#mt knee hurts real bad now

[lact101]

I fell and scraped my knee in front of a large group of people

[ethereousdelirious]

Welcome to the sediment layer of "fills I had to write on a 10+ y/o iPhone because I post my real phone in Canada"

It has since been replaced, but. That was a dark time

Sicktember 2023 Day 28

Prompt: "I should have stayed home"

Fandom: Pokémon

Characters: W.allace, St.even

Notes: Emeto emeto emeto

Now, at this very moment, linguists were re-writing the Official Hoennese Dialect Dictionary. Flip to the 'D' section— there, under 'down bad,' a picture of Wallace sweating through his shirt.

Definition: whatever; example sentence: "Wallace is down bad for Steven Stone."

Down so bad that he'd agreed to come to this hours-long lecture on rocks. Down so bad that he hadn't canceled despite waking up with the stomach ache of the century. Despite the near-misses he'd had throughout the day, stifled gags behind closed lips and hoping the challenger of the hour wouldn't notice anything. And thank the Makers that he hadn't actually gotten sick in his Gym, because then some poor janitor would have had to melt the ice and drain the water and that would have been a nightmare.

Wallace's stomach bucked beneath his waistband. Oh, right. He was already in a nightmare. A never ending stream of lectures on rocks and stones and boulders and minerals and whatever else and he was right up front, so when he inevitably left to go puke his guts up in the university bathroom, everyone would notice.

And then, once he'd recovered, he'd have to find his seat again and sweat through some more lectures, because of course Steven was speaking last.

There was just no way Wallace could miss his speech, not after months of late-night phone calls helping Steven workshop subheading names and sentence structures. He'd been so excited that Wallace had agreed to come.

So Wallace was going to sit and swallow back the waves of nausea and shiver in his custom white suit (with the diamond-studded tulle capelet, thank you very much) and be there for his best friend.

All he had to do was wait.

And wait.

And w— and not throw up, do not, do not.

And wait.

The misery came in waves: first a cold sweat on his brow and pressure in his stomach, then more sweat rolling down his back, then a heavy urge to retch sitting in the back of his throat. His breaths came so loud through his nose it interfered with his ability to hear the lectures and surely his neighbors resented the chill of his exhalations on their wrists, but he couldn't control it. Not if he wanted to control his stomach.

Worst of all, the longer he held back, the more his stomach hurt, cramping like Nolan's Pinsir had him in a Vise Grip.

Pressure and pain built up in his belly until he just couldn't ignore it any more. Brackish saliva flooded his mouth and every attempt to swallow it down met increased resistance at the back of his throat.

He stood just as applause filled the auditorium— a stroke of luck. Keeping his head down, he stumbled over his neighbors' legs on his way out of the auditorium. How rude, to leave like this. But still, it was better than vomiting all over the carpet.

Wallace staggered into the atrium with the next speaker's voice booming in his head— "...the significance of Kanto's Mt Moon. How many of you have had the chance to visit—"

Wallace's stomach lurched and all his senses slammed inward with it, frantic focus on self and now and oh no I'm not going to make it.

Giving up on the bathroom, he steered himself toward the nearest trash can and immediately coated its contents with a thin wash of watery stomach acid. The edge of the can rammed into his sore abdomen and he heaved again, this time bringing up nothing but a quiet noise of distress.

Tears flooded his eyes and his knees gave out. He hit the ground hard, further irritating his stomach, which now felt like the Rusturf Tunnel: violently hollowed with rusty digging equipment.

He sat there on the floor for a moment. Just enough to collect himself, calm his breathing. He felt better now, really, a little better. Better enough that he could do the stupid, thirsty thing and stay long enough to listen to Steven's speech. Otherwise, what was it all for?

All he had to do was picture the grateful look on Steven's beautiful face and it would all be okay.

The feeling of tentative stability stayed through the second half of the speech he'd bailed on, even backing off enough to let him enjoy honest butterflies in his stomach when Steven finally took the stage.

Wallace's front row seat gave him a perfect view of the way Steven's silvery-green eyes sparkled in the spotlights. They were especially captivating tonight, probably because of the fever cooking Wallace's brain. Or, no, Steven really was that magical, wasn't he? From the easy way he commanded a room to his effortless presence in battle, he really was divine.

"...Wallace, whom I really cannot thank enough."

Wallace shook himself. Was that a blush on Steven's cheeks?

"Please stand up, Wallace; I really could not have done this without you." Steven gestured into the audience. "Gym Leader Wallace, everyone."

With his own cheeks burning, Wallace stood. He would have waved to Steven if he hadn't immediately come over dizzy. All his focus shifted at once to the monumental task of staying upright; he had to lock his knees and lean back against his chair for the modicum of stability it offered him.

He all but collapsed when the applause died down and Steven's next few sentences faded away to the roar in his ears.

Oh.

He was really sick.

He should have realized it earlier, probably, as though gagging into a trash can and collapsing hadn't been enough of an indicator. He was… too sick to be here and too stubborn to leave.

Even when the roar in his ears died out, silver spots blinked in his eyes and refused to go away no matter how he tried to ignore them. Worse still, the cramping pain in his stomach came back, low and constant.

And still.

He refused to regret his decision to stay. Steven really had blushed and that meant something and damned if Wallace was going to leave before reaping the rest of tonight's rewards. If staying earned him even one more smile, then he would stay.

-

"Wallace! There you are!" Steven beamed, his smile no less dazzling for the muddy yellow lights beaming down from the exterior of the auditorium. "I wondered where you'd gotten off to."

"Smoke break," Wallace said, uncrossing his arms before Steven could notice how desperately he'd been holding his stomach.

It seemed Steven was too caught up to notice anyway, because he didn't even pretend to laugh at Wallace's bad joke. "I'm so glad you came," he said, taking one of Wallace's hands between both of his own. "Really, I can't thank you enough. You look wonderful."

Wallace's stomach did a flip, half nerves and half real nausea. "I wouldn't miss it," he said. Steven had no idea.

"I'm glad you're alone, actually." Steven held tight to Wallace's hand, somehow not noticing the cold sweat on his palm.

Another flip.

Well, less of a flip and more of a triple lutz, triple flip combination that kicked up a dangerous splash of briny saliva in the back of Wallace's throat. He swallowed with difficulty, trying to keep focused on Steven's face when every instinct in his body screamed at him to curl up on his side and get ready to turn his stomach inside-out.

"Wallace, I wanted to ask you to dinner," Steven said, "just the two of us." His eyes shined green and earnest in the yellow light, putting to rest any lingering suspicion that this was just another dinner between friends.

He had left Wallace the perfect opening to say something charming or, better yet, heartfelt. But the only thing behind his lips was a strangled gag. He swallowed it down and managed to squeak out, "A date?" without painting Steven's shoes, but it was a near thing. Oh, he could cry. All he'd wanted, it was all he'd wanted...

"Yes," Steven said slowly, "a date. Wallace, are you—"

Wallace turned and heaved into the bushes, yanking his hand out of Steven's. There really, really wasn't anything left to come up and he coughed on the empty gags crawling up his throat.

"Wallace!" Steven's warm palm found his forehead, the other anchoring on his back.

The leaves tickled Wallace's face. He batted feebly at them, hands shaking, heaved again, and then his knees buckled and Steven had him, Steven had him.

"Wallace, can you look at me?"

Ugh, leave it to Steven to start testing his mental orientation instead of immediately administering mouth to mouth. With tongue.

"M'fine." Not strictly true. "Not having an aneurysm." A shudder ran through him and Wallace stifled a groan into the warmth of Steven's thigh. "My stomach hurts."

Steven's muscles shifted beneath Wallace's cheek and warm fingers began to brush his hair back. "Did you eat anything questionable earlier?"

Wallace shook his head as much as his positioning would allow. Ah, yes, he was mostly on the pavement, wasn't he? He should get up; his suit would get all dirty. "Haven't… felt well all day. Had to close my Gym early."

"Then why—" Steven's hand stilled for a moment. "Not that I'm not grateful, but why did you come if you weren't feeling well?"

Wallace tried to shift so he could look Steven in the eye, but his stomach cramped fiercely, so he stayed still. "I was hoping you'd ask me out on a date."

"Ohhh..." Steven sighed. "Wallace." He took a deep breath and released it, running his hands through his hair. "Can you sit up? Apparently we're having our first date at the ER."

-

The nurses spared Wallace some indignities and let him keep his suit on. Steven had to help him with his jacket and with rolling up his sleeve and even held his hand when it was time for the IV (which was very, very soon after arriving, because Wallace passed out in the lobby like some kind of waifish soap opera star).

"Did you know you have a fever?" Steven asked, reaching over to put a hand on Wallace's forehead.

Wallace closed his eyes, anchoring one hand on the emesis basin in his lap in case he needed it. "No," he said. The fluids had cleared his mind a little, but all he could picture was Steven's spotlight-dazzling smile. "I would've come anyway."

"I—" Steven broke off with a sigh. "You really don't think you should have stayed home?"

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to ask me out on a date?" Wallace countered. "I had a feeling tonight would be the night."

"You could have asked me out if you were so sure," Steven said, strangely subdued. Wallace opened his eyes and found Steven frowning at him, a furrow between his brows.

"I wanted you to ask me."

"But does that mean that you only agreed to help me with my speech because you wanted—"

"Steven Stone." Wallace held up a hand to stop him and winced when he pulled on the tape holding his IV line in place. "I risked throwing up all over your parents tonight because I wanted you to ask me out on a date. I helped you with your speech because I love— Ah." Searing heat flooded Wallace's face and his stomach dropped, though not in a way that indicated a strong need for the emesis basin. He white-knuckled it anyway, drawing it closer. "...rocks," he finished weakly. "Because I love rocks."

Steven, who had yet to let go of Wallace's hand, pressed a kiss to the back of it like he couldn't help himself, like it was something as reflexive as breathing. "You know, Wallace," he said, gazing at him like he was more beautiful than any diamond, "I love rocks, too."

And this time, Wallace and his upset stomach managed to not ruin the moment.

That honor went to the doctor, who interrupted their adorable little mutual confession with questions about Wallace's health and wellbeing, like that mattered when he could have been canoodling in a hospital bed with Steven.

When the doctor was finally satisfied, thankfully clearing Wallace to go home, Steven took his hand again. "Have you at least learned a lesson from all this?"

"Oh, sure." Wallace squeezed his hand and smiled despite his exhaustion. "Steven Stone rewards bad behavior."

[diivineray]

I lost my best friend to suicide when I was 17. This was back when my parents insisted online friendships weren’t real. Back when they didn’t approve of me talking and friending ppl online.

She was my other half. I loved her so much. We could talk for hours, and in a time where I lived in such an unstable and abusive household.. she made me feel so loved.

We were both suicidal those days, or just talked about it a lot but we had made the promise that we wouldn’t ever do it. No matter how bad it got.

She was my ever after.

We were corny like that. For MT fans. It’s what we would say goodbye as

You can be my ever after

I can be your perfect disaster

We were so corny and cringe we didn’t care.

I talked her down from the ledge a bunch of times. I’d spend hours doing it. She got sick a lot too.

So her time online was limited. We didn’t get to talk as much as we were used to. It broke her spirit.

She’d tell me how she’d be stuck on bed rest. How much she missed me, and all our friends. She had no one to talk to.

She hated being sick. And then one day she couldn’t do anymore.

We got word from her friend who knew her in real life that she had jumped.

I never got to fully mourn her because my parents couldn’t know. I couldn’t let it show on my face that my whole world had just crumbled.

I seriously believe I lost part of my heart that day and I’ve sent all these years figuring out how to fill it. She’s just gone.

I’ve spent a lot of time being angry with her because she broke our promise. But now that I’m older, now I understand.

Because being sick all the time is exhausting. Taking all these treatments and medication for things to still go wrong anyway.

To know you’re never gonna be normal. To know this world wasn’t build for people like you.

To always feel like a burden.

It makes living a thousand times harder than normal. And it’s not fair. I couldn’t be upset with her because I know. I understand. She was tired. It still hurt. I wish she hadn’t. But I understand. I sometimes imagine myself sitting with her somewhere, talking about it. What she’d tell me.

And somehow it’s always her telling me I have to keep going. For whatever reason, I hear her voice telling me I’m gonna find that happy ending. She always talked like she it was gonna happen. Like she saw it. She never let me talk bad about myself. She always had a counter to any kind of bad thought I had.

I honestly didn’t think I’d make it to 30.

When it got closer I was so excited because I was there. And I’m still alive.

And I couldn’t enjoy it because, my health took a turn for the worst.

Now i just feel these years are pointless for me. And I know it’s also depression getting worse and filling my mind with it. Hopelessness.

I kept my promise to her. I won’t kill myself. It’s the reason I’m still here because of that promise. But what I told my therapist one day, because I want to do better. I really do, I want to be able to say that I’m here because I want to be. And not because of that promise.

But lately I feel like I finally get one door closed to a bad situation and it just forces open another.

Constantly doing battle after battle eventually you’re gonna fall to your knees. And I’m just tired. I think I broke down and cried three or four times today. If you’re reading this, I’ll be okay. Tho. I just gotta cry and feel emotions before returning to the regular schedule program.

[dumbass-extraordinaire]

Duck, Duck, Grief

The newly reopened wound on Aubrey’s thigh throbs dully as she limps away from the base of the ruined Mt. Kepler and back towards the gate.  She hears a voice in the back of her mind, the sensible one that sounds a lot like Duck, telling her that walking on an injured leg is a bad idea and that she’s only gonna make it worse.  A louder, more vicious voice tells her she deserves it.  This one doesn’t sound like Duck.  She ignores them both and keeps walking.  The night air is cold, numbing her exposed arms and face.  Aubrey is grateful for it.  Having a body feels like an impossible task right now.  Thinking is out of the question, because thinking means acknowledging everything that just happened- 

(gone all gone all gone he’s gone he’s gone it’s all your fault why couldn’t you heal him useless you didn’t even try you told him to leave he was supposed to leave now he’s gone it’s your fault)

-and she wasn’t ready.  Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and her ears were buzzing and it was too cold and she couldn’t breathe-

(he’s on the ground his eyes are open he doesn’t see you he isn’t breathing why isn’t he breathing his hands are cold he is never cold he is always warm warm warm warm smile warm laugh cold)

“Miss, are you okay?  Can you hear me?”

There is a voice above her-

(it is not his voice you will never hear his voice again your fault all your fault dead dead dead)

-the voice continues, but it is not talking to her anymore.

“I think she’s in shock-- Oh god, she’s bleeding, oh that’s real bad, aw jeez,” warm hands grip her arms and lift her to her feet.  She doesn’t remember falling to her knees.  That explains why her leg feels like it’s on fire-

(burning burning the house is on fire there is a man in a mask her dad is on the ground burning)

  She is vaguely aware of being half-carried over to an ambulance.  They sit her down, telling her to put pressure on the wound, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders.  She does this without comment, cannot open her mouth for fear that the words will come tumbling out and never ever stop.  She does not move.

…

Duck and Minerva had just finished taking down the abomination and were making their way over to Leo Tarkesian and Dr. Sarah Drake when they saw the top of Mt. Kepler lift into the air, then came crashing back down, shaking the earth and causing the telescope to creak and sway a little, which in all honesty was really terrifying.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ!” Duck yelped as the ground shook with the aftershocks of the mountain’s collapse.  He lost his balance but Minerva grabbed his arm to steady him before he could fall over. 

“Duck Newton You Should Be Careful!  Core Strength Is An Integral Part Of Any Hero’s Skill Set!” She exclaimed cheerfully, clapping a hand onto his shoulder with almost as much force as the mountain’s collapse.

“Thanks Minnie,” he wheezed, rubbing his sore shoulder.  Sarah ran up to them, her eyes wide with shock.

“What the hell just happened to the mountain?” she asked, her face pale with fear.

Duck scratched his head.  “Honestly, Sarah?  I got no earthly idea, but we should probably go find out,” he sighed.  “C’mon, we got a ways to go.”

The group of four made their way across the field towards the parking lot, Minerva still giving Leo a piggyback ride on account of his injuries.  When they reached the front gate, Sarah paused and turned to Duck.  She looked as exhausted as he felt.

Running a hand through her hair, she sighed, “As fun as this has been, I think I’ve just about maxed out my daily limit for weird.  If it’s all the same to y’all, I think I’m gonna head on home.”  She points to him, “Don’t think this means I’m gonna let you off the hook about this, mister.  I expect an explanation.”

He salutes her playfully, “Yes, Ma’am.  I’ll have that report on your desk by Monday.”

She smiles and says, “See ya around, Newton,” before turning and walking into the night.

Duck, Minerva, and Leo do the same, making their way to Duck’s government-issued truck.  He chucks the extra broadsword into the truck bed, slings Beacon back around his waist, and slides behind the wheel exhaustedly.  A part of him waits for Aubrey to call shotgun before remembering with a start that she isn’t with them.  He’s so used to having her and Ned as back up in life threatening situations that their absence right now is disconcerting.  He’s more than a little anxious to see them again; they’d all been so busy with their own situations the past few days that they hadn’t had much of a chance to hang out.

“What A Fine Chariot This Is, Duck Newton,” Minerva booms jovially, slapping the roof of his truck.  There is the distinct sound of crumpling metal.

Duck squints blearily at her as she squeezes into the passenger seat, mentally cycling through the five stages of grief as Minerva buckles her seatbelt.  He turns the key in the ignition and drives out of the parking lot.

… 

The closer they get to Amnesty Lodge, the more nervous Duck gets.  Not for the first time since the whole Sylvain mess started, he resents Kepler’s location in the Radio Quiet Zone.  Usually he didn’t mind not having a cellphone, but right now he would give just about anything to call Aubrey and Ned and make sure they’re okay.  The herd of ambulances and police cars heading towards the Lodge do nothing to quell Duck’s mounting anxiety levels.

His anxiety turns to dread as he turns onto the dirt road leading to the lodge and sees the crowd of townsfolk gathered in front of the gate, an ambulance parked off to the side.  He jerks the truck to a stop and jumps out, not even bothering to take the keys out of the ignition as he scans wildly for his friends.  Minerva moves to follow him, but he stops her, telling her to watch out for Leo.  Things are complicated enough without throwing an honest-to-fucking-god alien warrior into the mix.

When he finally does see Aubrey’s colorful shock of dyed hair, it is both a relief and an extra source of stress.  A relief because she’s alive, and a source of stress because she’s sitting in the ambulance.

Duck rushes over to her, his heart dropping into his stomach as a list of every worst case scenario runs through his head.  Someone found out about the lodge, someone went through the gate who wasn’t supposed to and went on a rampage, Agent Stern arrested someone, someone got hurt, someone got killed.  At least Aubrey is okay.  And while he doesn’t see Ned anywhere, Duck isn’t too worried about the old guy.  He’d survived ramming into a Pizza Hut sign with a jetpack, as well as the explosion of said jetpack immediately afterwards.  The man was damn near unkillable.  He skids to a stop in front of Aubrey, his momentum almost causing him to crash into the side of the ambulance.  He takes her in, noting the bandage on her leg and the shock blanket around her shoulders.

“Y’okay, kid?”  He asks, “Aubrey?”  She doesn’t respond, doesn’t look at him or even seem to register his presence.  

That’s his first clue that something’s wrong, because he’s seen her like this before, after the whole ordeal with the Pizza Hut sign.  The hollow, haunted expression on her face is nearly identical to the one she’d worn that day.  It scared him then and it scares him now.

“Aubrey,” he repeats her name.  “C’mon kid, ya gotta talk to me.  I just got here, I’m way outta the loop.”  Nothing.  She just keeps staring blankly ahead.  He crouches down in front of her, waving a hand in front of her face to get her attention.  Again, nothing.  Shit.

He stands back up and starts pacing, raking his hands through his hair, “Aubrey!”  He snaps.  The longer she stays unresponsive, the more nervous he gets, “I need you to say something, kid, you’re fuckin’ scaring me!”  Try as he might, he can’t quite keep the panic from bleeding into his voice.

Finally, finally, she looks up at him, and his heart breaks.

Aubrey looks absolutely wrecked.  Her eyes are bloodshot and ringed black with smeared mascara and eyeliner, her face blotchy and tearstained.  Disconcertingly, both her irises are a bright, piercing orange.  Duck figures this is something important, something he should ask her about right away.  He doesn’t, though, because he couldn’t care less about whatever earth-shattering event made Aubrey’s eyes change color.  He doesn’t care about all that world-saving, chosen one stuff, and he never has.  He cares about people, his people, and right now that’s Aubrey and Ned.  They’re the Pineguard, his family, and he would rather die than see them hurt.

“D-Duck,” Aubrey whimpers, her voice fragile like his ma’s best china.  “Duck, I couldn’t…h-he…”  She shatters, then, curling in on herself as she sobs.

“Hey now, uh,” Duck has never been good at comforting people, especially when they’re crying.  But this is Aubrey and she needs him, social anxiety be damned.

He sits down next to her on the tailgate of the ambulance, shifting so that he’s almost facing her, and puts his arms out, “Do you-- Ooph!”  Before he can finish his question, Aubrey collapses against him, sobbing into his shoulder.  Duck freezes for a moment, unsure, before wrapping his arms around her.

“I-It’s all,” she hiccups, “it’s all m-my fault, Duck, I-I couldn’t…”  She dissolves into sobs again, too distressed to continue.  Her shoulders shake with the force of it.

Duck pats her back awkwardly.  “Aw, Aubrey, I don’t know ‘bout that,” he says, “I don’t think-- don’t blame yourself, kid.  I’m sure you did everything you could.”  Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because she starts crying even harder.

He doesn’t know what to say, so he just hugs her tighter instead.  He hates himself a little for that, wishes to god that the words didn't stick in the back of his throat like old gum on the underside of a picnic bench.  Aubrey hiccups, and Duck rubs her shoulders soothingly.  He’s never seen her like this before, never seen her this broken.  Sure he’s seen her cry, seen her upset, but never like this.  Something is very, very wrong, and Aubrey’s clearly in no shape to tell him what, so he scans the crowd for someone who can.

Finally, he makes eye contact with Jake Coolice.  Which, okay, not exactly ideal, except for the fact that he’s standing next to Mama, who’s engaged in conversation with Detective Maygen.  Duck jerks his head towards the matriarch of Amnesty Lodge, hoping Jake picks up what he’s putting down.  The neon-cloaked Sylph looks confused, and he points at Mama and mouths her name in a silent question.  Duck nods emphatically.  Jake smiles and gives him two thumbs up before tugging on the sleeve of Mama’s duster to get her attention.  The older woman turns to Jake, who points in Duck’s direction.  She squares her shoulders, like she’s preparing for battle, and makes her over to the ambulance.  

The first thing Duck notices is how tired she looks.  The second is the blood on her shirt and hands.  

His blood turns to ice in his veins, “What the fuck happened?” he demands, “Are y’okay?”

Mama sighs, her whole body moving with it, “It’s not mine,” is all she says, and her shoulders slump in something a bit too much like defeat for Duck’s taste.

“Whaddya mean, whose is it then?” he asks, panic setting in.

She exhales softly through her nose.  “Duck, honey, I’m real sorry,” she begins, “now I don’t want you blaming yourself for this, ‘cause it ain’t no one’s fault.”  Mama pauses, looking up at the night sky before running a hand down her face.  There is dried blood under her fingernails.

“Whaddya mean, Mama, what happened?  What don’t ya want me blaming myself for?”

She looks pained, “Duck, sweetheart--.”

“No!  Don’t baby me, I aint a fuckin’ kid,” he snaps.  “What. The. Hell. Happened.”

“I-it was Ned.”  The response comes not from Mama, but Aubrey.  She pulls aways from Duck, exhaling shakily and wiping her eyes.

Duck stares at her.  “Whaddya mean, did he get hurt or somethin’?” he asks, pretty sure he already knows the answer to that question and hoping to god that he’s wrong, “Aubrey?”

She shakes her head.  “No, uh,” she takes a shaky breath, “Shit, I can’t do this.  Mama, uh, can you explain, please?”  Her voice trembles as she gives the older woman a pleading look.

Mama gives her a sad smile, “Sure, baby.”

“Thanks,” Aubrey sniffles.  Duck puts an arm around her and she buries her face in his shoulder.

Mama takes a deep breath, “Duck, ya said ya didn’t wanna be babied, so I guess I better just say it outright.  Ned ain't hurt, honey.  I’m so, so sorry, Duck, but he’s dead.  Ned’s dead.”

The words hit him like a punch in the gut, leaving him breathless and gasping.  

That can’t be right, Ned can’t be dead.  Ned ‘Cowardly’ Chicane, the only one of them with any sort of self-preservation instinct, the guy who just the other day had assured Duck that he didn’t need to worry about him getting hurt because he quote-unquote, “knew when to get the hell outta Dodge” was dead?  No way.  This had to be to work of the shapeshifter, or some sick practical joke.  It couldn’t be true, because if it was, it would mean Duck had failed.  It would mean that something happened and he hadn’t been there to take the big hit.  It would mean that Ned had taken the hit instead.  And he can’t handle that.  What’s the point of being the “Chosen One”, the so-called savior of the planet if he can’t keep the people he cares about safe?  

“Duck?”  Mama’s voice cuts through the haze of grief and shock clouding his brain.  He doesn’t respond, “You with us?”

He wants to argue, wants to break down and scream at the injustice of it all.  But he doesn’t, because he’s not the only one grieving Ned’s-- he’s not the only one affected.  Aubrey’s here too, huddled against his side like a barnacle on the hull of a ship.  God, she’s so young, still just a kid, really.  She shouldn’t have to deal with this alone.  She shouldn’t have to deal with this at all, truth be told, but that’s not in the cards.  The least Duck can do is be strong for her.  He’s good at being strong.  So he pushes aside all his grief and anger and self-recrimination, packing them away in a cardboard box in some dusty corner of his mind to deal with later.  Aubrey comes first.

He takes a deep breath, “Yeah, Mama, I’m with ya.”  He runs a tired hand down his face, “What, uh, what happened?”  His voice trembles right at the end.  He clenches his jaw.  

Mama glances ever so slightly at Aubrey.  “I’m fine,” is all the young woman says.  Mama looks to the night sky, as if hoping the stars can tell her how to make this easier.  Whatever she was looking for, it isn’t there and she faces Duck once more.

She does that thing again, squaring her shoulders like she’s getting ready for a fight, “The Abomination, it took Ned’s shape an’ then spilled the beans about everything on television.  The lodge, the gate, Sylvain, all of it.  That’s why all these folks are here,” she gestures to the crowd of townspeople.  

“Ned, he killed it and came down here to try and divert ‘em, send ‘em on a wild goose chase.  It sorta worked, actually, he got rid of about half of ‘em.  He starts talkin’ folks down, tryin’ to get the rest of them to see sense,” she laughs bitterly, “And it mighta even worked, too, ‘cept then the glowing coffin shows up and out pops Dani.  And she’s all feral, completely outta her mind after being separated from the hot springs for so long.”  

Her mouth presses into a thin line.  “And then she, well… She charged these here folks, and Ned, he tackles her.  Thing is, you get a buncha scared folks with guns in one place, well, someone’s bound to get hurt.  And tonight, that was Ned.  He got shot, and by the time the ambulance got here it was too late.  There wasn’t nothing any of us could do,” she looks over at Aubrey when she says that.  “And that’s… that’s the whole story.  I’m sorry,” she gives him a sympathetic look, “Y’alright, Duck?”

Duck says nothing, just nods sharply.  Because how do you respond to something like that?  What do you say when someone’s been ripped from your life and you can’t remember the last thing you said to them?  What do you say?  What can you say that would be enough to encompass the raw, gaping wound that takes the place of your heart, the way your stomach drops, when you think of all the things left unsaid?  What do you say?

As it turns out, “Let’s go home,” is a pretty good start.

[ajaviary]

Shatter Me

Summary: One misstep and your carefully crafted world will shatter and reveal the truth you’ve worked so hard to hide. The ugly, shame filled void that you haven't been able to drag yourself out of. You never expect to be on his radar, a string of circumstances bring you two closer and unfortunately he’s drawn into your world.

Some Dark Content with mentions of physical & emotional abuse. Hints at self harm in later chapters.

Rating: M (Explicit) - 18+

Chapters: 1

Word count: 4168

A/N: Thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated. I decided to expand on my Vulnerable Piece, this is the first chapter of that expansion.

-------------------

You felt your phone vibrate in the pocket of your leather jacket, but you ignored it as you leapt back out of the way of a fist that smashed against the street. You frown, doing a quick glance at the civilians in the area, too many were still lingering at the intersection, all the cars stopped, but that wasn’t before some of them had swerved to avoid hitting you as you’d suddenly appeared in their way. Your litheal body tucked itself, the palm of your hand glowed for a moment before you were able to attach the small gemstone to the car in a form of a really strong molding and pulled yourself in a twist onto the hood effectively avoiding the prospect of being roadkill.

You were a little too pretty to wind up the bug on someone's windshield today.

The radio in your ear clicked on effectively telling you the eta of your team. Kamui Woods was on his way, he’d gotten held up about three blocks away and that was still long enough for the guy you were facing to cause problems if you didn’t hold his attention. You hoped down off the hood of the car, your boots walking over the torn up roadway. “Throwing a tantrum now, what are you two years old?” you wonder with a tease as you grin. You’re not just the Pro Hero Gemini for shits and giggles, no you had earned the name and it was rising in popularity and your recent joining of The Lurkers.

You were rising in popularity. It was through your hard work. Everything you did was because of your dream to help people, but you weren’t delusional in assuming it wasn’t going to be hard fought to claw your way to the top, you weren’t aiming to be number one, but you were going to do your best.

“All that effort to rob that bank and to think you almost got away with it too, if only it wasn't for that meddling little Gemini.” Your grin was wide as you watched the large man sneer at you, his body glowing a brilliant blue at the center of chest and the color expanded outward along hands and down his legs before he was suddenly rushing you.

So predictable, but then again this is hired muscle for you.

You darted to the left avoiding his swing as you cupped your hand along his ear with a hard slap of sound. The blow left him staggering to the side, but blood oozed out his ear down his cheek. You’d blown out his ear drum.

This sort of thing affects things like balance and depth perception. Not to mention regular things like one's perceptions of sound.

“Oh look at you, all weak in the knees.” Your laughter is enough that even if he can only hear it out of one ear, he’s raising his venomous gaze to you and throwing out a large hand to smack you down.

The crowd expected you dodge and weave out of the way, but their cheers erupt as the smoke clears and your standing there having taken the blow, unmovable as you’d anchored your feet, and your legs are reinforced with the gemstones that gave you your Pro Hero name, your arms raised to block the swing as you hold him back.

The crowd cheering for Gemini shouldn’t have been such a booster to your confidence, you shouldn’t be looking for recognition in the public, when you should get that in your private life too, but you didn’t. When you took off the mask, took off your hero costume you were left with a shattered, broken (Y/N). Your freedom fell away and with it your confidence.

You break in thought, in focus is what left you realizing too late that he’d only hit you as test, but he’d been charing his attack for something else as his wide mouth opened and blue energy swirled inside his mouth, your eyes widened and you knew you couldn’t block that move, couldn’t move out of the way either, not with the civilians clustered behind you.

Shinji Nishiya (Kamui Woods) showed up just in the nick of time, shouting out his special move. “Lacquered Chain Prison!” He throws out his arm as wood from his left arm and entangled the bad guy, his branches curling tightly over his mouth and noise and along his body forcing his hands to his sides and his body back away from you. The crowd was stunned for a moment in silence before their was the clicking of cameras and the sounds of cheers. You should have been upset by your mistake, you were and yet in that moment, as you had stared your death in the face, you were disappointed he hadn’t fired. It was that dark though that left you shaken to your core for more reasons than you wanted to look at right now. Instead you plaster a smile on your face and pull all the emotion you needed too into playing your role for just a little longer. Hoping Kamui hadn’t noticed anything that might give you away.

“I hope you have a good reason for being late,” you joke, poking him in the chest and he only stammers out an apology. He was a little too easy to tease.

“There was a- “ he paused, looking away. “There was a what?” You pressed, sly grin widening. “A cat, ” he mumbled, embarrassed. “that almost got run over in all the confusion,” he defended.

“I always knew you were a softy Kamui-Ichi,” You teased good-naturedly.

You squeeze his shoulder and the ribbing stops as the two of you were just discussing what you were going to do about the muscle head whose part of the crew in charge of a string of robberies lately.

The rest had slipped away in the chaos.

“We keep being a step behind, we have to do better,” your words are low and spoken so only he can hear you. It’s been no secret that this crew has been making a fool out of the heroes who wind up chasing them. They’ve been dubbed Resurgence, but it's their leader the mastermind behind each and every successful hit.

It didn't help that every time their scapegoat was caught he was effectively let go, with the team escorting him to Tartarus unable to provide any details on how it happened, their memories seemed to be altered and in some cases, completely wiped.

“Report Gemini, ” Edgeshot had arrived on the scene, you frown slightly surprised and yet not that your boss had shown up, it wasn't just your reputation on the line after all. He’d become increasingly frustrated that this group kept slipping through their fingers making quite the mockery of all involved.

You efficiently relayed everything that happened to the current moment. How you’d been patrolling and had stumbled upon them as they had fled. You gave chase, but in the confusion, you were left chasing Mr. Humanoid Godzilla over there. You should have been able to do more, you knew this was your fault, but if you were honest you couldn't be too upset. You were alive and that sentiment couldn't be shared with the others who faced them and were left in far worse shape than a scrap or two. You got lucky and you tighten your fist all, too conscious of that fact.

“Let’s double back to the bank,” Edgeshot advises and as a team you head that way it was only a few blocks and traffic wasn’t permitted to pass around the area. Mt. Lady was currently guarding Mr. Godzilla, you hadn’t bothered to remember his real name, it had been in the file this morning, but well you had paid more attention to his looks and his quirk than feeling it necessary to remember his name. It will come back to you eventually.

The bank doesn’t seem very special and you head for the door first as the others are talking a few paces behind you discussing possible scenarios. Your hand curls around the door and pulls it open just as the door opens fully there is a rush of heat and explosion as you’re thrown back.

Edgeshot had reacted by pulling you from the explosion, before you could get hurt by any of the buildings as it exploded outward. You react on instinct, even as you're pulled back into the air your body hardening, golden gemstones extruding from every visible area of your body, even as your fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt, as he pulls you closer. “Careful, you’re bleeding,” his voice was hard to hear around the ringing in your ears, but you nodded after a moment as he set you down in the middle of the street and the three of you were left to stare at the rubble of the bank as several other Heroes arrived on the scene to put out the fire, and help with clean up miraculously no one had been hurt.

Your phone buzzed again in your pocket and you swallowed as it vibrated again signifying a call coming in, your hands were clammy as you stepped away from your boss and put a little more distance between you. Your face grim as you were all too aware of the camera’s recording every second of your life. Your heart was pounding in your chest, he knew and he wasn’t happy.

--------

It was a few days later before you could convince Eizan to agree to let you go out with Nemuri at a bar she regularly frequented, you hadn’t been expecting any visitors, it was just supposed to be you and her and then you wouldn’t be lying. He always knew when you lied to him. Luck wasn’t on your side, not when two other Pro Heroes showed up, not when he'd shown up with Hizashi. The meeting hadn’t been planned, but they had been invited to join all the same, Nemuir didn’t realize the predicament she was putting you in, the danger. Nemuri knew so many heroes sometimes you were still left with your head spinning trying to keep up with them all.

Eraser overheard what you had said about your boyfriend, his most recent show up at your interview, how he’d been possessive, harboring a quiet anger over the fact that your interview had been a surprise appearance with you boss Edgeshot, you were there to dispel the rumors of any sort of romantic relationship, a picture that the was running had been of the two of you just a tad too close to each other, but there hadn’t been anything to it, but it hadn’t looked great either way, not when his arm had been around your waist as he’d used his quirk to swiftly curl around you and pull you out of harm's way, only to reform with his hand along your hip and your fingers carefully pressed against his chest, bleeding from a blow to the head. Shinya Kamihara had handled the situation well, and you had too, you knew what to do in these situations, but that didn’t mean the internet wasn’t blowing up either way.

After the interview you’d stepped off stage and Eizan had been there, chatting with your coworkers like it was the most casual thing in the world. Shinya had given him an accessing stare and looked to you, you gave a subtle shake of your head and he didn’t comment, but he wasn’t happy and you could have sworn you saw concern in his gaze when he’d left the station, but he hadn’t made a comment or a scene and instead let you handle it.

Aizawa had shared a quiet look with you before he left to get a drink at the bar before he and Hizashi would join you at the table. Leaving you to finish your conversation with Nemuri in private. She’d placed her hand gently over yours and softly told you that you needed to drop him, that he wasn’t safe for you to be around.

“He was just in the area, ” You grin widely as though to help ease her misgivings, hoped that your smile would be bright enough, convincing enough to hide the truth. You knew she had a right to be worried about you. It hadn’t been a secret that Nemuri wasn't his biggest fan when you guys had started dating. You had been too blinded by love to see him the truth and now you were in far too deep to get out.

You knew that, deep down you knew and the reason you hadn’t left yet was because you were in denial, and then deeper than that was the fear and then shame that you were in this situation in the first place.

It kept you up at night as you wondered what signs you had missed, this sort of thing happened to others, you saved people from abusive relationships and yet here you were in the exact same situation and it was suffocating. It felt like you were walking on a tightrope and it would snap at any moment if any more weight was put on your shoulders.

The conversation didn’t go much further into the subject once the boys came back. The night wore on and eventually you were the only one still sober, nursing a coke with some ice. Your limit was one drink, and that was it, you knew your limit and you had to protect the pretty glass house you had built. If you had a little too much, you would spill your guts to anyone who would listen. You dirty little secret exposed to the world.

Aizawa had stayed with you at the table and sipped his whiskey occasionally, his muscular arms exposed at the forearms as his dark grey long sleeved shirt was pulled up and he leaned his cheek against his fist. You hadn’t expected him to stay there once Nemuri and Hizashi went to play a game of darts as drunk as they were.

Instead you two had talked quietly about life, UA, the hero world and eventually movies and books. He’d warmed up to you after your animated telling of how Kamui had rescued a cat today and how you two had gone back and dripped the little guy off at a no-kill shelter after your patrol was over.

It was crazy for you to get along so well with anyone, most of all a guy who you’d just met, who didn't shut you up or seem like he wanted you to talk about something else. He listened to you, really listened.

You always had to be on, to say the right thing, to have your hero persona on.

This, this was just you, just (Y/N). No special title, just a young woman in way over her head.

“You should be respected and trusted,” the words were soft and you glanced at him, seeing the way he nursed his whisky, but wasn’t nearly as intoxicated as Nemuri and Hizashi as the two played darts in the back. “No man should own you.”

His words wouldn’t normally have caused tears to fill your eyes. You knew that, you knew that, but it was sort of like a wake up call. You blinked and a tear trailed down your cheek. You hastily reached up to wipe it away, an apology on your lips, but he beat you to it. His thumb brushed gently over your cheek as he wiped it away, you shouldn’t have leaned into his hand. It was just so nice, so warm. It wasn’t laced with possessive rage.

“Don’t apologize, ” he cut it, a soft smile curving up his lips.

You stare wondering if he can read your mind and he only slowly draws back and gives you a soft smile before taking a sip of his whisky.

The sounds from Nemuri as she lets out a screech of trumpet has you twisting on reflex toward the noise that he had ignored, but glanced toward once the laughter at Hizashi’s groan. You were just about to thank him for the advice; when fingers curl around your wrist and jerk you from your seat, you stumble in your strappy heels. Only barely managing to catch your feet.

Your mouth is shooting off before you can formulate or stop your words. “Who do you-” the words die in your throat as you take in the form of someone who has their fingers tight along your wrist and they only seem to tighten as he glares at the dark haired man with his hair pulled back into a low ponytail and tipped up, exposing his sharp features.

‘What is he doing here?’ You can’t help but wonder.

Aizawa who had set his glass down and was watching the scene with displeasure in his dark eyes and barely banked anger. He had been taught to respect women, he may have been brash, and inconsiderate sometimes, but he knew what not to do. He didn’t like what he saw, but he was giving you a chance to handle it. He didn’t want to step on your toes, but his hand tightened into a fist under the table, as the other was relaxed and curled carefully around the glass.

“Baby, I thought you said you were getting drinks with Nemuri, you didn’t mention anyone else would be there,” he pulled you closer to him, his grip bruising your slim wrist with the mark of his fingers. You wince, unable to help the movement...to hide it. This side of the abuse is what you desperately tried to hide from the world, you were (Y/N) (Y/LN)...the slightest negative news about Gemini could topple everything you’d been working so hard for. Everything you built and he knew that.

“These are friends of Nemuri, Eizan...her coworkers from UA High. Don’t embarrass me, please. People are starting to stare,” she dropped her voice at the last part, but it wasn’t low enough that Aizawa couldn’t hear every word. He’d also noticed that Nemuri and Hizashi were coming back to the table, Nemuri looked furious like she was ready to go to war for you.

“Embarrass you?!” he suddenly exclaimed loudly, as he jerked you closer forcing you on the tips of your toes, any higher and he’d have you off the ground as he stared with angry eyes down into your own. “Fucking seriously (Y/N)?” he sneers. “You’re embarrassing yourself out here dressed like that for all the men to see. Just trying to get a quick fuck, is my cock not good enough for you, now that you’ve gotten a taste of fame Gemini?”

For a moment you are stunned into silence, unable to formulate a set of words to go with what you had just heard and been accused of. You’d never cheat on him...that was then’t who you were. Guilt courses through you though anyway, as you wonder if you had done something wrong and then you were angry, angry because you hadn’t done anything!

‘You should be respected and trusted,’

Those words from earlier give you an unexpected rush of conviction in your next action, a rush of resolve. You dropped your weight and tried to gain back your footing. “Let go Eizan, just let me go! I’m out with my friends, you don’t get to act like an obsessive jerk!” Her gaze slid to the people who were starting to notice, and someone had their phone out. “Just go home, we’ll -” you fumble here, finally telling him completely what you wanted. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

‘No man should own you.’

You can tell by the way his eyes widen he’d never expected you to attempt to turn this around on him, to make it out like he was the bad guy here, no he expected you to apologize like you always did. He was so hyper focused on you that he almost didn’t notice that Nemuri had come up on your left, her bare hand flush against his chest as she waited to shove him back or activate her quirk and put him to sleep and gladly watch him clumple to the ground. Hizashi was next to her, his hand on her shoulder, his eyes hard behind his glasses and Shota was on your right, his hand curling and tightening on his wrist, his grip was heavy, hard and held no remorse.

Eizan balled his hand and shot a nasty glare toward the man with long black hair. He was stronger than he looked, but now that he gave him another closer look, he recognized him. He was Eraserhead. Did everyone just think you were going to spread those pretty little thighs for them if they came to your rescue?

“You heard the lady, I suggest you take a walk before we get the authorities involved,” It wasn’t a threat exactly, there were plenty of other things he’d like to do, but Aizawa didn’t want to cause anymore of a scene, too many people were paying attention to them and some had heard your name dropped.

Eizan was livid and the look he shot Nemuri was murderous, it was clear who he blamed for this level of defiance. He smiled slowly and released your wrist and somehow that made your heart pound in your chest with a rapid cadence, so loudly it was all you could hear. It left you with such a stark fear, that you were sure something gave you away, because he slowly raised his hands, palms out in front of him. “We wouldn’t want any trouble, of course not,” he said passively, he gave up too easily but it was clear to you as he widened his smile in your direction for a moment before he turned and headed for the door he’d come in...this wasn't over.

“(Y/N)” Nemuri’s touch was gentle on her hand as she raised your wrist that had dropped to your side, the skin already darkening with a heavy bruise, one you knew you’d have to hide tomorrow. Her touch was so feather light you hadn’t felt it, still struggling to try and hear more than the pounding of your heart.

You didn’t wait to watch him leave, you were suddenly in a twist of limbs and legs as you blindly got some space as quickly as possible darting between your little group and shot for the restroom in the back, you didn’t run, but you moved with a stumble that was clear of the alcohol in your system. The shaking started the moment you shoved the door open, your arms curled around your shoulders as you shoved your fist against your mouth to silence the broken sob that tore from your lips.

No. No. No!!!

This isn’t over. You saw him, you saw him, you saw him!

Those were the only words your mind wanted to shout in your head as you flashed back to the look on his face, the dangerous glint in his eyes.

You were in trouble, you knew that, something bad was going to happen, something was going to happen, he was going to get even with you, he was going to hurt you.

“(Y/N)” the sound of your name spoken softly had you tensing, but you knew who it was, you knew the sound of her voice and somehow, somehow it made everything so much worse. You couldn't hide it now, everyone knew, everyone had seen.

It was another crack against your armor, another break in your chain, it exposed who you wanted so desperately to hide from the world.

Her arms were thrown around you as she drew you against her. “It’s going to be ok,” her words were soft and low in your ear.

Someone telling you everything was going to be ok, holding you with such care...it broke what tiny shred of your self control remained, your knees buckled and heavy soul wrenching sobs were expelled from your body as your fingers curled into the back of her shirt.

Nemuri sank to her knees when your legs gave out, she held you as you cried.

Outside Hizashi and Aizawa lingered outside the bathroom door, they had seen just a glimpse inside, but even the closed door couldn’t stop the sounds from escaping. Hizashi shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans and looked up at the ceiling as he leaned his head against the wall. “What a night,” he muttered as he pressed his shoulder against his friends. Aizawa was silent for a long while, his gaze on the door, he was going over the night in his head looking for anything he might have missed. He knew leaving either of them alone wasn’t a good idea, not tonight...not for a while. Guys like that didn’t just give up. He sighed softly in the dimly light hallway. “Yeah,” he agreed as he let his gaze drift to the hand that he’d wiped your tears away with.

He knew he wouldn't be able to let this go.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 280: I Am Red Riot

Previously on BnHA: The pro heroes over at Gunga Mountain struggled against Gigantomachia and the League until finally Midnight was all, “fuck it, let’s just put the kids in charge.” Momo immediately got to work organizing a sophisticated counteroffensive involving an exploding swamp, a bunch of sedative cans, and a massive coordinated team attack. I gotta tell you guys, it’s really something to watch a large-scale group attack in which all of the team members are actually competent. I don’t know what Japan put in the water when all these sixteen-year-olds were growing up, but that shit has paid off big time, and basically the only reason Machia hasn’t gone down yet is because he cheated and was all “sneeze” and the kids all got blown away because they are little and because he is really, really big. Anyway so then Dabi set the forest on fire because he loves doing that, and the chapter ended with Mina using her Acid Man attack to make herself FUCKIN’ FIREPROOF so she could charge through the woods ready to save the day and stuff!

Today on BnHA: Mina launches herself straight at Machia like the beautiful corrosive wild child she is, but then everything goes to shit when she recognizes him from that one time she almost got murdered while giving a strange man directions. Just when it’s looking like she might get killed for real this time, KIRISHIMA SHOWS UP TO SAVE THE DAY AND SHOVES HER TO SAFETY AND IS ALL “BOTTOMS UP” AND HEAVES A LITERAL CAN OF WHOOPASS RIGHT IN MACHIA’S MOUTH. At this point the grown-ups are all “oh wow look at that, time for us to take over for you kids now, don’t worry we’ve got it all under control” because Oh Those Wacky Pros and all that, but at least Majestic finally deigns to show his face so that’s a plus! The chapter ends with us cutting back to the Jakku battle, where Tomura is curled up in a little ball all “curse you heroes, how dare you [checks notes] save people all the time”, which is a real take and a half. Anyway so things are looking up, which can only mean everyone is about to die. That’s how it works, right. Shit.

HOLY SHIT LOL

THIS IS MINA. SHE’S REALLY COOL AND SHE CAN MELT PEOPLE. um, the hell kind of tagline is that?? holy fucking shit?? “melt and succumb”?? IS THE SUCCUMB PART REALLY NECESSARY. IS THAT NOT ALREADY IMPLIED. it’s like saying “die and then perish”, which actually sounds really badass and I’m about to make it my new go-to threat actually so you know what never mind. where the fuck were we anyway

“IS EVERYONE SAFE” some absurdly bad-at-gauging-situations kid from class B is yelling while the forest is on fire and all the kids are recovering from having been catapulted fifty miles by King Dodongo’s windy yeet breath. of course they are safe, sweet child. of course everyone is absolutely fine, why the fuck would they possibly not be safe after something like that

KAMINARI NOOO MY POOR SWEET BABY

AT LEAST HE’S STILL CONSCIOUS ENOUGH TO MAKE STUPID JOKES. holy shit this baby got concussed to hell and back and then Machia turned him and the others into precipitation and he wasn’t in any kind of state to even try to land safely, I hope to god someone caught him

Sero is all “is there anyone still in range!” and damn, I like that he’s taking charge and trying to regain their momentum. he is so criminally underrated. I feel like he’s in the top six or seven of class 1-A kids who I would most trust to take charge. which is very high praise because that class has a lot of charge-taking kids

SPEAKING OF

it “probably” can’t get through her acid, she says. my god. sometimes the spirit of Plus Ultra just takes ahold of these kids and it’s like, I want to ruffle their hair proudly and then grab them by the shoulders and shake them vigorously because WHERE EVEN IS YOUR SELF-PRESERVATION WHY DO NONE OF YOU HAVE IT GODDAMMIT AIZAWA REALLY SHOULD HAVE EXPELLED YOU GUYS AFTER ALL

man. and yet I really do love this “be the one who can do it” stuff. what a heroic fucking attitude dfjfklks. I’ll just go put on my humongous sandwich board that reads GIANT FUCKING HYPOCRITE and go stand in the corner

damn it this week’s scan is annoyingly dark, it’s really hard to tell what’s going on but it looks like the pros are attacking Machia and the League at long last. way to go guys it only took you seven years but you finally hopped to it

MINA WHY IS THE ACID COMING OFF OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. PUT IT BACK!!!

I KNOW SHE’S NOT GONNA DIE DAMMIT BUT AHHHHH AHHHHHH AHHHHHHHH

okay what the hell is up with these weird zen proverbs though

“your fear stricken heart”, “the shortest path”, what the fuck even is this. whose thoughts are these. normally these translations are honestly decent enough but I gotta say this time around I’m totally being thrown for a loop lmao

(ETA: FYI I’m only just now realizing that he was saying the shortest path to Master, as in Tomura, not “master” as in to master something fjkldjskf lol some delayed reading comprehension there. so basically he’s just bitching about how annoying these little “flies” are proving to be.)

JESUS CHRIST

okay is it just me, or is Gigantomachia suddenly showing intelligence in his eyes instead of mindless animal instinct the single most pants-shitting thing you’ve ever seen?!! holy shit. the way he just LOOKS at her out of nowhere all of a sudden?? holy fucking shit DO NOT HURT MT. LADY OH MY GOD I’M FREAKING THE FUCK OUT. AND DON’T YOU DARE HURT MINA EITHER!! JUST FUCKING DIE AND PERISH

but also though, is that recognition in Mina’s eyes?? because even though this dude is 80 feet tall now, her encounter with him a couple years back had to have been one of the more memorable experiences of her young life. damn I was wondering when this would finally come into play

OKAY YES THE NEXT PAGE IS A FLASHBACK OH SHIT

this has nothing to do with anything but Mina just has the prettiest hair, btw, and this “just woke up covered in acid” look is a particularly good one on her. it looks so soft and fluffy, like damn. this is like Shouto-hair-billowing-in-the-wind levels of pretty here

NOOOOO

oh my god holy shit?! putting her back in the school uniform to show the slip in her mentality is a PUNK MOVE, HORIKOSHI, and I respect the shit out of you for it you manipulative bastard. goddammit. bracing myself for the incoming wave of Mina feels... here they come... they’re a lot... let’s see if I can latch on to anything I can actually figure out how to describe in words

okay well here’s one, my respect for Mina’s bravery just went up like a thousand percent in this instant, because now we know this was actually such a traumatizing event for her that hearing Machia’s voice again years later immediately sent her into a full-blown flashback. she was that scared and yet she still stood up to him and didn’t hesitate. and now I’m remembering how her knees just buckled right afterwards, and just...

and this visual, though!! what a brutally effective way to show that in her mind she went right back to being that scared middle schooler again for a moment. god fucking damn. holy shit you guys is Kirishima fireproof because if he comes waltzing out of the woods next I don’t even know what I’m gonna do. lolo kids getting traumatized left and right this arc is fucking merciless

um eXCUSE ME!?!?!

YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT LET GO OF HER RIGHT NOW OR I AM GONNA LOSE IT!!

THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!

holy shit he could have fucking snapped her neck like that??! I don’t like this at ALL WHAT THE FUCK

OKAY SERIOUSLY

I’M GONNA NEED ANOTHER KID TO STEP IN HERE WITH A LAST MINUTE SAVE LIKE RIGHT THE FUCK NOW, OR I AM GOING TO THROW MY COMPUTER OFF A FUCKING CLIFF AND MOVE TO THE DESERT AND BECOME A HERMIT AND NEVER READ MANGA ON THE INTERNET AGAIN

OH THANK GOD

TODAY WE SPELL “REDEMPTION” K-I-R-I... ETC. THERE’S A LOT OF LETTERS BUT YOU GET THE DRIFT!!!

holy fucking shit y’all. I mean, it’s not like it came out of nowhere, like the setup could not have been more obvious, but let me assure you that none of the predictability lessened the actual impact of this moment in the SLIGHTEST. Horikoshi really wrote a flashback scene one hundred and thirty five chapters ago and planted it, watered it once a day, and patiently waited for THREE LONG YEARS until he could finally harvest the badass fruits of his labor in the midst of his most epic arc to date. I’m so fucking hyped I’ll even forgive him for sacrificing Mina’s big moment and having her get rescued, because it’s such a good reversal. he didn’t freeze up this time. he promised himself he’d never freeze again and he didn’t and he saved her and god fucking damn. anyways so now Machia is going to treat him like a fucking action figure though but he’s a solid little dude he can take it hopefully

NO WHAT IS THIS!!! STOP KILLING MY MOOD!!!

she better not be dead!! SHE BETTER NOT FUCKING BE DEAD I WILL RUN MY PC THROUGH A PAPER SHREDDER AND GO AND LIVE ALONE WITH MY FEELS ON A MOUNTAIN IN TIBET

CHINTETSU!!

well we know he’s fireproof. another callback at the least expected of times lmao

so Tetsu’s all “yeah Kirishima’s not really all that fireproof but he totally ran over here anyway to save you. oh wait that probably wasn’t very comforting of me to say.” maybe that’s why it seems like he might not have actually said it out loud, now that I’m reading this over again. good call Tetsu

ARE YOU STANDING UP AND CASUALLY STRETCHING OUT YOUR BACK

I CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE HOW MUCH I HATE THIS GUY RIGHT NOW. WE’RE REACHING LEVELS OF HATRED RESERVED FOR NAZIS AND PEOPLE WHO WALK TOO SLOWLY IN FRONT OF ME IN A GROUP SHOULDER TO SHOULDER INSTEAD OF SINGLE FILE SO I CAN PASS IN FRONT OF THEM. YOU’RE A FUCKING TOURIST IN NYC YOU PIECE OF SHIT

lmao he’s just dropping this random hero person and letting him fall to his doom wheeeeee

remind me to leave all of the League of Villains’ texts on read for the foreseeable future. goddamn. I still love you guys but also, fuck you so damn hard

OHO A LIL RED SCALY BOI ISN’T DONE YET!!

real talk, just between you and me, I’ll lower my voice so that Kirishima can’t hear. so uh. we all agree that even if Kiri is fireproof and squishproof, that little can of tranquilizer juice technically shouldn’t have been, right? but we’re all going to hush and pretend like it was anyway for the sake of not spoiling his big moment. even though I am crossing my arms and tapping my chin with my finger while doubtfully glancing to the side

anyway here he goes!

YEAH KIRI GO GETTIM [stage whisper] there it is, in his pocket. should’ve burned. we won’t discuss it

OH FOR FUCK’S

TOGA YOU LITTLE WIENER BUT WHAT’S THIS ABOUT “MY HALF” NOW????

DID HE GRAB MINA’S MID-AIR?? IS HE REALLY REACHING INTO HIS BACK POCKET AND FUCKING UNZIPPING IT RIGHT NOW WHILE HOLDING ON TO NOTHING AND PRESUMABLY FALLING THROUGH THE AIR. DID A LITTLE BIT OF OCHAKO’S QUIRK RUB OFF ON YOU OR WHAT

OH SNAP SON HE REALLY DID THE THING HOLY SHIT???

AND TOKAGE FLEW OVER AND SAVED HIM AND NOW TANKS ARE SHOOTING AT MACHIA, LMAO WHAT IS THIS. MOMO HOW MANY GUNS DID YOU MAKE

Shouji standing there trying to be useful any way he can. are eyeballs really that much more effective if you make them the size of tennis balls and hold them up above your head. legit question, I don’t really know how eyes work

okay after 45 seconds of googling this my impression is that no, they are not. well good on you for giving it the old college try anyway though Shouji

oH MY GODLKDLK?!?!

DID SHE SAY WHAT I THOUGHT SHE SAID, DID SHE SAY MAJESTIC, ARE WE GONNA SEE MASJKESLTKCI DSFLKJL

oh my god he really is the Magic Man dude??? TIME TO DUST OFF MY INVENTORY OF ADVENTURE TIME QUOTES

(ETA: AHH FATGUM AND GANG ORCA ARE THERE TOO YESSSS!)

“that’s enough depending on some interns” oh, okay. now that they’ve done all your work for you. I see, I see

so now Gigantomachia is LITERALLY UNHINGING HIS JAW I can’t fucking believe this dude you guys. everything he does is just like, ARE YOU SERIOUS

please go to sleep already. thanks to you I have my keyboard set to capslock as the default for the duration of this chapter

ARE YOU SERIOUS YOU FUCKING WAITED UNTIL MAGIC FUCKING MAN SHOWED UP TO TEACH US MAGICAL LIFE LESSONS AND NOW YOU’RE CUTTING BACK TO THE TOMURA FIGHT?? WHY DO WE KEEP LETTING THIS MAN GET AWAY WITH THIS

oh my god you guys they really fucking did it

I guess that Howitzer slash fire punch combo really was that potent huh

anyway so now Endeavor is standing there making a big speech instead of reaching into Tomura’s pocket and taking the bullets that he doesn’t know about and shooting him with one asap. dammit Endeavor

aaaaand Tomura is firing back with the wisdom of Shimura Fucking Kotaro of all people

well you sure convinced me. damn I don’t know what I was thinking. heroes suck you guys. how dare they help other people all the time

so now he’s all “PERIOD, EXCLAMATION POINT!!”

take that Endeavor. you heard the man. it’s not destruction without conviction, as god as his witness he will have you know it is destruction WITH conviction. something something the great sage Shimura “I hurt my family for absolutely no reason at all, fuck this ‘helping others’ bullshit” Kotaro. I hope you packed your textbooks because you just got SCHOOLED. I hope the person who ordered you signed up for delivery notifications because you just got SENT. I HOPE YOU LIKE CAPITALISM BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT OWNED. I HOPE YOU CHOSE PAPER AND NOT SCISSORS BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT ROCKED

what an absolutely, unreservedly bizarre place to end the chapter lol. we’re really just done with this week, just like that. Majestic showed up and Gigantomachia opened his chin like a garage door and Tomura is all “you may have won the battle but you suck” while he buys time for Aizawa to suddenly sneeze or something so he can make his terrible comeback and continue Horikoshi’s Traumatize Every Kid in Class 1-A 2020 campaign. what an arc this is my friends. what an arc

[stardustintheabyss]

BNHA Headcanon!

How Kaminari, Bakugo, Todoroki, Shinso, Dabi and Kirishima ask a certain question 💍 x fem!reader, y'all in your 20's

Warnings: cursing, long af(I couldn't help myself, I love all kiri's and non kiri's equally) no regrets.

Kaminari:

Haha boi proposed on the first date tbh

You laughed at one of his cheesy pick ups. You did you unrestrained 'ugly' laugh. Like someone has to make you reeeaaallllyyy laugh.

Bb fell hard for that laugh,"marry me, y/n"

You fell just as hard "alright"

Him blushing like crazy 👍🏻⚡👍🏻

Fast forward a few years

If you don't think he's gonna do something big and romantic and on the verge of embarrassing, lol your wrong

This guy proposes with a fucking flash mob

1. How did he organize this? Bakusquad unite!

2. How'd this beautiful loud blonde keep it to himself? Mina threatened his existence & Bakusquad

So there you both are surrounded by family and friends, Denki down on one knee, opening a small box with a gorgeous ring inside.

"Y/n, can I do you the honor of telling you pickup lines for the rest of our lives?"

*swoons*

"You, dummy."

He falters a little. Um what? Sad boi

"I told you on our first date I would." You leaned down giving him a kiss.

Bb shines brighter than the three great sunshines combined. Yk who

"I love you, y/n."

"I love you too, Denki."

Your guy's version of ily is some random pickup line unless your in a serious mood

Everyone collectively groaned at your guy's wedding vows lmao

They were literally all cheesy pickup lines, terrible puns and bad jokes.

Bakugo:

Bakugo fucking Katsuki is a closet romantic and you can't change my mind

He takes you hiking on one of your dates

You find a gorgeous spot accidentally you just had to take a short cut

Crystal clear lake w/ cherry blossom trees and a mt view? Heaven

This becomes your spot

You think nothing of it when katsuki suggests getting away for a weekend see romance

Getting in the car he throws a blindfold at you. "What's this for?"

"Just put it on idiot."

You roll your eyes, grinning like a fool but does what he asks

You drive for a bit then feel the car stop

"Can I take it off now?"

"No, I'll tell you when you can take it off." 😳 "I'm going to put noise cancelling headphones on you, do you trust me?"

You've learned to roll w/ his shenanigans cuz they are rare but always welcome. "Don't ask stupid questions, babe." Last thing you here is his 'tch'.

He gently tugs you out of the car and then sweeps you up into his arms. You can't help but smile.

He's been carrying you for at least 2hrs. "Kat, do you need a break?"

He just kisses you in response and silences you #1 hero bakugo doesn't do breaks

Al-righty then

Another hour goes by and you feel bakugo set you down softly, making sure you have your footing. He takes off the headphones

"Take off the blindfold."

You do. Your at your spot. You turn around to find your boyfriend toying w/a little black box

*heart palpitations ensue*

You look at him wide eyed.

He opens the box and you see a ring that is his mom's family heirloom. It's a vintage beauty that you've adored.

Tbh when he asked his mom for it he almost said never mind when she started asking a bunch of annoying questions.Old hag

"Will you marry me or whatever..." he's still bakugo lol

"Whatever." You say with the biggest grin

Bb narrows his eyes at you confused. "HUH?" Cuz how dare you???

"Saying 'yes' is too ordinary an answer. And you katsuki bakugo are anything but ordinary." You say as you slip the ring on your finger. Your man is stunned by your answer to do it himself. Lol

Just cuz you got him flustered and blushing does not mean he won't pull you into a passionate kiss.

Who's the mess now, dumb dumb?

Instead of saying 'I do' at the wedding you both say 'whatever'.

Nobody knows what the fuck is going on except kirishima because he's the one marrying you two.

Todoroki:

You've know eachother since high school and started dating your 3rd year

Now years later, your both well established pro heros

Did you say vacation?

Because Shoto heard 3 week romantic dream vacation w/ a proposal ending

He worked so hard for this. He didn't want to use his father's money for once. This was going to be all him, no one else.

Well except his mom and sister helped pick out a ring. Clueless bb

He took you to all the places on your bucket list, ending in greece.

It was your last night there.

On a cliff overlooking the moonrise over the sea, you were snuggled up next to him. Warm wind gently caressing your skin.

You've noticed him being antsy and fidgety the last couple days.

And that is not like your shoto, at all

"Sho, you okay? You've been acting weird." You ask gently.

"Um, yes. Can I ask you something?"

You give him a kiss and nod.

"Would you do me the honor of becoming mrs. shoto todoroki?"

At least that's what you thought he said. He was so nervous it came out a jumbled mess.

He pulled a ring out of his pocket.

It was perfect. In fact it was exactly what you and fuyumi talked about in one of your guy's games of crazy hypotheticals. Haha jokes on you

You definitely started crying

Your sweet oblivious sho "If you don't like it-"

"No. It's perfect, I love it. Just like you." You pepper his face with kisses. "And yes I will marry you."

He has the biggest smile on his face as he takes your hand and slides the ring on.

You thought the Todorokis and your family were chaotic before? Lol let's throw in wedding planning 🙃

Two months before the wedding you two are sick of everything. Everyone trying to do everything the way they want this wedding. You both wanted a somewhat small gathering. Yeah no *insert monamas hysterical laugh*

Elope? Elope.

You gather a small group of your closest friends. Ok. More like all of class 1a

Shoto buys first class tickets to greece for everyone. No qualms of using his dad's credit card this time lol

SHOTOOOOOOOOO!!!

You and shoto get married in front of all your friends on the cliff where he proposed.

It was beatiful & perfect. Exactly what you guys wanted.

So when the 'real' wedding (endeavors words) happens you and shoto fuck with it any way you can.

You both have the best time messing around. Your guy's parents not so much. But they end up seeing how happy you both are so they give up on having the perfect wedding.

A few years later when you find out your pregnant you both seriously debate faking your deaths and going into hiding. Wouldnt be the first Todoroki to do so

Shinso:

You guys frequently visit the animal shelter to give loves to all the animals

He saw how attached you were with a bonded pair of ragdoll kittens he loved them too

This gave him an idea, he had been having a hard time of thinking how he was going to pop the question

It was pur-fect don't judge me

It was early in the morning, you were still in bed when you felt something tickle your nose

"Mmh,...toshi. Your hair is tickling me." Still sleepy, not even bothered to open your eyes.

You were greeted w/ small meows

Your eyes never snapped open so fast in the morning

Two tiny kittens before you. The ones from the shelter

Wide awake now you began petting them and playing with them

Haha shinso who?

He was silently watching from the doorway smiling, waiting for his moment

You looked at the kittens collars. Scribbled in shinsos handwriting "marry" on one "me" on the other.

You gasped and your mouth formed a little o.

He was waiting for this. He walked over and got on his knee, ring in his hand

"Y/n, please, will you be mine, forever?"

Leaning in lips almost touching "only if you'll be mine."

Say no more, boi is putting a ring on it and closes the gap between your lips.

The only thing that breaks the kiss is a soft tiny paw patting your cheek and another playing with shinos hair

You giggle. "You got them for yourself just as much, didn't you?"

He just rubs the back of his neck and gives you a smirk

You spend the rest of the day trying to pick names.

You guys decide on satori & kotaro haikyuu reference ftw

The day ends. You come to find your two new bbs sleeping on a sleeping hitoshi a miracle ikr

A photo shoot? Hell yes! Dadzawa needs to see this.

You take the pic and send a quick text along with it to Aizawa. Your future f-in-l. 'Guess how toshi proposed?'

You get a quick response "I'm a grandpa now? I get them twi-three times a month."

Your snort woke your fiance

Him seeing your phone. "Did you take a picture of me? Creep."

"No." You say slyly. "I took a picture of my boys." You show him. As you set it as your wall paper.

"Send it to me please." You do, what you don't expect is a pic in return from him

It was of you in bed the s'morning. With your new kittens, kotaro and satori, before you even knew they were there. also his wallpaper

And damn if you don't smile "who's the creep?"

"What's this text from my dad about 'custody of his grandchildren'?"

You laugh and explain

Yes you had your cats in the wedding. They started all this yk.

They were ring barers. Complete w/little tuxes shinso insisted

Lmao it was like the hunger games when deciding who was going to take care of the cats when on your honeymoon.

Shota won obviously

"They are staying w/their grandfathers and that is final." *scary hair whoosh*

Dabi:

When you joined the LoV, you confused dabi.

You were kind and caring to everyone. Wtf?

Even when they didn't deserve it

Why are you with the villians? Are you stupid?

That is until he saw the rage and hurt in your eyes the first time you fought together.

It reminded him of himself

Of how he got where he was

Slowly you had unconsciously worked your way into his heart

You caring for his wounds(new and old), your soft smiles and warm eyes. You never looked at him with disgust, fear or malice.

You were the first to ever do so in a long long time. Since his childhood.

He never wanted to fall in love but here was fate pushing you two together.

You fell just as slowly. You thought you were never really worthy of love. But it didn't stop you from giving it to those around you. Loophole you thought.

But you would find dabi doing little things. Things that made you feel something you shouldn't. Things you didn't think you deserved.

Throwing a blanket over you if you fell asleep on the couch.

Getting your favorite snacks

During fights he would casually move between you and your enemies. Protecting you.

Well shit here you both were. Madly in love, but still apprehensive.

But when he asked you to call him by another name and you did?

That's when dabi kissed you for the first time. It shocked you both tbh

It wasn't rough like you had imagined. But soft and sweet. Nothing like the mask he wears for everyone.

After about 8 months of dating dabi realized he wanted to be yours forever. And you his.

So fuck proposing. He did a surprise wedding. He didn't want to give you chance to change your mind. because insecure bb🥺

He got everything ready.

Now he just needed you

Their was a beautiful knee length white lace dress laying on your bed with a note "meet me here. Kurogiri will warp you.-t"

Running your fingers over the dress, you smiled. You always did like surprises from him.

You got yourself ready for your date with the love of your life and went to find kurogiri.

He met you with a blindfold that matched dabi's eyes

"He requested you wear this."

You nodded and let him tie it on

Next you thing know you feel dabi's warm hand in yours.

"You ready, doll?" You can hear the smirk in his voice.

"Until the end, babe."

He slips off the blindfold

You're in a forest with twinkle lights strewn about and a blue flamed candle walkway to a beautiful arch covered in your favorite flowers. Your closest leauge friends are here too.

"Will you let me stand by your side, until the end?"

You gently cup his cheeks in your hands, brushing your lips against his. Whispering for no one else to hear

"Yes, toya. For you, even longer."

He doesn't even need to smirk. You can see the overwhelming happiness in his eyes.

When you say your I do's surprisingly enough all your friends have happiness written on their face too. Even shiggy

The next day he gets a new piercing on his ring finger and you a small blue flame tattoo on yours.

Kirishima:

You've had eijirou kirishimas heart since your first year of UA together

One day he was feeling insecure about his quirk and you showed up changing the way he saw himself.

"Kirishima, you're the unbreakable Red Riot. It's not about how flashy a heros quirk is, it's about their resolve. Your tenacity to protect and save people..." you smile, "if that isn't the making to be a great hero I don't know what is."

And tbh he had yours since that 1st yr too. You always admired his courage & his dedication to his friends even if they didn't want it cough bakugo

For two years you both danced around your feelings for eachother. Flirting but never taking the next step.

That is until bakugo not mina, & yes shes jealous she wasn't the one that set you 2 up got fed up one night of your guys flirting.

And I quote "Oi! Would you two go on a fucking date already. I'm tired of listening to shitty hair pine after you." he did out of love for his bestie

It was the only time you've genuinely seen kirishima want to kill bakugo

Shyly you answered, "I'd like that."

Bb turned his head around so fast he almost got whiplash.

You've been together 5yrs now and it was your birthday. Kirishima wanted to make it extra special.

A picnic in your favorite park, he was lucky your bd was at the same time as the cherry blossoms blooming. You loved them.

Setting up the picnic kirishima reminisced.

It was your favorite park because that's where your first date was. It was unusually hot. He got you both popsicles.

It was the first time he had seen you eat one. *crunch crunch*

boy was staring, shook

You blushing "I know, people say it's weird to eat popsicles like that."

"I dont think so." He smiled as he crunched his own. Must be fate.

Now here you two were cuddled laying down on a blanket, your head placed on his chest and his hand around your waist. Finished with lunch

"Thanks for the birthday lunch, babe. I loved it." You sighed contentedly.

What you didn't notice is that he was fiddling with a little red box. "Its not quite over yet. I have one more thing." He sat you both up and looked deeply into your eyes with so much love. " Y/n you-"

Just then a downpour of rain happened.

Kirishima scrambled to pick up the picnic supplies. His hair beginning to fall from its signature style

He turned to grab your hand to pull you under cover. So manly

You were a few feet away. Your eyes closed and head tilted back. A warm smile on your face. Letting the rain wash over you.

He'd never seen anything so beautiful

Picnic supplies forgotten. He knelt in front of you on one knee. He grabbed your hand with one of his.

You opened your eyes and looked down at your eiji. Your rock, your home.

"Y/n, you give me the strength to be unbreakable. Would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" He opened the little red box.

Your heart beating as wildly as his

Inside was the most beautiful ring. It held your favorite gemstone. Long ago in hs you and mina were doing girl talk while the guys played video games. You'd told her diamond engagement rings were lame and what you preferred.

He remembered? That was before you were even dating...

You smiled through happy tears "yes eijirou, yes I'll marry you."

"There's an inscription." He said softly.

You looked closer at the ring, even after 7 years of loving him he still found ways to make your heart flutter

'forever unbreakable'

"Oh, Ei, it's perfect."

He slipped it on you and pulled you into a kiss. "Let's get you out of this rain. Wouldn't want you to get sick." we stan a gentlemanly king

"Just a little longer, I hear rain is good luck for this type of thing." You wave your newly ring adorned hand.

"Anything for you." He whispered before kissing you again.

You've never loved the rain more

The wedding day came

You stood before the love of your life and he his

You slide his wedding band on

Engraved inside

'my rock, my home'

"Now the bride." said the person marring you.

"Here you go shitty hair." Said the best man, handing kirishima the ring.

Did you think bakugo wouldnt want to be best man? Haha he's the one that got you two together your welcome or whatever

Kirishima tenderly slipped the ring on your finger.

Of course it decided to pour just then

Everyone ran for cover but you two

Bakugo, "tch, those idiots are going to be sick for their honeymoon." he cares ok

Mina sighing, "so romantic."

You tilted your head to the sky laughing, "babe, the universe is wishing us good luck."

He gently grabbed your chin, making you look at him. "guess we were meant to be." He whispered as he pulled you in for a long passionate kiss in the rain, him still making your heart stutter.

[bakugoulovesme]

Live tweeting episode 47

SPOILERS

Im ready to get my shit rocked if I’m honest,,,

Not ready to see One for All that preview has me nervous,,, anyway vibing to this opening it’s so so good!!!!!

Before we even start I’m so sick of seeing superhero content where people constantly blame heroes for what they had to do in the face of villains and I get it like UA fucked up and all those kids were put in danger but they could be put in danger anywhere,,, like heroes are being targeted just for being heroes and if UA didn’t exist to target they would just target whatever other school or training program or organization that would replace UA functionally, like ugh. Just have more heroes volunteer to help out UA, have heroes become more vigilant and try to take down the league, instead of blaming teachers.

I hate this interrogation already

Aizawa is smart hop off his dick

❤️❤️Oh here comes Nezu shut them down honey ❤️❤️

They are about to talk shit about Katsuki LET ME GET MY HANDS READY! READY TO FUCKINF KILL SOMEONE!

Vlad King 🤍🤍

Eraserhead🖤🖤

Oh my god he’s defending my boy I love AIZAWA “if the villains think they have a chance with him, then they are grossly mistaken” KING SHIT

This reporter is not shit.

I want to see Nezu go crazy go stupid I just want to see him destroy somebody I ask for one thing and it’s that

Aww Bakugou got to see Aizawa’s support that makes my heart happy

Bakugou literally kidnapped, being held captive: what a bunch of amateurs

Dabi shut your pretty mouth

Mr. Compress baby everytime you open ur mouth I fall further

Bakugo literally just said: I only do whatever I want to I won’t pretend otherwise

Maybe Yagami Yato has a better handle on improv than I thought (not that I ever thought she was bad the dialogue just comes across janky sometimes but no they wrote Bakugo like that so)

Ooh Kurogiri about to stop Shigaraki but he’s not about to hurt Bakugou he’s just being a savage

Best Jeanist having the same voice actor as Soul from Soul Eater sends me everytime.

I hate how All for One and Kurogiri say Tomura Shigaraki it’s so weird

Momo is back to being mom. Iida is back to being dad.

Kirishima is so cute why am I falling for him

IIDA WITH AN UNDERCUT I just can’t handle it and he wants to protect Izuku so bad

IM SORRY Best Jeanist saying “get off your high horse” sounds just like soul

Best Jeanist knows Bakugou so well it’s cute he has faith in my mans

Gang Orca watch your next words baby I like you cause you look like a monster bUT THE ICE IS THIN

Ragdoll is babey and I adore her,, she is my best babey and I don’t want bad things to happen to her

WHY DO THEY DRAW ALL MIGHT WITH ALL THAT ASS,,, WHAT THE FUCK

Nezu acting dumb but really beinf the smartest man on the planet 🤍🤍

NOT A SHITTY MAN TRYINF TO TOUCH MOMO

DONT WORRY IIDA PROTECTED HER LIKE A GENTLEMAN

Idk how to tell you this Izuku but I know from the preview that ur in the wrong place

KIRISHIMA BEINF PREPARED WIRH A NIGHT VISION SCOPE “whatever, man, just drop it” cute

I love how much commentary they are all giving for this scouting mission they are so dumb

Oop Nomus

This is a not good

“A master? I thought you were the boss around here but ur just a sidekick” Bakugou can you try not being a savage for like 2 mintues

“If you want me to listen then get on your knees and beg!” BAKUGOU STOP IM BLUSHING

I was about to write something about loving compress but Bakugou owns my heart 1000% so when he speaks I black out

‘Zza is here villains JK ITS ALL MIGHT

So hot!!!

YES KAMUI GET THOSE BITCHES!! TIE EM UP BABY!!

Gran Torino just kicked Dabi’s lights out

All might can’t stop doing these things: being caked up and hot, complementing people

Mr. Compress you got played baby boy you got played sorry not sorry

Twice is cute but I looked up his face and :/

Edgeshot I would like more content of him please

Endeavor is a whinny boy

All might and Bakugo being bros is so cute I love it

All for One is shit and I hate him

Oop Mt. Lady for the win she’s actually doing something useful it’s crazy

When all the heroes working together THATS my sexuality

All might sayinf the villains underestimated bakugous soul I’m dead.

Oh they got baby girl Ragdoll

And soul said the nomu are neutralized so eat shit villains

Okay so All Might knows how to say Tomura Shigaraki cool

Spinner is a pussy, stop talking about stain ur in a real legend’s presence

Shigaraki is an incel and I’m done with him I think

EDGESHOT IS SO FUCKING COOL WHY IS THIS THE FIRST TIME IM SEEING HIM

Oh Mr. Compress ur names Astushiro Sako hai hottie!!!

Gran Torino i do love you but ACAB

Shigaraki is shitting his pants at Gran Torino knowing there is a boss

—Tenko Shimura—

All for One is a cunt and I will not stand for this manipulation

And they lost the baby again

ALL MIGHT SCREAMINF NOO WHEN BAKUGOU DISAPPEARS IS MY LIFE

I think my favorite new thing I’ve learned aboht Endeavor is his face gets so red what a cuti- abusive man I mean

I’m stressed.

Best Jeanist. Stop talking ur making me nut.

Gang orca hottie.

Ragdoll. I love you please be okay.

These kids dumb. It is kind of triggering.

She’s quirkless now :( ragdoll no

All for One get away from these pros I like them all and Mt. Lady is there

Had to pause to appreciate how cool Jeanist’s quirk is literally restraining All for One in his own clothes you can only imagine being this cool.

NOOOOOOOOOO

Oh COOL COOL JUST ROLL THE CREDITS AFTER THAT NO THATS SO COOL THANK YOU SO COOL AHHAAHHA.

I’m- I’m going to leave the preview to the beginning of the next post lol

Anyway if anyone other than me reads this hi! Hope you enjoyed! I probably won’t stop doing these! Lol hmu if you wanna be friends/talk BNHA I don’t really have anyone to talk to about it as you can see lolololol

Masterlist of all episodes I’ve live tweeted

[dianapana]

SasuHina Month 2020- Day 6

Prompt - Crime Detectives

 I woke up with the worst headache, as I try to move my hands to grip my temple to try to put some pressure on them and relief some of the pain I hear an incredibly loud sound that splits my head in two, my hands are met with resistance just inches away from my head. I fully open my eyes and the blinding light makes my head hurt even more; on reflex I try to move my hands again the sound comes back and everything just fucking hurts.

When I can finally keep my eyes open for more than 5 seconds without passing out, I look to my hands and see they are handcuffed together and to a sturdy iron table. I’m sitting in a similar chair and my legs are also tied to the chair. I raise my eyes further and find myself looking in a mirror.

I have no idea what the fuck is going on. I don’t remember how I got here. The last thing I remember is being home with my girlfriend Hinata. The thought of her unsettles me; if she was with me than, is she also here? Fuck I hope not. I don’t have much time to sort thought my thoughts because the door to the side opens and two men come in; one of them is dressed in a suit while the other has the usual police uniform on. They both sit down and stare at me for a moment before the one in the suit starts talking.

Do you know why you’re here son?” he looks almost smug, like me being here is doing it for him. I am instantly disgusted by him.  

“No.” I say, my throat is dry and my voice sounds weird even to my ears. My head still hurts and everything is almost heightened; I’ve felt like this before so I know that I might have a slight concussion.

The man in the suit rolls his eyes at me and leans in closer. “Don’t try playing coy. This investigation is only procedure, if it weren’t for the paper work you’d be behind bars for a really long time punk.” There’s a light in his eye that tells me he’s enjoying belittling me.

“Why would I be behind bars? What is it that you think I did?” I feel like I am part of some really bad Tv show about corrupt officers. Talking about officers, the man in uniform hasn’t said a word. I turn to look at him and he looks back at me. Unlike the other man he isn’t smug. He looks serious and puzzled. He’s trying to figure me out. The fact that this is real and that I am being accused of a crime finally dwells on me and I’m not too proud to admit that I’m fucking scared. I’ve seen documentaries about how a shit ton of people go to jail on false accusations. That piece of information was just a fun fact my brain absorbed and saved for later to drop in a random conversation, I never thought I would relate to it.

“Murder. That is what you did. You killed someone in cold blood” The man in the suit spits out those words. I know I’ve gone pale; I see it in the mirror. The room is spinning and I can’t breathe. For the first time the one in the uniform speaks.

“Deep breath son you’ll pass out”

I am well fucking aware I will. But maybe that’d be better. Maybe I’ll wake up to see Hinata’s face inches away from my face, a worried look on her face ‘You were trashing in your sleep’ she’d say and I’d assure her it was a nightmare. I’d hold her closer and go back to sleep with her head over my chest and everything would be ok. But I breath, close my eyes and when I open them, I’m still here.

“Who do you think I…?” I can’t even say the word. A thought goes though my mind and I feel like I’ll pass out all over again “Hinata, is she ok?” I kind of regret my words the moment they leave my lips. She has nothing to do with this and I might have just linked her to something awful.

I look to the uniform man because I expect more honesty from him than from the one in the suit. He looks pained and fuck if that doesn’t scare me. I want to cry; I don’t even care that I’m in front of these two, possibly more people watching from behind the mirror or on security cams.

“That is private information.” The one in the suit says. I blink and expect him to laugh tell me he’s joking and tell me the name of whoever they think I killed. But he doesn’t we keep staring at each other like fucking idiots. This feels less and less like real life. What the heck does he mean ‘private information’ I don’t even get to know who they think I presumably killed?

“I think that’s enough Kuzo-san” the one in the uniform says “I’ll take it from here” the one in the suit wants to argue, I can tell but his phone rings at that exact moment, he answers and leaves without any further argument.

“This doesn’t look good for you. The dead body of a 45-year-old man was found in the trunk of your car.” I breath relieved; I know it’s weird at this exact moment to do that, but I’m just glad that it isn’t Hinata that died. Having no recollection of anything but being with her and then being accused of murder made my brain have some weird connections. I think back to what he said and I finally remember a very important thing.

“My truck was stolen about a month ago. I called the police and reported it. A few days later I bought another car. There’s a ton of evidence to show I haven’t used it in over a month. I don’t know when you found the body but I’m sure it got there long after my truck was stolen.”

The man raises an eyebrow. “Are you able to tell me with which officer you spoke about your stolen truck?”

“Officer Iruka. I even came down to the police station, signed a form and places a written declaration.” The more I talk the more he relaxes. I’m glad the other one left; I have no idea who the man killed was but that guy just wanted to say the case is closed, in my opinion, he didn’t care if they solved it correctly.

The man gets up and leaves the room. I’m left alone and my thoughts go back to Hinata. How did I get here? I bet she’s scared out of her mind. Does she know I’m here? Was she with me? Are they accusing her of being an accomplice or some stupid shit like that? A few moments pass before the door opens again and I hear a voice screaming; all my senses are on edge. That was Itachi’s voice. I could always recognize him. I’ve never heard him scream. He’s always level headed even in the heated arguments we’ve had over the years.

The man in the uniform comes to the table but he doesn’t sit down; instead he walks around it and goes down to one knee and unties the rope around mt legs. His jaw is tight so I can only assume he’s clenching his teeth. “I checked your story out and it checks out” He says and unlocks my hands. “Even so we can’t let you go yet; no matter how fucking stupid this is. The other guy, he’s a crime detective hired by the victim’s family and apparently, he’s dead seat on you being the criminal. We won’t interview you any further for now. Your brother is out there you are allowed to talk to him. Get a lawyer kid; this will end fine for you but sadly it will take some paperwork and time”

He leads me from behind to the door; if I thought the room before was lighted this one is brighter than the fucking sun and my head still hurts like a bitch.

“Sasuke!” Itachi comes running to me but he’s not the one that hugs me; Hinata is. She was behind him all along. Her shoulders shake and I know she’s crying.

“I was so scared. This man comes to the house and knocks you out; I tell him that I’ll call the cops and he told me not to bother and showed me his officer badge. I’m sorry I got so scared I called Itachi to come” Her voice is small. Finally, thanks to her I know what happened but I’m more pissed now. The man dared come to our house.

“Is that how the police act nowadays? Break into people’s houses and accuse them of murder without having all the facts?” Itachi is the one talking and he’s questioning the man behind me.

“Is that what happened miss?” he addresses Hinata. She looks up at him and nods. He’s even more pissed now than before.

“I will need your statement. But first; is this the man?” he asks her and shows Hinata a picture of the man in the suit. Hinata nods once again. He sighs again and talks into the station on his shoulder.

“Cuff Kuzo-san. I’ll be there in a few” he turns back to us “after we finish with your official statement miss you are all free to go; but please don’t leave the city in the next 48h” I have no idea why this man in the suit would want to pin the crim on me but it seems he did a very poor job.

It takes Hinata about 5 minutes to give her statement; Itachi keeps rubbing his forehead and I can’t keep my eyes open for more than a couple seconds at a time. “It’s fucking frightening getting a call in the middle of the night from your girlfriend telling me that you got arrested or some shit” I bet it was.

“For the first about 5 minutes after I woke up in there, I kept thinking it was all a joke. We should swing by the pharmacy; I think I have a concussion”

Hinata comes back, her eyes are red and tired; all I want to do is go home and sleep; sleep while I hold her and not think about this shit. Criminal detectives my fucking ass. That dude is a phony and either doesn’t know how to do this fucking job or he had a hidden agenda against me for some reasons; who knows.

“Let’s go home and forget this ever happened.” Hinata says and takes my hand in hers. They are small and soft and warm. My mind goes back to those few moments when I thought it was her that had died and my heart felt like it had been swallowed by a black void. I look at her, now, trying to act strong for my sake. I look at Itachi; she called him crying just after the incident; I’m certain she has had it worse than I did in this time. I stop in my track and pull her to me in another hug. I love everything about her from her smell to her laugh and annoying addiction to cinnamon; from her eyes to her smile and the freckles she has on her chest. Since I woke up my head has been feeling fuzzy because of the concussion but just now I get a moment of clarity.

I let her go and kiss her nose. She offers me a small tired smile. She’s beautiful even tired and with her hair looking a mess; I notice she’s wearing the same shirt she was about to sleep in last night and jeans. There’s nothing in my mind now but her. I drop to one knee in the hallways of the police station and open my mouth to ask her to marry me but Hinata cuts me off.

“What are you doing?” she looks around, I assume people are looking at us but I don’t care. “Sasuke get up; this isn’t funny. I just want to get home” she extends her hand to me silently telling me again to get up. I take her hand but instead of getting up I turn it around and kiss the back of it.

“Hinata, will you marry me?” I ask her and she looks alarmed but it’s so fucking adorable.

“Jesus, Sasuke, what the hell. We’re in a police station after one of the worst nights of my life and you’re asking me to marry you? Are you for real right now?”

“He has a concussion” says Itachi somewhere in the fundal and Hinata’s eyes widen in concern.

“I’m not doing this because I hit my head. I’ve been thinking about it, how and when to ask, I’ve been carrying around with me the ring for about 2 months now always chickening out at the last moment. Bu now it felt right, I don’t know why. But I am ‘for real’ Hinata. I love you and I want you to be my wife. I want to spend all my life with you” her expression changes from disbelief to something I can’t really read but I hope is happiness; she’s tearing up.

“Of course, I’ll marry you, you big goof. Now get up” She pulls me to her and this time I go willingly. I kiss her and smile down at her.

“I’ve had that ring with me everyday for 2 months and couldn’t do it, and now that I did it, I don’t have the ring on me…I’ll give it to you when we get home. I promise”

What started out as the worst day ever ended up being the push, I needed to do what I had been afraid of; it put things in perspective. I thought asking her to marry me was frightening but the thought of her not being with me forever scared me even more. I look over my shoulder and see the man in the uniform and officer Iruka smile at me. Maybe I do own that stupid ass criminal detective something; but I’ll probably never admit that out loud. That fucker doesn’t deserve anything.

[myherochedaia]

Excerpt from something I’m writing right now that I’ll probably never publish. This is a side scene after a disaster dinner at the Bakugo’s. Kirishima was invited over at the time(his first time meeting his Bakbro’s family) and encouraged Katsuki to talk to his mom and be honest.

“So, I guess we should talk...” “Yeah. Probably.” “K.” Mitsuki honestly hadn’t expected Bakugo to start. “When everybody thought I was a bad guy, it threw me. A little. Maybe more than a little. Even the league of villains thought I fit in with them. It.... It was what I deserved, but it h- it hurt there I said it.” He threw his hands up and shouted, “Happy cruddy hair!?” Mitsuki felt her heart rate rise and her throat constrict. “You didn’t deserve it Katsuki, nothing that happened was your fault.” “I let the world see me angry.” “The world has nothing better to do than make assumptions about teenagers and then blow those assumptions up to Mt. Lady proportions?” Mitsuki asked, voice rough. “And besides that, they never should have forced you to take an award you didn’t want! You were a little out of control but they had no right to chain you down and make you do what they wanted you to! They were so far out of line that your father didn’t even try to calm me down before I called your principal and threatened to blow up his car, house, nest or whatever it is he has while he’s still inside if anything like that ever happens again! Marasu got some good zings in too! How could-!” Mitsuki stopped herself and took a deep bracing breath. Anger was so much easier that fear and guilt and grief. When she had felt her throat loosen and her face get hot she had been more than willing to go full tilt angry. Angry was easy, but Katsuki was worth the hard things. “I’ve been a bad mom.” The words made Katsuki’s head snap toward her and her hands fisted on her knees. Katsuki opened his mouth. “No, stop. It’s true. I haven’t been the best example. I’m loud and rude and temperamental and you inherited all of those things from me. I, didn’t handle that well. We shout at each other all the time and, yeah, it’s how we show affection but it shouldn’t be.” She started speaking more quickly and her voice began shaking. “I see you push away your friends and yell at them and insult them and, I taught you that. And I was wrong. I’m sorry Katsuki. And, I’m sorry for assuming everything was fine. That-” She was crying. His mom... was crying. “That you were fine. I was so scared when I heard what was happening and what they wanted from you because I knew you’d never give it to them, I knew you were a hero through and through and I was such a wreck that night we heard what happened and for every second after until we heard you were safe and coming home. So when you came in, and you were fine, shouting and scoffing like it had never happened, I let myself pretend that it had never happened. It was easier than making myself, making you have things be real. You aren’t okay Katsuki, and I have some fault in that. I haven’t been a good mom, but I’m going to be better.” She said resolutely. “I don’t say this a lot, and that is going to be changing too, I love you Katsuki. You are a good kid and I love you!” Bakugo gave up fighting the tears. His mom hadn’t so why should he? He launched himself over the coffee table and hugged her. They both had strong grips, both refusing to be the first to pull away. They sat there, like that, until Marasu came home. “Hey- what? Bakugo, are you okay with hugs now?” “Of course not! The old lady was crying! Those are special circumstances!” He pulled away quickly but gently. “We’re going to try to be a little less, harsh with each other.” “I noticed the old lady instead of old hag. I’m really proud.” “Just don’t get used to the mushy junk and don’t expect me to want to talk all the time.” “Of course not. You should get some rest.” Katsuki scoffed and rolled his head but headed up the stairs anyway. At the top he called, “Love you losers!” “Love you more!” Matsuki shouted. “Don’t start with me woman!!!!”

That’s it. I just really want to fix their relationship because it’s right on the cusp of too far gone and I relate to that. Anyway, let me know if you want to know more about this story and I’ll maybe post it on AO3.

Sorry for the long post.

[iron--spider]

spider popsicle (whumptober - trembling)

The cold is so cold that it burns, all over him. Peter doesn’t know how long it’s been anymore, he can’t remember details of the asshole’s face who took his suit and put him here, he can barely remember his own name. The freezer is winter wonderland. Winter nightmare. Carcasses hanging up and swinging like bodies on the gallows. That’ll be him soon. A plaster mold of what he once was.

 There’s ice on his eyebrows. Out of his nostrils. Covering his ears. Sweeping through the wrinkles in his brain.

 He knows Steve is here too. They took them both. The taller man stripped off Peter’s suit when he realized he had a heater, and he’s been in his boxers ever since. Worse. Way worse. He was worried about his identity in the beginning, but now, he’s just worried about the state he’ll be in when they find his body.

 He doesn’t wanna die. He can’t break the door, he can’t, he tried when he could still move, he kicked and screamed and tried to tear the walls apart. Now he’s wasting away, faces hovering in his mind. May, Tony, Ned, MJ. He falls into memories that are only half real, the five of them in his apartment—eating dinner, playing video games, Tony doing card tricks, MJ giving him shit when an ace falls out of his sleeve. Ned is good at charades. May gives up after Tony guesses Bill Clinton for Amy Winehouse. Peter can’t stop laughing.

 A tear freezes on his cheek.

 The amount of love he has in his heart threatens to burst out of him, and why hasn’t Steve escaped yet, why hasn’t he escaped, why the hell can whoever these people are hold both Spider-Man and Captain America without a peep from either one of them?

 Peter hugs his knees to his chest. He doesn’t wanna die, he doesn’t wanna die, he doesn’t wanna leave them. But he closes his eyes anyway.

 Next thing he knows, the door is slamming open.

 “Jesus Christ. Jesus.”

 Peter can barely think. Can’t move. His eyes are closed and he can’t open them, and everything is churning in slow motion, like he’s floating underwater. 

 “I’ve got you. I’ve got you, kid. I’m here, I’m here.”

 Tony.

 Peter feels his hands on him, pulling him to his feet, and Peter falls into darkness with the shock of the movement. Then there’s more hands on him, more people, talking, and they’re pulling his suit back on. Then there’s heat, beautiful and rushing and all encompassing.

 Peter starts shivering.

 “I’ve got you,” Tony’s voice says. They’re walking now, and Peter can’t feel his own legs moving but he knows they are, and Tony pulls him closer, plasters him against his chest, and Peter tucks his head under Tony’s chin. He tries to feed off his warmth.

 It feels like the gears in his head are starting to turn again, slowly, surely, busting out of their imposed immobilization, and Tony has never held him this tight.

 “Steve,” Peter mutters, in a weak, pathetic croak.

 “We’ve got him,” Tony says. “Don’t worry.”

 Peter…hurts. He squeezes his eyes shut tight and he wishes they would stop moving, he needs to crash, he needs...God, even with the heater, he’s still so cold. He can feel it more now than he could before. He’s an ice sculpture. He shakes and his teeth clatter.

 “We’re almost there, bud, I promise,” Tony says, squeezing his shoulder, and they start moving a little faster.

 Peter groans.

 “I’m sorry,” Tony says, with such concern and kindness that it provides its own sort of warmth.

 “Me too,” Peter says, because his knees are about to buckle. They do, and Tony catches him. Peter falls into darkness again.

 When he opens his eyes he’s sitting. Tony is still holding him, rubbing his arms up and down fast, generating heat. Peter can feel the extra layers now—his suit, a sweater, a jacket, a weighted blanket. He can feel fuzzy socks. He’s tucked up underneath Tony’s chin again, and he’s still trembling. More now, that he’s awake and aware. 

 “Sorry,” Peter mutters. “Embarrassing.”

 “Stop,” Tony says. “No apologies.”

 “Spider popsicle,” Peter says, his teeth still chattering as he tries to speak.

 Tony snorts, ruffling his hair. “You need earmuffs too. Ears are freezing.”

 Peter doesn’t disagree because every part of him is freezing and he can’t stop trembling, despite the layers they’ve heaped upon him. Tony keeps rubbing his arms, and Peter closes his eyes, thawing out. “Where—are we?” he says, still sounding half drunk. 

 “Quinjet,” Tony says. “Those assholes were freezing you to death and trying to give Steve heatstroke. Apparently they had more experiments planned, fuckers.” 

 Peter sighs. “Should have—gotten away,” he says, closing his eyes. “Ambushed us.”

 “Don’t beat yourself up.” Tony rubs his back, readjusting the blanket around him. He tugs the sweater up higher around Peter’s neck.

 Peter glances up when a door opens. Clint and Natasha come in, and both of them seem exhausted.

 “Looking like a real dad over there,” Clint says. “Reminds me of when my oldest fell into the goddamn lake.” 

 Tony sighs heavily but doesn’t balk against the dad comment.

 “How’s—Cap?” Peter asks, shaking and shaking and shaking. 

 “Opposite of you,” Natasha says. “We’ve got him in a bucket of ice with about four fans pointed at him. Bucky and Sam are with him now.”

 Peter doesn’t know what’s worse, but at least this way, he gets hugs. Tony is usually a special occasion type of hugger, so this is a particular kind of event. Peter wonders if he’d be like this with anybody else on the team. He knows he would be with Pepper, Happy or Rhodey. Peter wonders if he’s on the same level as them. No, he could never be. But he and Tony have been through a lot together. The end of the world and back. And Peter’s still...a kid. Maybe that’s why Tony is so concerned. Nobody wants a teenager to freeze to death.

 God he’s so cold.

 “I was—thinking about dying,” Peter says, low enough so only Tony can hear him. “It got—so bad and I just—”

 “Shh, kid,” Tony says, softly. “You know you’re not allowed to die. We wrote up a contract, we both signed it. In red ink. It is filed and copied in my office.”

 Peter snorts. He wonders how long he’s gonna be this cold. He thinks about that time he and MJ got too deep into a Wikipedia hole about Mt. Everest. All those weird dead bodies up there, forever frozen in the last place they dropped. That’s what the freezer felt like. Everest.

 “Sorry it took so damn long,” Tony says, rubbing his arms again. “Took forever to find you two. Those assholes really covered their tracks.”

 “Does—May know?”

 “Yup, she’s with Pep at the compound. How you feeling? Still spider popsicle?”

 “Mhm.” It’s only a little bit better. Like he’s slowly...slowly...slowly...getting the feeling back in his body. His gums feel cold. The roots in his teeth. “You know they—actually do have, uh—Spider-Man ice cream.”

 “I know,” Tony says. His voice rumbles through Peter’s ear. “You texted me about it last week.”

 “Oh yeah,” Peter says. He thinks this is the first time in his life that he doesn’t want ice cream. 

 “Think about when we ate those ghost peppers,” Tony says.

 Peter grimaces. A terrible decision. His mouth was on fire. Tony was crying.

 “Or that time the air conditioning went out in the tower.”

 “Ugh, the—worst,” Peter says. 

 “Or any New York summer.”

 Maybe it’s working a little bit, and Peter trembles slightly less. “Can we—play charades?” he asks.

 “Right now?” Tony asks. “I don’t think you’d do too well.”

 “No, after—when I—when things are—normal.” 

 “Yes,” Tony says. “Whatever you want, bud.”

 Peter closes his eyes, and he’s glad he’s not dead. He’s glad that whenever this kind of shit happens, Tony’ll find him, no matter what. Peter just hopes Steve is okay.

 His heightened senses are coming back, and he hears Natasha whisper to Clint.

 “That kid has Tony wrapped around his little finger.”

[champofpallet]

Writober Day 9: Blood 

[Trigger warning for blood, nothing too bad though, he just fell and hurt his knee]

The cold wind howled on the peaks of Mt. Silver as the young boy walks by. This was the first time he was ever on his own for real, away from all his friends and family, only with the company of his Pokemon. He wasn’t going to say he wasn’t afraid, he was terrified honestly, but he had to leave to make sure everyone he loves was okay. After what Team Rocket did there was no way he could show his face around his loved ones. The grunts were so resentful by Red’s interference with their plan that once Team Rocket was disbanded they started taking out their frustration out on him, a mere child.

It started with the threatening letter that explained how the Rocket Grunts were going to take away everyone who was important to him. This was something a eleven-year-old boy should not experience ever. Full of anxiety and fear for his family and friends, the Kanto champion packed up and left for any place where he could hide. Would he become an old mountain hermit like the stories say? Right now he only cared about the safety of everyone than to care what would happen to his mental state. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder for comfort warming him up the best he could with his fur. He lets out a worried squeak in concern. Was Red a hundred percent sure he should do this?

“I know but...I couldn’t just stay there and have everyone hurt…” The red hatted boy mumbled silently. He believed this was the best thing to do, however his heart said otherwise. Should he listen to his gut or the pain in his heart? Well he was already here now. There was no turning back. Walking forward a bit more in the icy snow below his feet, Red noticed a snowstorm up ahead. Even with his hand trying to shield his eyes from the snow it was still difficult to see anything. Still he had to press on no matter what. It took him a bit to step in the snow, even his footprints were not even lasting for more than a second, being quickly covered up by a new blanket of snow.

However having snow everywhere did have some perks. No one would be able to see Red in this snowstorm so Team Rocket will still have no clue where he was! Though the bad thing was not seeing where you were going. His sneaker felt a hard object hit against it knocking Red off balance. The boy grunted and fell into the snow feeling a sharp pain in his leg. He slowly sits back up, snow and ice frosting his cheeks. Pikachu had fallen off his shoulder after the fall, rolling into a small ball of snow and shaking out of it once he got back up. Noticing his trainer was in trouble, he runs to him.

“P-Pika?” That was Pikachu’s way of saying Red’s name. The boy looks up and smiles at his Pokemon. “I-I’m okay...j-just slipped…are you okay?” Pikachu nods and hops onto Red’s leg. However an odd smell filled the air. Down in the snow was some red substance that dripped from Red’s jean leg. Was that…?!

“Pika!!” Now he was very concerned. He tried to get Red’s attention to his leg. The trainer blinked and looked down to what his Pokemon was trying to allude to. There was indeed some crimson substance on his pants. Without thinking he places a hand on it and raises his hand back up to see the result. Blood. He was bleeding. Usually that wouldn’t be a problem for Red since he deals with injuries like this all the time, but thanks to the biting cold he couldn’t even get himself to move. Was he frozen? Did he need some sort of medicine? Pikachu tries to open Red’s backpack the best he could, using his teeth to open the zipper. Now where did he put that medicine box? Humans had to heal in a much slower and painful way than Pokemon could so he tried to find that box the best he could. Being so small he fell into the darkness of Red’s bag, now it will be even more difficult.

Red was still feeling frozen, his body teetering and shaking. Pikachu had to hurry. There was not much time before Red faints. Was it the blood loss? The cold? There was a moment of silence before Red fell right into the snow as still as a rock. He was still breathing, though huffing heavily. Pikachu notices this and hurried to Red’s side somehow getting out of the backpack.

“Pika! Pika! Pika!” Pikahu shouts desperately trying to wake Red up. The snowstorm was getting worse, and now he had no idea what to do! There was no way a small Pokemon like him could heal up a human. They’d need something like a Chansey or Blissey to heal him, and Pikachu knew he didn’t have any healing moves. Not many electric types did after all. Pikachu began to cry, snuggling up to Red trying his best to keep him warm. Someone had to hurry and save them! Pikachu gritted his fangs and shut his eyes tightly. He hoped some sort of miracle would come! Anything! That was unil Pikachu felt warm, almost like a fire was in front of the two. They were lifted off the snow  and into the sky by some force that Pikachu couldn’t see very well. Two wings of fire, one long beak of gold.

“Pika chuu?” This Pokemon seemed so familiar… wait was this Moltres? But that couldn't be! Red had caught Moltres two years ago! Was this just a new Moltres perhaps? How many legendary Pokemon did have doppelgangers anyway? The fire bird took Red and Pikachu to an opening in the cave. Now that was all well and good, but he wanted his trainer to be healed too. Pikachu makes a small squeak and alerts to Red’s knee scrape. Moltres stares at Red’s injury for a little then nods his head. Moltres called out for a random Pokemon’s help by giving a shrill short screech. 

From out of the shadows stepped a Delibird who had just so happened to have heard Moltres had brought some berries to heal Red up. However the Pokemon was not going to give for him to eat but instead mushed up the berries and places them on Red’s knee. It took a moment but...did that berry stop the bleeding? Though now looking closer at Red, Pikachu noticed that the ice that had grown on Red’s face in the cold was slowly melting off. It was around that time that Red started to stir. Overcome with joy, Pikachu hopped onto Red’s lap and gave him a big hug.

“H-Huh…? Pikachu? Where am I?” The boy looked around the cave silently. This place actually looked big enough to live in to hide from the thunderstorm actually. Maybe this is where they will stay! Pikachu turned to say thank you to Moltres and Delibird, but not a soul was there. How curious. Pikachu stood in shock for a second as he tries to understand what had happened. “Did you bring me here, Pikachu?” Red asked. Pikachu shook his head and tried to describe Moltres and Delibird though his usual charades approach. “A bird? A bird took me here?” Pikachu nods given that Moltres is a bird and so was Delibird. He places two fingers in the air to show that Moltres wasn’t the only one that helped.

“Two birds? Well I hope they know they have my thanks. Let’s thank ‘em with some Poffins, I think I brought some in my bag.”

[moonraccoon-exe]

Can I ask for some fleurentia/ravnis ANGSTY headcanons about what happened between Ravus and Ignis during their last fight, when Ravus was asking to be finished and he was obviously in such a great pain after being modified by Ardyn? It would be fucking angsty and I NEED THAT. If you don't mind ;)

Heck damn right YOU CAN AND I WILL COMPLY VERY JOYFULLY, AYO.

Apparently I can’t work without context so have some first:

Ravus and Ignis were sort of longtime lovers by that point.

They maintained a long distance relationship since Ignis was like nineteen.

They met when Iggy was a child and Ravus was a pre-teen. Liked each other since, felt affection for each other since.

The issue of Noct got into their relationship; Ravus was angry that Ignis was “too dumb and blinded by baseless loyalty for that boy” to see he wasn’t worthy of being the Chosen, and Ignis was angry that Ravus insisted on “being too proud to understand not everything revolves around him and that Noctis will find his place at his time”.

Long story short; both feel affection for each other since they were kids, had a longtime long distance relationship, and even though they didn’t explicitly broke up, they had that difference of opinions and lost contact since months prior to the Insomnia attack and until they “met” again at that imperial base; later on meeting properly at Altissia.

….BUT they still loved each other, despite said differences.

None admitted it until the events of Altissia.

They made up, apologized, and forgave each other across the events (while slaying mechs and MTs, of course).

They still fought when Ravus lost it at the altar, but made up again after he had vent his anger.

Ravus had a “You don’t know what you’ve got until you lose it” smack to the face when Ignis almost dies and went blind.

Ravus stayed there with him until Gladio and Prompto arrived, apologizing and shushing him, holding him dear in arms, and crying out all his regrets.

Why he stopped talking to Ignis for something so foolish, mostly. Ravus really regretted having lost contact with him and letting his love for him die for something so stupid and unrelated to them. It took months that he could have used to make Ignis happy away.

It was Ignis’ own determination to protect Noctis what makes Ravus turn sides; if his darling went so far as to almost dying and giving up his sight for this young man, then Ravus will help them. If not for Noctis, at least so that Ignis’ own sacrifices don’t go in vain.

That’s why even though Ravus would have liked to stay, he left to Gralea to get the Sword of the Father and to confront the emperor.

Yeh…eh…things don’t go well, we know.

And so, we get to what we want: the moment Ravus is revived as a daemon and is forced to attack the chocobros.

Ignis included.

When the doors first opened with Ardyn’s voice in background, Ignis couldn’t see what was happening (obviously).

He heard some distant metal steps and felt a very dangerous and dark presence, but that was it. He couldn’t put his finger onto what exactly it was.

“Is that…Ravus?”

“Or what’s left of him-”

Gladio interrupted Prompto there. And, as was expected, both look at Ignis next (Noct didn’t because he already feels guilty enough and he knows what this means to Ignis, and really it’s the last thing Noct wants to see).

Ignis does react to what he hears, with a change of expression, but before he can say anything Ravus talks.

“Kill me….end- this…”

Ignis’ first reaction isn’t staying paralyzed, as was maybe expected.

Ignis grabbed the nearest person by the arm, a bit too roughly, and said one word.

“Retreat.”

All the chocobros looked at him after that.

This is the first command Ignis has given since Altissia…

And for the first time since any of them can remember, Ignis looks…scared.

Ignis looks absolutely terrified.

Ignis is trying to step back on trembling legs and unstable feet, still holding to Noct’s arm a bit too roughly, and trying to pull from him.

Ignis starts trying to convince them for retreat, but it doesn’t sound like he has a plan; he doesn’t sound firm as usual. He sounds rather…scared. And sort of in panic.

“Retreat, we have- to go back. I know the elevator is- we can- we can round him. Or go back. I’m sure there must be more than one way to the Crystal room, we- retreat. We need-”

The only reason Ravus didn’t kill them in one slash while Ignis was trying to hold them back was because Gladio was fast and stopped him with the shield.

Prom and Noct ran to safer points; Ravus chased after Noctis, and naturally Gladio wanted to run after him but didn’t.

Gladio may not seem like so, but he’s the wisest of the group when Ignis can’t be.

Gladio knew it was to happen…so he turned around to grab Ignis at the same time Ignis had started to run towards Ravus yelling “No”.

It’s the first time in years that Gladio has ever heard him yell like that in something that is not a command or an order.

Ignis let it out almost not thinking; he dropped his cane and tried to run after him, only to collide against Gladio, and being immediately rounded by his arms, not in comfort, but in a grip to not let him go after the daemon.

Ignis basically begged for retreat.

While struggling against Gladio to break free, Ignis then basically begged for the real reason he was begging for retreat.

“We can’t kill him! We can’t kill him- don’t hurt him!”

It was Gladio who had to smack sense into him.

He tried reminding Ignis that it wasn’t Ravus anymore (not at all), that they had priorities, that it was a lost cause (trying to save Ravus), etc.

It wasn’t until Gladio had to use the ultimate weapon that he both got Ignis to calm down and try to come back to rationality; Noctis.

“He’s trying to murder Noctis! Ardyn is making him try to kill Noctis! You swore to protect him, didn’t you? Your king, and the Chosen. That is, literally, the fate of the world, Ignis. We can’t save him now. All we can do is…stop his suffering. You’re Ignis Scientia, aren’t you? Didn’t you teach us all to do the right thing, even if it hurts!?”

Gladio didn’t like using that against his friend; he’s basically making him choose duty above love. But they literally don’t have an option, Ravus can’t be saved anymore, no matter what they do.

Prompto and Noctis had a very bad time against daemon Ravus while Gladio tried to smack sense into Ignis; not only was Ignis in absolute panic, it could also be dangerous. Ignis, blinded, and running towards a daemon…it could really be troubles in many ways.

Ignis was completely out of his usual self, but we must comprehend him.

He’s been keeping to himself the burden of knowing Noctis is fated to die; he’s already bottled up having lost his family and his homeland; he’s dealing with accepting his eternal blindness.

Of course that, after so much, Ignis would break down at some point.

And what a breaking point; Ignis is witnessing the love of his life, with whom he literally just reunited and made up just a few weeks ago, turn into a literal monster and trying to kill them all.

Ignis basically recovered all the immense, huge love he thought was lost, only to be taken from it again.

Being forced to actually kill his dear one.

Of course Ignis would lose all composure and rationality.

Indeed, it would have taken far much longer with anyone else; Ignis, as devoted to Noct and his duty and his oath, and as rational and wise as he is, needed a hurried but very concise speech from Gladio, and accepted it.

He wasn’t content or comfortable or even confident about the idea; like Noctis accepts his destiny, Ignis is accepting this just because he doesn’t have any other option.

Ignis tries joining the fight, but is still trying to figure out if there’s a way to avoid this.

What happened during the fight itself?

Ignis honestly stays more on the defensive and trying to make sure Noct is okay. No offenses.

Ignis, secretly, is trying to be very selfish and leave it all on Gladio and Prompto.

If there’s no avoiding this fight, then hopefully the others can get in charge of it and do it for him. He doesn’t feel…strong enough to do it. Talking in senses that are not physical.

Ravus is reacting to being hit, but when no one is hitting him, Ravus chases after Noct…or after Ignis.

It’s clear he’s a main target; Ravus goes over to him more frequently than he goes after the other 3.

Gladio mostly is who stays in charge of making sure to make Ravus change direction.

A few couple times that Ravus has gotten dangerously close to Ignis, though, he has attacked…

And failed.

During the fight, Ravus managed to throw all bros but Ignis away. He got close and cornered him.

Ignis didn’t dare attack, he stayed on the defensive.

Ravus did raise his daemon hand…but, as it was coming down, he hesitated and made sure to hit the ground instead.

It happened at least seven heartbreaking times.

And each time he missed a hit on purpose?

Ravus would say something.

Ravus asked Ignis to kill him.

Ravus asked for Please.

Ravus asked Ignis to take the chance.

Once, Ravus forced himself down on his knees in front of him and hurried him to do it.

“Please…Ignis…please…”

Ignis didn’t dare. None of those times.

Any of the bros had to go take Ignis away of there because he would stay there for too long asking Ravus to calm down (or telling him he couldn’t do it [kill him]), and Ravus’ daemon side took over and tried to attack again.

Each time Ravus lands an attack nearby Ignis, he shrieks out in what sounds like literal pain.

Like when a daemon dies; like a shriek of physical agony and piercing pain. That’s what Ravus sounds like whenever he almost hits Ignis.

You know how Ravus calls for Lunafreya across the fight?

That wasn’t the only name he would call for.

“Ignis…”

“Please, Ignis…”

“…Ignis…no…”

“Forgive me…Ignis…”

Each time Ravus says his name, Ignis breaks a little more.

If he started on a firm defensive, each time Ravus cries his name is a huge hit to Ignis’ walls, until he’s left completely vulnerable and exposed because Ignis just can’t cope with this.

Take anything from him, take his hands, take his voice, oh gods above, take his ears and his tongue and all his senses, take his own life, but please make Ravus stop crying his name and please save him…

Ignis did try once to hug Ravus, both to physically try to stop him, and to see if maybe that way he recovered a bit of rationality.

Ravus threw him away very violently.

Ignis was very hurt from just being thrown, that’s how bad and violent Ravus was against him in just one movement.

Of course, this brought out some of Ravus’ rationality.

And when he realized that he had hurt his love…oh gods.

The sound that Ravus made when he realized it.

Ignis had not even landed yet when Ravus was already screaming out in pure pain.

The scream Ravus let out came from deep within his entrails, his heart, and his soul itself.

It was pain in its purest, brutest, most sincere state.

It froze all the chocobros in spot, partly at how loud it was, but mostly at the sensation of it; it was so full of pain, goosebumps struck everyone in the room like a bolt.

After that scream, Ravus fell to his knees, like he was dying. He was still making a low noise, in clear suffering.

“…no..”

Ravus stretched a trembling, daemon hand in the adviser’s direction, like trying to reach for him.

“…Ig-…nis…”

Even though it was a chance, none of the bros took it.

That sudden action felt…heavy. It was sort of a reminder that this was a human being with feelings and who was in the most pain they had ever seen in any creature in their lives…and it felt wrong, you know?

For a moment, no one had the heart to kill anyone.

But, you know, the daemon side takes over more and more with every second; Ravus is there only in glimpses, but he’s not on control of himself anymore.

So he stood up and tried to retake his attack, this time focusing in the other bros; the conscious part of Ravus was hurt that he hurt Ignis, and the not conscious part of himself takes that as fuel and tries to take it out on others.

Hence, Ravus becomes more aggressive on this second half of the fight, but tries to ignore Ignis.

Ignis needed some help to be back up on his feet, and he too had to avoid lots of Ravus attacks meant for others (sometimes aimed to himself, of course; daemon Ravus doesn’t care about him like Ravus does).

In the end, even though it would have been beautiful in its very tragic way, Ignis wasn’t the one to finish Ravus off.

Ignis didn’t have the heart to do it. He simply couldn’t.

And, sad as it may be, Ravus ends up collapsing and starts dying.

The fight is over.

Thank the Astrals, Ravus does get a good recovery of senses; he comes back into full rationality, but only as he’s dying.

Ignis was already on his way towards him; the bros just finish guiding him there, as fast as he can, and try to give him space.

Ignis tries placing a hand on his chest, and moves his hand away by reflex when he feels the black goo and the beating organ that’s half in his body and half outside.

“Ignis…no…don’t touch…me…”

Ravus’ voice is barely a whisper. He’s clearly dying with no way back, and using what little he has of strength to talk.

Ignis ignores him.

Ignis tries touching his face, but before his fingers land there, Ravus grips his hand to stop him.

“…no. Ignis- not my face…”

Ignis tried telling him it’s fine, he wants to feel.

“…Ignis…I don’t want…your last memory of me…to be…this. I want you to remember me as I was before…not…not like this. I won’t go at peace if I know your last memory of me is me looking like…this.”

Ravus talks very, veeery slowly and very lowly, but Ignis hears him just fine.

Ignis ignores him again.

“I don’t care. You’re you no matter what your body is like. I won’t live in peace if you don’t let me feel you.”

As much as Ravus fears, he lets go of Ignis’ hand and lets him feel.

Ignis touches his face.

While Ravus agonizes, unable to open the eyes, Ignis touches all over his face with nude fingertips, tracing every line he finds.

His fingers go across his human skin, and into the goo. They feel the goo that rolls down his cheeks; he feels the base of the horn, and he caresses the hair. He feels his chin and his lip, the goo in there included.

He’s shaking a lot…but he never hesitates.

Ignis touches both human and daemon sides the same; the same quantity of time, with the same confidence, and with the same dear affection.

After a moment, Ignis gives a tiny and sad chuckle.

“Still you. My Ravus…”

Ravus wants to tell him many things; the first of everything, he wants to point out to Ignis that he didn’t hesitate about touching his daemon side, like he never hesitated about touching his MT arm. Ravus wants to tell him that Ignis is amazing; that Ignis loves so dearly, and so sincerely, that he didn’t even care about Ravus’ current hideous, literally monstrous state. He wants to thank him for loving him despite it all. He wants to say thanks and express how amazing it is that Ignis is not disgusted of him. He wants to apologize for what he became; he wants to apologize for hurting him and his friends; he wants to apologize for all that time he spent away of him, and for not having been able to save him in Altissia…

Ravus wants to say many, many things,way much more than I listed above.

But he doesn’t have the strength or the time to do it.

All he does is try to lift the hand. He can’t.

Ravus ends up asking Ignis to help him guide his hand to his face.

“I want…to feel you too…”

Ignis blindly looks for it, finds it, and hurries to press it to his face.

Ignis kisses his hand over and over whenever he can while Ravus very, very weakly caresses his face.

Ravus does manage to open the eyes to look at him for a good while.

It’s Ravus’ hand on his face what starts finishing Ignis.

Ignis starts crying while Ravus caresses his cheek.

“I’m so sorry, Ravus. My Ravus…”

For the first time since he first woke up after Altissia, but for an entirely different reason, Ignis starts crying proper enough to sob and sniff.

Ravus smiles at him. Sadly, weakly, knowing Ignis can’t see it, but he smiles.

“It was necessary…”

Ravus does understand it was the only way, that’s why he kept asking over and over for them to kill him. But he does know how difficult it must have been for Ignis to be forced to fight him and to kill him.

“Thank you, Ignis…”

Ravus cleans Ignis’ tears, still caressing his face.

“…my Ignis.”

Ignis is doing amazing at holding in the real tears…

…until Ravus starts fading.

Ravus starts turning into particles, as most/all daemons do when they die.

Ignis had already felt Ravus’ hand stopping and dropping itself on dead weight; the only reason it stayed pressed to Ignis’ face is because Ignis himself has always kept a hand on it.

However, Ignis hears the subtle hiss and feels Ravus’ hand start to deintegrate right there, pressed to his face.

“…Ravus?”

Ignis can’t see it happening, so for a microsecond it didn’t cross his mind because it just couldn’t be possible. Ravus couldn’t just disappear like that, he couldn’t simply…stop existing.

So when Ignis does notice what’s happening, he panics a bit again and tried to touch Ravus again just to make sure he’s still there.

Ignis does manage to put a hand on Ravus’ chest for a moment.

But a few moments later, that same palm gently hits the floor.

Ignis does manage to put a hand to Ravus’ face too.

Ignis can feel the corner of Ravus’ mouth curve slightly up, against his thumb.

Ravus is smiling.

Weakly, very weakly and in pain, but he’s smiling. At him. For him.

Ignis feels like Ravus tried to say something, but he only managed a little breath.

Then, Ignis’ hand was holding nothing but little particles that flew away of it.

And just like that, Ignis is knelt in front of nothing, holding nothing.

Ignis is left in shock.

None of the bros dare say anything.

That is, of course, when Ardyn unleashes the endless hoard of daemons on them.

Gladio took a defensive role nearby Ignis, but

Surprisingly enough, Ignis immediately stands up and summons his daggers, and stays on both defensive and offensive himself, like nothing happened.

Ignis also fighst like nothing happened all through it.

Even when ordering/suggesting to Noctis about leaving the party to go for the Crystal, Ignis’ voice is not shaky and his movements don’t hesitate too much.

Ignis was aware that if he let his brain process Ravus’ death, he would really become a burden, so he started fighting to keep the brain occupied with adrenaline to not let it understand the weight of what happened.

It is much, much later that the weight of it fell on Ignis; by the first moment he has a break long enough to let his brain process what happened, he has already lost Noctis as well.

It would be good to say Ignis cried; it would be a sign that he was in pain but it was bearable enough to vent it through tears. But nope.

Ignis’ heartbreak is so intense and profound, he can only grip at his chest, slowly go down to the ground, and come and go out of and back into consciousness.

He had just recovered the love of his life, and he lost him. Even worse, he participated in killing him. And, almost at the same time, he also lost the brother he had loved for a lifetime.

Ignis had once traded Ravus for Noctis, and now that he had had the chance to keep both, the astrals took both from him; one dead in his hands, and the other destined to die next time they would meet.

Ignis felt pathetic, humiliated, and incredibly embarrassed by the sensation of becoming a nuisance when Gladio had to carry with him the rest of the way out of Zegnautus because Ignis just couldn’t stand on his feet for the rest of the day, but honestly he was in so much heartache, he simply allowed it.

The way back was a very poor and sad image; a brokenhearted Prompto walking next to a shocked Gladio, who carried with Ignis on his back, who quietly cried in his neck and shoulder.

The worst of Ravus’ death, Ignis told his friends later, was that Ignis didn’t tell him that he loved him. He let him go without telling him “I love you” back.

Because Ravus did say it; it was not in words and it was not aloud and no one else heard it.

The thing is, Ignis could understand that last breath that Ravus gave him, back when he smiled a bit before the end.

Ignis did not need to see his face or to hear any words; that last breath, that said it all.

And Ignis didn’t say it back.

Hnnnngh….why did I do this to myself, what is wrong with me- my- feelings… ;A;

What a HORRIBLE prompt, I LOVE IT. It’s so angsty and so tragic and it tears me to pieces. Often I just ignore canon when it comes to this ship, precisely because of how sad this exact moment would be for them. But writing for this particular moment, it was amazing and I enjoyed it so, so much!

Thank you IMMENSELY for dropping this request, dear person! It was delightful to write. I hadn’t written for Ravnis/Fleurentia in SO LONG, and this was absolutely exquisite and incredibly fun. Thank you for bringing me back to this pairing and for such a wonderful prompt!! ( ´ ▽ ` )

I hope this was close to your expectatives, even if just a bit? :’)Do let me know what you think, please! I hope you enjoyed it. 

Thanks again!

I hope you’re having a MOST FANTASTIC day or night! ヽ(・ω・)ﾉ

Give coon a tip, please? (o´▽`o)

[sureuncertainty]

A Dark and Stormy Night: Ch 6

Overview: A modern day retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, reimagined as a ghost story in an old mansion in the middle of nowhere.

Words: 2300

Warnings: language 

Author’s Note: MORE GAY SHIT YEET Previous chapters: one, two three four five    Ao3 link

Fernanda stared at the daunting task in front of her. Shelves, reaching so far up towards the ceiling that it seemed endless. She felt like she was standing in front of the library from Beauty and the Beast, but the problem was that Fernanda was no Belle and she absolutely hated reading. Okay, maybe the shelves weren’t that tall, but to Fernanda they may as well have been Mt. Everest. And to take out all the books and alphabetize them… there had to be hundreds of books on those shelves. This task would take seventy years to complete. Fernanda took a deep breath.

How had she ended up here? The middle of the night, in a mansion on the side of a creepy highway, in the middle of a thunderstorm, alphabetizing books in the library room of said mansion, in order to win the affections of a cute girl she’d just met but also had been making out with earlier. Or rather, because said girl’s very scary mother had commanded her to, once she woke up from her ghost-induced sleep that she’d put her under. And it had all started because she’d been dragged along on a trip she didn’t even want to go on.

She had to admit though, the cute girl was nice. Other than that though…

“I’m so sorry, Fernanda!” Miranda burst into the library, panting as if she’d been running a long way. “I’m so sorry, my mother is… ridiculous, I have no idea why she’s treating you this way.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Fern found herself saying.

“No, it’s not. Are you… are you in shock? What was it? The ghosts? Ariel’s not mean, but he does whatever my mother tells him to do.”

Fern stared at her. “Ariel? Like… from The Little Mermaid?”

“That’s the part you’re hung up on?”

“He’s a ghost, you said? Uh. Okay.” Fern had a weird feeling as if she was dreaming, like if she pinched herself, she’d wake up immediately, but as dreamlike and strange as this felt, she was fairly positive she was awake. Suddenly another option sprang to mind.

“Oh my god. Miranda, did your mom drug me?”

“What?!”

“That would explain the hallucinations… the fact that I passed out earlier… and now he’s trying to keep me busy while it wears off? Is any of this even real?!”

“It wasn’t drugs, I promise!” Miranda cried. “It was just one of Ariel’s spells. He’s a ghost, and has ghost magic.”

“Oh. It wasn’t drugs. It was ghost magic. Duh.”

“No, I’m serious…” Miranda said. “Trust me, Fern. I’ve lived here my entire life, I’ve seen what these ghosts do. I know it seems weird and crazy but this is my life, this is my normal. I can imagine this might be a shock to you… just like it’s… kind of a shock to me as well to be honest.”

“I mean, yeah, you’ve seriously never seen another person in your life before until me? Like that’s fucking insane.” She glanced back at the bookshelves and sighed. “Well, better get to work I guess. Dunno what other choice I have. Guess it’s not too bad. Not when it’s for you.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, dude, your mom told me I had to do this and I figured I had to build credibility with her, you know? Like so she likes me and stuff. So I can, uh… you know. Be… With. You?”

Miranda stared at her, something in her chest fluttering at the way Fern looked at her. She took a deep breath.

“Oh,” she said in a very small voice. “Um. Do you… uh… need help?”

“No, no, no, don’t worry, I got this!” Fernanda said immediately. “I don’t need help, trust me.”

“Please, here, let me just…” Miranda reached across and grabbed one of the books to check the author’s name and Fernanda shook her head. “No! I got it.”

Normally, Fernanda would complain or just refuse to do such a tedious task, but in this case… it seriously was like she almost wanted to do it. Was this what being a nerd was like?

“Thanks,” Miranda said quietly. “For doing that. I’m so sorry about my mother.”

“You said, uh… you said that you… that this is your life? And that you’ve never… even seen another person besides your mom before? That’s… that’s seriously insane.”

“I’ve read books! But… yeah, I mostly just stay here with my mom and the ghosts. The ghosts aren’t too bad, but they get boring after a bit.”

“The… ghosts. Get boring.”

“Well, yeah! I mean there’s not much for them to talk about, they just hang out here, not really knowing what to do. Not everyone comes back as a ghost you know, and also not everyone can even see them. My mom basically  makes them work for her so she can feel like she has control over something in her life.” 

“So uh… how… how did you… like… get here? If you don’t mind my asking.”

Miranda sighed, picking up a book and stroking the spine absentmindedly, sitting in one of the large chairs by the shelves to watch Fern work. “I don’t really know. Mom never really explained it to me until… tonight actually. But… I guess Mom had a brother, my uncle, who was really jealous of her, and took the money my grandparents were supposed to give to her. They gave her this house which was, nice of them I guess, but like… even a giant house like this is boring once you get used to it. It’s just me and my mom, and it feels like it’ll be this way forever…”

“Why don’t you just leave? Is your mom keeping you trapped here?”

“No! Trust me, if it were up to her, I wouldn’t even be here. She’s the only one wh can’t go home, but… I… I chose to stay. With her. Until I’m old enough to do stuff on my own at least. I mean, I’m only fifteen.”

“I’m sixteen, but like… I can do stuff on my own. Couldn’t you at least like… I dunno, make a trip into town or something?”

“I mean… maybe… but I don’t know anyone.”

Fern set down the book she was holding and looked Miranda in the eyes. “You know me.”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

“Hey, I know! You should like… come back with us. Just for a bit. Maybe if I find my dad and stuff, I can convince him to let you come back home with us and stay for a while. I’ll show you my house. It’s big but like… not a mansion or anything.”

“Oh… um… I’d have to ask my mom. I wouldn’t want to hurt her.”

“Yeah, but like… what about what you want?”

“I want Mom to be happy!”

“Yeah, but like what would make you happy? What do you… like? What do you love? What’s something that you couldn’t live without! And don’t say your mom.”

Miranda thought for a second. “Uhhh… I really like… painting! I paint sometimes. And listen to music.”

“Holy shit! Music!” An idea burst onto her, and she reached into her pocket to pull out her cell phone. Still no signal but fortunately she had some songs downloaded. She pressed play on one of her favorites, and turned the volume up, setting the phone on the shelf. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before. Music will make the time go by faster.”

Rock music blared from the tinny speaker of Fernanda’s phone, but Miranda smiled, bobbing her head to the beat. “This is nice! Not really the kind of music I usually listen to, but I like it!”

“Awesome! This is one of my favorite bands. I got a poster of ‘em up in my room back home. Still waiting for them to come through on tour sometime… It’s been a dream of mine to go to one of their concerts for like four years.”

“Maybe if I came to the city with you…” Miranda said slowly. “I could… listen to more music. Or see more paintings.”

“There’s like an art museum nearby. It’s for nerds. Which… I guess you are.”

“But… I can’t,” she said, averting her eyes. “Mom would never want me to leave her. She’d be so lonely. I can’t imagine being here alone with no one but the ghosts for company. Caliban can be funny sometimes, but even he gets old after a while, and Ariel is awfully dull…”

“You must really like your mom, huh?”

“Of course I do. She’s the only family I have.”

“Hm. Must be nice.”

“What?”

“You know. Having someone who like… actually cares about you. And shit.” Fern mumbled into the book she was holding, which she quickly shoved into the stack.

Miranda didn’t say anything for a second, and Fern felt her face flushing. There was something about this girl that made her want to be honest about the way she felt… she barely knew her, and yes they’d kissed a bit earlier, but this was… different. This was a type of vulnerability that Fernanda never showed with anyone, not even her past girlfriends. She’d always been more of a casual relationship person.

“I’m sorry,” Miranda said finally.

“’s all right,” Fern said as flippantly as she could. “My dad’s all right, I guess, he’s just… really busy. So’s my mom. They both work, and they care a lot about making money so they kinda just buy me shit and leave me to my own devices. I’m sixteen years old and I literally still have like… a nanny.”

“What’s that?”

“Oh, you know, like a babysitter. Someone who watches you and keeps you out of trouble. Dad hired this punk ass lady named Stephanie. I used to have a crush on her when I was little. Then I realized she’s wayyyy out of my league. But… she stuck around, for whatever reason. I think she’s the only person who can fucking stand me.”

Miranda was quiet again for a few seconds, and the blare of the music was the only sound. “I can stand you,” she said. “I like you a lot actually.”

Fern’s face heated up again and her heart skipped a beat. “Oh.” She stopped reading the spines of books and stared down at the ground. “Thanks.”

“Of course. You’re… so interesting. So much more interesting than everyone else I spend time with. Even more interesting than my mom.”

Fern burst out laughing. “Oh. Glad to know I’m more interesting than your mom.” 

“That’s a huge compliment!” Miranda said, almost indignantly.

Fern looked up at her, and it was as if her heart had melted. She sat there, looking so innocently confused at why Fern was laughing so much, her blue beanie pulled down almost to her eyes, her knees drawn up to her chest on the couch, staring at her through her big brown eyes, and suddenly, Fern was overcome with emotion. But not just… that she wanted to kiss her (which she very much did). It was… weirdly  more than that. She wanted to know her better. To spend time with her. It was a strange feeling, unlike how she’d felt in previous relationships or even with previous crushes.

“Miranda, I hope you realize that I’m being serious when I say I’ve never felt this way about anyone else in my life. Not any of my exes. Not any of my crushes.”

“How… do you feel?” Miranda asked, leaning forward on the edge of her seat.

Fern stood and walked over to where she sat. “I think… I’m falling for you? Like seriously falling for you.”

“Oh. Like falling… over?”

“In love.”

“Love? With me?”

“I know you probably don’t wanna be with me. You don’t know me, okay? What you see of me now, this is… a weird part of me, a part of me that’s not… normally me. I’m not… I’m not making sense. I guess… I’m not the type of girl to… alphabetize books. I don’t normally do this. I’m… I’m loud and obnoxious and I talk too much and I’m selfish and entitled and… and I’m not the person for you. You’re quiet and sweet and innocent and I say fuck every other sentence and I…”

Miranda cut her off with another kiss, a very soft one this time, and then she pulled apart, putting her hands on Fern’s sides, and Fern’s face flushed deeper, if possible.

“I don’t care about any of that,” she said. “You’re bold and you’re beautiful, and I like when you say fuck even though I don’t know what that word means.”

I could show you, was what Fernanda wanted to say, but she didn’t. Instead she just giggled slightly and pressed her forehead into Miranda’s.

“Thanks. That… means a lot to me.”

“You mean a lot to me. Do you want to be… like my… uh… what’s the word…?”

“Girlfriend?”

“Yes. That’s it. My girlfriend.”

“Fuck yeah!” Fern cleared her throat. “Uh, sorry, I mean, uh, yes. Yes, yes, I would like that very much. To be your… uh… your girlfriend.”

Miranda smiled, the sweetest smile Fern had ever seen, and she noticed the dimple on one side of her mouth, and her golden freckles sprinkled across her face…

“Thank you,” Miranda said softly. “Sorry for distracting you from your job.”

“Are you kidding me? That doesn’t matter,” Fern said, waving her hand dismissively. “I only want you.”

She leaned forward and kissed her again, and this time it felt even better than the last time, more real if anything. All of her insecurities seemed to melt away.

So it made sense that she didn’t even notice Prospera in the corner of the room, smiling as another part of her plan fell quite neatly into place.

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Life is Like a Boat [Portgas D. Ace] Chapter Two [Trust Me]

He'll be crushed … no one could survive that. Elva went pale; her ears jerked down in sadness. She wanted to look away, turn her attention to something other than what she was about to witness, but she couldn't. Her small body was paralyzed – the dirty floor seemed to have glued her in place.

In horror, Elva watched the lieutenant raise a large wooden mallet above his head, cursing the young boy who he towed back from the forest. The minute the pirates returned – utilizing the shoddy den Elva often lodged in – Porchemy ordered the voluble boy to be secured to a rafter in the corner of the room. He'd asked him to give up the location of Ace and their money, but he had refused, barking stubbornly that he would not. Porchemy was not happy; Elva could hear the teeth in his mouth grind together in annoyance. With a grumble, he slammed the head of the mallet down onto the small frame of the boy. The hammer bounced off him – his body sprang back with a sudden boing. Elva herself squeaked in surprise.

"Like I already told you, I ate the gomu-gomu …" The boy's statement was shut out by the delayed screams of the crew; they could not believe it either. He really is made of rubber.

Elva had never heard of a Devil Fruit before; she doubted few had. It sounded made up and she would have went on believing it, had it not been for the boy and display of this special ability. Where did he even get one? She was certain they were rare, because she had never before seen one, especially not in the woods at the base of Mt. Colubo. It did little to slake her interest, seeing it up close. Elva wanted to know more about it; these so called Devil Fruits.

Reality crashed down on her like a wave of ice cold water the minute Porchemy demanded someone to retrieve his gloves. She knew the ones he was referring to; a set of large iron gauntlets with spikes protruding from them. Elva had seen them before, but had luckily never been unfortunate enough be on the receiving end of the lieutenant's right swing. She feared for the young boy now – he was lifted in the air like a hunk of meat.

Porchemy gave the persistent boy a second chance; more than I should have given him. But, he still refused to answer. This made the lieutenant mad. He reared back his gloved fist and punched the boy in the head. The momentum of the swing tossed his slender body to the side, but the rope jerked him back, not allowing him the chance to escape.

A spurt of blood hit the dirt floor, provoking a satisfied smile from Porchemy. The boy started to wail and cry in pain – Elva dropped her eyes to the floor. It's going to be a long day for you, my friend.

The lieutenant punched him for nearly an hour, then decided to take a break. The sniveling boy had yet to spill the truth and honestly Elva wasn't sure why. She waited for Porchemy and his men to leave before standing on her unsteady legs and walking leisurely over to her sling bag against the wall, taking from it a portable first aid kit. It wasn't much – if fact it needed to be refilled – but as a novice doctor, surviving in a lawless community, it was necessary. Elva sighed and brought the kit with her, having to drag a tall wooden stool in front of the boy just to reach him. She pulled on a set of powderless exam gloves and began dabbing away at the dry, flaking blood on his round face. On contact, he flinched and opened his brown eyes; the lid above his right was engorged and discolored.

"It hurts … I'm scared." He's beaten, Elva thought. He'd been murmuring the same words over and over since Porchemy wounded him. Elva wasn't even sure he knew that she was there. It pained her to see this; he seemed like such a spirited person before all this began. Fat, warm tears sank down her red cheeks.

"Stop this … stop being so stubborn." Her voice was husky and so faint she almost thought the boy hadn't heard. "Why are you protecting Ace? It's going to get you killed."

The boy unexpectedly beamed. "He's my friend. Sabo too."

Elva was baffled; she couldn't believe how naïve he was. Her gentle strokes against his skin became rough as irritation took her. Some friends they are. She felt bad for him; his trust failed him. Elva sighed – her fingers eased up. There was no reason for her to cast her anger onto him. It wasn't his fault after all. "I'm real sorry about all this. There's honestly nothing more I can do without Lieutenant Lardass finding out. He'd punish us both." Her ears jerked up – the one tucked below the cloth dressing throbbed in protest.

"You're ears are real weird," the boy mentioned suddenly, lifting his brow. He noticed them drop a bit and laughed. "I've never seen ones like yours before. I like them." They reminded him of knives; pointed at the top.

Elva felt her cheeks go warm. No one had ever spoken about her ears like that; mocked them and yanked on them, but like them, this was new to her. "Thanks … I guess. They are good for hearing noises most people can't."

"Can they really? What am I saying?"

The friendly boy shut his eyes and began to utter something quietly to himself. Elva was confused at first, but she realized he was giving her a name; his name. "Luffy … Monkey D. Luffy." What a strange name. "I'm Sorin Elva."

Luffy let out a peculiar laugh. "Wait until you meet Ace and Sabo. They will like them too." He considered asking Elva more about herself; about her weird pointed ears and if she too ate a Devil Fruit, but her attention was trained on nothing in particular – blue eyes inactive as if she was broken. Luffy saw her ears spring up and jerked in alarm as she came to life.

"He's coming back," she uttered softly, dashing to get back to her spot on the floor. Elva moved the stool – in too much of a panic to care where she placed it – and shuffled over to the bag to deposit her kit. Her bare feet kicked up dirt as she trudged back to the corner, but she managed to lose her footing on the way and fell hard to her knees. The lieutenant soon returned – his crew bringing up the rear.

Porchemy noticed the brat and snorted in amusement. She was a clumsy one; her feet got her seized up when she tried to escape into the woods previously. He thought about asking her why she'd been up and moving around, but honestly he didn't care. There was still a job to be done. Porchemy ignored her for the time being and slid back on his gloves. The stubborn boy was right where he had left him, only he looked washed up; the old blood on his face was gone. He no longer was curious about what the knife eared girl had been doing; he knew. She was still wearing the rubber gloves on her hands. Think you're clever, do you? He'd have to show her the consequences of her decision.

"Oi, brat. Watch this," Porchemy demanded. He reared back his fist and struck the kid hard in the ribs. His little form bobbed like a lure in the water as he sobbed in pain. "Hear that? He's broken and there's nothing you can do about it. Want me stop? Make him spill."

Elva choked back a sob. How? She barely knew him, other than his name. Even if she had been close to him, she doubted that Luffy would turn in Ace and Sabo. He would die for them and it made her sick. "Where are they? Please … give them up … save yourself from this."

"I won't say," he said quietly. The lardass punched him again. It hurt so much, but Luffy refused to give them up. Elva was talking much too softly for him to understand, but he knew she wanted his suffering to end. She pleaded for it.

Porchemy had enough; his life was on the line. His captain would not allow him another chance if he failed. He drew his sword, intending to kill the boy. He wasn't going to spill the location of his friends, so there was no reason for him to live.

Yet, before Porchemy had the chance to drive his sword into Luffy, the right wall gave in and crashed to the floor. Pieces of broken wood rained down as two young boys emerged from outside – Elva noticed that each of them carried a long metal pipe. She wasn't certain who they were, but the minute Luffy cried out his name, there was no mistaking it; Ace and Sabo had come to rescue him.

Elva watched as both of them rushed the lieutenant. The dark haired boy was caught mid swing and suspended in the air by this throat. Porchemy was unperturbed by their attempt to attack him and began to choke the boy, but he failed to notice the other one sneaking up from behind until he was bashed on the head and knocked to the ground – Sabo was evidently the blond; Ace called his name.

Sabo dove forward and lifted a knife off a crew member Ace and he knocked over when they broke through the wall, then cut the rope that held Luffy. He caught him with ease and made for the door, calling out to Ace to follow him. However, his idiot friend had other plans. He was going to stay and fight.

He's insane. Is he asking for a death wish? Elva couldn't believe the nerve of him. Ace stood his ground; Porchemy wasn't intimidated by him in the least. She witnessed Sabo toss down Luffy – to aid the reckless boy – and hurried over to him, lugging her sling bag with her. He was considerably beat up and she only hoped that she had enough bandages to cover his injuries with. That would have to wait however, because none of them were yet free of Porchemy or his men.

In their way, preventing them from leaving was the pirate who carried Elva like a sack of potatoes. He made eye contact with her only briefly as she dug through her bag, averting his attention when the sound of metal on metal rang in his ears. Elva retrieved a mini glass jar with a cork lid and popped the top, lobbing the contents at him. The powder stuck to his clothes like glue and instantly brought out a reaction from him.

"The hell is this? It itches like crazy," he hissed, digging at his skin with his short, stubby nails. The sensation only seemed to worsen.

Maple samara and ground rose hips; makes a very nasty itching powder. Elva giggled in amusement. Her ears picked up on a sound; one of metal in the dirt. She turned just in time to see Porchemy drop – a wound to his forehead. He was out cold. They beat him … they really did it.

"Oi … Elva." She jumped as Luffy clutched her leg. His eyes rolled back and instantly he was out.

Elva squealed in alarm. She bent down to survey the damage, but it was clear that he passed out from exhaustion alone. Even so, his injuries were severe and Elva needed to patch him up before they got worse. "Um … guys. A little help."

Elva turned up her nose. "I certainly will not scram. You're all beat up and if not for me then you'd all be in worse shape than you are now." She had a point; all three of them were covered in bandages. Luffy was in worse shape than the others, but Ace made it clear he didn't want her assistance – she glared back at him as she dabbed away the blood from his nose. He was going to need to keep a plug in it just to stop the bleeding. The medical supplies in her bag were not nearly enough. She huffed in annoyance. "Look … I know you don't have a reason to trust me, but if I wanted you dead I would have told Porchemy back in the forest where you were hiding."

Ace snorted, "Nothing stopping you now. One act of kindness isn't going to change the fact that you're one of them." He noted the visible recoil in her movements; something troubled her. Yet, the sharp eared girl forced a smile and continued to tend to his injuries.

"You some kind of doctor, or something? I saw you back there with that powder. The hell was that stuff anyway?" Sabo tugged at the rim of his hat, seeing the way her ears bounced up in excitement. He was too annoyed with himself to admit it was cute; the hell kind of Devil Fruit did she eat?

Elva bobbed her head. "I am … or rather I'd like to be. And to answer your question, it was simple itching powder. I learned to make it from a book." Her ears slumped down; she nearly forgot about the volume she was forced to leave behind. No chance that she'd be lucky enough to find it. The pages were probably all ruined.

"Would have taken you for a spy, honestly. Those ears you have must be an advantage for them," Sabo mentioned.

More like a curse to me, the cheerless girl thought. She took a deep breath and stood, arching her sore back. Her fingers curled around the hood of her cloak and pulled it over her head, veiling them. She was embarrassed to display them for too long; people always had questions. Elva gave Sabo a gentle smile. "I wouldn't know … been a prisoner of theirs for as long as I can remember. That building you two wrecked was my home, now I don't have one."

"Doesn't matter," Ace snapped. "You can't stay with us, not now that Porchemy will be looking for you."

Sabo shot him a glare. "You can sure talk. That's a really bad habit you have there, Ace. Saying 'I'm not gonna run' to a real pirate like that. Why do you want to die so much?" He snorted in laughter. Sometimes he didn't understand his friend. "Now that you've gone and done what you do … there's no way Bluejam's men will ever forgive us. We're gonna be chased now."

Luffy – who had been crying the entire time – finally spoke up. His voice was unclear because of the amount of sobbing he was doing, but Ace heard him clearly. He was certain the girl had too because she narrowed her bright eyes in concern for him. It really pissed him off, especially when Luffy thanked him for saving his sorry butt.

"I don't get it," Ace barked. "Why didn't you spill the secret? Those men are criminals who easily kill women and children."

Luffy dried his tears, "But if I told them, then we couldn't be friends anymore."

This shot a pang of sadness into Elva's chest. She hated that Ace was so unforgiving to the rubber boy; he certainly didn't deserve Luffy as a friend.

"But it'd be still better than dying, wouldn't it? Why do you want to be friends so much with me?" Ace couldn't understand it; no one wanted him alive. It drove him mad; hot tears burned at his eyes. "Do you know how much shit you've put me through? After finally following me all the way here."

Elva clinched up her fists. Arrogant brat, she thought. After everything Luffy went through to protect his secret, he still didn't understand. "The hell is your problem? Have you no idea the pain he went through to protect you?" Fat, warm tears poured down her cheeks. "I begged him to rat you out, but he wouldn't. He … he chose to die; he would have died for you."

"Stay out of this. And scram already. We don't want you here," Ace snapped. His cold eyes made her visibly flinch. She knew nothing; understood nothing about him. Ace was the son of a demon. He honestly didn't care what happened to him, not when the world would be so much happier without him in it.

"But I have no one else to rely on," Luffy cried – everyone went silent. "I can't go back to Foosha Village and I hate the mountain bandits. If I didn't chase after you, then I'd be alone … and being alone hurts worse than pain."

A sob tore from the girl's mouth; Ace could see that she was trying to hold back more. He felt bad for making her cry. "What about your parents?" His attention drifted back to Luffy.

"My grandpa's all I have," the rubber boy uttered.

Ace scoffed, "So if I'm with you, then it doesn't hurt … and if I'm gone … it'd be a problem for you, huh?" He saw Luffy bob his head in agreement. He was confused. "You want me to live?" Again, Luffy agreed. No way could he have meant it, but something in Ace begged him to believe the boy. So he did.

Worse than pain, he says. I've always been alone. Elva wiped at her face, hearing the two begin to argue. She knew Ace was right; she needed to leave. Bluejam was still alive, probably looking for her. She'd only be a nuisance if she stayed – the girl slid her bag onto her shoulder. There's no freedom for someone like me. Elva planned to leave and turn her back on the only taste of freedom she ever had. She turned, but a hand grabbed her wrist. Sabo was next to her, shaking his head in annoyance.

"Those two are gonna need someone to patch them up when they get like this. Idiots, I swear."

Elva was too shocked to say anything. She merely nodded and listened as Sabo brought up the matter at hand; the issue with Bluejam. Curious as she was, Elva wasn't sure how any of it related to her. She had nowhere to stay – the only option was to return to the Terminal. Yet when Ace suggested they stay with them at the home of the mountain bandits, Elva was taken back.

"Consider it payment for helping us," he mentioned as they walked through the forest towards the temporary home. "And for destroying your shack."

Elva paled; you don't have to call it a shack. A gentle smile curled her lips. "What if Dadan doesn't like me?"

"She'll like you; probably more than Luffy or me. You have more to offer her, being a doctor and all." Ace rolled his eyes. "Trust me. She's an old bag, but a fair one. Work and you will have a place to stay."

"You still want me to scram?" Elva feared the answer, yet she wanted to know.

Ace felt a pang of guilt tear through his chest. He shook his head, trying not to insult her. It was always hard to express himself. "No … might run back to Bluejam and tell him about us. Guess that means we're stuck with you." He clenched his teeth and stomped forward, leaving her to join Sabo. She had Luffy after all to keep her company.

Thank you … for this chance at freedom. A hand took her own, giving it a tug. Elva glanced over at Luffy and paled as she noticed the mischievous gleam in his brown eyes.

"Have anymore of that itching powder left?"

[malgal7777]

Hiking with Tracy 2021: Weeks 4 and 5.  The block and bounce back.

A new first everyone.  WRITER’S BLOCK.  I am two weeks behind because I could not find the right words to say.  I just stared at the screen with nothing coming to mind.  Blank stares. Crickets chirping. Where do I start?  That pesky question again.  Perhaps if I talk about what ails me, I can push through.  Complaining!  Now, THAT’S the ticket!  You can always find something to complain about, right? Well, writer’s block ailed me.  It’s real and added to the will to give up.  I told a lot of people about this blog.  I don’t think they’re reading it, but maybe they will?? I can’t give up now...can I?

After a sluggish third week defined by minor depression and the will to give up, Weeks 4 and 5 can be described as the “the bounce back”.  I was able to brush off those negative thoughts from that red devil that sits on your shoulder and whispers in your ear:  You’ll never do it.  Give up loser!  

I flung that sucker to the ground.  

But on its heels came another realization.  I’m almost 50.  In July I will hit that top of the hill milestone.  My knees are the ones reminding me.  They’re not hurting, they ache.  That red devil I flung climbed right back on and clung to my knees.  But fear not, I did not get discouraged!  I listened.  When your body talks, time to listen carefully.  My knees were saying, they’re proud of me and they like the direction I’m going. BUT, you are older, you are overweight and perhaps you had too much, too fast and you’re overplaying your part. Thanks Jerry.  So I’m pulling back on the running and hikes during the week.  I’m not getting upset if I don’t make my 10,000 steps everyday.   I’m easing into the weekend, where I will continue to take longer, more strenuous hikes.  AND because it is 2021 there is modern technology, which means I have help.  I purchased a set of compression knee braces!  Yup, that’s exciting news these days.  Keeps these kneecaps in place without being too uncomfortable.  Another piece of equipment I’m finally using are my hiking sticks.  Compliments of my bestest friend Laura.  She purchased these sticks for me last year for my birthday because she knows I enjoy hiking. Seemed like a great gift.  Except I have been hesitant to use them.  Bob & Charlotte are mercilessly making fun of me for even thinking of using them. I guess I look “elderly”.  My knees politely remind me that I am elderly.  In nature they are a god send.  It’s winter in Northern California, which means lots of rain and slippery mud on the trails.  These sticks come in handy for sure.  

Week 4, I headed back down to Lake Chabot in Castro Valley.  A beautiful overcast day spent with my daughter Charlotte and our volleyball family, Odessa and her daughter Veronica.  Odessa has joined Noom with me and Char & V are about to start volleyball again now that the shutdown has opened slightly.  What better way to get everyone in shape by taking them on a 9 mile hike?  After 4.5 miles the realization of 9 miles started to hit the ladies.  Luckily at this point we might as well continue on, since it’s the same distance!  My aggressive hiking scheme had snagged more victims.  But these ladies didn’t bat an eye.  The girls kept up and Odessa is a brisk walker; I found myself trying to catch up to her!  We also had an incredible discovery.  A deceased bobcat on the side of the trail.  Sorry, didn’t take a photo of that one.  It was starting to decompose.  But it was big!  Not mountain lion big, but medium size dog big.  Pretty cool.  It validated Odessa bringing a kitchen knife for our safety (that’s another story). 

That was Saturday.  On Sunday, I did another “reconnaissance” mission.  I met Sarah at Inspiration Point/Tilden Park.  It’s one of my April hikes.  You enter from the east, through the town of Orinda.  Great views of Mt. Diablo to the east and the rest of the bay to the west.  It stretches from Berkeley, Tilden Regional Park to Richmond, Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.  Today, it was packed.  People are definitely spending their time outside.  Cyclists making their way up the hill, clogging traffic.  Parking lot filled to the max. Crazy thing is both Sarah & I found parking spots right away.  It was a gorgeous day.  I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this hike come April.  Sarah and I went a mile in and then turned around.  We found a great bench with a view of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Breathtaking.  It was beyond lovely and we were able to catch up.  Since the pandemic started, being around other humans is far and few between.  We were privy to a Cooper’s Hawk calling to its mate and the mate popping out of nowhere.  I know it was a Cooper’s Hawk because I am now happily birdie nerdy with my local bird smartphone app.  I was able to remember a few details that Sarah & I noticed about the feather coloring under their wings. I had to go through a few hawk species but as soon as the app played the call, I knew what it was.  A Cooper’s Hawk has a very distinct call.  Get yourself the smartphone app Merlin Bird ID.  Great stuff.  

Since we only did two miles Sunday morning, I wanted to get in some more hiking time.  Because as Bob says “I’m in some weird aggressive extreme hiking stage”.  Why fight it?  Let’s see where this takes me.  I drove up to Skyline Blvd, which is right up the hill from the house.  Parking at Redwood Regional Park and that stretch of Skyline Blvd has a CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY amount of people.  I’m not sure I would want to live across the street from that parking lot.  I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.  I continued to head south on Skyline when I came to another (back) entrance to the park.  It’s identifiable by the cool red single family home that resembles a farm house.  Whoever lives there, you lucky bastard.  It’s precious.  

Abby joined me and we headed down towards the creek below the canopy of the giant redwoods.   First thing to do when you’re among those giants is to breathe.  The Bay Area just experienced a strong wind storm during the past week.  It was as if a tornado had torn through the trees.  The debris covering the trail was immense.  Too many downed trees to count.  Stunning.  Walking among these trees is a peaceful affair, I cannot imagine it being terrifying enough to create such damage. Majestic with vibrant colors from the recent rains, they’re so alive.  I never wear headphones.  I want to hear them lightly sway back and forth.  I ended up adding another 4 miles up a steep incline to my day.  I was back and on the right track.

Saturday week 5 started among a man made giant.  I was going to walk the Bay Bridge to Yerba Buena Island bike/hike trail.  It’s 3 miles up and 2.9 miles back and a really cool perspective.  Usually you’re not able to stop at this location in the bay, you’re driving 60 mph.  It’s a great view but very loud.  Skyline mom Carole joined me today. She had never walked it before.  Highly recommend.  But be prepared to wear headphones or listen very intently to your walking partner.  The view makes up for any difficulty hearing.  The way to Yerba Buena Island is a gradual incline.  Not too bad while walking.  Riding a bike might prove to be challenging.  And once you make it up to the Island, there’s a nice resting spot to take in the view facing the East Bay Hills.  They’re still building the path that is to lead around the Island and down to Treasure Island.  THAT will be a super cool hike once it’s all said and done.  There’s also the Coast Guard headquarters at the base of the bridge tunnel.  Great basketball court.  

I may keep my weekend hikes mellow next week.  Give those knees a break.  Happy Chinese New Year!  Happy Mardi Gras! 

Let’s shake 2020 off us and start anew.  Work hard to refresh our souls.  Till next week and I'll leave you with a bit of wisdom I read on my tea bag this morning “Gratitude is not about what is received; it’s about how you receive what is there.”  I appreciate all of you and being able to do this.