#like i knew what was gonna happen but it still surprises me after rumi and mima see no body then the two bodies shot. crazy

[bidolatry]

not saying anything that hasnt been said before but perfect blue really is one of the movies of all time. specifically thinking of how graceful, or hauntingly perfect fake-mima(?) is through all of it, except for when she loses the wig. or even the contrast of mima and rumi in the window at the end. something something mima still seeing fake-mima as better then herself as an actress.

OH AND THE TRUCK SCENE walking willingly into the desctruction because it feels like her dream of stage lights. movie of all time

[burntmcnuggies]

A Good Sidekick

Manipulative Hawks x Reader

Warnings; sexual content 18+, thigh riding, oral sex (receiving and giving), possessive hawks, manipulative behavior, slightly yandere if you squint, and strong language. 

Word count: 9.3K

It was finally happening, you were finally becoming a sidekick, and to your favorite hero Hawks no less! It was the happiest moment of your life when you heard his receptionist happily congratulate you on your new position. You were practically bouncing off the walls at the news. You were quick to text all your friends, especially Rumi knowing that she sorta knew the winged-hero. She warned you briefly about how manipulative the pro was, and how lazy he could be. She even told stories of how she had to team up with him and he never did any of the paperwork. Poor Rumi went on an hour spiel about it, still irritated at the higher ranked hero’s negligence for his important paperwork. Besides that, you were still over the moon about meeting him!

If only you knew how dangerous that was.

Your first day rolled around and you walked into his agency, vastly spacious and lively with other pros and staff. Everyone greeted you kindly, introducing themselves and giving you a pathetic good luck once you made your way to the front desk. The receptionist looked up at you, her eyes trailing up and down your body with a slight furrow in her brows. “Oh, you must be Ms. (L/N).” Her snobby attitude rubbed you the wrong way, but you decided to keep your mouth shut about it and pretend you didn’t just hear anything. You nodded, telling her you were there to see Hawks. Her lips twitched in annoyance, showing you that she was indeed one of his thirsty fans. “Let me ring him, make sure he’s-“

“Ah! There’s my new sidekick!” As if on cue, the number two pro hero sauntered over with his hands in his pockets, large wings tucked behind him to make him more approachable, less intimidating. Your eyes cast upwards hearing his friendly voice, a smile creeping it’s way to your lips. “Good morning, Hawks.” You greeted politely, standing in front of him while the receptionist quickly stood and blushed, greeting Hawks with her hands in front of her. He grinned and gave her a wink and wave, giving her a morning greet as well. “So, are you ready to go, birdie?” He asked with smirk, wings twitching and slowly unfurling to show you a sneak peek of just how large they were.

“Yes, I hope we work well together!”

——

After about a month being Hawks’ sidekick you were absolutely exhausted. They weren’t kidding when they said he was too fast for his own good. The man could make it all the way across Japan in seconds without breaking a sweat. You also learned fairly quickly that a lot of his time was spent lazily patrolling, giving fan service and autographs, and stuffing his face full of junk food and chicken. This wasn’t at all how you expected to spend your first month as Hawks’ sidekick to be like. You were hoping you’d take down some villains, have Hawks praise you and have that feeling of knowing you helped people. But all you got was being the background character for Hawks’ show, his one man show. You began to wonder why he even wanted a sidekick.

“It’d look good on my reputation. Takin’ in a fresh new hero and bein’ a mentor. It bodes well with the approval ratings don’tcha think?” Well, that made you feel like absolute shit. Of course you were expecting that kind of answer knowing the winged-hero and how he loved to push peoples buttons occasionally. You just weren’t quite ready for it yet. “Awe, don’t look so sad, birdie. You’re my favorite side kick.” You were his only sidekick, his first one to be exact. So, you cut him a little slack judging by this was his first sidekick as the 22 year-old continued to rise in popularity and recognition. “Oh I’m not upset, Hawks. Just tired of doing this lame paperwork you should be doing yourself.”

“But I really appreciate you doin’ it for me!” He gave you a cheeky lob-sided smile and kicked his feet up on his desk. A heavy sigh left your lips, reluctantly going back to breaking your wrist over doing his paperwork for hours. After a couple minutes you heard the shifting of clothes and movement from Hawks’ desk. You peered up to see him walking over to you with a smile. “C’mon birdie, we’re goin’ out.” You quickly stood and followed him out of his office, an excited expression smearing over your face. He shoved his hands in his pockets and flared his wings out behind you. “S-So what’re we doing? Are we going to kick some villain ass? Are we going to meet up and help some heroes out? Oh! Or are we going to help the police!”

“You’ll see, birdie.”

——

“Man! I sure was starved! Thanks for treatin’ me out to lunch, my amazing sidekick!”

Oh, so you were treating him out to lunch now? You’re paying? Even though he’s the one who brought you here? You were starting to lose respect for him every moment you spent with him. A small tick mark appeared on your forehead, and you sent the winged-man a harsh glare snatching the menu off the table before looking over the food. Might as well go with it, he is the number two hero, you couldn’t afford to go to a new agency when you’re this far along. Your eyes almost bulged out of your head at the expensive prices. “Hawks! I-I don’t have this kind of money! I-i can’t afford anything on this menu except water!” Your heart was sinking to the pits of your stomach, already envisioning your wallet producing cobwebs in a matter of seconds once he drained you of every penny you owned. You were broke out of your panicked nightmare when his laughter pierced your eardrums. “I’m just playin’ birdie. I thought I’d treat you out to some food since I haven’t been the best boss to you lately. Get whatever your little heart desires!”

You looked up at him surprised, not really knowing how to take in his offer of buying you lunch. It was definitely true you were working hard, so having Hawks treat you to lunch wasn’t too bad... right? No way, then you’d owe the bastard a favor. “Thank you, Hawks. But really, I can’t. I’ll just have a water and pick up something on my way-“ He silenced you with his index finger, smushing your lips against your teeth. A suggestive smirk spread across his lovely pale pink lips, thumb slowly caressing your bottom lip before he gripped your chin. He brought his face closer, eyes staring directly into yours. Furious flurries of golden clashing with the sea of (E/C) that was fading as your pupils dilated in surprise. “I said I was treating you didn’t I? So just order whatever you want, or I’m gonna order the most expensive thing on the menu for you whether you eat it or not. I’d choose if I were you, birdie. Wouldn’t want an empty stomach before patrol would we?”

Damn, how manipulative he could be. Hawks knew how to push people’s buttons to get what he wanted in the end, and that’s exactly what he was doing to you. Forcing you into a situation to guilt you. After you reluctantly agreed and ordered something small, he began to talk your ear off. His hands flew here and there, his smile widening with every word that spewed out of his mouth. You had no idea Hawks could talk so much, and about nothing at that. Most of his one-sided conversation was about how much he loved chicken and food in general, then brief mentions of his modeling career on the side. One thing that interested you during his spiel was how much he admired Endeavor. Why had Hawks became a pro instead of becoming a sidekick?

“Why didn’t you go to Endeavor’s agency and be his sidekick instead of starting your own agency? Seems like you’ve admired him even before you started it.” His eyes widened in surprise, a bit taken aback by the question. The feathers in his strong wings rippled slowly, twitching as they tightened against his back. You’d made him uncomfortable. “Endeavor wouldn’tve accepted me no way! Our quirks are totally incompatible. Plus, it’s more fun being in my own agency where I can do as I please!” His smile faltered for a moment, before he brightened it forcefully, laughing it off and taking a sip of his drink. You frowned. You were no idiot. You knew he was lying. “If you didn’t want to tell me the truth you could’ve just said so instead of lie.”

“Ah, so you saw through my lie?” A teasing smirk plastered his lips, cementing itself there like that just to tease you. You couldn’t force down the light blush that dusted across your cheeks at his smirk, but you shook it off quickly, remembering your professional relationship with the pro. “It wasn’t that difficult. Judging by the look of surprise on your face I figured you’d tell me a lie.” He laughed and shrugged his shoulders back throwing his hands up in defeat. His eyes closed and he showed off a charming grin. “Didn’t think you’d notice that! You’re pretty smart birdie I’ll give ya that.” Was that an insult or a compliment...? Who cares, foods here! Time to dig in.

“Thanks! Looks delicious as always, my compliments to the chef.” He winked at the waiter charmingly and she bowed respectfully leaving the two of you alone. He immediately began digging in, stuffing his face until his cheeks looked like a chipmunks. “Geez Hawks... you act like you haven’t eaten in weeks. You’re making a huge mess.” Leaning across the table with a napkin in your hand, you wipe his cheek and dab his lips, frowning at the mess he’s making. He mumbled something with his mouth full, making your frown deepen more in disgust. He swallowed and laughed. “Ya know, you should just be my wife instead of my sidekick. You already take care of me so well!”

“Haha, very funny Hawks.” An eye roll is given as a response along with your words, digging into your own small meal you got for half of what Hawks got his. He stayed silent while he ate, letting you enjoy the small serene moments of silence with him before he was back to teasing you and asking you to do his work for him. “Come on, Hawks. I think I’ve been good, can’t you do your paperwork just this week? Please? And then I’ll do it next week?” Oh how he was spiraling into a dangerous field of temptation. Yeah, you have been a good girl, so good he wants to bend you over his desk and fuck you. He knew it wasn’t the right time though, you were still getting adjusted to him. Maybe a few more weeks... if he could hold out that long.

“Alright, alright, fine. You’ve twisted my wings, birdie. You tricky little minx you are.” He smuggly smirked and looked over at your food, eyes staring a little too intently. He was staring at your breasts, playing it off as staring at your food. “You gonna eat the rest of that? ‘Cause I’ll totally eat the rest.” You smiled shaking your head and slid the remaining bits of your small meal over to him, letting him plumpen his belly. Afterwards, he was a gentlemen, and took you back to your house, not wanting a pretty, fertile girl like you to walk by herself. “Thank you, Hawks... I really needed that. I was beginning to feel down.” He cocked his head to the side in confusion, his poor birdbrain becoming jumbled.

“Why would you feel down? You’re doin’ a good job! I’ve never met anyone who could keep up with me as good as you can!” His usual heart stopping smile spread onto his soft lips, pearly white teeth showing. Your heart soared at the praise from your favorite hero, doubts slowly washing away like the tides. “Oh... w-well all I did was do paperwork and just walk with you... I’ve never been a sidekick, so I wasn’t sure if I was doing something wrong or not.” Hawks let out a held in sigh, his shoulders slumping with his lip sticking out in thought. His hands went behind his head as his walked down the street to your home with you. “To be honest, I don’t know either. I’m just doin’ my thing with someone else! Nothin’ too different.”

“And I’m really glad to spend time with you, Hawks. I was just hoping my time as a sidekick would be more... exciting ya know?” Hawks didn’t respond as you both neared the entrance to your low budget apartment. You stopped in front of your door, fishing for your keys before he spoke. “Tell ya what, tomorrow I’ll see if I can trade patrol routes with someone, and we’ll go patrol somewhere with a lotta crime. Sound fun, birdie?” He didn’t miss when your eyes sparkled brightly at his proposal, smiling genuinely at your pure excitement. Taking hold of your keys tightly, you grinned ear to ear, nodding enthusiastically. “Yeah! That sounds great! I’ll see you tomorrow Hawks, thank you so much for buying me dinner and talking to me... it really meant a lot.”

“No problem, baby girl. Get in, get some rest, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us!” He smirked and gave you a wink, waving as he lifted his wings and took to the skies outside your apartment complex. You stood still briefly, thinking about what he’d said. ‘Baby girl’? What did that even mean? He usually called you ‘Birdie’ but baby girl? He sure was getting more cocky and flirtatious with you. Yet again, Hawks was a huge flirt with everyone, mainly to keep up his reputation as a friendly supportive hero. His fan service is what made girls swoon for him. However, you weren’t really affected by it, you wanted to remain professional with Hawks, nothing more, nothing less.

He had other plans.

—

Two more months past easily. You were starting to get more and more used to Hawks’ antics and behavior. He hired two more sidekicks, primarily to clean up after his messes so he could drag you along to the next distress call, all to see that smile on your face. Other than finally being able to work a lot more, you grew closer to Hawks personally. You discovered his favorite coffee, favorite food, restaurant, places to go, and what he enjoyed doing in his free time. The wall that divided friendship and a friendly co-worker relationship remained established by you, becoming uncomfortable when he would start to casually touch you inappropriately. In a way co-workers shouldn’t be doing.

The relationship between you both was complicated in the eyes of others, especially when Hawks was so persistent. He would come behind you and swing his arm around your shoulders, fingers occasionally brushing gently over your breasts. Then you had the slight PDA. If you were on patrol and some guy walked a bit too close to you, Hawks would place his hand on the small of your back, his thumb stroking slowly, dangerously close to touching your ass. It didn’t help when his wing would cover your body and shield you away from everyone. His flirting became sexual fairly quick, and you were beginning to become more and more uncomfortable by the day. Just like now.

Hawks ordered you to lay down on the couch in his office while he cut your nails. Why? Who fucking knew. He explained it was a bird thing. His hands were bare of gloves, jacket discarded to rest over you to keep you warm in his slightly cool office. His rough fingers glided across yours gently, trimming your nails like an expert. “Do you trim your nails a lot, Hawks? I feel like I’m about to get a professional manicure.” He laughed and rose his hand further up your hand to your wrist, golden eyes admiring your fingers closely. His warm hand carefully began to glide up your forearm, then back down, caressing your skin. A chill ran down your spine at his lack of response. “H-Hawks?”

“Ya know birds preen themselves and their mates? The males...” He began to lean in closer towards your face, pupils dilating while he focused solely on you. You attempted to pull your hand back away from him but he continued. “They’ll preen their feathers to look their best to court fertile females.” That word made your stomach twist in fear. The word ‘fertile’ was such an animalistic and carnal way of viewing a significant other. You could now smell the heavy musk of his cologne, the minty scent of his breath, and the hot gaze he had fixated on you. He was intoxicating. “And the males will preen the females, and feed them, and take care of them while the females raise the chicks.”

“W-What’re you s-saying all of a sudden...?” He only stared into your eyes with a smirk, wings stretching out behind him while his other hand finally came to rest on your thigh. His wings began to close in around you both, before his phone rang. Tearing himself away from you, he plucked his phone from his pocket and gave off a cheesy smile. “Hawks here, whatcha need?” You were struggling to regain your composure from what had just happened, but the shock would settle into your brain somehow. You should’ve expected this from Hawks, he was a flirt sure, but to the extent of explaining avian courtship with you? What was he even getting at? “We’re on our way.” He hung up the phone abruptly and slung his coat off you and onto himself. His gloves slid on easily, looking at you in confusion.

“What’re you doin’? Let’s go! We’ve got work to do, birdie.”

——

“Man that was boring. At least I got to stretch my wings out a bit, right birdie?” Hawks grinned and looked back at your dizzy form struggling to stand due to the speed and harsh jerks while Hawks was flying you to the distress call. You propped a hand against the wall and covered your mouth briefly before swallowing thickly and coughing. “Y-Yeah... right... not like I almost died flying with you or anything...” He let out an obnoxious heart fluttering laugh and walked on over to you, smiling smugly as he handed you his stack of paperwork from the distress call. You stared at it for a moment, then looked back up at him, tempted to wipe that smug look right off his pretty face. “Well... to repay you, I’ll just go on ahead and give you my paperwork, then you can have the day off tomorrow. Sound like a plan?”

A grumble came from your lips in response, sitting on the couch and looking through what was needed to be done. There was no way Hawks was actually going to let you have a day off. The last one you did have he came to your home and told you to get dressed, that you both were going on a mission. Sadly that mission ending in chicken nuggets, a lowly robber trying to rob a gas station, and more paperwork for you. “Like you’re gonna give me a peaceful day off tomorrow, Hawks. Might I remind you that my last day off you dragged me out of my house the entire day? The time before that you wouldn’t stop texting me about how bored you were, and spammed me every time I didn’t answer.” A small huff is directed towards him, and he only laughs in response, shrugging his shoulders dismissively.

“What can I say, I miss you baby girl. I always like havin’ my favorite side kick by my side, fightin’ crime... and helping me get one step closer to my dream for this world.” Your eyes softened at Hawks’ kind words, a smile spreading over your lips. Maybe Hawks genuinely did think you were a good sidekick. Maybe you were a bit too hard on him, a friendship could actually work between the two of you. “You’re the best fucking side kick ever, birdie. Ya know that?” He questioned, wings slowly expanding while he came around beside you and plopped down. His wings came behind you, his legs spread wide apart and nudging your knee. “But there’s still more room to improve, birdie. You wanna know how to be an even better side kick?”

“How?” You tilted your head in curiosity, momentarily stopping your assault on the pile of papers you had in front of you to look him in the eye. Hawks turned his body towards you, wing covered your bodies from the door so no one would see. His eyes had once again filled with carnal desire, his tongue sliding across his lips. “By kissin’ me. Right now. Right here on the lips.” He pat his soft pale pink lips, a devilish smirk spreading over his lovely pretty face. Your eyes widened in shock, freezing in your tracks as those words processed in your brain. “Wh-What?” You thought you heard him wrong, did he actually just ask you to kiss him? You must be hearing things or he must have flew into a window, cause there was no way in hell, the Hawks just demanded you kiss him. “I think you heard me baby girl, you’re just playin’ with me aren’tcha?”

“H-Hawks that’s very inappropriate... I’m your sidekick... we shouldn’t-“ He cut you off by grabbing your chin, his deep golden eyes burning holes through your skull as he stared at you with a predatory gaze. You swallowed thickly, feeling utterly trapped by his hypotonic gaze. “There’s nothin’ inappropriate about it. You’re just a good lil’ sidekick, who wants to show her hero how much she appreciates him, right? That’s what we’re doin’ love bird, unless... you’re not a good girl? And you don’t appreciate everything I’ve done for you.” This was definitely peer pressure and sexual harassment. One kiss couldn’t hurt right? Then he would leave you alone, let you finish your work, and you could be on your merry way back to the comfort of your bed. “Just... one kiss okay?”

“That’ll depend on how good ya kiss me.” He smirked smugly and brought your faces closer together, his head slowly moving to the side. Your noses brushed together, the contact making your whole body shudder under his touch. His eyes scanned yours, a smirk still tugging at his lips as he waited for you to lean in the rest of the way. Swallowing thickly and trying to calm your racing heart, you rested your hands on his chest, slowly leaning in and molding your lips together with his. You were going to pull away, but he harshly grabbed the back of your head and jerked your head back by your hair, deepening the kiss. Your eyes jerked open in shock, hands clenching together against his chest, weakly trying to push him off.

His wings spread wide around you both, feathers rippling and shivering under the pleasure of your lips finally against his. He had only dreamed of having you like this. Hawks knew he needed to keep himself contained for the moment, he wasn’t done playing with you just yet. His tongue slid over your lips, digging his slimy muscle between your plush lips, grazing your teeth with his tongue. You slowly opened your mouth, deciding it would be better to give him what he wanted than to have him whine and manipulate you for more. His tongue was hot, spit exchanging between your mouths as hot breathes were exhaled into each other when you parted for air. There was something that was keeping you glued to him —much to your disliking. His touch felt too good to let go of.

“Fuck, baby.” Hearing him curse like that made your legs twitch in your seat, a sudden rush of heat making your love parts tingle in excitement. Spit ran down your chin as he continued his assault on your mouth, thick gloved hands roughly grabbing your shoulders and moving down your chest, giving your breasts a firm squeeze. This was when you pushed him off, his tongue lulling out of his mouth, both your saliva coating his dripping muscle. “J-Just that one kiss! That’s it! N-Now can I... c-can I go home?” His only response was the dispersing of his wings to shrug his jacket off, dark vermillion feathers coming back to bring his intimidating wings back to life. He wiped his mouth on his now bare hands, smirking with a knowing grin. “Nah, I ain’t satisfied yet. I think I need s’more kisses from my good sidekick.”

The blush burning your cheeks only grew more prominent when he pulled you over to the couch in his office, plopping you on his lap before running his hands over your waist. His eyes roamed over your body lovingly, biting his lip in anticipation once he looked back up into your waiting eyes. “Kiss me everywhere, baby. Show me just how much you appreciate me, yeah? How much you love your brave handsome hero.” You shifted uncomfortably on his lap, clothed sex slowly brushing against his thigh while you leaned in close to his lips. Your fingers glided over his cheek, kissing him once again before trailing slow tender kisses across his cheek and down to his stubble. That small patch of hair that made him look more like a man than a pretty boy. “Yeah, love bird. Your lips feel amazing on me, keep goin’.”

Spurred on by his praise, you continued to kiss down his neck, biting gently near his Adam’s Apple and give it a nice lick. Your kisses fell to his clothed collar bones, kissing over his shoulders and down his sternum. Your body was growing hotter by the second as Hawks piercing gaze remained on you while you moved to the floor between his legs. A low groan rumbled in his throat when you began to kiss his abdomen while running your fingers down his slim waist and over his lovely abs. “Fuck, birdie. This ain’t your first time is it? I bet you’ve done this plenty of times. I can smell your arousal all the way from up here, damn.” His husky words sent more warmth between your legs, feeling a noticeable wetness start to build up in your panties. It made you ashamed at how wet your boss was making you.

“N-No, sir... I’ve only done this... once or twice...” Hawks’ sadistically cruel smirk widened upon hearing you voice your vague inexperience. He ran his fingers through your hair, slowly running over your cheek before he pushed your head away from his lower abdomen with his palm. “Well... you’re acting like a total slut. A slut for me, yeah? You’d spread your legs for your hero wouldn’t you? It’d make you the best sidekick in the world.” His deep manipulatively sultry voice echoed in your ears, turning your brain into mush. Hawks slowly brought his hands away from your face and moved his tight shirt up his abdomen, hands immediately going back to fumble with his belt. Two large H’s hung loosely to the sides while his fingers slowly pulled the zipper down, bright crimson wings fluttering in excitement. “Hawk got your tongue, love bird?”

You swallowed and answered quickly. “Y-Yes sir... wait, I-I mean no. I don’t... I don’t want this Hawks.” Your arms lowered to covered your chest defensively, a blush rising against your cheeks. Still, you couldn’t ignore the wetness that gathered between your legs. Now Hawks was getting forceful. “Why not? I can smell how aroused you are down there. You want it too, you can’t deny that, birdie. What’s holdin’ you back from letting me fuck you so fuckin’ hard against my couch, huh?” His question was poisonous, daring you to say one word of rejection before he would pounce on you and infect your body with his lust. You shifted under his harsh pressure, squeezing your arms tighter against you. “I... I don’t know...“

“Then stop resisting, and be a good girl. Wouldn’t want me to punish you, right?” His thumb lightly ran over your bottom lip, ever so slightly pushing your top lip up to hook his thumb in your cheek. You swallowed and obediently parted your teeth and lips to suck on his thumb, succumbing to your arousal and his persistent advances. “Awah, there’s my good girl.” Hawks lightly smacked your cheek with his other hand, growling lowly as the tent in his pants grew. He pulled his thumb from your mouth, smearing your saliva back onto your lips before palming his erection. “Mmff... C’mere baby girl, come gimme a kiss real quick, huh?”

You shakily stood, legs almost giving out from the amount of heat swimming around your head. You leaned down, obediently kissing your boss’s lips sweetly before he pulled away to snap out your next order with authority. “Strip. Now.” His deep gravely growl sparked an unknown fire inside your heart to please. You’d always been somewhat of a people pleaser, and right now, you wanted to please the fuck out of Hawks. You stood from the floor, staring straight into his eyes while you unzipped your hero costume, the sound exciting the pro more. His lip caught between his teeth, eyelids hooding over his gorgeously animalistic golden eyes. He groped and grabbed at himself, groaning lowly when you started to slip the material off your shoulders and down your waist, revealing your lovely clothed breasts to him. “Fuck, birdie. You’re so fucking gorgeous, damn.”

Once you had unzipped it all the way, you peeled it off your body, showing him inch by inch of your smooth plush skin. He watched carefully as your feet slipped from the last parts of the costume, excitedly watching you reach behind yourself to unclip your bra. “There ya go, birdie. Gimme more.” The fabric slid off your shoulders, nipples hardening at the cool air hitting them. It didn’t help that Hawks wings beat aggressively at the mere sight of your breasts in front of his avian eyes. His jaw clenched harshly, his palm crushing harder onto his hard cock, aching for some sort of relief from the tightness. “Oh fuck, C’mere love bird.”

He roughly grabbed you and yanked your panties off with one harsh jerk, shamefully making you wetter at his roughness. His hands shakily shuffled to push his pants down to his knees, instantly attaching up to your hips and pulling you onto his thigh. Hawks attacked your lips once again, rubbing his hands up and down your sides before harshly pulling you back and forth against his muscular thigh. Your nimble fingers tangled into his messy golden hair, your head tilting back in ecstasy at the amazing friction of his thigh on your sopping cunt. “Mmm... so wet for me, you like ridin’ my thigh? Yeah? You like me shovin’ you back and forth, grindin’ my thigh against your cute little pussy, achin’ to be filled by my fat cock. Ain’t that right?”

“Yes, ahhh... mhm! F-Feels good, sir...” His hands smushed your cheeks together, forcefully bringing your face towards him and sloppily kissing you. A deep groan went into your mouth while his tongue worked wonders to your own mouth. Your hands slowly slid up his other thigh, resting your thumb on the underside of his clothed cock. It was so warm, and hard, you couldn’t help but let your eyes roll back into your skull as you imaged how good it’d feel inside. “You want it? Tell me...” He leaned close to your ear, groaning deeply at how good your sweet pussy felt against his thigh, slick with your arousal all for him. He breathed huskily in your ear, nudging his cheek against yours. “Tell me how fucking bad you want it.”

“I... I want it, Hawks... I want it... s-so badly, sir...” He chuckled against your ear, the vibrations of his deep voice sending goosebumps down your spine. His semi-large warm hands pressed you harder down on his muscular thighs, his thumb coming down to rub harshly on your clit. “What is it you want, baby girl? What d’you want? I won’t know unless you tell your hero properly.” The egotistical smirk returned, his teeth peeking from between his soft pink lips, teasing you. He pulled you close to him, slamming your lips together against for another passionate sloppy kiss before he yanked you away with your hair. “Say it, right fuckin’ now.”

“I-I want your... f-fat cock Hawks...” He pondered for a moment if he even wanted to accept. He snaps his fingers unexpectedly and points to the floor. Immediately understanding what he wanted, you got on your knees between his legs, staring lewdly at the bulge in his boxers, mouth already salivating at the thought of pleasing him and hearing praise. “You’ll take it in your mouth first, right? Make it all nice ‘n wet for that slippery pussy.” His dirty words had a sinful effect on you, urging you and plaguing your mind to try harder. Your hands moved up his thighs, his warm skin making your body all the more hot. “Y-Yes sir, anything for you...” Once your finger tips met fabric you slid your pads over his raging hard on, slowly hooking over the hem of his boxers, pulling them down slowly.

Your face lit up in embarrassment once he was displayed all for you. His cock sprang free from its confines, lightly hitting his abdomen as small pearls of his sweet pre cum oozed from the tip. His wings fluffed up at the chilling air sweeping over his steamy cock. “Well? What’re you waitin’ for baby girl? Go on and suck your hero’s cock.” You could practically hear his grin, his cockiness shining through his lack of embarrassment to hide himself. He knew he looked good, Hawks was very attractive, but he was also well equipped down under all his baggy clothes. You carefully leaned forward, anxiety shooting through your veins as you gave his ruby red tip a kitten lick. “C’mon birdie, you can do better than that can’tcha? I thought you wanted to be a better sidekick. Guess I was wro- Oh fuck!”

You didn’t let him finish before you grabbed the base a little firmly and took him into your mouth, teeth slightly grazing his cock. “N-No teeth baby! Ahah fuck! Your mouth is so fuckin’ warm baby girl... you damn slut.” Your eyes instinctively squeezed shut hearing his degrading comments. It made you ashamed how much he turned you on. You were dripping and aching to be filled by his hard cock, but you also loved the passionate fore play. “Yeah, suck my cock harder, yeah birdie oh fuck yeah!” His hands shifted through your hair, messing it up in the process. You obeyed him, turning your head to the side and taking him in deeper. Inch, by inch, his steamy cock disappeared into your hot mouth. His head threw back momentarily at your harsh sucks, mouth gaping and panting loudly. “Ahgh! Yeah! Just like that, just like that, oohhoo fuck...”

Drops of pearly pre cum smeared over your tongue and the back of your throat, the sweet taste making everything hazy. His tip grazed your uvula, making you slightly gag, but you forced it down, taking his cock all the way down till your nose bumped against his pubic bone. His musky smell only became more clear, your nose buried in his curly blonde pubes, chin brushing briefly against his plumply perfect balls, full of potent cum to knock up fertile little birds like you. His hands suddenly fisted your hair into a tight grip, pulling you back and then back down, a gagging sound resonating in your throat. “I’m almost there...! Shit!” He jerked your head back and forth, tears prickling at the sides of your eyes. He threw his head back, growling through grit teeth as his dick twitched inside. “Cumming! Fuck!”

He shoved your face flush against his crotch, salty spurts of white shooting to the back of your throat. His head hung low quickly, panting and rasping out a few curses. Your eyes fluttered open, a few stray tears falling when you go to look up at him. His sexy golden eyes are squeezed shut, his lip caught between his pearly white teeth, cheeks flushed a soft pink with some sweat trickling down the side of his head. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Ahh... good girl... so good baby... mmngh.” He slowly opened his eyes, pupils blown up with lust and need. His feathery blonde hair a mess in front of your face stuffed with his cock. He wiped your tears away and pushed your forehead back slowly, groaning as he watched his cum drip down the side of your chin. “Yeah, birdie. Swallow it, swallow all of my sweet nectar. It’s all for you, ya know?”

You sucked on his tip once he got that far pulling it out of your mouth, milking the last bits of cum from his slippery cock. Your tongue moved around the thick liquid, squishing it and mixing it with your own saliva before you shakily swallowed, shivering at the thought of swallowing the number two pro hero’s cum. A low cough burned your throat the moment it struggled to go down your throat, amusing the man above you. “Such a good girl... you deserve a reward don’tcha think? Well, it just so happens I know just the thing to give ya. On the couch, birdie.” You nodded. He pat the couch, smirking smugly when you obediently got on the couch and laid on your back. He quickly stepped out of his underwear, leaving him now completely naked just like you. “Feet on my shoulders, now love bird.”

“H-Hawks what’re you gonna do? I-I’m not ready for that...” You were under the sole impression he was going to stick his cock in you right now, raw, without any preparation or anything. You were happily mistaken. He chuckled, animal-like eyes staring straight into yours while his lips moved from the inside of your knee caps down to your inner thighs. “Oho no, baby girl. I told you I’d reward you didn’ I? And ‘m gonna do just that... by eating out this sloppy pussy of yours.” Without another word, he pushed your legs apart and gave your most private parts a lick with the flat of his tongue. Your back arched, hands flying to the couch to grip onto the expensive leather. “Ahh! Hawks! Wait-!”

“No time for waitin’ birdie, now that I’ve got a taste I want more.” He growled out the last word with a snarl of his lips, sharp canines showing themselves to you as he dove right back in. He gave your wet lips a few kisses, licking small circles with the tip of his tongue, tasting your sweet love juice. “Mmm! Hawks! Stop teasing me you a-assho- Oh! Mm, yes!” Your head unexpectedly lulled backwards, toes curling once he pushed his tongue inside your sopping cunt. Wet and lewd noises came from below you, slurping sounds coming occasionally as Hawks ate you out so good. His teeth mashed against your folds as his tongue pushed deeper inside, sucking your tasty arousal into his mouth. His stubble slightly grazed your pussy, making you squirm.

“Ahh, Hawks, Hawks ngh! It feels so good...!” Your sweet moans spurred him on, his nose bumping against your clit as he ate you out so damn good. His tongue was like magic, your thighs were becoming all the more hot with his large hands pushing them apart. “Mmff~ yeah birdie, keep lettin’ out all those sexy noises. Moan out my name, better yet, scream it. Let everyone know who’s gonna fuck you real nice, and that you’re my birdie. Fuck you taste so damn good.” He growled against your pussy, becoming more ferocious and desperate to taste your cum. Your hands shook harshly against the leather couch, breathing heavy and ragged as the knot in your stomach came close to snapping. “Hawks I’m cumming! Oh god I’m going to cum...! S-So hard, Ahh!”

“Yeah baby, cum on my face! Fuck I want it! Cum for me, oh fuck cum for your hero!” He seemed just as desperate as you are for you to cum. He wanted to taste all your sweet arousal for him, to pride himself in making you cum from his tongue. His thumb harshly pressed and rubbed against your clit, the bundle of nerves making your body twitch in ecstasy. The coil finally snapped, throwing your head back and cumming on his face. “Hawks! Mmm! Hah!” His hot hands grabbed your hips, smushing his face further between your legs, tongue fucking you through your blissful orgasm. Your eyes caught sight of his massive red wings beating weakly and twitching ever so slightly. “Mm, fuck, baby girl, you taste amazing. I can see myself becoming addicted to you... good thing you’re about to be mine~”

He pulled his face away with his lips dripping with your sweet juices, some smeared on his pink cheeks. He clambered on top of you, kissing you passionately, his hands coming to rest against your face in comfort. His tongue weaved it’s way through your swollen lips, letting you have a taste of yourself. He pulled away briefly to pant and stare down at your dripping sensitive pussy while he pushed his fingers in. “Gotta stretch you out the right way, yeah? Gotta make sure your cute little pussy is ready for my fat cock.” He panted softly against the top of your breasts, his hair in your face as he intently watched his fingers disappear. He could feel the ridges of your fluttering walls, the sloppy mess of his saliva and your cum inside making his wings shiver.

“Hawks, wait! It’s s-sensitive! Mm!” His fingers thrust into your core faster, making wet squelching noises while his other hand rubbed against your clit again. He spread his two fingers, stretching out your walls to prepare you for his big cock. “Stop! I’m gonna cum again! I’m-!” He pulled his fingers out quickly and brought his fingers up to his mouth, sucking away your juices before grabbing your hips and yanking you towards his lower half. He growled lowly, his lips now grazing against your ear, his hips rutting against yours, rubbing his already hard cock against your folds. “I want you to cum on my cock... crying out my name, grabbin’ at me and beggin’ me to let you cum... so fucking hard.”

“Y-Yes, Hawks...” You whispered obediently.

“Keigo.” He corrected softly.

“Huh...?” You asked in confusion. His smile turned sad and he pecked your lips, wings coming to cover the both of you. It was his way of telling you and reassuring himself that you were both safe with each other. “It’s... my real name. Keigo Takami. And you can’t tell anyone, okay? Only you can know. I trust you, (Y/N).” There was no ‘baby girl’ ‘birdie’ or any other nickname he’d given you, just your first name, displaying his seriousness. You parted your lips to test his name on your tongue. “Keigo...” You smiled a little, heart warming at the amount of trust Hawks—Keigo had in you. His cheeks darkened with a flustered smile. It was clear that it’s been a while since anyone had ever said his real name. “Yeah baby, feels good hearin’ you say it. Say it s’more.”

“Keigo Takami.”

“Again.”

“Keigo Takami.”

“Fuck, I love you.” He attacked your lips again, not giving you any time to process or respond to his confession of love to you. It had to be a spur of the moment thing. There wasn’t any way in hell he loved you. Your brain barely registered what he had even said when you felt something hot, wet, and hard brush against your entrance. Your fingers ran up his arms, grasping onto his shoulders before he pushed himself in slowly. He parted his lips away to moan in unison with you, panting lightly against your face as he struggled to contain himself. “So damn t-tight... feels so good, fuck.” The hero’s blunt nails dig harshly into the leather couch, his teeth coming to rest in his lower lip, trying his hardest to resist fucking you as hard as he could right now. He need to make this moment memorable. The first time you had sex with him.

“Keigo it’s... it’s so hot... ahh, I-it’s still going!” You hook your arms under his and pull him closer, his own arms collapsing beside you to have his elbows near your head. His golden eyes focused on your lewd expression, drinking in every detail with his sharp avian eyes. “Almost there, love bird, almost there. Fuck, you look so damn sexy gettin’ stuffed with my cock, hah~ Do you like it? You like my cock slowly goin’ inside you baby?” Your head nods eagerly, blunt nails digging crescents into the hero’s back. Finally he stopped his hips, panting against your face as his golden eyes searched for any signs of wanting to back out. When he saw none, he let out a breathy chuckle. “Damn, you really are a slut... I wonder, if you were Endeavors sidekick, would you let him do this to you?”

“H-Huh? N-no- mmm! Keigo!” He pulled out and slammed it back in unexpectedly, the sound of leather being scrunched in his palms echoing beside your ear. Your passionate hero slammed his hips against yours, harsh pants beside your ear with a sliver of a groan. “L-Liar... hah, you’d let... anyone do this to you wouldn’t you? You just want a big... fat cock buried inside you! Ain’t that r-right, love bird?” Your hands were clawing at his back, desperate for something to hold onto so you wouldn’t be forced away from him. It definitely helped him slam his cock deeper inside. Your head frantically shook, hands shifting to run through his hair and to touch his face, trying to stare into his golden eyes. “N-No Keigo! Mmm! I only want you! Please! Ahh!”

“Yeah, yeah that’s right baby, you’re fucking mine! All mine to... tease and p-please all I want! Yeah? Yeah?! Ohhh yes baby, yes.” The air around you was becoming thick, a steamy tension that you could probably cut with a knife. Your eyes were already rolling back into your skull at all of the blissfully sinful stuff Keigo was doing to you. He was hitting all the right places, the rigid movements of his cock making you go wild. Keigo was soaking in all of your lewd moans and cries of his real name, loving the way your body ached to keep him close. “Such a good girl. What a good, ahhh... sidekick you are, hmm? Lettin’ your favorite hero... shove his cock inside you like this. Ahh, hah, yeah... so good.”

He slowed the rolling of his hips to a steady, deep pace. He would pull out only to push harshly back inside until his balls painfully pressed against your curvy ass. Keigo watched your body shudder harshly under him, smirking as his teeth grit together attempting to push his cock deeper inside. His slicked up cock head met the opening of your cervix, a moan slipping past him once he felt the entrance to your fertile womb. “Ooohhh fuck. Baby you’re driving me fuckin’ wild!” He leaned over your head, his breath gently hitting your face before he sucked in a breath and smashed his lips against yours in a fiery passion. He moved his hips up and down, the friction of his skin on yours burning your sore thighs more than they already were. “Mmm, K-Kei-... go~”

The call of his name between sloppy kisses urged him to pull out only to thrust back inside a bit more shallower. His lips parted from yours and he began to kiss your neck while he picked up his pace. Hickeys soon blossomed over your neck, indicating you were his. The large red wings on his back were twitching and flapping in tension. Smaller feathers fell to the floor as they shook loose from his avian limbs. Your breasts bounced with every thrust he made inside, slowly jerking your body up and down the leather. The couch weakly moaned at the weight and rapid movement of the hero’s hips. “Mmm, do you hear that? Hah... the wet sloshing of your p-pussy... gettin’ fucked by my cock so deep...”

“Yes... yes I hear it! Oh, Keigo!” He continued, slamming inside of you aggressively and possessively, making it his soul goal to make you cum all over his hard cock. His wings were twitching and spreading wider, flapping harder as he neared his climax. Papers went flying as his wings knocked them off the coffee table, a couple nick nacks tumbling to the floor. “Tell me, mmm! How good of a sidekick you are... how good It feels being pumped full of cock... ngh, fuck! And how much you need me! C’mon birdie say it!” His hips were beginning to falter and become clumsy and organized, his moans getting louder. You were beginning to feel a tight knot forming in the pit of your stomach, walls clenching around his cock.

“Keigo! I’m a good sidekick! It-! It feels so-! Ahhh! Feels so good inside! I need you so bad! Oh fuck! ’m gonna cum!” He moaned deeply into your face, biceps shuttering beside you as his muscles began to tighten with tension. He fucked through your tightness, moaning uncontrollably and babbling about how close he was. “I’m close, oh fuck I’m close. I’m so close. You’re m-milking my cock so fucking good! Yeah, mmm! Milk my cock! Squeeze every... bit of my cum out! Y-Yeah? C’mon baby! Cum for me!” It didn’t take much more before you were clawing at his back with your thighs trembling, toes curling wildly. Your head threw back, back arching with a very loud shout of ecstasy as you came all over his warm cock. “OH GOD! KEIGO!”

“Yes, yes, fuck, yeah, yeah, yeah, FUCK! Oh shit! I’m cum- NGH!” Keigo’s wings shot towards the ceiling, sharp feathers scattered and flying away as he lost control of his body, mind hazy and incapable of controlling his quirk fully. He sheathed his hips inside, gooey head smushing against your cervix to give you his potent seed. His mouth hung open with stuttering raspy gasps and pants. “I love you, I love you so much, love bird.” He weakly rolled his hips back into yours, cum soaked balls pattering against your ass softly. With his cum pathetically fucked back into your pussy, he pulled out and sat up on his haunches, staring down at the mess you both made. “F-Fuuuuck... that was... amazing, birdie. You’re the best sidekick in the world... you know that? Spoilin’ me like this.”

“Sh-Shut... up you winged... bastard.” You panted between your uneven breaths, trying to calm your racing heart and staggered breathing. The air was still thick around you both, the smell of sex still evident. There was worry swirling around your head at what had just happened. Your first thought was to go home, clean up, and buy some plan B since the bird brain had mindlessly came inside you. But that wasn’t the biggest concern. What was Keigo going to do now that he had gotten what he wanted? He’d manipulated you into having sex with him, praising you like a lover would. You couldn’t help but wonder if all of this was just some game to get into your pants. What you didn’t know was that he was waiting for a response to his confession. Now, he needed to confront you. “What’s with the look, love bird? You seem stressed. Regretting sleepin’ with me? You don’t have to be afraid of tellin’ me how you feel! I know it’s intimidating but no need to be afraid.”

“Keig- I-I mean Hawks...” He felt a pang in his heart at the way you corrected yourself from his real name, something he trusted you with. He didn’t regret what he’d done, but this was not the outcome he was expecting. In his slightly delusional thoughts, he figured you would’ve fallen in love with him the moment you kissed. His poor ego would be his downfall. “I don’t know what you were trying to gain from this... well, this wasn’t entirely your fault, I gave in, and I shouldn’t have done that. You’re my boss. And-“ Now he was getting frustrated and impatient. Of course that’s what you thought. He did use his authority and manipulative nature to weave his way into your pants and sprout insecurities and worries within you. “Enough with that already. Who cares if I’m your boss, I thought I’d made it pretty clear I have feelings for you.”

“But- But-“

“And you wouldn’t have slept with me if you actually hated me that much. There’s still a lot you don’t know about me, but I’d be glad to enlighten you.” His golden eyes were becoming more intense and steely, dangerously glinting in a threatening way. If you wouldn’t willingly love him, he would manipulate his way to your heart, exploit you and make sure you believed you love him. Cause if you believed you did, he knew you would eventually love him for real. “Don’t you want to know the secrets of your favorite hero? You wanted to be special? Wanted to rise in the world of being a hero? Let’s face the reality here, you fear of not being successful.”

He was right, and he was slowly breaking you down.

“I’ve done so much for you, (Y/N). So damn much. I think I’ve sacrificed a lot of my time and efforts to try and make you better.” His hands ran over your cheek, slowly trailing his hand down and over your breasts causing your breath to hitch. You were frozen into place as his perfected behavior settled in your heart, churning your stomach. “You’re nice, ya know? A little too nice sometimes. But I think I deserve a little more of a reward for bein’ such a good hero and mentor.” Tears welled in your eyes, a stray salty streak coming down and slipping down your neck. He smirked and leaned down, licking up your neck and your cheek until he kissed your eye softly. “And what I want... is for you to be mine, and love me just as much as I love you.”

So you had heard it right, he loved you.

“I know you want to be successful love bird, and I know all you wanted was to fight beside me. But... I want more than that.” He gave you a lob sided pure smile of his. It wasn’t one of his fake public smiles, a real genuine one. You slowly looked away from him, biting your lip as he continued to shower you with how much he wanted you. “C’mon, just admit it. Tell me you’ll be mine, love bird. You’ll be mine, and we’ll be unstoppable together. We’ll make my dream come true. That way... we can experience a world of peace together.” He was talking from his heart. You didn’t know it, but after being trapped by the commission, he desperately wanted to be free so he could fly without a care in the world. He wasn’t done yet though, he still needed to complete his ultimate mission. And he wanted you beside him the whole way. “Say it.” He pressured passively.

“I... I’ll be yours Keigo...” He chuckled in response.

“Such a Good Sidekick.”

[miu-miu369]

I don't think I eve shared this

Heartbreak

Summary:

Miruko feels dumb. Their meetups started just as simple hookups, but she soon starts to fall in love with the infamous Shigaraki.

Notes:

Sex is mentioned a few times, but nothing is descriptive at all. Enjoy the angst!

Rumi's stomach was doing summersaults as she was getting dressed, preparing to go home. Her evening with Shigaraki lasted much longer, much to her shyly asking for extra time to cuddle afterwards. She knew she shouldn't be doing that sort of thing. Hookups weren't meant to have any emotions behind them, especially if she was having sex with the most infamous villains in Japan. She just couldn't get enough, and it nearly killed her inside.

"Hey," she slowly sat down on the bed where Shigaraki still laid. He didn't look up from his phone but raised his eyebrows, so she continued on, "Do you mind if I spend the night next week?"

This got his attention. He set his phone down before looking up at her, "Why?"

"Uhm," she suddenly felt nervous and a little shy, "Well, we're getting a blizzard around the time when I get back, and I was just wondering if it's okay if I spent the night."

"You trying to get your little friends in here," Shigaraki leaned towards her, "That would be a big mistake."

"No," Rumi quickly shook her head, "No hero stuff. I promise."

"Then fine," Shigaraki turned away, "Now go."

Without another word, Rumi walked out of the room and was escorted out of the building. The whole way home, she did her best to avoid any fans. She couldn't handle it right now. She loved the attention, and she loved that they loved her. She just hated that the one person that she was falling for didn't and would never feel the same way. As soon as she got home, she sank to the floor and cried.

*****

The night of their sleep over came so quickly that Rumi had no time to even register it. The moment that she was back in Shigaraki's room, he got right to work with kissing her and making her feel amazing. She never really expected the sex to be that great, but Shigaraki surprised her and made her feel so pleased and happy. For a little while, she was happy that she could just shut her brain off and forget about everything that was happening. The more he called her beautiful though, smiling so kindly down at her in a way no one else will ever see, made her heart hurt.

After they both had finished, Shigaraki fell down next to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer against him. Rumi was thinking about how to tell him about her feelings. A small part of her even thought he might feel the same way. She wasn't a cowardly person, and she always said what was on her mind. This shouldn't be different.

"Hey," she cleared her throat, "I have to tell you something," she took a deep breath, "Things have changed."

Shigaraki's hold on her loosened, "I've noticed."

She took one more deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut, "I love you."

"I know."

Rumi was glad she had said something. Weight lifted off of her shoulders, but the silence in the room seemed to choke her. She turned over so she was facing him, hoping to hear him say it back, but he never did.

"Is that all you're going to say," Rumi still hoped that it wasn't.

Shigaraki moved a strand of hair out of her face, "You know what this was supposed to be, just something to pass the time. We both agreed on not getting attached."

"I'm sorry," Rumi felt herself start to cry, "I-you're just-I don't know what to say."

"It's stupid to fall for me, I thought you were smarter then this," Shigaraki watched her break down.

Rumi squeezed her eyes shut and sniffed, "I'm sorry."

She felt him moving in her arms until his back was facing her. He couldn't stand seeing her cry like this. Admittedly, he would break down as well, "If you're attached, then we need to end this. Now I'm not gonna send you out there in this storm, but you're leaving first thing in the morning. And then that's it."

Why did this feel like a break up? She didn't mean to catch feelings for him, she really didn't. She did her best to remember that they fucked, and then she left. She shouldn't have let her get attached like this.

"You're a real asshole," Rumi sniffed.

"What gave that away," Shigaraki scoffed, "Just go to sleep."

"Fuck you," Rumi cried and shoved her face into the pillow, "Ya know, I don't even care!"

"Liar."

"What did you just call me," Rumi peaked up.

"I said you're a fucking liar Rumi," Shigaraki was still turned away from her, "Now go to sleep."

Rumi cried harder into the pillow. She doesn't remember a time when she cried this much and this hard. She felt like she was getting shattered to pieces. In a way, this was a breakup, just nothing that Rumi ever thought she would have to deal with.

"I can stop, I promise," Rumi begged and rubbed his back, "I swear I can! I won't ever bring this up ever again!"

She heard Shigaraki sigh before he turned back over. He wasn't crying, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes. They stared at each other in silence for a while before he opened his arms and spoke up.

"Come here," he yanked her against him and wrapped his arms around her, "I'm sorry I can't be who you want me to be."

Rumi stayed silent for a while, taking in what he said before speaking up, "I'm sorry I can't hate you."

Shigaraki wiped away some of her tears but they just kept coming back, "I'm not sure which is worse. You loving me or hating me. Can I ask why?"

Rumi sniffed, "I don't know. I just...see so much sadness in your eyes and it makes me so fucking mad. I know you wont tell me about your past, you don't have to and that's okay, but it just still makes me so, so sad."

"And," Rumi continued, "You're so intelligent and smart. You have so much drive and talent and skill. You could have done great things. If whatever happened to you didn't, then maybe you could have become a hero."

Shigaraki almost broke down hearing that, but someone had to stay strong and Rumi clearly wasn't calming down any time soon, "Thanks. You're only the second person to ever tell me that."

"Well you should hear it more often asshole," Rumi hugged him, "Your little league would have fallen to pieces a long time ago if it weren't for you."

Shigaraki rubbed her back, letting her cry a little more. In all honesty, he'd be lying if he said he didn't get a little attached. Their meetups used to be every month or so, and they soon turned into once a week, some times twice a week. He would always look forward to her little visits and enjoyed their time together. In his mind, he was fucking the most beautiful woman in the world, and he did enjoy her company.

"I'm sorry I'm getting so emotional," Rumi spoke back up, "I'm so stupid."

"Hey, look at me right now," Shigaraki lifted her by her chin, "You, are far from stupid."

"Do you hate me?"

Shigaraki kissed her lightly, "If I hated you, I wouldn't be doing this. You know, all the stuff outside of sex."

"So," Rumi smiled lightly, "You at least like me?"

Shigaraki held her face and kissed her gently, "You're alright, hero."

Rumi thought about how much she would miss his gentle kisses, "But you want to end this."

"We have to, I don't want you getting hurt," Shigaraki wiped more tears off of her cheeks.

"It's a little too late for that."

"The sooner we end this, the less it'll hurt," Shigaraki said, "If we continue on, then I'm afraid it'll be worse."

Rumi couldn't imagine her life without him, "What if I stopped being a hero-."

"Rumi," Shigaraki interrupted.

"No, think about it," Rumi was doing anything but thinking at this point, "You hate heros, so what if I just retired? Would you love me then?"

"You're being stupid," Shigaraki, "The city needs you. Don't change just because you think it'll please me or because you think that we could date. I'd still be a villain, and it would put you in serious danger. Besides, I like you just the way that you are."

"And, if you stop being a villain?"

"Never gonna happen, bunny," Shigaraki shrugged, "Sorry but I'm not gonna change."

So," Rumi shook in his arms, "This is it."

He nodded, "I'm sorry Rumi. We can't go on. But look, you're beautiful, and you're so strong. I'm not you're soulmate, you can definitely find someone else who will love the hell out of you."

"But I've never felt this way towards anyone," Rumi cried harder, "No other person could ever replace you because they aren't you."

"You'll change you're mind," Shigaraki held her face in his hands, "Rumi, I don't want you waiting for me. All this pain you're feeling, it'll end at some point. It's gonna suck, but we'll be okay, I promise."

Rumi looked away for a moment, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"What," Shigaraki laughed, "Am I supposed to kick you out in a freaking snow storm? Bunny, I may be a villain, but I'm not a monster."

Rumi pressed her lips against him, and Shigaraki didn't hesitate to kiss her right back. She tasted so good. He would defiantly miss their weekly get togethers. Rumi pulled away first before tucking her head in the crook of his neck.

"I still fucking love you," Rumi whimpered.

"I know," Shigaraki ran a hand through her hair. I love you too, he thought. If he said it out loud, he would break down. "I'll miss you."

Rumi shut her eyes and sniffed, "Goodnight Tenko."

He let her have the final word. He gave her one last kiss on her forehead before the pair drifted off to sleep.

[atomic-taco-muffin]

The Lost Princess Chapter 67

Warnings: still don’t know

Rating: SFW

You and the others arrived in what looked like a bedroom and all of the objects looked huge. 

“What in the world?” Sora asked as he passed an equally oversized xylophone and soccer ball.

“Where are we?” you asked. Vanitas looked up to the larger-than-life bedside table and realized...

“Oh my gosh! Have we been shrunk?! And...and look at us!” he said. You all looked at yourselves, a similar figure though with considerably more plastic.

“You know what the magic is for. We have to protect the world order!” Donald said. 

“Border?” Rumi asked. 

“‘Order’!” 

“No one can understand you, chicken,” Roxy said.

“I’m not a chicken!” Something to the left caught Goofy's eye.

“Gawrsh...” he said. You and the others looked over. “Who's gonna protect the order from them?”

“Heartless!” you and the others said. You all summoned your weapons and ran at the Heartless.

“Okay. We go on three. One, two...” Woody said. Buzz's wings opened suddenly when he saw you and the others arrive.

“Wait!” he said. Rex, already at a running start, almost fell off the bed.

“What are you doing?!” Woody asked. Buzz directed Woody's gaze back to the floor.

“Who are those guys?” Woody asked. You and the others took out all the Heartless as the toy gang made their way to the wooden floor.

“Are they new?” Hamm asked. 

“Wait! Ah-- Ah-- You look familiar!” Rex said. He shoved past the rest of them toward a confused Sora. “I know this. You're, uh, you're, uhhh...”

“Yozora!” Hamm said. 

“Huh? My name's Sora.” A red dot appeared on Sora's chest as Buzz stood on alert.

“Stay back! For all we know, the intruders sent them,” Buzz said. Rex excitedly tackled Sora.

“Yozora!” he said. 

“Slow down there, Rex. We don't know them,” Woody said. 

“But we can trust them. They're the number-one-selling heroes in the country!”

“Yeah, Andy's mom must've bought 'em for him,” Hamm said. Rex shook Sora's hand as Buzz continued staying his distance, walking around you all in a circle.

“Hamm's right. Did you see how easily they took care of the intruders? I bet they're here to figure out why all our friends have gone missing, and why Buzz's laser started actually laser-ing...and all the weird stuff that's been going on,” Rex said. Buzz stared at the laser gun on his arm. “I mean, that's what heroes do, right?”

“Let's not jump to conclusions,” Buzz said. 

“Hmm...” Woody said. 

“Gotta be smart, Woody.” Woody casually walked up to Sora, surprising Buzz.

“So, you're...Andy's new toys?” he asked.

“Toys?” you and the others asked. 

“You sure did a number on those intruders.” 

“Those are the Heartless,” Goofy said.

“The bad guys!” Donald said.

“There’s also these creatures called Negaverses. Super dangerous,” Rumi said as she played with one of the bunny ears on her hood.

“We've been fighting against those ‘intruders’ for a while,” you said. 

“I knew it!” Rex said. Hamm chuckled. 

“Hmm... Okay,” Woody said. 

“Huh?” Buzz asked. 

“In that case, you're all right by me. My name's Woody. Put 'er there.” He offered a hand and Sora shook it.

“Hey,” Sora said. 

“Now hold on,” Buzz said. 

“I'm Sora--” 

“Yozora!” Rex said over excitedly. He got forlorn looks from everyone and joined the rest of Andy's toys.

“Actually, my name's Sora...”

“I’m (Y/N) and that’s my brother Vanitas over there.” 

“‘Sup?” Vanitas said.

“I’m Yui and this is my twin sister Roxy.”

“I’m Rumi.”

“And I'm Donald.”

“I'm Goofy.”

“And I'm...Buzz Lightyear.”

“Call me Hamm. It's a real honor.”

“And I'm Rex! I'm your biggest fan. In fact, I've been playing your game for months now. And I've already gotten you all the way up to LV 47. But that Bahamut boss is really tough. Slinky and I can't figure out how to beat him.” The Green Army Men walked up to you and the group. “Oh, I wish Slinky and the others were here. They'd be so happy to meet you!”

“All troops at attention, sir!” Sarge said. The Army Men saluted and you and the others returned it. A rolling sound caught your attention and your heard a squeak as the three Little Green Men coasted toward you on Andy's skateboard.

“Weeee!” they said. You and the others leaped out of the way. After leaving the skateboard, the toy aliens waddled over to Donald, their eyes blinking individually.

“Strangers,” one of them said. 

“From the outside,” another said. 

“Welcome,” another said. Rumi squealed and tried to hold one in her arms. 

“They're all toys? So that's why we look the way we do,” Vanitas said. He saw Buzz walking towards him and Sora as the aliens go on their way.

“Excuse me. You said that you've battled those intruders before. Tell us where and why,” Buzz said. 

“Oh... Well, uh...we are--” Sora said. 

“Order!” Donald said to him. Sora covered his mouth, making Vanitas snort and roll his eyes. 

“Well? You must have come from somewhere,” Buzz said. Hamm agreed while Woody walked over.

“Take it easy, Buzz. What matters is that they got those intruders out of our way--for at least a little while. No need to interrogate them,” Woody said. 

“Yeah, Buzz!” Rex said.

“Woody's right,” Hamm said. 

“Noted. But still...” Buzz said. 

“Oi. Have those ‘intruders’--the Heartless--been a problem around here?” Roxy said. 

“No, they just showed up a little while ago,” Woody said. 

“In fact, those ‘Heartless’ materialized...right after our friends up and vanished,” Buzz said. 

“You don't think...” Donald said to Goofy. 

“Well, gee. It can't just be a coincidence,” Goofy replied. Sora nodded and Woody gazed up at the window over Andy's desk.

“It wasn't always this lonely. One day we woke up, and we were the only toys left here. Nobody's heard from Mom, Molly, or Andy...” Woody said. He sat on a wooden block and stared at the underside of his shoe where the name "ANDY" was written in faded ink. “We keep waiting for Andy to come home.”

“You really care about him,” Yui said. Woody nodded and stood back up, rejoining you and the group.

“Yeah... He's the best friend that toys like us could ever hope to have,” he said. He placed a hand on Buzz's shoulder and the toys smiled.

“All right. We'd better start looking!” you said. 

“Huh?” Woody asked. 

“Have you gotten any clues we can go on--any other strange things that happened?” Sora asked. 

“Well... Hmm. There's one thing.” 

“One big thing,” Hamm said. 

“Huge, sir,” Sarge said. 

“What thing?” Rex said. 

“After everyone went MIA, the intruders didn't come alone. They arrived with a guy wearing a hood, dressed in black, just like you. As a matter of fact, he's the only other toy we've seen, outside of you guys,” Buzz said. 

“A black hood?” Vanitas gasped. “But that would mean...” 

“The Organization!” you and the others said. 

“You know who it is?” Woody asked. 

“Yeah. They're bad news,” Roxy said. 

“Seems like you have a lot of enemies,” Buzz said.

“We may have a hunch what's causing all the weirdness. Would you mind if we handle this?” Sora said. 

“I'm sorry. But we're not gonna leave this to you,” Woody said. 

“Huh?” you and the others asked. 

“If that guy had something to do with our friends vanishing, then he's our problem too. We've got to work together.” He extended a hand once more to Sora, who reciprocated.

“Right!” Sora said. You and the others shared a delighted response.

“So then, where can we find that guy?” you asked. Woody knelt toward the Army Men.

“Sarge, any word from the recon team?” he asked. 

“The latest reports place him in town, sir. At Galaxy Toys!” Sarge said. He pointed to the Galaxy Toys flyer on Andy's bulletin board.

“Then Galaxy Toys is where we're going. Sora, (Y/N). Follow me,” Woody said. He looked up to the window and you and the others followed his gaze. “It's out the window and down the roof.”

“Not so fast, cowboy,” Buzz said.

“Hm?”

“You seem pretty gung ho about going, but shouldn't we stay here and wait for Andy?” 

“Well... You've got a point, but...we've tried waiting. Look, if we go with Sora, we might find a clue. Are you with me, Buzz?” Buzz smiled.

“Of course. Okay, let's move out!” he said. You all exited through the window and down the roof of the garage to the driveway, engaging in spars with the Heartless that blocked your way. You all reached Galaxy Toys, home of Vic the Visitor, their alien mascot, displayed by the gigantic flying saucer that stood atop the building. You all crossed the threshold and entered the enormous toy store, Rex running in ahead.

“We're here!” he said. You all followed in awe of the spacious place. Large displays of Gigas were scattered on different shelves along with game boxes of all kinds. In the center of the first floor was an oversized gumball machine labeled "Space Capsule" with metal tracks leading in spirals to the upper floors. Roxy noticed the giant red Gigas.

“Oi, why doesn't THAT toy move?” she asked. 

“I guess it hasn't figured it out,” Woody said.

“Figured what out?” Sora asked. 

“I can make it move for you,” someone said. You and the others looked above the Space Capsule, where a black hooded figure entered through a dark portal, uncovering his hood and revealing himself to be Young Xehanort.

“You!” you and Vanitas growled. 

“You're from the dream--the first of the Xehanorts!” Sora said. 

“I'm so honored you remember me,” Y!Xehanort said. He snapped his fingers and three Heartless appeared along with three Negaverses. One Heartless jumped into the helmet of the red Gigas and assumed control of it. Its claw arm started to move with clicking sounds and it leaped toward you and Sora. Woody raised his hat to see better.

“Oh no! He CAN move!” he said. 

“Way cool!” Hamm said. The arm spun backwards into a fist with Hamm giving off a startled shriek.

“Look out!” Vanitas said. As the Gigas attempted a punch, you and your team held him off while Woody knocked Hamm out of the way.

“One heart's shadows fill the emptiness of another. See how they bring him to life? Like Heartless and Nobodies, they fit together,” Y!Xehanort said. 

“Enough! Why the hell are you doing this?!” you said. 

“There's a darkness we are missing and must reclaim. The way hearts connect in this world can provide us with a clue. So we made a copy of the world, and then pulled those hearts apart. I wonder how you'll handle the strain.” Hamm ran off to hide behind a potted plant with Rex. Young Xehanort summoned the portal again and began to enter.

“Wait! What the hell does that mean?” Vanitas said. 

“Don't let me down.” Young Xehanort left and the Gigas knocked you and your team away. Woody caught you all.

“Oh no!” Rex said. 

“Woody! What is going on? Is this toy a friend...or foe?” Buzz said. The Gigas stood, aiming its arm cannon at them.

“I think we've got our answer,” Woody said. The cannon fires burst, causing you all to flee in opposite directions, hiding behind shelving units.

“Oi, (Y/N)! You wanna take this?” Roxy said.

“Yeah! If the Heartless know how to do it, there's no reason you can't,” Sora said. 

“I’ll give it a try!” you said. You ran toward the Gigas, taking a spinning leap and landing inside. You grabbed onto the two control sticks inside and closed the helmet, leaping down to the floor to face off against the Heartless-controlled Gigas while also having Odile close by. Using the toy mech's various blasters, punches, Odile’s power, and explosions, you defeated the main Gigas troops while the others took down the small Heartless and Negaverses legions on the floor. The red Gigas slowed to a stop and the helmet opened as a Heartless disappeared, the Heart being released from inside it. You leaped out of the blue Gigas.

“He was being controlled? He wasn't just switched into battle mode by accident?” Buzz asked. 

“Buzz?” Sora asked. Buzz turned away

“It’s nothing,” he sighed. 

“I'm confused. That guy in the black coat--did he say he made a copy of the real world? What's that mean?” Woody said. 

“It...prob'ly means they split this world in two--your friends in one world, us in the other. Only one of the worlds is real, and the other is just really convincing,” Vanitas said.

“You can't be serious. Oh! That's right, you're from a video game. Well, maybe in your game, that's how things work...but here in reality, you can't ‘split worlds.’” Buzz said. You and your team were at lost for words. 

“This is ridiculous,” Buzz said. He waved you and your team off and walked away towards Woody. “Woody, let's go.”

“I admit, it does sound just a little far-fetched,” Woody said. Donald and Goofy rejoined the group. “But...say we HAVE been taken to some kind of alternate world. That would explain why your laser's real. And is it really that crazy? Worse than ‘evil emperors’ and ‘protecting the galaxy’? Any of that ring a bell?”

“Point taken. But that just means these strangers are part of the delusion. And I say it's time we parted ways and went home,” Buzz said. Donald and the others looked crestfallen.

“Thought we were friends, not strangers,” Yui said. 

“Look, I get that it seems weird, but we know something's wrong with this place. We should stick together,” you said.

“(Y/N)’s right. They helped with the intruders, so they might help find our friends,” Woody said. Buzz started walking toward the red Gigas.

“They have been there for us so far. You can't deny that. Come on. Every toy deserves a fair shake. Am I right?” Woody said. 

“Tell it to that toy over there,” Buzz said as he pointed to the Gigas. Woody fell silent.

“Sheriff, sir!” Sarge said. Woody looked atop the shelf to see Sarge and another Green Army Man. “Rex has just been dino-napped!”

“What's that?!” Woody asked. Sarge turned to his fellow soldier, who saluted.

“My men saw him get hauled up to the second floor, sir! And Hamm and the Aliens are MIA,” he said.

“Come on. We have got to find them!” Woody began running and Sora followed.

“Please, let us help!” he said.

“Yeah!” you and the others said. Woody looked over his shoulder at Buzz who hadn't budged and ran back over to him.

“Well, Buzz? Do you really think we can save our friends on our own? We didn't get very far before. We gotta take all the help we can get,” he said. Buzz gave an abject sigh.

“Don't worry. Sora and (Y/N) can be reckless...” Goofy said.

“Wha?” Sora asked. 

“Excuse me?” you asked.

“...and Donald grumbles a lot...” 

“Huh?” Donald asked. 

“It’s true,” Yui said.

“...And Roxy and Vanitas do lose their temper easily...” 

“Say that again,” Roxy said. 

“...And Rumi does get scared easily.”

“That was so uncalled for!” Rumi said.

“But you can trust 'em!”

“Hey! He suspects you, too!” Vanitas said.

“It's true,” Sora said. 

“Huh? He does?” Donald threw his hands up and Sora chuckled.

“See, they don't seem bad. Am I right, Buzz?” Woody said. 

“Okay, fine. We do need the extra help. But just so we're clear: I remain skeptical about this. I'll work with you till we find our friends,” Buzz said. 

“Ohhh...kay,” you and Sora said. 

“Thanks for the help, Sora, (Y/N), Vanitas, Yui, Roxy, Rumi, Donald, Goofy,” Woody said. 

“My troops will return to the field, sir!” Sarge said. The Army Men saluted and walked off. You and the group walked over to the Space Capsule and Buzz ejected his wings right as Woody walked into them. He scowled at Buzz for a moment, but the feeling passed.

“This ascent is gonna be rather tricky,” Buzz said. 

“Too bad we're not strapped to a rocket, huh?” Woody smiled. He leaned on Buzz's wings, but Buzz retracted them back into his suit.

“Hey! Think we could use that?” you said. You pointed upwards and you all saw the spiral tracks leading to the other floors,

“It's perfect. C'mon, guys!” Woody said. You all rode the rails up to the 2nd Floor and entered a store named Action+, where you all gazed in awe of the seemingly endless shelves of action figures. Woody saw something tail-shaped out of the corner of his eye and he turned in surprise.

“Rex!” he said. He dashed around the corner of a display, but saw no one there. “Where'd he go?”

“You sure you saw him?” Buzz asked. 

“Yes, he just--”

“Shh. Do you guys hear something?” Vanitas said.

“What's that?” Rumi asked as she held her hood tightly. You and Sora saw waves of darkness though a break in the boxes on display where something was moving.

“Something feels wrong...” Buzz said. With a huge swipe of its claw, an immense dragon model toy called the Supreme Smasher knocked over the display of Smasher toys in front of you all. Donald and Rumi started running back to the exit, when the store's sliding door slammed shut. The Supreme Smasher let out a giant bellow and you all clearly saw the Heartless symbol emblazoned on its neck. You all summoned your weapons and guardians.

“Another toy's being controlled!” Sora said. Buzz shook off a worrisome look and readied his laser.

“Buzz, you sure?” you asked. 

“If it wanted to play nice, then it should've stayed away from my friends,” Buzz said. You and the others managed to free the controlled toys and Sora and Vanitas dispelled their Keyblades with a sigh of relief. Suddenly, another Supreme Smasher landed behind you all and roared. You and the others heard a scream and looked over to see a dragon-shaped glider hooked to the ceiling flying in circles piloted by a shouting Rex. It spun at full speed, knocking the hook out of the tile, sending the glider and Rex flying into the Supreme Smasher just as it reached back for a claw slash at you and Sora. The dragon toy fell over as Rex flew into an Air Droid display along with an orange puppet hanging from a cloud-like gear. After landing on the floor, the gear tried to float away but Rex landed on it.

“What's this?!” he asked. The puppet turned its head to face Rex menacingly, revealing a Heartless symbol on its hat. “Oh no! What did I do?!”

He ran away from it while Sora and Vanitas struck down the Marionette Heartless with one swipe of their Keyblades. Woody sighed with relief, wiping his brow.

“Nice moves, Rex,” he said. 

“That was great!” Rumi said. 

“Great? Really? Would you say I was impressive?” Rex asked. 

“Very impressive, Rex! We couldn't look away!” Roxy said. 

“Hurray! Oh, that makes me so happy!” Rex turned to Donald. “Were you watching too? Did you see what I did?”

“Yeah, good for you,” Donald said as he and Woody tried to calm him down. 

“Listen, Rex,” Woody said. 

“I was going for fearsome...” Rex said.

“Would ya--”

“...but I think I might've actually achieved something close to terrifying!”

“Earth to Rex!” Rex stopped. 

“Do you know where the others were taken?” Sora asked.

“What do you mean? Did something bad happen?” Rex asked. 

“Back to square one,” Buzz said. 

“Oh, great,” Roxy said. Woody heard a clicking sound of plastic on metal and looked up to see the sergeant climbing down the vent near the ceiling.

“Sarge! Have you got a status report?” he asked.

“Sir! One of my men just located Hamm forward of our position, in Babies in Toddlers,” Sarge saluted. You and the group smiled with the good news. “The corporal was debriefing him, but something must have gone wrong. All radio contact has been lost.”

“Anything more specific we can go on?” Vanitas asked. 

“Right before I lost contact, I heard music with some sort of sonic interference.”

“Music?” Buzz asked.

“Ya think it could be the Heartless?” Goofy asked. 

“Or a Negaverse?” Yui asked.

“What if it's another big monster?” Donald asked.

“Let’s find out,” you said.

“I agree,” Woody said. You and the group started walking ahead, while Rex stayed put.

“Actually...I think I'll head back and wait by the entrance. I'm sure those vents are gonna be much too narrow for my big dinosaur tail,” he said. Sora looked up at the vent.

“Really? I'm sure you'd fit,” he said.

“Rex is right. Besides, we need a lookout at the entrance. It's an important mission. Can you do it?” Buzz interjected. 

“Yes, sir!” Rex made a determined fist with his little arm and Buzz saluted him. You and the rest chuckled and made your way up into the ventilation shaft. Using the vents to reach the third floor of Galaxy Toys you all exited into the Dolls section of Babies & Toddlers.

“This is Babies and Toddlers. Where do you guys think we should start?” Woody said. Goofy bent down to speak to the sergeant.

“Sarge, didn't you mention music?” he asked. Sarge hopped to face him.

“Affirmative, Goofy,” he said. You peered out through the vast toy section.

“Hmm... All right. Why don't we look for things that make noise?” you said.

“Sure!” Sora and the others said. 

“That's good thinking for you,” Roxy said. She walked off, cackling.

“Wha... What do you mean, for me?” Roxy broke off into a run. 

“Hey, where ya--” Roxy ran around Vanitas. 

“Roxy!” you laughed. The two of you ended up in a standoff around Vanitas.

“I think they really are good guys,” Woody said. You tried to grab Roxy but she runs past you and shook her butt while sticking her tongue out. 

“Hold still!” you said. Yui and your team chuckled and you ran after Roxy.

“Well, you wouldn't have trusted them otherwise,” Buzz said. Roxy tried to run around Vanitas again but you blocked her, prompting Roxy to dive through your legs. Yui and the team laughed harder.

“What?” you asked.

“Missed me!” Roxy laughed as she leaped onto her feet.

“Don't!” 

“And I know that your trust is a hard-earned treasure,” Buzz said. You and Roxy continued to play cat and mouse. 

“No! Stop that!” you said. 

“Victory is mine!” Roxy laughed. Woody smiled softly at Buzz.

“Well...for all our sakes, let's hope you're right, cowboy. I'm willing to give 'em a chance at least for a little while longer. Especially if it means getting Andy and our friends back,” Buzz said. 

“Agreed,” Woody said. You and the others searched through the store, taking out more Heartless and Negaverse-possessed toys, until you all reached a large gramophone in the corner at a display labeled Musical Toads. Sora and Vanitas hopped onto the turntable.

“Is this it?” Vanitas asked. He and Sora began to run on the record and the symphony of toads on the display lit up and began playing.

“Come on, you two...You've never used a record player?” Woody said. 

“Huh?” Sora asked. He and Vanitas slowed down and the music stopped as Woody leaped up onto the record as well.

“Like this!” Woody said. He started running along the record, throwing Sora and Vanitas off-balance. The two boys returned to a run and laughed as the orchestra continued playing.

“It's working!” Rumi said. One of the instruments played a false note.

“Wait, did that sound off to you?” Yui asked.

“It did,” Donald said. 

“Huh?” Sora and Vanitas asked. Distracted, Sora and Vanitas slowed down and almost crashed into Woody.

“Heeey!” Woody said. Sora and Vanitas sped back up and you called up to them.

“Sora! Vanitas! There's some kinda strange noise coming from the orchestra!” you said. Sora, Vanitas, and Woody exchanged glances.

“Got it! Woody, you keep the record going,” Sora waved. He and Vanitas jumped down from the turntable.

“Whoa-whoa-whoa!” Woody said. You and your team searched the orchestra for the instrument that's playing off-rhythm and found that it's the tuba-playing toad. Woody struggled to catch his breath as he kept the music playing while Goofy peered into the tuba.

“Hmm... Somethin' seems to be stuck in this tuba,” Goofy said. 

“I'll get it out,” Vanitas said. He reached into the tuba, feeling around for the obstruction. He found it and struggled to get it unstuck.

“Almost got it...” he said. With a loud pop, he pulled out...”

“Got it!” he said. ...the corporal. Vanitas placed him gently on the table.

“Corporal!” Sarge said. The sergeant hopped down from a higher ledge and walked over to the corporal, placing a hand on his back. “You all right, son?” he asked. 

“Yes, sir,” Corporal said.

“That's the soldier Sarge lost contact with,” Buzz said. Sarge got the soldier to his feet and put his arm around his shoulders, hoisting him up.

“So you found Hamm?” Sora asked. 

“Yes. But...while I was radioing in, a giant hand grabbed me, and it stuffed me in there. They must have taken Hamm to another location. We have to hurry!” Corporal said. He tried to walk his injured self, but fell over.

“Wait, Corporal. You're not fit for action,” Sarge said as he helped him stand again.

“But Sarge...”

“Your tour is over, son. And it's all right. Our trusted allies will take over.” You and your team saluted them and the corporal started tearing up. “I will move the corporal to a safer location.”

“Good luck,” Corporal saluted. The Green Army Men walked off as the music continued to play and Woody continued to run. They reached the edge of the orchestra ledge and gave Woody a salute.

“Huh...?” Woody asked. They hopped down the ledge. “Hey, hey, hey, hey! What is...going on?!”

“Oh, right!” you said. 

“Woody! Mission complete!” Buzz said. Woody leaped off the record player and the music slowed to a stop.

“Why didn't...you tell me...a little sooner?” he asked, winded. He fell to his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath.

“Sorry, there's no time to rest. Hamm needs us,” Buzz said. He hopped off the table and Woody gave an exhausted salute. You and the others soon found a dollhouse that was rattling around in a window display. You all struggled to get the side of the house open, but with everyone's help, it unlatched, and the you all landed in a pileup.

“Talk about cabin fever. Thanks for the save,” Hamm said. He walked out of the dollhouse much to your surprise.

“You okay, Hamm?” Woody asked. 

“Yeah, aside from being locked in, the accommodations were fine.” He nodded over to the fully-furnished inside of the house, where Rumi and Donald stepped inside.

“Aww. What a tiny little house. Reminds me a lot of the one I used to have,” Rumi said. They walked by the window where a giant doll peered inside.

“Huh?” Donald asked. The doll brimmed with darkness and its sudden appearance caused Rumi and Donald to thrash about the house.

“Who was--” Woody asked. Hamm shrieked in terror and backed away.

“What's wrong?” Buzz asked.

“She's back! That's the doll that pig-penned me!” Hamm said. The doll's eyes glowed orange, matching the glowing Heartless symbol on her left bunny ear.

“Hamm, take cover,” Woody said. 

“Uh, copy that. One stay in the dread-and-breakfast was enough for me!” Hamm said as he ran away. 

“Not another possessed toy...” Buzz said. 

“Guys, look alive!” Yui said. You and the others fought the possessed Angelic Amber doll along with a horde of Bouncy Pets and Patchwork Animals also under the Marionette Heartless's and Negaverses control. The doll stopped floating and its eyes return to their normal shade of blue. It slumped against the floor, lifeless.

“Wait... What if we end up just like her? Forgetting ourselves and... attacking each other?” Buzz asked. 

“No way, Buzz. That won't happen,” you said. 

“No way!” Donald said.

“You guys are too strong,” Goofy said.

“You can't be sure! What if I get taken over, then attack you?” Buzz said, hotly. Woody placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Buzz, you're overthinking it,” he said. 

“Yeah. The Heartless--the darkness--can only creep in when our hearts falter. Trust me. You'll be fine if you don't lose heart,” Sora said. 

“Well, that's good. Because I know you, Buzz. You'll never lose heart when it comes to your friends,” Woody said as he flicked his hat upwards.

“True enough, cowboy,” Buzz said as he gave a small smile. “Sorry to have worried you all.”

“No problem. Now, let's go find the others.” You all returned to the window, Buzz helping Woody up to the windowsill, and met back up with Hamm. Donald and Goofy spotted something through the glass.

“Look!” Donald said. A UFO with a crane claw sailed past the window, a trail of darkness behind it.

“A flying saucer!” Goofy said as Woody adjusted his hat. 

“I think I know who that might lead us to. C'mon, guys!” Woody said. You all opened the window right as the UFO passed by and Woody waved you all  through when the coast was clear.

“Hey, Woody. I'd just slow you down, with all the loose change I'm carrying. I'll hang by the entrance,” Hamm said. 

“No problem. Be safe, Hamm,” Woody said as he leaped out of the window.

“Hey, thanks, buddy. You just take care of your old self.” He left and Woody rejoined you and the group.

“Now, let's follow that UFO!” he said. 

“Right!” you all said. You all entered the Outdoor playplace of Babies & Toddlers where the UFO was flying through. The Aliens spotted it with glee.

“They have come for us,” the first one said.

“The mystic portal awaits,” the second one said. The UFO stopped over the three Aliens and the claw descended, sending you and the group running after them.

“Oh no!” Buzz said. 

“Wait!” Rumi said. 

“Stop!” Woody said. The Aliens were snatched up into the mothership.

“Farewell!” they said. 

“It's getting away!” Buzz said. 

“Don't go!” Rumi said. Surrounded by Toy Trooper Heartless, you and the others took down the possessed UFO. It dropped the Aliens, which Rumi caught quickly, and faltered in the air, eventually losing power and sinking to the floor.

“We are back!” the Aliens said. They escaped from Rumi’s grasp and they started to run in different directions.

“Our ship is no more,” the first one said. 

“Nirvana will not be reached,” the second one said. Sora picked one up with a squeak.

“Sorry I trashed your ride,” he said. 

“Fear not,” it said. 

“We still have our new home,” the first one said. 

“The Chamber of Andy,” the Aliens said. 

“They're right,” Buzz said. Sora set the Alien down. “This isn't where we belong. We've been in this toy store long enough. It's time for us to go home to Andy's room.”

“But...dad told us that room isn't even his real room,” Vanitas said. 

“Can you prove that any of that nonsense is true?” Buzz asked. You and the others sighed. “And even if that Andy's room IS fake, it doesn't mean he's not somewhere in this world with us. I'm going home to wait for him. No more debate. Are you with me Woody?”

“Hmm... You’re right, Buzz. Now that we're all accounted for, we should meet up at the entrance and go home,” Woody said. 

“Okay. We could have used friends like you for the final showdown...” you said. 

“But Organization XIII's our problem to solve,” Yui said. Sora nodded and Donald hopped in place.

“Yeah, I can take 'em!” Donald said. 

“I'm not so sure about that...” Roxy said. Goofy chuckled. 

“I'll show ya!” Roxy laughed and ran up to Woody and Buzz, you and the others following suit.

“Guys, can we see you off?” you asked. 

“That would be great,” Woody said. You and the others returned to the first floor.

“Sarge, roll call,” Woody said as he pointed to the Green Army Man and walked past him.

“Sir, yes sir! Roll call! All toys, fall in!” Sarge saluted. The Army Men, Hamm, and the Aliens formed a line as Buzz walked by them.

“Sarge... Army Men times four... Hamm... Aliens 1, 2, 3...” Buzz said. The Army Men saluted and each Alien squeaked as they raised their hands. “Wait. Where's Rex?”

“Aw, he took off. Said he wanted to prove to you you could trust Sora. He's up there by the video games,” Hamm said as he pointed up to the third floor and Buzz sighed.

“Well, here we go again.” 

“Huh? This is about us?” Sora asked as he gave a worried look. 

“He's not safe. The Heartless and the Negaverses are out there,” you said. 

“You're right. Any chance you guys could help us one last time?” Woody said. 

“Sure!” You, Vanitas, and Sora said. 

“Of course!” Rumi and Goofy said.

“You bet!” Roxy, Yui, and Donald said.

“Thanks guys.” You all returned to the third floor and entered the video game store where you all found Rex among the Verum Rex merchandise.

“Hurray!” he said. He hopped down and rushed over to Sora with the game in his hands.

“Look! Look! I found it!” he said. He held it almost too close to Sora's face, trying to show him the cover.

“See, Sora?” The cover showed an image of the silver-haired Yozora lazing on stone steps with his sword and crossbow.

“Well, I never look THIS good. The clothes kinda match,” Sora said. Buzz and Woody walked further into the game store around a giant poster for Verum Rex, where they could see a much larger version of the game cover.

“Whaddaya know! They ARE video game figures. See? I told ya, Buzz. They're toys, just like the rest of us,” Woody said. Buzz looked over to you and your team as something caught Rex's eye.

“Well, I suppose,” he said. You and Sora Sora leaned over to speak privately with Donald and Roxy. 

“Donald, I thought your magic decided how I look. Explain,” Sora said.

“And I thought that Spirit’s don’t change their looks,” you said. 

“It doesn’t apply to all of the worlds,” Roxy said. 

“And that’s not you,” Donald said. 

“Say, Riku would make a great action figure!” Goofy said.

“Must be him!” Rumi said. 

“It kind of looks like him,” Vanitas said. 

“No! It's me. I've got the black clothes and, uh...” Sora trailed off slowly. 

“So what?” Yui asked. 

“All right, everyone. Now that we're back together, it's time to return to Andy's room,” Buzz said. Rex was reading the back cover of a Play Plus strategy guide.

“Now?” he asked. He dropped the book and searched through the shelf, tossing books aside.

“But can't I at least check the strategy guides? I want to know how to beat Bahamut!” He said as he managed to find the Verum Rex guide.

“Next time. Right now, we need to go home,” Buzz said. He took the book and tossed it away. Rex's face turned sad and Buzz consoled him with a tap him on the snout. Rex walked away hesitantly from the book, following Buzz back to the group. A figure with a pair of boots landed on the floor nearby.

“Oh, but you needn't rush off,” Y!Xehanort said. The voice caught your attention and you all summon your weapons and guardians.

“You!” You and Vanitas said. 

“I have more to observe. I can't let you leave yet.” 

“It’s me that you really want. Leave my friends out of this!” you said. Y!Xehanort smirked.

“You WOULD say that, Spirit of Light,” he said. Suddenly, a pounding headache ran through you, causing you to scream in pain. 

“(Y/N)!” Sora and the others yelled. You fell to the ground, whimpering in pain. 

“Roxy, Vanitas, stay with (Y/N) while we deal with Xehanort!” Sora said. Roxy and Vanitas nodded while Sora turned towards Y!Xehanort. 

~~~~

You looked around and saw that you were in a dark place. You tried taking a step but found that you couldn’t. 

“What’s happening?” you asked. Suddenly, memories of you as a child started showing up. From the day you were found by Xehanort to the day you met Sora. 

“Why is he doing this?” you asked yourself. You heard someone singing and looked over to see what looked like a woman in the Realm of Darkness. 

“Who is she?” you asked.

“(Y/N)...stop Xehanort...” a voice said. 

“Huh?” Before the voice could say another thing, you were brought back to your friends. 

“(Y/N)! You’re okay!” Vanitas said. 

“Yeah...” you said as you sat up slowly. You looked over and saw Sora still talking with Y!Xehanort.

“What did you do to him?!” he asked. You looked over and saw Buzz trying to shoot Goofy with his lazer. Sora attacked Y!Xehanort, who phased away in the blink of an eye.

“I thought I made it clear. I am testing the strength of their bonds,” Y!Xehanort said. He walked around the room, phasing in and out as Sora tried to strike him down, but only slicing air.

“In this world, toys have hearts. And those hearts come from a powerful bond,” he said. Sora looked around, seeing Y!Xehanort on a high display case above a video screen.

“So what happens when those bonds are stretched to their limit? When they are worlds apart, can cloth and plastic hold on to their hearts?” Sora leaped to the top of the display with another failed attack.

“All I needed was a wedge to widen the divide--someone like you to fill them with distrust and doubt.” Sora found him walking along the display and Y!Xehanort dodged each of Sora's blows effortlessly.

“And that chasm you created can be filled with a vast darkness.” He appeared on the floor and Sora leaped down at him, striking nothing.

“Witness it for yourself.” 

“Sora!” you and the others said. You and the others were trying to hold Buzz at bay, but he continued his laser blasts unflinching as Goofy stopped them from hitting Woody.

“Do somethiiing!” Rex said. 

“On my way!” Sora said. He tried to run to their aid, but Y!Xehanort snatched him up.

“Sora!” you said.

“Not this time!” Y!Xehanort said. He summoned a concentrated energy blast near Sora's waist, which then exploded, blasting him into the nearby video screen. He phased into it, sending a ripple through the screen. He landed on a metal surface of an enormous boat several miles from a nighttime city skyline.

“Sora! What did you do to him?!” you said. 

“Nothing that will kill him. Or maybe that’s my intention.” 

“You son of a--!” You ran over to him and attacked him with your dagger. Meanwhile, Sora landed in the video game that Y!Xehanort was standing in front of. 

“Where am I?” he asked. 

“Haven't you heard? In this world, you come from a video game. So now, you can watch my experiment from inside that screen. That is...if you manage to find a moment's rest,” Y!Xehanort said. He teleported out of the store as Sora came face to face with the Gigas inside Verum Rex.

“There's got to be a way out. Buzz, Woody, hang on!” Sora said. After a few minutes, Sora leaped out of the television screen to the delighted faces of his friends except you. You sat on your knees, looking at where Y!Xehanort was.

“I’m gonna kill him...” you mumbled. 

“Wait...Where's Buzz?” Sora asked. You looked behind you and saw him standing there. You stood up and walked over to him.

“He disappeared into a dark corridor,” you said. 

“Oh...”

“Sora, how do we get him back?” Woody asked. 

“I don't know. My power won't open those.” 

“Neither will ours,” Roxy said. Yui nodded in agreement.

“Vanitas, what about you?” Sora asked. 

“Same situation as the twins.” Woody breathed a large sigh as the Green Army Men walked nearer.

“Sir, did I hear you say ‘dark corridor’?” Sarge asked.

“That's right, Sarge. Any ideas?” Woody said. 

“Well, it might be a long shot, but we've sighted a shadowy portal in the Kid Korral. We can infiltrate from a window inside Babies and Toddlers.” Woody's disposition lightened. “I'll head there and get it open.”

“Sarge, you're a lifesaver!” Woody turned to your and the others. “You guys in?”

“Yeah!” you all said. 

“Please promise you'll bring Buzz home,” Rex said. 

“With batteries included?” Hamm asked.

“Journey safely,” the first alien said. 

“Farewell!” the second alien said. 

“Don't worry. WE'RE gonna get our friend back,” Woody said. You and the others returned to the Outdoor section of Babies & Toddlers.

“Vani. Can I talk to you about something?” you said. 

“Sure.” 

“I think we have another sister.” 

“Huh? How do you know?” 

“During that headache, I caught a glimpse of a woman. She was in the Realm of Darkness and she was trying to tell me something.” 

“What did she say?” 

“She said to stop dad but before she could say another thing, I was brought back here.” 

“Well, if she is dad’s daughter, then we need to save her before something bad happens.” 

“I know she is. I can feel it.” Vanitas wrapped an arm around your waist and kissed your temple. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” he whispered. 

“I hope so.” 

“Guys, look!” Woody said. High above on a windowed wall with the design of a house was a much smaller window.

“That must be the window Sarge mentioned,” Yui said. You all made your way up through the window and entered the Kid Korral, where Sora saw odd green cubes piled against the main door.

“The entrance was blocked by BLOCKS?” he asked.

“Can you use the Gigas to move 'em?” Vanitas asked. 

“Yeah, maybe. I'll try.” Sora piloted a nearby blue Gigas, stretching its arm out. He activated the claw which sent magnetic bolts to the green blocks, causing them to glow and disperse, unbarring the door. You and the others moved further into the room where Donald spotted something.

“Up there!” he said. A stream of darkness emanated from the uppermost vent in the room, much too high to reach by normal means, especially at toy height.

“How we gonna reach that?” Sora asked. 

“(Y/N). Your guardian is a swan. Maybe you and Odile can pile up the blocks so that we can reach up there,” Rumi said. 

“Okay, if you say so,” you said. You pulled out your dagger and held it up into the air. “ODILE!”

From behind you, Odile was summoned. With the help from Roxy, you climbed on Odile and told her what to do. She gave a honk in agreement and she helped place the blocks together while Sora and the others took down the Heartless and the Negaverses. Once all the blocks had been gathered and piled up, three cones landed on top of the green figure assembled and a fanfare played. The figure, with a permanent surprised look on its face, leaned over toward the wall, providing a path up to the vent.

“Hey, is that...” Roxy asked. 

“A cactus?” Rumi asked. The vent cover fell open.

“Yep, and it's our way up to the dark corridor,” Vanitas said. You and the others made your way to the vent and entered it, finding a corridor of darkness.

“It looked like this?” Sora asked. 

“Yup,” Goofy said.

“Here goes,” You said. You and the others passed through the ominous portal, finding themselves in a hazy abyss. Buzz was hovering in the center, darkness coming off of him and spreading through the air. Y!Xehanort waited for them, waves of dark energy covering the floor as pieces of toys were scattered about the abyss, floating on invisible strings.

“Buzz!” Sora and Woody said. 

“Dad!” you and Vanitas said. 

“What do you want with my friend?” Woody asked. 

“Look... Such tremendous darkness. All because he was ripped away from the boy who cares about him most,” Y!Xehanort said. The waves punched upward.

“Does that mean...we'll all be like Buzz...” The waves coalesced around Woody. “...if we don't...find Andy?”

“Wrong! Distance doesn't matter. Andy's part of their hearts, just like my friends are part of mine,” you said. Sora and the others nodded in agreement, glaring at Y!Xehanort.

“You can't rip that apart!” Sora said. Woody looked at the bottom of his shoe where Andy had written his name years ago, and then at Buzz's, just the same. Buzz was carried higher by the waves as Xehanort raised an arm.

“What? ‘Your friends are your power’? Ah... How very true. But if the light of friendship is a form of power...the darkness of being alone is a power...even greater. Darkness is the heart's true nature,” Y!Xehanort said. You were stunned to silence, but Woody placed a hand on your shoulder and walked past you.

“Whatever you're talking about, I don't care. Put Buzz back the way he was, then get lost!” he said. 

“Or else what, toy?” 

“Yeah, I am a toy. And a friend.” Woody stamped down with his foot, breaking the waves of darkness slightly, revealing the floor underneath. “My guess is no one's ever loved you before. Because you know NOTHING about hearts and love.”

“WHAT DID HE SAY?!” Roxy cackled. 

“Roxy!” Yui scolded. You and Sora joined Woody in the circle of light, both making steps forward.

“There are hearts all around us, trying to connect. Your ‘loneliness’ only made Woody and Buzz's connection stronger. THAT's the heart's true nature--to never, ever let go. Wherever they are, Andy and the other toys haven't let go either,” you said. 

“Yeah! You can't keep us from Andy. We're going home no matter what. And taking Buzz!” Woody said. 

“Xehanort, you're so caught up in finding the shadows, you forgot about the light that cast them,” Sora said. The force of light broke through the dark waves, tearing apart the darkness holding Buzz in the air. As it reached Buzz, it shined out with a brilliant light.

“No!” Y!Xehanort said. You and your team charged forward, forcing Xehanort to summon his Keyblade, blocking the you all.

“Woody, now!” Vanitas said. Woody leaped forward over them, tossing out the pull string from his back. It latched onto a Lego floating in the air and Woody swung around, using the momentum to snatch Buzz from his tangled perch. You and Sora smiled and Y!Xehanort scowled as the pull string retracted back inside Woody with a message of "Giddy-up, partner! We gotta get this wagon train a-movin'!" Suddenly, Buzz opened his eyes, seeing Woody on top of him. Woody lifted his head and gazed back at his friend. He turned over and sat with Buzz, who held his head.

“Woody...Wait, how did I get here?” Buzz asked. 

“Hmm. Oh, I don't know!” Woody elbowed Buzz. “Maybe somebody switched you into ‘dark and stormy’ mode.”

“But I don't have a-” He realized what Woody is saying. The cowboy extended a hand to him and Buzz smiled, taking it, getting to his feet.

“Thank you, Woody,” he said. 

“Good to have ya back, Buzz.” 

“Oi, hurry up!” Roxy said. The two of them looked over to see you and your team locked in combat with Y!Xehanort.

“We can't hold him much longer!” Rumi said. 

“Don't give up, guys!” Sora said. Young Xehanort knocked you all back.

“So, even empty puppets can be given strong hearts. I am going to have to remember that,” he said. Buzz aims his laser beam at Y!Xehanort.

“Remember this--our hearts will always be connected to Andy's. No matter what you do!” he said. 

“And that's something you'll never understand, because you're hollower than any toy,” Woody said.

“But now I know a heart can be placed in the vessel of our choosing. For that, let me give you a parting gift to play with,” Y!Xehanort said. 

“Wait!” you and Sora said. The two of you ran at Y!Xehanort and slashed right through him.

“Find the hearts joined to yours,” Y!Xehanort said. (why did that feel like he was betraying org.xiii?)

“Huh?” you and Sora asked. Xehanort vanished and Donald leaped up, pointing at the sky where the darkness had begun to break.

“There!” he said. You and the others rejoined as the darkness was swept up, forming a giant flying saucer Heartless, revealing the room as a toy-sized cityscape with a puzzle-piece road.

“Careful!” Woody said. 

“Here goes!” you said. After a long battle with the King of Toys involving an electromagnetic tornado, you all succeeded in finishing off the Heartless and returned to the first floor of Galaxy Toys. You all regrouped with your friends and began walking toward the exit.

“So, crusty got away again,” Roxy said. 

“Not so much as crusty but more of a brat,” Yui said. You gave a small chuckle but it didn’t make you feel better. Sora hung his head and stopped walking.

“I’m sorry!” Sora said. You and the others turned back to him, confused.

“I wanted to get you back to the real world,” he said. Woody and Buzz looked at each other and smirked.

“It does seem that we're trapped here,” Buzz said.

“We'll never get home,” Rex said. 

“Yeah, stuck like pigs,” Hamm said. 

“Our position appears fixed,” Sarge said. 

“Oh nooo,” the three aliens said. You and the others gave a sad sigh.

“A shame we'll have to stay a little longer...with our new best friends,” Buzz said. 

“Huh?” you and your team asked. Woody walked up and leaned on Sora's shoulder.

“After all the adventures we've had, we're not quite ready to say, ‘So long,’” he said. Sora laughed. 

“You guys...” he said. The space ranger extended a hand.

“I'm sorry that I was being so stubborn. Please forgive me,” he said. Sora shook his head, smiling, and shook Buzz's hand.

“Hey, you were just looking out for your friends. No biggie,” he said. 

“Yeah, somebody's gotta be the sensible one, especially since Woody's always gettin' in trouble,” Hamm said. 

“Gawrsh, that sounds a little like Sora and (Y/N), don't it?” Goofy asked. You, Sora, and Woody exchanged a look, pointing at yourselves.

“Yeah, and I'm the dependable one!” Donald said. 

“Like Buzz! ...Kinda,” Rex said. You all laughed. 

“Besides, if we do go back to the real world, we'll never see you again, right?” Woody asked. Sora scratched his cheek.

“But...what about Andy? You care about him so much,” Rumi said. Buzz put a hand on her shoulder.

“And he's still right here with us,” he said as he touched his heart, smiling. Woody put an arm around Sora.

“If we follow our hearts, we'll find him again,” he said.

“Yeah!” Sora grinned. You and the others continued walking to the exit.

“So, Sora, (Y/N), are you goin' after the guy in the black coat?” Woody asked. 

“Something tells me we can't join you on that mission,” Buzz said. 

“That's okay...because you've become part of our hearts.” Woody pointed to Sora’s heart. “So let us become a part of yours.”

You and the others extended joyous laughter and infectious smiles as Sora side-hugged Woody.

“Thank you!” he said.

“Now, off you go. To infinity and beyond!” Buzz said. 

To be continued...

[hysterialevi]

In the Smoke Final Part (Cobblebats)

From Bruce’s POV

WAYNE MANOR

“The damage done by the Children of Arkham has left Gotham a city in turmoil. Their leader, Lady Arkham – otherwise known as Vicki Vale – has been confirmed dead after presumably being shot by one of her own men, the Penguin himself,” the reporter chuckled. “I guess we weren’t the only ones getting tired of her.”

 I turned to look at Oz, who was sitting beside me with a somewhat sorrowful expression as he watched the news. 

“You killed Vicki?” I asked. I could almost hear his heart sinking in his chest.

“Before the GCPD could get to her, yes,” he replied. “I know that ain’t what we agreed to, and I’m sorry for lying to you, but Vicki…she spent enough of her childhood locked up in a basement – by her own parents, no less. The things they did to her down there…it’s why she was so crazy in the end. I didn’t want her to go through the same thing at Blackgate. I hope you can understand.”

I reached over and placed my hand over Oz’s, rubbing affectionately.

“You were looking out for a friend. No one can fault you for that.”

Oz smiled at me before resting his head on my shoulder. “Thanks, Bruce.”

“In related news,” the reporter continued, “the identity of the widely-feared ‘Unknown’ has finally been revealed. Police reports say that they discovered the iconic mask lying deep in the catacombs, next to the body of a man named Gideon Black, who was also, much like his boss, shot to death. Whether or not the Penguin was behind this murder as well is currently still in question.”

Oz chuckled, pouring two glasses of wine. “They think it was Gideon who killed Hill and Falcone. Better than thinkin’ it was you, I guess.”

“I’m glad to put the Unknown behind me,” I said with relief. “He was…a monster.”

He handed me one of the glasses. “Monster or no, you can’t deny that the Unknown did some good for the city, gettin’ rid of those crime bosses. Who knows what Hill and Falcone would be doin’ today if they was still alive?”

I took a much-needed sip. “They’d probably be looking for someone to replace my father.”

Oz frowned at that suggestion, and sympathy plastered itself onto his face as he placed a hand on my lap in a soothing manner.

“I’m…sorry about what happened. To your father. He and I may have been enemies, but it doesn’t take a genius to see that he cared for you. A lot. And I know you cared for him too.”

“Thanks, Oz,” I said, my voice much quieter than before.  “I just wish I could’ve saved him, back at the catacombs. The only reason he died is because I got stuck, thanks to my own foolishness.”

“Hey, don’t say that. There was nothin’ anyone could’ve done in that situation. Your lives were at stake, and you did everything you could to keep the both of you alive. You can’t blame yourself just because something went wrong.”

Thinking about what Oz just said, I brought my attention back to the TV.

“Unfortunately, folks, in addition to the deaths of Lady Arkham and the Unknown, I’m afraid there’s just one more casualty to make note of…and this one may not be as easy to hear. After the destruction of Gotham’s catacombs, the GCPD discovered one extra body lying underneath a pile of boulders. There was hardly anything left to recognize, but it has since been identified as the notorious Thomas Wayne, who was just beginning to redeem himself after that deplorable scandal.”

Dragging a hand down my face, I let out a worried breath. “What are we gonna do now? Without Batman? The crime in this city was bad enough when he was around. But now, there’s no one watching over the streets. It’s gonna be chaos.”

Oz stood up from his seat, walking away for a second to fetch something while I stayed in place. I could hear him ruffling through what sounded like the drawers of a desk, and after a moment, he returned to me with an unknown item clutched in his hand. He sat back down.

“Your father may be dead,” Oz said, loosely opening his fist. “But no one said Batman is.”

Resting in his palm, I saw the remote my father always used to gain access to the Batcave’s entrance. I slowly took the small device into my grasp, uncertain of what Oz was implying, exactly.

“You…you really think I’d make a good…Batman?” I asked. Oz chuckled.

“Who better than his own son?”

I was still unconvinced. “I don’t know, Oz. I can fight criminals, sure, but Batman’s more than just some extra muscle. He’s an icon of justice. Do I look like I represent justice to you?”

Oz persisted. “That is exactly what you look like to me. Despite all the bad things you’ve done, Bruce, you’ve also saved more lives than you realize. Think ‘bout it. You weren’t afraid to turn against Lady Arkham when she went after Commissioner Grogan, and you crippled her organization immensely despite the world being out to get you. You killed both Hill and Falcone, criminals that the GCPD had been hunting down for years, and now, Gideon also lies dead, thanks to you. Your methods may have been brutal, but Gotham’s a safer place because of what you’ve done. I see no reason why you can’t be Batman.”

I glanced down at my fists, still able to remember the night I killed Hill. 

“I take lives,” I said. “Batman doesn’t.”

Oz leaned forward. “Then keep your father’s promise, and stop. Unless, of course, you don’t want to be Batman.”

I shook my head. “No, I do. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to fill my dad’s shoes.”

He shrugged. “We all have to start somewhere, don’t we?”

I sighed. “…you’re right. You’re right.” I stood up from my chair, turning towards the Batcave’s entrance. I took a deep breath.

“Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll stop killing, and I’ll…become…Batman.”

Pressing the remote’s button, Oz and I both watched in awe as the fireplace steadily slid out of place, revealing a secret, metal door behind it. It was exactly the same as when I last saw it, and once the fireplace had come to a complete stop, the metal door automatically opened, allowing us entry to the hidden elevator.

“Let’s get to work,” I said to Oz, making my way towards the lift. “The crime in Gotham never sleeps.”

From Gordon’s POV

THE GCPD

LATER THAT NIGHT

Standing on the rooftop, I casually lit a cigarette and hopelessly waited for Batman to respond to my signal…even though I knew he was probably dead. No one had seen him ever since that whole fiasco with Gideon in the catacombs, and there were no witnesses left that we could ask for information on his whereabouts. There was also the fact that that tomb was now nothing but a mountain of rocks, and even if Batman did survive the fight, he was probably in the same position as poor ol’ Thomas Wayne. 

I didn’t want to believe it, but Batman was most-likely dead. It was gonna take a long time for me to get used to that idea, and part of me still hoped he would creep up on me right now like he always did…and scare the hell out of me, but it was nothing more than the harsh truth. No one was invincible in Gotham, not even Batman, and he always knew the high risk of his job. His luck had to run out sooner or later, I supposed. I just wished it had at least given me a chance to say goodbye.

Just then, I heard a woman’s voice call out from behind me. “Commissioner?” It was Montoya.

Stepping to my side, Montoya gazed up at the giant bat on the moon, her expression softening with despondency as she crossed her arms.

“…do you…do you really think he’ll come?”

I exhaled a puff of smoke, rubbing my temples. “A man can hope.”

Montoya sighed. “I don’t want to believe that he’s gone…but how could anyone survive what happened in the catacombs? The whole place fell apart like an avalanche.”

“Batman isn’t just anyone,” I said, sounding a bit more defensive than I intended. “He’s…Batman, for god’s sake. He does the impossible. He can’t just…die like that.”

Montoya took one last look at the moon, her eyes slightly glossy.

“I wish that were true, Jim, and I know we never found a body, but you have to remember…he was only human. Like the rest of us.”

I let out a breath. “…I know. I know. I just wish we knew who he was. Then we could at least have a proper funeral for him.”

“No need.”

A bit startled by the sudden third voice, Montoya and I both whipped around in surprise, only to find none other than the masked vigilante himself, accompanied by the one and only Penguin.

“Don’t worry,” Batman quickly explained, holding an arm out in front of his friend, “he’s on our side.”

I was at a loss for words, and merely gaped at the two of them like an idiot for what felt like forever, still trying to process what I was seeing.

“…B-Batman?” I approached him. “You’re…you’re not dead?”

Penguin laughed. “There was a time when I woulda been disappointed too.”

I stuttered. “I-I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just…we thought you died in the catacombs. The whole thing collapsed. Everyone who was inside got killed.”

Batman remained composure, and gave me a simple response. “Not everyone.”

Before we could continue our conversation however, my walkie-talkie suddenly came to life with a series of frantic reports, other policemen rambling on in panic as they explained what was going on.

“We’ve got a report of an attack on The Virago,” I announced. “Some lunatic in a mask is taking hostages, including the casino’s owner: Rumi Mori. We gotta get there, now!”

Batman took out his grapple gun and walked towards the edge of the roof, aiming across the street. “Then let’s not waste any time.”

“Agreed. I’ll gather a squad and head down there immediately. Once we arrive, we can come up with a plan to rescue the hostages, and find out who’s causing all this trouble.”

The vigilante tapped a few buttons on his gauntlet, controlling the drones flying around him. “I’ll send these ahead, see if we can’t get a better view of the place. I’ll meet you there.”

Before he could leave though, I called out one last thing, halting him mid-action.

“Batman!”

He glanced over his shoulder.

I gave him my best attempt at a smile. “…it’s good to have you back. I…never thought you’d actually show up.”

Batman pulled the trigger, the hook latching on with a metallic “clank” as he glanced at the moon, almost…smiling back at me.

“Trust me, Commissioner, neither did I.”

And with that, he was gone, soaring through Gotham’s streets as he always did while Penguin stayed behind, getting his weapons ready. He turned to me.

“Welp, looks like it’s just you and me, Jimbo.”

I let out a groan. “I better not regret this.”

Penguin laughed. “Where would we be without regret?”

Despite what was probably going to be one of the most irritating nights in recent memory, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride as I gazed at the Bat Signal, knowing that the man behind it wasn’t gone just yet. You’d think that I wouldn’t care so much about someone whose name I didn’t even know, but Batman had become a part of Gotham, just as much as it had become part of him. They were almost like light and dark. You couldn’t have one without the other.

I knew that many people in the city wondered about the vigilante’s true identity, and even more had tried to guess, but if I was being honest, I personally no longer cared. Who he was didn’t matter to me. It was all about what he did, and how he did it. That was what made him so unique in my eyes. Most “vigilantes” out there mainly did their job for the fame and recognition, but Batman…he truly cared about people. I could tell. He didn’t want rewards or praise. He only wanted this city to be safer.

He was Batman. His other identity didn’t matter. 

Batman was who he had always been, and that was all Gotham ever needed him to be.

[justanotherwannabeclassic]

Bloom (1/?)

This has been a work in progress for quite some time. It started as a response to the fact that OUAT seemingly cannot have a normal pregnancy on this show without it being traumatic or otherwise very sad. This is the result. This series will be following the arc of Emma’s totally normal, only lightly angsty pregnancy that will end 100% happy. That is my guarantee. No prophecies. No speeding up. A super normal pregnancy.

As for the timing of posting this…well, we could all use some fluff, and I’m not letting reality get me down. So, presenting, “The Happiest Pregnancy Ever”

Also on A03.

Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom. -Rumi

Emma tapped her fingers on the table, her nails clack-clack-clacking on the wood with each downward press. She listened to the steady tick-tock of the clock, understanding with sudden clarity why Barrie had one haunt his interpretation of her husband. 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Her husband wasn’t home. He was at store working his way down the list of things she’d hastily scribbled before he walked out the door. The list was long, and she didn’t really need half the things she sent him to buy, but she needed him gone, not anywhere near her while she processed the impending changes to their life. He would be home soon, which meant that she had to decide just what course of action to take.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The house was quiet. Whenever Henry stayed with Regina, there was a certain stillness to their home. Even when he was there, he opted to listen to music via headphones. He was teenager, meaning he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. She liked the quiet, sometimes. Other times, not so much. It reminded Emma of her time as the Dark One – the house barren, dead. 

It won’t be like that much longer.

Emma fingered the stick in front of her. It read “pregnant” in small letters. She sprung for the test that said pregnant or not pregnant. She didn’t want to take any chances with lines or ink. It was clear as day that way. No mistakes.

This was the fourth positive test she had taken. She used magic to dispose of the three others, sending them to the Storybrooke dump away from prying eyes. Storybrooke was bad enough about gossip. She wouldn’t put it past a nosy neighbor to glance through her trash, and have the news travel before she even told the father.

The baby wasn’t planned. She was on birth control, but she and Killian had been sloppy with using extra protection the week she had been getting over a sinus infection. Damn antibiotics and their stupid side effects. 

There was a dark side of her that wanted to laugh about how both her children weren’t planned. She could prevent the destruction of untold realms, but pregnancy? What a great Savior she was!

At least things were better this time around. The only jail she was in was when she booked someone. She had a stable job. She wasn’t living out of the bug. She had a support system: friends, family, and –

Killian.

Emma had Killian. He was there for her, he would never abandon her. He loved her. Truly in the fairy tale, curse-breaking kind of way. She knew how he’d react once she told him the news. He’d be elated, but he would hold it back to test her reaction first. Always waiting for her, that’s how he normally approached any relationship milestone. (Even when he didn’t want to, Emma thought, the memory of his first proposal flitting through her mind.)

So why was she afraid? 

She and Killian had been married for almost a year, and things had been peaceful by Storybrooke standards. And that was the rub - “by Storybrooke standards”. Their home was as fantastical as the curse that had created it, with dangers Emma never could have eve imagined. Prior to moving here, the worst Emma could have imagined was a random terrorist attack or freak train derailment. Here she had to worry about time travel, and realm hopping, and memory spells. 

What if a villain made her forget her own child?

Emma wasn’t even sure how pregnancy and raising an infant would even work. Her mother had pulled it off, but the bulk of her pregnancy had been spent in the Enchanted Forest. Both Zelena and Belle had their pregnancies magically sped up, which Emma was sure wasn’t entirely healthy. Not to mention the kidnapping. Her little brother had been kidnapped, as had Gideon. Gideon, in turn, had attempted to murder her and her family. What would she do if her kid was kidnapped and went all Terminator?

Pregnancies were supposed to be happy things, right? Not riddled with anxiety regarding villains and portals and crazed relatives seeking revenge. What If Killian had more surprise relatives who wanted him dead? What if she did?

What made matters worse was that for a brief moment she had been happy. The first, second, and third time the tests turned positive - Pregnant! - she had been elated. Emma could easily picture a boy with her green eyes and his dark hair running through the house. Or a little blonde-haired blue-eyed girl receiving archery lessons on the lawn. But somewhere between test three and four, anxiety had creeped in and taken hold. 

She could get rid of it, but that didn’t seem right either. Truth was, she wanted the baby. She and Killian could pack up the house and move seven states over, but even then Emma was convinced that somehow, some way, a villain would find them. After all, it was she who nearly became engaged to the flying monkey. 

Emma felt the pinpricks of tears at the corner of her eyes, and tried to will them away. It was a lost cause. Not only was she a mess of hormones, but she was stressed, anxious, and more than a little overwhelmed. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” she said to herself, as if announcing it aloud would somewhat make her statement more true. “You’re going to be fine.”

It was then when she heard the district sound of the boards of the front steps creaking, indicating that someone was outside. She had been meaning to fix the stairs, tighten them or whatever one did to stairs – a handy woman, Emma was not – but she was grateful for the alert that allowed her to shove the test out of sight. Killian likely didn’t know what a pregnancy test looked like, but she didn’t want to take the chance of him seeing it first.

As expect, he swept through the front door, grocery bags hanging from his hooked arm. 

“Good news, love, there was a two-for-one special on those pints of ice cream you and Henry enjoy. Never let it be said that I–” Whatever Killian had been saying died in his throats when  caught sight of her. Emma knew she must look miserable, cheeks flushed from her earlier bout of tears. “Emma, what’s wrong?”

He rushed over to her, dropping the bags front of the door. Emma had half a mind to tell him to put the ice cream in the freezer, but relented. She knew Killian. His focus would be completely on her. Instead, she waved her hand and magicked what she hoped was the ice cream into the freezer. There was no use getting it all melty while she and Killian had a serious conversation.

“I love you, you know that right?” She asked, wanting to stress that the conflicting emotions she felt had nothing to do with him. 

“Yes.” His brows furrowed even as he took a set next to her at the table. He eyed her suspiciously and said nothing more.

“And you know how we’ve talked about wanting a future,” she continued, knowing she was beginning to ramble,“ but here’s the thing, we never exactly ironed out what exactly that was gonna entail, and when those things were gonna happen.”

“And you desire to have that conversation now?” Killian asked, enunciating every word slowly as if he was trying to wrap his mind around the concept. He reached over and clasped her left hand in his right, rubbing his thumb over her rings. “Darling, if that’s what you’re worried about, there’s no need to be.”

“I’m - I’m-” Emma began, struggling over what she was intending to say. She’d never been good with the whole talking thing. Flowery language and grand announcements had always been Killian’s forte. One would think that after a year of marriage, some of it would have rubbed off, but nope. “God, I should have prepared a speech.”

“Emma, you can tell me anything.” Killian kept his voice soothing, but Emma could sense the undercurrent of worry there. She supposed if he had been acting similarly, she too would be worried.

Deciding that actions spoke louder than words, Emma let go of Killian’s hand and pulled out the pregnancy test she had hidden, shoving it unceremoniously toward him. Brows furrowed, he picked it up and studied it intently. 

“What’s this?” he asked, because as expected, it was obvious he had never seen such a thing. “And why does it say…”

His voice trailed off. Her husband was an intelligent man. He could put two and two together and figure out just why she was handing him a stick that said “Pregnant” on a tiny little screen. He looked from it to her, realization dawning on his face. 

“Emma,” he said, her name coming out half-gasp, half-whisper. He sat the test down delicately, almost reverently, as if he believed that moving too quickly would upset the balance of what it had revealed. 

“So, yeah, that’s the thing. The future we didn’t elaborate on is here.” She gestured vaguely to her abdomen where a tiny lump of cells was slowly developing into a small human. 

“I see,” Killian replied. He now looked as if he were grappling with his own words. “Swan, how are you feeling?”

It was his way of asking how he should feel. Her pirate wasn’t that difficult to read.

“I feel happy, but mostly scared,” she admitted. “I have no idea how this is even going to work here or anywhere, you know, with our crazy, fucked up lives.”

He was silent for a moment… After what felt like forever, he asked, “How would you feel if our lives weren’t so crazy? If we lived a lifestyle that you considered ‘normal’, like you had in New York with Henry?”

“Still happy, a lot less terrified. Probably still freaked out, but about the normal stuff,” Emma answered truthfully. “But I don’t think going to New York is the answer either.”

“Of course not.” Killian shook his heads “But allow me to remind you that you’d still be both happy and afraid no matter what lifestyle we lead.”

She sighed. She understood what he was trying to do, let her know her reactions were totally normal. That no matter where they were and the lives they were living, she would likely still be afraid on some level. 

“We can’t pretend our lifestyle is the easiest,” she told him, looking away as she felt the tears come again. “Our kid wouldn’t exactly have the most normal of lives.”

“Our child will have both a mother and father who loves it,” Killian replied, his tone taking the authorial tone of a captain. “It will also have adoring grandparents, a protective older brother, and what I imagine will be s handful of devoted honorary aunts and uncles standing alongside those it will have by blood.”

“That doesn’t guarantee its safety or even normalcy.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Killian shook his head. “But it’s more than either you or I had.” Emma was silent. She didn’t know how to formulate a response, couldn��t really. His words struck her. She, the girl who bounced from home to home, and he, the boy raised a slave and abandoned by his father were discussing their future and their unborn child. Sometimes, Emma was overtaken by the awe of how far she’d come since those days in the systems. It was during moments when Henry would steal onion rings from her plate at Granny’s, or pancake breakfasts with her parents. And now here in the kitchen, Killian holding her hand and she worked through her feelings regarding her pregnancy. And then there was Killian, sold into slavery and practically raised by his brother. A life in the Navy, followed by a life of piracy and loss, finally to here, to her.

“So what do you say, love?” he asked, watching her meaningfully. Truth be told, Emma was still terrified of a curse, but something told her that if she asked about curses, Killian would counter by reminding her there might not be one.

And he was right, there might not be a course. Or there could be. But they’d be there, and her parents, and Regina and Zelena, as well. There would be a house the kid could come home to, the same house with the same bed. There’d be clothes that fit and kisses and “I love you”s every day. There’d be a home, one picked out by Killian and Henry, one they all filled together, their happy little family.

Wasn’t this the “Happy Beginning” they sang about all those months ago?

“I think,” she began finally, “I think that we should grab some spoons and eat the ice cream you got at the store. Celebrate.”

He grinned. “Aye, love, let’s celebrate."

She sealed it with a kiss.