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unidentifiedly · 9 months ago

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Eventful Morning

Micah Bell x reader

- In which Micah almost scares the reader to death. Or at the very least, scares them enough for it to have consequences.

"Tip, tip, tip" Soft sounds of rain droplets made their way into your ears.

"No, no. Just a few more minutes." You thought to yourself, unable to open your eyes just yet. Slowly but surely you adjusted to the idea of waking up and opened your eyes. The off white canvas tent filtered the morning light beautifully. Glancing around yourself, looking for your favourite blouse and overdress, your gaze fell on the small dusty mirror in front of you, perched atop a trunk and supported by a stack of hardcover copies of romance novels.

In the mirror, yourself staring right back. You glanced at the intricately engraved brass pocket watch by the side of the bed. The watch itself was a birthday gift from Arthur a couple months back. The arms reaching toward four and twelve, it was way too early to get up and start one's day. Yet, here you were.

Softly humming to yourself you tied your hair up lazily with a ribbon, deciding to spend the hours of the morning organizing your safe haven. The gang had only recently arrived at the new spot, Horseshoe Overlook they called it. Far too east for Arthur's liking, but to you about anything sounded better than heading back up those cold mountains toward Colter. You were used to it at this point, the constant moving around. It was a way of life that held you tightly in its grip.

That being said, the new camp was still unorganized and there was sure to be work around that needed doing. This was a chance to have some private time, peace and quiet for yourself.

Sorting through the mementos and trinkets from throughout the years was quick, you wiped the dust off of the little mirror with the corner of your nightgown. Gathering up the few clothes you had laying around and neatly folding them up you realized the growing pile of fabric by the end of your bed was clothes and linen that needed washing, not something that should just be sorted back into the trunks right away. "I think it was Charles who mentioned there was a river just west of here?" Mumbling to yourself, you picked up the dirty clothes and put them in a basket, not bothering to dress up all the way. "Everyone will be asleep at this hour anyways, and if not, it'll be Miss Grimshaw awake. It's nothing that'll bother her too much." Pulling on your trusty leather boots you untied the strings holding the fabric flap door of your tent shut. A prompt walk to your horse, a beautiful paint mare, and you were off along with your basket of laundry. With the carelessness, soft hums and the skip on your step you failed to notice a pair of eyes watch you leave the camp. The observer finished smoking his cicarette, let his legs fall from the log they were resting on while chucking the cigarette butt over his shoulder, and rubbed his hands together. What on on God's green Earth were you up to this early in the morning, and barely dressed to boot?

The sound of a running stream reached your ears fast. Charles had of course been right, even a blind man would notice the Dakota River from this close by. Hopping off your horse and tying the reins to a nearby tree you swung the basket on your elbow and kicked the boots off your feet, walking straight into the cold running water. Oh how sweet the feeling was! In a low point of the river, a rock stood taller than the surface of the water, so you took a seat and began the chore.

"Eeeasy there boy" Micah huffed to Baylock, staying well hidden in the trees, observing you from afar. A smirk spread on his lips as he saw your boots and gun belt scattered on the riverbank, and you sitting on a rock in the middle of the water, with your back facing him. Dismounting with an agile leap, he slowly but surely started making his way toward you.

Completely lost in your activity and the sweet warm sunshine of the spring morning you were singing to yourself, getting ready to leave. Looking at the last blouse, and squeezing the extra water out of it a surprisingly strong wave hit the rock and splashed water all over you, soaking your thin white linen undergarments. "Fuck!" You stood up and turned around, screaming out loud.

"Mic- Mr.Bell! What the fuck are you doing?"

Keeping his eyes locked on your body, his smirk widened, his arms reaching out toward you. "Just call me Micah, and I could ask ya the same thing, sweetcheeks. Now come on here." He beckoned with his hands, but you refused.

"No, I don't think so, you can't just creep up on me like that Mr Bell. I could have dropped my laundry basket, or worse, fallen down and then drowned out of shock!"

You took a step back, lifting the now heavier basket full of wet clothes up to rest against your hipbone.

For every step you took back, Micah took one forward, and the man had both the advantage of longer legs and facing the direction he was going. It didn't take long for things to go south.

"I'm warning you Mr Bell, I'm going to tell Arthur about this, and you know he is not going to be happy!" You tried in vain.

"Hrmph. The cowpoke ain't got nothing to do with how I conduct my business with a lady such as yerself."

You were taken aback, "what did you just call me? You never- Ah!"

Slipping on a rock and falling back, you reached out to Micah for support, and closed your eyes in anticipation of the cold hard surface of the river. The sensation never came.

"Gotcha." Eyeing down at you was Micah, who effortlessly supported your almost naked body by your waist and left arm. "Now how about ya let me show you a good time as a thanks?" One of his eyebrows rising up and his face forming a seductive expression.

You, however, were too occupied to notice or care. "Micah you idiot! All of my clothes are fucking gone!"

And indeed, the river was decorated with the various pieces of clothing running merrily downstream, way too fast to catch up to.

"Well, ya won't be needin' any of those for th- Ow!" "Shut the fuck up and help me get dressed before anyone else notices!"

The ride to the camp was one of the worst you had ever experienced. For Micah, it was the opposite. A prideful smirk on his cocky face, throwing you the occasional remark about the curve of your waist and ass, and how good you looked in just his jacket as you rode, and making no attempts to be quiet and discreet as you arrived in camp. You tried your best to ignore him and get away from the situation as quickly as possible. Hopping off your horse, not even bothering to tie the rains to the hitchpost, you walked briskly toward your tent only to run straight into Sean.

"Oi, watch where ya- Y/N, wow, let me tell ya, could not see this one comin'!" A smirk instantly grew on his face, and he slapped a hand on Micah's jacket, on your shoulder.

"Sean it's NOT what it looks like, and don't you dare mention this to anyone either!" You whisper yelled while taking off the jacket, exposing your still wet and thus transparent garments. Sean blushed bright red, poor guy, and you stomped right in to your tent.

Not being able to face the rest of the day, the longer you stayed in your tent the more intimidating the prospect of leaving felt. Surely Sean had told everyone about what he saw, and you'd be mocked til eternity.

No, there was no way you'd ever leave that tent again.

A few hours later you were starving for a snack and stuck your head out to find the main area empty. Great! An opening. As soon as you stepped out, a voice rang: "Y/N!" You turned around, mouth open to start defending yourself, only to face a very noticeably beat-up looking Sean. "Listen, sorry about the earlier, I never saw nothing, alright?" You nodded in confusion and he smiled, thanked you quickly and scurried off. You got the food you were after, and returned to your tent to eat it. There, on your cot, rested a shirt and a dress, folded in a way which looked like a very bad attempt, with a piece of paper on top. There, in barely legible rough handwriting:

"The idiot won't bother ya about it. M"

You smiled to yourself, feeling the fabric of the clothes. Both of good quality fabrics, a white undershirt and a red simple dress. Just like the ones you usually wear every day.

Observing from a distance as you emerged from your tent in your red dress, Micah Bell smiled to himself as he sharpened his knife, softly murmuring to himself: "Gotcha ta call me by my name at least. That's a start."

note: Yay! My first ever piece of writing I've published online :) do suggest if you get any good ideas and like my writing style.

#micah bell #micah bell x reader #rdr2 #micah x you #arthur morgan #red dead redemption 2 #reader insert

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wildflowerdoeeyed · 6 months ago

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𝑀𝑜𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝒪’𝓈𝒽𝑒𝒶

(the character overlook)

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

these are all my opinions, totally open to the conversation about molly’s character also totally fine with people fact checking me, anyways i’m starting to fw o’shones

in the words of @krayzie-jelli the autism is autisming (don’t cancel me i have referrals to get tested 😔😔)

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

small credit;

the red dead fan wiki

@/reaperqween on tik tok (for the almost ten minute tik tok about mollys outfits which i ate up)

^ her tumblr is @river-of-wine send some love yall want 💕

colour analysis & general observations

🪞💋🍓🌹🍰

colour theory is heavily used based on honor, the best example of this is dutch, he consistently wearing red, mostly on his back until guarma when the red is on the front, when dutch’s true intentions become more apparent, anyways onto molly.

🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧

COLTER

(i went quite quick through colter so im actually unsure how she is with dutch, but from what i remember she doted on him a whole ton, constantly staying at his side and at one point saying “dutch is all the company i need”)

💋though a lot of people relate the red in different characters with low honor i think the fabric, the pattern itself points back to her privileged past

💋the necks scarf being green, i feel like it doesn’t imply much at this point but as the game continues it implies way more

💋the rest of the outfit being blue means a lot to me, there’s never anytime molly oversteps or is aggressive to anyone (obviously except from the obvious with karen, i’ll go back to this later)

💋i’d like to note that she’s still doing her makeup freezing and starving in the mountains

🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧

HORSESHOE OUTLOOK & CLEMENTS POINT

(i honestly will end up mixing these up so i grouped them together)

(tbh my honest opinion is horseshoe is one of the best chapters based on the relationships in camp (tho sadie’s still going through it, you can’t have everything))

💋her first outfit has a good amount of blue in this outfit, her necklace has its first appearance with the red (i always got the vibe that dutch had gifted it to her as it’s more shiny than a lot of the metal in her outfits and it’s like a part of him)

💋she wears a thick belt with this outfit and the brass (?) seems worn, even coming from a wealthy background she holds onto clothes that look old and worn

💋she always wears white boots, she’s doesn’t have to do any work, and she’s not expected to do anything

💋the majority of the mornings in game, molly is constantly checking herself in a mirror

💋i’m going to be honest i hate this shirt

💋but i’d like to think this shawl has always been with her and that she holds it close to her

💋her outfit is quite shapeless, and i think that’s how she liked to dress personally

💋i would love to talk about this outfit

💋does this eat? yes, but i don’t think this was a honest choice for her

💋this outfit mirror mary-beth’s a lot, who seems to be dutch’s new interest

sorry for the bad quality i used my own screenshot for this

💋this outfit particularly ^

💋there’s now a lot of cleavage in her outfit and she’s dressing more akin to other girls in the camp

💋and the gold in her outfits bright, and with mirroring marybeth, I also think this mirrors dutch’s style, with more red and gold incorporated

🩰𓈒⋆⑅˚₊୨୧

💋her relationship with dutch is starting to crumble, i heard a voice line where she says that she loves him and he thanks her (?!) you wouldn’t see me again personally

💋but to contrast that there’s some scenes were dutch kisses her hands and they’re all giddy and cuddly, and they eventually dance when sean’s rescued from blackwater

💋she’s also not well received by a lot of the gang, we get the first glimpse of that when you take mary-beth, tilly and karen to valentiene and karen says that molly’s “too high and mighty” to come with them

💋she attempts a to interact with numerous members

💋she also attempts to talk to tilly, tilly quickly brushes her off as she’s working and molly isn’t attempting to help her

💋i also saw an encounter with dutch and molly where, he approaches, and honestly he could be covered in shit and molly would still look up to him like he’s a messiah. dutch says “should i compare thee to…” he quickly cuts himself off asking her what he should compare her with, even asking arthur if you pass by (he actually says that dutch could compare her to an idiot if she actually believes dutch cares about her)

💋 throughout clements point, dutch talks down to molly as if she’s a child and then will quickly back himself up by calling her dear (to which if arthur intervenes when she goes off at him, dutch says she’s just leaving and she’s stomps away)

💋when she approaches abigail about the subject of dutch, abigail tells her “dutch don’t love you, not in the way you want to be loved”, molly gets defensive saying that she doesn’t get what she’s talking about, to which abigail says she does (implying drunk john?) and molly stomps away

💋i think this is the first time molly actually goes a bit crazy about dutch, she calls him a degenerate liar and stomps off when dutch wont argue back and (i think) goes to sleep, he at least turns away from her

💋i think people who discredit mollys character (men) don’t realise that her and dutch’s relationship show early signs about how manipulative dutch can be, he dumbs down what she says then calls her dear, eventually he only calls her miss o’shea, which she obviously goes off at him for

💋adding onto this i’d love to talk about her character item request of a pocket mirror and her asking arthur if bad lucks a thing, i feel like this is meant to reflect how young she actually is, like how kieran still referred to his parents as ma and pa, and that she genuinely seems nervous asking arthur for a mirror and the superstition of a broken mirror giving bad luck (which i guess you could say she had

💋and i feel like her vanity that the gang and from an outsiders perspective that she’s self absorbed but i think she’s more conscious about how she looks, she doesn’t have to lift a finger and not having much to do around camp because everyone distances themselves from her (i’ll obviously elaborate more when i get to writing about shady bell) i think she’s left alone with a mirror, which i feel is more implied that she’s had for a long time, i’d say since childhood, you become more conscious the more you look at yourself and if your man seemed to be going for someone younger than you, you’d loose it too

(tl:dr - molly doesn’t deserve any hate, the girls that get it, get it, men don’t, im so ready to talk about chapter 4&6)

The poem

Uaibhreach

(the irish gaelic word which means “being proud and arrogant to the extent that it alienates & isolates you from those around you, leading to loneliness)

I was a girl - until your call

(i’m not going to annotate this everytime but the religion of this actually makes me feel like my hearts being ripped out)

Commanded me to cross the sea.

(she was driven out of ireland looking for freedom and adventure and she was enthralled by dutch’s charm, to be honest i always saw her “privileged upbringing” being her family owning a big farm, or in a big industry, a lot of irish people immigrated to canada after the potato famine, then crossed to america)

I've nothing left. I gave you all.

(i think she means this in, like, every sense)

My darling Liffey was so small.

Your land and love are vast and free.

(‘MERICA)

I was a girl until your call.

You stood so strong, and dark and tall.

You stole the heartbeat out of me.

I've nothing left. I gave you all.

Your lips enchant, your eyes enthrall,

Your empire is of ecstasy.

I was a girl until your call.

Your parasites and lackeys crawl,

(now do i think this is the gang or her fault that they don’t like her, i think its a mutual thing, they see her as a spoiled woman and she doesn’t help that opinion but i think she’s a young woman manipulated by an older guy, and that she thinks they’re all just jealous (which im sure she even says a few times)

Mocking a love they dare not see.

(going back to when she try’s to seek abigail’s help, or when she confronts karen later on and that she can’t see that he’s really not interested in her)

I've nothing left. I gave you all.

I sit in solitude and scrawl

These wretched words, and wait for thee.

I was a girl until your call.

I've nothing left. I gave you all.

#lesbian #bambiitalks #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #wlw blog #molly o'shea #ill treat u better molly oshea #molly oshea #dutch van der linde #mary beth gaskill #karen jones #o’shones #oshones

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mariacallous · 2 months ago

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Picture this, if you will: hundreds of grey-haired grannies ganging up to face down a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. Some of the skinheads have beer bottles in their hands. The grannies are armed with nothing more than umbrellas and hand-knitted woolly hats. It sounds like a corny sketch for a TV comedy show. But no. It’s election time in Germany’s eastern Länder (federal regions), and the grannies are out on the streets.

There’s no Granny Party. The movement, called in German Omas gegen Rechts (Grannies against the right), has grown into a national and international force since it was founded in 2017 by an Austrian psychotherapist and evangelical priest, Monika Salzer.

It is widely assumed here that apathy and low voter turnout will result in a far-right victory. But election posters showing a cartoon granny with a rainbow flag carry a simple message: “Granny says – go out and vote!” Apart from the rainbow, a symbol of tolerance, sexual liberation and diversity, there is no instruction on how to vote.

In between elections, the Grannies are busy knitting and babysitting. But they also raise funds, for example by baking and selling cakes, to finance the poster campaign and a set of beer mats that make up a pub quiz.

In Leipzig, my new home town, the Grannies have raised enough money to install three new Stumblestones (Stolpersteine). These are little brass plaques inscribed with the names of people whom the Nazis deported and murdered in the 1930s and 40s. The new plaques commemorate the Wesly family – Hermann, a Jewish publisher of music and books, his wife, Berta, and their daughter, Margot. Berta and Hermann were taken to Auschwitz and murdered in the gas chambers. Margot escaped to England – but the British authorities put her in a concentration camp too, as an enemy alien.

A violin and an accordion were played during the installation of the little plaques where the Weslys’ house once stood. The stonemason’s hammer punctuated the music with a slow beat. Then Granny Gisela read out a short account of how the family was persecuted and how we must never forget. Many spectators were in tears. The memorial is on the doorstep of the new building that now stands on the site – a kindergarten. Its head teacher joined the ceremony and promised to find a way of explaining the story to the kids “without scaring them too much”. I remarked that it was a very special moment. Granny Sylvia put me right.

“Sadly, it’s not so special. This brings the number of Stolpersteine in Leipzig to almost 800. There is one on almost every street,” she said, before inviting us all to join her for coffee and cake.

Later she shared a link to the Stolpersteine app in the Google Play store (also on Apple). It’s true – there are hundreds of Stumblestones. Many are not for Jewish victims, but for brave souls like William Zipperer who tried to stop the Nazis and save their neighbours. He was executed in January 1945 for plotting against the state.

As a mark of respect, the Grannies regularly go out to polish the small memorials set into the pavements, to light candles and lay flowers.

There is another side to the movement. They are part of the Antifa, Germany’s radical ultra-left. Not quite as radical as Lina Engel, the antifascist activist who is serving jail time in Dresden for plotting physical attacks on neo-Nazi pubs and meetings. Nor have any Grannies been caught setting fire to building sites where executive homes are replacing the old affordable blocks of flats – a typical Antifa action.

They upload videos to TikTok. And they are taking their campaign out of the city and into villages and suburbs where right wing parties recruit people who feel neglected or “left behind” by the Berlin government.

“Solidarity without borders instead of right wing propaganda,” says the Radical Grannies’ poster, urging supporters to join them in a mass demonstration. These are Grannies who don’t knit.

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applepiesupreme · 26 days ago

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American Apple Pie

Pairing: Low/Mid Honor Arthur Morgan and female OC.

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Savigne Ricci is a temporary guest at the Van der Linde camp. Her path crosses with the enforcer of the gang, Arthur Morgan, and despite their differences, a relationship develops between them. Whole lot of smut and fluff, slow burn-ish.

Chapter 36

AOC link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54945853/chapters/152079097

Arthur watched Savigne ride out. His head and his gut went wrestling again.

His head said today is the day. When she rides in this afternoon, she will find half the tent packed up, the horses tied to the wagon. This will make her anxious, her face will do that flustered thing that it does as she runs over. Then, when she arrives and expects a fight you will kiss her. In full view of the gang because fuck it. And when she’s reeling from that, you will ask her to be your wife and where she wants to go.

Too much, he grimaced to himself. Might as well stick a brass band in there! You tryin' to win her over or keel her over?

It’s only too much if finding a dozen boxes under the Christmas tree when you expected just the one is too much, his head insisted. Everything she wanted in one fell swoop, it's perfect.

He chewed on his lip and hesitated still because while his head painted his pretty picture, his gut wasn’t convinced:

What the fuck are you doing, leaving it all to chance before a fucking bank heist in a big city? All it takes is a stray bullet. Then you’ll be dead and this is how you will have parted. Fucking fool.

It’s fine, his head insisted. There is some risk but you have to show, not tell. Actions, not words.

Dumbest idea you’ve had in a while and that’s saying something. Why couldn’t you at least make up like a man instead of letting this hang over your head?

Because, his head explained, then it would just be words. “‘M sorry, didn’ mean it, lost m’head.” She don't care nothing for that. She stayed cause you built a tent, remember that. The time for promises is passed, now is the time to keep them.

He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders, rose to his feet and stepped into the tent. He checked his fancy clothes in the mirror, then checked his guns and his ammunition. Then he crated the bedroll because if he did things right, he wouldn’t need the damn thing anymore.

He threw a last look around the tent, then strode out and headed for the camp. Halfway there he spotted Sadie and course corrected.

“What d’ya need?!” she snapped with some exasperation.

“What bit you this mornin’?” was his gruff response.

“Tell you what bit me - this nonsense where ‘m left behind as the nanny, that’s what.”

“We do this right, ya won’ need to lift a finger.”

“That right there is the problem,” she growled. Then she gave him a side eye. “What you want, anyway? I ain’t in a generous mood.”

“Calm down woman.” He took off his satchel and held it out to her. “Somethin’ happens to me, want Savigne to have this.”

She cocked an eyebrow and took it from him. “Why didn’ you give it to her yourself?”

He took a deep breath and ran a palm over his beard, squinting to the distance. “Cause…she don’ know ‘bout the robbery.” He glanced over his shoulder to the horses being prepared.

“Why?”

He shrugged. “She’d worry and she has other worries goin’ on right now.”

Sadie pursed her lips and opened the satchel to look inside, eyes shifting up to him with mischief to see if he’d stop her, but he didn’t.

“Let’s see…there’s some money…” she drawled, looking through it.

“All the money I have. And ya don’ need to know what’s in it, Missus Adler,” he said pointedly, “just hand it over whole if I don’ come back,” he grunted.

“‘M just lookin’ through in front of you so you don’ come back and claim I took somethin’,” she teased.

He scoffed but let her proceed anyway.

“Oh the journal!” she grinned. “Should make some good bedtime readin’”

“‘M warnin’ ya on that account,” he said, crossing his arms.

She dug around some more but paused when, he assumed, she closed her fingers on the ring box. Her eyes flicked up to him again then away and she cleared her throat and closed the satchel. “Fine,” she huffed gruffly. “Since I’m assigned to sit women and babies!”

“If somethin’ happens…”

“Nothin’ will happen,” she interjected as she slung the satchel across a shoulder.

Arthur ignored her “Ya make sure Savigne is okay. She could get…scrambled. Like before.”

“Yeah I remember,” she exhaled. “But nothing’s gonna happen, so…”

“She ain’t hard like the rest of us,” Arthur insisted. “She delicate. Ya watch out for that.”

“She gonna be fine,” Sadie huffed and crossed her arms, too. “‘Cept she gonna be mad you did this and not tell her, so there’s that.”

“She already mad,” Arthur sighed and scratched his beard. “Lil’ more won’ change much.”

There was a short silence between them. “Yer dumb, you know that?” Sadie said finally, eyeing him.

“So I been told,” he chuckled.

“I ain’t stupid, I know why you givin’ this to me. You had a tussle and instead of makin’ up, you goin’ on a risky heist you might not come back from. And you standin’ there like you doin’ some noble shit by handin’ me this.” She chuckled drily. “Men are dumb.”

“Well ya married one of us so I guess we ain’t all rotten.”

“My Jake would never do this,” she growled. “‘M takin’ this cause I like Savigne. You,” she poked a finger into his chest, “are dumb. And when you come back you will owe me. A huge bunch.”

“Fine. What ya want?”

“An invitation for one thing.”

“To?” he grinned.

“Go away dumb man,” she waved him off.

The grin on his face refused to dissipate as he shifted on his feet. He looked away, self conscious. “Think she’ll accept?”

“Course she’ll accept,” was Sadie’s brusque reply as she focused on a spot over his shoulder.

He nodded and tried to swallow whatever was stuck in his throat back down. It was good to hear it, especially from a woman. Sometimes he marveled he got as far as he did, given his propensity to break fragile things. Navigating these matters seemed so much easier when he had been younger. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had flirted with a woman. But if she accepted, he was going to try his damnest to be a better man. Not a good man - that was forever out of his reach now. But a better man, that he could do.

Sadie sniffed and gave him an inscrutable look. ��You should have done this sooner.”

“Yeah, probably,” he massaged the back of his neck. “First time, with Mary, didn’t go so well, wanna make sure this time the answer ain’t no again,” was the nervous chuckle.

Her eyes narrowed and she looked at him as if he was an idiot. “You was smart, would switch places with me. I ain't got nobody, but you gonna have a family soon,” she said carefully, watching his face.

He grinned at her. "But I won'. Cause 'm dumb." Sadie threw up her arms. "Gonna be my last job," he offered when she didn't share his amusement. "Ain't nothin' stoppin' you from hangin' with this bunch. But after this, 'm done."

"'M gonna hold you to that," she glared, then softened her tone. "Fine. Go do this thing with your head clear. I got your woman.”

Still, he hesitated. Discounting the recent few days of foolishness that Hosea had knocked him out of, this was the first time he was willingly entrusting Savigne's safety to someone else and he was facing strong inner headwinds. Sadie was smart and more than capable and he knew she had a soft spot for him and would do as she said. But still, she was a stranger and could only be expected to do so much. She had the whole gang to worry about, how much attention would she pay to just one person?

Moreover, he had wrestled with a new scenario all night: what would happen if he was shot but Micah survived? Sure, Savigne would most likely move out of camp, but was that even the better outcome? What if she went on to live in a stupid cabin somewhere? How could he make sure that the fucking animal wouldn't track her down out of pure spite? He knew Micah was vicious - that was fine, plenty of people were, including himself. But Micah was also vindictive. The odds of him not tracking her down were zero. Should have shot the bastard that day in Strawberry and told Dutch he got shot in the crossfire, he thought. Dumb fool that I was, I went there and did as told, even though I knew he was wired wrong. Over and over I done what told, trusting Dutch, and now that viper is here and he eyeing the one person that matters the most.

The fallout of all his mulishness, his mindless trust in Dutch, his obeisance, his unquestioning resolve was following his heels and breathing down his neck. If he tripped, it would all catch up to him.

"What you hovering for?" she interrupted his dark thoughts.

"I trust you," he said, eyes locking with her. "But gang come back without me, I don' trust the whole gang. Ya hear what 'm sayin'?"

She nodded. "I ain't forgotten that night ya found me. Or what he tried after with her."

He clenched his jaw and looked away. "Ain't just him. I know I said ya free to hang with this bunch. But ya shouldn'. Ain't a good life. Lookin' back, never was. Is just all a fever dream."

She nodded again, matching his seriousness.

He shifted on his feet, unsure of the crossroads in front of him. He glanced over his shoulder again and watched Hosea and Abigail brush and adjust each other’s clothing. He watched John talk to Jack as he patted Old Boy. He watched Lenny joke around with Mary Beth. He cared for these people and he knew without him there, this would be an absolute disaster. Just like Blackwater had been a disaster because he hadn’t been there. Maybe this was his last chance to do something for them. All debts rolled into one, a last push off. It also was his last chance to make a significant amount of money, because the few months he had asked from Savigne had run out by now and he was threading water on that front.

And yet…

If it went sideways not only was it going to ruin the gang, but it was also going to ruin all his own future plans. He thought of the bed he hoped to wake up in every morning. The view from that same window. The porch they would sit on to watch the sun set, drinking tea. He thought of the places he wanted to take her and the winter nights he hoped to spend in her embrace. It seemed madness and the depths of depravity to put something so precious on the poker table. What man would wager his absolution?

The time of making promises is passed, he told himself again. Now is the time to keep them. He took a deep breath and shook off his worries as he turned to face her.

"Take care of my woman.”

"Said I will.”

“Somethin’ happens, ya stay with her, don’ leave her alone in that tent.”

“Okay, boss man.”

“She spins in her head when she alone.”

“How ‘bout you spin around and git?”

“Don’ let her run off. Ain’t safe.”

“I got it, git!” Sadie waved him off.

He pointed his trigger finger at her as he turned to walk to the horses. “And don’ read my journal.”

Savigne went to work fuming. That awful, awful man! Being all petty and bitter because she told one innocent lie! Okay, so it was several lies but that’s just because the one lie led to the rest of them which wasn’t really her fault. Was she calculating how many days Arthur had lied to her with Abigail or Mary? No, she wasn’t. And combined, that had to be far longer. I should buy a new tent. That's what I should do. Buy a new tent and move out. If I had any self respect, I would. The old Savigne would. This one is weak and stupid. Still baking lasagnas when she should kick him in the balls. Fucking pathetic.

She walked in and before she could head to change clothes, the sous chef approached her.

“You’re expected upstairs,” he said. “In Ecco’s room.”

“W-what?” she froze.

“The detectives want to talk to you.”

“Why?” she managed to choke out.

“How should I know?” he said impatiently. “Go upstairs and find out.” He stalked away after that.

She was rooted to her spot for several minutes. Oh my god, I’m screwed, she thought and a heat went up her face while a cold shiver ran down her frame. Oh my god, they know. Of course they know. They will arrest me and then…then Arthur will find out…and then…he will come to break me out…but then…it will a trap just to get him and he will fall right into it….and then…they will arrest him too and then…and they will hang us both…

“Savigne!” snapped the sous chef and she jumped on her spot. “Upstairs!”

She swallowed and managed to move her wobbling legs to walk out of the kitchen. It took her a long monent of deep hysterical breathing to get her heart rate under control and she carefully took the stairs one by one. The door to Ecco’s room stood open and she found herself gliding towards it like in a dream. She put one foot in front of the other, dark spots dancing in her vision as she walked in.

Detectives Turner and Greenbough were standing in the room and Savigne paused in surprise when, across from them, she found Sarah and Edward.

“Miss Ricci, I assume?” Turner rose on the balls of his feet.

“Yes,” she managed, her mouth dry.

“We were waiting for you, please come in.”

She walked in on shaky legs and stood next to Edward.

“Now we’re complete,” Turner said. He walked around the desk to sit in Ecco’s chair as the other man gently closed the door. Don’t look around, don’t fiddle, don’t you fucking wobble. Ignore the room, ignore what happened in here, ignore-

“Now…” the man sighed, shifting his mighty gut and looking up at them. “You three were at the Ball with Mister Ecco a few weeks ago, correct?”

This fanned a splash of cool water on her overheating heart. Right. It’s about the Ball. See, nothing to worry about. Perfectly normal.

“We’re the only ones from the early shift, correct,” Sarah said. “The rest were staff from Antoine’s evening shift.”

“Yes, we spoke to them already. We're here to ask if you have seen anything suspicious.”

“Suspicious?” repeated Edward.

“Anyone around Mister Ecco.”

“You mean like the entire high society of Saint Denis?”

Turner’s blue eyes grew icy. “Anyone he argued with? Anyone who looked like they didn’t like Ecco? Anyone who said something?”

“All I saw was butter and flour,” snorted Edward.

“A ‘no’ would suffice,” Mr Greenbough said, eyes hard.

“Okay then, no,” Edward crossed his arms. She could tell Edward’s pride was prickling, and was distantly fascinated by his lack of trepidation. He stood there like he was here out of his own volition and could walk out whenever he pleased. What does that feel like, she wondered, being untouchable? Edward, Sarah, Ecco, the diners at Antoine’s…she felt like an observer of a rare exotic species, watching them through her binoculars from her spot in the tall grass. People who glided through the world like ships over smooth water - no hindrances, no obstacles, no borders; nothing out of their reach and they themselves out of the reach of any harm.

Well…minus Ecco on that front.

Greenbough’s dark mutter interrupted her ruminations. “What’s with the attitude, young man?”

“What attitude?”

There was a cold pause.

“I sense hostility,” Greenbough ground his teeth. “And that makes me suspicious. We are the authority here.”

That was unfortunately the wrong thing to threaten Edward with. Savigne could tell the cook wasn’t amused by the man’s attitude and wasn’t going to take it lying down. “So you’re telling me I need to call my family attorney, I see,” he sighed and retrieved a small notebook from his pocket. “Spell me your names please, gentlemen.”

Greenbough’s face pinched at that.

“No need for that, Mister Burton. We’re simply doing our job.” Turner jumped in.

“Well that’s a first,” Edward sighed and Mr. Turner’s face went an impressive shade of pink, but he pretended he didn't hear it and moved on.

The pair of hard eyes came around to her and Savigne felt like they could see inside her head. She opened her mouth but no words would come out.

“Actually, now that I think on it,” Sarah said suddenly and she was grateful when the gazes shifted back to the other woman instead. “We saw Mister Ecco and Mister Bronte argue.” Her cool blue eyes locked to Savigne’s. “Didn’t we, Savigne?”

This surprised the detectives - to be fair, no more than it surprised Savigne - but they at least did a good job of recovering and she just stood there gawking like a fish.

“Miss Landon, are we sure about that?” Turner said after a long moment.

“We are,” she countered, cool and composed.

“See, that don’t make sense…” started Greenbough and was cut off by Edward who was still miffed:

“You asked a question, she answered. Now you don’t like the answer.”

Savigne just stared at her colleagues, all straight backs and upturned noses, talking back to the Law like they owned them. Her eyes bobbed between them and the lawmen, feeling literally like the useless crooked fifth wheel in the room.

“It don’t make sense because…” Greenbough seethed, “…this investigation is fully supported by Mister Bronte. He is very distraught that Mister Ecco is still missing.”

“I can see that,” Sarah quipped, her tone turning demure. “But…and forgive me for speaking on matters that are above my head as a woman…” those gorgeous green eyes flicked up to the two men, then away with pretend indecision, a move so well practiced that it was flawless, “If Mr Bronte was in any way involved in this…and by no means do I want to imply that he is…” she hesitated and bit her lip as Savigne marveled at her playacting, mesmerized by her as much as the other occupants of the room, “…isn’t that exactly what he would do?”

There was a long, stunned pause.

“That’s ridiculous,” Turner managed at last.

“I understand,” sighed Sarah humbly as if she knew she had overstepped. “You’re right of course, we saw nothing.”

Another pause as Turner and Greenbough exchanged glances and one shifted on his feet while the other resettled in the chair.

“What exactly did you see?” twirly mustache said at last.

Sarah gave Turner a long gaze. “Like I said, we saw them arguing. In the garden. Before the Ball.”

“About?”

“Money.” The lie so smooth and easy, even Savigne wondered if she had missed something and had to stop and think back on that moment in front of the window.

“Money?”

“That’s all I could make out. Some of it was in Italian. Mister Bronte seemed upset, waving his arms and raising his voice.”

“Both of you ladies saw this?”

“You know what, I saw it too!” Edward said, straightening his shoulders as if he was entering a boxing ring. Savigne found herself increasingly pitying his father.

“Really?” was Greenbough’s sarcastic question, drenched in disbelief.

“Are you calling me a liar?” Edward gave him a narrow eyed glare.

Turner sighed with disgust and shifted his eyes to Savigne instead. “You saw this, Miss?”

“Y-yes?” fell out of her mouth. When she looked over, Sarah gave her an imperceptible nod.

“Are you willing to testify that?”

“Of course not,” Sarah took over, brushing her skirts. “We are women, yes, but we’re not that stupid.”

“Excuse me?”

“We’re not saying anything about Bronte and you know it,” Edward snorted, still trying to muscle his way into a conversation that had absolutely nothing to do with him. “If anyone asks, we’ll deny the whole thing and insist you made it up and used us to cast suspicion on him. I think Mr Bronte is more likely to believe us than you - no offense.”

Greenbough and Turner’s faces soured immediately. “Who the hell do you think you are?!” hissed Greenbough and was merely given a dismissive head to toe by Edward from over his nose.

“We told you what we saw,” Sarah sailed in smoothly. “I only spoke of it because I value the job you gentlemen are doing for this city. Also…one hears whispers.”

“What kind of whispers?” Turner tented his fingers on the desk.

“Well…people say very little happens in Saint Denis without Mr Bronte’s knowing, that’s one,” she offered. Nobody could reasonably object to this, so they didn’t. “And people say, given Chef Ecco’s importance and how he disappeared, it’s hard to imagine some low life nobody doing this.”

“People say a lot of nonsense,” grumbled the seated lawman. “The low lives of this city are far more dangerous than you assume, I pray you never have to find out, Miss Landon,” added Turner, increasingly upset.

“It’s Ms. Landon,” corrected Sarah. “I’m engaged and my fiance works for the mayor.”

This gave the men another pause and their demeanor visibly softened.

“Ms. Landon,” Turner tried the affable route. “Let’s say…let’s assume you didn’t…misunderstand their interaction. That still doesn’t mean anything. Maybe they argued, sure. Maybe money changed hands, that’s understandable between such men. But, the logic is clear: if Mister Bronte was behind all this, he would have no reason to support this investigation. And he strongly supports this investigation, I can assure you of that.”

“I understand that,” Sarah relented, “It might have been just friendly banter.”

“Or,” Edward picked up, “or…maybe Mr. Bronte just wants you to pin it on someone he doesn’t like and close the file.”

“Excuse me?!” Turner straightened at the open suggestion that they were working for Bronte and would do his bidding, his eyes blazing up. “What do you take us for?”

“I take you as-”

“Fine detectives,” Sarah interjected smoothly and shot Edward a look. “You’re obviously smarter than us. This is all we know, we can’t possibly see the bigger picture here like your trained eyes can.”

Turner and Greenbough weren’t quite mollified by this but wouldn’t object to it, either.

“Okay then,” Turner said at long last. It was obvious that he didn’t quite believe the story, but also obvious that he was intrigued more than he cared to admit. “We take our job seriously and would be amiss not to hear you out. Tell us from the beginning. And leave out no detail.”

Just then there was a huge explosion somewhere in the distance. Savigne jumped and Sarah and Edward flinched.

“What was that?” Sarah murmured as the vibration tinkled through the items in the office.

The detectives stilled like guard dogs and nobody spoke for a long moment.

“We will be back,” Turner mumbled and made eye contact with his colleague before he scrambled out of the chair and both lawmen quickly marched out of the room.

There was some commotion in the street they could hear, muted in here and the three cooks stood frozen, unsure what to do.

“I’ll go check,” Edward said and ran out.

“Savigne,” Sarah said suddenly and Savigne looked up at her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” was Savigne’s raspy whisper. Then she finally managed to get some blood pumping into her head again. “Why did you say that?” she hissed with haste. “They weren’t arguing.”

“I said it because I saw an opening and I took it. Whoever killed Ecco has my gratitude and I hope he suffered a lot,” Sarah countered smoothly.

“But…but it wasn’t Bronte!”

“Oh? How do you know that?”

“I mean I don’t,” Savigne stammered.

“Exactly. For all we know, it could be. Maybe two pigs turned against each other, maybe they didn’t.”

Savigne rolled this over in her head. “But they weren’t arguing!” she insisted.

“How do we know?” was Sarah’s demure question.

“Because we were there?” was Savigne’s incredulous riposte.

There was the pattering of feet as customers grew curious and ran out the restaurant.

“Irrelevant. We were there for only a minute, maybe they argued when they walked further into the garden,” Sarah shrugged. “Maybe they argued before.”

“But…”

“Listen, let these fools chase their own tails. Ecco was slime and Bronte is the same.” She ran a hand through her mane. “All I did was plant a seed.”

“A seed?”

Sarah gave her a look like she was an idiot “If they even remotely suspect that Bronte is playing them - and a lot of people do whisper that he's behind it - then they won’t look too hard for the real suspect. Nothing will happen to Bronte, I know that, but I had my chance to throw them off the trail of whoever did this, so I took it and I’m not sorry.”

Savigne just blinked at her. She felt like giants were fighting above her and she was just scurrying around so as not to get stomped. Lying to the Law? Casually insinuating that Bronte was involved? “Edward wasn’t even there!” she hissed, wiping hair off her face. “He barely left the kitchen and still jumped out like a jack-in-the-box with his own story.”

“He’s another proud fool of a man, but you know what - that works for me,” Sarah shrugged again. Then she gave Savigne an intense look. “Works for you as well, doesn’t it?”

“Well…” Savigne blinked. “Yes…but...”

“All three of us are happy he’s gone and none of us want to help this investigation. Good riddance,” Sarah said, brushing Savigne’s trepidation away. “I was a man, I would have done it myself.”

“If you were a man, you would be President,” Savigne mumbled, a little bewildered.

The distant noise of gunshots rang in the air and both women reflexively turned in that direction. Sarah walked to the window behind Ecco’s desk and carefully peered out. “Something is going on downtown. Something big,” she mumbled.

They walked down the stairs to an almost empty kitchen, then back up to find the staff peering out the windows of the restaurant alongside the clientele.

"What's going on?" she said when she found Edward.

"Apparently someone is robbing the Saint Denis bank," he mumbled, trying to see into the smoky distance.

"W-what?!"

"I know. Crazy. There's lawmen and Pinkertons everywhere."

The bank wasn't very close but the gunfight that ensued was audible from here and lasted for a good while, even accelerated at some point when a gatling gun arrived.

"Unbelievable that this still happens in America," someone sniffed and Savigne agreed. The absurd juxtaposition of banks being robbed in a city that housed Antoine's was hard to overlook. The clashing of two worlds - the old and the new.

Then things calmed down and half the clientele left to find out what happened to their money and the other half bizarrely decided to finish their meals. So the staff went back to the kitchen and hung around and cooked a little until it was afternoon and then it was time to leave.

Savigne picked up Cricket and rode out closer to the bank, but at that point the streets were blocked off and she didn't see much. There was an ominous quietness in the air as if Saint Denis reeled from such base things from happening within its refined and civilized confines. She rode out of the city and into Shady Belle and only then, when she was met with a camp half empty, most of the horses and wagons gone, Abigail wailing surrounded by women that she put two and two together and her heart flipped right up into her throat and settled there, refusing to come down again.

She almost fell off her horse trying to climb down and ran up the porch, hoping that someone would tell her that what she had put together in her head was madness.

"Ya okay, Sugar?" Sadie stepped away from Abigail.

"What...happ...happened?" she wheezed, unable to get air into her lungs.

"It's fine," Sadie approached her carefully, slinging an arm around her shoulder and turning her towards her tent.

Savigne shrugged out of her hold and ran to the women. "What happened?!"

"They arrested John," Abigail cried.

"Where’re…therest...of'em?" she slurred, the same dark spots from earlier dancing in her vision again.

"They still out there, they gonna be alright," Sadie cooed.

Then she was suddenly sitting on a rocking chair and she flinched a little, confused how she got here. "Drink this," Grimshaw said and gave her a glass of water with something bitter in it and wouldn't leave until she drank it dry.

"What happened?"

"You're fine. Just a little tired. Sit here,” she ordered and glided off.

"You're okay, Savigne," Mary Beth said next to her.

She sat, blinking owlishly around and realized that somehow it was twilight.

"I know I'm okay,” she mumbled, massaging her temples, “where are the rest of them? Where’s Arthur?”

"We don't know." When Savigne's face fell she quickly added "They're not dead. They're hiding, most likely."

Lies, they lie. That's what they do. They lie to make you feel better, the old monsters stirred in the deep.

"I don't understand," she whimpered, voice breaking. "He would have told me. He always tells me when there's risk. How can he rob a bank and not tell me?"

"He probably didn't wanna worry ya," Mary Beth soothed.

"But...now I'm worried anyway," she cried like a child.

"I know. Wasn't supposed to go this way. Just...hang in there."

As if she had a choice.

The world was underwater. Everything was undulating and soft and hazy. That sharp tang in her head was muffled and pushed into the background. She sat in the same rocking chair that Hosea had sat in merely days ago and would never sit in again and watched the light turn and the stars blink on and didn't think much. There was a strange vastness in her head, miles and miles of nothing. A while later her eyes grew heavy and she stumbled to her feet, insisting that she wanted to go to her tent because she wanted to be alone and Mary Beth came with. Savigne lied down over the covers with her clothes on and Mary Beth spread a blanket on her, lighted the lantern, told her she would come check again and left.

To her amazement she fell into a sleep so deep, she thankfully didn't dream because she was afraid that she would dream about the Kraken again. When she woke, she could tell that it was very late and Arthur still wasn't there. A deep sadness came over her, a feeling like she would never see him again and she cried at the chasm that opened up in her chest and sobbed with regret because she had treated him so badly and now could never make up for it. All the memories of the summer rushed into her head, jostling each other around and the sweeter they were, the more they hurt. Six months of summer, and then eternal winter - somehow she had agreed to that deal, a deal no sane person would agree to. Outlaw life was Russian roulette and the day had finally come when there was a bullet in the chamber.

Ms. Grimshaw walked in with another glass of water and ordered Savigne to stop sniveling and she did, just like she used to when the Sisters lost patience with her mawkishness as a child.

"You have to think about more than just yourself now," she said grimly and Savigne nodded, unsure what she meant but too spent to ask or argue.

"Any news?"

"They'll pop up somewhere," she said with conviction. "They always do."

She's lying, they're all dead, whispered her inner voice. She swallowed and looked away.

"Sorry," she sniffed, wiping a sleeve across her nose. "I'm not built for this sort of thing."

Ms. Grimshaw gave her a long gaze over her nose. "You're a woman, we’re tougher than we look. No more sniveling, young lady!”

She nodded mulishly to get Ms. Grimshaw off her back. Right about now, Savigne didn’t feel tough at all. That was a girl from another lifetime. All she felt was tired and frail and worn out. She missed Arthur like missing her right arm and couldn’t decide if she would kiss him or slap him first if he walked through the tent flap.

"I'm going to lie down a bit more," she said and then slept again until someone called her name.

"Are they back?" she slurred and scrambled to sit up.

"Charles just rode in with the horses, they okay," Sadie said and Savigne felt a rock lift off her chest. The blond woman sat on the bed and looked at her. "That was the good news."

"You're really awful at this, you know that? What's the god damn bad news?"

"Bad news is, they had to get on a ship."

"A ship?" she said, stupefied. She heard the words but stringing a meaning to them was like walking in knee deep muck or getting a thread through a needle hole in dim light.

"Yeah. They gonna be gone for a few weeks."

"A few weeks?!"

"Better than death, no?" Sadie said, wiping Savigne’s sweaty brow.

"Yeah," she turned the notion in her head like a coin - face up, face down, face up, face down. "Sure, better than that." Her eyes glided to the satchel hanging by the other woman's hip. "Isn't that Arthur's?" she mumbled.

"It is. He tol' me to give it to you in case he don' come back." Savigne's eyes flicked up at her. "I ain't givin' it," Sadie huffed. "Obviously. Since he comin' back."

She morosely nodded to this and took a deep breath of relief. "Obviously."

"Meanwhile we gonna move camp."

She started at that and sat up. The world swam for a moment. "We can't leave! You said they will come back!"

"We gonna leave a note, don' worry. We talk about this before they left."

She looked around at the crates and the table throwing flickering shadows around. Maybe it was the day she had or maybe it was whatever Ms. Grimshaw gave her or maybe it was Arthur's absence, but the tent felt alien and empty. Like a museum - put together to be looked at, but not lived in. Something crucial had evaporated and all that was left was furniture and even the furniture looked soulless. Like orphanage furniture - stuff that wasn't hers, wasn't anyone's, was just there to be used and left behind.

"Okay then," she mumbled, trying to wipe the sleep off her eyes. "Good idea."

Sadie bit her lip and looked at her for a moment. "Can I sleep here tonight? Kinda got tired of Abigail wailin'."

Despite their predicament, she had to chuckle at that. "I hear that."

"It's either her boy or her man with that one. And this bed looks nice an' comfy."

"Yeah okay," Savigne grinned, feeling relieved that she wouldn't sleep alone. "But no dirty clothes on the sheets."

"What, you think 'm some kinda savage?" Sadie huffed and rose to her feet. "Cause I wear pants?"

"Trust me, I live with a savage and you're not it.” They both undressed and got under the covers in their chemises and Savigne was glad for the company. The lantern flickered in the tent, turned to low.

"I used to sleep with my mom like this when I was a little girl," Sadie whispered.

"What was that like? Having a mom?" she mumbled back. All she remembered was broken moments. Like a palm on her forehead or a scent or the way her name was said. Even these she wasn’t sure she remembered right, maybe they were just made up things. At the orphanage they used to play a game where they made up stories about their families. In them, Savigne’s mom was warm and playful and laughed a lot and cooked amazing food. For all she knew, she had been the opposite, there was no way of knowing. In hindsight, those games had taken reality from her - rebuilt it brick by brick to the point where she couldn't be sure which ones were real and which ones she had come up with herself.

"They say no one will ever love you like your mom," Sadie sighed. "But I think my Jake came close."

There was a long silence. “Arthur said he will be my family,” she whispered, eyes welling. “He said that and then he went and robbed a bank in Saint Denis and left me here.”

Sadie sighed, shifted closer still and folded Savigne’s hand in hers. “He gonna come back.”

“How do you know that?”

“Honest to god, doubt you ever gonna get rid of that man even if ya tried. If you shove him out the door, he gonna climb down the chimney.”

"I hope he does so I can claw his eye out," she sniffled. “After I embrace him of course, I’m not entirely heartless.”

Sadie chuckled at that.

There was another silence before the other woman whispered "Sugar...I need a favor.”

“What is it?”

“I wanna go see a doctor.”

"Why, what’s wrong?” Savigne turned to face her.

"Just need a checkin'. But...I don' wanna do it alone. ‘M shy.”

“You’re shy?” Savigne blinked at her.

“Don’ judge,” was the rough response. “You never been shy ‘bout somethin’ silly?”

“I think I could make a list,” Savigne mumbled sleepily.

“So, ‘m thinkin’, would be nice if you come with and get checked, too.”

“Me?"

"Ain't no harm in it," Sadie shrugged, watching her. “Gonna make me feel better if it ain’t just me, is all.”

Savigne thought on this for a moment. Her head was all fuzzy and full and her body felt like it was lying somewhere else. "Okay. If it's going to make you feel better, sure,” she yawned at last.

"Good. Tomorrow early we packin'. You go to work, I come pick you up afternoon. We go to the doctor and then I take you to the new camp. Deal?”

“Deal," she mumbled.

Soon enough Sadie started snoring and very soon after that the night closed around her and she sank into another dreamless sleep.

#arthur morgan x female reader #arthur morgan fluff #arthur morgan smut #red dead redemption 2 #low honor arthur morgan #mid honor arthur morgan #arthur morgan #fluff #smut #fanfic #dom arthur morgan

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xyuna0 · 2 years ago

Text

Loyalty

Your relationship with hyunjin had ended years ago. You ended up caught up in a little bit of trouble with the government from a deal you had made with hyunjin those years ago. The only way to not end up in prison is to pin the blame onto him by breaking into the stray kids headquarters. But somehow your lives were never truly separated you come to find out.

Oneshot

Hyunjin x afab reader

Crime au, elements of GTA V au

1.4k ish words

Warnings below the cut ♡

Warnings - mentions of guns, threats, pet names baby, sweetheart, one use of bitch, minor violence, oral (m recieving), Piv, unprotected sex. I thinks that's all lemme know if I missed anything.

"Agent Jung, I've got you covered in the corridor, if you continue down into this hallway and make a left his office should be around that corner." Officer Lee said through my earpiece watching me from the cctv in the surveillance van. That meant Agent Kim was in position with her sniper, on the roof of the building I could see in the windows. I walked down the hallway holding my rifle low but still on alert to aim and fire at any member of the Stray Kids gang that could potentially be lurking around the corner. It felt like yesterday where I was running down that corridor in excitement to see him, now I only prayed that when I saw that big red door he wouldn't be behind it.

As I took a left I saw it, in all its glory. That big red door with the nameplate hwang hyunjin in gold on the front of it. I walked up to it careful to avoid the floorboard that creaked to the left of the entrance. I knew this place too well. I hurried towards the door ready to open it swiftly with my rifle and at any occupants. Knowing hwang, changbin and chan could easily be in there as well, and they would not hesitate to knock me out when I entered. But that was a risk a had ro take.

As I turned the brass doorknob my hands started to sweat in fear and I hastily swung it open. No one was there. My heart rate lowered in relief as I entered the office and closed the door quietly. The Intel had been correct, hwang was at a meeting. That meant he could be back any minute so I had to be quick. I rifled through the drawers pushing asides pills, bullets and firearms trying to find the document. The document that would hopefully clear my name from the FIB, for now. As I got onto the last drawer the shine of a grey filing cabinet in the corner caught my eye. Clearly a new addition to the office I took out my hairpin and picked the lock, opening it up. It was filled with evidence of all these different crimes he had committed, but I was only after one thing. The invoice that had been sent from Okano Shichiro.

I quickly photographed the piece of paper as a safe measure and sent it to my FIB contact, and then folded the original and put it in my pocket. I almost started to put the room back to how it was before, but no, I want him to KNOW I was there. So with that I snuck back out into the corridor and down the stairwell, the elevator was too risky. As I escaped back down to the street using the fire escape I couldn't help but feel uneasy, it should never be this quiet in that building. I brushed off the nervousness as I called officer Lee to meet back at the safehouse to hand over the document. She was wary at first saying that she should stay with me, to make sure I didn't run off, but I assured her that even if I ran I wouldn't get far without Hwang or the FIB finding me. So with that I hopped onto my motorcycle and headed to the safe house.

When I pulled up I saw Officer Lee's car there and opened door to be greeted with the blinds shut.

"Officer Lee?" No response.

"Officer Lee are you there?" Nothing.

"Chaeryeong?" I said feeling my stomach drop in fear.

In a split second my neck was being put in a chokehold and the metal of the gun ached into my temples.

" Hi sweetheart, did you miss me?"

Hwang. He had found me, I wanted to play a bit of cat and mouse with him but this was too short winded he had caught me before I had even started running.

" What your not going to give me the decency of replying." He said through gritted teeth right above my ear.

" I didn't think you needed an answer, you know what your like with rhetorical questions." I said struggling to break free from his grasp. His grip tightened and he pressed the gun harder into my temple.

" I wouldn't be so rude, your not the one holding the gun here baby."

" Yeah for once, you just want to one up me from our last encounter."

" Oh wow, I thought working with the FIB would have worked that attitude out of you. I guess not. Hmm?"

"How?!?!.... did yo-"

" You really thought I hadn't been watching you all these years, sweetheart I know everything about you to the last minute detail, from what you ate for breakfast to who you last fucked. Oh and you want to know something crazy, that guy was a real screamer, constantly crying about his family and how he didn't want to die."

" You killed him???"

" Of course I did, no one touches you."

"I'm not yours Hwang."

"So cold to me baby, but it's okay your the FIB's property now, just their little traitor bitch. Right?" He said clearly angry with my recent life choices.

" I had to Hwang, I had no choice they were going to put me away for nearly 40 years over that jewellery heist we did."

" i wouldn't have let that happen, you could have atleast not thrown me under the bus and stop calling me hwang you owe me that."

" I owe you nothing."

" Oh yeah." He said as he released me from his grip and threw me on the sofa. He then caged me in with his arms and legs, hovering over me.

" you really think I haven't being protecting you from the sidelines all these years."

" I didn't ask you to."

" no but you clearly needed me to because i didn't protect you from the FIB, and look where that got you."

" I'm sorry okay I didn't want to. I thought it was my only option."

" Well it wasn’t so now you need to repent." Oh no, repent could only mean one thing. When we were together he would go on about how I had to repent for my sins for him. That could only mean one thing.

I couldn't tell whether it was his dominating glare or his strong arms that were currently caging me into the sofa but I gave in. I sat up and so did hyunjin, I then started to kneel down so I was in front of him.

" wow I didn't think getting you back on your knees for me would be so easy " he said stroking my head while directing my left hand in his to unbuckle his belt. He then unzipped his trousers and said.

" aren't you the one who's meant to be doing the work here." I then started to palm his bulge that I could feel before when he was pushing me into the sofa. He moaned at the touch as I slowly worked my hand up his pelvic bone to dip into his boxers. I grasped his length and let his cock spring free. I started stroking it as Hyunjin rested his hand on my head.

" stop teasing me baby, you know I want it in your mouth." He said as he grabbed his dick and started to tease the head of his cock on my lips. I opened my mouth and started to suck him off. I moaned at the feeling of having him in my mouth again as he threw his head back in pleasure. He started to fuck my mouth at a slow pace moaning louder and louder with each soft thrust. I could feel his cock throbbing indicating he was getting close. I want him, all of him. So I started to suck harder feeling him tense up in pleasure.

" Ahhh fuck baby stop I'm about to cum." I looked up at him with sad eyes but he just caressed my face and slid his dick out of my mouth.

" I want to fuck you baby, so badly I need you now." I smiled at the request as I laid down on the sofa as he hovered over me once again. He directed his leaking cock to my wet pussy, he teased my clit smirking at how I squirmed from the sensation.

" I need you now." I said pulling him in for a kiss. It was the first time I had kissed him in years. He hadn't changed one bit, I could feel him smile from the same thought. The kiss lasted a long time as we both got lost in the moment, I was suddenly brought back to reality as his cock slowly entered me making me moan from the stretch.

" ahhh fuck, clearly that dude had not been fucking you enough, your too tight." He said in gasps from the overwhelming pleasure that he was feeling.

" mmmm no one fucks me as good as you hyunnie." I said looking at him as I fell in love with him again. He started with slow shallow thrusts, I expected him to go faster like he use to but he kept going slower and deeper.

"Hmmm faster baby." I cried wanting to feel him rougher.

" no baby, I need to feel you as much as i possibly can because ive gone a long time without feeling you and I'm going to take my time." He said kissing me as i whined from the painfully slow thrusts. He kept going but soon got lost in the pleasure going quicker trying to chase his high. I started moaning faster as he picked up the pace feeling my high approach as well.

" hyunnie I'm about to come."

" me too baby, me too, come with me."

He said as we both hit our orgasms moaning in ecstasy. He collapsed onto me wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my neck.

"Mmmm I missed you."

"I missed you too." He said muffled as he started marking my neck.

" Hey, people will see those there." I said but staying still not trying to push his head away from my neck.

" exactly I'm claiming what's always been mine. The FIB needs to know that you will always be loyal to me. Always."

Authors Note - hi, I'm sorry if this is god awful I've never really written anything but if you did enjoy or have feedback let me know. I also don't really understand how tumblr works so if you have any suggestions hmu. mwah ☆

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shiorihyuga · 2 months ago

Text

Tides of Fate

When the Scouts of Paradis meet a mysterious pod of powerful sirens, their world is turned upside down. Mating with these beautiful yet dangerous creatures gives them enhanced abilities, but the bonds are deeper—and far more complex—than anyone expected. Eren, Levi, and the rest of the top brass find themselves falling for their siren mates in ways that challenge their loyalties, while Mikasa struggles with jealousy and resentment. The lines between duty, desire, and power blur as tensions rise both inside and outside the walls.

Chapter Eighteen: Under the Siren’s Net

The sun had risen high in the sky, and the day was lazily passing by with the sound of the ocean waves and the occasional rustle of the wind. Levi sat at the edge of the camp, sharpening his blades in his usual, methodical way. He was focused, trying to keep his mind off Aria’s latest attempt to get under his skin.

Hange and Sasha, however, weren’t making that easy.

They sat nearby, watching him with amused expressions. Hange, of course, had that gleam in her eye that usually meant she was about to say something Levi wouldn’t like, and Sasha—well, she seemed to be enjoying the entire situation a little too much.

“So,” Hange started, her voice casual but filled with mischief, “have you given any more thought to what Aria said to you earlier?”

Levi didn’t look up from his blades, his hands continuing their steady work. “No.”

Sasha chuckled, leaning forward slightly, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “You should, Captain. I mean, Aria’s... well, she’s Aria. She’s beautiful, she’s funny, and she’s actually really nice. Why not give in?”

Levi’s hands stilled for a moment, his jaw tightening as he shot them both a hard glare. “I’m not giving in to anything.”

Hange leaned back, crossing her arms as she studied Levi, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Come on, Levi. Don’t be so uptight. She’s practically throwing herself at you, and you’re still acting like it’s a battle.” Her voice softened just slightly, as if she knew Levi would hate what she was about to say. “Maybe it’s time to stop fighting.”

Levi’s expression didn’t change, though his grip on the blade tightened. “I’m not interested,” he said flatly.

Sasha let out a soft laugh, clearly unconvinced. “Oh, come on. You don’t have to act so tough, Captain. You’ve been through a lot—don’t you think you deserve to relax for once?”

Levi didn’t respond, but Sasha took his silence as encouragement to continue. “The siren honeymoon doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Two weeks with Aria, relaxing in her moonpool… no stress, no battles, just… peace.”

Hange leaned forward again, a playful grin on her face. “You’re always so tense, Levi. You’re like a spring that’s wound too tight. What’s the harm in letting go for once? Besides, Aria’s more than just some flirt. She cares about you. You’ve seen that.”

Levi’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t respond. He hated how they were ganging up on him, pushing him to consider something he had been trying to avoid since Aria showed up.

Sasha, clearly enjoying this far too much, added with a giggle, “Plus, she’s gorgeous, and I bet you’ll have fun. You deserve that, Captain. I mean, have you seen her?”

Levi shot her a warning glare. “That’s not the point.”

Hange chuckled softly, clearly amused by his resistance. “Then what is the point, Levi? You’ve been fighting for years, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Maybe it’s time to let someone else carry the load for a while.”

Levi’s jaw tightened as he finally set the blade down, his patience wearing thin. “This isn’t about me needing to relax,” he muttered, his voice low but edged with frustration.

Hange raised an eyebrow, her smile softening just a little. “Maybe it should be. You can’t keep going at this pace forever, Levi. You’re human, whether you like to admit it or not. And Aria—she’s offering you something that could actually help.”

Sasha nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! She’s really sweet, too. I think she genuinely cares about you. And, I mean, the siren honeymoon thing? Sounds pretty nice. You can finally just… breathe.”

Levi’s fists clenched at his sides, his mind racing. He didn’t like being pushed like this, didn’t like the idea of letting his guard down, especially not for something like this. Aria was persistent—too persistent—but Hange and Sasha weren’t entirely wrong. He knew that. He just wasn’t ready to admit it.

“She’s not going to stop, you know,” Hange added, her voice quieter now, almost gentle. “And honestly? I don’t think you want her to.”

Levi glared at Hange, his frustration clear. “What makes you so sure?”

Hange’s smile was knowing, her eyes twinkling with that usual gleam of curiosity. “Because if you really didn’t want her around, you would’ve pushed her away a long time ago. But you haven’t. And that says more than you think.”

Levi clenched his jaw, hating how right Hange always seemed to be. He had tried to push Aria away, had tried to keep his distance, but she was relentless. And, as much as he hated to admit it, there was a part of him—a small, buried part—that didn’t mind her presence as much as he should.

Sasha grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Plus, Captain, two weeks in a magical moonpool with a gorgeous siren? Sounds like the perfect break, if you ask me.”

Levi shot her a look, clearly unimpressed. “It’s not happening.”

But the words sounded less convincing than they should have, even to him.

Hange chuckled, leaning back with a satisfied smile. “We’ll see about that, Levi. We’ll see.”

Levi didn’t respond, turning his attention back to his blades in an effort to shut out the conversation. But the words lingered, sinking deeper into his mind than he wanted to admit.

As the waves lapped at the shore and the camp settled into a quiet lull, Levi knew that no matter how much he resisted, the pressure was building. Aria wasn’t going to stop, and now, with even Hange and Sasha pushing him to let go, the walls he had built up around himself were starting to crack.

But for now, Levi did what he always did—he kept sharpening his blades, kept his guard up, and pretended the battle wasn’t already happening inside him.

…

Hours had passed and Levi hadn’t seen any sign of Aria. Normally by now, she would have found some excuse to bother him, to tease him, or to make some cocky remark. The camp was unusually quiet without her constant chatter, and that nagging absence left an uneasy feeling gnawing at Levi’s gut.

It wasn’t like Aria to be away this long. And that, more than anything, set him on edge.

The sun had started its slow descent, casting long shadows across the sand as Levi stood at the edge of the camp, scanning the horizon. He knew better than to assume she was just playing around somewhere. Something felt off.

Levi’s instincts kicked in. Something was wrong.

Without hesitation, he set off along the beach, his sharp eyes scanning the coastline for any sign of her. The waves crashed gently against the shore, but all he could hear was the pounding in his chest. Aria was reckless, sure, but not stupid. She wouldn’t just wander off without a reason, and that reason was beginning to look a lot more dangerous than he’d initially thought.

As he moved further away from the camp, the silence of the beach was interrupted by a faint sound carried on the wind—something sharp, panicked.

A scream.

Levi froze for a split second before his body snapped into action, his legs carrying him toward the source of the sound. He could hear her now, the raw terror in her voice sending a chill down his spine. Aria.

When he reached the far end of the beach, hidden behind a cluster of large rocks, his heart nearly stopped at the sight before him.

Aria was in her siren form, her shimmering lavender tail thrashing wildly in a net that had been cast over her. She was caught, tangled in the heavy mesh, her normally graceful movements frantic and panicked. Around her, a group of men—siren hunters—stood with crude grins on their faces, pulling the ropes tighter as Aria struggled to break free. The also had some kind auditory contraption and Levi wasn’t exactly too sure what it was. Still, it was obvious that it was harming Aria and probably preventing her from using her voice to compel the hunters.

Her terror was palpable. Her usual confident demeanor was gone, replaced by pure, unfiltered fear. She thrashed against the net, but the more she struggled, the tighter it became, cutting into her skin and leaving her trapped.

“Let’s see how much she’s worth on the black market,” one of the hunters said with a sickening grin, pulling the net harder.

“She’s a rare one, alright,” another added, eyeing Aria like she was nothing more than a prize to be sold.

Levi’s eyes narrowed, his blood boiling as he took in the scene. He was moving before he could even think, his blades flashing in the fading light as he sprinted toward the hunters, his movements swift and lethal.

“Get away from her,” Levi snarled, his voice low and dangerous as he closed the distance between them.

The moment Levi saw the hunters, his decision was made. He wasn't about to let these scum escape. Not after what they had done to Aria, and not with the knowledge that they would just come back for her. The leader, the two others—they all carried the same look in their eyes. Greed. Cruelty. This wasn’t just a job for them. It was a twisted form of sport. And men like them didn’t stop.

Levi didn’t move as he stared them down, calculating in his silence as they stepped forward, weapons drawn. The leader’s voice was dripping with fury, his frustration evident. "What do you think you’re doing?" he spat. "Do you have any idea who we are?"

Levi’s eyes remained fixed on the leader, unflinching. "Siren hunters," he said coldly, his voice barely more than a low growl. He could sense Aria trembling behind him, her fear like a pulse in the air. His grip on his blades tightened. "You’ve made a mistake."

The leader sneered, though there was a trace of hesitation in his voice. "That siren is our prize. She’s worth more than you can imagine. Step aside, or I’ll—"

But the shorter hunter cut in, his eyes wide and darting between Levi and Aria. "Wait," he hissed, his voice tinged with fear. "He’s… her mate, isn’t he?" The realization was dawning on him now, a dark cloud of fear creeping over his face.

The leader’s sneer faltered, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down. "That’s impossible—"

The taller hunter took a step back, his grip on his weapon tightening. "He’s not scared of us. If he’s really her mate, we’re dead."

The leader, realizing the situation was slipping out of his control, raised his electrified spear toward Levi. His voice quivered with anger, trying to regain control of the situation. "Mate or not, you’re just one man—"

But Levi wasn’t listening anymore.

In one fluid movement, he unsheathed both blades. The cold gleam of steel caught the morning light as he stepped forward with deadly purpose. There was no hesitation. No mercy.

In a heartbeat, Levi was upon them.

The leader didn’t even have time to react before Levi’s first blade sliced through the air, severing the hand that held the spear. The weapon clattered to the ground as the hunter let out a guttural scream, stumbling backward, blood spraying from the wound. Levi’s movements were swift and precise, each step a deadly calculation.

The other two hunters froze, their eyes wide with terror as they watched their leader fall. They had heard the stories of siren mates, but none of them had ever seen one in action. And they had no idea what they were truly up against.

The shorter hunter turned to run, but Levi was faster. In the blink of an eye, he was on him, one blade slashing across his throat in a swift, brutal arc. The hunter collapsed to the ground, gurgling, clutching his neck as blood poured between his fingers.

The taller hunter, now the last one standing, let out a strangled cry of panic, stumbling backward as he desperately swung his weapon at Levi. But it was a pathetic attempt, born of fear rather than skill. Levi ducked easily, moving like a shadow as he closed the distance.

With a swift upward strike, Levi’s blade drove into the hunter’s chest, piercing his heart with brutal efficiency. The man’s eyes widened in shock as his body went rigid, the weapon slipping from his grasp. For a moment, he stood there, stunned, before collapsing to the ground in a heap, lifeless.

Levi stood over the bodies, his blades dripping with blood. The air was thick with the scent of iron, the once-still beach now tainted by the carnage. He had moved through them like a force of nature, swift and merciless. There had been no time for hesitation. No second thoughts.

Aria, still in her siren form, lay trembling behind him, her wide lavender eyes fixed on the scene before her. She had never seen anything like it—never seen anyone move with such precision, such deadly intent. The hunters, who had terrified her just moments before, now lay dead at Levi’s feet.

Levi didn’t waste any time. He cut through the rest of the netting with a few swift motions, his heart pounding in his chest as he freed Aria from the tangle of ropes. She collapsed into his arms, her body trembling, her breathing ragged from the terror of the encounter.

For a moment, Aria didn’t speak. She just clung to Levi, her hands gripping his jacket tightly as if she was afraid to let go.

Levi knelt beside her, his voice low but steady. “You’re alright now,” he said, his hand resting on her shoulder as he tried to calm her. “You’re safe.”

Aria looked up at him, her lavender eyes wide with fear and disbelief. “Levi…” she whispered, her voice barely audible, her body still shaking. “I… I didn’t see them coming. I was just swimming, and then they… they caught me.”

Levi’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he looked out at the ocean, the weight of what had just happened settling heavily on his shoulders. “Siren hunters,” he muttered, his voice filled with cold anger. “They knew what they were after.”

Aria’s tail flicked weakly, still trapped in her siren form as she lay there, vulnerable and shaken. “I’ve been running from them my whole life,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I thought I was safe here. I thought… with you…”

Levi’s eyes softened for just a moment as he looked down at her. Aria—the one who always seemed so fearless, so confident—was terrified. Her walls had crumbled, and for the first time since he’d met her, Levi saw just how vulnerable she really was.

“They won’t touch you again,” Levi said quietly, his voice filled with quiet determination. “I won’t let them.”

Aria looked up at him, her eyes still filled with fear but also something else—trust. She had always teased him, always pushed him, but now, in this moment, she needed him. And Levi wasn’t going to let her down.

He stood, pulling Aria up with him, his arms still wrapped around her to keep her steady. “Let’s get back to camp,” he said, his voice firm but gentle. “You’re safe now.”

Aria nodded weakly, leaning into him as they made their way back toward the safety of the camp. She was still shaken, her body trembling with the aftershock of what had just happened, but with Levi by her side, she felt a sense of safety she hadn’t known in years.

For once, she wasn’t alone.

…

Levi guided Aria back to the camp, his arm steady around her waist as she walked beside him, still shaken. Her usual confidence was gone, replaced by a quiet vulnerability that Levi hadn’t seen before. Aria’s siren form slowly faded, her shimmering tail transforming back into legs, but she leaned heavily on Levi, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.

As they reached the camp, Hange and Sasha, who had been chatting by the fire, immediately noticed something was off. Hange’s sharp eyes locked onto Aria’s pale face and trembling form, her curiosity quickly giving way to concern.

"Levi," Hange called out, standing up quickly and walking toward them. "What happened?"

Sasha followed close behind, her expression filled with worry as she took in Aria’s condition. "Is she okay?" Sasha asked, her voice soft with concern. "Aria, what happened?"

Levi guided Aria to sit down on a nearby rock, his hand still steady on her shoulder as she sank into the seat, her breathing slowly calming. "Siren hunters," Levi muttered, his voice low but filled with cold anger. "They ambushed her while she was swimming. Had her trapped in a net."

Hange’s eyes widened, her usually playful expression completely serious now. "Siren hunters? Here? I didn’t think they’d make it this far."

Levi gave a sharp nod. "Neither did I. But they’re here, and they knew exactly what they were after."

Aria, still catching her breath, looked up at Hange and Sasha, her lavender eyes filled with fear and exhaustion. "I didn’t see them coming," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I thought I was safe here, but they were waiting for me."

Sasha crouched down beside Aria, her eyes filled with sympathy. "You’re safe now, Aria. Levi got to you in time."

Hange, ever the analytical one, ran a hand through her hair as she began pacing. "Siren hunters this close to camp… That’s a problem. We’ll need to keep a closer watch. Who knows how many more could be out there?"

Levi stood still, his gaze dark. "I won’t let them get close again."

Aria glanced up at him, her lips parting as if to say something, but she remained silent. The fear still lingered in her eyes, though she seemed reassured by Levi’s presence.

Hange finally stopped pacing and knelt down next to Aria, her usual curiosity tempered by the gravity of the situation. "Aria," she said gently, "we’ll figure this out. We need to understand how they’re tracking you and how they managed to get so close. If they’ve developed new methods or technology, we need to know."

Aria nodded, though she was clearly exhausted. "I don’t know… they caught me off guard. I’ve always been able to sense danger before, but this time… it was different. They were waiting for me, like they knew where I’d be."

Sasha frowned, looking between Aria and Levi. "What can we do to stop them?"

Levi’s voice was hard when he answered. "We eliminate the threat."

Hange sighed, clearly deep in thought. "We’ll need to set up a perimeter, maybe lay a few traps or scouts to keep an eye on things. They might not just be after Aria; they could be targeting the others, too."

Aria winced at the thought of her sisters being in danger. "They don’t know," she whispered. "They’re still out there… in their moonpools with the scouts."

Levi’s jaw clenched, the thought of his men being caught off guard by hunters only fueling his resolve. "We’ll warn them when they get back. But first, you need to rest," he said firmly, his eyes locking onto Aria’s.

Aria hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Levi, Hange, and Sasha. But then, slowly, she nodded. "Okay," she whispered, her voice small but steady. "Thank you… for saving me."

Levi didn’t respond, but his eyes softened ever so slightly as he gave her a brief nod. It wasn’t over yet. Siren hunters were a new threat, and Levi wouldn’t rest until he knew they were dealt with.

But for now, Aria was safe.

…

The beach was quiet again, the waves lapping gently against the shore as the last of the siren hunters disappeared into the treeline. Hange and Sasha had retired to their tents for the evening, leaving Levi and Aria alone. She sat close to him, her lavender eyes gleaming with something he couldn’t quite place. Gratitude, sure, but there was something more there—a warmth, a tenderness that unsettled him in a way that no enemy ever had.

Aria took a small step forward, closing the distance between them. Levi noticed her slight hesitation, but the look in her eyes was unwavering. She had been flirtatious with him before, constantly testing his limits, but this was different. She wasn’t teasing now. She wasn’t trying to push his buttons. This was something real.

“No one’s ever protected me like that,” Aria said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze never left his, and Levi felt the weight of her words settle heavily in the space between them. There was an intensity in her eyes, a mixture of emotions that he could feel pulling at him, drawing him in.

He shifted his weight slightly, uncomfortable with the vulnerability in her voice and in her gaze. “I told you, they weren’t taking you,” Levi muttered, his usual stoic tone betraying the faintest hint of unease.

Aria smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made Levi’s chest tighten. “I know,” she whispered, stepping even closer. Her hand lightly brushed against his arm, and Levi felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him at the contact. “But still… thank you.”

Before Levi could respond, Aria moved. In one fluid motion, she leaned up, her hands gently cupping his face as she pressed her lips to his in a soft, passionate kiss.

Levi froze for a moment, his body going rigid at the unexpected contact. His mind raced, a flood of emotions and thoughts hitting him all at once. He wasn’t used to this—this kind of closeness, this kind of vulnerability. But then, something shifted. The warmth of Aria’s lips, the gentle way she kissed him, stirred something deep inside him.

Aria’s heart pounded in her chest, and she poured everything into the kiss—her gratitude, her affection, the emotions she had been holding back for so long. No one had ever protected her the way Levi had. No one had ever made her feel as safe as she did now since her parents died. And now, sitting there with him, kissing him, she felt something shift between them.

Levi sat still as a statue, his heart pounding in his chest as Aria’s lips pressed softly against his. His mind, usually so sharp and calculating, had gone silent for the first time in what felt like years.

A part of him had expected to recoil, to pull away from the kiss out of instinct, but he didn’t. Instead, his body responded naturally, without the hesitation he’d expected. His lips moved against hers, and he kissed her back, slowly, deliberately, as if some long-buried part of him had decided this was exactly what he wanted.

Aria, sensing his shift, leaned in closer, her hands sliding up to rest gently on his chest. Her heartbeat quickened, but she kept her touch light, not wanting to push him too far too quickly. She could feel the tension in his body, the war between his usual guarded nature and this rare moment of vulnerability. But Levi wasn’t pulling away. He wasn’t protesting. He was kissing her back, and that was enough.

The kiss was slow, unhurried, and filled with something deeper than either of them had expected. For Levi, it was as if the walls he had built so carefully over the years—the ones that kept everyone at a distance—had started to crumble, just a little. Aria had always been persistent, always pushing him, but this… this was different. This wasn’t just teasing or flirting. This was something real.

Aria pulled back slightly, just enough to break the kiss, her breath coming in soft, shallow gasps as she looked up at him. Her lavender eyes searched his face, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with unspoken feelings, and Levi could feel the weight of it settling over him like a blanket. He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to letting anyone this close. But now that it had happened, he couldn’t ignore it.

Aria smiled softly, her fingers lightly tracing the fabric of his jacket as she sat there, her body still close to his. “You didn’t pull away,” she whispered, her voice gentle, as if she were afraid to break the moment.

Levi’s gray eyes met hers, his expression unreadable, but he didn’t look away. He could feel the heat still lingering on his lips, the ghost of the kiss hanging between them. “No,” he said quietly, his voice steady but softer than usual. “I didn’t.”

Aria’s smile widened slightly, her gaze softening as she leaned in just a little closer. “You kissed me back,” she added, her tone filled with quiet wonder. There was no teasing in her voice this time, no playful edge. Just sincerity.

Levi’s expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something that even he couldn’t fully hide. “Yeah,” he muttered, his voice low. “I did.”

Aria’s heart fluttered at his words, and she leaned closer, resting her forehead gently against his chest. The warmth of his body, the steadiness of his presence, made her feel safe in a way she hadn’t expected. She had always felt drawn to Levi—his strength, his resolve, his quiet intensity—but now, sitting here with him, she realized just how deep that connection ran.

“I’ve been waiting for that,” Aria whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the waves. “I’ve been waiting for you to let me in.”

Levi sat still, his hands resting loosely at his sides, but he didn’t push her away. He didn’t pull back. He just sat there, letting her words settle over him like the weight of the ocean pressing against the shore. He wasn’t used to this—this kind of closeness, this kind of vulnerability. But now that it was happening, he couldn’t deny the pull between them.

For so long, Levi had been focused on survival, on the mission, on protecting those around him. He had never allowed himself the luxury of wanting something for himself. But now, with Aria standing so close, her warmth seeping into him, he realized that maybe—just maybe—there was more to life than the constant struggle. Maybe, for the first time in a long time, he could allow himself to want something beyond the battlefield.

Aria tilted her head up slightly, her lavender eyes locking onto his once more. “Levi,” she whispered softly, her voice barely more than a breath, “you don’t have to be alone anymore.”

Levi’s eyes flickered, his jaw tightening slightly at her words. He had always been alone, hadn’t he? That was how it had to be. That was how he kept people safe. But now… now he wasn’t so sure.

He looked down at her, his expression still stoic, but the way his hands lightly gripped her waist betrayed the depth of his emotions. “I’m not used to this,” he admitted, his voice rough, as if the words themselves were difficult to say.

Aria smiled up at him, her hand coming up to lightly brush a strand of hair away from his face. “I know,” she said softly, her eyes filled with understanding. “But you don’t have to be.”

Levi was silent for a long moment, the sound of the waves crashing softly against the shore filling the air around them. His grip on her waist tightened just slightly, and though his expression remained composed, there was a softness in his eyes that Aria had never seen before.

Slowly, deliberately, Levi leaned down, his lips brushing against hers in another kiss—this time softer, slower, but filled with an emotion he couldn’t put into words. Aria responded immediately, her arms wrapping around his neck as she kissed him back, her heart pounding in her chest.

This time, there was no hesitation. Levi wasn’t pulling away. He wasn’t fighting it. He was letting her in.

And as they sat there, locked in each other’s embrace, Levi realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to be alone anymore. Not with Aria by his side.

And for the first time in a long time, Levi felt something that wasn’t duty, or responsibility, or the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He felt hope.

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theinsanecrayonbox · 3 months ago

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FOP: A New Wish e24-30

woooooo more FOP! we got so many things going on, so let's get down to business

Episode 24: The Treble with Rivals

there are schools that have band and orchestra? i thought they were the same thing, just if it was bigger it got labeled orchestra. weird.

there's a Nmusic Phairy...why didn't you run Fairy Idol? are you actually a Muse?? that would explain the stupid spellings...but those are fairy wings...

and wait, isn't wishing for musical talent to do at an audition technically participating in a competition...not that we follow that rule much these days

so the difference between Band and Orchestra seems to be that one is strings and one is wind and brass based...despite orchestra having winds and brass sections

also what school thinks it's a good idea to give children only 1 week of practice before putting on a concert??

ooo musical fae wood.

again why is band vs orchestra a thing?? everything in band is in orchestra normally; is it because orchestra is harder to get into so the left overs get band then? that would make sense i guess...

you know, i'm kind of sad there was no Jets vs Sharks musical number this episode given that it is two musical groups/gangs fighting one another

oh hey it's older brother; makes sense since he's featured next episode. hurray continuity!

so...i think i got too focused on an insignificant detail this episode, but to be fair there wasn't much to this one. not bad, but not one of the stronger stories

Episode 25: Rattleconda Racers

ooo we finally meet the older brother!

haha little sister is jealous of big brother's new girlfriend. classic.

ah the poorly worded unintended wish. also classic.

wonder if Antony thinks he's dreaming right now, because he's far too nonchalant about this

heh Wanda getting too deep into the RP

geeze this is the second rough punk lady of the series

oh NOW it's against eth rules to use magic to cheat huh? yup typical Da Rules logic. but wishing yourself out as a no-go is a classic for the trapped in the board game story, so...

dawwww sweet sibling moment. and very good story beat; so far yeah Hazel's been learning to deal with all eth changes and has adapted well, but she's a kid so of course when her brother is back she reverts only to realize that things are different and even she is different. good story telling.

oh he just thought he was imagining everything, mk

overall, very classic setup and payoff, but it worked very well. good story!

Episode 26: Dig a Little Deeper

subterranean rock monsters huh? we've had those before...like twice (Engine Blocked and The Big Fairy Share Scare i think)...hm...

oh hey Alec Schwimmer is the writer??

oh right, Hazel likes rocks...we haven't touched that since e1 i think

yeah Dev with his O-pair drones and talks of cooperate takeover, that's totally Goblin like...

coolest, shiniest, and out of this world rock...is it a Wonderstone???? and a different universe??? O.o????

Cosmo's argued with his echo before, hasn't he?

another lost wand plot? uhg...i guess it's the least egregious sin they could pull, but still, we just had one of those with the FNaF episode

oh it's a rockman not a moleman...which the synopsis did say, so why is that a surprise to me??

threatening to drop the heroine in lava. heh. and Hazel nerd correcting lol. love you girl. but none of the rockmen look like they're made of laps lazuli (i too am a bit of a rock nerd girl)

oh that triangle one was bluish, i guess they could be lapis

oh and a last second reminder that there's Peri around

so this was an interesting one. technically low magic, and Hazel got to nerd out. i liked it

Episode 27: Operation Birthday Takeback

the return of Vicky! also, nice that we're focusing on a birthday that isn't the main protagonist first; didn't we do that in the original...Tootie's birthday was established before Tim's...in s0 and the main series...and Vicky was the problem in both of those too....huh...

oo this is also a double (full 22 min) episode. fun!

awww Dev, your dad sucks. but still good highlighting how he treats Peri; he thinks Peri should know what he needs/wants since the O-pair drones are programed to do that PLUS the fact that Dev doesn't even know what he wants

adult Vicky...has the earring from her 18 year old self in Channel Chasers...but she doesn't look like she should be in her 40s (oh eye bags, yeah sure that's 40s uhuh)...and being a birthday performer?? that's not an occupation i ever thought she'd had

CHIP SKYLARK!!! and if it was an oldie hit that Jazmine's mother listened to, then yeah it's gotta be 20 years in the future

ok, her using child slave labor does track, but as a party performer? that sounds more like a daycare setup...

we are referencing Nectar of the Odds! so yeah it's very telling that Dale is THAT inattentive if he'd hire Vicky with that being their history

the Dale-cave is funny and so over the top, not gonna lie. but oh yeah, Dale is the new Crocker, and he has the funds to do that (and huh, dad obsessing over the best friend...the Dimmadomes are the Osborns...ok Superverse Dev is a Green Goblin analog)

Dev nearly spilled the beans! but then again he answered the door with Peri not knowing it was Hazel so...not surprising (Foop returns later; does Dev loose Peri and Foop swoops in to take over??). yet he could probably get away with claiming he was a new advanced O-pair drone if he had to

commercial break; there's a commercial for NW and there were clips i don't recognize?? punk adult Hazel?? O.o?? excite! (yet again with the punk ladies; is this going to be a recurring thing?? is that a bad thing?)

why are you guys writing on his white board thing?? even Peri realizes this is a bad idea

heh the under the table graffiti; this show puts cute little details in the environment so well

ICKY VICKY SONG REVENGE MONTAGE TIME!!!

Chinfinity War poster in Dev's room! and is that baby Poof as Darth Maul in the other poster?? O.o i know he dressed like that before, but that feels super random

yeah get Dev a lemonade, he can't have a milkshake remember

awww Dev saved Hazel, so sweet...to bad a third act breakup is happening again

the fairies finally learn that Vicky is here, and a Timmy name drop! but Peri's reaction is actually kinda gold lol

Vicky kissing up the perceived parents, yup. and hey Peri did turn into an O-pair drone. and a coupled decades, so yup 20 years minimum

and here comes the third act breakup. but very interesting that he thinks she manipulated him...because that's all anyone has ever done to him

ok we mentioned 2001 (when the series proper started), and if this is set in real time, it's 2024 so that's 23 years...ok so yeah, NW is 20 years after the original series up to at least season 7 (since that's when Foop appeared). we are slowly figuring out the timeline folks!!

awww Peri is trying. and Dev once again self sabotages himself because he doesn't know how to cope (so that's why Foop comes later, he wished Peri away). i gotta say, i think Dev might be the best character

this was practically a perfect episode. low magic, but the problem wasn't caused by magic. it's very character heavy, but deep in lore. and it advances the central plot points. A++ team!!

Episode 28: Potazal Pohtahzal

weird name, but ok. also the return of Mother Nature huh? is this yet another redesign (spoilers: yes it is)

Sparky?? "when did we get a dog"??? O.o!!! nonononononononono!!!!!!! oh wait it's the trash can she's mak pretending, ok, that's safe. DO NOT give me a heart attack like that show!!

ok so the wish of the day is unlimited french fries. so...this is Just Desserts light, since only she's getting them not the whole world, and it's about eating only 1 food type instead of a healthy balance

oh a musical number, ok i guess

oh hey a map!!! and not a very...correctly cut up map...so don't know how accurate this is, but it looks like Dimmadelphia is in Illinois...yeah this isn't a good map, i don't seem to exist on it so *shrugs*

Da Rules says you talk to Mother Nature about when your godkid turns into a food item huh? how does that make sense?

and yup new redesign for Mother Nature. not a terrible one i'll give, much better than the others so far (Cupid, Father time)

of course she'd go and eat the source potato. so to fix it she's...going to chop herself up??? O.O!!! SHOW!! child dismemberment??? of course it wouldn't happen, but still! i love you

and we just grow a new one and everything is fixed. that's fine

the moral of the story is moderation and sharing and eating properly

the trash can actually barked/talked....no, nopenopenopenopenope, idc if it was just a button gag, nope. we do not want (all of) s9 to be canon to this timeline. no

Episode 29: The Haunting of Wells House

lol another horror movie parody title, nice. also Marcus focused, and ghost focused, ok, i'm into it (can't be scarier than them threating to canonize Sparky last episode after all)

Hazel filming youtube videos with her dad. cute.

daww i was almost hoping the scary movie Cosmo and Wanda was gonna give them would be the one from Timmy's 2-D House of Horror about the haunted volcano. but zombie fairies is cool too i guess....we did have a zombie plague earlier in eth season after all...

oh haunted fairy video tape. fun

and now we're a ghost hunting show, even in the night vision green

i like the detail that Ghost Pepper (heh the multi level puns of that name, great job) has limbs that disconnect

HA! Jorgen's a priest to perform an exorcist. that's great, and funny, especially in his camo smock

does Jorgen have a whole haunted collection of VHS tapes?? wut?

so this one was alright. it was a quick one and done romp.

Episode 30: Best of Luck

the return of Foop!! or, Irep now...why would he stick with the mirrored name instead of changing to Anti-Peri? as a baby, that's silly, but ok sure, especially since Poof changed his name as an adult, maybe that's normal so the Anti-faries do similar. and c'mon, Anti-Peri sounds like Anti-fairy even...maybe that's why they didn't do it? and also, his full name is Periwinkle, so it should be...an unpronounceable mess backwards...why not just Anti-Peri??? meh, oh well, lets just see how this goes i guess.

who's hands are on the title card?

oh NOW we are siting Da Rules about taking a competition prize. also, peri came back after being wished away? mk, won't argue that. but yeah Da Rules prevent chaos, thus why the djinn are more annoying. but i get it, Dev's annoyed by Da Rules, giving the opening for Irep to arrive

and arrive he does...and looks like an idiot being a block head. Peri didn't stay a ball, despite circular heads being a thing.

wait when did that calendar start...it's currently May huh? interesting...why were orchestra/band tryouts in the middle of the school year? or should that have been an earlier episode, since there was no clear evidence of Peri to time stamp it...but there was glasses-less Dev...still, this means that summer break is getting close, so interesting...also means that Anthony's visit would've probably been spring break, so again why was band/orchestra tryouts in the middle of the school year??? if it was one or the other maybe, implying that they share the same class timeslot so it's a half year program, thus the kids that play instruments in both go full year-why am i STILL hung up on that??? (it's like when i got stuck on e1 of BNHA about how the goo guy's volume should've exceeded the soda bottles and was his brain a thing was every cell of his body sentient...) MOVING ON!

wow i think this is the first time Da Rules has stated that they can't kill anyone with magic. that's kinda weird...especially since Marrianne did do that (by starting WWI)...oh maybe she's the godchild that made that a rule, ok i can buy that

also you guys have dealt with Anti-fairies before, why wasn't that a go to idea?

this rock paper scissor game has move moves than the Big Bang one, geeze

dawww Dev lashing out because he's sad and falling back to his old ways

oh hey we're following the rule about "when a fairy quits any magical being can fill in"...just like Fairy Idol where another blue chaos entity took over...i wonder if we'll get genies in this series

oh Jorgen swoops in to save the day! because no 2 weeks notice...that was never a thing before...dumb, but oh well, we didn't want Irep to stay around.

dawww Dev still lashing out even as Hazel tries to extend the olive branch. and ooo he's gonna be researching Anti-fairies...he gonna break out Irep isn't he....ANTI-FAIRY PLAUGE UPON THE WORLD!

so hey good setup for a future plot point i hope! and again, it does make logical sense to evolve things in that direction. very fun!!

oooo next week says there's an episode with multiverse stuff??? exciting! still loving the show, keep it up!!

#kp watches tv #kp watches stuff #kp talks fop #fairly oddparents #review #spoilers

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randombatcharts · 2 years ago

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What instruments I think the Batfamily would play

Dick-He would either play saxophone or flute. I see him as the type of person to bust out a sax and play careless whisper, or choose a flute thinking it would be fun to play.

Babs-I think she would play clarinet. I might be biased due to other redheads I know playing it, but it seems right.

Jason- I see him playing trumpet. He just seems very trumpet player-ey.

Tim- Trombone no question. Half the trombone players I know are super chill and witty, and I can see him getting one of the others to slam an oven if he wanted to play the “when dad’s not home”

Steph- She would play the oboe or tuba, starting out as a joke, and then get really invested in it.

Cass- I see her playing the flute, because it is a lighter instrument. It kind of will sometimes remind me of ballet, and think it would fit her.

Damian- I want to say he would play euphonium, due to it sounding really pretty and seem elegant and being a low brass instrument, and can sound very light. It is also used commonly in melody with slow pieces or marches. (I just wanted to say someone would play this, because I love how it sounds. Holding a marching baritone sucks though 0/10 recommend)

Duke- percussion. Although he is seen as the calm member, he started a gang, and U think he would rock the drums.

I did not want to add Bruce or Alfred, because I feel like they would play string instruments, and also did not want to justify. Not all of them fit the best, and explanations are a bit weird, but I stand by my choices at least for Tim and Jay. Did not know what Duke would be, and thought it would work. I thought about this when I was watching a band rehearsal, and although I love playing, they can get a bit boring to watch, and started thinking about what they would play in a concert band type setting. I would love to hear what others think their instruments would be. Thanks!

#batfamily #tim drake #dick grayson #jason todd #babs gordon #barbara gordon #duke thomas #damian wayne #damian al ghul #cass cain #cassandra cain #steph brown #I got bored again #was too lazy to think about bruce and alfred so I didn’t

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smokinsid · 7 months ago

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Late Night People

Summer. 2:15 AM. College of Synergetics, Level 3 – REAPER Lab, Rata Sum.

Enid looked wearily at a crumpled pack of cigarettes, then back at her holo-screen. On her desk, a little girl in a big red hat grinned up at her tired face, looking as bright and proud as the midday sun.

For a few weeks now, her research had been chasing its tail. Relative Extraplanar studies- thrill that they were, giving a scientist cause to go sliding orthogonal to the three-dimensional Tyria into realms unknown- were still a headache, at their core. Was a mortal body meant to move that way, or see those things?

“Yes!” Came a low, sonorous showman’s voice from across the room. The attuned crystal in her radio blinked and pulsed in time with every syllable. “And I’ll tell you what else, my friends- if Balthazar can bite the dust, if Kralkatorrik can kick it- then what is there out there for us to worry about? The Arcane Council keeping secrets, hiding things from us? Well, we know why they do that- the slow dissemination of what they really know is what’s keeping them in their seats, after all.”

Smoke Signals with Sidney Figleaf. Venlin Vale Radio, 103.3 K-R-U-E.

The call letters came to her mind automatically. And that voice- “Smokin’ Sid,” on the radio- was her brother.

They hadn’t talked in a while. Maybe she should call him. It had been a long time since the big blowup, after all- and Rucks had turned out alright so far. Still young enough to come back to college.

“Coming up in the next half-hour, we’ll have open lines here on Smoke Signals. Tune your crystals to 1.333.1033- again that’s 1.333.1033, for the Smoke Signals hotline. Call now and get queued up- the subject tonight? Strange lights in the sky! Stranger than usual, anyway. Have you seen them? Tell us all about it. --And now, a word from our sponsors.”

As a jingle played for Royal Kournan cigars, followed by an ad for Oozeley’s Sure-Fire Detergent, she drummed her fingers on the desk and frowned at the blue-gray little crystal in front of her, mounted in a ring of brass.

“Oozeley’s, Sure-Fire,

Made from the goo you trust,

Oozeley’s, Sure-Fire,

For stains, it is a must!”

It was now or never. She grabbed the little brass ring and rotated the pointed crystal within, spinning it like a dial toward the numbers etched into the metal edge. In seconds she was connected, and a pleasant, modulated golem’s voice greeted her.

“You’ve reached the 103.3, K-R-U-E, call-in hotline! Your queue position is currently... SIX. Please hold. Your call will be on the air shortly. Remember to shut down your radio receiver before speaking, to eliminate static and echo. Thank you for calling Venlin Vale Radio.”

Soft jazz rose from the vibrating surface of the crystal, tickling her ear. She set it down on the table and huffed.

She had plenty of time to hang up if she wanted.

“Subject is mysterious lights in the sky- mysteriouser than usual, I should say. Caller number two, you’re on the air.”

Oh, Alchemy. He’s just picking lines at random.

“Am I on the air with Smokin’ Sid?”

“Yes, that’s me. Please turn off your radio, sir, for the feedback. Now, what’s your name, and what do you have to report?”

“Uh, name’s Putt. Work outta Statics.”

“Ah, a fellow Statics, ahem, alum. Wonderful. And what did you see?”

“Well, this was a couple weeks ago, late one night in Brisban- we were listening to the show while we were on stakeout, watching the bandit gangs drift here and there.”

“Ah, sounds like you’re working a security detail. I’d ask you how things are going with the gangs, but let’s focus on the scene overhead.”

“Right, well- me and the fellas like to shoot skeet to kill time,”

“Careful friend, this is radio,”

“Y’know, like clay pigeons, we got some with glow-in-the-dark paint.”

“Ah.”

“And so I was up top of the watchtower, throwing ‘em here and there when I heard the word ‘pull,’ that kind of thing.”

“Putting some lights in the sky yourself, as it were.”

“Mm- so we’ve done a few rounds of this, and I throw another one, and Creidon- big fella, Lionguard, down at ground level, he puts a crossbow bolt through it, sure as sunrise.”

“But...?”

“It got stuck, Sid.”

“In the... clay pigeon?”

“No- well, not as such. It’s like, it punched through the pigeon and hit something else. Something round. Like... shoot, I’m gonna sound crazy.”

“Not on my show, friend.”

“Like a bubble, in the sky. Like someone got a straw under the sky and blew real hard and just... warped it out. The stars looked all stretched and distorted close to the pigeon, got more normal the further out you went.”

“As if the sky itself was... closer, there?”

“Yeah! Damnedest thing I ever saw! Bowed in like the ceiling on a first-floor dorm when the toilet upstairs overflows.”

“Remarkable.”

“The pigeon- and the bolt- just clung to it. And then it sorta... deflated? Just slowly receding until the sky looked normal again. It took both with it! We never got ‘em back.”

“Wow. Not quite what I expected to hear when it comes to lights in the sky, but that certainly is mysterious. Thank you, Putt- the Smoke Signals Research Team will put some time into this one, I’m sure.”

Enid had already taken a few steps away from the crystal, drawing up astronomical charts of the sky over Brisban and running numerous calculations and simulations. A ‘bubble’ in the sky could be any number of things- in her mind, it was some burdensome patch of mist, pushing on the fabric of Tyria. A mistquake? A mist… sinkhole?

“Caller number… six! You’re live on Smoke Signals. Go ahead and turn off your radio, feedback and all that. I need a name, and- what did you see in the sky, lately?”

“…Could’ve been the movement of a human god, they make quite a dent- haven’t heard from Melandru in a minute, have they?”

“Caller number six? Are you there? –Do turn off your radio, please and thank you, for the feedback, then start with a name.”

“Of course, if it isn’t the movement of a god… can we rule out dragons now? Are they done?” She poked at the holo-screen and flipped through archive files.

“…Enid?”

Enid let out a horrible gasp and slapped her radio, then spun away from the screen and rounded on the crystal.

“—Am I on the air? Shoot, I missed it!”

“No, no, you didn’t miss it. Bit of a rocky start, but I’m feeling generous tonight. Now, ah… name, as I said, and, what exactly did you see?”

“Oh, I’m… Enid. I work here on the third level of Synergetics, and…”

“Enid! I knew it was you! Distinguished listeners, we’re hearing live, the voice of my dear sister. It’s been ages. I’m surprised to hear you saw something ‘weird,’ Nid- you always had a pretty high bar.”

In his smoky studio, Sid was secretly reeling. He leaned away from the microphone and pat a box of Shadhavar Wides against his palm to pack them, then fumbled for a little silver lighter. The etching of a bikini-clad human winked up at him as he struck the wheel and took a long, steadying drag.

“Well… hm. What your first caller said caught my attention, so I was in the middle of researching that.

“The- the Brisban case, with Putt? You jumped on it that quick?”

“While I was on hold.”

“Wow. But, ah… do you have your own sighting to report? Something for the audience to chew on?”

Enid tapped her bottom lip and huffed.

“Well, I don’t want anyone to think too much of this, but I have seen something. About three weeks ago. I was up north- in Grothmar, the Charr territory?”

“Beautiful weather up there. Even the storms are nice.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I was studying post-Kralkatorrik brand radiation- the corruption is persistent, you see, and when you have a steady source like a dragon, that’s to be expected. Without it, the flow should ebb and the radiation should begin to decay. But I think that due to the crystalline structure of the corrupted materials, the magic is finding these facets to bounce around on, conserving angular momentum and-“

“Nid, I love ya, but this is dead air. Lights? Sky? We getting there?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. Right. Sid and Sid’s audience. Lowest common denominator.

“It was a symmetrical cymatic response- that is to say, we used our instruments to mess with the cluster of corrupted material on the ground, and were able to have a second team in the mists check their location with identical instruments. We’d make a tone, they’d detect a tone.”

“More of a sound in the sky, but I’m with ya so far. So this krewe, on the other side of the veil, so to speak, they could hear the sound you were making, and… what?”

“Well, that’s the revolutionary thing, Sid. It’s the first time we’ve been able to accurately, linearly map the coordinates of a location in the mists, as it relates to a location in Tyria! By measuring the offset between the two, we were able to calculate that the mists themselves are at an orthogonal angle to standard Tyria- our North is their West!”

“…Fascinating. And the implications are… staggering, I’m sure.”

Her expression flattened and she ran a hand across her face. Lights. In the sky. Right. Let’s get to that before he moves on.

“So this relates to Putt’s bubble, you see. The fact that it welled up at all, how it moved, where it came from- to your listeners’ great satisfaction, we did see lights in the sky that we couldn’t explain. Not a bubble, no- but I theorize we saw the shear between Tyria and the mists. Sending such a direct signal from one to the other had an effect on the boundary between realms… and somebody, we speculate, didn’t appreciate that.”

“Oh. Oh! Hey, that’s juicy, you should have started with that! No flair for the dramatic, this one. So let’s get into that, specifically- what did you see, that gave ya cause to speculate that?”

“At first we thought that we’d kicked up a storm. Cloud-to-cloud lightning, and lots of it. But… I hate to hand it to the humans, especially after the Balthazar thing, but they might be onto something with some of their gods.”

“You saw one?”

“We saw a hand. Specifically, the underside of one. Curling fingers, drawing across the realm-shear, constructed out of lightning. It was vague at first, but as the digits moved, there was no mistaking it.”

“Wild stuff, sis. I wanna take a shot in the dark here, because I know you- I know there’s more at play here than just you seeing something. Did your krewe in the mists see something too?”

“That’s the kicker. They saw the other side of the hand. They thought they were having tech issues, an overloaded crystal somewhere, until screens started blowing out and lightning started leaping everywhere. Had to evacuate their work camp while huge knuckles made of static discharge just sort of… raked through their whole shop, destroying anything they couldn’t carry out. Made a circular motion, seemed to… stir up the mists? Maybe… froth them back up, after we’d thinned them out?”

“Holy crap. Now that’s the kind of mystery I’m talkin’ about! The nature of the human gods, or whatever they are! Why would it do that? Does this mean that gods are making other lights in the sky? Did a god blow Putt’s bubble? We gotta get some humans on the line- they got experts, right? Like, uh… religious… scholars?”

“Isn’t that a bit of an oxymoron?”

“Nid, be nice. We take all kinds here on Smoke Signals. –Speaking of which, our next caller’s been on the line quite some time, waiting for their chance. Boy, but this was a doozy. I’m gonna run a golem down to your lab with my personal number. Maybe the Smoke Signals research team can lend a hand with this, huh? –‘Til next time, though, goodnight!”

“…Yeah, see ya around, Sid.”

“Thank you for calling 103.3, K-R-U-E, Venlin Vale Radio!” A familiar automated voice chimed. “You have been disconnected! Please wait five minutes before placing another call!”

And then the line went quiet, the crystal dark.

She turned on her radio and returned to the holo-screen.

“—aller number one, you’ve been awfully patient, you must have something reeeeeeally important to share! Turn off your radio and give us your name, if you please.”

As the next caller regaled Sid with tales of a “boat” they saw in the sky as they were hiking in Dzalana, Enid immediately tuned out.

Sid… she really didn’t have any reason to want his respect. In fact, he should be treating a professor of her caliber with a little more deference, when you really looked at the situation from the outside in. But here he was, regionally-famous radio host, urging her to get to the ‘good parts’ of her research and shooing her off the air when he thought she’d said enough.

Why did that cut so deep? As nice as it was to talk, it was painfully one-sided.

She knew he had a good mind. An inquisitive and dutiful mind. He’d volunteered to serve in Orr, after all, and was instrumental in reporting troop movements back to Claw Island over secured channels and providing music to those same troops over unsecured channels, using just deft hands and a junky set of equipment he’d cobbled together.

She was finishing her first doctorate at the time, too young for the Priory to deploy her- and too young for the College of Synergetics to let go of her, besides. When the news came back, she really thought of her older brother as a hero. Silly old Sid, a war reporter.

But maybe he was just a nicotine-stained, slimy, self-serving, cabbage-fucking-

She took a deep breath and shook her head. He had given her a lot of airtime to tell a complicated story, and he was sending along a means to talk privately, finally!

But it was the ‘he had given’ part she took painful umbrage with. How is it that he’s always in charge of these things? Effortlessly, as if it’s his right? There was a real mystery. Lights in the sky are easy to explain compared to that.

She continued to grumble as she prodded at the screen. As the pink holographic text started to blur, she looked away and found herself staring at the framed photo of her daughter, grinning up at her with gap teeth and bright eyes.

“He’s repulsive. Rucks, how did he ever get in your head? If you had focused on your studies, you’d be here in the city with me, instead of…”

She couldn’t remember the name. Some backward human fishing village across the sea.

Enid pulled open a drawer and retrieved a bag of hard candy. It was right next to her cigarettes- Skrittmann’s Menthol Silver Slim 120s. She frowned at the half-full softpack and shut the drawer, then popped a thumb-sized cylinder of blue raspberry into her cheek.

The clock struck 3:00 am, and there was a knock at the door.

“It’s open,” she called out. The interlocking hatch doors slid apart, and a golem stumped into the room, carrying a teal holopad in one hand and a book in the other. She met it halfway and it held its hands up in an oddly childlike fashion, offering both at once.

“This must be the private number, and… what’s this, now?”

She took the book and frowned at the cover, reading aloud in a flat, irritated voice:

“Up In Smoke – One Asura’s Journey from Lowlife to High Life, and How You Can Too.”

Alchemy fucking preserve me, it’s signed.

She scowled at the silver paint-pen signature across the dustcover, and flipped to the first page.

To Spokes- it takes balls the size of honeydews to ride a ten-speed through Malchor’s Leap, and you did it every day. I might have quit radio altogether if you hadn’t brought me those letters from Camp Narthex.

“DEDICATION

To the 113th Ground Artillery Regiment- you guys were a real peach to bivouac with. Sorry about the latrine. You’re welcome for the case of Gorepelt Supreme I found- didn’t take us long to get through those bottles, did it?

To Professor Qlatt, Statics Earthworks Division- sorry I kept putting stuff in my nose, man. I got an attention span you could fit in a teaspoon with room to spare, and you sure were patient. I ain’t coming back, but if you want that homework I owe ya, I eventually filled it out.

To Ma & Pa- I just hope you’re glad I figured out something to do.

And to my sister, Enid. You don’t just make them proud, you make me proud, too. It’s a big ask, but keep achieving for the both of us. When I say you’re Council material, it’s the only time in my life I’ve ever not meant it as an insult.”

Enid swallowed, frowned, and pat the golem on the head, sending it clunking off back into the hall.

“Guess I’ll call him,” she exhaled through her teeth.

“Just… maybe tomorrow.”

She set the book face-down on her workbench and took another deep breath, then turned her eyes back up to the screen.

She’d never admit it, but they both wanted the answer to the same question.

Just what is going on up there, anyway?

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #smokin' sid #synchroneer enid #rata sum #kralkatorrik

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betterskatethannever · 2 years ago

Text

2022 best of

best parts

Nick Matthews - Venture x Uprise / Nike x HUF

Mason Coletti - RIGHT HERE FOR PABLO . Deep Fried Pescado

Eddie Cernicky - Deep Fried Pescado . RIGHT HERE FOR PABLO

Tiago Lemos - Primitive DEFINE.

Gustav Tønnesen - SOUR SOLUTION III

Leonardo Bodelazzi - Leozinho

Juan Virues - Hotel Blue pro ‘penthouse suite’

Cyrus & Max - Limosine Promaster . “Toes Down” . i just took a bite of dirt

Diego Todd - Hockey X

Braden Hoban - emerica Emerge

Tristan Funkhouser - Baker 420 . Deep Fried x Baker

Nyjah Huston - Need That . Shine On . “DISRUPTION”

Tyshawn Jones - “Play Dead” . KINGDOM COME . ‘The General’

Carlos Ribeiro - Primitive DEFINE.

Gilbert Crockett - DENIM CAR

Grant Taylor - Fantastic Voyage

Will Marshall - Alltimers You Deserve It

Lucien Clarke - LAUST IN TRANSLATION

Shaun Paul - DC ‘NorthUnda’

Noah Nayef - April

Elijah Odom - Alltimers You Deserve It . Andrew RASCAL

Brian Reid - Brian, Brandon & Will . DGK Zeitgeist

Shin Sanbongi - adidas

Jordan Trahan - Ace ‘Fais Low Low’

Bobby de Keyzer - Bobby

Brian Delatorre - Live & Direct

Vincent Milou - SOLO: You Changed

Jaakko Ojanen - Manana . E.S.P. vol. 2

Ryan Lay - DR in Color . Sci-Fi Fantasy

Myles Willard - Bones Bearings . ”Myles and The Machine”

Will Mazzari - Brian, Brandon & Will . DGK Zeitgeist

Marcello Campanello - Maxallure pro

Heitor da Silva - Vice Versa Love

Jake Wooten - Big Sky

Felipe Gustavo - CODE

Ishod Wair - REAL

Ish Cepeda - AD ASTRA

Louie Lopez - As You Wish . “Honor Roll” . FA, Again & Again

Danny Renaud - Brass Tacks

Silas Baxter-Neal - Portland Public Skating 3 . Burrow

Brian Delatorre - Habitat Live & Direct

Keiran Zimmerman - Jenny x Emerica

best full-lengths

Polar - Sounds Like You Guys Are Crushing It

Antihero - Fantastic Voyage

GX1000 - RIGHT HERE FOR PABLO

The Sour Solution III

Primitive - DEFINE.

Hockey X

Supreme - “Play Dead”

Alltimers - You Deserve It

Shake Junt - Shrimp Blunt

Bronze TV Channel 56

Element - E.S.P. vol. 2

Deep Fried - Pescado

Cafe - TENOR

Rassvet - “I Missed You”

Homies - Fun Raiser

DGK - Zeitgeist

Plan B - CODE

Emerica - EMPOWER

Bleach USA - “SPIKE”

Foundation - Splendor

best breakout parts

Vince Guzaldo - Bleach USA “SPIKE” . Immortality Research

Davide Holzknecht - Baglady. Pack Light . Hélas

Arthur Ribeiro - Vento Bravo

Blake Norris - FULLER HOUSE

Alan Bell - be honest

Johnny Cumaoglu - Mind How You Go

Joe Campos - Hockey X

Brian O’Dwyer - She’s Cheating

Shane Farber - CONS One-Star Pro x RIDING A HORSE NAKED

Jake Yanko - “MOSQUITO”

Christoph Friedmann - LOBBY DREAMS

Donovan Wildfong - Glue ‘wick & spit’

Marley Humphrey - “DIME BAG”

Jason Nam - carousel

Sam Fairweather - Indy Raw Ams

Shogo Zama - MAGENTAPES

best women’s parts

Breana Geering - Spitifre

Nelly Morville - Limosine Promaster . “Toes Down” . i just took a bite of dirt

Mariah Duran - Thunder

Adrianne Sloboh - Krux

Mami Tezuka - Blood Wizard “Destiny”

Nicole Hause - REAL

Reese Nelson - Birdhouse welcome

best independents

Tim Savage - Brian, Brandon & Will

Fritte Söderström - Jante 5:33 x Jante 11:00

Tor Ström - Is This The Place?

Gray Area: Push Button to Destroy the World

Mettz Quest 2 (nyc)

Eryk Burton - THE TALE OF A TOXIC KING (nyc)

Harry Bergenfield - She’s Cheating (Philly)

Nicolas Marti - be honest (nyc)

Neema Joorabchi - limp x okay then (nyc)

Jeff Cecere - Mind How You Go (nyc)

Felix Soto - “ANGEL” (LA)

Calvin Millar - THE SQUAD (Austin)

Emilio Dufour - MAL CIUDADANO (Uruguay)

My Favorite Things - 31 (Helsinki)

Andrew Meyer - flinch (Philly VX)

Widdip - RIDING A HORSE NAKED (ATL)

Viktor Kretsis - Down Low (Manchester)

gang international - WITH ALL DUE (DC)

Chris Mulhern - [untitled] 006 (Philly)

Leando Chocho - HANDYCAPS_2

Tyler Bamdas - V3

Alex Doyle - CLUB BANGERS 3 (Vancouver)

Portland Public Skating 3

DUPLEX 3 (West Palm Beach FL)

HITTIT 3 (Kopenhagen)

Tristan Warren - MONEY TIME (LA)

Zach Fuller - FULLER HOUSE (SF)

Get Lesta - Darling (UK)

James Morley - GOD BLESS (Toronto)

andres garcia - MILO (LA)

James Cruikshank - SENSIBLES (Paris)

Brian Hunter - SLANG (Long Beach)

Daniel Dent - faith in bro (LA)

best promo / medium-length / squad

Limosine - Promaster . “Toes Down” . i just took a bite of dirt

Free x Vans - Full Circle

The Union Square Video

Game On - Mark Suciu SOTY Trip

Chocolate - Upper Cruster

Primitive x Independent

Austin Bristow - LAUST IN TRANSLATION

eS Terminal 002

Bronze x DC What If God Said

Pangea Jeans - POCKET DIAL

adidas - The Sky Ain’t Falling

Pass~Port Nike

Internet Birthday ep.1

Thunder: Pleather Jacket

SCREWLOOSE - EXILE

Last Resort AB - Alv’s Angels

Thrasher Germany Vacation

RACKZ Gallery - Pandora

adidas Australia - Light Years

Sunday Hardware - LUV YA LOTS x x

Baglady - Pack Light

HUF x Thrasher Brazil

Sk8land Skateshop - Veinte

Cowtown - TWENTY FIVE

Am Scramble 2021

Girl - ‘Desesh Mode’ Euro Tour

CPH OPEN 2021

Poolroom - RUNNER UP

Brick & Mortar - Autumn

Maxallure “INT CIRCLE” . “Beautiful Thoughts”

Dime comp vol 7 - Alexis Lacroix

SLP - KARI

Vans - Scandis

Kadence - DAIS

WKND - BOTTLE NECK SEWAGE . Street Fighters 2 . Alan Gelfand High

WORBLE III: Rough & Tough

Tree skateshop x Delivxry Buenos Aires - TREENIDAD

THE VIOLET PROMO

Stussy - Car Pool

Frog x Thunder

another massive year in skateboarding. hope things are good in your world. tell your friends you love em & let’s persevere to make 2023 even better

extended youtube playlist here

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anotherdayinbliss · 1 year ago

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Chain belts offer, 1968

Kotex invites you to join The Chain Gang Grab ahold of fashion’s newest, knock-out chain belts — $8 comparable value, just $2.50 each! Go ahead. Hang one on. Or two or three. Choose now from four dinky, linky, new chain belts. They’re fashion’s zow-iest new zing-things to wear waist-high or hip-low! Each is 39″ long. From left to right:

Reversible Plank Belt — hot pink, bright orange, yellow, green and white plastic planks, reverses to solid white.

Brass Block Belt — bright brassy blocks on a chain.

Daisy Belt — hot pink, bright orange, chartreuse, blue and green plastic daisies.

Reversible “Tortoise Shell” Belt — tortoise shell finish on one side, pewter on the other.

#vintage fashion #miscellaneous #1960s

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lavendermaelk · 2 years ago

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These Foolish Things-Prologue

Jason Todd x Jazz Vocalist!Reader Word Count: ~900 Warnings: This series is 18+. Alcohol mention Summary: It's a normal night of work for you in Gotham before you get an offer you can't refuse. A/N: I couldn't not do this once I got the idea. This is the song mentioned in the chapter: Love For Sale

Another lively night in Gotham city filled with crime and scandal and yet there [Y/N] was in a dimly lit bar, swaying slightly as she sang into the microphone. It was dangerous to be out late at night in such a city, she knew that, but she had to pay her rent somehow. Though, it hadn't been bad in quite a while. With Batman there to protect the night with many a sidekick and Red Hood on the rise to control the numerous gangs in Gotham, it was the safest it had ever been. Sure, crime and danger were still prevalent, but it had been a good couple of years since people truly felt endangered at work or home.

She vocalised along with the band, Emerald King, as the song came to an end, the last notes ringing in the air as they reverberated from the brass bells of the trumpet and saxophone behind her. The audience paused their sipping and snacking to give a polite applause with a few drunken cheers.

"Thank you" [Y/N] laughed softly, quite happy to be able to perform nearly every night. It gave her a rush and a sense of joy that sitting at a desk or waiting on a fussy table could never give. Her eyes flit over to the light coming from the entrance as the door opened, and a small group stepped in and were led to a table near the front. They must have been the VIP the bar manager had spoken to her about before she started her set. She couldn't quite make out who they were, their bodies shadows in the low warm light in comparison to her illuminated form, put on display for the audience to enjoy as she sang. She gave the new group her dazzling smile and looked back to check with the band. Once they were good to go, she turned her head again and got back to putting on a show. "This one's called 'Love For Sale.'"

The band struck up a mellow melody as the lyrics started to flow from her painted lips like warm honey. She could feel the eyes on her body as she sang, fingers wrapping around the mic and stand as she looked into the dark crowd. Her hips bumped to the music, enjoying the feeling of the band's music wash over her as she sang. She relished in the warmth of the songs, soaking in the vibrations they sent through her bones and the electricity of being up on the stage.

After a few more songs, her set was over, and she was sweating from the bright light pointed at her. The crowd gave [Y/N] and the band one last round of applause as they made their way offstage to rest up and enjoy what the speakeasy had to offer. She moved to sit at the table in the corner she always went to after her performances, a few sliders and some fries already there, still warm, with a glass of [favourite drink] waiting for her. She happily ate as some of the band came over with their own drinks to keep her company.

Chatter filled the air and the light in the bar brightened slightly as some soft jazz played from the speakers. She was having a good time, happy to just be fed and get paid every night, when a shadowy figure came up to the table. [Y/N] looked up from her drink to see the man tower over her with deep blue eyes and a black waves of hair. He leaned against the booth and smiled at the group as the faint smell of his cologne and his alluring energy filled the space. "You sing like an angel, you know that? And you guys," he gestured to the band. "You play so smoothly! Really great stuff up there."

"Thanks," she smiled softly, wiping her lips and turning in her seat to look up at him.

"Dick Grayson, pleasure to meet you." Dick stuck out his hand to her, and she gave it a light shake. Who knew Bruce Wayne's first son was one to like jazz? Though he was as charming as he was rumoured to be with his sweet smile and pleasant air around him.

"[Y/N] [L/N]. Pleasure's all mine." He went around shaking the other's hands and getting their names before standing at the edge of the booth table. She watched as he did so, warmed at the fact he didn't just have his eyes on her. Dick leaned against the booth again as she looked over him to see how his trousers clung to his legs and how his shirt stretched over his lithe yet muscular frame.

"I've got a gig for you. I need some entertainment for an event, and you guys have been the most impressive act I've seen during my little scouting period." Dick offered as he kept that charming smile on his face and showed off his pearly whites. [Y/N] looked at the band for a moment, not wanting to make the decision without them. She saw their curious faces. Dick Grayson offered them a gig! Surely it couldn't be that bad, right?

"Well, we'd love to hear a bit more about it!" the vocalist nodded, flashing her own charming smile at Dick.

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t0kidal · 2 years ago

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The Alef Part 5

_______________________________________________

(I do not own Mairimashita! Iruma-Kun or it’s plot or characters. All credits go to Nishi Osamu.

The idea was to use similar transitions from the series here, from Wicked phase to (I don’t know if I’ll do an evidoll arc) harvest festival to music festival. Plus side stuff that will be non-canon (at least non-canon in terms of “It’s fanfic and I want a high school romance.”)

tw: conflict, slight self depreciation, I was not expecting this to suddenly come out like that how to turn it around help)

Masterlist

_______________________________________________

The weekly duration for your wicked phase had passed.

But you were still growling around like a feral animal!

Was that drool?!

Shichiro assumed that it might’ve been due to the rough shape of Babyls. It smelled, it was loud, and for someone like you (sort of insecure after the attack last week) it was concerning but unsurprising that you were like this.

In fact, it was kind of endearing. You allowed yourself head pats and platonic cuddles that fulfilled him, and he appreciated the opportunity. Of course, this was after making sure that you were ok with it.

“Hmm? It looks like your fangs sharpened in addition to sudden hair and nail growth.”

He had to write this down.

You only churred in response.

“Lunch is almost over, class is about to start, I don’t think Dali-sensei is going to let it slide that you’re skipping out.”

You don’t respond.

“Tsk, just let them be. If they get in trouble for this it’ll be something to deal with later.”

Shichiro frowned but, they couldn’t really do anything regardless about your current actions.

~~~

“IT’S THE TOP DOG’S GANG!”

“JUMP ‘EM”

Why did this happen...

Kalego just wanted a moment of peace. Ever since that damn senior started ordering him around, nothing seems to go right. Even beating the shit out of these riff raff didn’t seem to change anything.

He was about to summon Cerberous when it suddenly went quiet.

His opponents froze in confusion, and a sudden heavy weight filled the air...

Was this... you? Where were yo-

Suddenly there you were, teeth bared, hair bristling and adding volume to your smaller figure, pacing between him and the attackers in question...

~~~

You were afraid, seeing them, hearing them, you were afraid and so so mad.

You, after all, were just you. Small, and low ranked.

But as you were locked in your wicked phase, only half aware of what was going on. You knew, you sensed...

Danger, Prey, Fight. Now.

And so you did.

~~~

“Y/N! Y/N! Damnit! Stop!”

“Huh?”

Where were you? You were at school weren’t you? You... You were acting really strange you knew that...

“Y/n! Let go of him!”

Your mouth tasted like brass...

“I-I’m sorry! Please!”

Oh... that’s right, you got in another fight...

One of the guys who jumped you and Kalego was under you, crying. You had his arm in your mouth, jaws locked tight...

This... wasn’t... right...

You let go almost immediately, pausing to take in the chaos around you. Balam had arms around your neck in a kind of wrestler’s hold; Kalego had summoned Cerberous to hold you down, both you and the Shichiro on your sides, and there were the other demons, peering back from around the distant corner at their friend.

They themselves had multiple scratches, bites, and bruises.

Turning back to the guy you just bit, he flinched as you locked eyes.

“I...”

“Opera-kun, please escort the injured to the nurse’s hall. Y/n, come with me, let’s talk.”

Oh shit... it’s Sullivan... aid to the missing demon king, one of the three heroes, the principal... and you weren’t sure which of those would be the worst to face right now.

You didn’t say anything as you got up, noting the various aches and pains that jolted through you but otherwise ignoring them.

“Sullivan-sama-..” Opera started to speak but silenced at the hand of his master.

“Later, Opera. Follow me, young demon.”

You’re too ashamed to spare any of them a glance as you walk.

~~~

“Now, let’s talk about what happened.”

“... I... I was in my wicked phase... and perceived a threat... it’s never been that bad before... I don’t know what happened...”

“Could it have been affected by your fight off campus last week?”

You look up at him, ‘He knows?’ written all over your face.

He only chuckles, “Yes, I know. Opera told me.”

“Oh...” you weren’t sure what that meant for you but...

“Please don’t expel me. I really need to be here... I know I’m not the most noticeable and I try to lay low, a really bad quality for a demon, a really poor quality demon-”

“Hm? I’m not going to expel you.”

“Huh?....”

“...”

“... b-but, that doesn’t even make sense?!”

“I think it makes plenty of sense. We’re demons. Just because you’re ranked Alef doesn’t make you any less of one. Wild, ruthless, with a drive to prove your own strength and capabilities to survive.”

“But- what-”

“You just need a liiiiittle bit more training. I’ll have to notify Naberius-san that you’ll be enrolled into a higher level course. I’m assuming that he was your only teacher or tutor during your time here so far? As most of the other Alefs had dropped out to retake the practical test again later?”

“Y-yeah, but... but why?”

“Because in order for you to grow into a proper, full fledged demon, you must learn to replace your fear as your drive to survive. To survive isn’t a bad ambition but -- but as a fearful, possibly insecure, wayward soul, internalizing survival and fear -- your methods are too reckless and brutal for both yourself and those around you. Too wild.”

“You... you should just send me away... not just cause it sounds hard for myself but...”

“Hmm.”

He- wait is that a pout?

“Mo~! You can afford to be a little greedy don’t you know~! Satisfaction with how things are, at the very bottom, is unacceptable, Lazy~! It’s decided!”

He stamps something on a piece of paper.

“You’re going into a higher leveled class!”

~~~

What happened after is a bit of a blur, you had to sign a couple things, and come back early tomorrow to get your schedule.

You could guess that some of his reasonings were that in a higher level course, you’d be forced to try harder to survive, which would lead to growth, and you’d be under the watchful guide of more teachers.

You’re still not sure how you haven’t been kicked out yet.

But right now, you were on your way to the medical wing to treat your own wounds.

Just as you were about to open the door it swung open on its own and before you were the students that tried to jump you and Kalego.

“Huh?” Yes, brilliant, so smart, much eloquent.

~~~

And now you’re all stuck in a room because Buer came by and told you all to go back inside to sit still and “Think about what you’ve done.”

There’s about five in the room, including you.

“…”

Holy shit this is awkward. What do you even say? Do you need to say anything? There’s more of them then there are of you! If you apologize will they think you’re weak? Will they think you think they’re weak if they say something? Will you think they think you think-

“O-Oi.” Says an ogre looking demon from your first encounter with Opera.

“Huh?”

“Are you still…” he taps at his temple, “gone?”

“Uh… no… no, I’m here…”

“R-right so…”

“Ok, I got this one.” Interrupts a wolf demon. “Ahem, you’re fucking terrifying.”

“...”

“I respect that.”

Of course they do... but... this could be an opportunity.

“Don’t get in my way again.” You start off firmly and almost scare yourself.

‘Was that too harsh?’

“Got it. It’s clear now, all the Top Dogs are no joke.”

“Wh-” Well, that works too...

As time went by, Buer-sensei came by to make sure you all were alright and that you hadn’t killed each other.

Eventually, he sent everyone but the ogre (or oni) demon from earlier. Looking a little closer, it’s that “little brother” from a week ago. His arm looks hurt really bad and you vaguely recall the taste of blood.

“So-”

“Abou-”

You gesture for him to go first.

He only sighs and stands up, steps closer; You tense, unsure if he was about to attack until...

He kneels... it was only the two of you there, so you supposed it helped him save face.

“I’m sorry,” head down, fangs no where in sight (another sign similar to baring your wing base but less intimate). “I was wrong about you being a leech that just... clings onto the other three. And I’m sorry about calling my big bro to avenge my pride...”

“...”

“I’m sorry to cause you trouble.”

“... Pfft.... sorry sorry... Thank you, I really appreciate your apology, I was just thinking it must be rough getting your arm caught in all the chaos.”

He looks up a little confused but seems in awe when you smile.

~~~

(Note: we got our closure! and things are starting to look up for us! Next parts are gonna be focused on whipping us into a force to be reckoned with.

Oni/Ogre guy was supposed to be the guy who got his arm broken by Shichiro in Kalego Gaiden. I don’t know if that was clear but my idea was to drag him along maybe, make him start a fan club for the reader. And call him “Ko” (get it? Ei-Ko?) and give him a successful love story when he meets another fangirl of reader (who will come later) and call her “Ei”

Meanwhile, me, neglecting our love story T-T

Anyways hope you enjoyed, sorry if the writing got a little sloppy, still trying to work on transitions between themes and moods in sections of the story (not to mention, proper endings).

Thank you so much for reading!)

#mairimashita! iruma kun #balam shichiro #balam shichirou #naberius kalego #opera mairuma #reader insert #fanfic #first fanfic

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