#some of the jerks here put them in trash cans so that the explosion will be louder

[cosmogyros]

The week before NYE is the worst time to be in Berlin. I went out for half an hour to pick up something at the shops for a friend last night, and while I was waiting to cross the road, a firework went off in the street about 6 feet away from me. Closest I've ever been to one. I accidentally inhaled the smoke from it, and the explosion was so loud that I was partially deaf for an hour afterwards.

[dycefic]

Have An Evil Day

No prompt this time, just a sequel to ‘Welcome To Evil-Mart’

Working at Evil-Mart is usually… well, it’s retail. It’s physically exhausting, you have to deal with a lot of idiots without being overtly rude, and your feet hurt. Even though the hours and pay are very good, the benefits are great, and our bosses treat us well compared to most retail employees, it’s still not what I’d call a fun job.

But it’s not what I’d call dull, either. Especially not on days like today.

I was promoted to supervisor after the Food Poisoning Incident, so I have a little more authority and a little less obligation to be pleasant and I got issued a weighted cosh because sometimes Evil-Mart customers get… feisty. I’d never had to use it, though, because those who hadn’t seen what I did to Majority Rules, either in person or on one of the cell-phone videos that circulated afterwards, had at least heard about it.  They didn’t give me any trouble.

I was halfway through my shift, and the worst things that’d happened had been running out of croissants and a machine oil spill in Aisle Seven, when our greeter pressed the alarm button, which sent an alert to my handset. As front-end supervisor, that meant me, so I went over. Sam, who is unusual in the henching community for having actually aged out rather than ‘being retired’ jerked his chin in the direction of a tall, swaggering figure. “He just came in,” he whispered.

I did a full double-take before I took it in. Superdyne. Fucking Superdyne.

We’d all heard about his dramatic heel-turn a couple of months ago. The whole world had heard about it. Superdyne, who’d skated closer and closer to the line for years, had decided to cross it in a blaze of bloodshed. He was a villain now, he said. There’d been a whole speech about how ingratitude had driven him to it blah blah blah.

I work at Evil-Mart. I’m from a hench family. If someone becomes a supervillain because they hate Mondays or want to turn us all into dinosaurs or whatever, I don’t judge. I will sell depth-charges and laser guns to anyone who can prove they’re over eighteen without hesitation. But even we get kind of grossed out by the ‘I am forced to turn evil because I haven’t been given enough love’ thing. People who are actually so fucked up by emotional abuse or neglect or some superhero killing their family, we’re fine with them. But they don’t say that’s why they do it, and most of them need a lot of therapy to even realize it. People who actually say that’s why are entitled dickwads.

And now the dickwad had walked into Evil-Mart like he was entitled. Like he thought he was one of us.

“Lockdown protocols,” I told Sam quietly. “On my authorisation.” That takes a minute or two, though, so I went over to talk to Superdyne. “Sir, I have to ask how you even knew where to find this place.”

He smirked at me. “I have my ways,” he said smugly. He’d either bribed or beaten someone, that was my guess. “So this is where the villains shop? We all thought you went to Wal-Mart.” He laughed, like he thought it was clever.

“Yes, so you all say,” I said dryly. I didn’t feel like pretending he was the first person to make the bad joke. “My next question, sir, is what made you think it was a good idea to come in here.”

He spread his hands. “I’m one of you now!” he said happily. “I’m a bad guy! So now I guess I shop where the bad guys shop!” He looked around, frowning a little. “Although I was expecting more weapons and explosives. A… more villainous atmosphere. I didn’t know Evil-Mart had fresh produce.”

“I don’t advise buying herbs here unless you’re a magical practitioner. Some of them have… unusual effects.” A lot of our produce is normal stuff, but some of it not only isn’t legal, it doesn’t exist anywhere else.

“Oh. Well, that makes sense. But the bright lights and the bakery?”

“We have excellent gluten-free breads. In many ways, Superdyne, this is just another store. We have sales, we mark down the breads in the afternoon, we even have a PA system.” I pulled out my handset, and thumbed the button that tied it to the PA. “Attention, shoppers,” I said in my most soothing Customer Service voice, which made him grin. “Evil-Mart wishes to inform you – “ The countdown on my handset reached zero, and I turned to look at the entrance as a huge blast door thudded down. That was the last part of the sequence – staff outside the area were already in lockdown and security were on their way. I smiled, and continued almost without a pause. “- That we are in lockdown at this time, due to the presence of Superdyne in the store. Please remain calm, and be advised that security are on their way to deal with the problem. If you have a personal grudge that you wish to address with Superdyne at this time, he is standing near Register Six with a stupid expression on his face.”

He was staring at me, stunned. “But… but…” he stammered, and damned if he didn’t look puzzled. “But I’m one of you now!”

“No,” I said flatly. “You were always evil, that’s true, but you’ll never be one of us. And for the record, I’m one of the people with a personal grudge. All those henchmen you’ve killed and maimed had families, asshole… and they all shop here.”

He swung at me, then, but I spent years in hench training. Even someone super-strong can be dodged, and once I slammed my cosh into his groin a few times his punches got a lot more aimless. Around then, Tiger Ty came over the register, claws out and snarling, and I figured I should stand out of the way.

About ten minutes later, I turned on the PA again. “Clean-up to Register Six,” I called, in the same special voice. “Category 7, class three. Shoppers, please be advised that lockdown is now lifted but Register Six will be closed until clean-up is completed.”

Hunter, who’d been working Register Six, came out from underneath it. He looked a little green. Well, he was still in his teens, this was probably his first fatal mobbing. “What’s Category 7?” he asked in a shaky voice. “I haven’t heard that before.”

“Biohazard.”

“Oh. Class three?”

“Send three people. He was a juicy one.” I stepped away from a spreading puddle of blood. “Run and get a couple of caution signs we can put around this mess.” I eyed it measuringly. “And one of those fifteen-gallon plastic tubs with a lid, I’ll damage it out.”

He eyed the mess. “Are you sure that’s big enough?”

“Yeah, the average human is only about seventeen gallons by volume, and I’m not going to put all the blood and mush in there, just the big pieces.”

He gulped. “Ah. Yes, ma’am.”

I called after him when he ran off. “One of the black tubs, not a clear one!” Which honestly should only be common sense, but you can’t count on a flustered teenager to have common sense.

We frown on killing customers at Evil-Mart, up to a point… but when a particularly murderous super-hero walks into our store, well, that’s something else. I’d have to fill out a ton of paperwork, though.

I had to chase off one of Doctor Malign’s minons and two members of the Genetic Reign before the clean-up crew arrived, both of whom urgently wanted samples. In the end I scraped a few pieces of liver and unidentified organ into two of the bags we use for possibly-contaminated money just to make them go away. (They’re good customers, and it was just going to go in the trash anyway.)

By the time the clean-up was done, all the big pieces were boxed up, and I’d finished the paperwork, my shift had been over for twenty minutes, and I’d been asked to come up to the boss’s office.

“Listen, I have no issues with how you handled the situation, I want you to know that.” Mr Trent leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips together. “It was quick, it was efficient, and… given your personal history with Superdyne, not to mention mine and that of half of our customer base… richly deserved.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. It came out too meek, and I cleared my throat and straightened up. It’s hard not to be intimidated by Mr Trent, when you’re in the same room with him. It’s not his fault, and he does his best, but even under the strictest control his fear-inducing powers tend to unsettle anyone who gets too close. We all know he’s not doing it on purpose and we try not to show our reactions. “Do you have any orders regarding the remains?”

“Doctor Order wants them.” He rubbed his chin. “Get someone from the pharmacy to prepare samples for him, please, including brain tissue. He’s our primary supplier, and we can’t offend him. As for the rest… as you know, I’m retired, and I don’t usually participate in the Endless War.” One of his hands dropped to his left thigh. His prosthetic leg is some of Doctor Order’s best work, but the injury that led to his retirement had been brutal even by our standards. “But this is different. Superdyne came here. To our place of safety. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

I nodded. “Do you want the remains dumped somewhere public? Some kind of dramatic display?”

“No. Something more direct.” He rubbed his chin again, then tapped the intercom on his desk. “Iris, please send up Miss Fedorova from Marketing and Mr Levy from the warehouse.”

“Yes, sir,” Iris responded, and he clicked off the intercom again.

“The three of you worked together very well, during the food poisoning incident,” he explained. “And I believe they can assist us in a satisfactory conclusion.” He hesitated, then smiled ruefully. “Perhaps you should wait outside until they get here. I can tell I’m unsettling you.”

“Sir, I know you’re not – “

“Not doing it on purpose.” He sighed. “I do appreciate how hard you all work to make me feel… accepted, I really do. But I’m very annoyed right now, which makes control more difficult for me, so I think we’d both be more relaxed if you waited outside while I do my meditation exercises.”

I waited outside. When the three of us went into his office again, the miasma of low-level fear was definitely a bit lighter, and he smiled. “All right. Now, this conversation is going to be very confidential, and I will remind you all of the agreements you signed when you were employed.” We all chorused agreement, and he nodded. “Good. Now, this is very much a secret, even among Evil-Mart staff, but we do have a few online clients who are… ah… on the other side of the fence.”

Ms Fedorova blinked. “What?”

Knuckles sighed. “We ship to a few heroes,” he explained. “The ones who are… less homo than sapiens, if you get my drift.”

I didn’t, and from her expression Ms Fedorova didn’t either. Mr Trent spread his hands, drawing our eyes to his fingers. Which as a rule nobody looks at, because there’s fourteen of them, with four joints in each finger, and we know he’s self-conscious about it. “The less… purely human ones,” he said quietly. “One of the reasons I created Evil-Mart was to give those who can’t pass for human, like me, a place to be… people. To have dignity. So that the obligate carnivores weren’t reduced to living on pet-food or scavenging for scraps, so that those with complex metabolisms could get the supplements they need so that people who are still people, for all their outward differences, could shop in safety. There are a great many more monsters, demigods, abominations of science and other non-standard persons among our set than among the heroes, and I wanted to meet their needs, as well as selling weapons and Lair-away-from-home sets and so on.”

“And there are a few heroes who order from us for that reason,” Knuckles added. “The ones who can’t get medications to suit their metabolism, or need to eat things that you can’t get easily anywhere else.”

I nodded, because that much I understood. We have some very esoteric ‘dietary supplies’ that start with fresh, healthy, well-treated and disease-free prey animals frozen whole (from mouse up to calf and goat kept in stock, larger sizes by pre-order, halal and kosher certified where possible) and end with human blood (rejected blood bank stock mostly, we have an arrangement), and human flesh and organs (sourced from hospitals, morgues and crematoriums, guaranteed no murder, at least not by us). “Well, I suppose that makes sense. I’m surprised we ship to them, though.”

“Oh, they don’t know we know. It’s all assumed names and secret bank accounts.” Knuckles grinned. “But Mr Trent has all our online customers identified before we ship. And for the ones who don’t have any other options, well… we let it slide.”

“I can see why you don’t want that to get out.” Ms Fedorova tapped her chin. “What does this have to do with disposing of the body? I was planning to set up a really ghoulish display in a public place somewhere, I already have some sketches.” Marketing for Evil-Mart is… well, it includes more than designing our sale flyers.

“No. We’re going to deliver them to a hero… one of the ones who owes us… and make it very clear that just because someone decides to admit he’s a villain, that doesn’t make him one of us and it doesn’t entitle him to union services,” Mr Trent said flatly. “I want to make it crystal clear to all of them that a heel turn does not mean their sins are forgiven, or that we will accept them as anything other than a very brief amusement.”

Late that night – we were all on overtime, but it couldn’t be done in daylight – we wheeled a cart down the run-down hallway of a shoddy apartment building. “This is a terrible address for a hero,” Ms Fedorova muttered. “Are we sure he lives here?”

“I deliver here a couple of times a month.” Knuckles was pushing the cart. “I’m sure.”

“Okay.” Ms Fedorova cleared her throat, coughed once or twice, and suddenly her voice was deeper and her very faint Russian accent was as thick as pea soup. “This is intimidation tactic,” she said, grinning toothily. “Do not act surprised.”

I knocked on the door, but let Knuckles do the talking. “Delivery, Mr West,” he called, using the fake name the guy had been giving.

It worked… the door was unlocked and opened almost immediately. “I scheduled the order for next – “ the mark said, and then we were pushing inside, slamming the door behind us.

“Do not be alarmed, Mr… Dinoid, is it?” Ms Fedorova said, folding her arms. “Evil-Mart is knowing all along your real identity. But you are needing to eat, and we are not turning down regular business, so we make no trouble.”

Knuckles rolled his eyes behind her back at how much she was hamming it up, but I waved a hand. Let her have her fun. So Knuckles started unloading the boxes onto the table while she talked. “First, your Budget Bunny Box. Your favourite, da?” The next box, smaller, plunked down. “Two fresh chickens, halal certified, healthy and having lived good life, gift for good customer.” Knuckles dumped the plastic tub on the floor. “And mortal remains of Superdyne, with note.”

Dinoid was staring at us, but that made him shift into a combat stance, his long claws spread. “The… Superdyne’s dead? And in there?”

“Well. Most of him. The big pieces.” Ms Fedorova shrugged an impressively Russian shrug. I hadn’t even known that was a thing, but when she did it, it was obvious. “You must understand, when a mob tears a man apart, it is hard to find every little piece.”

“I’m pretty sure Doctor Malign and the Genetic Reign took off with doggy bags,” I said, as if I hadn’t handed them over myself. “And Doctor Order probably has some of him too, by now. So looking out for clones would be a good idea, I don’t know if that’s in the note.”

Insofar as that reptilian face could show readable expressions, he looked shocked. “Why on earth would… why? He changed sides? And why did you bring him to me?”

“We know your address, we know you don’t want to turn us in because we’re the only ones who can supply your meals, and our boss wanted us to make this very clear.” I indicated the note. Since Ms Fedorova was hamming up her Sexy Russian Supervillain act, and Knuckles was very obvious Muscle, I figured it was on me to be the Reasonable One. “He might have stopped being a hero, but that didn’t make him one of us. That didn’t make him acceptable to us. Our boss wants it made very clear that your failures shouldn’t expect to be accepted by us… or even spared by us.”

He shifted slowly, the tip of his tail twitching. “I… see. I understand why you would reject Superdyne. He was notorious for killing and maiming people on… your side. But I know other defectors have been accepted. Philomel, for example.”

“Philomel was child of villains. She is young, she is rebellious, she sides with heroes for a while.” Ms Fedorova shrugged. “Is understandable, da? The young do foolish things. She comes home, all is forgiven.”

He nodded slowly. “Tenebrous?”

“That story I don’t know.” Ms Fedorova glanced at me.

I nodded. “Tenebrous was just a kid. He was twelve when Varide recruited him. Nineteen when he broke with the guy. Varide put a kid into combat, left him with massive PTSD, then ditched him when he had a breakdown and went too far. Mx Frantique at least made sure he had a safe place to stay and some therapy.”

“It’s happened a few times.” Knuckles rested his elbows on the cart’s handles, his inhumanly big, strong hands dangling. “But there’s a process. A system. If someone’s sponsored by a villain in good standing, like Frantique sponsoring Tenbrous, they can be accepted. Nobody gets to just choose to join. Especially not a smug, entitled prick like Superdyne.”

Ms Fedorova suddenly leaned forward, scowling. “And why are you called Dinoid? You are not dinosaur. You are clearly monitor lizard. Golden monitor, I think.” She reached out and prodded his arm. “And not healthy, either. Look at colouration! You do not keep environment humid enough. Are having trouble with shedding, da?”

Now we were all staring at her. “You’re a lizard expert now?” Knuckles asked.

She shrugged. “What? Is hobby. Mamma’s little Varanus Acanthurus are pride and joy. Sadly, cannot keep larger monitors in city. Is unkind.”

Dinoid ran a hand over his head slowly. “Not many people realize,” he said slowly. “That’s why I order from you guys. I used to get frozen… food… from a pet supplier, but then I got contacted by someone who told me there was another option.”

“Is good thing. Those pet suppliers, they are rogues. They do not keep animals healthy, can get diseases or mites from those things.” Ms Fedorova sniffed. “I would never buy from them. My babies would get sick.”

He actually chuckled, then, seeming to relax a bit. “You’re not wrong. After… this happened… I got really sick a couple of times before I figured out what to eat, and where to get it. And even the reputable suppliers don’t always have the healthiest stock.” He opened his mouth wide, making a gagging noise. “You have no idea how bad that ‘reptile food’ is. Eating whole animals may be a little disgusting, but it’s nothing to some of that stuff.”

“I believe it,” I said emphatically. “There’s a reason Evil-Mart has such an extensive pet-food line. The horror stories we hear from some of our customers… well, you’d believe it, I bet, but most humans just look confused.”

Knuckles nodded, and spread his hands. “People who can’t pass for regular humans… or even for people, the way most normies see it… are a lot more common on our side of the fence than yours. That’s why we delivered to you. We figured you really needed it.”

“Does he order from the pharmacy?” Ms Fedorova was around behind him now, examining his back. “He is having calcium deficiency, am betting. He needs nutritional supplement.”

“I take a nutritional supplement,” he said defensively.

“The one for normal-sized lizards is not enough for man-sized monitor/human hybrid,” she said firmly. “Check pharmacy section next time. We are having excellent selection of supplements for hybrids, and chart to tell you how much to take for body-mass.”

He looked back and forth between the three of us. “You people are… not what I would have expected from an evil supermarket.”

“We may be… morally challenged,” I said, shrugging, “but we’re not heartless.” I looked around his tiny, shabby apartment. “Unlike some of your lot. I thought you were on a team. Why are you living here?”

He ducked his head. “I couldn’t live at the base,” he said, his tail drooping. “My… I made people uncomfortable. And the stipend isn’t much.”

“Isn’t much? With the merchandising deals they have?” Ms Fedorova sounded shocked, and the accent had dropped back a lot. “I know for a fact that if the accountants ever got hold of their books they’d owe more in back taxes than… well, than Evil-Mart would if our illegal product arm ever got discovered. And we pay our taxes on the legitimate stuff scrupulously.”

Dinoid blinked rapidly, though I couldn’t tell whether he was more surprised by her suddenly dropping her act or the idea that Evil-Mart pays taxes. “You do?”

“Of course. Not under that name, of course, there’s a shell company.” She sniffed. “All villains do. Al Capone, you know. We’re not getting caught that way again.”

Knuckles and I both nodded when he looked at us, and he shook his head. “Huh. Makes sense, I guess.”

“It does.” I looked around again. The place really was crappy. “I know it’s a personal question, Mr… West, but under the circumstances I’d like to know… how much is that stipend?”

He looked down at the floor for a while, then cleared his throat. “Uh. $1100 a month.”

We all stared at him. Ms Fedorova’s mouth fell open. Knuckles looked shocked, and I was horrified. “$1100 a month?!” I asked, my voice coming out louder than I’d intended. “For risking your life on a superhero team?! I have teenaged cashiers working part-time who make more than that!”

He looked almost as startled as we did. “For working a cash register?!”

“Evil-Mart pays pretty good.” Knuckles shrugged. “But that stipend is disgusting.”

“You are being exploited,” Ms Fedorova said, sounding really aghast. “That is terrible. Why, baseline henchman pay is twice that, and there are danger bonuses and…” Her voice dropped suddenly. “You don’t have a union, do you?”

“A union? Of course we don’t have a…” He trailed off. “You mean you do?”

“Of course we do. An extremely well-armed one.” Ms Fedorova folded her arms. “Henchmen And Allied Industries has represented us for generations. The last time a supervillain executed a union henchman for failure, he was boiled in oil… literally. On camera. Oh, of course some of the less reputable villains just pick up small-time trash from the streets, untrained rabble from the gangs and so on, so they can treat them as disposable, but we union members are skilled workers, with rights and protections. I bet you don’t even get overtime.”

“Of course not. Crime happens when it happens, and we have to…” He trailed off. “You guys get overtime?”

“We’re getting double time and a half for this conversation. And an extra day off.”

His eyes widened again. “Really? Wow, that’s… even when I was working a regular job, before this, I didn’t get pay like that.” He looked down at his hands and bared his teeth in what looked like an unhappy expression. “And now I can’t work anything but this kind of job. People don’t like having a scary dinosaur in their restaurant.”

There was a long pause.

“You can cook?” Ms Fedorova asked carefully.

“Yeah. I worked in my parents’ restaurant before… this.” He gestured at himself. “They were killed when we were attacked, and I was… changed.”

We all looked at each other. “After you’ve returned Superdyne’s remains to whoever you consider appropriate,” I said, grabbing a notepad and scribbling down my number, “I’d like you to give me a call. Evil-Mart is always hiring in the bakery and deli, and I mean always. Most bad guys aren’t great cooks. We don’t know why, it just seems to be one of those things.”

“You want me to join the bad guys?”

“I want you to work in a bakery. Villains and henchmen need to eat, and so do their families. Nobody’s going to ask you to rip superheroes in half, just maybe make a sandwich that won’t give anyone food poisoning.”

“That’s a regular concern?”

“Six months ago the three of us ran Evil-Mart’s physical store completely unassisted for most of a day because the only people who weren’t down with food poisoning were the ones who’d had the vegetarian and kosher meals.” I shuddered at the recollection. “Trust me. Someone who can cater staff functions without a major disaster would never have to live in an apartment like this working for us.”

“And we get full benefits, including dental.” Knuckles was shaking his head. “I bet you don’t even get hospital.”

“What hospital would take me? I always figured I’d go to the zoo and talk to the vet if – “

Ms Fedorova actually put her arms around him. “You,” she told him firmly, “are going to resign your terrible exploitative job, and then I will personally sponsor you to the union immediately. I have a spare room. You will like it. Humidity and temperature can be set just how you like, and Mamma Yelena will take you to real doctor expert in health of hybrids.”

“Those exist?” he asked, sounding a bit overwhelmed.

“Yeah, the Genetic Reign has like three of them,” I said sympathetically. “Listen, you can take some time to think it over, but you don’t have to put up with this kind of exploitation just because you don’t look human. Nearly a third of Evil-Mart’s staff can’t pass, and they’re treated just like everyone else.”

Superdyne’s dramatic demise got a lot of news coverage. Apparently it came as a real shock to the ‘good guys’ that there were some monsters even the superest villains wouldn’t embrace.

Dinoid no longer exists. Ismail Jameel works at Evil-Mart, and has expanded our fresh food lines a lot already. He’s a nice guy, and after Ms Fedorova told everyone how disgustingly he’d been exploited by those so-called ‘heroes’, he was welcomed with open arms. Literally, in at least one case – he’s dating someone from the warehouse, I’ve heard, though I don’t know who. He says we should rename the store, because we suck at being evil.

But evil is a really relative term. It can mean the blackest depravity, or a moment of viciousness, or even just ‘people on the other side’. Evil-Mart is called that because everyone, at least everyone on our side, is welcome. Plus, we all think it’s funny that the least-evil megacorporation is called ‘Evil-Mart’. What can we say? Bad guys have a sense of humour too.

Have an evil day!

[stxleslyds]

you know how dc keeps forcing this sudden "we're a family" narrative out of nowhere? I'd love batfam content but years of hurt among them make the recent content seem unearned.

bc you know more about dick and jason than the others, how do you think they would realistically become family to each other, or would it even be in character for them to be the "bros" they're written as now?

Oh anon, this question is amazing, I love it! I saw it when I woke up and since then my brain has been brewing this answer, I was thinking about it as I brushed my teeth and as I was making breakfast, and now I am ready to give you the answer, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed thinking/writing about it!

DC keeps forcing the wrong relationships, and they keep forcing the wrong centre of this supposed family, they make it out to be the Bat-Family when in reality the Bat (Bruce) should have never been invited to this party.

This is why I give you the… Dick-Family!

Oh yeah baby, I am going there. Dick is the centre of this “family”, he is the guy who is actually connected with everyone, he has been around for so long and he has been present when almost all of the remaining characters were introduced! Bruce might have come first but that guy has nothing on Dick Grayson.

Dick has cared and loved for everyone in this family in a true and beautiful way, no matter how much fanon and DC try to tell us otherwise. This man was an amazing son to Bruce and Alfred (my love for Alfred and Dick is brought to you by @hood-ex), a fantastic brother to Jason, Tim and Cass as well as a phenomenal father/older brother to Damian.

Dick Grayson is the centre of this whole thing, and thanks to DC now being an Omniverse I will be able to explain my line of thoughts. But first let me clear some ideas up.

The way I see it Jason would only get along good enough with Dick. I am not here for Jason and Tim having brunch together (honestly, Lobdell, what were you thinking), Jason never cared for Tim, and then writers that didn’t know how the Red Hood worked made him try to kill Tim so, to me, that relationship is non-existent, Jason doesn’t really perceive Tim (yet).

Jason and Damian, listen, I know that there is this fanon theory that Jason knew and cared for Damian while he was in the League, but that is just fanon talk and it doesn’t really fit in canon either. Jason wasn’t really capable of doing much other than fight, and after he was put in the Lazarus Pit he either had to leave because Ra’s wanted to kill him or Talia took him to the All-Castle. So, Jason’s only real interactions with Damian would be when Jason was written as a crazy, blood thirsty dude that actually tried to harm a child. So, him and Damian wouldn’t really have a good relationship (yet).

Jason and Cass… that’s just a no. Jason and Barbara, I mean Barbara was older than Dick when she first met Jason, so they wouldn’t have much of a relationship.

Now, lets move on to how I will make the Dick-Family work.

Dick (bless him) actually talks and listens to people, unlike Bruce, so the change would start there. Let’s set the timeline, I will stand right after the events of Under the Red Hood. Bruce just chose saving Joker over letting Jason kill the Joker and the building they were in exploded.

Batman keeps on being himself (trash) and Jason, having survived the explosion, moves on to keep on building his empire. He really wants to control the drug trade in Gotham, so he works on that, he slowly but surely takes his place as a drug lord again and is a constant pain in Black Mask’s ass.

While Jason is doing that, Dick is trying to put together his life after Bludhaven was attacked with Chemo. Let’s say that Bludhaven isn’t completely erased from the map but he does have to leave so the city can be re-built. He goes to Gotham, where the Red Hood works.

Let’s say that Alfred told Dick who was under the Red Hood, so Dick being a good brother goes looking for Jason. Their first interaction out of the mask wouldn’t be nice, Jason barely remembers his life before the pit and he really is convinced that Dick is the absolute worst.

But then Jason being a nosy man would make an appearance, for some reason, let’s say that he hacks into the Batcave and when he does that he finds some footage… The footage in question would be the one which shows Bruce punching Dick and sort of blaming him for Jason’s death. (Oh yeah, I am going there). The footage will make a memory come to mind, Dick taking Jason on a skying trip.

So, the next time that Dick and Jason see each other is because Jason went looking for Dick and here is where these two actually talk. The way I see it, Dick is more flexible with the no killing rule, he has worked many times with people that are villains or that just have different ways of doing things. So, I think that he would understand where Jason’s coming from with his ideas. As they begin to understand one another Jason begins to recover more and more memories from before the Pit.

They get together once a week and they chat about life as well as vigilante stuff. They become friends.

At the same time Dick is also very good friends with Tim and also acts like the amazing big brother he is with him. They chat, they sometimes work together and one day they come across a very complicated situation involving a new drug being introduced in Gotham.

Dick would call Jason and now both of them and Tim are reunited in a safe house working together so this new drug doesn’t fall in the wrong hands. Jason and Tim wouldn’t really like each other. Both of them are there for Dick and because they have to get the job done.

That’s how I see Dick forming the Dick-Family unconsciously. Hell, I will introduce Barbara now. Do you guys remember that in UtRH Barbara was mad with Bruce and didn’t want to work with him but she was still in contact with Dick? Well, I am using that so it can fit my narrative.

Dick, Jason and Tim need more intel so Dick calls Oracle (real Oracle) and because Barbara trusts Dick she works with them.

Here is where it gets interesting, through Barbara, Dick meets Cass, through Tim he meets Stephanie. You see that Dick’s connections are leading him to form a group of people. Cass and Stephanie are trained by Babs and Dick and they become the new Batgirls.

As all of that keeps developing Jason and Dick become “partners in crime” they help each other, they start building a brotherly relationship again. Although Jason refuses to say that out loud.

Then comes in Damian, a difficult child if there has ever been one but he has Bruce so Dick doesn’t have to jump in that fast… right?

Oh brother! Bruce is dead (omg what would we do? Battle for the cowl maybe? No!). with Bruce gone there is only one person who can take his place and everyone knows it has to be Dick.

Dick would feel a lot of things as he is taking Bruce’s place as Batman but he has a group of people ready to back him up (Alfred, Jason, Tim, Babs, Cass, Steph), and he also has to take care of Damian, he is a child and with his father gone then maybe his mother would want to take him back to the League of Assassins, Dick obviously doesn’t want that so he talks to Tim and tells him that he sees him as his equal and that he has a plan to make Damian stay and it involves making Damian his new Robin.

Tim would obviously be sad and a little hurt, but he understands Dick’s decision because they talked about it and Dick actually took the time to explain why he was doing what he was doing (really DC half of the problems you guys come up could be fixed in seconds if people would only take some time to just TALK!).

Dick and Damian work as Batman and Robin and Dick starts assuming the position of his father. They would live with Alfred in the penthouse and maybe Tim will join them from time to time (when he wasn’t busy with Young Justice/Teen Titans stuff). Slowly Dick and Damian will become the Dynamic Duo that we love today.

So, Dick would have his own Robin, Oracle (who is also managing her own team with Black Canary and (why not) the Batgirls), Red Robin and Red Hood working with him if he needs them. They are always a call away. Jason is the most difficult to reach and he will only involve himself in that kind of drama if its about controlling the drug trade or scaring the living shit out of some very shady people.

So, Red Hood wouldn’t be working with the new (and improved) Batman but Jason would hang out with Dick sometimes.

From there they build up. Dick renovates Arkham Asylum and makes it work they way that it is supposed to work. He might also recruit Catwoman when he needs someone really sneaky, they have known each other for so long, I bet Selina loves Dick, she would certainly help him out.

But as all things do, this happy and well-connected Dick-Family is disrupted when Bruce comes back, he inserts himself slowly back into his role as Batman and as he does that Dick starts to move away from it.

But Dick’s connections are strong and well cared for, so, even when he goes back to Bludhaven and starts fresh (again) as Nightwing those connections remain. Oracle still gives him intel, Robin and Red Robin come over to Bludhaven to patrol, maybe they even have their own rooms at Dick’s place.

With Bludhaven functioning again, all of the terrible people that were working there also come back, maybe some of them never left and they have been corrupting the city from its very core. So, when Jason tells Dick that he would like to expand his operations to Bludhaven, Dick says yes, as long as Jason keeps him updated on his work and also lets him know what is going on.

I think it works! What do you guys think so far?

From then on with the whole Dick-Family being connected and strong I think they can actually act and solve their problems as a family. All those arcs that didn’t work very well because Bruce was in the middle of it being a jerk, I think they will work if Dick is at the centre of it. Let’s say that Bruce hid the fact that Joker knows their identities and all that, with such a strong family the second that the Joker tries to manipulate Jason into believing that he created him, Dick will come out of the shadows and shut that bullshit down. If Joker tries to do something to the Circus, then the Birds of Prey and the Robins will be there in seconds helping Dick.

The Court of Owls, those little shits wouldn’t stand a chance against this team, this force of nature! Jason would be the one working from afar because you know my boy wouldn’t be subjected to the “no-killing” rule but if he does it, he has to do it away from the children (Damian) and away from Cass, if he doesn’t want to know real trouble. (He probably arranged those things with Dick a long time ago and he is happy with it).

Now, please forgive me but for angst reasons I will actually let the events of, Batman Incorporated #8, Forever Evil, Nightwing #30 and Spyral run its course.

Let me explain, after Damian’s death Dick holds the Dick-Family together, as well as Bruce because he is amazing like that, but then after Dick supposedly dies, things change just a little bit. Jason would retreat back to his own corner because the only thing attaching him to the Dick-Family was Dick but he would also keep his eyes open and he might also have a direct line with Oracle if things go south.

Aside from Jason, I do see the others working on keeping their connections intact. When Damian eventually returns the land of the living, I can see all of them coming together even more because that’s what Dick would have wanted.

And then Dick will come back from Spyral and here is where the Dick-Family will show the “Bat-Family” why its superior to it in every aspect possible.

The Dick-Family will notice that something must have happened, Dick would never play dead and leave them like that, but Dick loves Bruce and he doesn’t want to tell them the truth, Bruce has no memories now and his family doesn’t deserve that kind of drama BUT Jason and Tim are suspicious, they know Dick at this point and they trust him so they firmly believe that he is hiding something to protect someone. And here is where life repeats itself. Let’s review the Batcave’s footage, yes, I did it again, I just love the fact that Bruce has footage of himself being the absolute worst to his kids, how does DC not use it! Anyway, Tim and Jason find the footage from the events of Nightwing #30 and suddenly the Dick-Family have their “Dick defence squad” jackets on and they are ready to party.

After all that Bruce eventually gets his memories back and he is held accountable for his actions. Also, around this time the events of Robin War would have already happened so Duke is also introduced. Dick lets him join and all that, and then Duke and Cass become besties and they work together.

And yeah, as Rebirth comes closer the Dick-Family would be more united than ever.

The end.

That is how I would have done it. But this way is slow, and DC wouldn’t be able to monetize it as much as they would want.

Jason wouldn’t be giving hugs and calling everyone their brother or sister, he will only get along with Dick and he would be professional with everyone else.

Tim and Damian would get along but they wouldn’t go for ice cream together on a sunny day. Steph and Damian would and so would Cass and Tim or Cass and Duke.

Oracle would work with Dick and the others as a side thing because her main thing would be the Birds of Prey, this time with Helena too.

Alfred would spend his time with Bruce but he would also be very aware of Dick and his influence on everyone around them. Bruce eventually would be integrated to the Dick-Family because Dick is a sweetheart but Dick would also make Bruce follow his rules, Dick is a little bean but he is also the most badass person in the room (whichever room) so you better listen to what he has to say.

The Dick-Family would be something that grows silently and doesn’t need a “Joker War” in order for them to be there for each other, they would try their best each step of the way and they will talk things out when mistakes are made.

This is the way that I see this family dynamic working.

I would even go as far as to say that Talia can be part of the Dick-Family because she is connected to three people, Dick, Damian and Jason.

Dick is the person with most connections in the DC Universe, the Titans, the Justice League, Deathstroke, they all have connections to this treasure of a man. If he needs help in Gotham or Bludhaven then he can call people from the “first circle”, if things are beyond a “street level” threat them he can call the Titans and if shit really hits the fan, Clark and the others are a call away.

Anyway, this was unnecessarily long, I am sorry about it but I am also not because I really don’t know how to answer your question without going on a long rant.

In conclusion the Bat-Family doesn’t work and sadly it wouldn’t work no matter how much they force it. These people don’t have connections, Bruce is not able to make connections between people. And DC has erased entire relationships that Dick used to have. I mean, they got rid of Dick and Tim being close brothers just so they could give us a shitty brunch between Tim and Jason? Only yesterday we saw a true and beautiful interaction between Dick and Damian.

DC is handling the “Bat-Family” in all the worst possible ways. It just doesn’t work.

They should have used Dick all those years ago and they shouldn’t have destroyed Jason’s characterization with Lobdell’s ideas.

So, sadly, my dear anon, I don’t see the Bat-Family as a in character thing for any of these people as they are written currently, but I hope that you enjoyed my version of it. May the Dick-Family bring everyone who reads about it a little joy!

[writersmorgue]

Nightmare Material

15+ for graphic descriptions of violence, blood, and gore

can be read as slash or platonic

not proofread

-

“SHUT UP DEKU! OH MY GOD, CAN YOU BE QUIET FOR FIVE FUCKING MINUTES?!”

The common room goes silent.

“Woah, Bakubro, he just asked if you were busy,” Kirishima chuckles nervously.

Katsuki looks over to Deku who, as expected, already has tears welling in his eyes.

“Shitty crybaby, of course I’m busy can’t you fuckin’ see? Go bother someone who cares.”

Deku sniffles like the pathetic little child that he is, and nods, “Ok Kacchan.”

“Fuckin’ annoying ass-” Katsuki mutters, ignoring the glares as he stomps out of the room. Taking the stairs two at a time before slamming the door shut behind him, imagining the flinches of his classmates as he does so.

Fuck that fucking nerd, always looking down at him. Asking him for help on math of all things, when he fuckin’ knows that’s Katsuki’s worst subject. Fuck him.

The little shit shouldn’t even be here, he’s not on Katsuki’s level. Just gonna get himself killed.

After a few minutes of grumbling into his pillow, there’s a knock at Katsuki’s door, followed by a meek, “Blasty?”

He groans dramatically and flops over onto his back, propelling himself up with a few controlled explosions.

“Fuckin’ what-” He swings the door open and comes face to face with the entire idiot squad.

Sero, Kirishima, Mina, and Kaminari all stand in front of him, Sero nervously wringing his hands, Kaminari avoiding eye contact, and Kirishima giving him a look.

Mina steps to the front of them, patting Kirishima’s shoulder as she does so.

“Blasty, you really gotta stop.” She stares him straight in the eyes, not backing down no matter how hard he glares.

“Stop fuckin’ what.”

Kirishima places a hand on Mina’s chest, stalling her step forward into Katsuki’s space. “You know what, Bakugo.”

Katsuki rolls his eyes, “Oh please, like the little shit can’t handle some yelling. I’ve seen discount hot topic make his ears bleed-”

“This isn’t about Jirou. This is about you. You need to sort your shit out.” Sero’s frowning, a rare sight.

“Oh?” Katsuki quirks an eyebrow, “Or what?”

There’s a tense silence before Kaminari sniffs. “Or- or we won’t be your friends anymore!!” He stutters, bottom lip wobbling.

The rest of the group nods, one by one giving him a last glance.

Katsuki stands there for a few minutes, mainly thinking, but also fuming

How dare they treat him like that, like trash. He’s not trash, and he’s not the bad guy. He’s just trying to save Deku before it’s too late. Stupid idiot won’t last a day in the hero business, even with his new freak quirk. All it’s good for is hurting the nerd.

“Stupid Deku and his stupid protection squad, fuckin’ blind idiots.” He grumbles, slamming the door and returning to his lair.

He changes his clothes, resigning himself to finishing his weekend at the gym instead of on next week’s homework.

Bakugo stomps through the common room on the way to their practice room, a few of his classmates shoot him glares but he’s ignored for the most part. Something noticeably purposeful since he’s not exactly being quiet. Even Kirishima refuses to acknowledge his presence.

Yeah, that hurts.

He runs for two hours, lifts for one, and finishes with core for thirty minutes before his post-workout cooldown ritual. Thoroughly satiated and tired to the bone, he heads back to his dorm. Ignored this way too, he doesn’t bother saying goodnight to anyone. Not that he would usually. Not that he misses Ashido’s “Night blasty!!” on his way up the stairs.

He doesn’t give a shit.

He scrubs at his body with his last bits of energy and brushes his teeth half dead on his feet. Exhausted, he flops down on his bed and passes out almost immediately.

…

Someone’s screaming.

Katsuki lunges toward Shigaraki, whose hand barely grazes Izuku’s neck.

Izuku? When did he ever call the nerd something other than-

“DEKU!!!” Oh, he was the one screaming. He blasts himself forward and pushes Izuku out of the way, his dusted skin flaking off into the breeze as green hair skids to a stop on the ground below.

“Damn BRAT-” Shigaraki mutters, angrily scrunching his hand in mid-air before turning his attention to Katsuki. “YOU.” He points a cracked, pointed finger at Katsuki.

“Yeah, what are you gonna do about it old man?” He snorts, preparing his arms to blast again, he can feel the resistance from his last jump.

“You saved the little shit,” Shigaraki mutters to himself, nails dragging roughly down his neck, “must have a relationship, must be close to my enemy. Must die-”

Katsuki raises his hand, palms crackling in defiance, but he’s geared to go anyway.

Nothing happens.

“Fuck goddamnit!” His one fucking chance to get a drop on the guy and he’s out of juice? Fucking really?!

He’s so caught up in his fury he doesn’t notice the mad glint in the enemy’s eye. The way he smiles brokenly, bloody tongue barely peeking out.

“Poor little hero.” He mutters.

Katsuki jerks his head up just in time to see five fingers inches away from his face.

Well, this was fun.

“KATSUKI-” There’s pressure on his side and he falls, belatedly realizing he was pushed out of the way.

He looks hits the ground hard, hearing the reverberated snap of his ankle as it breaks.

“FALL HERO!! FALL BEFORE ME! YOUR NEW GO-”

Shigaraki falls to the ground as Todoroki whacks him over the head with a piece of rebar.

HIs normally stoic expression is frantic, he’s got fresh tears streaking down his face, and his forehead is covered in dried blood.

He tears his eyes away from the downed villain as Kirishima comes to cuff him, and screams in anguish at the sight of Izuku- Something Katsuki is still trying to wrap his head around.

A startled, almost pained sound escapes Katsuki as he half limps, half runs towards his best friend.

...best friend?

“IZUKU!”

Izuku has long since crumbled to his knees, clutching what remains of the left side of his face. Still slowly crumbling away. Blood pours down his arm and neck, making it difficult to see, but the sight of his eye frantically widening as Katsuki sits next to him is enough.

He removes his hand and sobs, throwing himself onto Katsuki.

“Eih- hgo-” He chokes, blood soaking Katsuki’s own suit as he rocks them both.

“Shh, it’s okay, Izuku.” He whispers, making eye contact with a sobbing Todoroki, who nods in approval.

“Izuku you’re gonna be fine.” The shock has yet to remove itself from Katsuki’s voice, and his words are filled with cracks and sobs, but he hopes it’s what Izuku needs.

“Aa- aah” Izuku’s broken kacchan followed by a fresh flow of blood down Katuski’s neck.

“I love you, Izuku. It’s gonna be alright.”

Izuku whimpers, clutching onto the blond’s neck for dear life.

And then he goes limp.

Katsuki’s eyes bug out, and he pulls Izuku arm’s length away. The gruesome sight that greets him is one he’ll never forget.

Izuku’s left eye hangs loosely down the side of his mangled cheekbone and jaw. Katsuki can see teeth starting to crumble as the decay works its way through his face. His nose is completely exposed, with no flesh left. No cute freckles. No scrunch when he smiles. And his other eye, possibly the worst part, stares lifelessly at Katsuki. The last remnants of tears make their way down his face.

He looks… terrified.

He died scared in the arms of his abuser. Someone who never even apologized to him. For fucking anything. Some vile part of Katsuki reminds him.

He saved me because I couldn’t do my fucking job.

He thrusts Izuku’s lifeless body into Shouto’s arms, who lets out a heartwrenching sob. Katsuki scrambles back, and can vaguely register the sound of pink cheeks vomiting behind him.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck-” becoming increasingly more desperate with each utterance of the word, “FUCK!” Kirishima comes up behind him, picking him off the dust-covered ground and holding him to his chest. “This is all my fault!!!” He wails, “He fucking saved me, I couldn’t- this isn’t right no no NO-”

“Shhhh Katsuki-” Eijirou soothes him through his own tears, always the constant in Katsuki’s life. Well, after Deku.

Deku Deku Deku.

Dead Deku.

Because of you.

Katsuki takes another good look at Deku’s face where Shouto had freaked and discarded him on the ground. The unnatural bend of his arms, the bloody drool escaping his parted- if you can even call that a mouth anymore, his eyes.

And he screams.

He screams and he screams and he screams until someone shakes him so hard he wakes up.

Wait-

“BAKUGO!!! WAKE UP PLEASE-” Shitty hair screams at him, shaking his shoulders desperately as he thrashes in his sheets.

He stills, staring up at Kirishima with a shocked expression.

“Wh-”

“You were having a nightmare,” Kirishima explains, gasping for breath like he just ran a marathon.

Katsuki looks to the doorway where half of the boys in their class stand, expressions varying from worried to shocked.

He looks back at Kirishima, a pitiful whimper escaping his throat, “It- it wasn’t real?”

Katsuki looks to the door, half expecting to see Izuku there.

Missing an ear, you can see his tongue through his cheek.

Katsuki gulps, “Where’s Izuku?” He murmurs into the quiet room.

“Izuku?” Someone in the hallway mutters.

“Uh,” Kirishima catches himself before he can say something dumb, “Izu?- Uh- Midoriya is probably in his room. Didn’t think you’d want him here, but he knows. You kinda woke up the whole dorm.”

Kirishima has barely finished the sentence before he’s jumping out of bed, pajamas be damned, and sprinting toward the stairs. When he gets to Izuku’s floor he makes a hard right, Icyhot shouting something about being nice behind him.

Katsuki can yell at him later.

Running gives him time to think, and the more Katsuki thinks the more he realizes that his nightmare might as well have been a prophecy. Izuku would pull some martyr shit like that, but it was only Katsuki’s fault in the first place that he was put in that situation. He’s the only one to blame. Izuku had done everything right, and Katsuki managed to fuck it up.

Hollow socket, tendons hanging, blood turning his green suit a muddied brown.

Katsuki knocks on the door frantically, scared about what he’ll see when Izuku answers.

There’s some rustling from inside before Izuku peeks out, green curls messy from sleep.

“Wh- I thought Aoyama said you were having a nightmare.” His eyebrows furrow.

“I was,” Katsuki breathes, taking in how whole his rival is. “But it wasn’t real.”

He reaches out hesitantly and brushes an unruly lock of green out of Izuku’s left eye.

“Everything’s where it should be-” He chuckles almost in bewilderment.

He drags his fingers gently down Izuku’s cheek, tracing where the decay had rotted away skin, now whole.

A few of the classmates who followed him gasp in surprise when Katsuki clutches Izuku’s shoulders and buries his face in soft green hair. Completely breaking down as he sobs.

Izuku freezes, terrified of ruining the moment, even though he really wants to ask someone what the fuck is happening.

He gives Kirishima a questioning look as he hesitantly rubs along Katsuki’s back.

The redhead just shrugs.

“I’m sorry Izuku.”

Aaaand the damn breaks.

Izuku sobs as Katsuki clutches him tighter, their friends begin to awkwardly back out of the hallway after witnessing whatever that was.

“Wh- Kacchan?” He pulls away reluctantly, but he needs to see Katsuki’s face.

The blond’s eyes are red and puffy, same as his cheeks, but he’s dead serious.

“I’m so fucking sorry. You don’t deserve any of the shit I put you through, you’re a really good guy.” He heaves in a breath, “And- I know you’ll be a great hero someday.”

“Kacchan… why?”

Katsuki looks away, “I just- thought about some things,” He doesn’t mention that the thinking involved seeing his classmate’s bloodied corpse, “realized how full of myself I am. You really did just want help on that math homework, huh?” He huffs, shaking his head at his past self.

“I did. What else would I have wanted?”

Katsuki sniffs, angrily rubbing at his eyes, “I don’t know, Izuku. I’m a fucking idiot.”

Izuku smiles sadly, “All I’ve ever wanted is to be your friend, Kacchan.

The blond nods, “Yeah, I think I see that now. Can- can we still do that? Be friends?”

Izuku beams, rubbing his own tears away and pulling Katsuki into another tight hug.

“There’s nothing I want more, Katsuki.”

[cleanlenins]

Ectober Day 6: Witching Hour

Words Spoken at the Witching Hour

Chapter 2

Jack and Maddie disproved Ouija boards in College, but why not give them another try? However, fixing their mistakes will take more than just an old board and some candles.

AO3

While her violent outburst had been cathartic, Maddie was regretting her rash decision to destroy the ancient spirit board. She sifted through the ashes, pulling larger pieces of charred wood from the pile and dumping them into the bin. Her gloves were covered in soot and charcoal, the dusty particles sliding over the rubbery texture. She grabbed the planchet, and examined it. The dark ash seemed grey next to the impossible black of the little cursor. She clenched her fist around it and started to toss it into the trash can. But hesitated.

“Mom? Oh my God, what happened here?” Maddie whipped around to see Jazz standing at the door to the kitchen. She had one hand covering her mouth as she gaped at the mess. The table, while still standing, had a huge whole burned into the center. Maddie knew that she must look a sight as well, eyes puffy and red from lack of sleep and soot stains on her cheek.

“We had a bit of an accident with our experiment last night,” Maddie said smoothly. It was what she and Jack had decided to tell the kids until they had a chance to sort through their thoughts. Before they had a chance to figure out if there was any validity to Phantom’s claim.

When Maddie had bought the spirit board, the lady had told her that spirits could not lie while communicating through the object. Maddie had never expected the blasted thing to work, so she hadn’t set up any more trustworthy methods for determining if a ghost was lying or not. An oversight on her part based on her own hubris.

“I thought you guys agreed that you would keep all of your experiments in the lab from now on?” Jazz crossed her arms.

“I’m sorry sweetie. We didn’t realize it was something that would turn...explosive. We will be sure to keep things downstairs from now on,” Maddie assured Jazz. Jazz looked skeptical, but did not press the point. Instead, she skirted around the stains on the linoleum and began to make her some breakfast. Maddie glanced at the planchet still held in her hand, and stashed it in her pocket.

Maddie removed her gloves and tossed them in the special tub she and Jack kept for their hazmat suits. She quickly washed her hands before putting on a clean pair. She rubbed her tired eyes, moving around Jazz to get to the coffee pot. How did she get through so many sleepless nights in college? She already felt dead on her feet. She must be getting old.

She reached to flick on the coffee pot, before jerking away as  the coffee pot shocked her. Not hard, nothing more than simple static electricity. But it startled her.

“Mom? Are you okay?” Jazz asked.

“Fine, Jazzy,” Maddie stared at the machine in shock and reached out to touch it again. No shock occurred. “I think I might need to change the filtrator in the coffee machine battery. It just shocked me a bit.”

“Through rubber gloves?” Jazz raised an eyebrow. Maddie’s mind buffered, looking down at her hands.

“Maybe a more serious issue,” Maddie muttered. Jazz sighed.

“And I was really looking forward to coffee,” The teen slumped, still scrambling eggs. Loud steps were coming from the stairs, and Maddie turned to see Danny walking into the kitchen.

Well, walking probably wasn’t the best word. He was slumped over, backpack hanging from one shoulder. His eyes were rimmed in red and heavy bags laid under his eyes. He slumped into a dining chair, not even commenting on the hole in the table before laying his head in his hands.

“Danny, are you okay?” Jazz asked. Mother and Daughter wore matching looks of concern. The black haired teenager mumbled something incomprehensible. Maddie hesitantly walked over, putting her hand on his shoulder.

He was freezing. Cold enough that she could feel his temperature even through the thick gloves. Maddie swallowed thickly.

“Honey, did you not sleep well?” Maddie asked. Danny sat up, blearily looking up at his Mom.

“Weird dreams,” He mumbled, blinking up at his mom. Maddie rubbed his arm

“What kind of dreams?” She pressed. Danny grunted.

“Just...bad memories. Mistakes.”

“Was it...about the CATs?” Maddie startled, Jazz was suddenly by her side putting a plate of eggs in front of Danny. He looked down at his plate, but didn’t reach for them.

“No. The other thing. The first thing,” Danny said.

“What thing are you talking about?” Maddie asked. Dany didn’t react, but Jazz looked sheepish.

“Danny has had a lot of test anxiety over the last few years. I have been helping him work through it,” Jazz said quickly. She avoided Maddie’s eye and turned on heel to go back and grab another plate. “You don’t need to worry, Mom.”

Maddie looked at Danny, who was pushing his food around on his plate and slumping closer and closer to the table. And knew she was very worried.

~~~

Once the kids had left for school, Maddie unplugged the coffee maker and carried it down into the lab. Jazz had to nearly drag Danny out of his chair, her brother stumbling into her before catching his balance. Jazz had continuously uttered assurances that Danny was fine and did not need to go to the doctor. Jazz had chattered continuously, Maddie unable to get a word in as they slammed the front door behind her.

With a sigh, she set the coffee pot on the table. Jack was already in the lab, looking just as ragged as she. He was pouring over security footage from the lab, trying to find any evidence of Danny being Phantom.

“How’s it going?” Maddie asked. She massaged her hand.

“We really should have labelled these tapes,” Jack frowned. “We didn’t even order them. I keep switching between tapes from the last few months, to one before Danny was even born. This could take days. Weeks, even.”

Maddie nodded. She had been afraid of something like that. Instead of joining her husband by the small tv, she walked over to where she had kept the notes on the spirit board. She rubbed her hands together, before reaching to pick up the top page.

And dropped it immediately. Her hand trembled. Part of her didn’t want to know the truth. Because if all of this was true. If she and Jack had-

“Mads, come look,” Jack said, more chipper than before. Maddie turned away from the papers, holding her hand close to her chest. Jack had a video paused on the screen. He let it play.

It was Danny, when he was five or six. Jack and Maddie were working on a project in the corner, while Danny was running around. He had a toy rocket in hand, making zooming noises as he sent the little astronauts on a space exploration. He prattled on, making up ridiculous plots where aliens attacked, where wormholes opened to other galaxies, where he had to be a superhero to save the earth from a meteor. Maddie smiled at the memory. Until she watched Danny trip over a spare bit of wire and faceplant into the floor. He started wailing, past Maddie and Jack whirling around and scooping him into a big hug. Maddie felt tears in her eyes. She removed one of her gloves to wipe them away.

“What if we failed him, Jack?” Maddie’s voice trembled. Jack turned a baleful look up at his wife before stopping. An expression of shock on his face.

“Maddie. Your hand,” He jumped out of his seat to get closer. Maddie looked down at her hand.

A circular burn sat in the middle of her palm. Small Lichtenberg figures scattered from the center. But the most striking thing was that the figures were pulsing a bright green. Maddie stared at the mark in horror. Once more she felt a jolt in her hands, her fingers twitching, and the mark grew.

“Jack,” Maddie whispered in fright. Jack took her hand in his, examining it closely. “What is it?”

Jack let go of Maddie’s hand, before running over to the notes himself. He rummaged through them quickly. Maddie felt herself shaking, looking down at the unnatural mark on her hand. Jack let out a noise of triumph as he held up a piece of paper.

“Make sure to end your contact with the spirit when you are finished conversing. If not, you may attach the spirit to yourself. This can have many consequences, depending on the power of the spirit. It can result in something as mundane as constant bad luck or-” Jack faltered, gaping at the page.

“What? What is it Jack?”

“-or as severe as dying the same death,” Jack gulped. “Maddie. Maddie we didn’t do any of the things to close the ritual. You’re still connected.”

I just wanted to look inside. I tripped over a wire. I hit the button on the inside. The portal turned on. And I died.

“ He was electrocuted,” Maddie sobbed, hand spasming. “It’s true, isn’t it? We killed our baby?”

Jack had tears streaming down his face as he rushed forward and crushed Maddie into a hug. She sobbed into his chest. In grief. In guilt. In exhaustion. In fear. Her whole body shook with the force of her tears. Had Jack not been holding her, she would have collapsed onto the ground in a puddle of tears.

“We have to find a way to stop this. To stop the connection,” Jack said. He rushed over to the papers, fanning them out so he could see more than one of them at a time. Maddie joined him, her hand occasionally spasming.

The two of them poured over the notes, double checking them with the Nightingale notebook to see if they could find any correlation to the spirit board. But the notebook only condemned the use of such objects, and did nothing at all to say how to counter their effects. Burning it was briefly mentioned on an online source, but considering it was already a pile of ash that seemed unlikely. Maddie and Jack started to comb through more and more sources, each less reputable than the last. As time crept on, the spasms became more painful. The lighting marks spread up her forearm, up her shoulder, nearly touching her neck. Tears were constantly pouring from her eyes as she barely contained herself from screaming in agony.

The two started when they heard the door upstairs slam. Maddie looked up, sweat pouring down her face. Jack slapped his forehead.

“Of course. We should ask Danny. Maybe he knows something,” The man said, sprinting up the stairs. Maddie hobbled after him, leaning heavily into the wall as she made her way up the stairs. She slowly made her ascent, and opened the lab door.

Jazz was talking to Jack, but she was not alone. Sam and Tucker were standing in the kitchen, Danny’s unconscious body held between them. Maddie gasped at the sight.

“So he is like this because you and Mom did some hairbrained ritual that literally blew up in your faces?” Jazz was angry. Her face was nearly the color of her hair, red with the force of her rage.

“Jazz, we didn’t know,” Maddie whispered. Jazz finally noticed her mom entering the room and gasped in horror. Both Tucker and Sam wore similar expressions.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Jazz rushed over to Maddie, offering her shoulder. Jack filled the teens in on what they had discovered, how Danny was now attached to Maddie, and how it was slowly killing her.

“Please, if you know any way to undo this,” Jack pleaded. This was their last chance.

“I do,” Sam said. Jack beamed, eyes brightened with hope. “But we will have to work fast. Things like this have a time limit.”

“How long?”

“We have to separate them before the Witching Hour of the next day, or else there is nothing that we can do,” Sam said confidently. Jack glanced at the clock. It was already six pm.

“That gives us nine hours, right? We should be able to do that,” Jazz said. But Sam frowned.

“I have to go to my house and get a lot of supplies, and it will take time to set it all up. And I can’t guarantee it will work. It’s not like I have ever actually had to do this,” Sam said.

“Please,” Maddie begged, as she looked at Danny’s slumped body. “Try.”

~~~

The setup had taken them the better part of six hours. Every ingredient had to be burned for a specific amount of time. Every line painted on the floor had to be at the perfect angle. The candles could only burn for so long, with certain herbs mixed in. The remains of the spirit board had to be collected into one space. It was time consuming. It was tedious. And there was no guarantee it would work.

Maddie and Danny were not able to help with the preparations. Danny because he had not woken up since Sam and Tucker had brought him home. He was resting on the couch, completely out of touch with the world. Maddie, however, was not in such a peaceful state.

It was taking all of her effort not to simply curl up and scream. It felt like both fire and ice had poured into her veins, both trying to kill her from the heat and the cold. Her skin looked ashen and pale, sweat and tears constantly pouring down her face. She shook and seized from the volts of electricity that started at her hand and burst through her whole body. She couldn’t stop the whimpers that escaped, causing the others in the room to look over at her with concern.

When the preparations were complete, Jack helped Maddie into the middle of the setup. The electric lights in the room were turned off, with only the candles glow illuminating the room. Maddie nearly crawled to the spot she was supposed to be. She pulled out the little planchet and placed it within arms reach.

Sam had done everything she could, but Maddie had made the connection. Maddie had to sever it.

Maddie took the sterile knife and cut the inside of her arm. She let the blood pour into a basin that held the remains of the spirit bored. Her quivering hands spilled some blood onto the floor and not just in the bowl. But not enough to ruin the painted words. Maddie used her fingers to mix the blood with the ash, creating a paint. With trembling hands, she reached one finger onto the floor and began to draw the Ogham script she remembered from the spirit board. Slowly, as she could afford no mistakes, she drew a new board on the floor. Each one had to be in the exact order as the board had been and she had never been so grateful to Jack for taking a picture of the thing before they used it. Inch by inch, she recreated the board on her kitchen floor.

Now, she had to wait. Wait until the blood had dried enough that she could roll the planchet across the words without smudging. Every second was an eternity of pain, every moment a new level of agony even higher than the last. It might have been five minutes. It might have been an hour. But eventually, she could tell that the bright red of her blood had faded to a sickly brown. She risked touching it, and found it completely dry. She grabbed the planchet, and place a single bloody finger on it.

“Phantom, I would like to speak to you today. Please, I beg you, talk to me,” Maddie’s voice cracked. She waited a breathless moment, before the cursor began to move.

Mom?

“Yes, it’s me,” Maddie bit her lip hard as her body was wracked with pain.

You’re hurt

“ I’m fine sweetie,” Maddie lied. She had to finish this. She didn’t know how much time she had. “Phantom, I have said all that I have to say. My questions are complete. I close this doorway. I close this connection. Your spirit is not bound here.”

Maddie thought she heard a gasp, but she didn’t know where. Suddenly, all the candles turned once more into the strange corona glow. The planchet moved once more.

Goodbye

Maddie watched in fascination as the planchet dissolved into dust. The candles snuffed themselves out and the room was filled with darkness. Maddie slumped in relief as the pain seemed to melt away.

“Mom?” Danny groaned, the light flickering on. Danny stood by the switch, rubbing his eyes as he took in the state of the kitchen.

Jack and Maddie rushed him, crushing him in a hug they hoped expressed everything they couldn’t bring themselves to say.

[my-writings-and-musings]

Not sure if you still want to write for old prompts but if so; May I request Rodimus, Brainstorm, and a bot of your choice for the kidnapped s/o defending their bot and giving the kidnapper a tongue lashing? Your writing is so good it seriously brightens my day reading through it all! :D

I never tire of my prompts, lovely anon! Thanks a million and here's the good boys! I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to do for the third bot but I poured my heart and soul into these two, I hope you like them!

Rodimus

·Your panic had never really gone beyond some light anxiety about when you'd get to eat next, but you credited that to the rescue party you knew was coming. Rodimus had bested bad guys far more competent than this loser, so you had few worries about getting out. Truthfully your greatest concern was how unfathomably annoying your captor was proving to be. Between their grandiose personality and their constant taunting over the communication line, you feel as if you're going to go mad. Unfortunately, when the mocking starts to be aimed directly at Rodimus without end, you quickly build to your limit. The gloves come off when your captor crosses the final line and calls your partner "Hot Rod" in an unacceptable jab.

·"Oh for God's sake! It's Rodimus you dolt, not Hot Rod! I know the extra syllable is a little difficult for you, but try to keep up!" Your shout echoes so loudly in the tiny cave that a bit of dust falls from the ceiling. Your captor is quick to try and shut you up, but that doesn't stop you in the slightest, as yelling feels far better than taking any more of their trash. For pete's sake, they stole you for ransom and they're expecting good behavior? Entitlement falls way short of describing what a jerk this bot is, and you let them know it, channeling the insults you know your partner would unleash if they could.

·"You think you scare me? You think you scare anyone?! You're dumb enough to piss off the captain of the Lost Light buddy, you should be afraid! Rodimus sees guys like you as footnotes compared to what he usually deals with!" Quite accustomed to your beloved captain charging in to save the day, you let loose a long list of his accomplishments, proudly defending and boasting at the same time. Your captor can't even get a word in edgewise. With a devilish smirk, you start to go on about all the less public ways Rodimus rules as a partner. His impeccable charm, his smooth wit, and his capacity to perform as a Prime where it really counts... That last bit is kept from vulgarity only due to a none too distant explosion cutting you off.

·Before anything can move, the door quite literally melts before imploding inward as molten metal, revealing Rodimus covered in flame. He moves in a fiery blur, his fist more akin to a meteorite as it collides with your captor to knock them out in a single punch. At your cheering of his name, he comes to your side in a flash, fire dissipating completely after he frees you of your bonds. Moments later the remainder of the crew is pouring in with Magnus scolding Rodimus for rushing ahead. He ignored him completely as he takes you into his arms, optics shining as if he's beholding something more precious than the Matrix could ever be. Though his words are flirty, his tone is tender and brimming with affection as he takes you back to the ship. His lovestruck expression doesn't seem to go away even when he throws a massive party to celebrate your rescue.

·In an incredibly rare moment where his responsibilities pull him away from you, a bot close to him tells you something they think you should know. Rodimus was initially devastated by your kidnapping. Though the entire ship had rallied for your rescue, he'd barely held it together enough to take charge, and hearing the bot mock him had nearly sent him over the edge. Your outburst had, as if by a miracle, revitalized him. Hearing you stick up for him, including your grand list of what you adored about him, had so inspired him that controlling his fire had become easy. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. You believing in him had put into perspective what he was capable of, to the point it lit a fire in the most literal sense of the phrase.

Brainstorm

·Dating a bot brilliant enough to rend time had made you quite accustomed to shenanigans of all kinds. Thus, you were calm when kidnapped, both due to the aforementioned reason as well as your certainty of rescue. However, that calm had proved short lived when your captor proved to be an annoying jerk with a massive inferiority complex. Their ceaseless mockery through the communication channel was like torture the DJD would have found too cruel to condone. You'd been able to stay cool for some time, focusing on keeping the situation calm and looking for weak points your rescuers might exploit, but inevitably you'd been pushed to your limit. The final straw had been your captor having the audacity to mock your partner for being a hopeless inventor who only managed to make things no one needed, and that sent you over the edge.

·"Hopeless?! You call inventing time travel and creating the multiverse hopeless?! This coming from a loser in a cave with the most backwards security system on this side of the galaxy?!" Your outburst had come with a rattling of your chains to emphasize your point, and between your voice and the clanking metal you'd immediately had the full attention of the bad bot. Still enraged, you made a point of detailing every single categorical failure they'd displayed, having learned plenty about judging the quality of technology in Brainstorm's lab. There's more than enough material for you to throw at them with the nightmare of poor maintenance surrounding you. "When was the last time you bothered patching up these turrets anyway?! Hope you're not planning on using these for defense, Brainstorm will have them short circuiting before he's done hacking that door!"

·There's something resembling an attempt at a comeback, but you're a mile ahead before it's even halfway out. To say your beloved bot eclipses this loser's intellect would imply they'd actually register on the same level, and you have to laugh at the absurdity of someone so incompetent daring to come after one of the most brilliant bots in the galaxy, something you let them know in no uncertain terms. The litany of reality warping ways you might be rescued is as long as it is ridiculously plausible. You begin going off on the countless other ways Brainstorm might get around this captive situation, extolling his many talents in weapon design and paying special attention to how brilliantly he thinks outside the box. You're about to get into the details of other areas he's creative in when the lights go out and everything plunges in to darkness.

·Flashes of biolights, small explosions, and shouts of action are all you have to discern some incredible rush of activity. Before you can really figure out what's happening a beautiful pair of yellow optics light up the darkness, and in a split second your chains are broken and you're being lovingly cupped by a pair of careful hands. At the flip of a small device the lights flicker on to reveal a beaten but otherwise fine captor being cuffed, but you ignore that entirely when Brainstorm removes his mask to speak to you. Playfully fussing over your condition, he uncharacteristically kisses your little head in full view of everyone, something he's never done before. In fact, the next few days he's nothing but openly loving and outright showy in his affections, publicly presenting you with a series of fantastic gifts invented to profess his love.

·In a rare moment of solitude, you're unexpectedly taken aside by a bot who says they need to let you know something important. Brainstorm was almost dangerous. He'd already lost one love, and he'd been so intent on not losing another he'd been forced from his lab to prevent him from tearing reality asunder to get to you. He'd been nearly impossible to console or restrain until your voice came through the comm. Hearing you defend him so passionately had calmed and invigorated him all at once, grounding him in reality and giving him the clarity he needed to assist in rescuing you. The device he'd created to extinguish enemy defenses had been put together at a speed that impressed Perceptor. It was thanks to you that he remembered to go slow and take things one step at a time, because just as much as you were worth fighting for, you were worth living for.

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

COMING HOME

Jackson “Jax” Teller x Reader

Anon #1 asked: Jax teller x reader a smuuuuttttttt one pleaseeeee

Anon #2 asked: Oh yay! Bc I really wanted to request something, although if you're not comfortable writing it I totally understand. I wanted to request Jax Teller x reader where the reader is being mistreated (how ever ur comfortable writing that) by a boyfriend and she escapes to the club house where Jax is there late one night, and he ends up taking care of her and comforting her. She tells him she broke things off & he ends up telling her how he feels and it's really fluffy? Or some variation of this.

Warnings: NSFW, smut.

Word Count: 2.3k

Author comments: First time writing for Jax and I don't know what the fuck I did. The story of my life. This work wasn't re-edited, so I'm sorry if you find grammar mistakes! I hope you all enjoy. Gif isn't mine, credits to the author.

Tag list: @starrynite7114 ​ @chibsytelford ​ @dazzledamazon ​ @mara-mpou ​ @sammskellington ​ @gemini0410 ​ @1-800-imagines ​ @briana-mishell24 ​@sassymox @whyisgmora @aquamento @sadeyesgf @viviansafizada @samcrobae @jade770 @witchy-wish @rebel-without-cause-x @xx--day-dreamer--xx @spiced-reads @tita127 @minnicelli ✨ (if you wanna be tagged, send me a message!)

When you want to realize, you're stopping dead the wheels of the car in front of the Teller Morrow workshop. Your eyes are filled with tears, running down your cheeks and getting mixed with the blood on your face. It hurts a lot, even the smallest movement you make with your face. There's a gap under your left eye, product of a hit that Larry gave you with one of his golden rings. He also broke your lower lip by a similar punch. You know that tomorrow it's going to be worst. But you can't handle it anymore. Every night is the same shit. Alcohol, drugs and take out his anger with you. 

The main door of the clubhouse gets opened. You stand close to your car, with a hand supported on the hood. Your cry stops for a second, watching Jax giving some slow steps towards you somewhat confused. When he notices the blood, he runs faster than never almost colliding with your body. Cupping your cheeks into his hands, the man has a quick look of your face, clicking his tongue before taking off his jacket to place it on your shoulders. You haven't noticed that you're wearing nothing but a long shirt. No pants, no shoes. Nothing. Jax lifts you up between his arms, letting you get a little relaxed knowing that you're already safe.

“What happened?” He asks without looking at you, and his jaw tightening.

You just shrug your shoulders in silence, while he leaves you over his bed. You're not trying to protect your boyfriend, you don't want to see him again after all the pain he provoked you. But seems pretty obvious what happened and why you ran away from your house. Jax have always been so kind and gentle with you, that you thought he was the one who could protect you. You met him almost six years ago, just by a coincidence, and you started to be friends since the first moment you impressed him talking about his bike. And of course, he never liked Larry, knowing the piece of trash he is.

“I'm sor—sorry. I didn't know whe—where to go”.

“Home. You're at home, okay?” He replies, leaning towards the mattress with a knee nailed in to leave a kiss on your forehead. “I'll be back in a second, don' move”.

You simply nod, trying to clean your tears and staining the back of your hands with some blood. Not much after, he comes back from the bathroom carrying some cotton, alcohol and stitches to fix you up. It hurts. The hydrogen peroxide in contact with your skin itches too much. And you're ashamed because of Jax is seeing you falling into pieces, even when he warned you about that guy and what he could do.

“I will leave by morning. Just… please, let me stay tonight”. You beg desperate, pulling away from him your gaze as soon as he finishes of putting the stitches. 

“You can stay here all the time you need. There are enough empty dorms. And I will take care of you, so Samcro will too”. Lifting up your face by two fingers under your chin, he forces you to look at him. “I'm gonna give you some clothes, so you can take a shower, okay?”

Helping you to get up from his bed, Jax lets you go barely a few seconds. Enough time to find another shirt and a pair of sweatpants. You take it from his hands, almost caressing it ephemerally, before walk into the bathroom closing the door behind your steps. The warm water finally relax your body, falling all around you from your hair to your toes. You know that the nightmare has ended and that your, now, ex-boyfriend is not going to bother you anymore. Although you can't help but feel somewhat restless, wrapping your body with a towel and sitting on the toilet, having a deep, deep breath. 

When you're ready, wearing the clothes that Jax gave you and having a last look in the mirror of your bruised face, you walk out of the bathroom. The man hangs up a call before you can hear anything he's talking about.

“Better?”

“Yes… Thank you”.

“This has to end, (Y/N)”.

You nod licking your lips, standing up close to the bed.

“Tomorrow Chibs, Happy and I will go with you to pick up your things. You can stay here, if you feel safe”. He sentences, knowing that you don't have any option, even if it's the best one. “I can't… see you again like that”.

“I'm sorry, Jax…” You say again, sitting slowly by his side.

“I'm being serious”.

“I know”.

“I told you”. 

Seems like he's getting desperate, rubbing his face with both hands and pulling away the short hair back to his nape. You can't help but hug him, wrapping his shoulders with both arms as you sink your face on his neck. It feels good. His smell is enough to make you lost all the fears that were running through your body, knowing that everything is going to get better. 

“That asshole doesn't deserve you. You're much more than a one-night-stand. You have to know it”. He mutters holding you a little more tightly.

“Ja—”

Before you can say anything else, not even a word, he lifts up your chin colliding your lips with his. Your heart jumps, racing faster than you could think. And it takes you some seconds to react, but you kiss him back. Slowly. So slowly, enjoying the taste of beer and cigars, while his nervous hands holds your hips wanting you closer if it's possible. When his tongue finds yours looks like an explosion inside your mouth. You were desiring it since you met him, and seems like he was feeling the same way. 

“Stay with me”.

One of his hands cups your cheek, tangling the tiptoes in some bristles close to you ear. His nose touching yours, eyes closed, drinking each other's breaths. 

“I want you to stay with me, lemme' make it up to you”. 

The mutter colliding in your lips makes you nod in silence. Running down his callous hands by your sides, Jax lifts up the Reaper Crew shirt to throw it somewhere, enjoying the views of your bristling nipples calling him. He leans forward to them catching one between his lips and the other with two fingers. One being bitten, the other being pinched. And a soft moan growing in your mouth. He knows exactly what to do, wetting it with his saliva and touring your skin with the tip of his tongue. His free hand travels down right to the waistband of your sweatpants, going under it to lightly touch your beaten clit needed for any kind of caresses. For Jax feels so good find you so wet, only for him. Something that he has been wanting so fucking bad since a long time ago. He curves his finger inside your pussy, slowly, trying to learn every single inch of it and its tightness. 

Your hips moving unconsciously looking for more friction when you feel how he is getting harder every second you're on top of him, gasping and begging for more whispering. After taking off his shirt, the man bites your lower lip, pulling away his finger from you just to make you lay down above the mattress. He finally undresses you, being exposed to his blue eyes getting darker and watching how he licks his lips.

“Touch you as I would do it”.

You don't say nothing, opening your legs for the SOA' president and placing them to both sides of his body kneeled on the bed. He's going to remember it his whole life, looking how he follows every move your right hand does. It goes down by your stomach before continuing for the pelvis. You can feel the heat that emanates from your thighs, when you dig a finger in your pussy. Yes, it's wetted like never before. And you start to jerk yourself off, maintaining his lustful gaze, somewhat faster than he did before. The first moan appears when you see him rubbing the lump on his crotch, so needed to feel it inside you.

“Fuck, Jackson…”

“You like it?”

“Yes… Yes…” You try to nod, going a little bit deeper, almost arching your back. “Can you… Can you… Hm… I want a second finger, please…”

“You got it, baby”. He answers hardening his tone.

And you step in another one, containing yourself of gasping too loud, not knowing if someone else is in the clubhouse. You pound your hot pussy imagining that is his cock, spreading more your legs to let Jax sees how much you want him. Your palm almost hitting your entrance, intensifying the uncontrollably sounds your vocals chords utter. You want a third one and a fourth one thrusting you, to compensate that it's not his hand, nor his dick, burning in pleasure and desire.

Jax frees himself of the jeans, showing you that huge erection with some veins marked in, making your mouth watering by imagine how it could feel pressing it to your throat and filling you completely till drown you. His long fingers moving his own sensitive skin from top to bottom, as fast as you're fingering your pussy. 

“Put a third one, baby”. He asks you licking his lower lip, not being able to raise the look of your hand.

You obey as the good girl you are, screaming out his name when you push it harder into you. You can't help but intensify the erratic move, provoking him to do the same. You're about to come, squeezing your legs over the sheets, when the older grabs your forearm to pull it away making you growl somewhat upset. 

“Lemme' taste you”.

You can't talk. You just nod in silence, watching how he lies down between your legs, putting his arms under them but nailing his hands on your abdomen. His tongue goes slow from your back entrance to the other, tasting and drinking your fluids until he reach your swollen clit. His beard gives you some tickles every time it touches your thighs. Jax gently bite that sensitive part of your body, tangling your wetted fingers in the blonde bristles.

“Cum in my mouth, (Y/N)”

Even if it's a petition, it finally sounds like a command, thrusting two fingers decorated by two gold rings under his tongue. Into you. 

“Fuck, Jax!” You cry out, pushing his face closer among your legs.

His tongue feels delicious, moving so fast around your entrance that you can't handle it for much more, while his fingers completes the next level of pleasure you have never felt before. Arching your back at the exact moment your anatomy shakes because of his mouth, he presses his nose against your skin touring your pussy to taste your cum. He can assure that he has never tried something better.

And the man doesn't let you any time to recover yourself, when he's already helping you to sit up.

“All in fours, my love”. He whispers close to your lips, before leaving a smooth kiss on them.

You do, turning your body to support your weight on your palms and knees. Chest resting above the pillow, spreaded legs and waist raised up. Positioning his body not fully naked among your thighs, Jax guides his dick all over your ass and pussy to tease you a little. You can hear the sound of a spittle, feeling it colliding to your entrances, and the saliva running down to the bed, knowing he's gonna fuck you without having to ask for it.

So he does. Nailing his hands on your hips almost hurting you, he digs his cock among your folds, making you scream with broken voice. Far away stayed the slow moves to make you feel loved, pounding you so hard that the headboard collides with the wall. Your moans getting tangled with his guttural growls wandering around the dorm. His lower abdomen hitting your ass once and again, resting your forehead on the pillow, as he goes deep into it. You want more. You couldn't be tired of his thrusts, being satisfied for the first time in years. 

Jax is so big. More than he wants to hide under his typical jeans. And it feel so good when you find yourself close to the edge again. The orgasm finds you some hard pounds after, crying loud his full name and making him smirk proud of it. 

“I want to cum in that delicious mouth yours, baby… Can I, uh?”

It's pretty fun how he has been giving you orders the whole time, to now ask you for something. How could you even say ‘no’? You raise a hand back to his chest, making him know that you want it too. Quickly, Jax pulls out his throbbing erection, jacking himself off while you lie on your back and he practically sits on your breasts. Taking your nape with his free hand, he lifts up your head until his red glans is above your open lips ready to receive his cum. You step out your tongue at the moment he finally fills your mouth with his hot seed, right to your throat. Jax has to slightly lean his neck back, cursing himself for not being able to see your face. But he does when you swallow his juices, before sucking his cock. Stealing him a loud moan, you press your wall with his glans, tasting the most sweet than bitter fluids on it, licking his skin with your tongue and wetting it with your saliva.

“Good girl, take it all”.

Leaving it there until an arcade appears, you feel one of his hands touching your pussy again, soaking it with your jizz before lying by your side. Then, he brings his fingers to your mouth, enjoying the way you have to lick them so calm and slow that you could make him fall into the ecstasy again. His lips finds yours, with that mix of alcohol and your delicious cums on your tongues.

Jax takes the advantage of get full undressed, before getting comfy close to you, with tired and short kisses traveling all around your face.

“Will you lemme take care of you?”

You nod in silence, trying to catch back your breathe and placing a shaky leg surrounding his waist. He caresses it with his right hand, putting the left arm under your neck to hold you closer.

“I love you, (Y/N)”. He mutters into your lips, drawing a goofy smile on the corner of your lips.

“I love you, Jax”.

[cutegirlmayra]

Classic sonamy prompt if I may ask, Sonic has just finished up another adventure and is telling Rosy to go home. When she refuses he offers to take her there himself. Except Rosy refuses because she's homeless and too ashamed to tell Sonic so she lies and says her house was robbed! Like the whole thing stolen. Sonic tries to find the house and the lie gets too big until finally Rosy comes clean embarrassed. Sonic not wanting his friend to suffer lets her stay with him and builds a house for her.

(Art found here (x) Please support the official artist!)

PROMPTS--GUESS WHAT?--THAT’S RIGHT! SHUTDOWN. Don’t send me’em. I’ll tell your mom.

Pajama Blogs - Prompt Requests - Ep 1 (x) - Time where I discussed thoughts on this prompt idea before probably changing the entire concept? (37:05)

Prompt:

Tumbling down from the air, a large explosion blasts the latest Robotnik BossEgg as Classic Sonic lands triumphantly and stands up, holding Rosy the Rascal in his arms, otherwise known as Classic Amy Rose.

Eggman seems to cry out and shake his fist, but breathes smoke in and starts coughing, so he isn’t able to pursue as Sonic smirks up to him and races off.

Eggman turns around and cries out, gripping his head when his ‘mountain base’ suddenly blasts in small degrees, his mustaches--which were metal plates placed on the mountain--droop down to show sorrow and then the whole thing explodes.

Having no where to go... he slumps down and flies off, cursing Sonic’s name and threatening a bigger and even better plan for next time!

“That’ll show’em!” Amy cheers, kicking her legs out as she looks behind Sonic’s shoulder. “Let’s see how he likes his home being trashed up by a bunch of... of... uhh... Well, if robots destroy our home, would living things attacking his be the same counterpart?” she turned back to relax in his arms and put her finger to her mouth, still working on those ‘witty catchphrases and comebacks’ which she had learned was something Sonic was fond of.

To be more adored, she tried to implement them, but it didn’t seem to effect this ‘one-track mind’ hero.

She blinked up at him, seeing he was focused on running, and smiled sweetly with admiration. Her eyes arched and she nestled herself back to being comfortable for the ride. “Nevermind~ We’re both safe, that’s all that counts.”

“Speaking of homes,”

Just as Classic Amy was about to close her eyes, drift off into her dream of Classic Sonic cradling her on his run for hours, letting her soak in that idealized delight; he hard braked and sent her head jerking forward.

“W-woooah!” she clung as a reflex tightly to his head and adjusted to around his arms as he skidded against the ground.

When her squinted eyes blinked wide open again, she looked to see her handsome hero looking down at her.

She waited a second, not having heard much of a ‘peep’ out of him, but having heard of his snarky attitude before. It seems he only really spoke comfortably in front of Eggman--of all people--and his closest friends.

“Where’s yours?” He smiled, capturing her in an array of hearts as twirling flowers floated around her vision, windmilling into her view to drown out reality.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned in a bit when he saw her distracted, “Uhh... Amy?”

She blinked, as though trying to lure him closer.

He frowned, “Lalaland is not considered a home.” he put her down, and she actually did find that a bit funny, though... it was probably meant to be more of an off-handed insult, she knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her feelings in anyway.

He just wasn’t one to let a good joke slip by.

He put a hand to his hip and shook his head up to the clouds, as though silently conversing with them how odd but innocent this girl was.

He looked back to her with a look of disappointment, as though to get her ‘head in the game’ and waited for her to answer him with a sharp, “No offense, but I’d rather get you home safely than concern myself with idle... uh... staring...” he itched his nose and looked down when he noticed she was still glued to him, her hands up by her chin and intertwined together as she openly showed her unwavering crush on him.

He knew he was handsome, but this... was a bit much to ask for.

“Amy...” He looked embarrassed, not sure how to ‘snap’ her out of it, and pulled away to try and create some space between her piercing eyes of sparkling wonder and awe of love... hoping to not have imaginary strings looping around him like a cowgirl to her prized hog.

“You’re my ultimate distraction~” she flirted, “Nothing you can do about that...”

He gruffed.

“And for your information, Lalaland is free of charge~” she moved up and tried to flick his nose, but as he avoided, he struggled to regain balance and started swaying on his one leg.

She giggled as he hopped to the side to get away from her and plant both feet down firmly. He gave her a look like he wasn’t one to just let a girl get the better of him, but she persisted further. “I have a beautiful residency there... If you ever feel like dropping by~” she batted her eyelashes, but moved her hands behind her back and swayed herself, just being girlie and trying to out-smart him.

“I hear rent’s cheap when you’re a squatter.”

“Ah!” she puffed up a cheek and stomped her foot to him, “Well, that’s not a nice thing to say to a pretty girl!”

“Glad you have the confidence. Looks like you don’t need a man, or anyone else for that matter, to tell you it for you.” He dusted himself off, turning away from her before sneaking in a pretty proud grin on his face. He wasn’t going to let her get away with such terrible flirting like that.

“Anyway, I’ve got things to do. Alone.” He folded his arms and faced his back to her, but was sure to stick his nose in the air, just for good measure. “It’s not safe running around this Zone with so many Badniks still afoot.”

“Doesn’t that mean you missed some?”

His face seemed to scrunch at her obvious dig.

“Why not let me help out in getting rid of them?” She cutely turned around to give him her full attention, offering to assist as she knew he loved to ‘clean up the leftovers’ just for sport after beating Robotnik. “I’ve been practicing with my hammer a lot more now and-!” She summoned it out, holding it firmly as memories of training away from towns by trying to knock over trees ran through her mind.

All those long days... the radio on in case of any news of him, and her constant efforts to knock down a firm tree in three blows, which was her first ever combo she learned with her new toy.

Proud to show off her new strength, she began to ramble as Sonic slowly turned his head and looked curiously back at her instrument of destruction.

“A hammer?” he inquired, leaning to look it over, but trying to keep his ‘aloof’ nature present.

“Yeah! I wasn’t too sure if I should it since it might have thrown your running off center, b-but...” she nervously began to feel her heart flutter when he showed interest in her magical item, and began to blush and dip her head down, turning her flushing cheeks away from him and closing her eyes as she continued. “D-do you think you’d like to help me try?”

“...Try and what?” he fully dropped the act and turned around, offering his hands to show he wanted to hold and examine the hammer closer.

She mistook his intent, and excitedly ‘poof’ed the hammer away placed her hands in his own.

He slowly... looked up to her with lowered eyelids to show his annoyance.

She giggled with hearts popping from around her head.

“...You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” he chuckled out, and she realized she was slightly winning him over.

He removed his hands and shook them out, “Alright! One round around the Zones! No more or less!” he wagged his infamous pointer finger to make that statement unquestionable, and then gave her a legendary wink. “Sure you’re up for a few tips and tricks?”

She almost melted fully to the ground out of all the warm feelings he was giving her.

“Uh-huh~” Her agreeance lengthened by her sinking into such happiness, and seeing as her knees had turned to pudding, she offered him her hand and without hesitation he took it and pulled her back up into a bridal carrying position.

He ducked his head and her nose almost skimmed by his left cheek, “You ready?”

She was careful... when she nodded, she made sure her nose continuing to skim up and down his cheek looked like a hurried accident...

They charged through the Zones, having some fun as he taught her to better aim and invision where the target was going to be before throwing the hammer.

At first, her swings were a little klutzy, but he helped steady her balance. “What’cha gotta do is put your feet apart, like this.” she was too absorbed in his encasing hands over her own while she held the hammer out, feeling the cotton of his gloves smooth around her own that were slightly more thinner than his puffy ones, and trembled to try and remain poised while he taught her.

A moment went by of her just intensely watching his hands on her own as he tried to teach her a proper swing, before stopping and lightly loosening his grip.

“Sorry, am I being too much?” he pulled his arms back and Amy quickly shook her head, releasing all her built-up energy from being overly excited at his attentive teaching style.

“N-no, no, no! Not at all! Don’t let go~” she whispered the last part and looked off and up to the side, her eyes squeezing shut as she hoped he didn’t notice her blushing.

He did...

His eyes almost furled up as though he had been betrayed, forgetting a moment how she was like, and moved away from her.

He tapped his toe, realizing she wasn’t taking any of his advice seriously, and decided to be mad about it. “So, where’s your home again?”

“S-sorry! I’ll behave! I promise!” she shrieked, her hammer disappearing as she waved her arms about. After perfectly being thrown up into the air to then land squarely on a rooming Badnik, Sonic just had some awkward sweat drip down the side of his face.

“Wow, innate learner...” He muttered to himself, seeing as she actually had caught on to some things. He gave her a sideways look, seeing her wail and plea which made him uncomfortable.

Forgiving her, he just turned his head away from her and closed his eyes, “Alright, alright, enough already. It’s not my style to watch people beg.” he scratched his head, not sure what to do with her if she refused to let him take her back. “But it’s getting late, and I don’t feel comfortable leaving you all alone in the open like this.” he earnestly tried to tell her his thoughts and straightened up, playing the noble hero--which was already naturally within his heart--he tried to speak more plainly to her.

“I really should be getting you somewhere safe.”

“Oh, but... Sonic...” She moved closer up to him, making his eyes widened in curiosity at how sincere she looked.

She gently lowered her eyes and smiled, as though trying to create bubbles of light and sparkles around herself, “I’m already safe... right here with you.” she took his hands as he grew nervous, his mouth wagging open on the corners of his lower lip at how direct and unabashed this little girl could be.

“Uhhuhuhhuhh,” He didn’t know how to respond, and it was like his brain was going on a straight line to cut off all activity from her outrageous actions.

She pulled herself a little closer to him, “Maybe... you don’t have to send me anywhere... but we could just gaze up at the stars all night and talk about our future togeth-OFFPH!”

He shoved his head into hers, the hardness of the top of his head smashing her mouth closed as he then pulled away, adjusting his gloves as she rubbed her face in frustration.

“Serves you right for being so shameless.” he knew he hadn’t hurt her, but just shoved her mouth full of quills to silence her continual flirting.

“W-why you...” She twitched an eyebrow, seeing that wooing the man of her dreams might not be as easy as all those fairytale princesses made it out to be.

“If you’re so obsessed with sleeping under the stars, why not fly yourself to the moon?” He stuck out his tongue and dipped his lower-eyelid down. “Waybe when I wouwn’t wave to see yowr wittle wace anywore.” he spoke with his tongue out to taunt her and suddenly she was fuming.

Her arms shook down from her face, as enraged as any tigress, and charged after him. His gleeful expression as he took off and let her chase him lasted for a little while as they played the game of chase.

He kept taunting her, jumping up on a rock and spanking his butt while doing the same mocking gestures to get her to come after him, watching as he would jump and curl up to see the rock he was on get shattered to pieces by her fury.

He uncurled with a few bounces and pulled his arms up as though leisurely jogging, smiling as he was actually testing her further to see how well she really could battle.

‘She’s trying so hard to stay by my side...’ he thought to himself, seeing her calling out with embarrassed fury as she kept swinging and narrowly missing him.

He ducked, freaking out a moment, before sighing in relief, then looking as though happy and proud of her accomplishments. ‘Her aim has increased... Maybe... she was taking my teaching seriously after all.’ It made him glad that he could have moments with her that weren’t just all her feelings, but could be some of his own interests as well.

He plopped himself on another rock and stood like a gymnasts, his two hands positioned in front and below him, which kept him upright, as his legs went straight out ahead of him. “Is that all you got, Rascal?” he teased, smirking widely as he purposefully wore her out to make her more accommodating to his request in sending her homeward.

 “I’m bound... ha... ha... to catch up to you ... ha... ha... someday, Sonic... ha... ha... The Hedgehoooogggg...” she collapsed after making her way over to the boulder, and Sonic’s expression changed to a sweetness as he extended mercy by jumping stylishly off the rock and falling to a knee, offering her his hand. “I.. won’t... give up...” her shoulders bounced as she was on her knees, her arms shaking slightly at their exertion.

Sonic’s eyes bent and in his eyes... he truly knew what she meant.

“I know.” he stated, “But that doesn’t mean a mighty heroine doesn’t deserve a break.”

She was caught by his tender reply and looked over to him, amazed he was acting so kindly again to her.

“W-what happened?” she innocently blinked her eyes, and he laughed at her cuteness.

“I’m just glad you’re having fun.” He stated, and once again shook his arm, “Come on, come on... it’s time to head on back.”

“Ah, you’ll let me stay with you?” her eyes shined.

“No.”

She felt her whole world crash on her, “W-WHATTT???” she exclaimed, “B-but... we were having a moment...” she did her best ‘shaking hedgie eyes’ to make him reconsider.

“Ah-ah-ah.” He got up and shook his pointer finger, “Haven’t you heard? I’m immune to negotiations.” he played along.

“Even cute ones?” she pouted her lip and tilted her head.

For a moment, when Sonic’s eyes met hers, the rising dark shadows of the skies couldn’t block her gentle enticements of beauty from him.

He felt a breath quicken in through his nose and crawl down his lungs, holding itself there as though lodging itself there and wouldn’t move.

It was so fast that Amy didn’t even notice the momentary pupil dilation before he turned away from her and put his hands on his hips.

“...I already said I was taking you back. I keep my word.”

She felt some form of heartache, realizing that no matter how adorable she tried to look, or breathtakingly gorgeous she thought she must have looked in her mind, he wasn’t ever going to budge in her way.

He took final second to sneak a look behind his shoulder back at her, seeing her cry out that she conceded, and nod that he was right.

“It is late...”

“...Very.” he lowered his eyes, as though meaning she was very- “Ehem!” He cleared his throat, coughing into his hand and looking away again, “Very persistent. I don’t understand how anyone can keep up with you.”

“No one but you.”

He turned back as she sweetly praised him, but rolled it off his shoulders and stood a bit taller... not realizing she had boosted his ego a bit there.

“Naturally.” he smiled wider, rubbing his finger under his nose. “I’m the fastest thing alive, so it’s not uncommon for me to be one step ahead of your scheming.” he then lifted a shoe up and lightly poked her with it, smirking mischievously as though wanting her to chase after him again.

She let little tears build up in her eyes as she pouted, “You’re shooing me away again!”

“Only to keep good little girls like you out of bad little boy’s sights.” he teased again, kicking the foot back behind his other leg and looking like a real slick 90′s kid. “Cool off a little... it’s a compliment.”

“Hmph, I’m sure!” she stomped herself up and dusted off her dress. “Well, you won’t find my house, anyway!”

“Is that so?” He thought she was playing again, but was growing a little annoyed at her stubbornness. “Look, it was fun at first, Amy, but you really gotta tell me what’s going on. Why are you so opposed to going home?”

He buried his head down into his folded arms, trying to look stern on this, and it did intimidate her slightly into realizing he was serious...

She sighed, seeing him soften as she turned away. “It’s... complicated.” she pushed her index fingers together.

“How so?” He wondered... “Eggman..?”

“...N-no...” she didn’t want to lie... but... “Robbers!” She spun around, ‘More than anything... I just want to keep spending more time with you...’ she admitted only to herself in her heart.

“R-robbers?” Sonic broke his stance and suddenly took a step back.

“Thieves of the forest!” she spread her arms out wide, “About twenty of them!”

“...W-what?” He seemed disbelieving, so she nervously looked behind her and thought a second before continuing.

‘He’s not gonna buy this... but it’s worth a try! Hehe! Maybe he’ll think I’m cute for attempting to fool him.’ She turned her head back to him, “It was awful! Ah!” she jumped into his arms as he leaned forward with a perplexed expression before awkwardly having her draped over his chest.

“Come again? Where was this?” he decided to get some details first.

Amy sweated, she didn’t know many places around here... “U-Unimportant. They just came up to me all of a sudden! I was so scared!” she gripped her arms tightly around his back quills, nuzzling herself deeper into his chest as he squirmed from how uncomfortable this was.

“W-wah-what? Inside your house?” he wanted to keep investigating, but the odd sensation of her prickly head and soft cheeks against his underbelly really didn’t make it easy for him to concentrate on her story.

As he flinched and wriggled from the touch, not daring to move her, she smirked with a twinkle in her eye.

‘Got’em!’ she smirked, before pretending to act in distress again. “Ohh! Sonic! You don’t understand!”

“Then help me to understand.” he pulled her away, gently this time, but with added worry. He put his head leveled to hers, so she could focus and look directly in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, acting as though she was close to actual tears, pulling her hands in. “We... We can’t go back there, Sonic! I’m too... Ah! Afraid~” she tried to ‘swoon’ into his arms, having her hand lift up to her forehead and have the back of it dramatically positioned there but Sonic caught her from landing on him again.

“Now, hold on. Didn’t you say you felt safe with me?” he blinked with a frown, not going to allow her theatrics to play around much longer.

She pouted, deciding he needed further persuasion...

“Uh... Well... They took the whole house!” she hollered out, “Oh, Sonic, My hero, Hold me~” she cried, turning around to try and better get her arms around his neck but he held her out and slowly reclined back... and that’s when she knew... his annoyed expression...

“You’re just as sneaky as ever...” he puffed out.

“...D-don’t you believe a helpless little-AH!”

He threw her lying behind right up over his shoulder, keeping her there as punishment as she squirmed.

“H-hey! Nooo! Soooonic!! P-put me down, now!”

He yawned, feeling her light pats against his head and back as she ‘struggled’ but knew somewhere deep down she was probably enjoying the further ‘play’ anyway.

He kept one arm down by his hip, but lifted it up to shrug. “Oh well, if you don’t have a home, I guess you’ll have to stay with me the rest of your life, huh, Amy?”

She immediately dropped her pretend, her eyes full of stars as she gleefully grinned. ‘Success!’ she cheered within her mind.

“...Is what you want me to say, right?”

She deflated... “Ohhh....”

“Come on, Amy... Enough games.” He looked back up to her, waiting with his ear turned to her for the truth. “What’s really keeping you so adamant?”

“...Okay, you got me.” She knew she couldn’t keep it up for long. “I... My house... it kinda...”

She then took on a serious expression, pulling out a hankie and blowing into it, “It’s in the sky now, Sonic! Whahaa!”

“...What?” he deadpanned.

“Those robbers they... they cut it up into tiny pieces! It’s gone, Sonic. There’s nothing left of it! My beautiful, beautiful home. Taken before it’s prime!”

He heard her blow into the hankie and shut his mouth.

“...Guess I’ll have to find every last piece of it... and rebuild it myself...” His eyebrow twitched. ‘There has to be a limit to this girl’s presumptuous mannerisms!’

...Had he finally found his match?

Someone to equal his own obscure, reckless nature?

Someone who would consistently not fail to banter till there was no time left on the clock?

“I’ll ask one more time...”

Amy shivered in fear, “You... You wouldn’t do anything ungentlemanly now... w-would you?”

His eyes revealed he was at his limit to her shenanigans.

“Eep!” she threw up the white handkerchief and forfeited, “Okay, okay! In all honesty, I-... I don’t want to part from you, but the reason I won’t tell you where my house is is because... because... I’m... homeless...” she lowered her head.

“That’s it-!” he put both hands on her hips over his shoulder and was about to charge her through a very unpleasant ‘joyride’ to interrogate her into learning some humility but she flailed.

“No, no, wait! This time, it’s the truth!” she waved her arms about, “Please, this time, you gotta believe me! I live on a town’s alley with a box and a blanket!”

He paused...

“You’re not making this up to get pity out of me... right?” he slightly glared back up at her, and she nodded, pulling her hands in and bundling them up by her chin.

“I swear, Sonic. I’m not just kidding around or playing this time... I could show you but...” she looked away, “I wash my clothes because a nice lady thinks I’m sweet and cute... I help her fold her laundry and her children’s bibs in the morning so she pays for my clothes and I secretly sneak out the back and spray the pool water on me while it’s too early for anyone to be up yet...”

He lowered his head, this isn’t what he wanted to hear...

Everything was getting too complicated... She shouldn’t be admitting this to him.

“For food, I usually track berries, but I got here from some traveling gypsies who taught me Tarot cards and treated me very well. They also showed me how to... I don’t steal, so I just performed little fortune tellings here and there to make some money, but it’s only enough for about a week’s worth of food... hence why I help the lady...”

He put her down, “That’s enough.” he stated, closing his eyes. “You didn’t need to tell me all that... I believe you.”

She pulled away, feeling like he may think she’s stinky or pitiful, and scrunched up the ends of her skirt, looking embarrassed.

“I’m sorry... I really do like you, Sonic The Hedgehog... but I’m not much of a ...” her bottom-lip quivered. “Lady... as you deserve.” she was on the verge of tears. “But if I didn’t have such humble beginnings... maybe then... I’d be pretty enough to get you to watch the stars with me one night...” she sucked in her breath, dashing off to avoid any further shame before Sonic immediately caught her mid-turn and pulled her back, not letting her escape. “Ah!”

“... I wash my shoes in the lakes and rivers...”

His voice was... empathetic.

“My best friend is an orphan... the other is the last of his kind.”

He stared at her... no judgement.

Her eyes... shined with the love she could see from his enormous heart.

“We all stay in a roughly build placed by a beach... next to a crashed plane.”

“Sonic...” her eyes shook, realizing...

“I’m not the big-shot hero everyone thinks me to be either,” He took a powerful breath in and held it, showing pride as he looked away, recollected himself, and then narrowed his eyes to her. “There’s no shame in being unwanted, alone, or without anything to your name besides your skills and talents... Regardless of what you think a ‘Lady’ qualifies as to be worthy...” he walked up and lightly patted her head,

“...Lalaland is nothing like a warm bed. I’ll give you all of what I’ve found and have collected over the years, so you can be safe too.”

Her heart expanded, and she never knew a man could love someone as unlady-like as it could get. She was without anything... and yet...

He still built a side shack for her on the beach, inviting her in as she insisted on cooking for the boys, and becoming... apart of their team.

[frostahesmegabite]

How would he react, if he were transported into a "Steampunk" or "Cyberpunk" universe? 🤔 (I'll let you choose between the two.)

[ Good question @jacobdcheshyre! Thankfully with WoW and the Mechagon patch we had, I pretty much got to have that Steampunk sort of vibe for a little bit with the whole scrap yard piping everywhere sort of bit. Albeit, I know that's not 100%, but it gave me a good feel for how excited Mega would be! Needless to say, he walked away from that expansion with several new weapons designs and ideas as well gadgets and a new-found sense of purpose and inspiration. So, for a quick IC post, I'm gonna roll out with Cyberpunk. Now, forewarning, my knowledge here is limited, not out of lack of caring, just never got much time to explore it and my knowledge comes pretty much from Cyberpunk 2077 game, so I'm gonna essentially adapt him for that sort of lore/canon. ] A blinding flash of light and colors occurs! This isn't right! They're not only offensive to the eyes, but each sudden shift comes with a smash of concussive energy as if being hit by a sudden wash of air from an arriving hurricane. The largest problem isn't that it isn't just one, but a reoccurrence whose frequency is picking up in rapidity while being accompanied with the sudden shift of falling! Meghes begins to flip and roll, losing any track of what's up and down and he screams out into the cascade of colors! "Turn tha fuckin machine off! Bring me back!" Panic wasn't setting it, it was already there and was choking him out as he couldn't stabilize due to the turbulence and lack of identification on what was up or down, left or right! Bam! Bam! Bambam! BamBamBam! BAMBAMBAMBAM! Each forceful blow sent him flying in a whole new direction and he'd suddenly vomit, near ready to lose consciousness from it. Then... it settles and a bright light nearly blinds him, forcing his hands up just for him to realize that it's the Sun! Thank the Light! Maybe that was a bit to early though as he realizes he's still in freefall. This he can handle now that he has direction and he quickly flips around, gaining his bearing just to realize this sure as fuck isn't Azeroth anymore! As he flies down towards the ground, smooth towers of steel and glass stab up at the morning sky as if they were pointing up at his point of entry! He tries to scream, asking where the hell he's at but at this speed, words at lost and someone might as well have a leafblower pointed at his mouth. Around this moment is where reality kicks in and he sees the ground coming up -fast- and he casts a Feather Spell! Nothing. Panic sets in and he tries again. Still. Nothing. His mouth opens to scream but it sounds more akin to a blarglglgh! than actual vocabulary. He begins to slap himself, patting himself down for anything, mana crystals? All gone. No recharge. What the fuck?! His hands get to his vest, feeling around. Magical items all gone. Gold damn it! His hands go to his belt buckle, every goblin hand one and thank what the hell ever was watching over him, his belt was still there! His fingers twist off the buckle and he's given a small remote that's palmed and he hits the bright red button upon it, instantly activating his set of rocket boots so he can slow his descent! This wasn't going to save him, there wasn't enough fuel for that, but he had to slow down for the next part or he'd surely just fall to his death! With a few stalling blasts, the device in his hand begins to go off with alarms, warning to a low fuel source and with his other hand, he goes to his work vest and jerks on a rip cord! His clothing explodes out the back (thankfully not out of his ass!) and Goblin Glider's wings extend to the left and right above him as the boots propel him forward as opposed to down, helping to offer leverage so he can steer and glide down properly! Mega would need to thank Maxwell for that. Now though that this emergency was coming to a standstill, he begins to look around, trying to figure out just where the fuck he's at. "Tha hell did that Portal Machine take me..." Mega's body shakes from the adrenaline spike, but he maintains a grip as he soars overhead some mile up off the ground. His red eyes look

over the ground, trying to figure out who the hell built all of this! Was it Goblins? No. Not enough pollution or explosions, at least not here anyways. Gnomes? Maybe... but they tended to favor underground facilities and this certainly wasn't that either! Slowly, people come into better view and the site of vehicles and street vendors and people come into view and the signs! Oh all the signs! So many colors and advertisements! If it wasn't for all the humans plastered and shoved into all of them, he'd swear this was some kind of Goblin City centered entirely on Commerce and Trade, but that's when it hits him. This is nothing but Humans and Humans weren't like this... At least... not back on the Azeroth he knew. He needed time to process this, but with all the new sights and sounds, it was hard to do, even from way up here! "Where the fuck did that portal put me?!" He screams out, a new type of concern coming to mind now as he begins to look for a place to land. There's fucking people everywhere and while he's not familiar with what type of vehicles he's seeing, he sure as hell knows a road (Thanks Kezan!) when he sees one and he makes sure to steer clear from the Highway and the massive metal boxes going gold knows how fast! He starts to scan quickly, there! Trash bags! A heap of crap and junk on the ground, perfect! He begins to steer his glider into an Alleyway, bringing himself in and slowing his assent along the way until his feet touch down and he's left running. He plants his feet and pulls back against the Glider, using it as a counterweight to bring him to a skidding stop just before his crash pad of foul smelling trash! Phew! Mega didn't care about the Glider anymore at this point, nope! It was spent and he'd begin to rush towards the Alleyway entrance, hiding behind a dumpster to scan the area around him. "Well... smells like trash and shit here but... these humans." He pauses, seeing a human walk by with a set of massive mechanical arms that look like they could pulverize stone! But, they move so smoothly! They surpass anything he ever saw with Naturasu's prosthetics or anything the Gnomes or even Draenei came up with! These things moved as if they were essentially organic, but they weren't! Something in Mega's brain breaks in that moment and any fear or concern he has, suddenly floods out of him and is replaced by pure unadulterated excitement and he rushes into the street, scaring the every living fuck out of someone who thought he was some kind of overgrown rat or lab experiment until they see him dressed and moving with purpose! Megahes runs into the crowd and ocean of people, awe and amazement clear on his face as he gets way to close to several people with clear prosthetics and even some of them with weapons right there on their hips or backs! And some of their suits! Mega was in heaven! So many new things to explore! So much to try to take back... [For the sake of this already being -massive-, I'm gonna OoC cut in here and say that I think it's very fair that Megahes would probably have mental orgasms as he learned about everything and while he would try to find a way home, he'd also be working to try to learn as much about all of this that he can so he can take these ideas and designs home as well. Even if he wouldn't ever get back home, his apartment, home or where ever the hell he ended up staying would end up stuffed with nearly every schematic and idea design he could think of to take back. ]

[miah-pooh]

The Big Plan

A/n: Finally done moving but school starts this week again which mean slow uploads maybe (I really hope not) Other than that hope you enjoy and see you next week for the next part/chapter

Warnings:  Violence, Blood, Language, Possessive/ Obsessive Behavior, Abuse, Use of benzodiazepines(Rohypnol), Character’s Death, 18+( Minors Do Not Interact) Character’s are AGED UP  

Word Count: 2.4k

Bakugo x Yandere Reader

After graduating from UA as a top student you decided to work under the number two hero, Hawks. Bakugo went to work under Endeavor which was the number one hero at the time but after working for a while Bakugo, Midoriya, and Todoroki all started to crawl up the charts which put Katsuki in the public eye. It was easy having eyes on Bakugo since you were a pro hero yourself, which means you’ll run into him on occasions and have to work on some missions with him and other heroes and that gave you the perfect opportunity to put your plan into action. 

It was another day and you were currently on patrol with your sidekick, patrolling the downtown area of the city near Endeavor agency which meant you were bound to cross paths with Bakugo. You hear a blast from around the corner, looking at your partner you nod ahead sprinting towards the blast. When you turned the corner you were met with a smokey building, villains captured and The Katsuki Bakugo talking to the officers that had arrived on the scene. Ever since your UA days, you had grown out of the shyness stage and weren't afraid to speak your mind. You make your way towards Bakugo, tapping him on the shoulder Bakugo turned around to be expecting a fan wanting his autograph but instead he was met with your beautiful face. “Well well well if it isn’t the famous pro hero Dynamight himself.” “Tch'' turning around walking away from you. “Awww don’t act like that, I just want to talk'' trailing behind him “What do you want” the perfect time to put your plan into action “ I want to go out together” Bakugo stops walking and looks at you with a shocked expression on his face “ You want to go out with me?” He says laughing in your face. Your eye began to twitch at the slight insult “Yes, it can be a quick lunch just-drinks and something quick to eat” you say looking up at him through your long lashes meeting his blood-red eyes ``It's not worth my time” He says walking off back towards the agency. You had to think of a quick way to make him say yes “I’ll pay for whatever you get, just sit with me and get a drink” You sound desperate which worked on both ends of this situation. You’ll get to move to the next phase of your plan and it’ll boost his big ego. “Fine, I’ll go just because you sound desperate” turning towards you. You smiled at him but little did he know that smile was a sadistic smile of your plan going well.

You had taken Bakugo to a cafe pretty far from the agency and closer to your house. “Hey dumbass where are you taking me?” you turned to face the door of the cafe “Here” smiling brightly. Bakugo quirked up an eyebrow in suspicion “Why here, there was one near the agency” “ This is new and they have a lot of flavors to pick from unlike the others” you say walking in the building. As soon you step foot into the building you are hit with the lovely smell of coffee, tea, and other drinks that they serve. “Go on and order what you want, I’ll be behind you”  Pulling out your wallet you make sure you had the drug you’ll be putting in Bakugo drink. You look up and see the cashier is still taking Bakugo’s order, you walk beside Bakugo looking up at him  and the cashier “ Is that all sir?” She asks “Yes” she batted her eyes at him while she wrote his order on a cup and put it to the side. “Your order ma’am” you raise an eyebrow noticing the change in her voice “Yes a French Vanilla Cappuccino.” You swipe your card and wait for your drinks. Your right eye starts to twitch from the interaction with the cashier, she walks off with both cups and returns, handing them to you and Bakugo. You noticed on his cup she wrote her number on it, which pissed you off, you made your way to the back of the cafe where Bakugo was sitting waiting for you. “So what do you want” your finger trace the cup top “Just wanted to catch up that’s all” “Tch, whatever” before Bakugo could get a sip of his drink you interrupt him “Sorry to bother but could you go get us some straw I forgot to get some?” “Should have got it yourself” he says getting up. As soon as he was out of view you grab the tiny clear bottle and pour it into his drink and place it back where it was. Bakugo returned and took a sip of his plain black coffee. Now all you have to do is wait 30 minutes for the drug to kick in and start working. 

After a good 30 minutes, Bakugo started having trouble breathing which was a sign the drug kicked in. “Umm Bakugo are you ok?” Bakugo was hunched over the table grabbing the table to hold himself upright. “I-I’m fine,” he says “Do you need to go home, you know you can’t go back to work in this condition” “ I said I'm fine L/n” The way he said your name made you sick to your stomach scrunching up your face in disgust. ‘That’s something we’re going to work’ you thought. “Stay right here we can leave as soon as I get back,” you say getting up “ Yea just hurry up” Grabbing his chest trying to catch his breath. You grab both you and Bakugo’s cup taking a picture of the number on his cup ‘I’ll to deal with this late’ throwing the cups in the trash. Walking back over you see Bakugo moving very slowly “Come on” Putting his arm over your shoulder walking him out of the store 

After walking for a while Bakugo became sluggish and started to move even slower “Where are you taking me woman” “Somewhere safe” You take your keys out and unlock the door. You walk in guiding Bakugo to the sofa “stay here don’t move.”' Bakugo rolled off the sofa onto the floor groaning in pain. “What the fuck did you do to me” You come back into the living room changed out of your hero suit. “What do you mean Katsuki I didn’t do anything” Bakugo gets up charging at you grabbing you by the throat and pushing you up against the wall. “What the Fuck did you do to me” Prying his large hand from around your throat you speak up “You didn’t think you that was just black coffee in your cup, do you?” smirking at him  “You fucking bitch” throwing you to the ground. You get up facing Bakugo ``Katsuki sits down before you hurt yourself.” putting your hand towards him like a wide animal, which only pissed him off more. He charged towards you getting ready to use his quirk. You duck his attack and start running towards the living table grabbing the quirk-canceling cuffs. Bakugo spun around without giving you a second to spare. Opening the cuffs you put them on his wrist and close them. It stopped him from using his quirk but he was still a mad man swinging his arms at you trying to hit you. “Ohh Katsuki I’m sorry but you leave me no choice” You take the nearest vase and hit Katsuki in the head with it. Bakugo drops to the floor with a thud. You squat down to his unconscious form running a finger down his face admiring him. He was such a handsome man and you get to keep him all to yourself. 

You dragged Bakugo's body to your bedroom. You propped Bakugo’s body at the end of the bed chaining him to the bedpost, and chaining his ankles together. You walk to your safe that had all your weapons in it locked away. You unlock it eyeing the first weapon you thought about when the cashier was flirting with Katsuki. You grabbed your katana and put it on your back. You walk out of the room locking the door. You text the number acting like you were Bakugo. ‘Hey do you want to meet.’ it didn’t take her too long to text back “Sure here my address’. A sadistic grin grew on your face and you made your way to the address. 

It was a rundown apartment that looked like the perfect place to do this job and get away with it. You walk up the stairs with your black latex gloves on and a black mask with your katana dragging across the floor. You knock on the door and hear movement from behind the door, the door swung open “Umm yes?” “We were supposed to meet to remember you texted me your address.” pulling your mask off showing your face to the women. The woman's eyes widen in fear backing away to close the door. Pinching the bridge of your nose you kick the door open. “Look I don't have time for this so sit still for a second “ walking towards her pulling your katana to your right shoulder and swinging it towards her neck. Her head falls off from the clean-cut, her body drops to the ground with a loud thud. The blood starts pooling on the floor as her head rolls away from her body. You pulled out a handkerchief and wiped your katana as you walked out of the apartment. 

It’s been a couple of hours since you left the house and you expected Katsuki to be up by now. Walking in the house hearing the sound of chains scraping against your metal bedpost unlocking your room door you peek your head in to see Katsuki trying to get out from the restraints. You slowly open the door grabbing the attention of him. Bakugo face turns to a scowl, growling at you like a mad man “Let the fuck go you crazy bitch” smiling at Bakugo you squat down to be face to face with him “I don’t think so” flicking his nose “Now let’s talk, for now on you will address me as mommy, master or mistress, now let’s practice it” Bakugo’s scowl grew deeper which brought a bigger smile to your face. “Good morning…” “Crazy bitch” You take a deep breath shaking your head “That’s wrong Katsuki, let’s try again” 

You were trying to go easy on the punishments but he just refused to cooperate with you and you got tired of playing nice “This is my last time Katsuki… Good morning…” “Shitty women'' That was the last strike. You take your left hand and backhand Katsuki causing his head to jerk to the left hanging low. The plan was to never lay a hand on Katsuki but you expected that from the explosive hero himself. “Try that shit again and I’ll fucking kill you” Katsuki growled lifting his head to look at you. “That’s still the wrong answer” backhanding him again, leaving a visibly red hand mark on the side of his face. “We’ll try again later.” Getting up from your spot walking out of the room you stop at the door speaking over your shoulder “Since you want to act like a brat let’s see if you can go a week eat out eating” you say closing the door behind you leaving Katsuki in complete darkness.

It’s been a whole week since you have taken care of Katsuki physically and mentally. You would come in the room and check on him making sure he’s still alive or whatever and see if he learned how to properly address you which ended with backhanding him, suffocating him, and dragging him to the large tub, and drowning him. Since he's still alive you decided you should treat him to his favorite food. You walk into the room with a tray that carries a bowl of spicy curl and a glass cup of water. “I got you something” your voice was soft and barely above a whisper but Katsuki heard you. Katsuki looks up at you but this time he wasn’t giving you the death glare he usually gives you when you walked in the room. Sitting the tray down to the side you walk over to Katsuki and sit in front of him “It’s been a week, you know what that means” Katsuki was silent looking at you for approval to talk. You nod your head permitting him to talk. “Yes, m-mommy” You can tell he was hesitating to say it but you were proud of him.  “I’m so proud of you Katsu, you made mommy so proud,” you say getting the tray and placing it in front of him. Before you decided to release him from his restraints, you pulled out an electrical collar. “I think it’s time we work on you being able to do things without your restraints don’t you think” with a smile on your face. “Yes, m-mommy” It felt good knowing you had the explosive hero submitting to you after a couple of tries he finally understands who’s in control. 

You put the collar on him and to think he would put up a fight, he didn’t and that made you smile. After you put the collar on Katsuki you took your index finger and hooked it under the collar making sure it wasn’t too tight on his neck. “How does it feel?” “It’s fine mommy” You finally reach over and loosen up his restraints waiting for him to make his next move trying to escape, but he just sits there. “You can eat now” He looked like a child that was waiting for the next request to allow him to do anything but you hope that will change soon. Deep down you felt like he was putting up an act just to satisfy you and your crazy requests, but you're not complaining.

You stayed in the room while he ate every last bit of it and drank the last bit of water. After sitting in the oddly comfortable silence you decided it was time to let him in on a few things that need to be mentioned before moving on to the next step. “Hey Katsu, I think you earned it to watch tv but I'm just going to let you know that....” you couldn’t tell him that Japan went into a frenzy when the number 2 hero of Japan went missing without a trace. You didn’t know how he would react and how he would act towards you and you just got him to understand who's in control. ”Huh” “Never mind, just enjoy your new privilege” You had to tell him sooner or later before it got out of hand.

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[theunredeemable]

The Silent Breeze lurched violently in the vacuum of space as another explosion wracked its corpse. Debris and bodies orbited it, caught in its small, gravitational pull as it hung limply, the survivors watching from their escape pods just outside of the gravitational pull. It had been hours since the death of the captain, since the Sun Dragoons laid waste to the ship, though it was not they who sent the ship to its demise. Captain Gole's execution had created a power vacuum within the ship, and those hungry for power tried to capitalise on it. Their infighting further damaged the weakened hull and life support systems, and the sublight engine’s explosion had killed many. Those that survived were the ones who fled in the escape pods as the fighting started, and now waited for rescue.

"What's the chance that anyone's even coming?"

Jaune turned in his seat to look at the asker, and the sight nearly broke his heart. The boy was barely a man, no doubt pressed into service to pay off debts not his own, sent to die so far from home. Though The Silent Breeze was a transport ship, it was still in service to the Empire, if through the SDC. Jaune tried to give him a reassuring smile. "I won't lie to you, I don't know. But we have to hold onto hope. I'm sure someone's picked up our signal by now."

A scoff came from the scowling, silver haired man sat next to him. "I wouldn't hold my breath if I were either of you. There weren't many aware we were even coming out here."

Jaune glared at him, disgust written clearly across his face. "Your negativity isn't helping anything, Black."

"That's Agent Black to you, Arc."

Jaune rolled his eyes, turning back to the young man. "Ignore him, Rookie. He gets paid to be a dour jerk. We're going to be fine, someone will come." He gave a final smile before returning his attention to the communication screen. "You'll see. Any minute now..."

Another hour passed in uneasy silence, the noise of the console's steady beeping and the crew’s heavy breaths filling the air. Even Jaune was starting to lose hope. Another hour and they'd start to run out of oxygen. Quietly, under his breath, he offered up a prayer to the divines that a miracle would come soon. As if they were listening, a series of beeps came from the communications console in a repeating pattern of three, signifying a large vessel was approaching. Looking out the window, he could see a ripple in space, then a flash of blue as The Nevermore appeared in the void. Shortly after, several smaller ships spilled out of its many hangers, like wasps swarming from their hive. In unison, his comms crackled to life as a feminine voice came over. "This is Winter Schnee, Captain of The Nevermore. Please identify the senior most officer."

Jaune moved to respond, but the man next to him moved faster, pushing the button to open communications. "This is SDC Special Agent Mercury Black, requesting immediate pick up."

Static answered Mercury's claim, and Jaune took no small amount of delight in the unpleasant man's frustration, until the comms kicked in again. "Recognised, Agent Black. However, there are escape pods in worse condition than yours, and need to take priority. You will have to wait."

Mercury scowled and nearly shouted down the comms. "SDC and Empire regulations demand that the highest ranking officer is recovered first and foremost!"

"Under normal circumstances, you would be correct. However, I have looked at the crew manifesto for The Silent Breeze and you are...suspiciously absent from it. Officially, Agent Black, you are not here. Something I am sure you arranged for whatever secret mission my father has you on. But seeing as you are not officially here, you do not currently take priority." There was a pause, before Winter's voice picked back up again. "Now, unless my sister is in that pod with you, I need to find the highest ranking officer. One that, officially, actually is present."

Jaune pushed Mercury's hands away, pressing down on the button himself. "I believe that's me, Ma'am. At least, I'm the highest ranking surviving officer."

"What is your name and position?"

"Jaune Arc, Chief Security Officer. Ma'am, if I may...if there are damaged pods out there, please prioritize their recovery. I've already lost enough of my crewmates today."

Static answered once more as Jaune looked out the window, watching as rescue crews found the other escape pods and dragged them back to The Nevermore. Many of them were damaged from the sublight explosion, or from drifting debris. "Very well, Mr. Arc. But both you and Agent Black will be answering my questions once you are aboard. Such as why my sister doesn't appear to be in any of your pods, and you better hope I like the answer."

The line went dead as Winter cut off communications, and Jaune felt a sense of dread wash over him as Mercury laughed. "Well pretty boy, depending on how you answer her you're either getting promoted today...or getting shot." The way Mercury was grinning, Jaune got the feeling the man was hoping for the later.

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Winter stood in the war-room, waiting impatiently for her 'guests' to arrive. She commended Jaune for his selflessness in ensuring his crewmates were safe before he was, but now she wished he was a little more selfish. Or, at the very least, in a different pod than Mercury Black. She sneered at the thought of the unsavoury individual, before tempering her ire and marshalling her features into a mask of neutrality. "There will be plenty of time to get angry later, Winter. For now, get the facts, assess the risk...find my sister." She took a deep breath, turning around as she heard the door hiss open. There stood Mercury Black, his uniform the same colour as his name and suspiciously pristine, and Jaune Arc, whose uniform was tattered and coated in dust and oil. With naught but a glance, she could easily tell which of the two was worth her time.

"Mr. Arc, I must formally commend your loyalty to your crew. You made a lot of friends today by putting them first." Jaune flushed at the praise as Winter's gaze turned to the other in the room. "Agent Black."

"Captain Schnee."

The two stared at each other, the tension in the room becoming palpable before she turned her back to the both of them, moving to the other side of the holo-table, dragging her hand across its surface. "So, which one of you will tell me how this happened?" Pushing a button, the table activated to show The Silent Breeze's derelict state.

Mercury sneered, showing no sign of answering, so Jaune cleared his throat and began. "We were set upon by pirates while in the process of transporting Weiss Schnee, code named Songbird, to Argus Augmentics." He ignored the withering glare Mercury was shooting his way and carried on. "Before the attack, Songbird made an attempt to flee the ship, but was stopped by Agent Black and brought before Captain Gole. I...am unsure of what transpired on the Bridge as I was not present. What I do know is that after the pirates took what they were after and escaped, Gole was dead and Songbird was missing."

Winter nodded, the room growing cold with her barely contained rage. Jaune thought he could see ice forming on the viewports, but chalked it up to a figment of his imagination as Winter looked to Mercury. "Agent Black, would you care to fill in the blanks?"

"No."

Jaune winced, and took a step away as Winter's eyes narrowed. "No?"

"You are not the Schnee I answer to, and as such I am under no obligation to tell you anything."

Winter was silent for several minutes, tension returning to the room as she stared a hole into Mercury before she turned her attention back to Jaune. "Mr. Arc, you are dismissed. Go get some rest, we will speak more later."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Jauned saluted, hesitating to leave. "Just...one more thing, ma'am."

"What is it?"

"I was a part of the defense, and I managed to see the emblem the pirates wore. It was a drake devouring a sun. There might be something in the records about them."

"Thank you, Jaune. That helps. Go rest." Winter gave a rare, reassuring smile, before switching back to her icy demeanour as she turned back to Mercury. "You are both dismissed." Jaune saluted once more, leaving the chamber, though Mercury remained where he stood. "Do you have something useful to say, Agent Black?"

"I demand transport back to the core worlds."

"Then you are more than welcome to borrow one of our fighters. Not that it will get you far, maybe to a nearby world with a port where you can requisition a transport ship." Mercury opened his mouth to protest, but was stopped before he could. "Agent Black, just as you do not answer to me, I do not answer to you or your organisation. I am a servant of the Atlesian Empire, not my father, for he is not the Emperor. I am not beholden to give you anything, and seeing as you have been uniquely unhelpful I'm not even inclined to give you the time. Officially, you aren't even here. My mission takes priority."

Mercury scoffed, glaring at Winter. "What mission? Saving your little sister?" His voice dripped with venom as he sneered, though Winter only smiled.

"Hunting down the pirates I was sent out here for. And, thank you."

"For what?"

"For confirming my sister is alive. Now, get the hell out of my sight before I decide the brig will be better accommodation for you."

Mercury's scowl deepened, annoyed for giving information away, but obeyed as he made to leave. "Where are my quarters?"

"There is an ensign waiting to escort you." Winter waited until the doors closed behind him until her countenance shifted to one of anger. Ice formed around her feet, crystallizing on the floor and air as her hands curled into fists and she trembled with rage. "Of all the self-important...arrogant...irritating pieces of filth, why did it have to be him?” She was certain that if everything in the room weren't bolted down she would have trashed the place by now. Instead, she took a slow, calming breath and smoothed down her hair. Shaking the ice from her feet, she waved a hand and caused it all to melt into the floor as she pressed another button. "Please send Sustrai in." She seethed in silence for the several minutes she was alone, hands flexing as she brought her emotions back under control before her CCO arrived.

"You called, Ma'am?"

"Yes...I need you to bring me everything you can find on Mercury Black. It'll be hard considering he's a SDC Agent, but I don't trust hi-" She paused upon noticing the way Emerald tensed. "What is it?"

"When the two of you were talking over comms...I prayed that it was someone else, a different agent with the same last name."

"You know him then?"

"I did...once. Friends, though we were more like family at the time. But we went down different paths." She let out a sad sigh, hugging herself as she looked askance. "He became distant, then cruel, because the universe was cruel to us and he wanted to be strong enough to be the one calling the shots, while I chose to not let it define me anymore."

"I..I am sorry, Emerald. I didn't know." Winter dropped her professionalism, looking at her friend in concern.

"It's fine, there's no reason you would. It was a lifetime ago, after all." She let out a sad chuckle, before shaking her head. "I'll make a dossier for you with what I know and what I can find. Anything else?"

"Yes, one more thing. Do you know which pirate crew uses the emblem of a drake devouring a sun?"

Emerald thought for a moment, before nodding. "Yes...I believe the Sun Dragoons use that symbol." She moved over to the holo-table, and pressed a series of buttons. When she was done, The Silent Breeze fizzled away, and was replaced with a much larger ship, as well as an image of it's captain. "Their ship is called The New Dawn , and their captain is..." She paused, smiling lightly. "Yang Xiao-Long, daughter of Taiyang Xiao-Long. She matches the description of the pirate we're hunting."

Winter allowed herself a small smile, the flame of hope sparking in her chest as her rage started to abate. "How...serendipitous. Thank you, Emerald. You can go, I'll have orders for the crew soon." Emerald saluted, and left her captain alone in the room, only the light of the holo-table illuminating her as she stared at the image of Yang. "So you're the one who kidnapped my sister....prepare yourself, Pirate. I'm coming for you."

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

Mercury glanced about his sparse room, sneering in disgust. It reminded him too much of his old room at the orphanage, and he had grown accustomed to the finer accommodations as one of Jacques' private agents. He suspected he was in this room due to Winter's clear dislike of him. "Not that the feeling isn't mutual..." he mused to himself, before shrugging. "No matter, I won't be here long." Moving to the center of the room, he pulled out a small, circular device. Pressing the activation button, he spoke into it before throwing it to the center of the floor and stepping back. "Open a secure line to Councillor Jacques Schnee."

He was forced to wait for almost half an hour, before the device beeped loudly and a holographic Jacques materialised from the device. He was in the middle of fixing the cufflinks on his own uniform as he looked down his nose at Mercury. "What is it, Black. You interrupted a rather important meeting."

"Songbird flew the coop, and I require transit back."

Jacques seemed to freeze in mild shock, though he soon recovered as he clasped his hands behind his back. "What do you mean, flew the coop? Was I wrong to entrust such an...important delivery to you and Gole?"

"Gole is dead. She was taken by pirates."

"Did he run his mouth before he died?"

Mercury nodded. "Unfortunately. Songbird attempted to escape on her own, and Gole used the truth to cow her. Then the pirates attacked."

"Do you know which faction?"

"I believe they called themselves the Sun Dragoons, or something equally idiotic."

Jacques' calm demeanour dropped as he sneered, swearing in High Atlesian. "Those are the same pirates Winter was assigned by that fool Ironwood to hunt down." Mercury grimaced, knowing what his boss was about to say. "I'll need to assign you to her for damage control..."

"Well, sir. You're in luck. I'm already on board. It was The Nevermore that answered the distress call."

"In that case your request is denied. You will stay aboard and keep an eye on things. Assist only in hunting the pirates down for the express purpose of returning Songbird into your custody, if you can. Keep her away from her sister at all costs. Oh, and Black."

"Yes sir?"

"Kill Weiss if she starts to talk."

[darks-ink]

Rewind - Ectoberweek 2020

Acknowledging canon episodes? In my fanfic? It’s more likely than you think. Also I’m experimenting by adding the links onto this post so lemme know whether this shows up in the tag or not.

Rating: Gen Warnings: - Genre: Hurt/Comfort Words: 2,834 Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Masters of All Time, Families of choice/Found family

[AO3] [FFN]

---

“What do you mean, you can’t?” Danny darted around Clockwork, refusing to let him turn away. “Clockwork!”

The ghost sighed, heavily and wearily, and looked down at Danny. “I cannot. It is that simple.”

“But that’s— that’s nonsense,” Danny insisted, gesturing wildly. “You’re the ghost of time! How can you not rewind this and fix it?!”

“I warned you, Daniel, that this would be a permanent change.” Clockwork blinked slowly, as if trying to convey some sort of emotion with his empty red eyes. “You did not heed my warning, or considered yourself above it. Now, you must live with the consequences.”

“But you’re—”

“Not all-powerful, no matter what you might think,” Clockwork cut in, narrowing his eyes. “You have altered the past, despite my warning not to. To travel back again would risk the stability of the timeline entirely. Would you rather see all of reality destroyed?”

Clockwork hummed before Danny could answer. “I would not, therefore I will not allow it to be so. The past has been set in stone, but the future is still malleable. Make it into something you can live with.”

“But…” Danny bit back his automatic response. There was no point. He’d tried fighting Clockwork before, and gotten his ass handed to him as a result. He sighed instead. “Can you at least take me back to Mom and Dad, then? The Portal looked like it blew up after I flew through it, and I don’t know where to find another.”

At that, Clockwork smiled. Or, Danny though it was a smile, at least. A small twitch of the ghost’s lips. “That, I can do.”

“Thanks, Clockwork.” Danny watched as the ghost swung his staff, a portal opening in its wake. “And… sorry, I guess.”

“Apology accepted.” Clockwork floated aside, waving a hand towards the portal. “Goodbye, Daniel.”

Danny nodded back, before flying through the portal. Welp. Time to face the music.

The portal spat him out in Amity Park, near his house. For a moment, Danny paused, considering the possibility that it brought him here because he consider Amity to be his home, no matter what. But then he realized that there was a car parked in front of the garage, one far too fancy for the neighborhood. His parents must’ve come this way, taking one of Vlad’s cars.

Thus satisfied, he flew down, phasing through the front door. No need to be secretive—both Jack and Maddie knew his secret already.

Still, he was surprised to find them both in the living room, apparently trying to clean up the place. Maddie saw him first, her body stilling. And how strange was it, that he found it comforting to see her here, in her cyan jumpsuit, with red goggles over her eyes? (That was weird, right? Danny felt like it should be weird.)

“Danny,” she said, quiet with surprise. “What are you doing here?”

At her words, Jack also looked up from where he was standing. He, too, looked almost exactly like his counterpart from Danny’s own timeline. Except with ecto-acne, of course.

“I, uh.” Danny shrugged, unsure. He felt thrown off by seeing his parents like this. It was almost right, but just slightly off. “Clockwork couldn’t undo it. Apparently the timeline is too unstable, or something. So I have to… stay in this world, I guess.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” She straightened up from her crouch, walking closer to him. “I— It probably won’t be easy, but you can stay with us for as long as you need to. Right, Jack?”

“Of course!” his dad immediately responded, nodding vigorously. “We’re… figuring stuff out, of course. But it’s thanks to you that we reunited in the first place. And you’re our kid!” He grinned, wide and loving, in that typical Jack Fenton way. “Even if the way you got here is a little weird, you’re still our family!”

“I…” He landed, noiselessly. Hesitated for a moment. Then closed the space between him and Maddie, wrapping his arms around her. “Thanks. Both of you. I’m sorry.”

The enormous warm arms of Jack Fenton came up around them. “Don’t be, kiddo. You have nothing to be sorry for,” he rumbled, underlined with an almost audible buzz of his core. It emitted a palpable feeling of family.

“No, but, I…” Danny sighed, crushing his head against Maddie’s shoulder. “It’s my fault. All of this is! I tried going back in time to change the past, to make it so Vlad wouldn’t get ecto-acne so he couldn’t infect my friends with it, but instead you became half-ghost.”

Danny drew a shaky breath, trying to fight past the emotions welling in his throat. They needed to understand. “It’s all my fault! Without my meddling, none of this would’ve happened!”

“Sounds to me,” his mom began, her thin fingers gently combing through his hair, “like you tried to help your friends, Danny.” She clicked her tongue. “Maybe not in the best way possible, but the intention was good.”

“I can’t imagine that Vlad would’ve dealt with being half-ghost much better than I,” Jack added, faint laughter in his voice. “Never mind the ecto-acne. But, of course! That’s how you recognized it!”

“Yeah, um.” Danny drew back from the hug a little. “I can… tell you guys, I guess? About my timeline. The differences, at least.”

“That’d be nice,” Maddie agreed, as Jack’s arms released them. She looked around, and Danny could read the reluctance in her body language, even despite the goggles. “We might have to clear some more stuff before we have the space to sit.”

“We could always sit on the floor?” Jack suggested, shrugging at her look. “Or Danny and I can float as ghosts.”

“Right.” Maddie shook her head, wandering over to the single chair not covered in debris and trash and reaching up to her hood. “If that works for you two, that might be the most convenient.” She paused, frowning at Danny, hood pulled off but still in hand. “But… if Vlad was the one who became half-ghost in your timeline, why are you half-ghost as well, Danny?”

“I, uh.” He shrugged, lifting his feet off of the ground to sit in mid-air. “Became half-ghost in an accident of my own.”

The frown he received from both parents very clearly asked for him to elaborate, so he did. “Okay, so. The point of divergence is the accident in college, obviously. In my timeline, Vlad got hit by the explosion, not Jack, so he becomes half-ghost and stuff. You two, Jack and Maddie, get together, especially since Vlad was cutting contact. You decide to become ghost researchers together and move to Amity Park.”

He paused to gesture to the house around them. “Specifically, you move here, to this specific house. You make it your place of business as well, called FentonWorks. Big neon sign on the front of the building, the basement downstairs becomes a lab, and at some point you two built the Ops Center at the top, which can also be used for inventing stuff. I’m… obviously not very informed of the details, since I was the second kid and you two talked very little about the past. Only,” here he made a face, “ghosts. Everything was always about ghosts.

“Anyway,” he continued, after a short pause to take a breath. “You two have Jazz first, and then me two years later. At some point after that, you start working on a new Portal, full scale, down in the lab. It takes forever to build, because you’re trying to be careful about it, I guess? But you finish it, eventually, when Jazz is sixteen and I fourteen.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes, darting them over his body. The question is clear as day: isn’t he basically fourteen?

“So,” Danny trumped on, ignoring the silent question, “After years of work, their Portal was finally finished! The ultimate proof that ghosts were real! And then it didn’t turn on.”

“It didn’t?” Jack gasped, clearly startled. Danny realized that, somehow, he’d missed the man shifting into his ghost form. “But—”

“It didn’t,” Danny interrupted, holding up a hand. “Because apparently, someone had built a secondary power switch inside the Portal, and they had forgotten to turn it on. So when they plugged in the power, the Portal didn’t turn on.”

There was clear calculation in the eyes of both of his parents, now. Danny continued his explanation before they could figure it out. Needed to tell his story to his parents, for once. He didn’t think he would ever get a chance to tell his actual parents, after all.

“Later that day, after Jazz convinced you two to take a break, my friends talked me into checking out the Portal. Just the three of us, since Tucker was interested in technology and Sam was interested in all things goth and occult.” He shrugged, almost fatalistically. “Sam suggested I take a closer look, and I did. Only, I didn’t realize that the power was still plugged in, so when I accidentally hit the power switch inside…”

“Oh!” Maddie gasped. “Oh, how terrible!”

“That must’ve hurt like hell,” Jack agreed, a painful grimace on his face. It looked strange, the genuine emotional expression with the blue skin, the pointed fangs poking out of his mouth. “Your parents must’ve felt awful, to know that they put their kid in such danger!”

“Well…” Danny made a face. “They kinda… didn’t know? They were both avid ghost hunters, both full of hate towards ghosts. I considered telling them, at first, but then they saw their first ghosts and…” Danny sighed. “I guess I was just scared that I’d be just a ghost to them. That they wouldn’t believe me.”

“That’s… That’s awful.” Jack floated over to nudge Danny. “Kiddo, if your dad was anything like me, I promise you, he would’ve cared.”

“I know.” Danny shook his head dismissively. “I know. That wasn’t why I was worried. I was afraid that they wouldn’t believe that I was me, that I was their son. That they would think that I had hurt or replaced their own kid.”

Maddie touched his shoulder, and Danny jerked, surprised. When had she stood up? Walked over? “Well… At least it is of no concern anymore, right? You’re here now, with us, and we believe you.”

It felt like something had crawled into his gut and died. “Yeah,” he said, with terribly faked enthusiasm. “Yeah, right.”

“It’s not much of a comfort, is it?” Maddie made a face. “I’m sorry. I guess I have very little parenting experience, compared to your actual mother.”

“Honestly?” He snorted. “It makes very little difference. Like I said, she and Dad spent most of the time in the lab, or otherwise occupied with ghost research.”

Maddie clicked her tongue, distaste clear on her face. “Well, isn’t that a waste. They have such a lovely son, and they don’t even enjoy his presence?”

“Well, y’know.” Danny shrugged, trying to ignore the pleased whirring of his core. “They try, now, but with all the ghosts we’re all kinda distracted. Them with trying to catch some for their research, and I with trying to protect the townspeople from the ghosts.”

Jack’s expression visibly brightened—as did the glow around his body. “You’re a ghost hunter! A ghost-fighting superhero! Just like I tried to be!”

“Uh.” Danny felt his brain skip over, then remembered. Somewhere in the blathering when he first arrived, Jack had mentioned that he’d tried using his powers for good. “Yeah, I guess so. But I had a little more success with it.” He grinned sheepishly.

“We should team up!” Jack exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Danny’s shoulders. “The two of us, and Maddie, if she wants to! We’d be a fantastic team!”

Danny laughed, a little uncertain. “Well, maybe. But we’ll need a Thermos to catch the ghosts, and a Portal to dump them back into the Ghost Zone, first. Those were kind of my major tools in managing. And Sam and Tucker, of course.”

“Oh?” Maddie asked, perking up. “Sam and Tucker? You mentioned them before, I think. Are those your friends?”

“Yeah, they… I guess they don’t know me, here.” He sighed, feeling himself drift down closer to the floor, away from his dad’s arm. “They… We were best friends, to the absolute end. Even after the stuff in the lab, the half-ghost stuff, the constant attacking ghosts and hunting them down, they stuck by my side.”

“I’m sorry, kiddo.” Jack landed as well, although unlike Danny, he landed on his feet. “But they’ll be around, right? It might not be the same, but they’re not gone.”

“Might as well be,” Danny huffed. He shook his head. “It won’t be the same. Without the years of shared experiences…”

Maddie and Jack shared a look—not quite as conversational as the ones his parents shared, but a good enough substitute—before apparently deciding to change the topic altogether.

“Why don’t we see if we can clear some rooms upstairs?” Maddie asked, clapping her hands together. “We’ll need at least two rooms clear enough for use, preferably three.”

“Three?” Danny echoed, frowning at them. “You’re not sharing?”

“We haven’t seen each other in years, Danny,” she pointed out, getting up from the chair. “We’re still reconnecting, never mind actually getting together.”

“Right,” he agreed, following her to the stairs. “But you are moving in?”

“Friends can share a house,” Jack pointed out, shifting back to his human form in a flash of white light, and reminding Danny to do the same. “And this way she won’t have to worry about getting kicked out of Vlad’s mansion while all the paperwork and stuff is happening.”

“And I never liked the mansion much,” Maddie admitted with a wry smile. “I liked the Vlad I knew, way back when, but over time it became clear that that wasn’t the real Vlad. I’d been thinking about divorcing him for longer, but… I don’t know. There was no one else I knew, nowhere I could go.”

“Not even to Aunt Alicia? I mean, she’s divorced as well, isn’t she?”

“I… didn’t realize she had married in the first place.” Maddie’s steps faltered for a moment before she continued up the stairs. “I guess I was afraid that she would judge me for marrying Vlad in the first place. I don’t know… It seems rather illogical, now, but I figured I could put up with Vlad well enough. And with his money I could afford my research, even if I had to do it behind his back.”

They stopped in the hallway upstairs, looking around. Danny resisted the urge to grimace. Somehow upstairs was even more of a mess than downstairs had been.

“Which room was yours, in your timeline?” Jack asked, sidling up to Danny.

“Uh.” He carefully stepped past the mess, stopping in front of his door. Or the door that belonged to the room that was his, in his own timeline. “This one. And Jazz had that one,” he pointed over to the room that his sister used. “The one next to mine was a guest room.”

Jack nodded. “Right, that makes sense! You can take that room if you want, Danny. Mads, you can take the other room if you want. The one next to here I used as a lab for a while, so cleaning…”

“Won’t be easy, got it.” She nodded as well. “I’ll take the other one. Let’s start with clearing out this one, shall we?”

“Let’s.” Danny pushed open the door, bracing himself mentally for the whiplash of seeing his room without it being his room.

As a result, he was almost toppled over by the cat that rushed past his legs.

“Jasmine!” Jack cheered, crouching down to pick up the fluffy white thing. “Is this where you’ve been hiding, honey?”

“Well,” Danny said, then stopped. He had no clue what to say. He didn’t even know what he thought of this.

“Well,” he tried again. “At least now I know who picked the name for Jazz, and who picked mine.”

Maddie snorted, gently pushing him into the room. “Personally, I think Danny is a great name, honey.”

“Thanks,” he retorted, eyes darting over the room. It was dark—the curtains were closed despite the time of day—but his night vision was pretty solid. “It’s short for Daniel.”

“And Jazz for Jasmine, then? That’s cute.” She ruffled his hair as she stepped past him, drawing open the curtains. “Hm. we certainly have our work cut out for us.”

“Yeah,” Danny agreed, looking at the piles of he-didn’t-know-what lying around. There was a bed buried in one of the piles, which suggested it might’ve been a guest room at some point. Or used by someone else, before Jack moved in. “And we still need to clear yours, too.”

“Better get working then,” Maddie decided, shaking her head as she crouched down. “Things won’t get better on their own, after all.”

[anthropwashere]

Phic Phight: set the self upon the shelf

Prompt from @five-rivers: Jack and Maddie acquire the pieces of Freakshow's staff.   

@currentlylurking @phicphight

Word count: 3,841

=

In hindsight, Danny should have expected something like this to happen. He'd been on a good streak; a really good streak. No catastrophes, no explosions, no be-all, end-all ultimatums with terrible creatures trying to squeeze the life out of some poor schmuck trying to go about their day. Heck, aside from a few toothy Day-Glo bright beasties waking him up just shy of his alarm and the usual irritation of the Box Ghost haranguing the nearest postal office, things have been easy. There hasn't even been any test to stress out over. So with how his luck usually is, he's overdue for a bad day. 

Today's that day, turns out. It's just not so obvious as bad days usually go for him anymore. It's insidious, creeping, sly. 

Worst of all, his parents are the ones to blame, and they're not even trying to take Phantom apart molecule by molecule this time.

It's a Wednesday, as dull as any other Wednesday can be, when he unlocks the front door of FentonWorks, leaving it open for Sam and Tucker to come in after him. They're all in the middle of another round of friendly bickering, some he-said she-said I-read-this-article goofing with no stakes or real anger in any of their threats to shut the others up. They're just goofing. Danny locks the door once they're in, punches in the pass code on the panel his parents had installed a couple months back so the trigger-happy security system doesn't take umbrage with whatever-the-hell just strolled in through the front door. Tucker's managed to bamboozle the security somehow—Danny can almost follow along with the concept of coding if Tucker's in the mood to skip the jargon, but sit him in front of a command prompt with nary a word of English to be found and his whole brain just fritzes out in self-defense—and point is, the security recognizes Danny's not very human, but it does the software equivalent of a shrug and dumps the notifications into a hidden folder his parents would need to get real creative finding. 

He means to lead them to the stairs to dump their backpacks off in his bedroom before raiding the kitchen. The Box Ghost had decided to ruin lunch today instead of Algebra, like a jerk, and Danny's starving as a consequence of his sandwich ending up on the floor and burning up a ton of energy chasing the idiot around the entire school six times. He's trying not to laugh as Sam keeps up her rant on how unreliable sad nerds on forums are for relaying what cocaine-addled movie producers in LA may or may not have agreed to, when Tucker says, "Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Where you going?"

Danny blinks. He's halfway down the stairs to his parents' lab. He didn't even notice. "Uh," he says, turning around. Sam and Tucker are still on the top step, raising identical eyebrows at him. "Sorry. Habit."

"BG can wait, dude. I didn't get to eat either."

"Ha. Right."

They go upstairs, Sam picking up her rant again on the second-floor landing. They drop their bags off in his room and tromp downstairs again. Danny flicks the light switch on as he passes through the doorway to the—

"Danny?"

He blinks. Halfway down to the lab again, and he'd been sure he was in the kitchen this time. He swallows, putting on a sheepish grin for his friends as he trots back up to them again. Tucker looks amused so he almost thinks he's gotten away without worrying them, but one look at Sam tells him to dump that hope in the trash and forget about it. Her painted mouth is downturned and distinctly worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he says. The funny thing is, it's not even a lie. "Why?"

She hesitates, then shakes her head. So he's not worrying her enough that she needs to make a parade of it. That's good. That's great. All he wants to focus on right now is microwaving the entire box of taquitos his Dad snuck into the grocery cart the last time his parents went shopping, and then eating it as fast as half-humanly as possible. 

Jazz comes home while they're all splayed out in the kitchen, poking her head in to say hi and ask if he needs any cover stories drummed up with lunch having been so chaotic. "Nah," he assures her, "I'll just dump the Box Ghost into the Portal after Mom and Dad go to bed. Thanks, though."

"Patrol tonight?"

"Always."

"Let me know when you head out?"

"Sure."

She smiles at him warmly, and not for the first time is Danny glad to have her in on his secret. She's overbearing and controlling and way, way too worried about rule-breaking, but still. It's nice. He trusts her, he loves her, and he gets no small amount of delight at having her in on all the ridiculous excuses he concocts for his parents. He has no idea how he managed so long without her helping him keep his secret. 

"Don't let him do anything stupid," she tells Sam and Tucker. Tucker gives her a mock-salute without looking up from his phone. 

"That's a tall order," Sam says with a roll of her eyes. Danny elbows her. She elbows him right back, and hers are sharp.

Jazz laughs so hard she snorts. It's a sure sign she's comfortable around Danny's friends, which is a lovely relief all on its own. For all that they don't talk much about not-ghost stuff, Danny knows she's struggled to make friends for a long time, knows she's lonely, knows she's just as happy to be included in all the Phantom business as he is to have her there beside him. She waves a touch sarcastically at them and goes off to her own room, presumably to be a good straight-A student and do all her homework for the rest of the month somehow. 

Whatever. Danny's got a full-sized mountain of taquitos to plough through and nothing the least bit life-threatening on his radar for the foreseeable future. That's as sure to change in the next five minutes as it always is. He's used to having a tight knot of panic clenched around his heart and/or the funny little cold spot where his ghostly core leaks through to his human side. He's always on edge, always ready for something. It's half the reason he can't remember the last time he got a decent night's sleep, too stressed to do more than toss restlessly in his bed until the wee hours, and the proper ghosts all seemed to have unanimously decided that five a.m. is the best time ever to come charging through the Portal to cause a little pre-dawn havoc.

"Danny?"

He blinks, and he's halfway down the stairs to the lab again.

He licks his lips, swallowing nervousness. He... he doesn't even remember leaving the kitchen. He looks over his shoulder to find Sam and Tucker up on the top step again, equal amounts of concern furrowing their brow. Down in the lab he hears his parents' voices, just low enough that he can't make out individual words over the heady thrum of the Ghost Portal. "Uh," he says.

"Something's wrong," Sam says. it's not a question.

"I'm okay," he says automatically. "Really. Not lying. Just... I dunno. Let's go upstairs."

They go upstairs. Danny plows through his taquitos as originally intended, relaying through rude mouthfuls that he really does feel fine, totally normal (for him, shut up Tucker). He doesn't think he's losing time or anything as worrying as that. He's just... going through the motions so much that he doesn't even notice when he misses his mark.

Sam and Tucker do not like the sound of that, but he convinces them to let it lie. His parents are probably just working on some new gadget. He'll take a look at the lab later tonight. It's not like it feels evil or anything. It doesn't even hurt, which considering the trend of ghost hunting gizmos they've drummed up the last few months is a welcome change of pace. It's fine, really. He's fine, really.

"If you're sure," Tucker says, doubtful.

"I am. Give it a rest, will ya?"

They do, and they reluctantly bunker down to make a decent dent in their homework so they won't have to worry about it in that anxious gray waiting after dinner with their families and before they can sneak out for patrol. Normal kids do their homework after dinner. Not them. They're halfway between valedictorian and delinquent in their habits, toeing the line between abandoning homework entirely and only keeping up with it as best they can to avoid any unnecessary eyes. Danny can't afford the extra attention. 

The afternoon wanes, evening looming like an executioner's axe—Sam and Tucker are all too aware of how long they've gone without a proper catastrophe too—and sooner than they'd prefer it's time to part ways. Sam and Tucker gather up their things and hide away their patrol schedules and the like in the hollow space in Danny's ceiling as per usual. Then the three of them tromp down the stairs again to dump their plates in the sink and pay lip service to a goodnight until tomorrow in case Danny's parents are around. They're not at first glance, or at second glance for that matter, but better safe than sorry. Danny starts to follow them to the door, uneasy of the doorway down the lab yawning like a mouth, and this time he feels it—

(come here)

—but there's nothing for it. Knowing he's being bidden down the basement doesn't stop him from swiveling on his heel to start down the polished stairs. It's only Sam's quick reaction that stops him only two steps down, her hand a firm vice on his bent elbow. 

"Yeah," he says, a little breathless with surprise. "Felt it that time."

"Only that time?" Tucker asks in a tone firmly detailing how little he likes the sound of that. 

Danny looks over his shoulder to nod at them both. "It doesn't hurt," he reminds them. "It's okay. I can handle—whatever it is they're doing down there."

"Tell Jazz," Sam says, which is surprising enough that Tucker gawks at her too. It's not like she and Jazz get along, after all. Danny promises, too surprised to scoff or tease her for worrying over nothing. Maybe that should've been a warning sign too.

He waves them off at the door, locking it and punching in the code again with a habit so well-honed he doesn't even think about it, and before he knows it he's blinking harsh neon green light out of his eyes. Down in the basement, and he only remembers walking down the stairs after the fact.

"Danny-boy!" His dad shouts with his usual boisterous energy from over near one of the examination tables. His mom's off at one of the far counters, bent over a heavily modified microscope. Both of them have their hoods up, and Danny has to swallow a shiver when his dad looms too close. Something about the goggles always reminds him of how a praying mantis' eyes bulge; charmingly goofy right up until it snatches its prey up in its scythe-like forearms. 

"H-hey, Dad."

"Whoa, is it that late already? Baby cakes, it's almost six!"

His mom straightens up with a murmured groan as her back pops audibly. Her red-lipped smile ratchets right up into something uncanny and wrong without her eyes visible to soften the bright flash of teeth. "Is it? Oh, hell, I completely forgot to take the hamburgers out to thaw. Danny—hi, sweetie—do you mind calling in take-out? Your choice." 

"Uh. Sure, no problem." Funny. Never mind the taquitos he devoured an hour ago, he's always on the cusp of starving. Ghost powers or puberty, or both. He doesn't know and it doesn't really matter so long as nobody notices how much he puts away without gaining an ounce. He casts a wide glance around the lab, feigning bored curiosity, hoping to find some strange new device with his dad's face stickered all over it that will explain this weird urge demanding he be down here—

—and feels his heart and core both stutter at the sight of what's laid beneath his dad's broad hands.

"What," he chokes out. It's all he can manage. His usual anxiety—something's coming, something will come for him, any moment now, any moment, soon soon soon—transmogrifies into a full-blown panic attack so fast he feels the air in his lungs literally, genuinely freeze. He clenches his jaw against the coughing fit threatening to expose him as wrong, pointing at the long black staff laid on the table instead.

"Oh, this? You're never gonna believe it, Dann-o." His dad beams at him, proud of his work and glad his son's taking an interest in it. "We got a call yesterday on the 800 number. Some hiker found this thing absolutely covered in little ghosts down in Little Grand Canyon and figured this thing oughta have a proper once over from us instead of being left to lie where the river'd dumped it."

"It appears to generate a frequency too high for humans to perceive," his mom chimes in, walking over to join them at the table. She shoos a small sparrow-looking ghost away with naked disgust curling her mouth; it goes sailing on stiff wings off to settle on a sturdy crate off in one corner, red eyes leaving streaking after-images as it twists and ducks its little head, taking in all the strangeness of the lab. Danny pretends as hard as he can that he can't hear it asking, where am i? where am i? 

"That's right," his dad confirms, plucking the staff up with a frivolous little twirl that has his mom swatting his shoulder with a laugh. "There must have been thirty birds and snakes and the like swarming all over this thing when we got there this morning. We had to melt the lot of them to get our hands on this thing, and we've got no idea yet what got them so interested in this thing."

"At first glance it's only a simple iron-wrought staff," his mom says, tugging it free from his dad's hands to display the detailed bat at its top and the glittering shards of crimson-colored glass running down its back. "But see this glass? There's a tremendous amount of energy emitting from it—harmless to humans, don't worry. But that bird's the seventh ghost we've seen since we brought this thing down here. Something about the frequency is compelling to ghosts. They have to come see what's going on. Although why they feel such a compunction or what this thing's original purpose was is beyond me...." 

In the back of Danny's mind he hears an echo of an echo of Freakshow's voice urging him on. (take it. bring it back to me. come home. come home to me.)

"Yeah," he manages thinly. "Weird."

They ramble on for a while, too giddy to have him showing an interest in their work to recognize that his interest stems from something adjacent to terror. He musters a rictus grin, nodding like some wall-eyed bobblehead toy when they look to him for input. All the while the beady red eyes of the bat on the staff burn his skin like lit cigarettes, like brands, like red-hot manacles he might not be able to shake this time.

(come here,) the staff bids him, its voice so gentle it could his own mind assuring him that this is the best idea he's ever had. (take me. bring me home. bring me to him. it will all be so much better once we're his again.) 

"Dinner," he chokes out eventually, backing away toward the stairs. "I should—order. Order. Dinner. Pizza?"

"Sounds good to me," his dad says cheerfully. "You know what I like."

"My wallet's in the kitchen," his mom adds.

(stay,) the staff says. (take me. bring me home.)

"Nngh," he says, nodding dutifully. He doesn't know who to. It takes far more effort to climb the stairs this time, his grip white-knuckled on the banister, his gaze reluctantly dragged away from the basement and up to the living room. Once there he blinks, feeling the tug of the staff fade to something slight again. He can ignore it up here, but now that he knows what it is he can't stop hearing-feeling it. 

(come here,) it urges. (downstairs. i'm here. take me back. take me home. come home with me—)

He slaps his hands over his ears (for all the good it does), and stomps over to the kitchen where the landline is. Pizza. He. He's gotta order dinner. His parents will suspect him if he doesn't do this one perfectly normal thing. 

He dials. He orders. He fumbles around his mom's wallet for her debit card. He manages a stammered apology to the person on the line, who laughs indulgently and tells him "No worries!" in a tone that says she knows how young he is just by his voice. Underestimating him. Simple human. Stupid human. He could show her how wrong she is. He should show her. Scare her. Make her scream. Hurt her—

He drops the phone, breathing heavily.

Shit. 

Shit.

"Hello?" The girl's tinny voice asks uncertainly, a hundred miles away at his feet.

He picks the phone up. "S-sorry. Anyway, the number's...."

He finishes the order. The girl on the phone tells him to expect the driver to arrive in about 45 minutes. He makes a few incomprehensible noises that might translate to something like a thank you if the girl happens to feel real generous. He's never calling this pizza place again.

Once the phone's back on the receiver he bolts up through the ceiling, straight up to the roof, past the Ops Center, up up up until he feels the final sticky thread of the staff let him go, until he's skirting the scraggly cloud cover and thinking clearly enough to realize he really ought to ditch visibility while he's up here trying to figure out what the fuck he's gonna do next.

Freakshow's in jail.

Freakshow doesn't have the staff.

Freakshow can't control him now. He can't. He can't.

It's the staff. Just the staff down there, and whatever about it that makes it so—intoxicating? Smothering? Comforting?

He's far enough away that it's easy to recoil from that. It's not a comfort. It's not. It's not easy, or gentle, or good. It's piano wire tugging on his joints, turning his mind to so much waterlogged cotton. There's no knowing what the staff would do to him without someone at the metaphorical wheel. Just because what he remembers from when Freakshow controlled him is a warm, soft cocoon doesn't make it right. He put humans—people—in the hospital. He stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from eight different stores in six days. He nearly killed Sam. 

These are things he knows because he was told them secondhand. He read articles, watched news reports, listened to Sam shakily try to convince him that she was okay, really, just as he'd done to her a hundred times before. 

But the truth of the matter is this: he has no concrete memories of that week spent under Freakshow's thumb. He remembers warmth, and rightness, and glee. He remembers feeling a good so giddy it might be better than any description of any drug he's ever heard of. He knows the comedown was hard, and disorienting, and cold, and that he couldn't shake the ring of Freakshow's laughter in his ears for weeks. He knows that the majority of him hated every minute of not being himself. He knows that nine-tenths of him still feels a touch unclean in a way he doesn't know how to voice to Sam and Tucker, to know that he did those things without any semblance of self, and that last little part of him reveled in just... letting go. Running wild. In doing things for the fun of it and not caring at all about consequences, because what did consequences matter to a ghost?

There's a very, very tiny part of himself that wishes for the freedom of that feeling. Yoked and manacled in the sticky, impossible-to-resist way of magic, but free from the burdens of Danny Fenton. No expectations, no future, no what-ifs, no curfews, no algebra. Just Phantom. Just free to do whatever he pleases.

Skittishly he looks down at FentonWorks a thousand feet below, unsure if he's put enough distance between himself and the staff, unsure if he can trust his own thoughts yet. He doesn't know. He doesn't think there's any way to know for sure.

What should he do?

What can he do?

Just being within easy reach of the staff puts prickles all down his spine, numbs his hands and feet and tongue. He broke it. That's how he got free of Freakshow. He dropped it to save Sam because she was more important, and it broke, and now he's free. He's free. He is.

Maybe the orb-thing wasn't the source.

Maybe....

He doesn't know.

He can't let his parents keep it. That much he does know. If they figure out how to utilize it, even at a fraction of what Freakshow was capable of, then there'd be no winning. Phantom could barely fight it with Sam begging for her life right in front of him, and that was with a stranger at the reins. If his mom or dad told him to come down to the lab and lay down on an examination table....

He can't.

He can't.

What can he do?

His hip buzzes, so unexpected he drops twenty feet before catching himself with a yelp. His first instinct is that it's an attack, and he switches to Phantom and throws up a shield faster than thought, twisting around in the dark trying to find the source, trying to see who's coming for his throat next—

It's his phone. A text. That's all. No more, no less.

He changes back, not trusting his shaky hands with gloves on. It's from Jazz, asking where he's at. He calls her back, and she answers on the third ring.

"Hey, Danny," she says, relief audible in her voice. "Was there a ghost?"

"Uh-uh," he says. "Worse. Jazz, I—I need a favor."

"What was that? You broke up."

"Oh. Uh. Hang on." He drops hundreds and hundred of feet in free fall, watching the Ops Center racing up to meet him, all its floodlights swiveling round and round on automated patterns. He halts on a dime, far faster than any human could endure, and feels only an irritating tug on his bones as he swivels to find balance again. "Can you hear me now?"

"Yeah, that's better. What's up?"

He takes a deep breath. "I need a favor. A really, really big one."

[krystalficloverdh]

My hero - What’s the meaning of this necklace?

Chapter 10

YOU CAN READ THE REST HERE

READY FOR SOME LOVE?!

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“FROM ENTRANCE ONE WE HAVE KATSUKI BAKUGOU WHO WILL BAST HIS WAY TO THE TOP!” Midnight called out as Katsuki stepped into the arena with a weird face.

“Izu-chan, what did you do to Bakubro?” Kirishima asked behind Izuku as she took her seat next to Ochako.

“He has an idiot’s face.” Mina snorted next to Izuku and the whole class stopped doing whatever they were doing to look at Izuku.

Izuku raised her head from the arena and shrugged trying to hide her blush.“Encouraging words of battle.” She said raising her fists in the air before she felt two arms around her shoulders.

“Kiss good luck?” Mina teased her, she was about to say it was a joke when she noticed her friend bright red. “YOU DIDN’T!” She and Ochako beamed, Izuku covered their mouths making the others look at them.

“It was on his cheek.” Izuku said as she felt her hands being slapped her hand away by her friends.

“You do realize that there’s no turning back, right? In our tribe we do not take lightly these things.” Mina explained.

“I know.” Izuku groaned.

“FROM ENTRANCE TWO WE HAVE OUR FAVORITE COLD YET HOT PRINCE SHOTO TODOROKIIIIII!” Prince Mic shouted as the prince stepped in front of Katsuki and the weird face the blond was making transformed in pure rage.

“START!” Midnight screamed over the arena.

In a matter of seconds Todoroki sended a big wave of ice against Katsuki, half of the arena was covered in ice.

“KACCHAN!” Izuku widened her eyes and jumped over the edge of the stands worriedly because she couldn’t see him.

The ice got scattered with a loud bang because of a fiery blast from Katsuki, he jumped from the big hole he created and lunged at Todoroki with a death glare. “The stronger the magic...the more imprecise the impact!” Todoroki tried to touch him but he blasted himself away as he grabbed his opponent by his head and shoulder, he threw him over his shoulder with all his might. “ARE YOU UNDERESTIMATING ME?! IDIOT!”

When Todoroki almost landed out of the bounds he used a wall of ice and slid back towards Katsuki who blasted him again and Todoroki to let out some flames but died in an instant.

“AM I NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU USE IT?! HOW DARE YOU LOSE YOUR WILL AFTER HURTING HER LIKE THAT! DO I HAVE TO SACRIFICE MY HAND TO MAKE YOU USE IT LIKE HERS!” Katsuki said darkly.

“Bakugou you…!” Todoroki flinched, finally realizing part of Bakgou’s reason for winning.

“BASTARD! DON’T YOU DARE TO LOOK DOWN ON ME! I WANT AN INDISPUTABLE FIRST PLACE! I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” Katsuki shouted at him, making Todoroki’s eyes widen in shock. “IF YOU HAVE NO INTENTION OF WINNING THEN DON’T STAND IN MY WAY!”

“Ever since I fought Midoriya I became unsure...If I was correct or not, I want to be a hero!” Todoroki’s thoughts rang as he looked at Katsuki running at him, he was about to give up when he heard familiar voices in the stands. “Sorry Bakugou…”

“COME ON! GIVE YOUR ALL!” Izuku screamed and the rest of the class got up as well.

Midoriya!

“FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE! PLUS ULTRAAAAA!” The class cheered and the rest of the arena screamed loudly.

Todoroki’s flames came to life as he looked at his classmates. “So you stopped fucking around?!” Katsuki screamed as he lunged at him spinning in the air. “SCHNEIDER BOMB!” He shouted with his final new attack that looked like a tornado full of explosions.

Todoroki swung his arm filled with fire but at the last moment his flames went out and a loud rumble of ice was heard along with a loud explosion.

“What…?!” Katsuki’s voice was filled with confusion as he saw the unconscious body of Todoroki over the ice, he stood up and clutched the prince’s shirt while trembling in anger. “A win like this...I DON’T FUCKING WANT IT! OI!” He yelled but fell unconscious as well because of Midnight’s interference.

“BAKUGOU WIIINS!” Midnight raised her hand to the arena while Izuku looked confused at Todoroki.

What the hell happened? Why not use his fire side like with her? It made no sense to Izuku...

The class paled at the scene, knowing that the moment the blond wakes up there will be hell.

“He’s going to be so pissed.” Kirishima shook his head and clapped Izuku’s. “Well, I leave it to you Izu-chan!”

Izuku paled. “Oh no no no.” She looked around for help but the others gave her the thumbs up.

“Someone has to be sacrificed for the team.” The rest told at the same time.

Traitors.

“NOW, WE WILL AWARD THE MEDALS! THE PRESENTATION OF THE MEDALS WILL, OF COURSE, BE BY THIS MAN-” Midnight cheered to the crowd as a big muscular man lets out a booming and familiar laugh over the crowd, All Might jumped from his place while she talked.

“OUR VERY OWN HERO, ALL MIGHT!/ I HAVE BROUGHT THE MEDALS HERE!” The heroes said at the same time and an awkward silence was brought to the arena as the legendary hero landed beside her.

“I talked over you…” She whispered to him as he looked at her in embarrassment. “Now then, All Might, please present the medals starting with third place.” She handed him the three medals.

All Might laughed softly as he approached Tokoyami. “Young Tokoyami, congratulations.” The boy bowed his head so the hero could put the medal around his neck. “You sure are strong, but...However, in order to fight well against different types, you must not rely only on your magic.” He gave him a light hug. “If you train your own strength more, then you’ll have more options when you fight.”

“Yes, sir.” Tokoyami said softly, looking down at his medal.

All Might turned to the second podium. “Young Todoroki, congratulations.” The prince bowed down to receive his medal. “I’m sure there is a reason why you didn’t use your left side in the last battle?”

“I had an opportunity in my match with Midoriya...But then I became unsure of myself.” He stared at Izuku as she gave him a soft smile and then back at All Might. “I think I understand a little why you are interested in her... I wanted to become a hero like you, but I didn’t think it would be right for me to be the one to break away.” He said as his semblance turned determined. “There is still something I must settle.”

All Might nodded. “The look in your eyes is completely different now.” He hugged Todoroki and whispered. “I won’t ask for details, I’m sure you will be able to do what you need to do.”

“Yes.”

“This is too much.” All Might said shocked as he saw Katsuki chained up against a pillar attached to his podium and with a bite mask. “Young Bakugou, my boy!” He laughed as he took the mask off him.

“All Might.” Katsuki growled slowly and the hero frowned at him. “A first place like this...IS NOT WORTH ANYTHING! EVEN IF THE WORLD RECOGNIZES IT IF I DON’T THEN IT’S FUCKING TRASH!” He yelled through clenched teeth and the crowd paled at the face he was making while his friends were trying not to laugh.

What an amazing face!

All Might nodded and placed his palms over his hips as he looked to the crowd. “In this world where people are being compared constantly, there are not many who can keep aiming for the top.” He finished as he returned to face Katsuki.

His face is amazing!

“Take this medal, okay? Think of it as a wound, so you don’t forget!” All Might tried to place the medal over his shoulders but Katsuki moved his head backwards.

“I DON’T FUCKING WANT IT! BUZZ OFF!”

“Now, now.” The hero struggled as the boy trembled and finally forced it into his mouth. “Here!”

“HERE YOU HAVE IT! THE TOP THREE! THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEROES! NOW SAY IT WITH ME!”

“GOOD WORK/PLUS ULTRA!” All Might and the rest said at the same time.

“EEEEEH?!”

After everything ended, most of the arena was empty except for Katsuki who had his knees crunched down and with the medal hanging from his mouth. Izuku stopped in front of him a few meters away, she tilted her head as she crossed her arms.

“Kacchan.” She said but no response.

Okay, the old reliable...Act cute.

“Congrats for the first place Kacchan!”

“I DIDN’T WON DAMMIT!” He growled and she flinched.

“Come on Kacchan.”

“YOU CALL THAT A VICTORY?!” He stood up while fuming through his nostrils. “THAT BASTARD REFUSED TO USE HIS FUCKING FLAMES AND GAVE ME SUCH A FUCKING HALF-ASSED BATTLE!” He spat the medal but Izuku catched it.

“Chill Kacchan.” She pleaded as she got closer to him.

“I’M FUCKING CHILL!” He said as he made a demon face.

All Might was right, what an amazing face.

“I won’t let you go until you calm down.” She said sternly as she watched him tremble but he was not yelling anymore so that was good. She ran both of her hands through his hair to calm him down, her hands slid down to his cheeks while a pair of red eyes watched every move, she ran her thumbs over his cheeks and she looked around, verifying that no one was watching. “I’ll let you go now.” She whispered and gave him a quick peck on his cheek and jerked back up, wiggling a little to see if he’d calmed down completely. She smiled as she saw his whole body relaxed and with a swift movement of her head she destroyed the chains.

“Izuku…” Katsuki whispered as he took her hands.

“Let me finish...he must have his reasons...I kinda pushed him over the line.” She looked to the other side in shame. “You’ll have another chance to fight him, it must be pretty shocking for him to use that side of his that he pledged to never use.” She gave him the medal. “We’ll grow and perfectionate our abilities to come back better than ever.” She motioned him to take it and he rolled his eyes but took back the medal to put it on his pocket.

“Tch.”

“Izuku-chan!” A loud voice from behind had them jerking apart, Izuku looked over at her friends who had knowing looks on their faces saying: I’m not even sorry.

“You promised us that you'll get ready with us for the ball tonight.” Ochako pouted as the girls hugged Izuku by her arms. The freckled girl whipped her head around to see that Katsuki was being dragged away by Kirishima.

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“AAAAAAAAAH!” Ochako cried in pain as Izuku waxed her legs in Momo’s room.“You’re right these come in handy!” She beamed happily as she touched her legs while the other girls nodded in agreement as they saw their own legs.

“I know right?” Mina jumped up and down. “Izuku told me a few months ago, it lasts a month.” She placed Momo’s hand over her legs. “Seriously, feel me...I’m so fucking soft.”

Izuku giggled softly as she puts on the white dress that she bought a few weeks ago while the other girls did the same, when she finished she saw how Momo was doing Tsuyu’s hair with pretty flowers with a braid. She gulped hard as she approached the princess gripping the hem of her dress tightly and the princess noticed as she saw her.

“Izuku, what’s wrong?” Momo asked as she finished the hairstyle.

“I...I want to look...cute.” Izuku whispered with her face red and her ears were ringing. “Can you help me?” She stared down at the floor and there was a silence, she looked up at her friends who stopped moving.

“IZUKUUUUU!” Her friends screamed happy to help.

Izuku smiled at her reflection in the mirror, she wore her white dress, her green corset that hugged perfectly her waist, half of her hair was down while the other half was tamed with a braid in the middle that was adorned with beautiful white and green flowers. Mina helped her with her makeup specially on her eyes and left her freckles to make her look more natural, while Momo made her some heels, the part of the heel was adorned with the same flowers of her hair.

“Izu-chan you look like a snack!” Mina said as she slapped Izuku’s ass making her yelp while covering her butt.

“I don’t think that I…” Izuku started to watch Momo’s boobs unconsciously and back at her not so prominent ones and Ochako noticed.

“Izuku-chan, worry not! What you don’t have here.” Ochako pointed at Izuku's average boobs and slapped her friend’s ass. “Gets balanced with these babies!”

“Okay, I think my ass has been slapped enough!” Izuku rubbed her butt again as she saw that her friends were ready to go. “And you shush!” She pointed at Mina who had a loud smirk of her face.

“What are we waiting for? The boys are already there!” Jirou said and the girls ran towards the ball.

The girls arrived some minutes later, the streets were full of people dancing, many people were doing magic shows for the children, the musicians over a stage played incessantly so that people could dance at the center, there was a table full of food in the background and the girls immediately knew where the boys were.

Izuku walked around through the dancing pairs looking for Katsuki, she sighed in defeat and felt someone poking her shoulder, she turned around to find Todoroki with a soft smile.

“Midoriya.” Todoroki bowed in greeting and she bowed in return. “Would you like to dance?” He asked as he extended his hand to her and Izuku took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. “I’d like to thank you Midoriya.”

“Thank me? I think I owe you an apology for praying too much into your business.” Izuku scratched her cheek and the prince shook his head.

“Believe me, If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have realized something important ... That this power is mine and not anyone else's.” Todoroki’s lip curled in a crooked smile, he took her right hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it. “I owe you my thanks.”

“You’re welcome, you should smile more often man.” Izuku waved her other hand nervously and looked around to find Endeavor’s angry face.”HAHAHAHAHA LOOK AT KING DOUCHE’S FACE!” She and Todoroki snickered at his face.

“But seriously, I think you would have won the first place if you hadn’t slipped with the ice.” Todoroki teased.

“Ooooh! Low blow!” Izuku punched his chest softly. “I don’t know, Kacchan is very strong...He’s the best warrior of his tribe.” She said as the song ended.

“Speaking of the devil.” Todoroki said as he looked behind her.

“My fucking turn Icyhot.” A familiar voice growled at Todoroki behind Izuku, she smiled as she felt his arms around her waist. “Now...fuck off! Shu shu!”

“Thank you Midoriya for the dance and for hearing me out.” Todoroki bowed to her and she did the same before he took his leave to talk with Momo.

Katsuki spun her around so they were face to face, he pulled her closer to him and she looked at him from head to toe. His cloak was new and more red than the one he uses normally, he had his face painted with red colors over his cheeks and black over his eyes making the beautiful red to stand out more, his chest was covered with different patterns along with his arms. He had different collars of different colors, Izuku widened her eyes as she saw that the necklaces seemed to shine down the light of the moon and so his red earrings.

“Your necklaces are shining.” Izuku said in awe as she touched his collars and she felt a tug at her necklace as they danced.

“So does yours.” Katsuki whispered as she looked into her eyes.

“You look...regal? Is this a formal attire of your tribe?” She asked and he nodded. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders with ease and he grabbed her waist with his both hands in reflex. “With these shoes I’m at your eyelevel.” She giggled, she almost stumbled because of her heels but Katsuki pushed her up in the air and spun her around making her giggles to intensify. Her dress and his cloak moved along with them as they spun around a few times in synchrony, the people who were next to them had to move away a little as they saw in awe.

“Idiot! You almost tripped because of those stupid shoes.” He muttered to her as she descended from above.

“Tch...I wanted to look cute.” She pouted as they danced but felt a hand pushing her against him.

“For who?” He asked and she blushed as she saw his eyes heat.

“Isn’t it obvious? You big idiot.” She averted her eyes in embarrassment, they continued to dance a few more songs but all that time he didn’t say anything and just kept staring at her. “Kacchan you’re too quiet, s-stop staring.”

“Why?” Katsuki grabbed her by the chin so she would look at him again, his gaze dropped to her lips and he bent forward, only to lean back when they heard a booming laugh.

“WELCOME EVERYBODY! I SEE EVERYONE IS HAVING FUN!” All Might cheered over the stage with the other professors. “BUT THERE MORE YET TO SEE! WE’LL BE HAVING FIREWORKS IN AN HOUR!”

“WELL LET THE PARTY CONTINUE!” The master of the guild Nezu raised his fist and everyone cheered with him.

“You and I need to talk.” Izuku said in a serious tone, she took his hand and motioned him to follow her into the forest. A few seconds passed as they blended more into the tall trees, when she considered a good distance she stopped and turned to face him, she grabbed her necklace.“You know I’ve been meaning to ask...What’s the meaning of this necklace?”

Katsuki took his time to get close to her as Izuku continued to explain.

“You know, Mina told me some interesting things about your traditions…” Izuku grinned evilly and backed away slowly with her fingers intertwined behind her back. “Once you want to court a lady you must give a necklace to prove your loyalty.”

“Why did you kiss me?” His voice was rough, he walked forward and she didn’t notice until he was towering over her.

“Don’t answer me with another question-eep!”

He grabbed her wrists and she tried to push him but because of her lack of practice with those shoes, her heels sinked into the ground causing her to fall over the ground with him kneeling over her. He pinned her wrists above her head and her knees had automatically raised up to cage his hips when he dropped his weight against her. His body felt warm and heavy against the junction of her thighs, she could feel how his body moved subtly against her as he breathed in and out. His face was shielded by his hair and the veins in his throat throbbed. He was looking away from her for a moment and then he found her eyes by pressing his nose to hers, so close she could taste him in their shared air.

“I was gonna leave so I wanted to leave a proof that I existed...That you were mine, I knew what I wanted and that was you.” He lets go of her hands so he could brush the hair off out of her eyes as he used his elbows to keep from crushing her.

“Is that what you want?” Her voice came a little higher because of her nerves.

“Oh! that’s not even close...I want to kiss you, I want to hold you, I want your stupid freckeled face to be the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see before going to sleep.” Izuku blushed more and more as he continued. “I want the whole world to know that you are mine, not with this necklace.” He paused to tug at her necklace and she trembled. “But with your heart and body, sometimes when you put yourself in danger I want to take you somewhere to have you by myself and protect you but when I see you kicking those villain asses makes me regret to think that way.” He touched his forehead with hers, his eyes desperate for an answer. “I want you.”

“Is this your romantic way to say that you...Love me?” She teased him as her hands, which had been laying above her head came to touch his chest and she could feel him trembling from her touch. She slid her hands to his shoulders and brought her hands to cup his face. “You’re not asking me for anything that I can’t give you… Kiss me, Katsuki.” She whispered.

He complied with a groan and kissed her hard with an air of desperation, at first it was sloppy from both parties but as they continued, it changed and her arms circled around his neck. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth before releasing it, then he bit it lightly and released her lip again, she arched her back unconsciously at that. She opened her mouth and his tongue immediately came out to play with hers, her hands slid up to his hair and tightened. He slid one arm under her back so he could be closer than before and his other hand angeled her head so he could kiss her deeper.

This is so not what Izuku expected to be for her first kiss but she was not complaining.

He was a fucking good kisser.

They parted for air, he lowered his head to her ear. “I saw you entering the ball, with those exposed shoulders and these beautiful freckles...But that hot and cold bastard took you away.” His hot breath whispered over her neck and she closed her eyes as she gripped the strands of his hair, he shuddered against her. He dropped open-mouthed kisses over her neck and she gasped as she tilted her head unconsciously so he could address the other side. “Be my bride Izuku.” He said as he licked the spot where her shoulder and neck met.

“Wow! slow down...Aren’t you going too fast?” She asked but let out a little whimper when she felt him bit and suck the same spot and he felt her pulse jump against his tongue. He lifted his head from her neck, he looked down at her dazed state and gave her a wicked smile when he noticed the forming marks on her neck. She looked up at his face and saw pride, possessiveness and love. “Ahhh why the fuck not?” She cried out as she pulled him back to her mouth.

The hem of her dress slid down to the point it could be seen her legs, she ran her hands down his strong shoulders and down his chest to slide them over his back. He slid his hand from her waist to stop over her butt for a moment giving her a light squeeze and down to the back of her thigh. She moaned as she roamed her nails down his back, probably too hard and his hand clenched in response.

“Where is that hand going mister?” She jerked out of the kiss and asked panting when she felt him tug at her corset.

“Where it wants to be.” His eyes glazed with passion and hidden promises.

“Not here! We’re not far away from the party.” She said with a red face.

“So what? Let them see.” Katsuki shocked himself at how quickly he replied, he went down to nuzzle the base of her throat and sucked. She bucked her body against his as he moved to bite her shoulder softly.

Okay, he seriously needed to stop biting her or she’ll become addicted to him she thought to herself.

“Then become addicted to me like I’m addicted to you, god I love your neck.” He said over her neck.

Shit, she said that out loud.

“That too.” He chuckled and lifted his head. He gave her a smacking kiss that had her gasping before pulling away once more.

“We should head back.” She said in her haze. She had her cheeks red, her lips puffy from their kiss, she had marks of his teeth all over her shoulders and neck.

“Haaa?! There’s no way in hell I’ll let those bastards see you in this state!” He growled. “Now that I think about it...this way they’ll think twice after getting near you.” He said as he traced her marks and she moaned, he thanked the gods for making her so sensible. “You’re so dangerous.” He said huskily and leaned down wanting to kiss her again.

“Stop it you lustful animal!” She put her hands over his mouth. She flinched when he kissed her palms, he pulled her arms and curled them around his neck once more.

“Just one more.” He pleaded over her mouth and she gulped at the look of his eyes, she sighed and nodded shyly. He smirked and gave chaste kisses, again and again, she groaned as she leaned up for a harder press of his lips.

“Kacchan!” She whined as he lifted his head again with a loud smirk.

“Yes?” He asked innocently and kissed her forehead, her cheek and the corner of her mouth.

She made a strangled sound and tugged his collars to pull him more. “Kiss me like you mean it idiot.”

He gave her a wicked smile, he kissed her hard and she sighed in pleasure. This time she had him groaning as she nibbled his lower lips, she flicked her hot tongue with his and she roamed her nails again over his back. They went like that until their kiss turned slow, soft and tender.

“Okay, we seriously need to stop.” She said as she looked at the fireworks that started to appear, she had Katsuki buried over her neck taking calming breaths as he fought for control.

“Just...give me a moment.” His voice was so deep, he sighed and sat in front of her with each leg surrounding her hips and she sat on her knees.

Izuku leaned forward and rested her head against his chest. “I love you, Katsuki.” She whispered with her face red, she realized that he stopped breathing and she jumped as she felt his hands clenching her waist hard enough to bruise.

“Idiot, I love you too.” He laid his head on her shoulder, he kissed behind her shoulder and bit her.

“Kacchan!”

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[her-story6]

Recently, I've been having a really bad case of writer's block, but @asocial-nebula 's Demons & Angels AU gave me sufficient motivation, so I wrote a little drabble based on it.

The italicized part is from one of their headcanon things. Most of the ideas are theirs too.

This is purely unedited, written in one sitting, and just for fun- please give me some slack

“Cathy, we talked about this.”

The demon looked up from the floor to see Kitty standing over her, arms crossed and expression stern. A pang of guilt registered in the pit of her stomach before she could stop it.

“About what?”

“Don’t play games with me. You know the rules. Burning Aragon’s books? Really? I thought you were done with that silly feud” Kitty gestured aimlessly at the piles of ashes strewn around the demon. Cathy had to admit, the evidence did seem very damning. Still, it wasn’t her fault.

“No, you don’t understand. Just let me expla-”

“No, Catherine.” The witch shook her head sadly. “You know the rules. I really don’t want to hear your excuses.”

Cathy’s breath hitched at her words. A distant memory, tucked away after thousands of years, began to resurface, bits at a time, and suddenly she was no longer in the living room-

“I’m not going to tolerate your excuses”

That was the last thing she heard before the world exploded into golden, burning light. She can’t see, can’t hear, can’t feel. All she knows in the moment is pain, and the horrible sensation that she’s falling… falling… falling…

And then, all of the sudden, she was back.

Except, she wasn't in the living room. Some cold, hard surface pressed up against her back, but she couldn't quite tell where she was. Her vision was cloudy, black dots standing out against the ruthlessly blinding light. She tried to cover her eyes, but it made her head spin, so instead she turned her attention to the pain in her chest.

Her heart felt tight, as if the pressure had built up and it was full, like a water balloon, and someone was squeezing at it, squeezing so hard that an explosion was inevitable. This thought caused her to panic even more.

Desperately, Cathy clawed at her chest, trying with all her might to force her lungs to inhale once more. She needed to breathe, this much was obvious, but she couldn’t figure out how.

One thought stood out against her panicky state. There was only one explanation for this feeling, only one thing that had ever felt like this before-

She was going back to Hell.

The humans must have gotten tired of her. Perhaps the books were the last straw, perhaps Anna reached the end of her patience. Maybe Aragon had convinced Kitty that she was a danger to them all. Not that she knew exactly how this could have happened, because wouldn’t they have sent her back earlier if they could have?

Still, that must have been it.

She thought they had cared about her. She thought that she had finally found people who would stand by her through thick and thin.

She had been wrong.

---

Meanwhile...

“Kitty, where’s Cath?”

Jane poked her head out of the kitchen, looking toward the witch in the living room.

“I just put her in the jar for a while. She set a bunch of Catalina’s books on fire again.”

Kitty looked up from where she was still scraping ashes from the floor, shaking her head in exasperation.

“Ah. I thought they had finally stopped doing that.” The demon opened the door the rest of the way, leaning against the frame and chuckling softly.

“Yeah, me too.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence for a while, Jane eventually fetching a dustpan to put the burnt remains into. The living room was almost clean when the tell-tale signs of the front door opening could be heard from the foyer.

“That must be Aragon and Anne.”

“Ooh.” Jane inhaled sharply through her teeth. “Who’s going to tell her about her books?”

“Not it!” Kitty touched a finger to her nose playfully, rushing off with the dustpan towards the trash can. The demon watched her go, smiling a little at her antics, before turning to see the two angels enter the room, laughing at something unknown.

“Hey Jane!”

“Hello, how was your walk?” Jane smiled, a little too politely.

“Alright. What’s going on around here?” Aragon eyed the demon suspiciously, looking around the room, as if to spot some hidden trap.

“Cathy got in trouble again.” Jane felt it was best to get right to the point. “She may or may not have set some of your books on fire”

“Oh”

“Oh?!” Jane raised her eyebrows in shock. “Just ‘oh’? You’re not, like, mad?”

“Nope.”

And with that, Catalina was gone, disappearing up the stairs, presumably to her room. Jane looked at Anne questioningly, but the angel seemed just as confused as she was.

“That was weird.”

“Yeah...” Anne continued to stare at where the older woman had just been, eyebrows creasing in worry. “That was really weird.”

---

Sometime, amidst her panic, though she wasn’t sure when, her glamour must have faded, and she could feel her wings pressed against her back. The pressure made her itch, but nothing she did made it stop. In fact, it made it worse. Cathy still hadn’t worked up the courage to open her eyes, but she had tried to extend her legs fully, only to find she was confined to a small space, something she was none too pleased about.

Over all, it was torture. The light, the texture, the pounding in her head. All of it.

Plus, somewhere off in the distance, an irregular tapping had begun a few minutes ago, and it felt like nails jabbing into her skull. Or maybe that was her horns. Either way, it was terrible.

It went on forever. Eventually, the demon realized that if she pulled her knees up as close to her as possible, stuck her head between her legs, and rocked lightly on her heels, it ALMOST made the pain dissipate. Almost.

She stayed that way for what felt like an hour, but for all she knew, it could have been just a few minutes. The only rational thought that broke through the pain was how badly she must have failed, how disgraceful it was to be sent back to Hell again.

And, the most agonizing thought:

How much Kitty, how much all of them, must hate her now.

---

Anna slipped through the side door, peeling off her tennis shoes, soaked with rain water after being caught off guard on her run, over a mile from the house. After changing out of her workout wear, she made her way downstairs, peeking into each room as she searched for the other occupants of the house.

The sight that greeted her in the dining room, though, was not what she was looking for.

In one of the many, usual empty, jars on the fireplace mantle, was Cathy- scratching violently at her chest and rocking desperately back and forth.

In a moment of panic, Anna rushed across the room and made to grab the jar, but soon realized that she had no way to get the demon out, let alone to her normal size. Plus, the sudden movement might startle her.

After a few seconds of staring at the girl helplessly, watching as her breathing became more and more shallow, she turned on her heels and rushed from the room, resuming her search for Kitty, but now for different reasons.

---

“Cathy, are you alright?”

Kitty had immediately released the girl from her makeshift prison the moment she entered the room, but instead of calming down, the demon just sat in the corner, continuing her previous movements, except this time, her wings could open completely, and were blocking their path to her.

“Catherine, love, you need to breathe.” Anna tried to reason, moving so she was in the girl’s eyeline. Unfortunately, Cathy had yet to move her palms from over her eyes.

“What the hell happened?” Kitty questioned, turning to her friend.

“I don't know, I just walked in here and she was like this.” Anna shrugged, still watching Cathy, relieved to see that her rocking was slowing steadily.

“Well, what are we supposed to do?”

“Just wait, I suppose.”

And wait they did, for several minutes as Cathy’s breathing evened out, and her movements calmed. The two humans watched carefully, trying their best not to startle or scare the panicking demon.

Slowly, slowly, Cathy retracted her wings, pulling them in closer to herself, obviously relieved to find that nothing was restricting her actions. And even slower, she began to pull her hands away from her eyes, squinting at the harsh light.

She blinked rapidly for a moment, taking in her new surroundings, before her vision landed on Anna and Kitty, who were both still staring at her in concern.

“Hey, Cath. You alright?” Kitty cooed, taking a small step towards the girl, who was still curled up against the wall.

“You really had us worried there, kid.”

Cathy blinked up at them slowly, looking from one to the other, before promptly bursting into tears.

“O-kay. You're okay, Cath.” Kitty muttered, crouching down and shuffling closer to the girl.

“It hurts,” the demon whimpered, curling back in on herself and scooting back farther so she was all the way into the corner.

“Catherine, what’s wrong, hon? What hurts?” Anna reached to strike the girl’s hair, but she flinched back violently, hitting her head on the wall.

“What on earth is going on?” Anne burst into the room, looking at Cathy on the floor as she cowered away from the two humans. Jane followed close behind, peeking over her shoulder warily.

Behind them, barely visible in the doorway, stood Catalina, anxiety lining her features.

“We’re not sure.”

“Make it stop, it hurts, please!” Cathy mumbled through her sobs, fists clenching at her sides.

“What is she talking about?” Anne walked up to the witch, bending down so she was level with them.

“I have no idea. And she won't let us touch her.”

“Here, let me try.”

Jane crossed the room in a few short strides, kneeling down next to her fellow demon. She reached a gentle hand out, setting it carefully on the girl's shoulder, feeling quite relieved when she didn't jerk away.

“Hey, Cath, come here love.” Jane brought the smaller woman into her arms, slowly, slowly, as to not startle her further.

The demon tensed at first at the contact, but leaned into it once she realized who was holding her.

“Please don't make me go back”

“Go back where, Cath?” Jane asked, running her hands through the girl’s tight curls. Cathy only mumbled in reply.

“What was that, love?”

“Hell,” she whispered “It hurts.”

“Of course not, Cathy,” Jane murmured, but she glanced back at the rest of the group in concern, only to see them mirroring her expression.

“Does it hurt to go to Hell?” Kitty questioned, furrowing her eyebrows. Jane shook her head in confusion.

“No, not at all.” A pause. “Unless, of course...” she trailed off, looking back at the demon in her arms as she came to a sudden realization.

“ ‘Unless, of course-’ what?” Anne all but snapped, looking from Jane to Cathy frantically.

“Unless you fall from Heaven,” Anna said knowingly. “Right, Jane?”

“Yeah” The demon sighed. “Unless that.”

“How did you know?” Kitty glances at Anna in bewilderment.

“I assumed. She's covered in scars, and she mentioned once that some of them were from her fall.”

“She told you all that? She never tells me anything?” Jane raised her eyebrows in surprise, but before Anna could reply, her attention was brought back to Cathy as she whimpered, trying to lean away from the harsh tone.

“Sorry, Cath. You're alright, love. We’re not sending you anywhere.”

The group stayed like that for a while as Cathy’s cries calmed. After a few minutes of silence, she uncurled slightly, taking a chance to glance around the room once more.

First, up at Jane, who was smiling comfortingly down at her. Then at Anne and Kitty, who were sitting across from them, leaning against the table. Up at Anna, standing over them protectively.

The demon released a breath she has been holding, relieved to find that she was still at home, still with people who cared.

But then she looked past Anna, towards the door, and saw the last person she wanted to see right now standing there, watching the scene carefully: Catalina.

In a flash, Cathy was out of Jane’s arms and across the room, having pushed passed the two humans and the angel who had just happened to be in her way. She hesitated for a moment in the doorway, tears once again streaming silently down her face. After a tense few seconds, though, Aragon stepped aside in shock, and the demon rushed past her and up the stairs, disappearing from sight.

---

“Did you try to get in?”

“Yeah, she must have locked the door magically again. And I really don't want to startle her any more than she already is.” Kitty ran a hand through her hair as she sighed.

“And Aragon?” Anna questioned from the armchair.

“She told me she was fine, but she won't come out of her room either.”

“Is Cathy going to be alright? We really shouldn't leave her alone too long, right?” Anne looked from Jane to Anna, but they both simply shrugged.

“I'm not even sure what we would say. We don't know why she was upset in the first place.” Jane pointed out.

“I have my suspicions” Anna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Really?”

“Yeah, but first I have to talk to Aragon.”

---

“Catalina? Can I come in?”

A moment of silence, just long enough that Anna considered giving up, before the door swung open, revealing the angel.

“I'm sorry, Anna” Aragon’s gaze was trained on the floor, foot scuffing back and forth. Anna watched her curiously.

“What for?”

“I wasn't very helpful back there, with Cathy.”

“Ah.” A pause. “Well, can I come in?”

Aragon simply nodded, stepping aside and shutting the door quickly behind her.

“So, what's going on with you?

“I don't know what you mean.” Aragon sat down on the edge of her bed, still avoiding Anna’s gaze.

“When you left earlier after you found out about your books. When you hid after the Cathy thing. Do I need to clarify more?” Anna rolled her eyes goodnaturedly.

“No,” the angel admitted reluctantly. “I don't know, Anna, I just...” she trailed off, and Anna waited patiently.

“I was the one who set the books on fire.”

“Ah” Anna raised her eyebrows in shock.

“Yeah. So it was my fault Catherine got in trouble. And if she was upset about her fall from Heaven, well...”

“I see.”

“She was my friend, Anna.” Aragon’s voice suddenly broke as she looked at the human desperately. “She was my friend and I hurt her so much. For what? Nothing. That's what.”

“So... you're guilty.”

“Well, duh.” Catalina’s tone grew cold.

“Then it's simple.” Anna shrugged.

“What?”

“It's simple.”

“Anna,” Catalina warned.

“Just talk to her. Easiest cure for guilt. Ask for forgiveness.”

Aragon scoffed.

“Yeah, like she’d listen to me right now.”

“It can't hurt to try.”

---

A few minutes later, Anna and Catalina stood outside the youngest demon’s door.

“You ready?” Anna questioned, turning to her friend. Catalina sighed, but nodded, if not a bit reluctantly.

“As I'll ever be.”

[capricornus-rex]

Stronger Than Blood (4)

Chapter 4: Nothing For Me Here Anymore | Cal Kestis x Reader

Requested by Anon

Summary: Meeting another Force-sensitive was one thing, but having them related to one of the most formidable known duelers was a whole other story to tell. While being stranded in another planet after barely escaping the Haxion Brood, Cal crosses paths with someone who’s at a crossroads with their own identity and lineage.

Also tagging: @ayamenimthiriel​

Also posted in AO3

Tags: Force-User! Reader, Force-Sensitive Reader, Sith-Related! Reader

Chapters: 1 – 2 | Previous: Part 3 | Next: Part 5 | Masterlist

4 of ?

You twisted the acceleration handle to the max, cutting through the streets and startling the citizens as they throw themselves to the side of the road.

It seems that your little commotion has alarmed the Imperial patrols. They came at you with their own speeders, since neither of you want to be shot down and be reduced to shrapnel mixed with human gunk, you thought fast on how to lose them.

“[y/n], see if you can jam their comms!”

You immediately found and crunched the button for that function, you hoped that they didn’t radio in for reinforcements before you pressed the button.

A hot pursuit between you, a trio of Imperial patrollers, and the Devaronians in their own landspeeder zoomed through the city—drowning out the humming of the speeders leisurely cruising through the roads. Your first problem was the patrol, so you had to lose them first before getting rid of Melgu’s men. You led them through the elaborate network of annexes and alleyways of the city—luckily for Cal, he’s riding with somebody who knows the place like the back of her hand.

A high-pitched whistle screeched past your eardrum, you barely dodged a speeder’s ion cannon by a millimeter as you darted through the twists and turns of the alleys. An explosion roared behind you—one Stormtrooper on a speeder down, another to go. The last one standing continued to shoot at you as he follows. Irritated, Cal rotated in his seat and whipped out his saber to deflect the next blasts.

“[y/n], steer it steady, I’m gonna try taking this guy down!”

“Got it!”

Timing between pausing and deflecting as you turned left and right countless times, Cal finally got a shot at the Stormtrooper when you were driving straight and steady. The red rod of plasma flew back into its sender, hitting the engine chassis through the narrow gap between the front bumper’s prongs.

Cal shielded his eyes from the light of the blast and whatever debris that may come with it, and then turned back to face your back and slipped his arms around your waist as you drove.

“Are the Devaronians still after us?!”

The young Jedi glanced over his shoulder to find an empty street.

“No, I think we lost them!”

That’s what you think. Your fear has been realized, they intentionally left you to the Stormtroopers and is most likely headed to the store.

“But I know where they’re headed!”

Again, you cranked the handle down and accelerated through the city. You recognize some of the buildings you’re passing by, you thought to yourself that this was good—this was another way to the store. The speeder bike may have drowned out your heartbeat drumming in your ears, but you cannot suppress the anxiety that’s causing it.

Please… don’t let me be too late… you prayed, continuing to crank the handle even though it’s already been in its full throttle.

Upon arriving to the district where the store is, both you and Cal witnessed onlookers clustering at the storefront. A barrage of blaster fire thundered within the building, their lights spilled out of the open windows and the entrance of the building, and indistinct voices which ought to be taunts thrown to one another bellowed in the midst of the exchange of blasts.

Hearing Tundu’s voice inside the store gave you very little relief.

“Oh no,” you shuddered. You hastily dismounted the speeder, not even waiting for it to get to a full stop. Cal followed suit and he just had the same amount of worry as you do.

“[y/n], wait!” his call fell to deaf ears as you rushed into the store.

At that moment, before you made yourself known between the two parties caught in the crossfire, Cal spotted you fishing out a weapon from underneath your poncho. A part of him expected it to be a lightsaber, but he stood corrected.

With a push of a button, the rod—no longer than ten inches—extended into its full form, both hands secured the handle; as the heads of the staff unfolded, compressed electrical currents crackled and sputtered.

You rushed into the fray, techstaff in hand, and apprehended the goons that were ransacking and backing Tundu—with nothing but a blaster in hand—to a corner.

“TUNDU!!!”

The impulsive call of his name made everybody turn their heads to you, with your presence known, you held your techstaff in front of you in a defensive stance. With the numbers evened out, including Cal in your cavalry, Tundu might have a chance. You come running towards a Rodian who had little time to defend himself after you clubbed his head with the end of your staff, the sound of the impact made you certain you’ve made at least a crack in his skull. Now the Iktotchi is one-on-one with another of Melgu’s bums—a slippery Dug who kept hiding behind the trashed shelves and tables.

“[y/n], don’t worry about me! BEHIND YOU!!!”

You looked and saw that the Devaronians have finally caught up to you, but the sound of Tundu’s cry of pain followed after the Dug shot two blasts to the Iktotchi’s chest made your head jerk back to your boss. It nearly made you nauseous and a blurry white border began to frame your vision.

“TUNDU, NO!!!”

While the Dug celebrated his kill, he got his karma back in the form of your techstaff flinging towards him like an oversized dart and ended him with the blunt force of the weapon, breaking the creatures’ very narrow yet fragile neck bone. The satisfaction of the kill flooded your body with adrenaline. Just when you were about to run up to Tundu to check on him, you heard Cal’s exclamation.

Cal, on the other hand, had no other choice but to use his lightsaber—as much as he never wanted to when coming here—and fought off the Devaronians. One of them came at him, braced him by the shoulders and violently introduced his forehead to Cal’s. Disoriented and seeing four of the red, horned brutes instead of two, you came to his aid by hindering his assailant using the Force.

Focusing your energy on the red-skinned enemy, you aimed at his arm and it was slowly twisting to the opposite direction in a quite unnatural way. The Devaronian fumbled to his knees, wincing and grimacing in pain, but you ignored it; when his companion saw this unusual infliction of pain, he decided to take a step forward, but it became his undoing in a matter of seconds—you directed your left hand at him and aimed your palm at his ribs, constricting it and feeling for the bones to bend. For whatever odd reason you cannot put into words, you wanted to stop… but it felt satisfying.

“Neither of you are gonna get closer!!!” you growled through the grit of your teeth, the fire in your eyes glaring redder than their skin.

Your fingers tensed as it curled, puppeteering the limbs with invisible threads tied to your digits, you snarled more than you're actually breathing. Cal watched you wield the Force with a caliber that equals to a Jedi.

“[y/n], that’s enough!” Cal rebuked.

His words were white noise to your eardrums and you continued wielding the Force on the horned giants. He ran up to you, your hands reduced to a trembling mess upon feeling for the gentle hold of Cal’s grasp encasing them. The Force subsided but left the Devaronians squirming in pain, you’ve already succeeded in snapping one’s elbow to an abnormal direction, the other was clutching his chest as he tried to breathe through a bent rib bone.

You’d expected him to tackle you. From the touch, he could feel your raw strength with the Force, it felt like the wildest storm surge trapped within the smallest vessel, awaiting to shatter what contains it and break free to loose Hell.

Cal noticed that even with your eyes flaring with anger and rage, tears fell like waterfalls and stained your grime-covered cheeks.

“Hey, [y/n],” he cooed, combing away the locks of hair obscuring your eyes and cupping your cheeks to make sure you keep them straight into his jade irises. “It’s okay, [y/n]… Hey. It’s over. You’re okay.���

“No… It’s happened…” you sobbed.

Your words confused the boy, but put the thought aside at the expense of the moment. The silence helped you come back to your senses.

“Wait…” your eyes searched the store for the Iktotchi. “Tundu!”

The two of you followed the faint sound of Tundu’s labored breathing. You vaulted over the table that acted as his cover in the crossfire and found him splayed on the floor, two black circles riddled his chest and they pulsated whenever he attempted to breathe.

“No…” you gasped.

“[y/n]… you have to go… more will come for me, they’ll come for you, too…”

“But I can’t leave you… I can fight for you!”

“There’s nothing much you can do now…” he struggled. “Do me a favor and save yourself, child.”

Your heart bled as you watch him dying.

“Take a speeder and go,” he choked.

“No, Tundu!”

“[y/n],” he inhaled, lifting an arm to your shoulder was difficult as it is already, he starting speaking Iktotchese.

Mentally, it translated to “Never let your will falter in the face of conflict.” It was a little proverb he had beaten into your head numerous times when you were still starting out in his store. You knew it by heart, well enough to understand it even in a dying whisper.

You recited the Iktotchese saying back to him and he managed a proud smile at you, he clapped your shoulder and caressed your cheek.

“Go now… I still got some fight in me left,”

When he saw that you weren’t budging, he looked over your shoulder and found Cal standing behind you. He gestured to the boy to come and take you out to safety. The Jedi placed his hand over your shoulder and gave you a subtle shake.

“Come on, we have to get out of here now, [y/n],”

You’re hesitant to stand up, your blind confidence made you think you can take on the incoming wave of henchmen the same way you handled the Devaronians, but the rational voice in your mind prevailed. Cal never took his hand off of your shoulder until you rose up from your knees and turned to him.

Without a word, Cal transferred his hand from your shoulder to your wrist, and then the two of you headed out of the store. The idea of one last look behind you where Tundu is was so tempting, but your legs carried you forward—to the entrance of the store.

The whirring of multiple engines sounded off in the distance—Melgu’s men are coming. You spotted the speeders which ought to have belonged to the Devaronians. Taking each one, you and Cal sped out of the scene before the henchmen could’ve spotted you.

“Try and keep up! I’ll take the lead!” Cal bellowed through the engine hum.

“Got it!”

As you hit the throttle of the speeder, you were already saying goodbye to the life you once had. And now you’re probably walking into a whole other one.

“Please let the saying ‘Third time’s the charm’ be right this time,” you muttered to yourself in a prayerful tone.

You followed Cal to the outskirts of the city. The farther you got, the closer you found the silhouette of the Stinger Mantis.