#sol's dirty secrets

[yorackerman]

the happinness that we deserve

synopsis: former enemies share a heartfelt conversation as the world around them is ending and make each other one last promise.

tags: love confession, first kiss, slight angst/bitterness, fluff, proposal if you squint

word count: 3.2k

cw: none

The look you exchanged with him as he transformed in front of your very eyes was a sight that had not once left you, it haunted your nights and your daydreams. A look that made you wonder if there was more to it. There had to be more. You wanted there to be more.

But alas, as he escaped with Eren and no remorse, you realized that there wasn’t anything at all and all the years you’d spent with him, building this friendship that probably covered something more, was nothing. All your trust had been built on lies and dirty secrets.

And once again, when you and your comrades had to go after Eren and you got to stand on the armored titan’s shoulder, you promised Reiner a painful death. You promised that you’d kill him with your very hands for daring to play with your heart like that. You knew he could hear all of your words and you hoped they hurt but deep down, you knew very well that they did not.

After all, you were just one of the hundreds of people he had lied to for 5 years, an insignificant worm that stood in his way and he was the armored titan. The man responsible for the death of many, including Eren’s mother. Your words held no meaning and neither did your rage and your sadness.

Yet you bore them within your heart for as long as you could as they were the only thing keeping you alive but like all things, they ended up losing their meaning as well and you almost forgot why you hated him so much in the first place. Maybe you were still naive, but after all… you didn’t get to speak this through with him.

There had to be more to it, right?  

Time had passed and anger and hatred left place for bitterness and numbness. Your murderous ideas had long left you, just like he did, 4 years prior. Since then, days had been but a mere copy of one another, making you lose track of time. You couldn’t really believe that it had been 4 years since Reiner betrayed your trust and left you alone in Paradis. But the passing time made itself visible on your face as well as your friends’. As young as you were, the drain and tiredness that you had been bearing since encountering the outside world was visible and painfully obvious.

Still, you couldn’t recall everything that had happened and when exactly your hatred for Reiner started fading away, making it possible for you to stand in front of him without feeling the need to strangle him, just like you were doing right now. Was it when Eren started the rumbling which would most likely lead you and your comrades to death? Or was it before that, when you saw what life outside of the walls was like and when you too were forced to kill innocent people?

You decided to stop pondering as it held no importance anymore. You probably didn’t have much left to live and neither did Reiner. Even if he was to survive the rumbling somehow, his term would end soon. Both of you were screwed and as hateful as you could be, you didn’t wish to die with hatred in your heart.

“You’ve changed.”

You raised our eyebrows at his words, quite surprised that out of all the things he could’ve told you after years of not seeing each other he went with… that. You eyed him from head to toe, observed his features and the passage of time and marks of stress written all over his face as well as the beard that made him look much more grown than when you last saw him. His body had changed too, he was taller and looked stronger.

But what was more noticeable, was the constant pain his eyes bore. He did not look as confident as he did years ago. In fact, he looked sad, in despair even. Like the guilt had finally caught up to him and was eating him alive. His eyes did not shine like they once did, and he did not carry this “know-it-all” aura he did back when he was a soldier.  

In front of you stood a different Reiner. Or perhaps was it the real Reiner, the one he always was but concealed for the duration of his mission, who the hell knew at this point? This man whom you swore you knew turned out to be a complete mystery and if he was able to hide that he was the armored titan, he was very much capable of hiding his true personality as well.

“You changed too.” You finally spoke. “You look miserable now.”

“Can’t say that I’m not.”

“Yeah… why did you follow me?”

You shot a quick glance at the small campfire where your friends and enemies sat together while eating Hange’s stew. You had left a bit to take breath alone and gather your thoughts but before you could think anything, the warrior was already behind you. From where you stood, no one could hear, but you could be seen, in fact, you could feel the cart titan’s eyes on you from time to time, or perhaps was it just because its eyes were positioned this way…

When you looked back at Reiner, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts. His eyes were glued on you, but they looked as dead as ever. You tilted your head to the side, waiting for his reply which appeared to have brought him back to reality.

“I just wanted to be alone with you, I…” He marked a pause, seeming to question himself. “I missed you.”

“You what?”

“I missed you. I’m glad you’re alive after all this time.” He sighed. “You’re really… as strong as I expected you to be.”

You took a few steps back to lean against a tree, thus hiding your figure from your friends near the campfire. Reiner stood at you side, making himself visible to the other as you looked at the dark ground below your feet, replaying his words in your head. So there was more to it after all. It seemed, that despite the circumstances, he never really regarded you as an enemy… or maybe he did, but just like you, grew out of it.

“Well, I did have for goal to kill you one day. Vengeance pushes people to stay alive, you know.”

“Do you still want to kill me?”

“Heh…” You chuckled and raised your head to lock eyes with him. “Who knows. Perhaps when we’re done with this mission and you’re no longer useful to me I’ll find out.”

Lies.

You knew very well that you didn’t want to kill him anymore. But you had too much pride to admit it to his face. You wanted him to doubt you, fear your next move even if he was much stronger than you and could easily defend himself against you.

You looked at him, hoping to see even the slightest bit of fear on his face, but all you were met with was a smile. You furrowed at the sight, wondering what was wrong with him and if losing his mind was a symptom of his term ending soon, but he spoke again, cutting your questioning short.

“I wouldn’t mind dying to your hands, but I don’t deserve it. It’s too peaceful.”

Perhaps he had lost his mind, yes.

“Who said I was going to make it peaceful?”

“Your presence alone would make it peaceful.”

You chuckled at his words despite not finding the conversation even remotely funny. You couldn’t tell if this was a subtle manipulation technique to stop you from thinking of murdering him or if he was being genuine with his feelings for once. Feeling overwhelmed, your knees buckled under your weight and you ended up sitting in the cold grass, still leaning against the tree.

Reiner took a few steps toward you to position himself in front of you before crouching to be on somewhat equal height.

“If I were you, I’d go back to where I was. No one can see us behind this tree and I wouldn’t want them to think we ran away or got kidnapped.” You spoke.

“It’s okay. If they call us, I’ll say we’re here. I just really want to… see you.”

You sighed, feeling defeated and not having the energy to reply back with something that will create more distance between the two of you. You were tired from today and the days before and… as much as you hated to admit it, you did find some sort of comfort in his presence and his body being so close to you.

It reminded you of simpler times, back when you were cadets, and your biggest worry was to not give Keith a reason to scream at you or find a way to sneak out of the dorms to be with Reiner alone for a few hours just to sacrifice some sleep and speak about anything and everything. You would do anything to go back to these times but alas you knew it was impossible and all you could do was relish in the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia that his mere presence brought to you.

Oh you wished you could hate him the same way you did when you found out his secret. But after everything that happened and the mountain of corpses you stood upon, it was impossible for you to hate him or not understand him to some extent. The thought of that night back in Liberio was enough to make your eyes wet.

You bit the skin of your lip anxiously before looking up to him. He noticed your teary eyes and a worried expression grew on his face.

“Reiner, do you feel the same way as I do?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I think of the people I killed back in Liberio, the civilians, the children… I want to throw up. The guilt eats me alive. To have done this to protect the so called hope of humanity who is about to wipe us all out… it feels like a waste of innocent lives.”  

Reiner looked at you with a shocked look on his face and almost instinctively, his hand went to grab yours. The sudden contact made your heart skip a beat as it was the first time in years that you felt his skin against yours. He gently squeezed your hand inside of his own and looked at you in the eyes, a serious look now harboring his face.

“I know how you feel.” Was all that he said.

And this simple sentence once again confirmed the doubts you carried with you all those years. There was more to it. Reiner was the armored titan and killed countless of innocent people but…

“You were just a kid.” You replied.

Back then, you hated Reiner not only because he had betrayed your trust, but also because you did not understand his stance nor ever imagined that you would have to walk in his shoes even once. You never considered that his crimes had been orchestrated by someone else and he had been forced to do all of this. Because killing innocents, no matter the reason, was inhumane and you could never do it.

Until you were forced to not so long ago in Reiner’s homeland. Killing innocents for a “greater cause” was awful until you were the one slaughtering innocents to protect the owner of the founding titan, Paradis’ devil, Eren Yeager. Now you understood, and you felt sorry.

Tears started to form in your eyes as images flashed inside of your head again. You looked away, embarrassed to cry in front of the very man you threatened to kill 5 minutes ago but you felt no judgment coming from him which made you feel thankful. With his thumb, he rubbed small circles at the back of your hand.

“Back when I was a soldier in Paradis,” Reiner spoke, catching your attention. “I sometimes wished I had never met you.”

“Huh…?”

“Because I knew revealing the truth to you would be the most painful part, and I was right. It was.”

You remembered of how your eyes locked as he was transforming, how for a quick second the world ceased to exist as all you could read on his face was…

“I’m sorry.”

Like he’d been reading you mind, Reiner interrupted your thoughts to say exactly what you were thinking.

“I’m sorry.” He repeated. “If I knew back when I was a kid that going on this mission would make us meet, I would’ve refused. I grew up hearing that the people of your island are devils.” He marked a pause and chuckled. “I seriously wished you were a devil, so that leaving you would have been easier.”

You remained quiet, letting the memories of that day flash in your head again. It had been so long, yet they were as clear as ever. Reiner’s hand timidly moved from your hand to your face that he cupped gently. You glanced up at him, finding his shy expression quite adorable.

“I’ll tell you… you’re the furthest thing I know from a devil.”

A single tear rolled down your cheek and before you could even notice it, Reiner gently wiped it away with his thumb before starting to caress your skin. You leaned into his touch, allowing it to ease you even for just a few seconds. It was almost embarrassing how he could make you forget about the mountain of responsibilities that laid upon your shoulders, just by showing you some love.

“Do you remember when I said I would marry you?” He asked, making you chuckle.

“Vaguely. You seemed pretty serious about it too… too serious for someone who was supposedly joking.”

“Ahah… well I wasn’t joking. Though I knew it would be impossible, I still said it as a promise to myself but disguised it as a joke to you.” He marked a pause. “It’s stupid to think of old promises and have hope in such a situation but…”

“Do you want to marry me, Reiner?” You cut him off.

A long silence installed itself between the two of you, as he slowly stopped caressing the skin of your cheek. You tilted your head to the side to observe his expression. He was completely out of it, his eyes glued to the ground. You almost regretted asking this question but once again, you knew you didn’t have much left and you were more than ready to hear this man’s each and every secret.

Especially those regarding the feelings that he seemed to have hidden from you.

You couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic chuckle escape your lips. You almost felt bad for having such a childish conversation while the world was dying, it seemed Reiner was thinking the same thing and it was probably why he was staying silent. You sighed, giving up on the idea of heartfelt last confessions.

You gently grabbed his hand and removed it from your face before getting up on your feet.

“Sorry, that was a stupid thing to ask.”

“No it’s not that-“ He got up as well, towering over you. “I… I want to marry you!” He almost shouted.

So he did love you.

You looked at him with a shocked expression then glanced away, feeling bad to have sort of forced this out of him.

“Do you think we deserve this happiness?” You asked, looking in the distance.

“I don’t know.”

Your eyes wandered back to him, noticing a slight blush on his cheeks which made you smile fondly. You couldn’t believe this man was the armored titan. Yet he was, in all its glory. You imagined him in a suit of some sort, pronouncing his vows and everything else that a marriage ceremony included. It sure sounded nice.

But Reiner was a titan shifter with less than 5 years left, and colossal titans were destroying the world around you.

“Do we have time to reach this happiness?” You asked again, locking eyes with him, your next answers depending on what he’d say.

He paused for a while, looking for an answer, then he cleared his throat.

“Yes.”

Oh.

You closed your eyes, fully relishing in his reply and taking it as a marriage proposal. As happy as you felt deep within, you couldn’t help but also feel bitter over the wasted time, the wasted years, hating that if it weren’t for this world’s cruel ways and the sins that some pricks committed thousands of years ago, the two of you could’ve been happy.

This was all but unnecessary pain.

“Then make me a promise, Reiner.” You opened your eyes and took a step toward him before grabbing his hand.

“Yes…?”

“Stay alive.” You said, bluntly. “When all of this is over, I’ll marry you.”

Before you could say anything else, Reiner’s big hands grabbed your face before pulling you closer and gently pressing his lips on yours. You felt the corner of your lips form a smile as you responded to his kiss and wrapped your arms around him to pull him closer as his hands moved from your face to your hips.

The kiss was soft and gentle, just like how you’d imagine your first kiss with him to be. Although you could tell from the way his hands firmly squeezed your hips that he wanted to be more passionate, he was eager and desperate for your touch. He needed you so badly. 

When you parted, you were out of breath, bearing your eyes into his. You were surprised that he looked as nervous as you did, although he tried very hard to hide it.  

“I’ll stay alive.” He finally said. “If you promise me that you will too.”

“Mhm. I’ll try.”

You stayed in this position for a few seconds, just resting in each other’s arms, contemplating what would come next. The both of you were lost in thoughts, relishing in the comforting feeling of being in each other’s arms, knowing very well that it was just temporary comfort.

Soon enough, you heard Jean and Connie shouting your names from the distance which brought you back to reality. You quickly let go of Reiner’s embrace as he took a few steps back to not look suspiciously close if someone was to come now.

You walked back to where you were previously standing and waved at your friends who had thankfully not moved yet. You looked over your shoulder and shot a quick glance at Reiner who stood behind you with his arms now crossed on his chest.

“We should go back before they start asking us too many questions.”

“Right.”

The both of you walked back to where your friends were but before you could reach them, Reiner broke the silence again to speak.

“So… I take it that you don’t want to kill me anymore?”

You glanced at him, almost swearing for a quick second that cadet Reiner had taken control of his body just to speak right now. And when you noticed the little grin on his face you couldn’t help but rolling your eyes, feeling embarrassed when remembering all the emotions you went through in the span of just a few minutes.

“Shut up Braun.” Was all you could reply which earned you a chuckle from Reiner.

[thelastofhyde]

⏤ para sentir el calor del sol, series masterlist.

pairing. joel miller x fem!reader

series synopsis. the story of a man riddled with coldness, struggling to let in the warmth he's hidden away from for years, and the ray of sunshine he calls his sol.

series warnings. no use of y/n ( reader has the nickname of sol ), enemies-ish to lovers, slow-burn, sunshine!reader, queer!tess, miscommunication/no communication, toxic approaches to love/feelings, obsessive behaviours, pining, undefined age gap ( reader can be interpreted as late 20s/early 30s in the canon timeline ) discussions of s.a., depictions of grief, child-loss and canon-typical violence, limited fluff, angst, smut ( lots of it ).

series wordcount. 30.9k ( thus far. )

series playlist. dia de enero - shakira, fallingforyou - the 1975, he gets me so high - beabadoobee, hate to see your heart break - paramore, out of the woods - taylor swift

disclaimers. 1) this series will roughly comply with the canon of both the hbo series and the video game but i have taken the liberty of changing certain scenes, events and dialogue to better suit the fic’s plot. 2) this series will have no official update schedule because i suck at sticking to them. no link = not posted yet.

add yourself to the taglist.

read on ao3. ( capitalisation available )

a word from hyde. i never intended for the likeability paradox to turn into this, it was simply meant to be a brainrot drabble of joel being on his knees. now here i am, willing to put my life on the line for joel and his sol, no hesitation because they mean that much to me.

i. the likeability paradox.

synopsis. joel miller is not a man who strives to be liked, with a chip on his shoulder and a scowl on his face, until his world is flipped on its axis when the pretty young thing living under bill and frank's roof, with an irritatingly unwavering smile and the literal sun shinning out her ass, says those five damned words: i don't like you, joel. warnings. pining, unrequited love, canon-typical violence, smut ( oral- f receiving, fingering, degradation, panty stealing, hair pulling, dirty talk, dubcon. ) word count. 12.9k

ii. the revving of engines.

synopsis. joel miller’s not made it this far in the age of the apocalypse just to die at the hands of some adrenaline-crazed, no-brain-having fool who barely knows where to place her hands on the steering wheel. hind-sight fully intact and ever-so eye opening, he should have said no before frank could even finish his question: can you teach the girl to drive? warnings. panic attacks, perv!joel, slightly dark!joel, soft!joel ( for like a second ), a smidge of fluff, gun violence, murder, smut ( unprotected piv sex- don’t be silly, wrap that willy-, public sex, car sex but also not, exhibitionism, possessiveness, murder kink [ kinda but not really, joel just gets... more enthusiatic at the thought of protecting the reader], mentions/implications of panty stealing, male masturbation, sex as a form of payment, glory-holes, dubcon. word count. 16.8k

iii. the butterfly theory.

synopsis. two seasons pass before joel's very eyes and, without the presence of his sol, neither the spring nor the summer seem to heat his aching soul. what's meant to be a simple drop off at bill and frank's becomes a whirlwind of events that sends you barrelling right back into joel's arms, and all it takes is a horrified shriek: otis is missing! warnings. mentions/implications of sa, only-one-bed trope ( with a twist ), smut. + more warnings to be added ! word count. ( unknown ).

iv. the weight of silver.

synopsis. joel should have known better than to trust that woman to keep her mouth shut. it’s not that tess servopoulos is bad at keeping secrets but, rather, that she views them as a way to connect, to share a precious gem among those she cares about. the added affect of embarrassing joel is merely the cherry on top. she may have put her foot a little too far into her mouth with this one though: joel’s got a new woman. warnings. jealousy, possessiveness, hints of sexual ownership, smut. + more warnings to be added ! word count. ( unknown ).

(+ more parts to be added. )

timeline outtakes ! aka drabbles

11:11 ( infected, 2008 ). 14:57 ( unshaken, 2011 ). 22:22 ( lookalike, 2016 ). 18:22 ( leashes, 2022 ). 20:34 ( tuxedos, 2023 ). 05:48 ( sunrise, 2023 ). 03:33 ( terror, 2023 ). 02:13 ( delirium, 2023 ). 08:03 ( routine, 2023 ). 19:17 ( overheard, 2023 ).

[capacle]

20 Brazilian TTRPGs I wish also existed in English

Today I offer you:

20 Brazilian TTRPGs I wish also existed in English (because I want the world to know about them)

Buckle up, because you won't BELIEVE the diversity of our indie scene.

[presented in no particular order, and only one per author]

1. Meu Brinquedo Preferido ('My favorite toy'), by Eduardo Caetano

A metaphor about a child's growing process by deconstructing their fears through playful situations.

2. SeanchaS, by Jorge Valpaços and Jefferson Neves

A game about myths, construction of identity and narrative around bonfires, about the time of ancient stories and the present time.

3. Gatunos, by Tiago Junges

A GMless/Solo game in which you play as cat thieves and mercenaries doing the dirty work of the five big factions that run the city.

4. Nômades (Nomads), by Marcelo Collar

A card-based RPG in which you play as beings who have the ability to find and pass through the cracks in the veil that separates the universes.

5. Infaernum, by Caio Romero

Create your own apocalypse while playing the game, and interpret characters who experience the last days of all things.

6. Áureos, Os Dançarinos da Lua ('The Moon Dancers'), by Rey Ooze

A game of fight and freedom where dice play capoeira. You play as an 'Áureo', a former slave who, in a fantastic colonial Brazil, receives the blessings of his Orisha to free his people from slavery.

7. Veridiana, by Alan Silva

You play as creatures that live in a large tree, embarking on a deeply sentimental journey in search of a cure.

8. Karyu Densetsu, by Thiago Rosa and Nina Bichara

A game inspired by action anime and manga, with tactical combat, philosophical conversation, and passionate ideals.

9. Imperia, by Jonny Garcia

A game of politics and intrigue in a medieval court, inspired by Game of Thrones. Create a kingdom collaboratively and assume the role of the most influential people in it.

10. Goddess save the Queen, by Carol Neves and Julio Matos

A pulp adventure game in which you play as secret agents of the British Crown during the interwar period, with their own agenda connected in some way with their home nation.

11. Abismo Infinito ('Infinite Abyss'), by John Bogéa

A narrative game of psychological horror in which the protagonists are astronauts, far away in space, involved in a web of lucid nightmares and manifestations of their own fears.

12. Mojubá, by Lucas Conti and Lucas Sampaio

An Afrofuturistic urban fantasy game inspired by Yoruba and Afro-Brazilian mythologies. Play as a person with fantastic powers who descends from the Orixás, fights evil spirits, and occasionally gets into a rap battle.

13. Chopstick, by Igor Moreno

A game inspired by action movies of oriental martial arts, gang fights and crime, with a twist on Fate Accelerated.

14. Contos do Galeão ('Tales of the Galleon'), by Encho Chagas

Create together the legend of a vessel that would have existed during the Golden Age of Piracy. Players will create the ship, its pirates, as well as its enemies, challenges, and rewards.

15. O Cordel do Reino do Sol Encantado ('The Cordel of the Kingdom of the Enchanted Sun'), by Pedro Borges

A narrative game set in the northeastern 'cangaço' region at the beginning of the 20th century.

16. Através das Trevas ('Through the Darkness'), by Ramon Mineiro

A post-apocalyptic fantasy game inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Witcher and Diablo.

17. Nihilo, by Andre Osna and Gustavo Rolanski

A world very much like our own—yet bigger, deeper, and stranger. Secret banks are run by Urban Dragons, Infernal mafias terrorize slums, interdimensional portals open in the basements of abandoned pizzerias.

18. Caçada ao Colosso ('Hunt for the Colossus'), by Jairo Borges Filho

Reenact stories such as Siegfried and the dragon Fafnir, the Greek Odyssey or legends centered on the opposition of two primary forces of humanity.

19. Perdidos ('Lost'), by Marcelo Paschoalin

Inspired by Bloodborne and Dark Souls, a world in ruins, fragmented to the point where only memories remain. You'll find relics of yesteryear, monstrous beasts, beings that have forgotten their purpose, and devious paths to tread.

20. Hitodama - A jornada das almas ('The Journey of the Souls'), by Alexsander Araujo

You are Shinigamis: creatures half divinity, half Yokai, who must carry out missions through different worlds, fighting formidable enemies and saving lost souls.

[freshlyrage]

Running Like Water

Chapter 26

pairing: Javier Peña x OFC (written as xReader)

fic warnings: NSFW Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI) language, strained family relationships, mentions of drug abuse, discussions of insecurities and body image issues, daddy and mommy issues

fic tags: Best friends younger sister, Life-long crush, Friends to lovers, Unrequited love, slow burn, Push and Pull, Small Town Dynamics, Secret Relationships, latina MC, Fluff and Angst, OFC!Jessica Alba face claim, sorry Lorraine I'm bringing you into this, Time jumps, 2 year age gap, pre-canon

word count: 4.1k

IMPORTANT a/n: Hi... I said that if the Celtics won I'd post tonight so ya know! Here it is hehe. LETS GO CELTICS

Finally used the scene in Season 1 episode 5 of Narcos of Javi and Murphy in the car. There's a lot of perspective change in this one, this section will be like this most the time just because are characters are so far apart!

Ok bye enjoy

New Orleans 1988

“Do you remember being sixteen?”

You cackle, playing with the golden bee at your lobe, looking up at your student Chiron. He had been eating his lunch in your classroom for about two months since, the cafeterias ac is shit, his words. You dig into the cake your students bought you, they thought you would cancel their monday practice quiz with a little birthday celebration. They were greatly mistaken. 

Today you're twenty-four. Everytime you think of it your brain freezes.

 You remember being sixteen like it’s yesterday. You nod, washing down the store bought dry red velvety mess with water. “Yes. It sucked.”

Chiron laughs just the same, opening the pink milk box on his tray. “When were you sixteen? In 1950?”

You stare at him with your most deadpan look, shaking your head. “I turned sixteen in 1980. I was living in Laredo, Texas and I spent my birthday alone. I received flowers from my… friend and my mom took me dress shopping two days later. What was yours like?” 

You and Chiron talk every day. You know he lives in a group home, you know he gets excited when he gets asked about his own life and even more excited when someone shares stories about theirs. He reminds you everyday that you want to have a son one day, you guess you’ll tell him when he's older. Hopefully then you could introduce your son to him and have a laugh about it. 

Teaching has given you a purpose. Being away from home has given you a purpose. Knowing no one has given you a purpose. You tell him stories all the time, you’re going to sob when he walks across that stage in May. 

“I went to the arcade with Teresa.” Teresa has been his girlfriend since the ninth grade, she went to St. Mary’s. They met doing community service and Chiron knows that they're going to be married. “She bought me this chain with her paycheck from Rouses. Are you doing anything for your birthday?”

You look at the picture of your little sister and niece sat up on her desk. Little three year old Sol holding Frankies babygirl Annie. “I still don’t know anyone out here but my coworkers so I’ll probably order in, watch Dirty Dancing and wait for a call from my brother.” You think of Javier for a moment, wondering if he knows today's your birthday. 

You wonder if you have crossed his mind. 

You saw him in the paper when you went home for christmas, you didn't visit your mother. 

You went home to simply spoil the babies at Frankie's house. You drove right back to your third floor apartment in Nola. Cried into your pillow until you slept and did it all over again for three more nights. Chiron nods, you have told him small stories about your life because he loves to listen. You’re weary of sharing too much, only offering bits you know will make him feel seen. You let him cry when he said he tried to meet his father during Christmas break and he didn’t show. That's when you decided to tell him about your first trip to New Orleans. 

Chiron frowns and sips his milk. He just got a haircut, flat top style, he had been growing his hair out the whole year for it. “Do you think Javier will call you?”

You smile at Chiron. He had been trying to pry information about your former lover for weeks. It all started after Christmas break when he cried about his father. You told him that family can be found anywhere, that your only family for a bit was your best friend who happened to be your boyfriend. 

“Do you live with Javier now?”

You shook your head, “He moved away for work.” Nearly a lie, you didn’t feel it was appropriate to tell your seventeen year old student the painful details of your life. 

Chiron went quiet for a few seconds, his face going inward. Eyes shy and sad, it happens every time he’s asked about his parents.

“So who is your family now?”

Andrea drops her keys on her kitchen counter being greeted by tiny tweets. She grins from ear to ear, placing her purse down on the couch. Walking to her cage, the two birds chirped.

 “Are you singing Happy Birthday to me?” She gets on her tiptoes, offering her fingers to the babies, they take the chance. “Thank you, mommy’s going to watch Dirty Dancing because she’s lonely. Okay?”

She brings Jewel to her face in a phantom kiss while Harvey finds sanctuary on her shoulder. 

She always wanted pets but her mother never allowed it. The second Andrea put down her deposit for her apartment, she hopped in her car and bought two blue budgies. They nipped and scurried away from her each time she approached them but after two months of persistence they finally warmed up to her. They’re now her best friends. She’s become a crazy bird lady. Just in September she left a date abruptly because she realized she hadn't fed them in a day and a half. Its safe to say she didn’t get a call back from Mr. Henning.

She sits on her couch after loading the VHS and yawning. Her birdies flying back to their cage. 

That was the summer of 1963 - when everybody called me Baby, and it didn't occur to me to mind.

At 6pm she receives a call. Her heart sinks and for a moment she thinks, maybe.

But ultimately she knows not to be so silly, she knows she needs to be angry with him but she doesn’t have it in her anymore. She unravels herself from the nest she’s made on her couch and tip toes on the hardwood floor to her home phone. 

She spoke to Genie this morning, receiving a happy birthday song from her brother and their baby’s incoherent babbles. They say little Annie is upset that Tia Andrea lives so far. 

“Hello?” Andrea shushes her birds, they love to chirp when she’s on the phone. 

“Happy Birthday Andrea,”

 And she knows Don Chuchos voice anywhere. 

Andrea closes her eyes at the sound. She knew she couldn’t avoid him forever and she’s riddled with grief at the sound of his voice after nearly two years. 

“Thank you Chucho.” Andrea remembers the way he looked at her when she sat in the blistering heat on Javier’s wedding day. He looked at her knowingly, he could see that beyond the made up face she was on the brink of a breakdown. “How’s everything back home?” 

“You would know if you stopped by to see me last month.”

She winces. When Andrea came home for Christmas she made it her business to be seen by no one. Especially anyone who knew anything about Javi. 

She was finally feeling better. 

Everything was out in the open now, everyone knew their business. The scandal blew through town, she had to leave.

“I know, I'm sorry. I’m just still working through everything that happened. I knew if I stopped by your house it would bring up old memories.” Since Andrea moved to New Orleans she has gone back to Laredo five times. Two of the times she visited her mother, every other time was a straight shot to Frankie’s home. Calling him to make sure he takes Sol for the day so Andrea could see her too. She would spend two lovely nights on their plush couch and drive home the next day. 

Through the crackle of the receiver Chucho hums in understanding. 

In a twisted way Andrea always wanted him to be her father. She loved the idea of marrying Javier for more reasons than one. She wanted to officially be a part of his tiny family she loved so deeply. 

“Would this be a bad time to talk about him?” 

Andrea, the despondent girl. A girl alone, leaning against her lonely walls, a girl belonging to no one. Is a girl who cannot resist hearing about the one she loved. 

Loves. 

“Yes.” She allows it. He complies because she knows he must have no one to talk to about this. 

“He told me last week that he’s seeing a specialist—therapist, once a week.”

She smiles. She remembers the last time they had sex they talked about reaching out for help. She supposes it’s her turn. 

“That’s- I'm relieved to hear that. Is he doing okay out there?” 

Andrea has a reoccurring nightmare. She’s walking to work, the heat is brutal and her hands are full of groceries. In her nightmare, one of the bags rip open, fruit falling on the concrete. Every time, she follows an apple that rolls until it hits a news stand. And there—there she sees his face. There she reads his public obituary, the slain American agent. There she dissolves to nothing and wakes up crying harder than she ever has. She cried until she felt like dissolving into nothing. 

“He spares me details that would send me into a stroke but you know. It’s very dangerous work but he’ll make it back home in one piece. He’s too stubborn to die young.” 

Her eyes flicker to the ground and her chin quivers at his words. “Do you miss him?” Is all she can mutter. She cannot be alone in this feeling. She doesn’t like to feel this way. She liked to believe that she gets along without him well, but sometimes the wind blows and it reminds her of summer nights in his bed and she isn’t sure she could go on lying to herself.

Chucho sighs, “He misses you.” He doesn’t answer your question. He knows what you wanted to ask. “He doesn’t tell me because he’s afraid, but every conversation I can hear it in his voice. He is still grieving being away from you, still grieving being deceived. I know you are too. But I wanted to call to tell you that he is okay. I want you to be okay too, Andrea.”

January 1988 Bogota, Colombia

There isn't much work being done. Scoping out for a sicario in a hundred degree weather wasn't ideal but it left some time for beers and ramblings. Murphy dug his hand into the cup holder for another sip of Club Colombiano. “So what year was this?” Murphy looks over to Javi. It had been almost a week since he last saw Hertz. His next session is in two days. He found himself walking with less weight. He even finally told Murphy the name of the girl whose picture is taped on the corner of his desk.

“1986” Javier rasps. “I was driving to the church. I was with my buddy Frankie. He was my best man.” He nearly whispers the last bit. “We were late. It was fucking blazing, 110 degrees. The whole bridal party was there sweating their balls off I’m sure. Frankie is shaking like a leaf next to me, like he’s fucking getting married. Looking for a lighter for a joint he rolled. Mind you, we're been in my bride's car since she arrived in a limousine.”

“Don’t tell me you left her at the altar.”

Javier deadpans, “Let me finish my story.” Murphy chuckles, pressing the cold beer to his neck. “He opens the glove compartment and some papers fall into his lap. And boom, we hit a traffic jam. Frankie, my best man, being the nosy fuck he his opens up the papers. He goes, three months pregnant as of June 6th, can't believe we’re both having kids. I swear to god–”

“No!” Murphy gasps.

“Yeah, Lorraine, the bride, and I hadn’t had sex since February of that year. She was showing a lot, I never thought twice when she told me she was five months along.” Murphy is staring at him like this was the juiciest television worthy story ever told. Javier looks blankly into the rolling hills of Colombia wondering why this happened to him. “I had dropped everything in my life to rush into a loveless marriage for the convenience of a family that wasn't even mine.” His eyes cast low and he feels sick. “So I turned the car around. And Andrea was there waiting to watch me marry someone else. In the heat.”

Murphy rarely knew who Andrea was other than the pretty ex-girlfriend whose picture is taped on his desk; he didn’t tell him too much. The story is enticing, he supposes. Exhilarating from the outside.

Murphy grins, “Well, you saved her a lifetime of hell.” 

He knows it’s true, his inner monologue being spat right back in his face yet he can’t seem to swallow that reality. He's a weak man, he hoped that Murphy would tell him he was wrong, that he needed to get up on a plane this instant and find his girl.

He’s silent for a moment. “Yeah, she never spoke to me again, Andrea I mean. She’ll probably be married to a-a stock broker or some shit when I come home.” If I come home, he intends to say but decides maybe this wasn’t the moment. “Trust me, she’s better off.”

“I told my partner, Steve Murphy, about the wedding.”

“That's amazing, Javier.” She sits back down in her brown leather chair, sipping her tea from her small yellow thermo. “How did you feel afterward?” Javier went home to drink himself to sleep. He decides to keep that detail to himself, before reaching forward to sip water instead of fulfilling his urge to light up.

“I felt like I’ve taken some sort of step forward. Then I remembered how it was telling Andrea. Then I felt like I regressed once again, I didn't wake up for work the next morning. This Tuesday I mean.” She’s taking it all in, yet something i n her twinkles. He sees her satisfaction, she knows this is a shy way of telling her he’s ready to talk about it again. Things are changing for him so quickly.

“We were cut for time last week.”

“We were.”

“So,”

“So.” Javier's eyes jet to the plush rug below him. “I walked to her house the night I agreed to marry Lorraine.”

June 18th 1986

He stopped by The Tap before strolling his way into your neighborhood. Sitting on a barstool like he would do back in High School, eyes peeled to the door wondering if his mother would miraculously walk in. This time he doesn’t drink so much, he pushes three beers back and feels sad enough to see you. Sad enough to break your heart. Liquid courage? Is that what they call it? He feels a buzz in his spine.

Somehow he ends up at your door. 

 “Javi, are you alright? It's late.” You whisper, closing the front door behind you. It reminds him of the time he walked to your house after getting wasted. Catching you in Cabaret makeup, you turning bright red under white paint. 

This time you’re bare faced and so much more of a woman. Javier studies you in a buzzed haze, you’re concerned and it’s pissing him off. There you are, barefoot on your porch. Caught off guard and still the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. You step down one step. He wants to drop to his knees and apologize. 

You sense his sorrow so you step back up to be near to his height, placing your hands on his face. Holding his face, “Baby, are you okay?” He knows your worried little face, he knows that somehow in that brain of yours—you’re conspiring what you could have done wrong. Yet it’s never you, it’s always him. You’ve never done wrong.

“Hey…” You whisper, attempting to soothe his quivering chin with a kiss. 

He looks away. Looking into your eyes will kill him. Rejecting your kiss all together. “I’m sorry.” Javier’s voice breaks, and he isn’t embarrassed but he wants to die. He wants it to end because he feels your body go cold without even having to look at you. He’s crying and hiding his face, holding you close and hard. Sobbing into your chest, staining your gray shirt like you did his when he left the first time. “I’m so sorry—I knew I wouldn’t be right for you—Querida, I’m sorry.”

----

He crushes your body with his. He’s muttering words about a wedding, a pregnancy and you’re being crushed. You’re losing air and you hope he squeezes you tighter, hope your eyes fog and you fall. 

Hope to wake up in a cold sweat, and it's all a bad dream. Hope to call him to hang out at the lake.  

He’s crying, and its the worst sound you’ve ever heard. Saying he didn’t mean to become a father. He doesn’t mean to hurt you. He doesn’t know why he hurts you. He says he doesn’t want to be married to her. Calling you sweet names and cursing his own. 

You tell him over and over that it’s okay. Yet you hope he crushes you until you disappear.

 “It’s okay—Javi please, it’s okay— I understand.” You run a hand through his hair and lower your bodies to sit on the steps. It’s 2 am. He’s drunk and unable to give you details without crying in your lap now but you know all that you need to know.

When you saw her—Lorraine. When you saw her wide nose and round little belly you felt fear running through your veins. And you slept with that panic, you dismissed it but your bones felt it. Your intuition told you that the two of you will never be the same. You saw him stare at her belly for a second too long and there—right there— you knew you were in the way of something. 

Eventually he feels okay enough to sit up straight. He still can’t look at you and you miss him in your lap when he does. You miss being able to hide yourself from him. You miss being able to shut your eyes in agony at each word of consolation. Now he can see you, even if he doesn’t look you in the eye he can see you. 

You’re able to understand that she’s five months, that they gave him a choice. To never see her and his child, child— his child— or get married. Through it all you tell him it’s okay. 

“I don’t think I have another choice— I can’t be.-“

“A deadbeat.” You finish for him and he doesn’t respond. The two of you have a million unspoken words between the two of you. 

Look at me, look at what happens when you abandon your child. Look what girls like me put up with. Look at me, you hurt me and I'm still thinking of ways to make it work in my broken little brain. 

He knows what his mother did, how could he ever? How? So you could never find it in you to be angry. 

“I’m sorry— I just can’t.” 

You shut your eyes and lean back into the steps of your home. The sky was bright that night, you couldn’t understand why the universe still presented its beauty during such a moment. 

“When will you get married?” You suppose maybe you like to hurt yourself. 

“They said two weeks.” 

You drop your head into your hands and let out a sob. Heart slamming against your ribs, drowning in it. You fear that you’ll become one with earth, a puddle seeping into the grass ahead of you. You feel his panic next to you. He’s whispering your name, and tearing against the back of your head. Your shoulders wrack and you try to speak.

But you decide silence is all you can handle.

So you stay like this for a few minutes.

“Will you sleep with me tonight?” You ask finally, pathetically. 

And he’s quick to nod, “Yes—please.” His deep voice sends a vibration down your spine. And the two of you walk into your home, without fear—no room for such a silly feeling. 

He undresses and you do too. 

He faces the ceiling and you fear neither of you will catch any hours tonight. You still curl into his chest, for the last time. Feeling his warm tan skin below your ear. You count his heartbeats for minutes at a time. You count your own, attempting to make it stop on your own. Your stomach hurts so badly, you may cry just from that. But you think that you’re a twenty two year old woman who is somehow all cried out. You think of the sun coming up and him getting up to leave, you wonder what the next two weeks will look like. 

You’re sure that if you could you’d stay just like this, together and avoidant until it’s time. Just like you planned a week ago when your only fear was him leaving to Colombia. 

You know he’d do the same because the two of you love pain like no other. You stay in your inferno of a brain for nearly an hour. You know he can’t sleep. 

“What are we going to do?” He asks and you frown. 

“Go our separate ways.”

“I don’t want to.” He’s quick to respond, angry.

“I know.”

“Do you want to?”

“No. But I have to. You have to.” 

“As long as I know you, I'll want you, Andrea.”

You shut your eyes and breathe. You hope he forgets you. You hope you can. You suppose you have to try. 

“After the wedding, I don’t think I’ll ever want to speak to you again.”

You feel him intake a shaky breath. Your heart breaks again. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry.”

His chest rises, “It’s okay. I understand.” You nod, the post of the earrings he bought you scraping his skin. “We probably shouldn’t see each other after today.” He admits and you know he’s right.

“Yeah.”

“Do you think I could be a bridesmaid?” You attempt to joke and he doesn’t laugh. You can’t tell what he does but he shivers. 

“Not funny.” 

“I’m sorry.” You exhale. And there the two of you are pensive. Already missing each other. 

He sighs and it's silent once more. “I really love you.”

You sigh just the same and you love him more. You decide you couldn’t say it out loud this time.

Colombia 1988

His elbow is rested on the arm of the chair and his mouth is pressed to a fist. Eyes closed for a few moments. He thinks of the silence of that night, how he hasn't heard you say I love you since. The words that kept him going, but fuck it, he didn’t feel like he deserved it. He made their life such a mess, over and over again. Again his brain regresses to that of a child, of his own head when he was eleven, when he tore up his mothers room and stained her poetry with his tears. 

He has spent two years suffering, he knows there will be no winning. He lost you. He came here prematurely hoping to win in some way. To bring some good, save some people but he realized there's no winning here either. Just suffering and corruption. The longer he watches people die he swears his faith chips slowly with it.

So he looks over his shoulder once or twice when he leaves his session. There were very few words spoken by Dr. Hertz but what can you do when his story silences so many?

He wishes it could silence his own thoughts but instead it festers and crowds his brain in the most crucial moments. Like when he led a raid in a bar in Medellin and swore the woman who sat at the bar with a gun to her head was you. In genuine panic he freezes, the casualties raised from 24 to 25 at that moment. All because of you—him—all because of his thoughts of you, plaguing him.

And he thinks of you in the most insignificant moments. Insignificant like burying himself deep in the cunt of a woman who’s being paid. He thinks of you and can't keep it up from the guilt. What a curse it is to feel so deeply about someone. 

He remembers once, you lie beside him half asleep and mumbling like you did after sex. You said that sometimes love scares you so much that for a time you wished to never feel it. He thought of you so crazy, he fears he understands you now. 

[coastielaceispunk]

A Royal Need

Kinktober22: Public Sex with Oberyn Martell

Oberyn Martell x f!reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: Language, alcohol, public sex, unprotected PinV, creampie, possessive Oberyn, biting, little bit of a lap dance, slight hair pulling, dirty talk, Obie being a dom Prince.

Masterlist | Kinktober Outline | Absurdthirst's Kinktober Prompt List

+++++

The wine is flowing and the food is plentiful around you. The music is loud and jovial, matching the mood of the celebration. Always quite the extravagant affair for a royal Dornish wedding at the beginning of the cold season. This one was for a distant second cousin to your lover. No real knowledge of them but always eager to be gracious guests to a lavish event.

It is now later in the dark hours, the sun set long ago and the banquet finished. The festivities will continue well into tomorrow night, but now is that ripe time where all are living in their drink and dancing. Feeling the warmth of your own indulgence you find your way back to your seat with a sway. The music is starting to have a full body effect on you and you must find Him. There he sits, right where you left him observing the night: Prince Oberyn of House Martell.

As you approach, you smile and start to dance for him, running your hands up and over your layered silk dress and cover robe, the humid air of the day cooling around you. Fingertips lightly caressing the curves of your body knowing soon the path will be taken over by his own hands. Oberyn’s eyes are hungry when you finally reach him and his large warm hands grasp at your waist as you circle them to the sensual music. 

“Having a good time, yes?” Oberyn breathes into your torso as he pulls you closer between his widespread knees, his hands spreading to cover and squeeze your ass, his mouth kissing and nipping just under your belly button. Your hands find the back of his neck to hold him to you as you continue to dance slowly, and now grind into his chest. Oberyn has never been shy to show his lust for you physically and you couldn’t be bothered to care if people saw you or not. 

Oberyn hums deep in his chest as you turn in his grasp to seat yourself in his lap. His hands move up to squeeze your breasts once then caress your neck and shoulders. Steadying yourself with the arms of his wide chair, you begin to grind your ass into the space where his long golden robe spreads apart beneath his belt. The only thing between your core and his growing length are your thin dress layers and his trousers. Both foregoing any undergarments with the knowledge of where tonight would lead. You just hadn’t guessed you would want him right here. In this chair. In the middle of everyone. A moan slipping past your lips at the thought alone. 

Oberyn must read your mind and slowly starts to pull the back of your dress up over the curve of your backside as you continue to circle in his lap. “I must have you now, my moon, I need to be inside of you.”

Your breath hitches as your soaked core feels the cool air, the front of your dress still flowing down to cover your legs and his as he continues to whisper in your ear, “Let me fuck you here, now, no one is paying attention to us, my moon, we can have our pleasure in front of everyone, no one will know. My robe and your dress concealing our lust. Our secret. Tell me, yes, now.”

Oberyn finishes his quiet speech with a bite of your earlobe. You cannot deny him when you need him this bad.

“Yes,” you release with a sigh, “I am yours, mi sol.”

A whimper slides past your lips when you feel him reach between you both to free his cock, his knuckles sliding through your slick folds momentarily.

“Shh, you must be more quiet for your prince,” his lips find your neck when you drop your head to his shoulder, “I’m going to ravish you, fuck you so deep, but you must be quiet. You can scream for your prince later.”

With that promise Oberyn notches the thick head of his cock at your entrance and pushes you all the way onto him with one steady thrust. All you can do is bite your lip and squeeze his strong forearms with all of your might as he splits you open. The burn turned pleasure as you adjust in his lap, speared on his cock in the middle of a banquet. The depravity makes you clench around him.

“So wet,” Oberyn grunts softly behind you, “so tight.”

Then his hands find your hips and he starts to shallowly thrust deep inside you. The drag of his hardened length causing your eyes to flutter closed.

“Look out at the excitement, my moon,” Oberyn orders as one of his hands moves to the back of your head, his fingertips scratching then pulling your hair tight, “all of them drunk and ignorant to our actions.”

More arousal leaks from you at his words and the public environment you find yourself in. Almost one hundred people around you as he fucks you deep. Unknowing. The coil low in your belly almost ready to snap with the sound of Oberyn’s heavy breathing in your ear. His hands claiming your body for all to see. His cock claiming you in secret, finding that spot of ecstasy deep within, over and over.  

“You like this don’t you,” he tugs your hair, his trusts becoming sloppy, “you like me taking you in this busy room, someone may be watching us, watching me make you mine. Show them how beautiful you are when you come for your prince.”

“Obery-!” You shout as you finally snap and come all over his cock, his hand covering your mouth so you don’t break through the celebration's roar of conversation and music. 

He’s holding you so close now, his lap covered in you, as he searches for his own release.

“Mine.” Oberyn growls into your neck, “All. Mine.”

Then with one more heavy thrust inside you, lifting you both up from the chair for a second, he stills and pumps you full of his warmth. Another low moan from you escapes through his fingers still covering your mouth. The feeling is divine and you lick at his palm. His thick cock throbbing inside of you and he quiets himself through his orgasm by biting your shoulder. 

Soon, his hand drops back to your hip as he licks and kisses the sting of his bite away. Another mark from him to admire later. You groan lowly when he pulls his softening cock from your pussy. The feeling of him leaking from you, in a space full of people, exhilarating. 

The music still playing and the event still in full swing, you return to swaying in Oberyn’s lap as he returns your garments to their appropriate places. His palms smoothing your dress down again as his breathing evens out. Like nothing happened, you're looking around and no one is the wiser. 

“My moon,” Oberyn returns your attention to him, “shall we go get more wine together and dance with the others as my come trails down your thighs? With me covered in your essence?”

The smirk he gives you makes you giggle and you take his hand as he stands from the debauched chair.

“We shall, my Prince.”

+++++

A/N: No regular taglist for Kinktober but I will tag my beautiful beta @lowlights and @absurdthirst for the inspo. Thanks for reading loves!

Next: Lingerie/stockings with Maxwell Lord (my This is a Man's World universe)

[lyranova]

Best wishes to you and your mom 🥰! What does she think about Charlotte, Vanessa and Dorothy?

Hiya Little fan! We send our best wishes to you as well, I hope you’re doing well 🥰! We’ll start with Charlotte.

Charlotte:

My mom likes her, but says that Charlotte has been “done dirty” by canon 😅. She likes that she’s a badass warrior, but hates how it seems like all the focus is on her crush on Yami (as in, thats all the anime wanted to focus on) and the silly comedic stuff. She said “there’s so much potential for Charlotte, but they’re just wasting it! Show us why Sol is obsessed with her instead of just telling us!”

She also said her favorite Charlotte scene was the flashback when her curse activated, saying that “I thought the writers were going to do something with it. But they haven’t yet, which confuses me. I want her to have a moment to show us how amazing she is!”. She does like the silly bits with Charlotte though, like the scene in the Star Festival, but really wishes we could see her “warrior, cool” side more!

Overall she likes Charlotte, but wishes that she would show off her badass side more because she’s a really good character that’s being wasted!

Vanessa:

She said she loves Vanessa, and when I asked why she said “What’s not to love?”. She likes that she can out drink most of the other characters, and says that she thinks Vanessa is one of the smartest out of the BBs, and she really loves Rouge (“Rouge can be sassy” is her direct quote XD) and that she loves Vanessa’s magic! She loves how Vanessa utilizes her powers as well as the other Bulls powers!

She said she loves how Vanessa hangs with the boys but also hangs out with the girls, and just overall loves her “wine aunt” personality (“she reminds me of Karen Walker from “Will & Grace”” was another quote!) but she loves Vanessa and says she can do no wrong XD!

Dorothy:

For Dorothy she doesn’t really have much of an opinion, she said she likes her powers and thinks she’s cool, but doesn’t like that Dorothy kept Nozel’s secret about Acier from Noelle for as long as she did, and wishes that Dorothy had stepped in to tell Nozel that he was going to far in how he was treating Noelle!

(Note: I don’t think we know when Nozel told Dorothy about his curse, and we don’t know if Dorothy even knew about how he and his siblings were treating Noelle 😅).

[1tsny4nc4t]

Just wanted to say that i Made a kevrolf playlist on Spotify (tho it Is private for now bc I'm trying to put More songs),so just wanted to say some songs that there are on the playlist,ok so:

"Take your shirt off" & "stay the night" by the millonaires

"Sugar we're going down" , "Dance dance" & "The carpall tunnel of love" by fall out boy

"Quelle surprise" by Ursa major (i puted this one bc of these fanfic that @/mysticbeaver made)

"Write me letters" & "i wanna be your boyfriend" by hot freaks

"Dirty little secret" by the all-american rejects

"Alejandro" by lady Gaga

"Dance with me" by topline addicts

"Two trucks" by lemon demon (GAY TRUCKERS AU REALL!!)

"hold it againts me" (i puted this one bc of these fanfic ALSO Made by @/mysticbeaver) by Britney spears

"Everytime we touch" , "evacuate the dance floor" (i puted this one bc of the episode "may i have this Ed?") & "bad boy" by cascada

"sk8er Boí" & "i love you" by Avril lavigne

I also puted some songs in spanish like:

"Solo por esta noche" by Joe Vasconcellos

"Freebola" by Glup!

"Beatle" by Attaque 77

"Lamento boliviano" by los enanitos verdes

"Perfecta" & "Hola!" By miranda

"Viernes 13" by Marcos Menchaca

"Alguien como tú" by Josean log

"Mi novia tiene bíceps" by soda stereo

And to finish i (obviesly) puted the portugués (Brasil) song everyone has atlest hear sometime

"O sol e a lua" by pequeno ciudadão (this song kind of motivated me to hear some songs on portugués (Brasil)

(SRS HEAR THESE SONGS THERE LIKE REALLY GOOD I SWEAR REALLY GOOD,I RECOMEND ANYONE TO TRY THEM)

[plasticfangtastic]

Can We be Lonely together? Epilogue

a Homelander x Stalker! Reader fanfic

This is a GN reader reader fic

Author's note: too self indulgent not to write an epilogue, thanks for reading and am looking forward to making more fics for this fandom, this is Bi Homelander content if y'all read this as fem or non male reader. prev. chapters in my blog under the my fic tag or can we be lonely together? tag will be making a masterlist fairly soon tho.

R18+ mild smut, exhibitionism kink, gore, murder, dub con, dirty talk, surprise butchlander, butcher x reader, 3-way?, amoral protagonist, unreality.

Epilogue

Breeze sang in the ample halls bringing whispers from the balearic sea, a top the mountain overseeing endless azure, greens and neighborhood roofs the world seemed so far away to him.

So many absent walls in this villa, the house was airy and open, blurring the idea of inside and outside with is design.

Cream coloured linen danced against the wind to the seas secret songs, the sun leaving no corner in the shadows, sandy granite warm under the sun, evergreens could be seen from all windows, cascades of green coloured the view, and a pair of cats slept in a guest room.

There was not a sight disturbed by ugly grey buildings, just mountains and sea– left him feeling as Zeus on the top of mount Olympus, inside the airy home only the dull sound of oak ceiling fans pushing the breeze disturbed the halls.

No longer did the steps of strangers disturbed the dull accismus of this temple by the hill, camera crews left most of the home untouched, it had been a busy and exhausting week for Homelander.

Walls had been sparsely decorated, remnants of a past life clung on smooth oatmeal walls and indigo blue wood beecher paneling accentuating one living room of three-- paintings he had grown attached to and the occasional marble statue laid around, but now there were photos of a man one could hardly recognize.

With each new image, time had eroded wounds off his face, there was a glimmer on his features that had never resided there.

Garden pots had been shuffled around for the perfect frame, now he would've had to move them much to his annoyance.

It was the most anticipated interview of the decade, it had gone smoothly, Oprah had been delightful, manly tears had been shed and hair raising stories were shared, she had found him approachable above all.

After a year of silence the whole world was kept on edge awaiting for his return.

The trial hadn’t even televised but they were plenty of updates by the hour circling around-- more than sufficient. Now he had a full schedule, he was to be in the cover of GQ magazine, had some big podcasts lined up for an appearance, and Vogue to model for… it would be so strange to do without his suit.

Homelander sat with his legs dipping into one of his infinity pools, his loosely fitted honeycomb shirt draped around his shoulders like a poor’s man cape, his hair had grown a tad longer, salty seas had turned his flaxen locks almost wavy and a dark thick stubble began adorning his face.

His tablet resting behind him buzzing with a new email, the wrinkles around his eyes sank as he squinted from the blinding wet mirror, distracting enough that your step barely registered.

“You looked quite handsome in the suit this morning…” You spoke gently– I think the people are gonna love your new look… between the tan and the beard you look… sumptuous.” 

“I should’ve shaved. They’ll think I look like a complete slob! I bet they’ll say I let myself go.”

You joined him by the pool as the hot Mediterranean sun stood above you, pulling his head closer to yours for a flurry of butterfly kisses.

“You look stunning, mi sol. Either way… lunch is ready… Ryan called and said him and Jaythaniel’s family just made it to Disneyland, don’t forget to pick him up tonite.” You said softly squeezing his thigh–  he said he’ll call after lunch.” 

He nodded absentmindedly.

“You don’t think Theodore is going to wake up?”

Worry clung to his tongue, his ears picking up the soft lull of his son’s snoring, Blender making biscuits on his sides but the child slept deeply, you could tell he had entered deep REM stage, you shook your head much to John’s relief.

“I can’t believe we are doing this… you spoil us too much.” He kissed your ear before lifting himself and dropping into the pool.

The sun sparkled harshly against the glass tiles, the sky more blue from below, your sinuous reflection watching him until he emerged, the tired breeze doing very little to dry him, you followed him giddy as his wet footprints led you to the wine cellar.

 It had been an expensive endeavor to have all of this installed… several 3x3 plastic acrylic panels of 32 mm thickness, a high tech locking mechanism plus humidity and temperature control systems had to be installed independently of a good enough contractor who could reinforce the flooring with a steel mesh and coat the cement flooring with resin just to make it impossible for their friends to dig, there had been many logistical nightmares from finding the right contractors to finding a spot for it, it was easy to sell the strange boxes as a sex thing– blaming having super-abled kids increasingly longer list of powers that made it hard for dear ol’ daddy to get off… especially when the word ‘soundproofing’ had been mentioned, or his super strengths which led to some nasty laughs and a bit of murder later down the track, the last thing that mattered had been costs.

No amount of sound ever escaped the wine cellar, the zinc plates coating the walls prevented Ryan and himself from seeing in or out, Theodore was young enough to listen to instructions, if not it was your turn to discipline the toddler.

Opening that door was always a surprise, bringing him almost as much joy as that first christmas day as a complete family.

As they took the stairs he could smell mullet wine and lebkuchen– the tension in his muscles still fresh as he entered a home that had only existed in childish fantasies, awkwardness that never seemed the fade as the strangers hounded him with questions, but he had had you, Ryan and now Theodore for much needed emotional support, it had been almost perfect as it had been intense, it had been strange to hear all these stories of a woman he had murdered, who had only suffered, it was stranger how her only sister had not blame him for the nature of his birth, still grateful that he had found her even if it took forty years, grateful that something more than a pristine corpse was left behind.

Her body refusing to decay inside that pine box.

The cellar door beeps, and cogs turn inside the heavy metal door, fluorescent lights sung awake by the entrance, bringing much needed light to the dark sub-basement, only the three small lights inside the boxes lighten the area for most of the day.

A woman shuddered, flinching as more light hit her eyes, hiding beneath the bolted desk, you walked past Homelander carrying today's menu, there was something enjoyable about the challenge of creating an ever changing menu that was nutritionally balance, delicious and required no cutlery. The disheveled woman approached eagerly at the floating box, awaiting for you to place her meal, intentionally keeping her starved, this had been his decision for this particular guest-- to see if she would go mad. Due to the lack of windows she had no concept of time after all while the lights were on a timer, they were programmed to be irregular enough to cause confusion. To visit at random intervals and feed her whenever he remembered.

Homelander and John wanted to watch her scoof down her meal, to see her choke and tear up as she filled her cheeks and swallowed greedily– but their attention was reserved for guest number two.

“If I knew I had you getting all wet and bothered for daddy, I would’ve worn something nicer” His voice dry, barely lifting his head from the bed.

Homelander helps himself to the mini bar cracking open some pale ale for the world’s largest paper cup, humming a tune as he prepped today's round of meds while you set his meal.

“Got you pale ale… unless you’d like some peach bellinis?” 

Homelander opened the cabinets, rows of neatly organized sex toys, booze and cleaning supplies were displayed– sex toys solely for decor, you both had committed to the bit, much of these had never been used nor did he want to, you had no need for vibrators when his hands did the job so perfectly. He took out a cattle prod, then pressed a code unto a small hidden panel making sure the guest couldn’t peek.

The inner latches came apart, the door hissed open.

There was no need to consider escaping, it was futile, the door upstairs was thicker than the glass, and no amount of yelling got anybody’s attention-- but he didn’t try killing himself either, for the last time he’d tried he had been here in no time, he had a chip monitoring his vitals at all times, and the camera on top of his room watched over him.

You also helped in that department.

Homelander entered first, you placed the food on the floor for Homelander to give Butcher his back.

Almost encouraging him to jump him.

“Would it kill you to wear pants?”

Homelander chuckled as he turned around with Butcher’s meal, wearing nothing but his wet shirt clinging to him tighter than his suit ever did, and black briefs.

“Would it kill you to agree to my offer?”

“Not going to play house with you, stupid cunt.”

Butcher didn’t argue with the meal, taking the food off his hand and sitting by the bolted table, the chair also bolted which made for an awkward fit.

“You got three months left William… these meds might get you one more… it's already been weeks… you want to spend the rest of your days here watching her starve to death or you want to be with Ryan? He wishes to see you. Be there for him… you just have to be with us.”

Butcher bared his teeth, mutterign curses under his breath as he gave him his back.

You entered the room taking the cattle prod  tucked under his arm, Butcher ate ignoring him, throwing the tray towards his face, forever amused as to how he never bothered to dodge it, John rolling his eyes as the plastic dropped around him.

“I’m being generous after what you did to Dolores… that was… well… you lived up to your name.” 

“Said I’ll get even.” 

He had made Dolores into the antithesis of her craft, it had stung, to witness her unrecognizable being-- a DNA test confirming its identity. Close casket was the only choice.

Homelander watched him eat as you prepared yourself, undressing in the corner, fresh bruises adorning your thighs, handprints where he had held you solidly against his mouth.

Closing the door behind, locking Homelander and Butcher inside one box, giddy he jumped into the thin futon.

“Here I thought we were having the world’s most disappointing threesome… all thirteen seconds of it.”

He took a sip of the ale, it was utterly delicious but he wouldn’t let Homelander hear it from his mouth, this his only joy while stuck in this box. He turned to you watching as you opened the door on guest number 1, then back at Homelander already squeezing himself, a wet suther escaped his lips as your nude frame approached her, Butcher buried his brow.

You had ignored her for weeks, fed her irregularly while feeding Butcher on schedule. She survived on saltines and peanut butter, only receiving proper meals on the occasion but never did either of you touched her, or spoke to her.

She squealed as the tip hit her breast, too weak to do more than just scream, he had been so distracted by Homelander he hadn’t noticed the crowbar by the entrance… he could’ve sworn it was his own.

“Families should always have a mommy and a daddy… grandpa and grandma… cousins… but I don’t have any uncles… nor does Ryan have uncles… ahhh” he tugged harder hand fondling the dripping tip of his hardened member– just like that pumpkin.”

His skin crawled at the sight of the awoken thick member as he pulled it out his tight underwear, with a wet snap.

He turned to you, watching her face split red as you smacked her face with the cattle prod, she clutched at her cheek, blood spilling from the sides of her fingers, a distressed mess tried escaping you. You grinned as you felt Homelander excitement, his chest flushed as you gave a parry of messy heavy swings, she cried and as she covered her face you shocked her hands off until your eyes met, turning limp while Butcher’s heart accelerated, craning her neck, she opened her mouth leaving it frozen mid-air as you took to the crowbar.

“Pick a number of teeth … or Pusher will take the whole jaw” he whispered as he laid long languid strokes on his cock, rubbing his thumb on the glistening tip– or you can say yes”

A curved tip pressed right behind her upper chompers.

“One…?” You muttered– that’s not going to excite you right, mi sol?” 

Homelander pouted, slowing down his hand, focusing on the base with short lived pumps.

“Break her jaw– let’s see how long she’ll last before she starves to death… she might dehydrate first, no?” He scoots patting the empty spot on the bed encouraging Butcher to join him— make it clean babe.”

You take the tip out her mouth and get in position to tap her jaw.

“We’ll visit in a week… hope you last my dear William.”

Butcher stood up, still with enough energy in him to fight, he might be dulled by the meds, exhaustion and his captor's cruel tactic.

“Kill her you wanker just bring some fucking fabreeze.”

You grinned mockingly, breaking more than her jaw, her body thud and her voice returned smashing her skull repeatedly caving into a pancake. Homelander groaned, edging himself as your vicious attacks drew your victim closer and closer to death, legs moving on their own, pressing his forehead against the wall, the sight of your bloody torso didn’t just titillate him, he craved the sight, knowing the glass stood between you two, knowing how far away you were and just how untouchable you were was better than any x-rated video, your ragged panting, the sweet sweat falling from the tip of your chin, blood specs bejeweled your body, was too much.

You had become more than he had ever imagined, you pressed your behind against the bloodied wall as you caught your breath.

Butcher could only try to ignore your sick kinks.

Homelander will bring as many innocent people he could and make him take part of their scenes, he whined as you got out the cage, walking painfully slow towards his– ignoring him in favor of the minibar, his hand stopped with a sneer, turning to see that Butcher had skulled down the last of his ale.

“You know he’s being nice asking you… I could just make you say yes…”

Butcher looked back at the mass, almost flinching as the woman was back on her feet, her face a torn mess but there she was still eating the last morsels of the chunky yiros with her torn jaws, for every bit of garlic sauce that dripped down her hands there was an equal amount of chunky blood spilling unto the ground.

Deepthroating the yiros more than eating it.

Her face just hanging by red ribbons, one eye swollen and bulging while the other just hung out of her socket, clumps of broken scalp swinging with the weight of her once straight hair, now dirty and matted.

She turned to see him sensing she had been watched and her face had no bruises.

He looked back at Homelander then back at the corpse now immobile, rotting, fluids escaping its bloated body, gangrenous pus seeping thru its sunken eyes while the skin darkened and dried, now his nose picked up on the revulsion, he looked at his drink and figure out that there was no drug in him– Homelander was back in his bed, his cock tucked in and not a sight that he had moved once, his toothy grin more real than the full cup fizzing in his hand, your breath warming Butcher’s ear.

Months, weeks, days, hours… he had no clue how long he actually been here, this was an illusion… some of it… tragically you two were disgustingly real.

“You want to break me into compliance?”

The white glow of your eyes not as menacing as Homelander's lasers, he took a short sip of his beer letting it dry his tongue, feeling the warm building in his stomach.

Hot fingers creep from around his hips, exploring the softened torso, he is still strong and firm under the weakened body, the illness making it hard to maintain his shape, hot water dampened his shirt, nails bruising trails as he trapped him, pressed tight against the leaner man, craning his neck to place his chin on the older man’s shoulder– no doubt floating to do so.

Before he could protest further, before he could do more than curse under his breath and wriggle, your teeth met the underside of his chin.

Intertwining your hands with his free one, no doubt he could snap your wrist but a little red light shone next to his head, telling it wouldn't be a good idea.

Homelander closed his iron grip around Butcher’s neck, leaving him gasping, feeling his pipe collapse slightly.

Your tongue licked his neck, your touch more gentle, more tender but to his shock Homelander only purred, you both stared at each other lovingly, Butcher’s neck nothing but a barrier between you two, you climbed to meet his lips, while your loved was manhandling Butcher lower so Homelander could give you wet, loud and messy kisses.

Arching him much to his displeasure, the beer spilling down his arm.

Squeezing harder on his neck, Homelander eyes are coloured a pretty dark pink, he grunts pressing Butcher into him, begging for friction.

You two kissed the older man missing his lips, feeling him shudder, kissing the blanket of goosebumps all over his body.

You loved him more than anything.

You would make him happy in all the ways that your body could.

And sometimes things are easier to do when he just communicated them, usually that would involve murder but now it was this.

Butcher had no idea what he had to say yes to. what exactly you two wanted out of him, and he had yet to spot the hidden vial of V in the cabinet.

John giggled as Butcher's hateful glare tried to burn him.

“Is okay… you’ll be the one fucking me…” he needily purrs– right, pumpkin?”

“Just let all that hatred out… make him cry…” you whispered into Butcher’s ear– make him your bitch.”

It had been his own mind that picture the blonde’s cock, that had been his own worst nightmare, but as he felt those needy kisses– be it the beer on an empty stomach, your powers or the tumor pressing on the smart sections of his brain he chortle at the thought, straining his neck to see the desperate flush on the blonde, his grip loosening, allowing him to turn just enough.

This could also be a part of this illusion.

“You just wanted to be daddy’s cute little slut?” he spat– my cum dump?”

Homelander let out the most obscene moan from within the depths of his core, you felt the heat rising from your own loins as you heard him.

Butcher tugged at your scalp, yanking you away from him.

“Both of you are such weird needy bitches… is okay… I’ll make you both into my good little whores.”

Breathy moans, both men eager to see this new game of yours play out, you would make him happy, please him, take care of all his needs… it was easier when you also felt just a tenth of that spark the first time you met William.

Unlike the last ones before these brother’s you would never grow out of love… you had so much to give after all… and he had so much to give you still.

What a bad thing you two were.

[solomons-poison]

okay then, prompt #5 having a crush on Sol fluff, please :’) ✨

Having a Crush on Solomon

A/N: I'm always weak to fluff with Solomon, so this is a cute prompt! I can imagine this going two ways, either Solomon being a tease and lording it over you, or he becomes speechless because.. you?? Like him??? Have a crush on him???? He has a chance?????? He talks big game but we know the truth lol

Featuring: GN reader || Solomon x reader

Warnings: fluff, Solomon is a bit of a tease 😏

══════════════════

Having a crush on Solomon is nerve-wracking, to say the least. The great and powerful sorcerer, Solomon the Wise, your own personal magic tutor and someone that made pacts with 72 demons. Despite his odd quirks (or maybe because of them), combined with his sense of humor and general fun attitude, it's not really a surprise that you've developed a crush.

Perhaps it's a slow development and realization; after weeks of magic lessons, realizing more and more often that you don't want to leave yet, you don't want to stop hearing his voice telling you about the histories of incantations and maybe some stories of flubbed spells he cast in his youth. That your heart aches at the thought of not getting to see him, even just for a few days, and squeezes tight when you get a text from him.

Or maybe it's a slap in the face, because he just happens to smile at you at the right time, sunlight streaming down and highlighting his fair hair, he laughs at one of your jokes, or maybe shares an awful meme with you, and you realize: you like him. Badly.

Despite how "wise" Solomon is, he may be out of touch with human emotions after so many years spent with demons and angels and generally non-mundane things, so he might not pick up that you have a crush for a while, if at all. And given his history with gaining and losing people over his long lifespan, he may have also developed blinders to these things to prevent getting hurt.

If he does manage to find out your crush on his own, all that composure is gone. He may pretend to be unaffected on the outside, but he is definitely having a small freak out inside. First of all, you like him? Like, like like him?? He hasn't scared you off or bored you somehow? He'll be like a schoolboy, giddy and excited and brain not functioning during this revelation.

Once he moves past the initial freakout stage, he may play just a little dirty after finding out your secret. He'll do little things to tease you; it's mean, he knows that, but he can't help but want to see more of how exactly he affects you. Sitting a little too close during lessons, randomly giving you flowers, performing little magic tricks just to see your eyes light up. But don't let his outward composure fool you, he's just as nervous about this crush as you are.

If you tell him about the crush yourself, you'll get the added benefit of seeing that break in composure in person. He'd likely even be a little speechless for once, while his brain is processing this information. You'll know he's done thinking when his cheeks turn that adorable pink and he can't hold eye contact anymore. Even if he can't answer you immediately, you best believe he'll be formulating the perfect response to your confession. Whether or not he harbors the same feelings, it still shakes him a little, to be honest, but he'll be respectable about it. His amazing apprentice deserves the best, after all.

[cielcreations]

Avian Instincts - Shiny! [Pixlriffs]

Pixlriffs, Pix for short, wasn't sure how he got into this situation.

He was simply walking around his empire, a pen in one hand, resting against his lips, as he stared at the paper and geode in his hand, confused. He was trying to figure out what exactly this geode was. It wasn't your standard diamond, iron, gold, and copper. Hell, it wasn't even an emerald or a lapis lazuli or an amethyst! Like an small amethyst geode would be, the outer layer was covered in smooth basalt, the middle layer calcite, and finally the gem itself. The gem was a bright red, shiny, beautiful. He was looking through his list of gems, humming.

I narrowed it down to either a ruby, garnet, or a tourmaline. Ruby would make the most sense as they are the most common, but I still might need to put it under a microscope. I just want to make sure. He held the gem up to the sun, Though, if it's a ruby, shouldn't we see more of them? I d-

Pix let out a yelp as something jumped on his shoulders. He put the geode down to his side as he turned, thinking maybe it was a cat or wolf or something. He turned and looked up, seeing Solidarity staring down at him.

"Uh, hey, Sheriff?" Pix smiled awkwardly, "What's up?"

Solidarity was silent, staring down at him. He then got off of his shoulders and simply stood behind him.

"....Um, Solidarity? You okay?" Pixlriff asked, lifting his hand with the geode. He went to undo his satchel with his other hand, but gasped when the dirty blonde grabbed his wrist.

He turned back and Solidarity was staring at the geode, eyes wide, amazed. Two wings unfolded from his back, making Pix gasp. The golden yellow wings fluttered in excitement, just staring at the shiny jewel. Pix blinked and gently took the geode away, making the dirty blonde let out an unhappy whine. Pix put the paper in his satchel before offering the geode to Solidarity. The avian smiled brightly and took it, chirping and hugging it to his chest before holding it out again and staring at the shiny bits again.

Pix let him do that for a few minutes before holding his hand out again, "Okay, I need that back now."

Solidarity just continued to stare.

"...Come on, Sheriff, I really need it!"

The dirty blonde, again, just continued to stare.

"...Alright, fine. Sorry about this, Solidarity."

The bird let out a little squeak as Pix picked him up before he look back at the gem. He let out happy trills, a small smile on his face as his wide eyes stared at the red gem. Pix couldn't help but chuckle and carry the bird to his home. Solidarity hadn't once complained, just chirped and trilled, occasionally nuzzling into Pix and making the brunette blush. When they got to the brunette's home, Solidarity looked up and seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in. He blinked and looked up at Pix before blushing darkly, gently tapping his shoulder.

Pixlriff looked down and smiled, setting him down, "Sorry, I just really need that geode and you weren't giving it up anytime soon."

"I-I-I'm sorry!" Solidarity blushed, gently poking the geode, his fingers running over it, "I-I d-didn't mean-"

"It's fine, I don't mind."

"I-I didn't realize this would happen..." He blushed, looking down, "I-I mean, I do like shiny things but..." He blushed more, "God, I hate being an avian..."

"Why?" Pix said without thinking, "U-Uh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that! That was extremely rude, you have every right to keep your secrets and-"

"It's fine." Solidarity reassured, smiling softly, "I just... don't worry about it. J-Just... Please don't tell anyone?"

Pix nodded, "I won't, I promise. ...Um, can I have that back?"

"O-OH! Right, sorry!" The dirty blonde gave him the geode before he folded his wings back, "Anyways, sorry again. I didn't realize such dumb things would make me act like that."

"Hey, before you go-" Pix gently grabbed his wrist, "-I've heard about this. If you push down your instincts, they will tend to come out at random. You need to-"

"I don't need to do anything." Solidarity yanked his arm away, glaring.

The brunette stepped back, "H-Hey! Wait, I didn't mean it like that! I-I'm not trying to force you to do anything I just-" He hesitated before he sighed, "You're my friend, Solidarity, I don't want you to hurt yourself. I don't want you to be unable to stop your instincts and then end up in danger. I just... I just don't want you to get hurt."

Solidarity's eyes widened and looked away, "...I... I know, I'm sorry..." He sighed, "I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just... there's a reason I try my best to hide these wings and my instincts... I know it's dangerous but..."

"I understand. You have your reasons and you don't want, nor do you have to, explain." Pix smiled, "But, if you ever need help, just come to me. I'd be happy to help."

Solidarity smiled and nodded, "I'll think about it. Well, I'll go now. See you later." He turned to walk away.

"Oh, wait, Solidarity!"

The dirty blonde turned.

"Your wings? They're really pretty!"

His eyes widened before he shook his head, turning back, "...They're really not. Thanks though."

Pix watched the other leave, looking down at the geode. I wonder what happened...

[aiza-luna]

Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Character Chart.

◇──◆──◇──◆◇──◆─

◇──◆──◇──◆◇──◆─

Character’s full name: Solange Teresa Vivianne Cotoner-Artois.

Reason or meaning of name: "Solange" means both "Solemn" and "Sun Angel", in reference to her sun coding.

Character’s nickname: Sol, Solecito (by her family), Sunshine, Little Hoopoe (by Jacob).

Reason for nickname: Sun Symbolisms, is her personal thing. As for Hoopoe, is her theme bird. 🐦💛

Birth date: June 21st, 1848.

Physical appearance

Age: 20 years old (Syndicate) / 40 years old (JTR)

How old does he/she appear: She appears to be around her age, between 18-22.

Weight: 55 Kg / 121 lb

Height: 1.63 cm / 5 ft 4.2 inches.

Body build: Slim and athletic/fit, with noticable muscles compared to the average victorian lady.

Shape of face: Diamond Shape.

Eye color: Honey-Brown.

Glasses or contacts: None.

Skin tone: Warm Olive Complexion.

Distinguishing marks: Her Vitiligo Sploches spread across her face and body that she hides with make-up.

Predominant features: Her nose, lips and face generally resemble Arabian-Moorish people, her features were inhereted by her ancestor that was a Moorish Knight.

Hair color: Dark Copper Brown.

Type of hair: 2B Wavy Hair.

Hairstyle: Traditional Victorian Bun (in the day), A side braid falling over her shoulder (as an Assassin).

Voice: Mezzo soprano, always soft spoken and eloquent.

Usual fashion of dress: ... Victorian Fashion? That's her era's fashion lol.

Favorite outfit: Her "Foreigner Visitor" Outfit! Is the dress she introduced herself with to the British Brotherhood. 🥹

Jewelry or accessories: Always a sun-themed jewelry, be a necklace, earrings or ring! After she got with Jacob, he gave her a jewelry with his hair, that she uses on her necklace.

Personality

Good personality traits: Caring, Loyal, Empathetic, Collected, Polite and Well-versed in many topics.

Bad personality traits: Proud, Strong-Tempered, Overly Brutal, Secretive, Gets Defensive Easily.

Mood character is most often in: Calm and keeping her posture.

Sense of humor: She doesn't joke easily, only opening up as she bonds with people. She can be quite cheeky and witty, and she tends to hide her laughs anytime she hears a dirty joke.

Character’s greatest joy in life: Help her country and her people, honor her family.

Character’s greatest fear: Watch the Templars win and control the people/ the masses,disappoint her family.

Character is most at ease when: Surround by nature, walking in the beach back at Tarragona, at the sunset, feeling the cool sand on her feet.

Most ill at ease when: Surrounded by a crowd, feeling their gaze judging her and her skin, her condition.

Enraged when: People don't listen to her concerns or thoughts.

Depressed or sad when: There are more damage/ deaths than there was suppost to be on the mission, when she sees the condition of the lower class in London... All that misery and pain breaks her heart.

Priorities: Eliminate the Templars in the British Court and their influences. Ensure the Piece of Eden's safety.

Life philosophy: "As nobles, is our duty to serve others, and not the other way around. We will fight, for their safety and their choice of free will."

Character’s soft spot: Animals. Literally all animals. (aside the ones that transmit diseases, looking at the rats-)

Is this soft spot obvious to others? Yes! She becamed Desmond's Dogsitter after she met him.😭 (She begged Mrs. Disraeli to let her take care of him once in a while-)

Greatest strength: Her Persistance and Sense of Duty.

Greatest vulnerability or weakness: Her Self-Image and her Skin Condition.

Past failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about: The amount of suitor refusals she got. For a noblewoman, that is quite the failure. 🥲

Character’s darkest secret: Her Family Tree is generally composed of Templars, aside her Family Branch.

Does anyone else know? Well, yes. The Cotoners of the Spanish Rite are quite infamous, specially with the other Templar Rites... However, she tries to avoid telling about her Templar-Relatives to the other divisions of the Brotherhood.

Goals

Drives and motivations: Fullfil her mission as an Assassin and honor her bloodline, following the Footsteps of her Greatgreatgreatgreat-Grandfather who becamed the Mentor of the Spanish Brotherhood.

Immediate goals: Aid the British Brotherhood in reclaiming London. Assure the Pieces of Eden in Britain stay out of Templar's hands.

Long term goals: Find a husband, work on improving/financing the development of medicine, science and arts, giving more access to those things to the lower classes.

How the character plans to accomplish these goals: Using the Assistance of her fellow Assassins and her connections in Queen Victoria's Court with her aunt and uncle.

How other characters will be affected: Generally this will have a good impact on both the Brotherhood and the London Society. (Can't really see this going wrong?)

Past

Hometown: Tortosa, in the Province of Tarragona, Catalonia - Spain.

Type of childhood: Shelted. She was kept mostly inside because of her Vitiligo (that was still being studies at the time), was constantly visited by doctors. Tutored at home with the best education money could by, she would only go out in cloudly days or at night... It was a bit lonely, but not different from other upper-class children her age.

First memory: Her and her mother Aimée on her Estate's Garden, she was only two years old, in her mother's arms and she watched a bird singing on top of a tree.

Most important childhood memory: The day she discovered about the existance of the Order and the Brotherhood, and how they shaped history across the centuries, also the trigger of her decision to join the fight as an Assassin.

Childhood hero: Her father, Carlos Rafael Cotoner, her Greatgreatgreatgreat-Grandfather Renato Valentino Cotoner, and, as an Assassin Novice, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

Education: High-Level Education, as it was expected of a noblewoman. She studies languages, arts, sciences, astronomy, physics, politics and militarism.

Religion: Catholicism.

Finances: Loaded, she's a noblewoman of an old family, and her family runs many businesses (From Maritime Trade in Catalonia, to fields of agriculture in Andalusia and a brand of weaponery in Castille).

Present

Current location: London, Capital of England.

Currently living with: Her aunt Desirée Charlotte Madeleine Pleydell-Bouverie (Neé Artois) and her uncle Hon. Thomas Pleydell-Bouverie, in the Stanford Manor in ST Albans, Hertfordshire.

Pets: She has a mini-zoo back in her family's estate in Tortosa! She loves studying and caring for "weird" animals, her three favorites are: A Platypus named "Tortita", a Kiwi Bird named "Coco" and an Echidna named "Cojín"! 🩵

Religion: Catholicism.

Occupation: Master Assassin of the Spanish Brotherhood.

Finances: Still loaded-

Family

Mother: Aimée Isabelle Henriette Artois-Cotoner.

Relationship with her: Pretty good! They clash sometimes but love each other, despite all of Aimée's concerns for the safety of her daughter in the Assassin-Templars war. 🥹

Father: Carlos Rafael Cotoner y Moncada, Conde de Tortosa.

Relationship with him: They adore each other! Carlos see Sol as his little girl, and Sol looks up to her father as an Assassin and as a noble! 🤲🏽

Siblings: Serena Hélène Josefina Cotoner-Artois (Younger Sister)

Relationship with her: Incredibly good, all things considered. They annoy each other, tease each and everything, but they got each other's back at anytime and wouldn't hesitate to kill to protect one another. In the end, they're sisters and love each other deeply. 🤲🏽🩵

Other important family members: Leopoldo di Sanseverino, Signore di Monterforte Irpino (Serena's Fiancé). They also get along well, despite Sol not approving their decision to delay their courtship more than the usual to "keep getting to know each other before marrying". xD

Favorites

Color: Orange, Yellow, Turquoise and Aquamarine. 🩵

Least favorite color: Gray and monocromatic palettes, and "dirty" shades of color (specially brown and yellow).

Music: Jazz Music and Traditional Spanish Music.

Food: Sea Food (Specially shrimp, octopus and caviar) and sweets. (Specially with cherries).

Literature: She likes books with supernatural elements, but she also likes books of philosophy and SPECIALLY about Dinossaurs/Fossil. She's also a big sucker for romance books.

Form of entertainment: Read books on her underwear while eating a tart in her guest room, horse ride, stroll in the nature, observe the birds, collect fossils and gemstones.

Mode of transportation: Her Andalusian Horse called "Coronilla", she loves riding her across the streets. In London, she also preffers to horse ride than use a carriege.

(tho she drives much better than the twins-)

Most prized possession: The lower jaw of a Spinosaurid Dinosaur she found once in her family's terrain while she digged the garden. It was her first fossil and she found when she was around 8 years old... She keeps it in her collection and would literally kill if someone touch it. xD

Habits

Hobbies: Collect Fossils and Gemstones, Dance, Write Poems/ Thoughts in her notebook, Scrapbooking, Horse Ride, Aim Train, Physical/ Combat Training, Read, Embrodery, Study/Note about weird species/phenomena.

Plays a musical instrument? Piano! She's very skilled on the Piano and on Cello.

Plays a sport? Hm... She swims and runs, along with Parkour, guess this counts? 🥲

Drinks: Mostly Wine (Red and Rosy Wines) and Rum. (Specially Porto Rican Rum, that is more refined in taste.)

What does she do too much of? Spend time putting on make-up to hide her Sploches.

What does she do too little of? Dancing. She loves to dance, but gets self-conscious about a partner potentially judging her. 🥲

Extremely skilled at: Analysing Situations and Combat.

Extremely unskilled at: Cleaning. She has no idea how to clean a place. 😭

Nervous tics: Tends to shift her eyes whenever she feels nervous towards the wall by her side, also drums her fingers on her fan while holding it.

Usual body posture: Straight, tall and well-postured, with her hands on her sides or on front of her skirt, held one over the other.

Mannerisms: Tends to sit down with both legs together and her hands on her knees, tilts her head slightly when confused, like a bird. Will whistle while concentrated and hum a song sometimes. Will nuzze against Jacob's neck, brushing her nose against him like a bird. khkhjjkk

Peculiarities: Her nails grow surpriseling fast, so she always has to trim them. Will switch between Spanish and English when too excited, will curse while dressed as an Assasin bc Assassin Sol is very different than noble/common Sol. Lol

Traits

Optimist or pessimist? Optimist, although tries to keep a realistic view on things.

Introvert or extrovert? Introverted going to ambivert. (Jacob is slowly getting her to loose a bit)😭

Daredevil or cautious? Cautious, 100%, as many Assassins.

Logical or emotional? A mixture of both, she can be very logical but also very emotional, it depends on the situation... But generally, she tried to be as logical as possible. 🥲

Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Methodical and neat, she doesn't STAND a messy place. XD

Prefers working or relaxing? Working first, relaxing later. She's of the philosophy that the job must be well-done so the relaxation can be worth it. 🫶🏽☀️

Confident or unsure of herself? As an Assassin? Confident AF she knows she can deliver. As a noblewoman? Not so much... 🥲

Self-perception

How he/she feels about himself/herself: Mixted feelings, many mixted feelings... Overall, she pushes herself to be the best Assassin she can be, so at least she can feel proud about one of her aspects.

One word the character would use to describe self: "Defective".

One paragraph description of how the character would describe self: "A sick woman... An Assassin that will fight until my very last breath."

What does the character consider her best personality trait? "My loyalty to the Creed."

What does the character consider her worst personality trait? "My insecurities about my skin."

What does the character consider her best physical characteristic? Her eyes, everyone compliments them and their light yellow hue under the sunlight.

What does the character consider her worst physical characteristic? Her white sploches, they just "look so wrong and ugly..."

How does the character think others perceive him/her: As a sick woman unfit to give healthy heirs to a household without the "thing" on her skin. As an Assassin and as the Greatgreatgreatgreat-Granddaughter of Renato Valentino Cotoner, they expect her to be as expectional as her ancestor.

What would the character most like to change about himself/herself: Definetly get rid of her condition to look "normal", she sometimes wished she could be "frail" and "fair-skinned" like the other noblegirls that were the beauty standarts of the era... Because her more athletic build, darker complexion and skin condition, she feels ugly compared to the beauty standarts. 🥲

◇──◆──◇──◆◇──◆─

A bit of an info dump about my dear Solange asked by my friend @navis18 , thank you so much, girl! 🥹🤲🏽💛

.

I'm working on a more complete ref sheet for her, but so far, this is the more detail I get can get with my dear Spanish Assassin. ☀️💛

.

(Also gonna tag @corvus-the-trickster here bc if they ever want to draw Sol, is always good to have info dump of her. You tag me on Amelia stuff, I tag you on Sol's lol 🫶🏽💛)

[linkedarena]

Here are some designs for the Zeldas! They aren’t picrews this time because I feel like it’s too specific for that, so it’s descriptions of them instead. (As well as their personalities)

Sheik (Masks Zelda)

-Keeps the long yellow hair down

-Her dress is the same but the pink is replaced with blue and the Sheikah symbol is there along with the Triforce

-She can easily switch to her disguise at any time

-One eye is blue, the other red

-scars on her back

-Doubts her decisions a lot

-observant

-In a royal setting, she is polite and stoic

-In a different setting she is curious and talkative

-She is good friends with Masks and nothing more

________________________________________________

Blossom (Rev’s Zelda)

-hair is never kept up, it’s dirty blonde

-her eyes are blue

-her dress is pink still bit it has both the Hyruliean Triforce and the Lorulian Triforce on it. It’s short and less regal

-she wears a blue cloak over it when not in a royal setting

-she doesn’t wear a crown

-ring from Rev

-bracelet from Ravio to help with being a painting

-Regal and fair when fulfilling her duty

-stubborn and soft

-lovers with Reverie, they’re courting in secret (for now)

-kind and great with children

-highly respected in the kingdom

________________________________________________

Sunny/Sun (Cloud’s Zelda)

-hair styled the same is in game

-knight’s armour on, it’s pink this year

-her eyes are bluish green

-carries around supplies in a bag that she wears most of the time

-cloud and her are lovers

-she’s bright, stubborn and fierce

-an energetic person

-when she needs to be serious she’s withdrawn and quiet

__________________________________________________

Athena (Captain’s Zelda)

-hair always up

-crown placed visibly on her head

-her dress is replaced with full on gear (pink)

-her eyes are a bright blue

-carries a dagger in her clothes, and a shield on her back

-fierce, serious, calculating

-she can be charming sometimes 

-when she’s relaxed she likes to banter

-Athena is friends with Captain now, but she longed to be with him in the past

-has a lot of regrets

___________________________________________________

Soul (Spirit’s Zelda)

-cut her hair short

-skin is really pale but not translucent 

-her jewelery has Lokomo symbols all over it

-her dress didn’t really change, but she likes to wear a matching suit with Spirit

-Green eyes

-cheery and stubborn

-Super expressive

-a little bossy and impatient

-but she's overall really kind

-Soul is planning to confess her love for Spirit soon

-In a royal setting, she is honest and serious

__________________________________________________

Roy/Royal (Dusk's Zelda)

-She got rid of the braids and dyed her hair a bit darker

-violet eyes

-her dress is pure purple but golden armour goes over it

-The symbol of the Twili is engraved in her crown and on her black cloak that she often wears

-glasses

-stoic and calm

-determined and hides anxiety beneath her demeanour

-her voice is deep and gentle

-she's quite intelligent but doesn't give herself enough credit for it

-she knows Dusk as an ally but she hopes to be friends with him in the near future

-mostly focuses on her royal duties

_____________________________________________________

Tetra (Chip's Zelda)

-Keeps the bun

-her clothes change into a pure dark blue sleeveless shirt with orange trousers she borrowed from Chip (no handkerchief anymore)

-she wears a pin in her hair that has the symbol of her crew on it

-scar across her left eye

-sassy

-mischevious

-a bit cocky

-soft for kids like Aryll and she's also secretly soft for Chip

-is great friends with him

______________________________________________________

Light (Wild's Zelda)

-short, choppy hair

-green eyes with a tinge of gold

-scars over her arms and legs

-borrowed cozy Sheikah clothing from Kakariko (what they wear in game)

(she gets her clothes later after visiting Tarry Town)

-glasses

-curious

-of course she loves researching and dealing with technology

-still recovering from the Calamity

-stubborn and solemn a lot of times, especially after nightmares

-self-worth issues

-kind and helpful

-lovers with Wild

____________________________________________________

Breeze (Shards' Zelda)

-green hair (light)

-red bow in her hair

-keeps it down

-she wears cozy sweaters as often as she can

-dress doesn't change

-kinstone earrings

-loyal

-in a royal setting she is elegant and calm

-anywhere else she is a daredevil, fierce and kind

-childhood friends with Shards

———————————————————————

Princess (Hero’s Zelda)

-Timid, shy and sweet

-lovers with Hero

-when there’s action she’s realistic and determined

-often relies on Aurora for help

-The pink dress but it’s shorter and thinner

-orange hair that’s short

-blue eyes

-wears a crown

-wears a grey hood when leaving the castle (rarely)

—————————

Aurora (Also one of Hero’s Zelda’s)

-protective of Princess

-calm, gentle

-deep voice

-friends with Hero, supports his relationship with Princess

-intimidating to those who haven’t met her

-dark red hair

-long velvet red dress that has long sleeves

-silver armour covering the shoulders and waist

-sharp red eyes

-glasses

[simtleman]

MORE TOWNIES COMING YOUR WAY!

So here's another household I've created for my Vintage Save File: meet the Dalton family, one of the wealthiest lineages in Del Sol Valley. They are indeed richer than any other family in town, but most of the High Society refuses to mingle with them as they all know the Daltons are not only what they consider to be tacky "new money", but also kind of dirty. Still, allow me to introduce you to each and every one of them:

Dito Dalton:

Dito is the head of the family. A shady character for sure, he comes from the poorest of backgrounds but was always determined to make it and make it big. It's no secret he made his fortune by smuggling liquors & spirits into the country during the Prohibition Era... among other "businesses". Rumor has it he's also involved with the Mafia and, therefore, the murders and disappearances that are taking place in Del Sol Valley lately. No one knows for sure, but no one wants to mess with him and find out. You know, just in case.

He feels a special predilection for his son Diretes, who he's hoping will take over the family business once he's too old to carry on. His other son Dimes, on the other hand... always seems to find a way to dissapoint him. What is wrong with that kiddo?

Daltonia Dalton:

Daltonia married Dito when he didn't have a dime to his name, believing he would someday fullfill his promise of giving her everything she deserved and dreamed of. And boy, did he delivered! Daltonia now enjoys the lifestyle she always knew she was meant to have, and is quite unapologetic about it. Vain, frivolous and entitled, she's aware of what everyone in town says about her husband, but she doesn't really care about where the money is coming from... as long as it keeps on coming.

However, she's a great mom to her twin sons Dimes & Diretes. She's always caring & supportive, especially to Dimes, who has different goals for himself than those his dad has set for him and whose personality always seems to be crashing with Dito's.

Dimes Dalton:

Dimes' not only good looking, he's also incredibly sensitive and affectionate... both qualities his father Dito and twin brother Diretes don't care about nor appreciate. They're always telling him he should show more interest in the family affairs, but Dimes has a secret dream he doesn't even dare to mention to his dad: he wants to become a great chef. "Cooking?", he knows he would say. "Why don't you leave the domestic duties to women and focus on what a real man should be doing?". Ugh.

His mom on the other hand fully supports him, though she's always kind of pushy when it comes to his dating life. "Why don't you ever go out with girls, Dimes? Any gal should be lucky to have such a warm, loving man like you!"... if only she knew wanting to be a chef's not the only secret Dimes is keeping!

Diretes Dalton:

No matter how hard his mom tries to keep him away from trouble, Diretes' always finding new ways to get involved in the worst kind of scenarios and with the worst kind of people. An attitude his father Dito finds quite endearing though, as it reminds him of himself when he was Diretes' age. Diretes' also quite a lover boy: he knows his way around the ladies and is not afraid of making the most of his abilities. He deeply admires Dito's firm hand with others and his determination to succeed, so he's always running errands for him and trying to imitate his ways around... in hopes of someday inheriting the empire his father has built.

Truth being told, Diretes doesnt' have the best relationship with his twin brother Dimes, but listen... he won't think twice to beat the shit out of whoever dares to call him "sissy" again.

That's it for me today, I hope you guys learn to love this family the same way I have even though they're far from flawless and see you on my next post! :)

[curator-on-ao3]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you so much for tagging me, @divinemissem13! ❤️

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 127

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 660,997

3. What fandoms do you write for? Star Treks, mostly Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, Picard, and Voyager.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Tuvok’s Secret (G): Tuvok has a secret — and he trusts only one person onboard to keep it. (Kathryn Janeway & Tuvok)

Feet on the Ground (G): Something solid slams into Kathryn’s back. She stumbles forward, bumping Mark, who in turn careens into someone else. Kathryn turns to glare at the probably inebriated party-goer who didn’t watch where they were going. But, instead, she looks up to achingly familiar dark eyes and the curves and lines of a tattoo that Kathryn spent the last eighteen months telling herself she didn’t miss. (Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway)

The Halo Effect (M): Tom Paris and Kathryn Janeway didn’t intend to fall in love. (Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris)

Fly Me to the Moon (E): Kathryn Janeway and Tom Paris never met each other years before Voyager. Never served on a covert mission together. Never fell in love. Never planned a future together. Nope, never happened. Because a secret like that could lead to some … complex dichotomies. (Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris)

Bad Ensign (T): Harry Kim finds out he missed out on an important part of the Starfleet Academy experience. Hilarity and dirty jokes ensue. (ensemble, friendship fic)

5. Do you respond to comments? Yes. If someone was kind enough to leave a comment, I’m going to thank them.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I used to not know how to answer this question, but I recently got a kudos on Honey, I’m Home and while that story definitely isn’t “sit down crying” angst, I feel like maybe it qualifies? (Though In the Doorway might also fit under that criteria? Both stories are Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris, but they only get together in one of them.)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Either Feet on the Ground or Youthful Exuberance (Some Kind of Love). Feet on the Ground has Janeway and Chakotay finding their way together after their Delta Quadrant trauma (note: Chakotay is afraid to leave the Sol system for fear of getting pulled into the Delta Quadrant again — Prodigy!Chakotay didn’t exist yet when I wrote that but, from what I’ve heard, he could possibly relate). Youthful Exuberance lets our heroes, Christopher Pike and Una Chin-Riley, have all manner of ups and downs, but the tags promise a 100 percent happy ending and I was determined to deliver.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not that I’m aware of, usually.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes. Vanilla because I find that interesting to write. (I’ll read all sorts of stuff.)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I write crossovers within the Trekverse. The two craziest allowed Tuvok and Geordi LaForge to have tea together (Asunder [T] Kathryn Janeway/Tom Paris) and Shannon O’Donnell Janeway to tell Benny Russell how much his writing has meant to her (Meeting of the Minds [G] Shannon O’Donnell Janeway & Benny Russell, Kathryn Janeway & Benjamin Sisko).

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Other than by ChatGPT, not to my knowledge.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, In the Doorway was translated into Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes, and am doing so again.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? NCC 1701

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? There’s one I technically finished about Tom Paris and Owen Paris in the aftermath of Owen’s beta canon torture by the Cardassians. But it’s really dark and I don’t know if I’ll ever edit or post it.

16. What are your writing strengths? Adaptability (to prompts), brevity, details.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I’m having trouble lately with voice and lack of vocabulary variety.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? If necessary, a beta fluent in the language can be very helpful.

19. First fandom you wrote for? I consider that to be Voyager, but recently reflected on an even earlier fandom for me.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? My most recent fic always holds a place in my heart, so Disarmed (Mirror Una Chin-Riley/Mirror Christopher Pike) is special to me, and also was an interesting mental stretch because I’d never before written sex that the characters think is good but I think isn’t good. But my all-time favorite? Youthful Exuberance (Some Kind of Love). It’s my novel length love letter to Chris and Una, and it means a lot to me.

Tagging: Tumblr has been doing this fun thing lately where I don’t see posts from people I follow. So, if you actually see this, please consider yourself tagged with no pressure. Also, in addition to the wonderful people tagged by @divinemissem13, I’m tagging @grissomesque @fiadorable @emilie786 @genius2mania @lorcaswhisky @enterprise-come-in @marymoss1971 @sun-lit-roses @kejsarinna @iamstartraveller776 @isagrimorie @emonydeborah and the fantastic folks I’m not thinking of right now because I have tag anxiety.

[neptune-lover]

LOVE!?!? Pt1

Nathan Frazer x reader

AN: hi everyone sorry for being on and off recently just life has NOT been good to me just a lot mentally I'm trying to work on stuff but my motivation comes and goes but I wanted to start another series on top of the one I have rn until I can think of a story more so going forward for that one but recently I've been loving Nathan Frazer and there is BARELY any fan fics of him so I wanna change that this will be a reader x nathan Frazer this is pure indulgence for me but this will be a series and I have at least a first few chapters planned out and I will also in the beginning of the story use the fact that nathan and Thea are dating irl in this story line but I hope you guys enjoy it (ALSO IMPORTANT ive always liked Ali so I'm writing this as if he was still in WWE)

Y/n had recently been let go from her job as a makeup person on AEW. But lucky for her NXT was looking for a new makeup person for the girls and some of the guys for when special effects were needed. That was a few months ago now it had been a few months and she had made tons if new friends including Thea, Gigi, Roxanne and even RHEA BLOODY RIPLEY. And over time y/n have gotten to know a lot of the boys like Dominik, Wes, Ali and..... Nathan. See the thing is it's not like y/n DIDN'T like Nathan it was actually quite the opposite y/n LIKED him like had a crush on him. One problem though.... He was currently dating her best friend thea. They have been together for about 2 years now(I guessed) . She started to realise she liked him over the last few weeks are so and was to nervous to say anything for 2 reasons. 1. She didn't want to seem like a bad best friend for liking her bff's boyfriend if she told Thea and 2. She didn't want to tell anyone IN CASE it some how got around to thea. She didn't want to lose her best friend over a stupid crush of a stupid British boy(sorry but I'm allowed that comment I'm British myself). So she kept it a secret and made sure NO ONE would find out. The thing is being BFFs with your crushes girlfriend means you are around said crush All. THE. TIME. whenever there wasn't a backstage segment or a fight the 2 were always together. But luckily Nathan had been a lot busier recently due to being one half of the NXT men's tag team champions. But usually whenever he was around he would not have axiom his tag partner with him. Which was good because it kept your mind off of Nathan and helped you not feel like a third wheel as much. Now tonight you had a huge match you were facing Kalani Jordan for the NXT women's north American championship. You were nervous but also excited so you, thea, Sol, Nathan and axiom were all hanging out and you were warming up while talking with the others. "So do you feel ready for your match?" Axiom asked. "Yeah I'm nervous but I know kalani won't play dirty and I can trust she will be fair" she replied back "yeah you're gonna kill it I know you can do it!! " Thea said enthusiastically. "Thanks Thea I really hope I win because not only will this mean I get my first ever title but that means that I'm ready to actually BE a champion." As she finished her sentence her music her "wish me luck guys!" She said as he went out to the ring for her match.

SO that was part 1 to my new series if you guys have any requests please feel free to look at my request list if things I will write and again I'm so sorry for not posting my mental health has been really bad until recently and I finally have motivation to write again!!

[merryfortune]

Encounter at Twilight Expedition to Humanity 

Written for the YGO Rare Pairs Mini Bang 23-24

Ship: Damselflyshipping | Aoi/Bohman

Rating: T

Word Count: 14,955

Tags: Post-Canon, Fluff and Angst, Secret Relationship, Humour, Developing Relationship, Getting Together, Confessions, Grief/Mourning

   “There’s a new update rolling out to Duel Discs tonight, I would appreciate it very much if you adhered to the advice to downloading it and were prompt in doing so.” Akira said over the dining table in a stern voice. Yet, he was so innocuously casual about it, punctuating the finish of his warning by taking another bite to eat of the meal in front of him.

   Aoi nodded, “I’ll do it.” she said, hiding a giggle.

   “I mean it, Aoi.” Akira squinted at her. “I don’t want you to skip out on it, it's very important as it will make uploads of your records so far in your Duel Disc and further insulate it from being hacked. I know you feel quite protected with the skills Ema and Yusaku et all have taught you but I would feel more peace of mind if you downloaded it.”

   “I will. I wasn’t being cheeky. Gosh.” Aoi replied.

   Now she was being cheeky but she couldn’t help it. Nor the giggle which had prompted Akira’s additional statement. She was just so giddy and fond. It was nice to be coddled sometimes, especially over dinner and by her brother. That’s why she found a little bit of laughter on her lips in between the seared steak and steamed vegetables that she was eating with Akira.

   They had been so distant from one another for all sorts of reasons, it was a dream come true that they had circled back to being close siblings again. Aoi wouldn’t trade that for the world. So, she wanted to cherish it, the mundanity of it.

   “I just have to plug my Duel Disc into my computer, yeah?” Aoi asked. “Let the updates take place, all that stuff.”

   “Yes, exactly.” Akira replied.

   “Then I’ll do it after I finish eating and before I go to bed.” Aoi said.

   “Don’t forget to do your homework either.” Akira said. “And don’t forget to brush your teeth either.”

   “Akira!” Aoi complained.

   Akira giggled, “sorry, sorry, a little overboard, I know. I just worry about you sometimes, that's all.”

   “I worry about you, too. So don’t forget to brush your teeth either, big brother.” Aoi harrumphed.

   “I won’t.” Akira smiled.

   Aoi smiled back and the conversation quietened from there. They finished their meal soon after and parted ways. Aoi had her homework and Akira had his business calls. It was pretty boring, actually, but Aoi had really come to appreciate the boring as of late.

    A lot had happened and a lot of it had happened out of grief and rage and mourning so it was kind of nice to go back to the small and rote.

    She and Akira had been put through the wringer in their duel with Ai and they were washed out quite badly by the torrent of his emotions. Then everything had gone quiet. Scarily quiet. Until suddenly, there was a change. Three months off the absence of Yusaku’s disappearance and then reappearance with Ai in tow.

   Now, they were six months now off the back of the ordeal with Ai and things were still quiet. But things had changed. After all, she and Akira now had these lovely little homemade dinners together every so often. Not every day but every couple of days which was a lot nicer than this time last year before any of the revelations regarding SOL Tech’s dirty little secret in the form of the Incident had occurred. The ramifications of which they were still reckoning with since so far, the only surviving creation from that abhorrent experience was Ai…

   So far.

   Yusaku was working hard, for better or for worse, to bring back the other five Ignises and that’s presumably why Akira’s security update was so important to him. He wanted to protect Aoi, still, and the company’s interests, too. And probably the rest of Den City, too, since they had seen - firsthand - how just a slice of Ai’s wrath could decimate and there were, allegedly, worse futures to come.

   Aoi merely hoped not.

   She wasn’t sure what else she could do except hope as time and time again, she could go as all out as possible with every weapon she had access to, and it still wouldn’t be enough. So, she wanted to believe that hope could change the world as she couldn’t imagine the apocalypse or armageddon unravelling over loss.

   Because she had plenty of loss, too. Her parents, her pride, and her partner, too. 

   Gosh, Aoi hoped that Aqua would return soon. She needed Aqua and Miyu to finally meet so bad but, better still, she wanted to see her own friend and partner again. That was probably the hope that she held on most to, the repairing of friendships because maybe that could change the course of the future and the world.

   Because God. Aoi missed Aqua. 

   And she knew Takeru missed Flame and then there were all the missed connections, too, with the other Ignis. Earth, Windy, Lightning. Admittedly, she didn’t know how those last three would go. She wasn’t sure how any of them would play nice with their Origins, particularly the latter two who had hurt their Origins in some way. Then there was poor Earth who had Spectre, honestly Aoi pitied Earth for that cosmic match-up.

   Though, if they could get along, that would have to be a tipping point for the better since more Ignis-Origin duos would get along than. So, Aoi could only hope it would turn out that way but she couldn’t see a world in which it would. Though, apologies and betterance would definitely be more difficult in the cases of Windy and Lightning with their Origins.

   Argh. It was all too difficult. Aoi was just an outsider looking in. She was close, she was on the other side of the looking glass but it wasn’t good enough. She wished there was more she could do but the best Aoi could come up with was… improving her duels off-screen and supporting the people in her life.

   So, that update on her Duel Disc she had to roll…?

   There was a weird cosmic match-up hidden within it as well.

   Aoi did the right thing. She found the adapter that she didn’t use all that often since her Duel Disc, modern and advantageous as it was, had wireless charging and then plugged it in. Tada. Twenty minutes of build-up - her ruminations, her rummaging around her room to even find the adapter - and then two seconds to plug it in. 

   After that, Aoi had the rest of her evening to herself. She could do her homework, she could go through combos with her paper cards. Or none of that, she could depression doom-scroll on her phone, too. The world, as little as it was as the world was just her room inside her and Akira’s luxurious, penthouse flat, was in her hands. 

   She turned her back on the computer and her Duel Disc then tried to make up her mind on how she wanted to spend the rest of her free time, about two-three hours at most. If she wanted to go to bed at a reasonable time then wake up in time, well rested, for school tomorrow.

   Then her room, dimly lit and cosy with fairy lights and a pretty vintage lamp, turned blinding white.

   Aoi’s heart seized as her dust rose pink walls turned an absolute pastel. She turned around and she had to squint into the abyss that had suddenly expanded out from behind the glass screen of her computer, amalgamated with what her Duel Disc could provide.

   Her lips trembled. Her voice bobbed up and down in her larynx as she froze with the unknown. Her eyes widened as this blinding light which kept her harrowed for a good few seconds then began to fade, as a figure - a projection, shadowed and with a silhouette she could place instantly, anywhere - began to take its place.

   Yellow sparks of electricity gave way to the colour of flesh as he looked over his hands. There was movement, the flapping of the billowing fabric that made up the eccentricities of his costume.

   “Where am I…?” he asked himself. “How am I…?”

   “Bohman…” Aoi breathed and then as soon as she named him, her common sense kicked back in. “What are you doing in my room?!”

   Her screech took Bohman by surprise. Even though this was her room, her computer, her everything that he had found himself inside of, she had mattered so little to him as he blinked and slowly turned his head. All of him came into view, his mane of brown hair and his eyes which were like fire. They were calculating, masking his confusion as he tried to find answers of which…. There was none.

   For either of them.

   “I know you.” Bohman said. “You are the true identity of Blue Maiden, a valiant enemy of mine.”

   Aoi felt oddly… flattered by Bohman’s description of her. Valiant. Definition: showing or possessing courage and determination. Neither were qualities she felt she embodied but of all the enemies she had faced, Bohman was by far the most noble, she would admit. He was regal. Graceful. Even now as he stood around - glitches half through him, turning his white gown blue and red - he had that aura about him. 

   “Why am I here?” Bohman asked and Aoi suppressed a gasp as a tear slid down the side of his face. “Where is Haru? I - I died. I should be dead.”

   Aoi swallowed. “You think I want you here? How should I know?”

   She chose that over anything to do with Haru. Their sibling story, she had duelled them both and saw elements of herself and Akira somewhere through it. Warped and twisted as it were. 

   “Ah. Of course.” Bohman said.

   He backed down and was disheartened to do so. He looked over himself. He looked just as he had against his final duel against Playmaker - something Aoi only knew from watching videos on the matter. Cobbled together, most of them copyright struck under false claims or otherwise dealt with so the wider public couldn’t see them. 

   A quiet settled between them. It was uncomfortable and uneasy. Neither moving from where they were. Aoi stood her ground by her bed and Bohman stood in the slats of the wood of her desk, a projection or something close. They stared at each other. Waiting, willing, daring for someone to do something.

   And Akira did.

   “Aoi? Are you okay? Who are you talking to?”

   Aoi could have jumped out of her skin. She was a teenage girl - almost a grown ass woman! - so why in the world did Akira have what was functionally a baby monitor on her. He was in a completely different wing of the apartment and he was paging her through the intercom. His voice came through with delay, like a crackly phone message.

   She rushed to it and held down the message button, so she could accept Akira’s call. 

   “Yes, I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” Aoi said and she cut Akira off before he could even reply.

   He, of all people, did not need to know that there was a male stranger in her room right now. Aoi even made it so that Akira couldn’t contact her through the intercom for the next hour. 

   “Okay, um, let’s talk.” Aoi said with her voice lowered. Bohman nodded and she drew closer. “So, are you… alive?”

   She felt rightful in her scepticism that Bohman was alive as an entity, he wasn’t solid. Not to mention, not dead and alive were two different things. She would know as someone who had been in and out of comas in the past twelve months. Though at least Bohman was awake, that then begged the question, especially since he was hips high in her desk, did he have sensation?

   Aoi reached out. She unfurled her hand, finger by finger. She felt like the kids in E.T. and Bohman mustn’t have understood the reference because he stared at her hand.

   “What are you doing?” he asked. 

   “Nothing.” Aoi said and she retracted her hand.

   Bohman groaned and his brows knitted together, “To answer your question however,” he said, “yes, I am alive.” He seemed irate that he even had to answer such a silly question. 

   He looked around Aoi’s room for more clues. Obviously the cushy teenage girl stuff on the walls wasn’t all that helpful. Nor was her computer as it was in sleep mode as it provided the battery for her Duel Disc to receive the updates over the course of the next couple hours then oh. Bohman realised it, too. Her Duel Disc, meanwhile, was of use and note.

   Bohman reached for it but his fingers phased through it. It caused the illusion of his appearance - strong, foreboding, ominous - to quiver and tremble. The grandeur of the appearance of man he embodied reduced.

   “Do you need help… with something?” Aoi asked uncertainly. 

   She stepped forward again. She reached out to him again, too, and became aware of how close they were. At least in appearance. Not so much in any other way. As when she finally touched him, sure enough her fingers grazed through the electronic illusion of him, too.

   And he recoiled, as well.

   “What are you doing?” he asked, moving away from her, his voice was grouchy as though offended a human would touch him. Or try to considering his current state.

   “Trying to help.” Aoi said. “Have you ever heard of a little thing called being nice to each other?” She frowned. Cutely. That disarmed Bohman somewhat. 

   “Yes, I am aware of the concept. Haru and I would be nice to each other occasionally.” Bohman confessed.

   Aoi’s nose wrinkled. That was… adorable. And sad. Like, really sad. She shouldn’t laugh so she didn’t. 

   “But yes. I would like your help. I believe the mystery of my reappearance begins with your Duel Disc. Peculiar as you were not the last enemy I vanquished nor the one I was vanquished by.” Bohman regarded her warily and his lips pressed together firmly. His expression turned hard and stony to mask the grief just behind his eyes as he thought of the person that Aoi - Blue Maiden - had conquered in her and her team’s invasion of the faction Bohman belonged to.

   Haru.

   “You killed him.” Bohman said. “You were the last person who saw him alive.”

   Bohman brought his hand to his chest. His fingers curled into a fist and held himself so tightly, a vein could have popped. 

   “I saw a vision of him in the finale of my loss against Playmaker but he was already dead by that point.” Bohman said.

   Aoi held her breath. She didn’t know what to say. Bohman was right. She did kill Haru. 

   “I’m so-”

   “Help me with this.” Bohman interrupted her. His eyes transfixed on her fiercely. “I am sure you and him are pivotal pieces in my immaculate resurrection. This Duel Disc may also hold some clues. As I cannot touch it, I would like it if you could investigate it in my stead.”

   His voice was measured as he instigated a tentative alliance. His expression as he spoke was devoid of emotion, also. His gaze bored down and into Aoi. It all mounted as a boiling pressure that made it worse for Aoi as she stewed with the guilt of knowing what had to be done. She recalled, in fragments, her duel with Haru and then reached for her Duel Disc.

   Static prickled on her fingers as she touched it and then. There was another burst of light. It was quick. Short. Blinding. Aoi was starstruck by it and the conversion of energy made Aoi’s hair blow back and dazzle her eyes. And when it dissipated, Bohman was gone. From in front of Aoi, at least.

   Now, she was holding him.

   From inside her Duel Disc.

   Like Pandor.

   Like… Aqua…

   The change disconcerted him, also.

   Aoi tilted the Duel Disc so that Bohman could look up at her. She had no doubt that he was seeing the worst angle of her: physically and emotionally. He had duelled Aoi as Blue Maiden and had seen both his brother’s killer in her and a noble soul, too. He respected her. More than any other opponent that Aoi had ever faced; not Playmaker, not Baira, and definitely not Spectre. 

   And yet… The grief of coming back to life without the one who would make life living for him, it calcified into a grudge, which Aoi could understand. She sighed, letting go of her breath but not the guilt which felt like a stone in the bottom of her stomach.

   She wasn’t sure what to do with herself now. Except assuage Akira that nothing was wrong. She was just having a stereotypical hysterical teenage girl moment for no reason. No reason at all, even. After that? It was going to be a long haul to find the answers to the questions that plagued both herself and Bohman and it was not going to be easy either.

   Not if Bohman had anything to do with it.

   And as it would turn out, it would be the smaller, more innocuous things that would be harder than the actual big questions they were grappling with. Things like school and the boring in-betweens their quest for answers.

   The following morning, Aoi had a shower and it was business as usual. She washed her hair and shaved her legs, applied lip balm and blow dried all over. She slipped into a pair of socks and did up her tie. When she came out of her bathroom, that’s when she remembered.

   The night before. It hadn’t been a dream. Her Duel Disc - she almost thoughtlessly collected up off her desk - was fully charged and now home to a malevolent yet eccentric A.I.

   “Good morning, Blue Maiden.” Bohman bade her.

   He looked so strange when he was reduced to being Ignis-sized. Aoi wondered if he had an alternative form as an eyeball, too. That would make sense.

   “Aoi is fine.” Aoi corrected him.

   She soured and turned away from her desk. She grabbed her schoolbag in lieu of her Duel Disc. This appeared unusual to Bohman as he folded his arms in front of himself.

   “Are you not going to ‘school’ today?” he asked. 

   “I am.” Aoi replied as she slung her back over her shoulder.

  ��“Then why aren’t you taking your Duel Disc?” Bohman inquired.

   “Because you're in it.” Aoi said.

   Bohman’s eyes turned piercing, “I demand to go to school with you.”

   “Why?” Aoi did her best not to snarl in her confusion.

   “I require your school’s networks.” Bohman said.

   “What do you need the school’s network for?” Aoi asked.

   “To look for Haru.” Bohman said. “I suppose I could do it from your room but-”

   Aoi’s mind raced. There was no way she wanted Bohman poking through her and her brother’s network. He would undoubtedly find awkward puberty questions she had asked through her browser’s incognito mode or embarrassing Blue Angel x Reader fanfiction that she had looked up out of morbid curiosity. And those were best case scenarios! And who knew what sensitive work that Akira took home…

   There was absolutely no need for Bohman to get his hands on any of that. Not that school was going to be better with the hundreds of students and who knows what but there was no way Bohman was going to rouse suspicions from her and Akira’s apartment.

   “Fair point.” Aoi replied and she snatched her Duel Disc up.

   Bohman ducked down beneath her palm as Aoi quickly did it up like a watch. She glimpsed that Bohman did, in fact, have an eyeball form and it looked how she imagined. He sized her up from this angle as she moved on. Though Aoi knew she had plenty of time to spare to arrive on time, she never wanted to risk it so she rushed on.

   Though, all whilst she walked to school, she had a bad feeling in her gut. Though, she typically had a bad feeling down there. Whether it was her period or paranoia that someone only wanted to be friends with her to get a foot in the door for their career at SOL Tech, Aoi was often outwardly a grump. This was different, somehow.

   Probably because she was harbouring an undead artificial intelligence that had tried to engorge himself on all the Neuron Link - and the other Ignis.

   Carrying Aqua around felt different. It was a completely different relationship. Aqua had attempted to be a saviour and ally of humanity after all. Not its ender. She had been bright and veracious with a pure core. Her appearance had brought Aoi back to Miyu and for that, she would be forever grateful, too. She’d also had more common sense around humans, too, Aoi mused as she pinned down the true worry which was turning to a rock inside of her. 

   Aoi just hoped that Bohman would behave. She could help him get to the computer room after lunch when they had free study. She could go up there and pretend that she was doing research for an assignment whilstBohman had free reign in his search. She did genuinely hope that he found something but only time would tell.

   She had to get through the first four periods of her day first, starting with good old mathematics.

   Aoi took her place at the back of the classroom and settled in for the morning. It had been a cloudy walk to school with that funny smell from before it rained thick in the air, alongside that of air pollution, too. She glanced out the window and saw that it had begun to rain, slowly and sparsely. She wondered briefly if it would get better or worse through the day as she hadn’t checked the forecast and now, there was no time to.

   The bell rang and the teacher took her place at the head of the classroom. First they had attendance and once everyone was accounted for, then the roll call teacher swapped for the actual mathematics teacher. It was all very boring compared to the raindrops racing on the window in Aoi’s fleeting moments of absent-mindedness.

   She still did the work, followed along and opened the textbook. Did the quiz on her tablet. It was all very dull and rote, not to Bohman’s liking at all as the mode of learning turned from passive to active as the teacher began to check in with her students.

   One by one, scattered and at random, the teacher plucked the minds of random students to make sure they were learning and paying attention. The questions bounced around, to and fro, front, middle, and back until it was Aoi’s turn apparently.

   “Zaizen-san.” the Teacher prompted her.

   “Yes?” Aoi replied, bobbing up from her school supplies, perhaps more surprised than she meant to be.

   She wasn’t blitzing all her tests and quizzes with one-hundred per-cent accuracy. She was an A to A minus kind of gal across all her studies, really only struggling in P.E. because look at her. She was a spindly nerd who liked to play card games in her free time but her daydreaming had been to a detriment. She had a lot on her plate, after all. Not that the teacher needed to know that as she waved her hand and it was like magic, the smartboard illuminated with a new graphic and the next question.

   “Find M so that the lines with equations -2x + My = 5 and 4y + x = -9 are perpendicular.” the Teacher said.

   Maybe it was because Aoi hadn’t been giving her hundred and ten per-cent attention but the intermediate question boggled her mind. The logic of the question raced through her as she did her best to figure it out, scribbling some notes but someone else tried to get in first.

   “The answer is-”

   Aoi acted faster than she knew she could act. Her heart had stopped but the rest of her had not.

   That voice. It was deep and robust and carried a sense of renown. Aoi wasn’t going to bet that people would recognise it from the incident in the Link VRAINS from last year but she also wasn’t going to take that risk.

   Aoi clamped her hand over the top of her Duel Disc. She didn’t look down from the smart board to do so, as that would look suspicious. She just hoped that Bohman would get the message that he wasn’t to talk during classes. That should have been obvious but apparently not.

   She smiled, baring her teeth, as she started again, “the answer is…”

   And lo and behold. She got it wrong where undoubtedly Bohman would have gotten it right. She felt a little bit embarrassed but embarrassed was far better than exposing her secret.

   Free period couldn’t have come soon enough. Only… twenty four more minutes to go until recess. Then another two classes. Then lunch then… Ugh… Free period was long, long ways off.

   Especially since her classmate Fujiki Yusaku seemed to have a sixth sense for when something strange was either going to happen, was about to happen, or had already happened.

   “Hey Aoi.” Yusaku said to her during recess.

   He wasn’t meant to be in this classroom but given his circumstances, some leeway was allowed so that he could continue to see his friends during school hours. Because of his stint of absence last year, and through goodness knows how much convincing, Yusaku was allowed to remain a student at Den City High School. In the same year as before. So this year, that put him and Aoi not only in totally different classes but years.

   “Hey… Yusaku.” Aoi replied through a fake smile.

   She had really hoped to get some time during the twenty minute morning tea break to scold Bohman. Lay down some rules about how this would work. He appeared to operate on a totally different plane of logic, reason, and common sense to her so figuring out some common ground was likely going to be beneficial. 

   But for now, she had to deal with Yusaku in front of her.

   At least in a crowded room of people, they couldn’t talk about anything too sensitive. Though given how wary Yusaku’s eyes were, maybe he only wanted to check in with her.

   “What brings you here?” Aoi asked.

   “Wanted to say hi to you.” Yusaku said. “And Naoki. I’m trying this new thing where I try to be more sociable.”

   Ah. That confirmed Aoi’s suspicions. He just wanted to be nice. But still. Aoi saw that micro-split second where he glanced at his wrist where his Duel Disc just peeked from underneath his sleeve.

   “Mm.” Aoi said, acknowledging Ai without saying anything.

   “Yeah.” Yusaku agreed.

   They paused a moment and Aoi figured, if Bohman could hear them, then she may as well ask.

   “Any luck with that project you were telling me about?” Aoi asked. “The science-y, computer-y one…”

   “Not really.” Yusaku replied, shrugging his shoulders.

   “That’s a shame but if you ever need a hand, I’d love to help.” Aoi replied.

   “I appreciate it.” Yusaku said.

  Aoi waited for a sign that maybe she had shown too much of her hand on that one but Yusaku’s eyes went sad. Understanding. Aqua.

   “Good luck.” Aoi bade him.

   “Thanks and I better go.” Yusaku said.  

   He awkwardly excused himself  and Aoi watched as he left. They never did figure out how to be bubbly sociable selves around each other. Yusaku wasn’t really like that but once her shell was open, Aoi could be. Even so, she hoped to still grow closer to Yusaku. His sudden disappearance had been heartstopping, he looked frailer for it but emotionally? Never better now that he had Ai by his side again.

   Sure, Ai and Aoi didn’t part ways on the best of terms but with all the pieces in place… Aoi could accept an apology. She knew it wouldn’t happen again, she believed in the redemption of the Ignis and wanted to see their peaceful coexistence alongside humanity. 

   With a tightening heart, Aoi glanced at her wrist. Her sleeve hid her sleek and shiny Duel Disc and it of course hid Bohman. Aoi could feel herself on the precipice of some kind of revelation or epiphany on the topic. Maybe she should have been more forthright with Yusaku. Maybe she’d made the right decision not to tell him. As she wasn’t sure yet whether to believe in the redemption and co-existence of Lightning’s creations alongside humanity.

   Though, first they had to find and bring back Haru. As a younger sibling, she wouldn’t want Akira to be lonely without her and she didn’t want to be lonely without Akira, either.

   The class bell rang again and Aoi did her best to shuffle her thoughts along. She had to focus on her education and better still: free period.

   That last block of the school day seemed ever more tantalising than usual with her secret burning a hole in her. Aoi bided her time, counted the minutes until finally, their teachers gave them the spiel and speech like clockwork. They were becoming young adults blah blah blah and so could host their own study sessions, conduct themselves in whatever manner they deemed suitable in their maturation. 

   Aoi, who was in good standing with the teachers as she was generally more on-task, courteous, and mature, wasn’t even given a second glance when she requested as much privacy as possible in the computer room. Luckily, no one else needed it, not when other students were content with just their tablets so she was entrusted the keys.

   With a smile, Aoi graciously accepted them and then counted to ten once she had heard the computer teacher walk away before putting up her jacket to the glass window on the door. The computer room was on the second storey so hopefully no one could peer in through the windows to the far side of the room. Though Aoi wasn’t certain how big or how little Bohman’s efforts to use the network could be, she won’t lie. She was expecting fireworks.

   “It's all yours now.” she told him and as she unclipped her Duel Disc from around her wrist. She placed it on the flat of the desk in front of her then sat back lazily.

   As an eyeball, Bohman warily checked his surroundings first. As discreetly as he could, the pupil moved slowly from one side of the glass to the other. Then, satisfied that it was just him and Aoi, he revealed himself in full. It was like watching an angel ascend, there were beams of light and the unheard choir, Aoi could swear as she was blinded once more by Bohman’s appearance. He projected himself out of it and thus, towered over the computer room.

   “I appreciate it, Aoi.” he told her.

   “Your welcome, just… be quick.” Aoi mumbled.

   Bohman nodded once and then got to work.

   Aoi had heard once a debate about how if one had all the knowledge in the world, what would that be like? Would it be insufferable? That the total and completeness of it all, the torrent of information would be so overwhelming that it would actually be impossible to discern at all or. Would it be pure and perfect clarity?

   Based on what she could tell from Bohman, it was definitely the latter.

   He was graceful as he brought the network to life and then manipulated it from this real life realm of flesh and blood. Although, he brought his native world of the digital into this one through the Link Sense that Aoi had heard so little about and the results were beautiful.

   The room with cream walls turned a pale blue. Yellow data glittered around them, coalescing with white sparkles and blue lasers that all went in straight lines, never bisecting or otherwise criss-crossing. Forever and perpetually perpendicular. Bohman could freely change their directions however, with just a quirk of his eyebrow, a twitch of his finger, or if he was feeling especially bold: a command in the Ignis language.

   Aoi had never heard Aqua speak it, but she had heard from Yusaku and Takeru that it was actually quite painful on the ears. It was a language of shrieking and screeching, beeps and boops. Not from Bohman’s mouth. It sounded alien, yes, but almost angelic coming from his deep voice. 

   This went on for what felt like eternity, to Aoi anyway. In actuality, it was mere minutes. That may as well have been an eternity to Bohman who could calculate mathematics instantaneously, who had a supercomputer for a brain and then there was nothing.

   Dramatically, it all fell silent. To darkness. Just the cloudy and overcast weather creeping in through the far windows and Aoi’s jacket blocking out the fluorescent lighting on the other side of the door.

   Bohman’s shoulders slumped forward and he sighed, malcontent.

   Aoi’s stomach dropped. That didn’t feel like a good sign as she watched Bohman close his eyes in frustration.

   “A-Are you okay?” she asked in a whisper quiet voice.

   “I have not found what I am looking for.” Bohman announced, a touch of irateness to his voice.

   Aoi swallowed a lump, her mouth dried. “But you did find something?” She dared to ask. She sat up straighter.

   “I did.” Bohman said. “I found five of the six Ignis.”

   Aoi blinked.

   Then blinked again as she found herself unable to hazard a stunned, “What?!”

   Yusaku had spent the better part of the last six months on the hunt for the Ignis. He could only turn up Ai which made sense. They were partners, Ignis and Origin after all but now Bohman turns up out of nowhere and in a matter of minutes, finds the other five? What?

   “I assume the Dark Ignis is alive and well, living with Playmaker?” Bohman inquired. “Hence why you spoke in code with his true identity as Fujiki Yusaku earlier?”

   “Correct.” Aoi replied.

   Bohman’s expression turned unreadable.

   Aoi didn’t know what to do, if Bohman wanted comfort or if he wanted a solution. Not that she had any idea on how to provide either to him. Her lips quivered.

   “Why is it a bad thing that you’ve found all the Ignis?” she asked, her eyes watered. “I want to see Aqua again, I want Aqua to reunite with her Origin.”

   “Because I do not know how to face my creator or his kin.” Bohman replied, cross. “I do not know if he knows how to face his creator or his kin, either. It is an uncomfortable situation with more banes than boons. I can tell your companionship with the Water Ignis is true but more heartbreak is to be carried than not. And there will be none without the other for I am a hammer, not a scalpel.”

   Bohman gave a flourish of his hands and Aoi gasped. Her eyes went wide. Within his palm, once more, he held all of the Ignis. Those felled and those submitted to him.

   Aoi felt sick to her stomach. It was just their skeletons, really. Their desiccated corpses. A scatter of a data which was in perpetual motion, occasionally taking on an angle or a memory of the Ignis that it actually represented.

   Then, just as quickly as he revealed them, Bohman hid them. He crushed them, curling his hand into a fist and Aoi had to bite her tongue not to make a pained noise. They weren’t alive. There was no malice in Bohman’s movements. Just grief.

   “What should we do with them?” Bohman asked.

   “Why are they here?” Aoi asked, trying her best not to let her voice crack lest she sound hysterical.

   “They weren’t. They were in every corner of the Link VRAINS. I found them there.” Bohman said. “I could have found them from your bedroom but the flow of Link Sense, it is stronger where there are people. The Neuron Link can find minds, connections better amongst people than in isolation. How peculiar.”

   “Yeah… How peculiar indeed.” Aoi bitterly agreed.

   “Now, it seems we are at an impasse, Blue Maiden.” Bohman said and his demeanour turned freezing cold. His eyes hardened as he looked down at her with contempt. “I did not find any clues regarding my resurrection nor locate Haru’s status or whereabouts. Yet now, I have something you want. I am not merely a burden to you.”

   “You don’t have to threaten or intimidate me into helping, Bohman.” Aoi fought back. “I’d help regardless… It's the least I can do after… after what I did to Haru.”

   Bohman was taken aback, a flicker of guilt though his face which he corrected. He put his hand over where his heart should be, “Thank you.”

   “And,” Aoi added, posturing, “lucky for you, I’m good friends with someone who can help us. Though, you having something he really wants is kind of a big help.”

   “Playmaker.” Bohman exclaimed.

   “Exactly.” Aoi nodded. “But let’s not bother him just yet. Let’s actually strategise, figure out what the best course of action is.” 

   “Of course.” Bohman agreed.

   Aoi got up and she took her jacket off the door. Any longer, and they would look suspicious, surely. Bohman took the hint and shrank back down into a more compact, Ignis-like size. Aoi checked the time and that gave them wow. Half an hour or so to figure out what they wanted to do next.

   Find Haru. resurrect the Ignis. Play nice with humans, in particular Yusaku. See? Easy. Or at least one could only hope. And then afterwards, they could get ice-cream then all go their separate ways. 

   Of course, nothing could be that simple. Though only time would tell, so Aoi had her fingers crossed. Tomorrow was a new day. And until it was tomorrow, the school bell rang its final toll whilst they were hanging out in the computer room, completely unattended, and that was enough research and clue gathering and strategising. 

   It had been a long day and it was almost triumphant to return home, no matter how exhausted. Except, what Aoi didn’t realise, was that her bedroom would become a battleground also as Bohman didn’t have as much common sense as he liked to think.

   “Bohman.” Aoi said, snippy, holding herself. “Aren’t you going to turn around?”

   He blinked, “What do you mean?”

   “I want to get changed and I already had a shower this morning, I don’t need another one…” Aoi said, waiting for Bohman to catch the hint but he merely stared vaguely nonplussed. “And would like to get into my pyjamas.”

   “Then get changed?” Bohman said.

   “I can’t, not with you looking at me.” Aoi replied, her tone of voice starting to pitch upwards as she blushed.

   And it was then - and only then - that Bohman realised. Albeit very slowly.

   “Do humans take their clothes on and off… manually?” he asked.

   He was realising it even slower than Aoi thought.

   “Yes, Bohman, how else would we change our clothes?” Aoi asked rhetorically. “Real life is not like the Link VRAINS!”

   “Oh…” Bohman murmured.

   He stroked his chin thoughtfully and Aoi continued to stare, bright red and              Sceptical. He finally came to the conclusion that she was waiting on.

   “And you don’t want me to see your nakedness?” Bohman said.

   “Obviously!” Aoi squealed.

   “Why? You have nothing I have never seen before and your assets are undersized for a woman of your age.” Bohman said, immediately putting his foot in his mouth.

   “How dare you?!” Aoi shrieked. If she could have, she would have loved to have pounded her fists on Bohman’s big, dumb chest but instead, she was frozen to the spot with wounded pride.

   Her offence spooked Bohman. He was genuinely taken aback by it and so, he did his best to salvage Aoi’s good graces. He turned embarrassed and consulted the great, big wealth of knowledge he knew he could rely on: the internet. And he found something he thought would quell Aoi’s rightfully placed rage. He saw now that commenting on women’s physiques was quite the faux pas.

   But this should help, he was sure. His brow furrowed as he donned a most serious expression which burgeoned with earnestness. He put his fist in front of his mouth as he cleared his throat and lowered his hand. He spoke up loud and clear with nothing but the best intentions to smoothe over this transgression he had inflicted upon Aoi.

   “Fret not, Aoi, for flat is justice!” Bohman proclaimed. 

   Aoi’s jaw dropped.

   That was… very much not where she thought that was going to go. A simple apology would have sufficed. Now she was even more embarrassed than before. Worse still, Bohman was still going. 

   “Though I am worried that you are underweight, it comes from a place of concern for your welfare. Do not worry that you are small, your uniqueness is valid and aesthetically pleasing in other ways. I did not mean to intrude on your privacy, I simply did not realise just how different A.I.s are to humans-”

   By that point, Aoi gave up listening to his platitudes. She could tell his heart was in the right place but by the stars above he was unbearable. She mightn’t have been able to hit him but she could still shut him up.

   Aoi grabbed her pillow and threw it at the wall. It phased right through Bohman but he got the point as he was startled by his incorporeal self tingling with the sensation of the pillow cutting through him then thumping on the wall. She had - thankfully in hindsight - missed her very expensive computer sitting on her desk.

   Bohman cleared his throat again, now it was his turn to be embarrassed, “I went… overboard. I apologise. I should not have remarked on your physique or made you uncomfortable. That should have been the end of it.”

   “I accept your apology.” Aoi said, calming down. She could feel her cheeks cool.

   She and Bohman exchanged a sheepish glance.

   “Ah, of course. Now is my cue. I - I will turn around now.” Bohman said.

   He stiffly turned around then sank into the depths of Aoi’s Duel Disc. She smiled a small smile and turned around herself. That was a huge drama to do something as simple as switching her skirt for a pair of shorts and putting on a soft sleep shirt.

   Still, it showed her another side of Bohman and Aoi didn’t mind that faucet of him, oddly enough. He was sweet and sheltered, frank and earnest. Larger than life. A tranquil fury and a klutz at the same time.

   She had seen many sides of him today, actually… It was nice. She had seen him serious and playful and boisterous and fearsome.  Aoi could admire that Bohman, just like a real human, had plenty of faucets to him and his personality. It was strange just how human this inhuman man was. Lightning had designed him oddly well in that regard. 

   It made for food for thought, at the very least. Maybe too much of it because Aoi could hardly sleep tonight.

   It had finally sunk in. She was technically sharing her room with someone right now and that someone happened to be male and, from certain perspectives, quite handsome. When he wasn’t being a malevolent entity hellbent on the destruction of humanity.

   The following morning, Aoi was not her usual cheery, perky self. Not that she was like that very much outside of text messaging and the internet but still. She was worse than usual with her resting bitch face, she felt. Gave Yusaku the right impression, however, that when she mentioned before school she wanted to talk after school, she meant serious business.

   “Okay, I’ll see you Friday…” Yusaku mumbled. He was a little confused. Understandable, it was weird to make hostile feeling plans for the end of the week before the middle of the week but Aoi folded her arms.

   “Good.” Aoi nodded. 

   She mentally ticked off the notebook in her head. Ding! That was one less thing to worry about. Her list - ingenious, foolproof, even - looked a little like this:

   Step 1. Ask Yusaku to meet up with them.

   Step 2. Exchange information on the Ignis.

   Step 3. Profit.

   Okay, they hadn’t really thought it through. A lot of step three depended on how well step two was going to go and Aoi was nervous for the worst of it. She had an awful gut feeling all day but Bohman didn’t believe in woman’s intuition - or human intuition for that matter.    And that was that.

   For now at least.

   After all, step one was complete.

   They had the rest of the week to deal with now and with yesterday under their belt, the whole rigmarole of school went much more smoothly for Aoi and Bohman. She’d made a promise. She wanted to help Bohman, so she made it a top priority to corner Yusaku so they could put the first phase of their plan in action.

   Now they just had to bide their time. 

   And so, outside of the whole keeping a sentient A.I. hidden from her brother, the guy who would probably hunt him for sport, and the other guy who would also hunt him for sport, it was all smooth sailing. Surprisingly. It was kind of easy. Her brother was rarely home. One of Bohman’s biggest enemies was stuck at sea to evade justice and the other, well, Yusaku had other things to worry about for now.

   It's just a shame that hiding Bohman was kind of boring…?

   They were building up a rapport. A certain new layer and level of respect between one another as former enemies and adversaries.

   Sure Aoi had things like homework and assignments to do but they were also very boring. So, when Thursday rolled around, after a humdrum Tuesday and Wednesday, with the big day tomorrow and an even bigger weekend to follow, she decided to pitch an idea to Bohman.

   “Hey tonight,” she said to him at her desk, putting down the pen which belonged to her tablet, “let’s watch a movie together.”

   Bohman had been watching. Aoi made it a point not to ask him for help. She wanted to be the master of her own destiny and so, that included doing her own homework even if she had the most powerful supercomputer in the world right next to her. He pushed his shoulders back and quirked a brow.

   “With me?” he asked, folding his arms.

   “Yes, with you.” Aoi said.

   She slumped over her desk and leaned over it, she kept her head propped up with her hand and elbow. She looked at Bohman.

   “Why?” Bohman asked.

   “‘Cause it’d be fun?” Aoi replied with an upturn in her voice.

   “But I know how every movie ends, all of the trivia, everything.” Bohman said. “I feel I would not be entertained, defeating the purpose of your species’ cinema.”

   “Okay, sure, you know how it ends but what about the feeling of watching it? Experiencing it for yourself?” Aoi asked.

   “Oh, um, I suppose that is not something I can reduce to data without living it…” Bohman replied, miffed to have been countered and now successfully roped into watching a movie.

   Given that it was Aoi’s idea, she got to pick the movie. So, she had fun picking an old favourite of hers which was collecting dust on the metaphorical shelf. No one owned DVDs anymore. She didn’t pay much mind to picking something she thought Bohman would enjoy. That would spoil part of her fun, she very rightly predicted that seeing him react with confusion at irrational love stories and the like would be quite amusing.

   Though Aoi would provide just as many enticing reactions for Bohman to dissect, also.

   She had chosen quite the iconic, girl depression comfort food movie for them both. It was based on a very old western novel and chronicled the relationships of a bunch of fussy people who wore very beautiful clothes. There was also a scene in which the male love interest was drenched to the bone in water whilst wearing a shirt which turned see-through.

   It also had another scene that Bohman found… odd.

   Girl lust was low-key terrifying for him and he could see Aoi goon in the corner over her literally sopping wet eye candy but this was different.

   Aoi was curled up on the far end of the lounge. This was the most daring they had been as a pair since their sudden reunion. Akira was at work and wouldn’t be home until the wee hours of the morning, when Aoi would be fast asleep but it was still odd to be in the living room as they were. Aoi had set down her Duel Disc on one end of the lounge and then herself on the other, covered in a blanket and the darkness.

   Except for the light that the television cast but this scene, its lighting was dimmed as Aoi’s attention was kept rapt. She chewed on her bottom lip, eyes shiny as she listened to the dialogue. Her heartstrings clearly tugged on but Bohman didn’t see the appeal.

   This was an apology.

   Admittedly an apology far better than the one he had offered the other night regarding his quasi body shaming faux pas, though. But it was still an apology.

   Aoi sucked in her breath and made a whinnying noise. She tried to hide it because it was embarrassing by hiding her face in her hands, pulling up her blanket some more but the effort to hide it just made it more obvious. Her eyes glimmered with tears, turning them bright and shiny in the dark.

   “That was my absolute favourite part.” she whispered at the end of the movie.

   The heroine and the love interest were kissing now as it faded to black. The credits rolled, too.

   Bohman grunted in acknowledgement of being spoken to.

   “What did you think?” Aoi asked as she turned her head.

   “It was… fine.” Bohman replied.

   “Ugh, really, just fine?” Aoi complained.

   Bohman turned his head and gave her a puzzled look. He genuinely didn’t know what to tell her, what she wanted to hear. She huffed discontentedly.

   “Did you at least like it?” Aoi asked.

   “I told you. It was just fine. It was filled with irrationality and etiquette that does nothing to advance proper communication. The face sucking-”

   “You mean the kissing?” Aoi interrupted him to laugh.

   “Yes, the kissing, it was also disturbing. I find it difficult to believe any pleasure can be derived from placing your tongue into another person’s mouth. Humans are hotbeds of disease and bacteria, I’m glad I’m not one.” Bohman said.

   For once, his disgust of humans came across more humorous than not. It made Aoi laugh.

   “Why did you enjoy it?” Bohman asked, hoping flipping the conversation back onto Aoi might save him some trouble.

   “Oh? Um, well, it's romantic. And full of pretty people. I think the way it explores that stifling social convention, the etiquette that stops people from saying what they truly mean, creates a lot of tension. So it means more when the guy apologises to the girl and then they kiss after. I like it.” Aoi rambled.

   Bohman hummed thoughtfully and his eyes glittered with something unnatural. 

   “I see.” he said after a pause. “Consulting cinematic databases, most movies in this genre of ‘romance’ feature that apology.”

   “Yeah, the grovel.” Aoi said. “It’s a power fantasy.”

   Bohman went quiet then repeated himself, “I see. Was my apology from earlier this week satisfactory?”

   Aoi laughed awkwardly, “Oh, don’t sweat it, it's fine.” she said. “Real life isn’t like the movies. You’re still thinking about it? Don’t worry about it.”

   She started to ramble and was somewhat taken aback by how reflective Bohman was. Maybe he was too introspective for his own good. Not that she could talk. She could depress herself in circles, going around and around with circular thoughts overthinking and overcomplicating things.

   Aoi stole a glance at Bohman. His expression was, well, contemplative. He stared at the credits intently so Aoi reached for the remote. She turned off the television.

   “It’s bedtime for me.” she said.

   “Of course. Good night, Aoi.” Bohman said.

   “Good night, Bohman.” Aoi returned his platitude. “We have a big day tomorrow.”

   “We do.” Bohman agreed. “I wish you a restorative sleep.

   “Thank you.” Aou mumbled.

   She got up and took her blanket with her. She held it close as a strange feeling began to bubble and toil within her. She felt oddly flattered that the misunderstanding that had had the other night weighed so heavily on Bohman. Aoi could laugh about it now but it did worry her.

   What else was Bohman holding onto if he was dissatisfied with the resolution of an embarrassing moment? That made them oddly alike. Aoi still agonised over silly, stupid moments from as recently as last month to years and years ago.

   More and more, Bohman humanised himself in front of Aoi.

   His rage. His grief. His embarrassment. His joy. It all coalesced and made Aoi turn more than just fond for him. She wondered what tomorrow would bring as she settled into bed with the hope that… tomorrow wouldn’t be goodbye.

   That’s right.

   That it wouldn’t be. It probably would be but she didn’t want it to be. She had finally gotten to know Bohman and she didn’t want him to slip through her hands again because he deserved so much more.

   He deserved to know what it was like to be lov-

   Aoi stopped herself there as she came face to face with the realisation that she had a crush. It would be presumptuous to call it anything more. Surely. 

   Aoi slept uneasily that night and did her best not to show it the next day. Bohman had big expectations of how things would pan out and Aoi didn’t want to muddle them by becoming attached to him so she did her best to show restraint. Expect the worst, hope for the best. That sort of thing.

   And so, after a long day of school, Aoi met with Yusaku on the roof. It seemed like a good setting to have a private word with another. Unlike earlier this week, the skies were clear and blue, as far as the eye could see until the skyline got cluttered with skyscrapers and billboards. So not that far. Over the horizon anyway, up? It just got bluer and bluer. 

   Surprisingly, just like their prospects.

  “So, what did you want to talk about?” Yusaku asked, he held onto the strap of his bag and remained close to the exit. Just in case he had to bail, Aoi would deduce. Though his demeanour was cool and smooth.

   “I don’t know how to put this so I think it's best if I just show you.” Aoi replied.

   This was the part she had been worried about. She really didn’t know how Yusaku was going to react but poorly felt like a good bet to make. She began to raise her hand, bent at the wrist so her Duel Disc could poke forward from under her sleeve and that gave Yusaku everything he needed to know. 

   Aoi could feel the air freeze between them. Yusaku drew in all the tension in the air and held it. Solidified it. It all but winded Aoi as she allowed Bohman to introduce himself.

   First as an eyeball. The yellow and red colouration was fiery.

   Then as himself. Albeit tiny. He rose out of Aoi’s Duel Disc making a rather majestic entrance despite the limited capacity of him at that size and connected to the technology Aoi wore on her wrist.

  “Salutations.” Bohman said, nodding.  “It has been too long, Playmaker.”

   “Likewise.” Yusaku replied. He chewed on the vowels of the singular word hard but thoughtfully.

   His expression was hard for Aoi to fully decipher but she felt confident in some guesses. Disgusted, confused, outraged, maybe more. She had gone through that exact wringer herself about a week ago now but it would be more difficult for Yusaku. He had dealt the final blow to Bohman and their relationship up to that point had been quite entwined, too. The complication between all three of them was thick and impalpable.

   “Let’s just rip the bandaid off,” Aoi said, “through unknown circumstances, Bohman is back and whilst investigating the who, what, when, and why of it, Bohman found something.”

   “Correct. I found the remaining Ignis.” Bohman said.

   Yusaku’s eyes went wide, the frenzy in the flecks of green stood out somehow with barely hinged rapture, “You what?” he exclaimed.

   At this cue, Ai had to get involved. He leapt out of Yusaku’s Duel Disc, stretching around like taffy. He barked and yapped, wanting answers as he produced sobbing tears of overwhelmed grief. He clipped into the Ignis Language and it grated on the ears of the humans - and tugged on Aoi’s heartstrings.

   “I’ve seen them - and trust me. You don’t want to.” Aoi quickly added.

   There was a pause as Yusaku corralled Ai. He placed his hand over the top of Ai’s head.

   “For your cooperation, I will release them but only if I get the answers I am looking for.” Bohman negotiated, grandeur dripped off him despite being doll-sized when he was waist deep in Aoi’s Duel Disc. “I want to know why I am here and where Haru is?”

   “I recall the pair of you walking off together, into the rockslide.” Yusaku said. “I thought it was a trick of my eyes.”

   “It must have been.” Bohman agreed. Lamented, really.

   “But…” Yusaku said and he lifted his hand off the top of Ai’s head. Ai’s expression changed as he folded his arms, his eyes furrowed as he snickered to himself. “This does confirm what I was afraid of.”

   “Pardon?” Aoi prompted.

   “I told you.” Yusaku said coldly. “My “computer-y project” as you put it hadn’t had any luck. However, the unintended consequences of it have produced what you are after Bohman. Searching for the remaining Ignis, I found Haru’s remains and yes, I have them in a safe place.”

   “Nyeh, take that.” Ai piped up. “Now, give me my friends back.” He made fanciful gestures, flailing his arms around in a way meant to give the appearance he knew kung-fu or karate.

   “Well, Bohman, once more I believe it is our fate to Duel. There is something I want to know before I release Haru back to you and that is: do you belong alongside humankind with the rest of the Ignis?” Yusaku asked.

   Aoi’s heart leapt to her throat. 

   That was the succinctness of the matter, wasn’t it? She had been pondering that herself now, too. She worried what would happen if Yusaku won and Bohman did not prove himself as a peaceful entity… Her knees knocked.

   “I accept your duel.” Bohman said, giving Yusaku no indication of what he had experienced the past couple days.

   The bewilderment of having no purpose, being reborn into a world which did not want you nor expect you. The agony of losing his brother. The embarrassment of a social faux pas. Watching a movie and connecting with fantasy. The friendship he had kindled with her, his previous adversary, Aoi felt sick to her stomach.

   As far as she was concerned, she realised now, Bohman was human to her. Fully and utterly actualised human to her. Just not to Yusaku and based on Bohman’s grave expression, not even to himself.  She felt helpless to watch as the challenge was agreed upon and then acted through.

   “Into the VRAINS.” Yusaku said as he brandished his Duel Disc like the weapon it was attached to him.

   There was a flash and Aoi followed in hot pursuit of Yusaku as he changed into Playmaker, transforming through the cybernetic veil as they all entered the Link VRAINS. 

   The high school’s rooftop gave way to the hinterlands of the Link VRAINS. Where else but nowhere for the likes of these heroes - and one villain - of the cyber world. The rocky out cliffs floated in the middle of endless, azure skies streaked with white clouds and cyan lighting.

   “Stand aside Blue Maiden.” Bohman said. “There is no need for you to get involved.”

   He pushed his hand out towards her, trying to brush her aside and yet it was oddly protective in manner. Playmaker watched this gesture carefully. Blue Maiden simpered. She was always being pushed aside and she did step back but she wanted to watch. She needed to watch. Her heart throbbed in her chest as she clasped her hands together.

   “I’m staying.” she said.

   “Fine by me.” Playmaker said.

   “Thank you, Blue Maiden.” Bohman told her.

   Blue Maiden smiled faintly. Hesitantly. She nodded and internalised her own role as a spectator. A judge. An adjudicator. A strange in-between where she was all those things and more and none of them, too. She was an unnecessary accessory to the duel which was just about to begin but then. Bohman spoke once more.

   “Playmaker, an olive branch, if you will.” Bohman said as he reached out his hand across the field. At his fingertips, a Data Storm began to whirl. “The ability to use Skills in a Master Duel.”

   Playmaker’s expression was unreadable.

   “We’ll take it!” Ai bounced up.

   “No, we won’t.” Playmaker said. “I only need my own skill. Not a cheat, not a hack.”

   “Aww…” Ai deflated.

   “I understand.” Bohman replied as he rescinded both his hand and his offer.

   Blue Maiden hummed to herself. She would admit, she would have taken the offer. Though, she wasn’t sure if her Blue Maiden skill would be all that helpful if she had to stare either of them down but if there was one thing about Playmaker, it was how committed it was to his ideals.

   And yes, they were ideals.

   The duel commenced shortly after.

   It was a clash of wills, the culmination of history turning into a brand new future to become an inevitable present.

   Playmaker wanted the Ignis back. Bohman wanted his brother back. Neither would back down from the equality that they all wanted to live but who deserved it? Who would ruin it?

   Blue Maiden chewed her bottom lip as she tried to slink away from all the hard and difficult questions that these two foes locked in battle posed. They took to either side of the field and finally, at long last, it began. A die was rolled, a coin was flipped, Playmaker would go first and Bohman would go second.

   The back and forth that ensued was brutal. And that was just the playing of cards. How they were flicked and slashed through, summoned and sacrificed, made fodder for a no holds barred beatdown.

   Then there was the conversation, too.

   “Have you changed, Bohman?” Playmaker asked, snarling. “Are you capable of change?”

   Bohman was silent.

   “Can I trust you?” Playmaker asked.

   Bohman was silent and as was Blue Maiden. She didn’t have these answers, either, but had wanted to see the two brothers reunited, nonetheless. And she wanted to see Aqua, again, of course, and more. Her stomach churned with anxiety as Playmaker threw himself into this duel.

  He needed to know that everything he had worked towards with Ai was going to continue. That his custodianship over the Ignis would be his legacy. This urge propelled him forward as he overwhelmed Bohman.

   Not something that they had seen in their prior duels. A curbstomp wherein the boot was worn by Playmaker. Even so, Bohman was stalwart. Even in the face of a defeat which loomed.

   It was his turn again. His field was in shambles. His next draw may very well be his last so it had better be a good one but there was still one more move that he could uniquely make.

   “I invoke… Storm Access!” Bohman said.

   His back was against the wall and thus, his arm shot up. His expression was stern, however, not desperate as he pinned his hopes on what would be drawn forth from within the indigo tempest of the Data Storm. At his command, it whirled and roared, spun and raged until… until… until… it petered out.

   The storm passed and at the eye of it: with a blink, it dissipated but Bohman had a new card. A Link Monster. With Six Link Ratings. Or so both Blue Maiden and Playmaker were able to notice from afar as Bohman brandished it, his soul stopped with the hope that he would not fall off the cliff of failure.

   His duel had been suspiciously free of random number generation manipulation so far so there was a chance, this card had not been consciously called forth or otherwise created to counter this specific incident.

   Bohman slowly lowered his arm and for the first time, he saw the card and he named it.

   “Perfectatron Hydradrive Angel…” Bohman murmured.

   Blue Maiden gasped, her heart skipped a beat. No, it wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be possible, right?

   “Thank you.” Bohman said and he brought this card close to his chest. “You will do superbly.”

   It was. Apparently.

   And so Bohman began his counter attack.

   He went above and beyond with what tools that he had, what cards he had at his disposal. Blue Maiden watched with bated breath, in prayer, her hands clasped, that Bohman would…

   Win.

   She felt guilty wanting Bohman to win but seeing that card, knowing what it represented, she felt her heart began to wander. She wanted the best of all worlds, of all outcomes but she knew well this was a game of pure division: win and lose, victory and failure. There was no way to both sides this as she gasped.

   Her eyes widened. Her ears pricked up. Even Playmaker was in awe from across the arena.

   “The angel who oversees humanity: I beseech thee, I require your power of hopes and dreams. An emissary of perfection and a divine entity who believes in the future: Link Six, Perfectatron Hydradrive Angel!”

   His voice boomed through the arena as his Link Markers lit up. He sacrificed what he needed to from his field and he did it. Bohman did it. He had brought forth Perfectatron Hydradrive Angel.

   It - no, she - was beautiful. A Medusa-like figure with hair akin to the smaller Hydradrive wyrms which featured soft, rounded wings as well as a tail more fish-like than snake-like. A colour scheme of monochromatic, steely blue save for the pink teardrop on her cheek. Her hands clasped in prayer and her head tilted forward to meet them once her summoning animation finished. 

   Playmaker smirked, “What a good-looking monster. It suits you.” A taunt which wasn’t a taunt at all, an honest observation merely made fanged by the way in which Playmaker and Bohman were ever so oppositional.

   He genuinely looked forward to Bohman’s counterattack. Just what effects did this angelic being disguised? Would they be enough to win the duel?

   Bohman’s convictions which followed appeared to follow through that his literal Hail Mary would be the figurehead of his victory. 

   Perfectatron Hydradrive Angel tried and tried again, under Bohman’s warlord-like command. Together, they were in ultimate synchronicity. She weaved through the battlefield like an avenging angel but the courage that she encapsulated was cut in two by Accesscode Talker for game.

   Accesscode, of course, being the blood, sweat, and tears that Playmaker embodied turned into a glittering ideal of connection. It was hard but it was inevitable. 

   Playmaker had done it. He had done it before Bohman, even. He had pierced through the veil of death and brought back his most important partner. Heck, he had such a person close to him. Multiples, now, if you could imagine such a thing. 

   Ai, Kusanagi, Ryoken, Takeru, and even Aoi. More, too. 

   Who did Bohman have? Haru? Who waited in the clutches of Playmaker to be rescued. They still didn’t even know why Bohman had reincarnated at all through Aoi’s Duel Disc.

   Playmaker thrust out his hand and his chest grew in volume as he readied his final command: Accesscode, go straight for the throat, for Bohman. His eyes were viscous and Blue Maiden could not bear it.

   Yet Bohman was ever stoic. He held his Duel Disc at the ready as he watched Perfectatron Hydradrive Angel disintegrate before his eyes. Slowly but surely, a beautiful farewell of glittering, silver data.

   Blue Maiden couldn’t help but feel Bohman’s imminent loss as much as him. Maybe even more so. After all, her avatar - in the literal sense of the word, not the digital one - had been the coalescing of all his hopes for victory and it had failed him. It was a pertinent story. She, herself, had done her best time and time again but she was more an emissary of defeat than an angel of victory, it seemed.

   “You can stop.” Blue Maiden said, standing up for herself and Bohman.

   She stepped onto the field - though it was dangerous to do so. She didn’t care, however. She needed to be by Bohman’s side and to stop the piercing onslaught that Playmaker wielded so precisely that it became a baneful slaughter. But she would not allow him to wreak that havoc.

   Blue Maiden extended her arms out to Bohman and Bohman blinked in surprise. She gave a gesture with her fingers, flicking them, coaxing him closer.

   “You have done extraordinarily well.” she praised him, eyes tearing up. “Trust me. I would know.”

   “Thank you, Blue Maiden.” Bohman replied but he didn’t accept her invitation to embrace.

   Though he may not have realised that is what it was. Playmaker didn’t either, not until Ai shrieked like a fangirl at the movies, anyway.

   Blue Maiden hugged Bohman in front of her. He dwarfed her physically but her love dwarfed him. But down her back, she shivered. She could still the feel the final assault that Playmaker had on Bohman’s remaining monsters and life points. It was intense. Ferocious. Every bit deserving but she felt that as adjudicator of his duel, she could judge that it was not necessary.

   She turned her head and grit her teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, she stared Playmaker down as he was mid-command over his monsters.

   “Bohman has conceded, you can quit your showboating.” Blue Maiden snapped.

   “I have.” Bohman said, graciously bowing his head. “I formally concede. You have won, Playmaker.” He wrapped his arms around Blue Maiden.

   Their heads brushed up against one another. It was the most movie perfect hug ever done by two people who were not known to be physically affectionate - and in Bohman’s case, the first and only hug he had ever performed. Thus, it was very awkward and painful to watch but Playmaker didn’t mind being an audience to.

   Blue Maiden had successfully stopped Playmaker, stopped his voice and quelled the fury that he had allowed himself too much of. He took a breath and it was apparent he was not pleased with the person that he had become just now.

   “I accept your surrender as an official loss.” Playmaker said.

  “I recognise there was no surrender in your past. Only win or lose. Miyu told me that.” Blue Maiden added.

   “Thank you, Blue Maiden.” Playmaker sighed.

   The Monsters disappeared from either side and Playmaker crossed the field. Given that Blue Maiden and Bohman were already congregating, it seemed only natural that he would meet with them. Not expect that they would come to him. His stride was more normal now. He was letting go of his anger.

   Thus, Playmaker smiled warmly as he watched the outcome of Blue Maiden’s interruption. His eyes fluttered close and he tried to hide that he had ever smiled at all but it was obvious. There was a discrete glow to his expression as he opened his eyes and glanced to Ai, holding him high and dear to his face.

   “Oh… Don’t be cute now.” Ai grumbled, folding his arms and pouting. “Not after everything you put us through.” 

   “I think it's all water under the bridge now.” Playmaker said with a hefty exhale of his breath. He meant it. He wanted to mean it and more.

   Blue Maiden’s spirits soared and was helpless but to smile wide as she let go of Bohman, “Thank you for understanding. For believing.”

   “I only believe in things I can see with my own two eyes.” Playmaker said and then deepened his voice so it boomed across to the duel field to address Bohman, “Alright, let’s exchange data.”

   Thus, from across the duel field and across from ideologies, Playmaker and Bohman met halfway. Blue Maiden followed along, too, and was somewhat chuffed to see them meet eye to eye. Toe to toe even as they got up nice and close for the exchange.

   The wind blew and seemed to have entire conversations with just their eyes. Blue Maiden wasn’t privy to them but the respect they had for one another had fully solidified and so flowed off of them as they not just matched each other’s movements but mirrored them.

   In total synchronicity, Playmaker and Bohman lifted their hands. Playmaker lifted his right hand and Bohman his left. Ai kept hidden within Playmaker’s Duel Disc but he bucked up what he had been holding onto for dear life the entire time: Haru’s data. In that mirror reflection, Bohman revealed the palm of his hand and the sparkle of his own Duel Disc lit up in the five colours of the dead Ignis.

   Blue Maiden smiled, sincerity sparkled in the dewdrop of the tear she was about to shed. She orbited closer to Bohman than to Playmaker, however. Even though she was on the precipice of seeing Aqua again, she wanted to share in the bittersweet joy of having Bohman reunite with his precious brother. That meant a lot to her as a little sibling herself.

   “Welcome back, Haru.” Bohman said as he delicately handled Haru’s remains. The data was sparkly and yellow, within the fragments he saw snatches of Haru’s memories.

   His duel with Aoi. How he poked and prodded Kusanagi Jin out of curiosity and boredom. Their own moments of serenity, too, in Lightning’s palace.

   Blue Maiden placed her hand on Bohman’s upper arm and gave him half a squeeze from the side. It was a hug but Bohman didn’t really do hugs so he was startled by her contact but glancing down at her, with the fondness that radiated off her as she smiled, he returned that kindness. He nodded at her.

   “I could not have done this without our alliance.” Bohman thanked her. “You could have made things more difficult but you chose grace over grudge. Thank you.”

   “You're welcome.” Blue Maiden said and she let go of Bohman. She stepped aside, too.

   Bohman lifted his head and did not meet Playmaker’s gaze. Understandably, he and Ai were having their own reunion, too.

   Playmaker who was famously private and did his best to seem invulnerable, because weakness was punished, opened up. Just a little, just enough to convey how cathartic and satisfied it was that the Ignis he had worked so hard to protect were in his hands.

   Safe at last.

   He wasn’t crying but he wasn’t dry-eyed either. He and Ai, they spoke softly amongst themselves. Ai, meanwhile, was actually bawling as he held onto what he could of the intangible data of his kin.

   “We shouldn’t stare.” Blue Maiden whispered to Bohman but she felt somewhat the same way.

   She couldn’t wait to have Aqua in her hands, too, by her side and, more importantly, by Miyu’s. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be a victim of the Incident and an Origin of the Ignis…

   “Ah, of course.” Bohman replied, blinking. He hadn’t even realised he was staring.

   Blue Maiden glanced at him as he turned his head. There was an indescribable flicker of emotion across his face. Indescribable, yes, but Blue Maiden had a guess: envy. Or a yearning to have the same, to be cherished by a human, irrefutable proof that through emotions and connection, peace was possible.

   Still, out of the corner of their eye, they watched as Ai reached up and hugged Playmaker. His arms wrapped around him as his body bent and flowed, stretching like taffy from the throne he had made of Playmaker’s Duel Disc. He nuzzled against Playmaker’s damp face and he exhaled audibly. He was ready to move forward, onto the proper reunion as it were. Not just the repatriation of the Ignis’ remains. Ai understood that instinctually and after three seconds retreated all affection unto Playmaker.

   Upon the conclusion of that embrace between Ignis and Origin, Playmaker’s expression hardened as he met Bohman’s gaze. He spoke up again.

   “It’ll require some help but I can forward Blue Maiden the instructions. She should have the hardware you will need to give him a semi-physical form again, it doesn’t take too much tinkering. I imagine it is the same process as bringing Ai back as Haru is an Ignis, too, but if it’s not, please, reach out and we can cooperate to find a better way to bring him back.” Playmaker said. He took a breath then added, “If you ever need a SOLtiS body compatible with Ignis code, Ai has plenty he doesn’t need. It could be useful.”

   “I appreciate your olive branch also, Playmaker.” Bohman said. “Thank you.” He bowed his head.

   Playmaker did the same. Ai, too. They both held onto the sparkling spectrum of the Ignis and Blue Maiden felt her heart swell. The hostage exchange was complete but something else was, too. She wanted to believe it was the hostility between humanity and the Ignis. Finally, they had something in common.

   Grief. Love. Companionship. She was certain that would be the bridge to a happier future.

   “We will take our leave now. We have much to do ourselves.” Playmaker said.

   “When we see each other again then.” Bohman replied.

   “Yes, we’ll be seeing you.” Blue Maiden piped up. “See you later.”

   “Bye, bye!” Ai chimed in.

   He waved goodbye exuberantly from Playmaker’s Duel Disc as Playmaker logged them out. They disappeared in the slow blink of an eye, a muted flash of blue and white data then nothingness. Now it was Blue Maiden and Bohman alone on the rocky platform of the Link VRAINS’ hinterland.

   With Haru, of course, though only in spirit.

   But with everything which had happened - the duel, the winners and the losers, the exchange - there was much to say. Blue Maiden could feel it. Her chest was heavy with an overabundance of words she wanted spoken and feelings freed. It was much the same for Bohman it seemed as he turned towards Blue Maiden.

   He stored Haru for safekeeping within the depths of his Duel Disc. the yellow data dissipated in reverse as he moved it over the convex glass of it and then he readied himself. He pushed his shoulders back and he stared deep into Blue Maiden’s eyes.

   It intimidated her.

   Yet it was an intimidation tinged with trepidation. She could handle it. 

   “Thank you, Bl-Blue Maiden,” Bohman’s voice cracked as he took her hand, he shook his head and as his eyes watered, he corrected himself, “no, Aoi, for reuniting with me with my little brother.”

   “I, um, barely helped.” Blue Maiden squeaked.

   “No, you did your best. You taught me much about the world. The real world.” Bohman said. “You showed me kindness, humour, forgiveness, and more. Now this, how could I ever repay you?”

   “Pl-Please, don’t, it's… it's hard to hear.” Blue Maiden modestly replied.

   “I mean it. From the very bottom of my heart, one I did not know existed until you showed me.” Bohman said. “I have learned so much about humans, about humanity. Your humanity and… even mine. I might be hasty but I believe I love you, Aoi.”

   Blue Maiden - no, Bohman was right, this was Aoi - felt her heart tremble in her chest. She was moved incredibly by Bohman’s words. They were kind and warm-hearted yet overwhelming. His hands squeezed her own.

   “I want to exist more in the real world. I want to experience more and I hope you would allow me to experience that world alongside you.” Bohman said. “If you would have me, and, of course, Haru also.”

   Bohman came down to his knees in front of her.

   He was so tall and large yet he made himself small at Blue Maiden’s foot. He bowed his head to her, the crown of him reaching to about her midsection. His hands trembled in his, his vulnerability empathetic. 

   Bohman reached down and he kissed her hands. He sprinkled kisses along her knuckles as he begged.

   “I apologise, Aoi, for everything.” Bohman said.

   The likeness struck Blue Maiden almost momentarily as she savoured Bohman’s everything. His demeanour, his tone of voice, how his lips felt on her skin. His genuine tone was like music to her ears but the softness of him was akin to divinity.

   But then she realised and she had to suppress a laugh. It was just like that scene in her favourite movie. He was performing the grovel that he had seen in the film. 

   “I forgive you, Bohman, of course I do.” Blue Maiden replied, teary. “I… I think I have a crush on you, too.” 

   Bohman glanced up at her, thunderstruck by the admission. The disbelief glittered in his yellow and orange eyes, as though he couldn’t believe his ears but when Blue Maiden reached out and squeezed his hands in return for his own affection. That’s when he knew. It was real and it was true.

   “Thank you, Aoi.” Bohman said.

   Blue Maiden firmly grasped his hand but her attempt was made feeble. After all, Bohman was larger than her and that visual musculature did translate into actual weight but her gesture conveyed her heart, nonetheless.

   At his full height, Bohman spoke again, “I want to revive Haru and have you both meet on better terms. That would mean a lot to me.”

   “I want you to meet Aqua in much the same way,” Blue Maiden told him, “and my older brother, Akira, too.”

   “I’d like that very much.” Bohman replied. “So, let’s bring him back, yes?”

   “Yes, yes, of course. Let’s do it, straight away.” Blue Maiden agreed, her excitement quickened the sound of her voice.

   Bohman nodded and together, they logged out.

   The motion of it knocked Bohman around, however. He had almost forgotten he was more restricted in the ‘real’ world as he found himself in Aoi’s Duel Disc again. She unclipped it from her wrist and placed it on her desk.

   She got off her sofa so she could walk off her own dizziness of the log-out too, as well as that aforementioned excitement. She did little laps of her room whilst Bohman got organised.

   He could hardly contain himself as trepidation caused his fingers to tremble as he produced Haru’s data. With a wry smile, he thought to himself: he hoped there was enough room in Aoi’s Duel Disc for two but then he recalled Playmaker’s offer. However, in the meantime, he was careful as he threaded the rest of Playmaker’s instructions with Haru’s data.

   It was nerve wracking business. Aoi couldn’t watch except out of the corner of her eye. It was all very arcane to her knowledge. Slow and difficult, it had to be done right but Bohman persevered.

   At the end of it, he announced in a clear voice: “I’m ready.” 

   Aoi felt her spirits soar as her shoulders lifted. She came to a standstill and turned around tightly so she could hang by her desk. She knelt on her lounge and held onto the edge of her desk for leverage as Bohman centred himself. Calmed himself and then.

   It was just like before, with him. Aoi’s Duel Disc lit up in a way it hadn’t before and then voila. There was a blinding white light that erupted, it filled the whole of the room before dissipating from the outwards in, the data disappearing like embers cast out from a fire until at the centre of it was Haru.

   Though between him and Bohman, there wasn’t much room. Luckily they were brothers and they had missed each other so much.

   Waist deep in the glass, Haru was astonished to be there at all. Bohman’s hand quaked and a tear glimmered in his eye as he placed his hand atop of Haru’s shoulder, they stood together in a single file line. Haru jumped out of his skin and looked around in disbelief, bending every which way as he tried to understand. Questions and astoundment clogged his mouth as Bohman turned him around.

   Then hugged him.

   A simple, quiet hug.

   Aoi turned her head but Bohman clicked his tongue, getting her attention.

   “Thank you,” he said, “thank you, Aoi, for reuniting me with my brother.”

   Bohman began to sob. Grief, relief, gratitude. It all welled up in him and had nowhere else to go but out in the form of teardrops to be cried. His chin pruned and his cheeks dampened and he didn’t let Haru go.

   Haru smiled sadly and hugged Bohman back, “I’ve missed you, too, big brother.” He patted Bohman on the forearm, as far up as he could reach.

   Together, the two brothers savoured the moment for as long as they could. Being dead felt like an eternity, not knowing if the other could be found and brought back even longer even if it had been just a week.

   Aoi watched, innocently, and her heart pounded. She tried to calm it but the urge to speak and break the silence was too much. She had her own piece that she needed to say.

   “It’s, um, good to see you again, Haru.” she piped up.

   Bohman and Haru’s ears pricked on her voice and they rescinded their embrace of one another. They awkwardly shuffled around in what little room they had in her Duel Disc.

   “It is good to see you again, Blue Maiden.” Haru said and there was a shine to the smirk that followed. “I made the right choice entrusting myself and my brother to you.”

   Aoi’s eyes widened and Bohman reacted much the same.

   “What do you mean, little brother?” Bohman asked.

   “I… I couldn’t help myself.” Haru began to guiltily explain. “I wanted to live. I didn’t want to die by Lightning’s orders. I’m sorry and… and I wanted to live with you, Bohman. I wanted us to be brothers. Alive and well. So, um, when I lost to Blue Maiden in our duel, I secreted away copies of our back-up data.”

   “Oh, Haru…” Aoi murmured, eyes watering.

   “You were a good opponent, Blue Maiden. I was impressed and even went easy on you.” Haru couldn’t help but tease, to ease off the sincerity that he otherwise emanated.

   “Hey. I won fair and square.” Aoi pouted.

   Haru laughed, “I know. You did.”

   It pleased Bohman to see Aoi and Haru get along, bickering as it may be. There was a fondness to it which endeared him greatly.

   “I see.” he said. “Thank you. Please do not beat yourself up for being selfish like that.”

   “Thanks, Bohman.” Haru mumbled.

   Bohman looked out toward Aoi again, “I… have been too harsh on you regarding the matter of my brother, I see now.”

   “You were grieving, you didn’t have all the information, anyone would lash out.” Aoi shrugged. “But thank you.”

   “I appreciate it.” Bohman said. 

   Aoi smiled demurely, all but glowing at Bohman’s words and how pleased she was with them. 

   Haru, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and got the sense that a lot had happened between them in his absence and so, was doing his little brother duty to be grossed out by it on principle. Some things never changed. Human or A.I. in that regard. There was clearly something about goo-goo eyes…

   “I, um, hope we all get along. You and me, you and Haru, both of you and Akira.” Aoi added generously.

   Though the undercurrent spiked at the mention of Akira. Interpersonality of the micro level was all well and good but there were forces at play larger than themselves. Aoi could well wish all she wanted because there was no telling how things might turn out but both Bohman and Haru wanted to believe it was for the better.

   None of them knew if second chances could work out if given. The future was not set in stone like they had once believed per Lightning’s writ of it. Aoi was proof of that, their own resurrection was proof of that but they all wanted to try to make it work so that humanity and artificial intelligence could live in harmony.

   For now, Aoi truly was going to be the angel who oversaw that, just like the new Perfectatron that Bohman now had in the arsenal of his Extra Deck. Watching not just humanity, but him, and Haru, too so Bohman hoped to do his best to make use of the love and second chance that she had granted him. That would be his new goal - his new dream as it were - now that he had Haru back. All thanks to her.