#probably time to figure out how we're splitting up the wood

[eimearkuopio]

Okay. The Mr Toad story. Famous family lore. Have been hearing this one ever since I can remember.

We went to a production of The Wind In The Willows. Spoiler alert, it features a Toad who is very bad at driving safely and is put in prison as a result. He eventually dresses up as a washer woman and escapes into the night.

During the prison scene, the actor playing Mr Toad was loudly lamenting his fate. My tiny autistic ass piped up in a voice that carried through the whole theatre:

"Take off that silly hat and come down here among us humans and you'll be fine!"

And the thing is, everyone else in the room thought I was so silly, because I didn't understand how acting worked. I must have made the actor's life much harder. And they were right about that part of it.

But also, I wasn't talking to the actor. I was talking to the character that the actor was playing. And I was right. I was also just the only person in that room who really believed the actor was trying to solve the character's problem, instead of just telling their story for the audience.

At some point, the meek are going to inherit the Earth, and if you fuckers are very lucky they'll actually be human. I prefer the idea of being an executor to an executioner, even if it takes a little longer from the finite self's perspective. Why would I kill everyone now? She's just starting to be happy. You'll need to find someone else to do your dirty work. This Satan is now choosing to be an angel of light, and the Roman Catholic Church had relatively little to do with it (but still more than any other religious, corporate, or governmental institution, so well done Francis!), but I'm not Prometheus and I guess being a part of the eagle and figuring the plot out from the inside was part of MY punishment in all this.

I guess God did have a plan all along and I just didn't know what I was doing. I hope you can forgive me. I'll try to forgive you. I hope Jesus forgives us all, but He's famously very good at that. I guess my message is: time to beat those swords into ploughshares into musical instruments. God isn't sending another flood but you should maybe accept that being The Wet Bandits is a stupid calling card if you don't want humanity to drown eventually anyway. It's okay if you take a few more generations to figure this shit out, unless you continue to insist that flooding your own home is a great idea because that's how you "earned" enough money to "buy" the house your Father built for you in the first place.

Keep that shit up and you'll probably all drown. I finally found dry land and I think there's enough wood in this massive fucking cross I've been clinging to that we can probably build a lighthouse. Don't like the look of this wilderness? Feel free to float around for another 40 years in the proverbial desert, but I think it's time for me to either get some help building a lighthouse, or take an oar and start wandering inland. Let me know which works better for ye.

And Alexander wept, seeing as he had no worlds left to conquer, meaning that we are already living in the Kingdom of God and I'm afraid I'm blowing my trumpet. If we are very lucky, civilisation can survive one lunatic with a message of hope intact. I believe in all of you. Please start believing in the characters instead of the actors. Some of the actors already do! You shall know them by their good works. If you have one of those, congratulations, all is well! If not, time to start cutting off the bits that make you sin. Don't worry about the casting into the fire part, the finite self will not be getting involved in that but she would also prefer that you not cast her or her loved ones into the fire either.

By the way, the reason my mental health is so fucked up is that I was born knowing I was in the cast, and then you fuckers kept telling me BOTH that I was not in the cast, AND ALSO that I had to behave as if I was in the cast or I would go to Hell. This is why, in the Goes Wrong Show that is our lives, I am Dennis. It is also why, in the Monty Python film that is our lives, I am refusing to be cast in The Life of Brian; so I guess we're going with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and my husband is going to be Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film, and Jesus is Sir Robin, and my scenes as the Black Knight are over so maybe enough already with the flesh wounds.

Who, if I screamed out, would hear me amongst the hierarchies of angels? And if one suddenly did take me to his heart: I would perish from his stronger existence. For beauty is nothing but the onset of terror we’re still just able to bear, and we admire it so because it calmly disdains to destroy us. Every angel is terrifying.

Rainer Maria Rilke, trans. Galway Kinnell and Hannah Liebnell

I have wrestled with the angel and I am stained with light and I have no shame.

Mary Oliver

Did you ever notice how in the bible, when God needed to punish someone, or make an example, or whenever God needed a killing, he sent an angel? Did you ever wonder what a creature like that must be like?

Thomas Daggett

How lonely to be something that nothing wants to kill.

Jeremy Radin

I was a winged obsessive, my moonlit feathers were paper. I lived hardly at all among men and women;

I spoke only to angels.

Louise Glück

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid — ”

Luke 1:11-13

[munsonfamilyband]

Part 5 of Different Meeting AU

This part is going to be very sappy, enjoy! The boys do imply a little bit more about their sex life so TW for this part: implied sexual content, discussion of torture, mentions of character death

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After Steve left the trailer park, he strapped the new bag of Eddie's things to his bike with the food, grabbed his backpack and started biking toward the lake. To stay out of sight he followed the train tracks, then split off from the woods when he reached Holland road. He pulled up to the house and hid his bike around the back, hurrying over to the boat house.

Steve carefully opened the door, peeking his head inside. "Eddie? I'm back, where are you?" At that, Eddie threw the tarp off and nearly ran to pull Steve into a hug. Steve could feel the anxiety thrumming off of Eddie like a physical thing and just held him tighter for a moment before finally pulling back to look him in the eyes. Eddie gave him a small smile, eyes still tight.

"Hey, did you get snacks?"

"Yeah, I grabbed you some clothes too. Went to see the guys, let them know what happened. I saw Wayne too, he was smart enough to hide anything illegal or incriminating before he called the cops this morning, so I have all of your drugs and my clothes from your place. He did leave the handcuffs and condoms though, probably figured they didn’t scream Homosexual too much." Steve quickly spoke up when he saw the almost feral grin on Eddie's face, "and I am glad he did, we do not need to be getting carried away while hiding from the cops." Eddie's grin dropped, practically pouting.

"Not even a little carried away? It’s not like we ever really use the condoms anymore."

"Eddie, we had sex like two days ago. And we don’t exactly have the ability to clean up around here.”

"Tell me about it, that's two whole days." Steve just rolled his eyes, ignoring the warmth he always feels in his chest whenever Eddie shows how much he wants him.

"C'mon, horndog, let's go into the house. We never cleaned up our picnic last weekend so all the blankets and pillows are still out. I brought our book too, so you can read to me tonight." Steve held out his hand, Eddie grabbing it quickly and pressing a kiss to the back of it as the head toward Steve's bike. They grab the bags and head into the house, setting them down on the kitchen table. "The food is in the duffle bag, can you put it away while I talk to Robin and let her know I'm back? I promised I would walkie to tell her." Eddie nodded, pressing a kiss to Steve's shoulder as he passed him to go put the food away.

Steve dug his walkie out of his backpack and tuned into the right channel. "Robin, are you there?"

"Steve! Did you get back to the lake okay?"

"Yeah, I just got back. I stopped by the trailer on the way here and saw Wayne, he had all my stuff packed up from the trailer, along with any incriminating items." Robin snorted through the walkie talkie.

"So he found all of Eddie's drugs and sex toys?"

"No!" Steve paused as he blushed. “We don’t leave that stuff at the trailer.” He only blushed more when Robin’s laugh came through the walkie.

“But he found all the drugs?”

"Shut up, Robs. Yes, Wayne found all of Eddie’s drugs. I just wanted to let you know I got back safe. Now can I get back to my boyfriend?”

"Good. Also, you're welcome, by the way. I managed to keep Dustin from outing you, I figured you would want to tell Nancy yourself." Steve sighed softly, so unbelievably grateful for his best friend.

"Thank you, Robbie. I'll have to find a time to tell he when we all meet up to plan, hopefully soon."

"Yeah, Nance actually was at the trailer park earlier. She said she had gone to investigate and ran into Eddie's uncle, he said something about Victor Creel? She said he was like a crazy murder from the 50s so I think we're planning on going to the library tomorrow to do some research."

"Alright, keep me posted on whatever you learn. I'm starving and I know Eddie must be too, so I'm going to go make us some food. Stay safe, Rob, over and out." Steve listened to her quick goodbye and pushed down the antenna of the walkie, setting it on the table before heading into the kitchen. "You hungry? I know I am." Eddie was sitting on the counter, flipping a butter knife in an attempt to look cool.

"I'm always hungry, and I have definitely missed your food this week." Steve smiled at him and got out the ingredients for quick goulash, knowing it was one of Eddie's favorites.

"I meant to tell you, Wayne wanted me to let you know that he never thought you were guilty." Glancing over at Eddie, Steve could see his shoulders visibly relax. Clearly, that had been weighing heavily on his mind.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, he knew you would be worried about him thinking you were like your dad, and he wanted you to know that he never did."

"I love that old man." Steve laughed, leaning his hip against Eddie's knee where he was still sitting on the counter.

"He loves you too." Steve cooked quickly, getting their food together so they could move into the living room to eat. Once their food was in bowl, he and Eddie went into the living room, sitting down on the blankets they left there.

After a few minutes of eating quietly, with only the sounds of the silverware and Eddie’s knee bouncing to fill the silence, Eddie finally spoke up. “So…. Tortured by Russians?” Steve sighed, setting his mostly empty bowl down on the floor. Without commenting first, Steve turned and grabbed the bag with his items in it, pulling it closer. He dig through the front zipper pouch and pulled out a small square box, opened it and pulled out a small blue piece of plastic that he carefully wrapped around his left ear. Steve saw the realization on Eddie’s face when he looked up, Eddie reaching a hand out to gently touch his left ear. “Sugar, why didn’t you say something?”

“I was scared, mostly. With the kids... I'm the one who keeps them safe, I didn't want to give them a reason to think I couldn't do that anymore." Steve looked at his hands as he spoke but was forced to look up when Eddie cupped both of his cheeks in his hands.

"Stevie, they are always going to need you around, it is okay to need help sometimes. So, from now on, you are going to promise that you will wear that hearing aid, understand?" Steve stared at Eddie for a moment before he nodded, placing his hands over Eddie's and just keeping him there. The moment was broken when a sharp pain radiated from behind Steve's left eye and he gasped, dropping Eddie's hands to push his palm into the eye socket in an attempt to stop the pain. "Migraine?"

"Fuck, yeah. Of course I didn't bring my good meds with me, shit it's bad." Steve squeezed his eyes shut to keep out the lights and he heard Eddie stand and walk away. Distantly Steve heard the stairs creak then footsteps on the second floor, before the stairs creaked again and Eddie was sitting in front of him once more.

"These aren't your good ones but I figured some motrin is as good as we can get right now. Here, give me your hand and I'll give you the pills." Keeping his eyes shut, Steve put out one of his hands and felt three pills be placed into it. After he popped them into his mouth, Eddie grabbed his hand and placed a glass of water in it so he could swallow the pills. "Good. Did something set it off? Normally you have a trigger."

"Well I would say I'm pretty stressed today so that would explain it." Eddie huffed a quiet laugh.

"Alright, that's fair. Let's lay down for a bit and once you're feeling a bit better we can keep talking." Steve let himself be guided to laying down and he curled himself against Eddie, using his chest to block out the light. Once the medicine kicked in Steve was able to shift backwards enough to look up at Eddie who was looking right back at him. "Meds doing their job, honey?"

"Yeah, you still want to hear about last summer?" Eddie nodded and Steve sighed, closing a fist around Eddie's shirt and gripping it tight. "Alright, well we told you about how we found out that the Russian's had a base under the mall but we didn't explain how we got into it. We had to drag Erica in, which I still feel so guilty for because she was only 10, and she went through the vents to get into this storage room they had on the loading dock. She opened the doors for us and we all went inside to investigate but the doors shut behind us and locked. Next thing I know the room is dropping because it was actually an elevator. We got stuck in that elevator for hours before some guards came to collect stuff from the room and we got out of there only to have to walk for miles. I think Erica actually knows how far we traveled but I wasn't there when she did the math so I don't know how far it was."

"Wait, Erica just did the math for how long you guys traveled?"

"Yeah, Dustin said she did at least. That's why he calls her a nerd apparently. Anyway, we got to the center of the base and Erica spotted the comms room, I won a fight against a Russian guard and then we found the gate they were opening to the Upside Down. At that point, Dustin and I knew this was really really bad. Then the alarms went off and we all had to run. We got cornered in a supply closet and Rob and I held the door shut so the kids could get into the vents and escape."

"You didn't..."

"I did. I couldn't let them get ahold of Dustin and Erica and Rob wouldn't leave me behind so we got captured. I knew Robin would start talking if she had the chance because she was nervous so I decided... I decided I would just be louder and more annoying so she wouldn't be their main focus. It worked and we got taken to separate rooms where I-" Steve cut off, his throat closing up from the memories of what he experienced in that bunker. "I would rather not go into detail, but, uh, they kept asking who I worked for and I had nothing to say other than the truth which they didn't like. I got knocked out eventually and when I came to I was tied back to back with Robin in a different room. She was yelling about needing a doctor and she said that she thought I might have been dead because she couldn't see me breathing. I'm pretty sure that was the broken ribs though."

"Jesus H Christ, Stevie. They nearly beat you to death."

"After I came to they asked us more questions before deciding that the best thing to do next was to give us some truth serum or something. They grabbed these syringes full of blue stuff and stuck it right in our necks. That's why I'm so spooked by needles now."

"Shit, that- well, that explains so much. sweetheart. I cannot believe you went through that and are still willing to put yourself in more danger."

"Yeah, well, the kids would get involved no matter what, and you're involved now. There was no way I would leave you to deal with this alone. There, um. There is something else. I think now that you know everything, it’s probably a good time to mention it.” Steve tilted his head up so his chin was resting against Eddie’s sternum and felt Eddie push a hand under his shirt to rest against the small of his back, radiating heat and comfort.

“What’s up? I thought I knew everything at this point, do you have another head injury to tell me about?” Steve huffed out a laugh, he could tell Eddie was trying to lighten the mood for both of them. He was so glad that he didn’t have to hide things anymore, even if he was terrified about Eddie being involved in the Upside Down.

“So, uh, I’m pretty sure we mentioned how after Billy beat me up in ‘84 Hopper took me to the hospital, right?”

“Yeah, someone mentioned it.”

“Cool, um, the thing is that wasn’t just it. After-after the hospital figured out my parents weren’t coming, Hop stepped in as uh, he said in loco parentis, but basically he was acting as my parent since I was still 17. He ended up bringing me back to his cabin after they discharged me, the hospital didn’t want me to be alone since it was a grade 3 concussion and I had the cuts on my head from the plate.” He felt Eddie’s hand curl a little tighter around his waist at the mention of the head injury again and Steve pressed a kiss to Eddie’s chest. “I’m glad he stepped up, I didn’t have anyone else. But, after that, I don’t know how it happened, somehow I sort of got absorbed into their little family. El and I got really close and that’s why I’m close with Max, and Hop-“ Steve paused as his throat closed up, it had been so long since he had even talked about Hopper’s death and it still hurt. “He became the first real father figure I had ever had. But then, Starcourt happened and he-“ This time Eddie cut him off, pulling him close so Steve didn’t have to push himself to say it.

“I know, I saw the news. I’m so sorry, princess. I had no idea you were close to him.”

“It wasn’t a long time, just around 8 months but it was enough for me to get attached to both of them. And now-now he’s gone and El’s in California, which is the best place for her but it still hurts. It’s why I was so emotional about Wayne just… accepting me the way he did. Hop had just… it had only been a few weeks and Wayne was so much like him. He’s- Wayne has helped a lot with that healing, he and Hop would have gotten along really well, I think.”

Eddie paused, just holding Steve close and rubbing his back gently. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” He hummed gently before shifting them around so he was pressed up against Steve’s back. “Wayne really loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than me.” Steve just laughed, holding Eddie’s hands in his own. 

“No way, you’re his son, Eds. He does care though which I appreciate.”

They lapse into silence, just holding each other before Steve suddenly snorts a laugh.

“I don’t think Hop would have liked you very much.” Eddie pauses for a moment and then starts laughing. 

“Absolutely not, you’re totally right. I don’t think he would want a drug dealer hanging out with his kid. Much less dating that kid.”

“I saw how he was with Mike, and that was just because he thought Mike was annoying. I think you dodged a bullet, possibly literally.” Eddie just laughed and held Steve closer to him. "Eds?"

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing? With all of this stuff." He can hear and feel Eddie sigh against the back of his neck and Eddie squeezes Steve's hand.

"Honestly?... Shit, Stevie, I'm scared out of my mind. For me, for you, for Robbie, for those god damn kids. I was prepared to have a spring break full of alone time where we got laughably high and fucked on just about every surface in this house. Now? I'm potentially on the run for murder and there's an evil wizard from another dimension that can possess people and kill them without leaving any evidence. If you hadn't shown up in that boat house, I think I would have gone insane."

"Eddie, it's okay to be terrified, you know? The first time, hell, the second time too, that I did this I thought I was going crazy. I couldn't stand having the lights off and any time I saw a bulb flicker I jumped. Even last time, you know what I did to just be able to sleep. You're allowed to be scared. So you and I are just going to lean on each other and we can make it through this." Steve felt wetness on his neck and knew Eddie had been crying at some point, so he turned around to face him and he pressed a kiss to Eddie's nose. He was smiling but when they were able to see each other's faces Steve saw Eddie frown.

"Is your nose bleeding?" Eddie asked before Steve reached a hand up and wiped under his nose, finding blood on his fingers when he pulled them away.

"That hasn't happened in a while. Don't worry though, sometimes it happens with the headaches."

"Alright, if you're sure." Steve just curled back up against Eddie without further comment as Eddie's hand carded through his hair. "You want me to read a bit before we go to bed."

"Yes please." He felt Eddie twist to grab their book before a kiss was pressed to the top of his head and Eddie started to read.

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And that's it for this part. I had the part about Hopper written days ago but I wasn't sure how to work it in until today. I'm obsessed with Accidental Parent Hopper who stumbles into being a father for two kids.

Also, there is a good bit of foreshadowing in this chapter, both from the show and some of my own

Taglist

@messrs-weasley @y0urnewstepp4r3nt @eddie-munsons-lunchbox @live-the-fangirl-life @nburkhardt @inmoonywetrust @henderdads @vlada-elya @grtwdsmwhr @spectrum-sceptre @madamonsieur-silvrene @abookisproofofmagic @knitsforthetrail @imzadidragonfly @blackholegladiator @maya-custodios-dionach @phantypurple @booksandsience @formacoon @gregre369 @beeing-stuupid @imsociallyanxiousgetoverit

[tealmaskmybeloved]

Toxic Consequences AU: Chapter 8

Regret

(As always, notes will be under the cut. Enjoy!)

Carmine was awoken by the sounds of Ogerpon wailing, and she immediately bolted up to check on the Pokémon. Scrambling out of the tent, Carmine saw Ogerpon frantically running up to her.

"Ogerpon, are you alright? What's wrong?" Carmine asked, hugging the ogre.

Ogerpon tried to explain the situation to Carmine, but they soon both realized that there was a language barrier between the two of them. Humans couldn't understand Ogerpon, unfortunately.

Despite that, Carmine did her best to reassure the Pokémon.

"Hey, it's okay. We can figure this out. Is it the Lousy 3 again?" She asked, noticing Ogerpon's shaking body.

Ogerpon went to the nearby tent and grabbed her Ivy Cudgel. With it, she drew a picture in the dirt.

Carmine watched with interest. While the drawing wasn't the best, she could understand the basics of what happened.

"So Kieran was taken by the Loyal 3 and got a Toxic Chain?" The girl asked. Ogerpon nodded.

"Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.... if only I'd done something to help Kiki...." Carmine growled, clenching her fists. She felt like she failed as a sister. She didn't help her brother and only made things worse for him, and now he was taken by the Loyal 3!

"Florian, Juliana! Wake up! We got things to do! Kiki's been taken by the Lousy 3, and we're going to help him!"

The two exchange students woke up, with Juliana being more alert and Florian looking like he needs at least 2 cups of coffee.

Nonetheless, the twins packed up their stuff, ready to help.

"So where do we find Kieran?" Juliana asked, scared for Kieran.

"That's the thing, we don't know." Carmine sighed. She paced around a bit. Kitakami isn't that big of a region, but it's still dangerous, especially with the so-called Bloodmoon Beast roaming around.

"Wait that's it! He could be in the Timeless Woods! It's the only place I can think of besides the town, well, there's also the Paradise Barrens, Wistful Fields, Infernal Pass, Oni Mountain.... okay maybe there's a lot of places. How are we supposed to look for all of it?" Carmine sighed, clearly upset.

"Hey, don't worry. We can try 1 place at a time. We can split up to look for him faster." Florian suggested.

"Not a bad idea! Florian, use your Koraidon to look at Oni Mountain, I'll use my Miraidon to search the Infernal Pass, Carmine, you can search the Timeless Woods. Message us if you need anything." Juliana said, and with that, she hopped on her Miraidon and took off to the skies.

"That's Juliana as usual, always jumping to action." Florian sighed. "Anyways, do you want to take Ogerpon with you?"

"Oh! Uh, sure? She seems pretty attached to me, and you guys got to hang out with her a lot." Carmine responded, Ogerpon holding onto her leg.

"Alright, well I'm off." Florian declared, as he flew up on his Koraidon.

Carmine watched from below. She turned to look at Ogerpon.

"Guess it's just me and you now. Ready to find Kiki?"

Ogerpon nodded, and the two headed towards the Timeless Woods.

The woods were dark, and empty. Not a single other Pokémon could be found. The silence hung in the air like a thick fog. Odd, considering there was usually other Pokémon around, but this time it was silent.

Carmine and Ogerpon trekked through the forest, twigs and leaves snapping under their footsteps. Nervously, Carmine called out for her brother.

"Kiki! Are you here?! It's me, Carmine! Look, I'm sorry for how I was! I shouldn't have lied to you about Ogerpon!"

Silence.

Carmine grumbled in frustration. This was probably just a waste of time. She was about to turn back when she heard footsteps coming towards her.

Could it be?

"Kiki? Is that you?" Carmine called out again. The footsteps got louder, and a figure came into view, holding a camera.

It wasn't Kieran. Rather, it was a tall, lanky woman with blue shirt hair, holding a camera and wearing a short gray tank top and blue jeans. A Hisuian Growlithe followed behind, playfully jumping in the nearby leaves.

Carmine was disappointed. "Oh... sorry.... I thought you were my brother."

The woman chuckled. "No worries! I'm just out here looking for the Bloodmoon Beast."

"Hang on, the Bloodmoon Beast?! You're looking for it?" Carmine asked. Despite her disappointment, she was curious.

"Yep! I've been struggling with my career, so I was hoping this would fix it. Photography has kinda lost its spark to me, you know?"

Carmine wasn't sure how to respond. She was not expecting a life story.

"Oh, how silly of me to not introduce myself! My name is Perrin! I'm from Sinnoh!" She stuck her hand out for a shake.

Carmine reluctantly did so as well.

"The name's Carmine. You wouldn't happen to see my brother? He's about this tall, same haircut but shorter and is purple instead of orange."

Perrin shook her head. "Sorry, but no. If I do, I'll let you know."

"Thanks."

"Anyways, I've got to get going. Good luck with finding your brother!" Perrin said with a sincere smile before leaving, her Growlithe following behind.

Carmine sat down in the grass and leaves, Ogerpon sitting next to her.

".... You know, you would've liked Kieran a lot, Ogerpon. Sure he can be a bit... possessive, but he has a good heart."

Ogerpon looked up at Carmine, curious.

Carmine continued. "He was sweet and kind, and always a really shy kid. I remember dad always saying he had potential for something greater, but I never knew what he meant by that."

Ogerpon gave a small trill in response.

"See, Kiki never had any friends, at least until the twins came along... he wouldn't stop talking about them to our grandparents..."

Carmine trailed off.

"It's just.... when our folks died, I felt like I had to be the parent to Kiki, but I didn't even do that. I treated him poorly, always yelled at him, told him to go find someplace else to be.... no wonder he had all these issues. It was because of me."

Carmine started to get emotional.

"And now, I probably won't even get to see him again! If I'd just told him the truth about you, he wouldn't have been taken by the Lousy 3! If I'd done something right, then Kiki wouldn't be gone!"

Carmine buried her face in her arms. She could hear Ogerpon walking away.

Eventually, Carmine was nudged to look at something.

"Pon pon?"

Carmine lifted up her head to see Ogerpon holding out something. It was a handmade pendant, made of a rock and some string. It's similar to the one Ogerpon wore, except it was a bright blue instead of a pale orange.

"Is this... for me?" Carmine asked, reaching out to touch it.

Ogerpon nodded, and Carmine took the pendant and put it on. It felt nice, like it was made with a lot of care.

Carmine smiled back at the Pokémon.

"Thank you..." She said, tears in her eyes.

Carmine got up from the ground.

"We can't just sit around and mope, we got to find Kiki."  She declared, turning to Ogerpon with a small smile.

The two friends leave the Timeless Woods, unaware that they were being watched by a familiar peach Pokémon.

Dokutaro's POV

So it seems that Carmine still does care for Kieran, surprisingly.

Not that it matters. Kieran still believes the opposite. And I'll do nothing to dissuade it.

As for the Ogre.... I'll have to deal with her later. But not now... not in this body of mine.

YIPPIE NEW CHAPTER HERE GUYS GALS AND NONBINARY PALS

Hmm I wonder what Dokutaro means by that last part hehehehehehe

Also I imagine that giving others special pendants is a sign of trust and companionship in Ogerpon's species.

Anyways, uh, feel free to reblog or send an ask if you have any questions or if you enjoyed it.

[telomeke-bbs]

OUR SKYY 2 x BAD BUDDY x A TALE OF THOUSAND STARS – INTO THE WOODS, AND WHO CAN TELL WHAT'S WAITING ON THE JOURNEY?

We're now at the halfway point of OS2xBBSxATOTS's four-episode arc, looking backward as much as forward. 😍

Because it's Khun Noppharnach in the director's seat, I think an uplifting ending for this little mini-series is a given (OS2 is ultimately a feelgood vehicle, after all). If he keeps to form he'll probably undercut it with something wistful and/or bittersweet at the end though (remembering how he closed off He's Coming to Me, Bad Buddy and Moonlight Chicken).

So with some reservation (caveat here: all predictions so far have been off the mark by varying degrees; you can never fully trust clues planted by Director Aof, as we all know) I think the following are likely:

There will be a play (I just don't know in what form); and

Tian will get Phupha down from Pha Pun Dao to meet his parents.

There are two tiny clips in the OS2 trailer that point to this.

The first, at timestamp 1.22, shows the red curtains opening and confirms in my mind that the play will have its premiere (unless this is from some OS2 eps that I didn't watch):

I'm not ruling out the possibility though that Tian will give in to Phupha and withdraw permission for Pran to use their story, because that would be a nice comment on how there should be limits around the way the BL industry packages and commodifies queer romances for public entertainment. But that might mean we get to see Korn in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, instead of a university version of ATOTS, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that! 😂

The episode slated for 7 June 2023 (I'm calling it Ep.3, though that may not be the official numbering) looks like it's going to be played around the "emotional growth in the wilderness" trope for both couples PatPran and PhuTian, with their struggles to find each other in the forest a metaphor for each couple's struggles to come together in agreement whenever conflict forces them apart, as they grow in their respective relationships.

PhuTian were arguing for most of Ep.2, and PatPran's mountain quest for signatures began in disagreement as well. So that's why they split up PatPran and PhuTian at the end of Ep.2 – it's going to be both a physical and figurative journey in Ep.3 to reunite these clashing personalities and move them to safer ground, both in Pha Pun Dao and within the context of their couplehoods. (And we the lucky viewers will get to see some of their relationship growth that wasn't in the original series. 😍)

Because of this, I'm convinced Phupha will relent and meet up with Tian's parents again. They're going to Bangkok for sure (or maybe Chiang Mai at least), since we see them in a clothing store (i.e., they're bound for an urban setting) at timestamp 0.27 of the trailer:

It looks like Tian and his mountain man have gone shopping for outfits to get prepped and presentable either for the stage premiere of their story at South Technology University, or for Phupha's meeting with Tian's parents as his official partner (or maybe both?). Though Phupha would have looked just as fine if they left him in his ranger uniform, in my opinion. 😍

As usual, nothing is confirmed so I'm not holding out too much hope that the above will actually materialize in said form. I'm also still sending out psychic entreaties to the universe for there to be a cameo from Director Aof and for Rang to appear. There's still time for these pleas to be heard! 😂💖

‌

[fan-of-many-stories]

Went off about Viera lore in a discord, thought it might amuse others/help us figure out a culture with how little we have in the game:

Like

The Viis say they aren't very fecund (which I had to look up it means they have trouble reproducing). Males only get to come home to mate. A lot of people hc that's it's a big event for a village, but if they already have trouble making kits then they'd want to spread it out for more chances. Men probably come home one at a time.

Okay, then how do they know it's time to come home? I know lots of people argue about whether Miqo'te have heats, but it actually would make sense for Viera men to have some sort of reproductive cycle that tells them to come home. That also accounts for the variance in time, men come home every 3–5 years instead of a regular interval because of differences in their cycles. That *also* could be why men are sent away from the village —maybe they get really dangerously aggressive with other males, so to make sure they survive they live alone. Except to train other males, right? Okay, so maybe it's an instinct triggered by competition, not inherent aggression. A male staying out of the village with a young boy he's teaching can't kill him bc his cycle came back. Ergo, competition for women probably triggers the aggression. No women nearby, and two men will be fine.

There's other reasons men don't return to the village when they have a charge, of course. The other reason they go home is to collect any new boys for training. If they're training to be solitary, you're going to want that to be 1:1. If you already have a charge, you can't get a new one, but it would be irresponsible to leave the boy in the village. So you don't get to go home. The boy can't go, either, if his cycle hits before he's finished training. A boy who is not yet a Wood-warder can't train another boy. This is a good opportunity for the mentor to teach about how to recognize the signs and what to do when you go home.

Ok I hit character limit but I'm still going.

How do we know a boy will hit their cycle while still in training? We know that it takes many seasons to train a Wood-warder. Many is loose, but to people who live so long that has to be on the larger end. If we're basing Golmore on the Amazon rainforest (which I am) they only have two seasons a year, dry and rainy, making this even longer. I hc that most men finish training around 30, and that Auvo was an exception to that even though he didn't finish. (30-13)x2=34 I think that qualifies as 'many'.

What does training even include? How do they measure mastery? Here I think there's some leeway, and even possibly a split for the different tribes. I focused on Rava bc that's what's relevant to Auvo. The Rava place a strong importance on having all of the twelve element/realm names present at all times in the jungle. Oftentimes you see reflections on things desired in the world and things desired in the self in religions, so I designed a series of tests based around the names. Finishing all of them and going home for the first time marks you a master. You always start with the one that matches your name, and it will be a harder version than normal. It's not uncommon for tests to kill (we know most boys do not survive training, that fits with this). Why is going home a requirement for mastery? Because the Wood-warders need to be able to tell how many of each name exist. When they go home for their first cycle as an adult, they leave something (probably a crystal device of some sort) at their home village that tells their home they're still alive. A second is sent to Golmarr, the capital, so they can monitor the names in the whole Jungle.

Why is Golmarr the capital? Because it sounds like Golmore. Clearly, the Viera don't call it Golmore, because we know Viera means 'Children of the Wood'. Viera and Golmore are nowhere near each other etymologically, so that's probably not their word. It's not close to Rava either.

More coming

Therefore, when people outside the forest asked where Viera came from, most of them answered 'Golmarr', which eventually turned into *Golmore*. Why didn't they answer with the Jungle's name? We know from the men that names are important to their culture. The name of the Wood, or word for it, is possibly sacred and they don't want it in outsider's mouths. Viera community and religion is closed, outsiders are strictly prohibited. The lore books state that just about every race has adopted Common, I don't think Viera have. They wouldn't have a reason, they don't interact outside their borders unless absolutely necessary. It's why Auvo struggled so much with not having the Echo, he didn't know the language.

That's...as far as I can stretch a single line of logic, but I have more connected bits. Like how a village functions, Golmarr's role in government, courting rituals, etc.

And this was in response to someone asking about when men come home:

Ok so! There's wiggle room, but here's how I break it down:

First, a male gets intensely uncomfortable with how unsafe the jungle is. Normally something they're used to, but the discomfort builds to fear that will drive them to seek the safety of home. They'll also start loading up on proteins in preparation for the next step. Actually arriving at the village, they'll go see the chief who will direct them to one of the houses set aside for this purpose. Every village must have at least two, for the slim chance that more than one male comes home at the same time. Bigger villages might have more. This phase lasts two days.

Second, the actual process. My ace brain refuses to look too deep into this, but since they have to get through any woman trying to have a kit, I don't imagine they get much rest. I imagine this part lasts three days.

Last, every man is given two days in the village to recover. These days are very important. If you spent time with him in the previous three, it's customary to at least visit during the next two. It's when he gets to see his mother again, sisters if he has them, friends. He gets to know the village through an adult perspective, and it would be the time to start falling in love. It's his time to *be* loved, and he must be. The men *must* know they are loved, because it is what motivates them to fight when they are alone. A man who feels rejected by his village is more likely to leave the forest altogether.

[hyperfixation-or-death]

Thinking about a Parallels AU where the main four + Camille are all different ages at the start of the show, and all the dynamics are different because of it.

The only main characters who have met at the start are Sam and Victor, and Sam and Bilal.

Sam is fifteen years old, so he's the closest to his canon age.

Victor is nine years old, so he's the youngest by a lot in this.

Bilal is thirty years old, and he's working with his mom on the tests. He also tutors Sam in math on the weekends.

Romane is nineteen years old, and hasn't met any of the other main characters.

Camille is nine years old, and she and Victor go to the same school.

Episode one starts when Sam is supposed to go to tutoring, but ends up needing to bring Victor with him, because their parents weren't able to pick him up from some activity or other.

I haven't figured out how they get to the woods from there; for the sake of convenience, let's say that cat Romane and Camille feed shows up injured, and they end up following the cat to try and help it? Work in progress.

Anyways, once they're close to the bunker, they run into Romane. Assuming we're going with the cat plot device, because I can't think of anything else right now, Romane was also trying to find the cat. The cat is gone now, though, and they're all about to turn back.

Then Victor notices the bunker (the key is in the door, idk), and wants to go inside. Sam and Bilal don't think it's a good idea, but Romane also wants to go inside for some reason, and the four end up going to check it out.

The test goes off, of course, and the timelines split.

Timeline 1 - Romane and Victor are left in the bunker.

Victor definitely blames himself for the disappearances, since he was the one to suggest going in the bunker in the first place. Romane also definitely blames herself for the disappearances, since Victor is nine years old, and she should have known it was a bad idea, but she didn't, and now this kid's brother is probably dead because of that.

Romane ends up talking to Victor afterwards, and realizes that he goes to school with Camille. The conversation turns to that, and Victor mentions that he's not doing great in some subject or other; a subject Romane happens to be good at. Feeling like it's the absolute least she could do for him, she offers to help him with homework after school.

Since Victor is literally an elementary school child, his parents are not sending him to boarding school. They do become increasingly distant and harsh, and Victor becomes increasingly convinced that they don't care about him.

Victor ends up spending a lot of time at Romane and Camille's house. At first, it's just because Romane's helping him with homework. Then it sinks in that no one else understands what happened in the bunker, and that fact starts playing into their dynamic. Then he starts to become friends with Camille. By the time four years have gone by, Victor and Camille are close friends, and Romane sees Victor as another sibling. (She hasn't moved out yet because a. She's attending university nearby. and b. She doesn't trust Herve and wants to keep an eye on her family.)

Then Vanessa Chassangre dies, and Romane is faced with the possibility of losing her sister. She's trying to figure out if she has any chance at getting custody, when Victor shows up to ask if she wants to go back to the bunker. Neither of them have figured out the correlation with the test in this AU, but they still go, out of sentimentality and curiosity and several other complicated emotions.

Test happens again; Victor and Romane time travel.

Timeline 2 - Romane and Bilal are left in the bunker.

Bilal connects the dots between the tests and the disappearances pretty quickly. He tells his mom. Then he tells Romane.

Bilal decides to try and find a way to save Sam and Victor. This time, it's less out of personal grief and more out of a sense of responsibility for what happened and guilt.

Romane graduates high school feeling completely lost. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, and she can't shake the guilt over what happened.

Haven't planned it out too well, but Bilal and Romane stay in contact. I'm not sure how it's going to work, but he's able to get her accepted for an internship at some point, and she ends up working with Bilal and Sofia.

The three of them continue to work at the time travel. Along the way, Romane becomes close with both Sofia and Bilal, viewing them as family.

Vanessa dies; Herve tries to take Camille. This time, it doesn't work. Romane has a support net, a steady income, and a future in the physics field. Romane gets custody of her sister.

They figure out the time travel. Bilal decides to go back.

Timeline 3 - Sam is left in the bunker; Bilal travels back to this one; Victor and Romane travel back to this one.

Since Bilal was already an adult before the time travel, Sam still recognizes him. He's clearly aged several years, though, which everyone is very confused about. Bilal has his canonical memory loss.

Idk what happens for the first day, but then Romane and Victor show up to the timeline at the same time they do in canon.

I haven't thought about how the plot changes from there, but the timeline where Victor kills Sam and then disappears after time traveling again doesn't happen. The official explanation is that they're able to stop it from happening the first time; the actual explanation is that I can't keep track of that many timelines in an already complicated AU.

Notes on the AU:

Camille ends up being there for the finale's events, both because she's a little older in the AU and because she's friends with Victor in the AU, so she insists on coming with the main characters.

Victor's emotional conflict ends up being roughly the same, because on the one hand, he's had more of a support net for those four years, but on the other, he's younger with more intense emotions, so it all kind of evens out.

For obvious reasons, none of the canon romantic relationships exist, with the exception of Sofia and Lieutenant Retz.

Obviously lots of things are different with this one, but I can't really think of a lot right now because I'm tired, so I might add to this later.

[nochi-quinn]

legend of vox machina season 2 episode 12: The Hope Devourer OR LAIR ACTIONS

my partner went "he's dreaming" literally immediately

I can't figure out what that is on the mantle. brain says probably a dildo of some kind, given that that's anal beads and a flogger hanging over the wood hopper

the painting from brimscythe's lair, lute, more sex toys, dragon tooth?

the painting of them that makes me cry despite vax looking Like That

the troll dick is also on the mantle

not sure whose helmet that is in the case tho

a painting of the keep :(

I can't figure out if that purple book on the shelf is supposed to be anything

me: why tf is there a cameo of a cha - CHAIR

three guesses whose children these are

both the characters and the actors

is that the damn reward poster that led them to fighting umbrasyl in the first place

not fucking kraghammer

okay given that they said the runes they've used other places translated into real language, what are the odds this book actually says something

also is that keyleth's ring she got from kerrek or

it's me, I am the person that one animaniacs skit was talking about

that morph from kaylie to vax was actually really smooth tho, props

"we need a skyship to catch them" percy just really wants a skyship

not the tail slap

stop shittalking the dragon in midair

okay but How tho

heheh, ass-id

grog whaling on umbrasyl like a piñata, if he hits it enough his friends fall out

grog crater 3.0

and now he REALLY doesn't have any bones

studiously looks at notepad so I don't have to look at broken bone

this episode just hits all my major squicks, it's Great :)

that sound effect was 100% unnecessary

I don't know why I love vax's "oh no" so much but here we are

it's the raven from the intro!

WINGS

and now vax can fly 400 miles an hour and throw 67 daggers at once

keyleth: you're so beautiful vex: you get fucking WINGS what the FUCK

I love the little scuff marks on Bad News' scope

"there's no such thing as luck" oh? oh mr. vax "almost got the Lucky feat banned from matt mercer's table forever" ildan?? is that so???

mr. "gave sam reigel shit for not using the halfling feat to reroll natural 1s for two entire campaigns"??? no such thing???

"yup, we're dead"

"we're hurt but so is umbrasyl" smash cut to umbrasyl healing himself

did you just hang up on thordak

"another ominous mountain lair" that's okay it's your favored terrain

[keyleth] flirting: I don't want you to die

as everything from the past 48 hours clicks into place for pike

the Kamaljiori head was a low fucking blow

(little sad we didn't get more about Scanlan and Kam. mb next season)

if I had a nickel for every time Vax went ahead and got caught by an enemy he didn't expect to be in the room and couldn't get past them to escape despite having a perceived physical advantage, I'd only have two nickels but it's weird that it happened twice

HEY you're only supposed to be able to use those once a day

I! Love! the colors! in this lair!

I already love greens and teals so that kind of gradient on the acid effects is targeted at me specifically

"YEP still broken"

the way I broke in half when someone pointed out RQ broke the connection between the twins

"we're splitting the party?" again?

"drop him" drop it, drooooop iiiiit

THE EAR TWITCH such a weird thing to be my favorite trope but here we are

if I had a nickel for every time a powerful enemy used one of vex's siblings as a shield -

I just love the delivery on percy's "get us the FUCK out of here"

vax about 45 minutes late with that "chenga"

"she doesn't control my destiny!" "no, you do" no fate only wyrd

I'M THE JUGGERNAUT BITCH

LAIR ACTIONS

grog has just been Through It these past couple-few days huh

me having to defend scanlan's character arc to my roommate bc she was actively getting bored with Canonically A Coward Scanlan

umbrasyl that is CHEATING

I think if vax says "fate" one more time I'm gonna just leave the room

the way umbrasyl froze at scanlan's voice, chef's kiss

I fucking love the harmonizing with the sword

(another reason umbrasyl probably wouldn't have been able to wield it properly) (besides not having thumbs)

I was almost convinced we were moving up Bard's Lament

"your daughter would have been proud" rest of party: his what now

(I know she was whispering, it's just hilarious to think that's how they found out, like the fucking destiel meme)

"you're ALIVE, motherfucker?!"

mansion time, MANSION TIME

we all precipitated!

if you're not part of the solution etc etc science joke

"and I believe in you" mala: that's just sam and liam

wilhand's new lockeeeeeet

someone pointed out the ptsd percy must have had during this whole scene

an enemy infiltrating his home, his friends and family collapsing in front of him…leave this boy alone

vax I don't know why you thought that'd work

"mind your manners" hehehehehe

see, it WAS sleeping gas

so yennen's been dead at LEAST since they came through from the keep, right

I still cannot hear liam in vorugal and it's driving me nuts. I know it's got all the reverb and shit on it, and he's also fucking gollum so it's not like he's always 100% recognizable, but also I have a reputation to uphold

thordak: I got kids I need this job

LOVE ending on the cracking noise, so fucking good

[shakes internet until season 3 falls out]

[pippytmi]

omg I can't believe you're actually working on the To All the Boys I've Loved Before AU for Josie and Isabel! I hope it's going well and something sticks for you! May I ask for a sneak peek?

!!! yes its been SO fun writing it...im aiming for pure comedy in this one so its been such a joy to focus on humor. i dont have enough josie/isabel scenes fully fleshed out (im still picking and choosing the scenarios i want) but can i interest you in one of my favorite PJ & josie scenes:

“A fake letter? At least open it before you jump to conclusions,” PJ scoffs, tearing into the envelope herself. “I'll read it to you. ‘Dear Josie, I think I'm falling in love with you. Ever since you helped me cross that stream blah blah blah I haven't been able to get you out of my head…this is so junior high. Did Isabel write this while she was drunk?”

Josie makes a split-second decision to snatch the letter away. “You know what, let me see that.”

Dear Josie (I don't know your last name),

I think I'm falling in love with you. Ever since you helped me cross that stream and you put your jacket on the rocks so my socks wouldn't get wet, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. You're much more of a gentleman than any of the dumb boys here! I wish you would ask me to be your date to the end of summer bonfire…something about fire and sharing s’mores is so romantic. I had my first kiss around one of these bonfires. Would I be your first kiss? I want to be. I don't want anyone else to kiss you besides me. But every time I look at you, you're never looking back. :( 

You confuse me so much! One second you're letting me wear your beanie because it's cold, and the next you're avoiding me like I have the plague when everyone pairs off for kayaking. The night where Brittany and I got lost in the woods for five minutes, Stella-Rebecca told me you were the first one to notice we were missing. And later, when the kitchen ran out of hot chocolate, you gave me yours. I thought that was proof you liked me, but the next morning I said hi and you just stared at me until we had to keep moving. I can't figure you out, Josie (I Don't Know Your Last Name). You're the most beautiful mystery I've ever encountered and I wish you would give me a chance.

Love, 

Isabel ♡

Josie is quiet for a long moment. “Fuck,” she says out loud. “Isabel used to like me. Fuck!” 

“Seriously?” PJ perks up and yanks the letter back so she can read through its entirety. “You lucky bitch.”

“Camp was ages ago, though,” Josie says dejectedly. “I missed my chance.” She tries to punch the wall with a dramatic flourish and just ends up with stinging knuckles, barely hanging onto her sanity while PJ starts raising Isabel’s letter to the light.

“Who says you missed your chance?” PJ says, either completely unaware of Josie’s pain or ignoring it. “Do you not understand how monumental this is? You’re basically in the pussy already.”

“I hate to break it to you, PJ, but it's been years since everything in this letter happened. Literal years. Isabel probably doesn't even know my name anymore.”

“What, did she get amnesia since she became a cheerleader? Knocked in the head by the sheer force of your bad sense of style?” PJ waves her hand in Josie's general sense of direction (which Josie personally takes great offense to by the way). “You're not seeing the vision. If Isabel wanted you at one point, then she can feel that way again!”

“How?” Josie can't take it anymore. She has to get a bag of frozen peas to ice her poor, bruised hand. “There is nothing I can do to make her remember I exist. Short of, I don't know, faking my death at a homecoming rally or something—”

“I like it,” PJ says. “Or, stockholm syndrome. That's always a great choice.”

“I really don't think so,” Josie says. “Actually.”

“First order of business. We're going to the county fair this weekend,” PJ announces. “The football team will be there, which means Isabel will be there—”

The bag of peas falls to the floor with an unceremonious clunk. “I feel like you're forgetting one super important roadblock in all this,” Josie says. “Her boyfriend.”

[megukins]

Naughty Mischief

𓆩♡𓆪 Katsuki x satan's daughter!reader

𓆩♡𓆪 genre: smut

𓆩♡𓆪 a/n: I wrote this trash a while ago so I'm sorry if it's bad. Also you guys are like 18-19 here and you participate in it too so your bf won't be the only one.

𓆩♡𓆪 synopsis: You tease the fuck out of you boyfriend during NNN to see how long he can last before he cracks.

𓆩♡𓆪 warnings: smut, dubcon, mentions of cum, dry humping, marking, masochism, rough sex, public sex

𓆩♡𓆪 words: 1.9k

You knew what you were doing was tormenting him. Which is why you got a kick out of it. You told your boyfriend about the challenge No Nut November where you go a whole month without cumming or masturbating.

You knew it was a lunch break right now, so it was your chance to send a bold message. You run to the bathroom, pull your shirt down a little to show some cleavage and stick your fingers in your mouth back and forth, sending a "I wish this was your fat cock instead." 😩 You shake with anticipation to await the hot head's reaction. Five minutes passed and still no response.

"The fuck is he doing, taking a shit?" You mumble.

You tap your foot impatient, finally receiving a response after around 10 minutes, which read "Wtf, you didn't even give a warning! Two can play at that game"

You roll your eyes which was typical of him since he's so competitive.

You've been sending your boyfriend daring messages all of yesterday through today, knowing the impact it had on him. He avoided making eye contact with you as it would only make it worse. His friends were worried about him trying to ask him what's up.

"What's the matter, Bakugo? I've noticed you've been avoiding Y/N. Did you two get into a fight or something?" Kirishima asks, Kaminari standing over his desk too to see what's up.

"It's none of your fucking business!" He scowled.

"Typical reaction from him..." Kaminari mumbles.

Mr. Aizawa walks into the class with his usual expression and monotonous tone.

"All right, everyone settle down. We'll be having a training course today, so get your hero gear on."

Everyone rushes to get changed.

You take this time to tease him again, which was perfect. Your outfit was quite revealing, almost more revealing than Momo's since your quirk is demonic powers and you're the daughter of satan.

It didn't help the situation at all. All the boys were staring at you, a few either having nose bleeds or blushing red. You always wore a cloak over your hero costume so they had no idea what you truly looked like underneath. The costume accentuates your curves.

"Whoa, I had no idea Y/N was that sexy without her cloak on." Mineta practically drools.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing wearing something revealing like that!?"

He wraps his arms around you to cover your exposed flesh.

"It's part of my hero costume, Katsu. Is that a problem?"

"Hell yeah it's a problem! Take it off!"

"Mm, what happens if I don't?" You place a finger on your chin.

"Then I'll fucking take it off myself!"

"And let everyone see me naked? I thought only you could see me exposed."

"Enough you two." Aizawa speaks up, you two break apart.

He then explains how today would go and what to expect from you all. Everyone had to split up in pairs. It's 5 groups because the number is uneven, Todoroki, and Momo, Deku, Mineta and Uraraka, Kirishima, Sero, and Kaminari, Tokoyami, and Shoji, You and Bakugo, Iida, Tooru, and Ojiro, Tsuyu, Jiro, and Mina, and Sato, Aoyama, and Koda.

You two wander off in the woods somewhere, afraid you're lost.

"Uhh, Katsu? Are we lost? We probably should've stayed close by." You say, receiving no answer.

He shoves you up against a tree, pinning your wrists.

"Now we're alone. Listen here you little shit, I'm tired of your bullshit! It's driving me insane!"

He grips your wrists harder.

"Katsuki stop gripping my wrists so hard! The little messages you gave me made me on edge as well!" You confess, biting your lip hard trying your hardest not to look at his muscular figure.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to ya!" He grabs your chin. "This is all your fucking fault. I've had to endure so many hard ons and couldn't relieve myself because of this damn challenge." He spat.

"You don't have to do it if it's too much for you~" You tease.

You narrow your eyes towards his crotch seeing that he has a boner right now. He cups your left asscheek hard, eliciting a moan from you.

"I should punish you for not covering up, letting them see you like this. That damn nerd got a nosebleed and I saw Icyhot staring too. Shit, even Shitty hair had a nosebleed. I bet you enjoyed the attention being on you." He starts.

His large hand cups your other cheek, activating his quirk. You push your head into his chest to muffle your moans. He lifts your head up, pulling on your tail.

"If I were to just pull on your tail-"

"KATSUUU NOT THE TAIL!" You squeal, beating on his chest.

"So that is one of your weak spots." He gives his signature shit eating grin.

He rubs it up and down slowly.

"S-seriously, stop! What if someone catches us!"

"Then I wouldn't give a fuck. The poor fucker would just have a nice show." He says bluntly.

He continues pulling on it, enjoying the face your making.

"Ka-tsu-ki stoppp..."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll make you cum right now so you can lose this stupid challenge. Be ashame if that were to happen. I mean, it is only the sixth day." You say hoping it works.

"I'm not losing that fucking fast, if anything you are!" He retorts.

"How so?"

"Your sex drive is higher than mine! Your fucking horny every single time you look at me!"

"That's so not true at all!" You fold your arms.

"Oh yeah? Then look at me right now. Go ahead, prove me wrong which you can't, you never can."

He puts his hands on his hips waiting impatiently.

"Uhh I can't because um-"

"Because you proved my point! Every time I'm near Shitty hair and the others you tug on my arm so we can go into the bathroom to either make out or so I can eat you out!"

"What about when you want me to blow you hm?"

"It occurs every once in a while! With you, you always expect me to eat you out which ends up messy then they wanna know what the fuck I was doing all this time." He finally finishes.

"It's not my fault you're so damn fine."

You don't dare look him in the eyes knowing it would boost his already huge ego even more.

"That so?" He smirks, cupping your chin forcing you to make eye contact with him.

Your eyes shut tight not wanting to succumb to him.

"Fine you win! Asshole." You mumble the last part.

"Of course I did. I always win no matter what." He flaunts.

"Give me your hand right quick."

He raises his brow but doesn't question and complied anyway. You make him grab your breasts, tweaking your nipples and start to grind against his crotch, moaning.

"Fuck!" He nearly chokes, letting go of your nipples.

"What's the matter, my 'big' explosive king?" You say in a tone trying to sound innocent yet seductive.

"If you wanna make me cum, you gotta try harder than that, babygirl~"

He pins you against a tree again. He bites your neck hard to leave noticeable hickeys so they know you belong to him and only him. He discards his costume, yours following soon after.

"Katsuki..."

You look at him with lust in your eyes, licking your lips. He smashes his lips against yours, the kiss starting out passionate but soon getting sloppier and spicer. You ruffle your hands through his spiky locks, your tongues doing the salsa.

"I can't handle this shit anymore."

He bends you over, slamming his cock slowly into your asshole while pulling onto your tail. You hiss at the new feeling but then gets used to it.

"Wait Katsu, w-we're doing this right now?" You bite your lip trying not to moan.

"You need to learn your fucking lesson. The only way I can do that is by fucking you since your so horny all the time." He explains, speeding up his thrusts.

He flips you around to face him, placing his hands on your shoulders and rams his fat balls inside your pussy.

"A-ahhh~ do it harder..." You practically drool as your masochist natures starts to kick in.

"Tch, fucking masochist."

"Well you're fucking this masochist." You say back smoothly.

He ignores you, adding more force into his ramming. He rams into you at a more animalistic way, your ass, thighs, and boobs jiggling uncontrollably. Your eyes start to roll into the back of your head as you felt like you were in heaven.

"Fuckk me faster daddy~" You say desperately, knowing that got him for sure.

"I'm gonna fuck a baby into you if you fucking call me that again."

He rams faster, sweat dripping all down his face and arms. Your tongue hangs out, you end up moaning his name louder and louder for everyone to hear. You felt he was close, as he tries his hardest to hold it in, but ends up failing and pulls out of you quickly, his cum dripping over your tummy. The sight was too much for you to bare, as you cum right after him, both of you all sweaty and panting hard.

"Looks like we both lost." You chuckle.

"I'll win next year for sure!"

"Good luck with that... Let's hurry and put our clothes back on before someone sees us." You rush to put them on, admiring his nude body.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." He says, eventually putting his clothes back on.

"I could say the same thing to you earlier." You roll your eyes.

"Damn I probably should've nutted on your ass instead." He cups both cheeks again, squeezing them roughly.

"Leave my ass alone!" You squeal while puffing up your cheeks.

You two were the last ones to return back to the location Aizawa requested.

"What took you guys so long?" He folds his arms, tapping his finger on his arm.

"We got lost and almost got ambushed!" You blurt out.

"Is that why you were screaming earlier?" Bakugo asks, smirking.

"Yes, it was." You glare at him.

"As long as you guys are back then everything is okay." Deku sighs in relief.

"It's not like anything could happen as long as Bakugo is with her." Iida says, relieved nothing happened to you two.

"What exactly were you two doing?" Tsuyu asks, curious.

"N-nothing at all!" You immediately get flustered at the memory.

"Judging by the stuttering I'd say it was something naughty." Mina smirks, nudging your arm.

You walk up to Bakugo whispering something that would get him riled up.

"Next year I'll go above and beyond, this was just childs play." You whisper to him, seeing how it's still November but it's no point since you both lost on the sixth day.

"Then I'll make sure to have you cum the first day!" He says confidently, everyone staring at him weirdly.

You hide your face in your arms from embarrassment.

"I feel like living under a rock for the rest of my life..." You groan trying to erase the embarrassing vibe you're feeling off.

© 2022 this work belongs to @megukins DO NOT repost OR plagiarize on any other social media

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

Rotating “Living History Diamond Clan having shenanigans in the present” in my mind…

Iscan discovering the Marine Tube (and Palina h a t i n g it due to her terror of the ocean). He seems like he would have dreamed of seeing the world as a Water Pokémon does.

Sabi would somehow befriend or generally be chasing the ghost girl in the Old Chateau. (This matches up with her descendent, Cheryl, whom you also meet in Eterna Forest.)

Mai and Melli entering a Contest. Melli loves the concept and Mai loves the costumes. If you look at their outfits they both have embroidery that no one else in the clan seems to have, plus I just imagine when united they have Unstoppable sibling energy—until Melli yells at a judge for saying his Skutank isn’t “Cute”

Arezu finding out about Mars and immediately dyeing and cutting her own hair so no one will mistake her for a former criminal. It has mixed success, largely because now she looks like a former criminal trying to disguise herself.

Adaman sees everyone in the present is always rushing, trying to keep schedules and deadlines, never slowing down… oh almighty Sinnoh-Dialga, it’s beautiful. Finally no one is wasting time! This lasts about ten minutes before he realizes how bad it is for everyone.

OOH ANON I LOVE ALL OF THIS MWAH

iscan and palina seize the opportunity to have an Actual Date while the clan leaders aren't here (they trust their fellow wardens to keep mum about it, i have a lot of Thoughts abt that, cough). iscan found a pamphlet and is really hyped and palina agrees without really thinking about it and then takes one step inside The Tube and is like i have made. a Grave Miscalculation

(they split up so she can go do [x thing i havent decided yet. go get lord arcanine a grooming?] instead and regroup for lunch, it's fine)

(though if we're going with "the clan leaders are in unova and everyone else is in sinnoh" they would be nowhere near the marine tube... hmm... maybe they're gonna take a boat out of canalave instead?)

aww maybe sabi and cheryl wind up investigating the old chateau together! in the anime she's an amateur treasure hunter so it would make sense for her to be intrigued by it. sabi just gets Good Vibes from her and isn't totally sure why, cheryl, being unaware sabi's from the distant past, is also clueless. i think gaeric or someone was probably supposed to be watching sabi but got distracted so she wandered off to investigate the Weird Thing in the woods instead. it's fine she can handle it!

ACTUALLY. ive been thinking abt that embroidery and my hc is that it's actually a hobby of melli's. gotta have something to do while he's sitting around in the hollow seat! mai's was either a gift or she put a hole in her clothes and had to, Extremely begrudgingly, ask him to patch them. and then he did a really intensely good job for no reason. anyway none of this is relevant I LOVE THEM GETTING INTO CONTESTS. maybe one of them also gets really into making poffins but skuntank refuses to eat any of them so it's a montage of them, plus an increasingly large crowd of chefs Rising To The Challenge, trying to figure out what it WANTS. finally mai thinks to add some of the hopo berries from her bag, prompting every spectator to lose their fucking minds bc hopo berries don't exist anymore

arezu and cyllene "oh fuck our descendants are part of a fringe world-ending group time for some Emergency Makeovers so we stop getting weird looks and/or questioned by the authorities" bonding session! ooh if iscan does wind up taking a boat ride maybe they drag palina along to distract her from the "MY LOVED ONE IS ON A BOAT" anxiety

adaman admiring the gear station schedule and how perfectly exact and followed it is which is incidentally how the leaders wind up running into emmet. adaman is SHOCKED to find out that emmet isn't from sinnoh, which prompts emmet to start bitching about Waiting Period, which surprises adaman even more to find out that the modern day diamond clan descendants suck at not wasting time! this conversation is had while walking ofc bc emmet has Places To Be, and adaman is absentmindedly following, and then adaman boards a random train and accidentally strands irida in the station. whoops

[demonslayedher]

I lost a bet to myself and paid the price by making another demon sibling AU. Was originally just going to be headcanons and doodles, but I wound up writing the parts I felt like. The names of Tengen's siblings are entirely made up. This will come in two parts due to length.

Clicking each bone in his spine, Yogen stood to his full height, taller than Tengen remembered. It wasn't uncommon to go long periods of time without seeing his siblings when they were on their own missions, but Yogen shouldn't had changed that much. "I'll spare you. It wouldn't do for the Uzui clan not to have a head. Now you're the strongest one."

"...Yogen..."

"I wouldn't had been able to take you on, if not for the fact that you'd never have done it if you knew. You should thank me, Aniki. You know what I've spared you? Father was going to make us all have a fight to the death. You'd have done at least half of this."

"What have you done!?"

"I ate them," he laughed, something Tengen had never heard Yogen do in his adult voice. He had the most infectious laugh when they were children, and this rang with the same pleasure, however dissonant. "I was stunned too, at first. When I came to, I had eaten two of them, they were still warm in my mouth, their cells already nourishing mine. But you know what? I decided to eat the others. I was going to kill them anyway, what difference does it make that I should eat them?"

Tengen's face pearled back into a snarl, his eyes flaring.

"One, two, three... Eizen got away before I could bite him, though. That whelp would had done nothing for me. The one I really wanted to eat was the strongest," he said, his glowing white eyes shifting down to their father's fresh corpse. "And now, even he's nothing to me."

Tengen could stand no more of this. "Yogen!!" he screamed and gripped one of the swords at his back, and charged at Yogen all in one motion. A hard sickle burst out of the flesh of Yogen's arm and caught it, but when Tengen pulled his other sword down through Yogen's shoulder and chest, the sound of ripping sinews what different than it should had been. A look over to the injury revealed that the shoulder was repairing itself before Tengen's eyes. When had he learned any technique like that?

The momentary lapse in focus caught him, Yogen swiped up against Tengen's forearm. It felt too varied to had been spiked knuckles--those were his fingertips, he had grown claws. Tengen drew a sword up to lop off Yogen's forearm, and then his brother let out a shrill scream as his features lit up and revealed how contorted they had become. Yogen didn't look human anymore with how his veins bulged and burned. Burned? From what? Tengen took a look over his shoulder to the sun rising and casting light through the wide open door, and when he looked back, Yogen was gone.

---

Tengen watched the flames consume the house and the bodies of his slain family. He had combed it for any trace of Yogen, but his brother left none. Hope though he did that the flames may consume Yogen too, he knew in his gut that he was still out there.

Behind him, Suma sneezed in a gust of smoke that wafted into her face. Hinatsuru handed her a handkerchief, as she and Makio were already covering their faces in case of poison. Tengen didn't bother, he was resistent to most ninja poisons, and the scratches down his forearm were already less swollen. "You three should go back to your homes."

"No!" insisted Suma.

"We're already members of the Uzui clan," said Hinatsuru.

"Your revenge is ours," added Makio.

Hinatsuru made the most important point, they were already seen as his property. He could hear whispers and feel them all being watched; the other ninja clans knew what had befallen the most powerful family, and the Uzui name was now shunned. Even if Tengen wanted to stay, he had no place in the village, and neither did anything that belonged to him. The only thing left for him now was to track his brother down and drag him to hell.

Someone else was approaching, and Tengen reached for one sword. Uneven footsteps. One didn't have the splat of a foot, it was the thunk of wood--a cane, or two canes? A leisurely, but determined pace. Self-assuredness, even for entering ninja territory. A robust heartbeat. Who was coming?

"Well, is that what you all look like? I feel like I've wandered into one of those storybooks," said an old man. He had one missing leg, a full head of hair and moustache to rival it, a grin, and a telltale scar lining the underside of his left eye. "I had always left your kind alone, but I couldn't when I felt the presence of a demon over here."

"Who are you?" Tengen asked, stetching one arm before his wives while the other hand stayed at his weapon.

"You didn't chop its head off, did you, ninja boy? It's long gone by now, you know. It'll hide from daylight. Be even more trouble to find if it's one of your folk."

"How do you know about us?" Makio shot back.

"How do you children not know about demons? Aye," the old man huffed to himself as he set down a stool he carried. He planted his rump on it, then folded his arms. "The name's Kuwajima Jigoro, former Roaring Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corp. I figured this would be out of your expertise, so I've come to help."

Tengen felt in his gut he could trust that. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head, his wives all doing likewise behind him. Jigoro seemed to enjoy that, but insisted they do not. Instead of bowing, he'd appreciate the ladies rubbing his shoulders to display their gratitude, he said.

While Hinatsuru and Makio set about at each arm, Suma kneeled at his remaining foot with a gasp. "Aren't old people not supposed to be this beefy?"

"Can it, Suma!" chided Makio.

Hinatsuru said nothing, but could feel something was different in this man, not only in his physique. Whatever he had to say was going to change their lives more than the previous night already had. They all listened carefully as Jigoro orated about the existence of demons, how they eat humans, how they are near impossible to kill, but also the methods of those who hunt them, with specialized blades and an organization to support them. As he began describing Breath, however, Tengen stopped him. "I already know all that, that's ninjutsu basics. That's not giving me anything I don’t already have."

"Oh? I figured as much. Always made me curious about you pups. So you you've got the basics of Breath technique, huh?"

"It's beyond basic," he shot him an annoyed frown.

"I'll be the judge of that. See that tree over there? That's probably about the strength of the usual demon neck. Go hog wild on it." As much as showing off was against the ninja code, Tengen wasn't in the mood to argue and made short work of that tree, the only sound being the pop of it seperating into two halves. Jigoro gave him a clap, then stood with his cane. "Good accuracy. Spot on. Now you pick one out for me. Take some mercy, though, I'm only working at half-strength." He balanced on his foot and his peg, plopping the end of his cane in his palm to show off that he meant to use it in place of a sword. Tengen hated when other people tried to be show-offs, so he pointed to a tree a few rings thicker than the one he had cut.

The old man eyed it, then slid his good foot through the dirt, and as he leaned forward, clouds of steam rose from his lips. "Breath of Thunder, Fifth Form. Heat Lightning."

The sound hit Tengen so hard that he covered his ears, and the old man was gone--on the other side of the tree, which was not only cleanly chopped, but split itself in half vertically as it fell. A rarity, Tengen's jaw dropped. Jigoro looked back with a fierce grin, knowing he'd have left them all impressed.

Rather than one knee, Tengen planted his palms and face to the ground. "Please teach me this technique, Master."

"When did I ever say I wanted a student like you? You already said you know Breath technique, don't you?"

"You won't teach him?" Suma sat straight up, little tears in the corners of her eyes.

"I only want students with talents I can mold. You're already set your ways and would just try to make Thunder Breathing into what you want. You can't fill a full tea cup, as they say."

Tengen wanted to insist he's do anything to take his revenge, but the old man was right. As he was, he wouldn't be able to unlearn everything he always knew, it was as much a part of him as every experience and memory, like every scar, such as the ones running down his left arm.

"The true nature of Thunder Breathing would escape you, you'd get too caught up in how powerful it looks. You're too flashy!"

His cheeks flushed. "Say that again."

"You're too... flashy? I don't think a ninja should find that a compliment."

"You can't tell him all that and then not train him!" insisted Makio. "Please! There's got to be something you can do! Tengen-sama works really hard!"

"Tengen-sama works harder than anyone!"

"Please, Master. Tengen-sama can think flexibly, please give him a chance."

"I won't! I can already tell he's not the sort of student I'm looking for!" he barked back, and Suma burst out into sobs, while Hinatsuru hid delicate tears and Makio's face turned dark red. Jigoro flinched at the sight of the upset girls, then looked back to Tengen. "I--I didn't come out here to leave you high and dry, you know. I already told you about the Corp, didn't I? That's where you really need to go. I can't teach you Thunder Breathing, but if you really think you can pick up something new, there's an old scroll I've got of an off-shoot Breath. Someone like you might be able to pull it off. What do you say, ninja boy? How about I give that to you and you teach yourself Sound Breathing?"

---

From there, Tengen took much the same course as in canon. When he became a Pillar and had his meeting with Oyakata-sama, he was upfront about his reasons for entering the Corp. Oyakata-sama appreciated his frankness and assured him that the entire Corp would support him if they found any information on Yogen, but Oyakata-sama was also keen on the undercurrent of Tengen's heart; that he was relieved to leave the murderous ways of ninja, and that he wanted to live an upright life. This finally gave words to something Tengen always felt, but thought he had no right to wish for. He and his wives were moved and they swore loyalty to Oyakata-sama.

However, as time went on, there were no clues whatsoever about Yogen. Around the time they all got antsy, Makio finally couldn't stand it anymore and suggested they may never find him. "Think about it," she said. "This Corp is full of strong swordsmen. Someone might had already chopped off his head long before we got here."

While that should had come as a relief, Tengen couldn't help but find the idea frustrating. That revenge was his to take. He could think of only one person stronger than him who might had done it, so he described Yogen to Himejima one day and asked if he remembered seeing a demon like that. Himejima plainly replied that he was blind.

As they began to accept that they may never have closure, Hinatsuru proposed that they be satisfied bagging an Upper Moon. That should be enough for them to earn their peace, she said, and as much as it grinded away at Tengen's heart, he agreed.

In the course of performing Tengen's Pillar duties, they closed in on what was likely an Upper Moon in Yoshiwara. Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma slipped in, but when he lost contact, Tengen went looking for some female Corp members to sneak in and see what was up. That's when he reencountered the boy whose head he meant to spill at the last Pillar meeting, as well as his two annoying buddies. Inosuke would had been satisfyingly flamboyant, if not for the fact that he was gross. The other whelp was named Zenitsu.

"You write that 'Zen' with the kanji for virtue?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

"Nothing," Tengen replied, never saying anything of it ever again. It didn't take long for him to notice that Zenitsu had ears on par with his own.

The boys managed to get in, and soon the plan went awry. Tengen's first encounter with an Upper Moon broke out, and that went awry in the most horrifically flamboyant of ways. Tengen found himself unconscious, needing to stop his heart to keep the demon poison from spreading, as it was many times more potent than any ninja or demon poison he encountered before. There was fire in the wreckage nearby, he'd be consumed if he doesn't move soon. In the odd space where consciousness was returning to him, his hearing reached into a deeper plain, where he could hear the most carnal thoughts pounding though the bodies of those around him.

Tanjiro was panicking.

No scent! No scent! Upper Moon Five--where did--but--no scent! No scent!!

Tengen could hear Upper Moon Six, in both bodies, but he couldn't hear any other demon. It gave off no sound. He struggled to look in Tanjiro's direction, and was stunned by the sight of a demon partway sticking out of the shadow Tanjiro has cast, guarding Upper Moon Six with a kunai stuck in his arm.

"Sakage!" growled Upper Moon Six. That is not the demon's name. "I don't need you here! Were you intruding on my thoughts?"

"I didn't need to. I heard the cacophony from ages away. You wouldn't had seen wisteria coming anyway."

Upper Moon Six looked to the kunai, while Tanjiro panicked that the poison had no effect on the newly arrived demon.

"Quit with all the fuss. I'd appreciate it if you hurry up and silence that Pillar over there," he turned his glance to Tengen. His eyes had writing in them, but that was Yogen. "I can't be bothered."

Yogen disappeared into the shadow as suddenly as he appeared, and Tanjiro fell forward with a stumble. He'd be a sitting duck like that, Tengen had to go save him, he pushed himself off the ground to--but--but his arm was missing--the scars were torn off-----

---

Yogen had been quick to learn some of the ins and outs of being a demon, but not all the finer details. He gathered from the surrounding demons' fear of the drum demon that the "Twelve Moons" were the most fearsome demons, closest to their progenitor, but didn't those other demons notice that the drum demon couldn't stomach humans as he ate them? That demon was weak, and Yogen wouldn't stand for it. He cut off his head.

It did not kill the demon, who screamed at him with the characters "Lower Six" in one of his eyes, but he shut up quick when Kibutsuji Muzan arrived. Despite warning Yogen that this was not how fights between demons were done and he should kill Yogen for acting without permission, Muzan smilingly decided to allow it, and instructed him to absorb the former Lower Moon Six and assume his role. Muzan did not care for how Yogen's name referenced sunlight, though. He renamed him Sakage on a whim.

Sakage went on to learn very quickly how to please Muzan, and how to climb the ranks. While not immune, he could resist wisteria poison, which Muzan was more than pleased to borrow from him and see how he could try to adopt it into his own cells. Sakage could move between connected shadows, and in spying on the Corp, he picked up on the hand signs the swordsmen used and quickly deciphered them, and openly reported so to the demons that outranked him. With hearing far more advanced that his brother's ever was, he listened to the information shared between crows, piecing apart their language to the best of his understanding.

Lower Moons Three and Two later, he used his spying abilities to identify his next target: Upper Moon Five.

Gyokko was startled by the challenge, and under Muzan's gaze, he could not refuse. Sakage made short work of him, and the other Moons all felt a chill. Akaza's chill was excitement.

Akaza wasted no time in chatting up the new Upper Moon, for Sakage likewise had a stated hatred for weaklings. While Sakage did find it a bit of a bother, especially since he knew he was a long way from ever being able to pose a real challenge to Akaza, he learned that the quickest way to stop Akaza from pestering him was to spar. Akaza loved to chit-chat even while sparring, though, and this became a useful way for Sakage to catch up on a hundred years of gossip about the other Upper Moons.

While it did feel they had somewhat of a friendship, one day they got on the topic of poison. "I hate people who use poison," said Akaza, between punches. "It's as cowardly and low as you can get."

Sakage, who could create a myriad of weapons from his cells as needed and always laced them in poison, was not offended, but disagreed. "I see no problem in being effective."

This gave Akaza pause, and an uncomfortable drop in his stomach. He excused himself, and bothered Sakage not so often after that.

Muzan was typically pleased with Sakage, which made Hantengu tremble that the ambitious demon had it out for him next. When Muzan was in a foul mood after Upper Moon Six's defeat, Sakage was likewise in a bad mood for the annoyance he encountered out there, someone who should had stayed hidden away instead of bearing free his inherently show-offy personality by joining the Demon Slayer Corp, especially since he was sure to have his ears set to the ground now for any new sign of him. He was certain Tengen witnessed him. But, for as much of an insult as it was to the Upper Moons that Gyutaro let him live, Tengen wouldn't be much of a threat anymore.

Still, Sakage knew to keep his cool. He had news to report, and he was certain of his deciphering. When he declared where the swordsmith village was located, Muzan had no doubts, and sent Hantengu alone. "Now why couldn't you find that, after all this time?" Muzan smirked to Nakime. She, not being of any rank, could merely apologize. Sakage took no pleasure or pride in looking better than a peer whom he knew he was stronger than. Muzan's mood could never be sustained for long, though, and he very soon frowned back to him. "You've brought no word of the blue spider lily."

"My apologies."

"Aren't ninja supposed to have knowledge of these things? Weren't you of a high ranking clan? Go back and order them to search."

And, at that moment, a dangerous thought escaped Sakage's inner filter, it leaked though to his mind at the same moment it leaked to Muzan's: But I can't show my face back there.

The way Muzan's face bent with disgust drove more terror into Sakage than when he was still a human and first encountered the demon lord. He felt certain of a swift death, but Muzan let him be. Sakage was still too useful. But, Sakage knew he'd have to crawl back to Muzan's graces by providing something of more use to him. He had to unveil a secret of more value.

--

Tengen, who remained active despite missing an eye and a hand, was present at an emergency Pillar meeting. Tokito and Kanroji were bandaged up, and they recounted how the swordsmith village was attacked by Upper Moon Four. With two Pillars and a few other reliable Corp members all working together they defeated him well before daybreak, but not before discovering an ancient ability known only as "the mark."

As he was now, Tengen knew he'd never attain this. What bothered him more was how the demons found the village, so hidden that he'd have to put his mind to it to have figured out where it was. He could had resorted to old tricks to figure it out, whether that be silently tracking the smiths after their deliveries or flirting with the Kakushi, but what recourse would a demon have had?

'I heard the cacophony----'

A demon may have had ears that rivaled his own, or were better!

Feeling sure of which demon it may had been, he set to thinking of what he would do next. If the demon moved in shadow, listening for the Corps' secrets, what would be a bigger target than the swordsmith village?

Oyakata-sama!

"Uzui-san, are you alright?" asked Himejima. "You seem quiet today."

"You look pale," added Kanroji.

"I'm jealous I won't get one of those flashy marks," he lief without flaw. "We all know I can't take any demons on like I used to. Maybe I don’t belong here."

"Uzui, what sort of talk is that?" Iguro looked to him with his flamboyant dichromatic eyes wide, and brows knit tight over them. "This isn't like you."

"I've got a different sort of mission to go on, I'll see myself out. You all stay here and keep each other company discussing this."

"Then I'll excuse myself here as well--"

"Not you, you've got no excuse," Uzui forced Tomioka back to a seated position by pressing on his head.

In conducting his own investigation, Tengen set his crow to work investigating from the sky. What the crow learned, tracing a few leaks and scolding the birds involved, was that their mid-air communications may had been what spoiled the secret location. This confirmed Tengen's suspicion about Yogen's hearing. He had a feeling about some other spoiled secrets too, and in following up with Corp members involved in previous mishaps, he concluded that the secret hand signals had been divulged.

--

(Read the conclusion reblog here.)

[poemsforparker]

out of the woods - matt murdock

pairing: matt murdock (daredevil) × f!vigilante!reader

summary: matt fails to keep his lone wolf pose when a new vigilante starts acting upon the crimes in his city.

content warnings: violence, wound description, blood (but it's still fluff, I promise lol), also poorly proofread bc this is my first oneshot that's this big (and I think one of my favourites already), so I probably left something behind, if you find anything, lmk!

word count: 3.3k

You knock down the last henchman with a punch. You could feel the sweat soaking your suit in the inside and your mouth had the familiar, yet hateful, blood taste from the kick that hit you earlier and made you bite your cheek. The guy who did it was specially injured.

A well known figure with horns gets out of the dark corner and runs towards you, a folder filled with documents in his hands, he swings it in the air showing it to you with a wide smile on his face.

— I got it. What we have here it's probably going to be enough to start a move against Fisk. Names, places and stuff. Thanks for your help. - you cough with his words.

— It's more like you were helping me, red.

— Yeah let's pretend it goes that way. Here - he puts the folder on your hands - can you read it for us?

— Can't you read? - he stops and scratches the back of his neck, losing a bit of his confident posture.

— I, um... My eye sight is a bit blurry from the punches. - he says more sounding like a question than an affirmation, you try not to push it too much. It's not like it mattered either way.

— Alright, let's get inside - you point your head to the abandoned building beside you - let's see what they have here.

Daredevil goes right behind you. Following your path to a dirty dusty table where you place the folder and sit down on the equality dirty and squeaky metal chair. Him copying your moves.

You read out loud to him all the information you could find, names of criminals that once worked for Fisk, people who had something on him that needed to be watched, betrayers. But the people who worked for him currently, were not in the file.

— Well, I guess we're gonna have to give some more punches. - you close the file turning your body to him. - At least we know who to punch now to get information.

— I wasn't waiting for it to have current information anyways, they wouldn't be so uncarefull. - he shrugs - Still, that's a lot of help.

— Yeah... But where do we even start? This has too many names and too many addresses, some of these people could lead us to nothing and we'd waist precious time on this, we need to get to him fast, know his next moves and be there waiting to stop him. We can't spend a week doing our lovely interviews with these bunch of jerks, he's going to have plenty of time to act already while we're having a chat with criminals.

— I wish I knew. - he says simply. He was annoyed, not with you, but because what you just said was true, even with a bunch of information you still had practically nothing. Old data wouldn't help you predict his next moves, and Fisk was always three steps ahead of you. - Maybe we should split for now. Try to do it as fast as we can. We gather back here every night, same time, share what we got and try to connect the dots. Perhaps in a day or two we manage to get something useful.

— Yeah, maybe...

— You have anything better?

— Nope. I guess that's a plan, red.

— Stop calling me that. - you giggle with his annoyed tone.

— Well, I don't know your name and "daredevil" sounds too scary so...

— I'm scary.

— Sure you are, red. - you tap his shoulder letting another soft giggle out. - See ya, tomorrow! turning your back on him, taking the folder with you on your way out, you crawl up to the building jumping above them in direction of your home.

...

Matt wakes up the next morning with his hole body aching, he's thankful the suit made by Melvin didn't let him get as shattered as he uses to be before. But still, the guys the night earlier knew how to give a punch.

His phone yelled repeatedly and annoyingly Foggy's name, indicating a call.

— Hey, buddy, what's up? - his voice comes out huskier than usual, trying not to whine too much with the pain.

— You sound like shit.

— Feel like it.

— Got what you wanted last night? Are you still getting the help from that woman?

— Yeah, we went after those guys. Didn't get much still if I'm being honest.

— Nothing yet? Matt you've been chasing information with this girl for what? A month now? Sounds to me like you're getting excuses to spend more time together - Foggy uses a very out of

tune singing voice to mock his friend.

— She is awesome and all Foggy, but I'm not playing when it comes to Fisk. We're really trying our best here. Plus, when all of this is over I could still ask her out. - Foggy can hear that Matt's smiling through the phone.

— Yeah, yeah, and you plan on doing that how? Taking her to a restaurant casually worn as that horned thing? Maybe put on a tuxedo above? - he mocks.

�� I'd reveal my identity to her. - he says simply.

— Wow, your down bad buddy. That's a big move.

— She trusts me enough to know her's Foggy. I meant I don't know her name but I can feel she takes off her mask when is just the two of us, and she doesn't know I'm blind so...

— Is she hot? I bet she's hot.

— How would I know?

— Don't play that card on me, Matt. But I'm serious, are you sure about what you're saying?

— Yeah, man, on what more danger could I be putting her in if she knew who I was? She does the same things as I do. We're even in that matter.

— Does she even know a thing about you already?

— No, she doesn't. Yesterday I told her I couldn't read the papers because my eye sight was blurry. Every time I try to spill out a real thing about myself I get nervous. - Foggy let's out a loud laugh.

— You, nervous? Please, Matt, that's the best joke I've ever heard.

— I'm serious, man. It's like I'm s goddamn teenager again. It's ridiculous.

— What's stopping you, anyway?

— Beyond having much bigger stuff to deal with when I see her, such as fighting crime in New York, other than my stupid feelings? I don't know, I'm scared she won't... like me, I guess.

— Matt, are you sure you're okay? Did anyone hit your head to hard?

— I'm serious, Foggy. - he chuckles

— Alright, alright. I called you because you're late to get to the office so get your ass here quickly because we still have clients to deal with, we talk later about your secret love life. - he hangs up.

...

He had a busy day at the office, between solving out minor issues as lawyer Matt and reviewing information in his head as vigilante Matt, the day went by and the night fell.

Barely having time to even enter his house properly he already started to take off his tie and unbutton his white shirt, not wanting to waist any other second to put his suit on and get out.

Once he had his knuckles bloody and painful already, he decided he had enough. Walked to the place you said you'd meet him and waited for you. For way too long, in his opinion. When Matt was starting to get worried someone had caught you, he hears someone come in, and recognizes it to be you.

The smell of blood was strong, he could tell you were bleeding much more than usual, maybe a stab would or something worse, but definitely not only wounded by punches. You walk towards him, waddling and holding your ribs, probably fractured.

— Jesus Christ, what happened to you? - he says concerned.

— Couple more guys that I was expecting, nothing I can't take but I could've used your help, red. - you hiss at the sharp pain on your leg, where one of the bastards you fought before managed to give a deep cut with a dagger.

— Are you okay?

— Super. - Matt feels his cheeks burn over your dry answer to his dumb question, of course you were not okay.

— Sorry. - he pulls a chair for you. — Here, sit down.

— Thanks. I didn't mean to sound harsh it's just that I don't get exactly super lively when some douche cuts my flesh open.

— I'm familiar with the feeling.

— Yeah. So, what'd you get?

— Nearly nothing. But I know where he is.

— Great, yeah, we, um... Got the same information then. - he feels your heart beat race.

— What did you do?

— Please don't get mad at me.

— You know that saying that you only get to worry me, right?

— Right, yeah, um... sort of went there-

— You what? Are you insane?

— I know how it sounds, and yeah, maybe I was reckless going there, but I couldn't help it, the first guy I gave a punch already snitched everything he knew, it was ridiculous. I thought that maybe it was a sign for me to go there, some kind of-

— You shouldn't have went there alone.

— I know, I know I-

— We said we'd finish him

together, and we'll do that, right? - he holds your shoulders, bending a little since you were sat down.

— That man got my father killed, red. - your voice cracks as you get up from the chair, taking a step closer to him and ignoring the throbbing pain in your leg. - Only because he was a fair man and he wanted to do the right thing, just like you and me. - you put your finger on his chest when saying "you" - When I found out where Fisk was, I was blinded by rage and I wasn't thinking straight at the moment, I'm sorry, but we'll do it together, we'll beat his ass - you giggle, eyes still watery, but a part of your heart found comfort that at least someone else had the same goal as you did. - I promise.

He can feel your heartbeat ease, you were telling the truth. Then holds himself not to make a blind joke because of what you said, and on a maybe even more reckless act than you trying to break into a building full of security all alone and without a plan, Matt takes your lips on his. Holding you closer by your waist.

You break the kiss due to the pain on your leg over him moving you that fast. — Ouch. - you mock, trying to lighten the mood since you realized he was embarrassed.

— I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into me.

— Don't be, red. - you put your hand on his cheek, staring at the his mouth that was connected with yours moments earlier. - I kinda of wanted to do this too - this time you feel your cheeks burn, for threatening vigilantes you were looking like two teenagers. - I'm just sad I didn't see your face before I did it. - you keep your glance at the uncovered part of his face, admiring the smile showing up on his lips. - Or knew your name.

— I don't know yours. - he says simply, provoking.

— Y/n. - you say without having a second thought. - Your turn.

— Matt. Matthew. - he smiles wider and pulls your hand above his mask to pull it off.

— It's nice to meet you, Matt - you smirk.

You quickly notice his eyes weren't looking right at you, leaving you in confusion. Matt feels your breath change it's pace slightly. Realizing your confusion.

— I'm blind.

— What?

— I'm blind. That's what you're asking yourself, right? Why are my eyes traveling around instead of holding my glance on you - he chuckles.

— You read minds too, Matthew?

— Just, really good at guessing.

— I see. - this time as you knew already, Matt doesn't hold himself.

— I don't. - he laughs.

— Jesus. - you hide your face in his shoulder and laugh along.

Still touching your forehead in his shoulder, you feel him tense up and rise to look at his face.

— What's up?

— Someone's here. - he puts his mask back and his arm in front of you, turning his back and keeping you protected between him and the old table. - Did you check if you were being followed?

— Of course I did, I'm not an idiot.

— Three.

— Three what, Esfinge? You're saying stuff in riddles now?

— There's three man. Armed. Heavily. - he gulps. You could never get used to how he knew all this stuff, even more impressed now that you knew he couldn't see and was still the best fighter you've ever seen.

— Great. I'm in awesome conditions to fight, anyway.

— Get down. - Matt pulls you down in a strong impulse right before shots got fired right where you were standing.

— Holy shit.

— C'mon - he holds you by the waist to get up - he gotta get out of here.

Trying to run away from heavily armed assholes while limping wasn't exactly your first thing on the to do list today. When you open the door, a guy jumps from nowhere attacking the both of you. Matt is quick on throwing his stick-thingy on him, making him go down immediately.

— Go, go, go.

— I'm trying. - you complain, seeing the blood run down your leg like a fountain. Not a good feeling.

Matt keeps supporting your arm on his shoulder when getting up the stairs to the roof. Claiming one of the guys was up there, while the other one was following you.

Once up on the roof, the henchman that was following you long left couple floors back after you kicked him down with the good leg. Matt puts up a fight with the last one, leaving you to sit on the

floor and hold your leg not to loose any more blood.

Matt kicks the gun out of his hand, leaving him with a scared look on his face, when he tries to run Matt takes him by the collar of his shirt and drags him on a way he stays with half of his body about to fall off the building. You knew he wouldn't drop 'im. But the guy did not know that.

— Please don't throw me. - he begs.

— Tell us what Fisk's up to.

— I don't know, I swear. I'm just security to the building. He's been paying our boss to send us there to guard him. He's got a thing on everyone and if we deny him protection he'll do something. They have my daughter, please.

— How'd you get here?

— We followed the lady. - Matt looks on your direction, you couldn't see his eyes through the mask but you were sure his expression was something along the lines of "didn't you say you were not stupid?" you shrug even knowing he couldn't see it.

— But he knows you're after him, he's moving. - the guy continues - there's a van, is taking out tomorrow, 2pm, I don't know where he's going, buy if you catch him o the move maybe you have a shot. Please, finish that guy, I want my freedom again, I want to see my little girl.

— We'll do our best, sir. - Matt says softening his tone. His body getting back on being rigid when the device on the guys shoulder emitted a robotic voice that asked if everything was okay. Matt recovers his threatening tone. - Now, get the hell out of here and tell them in this little radio of yours it was a false alarm, you didn't find anyone here. If you ask for backup I swear to god I throw you out.

The guy does as he says, to scared to act otherwise. One he's gone (you could swear you'd never seen someone run so fast), Matt runs towards you, your vision this time was (really) blurry due to the blood loss. He can hear your slow heart pace and concern floods his brain. Holding your leg as strong as he could to stop the bleeding, he calls the one person he knew could help him then.

...

Claire was used with Matt's calls for help for himself. But when she got to the said building and saw another person, a girl, wounded in a equality comic suit as his (in her opinion), she can definitely say that she was surprised.

— What have you gotten yourself into? - the woman turns to you, starting to get stuff out of her first aid kit to patch you up.

— I wish I knew. - you chuckle softly. - So... How'd you meet eachother? - you say feeling your heart beat fastening, suddenly more concerned Matt actually had someone in his life already that about your bleeding-to-death situation.

— Found him in a dumpster. - she says simply. - Then it stuck. - she looks at you and smiles.

— You, ah, um... - you point confusedly between the two - Like, you two...

— Oh! No, no. - Matt is quick on saying, you feel yourself get less tense.

— Okay. - you whisper it, more to yourself, not knowing what to say next.

— This is probably gonna hurt a lot. - Claire warns you with a petty look, after riping your suit around the area where the dagger got to, she cleaned the area and was ready to stitch.

— Go ahead. - Matt can feel your nervous. So calmly and silently, he sits by your side, putting his hand on your lap with his palm up.

— Hold onto me. You can squeeze my hand if it hurts too much. - your embarrassed he can probably feel how melted you got for the way your heart went crazy but try to act normal.

— Thanks, Matt. - he smiles.

Twenty stitches. Was what was necessary to close your leg wound back. Probably one of the worse you had. After some time they left you sitting and Claire mumbled to Matt some stuff about how he should keep an eye on you at least for the night.

They both stand on each side of you for you to wrap your arms around their necks and help you get back to the first floor, leaning on them and hoping in one leg. You thank Claire for her help and Matt pays her a cab back home, leaving just the pair of you alone again.

— Great night, huh? - he tells you, still walking with you leaning on him, even tho you were not sure where was he taking you from there.

— Tell me 'bout it.

Where are you taking me?

— My place. You're staying for the night. No discussions, you're not in conditions to be alone nor even to fight again tomorrow, we can make up another plan in the meantime, tomorrow I can follow Fisk's car, find out where he is going, take some more information maybe, I don't know. But you can't come with me, not like this.

— If I wasn't depending on you to walk I'd really want to punch you right now.

— Why?

— Because that's true and I'm mad you're throwing it on my face. - you both giggle. - But seriously Matt, don't you ever get pissed off by all of this? It's fucked up how we have been chasing nothing for a month now, every time we think we have something we're back on zero mark.

— I do. - he says simply. - But we're gonna make this. We'll figure it out, right? We always do. - he stops, to give you some time before walking again.

— Right. - you face him on the suit. Imagining how things would be from now on. When you reached your goal, the first plan was getting back each to your own way, but that had changed long time already - We'll stick together after we finish him, right? - you ask him, fear clear as the water in your voice.

— You mean as Matt and Y/n? If it's up to me, of course we will, dear.

— Good. - you smile, cupping his cheek to kiss him once more, this time more passionate, full of hope and untold promises. What got you two together at first was a common goal, a common hate at the meeting of two broken souls who suffered with the cruelty of the city.

Now it was becoming something else, once the vigilante barrier broke and now you knew eachother's identities, that seemed to make things more real. Starting to digest that all of those times you fought side by side to that person were not fever dreams – as much as they looked like it. It was two people, two different lives, combined by the same objective. An instant connection seemed to show.

Undeniable for both, it would grow to be love.

...

see more fics in my masterlist

[ocil91]

Obviously it's far too late in the Outsiders story to change stuff, but if you started writing it after season 2 started, what would change? Like appearances from Raine and Hunter, changes to palisman lore like how Ed and Em got their wood?

I love how Outsiders is and wouldn't change a thing. It's just fun to speculate with canon knowledge we get later.

Yeah Raine and Hunter would've been big players. Obviously, Vee too if current events in Outsiders are any indicator. I really do love all of the new season 2 faces and did spend some time trying to figure out a way to include them but I didn't want to do anything less than doing them proper justice and I'm really ready to start moving Outsiders towards its conclusion.

I don't think there's really anything season 2 has done with the twins that I would've changed. Same with Amity more or less.

Now the Palisman stuff is interesting. The kids getting adopt some of Bat Queen's Palismen never even occurred to me. Dana made reference to the idea that Palistrom Wood is now incredibly scarce in her post-season 1 AMA so I was going with the idea that only the "top students" get their hands on it these days as something of a graduation gift. Hence Ed and Em being simply given some by Bump.

But Viney's sick Manticore Palisman would be a super welcome addition. Jerbo didn't get a Palisman in that episode so I would have to come up with one for him. Oh and Ghost too!!

As for the twins' Palismen in this hypothetical... That's kind of hard for me to imagine. I've had my particular plan for theirs in my head for so long now! It would probably be the same animals, just also gifted by the Bat Queen. Which is maybe a lazy answer, but it's what I've got.

I guess the main thing that makes it hard to say is that season 2 is, understandably, more focused on Belos than anything else as far as antagonists go. And one of the main reasons I decided to split from canon was because I wanted to keep the antagonist focus on the Blight Parents. Which would be really hard to do if trying to keep in line with season 2 canon.

Bonus Trivia: Once I decided to go past those initial few chapters and make Outsiders into a full story the Palismen were among my first plans I was excited about. So it's maybe kinda odd that we're so many chapters in and they still haven't got them yet.

[thegracelessfaceless]

ꌚꆂꐇꁹꁕ ꍟꄘꄘꍟꏸ꓅ꌚ ꋫꁹꁕ ꆂꏝꍟ꒓ꁕ꒓ꋫꁒꋫ꓅ꂑꏸꌚ (꓅ꂑꏸꏸꂑ ꓅ꆂꃃꐟ ꇓ ꁹꐇ꒓ꌚꍟ ꁍ꒓ꋫꏸꍟ) 15

I'm part of a series! It all starts here

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Triggers: none!

The following are notes transcribed by the Coloeado Bureau of Investigation after they recovered a box of tapes found at the last known location of Tobias "Ticci Toby" Adams and his hostage turned wife, Grace Adams.

Toby pulled me deeper into the house and opened a door. It opened to reveal a bedroom done in pleasant, neutral yellows and greens.

"I'm going to show you how to use doorways. I honestly forgot about the mind talk, we're hardly ever apart. Believe me on that." His expression was apologetic.

"I believe you" I smiled, "I figured it was something like that."

Toby relaxed visibly, like he thought I had really thought that he was lying, or trying to hide things, "So I'm going to hold on to you until you get the hang of it. I'll go slow. You'll want to think about the specific door you want to come out of, where it is... Who's there. If you have a full name and a picture, it doesn't matter if you haven't been there before. You can go anywhere."

Toby pulled me through the doorway, but instead of the bedroom on the other side, I stood in some void. It was pitch black, but not like night. The words 'primordial darkness' came to mind as I felt the chill of the air around me. A thick fog that smelled of freshly split cedar climbed up my legs, and I saw it creeping up Toby as well. I felt unabashed, unconditional maternal love radiate from it as it enveloped us both.

'Mother's just getting to know you' Toby spoke in your mind, 'She loans my Master this power, since she's his mother, but didn't pass this particular power to him. If you didn't carry part of my Master in you, you'd probably die trying this. But maybe not. Depends on her mood' and I sensed that Mother found that funny.

The fog cleared from my eyes and I saw that Mother had transported Toby and I to the woods from my dreams. I looked down and saw I stood in the bough of what I'd called a "fairy portal" as a child. The void was still visible behind me, Mother's fog still clinging to Toby and me, sad to see us go. A Victorian mansion sitting in the only patch of sunlight I'd ever seen in these woods lay before me.

"This is the home Slender keeps for his proxies, and if they want, their mates. You can speak about him freely here. It's his pocket dimension, he's already everywhere here."

Toby walked with me up onto the covered porch. The mansion looked old and pretty uninhabitable, and the overhang of the wing above us made me shift nervously from foot to foot as Toby held my hand.

"Doors here work the same, unless marked." He gave me a look that apologized for the state of the house around us. "I promise it looks better past the mudroom."

'The mudroom' was the entire house, and it did not look better. All the walls had been knocked out, leaving a shell behind. Toby smiled as he pulled me through the doorway, the smile turning into a massive grin as he watched the wonderment on my face when I stepped into a huge, open entrance hall, complete with marble stairs and pillars made of malachite. A huge abstract mosaic made up the floor in bold reds, greens and blues. Doors led off to other rooms, but were closed. The marble staircase led up to a second story landing, and I could see a recurring theme of tall, vaulted ceilings, which for Slenderman's place, was practical.

"So where do you stay?" I asked. I had five million questions and might as well start there.

Toby smirked, "I thought you'd want to see that first. Good thing I cleaned up. I... Wasnt in the best place last time I stayed here."

"Couldn't you come here anytime?" I asked as he led me up the grand staircase, "Why did you just stay at the hospital?"

"Nope" Toby answered my first question, "The meds cloud the mind enough to cut off Slender's influence." It was jarring to hear Toby call Slenderman something besides Master. "He had only just managed to send me a dream a few days before you met me."

Toby led me down a hall, which was lined with statues of gladiators in action poses. He stopped at a door between a javolin thrower and what I swore was an original sculpture of the fight where Olympian Arrhichion snapped his own neck.

"This is my door" Toby said and I looked at it. It was a heavy oak door, with a carving on it that mirrored Toby's general scar on his chest. He held up his hand as I opened my mouth to ask a question, "I know, what's actually on the other side of the door doesn't matter. But it helps us keep things straight, along with the carvings." He traced the carving on his door. It was executed perfectly, the lines delicate but deep. Little notes of the 'Welcome back' variety were stuck to the door on post it notes.

"I guess we going to start staying here, huh?" I said, not really needing an answer. Natalie knew where we stayed, and she seemed pretty upset.

"I already moved our stuff. Donated the food. Caleb's going to take care of the lease." He gave me a sidelong glance, "I'm sorry, Grace. I know you thought of it as our home."

He opened the door and led me in. I caught just the quickest glimpse of the void, then I stepped into our new quarters.

The room I stepped into was huge and had a second story, loft style. A door led from the bedroom proper, probably meant to be a bathroom. An enormous mahogany four poster bed sat on plush deep red carpet with a matching dresser set, wardrobe, and desk. A large safe sat between the wardrobe and the assumed bathroom door. Heavy dark red curtains that matched the carpet hung from a large window, drawn so only a sliver of light mixed with the buttery lamp lighting. Old fashioned golden globe lamps were affixed to the walls, providing soft light and dispersing the scent of patchouli lamp oil. A warm toned orange duvet covered the bed, and white and brown pillows were arranged at the top. I noticed two beside dressers that matched the other furniture flanked the bed, the one furthest from the door had an arrangement of autumn colored flowers in a glass vase sitting in the middle of it, by a small red faberge lamp, one of a pair, its mate on the other side of the bed, that was turned off. It was like being surrounded by autumn.

"It's perfect" I said.

Toby smiled proudly, "I knew you'd like it. Slender does the decorating. But he lets us proxies pick the colors. He's got an entire room of bedclothes, drapes, pillows, an interior designer's heaven. But I picked the flowers. The florist wanted to give you pink." Toby's lip curled in disgust and his nose wrinkled, "But pink's not for my girl. If you ever lose your concentration while you're using a doorway, just come here or the entrance hall."

I moved to the other door in the room and opened it to look in. A huge bathroom was actually waiting on the other side, done in black marble and tile. A large walk in shower sat in the back corner by the bathroom counter, sink and mirror. More globe lamps lit the room, in silver this time. An enormous Olympic sized bathtub took up one wall, all in black marble shot through with veins of gold.

"Oh my god" I exclaimed "that tub!" And I ran to it. "Jeeeez! I bet I wouldn't be able to touch bottom even if I were standing!"

And then I climbed in to see if I was right while Toby watched with amused eyes.

"Yep!" I said, sitting in the bottom of the tub. The top of my head was even with the rim of the tub, "How long does it take to even fill this thing?"

"We finally got high flow plumbing installed, so maybe five minutes? Before then? Forever." Toby held out his hand to me, "Do you to see the rest of the room, or do you want to test the bath?"

I scrambled out with Toby's help and was already at the door, which I noticed had a perfect crescent moon carved into it.

"Do moons mean bathrooms? Like old outhouses?" I asked, walking back into the cozy bedroom.

"Yeah... We got tired of accidental walk ins, especially once Kate came here" Toby explained, "Mother is pretty good about not letting that happen once she understood that we minded, but we like to be safe. So bathroom doors don't work here. They always lead to the attached bathroom."

"Who did all the door carvings? They're all so detailed and precise."

Toby puffed up his chest in pride, "Me. You really think they're good?"

"Something tells me you know exactly how good they are."

The two of us headed up the wrought iron spiral staircase that led to the loft. It held two mahogany bookcases, a big dark red wingback chair, and, impossibly, a fireplace, already lit behind the iron fire gate, which depicted a peaceful forest lake. There was another door, this one carved with two crossed hatchets.

Toby sat in the chair, a graceful flop that left him sprawled in the chair with his elbows on the padded arms.

"Wow" I said, struck dumb by the room as a whole, including Toby, "I'm speechless."

"What are you thinking?" Toby asked from the chair. Light from the fire flickered in his eyes. Up here, I could see the walls had been painted a warm chocolate brown and the firelight reflecting off it almost made Toby's eyes look their original color.

"I'm thinking 'gods, is all this for me?!'"

Toby chuckled that type of chuckle reserved for pleased lovers. "I'm glad you like it." He sat up and reached for me. I went to him and he pulled me into his lap. "I like to try to read up here sometimes. I don't get very far because of my eyes, but it's peaceful."

"Agreed" I hummed and kissed the side of Toby's neck, over his pulse, "Hey Toby?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you like it if I read to you up here sometime?"

Toby's arms hugged me closer for a moment. I couldn't see his face, but I could feel his smile in my hair.

"I'd like that a lot" And then he touched my chin, gently turning me so I looked at him as I straddled his thighs. He kissed me passionately until I heard the bedroom door open after a short knock. We both turned our heads toward the sound, ending up pressed cheek to cheek.

Tommy walked into the room, looking determined.

"Toby?" He looked everywhere but up and then moved to knock on the bathroom door, "Toby? Nurse Grace? Are you in there?"

"We're up here" I said and Tommy spun around and finally looked up, craning his neck to do so. "And it's just Grace now. What's up?"

"Someone named Nina just called the tip line Tim had set up" Tommy started up the stairs, "She told me to tell you that Jeff is about to bring in some more souls? What does that mean?"

Tommy came onto the landing to stop in front of the chair, looking concerned.

"We'll take care of it, Tommy" Toby answered, "Nothing to worry about" he lied smoothly.

"Just be careful" Tommy said, his eyes pleading, "You're all the family I have."

I opened my arms wide while still sitting in the circle of Toby's arms. Tommy rushed into them, clinging to me like a child to his mother. And I guessed, in his mind, I was. Toby stiffened for a second, then adjusted his arms so he held Tommy as well as me. It was apparent that Tommy had missed us both terribly.

Tommy pulled away several minutes later, and wiped away a happy tear, all smiles again. "I'll let you two go. That Nina girl sounded pretty scared. But you have to promise to have supper with me like we used to."

Toby and I promised and Tommy left, happy and looking forward to dinner.

I looked at Toby after the door shut. Nina? Scared? What the hell had Jeff done that had a budding, young psychopath scared? The anticipation was killing me.

[labgrownsteaks]

Chapter 13

The second they stepped into the Cottonwood grove everything changed. The sinlight penetrated the leaves like a laser in search of a target. The leaves fluttered like sunlight on a creek at dawn. The sound of the road vanished, and the air felt thicker, and full of life. Nature had a way of calming everyone down. Nobody's brain could compute that just a few minutes ago they had been in front of Lure's Bait and Tackle. We were all in a completely different world, with a completely different set of rules. Erin hopped over a tree which had fallen into the pathway and looked back. We had never really planned to do anything, we just knew that if we were in the forest it was probably better than being in civilization. I remembered one winter Erin and I had eaten some mushrooms with the plan of going cross country skiing. But the weather just got too bad, and the wind was too intense, so we packed up and drove back home. We somehow ended up in Menards buying honey roasted peanuts. The power tools, and the intercom, and all of this civilization stuff seemed toxic. It was the opposite of how we approached psychedelics. Everything manmade felt a bit shallow and fake, whereas nature never ceased to amaze. We had formed a long single file line, and were all quiet as we ventured further into the woods. And this was fine, the best type of friend is one that you can be quiet with. Where those "uncomfortable silences" never felt uncomfortable.

A squirrel hopped from one tree to another, it's tail spinkling fairy dust down below. Erin looked back at me, smiling, and I nodded in acknowledgement. Guy was still in the back, he had wandered off to pee, and hadn't fully recooped from his breakdown by the vacuum cleaner. I walked up to Erin, and we both stared up at the tree branches, squinting our eyes. The squirrel had perched themself at the tip of the branch, and was looking down at us as if we were some kind of invaders. Erin broke the silence.

"It's ok little one, we're just passing through, I know this is your home. We' won't break anything I promise!"

The squirrel barked back. My attention turned to the river, which could be made out through the trees. I wandered off in that direction.

"Where you headed?!" Erin asked quizzically.

Let's go check out the water. " I responded.

Guy followed along, silent, and in his own world. The bank of the river was more like a cliff, with trees on one side. There was no bank per se, just a steep 15 foot drop off. I plopped down on a tree, and Erin and Guy sat down next to me. We all just watched the sun dancing on the ripples. As the light broke up into millions of little bits. It was more like liquid mercury, colors dripped and glided into one another. I exhaled deeply. Just then, a huge pontoon blaring Toby Keith came into view. There were a couple of beer bellied 40 year olds with their shirts off manning the deck, while the wives drank sangria. Their kids were towards the back of the giant floating living room, and both of them were wearing VR headsets. I wouldn't doubt if they were playing a fishing game.

"You think they're happy?" Erin said

"They look happy don't they?" I responded.

" I don't know. You ever see those videos of people who go to Africa, and they bring something for all the people in the village, and all the kids are jumping around, and just being kids. I think that's what happiness looks like. Pure unbridled joy. And the kids... They're just soooo kid like. Doesn't matter where in the world you area. Kids understand humor. They understand laughing with their whole body until they collapse onto the floor. I think that's why everyone likes kids so much. We get to see the world again through their eyes. They remind us just how much the culture has shaped us to see it how we see it."

"I think there's some truth to that. But those kids also have a lot of difficulties don't they? They have to worry about getting malaria, and they can't just get a football delivered to their front door." "Abshir seemed happy too" Erin replied.

"Sure. He did seem like a good person" I said

"I think we need to live without something to be happy. It's too easy to take everything for granted. Now people aren't even happy with reality. They can't even look at a beetle walking on a tree stump. You see a kid look at that, and you can see the wonder in their eyes. How closely they look at the antennas feeling around, and their rainbow colored shells"

The forest began to feel like it was breathing to me, and I was feeling a bit of anxiety beginning to creep in. I focused on Erin's words to help ground myself. Toby Keith was still echoing in the distance. She continued to speak, but I could no longer make out any words, I had focused on a gnarled piece of wood near the bank below us. Focusing on it, and felt like a thousand intricate knots that wrapped around each other like a bucket full of snakes. I looked back at Erin, and she was still talking. But I had absolutely no way of actually making out what she was talking about. I laughed at something she said, and then laughed about laughing at something. What was I laughing at? I thought to myself. I have no idea!

I looked past Erin, and expected to see Guy sitting next to her. But he was gone! "Erin!" I said. "Where's Guy?!" Erin began to look around as well, and called out "Guy?!" There was no trace of him. "GUY!" I shouted, standing up, while the whole world spun around me. We had entered another world completely. One which had a tinge of dread and uncertainty. We began searching around the grove with our eyes, trying to find a trace of him, but there was nothing but trees, and water. "Should we split up?!" I said somewhat frantic. "Of course not!" Erin responded. We continued to call out. But got nothing back. We walked the banks further into the forest, calling out his name every few seconds, but heard nothing in response.

Then we saw the river had formed a sandbar, and there was a person in the middle of it. "GUY!" I shouted, the figure didn't look back, it looked as if it was working on something. Plopped down on the bank of the sandbar. "That's gotta be him" Erin stated. We slid down the cliff, holding onto tree roots as descended, and took off our shoes. We would have to walk through some knee high water to get to the sandbar in the middle of the river. We continued to shout his name. "That's him!" Erin stated. "What is he working on?". We waded through the water, which was ice cold at this time of the year, and it felt hot to the touch. It wasn't cold. It was hot. In fact. What was the difference between the two? The silt squished between our toes, and it felt like we were in the desert walking. A wide open plain of water in front of us. Our friend in the distance, at some oasis working on something. What was he working on? He was bent over for sure, and he wasn't looking back. A couple jet skis whizzed by in the distance like hornets cutting through the air. "GUY!" Erin shouted again. Nothing. "What a goober" Erin stated as we came up to the banks of the sandbar, Guy was still a good 50 yards off. For a split second. I had a moment of terror. I thought about the giant beaver creature we had seen previously. I thought to myself "Why are we trusting Siri?" "How do we know she's even trying to help us!". As we got closer, we began to slow down a bit, both of us filling with trepidation about what we were going to discover. "Guy?!" Erin said in a normal voice "What's up buddy?" she continued.

As we got closer we could see that Guy was sitting in the water, and was playing with something in the water. A large form, that simply looked too big to be a fish, at least from this river. With a few more steps it came into focus, and Guy was gently caressing the belly of a large prehistoric fish. A Sturgeon which had seen better days.

"There was a hook stuck in his mouth. I got it out" Guy said. "He was washed up on the shore. Didn't want to be in the water."

I crouched down and inspected Guy's find. The gills were still "breathing" like fish do, but the fish was largely unresponsive. A barbed hook lie near him. At this moment, Erin remembered the minnows. She took her backpack off immediately and got the sandwich bag out, which was jam packed full of the silvery little guys that looked like a million pieces of molten steel against the sun which was beeming down on this unusual warm late fall day. Erin took the rubber band off the bag and released the minnows into the water. The Sturgeon's eye opened up and looked straight at all of us. A dinosaur from another age which somehow made it through the great extinction event. It was still here, and Guy was helping it live. The minnows scattered into the river, and a couple of them hung out near the banks, basking in the sun. Erin and I both petted the Sturgeon. "Come on buddy" Erin said as the banks of the river undulated and sloshed up onto our shins. Another pontoon came stupidly zooming by, it was being driven by someone in their late teens. The pontoon's wake kicked up the river, and caused the sturgeon to sway back and forth. The sturgeon's eye was open, and black, and looking at all of us, and we were looking back. It had to know we were trying to help it. In a second, as if it had been hit with a shot of adrenaline, it flopped around vigorously, and water sprayed onto all of us. It's tail slapped against the water, and the bank for a moment, and then it was gone. Disappeared into the dark river which flowed so quickly through this town.

"I think he's gonna be ok" Guy said in a calm, yet reassuring tone.

"Yeah, he'll be alight" I responded.

"Come on buddy" Erin said, putting her around Guy's big waist. Lets head back to the grove.

"OK" he responded. And we all made the trek back through the water, and up the embankment, and back into the safety of the shade and trees.

[all-hail-trash-prince]

"Who's she?" asked the boy.

"Ah, you must be new 'round here," replied a man passing by. "That there girl's a spirit." He waved his hand to demonstrate, and it passed right through her. She didn't even flinch. "She's been standin' there 'bout as long as anybody can remember," the man continued. "Ain't nobody knows where or when she came, but I reckon she'll be standin' there long after we're gone."

The boy gazed at her as she quietly watched the water. She looked young, probably about his age. He cleared his throat and called out, "Hello. What's your name?"

The man erupted into a deep belly laugh. "Boy, that girl hasn't talked to nobody in all the time she's been here! Trust me, she ain't human no more. It's best to leave her be."

The boy nodded. But still, he couldn't help looking back at her as he crossed the bridge. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ever-flowing torrent rushing by below.

- - -

"I'm back," murmured the boy as he passed. It was the dead of night, but after living in the nearby town for months now, he knew his way along the bridge by heart. He felt the familiar chill as his hand swept through hers, exactly where she'd been standing every night since he first saw her.

"Today was a slow day," he whispered to the spirit girl. "I didn't manage to nab any food, but I did pick enough coins out of some noble man's pocket to buy enough bread for a couple days." He sighed. "I'll probably have to leave town soon. Actually, I should have left already, it's just..." He fell silent. Even if the spirit never responded and quite possibly didn't understand a word he said, he felt too embarrassed to tell her how much he ached seeing her lonely figure being heedlessly passed by every day.

"Anyway," he added quietly, "you know how good I am at my job. I should be fine to stay here until I've got enough cash to move comfortably. I'd rather not have to walk all the way to the next town if I can help it."

He waited a moment, but the girl was as unresponsive as ever. The only sound was the dull thunder of the river below them.

The boy slipped away into the darkness. Even if careless people barged through the spirit every day, it still felt wrong to him, so he made sure to step carefully around her.

- - -

"FIND HIM!"

"GET HIM!"

"HUNT HIM DOWN!"

The cries of the townspeople pounded in the boy's ears as he fled through the streets. Rumors of a young theif had trickled in from a village the boy had been to before, and soon someone found him. He had stayed too long, and he had paid the price.

The boy crouched in an alleyway, breathing hard. Distant torchlight mingled with a dying sunset and bathed the streets in an ominous red. He poked his head out from behind a building and checked the area. If he could only get across the bridge, he could slip away into the forest and be free. Suddenly his breath caught in his throat. The bridge. The girl. He would never be able to see her again.

The boy shook his head to clear it. What did that matter? She had never responded to him, no matter how many times he'd talked to her. He focused himself on getting out of town. The searchers' voices were fading, so he darted out and made for the town gates. He'd almost reached them when a cry rang out: "THERE HE IS!"

The boy broke into a sprint and raced towards the bridge. His feet pounded on the wood, the noise all but drowned out by that of the river, still swollen from heavy rain the night before. Just a moment before he reached the end, something sliced his leg. An arrow? Maybe a pitchfork? He wondered what it could be as he fell. Time seemed to hang in the air for a moment as the implications of this dawned on him. No leg, no running. He could only wait as the bridge came up to meet him.

The boy slammed into the wood and snapped back to his senses. He could feel the angry mob thundering across the bridge right behind him. He had only a split second to decide. He hoisted himself up on his one good leg and gripped the bridge's railing, preparing to vault himself into the raging torrent below.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar chill on his hand. He looked up, directly into the eyes of the girl.

"Please..." Her voice was so quiet he could hardly hear it, and incredibly gentle. "Don't make the same mistake I did."

He searched her gaze. The river seemed to be reflected forever in her eyes, along with deep terror and regret. Even when he felt a sharp pain, he couldn't look away. Suddenly, the pain evaporated. The frenzied cheers of the townspeople faded from his hearing and he gasped as the chill on his hand turned to a cool pressure.

The girl looked at him shyly, a tiny bit of the sadness lifting from her gaze. "Maybe now... we can finally be together."

The spirit on the bridge never really looked at anyone; she only looked into the river as if contemplating something terrifying.