#like is everyone in the shadow cursed lands a snack or what

[criticalglitch]

anyone else SO thirsty for He Who Was

[brabblesblog]

Safety

Part 6 of the Goodnight Moon series

The confession has its repercussions.

More angst (happy ending at the end of the series) and more slow, slow burn.

Read on AO3.

Part 5

Part 7

Masterlist.

Astarion hears the words, but it doesn't really register. What? He blinks, taking a moment for it to sink in. He had heard those same words before, countless times from countless lips - lips soon to be screaming and crying as Cazador took them away. He instinctively flinches away from your grasp, taking a sharp breath. This isn't the same situation, he tries to remind himself, but is it not?

Did he not manipulate his way into your bed? Into your heart? Did he not do this to send you Cazador's way? To kill him this time, sure, but what difference did that make?

And shouldn't he be happy? Your devotion to him was clearly written on your face. You died for him. Surely you would go to the ends of the earth to rid him of Cazador. But all he feels is a mix of relief and a twisted pain in his chest where his heart was. Relief that you had finally come back to him, yes, but that pain - he refused to look too deeply into it.

He looks to your soft, sad eyes and slipped his mask back on. It takes seconds to do, seconds you would have normally seen but not right now in your current condition.

"That's even worse, darling," he hisses, trying to bring as much venom into his words. "Love is for the foolish, the unlucky, the damned. I-," he almost falters, but presses on, "I don't do love. Let's just keep this fun, alright?"

You look away. Of course. That explained those faraway eyes whenever you were together. You try not to cry, but it was hard. Not expecting anything in return was one thing, but having your feelings dismissed so nonchalantly was another. You nod curtly and lay back down, stretching your neck out. If this was the case, you can only really think of one reason he'd be here.

"I understand," you say, in a small whisper, eyes brimming with tears. He can see it, can almost taste your pain, but he cannot - will not - do anything about it. "Just feed, please, and then you can go. I need to rest."

He stares at you in confusion. "Why would I - you're -"

He stops himself, realizing why. Instead he shakes his head. "You don't really have much blood left inside you, so I shall abstain today. I just came by on the way to hunt to make sure my little snack was going to be alright. And it seems like you are." He pats your hand twice, awkwardly. "I shall go, then. Good night," he says a little too cheerily, turning to leave.

If he hears the soft muffled sounds of your sobbing as he does, he ignores it.

As the days pass you slowly recover, thanks to Shadowheart and Halsin's help. You have been staying with the druid more often of late, as he helped you walk and would carry you when your body finally gave up walking. Astarion seemed to be acting like nothing had happened between you that night. He was back to his usual flirty, sassy self, and you were all too happy to just let that happen. There were too many problems for you and everyone at camp, and you were all too happy to just push this one to the side for now.

You still asked him to come feed on you at night, and without fail he would show up. Your little conversations in your tent remained the same. The only thing that changed was that whenever he would reach out - to touch your hand, or to cup your cheek - you would flinch slightly, but let him do it anyway. It meant nothing to him, you knew, but you couldn't really resist these small morsels of affection he gave no matter how insincere it was.

As the group traveled the underdark and the shadow cursed lands, Astarion begins spending more time at your tent after he had fed. There was nothing to hunt here, the lands barren and desolate. Inevitably it brought you two closer, but you knew not to let hope into your heart.

"Tomorrow we have to look for last night inn," you say, yawning. He had fed a lot today, as the fights had taken a lot of his energy. He nods and takes your hand, lazily tracing your knuckles. "Mm. I shall scout ahead. Which direction was it again?"

You frown. "Why do you like being in front? You don't trust me to have your back anymore? We used to fight back to back and- ugh. Never mind." You worry you pushed too far, asked too many things and upset the delicate situation you two had.

He tilts his head to meet your eyes. His were oddly round and shiny, as though he was about to cry.

"To keep you safe," he says in such a small voice that it's almost inaudible. You notice that his hand gripped yours tightly now, terrified of letting go.

"I can keep myself safe, Astarion. If anything, I keep you safe," you say, joking a little bit. He does not find it the least amusing. His eyes narrow and he almost hisses. "No," he says, his voice low and rough. "You are incapable of that, darling. You did it once, and it killed you. No more."

You take a deep breath, trying not to react in a way that would push him away. "Thank you for your concern. I am well though. I have been training with Halsin as well. I have seen my errors and am improving in combat. You can ask him."

His grip in your hand is almost painful now. He wants to scream, to tell you how much fear he felt when you died, how he could never live through that again. He bites his lip hard, enough to draw blood.

"Be as it may, me leading in the front has been beneficial to the group," he says quickly. It was true, to a point. He knew though that he had to leave. Any more of this conversation, and he was afraid he'd open his mouth and his heart would come spilling out onto your hands.

"Thank you, yet again, for the blood," he says as he slaps on a well-practiced smirk. "I shall see your delicious self tomorrow."

You nod, closing your eyes and settling in for the night.

He gives you once last glance, and is unable to completely stop himself. He leans over you and you feel soft lips press against yours. You feel a soft gust of wind as the tent flap is opened and when you open your eyes, he is gone.

[halsinsnaturepocket]

WIP Wednesday - Help me decide where to go with my Fic

Help me make a decision on the direction of my fic Yearning for a Taste I'm going to post what I have so far under the cut. Consider it a teaser, or a chapter 1 with a cliffhanger. (This is a bit that might make it into my longifc, but I'm playing around with it as a oneshot with a generic femme Tav because I think its hot and can go in a few different directions and I'd like to explore those directions.) Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure fic and the final piece will be posted on Ao3 reblogging for sample size / commenting&tagging with suggestions is always encouraged :3 MINORS DNI

Summary:

After one night in the shadow-cursed lands, Halsin is in his tent minding his own business reading a book when he hears Tav allowing Astarion to feed on her but it becomes….more.

Halsin hears the whole thing and is trying to be Normal about it, but the poor elf has been pent up for so long and is trying to focus on lifting the curse...but alas, he has needs.  CW: Voyerism, dirty talk, Astarion feeding on Tav

Halsin was lying in his tent, using a bedroll to prop himself up as he read one of the books Tav had managed to find during her travels. A book on mindflayer anatomy - a fascinating read, bringing him further insights into the threat they were facing. His attention was so focused he almost didn’t hear the sounds of two people meeting up near his tent. Unfortunately for him, his hearing was rather keen, and the secluded clearing he had settled in blocked out most of the noises from camp, but not the sounds of anyone in the clearing.

“Gods you're such a little freak,” he heard one voice purr. “You're so good to me, sitting in my lap, letting me feed on you.” The praise was followed by the sound of lips smacking against skin followed by a soft moan – he recognized those voices. 

“Did you want more, darling?” Astarion’s voice was silken, lined with hazy lust. “Or did you just want to be my little snack for the evening?”

“You��re sure you saw Halsin go towards the north of camp?” She heard her whisper.  That was most definitely Tav, her soft voice was very distinctive. There was nobody else that voice could belong to.

“Almost positive, my dear. There’s no light on in his tent either, he’s probably off meditating or whatever it is he gets up to.”

They were quiet for a moment. It was true, he had wandered to the north of camp earlier in the evening, but while everyone was enjoying a meal by the fire, he had returned to his tent, rather exhausted from trying desperately to commune with whatever living things he could find in the shadow-blighted village that surrounded them. There wasn’t much, and his efforts had expended quite a bit of his magic. 

“NNnnf…Don't stop…” Her voice was barely a whisper, a near-silent plea. 

Halsin squirmed uncomfortably in his tent. Of all the people to have a liaison behind his tent…it had to be these two. From the sounds of it, Astarion was drinking from her neck, his hands likely snaking beneath her clothes, pleasuring her…

Halsin was desperately trying not to listen in. He had been pent up for so long, and the two of them had tried a few times to bed him; it had taken everything in him not to give in. He was glad they sought company with each other, but did it need to be right outside of his tent? There was a pause in their sounds, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully they were through. Hopefully he would just bite her and be done with it. 

His hopes were futile as he heard a soft gasp escape from Tav. “Astarion–gods that feels so good.” 

“Breathe a bit deeper for me darling - that's it.” He heard Astarion coax. “Good girl, that's my good little treat. You're so nice and wet for me…” 

Halsin turned on his side, his back towards their sounds as he tried desperately to focus on the words swimming around the page of his book, trying to ignore the sound of the two of them, but it proved…difficult. Her stifled moans were stirring emotions he had been trying to suppress for far too long. Both Tav and Astarion had long since held his attention - maybe it was just the kindred feeling of being around two other elves, or maybe it was more…He didn't want to think about it. He had to stay focused on his goals, the shadowcurse lurked right outside the edge of their camp. He couldn't entertain such frivolous thoughts of companionship —

A loud moan interrupted his thoughts. 

“Bite me again, Astarion.” 

“With pleasure.” He heard him murmur, followed by the sound of Tav hissing from the sting of being bit, followed by another soft moan. 

“Gods you taste so sweet when you're on the edge…cum for me darling. Cum while I drain you dry.”

Halsin froze, recalling the sensation of Astarion’s fangs when he sunk into his flesh. He had allowed the spawn to feed on him once or twice when Tav was too exhausted. It was an intimate experience, to say the least. Silvanus forgive him, but it must feel amazing at the precipice of pleasure, to be on the edge of pure ecstasy and feel yourself shaking with the cold chill of life being drained—fuck. He turned his attention back to his book. "Many curious scholars have noted the illithid's disdain for arcane magic, yet do not understand the reasons behind it. In traditional illithid circles--" Yes, quite interesting, to find that illithids were weak to magic. He had noted the tadpole he studied had reacted to arcane magic when used on it. He had read this same sentence at least 4 times now.

“Oh gods, fuck, Astarion!” He heard Tav cry. They weren't even trying to be quiet anymore. 

He couldn’t avoid it any longer. The familiar sensation of arousal gripped at his senses as he felt his heartbeat quicken and his trousers grow tighter. If they kept this up for much longer he’d have to find a way to relieve the tension himself.

“Shhh… my love you'll wake up the whole camp at this rate,” he said, a twinge of teasing laced with lust spilled from his voice. 

Halsin had always wondered what sounds Tav would make…he'd heard her laugh, cry…her sneeze even. He savored the sound of her moving, of humming to herself. Her battlecry, her happiness…they were all so beautiful. But the sounds of her ecstasy…he didn't realize they could sound so sweet. 

“Don't make me gag you darling.” He heard her moans become muffled, as though a hand had come to cover her mouth…likely exactly what was happening. 

Halsin gritted his teeth, picturing the image of Tav tied up his vines, a thin cloth gagging her. And then the thought of her entwined in the pale elf, one hand over her mouth while the other was plunging himself into her sopping wet cunt while a trickle of blood from his fangs runs down her neck… He couldn't help himself. A groan escaped from him. He stifled himself, a worried hand covering his mouth, trying not to let the longing into the sound that dared escape his throat.

The sounds stopped. Utter silence. The silent eeriness from the shadowlands was not helping. 

“Shit–Astarion you said he wandered off to the north of camp, is Halsin IN HIS TENT?”  He heard Tav whisper angrily. They had heard him. Hopefully…this would pass, and it would never be brought up again. 

“I–ugh, I don't know, Tav, I thought I saw him leave his tent. What's it matter anyway?…I'm sure he’s enjoying the show. If he was so inclined he could join if he wants. Though, perhaps he’s deep in a trance.”

“Gods…damned it Astarion—” She moaned loudly. 

‘Should I stop?” He asked. 

[kudzuoath]

Wretched Things

Nothing lives in the shadow cursed lands. Even the trees are undead. This is a problem when you need to drink blood to survive.  Thankfully, Caspian is a giving sort.

–

Try as he might, Astarion’s focus kept sliding away from his book. The wretched burning in his throat, the sandpaper feel of his tongue, the emptiness of his stomach. All served to sever what little attention he had. 

He grit his teeth and stared holes into the page of diagrams. One of several books regarding undead that they’d recovered since finding Moonrise. Caspian seemed to be collecting the things for him. 

The gesture flayed him. 

“Horrid, pink thing,” he grumbled under his breath. “Wretchedly pastel tiefling.”

Maybe he’d be flattered if she didn’t also help just about everyone they came across. Oh she never made any promises – but nevertheless they always ended up in a bloody hag’s lair, or fetching a bard from a cage. 

Actually… 

Astarion’s gaze drifted over to Volo, who was scribbling away, not a care in the world. Surely no one would mind if he indulged in a little snack...

If nothing else with Volo as a victim, he could talk the rest of the party around when they found his corpse. 

Though it wouldn’t be that hard to hide the body. All he had to do was toss it into the lake. With the shadow curse no one would even question it. They all knew the little idiot had the self preservation of a gnat. 

His mouth was watering over Volo. Terrible. 

“Astarion?”

His gaze slid over to the wretchedly pastel tiefling herself. She’d apparently found somewhere to bathe – probably at the inn – because her hair was pale lavender again, rather than the sort of muddy brownish black it had turned from all the blood. 

Not, mind you, living blood. Of course not. The black, congealed jelly-like substance of the dead held by the shadow curse. 

“Well don’t you look a treat this evening,” he said. “Unfortunately I’m rather busy at the moment –”

She ignored his attempt to brush her off. 

“There aren’t any animals here.”

“Really?” he said, looking around in feigned shock. “I hardly noticed. Perhaps next you might tell me what color the sky is?”

Again she ignored his goading. Though those black and indigo eyes narrowed. A laser focus. “And the only people we’ve fought in days are dead already.”

“Your skills of observation are truly something to behold,” he said, fighting not to bristle. What, was she going to start making threats? He was still going to eat Volo. 

“When was the last time you fed?”

“Why?” he asked, lowering his voice into a pur that usually made her blush. “Thinking of inviting me to dine with you?” 

Caspian put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. He was too aware of the bared expanse of her throat. The way her pulse jumped. 

“Yes.”

For a split second he was confused. Why? What did she get out of it? Then he realized he didn’t care. He would take what she gave him. And then take still more. 

“You have such a generous soul,” he said, slipping closer so he could coil a lock of her hair around one of his fingers. This time she blushed. Far more appealing than Volo, really. He still remembered the hot, honeyed taste of her blood sliding down his throat all those nights ago. Did all tieflings burn like that? “I’ll see you tonight, my sweet.”

Even redder, Caspian shook her head. 

“It’s been at least a week, hasn’t it? Just – drink, Astarion.”

“How kind of you to notice…”

He was hardly going to turn her down. The thirst strangled him. He’d been much, much worse off over the centuries. But after so many weeks of being truly sated, starvation sawed at him like a stranger rather than the old friend it was. 

“--  for not thinking of it sooner,” she said. Had she still been talking?

Astarion slid his hand into her hair and tilted her head. Caspian allowed it, still practically glowing from the amount of blood in her face.

Cute. You would think she’d fluster less after the times they’d slept together. 

“Sit, dear,” he said. “I would hate for you to fall.”

Caspian did so. And the moment she was settled he leaned in close, and bit her. 

Her gasp was drowned out by the sudden rush of relief that poured into him. Blood touched his tongue, slid down his throat, and it was like waking. Hot, spiced, honeyed – and none of those things. Her blood – like the last time – burned all the way down. But pleasantly. Like expensive alcohol. 

Astarion tightened his grip in her hair, and drank deeply. Drowning that starving feeling. Luxuriating in the sensation of satiation. The creeping numbness in his fingers faded. The weakened woozy feeling in the center of his chest shriveled. 

“Astarion…”

More. He needed more. 

“If you don’t… stop… you’re going to have… a very awkward conversation… with Shadowheart.”

Caspian’s hand, on the back of his head. Fingers twining through his hair. 

Her heart beat stuttered. 

With a gasp of his own he forced himself to let go, to draw back. Though not too far this time because as soon as he stopped drinking, Caspian half collapsed against him. She was breathing hard, as if she’d been running for hours.

There was an ashen quality to her skin, her lips were pale and her eyes heavy lidded. 

“Shit,” he swore. 

“Shouldn’t have… left it so long,” she mumbled, head nodding forward. A long sigh. Then, she started to hum. 

From anyone else he would assume this was related to the blood loss. But Caspian drew magic from music. Sometimes from rhymes. Too still, he held her up as she hummed and coaxed the weave around them. He felt the spell gathering around her – and then felt it take. 

She sat up, looking marginally better. There was some color in her lips, at least. 

“Well,” he said. Awkwardness clawed at him. Though not as hard as it might have. For the first time in days he felt himself. “No need to talk to our resident Sharran.”

Caspian laughed. “I think she’d be more annoyed at me than you. Feel better?”

He did. 

“I’m positively brimming with energy, darling.”

“And you’re in a much better mood,” she pointed out. There was a flash of fang in her smile. Maybe he had been rather… prickly of late. But no one was happy here anyway, so it shouldn’t have been all that noticeable. 

He sniffed. “I miss the sun. This whole cursed place smells like a tomb. And –”

“You were hungry,” she said. Her smile faded, replaced by a knit brow as she looked up at him. He realized he was still supporting most of her weight and – when had he put his arm around her? The warmth and presence of her body was… nice. 

“Did you drink enough?” 

“I nearly drain you and you ask if i’ve drank enough, Cas?” An eyebrow lifted. “I did hope you had better self preservation instincts. Not too much better, of course…”

“I doubt the others are going to invite you to dinner,” she deadpanned. “Our options out here are bloody limited. And I don’t know how much longer it's going to take to get to Ketheric. You need to eat and…” she sighed. “And I don’t think I can give like this every night. I’ll get someone killed out there if I’m too weak to swing a sword or too slow to react with a spell.”

A terrible sticky warmth was building in his chest. It was foreign and insidiously… pleasant.

She was concerned. About him.

His eyes drifted to where one of her hands was gripping the front of his shirt. Caspian would have been so easy to lure to Cazador. The sympathetic always were. And she was nothing if not that. He could have stumbled into her on the streets, playing at a more mortal starvation. 

Help me, he imagined saying. And she would. All the way to Cazador’s teeth. 

Idiot. 

“Should we dine again tomorrow, I won't need as much.” All she had to give, and more. It was his for the taking.

Caspian’s head dropped against his chest and she let out a longer sigh. Relief? Perhaps? 

“Okay. Okay. This is doable.” 

He waited for her hands to drift lower, or her lips to touch his skin. He was resigned to it. It was the most natural sort of payment in the world. And he knew she enjoyed his touch.

But instead Caspian sat up and yawned. “Right. I need to sleep. And probably eat something. In the reverse order.”

“What, no desert?” he whined.

“Ha! If by desert you mean sex, I’d fall asleep before you got your shirt off. I’m afraid I can’t feed both hungers tonight.”

“Pity,” he said, stretching. The way her eyes tracked his movements softened the blow of rejection. “I’m certainly feeling invigorated.”

“Alas,” she deadpanned. There was a spark in her eye and a slight curl to her lips. “You'll just have to invite you hands into bed tonight instead.”

Caspian stood, sketched a theatrical little curtsy, and sauntered off toward the campfire. Almost immediately she fell on the bowl of stew Gale handed her like a ravening wolf. The wizard laughed at her and said something that earned him a smack with her tail. Shadowheart made a dry comment about the puncture wounds on her neck. Caspian fired back, but made no move to hide them. 

And Astation watched her with a faint smile. 

“Wretched thing.”

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

||The Misadventures of the Phoenix and The Shadow Chimera Sorcerers Part 15-A Phoenix's heart||

Hi there hope your all doing alright. This is Peahen mom back with another try to add another chapter to this mini series my friend started. :3 If you wanna read what is up the chapters are below.

Chapters 1-5 (Click here)

Chapters 6-13 (Click here)

Chapter 14

((Your reading Chapter 15))

||Drabble Summary||

It seems today was another off day for everyone but they were taking the time to rest up before another mission hits. However, Nobara confronts Kisho about something and it involves Miko. What could it be read to find out!

--- Warning ---

~Nothing dangerous

~A silly moment

~~Guests in drabble~~

Taz Hellion, Kinie, and Daichi Pheon-X comes from a side blog @chunibyo-x-sorcerer that belong to my beloved amazing friend @demon-blood-youths

Ryomen Sukuna, Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Maki Zenin, and Nobara Kugisaki is from the anime serious Jujutsu Kaisen. Also to me due to rping as them as muse. The same for Miko Yotsuya, Yuria Niguredou, and Hana Yurikawa comes from the anime and manga Mieruko-Chan.

((Note: This drabble will have heavy grammar mistakes and errors but this was written for fun. I hope you understand but also enjoy please.))

Another day has come for the others here in Tokyo Jujutsu High. After the last missions, it seems like things might be calming down even after Kisho's recent recovery on his so called snacks. Right now, everyone was relaxing before that was broken.

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT!?!" A shocked voice came from a room followed with Megumi covering his ears, Yuji sweatdropping to see him freaking out again.

"Kisho, please stop yelling. It's not that serious-"

"Yes it is! She expects m..me to.....t..to do something like that! I can't!!!!"

"But it's the truth! I think it's time for you to stop being a coward and confess! I mean you have too after what happened on your last mission you guys told me about!" Hana Yurikawa was visiting her new friends along with Miko and Yuria. However, she heard of what happened on their mission.

"I mean, she's got a point Kisho. You have to find a way to thank Miko for helping you on that mission. We all were not expecting her to do that but she did it! And saved your life!" Nobara said that Kisho was sweating now remembering. I mean, can you blame him for that mission and that dumb curse taking them by surprise by what it did???

'She's got a point. She did have your life..' Kinie said with a smirk seeing Kisho more embarrassed.

"NOOOOO!!!!"

"Kisho what is the big deal!? I thought you would be impressed." Megumi said with arms crossed.

"I didn't say I was I am! It's just.....how you told me this when I was knocked out during the mission!" he said. The others blink but remembers it.

~~~~~Flashback to last week's mission~~~~~

"Damn it, Kisho!! Wake up!" Megumi saw Miko worried as she was seeing a knocked out Kisho there. He was hit with a curse with Eito hooting worried. However, Yuji, Megumi, and Taz was trying to attack the curse who was laughing. It looked like some demonic curse bird but it's talons were holding a flaming orb there. It was Kisho's flame!

'OH come on, you can have a little fun to share!? Besides, his flame will be perfect to burn this city to ashes!' It laughed teasing but Eito squawked angry.

"You won't get away with this you fucking jerk!" Yuji said as the others tried to fight it off. However, Miko was worried as she was trying to wake Kisho. She saw tears landing on his face but he didn't move feeling cold thanks to the curse.

"Don't worry Miko, he'll be alright. You have to trust me." Yuria was worried but Miko was shaking crying to see him like this. However, she heard the others fighting off the curse but trying to get KIsho's cursed flame back.

'Missed me! You'll never see the phoenix hero again! His soul is mine! Mine mine mine!' it laughed that Miko's upper face was hidden before she stood up to look. Yuria blinks to grow worried.

"Miko???"

"K..Keep Kisho safe..I'm getting his flame back.." she said.

"H..Huh?! But Miko, Megumi said for us to keep a eye on his-" That's when she dashes off towards the curse. "MIKO!"

Yuji got hit down by the curse spirit along with Megumi. Taz was struggling in it's hold as it was about to rip out Taz's own cursed energy. 'Ohhhh you look tasty too little pup..' it laughed seeing Taz wincing. She was trying to summon her kinfolk but they got crushed by this curse.

'LET US GO YOU FUCKING BUG!!' Kinie shouted angry feeling it starting to drain her cursed energy and Taz's too.

'Too bad! I'm going to enjoy my meal and when I do, I'll be sure to savor eating you up!' he laughed about to see it going to eat Taz. However, before it could.....something quickly comes to do a super kick right in it's face. It twitched dropping Taz but something catches her to make Taz blink.

"H..Huh?" she looks to see it was Anaconda!? "Anaconda!" she looks seeing him wagging it's tail. However, she looks up seeing the curse crash into the ground only to see someone standing there.

'Haaa!? Who the fuck did-' he got stomped it's face in only to show some cursed blood but saw a enraged Miko there. However, he tenses seeing her being angry with him.

'Who are you?! How dare you hit me! You weak girl!' it said about to grab her but Miko grabs it's hand but twists as it trashes from her grip. It was painful but Miko didn't let go but the others watch.

'OWOWOWOWOWOWO!! Let go of me!' it said only for her to quickly slam it on the side causing the area to shake. This got Yuji, Nobara, Yuria, and Taz to blink seeing she was not happy.

"Oh no, your going to pay for hurting my phoenix. You better give up his soul or else.." she said

'You think I'm scared of you!? No way! I'll beat your ass and eat his soul whole. What are you gonna do!?' he laughed only for Miko to get more angry. That resulting in a ten minute beatdown by the Crazy badger herself. The guys were shocked seeing her beating the curse black and purple with Nobara, Yuria, and Taz sweatdropping.

In ten minutes, the curse was crying beaten up as it was holding Kisho's flame to her. 'O..OKAY ENOUGH, ENOUGH! YOU MADE YOUR POINT! T..TAKE IT JUST STOP WITH THE BEATING!' it begs that Miko takes it but she only held it while knowing it was his.

"Good....Taz, can you hold this?" she said seeing her take it carefully but Miko looks to the curse who pales. "As for you..."

'N..No wait a minute! NOOOOO!!' That's when Miko picks the curse up and started slamming it left and right quickly and fast till she punches it back right through two buildings! The others had a shocked expression to see it twitching now from the pain. Miko sighed but she blinks to look.

"Thanks Taz ummm m..may i see it?" she asked as Taz hands over the flame. Miko walks over to Kisho but carefully looks to him still laying there before she lowers the flame to see it sink into his chest. In a moment, she waited to hope it worked with Eito worried. In a moment, Kisho's body slowly showed some of his cursed energy before he winces then snaps awake quick.

"Wah!?! Guys we have to stop the-Curse?" He looks left and right trying to see where the curse was but he only saw a giant mess. What the heck happened!? "Uhhhhhh guys? What happened-" Right away, He got hugged by Miko tight as he yelps looking.

"Woah, easy Miko! What's the matter!? What happened!?" he asked but he only held her as she was crying happy he was safe. The others sighed happy to see this too but Daichi was confused.

"We'll tell you after we head back." Megumi said.

~~~~~End of Flashback~~~~~

"How was I suppose to know that she d..did that!? How in the world can I even thank her for what she did! She.."

"Saved your life?" Nobara and Taz said at the same time as he blinks to look to the side. He had no idea what happened but he was trying not to blush.

"I..I mean.."

"Listen Kisho that means she really dose care! That tells you a lot you know! I think it's adorable that she did all that just for you. Even beating up that scary monster!" Hana said as he blinks to sigh.

"I....I know that and I'm grateful she saved my life but I'm not ready to confess like that to her! I don't think this should count even with the mission. Can't I-"

"NO! You should confess! Stop being so scared and just tell her how you feel! You saw what she did and what she was like! That tells us that she likes likes you!" Hana said poking his chest that his face was red now.

"...YOU KNOW I CAN'T! IT'S TOO EMBARRASSING!!!" he said waving his arms quickly while Megumi sighed and Taz giggling.

"It's not hard to admit your feelings-"

"I'm not ready! I'm not ready!" he said looking scared.

"I think you should dude. I mean, Miko shows she likes you a lot..and it seems she does with you too. It shouldn't be a scary thing. I mean look at me, I confessed my feelings to one of Taz's friends named Jinx and...honestly, she felt the same way you did. She thought I was saying things but she and I have been talking and well...we got to know one another and.....yeah. I think you should go and give it a shot. I'm sure she will understand." Yuji said.

"Ohhhhh No no no no no! I am not ready to confess anything yet! And Miko just went on a mission to get more training!!! I can't..I just can't..." he whines covering his face.

'Great now he's being a baby..' Sukuna said annoyed but he was visting Kinie's domain petting her happy in her quoll form. She relaxed but didn't mind it. This was nice.

'Stop being a baby and just say something to her..' Sukuna said.

"You stay out of this!" Kisho said.

"........Kisho-"

"I'll never admit it yet! Not now!"

"You know if you don't you'll never admit anything to her but...look, she cares. She loves you I bet.." Nobara said but Hana was giggling knowing it was adorable and cute. Seeing love blooming once more.

"I really can't! I don't want Miko to get a loser-"

"You are not a loser!! Come on, I'm sure she will love you if you just admit your feelings. It's like me having feelings for someone myself but..I don't know if she'll like me that way-"

"Hold on, you like someone?" Megumi said to Nobara but she smiled.

"Anyway, Kisho just be honest. I'm sure she will love you very much. Just be honest with yourself...It's not that hard." Hana said but Kisho was quiet only to think. He did care about Miko as a close friend! Though, he was not ready for that.

"........." Though, thinking about his friend made his face flushed. She was sweet, kind, loving, protective, and very strong. She was someone a guy would indeed like very much. Though, even with her being dangerous with her wrestling moves. She was something else and amazing.

This made him blush worse now that he was already looking more red now trying not to think about it. He covers his face that it made him shake his head. He couldn't at the moment! He already finds her amazing but he didn't want her to be with someone that might seem like a bad influence. Even when they told him what happened on that mission and the time she got drunk twice.

He didn't want her to be worse but the others think he was over thinking it. "Kisho, I think you are worrying too much. I think she will be happy with you even so. You shouldn't worry about it." Nobara said gently and yet he was silent still flushed.

"..I really can't..I can't.....I......" He still was red though from the thought that he didn't know Miko walks into the classroom while looking happy as she smiled holding a treat and a bag with other sweets. However, she was gently taking a bite of her melon bread before seeing the others.

"O..Oh hi guys...." she said.

"Oh hey Miko! Back from your trip to the store?" Nobara asked.

"Yeah, I g..got us some snacks if you guys w..wanted some." she said showing a bag that the others smiled to thank her. "I..I even got some for Eito and Anaconda too." she smiled as she saw Eito flying around her head then lands to nuzzle her cheek as thanks.

"Y...Your welcome Eito." she smiled kindly as the others happily goes to get a snack. She even hands one to Kisho who was flushed again though he said nothing seeing she was happy. It was so much better to see her happy with no problem. Though, seeing her so happy made his heart swoon.

Miko deserves to be happy.

"Kisho? Ar...are you okay?" she asked wondering if he was alright that he snaps out of it.

"Huh!?"

"Uhhhh are you...okay?" she asked softly to him that she felt his forehead that his face was redder now seeing her.

"I..I..I..I..."

Miko blinks wondering if he was that he was sweating now still blushing worse. Nobara, Yuji, Megumi, Taz, Hana, and Yuria blinks to see this only for Kisho's eyes become swirls to her touching his forehead.

"K..Kisho!?"

"Uuuuuhhhhh......@_@"

"?????"

Megumi sighed but the others goes to help Kisho up or somewhere else. Seems he might take the time to wake up later on. "Uhhhh..."

"D..did I do something wrong?"

"No no, you didn't. He's just tired from his day off. No worries." Nobara said smiling seeing Miko worried.

"No worries Miko, we'll take him to the nurse." Yuji laughed picking up a dizzy Kisho while Megumi helps. However, the girls giggled with Miko being confused. She wonders if she scared him but she will not know yet. Seems like it will be another time till he would say something. Though, at least it was something.

[phantoms-lair]

Jason did not know what was happening. One minute he was patrolling Crime Alley, the next minute he was grabbed by a living shadow attached to a guy on a motorcycle who kept talking to him as if Jason could hear him over the wind. Then they traveled through some portal and Jason was dumped at what looked like an office Christmas party for super villains. Where he was handed a cup of punch and left alone like he was expected to mingle. "Johnny didn't explain before dragging you here, did he?" a young voice asked. Jason turned and saw someone who looked to be the same age as Robin. "He the motorcycle guy?" It was intel, at least. "Yeah." the teen sighed. "It's like they universally forget we liminals aren't on the same metaphorical mailing lists as the rest of them." "Liminals?" Judging by the 'we' he was being grouped together with the kid. Who was paling, which Jason hadn't thought possible with how pale he'd been. "You don't know about...Okay, Okay Danny you can talk him through this." The kid, Danny, seemed to be bracing himself. "Okay, first step. Are you aware that you've been touched by death or the lands of the dead and have been irrevocably changed by it?" Jason felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "How do you know about that?" Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, so that is what a liminal is. You're liminal. I'm liminal. Sam and Tuck are liminal." He gestured to a goth girl and dark skinned kid arguing by the snack table ."Val is liminal, but chose not to attend the party." "How come she got a choice?" Jason growled. "Because she a history of getting shooty with ghosts when annoyed and the Truce is enforced non-violence." "Ghosts? Truce?" Jason really wanted answers. "So ghosts, ie dead people, ectoplasmic apparitions, tulpas, residents of the Infinite Realms, any combination of the above, have an annual day of Truce. All old grudges are ignored. All rivalries put aside for 24 hours on Christmas day. And in this case liminals are considered honorary ghosts." "How Christian of them." Jason snarked. Danny shrugged. "Seems that way until you remember Christmas was a rewrite of the cultural festivals for the people the Christians took over to keep them from lashing out and the day is likely tied to something much older. Sam's fond of pointing that out." Point. "So you're telling me everyone here is either a ghost or 'liminal'?" "Yep. Mostly ghosts. We're not common." Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "I can get you back to the living world if you want. To be perfectly honest I wouldn't mind an excuse to ditch the party for a bit. I'm trying to be better for the sake of those around me but this time of year isn't..." he shrugged.

"Seasonal Affect Disorder?" Jason guessed.

"That's what Jazz calls it. I kinda acted out last year and ended up cursing my hometown to talk in rhyme till I learned my lesson."

"Okay, fuck that. You show me the way out of here and I protect you from the season." Danny snorted. "Deal." Danny led them out of the party, after a wave to Sam and Tucker. The party house, however, seemed to be on an island floating in the void. Danny floated up into the air and looked expectantly at Jason.

"Um, is flying a liminal thing? Because I don't think I can do that." Danny looked surprised, then laughed. "Not here it isn't. Okay, you know how Superman has a whole bunch of powers here, but on Krypton with its red sun he'd be just a guy? No super strength or heat vision or anything? Same rules apply to human here." Danny wasn't seriously suggesting? Not expecting much, Jason pushed off the ground and found himself hovering midair. "Holy Fuck HolyFuck Holyfuck." he screeched with a mixture of shock and delight. "What else can humans do here?"

In the end he didn't get back to Gotham until after the truce was over and a ghost named Skulker came after Danny trying to skin him (for his pelt?!?!?!). But Jason admitted he had a lot of fun and maybe the phone numbers of several other liminals made him feel a bit less isolated after his return to life.

DPxDC Prompt where Red Hood is bodily dragged into the Ghost Zone on Christmas, kicking and screaming. 

This Johnny guy keeps saying, “Come on, a little ghostling like you should be at the Holiday Truce,” and Jason doesn’t know what the fuck that’s supposed to mean. 

Alternatively, Jason gets reprimanded for unknowingly breaking the Holiday Truce.

[slytherinbarnes]

Seasons Change [4]

iv. i will wait for you (as the leaves fall to the ground)

pairing: Steve Rogers x reader

word count: 1.4k

warnings: a little angst.

summary: despite running, the fallout from rome eventually catches up with you.

a/n: alright, that’s it!!! this is a wrap on this miniseries! please let me know what you think, I hope you enjoyed this series!

previous chapter // series masterlist // full masterlist

September 22, New York City.

The first phone call comes the day after you leave Rome, while you’re strapped into a Quinjet and heading to Siberia. 

You know it’s Steve, because so few people have your number for your phone, and when the call comes in you put your phone on silent and slide it into your bag, not ready to confront the reality of what you discovered while playing pretend with Steve in Rome.

You’re falling in love with him. 

When you initially proposed the friends with benefits arrangement, you thought there was no way you’d be the first to break the agreement and get attached. You’ve always been good at avoiding connections with others, and you thought Steve would be no exception. It seems as though you underestimated the pull of his personality though. He’s magnetic, and you can’t help but want to be around him. 

And maybe he feels the same, you did see his drawings of you, but maybe those mean nothing, and admitting to your feelings will just have you making a fool of yourself. You don’t want to be the first to admit that you failed, that you broke the agreement, so you decide to run from your problems instead, the way you always have, burying yourself in work and using it as an excuse to avoid reality. 

-

Steve calls again when you’re in Mozambique.

And Paris.

And Florida.

And Brazil.

But after a while, he stops calling. And the realization is heartbreaking.

-

In September, Fury says no more. Even he can tell you’re getting run down and clearly using work as an excuse to run from your personal life. 

He puts you on a mandatory month long break, and after that he promises that your missions for the rest of the year will be stateside, giving you time to get your life together, giving you time to slow down and stop running. 

When you land in New York, you realize that you missed the city more than you realized. The first thing you do is call your parents and tell them about your break, promising to visit them as soon as you get settled in. You hear an excitement in your mother's voice that you haven’t heard in years, and you realize now it’s been a while since you’ve been home, your longest time away yet, and maybe now, it’s time for you to stop running from everything. 

No more running from your parents, or your trauma, or the memories of your brother. It’s time for you to sit down and figure everything out, time for you to visit your parents and talk about your brother and what his loss has meant to you, done to you. Time for you to admit your feelings to yourself, and to Steve, even if it ruins things between you.

Of course, that’s easier said than done.

Instead of heading to the Avengers Compound and staying in the room you have there, you go to your apartment instead, the one you just can’t seem to let go of. It's the first place you moved to when you got to the city, and it’s rent controlled, which makes it even harder to give up. You’re not here much anymore, but strangely, it’s still home to you. 

More importantly, you have no chance of running into Steve here. 

-

You spend the first week home catching up on any remaining paperwork and reading the same three books on your barren bookcase. On day 9, you switch on the TV, only to switch it off again within minutes, too overwhelmed with the choices of what to watch. Instead, you dig out an old puzzle, one of the few belongings in your apartment, and you spend two days piecing it together, listening to music as you work. On day 12, you wander to the fridge for a snack, only to pull the door open and find the shelves empty, wiped clean of the food you bought when you first arrived back home. 

Sighing, you head to your room and pull on some pants and shoes, deciding a quick grocery trip will help to kill some time. You walk to one of the markets nearby, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the walls of the buildings lining the street, and a crisp breeze blows around you, promising an approach of fall. 

When you reach the store, you grab a basket, looping your arm through it as you wander through the aisles, grabbing anything that sounds appealing to you. Wandering through a store without a list, and while hungry, is dangerous, and soon your basket is full of snacks and no meals. Making a deal with yourself, you decide the snacks can stay as long as you get a few other things to go along with it. Heading towards the produce, you grab a few things for salads and sandwiches, before deciding a head of lettuce should round out your basket and complete your trip. 

As you reach for one of the heads of lettuce, another hand closes on top of yours, you and someone else reaching for the vegetable at the same time. You lift it and turn, intending to offer the head to the other person and grab a different one for yourself, only to drop it when you turn and lock eyes with Steve. His brows shoot up when he locks eyes with you, clearly surprised to see you in New York, and you send a silent curse to the Universe for making you do this now. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Steve smiles a little, the air between you tense and awkward. “When did you get home?”

“Uh… two weeks ago.”

His brows shoot up again, and he mutters, “Really?” You swear you hear disappointment in his voice, and it makes guilt flood your system. “Wow, that’s great.”

“Yeah.”

The air is thick with tension, and you squirm, aware that both of you now know that you’re avoiding him, no longer able to use work as an excuse. Steve shakes his head a little, turning to sit his basket on the ground, deciding to jump head first into the conversation. “I thought things were good after Rome.”

“They were!”

“Then why have you been avoiding me? You just up and left Rome, no note or anything, and you haven’t answered any of my calls.”

“I was-” You cut yourself off, about to use work as an excuse again, and you remember your earlier conversation to yourself. No more running. “I think I’ve been lying to myself.”

Steve shakes his head, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

Someone brushes past you to grab a bundle of carrots, and you almost laugh at the situation; confessing your feelings in a grocery store, after spending nearly two weeks straight locked up in your apartment, avoiding everyone. “I have feelings for you.”

Steve looks surprised again, and you hear him suck in a sharp breath, so you barrel on, wanting to get the confession out before he stops you. “And I know I shouldn’t say that because of our arrangement, but I feel like I should tell you because I promised myself I would stop running from everything.”

“What about work? We’re both always so busy, and-”

“I’m not.”

“What?”

“I’m not too busy, I mean. At least, not for the next few months. I spent 9 months away from home this year, and Fury decided to ground me for a few months and only take missions stateside, at least through the end of the year. I have a few things to take care of with my parents, but other than that, I’m free.”

Steve nods once, but says nothing, his eyes watching you closely. You want to squirm beneath his gaze, waiting with bated breath as he looks at you, but you force yourself to stand tall and wait for the rejection. “I’ve been thinking about stepping back more, letting Bucky and Sam have more responsibility.”

“So what are you saying?”

“No more running.” Steve steps forward, both of his hands reaching out and grabbing you, pulling you towards him quickly and crashing his lips to yours. You drop your basket, hearing it clatter by your feet as you reach out and grab Steve, pulling him close to you. You lose yourself in the kiss, realizing now how much you missed this, and Steve seems to feel the same, because he lets out a soft sigh before he pulls away and whispers, “I have feelings for you too, and I want to do this if you do.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

You look around, awkwardly realizing that you’ve confessed your love and drawn the eyes of other shoppers while standing in front of the lettuce. You reach down and grab your discarded basket, standing up straight again and looking at Steve. “So, what now?”

“Well, I heard you have a thing for cinnamon rolls, and I just so happen to know the perfect place to get some. All you have to do is say yes.”

Without hesitating, you reply, “Yes.”

-

[arsenic-posts-shit]

~+Petrichor+~

Petrichor (n): a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.

Hi everyone! I’m back in business!! I won’t be posting frequently because I’m trying not to have another huge burnout like last time, and I haven’t had many ideas lately... I’m working on the 3rd part of Golden Hours right now! I have to rewrite it entirely. But until then, I’m going to post this, which was inspired by “Umbrella” by Ember Island. Also tell me if I made any mistakes with pronouns. Enjoy!

f/e: favorite tea, f/d: favorite donut, e/c: eye color, h/c: hair color

-+The rain poured down on the roof of the coffee shop that the two were in. The pair was outside, enjoying their respected drinks and snacks, but once it started to sprinkle they quickly retreated to the indoor seating. Y/N shook the water droplets out of their hair as the the two stepped inside.

“Christ that came fast!” Y/N sighed loudly. “I didn’t even know it was supposed to rain, I would’ve brought a coat!” Their body shuddered as they clutched their arms. Of course, Y/N had decided to pick a very light outfit that day. Mondo frowned, sighing as he rang out his hair the best he could without ruining it too much. Though it was already falling apart, so there was hardly a point anymore.

“I did tell you it was going to rain.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t believe you! You’re not a weatherman.” Y/N pouted. “You’re normally the wrong one. Plus it was super nice out, minus the clouds.” They usually liked it cloudier anyway, and a little rain, but this was a little excessive. If it wasn’t summer you’d think it was hail. Y/N sauntered up to the side of the counter where you’d return your tea cups. Dumping out the rest of the now ruined cup of f/t, they placed it next to all the other empty cups. Y/N somberly returned to Mondo’s side. “Did you save the donuts?” Mondo held out his empty hand. A defeated groan escaped Y/N’s lips.

“Hey, at least we got a couple in our system.” Mondo smiled half heartedly. Y/N nodded, somber about the lost donuts.

“Yeah, at least.” The two sat down at an empty booth, attempting to wait out the rain. Mondo had actually come prepared, wearing a brown jacket and jeans, so he was doing much better than Y/N. Y/N turned their head out to the window, watching the aggressive rain hit the ground and roofs. Mondo turned his head to watch as well.

“It’s not supposed to end for a couple hours.” Y/N stayed silent for a few minutes. The smell of coffee and sweet filled the pair’s nostrils, along with the very faint scent of the rain that remained absorbed into them. The male stood up and retreated. Y/N did not look where.

…

A couple minutes later, he returned with a second cup and 2 donuts wrapped in a napkin. One f/d and one with chocolate glaze on top. Y/N gave a soft smile and gently took the f/d one from Mondo, careful to not touch the donut itself. The two ate and watched the rain for a few minutes in silence. Y/N slowly began to zone out, wondering if this would be considered a date. Not like it mattered, they had thought. This is fun. But even so they felt a bit curious, and a part of them wished it was. Once they finished their donuts, Y/N slipped out of the booth.

“Race you back to the dorms?” Mondo looked up from his seat, his eyes widening.

“Are you serious? You’re gonna slip and die out there, or catch a cold.” Y/N shrugged, smiling. A small, mischievous glimmer was eminent in their eyes.

“At least I had fun before I died.” His eyebrows furrowed angrily, glaring daggers into them. Y/N laughed, mustering out a quiet ‘what??’. Mondo sighed. He slipped out of the deep brown seat and stood next to them at the glass doors. The streets were empty, not even any cars around. It was around 4pm, so people wouldn’t really be out until 5-6ish, making their ways home if they weren’t already there. The two began to count in unison.

3…

2…

1!

The two glass doors were shoved open, Y/N quickly getting ahead of Mondo, her boots slamming against the cold, wet ground. Water kicked up everywhere around them. Mondo, however, caught up quick and, carefully, shoved Y/N to the side. They laughed and shoved him back. They ducked under his next swing and slid down the sidewalk, picking up speed with the water. But their laughter died fast as they tripped on the drop of the sidewalk into the road, falling thankfully, palms first. Y/N released a loud curse, hands scraping across the ground as they flopped sadly onto their stomach, face landing in a puddle. Mondo slowed to a stop behind them.

“Hey, you okay?” He held out his palm, holding in laughter. Y/N looked up at him, and smirked.

“You jerk, this isn’t funny!”

“It totally is.” They both laughed, their boisterous sounds echoing through the empty, dim lit streets. Mondo helped them out of the soaked road, checking their palms.

“Christ, Dad-” Y/N exaggerated, rolling their eyes, “I’m fine, seriously.” Mondo snickered.

“Sorry, just thought I’d check. You do get hurt easy.” Y/N’s jaw dropped, clearly mocking offense. They smacked his chest, mumbling about how he was a jerk, which obviously made him crack up laughing. The two continued to walk across the street and back onto the sidewalk, where they slowly began to notice their gorgeous surroundings. It was gradually getting dark now, both from the fog and the time passing. Water droplets fell down the foggy store windows and there was dew on the flowers and plants they’d occasionally pass by. It also smelt amazing, since it hadn’t rained in a while. It was so fresh...calming, and beautiful. The petrichor made the moment that much better. Though, it was absolutely freezing. The two students were both absolutely drenched. The rain had slowed down by now, but it definitely wasn’t stopping anytime soon. They agreed that they could call the race a tie, after a few minutes of back and forth arguing about it, and decided to just admire their surroundings. Mondo’s eyes glanced over at his best friend. Their eyes shined in the rain, their hair a strewn and soaked mess. Thankfully they didn’t look injured from the fall, but...they were clearly shivering pretty bad. He rolled his eyes, internally groaning. If only Y/N had listened…

Even so, he removed his jacket and gently placed it over them. It was also soaked, but still gave a bit of warmth compared to their hardly covered form. Y/N looked over and gave him a small smile.

“Thank you.” Mondo grinned back, ruffling Y/N’s already destroyed hair. His pompadour had finally fallen out and blocked most of his sight. He slicked it back, blowing a stray strand out of his eyes.

“Fuckin’ hair. Sucks being this long.” Y/N shook their head.

“It sucks to take care of, but you look good,” Their arm rose to wipe their own face with his jacket sleeve. “Plus I don’t think you’d look very good with short hair. Maybe if you slicked it back.”

“Yeah, but then I’d be a carbon copy of Daiya.” Y/N laughed, nodding.

“Very true.”

The rain pitter pattering around them slowly absorbed their words. Y/N focused on their feet and the reflections in the puddles on the ground, but Mondo focused on them. God did she look like a mess. But a really, really good looking mess. Their e/c and hair blended nicely with the cool colors of their surroundings. His eyes twinkled as he took in their features. Even what they thought were flaws, like their small bit of acne or their rolls or their skin. They all were so… them. He couldn’t really explain it, but he really liked them for who they were. He was sure of that.

“Thank you.” Y/N looked up at him, confused.

“For what?” Their smile was awkward as Y/N slightly tilted their head, the clumped wet hair on their head falling to the right side of their face with a quiet splat. Mondo held in a laugh.

“For coming out here with me. Going on a date with me.” Y/N’s eyes widened, looking shocked. He quickly realized his mistake. “Shit, sorry, I never really asked you out, huh? I dunno this just really felt like a date to me and I-”

“It’s okay,” They interrupted. Mondo stopped, his mouth shutting. He probably looked like an idiot deer in the headlights. Y/N snickered, a small smile shining on their shadowed face, the rain rolling off her. “You can call this a date. I sort of thought the same thing.” Y/N paused.

“...I had a lot of fun too. I always have fun when I’m with you, Mondo.” Mondo huffed, smirking. Of course they do, he thought. I’m super cool.

…

He was really glad they had fun. And a thought crossed his mind… Did he finally get somewhere with them? He quickly snapped out of it when Y/N spoke.

“Sorry...say that again?” Y/N looked up at him, stopping walking. He did as well, anticipation sending more chills through his already cool body. Y/N smiled.

“Would you want to do something like this again?”

…

“That was supposed to be my line.”

“Should’ve said it sooner, dork.”

“.....” He sighed, but slowly smiled, the corner of his eyes creasing. He felt warmth in his chest. It helped him fight the cold, even for just a minute. “Yeah, obviously.”

They both discovered they had a cold by the time they had gotten home. But oh well, it was worth it. Since now, they’d be going out again soon. ...Right after they recovered. Gross.+-

[greenflamedwriter]

Galra Lance

Lance is a galra, and Ex-Mamourian (He was kicked out because he was suicidal and kept getting attention to try to make Zarkon afraid which was the opposite of what mamoura wanted so Lance is a rebel doing his own thing, bounty hunting stealing, raiding and above all about to steal a red Lion on the ship hailed under Sendak and he’s going to get a boatloud of it. Then a cocky kid in a red suit slashes in claiming it’s his lion. Lance wonders if any of this was even worth it?

1 Flash to mind meld plus suspicion lances memories of him in water with mermaids and pre-galran.

2 Flash to “surprise, not a galra.” Lance is exposed and returned and nervous.

3 His father is Blatyz the previous blue Paladin and his other father the Galra whom Blatyz married. (Wait how were you born?) Pidge asked and Lance grinned his tail flickering back like a cats (I was a test tube baby)

4 Keiths initiation Lance returns to the Mamoura.

5 they take down Zarkon then realise his son appears and find out it was hagger when plot twist the whole family were puppets a chaotic energy anti quintescence gains a form and almost possesed the galra but some (Maourans) Resisted and the galra were so soft, so easily corruptable they fight that thing with Fusiontron. They save Honerva and Lotor and they find a planet and make it habitable and release everyone from enslavment but some planets are merged some want the Galra gone and some need their galra to remain so Allura and Lotor try to fix things. Lance goes to his planet which is hidden and Allura gasps to see Alteans, Mermainians and Galra there in hiding in a warped hole.

On a spacecraft floating on the edge of an arus solar system, an abandoned Galra named Lance, was taking a pit stop.

His ship consisted of junk, the pilot hanger cluttered making even hoarders feel disgusted open drinks and snack bars littered here and there and Lance had to squeeze in just to get to the pilots chair, the craft only had one room and a bathroom that stopped working. And his room was the only place that was clean it had an assortment of guns, rifles, snipers, you name it, along with a discarded blade that has seen no use in years with a strange symbol on the hilt.

Lance had music blasting from his speakers some album he bought from an alien shop, the album was called ‘Queen.’ And so far Lance was a fan.

He was flickering through a data pad as many reports scrolled past with anflick of his finger. Galra operations, cargo shipments, military vessels, open channels with radio chatter that Lance ignored. He was looking for something easy.

The life of a thief had its perks, steal medical supplies and weapons and give them to a rebellion and make a profit. Usually he sold to both sides just to live more dangerously. A recommendation opened up and Lance smirked behind his mask with the three circles on the front.

A vessel captioned by Sendek was hovering outside Arus, sliding the panel right and lots of data began to download at lighting speed , appeared and Lance’s smirk grew.

It had some precious cargo on it, a Lion of Voltron to be exact.

Lance was having the time of his life knocking out guards ninja style was just so easy, he had the red lion in his sights.

“Well hello gorgeous, mind dropping down that barrier and getting out of here?”

Suddenly he heard a nose and hid behind a pillar in the shadows, just as more galra guardsran into the hanger.

Lance turned and frowned to see a boy in red and white armour (like thats not inconspicuous) and took them down, Lance grew more suspicious this kid fought like a galra. But he didn’t wear mamorian armour or any rebel armour that he knew. Could be a threat.

Until the kid went to the barrier “Alright open up.”

…it did nothing, the boy growled in frustration “Ugh-we don’t have time for this! It’s me keith! You’re I AM YOUR PALADIN!”

Lance couldn’t help it he laughed, more like busted a gut.

The kid whipped around activating a weapon, a sword.

“Stay back!” Lance shook his head “No, wait,” he was still chuckling holding up his hands “I’m not-”

Suddenly more guards made themselves known and the two found themselves with their hands full.

Lance wasted no time shooting the Galra, even took care of the kids blindspots, this jlb was bigger than he thought maybe if he helped the kid out they can split the money fifty fifty.

That was until.

“You’re not getting this lion!”

Keith slammed his hand against the panel, and opened up the interlock, the vacum

Shot the galra forward and Keith was barely gripping onto the panel.

Lance cursed then used his grappling hooks to latch onto a structure beam.

Suddenly Keith’s slipped and he was pulled into space.

Lance acted on instinct he unlatched grapplings and shot out of space after the teen. He easily grabbed him stopping them both from slinning.

“Let go!”

“Shut up, I’m trying to save your life.” Until the kid screamed Lance turned in time to see big metal jaws clamp shut around them.

Both screamed as they tumbled along the inner corridors, Lance was usually could at improvising- but this was going so far out of left field!

He had no clue what was even going on anymore.

Both were on their hands and knees panting from the sudden death experience, until Lance heard a high pitched sound and turned his head slowly.

Keith held his red sword against his face. Lance could only stare- oh well, stare in his mask and ex-Mamourian armour as much as he could.

“Who are you?” Keith growled. Lance knew he could knock the kid out and take the lion. But he’d have no idea if it’ll even respond to him, and Keith is a fighter and wouldn’t let this thing go, heck heleaped out of an airlock for this thing.

A crash outside saved his interrogation. “A rebel, against the Galra,” he rushed out (which was sorta true)

“Honestly I would tell you more but we don't have time!”

….It turns out Lance got involved in something much bigger than him.

This...this was Voltron.

His childhood stories, the one his dad told him about. The universe’s last hope before Alfor hid them away.

They returned!

Kinda, with one blue lion shot, it just sat there with it’s barrier up. Useless. Not doing a thing….sounded like his type of girl. Chilling alone while the whole universe wasn’t in chaos.

But even with four lions they were able to take down a fighter craft, one with Sendek attached as it crashed onto the planet before him. Colour Lance impressed.

Keith wasn’t too bad either during the battle. He was an excellent pilot and a fighter, but he had a very bad habit.

“Green is wide open,” Lance said with a sigh as he watched how obvious it was that the green Lion had three fighters on their ass.

“Help them out.” Dumbass, he left unsaid.

Keith seemed to hear it.

“I know-” keith instantly covered them and Lance saw fighter ships approach from the main craft. “Your right-” Keith barely managed to dodge.

“Will you quit back seat driving!?”

Lance almost stopped until he saw the black paladin was in distress “The Black lion-”

Keith was moving before he even finished. Keith was good, just had to see the bigger picture.

Once they defended Arus and went planet side, Lance had already made a decision, as he left the red lion trailing behind Keith he saw the others landed beside them.

A woman appeared out of the castle looking relieved, until her eyes clocked his and Lance almost ran back up the mouth of the lion.

“Who is he?”

Allura demanded once all the pilots had landed.

Lance brightened behind his mask, his lilac tail flicking back and forth as he descended the mouth of the lion and held his hand out.

“Oh hello, I’m Lance.” He over exagirated his movements the more big and dumb he looked the more trusting, Allura took his hand tentively.

“You can’t tell with the mask, but I’m winking.”

Allura pulled her hand away still suspicious. “Keith!”

Keith glanced at him curiously. “He was with the red lion,”

With no warning, Lance felt Allura grab his arm and twist him around onto his knees, Lance yelped.

“Ow, ow ow- that hurts lady- ow!” His hand was trembling and clenching as Allura dug her palm into his shoulder.

“What were your intentions with the red lion?”

“I was planning on stealing it,”

Allura looked very alarmed, until Lance gasped on. “But now? wouldn’t dream of it!” Allura growled “Why should we trust you?”

“My dad told me about Voltron,” Lance wheezed god this lady was tough.

Allura let him go surprised and Lance fell over with a yelp just barely catching himself, he turned and pointed at her with a scowl (That she didn’t see)

“Look I know what this looks like but I know that, this,” he gestured at the lions as he stood up ”This isn’t some collectors item, this is VOLTRON! The people’s hope, if anyone found out I-” Here he slapped a hand to his chest “-was responsible for sabotaging Voltron I’ll be doing the Galra a favour, Which is the opposite of what I want to do.”

Allura and the others who looked defensive, straightened once Lance said his piece.

“Is there anyone out there fighting Zarkon?” She asked, Lance placed a hands on his hips “Still? Jeez Lady where have you been? There is no more fighting, Its just surviving at this point.” He flapped his hand lazily “I already gave up on that freedom pipedream long ago, but yes other rebels are trying. Chances are if you make a dent in Zarkons oppressive system the rebels will come flocking.” And if the Mamoura catched wind of Voltron Lance wanted to be out of there ASAP.

He waved at them taking a step back “Good luck to you,” He patted the barrier of the blue lion and continued to walk away, hoping he could get enough of a signal to his ship to get him as far away from this planet.

Until the barrier collapsed with a swish.

He stopped walking as the others gasped. No.

Lance turned to see the others gape at the lion (Now free) then their gazes turned towards him.

Coran came to himself before the others. “It seems we have found our blue paladin.”

Lance looked around then back at them, wait they meant him?

Oh Gaia, no.

[winterscaptain]

day off.

Aaron Hotchner x Reader

request from anon: taking hotch and the kids to the beach! 🥺🥺 rating: gen no warnings apply, just teeth-rotting fluff, shirtless aaron, and hotchner babies

AO3 | Masterlist | Requests Open!

i got excited, this got long. so it goes. thank you thank you thank you anon for this request!

+++

You stand at the bottom of the stairs, hands on your hips, squinting. Getting out the door on a school day was tough, but getting six Hotchners into a car bound for the beach was a fate worse than death.

“Jack, do you have the towels?” Aaron barrels out of the master bedroom with a tote bag full of snacks, sunscreen, and assorted beach toys. He’d already packed two just like it. 

“Yeah,” comes the reply from upstairs. “but Isaac can’t find his shoes.”

Just then, another wail. “Mom!” 

You sigh, looking at Aaron. 

“They called you, not me,” he says with an almost-smile and a shrug. 

You swat at him. “Prick.” 

His laughter is the underscore as you jog up the stairs, finding Isaac’s shoes right away and tossing them toward his bedroom door. Isolating the shout, you get to the girls’ room. Sophia is tangled in her bathing suit with Caroline fruitlessly tugging on straps here and there. 

“Caroline, can you go help your father pack the car? Do you have your shoes?” You snag a couple of necessary items off the floor – a pair of flip-flops and tiny pink sunglasses. 

Caroline snatches all the items out of your hands and runs down the stairs. 

“Okay baby girl.” You kneel next to Sophia and help her fix her suit. You smoosh a floppy hat and a kiss on her head and send her down the stairs. Two down, two to go. 

You walk back out into the wide hallway, finding your son struggling with his strappy sandals. 

“Do you want some help with those, bud?”

“I got him, mom.” Jack pops out of his room and kneels by his brother, correcting the mismatched straps. 

You lean over to kiss Jack on the head. “Can you make sure he gets to the car okay? I’m gonna check on your dad.” 

Jack huffs a laugh, and it sounds eerily like Aaron’s. “I got this one. Dad could probably use the help.” 

Jack is usually right, and this time is no exception. Aaron leans into the car, one knee on the backseat while he struggles to strap Sophia into her car seat. He’s got a backpack slung over one shoulder and a tote on the other. His sunglasses have long fallen off his head and onto the lawn, along with his flip flops abandoned on the driveway. 

Caroline has planted herself in the small colony of bags near the rear bumper, playing with her sandals.

You approach him, placing gentle hands on his waist. “I got this, love.”

He startles, smacking his head on the doorframe. He curses loudly, and you step back as he rises, a hand on his head. 

He turns to you with a defeated sigh and you hide a smile. “Why did we do this again?”

You smile, grabbing his face and bringing his head down to your level, kissing the sore spot. “It’s your weekend off. You’re supposed to have fun.”

He shakes you off and shoves the hair off his forehead with a dry, “Ah. Yes of course. My day off and my wife decides she wants to go to the beach with our four children.” He undercuts his snark with a kiss almost inappropriate for mixed company.

“Ew!” Sophia shouts from inside the car. 

He pulls away from you with a little smile and caresses your cheek, leaving you to the crucible of the car seat. 

You take his place leaning into the car, tucking Sophia’s arms into the straps. She’s looking at you with her father’s eyes. You take a moment to kiss her little hands and poke at her ribs until she’s laughing.

Another pair of little hands grab on to your bare thigh, and you reach blindly for Caroline. You haul her into your arms and plop her into her car seat. “Hey little bug.” 

She smiles at you. “Hi momma.” 

You drop your voice to a whisper. “How’s dad doing?”

Mulling over an answer, she answers just as quietly. “He’s sweaty and saying a lot of grown-up words.” 

Dropping a kiss to her forehead to hide your smile, you thank her for her intel and finish strapping her in.

+++

By the time you all make it to the water, everyone is a little sweaty and a little hungry. You tackle the tote bags,  and umbrella, while Aaron takes the twins in his arms. You never get tired of watching Aaron juggle the girls, one on each hip, as they got older and bigger. 

Jack runs ahead, straight into the water, and the girls follow once Aaron lets them go. Jack is chronically helpful, keeping an eye on both girls, but especially Sophia Haley “Flight Risk” Hotchner. 

Aaron learned early in your marriage that setting up your beach chair was the first priority upon arrival. As soon as it’s set, you drop yourself into it and grab your book. Isaac takes up residence on the towel at your feet with his coloring book as Aaron continues to adjust, flutter, and assemble to his heart’s content. 

You and your family are blissfully unaware that Derek is currently kicking ass on the beach volleyball court not 100 yards away. Leaning back into the sand nearby, Penelope watches the game while Spencer plays a game of chess on his portable magnetic board. He will beat Emily next time.  

“Spencer.” Penelope removes her sunglasses to get a better look at...is that? 

He doesn’t look up. 

“Spencer!” She smacks him with her glasses and he looks up with a start. 

Penelope gestures wordlessly to the new additions to the beach, and they both study the scene for a moment. 

“Is that?” Spencer asks. 

“I think so.” 

“Call Emily.” 

+++

You aren’t quite sure what makes you look up from your book. Isaac is still coloring at your feet, Aaron and the girls still down at the water, watching Jack shred on his new skimboard. You chuckle to yourself and shake your head. The man will not remove his white crew-neck unless pressed, even at the beach.

Nevertheless, you look around out of habit, pushing your sunglasses onto your head, and spot a cluster of familiar faces by the beach volleyball court. 

“Isaac Spencer Hotchner?” You ruffle your sons thick, dark hair to get his attention. 

He looks up at you with a set of familiar brown eyes. He’d been this focused since birth, coming into the world with an alert awareness. It only made sense to name him after Reid. “Yeah mom?” 

He crawls into your lap, smelling of sunscreen and boy. 

“Look over there for a minute. Does that look like your Uncle Spencer?” 

He follows your gaze and nods, beginning to wiggle in excitement. Spencer’s head snaps up as Isaac’s eyes find him, as if he knew his namesake was looking for him. 

“Don’t you think those people with him look like Auntie JJ, Aunt Penelope, and Aunt Emily? And is that Uncle David?” 

Isaac looks up at you for permission, still squirming, and you help him out of your lap. 

“Go get ‘em, baby. Tell them to stay put until Daddy notices.” He squints at you, confused. “It’ll be funny,” you assure him. 

You watch Isaac sprint as fast as his legs will carry him until he’s all the way into Spencer’s arms. Returning to your book, you settle in for the show. 

Aaron and the girls get tired after a little while and return to the little hideout. You look up, and Aaron leans down to give you a salty kiss.  

“Having fun?”

He cracks open a bottle of water. “Surprisingly, yes.” 

Your smugness must show on your face because Aaron rolls his eyes and shifts his attention to your unruly children. You watch him take count, looking back down to your book to hide your smile. 1, 2, 3....1....2...

“Where’s Isaac?”

“Oh he’s with Spencer,” you say, as if it’s obvious, pretending to read your book. 

Aaron squints exactly the same way Isaac did only minutes prior. “Reid?”

“Not just Spencer!” Emily says, running up and scooping Caroline into her arms. The little girl laughs and your heart swells. You couldn’t ask for a better family. 

Aaron looks straight up into the sky, completely and utterly defeated. You could swear you hear a “What did I do to deserve this,” followed by, “I get two days off. Two.”

“Your ankle strap is showing.” Derek, in mock panic, throws his button down over Aaron, who swats at it immediately with a curse. “There are women and children here, man.”

Finally free of the ridiculously-patterned button down, Aaron instinctively reaches for both his hip and his ankle before realizing he’s not armed. 

He looks at Derek with an exhausted sigh, while Derek’s grin nearly eats up his whole face. 

“Lookin’ good, Pops,” says Rossi, coming up behind Hotch and clapping him hard on the shoulder. 

“You’d think,” Hotch says, raising his hands in defeat as you look on with a smile, “that you’d all be sick and tired of me after a decade and a half.” 

Emily barks a laugh. “Not a chance, stud.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes.

JJ plants herself at your side, enjoying the spectacle as much, if not more, than you. Sophia crawls into her lap, and JJ plants kisses all over her face, covered in sand. 

Jack calls from the water. “Uncle Derek! Skimboard!”

“Oh man, it’s on!” Derek calls back, already running toward Jack, who’s holding the skimboard aloft. Derek turns back, bouncing on his toes. “You game, Hotchner, or are you too old?”

Aaron, with another long-suffering sigh and a kiss to the top of your head, whips his shirt off and sprints past Derek into the water. You take more than a minute to admire his retreating form. God bless America and God bless the FBI.

“Too old,” Rossi grumbles. “I’ll show them too old.” 

He rolls up his pant legs and sleeves and starts to walk leisurely down the beach. 

“What the hell are they doing?” Emily’s shadow interrupts your sunlight, and you push your sunglasses back to the top of your head. 

“Skimboarding, apparently,” JJ offers. Sophia giggles in her arms. 

You look over your shoulder to find Spencer and Isaac a way off, playing chess together. He’s taken care of. 

“Couldn’t they get...really hurt?” Penelope says, sitting in the sand beside JJ. 

“I guess,” you shrug. “It wouldn’t be our first visit to the emergency room.” 

Derek puts forth a good showing, going a fair few feet before landing straight on his ass. Aaron does poorly, as expected, but gets two good runs in before he hits the sand hard, his board shorts riding up as he slides across the sand. You’re not sure you’ve ever seen Jack laugh this hard. 

You shrink back as Aaron stands, revealing a wicked sand burn you can see from your chair. “Oof. That’ll bruise tomorrow.” 

Emily puts a hand on your shoulder as the boys attempt to discourage Rossi from engaging with the skimboard. “Oh my god.” 

You all watch, open-mouthed, as Rossi asserts command over the board, still wearing all of his rings, his pants, and his button-down. You’re not sure there’s a drop of water on him, when he finally kicks the board up, landing back on the sand with the board tucked neatly under his arm. 

Aaron’s hands are in his hair as he stands frozen in shock. Jack and Derek go absolutely feral, running up on Rossi and engaging in all manner of manly theatrics. 

Eventually, Aaron comes to his senses and jogs back to base, leaving Derek, Jack, and Dave to their now-heated skimboarding competition. 

“Feeling your age, Agent Hotchner?” Your good natured ribbing draws a laugh from all the girls (even the little ones). 

“You,” he says, falling onto the towel at your feet, “are lucky I love you because you are pushing it today.”

“I love you too.”

[merakiui]

You got any yandere hcs of the boys before we start. Im an yandere obsessed anon who lives and brreaths reading this shit and I wanna know how fucked we can get

(Here you go, wonderful anon! I’ll post yandere hcs for the other teams soon. I’d also like to post yandere fics for these boys, but I’m not sure if anyone’s interested. >-< I’ve got two sitting in my drafts, though!)

Yandere Morning and Day Teams

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 TW: (yandere) unhealthy/obsessive behaviors, mentions of kidnapping/captivity, gas-lighting, starvation, abuse

Morning Team (Mane)

🧩 Ghilley 🧩

Ghilley is definitely a stalker. He’ll be in your shadow whether you like it or not. Nothing escapes his watchful gaze, so it’s important that your enemies choose their words around you.

He’s already skilled at sneaking around, so he’ll use that to his advantage. Popping in to give you a spook, showing up when you’re out with someone else, and even when you think you’re alone.

He’ll follow you if he thinks you’re going to get yourself into trouble again. His poor manager just has a habit of attracting bad people. Just let Ghilley handle all those vengeful spirits. You won’t have to lift a finger!

If anyone gives you problems, tell Ghilley and that issue will be solved in no time. And if you get curious and ask him what happened, he’ll just shrug the question off in a playful manner.

His behavior is unpredictable, so you never know what he does in his spare time. Truthfully, Ghilley’s either watching you or he’s playing a few tricks on those who bothered you. They’ll remember not to mess with you if they’re given a permanent fright.

You won’t notice what’s going on until everyone starts to keep their distance. Friends will make up excuses so they won’t have to hang out with you, and those who might’ve had some romantic interest in you have cut communication altogether.

When you’re feeling down, Ghilley will swoop in to cheer you up. You start to normalize your relationship with him because it’s all you currently know. No one else is willing to talk to you, so you can only rely on him.

Ghilley knows it must hurt to be alone, but it’s the only way he can have you to himself. So he’s willing to bury his pain if it means he’ll get to console you.

He wouldn’t hurt you, but he might remind you every now and then that he’s the only one who hasn’t abandoned you yet.

Yet. A word that’s become part of his daily vocabulary. A word that reminds you of the fact that he could leave you one day.

☀️ Ell ☀️

He shouldn’t feel these emotions to begin with. It’s almost...dirty, in a way. Almost like he’s sinning.

He’s not doing anything bad, though. Loving you was what got him kicked out of Heaven in the first place, but that’s not entirely evil in itself. At first, he assumed Cupid’s Arrow was the one to blame for these lovey-dovey feelings, but it’s not Cupid’s job to foster obsession among former angels.

He doesn’t recognize how suffocating his presence truly is. You’d probably have to tell him to back off before he stops sticking by your side, and even if you did something like that it’d make Ell incredibly sad. Without realizing it, he’ll start to guilt-trip you. 

“I’m sorry, Manager! You just looked like you could use some company. I... I can leave you alone if that’s what you want. You might think I’m annoying and—achoo!”

Nowadays, he’s been sneezing a lot, but the idea that his love for you is what’s causing all of this never crosses his mind. He just can’t wrap his head around that. Why would love, a pure, wonderful feeling, make him sneeze?

Under that smile of his are a dozen worries. He’s afraid he’ll chase you away or that you’ll stop liking him. Ell would feel crushed if that ever happened, so all of his energy goes into appeasing you.

He’ll show up unannounced at your office with your favorite snacks, follow you around the campus, and talk to you about literally anything. He could ramble about the grass if it means you’ll spare him your time.

Ell doesn’t really know the meaning of jealousy or hatred. Having been an angel once, he’s not used to negativity. He doesn’t necessarily feel extreme envy, nor does he hate any of the Reapers, but he does sulk about it.

It’s hard to say when he got obsessed. Perhaps it was when you first met and you mistook him for your own guardian angel. Despite the fact that he’s not an angel anymore, Ell likes the sound of that.

It’s a guardian angel’s job to care for and protect humans, so surely you won’t mind if he stays glued to you like a fungus. After all, it’s harmless, happy Ell! You’ve got nothing to worry about!

🐴 Jamie 🐴

Jamie is so strong it’s scary. Good luck trying to beat him in a fight if you ever attempt an escape.

He seems so innocent and kind on the outside, always willing to lend a hand when you’re struggling with Non-Non. If he’s being honest, he likes doing chores with you. It almost feels like the both of you are working on a farm together in the desolate outdoors. Just you, him, sprawling farmland, and no civilization in sight. How cute is that?

No one suspects he's obsessed until they look beyond that soft appearance of his. His gaze will linger to the point where it’s creepy, and he’ll smile while he watches you work.

He’ll get better at technology and city life so he’ll have something else to chat about whenever it’s just you and him.

If he finds out that you’re interested in something, he’ll try his best to learn more about it. Oh, you mentioned a new movie that’s been released in the human world? Maybe he’ll have to see it for himself. Did you want to try a new pastry from your favorite bakery? Jamie will buy it for you, so you should go with him!

He’s reliable, kind, and helpful—surely you’ll fall for those qualities. If not, he’ll find another way. After all, there’s a saying that goes ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way,’ and it’s not like he’ll give up anytime soon.

Jamie likes to imagine a comfortable life with you on the farm. Both of you will tend to the land and the animals, you’ll always have fresh crops, and you'll be together forever. It’s an ideal fantasy, but if you’re not willing he might just have to lock you up in the stables. 

Jamie doesn’t fret over potential rivals. If he was able to silence the thugs in his neighborhood, a few pesky humans are nothing.

He’ll get flustered when you say anything nice to him. It really warms his heart to be at the receiving end of your caring words.

And it’s even better when you're accepting his suffocating love. You’ll find that the bed is much softer than the stable. Just don’t push him too far. Sometimes he doesn’t realize his own strength, and your bones can only take so much pressure.

💋 Licht 💋

Licht didn’t think he’d find his soulmate so soon! Whether you click or not, Licht certainly feels a special connection. He’s going to flirt with you no matter what.

It’s up to you whether you respond to his playful advances, but if you decide to humor him be prepared to have this man all over you. If you’re returning his playful gestures and remarks, it must mean something!

Licht lives for storybook romance. There’s something so lovely about sweeping his true love off of their feet, so he’d like to woo you in traditional ways. He’ll gift you your favorite candies, give you a bouquet of flowers, and buy you cute trinkets that remind him of you.

He takes note of what you wear and whether or not you put on a perfume/cologne on certain days. He’ll memorize your fashion style and then try to match it with his own. Licht’s happy whenever the two of you conveniently match outfits. It’s almost like you’re a couple.

He’ll probably spray his own cologne on your clothes if he ever gets a hold of them. You’ll wonder where this new scent came from, and Licht will be over the moon if you decide to leave it as it is.

Licht will invite you on dates under the guise that the two of you are just hanging out as friends. Lo and behold, his real motive is to act like your boyfriend. If you aren’t careful, he might just go around telling strangers that you’re his partner.

He’s always touching you in some way. Sometimes it’s an arm around your waist or his hands are on your shoulders. To some, it’s just his affectionate personality, but to you it’s completely suffocating.

Whenever he holds your hand, it almost feels like he’s daring you to try. Like he wants you to run off and get a taste of the scary world so that he can come in to save you like a true prince.

He hopes that enough flirting will have you confessing. All of these romantic gestures have got to count for something!

Despite this, Licht wants to believe you love him as much as he loves you. Tricking himself is easy, but convincing you is going to be a challenge.

Day Team (Die)

🎹 Theo 🎹

Theo’s harbored some dark thoughts ever since he witnessed you and Nine in the storage room, happily playing the piano like a pair of friends. Like a pair of lovers.

Theo can’t stand it when the others are around you, especially if they have ill-intent. Whenever he takes care of bullies or vengeful spirits, he’s got this dead look on his face. It’s devoid of any feeling, and his eyes are filled with silent anger. It’s a stare that does more than curse; it could probably kill.

He’s rather clingy, always insisting that he accompany you to and from your destinations. If you decline, he’ll just smile and act polite. But if he finds out that you decided to go with someone else...

Theo wants to be the only one in your life. Everyone else is just a worthless germ that needs to be scrubbed away. If they linger around you for too long, he worries you’ll become infected.

He doesn’t want to hurt you, but sometimes you need to learn a lesson. If you’re so picky about eating the food he so graciously went out and purchased, then maybe you don’t deserve to eat at all. Not until you warm up to his cooking, that is.

He’s willing to do anything for you in order to appear perfect. If you were to tell him to shoulder your workload, he’d do it without a single complaint. If you wanted him to watch paint dry, he’d do it with his head full of you.

All he ever thinks about is you. Sure, his mind flits from June to new recipes to the piano every now and then, but it always seems to settle on you in the end.

What did you eat for breakfast? Did you get enough sleep? Would you like something to drink? Where are you going with Youssef? Why is Nine getting close to you? Why aren’t you looking at him?

Theo will know everything about you in time. Whether you like it or not, he’s going to unearth every detail he can. Even mundane habits you don’t pay attention to. Before you know what’s happening, Theo’s got your schedule memorized thoroughly.

He holds no remorse for those who get in his way. As sweet and disarming as he may seem to those around him, Theo’s wicked behind closed doors. That spell book of his has no business gathering all this dust.

🌹 Louis 🌹

Everyone assumes Louis has no interest in anyone other than himself, so it’s a surprise when he starts to give you more attention than normal.

His compliments start getting personal and they still don’t make sense. Just the other day, you were trudging through the hall, dead-tired, when Louis passed you. He stopped, smiled, and said, “Thy radiance outshines the brightest of stars!”

He’s always energetic like that, so it’s not like his behavior is particularly strange. But he spends more time flattering you than himself. His main priority isn’t his beautiful face anymore.

You deserve the world. Why hasn’t anyone given it to you yet? Fear not because Louis is determined to give you everything you could ever want. He’s a prince, after all, so it’s only fair that you sit upon the throne with him.

There’s no room for anyone else in this relationship. It’s just you and him. If you were to leave him, his heart would shatter! Sadness has never been a good fit on Louis, and you know how much he cares for his appearance. So you’ll do him a favor and stay so he won’t wilt like a rose, right?

It’s almost like he lives off of you. You’re his sunlight, water, and fresh air. Any less of your attention and he’s sighing dramatically. Won’t you be a dear and cheer him up? After all, it’s not every day you see Louis so upset.

He doesn’t want you to hate him. If you do, Louis will just ignore your hurtful feelings. He’s got more than enough love to go around. Surely that’ll convince you that he means no harm.

You’ll be treated like royalty, and everyone else is a mere peasant. Sure, Louis can say that he treasures everyone, but some people just aren’t worth his time.

Naturally, a prince deserves the finest, and he won’t settle for anyone who isn’t you.

So don’t fret! Those chains are only temporary, and once you show him some hospitality he’s willing to ease up on his restrictions. Although his sense of freedom is rather cracked.

♞ Ethan ♞

Ethan is a tough case. He hardly shows his emotions, so it’s difficult to determine how he’s feeling. He’ll never show any hostility towards you, though. It’s nothing but warmth and kindness.

When it comes to the others, he’ll give them the cold shoulder and a few cruel remarks. His patience tends to wear thin when he sees people bothering you.

Ethan’s like a hawk. He’ll keep an eye on you to make sure you’re staying out of trouble and he’ll swoop in as soon as something unsavory happens.

He’ll treat you like a glass figurine that’s always on the verge of breaking. At some point, he becomes your unofficial knight in a way. He’s willing to defend you by all means necessary, so everyone else should back off if they know what’s best for them.

At first, he scorned these feeble emotions for getting in the way of his stony resolve, but now he’s come to accept them.

It’s impossible to deter him from his motives. Once he’s got his mind set, he won’t change it. After all, everything he does is completely intentional.

He’ll just stare at you while you struggle in those bindings. If you were smart, you’d just accept your fate and act docile, but Ethan’s not a fool. He’ll keep you bound for as long as it takes.

You can try to reason with him, but nothing ever works. No matter how sweet the deal may seem, he never agrees to any of it.

Ethan will take care of you while you’re adjusting to a permanent life with him. You won’t go a day without a bath, healthy meals, or a lack of sleep. If Ethan says you’ll bathe, you’ll bathe. If he says you’ll eat, you’ll eat. His word are practically law.

Despite his harsh rules, he’s not that hard on you. He’d never lay a hand upon you, nor will you find yourself at the end of his sharpened sword. As long as you fall into a pleasant routine with little complaint, he’ll be happy.

💥 June 💥

June doesn’t realize his feelings for you are unhealthy. He just thinks they’re a natural part of life! Everyone falls in love at some point, right? So you can’t blame him when he’s doing everything he can to spend more time with you.

Your paperwork will never get done because June wants you to watch him while he trains. He’ll even show you his workout routine, hoping you’ll agree to train with him one day.

He’s one of the Reapers who doesn’t get jealous much. Unless someone’s really trying to get him to snap—which doesn’t happen often. But in the event that he does feel envious, he’ll frown a bit, his voice won’t be at its usual loudness, and he’ll sulk.

Immediately perks up the moment you give him any attention. He practically lives off of your reactions and has no problem announcing that to everyone.

June will remain loyal to you no matter what! Nothing can separate the two of you, and he’s convinced himself that you feel exactly the same. If you’re always smiling, it must mean that you accept his feelings! So then why have you started acting awkward when he continues to ramble passionately about how much he admires your strength and persistence?

Try to leave him and he’ll be so heartbroken. June won’t know how to react! Why would you want to leave? He’s never done anything that would warrant this kind of behavior. Maybe he just needs to give you more affection.

Bright and early, he’s knocking on your dorm with a huge grin. “Manager, the sun hasn’t risen yet, but that doesn’t mean we should wait for it! Let’s train hard today! Haha!”

June loves protecting you. Whenever he saves you from danger, he feels like a hero in those action movies he loves so much. Anyone would love to get saved by someone who’d die for them! This sort of loyalty will have you falling for him in no time.

And if it doesn’t, he can just create a few perilous scenarios. What you don’t know can’t kill you, right?

You’re his soulmate, so there’s no way he’d give you up in his afterlife.

[plumoh]

[NatsuYuu] along the seams of shadows

Rating: G

Word count: 2079

Summary: Natsume Reiko is a pitiful and lonely human.

Note: AO3 link. A look at Reiko through Madara’s eyes.

Madara’s ears twitch when the tree branch starts creaking and the leaves fall down in a whirlwind of irritating pests. He’s two seconds away from threatening whoever is disturbing his nap when laughter reaches him—a plain, boisterous laughter that leans towards mockery instead of pure joy.

“You really are just a cat, Madara!” the voice says, as close to his face as ever. “Napping on a nice patch of grass, under the sunlight?”

Madara cracks one eye open. The sun is still high in the sky and the breeze that ruffles his fur is a pleasant addition, accompanying his solitary nap far away from noisy and ridiculous small fry. But he can never escape the unpredictability of an annoying, weak human.

“If you say another word you will become my afternoon snack,” Madara warns.

The laughter becomes louder, and in the sunlight that makes shadows bigger, pale hair shines brightly while unnatural eyes glimmer with an even more vivid color.

“I’d like to see you try, you big lump of fluff.”

Natsume Reiko smells like mischief, power and loneliness.

***

This forest isn’t big enough to swallow all the rumors that float around. There is no god protecting it and spreading rules to abide by, which means that everyone is free to do as they like, much to Madara’s displeasure. He’s a magnificent beast with strength that rivals that of a god, capable of destroying entire areas of nature and banishing youkais, but people here treat him like he’s the latest entertainment, to be jeered at by everyone and nobody.

He is not a simple creature that lazes around, and he definitely is not a human child’s pet.

“You should have eaten her long ago if you’re so irritated by these rumors,” Hinoe tells him, looking far too too smug for someone who is, without a doubt, clinging the most to that girl.

“It requires too much effort,” Madara growls, flicking his tail impatiently. “Reiko probably doesn’t taste good anyway. I don’t like my prey jumping and running around, it’s exhausting to look at.”

“You are the most boring beast I know.”

Madara rolls his eyes, turning his head away. “That’s a bold accusation when Misuzu is right here.”

“Misuzu is funny, at least. You, on the other hand, are boring.”

Hinoe draws from her pipe and exhales noisily, chuckling when some of the smoke gets into Madara’s eyes. Madara groans and rises on his paws, lifting a cloud of dust and dirt along with him, and a few little plant youkais scamper off deeper into the forest with squeaks. Madara watches them flee for their lives, feeling vindicated.

“I am a respected and intimidating beast, that’s what I am,” he huffs.

“Yeah, a beast that still refuses to play a game with me because he’s scared.”

Hinoe bursts out laughing while Madara tries his hardest not to simply snap and leave. Reiko jumps down from a tree (why is she always climbing trees?) and lands onto Madara’s back, her lips curled into a grin that could have been fueled by the sun’s spite, bold but burning.

Sometimes, Madara finds himself unable to make sense out of this girl appearing and disappearing from his life like a tornado.

“I told you I don’t have time to waste on your ridiculous games,” Madara says.

Reiko tilts her head, never ceasing to be the arrogant and confident person she poses as whenever she makes her words sharp and cutting.

“Hinoe is right, you are boring,” she snickers.

Madara’s tail hits the ground in annoyance, and he shows the barest hint of his teeth.

“Don’t you have human things to do, instead of bothering me during my peaceful rest?”

Reiko shrugs, sliding off Madara. She smooths over her skirt and passes a hand through her hair, as if they’ve never seen her in a dishevelled state or covered in mud after an encounter with rambunctious youkais. She stays silent, her smile frozen, but her eyes are blazing with a quiet, raging fire that sends chills down Madara’s spine. She’s only a young girl, inexperienced and foolish, running around and upsetting the natural order of things in this forest—but behind all this brashness, Madara senses something deeply unsettling.

“Human things aren’t as interesting as coming here and hearing you grouch like an old man,” Reiko answers. “Hinoe, you said you wanted to show me a new curse.”

Madara ignores the way Hinoe coos at Reiko like she is the most precious creature she’s ever seen, and observes. Reiko is someone they shouldn’t mess with, that is for certain; Madara doesn’t quite know yet why he cannot shake off the feeling she’s wrapping them around her finger.

***

Madara being Reiko’s pet becomes more of a joke than a real fact believed by everyone, and ultimately it doesn’t change anything in the way Madara’s strength is perceived. The others make fun of him for letting her live in spite of the influence she has on his image as the greatest beast of the forest, but for the time being he’s one of the very few who didn’t get his name down in the stupid book, so there.

There has been some turmoil and unrest in the neighborhood, lately. A vicious youkai destroying everything standing in its way, threatening small fry for information and leaving behind trails of blood that scare the weakest of them. Madara doesn’t feel particularly concerned about this kind of rampage, which happens a lot more often than people would believe. It’s best to let it pass and not get involved in this youkai’s affairs.

That is what he would have done, were he alone. In times like these, Madara remembers why he chose to live in solitude and not surrounded by other beings who have the survival instincts of insignificant bugs.

“The destroyed trees fall down and block some roads in the forest,” Reiko grumbles, tapping her foot. “People can’t circulate anymore, and cleaning that mess up will take many weeks.”

Madara sighs, glancing at the area of destruction. The claw marks on the trunks indicate that whoever they’re going to go up against might rival Madara in size, while the pace at which the forest is being attacked tells them it’s also nimble on its feet. Not an ideal situation, then.

“Why do you care about that?” Madara asks, turning back his head to look at her. “You don’t like the people of this town, and they don’t wander in the forest as frequently as you do.”

Sometimes, imperceptibly, Madara catches a flicker of pain in Reiko’s eyes at the mere mention of her own desires. It’s not a physical pain, nor is it a pain associated with the events she’s currently dealing with—it comes from within, deep from her soul and emerging in her gaze for one second. She hides it well. She carries this pain everywhere she goes, but she hides it well.

Madara never comments on it. He watches her school the features of her face back into ones she’s crafted over the years, all mischieviousness and no nonsense. Reiko grins and acts like the royal princess she has become in this tiny pocket of otherworldly space she is the only one to trespass into.

“I don’t like seeing people do whatever they want, like they’re owning this place,” she declares, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “The smaller youkais have been pestering me to do something about it. And it’s destroying my napping spots, too. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have your favorite tree cut down either.”

She’s an odd girl and a mystery Madara doesn’t pretend to understand. She’s confidence and contradiction and selfishness all at once, making it impossible to untangle the knots of her emotions—she uses words and rash actions to cover it up, like a nice tapestry concealing the damage done by a kid’s tantrum.

There is kindness in her selfishness, Madara thinks. Reiko obeys no one’s rules, and she makes up her own for her silly games, but her heart isn’t as corrupted as it may seem. And for this lost human shunned by everyone, doing small services unseen by her peers, Madara only feels pity.

He huffs, and takes off to find the troublesome youkai, whose name will end up tied to a piece of paper.

***

“That book of yours is useless if you’re not using its intended purpose.”

“Its intended purpose is to show off and to instill fear in my enemies.”

“You don’t have natural enemies, foolish girl, you’re creating them yourself.”

Reiko tips her head backwards and laughs, a sound carrying over the wind and echoing against the stone walls. She looks at Madara like he’s the one who has said idiotic things.

“It’s preemptive,” she says. “I’ve never felt that powerful before inventing the book.”

“The words that come out of your mouth are incomprehensible to me,” Madara grunts. “Humans are so unnecessarily complicated and confusing.”

“Don’t talk like you know how humans behave. You’ve barely had any contact with them.”

“And this is exactly why I find them annoying.”

Reiko smiles. She has her legs plunged into the cold but clear water of the lake, on this summer day that feels both too hot and too humid. Madara himself is lying down, head pillowed on his front legs and enjoying the slow pace of his day. He warned Reiko that playful and impish youkais would steal her shoes, that she had carelessly thrown in the grass, but she shrugged and didn’t find it particularly upsetting.

How strange, and how perplexing, to encounter someone who doesn’t adhere to any of the world concepts Madara knows. Reiko doesn’t belong to the realm of ordinary humans, and she has no knowledge of the exorcist community; she is an entity dancing on the blurred hinge of these worlds.

“I don’t need to use the power of their names, since I’ll never see them again,” Reiko finally says. “It’s only awkward if I happen to meet one of them and can’t remember who they are.”

“So you admit this book is useless to you,” Madara snorts. “Give it to me, then.”

Reiko scoops up water between her hands, and flicks it at Madara’s eyes. Madara wrinkles his nose and staggers back, glaring at Reiko’s self-satisfied expression.

“You’re a nuisance,” he tells her.

“And you’re not fun,” Reiko replies. “It’s my Book of Friends, so you don’t get to steal it from me. Attaching a name to a face makes it easier to call them friends.”

A pitiful human, truly.

“...They’re not your friends,” Madara says.

Reiko’s shrug feels measured. She gets out of the water, doesn’t bother drying her feet before retrieving her shoes (that are still where she left them) and putting them on. Madara’s eyes follow her movements, choosing to remain where he is.

“Maybe not,” Reiko concedes, her back turned on Madara. “I wouldn’t want to, anyway. But they gave me their names. Names are important, right?”

Natsume Reiko barges into their life without prompting and wrecks havoc on everything they know. She rips away their routine and replaces it with unpredictable events, summoned by her presence alone in these lands. She moves like nothing ties her down anywhere, but she’s restless. The tightness around her shoulders makes her small and fragile, when her entire attitude seems to prove she is none of that.

Madara doesn’t understand her. Her words and her actions are hard to parse, and he’s not sure she understands herself sometimes. She is simply grander than life itself.

“I hope you’ll play a game with me one day, Madara.” Reiko doesn’t fully face him but a small smile pulls up her lips. “You can’t run away from me forever!”

“Hmpf. I’m not interested in these childish games.”

“You’ll change your mind eventually!”

Reiko waves her hand and disappears in the forest, probably heading back to the home of her caretakers. Madara actually doesn’t know if she does live with them—she could have taken up residence in one of the old shrines with how often she visits them, for all he knows.

Madara curls up and closes his eyes. The Book of Friends, she’s called it. Such an innocent name for what is probably the most dangerous weapon against youkais—and it is simply used by a sentimental girl as a personal reassurance she is not alone.

Natsume Reiko already has friends. She just chooses not to see it.

[htownsmash]

Shiggy Horror AU

Part One: Gragoja Island

Part Two

AN: Hey everybody, thank you for taking the time to check out my second collab fic! This will be seperated in a few parts- this is Part One. If you have Interactive Fic extension, replace MC with your name! 💕

NSFW. Warning: Character Death.

To say that you were a horror fanatic was an overstatement. Sure, you usually liked to indulge in spooky stories, horror movies and even weird conspiracy theories every now and then... but you weren’t obsessed. You just enjoyed them.

So when you dragged Kaminari, Tokoyami, Kirishima, Sero and Shinso along with you to help you win the winning ticket to Gragoja Island, they weren’t surprised at all. After an entire afternoon of binging on the required snacks needed, everyone gave you the tickets they had found and cheered when you won! You were beyond excited! And why wouldn’t you be? You just won a round trip to the spookiest island in the country!

In the end, only Tokoyami and Shinso could go and keep you company. The trip there was chaotic thanks to you, but you only laughed and told them to count themselves lucky they had made it there in one piece. “Come on, guys, this is a one in a lifetime opportunity!” You claimed as you took video of the shoreline. You couldn’t help but be fascinated by the state of the abandoned ruins left behind… Why did people leave? How could such a huge place become abandoned?

“Something tragic must have taken place here; the souls of the unsettled gathered together frozen in time like the buildings that surround that place.” Tokoyami pondered out loud as he leaned against the rails of the ship. “How unfortunate that they have to deal with the living invading their private space for entertainment.”

“I think it’s cool,” Shinso broke the silence with a shrug of his shoulders as he closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of the ship rock in the waters. “In a historical kind of way. Maybe it was just population decline or maybe the island couldn’t support them anymore.”

You grinned at Shinso, elbowing him, “of course you’d see it that way.”

“It’s realistic.”

“How long until we get there?” Tokoyami asked, doing his best to mask his excitement.

“Two more hours and then we have to join the first tour.” You answered as you opened your phone. At the top corner you noticed that your phone signal began to weaken the closer you got to the island.

“Is the hotel haunted, too?” Shinso joked, earning a dirty look from both you and Tokoyami.

“- so what we see here is the Shopping District closed down in 1928.” The guide clambered on as your eyes focused on the area they had mentioned. “When the district reopened in 2003 it brought about an economic boom for the island. It became a popular tourist attraction over the next three years until the earthquake of 2007 struck. The city's infrastructure became unstable and again it was closed down the following year.”

You felt a cold draft brush past your neck as your group passed by the end of the district and you did a double take behind you but there was nothing there. Instead you found a doorway slightly ajar and as you grew closer you noticed that it led to a stone staircase. It looked as if it led under the store and down towards a lower section of the district. Before you decided to follow it, Tokoyami tapped your shoulder to catch your attention. “Where do you think you’re going?” He asked you, knowing very well what you had been planning to do and you gave him a sheepish grin. “We should get back before we lose the group.”

“Do you think we could come back later and take a look around?” You asked as you followed him back. “I mean, they have to let us have some free time while we’re here.”

“Perhaps they allow the guests to roam around, but don’t you dare think about coming back here. You heard what the guide said.” Tokoyami crossed his arms. “You have no idea what could be down there anyway. It’s not safe.”

You patted his shoulder, hanging off him, “but that’s why we’re here, isn’t it? Come on, Fumi, aren’t you curious, too?” You asked him with a slight shake of his shoulders.

He hated to admit that he was, otherwise he never would have joined you on the trip, but there was no way he would allow himself to leave his room after dark. Despite his years of training at U.A. High School, there were moments where Dark Shadow was unpredictable. He shook his head. “You’re not going to convince me so easily.”

The next morning during breakfast you had gathered up with a few strangers at a nearby table. You laughed along with them as you prodded more information about the island and any history that the guide had forgotten or left off. So far your schmoozing had been for nothing and when you saw Shinso enter the dining hall you excused yourself.

“Who were you talking to?” He asked with a yawn as he joined you at their own table, eyeing the menu left on his side.

“I was just being friendly.” You answered absently as you adjusted the settings on your phone, doing your best to test the connection. Two and a half bars. It wasn’t much but it was better than nothing. “Hey, let’s take a selfie.” You suggested, coming up with a thousand excuses or ideas to get him to join your little expedition. If Tokoyami refused to go, you knew Shinso would be your man.

The first night had been uneventful. The most satisfying moment would have been finding out what was at the bottom of the stairs, like an escape room, a mass of tunnels or even a skeleton! Nothing, it had just been a part of a flooded basement. The disappointment alone sent you and Shinso back.

Your luck was going to change! Tonight was going to be different! You could feel it. You turned to Shinso as he crouched behind you, taking a moment to look behind him before you went on ahead.

The window to a nearby shop had been already smashed and carefully you two made your way inside. You took Shinso’s hand as you made sure he wouldn’t hurt himself on the jagged glass. ”It’s pretty dusty in here.” He commented, pinching his nose at the strange smell that surrounded the room. “Do you smell that?”

“Smell what?” You asked curiously, taking a moment to sniff the air around you. “It’s probably mold or something.”

“No…” Shinso tried to place it. “It smells like something decaying.”

You took another sniff but didn’t smell anything. You pulled out your phone and turned on the flashlight. “Could be an animal or maybe dead rats? There were a couple of restaurants here.”

“What are you even looking for?” He asked as he followed behind. He felt uneasy as they made their way through the various shops.

“We can’t go home without a souvenir,” you replied with a cheeky grin. “Besides, I want to bring something back to show Kaminari.”

Shinso sighed, “just bring him that winebottle and tell him it’s haunted.” He pointed to the destroyed shelf behind the bar.

“Don’t be a partypooper.” You teased as you made your way across the creaky wooden floorboards. Suddenly, you heard a snap and cried out as the floor gave out from under you. You landed on your side, effectively breaking your phone in the process and you cursed and whined as pain shot through your arm.

“MC!” Shinso carefully peered down the hole. “Are you alright? I’m coming down there!” He said as he readied himself to jump down the hole.

You looked up at him and noticed a shadow right next to him also peering down at you. You lied there frozen as it’s red eyes glinted in the darkness and when you blinked, it was gone.

Shinso grunted as he landed on his feet, “shit… I’m gonna feel that in the morning.” He mumbled to himself as he bent down beside you. “Let me see.”

“Did you see that?” You asked him.

“What?”

“It was right next to you!” You gripped the front of his shirt. “We have to get out of here.”

Check out the rest of the masterlist! 💕

[jacksgreysays]

Could/should/did prompt Shikako in bnha?

it could have gone like this:

"How does your quirk work?" the girl at the bar asks. She's far too young to be at a bar, but no one can make her leave.

... which is alarming considering this is also the headquarters for the League of Villains and she very much is not part of said league.

Not that Kurogiri isn't trying to fix that. "If you join us, I'll tell you," he says mildly, sliding a drink over to her. Non-alcoholic, of course.

"Hm, I'd rather not," she responds equally mild, casual as she drinks the beverage, unafraid.

Kurogiri shrugs and continues his work. Just because he's trying to recruit her, doesn't mean he's going to be pushy about it. And anyway, he'll just ask her again tomorrow, same as yesterday and the day before and the day before that.

"Were you able to find your... Gelel, was it?" he asks conversationally. He's considering cooking something, a proper meal and not just snack food, something high in nutrition.

The girl sighs, staring off forlornly into the distance. After a moment of silence, she says quietly, "No."

Maybe a stew? Something filling and comforting?

"I... I don't think I'll meet Gelel again."

Frazzled for some reason, Kurogiri slides an entire jar of cherries to her.

She looks up at him confused before opening it and sliding both the jar and the lid back.

He blinks and is grateful that his expressions are near impossible to parse. "So what are your plans now?" Kurogiri asks, hoping that is less of a land mine.

The girl shrugs, fiddles with the end of her braid, "I'm not entirely sure. I wasn't really planning on being here long term."

He looks around, a quick glance upstairs, assessing, "Do you have a place to stay?"

She shoots him a wry smile, "I'm still not joining your league."

"It's not my league," he corrects her.

She rolls her eyes. "The league you are a part of," she amends.

Kurogiri shrugs, acquiesces. He considers what living necessities a normal person who isn't an undead entity made of fog and shadows might have. "Do you have anyone who could help? Friends? Family?"

At this, the girl's expression shutters again, and Kurogiri curses himself internally. After another silent moment of contemplation, she meets his eyes. Her face as inscrutable as his lack of one.

"Something like that."

---

it should have gone like this:

It's different this time, Shikako thinks, wider and far more unpredictable. Impossibly overwhelming. At least there is the semblance of morality--good versus evil, heroes against villains--but that doesn't really hide the truth of it:

Once more, Shikako finds herself born into a world of child soldiers.

Damn it.

But she thinks she can keep herself out of it. Her family aren't heroes, though they do make devices and gadgets that help heroes with their jobs. There isn't an oncoming apocalyptic disaster on the horizon--or, at least, not that she knows of. She can live her life in relative peace, stay out of the thick of things. She wants to thrive in this world of powers without prophecies, relearn to love invention without the desperation that had pushed her before.

Although if she happens to create things that are helpful to heroes that's not really getting herself involved, that's just contributing to society and also following in her new parents' footsteps. And everyone knows that UA's Support Department is the best in the country, it only makes sense to apply for that school.

And, yes, she may have gone a little over the top during the test but, really, they were robots and where else would she have the opportunity to test her limits (or lack thereof) without fear of bystander casualties? And, what, was she not supposed to help out her fellow test takers when they needed it? That's just common decency.

Honestly, she has no idea how she ended up in the Hero Department's Class 1-A.

She also does not understand why Principle Nezu won't let her transfer into the Support Department--obviously, she'll do the most good there. She has a portfolio to prove it!

... Although that just backfires on her because instead of getting transferred, she just gets an additional period added to the end of her daily schedule where she and Mei Hatsume--who maybe lives in the Development Studio--unintentionally compete for most volatile inventions under the exhausted supervision of Power Loader. And she still has to deal with the even more volatile personalities in the Hero class with Aizawa-sensei's frankly bizarre teaching style.

If she weren't who she was--if she didn't remember--she probably wouldn't be able to balance things as well as she does. Although she doesn't really connect with her classmates as much as she probably should, hasn't really fallen into a group the same way others have. The occasional exchanges she has with Dark Shadow has made them friends of a sort, she thinks, though maybe not. Except for minor conversations over homework or the weather, she doesn't really talk to anyone in Class 1-A.

Of course, this changes after they are attacked in the USJ. Asui helps her out in the Flood Zone when Shikako is taken by surprise--teleported into water, not her best moment--and together with Midoriya they regroup with some of their other classmates only to find Aizawa-sensei in the middle of being brutally murdered.

And something within her snaps:

Because this isn't her home and these aren't her teammates and she doesn't really want to be a Hero, not really, but... Rule Number One.

Maybe its not so different after all.

---

but it actually went like this:

When the students of UA move into the newly built Heights Alliance en masse, each class finds a fun addition to their ranks.

"Three in your case," the girl with the braid says to the collective curiosity of Class 1-A. "Apparently your class is... special," she says it with an almost diplomatic smile, but from the unimpressed expressions on her compatriots' faces it's not exactly a compliment.

Iida, ever the dutiful class representative, is the first to respond. "Isn't it too late in the year for you to transfer to UA? And while the dorms are capable of housing additional students, I don't believe our classroom will be able to do the same. Though that is not to say that you are unwelcome, rather, that we would not want you to feel unaccommodated."

The other girl, the one with purple hair and a scowl, scoffs, "You've already met us, we're Agents. We're not joining your class. Why would we want to be Hero students?" With her expression and crossed arms, she could not convey more disgust with the very idea if she had spat on the floor.

Some of class bristle at the insult, Bakugou audibly snarls, but when the last Agent, a boy with black hair, slants a disapproving glance in her direction she looks away, chastised.

Quick to clarify, the first Agent says, "We'll be living with you in the dorms, but we'll continue our educations separately. For you, UA has become a boarding school. For us, we'll commute to our respective schools. But thank you for your concern." 

"But if you're not students, then why are you here?" asks Kaminari, practically emanating confusion.

The male Agent, with a somehow even more disapproving expression, sighs. "Your teacher should have been the one to tell you."

"Your principle, along with building the Heights Alliance, has acquired the services of our Agency as another deterrent to Villains," explains the friendly Agent. "Most of the buildings have only Agent assigned, but given your class history you get the three of us. I'm Agent Bat," she introduces herself with an almost awkward little wave.

"Agent Hawk," says the boy, nodding in greeting.

The purple haired girl, arms still crossed, rolls her eyes, "Possum."

"Possum and I will be on the second floor, Hawk will be on the fourth floor. If you have any information or suspicians of Villain incursions and activities you can come to any of us. We also have a trained medic in 1-B's dorm, Agent Slug, she'll probably introduce herself later today. Otherwise you can just pretend like we're not here," Agent Bat says.

"So you're just going to be... watching us?" asks Ashido.

Agent Bat shakes her head. "No, no, just consider us as neighbors. When it comes to Villains, your concerns are our concerns."

His already minimal patience worn thin, Bakugou finally explodes, "We don't need any fucking babysitters!"

While most of his classmates wouldn't phrase it the same, the sentiment is shared amongst them. They've survived so much already--random interlopers trying to take control just grates on them.

"Well it's not your choice, now is it?" Agent Possum shoots back, ready and raring to match Bakugou's irritation with her own. "We're Agents and this is our mission. If you want to be pissy about it, it doesn't matter. Although if you're going to act like a brat, no wonder your principle thinks you need babysitters."

"We're not actually your babysitters," Agent Hawk clarifies, tone apathetic. "We're not here to protect you."

"The dorms and your sensei are your security. We're not your bodyguards." Agent Bat continues with an almost sheepish shrug that fails to mitigate the coldness of her words, "You're our bait."

~

A/N: I realize this ask box event is essentially tripling the amount of effort required for each prompt... I mean, I’m still enjoying it. But like... far more challenging than I thought it would be going into it.

Anyway, the “actually happened” section is based off of my fic built on a hill (light the fire)

For the Could/Should/Actually Fic Ask Box Event!

[xyuniconnijix]

A folk troll named Alexander

"Soon send away into the shadow realm, was nevee been seen away"

"That make no sense" we encounter a troll reading a book, with a chocolate brown fur color and mint hair, this member of the folk tribe who spend hours on the library, Alexander the younger brother of the captian Gaby, who was reading a book about the leyend of the curse of the forest, a growing darkness under the name of a troll named "noctury" but there was just many mistakes out of the book and many missing pieces.

"Bollito let's go" he call his pachong, his trusty companion for searching info "i need to get the book i left on home" he walk as his little chubby companion walk on his side

"Hey book rat!" Mother tree why, the little folk think as he turn to see on of the strongest member of the guard "did you finally get over those stupid books?"

"Umm, they not stupid, we must learn history to learn from the past and prevent tragic events to happen again" alexander answer as some of the folk tilt their heads

"...you know, it came to no use.. cause"

"We don't talk the same lenguaje" Alexander cut him "yeah that's pretty clear as you and me don't even think the same as all of you just think in fight and fight and...Oh! Fight" he said as he walk of a but fatser to avoid a fight.

After all, it was out of the average for a folk troll to read that much as alexander, the folk tribe were warriors, the best warrior of the farlands, overall his sister, who was the strongest and on his eyes more clever folk trolls of the tribe, nothing better for commanding the tribe.

Then he was..the young brother of the captian, Alexander never shine for anything among his tribe, he was more of the outcast, even when his fathers told him that he was especial his own way, that was not for the other folks, who always felt sorrow for hamilton that his little boy was a weaklyn, afterall Alexander was not stront, was not a fighter and never learn to use a weapon properly.

"Why is soo wrong to me to like books?" He ask to his companyon "it's cause i am not bulky like gaby?..should i make more excersie???.. but i will got no time to read then.." Bollito held his owner hand making him look at him, with out word Alexander give a smiled "you right , i won't change who i am, let's go! Daddy must be on home right now"

After getting the book and eat a little snack with his father, the little folk troll give a little walk around town, he saw at both griffin and folk living a normal life, as most were getting their day duties by Gaby, Alexander smiled and run hugging his sister.

"Well look at that! It's my little book worm out for a walk" gaby said a she scoop his little brother face on her hands laughting

"Hi gaby!" The little folk laught at getting his face squish "what you doing?"

"Nah, just organizing thus group of idiots" both siblings let out a laught "and you? What you doing little guy?"

"I found a new history about a guy named noctury, apprenetly he is related what happen to the Queen Sereday and our ancestor, as well as he coud be the one who make the darkness apperead and the shadow magic" he stop and lool at his sister "i am boring you?.."

The older folf troll laught and tell his brother to go on, aside his fathers Gaby was one of the only person who listen to him everytime she was free, as you know, guard captian, Tribe alpha, she not always has free time but always make sure to listen to his little bro and his passion over books, they talk for a couple of minutes more until Gaby was call for an inccident between to folk soo she got to leave, Alexandef smiled and continue walking to the library.

He sit down as bollito curl up on the little bed alexander brought to him, as the folk sit down to cheek on the book pages that were a little damage, well no problem for him who activites his magic trait to start fixing the pages, but he actually never cheek the library with his magic, why not? He look around and notice a book who was glowing, curiosity peerk over his ears and get close to pull the book openning a whole new secret room, the eyes of the little folk glow with all the joy of the world as he enter and found book he has never seen before, just wait until who tell everyone his discovery.

He walk over to found a book with black pages, he cheek on but for some reason reading the book make him feel sick, like a heavy force on his chest soo quickly put the book down caching his breath "i should take this book to mister posseidon.." he said as he lool around the rest of shelter and take another book, opening his eyes wide when he see what the book was about.

"And then, we his blood free him from the realm, a new age of darkness and missery will be brought to the land!" He finish as all the people who was listening run away screaming "uh..but" Zeta burst out of laughter as Alexander looks confused

"Now that's an horro story al!" He said laughing "good one"

"No, this is not a horror story it's true!" Zeta raised an eyebrow on doubt

"Like  the bergens?" Zeta ask looking him

"They are real, we never see them cause of magic core is toxic for them to eat" alexander answer "but this is different, don't you see? This is a real treat! There's lots of proof!"

"Yeah alex, i don't thing that a legend like that exist" zeta said picking up his blade

"You will believe if you read more books" alex said holding the book close to him

"You should read less books" with said words the folk put his ears down and look away "look alex, i love you, you are one of my best friends, but..you spend all day on the library..maybe you should, put the boons down and have fun, hey Lindsey and me will go to a party on manticore canyon, wanna come?"

"No, i, i have to give boliito dinner, and...yeah" Zeta put his fears down as he gets closer

"Hey, al i am sorry i didn't mean to-" alex cut him

"It's oke Z, i already forgive you, okey?" The folk said with a smiled as he walk with the books on his hand and look to the sun going down "...i will make them believe..oneway or another!"

[olivyh]

Into Wonderland Chapter Four: Scarabia Part One

They squint against the sun that blazes overhead, coughing up sand every once in a while. They lay there for a few moments, trying to get used to the suddenly very dry air.

Until they feel a pair of paws on their face. They jolt and move to shove whatever was on them off. Something yelps and snacks them with it's tail. They sit up, allowing their eyes to get used to the brightness. They see a small black cat?-... Raccoon? -sitting there, tail swishing angrily and glaring at them with it's almost flowing blue eyes. It's tail ends in a split series of points- resembling more of a pitchfork than a tail. It's ears spew out bright blue fire, which only adds to the heat of the desert that suffocates them.

"Where do I know you from?" They mumble out loud. The cat's ears twitch and it glares at them, shoving at their face. They jump up at the realization.

"You're from Wonderland! Or... a version of you... you can't talk, can you?" The cat stares at them as if they were insane, tail thrashing and smacking their knee.

"Right... right..." They mutter. They stand fully, stretching and walking towards what looks like a busy town. They duck between the busy stalls and try their best to blend in with the bustling crowd. The cat... Grim... they remember his name being, paws at their foot and they jump back, almost knocking into someone who was looking at a stand.

"I'm sorry!" They apologize, turning to face the stranger. The boy's hood covers most of his face but they can see the shadowed smile at them.

"It's okay!" The boy chirps, helping a child grab a piece of fruit from the stand. The child beams up at him and runs off.

"Hey!" The shopkeep shouts. The boy freezes and Mc internally curses themselves for finding trouble wherever they go. "You gonna pay for that?" The man snarls.

"I-" The boy stammers. "It's just an-"

"I'm sorry about him!" Mc intervenes, grabbing the boy's arm. "He's uhm..." The pause. "The heat's getting to him. Y'know... I told him to drink something before we left so he didn't get delirious!" They stammer, offering nervous laughter. The boy tries to play along, acting as if he was overheating and on the verge of passing out. A little overdramatic, Mc thinks nervously, but the shopkeep seems to buy it. "Y'know, desert... things..."

"I'll just get him home now- I'm terribly sorry about that-" They grab his arm and try to pull him away. They call out to Grim, who scampers past them. Someone shouts after him, pointing at the cat that was ducking between people's legs.

"That animal's a thief!"A townsperson yells. Mc looks down to Grim, who smiles nervously, a pocket watch and a few coins dangling from his neck.

"Seriously?!" Mc shouts, as guards duck between the busy crowd and head towards them. They grab the boy's hand and scoop up Grim and run in the opposite direction, weaving between people and going through buildings. They wheeze as they run, struggling to take in the dry air that the boy was clearly more used to. He takes the lead and drags them up a flight of cracking stone stairs. They can hear the footsteps thundering behind them and it makes them shiver, gulping.

They thud against the boy's back when he suddenly stops, grabbing onto their arm to stop them from going any further.

"There's no way out...!" The boy pants.

Mc looks around, realizing that what they were about to do is a very bad idea. They grab a nearby pole from a pile of materials left behind, likely for construction, and pray the amount of action movies they watched will pull through. They sprint towards the edge, wedging the pole in between the cracks in the stone and launching themselves at another rooftop. They roll across the ground, holding Grim to their chest as their back slams against a wall. They groan, ready to shout to the boy to do the same as them when a body slams against their own, knocking the breath out of their lungs.

The boy on top of them climbs off and leaps, laughing and jumping.

"That was-!" He stammers, breaking into laughter again. His hood is down and Mc can make out his messy white hair, tied back with a patterned headband. His ruby eyes gleam in the sunlight as he beams down at them, offering his hand to help them up.

"Amazing! It was amazing-!" He laughs again, spinning. "What you just did was amazing!"

"Thanks...?" They mumble, watching the boy curiously. He stops and pauses, mouth slightly open as his eyes widen as he looks over the city.  "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No... it's not that at all-" He says breathlessly, a smile making it's way to his face. "I've just never seen Agrabah like this before..."

Mc looks across the city, across the rows of houses and lights, highlighted by the setting sun over the far off desert. Clouds glow a light orange and blue, making the city seem like a place out of a fantasy.

Which it might just be, Mc thinks.

"I uhm... don't leave the house much," The boy chuckles nervously, leaning against the stone wall and holding his face in his palms. "It's so pretty..."

"Yeah..." Mc stands next to him. Grim is fast asleep on the ground next to them as they sit in silence for a few moments, watching the sun set over the vast desert. Soon enough, the sly turns into a deep blue, speckled with stars and a full moon rising from behind them, shrouding the city in moonlight.

"You're not from here, are you?" The boy breaks the silence, motioning at the thick wedding clothing they still wear from the fake wedding with Prince Deuce on the ship.

They shake their head. "Not at all."

"I hope you like it here, if you decide to stay." He smiles up at them, jumping up in a panic. "I need to get home! Jamil's probably worried..."He shouts suddenly, making Mc jump and waking up Grim. The cat grumbles at the boy, who scrambles towards a broken set of stairs. Mc follows close behind taking a mental note of the location of the building because, chances are, that will be where they sleep.

Unless the boy offers to bring them home.

But, with his worried mumbling as Mc follows him down the empty streets.

"I-I'm sorry I kept you for so long-" He whispers as they turn another corner, bumping into another boy.

"Where have you been?" The man- Jamil?-asks, steel grey eyes staring Mc down.

The boy hesitates, stepping in front of Mc. "I-I know I wasn't supposed to sneak out but I really, really wanted to see the town today and-"

"Did you forget that you had a suitor coming today?"

"A... what?" The boy pauses before grimacing. "Oh...."

"You're lucky I was able to convince your father  that you were ill." The brown haired boy scolds, glaring at the other boy. "Now-" He pulls the white haired boy behind him, striding towards Mc, who shakes a bit under his intense gaze. "Who are you and what were you doing with Kalim?"

"I-"

"They helped me! I messed up in the town square and they saved me from the guards-"

"Saved you?" The man asks, annoyance lacing his voice. "They could have killed you instead!" Taking a breath, he shoots the smaller boy a look that says 'we'll talk about this later', which makes him awkwardly shuffle his feet.

"Stay here." The man orders them. They freeze and nod curtly, noticing an apologetic look from Kalim as the taller boy takes him away.

Am I going to die? Mc thinks as they disappear behind the corner. Suitor? Is Kalim a prince? Why is everyone I meet royalty doing something they aren't supposed to? Lost in their thoughts, they don't notice that the man with the ponytail returned until they feel a firm hand on their shoulder.

"With me," He says, motioning them to follow him. They walk further and further away from the town and into the desert. The sand shifts under their feet and they slip a few times while the man continues to walk in a straight line, used to walking through the desert.

Their mouth is dry and chalky, any attempts to make it better being snuffed out by the anxiety of the long walk.

"Uhm..." They choke out. "Where... are we going?" They're out of breath and feel as if their legs are going to give out.

"Do you know about the Cave of Wonders?" The boy asks quietly, stopping when they get to a large dune. Mc gives themselves a minute to breathe, fighting the urge to lay down in the sand and sit there until they get sent to a different world.

"No...?"

"It's said that it holds great treasures, unlocked with a scarab beetle pendant." He pauses and looks down at them, as if to make sure they're listening. "Hold this-" He gently passes the cold metal bug into the hands, the two pieces clinking against each other softly.

"What does this...?" They trail off, shifting their palms to connect the two pieces. They both hold their breath as the pieces click together.

But nothing happens.

Jamil sighs, extending his hand to tale the beetle back. Mc raises their hand and it begins to shake, the ruby eyes glowing as it's metallic wings begin to buzz. Jamil's lips quirk into a small smile as it flies away, disappearing into the sand nearby.

"I was right about you," He whispers.

"What?"

"The cave can only be entered by a... diamond in the rough, so to speak." He explains, leading them towards where the beetle disappeared. "It's you."

The sand shifts underneath them and they both struggle to stand, with Mc falling and landing on their back, nearly crushing Grim in the process. The sand shifts as it rises, forming a lions head that stands with it's jaw wide open, revealing a pitch black path that goes down it's throat.

"Only one may enter here," The cave roars. "One whose worth lies far within. A diamond in the rough."

"I need you to go in there," Jamil says suddenly, walking towards the cave. "There's a lamp in there that holds more power than you can imagine. I need you to get it."

"So I go into the mysterious murder hole and grab a... lamp?" Jamil nods. "And get out. Somehow."

Jamil ignores their sarcasm and nods. "You mustn't grab anything other than the lamp."

They take a few hesitant steps forward. "...what happens if I do?"

"I'm not sure." Jamil admits, staring into the mouth of the cave.

"Okay, I'll do it-" They pause. "But only if you help me find a way home."

Jamil ponders this for a moment and nods. "That's a fair plan. I'll be waiting here."

They take a few steps into the cave, already feeling the cold from within creeping into their bones. They walk through the long hall, slipping on the sand that covers the steep slope of the throat. They hold Grim to their chest and he squirms in their grip.

"Stop that!" They scold, losing their footing and slipping down the path. They scream, sliding across the sand and tumbling when the floor finally evens out. Grim yowls as they roll off of him, accidentally stepping on his tail. "Sorry! Sorry!"

They stare around them at the gold and jewels that cover the expanse of the massive cave. They find themselves staring into a gold lined mirror, reaching out for the delicate necklace that hung from one of it's carved branches. Grim scratches their arm, leaving a red streak and they wince.

"Hey!" They glare down at him. He looks back up at them knowingly. They rub at the scratch on their arm and nod. "Right. The lamp."

They walk for a bit, struggling to keep Grim isolated to the small walkway that is dug out through the mountains of treasure. They find themselves at the base of a small mountain of treasure, noticing the glistening lamp overhead. They take a break and begin the climb, ignoring the painful scratching of the sand that's stuck in the folds of their clothes as they climb higher and higher, finally grabbing a hold of the surprisingly warm lamp.

They smile and get ready to climb down when the cave suddenly begins to shutter and crack. "What?!" They yell, looking down at Grim, who drops the ruby he was pawing at. They feel annoyance rise in the chest and they scowl, tumbling to the floor in a flash. A wave of heat surrounds them, making the air harder to breathe as they scoop up Grim and sprint away from the source.

Cracks open in the walls and they panic, launching themselves onto a hill to avoid the magma that rapidly pools around them. They gulp, sweat dripping down their face as they hold onto the cat for dear life.

"Help!" They yell, anxiety pooling in their gut. Granted, they're likely to wake up in another universe again, but they'd rather not burn to death beforehand.

Wind spirals above them and they jolt, looking up to see... nothing. The sigh, clutching Grim and the lamp closer to their chest as they screw their eyes shut, praying that this wasn't the last world they travel to.

They're quickly thrown into the air and land on a soft carpet. Mc slowly opens their eyes when Grim paws at their face and they smile nervously, looking down at the magma that flows beneath them. The carpet seems to respond to this and wiggles a bit, sending them off balance. "T...thanks?" They whisper, unsure if it can understand their language. They give it a few nervous pats and it wiggles more, seemingly pleased with their actions. They point it towards the entrance to the cave and fly as fast as they can, dodging falling rocks and jewels as they zoom towards the mouth of the cave, which closes slowly.

"Jamil!" They yell as they get close to the entrance. The boy looks for the source of the voice and, with a look of both panic and relief, his eyes land on them.

"Just drop everything!" He yells as they get closer. The sand shifts so he can't get any closer to the mouth of the lion. "Get yourselves out!"

The carpet veers suddenly and Mc screams as the lions mouth suddenly clamps closed with a bang, a gust of wind sending everyone to the ground. They hold onto Grim and the Carpet as they fall, hitting the ground with a thud. They hear a few cracks and pain shoots up their back for a moment, but they open their eyes.

"I'm still alive-" They whisper. Grim rolls over and huffs and the carpet slouches against a wall, defeated. "It's okay," They pat in between the cat's fiery ears. "I'll get us out of here."

They shuffle for the lamp, turning it over in the dim light. The side seems to have some sort of messy engraving on it, coated with sand and dust. They wipe at the spot with their thumb and it shakes, making them drop it at their feet. They grab Grim and the carpet and walk backwards, anxiety bubbling in their stomach as smoke pours out of the open spout.

A tall figure stretches and yawns, followed by two others who groan as they leave the vessel.

"That sucked!" One of the figures says in a familiar voice. Floyd?

"How do you think we felt? Trapped in there for thousands of years with you." Another voice argues. Azul!

"Just one moment- let us properly thank whomever released us first-" Jade! They think gleefully.

"Little human~ Come out come out wherever you are~!" Chills run down their spine and they think that they'd be used to the way the eel talks but no, it just gets more terrifying the more they talk to him.

They set Grim down and place a finger to their lips before stepping into the open cavern. "Oh?" Jade floats a little closer to them, tail swaying ominously. "This little thing?"

"Little?!" They jump as something pokes the small of their back.

"Yep! You look pretty small to me-" Floyd laughs.

"Okay okay whatever-" They step back. "What are you?"

"Oh? I thought you heard if us considering you came into the cave and rubbed our lamp-" Azul hums, tentacles picking up and flicking small coins everywhere.

"No! I was told to come down here!"

"Told? By who?" Jade inquires, picking up Grim and the carpet out of their hiding spot, dropping them on the ground.

"Can we figure out how to get out of this cave first?"

"Of course. You just have to wish to leave!"

"I wish to leave this dumb cave!" They shout, grabbing Grim and the carpet. They're rocketed back outside into the sand. The sun is high in the sky at this point and makes everything on their body burn, the sand on the ground hot to the touch.

"Floyd..." Azul warns, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You forgot to tell them the rest!"

"Don't feel like it."

"My apologies about my brother. As I'm sure you're aware of by now, that's Floyd and I am his twin brother, Jade. The octopus is our colleague, Azul. We are genies." Jade introduces, nothing Mc didn't know already. "Considering you were the one who rubbed the lamp, you are our new master. You will get three wishes, so long as you rub the lamp while making the wish."

"So that one didn't count?"

"Correct. There are quite a few rules on wishes you cannot make, for example you cannot make anyone fall in love with you, bring back the dead, or wish for more wishes." Mc swears under their breath at the last one, which makes Jade chuckle.

"However, considering how we've been unfairly taken advantage of earlier, in exchange we ask that you use one of your wishes on us." Azul floats in front of them, upholding the same businessmanlike aura that he was able to keep up underwater. Their mind flashes to their final moments under the sea- Floyd injured, Jade being thrown to the side, a metal rod headed towards Azul. They shake their head and nod, motioning for the octomer to continue.

"We ask that you set us free from the lamp forever."

"That sounds easy enough," Mc nods. "Okay, I'll do it."

"It's a deal, then." Azul smiles.

"Now, what do you want for your first wish?" Jade inquires. They think for a moment, mind tracing back Jamil's fearful expression as the cave closed and Kalim's sad expression when he looked over his city for the first time.

I can help them both. They think.

"Okay, my first wish is-"

"The lamp," Jade reminds, holding it out to them. They take it with an apologetic smile and begin to move their hand along the side.

"I wish to go to the palace of Agrabah!"  They announce. Floyd laughs.

"I got this one!"