#sometimes everyone tries their best and no one is cruel and our grace is endless and a very bad ending is still inevitable

[carnageacorn]

.

[sagittree]

|Dead poetry|

Summary: When the day in which Y/N has to face her soulmate comes, will everything go as she thought it would? Soulmate!AU

Pairing: Bucky BarnesxReader 

Words: 3,089

Warnings: A bit of drinking involved, some swear words here and there. I hope that's all. My rusty writing also present, as always.

A/N: This is my entry for @sgtjbuccky 3K celebration writing challenge. The prompt this fic is based on is ´“I never stood a chance, did I?” “That’s the sad part. You did once”´. I’m very grateful that I could participate in this challenge, so thank you so much for this opportunity, Salina! Massive congrats to this amazing sweetheart, you deserve this and so so much more ❤️ I’d like to thank everyone for reading this fic. It really means the world to me. I’m very sorry for my rusty writing, I’m trying to get back to it. Please bear with me. I also apologize for my grammar or any mistakes, English is not my first language. Please feel free to correct me. Thank you so much for reading. It means the world. Lots of love ❤️

Since the beginning of time, the infinite pathways of our universe have been overflowing with countless ideas, dreams and sometimes even unexplainable mysteries, some of which were predestined to make the universe a better, brighter place, while others have been waiting in the dark shadows for their opportunity to thrust the world into its decadence. Many were created by the brightest of minds, and even if they might outnumber the drops of water on this planet, there still are things even the greatest of scientists can't seem to understand, therefore provide an explanation for.

One of these things is something people have been failing to understand throughout hundreds of centuries, and after deep consideration of what this thing might even mean, have come up with the simplest of names for such a revolutionary matter. A soulmate is what they decided to call it.

 Though the existence of soulmates has been waving with the world for decades, an explanation still hasn't been provided, and so people grew so desperate to understand this concept that even the simplest stories seemed to satisfy their need. Then again, what even is a world without stories?

 Some legends told the story of a time when the body of a person, or rather two people, consisted of two heads and two pairs of limbs. After some time, however, they have become too powerful, selfish and greedy, for there was nothing they were missing in their lives, as they were already connected to the person they were always meant to be with. So the mighty Zeus decided to divide them into two separate beings condemned to roam the planet utterly alone, with loneliness burning their souls until they found their one true love. 

While some people believed these legends, others believed that the cause of this all was that the atoms that were the closest to each other when the world was created will forever find their way back together, thus explaining the existence of soulmates.

Though no one completely knew why or how this was possible, they were still certain it was true, for every person saw their soulmate in each and every one of their dreams. The sad thing about this though is that the longer it takes someone to find their soulmate the less they remember until they forget their soulmate completely.

Even though this all was a knowledge carved into the very point of the existence of mankind, Y/N desperately wanted not to believe it, because she didn't want her existence to depend on someone else. She wanted to be her own person, be in charge of her own life and fate. Or at least that was what she told herself. What the reality truly held, however, was fear. 

Y/N has always been frightened of the idea because while there were people who could clearly see who their soulmate was, she has always only seen their outline. And the more she thought about it, the more time she spent on trying to figure out who they are and find them only to fail miserably, the deeper the knife in her heart sunk. She feared that she'd end up like one of those people who never find their soulmate, and in time forget them. And when the pain of it becomes too much to bear, they spend their life with someone who doesn't belong to them instead. And there's no greater pain than that.

She desperately wanted to be angry and yell her lungs out into the world. Angry at herself, because how could she not recognize the face of the one who was supposed to love her unconditionally until the end of time? Angry at the universe, because how could it be so cruel and deny her even one glimpse of the one her life was supposed to consist of? 

The anger, however, didn't last long and was soon replaced by utter loneliness and confusion. She felt confused, for how could she miss and long for someone she has never met? Lonely because the desire of her heart and soul was never fulfilled, leaving her more empty each passing day.

She tried to talk about it in hope that someone out there might understand and maybe even help, but those words burned. The way they sounded petrified her, for they seemed to dissolve through the air like liquid poison. She tried to bleed her heart out and watch the paper consume her pain and rid her of it while making it its own, but all she ended up with was more pain burning her soul, and an empty paper staring right back at her in an almost mocking way. She tried anything she could think of in hope of clouding the dull ache rooted deep within her soul but nothing seemed to work. And when another day full of failed attempts and disappointment has passed, she found herself seated on a wooden stool of a perhaps too empty bar, trying to defeat one poison with another. 

„The usual?“ the tall bartender, whose name she has learned was Steve, asked with a worried smile while drying a cup with his apron. She winced at the thought that she had been there so often, that she had sunk so low as to be associated with ´her usual´. She couldn't divert her gaze from her hands, so she only nodded, heat spreading through her cheeks. 

„Still haven't figured out who they are?“ Steve attempted to start a conversation again. 

There were days when Y/N wished he'd just leave her alone with the bitter taste of alcohol on her tongue distracting her from the troubles of the world, despite knowing he only meant well. But then there were days like this one when she'd do anything for even a small exchange of words, even though she knew they only came from pitty, but anything was better than the agonizing pain crushing her bones. 

„No“ she let out a shaky breath „What am I doing wrong?“ she asked with her voice breaking mid-sentence as she let out a dry laugh while running her shaky fingers through her hair.

„I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Perhaps it's meant to be this way. Maybe this is the way the universe wants it to be“ he tried to reason after contemplating the matter, but failed at making her feel better.

„Then the universe is pretty sadistic“ she lamented as she sipped on her drink, the liquid burning its way down her throat. She couldn't decide whether the disgusting taste was more bitter than her feelings. 

„Or empathetic. Maybe this is the best way for you. Maybe your soulmate is someone bad that would only ruin your life and the universe is just trying to protect you“ he sang out, optimism lighting up his eyes as he refilled her cup.

„It's a soulmate. Isn't their purpose to make you the best version of yourself? To make your life the best it can be?“ she asked, amusement being the clearest component of her voice while leaning back in her chair, her arms crossing across her chest. 

„Ah, that's probably true“ Steve mumbled, his cheeks tinted in the softest shade of pink, as he mimicked her actions while leaning against the counter. 

Y/N only smiled at this, her mind swirling with an endless spiral of thoughts 

„Have you met your soulmate?“ she blurted out without thinking, instantly regretting it when she saw the sad smile that graced Steve's lips. She watched him breathe deeply, clearly contemplating his answer. 

„I have,“ he decided to answer after a while, swallowing dryly before continuing. “Her name was Peggy. And she was the most beautiful being I've ever seen. Life with her was just worth it no matter how bad it got. She always believed in me and saw my potential. Way before I became the person I am today,“ Steve's smile never left his lips when he spoke, though Y/N wasn't sure whether he was still there with her, or whether he has left her to run around in his thoughts 

„Was?“ another regretted question left her mouth, though she couldn't stop herself, the alcohol already clouding her judgment. Steve only smiled so sweetly it almost made her sick. 

„I um… We weren't together for long before… before the world got in the way in dire need of help. And when I came back, it was too late. And the loss… the loss nearly tore me apart. And I can't help but think about how things could have been if I had never met her. That's why I think that not meeting your soulmate is often the better option. Because if you never meet them, you just forget them after some time, and then you just get to live your life as if nothing ever happened. But when you do meet them and the universe decides to take them away from you, you can't ever escape the pain that comes with that. And it just... tears you apart. And you have to find a way to live with that, to wake up, collect your shattered pieces from the floor and glue them back together only for them to fall apart once again when the sun sets at night. That pain is just unbearable.“ Steve mourned, tears glistening in his eyes as his breathing became more uneven with each sentence. 

„I'm sorry“ Y/N knew these words weren't enough, but there wasn't anything else she could offer. Steve only shook his head and provided her with another sweet smile. 

„Don't be. Once you learn how to live with it, the world becomes bearable again“ he tried to reassure her, before making his way to his next customer, who she hasn't even noticed before. 

She took her time to think about what he said to her. And maybe Steve was right. Maybe it truly was possible to live without your soulmate. He himself was a living proof of that after all. And so after deep consideration, Y/N decided to leave this part of her life behind, and rather to chase after what the pressure of society was telling her to do, she'd try to live for what her heart was telling her instead. 

She smiled to herself as she got off the stool and turned towards the door, ready to walk through them and start a new chapter of her life, only to be met by the icy blue eyes she knew way too well. 

She froze in her spot, a high pitched ringing resonating in her ears as the room suddenly began spinning. The air seemed too thick for her to breathe, her heartbeat too rapid for her to bear. 

It was him, the man of her dreams, the same dark brown hair laminating his jaw, the too familiar icy blue eyes sending chills down her spine. An unexplainable feeling suddenly overcame her, and it seemed as if all the poetry and declarations of love in the world finally made sense to her.

The saltiness of her hot tears stung her eyes, and she let out a shaky breath through her smile. But her heart shattered again when he only gave her a cold, determined stare before turning around and running out the door. She didn't know how to react, too shocked to even breathe. And before she could register what was happening, she was already running out the door after him, the cold night air brushing past her. 

„Wait!“ she yelled after him, in a voice perhaps too desperate, and the world felt like a dream, like when no matter how fast you're trying to run, you're still glued to the same spot. 

„Wait, please!“ she pleaded, and she wasn't sure what made him stop, but once he turned to face her again, his cold stare made her wish he never did. 

„What? What do you want?“ he barked in a voice so rough she could feel it scratching at her skin. 

„I.. it- it's you. You're the one. You belong to me“ she laughed out, a smile too bright gracing her lips, and when she got close enough to be able to take in every detail of him, she wasn't able to do anything else but let out a soft gasp. And for a split second, she thought she saw his features soften, something similar to relief reflecting in his eyes. But before she could even blink again,  his eyes changed back to their seemingly permanent frozen stare, his features as stern he seemed to be made of stone. And with another disgusted stare sent towards her, he took a step back from her. 

„I'm not a thing to belong to someone. I'm not anyone's property“ he stated in a shallow voice as he turned away from her once more. „No that...that's not what I meant. What I meant is that you're my soulmate. We were destined to be together“ she whispered, her eyebrows furrowing as she silently followed him. She felt sick and she wanted to laugh at how pathetic she sounded, at how she surely must have looked like a lost puppy. 

„Are you even hearing yourself? You sound ridiculous. Do you honestly believe these stories?“ he barked, abruptly turning around, which almost made her collide with his chest. 

„What do you… Have you never seen me in your dreams?“ she shuddered, eyebrows furrowing once more as she shook her head in confusion. 

„No“ he hissed, his voice so sharp it could cut through steel, as he turned around to walk away again. 

„I don't believe you! That's not how it works“ she cried out as she clenched her fists, heat spreading through her cheeks, suddenly feeling infuriated with the situation. 

„What the hell do you want me to say? I don't give a goddamn crap about this shit. Just stop yelling and leave me alone“ he seethed, quickly looking back at her over his shoulder. 

„Leave you alone? You're honestly just going to walk away from me? I've been waiting my entire life for you! I deserve at least an explanation! Why are you acting like such an ass?“ she could feel her blood boiling in her veins, but the pain of that didn't even come close to the one of her whole world falling apart under his harsh stare.

„I don't owe you anything! I don't even know you, do you honestly think I care for you? I don't want anything to do with you“ he barked as he turned to face her once more, instant regret washing over him as his eyes met hers, and he saw something inside her break.

„Look, I'm sorry,“ he started, and Y/N let out a soft scoff as she bit her lip, looking everywhere else but him as she desperately tried to hold her tears in. 

„I never stood a chance, did I?“ she said in a voice almost too quiet even for her to hear as she looked at the ground, hot tears leaving salty trails on her cheeks. She bit on the inside of her cheek as she sniffled, her lungs suddenly too tight for her to be able to breathe.

„That's the sad part. You did once“ he let out through shaky lips as he reached towards her to cup her cheek in his hand. Y/N closed her eyes at the sensation, breathing out a teary breath to try and steady herself so she could continue.

„What do you mean?“ she looked him in the eyes, and when she saw his tear stained cheeks, all the things she thought she understood suddenly made no sense at all. 

„There… there used to be a time, a long time ago, when I would dream of you every night. And I'd wake up in the morning desperately wishing to find you. I longed to be with you, and the longer I was without you, the harder it was for me to live. But then some.. bad people got to me. And they did terrible things to me, things that made me do unimaginable things. And once I broke from their grasp, I couldn't live with myself, I couldn't live with the horrible person I've become. So I vowed to myself that I'd never try to find you again, that I'd keep myself as far away from you as possible. And it was working, until now. I don't know how I found you, but I honestly didn't mean for this to happen. And I wish I could take this moment back. As much as I long to be with you, I know I'm no good for you. I've done horrible things in my life. I don't deserve to be with you“ he tried to reason with her, his voice breaking as he spoke, the agonizing pain of the moment too much for him to handle. 

„You're my soulmate. We're meant to be together. If you didn't deserve me, you'd be destined to be with someone else“ she desperately tried to explain, to make him see that she'd love him through everything, but he only shook his head as he stepped away from him once more, the newly created space between them so cold it made her shiver. 

„Perhaps you're right. But I can't be with you. I don't want to. Not anymore, not when I know that you can live a better life without me. I’m sorry it had to happen like this, but you deserve better.“ he stated, taking a step back with each word, and when he saw how his words wounded her, it made him hate himself even more, for he hurt the one thing he'd love until the end of time. What made him able to continue though was the knowledge that he was only doing this for her own good. Y/N knew there wasn't anything in the world she could do or say that would make him stay, she saw it in his eyes, his soul. So she only nodded her head, and despite her whole world crumbling to dust around her, she knew she had to let him go.

„What even is your name?“ she whispered into the night, hoping her voice would reach him. 

„Bucky“ he answered in a soft voice, and it was the last thing she ever heard from him.

Hot tears stained down her cheeks as she hugged herself tightly, hoping her arms would be enough to contain her breaking pieces. And as she watched him disappear into the night, she knew that without him, all the poetry within her was dead.

[brido]

The Great Struggle to the Bottom

The AON Center in Chicago is 83 floors and 1,136 feet high. And at the time I worked there, it was the second-tallest building in the city. From the 70th floor, where I worked, the views were just asinine. The cars on Michigan Avenue looked like ants. The people down on Randolph Street were specks of dust. I could look OUT at the endless lake and basically feel fine, but looking straight DOWN made me feel queasy and I never, ever got used to it.

We were up so high, in fact, that they let our chain-smoking secretaries and storeroom guys just light up on the 70th floor. They got grandfathered or grandmothered in to indoor smoking in some designated areas, which was far more time-efficient than making them take elevators all the way down, head outside and then back through security twenty five times a day. This was 15 years ago in Chicago, mind you, so good luck telling some middle-aged woman from like, Berwyn that she has to either give up her Virginia Slims or brave the frigid winter air just off the lake. 

The amazing thing was, sometimes I would see these ladies at the elevators as everyone was heading down for lunch. And occasionally one or two would stay behind and say they were gonna take the stairs. I remember just thinking, “Good for them.” Sometimes I’d even say it out loud and people would nod in agreement. It WAS good for them. And I never actually considered what that would entail or how impressive a feat that was for these women - most likely actual grandmothers, whose ages were impossible for a kid straight out of college to ascertain - to head down all those stairs. They looked 99% like Allison Janney in “I, Tonya” and zero percent like health nuts. But since nobody else reacted with shock and horror to them doing this, my brain never questioned that these frail, hacking, wheezing old women took the stairs all the way down to the lobby for their lunch. I’d never experienced it myself, so who was I to judge?     

Not long after I started my entry-level job there at the AON Center, I got promoted and sent to training on the 71st floor. Whereas the atmosphere on 70 was fun and lively and filled with the cubicles of a hundred other kids straight out of Big Ten schools just like me, the 71st floor felt like cruel and unusual punishment by comparison. They treated training like we were Navy Seals. Pages of memorization and testing. Rigidly enforced time management. Strictly suit and tie attire. Zero breaks. At one point I was admonished in front of my class for needing a haircut. For fucking phone sales. I had four trainers and hated three of them. I thought I was going to quit. They thought I was going to quit. So from time to time, I’d get called back down to 70 by one of the managers there to give me a ‘stick with it’ pep talk. And more often than not, I’d just sneak down there anyway to see my friends from that floor and to vent. I just hated it.  

When I got caught sneaking off in the elevator, I’d lie, feign embarrassment, and say I had to poop and preferred the bathrooms on 70. When that stopped working (since absolutely nobody preferred the bathrooms on 70), I figured out a stairwell I could use with my security badge and figured they’d be none the wiser. They quickly got ‘the wiser’. And each time, I’d be publicly scolded, I’d be punished and I’d make my own shitty situation even worse. That is, I guess, except for the last time I got caught.

On this particular day, probably in the winter of 2004, as I headed down the stairwell the door from 71 seemed to close behind me in slow motion. “Oh FUCK,” was all I could blurt out. In my haste to sneak away from training, I’d completely forgotten my security badge and was now trapped between the 70th and 71st floors of the building. I tried banging on the door to 71 to no avail. And then tried and failed again on 70. As I stood there for few beats in a dead panic, wearing the suit my mom bought me for my sister’s wedding, I remembered the chain-smoking Allison Janneys from the 70th floor and decided since I had no time to spare, I might as well do what they would do and walk all the way down to the lobby and head back up in the elevator. I was young. I didn’t look like I was about to die. So surely this had to be the best plan, as well as the fastest way to do it. In no time, I’d be back in training and in the clear. 

This is one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had.  

Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever walked down 71 industrial flights of stairs, but a few bad things start happening to you. First of all, your ‘going down the stairs’ leg muscles have had no real-world experience for this and they become completely useless within minutes. You’re mostly just jelly-legging it and by the end, your body has produced all new completely useless muscles just to provide you with a deeply-felt agony. It’ll be the only thing you feel below your waist. Your legs are garbage. You truly have no way of knowing this until you actually do something so stupid. 

The second bad thing that happens, is that you start to get dizzy. And like, dizzier than you can ever possibly imagine. Picture yourself going down four flights of stairs in a parking garage. You are on those stairs for such a short amount of time that you don’t even realize you’re basically just walking downhill in a circle. If you go down 71 FLIGHTS of stairs, it’s like a never-ending baseball-bat-on-the-forehead spin race. Except this time, your legs are also deteriorating at a rapid rate. So your ever-increasing stumbles send you careening off of brick walls and iron railings. The clangs of your shitty Kenneth Cole dress shoes echoing off 1000+ feet of metal and concrete is all you hear while your eyes completely glaze over and the most elemental, lizard part of your brain, which is all that’s left, keeps urging you to push on downward. And downward. And down.  

The final piece of advice I’d give you if you are to decide to take the plunge down 71 flights of stairs is to not wear the suit your mom bought you for your sister’s wedding. But in this particular instance, it probably ended up being my only saving grace. But I’ll get to all that in a second.

Eventually I made it all the way down to the lobby. And I’d never been so happy to see that lobby in my life. That lobby usually meant I was heading to work before 8 AM. Or back from lunch. Either way, I hated that lobby. But this time I could have kissed the floor like Jordan when he said goodbye to Chicago Stadium in ‘94. Except I felt a lot more like Jordan in the “Flu Game” during the ’97 Finals. Everything felt like it was moving and spinning. Like when you get off a treadmill and your body takes 30 seconds to decide you’re no longer on it, but multiplied by 71. My legs had broken all the way down into full ‘goofball’ mode. And I dipped and bobbed erratically around the lobby as my mind tried to aim my body at the elevators. 

I knew I was fucked. I’m not sure exactly how long this endeavor had taken. But I’m guessing it took a second per stair, 20 stairs to a floor… not factoring rest time, at least 24 minutes.  Possibly much, much longer. I don’t know. By the end of it, my brain was broken and time no longer existed. But now, as the elevator headed back up to where I started, I was preparing for the worst. And here’s where my suit came in handy.  

Suits, by large, are not ideal workout clothes. And so unbeknownst to me, in the haze of my Great Struggle to the Bottom, I’d also managed to drench myself in sweat from head to toe. I looked like a drunken Ted Kennedy emerging from the pond at Chappaquiddick, ready to tell his side of the story. AND My trainers were waiting for me, arms-crossed-negative and ready to do their worst. 

When they saw me, all sloshy-shoed with my knees buckling and my suit sweated all the way through, their faces changed. We all just looked at each other. Then one of them asked, “What the hell happened to YOU?” 

And I just came out with it. All of it. I told them the truth. 

Then we looked at each other some more. 

And they. Just. Started. Fucking. Dying. 

Like, I’m just standing there, wobbly, preparing to be shit-canned. And they are doubled over, slapping their legs and pointing at me. This lasted for a while, until one of them started picturing the logistics of everything I’d just done and goes, “Why didn’t you just use one of the emergency call boxes??? They’re every five floors. Why would you POSSIBLY think to go all the way down 71 flights of stairs???” 

And so I brought up the chain-smoking ladies. “I don’t know. I thought if they can do it, so can I.”  

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?!?!?”

“I heard them say they walk down for lunch. Right?”

“WHAT?!? DUDE! NO!!! WHAT??? MIKE! Their offices are on 68! They just smoke on 70! They only walk from 70 to 68!”  

And then, “Wait, wait, wait, wait. So you thought… (Deep breath) AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Deep howling breath) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!”

Now they’re on the ground. Two trainers. Slowly crumbling into a pile of mocking laughter. While I stood there half feeling like I’d just done the dumbest thing I’d ever done in my life. Half wondering if I might have just gotten away with a fireable offense. It’s a crazy feeling. Plus, you know, the way I actually FELT physically.  

Within minutes, everyone knew. Everyone. And I’m talking about 3 entire floors of people in the AON Center. “Did you hear about that kid in training?” “Yeah. Holy shit! What a fucking idiot!” I was all the rage in my office for the rest of the week. And they fucking LOVED me for it. I had zero problems with my trainers for the remainder of my time in training. Morale had never been higher. I eventually headed back down to 70, graduating from bootcamp with slaps on the back, almost like some sort of celebrated mascot for the worst human being any of them had ever experienced. Years later, this time in an office out by O’Hare, I found out they still told that story downtown in training. I had become this legendary example of what NOT to do. And I’d get a “That was YOU???,” reaction every time I fessed up to my crimes of stupidity. 

Within four years, I’d already be gone. Off to L.A. to try to make it in show business. I’ve had a little bit of success in my time here. My old company has since filed for bankruptcy and are essentially out of business, their fatal flaw probably having something to do with scoffing at upstart competitors, "Google Dot Com" and “The Internet” as frivolous bullshit that real people didn’t use. I’m guessing you haven’t picked up a Yellow Pages in years. My company sold those ads. But hey, I’m not bashing them. They were kind enough to employ me. And they forgave countless offenses committed by me, their worst employee, because they believed I had talent. My manager had an ongoing top 10 list for the worst excuses I ever gave for calling in sick. So I’m grateful for my time there. And if there’s one showbiz cliche I believe in, it’s that you should be kind to everyone on your way up, because you’re gonna see all the same people when you get stuck on the 71st-floor stairwell and stumble, sweating and dizzy because you misheard chain-smoking old ladies by the elevator, on your way down.   

[proxylynn]

Dreemurr Academy #5 (UnderSwap Papyrus)

Dreemurr Academy, a prestigious closed-off college for monsters and humans alike of all ages and worlds.

This includes myself, though I'm sort of a in-between.

I'm Lynsie, the human anomaly. I'm a human, but I can do magic like monsters. I'm an oddball.

That's the thing about making a school that is open to multiple alternate dimensions. Weird things are bound to show up. Even a bunch of the same person. From what I saw on orientation day, the same faces are scattered around all around.

To fix these type of issues, everyone that has a multiple or doppelganger is given a school name so there's no confusion.

Other than that, it's fairly normal. The hierarchy is the simple.

The Deans are made up of the same people, skeleton monsters that go by the name of Gaster. One is a teacher of the Sciences, goes by Wingding. He's a kind and understanding man, but is known to pull a prank or two. They all speak in a typeface sign language but use telepathy magic so others understand. It's been said no one has ever heard their real voices and those that have are no longer at the academy.

Another Gaster dean teaches Home Economics, he goes by Wingy. He's a bubbly sweet guy that loves his work. Nothing makes him smile more than seeing the joy on a student's face when they take pride in being able to do something they first thought they couldn't.

Another Gaster dean teaches the studies of Magic, he is called Fall. At times, he can be cynical, malicious, and sarcastic. He has a commanding presence that exuded gravitas, authority and control, able to keep a class quiet without effort. Yet there is a kindness to him, it's rarely seen, but not unheard of.

Another Gaster dean teaches History, his nickname is Dings. A cold, bitter, and sometimes childish man. He tends to hold grudges against troublesome students and is extremely spiteful toward those whom he dislikes. Yet those that can take his punishments are rewarded with his respect. He is a teacher that commands respect and who's grades are earned with doom hanging over your head.

The Professors are also skeleton monsters, but not all are the same person. The Psychology professor is a guy named Papyrus but goes by Stretch. He's the favorite among students because he's so laid back. He chews a tooth pick in class to suppress his urge to smoke, but we all know he does so when on break. He's really good at reading students and helps out when able. All in all, he's the cool teacher.

The Literature professor is a Papyrus that is called Fell. He is the one teacher everyone dreads. Very strict and old fashioned. He does not tolerate interruptions and will humiliate those he feel need to be taken down a notch. Such things take there toll on him and often squeezes a stress ball that he keeps in his desk. But he is a very passionate man when it comes to his work and takes his subject seriously, even though this makes him into a bit of a grammar nazi which is why many students get low grades.

The Biology professor is a skeleton called Sans that sometimes goes by Classic, whatever that means. He is very cheesy and comes off as lazy, making puns that have people cringe yet secretly love them. He is very protective of his students and will go out of his way to help them. He does not tolerate bulling of any kind and can be quite scary. He's the second favorite among the students.

The Physical Education professor is also a Sans that goes by Pain. He is also a stern and old school type of teacher, only he tends to be more cruel in humiliation of students that are unprepared. While his scope is all around, he prefers the darker side of the study. Using borderline violence to weed out the weak that think taking his class is a easy A. There is mercy in his dojo, but it must be earned with blood, sweat, and tears.

The Students are broken into four groups based on which part of the four years they are currently in. The first years are called freshmen. Second years are sophomores. Third years are juniors. And fourth years are seniors. There are some variations on this topic, but this hierarchy of college students is still readily recognizable by everyone.

Me? This isn't my first rodeo but not my last. I'm a sophomore and have gotten the gist of who's who and what's what. I get along with students and teachers. I've always been a middle ground type of girl.

I didn't come looking for friends, but they just seemed to find me. Funny enough, my buddies are the brothers of the professors. Stretch's brother is a freshman, his name is Sans but goes by Rascal. Fell's brother, also a Sans, is a sophomore like me and goes by Edgy. Classic's brother is a Papyrus, a freshman that goes by Papy. And Pain's brother is a sophomore Papyrus by the name of Slim.

I've always been a tomboy. I prefer the guys company. They're different and fun, even if they can be a bit odd sometimes.

Rascal, as the nickname implies, is the school clown/prankster. He likes to test his limits and challenge authority, even dishevels his uniform to assert his individuality. He comes off as a slacker, but secretly very deep, clever, and loyal to a fault. He likes taking his brother's class so he can improve his skills with messing with people, mostly his brother as he disrupts his teachings when he sees a chance.

Edgy is shy around new people and slow to open up, enjoying a laugh with friends when able. Though he appears weak or even nerdy because of his glasses, he is far more tougher than he leads on. He doesn't take crap from anyone. When alone, he's angsty and borders on straight up angry. Getting a pissy attitude when annoyed. Like his brother, he is very passionate about literature and does his best to impress his brother, going so far as to become the teacher's pet.

Papy is easily the most loveable guy in the whole school. Very cheerful and optimistic, he tries his best no matter what. He doesn't like conflict and tries to keep his brother out of trouble when the teacher pulls a prank. I find it sweet of him to take his brother's class even though he doesn't particularly enjoy it, just so he can stay close to him. Like I said, this guy is a loveable soul.

Slim is easy going. He doesn't take things too seriously and never breaks a sweat over hard exams. The only thing that breaks his cool is his smoking, he really gets tense if he goes too long without his fix. He's incredibly smart and instinctual, good traits to have when dealing with his brother. While he does attend his brother's class, he merely does so as a request of his brother who likes to make sure he doesn't slack off due to not being challenged enough.

All of them are oddly related to each other in some form. Gaster's, Papyrus's, and Sans's are brothers. Yet I see them all as different people. I value them. They're helping me even if they don't know it. I am not so confident in myself. I tend to isolate myself, go at things lone wolf style. It's how I've always been. Then I met them and slowly my world began to expand bit by bit. I'm still not comfortable with others. But with them, I can step out from behind my mask for a bit, and really be myself around them.

Today is a typical day. Classes have so far been good. Again, knowing how to get by and being ready for them helps big time. This being one of those classes. Psychology is crazy complex yet once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy to understand, though there are so many different aspects to learn in it.

In all there is Health Psychology, Psychology of Interpersonal Relations, Mind and Behavior, Social and Personality Development, Psychology of Learning, Visual Perception and Cognition, The Aging Mind and Brain, Cognition and the Brain, Language Development, Psychology of Workplace Behaviors, Psychology of Relationship Violence, Animal Cognition, Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychopharmacology, Motivation-Addiction-and the Brain, Neuroscience of Learning and Memory, Neurobiology of Stress, Introduction to Health Biopsychology, Abnormal Psychology, Childhood Psychopathology, Behavior Modification, Psychotherapies, Cognitive Development of Children, Infant Development, Personality, Attitude Change, Psychology of Gender, Social Cognition, Judgment and Decision Making, Stigma and Prejudice, Psychology of Negotiation, Human Memory, Psychology of Thinking, Human Information Processing, and lastly Language Processes.

All of these help to further understand ourselves and each other. For to know the workings of the world's mind, one must come to know one's self. And if such a journey you wish to make, then look no further than to have Professor Stretch be your guide to the wide and weird world of the mind's many endless roads. The guy is utterly amazing.

"it's about honor. do you have it? how do you define honor? honor is day by day, minute by minute. if you have it, you live it, without question. honor is not doing what is easy if it hurts a single soul. do your daily actions reflect good values? are you honest with everyone, even yourself? are you kind and helpful? do you show respect to everyone? for example, do you clean up after yourself in the lunchroom? and my friends...they all have a couple of things in common: none of them are whiners. all of them are funny. none of them are pc; and all of them, every last one, owns their mistakes. they own their lives. they own their actions. that is honor. do you really own your mistakes and your lives?"

God he's mesmerizing to listen to. His voice is so smooth despite his smoking habit. Even his body's movements flow with grace and adds emphasis to his words. You can really tell he means what he says.

"our society does not simply look at the 'hey stupid, the coffee is hot' signs that are located on any lid of coffee that you buy or the supersize me case 'my kids are fat because of mcdonalds'. try to do good. try to love the world even when it does not love you. the question is how will you react when you have done bad things? ...will you stand up and say, i'm a man and i own this mess?"

I nod to myself and a note is slid my way. I look to my side, Rascal, Stretch's little brother and my good buddy. I wonder what it says.

[DO YOU NEED A TOWEL?]

I write back "Why?" and pass it back. Then he slides it back to me.

[TO WIPE UP ALL THE DROOL YOU'RE MAKING OVER MY BRO.]

I roll my eyes at him and give him back the slip after writing "Ha-ha, you're so funny. You should do stand-up.".

"there's only two things the world can't take from you. your friendship and your honor. anything worthwhile must be protected and nurtured. these two things you have...honor and friends...are, believe it or not, all you need. they are everything. don’t make excuses, make optimism. i would like you to take some time and really reflect on that for a moment."

I slowly shut my eyes in thought, contemplating his words and letting my mind wander with ideas. Rascal, using this break to his advantage, decides to have some fun. While Stretch is distracted looking for his pack of candy cigarettes or his trusty toothpick in his messy desk, Rascal leans over and starts whispering in my ear.

"YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN ON MY MIND A LOT LATELY."

"What are you talking about, Rascal?"

"RASCAL? NO...IT'S ME, PROFESSOR STRETCH."

"I take it this is your game for the day."

"YOU LOOK REALLY CUTE TODAY? *sniff* IS THAT VANILLA I SMELL?"

"Okay, you're starting to border on the creepy line there."

"YOU KNOW, VANILLA IS CONSIDERED A NATURAL APHRODISIAC. AND SINCE KNOWING YOU, YOU'VE NEVER WORE THAT SCENT BEFORE. NOW FOR WHAT REASON WOULD YOU WEAR THAT SCENT? UNLESS...YOU WERE TRYING TO CAPTIVATE SOMEONE'S ATTENTION WITH SWEET ALLURE."

To that I crack an eye open and look at him.

"Can I not try a new shampoo without being thought of as a tempting succubus?"

He merely smirks.

"A RATHER INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS. BUT YES. I DARE SAY YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO WOO SOMEONE. AND I THINK IT'S ME."

"As cute as you are, I see you as my friend Rascal."

He blushes but pouts.

"I TOLD YOU, I'M NOT RASCAL. I'M STRETCH."

"I know you study this subject so you can be better at manipulating others for your amusement. So if your intention is to prank me by having me 'confess' my 'feelings' for your brother, well...That's just cruel."

"*sighs* LOOK, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE MEAN. I'M JUST TRYING TO..."

Stretch clears his throat, toothpick in his teeth, and signals that the thinking break is now over.

"as i was saying...it is about honor. do you have it? honor is not the late mother theresa in calcutta. that’s beyond honor; that’s sainthood. honor is not an impossible ideal, something beyond your grasp. honor is day to day, minute by minute. if you have it, you live it, without question. honor is not doing what’s easy if it hurts a single soul."

So very true. I could listen to him for hours. He speaks with experience, like this all knowing sage, yet doesn't come off as condescending or entitled. He only wants to share what he knows so that others can do better. His faith in others is inspiring.

"honor has no room in its house for cynicism. skepticism, yes. always. but cynicism? no. it has no room in its house for greed, for the mindless pursuit of money or hollow success. honor is the affirmative answer to one simple question you ask of yourself every day: did i behave with dignity and respect toward all living things? that is the measure of honor and the measure of men. if you are cynical, you will say, i wasn’t honorable today because the world was dishonorable toward me and i just had to fight back. sorry, charlie. wrong answer. the measure of a man lies not in what the world does to him, but rather in how he comports himself within the world. when someone says, oh-so cynically, oh-so-jaded: the world is thus, you must reply: no. thus, have we made the world."

Another note from Rascal is slid my way and I sigh inwardly at the thought of reading it.

[I'M SORRY. BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A JERK. I'M JUST TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT IS HARD FOR ME TO SAY.]

I write back "What? You know you can tell me anything. It's what friends are for." and pass it back. He takes a moment before writing, a look on his face that I can only guess is uncertainty as I've never seen him like that, then he slowly slides it to me and I'm nervous to read it.

[HE LIKES YOU TOO.]

I'm not sure how to respond to this. Either he's being honest or being bull. I can't find words to write.

"i gave you the bad news first so you can create the good news for yourselves. well, i’ve got friends. if wealth is measured by friends, then i’m richer than bill gates. and, as i said at the outset, two of my closest friends in the world i met right here, freshman year. and my friends, a wide-ranging army of people from all walks of life, some human, some monster, some conservative, some liberal, some wealthy, some not, some black, some white, some catholic, some jewish, some presbyterian, some gay, some straight, some downright out of their minds, and some with questionable fashion sense. my friends are a very varied lot. but they all have a couple of things in common: none of them are whiners, because i can't handle hanging out with whiners; all of them are funny, because life’s too short not to be able to tell good jokes; none of them are pc; and all of them, every last one, owns their mistakes. they own their lives. they don’t place blame for their actions at any place but on their own doorsteps. they own their actions."

I try to focus on Stretch's words but Rascal keeps giving me notes.

[HE MUTTERS YOUR NAME A LOT WHEN IN DEEP THOUGHT OR SLEEP.]

I write back "So what?" and pass it back. He passes another one.

[HE THINKS OF YOU IN THE SHOWER TOO. VERY AWKWARD.]

This makes my eyes twitch and I write back "This isn't funny anymore." then slide it back.

"that is honor. own yours. go out into that messed-up world and try to make it better for your sons and daughters. yes. make money if you can. pursue your own happiness. yes, yes. but try, too, please try to do good. to empathize with and help those people who weren’t lucky enough to go to a private prep school, have caring parents, come from homes with food on the table and plenty of oil in the furnace. try to love the world even when it doesn't love you. realize that you will fail, you will make mistakes, you will feel pain and you will cause pain and you will do bad things. the question isn’t whether you will do bad things, the question is how will you react once you’ve done those bad things? will you leave the mess for someone else to clean up; will you place blame? or will you stand up and say, i’m a man. i own this mess. i will not hide behind lawyers. or press agents. or lies. i do not need lies. i do not need an image. i do not need false crap. i need my friends. i need my honor. because there’s only two things the world can’t take from you. your friendships and your honor. those you’ve got to give away...and those, i will bet you good money, you have right now."

Another note slips by me.

[PLEASE TALK TO HIM. I KNOW THIS IS WEIRD. BUT IT'S WEIRDER LIVING WITH HIM WHEN I HEAR AND SEE HIM WANTING YOU.]

I write back "Stop it. Just stop." and pass it back.

"the honor you hold right inside of yourself, because you’re young, and you haven’t had too many chances to screw up yet or sell out. and you have friends. some of your best may be sitting right beside you, right now. some may have just finished teaching you for four years. some, believe it or not, may be your parents, your sisters, your brothers. some you haven’t met yet, but you will, you will. anything worthwhile must be protected and nurtured. these two things you have...honor and friends...are, believe it or not, all you need. they’re everything. they’re sacred. and, like anything sacred, the world will go after them and try to separate you from them. you cannot let it take them. because when they’re gone, they don’t come back. like your tenth birthday or first love. once it’s gone, it’s gone. try not to regret it if you can."

That last line makes me feel really weird. Even more so when I notice the eye contact coming from Stretch, making me blush and Rascal nudges me with a 'Do you see it now' look. I am so confused.

"look around at your friends, at your family. right now. and then look inside, as only you can, at your honor. your soul. it is what makes you an individual. it is what makes you, in essence, you. the one thing that separates you from anyone else. are you going to give that up? go with honor into this world, my students. don’t make excuses, make optimism. don’t make a day a little worse for your having been here, make it a little better. protect your dignity and your grace and your honor and your friends and your family the way lesser men protect their money and their image and their crumbling structures."

There's that experience again, it makes me curious as to what happened to him. But why? Why am I so pulled to him? Why do I care? Damn it Rascal! What mind trickery have you done to me?! I care!

"i truly hope all of you will get what you want. i hope you live up to the measure of your dreams. i wish you great health and financial independence and a jacuzzi. sure, why not? heheheh...but if you don't get those things, you are not poor, you are not a failure, you are not a lesser person. as long as you have you’re honor, your souls, your friends."

The bell rings.

"*sigh* well that's my time. go enjoy one of the great days of your life."

Everyone starts to leave, but I can't make myself move from my seat. Rascal touches my shoulder.

"PROMISE ME...YOU'LL THINK ABOUT IT. PLEASE?"

All I can do is nod before dropping my head to the table and leaving it there.

"GREAT. THANKS LYNSIE. AND DON'T WORRY, I BELIEVE IN YOU!"

I groan as he leaves and stay put, hoping I'll fade away so I can forget everything I've come to learned.

"uh...the bell rang, lynsie. it means school ended for the day."

"*muffled* I know."

"okay...um...you okay?"

"*muffled* I don't know anymore."

I hear approaching footsteps.

"alright lynsie, what's up? everything at home okay?"

"*muffled* Yeah."

"personal life doing fine?"

"*muffled* Yeah."

"you sick?"

"*muffled* No."

"bad romance?"

"*muffled* Good song, but no. My love life is about as real as bigfoot."

"cute...then what's the matter? 'cause i can't think of anything else. actually, scratch that, i can. did my bro do something to you?"

"*muffled* Which one?"

"sans. did sans mess with you?"

I say nothing and he leans beside me.

"come on. what did he do this time?"

Again I say nothing.

"let me guess. he glued you to your seat?"

"*muffled* No."

"did he pass your phone number around school?"

"*muffled* No."

"did he take up-skirt pics of you...again?"

I sigh and sit up.

"No. He hasn't done that in while now. But that's why I don't really care for the uniforms. I hate skirts."

"then what has he done?"

I look away.

"lynsie, you know you're going to tell me eventually. i'm the psych proff. i know countless ways to get you to talk."

"And you've taught us countless ways to counter said things."

He smirks.

"do i sense a challenge?"

"If you want to play, teach, than bring your A-game. Because these lips are sealed."

"okay, game on."

It's funny how he gets excited like this, he doesn't do it often, but it is cute. Damn it, stop that, I need to focus!

"let me just put this out there before we start...you don't really have to tell me. this is all for fun."

Wow, is he really setting up for reverse psychology? That's the most simple and basic thing. Maybe he thinks I won't see it coming because it's so basic. Or maybe that's what he wants me to think. Best see how this goes and set up to counter when needed.

"Fine."

"so...sans did or said something to you, but you don't want to say what it was...probably wasn't anything to do with something personal. i mean, why would that mess with you? you got friends and one of the best grade point average in school. things gotta be coming up roses for you there."

Got to keep calm and display no emotion. Facial signs and emotions can give away too much information.

"Life has been kind as of late. I study hard. Having random insomnia helps in that department. But what about you? How has the ball been rolling in your court this year?"

A reversal of reverse psychology is simple. Just do reverse psychology to the one trying to do it to you, but do it better. He just smiles.

"been alright. a little slow sometimes."

"How so?"

"eh, just in general really. been thinking i should try to put myself out there. *plays with his toothpick* i haven't been on a date in years."

"Years huh? I can top that. I've never had one."

He looks at me surprised.

"for real?"

"Yep."

"i call bull."

"Hand to god. Never been out on a date."

"why?"

"No one's ever asked. Kinda hard to date someone when they aren't real, you know?"

"not even your imaginary friends?"

"*chuckles* Very funny Stretch."

I get up and hop over the table, sitting on it. He follows suit and sits beside me.

"But yeah. I could fill a book with a list of 'never done' stuff I never did. Things most people my age have done long ago, I can not say I did."

"so...you've never been kissed?"

"Heh, jumping right to it huh?"

"just curious. by the way...*sniff* you smell nice."

"Heh...thanks. Rascal noticed too. *blush* But I kissed a boy once when I was really young. But it was a kid kiss. No real feelings in it, even though he did like me. I think I just liked that he liked me and felt I had to kiss him because it was expected."

"social pressure?"

"Nope. Just what I thought I had to do."

"what made you think that?"

"Fuck if I know. I just did. Kinda like how I knew what death was even though no one ever told me. Saw my kitten unmoving, not breathing, it was just...so very still. Yet I remember going to my grandma and crying that the kitten was dead. I was five. How the hell did I know it was dead?!"

"instinct maybe. from watching you, you seem to grasp things fairly easily. i can almost see the gears turn in your head when i look in your eyes."

"Why would you need to look in my eyes that deeply?"

His relaxed posture faintly stiffens and I inwardly smirk, I caught him.

"making eye contact with others is a sign of confidence, respect, and social communication. studies also suggest that eye contact has a positive impact on the retention and recall of information and may promote more efficient learning."

Well played, trying to avoid seemingly noticeable awkwardness with facts. My turn.

"True, but only half true. It all depends on the person. Some might be fine with it, while others could take it as insulting. Eye contact can also be a significant factor in interactions between human and non-human animals, even monsters. Many species often perceive eye contact as a threat. But on the other hand...Eye contact can also be seen as intimate and sexual."

That causes some light color to dust his cheekbones.

"heh...this has kinda gotten off on a weird track."

"Not really. We're still on the subject you've been trying to prob me for."

"i am not trying to prob you."

"Not without your spaceship you aren't."

He chuckles and I look at his toothpick. I kind of want it. Just to chew on for a bit. Not sure where this urge is coming from, but it's normal for me. I tend to chew on any stick food comes with, like lollipop or popsicle sticks. I don't know why, I just do.

"wait...we've been on a topic this whole time?"

"Want a clue?"

"maybe."

"I want something first."

"and what's that?"

I point to his toothpick and he blushes more.

"you want that?"

I nod.

"um...i-i guess that's fine."

I reach over as he leans in and I snicker much to his confusion before taking the toothpick.

"Well...I guess he was telling the truth after all."

I put the toothpick in my mouth and he is confused.

"uh...what just happened?"

"Just confirming what your brother told me."

"and what was that?"

"He wanted me to talk to you about you having feelings for me."

And just like that, his calm demeanor breaks.

"w-what? i don't have feelings for you. that would be crazy."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. But you give yourself away. And Rascal said some pretty interesting things that made him uncomfortable, so I doubt he'd make that type of stuff up just to mess with us."

"*sighs* what did he say?"

"You mutter my name in deep thought and sleep. Oh! And you think about me in the shower."

I blush a bit and he covers his face with his hands.

"for fuck's sake sans...*groan* fine...i admit it. i do have a thing for you."

And just like that, he breaks my emotionless cover.

"...C-can I ask why?"

He rubs the back of his skull.

"it's a little hard to explain. you...how do i put this? ...you just...okay. you know how magnets are drawn to each other? it's sorta like that."

I tilt my head confused.

"You feel pulled to me?"

"i know, this sounds totally weird and stupid. but i'm being honest here. aside from sans, i notice you before any other student. it's like there's this aura surrounding you and i can't keep from staring. and if i stare too long, i start feeling things."

"What kind of things? Like the make your pants feel tighter type of feelings?"

"you know you don't have to makes this harder than it already is."

"That's what she said."

He snickers and I put my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not trying to make this more difficult for you. I'm just using comedy to circumvent my own awkwardness about this."

This has his attention.

"i take it you have your own feelings about this too?"

"That...That's the part I'm unsure of."

"...but you do feel something?"

I lean back on my hands and look up.

"I might."

To this he just stares at me and I try to avoid looking at him, I don't think I can with a straight face. I end up flinching when his hand touches mine.

"it's okay, just relax. i'm just testing the waters here..."

He holds my hand, his thumb rubbing tender circles on the back of my hand and wrist.

"i won't do anything to you that you aren't okay with."

I blush and slowly look back down to the floor, I still can't look at him yet.

"is this okay? you aren't uncomfortable, are you?"

"It's fine."

His hand moves up, rubbing my arm up and down.

"why won't you look at me?"

"Processing my feelings won't let me. Not yet."

"would it be alright if i...kept going?"

"Sure."

At this point he's reading my body language to judge things. His hand works it's way further up my arm to my shoulder, once there he rubs along my shoulder and neck, making me relax with a purr.

"that feel good?"

"Mmmhmmm."

He scoots closer, now using both hands to massage me. His hands are so skillful in their touches, I can't help but to lean into him and melt in content.

"You have such skilled hands."

"you feel warmer. you really must be enjoying this."

"So are you."

"true. but i'd have more fun if you were closer."

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me to his chest and I look at him with a smile.

"you're looking at me."

"I am."

"and what do you see?"

"A set of adora-bones."

We both laugh and I decide to be a little bold. I turn around in his hold and nuzzle small kisses into his neck, earning some surprised shudders from him.

"mmmmmm...that's nice...*purrs* you can uh...press a little harder, if you want. i-i promise i won't break, haha."

He blushes lightly and I smile kindly.

"Only if you do something for me."

"oh? and what would that be?"

"Well...Could you maybe...keep touching me?"

There's a look of shock that comes with a deeper blush and slowly morphs into a cool and relaxed chill.

"well if you really want me to. heh...how can i refuse~?"

Placing his hands on my waist, he kneads into my sides with a attentive touch and it has me cooing. This pleasant sensation has me trailing tender kisses along his neck and up his jawline, making him shiver with growing heat. He cups my face in one hand and leans in. Thinking of a kiss, I close my eyes, only to open them in shock as his tongue licks my lips and steals the toothpick away with a grin.

"Why do that?"

"heh...it was in the way."

He slips it into his pants pocket before pulling me into a light kiss, just a test, then it becomes much stronger and heated. His hands hold me close as mine begin to explore him, getting a feel for the bones hidden underneath his clothes.

"mmmm...getting a little bold don't you think?"

"Do you want me to stop?"

"no...go lower."

"Like this~?"

I feel along his hip and his breathing hitches.

"yeah...just like that."

"Want more~?"

"yeah~."

I slip my fingers to feel the bare bone under his pants hemline and his grip tightens with a hard shudder.

"wait, wait, stop! just stop for a second."

I freeze up all nervous.

"What's wrong?"

"i need to know...are we really doing this?"

"I'm not a hologram and you're not a dream if that's what you mean."

"no, i mean...*deep breath* would you really...be with me...in a...you know what i mean sorta way."

"Oh. Oh! *nervous laugh* Um...I'd be lying if I didn't say the idea came to me a few times."

"r-really?"

"*flustered* D-don't make it sound like that, mister shower fantasy guy."

"heh...yeah...about those fantasies..."

He has me sit back as he undoes his pants, a large honey orange magic member pops out and I burn with a vibrant red blush.

"maybe this can help us both with our oral fixation."

I snicker and test touch him. Lightly tracing my fingers on it, watching his face contort as the sensation of pleasure begins hitting him. Cautiously he puts a hand behind my head and gently pulls me down to his length, stopping with my lips mere inches from the tip. I look up at him and then at the glowing erection then back at him again before slowly letting my tongue touch him, getting a taste...like honey. I begin to lick him like a popsicle and he leans back on one arm while the other hand is petting me.

"ooooh...yeah...mmmm...that feels good...now try your mouth..."

"Getting eager just bit huh?"

"you have no idea how long i've wanted to have this happen."

"Awww...Then I'll be nice and grant your long waiting wish."

I drag my tongue from the base slowly up to his tip and swirl my tongue around the head before giving it a kiss, making him swoon with a low groan.

"lynsie...please...stop teasing me..."

"Sorry. Just...mentally preparing for this. Heh...I've never done this before. Any of this stuff."

"you mean you're a...*bites his tongue with a lustful grin* hmmm...so i-i'm your first?"

"Yep."

"*deep shudder* god i want you..."

"*snicker* Down boy. The fun has only just begun."

Giving his tip a kiss I slowly engulf his length in my mouth, making his jaw drop and a moan escape.

"ffffuck...mmmmmm...your mouth is so hot and moist..."

"*gasp* Sorry. My mouth waters when full."

"d-didn't say that was a bad thing. um...can you...?"

"Oh! My bad."

I return to pleasing him and he lulls his head back with a contented sigh.

"god...worth it...this was so worth the wait...ooooh...yeah...just like that..."

I can't help but snicker on him as I begin to bob my head up and down on him. The sounds that he makes, the fact I'm the cause of all of them, I can't deny that it's turning me on, and the more it does the more he can tell by the increased amount of attention I give him. And when I look up and meet his gaze he twitches hard in my mouth.

"oh shhhhit lynsie...you ca-aahh...you can't be real...this is too good to-oooooh...*breath hitches* to be true..."

I suppress the urge to smile as I hear an incredibly low moan sound from the depths of his throat, and a deeply-seated rumble sizzling through his bones as I hold on to his hips. His hands suddenly run through my hair, the smooth structure of his bones feels like bliss amongst the mess of hair follicles, and I pace a little faster alongside the heavy beat of his breathing heavily echoing in the classroom.

It acts as the perfect guide as I feel his shudders coarse against me and I know he's being pushed to the absolute edge of insanity as he's simply dissolved in pleasure. I attempt to go down on him as far as I can, feeling the head swell in my throat and his grip on my hair tightens hard. This incredibly raw feeling burns through me as I hear him garble a moan pass his shaken smile and he pulls me off him with a wet pop.

"*gasp* Stretch? You okay?"

"*dry swallow* i was close...nearly lost it...you would've been tasting more of me than you probably want."

"Oh. Heh...I was doing that good?"

"that would be a vast understatement. but i couldn't help but think to myself...i'm being a bit selfish."

He trails a hand to between my legs and with two fingers, he rubs into a now sensitive wet spot on my panties that has me almost curl on top of him which makes him smile.

"whoa, i got you. wow...you've been enjoying this more than i thought."

"Please don't mock me right now."

"oh i'm not. heh, i just didn't think you were the type to have a kink like this."

"W-what?"

"you have a teacher fetish~. either that or you like that i have a position of power over you."

I quiver and lean over him more.

"H-how about you?"

"hmmm?"

"You clearly...*shudder* have a student fetish. N-naughty naughty."

"says the girl getting off on it."

"Like you aren't? *coos*"

"true. but right now...this is about you."

He makes a fist and grinds his knuckles against me, making my jaw slack with a low groan. He does this for a bit, letting me ride his hand before he steps things up to the next level. Unclenching his fist, his fingers move over my skin as he edges towards the hem of my panties. Hooking his fingers over the material, and almost immediately, my voice is lost at the feel the blunt ends of his fingers touching me, tracing confidently and achingly slow over my sensitive lower lips.

Everything around me is intensely hot as I feel the shuddering spells of ecstasy rip through my form. I feel alive, as if connected to this world by the sensual rhythm of his fingers moving circles around my sex. And he can see it clearly in my eyes as they roll back in overwhelming pleasure. Every part of me comes to life as I shiver to his touch, and it's all the more fierce and powerful than I ever imagined it to be. I've given myself away to him entirely as I move my hips along to the gradual movements of his fingers.

"how does it feel? to have me do this to you? to have you melting in the literal palm of my hand and i haven't even really touched you yet?"

"Mmmmm...Stretch..."

"ah ah ah, you didn't say the magic word. use my real name. tell me what you want."

"Oooh...P-papyrus..."

"yes?"

"Please..."

"please what?"

"I need you!"

That came out more bluntly than intended, I'm embarrassed as hell and he's frozen on the spot with a deep honey blush. I open my mouth to apologize but he renders me speechless with a yank forward and a deeply heated kiss while moving my lower half into position over him. Once my brain puts two and two together, I feel the bump of his member's head at my entrance as he's lowered me down to him.

"say it again...tell me you want me."

"Papyrus..."

"yes?"

"Who is on top?"

"huh?"

"And who is in the power position?"

"uh..."

"I do want you...But I set the pace. After all, I'm the one that's gonna be ripped a new one by that behemoth."

"...fair enough, you sexy temptress."

I take a couple shaky breathes before pressing down on him and he pops inside. While his fingering of me helped some of the way to prepare me for this, I wince and take my time inching him in till we're connected fully to the hilt.

"Shhhit..."

"mmmmmm...just relax...there's no rush here...*soft purr* you feel amazing by the way."

"T-thanks. *giggles* That helps actually."

"in that case...let me help you some more."

He leans up into my neck, peppering me with kisses before giving my neck a lick, then nips, and then bites, each action gets to me. Such attention, such care, such sweetness, it's so good. A warmth begins building deep in my core and it cries out for attention, setting my skin on fire as my eyes widen in surprise at the subconscious instinct that has my hips moving on him. All pain from before is gone and my eyes flutter in delight.

"Oh...ohh...ohhhh..."

"yeah...that's my girl...oooooh...ride me...ride me like there's no tomorrow..."

"God...You sound so fucking hot right now..."

Every small thrust, every tiny jab he makes within me is met with a powerful response deep in my core. His hands grab a tight hold of my thighs and I stifle the urge to scream as the head of his member suddenly hits a bundle of nerves deep within me.

"O-Oh fuck...Papyrus..."

"yes, yes, oh fuck lynsie...don't stop..."

My thrusts gradually speed up, faster and faster, filling me more and more as I feel his length graze the sensitive nerves within my core. I've never experienced something as powerful as this and he's pushed near his edge, losing all sense of himself in me as his tongue hangs carelessly out his mouth.

"Pap...I'm close Papyrus..."

"aahh...cum with me, beautiful girl..."

I grasp a tight hold of him, my sharp gasps synchronize with his random harsh bucks, and in between the delicious rhythm of his movements, I try my best to make sense of any spiraling thoughts I have to be about him. We're almost completely gone. We can feel the climax coming, reaching to its absolute limits, and Stretch feels the pulsating urge to release himself.

Slowly, he cups my face in the palm of his hand as he forces me to look directly at him. In his sockets, there is unfathomable desire. In his eyes, there's a passion to love me as tenderly as possible. I can feel it in his affectionate hands, holding me like I were porcelain. And the feeling of being wanted by him finally tips me over the edge.

"Aaah...aaahh...Paah...Papyrus...!"

"ooooohh...lynsie! aaaahh...!"

He relentlessly fills me up as I feel our climax quivering tortuously over into each other. I feel like waves of the water is crashing against the both of us, but really what I feel is wetness between my legs, liquid warmth running down over his member and slowly melting paths down my thighs., until we both stiffen and give in to the intensive release of our orgasms.

"*shudders* W-whoa..."

"*panting* that...was intense..."

"THAT WAS FUCKING HOT!"

We freeze and look over at the classroom door, there Rascal stands with his phone out and grinning big time.

"s-sans?"

"How long have you...?"

"SINCE YOU TWO STARTED FEELING EACH OTHER UP. YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAID YOU BOTH NEEDED TO TALK, THIS WAS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN. BUT, I'M GLAD YOU BOTH FINALLY CAME OUT OF YOUR DENIAL CLOSETS. AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY I CAPTURED YOUR FIRST TIME ON VIDEO."

We just look at him, I know I want to slap the shit out of him and by the twitching in Stretch's eye he feels the same way. In the silence of that moment, we make a mental deal to get back at him, but for now we just take in the feels of the moment and look forward to what's to come from this new love life.

[dat-imagine-tho]

A Different Kind of Prank War

Pairings: Snape x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: Slight mention of dark themes

A/N: Gif not mine. This was requested by a lovely anon. Prompt: Severus and the reader have a student/teacher friendship sort of relationship and they sort of have a little prank war going on that only they know about. Shoutout: to my twin who helped me write this! (Newton-Scamandr)

It was a little-known fact that you and a certain black-clad Professor had a platonic type of relationship, wherein you had the privilege to be taken under his tutelage. 

However, one thing the man was slow to realise, was that you strived to do the same for him; how was this possible? Through "pranks" and puns. 

Why was this important to do? Well, as humans we all go through things in our lives, sometimes we just need a little help from another person. Sometimes in life you just needed a pick me up - everyone does at some stage. 

A smile or small gesture can go a long way. 

Groaning you got out of the seat to stretch your aching back. You had a headache that was sure to eventually go away. It was from the strain you had put yourself under from a vigorous study session. 

Sighing you collected your disarrayed textbooks, extra quills, the pot of ink and your used and unused pieces of parchment. 

Dinner in the Great Hall, it was such an amazing experience; great food, atmosphere and being with your friends at your House table. 

You strolled into the hall and straight over to your friends who were already sitting down. Being in your 7th year it was no surprise that you had the routine of school down pact. 

The stress seemed to be getting to all of you, although happily talking with one another, the physical consequences of stress was evident. It took a toll on your entire friend group in the form of but not restricted to; bags under the eyes, pimple breakouts, mouth ulcers, weight gain, fatigue and general jitteriness, to name more than a few. 

Sitting down you said hello to your friends, they replied as you reached for a clean glass. Noticing all of your friends had variants of drinks; pumpkin juice, soft drink, etcetera but no one was drinking water at this current moment. 

Being quite parched yourself you grabbed the jug of water before you, pouring yourself a tall glass of the cold liquid. Taking an eager sip you had just about drained half of the glass, sitting it back down on the table. 

Something unexpected and uncontrollable happened; you laughed. 

Your friends gave you a strange look at you abrupt behaviour. "Are you alright, (y/n)?" one of them asked. 

You kept laughing, unable to answer. This was definitely Giggle Water. Your friends exchanged looks with each other and they had small grins that grew into a huge presentation of their white teeth. 

It was contagious, your friends started laughing as well, you finally regained control over the behaviour, not that anyone noticed because the giggle-water-induced laughing turned into real laughter. 

With a stupid smile on your face you laughed again at the past events of dinner while laying on your bed, looking up at your ceiling of your sleeping quarters.

You sighed, getting ready to settle down into a good night's sleep when you heard a tapping at your window. 

Looking over you saw the familiar black owl that was instantly recognisable to you from anywhere. 

Opening the window, the feathered creature perched on the windowsill, a small note clenched in its beak. 

Thanking the bird, you took the note he was holding and proceeded to read its contents; 

Laughter is the best medicine. 

- SS 

A smile graced your lips, you knew exactly who the culprit was that replaced your table’s jug with Giggle Water. 

You drifted off to sleep with the contemplation of how you were going to respond.

It was early in the morning, the experienced professor stalked the halls of the dungeon, once again going without breakfast; it was, after all, a complete waste of valuable time and a pathetic excuse to be forced into a meaningless dribble of formalities in the name of socialising. 

Completely aware of this matter, an eager student snuck into the Potions Classroom and left a small surprise on his desk. 

Undetected (y/n) slipped out of the room and went unnoticed down the halls and into the Great Hall. 

A great grumbling came from the reclusive man as he headed for his scheduled Fourth Year Potions class. 

He pushed the thought far from his mind of who would explode the cauldron's contents from incompetence this time. 

Quickly making his way to the front of the classroom he instructed sternly, "Now, I expect you all to complete the readings on page 217, in silence. Do I make myself clear?" The rhetoric question was met with obedience by the unamused and bored-ridden students. 

Something peculiar caught the man's notice, sitting on his desk was what seemed to be a book and some sort of bag of sweets. 

It was, in fact, a small bag of lollies with a note attached. 

With furrowed brows Snape picked it up and investigated it, it read; 

When life gives you sherbet lemons. 

- (Y/initials) 

Not visibly, but amused nonetheless, he inspected the book that was left there as well. A newly published Potions book. He had eyed this book a few times but had not been able to purchase it yet himself. 

Happily, he ate one of the sweets. Skipping breakfast was the norm for him but his body would always protest, particularly following low blood sugar. 

All that remained on his facial features was a microscopic smile before his voice rang throughout the quiet classroom, "Mister Adams, stop whispering to Miss Jane and get back your studies. You and I are both very much aware of your dire grade." 

Over three months had passed since you gave him a copy of the newly published book on Potions, and your exchange of well-natured gestures in forms of pranks and puns. 

You did, however, get one response, a note and a chocolate frog with the words; 

Read it. 

- SS 

It took you a while to realise it's double meaning. At first, you simply smiled at the answer, but while chewing on the delicious chocolate frog you realised that it was a play on word. When said quickly, the deriving word being the sound a frog makes; ribbit. Ribbit having not much variation in sound as 'read it' if it were said as if it were one word. 

Half yearly exams were underway, your attention being fully directed at the gruelling task. It wasn't until you had gone for a walk in the halls before you headed back to your common room that you remembered the outside world.  

In Potions class Snape droned on and on about a particular potion, it was quite hard to fight sleep seeming you were deprived of it as of late. 

Class was dismissed and now being slightly more alert due to the clattering and commotion of eager students in their exit, you noticed his slip in hygiene and care. 

Your concern grew; this was not a good sign. 

You thought up a plan, you hoped wouldn't be crossing a line, but you felt you needed to do something. 

In these particular matters, following your out of depth knowledge and personal relations with the man who mirrored disconsolation, you would need to do something quickly. You would have to rally up confidence and hope that your gesture wouldn't be accepted as ill-mannered, but rather good intent. 

The day droned on, it was now 10:40 pm, and there was nothing Severus wanted more than to reside in his personal quarters and be done with the day's events. 

But alas, sleep was out of reach as there was grading to attend to. With an unamused scowl, the man set to work on the tedious task that was sure to make him lose hope that his teachings were all for naught. 

With a groggy head, the man sighed. Again, it seemed that he did not get enough sleep, he couldn't remember the last time he had. 

Lack of sleep, lack of motivation; it was an endless repetition, an inescapable cycle. His days’ tasks seemed dull, so did his life. He couldn't separate the two anymore; his obligations and free will. 

Nonetheless, he trudged on. It was the only thing he could do. 

 At least Potion brewing gave him a minimal escape. It was something in which he could entice his mind, allowing himself to be challenged by the complexities and preciseness Potion making required. 

Snape glided through the halls, his cape billowing behind him, leaving in his wake First Years who came across his path shrinking themselves and walking faster towards their morning class. Reminding Severus that he had a First Years Potions to teach this morning. 

Right on time the man stormed through the door, the students sat rigid in their seats, they had learnt straight away to be more than punctual when it came to their cruel professor. 

Something was amiss, however, the students were well-behaved. Working studiously; very odd for a bunch of children who hadn't been under the gaze of their professor, even if they were completely aware of the fact that he was on his way. 

The stoic man made his way towards the front of the Potions classroom to his desk. He tried to decipher as to why his students were giving him confused looks, he wasn't accustomed to this expression until he started speaking.

Severus Snape froze in his tracks. Sitting up on his desk was a cat, looking rather serious. Not just any cat, this one had precise markings around its eyes, if one knew what they were looking for they would know perfectly well what this meant. Although, the students thus far had gathered the latter information they missed one vital piece of information. The cat was not whom they thought, it was a stand in, but convincingly similar to an untrained eye.

Nonethewiser the attentive students dared not cross who they thought was a particular Transfiguration Professor.

It took sheer willpower to not laugh at the scene before him. A smile rested shortly on his lips before his unnerving stature took hold as he began the process of regaining control of his class. 

Retiring to his quarters before the continuation of the day's schedule, the black-clad professor noticed a sort of gift waiting by his door. 

Questioningly he picked it up and read on the gift tag that it was, indeed meant for him; 

To S. Snape, I hope you enjoyed my "prank", and that you accept this gesture as a token of gratitude. 

There were no initials to follow this message but he knew exactly who it was from; (y/n). 

He didn't dare open the gift in the halls, he would never allow his personal life to mix amongst the societal hierarchy and gossiping of the pupils that dwelled in the depths of these halls.

Once inside he investigated the gift basket's contents to which he found; An array of expensive chocolate, shampoo, conditioner and another Potions book. It was an all-encompassing gift to encourage him during the lack of motivation and an ingrained disinclination to maintain cultural hygienic standards. 

He was confused when he saw yet another note; 

and know that I care 

- (Y/initials) 

Walking to your next class you were petrified when a dark cloaked figure cut off your path. Looking up you realised it was your Professor. 

You eased slightly but quickly became unsettled when you figured out as to why he would be here standing before you. 

How would he react? 

You swallowed the lump growing in your throat, your mouth becoming dry. Hoping you wouldn't have to speak as you were fairly certain you couldn't at this very moment. 

A smile graced his lips, then it was gone and became nothing but a memory. "Thank you." Was all the Potions Master spoke before departing, leaving you to smile bashfully to yourself. After all, as he parted ways you smelt a hint of the unmistakable scent of a certain hair washing substance you had purposefully gifted.

More? (x)

[barbosaasouza]

How Life is Strange: Before the Storm's Farewell Conveys the Tragedy of Chloe Price

The following contains spoilers for Life is Strange: Before the Storm's bonus episode: Farewell, as well as portions of the main game. Those who have not played Before the Storm or the Farewell episode are advised to turn back now.

Over the course of the Life is Strange series, I would come back after each episode and talk about some of the big questions or the big takeaways. There would be often be four or five points to talk about. But after Farewell, there was really only one particular point I wanted to talk about at length. I wanted to talk about Chloe Price.

There are times when I still think about the original Life is Strange. It was a wild story of growing up in an Oregon suburb, as well as an unforgettable story of friendship. But I also remember one of my earliest impressions of Dontnod Entertainment's five-chapter story. I didn't particularly care for Chloe in the first game. She largely came across as self-centered and as somebody who frequently used best friend and main character Max Caulfield for her own ends.

While my feelings on Chloe mellowed towards the end of the original game, it was Life is Strange: Before the Storm that truly helped me grow to appreciate and relate to the character. Deck Nine wove together a story of a confused teenager who wasn't sure where her life was headed, what she wanted, or what was happening to the world around her. But more than anything, it was this week's Farewell episode that conveyed the true tragedy of what it meant to be Chloe Price. Farewell gave players a firsthand look at the beginning of Chloe's long and agonizing downward spiral. What's sad about it all is that this episode captured the true randomness of some of life's most tragic moments and it's a stark reminder that tragedy can happen to anyone at any time.

If there's a theme to Farewell, it's that Chloe Price was a happy 13-year-old girl who was heading into a period of uncertainty. It wasn't just that she was in that awkward transition to her teenage years. She was getting ready to start a new life at Blackwell Academy, a place where she wasn't really sure how she'd fit in and one where she had already started racking up some disciplinary issues.

Chloe was already reeling over learning that she was about to lose best friend Max, who was moving away to Seattle. It made her sad, but it wasn't going to break her spirit. The two were already making plans to stay in touch. Max was already thinking about how she was going to write to Chloe on a weekly basis. The two tried to make the best of a bad situation, taking one last day to escape into a fantasy pirate world. It turned out to be the end of their childhood, in more ways than one.

That's because the episode concluded with Chloe learning that her father had died in the fateful car accident that would shape her life going forward.

Anyone who played Before the Storm knows how much Chloe's life was shaped by her father's death. But there was something more emotionally devastating in seeing what was ahead of Chloe prior to the events of Farewell. Players found Chloe's report card, which was filled with A's and B's. They found the Blackwell acceptance letter, praising Chloe's love for science and endless potential. But on top of that, they found more and more signs that Chloe's father was her real best friend.

Chloe's father was the one who played along with his daughter's pirate games. He was the one who saw that Chloe had an incident at Blackwell and not only stood up for his daughter, but also started moving towards pulling her out of the school. Players even saw that Chloe's father wanted to work to help Joyce become a teacher, giving Chloe's mother a path to a different life.

Chloe lost more than her father. She lost her biggest supporter. She lost the one person who would stick up for her above anyone else. This was evidenced over the course of Before the Storm. Chloe had nobody else she could turn to. Even after his death, she was still turning to the spirit of her dead father for guidance. It's part of the reason why Rachel Amber meant so much to her, because she was both a supportive force and a kindred spirit.

All of that isn't why I started tearing up by the end of Farewell. It was because this was such a random circumstance that it could happen to anybody. Anybody could wake up tomorrow and learn that one of their loved ones was in a fatal car accident. They could find out that a family member was a victim of a drive-by shooting. They could find out that the person closest to them had a sudden heart attack or stroke and dropped dead on the spot. Anybody could wake up tomorrow and have their life altered forever. And it's especially tragic when that happens to a child, because it is unfathomable to imagine them moving on from such an event. None of this happens out of malice. No outside force was out to "get" Chloe. This was simply what life had in mind for her. To put a religious spin on it, it was simply God's will.

Any one of us could have our own 'Farewell.' It's because of this that I never felt more for Chloe Price than I did in this final episode. Through the grace of God, I've never suffered a death in my immediate family. But this episode made me want to give everyone close to me a hug and tell them that I love them, because there's always that possibility that I may never get another chance to.

Chloe Price's life was filled with tragedy and adversity. It didn't have to be that way. But in the end, that's just life. Sometimes, life is cruel.

How Life is Strange: Before the Storm's Farewell Conveys the Tragedy of Chloe Price published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/