#shouting into the void for shades fans

[daveyfvckingjacobs]

the someday king

[poptart-productions]

his type

[part two of a series]

↳ ❝ [summary] ¡! ❞

after a bit of teasing about your apparent ‘crush’ on eren on your friend’s part, you and “the homegirls” finally make it to the paradis concert.

after the show, the six of you head backstage to receive your v.i.p treatment and instead you get eren’s attention, which—as you’ll find out, is more weight than you can bear

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it was all fun and games until you actually got there

you felt out of place

to be fair, you came for the networking opportunity and that super attractive guitarist, so it’d be unfair to compare you to a fan.

but still, you felt wrong being there—like you took the spot from someone more deserving than yourself.

the pestering flavor of coffee sat heavy on the back of your tongue as you looked amongst the mingling fans—all the faces reduced to featureless paint smears in the darkness.

surprisingly, none of your friends were speaking, at least not too loud—even sasha, which was frightening.

and so, you were forced into what was, practically eavesdropping on fans; all of which were in varying degrees of fandom

“that album—oh my fucking god—they ate”

“—devoured!”

another conversation.

“i’m gonna fucking cry—“

“—jenna, if you cry—we’re going home”

and another.

“eren is so hot—one chance, please”

you chuckled a bit hearing that, because shit—this person is just like you for saying that

but you quirked a brow at what their friend said in response, “well, you know what they been saying about him, you might be—“

another voice, “—don’t even give her false hope—bitch, this isn’t wattpad”

the trio laughs but you’d already stopped paying attention at that point

what have they been saying about eren?

might be what?

from the undertone of the conversation, and the person begging for ‘one chance’ with him, you’d guess that the rumors were alluding to eren being something of a playboy

you sighed; you’re not surprised—he’s young, he’s pretty, and he’s in a band—of course he’s a fuckboy

“you okay—?“

“—oh! miki. . .” your shoulders tense as mikasa’s sultry voice funneled into your ears

you did eventually realize that it was her, and calmed down some; you blinked, finally answering her question, “yeah. . .yeah! i’m alright! i just—i don’t know, i’ve just never really been to a concert, i guess”

“oh, i know how you feel, but you’ll have fun. and if you need some—“ “—let’s fucking go!” before mikasa could finish, the stage lights flicked on, and the boys came on stage all at once

thankfully, you’d done some research on paradis while waiting for the girls in the parking lot—all that fussing, and you were still there first—so you recognized all of the guys and their respective positions

connie, the one coming with so much energy was the drummer—“are you ready, [h/t]?!” he continued, rousing all kinds of ‘yeahs’ from the audience

“then make some fucking noise” another screamed, an attractive fry to his voice

jean : bassist and sub-vocalist—he was pretty fucking popular, too. the sea of fans responded with screeches, some of which consisted of obscene ‘daddy’s’ and ‘fuck me’s’ shouted into the void

these motherfuckers are insane.

seriously, you’d think some kpop group was on the stage right now.

armin, the lead vocalist pouts, “you guys sound bored, c’mon”

you scan the stage, and that’s the moment that man appears, out of nowhere.

eren, the guitarist—though he needs no introduction; he’s the most popular member, for fuck’s sake

he saunters toward the front of the stage, single-handedly causing an uproar in the audience—and why would he not—let’s not kid ourselves here; this man looks fucking good.

waves of brown hair cascading freely down his shoulders, green eyes tinted through the shades he decided to wear inside—but he’s hot so it’s okay

he was shirtless, leading all the attention to his lean—i mean, neckless—of course, the key neckless which he always wore, according to the website you were staring at in your car twenty minutes ago

whether it had sentimental value or he just thought it looked cool, you might not ever know, but it was still eye catching nonetheless

draws attention to that abdomen of his. . .

fuck.

but wait, there’s more; the pants—those fucking leather pants, the light was doing a great job at making it known just how. . .excited he was before getting on stage

either that or, he was just that impressive

after all that time you spent utterly eye-fucking this man, he finally opens his mouth

shit

“if you want us to give it to you, you’re gonna fucking scream, alright?”

sultry, deep, husky—it brought you back to your old boy band days—you’re ashamed to admit that you already started imagining him whispering things to you, dirty things

“one more try” he continues, “make some motherfucking noise!”

he said ‘noise’, and the fans delivered.

all you could hear was noise.

your feelings of isolation only got worse when the music started—if you could even call it that—you could only hear the bass as it boomed from the super-sized speakers above; the only thing cutting through it all was armin’s voice, with occasional harmonies from eren and jean

they sounded nice, but god was everything so fucking loud

you looked over to find everyone having a good time, but you

sasha and historia were screaming the lyrics—regardless of the fact that sasha did not know a single one—and jumping up and down, with mikasa and ymir standing protectively behind them to ensure their safety

they were bobbing their heads to the beat, too. hell, even annie seemed to be enjoying herself; nodding her head and mouthing the words to the chorus

it wasn’t until mikasa hurriedly handed you the earplugs she had forgotten to give you that you saw what all the fuss was about.

there’s nothing for you to say except. . .

you get it, now

you felt like middle schooler, screaming in the audience—it was fun—they’d only performed a few songs, it felt like, before armin looked at the audience with a pitiful smile, “alright, so for this last song—“ the crowd, including you, responded with childish whines

“you guys always do this—“ armin shakes his head with a laugh, to which jean smiled, “yeah, shit’s gotta end eventually”

the whining subsided, and armin continued, “so for this last song, we wanted you guys to sing. . .” the chords to an unknown—to you at least—track began to play

there was a nervous tension in the air, “eren, start ‘em off!”

eren smirks, jade eyes focused on his instrument as he played the audience in, “there is nothing you can do that i have not already done to my self, there is nothing you could do that i have not already done to myself—“

you paused, you’ve heard this song before.

never wanted to dance—that’s it’s name—you’d heard it on historia’s playlist while sleeping over at her and ymir’s place.

“there is nothing you could do that i have not already done to myself—“

“—never wanted to dance with nobody—“ a few voices started to sing, but quickly died down upon realizing how alone they were

the guys of paradis are reduced to nothing but disappointed groans and looks,“oh come on! you were just screaming loud as fuck—could barely hear ourselves” connie chided, so upsets it seems, that he almost fell off his chair

“scream!” jean and armin encouraged, and eren continued with their sentiment, “we don’t give a fuck if you think you sound bad—just give us everything you got, alright?”

they start over, and at first it seems the result will be the same until a voice from the audience starts screaming the lyrics

“never wanted to dance with nobody but you—!”

you knew that voice anywhere.

historia.

“fuck yeah, go crazy!” connie praised, gearing up to play his part

historia’s shrill voice lands all eyes on her but she clearly didn’t give a fuck, she was screaming;

“never wanted to dance with nobody but you wouldn’t take no for an answer—you fucking bitch!” it was so strange hearing historia swear, but your ‘homegirls’ seemed cool with it and she was jamming so you smiled at her

“never wanted to dance, with nobody but you—!“ sasha joined, jumping up and down like a child.

gotta love the enthusiasm.

it wasn’t long before the entire venue was alive, all screaming the same lyrics to the same song

it was electric.

you forgot what you were originally there for, not remembering until the six of you were in the bathroom, freshening up

“did you have fun?” mikasa combed her fingers through her hair, glancing at all of you through the mirror,

“are you kidding?” historia laughed, “i’m ecstatic about it!”

“life-changing!” sasha giggled, almost as if she was loopy, and ymir nodded, “it was pretty fun”

“not bad” that’s annie for: i had fun

“that’s better. . .” you let out a sigh as you stared at yourself in the mirror

all the excitement left you with a youthful glow, but the screaming left you looking like you hadn’t slept in five years

if you’re gonna be meeting eren and agency representatives, you’re gonna need to look decent

it wasn’t long after you chugged a bunch of water, and fixed your appearance, that sasha was already dragging you towards the door

“okay! let’s go backstage—i can smell the food from here!”

“why are you always hungry?”

as soon as you walked into the room, reps were already flooding mikasa; it wasn’t long before they turned their attention to you

your friends left you alone to converse with them, and you’d scheduled a couple castings before skipping up to your friends—who was talking to the band—holy shit, they’re looking at you.

deadass, they all just stopped whatever they were doing and looked at you—maybe it was because you so hard to ignore when you were literally beaming

“hi! i’m [y/n]! i’m friends with them!”

“oh, hey!” they all greeted, “nice to meet you”

all of you moved the ensuing conversation to a seating area in the corner.

seeing as there was no room left on the couch your friends decided to sit on, you plopped yourself down on the loveseat across from them

you started cursing yourself out the moment eren slid into the empty seat beside you—because of course he did

your heart was slamming against your rib cage, meanwhile, eren was chilling. your best effort to combat this was just pretending he didn’t exist

you looked around you.

it was crazy; they were just like the movies, so cool and laid back—or maybe it’s the drugs, you thought, cutting your eyes to eren, who was shamelessly rolling up on the glass table—already reminded of his existence

he glanced up at you, a teasing smile playing on his lips, “you smoke?”

“no—no, i don’t. but thank you” you clear your throat and force a chuckle.

“sure, princess” the nickname flowed from his lips so effortlessly; he already moved on, but you were still shocked about it.

your body was tense, but armin smiled at you sweetly as asked you a question, “you’re the same age as miki, right?”

you smiled upon hearing the nickname come from him

they must’ve been friends before, too

seemingly interested, connie asked follow-up questions, leaning his body towards you, “you in college? what’s your major?”

you nodded feverishly, telling them your major with a proud smile; they smiled back.

“got a partner?”

you could feel his burning gaze on you, and everyone who was once talking stopped to look at the brunette

his bandmates looked quite dissatisfied with him

mikasa’s weighty gaze burdened him, but eren didn’t seem to notice.

she sighed, and turned to you with a softer glance, “[n/n], you can come sit by me, if—“

“—no need to be like that” eren chuckled, lighting the blunt resting between his lips, “she’s hot, i’m not allowed to think that?”

jean crosses his arms, “yeah, but you don’t need to eye-fuck her, man”

“sorry,” he looked at you, “i’d say he’s not normally like this but. . .”

resting his arms behind you, eren leans back; you made the mistake of looking at him—of course, what you find is him staring back at you with those damn eyes of his

“. . .just returning the favor”

you tried to hide it, but you couldn’t deny how your body became rigid after he said that to you

did he really see that? that is so embarrassing—fuck

it was only worsened when you tried to explain yourself, only coming out as stammers

“i—i wasn’t—“

“—you never answered my question” you were humiliated, like a small girl underneath his gaze.

you cast your eyes down to your lap, “no. i don’t have one—a partner”

“good.” he leans towards you, shoulders touching yours; his breath was fanning against the shell of your ears

the leather beneath him made noise as he moved his hands; his calloused fingers graze the back of your neck and you shivered at this.

“so is it cool if i—“

“—pause.” ymir stood up, the sudden action gaining everyone’s attention

she walks toward you, and you seriously thought they were about to start boxing, “thanks for the hospitality.” thankfully, she just grabbed you—yanking you to your feet with a wild amount of force.

“but we’re leaving.”

tags!

@butterfly-skinnylegend

@y-yinyang

[osleeplessflowero]

L.O.VE And Justice

a somewhat satirical bad sanses reader insert fic

Chapter Two: Well..This Is A Problem

Ao3 Link < Fic Masterpost < Previous Chapter < Next Chapter >

divider credit in tags

Content Warning: Violence

The moon shines in through your window from above. The stars twinkle in the night sky. A fan blows in your room, keeping you cool since the heater in your room made you much too hot. The curtains blow slightly when the air hits them. You sit up abruptly in your bed without a word nor warning, turning your focus outside towards the houses nearby. All of their lights are off, which makes sense given the time you assume it is. 

Standing, you slowly begin walking out of your room..feeling as if you're being tugged somewhere by..something. Like you simply must follow a call of some kind. You enter your living room, stopping in front of a single long mirror in the room. You place your right hand against the side of it as a figure slowly begins to manifest behind you. Bony hands cover your eyes so you don't see, your view consisting of nothing but black voids now. 

Their voice is somewhat muffled, a ringing sound entering your ears until it clears up a little. They whisper to you, the voice of the familiar figure soft with a hint of a rasp to it.

"You're using your magic again." They say, sounding proud. You smile a little at this. "I've missed it, admittedly. It's been too long now.." You reply softly. 

"Indeed it has. You will need to practice in order to improve. You wouldn't want to risk any more deaths of the innocent, would you?" "No..No, I wouldn't." You mutter, holding your hands together in front of your chest. 

"Then I suggest you resume training. Those skeletons may return to attack once more. And when they do?" 

"I'll stop them." You drop your arms to your sides.

"Very good. Now then..it's time to wake up."

"Wake up? What do you-" You turn to try and look at them before you're interrupted by a snap of someone's fingers. 

You open your eyes, abruptly shooting up out of your bed. The moon greets you as you stare at it with narrowed eyes, casting its beautiful glow over your room like a natural spotlight. You rest your hand on your forehead as you sit up properly, yawning. Another strange dream..at least this one had someone you recognize in it. Still no explanation for the previous night..THEY COULD'VE AT LEAST WOKEN YOU UP DURING THE DAY-

Eh, whatever. No use in dwelling on it right now. You don't think you can go back to sleep for a while..maybe you should do something productive to make you tired. But what? 

You glance around your room, spotting your hairclip on the nightstand.. getting an idea. 

"Time to go get some practice in." You put your hand over where your soul would be, before raising it in the air.

"Justice, Give Me Strength!"

The hairclip on your head glows an even brighter shade of yellow the moment the words are shouted, its magic beginning to surround your body. You allow it to consume you, lifting you off of your bed. The magic swirls around and forms into your costume, having mixes of yellow in it. A hooded cape forms on your back. You pull it up over your head to cover it as you land back on the ground in front of the bed. 

You slide open the window to your room, contemplating for a moment. 

..You then close it, go to the front door, and walk out safely. Not the best idea to risk a broken leg for a superhero stunt. Especially not when you're the ONLY superhero around here. 

NOW it's time for action!

You sprint into the night, your bright yellow cape flowing behind you as you do. Your shoes thump/click against the driveway, your breathing one of the few things you can focus on. Crickets chirp in the grass when you pass by them. 

Your eyes dart around as you consider where to go, entering the close by city and making sure not to be spotted. You spot the local shooting range, shrugging your shoulders before sneaking in. Is breaking and entering illegal? Yes. Are you going to do it anyway? Yes. It's not like anybody's gonna kno-

"Ugh, it's you again. Just gotta make my job harder.." 

You jolt, turning around to spot a security guard you're familiar with. You think his name was..Soren. Yeah. 

He's a pretty tall guy, the slender type. Fairly skinny and very pale. You've thought he looks like a vampire before. He has really long, black, messy hair that goes a little past his back. It slightly covers his eyes too, but they're faintly visible. He's got a lot of piercings that you can spot. His guard uniform is grey, the shirt a light grey and the pants a darker shade. He shines his flashlight in your face, a tired look on his own.

"You gonna cause trouble?" He asks, an annoyed expression on his face.  "No." You reply immediately, blinking your eyes rapidly in mock innocence.  "Then do what you want, I guess. Just don't make it obvious I let you in here after hours. I am not sitting through a lecture again."  "Thaaaanks-" You call out to him as you run past him, making your way into the area where the targets are. 

"I don't get paid enough to deal with this." He sighs, muttering as he makes his rounds elsewhere. 

You let out a sigh of relief, pointing your fingers in a gun-like gesture and forming your gun. You lift it up, aiming carefully at the target, and shoot. A bright yellow heart shaped bullet lands right in the center, a small bit of smoke coming off of it. 

You're good at aiming. So why couldn't you hit them?  Well..considering the low HP they had..it might not have been a good idea to anyhow. It's not important anyway. What's important is that you increase your skills, in case they should ever decide to come back and cause trouble. 

In truth, you wouldn't want to kill anybody at all. You're very against the idea. You'd never do something like that unless you were absolutely forced to, and even then you'd probably hesitate. 

Another shot, another bullet hitting the target right in the center.

You silently hope they don't return. Having the blood of innocent people on your hands..isn't a pleasant feeling. 

Your hands begin to tremble. You let those people die because you weren't good enough. You let those people die because you weren't fast enough. Smart enough. Willing to kill for their safety. 

It's your fault, your fault, your fault-

You fire off a bullet without realizing, letting out a shriek as it hits the target. You lower your gun, putting it in its proper holster on your costume and placing your hands on the sides of your head, calming down your nerves. 

It's not your fault. But it is.  You didn't want to kill anyone. But people died because you didn't-

You groan, messing up your hair. Why does this have to be so complicated?..

Killing them wouldn't make you any better than they are. You were just rusty, that's all. It's been a long time since you've had to use quick thinking like that..

You take some deep breaths, an exercise you learned to calm yourself down. Then stand up more properly and shoot at the target once more. 

Bam. Bam. Bam. 

You stop, hearing a strange sound outside. You pull your hood back up and place your gun in its holster, not taking your hand off of it as you make your way out to see what's going on. Thugs maybe? Or maybe a wild animal digging around in a dumpster for food? 

A ringing sound echoes through your ears, causing you to turn your head. The gem on your hairclip flickers along with the sound as you raise your hand to hear a little better. 

"Someone please help me!" 

Someone needs you, time to run! You chase after the sound of a voice. You're very thankful for this little ability of yours, being able to find exactly where you need to serve justice in a short amount of time. You make your way over to a convenience store, peeking in through the glass doors and keeping yourself out of sight. 

"P-Please, just take what you want and go! Don't hurt me!" The shopkeeper scrambles to get his words together as a knife is held against his throat by an unknown figure. You lean a little closer to see who it is..

They let out a chuckle. "wow, i thought you would've at least put up a little more of a fight. i mean, really. this is just sad, buddy. just gonna let me take anything like this? not a very sound business practice." 

That raspy voice. That raspy, annoying voice is one you recognize. Blue jacket, bright red target over his chest. Black stuff leaking from his eyesockets. A grin that stretches when he sees the shop owner's fearful expression. 

It's one of those skeletons from earlier!

You gently push open the door, carefully making sure you don't make a sound as you crawl over below the counter.

"look how pathetic you are..i could kill ya right now and nobody would bat an eye. it's not like you'd fight back..just means more LOVE for me." He holds the man off the ground by his shirt collar, pulling his knife down and changing its position to be just over where his soul would be. "any last words, big guy?"

His grin twitches when he feels something pressed against the back of his skull, turning his head slightly to look. 

You stand right behind him, your gun placed against his skull as you stare him down. The breeze from the doors that were left open shifts your clothing a little to the right. His grin stretches again when he realizes just who you are..

"Kill him, and I'll put a pretty little bullet through your skull. Not exactly an ideal outcome, is it?" You raise a brow with narrowed eyes, the poor man being held at knife-point praying to whatever religious figure he worships that he makes it out of here alive.

The skeleton chuckles, turning to face you more directly. "fancy meeting you here, sunshine." He taunts, pointing the knife directly against the man's chest rather than letting it barely hover before it. "if you wanna try and shoot me, go right ahead. if you even can." 

You furrow your brows as you glare at him, putting your finger over the trigger as a warning. The skeleton seems..thrilled by the idea, something that unsettles you deeply. There's a short pause before he moves his knife away from the man, dropping him the moment he loses interest. You're almost relieved until he abruptly moves, pressing his knife against your chin and lifting it up so you'll look directly into his eyesockets. Empty, black voids stare back at you, an inky substance leaking from them as a sinister smile crosses his face.. giving you a chill down your spine. 

"you wanna fight? i'm more than willing to have a rematch."  "If it means it'll get you out of here.." You grin, an expression that catches him off guard. "I'm MORE than willing, freakshow." 

He chuckles at this, moving his knife away from your face and backing up, entering a fighting stance. The shopkeeper slowly backs away from the counter. 

"Get out of here, go somewhere safe. You can reopen your shop in the morning." You warn him, not breaking eye contact with the skeleton before you.

"At this fuckin' point, he can have the damn store." The man runs off, a shaky tone to his voice. 

"sweet. more stuff for me to steal." The skeleton grins, earning a deadpan expression from you as you point your gun in his direction again. 

"You're not taking anything on my watch." You warn, much to his amusement.

"wanna bet, sunshine?" A challenging smirk crosses his face. You roll your eyes, already tired of this. 

"Stop calling me that."  "why? you're covered in yellow, i think it's fitting." He raises his browbones. "Whatever-" You're cut off by the skeleton attempting to slash at you with his knife. You jump back, crashing into a shelf. Damn it, he distracted you so he could catch you off guard! You can't let that happen again. Dying here isn't exactly ideal.. 

You regain your balance, holding your gun up to block against his knife slashes. It doesn't cover you very well, but it's enough for the attacks to miss you. You charge forwards, shooting at him. He dodges the shots as you'd expected him to, holding up his free hand and pulling it closed. You look a bit confused for a moment before you see a bright blue soul in front of your chest, your eyes widening as he flings you over to the freezer section. 

Okay..that's new. You can handle this. He shoves some small snacks into his pockets while you shift to get back on your feet, You shoot while he's distracted, earning a wince from him when a bullet grazes his shoulder. 

"huh..not bad." "I try." A cheeky grin crosses your face before you feel a strange sensation within your soul, pausing and holding your hand over your chest. 

"oh? what's this?" He asks, a curious expression now on his face. You look over at him with a brow raised. "lv 2.. very interesting. so..who'd you kill?" His grin stretches when he sees your now shocked expression and stiff body. You tense up the moment you hear the word kill, averting your eyes before charging at him again. 

Bullets are met with knife strikes at the same speed, a cycle that repeats over and over as the two of you spin around each other in the middle of the store. You eventually manage to force him out of it, resulting in him running away. You chase him down. 

"Hey! I'm not done with you yet! Give what you stole back!" You shout, picking up your pace. "gonna have to catch me to make me do that!" He shouts back from a distance with a smug grin. An annoyed groan escapes your lips as you chase after him through the city, the lights illuminated everywhere acting as a spotlight to the two of you. The stars twinkle brightly overhead. 

The two of you make your way to the nearest train station, attacks going in every direction imaginable. Killer backs up towards the train tracks, making you raise a brow. You hear the sounds of the incoming train, looking between him and the space the train will soon go through. ..What is he doing? Does he have a death wish??

With a playful wink as the train arrives, he shortcuts onto the top of it, crouching down a little as he makes his escape. NOT ON YOUR WATCH. 

You point your gun at the ground, charging up a bigger shot and propelling yourself up onto the train, grabbing onto the roof and pulling yourself up so that you're crouching across from him. Once you've both passed the arch, the space above you is much more open, leaving room for combat as you chase one another across the train cars. Gunshots and strikes resume, people in the train looking up and wondering just what the commotion is. 

"i'll admit, you're a pretty good fighter! haven't taken one of my hits once. guessing you've got lots of practice?" He strikes, you counter. 

"Something like that." You huff, jumping up as he tries to strike you again. Yellow heart-shaped bullets can be seen all around, glowing in the dark tunnel. You think for a moment while you're still in the air..

This battle's going to go on until he either kills you, or you find a way to ensure he can't fight you anymore. You refuse to kill him. There must be another way. But how could you stop..?

You realize what you need to do, the idea hitting you like a truck. You land on the ground, blocking off his slashes with gunshots before abruptly propelling yourself into the air with another gunshot. Some people who were sitting in the train abruptly jump to the side, narrowly dodging a bright yellow heart that had went through the roof. Killer looks up in surprise before you come crashing down, shooting behind him. When he turns his head to look in confusion, you hit a pressure point on the back of his skull with your gun, catching him off guard. He falls onto his knees before you, passing out. 

You take deep breaths, kneeling beside him. God, that was exhausting. Now, what should you do with him?..You can't just leave him on the train. 

Looking around, you decide it might be better to bring him home with you until someone comes to get him. You struggle a bit to lift him at first, but eventually manage to hold him over your shoulder, jumping down from the train and running off into the night once more with the sleeping skeleton not moving an inch. His phone rings, but you ignore it as you make your way back to your home on a hidden path. Someone seeing you with an unconscious monster over your shoulder would give a pretty bad impression.. 

You drop him a moment as you de-transform in front of your door, unlocking it and dragging him inside. Well..this just got a little complicated, didn't it?

[thatonetwig]

Love your work! Also, I'm a bit of a fan of Hood x Void, and the ship name you gave for them is very cool! Speaking of, what do you think would happen if Hood encountered Void's A.C. form for the first time?

Perfect time to share one of my excerpts!

...

Hood slowly opened his eyes and looked around in confusion while still feeling disoriented.

"What...happened?", he questioned himself.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw Void floating above the arena with purple sparks forming at his feet. Hood stood up, and he realized that Void was now a darker shade of purple than he usually was.

"Void?! Void! Are you okay?! What happened?!", he called out to him.

Void turned around and saw Hood down below.

"Heh...took you long enough to wake up. Just in time to witness the destruction of the universe...", he said in a voice deeper than Void's own.

The realization struck Hood like a meteorite; he wasn't talking to Void. Rather, something entirely different speaking through his body like a parasite.

"Y-you! Who do you think you are?! W-what have you done with Void?!", Hood demanded angrily.

"Oh you simple-minded organism...haha...", the entity laughed.

"You can refer to me as...A.C. And to put it simply, he's gone. Void is gone."

Hood's anger immediately shifted into fear and an overwhelming sense of despair when he heard those words.

"W-what d-do you m-mean...?", he questioned shakily.

"Well, I was something about him that he didn't tell you about. He was scared; scared of you leaving him for what he truly was beneath the surface...honestly so pathetic...", A.C. said in a taunting manner that felt like a knife being plunged directly into Hood's heart.

"H-he...d-didn't tell me...b-because he was scared...?", Hood asked, sounding like he was about to cry any moment now.

"You heard me correctly. Anyway, before everything else is reduced to nothing, I wanted to strike a deal with you.", A.C. said in a casual manner.

Hood raised his head in shock as he stared up at the entity once again.

"A...deal?"

"Yeah. Imma be honest, in spite of the many times I cringed at you two, it did give me a good laugh from time to time.", A.C. replied.

"So, as a bit of a thank you, I'll spare you from the destruction of this universe as we know it if you don't get in my way. What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Hood lowered his head in despair as his voice trembled heavily.

"Y-ye-"

Suddenly, Hood caught himself mid-sentence and felt something awaken within him. It was a feeling that he had never experienced this intensely before; determination. But it wasn't the kind that urged him to run away from danger. No. it was the kind that urged him to fight against it in-spite of his own capabilities. Feeling this, he raised his head once again and looked the entity directly in the eyes.

"No! We don't have a deal! I know Void is still in there somewhere! You think I'll just let you get away with this after all you've done?! You sure as hell won't so long as I'm here! You ain't destroying the universe! Not now, not ever!", Hood shouted in pure determination as he got into a fighting stance.

"Ha...", A.C. chuckled.

"You know, they really were right when they said that love makes you blind to even the biggest of red flags...gotta laugh at the stupidity, really.", A.C. said as the sparks at his feet grew in intensity.

"No matter...you're just another speck in the universe at the end of the day that will be squashed like a bug under my shoe. You ready?", A.C. asked.

Hood didn't back down and nodded his head and taunted the entity with his fists.

"Hehe...should've run away when you had the chance."

[mcl38]

they haven't quite turned on vcarb the way they did mclaren but from what i've read that seems to be bc daniel keeps saying "it's not the same problem as mclaren" when like idk dude if the only time you've finished a race ahead of yuki was bc you got put on softs at the end of the race it is smelling very shades of mexico '22 to me. just without the having to make up a time penalty bc u punted yuki off the track.

i can say yuki is already getting the lando treatment though. "hOW MANY RACES HAS HE WON AND YOU DARE SAY HES PERFORMING BETTER THAN AN 8 TIME GP WINNER?" (ya i'll go to the top floor of my apartment and shout it into the void through a megaphone too what are you going to do about it) only this time there's a heavy dose of racism added in. the amount of people i have seen calling yuki a "pokémon" derogatorily and refusing to admit the racist connotations there are wild. not to mention the ableist terms i've seen be used to refer to his height. it's all very gross and yet again daniel says nothing to even try to prevent it. it's wild how someone always has to get harassed by his fans regardless of if he fails or succeeds.

ok so like first of all yikes. i rly rate yuki but im v selective w my online (especially my tumblr)

experience so i rly almost never venture out of my mclaren-centred bubble, which means i never rly see what ppl say abt him. 'pokemon' is actually vile like thats so clearly racist bc its not even a pun of his name at all or any sort of reference to his personality?? AND the fact that its a cartoon w the infantilising implications of that... ku's essay on the infantilisation of east asian drivers u will always be famous.... like u guys ever noticed how nyck is also rly short and has a youthful face and nobody ever talked abt him in the way they talk abt yuki? much to think abt

now. permission to be mean here but even if its 'not the same problem as mclaren' is the problem not STILL the fact that daniel in his 10+ year career hasnt bothered to understand the way the engineering of f1 cars works in like any material way and thats the reason he always struggles to identify his driving issues / has a disconnect with his chassis unless its tailored exactly to what he already likes and knows how to drive? i saw that bit from newey's book about how max and checo give rly good feedback and so did webber and vettel and it was kind of subtly implying that during the bit in between (the daniel era) he designed less effective cars be he wasnt getting enough precise feedback.... i genuinely havent been able to sleep at night since. like it felt like smth slotted in my head like aaaah this has been the problem all along. if only daniel wasnt so busy going on podcasts making fun of the idea of women in motorsport and actually spent some time to do some way overdue physics homework... lol. Imao even

the truth of the situation is yuki is in the best form of his career and also wiping the floor w daniel. like factually so. EVEN with team orders favouring daniel so his fans cant say its bc of that like they did with mclaren. i genuinely think its quite sad the amount of personal stock daniel fans have clearly invested in this mans career and how much it bothers them when he doesnt perform to their expectations - like he's ur driver, swallow it and accept it, because thats what he's been doing to try to move on. doing all this intense online hate bullshit only makes him look bad bc it highlights how badly and for how long he rly has been embarrassingly underperforming. but by this point it feels like they WANT him to underperform bc they crave that martyr underdog victimised figure to root for and fight for - which is why ur totally right anon, that someone always inevitably gets harrassed regardless of if daniel is failing or succeeding. 

i will say one thing which is that i rly dont think daniel is at all aware of whatever the fuck his fans do on twitter and instagram (and deffo not tumblr lmao). so i dont think this is an issue of like him telling his fans to chill out - and it doesnt work anyways, bc lando literally has made talking abt how much cyberbullying sucks a part of his personality and theres still some rly mean and hateful lando fans (not in a fun way like me<3 lol) (i hate on my own blog and in discord groupchats). so like thats not necessarily on him, its more on netflix for making him the lowest common denominator guy to like, ykwim? also the unfortunate reality is that despite the tshirts and the kneeling (or no kneeling) no one rly seems to stand up to defend the drivers of colour who literally constantly get SUCH vitriol thrown towards them w any occasion. im not expecting daniel of all ppl to say anything abt it ngl

[sreejakrishna]

Supercharge Your Facebook Page: Get More Followers Today!

Title: A Melodious Quest for Facebook Fame

In the realm of digital threads we weave, To boost our page, our hearts believe. Engage the crowd with tales untold, In vivid hues, let dreams unfold.

With posts that dance and voices true, Our page will grow, the audience too. A symphony of likes and shares, In Facebook’s realm, our fame declares.

Why Facebook Matters for Your Business

Facebook isn't just a social platform; it's a powerful tool for businesses. With billions of active users, it’s like having a megaphone to shout your brand's message. Imagine standing in the middle of a bustling market—everyone's there, and you want to grab their attention. That's what Facebook offers! When you increase your page's visibility, you're not just being seen; you're connecting with potential customers right where they hang out.

Boost Your Visibility: Why It’s Crucial

So, why should you care about increasing your Facebook page visibility? It’s simple. More visibility means more people can see your posts, and more eyes mean more opportunities for engagement. Think of it like planting seeds in a garden. If you plant them in the shade, they won't grow. But if you plant them in the sunlight, they blossom! Increased visibility leads to a thriving community around your brand.

Engaging Content: The Heart of Your Strategy

Creating engaging content is key to drawing people to your page. But what does that look like? It’s about quality over quantity. Share fun facts, behind-the-scenes peeks, and engaging visuals that resonate with your audience. Use bright colors and clear images—these are like magnets that pull people in. Always ask questions or encourage comments to get your fans chatting. The more they interact, the more likely your page will pop up in their friends' feeds.

Utilize Facebook's Features: Your Best Friends

Facebook has numerous features designed to help businesses thrive. For instance, think about Facebook Stories. They’re like a friendly wave that keeps you at the forefront of your audience's mind. Posting Stories regularly keeps your brand fresh and fun. And let's not forget about Facebook Live! It's a fantastic way to connect in real-time, allowing you to showcase your products, answer questions, and build relationships.

Run Targeted Ads: Reach Your Perfect Audience

Ever feel like you’re shouting into the void? That’s where Facebook Ads come into play. With these ads, you can specifically target the audience you want to attract. Picture this: You have a spotlight that only shines on the people most likely to be interested in your brand. By using precise targeting options, you can ensure your message reaches the right ears, increasing the chances of gaining new followers.

Collaborate with Influencers: Expand Your Reach

Partnerships can skyrocket your visibility! By collaborating with influencers, you get access to their followers. It’s like borrowing a friend’s megaphone to amplify your voice. Choose influencers whose values align with your brand to ensure authenticity. Their endorsement can introduce you to a whole new audience, making it easier to boost your page's popularity.

Engage with Your Audience: Build Relationships

Don't just post and ghost! Engagement is crucial. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and host Q&A sessions. This creates a sense of community around your brand. Imagine walking into a café where everyone knows your name. That’s the vibe you want to create online. The more personal your interactions, the more likely people will keep coming back and bring their friends along!

Analyzing Your Growth: Learn and Adapt

Finally, keep track of your progress. Use Facebook Insights to see what works and what doesn't. It’s like having a treasure map that guides you toward success. If a post gets lots of likes and shares, ask yourself why. If something flops, don’t be afraid to pivot. Continuous learning is the key to staying relevant and boosting your Facebook presence.

Conclusion: Take Action Now!

Ready to boost your Facebook presence? By focusing on visibility, creating engaging content, and building strong relationships, you can attract more followers and create a lively online community. Don’t wait—start implementing these strategies today, and watch your page grow!

[musicarenagh]

Livi Jacobs' “Better That Way”: A Pop Heartache Anthem Livi Jacobs' "Better That Way" bursts through the musical foliage like a neon vine, unabashedly shining amidst the dark contours of pop’s dense forest. As her fifth single, it's an adrenaline-pumped track that solidifies her as more than a blip on the radar; she's a siren call to all ears craving that sweet spot between alternate pop and EDM zest. https://open.spotify.com/album/6M9f93f0s3W0PNokQvc5Y7?si=9E1LXYuDQxexNprUp1vCmg From its onset, Jacob's voice grabs hold—crystalline with an edge, as if each note is dipped in both honey and steel. Her 22-year-old vocal cords defy expectation, acutely embodying angst and bliss wrapped up in one sultry package. It’s this contrast that fuels “Better That Way,” painting audible pictures of heartache-laced independence. The production is a polished playground for auditory exploration; distorted voices threaded among pristine beats invoke images of glimmering cityscapes at twilight—the end signalizing new beginnings. This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill dance track; it’s therapy you didn’t realize was set to music until your feet start moving on their own accord. [caption id="attachment_52698" align="alignnone" width="604"] Livi Jacobs' “Better That Way”: A Pop Heartache Anthem[/caption] Florida might be known for the sun, but Jacobs crafts shade and light equally well within her soundscape—it shimmies confidently into territories where heady bass meets slick synth stabs produces something remarkably fresh yet nostalgically familiar. You can almost smell the heady combination of summer rain on hot pavement—a fitting tribute to ephemeral relationships crystallized by time's relentless march forward. “Better That Way” offers freedom ensconced for about two minutes—not only does it affirm Livi Jacobs’ rapid ascendance but resonates with anyone who ever whispered (or shouted) into the void: yes indeed, sometimes it truly is better that way. Relatable yet robust—Jacobs ensures we’re all rapidly becoming fans not by force but by pure sonic seduction. Follow Livi Jacobs on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

[elkpon]

let’s give a shout-out to all the homies we’ve lost along the way…

stained glass lamps my beloved. the spot you leave empty in my heart will ache forever more.

alpine set, oh alpine set. so customizable. sure, many of your items have been repurposed but many here are staples lost to time.

blue and green set. anyone who says “just customize the regular wooden furniture” is missing the god damn point. these were customizable as well with different shades of blue and green! your unique cupboards, benches, and chairs will be missed dearly.

oh regal set, could noah not let you upon his arc? what will we do without your golden flourishes? what set will stand in to fill out the zodiac series now? why must you be lost, my beloved?

modern and sleek sets, every edgy villager misses you so, so dearly. you brought something to the table that only you could.

and finally, the saddest of all

emo purple rococo set i will miss you so much. do muffy’s tears not satisfy you? when will you return from the void in which you comfortably vibe?

closing thoughts: any of you who started playing animal crossing with new horizons are missing out on a lot of furniture variety. i’ve seen a lot of people say “OMG THEY GAVE US EVERYTHING!” when in reality, so many series staples that have been in these games for longer than most of you have been alive are just… gone. i’ve played a bit of the happy home paradise update and it made me sad doing a green room challenge without the actual green set yknow? i might just be being picky but i just feel like in trying to appeal to main stream newer fans a lot of the clunky, rustic charm of many of the older sets are being trashed.

[druidx]

Writeblr is quiet right now...

Obviously, no shade; I know a lot of people are busy with exams!

However: Today is my Tumblr-versary. It’s been one year since I joined with the explicit intent of sharing my writing, and I've been thrilled at how how delightful, welcoming and positive the Writeblr community is. 

Despite this, I know we often feel like we’re shouting into the void. Something we put out soul into only gets single-digit notes and it can be disheartening. Finding things in the noise (and with the janky algorithm) can be tough. But my queue is empty and I’d like to fill it back up with your gorgeous works.

So in honour of the community that took me in and got me writing again, I thought I’d extend an offer:

Interact with this post in any way, and I’ll run through your blog and boost any of your works, fan or original!

If there’s something specific you want boosted, or a tag I should be looking at, drop a line in the notes, and it’ll get boosted. I’m looking forward to reading everything :D

[thisbeatchachinglikemoney]

Moonlight

Part 1 of the Boys with Luv series

Pairing: Yoongi x reader (eventual), Yoongi x BTS, dom!Yoongi x sub!Taehyung x sub!Jungkook

Summary: One night when Yoongi is out for a moonlit stroll, he finds a girl dancing in the park all alone. When he approaches her, his whole life changes forever.

Warnings: There is some mention of mental and physical abuse in this chapter, as well as some a theme of depression and mention of self-harm.

Tags:@calling-dips-on-j-hope​, @fic-recs-by-moon​, @luvtaeha, @aretha170​, @xicanacorpse​, @kookieebangtan, @fangirl125reader, @seoul9711​, @channiespup, @lindsayjoy444​​ 

Part 1 | Part 2

Y/N POV:

He was drunk. Again. This time it was worse than the others though. The other times he was drunk enough that he was tired and could not stay awake long enough to actually hurt me anymore than a couple of hits poorly aimed and a handful of harmful words thrown at me. But it was enough for me to fall further into a deep, black void that seemed to have no way out. It was inescapable. I could hear him banging and shouting to himself downstairs. I was in our room, pretending to be asleep. I rarely slept when he was around, scared of what he would do to me when I was unaware. 

That was why I slept while he was out during the day, and then would sneak out at night once I knew he was sleeping. I would go to a park nearby and just sit there and collect my thoughts. Sometimes I would let myself taste the sweet release that I got when I danced, but that was very rare. He banned me from dancing, saying it was like I was cheating on him by showing off my body to other people. And of course, I believed him. 

I guess the only good thing was that he wasn’t my soulmate. Everything was still black and white and all the shades of grey in between for me. But I just couldn’t find the courage in myself to get help to leave him. When I was in the park, I loved to listen to BTS to help myself find the courage to get through the next day. Just enough that I would want to survive. But that didn’t stop the want to die from slipping through some cracks. Small scars littered my wrists. They all looked almost silver to me, but I knew that if I could see colour, they would be red. The colour of blood. 

He laughed when he found out. Said I deserved it. Said I should do it more and maybe, just maybe, if I was lucky I would cut deep enough to end it. 

I could hear his footsteps thumping up the stairs now. I gulped and nestled under the blankets, trying to even out my breathing and slow it down to give the impression I was asleep. I almost flinched when I heard the door open, but I managed to stay still. 

“I know you’re awake.” He said, his voice dangerously calm. His footsteps grew louder until I could feel his breath fan over me. It stunk of cheap whisky and other alcohol. He scoffed. “Of course you’d ignore me. Stupid bitch!” He slapped me across the face, causing me to jolt forward and gasp in pain as red hot sparks shot across my face. I curled into a ball, protecting my face with my arms. “Worthless, good for nothing slut.” He pulled me off the bed and kicked me in the stomach, making me cry out in pain. I began to back away from him, pushing myself along the floor with my hands and feet as he walked towards me. 

My heart was pounding in my chest, my breathing erratic. I was scared. He could kill me. He lifted his foot as if he was going to stamp on my outstretched leg, but I rolled away just in time, earning myself a kick to the side. I whimpered and stumbled to my feet. I looked around for something, anything I could use as a weapon, as something to defend myself. My eyes zeroed in on a lamp. It was a gift from my mother; a metal base that had little knots of the material jutting out from the sides. I knew it was heavy. I knew that it could possibly knock him out.

I ran over to it and picked it up, yanking the plug out of the socket. He walked closer to me, scoffing. “You think you can hurt me with that?” He chuckled. “Sweet,” He began to undo the buckle of his belt and was about to pull it from its confines when I swung at him with the lamp. It was as if the gods were looking down upon me when the metal end connected with his head, knocking him out cold. 

I stared down at his unconscious body, breathing quickly. I tried to calm myself down as I grabbed my phone and shoes, quickly disabling my location services. I had to leave him. Next time, I may not be so lucky. I looked around and stuffed some clothes into a backpack, grabbed a charger and my toothbrush and ran out of the house.

I didn’t have a car. He never let me, since he was under the impression that I could get away with it. Guess he forgot I had two legs and could walk. I shivered slightly, wrapping my arms around myself in an attempt to warm me up. I was only wearing a light hoodie, not realising how cold it was.

But I’d be fine. I could just huddle up underneath some of my clothes - use them as a blanket. I didn’t have any friends I could go to - he had made me get rid of them as well. I suppose it was safer for them; he could have threatened to hurt them to get me to do anything. I looked up at the sky, seeing the moon glowing a bright white light, the beauty of it making me feel calm. The moon was full and round, the streets being illuminated by the moonlight as I made my way to the little park that was my safespace.

Yoongi POV:

“No, no, no, no!” I groaned as my computer froze, the coloured pinwheel spinning around as if to mock me. I slammed my hand down on the desk in frustration, knowing that there was a good chance that all my hours of hard work on this song would be deleted. 

I pushed my chair back harshly and got up, kicking at the chair in annoyance. “Stupid thing. Can’t even work properly.” I glanced at the screen, letting a small sliver of hope through, hoping that the work had been saved and that it was still there, almost at the point of completion. My heart sunk, the screen was black. There goes eight hours or more of hard work for nothing.

I picked up my phone to check the time. It was almost midnight. There was a miriad of texts from my hyung and dongsaengs, urging me to come eat. Hobi had said he had come to get me but I clearly didn’t or wouldn’t hear him so he left. There was food for me in the fridge and Jungkook was waiting up for me. Of course he was, the boy could not sleep without knowing that everyone was in the dorm. 

All seven of us were in a relationship with each other, yet we were not soulmates since it was not allowed between people of the same sex. Stupid homophobic system. But if Kookie was waiting for me, I guess I should stop working now. The boy would force himself to stay awake, which would make him grumpy the next morning. Sometimes he acts like a baby, but who can blame him? He is the maknae after all.

My phone dinged, signalling a text for Taehyung.

Tae ❤️:

Hyung, when are you coming backkkkk? The bed is empty and I’m colddddddd. Pleaseeeee hurryyyyyyyyy

I love youuuuuu

But hurryyyyyyy

I shook my head and chuckled at Taehyung’s cuteness. I decided I would not text him back, but rather call him as I collected my stuff. I clicked on his contact name and put the phone against my ear as I shut off the computer and walked out of Genius Lab, locking the door behind me. 

“Hyung! When are you coming back?!” Tae asked as soon as he picked up the phone.

“Tae, baby. I am on my way, okay? I’m just a bit stressed though, so I may have to have even more cuddles.” I said. Even though I never showed it, I loved having and giving hugs to the members. But only behind closed doors. I could never do it in front of the cameras. It would ruin my bad boy persona. 

“Cuddles!” Tae gasped. “Yay. Hurry, please, hyung.” He pleaded, dragging out the end of the ‘please’, making me chuckle.

“I’m just getting in the car now baby boy. I’ll be back soon. Give me five minutes.” I said as I unlocked my car and got in, throwing my stuff over to the passenger seat. 

“Okay, hyung.” Tae said, smiling. I could hear it in his voice. “Oh, and hyung?”

“Yes baby?” I said as I set the phone in its holder and put it on speaker so I could start driving.

“I have a surprise for you.” He sang, giggling after. “I think you’ll like it a lot.”

“Oh, I look forward to it, baby.” I said as I reached a traffic light that was just outside the building. As I looked around, I caught a glimpse of lace stuffed by the seat. I frowned and reached over, pulling at it to get a closer look at what it was. I smiled and shook my head as I realised that it was a pair of Tae’s panties. He had obviously hidden them in here, seeing how they were strategically concealed.

Wearing lingerie was something Tae loved to do. He wore it all the time, not that any of us complained. He looked so cute, but so beautiful and breathtaking at the same time. My personal favourite was when he wore one of my oversized shirts with a pair of panties underneath, the lace framing his ass perfectly. Tae was the subbiest out of all of us, with Jimin and Jungkook a close second. Jin would sometimes sub and sometimes dom, but me, Joon and Hobi were the doms. I wondered if this is what his surprise would be.

“Oh, baby, I have something of yours.” I said.

“What is it?” Tae asked curiously. I could hear the duvet covers moving around as he shuffled on our bed. Each of us shared a room. It was me and Tae, Jimin and Hobi, and Joon, Jin and Kookie. Some nights, there would be more of us sleeping together, and some nights we would all sleep with each other. That was usually if one of us was really stressed or really upset and needed comfort from everyone. I wouldn’t need that tonight. I knew Tae would be able to cuddle away all my worries. I would be able to make it up tomorrow. I could get one of the others to help me.

“I’ll let you guess, baby. It was in my car and they are lacy.” I hinted. I heard him swallow before he took a deep breath.

“Am I in trouble?” Tae asked, his voice a lot quieter. “I’m sorry, I put them in there as a just in case, you know how you like to rip them off me.” He added quickly.

“I’m not angry at you baby boy.” I said, keeping my voice calm. “It was a nice surprise.”

“It was?” I could hear the smirk in Tae’s voice. “Then you’re going to like what I have for you here in bed... Master...”

As soon as he said this, I felt what could have been all my blood rush to my dick. “I’m almost home, baby.” I said, clearing my throat and palming myself to relieve the feeling I had. I let out quiet and breathy moan.

“Are you touching yourself, master?” Tae asked. “Are you getting your big cock nice and hard for me?”

“I want you ready for me when I get in, puppy.” I said as I pulled the car into the driveway of the apartment complex where our dorm was. 

“I’ll be waiting for you, Master.” Tae said excitedly, ending the call.

I turned off the engine of the car and sat there for a few moments, trying to calm myself down slightly. I would give him a slight punishment - he knew not to leave things in the car, no matter how arousing it would be for me, and he had also teased me slightly.

I walked into the house and spied Jungkook sat on the sofa, mindlessly flicking through the channels on the TV. So, he had waited up for me. Might as well if he wants to join in the fun with me and Tae.

“Kookie, baby.” I said, walking over to squat down in front of him. As I came into his line of vision, a bunny smile formed on his face.

“Hyungie, you’re back.” Jungkook flung his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

“Hey, bunny.” I stroked his hair and turned my head to kiss his lips gently. “Baby, TaeTae and I are going to be having some fun in a second. Do you want to join us?”

Jungkook looked at me, his chocolate eyes sparkling. He hummed in agreement and nodded his head. “Bunny wants to help please Master and TaeTae.” He said, instantly slipping into his subspace. 

“Okay, bunny.” I said, standing up with him still wrapped around my neck. He whined when I tried to push him off so I could walk upstairs. “Do you want me to carry you?” My cute little bunny nodded eagerly, so I picked him up and carried him towards mine and Tae’s bedroom. “Alright, bunny, let’s go say hi to TaeTae. Master has to punish him a bit though, first. You can go freshen up first if you want.” I suggested.

Jungkook nodded before leaning forward to kiss me. I reached down and squeezed him through his sweatpants, causing him to let out a shaky whine. “Master, please.” 

“Go freshen up baby. When you’re done you can come straight in.” I said, setting him on his way with a pat to his bum.

I pushed open the door to Tae’s room and saw him kneeling on the bed. But what really took my breath away was what he was wearing. It was a lace bodysuit that had bows decorating it. I couldn’t see his ass, but I already knew that there would be nothing covering it. There were small bows fastened to the tops of his thighs, holding the bodysuit in place. To top it all off he had a collar fastened around his neck.

“Fuck, puppy. Look at you. So beautiful for me.” I said, walking over to him and tracing his lips with my finger. “I believe these belong to you.” I pulled the lace out of my pocket and tossed it at him. He caught it with one hand and smirked at me.

“Did you like your surprise, master?” He asked coyly, looking up at me. I moved my hand to hold his face in place, cupping his chin. 

“I love it, puppy, but you know the rules. You don’t leave things in my car, do you?”

“No, master.” Tae looked down in shame. “‘M sorry. I just wanted it to be there as a backup.”

“Puppy, do you wanna know why I rip them off you?” I asked, kneeling down in front of him. He tilted his head at me in confusion. “Because I love the idea that you are wearing nothing beneath your clothes and that if you have one slip up, you would be exposed.” I trailed my finger down his chest and circled it around his tip.

“Master, please.” He begged. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. It was a mistake.” I could see that he was almost fully hard, his cock was straining against the fabric of his bodysuit.

“You wanna make it up to me? Turn over and on my knee.” I ordered, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Yes, master.” Tae leant across my lap, his stomach resting on my knees. I smirked when I saw his exposed ass, all round and ready for me.

“Now, puppy. Kookie will be joining us soon, so we’d better make your initial punishment quick.” I said, kneading the globes of his ass. It wasn’t as big as Jimin’s, but Tae definitely had a beautiful ass. “How many do you think you deserve, pup?”

“At least 20, master. I was naughty.” Tae almost moaned out.

“Yes you were, puppy. Very naughty. You also teased master when he was coming home.” I sighed. “But, I guess my puppy likes being punished, doesn’t he?” Tae was silent. I smacked his ass hard, causing the flesh to jiggle. “Doesn’t he?” I repeated.

“Yes, master.” He said after he had yelped. I could feel how hard he was pressing against my thigh.

“I think I may give you 25, how does that sound?”

“Good, master.”

“And after each one, you thank me. You need to learn to obey, don’t you puppy?”

“Yes, master. I do.”

“Count, dumb pup.” I began to slap his ass. Each time he counted and thanked me. At 25, he was sobbing in pain and pleasure, rutting against my thigh. I pulled him up so he was straddling my lap. “Such a good boy, taking your punishment so well.” I praised him, making him smile at me lazily. “So I think my puppy deserves a reward?” Tae nodded excitedly so I pushed him down so he was kneeling on the floor.

I stroked his hair out of his face. “I want you to suck me off, pup.” I said, tugging on his hair gently. His hair was always curly and floppy, always soft to the touch. I stroked my fingers through it lazily as he played with the zipper on my pants, before tugging at them to pull them down. I quickly stood up and allowed him to pull them down with my boxers before I sat back down.

His eyes widened when I came into his eyeline, his mouth instantly watering. His hand cautiously reached out and wrapped around me, giving me a few strokes. I inhaled sharply and hissed at the feeling of his calloused palm wrapped around me. “No hands, baby. Just your mouth.” I said after a few seconds, batting his hand away. 

He set his hands on my thighs and sat up a bit so he was level with my dick. His mouth opened eagerly and before I knew it, the tip of my dick was engulfed in his warm, wet mouth. I tilted my head back and groaned, fingers tangling in his hair and tugging, earning some quiet moans from my puppy.

I looked down and saw his big eyes staring up at me as his mouth took more of me in. “Fuck, you look so pretty baby.” I cooed, tracing his lips that were stretched around me. “All stuffed full of my cock. I know you can take more though.” I gently pushed at his head, making him take more of me in until my tip hit the back of his throat. He gagged slightly as tears sprung from his eyes. “Now, you can stay just like that until Jungkook comes and then your real punishment can begin, hmm?”

Taehyung nodded, choking on my dick as it went further down his throat. “Careful pup. Don’t hurt yourself.” I said, wiping away the tears that were trailing down his face from the intrusion in his throat. He always looked so beautiful like this. 

After a couple of minutes, Jungkook came into the room, his mouth opening slightly as he took in the sight in front of him. “Hey bunny.” I said, beckoning him over. “Doesn’t TaeTae look so pretty?”

“TaeTae always looks so pretty, master.” Jungkook said, his voice barely a whisper. 

I took Jungkook’s hand and pulled him on the bed as I pushed Tae off of me. “Okay, here’s what is going to happen. Tae, puppy, you are going to sit on the other side of the bed and watch as I play with Koo until I decide that you can join us.” Taehyung nodded and scrambled to the other side of the bed, his cock hanging heavily between his legs, begging for release. It was a dark colour, signalling how desperate he was for release, but I wasn’t going to let him have it. Not yet. He got himself comfortable and was about to start stroking himself when I added the next part. “And no touching yourself, pup.”

Tae’s bottom lip started to wobble slightly. “Oh, please, master. Please. I need to cum so bad.”

I looked at him and smiled as I helped Kookie undress. “No, dumb pup. You’ve been naughty. You need to prove that you deserve it.”

Tae looked like he had been slapped. “O-Okay, master. I’ll be good.” He said, trapping his hands between his thighs and the mattress. Once I was sure that he wasn’t going to disobey my orders, I turned my attention back to a now naked Jungkook.

“Look at my beautiful boy.” I smiled as I stroked my hand down his chest, feeling his abs, before travelling down to his thighs to squeeze them gently. It was known that Jungkook had a thigh kink. He would always have to have his hands on someone’s thighs, squeezing them and sometimes sucking at them if we were having fun with each other. “He has such big thighs.” I bent my head down to suck at them, causing a whiny moan to spill from his parted lips.

“Master, please.” He looked at me with his doe eyes shining. 

“Please what, bunny? Do you want master to touch you here?” I traced my finger along his dick, earning a quiet groan from him. His dick was long and pretty, the mushroomed head a darker shade than the rest of it. It twitched as I traced the vein along it. I trailed my finger down to his ass. “Or here?” I circled his hole, earning a moan and a breathy yes from him.

I hooked his legs over my shoulders and wrapped my lips around his hole, stroking my tongue over his puckered hole, making him jolt forward slightly. “Ah, Master.” He moaned as I licked at him. He tasted musty and his shower gel and something that was distinctly Jungkook. I prodded at his hole with my tongue before pushing it into him, licking at his walls, coaxing high pitched whines and moans out of him. “Master, I’m so close.” Jungkook cried out, so I pulled away, leaving his hole shining with my saliva.

“Bunny, do you want me to stretch you out first, or can you take me?” I asked, as I kissed him, slipping my tongue into his mouth so he could taste himself on my tongue.

“I can take it, master.” Jungkook said eagerly. I nodded and kissed him again as I pushed my dick against his hole. The head pushed past the ring of muscle with some resistance until I was fully sheathed inside of him. “Ah,” Jungkook had his mouth open in pleasure, beautiful sounds spilling out of me as he adjusted to my size. “You’re so big master. You stretch me out so good. Feel so full.”

He was so warm, wrapped around me, and so tight. He was always tight no matter how often we fucked him, or with how many dicks he was fucked with at once. I moved my hips back before snapping them back in, causing the both of us to moan. Each thrust got faster and harder until Jungkook was a moaning mess, writhing around beneath me. 

There was a whimper from next to us and I looked up to see Taehyung, watching us while tears poured down his face. “Yellow.” Tae hated to be left out when he was in his subspace. He always had to be doing something and not just watching. “Master, please.” He begged when he saw me watching him. “Please, I’m sorry. Just let me join in.”

I looked at Jungkook who had been watching me and him carefully. “Shall we let him join us?” I asked the boy underneath me. He nodded eagerly.

“I wan’ him to ride me.” Jungkook requested. “While you fuck me.”

“Okay, bunny.” I said, stroking his hair. I pulled out of him carefully to get Tae and comfort him. “Hey, puppy, you’re okay. You took your punishment so well. Master is so proud of you.” I said, hugging him tight. “Such a good boy.” I kissed his lips gently as I wiped away his tears. “Especially for telling me you didn’t feel comfortable anymore.”

“Thank you, master.” Taehyung smiled at me, his eyes still slightly teary. I reached down and pumped him a bit, smearing his precum around his dick. 

“Look how wet you are, puppy.” I cooed as he crawled over to Jungkook. He leaned forward to kiss Jungkook. While he did this, I squirted some lube on my fingers and pushed two into him, making sure he was properly stretched out. I thrusted them into him for a bit before adding a third. Once I was sure he was ready, I nodded at him. “Go sit on Kookie’s cock baby.” I said. He lowered himself down slowly, causing both of them to moan loudly. Once Tae was fully seated, I pushed myself back into Kook, making him moan again. “How are you feeling, bun?”

“Feels s’ good.” Kookie said, looking kind of spaced. “Please, ‘m green.” I began to move inside him, making him grip onto Tae’s thighs and moan out loud. Tae began to bounce on his dick, moans coming out of his mouth. I reached around and started to stroke Tae’s dick in time to my thrusts inside Jungkook. Tae’s moans got louder and louder, signalling he was getting very close. I could feel my lower stomach tightening, signalling I was about to come.

“Master, I’m so close.” Jungkook whined, earning a noise of agreement from Tae.

“You can both come.” I allowed, stroking Tae even faster. He began to shake as Kookie began to buck up his hips due to how close he was. I knew Tae would come extra hard if I talked dirty to him, so I did. Jungkook was already close to cumming, but as soon as Tae came I would finish so I didn’t want him to be overstimulated by it all.

“Tae, puppy. Get off Kookie a second.” I said, tapping his bum which was now starting to bruise. Tae looked over his shoulder at me, looking as if he might cry. “You still get to come, puppy. I just wanna see you. Get back on Koo facing me.” I explained. Tae nodded and got off, turning himself around before lowering himself back down. I caught sight of his beautiful face, his mouth open and eyes squeezed shut as Jungkook’s cock split him open. “Now lie down so your back is against Koo’s stomach.” Tae obeyed and let him lie back. “Koo, bun, lift up his legs so I can see your dick going into his pretty hole.” Kook obeyed, wrapping his arms around Tae’s thighs and almost folding him in half. I almost came at the sight in front of me. Tae’s hole was so stretched around Jungkook’s cock, making it become slightly swollen.

I smirked at Tae before stroking around his hole and Kook’s dick with my thumb. “So pretty, puppy, letting bunny stretch you out like this. I bet you can’t wait for him to fill you with his cum, painting your insides white. Or maybe you’d like both of us in there. Imagine how it would feel, both of us splitting your pretty hole open, gaping you out so much all our cum would just come back out of you. Both of our cocks rubbing against your walls.” I reached out and began stroking his cock, seeing his face scrunch up and his body tense. He was right on the edge. “I bet it would make you come instantly. We’d have to maybe put a cock ring on you to stop you cumming too early. But you’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, master. I’d love it.” Tae was breathless. “Oh, I’m so close.” He whined, letting his head tilt back on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“But we’d have to stretch out your little hole even more.” I smiled, pushing my thumb into his hole alongside Kook’s cock. Tae let out a scream, his body going still.

“You sound so pretty, TaeTae.” Kook said, stroking up and down his thighs. “Bet you’re so wrecked down there.” He reached down and pushed one of his fingers into Tae, next to mine. “Master, can we plug my cum inside him?” Kook asked.

“Of course we can bunny.” I said. “But we need this puppy to cum first.” I looked at Tae, whose body was jerking. “Aww, look at him. He’s going to come so hard.” I stroked him even faster before leaning down and taking his entire length into my mouth. I sucked hard, hollowing out my cheeks. Tae let out a silent scream as he came hard, his body shaking with the force of his orgasm.

I swallowed some of his cum, loving the salty tang of it before leaning over him to kiss Kook, transferring some to his mouth. Kook moaned at the taste, making Tae whine. Of course he wanted to have some. I moved to kiss Tae, transferring the last of it to his mouth. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. 

“You’re such a cumslut, pup.” I chuckled, now starting to thrust hard into Kookie, chasing my own orgasm. Kookie’s breaths started coming out as short, high-pitched moans as his own orgasm drew nearer and nearer.

“I’m gonna cum, master.” Kookie warned as his hole clamped down on me, making me unable to move. The pulsing and constant contracting of his walls made me spill into him as he spilled into Tae. Both of us moaned as we released. I fell forward and leant my head on Tae’s stomach as I caught my breath. 

“Both of you did so good.” I said as I carefully pulled out of Jungkook. “Koo, do you want a plug?” The boy nodded so I moved over to my bedside table and pulled out one of the four plugs I had in there. One for each sub. I walked back over to the pair who were still connected to each other. I pushed the trail of cum that had come out of Kookie back into him and pushed the plug into him.

“And me!” Tae exclaimed. I chuckled and got his out of the drawer. 

“Alright, baby. Let’s get you off Koo, hmm?” I gently pulled him off Koo and pushed the plug into him. “How are you both feeling?” I asked, looking at both of them.

“Tired.” Tae replied.

“Good.” Jungkook replied at the same time. He had a sleepy smile plastered on his face. 

“Okay, that’s good. Tae baby, you gotta stay awake for a bit longer. I need to clean you up, and put some lotion on you.” I said, gently stroking his hair as he looked at me with his eyes half shut. 

He whined slightly, moving so he was sat on my lap. I could feel the plastic of the plug nestled between his ass cheeks pushing into my thigh.  “Can I have a bath?” He asked, his head laying on my shoulder. 

“Sure baby.” I said. “Do you and Koo want to have one together?” I looked at them both as they nodded their heads. “Alright babies.” I stroked Tae’s hair gently. “Let’s take these plugs out of you, okay?” Kook nodded and bent over slightly so I could pull it out of him. He hissed as his hole stretched around the bulbous plastic, followed by the dripping of my cum out of him. “Okay, KooKoo, why don’t you go and start the bath and I’ll get Tae ready.”

“Okay hyungie.” Jungkook pressed a quick kiss to my lips before padding into my adjoined bathroom and starting the bath. 

“Okay, Taebaby, I need you to stand up.” I said softly to the sleepy boy on my lap.

He groaned and looked up at me, his eyes narrowed. “Why?” He asked. 

“I need to take your plug out, love.” I said. “It’s going to hurt you later otherwise.” He opened his mouth to protest but I pressed a finger to his lips. “No buts baby, I’m taking it out.” I laid him down on the bed and gently pulled it out of him, allowing Jungkook’s cum to spill out of him.

“Want some.” Tae whispered, looking at me. I sighed and swiped some of the cum onto my fingers and let him suckle it off.

“Now, bath time.” I said, pulling him up so he was standing on his own two feet and leading him into the bathroom.

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

A few hours later, we were all cuddled up in bed. I had had trouble falling asleep - the stress from losing all my work was still looming in the back of my mind. I had told my manager, but he must have been asleep when I sent the message. 

Tae hummed in his sleep as he curled into my side even more, Jungkook spooning him from behind. They both looked peaceful as they slept, not a hint of worry on their perfect faces. 

My phone began to buzz, cutting through the silent atmosphere like a hot knife through butter. I unwrapped Tae from around myself and sat up answering the phone. “Hello?” I asked in a hushed voice as I disentangled myself from the blankets.

“Yoongi-ah? I need those tracks by 8am in the morning. You’re going to have to keep working on them.” My manager said, sounding quite annoyed. My heart began beating faster as I felt the stress and anxiety begin to build back up inside of me. “You should have stayed later and fixed your mistake.” I slipped out of the room and closed the door.

“My mistake?!” I was pissed. It was not my fault that the systems crashed and deleted everything. Do I control all the computers at the company? No! If anything they should be badgering IT to see if they can recover some of the files. “The computers crashed as I went to save it. Can’t IT recover them? That is eight hours of work lost!”

“No they can’t. That’s why I’m calling. I need you to come in right now and try to redo them the same.” He requested. “I’m sorry about this, but I just need those otherwise you will miss the deadline and your mixtape will have to be delayed further.”

“I think we need to get better computers. Those ones are getting kind of old and slow.” I said. 

“Don’t blame the machinery Yoongi-ssi.” He said shortly. “Come in now or no mixtape this year. And you wouldn’t want to disappoint ARMY, would you?”

I scoffed. Now he’s guilt-tripping me. “I’ll be in in about half an hour. Let me get changed and get my stuff together.” I said.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.” He hung up the phone and I let out a noise of frustration before going back into the room, closing the door as quietly as I could so I wouldn’t wake up the sleeping babies. I looked over at the bed and let a fond smile ghost over my face. Taehyung’s hair had now flopped in front of his face and his arms were outstretched to the spot where I had previously been sleeping.

I felt bad for leaving them alone, but I really didn’t have a choice. I walked into my wardrobe and pulled out a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants and quickly changed into them. I pulled on a beanie and grabbed my lyric books before grabbing a pair of shoes and sliding them on.

I must have been a bit too loud because there was rustling in the bed and I saw Taehyung patting around with his hand. He sat up and squinted at me sleepily. “Hyungie? Where you goin’?” His voice was heavy with sleep. “What time is it?”

“It’s early, love. Go back to sleep. I need to go in to the studio.” I said, walking over to him to kiss him goodbye. “Come on lie back down.”

“But you were there all day yesterday.” He complained, whining slightly.

“I know, baby, I know. But all my work got deleted so I need to go back in to redo it.” I said. “And if I don’t meet the deadline then my mixtape will get pushed back even further and that wouldn’t be fair to ARMY.”

“But these songs aren’t even for your mixtape! They’re blackmailing you!” Taehyung exclaimed. “I wanna come with you.”

“Baby, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” I said, pushing his hair back out of his face.

“No it is! I could help you, and you always say two brains are better than one. We can get it done faster.” He argued, sounding determined. “And we can tell Kookie so he won’t get confused when he wakes up. We can leave him a note. Pleaseeeeee.”

I sighed. “Okay, fine. But get dressed quickly.”

Y/N POV:

I shivered under some of the clothes as I lay on the bench. I was too scared to sleep. He could appear at any moment and drag me home to give me the beating of a lifetime, and this time he could actually kill me.

Every time I heard footsteps I would freeze and not move, hoping that it wasn’t him, and that if it was, he wouldn’t see me. It was getting colder though, and I knew I would have to move in order to keep myself from getting hypothermia. 

I knew there was one thing that would be able to calm me down, and it would also keep me warm. I rifled through my pockets, trying to locate my headphones. My fingers wrapped around the wire and pulled it out. I groaned. They were all tangled and knotted. I began to pick them apart, finally freeing the individual earbuds. I plugged it into my phone and scrolled through my music until I picked a song that I wanted to dance to. Spring Day. It cheered me up a lot, and I loved the dance.

The notes flowed through my body, twisting and turning to the tips of my fingers and the ends of my toes. My body moved like the waves in this ocean of music, bending and stretching at the crests and troughs. I loved it. As I danced, I allowed my thoughts to

I had started dance when I was three. My mother had insisted that I was going to be a prima ballerina, or a professional dancer in a company, so she had me enrolled in any kind of dance you could think of. Baby ballet, baby tap, baby jazz, baby contemporary, baby street dance, baby modern, baby music theatre. Most of my life was spent dancing. As I got older, she put me into singing, art and drama classes. I dropped some of the dance classes: tap, modern and jazz. I was happy.

Then came the arguments. My mother and father started arguing over the amount of money that was being spent on me. We were quite a well-off family, both of my parents has respectable jobs with a decent salary. Income was good, and there was even some wiggle room for nice holidays. That was, until my dad became addicted to alcohol and spent all of our savings on the drink until there was barely anything left. 

My mother had to put some away secretly just to be able to pay for bills and my extra curriculars. But he found out, and that’s when the arguments started. I was eight at the time. He would accuse her of not trusting him, and she would accuse him of being an alcoholic and how that wasn’t a good environment for me to be in. 

The arguing would last for at least three hours each night and would end with one of them storming out the house. Most nights it was my father - probably to get even more drunk. My mother would slam the door to their bedroom and dissolve into tears. I would hear her sobbing herself to sleep, but I was too scared to comfort her.

One day, after a year or so, my father stormed out that door and never came back. My mother said it was for the best; in my mind, though, it was my fault. I was the one who had all the dance lessons and singing lessons and drama lessons and art lessons. I was the one who was using all their money. He liked to tell me that when my mother would storm out. He also liked to hit me. When my mother found the bruises and cuts, she lost it. That was what caused the arguments to get worse.

Things got better after he left. My mother got happier, found a new boyfriend. He was nice, buying me the latest iPhone or laptop. We were all happy.

And then I met him. He was the perfect boyfriend: kind, loving, everything you would want. But that’s the thing about love. It’s blind. It would be a few months before I realised who he was behind the mask he put on everyday. I should have realised that the relationship was moving too quickly. He asked me to move in with him after we had been together for just three months. As soon as I set foot inside that house, the door locked behind me, and the key hidden somewhere I could never find it. 

After a couple of weeks, the verbal abuse started. The name calling and insults and threats over something unimportant, like slightly burnt potatoes. I brushed it off as something normal. After all, it was my fault. I was the one who turned the oven up too high. 

Then came the physical abuse. At first it started off as slaps and small beatings, but it eventually lead up to him getting out his belt and whacking it across my face every night before beating me up with his fists. I don’t know what exactly caused him to do it. Sometimes he said it was me looking at another man, and other times it was just because of my presence. Either way, it was my fault and I deserved them. 

I tried to leave him. But he caught me, and I almost ended up in hospital from the force of his beating. My skin was mottled blue and purple for weeks. It was then I started self-harming. It was my fault.

I twirled as the song came to an end, catching sight of a figure standing in the shadow of the trees. My breath hitched in my throat. Had he found me? If he had, he was going to kill me for sure. 

Yoongi POV:

Just as I had thought Tae had fallen asleep on my couch, bundled up in my hoodie about an hour after we arrived at the studio. We had already retrieved the majority of the songs though.

He had got to work immediately, perching on my lap as he sang the demo song over the backing music, which thankfully I had saved. I loved Taehyung’s voice - it was deep and sultry, which was actually something that contrasted greatly to his personality he showed in private. After we’d been working for about fifty minutes, he began to yawn, curling up and leaning against my shoulder, watching me put together the backing tracks and the vocals and moving things around to create the songs. His favourite was ‘Black Swan’. 

“‘M sleepy, hyungie.” He mumbled against my collarbone.

I reached up and stroked his hair gently. “You can go and sleep on the couch. I’m almost done, baby.” He looked up at me through sleepily squinted eyes.

“You sure? I think I can stay awake a bit longer?” He said, yawning again. When he yawned he sometimes looked like a baby puppy. 

“No, baby, you’re tired.” I said, rubbing his back. “Go on, do you want my hoodie?” I asked.

“Mhm.” He nodded his head. He slid off my lap and made grabby hands at my hoodie. I pulled it off, leaving me in my white v-neck top, and handed it to him. He pulled it on and lay down on the couch, closing his eyes and almost instantly falling asleep. I smiled at him fondly before turning back to my work.

I only had one song left to do - my solo song on the album. I searched through my files, only to realise that my work on it had all disappeared. I groaned and saved everything before shutting my computer down. I needed to go for a quick walk to clear my head. I turned to look at Tae, who was curled on the couch in a deep sleep. The park I would go to to clear my head is only a five minute walk away from here. I would be thirty minutes tops. He wouldn’t wake up hopefully, and if he did, I was only a phone call away. 

I grabbed my extra hoodie and pulled on my jacket, gently closing the door to my studio. I walked out of the building and made my way to the park.

It was cold outside. The air bit at my exposed cheeks and nose as I walked. I pulled a mask on to insulate them. The park was calming and whenever I went there, it was quiet and if there was anyone there, they were elderly and didn’t know who I was. 

I walked through the gate of the park, pushing the squeaky barrier open. It appeared deserted, which wasn’t surprising considering that it was four am. But I still kept my guard up; you never know what crackheads will be around.

I was walking through the trees towards my favourite thinking bench when I saw her. She was dancing to some very familiar choreography. I stopped in my tracks. She was a beautiful dancer. I watched, awestruck as she flawlessly twirled and flipped and turned. It was then I recognised it. It was Jimin’s choreography in Spring Day. She must be a fan. She twirled one last time and stopped, facing me. Her face twisted into a look of terror as she ran to gather her things. On the bench I noticed, was a backpack and a pile of clothes.

“Wait!” I yelled after her, chasing her to talk to her. It was clear that something was troubling her, and I wanted to help her, not caring that she was an ARMY. “Let me help you! Please!” I caught up to her at the bench, where she had slightly calmed down. As soon as we made eye contact, something strange happened. All the greyscale colours in my world that I had grown used to melted away. My eyes were filled with dark greens and blues, clearly because of the darkness, but the moonlight shone down on her.

She was breath-taking. Her hair was a shiny, vibrant, Y/H/C, and her eyes shone like Y/E/C gems. She was holding her breath in surprise, probably recognising who I was.

“You’re Min Yoongi.” She said. “You’re my soulmate. This can’t be happening.” She was shocked and confused.

But I didn’t know what to do. Now that I had found my soulmate, did that mean I had to leave the others? We had never discussed the possibility of this happening. I looked at the girl in front of me and decided that I couldn’t leave her. Not like this. She looked scared, and from the looks of things, she was homeless. I had to look after her. And I swore to myself that I would. Until the end of time.

[rattyoakenbitch]

❝𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝❞ ─ 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐝

oh, you're cold as ice, baby. i don't wanna fight, baby. it's like i told you; if you stay, i'll stay

❥ content ; gn reader, angst, happy ending

❥ warnings ; toxicity, drinking, strong language, big but legal age gap, steamy makeout session

❥ synopsis ; after a series of stressful events, you find yourself drinking again. unfortunately, so does spencer.

❥ a/n ; none !

With a heavy, bone-tired sigh, Spencer stepped out of the elevator, making a beeline towards his apartment. He stopped outside the door, bringing his hand to his head. He ran it through his long, textured waves, his fingers getting stuck at the strands tangled together.

Spencer stayed like that, nervously idling outside his apartment. The apartment he shared with you.

Spencer had traveled to California for a case with his team prior. It had been days, if not a week since he had actually seen or talked to you. The day of his departure, you weren't exactly on the best of terms.

You loved Spencer. You didn't doubt it for a second. You would have left him long ago if you didn't. Still, your relationship wasn't perfect. You were both very different, career wise. You were an aspiring photographer, and worked at a local coffee shop on the side. Spencer worked at the BAU. Very different. You had just graduated from college when you met Spencer, and, despite the fact that he was almost ten years older, you hit it off and eventually began dating. Though your messy, inconsistent schedules got in the way of any quality time you could spend together, neither of you decided to go your seperate ways. You didn't want to. You were stubborn. So was Spencer. Not because he was desperate. Hell, he didn't even need to try to get girls. He was practically a pussy magnet.

But he chose you. And you chose him. Because you were both in love. Real love, and that's rare.

It still didn't change the fact that you were bothered by Spencer's lack of presence. You openly voiced your frustration over it several times, but you eventually learned to accept that your relationship would never be normal like that. As long as there were bad guys fucking shit up, Spencer would have no time being lovey-dovey.

Which is why Spencer felt uneasy, afraid of what he'd find at the other side of the door. Would you still greet him with open arms? Or would you shun him?

Well, you did neither.

Your eyes were glued to the screen in front of you, but you weren't mentally present. Which is also why you didn't notice Spencer walk in, his jaw hanging open.

The first thing he noticed were the crushed up cans dumped across the floor, along with broken glass bottles, identical to the one you held in your hand.

The apartment was void of any light, save for the dim illumination the TV screen emitted. Spencer almost didn't notice you in the darkness. You were curled up on the corner of the couch, your eyes, again, never once leaving the screen. Of course, the TV didn't provide enough light for Spencer to make out any your features, but he knew it was you.

"Y-You're drinking again?!" was the first thing Spencer could blurt out, his mind racing with thoughts. You jumped up from your spot on the couch, your heartbeat speeding up at the abrupt noise. You clumsily leaned over to the side table, switching on the lamp. The sudden brightness stung, causing tears to well in your bloodshot eyes.

"Ah - shit," you mumbled, rubbing your eyes. "Hello to you, too. I didn't even hear you come in."

"No, you didn't! What is all this?! What-" Spencer was at a loss for words. He scanned you from head to toe, not believing his eyes. Your hair was unkempt, to put it lightly. The dark circles under your tired eyes seemed to have become a deeper shade since the last time he had seen. Your lips were chapped, but wet with alcohol that also stained your clothes.

"Why?" was all Spencer managed to get out.

You shrugged your shoulders. "Dunno, got a little lonely and bored.." If it weren't for the alcohol, you don't know if you'd be able to remain calm in a situation like this.

"God! You could have stayed with family - I don't know! Just look at the place! Have you even left the apartment at all?"

"How can I stay with family when my only family is states away and constantly traveling?!" you finally snapped angrily.

"Is this what this is about?" Spencer said softly, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. He looked away from your hard stare, afraid of the guilt he'd feel.

You stuck out your bottom lip in a mocking pout. "Figure it out, genius boy."

"Watch it," Spencer snapped, but you merely rolled your eyes at him.

"You're not my dad. You're barely a boyfriend! You don't order me around," you sneered, watching a flash of pain spread across Spencer's face. But he was quick to compose himself, playing the calm, peace maker.

"Look, we can discuss this tomorrow when we're both rested and sober."

"Oh, really? The last time we made plans, you had to leave. It's all you know."

"Well what do you want me to do?! Do you want me to quit my job?!"

"I don't know, Spencer! I don't know anything, anymore!" you shouted back. Your head began to spin, tears blurring your vision and then you were on the floor, drunkenly grabbing at the air for support. Spencer rushed to your side, attempting to help, only for you to shove him back, harder than you probably intended. Now you were both a mess on the floor, crying and mumbling curses.

Spencer crawled towards you, clasping your hand in his. "Let me help, sweetheart. S'all I wanna do."

"I don't need your damn help," you scowled, hot tears still spilling down your flushed cheeks. You placed your free hand on his chest, but didn't try pushing him away. "I don't want it.. And I don't want you."

Spencer felt his heart ache at the statement, but he knew it was a lie. A facade.

"I know you don't mean that."

"Well you didn't mean it when you said 'I love you' so I guess we're both liars," you scoffed pitifully.

"I meant it, Y/N, and you know it." You remained silent. "I love you. I really do."

"No, just shut up and this'll be easier."

Tired of your attitude, Spencer gripped your chin, forcing you to look up at him, your glossy eyes locking with his deep browns.

"Dammit, Y/N, listen to me. I love you, so, so much, that I will put up with your stubborn attitude that I hate so much, because deep down, I know you're the biggest softie. And you love me, too, no matter what you say to get me to believe you don't."

"I don't love you." Lies. "I wish I never met you."

Spencer pressed his forehead against yours, nearly headbutting you with the sudden action. His lips just barely brushed against yours, and you could feel his hot breath fan your face.

"Don't you lie to me."

"I'm not lying. I hate you. I fucking loathe you, Spencer Reid."

"Then why haven't you backed away?" he whispered, his voice laced with hope.

Silence.

"Answer m-"

Just like that, your lips were on his, roughly claiming them while effectively shutting him up. Spencer didn't waste a second kissing you back, returning the same roughness. He slipped his tongue past your bottom lip, tasting the bitter alcohol that tainted them. You let out a quiet moan, hoping, just hoping he didn't hear. But of course he did, and that only encouraged him. He wrapped his arms around you desperately, trying to get as close to you as physically possible. Your bodies pressed up against each other perfectly, fitting together in all the right places and curves like a puzzle piece, made for each other.

And this is where you belonged, tangled up in your lover's arms. You didn't want to part. More than anything, you didn't want to break away. But eventually you had to, your lungs suddenly feeling tight with lack of oxygen.

You buried your head in the crook of Spencer's neck, sobbing out.

"God, I've missed you so much. Please don't leave me again. I love you so much, Spencer." You repeated it like a mantra, afraid Spencer would disappear into thin air if you stopped.

Spencer rubbed circles on your back comfortingly. "Shh, baby, I'm right here. I won't leave. I'm sorry. I love you so much," he cooed. "We'll be okay."

[bitter-sweet-coffee]

okay, one more shitpost before i log off because 400 things happened in my life today and idk if i can do much besides shout silly goofy things i think of into the tumblr void so here are some sonic characters as artists i associate them with! these aren't like headcanon singing voices it's just a thing my brain does, i'll make that post when i have a functioning brain. anyways...

sonic: artist vs poet

knuckles: kanye west

tails: owl city

amy: literally any rachel berry song in glee but in a good way

big the cat: waterparks idk don't ask

cream: kelly clarkson but like, the good shit. breakaway, my december... yeah. or clairo

rouge: megan thee stallion and other girlboss rappers but not Cardigan Bin i aint doin my bestie dirty like that

shadow: bruno major and not to be basic but mcr

omega: three days grace once again don't ask

espio: falling in reverse but also anything with ronnie i just made a post on this

vector: this might be controversial because he is a canonical music lover but i'm definitely getting classic jazz from him just as a whole

charmy: hmmcmdkdkddk 100gecs 💀

ray: that one dancing in my room song but also baby emo vibes like fall out boy and medium p!atd (pretty odd and doab vibes specifically)

mighty: hollywood undead or 3oh!3 ik he's a sweetheart but i give him a pass to like misogyny music because it does slap ngl

metal sonic: mother mother 🤭 do with this what you will

vanilla: abba or fleetwood mac but also sex pistols as a nancy spungen defender

jet: PIERCE THE VEIL ALL THE WAY

wave: penelope scott but she could definitely pull a paramore or new years day if she wanted. but also i hc her as a percussionist so also rush (RIP neil i love u so much). also doja and rico nasty and willow ok i need to stop picking favES ANYWAYS—

storm: the piano guys because he radiates cello energy

infinite: bring me the horizon i do not take criticism on this one

silver: ... ben platt BUT NOT JUST DEH STUFF LIKE, BEN'S MUSIC TOO and also undertale fan music

blaze: mitski... look i don't make the rules yes i do

eggman: definitely queen but also wham! and listens to the entire make it big album specifically for the interlude for that version of careless whispers (fave track is heartbeat tho)

mephiles: matt maltese and asking alexandria simultaneously

scourge: the cure and hyperaptive

bean: front bottoms but i can't explain why i'm sorry

cosmo: MITSKI LIKE BLAZE THEY CAN TWIN but also the macrobats

marine: florence + the machine

tikal: hozier but also dodie for some reason

fang: ...mccafferty

bark: arctic monkeys and this isn't because polar bear he just radiates those vibes

honey: banshee 🥰

shade: evanescence and i'll elaborate if someone reminds me

maria: girl in red

sticks: definitely stans gaga i don't make the rules yes i do i need to stop saying this

PS: i can't tag every character so i didn't tag sonic knuckles or shadow since their tags get a little more love so if you're seeing this bc i tagged your underrated fave i wanna say ily and i'm gonna try making more content for underrepresented characters and ships so if you ever have a rare request please lmk!!!🥺 i know what it's like to fave a lesser known or liked character so i've gotchu!!! and if your fave wasn't here like maybe helen or comedy chimp or lumina or merlina or whoever i can always make a part 2 because trust me, i have songs for everyone :")

[optimistic-dinosaur-nacho]

Falling - REQUESTED

Chris Evans x Wife!Reader

Warnings: Cheating, Angst, Mentions of Cheating/Photos  Summary: You went on a business trip for the week and when you return to New York. Your husband friend calls you over to tell you. Chris wasn’t all alone when you were gone.

A/N: This is some angst. Yall be giving me a lot of sad fics. And heads up, for those who requested, they might or might not be short. I’m sorry if they are not what you expected. I’m in a little rush right now due to school and work so I’m really trying to get these things done for you and that I have a chance to relax and prepare for the challenges.

Thank you!

Request: Hi! I have a request uhm..Chris Evans x wife!reader. When y/n was gone for a business trip and Chris cheated on her with other girl without her knowing but she found out when Sebastian Stan told her :)

It had been a week since you have left New York for a business trip in London for a while. Traveling had been your main thing around almost 5 times a month. It wasn’t the best but you’ve earned a lot of money for it and it was nice to go somewhere new. You took the first flight that was heading out in the morning. You were desperate to get home soon as possible.

So once you got on the plane and took your seat, you rested your eyes for a bit, read a book recommended by your husband of four years. Chris was an actor in many films and he found you in such a strange place before he asked you to marry him.

An after party in New York was not a place you’d meet your husband. You remembered you two got kicked out of the party and then you just ended up going out more and more. His fans slowly warmed up to you and Chris kept you for a long time.

He cherished you like no other. 

Gave you the attention he desired. Waking up every morning to see him staring at you with those hazy blue eyes. Going on walks with Dodger was always a morning thing you’d do with Chris. 

You couldn’t be happier.

After hours on the plane, you landed and took a cab back to your place. You didn’t bother to message Chris because you’d surprise him when you or him walk through the front door. You had a place in New York while Chris held his in Boston and Los Angeles. He decided to stay in New York to wait for your return. 

Taking the elevator up to your place, your leg bounced up and down. An anxious feeling that you’ve been doing since you landed. 

When the elevator dinged, you nervous stepped out and made your way to the front door. Using your key to open the door, you could hear faint voices that were arguing towards each other. You furrowed your brows and leaned forward to look around the corner.

Two men were in the living room, one had his arm out like he was gesturing to someone. “If you don’t tell her, I will. Do you know how everyone on the damn internet will react?” 

Your heel clicked on the hard floor and the two men turned. “Chris?” You asked, your eyes look over to the other man and your face drops, “Sebastian?” Seb’s shoulders drop and he lowers his head. Chris was frozen and his face was horrified and now you noticed a new feature.

Tears.

Why was he crying?

“What’s going on?” You asked. Sebastian finally looks back at Chris to answer that. Those blue eyes began to glisten and his breathing was rigid. “I can... Y/N, I’m sorry-”

“Sebastian-”

“Chris says he wasn’t the one who started it,” Sebastian pulls out his phone and taps on the screen. You slowly walked up while Sebastian pulls out the website. He shows you his phone and you were afraid to look. Looking down, you see photos.

Photos of Chris in Boston and beside him was a tall woman. Taller than you. Her hair was longer than yours, different shade of color. Her smile was wide that could almost match Chris’s in the photos. Chris stutters, “Sebastian, please. Y/N, I-”

“When was this?” You cut him off, you take Sebastian’s phone and held it up to him. Chris swallows hard. “When was this!” You shout, your arm falls, “And you said you stayed here. So you lied two times.”

Chris shakes his head, “I was... Y/N, you know I would never. She’s a friend.” “Chris, you know what photos have been taken, the media is already going crazy over them and you’ve basically fucked yourself up,” Sebastian growls. You look up from the photos of the parties Chris came out of with the girl. Tears began to flood and they slipped without permission. Your bottom lip quivers, “Sebastian, can you excuse us?” You lowly say. 

He doesn’t hesitate to deny but he turns, “I’ll be outside if you need me,” He says to you only. Sebastian was a good friend to you and he’d never lie to you. You both hear the door close and Chris began to walk up to you to reason but you pushed him lightly. “Don’t.”

“Sweetheart-”

“How could you?” You ask, Chris shook his head and raised his hand up to run it through his hair. You then shook yours, “I hope you’re happy about yourself. Not everyone is going to take your side of the story. You’ve ruined your reputation in life.” Chris takes the chance to sit down on the chair, leaning on his knees, sniffling in regret.

You hear a choke sob from him and your face softens. The thought of him breaking in front of you for some he did, you weren’t sure to believe him. Like some man claiming to be innocent in front of the judge by feeling mournful knowing that he’s guilty. You couldn’t take the bait. 

“I’m leaving. I’ll be staying with Sebastian for a few days until this is all cleared up. And I’m sure you’ll hear from me soon with papers. I can’t do this anymore, Chris.” You turned your footing and began to walk away till his hand reaches out to your wrist and stopped you.

Turning, his head was still low, looking into his lap. His fingers caressed yours, slowly feeling your soft and warm hands. More tears fell from your eyes as his fingers slowly slipped away from yours to let you go. His hand falling back into his lap, he didn’t look up to see you leave.

Sebastian never spoke to you on your way out of the building. He accepted your request to stay at his place till everything cleared up. Your social media were going crazy and you muted the notifications and turned off your phone with a sigh.

Sebastian turns. “I truly am sorry. I would’ve told you sooner but the way he was talking sounded like they were just friends but it got worse that night and-”

“It’s okay,” You muttered, “I just hope this will all go away soon.” Sebastian frowns and reaches over with his free hand and held your hand to reassure you. “It will. I promise. You’re not the only person to go through this and have it go trending on the media.” You turned away to look out the window and the rain began to pour on the window. 

And you made the call right after you got to Sebastian’s place. And Chris never bothered to call or text.

Official Taglist:

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Want a tag? Just ask!

[enbies-and-felonies]

Love Me Like We Aren’t Broken Boys -Keefitz

@clearlykeefitz @lemontarto @impostertamsong @everyonehasthoughts @ruewen-and-rising @fabulous-fan-fables @linhamon-roll @queersofthelostcities @vibing-in-the-void @diamond-dreamerr I feel like there’s one I’m missing and its stressing me out

~~

tw: swearing, homophobia

~~

    Keefe let himself go numb as he sketched. Normally drawing helped him focus his emotions, understand them, and then release them, but today... Today he wanted to never feel again.

    A stroke of light pink, a stroke of dark. A shade of blue, a shade of brown. Underlying red, underlying yellow. Highlight and shade. Erase, repeat.

    Keefe finally let himself look at his drawing and his jaw tightened. 

    Fitz.

    His throat grew thick and his eyes burned. He might never get to see his best friend again, and it was all his fault.

~~

   “Keefe, what do you need?” Alden’s voice was calm, and Keefe was glad that his father-figure was always so... unconcerned.

    “I... I wanted to ask if I could stay at your place for awhile.”

    “Why, of course Keefe. You are always welcome here. Why this change and the concern? I’m sure there’s no reason to worry.” The Vackers had offered to house him more than once in the past, but Keefe had always turned them down.

    “I’m... I’m going to come out to my father. I don’t exp-”

    “Come out?” Alden’s voice seemed chillier, somehow. 

    “Yeah. About that...Alden, I’m gay.”

    There was no denying the way Alden’s emotions twisted into a hard knot of anger and disgust.

    “Get out.”

    “What?! Alden please!” Keefe didn’t know exactly what to say, but the idea that his father-figure wouldn’t accept him had never crossed his mind. He had thought Alden was safe, he had planned on him being the first because he thought that he would support him and now-

    “GET OUT!! I forgive you being sent as a spy against my son, I forgive you joining the Neverseen, I treat you as my own child!! And THIS is how you repay me?! You willingly choose a lifestyle that not only degrades the worth of your genetics, but you sully my family’s reputation by having been once considered a son. LEAVE. MY. SIGHT. You aren’t welcome here.”

    Keefe stumbled back, stunned. Then he turned, eyes burning and chest so tight he felt he might be dying. His hand hesitated on the door knob.

    “Alden, I-”

    “You are indeed the disappointment your father always knew you to be.”

    Keefe’s knees buckled and he barely made it out of the door before the first boiling tears fell.

    “Keefe? What are you-” Keefe stumbled past Fitz and out the door, breaking into a run. Fitz chased after him, but even though he was athletic, Keefe had always been the faster one. He made it out past the gate, and tears blurred his vision as he fumbled for a crystal.

    “Keefe! Wait! What’s going on?!”

    Keefe leapt away.

~~

    “Keefe.” Fitz’s voice startled Keefe, and he scrambled to hide the drawing against his chest, and compose himself.

    “Yeah Fitzy?”

    “Don’t hide from me Keefe. What’s going on? I saw you run-”

    “Nothing’s going on, Wonderboy. I just had to scoot because I didn’t want Ro to get a chance to prank me before I got back.”

    “Keefe.” Fitz swallowed and Keefe found himself focusing on his Adam’s apple, the soft skin of his neck, his chest heaving.

    “Keefe, please don’t lie to me. Please...” Keefe could barely tear his eyes away from the wrinkled material at Fitz’s neck.

    He tried to say it jauntily, but it came out strangled when he finally managed, “Now, why would I do that Fitzy?”

    Fitz stumbled slightly, like it hurt that Keefe wouldn’t tell him, like maybe he actually meant it when he had finally said he was sorry for not trusting him, like he actually meant it that time when they were playing tackle bramble and they had tumbled to the ground and Fitz was laughing and he rolled over and he had said “You know Keefe, you’re still my best friend. You know that, right?”, like Keefe was even capable of being loved, of being friends, let alone best friends, with someone. Like Fitz still wanted to be his friend.

    But Keefe knew better. So why in the name of the councilors did Fitz even try?

    “Shut up.” Fitz whispered, “Shut up Keefe. You don’t need to tell me, but never lie to me. Never do that Keefe, please.” His voice was so broken that Keefe wondered if he just might mean it...

    “Okay Fitz, I won’t. I promise.” He purposefully ignored his heart beat. He didn’t want to know if it skipped three times.

    They stood there for a moment, Keefe with the sketch pressed against his chest, Fitz with chest heaving and a broken look in his teal eyes. Then Fitz took two quick steps and gathered Keefe in his arms.

    “C’mere Keefe. I might not know what’s wrong, but I know something is, and I’m still your best friend, whether you like it or not.”

    As Fitz buried his nose into his neck, Keefe had to force himself not to cry at the barrage of fondness, melancholy, and trust hurled at him. There was something beneath all of that too, something akin to fear, but Keefe didn’t press to understand. 

    He let Fitz hold him.

~~

    “Keefe?” Fitz ventured.

    “Yeah Fitzroy?” Keefe lifted his head from where it rested on Fitz’s shoulder. They were sitting on a bench, Fitz’s arm around his shoulder, in a garden Keefe had made with the help of a few gnomes when he was ten. Cassius got a second mansion, Keefe got a mud place. Whatever, at least it was his and his alone.

    Or, his and Fitz’s now. Keefe didn’t know how to feel about that, but it wasn’t quite unpleasant.

    “I was just wondering... would you... are you.... Are you safe, Keefe? You could- You could stay with me if you need to- ?” 

    Keefe snorted bitterly and the vitriolic words escaped him before he had time to think, “No I couldn’t.” He said with a snarl. He recoiled at the guilt and hurt Fitz felt at those words, but he didn’t take them back.

    Fitz had said not to lie, and the words were true, no matter how he had said them.

    He tried again. “Alden has... made it clear you guys don’t have the space to waste on me.”

    Fitz’s eyes grew stormy.

    “What do you mean?” He growled, dangerously calm. Keefe tried to backpedal but it was too late.

    “What do you mean, Keefe.” His teal eyes were steely and Keefe swallowed.

     “Please Fitz, its not a problem, seriously.”

    “DAMMIT KEEFE, FUCKING TELL ME WHAT MY ASSHOLE OF A FATHER DID!!” Fitz was breathing hard, and Keefe curled into himself at his shouting.

    “He just... It’s... It’s FINE Fitzy boy, just let it go. It’s not a big deal, it’s just me.” How could Keefe tell him? Fitz was his father’s son, through and through. Keefe had thought Alden was safe, and now...

    Fitz took a shuddery breath, obviously trying hard to keep his temper under better control. 

    “It’s NOT fucking fine Keefe. It’s hurting you, and that means it’s hurting me. I’m not gonna let my father ruin your life. You already have someone doing that. Just- just tell me quick and it’ll be over. It’ll be okay once it’s out.” 

    Keefe highly doubted that, but he took a breath anyway and blurted, “I told your father I’m gay and now he hates me and I deserve it.”

    Oh. There was no going back now.

    Sometime during their brief argument, Keefe had pulled away from Fitz, but now he wished for nothing other than to be touching him in some way. To understand even an inkling of what Fitz was thinking behind his expressionless face. He looked down and pulled his knees up to his chest. He should have known better.

    His breath caught when he felt Fitz grab his chin gently and tip it up, so he had no choice but to make eye contact. There was no disgust, there was no fear, no anger. There was... Hope? And affection?? And then Keefe found himself pulled into a bear hug. A hug that only Fitz could give: full of love and strength and gentle at the same time.

    “You have never deserved any of the hate you have received. You are amazing, and you are not a failure, and you have never been a disappointment. Okay?” Fitz pulled away slightly in order to verify that Keefe accepted his words, and Keefe nodded, not trusting his voice past a watery ‘okay’.

    Fitz softened, “Good.” Then he flushed and pulled away from Keefe, but not before the blond boy could feel a swirl of anxiety.

    “I’m uh... I’m not straight either. But I don’t- I don’t know what I am and my dad... If he reacted so badly to you...” His nose flared as his heart began racing, and Keefe could feel his fear though the air between them.

    Keefe stubbornly ignored the thrill in his heart at Fitz admission, and tried to think.

    “So... do you think if Alden knew, he would-”

    “Don’t.” Fitz interrupted, “I don’t want to think about that. He’s a dickwad apparently and his opinion doesn’t matter anyway.” He looked so small and worried. His shoulders caved forward like his body was trying to protect itself from the world, and Keefe ached for him.

    Gently, he took Fitz’s hand in his, and this time he was the one to wrap his arms around the other. He used his free hand to brush Fitz’s hair away from his forehead and placed a delicate kiss on the top of his head.

    “It will be okay Fitz. I promise,” He whispered into the silence.

    “I promise.”

~~

   Keefe hated making promises, but Fitz had managed to extract two from him in a single day. He marveled at that, and his heart swelled with hope. Maybe he did have a chance with his best friend.

    Then again, maybe Keefe was just really stressed out about his asshole of a father. Fitz hadn’t been the best friend to Keefe recently, and it was extremely unlikely Keefe would ever like him back. Especially since Fitz couldn’t even figure out what the hell his sexuality was.

    Who could ever want to be with a fuck-up like him?

    “I don’t know what you’re thinking Fitzroy, but you need to stop it right now. I’m not having any of that self-hatred on my watch.”

    “But I-”

    “You are called Wonderboy for a reason, and that reason is because you are wonderful and thoughtful and you love making presents for people and you are my best friend. No ‘but’s.”

    Fitz growled and pulled his head up from Keefe’s shoulder.

    “I’m a fuck-up Keefe. I can never live up to people’s expectations and I disappoint everyone I meet. There’s no logical reason you should even consider me a friend, let alone your best friend! I literally-” 

    “Fucking shut up Fitzroy Vacker.”

    And then Keefe was kissing him and somehow Fitz found himself being pushed against the back of the bench as Keefe rotated and flung a leg over his lap, successfully pinning him as he straddled his lap. Fitz’s mind went blank as his ears blushed and his heart raced, but he managed to kiss back and was even conscious enough to place one hand on Keefe’s hip, and the other at the base of Keefe’s neck, tangling with his hair.

    Keefe pulled away first, eyes wide and face flushed down to the roots of his tousled blond hair. Breathing heavy, he gave a crooked grin.

    “I guess kissing does shut you up.”

    “You asshole.” Fitz tugged him closer again, pausing just before their lips connected, “May I kiss you, Keefe Sencen?”

    “Fucking please,” Keefe said, nodding, breathless and smiling wonderingly.

    Keefe’s slender artist hands cradled Fitz’s face as he leant in and kissed him. It was softer this time, but just as sweet, and it left Fitz with butterflies in his chest.

    Keefe mumbled something against Fitz’s swollen lips, and he had to pull away.

    “I’m sorry, come again?”

    Keefe rested their foreheads together, “I said ‘maybe I shouldn’t consider you my friend, because I’d like to consider you my boyfriend’.”

    Fitz tried to process Keefe’s words, but his brain was foggy from the kissing.

    “You’d want... me... You want me to be... your boyfriend? Even though I’m broken??” He glanced hopefully into Keefe’s gentle blue eyes.

    “Fitz, I’d love nothing more in the whole wide world. As long as you love me like we aren’t both broken boys.” Fitz didn’t believe for a second that Keefe was broken, but he nodded and swallowed hard.

    “I’d love to be your boyfriend Keefe,” He managed a hesitant smirk, “As long as I keep getting to kiss you like that.”

    Keefe’s eyes glittered as he laughed, and he didn’t wait for a reply before grabbing Keefe’s hips and making him rest completely on Fitz’s lap.

    He kissed Keefe’s smiling mouth, and let himself hope about the future.

~~~~~~~

AHHHHHHHH, IT’S DONE!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so sorry it took literally for-fucking-ever, but I really appreciate y’all’s patience, and I hope you guys liked it!!! I got so many feels while writing this, and I hope the kissing scene made sense. I don’t really know how it works lmao

Feel free to give me prompts to write about!!!!!! (and let me know if you want to be tagged in future Keefitz writing posts!!)

I love you guys!!!!! <33

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs,”The Nexus Falls.”

Sorry about the weird formatting. It was a hectic morning, but I hope you enjoy. 

The entire room blinked in unconcealed shock as the Commander turned off the monitor and returned to the captain’s chair. A completely different mad stood before them now. He could have been ten years older, eyes burning, back straight jaw set.

“Lieutenant, what do we know about the Burg weapons capabilities.”

“Well, sir, it doesn't look good for us. They have….. Some sort of heat gun that the GA has not yet been able to reverse engineer. If they hit us directly enough they could cook us all like sardines in a tin can.”

“Well, let’s make sure they don’t hit us.” He pointed across the room towards the systems specialist, “Call down to the engineers and tell them to pull power to the coolant system. I want it to be a winter wonderland in here by the time we are done. Let the crew know to wear gloves. Until the GA gets here with those extra shields, we are flying balls out naked, and I’m not a big fan of that picture.” 

He turned back to the original crew-member, “What are their shield capabilities.”

“GA database says they are at a level two, energy resistant, but….. Well look at this. They have no impact on projectile weapons.”

“What’s the point of having a shield in the first place if it can’t protect you against projectiles.” One of the crew members muttered.

The commander leaned back in his seat single eye flashing, “Because, projectile weapons are considered barbaric and out of date, all of the advanced GA weaponry runs on energy pulses. If they have those weapons it would act like an EMP to our ship and we would loose power. Don’t question the usefulness of their equipment.”

He tapped his fingers against the armrest, “After all, their equipment would be useful…. If they were fighting against anyone but humans. This levels the playing field,” he turned in his chair to the Comms officer, “Open comline to our other ships.

It didn’t take her more than a moment to do as told, and he spun in his chair back to face forward, “Commander, have the Burg surrendered, yet?” 

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of the Commander’s mouth, “Not yet, but we are working on it. Captains Ho, Silva and Bassi, peel off to protect the plants defence nexus. The rest of us will stay here to take care of the burg fleet as much as we can until GA backup arrives. Use only projectile weapons, and not anything energy found that the GA may have given you. Make sure to up your coolant systems. They have a one charge heat ray that could potentially cooks us where we sit.”

“Commander, the burg ship is moving.”

“Get to work everyone!” The commander ordered, “Tell the pilots to launch, and start targeting their engines. Take care of any other ship that tries to do the same to us.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The burg ship is targeting us, sir.”

“Sunny, Preprair lateral rail guns.”

“Yes sir.” The small blue Drev turned back to her console and began working furiously.

The commander grabbed the controls, which responded to his touch. The chair morphed around him giving him a place to insert his hands and his feet for better steering. 

A curved holo-projections dropped down over his eyes casting his skin into shades of blue and white.

“Sir, the Burg have almost reached lock… sir.”

“Remain calm.” The man ordered 

The new recruits stared out the front screen of the ship as the burg ship dropped into position. It was a massive thing all spikes and pincers painted in colors of black orange and red, dressed for war. And between two of those pincers, they watched as a bright purple light began to grow up, targeted right towards them.

“Commander, if we don’t move now there will be no TIME to move.” One of the crew members yelled in agitation.

“Thank you lieutenant, I am very aware of the movement capabilities of my ship now TRUST me to fly her. Sunny! Are the rail guns charged.”

“Yes sir.’ She shouted back 

The crew member paused mid argument, through they wriggled in their seat with panic. The bigger the flash of purple light grew the more agitated they became until everyone on the bridge crew was muttering and cursing to themselves. Outside a swarm of F-90 Darkfire jets rolled out from under their ship sweeping through the center of space.

Silently, little bolts of white light leaped across the intervening space, and little red explosions, like the blossoming of flowers appeared against the burg hull.

The large purple orb grew in power and strength

The bridge crew was in an uproar.

Commander Vir remained still and silent looking down the barrel of death without so much as flinching hands remaining relaxed around the controls.

The purple beam fired.

And suddenly, they were gone.

All around them the world warped caving in on itself imploding and then expanding in an instant. As soon as they appeared in space, nothing but a field of stars in their view, the commander pulled a hard left, slowly turning their hulking ship backwards.

There was a gap from the crew as the burg ship came back into focus though at a wildly different angle than before.

The commander had micro warped the ship BEHIND burg defenses, though they wouldn’t have this upper hand for long. Even now the burg ship was turning on its axis to face them.

“FIRE!” The commander ordered.

And sunny pulled the trigger.

All through the ship, they could felt the massive ca-chunk ca-chunk as two rail guns fired. The space was lit up between them, and then space was lit by a massive blossoming explosion of red and orange alone the left side of the burg ship completely snapping off a few of the pincers and sending space debris out in all directions.

Little fighter jets, like a swarm of bees around the head of a bear continued to harass the burg shi

“Contact!” Captain, it was a good hit

“But they will be prepared for it next time, he muttered. That maneuver won’t be so unpredictable.”

Just then a light blue holo-projection appeared to the side of the captain’s chair. Nairobi from engineering stood before him, “Captain, whatever you just did DON'T do it again, or you will overheat the warp core, and cook us all.

“Damned if I do damned if I don't.” THe man muttered, “Don’t worry, that was just giving us a bit of a head start.” Her projection disappeared and the captain tilted their ship slightly to the right, “Fire!

That same sound reverberated through the ship, rocking them in place as they sat. The burg ship was a little more prepared this time, pulling to the side managing to dodge one entirely while the other merely strafed their starboard side, though it still left a red hot gouge against their hull

“Burg targeting us again commander.” There was no purple light this time, which partially assured him they were not in danger of being cooked

Behind the Burg, the second UNSC ship had been pulling to a flanking maneuver, only to be blindsided by a second incoming burg ship

They watched as the purple beam cut across intervening space and caught her a glancing blow along the port side.

“Shit.” The commander muttered

“Check on captain Eklend.

“Charging again, commander.

The ship jolted to the side, just as a volley of red hot beams burst towards them. THe entire hull rocked and shook. The crew grabbed onto their seats crushing as the entire room rocked and thundered nearly throwing them out of their seats

“They hit, hull breach on cargo deck E, sir.

“Containment.

“In effect sir, though it won’t last for long.

“Casualties.

“No casualties, so far though four were injured.

“Commander, Captain Eklend is alright, through their core is dangerously close to overheating. He can’t take another hit like that, and his warp capabilities are disabled for the time being.

“Tell him to adjust course and put the Bur ship between him and their command ship, I have an idea or two that might just help us.

The crew looked on from where they sat, rigid in their seats while behind them, the commander relaxed back into his chair. Again his hands were steady on the controls, his single eye was sharp

And there was  a glimmer of something hungry in that bright green eye.

“Lieutenant, how long can we polarize the gravity field on the outer hull?”

“It would be dangerous sir, no more than a few seconds or risk pulling the ship apart, or pulling us apart

He closed his eyes for a moment searing mentally for Conn, who was preparing to exit the airlock

“I need you to do one last thing before you leave.” 

Their conversation was quick

 “ I just spoke with engineering, sir. It won’t be healthy for anyone, or for the ship but it can be done for a few seconds. How long do you need.”

“Long enough to deal with Newton's first law.”

***

“Your Glory our instruments are detecting a hull breach.

The burg commander hissed in pleasure, “Puny human ship will stand no chance at the rest of our attacks.” The human may have followed her once with that micro warp, but he wouldn't be able to do it again.

The ship shuddered and rocked as those tiny, pesky nits continued to batter their outer hull. One of her ships broke through and hurtled towards the human ship, catching it a glancing blow along its dorsal side before being blasted into oblivion

Didn’t matter to her, those ships were unmanned, and she always had more, “Charge the energy cannon.

“Yes your glory.

The human ship fired back not a moment later, and they were only just able to maneuver out of the way, sending a volley of rounds over their upper fins. One of their dorsal antenna was blown straight off, but it was a loss she could take. Warfare in space was slow especially between ships as big as theirs, though outside the nits rocketed past in groups of four or five.

The ship continued to rumble as ordinance battered against their hard outer shell

She ordered another volley, which seared through the void battering against the human hull. There were no breaches this time, as they were aimed towards center mass, but large portions of metal and siding came peeling off like shell peels off a corpse.”

In that intervening time, the humans had charged up their large opposing weapons and sent two more rounds straight for them. She tried pulling to the side to avoid them, but the human had maneuvered his ship in a sharp turn between the firing of the first and the firing of the second cannon, moving the trajectory of the second directly into her line of movement. There was an eruption on the deck below her, and she was almost thrown onto her face.

“We have a hull breach, your glory.

“Would you like a casualty report.

“I do not care about casualties.” She snapped gripping hard onto one of the ship’s interior rails, hooking around it with one of her pincers

She looked up at her screen, watching on radar as a second human ship rolled into position behind them. She was not worried though. Another one of the burg ships had maneuvered to cover her from the rear, and they seemed to be having marginally more success than she was

The human ship had taken multiple hits, including one from a heat beam, which seemed to have crippled it’s movement ability.

She was pleased, though not pleased enough about their current position against the main human ship.

“Fire energy cannon!” She ordered, but as she did the humans dropped some sort of volley of their own. A thousand lights burst into shape before the ship, like a million tiny sparks shed from a fire, they erupted around the hull and out into space catching the energy pulse mid flight.

The little dots of light erupted through it dispersed her energy shot.

She would have been angry for her plan being thwarted, if that had been her plan to begin with. As the night around them was lit up by a thousand tiny sparks obscuring her vision and that of their ship she roared, “Fire Central cannon.” 

The missile erupted from their dorsal side trailing gas and fire as it went.

***

His vision was partially obscured by smoke, and he had difficulty seeing the burg ship through the remains of their flares, though something in his gut told him not to rest easy. 

Which is why he, unlike everyone else, saw the sudden eruption of flame through the cloud of dying sparks sucked clean by the vacuum.

“Reverse polarity!” He ordered.

And in response, the lieutenant slammed her hand down on the button.

He felt the change as soon as it came. The entire ship squealed and groaned. Metal pulled against metal popping and cracking as rivets and screws snapped. He was thrown against his harness pulled in multiple directions at once as the outer hull’s gravity was polarized backwards into space.

Objects all across the ship exploded with the intense power of gravity being pulled in all directions.

Blood pooled stuck still in veins and hearts.

Movement became impossible.

And the burg missile soared from the cloud, before slowing, stopping, and then wildly reversing direction. Spurred by a pre programmed secondary explosion which sent a wave of compressed gas outwards to propel the thing faster before dissipating.

There was a loud SNAP. as the polarity was reversed back to normal. And the entire crew gasped.

A few people fell unconscious against their harnesses 

Commander Vir wiped his face on his sleeve, blood trickling down from one nostril.

“Conn? Conn are you there?”

“Yes commander, I am here. The doctor is safe, and so are your little pets. Be lucky, I just managed to get gravity belts to them in time. I wager to believe the doctors head might literally have exploded otherwise 

“Good work.”

“I’d say it’s my pleasure, but I honestly don’t care/” 

***

The burg commander crowded in delight. 

The human couldn't have seen that coming.

But behind her the shiplings squealed. She saw it before she could demand to know what was going on, watching as her own missile came soaring back at them from space. The shiplings reacted faster than she could have, and the ship jerked upwards narrowly missing the projectile as it roared past cutting under the lower side of the ship.

It felt as if they were safe for a moment, but then she looked up at the screen and watched as their second ship erupted.

She only had enough time to curse before the debris began pelting their ship tearing into metal, screeching and vibrating through the hull.

The human ship had known what was coming and maneuvered to dodge the debris.

“We’re flanked!”

***

“Got you now bitch.” 

Outside in the vastness of space, little blue dots began erupting against the star field.

“Captain, GA backup is arriving.” Their comms specialist said.

“Casualty report.”

“Three dead, sir.”

That was three two many, but he couldn’t focus on that now, he had to deal with what was at hand.

“Fire on the burg.”

“Sir, she’s retreating.”

“To where!” His question was answered as she dropped towards the ace of the planet. At some point, the three human ships had managed to get rid of most of the incoming Burg, though the defense nexus had been shredded.

“Sir, she’s heading planet side.”

“What good will that do her.” one of the crewmembers asked 

The Commander knew exactly what it meant, “We can’t use any of our weapons if they go planetside for fear of killing the civilians…. They are taking this war ground level because they know they cannot win in the sky.”

“That’s fine.”

“No its not, they could dig in, take hostages….. This is about to get a whole lot more complicated.” 

[chroniccombustion]

Butterflies in the Garden

Written for the ‘Fools in Love’ Persona Fan Zine (@personafoolsinlovezine)

Genre: soulmates, soulmate indentitpre-romance, M/M Rated: K Characters: Souji Seta (Yu Narukami), Akira Karusu (Ren Amamiya), Margaret, Izanagi, mentions of the IT Warnings: none Status: zine fic, oneshot; complete

Your name is Souji Seta, and you do not have a soulmate.

Your name is Souji Seta, and you do not have a soulmate.

Even as a child, when your classmates started sprouting colors, Lover’s Marks around their wrists, Platonic Marks across their backs, your skin has always been blank. You used to watch the other children as they gleefully showed off their growing ink and giggled over whose Marks might match their own. You envied them at first. Now you just feel numb.

Over time you’ve come to accept your Mark-less existence. You don’t like it, you don’t want it, but a lifetime of changing schools and absent parents means you’re no stranger to being alone. Eventually you just stop caring. At least, you tell yourself you’ve stopped caring; it’s easier than facing the gaping void of loneliness threatening to choke you whenever your guard is down.

Maybe this is better, you think. Maybe your lack of Soul Marks is the universe’s way of helping you deal with the isolation in your everyday life.

(You chant your “maybe’s” in your head and stop crying yourself to sleep by the time you reach age 9.)

---

Your flowers finally bloom when you turn 16.

A year is spent in a rural town called Inaba, where, for the first time in your existence, you actually feel alive. There are murders, a mystery, but in between the stress and combat there are people, and as you slowly get to know them you can feel your garden grow.

They start as tingles across your shoulder blades, the sensation of warm water spreading like ink along your skin. You wake one morning to find stems and buds. You wake the next to petals and leaves. Sunflowers for the Magician, hyacinth and amaryllis for the Chariot and Priestess. Gladiolus, then pink roses; lilac, then iris. There is freesia for your cousin, a dahlia for her dad. An entire field of Platonic Marks springs up almost overnight, and little by little they bury the emptiness beneath vibrant shades of love until you’re covered neck to waist in watercolor blooms.  

But for all the tattooed beauty of the flowers on your back there is still a blank spot on your canvas, and the colors fade in sadness on the day you have to leave.

---

You stop dreaming about the Velvet Room when you move back to Tokyo. You miss it, the way you miss everything else about Inaba, but your contract has been fulfilled and the logical part of you knows you have to readjust to life as a normal person. It takes ages, but you begrudgingly fall back into your boring, lonely life. You clutch at your shoulders when it gets to be unbearable; when texts and calls to your garden of friends just aren’t enough, you find your fingers searching out the comfort of the blossoms on your back.

Months pass by the time you’ve finally accepted that you’ll never see the liminal blue dreamscape again, and it’s because of this that you’re so completely unprepared for the night when, out of absolutely nowhere, you feel that familiar sensation of falling just as you’re drifting asleep.

“Honored friend,” comes the silvery-sweet voice of Margaret in your ear. “May I ask a personal favor?”

You do not hesitate, you simply tell her, “yes.”

The world around you is cold and harsh when feeling returns to your body. You open your eyes to find yourself in a… cage? Stumbling to the bars, you look out into the blue-tinted room beyond your cramped enclosure and realize that you are not in a cage, but a prison.

The walls curve away from you in a circle of cells too dark to see inside, but from what you can tell, the center of the space is empty.

Someone lurks behind you in the dark; you do not need to turn to know who it is. “There is something wrong with the Velvet Room,” Margaret whispers over your shoulder. “I cannot seem to contact my Master and I fear this new guest may be in danger.” You hear her move, hear the creak of her Compendium as it opens.

Faintly, from all the way across the room in the cell directly opposite yours, there comes the sound of rustling chains. Instinctively you step back into the safety of the shadows as a figure, clad in white-and-black prison garb, shuffles up to the bars of that distant cell. You cannot make out features, only the monochrome of skin and charcoal hair.

“Hello?” the figure calls, and the voice is male.

“Hello?!” he calls more insistently, voice hitching in building unease. “Is anyone there?”

You don’t like this. You don’t like what the Velvet Room’s become and you don’t like that there’s a boy in chains across from you in the empty dark. “Let me help,” you whisper, eyeing the oppressive space around you with creeping dread. “This isn’t right, let me help.”

You practically feel Margaret’s smile. “I was hoping you’d offer.” The Compendium snaps shut.

Something rises from your soul: an old, familiar presence that you nearly weep to feel again, lightning-charged and sizzling through your veins like a pulse. There’s a surge of ethereal blue light and past the glow, through a pair of eyes not quite your own, you see the boy in the other cell take a step backwards in shock.

When the light dims, Izanagi stands triumphant in the center of the room.

Through your Persona’s vision you see the boy more clearly. He’s roughly your age, with curling black hair and wide dark eyes set in a beautiful, seraphim face. He stares up at you-not-you in fear and awe and somewhere in the back of your head you hear Izanagi’s voice like a rumbling, distant storm.

I am thou.

But thou are not I.

The boy’s bow furrows in frustrated confusion. “I don’t understand.”

You watch through Izanagi’s eyes as he silently appraises the boy in the cell. Eventually you feel him nod.

You’ll do.

The world glows white-hot.

There’s a sensation of something shifting – relocating – and suddenly you’re blind. In place of your sight, however, comes an acute awareness of someone else, like your awareness of Margaret behind you only stronger, deeper, like you’re somehow folded up in another person and they in you. Any hollow place that once existed within you is gone, filled to the brim with this feeling of him, the boy who now holds the most profound piece of your soul.

It’s the most intimate thing you’ve ever felt in your life and you are very nearly brought to tears.

Your vision fades back in, leaving you once more inside your own body, and from across the way you can see the boy staring at his hands in pure wonder. He flexes his fingers, brings them up to press against his chest as if he’s feeling for something past his sternum. He looks up, and those dark, wide eyes meet yours.

“Who are you?” he whispers, but you feel it in your head all the same.

You get no chance to answer. Margret’s hand is on your shoulder before you can open your mouth, and into your ear she murmurs, “It’s best if we leave now, honored friend.”

You want to protest, shake her hand off, shout your name back at the boy and ask for his, but your body feels weightless, detached from your surroundings, and you blink to find the room around you blurring at the edges.

You wake up alone in the physical world, blinking away fresh tears. The feeling of completeness is still there, though, and as you stare up at the ceiling and focus, you can just make out the faint stirrings of Izanagi from somewhere far away. “Come back,” you whisper to the boy that cannot hear you. “Please …”

When the sun rises a few hours later, flooding your bedroom with light, you notice something beneath the cuff of your shirtsleeve. There, on your left wrist, in brilliant cyan-blue, is a Lover’s Mark in the shape of a swooping butterfly.

---

Life doesn’t change too much. You weren’t sure if it would because you’ve never had a soulmate before and don’t know what it’s meant to feel like, but the garden on your back hadn’t really changed anything either, so you suppose this is normal. Something that does change is the way you can sense his emotions whenever they’re strong enough.

Determination comes through a lot, as does defiance. You wonder what kind of life your soulmate is living where he’s constantly on edge, constantly tense or stressed. Anxiety and anger are common as well, and you don’t like that the negative emotions are what you get most often because you can’t tell if they’re what he feels the strongest or what he feels most frequently. Neither one is good.

You worry for him, send him thoughts of strength where you can, whisper, “you’ll get through this, I believe in you” into the butterfly, and pray that it reaches him when he needs it. You don’t know him, not even his name or where he is, but you’ve wanted him your whole life and now that you know he exists you already want to protect him. Sometimes there’s a flicker of something in return, but you can’t make out what it is.

There are times, however, when you swear you can feel his happiness. It’s soft, more focused than the other emotions, and always at night when you’re lying in bed thinking. There’s something like longing hiding in there as well, and you know this because you’ve known forever what longing feels like. The butterfly on your wrist tingles with warmth; you dare to hope it means he’s thinking about you, too.

It’s during those witching-hour moments, when you’re alone with the memory of dark eyes and even darker curls, that you press your palm over your new Lover’s Mark and pour every ounce of yearning and curious affection from your heart into this budding bond between you. You like to imagine that the faint, giggly joy you feel afterwards is him answering you back.

But your luck always runs out.

You awake in a feverish sweat one terrible, soul-rending night in November, with after-images of torture flashing behind your eyes and fear crackling in your ribs like Izanagi’s being torn apart from the inside out. It doesn’t let up even after you blink away the nightmare, and your entire body shakes violently with adrenaline not wholly your own.

You gasp into the darkness, searching for any scrap of familiar feeling you can use as an anchor to ground the both of you on either side of the bond. All you feel is chaos, a steady stream of spectral pain. You curl in on yourself then, instinctively wrapping your hand over the butterfly and clutching until your knuckles turn white. “I’m here,” you whisper, hoping against hope that he can hear you. “I’m here, I’m here, I’m here…”

There’s a feeling like something slotting between the fingers of your left hand, like someone is desperately gripping it, and you clench your fist in response as if you could hold his hand from far away and not let go. You stay that way until everything fades into a drug-like silence, sobbing against your Lover’s Mark and rocking back and forth until well after dawn.

Later, as you’re sluggishly getting ready for school with the morning news in the background, it’s announced that the leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves killed himself last night while in police custody. Somehow, with a gut-dropping surety that you cannot explain, you know.

You don’t go to classes that day – instead, you crawl back into bed in a daze and lay there with your lips pressed against the faded butterfly, your heart freezing over inside your chest.  

---

Your Mark is silent after that.

Your hope begins to dim to embers, not yet dead but slowly dying as the months roll by. Sometimes, at night, it feels like maybe there’s still something there – an echo of lonely sorrow ghosting across your soul, but it always vanishes too quickly for you to catch. No matter how fervently you plead afterwards, there is never any response.

You look for solace in denial; old “maybe’s” sit like poison in your mind and you quickly discard them when all they do is make you sick. You cling to your garden of platonic flowers, but even they bring little comfort now that you’ve had a glimpse of something deeper.

Ever observant, your Magician is the first to notice your despondence. He calls you, asks if you’re okay, doesn’t believe you when you tell him you are. He calls again later to say he’s bought a train ticket to Tokyo for spring break, and despite your hollowness the sunflowers on your back grow a little brighter at the news.

March arrives and with it comes your friend, his presence a balm to your shattered heart. You talk for hours, catching up those months spent apart and, miserably, you tell him about your once-vibrant Lover’s Mark. It’s grey now, the color all but gone in your despair, and you’re grateful when he empathizes but doesn’t ask to see.

Three days into his visit you’re… better, so he drags you off to Shibuya for a change of scenery. It’s fun, hours passing with easy laughter, and you realize you’d forgotten what it felt like not to hurt.

You’re halfway to the arcade when it happens.

Out of nowhere comes a sharp, stinging pain – it lances up your arm, tracing the lines of your butterfly like lightning, and Izanagi roars to life inside your soul.

Go.

You run.

You don’t know your destination, nor how your feet know where to go; it doesn’t matter. You follow the pull inside your heart, letting Izanagi direct you left, right, straight for a block then down into an empty, open alleyway, heedless of your Magician calling out behind you.

Then Izanagi’s presence abruptly disappears.

You stumble to a halt. Heart hammering and confused, you nearly miss the sound of pounding footsteps steadily coming closer until they’re just beyond the opposite entrance to the alley. You turn as a figure rounds the corner—

and freeze.

Wide eyes stare at you from behind crooked glasses, dark beneath darker curls in a beautiful, seraphim face. “You,” he whispers, taking a step towards you.

And then you’re both moving. You meet as one in a tangle of grasping desperation, tugging at each other’s wrists to reveal an identical pair of butterflies in shining, brilliant blue. Your fingers in his hair, his arms around your waist, and somewhere in the middle your lips connect in a kiss that feels and tastes like home.

“You’re alive,” you nearly sob when you pull apart, at the same time he murmurs in awe, “you’re real.”

Your name is Souji Seta, and you are 17 when Akira Kurusu calls you his soulmate.