#like if i'm going to be bedridden and in pain at least let me read royai 😭😭

[fullmetalscullyy]

.

[crisalidaseason]

Plsssss eremin angst set in season 4? 👀

Loved your table scene fic btw but I need more eremin crumbs

I shall deliver! Not proofread because I'm writing this while bedridden because of my chronic illness but I hope you enjoy it!

Eren x Armin angst

Sort of a part 2 of Ties with frayed ends (can be read as a stand alone though)

CW: eremin angst, a bit fluffy, Eren is bad at feelings, mentions of kisses, suggestive lanugage, set in various moments in season 4

It was known that Eren and Armin were close, the entirety of the scout regiment was aware of the titan shifter and his blond shadow. The rumors were malicious, not nearly as harmless as Eren would like them to be, sometimes rendering Armin in situation that worried the brunette.

"It's alright Eren" Armin said "It's just protocol at this point, it happened to you and it will happen to me"

"But you're not a criminal, Armin!" Eren wanted to scream "they know how titan shifting works, there is no need to keep you locked up like a fucking animal"

"Eren"

"And the fact you have a better self control than I did is proof that-"

"Eren"

"You're much more valuable free and-"

"Eren!" Armin's voice was firm "Listen"

Yeager stopped, complying without a single thought.

"They won't execute me, much like they did not execute you all those years ago. The colossal titan is a war weapon, they need it"

Eren came close to the bars of Armin's cell, the guards moving in a swift motion to stop him from being too close.

"Let go of me" Eren wanted to rage "He's my friend!"

"Sorry, Jaeger, time's up" Hitch said "We all follow orders and you're not excused. We said not a step closer"

Eren wanted to be stubborn, an inconvenience, make himself loud and insufferable, but Armin's dull blue eyes told him not to.

Trust me.

___

Armin woke up in a cold sweat, his breath coming in difficult puffs and noisy lungs. He had another dream - a memory, but not his - showing him the horrors of wars his titan witnessed. He felt as if the blast of the explosion affected his physical form, the heat searing his skin.

"Armin" Eren's voice barely registered "Armin, talk to me! Are you in pain?"

Armin did not notice he was screaming, only noticing his throat hurting and the coolness of his tears contrasting his furnace of a body.

"Armin" Eren whispered, holding him tight and feeling the higher than normal temperature "I'm here, calm down, you're safe"

He held the blond in his arms that night with a tenderness he never allowed before. Noses brushing and kisses on sweaty foreheads.

---

Armin was always good at hiding his feelings, to the point Eren never knew the extents of his distress. The only clue he ever had was during the reclaim of wall Maria, when Armin sacrificed himself and all the childhood dreams. Eren was devastated in ways he will never be able to explain. His friend was a lover of life, lived through all of those years for the sole purpose of traveling the world and honoring the memory of his late family. His sacrifice never made sense in Eren's head, which terrified him. He noticed, while hearing Mikasa's wailing and his own mourning, he noticed it.

He only knew Armin's surface.

They knew what he allowed people to see, even Eren and Mikasa. All of his intelligence, cynical and distrustful cautiousness, the kind demeanor, his ability to shut down feelings on duty and yet have a kind demeanor. Eren knew it all - at least he thought so - until he didn't. Seeing Armin living his second chance at life showed everyone that their beloved blonde had more underneath his blue eyes than they anticipated. There were times, almost rare and far between, which the brunette noticed a rage, blurring the lines of cruelness, brewing within the blonde.

And it only worsened.

---

It had been a few months since Eren exchanged proper words with any of his friends. The visions showing him there was no option other than moving forward. Everything was already in motion, he saw no alternatives.

"move forward" he said to himself, adjusting the leather traveling bag "finish this"

That night he decided to give the important people in his life all of himself. He had dinner with them, played some childish games with his sister and even Jean. Laughed at Connie's stupid jokes and Sasha's competitiveness. Armin was quiet that night, probably reviewing their Liberio visiting plan carefully on his beautiful mind. He had a relaxed aura, a ghostly smile on his soft lips. Eren kept looking at them, wishing he could have a taste.

"Armin" Eren called before the blonde could leave for his quarters.

The boy stopped, encouraging Eren to speak. The brunette let a relieved sigh, he expected Armin to be mad at him. Sometimes he felt as if he deserved it, with how distant and rude he could be.

"A walk?" Armin suggested, noticing his friend's struggle to speak.

They walked slowly through the streets, out of curfew and disobeying orders. Armin knew how to sneak out, as if he had done it hundreds of times before.

"Nervous about the journey?" Armin asked.

Eren stopped abruptly. Armin noticed, turning and facing his friend. The brunette noticed how much he had outgrown Armin. He did not like it, It made Eren more aware of the distance between them.

"I'm sorry" he said, the tears threatening to fall.

Armin's eyes were a shade of cautious confusion. Of course they were, his precious Armin could not see the things Eren did. He could not see the heartache, the betrayal...the future bruises on his immaculate beautiful face. All because of Eren. He had to act before all the blonde held for him was hate.

"Eren?"

"I'm sorry"

They shared a heavily emotional kiss that night. And although neither were experienced, the kiss was fueled by years and years of longing.

---

He woke up in the middle of the night, all of his friends sound asleep in a drunk induced unconsciousness. Eren tried to sit down, but he was dizzy and could only move his head. On his left, his sister's dark hair was all he could see, her always protective persona had a hand touching his shoulder. Eren checked if she was in a comfortable position and turned to his right, seeing Armin's peaceful face.

The blonde never had a day without purple bags under his eyes. Eren felt his heart clench at the sight. His friend was constantly exhausted, his routine was busy even for a titan shifter with more than average stamina. The brunette brushed a finger on the beautiful curve of his upturned nose, he wanted to kiss him again when the opportunity came. Instead, he settled for holding the blonde's hand and touching their foreheads.

Eren woke up because of a squeal. He opened his eyes, trying to identify the sound, only to find Sasha looking at them with her hand on her mouth. Eren tried to see what shocked, but he did not need to think further. Him and Armin were cuddling.

"I knew it!" the girl whispered "the sexual tension was thick as a log"

Eren flushed a monstruous shade of red at her comment. They had only kisses one time, what was she talking about?

"Sash" Eren whispered "can we-uh-"

"Leave it between us?" she replied "sure, but only if you make me win the bet"

What.

"The bet on how long you two have been secretly dating. I said the two of you were not together yet, still horribly stumbling. Mikasa is with me on that one"

There were too many words for him to process early in the morning, so he just promised to make her win the bet and, with a aching heart, left Armin's embrace before anyone else could wake up.

---

The letter was rewritten more times than Eren could count. His words were far from loving, not acknowledging any of Armin's questions and purely instructing what he should do when Eren inevitably destroyed Liberio. He wished he could say something other than cold orders, but at that point there was no return. Whatever their only shared kiss awakened would be long dead for Armin. No need to make him hope.

---

Armin's eyes were a stormy shade of gray when Eren first saw him on the zeppelin. The blonde boy - verging the edge of manhood - offered him a hand, but his touch lacked warmth. Eren felt as if he was a mere stranger, Armin's eyes held no acknowledgement of their connection. The brunette felt his stomach drop, but not from the height, but the desperation of knowing that him and Armin would be no more. So much was lost and yet more would be taken away from his precious Armin.

A gunshot echoed.

---

He had no energy to feel. All he wanted was burn his heart and wait for the sweet blade that would call his end. But he still had so much to do, and he dreaded every second. As his man brought Armin, Mikasa and the marleyan child to a separate room, Eren prepared himself to - yet again - destroy the remnants of their bond. He wished Armin would just comply, accept and go forward with him. If Armin came so would Mikasa. Eren wanted his sister and his friend alongside him one last time.

He wanted to kneel down and beg for Armin to have him.

He wanted to curl around his feet and cry all of his years of memories and grief.

He wanted to kiss him one last time.

I'm sorry, Eren almost whispered, watching his Armin on the ground, with blood trickling down his nose. There was no turning back. He had to continue, he had to-

A sharp pain on his back. Eren was on the ground. Mikasa was the last thing he could remember as she ascended upon him with iron fists.

[somethinginscoutcounty]

June 5th 2024 entry in a diary by Erik Karim-Belyaev

6/5/2024

I'm finally able to write or actually do anything without being in pain. A lot has happened a lot that I don't even remember or was even conscious for. I don't know where to start or even how to start I learned all these things myself rather than remembering or even knowing it. Here I have something that can at least help.

(a section of the Scout County Weekly Newspaper dating to April 22, 2024 is glued into the journal, reading as follows)

"New word on the five young adults who went missing on a spring break camping trip in Scout Wyoming National Park last week, not returning on the day they were meant to come back. Last week on the night of the 16th one of the missing persons, Aubrey Donnely-Yang, was found stumbling around the forest area close to the more populated common grounds dazed, confused, and distressed. She was rushed to the hospital to be treated for injuries and potential effects like dehydration and starvation. However, in the early morning of the 17th, Erik Karim-Belyaev was found farther into to forest in the parts known as Deeper Green unconscious with injuries such as lacerations and broken bones along with other injuries. He too was rushed to the hospital to be treated. The remaining three, Graciela and Michael Ellis-Ramã­rez, and Francisca Lambert are yet to be found, but police, search and rescue, and locals are continuing the search for them in hopes that they can be found and rescued. Details on what happened and caused the disappearances are scarce and it's not known whether the group had gotten lost while out in the wilderness or if something else happened."

(diary continues)

So yeah. I got found in the middle of the woods nearly bled to death. I don't remember what happened to me or even what happened to us. All I do remember was all five of us taking the hike in the park to go and find a campsite for our stay and the first day of the actual vacation but after that I have nothing. The next thing I know I wake up in a hospital room hooked up to all kinds of stuff and my body hurts. Apparently, I was out for a few days and finally woke up on the 20th. I had to get a shit tone of stitches for the cuts and lacerations I had. My left shoulder was dislocated, had a broken nose, and I had two broken ribs. I had some kind of rash on a lot of my body that burned so bad and the bandages didn't help at all. I was bedridden at the hospital for weeks and still ordered to stay in bed as much as I could when I took the option to take the rest of my healing time at home where Dad could take care of and watch over me. Of course, Mama came back home leaving her work down in Brazil to see me and also help take care of me. I've been here since April since SCU allowed me to take all the time I needed to heal.

It hasn't been easy though. For a lot of different reasons. Both because I was in pain most of the time since being found and let out thanks to all the soreness and pain in my body from my ribs and the rash that I had for a while, and also because it's been nearly two months and no one else has been found other than me and Aubrey. I'm starting to get worried I've known Gracie, Michael, and Franky since middle school and high school and they mean a lot to me, so much. I'm glad that Aubrey is okay too but I haven't heard from her at all. I don't know what her condition is or how she's doing. I've been waiting for her to call or even text me but I haven't gotten anything.

Mom and Dad have been doing great at making sure I'm okay. relatives have come to see me too along with Nathan coming over too from the campus dorms since he said the dorm room feels weird being so empty now. he's brought Genie along a couple of times. I like Genie, don't get me wrong, but I don't know her too well like Nathan does but she's still cool.

I just hope everything turns out okay in the end.

-Erik

[the-eldritch-it-gay]

What happened at target? (If you don't mind telling us)

I have a funny story and also a story about why I didn't work at Target more than that single shift. I shall start with the later, then I will tell the funny story.

So, I'm disabled, enough so that doing something like working a cashier position at Target would be awful for me since they're expected to stand and also bag. When they hired me, they promised they'd accommodate me (though they really pushed "do you like, need, [accommodation] though?) and that they understood I was a college student who had classes I needed to attend, and my disability impacted how much I could work (meaning I would have relatively few hours). The hours, though, they also tried to push, I put down my availability and they would be like "okay but can you work at [time you said you're unavailable?" and kept trying to get me to budge. At this point, also, this is still the interview. Anyways they do hire me, because they're so fucking understaffed and have such a high turnover so they're kinda desperate.

My first shift was meant to be short, as discussed with my accommodations. When I arrived, they wanted me to work an 8 hour shift. I managed to talk them into letting me only do 6 hours. Because I can't stand, they brought a stool to the lane I would be working. It was just a stool from the break room, it did not fit well in in the cashier booth. It fit so poorly, in fact, that my legs were bruised from my shift because I had to squeeze in there and also had to move around to bag for customers so I was constantly banging my legs. They put me on the express lane checkout so I wouldn't have to do as much bagging, but spoiler alert, when there's barely any cashiers on shift and customers are impatient, plenty of people would come to the express lane even when they had well over 15 items. I wasn't trained well, they left me alone with some test items and tasks to do which I couldn't complete properly. then had me stand and watch another cashier for like 30 minutes. So when I was cashiering, I wasn't good, right because I didn't really know what I was doing and customers were impatient (esp since this target was in a kinda upper-class white suburb area).

When I finished my shift and went home, I was bedridden for 2 days because of pain and fatigue and overexerting myself. I was supposed to have another shift a day after my first shift and I didn't even have the energy to email or call. I don't remember if I ever formally quit, I did ghost them for half a week at least though before quitting if I did. I don't recommend working as a cashier or with guest services at Target (my mother who worked there for nearly a year went from being able-bodied to needing regular shots in her feet and joints because of how taxing working for target was).

ANYWAYS

The funny story is. I was like 5 hours into my shift, fucking out of it, and from the back of the store, comes this 20-somethings white dude bro looking guy. He comes to my register and I assume he is going to checkout with something, but he instead comes up to me and asks "Do you have an American Ninja Warrior gym?". Now, I have hearing issues and the parts I could get from lip reading and hearing him repeat himself didn't make sense, in part because I was like, he couldn't possibly have said American Ninja Warrior? I stare blankly both trying to process what he said and also trying to figure out what he said, and eventually settle on "I don't know". He continues to talk, which again, I don't get much of, Target is a pretty loud place and he began looking at his phone so I couldn't lip read. A floor manager seemed to spot me looking distressed and unsure, and came over and asks how he can help the guy. The guy asks, "Do you have an American Ninja Warrior gym? Is this an American Ninja Warrior gym?" The floor manager is confused for a few moments before you know, clarifying to him that no, this is a Target. And the guy pulls out his phone and shows how his map app led him here in navigating to an American Ninja Warrior Gym. And the floor manager had to pull out his phone and google some things, and then explain that the place he is looking for is a few roads down. And so he leaves.

What always strikes me is that he came from the back of the store. He didn't walk into the Target and immediately walk up to the registers or an employee to ask, he seemingly looked around the store, as though he were expecting this is somehow a combination Target and American Ninja Warrior Gym. 6 years later, there isn't an American Ninja Warrior Gym within 28 miles of the target I worked at, there's only 1 in our state. I don't remember if there was another one nearby, I have to assume so, maybe it just closed down. Or maybe he was very very lost. In any case, he was my last customer before I quit.

[kylosgenesis]

Teardrops on Fire

Synopsis:

Steve Rogers is the last Alpha of the an almost extinct Lycan pack. With only less than 100 members left. Steve must produce an heir to ensure the species survival and reduce the chance of attacks from others. Omegas are rare, and betas have a hard time producing children. Steves reality is finally setting in as his obligation of producing an heir faces a major set back.

Reader is the last suitable omega to mate with Steve, due to the fear of her daughters fate in the pack, her mother kept her hidden from the pack after her own exile. Only her mother, and Bucky's family know of her existence. Bucky is Steve's right hand man, and the packs best warrior! He and the reader developed a friendship and bond over the years, but age forced them to become distant.

What happens when she presents and her first heat cycle comes? Her body is in excruciating pain and a strong fever quickly overcomes her body. Facing the fear of her daughters possible death, her mom calls on the only person who can save her at this point, Alpha Steve! Bucky and the alphas friendship will be tested. The reader will be faced with her love for Bucky or her duty to the pack.

Chapter warnings : descriptions of death, abuse, blood, and mentions of miscarriage.

Chapter 2: Honey I tried

“When did it start?” Bucky was holding on to the edge of his kitchen table.He felt nauseated with the thought of her, sick and yearning, He couldn't even picture what she had grown up to look like, A part of him was scared of his own emotions.

“It hasn’t yet!”

“ At least not as of this morning.” her mother was breaking apart! Bucky could tell she was very scared and exhausted! He knew that her daughter's well being must've weighed heavily on her, he could see the physical manifestation of her pain. In just a few hours her nails had been bit to the core, and her tears streaks had left vivid and raw tracks around her cheeks.

“Buck! I know this is a lot to ask, but you have to tell Steve! Were worried she wouldn't make it otherwise. This will be her first heat”

He’d almost forgotten his mothers presence in the room, cause he turned around and met her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She'd grown fond of her friend's daughter over the years. After her own kids had left to form their own lives, she could still go to her and relive some memories of her little ones' younger days.

“I know! I'm still wrapping my head around it, but I know what I have to do” agitation surrounded his voice. He didn't know when his heart started to feel like it wanted to jump out of his chest or when he gripped the glass of water that was left on the table so hard it shattered, but it was evident that he wasn't going to be getting any rest that day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky parked his pickup in front of Steve's house. It was the largest house in the village, it wasn't Steve's choice, but he'd inherited it from his father, and his father had inherited it from his father before him. Being the house farthest away from the city limits, but right in the middle of the village meant Steve was protected, but could also be easily accessed.

Looking back at his passenger seat he saw Winnifred with her mom cradled upon her shoulder, comforting her best friend through the probably the second hardest day of her life.

“You should stay here Ma, I'll go get Steve” I know he’ll be happy to see you, but I still don't know how he'll react to her'' He opened his tool box on the bed of his truck and pulled out a large fleece blanket. Neatly folded he handed it over to his mother.

“Just keep her company till I come back”

The lights in Steve's house were on, but Buck could hear the sound of wood being shopped and Steve's grunts coming from the back of the property. As he reached his best friend's view, he took a deep breath. It was all gonna be different now, for all of them.

Steve had a large pair of headphones in, and was clearly a few songs deep into his playlist because when Bucky came around the corner; Steve almost lost a hold of the axe he was holding! Lookin at Buck he lowered his bulky headphones and stabbed the axe to the soft moody ground next to the small uncut piece of wood he was about to turn into lumber.

Steve's hair was not as long as Bucky's, and he had taken a liking to a neatly kept beard.

He grew it out as a joke at first! Clint dared him to grow it for a month, and after a month he'd grown fond of the style.So for the past year now, Steve looked less like a young soldier, and more like those lumberjacks from the cheesy romance novel covers his sister Rebecca loved to read.

“Hey Buck, didn't expect you around so late” Steve combed his hair back with his fingers. A nervous habit Bucky had noticed since childhood, especially when he had a lot on his mind.

“Couldn't sleep?”

Bucky was concerned for his friend, momentarily forgetting the reason for his sudden visit.

“ Banner called! Wanda was there earlier today, she wasn't feeling well. Turns out she was pregnant, and didn't know it!

“Steves that's awesome, when is she due ? we need to celebra…” as he looked into his best friend's eyes he saw the pain behind his look.

“She was miscarrying at the same time she found out she was pregnant, Buck. That's the third pup we've lost this year.I don't know how we're gonna get through this, It's getting harder and harder to keep everyone safe, and pretend we're not gonna be extinct in 50 years”

“Steve…” Steve's gaze was filled with a mixture of tears and rage. He took everyone's pain personally. And hearing about Wanda had awoken an unease within his soul. He couldn't fight the problem! How could a man used to protecting and fighting, deal with a problem that didn't require a fight?

“There’s an omega! She presented this morning!

“Who is she?”

“Remember Katerina? She … uhh … after she was exiled from the pack, she had a daughter!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 20 years ago

“We can't just let him die! We have to take him outside the walls! Someone out there can help him”

Joseph was the second in command to Benjamin Rogers. Two of the strongest alphas the entire western district had ever known. Both feared together, but explosive apart.

Benjamin had fathered a son 7 years earlier, a frail boy. He was often sickly and his future wasn’t promised! He wasn't meant to live much longer, the boy had once again woken up sick. A high fever overcoming his small body.

Benjamin had changed after his wife's death, he blamed the boy for Sarah’s death. A man that was once kind, and dedicated to his family, now lived like a wandering dark shadow inflicting cruelty against anyone that disagreed and crossed his path. His pack was strong! But there was no harmony, only fear.

Sarah had been a beautiful alpha as well as Benjamin. She had a hard time carrying Steve to term, at 7 months she fell bedridden and two weeks later, she had a seizure that compromised her pregnancy. Benjamin himself had to cut the boy out of his dying wife. That choice, as his wife laid there lifeless , covered in blood, and cut open like an animal awoke a demon in Benjamin. He saw death in his son's eyes, that is why he could never love him. He could never care!

Katerina took care of his young baby like her own, she had struggled to have a baby of her own so when Joseph came home holding a still bloody wailing baby, she fell madly in love with the small bundle in his arms.

The boy was small, but smart! He picked up words as young as a few months, and as a toddler he was incredibly gifted. Steve excelled in art, and even knees bit of music. Katerina loved to sit down and play piano! A young Steve would lean into her side and follow suit to her fingers on the side of the pano with his small hands. Joseph and Katerina watched him grow up, and took care of him.

Steve got sick often, but nothing too serious!

One day as she prepared breakfast she had a feeling of dread on the pit of her stomach, she ran upstairs to check on Steve and found him comatose on the bed!she wailed as she held her adopted infant son to her chest. Joseph came running to her after hearing her screams. He picked up the boy from her hands and loaded him into the car, with Katerina at his side he headed to Benjamin's house.

That was the first time Benjamin had seen his son since his wife died, his son himself nearly dead!

"Please Ben! He needs help! There's another pack two hours away, they have a doctor that can help him. She can heal him for good, please open up the walls so we can go to her! They both pleaded with Ben for hours, but to no avail!

The man was already covered in anger and reeking of alcohol, “Don't you dare challenge your alpha Joe! If I find out you defied me and left this territory you will never be allowed back”

Katerina couldn't let her boy die! With that warning in heart, she and her husband plotted to get little Stevie outside the pack territory, and to that doctor.

Behind Ben’s back, and knowing the consequences in his heart Joe called the Alpha from the neighboring pack, the other alpha had the resources ready for them to arrive in the morning. His doctor, a witch, was ready to give little Steve the life he deserved.

In the early morning of the night they sped their way through the woods. Once they reached the border a car awaited Rina, a beta from the fury pack was ready to take them to their pack.

Ben had closed the pack off to treaties when his wife died, he believed the world was dangerous and the pack was better off without interruptions, he couldn't even save his wife! His pack did not deserve to be mercied, they didn't deserve to live if she couldn't. So Ben slowly watched his pack become secluded and lost.

In the morning Ben, even drunker than the night before, had shown up at Joe's doorstep demanding to see the boy. Fully convinced he'd be dead by now, when Joe failed to produce an explanation as to why his wife was gone and so was Steve.

Ben lost it!

He called a pack meeting on which he publicly executed Joe, whether it was a display of power or just pure psychopathic joy. Joe’s death left the town broken, when Katerina came back with a healed Steve, she found herself widowed and exiled.

As a last sick jab into Joe’s heart even after his death, Ben took Steve!

As the years went by Steve forgot his early years, he forgot Joe and Katerina!

Steve remembered stories of his betrayal, her exile! How their actions forever changed a pack. He grew up kind, giving, and strong! Even if Steve didn't experience or know much love from his father, he was full of it!

And thanks to that witch both Katerina’s little growing heartbeat and Steve were stronger than ever!

Tags:

@austynparksandpizza @exposition-belongs-somewhere

[eternalscribbles]

(I jave done 2 prompts, botj of tje same story! I really wanna make tjis story a tjing, I like it a lot, but tjere are too many jurdles unfortunately, wjicj is annoying. Won't stop me from writing it till I give up on tje idea tji! Enjoy! Tjis is kinda far in said story. Prompts botj from @writing-is-ruining-my-life! I wonder wjat people could get from tjis, wjat tjey would tjink tje cjaracters are like and sucj witj a fuller picture... Oj well, if anyone reads tjis, I jope you enjoy!)

__________

"Highly, please!"

Hivemind's pleading eyes stare into the white sclera of her friend's. In her hand, she was shakily clutching a butcher's knife. "We can just... talk! I'm sure they can be reasoned with!" Her free hand waves about with her words, as if trying to cast a spell of understanding on Highly. But it fails, as they look forward with a frustrated glare. "They cannot. We have tried, you have seen and even done, our efforts are found wasted on that dangerous thing."

"They're not a 'thing'!" She snaps, her rise of anger quickly retreating. "Please, we could come to a peaceful conclusion together!"

"No, we cannot." Their voices gains volume, starting to echo. "You saw what happened to Unorthodox. Beaten and sickeningly snapped as we turned on our heels and ran like chickens. He cannot even walk anymore, bedridden, he is. He has not gotten better in days- for all we know, he could be dying! And to even try to befriend what could very well have caused his demise is but utter stupidity, and an insult. Not to mention how likely it is to spell out demise as well! We are to put it down while it is weak. It is our best chance of surviving." Hivemind shakes her head.

"There's good in everyone! There's good in them! And even if you don't believe me, I'm not gonna just hand over the cleaver for you to do the job either! I am going to talk to her, we are going to solve this all out, and Unorthodox is going to be okay!" She yells, her voice straining at the last bit. Her hand tightens it's grip on the handle. Her demeanor speaks her resolve as she begins to move past Highly to the door in which they were chained in. They grab her by the wrists and pull her back, only managing to push her a few inches away from the door before she starts to fight back and push towards the door. "Why does it even matter if I fail or not! She's chained up, I'll be fine!"

"But you do not know that, she could be faking it until we have our guards down!"

And there begun their screaming match for why they should or shouldn't kill her.

What was only minutes felt like hours, the two in a constant stalemate as they were matching in power. But not for long. Highly spreads out her wings, white with the tips tainted in black, looking as if paint was thrown on it, and flapped in Hivemind's face. She closes her eyes and her grip slightly weakens, her ticklish nature not coming in handy as she slightly giggles with the ebony tips brushing against her. Highly took this chance to take Hivemind by her lavender scarf, spinning and launching her into the wall. A loud thud, followed by a crack (fortunately from the wall), followed the pained yelp that came. The butcher's knife now laid on the floor, having slipped out of her grasp. Highly wasted no time collecting it, literally looking down on her. Her wings were spread out, highlighted by the lightbulb above. "No- wait! Please! Highly please!"

"You cannot do what needs to be done. You are weak." Eyes clouded with thought and no doubt a slither of hesitation, her head turns back to the door. With a quick glance to Hivemind, she mouths an apology. One she knows will never be enough for shattering her merciful world, and soon her friend from long ago even if they were long gone long ago. Despite everything, she does not falter in her steps, each one filled with confidence and resolve. Behind her, she hears the pleas and cries of ever so desperate friend, all tuned out into mere muffles. The door opens with a creaks, the tiny box if light shining onto the one the room help captive. And by their stare of utter fear, the two were too loud and they heard. But it mattered not. The door shut with a slam, and a scream if horror rang through the small space. Outside, Hivemind's eyes widen as tears pool but do not fall. In her minds, there's a moment of silence and mourning for her lost companion all over the multiverse. Too bad she already lost them long ago.

________

________

"Wjy did you do it?"

"I got tired of letting my friends die."

Highly's eyes were stuck on the ground, a frown etched across her face. And beside, sitting in the rock 'bench', an all to curious Scribbles. "I did not have a choice. If they got out, it would have spelt our doom. But she did not understand that, she wanted to talk to them."

"And I tjink we all remember jow tjat went." Her eyes look away.

"Yes... Badly." They take a deep breath, it comes out as a sigh. "You should have seen her face. I saw it. When I walked out of that room. She was horrified, a sobbing mess."

"Not like tjeir scream was tje quietist tjing tje world tjougj."

"Yea... She will not even look at me now, though. I want to talk to her about what happened. I want to apologise. But I do not know how when I am treated like the plague! I... do not think there is any coming back from this. She always believed we could go through everything without fighting- without hurting people- but that is not how the world works! Everybody gets hurt, even if the intent was to save! We could not have done anything for her friend. She was already too hurt to fix."

"...You say tjat, but are ya sure?" Highly's head swiftly snaps to Scribbles. "Wh- yes I am sure! We have dealt with every other adversary with kindness and mercy, but we tried kindness and mercy here, and that got Unorthodox on his death bed! We cannot talk our way out of everything, and we certainly could not talk our way out of that!"

"I'm not sayin' tjat talking is our go-to ticket or anytjin', I'm sayin' tjat I don't tjink tjey was beyond jelp."

"So what, I have just murdered someone for no reason? That I have stained my hands with blood that could have been civil!?" They stood up.

"No- wjat I mean is- agj, I can't explain it! Just- listen to me, Highly." Turning to look Highly in the eyes as much as one can when the other person doesn't have eyes (or at the very least pupils), she also stands. "Nobody is beyond jelp. Wjat's done jas been done, but now we look to tje future and don't repeat tje past. Hivemind is very upset, but tjat doesn't mean you two can't resolve tjis. Jowever, Hivemind doesn't jave to forgive you and you can't force jer or anytjing. Like jow tjougj you could do tjis again, you aren't required to. But just remember tjis for next time, maybe: nobody is beyond jelp. Now I may not be good at giving advice, in fact I'm awful at it! But I just jope tjere's sometjing in my words tjat'll jelp you or sometjing. And no, I wasn't implying you killed for notjing, but tjat tjere was anotjer way we could've at least tried." She sighs. She knew she wasn't a very good advice giver, but she had to try, right? A pit forms in her stomach, but she doesn't know why. And she'd rather not know. She lightly shakes her head in an attempt to make sure Highly doesn't notice, before resuming. "I jope you and Hivemind work it out, but remember tjat sje is not obligated to forgive you. Especially since ya kinda murdered jer old best bud." Highly just stares at Scribbles in thought. "Well, I gotta go now. Cya later, Highly!" Scribbles turns and begins to walk, leaving Highly alone with their thoughts. One awful thought kept bashing at her skull though. 'You are a murder, and you did it for nothing. Hivemind will never forgive you.' And they don't move, they know it's true. Hivemind will never forgive them, they will never have the bond they had before.

They were kinda glad Scribbles left, they needed some alone time anyway.

(Altogetjer, tjat makes 1375 words!)