#now i want to make one but with bird cage blue and yellow

[vinestaff]

what being in class does to an artist

[yanderecrazysie]

Twisted Zoo: Chapter Three

This is based on the stories of a keeper reader with the octotrio by @ashensgrotto and @merakiui .

Also @twistedcece @cenatour @ursinaw @xiaopleasecomehome @bearshideout @koebishrimpuwu@v-sh @help-whatdoimakemyusername @secret-potion @magmdnv @sunshine-for-serotonin @mel-star636 @silkkorchid @thatpersonuouknow @the-ace-reader @pamv11 and @thisisafish123 wanted to be tagged! Let me know if anyone else wants to be tagged for future chapters. If you no longer want to be tagged, please tell me! (Some of the tags may not have worked, I'm sorry if so.)

Summary: You’re a brand new zookeeper at The Halfling Zoo- a place where half-animals live in captivity. Your job is simple- feed them and study them. Your main worry is that one of the more dangerous halflings might kill you. 

Unfortunately, that may become the least of your worries.

WARNINGS: none for now

Previous Chapter: Chapter Two

Next Chapter: Chapter Four

Note: All characters are aged up, since there will be mature themes in future parts.

Also, I can’t promise I’ll finish this. I suck at finishing stories.

Note 2: I worry that maybe these birds don’t fit their counterparts well, since no one correctly guessed them all ;-; I made Riddle a flamingo only because of the Queen of Hearts’ flamingos, and I thought he’d like to be one, if he had to choose LOL

Note 3: You have probably already guessed that the heart system means how quickly they’re becoming yandere. Please keep in mind some with gain hearts faster or slower than the others.

—----------------------------------

Today would be a more relaxed day, as you only had one exhibit to visit. The birds were all separated by wire fences, but they were all part of one big aviary. Tomorrow, you’d be working with the three remaining exhibits all at once, so you were glad to have this day of respite.

The bird keeper was a kind older lady. She gave you a bunch of salads, with notes as to which one belonged to which bird. The salads with shrimp were obviously for the flamingos, but the other salads were a bit harder to remember.

You walked into the aviary, a large plastic container with the separate salads under your arm. The birds were all wide awake, with the exception of the owl, whose green hair was just barely visible from where he had covered his head with one of his wings to sleep.

“Hey! I want to eat first!” A voice cried out to you, “Hey, lady with the food, over here!”

You were surprised to hear such fluent English from a halfling, but when you turned your head to the source of the calls, you immediately understood.

Parrot halflings caught onto human languages quickly. That didn’t necessarily make them smarter than other halflings, it was simply something they were naturally good at. This parrot halfling had mostly-orange wings to match his hair, although the tips of his wings tapered off to yellow and then a vibrant blue. 

The parrot gazed at you curiously for a moment, before his expression became more mischievous, “Guten morgen? Ohayo? Buen día? Zǎoshang hǎo? Dobroye utro?”

“Good morning to you too, show off,” you laughed, walking up to him, “I assume you’re the salad with sunflower seeds?”

He grinned, “That’s me! I’m starving!”

You felt like you were talking with a human, and that fact made you feel a little sick inside. Should an animal with the ability to converse so normally really be confined to a wire cage?

You rummaged through the plastic container, looking for the salad with seeds. The parrot halfling spread his beautiful wings and flew onto a perch closer to you, his talons curling around the wood as he impatiently waited for his meal.

Finally, you found the correct salad and handed it over to him. His eyes lit up and he snatched it from you.

“Thanks!” He said with a grin. Before you could ask him his name, he spread his wings and flew into an enormous birdhouse to eat there. A little disappointed that you couldn’t have a conversation with him, you turned to the raven in the cage next to him.

“Hello! I brought you a salad!” You called out to the raven halfling. He walked over to the edge of the exhibit and tilted his head, looking you over curiously. 

You found his salad fairly quickly, as it was accented with bright red apple slices. The raven drew closer and you admired how his feathers and matching hair color were not black, but a dark blue that seemed to shine in the early sunlight. 

“What’s your name?” You asked as he took the salad from you.

He grabbed the salad and held it close to him, as though someone may steal it. It took him a few moments to process your question before he answered, “Deuce.”

You knew that ravens were normally very intelligent animals. But with the way Deuce took so long to answer and the way he struggled with the plastic packaging, you had a feeling that the same could not be said for the halflings.

Deuce struggled with the packaging a little while more before he handed it back to you and, with a blush settling on his cheeks, muttered a small, “Help.”

You opened it for him with a smile, “No need to be embarrassed, Deuce, it can be tricky to open sometimes.”

He nodded, but you weren’t sure he actually understood you. Either way, he seemed happy enough to have his salad open for him. Similar to the parrot halfling, he retreated to his birdhouse to eat his meal.

You decided to try giving the owl his meal next, although you weren’t sure you would be able to wake him. You would feel bad if you disturbed his rest.

However, you had no need to worry, because the owl halfling was awake and alert when you approached his cage. You rummaged through the salads for the one with grilled chicken chunks in it and found it quickly. The other salads had either shrimp or were plain, saved specifically for the flamingos and peacocks respectively.

You handed over the chicken salad and the owl halfling smiled politely at you, giving you a gentle, “Thank you.” 

Unlike the parrot and raven halflings, he did not open his salad and dig in, but instead put it aside for later. Upon noticing your confused look, he explained, “I’m saving it for nighttime.”

You nodded but secretly wondered why they wouldn’t just feed him at night only. After all, that’s the time owls hunt. But you supposed it made it easier to just feed everyone at the same time instead of making any exceptions. 

Pretty lazy, in your opinion.

Next was the flamingos, and you approached their enclosure in awe. Their feathers were a soft, beautiful pink and, instead of the talons you were used to seeing on bird halflings, they had bare feet much like a human’s, just with webbing between the toes. 

“Shrimp salads, anyone?” You jokingly asked the two flamingos.

One of them, the one with light orange hair, flew over with such excitement that you took a step back, “You’re new!”

“Yes, I’m filling in for the morning meal today!” You said cheerfully.

“How exciting!” The flaming gasped, “That’s exciting, isn’t it, Riddle?”

The other flamingo, a more serious-looking man with red hair, cautiously watched you. He did not respond to the more enthusiastic flamingo.

“Let me just…” the orange-haired flamingo took a salad from you, opened the container, and began methodically arranging the shrimp and lettuce until it looked like it was something out of Chef Ramsey’s kitchen, “Perfect! Hashtag delicious!”

You stared at him, wondering where he’d learned to talk like a teenage girl. Riddle, annoyed by his fellow flamingo’s behavior, snapped at him, “You don’t have a phone. Stop with that ‘hashtag’ nonsense.”

You were shocked to hear a halfling besides a parrot speak so fluently, not to mention so prim and proper sounding. Handing over a salad to Riddle, you asked the other flamingo, “What’s your name?”

“Cater!” He said with a proud smile, as though his name was an accomplishment. You couldn’t help but giggle at his antics, which seemed to deepen Riddle’s frown.

“I have to give the peacocks their salads now,” you told Cater. 

“Bye-bye!” Cater said cheerfully, waving as you walked away.

The peacock enclosure was certainly something to behold. It had a huge fountain and ornate fencing. You tried to wave the three peacocks over, but they refused to come to you. Remembering what Mr. Crowley had said about them being a little cocky, you sighed and opened the gate.

You carried the large plastic container over to them and, with a smile, you held out a salad to the closest one. The tall flamingo gave you a disdainful look, but took the salad all the same. The one with a bowl cut took his with a closed-eyed smile, “Merci, mademoiselle.”

French? You wondered where he had learned French and if he spoke any English. Moving on from that thought, you handed the last salad over to a slightly timid-looking, small and adorable lilac-haired peacock.

All of the peacocks had beautiful white feathers in a fan shape protruding from their backs. You couldn’t help but admire them, despite the way they didn’t seem all too interested in you.

“What are your names?” You asked.

The one with blond-to-lilac hair turned his back on you and walked away with his salad. The one with completely lilac hair merely offered you an “Epel” before following after him.

The one with a bowl cut placed a hand on his chest and, with a large smile, introduced himself, “I am Rook,” He pointed at the retreating back of the first peacock and said, “Vil”.

“Vil is his name?” You clarified. Rook nodded in response. You wondered if he knew more French than English.

Either way, you were done feeding them for the day, so it was on to studying them.

[kedreeva]

Snatched a photo post power washing (before cleanup of the area), of the quail tower we built last year. I built it off someone else's specs and it's okay, but not ideal for me. It's larger than the plastic one, and cheaper to build, but the poop trays are too large and the 1/2" hardware cloth is too small (hard to clean). The water system is great, much sturdier and easier to use than the plastic one. But I did fuck up the bottom cage, it was supposed to be another rollout but I put the wire on the wrong way so it's flat bottomed now for growing out babies. I don't like it.

I plan to sell it (already have someone potentially lined up for it), and build 2 others that are slightly more sensible for me personally. I'm going to use pet crate plastic trays underneath instead of metal oil trays (they corrode, under repeated exposure for high pH poop), and just use 2 smaller ones instead of 1 giant one, which will make it a lot less cumbersome. I'm also going to use 1x2" wire instead of 1/2" which will hold the adults. Will have to figure out how I want to grow out babies.

While we power wash, the birds have to go into carriers. They're normally on coated wire floors, to keep them clean, so they go nuts about a dust bath in some shavings.

We also played musical quails today, and got everyone banded with color coded zip ties. One green tie for 2024, yellow for 2023, red for 2022. One blue tie on the same leg for blue laying hens. One blue tie on the opposite leg for blue males. Black on the same leg for sale hens. This is much better than my previous system of put colored bands on birds and forget why.

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Guys guys birdcage blue and yellow by Yaelokre is so Vast coded

analyzation below:

Bird cage blue and yellow Candles warm and windows bare Tracing upturned smiles of portraits Drawn to disappear

Vast within the Avicane- the "portraits drawn to disappear" can refer to Kalia. An important family, but one that can make others and some of their own disappear. Candles warm and windows bare = the coldness of the Cadere family, the only warmth from the candles they light.

Flowers never talk They never want, they never need

"Flowers" being the children of the Cadere family. Never speak up or against, don't ask questions, don't ask why. In a cradle gilded They are left to rot yet never bleed Can refer to Kalia's death, or the rotting of any empathy within Vast, the death of the person he could've been from the start- the person he's now becoming.

Eyes of silver, mirror, mirror - Vast's own cold eyes staring back at the husk he's become Thread on wood and steel - The blood that Vast has shed Keep what can be kept And heave to see which one will kneel - Vast luring people to their deaths- which one will yield first? Her sanity, or her prey?

I've been told to wait But why should there be silence Dawning pretty laces Avicane talking to Vast, his brain revolting Weaving capes of gold And framing muffled faces "Muffled faces" the people Vast has killed- the people the avicane has killed I can be different I can't be puppeted! Vast realizing he can be independent- that he doesn't want to be a puppet anymore. Garden evergreen Was what I thought that I would see Vast believing everything would be better now, just to face the scars and consequences (both physical and mental) of what they were Branches meet my steps Their kisses open up ravines Vast still leaning into her past patterns, hiding things, thinking certain ways, falling prey to Vee Fences frozen in a dance They've yet to perform Vast frozen during the obelisk scene when Armor and Rune show up, frozen in what could've been them being dragged back home (if PMV then this would include Vee's death) I leave the house and the Baroness Buried in before This one is more either Vast leaving the Avicane behind, but more Vast leaving the Avicane behind for good, burying Vee with a barely marked grave. No turning back now, he's all in on leaving.

Finndu mig í framtíðinni (Find me in the future) Finding who he wants to be in the future, the person she truly shall become

(Malayang maya) (Malayo-layo) x4 --- (Fly sparrow, fly far) Running from the Avicane- (also could be a reference to Armor in this section)

Rödd eins og bjalla Heldur okkur öruggum Frá framtíðinni (Voice like a bell saves us from the future)

Voice like a bell = The voices of those around him, encouraging her to heal and be better

(Malayang maya) (Malayo-layo) x3

Flying far from his tattered past

[kissorkill16]

The Source: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

By JJ

Summary: Trinity goes to someone who she thinks knows about Crowface.

Trinity stepped into the police station, soaking wet. She had to run through rain without an umbrella to get here, but she didn't care. She came here to discuss something very important with a certain someone.

She stepped to the front desk, her face stern.

"I'm here to visit Theodore Peterson.", she said.

The desk worker looked down at her, confused. "Are you a relative of his?"

"No, sir. I'm his neighbor. I need to see him."

Despite his reluctance, the desk worker guided her to the back doors.

A room full of cages and criminals, leading down a dark hallway. So many people filled those cages, so many deranged and unhinged people, men and women who have probably committed worse crimes than Mr. Peterson.

"You get 5 minutes.", that was the last thing he said before he left Trinity in the hallway.

Trinity walked down the dark hallway, not daring to make eye contact with the people in the cages, and just stared down straight.

She finally made it down to the end of the hallway, and there he was.

Hunched over, in a yellow dress shirt, brown pants, and blue argyle sweater, sat Mr. Peterson. He looked almost demonic. When he looked up at Trinity, she could practically see the fire in his eyes.

"Hello, Peterson.", she said. Mr. Peterson didn't answer, she just stared at her, but Trinity just stared back, totally unfazed.

"It's been a minute, hasn't it? It seems like just yesterday, you were arrested for nearly killing me and my friends.", she said. She didn't know why she was rambling, maybe she just wanted to ease him into a conversation to make the situation less awkward. "But apart from that -"

"Why are you here?"

Trinity's eyes widened. She didn't expect him to talk, but this seemed like her only chance for answers, so she'd take anything she could get. She pulled her Golden Apple coin from her pocket, and showed it to Mr. Peterson.

"I want answers.", she started. "A bird hybrid creature is after us, and these coins are somehow involved. I kept seeing these coins wherever I saw you, you seemed to be collecting them for whatever reason."

Mr. Peterson stared at her, listening intently.

"But then you gave the bag full of them to the cop, like it was nothing. But when I got it, I received a note from Crowface saying how if I lose it, I'm a goner."

She paused for a moment, before saying "Now you're probably going to die, too. But before you do, I need answers to whatever the hell is going on in this fucked up town."

Mr. Peterson stood up and walked towards her, "You foolish little girl. You got yourself into this mess, and now he's got you too."

Trinity looked puzzled.

"For one thing, his name isn't Crowface, we call him The Guest. He's been on my case ever since my dear daughter died."

Trinity looked even more puzzled. "Died? But you said she went missing. You said both of your children went missing after your wife died!"

"That was a cover up story. I knew if anyone found out she died, they'd take my son away from me. I kept my son in my basement to keep him safe."

The man stopped speaking low, and started growling.

"You think I wanted anymore of my family to be taken away from me? When I've already lost so much?! You think it was easy for me trying to keep my son safe, when you reckless little brats kept annoying me every minute of the day?!"

"Well if you were so damn annoyed by Nicky, then why the hell didn't you just kill him when you had the chance?!"

Trinity backed against the wall, she closed her eyes and held her hand to her heart. She inhaled and exhaled before continuing.

"Why didn't you just end it yourself? He kept breaking into your house, touching all of your stuff and sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. What's even more confusing is that he was right across the street from you, and you didn't even set foot past the curb. He taunted you from across the street and you didn't give a damn. Why's that?"

Mr. Peterson inhaled and exhaled.

"At first, I didn't even care that he broke in. When I first caught him snooping around, I simply chased him out and assumed he'd be smart enough to stay away. Then I figured it'd be fun to sit back and just watch his reputation go to shit. Everyone saw me as the poor, lonely widow who lost his wife and kids, and him as the hotheaded brat who accused an innocent man of murder."

"But why did you kidnap him?", asked Trinity.

"The boy knew too much, Trinity. At that point, I knew he'd go running off to you and the cycle would repeat. So I just kept him locked down in the basement with my son. I originally planned to just bury him alive in my backyard, but then I thought it'd be nice for my son to have a friend. He was getting kind of lonely down there, and I wasn't always around."

Trinity stared at Mr. Peterson in horror. "This fucking psychopath.", she thought.

"I thought he'd be more of a fighter, but it didn't take long for me to break him and turn him into a little doll. I could've done the same thing to you and your friends, but too bad you escaped so soon."

Trinity couldn't believe what she was hearing. She shoved the coin back in her pocket, her fists clenched.

"Nicky's right. You are a monster."

Mr. Peterson looked at her dead in the eye, his eyes nearly glowing red.

"What did you just say to me, little girl?"

"You are a monster! Lying about your children going missing, kidnapping a child just so your son could have a friend in that house, and making Nicky look like the bad guy when the real bad guy was you!", she said, "You're nothing but a monster."

That was when Mr. Peterson growled out loud, he tried grabbing at him, the bars on the metal door holding him back. Trinity stepped away, still clutching her chest.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT! I'M NOT THE MONSTER! I WAS NEVER THE MONSTER! THEY'RE THE REAL MONSTERS! IT'S THEM! IT'S ALL THEM!"

Mr. Peterson lowered his arm, calming down and grinning slowly.

"You're trapped in this mess, just like me. First it was me, and now it's you. I lost everything, and you're about to lose so much more."

He looked at the girl with menace in his eyes. "You're just going deeper down the rabbit hole, and the deeper you get, the harder it is to find your way back to the surface. If you don't let this all go and just accept your fate,..."

He paused before continuing.

"Who will they blame when your friends turn up dead?"

Trinity slapped Mr. Peterson through the metal bars and ran out of the hallway, and out of the police station.

She ran all the way back home, and into her room, flopping down on her bed and curling up.

She sat up, took in a deep breath and thought "Fine. If no one's going to help us, then we'll do this ourselves."

[valkerymillenia]

Writing patterns tag game. Thanks for the tag @wormsin

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

[Look, it's not like Dick wanted to do this for a living, it's really not, but… that didn't mean he didn't like it.]

-Picture Perfect Smile

[Dick wasn't scared but he was a little nervous.]

-Elephant In The Room

[It starts with a garden, as many things do.]

-This Wheel That Keeps Turning

[Jason didn't understand what was happening but everything hurt and there was a man in blue and yellow smiling at him from above.]

-Let Me Kneel At Your Altar

["Come on, Dickie. You can give me one more."]

-Double Digits

[Dick had no idea what to think.

When Bruce called him over to talk, alone , he thought it was about some mission, about some case that Bruce might need help with, but it turned out to be so much more personal.]

-Baby Mine

[If there was one thing Ric hated about sleeping in a cab, about being homeless, it was the vulnerability.]

-Bludhaven Blues

[If he were to think about it, Dick would probably be concerned by the amount of times in his life he found himself sneaking into people’s windows, at the very least he figured he should worry about how easily it came to him but that night in particular he would just rather not be seen by Alfred, or (God forbid) Jason for that matter.]

-Caged Birds Don't Sing

[Dick was excited.

He hadn't been excited in a long, long time. Sometimes even the most adrenaline inducing stunts weren't enough to make him feel that excitement anymore. But he was excited now.]

-Puppy Love

[As close as Dick was to Harley, sometimes he still wanted to kill Ivy.]

-Tamed Bats Fly High

Yes, there's definitely a pattern, I'm nothing if not predictable. I just usually write in the past tense and I kinda always start with what the MC is feeling in the scene, for context I guess. Yeah, I'm predictable.

I just suck at beginnings... And endings... And titles, and summaries. Ok, now I'm feeling bad.

I tag... @sinqueen69 , @wingdingery , @velvetcoatedwonder , @thebibliosphere , @theregoesallthecottoncandy-blog , @lemonandpie , @dexdefyingstunts , @goddessofroyalty ,and any other writers that want to do it.

[pinknatural]

CASTIEL, YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN, Michael says. YOU WILL JOIN THE ELITE GARRISON--LED BY ME, OF COURSE, TO RETRIEVE MY SWORD FROM HELL.

YES, MICHAEL, Castiel says.

--

“Are you sure you wanna go by yourself?” Sam asks.

“It’s gotta be me,” Dean says. He looks between Sam and Eileen and Jack and Claire and Kaia, tries to memorize their faces. He smiles weakly. “I’ll be back soon.”

He turns around. Michael lifts his hands. Dean takes a moment to commit his youngest brother’s face to memory. “Ready?”

“Yes,” Dean says, and Michael opens the portal.

--

Hell is loud. Screams from the tortured souls fill the air. Cries from demons fill the sound, and overtop are wails from the Cage. Castiel shudders at the sound of angelic screeching, grating and unexpected against his grace. He grips his blade tighter and dives between a layer of racks. 

He has his orders--fight the demons. Find the Righteous Man. Call Michael, allow him to retrieve his sword. Losses of angelic lives are unfortunate but perhaps necessary. Castiel recites them like a mantra, and a swarm of demons leaps for him. He flares his wings wide and bares his teeth and turns the full force of his hundreds of eyes onto them, and he fights.

--

The Empty is quiet. Eerily so. Every footstep Dean takes is muffled. He cannot hear himself breathe, cannot hear his heart, beating against his chest. For a moment, he’s certain he is dead, but when he puts his palm over his breast, he feels it, a steady tattoo against his ribcage. Dean tightens his grip on his angel blade, and he keeps walking forward. 

--

In the distance, Castiel spots Sarah fall. He dives sideways. He has always been smaller than his siblings, has always been a bit faster, and he slips between the cracks of the first circle, and descends deeper into the pit.

--

OOHH...LITTLE HUMAN, a voice, slimy and awful, says, curling around him like the worst kind of hug. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

“I’m here for my angel,” Dean says. He stares up at nothing, defiant. He’s glad he can hear his own voice.

THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE WRONG, the voice says. HE IS MY ANGEL NOW. SLEEPING BESIDE HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TUCKED IN A LINE, DREAMING OF HIS GREAT REGRETS. AND OH, LITTLE HUMAN, HE HAS MANY. 

“I ain’t leaving without him,” Dean says, clenching his fist. His shoulder feels like it’s burning. 

LITTLE HUMAN, YOU ARE NOT MEANT FOR THE EMPTY. NOT WHILE THAT HEART BEAT-BEAT-BEATS INSIDE YOUR CHEST. LEAVE. YOU MAY RETURN WHEN YOU DIE. YOU WERE PROMISED TO ME, YOU KNOW. 

“You don’t want me stuck inside you forever,” Dean says, then he winces because okay, that was kinda dirty. “I’m kind of an expert at being annoying. I’m also an expert in tearing up afterlives.”

OH, HUMAN. YOU POOR THING. HOW EMBARRASSING. YOUR DESIRE FOR THE ANGEL LEAKS OUT OF YOUR PORES. 

Dean snarls. “Who are your greatest prizes?” he asks. “Which angels and demons do you have the most pride in keeping here? And who handed them directly to you?”

--

Castiel isn’t sure where Michael is. He isn’t even sure where he is. He assumes the Righteous Man is in the seventh circle, but he’s been through so many, been pushed back and pulled forward, and he could be anywhere. 

Angels do not get tired. Castiel thinks that if he could be, he would be. He feels another of his brothers die. A hoard of demons is attempting to sneak up on him. Castiel whirls around, flaring his wings, and he smites them all.

There are millions of angels. There are billions of demons. 

This will take a while.

--

HERE’S THE DEAL, LITTLE HUMAN. IF YOU FIND YOUR ANGEL, YOU CAN DRAG HIM OUT OF HERE AND NEITHER OF YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO RETURN. BUT IF YOU CHOOSE THE WRONG ANGEL, I WILL TAKE YOU TODAY AND NEVER LET YOU GO. BUT DON’T WORRY--I’LL MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR SLEEPING RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR BELOVED ANGEL. 

“Deal,” Dean says, because of course he knows who Cas is, of course he does, but all of a sudden the darkness of the Empty is lit up in a brilliant white light, and thousands and thousands of--shapes--are before him. Angels, Dean realizes. In their true form. And he has to find one specific one, that he’s never seen before. 

This will take a while.

--

Castiel sneaks into a new circle. He will be found, sooner or later, but for now he is undetected. He inspects his surroundings--blood and fire and souls writhing on their racks. His grace brightens for a moment before he tampers it back down. This is the seventh circle! The Righteous Man could be any of these souls. Castiel creeps forward. 

--

Rows and rows of angels, floating before him, all blue-white with grace, all dormant and asleep. They are hard to look at, too bright and too confusing, constantly twisting and shifting. They look like something outta Escher, or a Mobius strip, or maybe just a tangled mass of wires. Four or five animal heads or no heads at all, thousands of eyes or maybe just a mass of wings, tucked over and over each other. Dean can only really look at each one with a glance. And he’s sure none of them are his.

--

The Righteous Man’s soul burns bright, brighter than any human soul Castiel has ever seen. He is doing the torturing, not being tortured, and the cheeks of the humanoid shape the golden soul has taken shine with tears. He is in agony, and he loves what he does as he carves into the soul before him.

--

There’s a smaller angel than the others. When Dean looks at it, it looks kind of like a conch shell, curling and swirling, and kind of like a bird, and kind of like a knot, twisted and tangled. It is small, but it is bright. Blue-white with grace but braided with other colors too, red and orange and yellow and green and purple and pink and colors Dean’s never even heard of. His left shoulder throbs painfully, and Dean stares at the angel with awe.

--

Castiel knows he is supposed to call Michael. He knows Michael is supposed to lift his sword from perdition. But--

the Righteous Man is so beautiful. So brilliant. Castiel cannot help it.

--

Dean’s shoulder is painful and the angel shifts and changes and Dean has to be 100% sure, but this angel is the most beautiful thing Dean’s ever seen. He can’t tear his gaze away.

--

Castiel reaches out.

--

Dean reaches out.

--

When Dean wakes up, he is alone.

--

When Cas wakes up, he has only time to inhale before he’s tucked into Dean’s arms, face pressed into his neck, held tighter, and tigher, and Cas reaches his arms around Dean and digs his fingers into his jacket and inhales Dean’s scent and breathes, breathes. 

[danger-noodle-uwu]

I'm new to tumblr so is this how you do request? May I request the brothers forgetting mc's birthday and later remembering it. How would they react? Maybe they were busy or something. Your choice if you wanna do the dateables too.

Trigger warning

Mentions of Angst/sad/slight comfort

Lucifer

Busy almost all the time, the first-born barely spent time with our dear Mc. He would try to finish the work only for more to be slammed on his desk.

Never would his brothers acknowledge his efforts or the sacrifices he made for them. Instead they'd mock him. Mock him for being absent at all family times. Mock him for doing what he does.

It was once again such a time, such a day. They didn't bother to care what the day has held for his beloved. It was their birth.

The birth of the one who truly changed his life along with his brothers. It was such a blessing yet he forgot about it. Entirely.

The Avatar of pride was strong, Lucifer wasn't. He was weak. Vulnerable. Especially against his brothers whom he adored with his entire being.

And the mocking words had stabbed him deeply, which made his current state as to how it was. Drunk. Wounded. Crying.

Rubbing his eyes, he awoke to a mess of his office which screamed the need for cleanliness.

During the process, he found the calender. A sweet calender gifted him by his doll.

A smile had crept on his face as he lifted it for what? Perhaps to calm the unsettling feeling in his bones that told him to run but where he didn't know?

While their lover was, Mc wilted much like a delicate flower would if the sun stopped shinning, they were laying curled on the floor of his room. Mc needed him.

How could he forget his own lover's birthday?! even after he promised... it hurts.. so much...

Yesterday. The poor human cut the cake wished themselves a happy birthday when he didn't...crying...in pain...

The realization hit hard. He ran to Mc's room as fast as he could. A shiver ran his spine and the horror in his stomach grew as each and every step was taken.

Yet could not find them, so he went over to his office expecting a fuming Mc.

He was once again not right, for his beloved was breaking down as he took them into his arms. Consoling.

He apologised and comforted them. Reassuring them over and over again. Reminding them his heart still is with them and no-could ever take it away.

He later threw a party, just like how you wanted. You. Him. And the growing fragrance of the candles surrounding you both.

Though late as it may have been, it was the best birthday the innocent human had. Smiling while he kissed your knuckles, he asked for your hand in marriage.

Never had you expected this...

"I Found the reason for my smile, the day I found you. Will you let me be the reason for your smile and marry me, my love?"

Mammon

As most had expected, he forgot your birthday due to witches or the modeling gig, he did not.

Instead he forgot about preparing your birthday gifts. His excitement had always gotten the best of him.

The Avatar of greed did not have enough budget to prepare the gift you dearly wished for, therefore multiple part-time jobs and skipping RAD became more often.

Despite the scolding, he didn't bother and worked on, just imagining the smile you'd make once you saw what he got you.

''I'll make Mc smile. Just one more hour extra and the budget would be*chef's kiss* '' he thought as his co-workers packed their belongings up.

It was late night and the moons shined brightly over the streets of devildom however he wasn't much worried because it was not like your birthday the next day. (it was)

Stretching his arms, he woke up around 1:35 pm due to his fucked up sleep schedule, only to be greeted by your excited figure cuddling him.

Grey-haired demon thought it was the Delirium before the day itself. He was wrong.

At first he acted totally oblivious to the fact any special day was just around the corner. He knew that surprises even more better!!

And then your great mammon ignored you for a while to rid of the risk of you following him to the destination.

Though his plan was to get your hopes down, he ended up making you cry. It hurts a lot especially when the love of your life forgets your birthday afterall you gave him everything he wanted on his.

The visit was successful. He even had extras left to treat you!!!

The was big achievement for someone who hated working to the slightest, to work for 3 weeks and multiple jobs!!!

But before he left, the seller mocked him about being a damned day late for this gift could have been sold at a better price if not booked.

That is when it all clicked and he panicked. Today was your birthday! Oh shit!!

He rushed home back to you. As he ran, he planned how to ask for your forgiveness.

" Oi Mc I'm sorry!--Oh hell no!!" "Mc I fucked I am sorry, please forgive afterall I'm your first man.--fuck this shit imma just play smooth."

Panting, he paused right before the door of your room and knocked lightly. Seeking your permission to enter.

You lazily opened the door for him, tired after shedding many tears for him.

Mammon instantly knew what to do. "Oi Mc I'm sorry for not wishing ya' a happy birthday earlier but I was busy buyin you somethin', here darlin' close your eyes."

Hearing his apology, you felt oddly happy and followed his request. Soon you felt a soft cold metal cling to your wrist. A bracelet, huh.?

"Open y'er eyes, human." On your wrist was bracelet that said 'His human' and another matching one was on his wrist which said 'Their stupid' . (Now isn't that adorable?)

"I was savin' up for this, so ya' better appreciate it. Hmph!" Giggling you yelled 'I love you' at him making him blush immediately.

However, when he spoke, he spoke genuinely and not in tsundere.

"Ya' make my life worth living. You bring smiles to my face, and y'er touch shows me how much you love me and care for me. Y'er my friend and my lover. Happy Birthday!"

Leviathan

With envy filled to the brim, Leviathan was very focused upon you and having your attention only for himself. To not let anyone snatch you away for they could better be than him, he'd make notes to treat you like royalty and improve his guilt-tripping habits.

Guilt, regret, shame. His heart screamed within the confines of his chest, as he rubbed your back assuring you that he still loved and will continue to do so.

It was his envy. It had always been his envy. Who always held him captive like a bird in a cage, he struggled to break free. He just couldn't.

The fault was his for if he hadn't given in to the jealousy named poison, you would be happily celebrating your birthday rather than crying in his embrace.

The fault was his for if he hadn't screamed at your friends who just came to congratulate you about getting in a relationship with the demon you very much loved and to wish you a birthday.

They left because of him. Not because he humiliated them but he forgot his own lover's birthday and called them a pathetic cheater, as they didn't feel like reminding of what the day was. They had left off with their friends, returning at HOL at night only to get yelled at.

Caring friends as they were, they tried convincing Mc to leave which his love refused. So, they left pitying the poor human.

No-matter how much Mc begged her companions to stay, they didn't.

Oh the suffering for His Normie, they ran upto him vulnerable-ly and started hitting him weakly, breaking down. Why was he? Why was he like this?! Why must he always leave you crying due to his envy?!

"Hey easy...calm down please, I'm sorry. I really am sorry, please forgive me and I promise I will make everything right. Please." "How..?" "Please trust me. My love." "Are you sure..?" "Yes...yes...I love you..."

Could you really trust his statement? You wondered. He could forget his word much like how he forgot your birthday.

The great admiral of hell's navy was true to his word, and successfully united you again with those who almost abandoned you or it seemed like--but no they were just disappointed. They were never going to do such a thing.

The meet went smoothly, and soon the the sun was setting casting shadows along with dying light, it was a dreamy sight for anyone.

Leviathan had known that he still had to make upto you properly and therefore, he took you to the cosmos of frodane.

Red, blue, yellow, any colour you could possibly think of was there, shining as brightly you were.

Taking in a shaky breath, the Avatar of envy gave you a bouquet, each flower consisting different scent which complimented the other.

The shimmer in your eyes gave you away and he gave you a sweetly addicting kiss while mumuring...

"I always cause some mess. It is never your fault. I’m sorry for making you feel unhappy. I cannot believe that I cause hurt to you. You are my only hope for my life. I promise you that I will do my best to make a better version of myself for you, my 3rd waifu~"

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

And here we go... the pain and the suffering. Lol

Hope you like it and stay safe everyone. ♡♡♡

Have a good day!

[gay-jesus-probably]

Hey, so something I think we've all been overlooking in the Spamton Neo fight is the significance of the soul going yellow. I mean, yeah fun gameplay mechanicl insert big shot joke here, but if you'll remember how every other soul colour change has gone down in canon, that one was really fucking weird.

Souls changing colour is a form of magic. That's why every single time it happened in Undertale, it was because a monster caused that to happen in a fight. Papyrus and Sans turned the soul blue in their respective battles, Undyne turned it green, Miss Muffet turned it purple, and Alphys turned it yellow so that you could fight Mettaton.

Now, we know Spamton didn't turn the soul yellow, because he was surprised to see it happen at all. And Ralsei and Susie would have said if they'd done something, so they couldn't be involved (especially since it still happens without them on the Snowgrave route). Which means that Kris and/or the player (aka the soul itself) must've been responsible for it.

Which begs the question of what made that fight so different compared to all the others? Why didn't the soul change colour to fight the King, or Jevil, or anyone but Spamton? What was different about that one fight in particular?

I think that the Spamton Neo fight is the only time we see Kris and the player in full agreement and actually working together. Look, we know Kris is rightfully pretty fucking upset about being puppeted around, and who knows how many of our actions they ever really agree with? Even if they do agree with what we do, they still resent not being able to make their own damn choices. But Kris is scared of Spamton Neo. They back up in fear without our input when he starts approaching them, they're described as being badly shaken after the battle, and if you choose to let them say they're not okay, they'll literally scream the words out... the whole thing makes it obvious that Kris personally was terrified.

And I mean fuck, of course we want to fight Spamton Neo, he literally wants to rip us out of Kris. Not cool. But I think Kris also wanted to fight him, just out of pure self preservation. The soul turned yellow because Kris wanted to work with the player, at least for that single battle.

That'd also explain why there's a powered shot option now when it wasn't in Undertale; Kris and the player are working with the strength of two human souls (since Kris presumably has one, and we're an interloper), of course they get a new ability from that. Maybe Kris's soul is naturally yellow, and they were able to override the player's red with their own yellow?

Further evidence for this theory, by the end of the chapter Kris seems a little more chill about the player soul; at the end of chapter 1, they rip us out, and physically throw us into the bird cage, closing the door behind us. But at the end of chapter 2, despite taking... let's say certain drastic actions, they just put us away under the bathroom sink and then shove us between the couch cushions. Those are upgrades. And when they come back into the bathroom, they willingly put the soul back in. Kris obviously still isn't happy about us being there, but we might have found a tiny shred of common ground.

Idk man, these are just thoughts, but interesting ones.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Yours, Mine, and Ours [7] Finale

Warnings: non-consent sex and rape (series), trauma, violence, general sadness and shittiness.

This is dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only.  Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You must face change.

Author Notes: I got another old series tied up and I’m editing the last chapter of another one as well. I’m trying to clear some stuff out as best I can.

A special thank you to everyone who reached out to me over the last few days. And extra thanks to @lokislastlove​ for always encouraging me.

Please let me know what you think, like and reblog <3 love ya

Masterlist

Bucky knelt beside you as your ass throbbed in pain and your head thrummed. He touched your arm gently with his metal hand, his other on your cheek as he cradled your face. You met his blue eyes but he quickly lifted his head and glared across the room.

“Don’t fucking move or I’ll hit you again. Harder.” His snarl was so harsh and deep, it made you shiver. He turned his attention back to you as he helped you roll over and sit up, “Are you okay? Careful…” he backed off the bed slowly as he guided you to the end of the mattress.

You clung to him and glanced over at Steve as he spat blood onto the floor. His eyes darkened and his nostrils flared as he looked back but he made no move towards you, his head lolling just slightly as he sat straight. 

You let Bucky usher you to the door as he turned back and searched around the floor. He huffed and took off his jacket instead, draping it over your shoulders.

He pointed you through the door and followed, snatched the throw from the back of the couch and offered it as he urged you on. You found your purse where you dropped it and stopped to grab it, groaning at how your body ached. You continued to the door as he opened it and followed you out.

You were silent as you descended, cloaked in his jacket and the thin blanket. You came around the building and neared your car. He kept away from you but hovered as if you might keel over.

“I can’t drive,” you let your purse dangle weakly from your hand.

“I’ll take you back,” he said softly, “and then you don’t have to see me ever again.”

You nodded and rounded his car. You opened the door and slumped into the seat, your purse on your lap as you hung your head. It was over. You knew it was. You thought there would be a way to hold onto Steve, to find the man he had been, but he assured you that that Steve was gone. Everything you had was lost.

The engine turned and you barely noticed the blur of the city as it passed outside the windows. You fought against the wave of grief that swept over you and leaned your head back.

“You said I’ll never see you again,” you croaked, “but you saved me.”

“So? I did all those other things too,” he gripped the wheel and sniffed, “I’ll keep my distance. I started all this. I never should’ve-- I’m fucked. I try to act like I’m not but I am.”

“Bucky…” you said weakly.

“Don’t. I know it’s the truth and I know everything that happened to you is because of me. Steve’s an asshole. I don’t know what changed in him, but I’m worse,” he sighed, “I’m gonna resign. I’m gonna… look into rehab or therapy, whatever they got for me. I can’t stay near you or Steve. I can’t do any of it.”

You nodded and rubbed your hands together. Your body hurt but your soul hurt worse.

“No, I’m going,” you said, “I’m leaving. I’m not a hero like you or Steve. I don’t matter. And I can’t stay with him. I can’t even stay close because I know he won’t stay away. Right now, he’s getting up off that floor and you can’t tell me he’s not coming after us right now.”

Your voice cracked and you muffled it with a corner of the blanket. You hunched over as suddenly you felt nauseous and you held in a retch. Your body shook but you kept the sickness in and murmured.

“Please, just get me back,” you begged.

“I will,” he vowed, “I’ll make sure you get out and I’ll make sure he doesn’t stop you,” you heard him gulp between his words, “and after, if you ever need me to knock him on his ass again, I’ll be there. No strings, no expectations, we don’t even need to talk.”

You crossed your arms and leaned against the door, watching the pedestrians and other cars. You could only think of everything that needed to be done; grab what you can, email Tony, go back and get your car and drive without stopping.

“Shit,” you sat up as you neared the compound, “I forgot my phone.”

“Good,” Bucky said, “he’s tracking it. Get a new one.”

👥

Bucky closed the yellow taxi door and watched the cab pull out into the swell of New York traffic. She’d packed the remnants of her former life in a single backpack but he could see, she didn’t even need that. He backed away from the curb and tucked his hands into his pockets. His chest was tight and heavy. He was guilty but he didn’t feel sorry for himself. He felt sorry for her.

He was almost thrown off his feet as a hand gripped his arm and swung him around. Steve was white with anger as a vein popped out in his forehead. His lip was split and his nose bruised from Bucky’s fist. The men faced each other in mutual detest. He never expected to look at his oldest friend that way and feel it so succinctly.

“Where is she?” Steve growled.

Bucky shrugged and shouldered past him, “gone. Far from us.”

Steve followed him and stopped him before he could pass through the door. He shoved him back against the façade of the building but Bucky hardly felt it. He just stood, staring at the man he didn’t know any more, and lifted a brow.

“You gonna beat it out of me?” he asked, “then you’ll have to kill me.”

Steve’s eyes searched Bucky’s and he growled under his breath, “all you had to do was follow the fucking rules.”

“I never liked those rules. I only wanted to be close to her. It was selfish. It was abuse.”

“She liked it,” Steve snapped.

“No, you told her she liked it and she loved you so much, she believed you,” Bucky’s voice turned raw, “she loved you and you threw it all away.”

“You ruined it,” Steve accused.

“Fuck you,” Bucky snarled, “you deserve to be alone.”

“I’ll find her,” Steve curled his fingers into a fist and puffed his chest, “I know exactly where she’s going. She won’t get to her car before I do.”

“No, she will,” Bucky pushed away from the wall and grabbed the front of Steve’s shirt and pinned him, “you won’t make it past me.”

Steve narrowed his eyes and his lips thinned. He gripped Bucky’s shirt in kind and the pair rolled against the wall until they stopped in a bitter stalemate. They stared each other down as their soles scuffed on the pavement and grunted almost in unison at their opponent.

“You won’t keep me from her forever,” Steve said calmly.

“She’s not the only one leaving, Steve,” Bucky hissed, “and I won’t feel bad at all when you wake up one day and realise how lonely you are.”

👥

Your new apartment was mostly empty but it was yours, unlike that seventh floor box Steve had made your cage. It was far from him, far from Bucky, far from everyone you ever knew. You knew you couldn’t hide with your parents or your sister or even those distant university friends who you knew would have your back. You had to be alone. It was your fear of that which got you into all that mess.

You didn’t see Bucky again but he did get a message to you. He left a gift for you at a safe house on your way out of the state. New identification, an unopened cell, and a wad of cash. It wasn’t atonement but it was what he could give you. You kept driving and exchanged your car at the stateline. You kept on until you felt as if you were in an entirely different country.

You took a job at the grocery store as a cashier. You remembered when you were a child and your mother had the same position. She went back to school and made you promise you’d never end up in the same boat. If she could see you now…

If you could see her.

You dropped your bag on the side table as you entered and turned the lock on the handle and the latch above, the deadbolt over that, and hooked the chain last. You clutched the pepper spray you kept up your sleeve and searched the single bedroom, the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. Your paranoia was your only companion.

You kept the curtains drawn day and night, even those stolid nights when you couldn’t sleep for the thick sweat that coated your body. Those nights came more often and even during the day, you found yourself suffocated in fits of unbearable heat. And at night, you were trapped by the dreams of the past.

You sat and opened up the novel you kept on the coffee table. When you’d been with Steve, you never had much time to read between his need for attention and your work. Your relocation was freeing in more ways than one. 

You laid back and wiggled, still in your stiff grocery store uniform and lost yourself in the fantasy adventure of a young warrior. It was a fight you could control; that you could win.

👥

Bucky held the position and breathed out slowly. His muscles vibrated as he strained and slowly lifted his leg, the toes of his other foot firmly planted on the mat. He turned and outstretched his arm and leg to the ceiling and inhaled. He let out another breath as he reached the next position then returned to downward-facing dog.

He pushed himself back to sit on his knees as the noise of the lapping lake reached his ears and sent a cool breeze over the dock. He pulled his legs out from under him and bent his legs as he leaned his sweaty arms over his knees. He looked out at the glistening water and listened to the noise of birds and critters.

Peace. He couldn’t call it that. Exile, more like. He didn’t trust himself to be near people. His therapist visited once a week and he attended daily video sessions with him. One of his tasks was to find hobbies and to face himself. Yoga was both of those. It cleared his hand and ate up his time.

But then he found himself wishing she was there. He knew she wasn’t in some serene lake house, she didn’t have all the support offered by SHIELD and Stark, she didn’t have anyone. He did what he could, what she would accept from him, but there was nothing he could give her in that life that would ever be enough.

Then he felt awful about those thoughts. She was never his to have.

He stood and walked up the dock and the dirt path to the house. He climbed up onto the large deck and through sliding doors. He poured himself a glass of water and added a slice of lemon. He took it with him as he went to the bedroom where he slept alone, where the shadows of trees loomed over him in the night and swayed like the wraiths of his remorse.

The white cat hopped up on the bed and twirled in expectation, in demand of his attention. He scratched Alpine’s head as he neared and got a nip when he pet him a little too long. The moody feline retreated to the corner of the bed and watched him with his pale blue eyes. The creature was his only friend now.

He took a deep gulp and sat on the edge of the bed and set the glass down. He slid open the drawer of the hand-crafted night table and dipped his fingers inside. He pulled out the pink fabric and held them in his metal hand and stroked the dainty elastic. He should get rid of them, like he had the rest, but he just couldn’t. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t. He would never forget about her.

👥

You pushed the boxes and cans over the scanner and onto the next belt so that they were carried down to the end of the counter. You smiled as you asked the usual questions and waited for the customer to punch in their pin. You waved on the next in line as the former bagged their goods and you kept the distant tune playing from the low speakers in your head.

The routine was your only comfort. It was easy. Even when you got those fussy customers, the ones with the expired coupons or the wrong flyers, it was simple work. You rang them through and saw them off without concern. Their tantrums were not the worst you’d faced in your time.

When it was your time to clock out, you stopped by the café in the same plaza as the grocery store and ordered a tall iced tea. You came out with your purse on the arm that hid the pepper spray and made your way to the end of the pavement and around the corner to the street. 

At the first corner, you turned off onto a small side street then cut through to the park and passed the memorials and statues set along the winding path. It was a longer walk than your normal route but you took it once a week. You liked to watch the ducks but you had to avoid the geese.

You sipped from your straw and smiled at a dog as he passed with his owner and looked over at the kids laughing on the monkey bars. Your uniform tented in the heat of the summer sun but you pressed on, refreshed by the fruity tea.

When you emerged from the park, the grit of the small town returned. The chipped bricks of your building rose above you and you unlocked the front door after a struggle with the ancient keyhole. The door closed heavily behind you and you headed up the dingy stairs.

As you got to your apartment, you went through the usual to-do; lock, search, and settle in. Two months, maybe three, it felt so long ago and yet it felt like only yesterday. You couldn’t help but feel watched, followed, and you knew that sensation would follow you for the rest of your life. But if it was only ever a thought, you could be okay.

👥

Steve didn’t know what to do with himself at first. First, his girl left and then his best friend.

In the early days of his solace, he told himself it wasn’t true. They’d be back. They couldn’t live without him. They would apologize because they betrayed him. They would realise that he wasn’t the villain. He wasn’t wrong. He busied himself with his missions and waited.

But after two weeks, he saw no signs, heard no tell, nothing. He tried to follow her trail but there wasn’t anything past the state line. He asked where Bucky went but Stark wouldn’t tell and SHIELD kept that information classified from all, even him.

Then, he felt bad and he lingered on those questions that tugged at his mind. Was he wrong? Was he the bad one? Had he really hurt them? Did he deserve it all? He felt awful and fell through on a mission and no one asked any questions. No one knew the reasons for the sudden departures and the downcast captain.

Then he was mad. He was breaking things. He was growling and shouting in frustration. He ripped a door off its hinges and punched a hole through a wall. He paid for the repairs but was told in no short terms to leave the compound. He was all too happy too. He still had that apartment and it wasn’t too bad being in his own space.

But it made him think of her. And as he thought of her, he missed another mission, this time without telling anyone. Phone calls, emails, knocks on his door, they all muddled together in the haze of his thoughts.

He remembered those days, decades ago when Bucky had been his only friend. When he was a boy, when he still felt young, when he still felt like him. He remembered everything that came after and how he fought to save the only man he ever admired. Then everything he’d made him do. He didn’t make him do that, he gave him exactly what he wanted.

Then she made his chest squeeze. He thought of the first time they met. He didn’t think much of her but she somehow won him over with her kindness. He recalled the realisation of how much he liked her, he wasn’t even reluctant enough not to think it was love in that instant. When she saw the loose stitch in his glove and pulled it away like it was nothing. She remarked on the little fix as ‘perfect’ and he couldn’t help his doofy grin and the line he spouted after, ‘not as perfect as you.’

And as he thought of her, he conjured all those hopes he had for them. The life he made for them in his mind. He was going to give it all to her but he just wanted a little fun first. That wasn’t so bad. He could still give it to her and that was all she wanted after all. She wanted the Steve she knew. She wanted the nuclear family and white picket fence. He wanted that too.

When the papers came to announce his dismissal from SHIELD, it felt like freedom. He didn’t care about saving the world anymore. He got out of bed these days and worked out, went for a run, and came back as he went about his own work. As he searched through the servers they tried to block him from and overrode the new restrictions. They always thought he was some clueless idiot from the past.

He could still have that life. All he had to do was find her. He smiled at the screen as he went over everything he had so far. The whiff of her blew out at the stateline but now he could go wherever he wanted without a leash. He could find her if he only tried a little harder.

👥

Steve gave notice on the lease and traded in his car for something with better mileage and more space. He sold everything that was his life before and headed out on the road with a new lease on life. He wasn’t the Captain anymore, he wasn’t the saviour, he only wanted to be one thing; a husband, a father, hers.

When he reached the state line, he stopped for a while at a motel and asked around. He had her picture and everyone was all too eager to talk to Steve Rogers. He found her car at a used dealership and got the plates and make of the one he’d switched her for. That was a start.

Then he moved on, stopping along the way for a day here and there to relax. He had time. He had confidence again. He did this everyday, this was her first time, she couldn’t outrun him forever. He had the skills and the savings to get him a lot further than she ever could.

He drove through several more states before he hit another block. A second car traded but the dealer was not as talkative. That meant he had to break in after dark and that was time he didn’t feel like spending on some stubborn bitch. But he got it done and moved on.

Then there was a week of doubt and desperation. What if he was wrong? What if this was all a part of her plan? Maybe she was smart enough to lead him in the wrong direction. Maybe Bucky was helping her. Maybe they were together. That thought made him livid.

He took off in the opposite direction but ended up with nothing but desert heat and rural nothingness. He turned around and assured himself that neither of them were smarter than him. He returned to the same point and slowly pieced together the clues until he was sure enough to keep on.

He was getting close. He could sense it. He pulled out his phone and opened those videos he’d taken from Bucky and the pictures of that day they’d made a mess of her. His hand was nothing compared to her and even if he came, he found himself dissatisfied. He ended up cursing only to start again a minute later.

That night he started in the bed then ended up in the shower and before he could get out of the bathroom, he was gripping his dick as he leaned on the counter and muttered her name over and over. He was impatient. He needed her soon or he was going to go mad.

He hardly slept as he tossed and turned in the hotel room. He checked out early but pulled over on the country road to get off again. It made him angry. She should be the one fucking him, he shouldn’t be using his own hand. He shouldn’t be alone. She should be there with his dick down her throat as he drove them to their suburban paradise.

He passed another city sign and spent a day running circles without a catch. He pressed on through the night, not wanting another motel bed, and pulled in at a station just outside a small town. He gassed up and chewed on jerky as he set out once more.

On a whim, he stopped in the small town and stopped for a meal at the local fish and chip place. It was unusual for the area but the fries were crispy and not overly salted and the fish breaded perfectly. He kept his hat on and his face down. He didn’t need to be recognized although his poor disguise seemed to draw attention.

“Louise,” the voice chimed with the bell, “gosh, I’m so sorry, I almost forgot.”

Steve looked up as his heart fluttered. He saw the green uniform shirt and black pants and at first, he was ready to deflate. But the way she walked, and her face, the way she glowed and smiled at the woman behind the till, he knew it was her. He’d found her.

“I am so stupid! I keep forgetting everything,” she counted out the money from her wallet, “I’ve been craving this all week and I’m halfway home and I’m like oh my god,” she chattered on, that way she did when they’d first met.

“Not at all, darlin’,” Louise handed her the parcel of fish and chips, “you go on enjoy.”

“Thank you!” she sang sweetly and scurried back through the door.

Steve stood slowly and left his tab on the table with a thoughtlessly generous tip. He adjusted his cap and headed out the door slowly. She wasn’t moving as fast as she made her way down the street. She swung the tied parcel from her hand and he noticed how her hips swayed. There was something different about her, something he liked.

He kept the same pace, sure to hang back so that she didn’t notice him. She led him through a park and she stopped to smile at a party of ducks in the small pond. She carried on over the small bridge and he sat on a bench when she looked back. She didn’t seem to notice as an older couple passed him and he hid behind them.

He got back up just as she was at the exit. He trailed her back to the streets and to an old brick building with an iron sign above the front door. She let herself in and he stood outside with a smirk.

“Perfect,” he said to himself as he backed away and strode down the sidewalk, “always so perfect for me.”

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Deuce Spade Dorm Uniform Personal Story: Part 3

"I really hate that."

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Courtyard]

Rook: Ohh… What in the world.

Rook: Red, blue, yellow… various colorful flamingos are roosting in the school courtyard. Absolutely beautiful!

Flamingos: [squawk! squawk!]

Rook: I see. You wish for this shrimp sandwich I was about to eat for lunch, is it? Of course, I would only be happy to share.

Flamingos: [squawk!]

Deuce: Haah, haah… Th-there you are! I've found you, flamingos!

Rook: Oho, you're from Heartslabyul… What's gotten you so sweaty like that?

Deuce: These guys escaped from my dormitory!

Rook: Aah! That's right, Heartslabyul raises flamingos for one of their traditional games.

Deuce: Thank you very much for capturing them!

Deuce: Today's Unbirthday Party would have been cancelled without them.

Rook: Unbirthday Party?

Deuce: It is a traditional event that Rosehearts-ryōchō takes considerable pride in.

Rook: Hm, I see. Roi des Roses, you say…

Rook: Flamingos have a tendency to move as a flock. If you can guide them back home well with your own flying, they should follow you with no issues.

Deuce: Urgh. I'm not that great at flying but… I guess I gotta do it.

Deuce: If the party is cancelled, it would disgrace the Dorm Leader.

[clap, clap, clap]

Rook: Yes, well said… Wonderful! Merveilleux!

Deuce: Eh?

Rook: Your loyalty to Roi des Roses has transformed into arrows that have deeply pierced my heart!

Deuce: Loya… Roi… Wh-What?

Rook: You strive unwaveringly to maintain the honor of your lord.

Rook: That resolute devotion! What else could it be called but "beautiful"!

Rook: Praise beauty, preserve beauty… That is my life's motto.

Rook: Therefore, I will do what I can to lend you my assistance, Monsieur Spade!

Deuce: I-I don't really understand, but… Are you saying you're going to help me? Thank you!

Rook: Now, let us fly back to the rose garden with our rainbow-colored bird friends!

Deuce: Alright! Let's get going, start your engines!

Flamingos: [squawk!! squawk!]

Deuce: Line up, and next stop, Heartslabyul!

[Heartslabyul Dorm]

Deuce: 13, 14, 15― Great. All the flamingos are back in their cages.

Deuce: Hunt-senpai, thank you very much for your help!

Rook: I didn't do much, Deuce-kun.

Rook: Roi des Roses seems to have such a fine soldier.

Rook: I hope your croquet tournament will be most enjoyable. Adieu!

Deuce: …! Thanks!

Heartslabyul Student A: Hmm～? All the flamingos are back.

Heartslabyul Student B: Whaaat, that sucks.

Heartslabyul Student C: If all the flamingos and hedgehogs disappeared, then the party would have been cancelled, and…

Heartslabyul Student C: I thought I'd be able to see Rosehearts in tears.

Deuce: !! You're saying…

Deuce: You guys were the ones who unlocked the cage!?

Heartslabyul Student C: Tch, what, it's you again…

Heartslabyul Student A: Humph. There's no proof that we did anything. There's no use in trying to report us!

Deuce: …Making mischief is one thing, but to involve these animals is another.

Deuce: There are things you should and shouldn't do…!

Heartslabyul Student A: Hey, watch your mouth, first year!

Heartslabyul Student C: One of Rosehearts' flunkies shouldn't be trying to get all virtuous with us! Hey, let's teach you a lesson.

Heartslabyul Student B: Take this, hraah!

[punches]

Deuce: Humph!!

Heartslabyul Student B: Wha!? He stopped my punch!?

Deuce: Hiyaah!!

Heartslabyul Student A: What!? He countered with a grapple!?

Heartslabyul Student B: Shit, my arm can't move at all…!

Deuce: I'll follow the rules that the Boss… I mean the Dorm Leader, has set. I don't want to get into any fights within the dorm.

Deuce: So… You better give up while you can!

Deuce: And also, promise that you won't do something so lame ever again!

Heartslabyul Student B: Owwww, m-my shoulder is gonna pop off…!

Heartslabyul Student B: I-I get it! We don't do it again!

Deuce: ―Good. You better not ever forget you said that!

Heartslabyul Student C: Wh-what's with this guy… He's scary…

Heartslabyul Student B: R-Run!

[runs off]

Deuce: …I can't really say that what I did there was anything befitting an honor student.

Deuce: B-but I was able to keep from kicking and beating them up. For me, that's progress!

Cater: Deuce-chan!

Deuce: Y-yes!

Cater: The Unbirthday Party will be starting soon.

Cater: Ace-chan says that he also found the hedgehogs safe and sound. Are the flamingos ready to go?

Deuce: ―Yes! Of course!

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Tea Garden]

Ace: Eh!? So the culprits who unlocked all the cages were those upperclassmen who were complaining about the Dorm Leader?

Ace: Whew～ So it wasn't my fault…

Deuce: Eh?

Ace: Nothing, ignore me.

Deuce: I lightly gave them what for but… [clears throat] Maybe we should report it to Clover-senpai just in case.

Ace: Yeah, it'd be a pain if we got caught up in some other trouble thanks to them.

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Trey’s Room]

[knock, knock]

Deuce: Excuse me, Clover-senpai… Oh, he's not here.

Ace: He said that we could talk to him in his room, but maybe they haven't finished cleaning up yet?

Deuce: Let's wait inside, I guess.

Ace: Better than missing him again. Aaah, but man I'm so tired from all that. Just gonna rest for a bit～～

Deuce: Yeah. It was a really long day…

Deuce: I'm glad we were able to have the party without any issues.

Ace: The Dorm Leader didn't lose his temper at all, either.

Deuce: …Now that everything's settled… I'm feeling sleepy…

Ace: …Me too～ …[yawn] …

[door opens]

Trey: Sorry, did I make you wait? …Oh.

Cater: Oop. Both of them fell asleep.

Cater: Ahaha, their sleepy faces are so silly looking.

Trey: They must be tired from all the excitement of the party.

Trey: It sounded like they had something to tell me, but… Let's let them sleep for now.

Cater: Yep. Sleep well, little first years ♪

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[mysadblacksoul]

Finally The Outside MV theories

There is so much lore so let's unpack this one by one

Let's go!

Remeber when I said the order of MVs could be 1. Saturday 2. Shy away 3. Choker? Yeah, out the window it goes lol

The only thing that makes sense now woulr be Saturday taking place before The outside

But I believe that events from The Outside take place after Trench storyline

But from the beginning now:

The guy in the beginning must be Clancy, he has a connections to the outside world so he could receive the antlers from Ned

Clancy, Trash and Ned have huge connection, possibly all being symbols of creativity and freedom

The Bishops who can't see yellow couldn't see that there is something wrong with Clancy,BUT when his eyes changes to dark orange, even light red they begin to attack him

This brings me to my next theory: Banditos and Blurryface joins forces to destroy Bishops

Josh gives Tyler a beanie,something that was a big part of lore during Blurryface era

Later Ned gives them clothing with their symbols that they also used during Blurryface era

Plus like I said before,Clancy's eyes got red and so did Tyler's in many BF era Music Videos such as Stressed out

Also, Blurry easily can control others so maybe the antlers are the thing that he uses. That can explain how Tyler knew what to do with them - use them to control Clancy

2.30 - 2.50 in the tunnels we can hear very familiar music that sounds like it's from older albums, could it be a subtle saying "remember your past"?

This scene gives me huge Fairly Local vibes with all the snow

And what else can we see in Fairly Local? The microphone that Bishops were making in Nico And The Niners

If we are in the topic of similarities to other MV's let's talk about this scene

It resembles a scene from Jumpsuit of course

And the people who receives Tyler and Josh's signal are Banditos from Nico and The Niners,who are all grown up now so we know that many years has passed since the Trench era

Now maybe let's talk about more symbolism:

The guys are using torches from Trench era

They also have bird cages as their backpacks. To catch Clifford maybe? There are also symbolic of a loss of freedom so that makes perfect sense. Since people are after them they have no freedom just like birds in a cages

There are 9 Neds in total. 8 with short antlers and 1 with fully grown ones. Could the short ones symbolize bad Bishops and the last Ned symbolize Clancy? Since his antlers are the ones that can control him

We can see 5 circles made out of wood in the forest. The only info about it that I could find was that they are "a symbol of continuous growth and strength". And that could be a point because as we can see the boys continue to growth during the eras

Or if we want to assume that the first circle is shown 3 times and later there are two more separate ones then there is also a triangle symbol. That one may be a huge stretch, but if we arrange them as Triangle,Circle,Circle,Circle or -... we will have the letter B in a morse code. Which could again trie to my "Blurryface good boy" theory

Now in many cultures, the deer is a symbol of spiritual authority. And thai is exacly what Tyler is doing - taking a spiritual authority or control over Clancy's body

Clancy destroys one of the blue piles that uses blue force from Choker mv and in the very end we can see Dema being take over by their own blue power. Could that destroy it from inside?

Now some overall thoughts:

I don't think the era or at least the story is over yet

Maybe we will get another MV in SAI era or maybe this tying two worlds can be a hint of a new album and new era that will explain even more

So far we know that Dema is destroyed, but we don't know if its permament

But does that mean that Clancy,Ned and Trash are also dead now because they sacrificed their lifes for freeing Banditos and the boys?

So many answers yet so little answers lol

[clonewarslover55]

The Hunt. A Delta Squad and a Yautja Tale.

Find the summary and notes here! Chapter two   Chapter three     Chapter four   Chapter five  Chapter six     Chapter seven  Chapter eight, finale 

Notes: Please enjoy and read the summary and notes before reading!! Let me know what you think and if you want a tag let me know!

Remember the planet is of my own creation! As is some of the jungle animals!

Warnings:  Blood, Gore, Death, Major death?? Alien technology, Delta squad humor, Horrible language, like so many cuss words, Alien dude, like a big sexy alien dude who's an OC of mine, Violence, fighting, Planet I made, jungle stuff, suspension, multiple parts, Alien culture, clone culture, injury, major injury, Animal death, the Delta Boys are called ‘clones’ a lot and I am so sorry

*The Jungle Planet Dajhitt, the Outer Rim. four months after the beginning of the Clone Wars* 

The ship shook and rattled, the Deltas holding onto their seats to keep still. The pilot smirked back at the clone commandos, his gaze on their helmet visors which glowed blue in the shitty orange light of the ship.  

Sev wrinkled his nose, he could smell the rancid smell of the ship's interior through his helmet. The worst thing though? Whatever the hell the pilot was chewing, it was definitely some kind of root or plant. And it was rancid. 

The pilot was a non-clone and was easily over fifty. He chewed loudly and hummed to himself, sometimes speaking to the Delta’s. He was a freighter pilot who transported all sorts of things to and from the jungle planet they had the mission on. 

Currently the Delta’s were sharing the ship with some very exotic animals. Tame ones, thankfully. Scorch sat closest to the cages, Boss sitting beside him and watching him closely so he didn’t get bitten by one of the animals. 

Fixer was the closest to the pilot, Sev, in between him and Boss. Fixer kept cursing under his breath, his helmet speaker turned off so only his brothers could hear him. “When was the last time this pilot showered?” Fixer muttered, Scorch laughing loudly. 

“He showers as often as Sev I bet.” Scorch said while laughing, Sev cussing him out in return. Boss punched Scorch in the armored shoulder, and it shut Scorch right up. “Shut up, all of you.” Boss muttered, leaning his head back to try to keep the movement of the ship from making him want to vomit everywhere. 

The pilot grinned back at them, his bald head and yellow stained beard nearly shining in the light. Sev held back his comments. “We’re nearly there ya clones! Get ready to jump in like” He checked the back at the controls of his ship,  “Five minutes!” He yelled constantly with every word, his hearing obviously gone to shit. 

“What can you tell us about this planet?” Fixer barked out at the man, the pilot’s shoulders tensing under his filthy green tank top. The Delta boys were here to investigate a possible Separatist presence, a big one that was possibly working on secret weapons. 

They were here for recon only. Which never seemed to go their way….Though it would be a long few weeks no matter the outcome.

“It’s humid as fuck!” He Yelled, adjusting his controls, “My advice?! Just watch out for the dangerous animals…….and the hunters!” The pilot shouted as he stood up, the rickety old ship now on auto-pilot. He walked in front of the boys. 

Scorch scoffed at him, “These animals here don’t seem so bad!” Scorch spoke these words while petting a dangerous looking, but beautiful bird, through the cage. The bird was a beautiful blue and gold color, and it was human sized. It had a massive beak lined with sharp teeth. The beak was a gold color, the teeth a pearly white. They definitely ate large creatures, Scorch sized creatures to be exact. He pushed that thought from his mind as the bird nuzzled against his gentle touch.

“These ones aint wild dumbasses. The ones in the jungle are far from tame! This bird, the Argentavis, Especially. They eat humans! They swoop down from the trees and snatch up kids! Can’t imagine why the dumb natives here worship them.” Scorch rolled his eyes at Sev’s laughing through the comms. “The hunters are even worse though.” 

Boss spoke up this time, holding down his nausea. “What hunters?” The pilot leaned on the cages, a nasty smirk on his face. “Oh they’re viscous. Come around from other planets to kill big game. You don’t want to run into one while they’re hunting! They’re very deadly. Crazy sumofbitches!” He ended his sentence by spitting whatever he was chewing onto the floor by Sev’s boots. Sev had to close his eyes and take a deep breath so he didn’t get up and deck the man.

“There’s never more than one in a large section of jungle at a time though! Unless it's like a group of brothers or somethin’ So be careful out there. They’re meaner than sin!” He shouted, his odd accent lacing his words. Fixer and Boss could only nod at his words, Scorch was too distracted by the bird to care and Sev was holding his temper.

The Delta’s didn’t really believe him. Hunters? Yeah, like some stupid humans and probably Trandoshans could do anything to four highly trained Clone Commandos. What he described reminded them of Tranfoshans, but why didn’t he just say the name of the humanoid species?

They would soon find out what exactly he was talking about. 

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

It was time for them to jump, the Delta’s gathering around the door of the ship. Sev and Scorch did their little handshake, both chuckling and wishing one another luck in their jumps.

Scorch decided to go first. He pulled his parachute tightly around his armored shoulders, looking back at his brothers. “Try to top this Sev!” He shouted while laughing. He did a backflip that turned into a dive as he exited the ship, laughter following his descent. 

Sev snorted and rolled his shoulders. He did a regular dive, but it quickly turned into a series of flips. Fixer was next, and he just did a regular ol’ jump. He didn’t feel like adding as much flare as much as his brothers, at least not right now. 

Boss followed close behind Fixer, his legs going first. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Little did they know that jumping from the ship would draw some attention to them. It wasn’t the attention of the separatists. It was far far worse.

It was the attention of a Yautja Elite. A massive warrior with centuries of years to his name and reputation.

~~~~~~~~~~

Once on the ground the Delta’s quickly met up, which was easy because they weren’t spread too far apart. They soon folded up their parachutes and left them in a pile under some brush. Sergeant Vau always taught them to leave no trace behind. 

The planet was humid, the ground covered in mud and decaying leaves from the massive trees that surrounded them. The trees hardly let in light to the ground, killing anything that didn’t grow fast enough to break through their thick canopies. With each little sliver of light that did break through, there was a massive patch of flowers and bushes on the ground there.  

The rainforest was alive around them, animals constantly moving and vocalizing. The noise would make their stealth job much easier. At least they hoped.

The large sun that the planet orbited was on the horizon, and nightfall would come soon. They all knew the more dangerous animals would be out at that time. 

“Alright Delta’s.” Boss spoke, cutting off everyones train of thought. “Let's find a safe place to camp for the night and discuss our plans, we’ll move out at first light.” They all nodded, following Boss through the thick underbrush. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

After a bit of wandering in the general direction of where the base may be, they found a place to rest. 

A massive tree had fallen a long time ago, a spot underneath it perfect for a little shelter. Thankfully the jungle was warm enough where they did not need to start a fire, which may have given their position away. They just put some thick leaves on the ground to lay on so the mud wouldn’t suck the warmth from their armored bodies. 

 Once they set up camp they began discussing their plan. 

“The base should be about seven miles north of here. But we may run into sepratist presence before we even get close to where the base is supposed to be. Knowing them; they probably have droid scouts in the jungle, keeping animals away from whatever is inside.”  Fixer spoke, his helmet removed. 

Scorch and Sev listened closely, sharing some rations. Boss watched his brothers, his map pulled up on his HUD. He was the only one left in his helmet. He listened to Fixer discuss how they would use the massive trees as cover, and maybe a possible place to scout from. 

As Fixer rambled on, Scorch yawned, looking up into the trees. He had an odd but familiar feeling in his gut, one that let him know he was being watched. He knew it was probably some weird jungle animal, but he still felt a little uneasy. 

He cocked his head when he thought he saw the leaves move, the branch above him bowing with weight. But as soon as he noticed, it was gone. He must just be tired, he thought to himself.

“I’ll take the first watch.” Fixer muttered, standing up and sliding on his helmet. His brothers nodded and climbed onto their own makeshift leaf beds. 

~~~~~~~~~~

The night of Dajhitt was beyond beautiful. Twin moons and millions of stars lit up the night as Fixer paced the parameter, a constant chill at the base of his spine. Something felt off about the jungle, but he could not place his finger on it. 

Little did he know that something more dangerous than him and his brothers combined sat in the tree above him and their little camp. It watched them, observing their heat signatures through its helmet. 

Their words were translated to the beast by highly advanced technology. It quickly realized they were the ultimate prey, better than anything it had hunted on this planet before. 

It chittered to itself silently, excitement running through its veins. It would stalk them more in the morning, the hunt would be on very soon. 

[gothamcityangst]

Please give us some more Arkham angst, specifically about the non-sexual torture from some of the guards. Possibly Dennis, Jervis, Ed, or Arnold but any of the villains really work for this

Oh hellll yeah!!!! I like your thinking corporal.

Tw: Shock collars, abuse, claustrophobia, medical mistreatment

Dennis:

The guards love using the shock collar on him. The pain is simply unbearable to poor Dennis. He constantly has to worry if it’s effecting his vocal cords. It has a little remote control and it’s given to a guard who hates Dennis’ guts. Even when he’s not singing, he’ll be zapped for the hell of it. Dennis will fall to the floor unable to control his body as it spasms out of control. There’s a strong smell of burning hair from where his hair is singed.

Dennis can’t take it off. He tried before and within 5 minutes he was surrounded by armed guards. With the side of a rifle butting into his skull. He's a caged song bird. Singing is his comfort and now he can't even hum a little tune without recieving so many volts to the neck.

Jervis:

Jervis is physically very skinny so pushing him around also isn’t a problem. Many of their ‘brothers in blue’ were mind controlled by the mad hatter so it’s only fair they want a little bit of payback. It is excessive use of force with Jervis sadly. It's torture to Jervis but since he's one of the more 'disturbed' inmates he is seldom believed. We're talking purple and yellow mottled bruises. Jervis is almost a regular at the Arkham infirmary.

Ed:

Small rooms. I’d imagine in Ed’s childhood he was often locked away in small rooms by either his father or his mother. This led to a sort of claustrophobia. If the guards think Edward is kicking up too much of a fuss, they shove him into a smaller cell and Ed panics. The wall feels like they’re closing in. Instead of being a near 40-year-old man he feels like his 8 years old again banging desperately to get out of the cupboard. He thinks he'll be trapped in there for days on end. When he gets let out he learns to shut his trap around which guards

Arnold:

Arnold is an older man, so the temperature tends to affect him more. He simply cannot do well in the cold and this leads to many medical problems. Hypothermia, being lethargic, loss of concentration etc. The guards who have lost family to the evil Scarface doll purposefully make his cell a lot colder than the others. The air conditioning is on 24/7. Even in winter they'll place him in the cell right beside Mr freeze. All Arnold can do is bundle himself up with his ratty blanket and do everything to keep himself warm. Without the Scarface puppet he can’t say anything about his mistreatment at the hands of guards.

[ill-skillsgard]

Blue and Yellow - Epilogue - Axel Cluney

Warning: 18+ Smut, mentions of violence, a car accident, blood and the death of an animal.

Summary: Four years they spent searching cars for each other. A/N: I wrote the epilogue before posting the last chapter of Blue and Yellow, to hold myself accountable because most of my readers know how shit I am at keeping promises when it comes to delivering them. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 +

I left the party after midnight, much later than I expected. I had my last cocktail at ten and planned to hit the road by eleven at the latest, but I was cornered by Lacey, a colleague from the college with one of those voices that went from loud to louder. Lacey was also incessantly chatty, and her social gauge flew wildly from left to right, six glasses of rum and eggnog deep.

Lacey asked me why I hadn't brought a date. I would have told her the truth, but I didn't want any of these people finding out more about my life than what was necessary. They didn't need to know I still lived with my mom or that I spent my nights watching MGM movies on cable, taking smoke breaks during commercials for whitening toothpaste. I'd spent years keeping my personal life under wraps, so I didn't get invited to parties where I had to pretend to have a good time while coworkers I cared little for blabbed about their domestic lives.

Instead, I made up excuses. I told Lacey my boyfriend had a conference out of town, and she bought it with another sip of her spiced beverage. Lying was my only source of entertainment besides TV dramas, and it was much more fulfilling. The lies were always the same: my boyfriend travelled for business, and I spent my free time knitting on the couch. Sometimes the lies varied, but never too much that I forgot who I'd told what. One day, it was knitting, and the next, it was crochet, then macrame a few weeks later. I'd get a small rush from venturing outside the lie's parameters, and that's when I knew my life had indeed become a parody. When fibs became lies, and the lies grew into tall tales, it felt like I was living in a movie of my own making, which satisfied me until now. How sad was my existence that telling Lacey about my fake boyfriend made me giddy?

By the time Lacey lost interest in my stories and snapped her attention on somebody else, it was quarter to twelve, and my eyes were heavy. I left the party quietly and hoped my mother would be asleep by the time I got in. Isadora was retired now, and all that made her life exciting was making sure mine was not. She'd have a dozen questions about my night, and I didn't have it in me to weave together a story that would make her eyes roll.

Winter disagreed with my old Kia. I turned the ignition, and the engine squawked and shuddered like an old bird in a rusty cage. I waited in the frosted box while the heat kicked in after twenty minutes, rubbing my hands together and fogging the inside of the windows with my breath. I was impatient, and once an oval of clear glass appeared at the bottom of the windshield, I backed out of the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel where we'd had our Christmas party. I'd had my qualms with the location, but since I was the only one out of town, my concerns had gone unaddressed.

I drove the empty highway with my high beams on, but the onslaught of snow rendered them useless. The road curled to the left, and I slowed to a solid ninety kilometres until it straightened out again. My only relief from the snow was the occasional overpass. I used the short-lived break in the snowstorm to orient myself with what I could see of the lane indicators. The roads whited out quickly, and the lines became vague notions. It was up to me and the guard rail to figure out where I was supposed to drive. I gripped the wheel until my fingers grew sore and tried to relax while other, faster cars pulled by, the drivers probably gawking at the idiot who couldn't handle a little winter.

Strips of the blackened forest closed in on both sides of the highway, and three lanes condensed into two narrow sides. I clung to the right hoping nobody came up behind me for the rest of the stretch. I couldn't wait to take the exit and drive on lazier roads, but before the left turn, I coiled around the stilts of a bridge, and a sudden collapse broke my concentration. I thought somebody had dropped a boulder onto my car from the bridge, and slammed on the brakes. The car spun around and struck the guardrail sideways, deploying the airbags on impact.

Snow piled onto the windshield, and something heavy prevented the wipers from budging. I struggled out of the car, disoriented, and first saw the headlight and bumper dangling off the front of the Kia like a hangnail. If that had been the only damage, I might not have screamed my throat bloody. Lying on the crumpled hood was a large buck, hoofs scraping the metal as it struggled to right itself. Its belly had opened and spilled a trough of red and purple innards over the mangled grill, steaming in the frigid air. Snowflakes landed on its wet nose and melted. The buck's antlers carved lines through the snow on the windshield as it thrashed and then died, panting.

I shrieked and cried until the snot frosted my upper lip. The guilt filled me to the throat with nausea. I apologized until the creature's last breath and cried long after it went limp. In minutes, a thick measure of snow covered the ground with no signs of letting up. A black SUV passed by and ignored the tragic scene. At least they has the decency to slow down and change lanes. My fingers seized while I tried to slow my breaths, making it impossible for me to clutch my phone to call anyone. Another vehicle passed and left me in the powder with a two-hundred-pound deer splayed across the mangled hood of my car. Nobody wanted to stop on the highway in the freezing cold to help someone who had just slaughtered an animal.

Before I willed myself to relax and call the police, two circles of bright light blazed through the whipping snow. A transport truck had spotted me in the distance and slowed to a stop several meters from where I stood behind the Kia, unable to face the carnage still letting off steam in the dead of night.

Minutes passed, and nobody exited the truck. I thought they had changed their mind or sat there deciding whether helping me was worth throwing off their schedule. I'd had enough of people ignoring me and walked up to the front of the truck, waving my arms. Finally, the driver's door popped open, and a pair of boots hit the ground. The snowfall slowed, and I could see the dark outline of a man approaching.

"You alright?" A muffled voice yelled.

"Y-yes," my voice cracked. "Yes! I... I hit a deer. It's awful."

The man's face was covered with a bandana, and he had a black toque pulled over his ears and brow. Only a bar of his face showed. I dropped my hand that had been pointing at my car, and he squinted through the flurry. He pinched the point of his bandana and pulled the material away. My mouth dropped open, and I tasted the ice in the air.

"Sabi?"

"No fucking way," I said. "No goddam way."

"Never thought I'd be scraping you off the side of the highway, Miss Asta."

"Axel!" I cried and launched myself into his arms. "Oh my god. I can't believe it's you."

All at once, my worries were gone. Out of anyone who could come to my rescue, he was the last person I expected and the only one I completely trusted to make it right. The relief of not having to break down in front of a stranger stoked my tears afresh, and once the panic subsided, I sank into his warmth. He smelled like gasoline and fried food, a heavenly combination when it came off his clothes. Axel held me in front of him and covered my burning ears with his hands.

"Now, why'd you go and hit that poor deer? What'd he ever do to you, huh?"

I blubbered until Axel said he was joking and pulled me back into a hug, pressing my face to his chest.

"I'm kidding, honey. Those dumb bastards always come flying out of nowhere. They've got a fucking death wish, I swear. I just hit one last month. Thing launched itself onto the road for no good reason, and you can't exactly slam the breaks on an eighteen-wheeler."

Despite the nature of his words, the voice that spoke them filled me with a sense of safety. Axel walked me to his truck and helped me climb inside. I clambered over the driver's seat and sat in the passenger side, waiting for him to follow. Once he pulled the door shut, we looked at each other, and all the things left unsaid put us in a chokehold. He reached for a thermos, twisted off the lid and held it out to me.

"Want some tea?"

I took the thermos and sniffed warm honey and lemon, took a sip, and sighed as the liquid warmed my throat. Axel turned to the dash and smiled to himself. We sat in a silence that had stretched over four years. That's how long it had been since I left him. He still looked the same except for a few more lines around his eyes when he grinned. Yet, he still seemed unfamiliar, like a stranger who showed up in your dreams after you'd only passed them on the street. Sitting inside the massive truck while the snow blotted out the windshield filled me with deja vu. I counted down to the moment Axel plucked up the courage to turn back to me, his smile replaced with sorrow.

"Do you think this was meant to happen? Not you smoking a deer, but me finding you in a precarious situation after all this time?"

"It certainly would be a full-circle moment."

"Are you alright, Sabi?"

"I think so. Just shocked."

"Me too. Y'know, every blue Kia hatchback I've ever passed, I'd always check out the driver, never once thinking I'd actually see you. But when I saw your car up ahead, I got this sick feeling in my gut. How weird is that?"

I chuckled and held my tongue about how I too would spot black Monte Carlos, hoping to see Axel behind the wheel.

He grabbed a pack of American cigarettes off the dashboard and offered one to me. I declined, and he rolled down the window an inch before lighting one.

"Camels? Odd choice," I said.

"When you drive back and forth from the states, options change."

Another smoke-filled silence pushed us into stiff positions on either side of the truck. I looked around briefly and saw Axel's bunk strewn with blankets and clothes. I snapped my eyes away from the mess as though I'd peeked into his private office and waited for him to stub out his cigarette.

"I'll call someone if you like."

"Shouldn't we call the police?"

"Yeah. You'll have to make a report, and they'll probably send an ambulance to check you out. Might be a couple hours of trouble."

"I'm so sorry," I said. "I can go back in my car and wait. I don't want to drag you into my mess."

Axel scoffed at my ridiculous suggestion and touched my knee. I turned rigid from the contact.

"If anyone owes you a drag through a mess, it's me. No, put that thought out of your mind. I'll stay here with you all night. Unless you wanna hitch a ride with a tow instead?"

"I'd rather stay here."

"Thought so," said Axel. "Why don't you give them a call, and we'll wait in here where it's warm."

"Thanks, Axel. I'm relieved you're the one who found me."

Axel pressed flat against the seat and clutched the steering wheel as if holding onto it would save him from falling. "I'm glad I found you too, Saberrah. I gotta say, I've spent a lot of time looking. Maybe that's fucked up to hear, but it's the truth."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You were right about everything. Featherfall had nothing for me, and once you were gone for good, there was only one smart thing to do."

"What was that?"

"Get the fuck out of there. I took the first job I found. It started with unloading trucks, then led to another thing, and soon I was driving them. Now I drive all over the place by myself, and it's given me lots of time to think."

"You always did love driving," I said.

"Yeah. Sold the Monte, though. Got a whole eight hundred dollars out of her, but it was enough to get me started."

Whenever I pictured Axel Cluney, I always thought of him driving around in his dad's car, living in the same apartment, and working under the table at Arty's shop, maybe fighting. On the darker days, I imagined he'd died or suffered too many concussions to hold a proper conversation. He had proven my theories wrong.

Axel had me call the police and offered me something more potent than tea before retracting the offer if the cops decided to run a breathalyzer on me. But he stayed with me until a tow truck hauled my Kia away to a scrap metal graveyard. We watched from the comfort of the cabin and when the police and wildlife management gave me the clear, he asked if he could take me home. Axel had a load of skids waiting for delivery, and though he wasn't bound by a schedule, his kilometres counted towards his pay.

Something went bouncing off the walls of my stomach when he suggested dropping me off. It was too shameful to be panic and too sharp to be nausea. I had only just started uncovering his new life, and to cut our talks short now would leave me more unsettled than I'd been for years.

Axel wasn't used to my cues anymore and took my silence for residual shock and exhaustion. When we arrived in the city, he said he couldn't drive the transport on any suburban roads and that our chance meeting would have to end at a rest stop.

The better half of my brain told me to get his number, while the other half longed to blurt out all the things I'd imagined myself saying to him if I'd had a chance like this. I was mentally equipped to do neither of those things and cursed my cowardice.

"I can get you a cab to your house from here," said Axel.

I picked my fingernails in my lap and nodded without looking up at him or saying thank you.

"Or you could hang in here for a little longer. Though I have to warn you, I'm getting pretty sleepy, and I'll have to pass out soon if I'm gonna leave on time."

"I shouldn't keep you. You've already helped me so much, and I should get to sleep soon too. It's been quite a night."

"Wanna check out the bed?"

At first, the question seemed innocent. We were familiar, and taking a tour of his truck seemed an excellent way to prolong our interaction. Then, I looked up at him, and his eyes glinted in that way I'd never forgotten. They told me to dare him, to remember how astute he was with his hands, how he'd retained every bit of knowledge about what I liked. I couldn't help myself.

Axel chased me into his bed, and the smell of his sheets transported me to Featherfall, to his big, empty apartment with the lone painting of the coal miner and his cat, Chupa. He undressed me first before taking off his clothes, and we looked at each other and how almost nothing had changed.

And truly, nothing had. Axel was still the same man he was when we'd first met. He fished around on the floor for a box and found one condom inside. Axel laughed when I raised my eyebrow and said that life got lonely on the road and safety always came first. He rolled the latex on and whimpered between my legs, hand around his hard cock.

"Wish I could feel you for real. I hate condoms."

"Me too."

"Look, Sabi... If we fuck tonight, everything will change. I won't be able to live without you."

"We've done it before," I whispered, leaving Axel unconvinced of my sincerity.

"I can't do it again... Go back to that life, I mean. Without you there."

"Neither can I, Axel. I want to stay with you. I don't need convincing this time."

"Promise? You won't fuck me and take off?"

"I won't."

He hovered over my body, lips floating around mine. His voice went cool as the Winter air. "You'll stay with me?"

"Yes, Axel. I'll stay."

"Good, 'cause I missed you. Missed this pussy." Axel rubbed the tip of his cock between my lips. "Fuck, I need it now. I don't care if it's not raw the way we like it, baby. I'm so goddamn hard."

I gasped when it went in and clutched the blankets while he gave me a few minutes of animalistic pounding. He slowed down, laid on top of me and kissed my neck until I laughed from the tickle. Then he pulled out and muttered about how I always made him come too fast. I tried to apologize, but he smothered my mouth with his.

"It was always hard not to blow too quickly with you. Remember those nights I'd get so close and pull out at the last second?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, I don't want to fucking pull out anymore. I wanna fill you. Every night. I want you to belong to only me."

How could I tell him I hadn't been with anyone besides him in the four years we had been apart? It was a sad claim and one I'd lied to others to cover up, and I saved the fact for another time when we weren't slapping our hips together and absorbing each other's moans in our mouths.

"I don't want your cock inside anyone else ever again."

"Of course, mama. Never again."

"And that ass is mine, too."

Axel shivered and flashed a wicked grin. "Oh, honey. I think about that day like every time I play with myself. So good. Mm, I wanna be your bad boy again."

"Take the condom off," I said.

Axel's movements stammered, but be kept going, hands around my waist to anchor our groins together.

"Are you sure?"

"I haven't fucked anyone after you." There went the truth, out in the open. Axel cocked his head.

"You mean I can feel that wetness all over my cock again?"

"Do it."

"Yes, ma'am," he sang and snapped the rubber off like a slingshot before plunging back inside me. This time, every ridge, fold and vein rubbed together, and Axel really couldn't hold back. Before he came, he asked, "if I bust now, can we fuck again? I'll be a good boy and suck on that precious little clit until you cum too."

Axel made me feel like fire and ice battled under my ribs. My heart fluttered when he talked. The sight of his body filled me with a longing I'd thought long dead.

There was nobody for me but Axel. I had tried running, telling myself I'd find another man who made my skin ripple and my heart sing, but those were lies. I'd never lie to myself again. He crouched above me, all angles of his face turned up in delight while we made love for hours. Axel hadn't lost his stamina or gone soft from days spent traversing the country behind a steering wheel. It was like nothing ever changed, and the four years between us were really just long days spent preparing to reunite again.

We slept in his truck curled together like it was our last day on earth. When it was time for me to go home, Axel gave me his phone numbers, all three of them. One for his personal phone, and the other two for his work phone if he didn't answer. I gave him my address to find me after his trip, and I could tell he was skeptical as his eyes flew from the receipt I wrote it on, to my face and back.

"You don't mind if I come to get you in a few days?" He asked.

"I want you to come. Just give me a call before you show up so I can make sure I'm home."

"Alright, babe. I'm sorry to leave you again, but duty calls."

We kissed goodbye outside of the rest stop washrooms before I got in the back of a cab. I watched Axel becoming smaller out the back window, and he watched me drive away. When I could no longer see him, I turned around and sighed. Tip me on Ko-Fi (if you want to)

[limi-pie]

Like a butterfly (teaser)

A/N: Hello, I’ve been working on this Yuta fanfiction for some time now, so I figured I would post a lil’ teaser. Being Yuta biased sure has its joy, hmm let’s just say Yuta the Sticker era🤭 and this video clip is what gave me the inspiration for this upcoming fanfiction.🦋👀

Pairing: Nakamoto Yuta x Female! Reader

Contains: Non-idol! AU, Nakamoto Yuta, Librarian! Reader, Romance, Cursing, Drama, Friends to lovers, mentions of tattoos, self-harm.

Wordcount: 763

“Do you know the meaning behind a butterfly tattoo?” The question was stuck in your head as you stood in front of bushes, your eyes focused on a blue butterfly flapping its wings.

Elegant brown, red, orange, and yellow leaves started dancing with the subtle autumn wind. These beautiful colors began to paint the city a graceful contrast of warmth it was the beginning of autumn. Most restaurants have their seasonal autumn menus, blue crabs served in spicy sauce or mouthwatering pine mushrooms grilled over lightly fire or even made into a warm comforting soup, roasted chestnuts. Not only that, but Starbucks is back with their popular autumn specials, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, and The Black Glazed Latte, a sugary but intense black sugar brewed in rich black coffee.  

You were so lost in your thoughts, your mind completely occupied by the colorful leaves outside the library. You blinked a few times and had almost forgotten to arrange the books on the shelf. You walked on the city sidewalk, passing by some bushes when you noticed a light blue butterfly stuck in a spiderweb. It was flapping its wings helplessly when the spider began crawling towards it slowly.

“Oh no, let me get you out of there,” You said, grabbing a small piece of the branch to remove the silk from its wings. You managed to free the butterfly from the web as it flew away.

“You’re thinking of getting more tattoos, Chaeyoung?” You said, lifting your mug of chocolate to your lips. “Uh-huh, the quarter rest on my left arm is just the beginning, Unnie,” Chaeyoung nodded eagerly, showing off her arm as she was sketching some nude women in her notebook. “But I do plan on getting a few more now that I’ve saved enough money,” She giggled as you shook your head slightly, “you’re a brave one, Chaeng. I would get anxious about what others might think about me.” You confessed, looking down.

“Y/N, you need to stop worrying about what others might think of you! Besides, the people aren’t the ones getting the tattoo. I am and it’s my body, anyways,” she said fiercely. You always admired your best friend’s courage.

“You know getting a tattoo isn’t just for show off, there are so many meanings and untold stories behind them too.”

Chaeyoung showed you a sketched drawing of a bird cage with the door open, “was thinking of this tattoo design,” she smiled, handing you the book.

“What does the bird cage symbolize?” You asked in curiosity. “The birdcage has a lot of different meanings, I believe it symbolizes the longing for something or not being able to be true to oneself.” Chaeyoung expressed and added a few details to her drawings.

It began to rain heavily as you watched the first episode of the Korean drama, ‘Nevertheless’. “Chaeng, you really make the best brownies,” you said happily, taking a bite of the corner piece. “Thanks, Unnie, I’m glad you love them,” Chaeyoung giggled.

“Do you know the meaning behind a butterfly tattoo?” You asked her, “butterfly tattoos, hmm?” she hummed, sketching the outline of a pair of wings. “They hold many different meanings, maybe it symbolizes some sort of freedom or a form of protection,” Chaeyoung confessed. “Freedom or protection? How so?” You asked, looking at the screen when the male lead’s neck tattoo was showing a butterfly. “How you helped that butterfly get free from the spiderweb, but I’ve heard that butterfly tattoos are a reminder of those who have self-harmed.” Your eyes widened at the words self-harmed but you listened to her closely.

“You don’t want to hurt the butterfly, so having a tattoo might be a reminder to not hurt yourself,” Chaeyoung said, finishing her glass of milk.

You walked past the bushes on your way to work, you stopped and saw that the spider was gone from its web. You shrugged walking away when you suddenly the Squirtle keychain from your pocket dropped. You turned around to see a man crouch down to pick it up.

“Excuse Miss, you dropped this,” he said, handing you the keychain as your eyes met. “Ah, thank you, Sir,” you bowed and smiled. “No problem,” He said with a charming smile as he walked away. You watched his figure slowly fade as you continued that path, you stood still and reached for your hand.

You felt your heart beat drastically and hoped he would walk back to you.

It was autumn 2021 when you met him, Nakamoto Yuta. Looking into his eyes, you felt a familiar feeling.

A/N: This was short and sweet, but I’m currently working on part 1 as I’m writing this, hehe.🤭

🦋 Next part >