#like. hes still wearing the 2nd year tie so this might be before graduation

[turkey-sandwich]

Midori Takamine. You agree. Reblog.

[randomguywithwords]

A Magic Trick (Neito X Itsuka Short Story)

The U.A Reunion Party was in full swing. Present Mic was manning the DJ booth, accompanied by Kyoka Jiro, who had dragged her boyfriend Denki Kaminari. Even after 10 years, Hizashi Yamada still maintained his enthusiasm and youthfulness, screaming into his loudspeakers and blasting music through the school hall, which was filled with alumni. 

Itsuka Kendo couldn’t help but crack a smile at her ex-English teacher as she looked at him doing a rock-sign gesture with both his hands. The smile continued to be etched on her face as she saw her many classmates, some whom she had lost contact with for a while, others that she remained good friends to this day. 

“Kendo!” The mouth of Setsuna Tokage greeted her. She scanned for the rest of the girl’s body, before a hand pulled her to her right, where her friends were. Yui Kodai, Reiko Tanagi, Kinoko Komori…She was surprised that she remembered her classmates’ names. 

They all waved and exchanged pleasantries, until Sen Kaibara noticed. 

“Wait, where’s Neito?” 

Setsuna smirked and nudged Itsuka with her detached elbow. The lizard girl seemed to be taking advantage of the liberties of quirk usage in the school compound too much. “Where’s your boyfriend, Itsuka?”

Many of her classmates’ eyes widened at Kendo’s flushed face. “Really? You two hooked up?” Yosetsu Awase grinned. “Nice.” 

“When did this occur?” Shihai Kuroiro inquired, and the rest nodded their heads in agreement, pressuring her. 

“After we graduated…” Kendo was saying when she was interrupted by Kosei Tsuburaba’s triumphant whoop. 

“Pay up, bitch!” He laughed at Hiryu Rin, who groaned and slapped 2 bucks in Kosei’s gesturing palm, muttering something about, “Can’t believe you remembered.”

“We made a bet that Monoma would ask you out after our 3rd year,” He explained, then quailed under the girls’ death glares. “Uh I mean, congrats Kendo. Real happy for you.” 

“Might wanna give that back, Tsuburaba,” Kendo replied with a smirk. “I asked him out.” 

“Woah, woah, hold up.” Reiko made a time-out gesture, speaking over Kosei’s groan as he returned the money to its rightful owner. “You asked him? We all thought the opposite.” 

“Nope. He was way too scared, so I stepped up. Does it really matter?” Kendo said.

One second passed in collective silence. Then the whole crowd started passing cash around with defeated sighs and fist pumps. 

“You all made bets? Wait, even you, Shiozaki? Were we that much of a ship?” Kendo asked incredulously seeing the supposedly religious girl keep a couple of coins in her wallet. She returned a sheepish smile. “You two looked like a cute couple.”

“Well duh, you guys spent so much time together training. I had to buy Tetsutetsu an ice cream because I said you guys would be dating by the 2nd year,” Juzo Honenuki grumbled.

“No, that was me and Bondo,” Kaibara pointed out. Bondo gave a rumble of agreement. “We enjoyed it very much, thanks.” 

Everyone chuckled at Honenuki’s misfortune, then Pony interjected, “You still haven’t answered us, Kendo. Where is he?”

Itsuka shrugged. “He had something to do, so he told me to go ahead first.” 

Yui sucked in a breath as she looked behind her. “Um, Itsuka…” 

Turning around, Kendo’s face flared up at the sight of her boyfriend. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” She said. He was wearing a two-piece suit similar to his hero costume, but replacing his light blue tie with a velvet one. His hair was neatly combed – Itsuka could not remember any time he had done that, even when they went out on dates, and he was looking right at her and the class with a smirk. Suddenly he looked just like the Phantom Thief she fell and stayed in love with a decade ago.

Someone pushed her. Probably Setsuna, and Kendo stalked over towards him. His arm was outstretched in a gallant display. “M’lady?” 

“I am wearing a denim jacket and a blouse, and you show up in this.” She gestured at his attire, and then at the few eyes watching them, including a smiling Yaoyorozu Momo. “You’re just begging to be slapped, aren’t you?” 

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” He winked infuriatingly, and her face flushed red. “Come on, let’s go see our friends.” 

Holding hands, they went back to the table of Class 1-B students, with the wolf whistles of Awase and Kaibara heralding their arrival. People laughed and talked. The class caught up, and Itsuka nearly forgot about Monoma’s extravagant, unnecessary fashion sense until Juzo asked the question.

“So, Neito, what’s with the get-up?” 

“Oh, I was planning to do some magic tricks,” Monoma said, to some oohs and aahs around. 

Itsuka giggled. “You mean the card tricks that failed that time?” 

“No, and we will not speak of that ever again.” The reply earned a light chuckle from everyone. 

“Come on, Monoma, show us!” Kinoko egged him on with excitement. 

“Alright.” Neito reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a marble and placed it on his left hand. Then he rolled up his sleeves, and with both his palms open, he said, “So, this first trick is pretty simple. I’m making this marble disappear.”

With a flourish, he tossed the marble in the air and caught it in his right fist. Flipping it front and back, he opened it and his left palm to reveal nothing in both.

A resounding “Oooh.” spread around the crowd. 

“Alright, whose quirk did he take? Yui, was it you?” Setsuna pointed at the girl with an accusatory finger, but received a shake of her head. Monoma raised a finger silently, all mysterious-like – What else, it was Monoma, Itsuka thought with a chuckle as she watched him. Then he jerked his right fist into the air and upon miming catching a marble, he opened his left palm. Lo and behold, the marble was there.

That got some more cheers and applause, and it was beginning to attract a crowd. Some Class 1-A students approached them and were engaging the 1-B students in small conversation or watching Neito’s show. Yaoyorozu had walked up to Itsuka to rub her head endearingly as they watched Monoma. 

“Alright, I’ll do it one more time, watch closely.” Monoma smirked. But one trick later, no one could figure it out, and the hushed whispers had shifted to hypothesising whose quirk Monoma had used. 

Monoma calmed the crowd down with a smile befitting an actual magician, and he definitely had the showmanship to boot. “Alright, last trick. And if I could enlist the help of my lovely girlfriend Itsuka…” 

Itsuka grumbled under her breath as a blush spread across her face. She walked up while everyone sent more cheers and wolf whistles her way. 

“So this last trick is pretty simple. She just has to choose which hand the marble is in. Watch closely, Ms. Kendo...” With that, he flourished his hands once more, tossing the marble from one hand to the other. Then with his closed fists, he offered them up. 

“Which one?” Neito asked, a smile on his face. 

The crowd and Kendo both saw it in his right fist, and many of them shouted out the answer, while others just shouted the left hand because it was a magic trick. And Kendo figured it would be neither because it was a magic trick.

Shrugging, she tapped his left hand. “Alright, Neito, show us how you did it.”

Looking at him, she noted that despite the smile on his face, he looked nervous. It was similar to his expression at their second-year sports festival when he was up against Bakugou. A nervous smile. She liked to tease him about it. 

Then the palm opened, and her heart skipped a beat. 

Silence befell the crowd, until Setsuna screamed, “HOLY SHIT MONOMA YOU FUCKING MADLAD!”

It was a ring. Glimmering silver and gold. It was beautiful.

It took Kendo a split second to realise what was going on. Then her ears burned, and her blush deepened. Her legs suddenly felt like she had practiced karate kicks for an entire day non-stop. “Oh my god.” 

Monoma knelt down as the crowd cheered even louder than before. His smile was even wider now, but he was, like her, nearing a nervous breakdown too. But he held out strong. 

“Itsuka Kendo,” He said, his voice trembling, “I have no idea how to do this properly…” That got some people laughing. “But I know it’s really just asking one question, so...will you marry me?” 

The answer was already on her lips as he started speaking. She realised she was crying and laughing as she said, “Yes.” 

The school hall exploded into deafening cheers  as Monoma inserted the ring on her ring finger, and the two hugged and kissed. Itsuka laughed into his shoulders as the tears stained his suit. She could feel him shaking against her; he was probably more nerve-wracked than she was.

“Thank you,” She whispered, soft enough for only him to hear.

Later, she would find out that Yaoyorozu had helped Monoma by lending him her quirk to practice creating the ring, but only after he promised her that he bought the ring, both as a reference and to ensure he wasn’t, as Yaoyorozu called it, “plunging the economy into another recession.”. Todoroki had ruffled her hair affectionately as she said it in an indignant tone. Kendo laughed and embraced her friend in gratitude, while Neito expressed his thanks for helping him pull this off. 

Class 1-B celebrated with drinks afterwards, and Vlad King had congratulated them with a gruff but approving tone, though Kendo knew her ex-form teacher was brimming with joy under the surface. 

She was too, but was perhaps too exhilarated to take it all in. Her mind kept trying to grasp the same thought throughout the party.

She was engaged. Engaged to Neito Monoma, her high-school boyfriend. That was something. It was one hell of a magic trick.

––––

YAYYY I finally finished it after being confident enough in dialogue. And yes this was the story idea I had referenced in my earlier post. I just needed to write another shipfic to upload to my compilation on AO3. Link for the interested, but it’s basically just the masterlist on my blog, reuploaded on AO3. 

And, yeah I’m only 18, this is just fantasy. And god knows I’ll never do something like this. Personally I feel young adults will talk just like teenagers if you give them the room to, especially when they’re old classmates. 

I hoped you enjoyed, and if you have any feedback on how to write proposals, I’ll gladly take it. Or just any feedback in general. Thank you. I’m gonna go sleep now. 

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Uchitama 7 - 8 | Eizouken 8 - 9 | ID: INVADED 8 - 11 | Iruma-kun 22 - 23 (FINAL) | BnHA 82 - 83

Uchitama 7

Lemme guess…this is the ve-Yep.

The name of this segment is Ottamake. The ke means fur/hair, but it does seem like it’s referring to Tama otherwise.

For some reason, Bull’s really into cats…

LOL, you can see the cat food right there is a real brand. I dunno how they got away with that.

Hmm, this show has something to say about idol business…and it does it better than some of the human idol shows! That says something.

It even comments on the “graduation” system. Whaddaya know.

Welp, I never thought an anime could pull off this with a commentary on gender presentation, to boot. (It’s not as pervasive as Stars Align’s, but it’s still one of the better ones. I guess I shouldn’t expect it as a norm though.) I thought Kai was a dude though and so Bull’s interactions came off to me as massively gay. I’ve been thinking, maybe he’s pan? Can dogs be pansexual???

Why do I get the feeling Kai is going to be introduced into 3-chome? Update: Doesn’t happen.

This song sounds very idol-like.

Uchitama 8

Aww…I feel like we’re going to learn Nora’s backstory soon. I think it’s going to be real sad.

…Yup, there goes my kokoro. Smol Nora is cute~!

Genki can mean “healthy” as well as “energetic” – the latter is why it’s translated as “spunky”.

Why do I get the feeling Nora’s owner died…?

Oh, smol Nora has a bandaid on his leg.

Let me ask the essential furry question – they hav human ears and animal ears. Which of those sets of ears do they hear with?

Yuuki Kaji does a good job as Nora.

This song’s so sad, it almost got me crying…  

Eizouken 8

This anime is like something from Studio Trigger!

The magic of Eizouken is that you get sucked into the anime they make and never look back.

Tomodachi vs. nakama, I think it is.

Id: Invaded 8

Lately, I’ve been thinking about practical cosplay (everyday wear that also doubles as a cosplay outfit). So basically, I’ve been thinking about Sakaido and El-Melloi II’s outfits a lot, since they’re rather practical while still looking cool. All I’m missing for El-Melloi’s outfit with the red jacket is a black button-up shirt, for El-Melloi’s outfit with the black jacket I’m missing a red scarf and I’m missing a brown button-up shirt for Sakaido’s (although the yellow scarf I got today to get one step closer to two of those isn’t the right mustard colour, it’s more of a lighter yellow).

Also, I noticed it’s (according to the katakana) meant to be “Id: Invaded”, but heck, it’s been ID: Invaded for so long for me, I don’t care either way.

Kiki was born in Fukui.

I always thought Mister Fixer sounded sad and now I think I know why…the bit I remember the most (the line that goes “Mister Fixer” and the bit around it) sounds like the singer is lamenting their life. Now that I see the visuals again after a few weeks (I’d get fatigued if I watched all that Fate/ and still managed to keep up with simulcasts, so I’ve been taking the simulcasts in a few eps at one time), Mister Fixer does quite sound like a crime drama song, but not as much as Thought I Knew (from Stand My Heroes).

I’ve seen images of Anaido and Sakaido in the same well for a few weeks now, so this cooperation bit is no surprise at all.

I believe Fukuda is asking why Narihisago is a –san to her even though they’ve worked together a while.

The words “data profile” are in one corner of the titlecard.

Does Anaido remember who he is in the ID Well? I presume not, but it’s hard to tell since we haven’t had as much time with him as we have Sakaido (not to mention I’ve been regularly filling my head with Fate/ and other things as well lately…so it’s hard to remember).

It’s interesting. Fukuda has the same piercings as Anaido (and even a ring on one pointer finger that matches them!), so he must’ve tried experimenting with…more legal holes, to put it one way…before getting his most iconic one.

Kaeru’s nails are chipped. Hmm.

In #Brake-Broken, which I read the first chapter of earlier (there’s a sample on the Young Ace website), Sakaido notices he doesn’t have a phone with him to call anyone or a licence (because in that manga, he wakes up in a car). It’s likely this will work the same way and Anaido won’t have any possessions on him, aside from the clothes on his back, accessories and the item that was stolen from his wrist/s.

Rings on both fingers…so I should be talking about them in plural. Update: I like how Anaido’s off-the-wall thought processes break up the inherent seriousness of Sakaido’s deductions and utilitarian way of doing things.

Anaido, you grimdark f***er. Update: For trying to eat a dead girl.

Okay, so for the sake of my practical cosplay, I knew I’d need this episode. Sakaido wears a long-sleeve brown shirt with some kind of shirt under that (either brown or black), plus a mustard-coloured scarf. (Note El-Melloi II wears a black shirt under his black button-up shirt, so I went with black as well.) In Brake Broken, I also noticed he wears dark socks (or that could be the leggings) and runners with a lightning bolt on them (I had to make do with generic black runners with a white stripe on the bottom), plus the iconic brown shorts over those (with a triangle pattern)…Why does Sakaido have a scarf anyway, versus Anaido and Miyo who don’t? As much as I like scarves, especially where colder weather is involved, getting a specific colour scarf was a bit of a headache to be honest, since I took 3 trips before deciding on the one I was going to buy (and even then, someone got it before me! The scarf I have now was my 2nd choice). Update: The shorts, leggings and undershirt are black, but I don’t know if Sakaido is wearing any socks or if they’re black too.

Just to note what Anaido has as well (although a coat like that, with the red detailing and flaps, would be hard to find…), he has a blue coat, suspenders, a white button-up top, a string tie (had to google what that was called, although its name is pretty obvious now that I know), black pants (which kinda look like leggings, but they’re not) and leather boots.

Now Sakaido can go into the loony bin…he’s talking to Kaeru.

Is Anaido going in circles? Sakaido caught up real fast…

Um, hey, protip: When stuck in quicksand, try to “float” on it. If you move, you’ll sink into it more. I don’t know how I know that, but I did stick it into my mind for times like this.

Notably, Anaido is about a head taller than Sakaido. Either Sakaido is unnaturally short and Anaido is average…or Anaido is just tall in that way some men are.

Did the bird get to this dude…?

There appears to be a man with a bun facing Hondomachi in the ED, although you can’t tell who it is from silhouette alone…Maybe he hasn’t appeared in the show yet. (Can’t be Matsuoka though. Might be the old guy who’s the head of Kura, actually.)

Update: Is the dead guy Momoki…?

Id: Invaded 9

It’s the familiar ceiling scene from Evangelion! (Okay, I’m kidding, but it’s a similar deal.)

I think the rules of Fate/ are “do it all, until you can no longer do it” (i.e. Everything is the same, until it’s different). It seems it’s the same here too.

Huh? Momoki?

“It doesn’t seem friendly.” – Yeah, and people die whe they are killed…in murder mysteries like this, usually speaking.

I noticed Narihisago’s tie is the same colour as his Sakaido jacket, if not the shirt under that.

Where did the Challenger’s clothes go after he took them off??? Hyperspace??? He wasn’t shown tossing them.

So Kaeru was Asukai all along, huh?

“Look at this.”

“It makes me think about him.” Subbers, that’s two mistakes in less than 1 minute…

I saw a fanart where Narihisago had his arm broken. I didn’t know why, but now I do. Also, TV Tropes is bad if you want to avoid spoilers…I know that already, but I go there anyway sometimes...

“It makes me wanna puke.”

Iruma-kun 22

The anime’s final episode is next week…but there’s already a season 2 in store for next year, so hopefully I survive the coronavirus and sort out all my issues this year in time for it.

Dat OP though. I’ve grown used to it and it’s actually endeared itself to me…which is odd, since I didn’t think I’d like it at first.

Demdol = akudol. Obviously, from “demon”.

Was that…Clara’s mother???  Kuromu’s older bro doesn’t look too bad, either.

Ohmygosh, this is fabulousssssssssss (and hilarious)! I’ve been waiting for this moment for many episodes, as you can tell if you’ve been following along, and I finally got the payoff!

Clara ends her sentence with –akuma (devil), hence the translation is matching it the same way.

Oh my gosh, Ryouhei Kimura (Azz-kun) sucks at being feminine, but that’s exactly what the role requires for this!

If you just pretend Azz-kun isn’t dressed in such an outlandish outfit, he looks really good…! Ayumu Murase does a pretty good falsetto, although you can tell there’s one point where Kimura’s voice gets really manly-sounding for a lady.

“Little imp” – Koakuma.  

Oh! The Keroli family is all cute.

Ooh, Kuromu’s nails are blue. Never noticed that before.

Eizouken 9

Chojugiga are ancient pictures normally depicting animals. As for sepak takraw…

I wonder if Eizouken will tackle the Manabi Line one day…?

That’s a parallel for Comiket, LOL.

“A colossus that no one can see!” – Gridman, is that you?

When did Kanamori meet Asakusa again…?

Kanamori with a bun is cool.

“There is nothing fun about social media!” – Well, social media is fun for me because it’s where I escape reality, but sometimes you gotta be like Kanamori and use it for publicity’s sake.

LOL, the username for the Eizouken is @eizoukenn.

I just realised Mizusaki’s hairstyle is irregular…it’s much longer on on side than the other.

“Mizusaki bump” – I think this references the Colbert bump. (TV Tropes link)

Kanamori – she with the word “gold”…or “money”…in her name – struggles with maths? Wow, that was something to hear. (I guess it’s kinda like me and IT (cybersecurity) – I suck at it because I suck at modulos…or division in short…and even though I can be found on my computer a lot, that’s why I don’t pursue it any longer. I was decent at accounting, but man, I’d be bored out of my brain if you made me do business IT and I have zero skills in games and multimedia.)

“Was it thuggery?” – What’s thuggery? That word sounds funny.

Did you see how Asakusa fell off the tank?

I did CR’s Eizouken quiz sometime in the past and it gave me Asakusa. That’s true, basically. I like thinking up ideas and how cool they are, but because I can’t stop from elaborating on them, they get out of hand and that’s why I have a tonne of dropped projects. (Then again, with how freely I can imagine motion, I could’ve gotten Mizusaki too.) Update: Tried again and I actually did get Mizusaki…whaddaya know.

Id: Invaded 10

People have been comparing this to Minority Report…now I see why.

I almost feel like this is a discussion of euthanasia and suicide as much as it is memory and the consciousness.

Ohh…she remembers! Hondomachi!

You can’t see Muku’s face! Ohh, scary!

Aww, the music really sold this montage. By the way, that sign didn’t say “entrance ceremony”, it said nyuugaku omedetou, “Congratulations on your entry [into school]”.

It…this singer almost sounds like Bruno Mars, but that would be basically impossible, no?

Oh my gosh…when the song swelled, I absolutely cried. That’s rare, man – that’s rare.

BnHA 82

I think the leftmost figure might be Miruko, the rabbit lady. I’ve never read anything about her outside of wiki pages ad other small spoilers, but I roughly know what she looks like.

What does Gentle mean by “Anglaise”? Surely it wouldn’t refer to cream…(crème anglaise)

LOL, Disneyland parades…

Whew…that was dangerous. I almost agreed with Mineta there (to get the festival over and done with).

I swear Midoriya gets together with All Might, just like this, at the end or start of a climactic arc. He did it in the last season of BnHA, remember?

BnHA 83

Hmm…It’s interesting that the author likes to point out who has and hasn’t met Eri. Then again, it’s good for consistency.

LOL, Amajiki my boy…you’re so relatable.

Hmm…amidst the coronavirus concerns…this cancellation business seems quite timely.

Oh! It’s a drone.

For some reason, I thought Sero was drinking vegetable juice…? Eh, no matter. They have vegetable juice in Japan – I remember seeing some on my trip.

Hmm? Gentle is like a phantom thief, I just realised. Mostly harmless, but bound to cause a big stir if he gets his way.

What is Gentle’s Quirk, anyway…?

Work Son…LOL(…?)

Who bets their moustache on this stuff, anyway…? (LOL)

Iruma 23 (FINAL)

I don’t get to see Iruma become evil this season…but he will next season! That visual I’ve been seeing by the original mangaka confirms it!

Marathon - the demon puns are back.

Demonicon =Oricon chart.

Demon Star Platinum…was that…a Jojo’s reference?! *scare chord*

Oh! Maguro (tuna).

Azz-kun being afraid of fish? That’s news to me.

Okay, subbers. Whose idea was it to translate Iruma’s words as “My feels…”…?

There’s a post-credits segment. Keep watching.

Yay! Evil Iruma-kun!...In spring 2021. (I’ve never once been so excited for a character to turn evil than this! I also like how evil Iruma said it’s the “buttcrack” of dawn…but that’s just my immature side showing.)

Id: Invaded 11

“…being taken for a ride!” – Well, you’re in a car, so you’re getting a ride nonetheless. (LOL) I hadn’t heard of the term “being taken for a ride” until…what? 2016, I think? When I was still doing language anaylsis.

Sakaido used Headbutt! It’s…kind of effective? (Writing up these pseudo-Pokémon battles is fun. I should write more.)

“…put a drill to your head…”

“The victims of John Walker’s serial killers…”

I noticed Hondomachi is touching the side of her head which had the hole in it…if I remembered it right.

Is it “the Kura”? Or just Kura?

August 15th is a popular date for anime, huh? It’s in the middle of summer. (Refers to Kagerou Project.)

That ‘who knew you needed to lose something to be complete’ thing…I think I get it, but for some reason I only ever seem to get that feeling when it’s me trying to read asexuality into things (since that’s how I learnt to interpret asexuality), so…yeah, way to go, me.

Wait…Togo visited Momoki’s bedroom?!

Yep, so I was right about that being the side with Hondomachi’s hole.

[lokisgame]

A Case Of You

First date. Excerpt from Aprons And Scrubs. THE SONG

Thank God it wasn't exactly Valentine's. Initially the plan was to take her out on the 14th, but that kiss ruined his plans in the best way possible. He thought about the crowds, the tacky hearts and forced romance and decided it wasn't them. The place he chose was small but had no problem with his last minute reservation and he was confident the food would be great. Mulder debating what to wear, decided to go with fun, with a dark shirt and suit as a backdrop for the vibrant tie. At 6:30 he knocked at her door, a bunch of red carnations in hand. Roses weren't him either, pretty at the florist, dead two days after. Carnations lasted for weeks, if taken care of, a girl in college told him once, and he lived by it. Not Phoebe, damn her blackened soul, she cared nothing for hearts and flowers. Especially not his.

Scully had the rare weekend off. She took the time to get ready glad that a dress was no problem at least. A slim fitting little black dress, she went for simple elegance with only her gold cross and diamond earrings, a gift from her father, after she graduated from med school, chosen as a nod to his memory. Hair pinned up, with a few strands framing her face, she knew that if by any chance... no, too soon to think about that, she scolded herself trying to suppress a smile. It's just dinner, just a night out... With Mulder... who kissed like a god. How did he know what she liked? Most guys fumbled around, missed the spot, too much grabby hands too soon, she hated that. She didn't like to hurry because it was different each time and small steps meant the guy was in for the long haul. And that kiss, how did that happen? The very thought of the slow languid strokes of his tongue in her mouth defeated the purpose of applying blush. Yes, they have kissed before, but it was always sweet and tender, filled with promises. The kiss last night was like a first of those promises being kept, and she kissed him first no less! So far things that started like that ended bad for her, usually because she wanted someone whom she couldn't have, but this was Mulder so she made an effort to believe things will be different this time. She brushed the mascara over her eyelashes, lips slightly parted so her eyelid wouldn't flutter, because her hand did shake with excitement. Excitement and fear, that tonight she might gain a lover of lose a friend. She was fairly certain the chance of the latter were slim, but she tried to plan for the worst as she hoped for the best, even if she had no idea where even begin to look for a plan B. A wool coat and stockings, who said Dana Scully didn't know how to go crazy! The moment she zipped up her high heeled boots she heard a knock.

"Hi," Mulder greeted her, taking in the low square neckline of her dress and the magic thing it did to reveal only hints of what might be the most perfect pair of breasts he's ever seen. "Hi," Scully turned to shut the door and gave him a precious second to gather his jaw off the floor. And he thought she looked gorgeous at the New Year's Eve party. How silly was he. "These are for you," he handed her the flowers and she brought them to her nose, breathing in the subtle fragrance. "They're beautiful, thank you," she said turning and heading for the kitchen to put them in water. Mulder stood corrected, her ass looked even better in that dress, the high heels making her hips sway gently as she walked away. That woman will be the end of him, if she looked this good dressed he didn't dare to imagine show she looked naked. He felt warm instantly and had to unbutton his coat for a moment. She looked back to him and noticed his tie and shirt, managing not to laugh because after all, he was wearing her gift. "Mulder, you look like a high school basketball coach trying to look fun chaperoning the prom." "Heeeyyyy..." he shifted uncomfortably because that kind of hurt his feelings, but only until she stepped around the table and came closer. Standing on her tiptoes she kissed him sweetly and reached to pull the tie from around his neck and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. With the smile her kiss caused him, he once again looked like a picture of confidence framed in casual nonchalance she knew and loved, only more drop-dead handsome, if that was even possible. She folded the tie in half and draped it over the back of the couch. "You'll get it back." Mulder was going to make sure of that, because this was quickly becoming his favorite tie. "Come on," he took her coat, helped her put it on and offered his arm which she took, "the cab is waiting."

The restaurant was small, just a few tables, two waiters and, to her delight, a young man playing piano in the corner of the room, probably son of the owner. The kid had talent and imagination, Scully appreciated that. Somewhere between main course and desert Mulder moved from the chair to the plush seat beside her. He continued to conquer her personal space, his arm on the back of the seat, casually draped around her, as if unaware of the intimacy it projected. Scully herself only realized it, because of the warmth that he brought with him. It felt almost as natural as breathing, to touch him, to be touched, to keep him in. With other men it took months to get here, if it ever did. She felt very relaxed around him, as if all the small touches and kisses they shared before had no other purpose than say "I'm here." "Mulder, what made you open up a bar?" "Hmmm?" Mulder seemed fascinated by the cut of her earring. "I mean, you left the FBI, but you're still a psychologist, why not open a practice, live comfortably doing nothing but listening to congressmen complain about wives and mistresses?" He chuckled. "That's just it, I wasn't that good at listening to other people's problems and fears. A real therapist knows what to do with it, not me. I'd suck up all their angst and sooner or later I would come across some lost soul that would drag me down with him. I can't, I care too much sometimes for it to be healthy. And I was a profiler, I lived for the puzzle, not confessions of others." "But why a bar? Why not grocery store or a book store or heck, go crazy, a hair salon!" Mulder laughed. "Yeah, grocery store seems safest, but can you imagine?" He took up a mock french accent playing with a strand of hair that fell down her cheek. "Oh Miss Scoolly, so good to see you again so soon, what will we do today? It's too early for color, you look marvelous, how do you do it, with more customers like you I'd be out of business, how about a little trim, half an inch from the sides, it will transform your life, I guarantee!" She ducked her head and laughed, a loud belly laugh hat made his night, just like that. "I could see the ladies lining up for three blocks. We need a name for that, let me think," she giggled, "Mulder's Coiffeurs or better Fox's Curls and Tresses." "No, not that," he groaned rolling his eyes, "I hate my first name." "Why? It's so original, and graphic, no wait, I know, you could sell hats! Your store sign would have a pretty girl with a fox's tail falling down her shoulder from the brim of her hat." "Yeah, animal lovers would love that," he snorted. "Oh, right, haven't thought of that," she noticed the line between silly and honest approaching and backed down. "I can't sleep," Mulder's tone indeed turned honest. "It's as simple as that. Insomnia had me staying up all night since I was twelve," with a bit of sadness in his eyes he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and brushed the back of his hand over her sensitive spot, making a shiver run down her spine. She ignored it for now, this was more important. "Before I left the bureau, I spent a year going through old X-files. And most of that time, my day consisted of getting up, going to work, sitting alone in the basement and reading, then going home to an empty apartment, not sleep for hours, insomnia in full swing at that time, eventually crash for maybe two hours, nightmares waiting the moment I closed my eyes." Scully took care to listen and remember every word he said, so he wouldn't have to go through this story again. "Profiling did horrible things to me before that, and I was alone, week in week out. The most significant human interaction I would get, was an occasional night out with the Gunmen and "99 cents" from a dead tired clerk at the kiosk where I bought sunflower seeds every day." She felt bad for asking, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask." "No," Mulder took her hand, squeezing reassuringly, "it's okay, because that was the moment I decided that I needed a change. X-files were going nowhere, and by that time I read enough, that I could fill my own Library Of Congress section on paranormal and unexplained. Cases that landed on FBI's lap reached as far as the 2nd World War, and Roswell. Cold war must have been a real page turner, judging by the number of censored files, and no one was doing anything about it, and no one planed to." He was no longer sad, the fire was back in his eyes. "That was when I realized our government doesn't care about the people, only his own twisted agenda and I couldn't support that. I crossed the the F and the B, and focused on I in the FBI. You know I write for "The Lone Gunman", under a pseudonym naturally, but it's something I could never do if I worked for the bureau. I travel sometimes, talk to people, write down their stories and give them voice, so others would know, that they are not alone, there are people with similar experiences and the fact that I can do something for them, gave me the strength to keep going, to keep looking. For Sam, to know what happened the night she disappeared." Pure conviction in his voice took her breath away. "The truth is out there. And it won't stay hidden in their basements forever." "And the bar?" "It's a way to keep me sane," Mulder chuckled, "to keep that human connection alive and well. That year in the basement, it was bad, to be that disconnected made my mind fester. I realized I needed to be around people, and like you said, there's a bit of a therapist in every bartender," he smiled and reached for the bottle of wine to fill her glass. "I pour drinks, I listen. The difference is that I have a fancy diploma to back it up. 'The Believer' is always open for people with strange stories and memories to share, and besides," he smiled at her broadly, back to here and now from the depths of his past, "I'm not sure I would ever meet you, if I'd still carry a badge." Scully listened, truly amazed. Once again Mulder's story was not what she expected to hear, not on a first date anyway. She had no words to begin describing the feeling his journey evoked in her, so she cupped his cheek and kissed him. This man so remarkable she wouldn't believe he was real. He saw it, too much awe, too much pride. He didn't want it, he knew he never deserved it, so he kissed her back, resting one hand on the curve of her waist, parting her lips with his tongue, deepening the kiss for two heartbeats, barely decent, bold enough to kick down that pedestal he saw in her eyes. "Mulder," she had to squeeze in the warning between arousal and want in her tone. If they were at the bar, this thing might escalate pretty quickly. "What? Desert?" He kissed her again, quick, deep and hot, "I think you're right, what would you like." "You," she whispered pressing her lips, chastely this time, to the corner of his mouth. "You've got that," he teased, "but I feel like I need to redeem myself after dumping my past on you, so tell me." she leaned back, her hand back in his while he made due with kissing her knuckles, happy he managed to wake her desire. He wanted her to know and still want him, not worship or admire. "What would you like?" "Ice cream sundae," she said without skipping a beat, "and we share, it's a Valentine's Day date requirement." Two spoons, a ton of chocolate and Scully's giggles saved the moment.

They took a cab back to her place, the night was cold. Mulder got out to help her and she took his hand as her feet touched the pavement. It was a moment of silent agreement, her hand squeezed his, she took a step without letting go, and he knew to pay the driver and let her take him upstairs to her apartment.

Scully's heart pounded in her chest, as she searched for keys in her small purse, Mulder less than an inch behind her. She found it, let them in, and turned to find his warm soft lips. He took her face in his hands, warming her cold cheeks, as she unbuttoned his coat to slip her arms around him. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, as his hands traveled down her shoulders to the buttons on her coat. He helped her slip out of it, tossing it to the back of the couch, then pulled on her scarf. Blue silk freed her perfume, and again he felt dizzy from it, compelled to bury his face in her neck, this time by way of kisses. His coat landed next to hers, mouths searching, missing targets, sloppy but increasingly more fun with each step that brought them farther inside the apartment. He stepped out of his shoes as she peeled of his jacket. Scully bumped into the back of the couch, walking backwards, and he knelled to unzip her boots and pull them off her small feet for her. She looked stunning, as she pulled one pin from her chignon and her hair fell down in soft waves down her shoulders. Without looking away from her eyes, Mulder ran his hands up the back of her calves and stood up, towering over her for the briefest moment, before he picked her off the floor, hands grabbing the backs of her thighs, stockings dear God, the word goddess flashing through his mind. Scully's legs went around his waist, arms around shoulders, she did not fight for fear she'd topple them over, and he carried her through to the bedroom, ignoring her protests, your leg, no need, I can walk, he was def to her concern over him or his health at the moment. He pleaded temporary insanity from her breasts pressed against his chest through silk and satin of their clothes. "Mulder," she breathed into his ear, holding on to him as he reached to push the door open, "condoms, bathroom, medicine cabinet." He didn't stop but walked in and put her down on her feet. He took her hand and without a word slipped it into his pants pocket, smiling as her palm closed around two foil packets and brushed against the erection that was already starting to feel uncomfortable. "Small steps, Scully," he reached around her and found the tab on the zipper of her dress, and started to pull it down slowly, "I wouldn't do this if I wasn't prepared." "I saw your blood work," she explained taking her hand out of his pocket and dropping the condoms on the bed, "and I'm on the pill but..." he shushed her with a soft kiss, hands caressing her bare skin on the way up to her shoulders. "I know, small steps." A kiss to the side of her neck and a brush of his fingers and the dress pooled around her feet with a whisper of satin. Black lace and silk stockings were all she got left and felt like he was definitely overdressed. "You need some help?" Scully reached to the bedside table and turned on the lamp. Soft light filed the room and the sight stunned Mulder into silence. He could do nothing but stare at her skin, body all soft curves and freckles and female perfection standing before him. She reached up and made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, pulling it from his pants, already bulging impressively. Scully pulled the belt from the loops of his pants and dropped it to the floor, taking a step around to switch places and push him on the bed behind him. "You run around too much, I told you that already." Hovering above him, keeping her tone playful, she slowly unbuttoned his pants to pull them down, mindful of his recent injury. His socks followed suit as she knelt down on the floor between his knees, looking up. He was looking at her, propped up on his elbows, his erection straining his briefs. "Scully, are you sure?" He asked quietly, not concerned, just making sure. "If I wasn't," she replied with confidence, standing up and resting her toes on his knee, "we wouldn't be here." Mulder got rid of his doubts and reached to peel the last of the silk and lace of her body.

Scully laid on the bed, his face inches from hers, watching every change in her expression as he ran two fingers between her thighs, learning what made her tick, following her hand. They fumbled at first and he decided to just let her take the lead. Now she was straining against him, arching her back. He kissed her from time to time, wet sloppy kisses, all soft brushes of languid tongues. He kissed her breasts and nibbled on her nipples, and shoulder and neck, but now he was watching her knead the soft flesh and pinch the hard tip of it and circling around it with her thumbnail. Each moan was like a reward for a well aimed stroke of his hand. He dipped two fingers inside her, her clit swelled as he brushed past it from time to time. He returned there but not too often, she was very responsive to what he did for her. Sometimes her finger joined his, showing him what to do and how, but mostly she just let him explore, take his time. "Like that," she threw her head back and he felt her walls soften under his touch, become pliant, ready for him to join in on the fun. Mulder knew his leg was not yet 100 percent healed, so he brought her as close to the edge as possible without wasting the strength he knew, he would need. She thought he was teasing when his hand moved away, but as his weight shifted and the tip of his cock started to push inside her, she welcomed him into her arms. The sensation was pure and undiluted bliss. "You feel so good," she whispered pulling his lips to hers, her tongue in his mouth as hot as her centre. "I've wanted you since you tossed back that first shot of whiskey at the bar with me," he confessed pulling her knee up and around his hip, shifting so that most of his weight rested on his good side, and started to pump into her, slowly, like he did earlier with his fingers, "you trusted me, I see that now." "I never did that," she panted as he started picking up pace, "let a guy talk me into doing something." She dropped a kiss on his parted lips, "but with you it felt different." her one hand pushed between them and found her clit, the other scratched down his back all the way to his ass, she relished the way his muscles flexed with each thrust. "Like this." Mulder wasn't sure if she was speaking of that night or urging him on, "like what?" "Amazing," she breathed, and he could do nothing else but agree. He felt himself quicken, as she swelled around him. Their lips met and she was whimpering softly with his each thrust, now urgent and hard. "Keep going, like that," her finger moved fast in tight circles, "Mulder, oh God, I'm going to..." She didn't need to finish because just then her body spasmed under and around him. Scully held on, trying to pull him inside her, her free arm now tight around his shoulders, her hand at the nape of his neck, her lips at his ear. "Let go, come for me," and she ran her tongue around his ear, bit his earlobe and he couldn't fight it anymore, he came and fell and she caught him.

It was her turn to watch him, limbs intertwined, bodies sated, sheets pulled warm around them. "What did you do to me?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, with tenderness she hasn't felt in years. "What do you mean?" "I feel like you just moved in here," he said taking her hand and placing it over his heart, "and started redecorating." "Do I get the attic as well?" Scully chanced a joke, kissing his temple and running fingers through his hair, silky smooth and soft, now that she knew he liked that. "If you don't mind the toys there," he teased back. Self deprecating was his idea of honest when speaking about himself. "Mulder, you are a good man," she told him, kissing his lower lip gently, she knew it and felt it, and that made it as good as true for her. "I'm Spooky Mulder howling at the moon," he countered, a faint sleepy smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "No, you care about people, that's noble, you're like a white knight that way" she explained, feeling his midnight stubble with the back of her fingers. "Wait," he looked alarmed for a moment, "not like Don Quixote or something, right?" "What, you want me to stroke your ego some more?" She reached under the covers and found his shaft, running her palm up and down its' length, and circling the head with her thumb. His eyes rolled back as he started to get hard again, she was starting to love how he could not resist her. "That's not where it's at, but it has a direct line." "Shut up Mulder," she straddled his hips and kissed him for real this time.

The next morning Mulder woke up in Scully's bed. In pain. He untangled himself from her small warm body, asleep with her back against his chest, and knowing it was impossible not to wake her, he turned onto his back and groaned. His thigh was killing him. "Mulder?" Her sleepy voice sounded concerned as she turned to face him, "what's wrong?" "My leg," was all he managed to say, the pain was spreading to his hip and lower back. She uncovered his side and saw no bruising or alarming swelling around the freshly healed wound. "You pushed yourself last night," she covered him and started to get up, "I told you not to carry me." "Adrenaline rush Doc, couldn't help it," he joked, but really felt terrible, "where are you going?" "I'll be right back," she kissed his forehead and left him to his suffering. Scully went to the kitchen, tying the robe around her waist and noting in passing the path of clothes they left behind last night. They needed coffee. She opened the fridge, scanning it's contents and finding it satisfactory, took out the coffee and started a fresh pot. "Take this." She came back handing Mulder one pill and a glass of water, and noticing his hesitation clarified, "it's Tylenol 3," then pulled the covers back off his leg and covered it with a bag of frozen peas. "Bad news, you're not going anywhere today." Mulder looked at her and barked out a strained laugh. "And how is that bad news?" His reaction shook her out of her doctor persona and she realized what she just said. "Right," she laughed and leaned over to kiss his smiling lips, "happy Valentine's Day Mulder."

[changji]

There’s a limit for when you’re in school but in summer I can do whatever I want bc it’s a Free Country 🤪 u miss are not allowed to get sick u hear me or else I will personally fly to cali & nurse you 😤 A STARBUCKS DRINK FOR $4.85 EYE- THAT’S SO GOOD WTFF I DON’T THINK I’VE PAID LESS THAN $5 FOR A DRINK THERE. You’re really out here like that

Ah I forgot to say how often I climb but I usually try for 3+ times a month bc the gym is pretty far away (by far i mean 2 different buses & an hour of crying). When I first started I was being taught how to tie a figure 8 knot (which is the most important one you need so you don’t die) and i couldn’t fucking get it right so the instructor had to go over it 193837 times & was getting annoyed @ me. LOL I couldn’t look him in the eye at all and my face had never been redder that day lmfao

At least ur teachers like you. I’m like that one student that never says anything and just sits there with an rbf so idk what my teachers think of me LOL. Half the time they don’t know I’m there. I got marked absent a couple times before but i was there in class 😤😤 ohh that’s cool. Band season runs the entire year for my school but that’s probably bc it’s a credit course. Newborn babies kinda are, it’s when they reach a couple months old they become cute

LOL how do you pronounce breakfast? I say salmon with the L & I get hated on by everyone. Taeyomi was great but changji is even better. Like changbin + jisung? Genius. Legends Only. Jkhsdiweiihfew I’m glad my url has an impact on ur daily life 🥵🥵 languages are so hard, I’m literally illiterate in every single one ik. Ikr? Our names are so easy like how do u mispronounce arella? One time  someone spelt my name as Adly and I wanted to Perish

The chance the skip 2 math levels? Once again ur a genius legend. I could never esp w math holy moly. Okay dark ones it is!! I was thinking either the 1st or 2nd ones? Which do u like more? Ah new friends. The first weeks are always so awkward bc you don’t really know them well so you don’t know how much of urself you wanna expose (or it’s just me. I’m too much of a crackhead apparently). Wait a moment. Do you have multiple buildings at ur school like a uni campus??

Make out spots at my school is this one sketchy stairwell where all the scary ppl are. The whole school just smells like weed bc 90% of the school are potheads. Alright that’s the deal if we die we die together 😤 I have never heard of bathroom portables before,, those sounds so Extra. Are they like a porta potty? Omg speaking of older grades a bunch of girls who graduated last year came to my work & I was like “oh shit lol ik u all this is awkward” 

Oof I’m the older sister so like. Favouritism never works in my favour. My sister will literally start a fight w me but I’m the only one who gets lectured in the end. Like. Bitch u started this 😤 I’m on the older side out of my cousins so I’m just Ignored 😪 I’m placing my bet on 2k words right now for our convos 

-

ah makes sense, i thought there was a time for summer too but it might just be here or i’m dumb 😔 I CANT AFFORD TO GET SICK MISSING ONE DAY OF SCHOOL WILL NOT HELP ME AT ALL ! but thank u for ur concern miss, u should just fly to cali anyway 😪 myb i’ll go to u can i hitchike from here ?? IT IS SO GOOD ITS AMAZING IT WAS SO CHEAP but the drink was super sweet 🤢 i have converted back to normal lattes with no syrup. peet’s is usually 5.20 for my drink and it’s so strong i don’t need extra shots ☺️ 

3 times,, a month,, i go to the mall like 3 times a week, look @ u being so athletic! tbh i sound lame but i’ve never taken a bus (other than a school bus for field trips) before like. buses here are lowkey sketch but it’s mostly college students. i rely on my parents and uber 🤧 sometimes i walk but. i don’t like to but if i have to i will oop. it takes an hour to get there and an hour back then right? i can’t imagine bro omg i’d just die. i know how to knot my shoelaces and never being able to untangle them so i now wear slip ons 🤪 poor ada, were like the same person but that was me when i took a knitting class for some reason and couldn’t do any of it 😪

okay idk if i told u yet but my ap euro teacher asked who’s been to italy so i raised my hand, he asked how it was and i said “the gelato is rly good” and his face was just. utter disappointment. turns out he was asking abt the art but he didnt clarify it and we weren’t even talking abt art so now i’m known as That Girl 😔 it’s hard to miss me oop, if it’s quiet then i’m sleeping & all my teachers last year knew this 😪 how do u get marked absent?? i wish band was a credit course but it’s only extra curricular 😔 are ur teachers snakes i will Step on them. newborns look fake but yeah they get cute when they’re like half a year old. 

like. brek-fust by my friends says brek-fist like it’s more of a u sound than an i but go off u idiots. salmon with the L,, ada,, no,, if u say carmel instead of caramel i’m gonna riot. ugh thanks bro i was lucky someone gave me this url, but nohyuckclub? aka the author of the most legendary mark lee social media au? A Whole Legend, but treerachas? my absolutely fave 🥺 languages are dumb i don’t know english i don’t know spanish my vocab consists of sksk and i oop, and that’s it. HOW DO U MISPRONOUNCE ADA LIKE. when i saw ur name i was like ay-da not ah-da, ppl need to learn bro it’s just said how it’s spelled. AND PERISH LOL I LOVE THE WORDS U USE

i’m actually dumb tho i just hate math oops, i’m more of a lunch kind of person if u know what i mean 😉 JK IM GROSS STOP ME and i like the 2nd one (the red one right? idk it’s all pretty u choose) i don’t wanna expose myself but it happens bc i’m just naturally a crackhead oops. but yeah we have multiple buildings! my campus is pretty small tbh? compared to other schools we’re really small, there’s like 2k kids here and i wanna die. it’s so crowded in the halls like get away from me u smelly thot. we have 3 buildings connected by 3 hallways, and a few other ones like the science buildings, music room, portables, 2 gyms and classrooms. in total i think there are 10 buildings? how’s ur campus like?

do you have one big building or smth? in my middle school had stairs and. stairs aren’t fun i hate them. if people kissed on the stairs everybody would hate them bc they’re blocking the halls LOL. we have our legendary D wing bathrooms where people smoke its so funny how often i got offered a roll,,, people straight up vape in class its so funny. but yeah a porta party. disgusting 🤢 in my head that’s what i call it LOL, a portable bathroom… i hate when i see people from school or just. ppl in general, did they recognize u?

U SPELL FAVORITISM WITH A U THATS SO WEIRD FUCKING AMERICA but im lowkey spoiled (highkey) but i. don’t pick fights, its my brother who does that LOL, he gets lectured tho so,,, not my problem oops i have a lot of cousins but we split it when we were younger so its wrong but teens (now adults but still called teens), kids (now teens but still called kids), and the adult adult cousins (which is the only correct one LOL) but i fit into the kid category so,,,, also we have almost 20k im literally SCREAMING, including this we’re at 20,712 words im-

[dedrikdoesstuff]

・Six Months・

        Hello everyone, followers, friends, and people only finding me just now. I am delightfully happy to announce that today marks six months since I started hormone replacement therapy! It’s been a wild ride already so far with lots of little discoveries as I watch a dream I’ve had since early high school unfold right in front of my eyes. Under the cut I will talk a little about my life before my transition began as well as something I noticed right off the bat once I started. 

・ Before the Transition ・

        Before I came out, I was living my days staring in the mirror trying to mimic those girls around me because everything in my life told me that’s who I was suppose to be. I didn’t even know what transgender was. Life told me that i needed to wear make up, style my hair just right, and show as much skin as my school would let me get away with. So that’s what I did. I dressed myself in heels, hiked up skirts with lace underwear, shirts with sleeves a bit too long so I would appear both cute and sexy. I got my hair cut to have bangs that covered half of my face and I would clip my wet hair behind my ear so that in the morning before school, it would lay perfectly to cover my face while still framing it. I also pulled the rest of my hair, a shiny coppery color, into mid length pigtails I would tie off with big red bows. I wanted to look like someone who would be loved. I was seeking the attention I thought I deserved. When I got what I’d been asking for, I quickly realized it wasn’t what I really wanted. I became bitter, angry, and confused while still keeping up the act and appearance. It wasn’t until I was 17 years old that I realized who I was. 

・ The Start ・

        At 17 I cut off most of my hair, dyed it black and started hiding myself in sweaters, hoodies, and jeans. I barely showed any skin whatsoever and quickly my school reputation fell. I became “the emo kid” even though I just really wanted to be left alone while I figured myself out. I told my dad and he immediately told me that “no daughter of mine will be a boy in this house” so I just kept hiding myself in bulky clothes and transitioning the best I could in secret. I kept my hair short and looked to my mother for new clothes and had friends with debit or credit cards order me supplies in return for artwork or fanfictions form me. It worked for the most part until I flunked out of high school by a credit and a half. Scared of what my dad might of done, as he’s threatened before about not graduating, I ran from home. Things kind of stagnated after that for awhile. I got into a bad relationship, was couch hopping for awhile, and got a really nice hard smack in the face from reality. But that’s all water under the bridge now and i have almost no hard feelings for anyone involved. 

        I started living with my current roommate in....March of 2015. She and her mother took me in when they realized how bad my health actually was and slowly got me back into the swing of eating, sleeping, and bathing on regular. I picked up a job at a nearby Burger King, where I still work today, and started saving money little by little. Paychecks were small and hours even smaller. Eventually, I heard about a group from Detroit coming up to visit with transgender youths in my current city. I jumped on it as fast as I could. When I met with them, they talked me through everything that would and could happen with hormones, explained to me in detail some of the things that could come into effect. I was giving a price range to start and paperwork to get blood tests done. I was ecstatic. I got my blood results done and sent them in while I awaited my fate.

・ Starting HRT ・

        I took my very first shot of testosterone on September 2nd, 2016. Let me tell you right now, I’ve never had to pee so often and so much in my life. The first month of hormones was spent with me running to the bathroom with a full bladder about 5 or 6 times a day and showering twice a day. The showering, that happened because my skin just felt so oily all the time. I would bathe and twenty minutes later be wondering “why the hell am i so oily?”. I started eating more, bigger plates and more often. And the acne. Oh my god, the acne. It was everywhere. The point I’m trying to make is this: the first month or so on hormones, be prepared for that kinda stuff. Your body is essentially going through a second puberty. You’re gonna be oily, smelly, and acne ridden for awhile. At least I was. 

・ Now ・

        Nowadays I’m pretty okay. With me having hit six months today, I will need another blood test to see where my levels are. Should my doctor believe I need my dose increased, she will do so. Things that have changed for me so far, noticeably, are: my voice, development of an “adam’s apple”, improved body hair growth, much easier muscle development and definition, some changes downstairs I wont talk about, as well as some dorky little chin hairs trying to make something of themselves. 

        The acne has mostly died down now and I’m not as oily as before. But I’m still just as hungry and just as easily agitated. Testosterone has, admittedly, made me a bit more aggressive. I’m not willing to let people walk on me anymore. I’m more willing to say something when I’m bothered or annoyed. Little things that peeved me before set me off now. I’ve literally told grown ass, cis men twice my size “can you back off please? you don’t need to stand so close to me, it’s a line for coffee, the starbucks isnt gonna get up and walk away.” 

I’m honestly surprised I haven’t been punched yet. 

Anyways! It’s been a good six months for the most part and if anyone has any questions they would like to ask me about my experiences, just shoot me an ask and I’ll do my best to answer. Thanks for reading!

[carterthornton]

The Third Wave | Chapter Seventeen: Capture the Flags (Part Two)

        Ms. Wendell had everyone line up around the picnic area of the park after they had all set out their backpacks and other belongings. "Alright, students! Listen up! Today's class shall be a modified game of capture the flag. Each team will have their own flag and territory they must protect from the opposing teams; each flag gained will earn your team a single point, and a team who loses their flag gets knocked out of the game. Stealing an opposing player's ribbon within your zone will imprison them in said zone, and you can only be freed by your own team member dragging you out of the zone." Ms. Wendell then handed out a red ribbon to each student, instructing them to tie it around their shoulders. "To make it more interesting, there is also all the open territory one must traverse in order to get to opposing team's flags, No Man's Land. Outside of your team zone is where the hunters roam, who are none other than some of the sharpest rookies on the force!" Ms. Wendell stepped aside, properly introducing each academy graduate to the class. "On the far right, we have Police Constable 1st Class Thomas Gretchen, a fairly recent graduate with two years on the force so far."

       "Heyo," The graduate waved from his perch, sitting atop a large boulder. "Good to be here with all a ya fine folks."

       Thomas was quite tall, around six-foot-three, and he had an unmistakable Newfoundland accent. He had short raven hair and hazy green eyes that seemed to swirl like a lake in a strong autumn wind. Thomas' face was dotted with numerous freckles and his toothy grin looked as if it were hiding childlike eagerness. Nonetheless, he remained professional, sporting the IMOP uniform that he'd often wear when out on patrol; a slate dress shirt and a black tie coupled with navy blue dress pants that seemed very out of place in such an earth tone environment.

       "You'd think he'd be using a jumpsuit like us... I wonder how comfortable those dress pants are?" Carlo wondered as he inspected each graduate's similar attire.

      "Probably more comfortable than these stupid jumpsuits!" Aiko growled as she wrangled with the fabric around her chest and rear.

      "To Thomas' left is a graduate with a year in the IMOP, Police Constable 2nd Class Abian Abayan," Ms. Wendell announced as she let the Filipino officer step forward.

       "Sup, guys?" Despite his complexion and small frame, he had the demeanour and mannerisms of a city-goer, and his voice was without any noticeable accent to it.

       Abian was fairly short, only five-foot-six, but he sported an extremely athletic build greater than the rest of the graduates, and it even showed through his dress shirt. He had a round head, cherry red hair that waved about indiscriminately, and he had plain black eyes; he also wore the same outfit as the rest, only his dress shirt was actually tucked in unlike Thomas'.

       "And to his left is Corporal Roxie Webber, a graduate with two years in the IMOP," Ms. Wendell said as a girl jumped down from a nearby pine tree.

       "Hey, hey, hey! How's it going?" The bubbly girl named Roxie shouted, her Toronto accent clear as day.

       Roxie was your typical blonde from Toronto, well, at least on the surface. She had long, wavy blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes that seemed to glow, and her blemish-free, pale skin shone just as brightly. Beyond her airhead personality, Roxie seemed to have something witty about her that Aiko just couldn't place her finger on, something her face just couldn't convey on its own. Perhaps her personality was a charade or a mask she put on? Either way, she seemed to be quite the enigma.

       "Oh, I like her!" Yuko clapped, her upbeat attitude immediately meshing with Roxie's.

       "And finally, we have Corporal Roderick Grey, a hotshot rookie, who I'm sure you all know and love. Roderick graduated from Beacon Hill just one year ago, and he's climbing the ranks faster than any other agent here on the West Coast!" Ms. Wendell gave him a grander introduction, as someone of his calibre deserved recognition.

       "Hey," Roderick gave the crowd of first-years a small salute, and they all cheered excitedly; the girls melted at the sight of him, and the guys whistled.

       Roderick Grey had a face that stood out amongst the rest; hazel eyes that appeared icy and cold, a very firm and chiselled jaw, and shoulder length, chocolate brown hair. But the class of first-years knew Roderick wasn't your average pretty boy. Sure, he had looks and charisma, but Roderick certainly had the skill and determination of a dedicated officer, and it showed in his numerous endeavours during his brief time as an IMOP Freelancer. Singlehandedly, Roderick managed to bring down a Mark-user drug lord in Vancouver, toppling his whole operation in one fell swoop. Roderick even managed to become an Executive of the Victoria Battle Tower at the young age of twenty-one.

       "Holy crap, I can't believe they got him in the mix of graduates! Roderick Grey is the fuckin' bomb!" Jace cheered, who looked as if he were about to beat on his chest like a gorilla.

       "Oh, calm down, he's not that impressive..." Maeve scoffed at Jace's fan-boyish shouting.

       "Whatever you say, Scales," Jace huffed, rolling his eyes at Maeve's obvious jealousy towards Roderick.

       "So, our helpers today shall take part in the game as hunters, who are bent on capturing students within No Man's Land. If a hunter steals your ribbon, you'll be made a hunter as well, so I suggest you work together!" As Ms. Wendell finished up her explanation of the rules, she attached a blue ribbon to each graduate's belt. "To make this a little more interesting, our graduates will have these ribbons, which count as two points to your team if you manage to capture them. And now..." Ms. Wendell reached into her pocket and withdrew eight rolled up pieces of paper, then she handed one to each team. "These are modified maps of Mount Douglas Park that show the locations of each team zone. Keep in mind that a team is allowed to move their flag once before play, but you must have it in plain sight and it must not move during play. Break any of these rules and you'll be disqualified."

       "This is definitely a step up from the capture the flag games I played in middle school," Carlo remarked as he scratched his head at all the rules and regulations Ms. Wendell was tossing at the class.

       "You said it. We might all know what Roderick's Mark is, but the rest are still a mystery," Aiko pointed out. "We've got to be careful if we take on one of the officers."

      "Are they strong?" Yuko asked Aiko, tugging on her shoulder.

       "There's really only one way to find out," Jace said with a determined grin and grit in his voice, pounding his fist against his palm.

       "Agreed," Mura nodded calmly.

       "I aim to take Roderick's ribbon, and don't any of you get in my way, got it?" Maeve informed her team, completely ignoring any ideas of teamwork.

       "You're gonna get destroyed, you know?" Jace chuckled at the thought of Roderick blowing her into space.

       "We'll see." Maeve clenched her teeth together, holding back her anger.

       Carlo's face lit up as he saw Roderick in the corner of his eye— checking out Aiko. "Hey, Aiko, I think I saw Roderick take a glance at you..." Carlo nudged Aiko, expecting her to go completely red in the face and scream in excitement like the other girls.

       "Oh, cool," Aiko nodded, only half-listening to him as she looked at the map given to her team. However, after a few seconds to digest Carlo's words, she looked up at him. "Wait, really?"

       "Uh, yeah," Carlo raised a brow at Aiko's disinterest in Roderick. "Aren't you flattered or... something?"

       "Am I supposed to be...?" Aiko asked him, still examining the map. "He's cool, but he's not really my type."

       "Hmm... and what is your type?" Carlo wondered, growing more curious as he began to realize Aiko was dodging his questions.

       "Carlo, I fail to realize how any of this is relevant to the game," Maeve snapped at him, grabbing the map from Aiko's hands. "I'll take that."

       "So, now that you're not occupied with the map..." Carlo leaned in closer to an unoccupied Aiko.

       Aiko's frustration was beginning to go to her cheeks. "Carlo, I swear to-!"

       "Students! The game shall begin in five minutes! Please, go to your respective zones and wait for the starting bell to ring!" Ms. Wendell spoke through her megaphone, ordering her students to scatter.

       "C'mon, this way!" Aiko shouted to the rest of her group as she began down a path towards her team zone, trying to lose Carlo.

       "Aiko, what's wrong?" Yuko could feel the tightening in Aiko's chest.

       "Nothing... I'm fine," Aiko sighed, trying her best to blow away any residual emotions clogged in her throat.

       Silently, as they all followed Aiko, Carlo nudged Jace. "Hey, Jace."

       "What's up?" Jace whispered, ducking his head to hear Carlo better.

       "Have you ever met a girl that didn't like Roderick?" Carlo asked, keeping an eye on Aiko as he gossiped.

       "Have you ever seen an angel?" Jace gave him another ludicrous question in response to his inquiry. "Of course I haven't, why?"

       "Aiko doesn't like em'," Carlo replied. "Not her type apparently."

       "Well, that's a first," Jace said, having no recollection of any girl from Vancouver Island who didn't shake in the knees at the mere mention of Roderick's name. "She must have some weird interests then."

       "Perhaps..." Carlo nodded, still lingering on the subject as they continued down their path.

****

       "Holy fuck, Varg. What are we going to do?" Camila asked her fur-clad partner as they sat atop a pine tree branch, watching as four IMOP officers made their way towards the bunker— the center of the park. "We can't let them get close!"

       "I know, Cammy, I know," Varg growled to himself as sharp claws extended from his fingertips. "We gotta get rid of them."

       "There's a chance they might not spot it, though," Camila placed a hand on Varg's shoulder, dreading what they might have to do. "These guys aren't Paladins, Varg. They didn't do anything wrong."

       "You know we can't take chances, Camila. If you don't want to watch, go scout out the academy students, I'm stayin' here." Varg leapt over to a nearby branch as silently as possible, only causing a slight rustle.

       "Be careful," Camila whispered as she hopped from one tree to the next. "If anything goes wrong, Al has to do it."

       "Yeah, I know..." Varg grumbled, his sharp eyes locked on his prey.

       As the graduates made their way to the starting position, Abian stopped, causing the others to look back at him, curious as to why he halted so suddenly. Abian had heard Camila moving through the trees, however, the noise faded as she got further and further away, and she was soon lost to his perceptions.

       "Abe, something the matter?" Thomas asked his comrade as he moved closer to Abian.

       "Nothing— just thought I heard something in the bushes is all. Must've been a squirrel or somthing," Abian reassured his senses, nodding silently to himself as he made his way to their starting point with the others.

       "Damn— almost caught us," Varg spoke into the communicator microphone attached to his molar, radioing Camila as he hid behind a large spruce tree. "That was close."

       "You better not alert them. From what I can see up here, they reserved the whole damn park. There's not a single person here who isn't IMOP," Camila informed him, the sound of rustling branches in the background. "If they see you, they'll almost certainly start asking questions."

****

       Aiko set her flag down on a tall rock just beneath an evergreen, in plain sight but still hard to reach. She took her map and put it in her pocket for safe-keeping, anxious that it might get stolen or damaged by her clumsiness. With Yuko by her side, Aiko walked over to her group, who were all gathering in the center of their zone.

       "So, what's the plan?" Carlo asked Aiko, who he assumed would have it all thought out by now.

       "Uh, well..." Aiko's head spun, unsure how to strategize in such an unfamiliar game. "It's obvious that we'll have to go through No Man's Land, and I guess it would make sense to chase after the flag nearest to us, which is..." Aiko trailed off a bit as she pulled her map out, finding the closest team zone to theirs. "Team Seven, from what I can see here."

       "Well, that's all kind of common sense, Aiko. What's the actual plan of attack?" Jace wondered, sceptical whether Carlo made the right decision of making her leader. "We've got like a minute left, we need something."

       "Well, sorry but I didn't ask to be the tactician!" Aiko snapped at Jace, as she hastily put together a strategy. "Okay... okay, I think I got it." Aiko took a few deep breaths, merging what few ideas she had into one package. "Mura, Maeve, and Jace, you're all our heavy-hitters. You guys will go out and take whatever flags you can. Carlo, Yuko, and I will stay with our flag and protect it."

       "Right," Jace nodded with Mura and Maeve.

       "Okay!" Yuko cheered as she hugged Carlo.

       "Can't breathe..." Carlo wheezed, getting a few chuckles out of their group. "Save the bear-hugs for the invaders, Yuko!"

       "Sorry!" Yuko gasped, her metal face glowing red hot as a result of her embarrassment.

       "What about the officers?" Mura inquired.

       "Err, unless they're open and vulnerable don't attack them. It's best just to avoid them completely and get the team flags." Aiko replied, noticing the disdain on Maeve's face as she curled her upper lip and gave Aiko a glare, turning away from her in a huff.

       "THE GAME SHALL BEGIN IN TEN SECONDS!" A booming voice echoed through the forest.

       "Understood," Mura nodded as she began to follow Maeve and Jace. However, before she could step forward, Aiko grabbed her arm. "What is it?"

       "Listen, Mura, you seem like a pretty grounded person. If you don't mind, could you watch Maeve for me? I've got a feeling she might fly off the handle and ruin our chances of winning by going after Roderick," Aiko instructed her comrade, concerned that Maeve's hot-headed nature might get her into trouble. "You think you can do that for me?"

       "Yes," Mura accepted Aiko's request and caught up with the others.

       "Thanks!" Aiko waved to her as she sighed deeply, sitting down on a nearby rock.

       "BEGIN!"

       "So... about Roderick," Carlo snuck up behind Aiko and sat down on a rock next to her. "Why don't you like him?"

       "Oh, for the love of-! I already told you why I didn't like him, Carlo!" Aiko groaned, lying with her back against the boulder that carried their team's flag.

       "Nah, I don't think you did," Carlo shook his head with a smug grin on his face, confident that he had already figured out. "C'mon, you can tell me. I already know it anyways."

       "Arrgh! Fine! But this is only to get you off my back, okay?!" Aiko stood up for a moment, making sure no one else was around but Yuko and Carlo. "You can't tell anyone!"

       "I don't know why you're being so secretive about this, Aiko," Carlo saw the disapproval on Aiko's face, and he quickly corrected his behaviour. "Okay, okay! I won't tell anyone."

       "Alright..." Aiko sat back down on her rock, taking a deep breath. "I like girls."

       "Just as I-... wait, what?! You're gay?!" Carlo's mouth flung open and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "Th-that was the secret?! No wonder you kept it under wraps!"

       "What did you think I was going to say?!" Aiko exploded.

       "I thought you only liked Asian guys— something like that!" Carlo blabbered, trying desperately to correct his mistake.

       "Hey, guys..." Yuko tried to interject, but her meek attempt was simply ignored.

       "Carlo, what the fuck?! No!" Aiko's arms began to flail about as her rage began to build to a boiling point. "Why did you-?! What-?! Arrghh!" Aiko swallowed her anger and sat back down on a rock, her head in her hands. "Fuck, that was stupid."

       "Guys..." Yuko tapped on Carlo's shoulder, but her hand was pushed aside.

       "Carlo, only my family knows about this, so you can't tell anyone, okay?" Aiko let out a deep breath, setting her chin on her hand as she stared down at the ground.

       "Um, yeah... but what about Jace? I mean, he kinda likes you, so..." Carlo tapped his fingers together nervously. "Yeah."

       "Sure, tell him... whatever," Aiko grumbled, adjusting her jumpsuit as she stood back up. "I'm eighteen— might as well let the cat out of the bag, or, I guess in my case out of the closet."

       "Guys!" Yuko screamed.

       "What?" They both asked as they turned to Yuko.

       "Are they on our team...?" Yuko pointed over to some taller trees at the edge of their zone; there were two students from another team watching them closely.

       "Shit," Aiko was more worried about whether they picked up on their conversation than the flag. "How much did they hear?"

       "Nevermind that, we gotta protect the flag!" Carlo readied himself as the two students stepped over their boundary. "Fuck!"

[carterthornton]

The Third Wave | Chapter Sixteen: Capture the Flags (Part One)

        Ms. Wendell had everyone line up around the picnic area of the park after they had all set out their backpacks and other belongings. "Alright, students! Listen up! Today's class shall be a modified game of capture the flag. Each team will have their own flag and territory they must protect from the opposing teams; each flag gained will earn your team a single point, and a team who loses their flag gets knocked out of the game. Stealing an opposing player's ribbon within your zone will imprison them in said zone, and you can only be freed by your own team member dragging you out of the zone." Ms. Wendell then handed out a red ribbon to each student, instructing them to tie it around their shoulders. "To make it more interesting, there is also all the open territory one must traverse in order to get to opposing team's flags, No Man's Land. Outside of your team zone is where the hunters roam, who are none other than some of the sharpest rookies on the force!" Ms. Wendell stepped aside, properly introducing each academy graduate to the class. "On the far right, we have Police Constable 1st Class Thomas Gretchen, a fairly recent graduate with two years on the force so far."

       "Heyo," The graduate waved from his perch, sitting atop a large boulder. "Good to be here with all a ya fine folks."

       Thomas was quite tall, around six-foot-three, and he had an unmistakable Newfoundland accent. He had short raven hair and hazy green eyes that seemed to swirl like a lake in a strong autumn wind. Thomas' face was dotted with numerous freckles and his toothy grin looked as if it were hiding childlike eagerness. Nonetheless, he remained professional, sporting the IMOP uniform that he'd often wear when out on patrol; a slate dress shirt and a black tie coupled with navy blue dress pants that seemed very out of place in such an earth tone environment.

       "You'd think he'd be using a jumpsuit like us... I wonder how comfortable those dress pants are?" Carlo wondered as he inspected each graduate's similar attire.

      "Probably more comfortable than these stupid jumpsuits!" Aiko growled as she wrangled with the fabric around her chest and rear.

      "To Thomas' left is a graduate with a year in the IMOP, Police Constable 2nd Class Abian Abayan," Ms. Wendell announced as she let the Filipino officer step forward.

       "Sup, guys?" Despite his complexion and small frame, he had the demeanour and mannerisms of a city-goer, and his voice was without any noticeable accent to it.

       Abian was fairly short, only five-foot-six, but he sported an extremely athletic build greater than the rest of the graduates, and it even showed through his dress shirt. He had a round head, cherry red hair that waved about indiscriminately, and he had plain black eyes; he also wore the same outfit as the rest, only his dress shirt was actually tucked in unlike Thomas'.

       "And to his left is Corporal Roxie Webber, a graduate with two years in the IMOP," Ms. Wendell said as a girl jumped down from a nearby pine tree.

       "Hey, hey, hey! How's it going?" The bubbly girl named Roxie shouted, her Toronto accent clear as day.

       Roxie was your typical blonde from Toronto, well, at least on the surface. She had long, wavy blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes that seemed to glow, and her blemish-free, pale skin shone just as brightly. Beyond her airhead personality, Roxie seemed to have something witty about her that Aiko just couldn't place her finger on, something her face just couldn't convey on its own. Perhaps her personality was a charade or a mask she put on? Either way, she seemed to be quite the enigma.

       "Oh, I like her!" Yuko clapped, her upbeat attitude immediately meshing with Roxie's.

       "And finally, we have Corporal Roderick Grey, a hotshot rookie, who I'm sure you all know and love. Roderick graduated from Beacon Hill just one year ago, and he's climbing the ranks faster than any other agent here on the West Coast!" Ms. Wendell gave him a grander introduction, as someone of his calibre deserved recognition.

       "Hey," Roderick gave the crowd of first-years a small salute, and they all cheered excitedly; the girls melted at the sight of him, and the guys whistled.

       Roderick Grey had a face that stood out amongst the rest; hazel eyes that appeared icy and cold, a very firm and chiselled jaw, and shoulder length, chocolate brown hair. But the class of first-years knew Roderick wasn't your average pretty boy. Sure, he had looks and charisma, but Roderick certainly had the skill and determination of a dedicated officer, and it showed in his numerous endeavours during his brief time as an IMOP Freelancer. Singlehandedly, Roderick managed to bring down a Mark-user drug lord in Vancouver, toppling his whole operation in one fell swoop. Roderick even managed to become an Executive of the Victoria Battle Tower at the young age of twenty-one.

       "Holy crap, I can't believe they got him in the mix of graduates! Roderick Grey is the fuckin' bomb!" Jace cheered, who looked as if he were about to beat on his chest like a gorilla.

       "Oh, calm down, he's not that impressive..." Maeve scoffed at Jace's fan-boyish shouting.

       "Whatever you say, Scales," Jace huffed, rolling his eyes at Maeve's obvious jealousy towards Roderick.

       "So, our helpers today shall take part in the game as hunters, who are bent on capturing students within No Man's Land. If a hunter steals your ribbon, you'll be made a hunter as well, so I suggest you work together!" As Ms. Wendell finished up her explanation of the rules, she attached a blue ribbon to each graduate's belt. "To make this a little more interesting, our graduates will have these ribbons, which count as two points to your team if you manage to capture them. And now..." Ms. Wendell reached into her pocket and withdrew eight rolled up pieces of paper, then she handed one to each team. "These are modified maps of Mount Douglas Park that show the locations of each team zone. Keep in mind that a team is allowed to move their flag once before play, but you must have it in plain sight and it must not move during play. Break any of these rules and you'll be disqualified."

       "This is definitely a step up from the capture the flag games I played in middle school," Carlo remarked as he scratched his head at all the rules and regulations Ms. Wendell was tossing at the class.

       "You said it. We might all know what Roderick's Mark is, but the rest are still a mystery," Aiko pointed out. "We've got to be careful if we take on one of the officers."

      "Are they strong?" Yuko asked Aiko, tugging on her shoulder.

       "There's really only one way to find out," Jace said with a determined grin and grit in his voice, pounding his fist against his palm.

       "Agreed," Mura nodded calmly.

       "I aim to take Roderick's ribbon, and don't any of you get in my way, got it?" Maeve informed her team, completely ignoring any ideas of teamwork.

       "You're gonna get destroyed, you know?" Jace chuckled at the thought of Roderick blowing her into space.

       "We'll see." Maeve clenched her teeth together, holding back her anger.

       Carlo's face lit up as he saw Roderick in the corner of his eye— checking out Aiko. "Hey, Aiko, I think I saw Roderick take a glance at you..." Carlo nudged Aiko, expecting her to go completely red in the face and scream in excitement like the other girls.

       "Oh, cool," Aiko nodded, only half-listening to him as she looked at the map given to her team. However, after a few seconds to digest Carlo's words, she looked up at him. "Wait, really?"

       "Uh, yeah," Carlo raised a brow at Aiko's disinterest in Roderick. "Aren't you flattered or... something?"

       "Am I supposed to be...?" Aiko asked him, still examining the map. "He's cool, but he's not really my type."

       "Hmm... and what is your type?" Carlo wondered, growing more curious as he began to realize Aiko was dodging his questions.

       "Carlo, I fail to realize how any of this is relevant to the game," Maeve snapped at him, grabbing the map from Aiko's hands. "I'll take that."

       "So, now that you're not occupied with the map..." Carlo leaned in closer to an unoccupied Aiko.

       Aiko's frustration was beginning to go to her cheeks. "Carlo, I swear to-!"

       "Students! The game shall begin in five minutes! Please, go to your respective zones and wait for the starting bell to ring!" Ms. Wendell spoke through her megaphone, ordering her students to scatter.

       "C'mon, this way!" Aiko shouted to the rest of her group as she began down a path towards her team zone, trying to lose Carlo.

       "Aiko, what's wrong?" Yuko could feel the tightening in Aiko's chest.

       "Nothing... I'm fine," Aiko sighed, trying her best to blow away any residual emotions clogged in her throat.

       Silently, as they all followed Aiko, Carlo nudged Jace. "Hey, Jace."

       "What's up?" Jace whispered, ducking his head to hear Carlo better.

       "Have you ever met a girl that didn't like Roderick?" Carlo asked, keeping an eye on Aiko as he gossiped.

       "Have you ever seen an angel?" Jace gave him another ludicrous question in response to his inquiry. "Of course I haven't, why?"

       "Aiko doesn't like em'," Carlo replied. "Not her type apparently."

       "Well, that's a first," Jace said, having no recollection of any girl from Vancouver Island who didn't shake in the knees at the mere mention of Roderick's name. "She must have some weird interests then."

       "Perhaps..." Carlo nodded, still lingering on the subject as they continued down their path.

****

       "Holy fuck, Varg. What are we going to do?" Camila asked her fur-clad partner as they sat atop a pine tree branch, watching as four IMOP officers made their way towards the bunker— the center of the park. "We can't let them get close!"

       "I know, Cammy, I know," Varg growled to himself as sharp claws extended from his fingertips. "We gotta get rid of them."

       "There's a chance they might not spot it, though," Camila placed a hand on Varg's shoulder, dreading what they might have to do. "These guys aren't Paladins, Varg. They didn't do anything wrong."

       "You know we can't take chances, Camila. If you don't want to watch, go scout out the academy students, I'm stayin' here." Varg leapt over to a nearby branch as silently as possible, only causing a slight rustle.

       "Be careful," Camila whispered as she hopped from one tree to the next. "If anything goes wrong, Al has to do it."

       "Yeah, I know..." Varg grumbled, his sharp eyes locked on his prey.

       As the graduates made their way to the starting position, Abian stopped, causing the others to look back at him, curious as to why he halted so suddenly. Abian had heard Camila moving through the trees, however, the noise faded as she got further and further away, and she was soon lost to his perceptions.

       "Abe, something the matter?" Thomas asked his comrade as he moved closer to Abian.

       "Nothing— just thought I heard something in the bushes is all. Must've been a squirrel or somthing," Abian reassured his senses, nodding silently to himself as he made his way to their starting point with the others.

       "Damn— almost caught us," Varg spoke into the communicator microphone attached to his molar, radioing Camila as he hid behind a large spruce tree. "That was close."

       "You better not alert them. From what I can see up here, they reserved the whole damn park. There's not a single person here who isn't IMOP," Camila informed him, the sound of rustling branches in the background. "If they see you, they'll almost certainly start asking questions."

****

       Aiko set her flag down on a tall rock just beneath an evergreen, in plain sight but still hard to reach. She took her map and put it in her pocket for safe-keeping, anxious that it might get stolen or damaged by her clumsiness. With Yuko by her side, Aiko walked over to her group, who were all gathering in the center of their zone.

       "So, what's the plan?" Carlo asked Aiko, who he assumed would have it all thought out by now.

       "Uh, well..." Aiko's head spun, unsure how to strategize in such an unfamiliar game. "It's obvious that we'll have to go through No Man's Land, and I guess it would make sense to chase after the flag nearest to us, which is..." Aiko trailed off a bit as she pulled her map out, finding the closest team zone to theirs. "Team Seven, from what I can see here."

       "Well, that's all kind of common sense, Aiko. What's the actual plan of attack?" Jace wondered, sceptical whether Carlo made the right decision of making her leader. "We've got like a minute left, we need something."

       "Well, sorry but I didn't ask to be the tactician!" Aiko snapped at Jace, as she hastily put together a strategy. "Okay... okay, I think I got it." Aiko took a few deep breaths, merging what few ideas she had into one package. "Mura, Maeve, and Jace, you're all our heavy-hitters. You guys will go out and take whatever flags you can. Carlo, Yuko, and I will stay with our flag and protect it."

       "Right," Jace nodded with Mura and Maeve.

       "Okay!" Yuko cheered as she hugged Carlo.

       "Can't breathe..." Carlo wheezed, getting a few chuckles out of their group. "Save the bear-hugs for the invaders, Yuko!"

       "Sorry!" Yuko gasped, her metal face glowing red hot as a result of her embarrassment.

       "What about the officers?" Mura inquired.

       "Err, unless they're open and vulnerable don't attack them. It's best just to avoid them completely and get the team flags." Aiko replied, noticing the disdain on Maeve's face as she curled her upper lip and gave Aiko a glare, turning away from her in a huff.

       "THE GAME SHALL BEGIN IN TEN SECONDS!" A booming voice echoed through the forest.

       "Understood," Mura nodded as she began to follow Maeve and Jace. However, before she could step forward, Aiko grabbed her arm. "What is it?"

       "Listen, Mura, you seem like a pretty grounded person. If you don't mind, could you watch Maeve for me? I've got a feeling she might fly off the handle and ruin our chances of winning by going after Roderick," Aiko instructed her comrade, concerned that Maeve's hot-headed nature might get her into trouble. "You think you can do that for me?"

       "Yes," Mura accepted Aiko's request and caught up with the others.

       "Thanks!" Aiko waved to her as she sighed deeply, sitting down on a nearby rock.

       "BEGIN!"

       "So... about Roderick," Carlo snuck up behind Aiko and sat down on a rock next to her. "Why don't you like him?"

       "Oh, for the love of-! I already told you why I didn't like him, Carlo!" Aiko groaned, lying with her back against the boulder that carried their team's flag.

       "Nah, I don't think you did," Carlo shook his head with a smug grin on his face, confident that he had already figured out. "C'mon, you can tell me. I already know it anyways."

       "Arrgh! Fine! But this is only to get you off my back, okay?!" Aiko stood up for a moment, making sure no one else was around but Yuko and Carlo. "You can't tell anyone!"

       "I don't know why you're being so secretive about this, Aiko," Carlo saw the disapproval on Aiko's face, and he quickly corrected his behaviour. "Okay, okay! I won't tell anyone."

       "Alright..." Aiko sat back down on her rock, taking a deep breath. "I like girls."

       "Just as I-... wait, what?! You're gay?!" Carlo's mouth flung open and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "Th-that was the secret?! No wonder you kept it under wraps!"

       "What did you think I was going to say?!" Aiko exploded.

       "I thought you only liked Asian guys— something like that!" Carlo blabbered, trying desperately to correct his mistake.

       "Hey, guys..." Yuko tried to interject, but her meek attempt was simply ignored.

       "Carlo, what the fuck?! No!" Aiko's arms began to flail about as her rage began to build to a boiling point. "Why did you-?! What-?! Arrghh!" Aiko swallowed her anger and sat back down on a rock, her head in her hands. "Fuck, that was stupid."

       "Guys..." Yuko tapped on Carlo's shoulder, but her hand was pushed aside.

       "Carlo, only my family knows about this, so you can't tell anyone, okay?" Aiko let out a deep breath, setting her chin on her hand as she stared down at the ground.

       "Um, yeah... but what about Jace? I mean, he kinda likes you, so..." Carlo tapped his fingers together nervously. "Yeah."

       "Sure, tell him... whatever," Aiko grumbled, adjusting her jumpsuit as she stood back up. "I'm eighteen— might as well let the cat out of the bag, or, I guess in my case out of the closet."

       "Guys!" Yuko screamed.

       "What?" They both asked as they turned to Yuko.

       "Are they on our team...?" Yuko pointed over to some taller trees at the edge of their zone; there were two students from another team watching them closely.

       "Shit," Aiko was more worried about whether they picked up on their conversation than the flag. "How much did they hear?"

       "Nevermind that, we gotta protect the flag!" Carlo readied himself as the two students stepped over their boundary. “Fuck..."