#psi fanfic

[joeymerenset]

The Ash Scattered Over a Field

Book: PSI

Characters: Ivo Martin x Lou Reed

Word Count: 5566

Rating: M

Warnings: Death, Neck breaking, Nightmares, Strong language, Smoking

Tags: @rc-catalog @secret-fungi @mikaelsrose @agattthaa @liykaii @zumitry @scrubcapsg @sarahrosees @webanglikethat @annn-starrr @astarotha

Summary: Tomorrow, they set their emotions aside and fight for their goal. But tonight, they're just Lou, Ivo, and the city beyond.

Recommend music to read with: https://on.soundcloud.com/MorArg2uTjruUXRu7 on repeat

“Right now, the Assistance Corps have just taken out the Prior of the Inquisition,” a feminine voice announces.

Lou understands perfectly what is about to happen. She awaits frozen in dread as life relentlessly continues going on around her.

Faceless people surround her in a crowd as they watch the fateful event that will change the course of history.

They’re silent, faces void of any mouths to throw the usual insults thrown at such events, void of any eyes to throw any vicious or cutting glances…

Instead, they simply silently expressionlessly face him as he’s brought out. His face, unlike all others, is clear and distinct, his cold and ruthless expression precise.

He isn’t changed out of his immaculate well-kept uniform, the Inquisition badge shines brightly in spite of the cold and gloomy winter rain. His hair is in its usual impeccably neat ponytail, not a strand is out of place.

He doesn’t fit the image of a criminal about to be hanged. And yet,

He gives Lou a cold glance as he’s led past her, and in that split second it feels as though everything around them pauses and they’re in slow motion. 

Lou immediately understands what is truly in his gaze. They both know what they want to say to each other, but unspoken words unite them one last time, as the world around them resumes, and he is ruthlessly led away.

“The higher ranks of the Inquisition have not given us an exact explanation for this situation so far,” a faceless woman on a hologram TV continues reporting her announcement, “however, from the information available to us, it has become clear–”

He reaches the stage and stands in perfect posture, exactly where he’s meant to stand. He shows no sign of resistance against his situation, but as he searches the crowd for where he’s just passed by, when his eyes land on her, she can see the hidden despair in them.

His impeccable appearance contrasts the gallows. The noose now being tied around his neck by an inquisitor in an identical uniform is out of place among his perfect attire.

“...the Prior was staging a coup,” the reporter mercilessly continues against the cold silence. Lou continues staring at the man, eyes wide with horror as the dreaded event comes closer and closer, chasing her like a predator chasing his disadvantaged prey. “Having learned about this, the Vicar Jean-Francois took immediate action to eliminate the traitor.”

She tries to breathe as her heart looses its rhythm. At the sight of the noose around her lover’s neck, her hands tremble and her legs grow weak. She doesn’t take her eyes off him.

She’s paralyzed by dread, too numb to cry and yet, as she becomes hyper-aware of herself and their now inescapable situation, she feels wet tears on her cheeks.

“...horrifying news pierced our hearts,” Lou’s panic crashes into her brain, it screams at her to do something, to act. To strangle the man who’s just tied the noose. It becomes so loud that it drowns out the sound of the TV, breaking phrases into jumbled sentences. “...Church will conduct a lengthy investigation… Who else is involved in…”

Her brain refuses to listen to the indifferent voice on stage that had just begun listing his crimes, as he stands, rigorously watching her, on that trapdoor.

She can only hear her own mind screaming for her to act no less vehemently than it did a moment ago. But, feeling as though her feet are physically glued to the floor, she stands frozen, withholding his penetrating gaze.

Voices without source begin speaking out amidst the brutal silence. Their questions each cut its own deep wound. “What will the Vicar say? How will they deal with the traitor?”

A stab to the gut. “Is the traitor also guilty of the recent crimes against the Church?”

A bullet to the heart. “Did the Prior’s personal guards know of his plans?”

The question that killed her, “Who will the next Prior be?”

And on that stage, standing on that trapdoor, moments away from his final breath, he coldly endures until the dreaded question is asked: “Your final words, Monsieur Martin?”

He shows no weakness or vulnerability, simply answers the question with a cold voice, a stern expression, and a single tear of despair that streams down his uncaring face. He says: “I promised I’d make the universe bigger. I’m sorry.”

And then she hears the deafening sound of the crunch of his neck as the trapdoor opens beneath him. He’s staring directly at her when his eyes roll back into his skull and life leaves his body. 

Lou jolted awake, wheezing for air as if she had run a great distance.

She frantically searched the darkness for any semblance of hope. She found it in the realization that she’d just been dreaming.

She slowed her breathing, inhaled for four seconds, held for four seconds, and exhaled for four seconds. Jonas had once taught her this breathing exercise when she got panicked at school one time. 

She slowly turned herself over and sat herself up on her elbows. She sat frozen for a minute as her eyes worked to adjust to the darkness around her.

As her mind began to make sense of the shapes that surrounded her, Lou looked around the familiar room. It wasn’t hers. In her state of mind, she had just about forgotten where she was spending the night.

A quick scan of the room reminded her whose it is. It was confirmed when she looked down at red and gray sheets that covered her now.

And when she realized whose bed she was in, she absentmindedly turned to look to the other side of the bed. She let out a pained sigh of relief as she saw him laying next to her, soundly asleep with calm even breathing.

And as she sat mesmerized by the sight of his chest slowly rising and falling with every breath, the realization came crushing that the horrific sight she’d just seen has only yet to come. 

Her pulse rang in her ear, her heart dropped to her stomach as she settled into that realization that her nightmare can easily become a reality. She took another deep breath.

He’d told her and Stone to “settle their affairs” before the day arrived. She knew what he meant by that. She knew anything could happen on the fated day, that they’re all in a dangerous position no matter what happens. That’s why she chose to spend the previous day with him, why she wished to wake up in his bed the next morning.

And now she had another reason: she was glad of all places, she was tormented by nightmares in his bed where she can wake up next to him, and simply be with him knowing that he's safe.

She stared at him as vehemently as she had in that dream, as though she could lose him at any second. And as she did, as if her nightmare hadn’t tormented her enough, visions of how the next day could go began playing in her head. 

She imagined Jonas, barely alive from overusing his psi, being dragged away by the AC. She imagined the young Tina having to learn that she'd have to go on living alone as a result of everyone she knows having been killed. She couldn't bring herself to imagine the pyrokinetic dying, and still she imagined every outcome. Most didn’t seem ideal. 

Her imagination led back to his death. She shook her head as her mind replayed the scene, almost as though she was shaking out the image of it. 

When she zoned back in, she thoughtlessly watched him, almost fascinated by the way he breathed. The way he lived.

And amidst the silence that now lingered in her mind, one strained simple thought shattered through the wall of professional detachment she had built. Like how the moon stood out amidst the starless sky above the eternally alive and lit city outside the balcony door, her thought stood out from the quiet darkness of her mind, and it whispered to him: I don’t wanna lose you.

Her hand reached out on its own, as if it was reaching for something it had long yearned to hold, and now it gets to. It reached his face, and hovered over it, afraid to wake him.

She knew he wasn’t dreaming. At least, knowing the nature and purpose of his sedative, she doubted he was. And she knew that her wish to understand what’s going through his head right now was futile.

But Lou’s worry was slightly reassured as she realized that, after the next day’s events are over, he’d likely never have to take that sedative again.

What is happening to me, she thought, why does it matter to me that you’re sleeping soundly?

And yet, despite her deep reluctance to worry for him, her thought was followed up with: Sleeping soundly? …I really hope you are.

She found herself absentmindedly playing with his hair. She gently ran her fingers between his dark locks, as if, even when on auto-pilot, she knew exactly just how gentle to be so as to not wake him.

When she realized what she was doing, she paused, and just stared at her hand, now frozen with a lock of his hair between her fingers.

She took a deep inhale, which was somewhat surprisingly difficult for her at that moment, and then finally decided: No, I better not wake you up.

So her hand retreated, and with it, she did too. She sat herself back up and reached for the bedside table next to her. She had to tap the table a few times before landing on a small box, which she grabbed and took with her as she got up.

She didn’t bother to slip her feet into anything comfortable, so her bare footsteps hardly made any sound when she walked away and onto the balcony.

The floor was warm against her bare feet.

Despite it being the middle of summer, they’d heard it was going to rain that night. Yet, the sky was endlessly clear. Lou felt the warmth against her skin wash out her melancholy and replaced it with discomfort.

She watched the eternally awake city through clouded vision as she lit a cigarette and exhaled the first puff of smoke. Below her, she saw the light turn off from a building or two, but most, just like the Inquisition building, never really slept. 

Just as it was clear of clouds, the sky also lacked stars. It was solely lit by the moon, lonely as she now was. Its light tried to console her as it shone down on her, barely reaching far enough to envelop her in its rays like the dreaded sun did.

And she truly dreaded the dawn of the first rays of sun. She didn’t want tomorrow to come. So she endlessly watched the moon, her heart sank deeper with each second the moon set lower. 

Alone with the moon, she didn’t want to think of the next day anymore. Taking in another drag of smoke, she wondered what the sky would look like if only the harsh lights of the city didn’t outshine the stars.

She found herself rolling her eyes. She’d never cared about such things before.

But as her thoughts led back to him, it almost didn’t matter anymore. Her next thought as she hesitated to inhale again was: Beautiful, that’s how.

She breathed a pained exhale. I’m tormenting myself if I keep standing here waiting for the sun to rise. And as she turned back to return to the sleeping man behind that balcony door, just before she put out her cigarette, her eyes landed on his cello.

He'd left it there after he'd spent the night playing to her, sharing his soul through symphony after symphony, the only way he could.

Moon and sun and stars and the cello all led her to one thought, one memory that didn’t allow her to walk away anymore. 

She remembered a melody among the cosmos, as she floated between planets and nebulae. She remembered standing on the moon as the music dissolved her, and it felt as though she and the music together were becoming the stars and the galaxies.

Her mysterious admirer didn’t accompany her there, yet she learned weeks later on the very balcony she now stood on that he was with her that night. He was the melody that carried her to the stars, the music that undid her. He was the color of the sky, the twinkle of the stars that generously bathed her in their light.

Their generosity came in the form of an outstretched hand holding out a pair of shades on an inconveniently sunny day, or a pack of ice for a runny broken nose. It came as music; a flash drive to keep her company while she was lonely off work, a sound system as some part of him in her home, an orchestra at a planetarium, a cello on the balcony. It came in the form of him.

And he was the main cellist playing that orchestra. He was her beautiful symphony, the chords and tones that tugged at her heart and lured it closer, pushed it deeper into the pool of his affection. And in a world that gave him their undivided attention, she was his only audience, the only one who mattered. She was his muse.

What stupid thoughts, she convinced herself, if Jonas heard all this he’d flick me between my brows and tell me to get my shit together. 

She had no doubt the healer would have a colorful choice of words for her, had he known who she’s spending her nights with.

But she forgot Jonas’ name very easily when he was on her mind. She went back to the edge of the balcony, to the bustling city beyond it that had no idea how much it would change in a matter of hours.

And she took out another cigarette, despite knowing that standing there won’t do her any good, and lit it. She couldn’t turn her back on the moon, the only thing unchanged in her life, guaranteed to rise the next night and set the morning after. 

Shit, she exhaled a stream of smoke, what’s happening to me?

She'd never worried about someone like that before, and worrying about Ivo scared her. She'd tried to break it off the previous day for that reason. It was her duty to protect him as his personal guard, it was her duty to worry. But her worry wasn't out of duty, it was personal.

And the idea of leaving him killed her, and having the Prior die may ruin her career, but it was easier to fail as his guard than it was to fail as his lover.

Moreover, he was the Prior. He was ash scattered over crops where life grew over the death he left behind. Who was she next to him?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a quiet hoarse voice calling “Lou?” followed by the sound of a door clicking.

She turned to look back at the pale tired man who'd just walked onto the balcony. He looked more grim than peaceful and sound now that he was awake. 

He approached her lazily, as if he'd hardly allowed himself to fully wake up before realizing she wasn't asleep in bed next to him.

Lou noted the worried look on his face. He seemed to understand what she was dreading. “I'm sorry,” her apology filled the silence as she flicked the ash off her cigarette.

When he reached her, he wordlessly held her by the waist and planted a kiss just where the sleeve of her shirt had fallen from her shoulder, in silent reassurance that she didn't have anything to apologize for.

And she didn't have it in her to say anything else, so they stood like that, silently taking in each other's presence, for a while. Her, listening to the sound of his breathing and savoring every decibel. Him, watching the smoke floating from her mouth into the air almost as if, in his tired state, he was utterly mesmerized by it.

When her cloud of smoke dissipated into the air, he turned back to look at her, allowing himself to admire the sight of her. Only after he took in every feature, he planted a long kiss on her cheek.

As his lips lingered on her skin, without thinking, she mouthed “mine.” Her voice came out in more of a strangled whisper.

She felt his lips form a smile on her cheek. “That's right, Lou. Yours.”

When she realized he was about to kiss her lips, Lou abruptly moved away, swiftly remarking: “Ivo, my breath reeks of tobacco, you don't wanna taste that.”

Endearing as her concern was for him, he didn't push her any further. He simply went back to admiring her as he absentmindedly stroked her shoulder. She turned back to face the city.

After a moment,  he allowed himself to break the silence and gently asked: “Why are you awake at this hour?” 

She took a second to consider her response before she exhaled it along with another puff of smoke. “I could ask you the same thing.”

He was in no hurry to answer.

Lou decided not to wait for one anyway. “I keep playing scenarios in my head.”

“Scenarios?”

“Of the possibilities of tomorrow,” she clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m prepared to put my emotions aside and serve my duty, but I don’t know that I wanna face the damage we’ll leave behind.”

He stared at her attentively, waiting for her to elaborate, or to decide that she wasn't going to. 

“The other day, while I was… hm. I went to see Jonas and I could hardly hold a conversation. I kept imagining his fate after tomorrow,” a deep inhale as she took in another drag, “it wasn't a pretty picture.”

Ivo's eyes narrowed. Though he'd heard of Jonas before, he had no idea who the healer was or what any of this had to do with him.

“A few days ago, I dreamed about Tina. After I dropped her off at work, I just stopped to think about her future. My dream that night didn’t keep me wondering for too long.”

Ivo clearly had something he wanted to say, but refrained until she’d finished speaking.

“Tonight, I dreamed about you.”

He knew there would be no more elaborating on her part.

“I see,” he sighed as he seemed to understand the gravity of what’s been on her mind. She didn’t phrase it exactly how she’d wanted, but he understood exactly what she meant. He didn’t need any more explanation. “First of all, as for your tobacco breath,” he left a brief kiss on her lips, then brazenly stated: “I don’t care.”

She smiled at him briefly, took in his face, and suddenly saw his eyes roll back into his head again the way it did when he died at the gallows.

Something inside her shivered at the unexpected vision, she abruptly turned away. She refused to look at him any longer.

He felt the strange sense of anxiety that just suddenly came over her. Realizing she probably wasn’t up for it, he didn’t ask any questions. Instead he simply offered her a place in his arms.

She took it, settled her back into his chest, and stood there, held by him. Loved by him. Loved.

“You died,” she lamented, “in this dream.”

His attentive gaze on her became penetrating. His expression confused her. She wasn’t sure whether his furrowed brows expressed anger or concern.

“Our coup hadn’t gone according to plan. We’d doomed people to those godforsaken psionic farms, doomed humanity to a horrific fate, and you were brought to the gallows to be executed. Publicly.”

Ivo silently took in her words. He didn’t answer right away. “Lou, I have everything planned out perfectly. Every moment of every event counted toward our goal, everything that led us here was done strategically and under my complete control. I have several backup plans in the case that things don’t work out. Even in the event of my death, humanity–”

“Ivo! This isn’t about humanity dammit, this is about you!” She raised her voice for the first time in the conversation. “I don’t want you to die! I want you to assure me that you won’t die!”

Panic settled into her stomach as he paused in uncertainty. He couldn’t promise her that. 

“Lie to me.”

He was only silent for a moment before lethargically responding, “...I won’t die.”

“You’re a politician, is that the best lie you could come up with?”

“It’s 2 AM.” He sluggishly refuted.

She wanted to look back at him with an unamused expression but it came out more desperate. More despaired. “Goddammit, Ivo…” She almost whimpered the words out of frustration.

And as she uttered them, flashes of that dream replayed before her mind’s eye. 

She watched again at how he didn’t take his eyes off her once as he stood on the gallows. She’d never forget the way he was looking at her before life left him as abruptly as a gut-wrenchingly beautiful song being interrupted, the cruel silence that comes after. 

And she’d never forget the horrific sound of his neck crunching, it didn’t feel like a distant memory from a dream. 

She was reluctant to inhale another drag as she struggled to breathe. The crushing realization that came next came against her will, that if she lost him, she suddenly would no longer know how to keep living

He was no empath but he almost felt what she was thinking. The weight of the images on her mind were perceptible on her face, in the way she refused to take in another drag of smoke.

She didn’t pay attention to the taste when she absentmindedly inhaled the smoke again. 

She was dragged out of her flashback by his quiet voice, silent as if she was asleep and he was reluctant to wake her. “Lou, come back to me.”

She suddenly became extremely aware of herself and the world around her. As all their problems began to feel tangible, she became hypersensitive to his cold hand on her arm. He hadn’t stopped stroking it once. At this moment, it grounded her.

“I’m sorry,” he rasped. Though he wasn’t one to usually have such a reaction, he mentally cussed at himself for his inability to convincingly lie to her. After all, he was able to deceive a stage one psionic empath. 

“I’m sorry, Lou,” he sincerely apologized again. “In the beginning, I didn’t think that we…”

“I know, Ivo,” a stream of smoke came out alongside her words. “And it’s not your fault. I’m glad I… got to know you,” she wasn’t sure how to phrase it, but they both knew what she was saying. “I knew what I was getting myself into when I became your guard,” she considered everything she’d been through so far that led her to this moment. “It wasn’t to walk in the garden.”

At first, this all started as an attempt to earn enough for a comfortable living. She understood the dangerous nature of her job, and she was prepared to do what it takes. 

She wasn’t eager to protect the head of the Inquisition when she’d first heard about the job offer, but the pay was so generous, she could hardly refuse. She fought hard for that comfortable life in Termitairy she was hoping to have, even if it meant protecting some high-ranking prick.

She never expected that one day, she’d be standing in said high-ranking prick’s arms, as if enveloped by a blanket of love and comfort, as he gently rubbed her shoulders in an attempt to dispel her worries about their upcoming dangerous mission. 

And as she realized how her bitterness towards the Inquisition and its leader was once just barely enough to dissuade her chance to earn decent money, she marveled at her eagerness to risk her life to make a difference, to risk her life for him. 

“And now we’re changing the world,” her next words were uttered silently without any context, “How could I walk away from that?”

“Of course,” Ivo agreed, “But I’m sure you hardly expected to be in this much danger either.”

“It’s easier for you isn’t it? That’s why they call you Ash,” she wasn’t really asking. “And you’ve been planning this for a while. —Well, not this but you’ve at least known some of Jean-Fracnois’ secrets for a long time, haven’t you?” After a silent pause as he considered his answer, Lou spoke up again first and added: “Plus, with the sedative-”

“That’s not the purpose of the sedative.” He hardly intended to interrupt her. It was just an objective fact he felt the need to state.

“I know, but it still helps,” she reasoned.

“To be sure. But either way, Lou, I’ve always had to put my emotions aside for my goal. The ash scattered over a field has no weakness or emotion, it is just ash, and it must fulfill its function– to be useful.”

“You are not ash.”

“I am the Prior. I endure, I do my job, I achieve my goal. Only after that am I a human being, and that’s reserved for you.”

He knew before hiring her that she was someone he’d become fond of, but he didn’t expect to become this fond of her. Too much to lose her. 

He’d told her before that he wished he could be the one to protect her, and along with the upcoming dawn, that statement rises more and more and threatens to drown him with its truth as how the dawn threatens to drown the world with its light. 

He knew where his fate would lead, that it might lead to his death. He knew he was risking the death of his team. He had come to terms with that, he was prepared for it. 

He had to put his feelings aside time and time again for the sake of his goals, since the beginning of his career. He understood that emotions had no place at work.

Before her, emotions had hardly any place in his personal life either.

But now as they stood together facing the rest of the world, holding each other in an attempt to comfort one another, she’d become a person he never wanted to know what it’s like to live without. 

“What exactly is gonna happen tomorrow,” she asked, and suddenly they both became acutely aware of the silence that had been lingering between them for minutes before she uttered her question. She looked up at the moon, and realized: “Well, today.” She turned again to face him, a look in her eyes he’d never seen before: desperation. “What are the steps of your plan? Tell me every detail.”

Her tone was cold and determined, it sounded as though she was commanding him, but she was asking for reassurance.

Ivo paused in silence for a moment, then let out a grim sigh. That was the first time in the entire conversation he’d stopped stroking her arm.

He nudged her lightly to have her turn to a position where she’s facing him, their faces inches apart. And when she complied, he took a long attentive look at her face, memorizing every feature as if it was the most important exam he was ever going to take.

Then, he took her hand with his and pressed it onto his chest. He held it there.

“Ivo, what are you doing-” she was interrupted by the murmur of a thud. Then another, and another.

He was silent for a minute as he let her listen. He simply watched her face take in the sound, and pay attention to it.

“You’re listening to the heartbeat of the Prior of the Inquisition,” he finally spoke. His chest rumbled lightly beneath her palm as his words came out. “Many have tried to stop it from sounding. Many wanted to cease its beating.” His lips were so close, they almost whispered into her temple. “You saw first hand how close they were to succeeding.”

And as he watched her attentively, her eyes were fixated on his hand on hers, holding hers to his chest. She soaked in the sound.

“Listen to it now, Lou.”

“Oh…” she felt as though she was physically holding in her hand the beating heart of the man who truly belonged to her.

Belonged to her? What right did she have to think so?

But tonight, those thoughts of doubt were drowned out by a lud, lud, lud,

A sound she now realized that, alongside the roar of her motorcycle’s engine and the music from her headphones, had just become among her favorite sounds in the world.

And just like how she cannot imagine living without music, and how she’d sooner die than give up her motorbike, she realized she never wanted to stop listening to the sound of his life whispering reassuring promises to her through his heart.

It whispered to her what he wanted her to know, because he survived and he endured for his goal because of her, but he lived for her.

He was silent again for another few minutes, she stood mesmerized again as she listened. When his voice sounded again,it almost startled Lou out of a shell she seemed to have retreated to. “First thing in the morning, we’ll meet with the Vicar,” a fact she already knew, “he will agree to my proposal–”

Lou couldn’t stand it anymore. “Yes, Ivo, but what proposal? What are you going to tell him?”

He didn’t give her an answer. Instead, he simply slowly shook his head in a silent plea to listen to his words. “Everything will go according to plan at the synod. Exactly every guest we need will show up. Every person who is taking part in our plan, whether they know it, intend to, or they don’t, will be exactly where we need them to be.”

His vagueness frustrated Lou. His words told her nothing of his plans, as always. 

His words often spoke a vague truth, one that cut. But the continued sound that trembled under her palm told Lou all she needed to hear. 

“We will gain control over the city so that we can prevent as many deaths as possible….”

As he kept speaking, he didn’t take his hand off hers, he didn’t allow her to let go of his heart. And why should she, when it beats because of her? When it beats for her.

He wanted her to own it, as if he trusts her not only to protect it from metaphorical heartbreak, but he trusts her to keep it beating. 

She no longer listened to his words, she lost herself in the sound of his heartbeat that drowned out his cruel lies, sweet reassurance that was more cruel than threats and insults.

She settled into the sound that swaddled her like the comforting darkness of the night, the steady rhythm of his heart assured her more than his sorry attempts at deciet. It didn’t have his tone, the uncertainty with which he spoke, that slight unsureness, a hesitancy in promises.

No, his heart only kept sounding, each beat a promise that it would fight for the next one.

She didn’t realize how long she’d been standing there listening to the sound of his heartbeat after he let her hand go and stopped speaking. He didn’t try to remove her hand from his chest.

He only planted a kiss on her temple, which promised more than his words ever could.

“Sorry,” she apologized half-heartedly.

If he couldn’t tell from the reluctant tone in her apology that it wasn’t true, he knew it from the way his hand lingered on his chest, refusing to pull away.

She tried again. Only this time, she tried the truth: “I love you.”

Silence was his reply. It wasn’t that he hesitated to respond, no. He was silent as her words settled in. He understood that she did, and he knew exactly how he felt, but only when her words reached his heart and caressed it like sunlight’s rays caressed all that it dawned upon, he responded: “I love you too.”

Lou understood that tonight would be their last as human beings before they’d have to put their own humanity aside for the sake of the rest of humanity.

She understood she’d have to forget her emotions and serve. She knew she could. But tonight, that wasn’t what she worried about.

Tonight, humanity disappeared and summarized in one person, in the form of him. Tonight, nobody else mattered to her, only him.

Maybe during her days when she sat in his office, when she went on missions to dangerous clubs to find shady people, or beyond the perimeter for evidence of dangerous crimes against the Inquisition or the Church, Lou’s only goal, which she fought for sincerely, was for humanity. For people.

But tonight, as sleep came and sucked her into its comforting darkness easily despite the terrifying reality of tomorrow, none of it mattered to her. Only him.

[harperfrogspad]

Chapter 9: Debrief

**Please read with caution descriptions of violence and death.**

Lou and Kay were in Lou’s room at The Inquisition, Kay sat on her bed.

“I just want to go home,” she said as she leaned heavily on him.

“I know,” Kay hugged her tightly, wishing he could give her what she wanted. “You just have to tell the Prior what happened and then we can go.”

Then Kay felt a flurry of emotions growing within her, but they were so jumbled that he couldn’t tell what was actually going on. He turned to face her.

“Hey,” he touched her face gently. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to do this right now,” she said somewhat angrily as she stepped away from him. “I just want to go home.”

Just before Lou had stepped away, thus breaking physical contact with him, Kay had felt fear in her.

“This is bullshit, there’s no reason why we can’t have this conversation tomorrow,” Lou said pacing.

“I know,” he said sympathetically, Kay knew he had to tread carefully. ���You’re still tired and probably hungry again, I’d rather just go home too.”

Lou stopped and looked at him.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it, Martin wants to hear about it now,” Kay told her.

Lou stepped closer to him. “Kay… I-I don’t know if I can talk about it.”

Kay open his arms, inviting her in, Lou stepped into his arms and hugged him tightly; Kay kissed her cheek.

“Just do your best, no one can ask more of you then that,” he told her. “And I’ll be right there with you.”

Lou sighed, she stood between his legs, she put both her hands into his hair. She looked into his dark eyes as she ran her hands through his hair and caressed his face lovingly.

He gave her a tender smile. “Seems like forever since the last time we were here like this.”

Lou scoffed softly. “Yeah, it does.”

Kay ran his hands up her back, then he put one hand on the back of her head and gently pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips met slowly, tenderly, both seeking comfort and reconnection. The kisses continued without growing deeper, their hands gently moving over each other. Kay could feel how much Lou needed to touch him, to kiss him, to hold him, to be touched by him, to be kissed by him, to be held by him. She was lost to him, to their kiss, nothing else existed to her, and that was when someone knocked on the door. Lou flinched, grasped, and pulled away from Kay.

“Shh, it’s alright, it’s alright,” he whispered as he pulled her closer and hugged her tightly; she breathed heavily.

Danielle’s muffled voice came from the other side of the door: “The Prior is ready for you now.”

“Thank you, Danielle,” Kay called to her.

Then they heard the secretary’s steps recede. Lou was still breathing hard. Kay could feel the fear the sudden noise has caused her.

“It’s alright,” he said again, stroking her back gently. “It’ll pass, take some deep breaths.”

Lou took several deep breaths and when Kay felt her fear fade away he stood up. He put both his hands on her face, tipping it up, then kissed her forehead. Lou looked up into Kay’s nearly-black eyes and he could almost see the trauma swirling in her eyes.

“Ready?” He asked.

She just nodded.

A few minutes later they were sitting in the office of The Prior of the Inquisition sipping tea and eating cookies that Danielle brought them. Lou was wrapped in a blanket sitting with her legs chris crossed on the couch, her shoes off and on the floor. Kay sat close to her, his hand was under the blanket so they could secretly hold hands. Joncière sat in an arm chair calmly drinking his tea, quietly observing the partners. Ivo Martin was at his desk reading one last report, when he was finished he called Danielle in, and came over to the sitting area. He then moved an arm chair so that it faced the couch more and sat down. Danielle came into the office with a tablet and sat down near the group.

“Danielle is going to take notes and fill out the report while we talk.” Martin informed the others. “So, walk me through it,” he said.

Joncière started the story. He explained how the arrival at the village had gone, his meeting with the local commander and how they had begun investigating the breach in the signal that allowed unauthorized messages from the other side of the Perimeter. And how they had gone across the Perimeter and searched for hours before they found signs of someone broadcasting.

***

Mark, Lou, and the newest employee of the local AC office, Initiate Cane had been wandering around in the wild forest on the wrong side of the Perimeter for hours. The sun was starting to set, Lou was tired and hungry, she wanted to get back to the village, but Mark was determined to keep looking. To pass the time more than anything she talked to the young Initiate. She leaned that his full name was Vincent Cane, he was 19, he had been working for the Coups for about six weeks, he was a native to this village, he was genetically unstable, and his goal was to be a bodyguard. So of course he wanted to talk to Lou about protecting people, she answered all his questions the best she could.

“It’s too bad my partner isn’t here,” she told him. “He’s a lot more experienced than I am.”

“I’d love to be able to talk to him too,” Cane said. “But you’ve been really helpful too.”

“I think the key to being a good bodyguard is in your personality. Not everyone is willing to jump in front of a bullet for someone else.” Lou told him. “But I think you have the right kind of personality for it. I’m sure you’ll get there.”

“Reed!” Joncière called for her, excitement in his voice.

Lou hurried to catch up to Mark. “What is it?”

As Lou came to stand beside the Inquisitor she saw what he had found: a small makeshift shelter with a radio in it.

“You see that, Reed?” Mark said, he sounded pleased with himself. “This is what hard work and determination gets you.”

“A tiny shelter in the wilderness?” She said sarcastically.

Joncière glared at her slightly. “Results, Reed.”

Lou smiled and winked at Cane who looked shocked that she’d talk to an Inquisitor like that.

“Okay, we found it,” Lou said. “Now what?”

“Document everything,” Mark answered. “Reed, you take pictures, Cane, mark this place on the map and then write down everything you see.”

“Yes, sir!” Cane said, he then pulled out his map, a notebook and pen and got right to work.

Lou took out her phone and started taking pictures while Mark carefully shifted through the shelter. They hadn’t been documenting very long when Lou heard a twig snap near them. She immediately began scanning the trees for the source. In the dwindling light it was hard to see too far into the woods, but she kept looking. Suddenly she saw a glint of light bounce off something, without wasting anymore time she took one long step towards Mark just as a gunshot rang out, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground, covering him with her body.

“Get down!” She yelled at Cane.

Cane dropped to the ground but not before a bullet wizzed passed him and hit a tree that Mark had been standing in front of just seconds before.

“Stay down!” Lou yelled at Cane, then she spoke softly to Joncière. “Well, I guess we found your attackers.”

“So it would seem,” Mark said. “Any ideas on how to get us out of here?”

Lou quickly assessed the situation. She and Mark were laying on the ground in front of the shelter, Cane was a little farther away, but still well covered. The bullet has come from the other side of the shelter, which meant to get away from the shooter, they’d have to go back the way they’d came. The forest all looked the same to Lou, she wouldn’t know how to get them back to the Perimeter, luckily she wasn’t the only one out here.

“Stay here and don’t move,” she told Mark.

“Where are you going?” Joncière actually sounded scared.

“Just to talk to Cane.”

Mark nodded before Lou started crawling slowly on her belly towards the young man. When Lou got to him she asked if he could lead them back to the village, he was confident that he could. So she crawled back to Mark and told him her plan.

“Ok, Cane is going to lead us back to the village, we are going to crawl until we get passed those bushes over there,” Lou pointed to show Joncière where. “Once we are around them we will get up and run. He said the Perimeter is towards the setting Sun.”

Mark was pale, but he nodded his agreement. So he went first towards Cane and Lou followed. As there neared the bushes that Lou had indicated, footsteps and voices could be heard. They were getting closer.

“Go,” Lou told them.

Lou stood up first, facing the danger, holding her hands out prepared. Behind her Cane grabbed Joncière and helped him to his feet and then they ran. Shots were fired. Lou couldn’t hardly see the bullets they were so fast. She barely managed to push them away with her telekinesis, before she turned and ran after the two men.

“Reed!” She heard Mark call for her as she ran to catch up with them.

“I’m here!” She called back.

She was able to stay in the right trail because she could see Joncière’s dark uniform weaving through the woods. She could also hear their pursuers behind her, a shot rang out. Lou felt the gust of air as the bullet flew past her and hit a tree. She ran faster, but she had lost sight of Mark. As she rounded a tree she saw Cane was facing her with his gun raised, Lou stopped dead in her tracks, and Mark reached out behind a bush and pulled her out of the way. The shooter was only a few steps behind, when he appeared around the tree, Cane shot him dead. Then the three of them ran again, as they left they heard a voice screaming. They didn’t stop for a few more minutes trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the other shooter. When they finally stopped running they found a dead log to sit on as they tried to catch their breath.

“That was brilliant, Vince,” Lou said once she could talk again.

“Thanks,” Cane said, blushing slightly from her praise and her use of his first name.

“We need to get back across the Perimeter,” Mark said. “We should keep moving.”

No one liked the idea of getting up and walking again after all the running they had just done, but they knew they needed to. It was almost dark and needed to get out of the wilderness before it was pitch black. So they kept moving, Cane took the lead, Mark in the middle, and Lou bringing up the rear. They didn’t move fast, as they were trying to stay quiet, but they had to keep moving, they were a ways from the Perimeter. They walked in silence, Lou kept a couple steps behind Mark so that she could listen for any sounds coming from behind them.

After about ten minutes of walking Lou heard a sound come from behind her, the sound of a gun cocking, she dove for Mark. A hot, searing pain cut into her lower back as they fell to the ground. Almost immediately a second shot was fired and Cane fell to the ground crying out in pain.

“Off the path!” Lou said to Mark pushing him towards the cover of some bushes, then she went to Cane and tried to get him to safety. She heard the gun cock again.

“Down!” She yelled. They got behind a fallen tree just as another bullet flew by. Somewhat safe for the moment Lou focused on Cane’s injury, he had been shot in the leg.

“We need to…” Cane tried to explain. “Find a… tourniquet.”

Lou looked at what they were both wearing and then when for his belt. Another shot hit a tree near them, Lou flinched, but when right back to taking off Cane’s belt. Then she used it to put pressure on the gunshot wound.

“That should do for now,” she whispered to him.

“Thank you, Reed,” he said softly.

“You’ll make a great bodyguard someday,” she told him.

He smiled weakly at her.

Another shot rang out, Lou flinched again, her eyes closed, and then she was sprayed with something wet. When she opened her eyes half of Cane’s face was missing, there was blood everywhere, she could see half of his brain, one eye was hanging from its nerve. Lou was in shock, her eyes couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing. She was covered in blood, her clothes, her face, her hands and legs. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t think, she was totally numb.

“Reed!” Joncière’s voice cut through her haze.

Lou looked up and saw the shooter coming towards her, he was reloading his weapon as he walked. She looked around for something to use as a weapon, and when she turned a sharp pain pierced her back. She put her hand on it and felt the bullet still under her skin. Having no other option she used her telekinesis to pull the bullet out of herself. With the bloody bullet in her hand Lou stood up and threw it with her Psi as hard as she could at the shooter, then ducked down again. It hit him right in the shoulder he dropped his rifle and fell to the ground. Lou’s mind was working fast now, thinking of survival for her and Mark, she wasn’t going to lose him too. As the shooter struggled backwards trying to get to cover himself, probably thinking Lou had a gun too, she took Cane’s bag and anything else off his body that she thought could be useful, including his gun.

Lou stood up pointing that gun at where the shooter had been, but he was gone.

“Joncière?” She called.

“I’m here,” he stepped out of the bushes.

“Where is he?”

“He went back into the trees,” Mark told her, pointing. “Let’s go.”

Lou nodded as she shouldered Cane’s bag, then the two of them hurried down the path. After a little while they found a place to hide off the path. Without saying a word Mark took out a bottle of water and a cloth, poured the water on the cloth, and handed it to Lou. Understanding, she took it and started to wiped the blood off her face.

“Are you injured?” Joncière asked quietly. “I thought you might have taken a bullet for me earlier.”

Lou just nodded and put her hand on her back to show him where.

“Let me look at it,” he said.

Lou turned around so that she sat with her back to him and pulled her shirt out of the way. Mark examined the wound.

“It’s just superficial,” he told her. “Looks like it came in at your side and moved left to right. It’s not very deep.”

Then he took Cane’s bag with the first aid supplies and began to treat Lou’s wound. He used special bandages to cover the entrance wound and where she’d pulled the bullet out, that would stop the bleeding. He also gave her a shot for the pain.

The adrenaline was leaving Lou’s body as she sat hidden from the man trying to kill them. But as it left, Lou began to feel, to realize what had just happened and she felt sick.

***

Lou and Mark had been taking turns telling the story, but when they got to the part about Cane’s death she stumbled over her words and Joncière had to finish the story.

Kay was still holding her hand under the blanket and he could feel all of what was going on inside her.

“I think she might need a break,” Kay told The Prior.

“I agree,” Mark said, as he stood, and walked over to the cupboard and got her a bottle of water. He came back, opened it, gave it to her, and sat back down. “Drink, Reed.”

Lou drank some water. Her hands were shaking and she stared at nothing. Martin looked at Kay, the empath looked worried. The three men sat quietly giving Lou time and space to process.

“I should have protected him,” Lou said softly.

“That wasn’t your job,” Mark told her.

“That isn’t the point, Mark,” she said annoyed.

“And just what were you doing when he was shot, Initiate Reed?” Joncière spat back. “Watching old movies on your phone?”

Lou glared at him.

“What were you doing?” Mark asked again.

“I was trying…” Lou bushed same hair out of her face with annoyance. “To stop him from bleeding out.”

Mark leaned forward in his chair and spoke more gently. “You were treating his wound. You were trying to save his life.”

Lou scoffed, looking down. “Lot of good it did him.”

Mark sighed, then shifted from his chair to the coffee table in front of Lou, she didn’t acknowledge his move.

“Reed, look at me,” Mark said.

Lou didn’t look up.

Mark put his hand on her shoulder. “Lou, look at me.”

That made her look up. Kay felt a strange surge of emotions when Joncière touched her.

“That boy died a hero,” Mark said. “He achieved his goal of being a bodyguard, even if for just a short time.”

Lou shook her head. “‘That boy,’”

“What was the last thing you said to him?” Mark asked.

Lou didn’t answer.

“What did you say to him?” Mark’s voice was as gentle as Kay had ever heard it.

“I told him he’d make a good bodyguard.”

“You told him what he longed to hear, especially from you,” Mark told her. “You gave him exactly what he needed.” He looked at her very pointedly.

Lou looked into Mark’s eyes for long enough that it made Kay feel uncomfortable. Then he felt that strange surge of emotions again. Kay didn’t know how to put those feelings into words, but they felt… intimate, somehow.

“It sounds to me,” Martin spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. “Like you were doing exactly what you should have been doing, Lou. But sometimes you can’t save everyone.”

Mark shifted back to his chair.

Lou looked at him. Kay felt her emotions raging like wildfire. She was sad, confused, angry, but mostly she felt such guilt.

“I should have made sure that he was completely behind cover,” she said.

“Reed,” Mark said. “You’ll only drive yourself insane thinking of all the ‘should haves,’ and it won’t help anything.”

“Mark is right, Lou,” Martin said.

She looked up at him. “But you were so angry with us when that house burned down, and no one died then.”

“The home of an elderly woman who has served the Church for many years, a civilian,” Martin clarified. “That was a threat you two should have anticipated.”

Lou shook her head, Kay squeezed her hand.

“Initiate Cane was a trained Corps officer, Lou,” Kay said gently. “Not a helpless old lady.”

Lou sighed, holding his hand more tightly.

“Even Monsieur Joncière isn’t trained for combat,” Kay went on. “That’s why you were told to guard him. Cane was an armed officer helping you do that.”

Lou turned and looked at Kay, tears brimming in her eyes. “So what, I’m just not supposed be care or be upset about him dying? He was only 19, Kay. Barely older than Kiddo.”

“And barely younger then you,” Kay said. “And no one is asking you not to feel upset.”

“Then what are you asking?” She sounded annoyed.

“Not to blame yourself,” all three men said it.

Lou looked between the three of them, Mark, Martin, and back to Kay. And then she sighed, relenting.

“You can be sad,” Martin said. “Angry, bitter, resentful, hate the man who actually killed Vincent Cane, but the guilt you’re feeling will slowly eat away at your soul. Don’t let it. His death is not your fault,” he said the last four words very slowly. “You need to find a way to deal with this or I may be forced to sent you to a psychiatrist.”

Lou shook her head. “Please don’t make me do that, Ivo,” she said.

“Then I suggest you talk through it thoroughly with Kay,” Martin said, nodding to the empath. “Be open and honest and don’t hide your feelings from him.”

Lou scoffed. “As if could. How did you know that we were in danger?” She addressed Martin. “Hmm? What brought you and a whole rescue team flying in when the locals didn’t even know we were missing yet?” Lou pointed at Kay, “It was him, wasn’t it?”

Martin gave her a slight smile. “Yes, it was. He pulled his gun on a room full of partygoers.”

Lou whipped her head to look at Kay. “You did what?!”

“I didn’t fire it,” Kay said, quietly, almost guilty sounding. Then he explained exactly what happened when her fear had taken over.

“Shit,” she said softly.

“Was that when Cane was shot?” Kay asked.

“When did you feel it? What time?” She asked.

“Around 11, 11:30 maybe,” Kay answered.

Lou shook her head. “No, he di… that happened as the sun was setting. What you felt was something else.”

“I think it’s time to resume your story,” Martin said.

Lou nodded. She told them that after Mark has patched her up, they keep moving so long as they had even a tiny bit of sunlight left they walked towards it.

***

Mark and Lou were moving slowly in the fading light, they were no longer on a path. They didn’t use a flashlight because they didn’t want to attract the attention of their pursuer. Mark led the way so that Lou could protect him from behind. They kept moving, even after the sunlight had gone. Cane had had a compass in his bag and Joncière was using it to make sure they were going the right way. This went on for an hour and then they saw a yellow haze in the sky.

“What is that?” Lou asked.

“Shit,” Mark swore. “It’s pollen. If we breathe it in it could kill us.”

“Fantastic,” Lou said sarcastically.

They changed direction trying to stay away from it, but the wind had picked up and was blowing it right at them.

“We aren’t going to be able to outrun it,” Lou said. She looked through Cane’s bag and pulled out a mask that was no doubt for this very reason, but there was only one. “Cover your mouth and nose with this.”

“What about you?” Mark asked, putting the mask on.

She pulled out a cloth, “I’ll be fine.”

They found a little cover under a bush with big leaves. The wave of pollen blew over them for any ten minutes before the air cleared again. As soon as the pollen was gone Lou started coughing and having trouble breathing.

“Damn it,” Mark grabbed the bag from her and dig around until he found an epipen and then he stuck her with it. Her breathing returned to normal almost immediately. “That won’t last, you’ll have to get an antidote once we get back across the Perimeter.

“Great,” Lou choked out.

Their clothes were covered in the yellow pollen. While wearing gloves they dusted themselves off as best they could. Then they continued on their way. They didn’t get far before Mark decided that it would be better to just bunker down for the night. So they found a place to settle down, hidden under a big bush. They drank water and ate some tasteless protein bars, then Mark yawned.

“You should try to get some sleep,” Lou said. “I’ll keep watch.”

“Are you sure?” Joncière asked.

Lou was a bit surprised by him asking. “Yeah, I’m here to protect you, remember?”

“Alright,” he said. “Wake me in a few hours and I’ll take over.”

Lou looked at him for a moment before nodding. “Deal.”

Mark cleared a spot on the ground to lay and used Cane’s bag as a pillow. He was asleep in just minutes. Lou sat in the dark, alone with her thoughts for about an hour before a sound caught her attention. It sounded like walking, but wrong somehow. Trying to be as silent as possible she looked around trying to see when the noise was coming from, luckily the moon was bright. Then she spotted the source of the sound, her heart immediately began to pound. It wasn’t the shooter, it was a wolf. Lou had never seen one in person, it was huge. It was sniffing around, she remembered from TV and old movies that wolves could track by sent and that they were in a whole new kind of danger now. Lou crept over to the sleeping Inquisitor and gently put her hand over his mouth. Mark flinched slightly when he woke up, he looked at Lou surprised, she put her finger to her lips. He nodded his head, she took her hand off of his mouth and then curled her finger telling him to follow her. The two moved silently to where Lou had seen the wolf and she pointed, Mark looked and saw the wolf too. His face paled, stepping back slowly, beckoning her to follow him. He took hold of Lou’s shoulders and pulled her close, his lips almost touched her ear where he whispered barely audible.

“We have to go, they hunt in packs.”

Lou had forgotten that detail. As quietly as they could they pick up their things and moved through the woods. They had barely managed to get 20 meters away when they heard the wolf howl.

“Run!” Lou called to Joncière.

The two ran through the trees, with only the moonlight to see by, with at least one wolf after them. The more they ran, the greater feeling of dread Lou felt. Suddenly Mark tripped and fell down in front of her, she was moving so fast that she tumbled over the top of him. They tried to get up and keep going, but they heard growling in the trees.

“Shit,” Lou said. She stood up and pulled out Cane’s gun. Pointing it out into the woods and turning slowly trying to see where the wolf was.

All Lou saw was darkness, another growl came from beside her, then another from the other side; they were surrounded. Panic threatened to over take her, she couldn’t see any way out of this, she could almost feel death in the air. Lou instinctively thought of the one person she wanted to see most, the one person who had become more important to her than she could have ever imagined, the person she loved so much, the one person who could save her right now: Kay Stone. And then as if guided by an unseen force she swept the gun back and forth. Then she fired, a whimper was heard, she moved and fired again, and a third time. Then her aim landed on one spot and didn’t move, she didn’t fire. Suddenly a wolf jumped out right at her, she pulled the trigger, the wolf landed on her knocking her to the ground.

“Reed!” Mark came up to her. He pushed the wolf off, Lou had a claw mark on her arm, but was otherwise fine, breathing hard.

“How did you..?” Mark started to asked. Then they heard more growling.

“Run!” Lou yelled.

They both got up and ran, a wolf was hot on their tail. They couldn’t outrun it, it was gaining on them. Suddenly the wolf leaped at Mark managing to sink its teeth into his leg, he cried out in pain. Lou turned and without any hesitation shot the wolf in the head, it fell dead, releasing Mark’s leg. Lou pulled him to his feet, threw his arm over her shoulder and drug him along with her, not sure if they were safe yet. The forest was quiet as they moved slowly along. Then Lou saw a huge fallen tree, it was the biggest tree she’d even seen. It had clearly been dead for a long time, huge parts of it were all rotted out, making it hollow in places. She led Mark to it, sat him down, and set to work, treating his leg.

“Reed,” his voice was weak.

“I know, I know,” she said, trying to hurry.

“No, stop,” he said, putting a hand on hers.

Lou stared at him. “What? Why?”

“It bit me…”

“I understand that, I’m trying to-“

“No, you don’t understand,” He began to wheeze. “Allergic… reaction.”

“Oh, crap,” Lou finally understood. She when back into Cane’s bag and looked for another epipen, Mark was struggling even more to breathe. “Hang on, hang on!”

Mark choked and then passed out.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Lou dumped the whole bag out and finally found what she needed. As fast as she could she read the directions and then give him the shot to him; nothing happened.

She laid him down flat and started CPR. “Damnit, Mark don’t you fucking die on me!”

Joncière gasped sharply and began breathing again.

“Glory to the United One,” Lou said softly.

Still gasping a bit Mark spoke: “careful, Reed. It almost sounded like you care about me.”

“Hey, I can’t have my favorite Inquisitor dying on me,” she joked. “I’ll stuck with a horrible one, like Güler.”

Their situation finally having an effect on him, Joncière laughed. “You’re alright, Lou Reed.”

“Yeah, you aren’t as big of a bastard as I originally thought either.”

Mark laughed again, and then he became serious. “That’s the second time you saved my life today, Reed.”

Lou shrugged. “Martin told me to keep you safe.”

“So he did,” Mark looked at her, they both knew that wasn’t what drove her. She protected out of instinct, not because of orders.

After that Lou finished treating the bit on Mark’s leg. She had to wash it thoroughly with alcohol to get all the wolf’s saliva out of the wound. Once that was done she bandaged it up. Then she found a hollow spot in the huge fallen tree that was hidden and they settled in for the rest of the night. Mark told Lou to go to sleep first, she was out in mere minutes. Her rest didn’t last, about two hours later she was awoken by her inability to breathe, Mark gave her another epi shot, and they traded. After Mark was asleep he was restless, feverish. Lou looked through Cane’s bag again and found an antibiotic which she gave to him, he settled down after awhile. Once Mark was sleeping soundly Lou climbed on top of the fallen tree where she could see at a much greater distance, even with just the moonlight. She never wore Mark again, afraid to sleep she just stayed awake the rest of the night keeping watch. When the sun started to raise Lou saw a man walking towards the tree she sat on, he carried a rifle on his left shoulder, he carried his right arm up, like his shoulder hurt. A plan formed in Lou’s mind.

She quietly climbed down the fallen tree and creeped in to the cover of the bushes along the path the shooter was walking. He had found the last wolf that Lou had killed, he stopped to inspect the area. She realized that he was a good tracker. She reached her hand out and tried to feel for the bullet that she had thrown into him. It took a little searching, but she found it, and twisted it inside him. The shooter screamed and grabbed his shoulder, dropping his rifle as he did. Lou twisted it harder, he fell to his knees. That’s when Lou came out of hiding, she walked up to him, picked up his rifle, and tucked it under her arm. She felt the pain behind her eyes and the blood that flowed down her face. She let up on her hold of the bullet a little. The shooter looked up at her.

“You’re a Psionic?” He asked, voice strained. “Why are you helping them?”

“Get up,” Lou ordered.

“Don’t you know what they think of you?”

“None of my business,” Lou said.

“You’re just a tool to them,” he said. “Not even fully human.”

“Heard it all before,” Lou was getting annoyed. “Now get up.”

“Listen,” he started to bargain. “My beef isn’t with you, I want the Inquisitor.”

“You can’t have him,” Lou growled.

“What, is he your lover?”

Lou scoffed.

“Why do you care so much?” The shooter said weakly.

“I don’t, it’s my job to protect him.”

“He doesn’t deserve your protection,” he said.

“You shot an innocent young man yesterday, I don’t care if he doesn’t deserve my protection. I’m taking you to face justice for the 19 year old you killed,” Lou said angrily.

Realizing that taking his way it wasn’t going to work, the shooter tried a different tactic. “The little shit deserved it, he killed my best friend. You’d better be sure to shower later, you might still have some of his brain in your hair.”

Lou felt a floor of emotions, fear, anger, horror, disgust, pain, lost. She twisted the bullet roughly inside him, he screamed.

“Get. Up.” Lou demanded. She felt the pain and the blood that ran from her eyes, but she ignored it.

“Okay, okay,” he cried.

Letting go a little, Lou stepped away from him. The shooter stood up, and Lou lead him back to the fallen tree.

“Mark! Wake up!” She called.

The Inquisitor was already awake. “Reed, where the hell have-” He saw who was with her. “Well done, Reed. I see you caught it our friend.”

Lou smiled, “yep, now let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Mark collected their things and limped over to Lou who held his arm over her shoulder and they moved towards the Perimeter as the sun was raising behind them.

***

“He struggled several more times trying to wear out my Psi, but he didn’t. You know the rest,” Lou ended the story.

They was silence in the room for several minutes as Martin and Kay processed everything they had just heard.

“How did you shot all those wolves, anyway?” Mark asked.

Lou just pointed at Kay.

Kay looked at her, confused.

“That’s what you felt when you were out with Ivo,” she told him. “You felt me and I felt you.”

Kay kept staring. “You felt me?”

“As real as if you stood behind me guiding my hands,” she looked at him. “You saved us.”

Kay didn’t know what to say, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Extraordinary,” Martin said looking at the pair of them.

“What?” Lou asked.

“How,” Mark started, “is that even possible?

“What?” Lou said again.

“I’ve never heard of it,” Kay said.

“What?!” Lou almost yelled.

Kay squeezed her hand. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve never heard of a non-empath being able to feel an empath’s emotions or sense without physical contact.”

“But you feel me all the time,” she objected.

“I feel you, yes,” Kay said. “I have a very strong perception of you, but you don’t feel me every time I feel you, right?”

“No, that was the first time,” she admitted.

“Interesting,” Martin said. “We might have to check your Psi again, Kay. You may have gone up a stage.”

“But it isn’t just about his stage,” Mark said.

“No,” Martin agreed. “It’s about their bond,” he smiled, softly at the Psionics. “But now I think it’s time to end this conversation. You all should go home and get some rest. You three take the next two days off, no objections.”

They all nodded, and stood up.

“Monsieur Martin?” Kay said.

“Yes?” The Prior looked at his bodyguard.

“There was one more thing,” Kay hesitated.

“Danielle?” Martin called his secretary. “Would you help Lou get her belongings together?”

“Of course,” Danielle gently took Lou by the arm and the women walked out of the office.

The Prior look at Kay.

“It’s about the event,” Kay stated. “And Councilor Harmon.” He told them his suspicions about the councilor never greeting the Prior, the way he had watched Kay, and how it seemed that Kay’s Psi had led him to the councilor.

“That is very interesting, I appreciate your observations,” The Prior said. “Now go home, Kay.”

“Yes, sir,” Kay headed to the door, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

It was Mark Joncière’s hand. Kay looked at him surprised, Joncière had never so much as shook Kay’s hand.

“Take care of her, Stone,” he said seriously. “She is going to need you, even if she doesn’t want to admit it.”

Kay felt real, genuine concern in the Inquisitor. “I will,” he said sincerely. “And thank you, Monsieur, for everything you did for her out there.”

Joncière took his hand off of Kay and scoffed. “I did nothing really, she’s the one who got us out of there.”

“Take care, Monsieur Joncière,” Kay said.

“Good night, Stone,” he said.

And then they went home.

[love4-bunny]

"For most of my life, I've been preoccupied with wondering how certain experiences might feel. Now I have the opportunity to experience life like any other human"

Blame it on the author Au.

[anonymousewrites]

A Not-So-Disastrous Romance (Book 1) Prologue

Kusuo Saiki x Reader

Prologue: Troublesome "Friends"

Summary: Saiki gives everyone the rundown on his "bothers," including (L/N) (Y/N).

Mouse Note: Welcome to A Not-So-Disastrous Romance! I am very excited to share this story with everyone, even if this fandom is very old. Truth be told, I wrote 11 chapters like three years ago, so the first few chapters don't have the level of writing I have now, but I ended up finishing this story and wanted to share it. For another point, I know that people view Saiki as asexual and sometimes aromantic, but I feel an affinity for him being asexual but demi-romantic, so I play it slow-burn. That being said, terrible beginning writing aside, I really hope everyone enjoys. Let me know what you think, commenting helps me keep writing, and I love interacting with people! Welcome to the story!

Quick Key: "Hello" -Saiki speaking telepathically Hello -Saiki thinking "Hello" -regular people talking out loud Hello -regular people thinking

            Saiki teleported to the roof to avoid Teruhashi and Nendou. One was troublesome enough. Two was insupportable.

            “Where’s Saiki? Huh? What’s going?” wondered Teruhashi, confused.

            I teleported without thinking. Saiki looked down at the crowd below him. People around me didn’t seem to notice me, but naturally, Teruhashi thinks something is strange. Well, Teruhashi, just think I was an illusion and forget about it.

            “Nendou!” remarked the pretty blue-haired girl upon seeing him.

            “Oh, wow, Teruhashi!” squeaked Nendou, blushing.

            “Have you seen Saiki?” asked Teruhashi.

            “What? My pal? No, I haven’t.” Nendou was too startled to think.

            N-no way…did he disappear? thought Teruhashi, Is it possible that I was the one seeing an illusion? She recalled what she had assumed of Saiki: “You’re so much in love with me that you see illusions of me, huh?” A light blush spread across her face. Don’t tell me I’m…No! I can’t be… She clutched her heart. Oh, no…What’re these feelings? Is it possible…that I fell in love…with Saiki?

            Oh, wow, thought Saiki as he deadpanned. This is not how he wanted things to go.

            He sighed and teleported to a nearby, empty alleyway. Sighing, he decided to go for a coffee jelly. With the new problem he had just acquired, Saiki decided he might as well enjoy a little bit of peace. He walked quickly in the opposite direction of Nendou and Teruhashi, even if it took him on a long route to Café Mami. For once in his life, he was lucky and didn’t bump into anyone on the way there. His luck ran out, however, as soon as he entered.

            “Saiki!” called a teenager with (H/C) hair and (E/C) eyes. They were grinning and waving.

            He couldn’t avoid them now; it would draw attention to him for being rude. He sighed and sat down across from them.

            This is (Y/N) (L/N). They’re another troublesome person who complicates my life. They even call me their friend and insist I use their first name. The worst part is I can’t read their mind. They aren’t dumb like Nendou, though. Do you see those earrings?

            (Y/N) had simple, metallic studs in their ears.

            They’re made of germanium, which apparently keeps me from seeing through them with my X-ray vision or hearing their thoughts with my telepathy.

            He had only realized this after he saw them during school and on the weekends and the only thing that was the same between the outfits was their earrings. Saiki wished he could get his hands on some germanium. Hearing everybody’s thoughts was tiring. That being said, (Y/N) being unreadable was…disconcerting.

            “Nice to see you, Saiki. Are you here for your usual coffee jelly?” asked (Y/N) cheerfully.

            The pink-haired psychic nodded. Yare yare…Why do I hang out with you?

            “Oh!” They brightened. “I guess since you’re kind of like my guest right now, I should treat you!”

            Saiki’s eyes widened in excitement. Ah, I remember now. (Y/N) treated him to, well, treats. That made them more tolerable than other people.

            Seeing his expression, (Y/N) laughed. They knew what he was excited for. “You’re more excited to see the coffee jelly than to see your friend.” They didn’t mind, though. They knew Saiki wasn’t one for being open or friendly, but they’d spent enough time with him to know he’d just leave if he really didn’t like him.

            He wanted to say that they weren’t friends, but even he had to admit, he thought they were pretty tolerable compared to most of the people who crowded around him. Sure, their bright optimism was sometimes exhausting to Saiki, but for the most part, they were pretty low-maintenance and understood he was an extreme introvert and liked time to himself. Plus, although they were energetic at times, but they understood when things were too much for Saiki. And, to be completely honest, he didn’t mind getting to be around someone he couldn’t hear the thoughts of. He could act like a relatively normal person.

            Saiki would never say all that, though. No way. No, the only thing he’d say was, “Coffee jelly is really good.”

            “Can’t argue with that,” admitted (Y/N).

            Their server, who coincidentally was Mera (probably trying to make money as usual), approached their table. She took their orders and headed to the kitchen to alert the chefs.

            “You look more annoyed than usual, what happened?” asked (Y/N).

            Saiki sighed. They unfortunately pay attention to me and can read parts of my emotions. It’s weird. Maybe they’re an empath. “I ran into Teruhashi.”

            (Y/N) laughed. “The only guy immune to her charms.”

            “She brings too much attention.”

            “You’re friends with Nendou and Kaidou. A bit of attention is inevitable,” teased (Y/N), leaning on their hand and grinning.

            “They’re not my friends.”

            “Uhuh, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,” chirped (Y/N).

            Mera brought their orders. Luckily, she hadn’t stolen a bite from either of the coffee jellies.

            “Mmmm,” hummed (Y/N) and Saiki contentedly at the taste.

            Peaceful relaxation with (Y/N). Just the way I like it. Saiki sighed happily.

Taglist:

@elaemae

@painstakingly-juno

@characterreaderwriter

@melovepurple

@sleep-7372

@w0mank1sser

@geminigengar

@noodleryworld

[pinkhairedpookie]

Got hate for this earlier on a diff platform but WHY is Nendou the ONLY one whose mind Saiki can’t read? He’s an idiot with 0 thoughts. Ok good point, yeah, well, but why is Nendou’s father the only ghost Saiki can see?? Has that ever been explained? bc if so I don’t remember. Pls if anyone knows enlighten me.

bc THIS IS SOULMATE TYPE OF SH TO ME IDK IDC 🤷‍♀️

[themoreeviltwin]

Rewatching Saiki, I almost forgot how much in love and down bad I am for this gorgeous dork.

If someone actually sees this post, pls do share your favorite fics, I need more content, help me quell the thirst for 2D men. 😭😭

[ynverse]

texting bf! saiki

SAIKI x gn! reader | smau

a/n: i just know his texts are so dry but cute ! i should be focusing on classes rn but i could not stop the saiki brainrot i blame the dark reunion

[sugahbunnies]

kusuo saiki as your friend but he starts to find you adorable (i'm no expert on this but since i write fanfic for him i know atleast smth)

at first he finds you too lively, then relaxes when you offered him a coffee jelly (apparently everyone in the school knows his favorite treat?).

finds you slightly a bother when you only ask him for little favors, not anyone else in the friend group

teacher groups you and him quite a bit and he doesnt mind. once you start drawing little hearts on his papers tho, he finds himself smiling a little.

kept the papers and stared at them while sitting on his bed, his finger tracing the hearts.

then suddenly remembers your smile

oof, his heart kinda did a weird thing.

immeidately throws the paper away to the floor, brushing off what his heart did.

finds himself staring at you across the classroom, wondering if you always smile at everyone like that.

thinks you're genuinely pretty, but can't admit because he knows you'll bring it up any chance you get.

secretly carries bandaids in his bag because you always somehow end up with papercuts on your fingers

has you as "y/n :)" on phone contact. used to be "y/n :)))" but thought that was too obvious. (obvious to what kusuo?)

the first time you made his heart skip a beat was on a winter morning and he saw your cherry cheeks and immediately thought to himself ,"cute".

ohno not the weird heart thing again, seeing you with a puffy lips and red nose is not a good combination for his heart.

wonders how you get your hair like that, your hair goes swoosh.

obviously tries to appear nonchalant when your arm brushes against his.

wholetime hes in head going "???!"

goes into panic mode whenever he thinks about you, theres no way he can actually develop romantic feelings for someone right ?

well your pretty face and electric personality isnt helping him much in his overthinking.

admits defeat when he sees you in casual clothes outside of the school uniform. he thinks you look absolutely adorable.

tells himself this little crush wont last long because you both are meant to be friends.

daydreams about you a bit too much and wishes you were his.

yeah, kusuo saiki is definitely not going to make the first move, isnt he?

[skiiyoomin]

wooo hii!! Been awhile since I made a request (I love what you came up with last time btw :] ) I was wondering if you could write some little headcanons about how you think different saiki K characters would act when tired? (Love Ur work Sm <333)

ღHow they act when they´re tired

ʚContent: gn! reader

���Back to navigation

a/n hi hi!! So sorry for the late reply!! Hopefully you enjoy it and thank you so much for your support!! <3 idk if i´m missing anyone, but if there´s anyone else you´d like to see then please tell me! :)

Saiki Kusuo

Such a grumbly baby!

everything annoys him and pisses him off more than usual when he´s tired

to him, you´re like his safe space so he looks for you when he needs to relax or he simply someone

don´t question why he´s suddenly more affectionate than usual!! he will get embarassed

honestly, a good ol´ cuddle session is all he needs

if y´all are out and about and he´s feeling tired, he will teleport you to his house to cuddle, no questions asked

honestly, you just go with it cause it´s not often he´s so willingly so vulnerable

give him a few kisses here and there and you´ll have him melting in your arms 100%

Kaidou Shun

very very whiny boy

clings to you like a koala

the second you run your hands through his hair he´s fast asleep

i´m talking snore mimimi typa sleep

absolutely refuses to leave your arms when he´s tired, he needs your warm hugs

like i said before, he´s super whiny, so he will beg you to cuddle with him with the biggest pout on his pretty lips :(

doesn´t care if y´all are out in public, can and will fall alseep on top of you

you´re gonna have to carry him back home

but the way he snuggles up to you is so adorable that you simply cannot find it in yourself to get mad at him

Kuboyasu Aren

DOES. NOT. ADMIT. IT

will deny it if you ask him if he´s tired

you literally have to force him to rest

he´s all grumpy about it until you give him kisses and cuddles

he´ll still grumble a bit but will definitely relax more

>:[ 

he be looking like that when he´s tired

i feel like when he´s tired he´s also a bit of a softie

but only behind closed doors where he´s only with you

like don´t get me wrong, he´s always been a softie for you

but when he´s tired it just boosts even more

Teruhashi Kokomi

super pouty!

you know those baby animals that get all sad and pouty when they don´t get affection?

well that´s her when she´s tired

she´s always been super affectionate, but now it´s more clingy than usual

not like you mind

loves loves loves!! when you wrap your arms around her

makes her feel safe and comforted

can and will fall asleep on you

she can be a bit of an airhead when she´s tired

will most likely forget about whatever it is that you said, it just be going from one ear to another

its okay, shes still cute

Hairo Kineshi

its so obvious when he´s tired

like this man is always so full of energy and hyperactivity

the second he starts moving a bit slower than usual is sign enough of his tiredness

zones out A LOT

he´d accidentally be staring at the back of your head for a good 5 minutes before you snap him out of his daze

a little clumsy

sometimes he doesn´t realize he´s heavy and he will just flop on top of you

yeah you´re not getting up for a good while

a power nap with a cuddle session is all he needs before he´s energetic again!!

[deviantdaffodil]

Heya! Any chance you could write a very dominant Saiki Kusuo with a (optional- fatter) bratty reader? Love some physic orgasms, or powers in use for smexy time. If you aren't comfortable or don't want to do any of this absolutely no worries!!!!

kusuo saiki x reader

request

good golly sorry this took so long to get to , i have been . going through it.

contains: oral (fem receiving) , mentions of breeding , mentions of chubbier reader (i myself am a little on the bigger side so <3) , husband/wife content bc i said so !!!!! , established relationship , use of his powers ;) , reader knows of saikis abilities btw , little bit of brat tamer saiki , lil bit of degrading , i love saiki

You tried so so so hard to keep your mind as silent as you could as you watched Kusuo carefully as he walked across the living room. Your eyes were shamelessly fixated on his ass while he walked. What gave him the right to have such a cute butt? Shit, your mind began to start turning the cogs in your brain. You tried desperately to fight it off; you couldn’t risk Kusuo hearing your thoughts. Kusuo stretched then sighed deeply. He plopped himself down next to you on the couch. You could feel sweat dripping down your forehead. Not only were you fighting not to grab your poor husband’s ass, you were desperate to have his mouth on your clit.

“I can hear you. Good grief.. You’re so loud..” Kusuo said aloud.

You swallow hard. “Whatever do you mean?” you ask in a sad attempt to play dumb. He looks at you, deadpan. You pout, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

‘All these dirty thoughts, just for me?’ Kusuo was speaking telepathically to you now, mindlessly scrolling on his phone. ‘So dirty! You’re a dirty whore, aren’t you?’

Your mind is blank, Kusuo is aware of that. Now he’s got you where he wants you. Your mind was so focused on seeing him between your thighs, completely devouring your pussy. You bite your lip, looking over at him. You wondered how far you’d have to push him to make his walls come down.

“And? You wont do anything about it,” You smirk, glancing over at him. He’s still scrolling on his phone, but his eyebrow is raised.

‘Oh yeah? Is that what you think?’ His purple eyes flicker in your direction. ‘You think you can get a rise out of me, baby?’ Your face flushes at the pet name. ‘How about this.’ He gets to his feet and stands in front if you, looking down at you with a deadpan look on his face. He squats down and suddenly your thighs spread apart.

“H-Hey!”

Your plea is met on deaf ears, Kusuo looks into your eyes, licking his lips. His eyes flick in between your legs then back up to your eyes. “Are you okay with this?” He asks aloud, in a gentle tone. Your face turns red and you nod, giving him the go ahead.

Kusuo peppers your thigh with kisses. ‘Take them off,’ Kusuo’s voice was a low rumble in your mind now. You comply, slipping your shorts and underwear off. He looks up at you, grabbing the back of your knees and pulling you to the edge of the couch. He grabbed a handful of your thigh and squeezed, kissing the other. He kisses your pussy, squeezing and rubbing your thighs. ‘So good.. You taste so good..’ He looks up at you and gives your tummy a gently kiss. You always liked when he did that. You know he did it because he knows you’re insecure about it sometimes, especially during intimate moments like this. He kisses your clit then runs his tongue over your folds, letting it prod at your entrance. ‘Good.. You’re already so wet for me.. Your pussy is so delicious..’ He was constantly projecting his thoughts into your head while he ate you out; it was his favorite thing to do.

You whimpered and moaned quietly as he did this to you, hoping to be able to keep your composure. You run your hands through his pink hair, careful of his ‘antennae’. “Kusuo..” you plea was soft and gently, earning a verbal groan from Kusuo. You pet his head as he lapped and sucked at your clit, now gently sliding a finger into you. You threw your head back, mouth agape with a quiet moan.

‘Let me hear you,’ Kusuo growled in your mind. ‘Let everyone hear you baby.. or I’ll make them hear you..’ You knew he meant he’d project hour thoughts as far as he could. Just the idea of that made you wanna disappear with embarrassment. He continued curling his now two fingers in you while using his tongue to rub your clit.

You couldn’t stand it anymore - you moan out for him, impulsively squeezing your thighs around his head. “So good,” you cried, “you’re treating me so good..”

‘Good girl,’ Kusuo purred in your mind. ‘You look so beautiful like this.’ You looked down at him and he was staring right at you. The two of you locked eyes as he ate you out, unashamed. You moaned as you could feel yourself getting closer to your orgasm. ‘If you be a good girl and cum for me I’ll knock you up,’ Kusuo began to project his babbling into your mind, ‘You’d look so pretty all swollen with my baby. You wanna make a baby? You want me to fill you up?’ He kept licking and sucking and even nipping at your clit, pumping his fingers in and out of you curling them slightly.

You can’t help but moan and the dirty things he’s saying in your mind. “K-Kusuo- Oh god Kusuo,” you squeeze you thighs around his head and pull his hair to you, holding him in place and keeping his mouth on your pussy. You moaned out his name and started grinding your hips against his face while riding out your orgasm.

“Good,” Kusuo licked up any mess you made and licked his fingers cleaned. ‘You want me to run you a bath?’ He stood up and asked as if nothing had happened.

You panted, confused. He just rocked your world and is acting like it didn’t happen. “Would.. would you be joining me?” you panted, still catching your breath from your orgasm.

He looked at you and smiled. ‘Sure.’ He smiled sweetly and walked off to our bathroom to start a bath for us.

[theyluvsavi]

Saiki is an assassin, but he still gets distracted🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️💕

[fanficriter]

idk if ur requests r open but can i request saiki k fluff w reader ? Like a touch starved reader who clings to people they r vv familiar with!!

Its okay if u dont wanna do this !! :D

Kusuo Saiki with a Touch Starved! S/O

Characters - Kusuo Saiki

Warnings - None

Notes - This is very short and VERY late i apologise

Gender Neutral Reader

——————————————————————————

- He’s gonna HATE it at first

- “Get off of me”

- But once he realises what comfort it brings you, he’ll let you do it (reluctantly)

- Just don’t talk his ear off

- Maybe give him some coffee jelly for his hardships

- He’ll act like it’s such a bother

- “What a pain”

- Oh yea btw he will NOT reciprocate these hugs

- He just stands there and accepts it

- Might give u a pat on the back now and then

- If he’s in a good mood he MIGHT pet your hair but don’t get your hopes up

- Isn’t big on PDA so you must be very important to him if he lets you touch him

- Will give you hugs and awkward cuddles of your in the privacy of you own home and he knows absolutely NO ONE is home

[callmerhynner]

do you do requests and if you do can you do a deaf reader x saiki where she can only hear him bc he puts his voice in her head and gets super scared about it and realizes after why she got so scared

★; I do take requests, happily so actually, it just takes a while for me to finish so...

hope you enjoy!1!1!!

𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬...

Life's weirdness pops its eery little head in every once in a while, that's a given. All it needs is a trigger. Though, if life had a trigger, you hope that your existence was the finger pulling it.

Because, there you stood with your eyes wide, mouth slowly unhinging itself, and hairs on the back of your neck raised.

You have been deaf for years, the continuous ear-related accidents affecting your hearing greatly. You've accepted that part of yourself, after months of grieving for it, and that you'll never get to hear more than what your hearing aids could provide.

So, why is it that, the one time you take it off, a boy with pink hair and two totally normal-looking hairpins bumps into you and you hear something a clear voice for the first time.

"Sorry." you hear, your heart drops at that. Hands lifting up to check for your aide, to feel nothing, as you watched the boy walk off to the desserts aisle of the supermarket.

You can't help but eye him for a moment or two, trying to piece together some form of explanation--there's no way that your hearing had suddenly just healed itself for a moment or the bump caused yourself to get an auditory hallucination.

Meanwhile, the psychic had. just realized his mistakes after hearing your mile-a-minute thoughts go wind at his mistake. Thinking of ways to fix his mistake, straying from the methods that were...morally questioning, like batting her head in public with the memory banana. Or to let her live her life thinking that she had now suddenly developed auditory hallucinations.

"Sir?" his train of thought halt, feeling a hand poke at his sleeve. He looked back, his body still facing forwards, but you could feel the cold gaze he had on you. When you fall quiet, he tilts his head--reading through your mind, he understands that you're starting to regret trying to confront what could simply be just your imagination.

To which, you give up, you just bow your head down and point at an advertisement starring a new delectable dessert package here in the market. "Which aisle..?" you say, just above a whisper, embarrassment creeping in as you retract your shaking hand from sight.

"Aisle 5, with the snacks."

. . .

"HUH?!" you shout a gasp in shock, jumping back like a stray cat.

'Good Grief...' the psychic mutters, realizing his mistake, once again.

--

One thing about losing one sense of the human anatomy, it trains all your other senses to heighten. Maybe that was why he couldn't get rid of you now. No lie was good enough, no excuse lasted long enough, and nothing intrigued you more than how he could talk to you.

He's tried to wipe your memory, however, you've soon become so benign, so grateful, in his presence that he gave in to your desire to hear something other than the blurred sounds you could hear off your hearing aide.

All you wanted was a voice to hear.

To talk to without feeling misunderstood or slowed down, because you couldn't talk right or that others couldn't understand you signed language.

Saiki simply lets you feel into this human experience that you haven't felt for so long--at the cost of manipulating your thinking pattern into thinking that you could hear him because of some telepathic that you had, with him.

So when people may ask you why you're always talking to him as if you could hear him, all you'd reply with was (even though Saiki would prefer to not be associated with anybody, or so he says):

"We're just friends like that" you hum, with a smile on your lips.

requests are kinda fun... hopefully my first shot wasn't that bad tho--

[theplutodeity]

Can you do an aged up saiki x non-japanese best friend hcs please? ^^

How would Adult Saiki K act around his foreign best friend?

When he met you, he sort of expected you to act annoying. He isn’t against foreigners or anything but he was worried you’d bother him a lot.

Like Teruhashi, Nendo or Toritsuka.

Mainly like Nendo.

But surprisingly you didn’t seem that bad, you both bonded over a few things after bumping into each other in the cafe he normally gets coffee jelly from.

You aren’t that bad in his opinion.

Though, he notices when you slip up on certain phrases or words in Japanese, makes sure to correct you in a subtle way though.

He’d never say “Are you DUMB? Guys look at this dummy! They don’t know Japanese properly!!!”

Seriously even if you irritated him he’d never say that

Mainly because he doesn’t want attention

He just taps your shoulder and lets you know.

Your occasional Japanese teacher…

You two like to sit in silence sometimes while you do some work you probably forgot to do.

If you wanted to go somewhere, he’d probably deny at first to go with you but then think of every horrid situation that could happen…

Like you mistaking someone saying something else and either getting kidnapped or in a fight… Or you getting lost… And getting kidnapped by some insane people.

In the end he goes with you because his friends eventually got to know you too, and they’d bother him with your disappearance

(Secretly, he's worried about your safety too. But to hell with letting you know that.)

Surprisingly finds your confusion at some stuff entertaining.

He’d make sure nobody tries to scam you, seriously, there’s a lot of scammers around. It’s annoying.

In the end, the two of you bond over simple stuff too, like the people around the two of you, or cafes, mutual dislikes or likes.

He finds you calling him your best friend at some point.

Saiki doesn’t make any movement to correct you, just sighs in his mind and lets you talk.

You’re definitely the more talkative between the two of you.

He finds your stories honestly pretty interesting, especially your own personal stories from other countries since he’s always lived in Japan, optionally.

Never had airport trouble so when you tell him about it, he’s listening with open ears. Even with that resting bitch face of his…

The both of you are the bestest of best friends

Saiki disagrees with that statement but we all know he enjoys your presence every now and then.

Though… He wonders if you could rival Kaido with your energy and ability to misunderstand things sometimes.

Helps you when you need it, even if he’s internally annoyed, he still helps.

[lcwtdii1e]

(he dont hate them, he is just silly)

[kyurume]

asking anime boys for pads (smau)

note(s): we back w smaus!!! with a diverse cast this time HEE HEE

warning(s): swearing, mentions of "what size pussy" & threats

cast: saiki kusuo, illumi zoldyck, (timeskip) kenma kozume, yuta okkotsu