her eyes as a smile played at the edge of her mouth.

SupermanYoosung★: I’m also pretty free at the moment. I have no issue bussing you through some dungeons and helping you get some decent equipment.  SupermanYoosung★: Plus once you get passed level 20 you can join guilds! SupermanYoosung★: If you want, I can invite you to mine, haha!

This person seemed pretty nice and welcoming, Hyuna mused smiling to herself. She didn’t want to get his hopes up, nonetheless. Still unsure if she wanted to pay for the month to month subscription, or would even bother logging in again once she decided she had procrastinated enough for the evening and got back to her assignment. Best to play it coy. 

Sapfyre: Well alright then!  Sapfyre: Lolol can you add me to the party, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing  SupermanYoosung★: Oh! Sure thing!

The notification of a party invitation popped up. Hyuna clicked it and accepted. Soon there was an Icon over the two opposing in style avatars linking them together. 

Sapfyre: Wow they really go out and show you who you're with, huh? Sapfyre: We should get out of the public eye, haha… Someone like you hanging out with a LOLOL hobo can’t be good for the reputation! ^^ SupermanYoosung★: lol naw, it’s fine, I’m buying potions. I’ve got a feeling you’re gonna need them at the start ^^ SupermanYoosung★: I know just the Dungeon that shares exp! It’s pretty high rank, but I can handle the monsters myself. You can just sit back and enjoy the show! Cheer for me too! Sapfyre: I might be a noob, but I do freelance as a cheerleader on the side Sapfyre: It’s not much, but it’s honest work~ Sapfyre: Go! Yoosung! GO!  SupermanYoosung★: Haha! I didn’t expect you to actually cheer for me >_< SupermanYoosung★: Now I definitely have to help you get to at least level 20!

Hyuna’s character automatically followed the party leader’s avatar about the busy town square. There was an option to turn it off, but she didn’t feel like it. It was fun watching the two of them run around side by side as this Yoosung got the supplies she would most likely need to brave the dungeon. The artist clicked on her avatar and gasped in surprise. 

Sapfyre: There are little social action commands! Sapfyre: Ooooh~ 

She made her Elf do a little tribal type dance around Yoosung. She giggled as he made his brolly tank dance with her in the middle of the square. That was cute! 

SupermanYoosung★: Hahaha >_< SupermanYoosung★: They do! And some of the actions are special to race, gender, and class. SupermanYoosung★: Oh! You get to pick a class at level 10 SupermanYoosung★: Any ideas on a build you want to make? Sapfyre: Thank you for the dance Monsieur~ Sapfyre: I dunno what build to make??? Sapfyre: I guess I want something ranged so I can hang back. 

A box popped up on the screen declaring that SupermanYoosung would like to item share with her. Hyuna clicked yes and his inventory opened along with her own. She flushed when she saw all the cool things he was carrying and how she only held a level 2 stick from one of her tutorial missions at the beginning. She watched as Yoosung threw 99 potions, and 99 mana restore potions at her along with a level 2 wooden helm. She giggled equipping it to her Elf. 

Sapfyre: Now my look is finally complete. What a sexy helm! SupermanYoosung★: lololol, sooo sexy~ SupermanYoosung★: Back on the topic of builds SupermanYoosung★: Ever consider being a support healer? SupermanYoosung★: It’s sooo hard to find a decent one D:

Sapfyre: I dunno if I’d make a good support ^^; Sapfyre: If they are hard to find there must be a reason right?

SupermanYoosung★: They just don’t know how to build themselves, and/or try to fight when the tanks have the situation covered and die, SupermanYoosung★: I never built a healer before, but I do know a few things. I could help you if you want?

Sapfyre: Welllllllll Sapfyre: Sure why not~~! Sapfyre: Since you’re helping me out so much already, I don’t mind trying to be a healer for you.

SupermanYoosung★: Thank you! SupermanYoosung★: Rest of the guild will be so jealous when I show off my own personal little healer~ haha~

Sapfyre: >_< lololol I’m shy~

Hyuna bit her lip re-reading the messages. It almost felt like this guy or girl or whatever they are was flirting with her. They couldn’t possibly know she was a girl. She assumed many male players would make a female avatar, let's be honest, the higher rank armor leaves little to the imagination. She wrote off the interaction as this Yoosung being friendly and excited to help her create a healer support he seemed to need desperately. 

SupermanYoosung★: Haha that’s okay! SupermanYoosung★: Do you have a headset, it’s easier to chat that way while in dungeons.

The artist flushed again at the thought of letting a stranger hear her voice. She could see why it would be more convenient. Seeing as she had never played an online game, and preferred solo JRPG’s or Horror survival-

Sapfyre: I never required a headset before

SupermanYoosung★: It’s okay, it just means we are gonna crawl dungeons a bit slower since we’ll have to type to one another. 

Sapfyre: ^^; I’ll look into investing in one in the future. Sapfyre: I’m on a college student allowance, it’ll have to be a cheap one.

SupermanYoosung★: Haha, I’m a student too. I get what you mean. SupermanYoosung★: No shame in having an off-brand HS since you’re just starting SupermanYoosung★: I’m gonna teleport us to a level 30 dungeon. Keep your guard up

Sapfyre: Sure thing ^^

They were off, the screen turned into a load for a moment before both of them spawned in a dungeon. The artist smiled as she watched the other player navigate the surrounding area. She was careful to fall back when zombie looking monstered spawned and swarmed them. All level 30, which made sense, Yoosung had stated it was a high-rank dungeon. Turns out level grind was a bit of a grind, even for beginners. Luckily it was a shared exp dungeon and since there were only two of them in the party it got split in half. Slowly where minimal communication since she lacked a headset they crawled through the Dungeon. Yoosung was kind enough to allow her to loot the corpses and the treasure chests. 

They had even run into some other players who would say hello to Yoosung via the world chat. They had custom speech bubbles, and Hyuna was interested in obtaining some of her own. It was impressive how immersive this game was. You could build sperate skills like smithing, mining, fishing, cooking, act. It was super customizable. Yoosung had rattled off about how there was an event boss just recently and the cool stuff he got for himself. Hyuna smiled, sometimes even giggling to herself as she read Yoosung’s messages. 

Even though she had gotten some pretty decent armor and weapon’s they couldn’t be equipped before she was level 30. It was probably a power scale to disallow players to equip armor so far above themselves early. Yoosung assured her in a few sessions he would have her beefed up and ready to stand on her own in no time. Hyuna despite herself agreed to meet up tomorrow evening and found herself genuinely enjoying the game. Maybe she was just enjoying Yoosung’s company, who knew. 

Once they finished the dungeon, Yoosung warped them back into the town square and sent her a friend request. Hyuna didn’t even think twice as she accepted it. 

SupermanYoosung★: This way we will get notifications when either of us logs on, and it even shows where we are on the map.  SupermanYoosung★: I’m gonna be on a little while longer, you good?

Hyuna looked at the clock and gasped blinking, unbelieving what she was thinking. Had she really wasted three hours? Was it really 1 am?

Sapfyre: OMFG!!!! It’s 1 am!!! I have an assignment due tomorrow morning! SupermanYoosung★: It’s 1 am for me too, we must be pretty close. Lolol SupermanYoosung★: You should go get the project done SupermanYoosung★: Guess I’ll see you tomorrow~ ^^

Sapfyre: Ya tomorrow! I’ll be off! Sapfyre: Enjoy ruling the online virtual world!

With that Hyuna was quick to log off and sighed to herself. It had only meant to be an hour break, and somehow she got so caught up in it she was looking at either failing her first assignment or not sleeping. Looking at the clock she grabbed her a tablet and the pen and looked at whatever these lines she had drawn were suppose to be. Deciding to delete all the progress she had apparently made, she settled herself in for a long night of drawing her assignment for her 8 am class. 

[cole-saberhagen]

A (looo-o-o-o-ng-ish) Tales From The Borderlands post

After sitting on this game since its 2014 release waiting for the perfect time to play it, I finally got around to starting Tales in preparation for Borderlands 3.

I’ve seen all the characters over 5 years in YouTube clips, gif sets, fan art, people just generally talking about them and finally I got to ‘meet’ them myself. 

My opinion of each character so far is quite different than I imagined.

Rhys - I've known for a while this guy is my accidental doppelganger (same name, nickname - Cupcake, gender, age, hair color, invasive blue modification in the left eye, company man profession, ‘hostile takeover’ victim, life choices, probably more - really everything except the mechanical hand, head implant and new mustache - is that my future fate?) however he's got a wildly different personality to me than I thought. He’s way more ambitious and awkward and I’m more avoidant and well, slightly less awkward. Now I know there's more differences between us it's kind of a relief, honestly. Gearbox is off the hook for stealing my life.

As for what I think of him, yeah he's a bit more awkward than I imagined lmao, he's likable but I ended up liking some of the others a bit more. Maybe just because I’ve seen him around the community so much so the other characters were more fresh? Also although Troy Baker did a great job, I still think his new voice suits him better (if that's even him...). Maybe I just have Troy Baker over-saturation from associating him with too many other characters before Rhys.

Vaughn - I was indifferent to him but having seen what he's like I really like him! Tiny nerd who likes tech, deals with finance but ultimately just wants to run off into the wilderness and never come back and is always anxious about something? that’s me! He's my new personality and looks doppelganger! So now I know I'm basically Rhys + Vaughn in one person. Probably not a good thing.

Fiona - I like her but I regret picking some of the dialogues I did because I wanted to play her more ruthless given her backstory. I’ll do a darker playthrough later where I can explore that better because I feel that’s where her character really shines. I’ll be annoyed if they don’t bring her and Sasha back for Borderlands 3 like they did with Rhys and Vaughn already because they’re great characters. I hope they get a whole DLC.

Sasha - She's one of my new favorites, she has awesome combat skills and I almost yelled out loud when Handsome Jack insulted her without her knowing. I think some of her best dialogue would happen in a darker Fiona playthrough. I really like her interactions with Rhys as well, they seem to have good chemistry but I managed to make things so awkward by my own awkwardness and Rhys’s awkwardness, double awkwardness. So I clearly picked the wrong dialogues and she didn’t appreciate that at all :(

Zer0 - I never actually played Zer0 in Borderlands 2 so I'll include how I see him here. He's just the definition of cool, holy hell the way he leaps around with his sword, and I really like how Rhys looks up to him. I finally saw the “you’re really cool” part in context. I like how he has a super high status in the world as a known vault hunter and to us who've played BL2 he's just one of our regular old player choices.

August - This guy makes me anxious as hell, but I'm guessing we're supposed to be wary of him until we know more about him then he gets some sort of redemption or we see his nicer side.

Vasquez - No real surprises, I hate this guy's guts and wish to throw him out of an airlock.

Felix - I knew something was up with his guy and I was right. Regret not picking the baddass dialogue option with Fiona but again that’s one for next time.

Shade - I think this is my biggest sway of opinion. I found him creepy as hell back in Oasis in the Borderlands 2 DLC but in Tales he actually seems more likeable. I just wanted to be his friend as he seemed really lonely, even though he stuffs dead bodies and pretends they're alive just to have someone to talk to. I just have an appreciation for how well Gearbox writes creepy characters I guess, lmao.

Loader Bot & Gortys -  I would protect these 2 with my life. I love their little conversations bitching about the other characters. Loader Bot is such a bro and has some amazing one-liners.

The imaginary scenes where they have such high opinions of themselves are my favorite.

Dammit Rhys, you’ve opened the real Pandora’s box now. it’s all over. Technically it’s the PreSequel vault hunters’ fault for helping Nakayama program his Jack AI in that side quest on Helios, but I still...

Well, the game was peaceful while it lasted. Now it’s time for the awkward fun of Handsome Jack screeching my real name and my tumblr nickname and tormenting my virtual-likeness like it’s a torture sim. 

Yeah this is going to be a long-ass game, lmao.

I’ve seen the beginning of the 2nd chapter on YouTube and gif sets enough times but it was great to see it in context finally.

I’m going to review the rest of the chapters individually in different posts but this is what I got for the 1st one. My choices were all over the place deciding how I was going to play them but I think I’ve got it, mostly. 

[she-is-tim]

I love hating you | Elu enemies to lovers AU | Ch.14 END

Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Lucas is an angry, closeted and frustrated gay teenager, while Eliott is the handsome, smart and popular guy in school. They hate each other… but not forever.

Happily Ever After

After three days of staying in Eliott’s apartment and basically not going anywhere, they decided that it’s time to spend some time with their friends. Lucas asked the girls to put together some kind of event for everyone and of course Daphné jumped on the opportunity immediately. They decided to meet in the park and have some outside party. Emma and Alex were taking care of the booze, Daphné got music and decoractions, Idriss brought his soccer ball in case anyone wants to play, Manon made cakes, Alexia got the sandwiches, while Yann, Arthur and Basile got some pizza. The boys were on their way to the park and Lucas was just so happy, he had to post something on insta. They kinda got obsessed with showing off their love online. It just made him feel good and proud. 

Eliott was giggling next to him as he read the comments under the picture. It was good to see him being happy outside of the safety of his apartment. He made sure to leave only if his boyfriend feels better enough to be amongst other people. And since he said that he will be fine, Lucas had no intentions to stay inside either. He missed his friends and the spring break was coming to its end, so it was nice to have a little party. Not the getting high and drunk until you throw your guts out, but a chill, eating, drinking and talking kind of one. 

When they got there, everything was already set up, people were talking and having fun. The music was loud, but not too much. It was Sofiane who spotted them first, basically running towards them and wrapping his arms around the boys happily, squeezing them together. Eliott laughed and with his hand that wasn’t entwined with Lucas’ hugged him back. The short boy did the same and they stood there like this for a few moments until the others joined them.

“Finally! I thought you guys will never arrive.” Yann said, holding a bottle of beer in his hand, smirking at the boys. 

“I am so happy for you guys!” Daphné screamed and threw herself on the boys, much more agressively than Sofiane did, almost knocking them off, but they managed to stand still, enduring the blonde girl’s hug, until she pulled back with a bright smile. 

“So, is everything good between you two?” Arthur asked, offering two plastic cups to the boys, probably filled with some alcohol. Lucas accepted it, but Eliott just shook his head, he decided to stay sober for today. 

“Better than ever.” the short boy answered after taking a sip of his drink. It was whiskey coke, he liked it a lot. 

“Are you okay too, bro?” Yann asked with honest concern in his voice, turning to Eliott. Lucas felt happy and proud that his best friend cared so much for his boyfriend. It was truly endearing to see it, and seemingly the tall boy felt the same as a wide, happy smile spread on his face.

“Yeah, I’m doing well, thank for asking.” he said on a joyful tone and let go of his boyfriend’s hand just to throw his arm lazily around Lucas’ shoulder, pulling him to his chest. He chuckled and leant on him happily as everyone started to walk back towards the place where they were dancing. They had three tables, one for the food, one for the cakes and one for the drinks. Eliott snatched an iced tea for himself and they just joined the gang after that. Sofiane and Idriss were dancing with the girls now.

“So...” Basile started speaking and Lucas immediately felt like this is not gonna end well. He was right. “Did you guys have sex?” he asked shamelessly and the short boy wasn’t even that shocked by the question, but that can’t be said about Arthur or Yann. The blond one hit him in the side roughly enough to startle him, so Baz almost spilled his drink on the boys, but like they were one person, just stepped back out of reflex. Yann on the other hand tried not to choke on his own drink, coughing wildly. 

“Are you insane?” Arthur raised his voice, staring at their curly haired friend with pure disbelief. 

“What?” Basile whined while massaging the place where he got hit. “We are teenagers, this is a normal question to ask.” he said, trying to came off as the innocent one. 

“He is not wrong.” Eliott said suddenly, taking a sip of his drink and earning some shocked looks from the other three boys, while Basile looked like he found his Lord and Savior. “And answering the question, we did have sex. Multiple times actually.” he said smirking, making his boyfriend choke on his drink now. 

“Eliott!” he screamed between two coughs. Basile clearly beamed at what he just heard, while his other friends were laughing. 

“Can’t I talk openly about or sexual life?” the tall boy asked with a charming smile after his boyfriend stopped the choking session. Lucas rolled his eyes now, but still leaning to him, letting out a soft sigh. 

“Look at our sweet Lulu becoming a cute boyfriend.” Arthur was cooing at him, even pinching the short boy’s cheek. He squinted his eyes at his friend and hit away his hand, just slightly annoyed, but a little smile was tugging at his lips. 

“Yeah, Eliott managed to tame the beast.” Yann said smirking, earning a hit on the shoulder from his best friend. 

“It’s good to have my own little beast.” Eliott smirked and placed a kiss on his boy’s hair, sliding his arm from his shoulders down to his waist. “He is the best.” 

“Stop it.” Lucas chuckled and pushed him just lightly, still staying in his arms though, a soft blush creeping up on his cheek from the kind words.

“Ahw, they are so adorable!” a voice came from behind them. Both Lucas and Eliott turned their heads to see Idriss standing there and before they could even have a chance to escape, he wrapped his long arms around them. Eliott just laughed, while the short boy tried to catch his breath in the tight hold. He was indoors with his boyfriend so much, that all this hugging started to make him feel just a little bit uncomfortable. But he endured it, because he loved these people. 

“Okay, that’s enough, Idriss.” Sofiane walked to them now, pulling back his friend by his shoulder. “You are strangling Lucas.” 

“Oh, right. Sorry.” he laughed and took a step back, smiling brightly. “It’s just so good to see Eli being so happy again.” he explained.

“I’m actually happier than ever.” Eliott said, squeezing Lucas in his arm gently. “I am completely in love with this guy.” he smirked and kissed his boyfriend’s cheek. 

They stayed for hours just hanging out with the others, making jokes, telling stories and just having fun in general. Lucas enjoyed being outside, openly affectionate with his boyfriend in the presence of their friends. He might have had a fallen apart family, but these people made him feel like he was safe and loved. He loved how free and happy Eliott looked all the time as they were in the park, his life seemed to be just perfect like this. 

When Manon got a new camera that was on sale for a really good price, all hell break loose. She wanted to photograph everything, take pictures of food, of Lisa chilling on the couch, but most importantly, she was begging for the boys to let her take pictures of them. Eliott would agree to it from the beginning, but Lucas was too nervous and insecure to do it. Yes, they took photos of themselves and their friends did too, but it was different to actually pose for a “professional” to take pictures of them. 

Then a month later, around the end of school year when Eliott and him were studying together, the topic came up again. Lucas was sitting on the bed, reading his biology notes, while his boyfriend sat at his desk, doing math homework. They were supposed to do a literature assignment too, but it wasn’t as important like their current works. Everything was hell in school around this time, they had a shit ton of homework and even more things to learn for. Lucas couldn’t even remember when it was the last time that they went on an actual date and not studying together or doing homework. He missed their morning coffee dates, but both of them had things planned for most of the time before classes. 

He was so occupied with his notes that he only noticed the third piece of crumpled paper that hit his face and then landed on his lap. He looked up at Eliott, who was turned to him smirking, throwing another one at him that bounced off his chest, then joining the others in his lap. He raised an eyebrow, not understanding his boyfrend’s childish behavior. 

“What?” He asked, putting his notes to the side and turning his body towards the other boy. 

“Pay attention to me.” he said pouting, like he had any rights to do that. Lucas rolled his eyes, he got better at ignoring the cute faces that Eliott kept pulling off to get from him what he wanted. 

“We are supposed to be studying. Bac remember?” he sighed, glancing at the books laying on Eliott’s bed. 

“But we haven’t kissed since hours now.” his voice was almost high-pitched and the short boy couldn’t hold back a smug grin. 

“Oh yeah?” he asked, like he didn’t care, just to fuck around a little. “I didn’t even notice.” he lied, still having that shit-eating grin on his face. Eliott gave him a disapproving look, throwing a pencil at his direction, but he missed, so it landed on the floor. Lucas chuckled.

“Don’t laugh! Come here and let me smooch that adorable face of yours.” He said with a grumpy look on his face. The short boy smirked, getting up from the bed and walking to his boyfriend, stopping between his opened legs. A huge, happy smile appeared on Eliott’s face. Lucas gently put his hands on his boyfriend’s cheeks, cupping it softly before planting a kiss on his lips. It was innocent at first, but then the tall boy’s hands wandered down from his waist to his butt, grabbing it wildly, forcing out a moan from him. He used this opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth, deepending the kiss. 

They were making out for long minutes like this, Eliott sitting on the chair, Lucas standing between his legs, arms roaming on each other’s body. Then they had to break apart for air, wheezing like they just ran a marathon, foreheads knocked together. The tall one was smirking victoriously, being satisfied with himself that his silly plan to distract his boyfriend worked so well. 

“I wanna ask you something.” he whispered after their breathing started to normalize. Lucas opened his eyes slowly, looking at him with anticipation. “Can you let Manon to take photos of us?” he asked, eyes filled with hope and excitement. The short boy sighed, they haven’t talked about this since a long time now and seeing how much Eliott still wanted it just made him come to the conclusion that he would do anything to make this guy happy.

“Yeah, okay, sure.” he mumbled into the tiny space between their lips. His boyfriend made a squeaky noise before he started laughing and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Lucas couldn’t help but laugh with him, wrapping his arms around his neck and burying his face into the soft, messy hair. 

Lucas texted Manon not much after and she got so excited, bombing them with ideas, locations, sample pictures they could recreate. The short boy was overwhelmed, so he let his boyfriend handle this situation and he handled it so damn well. They sat down with the girl at a calm saturday to talk about the photoshoot. Eliott made sketches and claimed that they had to take the pictures on the school yard after classes. Manon agreed that it’s not a bad idea and she loved the sketches too. They seemed to agree on everything with Eliott in the end, so that is how a week later Lucas was posing for couple photos at school with his boyfriend. 

The weird thing was that he didn’t hated this at all. Yes, the first few pictures felt awkward and he felt like he’s a complete mess compared to his boyfriend, but after a while he got comfortable. Manon was mostly quiet, just giving them soft instructions once in a while, but it was mostly Eliott who put themselves into the next position. Lucas was grateful that they were wearing comfortable clothes, nothing too fancy. He even had a baseball cap, feeling like he will need it to cover his mess of a hair, but Eliott didn’t let him put on, so most of the time he was just holding it in his hands. 

When they were done, Lucas was shocked that more than an hour passed by. He felt like it was just a few minutes with Eliott by his side. They sat down on a bench with the girl, quickly going through the pictures and he was stunned by them completely. Manon did a great job and seeing how excited his boyfriend was just made him extra happy. As a reward for the awesome pictures, the boys invited Manon for a dinner and of course she agreed. They went to a nice burger place nearby, having fun there for almost three hours, going through the pictures over and over, sometimes laughing at the expressions on the boys faces where they were blinking or sneezing. Then both of them decided to pick a photo to post it on instagram, both because they were proud of the great work Manon did and they wanted to share their love with the whole world, like always.

August 10

Lucas almost stumbled in the boxes as he got up from the couch, cursing as he made his way to the kitchen. He was only wearing his briefs and a shirt he had stolen from Eliott. He yawned while he was pouring coffee into his mug, leaning to the counter and watching his boyfriend still sleeping peacefully. He couldn’t hold back a happy smirk, looking through the boxes scattered around the flat. 

When he finished his drink, he prepared some cheese toast and another mug of coffee, walking back to the living room with those. He sat down on the couch and kissed his boyfriend’s hair softly. He let out a little groan, turning around, slowly opening his eyes. When he saw the boy next to him, a soft smirk appeared on his face. 

“Good morning, my love.” he mumbled, voice still a bit hoarse. Lucas chuckled and planted a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Good morning, handsome. I made you breakfast.” he said softly, showing the plate with the sandwiches and the mug in his hands. Eliott slowly sat up, leaning on the back of the couch and rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, yawning. When he finished that, he took the coffee first, taking a few sips and letting the caffeine spread in his body, waking him up a little. It had just a tiny bit of sugar in it, which was perfect. 

“You always make the most delicious coffee for me.” Eliott claimed, giving his sweet boy a peck on the lips before taking the plate of toasts, placing it on his lap. 

“Isn’t that obvious? I am making you coffe every morning since months now.” he said with a proud grin, placing himself on the couch a bit closer to his boyfriend, resting his head on his shoulder. 

“Of course, but that doesn’t mean I can’t compliment you.” he replied and took a bite of his toast, then handing it to Lucas. He didn’t grab it, just took a bite and smiled at him softly. They were always sharing breakfast like that, that’s why Lucas never bothered to have two plates of food, when they can do this instead. 

“When will Idriss arrive exactly?” Lucas asked after they were almost done with the eating. He looked through the boxes and just wished they could get this done as quick as possible. He hated packing stuff, but today was a special day for both of them, so he pushed those negative thoughts aside. 

“Around 10.” Eliott shrugged and continued drinking his coffee. “We will be done by noon, don’t worry.” he said softly, kissing his boyfriend’s cheek. 

“I’m not worrying.” Lucas pouted and buried his face into the tall boy’s neck. “This is was we have planned since a month now. I just hate packing stuff.” he mumbled, making Eliott laugh.

“Come on, Lucas. You don’t even have that many things. It’s like five or six boxes, no furniture and most of them were already boxed.” he reminded him kindly, kissing his forehead before drinking the rest of his coffee. 

“Yeah, because they banished me to this couch from hell.” he said bitterly, wrapping an arm around Eliott’s waist, leaning his body on him a bit more. 

“We have some good memories with this couch, though.” the tall boy said smirking. “When Manon was at Emma’s, Lisa visited her parents and Mika had a hookup with someone.” he reminded him, whispering into his ear. “You were quite loud that day, even louder than the couch.” he continued, placing a kiss on his earlobe. “I can still remember how you moaned my name. It makes me hard just to think about it.” he finished it by biting the boy’s neck, making him let out a squeaky moan. Lucas felt his face burning and he gently slapped his boyfriend’s chest.

“Stop this! Everyone is still sleeping.” he muttered into the tall one’s shoulder, trying to get rid of the blush on his cheeks somehow. 

“See, that’s why we’re moving together.” Eliott huffed with a bit of annoyance in his voice. The short boy looked up, studying those steel blue eyes with curiosity. “I wanna be able to tease you in the morning without worrying to get caught by your flatmates.” he sighed and placed his hand on the boy’s cheek. “Maybe even having some morning action.” he winked at him playfully which made him giggle. 

“Yeah, I have to admit that I would love that.” he said smiling, leaning into the warm touch of Eliott. 

“Then let’s get dressed and pack up the rest of your stuff, please.” he said smiling and got up from the “bed”, looking for his pants and shirt on the floor, while his boyfriend just kept laying there, adoring his half naked body from behind. “Baby, if you keep staring at my ass, you’re going to drool all over your sheets.” Eliott said as he put on his pants and glanced at his boyfriend over his shoulder, smirking. Lucas blushed heavily, looking away and getting up from the bed, sniffing his boy’s shirt one more time before taking it off and dressing up into his own clothes. 

Hours later they were done, box packed into the trunk of Idriss’ car, boys sitting in the back, heading to Eliott’s apartment. Lucas was kinda nervous, holding his boyfriend’s hand all the way. It was one thing staying at each other’s place for days, spending almost every day together and living with said person. What if he says something stupid when he’s upset with school? What if they fight and Eliott needs space? 

So many questions he didn’t know the answers for. He will also miss the presence of Manon, Mika and Lisa, their happiness, complains, everything. Of course despite the bad things that was going on between them, Mika cried when the boys announced to the flatmates that Lucas is going to move in with Eliott. He hugged the short boy tightly, sobbing that he is not gonna say amen to this, because he needs his cute son. It was both annoying and endearing at the same time, since he had no rights to forbid anything, but he also cared so much that he couldn’t just let go of Lucas. It took them hours to calm down the older boy, reassuring him, that they will still come back to hang out with them sometimes and that he should be glad there won’t be anymore living room action he could come home to. 

As they arrived Idriss, Lucas and Eliott carried up the boxes to the third floor, where Lucille and Sofiane was waiting for them. They made sure there is enough space for Lucas’ stuff, also the girl decided to cook for everyone while they are packing. Sofiane hugged both boys after they put down the boxes, congratulating them for this big step and saying how proud he is. Lucas was a bit overwhelmed and excused himself, joining Lucille in the kitchen, while his boyfriend kept chatting with his friends. 

“What are you cooking?” he asked softly. Lucille turned around her head and smiled at him. She had longer hair now, not that curly, but still only wearing light makeup which made her really beautiful. 

“Hey, Lucas!” she greeted happily, waving for him to come closer and as he did, she kissed him on the cheek. “It’s good to see you. I’m cooking some chicken stew with rice and vegetables.” she explained, stirring the tasty looking meal in the pot. 

“Smells nice.” he said and jumped up on the kitchen counter, making himself comfortable. It was weird to think of this place as his own, not just as Eliott’s now. “Where are you gonna stay now, by the way?” he asked curiously after a few minutes of silence. “I mean, I wouldn’t have any problems of you staying here while you’re in Paris, but...” he tried to quickly explain himself, but Lucille cut him off. 

“It’s fine, I don’t wanna cockblock you guys.” she said smirking and winked at the short boy playfully, which made him giggle. “I was actually thinking of finding a flat for myself.” she said a bit quieter and Lucas almost fell off the counter as he leant forward to make sure he hears her well.

“What? Are you serious?” he asked excitedly. In the past few months he and Lucille become really good friends, amusing themselves by teasing Eliott to the point where he couldn’t handle being in the same room with the two of them. It was beautiful and the boy couldn’t wish for a better sister-in-law, if he could call her that. And Eliott had no rights to complain, because he and Yann seemed to get along very well, sometimes even hanging out just them, without Lucas or the boys. It made him happy how their lives seemed to go into a very good direction. His mother and Eliott’s parents were also really supportive, having some issues at the beginning, but now it was all smooth and clean. 

“Yeah, I am looking for a job here.” she nodded and put the stove on lighter heat, turning to the boy now, arms crossed. “I just haven’t told Eliott, because I don’t want him to think that I wanna come back to watch over him.” she sighed and looked down. The boy hopped off the counter and walking to her, he might be the short one, but he still felt like he has to make sure Lucille feels loved. So he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently and stroking her hair. 

“I’m sure Eliott would never think that.” he said softly. “And if he does, I knock some sense in his fine ass, don’t worry. I am so happy you wanna stay in Paris.” he said with honesty, squeezing the girl a little, which made her laugh. 

“Thank you.” she said, softly pushing him away now, but planting a kiss on his cheek before turning back to the stove, continuing the cooking. Lucas smirked and placed himself back on the counter with a beer in his hand he grabbed from the fridge. He looked around happily and proudly, relizing that now he has his own apartment that he shares with the love of his life. It was so unreal, so new, but he loved every bit of it. He wouldn’t have thought it at the beginning of the year that he’s going to live together with Eliott Demaury, having an established and healthy relationship.

When the boys walked to the kitchen to get some drinks for themselves, Eliott basically launched himself on Lucas, smooching him like there’s no tomorrow, while the other two walked to Lucille, kissing her cheeks from each side. She just giggled and waved her hands at them when they tried to taste the food. The boys laughed at them, while cuddling each other, Lucas sitting on the counter still, legs open with Eliott between them, leaning his back on his boyfriend’s chest, making himself become the little spoon. 

School time was coming, both of them were busy with getting ready. Eliott was going to start his studies at college too, studying art and cinematography, while also working at a coffee shop. During the summer Lucas also had a job, helping out in a flower shop that Lucille showed him. He liked the place a lot and was sad that he has to finish it once school starts, but with the graduation and everything going on in their life, he couldn’t handle that too. He also had a dog to take care of now. It was tough at first, but as they both got used to its presence and learned what they can and can not do, it become as easy as breathing. Their morning routine started with Lucas making breakfast, feeding the dog, Eliott making coffee and taking a shower, then they eat together before heading out to work or just start their day at home. Luna was a really lazy puppy, only cewing on the legs of the coffee table sometimes, but she barely caused any troubles. 

They were a happy little family and Lucas felt like nothing can make this better, cause it was already perfect. Well, he was completely wrong. When their one year anniversary started to become a close event, Eliott started acting weird, needing more alone time than he usually wanted, saying that he’s working on a college project that is really important for his studies. Lucas tried not to read too much into it and just let it go, but he still felt suspicious. 

Then just a week before their anniversary, Eliott visited him at school, on a friday afternoon. They went to the common room in hopes to hang out with the others, but the place was strangely empty, not even one student were there playing table soccer or using the computer. Lucas found it weird, but his boyfriend didn’t let him too much time to chew on it, because he dragged him to the mural they painted last year. He was about to ask what is going on, when suddenly Eliott was down on one knee, holding a tiny blue box in his hands, slowly opening it, revealing two rings in it. They were made of white gold with one blue steel stripe in the middle. Lucas gasped, placing his hands on his mouth, not believing his eyes.

“Lucas Lallemant...” Eliott started, looking deadly serious with a soft smile on his face still. “Will you marry me?” 

Lucas opened his mouth, but he couldn’t force the words out, his eyes filling with tears, so he could barely see his boyfriend, but he started to nod quickly, before he could think that he doesn’t want to. He could hear Eliott’s relieved sigh and then his chuckled as he reached up for the short boy’s hand, standing up slowly. He tried to rub the tears out of his eyes, smiling like an idiot when his boyfriend slid the ring up on his finger slowly, then kissing his knuckle. He grabbed the other ring, doing the same for Eliott and then jumping into his neck happily, crying again. 

As they were cuddling, laughing and crying, the door of the common room slammed open and all of their friends stormed in screaming. They surrounded the couple, creating one gigantic group hug, then all of them started to congratulate, asking questions. Daphné seemed really excited, asking if she can help with organizing the wedding, Yann and Manon just looked at them with knowing eyes, while Mika hugged Lucas happily, talking about how proud he is that his only son is getting married. 

They soon left the common room, since half of the people weren’t even students of the school, moving to the flatshare, because that was the only place where this many people could fit in. On the way they bought snacks, drinks, takeout, everything that is needed to celebrate an engagement. When Lucas voiced his concerns about leaving their dog alone for so long, his boyfriend reassured him that Lucille is taking care of her, which now explained why she wasn’t there with them. 

“I wonder what my mom is going to say about this.” Lucas mumbled as they were sitting in the armchair at the flat, surrounded by chatting friends, while some chill music was playing quietly in the background. Everyone drinking beer, buice, whatever they liked and they seemed really happy. 

“Well...” Eliott started, hands running up and down on his boy’s arms slowly. “I actually asked her about this.” he mumbled, burying his face into Lucas’ fluffy hair. 

“What?” he asked surprised, moving his head to the side, trying to look at his hiding boyfriend.

“I just... I wanted her permission.” he said, still avoiding the short boy’s look. “To make sure she’s okay with this.” 

Lucas didn’t say anything, but grabbed his boyfriend’s chin, lifting up his head and smiling at him fondly, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was with such a soft and lovely boyfriend... well, fiancé, actually. He had to laugh into the kiss as he thought about this, because it just made him feel so soft and warm inside. Eliott shot him a confused look, disapproving that his boyfriend just broke their soft moment.

“I love you so much.” Lucas whispered, biting his bottom lip just a little for teasing. 

“I love you too.” Eliott smirked and placed his hands on the boy’s waist now, pulling him closer, like they aren’t in the presence of a dozen people in the room. “And I will love you forever.” 

“Is this when movies say that they lived happily ever after, right?” Lucas smirked at him, running his fingers through his messy hair, rubbing their nose together. 

“Yeah, this is our happily ever after.” he whispered with a cute giggle, before initiating a really intense and inappropriate kiss with his beloved fiancé. 

They were really living the best of their life together. 

This was a long ride guys, but thank you so much for sitting through it with me, reading all this mess I wrote, enjoying the chapters, getting nervous at the angsty parts! I cannot express how much I love all of you, all the messages and comments! I can’t wait to start writing my next story, I hope you all going to like it! Have a nice day and Bisous to all of you 

[staytheb]

Like Oh 2.0 - Study Session

Previous Chapter: Sleepover Word Count: 4,087 Summary: Serena and Melanie are having their own studying time, but things don’t go as well as they wanted to.

Like Oh 2.0 masterlist

and here’s chapter 11! also i actually did look up these phrases to be as accurate as possible. if there’s still some mistake, then do let me know. anyways, happy reading and kthxbai, Admin Lia~

"Zhè shì shén me?" Mark asked Serena in Mandarin of 'what is this' while holding a flashcard with '好吃' written on it. The duo were studying for an upcoming exam final for class at Serena's apartment two days after the sleepover. The two were using flashcards that Serena had made since the beginning of class to help her memorize better. "Hǎo, um hǎo chī?" Serena answered while Mark stalled a bit to tease her and finally answered with a bright smile. "Shì de!" "Finally." Serena let out in English with a relived breath. "I almost thought of something else." "Well this wouldn't be the first time, Zhōng Lǐ tóng xué." He smirked at her as she stuck her tongue out at him in response. "Hǎo dè, Yí Ēn tóng xué. Zhè shì shén me?" Serena held up a flashcard with '很高兴见到你' written on it for Mark to identify.

"Really?" Mark asked while giving her a judging look. "What?" Serena shrugged. "I swear I just randomly picked it up." Mark gave her another look, but answered with ease. "Hěn gāo xìng jiàn dào nǐ." "It's not nice to meet you." Serena muttered. "Don't be jealous." "Jerk and I'm not." "Yeah, you are. Because you called me a jerk." "No and shut up, Mark." Mark laughed before he picked up another flashcard and showed it to Serena as he spoke in Chinese again. "What is this?" Serena stared at the '手臂' card for a good fifteen seconds. "Wǒ bù zhī dào." She answered with a silent laugh. "You didn't even try." Mark scoffed and then gave her a judging look. "At least guess. Had this class for at least two months now." Serena sighed."Is it shǒu zhǐ?" "Bù. Close, but it's shǒu bì instead." He turned over the card for her to see.

"Ugh. I'm gonna fail, Mark." Serena groaned as she placed her head onto the kitchen table. "You're not going to fail, Serena." Mark consoled her. "You're actually not that bad." Serena turned to smile, but then frown after what he said afterwards. "You were horrible in the beginning. Very terrible. You suck so much that-" Serena sat back up and impulsively punched him on the shoulder. "Ow, what was that for?" Mark asked surprised as Serena has never really hit him before. "There was a bug on your shoulder." She lied as she smiled sweetly at him. "That's a lie." Mark narrowed his eyes at her, but continued to rubbed the sore spot. Serena grinned at him once more before returning her attention back to the study session like nothing had happened a second ago. "Let's move on to something else."

She went through her papers and found a few worksheets. "Ah, let's do conversations." By now the pain went away and Mark agreed, although he cautiously eyed the older woman. "Why do you wanna study on everything all at once, anyways?" The male asked as she turned to look at him. "Because I wanna get everything done and over with. Why do you always insist on working and studying with me when practically the whole class wants to work with you instead?" She countered as Mark grinned. "Because you actually do your work and don't constantly stare at me. Or ask questions about the other members." "Yeah, I wonder why." She sarcastically responded "Because I'm good looking." He wriggled his eyebrows. "I didn't take you as a vain person." "I'm not. That's what they think." "And again, I wonder why."

"Because I'm an idol." Mark simply replied. "Too bad they can't just chill." Serena gave him a sympathetic look. "Anyways, let's start." Serena began getting back on track as she asked when was his birthday. "Nǐ de shēng rì shì jǐ yuè jǐ hào?" "Wǒ de shēng rì shì jiǔ yuè sì hào. Nǐ de nē?" He asked her back. "Wǒ de shēng rì yê shì zài jiǔ yuè." "Zhēn de ma?" Mark asked surprised as he learned that Serena's birthday was also in September. "Shì de." She smiled at him as she revealed the date of her birthday. "Shì jiǔ yuè shí liù rì." "Nǐ jīn nián jǐ suì?" He asked to know her age. "Mì mì." Serena replied with her index finger near her lips in a 'shh' motion while Mark rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Hǎo ba. Hǎo ba." "Wǒ jīn nián èr shí qī suì." Serena told him her age anyways with an indifferent shrug.

"Really? You look way younger than that." Mark switched to English. "You're not lying, right?" "No I'm not lying and I get that reaction a lot actually." Serena laughed. "But nope, I'm turning twenty-seven years old this year. Or well, twenty-eight in Korea's age thingy of sorts." Mark shook his head still not believing it. "Twenty-seven? Wow." "Yeah." "I thought you were like twenty-four or something." "No, that's my sister." "Wait, Melanie's twenty-four?" "Yeah in like two months after me. Why?" "I thought she was my age." "Why do you think that?" "Because she's younger than you and I thought you were twenty-four." Mark let out with a sheepish laugh. "Doesn't that make sense?" Serena laughed nodding. "Yeah, it does." Mark was about to say something else, but Serena interrupted him.

"Now, back to Chinese lessons." Serena shook her papers at him. "Stop speaking in English, Mark." "Wǒ xǐ huān shuō yīng yǔ." Mark countered as he told her he liked to speak English in Mandarin. "Bù xíng, Yí Ēn tóng xué. Bù xíng." Serena waved her finger at him in a playful scolding manner. "Shì de. Shì de!" Mark childishly answered back as he pushed her finger away from him. "Shì de, Zhōng Lǐ tóng xué. Shì de!" "So annoying." Serena muttered in English as Mark slightly glared at her. "What did you just say right now?" "Dunno." She answered in Korean while shrugging her shoulders and giving Mark an indifferent look continuing in Korean. "You're so not nice." "I am nice. You just think differently." Mark shot her a judging look as he shook his head. "You're so weird." "Glad to know." She smiled and then cast him a semi-serious expression. "Now will you leave me alone, Mark?"

Mark grinned. "No." Serena let out a defeated sigh. "At least I tried. Again." "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Serena." Mark ruffled her hair playfully as Serena moved out from under his touch and smacked his hands away. "Whoa, whoa, Mark. We're not that close, bro. You can't be doing that. I'm not one of your nieces, Mark. Or your group members." Serena fixed her hair. "Only I can mess up my own hair, okay?" Mark messed it up again. "Nah, it's fun this way." Serena smacked his hand away again and slightly fixed her hair again. "Stupid shit." She muttered under her breath as she tied her hair into a ponytail, but Mark had heard her and let out a chuckle. "So hostile." "No I'm not." "Yes, you are." He said as he batted at the ends of her ponytail. "This bish." Serena muttered as Mark laughed again.

The idol looked at their class notes and shoved everything away. "Let's take a break." He suggested while speaking in English as Serena eyed him. "Just so you can play with my Nintendo 64, no thanks." "Wait, you have a Nintendo 64?" "No. Neither do I have a PlayStation 2." "You have a PlayStation 2, too?" "Uh, no." Mark shot her a look. "You already gave yourself away. Twice." Serena groaned as she placed her head onto the kitchen table again. "I shouldn't have answered the door or the Skype call." Mark chuckled softly while playing with Serena's hair again. "Don't act like you hate me." "I don't have to act to hate you." "Wow." Serena turned her head to flash him a tired smile. "Anyways, I didn't bring a lot of games with me. Just the ones I usually play with. The others are all back home."

Mark stood up and stretched his limbs. "That's fine, Serena. Let's go play and take our break." Serena sat back up and stared up at him. "Mark, I think we should continue studying." "We will, Serena, it's just a mini break." Mark tried to reasoning with her. "C'mon. We've been studying for like three hours. We need a break to relax our brain or whatever." "It's been less than an hour, Mark." "Same difference. A break helps." "Work hard, play hard, right?" "Exactly. You know what's up. Now let's just rest our brain for a bit and play all those games you got for both the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation 2." Serena groaned as she gave in while standing up and stretching her limbs. "Just don't cry when I kick your ass." "Yeah, right. I'm a pro." "We'll see."

~~~~~~~

Two hours later Mark and Serena were still playing video games when a knock sounded and Serena paused the game. "What? Why did you pause? I was about to go ham." Mark whined as Serena rolled her eyes. "Someone's at the door. Calm down." Serena made her way to the door and looked out at the peephole and saw three GOT7 members and she let out a sigh. "Is it bother Serena Day today or what?" She mumbled to herself as she opened the door. "Hey guys. What's up?" "Help us study for our English exam, please, noona." The trio begged as Serena looked at Yugyeom, Jinyoung, and Youngjae with a puzzled look. "Um, that's not until like two weeks from now." "Yeah, but don't you remember that we have a practice exam on Tuesday that will give us extra credit in place of our lowest test score?" Yugyeom asked as it dawned on Serena. "Oh, right, you do." "So will you help us?" "I guess. One's already here, so what's three more."

"Great!" Youngjae exclaimed happily as Serena allowed them into her apartment with a smile. The trio ended up playing video games with Mark while she went about to get her materials for the class. "I hope I have everything Ana gave me." Serena muttered after exiting her room and then making her way into Jeannie's room to grab the large white board she had along with all the dry erase markers. Serena returned to the living room with the items and placed them onto the floor before making her way towards Jasmine's room for the small table. "Please don't break this. This belongs to Minjae." She said as she returned back to the living room as the quartet nodded their heads. She gave them a firm look as the quartet responded. "Yes. We won't break the table." "Cool. Now let's begin. The game can wait."

The males groaned, but eventually sat at the table while Serena stood before them with her back to them. When she turned around she looked at Mark with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing, Mark?" "Sitting in." "Why?" "Can I not?" "If you want." She looked at the other three. "Ready?" "Ready!" They announced excitedly as Serena chuckled while turning around to write a phrase on the white board. "What is your favorite food?" She read out loud in English while facing the idols again. "My favorite fo-" Serena interrupted Mark. "You don't need to answer, Mark." "Why not?" He asked with a slight frown. "I know English. I can help." "I know you do, but it's because you're not in the English class." "And your point is?" Serena eyed him. "Do you wanna teach the class instead, Mark?" "No." "Exactly."

"Anyways," Serena began again as she pointed at Jinyoung while calling him by his English name. "Justin, how about you answer this question first." "Ah," Jinyoung was startled to start first, but recovered instantly to answer confidently. "My favorite food is hamburger and pizza." "Good job,  Justin." Serena praised him while looking at Youngjae. "Elliot, your turn. How about you?" "Uh, um," Youngjae began to stuttered before answering. "My favorite food is, is not cucumbers." Serena chuckled as she nodded. "Yeah, you can answer that way too. Nice job. Chris?" Serena cast her eyes onto Yugyeom as he smiled brightly at her. "What is your favorite food?" "I like samgyupsal, bulgogi, kimbap, and chicken!" He answered easily as Jinyoung called him out on it. "You're supposed to answer it in English."

"What do you mean? It is in English. I also like choco shake." Yugyeom added with a confused look while Jinyoung explained. "You can't say samgyupsal. It's pork belly. Bulgogi is fire meat and kimbap is rolled seaweed rice." Serena intervened as she switched to Korean. "No, no, it's okay to answer with the Korean names for Korean foods, Jinyoung." She looked over at Yugyeom. "You can answer like that as well. It's okay. Everyone's answer is correct in their own way." Yugyeom smiled happily as he stuck his tongue out at Jinyoung who wanted to hit the younger male, but refrained from doing so. "Okay, next phrase!" Serena beamed at them as she put down the black marker she was using to use another color, but frownd when she couldn't find the cup that held the other markers? "Where did the markers go?"

"Mark has the markers!" Mark exclaimed with a loud laugh as he brought out the cup from behind him. "How did you take them?" "I'm a ninja cat." "No you're not. That's me. May I have them back, please." "No." "You act just like my niece and nephew." "I'm not that childish." "Whatever, kid. Just give back me my markers, please." Serena stated as she marched over to the group of four and took the cup away from Mark. "I honestly don't know why I tolerate you sometimes." Serena huffed as Mark continued to laugh at his enjoyment of messing around with the older woman. "Anyways," Serena calmed herself down. "Where can I...?" She said out loud while writing the incomplete sentence on the board before facing the idols again.

"Who would like to complete the sentence and come up here to write it?" She repeated the phrase. "Oh, me! I want to go first!" Youngjae happily exclaimed as he stood up and ran over to Serena taking the offered marker as he wrote beneath the phrase. "...play the piano?" He completed the sentence as Serena smiled at him before answering his question for fun. "You can play the piano at your company, Elliot." Youngjae laughed awkwardly as Serena patted his back with a smile. "Good job. Next?" Yugyeom jumped up next and took Youngjae's spot. "...meet Chris Brown?" Yugyeom asked once he finished writing as Serena chuckled. "I don't know, Chris. I don't really follow him." She then patted the tall male on the back as well. "But good job. Ne-Mark sit back down. Justin stand up please."

Mark grumbled as he did what he was told while Jinyoung stood up instead patting the older male on the shoulder with a comforting smile. "Okay, Justin, please complete the sentence." Jinyoung stared at the white board for a moment or two as he tried to think of something. "Um, can't think of anything, Justin?" "Oh, no, I have something." Jinyoung answered before releasing an embarrassed laugh. "I just don't know how to write it." "Just do your best." Serena encouraged him as Jinyoung cast the female his signature smile, but Serena saw a hint of mischievousness in it. "Okay." He answered as he finally completed the sentence with a smug look. "... sign about my pictures?" "Huh?" The others let out in confusion as Jinyoung cast Serena a secretive look. He sidled up to her to whisper for her only to hear.

"The pictures you took at the sleepover." He said in Korean as Serena's eyes widened at being found out while the rest of the boys screamed to be let in on the secret. "What is it?!" "It's nothing!" Serena barked at them and tried to control her tone a few seconds later. "You don't need to know about it." Serena wiped the white board clean and set it to the side with all the other materials while she stared at the quartet. "Okay, boys! Lessons over. Go home. Buh-bye!" She waved at them with a smile plastered onto her face while the males looked at her in puzzlement while her smile dissolved. "Um, like go home. Run along to your other members and manager or something." "BamBam and Jackson hyung are with Seunghoon hyung about a new schedule in less than two weeks from now." Jinyoung informed her.

"Jaebeom hyung left the apartment in a hurry before we came over here." Youngjae added. "He didn't say where though." "You four can still go back home." Serena smiled while Yugyeom frowned at her. "But wouldn't you be alone, Jyongri noona?" "No, I won't be." "Don't lie. You need company." Mark countered as Serena shot him a look. "I do not and I quite like being alone, Mark." "I understand you a lot, Jyongri noona, I really do." Jinyoung agreed as Serena nodded in agreement in his direction. "Right, Jinyoung." She then let out a sigh knowing full well how this was going to turn out. "Anyways, I don't think I can get rid of you guys so easily. You can play games until everyone returns home." "Yay!" The rest cheered happily while turning around to play with Serena's game consoles. "Kids. I swear."

~~~~~~~

Melanie was nervously hanging out in the library of Seoul National University after she had called Jaebeom about Kyungtae who had shown up to one of her group study session at a table on the campus after her final class of the day out of the blue. She didn't know how the guy knew she would be at that specific location, but Kyungtae ended up having an altercation with two of her group members which were both males. The males students were taken to the school's infirmary whereas Kyungtae was escorted off the school's campus by security. Before Kyungtae was escorted he told Melanie that he would be waiting for her at the entrance or maybe somewhere close by and that he'll message her for further details. It sent chills down her spine and she contacted Jaebeom as soon as possible about it.

Of course that didn't stop Kyungtae from trying to reach her as much as possible when she didn't answer his calls or his messages when he was escorted. Melanie didn't want to miss any of Jaebeom's calls or messages if he did try to reply back to her. After ten plus calls and over fifty plus messages Melanie just had enough and told Kyungtae to leave her alone and that she wasn't interested in him at all. The way Kyungtae reacted was too calm for her liking and Melanie wished she hadn't told the others that she'll be fine and would go home to her sister's place. Melanie debated on telling her friends, but they had plans and she didn't want to get in their way. She messaged Serena, but her sister hadn't responded at all. So the only person she could think of was Jaebeom and contacted the idol with hesitation.

The female wandered down the aisles in anticipation when she felt her hand phone vibrate within her hand and she brought it up to her face to see who the caller was. Melanie answered it immediately. "Jeffrey!" She said in a relieved tone as a smile spread across her face. "Glad to hear that you're doing good." Jaebeom chuckled. "Are you still at the library?" He asked a second later as he was waiting at the entrance and saw no sign of Kyungtae within the vicinity. "I'm at the entrance." "Is he still out there?" Melanie asked in almost a whisper, but Jaebum heard her. "No. I don't see him around." "Okay. I'm leaving the library right now." She notified him as she did just that. "I'll call again when I-" Jaebeom interrupted her. "No. Stay on the line so that I can also hear you as you make your way to me, noona." "Okay, JB."

They continued to talk as Melanie hurried along and cautiously looked over her shoulders and surroundings when she made her way to the school's entrance and spotted a disguised Jaebeom once she made out his silhouette when he wave at her. Neither of them hung up until they actually reached the other. "Hi." Melanie greeted the idol as she impulsive wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you so much, JB." She thanked him in a relieved tone as Jaebeom hugged her back awkwardly. "Um, you're welcome, Chaewon noona." Melanie pulled back to look at him. "Sorry about that, but it just felt nice to do that after what I've been feeling for like almost two hours now. "It's okay." Jaebeom smiled as she placed both of his hands onto her shoulders. "I'm just glad you're alright and safe."

He gave her a once over. "Kyungtae didn't do anything else after he was escorted off of the campus, right?" Melanie shook her head. "No, nothing else, JB. Nothing after I finally told him off, too." Jaebeom nodded as he gave her another once over. "Alright, noona, I'll give him a talk or have Taesuk hyung or Chulsoo hyung talk to Kyungtae about it instead. Those guys will be able to handle it better than me due to my schedules." "Thanks again, JB." Melanie thanked him again as Jaebeom squeezed her shoulders in reassurance. "You're welcome. Now, let's just get you back to Jyongri noona's place and I hope you'll tell her about all of this." "I will, JB. Don't worry, I'll definitely tell, unnie, and the others about it." Melanie told him as the two began making their way to the subway station.

"Have you eaten yet? Do you want to get anything to eat or drink?" Jaebeom asked a few seconds later as Melanie nodded her head. "Yes, please. That would be great because I haven't eaten anything since this morning." She admitted with a sheepish laugh. "I was also scared and lazy to get anything at the cafeteria once the incident occurred." Jaebeom gave her a small smile. "We can stop by somewhere on the way." "Great. It would helped settled out the other nerves, too." Jaebeom glanced at her in concern. "Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?" "I'm sure I'll be fine, JB. If not, then I'll just call you so you can sing me to sleep." Melanie chuckled as Jaebeom broke into a soft smile "That wouldn't be such a bad idea if you need it." "Then I'll keep that in mind if I can't fall asleep."

The female sighed as the male glanced at her. "What's up?" "We weren't able to review our notes for the upcoming exams." Melanie admitted as Jaebeom chuckled. "What are you laughing at?" "It's nothing. Sorry. But um," Jaebeom let out a small cough. "How about I help you out?" "Do you know anything about business administration?" "Nope, not a thing. But I can read and asked you questions about them." "True." "So is that a yes or no?" "Let me think about it and I'll get back to you." Jaebeom rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Alright. Just let me know." "Will do, Jeffrey." Jaebeom eyed the female who cast him a large grin. "You know you like the name, too, or you wouldn't have chosen it." "I'm not saying anything." "You don't have to because I don't care anyways." "Wow." "Just kidding." "Sure you are."

Jaebum and Melanie boarded the Seoul National University Station on Line 2 and left Gwanak, stopped by at a burger joint in Seocho, and then finally arrived in Gangnam at the Cheongdam Station. When they made it to Serena's apartment Melanie invited Jaebeom inside as she had a feeling that the others were going to be there. When they did enter the apartment the duo witnessed a video game contest going on with everyone either cheering on Mark or Serena as they were currently playing Pokemon Stadium. Jaebeom then took Serena's spot as Melanie and her went to have a long talk. Serena made a called to their aunt Julisa for advice and Serena finally gave Melanie her pepper spray. Soon enough they were joined by Jackson and BamBam and stayed for an hour or two more and then called it night.

[sweet-little-bird-fanfic]

YOUNG K - Pure Desire

Masterlist & Chapters: Check my bio for the masterlist link. Idk why but posts with links don't show up on the tumblr's search feature anymore. So, I'll leave the link to my master list there, where you can find the other chapters easily. I hope this is still functional for you guys, sorry for the trouble. I hope you can still enjoy my work despite the technical issues.

Summary: A young writer that's struggling with her work until she crosses paths with an intense and fated new type of inspiration; An inspiration called: YOUNG K!

Genre: Fanfic; Romance; Humour; Smut (in the future chapters)

Warnings: Swearing? ; The hot stuff will slowly begin on the next chapter and after that, it becomes a mess! I promise eheh  (っ˘ڡ˘ς)

A/N: a short chapter to create a good atmosphere and background.

Chapter 1- Drunk Hug

I knew the day wouldn't go well from the moment I woke up... 45 minutes late. To be honest, things had been hard lately. I've had been a professional writer for 3 years and I went to live in Korea right after I published my first romance. I bought a house and rented 2 of the rooms to 2 amazing brothers that ended up becoming my family: Kim Jii (he worked in the entertainment industry) and his 16 years old little brother Kim Joon (who was still a student). Truth to be told, it's not like I had been working that hard in those few writing years. Not because I was lazy, but because it was really simple for me to write a story and for some miracle, it would become a success. That was the case until I hit a wall last month whilst writing my third book! Nothing seemed right, I wasn't satisfied with anything and I was simply irritated with my own creation. There was something missing and I couldn't find what it was... But it was something crucial and I couldn't stop wondering if my passion for writing had reached its limits. I was so worried about that thought, that I made myself not being able to write properly. Call it a rocky mistake or an overthinking problem, but the point was that I was 1hour late to meet with my editor and I had nothing new to show him. "SHIT!"

I got off the bus and run as fast as I could. Gladly, the coffee shop We agreed to meet at was near the station. When I finally reached my destination, I was invaded by a strong and warm coffee fragrance, which woke up my senses a little. It wasn't hard to find the man I called "Boss". He had really short hair and was quite skinny, but his facial expression made him look like an angry bear. "I'm going to die." I sat on the chair in front of him and before I could apologise for being late, he threw a bunch of papers on the table in my direction. My heart started beating really fast when I recognise that those pieces of papers were the chapters I sent him by e-mail.

- You call yourself a writer, Miss?! - he said as loud as he could - I'm going to pretend you didn't send me this and that I didn't have to come from England to Korean just to scold you in person.

- I'm really sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me, but I can't ...

- You need to take a break and stop obsessing about writing. We didn't give you any deadlines, so I don't understand why you're writing a chapter a day. - he said interrupting me with a sharp voice.

I didn't move or say anything, I just looked down to my hand and prayed I wouldn't get myself fired. I could hear his heavy annoyed breath and I could feel his eyes observing me. There was a long moment of silence that was broken by his hand caressing his chin.

- When was the last time you did something that wasn't writing? - he sighted - Go out, get inspired. Don't contact me until the young writer I know is back.

He stood up and dressed his elegant coat as he made sure to burn my soul with his reprehensible look. Before leaving the store our eyes locked and he gave me a petty smile, which made me feel even worse than I already was.

That was it. I've had it! I needed to get some fresh air and get away from everything. I think I've never walked so much in my entire life. I explored the city pretending I was a tourist and that I had nothing to worry about. I tried the typical food, went to the famous attractions and even bought some souvenirs. I was now wearing an "I love South Korea" black shirt and a cool hat. Not to mention the bags I was holding with sweets, cosmetics and funny socks for the boys at home.

I grabbed my phone and sent Kim Jii (Bro) and Kim Joon (Baby bro) a picture of some socks:

Me: Do you need socks? ~~ Bro: Seriously... Baby bro: I swear, I'll burn them if you buy them, Noona! Bro: Go grab the matches. I bet she already bought them ME: (T_T) Bro: Ya paboya, don't come home early.          I made a mistake at work and had to bring it home ( ಥ ʖ̯ ಥ) ME: LOL... Are you trying to fix it? Bro: BYE! ❤︎ ~~~ Baby bro: AHAHAH I guess it's not that easy to fix omg, kill him Noona!                    you make enough money to support me, right? ME: BYE! ❤︎ ~~~ Baby bro: YAAAAAAAAAA!

                                                        ***

Making myself busy during the whole day was hard, but I managed to stay out until night time. I ended up at a street restaurant where I ate too much and definitely drunk too many bottles of soju. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol in my blood making me feel lonely and defeated or if it was simply my low self-esteem working really well on putting me down, or if it was the sum of these two. But I couldn't stop myself from thinking about how stupid and untalented, I probably was. I was really strong and didn't let any tear fall from my watering eyes.

- I need a hug... - I said drunk and desperate for some affection.

I stood up and left some money on the table. I was able to walk half properly until I found a taxi.

- Good evening, where to?

- Home, please! - I said excitedly.

For some weird reason, the driver seemed to think I was joking by the way he looked at him.

- And where is home?

- Oh! It's where I live, Sir! - I drew a square in the air with my fingers - In a house!

He stared at me for more than one minute and studied my touristic clothes and bags. I offered him some sweets and after I gave him my address he seemed less annoyed. "Why is he mad? Maybe he had a bad day or something." I thought as I gave him more sweets to make his night less bitter.

It didn't take long until I arrived home. I was glad all the lights were still on because the path was somehow really blurry. As I walked into the house, I could hear a lot of voices and laughs. "Too loud, fuckers." I couldn't recognise all the voices, but they were quite familiar. There were four beautiful boys in the living room with Kim Joon, my baby bro. I get closer to try to find out who our visits were and I saw a skinny blond boy laughing and making the others laugh with him.

- Your laugh seems contagious. - I said with a serious face as I tried to catch my cat.

- Why aren't you laughing, then? - He said adjusting his glasses.

- Oh, I'm vaccinated. Don't worry! - I said hugging my cat and letting her go after squeezing too hard.

Everyone laughed but the blond boy, he made a straight face and tried to look offended. I didn't worry too much, he seemed like he could handle a joke. I saw Kim Joon walking in my direction and I automatically hugged him really tightly. He tried to get rid of my arms and look me in the eyes, but I hid my face against his chest.

- Noona, are you drunk?!

- Aigooo! - I said as I pushed him away - That explains a lot of things, you're so smart! - I said and caressed his hair.

- Ya, paboya! Why are you acting up? - I heard Kim Jii (big bro) behind me.

After hearing my big brother's voice, tears started falling down uncontrollably. I just turned around and hugged him and berried my face into his neck. He smelled really nice today and that made me feel easeful and numbed. My hands holding his muscular backs were trembling, but the feeling of his sturdy hard body against mine made my heart hurt a little less. And when he finally hugged me back a shiver run through my body and made my legs weak. I hugged him tighter as I felt myself give away and I felt his soft and hesitant touch on my messy hair. To think all I needed was a hug from my... "WAIT A MINUTE!" Smells good? Muscular backs? What do you mean sturdy hard body?! And why would he hesitantly touch my hair, when usually he just messes it all up! I stepped back and pushed away from the boy I was hugging. "Oh, my ovaries!"

What a handsome young man! I felt as if his deep dark eyes were invading my soul, as he slightly leaned his head to the left and stared at me confused. He smiled awkwardly at me when he noticed my embarrassment. His cheeks lift up when he smiled and made his masculine face look adorably cute. I was still really confused and didn't notice I was still walking backwards as I stared at his face. And when I finally recognised him, I tripped and fell on my ass.

- Young... Young K! - I almost screamed and then looked around and realised DAY6 were in my living room looking at my drunk self.

I saw Young K biting his lower lip gently as he decreased the distance between us and reached out his hand to me.

- You know my name! It's only fair if I know yours too. - he said with what I thought it was a kind but at the same time naughty smile.

- Fuck.

- What? - he asked letting a laugh escape and bit his lip again.

- Oh! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuck me! Fuck! NO! No, I don't mean that, hhhhhh fuck!

- What the fuck is wrong with you, Violet!? - I heard big bother Kim Jii shout behind Young K.

Masterlist & Chapters: Check my bio for the masterlist link. Idk why but posts with links don't show up on the tumblr's search feature anymore. So, I'll leave the link to my master list there, where you can find the other chapters easily. I hope this is still functional for you guys, sorry for the trouble. I hope you can still enjoy my work despite the technical issues.

Additional information: Violet calls Kim Jii and Kim Joon brothers, but their not her real brothers. She simply loves them a lot and since they live together they became each other family xD

~~~~

A/N: This wasn't a very long chapter but It was just the beginning! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know your thoughts about it ~

See you next time, hugs from your Sweet Little Bird.

[letsgetitjk-blog1]

Bring The Heat (I Dare You)

by: letsgetitjk

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor, Eventual Romance, college!au, athlete!au, badboy!jeongguk

Relationships: Jeongguk x reader, Taehyung x reader

Length: 1.8k

Brief Summary- When you get involved with the star wide receiver and star running back of your college’s football team due to a technical incident, you end up bringing not one but two love interest in your life in the form of a bad boy gone football star and an enigmatic actor to-be. Will your love story end with a football and leather jacket, or a rose and camera?

Chapter 2

The Meeting

Last night you had grumpily replied to Jimin’s text with an affirmative, agreeing to meet him at his apartment, before heading to bed.

The day had been mostly uneventful leading up to the meeting and you were now headed on your way to his apartment. You bounded up the stairs up to the third floor, passing by a couple of guys as you did. They gave you curious looks but otherwise ignored you. 

Reaching the floor, you slowly made your way down the carpeted hall, checking the door numbers. You spotted their door, or more obviously the large whiteboard that read “JIMIN & JUNGKOOK & TAEHYUNG’s BRO CAVE OPEN FOR BEER AND A GOOD TIME”. You raised a brow at the gaudy title but resigned to knock politely.

A large sound could be heard from the other side as if someone had fallen. The door swung open, startling you, and a handsome guy in an overly large white t-shirt appeared.

“Hey, what’s up?” He gave you a large smile, leaning an arm against the doorframe.

“Uhm, is Jimin here?” He cocked his head.

“Why’re you asking for Chim? Who are you?” Laying a hand on your hip, you looked up at him. “I really don’t think that’s any of your business about why I’m here. Jimin told me to come over and I’m here so,” You gestured in side, “let me in.” The guy looked somewhat stunned, his large eyes blinking down at you. But he didn’t let you in. “You didn’t answer my second question.”

“What?” You snapped, irritated.

“You didn’t tell me your name-”

“Tae!” A sudden familiar voice drifted from inside the apartment. “Is that y/n at the door? Let her in!” You heard a pair of feet approach the front door and there appeared Jimin in a bro tank and sweats, looking freshly showered. He stood a good head shorter that Taehyung (or Tae, as Jimin called him), but was broader and more built than the lanky guy blocking the entrance. “I would’ve let her in sooner, but she wouldn’t tell me her name.”

“Because I had no obligation to, I’m not here for you I’m here for Jimin.” You glared up at him but this time he wasn’t surprised, he only gave you a smirk.

“Right, well come on in.” He pushed himself off the frame before entering into the apartment. You saw Jimin give him an inquisitorial look as you stepped in. Jimin quickly greeted you before showing you into the living room. “Jeongguk’s finishing up in the shower right now- do want anything to drink, a beer, water?”

“Water’s perfect, thank you.” You replied as you sat down on the couch. Taehyung had disappeared somewhere but you didn't really bother to care. You made yourself comfortable as Jimin set a glass of water in front of you, cracking open a beer for himself as he sat down next to you.

“So have you called the tech guys or whatever?” He asked, taking a swig. You hummed. “I did, but their line was disconnected,” Jimin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “So I went to their website, and apparently they're moving location downtown and won't be up and running until next week.” You gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, that must be an inconvenience.”  he shook his head, looking laidback. “At least now we know about how long you’ll need Jeongguk’s laptop for.” You nodded, sipping at your drink. There was a pregnant pause.

“So, football huh?” You started. Jimin laughed. “Yep, pretty damn tough but it feels good gripping the ball as you run down field for a touchdown.” you hummed again around the rim of the cup.

“You sure have a lot of memorabilia hung up. I guess I'm not surprised, school spirit and all.” Your eyes skimmed over the large purple felt flag with the college name on it. A poster of a panther on the prowl with large block letters read 'Panther Pride’ over the tv. Jimin looked over at you, a strange look on his face. “What?”

“You don't have any school paraphernalia? At all?” You shook your head.

“I never watched college football, only professional.” Jimin opened his mouth, then closed it. “Is it really that horrible that I don't own anything?” You asked, a little bit embarrassed.

“Well, seeing as our team has been leading the division since the beginning of the season, along with having some of the highest stats among our players with a holding record of wins in the past four years, then, yes. It is.” You let out a small 'oh’.

“I mean it might be different if our team sucked-” he chuckled at your sheepish expression.

“But you're not.” You finished. Jimin nodded, a smile playing on his lips. “Maybe now you'll start coming to games now.” You laughed. “Yeah, I might just do that.” You two sat in silence for a minute. You didn't hear the pipes or water running, and you were starting to get irritated. You had work at 9:00 and it was already 8:30.

“How long does it take for a guy to shower?” You huffed. Jimin gave you a sympathetic look. “I'll go check to see-” but before he could finish, you saw Jeongguk appear from down the hallway. Not a fully dressed Jeongguk, no, of course not. You were shown the unpleasant sight of a practically naked Jeon Jeongguk.

With a white towel wrapped around his unrealistically slim waist and another one around his neck, he stepped into the living room. “Put some clothes on!” You shouted, shielding your vision from his tattooed chest. You had only caught a glimpse, but it didn't seem to be as heavily tattooed as Hoseok’s rumor had said.

“Jeongguk I told you that y/n was gonna be here. Go throw on a hoodie or something man.” You heard Jimin squeak, equally embarrassed as you were. You heard a mumble of words before receding footsteps and a door closing. You looked up, face hot, to see Jimin watching the hall with an irritated expression. “Sorry about that, y/n.” You sighed.

“It wasn't your fault, you're not his fucking mother.” Jimin snorted and mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “I sure feel like it”.

Jeongguk reappeared with a black Stussy hoodie on and black ripped jeans, dark hair still slightly damp. Taehyung followed behind him languidly before they both sat down in the open chairs adjacent to you and Jimin. You had no idea why Taehyung would have any business being here but you decided against bringing it up.

“So, when’ll you need my laptop?” Jeongguk asked, eyebrow raised. His abruptness caught you off guard, seeing as you were the one that had been waiting half an hour while he did who-knows-what in the shower. Seriously, who did he think he was? With an annoyed look, you reached into your bag and brought out a notebook, opening it to a saved page with your work and school schedules on it. You quickly rushed through telling him about what times you were open and might need the laptop, along with an update on the tech guys.

Jeongguk sat and digested for a second before speaking up, fingers laced in front of him as he leaned forward in his seat towards you. “I have practice in the mornings Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and practice at night Tuesday and Thursday. So you grab the laptop in the mornings and you can come over in the evening when you need it for the week.”

Jeongguk stood up, as if everything was finalized, and it was, but you were offended by the abruptness of his demeanor. I mean, he was indirectly the one to break my fucking laptop. You thought, irritated. And his dismissive attitude did nothing to help your irateness. “How is she supposed to get in?” Taehyung spoke up from his spot in his chair.

“Yeah, how am I supposed to get in if you guys will be gone? Taehyung can’t just wait around to open the door for me.” There was a moment of silence.

“I got it!” Jimin said, smiling. “Cuz both Kook and I will be going to practice, one of us can leave a key on top of the doorframe for you to get in!” You smiled brightly at Jimin.

“That sounds perfect, as long as you guys are comfortable with me being in your apartment.” A sudden thought occurred to you. “Jeongguk do you have a password? To your computer, I mean.” You added, as Jeongguk had looked confused. His mouth formed an ‘o’ as realization came to him.

“Uh yeah, but I can just deactivate it for you.” The more you thought about, the worse you were starting to feel about using another person’s laptop. Even if they said you could, it was kind of an invasion of privacy. You shifted in your seat. “Look, I don’t know about this,” Your eyes met Jimin’s concerned ones before flashing to Jeongguk’s. “I just- feel bad for using your computer.” You sighed, trying to gather your thoughts. “If it was me, I’d feel uncomfortable with someone else using my computer-”

“But Jeongguk isn’t you.” Taehyung interrupted, a smile on his face. It wasn’t the sly and annoying one that you had seen when you’d first met him at the door. This one was sweeter and more open. It surprised you.

“W-what?”

Taehyung sat up more in his seat. “Jeongguk wouldn’t have agreed with doing this if he was uncomfortable with you using it like you said. Right, Kook?” Jeongguk, who had resigned himself to sit back down, knowing it wasn’t the end of the conversation, nodded slightly.

“See? No problems. And y/n, there should be no reason for Jeongguk to be uncomfortable, right? I mean, you aren’t going to go snooping around his computer or try to find his porn stash-” Jeongguk shot him a glare.

“Don’t try me Taehyung.” He said gruffly.

Taehyung waved him off teasingly. “Bottom line is, we can trust you, can’t we?” Both Taehyung and Jeongguk looked at you, waiting for you to respond. It felt like you were being thrown under a bright light and forced to look at it. Their strong gazes made your heart jump to your throat and your face to heat.

You nodded fervently. “Right. And besides, I wouldn’t be interested in Jeongguk’s porn stash anyways, seeing as I’d probably try to actively avoid whatever gross shit he gets off to.” Jimin and Taehyung broke out into laughter, you chuckling also -slightly relieved that their attention was diverted from you- as Jeongguk let out a shout of indignation. Maybe being friends with college football stars and their roommate won’t be so bad.

A/N

I know this chapter is a lot shorter than the last one, but I really wanted to put in a good foundation for the start of y/n’s relationship with Taehyung and Jeongguk without a lot of other things thrown in. Expect a longer chapter next week, and thank you so so much for 80 notes on Chapter 1! I’m so grateful for everyone that enjoyed Bring the Heat and I’ll do my best to keep your interest! 

Xoxo,

Izzy

[thehonorablekingerik-blog]

Obsession

Chapter 2: You Make Me Wanna... (Part 1 of 2)

Beep, beep, beep; Erik’s fitbit watch alarm went off as he finished the cool-down of his morning workout routine.  He was running on the treadmill, finishing off his morning workout with 10 mins of cardio. Pressing a button on the side of his watch, he turned the alarm off. He then pressed a button on the treadmill, slowing his pace into a walk until the treadmill slowed down and shut of, coming to a complete stop.

His black under-armor shirt was drenched in sweat. He checked his phone for the time.

“7:45a.m.” he said idly looking around the gym located on the bottom floor of his apartment complex. Not many people were working out this Monday morning. Erik nodded his head in greeting as he noticed a familiar apartment tenant entering the gym.

“Time to get ready for work.”

He said to himself before exiting the gym, heading up to his apartment for a quick shower.

Erik walked into the office suite of the technology company, Arcadia Tech. A new tech firm originally based out in California that recently open an office in New York. Erik used to work at the California office before making the move to New York where he reunited with some old friends, Kevin and Brandon. He took a sip from the small box of coconut water as he smoothed out the front of his crisp white Ralph Lauren long-sleeved polo. He reached his hand in the right pocket of his black fitted slacks pulling out his phone.

The text message notice read;

New Message: Courtney.

He placed his phone back into his pocket as he made it to his office. Sitting his coconut water on his desk, it wasn’t 10 seconds until his boy Kevin knocked on the side of the door frame entering his office.

“Mornin’, E.” Kevin said standing at the door the Erik’s office.

“Mornin’.”

“How was your weekend? Me and B ain’t see you since Friday when we was all at Club Indigo.”

“I just been Chillin’. I needed some time to myself.” Erik said as he pops open the laptop on his desk.

Erik was telling Kevin the truth, after a week of work and a night at the club; he did like to take as much time to have to himself before starting another work week. So he spent the rest of the weekend after his trysts with Courtney and Laila playing a few video games on his PS4 and watching a few movies on Netflix.

Kevin took a seat opposite of Erik’s desk. “How was ya night with ol’girl? What was her name?” Kevin asked looking at nothing in particular trying to remember the name.

“Laila.” Kevin said looking at Erik. Erik typed on his laptop’s keyboard signing into his laptop. His phone vibrated again in his pocket. He reached for it again.

Erik let out a loud, “Ha.” In response to Kevin’s question before looking at his phone again.

Two New Messages: Courtney.

Erik looked at his phone annoyed at how many times Courtney was texting him. She’d been texting him all weekend. He hadn’t seen or talked to her since Friday night and didn’t plan on seeing or speaking to her for a while.

“What’s going on?” Kevin asked seeing his friends annoyed expression.

“That chick Courtney keeps blowin’ my phone up.” Erik said as he placed his phone on his desk, finally looking at Kevin.

Both men let out a chuckle, thinking about Erik’s triumphs and problems with women.

“Damn, she still on ya’ dick?” Kevin asks, still chuckling.

“Yeah. I saw her Friday night at the club; had to break her off a little sumthin’ sumthin.”

Kevin looked at Erik a bit surprised before saying, “So that’s what you was doin’ while me and B was chattin’ up Stacy and her friends?”

Erik nodded looking at his laptop again, signing into his email.

He clicked an unread message from Human Resources.

“Monday, April 16, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. there will be a mandatory staff meeting, introducing a new team member to the great staff of Arcadia Tech. I hope to see you all there!”

 Sincerely,

 Danielle Robinson

Chief Happiness Officer

 Erik checked his phone for the time – it read, 9:10 a.m.

“We got a meeting at 9:30 today?” Erik asked looking at Kevin.

Kevin checked his watch.

“Yeah, did you get the email?” Kevin says standing up from the chair.

“I just read it. You headin’ to the meeting room now?”

“In a minute, Imma grab a cup of coffee from the break room before headin’ there. You want me to grab you a cup?” Kevin says making his way to Erik’s office door.

“Nah, I’m good bro.” Erik says standing up from his chair at his desk stretching quickly.

“See you in 20.” Kevin says walking out of Erik’s office into the main floor of Arcadia Tech’s office.

Erik sat at the oval conference table waiting for Danielle, the “Chief Happiness Officer” to begin the meeting. The meeting was on the top floor of Arcadia Tech’s 7 floor headquarters. The windows of this room looked out to the beautiful Manhattan skyline. Erik looked at his watch, 9:40am it read. Erik slouched in his seat a little, a bit bored at the thought of a staff meeting. He looked around to see all 12 seats filling up quickly as more staff members made it into the office.

Kevin walked up taking a seat next to Erik at the conference table. Both men watched as Danielle walked to the head of the table, clearing her throat to get everyone’s attention.

“Thank you everyone for making it to the meeting.” Danielle says looking around the table at everyone. Erik eyed the empty seat next to Danielle on the other-side of the table. Kevin leaned over to Erik before saying, “Where’s the new recruit? I wanna see what we workin’ wit’ here?”

Erik let out a light chuckle, looking around the room before saying, “I know right.” He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket yet again. He grabbed it out of his pocket, looking at the screen,

Missed call Courtney.

Erik made another annoyed face before going to Courtney’s contact page and hitting block.

“This meeting today is to introduce Arcadia Tech’s new Behavioral Health consultant.” Danielle said looking at everyone at the table.

“As you all know, the Spring season is the start of the busy season for the tech industry.” Danielle says looking at everyone; her eyes stopping at Erik who was still looking at his phone.

Kevin elbowed Erik to get his attention. Erik looked over at Kevin as Kevin nods his head in Danielle’s direction. Erik looks at Danielle before putting his phone back in his pocket.

“With the busy seasons comes a rise in stress and we don’t need that in the office. So, to be proactive and to help ease any tension, I took it upon myself to suggest we hire a few Behavioral Health consultants.” Danielle clears her throat before adding, “Each team will have one consultant assigned to them.”

Only Danielle noticed a woman dressed in a simple black pencil dress quietly enter the room.

Danielle continued, “I would like to introduce one of our new Behavioral Health consultants, Ms. Samara Edmonds.” Danielle finishes holding her hand out in a welcoming gesture looking at the woman who just entered the room. Everyone turned to look at the woman in black as she walked to the seat next to Danielle. Erik took special notice of her figure, watching her ass giggle in her fitted black pencil dress, it stopped right above her knees. Her legs were dressed in sheer back-seamed stockings. The sound of her modest 3-inch black velvet chunky heels clicked on the bamboo floor of the conference room.

Erik’s eyes did not leave Samara’s figure as she stood next to Danielle. Samara glanced around the table at all eleven of her new colleagues, smiling. Kevin leaned over to Erik, whispering,

“I say goddamn, goddamn.”

Erik didn’t even notice that Kevin said anything. His eyes were set on Ms. Samara Edmonds. He heard a high-pitched ringing in his ear, his face grew hot and that familiar twitch in his groin began to rise.

Samara began to speak, “I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to begin working with all of you.” Samara quickly glanced at everyone, when her eyes landed on Erik – it knocked him out of his trance. Samara looked at Danielle who began to speak again.

“Ms. Edmonds is in charge of Erik’s tech team.” Danielle says gesturing her hand to Erik, who sat next her on the opposite side of the table. Samara’s freshly silk pressed natural hair swayed a little as she turned her head to look at Erik.

Erik swallow hard before standing, his eyes locked with Samara. He reached his hand out toward Samara.

Samara grabs Erik’s hand in a firm handshake.

“Nice and Soft.” Is what Erik thought as he felt her hand. Erik continued to stand even after shaking Samara’s hand.

Samara stopped looking at him and began looking at Danielle who began to speak again.

“Erik here is the Lead IT Project Manager for group D. You, Samara will be the behavioral consultant for all 30 of his team members.”

Samara smiles slightly nodding her head as Danielle continues.

“I’m sure you and Erik will get along well.” Danielle says looking at Samara and then Erik. Samara looks at Erik again, smiling slightly. Erik slightly smirks.

“Please have a seat Samara, I’ll begin to brief you on the culture here at Arcadia Tech.” Danielle finally takes a seat, followed by Samara and finally Erik. Erik’s eyes never leave Samara’s. Kevin takes notice of this before laughing to himself, knowing all too well where this was going.

Back at Erik’s office he went right away to looking up Samara Edmonds’ profile on Facebook. It didn’t take long for him to find it.

“Private.”

Was all he said before he heard a knock. He looks up to see his boy Kevin leaning on the door frame of his office.

“Did you see that girl, Samara. You talkin’ bout sexy my guy!”

Erik and Kevin both laugh, Erik is still focused on Samara’s Facebook profile taking in her profile picture; a professional candid side profile shot of her face. Erik contemplated should he send her a request.

“I don’t wanna seem thirsty.” He thought as Kevin spoke up stirring him away from his thought.

“It’s lunch time, you tryna hit the café up with me?”

Erik let out a sigh before saying, Yeah, yeah. I’m down.”

Kevin spoke again, “Imma ask the new girl, Samara if she wants to come.”

Erik looked at Kevin immediately with an eyebrow raised before saying,

“Word?”

Kevin nodded looking out of Erik’s office door and into the main floor. “Her office is right across from mine.”

Erik got up from his desk moving next to Kevin at the door, looking out at the main floor.

“Word.” Is all he says looking at Samara’s office.

On the first floor of the Arcadia Tech was where the café was located, many of the employees filled this area around lunch time. Kevin, Erik, Samara as well as three other colleagues gathered at a table eating and conversing.

Erik sat directly across from Samara, while Kevin sat to the right of Erik and their colleague Joe sat to his left. Samara sat in the middle across from Erik with colleagues Lauren and Kim sitting at each side. Samara focused on her Caesar Kale salad. Erik studied her for a bit. Her dark silk-pressed hair framed her face as she looked at her salad. Erik’s staring didn’t go unnoticed by his colleagues.

Lauren spoke up asking Samara a question, “Hey Samara, where are you from?” The other five colleagues sitting at the table with her stopped conversing awaiting her answer. Samara looked over at Lauren before answering,

“New Orleans, born and raised.” She says with a slight smile.

Kevin says, “Oh we got us a New Orleans girl, ohh-wee.” Joe, Lauren, Kim as well as Samara let out a laugh.

Samara still doesn’t make eye contact with Erik. Joe speaks up, “Damn Erik, you goin’ burn a hole into Samara’s head the way you keep staring at her.”

Samara briefly looks at Eric who doesn’t waver his eye contact. He smiles at her.

Kim says with a slight laugh, “Uh-Oh, Samara you might wanna stay away from Eric.” 

Erik looks over at Kim sucking his teeth before saying, “Why?”

Samara looks over at Kim asking the same thing, “Why?”

Kim takes a sip of her water before saying, “He has a bunch of women after him.”

Erik speaks up saying, “I think I’ve seen you somewhere.” Samara’s eyes fall on him again.

He notices that she has Hazel eyes.

Samara says, “I don’t think so.”

Kevin leans into the table before saying, “I would like to get to know you, Samara.” Everyone at the table begins to laugh except for Erik and Samara.

Samara looks at her salad before taking another bite.

“Yeah, I’ve seen you last Friday, at Club Indigo. You had a red dress on.”Erik says.

Kim and Lauren both laugh before Kim says, “Damn Erik, you stalking her or something.”

Erik looks at Kim annoyed.

Samara says, “I don’t remember seeing you.” Briefly looking at Erik.

Joe looks over at Samara before his eye fall to her left hand. “Y’all Samara is married. End Game.” Erik looks at her finger and notices a dainty gold wedding ring.

Kevin says, “That ain’t ever stop Erik.”

Samara looks at Erik with a slight smile before saying, “Oh really now?”

Kevin looks at Erik while Lauren and Kim let out “Ohhhh.”

Erik licks his lips at Samara before saying, “I ain’t eva had a girl from New Orleans before.”

Samara looks at him intrigued, Kim rolls her eyes while the others laugh.

“I’m tryna do something with you later.” Erik says placing his hand over the hand Samara had resting on the table. His finger lightly grazes her wedding ring.

Lauren says, “Well I’ll be damned.” And Kim adds, “Erik you just goin’ hit on the behavioral consultant like that? What if she reports you to HR?”

Erik looks at Samara as he leans slightly over the table looking more fully into her face. His eyes go from her lips to her eyes and back to her lips before speaking.

“Why would she, I ain’t doin’ nothin’.” 

Samara smiles coyly at Erik before saying, “He hasn’t given me a reason too, yet.” Everyone at the table looks at Erik and laughs. Erik reclines back into his seat, removing his hand from Samara’s. He moves his gaze from hers and looks around the café briefly.

“I would like to get to know you, Erik.” Samara says. Erik looks at her surprised. Kevin, Lauren and the rest of the table companions look surprised as well.

Erik smiles before saying, “Just let me know when you ready.”

________________________________________

Chapter 1

@killmoncoochie

[empress-penguin]

Fiction: Distractions (Chapter 4)

Title: Distractions

Rating: PG-13/T

Fandom: Wild Kratts

Summary: An unexpected move by one side changes the dynamics of the game – and some of the players may never be quite the same again… 

Notes: Just a hypothetical that I thought would be fun to explore.  Of course, my definition of “fun” may be slightly suspect...

Navigation: Chapter 1 ~ Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3 ~ Chapter 4 ~ Chapter 5

Distractions

Chapter 4

Martin appeared to have regained his composure by the time they'd met up with the rest of the troop, and between getting Frank settled back in and testing out the new capuchin power discs, whatever had happened on Donita's jet seemed to have been forgotten.  But Chris, with the perception born of years of experience, thought he detected a lingering unease in his brother's manner, the barest hint that something was not quite right.  Now, listening to him tossing and turning long after he ordinarily would have been asleep, he was sure of it.  

Chris snapped on the light.  “All right, bro.  Out with it.”

“Out with what?”  Martin squinted in the sudden brightness, stifling a not-entirely-convincing yawn.

“You’ve been acting weird ever since we left Donita’s.  What’s going on?”  The younger brother stiffened as a sudden fear struck him.  “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Martin shook his head.  “I told you, I'm fine.”

“I know you did.”  Chris fixed his brother with a stern look.  “And I’m not buying it.”

“It’s nothing,” Martin insisted, an uncharacteristic note of impatience creeping into his voice.  “Can we just drop it, please?”

Chris hesitated, torn between a reluctance to press his brother on a subject that he clearly didn’t want to talk about, and a desire to find out what it was so that he could help.  Given how worried he was starting to feel, though, it wasn’t much of a contest. 

“Bro,” he began, in a gentler tone, “something obviously happened on that jet.  Why won’t you just tell me what it was?”  Receiving no answer, he began casting about in his mind for more possibilities.  “Did she…threaten you, or something?”

“No.”  Casting him a look of mingled irritation and resignation, Martin rolled over onto his stomach and mumbled something into his pillow.  

Now Chris was completely baffled.  “Sorry, didn’t catch that?”

Martin sat up, huffing out an exasperated breath.  “She kissed me, all right?  She kissed me!”

“She what?”  Chris was startled into a sudden bark of laughter.  “Is that all?  Man, you really had me scared there for a minute!”  

Martin gave a halfhearted shrug, his gaze skating off in the general direction of the floor.  “Told you it was nothing,” he muttered.

“Yeah, it's really not that surprising, is it?”  Chris teased him. “I mean, she's had a thing for you ever since that business with the draco lizards.”

Martin groaned.  “Please don't remind me.”

But Chris was on a roll, his amusement fueled by relief, and perhaps the tiniest subconscious desire to punish his brother a little for worrying him like that.  “Hey, remember the time she called you on your Creature Pod?  When we were studying the seahorses?”  Chris laughed even harder at the memory.  “You're usually pretty good under pressure, but man, bro!  Not that time.  Heh, you were drowning even with the diving mask!”

He'd expected Martin to join in the merriment – after all, the two of them had shared a good laugh about the incident later, once they were sure the seahorses were safe – but though his brother gave his jokes a perfunctory smile, he was clearly still troubled about something, and, seeing this, Chris's own mirth faded.  

He gave his brother a curious look.  “This is really bothering you, isn't it?  Why?”

Martin sighed.  “I don't know.  Being blindsided like that – it was... pretty unnerving.”  He forced a short laugh.  “So much for being prepared for anything, right?  I had no idea what I was doing.  And– and she was so... and I was trying to... and she seemed to think...”  Another sigh, a shake of the head.  “It was so weird, Chris.  Like being in some really crazy dream.  I'm still not even sure how it happened.  But I–”  He stopped, running a hand over his face.  “Okay, this is gonna sound really stupid, but I almost feel... guilty about the whole thing.”

“You shouldn't,” Chris pointed out reasonably.  “It's not like you've been, y'know, encouraging her, or anything.”

“I know.”  A grimace.  “But still.  And I...”  He hesitated.

Chris raised an eyebrow.  “And you...what?” 

“I, uh...”  Martin trailed off again, looking very much as though he wished he hadn't said anything more.  “I think I hurt her feelings,” he said finally.

“You think you hurt her feelings?” Chris repeated incredulously.  “Martin, she's a villain!  She doesn't care about anybody else's feelings; why should you care about hers?”

He hadn’t really been expecting an answer, nor did he receive one; Martin merely shrugged and glanced away.  

Chris shook his head, a slightly bemused but affectionate smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  Despite the closeness between them, there were things about the way his brother’s mind worked that he would probably never understand.  Rather than waste time debating the point, he decided to try a different tack.  “Don't worry about it, bro,” he soothed.  “She's probably just trying to mess with your head.” 

His words seemed to echo in the silence that followed, and all at once he realized how they must have sounded.  “I– I'm sorry, Martin,” he stammered.  “I didn't mean...”

“I know what you meant.”  Another pause, and then Martin sighed.  “And you're probably right.”  Stretching out on his bed again, he reached for the light switch and gave it a flick, plunging the room into darkness once more.  “Let's just go to sleep and forget this whole thing ever happened.”

.

.

If neither of the brothers quite managed to fully comply with Martin's request in the weeks that followed, they at least did a creditable job of pretending.  The incident was never mentioned between them, and although they had a number of run-ins with both Zach and Gourmand, Donita seemed to be keeping a very low profile as far as creature-napping was concerned.  Chris's covert internet searches revealed that she was spending most of her time in Paris and Milan, at the center of the glittering fashion scene, and that was just fine by him – in his opinion, the farther she stayed from both wild creatures and his brother, the better.  If she had indeed been trying to get into his head, Chris thought privately, she'd done a pretty impressive job of it – he didn't know when he'd seen his brother so rattled.  Martin had seemed like his usual self the next day, but Chris suspected that what had happened on the jet was still troubling him at some level, and he couldn't deny that he was troubled by it himself.  He trusted his brother implicitly, of course, but Donita was another matter entirely – especially now that she appeared to have added a new type of weapon to her arsenal – and although Chris tried to maintain his usual calm, objective outlook, from time to time he still caught himself wondering uneasily what might happen the next time they met.

As for Martin himself, his naturally cheerful, easygoing disposition served him well as he tried to put the incident behind him, but memories of the encounter kept cropping up at odd moments, leaving him feeling just slightly off-balance.

He still didn’t know what to make of it.  On the whole – brushing off the implied slight to his personal charms – he was inclined to believe Chris’s theory, and he was beginning to feel a little annoyed with himself for having taken it all so seriously.  But then he’d remember the look on Donita’s face as she’d turned away, and he couldn’t help but wonder whether that portion of the conversation, at least, might not have been part of her plan.  

And with that question came the realization that the encounter had altered something between them, subtly, but surely, perhaps irrevocably; and he found that he could no longer think of her as just another villain.  It wasn’t that he had any desire for a relationship with her – everything he’d said to her that day was still true.  But whether inadvertently or by design, she’d let slip her usual self-assured demeanor, allowing him a glimpse of something softer, more vulnerable – and in that moment, it had not been a creature stylist and a creature adventurer standing there on that jet, but just a woman and a man, not so different from any others.  No expert in the complexities of feminine emotions, he could only guess at what Donita's had been, but imagining the same expression in the eyes of either of his female crewmates stirred not only his sympathies but his protective instincts as well – a discovery that clouded his thinking even more.

Martin shook his head as he tried yet again to push such thoughts from his mind, almost grateful just now for the distractions provided by their other two adversaries.  Each of them could be dangerous in his own way, of course, but at least those ways were relatively straightforward.  But his job was straightforward as well, he reminded himself, no matter who he was up against.  And whatever Donita’s feelings were or might have been, he'd be a fool to believe that she would allow them to stand in the way of her objectives – and he certainly couldn't afford to let his do the same.  Donita was both smart and ambitious; having discovered an opponent's weakness, she would not hesitate to use it to her advantage, and though Martin was all too aware that he had no real way to predict what her next move might be in this particular game, he was determined that at the very least he would not be caught off-guard again.