#she just kills her fling's ex and fades away like HELLO

[pillowenvelopchair]

Hi again!! This is my other analysis/ramble on SWRD which was written by @un-local (hi again), this time I'll be mainly talking about D and Fia for this :0)

The way everyone is written out is so interesting. I've noticed some small things that I could maybe link up to some other stuff I've noticed from my other ramble. Again, probably not a lot of new insights, just me going insane.

Darian’s grief

We don't meet D until chapter 11 (well, we do in chapter 5 but he’s not properly introduced there so I’m not counting it) and when we do meet him he leaves quite an impression

D, when we meet him in chapter 11 he is absolutely just pissed because of Rogier.

Rogier had gone after the thing that had made his brother rot from the inside out. And now that Rogier's gone to fuck around with it, he’s going end up like his brother. Rotting from the inside out.

Rogier knows what happened to Devin so why would he still go for it?

It strengthens his beliefs, almost. That TWLID should all be expunged. He does it earnestly but it’s not only because the Order casts them out but also because (though, it is probably his main reason) he doesn’t want anyone else to end up like his brother. It's a sort of revenge, for taking his brother away from him.

"He remembers the glint of his armor catching the firelight. The way his hand clung unsteadily on the hilt of his sword as he gathered himself, after his tirade. The wavering breath he took. Darian was as stoic as they came—made of beautiful stone, it truly seemed at times—but in that moment, even his voice shook." -Chapter 5

D is very similar to Rogier. He whole heartedly believes in something and puts his whole being into it. His resolve on the Order and his goal to expunge Death strengthens after his brother rots after they've messed with Death.

Both of their goals were made/strengthened by a loss that had broken the both of them.

Yet despite that, their goals are complete opposites. Neither one of them is willing to back down on their beliefs, wholeheartedly believing in everything that they strive to do. They have lost so much that they can't afford to back down and it breaks everything that they have.

D still cares

“—Damn fool, could never let it go, could you?” He makes to cast another incantation. “Searched for Death, and you—” His gauntlet, ablaze with an amber glow, comes down once more.  “—Fucking found it,” he snarls. Another surge of light. Another impact of his hand. Another ferocious cry. “You bastard, you should’ve left it alone—” There’s a shake in his voice, as he forces the words through his teeth.  Still, Rogier remains unresponsive. " -Chapter 11

(This entire thing makes me so sad oh my god. You can just feel D's hurt here)

D still very much cares for Rogier, and it really shows despite what has happened between the two of them. Notice how he's the first one to help Rogier when Magdalene enters the hold, and how he's the one saying the incantations to heal him, despite spitting out grief-filled bites toward Rogier.

I think in this moment he got flashbacks to Devin. The same vines that have taken his brother away are taking away another he cares about (me once again reaching).

Despite their differences in ideology, D still holds onto Rogier and what they had in the past.

So he heals desperately, spitting out all of his anger, his grief towards a man he had thought would have known better.

"It’s all too obvious that this is not for her eyes. It’s personal, it’s raw, and it is entirely not her business. She looks away into the hearth, beset with an absurd urge to slink away. To let D scream at him in peace, till his voice gives out." -Chapter 11

“This,” He jerks his chin down to Rogier, “This is why you don’t meddle with Death. It ruins you, in ways you can’t even fathom.”  “It takes everything from you.” -Chapter 11

“Heed the lesson,” is all he says. And after another moment of standing over Rogier’s unconscious body—in a way that distinctly strikes her as hovering—D leaves the room. “We’ll see if he makes it to morning,” he says, pausing at the doorway. -Chapter 11

Magdalene is just a bystander for the two exes fighting lol (well, it's just D being mad at Rogier, really, Rogier isn’t particularly mad at D but Rogier still bites when D does). She's just tired, give her a rest (with some prawns too).

“I will help.” It’s less of an offer and more of an order. Before Magdalene can respond, he continues. “I will accompany you, as your brother-in-arms. Help you vanquish the Death in that place,” He pauses. She can’t see his eyes under the helmet, but she feels his gaze on her all the same. It’s liable to catch her on fire, how intense it feels.  “No more, you understand?”   At that, Magdalene slowly nods. “Thank y—” But D holds up a hand. His voice has a new kind of friction in it, one that stops her.  “Don’t.” His hand falls. “It is my duty. Nothing more.”  So he says. The other motives he has, he seems loath to discuss them. In fact, he seems loath to even have them. So once again, Magdalene gives him a slow nod." -Chapter 15

Anything he does that opposes the Order, I believe he tries to reason it to think that it's still within the Order. That it is still within his duty to assist Magdalene with acquiring the knifeprint. That this is all within his goal to expunge TWLID (even though by doing this he's helping Rogier to save TWLID).

He suppresses his own personal desire to help Rogier. To him, this is just probably one last favor for a dead man (this is me rambling lol).

Masks, people, MASKS!

Also really like how D's mask hides his expressions:

"His helmet tells her nothing of his expression as he looks back at her."

"She can’t see his eyes under the helmet, but she feels his gaze on her all the same. It’s liable to catch her on fire, how intense it feels." -Chapter 15

"He regards her, but his helmet reveals nothing. -Chapter 16

“Take well the lesson, friend.” Despite the blank expression on his helmet, she can feel his eyes burning into her. “That's how you end up, when seduced by Those Who Live in Death.” -Chapter 16

We don't know what facial expression he's making, only his tone of voice and body language give us a hint of what he feels. It adds a veil of mystery to him almost. But to Rogier? It's obvious.

“Then spare me the sermon.” The huff Darian gives is animalistic, and wholly agitated, but it’s a tell: a self-righteous tirade was exactly what he had planned."

"Abruptly, the scrape of a chair fills the room. Darian takes a seat before him, the racket of his armor announcing it as he does. There’s a furrow in Darian’s brow. He only meets Rogier’s eyes for a moment, before he looks off, to somewhere far away. His expression changes, into one he’s seen many more times. He’s got that intensity in his eyes that says he’s thinking. That swallow he just did, the way his eyes never stay in one place, that jerk of his lips—it tells Rogier it’s a conundrum of some kind, that Darian’s in. Darian rests his free hand on his knee, taking in a deep breath. The fingers of his other hand tap against the helmet tucked under his arm. Ah. What Darian needs is permission. Rogier feels his brow raise a little, as a smile forms. “So, you have other matters on your mind?” -Chapter 18

Rogier immediately recognizes D's body language, not only that but also the language that D uses. Rogier immediately knows what D wants with or without the helmet (probably used to reading people's body language because of him being an ex-noble and his whole politics thing)

He immediately knows what D needs just by watching his body language, even after all this time.

When D removes his mask you know shit's real lol. This is something deeply personal to him, to both of them. So he removes that one last guard and reveals his face bare.

Just for a moment

“She’s hardly got the decorum you did,” Darian says, making one of his toothless little jabs, “but at least she could keep her mouth shut.” “Rogier can't help but arch a brow. “Interesting, coming from the man who spends half the battle grandstanding. Tell me,” he says, with a pleasant grin and a sly tone: “How long’d she fight alone, before you finally thought up a witticism and really started swinging?” -Chapter 18

It's bittersweet, how they go back to their old banter. They fall back to their old patterns and Rogier teases him like how he would (probably) used to in those bygone days. D even laughs after Rogier says this. In that moment it felt that "everything that sets them apart is inconsequential." (Ch. 18)

But that moment doesn't last long before reality catches onto them. Their principles and their faith come back and it just shatters that moment.

Trauma feeding into his beliefs

"Finally, Darian sighs, and his entire stance slackens. “I suppose it doesn’t matter.” He says it with such defeat, as though the deathblight in Rogier has killed him already. It makes a sort of sense, all of the sudden, that he would think that. It was always all or nothing with Darian. One thing or the other, but never both. Holy or heretic. Ally or enemy.  And apparently, either wholly saved or wholly dead." -Chapter 18

Darian is a man who believes in extremes, never in between (and so does Fia with regards to TWLID). He wholly believes that the Order is correct, that it is the truth of the world. I doubt having his brother being taken away by Godwyn's roots helps either.

But he refuses to listen to what Rogier has to say, because "there’s no room in Darian’s faith for uncertainty, for questions. There’s no room for examination, for adaptation. The answers can never change, and he can never be wrong. If the Order is infallible, then so is he." (Ch.18)

As of right now, he refuses to change. He cannot accept anything that is heretical, that opposes the Order he holds up. I think that it's hard for him to let go of his beliefs for just a moment and hear out Rogier because of the loss of his brother.

"And apparently, either wholly saved or wholly dead" (Ch. 18). D truly believes that Rogier will die because he has seen firsthand what happened to his brother. It’s taken Devin away from him, so why would Rogier be an exception to it?

Fia

“A puppeteer if he ever saw one.  Takes one to know one…” -Chapter 12

Rogier needs control. And he does have some semblance of control. It's sort of why he’s overthinking everything once he's stuck in the hold. He needs that control to be able to feel safe (ahh... nobility and politics...). Also Fia is quite literally a puppeteer, the whole Deeproot fight is just her puppets lol.

Played like a fiddle (Magdalene)

Fia is someone who truly is a mastermind. She's sort of the one who's controlling the curtains, so to speak.

She heard everyone's troubles, she knows so much.

She was able to get Rogier’s fragile walls to break. She even sort of manipulates Mags to get the knifeprint saying that it’s to further Rogier's goals (without telling her it also furthering her own goals), she was even able to kill D of all people and gets part of the rune mark of Death (you go, girl).

"As she enters Hewg’s domain, a voice stops her. “If I may?” Fia. She stands in the doorway across from her, her hands delicately resting on its frame. Without a word, she beckons Magdalene over.  In her room, Fia seats herself on the bed. Magdalene hovers a few paces away, until Fia wordlessly opens her arms to her.  Without preamble, Magdalene falls onto her knees before the bed, accepting the embrace. Fia wraps her arms around her. Magdalene lets herself sink further into Fia's arms, closing her eyes. That’s the thing with Fia: her touch is slight as a ghost, but entirely tender. It’s entirely unique to her. Magdalene feels the tension in her body begin to dissipate." -Chapter 14

Fia is someone who is naturally calming. Her velvety voice and entire aura beckons you to be relaxed within her presence. She whispers words to you when you are at your weakest (girlboss, manipulate).

She uses it to her advantage here with Magdalene.

Magdalene has witnessed something that's traumatizing as hell. She saw how "there’s blood, but up close she sees there’s also... there’s tendrils, vines, something black wrapped around his legs. They’re piercing them, burrowing into his trousers and boots." (Ch. 10)

Body horror in media is one thing but to actually see something like that with your very own eyes? Yikes.

Magdalene in the hold is just disassociating the entire time. "She lets numbness take her" (Ch. 11) as she and D try their best to salvage whatever they can. She sort of wants to escape the situation, probably to try and process everything that's happened so far.

When D leaves the room her body goes lax but her mind doesn't (crazy how she's able to stay up for so long, she literally fought Godrick and helped out Rogier). No one knows what'll happen to Rogier later, and it's probably making her super restless. Also, the whole traumatizing experience of seeing someone you know do something that fucks them doesn't help at all.

Magdalene afterwards, is sort of aimless again. She doesn't know how to help. She's not like D or Cohyrn who knows incantations or is she book smart like Rogier. She's just someone who's woken up back from the dead and trying her best (good lord someone give this girl real food and a bed).

So, Fia whispers words of how she could help Rogier, carefully hiding away the fact that this would also further her own goals. She kind of gives her a new purpose (albeit a temporary one). This is how she can help.

And it works. Magdalene immediately sets out to find the knifeprint for Rogier. (I also think in part that Mags HATES being useless, it makes her restless)

Their game

The game Fia and Rogier play reminds me of two animals circling each other. The both of them observe carefully for when the other one pounces. It's familiar to Rogier, who's practiced in political schemes. Yet both of them never pounce. This is like Rogier's political fight in here lol

Small slip

At the doorway, she turns back. “I know it makes you uneasy, but I think I’d like to visit you again, sometime.” She speaks with such gentleness—despite everything, it’s soothing to him. He could get lost in it once more, so easily.  -Chapter 26

Rogier almost slips with how Fia talks. Her voice velvet almost gets him trapped like a fly to a spider's web (I saw MindfulExorcism's comment on this and it just stuck with me, I probably would've never noticed that if I didn't read their comment). I really like this part a lot.

That's all for my crazy rambles again!! I swear the more I look there's like a billion other things I want to talk about lol. Happy Saturday everyone, have a good rest!!

[fyheiran]

well hello hello !! my name is jada, it’s very nice to meet ( or re-meet ) you !! i’m late to the game and honestly all over the place, but i hope you’ll forgive me as i start to get my life together ! anyways, this is miss bo heiran, and you will be knowing her as our resident snake ! both she & i were here during findyou’s last run, but now she’s got a different role and other changes to her character as well !! she’s definitely got quite the mean streak, and is really the devil in a wolf in sheep’s clothing !! anyways you can find her profile here, pinterest here, ig here, and for now i’m straying away from a plots page ! but if you want to know more about her & gather some connection ideas, please see the read more below !! and you can like this if you’d like to plot ! can’t wait to interact with you all ! xoxo

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 :

she’s from chuncheon, south korea !! def a lot smaller in comparison to seoul,

there, she was definitely not the big city girl she is today !! in fact, she was a lot different - humbler, less competitive, just ... chill !!

her love for acting peaked in school, when she joined a theatre production on a whim and got picked as the lead to her surprise !! from there, she got more involved and she slowly began to see acting as a potential career choice

prior to this, heiran had no real aspirations but so desperately wanted to feel passionate about something, so when i say she clung to acting, she clung to acting

but as time went on she grew more envious to those who lived in seoul, as she felt it was easier for her to get gigs there !! so at only 15, she vowed she’d move there as soon as she got old enough.

throughout the rest of her schooling years, her skills really improved and people in her town started talking about how she may have some true promise !

but you know how they say 3 time’s a charm ?? well . . . that’s heiran ! her first fail was in high school, when her application to sopa got declined. she was devastated, as it stopped her dreams to move to seoul for the time being & took a huge toll on her self confidence ! 

finally following graduation she went to attend korea national university of arts, which was her first true big win !! she really felt she was doing something, and in her 3rd year of school she landed her first acting gig for a webdrama.

everyone from her hometown was ecstatic, as there were a few pretty big names and she was going to be in her first real drama !

 the second fail happened then !! she got a really bad spinal injury, and was out of the drama for the rest of it’s recording ! they had to replace her and she was heeeeated. she felt like an embarrassment to her town, and her injuries took her out of the acting scene for an entire year !

but like i said, third time’s a charm ! at 22 she started her true acting debut, fresh out of college and fully recovered ! it was a later than she anticipated, but she was well received ! she only had small roles at first, but after befriending somi it seemed like her popularity spiked ! everyone was asking who somi’s new friend was and what her future held in the acting industry ! it truly did wonders for her career, and as a result, heiran began clinging to her for support.

it wasn’t long before her admiration and gratitude turned to sour jealousy, though !! she began to realize that her fame paled in comparison to somi’s, and felt that she was always compared to her friend rather than seen as her own person !

but rather than handle this like ... well, a normal person ... she misdirected her anger and slowly began feeling a sort of hatred for her ?? it def stemmed off of her jealousy but it wasn’t obvious at first. she was just a little distant. but one day when her & somi got into a fight she yelled something about somi thinking she’s better than everyone. and this is when heiran believes their friendship went south !!!

still, heiran was desperate to keep that actresses bond up for the cameras for the sake of her own career, so put her skills to use to fake their friendship !! only other actors are probably aware of the fakeness of it all, as she’s the type to drop her smiles as soon as the camera cuts off. 

as you would imagine, heiran dreaded under a thousand stars when she still believed somi was in it. while she was v excited to be around so many actors and in her first historical drama, she hated how much she had to fake and how closely her character resembled her own predicament.

so now that somi’s gone she’s secretly ... relieved ?? she def won’t go telling this to just anyone, but those closest to her probably have noticed a shift. without having to pretend, and without being in her shadow, she can just be heiran. she won’t tell anyone this, but she secretly hopes that somi stays missing until she fades out the spotlight.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀 :

as you have probably been able to tell, she is a sssnake !!! she comes off as really bright and friendly initially, but if you get on her bad side you’ll definitely see her ugly side !! she’s not mean just to be mean though, and really is only that way if she sees you as competition or you’ve provoked her.

i don’t know how to explain this, but ... she’s cocky and self-conscious at the same time ?? like she’s pretty confident at face value, but she has to constantly hype herself up to stay that way ?? she requires a lot of validation and assurance, but with that, her self confidence skyrockets !!

very materialistic !! she didn’t come from a rich family, but always wished she had so worked hard to be able to afford nice things. she’s always showing them off because she’s proud she can finally afford them for herself. but her splurging is a problem, and she is slowly going into debt yikes !!

has a pomeranian named mars who she loves to bits !! she’s all over her instagram, and often times she’ll bring her along in her fan during filming to keep her company.

as you could probably tell, she get’s jealous easily of the things she wants that other’s have !! she wants the same success as those around her, and tends to get bitter when that isn’t the case !

not romantically dependent. she isn’t actively seeking a relationship, sort of just in the “if it happens it happens boat” ?? much more into no strings attached deals though, as they don’t interfere with her career and prevent her from getting hurt ! 

she’s a little sassy honestly !! it comes from her stubbornness, if she’s got her mind stuck on something it’s going to stay that way ! if someone even raises her voice at her she’s the type to either give them the “who are you talking to ??” look or straight up tell them off lmao !!

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 :

these are just some ideas to get you going !! since there’s so few of us, i feel like we can also just go based off of muse chemistry !

another fairly new actor who starred in one of her first dramas with her, and they rose to fame together !! they’d be pretty close to each other !

someone who caught her during one of her mean streaks, and though she’s tried to show a better side of her, they’ve never been able to forget the way she behaved then !

another person who might be on bad terms with somi ?? and they first related about that, and it’s sort of transformed to them shit-talking & spilling tea anytime they see each other haha !!

heiran knows one of their secrets, so she’s been holding it against them to get favors she needs ?? can you say BLACKMAIL ??

any true drama-filled plots !! literally cheating exes nemesis all of that ... heiran is a messy woman and i live for the drama folks !!

someone who’s been friends with heiran for a while and knows her more vulnerable side ?? they’re her confidant & they can tell each other nearly anything !

off the record on and off flings / one night stands ?? maybe feelings emerge maybe they don’t, it’s up to you !!

or maybe a little crush where for once, heiran genuinely likes someone ?? oh my ??

unrequited crush maybe ?? she’s def the type to be like mm sorry but no but still live for the attention lmao !!

heiran idolizes this person, be it for their acting or another quality they possess, and just really respects them ?? or it can be the other way around !!

someone who heiran trusts enough to put mars her dog in the care of .... please do not let her pee in the house & give her lots of cuddles or she’ll kill you !!

alcohol tw: drinking buddies !! because it’s just natural heiran would need some nights of downing drinks to cope with her stress, and it’s lonely if no one joins her !

[jxstiice]

Stephanie Beatriz, 32, cis female, she/her. 🗽 looks like that’s AVA BURNS reporting for duty. they’re originally from QUEENS, NYC, so i wonder if working as a DETECTIVE for SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT ever gets old. anyway, i heard that they’re UNDAUNTED but also kind of HOT-HEADED, which is why i guess they always remind me of TIGHT LEATHER JACKETS, WAR STORIES OVER WHISKEY AND CIGARETTES, and A HARD EXPRESSION BROKEN ONLY BY THE PRESENCE OF A DOG

HELLO! I am sara and i got REALLY carried away because i had like 8 hours of boring meetings today. please feel free to ask me for a TLDR! Come plot! I love my girl and i love some ANGST!!

tws: death, assault, war, ptsd

YOUNG & LOVED

Matías and Mariana Burns were high school sweethearts from Queens. they didn’t move far once they married fresh out of high school, to a nice house in Richmond Hill. from there, Mariana worked to become a nurse, and Matías went straight into the academy. they were an eager young couple, but it wasn’t long until their first child came around-- a surprise, but one they took in stride.

Ava was rambunctious, and always wanted to be like her father. she took various martial arts classes growing up, played soccer for a time, her energy never seemed to fade.

Her mother worked as an ER nurse, and her father became a truly prized member of the NYPD, so selflessness and hard work are hard-wired in her system. 

Ava is the oldest of three, her sister and her sibling mean everything to her, and she took it upon herself to make sure they were okay through everything. with two busy parents, she never questioned helping out as she got older. 

WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED

When she was 15, Ava's life flipped on end. What started as a normal day at school turned into the worst day of her life when she was pulled out of US History and told her mother had been the victim of a hit and run in Manhattan. she was killed instantly, and Ava felt her world fracture before her.

things were hard after that. once she got back to school, she was acting out. she took the shift in the household hard, and though she stepped up even further for her siblings, instability was setting in. an anger formed in ava she wasn’t familiar with. sure, she was always tough, but after that she closed off.

one day, the same day Ava and Matías had a particularly bad fight, ava hit a breaking point and proclaimed she was leaving. Matías never expected everything to go so badly, even sent a friend on patrol to go follow her. he knew she ended up at a party with friends, called the patrol off, and figured she’d be back in the morning. they had a similar temper, and she’d even sent him a text later to tell him she’d be home. 

he was called to the 16th precinct at 3:30am to find his 17 year old daughter in an interview room, borrowing a hoodie and sweatpants with tears dry and fresh staining her face.

the party got wild, and Ava and her friends weren't trying to get too wild. ava wanted to just get out of the house for a few hours. none of them expected to be followed outside the frat house and cornered, but they were. two high school girls cornered by 5 frat boys wasn't going to end well in any of the girls' minds. Ava's years of self defense took over, but it wasn’t enough.

the two men that Ava actually ended up hurting in the struggle went on to press charges for their broken noses, but the truth came out in the DNA. The men took a plea and it never followed them past their community service and fine. Ava didn't recover so easily.

Matías struggled to make sure Ava got the help she needed. she was resistant to therapy and often skipped it. she got more aggressive and outspoken in school. her grades dropped. she graduated, but barely.

FINDING A PURPOSE

By the time Ava graduated from high school, depression was deep and responsibilities of being the oldest sibling of three was setting in. College seemed like a far off dream between her family. Ava running into a recruiter outside her neighborhood boxing gym was pure chance, but it changed everything.

When Ava told her father she wanted to join the Marines, he struggled. On one hand, he saw a fire in Ava that he hadn't seen for a couple years now, and he wanted more than anything for that fire to stay. on the other more obvious hand, the idea of his first daughter going to war was terrifying. It was Aarav's sergeant that finally convinced him. A veteran himself, he saw a lot of similar emotions in young Ava. she shipped off for bootcamp during the first week of September, just a few months fresh out of high school.

In the Marines, Ava excelled. the structure helped her thrive, and her drive was exemplary. from the start, she made it clear she was never someone to be messed with. It brought back confidence she'd lost since her mother’s death and her assault, and she clung to it as she once again became sure of herself.

In 2006, Ava Burns was deployed to Afghanistan to the front lines. she served overseas for 6 years with outstanding performance. her fellow troops called her a tank as she never backed down from running into situations if she knew she could help. Ava was a good soldier. her family was proud, and would welcome her home warmly each time she came.

NOT JUST A SOLDIER

In 2012, Ava and three others from her unit were captured by enemy forces after a roadside bomb caught them off guard.

They were held hostage for two months. during this time, it was everything they could do to stay alive and there for one another. They were physically beat and hounded for answers about the operations of the US armed forces. The three soldiers gave up nothing. All three were rescued.

When rescued, Ava's leg was broken and she was flown home for the recovery. It didn't take long for symptoms of PTSD to set in. This time, though still a little weary, she accepted therapy easier. after all, if being a prisoner of war for two months didn't constitute a little therapy, what did?

things got more frustrating though, and Ava could not hide the symptoms. her higher ups noticed, and Ava was offered an honorable discharge and a purple heart. She was told she would not return to active duty, and taking the leave now would save potential catastrophe on the battlefield. begrudgingly, mostly after her siblings and father talked her into it, Ava accepted. they say once a Marine, always a Marine. Ava doesn’t always feel that too much.

HOME ANEW

Ava's next steps happened quietly. she didn't even share with her family once she decided, simply shared it one day about a month after she was cleared to walk again with no crutches. with her coffee in hand, she announced simply: "First day at the academy today. Exciting, huh pops?"

Matías, was beyond thrilled.

Just like the army, Ava excelled once more, and she stuck out from the crowd in more ways than just her name.

By that point, Matías was a lieutenant at a precinct in Queens and known throughout the NYPD for support for community initiatives, but Ava was firm: never give her special treatment because of her father. she didn't need it, and if she found it was the case, she'd refuse it. 

Working as a beat cop seemed like the perfect balance for Ava. She was known in Richmond Hill certainly, and there were many neighbors that welcomed her as a cop warmly. With the slowly growing strife regarding police, people wanted cops they could trust. Ava was one, and prided herself in it. It also offered her the action she'd come to excel at in the Marines.

Fast forward four years, and Ava is hungry. It's never been a secret that Ava's fire made her advance, and after months of weighing, she decided: Ava Burns wanted to be an SVU detective. After her experience, it seemed right deep in her core.

Now, Ava has been an SVU detective for six months. She's constantly searching for ways to excel, but it's harder work as a detective. Now, she's working on balancing her impulsive nature with a more thoughtful process.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Partner -- TAKEN by BEATRIZ GARCIA

Veterans: I imagine Ava has (occasionally) gone to support groups, as well as just made some friends that served in the past and get it. I’m open to various dynamics, only requirement is your character was a solider at one point or another. Bonus points if they served together!! OR if they were one of the people ava was held hostage with! gimme dat good good angst

Old Partner: Ava was a beat cop for four years, so she’d have had at least one partner! Open to dynamics, lengths, stories, anything!

Serious Ex: This was a relationship that Ava was very serious with, and they maybe even toyed with the idea of marriage. Unfortunately, this would have happened while Ava was recovering from her discharge 6/7 years ago and she was in no place for a healthy relationship.  

Flings: Ava is a bisexual queen and copes with things physically. she likes sex a lot and doesn’t put that much seriousness into one night stands. Open for various dynamics, come at me!

Mentor: I’m very very open to the dynamic, I have so many possible ideas. Someone ava’s known since she was little? someone that promised her dad theyd look out for her? her old/current partner? SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!! please just give ava guidance she needs it. so bad.

Childhood friends: Ava’s mom worked at a hospital and her dad was NYPD so I’d absolutely love some people from Ava’s childhood stemming from those!! also any other Queens kids would be cool!

Any! All! Come to me!!

[wolvesandfoxes25]

Basking in the light:

Warning! This is a yaoi fanfiction, and it has a lemon. Everyone is OF AGE. My first lemon with menxmen.

                                                                   An eighteen year old Kakashi stood in the office of his Hokage, rolling his eyes at the twenty five year old blonde who was currently giving him a lecture on something trivial.

He hated when Minato-Sensei treated him like a fucking child.

Which he always did.

He hated him sometimes.

He hated his bright hair, his easy smile, his glowing wife who was obnoxiously loud, they were both insufferable.

Insufferable.

He hated the mans cloak that swayed in the wind when he stood atop the Hokage’s balcony. He hated the way it rippled around the mans form, grazing the blue of his pants, the mans jounin vest, and he especially hated his blue eyes.

Those…he hated them the most.

Gritting his teeth, Kakashi sighed heavily, folding his arms across his chest, bored at the words the man was speaking to him, his mind wandering to areas he didn’t dare tread in when around the older male.

It was humiliating.

“Kakashi.” The deep voice snapped, pulling the silver-haired anbu out of his mind, different colored eyes snapping towards the young leader.

“Yes, sir?” He couldn't help growling, wanting to leave.

And possibly never come back to stand alone in this office with him ever again.

“Did you hear anything I just said?” Minato-Sensei asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kakashi nodded.

“I told you to be careful on this mission, to reign in your chidori, you’ve been on quite a spree with it as of late.” Minato scolded him once more.

And once again, Kakashi closed in on himself, fading out of the world, and into the perfect one his mind had conjured up for him.

Minato himself watched Kakashi’s eyes hold that faraway look again, and he glowered, standing up from his desk, the movement snapping the jounin out of his trance that he kept falling into.

The silver-haired ninja sensed the movement and turned his head to see that his ex-Sensei was now propping himself against the front of his desk, eyes glaring at Kakashi.

Involuntarily, Kakashi fidgeted in his spot, his bandaged foot shifting against the floor as if he were prepping himself to run out the door.

“I don’t believe you were listening to me at all.” Minato snapped at him, folding his own arms across his chest in annoyance at the younger man.

Kakashi really wanted to leave, to get away from the accusing eyes of Minato-Sensei, to get away from his angry voice, to just get away from him.

"Sensei, I heard everything you said. You’ve been complaining that I’m using chidori too much. You think of it as a ‘too easy way to take a life.’

Silence.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve been saying, but you’ve been ignoring me. You don't care that it’s a too easy way to take a life, do you Kakashi?” Minato asked in irritation.

Gritting his teeth, the anbu looked straight ahead, keeping his mouth clamped shut at the accusation.

“If you have something to say, you have permission to say it.” Minato said to him, noticing the twitching in the younger mans jaw, his fists clenching with anger he was holding back.

Kakashi was silent for a brief moment, then turned his face to the man, eyes narrowed.

“You don’t know what the fuck I care about.”

Minato wasn’t expecting such sinister words from Kakashi, it was most unlike him.

“Okay. Well, what do you care about, Kakashi?” Minato asked, genuinely curious regarding the answer.

Kakashi felt his skin prickle, infuriated that the man was trying to strike up an asinine conversation with him.

“I definitely don’t care about this conversation.” Kakashi snapped, bowing lightly, turning his back to leave the blonde man behind.

Before getting too far, a hand grabbed his shoulder and Kakashi recoiled at the touch, accidentally losing his footing, falling into the wall behind him, watching the pinched expression of his ex-Sensei get closer.

“I did not dismiss you.” He growled at the youth.

Why couldn’t the wood open up and swallow him whole? Why didn’t the ceiling crash down upon his head, killing him instantly? Why wouldn’t the floor lick up and crush him?

Stomach lurching at the hand still on his shoulder, this time pressing firmly into his flesh, the sensation shooting little daggers through his blood, gripping him entirely, spinning him into a desperation to leave.

Side eyeing the mans hand, he shifted, hoping the older male would get the message to remove it.

He did.

Thank Kami.

Kakashi felt relief and a twinge of regret course through him, leaving him a muddled mess.

“Are we done here, Hokage-Sama?” He whispered, his left hand gripping the wall tightly, wanting the man to now stop looking at him like that.

Like he could see through him.

He hated it.

“Yes. You may go.” The blonde muttered, a strange hoarseness to his voice, the sound grating across Kakashi’s nerves, tightening the tendons in his neck as the blue orbs soaked in his uncomfortable position against the wall.

Swallowing thickly, Kakashi bowed again, walking out of the office in a slight hurry, hoping it wasn’t noticeable how he shook the entire time.

The next interaction was by Ichikaru’s.

And this time…Kushina was there as well.

Kakashi groaned, picking up his pace so the two could not see him.

“Kakashi!” A woman’s voice stopped him and he cursed himself internally, damning his hair. He just knew that was the damn reason he saw her.

Vigilant, annoying, pain in the ass woman.

Thanking Kami his mask was on, he turned and gave them a bored expression, stuffing his hands in his pockets, walking to where they were seated, the both of them blowing through two bowls of pork ramen.

Gross.

“Kakashi!” Kushina said again, reaching out to grip the gloved hand of the anbu captain, earning a stiffening of his joints, fingers not squeezing hers back at all.

“Hello, Kakashi.” A deeper voice said, the mans mouth full of ramen as he smiled, the lines under his eyes crinkling, blue eyes watching his expression.

Damn it all.

“Would you like to join us, Kakashi?” Kushina asked him, scooting over so he could take a seat.

“No. I have things I need to do.” He told her, not caring if his voice held an edge to it.

“Oh? What things are you doing?” Kushina asked him, excitement curving her tone.

Kakashi just shrugged.

“I have a few friends coming over later, and I need to restock on my food essentials.”

Kakashi caught a strange expression on Minato-Sensei’s face, the narrow blonde brow arching high.

“Anbu friends?”

Kushina nudged her husband, giving him a scowl.

“It could be a date! And Kakashi just doesn't want to tell us about it. Not yet anyway!” She said, winking at the younger male.

“I didn’t know you dated, Kakashi.” Minato said, his tone taking on a condescending edge, and Kakashi didn’t fucking appreciate it.

“I date. I fuck. You know…things an eighteen year old would do.” He answered the stupid man mockingly.

Kushina choked on her ramen, her snort of laughter ringing through the tenseness, the red-head clutching her chest with the heaves.

“That was a good one, Kakashi. I love how you just said it with no sense of emotion behind it at all. Just…deadpan, really. That was good.”

Minato however, only felt a brow twitch at what the anbu captain just said.

“Well, Kakashi!” Kushina said, giving a little punch to the side of the jounin, “Remember. No glove, no love. Don’t wanna knock any Kuniochi up.”

Kakashi smirked, “Yeah, Kuniochi, right.” He responded, wanting to roll his eyes at her dumbass remark.

Kakashi waved bye, turning to go, not seeing the frown that was on the Hokage’s face, a flare in his nostrils as the younger male left the restaurant.

A week later, Kakashi stood outside the Hokage’s door, listening to the raised voices behind it, not wanting to go in.

Not wanting to have to speak to the blonde man let alone be in his presence.

Damnit.

Five minutes later, he did not get his wish as the door flung open and three anbu teammates scurried out like rats that had a cat chasing them in a closed off room.

Looking behind them, Minato was standing by his window, face turned away, hands folded tightly behind his back.

Kakashi’s stomach collided with his butt as the blonde head turned, furious blue eyes clashing with his mismatched ones.

“Shut the door.” He snapped, sitting at his desk, grabbing a stack of papers, throwing them to the side.

Kakashi sighed deeply, knowing his fate was sealed as he stepped into the room.

He stood there in silence for close to five minutes, the staleness of the room, the screeching of the air vent grating on his nerves, stringing him tightly, making him want to scream..

Say something, damn you!

“You have been careless, Kakashi.” Minato snapped at the younger male, the crinkling of papers being tossed about Kakashi’s only vice to the room, his real functions zooming out the door.

But, he needed to know what the Hokage was talking about. He hadn’t lost anyone on this mission, hadn’t killed who he wasn’t supposed too. He had…behaved, done his job.

“I don’t know what you speak of, Hokage-Sama. I eliminated the target, I did what the anbu is told to do. Is it because I didn’t do it your way, all kittens and rainbows, sunflowers and daisies?”

Damn. That slid right out of his mouth, he didn’t even think about it first, wasn’t even sure the words grazed his ‘things I probably shouldn’t say’ filter, just flitted right through.

“Do not mock me, Kakashi.” Minato snarled, flinging his chair out, raising himself up, his hackles sticking up, blonde hair looking a little unkempt, angry aura spinning around the tiny room like a storm.

“Apologies, Lord Fourth.” Kakashi mumbled, feeling the tell-tale twitch in his foot as the older male moved around his desk, planting himself right in front of Kakashi, their distances still far.

Kakashi though, felt suffocated. Stifled, closed in on.

He needed to leave.

Instead, he just stood there, ready to take the verbal lashing he knew was coming.

It was always this way, after every mission now.

It wasn’t this way with the other anbu, only him, always him.

“Why must you use the chidori, Kakashi?” Minato asked him, gaze firm, arms crossed.

Good question, but honestly, a monkey would know the answer.

“Because it’s my jutsu. I invented it. Just like you invented the Rasengan. I didn’t go through all the trials of completing it for shits and giggles.”

Damn. Disrespect again. But Minato-Sensei made it hard not to be snappish.

“The Rasengan, unlike the Chidori, is only used when I’m in battle with someone formidable. Not a lone shinobi that I can easily take down with my kunai, or shuriken.” Minato replied, fingers tapping against his arm bracers, his leg shifting to loop his ankles together.

Kakashi caught this movement and stifled a breath, lip twitching beneath his mask.

“And my chidori has the same effect. I don’t understand the problem here, Lord Fourth?”

Minato glared, eyes sharp.

“The problem is it’s dangerous.” He hissed, pushing himself off his desk.

Kakashi cursed the fucking man, and his stupid nosiness, always keeping him in this office, always prowling around like some kind of cat slinking about.

Watching the mans hips flex with his movement made Kakashi’s single eye widen, breath rushing into his mask, capturing the proof that he was flustered.

“Do your friends try to stop you when you’re using chidori?” Minato asked him, a weird lilt to his voice, a grated edge that made Kakashi squirm.

Silence.

“Some of the time.” Kakashi answered, reaching a hand up to brush his falling bangs away from his forehead protector.

“I see.” Minato responded, turning his tensed back to the younger man, fingers rolling flexibly over his palms.

Silence.

“So. Are all of your friends on your team helpful?” Minato-Sensei questioned him, raising an accusing brow, smirking in a mocking manner.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, feeling his chest tighten at the mean spirited, uncharacteristic scowl on the older mans face.

“Sometimes.” He responded, his tone just as mocking, just as cruel, and just as blatantly disrespectful.

Minato thrummed his fingers on the desk, eyes scouring the tall anbu captain, foot tapping, trying to hide his growing anger from the oblivious little idiot.

Fuck him.

“You are dismissed.” He growled, plopping himself back in his seat, gripping some papers on his desk so roughly, he felt his fingers go through the back of them.

“I thought we were about to discuss how using the chidori effects my soul, or wherever else this conversation usually leads to.” Kakashi said, his setting now on sarcastic and mocking.

Minato flared his nostrils, his control over his temper slipping.

“No need for that.” He answered, saying the clipped answer with finality, dismissing Kakashi with a raise of a brow, silently telling him to not test the dangerous waters he was swimming in.

Nodding firmly, Kakashi bowed, leaving the room in a huff.

He didn’t need to be gentle, not with her, not with the quick thrusts inside of her either.

She was used to him fucking her like this, hands digging firmly into the flesh of her ass, his length disappearing in her tight folds.

Yes.

Just what he needed.

There was always his imagination.

Kakashi trained with shuriken and kunai the next day, just to pass some time. Gai was on a mission, and everyone else was busy doing whatever.

He had the next three weeks off, and he needed a release of some sort.

Maybe he should take Tenzo up on that ‘joking’ offer.

He wasn’t stupid, he knew the affinity the wood-style ninja shared for him. Whether it was purely physical or somewhat emotional, Kakashi knew about it. He always caught those grape shaped eyes staring at him as he changed in the locker room, always blushing and looking away.

Tenzo really wasn’t his type though. If he would have a type for a man.

He hadn’t ever thought of it, wasn’t really in to preferences. He just went along with whatever he felt in his withering, almost dead heart, or the tightening in his pants.

His dick had its own line of thinking, and Kakashi was grateful his sinister, negative attitude hadn’t been able to touch it.

His physical activity was severely lacking though, it had been quite some time since he stuck his dick in something wet, or slightly tighter than the average pussy.

His track record was two.

One man and one woman.

No labels, just straight fucking, leaving him wondering if maybe he was searching for his release through the wrong element of satisfaction.

When he joined the anbu, he joined for release.

The blood lust urge strong, running thick, hard and fast through his veins.

He needed to release the feelings of guilt that weighed him down, that kept him up, kept him from functioning.

At the beginning, the gnawing feeling of guilt remained prominent, almost a never-ending factor in his bleak life. The fact that his kunai or chidori was being used to slice through, or be stuck through another person, ending their world, their life, destroying the ninjas family made his blood curdle.

Not now.

Towards the middle when he’d take a life, it felt…enthralling, tampering down his own misery for just a little bit, the faces of the random ninjas blurred, hidden, unknown in his psyche.

The emotion of indifference told him everyday that they did not matter, it was just a mission, just another job, just another life he’d steal in his years as a ninja.

However long that would be.

At the end, blowing through all the countless lives, his emotion started to re-root itself in a different area of his brain.

The pleasure aspect.

Touching the pleasure aspect elicited responses to the numbed area of his brain as well, opening up old wounds, slicing through his defenses, making him try to pursue a different avenue of forgetting.

He was doing fine, all was well, until that happened, until killing turned into something that made his cock throb, his blood hum with an unnatural thirst for his victims.

It wasn’t like he got hard on killing, it was the adrenaline that came with it, the pounding, the hard heat as he forced his chidori through random hearts, blank eyes eating into his defenses, making him feel more guilt.

The emotion he was trying to get away from.

Then, there was…that fucking male that epitomized the term sunshine.

HIs blonde hair, blue eyes, carefree smile, his edge remaining intact, his personality almost stoic, almost closed off, but not quite.

And as Kakashi was around him more, ran into him more, felt him near more, he came to see that the man himself exuberated the definition of living and the mocking definition that came with it.

His hair was the sun, eyes the sky, and his soul something Kakashi wanted to feed on, wanting to suck the life out of him, wanting so badly to be like him, to not be effected.

Fuck him.

“Fuck you, Minato!” Kakashi screamed, throwing the kunai in his hand pathetically at the standstill target, managing to hit the majority of the circles, one grazing the outside, sitting inside the white outline.

Kami. He hated him. He hated the fact that he was the sun, and the sky. He hated that he got to live on without regret, without being…broken by this fucked up world they lived in.

He wanted that life force, wanted to taste it, feel it, wring it between his hands and throttle it into his own body, wanting to ride it until he couldn’t see straight or breath. He wanted his entire body effected by it, wanted it to scald his insides, burning its very essence into him, never letting go, or pulling away.

Damnit.

Fuck him.

Minato was running through the forest when he heard the bellow, his feet halting instantly, recognizing that voice, being able to recognize that voice anywhere.

Without a second thought, he set off in that direction, eyes narrowed.

Kakashi was panting, anger and fucking guilt coursing through him.

He hated it.

Snarling, he picked up a kunai, and started hacking at the target that looked like a shinobi, his blood thirsting for more.

In the midst of his hacking, he missed the telltale signs of another person behind him, and he only turned when a voice was cleared.

Kakashi felt wild, out of control, every muscle trembling.

Turning in a rush, he saw the man that haunted him.

Snarling, he honestly didn’t care at this point, he just wanted that radiation that emulated from said man, wanted to feel it, touch it, harbor it.

Thrusting out his right hand, he summoned chidori, eyes locking with the blue skies that stared back at him, widening at the move the young anbu captain was doing.

“Kakashi. Don’t be foolish.” Minato warned, feeling a tightening in his gut at the deranged look on the younger males face, his chidori lighting up the area, blinding him momentarily.

Silence, save for the makeshift noise of birds screaming.

Kakashi laid his feet flat against the earth, moving to propel himself forward, making to run at the entity that mocked his misery.

But, Minato was faster.

The blonde was upon him in a second, left hand grasping the right arm of the jounin, digging his nails into the flesh, snapping his arm behind his back, the chidori fading out with the movements.

Kakashi grunted, feeling the man forcefully back him into a tree, hand still gripping his arm, twisting it until the silver haired ninja cried out in pain.

Minato growled, his right hand moving up to grab the anbus chin, making him face his enraged expression.

“I could kill you for that.” Minato told him, breathing heavily, matching the rhythm the other males chest was falling.

“Yeah, but you won’t. Fucking coward." Kakashi said sadistically.

Minato was silent for a moment, allowing the words to brand his senses, curdling deep in his chest, sparking the fire he pushed back and pushed back and pushed back.

Kakashi wasn’t prepared for the assault.

The blonde slammed his mouth against Kakashi’s, his hand leaving the chin of his ex-student, winding themselves in silver strands of hair, pulling so roughly, he felt the pain in his own scalp.

The kissing wasn’t gentle. Not even a little bit. Tongues met, lips gnarled at one another, both of the men demanding the dominant role, but one winning.

Minato.

His blood was pumping now, riling him up fully.

Making haste, Minato reached down and ripped the button undone on Kakashi’s anbu pants, wrenching them off the teens hips, hand feeling for the erection.

Kakashi panted, feeling the blonde force him further into the tree, his hips now pressing into the younger males, hand now undoing the older males slacks, yanking them around his ankles in one tug.

Minato yanked Kakashi’s boxers off now, hand wrapping around his bared cock, pumping softly, making the younger male curse and moan, the weeping head spewing precum on the palm of his hand.

Fuck.

Shakily moving away, Minato grabbed his own boxers and yanked them down.

He was aching, his arousal throbbing, and he leaned forward, grinding his mouth back against his ex-students, cocks rubbing against each other, tongues battling once again.

Minato grabbed the younger males hips, fucking up against his muscular stomach, precum dripping down the abs that lined his flesh.

Kakashi felt his cock tingle, throbbing, dripping with want towards the annoying blonde male.

Minato couldn’t stand it, couldn’t take it anymore, gripping Kakashi’s bicep, he wrenched him around, moving the man to where his cock was pressed achingly against Kakashi’s bubbly ass.

Reaching up, he spit in his hand and smeared it at Kakashi’s opening, the anbu moaning, hips swirling.

Minato huffed hotly, gripping his manhood, gathering up the precum and stroking it over his arousal, making his dick wet.

Grabbing the silver heads hips, he aligned himself at his puckered hole, seeing his spittle run down the crack, flowing inside the opening, beckoning him to plow the fertile field that was Kakashi.

“I hope you’re prepared for this.” He growled into the younger males ear, earning a rough nod, and impatient growl.

Shoving back against his entrance, Minato slipped the head of his cock through, sliding in rather easily due to the excessive spill of his precum that helped make the opening more slick.

Kakashi panted, hitting the trunk of the tree in agitation.

“Fuck me, idiot.” He moaned, pushing his hips back to take the blondes cock more and more.

Minato ignored him, sliding inch by inch inside the hot, molten, and soft hole, finally hilting, his pulsating balls hitting Kakashi’s, both men groaning loudly.

Kami, he was tight.

Minato gripped the Hatake’s hips, pulling out, slamming in, each thrust earning a pant or a moan from the man pressed against the bark of the tree.

It felt so fucking good.

Minato slapped the round globe of his ex-students ass, leaning forward to lay his chest against Kakashi’s, mouth nibbling at his ear, hips slanting roughly into him, his cock hitting the soft spot inside.

“Oh, fuck.” Kakashi groaned, pushing his hips back.

Minato grit his teeth, hips picking up their pace, his dick stroking deep, stroking hard, listening to Kakashi’s pants turn into groans, then into yelps as he slid in and out of him, over and over, hilting, leaving, hilting, leaving.

Pulling out suddenly, Minato spun Kakashi around, making the teen face him, breath coming out fast.

“Ride me.” Minato said to him, forcing him down to his knees.

Laying out, Minato spread his legs, shaft straining and aching, the hardness laying flat against his stomach.

Kakashi straddled in, shakily grabbing the throbbing flesh, sinking down on it.

“Yeees.” Minato groaned, gripping the anbu captains ass, helping him bounce up and down, balls slapping together, flesh slick with sweat, eyes never leaving the other.

Minato was close, so fucking close.

Reaching out, he gripped the erection that was slapping against his wet stomach, hearing the younger jounin howl at the action, fingers sliding up and down the smooth flesh.

Kakashi continued to ride him, the pain meshing with the pleasure, the pressure filling his senses, sparking them into numbness, throwing him into bliss.

Leaning back, Kakashi wound his hips in circles, his ass muscles milking the weeping appendage, the tightness sucking Minato’s cock inside so tightly, he was afraid he’d never emerge.

Gripping Minato-Sensei’s ankles, Kakashi bounced even harder up and down, moaning, groaning and trembling as the mans hand moved over his raging erection.

“Fuck! Kakashi. I’m-I’m coming.” Minato said, fingers digging into his flesh so hard, Kakashi felt the bruises forming already.

Growling audibly, Kakashi felt his balls tighten, his come spurting out to fall onto the skin of Minato-Sensei’s stomach.

Forcing his head back, Minato bumped his hips up, fucking harder and faster into Kakashi, his seed leaving him to burrow home within his tightness.

Kakashi leaned back, his mind peacefully numb. Blissfully devoid of anything but release as he panted, feeling his cock so flaccid.

Minato raised Kakashi’s hips up, pulling himself free, hissing as the air hit his wet arousal, watching as the remnants of his seed flowed out of Kakashi’s ass.

The two men rebuckled their pants, not facing each other, no words spoken, nothing.

Was there shame?

Regret?

Kakashi wanted to ask, wanted to apologize for threatening him, but he wasn't sure if he should.

How long would this hold him over though? How long would it take before he had the same calling within his blood, the need to feel the sun once again, to stare into its brightness and bask in the rays it elicited.

The answer was clear when he was turning, a hand gripping his, forcing him against a hard chest, blonde hair obscuring his vision now, blinding him, but also granting him sight.

A smirk was what he faced, the young Hokage running a finger over his chin, pushing down the fabric, lips moving out to nibble the flesh.

“Kakashi. Hmm. Kami, I thought I’d never get to touch the clouds.” He mumbled to the young jounin, clamping wet lips over the younger males, letting loose a small whimper as he did so.

Upon hearing this, Kakashi pulled back, looking at the hazy blue irises, smirking at what he just heard.

“Odd. I thought I’d never get to touch the sun.” He admitted, watching the expression on the young Hokage’s face turn from lust to understanding.

And he smiled.

And damn did Kakashi bask in that suns rays.

[whatsyourcolor]

Dragnet

[Hello PP fans. I wrote the first chapter of a PP fanfic. It’s kinda long but I hope you like it. Special thanks to @lucidink for her invaluable editing skills and unending patience with me and to @cleverwolfpoetry for her support and for inspiring me with her translations.]

DRAGNET

 CHAPTER 1 – The Underground

 The messenger came swiftly but the words were hushed.

 The MWPSB was onto them, and they had to move fast if they didn’t want to be caught. Reticent as the MWPSB was, it was known in the net that their weapons could execute people on the spot. The username Pariah51817 came to mind, an ex-detective whose blog surfaced in an anonymous message board. Many claimed it was a work of fiction by some loser wanting to have a go at conspiracy theory junkies, but her mind held onto whatever sliver of information she could use to their advantage. Fiction or not, this was not a situation to take chances in.

 She took out the route map of the underground tunnels, conduits and pipelines, ruins of an extinct city; the city that existed before Sibyl.

 “Light.”

 An agile hand clinked open a lighter and held it to illuminate the faded paper.

 “We’ll go down the South line, run across the railings of the old metro station. There’s three tunnels; make sure to take the one on the far left. Follow the blue phosphorescent marks on the floor. We’ll lose them there.” Akane ordered, tracing the route with her finger on the rudimentary blueprint.

 “It’s been raining heavily and you may not be able to see where you are stepping. Be careful,” Ryota warned everyone, tattooed hand pulling up his black balaclava as he got up.  

 There’s still time, she thought, hastily returning the blueprints to the bag around her waist. There’s still a chance. But when a blue-green laser light illuminated her face, she knew they were doomed.

 “Shit! They’re here! Run!” Ryota yelled.

 The group poised to run in the devised line formation as a male voice boomed over them.

 “Freeze! This is the MWPSB!”

From his vantage point dark silhouettes could be dimly seen, delineated by the faint light of the city many levels above the deep underground, quickly jumping over pipes and rails. They were unexpectedly quiet and organized, considering they were getting ambushed. Hungry and ready to pounce on their worthy prey, enforcers rushed past the inspector, eyes gleaming with the turquoise from their dominators.

“Sorry to interrupt your afterschool special!” Enforcer Sasayama smirked as he scanned the darkness for a target to train his aim on. Once found, he proceeded to pull the trigger remorselessly. The others followed suit.

Akane kept herself at the rear of the group, small as she was, to shield at least some of her comrades with her healthy Psycho-Pass or, conversely, distract the enforcers with the death stare of the Samurai face printed on the back of her jacket. As it was, Sibyl kept deeming her invisible, or at the very least, inoffensive.

“Sho, get in front of me!” she yelled at the man running beside her.

Whatever talents the quiet, young genius hacker Sho had for deciphering impenetrable codes and breaching security hurdles, they didn’t reflect on his athletic ability. Akane knew; he was under her wing after all. She’d shown him the ropes; she’d brought him into the group. He trusted her.

A muted metallic sound shot off and a small gasp of air escaped him. She saw him fall and in a moment of confusion thought he had tripped, halting her frantic run to help him. Grabbing his arm, she attempted to pull him up, but Sho remained motionless and unresponsive, his red hair mingling in the dirty puddles. A very known dread began corroding her like an alarm, trilling louder and louder.

“Sho! Get up! Get up, dammit!” she shrieked, her enraged tone quickly souring into a desperate plea. With a burst of strength, she was able to turn him over, ready to check his pulse, but it was too late: she had been found.  

“I suggest you stop right there,” the male officer from before said.

Akane stiffened but turned her head sharply to acknowledge the tall figure standing behind and above her; his face obscured by the lights of drones on the platform. She stood up, slowly turning her body to face him. Almost as a reflex, her eyes went to the dominator hanging from his hand. An unresolved rage began to possess her, countenance turning from grief to an irate grimace. In a sudden, impulsive move, she took a quick step forward to charge against him with all her strength, before taking off in the opposite direction from that of her group.

“Shit!” Kogami muttered after stumbling in the puddle behind him. He wasn’t in the mood for these types of antics.  

“Gino! Keep an eye on Sasayama!” he called over his shoulder as he raced after the small woman.

He saw her skedaddle over rails, flinging her arms to keep her balance before disappearing into the dark toothless mouth of a tunnel. He quickly approached before pausing at the ominous entrance: a colossal, unadulterated ring of gloom received him. The echo of her boots squelching in the water reached him from within the tunnel, until silence filled the air again. He cautiously began walking down the tunnel, pointing his weapon forward.

Pressed against the wall next to the other end of the tunnel, trying to control her panting, Akane closed her eyes to try to hear better. The loud rumble of the water running underneath the rusty scaffolding she was standing on made it hard to discern any sounds coming from the tunnel. She carefully angled her body to peek inside it.

Yes, he was there and closer than she thought.

Sorting her alternatives, her eyes scanned the possible escape routes or hideouts in this area of the underground: the area she hadn’t mapped out yet. She peeked over the railing. The stairs zig-zagged down to a concrete passageway along the canal. Problem was, the canal below was close to overflowing from weeks of heavy rain. She had to be very quick.

He heard the sound of her boots again, this time clanking fast against metallic steps. He rushed to the exit, no more games. His stomach hit the railing at the end of the tunnel as he briskly pointed his dominator at the emptiness below, but he couldn’t catch a glimpse of her on his sights. He tried to point it through the cracks on the metal floor, but with a moving target it was impossible. He muttered a curse and raced down the set of stairs on flying leaps.

Only a few seconds, just those precious seconds of distance was what she needed to lose him. She couldn’t look up or stop when her feet finally touched the wet floor. As she was pivoting to run, he jumped from above and landed exactly before her, blocking her escape route. Her bright eyes widened with surprise at being cornered. She instinctively took a few steps backwards when he pointed his dominator at her, his next words decisively anchoring her to the floor.

“Run again and I’ll shoot you.” His voice was gruff and his intent resolved. But the directive voice of his weapon seemed to disagree:

Tsunemori, Akane. Age: 22 Crime Coefficient: 28 Not a target for enforcement action.

Furrowed eyebrows and puzzled eyes met the glare directed at him as he lowered his weapon to try and physically apprehend her. A dazzling light blinded him for a second before he realized she was lunging towards him. He gasped when a strong back kick to his hand relinquished his hold on the dominator and sent it straight into the current of the canal, lost forever. For a second, they both stupidly watched as its light sank in the hazy water. Seemingly shocked at the outcome, they now turned to look at each other. Her eyes turned into slits of disdain.

“Not sorry,” she spat markedly before turning around and sprinting down the passageway.

In a second he debated if he should insist on this pointless chase, but anger pushed his feet, now soaking wet, forward.

“Aren’t you going to leave me alone?” she shouted as she climbed on the rungs of a ladder leading up to a tunnel.

“You surely don’t expect me to let you go after you attacked me and destroyed my dominator, do you?” he argued back, quickly closing in on her. She merely scoffed, focused now on making it to the tunnel above before he could grab her.

Breathless from the effort and out of time, she crawled on the squalor of the tunnel before swiftly lying on her back, bending her knees and inching close to the edge, waiting.

As soon as she saw the spikes of his hair, she kicked hard, trying to connect with his nose but he foresaw her move; head dodging and hand blocking her leg. He grasped her ankle then, hard, and slammed it onto the floor, twisting it. She tried to shrimp out, but he was already mounting his leg on her thigh and then the other one. His hands grabbed her wrists, pinning her to the floor as she writhed in pain.  

“Will you stop now?” His blue-gray furious eyes pierced her.

She stubbornly surrendered, letting her limbs lay flat; body admitting defeat and depleted of all its stamina. As he got off her, his face left her field of vision to be replaced with a darkened ceiling. She sat up, clenching her jaw in anger.

“Is he dead?” she asked without facing him, shoulders hunched, her fist over her heart.

He had stood up and was busy grumbling at his terminal, raising his arms in hope of finding a signal, visibly disgruntled.

“What?”

“Did you kill him?”

His gaze flicked at her and back at his terminal.

“The redhead? No. You would know if he was dead. He was merely paralyzed.”

She let out a slow breath of relief.

She stood up but, upon taking a step, a sharp pain made her recoil. She limped a little but lost balance and would have hit the floor hard hadn’t he grabbed the collar of her jacket, ripping it as he pulled her up.

“What are you doing?!” She raged and twisted, hanging from his hand as though she were a cat. When she found her feet again, she scowled and violently pushed his hand away. “Don’t touch me!”

He had already lost all patience with this girl’s insolence.

“Come here” he grunted, wrenching her sleeve towards him while reaching inside of his jacket to fetch handcuffs. She let him restrain her, face turned away in fury. Deliberately staring at her, he thought who gets more upset about a jacket than about a twisted ankle? But he quickly gave up on trying to understand her unfathomable behavior.

“Now we walk.” He tugged at the handcuffs with his finger and she reluctantly complied, following him with a slight limp.

“Do you even know where you are going?” she asked, wincing at each step.

“To wherever we can find a signal for my terminal.”

“These tunnels are very old and have been abandoned for a long time. You won’t find any signal close by here. It’s a dead zone,” she spat, her tone matter-of-fact. “We’d have to go back to where we came from to find some type of relay service”.

“And how do you suppose we go back? Should we enjoy a nice swim in the waters below?”.

“Fine.” Why am I trying to reason with a cop? “Here, at least take my flashlight so we can see where we are going”. She shifted her hip upwards where the small flashlight hung from her belt hoop. In a huff, he unhooked it and turned it on.

“Perfect. This tunnel seems to be going downwards”

“It looks like it’s a partially immersed tunnel,” she said, deadpan, her eyes inspecting the rusty joints. “With any luck, there won’t be any water at the bottom, though judging by how deteriorated it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were.”

He watched the serious expression on her face.

“How do you know so much about these tunnels?” he inquired with a hint of sincere curiosity that she quickly took as condescension.

Her eyes drifted up, following the trail of rust before they fell on his, unyielding. “I’m not ready to share my secrets with a cop, mind you.”

They resumed their pace when he interjected: “You’ll have to reveal your secrets when we interrogate you, however.”

“Mmm, I see. An optimist. You actually think you’ll make it out of here.” She said in the same dull tone, eyes fixed on the void in front of them.

“You seem pretty confident, despite the situation you are in.” Kogami looked intently at her limping foot to stress his point.

“I’m only saying that these tunnels belong to a part of the underground that has not been mapped out yet; they could go anywhere.” She stopped herself. “And as it stands, this is also your current situation. You wouldn’t be the first inspector that gets lost in the underground maze either, you should know,” she added sharply, cracks of anger beginning to show through her mask of indifference.  

“So that’s the job you do for the underground groups. You map their routes. Makes sense.”

She looked away and said no more.

____

They kept walking in silence for what seemed to be an eternity. His perception of time distorted now by the unforgiving darkness surrounding them. She seemed unperturbed by his mounting impatience, however, and that annoyed him even more.

“Is this goddamned tunnel taking us to the center of the Earth?”

“Yes, we are going straight to hell.” She scoffed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Isn’t this whole situation funny?” she said, sardonically. “Here I am, limping, attached to nothing less than a brooding cop, treading down an endless tunnel. It’s a dream come true.”

He rolled his eyes, but was ready to try a truce.

“How’s the ankle anyway? Let me see it. Sit over here.”

She didn’t know why but she obeyed him. He held her arm while she sat on the side of the tunnel and gave her the flashlight to hold. He kneeled and put her foot on his lap.  Deft fingers untied the laces, but when he had to pull the boot out, he did it slowly to assuage the pain. Still, she groaned.

“It’s pretty swollen.” He held her foot gently, turning it slowly to examine her injury. His fingers lightly touched the flourishing bruise and she drew back her leg in pain.

“Don’t touch it, please.” Her cuffed hands went up and her gaze pleaded with his. He turned his head to look at the darkness of the tunnel and back at her.

“Listen, I don’t know how much time we have. I could carry you for part of the way, but it would be better if you could walk a bit too. Now, I can fix this,” he said earnestly, hoping to appeal to her reason and by some lucky chance make her trust him, “and… although it will hurt, it’ll be a quick hurt and you won’t be making your injury any worse.”

She pursed her lips in frustration and resentment at him: the cause of everything, after all. But given her limited range of choices, she took a deep breath and mumbled a word of agreement.

“Turn off the light,” Kogami said in a quiet voice.

She did as he instructed but still closed her eyes. She felt cold fingers gently slide under the hem of her tight pants and readied herself for the pain. His thumbs massaged lightly the skin above her ankle, carefully avoiding the swollen area.

“So, where are you from? I’m from Kanagawa.”

“Huh? Do you really think this is the ti—AHHHHH!” Her scream reverberated on the walls of the tunnel. He was right; it hurt, but to her surprise, the pain dissipated quickly. She turned the flashlight back on just so he could see her disbelief. That was a slick trick he pulled.

He smirked at her.

“Turn your ankle. Does it still hurt?” Kogami asked, his pragmatic tone reminding her of who and where they were.  

She moved her small foot around.

“Barely.”

“Okay, let’s hurry then.”

_______

 Neither knew how much longer they’d have to walk, and though their pace had picked up, it felt like long moments passed before she spotted a glimmer of light at the bottom of the tunnel.

“That should be where the flat part of the tunnel starts. We’re almost at the middle of it,” Akane said.

Her heart sank when, upon approaching, water lapped at her feet. Their only viable exit was almost fully inundated, water close to reaching the ceiling. How could she have miscalculated it?  

“Any idea how long this part of the tunnel is?” He pressed his terminal watch against her handcuffs to release her.

“I’m guessing 15, 20 meters at least.” Akane replied in a mousy tone, rubbing her wrists. He thought he saw her pupils shake nervously, as if she knew more than she was willing to admit, even to herself.  

“Looks like we’ll have to swim after all.” He wanted to reassure her, noticing her body tensing. “At least there’s light inside this part of the tunnel; that’ll make the passage a lot easier. Come on.” He nodded to his right and extended his hand as he stepped in the water.

Akane tried to explain her trepidation.

“Uh, I don’t…” She looked him in the eye. “I don’t know how to swim,” she confided with as much dignity as she could muster.

“Oh.” His hand remained extended. “Then I’ll have to carry you. This is the only exit. Come.” His tone was firm.

He took hold of her hand as he led her into the cold, turbid water. A quick glimpse inside revealed that there was barely any breathing room. Now, waist deep, a repulsive musty smell rose to her nose. Without her meaning to, her body started shaking. Kogami grabbed her by the shoulders and gently turned her body, his chest bumping against her back. The rumble of his voice made her shiver worse.

“Relax. I won’t let you go. But I also don’t want you to have a claustrophobic attack in there, okay?” He wrapped his arm diagonally over her chest, moving forward to drag her into the water like a dead weight. As nervous as she was, she hated abdicating her self-reliance to someone else, stranger or not.

She gasped and tightened her grip on his arm when she lost her foothold, instinctively kicking her legs as he started swimming.

“Are you all right? Just do your best to keep your head up, okay?”

 “Y-yes.”

She could hear his strained breathing as they started gliding through fluctuating turns of darkness and light; her eyes fixed on the ceiling and her mind attempting in vain to measure the meters they had traversed. She willed herself to not think about the depth of the tunnel—or her being swallowed by it—digging her nails into his jacket.

Even with the cold water gnawing at his body, his mind and eyes kept calm, seeking for a sign of an exit. With a gush of energy on his endeavor, his leg lightly brushed against her and she panicked, arms slapping the water around them. Her scream was muted when bubbles came out of her mouth and then, by some miracle, her face rose and she could breathe again.

“Hey, relax! Relax! I got you.” He tightened his hold on her as she coughed and shook in fear. “We’re almost there!”

It wasn’t a lie. He had finally caught a glimpse of the sign he was waiting for. Stretching his arm to grasp onto the edge of the exit, he pulled forward to get them out of the tunnel. Feet finding purchase, he held her shaking body close to his chest until she was able to stand. After stumbling a little to get away from the water, she dropped to the floor, exhausted but relieved. He sat beside her, panting and sodden, an arm on his knee as he tossed his wet hair out of his face.

Akane looked up. They were in an enormous, cylindrical room. A remnant of some sort of filtering system from the past. Still, it was nothing compared to the storm sewer systems that existed today.

“Sometimes I think this whole city is hollow underneath.” She mused to herself before focusing back on him.

“You had me worried in there.” Kogami said, shaking his arms in disgust at the water, his face wet. “Perhaps don’t run into tunnels when it’s been raining for weeks if you don’t know how to swim?”

 She watched him.

 “Thank you.” She said meekly. She meant it.

_______

 Once they had climbed the long metal ladder out and trod through many a corridor and passage, they arrived at an open space full of massive columns, dimly illuminated by some flickering lights above. Her pale face darted vivaciously looking around the floor, seeking the marks she had left behind.

“I know where we are!” Akane shouted upon finding them. The picture she had come to memorize suddenly materializing in front of her. She scurried around the columns, interpreting the marks to determine which direction to take. He guardedly tried to follow her, fearing that she’d attempt to escape again. But all she did was circle around the columns, disappear from the sentinels of his eyes and reappear again and again, as if they were playing a peek-a-boo game.  

“Let’s head this way. There are a few exits, but the closest one will take us to Shimbashi.” She beckoned him to follow but he stayed put. She looked into his eyes and quickly understood the message they were sending her, prompting her to roll her own.

“Well, how do you plan on arresting me?” She crossed her arms and stared down at him. “You must’ve seen my Psycho-Pass number on your dominator, no? Wasn’t that the reason you didn’t shoot me?” She asked, irritated.

“I also saw you attack a detective and I know you aid a subversive group. What should I make of that?” His acute retort matching her severity.

“Well, luckily for you, it’s not about what you know, see or feel. It’s about what Sibyl decides. Isn’t your job to point the weapon and let Sibyl do the rest?”

“How do you do it? Do you take hue-clearing drugs? The illegal kind?” He reproached angrily too, taking a step forward, now towering over her.

Insulted at his impertinence, she looked defiantly into his eyes.

“Why don’t you ask your precious Sibyl and leave me the hell alone?” She muttered through her teeth.  

They stood still, staring daggers at each other when they heard steps echo behind the columns. They both turned to look.

A group of people appeared from the shadows behind the columns. It was the dark figures from before, spreading out and stalking around them like hungry beasts.

“It took you a while, didn’t it?” Akane said in a snappy tone.

“Well, my dear, few have as good a memory as you do and, if you recall, you took your maps with you.” A man, his mouth covered, countered in a nasty tone. “And is this a souvenir from your travels?” He looked up and down at Kogami, who was openly glowering at the feline gaze, unafraid.

“I’ll say. You do know how to pick’em,” the man jibed sarcastically.

“Be quiet, Taro.” Akane snapped, eternally impatient with pointless displays of grandiloquence.  

“Did he hurt you?” Another voice interrupted, loud and peevish. It was Ryota.

She eyed Kogami. “No.” She paused. “We can let him out through the East exit and be done with him.”

“Let him go, you said? Thanks to these pieces of shit we’ve lost three people.” Ryota said huskily, coming out of the shadows. He was a tall man in a big black jacket that failed to conceal the muscle underneath. His eyes blazed a fiery green—even with dilated pupils—bright against his tanned skin. “And I happen to be in the mood to break some teeth.”

Kogami was impassive, but he didn’t miss the sharp brass knuckle gleaming from his hand. Ryota came to stand behind Akane. She looked very small next to him.

“We won’t do that.” Akane stated sharply. Her arms were still crossed, but her face turned slightly over her shoulder to look at the heated man behind her.  

“Ak- You can’t be serious!” Taro complained, incredulous.

“There’s no benefit to us, save for the release of a misdirected anger and some doubtful, fleeting gratification. Consider the probable worsening of our hues and one more motive for the crackdowns to continue. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball.”

“You know me. I’m all for cheap, fleeting gratification. And also, how much worse can my hue get?” Ryota murmured, bending his arm upwards to show a balled fist.

“Is the dominator on him?” A tall woman leaning against the column inquired. Her eyes were lost in the shadow of her hood, but the vibrant red of her lips was conspicuous.

“No, he lost it. I told you. He’s useless. He’s just another one of Sibyl’s dogs; a waste without its eyes.” Akane put her hand over Ryota’s fist, bringing it back down. “Let’s go.”

The faceless woman spoke directly to Kogami, smiling. “You get to keep your handsome face tonight, Inspector.”

______

 They walked surrounding Kogami until they reached a wide, illuminated tunnel; one of regular use. The whole group came to a halt as though a voice that he couldn’t hear had ordered them to. The others moved behind Akane.  

“Keep walking straight down this tunnel,” she said, adopting the same dry voice from before. “You’ll see a set of stairs on your left.” Kogami stared fixedly into her eyes as she spoke, but she couldn’t bear to hold his gaze. “You’ll find your exit there.”

He had nothing to say, so he turned around and started walking down the path she’d indicated. Once more, he tried to connect his terminal. It was alive. Before calling Ginoza he stopped to look back at her, but the whole group had already disappeared.

Song for this chapter: 

I'm the trouble starter, punkin' instigator I'm the fear addicted, danger illustrated I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter You're a firestarter, twisted firestarter