#once i get settled with it though that'll likely go away so just gotta get over that first hurdle lol

[dawntheduckrb]

Someone drew pearl on a wall in the art building lol

[fairyhaos]

❍ the 2k event: seungkwan + blossoms

alternative title: this is what healing is

pairing: seungkwan x gn!reader

genre: canon universe, established relationship, comfort-ish

word count: 1285

warnings: none

event taglist (send ask to be added): @slytherinshua @rubywonu @weird-bookworm @pepperonijem @amxlia-stars @hannyoontify @my-moarmy-heart @suminsfav @minhui896 @haocovr @lockburn-castle @sweet-like-caramel @horanghae8 @graybaeismytae @karionice @hopetiger10 @shuabby1994 (and @wheeboo cz. it's seungkwan)

"Y/N! Come on, we can't slow down now, we're almost there!"

"And where," you pant, "is 'almost there', Seungkwan? Almost there to my death?"

Seungkwan smiles, and it's not his brilliant, heart-bursting smile but it's close enough. "You shouldn't have offered to take me out hiking, love," he says teasingly, from where he's standing on the path further up. "You gotta deal with the consequences."

You groan, pulling yourself up with your hiking poles along the dirt path. "Yeah, next time I'll just offer to pay for a full spa day for you. That'll be way easier than this torture I accidentally signed up for."

Seungkwan chuckles, continuing to hike up the mountainside while you groan and complain and sweat to death behind him. 

Your boyfriend loves nature. He loves being surrounded by it, feeling humbled by the vast everlastingness of the earth, feeling part of the unending beauty of the world and the countless lives of animals and plants that he has the privilege of living alongside. It relaxes him, brings him peace, allows his soul to settle more comfortably in his body once he's able to see that he's important, that he matters, that nature is there for him and surrounds him and he is at once a part of it and forever under its power the entire time. 

It's a complex combination of feeling humility at nature's capability and feeling comfort at being in her care, but you get it. You understand Seungkwan. 

That's why you offered him a healing day out trekking up some of South Korea's most idyllic mountains, after all. 

You're kind of regretting agreeing to come along, though. 

Well, almost. 

"Y/N, I swear, we're almost there this time," Seungkwan insists when you wail about your legs again. He's standing at a curve in the path you're following, which isn't really much of a path but more of a wobbly line of soil where the ground has been worn down just a little more than the rest of the undergrowth surrounding you. 

"What, almost to the top?" you manage to say. Wow, you need to exercise more. 

Seungkwan shakes his head. "No, we're almost at a rest point though! There's a fallen tree we can sit on."

"A fallen tree," you deadpan, crunching through leaves. "We're almost at a fallen tree."

Seungkwan wrinkles his nose playfully at your tone. "Yes. A fallen tree. But I'm really, really certain that we've almost reached the summit, if you wanna forgo a break and carry on…?"

"No, no, let's take a break," you say hurriedly, hobbling up the remaining stretch to find the fallen tree he was talking about and flopping down. "Ah, that's better."

There's a peaceful silence then, as you drink your water and Seungkwan tilts his head back, revelling in the quiet that comes with being so, so far away from other people. You watch him out of the corner of your eye and fight the urge to grin widely. 

This is the one, sole reason that you don't regret coming on this trip. 

He has his eyes closed, the sunlight peeking through the green leaves of the trees and casting an uneven glow across his face, one cheek, half of his forehead, the tip of his nose and small spatterings of his eyelids lit up in gold. He looks like he's been blessed all over by some sun deity, but nothing can top the utterly content look on his face. 

Seungkwan hasn't been feeling himself lately, and you get it, with all that's been going on for him. He's been doing so well, and you tell him so, but sometimes those words aren't enough. Sometimes he just needs time to distance himself, to heal without having the reminders of his pain and struggles hitting him in the face. 

Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirps, and Seungkwan opens his eyes. 

"Don't you think that the day sky is so beautiful?" he says, contemplatively, squinting through the forest canopy. 

You look up with him, squinting your eyes. "The day sky?" you echo. 

He shrugs. "Yeah. Everyone always talks about the night sky, and yet no one seems to mention how pretty the sky is during the day."

You tilt your head, watching as faint wisps of white clouds drift by, in between the green leaves and up there in the brilliant blueness of the sky. 

"The moon is really, really beautiful," you say, "but I guess we never do think about how pretty the sun is too."

"The moon will forever be beautiful," Seungkwan agrees, voice softening, "but there's beauty in the day as well. There's so much light. So much vibrancy. So much potential for living."

You smile, lowering your head to look over at Seungkwan. He still has his head tilted upwards, so far up that you can't see his eyes. But after a moment, he squeezes his eyes shut and looks at you with a smile. It's a sad smile, but there's relief there, a happiness that comes from having the time to be with such refreshing scenery and his thoughts and with you. 

His eyes crinkle as he leans forward to press a kiss to your nose. "You know I love you, right?"

You hum, placing your hand on his cheek to keep him in place and quickly kiss his forehead. His skin is clammy with sweat, your hand warm on his equally warm cheek, but the softness in his eyes makes everything else rendered irrelevant. 

"I should hope so," you say drily after pulling away. "I'm here, suffering with you right now. I'm currently loving you too damn much for you not to love me back."

Seungkwan laughs at that, a ringing bell sound that sounds so much like his usual self that it makes you laugh too. 

"Well, thank you for loving me that much," he says, and it's teasing, but there are rosy warm threads of sincerity to his words. "Thank you, oh noble Y/N, for putting up with me."

"Any time," you say, and you can recognise that warm sincerity in your own voice too. "I'll do anything for you."

Seungkwan smiles. 

A wind blows around you, blessedly cool, and you sigh in happiness. Sometimes small and cold sticks to your forehead, and you dislodge it to gawk at the small blossom petal that managed to stick to your sweaty skin. 

"Kwan, look at this petal that stuck to me," you say, turning to your boyfriend, only to laugh at the way he has two on his cheek, seemingly going unnoticed by him.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"You had a little something on your face, babe," you say, taking off the petals and showing them to him. Seungkwan blinks down at them before chuckling and shaking his head. 

"There must be cherry blossom trees further up ahead," he said, watching as more pale pink petals float around you.

You hum thoughtfully, staring at the little blossom petals. "Blossoms represent growth, you know," you say. "And new beginnings. They symbolise a better tomorrow."

Seungkwan tilts his head. "Really?" He's silent for a moment, before standing up. "Well, we better get going, I think. I want to see this blossom tree at the summit, now that we know it's there."

Instantly, you're groaning, and Seungkwan laughs as he takes your hand and pulls you to your feet, teasing you the entire way. But he doesn't let go of your hand, and the two of you walk leisurely up the mountain, skin all sun-dappled and with blossoms in your hair as you make your way to the top and to that blossom tree. 

All the way to a better tomorrow. 

[blindrapture]

SUNDAY JULY 17TH, 2011 (The Grand Gtheru)

9:04 AM Woke up to the sound of snoring. We're still here. Still on the plane. Donnie's sleeping next to me, sleeping soundly. The sky outside is orange, reminds me of a sunset. That factory from last night... it persisted into my dreams. Like we missed something in there. Like we're gonna have to go back, if not soon then sooner than later. Like there was someone in there who needed our help. Like, if we'd kept going downstairs, flight after flight, we'd start seeing patterns in the blackness that would have given away the game and told us everything we'll ever need to know. If only we'd save the beast below… But these are just dreams. Dreams in the apocalypse… Well. There's no use going over it again now. We've got a different kind of staircase to descend, deeper and deeper. What's at the bottom of this one?

9:07 AM She wants a bit more rest. Well, okay. I guess I’ll just stay here a little longer.

9:27 AM The plane shook heavily. We got some turbulence or something? …inner turbulence? *rim shot*

9:30 AM OH GOD HEAVY TURBULENCE THIS MUST BE THE SEVENTH DEGREE Donnie's awake. Reaching for her rifle. I don't know if that'll do much good in a moving plane. We've just gotta.. brace. I'm gonna look out the window. The sky's changed to purple real fast.

9:32 AM The clouds are giant floating spiders. We’re flying through an upside down mountain range in the sky. The same mountain range is down below. We've been here before. Something looks odd, though. The sky isn’t actually pulsing purple here; it’s just plain purple. Maybe it’s because we decoded the fifth Cipher? ..ope, more heavy turbulence.

9:34 AM The sky is swirling colors.

9:36 AM ..it’s settled on a starker orange, pulsing red a few times a minute. Now the plane's starting to dip. I think we're landing. I think we're here.

9:38 AM We've got a bag with weapons in it. There's the ammo for our rifle, the gun itself strapped to Donnie's back. There's Tiger Stripes, which I've got on my back. There's Donnie's frying pan, staying in the bag for now. And we still have some nonperishable foods in the bag too. I'll carry the bag.

9:45 AM …wait what physics where are they THE PLANE HAS JUST ABRUPTLY STOPPED. We are now suspended in mid-air, frozen in place above what looks like a cornfield far below. I don’t like where this is going.

9:46 AM "Over here, by the door. I found parachutes." Oh god, we’re really gonna have to do it. We’re up in the clouds. Uh, spiderclouds. This isn’t going to be a pleasant landing.

9:53 AM Well. That was terrifying. It wasn’t as much of a drop as I’d expected, thankfully, but.. well, I suppose once you get past the jump and make sure to pull the string, it’s over quick. Hoo. Right. Thoughts. This cornfield’s.. not what I was expecting. The corn’s all eyestalks. With eyes on top of each. o_o

9:57 AM They kinda remind me of spaghetti. "Pfft, shut up, they look nothing like spaghetti."

9:59 AM I just bumped into a tall black pole, and it felt warm and full of life. Legsteps. They’re inactive right now, though. Just big legs.

10:40 AM The eyefield finally ended. Now there’s a few miles of grassy plains ahead of us. The grass is a distinct teal hue, and there’s a strangely warm wind blowing through. It’s just miles of sprawling teal plains in all directions, other than dead ahead, as this is where it gets interesting. A few miles ahead of us is an enormous structure, what I’d call some sort of eldritch Rapture Tower. It stretches high into the sky, far higher than even the hourglass mountain from the God Machine’s Realm stretched to. It makes me wonder what abomination inhabits this section of Xanadu.

11:13 AM Lightning struck in front of us. o_o; Of course, it was the awesome hamburger lightning, so we got free food out of it.

11:54 AM We’re at the tower entrance. There’s a door with no doorknob, and an inscription on the side. The inscription shows “eyestalk = key.” …fuck. >_> Well, at least we have plenty of time to do this!

11:58 AM Starting the long trek. Sigh.

12:32 PM I hear a vague hum. It’s never a noise I like hearing. We’re all on guard.

1:04 PM Made it. Got an eyestalk. Donnie grabbed one too, just in case. And now we go all the way back!

1:19 PM ..random eyestalk in the middle of the plains. Staring at us. They don’t normally do that. We’re on guard.

1:37 PM Patch of several different eyestalks. All staring at us. This is just weird.

2:04 PM We’re back at the tower. I’m legitimately surprised nothing happened at all on the way here. Not even any Legsteps waking up.

2:05 PM Donnie’s holding the eyestalk she took up to the door FIDJFG OKAY We’re.. we’re in a giant ballroom now! I guess we’re inside! This ballroom is gorgeous. Sequins in the curtains, chandeliers at least seventy feet above us, spotless marble floors, portraits of fancy designs on the walls. Just like everywhere else, though, it’s completely deserted.

2:08 PM Stepping through, slowly. I'm following Donnie, as she's still heavily armored. I've got our 6. Or whatever. I only hear our footsteps. I see no shadow out of place. Just a quiet ballroom. Oh shit, a bathroom. Hang on, Donnie!

2:11 PM I stepped into the men’s room and immediately saw the women’s restroom from that hotel in London. I saw the Harlequin standing there, looking below the stalls into the one I was hiding in. And then I blinked. Now it’s just a regular restroom. For. For all I know, that one was all in my head.

2:14 PM This stall has one piece of graffiti, and only one. Was guwo ga endia yora omnis, grow en envied gyas knawa yora dest manaf. Was yant ga guatrz yorra ruinie en stel art yora dsier deata art alroetsue. Zodaw. No clue what it means, or even what language it’s in. But it creeps me out. o_o;

2:17 PM I heard Donnie gasp outside. I'm coming, I'm coming! …okay what Mannequins! All standing around the ballroom, being mannequins! Most are frozen in romantic dancing poses. Donnie's in the middle of the floor. The spotlight’s on her, so bright. I see no fear in her eyes, no expectation, no emotion at all besides curiosity. The mannequins, without being seen moving, have formed an aisle directly between herself and I. A nearby speaker begins playing some familiar piece in an old-fashioned style. Donnie looks so curious. I.. am, too. I want to know a lot of things, but.. ..but then again, right now I’m just curious as to how well she can dance.

2:25 PM We slow danced. It went.. surprisingly well. She led the way, and as we shifted, we touched not a single mannequin. They seemed to shift out of the way for us when we weren’t looking. And then the Legsteps came in. They came in and turned the oldie-sounding piece into a dubstep remix of Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger." As the piece came to a climax, the feeling that it was just me and her in there came true: all the mannequins are now gone. As if to applaud our performance, a ladder has fallen from the ceiling. We can climb it to reach some new room.

2:28 PM fdsjg water wet journal wet

(The journal is perfectly dry.)

2:34 PM We swam upward, only to discover we were trapped in some kind of underwater maze. So we swam right, up, right, up, left, up, and.. yeah, directions. Now we’re in a room with a very low ceiling. I have to take my trilby off just to fit in here. There’s a little rabbit in here and a sign that reads “1- Kill.” ..o_o;

2:35 PM I wish I hadn’t seen that. A set of stairs has appeared nearby, taking us to the next floor.

2:36 PM This is also a room with a low ceiling. There’s another sign in here that reads “2- Kill.” There’s a few flies flying around. Well. Okay. Even I can do that one.

2:39 PM 3- Kill, two spidercats.

2:43 PM Give me a minute. These were just spidercats, but, like. That doesn't mean it's fun to see, or to know what I've done.

2:50 PM 4- Kill. This is a severed human head that still functions perfectly. He calls himself “Teddy,” and he’s begging us to put him out of his misery. o__o;;

2:52 PM …

2:53 PM 5- Solve. Yes, something that doesn’t say “Kill!” Here, we have a chessboard set up. There’s a rock shaped perfectly like an old man seated at one end of the board, seeming to suggest that we get first move.

2:55 PM Donnie, I had no idea you were so good at chess. She’s taken the seat and is making some pretty interesting moves. Moves I wouldn’t use. But then I’ve never won a game of chess in my life.

3:02 PM She and the rock man look of equal wit.

3:09 PM Donnie just fucking pulled a “Checkmate.” Rad, dude. The next staircase is open.

3:10 PM 6- Kill, a tree.

3:12 PM 7- Kill, a mouse. "I'm not really.. loving this either, Jordan." No, I know. Look, just. Let me do this. You did the rabbit.

3:14 PM 8- Kill, a regular human being named Jeremiah.

3:19 PM He fought back. Had me on the ground until Donnie shot him square in the chest.

3:20 PM 9- Kill, a WAIT WHAT AM I SEEING THIS RIGHT

3:21 PM I am. o____e;; It’s asking us to perform an abortion. There’s a woman right here, fully awake, no anesthetics, naked, legs spread. Pregnant. And the room provides us with a crowbar. Donnie said, to the room, "Are we going up against fucking Jigsaw?"

3:30 PM I mean, I’m.. I’m pro-choice, but… this is just a caricature of what that even means. ..the staircase still isn’t down. Oh, it wants the woman, too. ._.

3:37 PM She kept screaming about how the NIHIL was keeping her here. The Sine Labore Nihil. ..”Nothing without work.” Staircase is here.

3:38 PM 10- Solve. There’s two doors and two guards. Yeah, no, this is an easy one. Oldest trick in the book. If you were the other guard, what would you say is the door leading further up the tower? "I don't know. He never talks to me." ...shit. donnie's found instructions on the wall. probably should have read these first. "One guard never tells a lie. One guard never hears a lie. These are the same guard. The other guard never leaves his post while observed. One door leads further up the tower. The other door leads back to the entrance. You have as many questions as you need, but if you choose the wrong door and make your way back here, the doors and guards may shuffle." What? donnie "What?" okay uh. never tells a lie, never hears one either… and the other one.. I mean, he may tell a lie? it doesn't specify... but he never leaves his post while observed… donnie, let's both look away from the guards. 3:39 PM When we turned around again, one of the guards was inches away from my face. I nearly decked him on instinct. He's gone back to his door. Okay, so he's not the one who will always tell the truth. But he's also the one who told us that the other one never talks to him. Uh. donnie "Hey, mister!" talking to the truthful one "Yes?" "What's behind your door?" "I dunno. Never checked." "You've never checked?" shrug "The doors change every now and then. I can't say for sure where either of them go." "Dammit." "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." Could you... check now? "Oh, I never leave my post, not ever." "Wait, so you also never could have checked before, then? So your answer omitted that. That's kind of untruthful." "Well, is a lie by omission still a lie?" "Yes" Yes "Huh." Wait!!! Donnie!!! What if he's the liar? What if both guards moved when we weren't looking? You there! Other guard! What's behind your door? "Oh, I don't know. I never checked." Shit!

3:42 PM We just tried a fucking door. It's pure blackness in here. Following Donnie's headtorch.

3:44 PM A LONG FUCKING WALK a voice speaks to me...

4:08 PM Here’s what seems to be a fancy hallway, red carpet and everything. Portraits line the wall, all of famous musicians. There’s a left and a right here, as well as a path back into blackness. I don't know where Donnie went.

4:10 PM I took a left, and now I'm in a giant room filled to the brim with mirrors. Specifically, it seems to be a mirror maze. The ceiling and floor are mirrors. The walls are mirrors. And when they're not mirrors, they're glass, looking out into more and more corridors and twists and turns of mirror and glass.

4:12 PM ..some else is in here with me. Hearing footsteps now. Donnie? ...

4:14 PM I hate tension, I hate horror, I hate feeling scared, I hate it, I hate it

4:16 PM but. I fucking love mazes. u_u

4:20 PM left forward right right forward fuck back left forward forward left forward right right left

4:24 PM just when I think I'm getting a sense of the size of this maze, another turn breaks my sense of the boundaries. now there's stairs taking me to another level above. maze upon maze.

4:32 PM I swear I saw movement in a reflection in the corner of my eye. oh god where is that exit

4:38 PM …it’s up there. On the ceiling. A ladder into a trapdoor. Very high ceiling. Now how do I get there. Maybe if I keep looking. Maybe if I try to get to the far side wall.

4:53 PM I made it. I found the far side wall. But I'm gonna feel even more vulnerable climbing up that ladder.

4:54 PM Okay. I’m gonna give it a shot. Gonna climb up and push on that trapdoor, see what's above.

5:949 eo a voice speaks to me. I made it to the floor above, out of the maze, and staring at me is a corpseg brown hair with purple bow, striped shirt, a face I knowr this is Anna. this was Anna. she made it to the tower, she made it this fari eyes staring lifeless, flies buzzing. I killed those ones just as easily as the ones beforem I don't see what killed her. I don't see what pierced her heart. there is nothing arounda this was the right part of america for my ex to have gotten to. I can believe she made it here, to this Cipher's realm. but something killed her before I could get herel what would I have even said to her? would she have been happy to see me? we ended awkwardly. I wished her well... I could have gotten hered I could have gotten here. I could have gotten here. she didn't deserve thisi

65843920 mrf mrff mfff mfff mrff mrff donnie help

6:45 PM do you want to see?

6:50 PM the musicians have left. but anna is still here. the door ahead opened, and donnie found me. found anna. "did you do this?" I found her. "huh. someone else trying to get to the top of the tower." this was anna. this was my ex. "o-oh. are you sure?" I.. guess I can't be. but. "c'mon. let's.. leave this room. you don't need to hang around this." no. yeah. okay. let's go.

7:34 PM Somewhere along the way, we wound up boarding a small indoor riverboat ride. It was very pleasant, complete with cute music as we rode. I.. didn't feel it. Maybe that wasn't... her? I never did meet her. We were an online thing. And we didn't even last long. But beyond that, we were friends. But that is to say, I can't be certain that every brown-haired corpse... is… Ugh.

7:37 PM The boat let us off at the bottom of a large staircase. We’re going up. No other choice. "This feels close to the top. Are you sure you're okay for a big fight?" I'll try. "It might have still been a Musician thing, you know…" Please, let's just.. go, up the stairs, let's go.

7:40 PM Reached the top. Huge majestic doors.

7:41 PM This is a very giant concert hall. About as big as the cathedral the God Machine resided in. I bet this is the room we’ve been hunting.

7:43 PM There’s a single eyestalk on the stage. o_o

7:45 PM RISING …THAT’S I KNOW THAT THING THAT’S GTHERU. THE GUITAR-SHAPED BLUE MONSTER. Except this one is giant, has millions of suction-y tentacles, and an eye stalk for every pore. It’s the Grand Gtheru. Monitors above the stage label it as “The Sixth Cipher,” and “Sine labore nihil.” Nothing without work. As heard before.

7:48 PM And in come the Legsteps with a bitchin’ drop. Starts with a siren and everything! How appropriate. "You ready, Jordan?" I'm good. It's us against a giant boss monster. That's all that matters right now. Let the attack begin.

7:53 PM Gtheru’s sending its tentacles at us. I'm trying that crowbar, we picked it up earlier. It's sharper than it looks.

7:58 PM Fended off the invading tendrils. Now the tentacles are retreating, and the Legsteps are playing some other riff. ..eye stalks. A wave of eye stalks. Okay. Gotta cut some chaff. Wheat. Uh. How does the expression go?

7:59 PM Donnie’s running off. What’s she doing she’s going to the concert stage. Whacking the fucker, but it’s blocking itself with tentacles! Hold up there, I'm coming!

8:02 PM I’ve fought my way here; Gtheru’s tentacling up a shield, but this crowbar sliced it apart. Underneath is some very strange substance that’s pink and smells like plastic. Donnie's cocking her rifle. Looks like she'll be adding her own.

8:07 PM My crowbar does nothing against the under-substance, but Donnie's rifle is ineffective to the surrounding tentacles. So she's the offense, and I'm the defense.

8:13 PM Gtheru’s closing his tentacles in, trying to trap us inside. I got us out; looks like round one’s over.

8:15 PM Gtheru changed colours. He’s now orange. The Legsteps are playing something really strange now. Heavy as fuck, but strange. ..Gtheru’s tentacles are floating, separate of it. Some are blue, some are red. I sense they’re going to try attacking us.

8:18 PM Oh god, I can’t figure out how to damage a single one. Donnie's gotten some, but then many others just have the bullets bounce off like nothing. They’re flying around, lashing us again and again

8:19 PM ..hey, I just damaged that one. That one that was blue. Hm.

8:20 PM I can hit only blue, Donnie can hit only red. When we hit them, they drop little.. gadgets. They look like jigsaw pieces.

8:25 PM I put a lot of them together and it made a little harpoon. o_o Throwing it!

8:26 PM Socked Gtheru square in the face, it seemed to hurt it! ..the monitors above the stage just said “2: Upload,” but then changed; now they say “GOTO 1: Author.” Huh. The tentacles are flying at us again.

8:34 PM We repeated the process and made another little harpoon. The monitors say “2: Upload” now. Throwing now!

8:35 PM It just shattered to pieces, the harpoon. And the monitor said “ERROR: User multiuploaded.” ..idea.

8:42 PM Another harpoon. Okay, Donnie, you throw this one.

8:43 PM Right in the face, it did damage! “GOTO 1: Author.”

8:50 PM Okay. My turn.

8:51 PM Goto 1 again.

9:02 PM Okay, Donnie. "Upload" that fucker.

9:03 PM Gtheru is keeling over in pain, but it seems to be still sending tentacles. The screen says “3: Review. Who did most damage?” …fuck! o_o

9:05 PM Uh. We think.. it.. was Donnie’s. The last one thrown. ..the monitor’s now on “4: Publish.” Gtheru’s tentacles are back to surrounding its now-blue self. "Okay. Cover me, please." Right behind you!

9:14 PM Gtheru changed colours one more time. He’s red now. The screen says “5: Promote.” Fuck. What? ….what’s that noise

9:15 PM SHADOWCLONES running right past us. o_o Charging at Gtheru. It’s roaring like mad, and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

9:17 PM The Grand Gtheru is dead. What a weird-ass fight.

9:18 PM Where it used to be, there’s an inscription. The actual Cipher. Zaarn, plina, zarle, milra yeeel! …it’s that language again. What does. What does that mean. "Roaring oceans, rustling meadows, gushing waterfalls are all but fragrances of the past.” OH GOD BLINDING LIGHT

9:19 PM cockroach jesus. at the entrance of the hall. wearing his white robe to disguise his body. "The works of nature home to your planet are all but fragrances of the past now. As we come closer to that bountiful boundless day, a new era will seize the lies and teach you a more fundamental nature: what is natural to all existence." donnie's pointing her rifle at him he's smiling wider "I do not fear your weapons. There is nothing to fear when Rapture is coming." shoot him. BANG she got him in the face. a big hole in his cheek. no blood. he still smiles. ...he's turned away from us. about to leave. Wait! What did we... just... do? What did this Cipher do? chuckle. "Sine labore nihil held the cruelty at bay."

11:00 PM What? ..what just happened? We’re in the Peisistratos. ..I don’t know. o_e

11:04 PM Tiresias came in. He’s telling us to rest up. “We will talk in the morning; I need time to prepare."

11:39 PM Donnie’s clutching me tight, fast asleep. I can try to sleep, but.. I’ve got too much on my mind right now. Just want to write. Just want to think.

(Attached: “As do I. One of the chapters in my life is something of a riddle to me, and this log brought it to mind. I'd just finished signing a hieroglyph onto the side of a mountain-- the other gods talked me into it, they consider it to be their form of an autograph for the eyes of history-- when I figured I'd just about stayed long enough. In my time in ancient Earth, I'd prevented many divine bouts, shared my wisdom with whatever humans felt themselves ready to stare into my blank gaze, and even celebrated a new year. No luck on taking memory away, though. I'd have to wait for that superpower to come. Instead, satisfied with the state of affairs of the times, I sneaked away in a lull of conversation and approached the Gates of Olympus.

A mahogany wind kept me company as I braved the elements of the Empty City of yesteryear. It wasn't really any different, but for some reason on this occasion it decided to delay my journey a little longer, knowing I could do nothing in retaliation, knowing I depended on its mercy if I wished to travel anywhere. For three days and many more nights I wandered the repetitive streets until I happened upon something resembling a park. There, I decided to take refuge on a bench and rest my eyes a little.

I dreamt I was blind in a more mortal manner. I dreamt of the widest expanse of nothing you've ever seen, stretches of the stuff shifting between every blink, my blinks lasting aeons in this mighty sleep. I dreamt of sound, of smell, of touch, of memory. The sound of love's laughter. The smell of hair. The touch of fingers upon fingers. The memory of a life without responsibilities such as these, the memory of a youth in sight unaffected.

My eyes opened to the sound of birds chirping. I felt someone sit down on the bench next to me. No matter how hard I tried, I could not see. I touched my face, ensured I was still there. Pinched myself, ensured I did not still dream. Cried out Untamo's name. I was not dreaming. I could not see anything. I figured it was appropriate that I would finally experience the blindness proper, but still I felt cheated. I heard the sound of rustling next to me. Then of chewing. I spoke, asked who was there.

-- Your best friend, ever. I recognized the voice. --- Sempiternity. -- The same, am I. You? Spoken with the diction of a professor. --- I.. believe I'm same. Sane? Same as I've ever been. -- Tiresias. Which? --- I'm, uh. Thoth. More chewing. -- Still young. Ham sandwich? I reached out my hand until I felt the food placed into my grasp. Took it and ate it. It was good.

: After a while of silence, I asked: --- Where have you been since Nyarlathotep and his bunch showed up? Offended. -- Not because you should, but because you must. --- What? Apologetic. -- I travel the stars. Hardly by my choice. I recalled where I'd met my friend to begin with: They'd just sorta stumbled into our universe, unsure of the location or the date. I suppose they really can't control their wanderings. -- - It's okay. So where are we, might I ask? Silence. --- Sempi? -- I cannot say where. --- You can't say? -- No. I cannot see. --- What. Why.. well, why not? A long sigh. -- Last place I arrived, I scared the people. They held me up to… a hole in the sun. Burned my eyes out, pain. Of course, next day my eyes recovered but when the people saw, they blindfolded me and cursed the blindfold. I can't take it off. --- A curse? What do you mean by that? Meekly. -- I mean 'eldritch stuff.'

I fumed. Nothing turned red in my mind. I stood up. --- They can't get away with that! Can you take me to them? -- I can't, never. No. I stood there, feeling the rhythm of anger fade away. Felt tangible. Felt awkward. Waited for any further response before I asked --- Why not? -- Do you know of time? --- What kind of question is that? I'm the god of time! Or something. Of course I know time! -- You don't know of time, forever's meaning. You know the words to eternity's song but you sing along to an opera you merely observe. The angst in their voice turned into a python of poison upon my ears. ---- Oh yeah? I've watched worlds crash and burn. I've participated in the ultimate battles to determine the fates of everyone I've ever loved. I have loved, and I've lost. You can't say I don't know more than the words to this opera.

I heard Sempi get up. Felt a finger stab my chest, lighter than a push but firmer than a touch. A point. -- You know of a life, your life, a life that stands a sentence in the library of time. The battles you fought were not fought by you, you were an actor. The people you've lost, you care more about their deaths' impact on you and yes I say that with poison, with angst, with vitriol, with knowledge of the-- experience of the-- unbeatable hatred, tragedy, the flames of elders and worse still the damned sufferings of youths, so now a FUCK YOU for you have not lived, you have barely breathed, you do not know the sickest part of all of this opera. Time is entropy, or ideally, time feeds on effect. But eternity is endless, endless! So all we suffer, and all we fucking cry and grieve and die and hate and kill, fuck-- all of this has been a single letter in dictionaries multi-volumed and always written. We have not been through a fraction of all we'll go through before we can finally end our suffering-- lie down and… just…… die. Silence. No more birds chirping. -- Forever's a long time before I die. Then I heard footsteps running away. Sempi was gone. I stood there for about a minute, thinking about what happened. Then I found I could see again, see an empty park in an empty city established for empty worlds with empty gods. I hated it all. A duck flew by. I sighed and resumed my long walk home.”)

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[mwebber]

41, 51, 2, 8, 34 for Martian :))

hiyaa thanks for sending this along! gonna try post-retirement martian..

41. Which one would take their jacket it off and drape over the other one because they were visibly shivering?

maybe when he was younger, seb was more absentminded regarding the care and keeping of Himself--the invincibility of youth, etc, you know how it is. but as he's gotten older, he's also gotten better about preparing for unexpected weather. it's mark, surprisingly, that'll get distracted by the outdoors, and in his hubris, think he can get beat the rain home. seb's lost count of the number of times he's dragged mark under an awning and shrugged off his coat, reaching up to pull it over mark's shoulders with a scowl. why don't you ever check the weather before we leave the house, he'll say. to his annoyance, mark will simply settle the coat more securely over himself, and beam at him. i've got you to handle it, don't i? and, well. seb can't argue with that.

51. What’s a non verbal way they say I love you?

it's like a dissonant, suspended chord from their red bull days, their unwillingness to be entirely vulnerable. that they care strongly for one another is never in doubt--it's impossible to go through what they did and not have an intimate understanding of the other--but sometimes, they finds themselves having to pay closer attention to their actions to understand the true extent. when mark walks close enough to seb that their hands bump, and his pinkie finger hooks around seb's; when seb isn't on dish duty, but he steps in to help anyway; when mark tucks seb's curls behind his ear, and his thumb lingers; when seb offers to help fix mark's bike; it's almost as though they're broadcasting their affection for each other. they only ever need to tune into the right frequency to listen.

2. What would they do if the other woke in a manic state after a nightmare?

seb gets stress dreams, sometimes. he's not one-track minded, per se, it's just that when something unresolved is on his mind, it'll stay there until he resolves it. he never remembers his dreams, once he opens his eyes; just the impression of fear, some phantom shadow curling at the edges of his vision. thus, in the early hours, it's not a manic state he wakes up in after a nightmare so much as an unsettled one. fortunately, mark can clock his mood like he's got a radar for seb's happiness installed in his brain, and he usually stirs awake too. it's helpful in moments like this, because he also knows exactly what to do: he'll pull seb closer, and hold seb's hand even if it's still clammy with sweat, and tangle their legs together, or do whatever's most convenient to remind seb that he's there, like a guard dog. or, seb thinks, as he breathes in the warmth and the lingering smell of detergent and something certifiably mark, more like a teddy bear that chases the darkness away from under the bed. when he closes his eyes again, he's on a rowboat under the stars, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the ocean's swells beneath him, and anchored to shore with a rope tied carefully by mark's hand.

8. What happens if one of them gets sick?

naturally, they both get sick. mark's the one who's away from home more (and more, because the race seasons just keep getting longer), so when he gets that familiar feeling of dryness in his throat, it feels like an inevitability. at first, he tries to quarantine himself, because someone's gotta take care of the animals and keep the place running. but seb insists on taking care of him instead, uncaring of the germs. it works out, in the end: when seb gets too sick to crawl out of bed, mark's well enough to feed the chickens. they take it easy for a week, or at least until they can spend a day without hacking a lung out. life goes on.

34. Who's more likely to tell a dirty joke or story to make the other blush?

if seb is anything, he's a little shit-eating gremlin who knows precisely what he's doing at all times, or at least in the times that are most inconvenient to mark. case in point, right before he's about to go on tv. seb's innuendos and double entendres aren't even subtle, as though he's stopped trying to flirt entirely, and instead taken it for granted that he has mark wrapped around the cute little index finger he sticks up in victory sometimes. the problem is, he's not wrong. mark steps in front of the camera with his cheeks tinged pink--from the heat, obviously--and a smile that twitches at the corner of his lips, like he can't help himself. viewers everywhere wonder what's so funny, especially since neither dc nor steve jones are being particularly interesting. it remains a mystery to everyone but seb, who takes a quick, suggestive picture of himself, and sends it to mark. none of the microphones pick up the notifying buzz.

ask me about martian / nobody asks you questions!

[freshsprout]

OK SO modern verse... except it's super subject to change bc this is pretty much me just word vomiting

i'm thinking that instead of having eleazar, she's struggled with chronic illnesses (such as lupus or lyme disease? not sure yet, i gotta read more into it, but definitely something that causes joint pain, difficulty with moving, exhaustion, etc. so basically the irl version of eleazar, except it's not a disease that can go away overnight with some magic cure, but also not as terminal as eleazar).

just like in my main verse for her, she uses mobility aids whenever needed, HOWEVER i'm thinkin maybe she has a service animal too, which may or may not be named cuilein-anbar hehe....

not sure how to translate her canon past with the fatui to a modern verse just yet so i'll have to think about that some more BUT she was at some point found homeless and wandering the streets; got caught stealing so she was sorta bouncing between juvie, foster families, and hospital for some time before Kind of settling at an orphanage. (perhaps this is where she meets amber? she seems like the type to volunteer at orphanages).... the second collei legally became an adult, she got tf outta there, possibly by getting help from tighnari/cyno/members of the knights of favonius to find a place to stay? though that'll likely differ depending on who i'm writing this au with!

ALSO she Can read and write, though not necessarily very well, and she did get held back a year in high school because, unsurprisingly, all her trauma meant she was lagging behind her classmates. luckily she was very determined to graduate, so with help from a tutor (most likely tighnari??) and her strong sense of determination, she was able to get decent grades and graduate!

UHHH TLDR FOR NOW chronically ill, newly graduated high school student with a service dog named cuilein-anbar who now goes to community college, likely studying something within humanities & social sciences.... just hoping to eventually work in a field where she can help people struggling like she once did, while also trying to find a balance where she's not pushing herself too hard either

[desertfragments]

"Sugar, I gotta- Y'know I gotta keep watching the table or Maddz' gonna tan my hide-" Geth laughs, squirming just slightly in the familiar, sturdy grip of his bud.

"Deka-----a!" He tilts his head, pointed ears twitching as he is, once again, thoroughly distracted by hands on his thighs. He picks up his water-bottle (not tonight, boys, he's got stuff to do tomorrow and he can't afford the hangover) and sips, two or three measured swallows before he holds it out and offers some to his very wanted barnacle.

"Keep this up and I'm gonna have to find someone to replace me at the table." Oh what a tragedy that would be.

"You bring that uh. Moonshine?" Hoo, boy, it is uh. Really something. He almost hopes he didn't, because if he did, he's gonna have to try it and the smell of it makes him a little concerned. Just a little.

Deka tsks, a fond, teasing smile slowly spreading on his face as he tugs his little friend closer. "Aw, it'd be su---uch a shame to steal you away." He presses a kiss against the shell of Geth's ear. Pointed teeth gently nibble and nip at warm skin.

But Geth is right. Someone has to watch the definitely not spiked punch and make sure no one is overindulging. "I guess I can't distract the noble knight from his duty of protecting the kingdom," he says with a sigh.

"But maybe I can tempt you with a little-" His weight settles and shifts on Geth's shoulders. His hands slip away- which sucks actually! He likes touching Geth- and starts searching his pockets.

"A little. Uh Hm. Ah, shit," he mutters. No, not that pocket. Or that one. Or that one. He could've sworn- Deka's head twists against Geth's hair. Oh, right.

He huffs. "Okay, I did bring some Awooshine, but it's in the other room." Cuz he forgot! It's not his fault he got so excited to see Geth. "And I don't wanna let go of you. So. You're just gonna have to go without my absolute masterful homemade brew that'll knock you flat in one drink or less. So unless you can pry me off of you, which you can't cuz," a quick kiss is pressed to Geth's cheek. "Cuz I don't wanna." A storm of giggles erupts. "Then you're just gonna have to go without. I can get you some after the party though."

He sways gently. "Is that okay?"

[soliavenne]

Gaara reacting to his S/O wearing a lingerie

- Genre: Horny-ish Gaara hours. You're probably just visiting your friend in horny jail with this one. 😝

- Word count:

- Format: Bulleted headcanons

Ah, it's been awhile! I suddenly got into the mood to write something and among the asks I have in my inbox, @rollercoasterofdicks and @anniarchy 's asks regarding lingerie are the first ones I was in the mood to write about. (:

I hope you enjoy!

Warning: R-18+ content below the cut!

---

• Gaara honestly doesn't impose a lot of expectations from you as his significant other, sexy-times wise. His mind is too pre-occupied with a lot of office-work related stuff that the man is just finally happy and content to get away from all of it as he comes home to a house that isn't cold and empty. To have a safe, welcoming space with home-cooked meals and a warm bed to rest on had already moved past his expectations to begin with.

• You could be wearing anything, and he'd still be down for it as long as both of you are in the mood. The visual appeal of his beloved's body might always be a treat, but to Gaara, it's the comforting warmth and the familiar scent of your skin that he finds really enticing. You two could just be cuddling innocently- exhausted giggles and whispered rants, the vibration of your back as you laugh against his chest while he's hugging you from behind... then he pulls you closer towards him, a soft purr of his husky voice as he asks you gently if the two of you could do it.

• "I want you..."

• Settling it once and for all in this house, no amount of ugly-patterned matching pajamas could ever stop Gaara from being in the mood to make love to his significant other. You think the fabric you are wearing at such moment would faze this man if he is horny? Not at all!

• But, that doesn't mean he is not open to such surprises involving a sexy lingerie. You just gotta' plant the idea of it bit by bit into his mind so he at least forms the outline of such racy thoughts. I guess you could say he does have a thing for a buildup of some sort, a stimulating thought process that will leave him in anticipation for the climax of your agenda.

• Why not start with a sneaky slip dress that'll make Gaara feel a little guilty for having his thoughts cross the horny boundary?

• You haven't worn such thing before, and he's not outwardly denying the brewing curiosity. Your chosen garment was at the perfect spot where you have him tiptoeing regarding two thoughts- are you simply just trying a fresh pace for sleeping clothes? Or are you implying something?

• Who was he kidding? Obviously this is not for him. This was nothing but an appropriate sleeping garment. Not everything is about him! Just because he's your husband, doesn't mean he get to spoil himself with such ideas. Right?

• Right?

• Gaara's denial would waver as you tease him innocently by pressing your backside against his crotch while the two of you are spooning together for the night.

• The man is honestly overthinking it too much to even get the clear signal in your first try, but he's trying his best.

• If only he could've have the guts to press his hard-on against your tailbone as he traces your exposed thigh with the palm of his hand...

• It wasn't a failed mission though, because you have just started some very flustering imageries in his thoughts starting from that night on, and it's only bound to get better.

• You'd find yourself wondering what type of lingerie is he into, and you've been tempted more than once to flat out ask him about it. Not wanting to ruin the slow-burn of a surprise that you knew he was aware of but just chooses to deny it, you swallowed back your inquiries.

• You did notice that his gaze was already unsteady in that small stunt you pulled with that pale grey slip the other night, so maybe start with something with softer appeal? Something just appropriately playful and teasing?

• This was a ploy to bring Gaara down to his knees, but you couldn't deny that you were enjoying it as much personally. The confidence it brings as you admire yourself in the mirror was already satisfying to begin with, but to Gaara's reaction just swells up your the pride down to the very brim.

• Pale pink, soft beige, good old neutral colors of white, grey and brown where you can't go wrong. Maybe a burnt sienna to hit the perfect spot? Laces, intricate patterns, garter belts. There was a lot to choose from that you'd find yourself having fun in shopping for the next item to torture him with.

• Torture? Why so?

• Because you softly deny his advances.

• "Ahh... I'm kind of tired, Gaara."

• How unfair could you more be?

• You literally just fucking moaned your denial while your supple thighs being snugly hugged by a sheer stockings rubbed against the crotch of his pajamas.

• You're beyond cruel, really.

• But Gaara is a good sport, and by now, he was more than willing to edge himself for you.

• Do the final show on the weekend, please. That's the tiniest hint of demand from Gaara's behalf. If you were finally going to pull him by the collar of his blouse and bring an end to this week-long tease of yours that has been causing some distractions in his work recently, you have to at least let him savor it.

• If you debut the climax with an intricate piece of a lingerie in his favorite color, he will be at your mercy.

• Gaara is a body-worshipper by default, so if you chose to wear a lingerie to increase his already innate desire to adore and praise every inch of your body, he's more than eager to deliver.

• The lingerie stays on during foreplay. Yes, the straps of your bra would be loosened and fall down the curve of your shoulders- maybe he'd sway the pads to the side a little so he could play and suckle on the hardening nub beneath it, but you will stay partially clothed. He was going to make sure that every cent of money you have poured into such a beautifully-hugging, intimate piece of clothing would be worth it. Gaara is going to admire you in it as long as possible.

• Oh? The lingerie is a little constricting? You want to spread your legs a little wider? Maybe you'd like it he fondled your actual mounds rather than having it be massaged under the pads of your bras?

• "...But you look so beautiful in your lingerie, my love."

• Yeah, needless to say this man is taking his chance right now to bite back. With the faked tone of sympathy that you just realized as you the corner of his lips almost formed a soft smirk, you knew that what he meant to say was...

• "The lingerie stays on and you're going to take everything I'm going to do just like that."

• Sadly, though... he's going to have to remove your underwear.

• Sadly though for him. You on the other hand...

• Well, if you're kind enough to pair it up next time with crotchless panties, Gaara would simply just lose his fucking mind.

• Maybe that's what you wanted in the first place though?

• Now, now. Quit spacing out and thinking about the next opportunity of messing him up.

• Should you be really worrying about such right now when you already came so much and he still hasn't even removed his own clothes yet?

---

[roselen-mylady]

the game

"First one to kiss Thor wins." Wanda suggested. Y/n tried to hide her scoff but judging by Nat's elbow in her ribs, she hadn't been successful. "Come on, Y/n!" Wanda groaned, rubbing her forehead in frustration. 

"Oh, you come on! What? Are we going to play 'would you rather' after?" Y/n joked, earning yet another jab from Nat. The two red heads glared at her annoyed but Y/n didn't care as she took a sip of champagne.

Pepper had convinced Tony to hold another party in hopes of boosting the team's morale and while it wasn't the first time he'd done it, the parties were still enjoyable. Y/n couldn't help the enthusiasm and joy that came with drinking, dancing and mingling. Everyone came, at least everyone she knew, along with a hundred other people Tony knew. Even Peter had started to attend the last few parties, granted Tony only made him a frequent attendee once he'd reached 18.

The parties were fun, yes, but still being the drama and excitement addicts they were, Y/n and her closest friends craved the thrill of their little games. They played them at every party. The first was a simple game of truth or dare and the second had been the cliche spin the bottle. But with each gathering their dares and games grew more and more risky. And Y/n loved it. They all did.

But tonight was different.

Tonight was boring.

"You're just upset that Bucky didn't want to make out in the closet with you last time we played." Nat accused. A deep frown settled on Y/n's lips from the stab at her pride but she quickly waved off Nat's insult with a dismissing hand.

"That's because he knew I was drunk off my ass. I didn't really wanna make out with him either, he's my friend. You know what alcohol does to me." She argued, getting a short disbelieving nod from Wanda in return.

"Uh huh. Or maybe cause he knows you're into his best friend." Nat suggested, sipping her own drink with a smirk as she narrowly dodged Y/n's threatening hand. Wanda giggled at the interaction, knowing there was truth behind Nat's words. She had seen into Y/n's mind and her fondness toward Steve practically screamed back at her.

"I'm not into Steve. The man is too self righteous for his own good and you know I'm into bad boys." Y/n shrugged, her attempt at hiding her feelings becoming transparent in her friends' eyes.

Yet before either of them could argue further and perhaps bring up the kiss she almost shared with Steve during spin the bottle, Sam and Bucky arrived. "Who's into bad boys? You've come to the right place ladies, I'm the baddest of them all." Sam flashed a charming smile to which they all rolled their eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sam, but I think Bucky has you beat on bad boys." Y/n challenged, sending a playful wink toward the soldier. Sam gasped, mocking hurt while Bucky rolled his eyes rather unamused with the discussion.

"That's right, weren't you the second shooter in the JFK assassination? That's gotta be as bad as it gets." Nat commented causing a dark flush on Bucky's face. A short flash of guilt appeared on his face but he instantly brushed the comment off deciding not to dig into his cloudy memory for the truth. The second shooter was just a conspiracy theory anyways. But then again, so was the Winter Solider...

"What are you, a cop?" Bucky let out a strained chuckle, bringing his drink to his lips subtly trying to pull himself from the conversation. Y/n offered an apologetic smile and he returned it gratefully before she turned her gaze away.

Despite his closed off nature she'd actually become a sort of friend to Bucky and while at first it was rocky, she rather enjoyed her friendship with him. Through Bucky she heard stories about Steve when they were growing up and she saw another side of him that she wished she'd known.

"You ladies up to another game?" Sam questioned suddenly. Nat nodded sharing a look with Wanda but Y/n's focus had been drawn away. While lost in her thoughts about him, her gaze had drifted to the man of her fantasies and she shamelessly watched as he talked with Tony and another man she didn't care to remember.

He was smiling, a sight that she cherished even if he'd never notice. The blue of his eyes seemed to shine brighter than any fireworks she'd ever seen and her heart skipped a beat just looking at them. His blonde locks had grown out while she had been snapped away but not enough to make him appear drastically changed. In fact she wasn't sure if anyone else had really noticed. Maybe she was just a stalker.

"Well, we were going to play one but Y/n thinks it's not big enough." Wanda replied, giving Y/n a glare as she turned back to the group.

"Well, it wasn't. I feel like everyone's used to our shenanigans so there's no challenge." Y/n shrugged, peering at the others with a bored stare. Sam shook his head, refusing to let the tradition die.

"What did you guys have in mind?" He asked, looking over the three women as they glanced around the party.

"Wanda suggested a competition to see who could kiss Thor first." Nat explained. Bucky scrunched his nose in disdain at the dare, exchanging a exasperated look with Y/n.

"Thor would do anything, if you asked him." Sam sighed, drinking whatever liquor he had requested. Y/n remembered him saying something about woman being attracted to a man who can handle hard liquor but she had chosen to ignore him. Though she did have to admit it must've been hard for him to compete with both of his best friends being able to drink without the effects of the alcohol they consumed.

"That's what I thought! Thor would gladly abide anything if it made us happy. He's too kind for his own good." Y/n playfully rolled her eyes as they looked over to said god. He had slimmed down significantly during his time with the guardians and Y/n could almost swear that there wasn't an ounce of body fat left on the man. His hair had been cut as well, returning to his signature length and his beard had been trimmed down to a reasonable length. In other words, the Asgardian had almost every girl swooning once more.

But Y/n was swooning for another.

The same man she had for years.

"We could make it more of a challenge." Nat proposed. The group turned to her with interested eyes, the only one who hadn't seemed to match their intrigue being a very grumpy Bucky. "We could expand the dare to all Avengers. Unless you guys wanna be pussys and limit it only to men." Nat winked.

Wanda's face flushed at the suggestion and quickly shook her head. "I have a hard enough time kissing the people I've known for years let alone all the new Avengers." She squeaked. Sam chuckled nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, not that you guys are pussys I'm just saying that is a lot of people. That'll take forever. Let's just stick with Avengers pre-snap." Sam's laughter grew at Y/n and Nat's disappointed expressions, having reaped them of the extra challenge they'd been searching for.

"How about this?" He began realizing without a catch the game wouldn't be that much fun for any of them. "You have to get them to kiss you but only using cheesy ass pick up lines." Sam explained, looking rather proud of his game plan.

"What type of kiss?" Y/n questioned suspiciously.

"Any." A buzz of laughter and eagerness flooded over the girls and Y/n smirked knowing she'd been born for this challenge. "Are we all in agreement?" Sam asked looking to each for affirmations. Once everyone was on board they put their hands in the middle, a sort of ritual they had developed as a way to insure everyone's commitment.

But another presence had been added to their usual group and they turned to Bucky to see what he would do. He had never been on the scheming side of the games and usually was a victim but now he had a choice. Though he'd rather be removed from the plan all together he figured he'd might as well get it over with while he still knew what was happening.

"Yeah, alright but I'm not doing make outs. You guys do your lines or whatever, get your kiss, then I'm out." Bucky told them, putting his vibranium arm into the middle along with the rest. With childish grins on their faces they let their hands fall as Sam stepped forward.

"As per tradition, you all start off with a good luck kiss from moi." Sam explained, putting a dramatic hand over his chest as he turned to Wanda. She scoffed at his attempt at charm allowing him to peck her lips with a teasing smirk. Turning to Nat, he hesitated allowing her to quickly kiss him, learning the hard way that coming onto her was an easy way to get a black eye. The smack of her lipstick made Bucky shake his head, his 40s mindset unable to grasp how easily they'd all accepted the concept.

Sam then turned to Y/n, noticing the way she subtly glanced in the direction of Steve as his arm came around her waist. "Looking for someone? Cause your prince charming is right here." Sam flirted earning an eye roll from the woman before him.

"I thought we were supposed to do the crappy pick up lines." Y/n raised a brow, keeping a hand on his chest to get some distance.

"I said cheesy not crappy. I'm offended." He frowned playfully only to have it wiped off his face by the soft peck of her lips. She pulled away just as quick, slipping out of his hold and shaking her head.

"Oh, how will you ever recover?" She replied sarcastically, making the girls laugh quietly beside her. He smirked turning to Bucky.

"Alright, Buck. Let's get this show on the road." Sam announced patting Bucky's shoulder roughly as he urged him forward. Surprisingly Bucky seemed more nervous than he did annoyed so Y/n decided to take the lead this time, stepping closer to the brunette.

Deciding to keep it simple for Bucky's sake she trailed her fingers along his forearm, giving him a gentle smile. "Hey, can I borrow a kiss? I promise I'll give it back." She spoke smoothly. Sam cackled behind them but Y/n paid no mind instead smiling back at Bucky as he chuckled softly, grateful she hadn't used one of the dirty lines he was sure she had.

Shaking his head he leaned down, placing a gentle kiss to the corner of her lips. Though he made it seem like he was annoyed by the games he was forced into every party, he found Y/n made them more enjoyable, being one of his only friends.

"Go on. You better win since it's your fault I'm a part of this." He grumbled and Y/n laughed, nodding before running off to claim more lips.

On the other side of the room a certain blonde had caught sight of her, his eyes narrowing slightly in interest as Tony leaned closer to him. "I think Y/n's playing another one of those games. I swear that girl is going to be the death of me. Let's just hope Morgan stays innocent." Tony mumbled, bringing his glass to his lips as he surveyed Steve's expression.

"Yeah." Steve replied dully, his focus directed at the only girl in the room he couldn't keep his eyes off of. Tony smirked knowingly, deciding he'd allow Steve to ignore him just this once.

•••

Y/n had this in the bag.

Thanks to Sam she had a wide range of pick up lines to try out and she planned to use the right one with each.

The first person she recognized in the crowd was T'Challa and she made her way to him slyly, his gaze falling on her as the crowd parted. "Ah, Ms. Y/n. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He questioned, a bit of mistrust in his eyes when he recognized the smirk on her face.

"Just seeing how my favorite pussy cat is." Y/n replied with an innocent shrug. He squinted suspecting her ulterior motives. He'd been to enough of Tony's parties to know that she along with Nat and Wanda usually had some kind of game and while he was entertained by it he also knew he needed to maintain decency being a King.

"He is very happy you're here to make things interesting. He was just telling me about how boring this party was. Also he was telling me he should ask you when you're going to bring Peter to Wakanda, that boy won't get off my back." Shuri spoke up, stepping closer to the pair with a pleased smirk. T'Challa didn't seem to share her amusement but knew most of what she had said was true.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that I have to be in Wakanda next week, I'll see if he's free to tag along." Y/n replied, turning her gaze to the spider boy. He still seemed to follow Tony around like a lost puppy but Y/n hoped maybe their field trip to Wakanda would break him out of his shell.

"Would it be wishful thinking if I hoped your visit to our kingdom is the only reason for your presence now?" T'Challa questioned. Shuri and Y/n laughed answering his question. There was another game going on. "What's the challenge now? Let me guess, I should be expecting Ms. Romanoff and Ms. Maximoff next?"

"More than likely. But there's a twist this time." Y/n explained, noticing the bit of curiosity in his eye as she sipped her drink. "If you like my pick up line, you have to give me a kiss."

Shuri giggled next to them excited to hear whatever line Y/n had planned. The young princess was always up for some mischief especially if her brother was the victim and this was what made her adore Y/n so much.

"And what if I don't?"

"I'll just have to try again, I suppose. You know how persistent I am." Y/n winked. T'Challa shook his head, catching sight of Wanda across the room having already collected her kiss from Thor. With a silent sigh, he turned back to Y/n figuring he'd best not hold her up any longer.

"Fine." Y/n smiled, locking eyes with Shuri for a moment before turning back to T'Challa. She stepped forward, the soft click of her heels sending a chill down his spine as she put a hand on his upper arm. Her lips curved into a smile and he braced himself for the line that seemed to bring her so much pride.

"Meow you doin'?" Y/n smirked, her voice smooth as velvet as her eyes stared into his. Laughter erupted from his sister and he turned to her as Y/n burst out into her own fit of giggles.

"I don't get it." T'Challa told them, dumbly trying to use the little bit of context he was given to understand the joke.

"Oh, brother! As soon as we return home we are watching Friends! Now give her a kiss so that she may have a chance at winning!" Shuri spoke through laughs. T'Challa shook his head but lifted Y/n's hand nonetheless and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"I feel cheated." He grumbled but the laughter from both girls was enough to take his mind off the pick up line that went straight over his head.

"Pleasure doing business with you, King T'Challa." Y/n curtsied before turning away to find her next victim, leaving T'Challa and Shuri with entertained smiles.

Next on her list was Bruce Banner, the most lost out of all of the men who had experienced the game. The first time they decided to target just one person, he had been the focus and while he enjoyed Nat's kiss, Y/n and Wanda following in the act seemed to put him in a daze for a week.

"You got T'Challa right off that bat? Sometimes I hate how good you are at this." Nat's voice cut into Y/n's thoughts as the two stood together surveying Bruce.

"There's nothing to it, my friend. Give a line, get a kiss. It's science. Did you already get Clint?" Y/n questioned, trying to see where she was at as far as the competition went.

Nat shook her head softly, glancing over at the other men they'd still needed to kiss. "No. He's not here. He says he wants us to take his retirement seriously so until then he won't be at the parties, I guess." She explained and Y/n nodded quietly. One less guy to convince, she reasoned.

"You know I'll never get used to his transformation thing." Y/n commented, gesturing toward Bruce with a nod. Nat followed her gaze, leaning into Y/n to see past the crowd of people in front of her.

"Yeah, me either." She replied. Y/n's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she glanced at Nat through the corner of her eye but ultimately decided it wasn't something she really desired to question further.

"You better save your best pick up line for Steve." Nat warned, the smile on her lips all too knowing for Y/n's liking. Her mouth ran dry and the familiar rush upon hearing his name coursed through her making her face burn.

"For the last time, I'm not into-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Too bad though. He's been watching you ever since the game started." Nat whispered, turning Y/n's head in his direction with a poke to her chin.

The red on Y/n's face grew darker at the sight of Steve looking back at her, his eyes locking with hers over the rim on his glass. A soft shade of pink settled on his cheeks to match her own and his gaze faltered before returning to the man he'd been talking to.

"Save the best for last." Nat teased softly as Y/n turned back to her. She tried to brush off Nat's words as she stalked off toward Bruce but she couldn't get the image of Steve out of her mind.

Had he ever looked at her like that before? Was she losing her mind?

A long sigh escaped her as she tried desperately to focus on racking her brain for any science puns she had.

"Y/n! Hey, long time no see!" He cheered, pulling her into a side hug. The laughter that bubbled out of her chest was involuntary as she practically disappeared under his good arm.

"It's nice to see you too, Bruce. How's the arm?" Y/n questioned gesturing to the cast that seemed to be permanent on the larger than life limb. Bruce offered a tentative shrug, looking down at it.

"Tony and I aren't sure if it's ever going to heal. He's been looking at the possibility of getting a prosthetic but I don't really mind it. We beat Thanos, that's all that really matters to me." He replied. Y/n smiled kindly at him, putting her hand on the cast as her fingers trailed Steve's signature. She couldn't help the racing of her heart when she realized he'd signed right below her own.

"So, Nat tells me you guys are doing another game. Why do you guys do that anyways? Don't you get embarrassed?" He asked, genuinely interested. Whatever Nat had told him seemed to make him more aware and Y/n found herself open to his questions.

"I don't know. I trust everyone on the team so kissing them isn't a big deal. If anything I think it makes us more open to one another. Not to mention half of us are touch starved and probably need a kiss every so often." She laughed thinking back to her poor Bucky.

Bruce laughed too, "Well, maybe next party you'll find a way to get everyone to play. That'll be a sight." He chuckled imagining everyone competing against one another in some intimate game. Y/n nodded perhaps taking the suggestion maybe a bit too seriously.

"Maybe...I've gotta win this game first though. I'm sure you know the rules." She raised a playful brow and crossed her arms. He nodded remembering Nat's line with a loving smile. "Good. Let's see."

Her hand rose to her chin, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as she thought. Bruce watched with a entertained smile as her eyes lit up before looking back at him.

"Hey, baby. If you were an enzyme I'd be a DNA synthase so I could unzip your genes." She nudged Bruce's side making him laugh.

"That was the worst." He chuckled and Y/n laughed as well, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, but you laughed so..." He nodded wrapping his free arm around her shoulders and leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head, the most accessible spot from his outrageous height.

"I'm gonna remember that one." Bruce told her, his head bobbing unconsciously as he already began practicing the line in his head. Y/n bowed proudly before disappearing into the crowd once more.

"Who's next?" She mumbled to herself, running her hands along her dress, absentmindedly flatting the bunching in the fabric. The dress had been her favorite, hugging her perfectly as many of the tailored clothes Pepper sent her did. But this one was different.

This one was blue. But not just any blue. It was the same dark navy Steve wore on every mission. A color she found herself buying more often, whether it be on a folder or on a dress. She was almost attracted to it as much as she was to Steve and while it seemed a little silly, it made her happy knowing she could express her hidden feelings through little things such as that. She truly was head over heels but she could never tell him that. She could never risk the rejection she feared she'd be met with if she dared make a move.

So she loved him from afar.

•••

"Oh no. Not pick up lines." Tony groaned next to Steve, his eyes nearly disappearing into the back of his head as he rolled them. Sam chuckled, nodding his head.

"It's true. Everyone is going to get hit on in the most undesired way possible tonight." He grinned, his lips still buzzing from the kisses he'd recieved.

"Yeah, you have bird brain here to thank for that." Bucky grumbled from Steve's left. Sam frowned, glaring at the semi stable hundred year old man.

"That's not what you said when you kissed Y/n." He retorted.

Steve tried to fight the jealousy that boiled in his gut but Bucky had already noticed the frown that reached his best friend's face.

"Only because I want her to win. She's my friend." Bucky explained, hoping his emphasize on 'friend' would put Steve at ease but the super soldier would never truly be at ease unless he had her in his arms.

He'd lost so much over the years including her and now that he had it all back-had her back, it felt wrong that they weren't together like he hoped. But he couldn't just tell her. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if he lost her in a way that no infinity stones could reverse?

"Personally I'm rooting for Wanda. That girl's smile would make you wanna kiss her. Not to mention her mind control stuff." Sam argued, using his hand to mimick Wanda's powers.

"Is this going to happen at every party?" Fury remarked from behind them making them turn to him, some with annoyed glances.

"You're not allowed to say anything about this, 'Mr. Off-Limits'." Sam proclaimed, feeling a tad responsible for keeping Fury out of the games. Especially after what happened last time.

"I won't be forced to partake in childish games like that. Y/n had it coming." Fury explained, any remorse he might've felt long gone.

Steve crossed his arms, his shirt tightening around his arms as he tried to bite his tongue. "You nearly broke her arm." He suddenly spoke up. Sam's suggestive smirk made him regret it instantly but thankfully Sam chose not to say anything.

"Gotta admit. Her resolve is pretty firm. It's actually pretty hot." Sam wiggled a brow at Steve. The poor blonde wanted to curl up and die in shame but Sam wasn't wrong.

Perhaps it was her determination and strong will that had attracted him. They were characteristics he was known for as Captain America but yet somehow her will was more powerful than his own.

It was one of the many things that he had loved her for. And one of the things that kept him going during the five years without her.

"Ugh. Can we please not talk about my niece like this?" Tony groaned, hating the idea of them sexualizing the girl he'd practically raised since she was a teen. Steve agreed, unsure how much longer he'd be able to stand them talking about her.

"Ooo, look. She's onto Thor now." Peter piped up pointing a finger toward Y/n as she made her way to the golden haired god. Yet the warning glare he received from Tony was enough to make him quiet again and he silently sunk back into the crowd behind them.

"I've got too many kids."

•••

"Thor!" Y/n cheered. Upon hearing his name, the Asgardian turned returning her smile with a brilliant grin. The flask in his hand was opened yet there was no flush to his face signaling he was either only mildly buzzed or close to it.

"Lady Y/n. I was beginning to wonder when you'd come around. I do cherish our time together." Thor's smile was kind and radiant but she couldn't help but think there was still one smile that could outshine even that of a god's.

"Oh, you know I'd never miss a kiss from you." Y/n returned the charm, allowing his arm to come around her waist, resting at a comfortable distance from her hips. Thor had been the most accepting of their games and never seemed to go through the confusion that the rest did. Or maybe that was just her.

"I was just telling Valkyrie of your little games. She finds them truly amusing. Perhaps I'll convince you to accept her into the tournament." Thor explained, gesturing the hand holding his flask toward Valkyrie.

"Well, it's not exactly a tournament, just a little fun to keep things interesting. You're welcome to join if you're up for it." Y/n smiled, offering a small nod of acceptance toward the warrior woman.

"A competition among women where men are the victims? Sounds like my kind of crowd." Valkyrie replied, an excited smile landing on her lips as the two woman shared a look of mutual approval.

"Wonderful." Thor praised, the joy in his tone seeming to radiate off of him, infecting Y/n with each passing second she was in his grasp. "Now Lady Wanda spoke of this night's challenge. I believe you have a suggestive comment in which to lift me yes?" He spoke, looking down at Y/n as she began to giggle uncontrollably.

"Yes, Thor. In return for the pick up line, I get a kiss. But only if you enjoy it." She recited the rules earning a heartfelt smile from him in return.

"If it is spoken by you I'm bound to enjoy it." He told her earnestly. There was something in the way he would speak that made a girl's knees weak and while Y/n was able to withstand it better than most, she wondered if he was striving for that reaction from her.

Y/n shook her head at him, giving him a half-hearted glare as she looked up at him. "Alright, here it goes." She warned him, taking his attentive gaze as a confirmation to continue.

"Hey, gorgeous. Was your father a thief? Cause someone stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes." Before Y/n could even offer a wink or a smirk, thunderous laughter sounded from the man beside her, drawing the attention of everyone around them.

A flush of pink bloomed on her face, slightly embarrassed under the eyes of so many, especially Steve, yet she wasn't able to dwell on it for long as she was swept up into the air. Ever the enthusiast, Thor had excitedly boosted her into the air and spun her before allowing her feet to reach the ground again, a little unsteadily from how fast he'd acted.

"You've certainly lifted me, Lady Y/n." Thor told her, bringing her smile back as she regained her balance. "Are you ready for your kiss now?" He inquired, his hand resting comfortably on her waist as he insured she was still willing to welcome a kiss.

With a small nod she leaned up accepting his lips in a teasing yet modest kiss not unlike the one they'd shared before. They pulled away a moment later, smiling at each other as Thor's hand easily slipped away from her waist.

"I'm afraid I must send you off in order for you to return victorious." Thor said, a hint of reluctance in his tone yet in a taunting way similar to friendly banter.

"And that I shall. I'm the best, you know." Y/n declared. Valkyrie laughed beside her, lifting her own glass toward Y/n in a sort of cheers.

"For now. We'll see next time who's the best." Y/n clinked her empty glass with Valkyrie's nodding respectfully as she made a note to get more champagne.

"May the best woman win." Y/n smirked, oblivious to the eyes on her as she walked off toward the bar.

Part Two

[kaeyas-beloved]

I Believe In You {Midoriya x Sister!Reader}

*Was Listening To The Sad OST While Writing This*

*TW: Mentions of Death & War. Also sad Izuwu T_T*

"I'm sorry Izuku!" My mother cries, falling forward and bringing my crying little brother into a hug. Now they're both crying while I myself just lean against Izuku's bedroom door frame, a few tears leaking from my own eyes.

Izuku just found out he was quirkless only mere hours ago, that's all it took to utterly crush his life dream of becoming a hero. A sorry was not what Izuku needs, I know this and I know mom knows this too... but yet that's all she could do, apologize for something that was in no way her fault.

I'm not sure how much time has passed with just my brother and mother embracing each other and crying but mom soon breaks the hug, standing up. She starts to walk out of his room, sniffling, but stops beside me and leans in so only I could hear what she had to say.

"Can you talk to him, he needs you now more than anything (Y/N)" she whispers. I glance at her and nod, knowing I need to take up the roll of talking to him since she couldn't at the moment. "Thank you..." mom whispers, continuing to walk away, probably to the couch or to her room.

I take a small inhale of air, trying to think of what to tell Izuku. My mind races for something I could tell him put ultimately I just say screw it and walk over to stand beside him. Just as I'm about to open my mouth to say something, Izuku presses the pause button on his video, stopping it at the part where All Might's face takes up the whole screen, sniffling.

"I-I can become a h-hero like y-you r-right (Y/N)-chan? I-I can be a g-great hero like you too r-right?" My heart just shatters at his heart broken voice and I suppress the urge to cry. I spin Izuku's computer chair around so he's facing me only to be met with a still crying Izuku. I frown and pick him up off his chair, carrying him over and setting him in my lap as I sit down on his bed.

"Of course you can Izuku, I see no reason why you can't be" I whisper to the small, fragile boy. He gazes up to me with tear stained cheeks, no longer crying, but with a confused look.

"B-but I'm quirkless, I can't be a hero like All Might or you..." he whimpers out, lowering his head as tears start to form in his eyes again. I lift his head so he's looking at me, chuckling a little while wiping his small tears away.

"Who said you can't become a hero?" I question, though I know who but I just want him to answer.

"The doctor, Kacchan, everyone in my class... They all say I should give up, that I should stop trying, that I can't do it..."

"Are you going to listen to them?" I inquired. Izuku gives me a quizzical look so I restate my question, "Are you going to listen to them? Are you going to give up?"

Taking a moment to think over what I'm asking him, Izuku just shrugs, "maybe..."

"Nope! Wrong answer Izuku!" I smile down at him, "do not let others lead your life, it's your life for a reason..." I pause a moment, debating whether or not I should let this information slip past my lips or not. Maybe I should, Izuku needs to hear this...

"I want to tell you something Izu. People are going to tell you that you can't do it, whether it's because your weak or quirkless or not smart enough. I know you know this, but listen, you can do it. Want to know why I think you can?"

"Why..." he whispers.

"Because when I was your age... I was told the exact same thing, that I could never be a hero, but look where I am now! I proved them all wrong, I became the hero that I wanted to be! I did that by not listening to those who told me other wise. I pushed through, I set goals for myself and I set morals that I would stick by and every time I did I became stronger, more confident in myself, and so can you! You can become the No. 1 Hero that you want to be Izuku!"

When I finished my little motivational speech, my small, 4 year-old brother is left speechless with floods of tears streaming down his eyes, but in no way is he sad. Embracing me tightly, Izuku stands up on my lap and leans his head into the crook of my neck, crying but I can hear him say something, something that puts a smile on my face.

"Thank you (Y/N)-chan, you're my hero and the best sister ever..."

We stay like that for a little bit until Izuku finally lets go, wiping his tears away. He hops off my lap and goes to the head of his bed, climbing under the covers and laying his head on the pillow. He lets out a tiny yawn and I chuckle, the poor boy having tired himself out. I stand up from where I was sitting on the edge of his bed and walk over to his computer, shutting it down. Pacing back over to Izuku's bedside, I turn on his All Might nightlight, lean forward and give his forehead a kiss.

"Good-night Izu, sweet dreams little hero-to-be" I murmured. Turning to his bedroom door about to head to my own room to retire for the night, I halt in my steps by the quite call of my brother.

"(Y/N)-chan, I have a question..." Looking at him, I nod to him as a way of saying that I was listening and to ask his question. "W-what's a moral? You said you have those but, what are they?" I hum in though as I walk back to kneel beside him, pondering the best way to explain this to him without confusing him. What the hell am I talking about, he's a smart boy, he'll understand.

"It's a little hard for me to explain but it's like what a person believes is right, it's like something they live by." I try to explain. A small 'oh' leaves Izuku.

"What's a moral that you have?" If I'm being honest I was a tad taken aback by him asking me that. I nevertheless smile and think of my answer.

"Well, I actually have a few. Like a villain is not born, they're made. No one is born to be evil, something has to happen to them or they were raised that way, and were never showed the light and beauty of the world around them. But two of my favorites have to be that a true hero isn't measured by his strength or how many villains he defeats, but by the strength of his heart and his will to be a hero. The second one is that a hero isn't born, they're made, meaning that it takes hard work for them to get to where they want to be, which is to be a hero of course. I know for sure that I had to work hard to get to where I am now, but you, you'll have to work extra hard, but I believe in you Izuku and when you become a hero, you'll be letting the world know that you did it. But to do that you need to go to bed silly!" I flash smile at him and he smiles his big, bright, pure smile back.

"Will you train me when I'm older (Y/N)-chan!? Please!?" Izuku pleads and I laugh.

"Yes Izuku I will and I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise. But you gotta go to bed first!"

"Okay! Good-night (Y/N)-chan, I love you!" Izuku laughs with a smile as he closes his eyes, falling asleep within moments. A smaller smile crawls onto my lips and I stand up once more to my full height, tip-toeing so I don't wake Izuku up. Just as I'm about to close the door I whisper out,

"I love you too Izuku, my little brother. I believe in you..." What I didn't know was that he heard what I said and that those words would stick with him on his journey to becoming a Pro Hero.

--------(Time Skip, Izuku is now at UA and 15 years old)--------

The words my sister said to me when I was told that I couldn't become a hero 11 years ago has got me through so much and has gotten me to where I am now, at UA High, the prestigious school for heroes-to-be. Even while she isn't here with me now, I know that she is watching over my every move.

"Settle down students" Mr. Aizawa sighs, hopping into class dressed in his favourite yellow sleeping bag. At the sound of the very, and always, tired teacher's voice, Class 1-A did as told and settled into their seats as they all ended their conversations and such, ready to focus on the lesson for the day.

Well, all but one. That being Izuku Midoriya.

"As some of you may know," Aizawa began, "today is the anniversary of the War of Pros, a war between many Pro Heroes and Pro Villains worldwide. So, as some of you can guess, that'll be the lesson for today."

As Mr. Aizawa was setting up the projector to show a slideshow featuring some notes, videos and pictures, his dark and sleep-deprived eyes made eye contact with Midoriya's. At that moment, the usual stone coldness of Aizawa's eyes shifted to one of sympathy. Midoriya could tell what his teacher was thinking, so he merely nodded, letting the Pro Hero know he was okay sitting around for the lesson. Nodding back, Aizawa continued with the planned lesson.

"The war ended quickly, with it only lasting 3 weeks, and some of the greatest heroes served in it. Who knows what heroes from Japan fought in it?"

Right away, Midoriya's hand shot up, making it quite known to the class that he knew what the answer was. Aizawa was quite surprised but didn't show it.

"Midoriya?"

Clearing his throat, Midoriya answered, "All Might, Endeavor and... (H/N)." Many caught the hesitation with the last Pro Heroes name, but paid no mind to it. Except Bakugou and Aizawa, because they knew the reason behind it.

When I was 10, (Y/N) was assigned to partake in war overseas along with All Might and Endeavor. At this time, my sister moved up the ranks to be the No.3 Pro-Hero in Japan, meaning she was one of the strongest there was and one of the more fit ones to go to battle. This war was classed as a triple-S level war, so Pros from all over the world, such as America, came to assist as well. It was chaos and destruction between villains and heroes alike, many were injured but only one Pro-Hero was killed.

My sister...

"Right..." Aizawa replied in a monotone voice, like always.

Aizawa was the same age as (Y/N), they went to school together and were in the same classes. As for Bakugou, despite being the nerds older sister, Bakugou still knew the Pro deserved respect.

As the dark haired teacher continued on with the lesson, Izuku Midoriya was stuck in his own thoughts about his sister and the day he and his mother were told of her death.

The day my mother and I found out was the worst day of my life, it greatly out weighted the agony and sadness I felt when I found out I was quirkless. My mother cried for months and wouldn't even go anywhere close to her room, avoiding it like the plague, but only because every time she would be near it, she would burst into tears.

When my mother was finally ready to go into (Y/N)'s room we found letters in her desk drawer. One was addressed to mom, one to All Might, one to Mr. Aizawa, one to President Mic. Then there was a stack of 7 addressed to a group that (Y/N) was apart of called the RFA. The last letter was for myself. Mom mailed the other letters after she read her own, but I read my letter later that night.

When I read the letter it seemed to have meant to be for me to read before she left, (Y/N) must have just forgotten to give it to me before she left, she did leave 2 days earlier than she was originally suppose to.

~~~~

Dear Izuku,

Hey there little buddy! I know you don't like that nickname all that much but meh :P

Now onto some serious things... I know, I know, there's no fun in serious things but I gotta! As you know I have to leave for a little while to go overseas, but I'll come back as soon as I can! Then we can go back to our usual of training and goofing off okay! I promise, pinkie promise Izuku!

And if you ever miss me you know what to do right? Yell out the window as loud as you can so I can hear you 'Goddess 606 help me!' or you can call on my friend God 707, he'll be there for you too if I can't be :)

Like I said Izuku, I'll be home as soon as I can be, so just keep training while I'm gone, then when I get back I'll test you, so be ready!

You can do it Izuku, go beyond, Plus Ultra! I believe in you!!

~Love your sister, (Y/N) Midoriya~

~~~~

"Even though a life was taken that day in battle, her sacrifice was not in vain. Can anyone tell me why?" Zoning back into the lesson, Midoriya hears Aizawa ask the class another question, and with no one else raising their hand, whether it's because they don't want to answer the question or no one actually knows, Midoriya reluctantly raises his hand once more.

Hesitantly, Aizawa calls on him, "Midoriya..."

With clenched hands that tremble slightly, Midoriya answers through his teeth, "Her sacrifice wasn't in vain... b-because her finally attack won th-the war..." Midoriya couldn't hold them back any more, his tears of sorrow and hurt. Hurt because his sister promised to come home, yet she's not here, with him and cheering him on! Not here with him sparring, not here helping him grow, not here with him every step of the way like she said, like she promised!

The sudden noise of a chair scrapping against the tiled ground caught everyone's attention, except for Midoriya, who's still crying in his seat while his fellow classmates gave him sympathetic looks before the noise occurred.

"Oi, Deku..." The rough and raspy voice of Katsuki Bakugou sounds out in the quiet classroom. While the pitch of Bakugou's tone seems to not have changed, to everyone that knew the young boy, they would catch the softness in it. Marching over to his desk, Bakugou lifts Midoriya by the back of his collar and sets him on his feet.

Calming down just enough to talk coherently, Midoriya mutters out "w-what is it Kacchan? I-" before being pulled into someones embrace, Bakugou's. Class 1-A and their teacher are shocked to their core, no one expecting him to comfort his childhood rival. Before Midoriya could sputter out anything, Bakugou began to talk.

"Now listen here shitty Deku cause I'm only saying this once, (Y/N) wouldn't want you to be this upset over her, she'd want you to continue living your life and become the hero she knew you could, no um, become the hero that you can be. Don't think I didn't see you and her training all those years ago! Now don't let her hard work go to waste shitty nerd and brighten the hell up, it's what she would have wanted!" Bakugou's tone held so much sincerity and truth that Midoriya couldn't help but cry more, not in sadness, but in content. He should have realized that if his sister was still here that she would have been disappointed in how he's been living his life, in sadness and despair.

"Th-thank you K-Kacchan!" Midoriya cried, hugging his friend just a little tighter, Bakugou returning the tight grip.

"No problem nerd..." He whispered, tone gentle.

The class sat shocked yet eternally happy that Bakugou dropped his pride to comfort the very emotional green haired teen, showing a side of himself that very few would ever get to witness and experience. Smiling faces filled the quiet classroom as 1-A just let everyone calm down, to regain composure of their feelings so they could return to the lesson.

Suddenly, frantic and heavy footsteps could be heard from the hallway just outside the classroom, catching many off guard. Bakugou and Midoriya parted, positioning themselves into a fighting stance, ready to defend themselves and those around them.

As the classroom door slides open with much ferocity, the entire of Class 1-A is thrown into shock, but in three of them, other emotions bubble in them. Aizawa, Bakugou and Midoriya all hold a sense of sadness, relief, confusion and pure joy at the face that has appeared before them.

Lowering their fighting stances, Izuku staggers forward, tears beginning to brim his emerald coloured eyes.

"(Y-Y/N)...?"

(Y/N)'s POV

"(Y-Y/N)...?" Izuku whispers, voice shaking though thick with emotion. As I lean against the door frame to the classroom, clutching the side of my stomach, I can see the tears in his eyes. In my little brother's eyes. Eyes that I thought I'd never see again along with his atrociously messy green hair, his distinctly familiar voice that despite him being older, is still recognizable.

"I-Izu-uku, I told y-you I'd c-come home" the arm that wasn't holding my injured side reached out to him, my body leaning off the only support I had at the moment. Izuku rushes forward, the tears that had been accumulating finally running down his cheeks as he wraps his arms around me, myself doing the same as I let go of my injury momentarily.

His tears start to soak my tattered, torn and slightly burnt shirt but I could care less. All I care about is being here, home, with part of my family.

"H-h-how a-are you-u he-here. Th-the n-news said you were d-dead" the small green haired boy hiccups, clutching onto me tighter, like if he even loosened his grip a fraction I would disappear forever. His fingers claw slightly into another wound of mine, causing me to wince though Izuku doesn't let up.

"I know, I know. I never died, I was kidnapped by those I was fighting back then and only now was I able to escape. But I promise, I'm here, I'm okay and I'm never leaving you again. And hey, I see you made it into UA! Told you that you could make it!" I smile.

Izuku only seems to sob louder and harder. His tears aren't tears of sorrow any more but more like tears of happiness.

In that moment, we both knew that everything was going to be okay. That neither of us would be absent from each other's lives ever again.

I was home and someone I care about most is happy.

Everything is finally alright.

[moody-cowdaddy]

Friends in Low Places [Part 1]

Arthur Morgan x Reader | Imagine #1

Summary: You bite off more than you can chew when you wind up in the muddy little town known as Valentine for the night.

Category: Action, Drama, Fluff, First meeting.

××××

"Full house, fellas!" You exclaimed, slamming down a fist full of worn poker cards on the saloon table.

You had landed yourself in the small town of Valentine in New Hanover a month ago. You didn't tend to hang around one spot too long, you always found trouble, or at least, trouble found you.

You had been on your own for the majority of your life. You had to grow up fast. Both parents had died when you were very young, so you spent most of your life in an orphanage. But, being the troublemaker that you were, you were always getting into mischief whether it was fighting, or running off. After more than a few squabbles, the headmasters at the orphanage couldn't take much more, and you were sent off to a strict refinement school.

While you learned to be a little more lady-like, the rebellious streak in you stayed put. Once you were old enough, you headed out on your own. You had seen a lot of the world already at such a young age, and you were planning on seeing more of it. You always found yourself going from town to town and meeting a lot of people along the way. You were very much a woman of the world.

The men around the table all groaned in disappointment when they looked down to see that you had won yet another round at the poker table. The saloon was lively and kicking that night. It was filled to the brim with people from town and others like you who were just passing through and needed a place to hold up for the night. The drinks flowed freely, the conversations and people inside grew more rowdy by the minute. It wasn't a surprise how you witnessed more than a few fights here and there from some drunkards that night.

"Damn. I fold, woman," one of the older gentleman at the table groaned.

He had a greying beard that almost reached down to his shoulders. His tarnished rancher clothing letting you his livelyhood wasn't with easy work.

"C'mon Willard, don't ya wanna stay for another round? I'm not done takin' your day's pay yet," you smiled cheekily.

He downed the rest of the whiskey in his glass, "I ain't stickin' 'round for that'un. I gotta ranch to keep."

"I'm afraid I'll have to say the same," Jack, the other gentleman at the table spoke up.

He was a much different breed from the rest of the patrons. He had a very posh evening suit on, and his accent sounded as if he was from a more upscale city like Blackwater or Saint Denis. He was definitely a stranger in these parts where hardworking people and outlaws seemed to be the only real inhabitants.

Jack was the small glimmer of a near future; a future where outlaws and simple way of living was to be done away with. It was a way of life no one wanted anymore. A whole new world was coming, both literally and figuratively.

You scoffed and finished off your own drink, "Well, it's been fun, boys. Maybe I'll see y'all around again."

"Maybe, if I have a cent left to my name," Willard said gruffly as he left the table and disappeared into the crowd.

"I may stick around for another drink or two. Take in the sights," Jack spoke, flashing you a coquettish smile.

A smile small formed on you lips as you gave him a nod, obliging him. You didn't fancy him much. He was rather big-headed and his conversation skills were dull. You were more-so entertaining him out of the need for cash. It wasn't a secret that you didn't have a job, or a husband to take care of you. You never were much of a woman to settle down with a man for just the sake of stability, anyway.

You made most of your money by beating the pants off of arrogant drunks at poker in saloons like this, or anything else that could be made into a gamble, but your main source of funds came from robbing. Though, you did your best not to rob anyone who was actually innocent, that never sat right with you. But Jack.. He seemed like the type of prick that would steal candy from a kid and then ask why it's crying.

So, as the night went on, the saloon got louder and the whiskey got better. You had taken a few shots, but you seemed to hold your liquor better than half the men around here. Jack was beginning to slurr, while his pomade slicked hair was now disheveled and clinging to his face as he held onto the bar. He was good and loaded; bad for him, but good for you. It don't seem like it'd take much of a fuss to get whatever valuables he had on him, and you had already spotted a beautiful, gold pocketwatch that was hanging in his waistcoat.

You turned to him, buttoning up your old leather trailcoat. Your wardrobe always seemed to change depending on your situation. Some days you'd be as ladylike as any other gal, as you were clothed in a dress with a tightly clinched waist thanks to the corsets you wore, and other days you were what would have been your refinement headmistress' worst nightmare when you dressed like the outlaw that you truly were at heart.

"I'm feeling a bit peckish. Mind walkin' a lady back to her room?" You mustered up a charming smile, gesturing your hand towards the door.

You had taken up residence at the hotel across the street for time being. Jack seemed to have no quarrel about this by any means. He took the last sip of whiskey from his glass and turned to you, jutting out his arm for you to take it.

"It'd be my pleasure, miss (Y/N)," he spoke.

You gave him a nod as you intertwined your arm with his. The two of you set off for the hotel, the walk would give you the time you needed to come up with a satisfactory plan, one that wouldn't land you in Valentine county jail. You quickly decided that leading him into your room would be best, and once you do, you'd knock him out with the butt of your gun, empty his pockets and get the hell outta town. You had pretty much overstayed your welcome here anyway, and you were growing wearing of this sloppy, muddy town.

After stomping through the muggy streets, you made it back over to the porch of the hotel, and you received your fair share of dirty glances from a few old crones who saw you as you walked through the entrance, leading a man upstairs. You already knew what it was that they were thinking, the town had more than it's fair share of ladies of the night, but you were not one of them. Of course robbing people could probably be considered more immoral than prostitution, but it was your method of choice. It also had an element of fun to it, you had to admit.

"Would you like to come in for one more drink?" You turned to Jack while standing outside your door.

A coy smirk tugged at his lips, "Yes ma'am, I would."

You hummed, turning around to open your door. You needed to work fast, get the job done and hit the road as quick as possible, so you led him inside of your room, closing the door tightly begind you. You took in a small breath as you turned around to Jack who was standing behind you. He was a tad wobbly on foot, and that was good. You gave a polite smile as you stepped over to a small mahogany table near the tall chester drawer that sat in the middle of the room. You lifted the small, crystal pitcher that was filled halfway with the familiar whiskey and poured a generous amount into the glass before handing it over to Jack.

"Good 'nuff?" You asked with a smile.

"That'll do it," he chuckled, eyeing the full glass, reaching out for it.

You perched yourself against the chester drawer as you watched him down the liquor, just waiting. He gulped it down halfway before coughing, he took a breath before setting it down onto the table.

"You've peaked my curiosity," he said, shifting his dark eyes to you.

"Have I now?" You blinked at him.

He nodded, "What is a woman like yourself doing all alone here anyway? Surely you've had suitors," he shrugged, eyeing you.

You studied him for a moment, his face seemed to have gone mostly blank and emotionless by this point.

"Once upon a time, I suppose," you cleared your throat. "I never really fancied marriage as much as some women."

He blinked at you before taking a step closer, reaching down into his pocket. Your intution began to nag you in the back of your mind, and you brought your arms up to cross them over your chest, ensuring that you could get to your revolver quickly, if needed. Jack brought his hand back out of his waist coat, a money clip gripped between his fingers.

"What are you doin'?" You asked, looking at him with a peculiar expression.

"How much?" He smiled, pulling a few bucks out of the clip.

Your lips parted, "I beg your pardon?"

He shook his head before looking back at you, a concerning smile forming over his lips, "How much to spend some time with a fine woman such as yourself? C'mon darling, I know playing poker can't be the only game you're running here."

You furrowed your eyebrows at his accusation, knowing exactly what it was that he was inferring, "I'm not a whore."

"What's your price?" He gave you a cocky look.

"No price," you growled. "I do think you should go now."

"But I don't want to," he took another step towards you.

Your heart began to beat beneath the surface of your chest like a drum, all of your better instincts crying out for you to shoot him now, but you couldn't. If you shot him right here, right now, you'd for sure lose every freedom, and if the law didn't get you, the bounty hunters sure as shit would. There had to be another way outta this.

"Please, leave me be," you said firmly.

He shook his head, "I won't ask you to do anything you haven't don't before," he said, reaching out to brush a finger through your hair.

You reflexes were faster than your willpower, your hand darted into your trail coat, fully prepare to grasp the butt of the revolver you had holstered inside of it, but he must have already calculated that possibility, snd before your fingers could get halfways gripped around it, he had caught your wrist, bending it backwards before pressing you roughly against the chester drawer.

"Bastard!" You hollered, kneeing him roughly in the groin.

That slowed him down enough so that you could push past him, and reach the door. You flung it open, your only mission was to make it out, make it outside of this place and ride far, far away from this hell. You sprinted out of the room, but your journey game to a short stop once you ran smack dab into something solid.

For a moment, you thought it was a wall, or maybe the law, until you looked up to see the tall silhouette of a man in the dark hallway of the hotel. The only light available were the few flickering oil lamps that were mounted outside each door. The man that stood in front of you was sturdy and tough looking, in a cowboy hat that was pushed down over his eyes, his beard being one of the only real visible facial features.

"'Scuse me, madame," he said in a gruff, but oddly polite tone of voice.

"Sorry," you breathed your heart still racing as you turned your head back towards the door.

Jack pulled himself out of the entrance, "(Y/N), come back inside." His eyes darted between you and the strange man in front of you.

"No," you shook your head.

The tough looking cowboy looked between the both of you, "Sounsds like you folks had a scuffle going on. Heard it from down the way." He gestured towards the end of the hall.

Jack chuckled nervously, "A bit too much to drink I'm afraid, sir. Thank you."

The man gave Jack a smirk, "Uh-huh. Or maybe you're tryin' to rough up the lady." He shifted his eyes towards you.

You looked back at him, silently pleading for him to help.

"That's quite a serious accusation," Jack narrowed his eyes.

"No harm meant, partner. Why don't you just leave the girl be, and we can all go on about our business," the man nodded at Jack.

"I'm afraid this isn't your business," Jack shook his head, ignoring the man's warning as he stepped forward, reaching out to grab your wrist again.

You fought back this time, pushing him away with your hands, "Get off me."

The man had obviously had enough of the situation and grabbed Jack by the shoulders, slamming him against the wall, "Do I gotta tell you again, boah? I won't be sayin' it a third goddamn time."

They had a scuffle as Jack tried to throw a punch back at the man, but he seemed to be absolutely no match for whomever this man was, he slung Jack around like a rag doll. A few blows being exchanged between them before the man gave the final punch that knocked the man out cold on the ground.

"Jesus," you breathed.

Before either of you could catch a breathe, you heard voices and soon the footsteps of people coming up the stairs. The two of you looked at each other in panic.

"Quick, get him into my room," you urged, reaching down to grab Jack's legs.

The man leaned down in front of the body and grabbed ahold of it and the two of you of you drug him into your room, shutting the door tightly. You held yourself against it with your ear pressed against it, listening out for anything suspicious. What you heard sounded like a man and a woman passing by the door, nothing seemed to serious and neither of them stopped at your door. Once the hall went silent again, you breathed a sigh of relief as you turned and pressed your back against the door, looking back up at the man.

"Thank you, mister. You saved me a lot of trouble," you said, giving him a nod.

He nodded back, "Don't mention it, just doin' the right thing."

You smiled and dropped to your knees beside Jack's body, rifling through his pockets to find the gold pocketwatch and the money clip. He had a whole $50 on him. You glanced up at the man who looked at you a little surprised, but did seem to be at all bothered to see you robbing this man. It wasn't that much surprising to you either, he too had the outlaw look about him, you figure he had probably some his fair share of robniyng, too. You pulled $25 out of the clip, handing it over to the man.

"For your troubles," you smiled.

He held his hand up, "No ma'am, he had it comin'."

You gestured again, "I insist that you take it, we both need to get the hell outta here before he wakes up."

The man gave you an amused look before dropping his head a little, a smirk curling one side of his lip.

He reached out, taking the money and pocketing it quickly, "C'mon, I know the back way out."

He motioned you to follow him, and he led the two of you to the back of the building where the fire escape sat. He let you climb down first as he followed behind. The night air was already starting to turn cool, and most of the town had gone to sleep for the night, nothing to be heard except for the commotion still going on over at the saloon. Once you made it down, you kept close to the building as you peeked around the corner, luckily the streets were mostly empty.

"You gotta horse?" The man asked.

"No," you shook your head, "The stable usually keeps a few in the corral at night, I'll see about rustling one up."

"Nah, too risky. Too many damn buildings 'round there. You'll get caught before you clear the fence," he said sternly.

You stammered, shrugging, "Maybe so, but I can't make it anywhere without a horse, mister."

He nodded and stood there for a minute in silence, staring at you as if he was thinking about something. He looked around before turning back to you, letting out a breath that quickly turned into vapor in the cool, night air.

"Ride with me then," he said.

Your lip curled slightly, you were obviously a bit apprehensive about this after what had just happened. He obviously noticed this when he held his hands up and took a step back.

"Look, I've gotta camp up the road, me and some other folks. You don't gotta say yeah, but you can have somewhere warm to stay the night. If you try to take off with one of them horses, you're gonna get yourself in a mess of trouble," he said, pulling his hands back down to his sides.

You could hear the sincerity in his voice, and unlike with Jack, there was no nagging voice in the back of your mind telling you not to go. Instead, there was just a sense of safety, and something was telling you that you could trust this man for whatever reason.

You thought about it for a moment and finally nodded your head slowly, "Okay.. Let's go."

He gave you a nod before he whistled, calling to his horse that was nearby. I'm only took a moment for a dapple grey filly to come trotting up to the both of you out of the darkness, snorting and nudging at the man with Her head.

He grabbed a hold of her reins and patted her on the neck, "Hey there, girl," he said gently.

He pressed his foot into the stirrup before pulling himself up into the saddle on her back. You followed suit as he held out his hand, you grabbed onto it tightly as he hoisted you up to sit behind him. You sighed as you leaned forward into him, wrapping your arms around his waist as he spurred the animal quickly to get her moving. She soon picked up the pace and you were galloping out of town, the wind at your back as the countryside began passing you by.

You pulled your head up from the man's back, leaning up a little more, "You never told me your name!" You said in a louder tone, making sure he could hear you over the sound of the horse's hooves thundering against the earth beanth you.

He leaned his head back slightly, "Arthur.. Arthur Morgan. What's yours?"

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N)," you called back to him.

"Nice to meet'cha, miss (Y/L/N)," he said, snapping the reins of the horse.

"And you as well, Mister Morgan," you said with a small smile before leaning your head back down to him, preparing yourself for the ride back to camp.