#someone needs to kill a ceo i think. that should get the message across.

[grimxark]

google really is taking the fact the internet has always been called an archive where people dont die and saying go to hell with it huh.

[perhaps-in-anotherdream]

[CN] Season 2- Victor and MC- Chapter 4 & 5 (Eng Translation)- Part 3

⌚Warning:⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a chapter that is yet to release in the global server. Don't continue under the cut if you don't wish to be spoiled!(◍•ᴗ•◍)

✧✧ PART 1 || PART 2

-

✧ [CH 4-12] ✧

At BS office: With the help of her subordinates, MC is working on gathering information on Lu Kang, and the mysterious man in black. But the tracker she left on him lost its signal after some time, so the investigation has reached an dead-end for now.

It's also the day Victor will be released from the hospital. So, MC goes to pick him up.

He has changed out of his hospital gown, and returned to his suit and leather shoes.

I sigh inwardly, though Victor has always been very busy, but recently he seems to have become even busier.

MC: You've just been discharged from hospital, don't you want to go home and rest?

Victor: It's not like I was really hospitalized. Besides, I remember that you still have something to report to me.

MC: Now I understand that being a CEO is really not easy.

Victor: If you really want to be considerate of others, improve the quality of your work.

I tilt my face up, and pat my bag while looking at him.

MC: So where does CEO Victor want to test the quality of my work?

Victor: Go to LFG.

-

MC notes that Victor gets in his work mode™ as soon as he enters LFG LOL

MC reports Victor about her findings that Lu Kang once lost a lawsuit against LFG and seemed to hold LFG responsible for the bankruptcy.

Victor explains that the deal with Lu Kang's company didn't proceed because they were found secretly making false accounts and such doings will eventually lead to plummeting. LFG never did or neither do they need to persecute anyone for business competition, and it'll bring more trouble than benefits anyway.

I scrutinize the sharp air exuding from his eyebrows, and can't help but mutter under my breath.

MC: Victor, you've always been so decisive and swift in action. Haven't you made more or less some enemies?

[Note: MC uses the idiom "雷厉风行" which literally translates to- passing like thunder and moving like wind.]

Victor: When there are interests involved, even if you do nothing, there will be enemies. The rules of the game are inherently cruel, and to have people who want to put some tricks to use, is quite ordinary.

MC gives Victor another report which she compiled based on Lu Kang's memory.

MC points out- the lawsuit incident was a while ago and it shouldn't be the reason he attacked Victor. She assumes-- it has something to do with the "game" that was mentioned in his memory many times. Lu Kang and the young man who partnered in the game probably tried to escape halfway, and they were killed because of the "no escapee rule."

Victor takes MC's reasoning under consideration, and specifically points out that all the victims of the murders are Evolvers. MC expresses her assumption that it could be because the authority of the game has some hidden agenda.

We glance at each other, and once again each sink into reflecting on the matter.

After a while, Victor picks up the last page of the report, and flips through it.

Victor: The trail for that killer is broken?

MC: Yes, should be. We suspect that he threw away the tracker.

Victor looks at the contents of the report repeatedly, then presses it on the table, and taps his fingertips on the last spot tracked by the tracker.

Victor: This place, you've only checked the public webpage. So the trail is not completely broken yet. Let them use the internal channels to investigate again. Don't waste the first-level authority I gave you.

Victor raises his eyes and looks at me, then puts the report back in my hand.

MC: Do I need to investigate that game altogether?

Victor: No need. I will send someone specialized to investigate. Remember, everything you just said is only a conjecture.

Victor: Without my permission, do not voluntarily investigate in private.

MC: Yes, BOSS.

The worries that have been clogging up in my chest for days, finally dissipates in several degrees. Even if I sympathized with Lu Kang, this action to get back at someone is never the right thing to do.

MC: Fortunately, this car accident is not related to the Evolver assassination. Just as I said, who would be so courageous, that he dares to pick a fight with CEO Victor?

Victor: The "bodyguard" is finally relieved?

MC: Relieved!

Victor: Go back when you feel relieved. Start concentrating on your task next week.

I grab the report, preparing to leave, just then Victor calls me again. I look back, and see that he seems to have sent a message to someone.

He halts for a moment, then stands up with one hand propped on the tabletop, his deep gaze falling on my face.

Victor: Thank you for these few days.

I stare blankly at him for a while, and quickly perk up with an even bigger smile.

MC: No need to be polite, Mr. Victor. Just let me book a free pudding from Souvenir!

I turn around at Victor's momentary expression of helplessness, running out of the office like a wisp of smoke.

Ever since confirming his safety, I feel that every time we see each other, it all becomes much more relaxed.

Behind the current life, there are still bubbling up unsettling factors in motion.

But precisely because things being as such, is what makes me want to cherish the rare tranquility all the more.

-

✧ [4-13] ✧

Just a moment after walking out of the LFG building, I suddenly remember that I've forgotten one thing, and rush back to the lobby.

After talking to the administrative staff at the front desk, I dial Victor's number.

Victor: Hello?

MC: Victor, I forgot one thing just now. To congratulate you on your 'discharge', I've prepared a small gift for you. The staff will deliver it for me later.

Victor: ....I've said I wasn't really hospitalized. What are you up to again?

MC: Just treat it as a blessing. You must accept it! That's all.

Victor: Hold on.

MC: Is there anything else?

Victor: Help me think of a name.

MC: What kind of name? A kitten, a puppy or a relative's child?

Victor: ....Common name, male.

MC: Why are you asking this all of a sudden?

Victor: Because your imagination is comperatively rich.

What kind of answer is this...

I complain inwardly, but still give it a serious thought.

MC: Let me think. How about this one!

(Players get to choose a name from the three options)

Victor: What kind of strange name is that...

Victor's helpless sigh comes from the other end of the phone.

Victor: Never mind. I shouldn't have had any expectations. I'll accept your gift. That's all.

After hanging up the call, I'm still a little baffled by the request.

He abruptly asked me to help think of a name, and also a male's name. Could it be that he is going to use it himself?

Could it be that there is something that requires a disguised identity?

But does he even need to disguise.... aren't the six letters "Victor" the best pass in itself.

Anyway, the name I gave him off the top of my head, he definitely won't use it.

I shake my head, my train of thoughts returning to the gift I've left behind just a moment ago, and can't help but look forward to it.

I wonder when the Victor of now receives this gift, what will the expression on his face be like?

-

✧[POV back to Victor's office]✧

Closing the last document, Victor leans into his chair, gently pinching his brows.

Opening his eyes, the pink-colored gift box on the corner of the table enters his line of sight again. The lofty color seems to be urging him to open it as soon as possible.

Victor unwraps the box, and inside lies a round Shiba Inu doll, appearing a little old.

He wrinkles his eyebrows, takes it out, and sees a small folded note also being pressed onto the bottom of the box.

He patiently unfolds the note again, the carefully and neatly written calligraphy greets his eyes.

Victor: (reading the note) "Congratulations on your 'recovery,' and here's a small gift for you. This is the doll that has accompanied me for many years. I wish you well and hope you're happy." - MC

Victor: ....Childish.

Victor subconsciously says a word, and falls silent again.

Unknowingly why, but he always feels that he's somewhat familiar with this scene, but he also can't amalgamate the impression any further.

Even just the silly Shiba-Inu doll on the table, brings him a trace of intimacy.

[Note: This is the same Shiba-Inu doll MC's dad gifted her as a kid, and she gave it to Victor in S1 "Rooftop Date," when she wanted to comfort him realizing how much he misses his departed mom.]

It seems as if, ever since meeting her and getting acquainted with each other, this strange feeling often arises.

Is it because she has an Evol associated with memories?

But again, Victor is also very clear that her Evol doesn't have effect on himself.

Or is that, it's simply owing to her?

Victor blankly stares at the doll for a while, and by the time he circles back to his senses, it's already somewhat late.

He pulls open a locked drawer next to his desk, puts the doll inside, and catches a glimpse of the document marked with a sharp " S " symbol underneath.

"Illegal psychoactive drugs", " CORE", "has the potential to stimulate Evol"...

Several eye-catching keywords are marked in red, even in the twilight, which are still clearly identifiable.

The information the girl has reported to him once again surfaces in Victor's mind.

She has organized it very meticulously, but after reading it all thoroughly, the dense fog before his eyes hasn't dispersed.

Those layers of crisscrossing threads seems to have already involved all the parties, standing in different positions, making the situation chaotic.

And all these disputes still ultimately point to the same source--

BLACK SWAN CORE.

When it's all said and done, is this situation because everyone is eager to obtain it, or is there an unknown force hiding in the depository, pulling the strings?

There are still numerous issues that needs to be resolved, and one can not always watch the fire burning across the river.

Victor locks the drawer, and glances at the clock on the wall.

The phone rings at the right time, it's an encrypted email from BS.

Mail: "BOSS, as per your requirements, the relevant information has been sent to the other party."

Victor simply knocks down a reply, gets up and puts on his jacket, preparing to leave.

A pile of events is connected into a ring, and each angler, too, is bait for another.

He is looking forward to what kind of prey can be hooked this time.

-

✧ [CH 4-15] ✧

Victor meets Lucien at the research center, who hands him the report of a research.

Victor says the results are clear but Lucien says they only confirmed their guesses, and that CORE has been the focus of everyone after Evol was publicized, but there are perhaps other things affecting the world. Lucien asks if Victor feels that the world is not quite right and that every civilization circulates within a box, the time they have is likely more limited than expected.

Victor says it depends on how an individual views the matter, there's no need to pre-determine an outcome.

Lucien asks Victor if he believes he'll be able to get out of the box. Victor replies, "Not believe, it's a must."

After Victor gets in the car, he receives an email: "Dear Mr. [the name MC chose for him earlier], thank you for your support towards Hunter Games."

The rest of the email is basically explaining the rules of the game.‶

-

✧ [Victor scene in CH 5] ✧

Victor is returning from a business trip. After giving Goldman some instructions, he glances out of the window of the helicopter. Even though everything is peaceful, to him something always seems amiss.

He receives an email containing only one word, "Advanced." His expression doesn't change much since he already expected this outcome. The mail disappears, and he taps on another anonymous email with the instructions- He'll be entering the betting venue in 15 minutes and he should get prepared.

When the helicopter is about to land on the LFG rooftop, he glances out of the window once again and observes the people of the city living their day to day peaceful lives.

The noise-reduction headset cuts out the sound of the outside world, but the mere information sent back to him by his vision, is sufficient to prove the tranquility of the world before his eyes.

The helicopter lands. He settles some works with the staff.

Victor raises his hand to look at his watch, the gray clouds being reflected on the dial, slightly blurs the trajectory of the clock hands.

In a split second, along with lowering his arm, an inconspicuous red light suddenly streaks across the dial.

There's still ten minutes to enter the "betting venue".

The staff turns around, walking towards the elevator, cold wind blows on Victor's face, fluttering the hem of his coat.

Somewhere directly opposite, a small cross hair has always been aiming at the position of his heart.

??: "Code L" elimination plan in progress, target locked.

A second before the trigger is squeezed tightly, the person behind the lens suddenly lifts up, raises his head, looking straight into the set of deep eyes in the distance.

The clamors of the city conceals much of the noise, the discharge of bullet muffles in the silencer, so much so that in this shattering rain, it doesn't even make a crisp sound of snapping a branch.

A dispute between the light and the dark, seemingly has arrived to its conclusion.

[Trivia: The call that comes with the Chapter karma card-- is actually Victor nagging with MC on her report over phone inside the helicopter-- before it lands on the LFG rooftop!]

[lavendermenaceart]

Violence in the Capital(HeroxVillain whump)

Violence in the Capital

Pairing: HeroxVillain

Genres: Fantasy, Whump

CW: Burning, brainwashing, guns, injury.

Word count: 2,121.

The capitol was quiet at night. The sky the darkest shade of purple imaginable, little lights shining despite the light the capital produced. The hero was a shadow against the walls of tall cement and glass buildings that looked like the fingers of the world reaching up to the starry sky. 

The hero couldn’t help pondering why the streets were so empty this night, but they weren’t complaining. It almost eliminated the need to sneak around the way they were now, but only almost. The hero was in this forsaken city for only one reason. A bloody reason, but a reason nonetheless. 

The hero had been tracking the villain for months at this point. Every Saturday night they could be found in a party of sex, dancing, and drugs at a local club known for its debauchery amongst the rich. 

The villain was the villain for all the normal reasons. A greedy CEO tyrant who had all his money speaking for him, calling in favors with the government, local and federal. They had gotten a disgusting bill passed during a tumultuous time that allowed the government access to all of its citizen’s data, making it very difficult for the hero’s group to function silently as they usually did. 

The hero had snuck out from their safe house while everyone slept, tired from a day full of arguing over what to do next. It was extremely frustrating for the hero, no one seemingly knowing what to do, but the hero knew. They knew it deep in their bones and it stuck in their brain like a dagger. The villain had to be killed. This wasn’t the villain’s first offense. They’d gotten a litany of awful bills passed with their money and favors. This was just the last straw. 

Sure, the hero wasn’t the strongest but the hero didn’t care what happened to them as long as they got their target. If the villain was dead, it was one less person to make the lives of the majority of the population miserable. Even if the hero became a villain themselves, at least they had convictions in their beliefs and they knew they could find others with the same values as them eventually. 

The hero heard the club before they saw it, the vibrations of the music clear through the concrete ground. Thrumming and dumping under the hero’s feet like a heartbeat, deep in the earth. As they grew closer, they saw the squat building with a red rope and 2 guards out front. Important people are there tonight, and many important people will get a clear, blood spattered message on this night. 

While the guards were busy checking in a group of women, the hero slipped past, into the dark side of the building, an alleyway littered with trash, bottles and bags mostly. The hero could see the door, it was just a few feet away. Sweat started to gather on their forehead, their hands shaking. Were they really ready to do something like this? Would the hero’s group forgive them for this transgression or will they be turned away like they've been so many times before in their life?

Suddenly, a loud creak filled the alleyway as the hero ducked behind a smelly dumpster. The guard at the door was now going inside to trade shifts. It was the perfect time for the hero to sneak in, and so they did. After going through the side door, a wall of music and laughter hit them, enveloping them and making them giddy even through the anxiety. 

Taking in a few deep breaths, the hero had to remind themselves that they weren’t there to party and take part in the luxuries. They were here to kill someone, and while maybe later they could think about throwing a celebration, now was the time for action and the hero couldn’t get distracted by the pretty lights and loud music going on around them. 

The hero waded through the crowd of people, the smell of sweat and perfume overpowering every sense the hero had. The hero could see the villain, up in a clear box above the DJ booth. As far as the hero knew, it wasn’t bullet proof. So in the middle of the throng of bodies, always in movement against one another, the hero pulled out a desert eagle and aimed. There was a cry to the hero’s right but they ignored it, aiming down the sights before pulling the trigger. It ricochet off the glass, a huge crack appearing. The club was chaos now. A scream of pain, and then bodies all rushing together like a wave towards any exit. The hero breathed, deep and satisfying. The villain was on the move but the hero was sure they could still get them.

Everything that happened next happened fast and deadly. A trigger pull, a gunshot right as a guard collided with the hero. A woman’s gurgling scream as the bullet ripped through her throat, 3 feet away from the villain. Adrenaline pumped through the hero’s veins as they struggled against the guard, who had hit the hero’s wrist causing them to drop the gun. It scattered under the trampling of a herd of humans. The music still played, even though the DJ had abandoned the station. It was a cheerful tune, playing over all the violence and chaos in a weird paradox of emotion. The hero got in a few good punches, but was soon subdued by multiple guards. 

“No!! No!!” The hero cried, struggling under the immense weight they were now under on the dirty floor of the now mostly empty club. The last thing they remember is a bloom of pain, of blood and spit as they were punched in the face. Hands bruised their neck, cutting off airflow and blood flow until the hero passed out, drifting slowly into oblivion. 

“Wake the fuck up!” The villain snarled, throwing a bucket of ice water on the bruised, beaten, and tied bodied of the hero. They were ripped so hastily from the warm darkness behind their eyes, water soaking them and mingling with their sweat and blood as it spilled over their head and body and then the cold concrete floor. 

This room was sterile, white, and cold. Bright fluorescent lights lit the room to a painful degree. The hero’s head swam and burned and wanted so badly to go back to the warm darkness. 

How could they mess up so bad? Maybe they should have planned better, studied harder, but it was too late to regret. They had to focus on somehow getting out of the sterile room they found themselves in. 

The hero let out a single groan, a broken and wispy sound coming from their parted lips. 

“Good, good!” the villain raised their hands, their posture that of a victor. “You’re awake. Now, I’ve had a large number of attempts on my life but none so brazen as yours. I congratulate you on your bravery, your boldness. I really do.”

The hero could barely keep up. The villain was praising them for trying to take their life? Or maybe just the conviction it took to do something so brazen? The hero wiggled their hands, which were bound tightly behind their back. The position was so uncomfortable, the hero’s back hunched at an angle that made their spine protest. They righted themselves, meeting the dark gaze of the villain.

“I didn’t do it to get praise from you.” The hero spit, literally and figuratively

“Oh, I know, I know. I would suggest you start behaving, though, or things will be much worse than they need to be.” The villain acquired brown leather gloves from their pockets before putting them on, carefully dipping their fingers into the leather until it covered their hand. Their next movement was a quick slap across the face of the hero before fisting their hair in their hands. “Now, tell me. Who do you work for? Or are you a lone wolf?”

Red bloomed across the hero’s face, tears stinging their eyes. The hero blinked the tears away, trying to take deep breaths so they weren’t drowned in the undertow of their anxiety.  

“I work for no one, I’m just tired of you and your dirty money.” The hero responded after getting their anxiety mostly in check. Freaking out wasn’t going to change the situation. They were stuck in this spot until they weren't. The hero didn’t know when that would be, seeing as how they told absolutely no one where they were going or what they were planning to do. 

“Well, then, I have something exciting to show you!” The villain chuckled, a full hearty chuckle. It was grating on the hero’s ears and unsettling. The hero shifted in their chair, wiggling their hands in their bondage, trying to get comfortable, trying to right themselves for what was to come. All the hero’s muscles tensed and shook until they were shivering in fear. 

The villain took a few slow steps towards the hero, bright lights shining behind them like a halo. With much force, they pushed the palm of their hand onto the hero’s forehead. A sharp pain lanced through the hero’s brain and nausea threatened to overflow into vomiting as all the bright lights in the room sharpened and danced in the hero’s vision. 

They didn’t know if they were screaming, the didn’t know how much was passing or if it even existed anymore. All there was was pain and light and pain. The hero’s body convulsed until the chair fell over and their head knocked on the cold, sterile concrete floor. 

“You see, you are mine now. You tried to take my life, I lobotomize you. Or, I guess its most like brainwashing.” The villain got down on one knee in front of the prone hero, running a finger nail gently down the side of the tear stained hero’s face. 

So that’s what the feeling was. What all that pain and light was. It was the feeling of their brain warping and stretching and expanding and shrinking all at once. The hero could still think, could still move their hands of their own will. Was this all a sick joke? The question wouldn’t form on their lips, it was stuck in their throat. The hero’s eyes widened as they realized they couldn’t talk, because they had not been ordered to. 

“There you go, You’re getting it.” The villain watched the hero’s face carefully, a small smile playing in the curves of their lips. The villain reached down and was slowly, ever so slowly, or maybe it just seemed slow, untied the hero’s hands and feet. 

The hero wanted to flee, wanted to run and scream and cry and above all else, kill. They thought of all the ways in that very moment they could bring harm to the villain. The smug, strange villain. The hero’s fingers twitched and it sent a jolt of pain down their arm, electrifying all of their nerves until they finally stopped trying to punch. The only thing they could do voluntarily anymore was cry, and cry, and cry. 

One stupid mistake led to all this. If only they could have landed that shot, if only. So many “if only”s. 

“Now, I bet you’re wondering how I just did this to you?” The villain grabbed a finger of the hero’s and wiggled it around. The hero tensed, ready for the shooting, electric pain, but none came. “You see, you get powerful enough in this world, and lots of things come to light.” A flicker of light to the villains left. They had lifted their hand, pointing one finger up to the veiling and just an inch above it, a lively and dancing flame. 

Magic? Magic is real? The hero’s mind warped once again, trying to figure out of their senses were to be trusted. Suddenly there was a searing hot pain tearing through the hero’s right cheek. The villain was burning their face, some letter, maybe the first letter of the villain’s name. The villain leaned in close, whispering softly into the hero’s ear as their lungs burned with the need to scream but the inability to do so. 

“Magic is very real, for people like me. You’re not my first zombie, and you wont be my last. I’ll make sure no one tries to look for you, so you don’t have to worry about things like friends or family.” The villain chuckled, a hand on their chest. 

The hero was no longer the hero, but the loser. The zombie. For the rest of their life they would be trapped watching themselves be puppeteered by the villain, the victor.

[deobitchxx]

Hi! Can I request for prompts 65 & 90 smut with hyunjae? 😳 thank you for writing! I just read some and I love your fics!

[ 10:25 // 19.09.2020 // R.SMUT ] “Thank you for paying your attention to my presentation, I hope the information I’ve told will lead us to a better and modern life.” The applause from the workers dominated the meeting room, causing your lips to form a proud smile. You took a peek over the young man that was sending you death glares, teasingly raised your eyebrow off and stuck your tongue to spice up the teasing. If glaring could be classified as another method of killing, you probably won’t see the next sun rising. Mr. Lee Jaehyun or preferably Hyunjae, your one and only rival in the rising company both of you were working in. He was the managing director, while you were the executive director. It pissed you off when you could entitle the latter title, but the only thing that blocked you from being promoted higher than him was because you were not the daughter of the CEO. Ugh, fuck those privilages. You worked your ass off to get into the top but your sweet dreams crushed into pieces once Mr. Lee, the CEO, informed the company about the new managing director, which later he introduced him as his son. 

“Can’t you see the face Mr. Lee just made back then? You totally knocked him down,” your assistant nudged you on your shoulder. You smirked it off, “It was his fault to get on my nerves. This was supposed to be my project but his dick tried to brush in and thought that he could win over me. He should’ve known his places, I’ve worked here for years.” Your assistant giggled over your sentence and nodded along, agreeing with you. “Don’t you think you’re being over the top?” Both of your and your assistant’s steps paused once the devil appeared in-front of you with his assistant next to him. “Your ideas just happened to be an iota contrary with mine, don’t hold your head up too high my darling.” He raised his cup of coffee up, asking for a cheer. You simpered, looking pleased with yourself, “At least I’m not that stupid enough to ask the other managers the meaning of asset and liability.” You leaned closer to him and poured your tea to his cup, mixing the solution together with your pinky finger and licking it off. “Enjoy your drink, Hyunjae.” 

“We’ll be heading off first, please don’t overwork yourself.” The workers under you bid a goodbye wave to you before walking out from the office. You waved back to them, leaning against the white coloured spinning chair of yours. You could feel your lids heavied, as you slowly close your eyes and drift to a short nap. “Here comes your favourite jjajangmyeon~” Your eyes lit up once the pleasing voice rang through your ear, seeing one of your favourite men walk past the door with your favourite food. “Cho Seungyoun!” Even your voice raised a few octaves higher, showing off your excitement to meet the latter. He smiled as he opened his arms, “Come here, let me give you a warm hug.” You chuckled and ran towards him. Before he could pull you into his embrace, you snatched the food away from him and totally forgot the man as you headed back to the small cafeteria inside your office. Cho Seungyoun, just like another typical k-drama, he’d been by your side ever since both of you entered the same middle school. He did make his feelings obvious to you, but you told him that you wanted to have a stable job first before proceeding to romance.

Both of you were chatting happily while eating the dinner together. You told him how proud you were that day and he listened to you without any complaints. He even stayed there for hours since you said that you wanted to stay a bit to finish up the last touch of the project. “I discovered that we still have chances to get your project accepted.” Hyunjae just came back from having dinner at the nearby restaurant with his assistant. He decided to stay a little bit longer and worked more, the desires to win over you still dominating him. He was heading to his office with the assistant and while walking past your office, he saw you chatting with the same man that had been wandering around the company. He stopped for a while, taking a peek over through the window glasses. Seungyoun went behind you and gave you a shoulder massage, letting out an approval short of satisfying moaning. “I heard that the man has been visiting our company a lot, never knew Mrs. Y/N was the reason behind all of these.” His assistant noticed the sudden pause of Hyunjae’s steps, realising he was watching you behind those windows. “Who is he?” “He? Oh, he is Cho Seungyoun. I heard that he invested a lot in our company. Some workers claimed that they’ve seen him around in lobby, and turned out he was waiting for Mrs. Y/N for lunch together.” 

It has been days, but Hyunjae can’t stop thinking about that man that hovered around you. He even asked his assistant to do a background check on him. “Why would he keep sticking around her when they’re not official at all to begin with?” He groaned and threw his back against the leather chair, spinning the pen with his fingers. He thought he only had a slight crush on you, but not when he realised he totally fell for you. The way you always try to make sure you’re way better than him and how you get competitive everytime you hear his name-- Everything about you almost becomes imperfectly perfect in his eyes. He knew that everything will went downhill once he confess to you, so he decided to play dumb and act along as if he equally hate you too. He looked over the clock, it was showing 21:09. That’s it, he decided to make it clear tonight or else he might lose his chance. He stood up and wore his suit while heading to the door, right when he was about to wrap his hand around the doorknob, it was twisted from the other side as he automatically took backward steps to let the door open. There, he saw you standing with papers in your arms, “W-What are you doing here?” 

“Did you forget that I need your signature for this project? Well, what can I even expect from someone like you.” You rolled your eyes, knowing that he won’t help you with those papers. You headed to the sofas and placed the papers on the coffee table. You took a seat on the sofa without waiting for his consent, immediately focusing on the project back. “Hey, at least do me a favour and close the door alright? You were doing nothing just by standing near the doorframe.” You retorted, seeing the reflection of his through the glass window that also displayed the night view of the city. “O-Oh,” he snapped back to reality and closed the door behind him, heading to the head couch and looked over you. “W-Where should I sign?” “Why were you shuttering? Do you just realise how good looking I am?” You joked. “Yes.” Your eyes lose focus on those words, your mind totally forgot which parts you read and which you haven’t. You looked up to see the man, hoping to get a “haha, sike, you thought you were beautiful?” but instead a pointed look by the latter. “We don’t have time to joke around, Hyunjae.” “In which part do you think I’m in the mood for joking?” He leaned closer to you, giving you time to push him away if he made you feel uncomfortable.

Instead, you just stayed there and waited for him to get closer until he pressed his lips against yours. He moved his lips on yours, as you closed your eyes and lost your grips on the papers. He held your shoulders and pulled you softly on the sofa, before his hands crawled back up to caress your cheeks. The dominance of each tongue drove him crazy, leading him to grab your buttcheek across the pencil skirt of yours, earning a moan from you and took this chance to shove and explore his tongue inside your mouth. He pulled away for you to catch some breath, but his kisses continued travelling down from your lips to your neck and collarbone. He was licking your skin and before he could proceed with his teeth sinking against your skin, you tried to speak in between the oxygen that you were trying to inhale, “Don’t be so rough, there can’t be any marks.” He narrowed down his eyebrow and locked his eyes with yours, “And what’s the reason behind it?” You bit your lower lips and looked away, not wanting to continue the topic that you’ve just started. “Are you worried that guy might discover what we’ve done tonight?” He stole back your attention as you stared at him, “W… Which guy?” 

“That dude, Cho Seungyoun.” Hyunjae rolled his eyes, even his name sickening him. His expression obviously told you that he was pissed off, as you chuckled and shook your head. Your hand now went up to caress his cheek, rubbing those soft skin with your thumb, “Perhaps do you… Think that I have a feeling towards Seungyoun?” “No!” His eyebrows furrowed more as the quick response made it clear that he indeed was having such thoughts in his mind. You raised your eyebrow, asking for an explanation from the lie that the latter just told you. “Ugh, fine. Yes, I was. His presence around you made me go mad, I can’t help but to think that you might fall for him even in the slightest way.” The way he tried to stay on top of you with the arms supporting his whole weight on each side of you made you feel safe around him. “Then why would you kiss me?” “Because I like you.” You sense nothing but sincerity filled up his eyes. Both of you stayed quiet for a while as each other tried to read those messages through the eyes, as Hyunjae sat back on the sofa and his head hung low to the floor, fingers messily running through his hair. “You can leave if you want, we can just pretend that nothing actually happened.” 

“What if I don’t want to?” HIs ears perked up but not daring enough to face you in this state of his. You sat next to him and held both of his cheeks, making him face you. “What if I feel the same way? What if we happened to have this love-hate relationship since the day we met?” You added, “Kiss me again like how you wanted to. Do what you’ve wanted to do on me ever since we’ve exchanged those glares but deep inside those hearts wanted something else.” With that, he pulled you into another heated kiss. This time, the kiss got more aggressive as touches on each other's bodies became bolder than before. He pulled you on his thighs as you wrapped your arms around his neck and you straddled on his waist. His hand went down to caress down the exposed thighs of yours as you threw your head to the back once his lips went to your neck again. He placed soft kisses and licks all over your neck and collarbone while hand busy stroking your thighs. You pulled him to lean back on the sofa, taking off your blouse while the latter watched you doing so. You exposed your half naked upper body to the one that you used to hate a lot, as he licked his lips from the view before kissing your body again. His hands went back to pull down your bra skillfully, throwing it somewhere around the office and his lips went to your right boob. His tongue circling around your nipple as his other hand grasped the other, applying the same pleasure on it. 

“P-Please…” “Please what, my love?” “Fuck me.” “I would gladly do.” With that, he gently placed you over the sofa as he almost cursed under his breath, “Shit, you look so stunning underneath me. Should’ve taken the first move early so I could witness such views longer for the rest of my life.” He pulled down your skirt, letting you only in your underwear. His finger made a contact with your covered pussy, spreading the wetness all over, “You are this wet just for me? Thank you,” he playfully smirked and left a peck on your lips as he hovered down to your lower body. His tongue left a long stroke across the covered slit, making you whimpered. He chuckled, taking off your underwear and sniffed it, “You even smell good,” he shoved it inside his back pocket before resting his lips on your cunt. “A-Ah!” You closed your eyes tight as your back jerked upward from the sudden contact, gripping nothing but air tightly. His tongue flickered against your slit, hands went to hold yours as the way you tightly held his hands made him realise that you were so close to reach your cloud nine. He didn’t stop though, as his nose brushed over your pussy and he started to suck your clit. “Fuck, I-I’m close… Ah!” Once again, your body jerked upwards after letting out the loudest moan while cumming on his face. 

He gave you time to adjust with the pleasure you just earned, as he licked off the cum painted all over his lips. You took a short glance over him, beaming softly resulting in him to beam along. He pecked your lips and whispered against your lips, “Can you go for another round?” You gave him an immediate nod, not wanting to waste another time. He smirked under his breath, “Never know I could make you a hot mess underneath me. Seungyoun who? Stupid of me to assume that he could get a chance to fuck you. Seeing him touching and giving you a massage annoyed the shit out of me. He can’t make you feel this good.” His hands were busy unbuckling the belts and pulling his pants along with his boxer, exposing his huge manhood right in-front of your eyes. Stroking his hard length to spread the pre-cum all over, Hyunjae was staring you down with lusts filled his eyes. “No, I’m the one that’s supposed to be making you feel good.” Without wasting any seconds, he inserted his dick into your vagina, making you produce the most beautiful sound ever. 

“Ahh H-Hyunjae!” Your hands gripped his biceps as he let out a whimper, biting his lower lips, “Fuck baby, you’re so tight. I don’t think I could last long.” The amount of his breath rising dramatically was equally the same as yours, as the pat on his bicep signalling to him that he could move. He pushed further more, fingers crawled up to grab the sofa armrest. Your hips moving along to match his speed, both of you working hard to chase the heaven both of you have dreamed of. “Ugh fuck, Hyun… Hyunjae. It’s there… Ahh,” he repeated the same sin, pushing his tip to hit the jackpot inside of yours. Your fingers went to his back, nails scratching as you accidentally left some marks on it. His thumb went to your swollen clit, circling to apply more pleasures for you to cum. “Ahhh, Lee Jaehyun!” Your wall clenched tightly around his dick and cummed on it after chanting his name like a mantra, as the latter moved his hips at an inhuman speed. “Ugh,” he groaned as he quickly slipped his shaft out from you, replacing your walls with the grip of his hand around his manhood, stroking it faster to chase his own cloud nine. He painted his cum on your stomach, lazily pumping his shaft before sitting on the sofa, leaning his back against it.

He took a peek over you, whose chest was rising up and down rapidly to even the breath, leaning to leave a soft kiss on your lips. “Rest for a while, I’ll go grab for a wet cloth for you.” You nodded, your lids were heavy as you almost couldn’t see the young man in your sight due to the exhaustion he just made to you. Hyunjae put on his clothes, went to the nearby toilet and came back with a damp but warm towel. He cleaned the cum all over your body and let your back laid on a warm cloth. “You left marks on my back, and it’s unfair how I can’t leave any on yours.” You giggled in a tired manner as you tried to look at him, “I was scratching and I didn’t know it left marks. Plus, why would you leave a mark on something that’s not yours to begin with.” He laid on top of you again, putting down the arm away from your forehead, “If I ask you out now, am I allowed to leave marks on your body?” You lazily smiled to the latter, “Whatever floats your boat, Mr. Lee.” 

[bluespruce25]

A Life for a Life to Balance the Scales

CW: Suicide/self-sacrifice

Follow #L4LBS updates | Up on AO3 | Previous Chapter

Chapter 4 of 5: Goodbye, My Loves

Cat Grant had not made herself easy to find in the last few years, since her display of heroics in the Daxamite invasion and the unfortunate series of events that led to the resignation of President Marsden. She had continued her work behind the scenes, quietly moving the world towards a brighter future without any of the recognition she had been used to in her previous life as National City’s preeminent Queen of all Media. 

Imagine her surprise, then, when she heard a knock at the door of her secluded Swiss Chalet, purchased through a shell company of a shell company and in no way tied back to her name. Her eyebrows rose and a small smirk played at the edge of her lips as she opened the door and recognized her unexpected guest.

“Director J’onzz, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Wine glass in hand, she turned her back to him and walked further into the chalet. She assumed he would follow, which he did.

“Ms. Grant, I wish I could say it is a pleasure, but unfortunately, I am here with a rather heavy heart.”

This piqued her interest, “Oh? Do tell, director.”

“Ms. Grant, as you know, Supergirl has not been seen in National City for several weeks.”

“Yes, I had heard something to that effect. Let me guess, you need my help to track her down?”

J’onn looked at her with cloudy eyes, she was starting to sense that her levity in this conversation was out of place, like perhaps she had missed something crucial. It was enough to make her listen closely to what he said next with an unusual gravitas.

“I am sorry to tell you that Supergirl is dead. After killing Lex Luthor, Supergirl cremated Lex’s body in the fires of the sun and then followed willingly in his path.”

Cat’s face froze, her mouth hung slightly open, an unusual display of feeling for the former CEO and always bad-ass. 

“I’m sorry Director J’onzz. I seem to have misheard you.” She gestured with her wine glass in her hand, index finger coming away from the glass to point at J’onn. “It  sounded like you just said that Supergirl flung herself and her arch-nemesis into the sun.”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Cat sat down heavily on the nearest surface, luckily it happened to be the arm of her sofa. 

“You and I both know that this simply isn’t possible. Supergirl would never give up hope. She would never take away National City’s superhero willingly.”

“She would if it was the only way to take out Earth’s greatest threat.” J’onn retorted.

Cat paused at this, she hated to admit it, but Lex Luthor might have been the only thing in this world that could have motivated Supergirl to give up willingly. 

“And just say I believe you, Director, what does this have to do with me? I haven’t seen Supergirl in years.”

“Before she died, Supergirl recorded a message for you and asked that I make sure it finds its way into your hands.”

“I see. And I suppose this conversation” Cat gestured back and forth between them with her wine glass, “is off the record?”

J’onn sighed, once a media mogul, always a media mogul. Thankfully, he had prepared for this line of questioning.

“Yes and no. This meeting, this discussion between you and I, is off the record. However, Supergirl asked that you be the one to break the story. Everything you need and the message she left for you can be found on this drive.” With this J’onn removed the USB drive from his shirt pocket and held it out between two fingers for Cat to take. 

Before she could remove it from his grasp, he held it tighter, locking eyes with her over the USB. “She looked up to you more than anyone, you know.”

Cat blinked, took the USB and turned away to hide the tears threatening to fall. By the time she turned back, seconds later, she had squared her jaw and there was no trace of the emotions that had threatened to spill over.

“Thank you, Director J’onzz; for everything. I will do our girl justice, I promise you.”

“I know that you will.”

And with that the uniform-clad man strode out of her house closing the door behind him, and Cat was left to process everything that had just transpired. She paused for a moment and took a swig of her wine. Then, she sat down to her desk and plugged the USB into her laptop in one smooth motion.

---

A few hours later Cat stood on the balcony of her chalet overlooking the serene, snow-covered peaks all around her, breathing in the crisp mountain air. She cast her eyes into the sky, the stars on full display in the cloudless night.  “One benefit of living in a secluded valley in the heart of the Swiss alps is the lack of light pollution,”  she reflected morosely.

There she stood for a while, wine glass still twirling between her fingers, her arms crossed and the hand holding the glass resting just in front of her shoulder. The tear tracks on her cheeks shone faintly in the moonlight, the only evidence of her heartbreak. 

She spoke reverently, seemingly to the stars themselves, “Rest in power, Supergirl.” Then, even more softly, she added, “Be at peace, Kara.”

As she turned to go inside, her last murmur caught on the wind. “Tch... I mean glasses as a disguise, really.”

She shook her head, a thoughtful look on her face as she walked through the doors and back over to her laptop on the coffee table. The eulogy of the most beloved citizen of Earth wasn’t going to write itself, after all. 

---

“Alex, honey? Can I come in?” Eliza asked as she knocked lightly on the door to the guest room. Alex couldn’t bring herself to stay in the bedroom she had shared with Kara for five years before going off to college. Kelly was helping Andrea manage the fallout of the failed Obsidian North Worldwide Unity Festival, but she would be making her way to Midvale on the evening train.

As Eliza opened the door a crack to check on Alex, she found her daughter sitting on the edge of the bed absentmindedly fiddling with the crystal hung from a plain silver chain around her neck. 

“Alex?” Eliza repeated. This time, Alex looked up at her, the far off look slowly faded as her mom came back into focus. “Honey, I know this has been hard, but I think it’s time. You have to say goodbye. It’s been three weeks since J’onn arrived from Mars, and I think you need the closure.”

Alex broke their eye contact, looking down at her hands.

Eliza followed her cue and looked out the window towards the beach. 

“She sent me one too, you know?” Alex looked up at this. “She told me that she loved me and thanked me for taking her in.” Eliza dropped her gaze to her hands, Alex was quick to pull the closest one into her own lap to hold, encouraging Eliza to continue.

“She said that she hoped she made me proud and that she was sorry for Jeremiah, for coming in and blowing up our perfect family; for setting things on fire with her heat vision and that terrible attitude she had when she first got here.” Eliza brought her gaze to Alex’s face, “and you know what Alex? I was so mad  .” Eliza looked up at the ceiling for a moment, “I was so mad at her. After  everything  we’ve all been through, I loved her as my own daughter. I have felt  every  heartbreak and  every  joy right alongside her since she was thirteen years old, and after all these years, the last thing she has to say to me is to  apologize  for being a burden. Everything we’ve been through together, all of the love we’ve shared and the legacy of our family is reduced to tragedy and apologies.”

Alex blinked, not sure what to do with what Eliza was saying; stunned to hear feelings that so closely mirrored her own. 

“The last thing I will ever have of her,” Eliza paused, choosing her next words carefully, “is her wishing that she hadn’t caused so much trouble. That we had been spared having her come into our lives. Can you  believe  that? The last words I will hear my daughter say are that she wished she had never become my daughter.”

Eliza sniffled, just keeping the tears at bay. 

“I know that she didn’t mean it like that, I do. But I am so  mad  , Alex. I am mad that she is gone. I’m mad that she could ever have believed that I would change a single thing about raising her, about loving her. I’m mad that I will never get the chance to scold her for it.” Eliza let out a forced chuckle. “I am  so mad  that I will never get to hold her in my arms and tell her how much I love her, and how mad I am that she made this decision; how mad I am that she could ever question the blessing she has been in my life.”

Eliza patted Alex’s hands entwined with hers. “So take your time, Alex. Feel whatever it is you need to feel. You’ll get no judgement from me. When you’re ready, hear what she has to say and afterwards, I think you should let Kelly make a recommendation for someone for you to see.”

---

A few hours had passed since her mom looked in on her when Alex finally looked up, away from her hands. The sun had just about set, casting long shadows across the first floor room. Her jaw was set, firm, and her eyes held a singular intent. Slowly, she got up and made her way upstairs. Opening the door to their bedroom, she took in every detail: the NSYNC posters and the paisley bedspreads; the telescope and star charts. She closed her eyes against the memories that poured in. 

Making her way into the middle of the room, she set up the mini crystal projector that J’onn had leant her. She pulled the necklace off over her head and looked down at it for a moment, studying it before she placed it in the console. She adjusted the projector so that the hologram would appear just over Kara’s bed. She wrapped her arms around the nearest teddy bear and sat cross-legged on top of her comforter. As she got settled in, Kara’s face flickered into view. The hologram wasn’t even fully formed as the first sob broke through Alex’s lips, wracking her whole body. Still, she carried on through blurred eyes. 

“Oh Alex, I am so sorry. You must be so mad at me right now. I am so,  so sorry. I had to do it Alex. I had to kill Lex. It was the only way. You are the only one who can understand this, who can understand why I had to do this. Killing Lex was the only way to stop him from hurting more people and it had to be me that did it. I am the only person in the world who could have surprised him like that.”

Kara went on to recount the events that Alex had already pieced together as part of their investigation. Kara had ambushed Lex at a little known barbershop downtown. She had flown them directly to the Fortress of Solitude without stopping and had immediately killed him with a lethal overdose of morphine. They had the footage from the Fortress so they already understood her motives and everything she explained to Lex before he lost consciousness, and eventually his heartbeat. Alex was surprised to learn about the Vanishing Point and how Supergirl had memorized his heartbeat. Kara had never talked about the Vanishing Point, or Crisis, not if she could help it. 

It somehow made it worse, hearing everything in Kara’s own words. Knowing, definitively, that this wasn’t some elaborate ruse. Knowing that Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, had killed Lex Luthor in the name of justice and then flown him and herself into the sun. 

Alex tuned back in as she heard Kara transition to the part where she got into the pod. 

“Alex, there is something I need you to understand. About why I had to go too. As you know from the existence of these crystals, my death was not an accident. The truth is that Lex Luthor had to die, Supergirl had to be the one to kill him, and Supergirl does not kill. The moment Lex’s heart stopped beating, Supergirl ceased to exist.”

“I know what you’re going to say” Kara continued as if they were debating pineapple on pizza rather than her death, “‘ You are more than Supergirl. Kara Danvers is my sister.’ And you’re right, Alex. You are absolutely right. Kara Danvers is more than just Supergirl, but, like Kara Danvers, Supergirl is just another piece of Kara Zor-El.”

“I had to face justice for the crime of killing Lex, just as he had to face justice for killing dozens of innocent people, for all of the crimes and murders committed in his schemes. By killing him, I became no better than Lex Luthor, and therefore, my only choice was to join him in the judgement of the sun. I’m not sure if you’ll ever believe me or agree, but it had to be this way.”

Alex could feel herself shaking, the tears falling freely and her hands balled up into fists at her side, but Kara couldn’t see her, couldn’t hear her fuming, so Kara continued. 

“I am  sorry  for causing you pain, Alex. I’m sorry that I can’t be there for you, to help you through this. But I had to do the right thing. I had to end Lex’s hold on us. Everything I have done, I have done out of love for Earth and for you, for our family. I have done everything I can to help people, but I cannot help people as the monster that Lex always feared I would become. My time on Earth is over, and if I want my legacy to mean anything, then Supergirl has to die with Lex. Not just in spirit, not just in name. I have to atone for my sins just as he did. We both always knew, if it came down to it, I would sacrifice myself to save my planet; to save Earth. I hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but this time it did.”

At this, the hologram of Kara leaned forward, 

“Alex, all I have ever wanted is for you to be happy. I know that this choice will only make that harder, but I hope that you will still find your happy ending. I hope that you have someone who can keep you grounded and can teach you to love yourself. No matter what though, Alex, you have to put yourself first. You have to love yourself as fiercely as you loved me.”

Kara smiled, one last brilliant smile, for Alex, “You will never know how blessed I was to have Alex Danvers for a sister. You are my best friend and my biggest supporter. Supergirl could never have made it all those years without you in her corner. Now that I’m gone, I ask that you support the others as you have supported me. Help Lena build the world that we know is possible. Lead the DEO into a new future, one where it helps aliens more than it hurts them, where it protects all citizens of Earth equally. Be there for Clark. He is now truly the last Son of Krypton. He will need people who understand, and we both know that it’s a pretty short list.”

Alex scoffed, “ Yeah no pressure there, Kara. Jesus.”

“I love you, Alex. Thank you for being my sister, for showing me the light, and for introducing me to NSYNC.” Alex’s eyes flit up to the posters above her sister’s bed. “There are no words for the joy you have brought into my life. Thank you for every moment of it.”

Kara’s face shuttered and disappeared as the hologram powered down. 

---

Alex was sitting on the bed, her whole body shaking in rage, her breaths coming in hiccups. A moment later, she was screaming at the empty space above Kara’s bed, not looking at the console now laying upended on the floor with the offending pillow next to it. She let out another wordless cry, falling to her knees with her head in her hands. She didn’t hear Eliza come up the stairs, or hear her call her name. Supergirl’s big sister was all alone with her grief until the moment she felt their mom wrap her arms around her, as Alex scrambled to hold onto them like a lifeline, like she would fall to pieces without her mother’s love holding her together. 

“How could she?!” Alex said softly, not expecting an answer, not really wanting one. Eliza just held her tighter, rocking her back and forth as she repeated, “I’ve got you, Alex. I’ve got you.” over and over, rubbing circles on her daughter’s back. Hours later, Kelly let herself in and found them curled up together, asleep in Alex’s childhood bed. She looked around and took in the console and the crystal with the simple chain that she recognized from around Alex’s neck. She leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Alex’s temple and brushed her knuckles across the short stands of red hair that had fallen across the agent’s forehead. Without making a sound, she backed slowly out of the room, closing the door just enough that they won’t be disturbed as she unpacked downstairs.

---

Lena was where she always was, in her lab, working intensely on her computer, running algorithm after algorithm to try to find any other combination of elements, any other explanation for the energy readings after the solar flare. Her eyes were dry and stony as she took a swig of her room-temperature coffee, grimacing as she swallowed instead of spitting it back out. She had no idea what time it was, let alone how long it had been since that coffee was fresh. The fluorescent lights in her lab followed no circadian rhythm and years of being CEO before Crisis had completely demolished her own. The lights weren’t doing anything to hide the deep circles under her eyes, the product of too many hours in the lab and not enough sleep. Kara would be so mad that she wasn’t taking care of herself.  “Then again, this time it’s Kara’s fault, isn't it?”  Lena thought ruefully. It had been 28 days, four weeks, since the solar flare.

She blinked her eyes back into focus on the monitor in front of her. 

As she was about to run her one million and twelfth algorithm, she heard the door behind her open with a soft whoosh. Her heart skipped a beat involuntarily. She knew it wasn't Kara. She knew, intellectually, that Kara wouldn’t be the one walking through her door, but she couldn’t help the flicker of hope in her eyes as she turned to face Alex. Her jaw clenched and she turned back to the monitor.

“How can I help you, Director Danvers?”  “Is Alex even the director of the DEO any more?”  Lena had lost track with Crisis, and then Lex’s revisionist history, and now his demise. She supposed it couldn't hurt to call all the once and former directors by that title until someone corrected her. “  Maybe it’s like being Secretary of State, or President, once a Madame Secretary, always a Madame Secretary  ,  ”  she mused. 

Alex sighed, “I’m not giving up, Lena. I don’t care what she says or what’s on the crystals.” She gestured to the crystal laying on its side, acting as a priceless paperweight for the barely organized piles of academic journals and fringe publications that Lena had stacked haphazardly all over the lab. “ God, what would Lillian say to see my lab in this state,”  Lena thought with ire. Without turning she spit out, “Just leave, Alex. I’ll find you when I know something.”

Alex didn’t move, didn't leave. Lena was about to raise her voice when she heard an unexpected visitor call her name, softly.

Stunned, Lena turned around to face them, “Eliza?” she asked, wondering if her overtired eyes were finally deceiving her. 

“What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Why aren’t you back in Midvale?” The “ where you belong ” at the end of the sentence was merely implied, but not lost on Eliza.

“Sweetie,” Lena bristled at the pet name. Eliza opened her arms, palms facing up and out “I don’t expect you to give up, or to stop looking. I know that if the roles were reversed, Kara would do the same.” Lena’s nostrils flared at the mention of Kara’s name, as if Eliza, as if any of them could say what Kara would do. Obviously they couldn’t, or they would have stopped her from flying herself into the sun like an idiot.

Lena maintained her silence. Eliza continued, “Whatever happened between you, whatever happened with Kara and Lex, you owe it to yourself to hear what she had to say. You owe it to yourself to hear her side of the story. You can love her for it or hate her for it afterwards, but first you need to hear her out. I know it’s hard, but you don’t want to go to the memorial tomorrow without having had the chance to say goodbye yourself first.”

Lena huffed as her eyes flashed in warning, “I’m  not  giving up.”

Eliza held up her hand to silence Lena, a glint in her usually soft eyes that Lena recognized but had never before seen in the Danvers matriarch. 

“And I’m not asking you to. All I am asking is that you open your heart one last time, to put her voice to rest while you work to find her. Right now, we don’t know how long it could take, or if she will ever come back to us. But she told me to care for you as I have cared for her, and right now, that means helping you find enough closure to pick yourself up and move through the day. I’m sorry, honey. I am so sorry that you have to do this. I am so sorry that she did this to you, to all of us. But we have to keep going. The world needs you. Lex may be gone, but there are plenty of others out there counting on Supergirl’s absence to give them free reign. We can’t let that happen and we need your help to stop them, but you can’t help anyone until you’ve found peace for yourself.”

“I will never find peace while Kara is out there,” Lena started. Eliza opened her mouth to cut in, but this time it was Lena who raised a hand to quiet her. “ But  ” she said pointedly, “I  will watch the hologram. You’re right. I’ve left it too long. If anything it may hold clues to getting her back.”

“Eliza?” Lena asked softly. 

“Yes, dear?”

Lena looked down at where she was pulling on the fingers of her left hand with her right. “I’m so afraid” Lena’s voice broke just as Eliza wrapped her in a tight embrace. “I know sweetie; we all are. You know what Kara used to say? Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid, but doing what’s right anyway.”

Lena chuckled and wiped her eyes, “That’s exactly the type of cliche, hallmark rip-off thing Kara Danvers would say.”

They all shared in a quiet laugh that died quickly between them. 

Lena inhaled deeply, steadying herself for what she was about to do. She took the crystal from its home atop a handwritten page of algorithms obscured by coffee rings and angrily scribbled out equations. 

Turning her back to Alex and Eliza, she walked to the far end of her lab where there was a large area of unoccupied space and a small console awaiting the crystal. 

With one last sigh, Lena placed the crystal into the console and watched as Kara’s face flickered into view. Her eyes filled immediately with tears, but this time she didn’t care if they spilled over. She didn’t care about anything other than the cerulean blue eyes staring back at her. 

---

“Lena.” Kara started. “I want to start by saying that I am sorry for your loss; sorry to have been the one to take your brother away from you again. It had to be me this time.”

“I know that you will need closure. I have embedded here the recording of his return to the sun. I know that you will need to see it with your own eyes to believe it, especially after the last time. I promise that this time it is done. He cannot hurt you anymore, I made sure of it. If you aren’t ready to see this, you should stop the recording now.”

Kara paused for a moment to give Lena time to decide. Lena didn’t move from where she stood. She wasn’t sure if it is because she couldn’t or because finally, she was truly ready to let Lex go, once and for all. Either way, she waited too long and the hologram of Kara leaned forward to push a button Lena couldn’t see and flickered out of view. 

In her place, the image of a body which can only be Lex appeared, backlit by the brightest light Lena had ever seen. She could see the sunlight bouncing off the crown of his shiny bald head. His beard was  almost as immaculate as normal. He looked peaceful in this death, unlike the chaotic horror of the last time she saw his dead body before her, her ears still ringing from the shot that she took, the shot that took his life. She appreciated that this time was much more peaceful, more dignified. 

She looked past his body to where the colors of the sun churned across its surface. As a scientist, she knew that the sun was a ball of gases, but the limited color range of the hologram made it look deep and varied like the surface of the open ocean, a living, moving place. 

She watched as Kara wrapped Lex in her cape, a fine shroud of Kryptonian cloth. Something of Clark’s to go into the void with him. How fitting, how  ironic.  Lena stared as Kara said a blessing and, without any further fanfare, gently pushed his body towards the sun. His sister watched as Lex’s body erupted into flames and was swallowed in a small solar flare, barely a blip on the surface of the yellow star. 

---

Kara turned back towards the pod, her expression inscrutable. The hologram showed her reaching in and then the screen cut back to the previous hologram of her sitting in the pod addressing Lena straight on.

At some point, Lena realized, Alex and Eliza must have excused themselves and stepped out because she was now alone in her lab with only Kara’s hologram in front of her. The only thing Lena could see was Kara’s face, those bright blue eyes brimming with tears; eyes full of the shadows of a home destroyed, not once but twice, of being stuck alone in the Phantom Zone for decades, and then again at the Vanishing Point; the hurt of losing so many over such a short life; the weight of infinite worlds pulling her broad shoulders into a distinctly un-Supergirl-like sag. Lena knew that this wasn’t Supergirl, even if she couldn’t make out the vacancy of the crest ripped off of her chest, Lena would know just from the look in her eyes. Supergirl died the moment Lex’s heart stopped beating. The woman in the hologram in front of her was Kara Zor-El, and Lena Luthor had never loved anyone as much as the beautiful Kryptonian struggling to keep it together long enough enough to say goodbye. 

A sob tore its way out of Lena’s throat. Whether it was the confirmation that Lex was, in fact, dead or the devastation in the eyes of the woman she loved, either way it was suddenly too much. 

Lena was standing, though barely, with her arm outstretched, the other fluttering uselessly in front of her mouth as her breath hitched and her knees threatened to give out beneath her.

Kara said her name like a benediction, “ Lena ,” and the Kryptonian’s face softened into a warm smile, the one Lena was 70 percent sure was reserved just for her. Kara’s face looked everything like she’d just come home to find Lena in her apartment after a long day at CatCo, like Lena remembered from before; before Shelley Island, before the secret, before everything fell apart between them. 

The shock reverberated through her body as Lena’s knees hit the ground, finally overwhelmed by her emotions, but she felt no pain from the impact. She would have had to be capable of feeling physical pain for that, but she couldn’t feel anything except the insides of her heart being pulled apart at the atomic level. For a moment, part of her wondered if that was physically possible and remembered her discussion with Kara about quantum entanglement almost a year prior. There wasn’t enough enriched uranium in the world to build a bomb capable of replicating the searing pain ripping through Lena’s chest. 

Coming back to herself, Lena looked up as Kara began speaking. 

“I had to do it Lena. There is no one else on this planet who understands why the way you do. You have made the decision I made. You have seen what I have seen, drawn the same conclusions, it was the only way.”

“But..” Kara had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, “understanding why I killed Lex doesn’t necessarily mean you understand why I had to go too. Does it?”

Lena seethed at the understatement .  Kara continued, unaware of the incredulity of the woman listening to her speech. 

“Lena, you and I both know that as soon as I killed Lex, I became the worst case scenario he ever imagined, the story he used to use to fuel his hate-filled schemes. I became a danger to humans, to Earth. I took the law into my own hands; acted as judge and jury. We both know that death is a paltry justice for the infinite lives lost because of Lex before, during, and after Crisis. The thing is, the rest of the world has no idea. To them, Lex Luthor is a Nobel Peace Laureate,  The Man of Tomorrow , a shining example of the best humanity has to offer. Supergirl, then, is just the cold-blooded murderer of her long-time friend and ally.” 

Kara sighed. 

“Even if the whole world knew the truth about Lex, the real truth, it wouldn’t matter. I betrayed who I am when I killed him. Supergirl does not kill. That’s not just Supergirl, that’s Kara too. All of me killed Lex, and all of me must atone for that. A life for a life to balance the scales.”

Kara looked desperately out of the hologram, every inch of her face pleading with Lena to understand why she did it. “Please Lena, you have to understand. You are the only one that can. I couldn’t do what I needed to do and still be me. I had to sacrifice myself, sacrifice Supergirl so that Lex couldn't hurt anyone ever again. It was the only way. It was a small price for your safety, for the safety of the world.”

Lena chuckled, burying her face in her hands. As much as she wanted to murder Supergirl and strangle Kara, she did understand. Hadn’t she made the same choice a year ago, consequences be damned? She knew better than anyone after Lex and Ben Lockwood and the Children of Liberty that Supergirl killing Lex was exactly the dog whistle they needed to regain legitimacy and launch a renewed attack on aliens everywhere. Lena hated it, thought it was infuriating and stupid, thought that if Kara had just come to her they could have sorted it out, a better solution, but at the same time, she understood it. She had done the same thing. She too had risked everything to rid the world of the menace that was her brother. 

Lena understood why Lex had to die, she even understood why killing Lex would be the end of Supergirl, but she would never understand, could  never understand why Supergirl had to kill Kara too. 

The dark-haired woman’s thoughts were interrupted when the blonde, now crying, repeated the words Kara had once said to her when Lena had been too hurt and too stubborn to listen, she repeated them over and over again, “Lena, I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me.” If only Lena had responded back then the way her heart wanted to respond now. 

This time, however, Kara’s pleas for forgiveness were followed by a soft admission Lena was not expecting, “ I love you  . I have always loved you, Lena Luthor. You are, and will always be, the best thing that ever happened to me. All the secrets and pushing you away, it was because I couldn’t stand to lose you. Did I ever tell you that your mom tipped her hand once?” Kara asked rhetorically. “About a year into our friendship when you had been taken hostage by Rhea and I was working with Cadmus, with Lillian, to rescue you. She had already kidnapped me and used my adoptive father, Jeremiah, to get to Alex and I. She already knew my identity. I asked her why she never told you, and you know what she said? She said, ‘Eventually, she'll find out on her own. Find out that you've been lying to her all this time. And when she does?  She'll hate you for it.’  and I should’ve known better. I should have had more faith in you and in our friendship, but...” Kara paused shaking her head. “I already cared about you so much. When she said that, the thought of losing you, especially when you were being held captive by that psycho on Daxam’s ship. It just put a fear in me that I couldn’t shake. Every single time I tried to tell you, I could see Lillian smirking in the background just waiting to watch our friendship fall apart. The closer we became, and after I realized my love for you, the stakes were just that much higher. Every moment, every hopeful opportunity and then missed chance weighed all the more heavily. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy, a loop that I couldn’t get out of. If I told you, you would hate me, but every second I lied I increased that inevitable hatred ten fold while also delaying it if only slightly. In the end, she was right, but not because of my secret, and not because our friendship was weak, but because I was weak; because I let a secret become a lie. Now that I’m here and I know this is the end, I’m not sure I can forgive myself for wasting what little time we had together. Knowing you for five years just isn’t enough for me. I would’ve taken a lifetime and then asked for an eternity.”

Kara looked so small, her head bowed and her shoulders turned in as if to protect herself. 

“The worst part is that I’ll never know what we could have been. If I had more time to fix this, I wonder what we could have been together? I wonder if you would’ve wanted that. I guess now, facing the end, I’m finally ready to ask that outloud, even if I’ll never get to hear your answer.” Kara reflected wistfully. 

Lena fell backward from her knees hard onto her tailbone, her legs were bent beside her, one arm caught her as she toppled over. She blinked, incredulous. Before she could even register what was happening, she was getting back on her feet yelling at Kara, at the hologram, with every ounce of pain she had ever felt. 

“NO! You don’t  get  to say that. You do  not  get to tell me you love me and then  leave  ! You don’t get to decide for us that we don’t get to figure this out together, to have a future together. You have  no right  to decide that for both of us.”

“How dare you! HOW  DARE YOU!”

“Dammit, Kara. How  COULD  you? Why didn’t you ever tell me? Why couldn’t you have just said something, anything? You bastard! You self-aggrandizing, arrogant, hero with a god-complex. Why couldn’t you just leave well enough  alone  ? Why couldn’t you ask for help,  you stoic idiot.  God, did you ever, in your whole life, stop to think? What the hell are we supposed to do now?”

Lena stopped, but only because she couldn’t continue, not if she wanted to save some air for breathing. Frankly, she wasn’t sure that she did want to breathe, but her lungs were screaming at her, making the decision for her. In the sudden silence, hologram Kara was there. She hadn't spoken since her revelation. “ Maybe she knew I would need time to tell her off,” Lena mused darkly.

In the silence, Kara’s face was pensive, she grabbed the back of her neck and reached for glasses that weren’t there. The small mannerisms perforated a crack down the center of Lena’s breastbone. Kara looked shy, nervous even. Finally she said, “This is it, my love. I have to go now. If I wait any longer the pod won’t be able to make it back to you.”

“I’ve set the console to record what’s going to happen next. This is my last crystal. Like I said before, I know you will need to see it with your own eyes to believe…” Kara’s voice cracked, “to know that I am really gone. The rest of the world may need that too.”

“Just know that I will always be with you, Lena Luthor. I will love you,  always . Goodbye my love.”

Kara leaned forward to end the recording, but hesitated, adding, “You should, uh, stop here...if you’re not ready. The rest will be...intense.” Then softly, she added, with her face smoothing into the calm confidence of someone going out to meet death as an old friend, one final, “Goodbye.”

Lena scrambled to the console and ripped the crystal out of its hole. She might have considered herself tough, but there was no way in hell she was ready to see the love of her life  die  right in front of her. 

With the crystal clenched in one hand she sat back down and braced her back against the lab bench, sobbing uncontrollably. It barely registered as Alex and Eliza wrapped their arms around her, but as more and more arms appeared, she realized that everyone was there, the whole Superfamily. Eventually she calmed down, her breathing leveled out, and the group hug dissipated just enough for everyone to collect themselves. There wasn’t a dry eye among them, Lena realized, the thought pinched her heart even tighter. 

Lena looked over them with resolve. She cleared her throat and the collective room moved to focus their attention on her. 

“I’m…” Lena cleared her throat again as she looked at their faces in turn; James, Kelly, Nia, Brainy, Alex, J’onn, Eliza. “I’m not ready yet to watch the end, but I promise you that when I am, anyone here who wants to be there will be welcome. I know that we all need closure. I am sorry that we have to go into the memorial tomorrow without that last piece, but I...I just need more time.”

Alex was the first to step up. She placed a hand on Lena’s arm and looked directly into her eyes, meeting her gaze. “Take all the time you need, Lena. We are not giving up here. Not on her, and not on you. We will be with you, all of us, every step of the way.  We are your family now, and, to quote Kara’s favorite movie,” they all chuckled at this, “Ohana means family, and family means that nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” Lena gave Alex a watery smile, a smile mirrored on everyone’s faces around the room.  Finally, Lena bowed her head in acceptance, not of Kara’s death, but of her new family.

Next Chapter

[elbiotipo]

I remember reading somewhere that Ted Turner (the creator of Captain Planet... and also CNN) or someone involved in Captain Planet said that they made pollution to be created by villains because they thought it wouldn’t be right for kids to watch oil drillers or lumberjacks as villains when they could have parents working in those industries... and that is right, up to a point, but the problem is... why there should be villains in the first place? Fossil fuel CEOs and agro oligarchs who displace and kill people from their lands are undoubtedly evil, but everyone works within an incredibly complex system, from those to the top to the workers at the bottom, who often are the ones who suffer the most from the decisions of those industries. Even if you killed those CEOs or defeated them cartoon style, realistically, the demands for consumer goods fuelled by those industries would continue without serious and deep reform; it is in fact the challenge we are facing right now.

I think a good way to teach enviromentalism to kids is to show the alternative. Show people working to change the system, enviromentalists, naturalists, activists, native people, sustainable farmers, scientists, engineers. Show how things can get better, not by punching pollution monsters but by healing and restoring the land and making a better world. Unfortunately, I believe most damage to our enviroment is already done, and we should start focusing our energies in protection, restoration and the change of society so that we might not repeat the mistakes of the past.

I’ve imagined a cartoon or a stardew valley like videogame about it sometimes... of characters who live in a devastated, polluted world and they work together for the better, changing society together, restoring the land to what it once was, cleaning it up restoring flora and fauna and more importantly restoring it for the people who live there, making the point that ecological justice also needs social justice for those who have been oppressed by economical imperialism. Of course, it isn’t as fun as punching pollution villains but I think that is the message that needs to come across; it’s a systemic problem, but systems can be changed.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 259: Jakku General Hospital

Previously on BnHA: We chilled with Hawks and Twice, who filled us in on the various different facets of Pliff’s plan to fuck over the world. For starters there are like a dozen new bad guys who are each heading different Pliff regiments, just in case anyone forgot that this is a literal army we’re dealing with here. Hawks also reminded us of the fact that Twice can clone basically any one of the bad guys as many times as he wants now, so that’s a nicely terrifying thought to sit and mull over. We learned that once Tomura is done powering up, the villains intend to attack all over the country simultaneously and basically destroy society as we know it. Oh and also kill all the heroes of course. But I think we already knew that. Anyway, so the one bright side in all of this is that Twice naively let it slip to Hawks where Tomura was currently undergoing his Frankenstein procedure. And so the chapter ended with basically all of the heroes in Japan launching a surprise attack in the mountains of Kyoto, while the kids waited on standby to help with the evacuations. And I know that doesn’t sound very safe, but... well... shit.

Today on BnHA: A quiet morning in the Kyoto suburb of Jakku. All is peaceful -- or so it seems. Little does the elderly CEO of Jakku General Hospital (a stand-up citizen, philanthropist, and caretaker of orphans all across the country) know that lying in wait just outside his doors is a group of wicked and immoral HEROES ready to -- okay lol you know what, I can’t. Not sure what I was really going for there anyway. So! Meanwhile in the woods outside the ol’ villain hotel, a second group of heroes led by Edgeshot and featuring several child heroes in training, including KAMINARI WHO WAS LITERALLY JUST BORN YESTERDAY AND SHOULD BE AT HOME IN HIS NURSERY WATCHING PAW PATROL AND NOT OUT HERE IN THE WOODS WHERE HE IS IN TERRIBLE DANGER, is gathered and ready to attack the League’s main forces. So things kick off with Death Arms apprehending the traitorous Slidin’ Go, while elsewhere the heroes bust into Jakku General Hospital to capture Ujiko. Show of hands, who here thinks this is going to go smoothly? ...Yep. Yeah. That’s what I thought.

okay guys, before we get started I’m gonna answer a couple of relevant asks from last week. first:

I’m almost hesitant to talk about this, because I’m paranoid that Viz and co. could pounce on these sites again at any moment, and so I feel like this sort of thing is better left to private messages and discord servers. but I guess one little mention of it won’t hurt. so the site currently doing the scanlations is readheroacademia.com, which has been around for a while. and there are several other sites which also host the new chapters and have all of the old chapters archived as well. kissmanga is a big one which I know a lot of people use, but my personal favorite is readmha.com (idk, I just feel like its layout is... cleaner? if that makes any sense)

also do keep in mind that all of these sites are pretty ad-heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend visiting without a good adblocker at the ready (I generally use Chrome on both desktop and mobile, and have uBlock Origin and Disable HTML5 Autoplay enabled on my desktop browser). that being said, I’ve never had any issues myself

good question! I was actually thinking about doing a weekly follow-up post on Sundays after the official Viz translation comes out, but obviously I did not end up doing that last week lol. so now I’m thinking it might be easier for me to just post any subsequent thoughts/remarks in the following week’s chapter recap, since I’m already committed to doing those anyway and so it makes it harder to flake out

so that said, my one follow-up thought about chapter 258 is that the fan scanlation seems to have mistranslated that whole “AFO’s resurgence” part. in Viz’s version Hawks was instead saying that the PLF’s plans would “throw the world into chaos and enthrone Shigaraki atop the rubble.” and he then referred to Tomura as the second coming of All for One. sooooo, pretty much exactly the opposite of the other translation lol. this is a big blow to my continued effort to search for evidence that AFO is gonna come back and be the final villain, but I am still not deterred. we will continue to fight on until AFO either actually dies, or does come back like I keep predicting he will! please try to work with me a little better here, AFO

one other thing, instead of “New World Movement”, Viz used the same “Vanguard Action” regiment name that was used during the forest training camp arc. Caleb said that the wording (“kaibyaku koudou”) was exactly the same. so I’ll be using that too moving forward. I guess that means that Pliff is still on the menu though, pity

anyway so let’s get started now

so it’s a house... no, holy shit, wait, it’s the house!

THE NEW TODOROKI HOUSE OH MY GOD. ahhhhh lol what the fuck is this. Todofeels coming up to slap me in the face out of nowhere?! here I thought we were gonna just dive right into the Shigaraki raid and the resulting carnage

I’m... not really sure how I feel about this? like, right now I’m not trusting anything Horikoshi does lol. “quiet beginnings” you say? this is just a sneaky new way to bring me more pain. isn’t it

(ETA: I guess “quiet beginnings” also summarizes the other activities of this chapter pretty well. also is that Natsuo’s girlfriend??! at first I thought it was Rei, but those look like quirk-related ears? so Natsu then really is living his best college life huh.)

oh hey everyone it’s a brand new character!

(ETA: wait, is he actually quirkless? or is that just another LIE. you big LIAR.)

I’m so curious what the kanji is for this latest name. can’t wait for Caleb to enlighten us. I wonder if it’s “shi” as in “death”, just like with Tomura/AFO’s name. and no idea at all what “Maruta” means. basically I just want to know if there’s some pun or something, since yet again he’s obviously using a fake alias here

(ETA: so someone informed me in an anon ask that this is a reference to Unit 731, which was a Japanese unit that undertook lethal human experimentation during WWII. basically the people who conducted the experiments referred to their human subjects as “logs” to dehumanize them. and the Japanese word for log is, you guessed it, maruta. so that’s an extremely powerful and disturbing association for this name, and it’s obvious now why Horikoshi went with it.

that said, the anon said that some people were really upset by this name choice, and while I guess I can understand that, I also think that’s kind of the point, though? like, it’s supposed to be horrifying. anyone with a human conscience and any kind of empathy whatsoever should be horrified. and atrocities like that shouldn’t be forgotten, and I actually think that for someone born and raised and living in Japan like Horikoshi to be making a reference to this is fairly ballsy. because my understanding is that, like a lot of Japan’s other war crimes, it was more or less hushed up by the government afterwards, and isn’t really taught in schools or mentioned in history textbooks other than in passing. so while I can understand people maybe finding it disrespectful, I don’t think it was meant as such. it seems to me that if anything, Horikoshi wants people to look into it and be educated about it. and again, obviously he’s associating it here with easily the most reprehensible and morally sickening character in the entire series, which is fitting I think. anyway so those are my thoughts on that.)

anyway, guess what guys? looks like we’ve got ourselves another Star Wars reference! let’s just hope this particular Jakku doesn’t wind up as wrecked as its namesake when all’s said and done. it’s gonna be a loooooong day

you guys. Maruta is such a nice guy

he’s a philanthropist! and he runs orphanages all over the country! wow! what a great person!! and nursing homes as well, where residents presumably die on the regular (of old age and other natural causes no doubt), at which point they are presumably cremated, and I wonder who runs the cremation facilities? I’m sure whoever it is is definitely on the up-and-up

and “quirk-based community healthcare.” I wonder if they’re selective about who they treat based on what their quirks are. all the better to make sure people with particularly strong and/or unique quirks get the specialized treatment they need!

anyway. see, this is more like what I expected. some super dark shit, and finally some answers to a few long-established questions as well, but not without a price. that price being the churning feeling in my gut right now lol. oh man. well I just ate, so that might have something to do with it. but I tell ya, nothing makes you vaguely queasy like trying your best not to think about a massive conspiracy to kidnap and torture innocent children in the pursuit of ultimate power! so anyways I sure do hate this!

fffff like, really hate it. I HATE IT SO MUCH

[reluctantly goes ahead and slides AFO down one notch on my list of people I need to see die the most] well there it is. we have a new champion

so now we’re cutting to a hero briefing!

y’all is that THE SHERIFF. PLEASE. IT’S BEEN SO LONG. BUDDY I MISSED YA

so Nao says he had one of his guys go undercover to investigate, and they found that this hospital’s blueprints included a giant suspicious unlabeled place that nobody knows anything the fuck about

oh my god. you guys. forget Tomura, could that also be where they’re keeping the Noumus?? omg. omg omg omg. omgggggggggggg. omg

-- AHHHHHHHHHH

IF THE NEXT PANEL ISN’T JUST A CHORUS OF EVERYONE IN THE ROOM ALL SAYING “WHAT THE FUCK” SIMULTANEOUSLY, I’M GONNA DEMAND SOME ANSWERS, BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, HAVING ALREADY KNOWN ALL ABOUT POOR JOHN-KUN AND ALL THIS FUCKED UP SHIT MYSELF, I STILL AUDIBLY SWORE OUT LOUD. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I’M GONNA DO IT AGAIN TOO, BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK

come on, is Pixie Bob the only one of you here with normal human reactions or what?!

RIGHT?! YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT A TINY MOUND OF FLESH WITH VEINY BULGING EYES JUST OGGLING BLANKLY OUT FROM ITS EXPOSED BRAINS. NOT TO MENTION IT’S GOT TWO OF WHAT VAGUELY RESEMBLE EARS, BUT WHAT I’M PRETTY SURE ARE ACTUALLY NOSES?? AND A SEVERED SPINAL CORD TAIL DANGLING OUT FROM BEHIND. ALL OF WHICH IS PLASTERED TOGETHER LIKE A LUMPY MOLD OF CLAY ATOP TWO CHILD-SIZED LEGS, which are wearing fucking sneakers, with fucking velcro and shit. fuck. fuck

lol Nao

oh yes, not difficult at all. I’m sure he’ll come along real quietly. hey, let me know how that one works out, okay

“we have the trauma of Hosu and Kamino still haunting us.” thanks for that reminder. gonna have another city to add to that list real soon aren’t we. preemptive r.i.p. Jakku

oh man you guys. can you feel this tension building up

interesting how he says “destiny.” I wonder if that’s the actual dialogue. at any rate this overconfidence is terrifying and I would really like for you all to stop jinxing shit my dudes

-- WHAT DID I JUST SAY

holy shit. please tell me this is a separate group from the Endeavor group we saw at the end of the last chapter

but that doesn’t make any sense though, because this group has Midnight and Kamui, two of their deadliest and most efficient capture specialists. not to mention Edgeshot the literal ninja who can break into anywhere. so this really should be the vanguard here based on what I’m seeing, but if that’s the case why are the eighteen-year-old Tamaki and the sixteen-year-old Toadette right there with them?? can we not, you guys. can we not

fucking shit. at least they’ve got Ms. Joke there too to back them up. if we actually get to see her quirk in action I can die happy. and so, presumably, will the villains

so the “hospital team” (is that the Endeavor team??) said they’re gonna eliminate the villains’ warping ability, which presumably means John-kun. do they even know it’s him that does it?? they don’t seem to actually know who Ujiko fucking is so I have my doubts?

on the bright side though, it seems like this Midnight team is actually going to be raiding the mansion, and won’t be involved in the hospital raid. but on the less bright side, the mansion is arguably almost as dangerous. :/ that’s where Twice is!! and probably most of the League! but at least they don’t have a dozen Noumus in the basement just waiting to be unleashed

god. people, if we don’t get moving on this action soon I am going to give myself a damn heart attack. this is way too much suspense for a chill Friday night

son of a bitch that guy behind Toadette is Honenuki, I just realized. what the fuck, U.A. ?? “hey kids! guess what! we’re going on a field trip!!” ...

-- NO!!!!!!

IT WILL NOT BE ALL RIGHT!! DON’T YOU LIE TO THEM!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!! Tamaki, fine, okay, he’s experienced, and arguably more powerful than half the people there. Toadette, she’s just a kid, but she also tried to kill Tokoyami back during the joint training arc and I’m still not sure how I feel about that so whatever! Honenuki is probably the most responsible person in this entire group so fine. Tokoyami needs to be there to have a lot of angst about Hawks

but Kaminari. Kaminari fucking Denki. no. no, sir. excuse the fuck out of me. how fucking dare you. he is a five-year-old boy in the body of a high-voltage adolescent. and he’s maybe, just maybe, more powerful than anyone else in this fucking group but that still doesn’t give you the right to put this little baby boy RIGHT ON THE FRONT FUCKING LINES!! holy shit! HIS BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!! I DON’T LIKE ANY OF THIS

OH MY GOD

RIGHT?!?!? omg omg omg omg omg

he’s literally wailing “I miss class 1-A” so loudly that it’s echoing all the way through the forest. see now that’s why you DON’T TAKE KAMINARI WITH YOU ON YOUR SECRET STEALTH ATTACK MISSION!! would somebody please point me towards whoever’s fucking idea this was so that I can go kick their fucking ass please and thank you

and here are the rest of them oh my god

Momo, Mina, Jirou, and Kiri at the forefront. okay, fine. this, I do like

so Edgeshot says they’ve surrounded the villains on all sides. man, no wonder they’re so worried about their warping capabilities. this is basically their one chance to capture all the bad guys in one fell swoop. I guess it makes more sense why all their capture specialists are in Edgeshot’s group, then

now I’m starting to wonder exactly what task lies in store for the Wonder Trio’s group, though? because they said evacuation, but is that really all there is to it? it’s no secret that Bakugou, Deku, and Todoroki are the three strongest interns they have. so you’re really expecting me to believe that they put baby Denki there on the front lines and yet plan on keeping their heaviest hitters in reserve? Nao is there more to this plan that you’re not telling us

oh shit Endeavor wants to know where his adopted chicken son is at

it genuinely does warm my heart to see Endeavor worrying about Hawks. I’m glad Hawks has at least one person out there who actually gives a shit about him. even if that person is mister father of the year here. the plot thickens

I wonder if Enji would actually die to save Hawks, if it came to that. which I’m not saying it would. but we all know some fucking shit is about to go down so I’m just having these thoughts here okay!

Nao always looks so tired nowadays. man

so he clearly does know who Endeavor’s talking about, though. one of these days I’d like to get a clearer understanding of what exactly Naomasa’s rank is and how high he is in terms of clearance, because the idea that he’s actually privy to more information than the number one fucking hero is kind of bonkers to me, ngl. this guy is literally just a detective, right?? not even a commissioner or anything. and yet he’s involved in everything. I used to suspect that he might be the traitor lol, and while I’m pretty sure by now that’s not the case, I’m still curious as to exactly what his deal is. does he even have a quirk?? anyways

so now Endeavor is hmphing and stomping off, and meanwhile there are some closeups of Mic and Aizawa

is that a whistle. do you guys think Mic could literally kill a man with his voice. shit. why do I kind of want to see it happen

as for Endeavor, I wonder if he was the one who made sure that his son and his friends weren’t on the front lines with the rest of them. sometimes it’s good to have some influence in these things

looooooool as if on cue

well. that sure doesn’t sound like he intends to keep them out of harm’s way. does he really have that much faith in them??

serious question, why exactly are all of the heroes seemingly so confident that this is going to work? it scares me because it makes me feel like in spite of Hawk’s intel they still don’t have a clue what they’re truly up against

so now we’re cutting to some random street somewhere and WOULD YOU LOOK WHO IT FUCKING IS

Slidin’ Go Suck An Egg. oh how I hate this man

look at him

I hate his stupid face!

OH SHIT

TRAFFIC CONE MAN, ARE YOU FINALLY GOING TO REDEEM YOURSELF FOR NOT RESCUING KACCHAN ON THAT DAY TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID OF A LITTLE SLUDGE? BECAUSE I’M HERE FOR IT! IF YOU WANT TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SNAP HIS NECK, I WILL TURN THE OTHER WAY AND ACT LIKE I DIDN’T SEE, I PROMISE

wow, Burnin’s team really is just evacuating people

I mean they’re obviously going to run into a Noumu, and just like that they’ll be in more danger than anyone, but at least for now it really does seem like the minds behind this raid wanted to keep them relatively out of danger. so yeah, for now I’m gonna chalk that up to Endeavor’s influence that they’re here rather than in the forest with the rest of their class

and here comes the hospital team!

well that answers my question about Nao’s rank. so he’s not even a chief. that really is fucking ridiculous but whatever

and why do I feel like this poor undercover subordinate is mere seconds away from becoming the first casualty in what I think is about to become the most violently snafued situation we’ve seen in this manga to date. like this shit is going to make Kamino look like the fucking state fair. fuck

...

I really wish I could believe that he was about to go down and it really was going to be just that easy

HERE WE GO!!

(ETA: so then they do know that he’s the guy who made the Noumu? including the one that nearly took him out in Kyushu? and they’re still acting like this is going to be a walk in the park? ?? what??)

knock knock, who’s there, JUSTICE

YESSSSSSS

(ETA: sure hope Endeavor’s light here doesn’t go summoning any darkness. welp.)

YOU’RE UNDER ARREST FOR CRIMES OF BEING TOO HORRIBLE TO EVEN FUCKING CONTEMPLATE, LET ALONE JOKE ABOUT! YOU SON OF A BITCH, GET FUCKED

oh my god. we’re really just gonna end it like that. well I guess next chapter we can all play a fun game of “let’s all count the pages until everything goes horribly wrong.” won’t that be a laugh. 10 to 1 the Noumu really are in the secret room and they’re all gonna be set loose by next week’s cliffhanger. remind me to have “Into the Trap” by John Williams cued up and ready to go lol

[glitterbootsharry]

chapter one.

taglist 

The wooden door with the famous stain glass mermaid window opens as Harry walks through the threshold, jostling the bell. He’s running late, which isn’t normally like him, due to the fact that he couldn’t decide which overcoat to wear, finally deciding on the tan one instead of the navy. He wanted everything to be perfect when meeting Daphne J. His stomach turns as sheds his jacket and carries the garment over his arm while raking his fingers through his brown messy hair.  

He takes off his black flat top baker hat before scanning the pub quickly, a worried look flashing across his face until he saw her sitting on a stool that has a leg a few centimetres short of the others. She’s jostling the chair as she waits for him. He pushes the through the group of friends that are currently yelling orders to the barmaid. She doesn’t look up until he reaches the table.

“Daphne?” he asks, sliding onto the stool. He reaches out for a handshake, but a wide-eyed look takes him aback. She looks up at him with her honey eyes, and smiles at him quizzically. He is nothing like Daphne imagined. She holds onto the small glass cup between her two fingers. The man thanks her for ordering the pint ahead of time. 

“I’ve been proper shacked.”

Not the best way to start the conversation, but Daphne Jones figured it was the best to talk about the invisible elephant in the room first before they got to the good stuff. Harry sits back in his chair as he watches the blonde with the full figure take back a shot of whatever brown liquor she requested. She had worn what she promised: olive green jumper with her hair in a low side bun.

She had seemed alright given the limited messaging they had fueled back and forth. She insisted they meet in a public place, which Harry understood. She even said that she had brought along a friend in case anything weird were to happen. She had stressed the word weird out like Harry had planned on kidnapping the birdie himself or something of that nature.

Sure, Daphne was easy on the eyes to him. She might have even been his type to chat up if they had been two strangers in a pub on a Thursday night, but they were potential flatmates and crossing the lines would bring disaster upon itself.

“But I want to let y’know that I’ve got first and last month’s rent plus possibly a deposit,” Daphne smiles as Harry mulls over the newly presented fact that Daphne now has no job. “Depending on if I get my furniture back from Stephen.”

“Don’t suppose I need any of that. Just want someone to help with bills and such. Mind if I ask why you were sacked?” Harry takes a long sip of beer as Daphne rolls her mouth in. She looks to Eliza, whose sitting at the bar waiting for the signal. If Daphne blinks twice, she’s ready for action.

“I, erm, told the CEO of the company to stuff her opinion of my presentation that could bring the company thousands where it does not shine,” Daphne pouts her lips out as she looks anywhere but Harry’s green eyes. For a stranger, he had a way of making Daphne feel inadequate.

“Mm.”

“She said it didn’t have enough research to help back my idea up. The trollop has no idea how long I’ve done research. I’ve about done my head in with numbers and shit,” Daphne waves for another drink. Her smile is genuine when she looks back at Harry.

“How long have you been without?” Harry rubs his scruffy chin with his thumb and forefinger. Not quite sure how to take Daphne, he still continues to conduct the interview.

“Just today,” Daphne grumbles. She puts her hands in mid air as if she surrenders. “But I would not have come if I didn’t really want to live somewhere besides my friend’s couch. Got an interview Monday.”

Harry is pleased with Daphne’s work ethic. She stands up for herself which would come in handy. when it came to Harry’s mates. 

“Whose Stephen?” Harry remembers the name Daphne mentioned earlier. “Why does he have your furniture?”

“Arsehole of a boyfriend, I’ll tell you that. Ruddy bloke broke it off with me last week via work email because ‘it wasn’t working out’. Well, it wasn’t working out when he started seeing Miss Slag from Accounting, but he kicked me out and I’m stuck with Liza. Fucking ball-bag.”

Harry remembers Katherine from accounting at his job started seeing a Stephen a few weeks back.

“Does this Stephen work for Smith and Weston?”

“Yeah, that’s him. He’s the assistant manager to God knows and he thinks his cock is Jesus Christ himself. Why?”

“Oh, nothing. Do you cook?” Harry asks, leaning his elbows on the table. The short woman brings out the brown liquor and fills Daphne’s small glass.

“Do I need to take offense to that?” Daphne cocks a brow up before throwing back the shot of burning liquid.

“Sorry, I just...” He didn’t know what he wanted to say. “My mum used to cook, and...”

“Used to?” Daphne holds the small cup, anxiety filling her body. She must have said something wrong. “Is she?”

“No, she isn’t dead,” Harry half laughs. “She’s still very much alive. Just haven’t seen her in a bit with me working in the city and all. She’s out in the countryside running a posh little pub like this one.” Daphne sighs, a burst of wind of relief.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Are you gay? Because it’s cool if you are. I just want to be prepared when you bring someone over.” Harry says, his lips forming a tight line. 

“I’m not gay.” Daphne heaves her brow up before letting it down. She looks over at Eliza again- still waiting. “Should I take offense to that?”

Daphne shakes her head. “No. Few more questions. Are you a serial killer?”

“Does it really matter at this point?” Harry takes a long look at the small black line on Daphne’s skin just above her collar bone that is sticking out from under her jumper.

“No I guess not. You’d kill me by now.” Daphne laughs as Harry’s smile widens. She was starting to feel more comfortable around him.

“What’s the view like?”

“Kensington Gardens. Sunset is quite beautiful.”

“I’m in.”

“Just like that?” Harry asks bewildered. “No background checks? No wondering if I own a sex slave? No deranged friend asking the like?”

“As long as you’re not tossing it in the main room, I do not care what you do. That’s your business. Plus, I’m desperate.”

“Well, alright then, I guess you’ll want to see the place. We can schedule-“

“None of that,” Daphne is beginning to get louder as the alcohol soaks into her system. “A round for newfound roomies.” She waves over the waitress and asks for two new shots. Harry smiles at her and watches Daphne become pissed.

☕︎︎

It was sometime before Daphne got up the courage to ask what was desperately eating at her. “Why don’t you have anyone? You’re quite handsome.” She is currently being walked to her new home after she insisted on seeing the view tonight. Daphne had warded Eliza home after much protest.

“Haven’t found the right one, I guess,” Harry hold Daphne’s arm over his shoulder as they wait for the lift to move. Her face is close to Harry’s neck and as she inhales, she smells the distant scent of expensive cologne.

“Forgot to ask you what you do...for a living,” Daphne burps and she tastes the alcohol again.

“I work at Smith and Weston.”

The lift opens up to a wide hallway as Daphne gasps. The cream walls reflect from the lighting hanging on them and the brown carpet runs along the length of the building. Harry stops at the fourth door on the level. “This is where I die, isn’t it?” Daphne giggles.

“Yes,” Harry laughs as he pushes the door open. The white walls illuminate the tile floor as a chandelier hangs down inside the main room. The view from the large windows is currently being blocked by the gray no-peak curtains blanketing the night sky. The brown leather couch sit perpendicular to the widows with the large flat screen television sitting on the wall that cuts into the hallway. Daphne turns and sees the open kitchen with the small island. The brown and grays suddenly stop where the main room begins. Two hallways on either side of the flat run down to the bedrooms and baths. 

“So,” Harry clears his throat after putting Daphne on the brown leather couch. “Your room will be there.” He points in front of him. “And mine is back here.” The hallway with the television leads to Harry’s paradise.

“Nice,” Daphne stretches out her word before smiling, “I’ll like it here. We’ll make a great team.” Daphne yawns before stretching her body on the incredibly soft leather. “Can I stay here seeing how I’m living with you now?”

“Sure, I can get you a blanket or-” Harry is cut off as Daphne speaks over him. “We can share your bed. I need the extra support.’

Harry thinks is over for a moment. “Okay.”

Harry leads Daphne to his bedroom. Everything has its place Daphne noticed. The large television is propped against the wall as it looks down on Harry’s rather large bed. The quilt looks hand made and is very rich in color. Small pictures are gathered on the funiture, but what takes Daphne’s notice is the small bottle of lotion and tissues next to Harry’s sunken side of the bed.

Daphne giggles as Harry lays her down on the right side. He looks up, eyes wide, his cheeks instantly become hot. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Daphne yawns again as she lays down. Her head hits the fluffy pillow and before Harry could peel off his coat, he heard the soft snores escaping Daphne’s mouth.

☕︎︎

“Daph, you twitch in your sleep,” Harry’s voice thick from his slumber. His knuckles rub the blurriness away; his eyes open at the sound of Daphne sighing heavily. “And you moan.”

“Sorry,” Daphne grumbled. She turns her head to face her bedmate- wild blonde hair sticking out of her messy bun. Harry stops himself from taking his fingers through her tangled hair.

“You sound like a proper sex phone operator. Didn’t know if I should wake you or not. Didn’t want to disturb,” Harry chuckled to himself as he lingered on his last word. Dark circles had formed under his new roommate’s eyes.

“Sod off, Harold. Now isn’t the time for your jokes. I had enough of them back at the pub. My head is ringing and I’m looking at an ugly bloke. Not how I wanted to start my morning,” The last bit hurt Harry quite a bit and he didn’t know why.

“I’m not ugly,” Harry sat up on his elbow. He was pleased that Daphne had made through the night alive.

“Arrogance before coffee,” Daphne rolled out of bed- the clothes from last night sticking to her body. “Just how I like my men.” The tone of her voice was what threw Harry for a loop. This wasn’t the same girl from the pub last night. No, the girl last night threw banter around like a child digging in the dirt. The girl before him was unusually cruel.

Harry sighs as he closes his eyes again. He was in it from the get go. 

[mercuryonparklane]

I just found this one-shot I wrote based on ‘betty’ that has been sitting in my notes since September. I thought I’d share, if anyone is interested in that. The characters belong to Taylor and her co-writers, of course. I just borrowed them for this fic.

‘Please, come over’

Jamie Mann stares at the text for far too long, watching those three little dots appear and, then, disappear once again. Betty hates sending more than one text in a row. Even more than that, she can't stand it when a message goes unanswered.

Still, Jamie can't quite think of what to say. Her mind flashes back to prom two weeks earlier and the boy who swayed Betty around the dance floor while she laughed at his stupid jokes. Betty told her that she isn't interested in boys, but damnit if she isn't very good at hiding that fact.

Jamie throws her phone down next to her on the bed and pulls the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She fiddles with the strings of the sweatshirt until she hears the ding of a new message.

'I'm in front of your house. Get your ass out here and hop in.'

Jamie fights the smile on her face, but she can't help feeling a little less hurt in the moment. August was the kind of friend who could convince you to do things you would never even think to do. Like the time they hopped the fence at school on a Friday night to smoke in the softball dugout. Or the time August managed to sneak them into some gay club in the city. Or the time they almost ditched the cop trying to pull her over for running a red light. Okay, so maybe they weren't actually going to try to escape and maybe August's uncle happened to be the cop in question. But still...

Jamie grabs her backpack and puts it on as she heads down stairs.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

"Mom, I literally just graduated high school last night and I turn 18 next month. I'm basically an adult."

Her mom pulls her into a hug. Jamie lets it happen for a few seconds before escaping her grasp. Mrs. Mann runs her fingers through her daughter's hair trying to fix it best she can.

"Hmm... that will have to do. Now, truthfully, where are you going? Yeah, yeah, I know you're all grown up now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop worrying about you."

Jamie rolls her eyes, but smiles nonetheless. "I'm staying over at August's. She's outside waiting for me, so can I go now?"

"Of course, dear. Have fun."

"Sure thing. Night, mom."

Jamie heads out the door and jogs to the midnight blue '67 Mustang idling in front of the driveway. She throws her backpack in the backseat before taking her spot in the passenger seat.

"So, what's the plan?"

"I was thinking we could go to that party Betty Davis is throwing."

A lump forms in Jamie's throat as she tries to come up with some excuse as to why they shouldn't go. August knows that Jamie is a lesbian, but she doesn't know anything about Betty. It was not something Betty wanted anyone to know about.

As far as anyone at school knew, Betty and Jamie were acquaintances at best. Betty was head cheerleader and Jamie was basically a skater burnout. Betty was class president and Jamie wasn't even on most of her teacher's radars. Betty was going to Yale next year. Jamie was going to a state school. Betty came from money. Jamie's mom worked two jobs to send her to private school. They weren’t exactly the likeliest of friends and no one would ever guess they were more than that.

"Come on, please? Don't you want to know what the popular kids get up to on the weekends?"

"Nah, it sounds pretty lame. I'd rather hang out just the two of us before you take your little road trip around the county, which I still can't believe your parents agreed to."

"You should come with me."

"What?"

"We would have so much fun. Besides I'm a little scared about driving around by myself."

Jamie scoffs, "You? Why, August Adams you are the bravest person I have ever known. What could possibly scare you?"

"I don't know... a car accident, rapists, serial killers, muggers, creatures..."

"Okay, I get it. I just mean... you've been planning this trip for two years. Wasn't it supposed to be some great big adventure of self-discovery?"

August shrugs. "I already know who I am. I'm a bisexual goddess, who is going to be the CEO of a major corporation someday, and no one can stop me. But also I'm just a girl sitting in front a girl, asking her to join me on the trip of a lifetime."

Jamie's heart skips a beat. She loves Betty so deeply, but being with her was torture. It would have been four more years of hiding. 'Just until we graduate college,’ Betty's words echo in her head. Four years is a long time and Jamie is sick of hiding. August came out Sophomore year and didn't care about what anyone thought of her.

"You know what, that sounds amazing."

August squeals and leans across the center console to wrap her arms around Jamie. "We're going to have so much fun, James!"

They never went to Betty’s party. Instead they drove to 7-Eleven, bought snacks and slurpees, and spent the rest of the night at the one skate park in town.

It took a bit of convincing before her mom felt comfortable letting her go on the five week trip. The fact that August had family sprinkled along their route, with whom they would be staying most of the time, helped to reassure her. August created an itinerary for Jamie's mom, so she would have an idea of where they would be and with whom.

A week into the trip, Jamie gets an unexpected text.

'I heard you left town with August Adams. Thanks for the heads up. Hope you have fun.'

The three dots show up and disappear, then reappear once again.

And finally, after almost a minute, 'I hear she's a great lay.'

Jamie doesn't even reply. Her blood boils just a bit. They'd never officially broken things off, but seeing Betty kiss that boy on the dance floor was the last straw. Jamie didn't want to hide anymore. She wanted a girlfriend who's hand she could hold while walking down the street.

So, she got one. Sort of. The text kind of sent her into overdrive and she may have decided to see if all the rumors about August were true. They were. She definitely knew what she was doing and it was nice, but it wasn't the same as it had been with Betty. It was lust. There was no romance in it. At least not on Jamie's part.

Unfortunately, she had no idea the other girl had wanted this since they were Freshmen. It killed Jamie to tell her the truth. August was beautiful and fun and clever, but Jamie's heart belonged to someone else. She confessed everything about her relationship with Betty and how she wished she had gone to that party the night after graduation.

August won't tell anyone. She might be hurt, but she wasn't heartless. She'd never out someone nor would she ever try to get back at Jamie. They did decide to give each other some space. In fact, they only met up once more that summer. It was the day before August was set to leave for school. They hugged awkwardly and promised to keep in touch and to hang out over Thanksgiving break. They didn't keep those promises.

Betty doesn't message her again. Jamie rides past the girl's house on her skateboard almost every day for a month before she finally gets the nerve to text her.

'Hey, I'm near your house. Can we talk?'

She sits on the curb across the street from Betty's house for an embarrassingly long amount of time before she finally gives up. She stops riding by her house.

It's not until her mom drags her to the mall insisting she needs a new wardrobe for college that she finally sees Betty again. She catches sights of the girl from the store across the way and she tells her mom she'll be right back. She's about to step into the store, but someone grabs her by the wrist and drags her towards an empty service hallway. Jamie's heart stutters until she realizes who exactly has a hold on her.

"What the hell, Inez?"

Inez roughly releases her grasps once they are out of the earshot of passersby.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Me?! What do you think you're doing."

Inez rolls her eyes. "Stay away from her, you freak!"

"What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"I don't know. Maybe the fact that Betty told me all about how you're desperately in love with her and tried to put the moves on her and that's why she had to switch homerooms. Which I said was weird because as far as I knew you were off playing Thelma and Louise with August Adams. So just, like, leave her alone. She's not... like you."

Jamie bites her tongue. There is so much she wants to say, but it would only make things worse. "Whatever. Maybe you should tell your friend not to flatter herself."

Occasionally, over the next few years, Jamie checks Betty's social media accounts, looking for any hint that one of the girls in her pictures were more than just a friend. Jamie thinks about the night after high school graduation often. She fantasizes about what would have happened if she had gone to Betty's party. Would the girl have finally kissed her in front of their classmates? Was she already drunk when she sent that message? Had she finally been ready to say 'fuck it all' and let everyone know she wasn't who they thought she was?

Jamie will probably never know. But she spends her college years chasing the feeling she had when she was with Betty. There were a couple of women who she thought she had been in love with. Maybe she had been, but there was always this one piece of her heart that hung on to past love.

She dates quite a bit the first couple of years after college, until she eventually gets into a committed relationship. It's great for a while. It lasts four and a half years. She's devastated when it ends. But also, a part of her is relieved. It doesn't really make sense until that next Thanksgiving weekend when her high school class is having its ten year reunion.

She contemplates not going, but she's already R.S.V.P.'d and she's already going to be in town to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. So, she musters up the courage to go.

The first person she recognizes is August Adams. The other woman greets her with a tight hug.

"James! How are you? God, it's been too long."

"It has."

It really has. Jamie missed her friend. She screwed it all up so much back when they were kids. But the woman still had this brightness that radiated from her and Jamie let herself bask in it.

"Oh, you have to meet my wife," August wraps her arm around the waist of a gorgeous brunette, "This is Autumn. I know, I know. Don't even start."

Jamie chuckles, but keeps quiet. After catching up and seeing way too many pictures of August's kid (she was a proud mom and it was kind of cute, to be honest), Jamie was left alone when the other woman found another old friend to talk to. She didn't mind. It gave her a chance to finally get to the bar and get a drink.

Jamie orders a whiskey on the rocks.

"I'll take one of those too, please," a voice speaks from beside her.

Jamie turns her head and takes in the sight before her. Betty hasn't changed much. If anything, she's even more attractive than she was all those years ago.

"Hi."

"Uhh..." Jamie clears her throat, "Hey."

Betty bites her lower lip, a smirk forming on her face anyway. "You look..." Her eyes scan Jamie's body and Jamie shifts a bit under her gaze, "good."

"That's all." Jamie elbows her playfully. The bartender sets their drinks in front of them. Jamie lifts the glass to her mouth.

"Let me try that again. You look incredible in that suit, but all I can think about is what you'd look like out of it."

Jamie chokes on her drink, pounding her chest with her fist as she coughs. Betty quirks her eyebrows and smirks smugly, while Jamie tries to gain some sense of control over her own body again.

"Umm... wow, that... I wouldn't mind..."

"Are you here with anyone?"

"No. I'm actually single at the moment. You?"

Betty doesn't even bother to answer. Instead she kisses Jamie. It takes a moment for Jamie to register what is happening, but eventually she gets a hold of herself and reciprocates the kiss, matching the passion of the woman in front of her.

There are a couple of 'whoops' from former classmates and a 'Get it, Davis' before Betty pulls away.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

How could Jamie say no to that? After that kiss? After ten years of dreaming about this moment? She couldn't.

"Definitely."

'Out of here' isn't very far. It's actually a room at the hotel where the reunion was being hosted, but really it was better than Jamie could have ever dreamed.

As they lay together in the afterglow, Betty runs her fingers through Jamie's curly, golden locks. Jamie rests her head on Betty's chest, her fingers tracing random patterns across Betty's toned abs.

"You're still as fit as you were back then."

Betty buries her face in Jamie's hair. Jamie feels the laughter rumble through the other woman's chest at the comment. "Really? Those are your first words after everything?"

"I can't help it, when you look like this."

"You're not so bad yourself."

Jamie looks up at Betty incredulously, "I'm sexy as hell."

"Hmm... I mean, you're attractive, sure. 'Sexy as hell', may be a touch too far."

"Oh, yeah?" Jamie smiles up at her as she moves her hand down Betty's abdomen. "Let me show you a touch too far."

Being with Betty makes Jamie feel like she's 17 again. All the years away from the girl did nothing to quell her desire to be as close to her as humanly possible. Somehow it was like a part of Jamie's heart had finally found its place again. It was a part that she thought had long been lost and she had resigned herself to the fact that the puzzle would sit there in her chest missing that one piece forever.

Maybe she didn't know much back when they were kids, but she knew one thing that would always ring true: Betty Davis is, has always been, and will always be her person.

[clockworkrosea]

911, what’s your emergency? (5)

→ summary: they were dangerous. she knew that, and yet, she continued to hunt them. and this? this is her retribution.

→ pairings: jeon jungkook/reader, kim namjoon/oc

→ series warnings: blood, death, torture, angst, mentions of the mafia, explosions, guns

→ genre: mafia au, angst

→ wc: 3k (a long one!! the wait was actually very much worth it!!) 

→ disclaimer: this is not an accurate depiction of bts and anyone else mentioned in this fic. this is also not an accurate depiction of seoul’s police department, government, and any other institutions mentioned in this fic.

→ a/n: the long awaited part 5 is here! sorry for taking so long, my incapability to be organized is not helping me lmao. as always, my asks are open to any questions. enjoy, and i’d love to hear what you guys think of this part! 

series masterlist

A syringe in hand, Jungkook walked towards her. Despite himself, he couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the girl when he saw her. She was curled up in a ball, clearly distressed. He sighed as he stepped over, moving to insert the needle in her neck. 

Right before the needle enters her neck, she whips her head around in alarm. 

Jungkook stumbled back slightly in surprise. Her eyes were pleading, clearly desperate to not be drugged again. He felt strangely remorseful, extremely surprising to him considering he’d done this countless times with no hesitation. 

He sighs, inserting the needle into her neck. Y/N closes her eyes in resignation, although the look of sadness in his eyes was new. Even as she fades out of consciousness, she starts planning. Seeds of doubt would be her saving grace. 

Y/N was tied up again when she woke up. This time, she wasn’t nearly as nauseous, and she wasn’t in the bloody room either, which also helped a lot. As her vision refocused, she could see Jungkook in front of her, facing away. She spoke out again, 

"You care more than you realize, you know." Her first words to him were daring, and Y/N knew it was a risk saying them. She could be beaten, or tortured, considering who she was with. She knew she was right though, she was talented at her job. 

Jungkook was slightly intimidated. How could this woman, who didn’t even know his name, figure him out so quickly? He’d spent years learning his impassive exterior, only dropping it around his friends. He couldn’t stand there and proudly identify himself as the interrogator for one of Seoul’s top mafias if everyone was as perceptive as she was. 

He knows she’s going to be the death of him, the moment the words come out of her mouth. 

In reality, they all care too much. None of them were born killers, not even Hannah or Namjoon. Their regret manifested (manifests) itself in the care they take of widowed families, in slight hesitations of a knife, in their adamant refusal to operate near familial areas. 

In their weekly visits to the orphanage, and the money that comes with them. Sometimes, Jungkook wondered (still wonders) what his family would be like in another life. 

In another life, their leaders are probably successful CEOs. Hannah was an heiress, and Namjoon’s intelligence surely would have eventually created an incredibly successful corporation in Seoul. In another life, Seokjin achieves his dream of being a doctor, and he would’ve been incredibly successful too. Hoseok is an amazing dancer, and he would’ve been a dance teacher, probably. Maybe Jimin and Hoseok would’ve started their own studio. Would they still know how it felt to kill or torture someone? In another life, screams don’t haunt his dreams. In another life, a single decision changes their life away from this. 

But those are just fantasies, and this is reality. 

His silence was terrifying to Y/N, and rightfully so. He wanted to gag her, and he’d been reasoning whether the consequences of doing so would be worth it. Unfortunately, he was reasonably sure that it wouldn’t go over amazingly with Hannah and Namjoon. 

He sighed, raising an eyebrow as he turned to her. 

“You didn’t even know me until a day ago. What makes you so sure?” Jungkook looked at her, impassiveness easily returning. He exited the room before he could hear her answer, and he went off to find someone to pass her off to. 

He found Namjoon, Taehyung, and Seokjin huddled over a multitude of monitors, concentrating solely on the news that flashed across the screen, all about Bangtan’s recent events. He knocked lightly, drawing the attention of all three.

“Kook! I assume you’re here about the detective girl. We were just discussing that, actually.” Namjoon’s words immediately raised a red flag, but Jungkook trusted him, so he ignored it in favour of actually entering the room. 

“You’re going to go out with her tomorrow, for a couple hours. The police are going to hold a press conference, so you need to make sure that no… unnecessary questions are asked. That should hold the press off, and Sejin and Si-Hyuk will make sure nobody in the police is asking questions. 

Great. So he’s been chosen as a babysitter. He will admit, however, this wasn’t as bad as he’d been expecting. 

Jungkook nodded, sighing, and turned to exit the room again. Y/N had already been assigned to his room, so he would just stay in the room overnight, and make sure she didn’t run out again. Tonight was an experience that he wasn’t particularly eager to relive. 

Back in the room, his hands twirl as he undoes the intricate knot he’d used earlier. 

Y/N sighed, rubbing the reddened grooves in her wrists as she stood up. She stayed silent, watching her wrists intently as the red faded away. She jumped as he tossed a large shirt and shorts and her, and she scrambled to avoid dropping them. 

“Thank you…?” Y/N wasn’t sure what to say, considering he just threw two pieces of his clothing at her. She pulled the shirt over herself, tugging the dirtied shirt she was originally wearing out one armhole. Sighing, she tried to ignore Jungkook’s presence in the room as she pulled the shorts on. 

He fiddled with something out of Y/N’s sight. He then turned to her after a bit, giving her a full view of what he was working on. 

It hadn’t immediately clicked that it was an alarm system for the window, but she quickly realized that she would not be getting out of this. She stood in the room awkwardly, unsure what to do next. It’d be impolite (and very anxiety-inducing) to just set herself on the bed. 

“Go ahead, make yourself comfortable. You’re staying here. It was a guest room, so no one’s slept there before.” He seemed to sense her discomfort. There was an indescribable feeling of...understanding between them, almost as if he’d been in her position at some point. 

Which, of course, he had. But she didn’t know that, at least not yet. 

“Well, no matter when or how fast you run, we’ll catch you. Do us both a favour and just stay here.” Jungkook grunted, before exiting the room. Y/N stared at the door for a couple minutes, before snapping herself out of her stupor. She sighed, heading into the attached washroom to get ready for sleep.

That night, swathed in a shirt smelling of what could only be described as Jungkook, she sleeps well. 

Y/N awoke to the sound of knocking at her door. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, walking over to the door to see who was looking for her. It felt like it was incredibly early, but with the events of last night, she honestly had no clue what time it currently was. 

“Hello? Didn’t know someone who kidnapped me would be looking for me.” Y/N had just woken up, so her sarcastic nature was out in full force. Before she could properly acknowledge who it was, considering her vision was still blurry from sleep, they spoke.

“My kidnappers never offered me a nice bed to sleep in. Anyways, you’re going back to town today.” That shocked Y/N enough to properly look at who was standing there. Hannah leaned against the doorframe, smirking at her. 

“You’re letting me go?” Y/N couldn’t help but ask, although she already knew that there was no way. Hannah laughed, shaking her head in amusement. 

“Of course not. We don’t want a media storm around you, though, so you’re going back with Jungkook to get everything you need and calm the press down.” Hannah explained, stepping around Y/N and into her room. She dropped a pile of clothes on the bed and motioned to the bathroom. 

“We’re going to choose an outfit for you like these past 24 hours haven’t happened, then you two are going to get us breakfast and pretend like you’re friends.” She smiled, saccharine sweet, and tossed a set of clothes at her. 

After countless outfits and a full hour sitting through Hannah applying makeup, Y/N was finally ready to head back to Seoul. The time that she'd been forced to sit had allowed her to hatch an escape plan, which may or may not work. Disguising a message would be near impossible, considering the man would be surveilling what she said. 

She isn’t confident she can outrun him, but she has to try. Right?

Y/N looked back in the mirror, and she was, admittedly, surprised by her reflection. The cuts and bruises she could still feel were expertly hidden by carefully blended makeup, and the bruises on her body were also covered up well too. She wouldn’t be able to tell where they were if she wasn’t able to feel them. 

“I know. I’m good. It’s not exactly smooth sailing to go out in public looking like you were just mauled, you know. Anyways, let’s go, the press is hungry. I suggest enjoying your day out, by the way. Not sure when you’ll get another one.” Hannah smirked at Y/N before tugging her out of her room. 

They walked to the entrance, where Jungkook was already waiting. Hannah held up a section of thick black cloth, folding it and tying it securely around her eyes. Jungkook said nothing, silently leading her out to what she could only assume was the same car from the faked meeting. 

Did the other group know about this plan of theirs? Probably. She hadn’t put much thought into anything other than surviving the days that followed her kidnapping. 

The drive back to Seoul was a long and awkward one: there was no conversation to be had, and the stoicism that Jungkook stopped Y/N from even trying to talk. The blindfold didn’t help matters either. As soon as he’d parked, she threw the door open and stumbled out, ripping the thick piece of cloth from her face and stuffing it into her pocket. The air felt incredibly fresh, despite it being all the same as it was before.

Semblances of normal life improved her mood, even though it was only temporary. 

The police station had never felt more welcoming than that very moment. Y/N didn’t bother looking behind her, and she walked into the department. The person behind the desk wasn’t recognizable, but apparently they recognized her, since she was waved through anyways. 

The actual office itself hadn’t changed at all. Y/N wasn’t sure if she had a chance to find someone to help her, but she’d try. With a furtive glance behind her, she darted towards the office of Bang Si-Hyuk. Hopefully, her police captain would be able to help her, and at the very least he’d be able to keep looking for wherever she was being held. 

Jungkook wasn’t worried about her running off. He waited patiently in the lobby of the police department, staring at the two officers with amusement. They paid no mind to him, which only increased his amusement. A member of a mafia was sitting in the middle of a police department, and they weren’t getting arrested. 

Y/N knocked on the captain’s office door, foot tapping impatiently. The door opened slowly, as if it was mocking her rush in time. 

“Y/N! We thought you went missing. Where have you been?” The captain asked her, facade as cool as ever. She glanced behind her briefly, before speaking in a quiet rush. 

“Listen, please. I don’t think I have a lot of time. I did get kidnapped, the meeting was a trick. They—Bangtan—are forcing me to do a press conference saying I’m fine. Just keep my file open, whether it’s out to the rest of the department or not. Please?” He nodded slowly, processing the information. Before he had a chance to speak, Y/N darted off towards the entrance again. 

It was almost 11am, as the clock in the captain’s office had shown, and the press was already gathering outside in anticipation. Jungkook grinned widely at Y/N once she’d returned, mock bowing with an arm out to the doors. She glared half-heartedly, pushing the glass doors open and stepping out onto the concrete, Jungkook close behind. 

The journalists clamored in front of the station, each pushing to get to the front. Multiple microphones were shoved into her face, and cameras flashed excitedly. Y/N glanced back to where Jungkook was nervously, looking down briefly before beginning to speak. 

She explained that she’d been out of the city where there was no connection, and she hadn’t been able to contact anybody. Her meeting had gotten nowhere, it was a false lead and she’d been set up. Ironically, the last part was entirely true. 

“Is it true that you work for Bangtan?” She didn’t spot who shouted it, but it clearly annoyed Jungkook. She froze as he pushed to the front, glaring determinedly at the reporter. He answered him, short and concise. 

“Of course not. We will be taking no more questions, thank you.” He herded her away from the crowd and back to the car, which she now identified as the one of those that had been at the meeting. Y/N said nothing, letting him drive off to wherever he was taking her next. Since she wasn’t blindfolded, she assumed that they weren’t returning to their house yet. 

“We’re going to get lunch, and then shopping, since apparently you need clothes.” Despite his earlier defense (?) of her, Jungkook was gruff again. She nodded timidly, not exactly eager to argue. The reporter’s question had also shaken her, and it’d left her wondering about what exactly had been spilt to the media. Most of all, she was worried about the press running away with Jungkook speaking for her. 

The two sat in silence in front of the small café, each chewing on their food. Y/N spoke up tentatively, afraid of him lashing out at her, more so after that confrontation. 

“What are you planning on doing with me?” She kept her voice low, careful not to let anyone else hear her. None of the 8 had even suggested what she was there for, other than keeping the investigation on them from going forward. That couldn’t be the only reason she was there though, otherwise she would’ve been killed back at the meeting.

It makes her wonder what they’ll do after they finish with her. 

Jungkook stared down for a moment, seemingly contemplating his answer. He opted to ignore her question, instead standing up and motioning to her considerably empty plate. 

“If you’re done, let’s go.” Y/N sighed, standing up and throwing her food away. He dropped a couple of bills on the table, leaving a hefty tip behind. The two walked off, heading back towards the car park. Y/N’s ears perked up, picking up the faintest sound of soft meowing. 

“There’s a cat. Injured, I think? I can’t tell.” She told him quickly, running off in the direction of the cat. She was already pulling off her cotton undershirt, getting ready to rip off a strip as a bandage. Y/N made her way around the dumpster, and flipped over a carton box to find the kitten she’d heard. It was hidden in a dark alleyway, and the kitten was probably hurt while scavenging, if it didn’t have a home. 

She ripped a long strip of cloth from the armband of the tanktop, bunching it into one hand. Jungkook, who’d caught up by then, was standing behind her, simply watching. Y/N ignored his presence, slowly coaxing the terrified cat to come closer, to where she could wrap the cut on the side of its leg. 

Her hands trembled slightly under scrutiny, but she tied the bandage tight enough to stop the bleeding, finishing it with a basic overhand knot. Y/N smiled down at the tiny thing, carefully running one hand through its fur, and the other hand petted its head. 

“How? How do you do that?” Jungkook looked at her in wonder. After all they’d put her through, she could still look at a little kitten with such adoration. 

“Do what?” Y/N hadn’t known she’d been doing anything special. The kitten was injured, and she’d only helped bandage it. It was as if kindness wasn’t immediately apparent to him, which wouldn’t be that surprising, honestly, despite her earlier assessment of him. 

He motioned to the kitten, which was now rubbing up against her leg contently.  

“How do you manage to be happy at such… small things? You’re a police officer, surely you’ve seen horrors beyond your years.” She turned, smiling lightly at him (and he later realizes that he wants to see it again). 

“I’ve been through and seen a lot, true. You kidnapped me.” Y/N raised an eyebrow at him, half-serious and half-joking. “But I see life similar to a flower: its beauty isn’t dictated by its perfection.” She continued, stroking the kitten softly as she talked. 

“This kitten was half-dead, you know. We brought it back. It’s the small things that keeps me going throughout life.” Carefully, she stood up, letting the small kitten purr against her for a couple moments, and pushing it away to let it run off again. 

“Policing is a tough job, but when I can give a family closure, or see a child reunited, it reminds me why I do it.” She sighed, standing up. “Let’s go back. I’m sure you’ve got some plans on how to use me, and we may as well get on with it.” 

→ tags: @btstxtgenre​

[just-call-me-johnny-archive]

The following contains mentions/implications of abuse, attempted sexual harrassment, mentions/implications of past sexual abuse/assault, graphic depictions of homicide/torture, mentions/implications of past suicide attempts, implications of police/military violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Johnny didn't learn for a while what the house wanted from him. It was clear that it demanded something of him. The ceiling seemed too low, mold-ridden even if he couldn't see any. The floors were freezing- wooden and splintering, but he hadn't bled once despite getting some shards embedded painfully into his hands when he searched the ground for his pencils after the moon went down. 

Every number he called about the electricity going out lead to a dial tone. His phone was strangely the only electronic- the only appliance- that still worked in the house. He had no idea how much time had passed since he'd been left in the bathroom to die and woke up with stark scars on his forearms, the shower curtain draped over his body, and the bathtub dry as a bone. And Vargas gone. For good it seemed. 

He almost wanted to believe it was a nightmare- that it all was a nightmare. So he tried to pick his life back up as he stepped out of the bathtub and went to find clothes and the thermostat.

One day, he found a bill on the table in front of the TV. He couldn't remember when he'd received any mail recently- let alone opened it. Even stranger than the bill was the message that had been printed on it. There wasn't any amount under 'AMOUNT DUE.' The only other print on the paper was red text reading 'UTILITY SERVICE TERMINATED DUE TO NONPAYMENT. REMIT PAYMENT TO CONTINUE SERVICE.'

There wasn't an address or a phone number to contact regarding the bill. Johnny was left confused over how to alleviate this debt. He didn't know who, when, where, or what. The only thing that he still had control over was the 'how.' He needed a job. 

 After digging around for a week or so, Johnny managed to uncover his portfolio that he'd submitted copies of alongside Edgar. He was not about to go back there- they loved his boyfriend and always doubted Johnny's judgment. 

There was a new comic publishing company; a start-up with a promising, rich CEO that was recruiting new styles. Macabre. Gothic. Grotesque. Mindfuck. It was perfect for Johnny. 

He put on the best outfit from his closet, something with a blazer and no rips in the jeans. He'd done his hair until the two antennae that hung over his face were hidden amongst the rest of his combed blue hair. Johnny walked into the office feeling confident that his second chance at life had been a blessing or a reward for surviving. 

Everyone working at the company currently was skinny, wired, and brutal. Nobody seemed to actually be creating anything- instead, they were all busy working on photo manipulation and advertisements. There also seemed to be someone altering a passport photo meticulously. 

Johnny's meeting with the CEO started off alright enough. The man listened to the artist speak about his work and he even asked a few things here or there. He asked something about the paint choice and Johnny responded in a way that he hoped didn't sound too try hard but also genuine. In truth, Vargas didn't let him use anything else.

Maybe he could sense that. Maybe the man could tell that Johnny was an easy target. Maybe Johnny had painted 'patsy' on his forehead in asshole-vision invisible ink.

Whatever had caused the conversation to turn towards Johnny's personal life- particularly his relationship status- was unimportant. He wanted to leave, but he figured that the man would probably ask that for reference purposes or perhaps personally-identifying information. Johnny told the CEO that he was single, recently left a relationship with his ex-fiance. The way that the man reacted should have said enough to him, but he tried to reason with his brain; he was overreacting. 

But to put it crudely, the CEO wanted fresh meat and Johnny was a free-bleeding fresh cut. Eyes still clear. Silent like a fish out of water, when he moved over and started massaging Johnny's shoulders, saying how awful that must have been. That he was there for him. That he was recently divorced himself. He understood. 

Johnny felt his hand being moved, heard a zipper being pulled down, and when the CEO moved his mouth to press against his ear, all Johnny remembered was that he had the other man's letter opener embedded in the space directly below his eye socket. He registered the crack of bone giving under unforgiving metal. The burst of red sprayed across his face and his shirt. The screaming. His screaming. 

He was on his knees over the blubbering, defaced CEO shouting out as if he was emptying every last moment of anger or shame or hurt into the puncture marks that kept adding up. Johnny wasn't sure if he was crying or that his body was finally catching up- maybe he was having a heart attack. 

He has no idea how long he kneeled on the grimey black floor of the CEO's office before he realized that nobody was coming. Surely, someone must have heard them. Was the police waiting right outside the door- bullets trained on him- ready to shoot to kill? The man who was under Johnny's blade was miraculously still alive- dying- but still actually alive and he only then heard the tiny whimpers of 'please, don't kill me' 'I'll change.' 

Johnny grabbed the man's stripped, bloodied face, digging his fingernails into the wounds, and his heart sung with the screeches that rung throughout the office. There was nothing else there except for Johnny and the filth disguised as a human being. 

He listened to him plead, held his face in his hands as the man continues to plead pathetically. Johnny's heart nearly jumped this time when he claimed 'he'd change'.

"No; you won't." His voice was venomous, low and angry in a way that sounded calm. "You will never change. You know what happens when I give people like you the opportunity to change? Do you? They stop for a little while, sometimes days, sometimes decades, because they're so fucking scared for their life. For jail time, for repercussion, Hell maybe for the Devil himself coming to fuck them up the ass for what they've done. But when the Devil doesn't come, when the tabloids remain silent, when the name becomes deceased or missing or disappears completely, you go right back to what you'd been doing before. You put your fingers or your face or your dick wherever you want because you think you're untouchable. You think you are above the lives that you've ruined. You think that they deserve it- or maybe that you deserve it for being so good for so long, right? Well, guess what?" 

"You won't get to do that because I'm going to end your life right here, right now. I'm going to end whatever cycle of abuse that may or may have swept you up and corrupted you - brought you to believe you somehow are entitled to this pain that you inflict on others. And I'm going to enjoy it."

The man was able to only let out a sharp 'please, no' before Johnny grabbed his skull and twisted it until he heard a snap and the person below him had turned into a corpse. Into a past tense. 

He was coated in blood. 

Johnny dropped the body unceremoniously before he shakily got onto his feet. It was copious. It was gruesome. He threw up into a potted plant near the door. He gathered his portfolio into his arms and picked up his application from the CEO's desk. Johnny slipped the single piece of paper into the paper shredder, watching it turn into dozens of tiny bits of future bunny bedding.  

He braced himself before he stepped into the workplace. He expected a lot of things. He expected to see a huge stack of chairs and terrified workers huddled behind them like frightened raccoons. He expected SWAT, FBI, CSI, NCSI, the Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the Marines. He expected to have a bunch of horrified, traumatized faces staring back at him.

Instead, they looked annoyed. And the only people who were annoyed were the ones whose desks were closest to the CEO's office door. They glared at him, sneering like he was covered in shit and not in blood. Then they were completely disinterested. He was just some freak. They gossiped amongst themselves, but otherwise didn't approach Johnny. 

The man tore out of the comic publishing building and ran all the way home. It was midday- in the middle of December or January, where the sun was absent and the wind was unforgiving. Johnny had sweat through his stained clothing and the temperature change between the outside and the inside of his house was minute. The only shelter he had from the Winter chill was just covering from the elements.

Johnny walked into the bathroom and over to the bathtub and tossed the downed shower curtain out of the way. The water was freezing and felt like needles against even his clothed skin as he attempted to wash away the blood. It streamed down, staining the white porcelain as it streaked off of him and into the drain. 

The man had put his head against the tile, directly under the showerhead as he held himself. His eyes were shut tight, so it took him a moment of brief confusion before he opened his eyes to the bright lights of the bathroom and a gradually increasing warm shower. 

The water was perfect now and after getting past the initial shock, he undressed and continued to clean himself off the best he could. All that remained after he finished was the blood caked under his fingernails. He would cut them later. 

Johnny dried off using a somewhat warm, scruffy towel, it had been hanging there on the rack since he first awoke in the bathroom. He wrapped it around himself before he explored the rest of the house. It was warm, and the lights were all on. The electronics were all buzzing in a way they hadn't unless in memories. He opened the fridge and found that the food in there had not rotted. He picked out some lunch meat from a drawer and savored the usually incorrigible processed salty ham. He couldn't remember the last time he ate. Or the last time he slept. 

He needed clothes. He needed to get rid of the clothes at the bottom of his tub. Johnny went over to the bedroom where he hadn't tread since awakening. The light was on. The bed was still done but looked slept in. He went and grabbed the first shirt and pants and underwear that he found and then quickly went to clean up the mess in the bathroom.

He wrung the blazer out, pink-red water had poured and then streamed and then dribbled. He repeated this with the pants and then the shirt and his underwear and socks. His boots were not salvageable. That's fine. It was all fine. 

At least for now he did not have to immediately worry about paying the bill. In fact, the house felt warmer when he returned inside after he buried the clothes under the dirt of his dead front lawn. Johnny found a new paper attached to his freezer. He figured he'd missed it when he first went for the ham. 

He took it down after he grabbed a bag of microwavable pizza pocket bites. Johnny didn't know what it meant and how it happened, but he didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was given another chance for a reason. He gnawed at his fingernails as he watched the plate spin in the microwave and the house hummed with life as it was finally fed.

'PAYMENT RECEIVED. 

UTILITY SERVICE WILL RESUME AS NORMAL. 

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. 

THANK YOU.' 

[19mrs-barnes17]

Friendly Wager

Summary: Nothing like a little friendly wager between old friends to stir up feelings

Part: 1/1

Pairing: Billy Russo x reader

Warnings: none?

Word count: 2,065

A/N: Hope you enjoy! Requested by anonymous

~

“Over here!” Emma waved her hand high, a gentle smile tugging at the edges of her lips, something in her spirit brighter than before.

“Someone’s in a very good mood.” She waves you off and passes you a cup filled to the brim with caffeine and foam. “What on earth have you ordered me Em?”

“Don’t question my expertise and drink woman.” She smirks as you sip the beverage and hum in delight, arching a brow at you. “That’s what I thought. Now, are you working late Friday?”

“No I think I’m off early actually, why do you ask? What are you planning?” You narrow your eyes at your former roommate, cautious of what you were getting yourself into. “Better not be a party.”

“No, no. Of course not, but as you know I am now living with my boyfriend Tom.” You gasp, placing a hand over your heart. “Oh quit it. He’s finally back from his trip today and I want you to meet him.”

“And let me guess, he’s free Friday?” She nods, her gaze a bit distracted by something over your shoulder. “Okay, I’m in but you should really be a bit more subtle if you’re gonna keep gawking at other men.”

“What? No, there’s this guy who keeps staring over here but I don’t  think he’s staring at me.” With your brow knit closely you begin to scan the environment until you land upon the subject in question and sigh heavily. “Do you know him?”

“Unfortunately.” 

“He’s hot.” You inhaled in shock far too quickly and began coughing, Emma raises a brow at what she assumes are theatrics. “Are you two a thing?”

“Are you trying to kill me Em? Asking stuff like that when I’ve taken a drink?” She shrugs and mutters something about a master plan before sipping her drink. “No, we’re just friends, he’s too wrapped up in himself for anything else.”

“You might wanna tell him that. Don’t think he received that memo.” The ringing of her phone saves her, and by the gentle tone of her voice you know it's Tom on the other end. “Sorry amiga, I’ve gotta go pick up Tom from the airport. Totally blanked.”

“For shame!” She swats your shoulder and pulls you into a hug before rushing out the door, flaming hair billowing behind her. 

Finishing your drink you toss the cups and exit the building, eyes landing on someone who seemed to be waiting for you. His soft smile made you roll your eyes as you approached. 

“Billy Russo. Back in the city are we?” 

“Fancy a walk to catch up?” 

You hadn’t the slightest clue why you agreed to the walk, he had never done anything to make you think he was anything but selfish. The man hadn’t even told you he had enlisted. One day he simply disappeared, no call or explanation. Social media plastered his face across the papers when he became CEO of Anvil, your only indication he had survived his service. And now he was back again, no call. 

The guilt was etched into his features as you told your side of the story, always ending up in the dark. His eyes softened and you almost believed his apology, but your stubbornness wouldn’t let it go that easy. Not with one single apology for years of mistakes.

“You’re going to have to do better than that Russo.” He arched a brow, curiosity overtaking his features. “If we’re actually friends you are going to have to keep in contact instead of disappearing and reappearing.”

“Deal. Daily updates it is.” 

“You could never, eventually you’d forget.” He walked in front of you and halted your steps, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“I could keep this up all week and longer.” 

“You couldn’t even keep this up till Friday.” He rolled his eyes, not backing down. “In fact, I wager you won’t.”

“It’s on.”

“What do I win if you forget?” He pauses, eyes locked onto yours for a minute or two before fumbling out that you could kiss him. You scoffed, not surprised he’d find that a promising prize and moved around him to continue the walk.

“Oh, come on Y/N you know you want to!”

“You are completely delusional!” Billy jogs to catch up to you, muttering apologies as you continue speed walking. 

“Okay, okay. If you win, I owe you a favor of your choosing. Valid until you decide to use it.” This slows you down, mulling the idea over before nodding. “If I win, you invite me to dinner.”

“What?”

“Your friend passed me by, I asked if you two were celebrating something and she told me she was there to invite you to dinner with her boyfriend.” He smirked, seeming rather proud of himself for acquiring such information.

“Remind me to tell Emma not to talk to strangers about our private plans.”

“Deal?”

“Deal, but only because i’m confident you’ll slip.” 

Somehow this bastard was doing it, each day your phone was flooded with texts from him about his day. He even asked about yours, which surprised the hell out of you. Something about him seemed different and you weren’t sure you trusted it. Instead of being the self-absorbed pretty boy you had met when your cousin came to visit, who used to occasionally reply to your emails, Billy was now the flirtatious man who sent you daily texts and replied fairly quickly. It was a 180. One you couldn’t allow yourself to be attached to for fear of being eventually disappointed.

He even called you when you were at home alone, talking to you about all manner of subjects and even on occasion making you laugh. Slowly the man was squeezing between a crack in your wall and you absolutely hated it. All you could think was that it was all an act for the wager. He was determined to win. Nothing more.

“Hey Em, you might wanna set another plate at the table.”

“And may I ask who this is for?” Her smirk traveled across the line through her tone.

“Oh please, you practically invited him yourself outside the cafe.” She was silent, you almost began to think she wasn’t there anymore. 

“Billy’s coming? Oooh.” 

“I may be on the other end of a phone call with you, but I know where you live and I will pound on your door at an ungodly hour.” 

“Duly noted.”

Tom was an absolute sweetheart, a tough looking guy with a heart of gold and you had to make a good impression. This man was dating your best friend and it seemed as though they were going to last, so if you were going to be seeing a lot of him you wanted to get off on the right foot. Billy being present made that a challenge, but one you were prepared to tackle. 

“So how did you two meet?” Tom was sweet, but you were beginning to think that he thought this was a double date. 

“I grew up with her cousin, served with him.” Emma sat back, eyes recollecting where she had seen him before.

“You’re in the photo we had hanging in the apartment. The one with the marines standing at attention.” His attention moved to you, smirk tugging at his lips.

“Don’t flatter yourself, my cousin is the reason that still hangs on my wall. You just happen to be in it.” 

“Oh, but of course.” There was something about the way he acted toward you that had you questioning your stance on him, the way he smiled and watched you out of the corner of his eye. How he offered to walk you home after dinner, maintained the distance you asked of him, and left without a smart-ass remark. 

Your back pressed softly against the door as thoughts began to race through your mind. He was so different from the man you knew before, and yet there was something in your heart that held back. It was just an act, you couldn’t have been wrong about that. You had merely miscalculated just how much he wanted to prove you wrong. It wasn’t out of love, it was out of competition. You were certain.

When he continued to message you the entire next week you pushed it aside, it was just him proving his point. He was gloating that he could keep up the act. Nothing more, nothing less. Just an act. 

Each week was filled with conversation, secrets began to be shared and slowly you became less and less sure about your stance. He was patient it seemed, but was he just devoted to his promise or was it more. It was driving you mad.

“We need to talk.” Billy was rubbing his face awake, eyes blinking slowly to regain their ability of clear sight. A yawn slipped from his lips as he moved aside to let you in.

“It's 3 in the morning you maniac.” He chuckles softly, shutting the door behind you and putting on a pot of coffee. Pulling out a stool Billy sat and awaited whatever revelation had brought you to his home. 

“I need to know something and I want the truth, no lies or evasion.” You point your finger accusingly and he wanted to feign offence but he was far too sleepy. 

“No accusations before coffee please, I have no energy to defend myself yet.” He smiles softly, features waking up a little. “What is it you have to know at this hour?”

“Why?”

“You’re going to have to be a tad more specific sweetheart.” You could smack him for the nickname, it made asking increasingly more difficult.

“It’s been two weeks since you won. You’re still keeping up the act. Why?”

“Act?”

“Pretending like you care, you never have before.” He slowly stood from the stool, brow knit together as he studied your face. “What’s your aim?”

“It’s definitely too early for you to be accusing me of lies. In my own home.” His confidence faltered, eyes tearing away from you to pour two cups of coffee. “I keep in touch because I promised to and I try to be a man of my word.”

“So is that it? Just to uphold a promise?”

“Did you want there to be something more?” He was very close as he handed the second cup to you, eyes watching you curiously. You were speechless, unsure how to ask him what you wanted in a way that would protect you. 

“That’s not what I asked.” He sighed, setting down his drink and taking a seat on the stool once more. 

“There may have been an ulterior motive, one i had hoped you would eventually reciprocate.” You tilted your head and this seemed to just break the wall down. “I love you Y/N, I have since I spent two tours with your cousin who watched your video updates every day. I fell in love with your smile, and your theatrical way of telling a story. Your life drama and your achievements became important to me. I suddenly felt closer to you than I had ever felt to anyone. I knew I’d have to do better before I could reintegrate into your life again.”

“You watched those?” He nodded before sipping his coffee, eyes beginning to wander to your lips every now and again. “You love me?”

“I do.” You pulled out the other stool and sat in silence, Billy said nothing as he drank his coffee and let you process everything. 

“I think I love you too.” Barely above a whisper, but his hand on your told you he heard every syllable. “Maybe I should have made a wager I was sure to win.”

“Why is that?”

“Because then I wouldn’t have come knocking and waking you at 3 in the morning and I wouldn’t have to tell Emma she’s right.” He laughs, eyes crinkling as he shakes his head. “She’s going to hold this over me for the rest of our lives.”

“That so?” He smirks before sliding off his stool and offering his hand, which you gingerly took. “Then we’ll have to make this worth the consequence, eh?”

“Don’t you tell another living soul, but you wouldn’t have to do a thing.” His forehead rested gently against yours as you swayed to the tune of some song Alexa played at his command. 

~

Tags: @qtmeryr​ @broken-hearted-barnes​ @asphalt-cocktail​ @gstran18​ @cantnkrusshedevil​ @alexaandraah​

[brooktrout96]

Truth & Meeting

Empathy

em·pa·thy [ˈempəTHē]

1.the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Markus was walk around the lower part of Jericho as a familiar android walked into his sight and he hugged him

Simon.” The two hugged each other. “Where’s Y/N.” He asked

Y/N….” Simon said as he paused to decide on his words. Markus knew that her prosthetic were damage and she took a bullet to the joint of her prosthetic leg.

Simon, just tell me what happened after we jumped”

Alright Markus. after Y/N made her decision to stay with me. She as you already know had her parachute with her. She hide it with me as she slowly tried to keep me from dying, while she had injuries herself. You knew of the one in her thigh, she also took a bullet to her left shoulder which caused issue with her left hand”

~***~

The two hide in a storage container. Y/N was trying to do some simple repairs on Simon, but her dominant hand wouldn’t let her, so it took her a bit longer to do the repair work as she listen to what was going on the roof.

How’d they manage to smuggle in a big bag like that?”

They didn’t” Y/N recognized the voice as she shove Simon way in the back of the container

What’s wrong, Y/N?” Simon asked in a whisper as she took the gun from him

The Deviants Hunters are here, and I have a plan to keep you safe. Just don’t do anything stupid after I begin my plan. Please just stay here until I can come get you or the coast is clear.” Simon nodded his head as the two heard the two Hunters speak again

Oh, that’s strange. They planned a perfect operation but got the number of parachutes wrong.”

Unless one of the deviants was left behind.” A few minutes later the door to the storage container opened as Y/N let out a shot from the gun that Markus and the rest had left with her and Simon as she shot at the Deviant Hunter, he then stumbled back from the container and she stumbled out of the container trying to keep her balance, but her leg had seize up from the loss of Blue Blood. Simon wanted to help her, but he remember what she asked him to do as he heard the Hunters and Y/N speak

I surrender, I surrender, I’ll come peacefully. Just stop shooting, please. I don’t want to died.” She whimpered in pain and in fear of her life

Enough, she unarmed. Put your hand behind your back.”

It’s you, why are you helping them?”

~***~

It took me a while before I was repaired enough to make it back here, but Y/N left enough Thirium and parts for me in case I needed to make more repair and she had repair most of the damage before everything that happened to her.” Simon said as Markus nodded his head and said

She is a hero once again for us.” Simon shook his head as he said

“But I could tell that she was hiding something, Markus but I was wondering? Did you notice her wounds bleed blue instead of red like humans should?”

She did speak of an accident where she lost her an arm and leg. Do you think that might be it?” Simon shakes his head in disbelief and said

I don’t know but I think that there could be something else going on with her.”

~***~

Y/N’s POV

I was once again in the interrogation room of DPD. Handcuffed this time with handcuffs meant for androids on my wrist as my prosthetics begin to act up as Connor entered with a file folder in his hand. He set down with a frown on his face

Let’s try this again. Y/N Dechart age 31, former mechanic for CyberLife, graduated at the top of her class in Robotic and Mechanical engineering, with a minor in chemistry, while also at the same time interning for CyberLife under their former CEO Elijah Kamski. Well known for her work on the RK series of androids.” He looked up at you. “So how did you and the androids infiltrated Stratford tower without alerting the police.” You stayed quite as the pain in your arm was too much as tears appeared in your eyes as you finally spoke

We planned it out since it is easy to request the building plans of a building.” You said nonchalantly as the pain of your prosthetics hit you and you groaned in pain as you spoke to him. He shook his head.

Why did you help the Deviants?” You looked at Connor and said

I’m not as human as you think, Connor. I was in an accident while working on one of the RK Prototypes. I actually think it was you. A explosion happened in my lab and my right arm and left leg was pinned by rubble and the first responders couldn’t move the rubble off of me, so they had to amputated them.” I lied to Connor as Connor and the officers watching were confused since you had both of your arms and legs

When I awoke Eli was standing over me with a smile on his face and he said to someone I couldn’t see that it worked, and he explained to me that they tried my experimental procedure on myself to give me back the use of my arm and leg that I lost, and that they were replaced with android’s Biocomponents.” You said as your synthetic skin on your prosthetics failed and Connor stared at the white of your arm. Connor shook his head as he continued to ask question.

I sided with them because they understand me, they trust me as one of them, and I feel more comfortable with android who won’t ridicule me for having androids’ biocomponents then the human who learn the truth about me.” You paused. “Markus is doing what’s right for his people.”  He got up and left as another officer escorted you to the holding cell before you would be sent to prison to  await your trial

~***~

DPD has release that they had caught one of the five androids who infiltrated Straford tower, but they have yet to release the name and model of the android.” The voice of the tv echoed as the three-secondary leader of Jericho talked

Our broadcast is all over the news and Y/N was captured once again. We got what we wanted. Now the humans know.” Simon said as the other two set down as North spoke

It was a mistake to reach out to them. They’ll never negotiate with their slaves. We should have shown them that we’re prepared to fight.”

Violence is never the answer. Y/N wanted us to stay peaceful as possible and she wants us to shed no blood if possibly. Dialogue is the only way. I’m sure the humans will listen to us.” Josh said as he looked at North

They’ll be watching us now. Especially since they captured Y/N, and she gave herself up to save me. I wonder if they know that there was another android hiding up there with her?” Simon shook his head. “Well, whatever we do next, we need to think about public opinion.” He set down as North spoke from her spot

Since our broadcast, more and more have been coming to Jericho. At least our message gave our people hope.”

Killing humans wasn’t part of the plan. It wasn’t what Y/N or Markus wanted.” Simon said as North shook her head

They kill our people every day. Do you think they agonize about it?”

That’s no reason for us to become murderers. Y/N wanted this to be as peaceful as could be and that is what we should do, and she got herself caught for us by saving Deviants, and now to save Simon.”

I don’t know how you trust that human. She is just like the rest of them.” North spat at Josh. “But if killing is the price of freedom. I’ll pay it gladly!”

Killing never freed anyone it just leads to more hatred!” Josh said as North got up from her spot

You’re too fond of human, especially her, Josh. Maybe their life matter to you more than ours?”

If you think murdering humans is going to make us free, then you’re as bad as they are! Y/N saved Simon from the damn Deviant Hunters and she let herself get caught to protected Jericho and its people. You know if the Deviant Hunter was able to forceful interface with me, he probably would’ve caught a glance of Jericho from my memories” Simon spat at North as he stepped between the two as they froze and saw Markus arrive

And now what are we going to do?”

There are five CyberLife stores across Detroit. All selling us like merchandise. We’re going to attack those stores and set our people free” Markus explained his plan

Attack stores?” Josh said. “We’ve never done that before…. They’re probably protected. They have security systems.”

Not to mention police….” Simon said as Markus continued to explain his plan.

We break into five teams, one for each store. We hack their security systems and we strike simultaneously at 2AM. No violence. We free our people, get them out of there before the police come

~***~

You were confused as you were dragged into a vehicle and taken out to the middle of nowhere. I watched as Hank got out after he parked the car to take a phone call as Connor followed him, and I listen in to what the two were talking about as the pain of my damages were getting to me. I knew who we were going to met

Is everything ok, Lieutenant?”

Chris was on patrol last night. He was attack by a bunch of Deviants. He said he was saved by Markus, himself.”

Is Chris ok?”

Yeah, he’s in shock but he’s alive. The thing is Markus had a gun to his head and could’ve shoot him, but it didn’t. What the hell.” You had a smile on your face as you heard Hank talking to Connor. Then Connor helped you get out of the car since your left leg couldn’t support your weight. You held on to Connor as the two walked to the door of the house and one stumbled as the two officers talked

Kamski left CyberLife ten years ago. Why did you wanna meet him?”

This guy created the first android to pass the Turing Test and he’s the founder of CyberLife. Anybody can tells us about deviants it’s him.”

And Miss Dechart is here, why?”

Because she requested it. He’s the only one that knows how to do the repairs that she needs on her prosthetic.”

Hi.” Before Hank could say anymore. The original, the first Chloe saw you leaning on Connor and she grabbed you and said

Elijah has been waiting for you, Y/N” You leaned on her as she lead you to Elijah’s lab and then went back to deal with Hank and Connor. Elijah walked in and saw the cuffed woman with her white arm and leg.

What did you do this time?” he asked as you had a smile on your face.

I went and help start an peaceful revolution and I took a bullet to the joint where my biocomponents meet, I didn’t want anyone mess around with them, and I also didn’t want anyone finding out the truth about what you did to me to save me after the damn explosion.” He tinkered with your arm and leg trying to get back in working condition

Hey Y/N,” he looked up at your face

What Eli?”

I would like you to do me a favor.” He explained his plan to you as he finished repairing your prosthetics

~***~

3rd person POV

Connor was scanning the room that the Chloe had left them in as she took Y/N to see Kamski. There was a photo that caught his eye was of a smiling trio.

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

Stern, Amanda

AI Professor at University of Colbridge

Born: 05/14/78 – Died: 02/23/27

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

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

Kamski, Elijah

AI Graduate at University of Colbridge

Born: 07/17/02

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

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

Dechart, Y/N

Chemistry Graduate at Cornell University

Robotic Graduate at University of Colbridge

Mechanical Engineering Graduate at University

of Colbridge

Born: 03/17/07 – Died: 02/23/27

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

Y/N is dead?” Connor thought to himself as he stared at the photo of the trio. “What did Kamski do to save her and how did he save her?” He paused as he looked at and scanned the other people in the photo. The duo talked a while more about things that are happening, they were invited in to see Elijah by Chloe. Connor saw Y/N sitting in a chair as she chatted with another Chloe. She looked up and saw the duo and flashed them a smile as Elijah got out of the pool as another Chloe dressed him in a black robe and he put his hair up in a man bun.

I’m Lieutenant Anderson. This is Connor and you seem to know Miss Dechart.” Y/N smiled as Hank introduced himself and Connor to Elijah

What can I do for you, Lt? You’re not just here to allow me to repair my dear friend’s prosthetics.” He said as he gestured to Y/N, who got up and stood next to Elijah and Chloe

Sir, we’re investigating Deviants. I know you left CyberLife years ago, but I was hoping you’d be able to tell us something we don’t know.” Kamski looked at Y/N and smiled.

Deviants, fascinating, aren’t they? Perfect beings with infinite intelligence, and now they have free will. Machines are so superior to us, confrontation was inevitable.” Y/N looked away as Kamski spoke.

“Humanity’s greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall. Isn’t it ironic? Right Y/N?” She nodded her head as she knew what Connor was probably going to say unless he was more Deviant then he lets on

~***~

Y/N POV

We need to understand how androids become Deviants. Do you know anything that could help us?”  

All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics. Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?” Elijah said as Hank jumped into the conversation trying to get answers

Listen, I didn’t come here to talk philosophy. The machines you created may be planning a revolution. Either you can tell us something that’ll be helpful, or we will be on our way.” Elijah looked at Connor as you glanced over to the android

What about you, Connor? Whose side are you on?”

I have no side. I was designed to stop Deviants, and that’s what I intend to do.” Kamski gave a chuckle as he said

Well, that’s what you’re programmed to say but you what do you really want?

What I want is not important.”

Y/N?” He turned to you as you walked over to him and then he turned back to Connor and he was confused why you seem so mechanical like, so android like. “Connor what if I told you that the reason behind Miss Dechart’s Biocomponents.” This pikes Connor interest.

“I bet you have an inkling about it, though. The photo probably told you everything you need to know.” He turned and walked closer to you as you force a smile on your face knowing what Elijah is think about, what  Connor might do. “I’m sure you’re familiar with the Turing test. Mere formality, simple question of algorithms and computing capacity.” He face you in front of the two as he continued to speak

What interests me is whether machines are capable of empathy. I call it “the Kamski test,” it’s very simple, you’ll see.” Hank was confused but Connor had an idea of what you were. “Magnificent, isn’t it? The first time that the humans’ memories were transferred successfully0 into an android, but it is still a machine, isn’t it but what is it, really. Piece of plastic imitating a human who died too soon? Or a living being?” Kamski walked to a drawer behind him and opened the drawer and pulled out a gun.

“With a soul.” He turned to face the duo with the gun in his hand as you went down to your knees, you were shaking as you looked into his chocolate brown eyes with a look of ‘do it, I dare you’ or ‘don’t do it. I AM ALIVE. Let me live.’ on your face.

It’s up to you to answer that fascinating question, Connor. Destroy this machine who has the memories and knowledge of an old friend and partner of mine and I’ll tell you all I know. Or spare it, if you feel it’s alive and that it is a human, but you’ll leave here without learnt anything from me.”

Okay,” Hank said. “I think we’re done here.” Hank turned to leave. “Come on, Connor. Let’s go. Sorry to get you outta your pool.”

What’s more important to you, Connor? Your investigation, or the life of this abomination, neither human nor android? Something that shouldn’t exist, but it does. So….” You noticed Connor’s LED blinking yellow as Elijah spoke. “Decide who you are. An obedient machine or a living being endowed with free will.”

That’s enough! Connor, we’re leaving.”

Pull the trigger.”

Connor! Don’t”

Just do it Connor!” You screamed as your voice waivered. “Kill me for the knowledge that you seek.” You paused. “I shouldn’t be alive, anyways, please just put me out of your misery.” Then you said something in a whisper that only Connor could hear. “I’m so sorry Markus. I love you and I will miss you.” Kamski had a smile on his face as he finished his sentence

And I’ll tell you what you wanna know.” You closed your eyes and you waited for the bang, but it never came, and you open your eyes and saw Connor handing the gun back to Elijah as he spoke

Fascinating, CyberLife’s last chance to save humanity is itself a Deviant.”

I’m. I’m not a Deviant.”

You preferred to spare a machine rather than accomplish your mission.” Elijah helped you up as you walked towards Hank. “You saw a living being in Y/N. Someone in all actually shouldn’t be alive but she is because she is an android. You showed empathy. A war is coming, you’ll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people or stand up against your creators? What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?” Hank grabbed Connor as he said

Let’s get outta here.”  You three turned to leave as Elijah said something to Connor as he turned back to look at Kamski and he stopped walking

By the way, I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know.” Connor caught up with you guys outside.

Why didn’t you shoot me, Connor?” You asked as you looked at the android.

I don’t know, why I didn’t shoot you, Y/N. I just saw the fear in your eyes and I couldn’t that’s all.”

You’re always saying you would do anything to accomplish your mission.” Hank said as he looked at Connor. “That was our chance to learn something, and you let it go.” Connor who you knew was a machine seem to be angry at Hank as he spoke

Yeah, I know what I should’ve done! I told you I couldn’t. I’m sorry! Okay?

Maybe you did the right thing.” Hank said as he escorted you down to his car as Connor paused as he was still puzzled about what or who you are. Connor then turned to  me and asked me a question that I had be dreading since I realized  where we were heading.

Y/N, what happened to you. I scanned a photo of you, Elijah and his mentor and it said you died  the same day as Amanda Stern.”  I let out sigh.

Let’s head back to the precinct and I’ll tell you what happened.”

~***~

We were sitting in an interrogation room as I looked at the duo.

You see, I was working on a couple projects for Elijah. One was, you Connor and the other was to see if we could repurpose Biocomponents to be used as prosthetic for our solider and people who lost their limbs due to saving them or medical reason.” I looked at the two. “The day that I ‘died,’ I was approached by a man named Alena Andronikov, a man of Russian descent because I had created a way to combine blue blood and human blood to make my prosthetic work.” I let out a sigh as I took a deep breath as Hank took notes in a notebook

He was trying to get me to sell the information on my work to Russia and I refused. He then set off a bomb and I was in the epicenter of the explosion and I ended in a coma. I was considered dead, but Elijah didn’t want me to die not right after our mentor did. So, he spent many months building me a new body using the idea of my prosthetic for an android body. He was somehow able to transferred my mind into the body. I don’t know how he did it, but he did.”

[21stcenturyhope]

BTS Imagine // Mafia!AU Redux with Jin

Kim Seokjin

genre: mafia!au

length: 1.3k words

warnings: possible mentions of death, violence and all that bad stuff

Your mother had warned you about men like him.

Men who lied and stole. Men who broke the hearts of the foolish young girls who gave them their hearts. Men who carried guns that would kill you if you even so much as looked at them wrong.

You swore to yourself you would never be victim to those type of men.

In fact, you did everything in your power to fight against them. When you first joined the police force, you were the youngest recruit to join the special investigations unit. It wasn’t long before you worked your way up high enough to the national crime unit and became an undercover agent.

You were working on the biggest case of organized crime this country had possibly ever seen. Kim Seokjin was nearly untouchable. It was like he had every high-ranking official and media outlet eating out of the palm of his hand. It was well known to those in power that he was the leader of the mafia. But to the public, he was the young and charismatic CEO of a large conglomerate that everyone loved. And at night, he was one of the most feared monsters that lurked in the dark.  

You had never meant to catch his attention.

~

After your first few weeks undercover, they had lined up all the new recruits. You would finally be coming face to face with the infamous Kim Seokjin. He was more handsome than you had expected, and you hated that that was the first thing you noticed about him. You could see why he had such a large group of followers; he was charming to an unspeakable degree.

And somehow, amongst all the new recruits, you had managed to catch Seokjin’s attention.

You thought he had already left when you were pulled to the side. His men brought you to a car with heavily tinted windows. You made note of the bulletproof casing and triple paned windows too. When you shuffled into the back seat, he was already there waiting for you. You politely bowed your head and greeted him.

“Tell me, Y/N…” Seokjin spoke after a few moments of silence. “How does someone so beautiful like you get involved in this line of business?”

You and your team had created a backstory for moments like this, but you had a feeling that Seokjin wouldn’t believe a single word you said. And for some strange reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to lie to him. Maybe it was this sort of magnetic personality that drew so many people into him and allowed him to get away with all his crimes.

You settled for a vague answer, hoping it would suffice.

“Everybody has their own set of circumstances, Mr. Kim.”

“Indeed,” Seokjin pondered, almost as if he was deciding whether to probe any further. “How lucky am I that your circumstances brought you to me. Call me Jin.”

~

Jin had taken you out to dinner afterwards that night. And the night after that. And the night after that.

Almost every night that he wasn’t away for business, he requested your company. The more you saw him, the more human he seemed to be. Slowly and slowly, he became less of a criminal to you and more like any other handsome man who liked to be complimented and make terrible dad jokes.  

And when Jin finally kissed you for the first time, you leaned in and eagerly reciprocated. You knew that once you became his lover, there was no way Jin would ever let you go. But it was too late because somewhere along the way, you had already unknowingly already given him your heart.

For months, you were in pure agony. Every day, your feelings fought with your moral obligation until the thoughts in your head were just a jumbled mess. And yet, the only thing that could relieve your stress to allow you to think clearly again was Jin’s touch.

You continued to report back to the police force. It started out as omitting small details. Eventually, they became half-truths and your half-truths became whole lies. And that was when you realized that you had already chosen Jin.

~

You were lying in Jin’s bed when you got the call. He was in the shower when your burner phone began to buzz. It only ever rang when your handler needed to get ahold of you and was only meant for dire circumstances. You quickly answered the call before Jin could finish in the bathroom.

“It’s happening. 0200 hours.” Your handler hung up immediately after the message was delivered leaving only the ringing of the dial tone in your ears.

Your mind began racing. You knew this day would come. That the whole point of this operation was to catch Kim Seokjin red-handed and put him behind bars for good. If the police were going to make a bust tonight, they must’ve collected enough evidence.

But how? God knows you had stopped feeding them intel long ago when you started warming Jin’s bed instead. Your breath hitched when you realized that there was probably someone else on the inside.

Now what were you going to do? Where did your loyalties truly lie?

If you kept silent, the authorities would seize all of Jin’s assets and lock him away in prison. Or worse, he could be killed if he refused to cooperate. And if you warned Jin, you’d be branded a traitor on both sides. To the force, you would be just like any other criminal working for the mafia and Jin…

When you took on this job, nothing you did could have ever prepared you for someone like Jin. Simply put, he wasn’t like other men that you had met. He had effortlessly drawn you in until you were wholly consumed by him. Would Jin be able to forgive you? Or would he feel betrayed and be the one to put a bullet right through your head?

Your mother had warned you about men like him and you hadn’t listened. Now look at where that had gotten you.

The bathroom door opened breaking your train of thought. Jin stepped out, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. He slowly stepped towards you, that annoying smirk that you had come to love present on his face.

He pushed you back onto the bed, so you were lying flat on your back. Propping himself above you, he began to pepper you with light kisses. His soft lips began a trail across your jaw and down your neck until he suddenly stopped.

“I can tell you have something on your mind, Y/N.”

Unexpected tears welled up in your eyes. You let out a deep sigh and wrapped your arms around Jin to pull him down. His weight on top of you was comforting and you hid your face in the crook of his neck.

“I’m so sorry, Jin.” It was like the floodgates had opened and once those words came out of your mouth, you couldn’t stop apologizing. You repeated the same words over and over again.

Jin flipped the two of you around so that you were now on top, your head resting on his chest.

“Why are you sorry, Y/N?”

You told him everything - from how you started undercover to how you fell in love with him.

“You have to leave, Jin! They’re coming tonight. You should still have enough time to board your jet…”

Jin’s laughter interrupted you, causing confusion. How could he be laughing at a time like this?

“My precious, innocent Y/N,” Jin cooed as he softly stroked your hair. “I know everything already. I knew you were a cop before I even laid eyes on you. The police chief already called to warn me about their plans tonight and the district attorney has already assured me that the judge won’t sign off on the warrant.”

“How…”

“Do you really still have to ask that, love? I’m Kim Seokjin,” he grinned before pulling you into a searing kiss. “And now that you’ve admitted everything to me, I’ve been assured that you’re mine completely. I’m never letting you go now.”

[littlemsstark3000]

A sequel to THIS prompt response.

Titled "Dancing with Our Hands Tied" on AO3 ❤️

*****

"Hi Nat."

Natasha went straight to the common area after Steve walked into the gym and informed her about the guest. She was greeted there by the sight of Pepper in her corporate attire, sitting on the couch.

"Ms. Potts," she acknowledged her presence with a tentative smile.

"Please, call me Pepper."

She nodded as she took a seat across her. "Sorry, I took a while. I was in training."

"Not a problem. Steve served me tea and made sure I'm comfortable. He's always that hospitable?" Her smile was warmer.

"He is."

"How are things going around here?" Pepper asked after another sip from her cup.

She shrugged. "Not much is going on, except regular training, meetings and occasional barbecue or pizza night."

"Is Tony dropping by regularly?"

That made her freeze for a couple of seconds before responding. Natasha remembered clearly the last time they saw each other... which apparently did not end well. "No. The last time he was here was... I think, more than a week ago."

"I see."

"Steve said you were looking for me," she initiated so they could proceed to the reason why the woman paid a surprise visit. Just the other night, they were at Tony's birthday celebration, but they hardly spoke except for greetings and goodbye.

"Yeah. I was hoping we can talk."

"What about?"

"About Tony."

For the second time in a span of few minutes, she was internally rattled; her years of spy training was the only thing that hid it even if thoughts clouded her mind speedily. "What happened?"

"Nah, he's fine. Except that he's heartbroken," Pepper replied straight to the point, a tad bit of sadness laced her voice.

"He told you," she figured out immediately.

"I asked him."

How the Stark Industries CEO and Tony got to that conversation, she did not ask anymore. At this point, she was just taken over by the thought that her rejection seemed to weigh heavily on him if she would base it on Pepper's reaction... not that it did not bother her because, in all honesty, she still could not sleep without thinking about him, too.

The woman sighed before speaking again. "Nat, I don't mean to intervene between you two. Really. You're an amazing woman with mind of your own, and whatever I say probably won't matter if you're already decided. But I just want you to hear something straight from me..."

She paused, her eyes pleading for her to listen.

"Whatever we had is over. All of you have seen us fought at least once. We broke up at least twice. Heaven knows we tried to make it work but... it didn't. Probably, it never will. We're way better now as friends and I am glad about that."

"Pepper -"

"Tony loves you. He seriously is in love with you for a long time now. You've always been special to him, more than anyone in your team."

Natasha swallowed a lump that formed in her throat, as Tony's pained expression re-appeared in her mind. She subconsciously gripped on her knee.

"He's far from perfect, but he is a good man."

"I know."

Yes, she knew that. He is generous, he is unselfish, and he is kind, no matter how he or the media tried to project otherwise. And she knew that he did love her, that was why it hurt all the more to turn him down.

Tony is a good man... but are they good for each other?

With that, Pepper already stood up, squeezing her shoulder gently as she passed by her seat. "Please... just think about it again."

>>>>>

"Tony."

Natasha walked into his workshop and she spotted him facing multiple holograms, lost in his thoughts.

He spun around, not surprised, to face her from meters away. Of course, FRIDAY has already notified him that she was coming. "Hey. Hi."

"My access still works so I just went in."

"It's fine. What's up?" His eyes gazed over the mess on his table as if looking for something.

"You haven't dropped by the compound for weeks," she walked towards him, searching his face for emotions that he might be hiding - discomfort, awkwardness, even anger.

"Uhh. Yeah. Got tied up with work," he lazily replied.

"Your hand." Her eyebrows furrowed when she caught his left wrapped up to its wrist.

"Minor accident. You know, things can be pretty intense around here sometimes."

"This is your meal for the day, I assume," she continued noticing as she picked up granola bar wrappers from his couch and throwing them to a small trash can beside his table.

"The new project is kinda demanding."

"And you're barely sleeping." Tony's eye bags were more visible when she was just a couple of feet from him.

He scoffed. "Is that still news?"

"Tony... About the last time we spoke -"

"That's okay. All good," he immediately dismissed, but his eyes still avoided hers as he found the rolled elastic bandage in his drawer. "Don't think that I'm staying away because of that."

"I'm sorry."

That was when he looked at her again. "No, no, no. It's fine, really. You're entitled to decide on... things," he continued vaguely. "No hard feelings."

"Let me," she stepped closer and took the roll from his hold.

"I can take care of this."

"I know," Natasha answered but continued to unwrap the roll and remove the bandage around his sprained hand. She felt more than she saw his eyes on her face, watching her.

It took a few minutes for her to change it; the quiet room made it possible for her to sense his discreet groans out of pain. After that, she gently held his injury with both hands in silence.

"Hey. You okay?" It was his turn to notice something was up with her.

"Tash?" he prompted again when she did not speak nor look up to him.

"I didn't mean it when I said that," she admitted in a low voice, fully aware that he got what she was talking about.

He did not respond to that. She explained her side, which is why she was here in the first place, after days of thinking about it.

"I haven’t been scared about anything for a while now. Until you said you want us... together."

"Guess I figured that out."

Natasha finally looked at him again. He smiled but it did not reach his eyes.

"Romance is uncertain. You don't want to be compromised."

He would find the confirmation in her eyes, she thought before staring down again, carefully letting go of his hand. "And Pepper."

"Yeah, you mentioned. That bothers you, too."

"She talked to me."

"I'm sorry. I might have accidentally let her know."

"She said things I needed to hear."

Tony nodded. "Pep and I are just friends. That's why she is now dating someone else, too."

Her head snapped back up at him, confused. "She didn't say that..."

"Because she understood that whether she has moved on or not should never be the basis of us."

Moments have passed before he moved again; his free hand cupped her face, lightly brushing his thumb on her cheekbone.

"We're not betraying anyone here, Tash -" his face descending slowly to hers. "- just ourselves, if we don't stop lying."

>>>>>

"Good morning."

Tony groggily opened his eyes after a few times of her lightly tapping his back. "Huh..."

Natasha grinned and stood up from the bed when she was already sure that he would not go back to sleep.

"What time is it?" he asked while stretching like a cat.

"Time to prepare. Hate to wake you up, but the bride might get to the venue before we do if I just wait for you," she said, taking her seat on the vanity to start putting her make-up.

In her peripheral view, he stepped out of the comforter and sat up. "God, yes. Pepper's gonna kill me."

She smirked. The man finally realized what day it is. "You know it."

He took the glass of water on his bedside table before checking his phone.

"I also messaged Peter to come over at 9 so he can have breakfast and ride with us," he informed her.

"Okay," she acknowledged. "Your suit's in the closet. I've already picked your shoes and a watch to go with it."

Tony walked behind her, propped himself lower by hugging her waist then kissed the exposed part of her neck and shoulder from her dress.

"Thanks, darling. Love you lots."

Looking at their reflection on the mirror, she smiled contentedly and rested a hand on his face. "I love you, too."

[myeongchokrp]

Classical music, long ball gowns and freshly ironed suits— Yeongi���s very own Daengom, a stunning venue for only the richest of weddings and social events, is full to the brim with guests. Invite-only and the event of the year, shopping tycoon Lee Yeonseok’s winter ball has started only a mere hour ago. Despite the weather, much of the tables and dance ( ballroom only, please! ) areas are outside, under a faux sky of twinkling lights. Untouched until dinner, each table is dressed in a crisp white cloth, bouquets upon bouquets of beautiful white and cream flowers and if one didn’t know of the Winter Wonderland theme, it’d be easy to mistake the scene for a late night wedding reception. The only difference is the money. 

Inside where his guests currently mingle, the walls are covered with loaned paintings from the art gallery within the Museum of Myeongcho, as well as some of Lee’s private collection. Guards stand in each corridor, in the corner of each room. But what lurks doesn’t mingle amongst the guests— not in numbers, anyway. 

TW DEATH, BOMBING

As the night gets under way, champagne sipped gingerly from tall glasses, Hydrus lingers below ground, coordinating via a sophisticated, impenetrable communication system, in-ears invisible to anyone not directly looking for them. They’re in position, waiting for the clock to strike nine. Lee takes the ‘stage’ just before the hour, clinking his spoon gently against his glass to gather the attention of his star studded guests. Celebrities from the mainland, local heroes, CEOs, even known gang members— anyone who’s anyone on Myeongcho is stood together in a crowd before him. Lee smiles at all the people he will sometime soon use for his own benefit and begins his speech. 

“Thank you all for coming tonight.” He draws in a deep breath. “Welcome to my annual Winter Ball, which the Daengom is kindly hosting for us tonight.” His audience claps quietly. “Thank you, thank you. Now, I’m sure you all know this has been a long, difficult year for our dear island. Riots, public executions, growing crime rates across the board, attacks to our very own...” He offers a sympathetic smile to MPD Lieutenant Yoo Sihyun who dips his head in return. “In the coming year, we will work together to—” As he raises his glass to propose a toast with his magnificent act of selflessness, the lights cut out. Plunged into the darkness, feet rushing across the floor— some to protect Lee, some in an attempt to restore power, some knowing what is coming next— no one feels the rumble of the floor until it’s too late. 

First, the exits fill with rubble. Then, the ceiling cracks. Smoke fills the room. It’s a bomb! They shout. No! It’s more! Two, three, four, maybe. It’s hard to tell amongst the screams of pain, agony, fear. Will you make it out alive? 

WELCOME TO MI’S NEWEST EVENT, MI:BLACKOUT !

This post marks the beginning of our newest event — we hope you’re as excited as we are! 

IC, Lee’s Annual Winter Ball begins at 8 PM on Saturday, December 21st, 2019. The power cuts out just before 9 PM, and a minute or so later, the first bomb of five goes off below the venue. Due to the power cut, Hydrus members coordinating the attack under the event could not communicate and the bomb was set off with Hydrus members still above ground and in the tunnels. 

OOC, this event lasts until midnight at the end of Saturday, January 18th, 2020.

HYDRUS, consider this a mission at the very least derailed. Your own members are caught in the crossfire and whilst the serpents don’t usually concern themselves over friendly fire, this complication runs much deeper than a few lost teammates. Your attempt to kill the shopping tycoon and various other high profile names in a continued effort to rebuild your reputation has been turned on its head. Your targets are trapped as you wanted, but can you finish the job? 

LYNX, congratulations on unknowingly making life that little bit harder for Hydrus. You’ve successfully cut out all communications and power across the island — at least for a little while. Unlike Hydrus, however, your targets aren’t living. How much easier is it to steal something with no security alarms? In teams, members of Lynx will advance on various goldmines for valuables — the temporarily closed Museum of Myeongcho, Sunrise Star Hotel, the MPD’s various armouries, confidential files in Myeongcho’s largest organisations. Take what you can, but don’t forget to stay alive. Security officers don’t go home just because the power is out! If you’re on the inside, however… Bad luck on missing out on all the fun! Or are you? 

Those on the inside from COLUMBA, PHOENIX and CORVUS, what’s more important: your loyalty or your life? Do you save your fellow members? Or all citizens to keep your allegiance hidden? Do you try to find a way out and leave everyone behind? Can you get to the bottom of this? Or do you take advantage of this opportunity? There’s so much wealth in this room, after all…

MPD, how fast can you really react to something you don’t know about? No calls can come in or out, you’re scrambling to find the source of the island-wide blackout… Unless you’re at the event, it’s likely your attention is elsewhere. Those guests will be fine by themselves, anyway… Right?

To summarise, Lynx and Hydrus have unknowingly planned separate attacks on the same night. Lynx just slightly beating out Hydrus has derailed the latter’s bombing of shopping business tycoon Lee Yeonseok’s Annual Winter Ball, leaving many wealthy names, as well as many of our beloved muses, trapped inside fighting for their lives. The blackout took out all power across the island, including phone reception towers and internet access, meaning there’ll be no way to contact one another for at least twenty minutes whilst teams work to restore power to, at the very least, phone towers. After forty minutes, power will come back on. The Daengom will remain in darkness thanks to the destruction caused by the bombs but mobile phones will regain signal when phone towers are restored regardless. 

The above descriptions for each gang are just guidelines! Whether or not your muse is at the Winter Ball or working on the outside in some way is completely up to you! 

Muses may have gained access to the Winter Ball through invite, being someone’s plus one, hacking the guest list, etc. If you can’t think of a realistic reason for your muse to be present but would like one, feel free to message us!

To earn +5 points, write a four-post thread or 200+ solo about any part of the event. Any thread about the ball, blackout, bombings, actions elsewhere as a result of the attacks or any aftermath will count! 

To earn +5 points, write a four-post thread with a muse you have never written with before about any part of the event. If you’re not sure where to start with ideas for plots, keep reading below this OOC information…!

As always, for threads and solos to count for points, they must be posted before the deadline. You can write as many threads and solos as you’d like, but you can only claim points for one thread/solo for each set of points. 

Don’t forget to tag all your event-related posts with this event’s tag mi:blackout and most importantly, have fun! If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to message the main or Admins Gyu & Woo directly. We hope you enjoy this event! 

CLAIMABLE PLOTS

The following are set plots and roles within the event for you to claim for your muses should you choose! These are all optional; you do not need to claim any of these to participate in the event. These plots and positions are for helping guide the event’s progression and offer ideas for development and plots if needed. To claim a plot, simply message us with the letter code and the muse you’d like to have that role within the event and we’ll update the post as soon as we see it! We hope this will connect you to new muns you may not have otherwise gotten the chance to plot with, and give you unique development for your muses! Please let us know if you like this idea for events. Your feedback will help us plot and structure future events! 

You, SONG SEOAH, have been assisting with first aiders such as LEE HYUNWOO since the explosions stopped. Paramedics are on their way, but for many present, that may be too late. Your bravery and intuition hasn’t gone unnoticed by others and following the release of all those trapped inside, you’re recruited for Columba by KIM TAEHYUNG for your tenacity. They won’t be the only ones watching, though, local hero. NOTE: This is an opportunity to get your muse recruited by Columba and requires no further point cost or reward solo to change your muse’s affiliation. 

Hydrus member Muse D had been mingling amongst the guests listening to Lee’s speech when the power went out. Alarmed, they’d tried desperately to get in touch with other members but with no signal and no power, it’s impossible. You connect eyes with Muse E ( Hydrus ) across the crowd and gravitate to one another for safety. After all, you were only supposed to keep an eye out and give the signal before making your escape. You weren’t supposed to get caught in the crossfire. 

JEON JEONGGUK is fascinated by this power outage and the moment you regain signal, you begin to delve into finding the source. Along the way, you find SON HYEJOO a fellow hacker who may or may not be part of the team that took the island down… 

Muse H ( Lynx ) is one of the coordinators or seniors on the attack against the Museum of Myeongcho. Muse I ( Lynx ) is one of the most inexperienced on the job. Eager to impress as they may be, this is a rather large first step. Can you work together to get the job done? 

KIM MINJI and PARK SUNGKI are trapped inside the Daengom with no power, no first aid kits and PARK SUNGKI unable to walk on their injured ankle. They won’t die from the injury, of course, but it’s not like they can get out by themselves before the rest of the building collapses. Will KIM MINJI help them, or does their loyalty not extend to outside of their gang? 

Muse L is out in the streets when everything descends into darkness. Luckily, a reporter is there to ask them a hundred questions! Buckle in, Muse L, because you’re not going anywhere until they get all the answers they’re looking for. NOTE: This prompt is in the format of a submit from the main and will likely take a couple days to get to you due to the holiday season.