#ohoh this is the last chapter

[katakosmos]

snippet 🫣

thanks for the tag @del-stars

She had asked Regulus: "Why is all of this happening to me? What's wrong with me?"

He had smiled tenderly, in his own way, and then wiped away her tears, saying: "Nothing, absolutely nothing. St. Augustine says–"

"Are you really going to quote St. Augustine now?"

Regulus had laughed. "Yes, but listen to me. Just for a second. He says, and it's extremely beautiful, that human beings love in a messy way. That sometimes, in our imperfection, we foolishly give all our love to those who don't deserve it. So you, Pandora, have nothing wrong: indeed, it's admirable that you can love with so much strength. Your love shocks the world, makes the earth tremble. Your only flaw is that you give all this feeling to people that aren't worthy of receiving even the smallest part of it. Perhaps, before loving others unconditionally, you should reserve some of that love for yourself. It's something I have to learn to do, too. When you're ready, if you want, we'll start this journey together."

tag: @evanorphia @major-toast @mywifeisaworm @remusbuzzcutt

[crazycurly-77]

Memory Loss - Chapter 11

The shower was really freezing cold and you tried to flee, but Jethro was stronger than you despite his constant laughing. After a few seconds he had mercy and made the water warmer. To make up for it, he soaped you up and then dried you off. 

While wrapping you in a soft towel he kissed and hugged you. You simply enjoyed yourself and him and felt so warm and cozy that you totally forgot that your relationship does not really exist. But you so wished it would be, you could really get used to this. 

Finished with drying you off Gibbs gave you a clap on your ass and said “now that you're awake, put something on and come to the dining room. Coffee and breakfast are waiting.”

You laughed and answered “aye, aye, sir!” 

Quickly you both put pants and a shirt on and walked to the kitchen. As Gibbs was making coffee you put the groceries on the table. Then he came with the black gold for you of course with milk and you both enjoyed the meal. 

While eating Jethro suddenly asked “why did you go into the guest room to sleep last evening?”

You stopped chewing and only thought “ohoh, how should I explain this?”

But thankfully you quickly came up with a reason “you said that you can't sleep when I toss and turn in my sleep.”

“Hm, last night I slept wonderfully with you by my side. So please come to me, I need you. I can't sleep without you.”

He looked so forlorn and pleading that you could only breathe “yes.”

You exchanged a loving look, but the spell the two of you were in was broken as Gibbs’ phone was ringing. 

“Gibbs” he listened to the caller and then said “Yes, coming.”

You watched him and waited. 

“The director wants to speak with me. Let's go.”

So breakfast was finished and you drove to the office, but not without buying two coffees on the way. And it was absolutely fascinating. Entering the building he completely changed. Yes, he still touched you as often as he could, but now he was in full special agent and marine mode. 

You could say the old known Gibbs was back and that was good news. 

Arriving at the bullpen he stormed the stairs up to Jenny while you walked to your desk and sat down to begin with your work. You hadn't read one sentence as you noticed Tony coming to you. 

He sat down on the corner of your desk and grinned widely at you the same way he had done the last few days.

So you knew this was coming. It was unavoidable like a car crash when someone drives towards you head-on. 

Sighing you looked up at him and said with your eyes rolling “Spit It, Tony.”

“Hey Wifey, soooo you and our boss…how long does it go between you two?” 

“There's nothing.”

He laughed “ooohhh, but there must be.”

“No.”

“I'm absolutely sure about that. You two broke rule 12.”

“No.”

“Then there was something.” 

“No.”

Tony laughs “you think I believe that?” 

“You have to believe it, ‘cause it's true. Can we go back to work now, please?”

“Noooo! You know what I think? That there IS definitely something between you. Otherwise he wouldn't recognize you as his wife and you would not play it for the sake of him.” 

He leaned closely towards you and whispered 

“I ask you again…you and Gibbs are a couple?”

“No.” Slowly you were losing your patience. 

“Soooo, when you and Gibbs aren't…then maybe we can tonight…together…” he wiggled suggestively with his eyebrows. 

Right in this moment Gibbs came, head-slapped Tony, gave him a stern and dangerous look and said slowly “DiNozzo. Stop. Flirting. With. My. Wife. Or you will find yourself as an agent afloat for the next few years.”

Tony got big eyes and hurried quickly back to his desk saying “yes, boss.”

Gibbs smiled contently, then kissed you on the forehead and went to his desk to check his emails. Seeing this brief interlude Tony only smirked widely. He will be damned if he wasn't right that the two of you are a couple and in fact a very happy one. 

Your own thoughts seeing his grin were more like “My goodness, how will I ever get out of this mess?”

During your questioning by Tony Gibbs stood in front of Jenny's desk. 

“Jethro, how are you doing?” 

He growled “That's nearly the only thing I hear from everyone. Fine, I'm fine. And I have work to do. So, do you want something special or can I go and do my work?” 

“I only wanted to know if you are well. But since you said you are, you are allowed to go.”

“Good.” he turned and left without another word. 

She sighed and wondered who would know best how he is doing. And then she had the perfect one found: Y/N! Yes, of course! Who would know better, than his “wife”? 

This word led to a stab in her heart, but she dialed your number and asked you to have lunch with her.

(To be continued...5 chapters remaining)

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Here you will find the other chapters of this story and the other stories I've written to date.

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Tags: @ilovemark1951, @hobby27

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[rosia4309]

Silverpelt's Terror (Page 74)

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Silverpelt's Terror updates every weekend.

Ohoh, I wonder what's spooking Mapleflame so much 👀 ALSO this is the second-to-last page of the chapter, we're almost there!! Next one is gonna be a splash page! :D

[nagito-kissmaeda]

if it isn't real, why does the sun still burn?

Chapter masterlist

Summary : Like most people visiting this tag. You have always dreamed of meeting Nagito Komaeda for real, what you would do, what you would say? Things don't go as planned.

AKA: Reader from our universe ends up in danganronpa and is just trying her best to keep everyone alive. and maybe to make komaeda kiss her.

Contains: she/her pronouns, panic attacks, too much self indulgence

read on AO3

Usami’s eyes somehow seem both less and more expressive in person. The black buttons don't move or change the way an animated eye would, but you can still feel her confusion swimming in the blackness.

Hinata’s handbook had beeped. So had Tsumiki’s and Komaeda’s. yours had not, because you don’t have one.

“D—did you forget to give her one?” Tsumiki asks nervously, still keeping her hand on your arm in an attempt at gentle reassurance.

Komaeda is looking down at you with an expression far too inquisitive for your liking. He’s clever, you know he’s clever, a lot cleverer than you. He is rightfully suspicious, and it makes you nervous.

Usami blinks (though you aren’t sure how) and then quickly brightens up, “oh! Silly me, it looks like I overlooked one of my precious students! I hope you’ll forgive me, miss?”

You give her your name, glad to have a reason to turn from Komaeda’s intimidating stare.

“Ohoh! Of course!” Usami says gleefully, waving her magic stick and quickly producing a brand new handbook, “I have your one right here! Now you can work on getting hope fragments just like the rest of your friends! Love love!!”

The handbook weighs less than you had expected it too, probably only about half as much as an IPad. You tap the screen and it lights up with your name.

All you can do is thank whoever is watching. Naegi, Kirigiri, Togami…thank you thank you thank you

When you tap through the screens, you are pleased to see that the Hope Fragments for Tsumiki and Hinata are already present. You don’t have one for Komaeda.

That stings.

“Well, I think it’s about time that Hinata-kun and I head off.” He says, giving Tsumiki a pleasant smile that would surely warm your heart if it was directed at you, “There are many more classmates to introduce him too, aha.”

Hinata chuckles awkwardly, “Hopefully everyone is as nice as the two of you.” He says.

You catch Tsumiki’s cheeks flushing, and you are just relieved that he doesn’t hate you. The last thing you need is the protagonist hating you.

“It was nice to meet you, Hinata-san.” You say, trying to ignore how weird it is to even be talking to him, “Sorry I’m still a little out of it.”

“It’s alright. I’m out of it too, I think the walk might do me good though. Clear my head or something? I dunno.” He shrugs and starts following Komaeda further up the sand, “I’ll see you both later, I guess.”

Just as the two of them start walking away, you have a moment of uncharacteristic boldness. Clearing your throat and calling out, “it was nice to meet you too, Komaeda-san.”

He turns to look at you over his shoulder. Giving you a smile that reads almost completely fake, “Likewise.”

You feel your heart drop to your stomach as he continues walking away. Eyes helplessly drawn to his broad shoulders and narrow waist, to his hands in his pockets, the way his hair catches the sunlight and dances in the warm breeze. This is stupid. You’re stuck in a video game and all you can do is be sad because a boy doesn't like you? This is so stupid. This whole situation is just stupid! You can feel your heart starting to race again.

“O--Oh…” Tsumiki whispers, taking one of your hands between hers, “Are you getting panicked again? I should ha-have asked them not to ta-talk to you just yet.” She hangs her head, “I'm sorry, i should have known that you aren't in headspace to be meeting new p--people.”

“It’s fine, Tsumiki-san. I’m doing okay.”

That was a lie. You are NOT doing okay.

Tsumiki’s brow furrows and then she turns to Usami with a whip of purple hair, “Is there a sick bay? Or somewhere else she can lay down? She needs rest, and I can tell that the hot sun isn’t doing her any favours.”

It’s true. Your exposed shoulders and chest are already starting to burn, and you can see for yourself the pink colour of your forearms. You’ve always sunburnt easily, island living is going to be rough going.

Just another reason you need to get out of here.

“Uwawawa!” Usami exclaims, “I am forgetful today! Thanks for reminding me Tsumiki-san.” The bunny leans over and pats Tsumiki on the head with a fuzzy paw, “what a sweet girl you are!”

“Th—thank you….” Tsumiki says, turning a little red from the attention

“There’s a hotel just a little walk away! Everyone has their own cottage where they can rest and relax, it would be the perfect spot for her to lay down until she feels better.”

Tsumiki hums thoughtfully and then looks down at you. With all the commotion you haven't really had a chance to look at her face just yet, it's weird how despite all the elements being there, it takes a moment of good examination to realise that she really is Mikan Tsumiki from Super Danganronpa Two and not just a really talented cosplayer. It's something in her shaky smile, in the nervous flit of her purple eyes, the third dimension makes her look almost uncanny, almost weird.

“Do you think you can walk?” She asks

You blink a few times, it's strange to watch her mouth move when she talks, “I...uh...yeah? I'll be okay.”

When Tsumiki helps you to your feet, you are taken aback by how much taller she is than you, at least a good 5’8” of willowy beauty. She's hot, you take one look down at yourself and feel even worse. The transition to the anime world did not come with an anime figure. You look the same as always.

Tsumiki keeps a gentle grip on your arm as Usami begins leading the two of you over to the cottages, it shouldn't be surprising that the distance seems far longer than it does in game, but even still, your legs are shaking beneath you with both nerves and a strange weakness that you can't place. The ocean air is refreshing and while the sun still burns it feels nice to be warm. It doesn't make sense that the sun burns at all, this is a video game. More than that, this is a fake digital landscape inside of a video game. Jabberwock island is fake two times over but you can already feel the sting of your burns from what should be an entirely digital sun.

You still need to get out of here. Tsumiki has been very hospitable, but how long will that last? The Ultimate Imposter already doesn't trust you and that is the last thing you need, being talentless when the killings start means that-

Tsumiki turns back in concern when you tremble. Saying something unintelligible as you double over, clutching at your churning stomach and trying not to lose your lunch.

When the killings start. Fuck

How long has it been? Has Hinata finished meeting everyone? How long until Usami calls everyone to meet at the beach? You probably only have an hour, maybe three, max. You manage to swallow the bile in your mouth and look down at Usami, she's gently clutching into your leg, trying to help Tsumiki calm you down. 

You need to talk to Usami alone. Maybe you can stop everything before it starts, maybe you can save everyone, maybe you can-“Shhh…” Tsumiki whispers, reaching out and gently combing through your hair with her shaky fingers, “you're okay. I--I’ve got you.”

“Yeah!” Usami adds, “We just need to head through this gate and your cottage will be waiting.” The bunny gives you a gentle pat on the knee, “everything will be okay.”

It won't. 

It won't be unless you do something. 

Your legs shake when you start walking again, following Usami through the gate and down to the boardwalk. You're completely normal, completely useless. Was this all your fault? Did you bring yourself here, or was it a hellish act of divine intervention? How is someone like you supposed to save anyone? You've been here for only a few hours and you've had what, like three panic attacks now? 

Usami finally stops walking in front of a cottage that shouldn't exist. Squished in between Tsumiki’s and Owari’s cottages, bringing the total count in the girl’s side from a nice even eight to a messy, uneven nine. 

The cottage has your face on the nameplate, your name underneath it. Usami must have whipped it up while you were having your panic attack outside the gate, you can almost see the faint glow around her magic stick from its recent usage. 

Once again. Naegi, Togami, Kirigiri. Thank you thank you thank you.

Usami turns to Tsumiki with a pleasant smile, “You have been so wonderfully helpful, Tsumiki-San.” She says, “but let your teacher handle it from here, go make friends with your other classmates for now.”

“O--oh.” Tsumiki starts, finally relinquishing her grip on your arm, “Are you sure you will be okay?”

You manage a nod. Quickly catching on to what Usami is trying to do, the two of you need to talk alone, “I'll be okay. Thank you so much, Tsumiki-San, I'm lucky you were here to look after me.”

She smiles, wringing her hands together, “Th--Thank you. I'm glad I was able to help, oh! One more thing-” she digs through her satchel again, quickly fishing out a tube of aloe Vera cream, “-make sure to rub some of this on your burns. Come find me if you need anything else, okay?”

“Okay.” You smile, “thank you again.”

Tsumiki drops her head in a shallow bow before turning and walking off towards the lobby. Her choppy hair dances in the ocean breeze. You find yourself missing her already.

Usami unlocks the door to your cottage and ushers you inside, gently shutting the door behind you. It’s disappointing how bare the cottage actually is, now that you are in the game it seems that there must be some information on you in the code and that when Usami created the cottage it auto generated the interior decoration based on that information. 

There's a plush coral coloured rug on the floor, a few succulents by the window and a Nintendo Switch docked by the TV, but apart from that the room looks basically the same as Hinata’s did in the game. You like plants, you like soft carpet, and you might go crazy without Stardew Valley to help you relax before bed, but apparently those are your only definitive traits. 

“Are you feeling any better?” Usami asks, gesturing for you to sit down in the bed. It's softer than it looks, you didn't realise how tired you were until you were already sitting down, “a little, thank you.” You sigh, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand, “I suppose you have questions, ask away. Though I'm not sure how many I can actually answer.”

“Who installed you?”

“No one. I don't think? I'm not a program I'm...I'm real...I swear, I just, I don't know how I got here.”

“Do you know the intention of this program?”

“Yes. I know everything.” You lean forward, resting your arms on your knees, “who am I talking to now? Naegi? Is that you?” 

Usami blinks, and then her voice changes, “H-huh? How did you know it was me?”

You smile, feeling yourself getting a little teary for some reason, it's comforting to hear his voice, “That was just a guess. I uh...I know a lot. I know more than you do.”

“You told the remnants that you are talentless.” Naegi starts, Usami tilting her head to the side, “Is that true?”

“Uh, where I'm from, talent, at least the way you guys have it. It um, it isn't really a thing? I don't know, I'm just a dumbass with a useless degree in game design and no prospects, I'm not smart enough to explain anything that's going on right now. But I...I do have a warning for you, for all of you-” you heave a shaky breath, “Junko Enoshima is in the program, Kamukura uploaded an AI version of her before you loaded the system. I don't know if it's too late for you to stop her, but...she's going to start another killing game in here.”

“Oh...oh god…” Naegi says, and then you can hear him grow muffled as he steps away from the mic, talking frantically to someone else on the other side. They sound panicked. 

After a few minutes of chatter and some desperate typing, Naegi returns, “I'm not sure how you knew that, but you're right, we found her. Alter Ego is working on trying to disable the virus, but it's so deep in the code that we aren't sure we’ll be able to do anything. At least not right away.” Naegi laughs nervously, “I really don't know much about computers, but it doesn't sound good.” 

“Okay…..okay….” It isn't okay, but you are trying to stay positive. 

“I don't know if I can explain how, but I...I already know how things are going to play out here. I can stop the killings, or at least delay them. All I need you to do is get me to the second island so I can unlock the trial room.” 

“The gate to the second island isn't set to open until everyone has at least two hope fragments, I'm not sure we can override that command manually. It would take at least a few weeks for Alter Ego to handle that from our end, while also fighting Enoshima.”

“Alright so I just need to delay the killings for a few weeks, that might be doable. I...I really don't know.” 

Naegi sighs nervously, “please, do what you can. I don't know how you got in there, but I trust you. The people in the simulation with you can't go through any more pain, they don't deserve it, please, please protect them.” 

“I...i'll try.” 

“Well keep working from our end to find a way to get you all out early, for now I do have to go. Usami will just go back to her normal programming when I leave, but if you need anything try to talk to her or Nanami-San if you can get them alone.” Usami gives you a soft smile, but you feel like you can see Naegi in her eyes, “please. Have hope, we’re all rooting for you.”

If anything. That only makes you more nervous.

[sayuricorner]

Miraculous Ladybug x Identity V: The Oletus manor diary of a ladybug: Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Prompt concept

Warning : English is not my first language so sorry if it’s confusing !

Warning 2 : This fanfic content salt if you don’t like don’t read !

Warning 3 : Reference to sexual assault.

Hey everyone! ^^ here's the new chapter of "The Oletus manor diary of a ladybug"! :D

I know it's was a long time since the last chapter and I'm really sorry about this, I had a bad writting block and was also busy with other writting works! ^^'

But I finally was able to finish this chapter so I hope you'll all like it! ^^

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23/04/2015, Oletus manor's living room security camera :

The camera show the survivors and the hunters at the table, talking about their temporary ̎ young housemate ̎.

Kreacher Pierson(Awkwardly) : Sssoooo... This is the kid who will stay at the manor during the rainy season ?

Freddy Riley(sighing frustrated) : For the hundredth time Pierson, YES, this is the girl, YES, she will stay here and YES her stay will last at least for two weeks until this god forsaken storm stop ! Good lord ! Would it kill you to spend at least a few minutes without asking the same question over and over again ?

Kreacher Pierson(defensive) : Whoa ! Hold your horses ̎ mister lawyer ̎, I was just curious and confused, as everyone else is probably, I mean, our ̎ host ̎ permitting someone from the outside world, who wasn't invited, to stay in the manor ? Come on ! Don't tell me you didn't find this strange ?

Vera Blair(ironic) : Right ! Because leaving this girl, sick, in a violent thunderstorm and risking to attract unwanted attention in the aftermath would have been the logical thing to do !

Kreacher Pierson(annoyed) : Ohoh ahah, very funny !

Mary(rolling her eyes) : As much I hate to admit it, Monsieur le Voleur does had a point it's quite unusual for our ̎ host ̎ to letting someone from the outside world who was not invited to participate to the games to stay in the manor and to know about how things are going here this easely !

Naib Subedar(nobbed, arms crossed) : Yeah, this is really out of character for him when you see all the amount of precautions he’s taken to make sure to keep the games, and everything else in the manor, a secret.

Lucky Guy(frowning) : I don't know, this guy is always so cryptic, who knows what's going on in his head right now!

Andrew Kreiss(calmly stutters) : B-But shouldn't we m-more wondering... w-what that girl was doing outside all alone?(slightly panics when the others looked at him) I-I mean this is strange right ? N-Normally a young girl of her age shouldn't wander by herself in a forest this far from the town...

Jack(thinking) : An interesting question M.Gravekeeper! But I am sure some of us could had a theory on the matter since some seem to had recognised they young lady, am I right Miss Doctor, M. Embalmer?(throw an amused look at Emily and Aesop)

Aesop Carl(nervous) : Well... I did remember having met her, one time in town, she had an accident because of a drunk driver who were driving when the lights were red and nearly run her over, thank god the driver stopped before he could run her over, but since his car struck her a bit and she was in shock because of the accident, I helped her to go to the hospital.

Emily Dyer(frowning) : I made a check up on her and, thank god, she didn't have any kind of injuries ! However I was shocked to learn that this poor girl end up in this accident because her whole class, the teacher included, left her behind when they were supposed to go to the museum.When her teacher come to pick her up she had the guts to scold her, when it was HER fault for leaving her behind in the first place, for, I quote, ̎ Having being irresponsible and bring problems to her and the class ̎ ! Absolutely revolting !

Emma Gardner(nobbing) : Oh yeah ! I remember you were ranting about it for hours when you came back after your shift !

Joseph Desaulniers(lift his head) : By any chance, is this class from France ?

Emily Dyer:(nob her head)

Joseph Desaulniers : Ah ! Then they're without any doubt the class who came to the museum that day ! Since it was the anniversary of the town, the museum was quite busy with giving tours during the week and I remember that day Monsieur Lapadula and I were supposed to give a tour to a class from France and I remember they were... How do I put this politely ?

Burke Lapadula(interjecting grunchy) : A bunch of rude, noisy, bratty and messy worms !

Joseph Desaulniers(Carefully):It's... A way to describe them, oui...

Burke Lapadula(Snorting) : A perfect description of them you mean Desaulniers ! Those brats were nothing but nuisances and without any manners ! First they made a scene at the front desk because they didn't had the security codes to get the tickets, then the teacher left and came back moments later with the student who actually had the codes and her ̎ classmates ̎ ganged up on her about having ̎ stole Lali's codes ̎ or whatever this girl's name was !

And when, finally, Desaulniers and I were able to begin the tour, only a few of them were actually paying attention ! Most of them were busy listening the fibs of that Lali girl, during the whole tour she was always butting in to tell rubbish nonsense like she was the secret descendant of one of Eurydice's founding fathers or how her too many great uncle/aunt/grandfather or whatever actually helped the creator of this machinery to create it or the other one or how one girl who was on one of the photos was a very distant family member of her and blablabla... URHG ! Disrespectful little twerps !

Martha Behamfil(Confused): They were making a mess and no one did a thing ? And their teacher ? I know from what Emily told us she doesn't seem to be the teacher of the year but surely she would at least try to get her students to behave ?

Joseph Desaulniers(Hesitant) : Well...

Burke Lapadula(Angry) : Absolutely nothing ! She just stood there and looked at them like nothing was happening and constantly smiling like an idiot ! I wouldn't even be surprised if this kid's situation was because of this so called teacher's incompetence !

Burke Lapadula kept on ranting with all the other hunters and survivors looking at him.

Demi Bourbon(Snorting) : Honestly I'm not surprised ! I saw this class at the café where I work at once and they tried to leave and make me believe that the classmate they left at one table will pay their bill, but I wasn't born yesterday ! I saw them multiple times during the time they were at their table and the classmate in question was away from them at another table and not once they went to talk to her so I guessed they were trying to trick me into letting them leave without paying, so I kept them from leaving until they paid. They tried to change my mind, make me pity them, threaten me but I didn't budge and they finally gave in when I gave them the ultimatum to either pay their bill or I was calling the police on them !

Kevin Ayuso(clear his throat) : Not that those ̎ work gossips ̎ aren't entertaining but that doesn't answer the main question here : what's about this little lady for the manor's owner to permit someone from the outside world to know how things are going here ?

Everyone is silent not knowing what to answer.

Hastur(silently laughing) : Oh she's way more than meets the eye than you believe...

The rest turn their attention to Hastur, looking at the eldritch being, some uncertain, others wary.

Hastur(cryptic) : This is something I would rather let you find out yourself, but what I can tell you is this girl is connected to big forces ! But I am sure a few of you did notice it !(Give a quick look to Eli Clark and Patricia Dorval) But like I said this isn't up to me to tell ! However if our ̎ host ̎ is taking this much precautions for the girl's safety to the point of even taking the risk to tell her about the manor's ways that mean he is also aware of the powerful forces in relation with this girl and of the possible consequences if anything should happen to her !

Unknown female voice : A good deduction lord Hastur !

The Hunters and the Survivors turn to see Miss Nightingale enter the room.

Miss Nightingale(formal) : Like Lord Hastur said, this girl is connected to big forces which are important for this world's balance and so her safety is really important ! If anything tragic happened to her, the consequences may be disastrous ! That why the owner instructed me to insure her comfort and safety during her stay and to instruct you, particuliary for some of you, to be on your best behavior and to not let your ̎ shenanigans ̎ bother our guest !

Edgar Valden(grumbling and murmuring):Tss really ? Does he take us for children ?

Miss Nightingale(hear him, seriously) :I wouldn't take this situation lightly M. Valden ! The owner takes this girl's safety very seriously, messing with the forces connected to the girl aren't a laughing matter, others had tried in the past and deeply paid the price !

Wu Chang:(silently nob in agreement the others didn't notice it)

Luchino Diruse(skeptical) : How ̎ deeply ̎ are we talking ?

Miss Nightingale(listing) : The dinosaur’s extinction...

Luchino Diruse(stunned) : … Uh...

Miss Nightingale : Atlantis's destruction...

Kurt Frank(shocked) : Atlantis is real ?!

Miss Nightingale : Correction : ̎ was real ̎ (keep listing) the Plague...

Ann(her dark pitch eyes wide in shock) : … What ?

Miss Nightingale : The Tower of Pisa being toppled...

Edgar Valden(surprised) : You mean the tower wasn't toppled because of the swampy grounds ?

Miss Nightingale : The Hundred Years' War.

The survivors and some of the hunters(in shock) : …

Miss Nightingale(formal) : And this is just a few, the list is quite long ! Do you understand the situation now or should I continue ?

Naib Subebar(hold up his hands) : We get it, we get it ! The kid and whatever power with her is off limits !

Miss Nightingale(smile) : Good ! Now as I was saying, during her stay Miss Dupain-Cheng will need to rest a lot to recover a bit until we are able to send her to the hospital ! For that she will need for her recovery a lot of peace and quiet!That’s why the owner expects from all of you to not disturb our guest with your shenanigans and I'm insisting on that for some of you particularly.

The hunters and survivors, at this remark, turn their heads toward Smiley Face, Jack, Servais Le Roy and Kreacher Pierson with a narrowed look, the first three ignoring them.

Kreacher Pierson(Noticing the looks on him) : What ? Why are you looking at me like that ? I can understand the warning for ̎ Clown face ̎, who's unpredictable, ̎ No face ̎, who's a freak and Le Roy, who's ready to do anything to be ̎ the greatest magician ever know ̎, but me ? Why would I try to mess with the kid ?

Michiko(Sipping from her tea cup) : Well, for starter your title isn't ̎ Thief ̎ for nothing !

Kreacher Pierson(Slightly offended) : Oi !

William Ellis(with a jaded look) : Your shady treatment toward those kids at this orphanage of yours in the past, which makes the guarantee of the young lass's safety questionable if you ever interact with her !

Kreacher Pierson(Turning toward William) : I didn't-

Freddy Riley(Crossing his arms) : You're overly untrustworthy !

Kreacher Pierson(Offended) : Oh ! Look who's talking !

Emily Dyer(Frowning) : You also had this bad habit to take advantage of others at their weakest moments ! Just like you tried to do to Emma times ago !

Emma Woods:(Nob in agreement)

Leo Beck(groans in agreement) : Huurrrrrr....

Kreacher Pierson(Exasperated) : OH COME ON THAT WAS LITERALLY CENTURIES AGO ! WE ALL AGREED WHAT I HAVE DONE WAS TRASH, I COUNTLESSLY APOLOGIZED TO WOODS FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND EVEN KEEP MY DISTANCES FROM HER WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME ? AND SERIOUSLY ? YOU THINK I WOULD TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE KID ̎ THAT WAY ̎ ? I MAY HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONABLE THINGS IN THE PAST BUT I WOULD NEVER GO TO ̎ THAT ̎ LEVEL ! I MEAN DID YOU SEE HER ? SHE'S WHAT ? 16 ?

Miss Nightingale(stoic) : Actually from my talk with Miss Dupain-Cheng I learned she was 14 and would be 15 very soon...

Kreacher Pierson(Over-dramatic) : SEE ? SHE'S EVEN YOUNGER ! SO ALL OF YOU MARK MY WORD WHEN I SAY THAT I, KREACHER PIERSON, MAY BE A THIEF, A CON ARTIST OR A DECIEVER BUT NEVER EVER IN MY LIFE HAD, OR EVER WILL, STOOD TO ̎ THAT ̎ LEVEL OF TRASH !

Everyone else is rolling their eyes at Kreacher's over-dramatic reaction.

Miss Nightingale(Still stoic) : Well, now this was made clear, I will have to excuse myself as I had a lot of duties to attend, good day to all of you !

Miss Nightingale took her leave and the survivors and hunters silently look at her, exciting the room.

Luca Balsa(joking) : Welp... That was something !

Norton Campbell(sigh) : Tell me about it... In the end we just got more questions than answers about that girl outside of the fact she is connected to ̎ powerful forces ̎ which are apparently very dangerous in the wrong hands !

Jose Baden(Shrug) : Well... I guess this will be up to the little miss to tell us if she decided to do it at one point !

Tracy Reznik(Confused) : Uh guys ? Sorry to interrupt you but... Where is Bonbon going like that ?

Burke Lapadula(grumbling) : It's name is Guard 26 not Bonbon and...(He notices that the robot is indeed leaving quickly) What the- ? Guard 26 ! Where are you going ? Get back there ! Oi ! Get your metallic butt here right now ! Are you even listening to me, you me you pile of dolts ? GUARD 26!(Burke go after the robot and leave the room)

Most of the survivors and hunters took it as their cue and also left the room, outside of a few of them.

Oletus manor's first floor security camera :

The camera shows Robbie about to take the stairs to the second floor but is busted by Michiko who appears in the camera's vision.

Michiko : Robbie ? What are you doing ?

Robbie(Freeze) : Uh... Nothing ?

Michiko(Sigh) : You were trying to sneak in to see Dupain-Cheng-san were you ?

Robbie(Hesitant) : Uuuuuhhh...

Michiko(Softly) : Listen, she needs to rest for now ! You can go see and get to know her another time okay ?

Robbie(Sigh) : Okayyyyy....

Michiko(Smile) : Good ! Now come with me ! How about we go to your bedroom and I read you the story you want ?

Robbie happily nobbed and took Michiko's hand and both left the floor.

Oletus manor's second floor security camera :

The camera show Burke arguing with his robot, Guard 26 ̎ Bonbon ̎, who was guarding Marinette's bedroom's door with no intention of leaving.

Burke Lapadula(Angry) : What the hell are you doing ? I didn't even give you the order to go to the brat's room, so what are you even doing posted in front of her door ?

Bonbon : Presence of a vulnerable person in the manor declared, so Bonbon's protection code was activated.

Burke Lapadula(Angry) :Protection co- I didn't even give you the order to activate this protocole ! I'm your creator and any protocol or any action from you should be activated on MY order ! So desist your protection protocol and come with me now !

Bonbon : Apologies, but Bonbon's protection protocol can't be desist !

Burke Lapadula(Getting impatient) :... Guard 26, desist protection protocol and follow me right. Now !

Bonbon : Apologies, but Bonbon's protection protocol can't be desist !

Burke Lapadula(Frustrated) : Oh for heck sake ! DESIST THIS FREAKING PROTECTION PROTOCOL !

Bonbon : Apologies, but Bonbon's protection protocol can't be desist !

Burke keeps going on trying to get his robot obey him with the robot not budging.

Oletus manor's third floor security camera :

The camera shows Emily and Emma talking in the floor corridor, Emily seems still upset about the possible reason for Marinette's state.

Emma talks to Emily for a while, comforting her about how everything will be okay, that Marinette will be fine, especially with a doctor like Emily to take care of her.

Emily, moved by Emma's words, shares a hug with her for a few minutes before the two leave holding each other's hand.

A few moments later, the camera shows Naib, Eli and Aesop having a talk in the corridor.

Naib Subebar(Arms crossed) : Hey Clark, about what Nightingale told about those ̎ powerful forces ̎, you think you can told some things about it ? I mean you're into this magic stuff right ? So you probably ̎ feel ̎ something right ?

Eli Clark(Nobbed) : Well yes I felt something unusual radiating from this young girl ! But before you ask, no I didn't feel anything which could be ̎ dangerous ̎ for us, those forces seem to be powerful but not evil ! Whatever it is, I don't think it's something which will deliberately hurt us !

Naib Subebar(Nobbing) : I see...

Aesop(Nervously) : Now we clear up this matter, I must go ! I have ̎ important things ̎ to do ahah...

Naib Subebar(Smirking) : And I suppose those ̎ important things ̎ have obviously nothing to do with a certain french photographer ?

Aesop(Very nervous and blushing) : I... I... I REALLY MUST GO, GOOD DAY TO YOU TWO !

Aesop leaves the corridor embarrassed.

Eli Clark(Smirking to Naib) : You know, you're one to talk on that subject, after all isn't there a thing going on between you and mister Jack ?

Naib Subedar(Sputtering and blushing) : Wh-... How-... When-... ABSOLUTELY NOT !!!

Oletus manor's first floor camera :

Other survivors and hunters go through the floor's corridors, some going to their bedroom and others to another part of the manor.

Oletus manor's living room security camera :

The hunters and the survivors had left the living room outside of the Dream Witch, and by extension Follower, and Hastur were having a discussion.

Dream Witch(Humming) : So it's seem ̎ they ̎ get a new guardian ! I must say this is surprising to ̎ see ̎ one of ̎ them ̎ after so long !

Hastur(Nobbing) : Indeed, I don't know about you, but I think things will get very interesting during those two weeks !

Both turn to the camera, the Dream Witch is smirking and Hastur is chuckling.

Hastur : Don't you agree mister the Owner ?

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

TAG LIST :( a reblog will get you a place in the tag list! ^^)

@diana-berry , @doll246 , @miraculous-ninja , @knightoflightaskblo , @mentini02 , @michaelshadow7779

[corysmiles]

oh ohoh :]c Look who's showing her face once again, that's right! The runnaway experiment isBACK! And not only is it back, it's also AVAILABLE ON AO3 BABY!!!!!!!! :D

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35957815/chapters/90253351 With that out the way, enjoy! this new chapter! It's a bit more world building, but we'll soon return to more plot progression. :]

Passing Conversations.

-------

C- “Just so we’re clear, we are doing this for the good of the operation.”

W- “I understand.”

C- “Hopefully, the 3 year break will allow the transition from patient to experiment to go smoothly.”

W- “Yeah. It’s a shame we won’t see the kid.”

C- “This… is another thing I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

W- “Mh?”

C- “The transition…. Will also be done within us. During the 3 year gap, we will have to recognize T-0 as not a child, nor an entertainment, but as the subject we’ve been meaning to train since the beginning.”

W- “...of course. I understand, Mister sparkle.”

C- “Good. Good. Now go join Techno. I’ve heard he’s been waiting for you.”

W- “Alright. Have a good day, Sir!”

C- “You too.”

—-----

C-“So, how’s the experiment doing?”

B-“Well, aside from the obvious, rather well.”

C-“I see. Has it caused any trouble during the first tests?”

B- “Not really. But he is careless. We’re having a hard time finding props that fit.”

C-“I see… I mean, it could be useful to us in the future, even though right now, it’s a bother.”

B-“What, the fact that it’s a giant?”

C-“Mh.”

B-“How so? It’s more of an inconvenience if you want my opinion.”

C-“You can see it at that, but only if it rebels against us. If we teach it right, it’ll help us in many ways. Protect us, amongst other things.”

B-“Heh. ‘Reaching new heights’ kinda goal, right.”

C-“Exactly!”

B-“That’s ridiculous.”

C-“Well, so is it! And yet it’s sitting well alive in our lab.”

B-“... Touché.”

C-“So, you’re gonna do this with us?”

B-“Oh of course, I’d never quit. Not after we created the specimen.”

—--

W-“I’m… what?”

C-“You heard me, Wilbur. You’ve been assigned as one of the ‘advocates’ for the experiment.”

W-“I… You want me to be in contact with the thing?!?”

C-“Indeed.”

W-“Let me run over just so we’re clear: You’re training T-0 to be a sort of, mass destruction weapon…”

C-“Indeed.”

W-“And you want ME to be in the SAME ROOM as THE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION??”

C-“Pretty much.”

W-“You do realise how bad that sounds, right? How can I accept that?”

C-“Well, Wilbur. The thing is indeed going to be a very human-like AI of some sort, and we are going to be training it so it can use its strength to its utmost potential, but most importantly, we are training it to protect us. It will go as far as possible to protect us. It’s like a brand new safety protocol in case of an emergency!”

W-“... And, just by pure curiosity, if it were to turn against us. Like, I don’t know, a ‘program controlling’ thing or what have you… do we… have a safety protocol for that?”

C-“Wilbur. This ‘program’ we’re talking about… you know how it’s called, for such a specimen?”

W-“Uh… enlighten me?”

C-“It’s called ‘raising’. Educating it.”

W-“...So it’s no AI, then!”

C-“Well, the human brain is a program of its own. After all that’s what we based it on.”

W-“...So we’re gonna raise it to be…”

C-“Merciless, protective, moralless, and a killer. In case we ever need to deploy it.”

W-“....Riiiiiight.”

C-“Come on. Your first meeting with the subject is tomorrow. The protocol has been sent to your desk.”

W-“TOMORROW?!??”

—

W-“Am I ready?”

W-“How much did it change since last time?”

W-“Okay, you just follow the protocol, follow the instructions… …”

W-“The door alone is so fucking tall, what the heck.”

W-“I’m just delaying the inevitable, ain’t I?”

W-“..Okay, let’s do this…”

…

T-“Oh, hello doctor.”

W-“...H-Hello, T-0-M. Do you remember me?”

T-“You’re… doctor soot?”

W-“Very nice. I suppose you are aware of the set of rules they set for me to be able to see you in your room.”

T-“Mh mh. No touching, no yelling, no sudden movement, no talking loudly, no interrupting you, no grabbing, and listen to everything you say.”

W-“Great. Let’s start, shall we?”

T-“Mh.”

W-“Can you describe to me the test you took this morning?”

—-

W-“Alright, surprisingly, the first meeting went smoothly!”

B-“See? I told you it would be alright, dude. Relaaxx”

W-“I mean- yeah.. I guess. You have it easy! You always see him behind that glass.”

B- “Boo-hoo.”

W- “Alright, I’ll stop.”

B-“Doctor Puff will do the next meeting I think. They want you two to switch your rounds so the both of you can get a breather between each session.”

W-“Yeah, it’s quite tense in that room. I’d like that.”

W-“ I felt… small. In that room.”

B-“They really went all out in this, huh? Is everything really adjusted to its size?”

W-“Yeah. Makes you feel like a doll. It’s unsettling.”

B- “Good thing I’ll never enter it.”

W- “You fucker-”

—---

B-“Doctor Soot! How are you doing?”

W-“Pff, what with the formalities? I’m doing fine, thank you. I’ve heard the tests are going well.”

B-“They are! It’s been quite the task to find good enough test dummies, but now that we found it, we can begin the actual tests.”

W- “Heh, what was the issue? I thought you had plenty of material.”

B- “Oh, it wasn’t the size. We managed to make mannequins his size. One that could resist more than a punch? Not so much.”

W-”...Really?”

B-”Yeah! Hopefully, your little program is going to convince him quickly that we’re not the ones he should punch.”

W-” Pff, don’t worry, I’m working on it.”

B- “Good. It’s a decent listener so that’s that at least.”

W- “Yeah, it’s growing well. Listening like a perfect little student.”

W-“Who knows, maybe he’ll really act human one day!”

B-“God let’s hope not! We’re scientists, not criminals… That would be extremely unethical.”

W-“...yeah. Of course.”

—--

T-“Do what you’re told. Do what you’re told. Obey as you listen. Obey as you hear orders.Be fast. Protect others. Protect. Obey. Obey. Protect…”

C-“Exactly, T-0. That is the best thing you can do.”

W-“Captain?? What are you doing here?”

C-“Just teaching him.”

T-“Am I doing good, doctor?”

“Jordan seems to do a teaching of his own in between sessions.”

C-“You are doing amazing, T-0.”

W-“... Jordan, leave it to me, will you?”

C-“He is all yours, Wil. Enjoy.”

W-“...Thanks. Hello T-0. How are you doing?”

T-“Fine.”

W-“... Being rather distant, uh?”

T-“Is it wrong, doctor?”

W-“Not necessarily, but let’s get started, shall we?”

—--

T-“Protect. Obey. obey. It’s the best you can do. It’s the best. Obey. Protect. Protect…”

T-”Protect from what?”

B-”From everything that isn’t us, or ours.”

T- “Protect. Protect. Obey.”

B- “Wonderful. Now let’s get you ready for today’s tests, alright?”

T-”Yes, Doctor blade.”

B-”You know it’s not my real name, right?”

T-”Sorry, Doctor.”

B-”It’s alright. Anyway- Oh hey Wilbur!”

W-“...Hey. It’s not often you roam around here, what’s the matter?”

B-“Oh, didn’t they warn you? From now on, the tests are gonna be more frequent. And the sessions will happen once every two days.”

W- “...They did not warn me, no.”

T- “What does that mean?”

B-”That means that you’ll see Wilbur a little bit less.”

T-“Oh.”

B-”Come on. We have a test to do.”

T- “Yes doctor.”

—-

W- “Okay, so… What’s with the schedule change?”

C-“A new phase of the safety protocol. Though I must congratulate you! Your lessons are being effective.”

W-“Oh, great! So is there a shift for me or do I just continue like before?”

C-“You continue to address it and train it to obey.”

C-“That’s the best thing you can do. For all of us.”

W-“Of course! All in the name of progress!”

C-“All in the name of progress!”

—--

“specimen is curled up on itself. Appears to be troubled.”

“Hello, T-0-M.”

“Hello, Doctor Soot.”

“How are you doing?”

“fine.”

“...”

“Uncooperative to open up about the reason for its behaviour.”

“what..?”

“Did something happen?”

“...no…”

“..T-0M, you must remain honest during the doctor’s visits and answer the questions genuinely, else you’d be subjected to punishment.”

“mh!”

“So… what is causing this state of yours?”

“... It’s the tests.”

“The tests are troubling him. Hesitation to explain akin to a human’s.”

“What happened?”

“...W-Well…”

“Go on.”

“O-One of the tests, they try to teach me to ‘defend’. To ‘attack.’ they say it’s necessary stuff, that if the doctors are ever in danger, I need to do that sort of stuff to protect them.”

“The defence protocol seemed to have upset it.”

“Isn’t that what you usually do?”

“Y- It is! It is!”

“Then what’s troubling you?”

“Reaction similar to panic.”

“I killed it.”

There was a stop.

Wilbur’s eyes widened, before looking back up at the experiment.

“...What?”

Its eyes were wet, holding back tears. Its grip on its own arms tightened, and Wilbur finally realised the dried blood that stood on them.

“They- They asked me to get rid of it. A-And I hesitated. And they got insistent and they kept repeating it. “Do it. Get rid of it. Don’t you want to protect us? Obey, obey obey.”” It gripped its own hair trying to mute the memory. “And I- I- … There’s a blur and then my hands are red and I look at the doctors and they are all making weird faces. And now I’m here and I don’t know what’s happening, but I feel bad.” Its voice wobbled as it looked down at the human. “Did I do something wrong, Doctor?”

Wilbur stared, mouth agape. All blood had seemingly left his face as he stayed mute. The experiment curled on itself, and it was released. A sob.

Wilbur’s face twisted, first in confusion, then in horror. He finally muttered.

“...Empathy.”

A whimper, and T-0-M was looking at the human, tears silently dripping from its eyes. Wilbur looked back.

“You have empathy.” Wilbur breathed out.

“...What’s that?” It muttered.

“You- … You feel! …. You’re experiencing regret. Did- Did the doctor give you a punishment of any kind?”

“...No. They said I did good.”

The shellshock expression morphed into a small smile as a laugh escaped him.

“You’re regretting it. You’re regretting killing the sheep, and talking about it sends you into panics. You- … You feel, T-0-M.” The words left his mouth, and it was like the whole world shifted around him. Painted anew. “You feel.”

“You’re human.”

“...Is that bad?” It mumbled.

“...It’s…. oH GOD YOU’RE HUMAN.” Wilbur started pacing around. “We’ve been sequestering a child for years- WE’VE- WHAT THE FUCK.”

“... I don’t get it.”

“T-0-M, YOU-” He grabbed the bottom of its pants as if to show it to him. “-ARE HUMAN!! LIKE ME! LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS FACILITY!!!”

“... But I’m not like you.”

“I mean, not physically. And your psychological development surely suffered from the tests… Which means…”

“Doctor Soot. I don’t know what you’re talking about…What do you mean ‘I’m human’? What does it mean?”

Wilbur looked around. No cameras, no mics. Those sessions were between the two of us.

…How couldn’t he make the most of it?

“That, my good little experiment, is what I’m going to teach you.”

YES YES EVERYONE WAKE UP NEW RUNAWAY EXPERIMENT CONTENT DROPPED

i love the dialogue style of story telling and this is so well done :D I adore your writing as always mel

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

Sorry for bring my comments so late, I have been helping my Mother with her shop and also watching series my friend recommended me, But now I'm here Excited to Read More!

Chapter 18

you know, reading about MC distancing themself from Rowan Never Would not be a total pain for me, Like, The Friendship between MC and Rowan showed in screen was always so wholesome but Yet so sad, because You really don't have an option to keep your Friendship with Them, because The Writing Of The game makes You simply be distant from them. The only thing that makes have a little hope for Rowan It's The Fanfic says loosely follows plot till Year 6 and The Fictober was created I Think Before “that” chapter. God, It's just a paragraph and I'm really thinking in that.

DAMN. For Some reason I never really expected Bellatrix to being mentioned and just gonna Say Poor Tonks, Like in-game She has a Easy going Personality but It's really concerning when You remember What happens and What She dealts with. And can I just Say The Headcannon Of her hating her real face because resembles Bellatrix makes Perfect sense and It's so Beautiful in a really angsty and murky kind Of way? Because It's similar that happens to One Of my Oc's, She has a trauma related to her twin sister that's The reason She has eisotrophobia (Fear to The reflection on The mirror) because She always sees her Twins face and The worst Part Is her Mother stills confusing Them because Never expected The day She Will see The Twins Split up. It's a Story I Thought when I was with my psychologist.

I love The saltiness Of Luca to Dumbledore, It's... actually Pretty Understandable, Dumbledore in The Books was already Shady and The most funny part It's probably Rowling didn't even wanted him to come off as that, Why then make The main Character, One Of The principal victims of Albus, give His name to His son? and in Hphm Albus It's still a manipulator but Like a Dumb manipulator, In The game it's More apparent that He's a Shady person and It's not half as subtle as it Was in The whole series. Having that, I Think It's really satisfying seeing a HP Protagonist actually face him off and see who he actually Is.

Luca is a total softie for Merula, They're really adorable.

OHOH I LITERALLY SCREAMED

Luca Trying so Hard to have a Happy memory for The Patronus It's honestly really... personal to me, like I have Many Intrusive Thoughts when I try to revive a Happy memory because Of my own trauma related Things I Can't even Like things I used to. But I'm really proud Of Them for finally making it, Can't I Even Start to describe how Many soft feelings The memory and The whole “Mitten Is my patronus” give me, Your ideas are so awesome I Can't

Luca comforting Merula It's SO BEAUTIFUL and hits too close to home, I hace Many Friends with low self-esteem believing They're Bad persons and I'm The One who brings Them to earth.

It's Good to see The Racoon Again, I'm already putting On my Inner Sherlock Holmes for knowing Of Who Is The Patronus

This Message really It's too long, I'll keep reading In Other menssage in Other day, I Hope your Mother It's fine and takes care Of herself. Have a Good, Brandon!

— The Remembrance anon

Oh my good friend, I am the last person to complain about late comments right now, believe me. You won’t hear any objections from me because I’ve been responding at a snail’s pace myself (and my beloved anons have been so very patient) and because no matter how long it may take for whatever reason, I am always delighted to hear from you, so thank you for making my day! 

Trust me, the bit about Rowan bothers me as well. I wanted to incorporate the “Rowan is R” theory because it’s almost a little ridiculous that no one in-game brings up the possibility until the middle of Year 5, when MC has known about R since the start of Year 2. Like, I wanted to acknowledge it. Plus I think it can give a good in-universe explanation for the distance between MC and Rowan beyond the horribly cynical idea that MC outgrew them, which I flat out refuse to accept. Luca would never, could never, leave Rowan behind like that for something so shallow. As for what is to come...well, I suppose you’ll just have to see! You are right though, I think we were like, nine or ten chapters into Year 6 at the point I was writing this. 

I have so many headcanons about Tonks and as I went through Luca’s story, I realized that I could absolutely incorporate them. Because she’s canon, she’s one of those characters that it’s easy to forget about or take for granted in the background, but hey - she’s in Luca’s House, part of the best friend squad they formed in Chapter 6, and is one of their roommates on most nights. Plus Luca has a curious tendency to bond with the wildly chaotic types, so of course Tonks would be one of their closest friends. Can I further say that the whole concept you just described about the twins is fantastic and hella chilling? I would read about that. I would read a whole book about that. 

Oh, you like Luca’s displeasure with Dumbledore? Hmm, methinks you’re going to like some of the future chapters then...Truly, I didn’t originally intend for this to be an aspect of their character, but the whole incident with them being punished for dueling Merula in Year 1 really stuck with them somehow. It’s very much something that they inherit from me, the criticisms of Dumbledore, but I never realized that a character this soft would inherit them. Fun fact: I used to have a different MC who basically morphed into my iteration of Jacob that always hated Dumbledore because they were just like him and saw him for what he was, one manipulator to another. In general, I have to applaud what this game has done with him because he’s one hundred percent in character - hence why he enrages me so much. 

See, see now I’m curious what inspired you to scream. Part of me wants to guess, the other half of me doesn’t want to be presumptuous or pompous. Either way, I’m glad to have gotten such reactions! In any case, thank you so much for what you said about Luca and Merula and the Patronus scene. It means a lot to me because with Luca I basically tried my hand at writing a character with a debilitating mental illness, (a fictional one, obviously) and I wasn’t sure if it landed well or not. One thing I feel very strongly about is MC and Merula’s bond, especially this MC. Luca is the one who picked the “We can talk this out” option at the start and never wavered from that. I’m not even gonna lie, I’ve gone back and forth a lot on what Luca’s Patronus would be, but this is a good one for them because it reflects the people in their life that they love. Not just Mitten, but Merula as well. (She’s a cat for sure.) 

Thank you so much once again for sending me these messages and showing me this kindness! I hope that everything is going well for you and that you have a wonderful time! 

[existtolaugh]

B.W.F. - Raw - 11/30/20 (Chapter 01)

Asuka & Lana vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler

This was an outrage. For the second week in a row Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler lost to Asuka and Lana. They weren't even a tag team before last week and they managed to best the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions for two weeks straight? And to make matters more humiliating, Lana PINNED Shayna?! Lana of all people pinned Shayna Baszler! The champs were not happy about this. Being put into the same spot for two weeks in a row was an injustice. But yet, here they are.. And Lana and Asuka intended to break them for a second week.. Though Lana wanted to get het nails on Shayna this time..

Shayna was gagged last time, but Lana felt the urge to strip her of more senses this time around. Blindfolding the fighter, Lana surveyed her prey with a smile across her lips. She had so much fun tickling Nia the week prior, but Shayna? Nia was an act of revenge. Shayna felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Ravishing One, and she was not going to waste it! "The mighty Shayna Baszler. One of the most feared women in WWE. One of the four horsewomen in MMA. A two time NXT Women's Champion, tag team champion and one of the most dominate performers in the history of the Elimination Chamber. And I. Pinned. You.~" Lanna teased with a poke to Shayna's belly at each word, making the woman growl into her gag..

Nia was left ungagged, but still blindfolded at the hands of the Raw Women's Champion. Asuka smiled a wicked smile as she looked Nia over, tapping a nail into the outstretched armpit of her lee. Nia's lips cracked into a smile as her hands gently pulled at her restraints, but those arms would stay firmly locked in place, even when Asuka slipped her fingers into Nia's other pit.

But Asuka wasn't one for teasing.

Hopping atop the subdued Nia Jax, Asuka straddled the midsection of her ticklish victim and dug into both armpits as feverishly as she could! Nia squealed and bounced around on the bed, but was utterly helpless against the dexterous fingers of the Empress of Tomorrow. "AH-AHAHAH! WAHAHAIT I - HOHOLD OHOHON! AHASUKA!" Nia pleaded, only for Asuka to chuckle to herself. Begging, how cute, but how pointless..

Lana was testing the waters with Baszler, her nails squeezing happily into the kneecaps of the writhing warrior strapped firmly to the bed. Shayna growled and huffed into the gag, stifling her giggles to the best of her ability to do so, but every attempt was thwarted by those cruel and unforgiving nails periodically slipping into the delicate undersides of Shayna's knees. The response was delicious, the bed shaking as Baszler tried to lunge forward to halt her assailant from tormenting those knees further, but it was a fruitless endeavor. Shayna could only accept the fact that Lana was breaking her with ease.. "Oh poor Shayna! Don't tell me these kneesy weesie's are tickly wickly?! I better tickle tickle tickle them until they just aren't tickly anymore!~"

Shayna screamed a combination of desperation, anger, and ticklishness. She hated that Lana was dominating her. She hated how she could not avoid those unforgiving nails. She hated how good Lana was at this the most, though, and it showed. She didn't know what to do to accept the fact that she was in this situation in the first place, let alone it being a reality that she was taking part in! "GGNNNMMPPHH! MMRRGGGHH! GGGGHHHHHMMPH!"

"Well, if you want me to get your feet you should have just said so.." Lana winked, knowing Shayna couldn't have seen it.. But she was too into being the terrible tickler she didn't care..

What are you supposed to do when you are tied down and a Japanese woman is currently scratching into and lickling your insanely ticklish stomach? Nia Jax asked herself constantly in her head, over and over and over again what to do, and she had no answers. She couldn't accept it, but what else was she to do? She didn't even know if Asuka could understand her begging with her limited English and wailing howls of laughter forcing her words to become contorted into ticklish desperation. "GAHAHAWD! EHEHEHENOUGH WIHITH THEHE TUHUMMY! EHENOUHH AHALREHEADY! AHAHASUKA!!"

"Nia Jax.. Too.. Ticklish..~" Asuka managed to speak before blowing a raspberry into Nia's belly button. Never had Asuka or Lana or Shayna heard such a shriek from Nia's lips. It wouldn't die down when Asuka swirled her tongue around inside Jax's navel either, her blindfold wet from so many tears of ticklish laughter..

Shayna screamed into the gag at Lana's devilish fingernails stroking up and down her taut, stocked, toe-tied and oiled soles. Shayna had never felt nails this sharp and cruel, her feet never subjected to such an agonizing torment that only Lana was capable of dishing out. She wanted freedom. She NEEDED Lana to stop! Dare she even think it.. She would beg if she was not gagged.. Was the gag a curse or a blessing..? It forced her to suffer her ticklish demise at a more extreme level.. But also kept her from becoming humiliated even further by begging as if her life depended on it.. But no matter what happened, she would struggle into exhaustion.. Fading once again into blissful unconsciousness.. And Nia Jax, well.. She was all alone now.. With two ticklers once again..

If Nia wasn't blindfolded or being distracted by Asuka tormenting her unfortunate stomach, she could have maybe anticipated Lana at her feet. She could have maybe paid more attention to the feeling of baby oil being rubbed into her arches. But she didn't, and now, with both Asuka at her belly and Lana at her feet, what was she to do but scream?

"OHOH PLEHEHEASE! PLEHEHEASE WAHAIT! WAHAHAIT WAHAHAIT M-MEHERCY MEHEHEHERCY PLEHEHEASE!!" Nia begged as if her life depended on it.. But it was no use.. She wasn't ready for Asuka..

"We stop.. Once you hand over microfilm..~"

Or the return.. Of the Soviet Interrogator..~

[falloutglow]

Hey there! For Fanfic Writer Friday, would you mind sharing a little about a scene you're looking forward to writing, or maybe a new/current project you're excited about? What drew you to it? What's got you hyped about it? 🙂

:D Aye! thank :3

For uh....those who’ve followed me for a whiiiile I have like...multiple WIPs almost always in the works HAHA

I’m currently like slowly chipping away at ch2 of On Top of Sanctuary Hills and Far Away. And like shit...I’m actually getting to a scene I’ve been excited to like toss in as a fun “foreshadow”. Honestly, this fic has sorta...just started a resurgence of like my writing again. Granted, the fic I wrote on the plane back in January (Bird Is In the Birdcage) def started getting me interested in writing fic for uh Fallout, but I didn’t start really feeling it until Sanctuary Hills. It’s when my writing started to shift. I still struggle with word count and writing descriptions, but fuck the first chapter is like 5.5k aaand ch2: An Echo, A Promise is looking like its also gonna be over 5k haha.

I’ve put Sanctuary Hills fic on the back burner for a bit to like get some other stuff down as my brain was like “oh ohoh IDEA”, so it’s kinda nice to get back into it and just...slowly chip away at it :3 Honestly, I really can’t wait for this fic to be done (its looking like...about 4 chapters now instead of 3...) just so I can get to the OTHER fun stuff I have planned haha. Also, something that I wrote down fuckin ages ago (March felt like 2 years man) is like part of the last chapter and hooooly fuck I suuuuuper can’t wait to get to that bit!

:D I just love messing around with potential and putting my own spin on canon.

[Fanfic Writer Friday]

[huacheng-zhu]

mdzs: 25, 27 and 41 for recluse!

thank you so much!! <3

25. favorite line you’ve ever written

omg that’s hard. but the one that immediately came up to my mind and that I have a soft spot for is, “Jiang Cheng’s embrace is gentle in its fierceness; much, Wei Ying thinks, like Jiang Cheng himself.”

27. best review you ever got

hmm, I don’t think there’s such a thing, but! all reviews are wonderful to me, but reviews that hit me the most are those that either: talk to me about something that resonated with them; just get what I was going for and so make me feel like I didn’t screw up; make me emotional over my own story; or tell me how my writing makes them feel.

41. one song that captures remp

ohoh, you’ll be happy to find wei ying’s theme song at the end of the last chapter. I highly recommend listening to it right after you’re done! I really can’t think of any other song right now, but maybe someday I’ll find one that captures the whole fic perfectly!

asks for fanfic writers

[kingkatsuki]

I’m uhhh, really curious, not gonna lie. So, sorry in advance if this is like a bombardment of questions but N,O,P,V,X?

I don’t mind! Thanks for the ask, lovely! 💕

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

I can’t enjoy any of my writing so if someone was to post alternate versions to any of my fics I would be down to read them. I am desperate for some voyeur Kirishima or voyeur Bakugou fics so I wish someone would hop on that 🤪 I also really, really want a fic where Hawks is undercover but no one knows that he has a girlfriend so he has to keep it a secret while he’s on his mission and he’s terrified for her safety every single day. OHOH! And I don’t know if anyone else remembers but Cho (I keep saying it was Cho but I’m not 100%) had a fic where Bakugou was in max security prison for murder and the reader was writing to him and went to visit him. I would pay for another part of that perfect fic. 🥵😍

O: How do you begin a story--with the plot, or the characters?

Character first, then smut and the plot is always last 😂

P: Are you what George R. R. Martin would call an "architect" or a "gardener"? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

Plan? Me? The amount of multi chapter fics I’ve started but never finished because I always run out of ideas.

V: A secondary (or underrated) character you want to see more of in fic?

I would have said Kirishima but it is HIS TIME TO SHINE! 👏🏻😍 so I would love more Shindou. The things that man could do to me.

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

Suffer?! I can’t write any kinda angst so none 😂 I’m way too soft for making anyone suffer. Unless by suffer you mean orgasm denial then— 😏

[thisartemisnevermisses]

Suburban Life 8/-

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Warning: angst, fluff, death, drama, comforting, sad reader, slow burn.

Summary: Steve had his daily run every morning. While running through the streets he noticeds a house with it’s lights on. A woman is dancing to the music, while making breakfast. Two childeren join her and they start eating. Steve is fasinated with the life of this little family and even stops to withniss this suburbane life every morning during his run. Feeling the need to settle down and the one question remaining Where is the man beloning tot this family?

A/N: ohoh...there’s going to be a rough patch..let’s see how we get out of this one. 

Chapter 08: Accepting Change

“I'm sorry, that was out off line”, Steve pulls back, a blush creeping upon his face. “It’s okay, it was a nice kiss”, you say softly, smiling at your hands, “Steve..I..-“

" I think I should go", interrupting you, looking guiltriden and even a little frightened. “You don't have to..please don't feel guilty or out off line. I don't know about you, but I feel attracted to you. There’s something that pulls me towards you. I think I’m entitled too, I’ve been a widow for 3 years, gives me the right to move on, right?" you look questioningly at Steve seeing an insecure look in his face, makes your heart drop. Thinking that the feelings aren't mutually, you see the concern in his eyes, “Is something wrong Steve?”

"Its just that..my work. It’s dangerous...I'm away for unknown time...not being able to contact you...You can’t know what.." Steve stumbles, you start laughing, he looks suprised at you.

"Sorry, I’m not laughing at you. Steve, uhmmm...your overthinking things. Sweetie, I know who you are, I know the hazard your work brings. So don't freak out..Lets just take it step by step and get to know each other", shrugging your shoulders.

"At least I think you like me, listening at you rambling about..", making eye contact, seeing the insecurity in his eyes."I.. need to think about..I don't want to make you worry or make the kids worry about my wellbeing.."Steve mumbles.

"Steve, you're way ahead of yourself..I know what your trying to do..But can you actually give me a good reason why we shouldn't try this..Isobel, and I think Alex too, already figured out we like each other. She even said I should try it, giving me the okay", you smile at Steve, seeing that your words aren’t affecting him. It seems to make him doubt this even more.

“Don't be afriad of hurting us, or leaving us behind, we will manage..You're trying to be responsible, think with your head, but need to start thinking with your heart.. Steve, it’s alot and you don't want to betray mine nor your heart, but is worrying about that fair to your heart", taking his hands, you look him in the eyes, “Go home and think about this..I will wait for your answer, either way, you're most welcome in our home", squeezing his hands affirmation, seeing his still worried expression, he’s in conflict with himself and you can’t do a thing about it.

You stand up and walk towards the door. Steve looks at you, not knowing what to say. He wants to be with you, his whole body longs for you. He doesn't want you and your kids to go through something samilair when a mission goes wrong. It hurts him, just thinking about it. “Come here, Captain”, motioning for him to give you a hug, engolving you in a tight hug. Resting your head against his beating heart, you sigh and look up to him, “Steve, don’t overthink it, okay” you kiss him on his cheek, lingering for a moment by his lips, swallowing your thought away, you bit him goodnight. Hoping you would see him tomorrow. Walking into your bedroom, you can’t seem to stop smiling. You guess that Steve feels the same way, but is scared about his line of work and your or your kids reaction. He doesn’t want you to get hurt again. He has a loving heart, but shouldn’t worry so much. Thinking that way, kept him from making friends and finding love. You would talk with about that tomorrow. Your last thought before falling asleep was about Steve and how it would feel if he lay by your side. Waking up, you didn’t want to get up. You had the most beautiful and may you at little steamy dream. You rather wanted to stay in bed and linger in that dream a little. A blush open your cheeks, thinking about the scene before you woke up. The teenage girl in you squealed and made you feel embarrassed. Deciding that chores didn’t do them self, you stand up with a heavy sigh. Looking at the clock, you smile, within an hour or less you would see him again.

Once downstairs, you start your morning routine. Cheerful humming to the music on the radio, you ask yourself when you would hear that knock on your door and if you should make pancakes?

“Morning mommy, did you sleep well?” Alex greets you giving you the brightest smile ever. “Yes little buggy, why’d you ask..” you eye your youngone suspicious, “Oh, just asking mommy.” he smiles again. When Isobel is downstairs, she walks in and out of the kitchen. It look like she is searching for something. Coming back into the kitchen she finally greets you, “Morning..where’s Steve? It’s 8, even if it’s saturday, he normally would be here”, she looked a little panicked.

Looking at the clock, you notice the time and start to worry. He would be here by 6:30, that meant he was an hour and a half late. It was not typical for him. You start to doubt yourself and wonder if it was your conversation last night, that made him think otherwise. Did you scare him of? The radio interrupts your thoughts.

“We interrupt the show for a newsflash. This morning we got the news that the Avengers know as Captain America, Scarlet Witch and Falcon are missing. They were on their way to Peru when their plane went off the radar. It is unknown what had happened to the Avengers. As far as we know, there hasn't been radiocontact since last nights. Please look out for any kind of information and keep listening for updates. If you have information please contact with the following number....” That was the reason he wasn't here, went on a mission last night, not being able to tell you. Now he or rather they were missing. He would be alright, right? Nothing to worry about, right? "Mommy is Steve alright, he's missing right?" Alex looks at you, "I don't know little bug." you kneel infront of him and give him a hug. You feel Isobel's arm around you. Could your family make it through this?

 ---------------Time Skip---------------

Standing in the kitchen, you clean the dishes while listening to the radio. There’s still no news about the missing Avengers and you pas worrying. For nearly 3 weeks they’re missing in Peru. The first week you were calm and confident, as days started turning in to weeks you gruw worried and felt anxiety for Steve. What had happened, were they still alive, was one of them wounded or even worse captured.

Your mind starts racing again, just like it had the last week, mostly at night. You were sleep deprived and functioning on coffee and adrenaline. Isobel helped you as good as she could and even Alex was sweet and didn’t pick fights with his sister. You noticed that they were worried too, but didn’t dare to admit it to you, seeing your state.

How’d you love to see him, tell him how you felt. That missing him made you realise it wasn’t just a crush, your were in love. You wanted to take his worries away, but this situation made you realise, why he was so worried. You hadn’t slept for hours and had time enough to think about being in a relation with Captain America. If he would give in to his feelings, only if, it could mean you had more of these nights. Question was, were you ready for that? It would be foolish to think you would get used to it. It was something that had to be discussed, maybe even set rules and boundaries, not only for you, but for your kids to. Realising what this did to your family, it also made you realise how you missed him. More then you would like to admit. You missed his warm arms around you, his sweet and soft voice, the blush upon his cheeks when he was embarrassed and those lips, that kiss, if that was just a taste of what was to come.

Washing the glass for the umpteenth time, when a knock on your door, made you check in to reality. You blink a few times and hear a second knock. Alex and Isobel come out of the living room, you motion them to stay there, not knowing who’s at the door. You look through the window and see a star-spangled uniform, it looks tattered and even bloodstained. Could it be Steve? It couldn’t, right? Looking around for any kind of weapon, you choose an umbrella, slightly laughing to yourself and your choice.

 Opening the door, you are greeted by an tired, blood and mud stained, Steve. When you lock eyes with him he gives you the brightest smile he can give in his state. “Steve..” you choke out, smiling back at him, tears starting to run down your cheeks. You steps towards you and picks you up in a tight hug. Fully embracing you, his arms around your waist and shoulders, breathing in your sent, when you hug him back he wimps in pain.

Pulling back from the hug, you look him in the eyes, cup his face, “Hé, welcome home.” you caress his cheek, while he nods silently. “See, this is what I was talking about..” he says with a raspy voice, trying to reinforce his point. You shuckle a little and shake your head.  

“Lets talk about this later”, you pressing your head against his, sighed, breathing in his sent, his cologne, mixed with iron, earth and sweat. “Alex, Isobel, he’s here.” Within a second there are thundering footsteps, two pair of eyes looking if it’s  really him. When they realise it’s Steve, they jump in his arms. “Hello, you two, carefull”, Steve smiles and kneels to hugg them tight.

“Hey, I missed you guys he smiles, the tears in his eyes finally falling, he held them in for so long. Seeing those two and you back, was the most wonderful gift he got, after getting back from that shithole. “euw, you stink.” Alex eclaims, taking his distance from Steve, while pinching his nose. Laughing at the reaction off Alex you motion for Steve to come further, “Come on, Captain, time for a shower. I think I have some clothes from my husband lying around.” You pull Steve inside, seeing something move on his back. Turning him around you see his duffle bag, hang on his shoulder. “uhm, I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to see all of you, as soon as I got out of the plain.” he looks apologetic at you.

“No really! didn’t figure that one out. It’s the second door on the right.” Rolling your eyes at him, he jump up the first two flight of stairs, forgetting his injury for a moment. “Captain, wait a minute.” Steve turns around, seeing you approach him, going up three stairs, you’re at the same level as him. “You’re hungry?” asking innocently, his eyes darken and a grin appears on his face. “Not, tonight doll.” He smiles, blushing from his own forward reaction and you staring wide eyed at him, “I didn’t mean that!” you exclaim, making Steve turn crimson. “uhm,, yeah, in that case, I would kill for a sandwich.” He tries to gain his composure. “Okay, one sandwich coming up.” You smile, giving him a wink. Walking down the stairs, he takes your hand and turns you in one swift moment. “Don’t be so cheeky, doll”, he says hoars against your lips, then kisses you. The kiss is just long enough to know that it isn’t a just a kiss, it’s full off emotions and an unspoken promisse.

“Go clean yourself up, there’s a first aid kit under the sink. I will make something to eat. When the kids are in bed we can talk.” You smile soft. “Yes, ma’m”, he salutes and runs shuckling upstairs. This felt good, it felt like home. It was something he came to realise during his survival in the rainforest. For days they walked around, trying to hide for a group of mercenaries, Wanda and Sam wounded, Wanda having panic attacks and him feeling useless, taking as much of the night shifts as he could. He went with days without sleep, thinking of you and your little family. Thinking of how he couldn’t let you know where he was, not telling you how he really felt, how he regretted not taking that kiss tot he next level. When everyone was asleep, he would feel miserable, blaming himself for leaving you alone, yet again. It was thinking of you and those two energyballs of kids, that kept him going those weeks. When they finally reached a little village, they were able to make contact. He felt so relieved, knowing he would get to go home, to you and promised himself he would not chicken out, once you two were alone. He would come clean about his feelings for you.

[ticklishshenanigansau]

Ticklish Shenanigans: Chapter 27

He Talks to Angel

Mod Yosh ~ Papyrus, Angel, Denise Mod Kitty ~ Sans, Flowey, Grillby

Angel finished eating her food, licking the last of the tuna from her lips and whiskers. After a few minutes of washing her face, she looked up to find Flowey resting on the windowsill. Curiosity getting the better of her, the kitten leaped up onto the counter to take a better look at the little flower. ---- Flowey watched the kitten approach with a bit of caution, loosening his roots a bit in the soil just in case. He couldn't use his magic in such shallow dirt, and he didn't want to get eaten. "Well, howdy there!" ---- Angel tilted her head off to the side and blinked. She then curiously sniffed at his leaves and petals, her whiskers brushing against him and her tiny nose occasionally booping him. ---- Flowey kept himself as still as possible, not wanting to excite her. Her whiskers were a little ticklish, but nothing he couldn't manage. He kept his voice very low as he said, "Don't get too curious, now. Don't you know that saying about cats? Papyrus would be so very upset if something were to happen to you...." ---- Not understanding what he was saying, but still sensing his malicious intent, Angel hissed and fluffed out her fur to make herself look twice as big before backing away a bit. ---- Flowey grinned at her response. "That's right. To survive, you have to be tough. Especially if you're small and cute." ---- She swiped a paw out at him, nearly nicking him with her outstretched claws, and spat at him. ---- His petals lightly fluttered as her paw whiffed him. "Hehehee! You think that's scary?" He couldn't summon vines, but he could grow a little bit — and so he did. Towering about a foot over her, he gave her his best sharp-toothed grin with a giggle. ---- Angel yowled in fright as she scampered off the counter and made a running leap into Sans' lap, scampering into his rib cage to hide with terrified mews. ---- Flowey chuckled, returning to his normal size and appearance. "So you are just a little 'fraid-y cat, after all." Startled by the noise, Sans eyes snapped in the direction of the kitchen, seeing the small furry blur coming straight for him, but he didn't expect Angel to make his ribs her safe place. "ghh—! ow! hh-aahh~haah! n-no wait—!" Sockets wide, Sans looked down at his chest, shakily pulling his shirt up and lowering himself to a laying position to relieve the weight of her hanging onto his bones. "c-calm d-down, ihit's o-okay...!" he said as soothingly as he could, partly to himself as well. ---- Angel growled softly and trembled in fear, her fur fluffed out and unfortunately brushing against his ribs and spine. Denise ran down the stairs wearing her new uniform, eyes wide. “I heard a scream in here, what happened?” ---- "kkh—! ehee! p-please kitty..! aaaha!" His fingers clawed and curled in stress, starting to tremble himself. "d-denise, ohoh geheheeze...! h-hehelp mehehe...! plehehease!" ---- “Uh-oh.... Uhhh....”  Lifting up Sans' shirt from the bottom, the young woman tried to reach in to grab Angel. “Here, girl, it's oka—ow!” She yanked her hand out once Angel nipped her, and she rubbed her finger where she was bitten. “Ow.... M-Maybe we should wait for her to calm down? Or do you need her out now?” After biting Denise, Angel scrambled further up into Sans' rib cage, her super fluffy tail brushing over his SOUL as she repeatedly swiped it back and forth in fear. ---- Sans managed to gasp with a concerned look when Denise was bitten, but grimaced as he felt the kitten rapidly backing up. "gh-hh—! i-i—! ... ah-hh~haa—!?!" He suddenly arched with a shivering intake of breath, blue spreading across his cheeks. Intensely ticklish tingles radiated from his SOUL through his whole body, and after a brief moment of paralysis, he squirmed at the soft tickles against the delicate thing. Angel's raw emotion bled directly into him at the contact, bursting through him in dizzying rushes as the tail touched again and again. Sans's pupils blinked out and he quivered and huffed as the fright became his own, confusion and stress building as Angel's terror mixed and contrasted with the delightfully awful stimulation. With eyes snapping shut, the corners of his mouth quivered and a strangled noise that nearly sounded like a moan broke through fearful giggles. Sharing feelings of the SOUL through magic was one thing. It was possible to be overwhelming, but it could also be controlled and filtered to an extent. Physical contact with the SOUL had no such safety nets, and was therefore a much more intimate practice with only the most trusted of companions — not to mention as a monster's core, anything that happened to the SOUL would have a sort of chain-reaction effect throughout the rest of the monster's magic. Sans was completely unable to think at the moment. ---- Denise gasped in panic. “Sans?! D-don't worry, I'll get Papyrus!” She rushed off as fast as she could, and within seconds she came back with the younger brother. “Angel is in his rib cage and I think she's hurting him!” “Okay, don't worry, I can get her out.” Papyrus knelt down by Sans and lifted his shirt, gently patting the couch next to his spine to try and coax the frightened feline out. He spoke to her in a gentle voice. “It's okay, Angel. I'll protect you. Everything's going to be fine. C'mere, girl.” Angel’s tail began to slow down, still brushing Sans' SOUL from time to time, and he felt her fright and stress almost immediately replaced with security and relief at her owner's voice. Finally, her fur lowered and she carefully padded out of Sans' rib cage for Papyrus to pick up and stroke. “Good girl, you're a good girl. It's okay now, you're safe.” He gently scratched under her chin, causing her to purr, and he looked down at his brother. “Sans, are you all right?” ---- Sans slowly calmed down as the kitten did, easing into softer, light-hearted laughter as the feeling of safety washed through him amidst the tickling. However, as the tail swipes slowed and finally stopped, his own feelings crashed back in full, and he choked on a sob. Relief, confusion and mortification mingled together within him and he wasn't sure how to answer. "i ... i th-think so...?" He lay there trembling, staring up at the ceiling. ---- “Oh, boy.... What even happened?” “I dunno,” Denise replied worriedly. “I heard a scream and I found Angel hiding in Sans' ribs. I tried to get her out, but she bit me.” “She bit you? She must've been terrified by something.” Papyrus paused to think before narrowing his sockets in fury. He looked towards the kitchen and scowled. “...Or someone.” ---- "sh-she ran out from there," Sans pointed to the kitchen in affirmation, "an' j-jumped right i-into my ribs." ---- “Just as I thought....” He walked into the kitchen and approached Flowey. Angel hissed and spat as her owner walked closer to the flower, squirming and trying to get away. Papyrus growled softly, knowing Flowey had done something to terrorize his pet, and transitioned to a bit of a stomp until he came up to him. “Flowey, tell me why you were scaring Angel.” ---- Flowey leaned away, looking up at Papyrus with an innocently anxious expression. "Golly, Papyrus, I didn't mean for her to get all upset! But it was self-defense. Cats chew on plants, didn't you know?" He pointed a leaf at Angel's behavior toward him. "Imagine facing that and being my size stuck in a pot!" ---- As much as he absolutely hated to admit it, Flowey did have a point. Cats were known to chew on plants, and Flowey was very much helpless in this current state. At least he didn't fling any ‘friendliness pellets’ at the kitten to hurt her, so he supposed he could let this slide for once. “Alright. I'm sorry for getting so angry too quickly without listening to your side of the story. I'm sure Angel won't try to mess with you again, but you just make sure you don't hurt her, okay?” ---- "Of course not, friend! That would be horrible!" Flowey seemed to relax with a smile, tilting his head. "We're still on for hanging out after your training, right?" ---- “Uh, yeah. We are. Well, we have to go now, so I'll see you later.” He smiled down at Angel, who seemed to have relaxed a bit. “You be a good kitty and leave Flowey alone, okay?” Angel mewed and purred at the attention before leaping down and trotting off to his bedroom, still shaken up by the scary encounter. She needed some time to herself in a safe and secure environment. Papyrus walked back into the living room and grinned confidently. “All right! Denise, Sans, are you two ready to make the most out of today?” “Ready when you are!” Denise replied with an excited grin. ---- "Okay! See you later, Papyrus!" Flowey grinned, waving a leaf. Sans sat up, shakily picking up the applications and pen that had scattered during the incident, holding the small stack of papers close against his chest. "yeah, i'm ready too." He smiled weakly, feeling much more calm. ---- “Alright! Let's go!” Papyrus led the way out of the house. In Papyrus’ bedroom, Angel leapt up on the bed, but almost as soon as she did her stomach began to growl again. She had just eaten breakfast, but being scared half to death by a scary flower could sure take up a lot of energy. Deciding to take a nap another time, she made her way back into the kitchen and sniffed around for any dropped food. When she couldn't find anything, she leapt up onto the counter and continued her search. ---- Flowey kept a wary eye on Angel just in case he hadn't scared her enough to keep her distance. ---- Her eyes locked on Flowey, and suddenly a wave of aggression washed over her, drowning out her fear. Caterwauling, she leapt at him and took a bite out of one of his leaves before leaping down from the counter and fleeing, keeping out of his reach just in case he tried to retaliate. ---- Flowey gritted his teeth, unable to dodge though he'd tried, giving a cry of pain. He inspected the damage. Having so much LV, he wasn't worried about what a little bite would do to his HP, but now the leaf wasn't quite as practical to use. He looked at Angel with an impassive smile. "Well, it seems like maybe you're quick to learn the way things are. Maybe you'll be a survivor yet. Don't take all their coddling to heart, it makes you soft." Bending down, he took the injured leaf in his teeth, twisting it off  by the off-shooting stem. His eyes watered — not from emotion, but the pain of it. Spitting it out, he watched as the leaf quietly fluttered down and landed on the sill. With a bit of concentration, a new leaf was starting to emerge and grow while Flowey monitored it in satisfaction. ---- Leaping up on the couch, Angel finished chewing and then swallowed the mouthful of plant. However, it seemed to not only leave a bad aftertaste in her mouth — which she tried to rid herself of by licking her paws — but there was a strange feeling seeping through her. Was it poison?! Or perhaps ... it was something else? She remembered feeling something similar when that large white monster touched her the day she was rescued from the storm. It had felt strange, but nice. It had entered her body, but it didn’t seem to flow through her entire system like what was happening to her now. She shook the feeling off by giving her body a quick shake and leapt back into the kitchen to scour for better-tasting food, keeping a wary eye on the flower. ---- Flowey glanced up from his self-mending, the new leaf looking a bit stunted compared to the other since he wasn't quite finished. "Golly, you're not going to give up, are you? Fine." He pulled himself out of his pot, shaking the soil from his roots, trying to minimize a mess. It wasn't easy, but he managed to pry open the window and slipped out, burying himself in the ground, vines erupting and climbing up into the house. He grew his stem and lifted his face up to the pane so he could see, navigating the much easier-to-use tendrils to open up the pantry. He grinned as he found the stash of Frisk's snacks — including a bag of jerky. Opening it up, he used a knife he got from a drawer to cut the dried meat into tiny pieces, leaving them on the counter. He put the bag and utensil back. While that was going on, he gathered stones outside, stacking them against the house up to the window. Banishing the vines, he hopped out of the ground and climbed back into the kitchen, closing the window with another bout of effort. The magic had been easy to use, but the physical exertion with the window alone in his smallest form made him pause to rest. ---- Angel’s fur rose again in fear as the once tiny flower seemed to grow new appendages. However, she didn’t flee, not when she caught whiff of a snack. Once the plate of jerky was no longer surrounded by monstrously long vines, she leaped up onto the counter and tentatively sniffed at the treats. She licked one up and chewed a little before swallowing, and then she ate another, and another. Once she finished her snack, she let out a content meow.... ...Except it didn't sound like a meow at all. “Yummy!” ---- Flowey's head shot up, and he looked at the kitten strangely. "Am I hearing things? Did you just speak?" ---- The kitten blinked in shock to hear herself speak, her eyes crossed as she attempted to stare down at her muzzle. Once she got over the shock, she let out a frightened yowl. What happened to me?! She found she could even think coherent thoughts as well, and the flower’s once unintelligible gibberish now sounded clear as day, with words she could actually understand and comprehend. She looked up at Flowey, staring at him with wide amber eyes for several moments, before snarling and and thrusting her face into his. “What did you do to me?! I'm gonna chew up your petals and make dirt in your soil if you don’t tell me right now!” ---- Flowey shoved his face right back into hers, expression twisting into his sharp-toothed, too-wide grin. "I didn't do anything to you, you little idiot! I just fed you jerky after you attacked me!" Even though he had a large amount of HP, he was vulnerable in this state, and she could do quite a bit of damage if she didn't mind taking the time. Flowey didn't particularly want to upset the balance of things right now, so he didn't summon his attack pellets, but if things did get serious he wouldn't hesitate for self-preservation's sake. He couldn't LOAD or RESET up here, after all. ---- “I'm not afraid of you, you know,” Angel spat, though of course that was a lie. She was terrified. “I may not have been able to understand what you were saying before, but I did see the way you were looking at Papyrus and his brother. You wouldn’t dare hurt me and upset them, because you know they'll get so angry at you and hurt you, and you won't be able to do anything about it. Which means I can do this....” The little calico leapt up behind him and released a little devious purr from her throat before thumping her rear end into the flowerpot, knocking Flowey off the windowsill and sending him crashing to the floor. The soil scattered everywhere and the flowerpot shattered upon impact with the tiled floor. She then positioned herself before leaping down on the back of Flowey's head, slamming his face into the ground, and trotted a safe distance away from the flower. She was purring with laughter all the while. ---- "Woa—! Ackkh!" Flowey pushed himself up with his leaves, a bit asymmetrically as his new leaf still hadn't fully grown. He glanced at the broken ceramic pieces around him, rubbing at his now bruised petals. "Golly, you're more — ow ... devious than I thought." He grinned. "I like the way you think, because we're on the same wavelength. You're going to lose points with Toriel over this. You shouldn't mess with me if you want to keep on her good side." ---- “No, I'm not. I'll just use my charm to get away with only a little scolding.” To prove her point, she rolled over on her side and looked up at Flowey, pulling the cutest look she can muster, complete with wide, sparkling eyes, a loud purr accompanied with little mews, and her tiny pink tongue poking out. All in all, she looked very adorable. ---- "Pshh! You're not the only one who can make faces." Flowey suddenly shrunk and curled up, making himself look small and vulnerable and helpless, eyes shiny and watery with tears, lip trembling and petals drooping. "M-Mom, the cat tried to eat me and kn-knocked me over. I-I was just trying to be nice...! C-can't she stay locked in Papyrus's room wh-when I'm home a-alone?" Just as suddenly, all traces of emotion disappeared. "It's easy." ---- Angel flipped back up to all fours, narrowing her eyes, then arched them as she gained an idea. Lifting her tail tip up to her mouth, she braced herself before chomping down on it and ripping out a patch of brown fur, mewling in pain as she did so. She lashed out her tail to try to shake away the pain as she twitched her whiskers at Flowey through glossy eyes. “There. Now it looks like you bit me. Papyrus won't be too happy when he sees this. He wouldn’t ever think to guess I had done this on my own. He’ll throw you out for the hawks for sure.” ---- Flowey chuckled incredulously. "Oh, I see how it is.... Well, if you're going to get me in trouble, Sans is going to be the one to pay for it. Not that I think you'd mind, after you've abused his ribs yourself. Twice now, I hear. Rude." He tilted his head. "Sans is desperate to keep me here, if you really want to see him have a meltdown, then golly, keep trying to get me kicked out of here." ---- Angel twitched and grunted, her confidence and deviousness immediately evaporating. She had seen what Flowey was capable of when he was outside fetching her the jerky. What else could he possibly do with those powers? Not only would Papyrus be upset that his brother would be put in trouble, but he was actually very nice, a fun playmate and good at cuddling during nap time. She didn't want to see him get hurt, especially if she was the primary cause of it and Flowey was the one delivering the punishment. She narrowed her eyes, but lowered her tail and head in submission. “...Don't do anything to him and I'll take all the blame for this, alright?” ---- "That's a good girl," Flowey cooed. "I did have some rather fun plans for him ... buuuut, I suppose he can be off the hook for today." He grinned at her. "Now, let me see your tail." ---- A jolt of fear flashed through the young molly and she wrapped her tail around her forepaws. “Um.... Why?” ---- "I'm going to heal you," Flowey answered. "I don't want it to look like I bit you, and I'm sure you don't want it to hurt anymore, right?" ---- Angel hesitated before tentatively padding towards Flowey, head lowered in fear and claws unsheathed in case he tried to harm her. Finally, she lifted her tail slowly to him. ---- Flowey quickly assessed the damage before getting to work, letting his magic flow around the wounded area, feeling for what was wrong, what was hurt. When he'd turned into a flower, his healing ability had morphed into something a little different than what he'd inherited as Asriel; he could accelerate natural growth, which, in principle, was about the same. After all, bodies were pretty good at healing themselves, he just had to coax them to work a little faster. The punctured skin began to mend itself, and even the fur that had been shorn by her own teeth began to grow out again. ---- She tried not to let herself freak out over the foreign feelings washing over her tail; it had felt a little like the ... magic that nice big monster used on her, but it felt a little different. Once she found her tail was beginning to heal, however, she began to relax. She shuffled a bit awkwardly before mewing softly, “Er, thanks....” ---- Nodding in satisfaction, Flowey withdrew his magic. "There, all better, right?" ---- “Um, yeah....” She looked down in thought before trotting out of the kitchen, and within minutes, she returned pulling along a decent-sized glass jar with much difficulty. She then proceeded to try and scoop the scattered soil into the jar, making sure to pick out the pot shards with her teeth. “...Sorry for knocking you over.” ---- Watching Angel with a slightly perplexed look, Flowey considered her gesture. "Why would you apologize? It was a rather good move on your part with what you knew. But now that you know even more, why would you be nice to me?" He was slightly reminded of Frisk. He didn't like it. ---- Angel stopped working and lowered her head, being forced to relive her past as but a few weeks old. “...I was the runt of the litter. My littermates would always bully and nip me and push me away from Mama during feeding time. And Mama ... she'd always try to kill me, whether it be to sit on and suffocate me or drag me to another room hoping I would give up trying to find her and starve. Mama's owners sold my littermates when they were about a month old, but no one wanted me, so Mama took me to an alley and abandoned me to die on my own.” Her ears lowered, her eyes shutting tight, trying to fight back a wave of sadness. “I've been treated like just a waste of space and just another mouth to feed for all my life with no love or purpose to live. That is, until Papyrus saved me from drowning. To torment and bully someone else, to do to someone else what someone has once done for me.... What kind of cat would that make me?” ---- Flowey listened to Angel's story impassively. His old self would have been sad to hear such a thing, he was sure. "That's the way the world is. It's cruel and unfair. Kill or be killed. You do what you have to in order to survive. I didn't once, even when I had the power to crush everyone who was hurting me, and I died." He hooked his leaves over the rim of the jar, hoisting himself up along the slippery surface until he managed to get inside, planting his roots back into the regathered soil. "Being nice can only get you so far. But you've got a good sense for manipulation, so you'll probably do well." ---- “You're wrong,” Angel growled. “If this world is kill or be killed, why would Papyrus rescue me? He could've easily just let me wash away into the sewers and let me drown, but he didn't.” ---- "Papyrus is a naïve idiot who's too nice for his own good. He's the kind of person that's easy to take advantage of. It's gotten him in trouble more times than he even remembers. Trust me, he's the kind of guy who would let you get close enough to stab him in the back even if he saw you holding the knife." Flowey looked off to the side. "He had been thinking about getting a cat to coddle anyway. You were just a convenience. Just because he saved you doesn't mean you owe him anything." ---- Angel stiffened, folding back her ears. Was this really true? Did Papyrus only save her because she was the type of pet he always wanted? Would he have let her die if she were a dog or a bird? She slowly shook her head in disbelief. “I-I don't believe you....” ---- Flowey shrugged his leaves. "Believe me or don't. Papyrus confronted me and I got him in trouble, and Toriel punished him by not letting him get a cat until he apologized. He did, and not long after, he found you. I'm sure if you two didn't cross paths, I'd be dealing with a different kitten freshly bought from a pet store right now. So, hey, at least you saved him the expense, right?" ---- She didn't say anything for a long while. Her head was spinning, her emotions were all over the place, and her spirit felt so heavy she actually had to sit down. So that's all that this was. Papyrus just settled with her because she was a kitten. If he hadn’t wanted one, or if she were a different animal, she would have drowned long before now. She doubted he even thought that much about her. He probably only liked her for her qualities, but not for who she actually was. “...Go eat crowfood, you piece of fox dung.” She whipped around and bounded into Sans’ room, steering clear of Papyrus’. ---- "Gollyyyy, now that you can talk, you sure have a mouth on you." Flowey watched her go, then looked down to concentrate on growing the smaller leaf to match the other's size. ---- She leapt up on Sans bed and curled up before folding her paws over her face, mewling helplessly like a kitten who had lost its mother — well, technically, she still was a kitten who had lost her mother, but that was beside the point. Papyrus ... didn't love her. No matter where she went, no matter who she met, no one would ever love her; her own mother didn't even love her. She really was just nothing more but a waste of space and another mouth to feed.... Well, if Papyrus wouldn't love her, then maybe his brother would. ...Right?

---- ~~~ ----

Sans followed, locking up the house before continuing. The rainy weather had mostly cleared up since the night before, though it was slightly windier than the previously nice, breezy days and there were still signs of dampness. ---- “Hmm.... Seems like that thunderstorm last night was only the beginning. We're probably gonna get another one soon,” Denise observed. “Really? How can you tell?” Papyrus asked. “Well, it's pretty windy and damp, and those gray clouds above are another sign that it's only gonna rain more.” ---- "dang, hopefully it'll hold off till we get back home," Sans commented. ---- “We can only hope. I'll be darned if my brand-new uniform gets ruined in a downpour.” “You and me both,” Papyrus agreed. ---- Sans looked between the two of them, hesitating, then piped up, "all right ... I don't want that to even have a chance of happenin', so both of you hang onto me." He'd showed Papyrus his power the previous night, and he'd trolled Frisk with it a few times in the Underground — and though he'd used a little trickery not to make it completely obvious what he was doing, he was pretty sure Frisk was smart enough to figure out he could teleport. Denise might as well learn about it too, being Frisk's sister. ---- Papyrus nodded, knowing what his brother was about to do, and held one of his arms. “Um... Okay?” Denise took hold onto his other arm, looking down at him in confusion. ---- When they both latched onto him, Sans teleported the three to the side alleyway of Grillby's restaurant. He still wasn't sure how to make the energy usage more efficient for tag-alongs, and when they'd landed, he woozily leaned his back against the wall to catch a brief moment of rest. "heh ... looks like we beat the storm...." ---- Denise’s eyes widened and she stumbled. “Wh-wha?.... Did you just teleport?” ---- "heh, i just found us a shortcut.... you wouldn't mind keeping it t' yourself, would ya? i think frisk probably knows i can do that too, so i don't mind about her." Sans slowly pushed himself away from the wall, putting his hands in his pockets. ---- “Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Alright, let's get cookin'!” She walked in the restaurant. Papyrus looked down with a troubled expression. “Sans? Do you think Angel will be safe around Flowey? What if he hurts her? Or traumatizes her? Or locks her out of the house and she runs away?” ---- Sans looked up at Papyrus with a reassuring expression. "he told me he'd leave my friends and family alone, i'm pretty sure he knows how much angel means to ya, pap. as long as i'm his target, he'll keep his bargain and she'll be safe. ...'sides, she's pretty quick to find a hiding spot when she gets scared, pretty hard to force her out, heh...." ---- “Well.... Okay.” Feeling a little reassured, he smiled a bit before walking inside. ---- Sans followed his brother inside. The restaurant looked more or less the same in its arrangement, though the walls had a fresher coat of paint and everything from the tables to the bar had a bit of a polished, untouched shine. Grillby was in the back, moving boxes of inventory items. ---- Denise walked up to Grillby and brushed out her uniform to make herself look more presentable, clearing her throat nervously. “Um, pardon me, Mr. Grillby. My name is Denise and this is Papyrus. We're both here and ready to begin our training.” “Hello, Grillby!” Papyrus waved to the fire monster, grinning happily. ---- Grillby put down his boxes to greet his new employees with a nod and a gesture to come closer. Everything about him was warm, and the fire that composed his body crackled softly. "Nice to meet you, Denise. Good to see you again, Papyrus." "'sup, grillbz." "Oh, hello, Sans. I hope your not here to get a head start on your tab." The shorter skeleton chuckled. "naw, just to visit ya — and cheer on my bro, of course!" The flames of the elemental monster's head danced and curled pleasantly. "Would you like to come in the back too, then?" "you go ahead, i've got some paperwork to keep me busy till ya got a moment." Sans gently slapped the papers down on the bar, hopping on a stool and grinned, clicking open his pen. "Very well." He redirected his attention to the taller skeleton and the human. "Would you two like to see the kitchen?" ---- Denise smiled and nodded as politely as she could. “Yes, please.” Papyrus was too excited to worry about being formal, grinning widely. “YES, PLEASE!” ---- Pleased by the enthusiasm, Grillby led them to the kitchen, showing them their stations and explaining  the more important safety precautions right off the bat. Taking out some laminated papers from a nearby box, he handed one to each of them. "Here's our menu. You'll be taking care of these orders here." He circled a finger above the food portion. "And I'll be taking care of these." He moved his finger down to the drinks. "Would you like me to demonstrate how to make each item while you watch, or would you like to show me what you can do while I observe?" Raising an arm, he indicated the sample boxes of ingredients he'd prepared for their arrival. ---- “I would like to give it a try first! If I need improving, I shall ask for your assistance!” Denise was far less confident than Papyrus, looking very doubtful and nervous. “Um.... M-mind if you showed me first?” ---- Giving both of them encouraging nods in turn, Grillby approached Denise's station, motioning her over. "Burgers are one of our more popular items, so I'll show you how to do that first." He grabbed one of the defrosting patties to put on the industrial grill, turning on the heat. "I'm sure you'll get used to this enough that you'll be able to focus on other tasks while these cook, but for right now, we're going to watch closely." Taking a spatula, he gently pressed the patty against the hot metal and a hiss of grease crackled softly, then he coaxed the flat utensil under to lift it slightly. "We're going to check it every so often until this side's thoroughly browned." ---- Denise nodded firmly, watching in full concentration. Papyrus grabbed a patty of his own and placed it on the heated pan, waiting to flip with a spatula at the ready. Thankfully, he was given good reviews on his own burgers he’d made the night before — even by Flowey — so he was no short of confident in his cooking abilities. ---- Once the one side was fully browned, Grillby flipped it to the other. "It's about five minutes per side, so you may want to keep an eye on the clock when you have these going. Or, if you prefer, you can set the timer to help you keep track." He demonstrated how to use the timing device while the burger continued to cook. ---- “Alright, I understand.” Papyrus checked the underside of the burger before flipping it and pressing down with the spatula to squeeze the excess grease out. He deemed having enough time to slip out of the kitchen to check on Sans before he had to tend to the burger again, and so, after getting permission from Grillby, he did, poking his head out through the double doors. “Are you doing alright in there, Sans?” ---- Sans looked up from the applications to give Papyrus a thumbs up. "doin' just fine." He smiled easily, content in the familiar looking surroundings and the quiet. "smells like you guys are doing good back there too." He chuckled. "Good. Now, just because a patty looks done, doesn't mean that it is." He picked up a meat thermometer. "To make sure, you'll want to check to see that this says one-hundred-and-sixty degrees. If it's a little more, that's okay, but let it cook longer if it's less." He poked the metal into the beef, showing her how to get the reading. "See, it's a little too early, even if it's looking completely brown." ---- Papyrus smirked playfully. “Yeah, and guess who gets to get these deliciously greasy Grillby-styled burgers? The dogs! NYEHEHEE!” He giggled as he popped back into the kitchen to check on his burger. “One-hundred-sixty degrees until the patty is done, got it.” ---- Sans rolled his eyes, chuckling in good humor before returning to filling in the blanks. Once the patty was actually done, Grillby moved it over to some counter space on a piece of wax paper. "This is the building station. You put together everything that goes on the burger here. Usually everything will go on it, and it's all laid out in order." He gestured to the line of buns, toppings and condiments, then started putting the burger together. "Sometimes customers won't want everything or they might want a little extra of something else, so make sure you're paying attention to the order slips you'll get." He walked over to large, long metal box and patted it. "Customers won't want to wait ten minutes for their food, and any delay can compound into even more waiting time, so we should have a few patties ready to go at all times. It isn't turned on right now, but this will keep the meat warm after it's cooked. Always take any patties that are ready from here first rather than straight from the grill, you don't want them to sit too long and lose their freshness." ---- “Wow, that's a really good idea!” Denise praised with a smile. “Alright, I think I got it.” ---- "Excellent." Grillby didn't seem to have much of an expression, but his tone and demeanor were laid-back and pleased. "Don't hesitate to ask any questions. This is a learning process, so I will understand if you don't get something on your first tries. Would you like to try making a burger on your own?" ---- “Umm.... Okay, I'll try.” Denise went back to the grill and placed another burger patty on it. ---- Grillby stood close by her to supervise, turning his head toward the skeleton. "How's it coming along, Papyrus?" ---- “Just finished cooking the burger, Grillby!” the skeleton announced proudly. “This burger is fit for King Asgore himself! After all, it was expertly cooked by I, Master Chef Papyrus! NYEH HEH HEH!” ---- Grillby chuckled warmly. "Can I give it a try, then? I've always wanted to know what food fit for royalty tastes like." ---- “But of course!” He went over to the building station. “What would you like on it, Grillby?” ---- Grillby casually folded his arms. "How about a bit of everything, except hold the mayo. And extra onions, please." ---- “You got it!” After slipping the patty on the bottom bun and applying the requested toppings and condiments on the burger, he placed the other half of the bun on top. He grinned as he held it out to the fire monster on a plate. “Order up! Nyehehe!” ---- Accepting the plate, Grillby picked up the burger, opening his near-imperceptible mouth to take a bite. His flames made a pleasant sizzling sound as the food was consumed. He savored the taste for a few quiet moments. "Careful, Papyrus. You're going to raise the standards of what people expect from here," he said, clearly impressed. ---- Papyrus gasped loudly, his sockets sparkling in pure euphoria. “You really mean that?” Denise looked over from where she was cooking her burger to giggle at Papyrus' reaction. The taller skeleton's joy and confidence and just his personality in general made him so much fun to be around. He and his brother were both so lively in their own unique ways. --- Nodding with a crackling chuckle, Grillby nodded setting the plate down. "Why don't you give a few other things on the menu a whirl as well. Once you run through everything at least once, I'll show you how to clean up for when the restaurant's ready to close. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to let me know." He turned back to keep an eye on Denise. ---- “Yes, sir!” With newfound energy driven by joy, he trotted back to his work station. ---- Grillby tested and approved of each of Papyrus's dishes as he helped Denise walk through the steps of preparation. All in all, he was extremely pleased with the two of them in their experience and following of directions. After showing them how to keep their stations sanitary, he quite literally beamed at them. "We shouldn't let all this food you guys made go to waste, so why don't we have it for lunch and share it with Sans. Then I'll let you go home for the day." Having finished up his paperwork, Sans had rested his head on his arms on the bar, taking a snooze. ---- “Thank you so much, Mr. Grillby,” Denise smiled. After a long morning of cooking and smelling the wonderful aromas of their creations, she was really looking forward to a good meal. “I concur! Now, allow me to wake up my lazy brother so that we may eat.” Papyrus trotted silently into the other room and snuck up on Sans before giving his ribs a little wake-up tickle. “You're not planning on sleeping all day, are you, brother? Nyehehehee!” ---- Grillby carried out the trays of food to a booth. "What would you like to drink Denise? I'm going to make milkshakes for those two. You can have one too if you don't mind soy milk?" An unguarded smile spread across Sans's face before he was startled awake, squirming on the spot. "ghh—! aha! heheheh! n-no, course not!" He quickly hopped down from the stool, away from Papyrus's fingers, giving his ribs and eyes a rub. Seeing the food being brought out, he grinned up at his brother. "wow, you guys make all that?" ---- “Thanks so much for the offer, but I'll pass; I'm allergic to soy. Do you have soda? If not, I'll take some sweet tea or water.” “We most certainly did! Grillby says my food is of high enough quality to please even King Asgore! So of course that means you're going to be having yourself a feast fit for a king — we all are! Well, except maybe Denise, she'll have a meal fit for a queen! Nyehehee!” ---- Grillby nodded. "I got you covered." Opening an icebox beneath the bar, he put on a pair of rather fancy looking — though still protective — gloves to fish out a frosty bottle of dark soda, uncapping it and sliding in a striped straw. He pushed it to the far end of the bar for her to take, then proceeded to make the brothers the milkshakes, still wearing the gloves. "hey, that's great, bro." Sans slid up to the wall in the booth, resting his elbows on the table and giving Papyrus a wink. "that kind of praise sounds like a crowning achievement, heheh! i am pretty hungry though." ---- “Thanks a lot, Mr. Grillby!” She took the bottle and sipped out of the straw with a content smile. Papyrus frowned before picking Sans up and carried him away from the booth. “That's it, no food for you.” ---- "You're very welcome." Glancing from his well-practiced work, he watched the two skeletons' antics in soft amusement. Well, this felt rather familiar. "aww, hey, c'mon! it was just one pun, bro! this is royally unfair!" He snickered quietly. ---- Denise watched the brothers as well and couldn't help but giggle. “YOU ARE A ROYAL PAIN IN THE TAILBONE!” Smirking, he used one hand to tickle away at Sans' ribs, his grip under his arms to keep him lifted, keeping him from lowering his arms and protecting his torso. ---- "yaaiee~haaahaaha! noho d-dohon't! ahahaa! hahaahaa!" Sans writhed, kicking a few times. "ohokay! okayhehehe~!" Shaking his head with a chuckle, Grillby finished up the shakes, topping each with a cherry and bringing them over to the booth. He pried off the gloves, sticking them in the pocket of his formal button-vest. ---- Papyrus saw the milkshakes were ready and he grinned before plopping Sans down and dashing towards the counter. “I'M GONNA DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!~” ---- Sans rubbed his ribs in relief, then threw out his hand just before Papyrus reached the glasses, clenching his fingers and slowly dragging his brother back toward himself. "don't think so, bro." With a grin, he started heading up to retrieve his shake. ---- “Hehehehey!” The younger brother’s voice cracked with laughter as he struggled to escape his brother's magic. “Ahahaha! You two are so hilarious when you're together!” Denise laughed, leaning back a little in her seat. ---- Swiping the drink, Sans headed back for Papyrus, carefully but casually dragging his hand down to increase the heaviness of the gravity and lower his brother down to his level. He rested an elbow lightly on top of his brother's skull, hand draped between his eyes. "nah, we're just a couple of boneheads." He took a sip through his straw with a wink. ---- Denise snorted and giggled hysterically behind a hand. Papyrus stared ahead sporting a deadpan expression. “Sans the skeleton. You have exactly three seconds to let me up and get your hand out of my face before I decide to tickle your back from dusk until dawn.” ---- Sans violently twitched, nearly choking on his shake, expression majorly faltering. "dh-hh! y-you wouldn't really...?" His arm slid down back to his side as he let up on his magic, taking a step backward with an anxious grin. ---- Papyrus smirked devilishly at Sans, letting out a low, evil chuckle. “We'll just see about that, now won't we, brother?” His face immediately shifted back into a wide, excitable grin as he trotted over to the booth to grab his milkshake and sip at it. “Mmm! I may not favor the greasy foods you serve, but you always make the best milkshakes, Grillby!” ---- Sans's posture tightened, sockets widening. He wouldn't.... Papyrus was just messing with him, right? With a small shudder, he meekly trotted over to the booth, filling up a plate with small samples of a variety of the food. Grillby's flames danced at the compliment. "Drinks have always been a specialty of mine. Even though I don't touch most of them myself. I'm glad you like it, Papyrus. Hopefully your own cooking will help diminish the restaurant's reputation for greasy food." He chuckled softly, making his way to sit across from Sans at the booth. "mm, hey, those two really did do a great job. and i'm not just sayin'," Sans spoke up as his friend sat. "Indeed. I'm very pleased with both of them. So, how are you doing, Sans? I haven't seen you since we left the Underground." "oh, everything's been pretty swell! i still can't believe it sometimes you know? i think things are starting to really look up on the surface, heh." "...I know that look." "w-what look...?" Sans nervously drummed his fingers. "The one that tries to convince me you're all right before you've had too much to drink." "...grillbz...." "......?" "...a-all right ... so maybe some problems followed me up here too. but things are better. or they're getting better...." He heaved a sigh. "I'm here to listen to you, you know?" "...i know. ya always have been. i appreciate it. maybe some other time though...." "...Okay. Did you try Denise's BLT yet? She got the bread perfectly toasted." "heheh, you're the expert on toasting." He took a bite, swallowing. "mm! well, i don't disagree!" ---- Denise took the time to humbly giggle and blush a bit before looking at Sans with a worried expression. “Sans, is everything alright?” “Don't worry too much, Denise, Sans will be fine,” Papyrus replied, offering his brother a kind smile. “If you say so. But ... I just want to let you know, Sans, that if you ever need help from anyone, you can also count on me. I know we're not that close yet ... but I'll still be there for you when you need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. Alright?” ---- Sans grinned softly up at her. "hey, thanks denise, that's real sweet of ya." His smile stayed as he looked down. He was surrounded by so much support and love, it really did help keep all the looming anxiety from consuming him. Grillby grabbed for the rest of the burger Papyrus had specially made to finish it off. "Well, I have to say I'm very happy about accepting your applications. I think the two of you will flourish here. Just don't be shy to let me know if you have any concerns about your work, all right?" ---- “Aww, of course, Sans!” Denise smiled back at him and gave his back a little comforting rub before returning to eating her burger. Once Grillby spoke, she looked up at him and grinned widely. “Really? Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Grillby!” “NYEH HEH HEH! But of course you would hire the greatest chef on the surface! Er, make that the greatest chefs.” He grinned sheepishly at Denise. Denise giggled, feeling very shy at the praise that she didn’t exactly feel like she deserved. “It's okay, Papyrus. I know I've still got a lot to learn, but you've got all the techniques and styles and timings in the bag.” “Thank you, Denise! And I know you'll become an excellent chef yourself in no time if you're working with Grillby!” ---- Sans happily arched his eyes at the rub, shivering a little at the pleasant touch. Grazing from his plate, he made small chit-chat with Grillby about Surface life until quite a bit of the food had been polished off and his milkshake was gone. Pushing his plate slightly away, he leaned back. Grillby looked at the three of them warmly. "When you're finished, I'll clean the rest of this up. You're free to head home for the day when you're ready." ---- “Thanks a lot, Grillby! We'll be sure to come in for training again with Sans! After all, he's the only one who can eat all this food we just made today in one sitting.” He chuckled as he picked Sans up in his arms. “Let's go, lazybones.” “Hehe, isn't that the truth? Good-bye, Mr. Grillby! See you tomorrow!” Denise waved to the fire monster with a happy smile. ---- "heheh, how could i pass up the opportunity for more amazing food? oh wait, let me grab my papers before we head out!" "See you tomorrow. Thanks for your attentiveness today, Denise." Grillby began to pile the plates and stack the trays. ---- “No problem!” “I got them.” Papyrus scooped up the papers and handed them to Sans before walking out with Denise. “Now that's what I call an excitingly productive day of cookery!” ---- "thanks, bro! heh, i'm really happy for you! and you too, denise!" He smiled at them. "you wanna walk off lunch, or would you like to take a shortcut home?" ---- “Yeah, we can take a shortcut,” the human replied. “There's nothing I'd love to do more right about now than fall into a food coma, heheh.” “A coma?!” Papyrus’ sockets widened. “No, we're walking if it'll keep you from sleeping for a week! I will not let you become as lazy as my brother!” Denise laughed behind a hand. “No, a food coma is just a nap after you've eaten food.” “Ohhhhh. You humans have horrible word usages for simple things!” ---- Chuckling, Sans nodded. "i could go for a nap too. but after that, don't forget you agreed to let me see if you're really not ticklish." He grinned before teleporting them all to the living room of their house, then suddenly gave a dizzy groan. Hand flying to his mouth, he glanced up. "ah...! don't worry ... i'm okay...." ---- “Hehehee, don’t worry, I’ll remember.” Denise stumbled a bit after the teleportation and grinned ecstatically. “That's still so cool!” Papyrus chuckled sympathetically. “I'll bring you up to your room, okay?” He made his way up to Sans' room and places him down in his bed before tucking him in. “You okay, brother? Just rest and you should be.” ---- "yeah, thanks pap," Sans said quietly and gratefully, making sure his papers made it safely to his nightstand, now feeling very cozy — then he noticed Angel's resting form. "oh, looks like i have a visitor too, heheh." ---- Angel stayed in her position until Papyrus left, and once she was sure he was gone, she mewled sadly, climbing up on Sans' chest, nestling close to his cheek and neck. ---- Sans blinked open his eyes as he felt her start to walk, watching her settle down. "oh, hey, cutie," he cooed softly. "heh, i'm not gonna uncover these ribs, but i'll pet'cha. is that what you want?" He pulled an arm out from under the covers, hovering his hand close to her cheek in a friendly manner. ---- Angel kept her chin rested on her paws, not leaning her head into his hand like she usually would; she didn't even look up at Sans. Her ears folded back and her tail slowly curled up on her side. ---- Sans looked concerned. "hey.... you're lookin' kinda ... sad there...." He softly lowered the backs of his fingers to stroke her head. "i know the feeling.... but you're so young, you should be carefree. what happened, huh?" ---- She looked up at Sans in fear, anxious of the thought of Papyrus’ brother freaking out. Giving a small huff, she opened her mouth to meow ... but what came out wasn't a meow. “Does Papyrus love me?...” ---- Sans lightly jumped with wide eyes. "w-w-what....!? did i actually fall asleep or something?" He gave his skull a light tap near his ear, blinking down at the kitten, gently holding her while he sat up so he wouldn't jostle her too much. "c-can you really talk? ...why would you think pap doesn't love ya?" ---- Angel yelped and flinched at his outburst, but managed to keep herself from fleeing. At the question, she timidly answered, “I-I bit that talking flower and ate a part of his leaf. I think his, um, magic got into me. He.... He told me Papyrus doesn't love me. He told me he only rescued me because I'm a cat, and if I were some other animal he'd let me drown in the sewers. Plus, if he found out I could talk, he might abandon me like Mama did and get a new non-talking kitten. The flower's known him longer than I have ... so he must be telling the truth. But you genuinely like me, so I wanna be your kitten instead. Please ... I don't wanna be alone again....” She nuzzled Sans under his chin and mewled pitifully, as if she were crying. ---- Sans got over his initial shock rather quickly. He was well enough used to talking animal monsters, it just had been so unexpected. He listened to her with a soft expression, gently petting at her back as she started to nuzzle him. "hey ... hey.... you're not alone, angel," he started in a soothing voice. "that flower doesn't care about anyone but himself. are you really gonna heed his advice? listen, i've known pap longer than flowey has—" He twitched as he realized that might not technically be true. But he was sure he knew Papyrus better in any case. "and lemme tell ya, he's the most caring, loving guy i know. he wouldn't have let'cha drown no matter who ya are. if he saw you in trouble, he'd do whatever he can to help. after we all left, he asked me if i thought you'd be okay left with flowey. i thought you would be, but i guess i was wrong. so ... i'd let'cha be my kitten if ya really wanted, but you'd be missin' out on the greatest companion a kitty could ask for." ---- Angel looked up at him as he spoke, and she let out a little squeak. She was so stupid taking advice from a stupid flower! This monster was Papyrus' brother; he'd know far better about him than that foul-tasting plant ever could. Guilt washed over her, but so did relief in knowing Papyrus would never disown her, or that he rescued her just because she was his dream pet. A new wave of anxiety washed away the relief as she looked down. “But ... how will he react to me being able to speak? What if he gets more freaked out than you were and....” ---- Sans started to chuckle quietly. "are you kidding? pap will think it's so cool! don't worry, you just startled me. i'm not really freaked out, see? you've seen me actually freaked out, heheh." He gave her a softly teasing grin, gently stroking her cheek. "and i'm not mad about that either. just, my ribs are really sensitive, and you're really soft, you rascal." ---- Feeling much better, she purred lightly with laughter and her whiskers twitched. “Sorry about that, it's just so small and comfy. It's just an all-around great place to hide in. But I'll try to keep from going in there again if it bothers you that much. Unless you tick me off, that is.” She narrowed her orange eyes at him playfully. ---- "don't make the kitty mad. got it." He chuckled and rubbed at the base of her ear. "would ya like me to take you to pap so you can see how much he loves ya? or you wanna hang out and nap with me for a little while first? you must'a had a pretty traumatic morning. i'm sorry...." ---- “You wouldn't mind if I just hung out in here with you, would you? I'm ... not really ready to face him yet. And this morning wasn't all bad; I did get yummy jerky and I knocked over Flowey's flowerpot off the windowsill. That was really funny!” She purred loudly as she swished her tail in amusement. ---- "course i don't mind, i understand. ....y-you did? dang ... wish i could get away with that...." he laughed weakly, glancing away and then back. "you probably shouldn't do that again, but i think that deserves a high-five! ...or paw, heh." He stuck out his hand close to her front paws with a grin. ---- “Yeah, I know better than to do that or else he'll tattle to the nice goat monster. But it was still fun!” She gently batted his hand with a paw. “Wow, it feels really weird to talk monster language. It feels so easy to do it, though. I wonder if that non-monster would be able to understand me, too. Do you think, Papyrus' brother?” She tilted her head off to the side curiously. “Sorry, I didn't really get your name, so I’d always call you Papyrus' brother.” ---- Sans grinned and resumed petting her, then shrugged. "it's possible you can talk to the humans too, it just depends on whether you're talkin' directly to receptive magic or physically speaking. and my name is sans." He chuckled, grin broadening. "but i don't mind being known as pap's bro — he's awesome!" ---- Angel purred loudly as she rolled over on her back, exposing her soft white underbelly. “Is that what they're called? Humans? I always called them Twolegs because they walked on their hind legs, but then I started calling them non-monsters because they're not monsters like you guys are.” ---- She was so adorable, Sans couldn't help tilting his head adoringly at her. "yeah, they're humans. some are nicer than others, but i suppose that's true for any race, really. the humans that live here are both very nice." He tentatively hovered a non-threatening hand over her belly. "may i...?" ---- “Yeah, the shorter one is very nice, she likes to let me chase around that string attached to those black things she puts over her head when humming to something on a weird small rectangular thingy.” She flinched a bit at the hand, but slowly lifted her paws away. “Okay, but be careful, my belly's really ticklish. And don't think about tickling me unless you want a dozen bite marks in your hand!” ---- Sans chuckled softly at her description, then nodded. "i'll be careful. hey, at least you've got some good incentives not to tickle ya. if i had claws or sharp teeth i wonder how many people would dare tickle me anymore, heh." Lowering his hand carefully, he brushed in the natural direction of her fur with the backs of his fingers. ---- Purring loudly as she wrapped her forepaws around Sans' hand, she made sure to keep her claws sheathed. “That actually feels really nice....” ---- "ya like that? oh, good, heheh." Smiling happily, he continued to stroke her belly in the same manner, finding the action and her soft fur soothing. "could you understand any of us before you could talk yourself?" ---- “Um.... Yes and no. I could understand some things like my name and a monster's tone of voice if they're happy or sad or angry, but anything else you all said went over my head. I guess that magical leaf gave me the intelligence of a monster as well so I can better understand monsters and humans rather than just talk to them.” ---- "oh, good, i would hate for you to have really understood all those embarrassing things about myself i was tellin' ya in pap's room last night." He grinned at her cheekily with a playful wink. ---- She purred in amusement. “Yeah, consider yourself very lucky.” ---- With a small laugh, he withdrew his hand from her stomach, gathering her up in a gentle cuddle. "i hope ya feel better. pap really does love you. and i do too." Slowly and softly, he gave a brief press of his teeth against her head, making sure his grasp was loose enough for her to easily get out of if she needed to as he closed his sockets ---- Angel purred softly as she nuzzled into his embrace. “I know, and I'm really happy. I've never been loved before, and it feels absolutely amazing. I love you all, too.” ---- Sans smiled peacefully with a hum, gently being lulled to sleep by her purring. ---- Papyrus finished changing out of his work uniform and back into his trademark battle body and walked downstairs towards the kitchen. He remembered he had promised Flowey he would hang out with him after training and, as much as he didn't really want to, he knew that if he didn't, Flowey might suspect something was off. Leaving Denise to her food coma in his bedroom, he walked into the kitchen, blinking in surprise as Flowey was now nestled in a glass jar on the floor around shattered flowerpot shards and soil not scooped into the jar. “Uhhh.... Care to explain what happened here, Flowey?” ---- Looking up at Papyrus, Flowey gestured to the sill. "Your cat knocked down my pot. She just got too curious, it was an accident. The jar's just a temporary solution, but I wasn't really able to clean up the mess." He waved his leaves in a helpless sort of manner. ---- “Oh, dear.... I'm really sorry about that. I told her to stay away.” He picked Flowey up by the jar. “Well, I'll be sure to buy a new flowerpot for you tomorrow. In the meantime, you said you wanted to hang out?” ---- Flowey shrugged. "When do cats ever listen, right? Anyway, I'm glad you remembered, Papyrus! I've missed hanging out with my greatest friend!" He glanced outside. "It still looks a little gloomy, but I could sure go for stretching my roots if you're up for a walk?" ---- “Well, cats will be cats, I suppose. I'll just bring my umbrella, just in case it rains again.” He trotted to the front door to grab his umbrella before heading outside with Flowey in his arms, but not before calling out to Sans, “Hey, Sans! I'm going out for a little! I'll be back shortly!” Angel pricked her ears and raised her head at the sound of her owner's voice. Sliding silently out of Sans' hold, careful not to wake him, she scampered downstairs and leapt up on the coffee table to peer out the window. She saw Papyrus walking away with something in his arm, and upon looking back in the kitchen she figured he had taken Flowey with him. She didn't trust Flowey one bit, especially alone with Papyrus. ---- Leaning his head back against Papyrus's chest-piece, Flowey looked up with a grin. "So, how did your job training go, friend? I want to hear all about it! Did Sans stay with you the whole time?" ---- “It was so much fun!” Papyrus forced an excited grin. “Grillby said Denise and I are true naturals! He even said my cooking was fit to please King Asgore himself! And yes, Sans did stay there the entire time. He was filling out paperwork for a job opening as a scientist in the quantum physics field. I'm really proud of him!” Angel scampered into the kitchen and leapt up on the counter, observing the little opening in the window Flowey had made when he had gotten her jerky earlier. She squeezed her way through the little opening with ease thanks to her still slightly malnourished and thin body and climbed down the rocky staircase to the grassy ground below. Sniffing the air, she picked up Papyrus' scent and began to follow the trail, making sure not to be seen by anyone. ---- "Golly, that's amazing! Though I guess after that dinner you cooked last night, it's to be expected! Wow, Sans is applying for a job too? Quantum physics, huh? That sounds really ambitious! ...I guess that means the two of you won't be spending as much time at home, will you?" He gazed off to the side, expression rather sad. ---- “No, I'm afraid not.... We'll all be having very tight schedules once training finishes at the end of the week.” ---- "Golly, it's going to be so lonely when everyone's out all the time ... hmm...." He tapped a leaf against his mouth as if deliberating. "If Sans does start working at a lab, I wonder if he'd let me go with him? I could be a cheery workplace plant, hehe!" ---- Papyrus jolted a bit. Pfft, yeah right, as if anyone would let you in such an area. As if I myself would leave you alone with Sans like that. “Sorry, but I don't think Lady Toriel would allow that. You'd be better off staying home.” ---- "Toriel wouldn't?" Flowey paused, looking up scrutinizingly. "...or you?" ---- Papyrus stopped dead in his tracks, sockets widening in surprise. He quickly recovered from the shock and furrowed his brows. “What do you mean? I have no rule over things; Lady Toriel does. After all, she is the owner of the house and the former queen of the monsters.” ---- Flowey tilted his head. "That may be so, but don't think I haven't noticed that you don't ever let me be alone with your brother. You say you've forgiven me, but that doesn't seem like a sign of trust, friend. Unless it's all just a bunch of coincidences...?" ---- “Wh-what, are you telling me I'm not allowed to spend as much time as possible with my brother? I love spending time with him, and he needs to get out of the house more often anyway. He needs to learn how to stop being so lazy all day.” Papyrus was beginning to internally panic. ---- "I like to spend a little time with him, too, he rescued me from the Underground after all. It's not like I want to hog all his attention or steal him away from you." Flowey replied. "Would you have a problem, then, if I wanted to hang out with him, too, one-on-one outside like this?" ---- “U-ummm...!” Oh, this was bad. Very, very bad! What should he say? If he said yes, Sans would get tortured by this little beast twice as often. But if he said no, Flowey would question him into a corner and he'd be forced to spill the beans. Either way, any answer he gave would screw Sans over big time. Some brother he was for letting this happen. “I-I ... uhh....” ---- Flowey watched as he stuttered, then lowered his gaze. "I see.... You don't trust me, do you? Do you really want to be friends again? Are you lying to me? Why?" ---- “N-no, you don't understand, I want to be you friend! It's just.... Issues I can't really talk about. But it has nothing to do with you.” Some excuse that was. Panic was keeping him from thinking clearly. He never should have agreed to hang out.... ---- "We used to talk about everything! That's what friends do! You'll let Sans be alone with anyone but me! You're quick to jump to watering me in his place! You hold his hand around me! Golly, it really seems like it has something to do with me...!" Flowey quivered in place for a moment, then sighed. "You're the greatest friend I have, Papyrus ... I don't want it to be a lie.... You can tell me what's on your mind. If you think I'll be mad or something, I won't be. I just want to hear what you have to say." ---- “I.... I.... I'm sorry, Flowey, I can't say.... I just can't....” He lowered his head a bit. ---- Flowey stayed quiet for a moment. "...Then can I guess? Am I on the right track? Does it have something to do with me and Sans?" ---- “I-I think it's time we head back home.... I'm getting kinda tired from training....” He began to speed walk back home. ---- "I see...." Flowey was fairly certain now. It all fit together in hindsight. The garbage skeleton must have been a tattletale again. "Did Sans tell you about our deal?" ---- “Huh? What deal?” He tried to sound as genuinely confused as possible. Oh, stars, he screwed up! Now Sans is going to really feel his wrath; that was if he didn't RESET everything first! ---- "...Papyrus, you'd do anything for Sans, wouldn't you?" ---- Papyrus slowed down his walking a bit. “O-of course I would, I'd give my life for him.... Wh-why?...” ---- "Of course. You're such a great brother, Papyrus. So, if something unspeakable was happening to Sans ... something you couldn't talk about ... would you be willing to take his place...?" ---- Papyrus jumped and his breath caught in his throat. What a devastating thought, to be tickle tortured for who knew how long whenever Flowey wanted. But.... If he didn't accept this offer, Sans would be the victim. He did say he would do anything for him, and if this was the only way to end his suffering.... He lowered his head and sighed in defeat. “Y-yes....” ---- Flowey looked up at Papyrus consideringly. "All right. Let's talk, friend. Why don't you find a place to sit down?" ---- “O-okay....” Trembling in fear, but relieved that Sans was finally safe, he made his way towards the woods on the outside of Golden Valley where no one would bother them. Angel’s eyes widened in alarm as she watched and listened. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she knew it was bad, something that was terrifying Papyrus. With silent stealth, she slipped through the grass and quietly sped back home. She had to tell Sans!

[chillshroom]

8, 9 (for EoC!), 12, 17, 27, and 44!

Answers under the cut since this ended up longer than I thought! (woops I rambled)

8) Where do you take your inspiration from?

For most things, I get inspired by songs. It’ll be a lyric or maybe a song title that catches my eye and I’ll think, hey. I want to explore that. (Most often, drakenier songs do the trick. The Drakengard 3 remix of Seere’s Prayer always gets me into a Lyblac+Galdera final battle mood that captures the chaos I eventually want EoC to descend into. I also adore Yoko Taro’s writing, and one specific thing he does is create a story through a ripple effect – it’s the small, seemingly inconsequential details that accumulate into something larger (and often more devastating and emotional) in a reader’s mind. As a creative writing major who focuses on creative nonfiction (writing about my own experiences, etc), this tactic and subtlety is something I strive for.

My love for mythology and folkloric tales (the driving force of EoC) stems from Vietnamese legends and superstitions my mother told me. They sparked my fascination and make me consider how the mythos in fictional worlds affect their lives.

9) In your xxx fic, what’s your favourite scene that you wrote?

Ohoh, I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s still that scene in chapter 5:

He scrapes out a word into the dirt. The sound grates against Therion’s ears.

“This is your name. I think. This is how I’ve been writing it.” He laughs. “I don’t actually know how it’s spelled an’ all. But if you were curious, this is what it looks like.”

Therion looks down and the apothecary, finding something else to be embarrassed about, drops the stick and bumbles on about going to bed himself. He gives the thief a warm look; not pitying, Therion knows, because he’s seen pity and it does not look like this.

“Good night, Therion,” Alfyn murmurs before shuffling away. The thief stares after his retreating back.

And while Therion never says anything, never utters a word of thanks (or an insult, for that matter), he stays by the fire long after Alfyn leaves for his own bedroll, eyes trained on the chicken scratch of letters. His chest feels tight. It’s a strange, foreign sensation.

T H E R I O N

Having something to own.

I truly am proud of this one. It came out as I imagined it in my head.

12) Who is your favourite character to write for? Why? 

Sealticge. She hasn’t appeared in EoC’s published chapters yet, but writing her is incredibly fun! It also might be tied to the fact that it’ll be one of my favorite lore chapters, whenever that happens. (The next favorites are Steorra and Therion, who hold the same rank in my heart)

17) Post a line from a WIP that you’re working on.

Ahah posting more than one line because I can’t choose one out of this paragraph:

She doesn’t ask when this tiresome cycle will stop. She knows it will not. What are dancers to their masters if not the gold that lines their pockets? She sees herself—draped in golds, lacquered earrings, glittery shoes. She sees herself as the very coin they pay with, passing from hand to hand.

Boy I wonder who that’s about

27) Do you make a general outline for your stories or do you just go with the flow?

I outline! EoC’s outline is in multiple levels: I have a spreadsheet tracking the movement of OCTOPATH–which towns they will head to, what order their story chapters go in, etc. Then I have an outline for the Gods’ story for interims, and finally a loose outline for chapters that lists things I want achieved by the end of a chapter. The actual contents of each chapter are on a ~go with the flow~ basis, but I do have rigid plot points within them that must happen no matter what.

(I also keep separate documents for little scenes I want to fit in somewhere and dialogue I particularly want to happen)

44) What is the last line you wrote?

Hooh, this one’s (two lines oops) from Sealticge’s chapter for the distant future:

Sealticge, all gangly limbs and wandering eyes, gazed up at her mother. She smelled the earth around her–the dust of sand, the crisp of cold air, but most strongly her mother’s scent of iron and fire.

Thanks for the ask Hero!!!

[medeafive]

A settled affair - Chapter III

[1792] When Natalia “please, call me Natasha” Romanova, almost a Russian princess, insanely wealthy, impossible to overlook, arrives in England to stay with her uncle, Bucky really can’t do anything else than fall in love with her. Much to his friends’ disdain, because Natalia Romanova is the fiancée of Duke Alexei Shostakov, whom she is to marry upon her return to Russia. And Bucky is nothing but a simple army officer, renowned for his skills with a sword.

When Natalia thus asks him to teach her, secretly, of course, he can’t say no, even though he knows it’s a terrible idea. As they meet privately, again and again, and inch closer and closer, Natasha also builds a deep friendship with Sharon, who keeps postponing her wedding with Steve. But while they become increasingly entangled, they all know it is going to end eventually.

Chapter I Chapter II

You can also read on AO3

“She almost knocked the sword out of his hand,” Sam reports. “He’s done for. He’ll never love another woman again.”

Bucky rolls his eyes looking around the room but does not contradict him. Steve looks confused. “Buck, why did you lose to an absolute beginner?”

“I didn’t lose,” Bucky replies sorely. “I just wasn’t prepared for such a strong attack.”

“Which is a fancy way of explaining away that she almost stabbed you in the neck,” Sam adds.

Bucky sighs in frustration. “I guess I should have seen it coming. Did you see her sword?”

“She has her own sword?” Sharon asks, clearly intrigued.

“A damn good one, too,” Bucky adds. “Sorry. A really good one. Probably worth more than my house.”

“Buck, you live with the regiment,” Steve reminds him. “You don’t have a house.”

Bucky rolls his eyes. “Jesus Christ. You get my point.”

“But where did she get it?” Sharon probes.

“From her brother,” Bucky says. “One of her brothers, I guess. If that’s their idea of a fun gift, they must be filthy rich.”

“Which, my dear friend, as I’ve been telling you, is precisely why she will never ever consider marrying you,” Sam repeats. “No matter how lovely she smiles at you.”

“She did no such thing,” Bucky insists with annoyance. “You didn’t even hear her. She called me an idiot.”

“Ohoh,” Sharon remarks amusedly.

“What, does that mean something?” Bucky inquires.

“Of course,” Sharon says, pointing at Steve. “Just ask that idiot over there.”

Steve blushes, though nowhere near as much as Bucky. Thankfully, they are interrupted by Sam’s uncle, Nicholas Fury. “Well, nephew, you look like you are enjoying yourself.”

“I am,” Sam admits, trying not to laugh. “But I couldn’t possibly tell you why.”

Fury looks at them inquisitively with his one eye, making Bucky blush even harder. “I hope you guys didn’t do something. Anyway, would you mind if I borrowed Sharon for a moment?”

“Of course,” Steve agrees gracefully, letting go of her arm. “As long as you bring her back.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Sharon says, nodding her goodbye.

“Come on, stop looking around,” Sam chides Bucky. “You can’t do that all evening.”

“No, really, Buck, I don’t like this,” Steve adds. “This is not going anywhere and I’m not sure you’re aware of that. You shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“I’m not doing that,” Bucky replies annoyedly. “Of course this was never going anywhere. I don’t care if she never talks or writes to me again.”

Sam starts laughing. Bucky growls. “What’s so funny about that?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Sam wipes at his eye. “I thought you meant that as a joke.”

“Seriously,” Steve repeats. “You’re going to make yourself very unhappy. And maybe her as well.”

Bucky is close to losing it. “Oh, shut up! Just because for you, everything fell conveniently into place and Sharon was right there, and Wilson is apparently happy with his Shetland pony- do you even realize how lucky you are?”

“Yes,” Sam says. “My pony is great, just so you know.”

“You’re just making it worse,” Steve says. “I know it’s not fair, of course, but she’s just not going to do it. Just accept it.”

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice interrupts. “If it isn’t my favourite Captain-Sergeant duo.”

Steve sighs. “Stark.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything. He couldn’t anyway because Stark just keeps talking. “You look unhappy. And you, Wilson, did your pony finally learn a handstand?”

“Stark, ponies don’t have hands,” Sam replies. “That makes it kind of difficult. It can nod, though.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Stark says. “Barnes, you haven’t said a word. What crawled up your ass and died?”

“Be glad Sharon didn’t hear that,” Steve mutters into his glass.

“Well, you came over, so that’s that,” Bucky returns sourly. “Didn’t exactly brighten my mood.”

“Well, that’s too bad.” Stark gesticulates with his glass. “Because I have a favour to ask you.”

“You? Me?” Bucky repeats. “Please don’t tell me you need me to duel someone again.”

“No, no, not this time,” Stark assuages. “Just come over for a second, will you.”

Bucky sighs. “Really? Can’t you just say it? Is the drama really necessary?”

“It is, just come on.” Stark beckons him over. “Wilson, Rogers, nice talk.”

Steve snorts and raises his glass slightly. Bucky follows Stark reluctantly towards the middle of the room. “So, my favourite Sergeant,” Stark starts conversationally, weaving through the crowds. “It didn’t escape my notice that on the Wilson’s ball last week, you talked quite a bit with soon-to-be Duchess Natasha Romanova.”

“I guess,” Bucky admits reluctantly, guarded. “What about it?”

Stark smiles. “Well, you know my business, I spend a lot of time in the countryside testing my projects and don’t keep up with social activities as much - in short, I want you to introduce me to her.”

“What? Me?” Bucky asks dumbfounded. “Why? No. No way.”

“Come on, Barnes,” Stark says. “Just a few minutes. You don’t have anything better to do.”

“Still no,” Bucky insists. “Why even me? I don’t know her.”

“Oh, come on, do I have to look for someone else, really?” Stark questions. “Why are you making this so complicated?”

Bucky snorts. “I’m not introducing you to her. What do you even want from her? You’re married, need I remind you.”

“Precisely, I am married, I don’t do that anymore,” Stark returns. “I didn’t say I wanted to entertain a relationship with her. But she is related to the Russian tsar and I need to know her.”

“Still no,” Bucky insists. “I only spoke to her once, find someone else. She’s not even here.”

“Of course she is,” Tony disagrees, pointing across the room. “Right over there, talking to… oh, that’s Miss Carter.”

Bucky’s heart stops. That is Natalia, indeed, in a wonderful green gown, smiling and chatting casually with Sharon, who looks kind of unbelieving herself. “I’m going to ask Miss Carter. I’m sure she’ll be more cooperative than you,” Stark’s voice says from somewhere far away.

She’s beautiful. He almost forgot since last week, the beautiful red of her hair, her slender neck, her razor-thin waist and the graceful way she holds her arms. What does she want from Sharon, though? “Barnes? You can go now,” Stark says. “Seriously, I don’t need you anymore.”

Bucky shakes his head to clear it. “Whatever.” It occurs to him that he should also walk away, so he does, back to Sam and Steve.

“So, my dear,” Fury remarks, leading Sharon through the room. “Still haven’t set a date?”

Sharon snorts softly. “Oh, you know how hard it is to get Peggy down from Scotland. But I refuse to get married without her attending, so, we’ll have to see.”

“Send her my best,” Fury suggests. “Anyway, I have been asked to introduce you to someone.”

“Really,” Sharon repeats. “Who? Who asked you?”

Fury smirks because him actually answering a question is something that has never happened. “Well, someone who I, as your godfather, believe would be very beneficial for you to know.”

“That tells me just about nothing,” Sharon complains.

A red-haired woman turns around and smiles at them. Natasha Romanova. Sharon’s breathing accelerates. Not prepared for this. “Miss Romanova,” Fury starts. “I would like to introduce you to Miss Sharon Carter.”

Sharon curtsies as quick as she can because she is just a relatively poor country aristocrat set to marry a Captain without much nobility or wealth to his name and if she screws this up with a person so far above her, her parents are going to be mad. Natasha, to her surprise, curtsies as well. “A pleasure. So, you are Mister Fury’s goddaughter?”

“Yes,” Sharon confirms, looking at Fury. “The pleasure is all mine. Do you mind me asking how you know Nick?”

“Oh, my uncle and occasionally my aunt stay at his health resort,” Natasha explains. “In fact, that is the reason that they came here because my uncle suffers from a chronic illness. I accompanied them in order to further my education.”

“If you would excuse me,” Fury adds. “I have business to take care of.”

Sharon snorts when he is gone. “He always says that. I’m not sure what that business is.”

Natasha smiles encouragingly. “How did he come to be your godfather?”

“He is married to my aunt,” Sharon explains. “Maria. My great-parents were very skeptical, of course, but he already had the resort and the money that comes with it back then, so they ended up agreeing to it.”

“So you are related to the Wilson family as well, by marriage,” Natasha states.

“Sure, Sam Wilson is my great-cousin,” Sharon confirms. “I know that is funny because we look nothing alike.”

Natasha smirks. “Oh, I have seen stranger things. I heard that you are a passionate hunter.”

Sharon blushes. “I guess you could say that. Do you hunt?”

Natasha laughs, in an extremely fashionable way. “Sometimes. I have been on a bear hunt once, as a child.”

“Really?” Sharon asks, very intrigued. “How was it?”

“Incredibly boring,” Natasha replies, sipping from her glass. “We were sitting in a pit for hours. It was raining as well. I fell asleep and only woke when the bear was already dead.”

“Still,” Sharon insists. “I’d like to try that. Not that many bears to shoot in England, though.”

“Ah, you can’t have everything, no matter where you are,” Natasha agrees. “Do you hunt with your… fiancé, Captain Rogers, if I’m not mistaken?”

Sharon blushes. “Oh, no. That would be highly improper. He doesn’t particularly enjoy it either.”

“I thought it was a men’s sport,” Natasha suggests, smirking.

Sharon snorts. “Oh hell no. Excuse me.”

Natasha smiles like she just learned an important secret. “Well, would you like to accompany me to the Odinsson’s on Thursday? I have been invited. A goose hunt, if I remember correctly.”

“That is very gracious of you,” Sharon says. “But I couldn’t possibly accept. I haven’t been invited, after all, and I haven’t been introduced to the Odinsson family.”

“I am almost certain that won’t be a problem,” Natasha assures her. “I will ask and send you notice. You live behind the Bellebury Forest, don’t you?”

“That’s correct,” Sharon agrees. “Thank you for the kind invitation. I would indeed appreciate it, that is, if the Odinsson family wishes for me to participate.”

Natasha smiles encouragingly. “I am sure they will. It was an absolute pleasure to talk to you.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Sharon returns, curtsying, still kind of perplexed.

Natasha breezes off, in her green gown with the expensive lace on it, and is talking to someone else in absolutely no time. Sharon stares for a second, then catches herself and goes looking for her fiancé.

Steve is still where she left him, arguing with Bucky about something or the other. Sharon looks around to make sure that nobody else is listening in on them, then interrupts Steve brazenly. “What the hell? She invited me on a goose chase!”

“Natasha Romanoff invited you on a goose chase,” Steve repeats, as if that somehow made things clearer.

“That’s what I said, you idiot.” Sharon looks at Bucky accusingly. “What the hell did you tell her about me?”

Bucky raises his hands defensively. “Nothing! Swear to God.”

Sharon snorts. “Liar. Nick just introduced me to her and now she already invites me? That is strange, you have to admit that much.”

“Maybe she just found you very charming,” Steve suggests, smiling fondly. “As I do.”

Bucky rolls his eyes. “No, really. We never talked about you. She mentioned you briefly, you know, because of the thing Rumlow said.”

“That I am a feckless shrew who doesn’t know her place,” Sharon interrupts him. “I remember. And my ears are not as sensitive as Steve pretends.”

“Yeah, anyway, she just said she saw the duel,” Bucky repeats. “I really don’t know why she invites you now.”

“Are you going though?” Steve asks.

Sharon snorts. “She invited me to the Odinssons. What was I supposed to say, no thank you?”

Steve gulps. “I’ve been there, once. It’s like a palace.”

Sharon sighs. “Oh dear Lord, I’m going to make a complete fool of myself.”

[benpleaseenoughwithsims-blog]

[1.7. Too much talking]

Ashes Family: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | WE ARE HERE

Sarah’s past: Part -0.4 | Part -0.5 | Part -1 |

Sarah’s dreams: A nightmare |

Семья Ашес: Глава 1 | Глава 2 | Глава 3 | Глава 4 | Глава 5 | 

Прошлое Сары: Часть -0.5 | Часть -1

Part 1/10. Welcome to my nothingness.

                      Chapter 7. Too much talking.

- So, will you make me leave? - Johnny looked so smug, that there was no doubt that he can’t even imagine this turn of event.

- Whatevs, I don’t care, - I sighed. - What do you need from me?

- Told you already. Just came to talk. You know, you don’t text me, don’t call… - to be honest I was actually impressed by his overconfidence. I mean what lady in the world would text a guy after he made her leave, because she was trying to make a salad? - I miss you, babe.

- Hey, sunshine, - I started angrily, really close to actually punch him. (Yeah-yeah, violence is never a good solution, but damn it feels good).

- Don’t Sarah. Don’t worry. I forgive you.

Probably my deep shock became evident. I actually think that I even opened my mouth like a confused cartoon character.

- Ohoh? - was my reaction.

He smiled gently.

For a few seconds I was actually considering punching them, but honestly he’s naive arrogance started to seem somehow cute. Damn my weak stupid body. Must be hormones.

- Oke. We’re fine.

- I’m really happy about it, - he nodded and then started to look concern. - But you know that we are not dating right? Like I’m not in the place for relationship right now…

- Don’t worry, the last thing I wanted in the world is dating you, - honestly replied I. He didn’t look absolutely satisfied with this answer.

We kissed a bit, a few nice long gentle kisses with his hands on my body, and the thin fabric of my T-Shirt. It was nice, my head was spinning a bit, and I felt how I’m slowly getting unfocused, losing myself in these touches.

- You’re so beautiful, - whispered he.

- Meh, - replied I. I never had illusions about how I look like. I’m like… fine. There is nothing in my looks that would get people look at me twice. And you know: I’m absolutely fine with that. I still had sex with the hottest girl in the world and…

Now thoughts of Rachel made me moan quietly: combination of warm Johnny’s touches and his lips on my neck combined with the memory of Rachel’s beautiful smile and her perfect body…

But Johnny wouldn’t be Johnny if he didn’t ruin everything.

- Work has been crazy lately, - he said out of blue.

- What? - I must have misheard him.

- You know, my job? - he started telling me some extremely long story about some nonsence problems he had in the theater, where people didn’t appreciate his talent and his Seinfeld-like acts. For a few minutes I was actually listening to him, hoping that he wall come to his senses and will stop rumbling and will get to fucking, but I think he got just way too into the sound of his voice.

- You know they will regret it later, obviously. I’m going to get pretty famous and not only around here.

Considering I was the only one who lived in Newcrest (not counting a few ghosts), I’d say he chose a suitable plank.

Then he started telling some angry stories about the comedy club owner, my patience has run out and I told him that probably it’s time for him to go.

- But why? - he looked confused.

- I have things to do, - weirdly enough annoyance in my voice made the trick and he actually left with the promise of kisses and some other shit I didn’t really trust.

My house became quiet and comfortable, and I sat in front of my computer, feeling happy and relaxed. I played a bit in The Sims, but in the middle of the game one of my virtual characters started to remind me someone, which was absurd enough. I was looking at its light hair, appreciating its neediness and the fact that it’s immortal and somehow I felt some random memories coming back.

Something about being drunk and happy, something about being crazy in love.

I was thinking of Benjamin again and a bit about Rachel and my heart ached so much with weird nostalgic happiness, even though usually any memories of these two were just making me cry.