#still like I’m so interested in the perception like I just process everyone as taller than me or super tall those are the two categories

[xx-tellmewhatyoudtake-xx]

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[cinnamonest]

Yandere Profile - Link (Legend of Zelda)

ABSOLUTELY YES. MY BOY. LOVE OF MY LIFE.

As some of you may know, today is the release date of Skyward Sword HD for Switch!! So I decided to release this one now in honor of that :3

NOTES:

I went towards the idea of a Princess!reader because that just opens the gate for sooooo much potential. I'm leaning heavily towards the ZeLink interactions in BoTW and Skyward Sword just because those games have the most interaction between the two.

Also! This is great bc it gives me the opportunity to explore an idea I've actually had a long time! I've always thought about how many opportunities there have been across the games for Link and Zelda to be kinda like "haha well seeya later" and just... bolt, run away from everything, abandon their roles and responsibilities and all that. Like, if OoT kid Link got her before Ganon did and ran, if SS Link just decided to get her on the bird and bolt before everything went down, if botw Link was just like haha what if we ran away from everything together... jk... unless...?

And final note, Link is a great pick for the very traditional yandere -- sweet and : ) but can snap into darker personas. I really liked writing this bc I tend to have more self centered yans and less of the "worships the ground you walk on" type of yans like I think Link would be, so it's a nice change.

As usual now the nsfw section is divided by a ---- line.

TWs: fem reader, heavily implied Zelda!reader, stalking, murder, very brief mentions of gore/dismemberment of rivals, manipulation, very brief suicide mention, themes of reincarnation (I’ve been told this can be triggering to some people so just in case)

TWs (nsfw section): noncon, somnophilia

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Severity Scale

Intelligence/Perceptiveness: 4 Brutality: 8.5 Physical capability: 8 Mental/emotional instability: 7 Restrictiveness: 6 Sexual sadism: 5 Stubbornness: 8

What are they generally like? Lucid, aware? Obsessive? How do they behave?

The primary trait of Link that any darling -- any person, really -- would notice is that he is, well, quiet. He has always been a man of few words, and really, he often doesn't know exactly what to say. On his own, at a first glance, he really does seem like a gentle, humble spirit, someone who blends into the background pretty well, who isn't particularly prideful or reckless or aggressive.

Which is why, to be honest, he might sort of evade the gaze of most people -- he doesn't stand out. You remember him as the boy that smiled at you now and then, it's a soft, gentle sort of smile, one that you feel conveys nothing but the utmost innocence and contentment with the world. You know he's pretty good at fighting, but doesn't get into fights needlessly, he's accomplished and respected, but has never been the guy everyone is talking about -- he's in the background, against the wall. Never speaking, always looking out, sometimes at the sky, sometimes carefully watching people. Sometimes you see him, gaze blank and tranquil, and wonder what he's thinking about. Whether he's the village boy in the time of Twilight, the trained and honored warrior that slept for many years, the boy that came down from the sky -- you can't help but feel at ease around him, safe, you can't help but find him endearing and pleasant.

Yet, you always seem to notice him. Other people... forget he exists, sometimes, he's so quiet. You never do, for whatever reason.

When he needs to get something across, he prefers to express himself through actions, not words. If you lived in Skyloft, or Ordon village, you might find problems mysteriously solved, work suddenly done that you don't remember doing. That fencepost outside your home that broke has been replaced overnight. A village child went missing and he comes back a few hours later with them in tow. Always humble, never demanding or expecting thanks, he tells you in his quiet voice that he's happy to help you.

And should you ever ask him for anything, he'll drop whatever he's doing to help. Anything for you, he says with a smile, which makes you feel a bit guilty when, honestly, you're not even sure you're remembering his name right.

And yet, sometimes, you feel so at ease around him it seems unnatural. He seems so easy to trust. You feel like you've known him forever. And sometimes you feel... for just a split second, less at ease. You find yourself randomly stiffening at his calm, sweet voice. You find yourself looking around when you're alone, as if you feel someone is there, and for some reason, his face flashes through your mind. Sometimes when he looks at you, you feel sort of cold. It's almost like invoking a memory you don't have, like some kind of learned instinct you can't recall a reason for. But those moments are fleeting, they come and go before you can even process them, replaced by warmth and comfort.

If you do spend time with him, if you find yourself gazing out your window when he's training, the next thing you notice besides him being quiet and sweet is that he's strong. It's almost ironic, how all the other knights or village boys are so aggressive and rowdy all the time, many of them taller or bulkier, and yet, none of them could ever dream of defeating Link. Not one can match his agility, speed, prowess. Such a pleasant, calm person, with so much skill, strength, and power, but that power is so rarely seen exerted. People marvel at his talent, they say it's as if he has the experience of lifetimes and lifetimes of battle in his blood.

And it's why you feel at ease when he's assigned the task of guarding you. His capabilities are unmatched, and yet you'd never fear any harm to you from him. Both of those traits put together make him the best candidate to protect you.

Of course, you do find yourself doing most of the talking. Sometimes you find yourself rambling to fill the silence, and you fear you're annoying him, but when you stop he raises an eyebrow and asks why you got so quiet. Did he do something wrong? He seems to worry about that a lot -- has he done something bad? Has he made you upset? Are you mad? At first you think he's worried about his position security, but after a while you realize he genuinely worries about it.

And when you do continue your ramblings, you're surprised to find he remembers your words -- every little thing you say. Things you don't even remember telling him. He asks you about that relative you mentioned one time, his eyes light up and he walks a bit to the side because look, it's your favorite flower over there, he'll get it for you. It's impressive, really, how he manages to remember such things. He must take his job very seriously.

He does enjoy giving you such things -- he loves giving you gifts. It's usually things he finds, wholesome little things -- makes a crown out of the flowers you like so much, finds something interesting here or there, while he was off-duty he saw something in the markets he thought you'd like and got it for you. You almost feel guilty, it's so constant that he's giving you things.

Sometimes you ask him about himself, you realize he knows so much about you and you so little about him. He blushes, he rubs the back of his head, he insists there's nothing interesting about him, he wouldn't waste your time like that. It takes time to get him out of his shell, but eventually, he tells you this or that, little stories from his life.

Sometimes you take long walks, you like to get out of the stuffy walls and have fun outside, he accompanies you across Hyrule. Sometimes it feels familiar, you pass places you've never been that give you a feeling of nostalgia, deja vu, a sense that you've been here before.

He’s protectiveness incarnated. Insanely so. He can spring to his feet at a moment's notice and deals with anything that comes for you before they can even get close.

It makes you feel safe, but there's something else there. It's a ferocity that is so contrasting to his normal self, different even from the times you've seen him fight as he trains. It's a glint in the eyes, an aggression in his expression, that almost makes him seem like a different person. And it lingers for a moment, once the creature is dead and his sword hand falls to his side, he turns and glances at you to his side, a hand raised to wipe the blood off his face, and for that lingering second, it's still there, his blank expression and wide eyes -- a ferocity so intense it starts to look like bloodlust, chaos, destruction. And then, it's as if you imagined it. Smiling and telling you it's gone now, you're ok. You're glad he's so truly devoted.

In fact, he's so dedicated to his job that he starts... doing it... outside of his job hours...? Well, today he was given the day off, and you were told to stay inside because you didn't have to go out. He comes knocking on your door, says not to be startled if you hear someone outside your door move or shift or anything, but he just wanted to let you know in case. He'll be right here. Keeping watch. So don't worry. You're safe.

And likewise, he was supposed to have a day off when you were supposed to enter the town. You were assigned two other guards to watch you, since it's a special trip, so you're surprised to find just Link waiting for you. He took care of it, he says, he didn't feel right leaving your safety up to someone else, he doesn't trust them. So they agreed to let him take over for today.

All of this said, he doesn't have to grow alongside you, he doesn't have to be the childhood friend, the knight who guards you. He doesn't even have to have met you. Fate works in odd ways like that. There's a sort of inexplicable instant attachment he takes to you, almost as though it's some kind of destined, divinely inspired sort of thing. He would describe it as saying you feel familiar to him.

He's also, notably, prone to a more traditional trope of what you might call humility whiplash. For the most part, he's got that overly humble, worshipping, "I don't deserve to even stand in your presence" sort of mentality. However, although it's rare and requires a lot of wearing down his mental state, if pushed far enough, he can have brief moments where he snaps into more or less the complete opposite -- entitlement, arrogance, aggression, getting mad at you for the behavior he'd normally take with a smile on his face. Thankfully, unlike some yanderes that have a whole snapping episode towards their darling, his are very very brief, usually only a matter of seconds or a single snarled sentence before he snaps back to normal, wide-eyed and apologetic and telling you I don't know what came over me. It’s... a little frightening to say the least, but you blow it off, tell yourself that hey, everyone has moments like that... Right?

How likely are they to kidnap their darling? How quickly will they do so?

For the most part, he doesn't need it, he can pretty easily cling to your side well enough to be assured of your safety, and he manages to scare off the undesirables not with a glare, but a smile that's just a little too sweet and far too persistent -- it unnerves people. You hear a lot of people say that something about that guy rubs me the wrong way. Or that he gives me goosebumps for some reason. Even the people he scares away themselves can't pinpoint exactly what it is, all they know is that, despite being reputed as kind and quiet (and maybe a little dense), somehow a lot of people agree that something about him puts people at unease, and that's all he needs. Because they stay away from him, and if he’s by your side all the time, that means they stay away from you too. Why keep you trapped when you can just be isolated?

An aware Link is a a unique scenario. One scenario that's rather... interesting to imagine is a Link that defies fate itself, a Link that decides to be selfish in one of those rare snapping moments of his. Perhaps he makes a decision when everything starts going down, when the chaos is beginning, or perhaps he has somehow managed to gain knowledge of the bigger picture at work, the reality of the nature of your existence and his.

Perhaps he begins to think it's unfair. To suffer again and again. To prove himself again and again, and not always even to reap any benefits, to work so hard and yet still -- still -- you slip out of his grasp. He longs for a life with no tribulations, no struggle, no fights to be fought. He begins to feel like it's what he wants the most. He begins to feel like maybe it's what he deserves. So many lifetimes of struggles, if the higher powers won't give him a reward, he'll take it himself.

And perhaps, for all their higher power, not even the great goddesses themselves would have ever predicted it -- humans are ultimately creatures of will. To defy fate and to run away from destiny -- it wouldn't be the first time a human has tried such a thing. Sure, Hyrule may be destroyed. The people may all die. There may be nothing left. But you know what? He's stopped caring. If you're alive and he's alive, tucked away in your little corner of the world where you've found respite, well, that's all he needs. Even if you're on the run from forces that would want to find you, even if the threat of the final third of the triforce owner looms over your head. He'll ignore it, he'll look away.

You'll live a quiet little life together, a happy life without suffering, without quests and enemies, without strife, without worry. That's what he tells you when he steals you away, lifts you out of your bed one night. Says to be quiet, there's danger outside your door, he's rescuing you. You have no reason to not believe him. He waits until things go down, a castle under siege, but rather than taking you to where you're supposed to go, he climbs onto the horse and starts... riding away. It gets further and further into the distance, and you might ask why, what's going on? You have a job to do, he has a battle to be fought. But he says you're going far, far away, someplace you'll be safe.

But what about the divine beasts, the seals, the Twilight, whatever threat runs in this world in this time, what about the threat of Ganon, you ask? He says it doesn't matter anymore. You were doomed to fail, he thinks, it's either stay here and die, or run away. All that matters is you. And he'd like you to feel the same way for him. You will with enough time, don't worry.

He just wants this happy, quiet life with you that he’s been denied time and time again. It’s all he wants. If fate won’t give it to him, he’ll make it happen himself, and carve out the life he is determined to have, defying even the will of higher power.

How difficult is it to escape from them? How do they keep you restrained? How do they deal with attempted escape? 

He gets it. Really, he does. "Stop following me!" You yell. Well, he understands why you might feel that way, but this is kinda his job. He thinks you're naive. Not that he would ever, ever have a thought that you're imperfect, of course! It's because you're so perfect and pure that you're... less aware of the dangers all around.

He'll let you think you're free, perhaps. He's more than capable of being quiet, quiet is kind of his thing. Watching you from a short distance is easy. Of course, his horse might make a noise, he can't really help that, or he might misstep on a branch or something. And then you turn around and get all mad again. Now you're even more angry. Well, he can also tell your guardians/father, who will encourage you to accept it. You can't help but feel a little bad -- he's just doing his job.

Now, our aware, runaway Link, well, does he really need to keep you restrained? What would you go back to? Certain death, a land destroyed? Sometimes you mention home, and he's quick to remind you that home doesn't exist anymore. His home is where you are. Can't you feel the same way? You found peace here in this little place -- a village far far away. Travelers, you call yourselves. What's the point in going elsewhere? How would you ever survive without him? He's not very good at being subtle or skillful about the psychological manipulation, it's obvious he's trying to scare you into not leaving, but... it still works, because really, he has a point.

He doesn't want to have to use physical restraint, in any case. And for the most part, it's not needed, because one important aspect of your relation is that his job kinda revolves around you (in some incarnations), or, perhaps you live in the same little village, but either way the thing is that his presence does the job well enough -- he's always there, perhaps more so than almost any other yandere. Even when you think you've managed to get away from him for a moment, somehow his face pops up out of nowhere. How he manages to pull it off is a mystery, you swear he manages to find you so well and predict your movements it's inhuman.

But if you really, really pose a problem, a smarter and sneakier darling that somehow manages to keep slipping out of his grasp and running off (you never get away for more than about 20 minutes or so, but nonetheless), you keep trying to run off when he's sleeping (he wakes up in approximately 25 seconds if your presence is absent from the bed, but that's still enough time to run out the front door), every time he turns his head (which isn't often) you're trying to disappear... well, in that case, he can reach a point of deciding more straightforward measures are necessary. He hates to do it, really, at least when he's not yet at a snapping point. But it's for your own good. And he says so, quite apologetically.

But it's not so bad, it's not like you're being chained to a wall or anything. For one, he got leather ties so you'd be more comfortable, but more importantly, as your guardian, he figured the best thing for you to be tied to would be... himself. Think of it like friendship bracelets! It's just... got a 5-foot chain connecting them. This way you can't sneak off at night, and you won't get too far when he's distracted. It's a safety measure.

How easy are they to trick, deceive, or manipulate?

He's a learner. At first, it's easy. Honestly, he is a rather naive, gullible boy, sometimes he reminds you of a happy dog with his bright eyes. He likes to believe the best of people, give them the benefit of the doubt in all circumstances, and that goes double for you, who he believes can do no wrong.

And even when you do lie to him, it's still not wrong. You didn't do anything bad. Clearly there has simply been a misunderstanding, and you thought you had to lie. Or perhaps you simply forgot a detail or were confusing something with something else. It wasn't malicious on your end, he knows that.

He's actually significantly smarter than he lets on in practical knowledge, though. Those dungeon puzzles pay off, you know? He's got pattern recognition down. So over time he learns how to distinguish when you're lying to him or attempting to deceive him, and sees through it increasingly well.

And yet, he doesn't really... get mad over it, most of the time. Again, he's just capable of deluding himself into believing there's a reason. He believes so strongly in your goodness that he finds a way to interpret everything you do as out of benevolence. So you snuck out the window and didn't tell him you were going for a walk because you just wanted to get away from his suffocating presence for once? You were just thinking of him. You didn't want to burden him and wanted to give him a break. Well, that's thoughtful, but don't worry, he doesn't need a break. He thinks it's precious you're so considerate of him though!

You don't tell him you were talking to that person, and you lie and say no when he asks, because you don't want him to worry, and because you underestimate how dangerous others can be. He's told you a million times and you don't listen, but that's ok, it's because you're just so pure you see the best in everyone. Everything you do is good.

Because he perceives your lies, he will still work against and around it. He won't confront you on your lies, he'll just make sure to deal with the situation -- you lied about sneaking out, well, he'll just keep watch and be ready to meet you outside next time. You lied about talking to a person, well, he'll just have to make sure they stay away from you instead.

If you're trying to trick him, he just plays along until necessary. Smiles and nods. He gets the suspicion you're planning a break-out when he told you he was leaving to go get something from town... rather than saying so, he just decides, you know what? Why don't you come with him? Oh, you're feeling sick, you tell him it's ok, go without you? Well, he can't leave you alone then! Because you're clearly not and just trying to get him to leave... or, as he says, he can't just leave you alone. He'll go another day.

He's fairly manipulable when it comes to praise and affection. You can easily Pavlov him into certain behaviors or patterns with just the slightest words of praise and affection. He's not a very outwardly expressive person, tends to stay quiet, but you can tell how he feels inside when you give the slightest praise, a hug, a kiss on the cheek -- you can see that soft hint of a smile and tell that inside, he's basically melting, even if it's not obvious to most people. And, much like the lying, he’s honestly often aware of it, but he just can’t help it.

How lenient are they? What privileges can you have, and what will you be denied?

He tries to get you the things that he feels will make you happy. Your happiness is incredibly important to him, and he usually thinks about how any action he plans to take might affect you, spends a lot of time debating choices of things to do or say and try to determine how each one will affect you and choose accordingly.

As such, he goes out of his way to support the things you want to do. Have a hobby? He'll find the best materials available. Want a book or a food? He'll obtain it through some means. Even if procuring it involves a side-quest-y set of mundane tasks or scouring the world for 70 of this and 50 of that to exchange it for the item from an obscure specialist, it's all worth it.

The only thing he just doesn't give up on is the constant vigilance and insistence on being by your side more or less every waking second. And every sleeping second. And just every single moment you're alive. It's for your safety.

This is actually one of the things he can get a little nasty about when it comes to how he deals with it, because he quickly has the bright idea that if you don't get it, he'll make you understand. Of course, he can't actually risk you getting hurt, so he stages it. Allows you to sneak off, or at least think you have, and walk right into the path of those monsters he lured, or the people he hired to intimidate you. Of course, it's only natural that he shows up at the last possible second, right on time to save you. You should expect that, after all, it's his responsibility to protect you, of course fate works out perfectly like this. See, he was right, it's so dangerous, and without him you'd be dead. Hopefully you grasp that now.

What kind of rules do they have? What kind of punishment would they use?

His is mostly related to vigilance. Where are you? Who have you been talking to? Who was that person you were talking with just now? What did they say? He's not nosy. He just cares about you. It’s in the job description. You ought to understand just how much certain bad people would love to find you and hurt you. That's why he has to know.

This isn't our modern world, so there's no phones or tracking devices to speak of, just himself, which, well, might as well be a tracking device since he never seems to have difficulty finding you. Sometimes you're not sure how he does it.

He tells you that you don't have to be with him 24/7, but you will be, even if you don't realize it. He's aware enough to know that you'll feel suffocated and get mad if you're aware of his presence all the time, so he gives you your "alone" time, aka, the "follow her quietly from a 20+ foot distance" time. It all feels the same to you. Well, sometimes you feel eyes on you, but you shake the feeling off as paranoia.

So it's not so much that he sets rules and reacts when they're broken, but rather, he works his way around anything you might do so well that he doesn't need you to follow his rules, or really, you take them more as suggestions. But honestly, that's kind of worse. It's enough to drive a darling to the brink of a mental breakdown very quickly. With Link you will inevitably become paranoid, nervous, you feel like you're going insane because he manages to pop up everywhere, he always knows what you did when you did it and you have no idea how it is even conceivably possible for him to know some of the things that he knows. He confronts you very plainly and quietly, often sweetly, asking why you did this or that or telling you it's ok, you don't have to hide anything, surely there’s a good reason, and if not, he forgives you anyway. In a way, it's worse than an angry confrontation. You begin to feel like he's omnipresent, like he can read your mind, and it truly takes a mental toll and affect you worse than any normal yandere's concept of punishment.

This ultimately works out well in his favor. The more you just do what he wants, the less it feels like a violation or intrusion that he knows these things, since he was there with you, it makes sense, and you continuously get bent to his will.

How do they deal with rivals, or perceived rivals? Will they get rid of them? Will they kill them themselves, or find another way?

Ah, and thus we get to that brutality rating.

It would be unthinkable to think that any sort of scum would even dare. Even he isn't worthy of being with you, and someone else thinks they could be? So, he more or less views "rivals" as an offense. When they're threats, well, he's allowed to deal with them. When they're not, well... he has a wonderful reputation. If he says he overheard that person planning usurpation or assassination, that they realized he was listening in and wildly attacked him, everyone will believe him. Even if the death seems a little... non-immediate. And uh... frankly... overkill. How exactly... did those limbs get perfectly severed during equally armed combat? And was it... really necessary... to kinda spill entrails all over like that? He'll apologize, of course, he was just so outraged by the thought of someone hurting you or your family, you know? You notice his eye twitches a bit as he says it.

He has a lot of... bottled up frustrations, which we'll touch on in the nsfw section as well, but it tends to manifest in those two ways: sex and violence. Rather than exerting stress and anger and frustration as it comes, he lets it fester. He tries to maintain being the noble, humble, self-sacrificing person he feels he should be. That is... difficult to do for a long time. People expect a lot from him, even in timelines where he's not necessarily realized as the hero quite yet, he usually has a lot of responsibilities. But then you tack on the whole hero thing? The weight of the world is sometimes, quite literally, on his shoulders. Do you have any idea the kind of stress that comes with that knowledge? It's not pleasant. And it quickly bottles up, a very very fragile bottle set to eventually shatter in a matter of time.

On a longer sort of quest, he just kinda... leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. Enemies don't actually just poof out of existence the way they do on-screen, you know. Anyone coming across an area he's just been through is met with literal piles upon piles of corpses, sometimes monsters, but sometimes people. He takes a very scorched earth sort of policy when it comes to dealing with things.

He's able to easily get close to people, with that sweet face and puppy eyes and lithe body, people don't really feel on guard around him nor intimidated. That makes it significantly easier to infiltrate enemy hideouts, earn favors, and work his way in to be able to commit mass murder more easily. Granted, no one thinks too much of it because they *are* truly enemies, after all, they *did* need to be taken out and well, if the rulers can choose to either send a group of ten soldiers or just one guy and get the job done equally well either way, they'll go with the latter option. No one thinks anything of it, except the occasional person who laughs and says something to the effect of remind me to never get on your bad side, haha! He gives that sheepish, sweet little smile, and jokingly tells them that yeah, better not.

How easy is it to make them mad? What does their anger look like?

For you, nearly impossible. For others, at a hair trigger.

For the most part, he conceals anger well until, as aforementioned, it bottles up and bursts. The truth is he gets irritated virtually all the time by other people. People who talk to you. Look at you. Smile at you. He’s actually rather easily annoyed even when you’re not involved, but again, he’s good at hiding it until it builds.

His rage has a commonality with his calm -- it's quiet. At least, at first. When it's directed at others, his eyes narrow. It's the telltale sign that someone has ignited his rage. It burns on the inside, it starts off as a spark that builds and builds and grows larger and larger until it's a blazing fire that consumes everything in his path. It's a loss of composure, a rare moment of complete loss of self-control. From his own perspective, it feels like he's not in control of his own body, it's all a blur happening in front of him and when it's over he's looking down at his own hands, unable to process his own actions, sometimes unable to remember them.

But it's violent, merciless, unforgiving. It does not yield to begging, it does not leave anything alive unless forced to. You remember the first time you realized how unnatural it was, how shocked you were at how he did something that certainly went against the code he was sworn to follow, the very first time you felt truly afraid of Link. It was a walk in town -- someone called out to you, spitting obscenities about you and your family, your lineage, threw something at you -- he caught it in his hand and crushed it, and quickly, without a word, advanced on the offender. And, to make a long story short, you had to prevent him from beating a man to death in public in broad daylight. He was forgiven by his superiors, but even they seemed shocked. You had to pull him off, and when he jerked his head around to look at whatever was stopping him -- before his face softened as he recognized your own face -- the split second you saw the burn of hatred and fury in eyes that were normally so soft and loving, was nothing short of unsettling, you still recall the chill that ran down your spine.

And honestly? It's terrifying. And the first time, it's shocking. Sure, you knew he could fight. You've seen him fight off monsters, bokoblins and lizalfos and the like. But something is different about seeing the blood of a human being run down his sword, dripping onto the ground, to see the bodies and the blank, numb gaze on his features he always has after it's over. The absolute lack of hesitancy he has to run human enemies through before they even have a chance to explain themselves, how unbothered he seems by the carnage left in his wake. The way he turns back to you, drenched in red and smiles, tells you it's ok, you're safe now. There's no need to look so scared.

And it changes how you view him, in the long run. Less of a guardian angel, more of a guardian dog, one that defends your name when you never asked him to. Pleads to tell him not to fall on deaf ears -- you just don't understand why it has to be this way, he says, you can't comprehend the threat they posed. From the sweet boy that leaves you flowers and repairs and instead leaves a wave of destruction in his path you would not have thought possible.

Directed towards you, though, it's entirely different. He tries his best to have patience with you, no matter what. He smiles, he tries to make excuses as to why you'd say this or do that, why you'd feel a certain way, and he's rather good at deluding himself to give you the benefit of the doubt.

But when it reaches an end, when he can no longer lie to himself, when you push it to a point that you truly make him mad, it's more of a snap. The times he'll lay hands on you in a truly violent way are rare, and as aforementioned, very brief. It's usually not so much of actually a blow, so much as a grab. He just can't get what he's trying to tell you through your thick head, so he stresses it, trying to make you understand as he grabs you by the upper arms, shaking you with each word, and he only stops when he sees the pain and fear in your eyes, drawing his hands back at lightning speed. He saves you from some danger very narrowly, one of the few times he lost track of you for a moment and had to frantically search before coming across you being attacked. What would I have done if something happened to you? Don't you understand that? He's so lost in the relief it takes him a moment to feel you beating on his arms in the embrace, choking and wheezing that you can't breathe, that his grip is so tight it feels like he'll snap you in half. He draws back again, and he apologizes, but it will certainly happen more than once.

So they see you as above them, beneath them, or equal to them?

Above. Like, so, so, so far above. He feels like he doesn't even deserve to look at you. Of course, neither does anyone else, so he's just, you know, stepping up to bear the burden of wrongdoing to keep people even worse than him away from you.

So it's less that you're just above him so much as you're above everyone. He's actually, perhaps surprisingly, a little bit of a pessimist about the world. The world is full of so many terrible people and so many horrible things happen that he's borne witness to. It's a "world cold and hard, (y/n) soft and warm" sort of thing. You're the one good thing, the thing that makes him happy, the ultimate source of comfort he has, and he has to prevent you from being defiled by the evil of the world, keep you innocent and sweet (even if he's just deluding himself to think you are those things in the first place).

This ties into, again, how he interprets every action you take as good and benevolent -- he has the "you can do no wrong" mentality. Even very blatantly malicious things, he'll interpret in a way that makes you somehow still come out a perfect, innocent angel. If you do harm to others, well, they simply deserved it. You did something technically wrong, but you knew no better, or you were desperate. You can't be held responsible for any of it. And if you're mean to him, well, he probably did something to make you upset.

How determined are they for you to love them? How hard will they try to make it happen? Or are they content just having you?

Sort of a duality. Yes, he's very persistent. He thinks about it all the time. Every time you yell and try to run and hurl nasty insults at him, it hurts far more than you realize. He doesn't let it show on his face or in his voice, but it really does, and it gets to him sometimes. He's hyper observant of every little thing you do, your body language, your tone, the way you look at him, and the slightest of differences can change his mood internally, although it tends to look the same outwardly.

He makes little mental notes of it -- today she didn't flinch when I touched her shoulder. Today she didn't frown when she saw me coming. Little things like that will make his entire day. Likewise, the inverse kills him inside. He aims to make every day one of the former days, where the littlest signs of acceptance or even kindness and affection give him a sort of high that makes him feel like he's floating.

He tries his best to do things that he thinks will, well, earn love. Every opportunity to do something for you, he takes it. Everything he sees he'd think you'd like, he buys (or steals, or... loots from a dead body) for you. On and on that idea goes. And although he doesn't say too much, when he does speak to you, he usually has something nice to say. He views it in a formulaic way -- ironically, think about it like those collectibles in overworlds. You get enough of this or that thing, and once you have enough, you can go talk to this or that person and donate them all and get a reward, right? He's accustomed to viewing things that way. Love should be the same way. If he just completes enough tasks and gathers enough items, eventually he'll unlock your love.

That being said, even if it doesn't happen, much to your despair, he just... doesn't. Give. Up. He doesn't quit. No matter how many times you tell him, it doesn't make a difference. You can tell him you'll never love him, and it's like it goes in one ear and out the other. He keeps trying. And he never, ever, ever stops trying. What did you expect? The boy's been fighting the same enemy over and over across lifetimes, needless to say his spirit has build up some persistence.

Bonus: Is there anything that makes them unique, in comparison to other yanderes?

Bonus: Zelda/Triforce of Wisdom Darling

And don't worry. If it all goes wrong, when he fails, those divergences in time where the hero is vanquished and evil wins out -- it's not the end. Somehow, that's the feeling he gets, holding your little lifeless body up, running hands across your cold skin. Somehow, he feels oddly calm. Like it hurts, but it's ok. Like he'll see you again. Maybe not soon, but one day. This time didn't work out. But the next one will.

And that's the feeling you'll always have. Every time you meet him and you feel like you've met before, the lingering memories when you wake from your dreams -- flying through skies and sailing on oceans, a child, an adult, a boy you've never met, or one you've known all your life, but it's always the same face, the same voice, the one right beside you in the waking world. You sometimes wonder if he has the same feelings, the same dreams, the same sense of something greater than yourselves at work, the sense of being just smaller pieces in a much bigger picture.

The sense of permanency, that each other is all there will ever be -- regardless of how it makes you feel, regardless of how that scares you, sometimes you feel like you can never be free. Sometimes, when you think of running away, those dark moments when you think of even escaping from life itself, it feels futile. It's as if you know it would never hold him away forever. As if death is insignificant. Perhaps in this lifetime, you'll become aware of why that is, or perhaps not.

With other obsessive lovers, just the idea of til death do us part is a terrifying thought. But, for Link, not even death can keep him away from you. Your suffering is already determined by the will of higher power, for the sake of a greater good. 

In truth, it’s the goddesses who made him this way intentionally -- it’s designed to ensure your safety, even at the cost of your suffering. Again, for a greater good. Sure, you may live one lifetime to the next desperately locked in the same cycle in which your freedom and will is stripped from you, but in the end, it serves a purpose. 

Nor will he change -- perhaps this one this time is a bit more spirited, more calm, more pessimistic, more optimistic... but in the end, at their core, they're the same soul, with the same will deep, deep down. The same drive to find you and protect you. The same love for you, an all-consuming love that destroys everything in its path to you and leaves ruin in its wake.

And if fate should one day keep you apart, should things change, for whatever reason, it’s unable to change him. There's another force even more powerful than fate determined to keep you together. The only thing more unavoidable, inevitable, and unescapable than fate, is Link himself.

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

General perverseness: how sexual of a person are they? What’s their drive like? How touchy do they get? Do they have any reservations about sexuality?

In moments of passion, he changes a bit, unlike other more submissive yans who stay consistent in their reverence and desire to please.

You see, after a while, being as lenient and tolerant and flexible and completely devoted as he is... constantly self-sacrificing in so many ways, to you, to Hyrule, to the world... some frustrations build up. It's a big, big bottle of emotion, all tucked away and festering, getting greater and greater and eventually it has to explode somehow.

His reservations and inhibitions fall away. Perhaps a darker, more selfish side comes out. Perhaps that's why he's so rough. He knows he'll regret it later, the bruises from how hard he grips, the marks from the bites, but the hormones and the heat takes over. He'll feel bad for defiling you. He'll apologize. And he'll do it again. And again. And again.

But once the resolve crumbles, it topples. That is, he can't partially maintain it -- if it's partially gone, it falls apart completely. He lets go, so to speak. And when he lets go, you find that underneath that carefully constructed resolve and willpower that holds him back, he can be a very, very rough and possessive lover. In his normal state, he wouldn't dare think of you as a possession, or as something he's even worthy of. He would like so, so much to think that, to feel like he's allowed to -- but he doesn't. He chastises himself for even having such a desire. But in those moments, when his resolve is gone and his brain isn't thinking quite too clearly, he might even have to audacity to say "mine." Even if it's not true, not now, maybe it will be. He would like that so much. His and his alone.

And in a moment of clarity, he might even throw away the inhibition on purpose. The more selfish side, the same Link that drags you away from your destiny -- he's already forsaken his responsibilities, hasn't he? Why care anymore about the structures that no longer exist, your status and his, if there's no kingdom left? He likes that it happened, even. This way, this time, you can throw off those titles, those roles. Without your status, your title, there's nothing stopping him from making you his. And you will be his, and nothing more. It's all you need to be. So he doesn't have to care anymore about any of that, he doesn't have to stop himself from going wild. Biting into every little spare patch of skin, covering your body with marks that make him feel comforted to see.

As far as drive it's a bit of a two-sided duality. Outwardly he's not a very sexual person at all, blushes and stutters and averts his gaze at the slightest mention of suggestive topics, tries his best to be Respectful(tm) by always looking away when you're in a compromising position, or your skirt flies up, etc etc. Given how constant his vigilance is, he has a tendency to accidentally walk in on your changing or bathing, except unlike with many yanderes, it's genuinely an accident. Not that the image doesn't stick in his mind, nor does he wish he hadn't gotten to see, but he does feel guilty, and it was genuinely unintentional. He kinda freezes up, so it takes a moment for him to actually snap out of it and run out.

That being said, he quickly develops something of a masturbation addiction when he's younger, it starts as more of a stress reliever than anything, He's so sweet and always feels bad about talking about his problems and feelings, so that and, well, violence are the only ways he can get it out. Thus he learns to channel stress and nerves into sexuality, and once he has a real living body and not just his hand, that dependency on cumming to relieve it doesn't change.

How forceful are they? Do they care about your willingness?

Particularly so, yes, cares quite a bit. And it takes a while for him to feel comfortable. Even consensually, the first few times he touches you for several months, he's got trembling hands and stays quieter than ever, constantly freezes up every time you move or make a noise because he thinks he's done something wrong. He has to be coaxed into feeling more comfortable before he gets used to it, but he will build confidence over time.

As addressed before, though, if he's pushed and pushed and pushed long enough, you can get a darker side to come out. This is most likely something that would only occur post-kidnapping in a distant time, once he's far away from any possibility of consequence and destruction has set in to the world around you. He starts to get a little bitter, if you've been mean to him. It all builds up. Don't you get that he's literally saved your life? That he devoted every waking second to you? Isn't he kinda entitled to some thanks? The cycle of time never rewards him. Even the figures he helps over time rarely give him more than a verbal praise and thanks, maybe an item here or there, and then disappear. His role feels thankless. He starts to feel like he deserves something, something tangible, in return.

Surprisingly, though, he actually does not take the route of guilt-tripping or emotional manipulation or gaslighting his way into it like a lot of the sweeter yanderes when he does have that snap. His snaps/breakdowns are rather extreme in terms of how much of a polar opposite they are to his normal state, rather than just a slight bend of his normal personality. Rather than taking the route of most yanderes like himself, he just gets directly physically forceful. Still somewhat sweet, though, reminds you he loves you, he'd die for you, you're his entire world. You'd argue that doesn't really change the actions, but considering how frightening he is in that state, you're not dumb enough to vocalize that.

The guilt consumes him alive afterwards. Like, immediately afterwards. He's still panting and twitching and buried inside when it sets in. That being said, he doesn't get to stuttering and profusely apologizing, like he does over smaller offenses. It's all done and he can't take it back, so he just kinda collapses and says nothing. He's not the best with words, you know. It's an odd mixture of guilt and, honestly, a bit of satisfaction and relief. It feels like letting go of some self-imposed burden, that feeling of finally surrendering to some deep want, even if it comes with a lot of remorse, the relief of finally letting go does have a good feeling as well... and because of that, it’s another one of those barriers that, once broken, can’t be built up again.

What sort of kinks or fetishes do they have, or would they fill?

In all honesty the boy is, for the most part, a fairly gentle and vanilla lover. He doesn't really need anything special to get off -- he's easily excited and cums very very easily too. Just the prospect of getting to stick his dick in you in any capacity is enough to make him nearly burst at the thought honestly.

In general, as aforementioned, he's very very cautious and gentle to a point, but has a tendency to get actually kinda rough once he gets into it. The thing is, the roughness aspect is actually unintentional. He's one of those boys that is a little bit unaware of his own strength, doesn't process exactly how hard and fast he's going. He just gets lost in the feeling, kinda enters a dazed lusty haze where he's less aware of his actions. Doesn't realize he's literally got an iron grip pressing your head down on his dick or into the bed until you start flailing your hands because you can't breathe. Doesn't realize how hard he was gripping until he sees the bruises on your arms and hips later. That sort of deal -- poor thing is just unaware and doesn't have enough blood in his brain to think straight.

Biting

Surprisingly a really big one for him. (Remnants of a past life cycle with some lupine experiences perhaps?) In all seriousness, he could not explain exactly why if asked, it's one of those "I just like it" sort of things. It feels like yet another way to conjoin the two bodies, pulls you close. The marking aspect is also nice. Granted, he feels guilty afterwards, tries to help it heal. He has that same duality where moments ago he was this intimidating beast of a human being, rough and growly and jerking you like you were weightless, and now he's back to this bright eyed softie stuttering while he apologizes.

The guilt is mixed with a bit of enjoyment, though. It's constantly conflicting -- sure, part of him understands it's embarrassing and will help you cover up, but part of him doesn't want to, he wants people to see. Part of him looks at the marks and tells himself internally to never do that again, and part of him sees them and just wants to give you even more. It's a constant internal conflict, poor thing.

As far as a place, he likes the neck and shoulders best, simply because it's the most visible and it's the most passionate ones to create, when your bodies are tightly locked together. That being said, though, he also has a thing for biting at the insides of your thighs. It's another one of those I just like it sort of things.

Sometimes, when you're asleep, or pretending to be, you can feel him trace the bite marks with his fingers, softly running them over the circular pattern, just enough to barely ghost over your flesh.

Somnophilia

It puts him at ease. This one is particularly prevalent towards the beginning of your relationship, before you really know... how he is. He has this image of you as so pure and he couldn't bear the thought of defiling you with his horrible horrible thoughts. The guilt eats away at him for a while, but eventually he just can't hold back, but how could he ever do anything to you and risk consequence? So... the solution he comes up with is waiting until you sleep.

He tests the waters to see how heavy of a sleeper you are. Calls your name at increasing volume, lightly runs his fingers over your hair, pokes your face, whispers in your ear, runs his hands over your arms. Just to see what makes you rustle, if anything, so he knows the limits. If it turns out you're an incredibly light sleeper, well, unfortunately that means he's limited to just jerking off to your sleeping form, but that's ok. Just seeing your soft face and the cute way you breathe, the slightest way your lips open, that's enough for him.

If it turns out you're a heavier sleeper though, well, he tries to fight the temptation, but ends up going further. Slowly climbs onto your bed, careful to make the weight shift as gently as possible. Slowly pulls the covers back. Runs his hands up and down. It's a lot better when he can actually see your body as he jerks off, honestly. If he's feeling particularly risky, he might press your thighs together, feel how soft your skin is to his cock, how nice the squeezing pressure between them is.

He gets easily lost in a haze, though, so he inevitably ends up accidentally cumming on you and has to frantically find a way to lightly dab it up without waking you. He panics quite a bit, but that doesn't stop him from doing it again the very next night.

Overstimulation/Forced Orgasm

It just means he's doing a good job, really. Sure, you squeal and kick your feet back and forth and tug at his hair, but that's just because it feels good. Orgasms equate to love and feel good, right? Sure there's a little bit of pain when you go overboard, but then it just leads to feeling even better, right?

It's kind of an irrational compulsion rather than a logical goal, though. He just has an impulsive need to feel you quiver and spasm and clench, it basically gives him a chemical high hit and a wave of reassurance, makes him feel good in both the physical sense and the emotional sense. The first one sends him into this compulsive need to feel it over and over and over again, as many times as he can. It's another one of his internal conflict things -- sure, he knows it's hurting, but he just has to get one more. Just one more. But of course, every time turns into "just one more" when he's been saying that for half an hour now.

And, to be honest, it kind of gives him a pride boost to think he can make you cum against your will. How many people struggle to achieve that even when both parties are trying? It makes him feel good in an adequacy sort of way, he feels needed.

Size Kink/Distension

You know, there's a well-known thing among the male-lovers in this world when it comes to size. It's never the arrogant, loud guys, it's never the social butterflies, it's never the tall guys, it's never the beefy muscly guys. No, they're not the ones that end up somehow bestowed with absolute monster cocks. It's always the soft, lean boys who don't talk much. And they're always painfully unaware of it, too.

He's no exception. Not to the size or the complete lack of awareness. He hasn't spent a lot of time around guys his age too much, he's always been the one sent for some special task and ends up out in the wilderness by himself on journeys, or, in some lifetimes, accompanying you most of the time. He doesn't know what the average dick looks like, so he has no idea he's far above average.

This might sound like a plus, and of course in some ways it is, but also he doesn't think about the fact that the average body isn't properly equipped to handle it. You're supposed to just kinda put it in, that's how the sex works, right? Poor thing, especially if it's entirely consensual sex, he's just kinda ???? because why are you in pain? What is he doing wrong? You have to eventually explain it's literally just his body, not something he's doing.

That being said, naturally, he's a humble person, but hearing you say that does kinda... make him feel good inside. A little bit proud. He's not a person who takes a lot of pride in many things, so he likes having this one thing, and quickly notices you can visibly see it through the bulge it makes in your stomach. Especially if it's in a position where your back is pressed to his front, every little movement creates the bulge, so expect to get a lot of that.

He doesn't really bring it up much or talk about it when he's actually fucking you, it's more like, as with many things, something he's quietly aware of and silently enjoys a lot internally, even if it's not voiced.

How do they feel about pregnancy or babies? Do they want them?

Yes and no. It has to do with his overactive protection instinct. What if something happened or went wrong? He couldn't take that. He couldn't lose you.

At the same time, he likes kids, and he's very good with them, very patient. And over time, realizes that a kid would be the perfect tool of manipulation, and besides that, isn't it a beautiful thing, an ultimate manifestation of love?

So how to work around that... Ultimately, what he decides to do is have a kid... Just not by blood. There are plenty of orphans in Hyrule, wandering the streets and the wilderness, picking one up is easy. ...You wouldn't leave this poor child to suffer out there, to fend for themselves, would you? Nor would you leave him to take care of it by himself... Right?

What kind of (nsfw) punishments would they use?

Oh, it's not like he thinks of it that way. He would call it... a reminder. You put yourself in danger again? You tried to go back again? You were gone and for ten whole minutes he didn't know where you were? What could the solution to this issue be? The only thing his brain can really come up with is making sure you need him. Making sure you're content and satisfied here with him so you don't go running off.

Thus we return to the forced orgasm thing -- see, you do need him. It feels good, right? You say it hurts, and maybe it does a little, but ultimately you wouldn't be cumming if it wasn't good. No one else can ever do that. No one else knows you like this. No one else was made for you like this. You can't replace him. You need him. And he can keep going as many times as it takes until you see that, too. Even if he gets milked dry, he has a mouth and hands for a reason.

And by "until you see that," I mean until you say it. In his more... emotionally intense moments, he gets a bit insistent. He needs to hear you say it. Admit it to yourself. And to him. That you need him, that you depend on him, that you'll never leave again. And don't think your patience and tolerance can stand a chance of outlasting his -- it will keep going until you say it.

What body parts of their darling do they like the most?

He's one of those wholesome type of boys who goes with something sweet. He says maybe your hair, your face, your skin, your eyes. It's all so comforting. So familiar. Of course, not to say that he doesn't like your less wholesome mentionable parts, but he wants to be chivalric about such a question, and feels answering that way would be too disrespectful.

In his unspoken thoughts, though, he likes the hips. It's a part of you he can grab onto and hold you close with. He puts his hands there a lot and holds tight, like he feels like at any moment you could slip out of his grasp. And, I mean, it's nice to look at, can't forget that.

[chosonore]

part two | yearning

yearning [noun. a strong feeling of wishing for something, especially something that you cannot have or get easily]

pairing: kamo noritoshi/f!reader

summary: your relationship with noritoshi was like a game of cat and mouse; no matter how hard you tried to escape from him, he would always find his way back to you.

wordcount: 8.2k

content/warnings: friends to enemies to lovers, language, somewhat suggestive, noritoshi is kind of a dick but i promise it gets better so please don’t lose faith in him, we’re somewhat following the timeline of the anime/manga so spoilers ahead!! but what follows afterwards is purely pulled out of my ass lol, lowercase intended [UNEDITED]

a/n: hello, here i am again with a super long chapter ( ˙꒳​˙ ) it is so incredibly messy and i’m so sorry if it gets confusing for you; this just really shows how sporadic my writing process is, i have some guidelines that i follow but sometimes venture off my path when i suddenly get a new idea. nevertheless, i hope you can somewhat enjoy this chapter. feedback or just your thoughts are much appreciated! for those that are waiting for the ~steamy~ content, it is coming next chapter hehe. as always, stay safe everyone (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

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"noritoshi, could you just stay quiet today? i'm really not in the mood," you sighed as you entered the training grounds. the exhaustion from the mission the day before was clinging onto your bones, heavy and admonishingly. the normally exciting sparring lessons seemed dreadful, knowing that all students were to practice today. to practice the balance within the team, utahime had claimed the week prior as she was reprimanding your lack of discipline when it came to noritoshi. stubbornness ran in the family; you refused to back down when someone was hurting your pride. said stubbornness came back to bite you - instead of taking a break to fully recover, you claimed that you would be fine with the help of your reverse curse techniques.

as the days came and went, the yearly tournament slowly approached. after the devastating defeat last year, everyone was on edge and determined to beat tokyo tech. well, that excluded todo, he was just looking for stronger opponents it seemed. noritoshi, on other hand, appeared to be more agitated than usual - if he wasn't barking orders at the other students, he would criticize their fighting styles. you knew he wanted to win the tournament at all costs, to prove himself worthy of the position as the kamo clan head. but he was too rigid about it, rarely accepting help and haughty when questioned. you've been avoiding him as best as you could and of all days, today had to be one where you could not. opponents would be swapped every ten minutes so everyone could practice with another student - facing noritoshi for ten minutes was easy. so you thought. 

"can't promise anything, princess," noritoshi retorted smugly and pat your head like he usually did when he was trying to get a reaction out of you. life always found a way to prove you wrong. for some reason, noritoshi had made it his goal to get under your skin as much as possible on this particular day and it worked. it was childish to engage in this banter but you couldn’t help it. the feeling of not being taken serious by noritoshi had always bothered you. it almost seemed like he wasn’t considering you equal to him, always looking down on you. being stressed wasn’t good, your mother had always reminded you, so it was best to remain calm and collected.

stay calm and collected, calm and collected, you repeated in your head. gritting your teeth, you slapped his hand away and jogged away from him towards todo. at least he'd leave you alone while you were near todo - probably to avoid todo getting mad at him and not wanting to hear about takada-chan again. he was the ultimate and fool-proof shield. the taller male was walking at a leisurely pace in front of you, leading the group as per usual. you caught up to him, slowing down so it didn't look like you just jogged all the way here. away from the menace that was noritoshi. todo glanced at you suspiciously before subtly turning around. a guilty groan left your lips. of course he knew, he always knew. as the unlikely friendship was blossoming between the two of you, you rapidly realized that todo was far more perceptive than he would ever let on. even though he took lighthearted jabs at you, he didn't care enough to intervene; it was a mutual understanding. in a way, you appreciated that he treated you like everyone else, not once had he tried to approach you about your deteriorating relationship with noritoshi.

upon seeing the unlikely pair, miwa speed up as well to join them. even though todo scared her to no end, your presence eased her nerves a little. after all, you weren’t scared to put him back in his place when he was being dramatic. she nudged you gently in greeting, nervously clasping her sword in front of her. "do you think we'll win this year's competition? we've been training a lot, so i hope i can show off some of my skills."

"never say never? even if we lose, it's a good experience to learn from," you replied wryly. while the students of the kyoto tech were strong and coordinated well with each other, noritoshi and you could easily destroy the balance. he didn't know when to stop, persistently pushing your boundaries and you fell for his tricks every time. as long as you could work out a strategy that involved working alone or with a partner that was not him, you'd be fine. your safest bet was to work with miwa since you were both sword users and have practiced together extensively. if noritoshi and you exhibited enough chaos to tear the world apart, miwa and you represented the perfect balance when fighting.

"you're our secret weapon though!" miwa exclaimed excitedly, elbowing you gently. "no one knows you can heal, so we'll use that to our advantage."

"uh…"

"what? don't tell me you-"

"i've asked yuta about advice before," you interrupted her, scratching your head sheepishly. "he's one of the very few people who can use reverse cursed techniques, so i asked him to give me some pointers and how to use it more to my advantage."

when yuta participated in the competition the year before, you were absolutely mesmerized by his level of skills and how he had supposedly mastered them in such a short amount of time. of course you hadn't told anyone that you were talking to him - everyone was still salty about the defeat and would, undoubtedly, have crucified you on sight. truthfully, you didn't understand why everyone was so hellbent about hating the students of your sister school. weren't you all colleagues in a sense? yuta was nice and respectful towards you, always trying his best to explain you how to implement his tips. along the way, you might have developed a tiny, fleeting crush on him but never acted on it. it was only a crush after all and you didn’t feel certain about it not being a mere distraction from your feelings for noritoshi. perhaps it was the way he made you feel, the way he treated you like noritoshi used to before. you couldn't even deny it, you missed your old 'toshi. when you looked at him now, it hurt you, seeing all the traces of gentleness having left him.

"really? you never told me! what is he like? he looked like he was really nice but there were moments where i was really scared of him. well maybe not him but rather… that curse."

"uh, yuta is actually not that scary. he's really helpful and always there for you when you need advice. i think i've improved a lot since we've started talking." you made a mental note to thank yuta again if you got to see each other anytime soon. apparently, gojo had sent him on a mission overseas a few months back and ever since, your exchanged messages grew to be rather sporadic. still, you appreciated that he made an effort to text you every now and then to let you know how he was doing and in turn, also asked about your wellbeing.

"fraternizing with the enemy, i see," noritoshi's voice rang out beside you, dangerously close to your ear. it made you jump in surprise, not having sensed him earlier - your hand automatically shot out to hit him, only for him to catch it in time. you shot him an annoyed glare. beside you, miwa and todo glanced at each other, silently agreeing to ignore the squarreling pair.

"i don't see how that's any of your business."

"it is if it jeopardizes our chance at winning," noritoshi narrowed eyes at you in suspicion. of course he didn't trust you, you were nothing but a mild inconvenience to him. you didn't owe him an explanation, not today and not in the future. any friendship or friendliness between you was long gone. refusing to look into his eyes, you attempted to tug your hand away from him but instead accomplished the exact opposite as noritosh tightened his grip. "what did you tell him?"

"he only helped me with training, that's all! it doesn't concern you anyways so-"

noritoshi was irritated, you could tell. the anger was rolling off him in waves, intimidating even you. why was he so annoyed by the fact that you asked yuta for advice? it wasn't even farfetched - the only other alternatives were gojo and ieiri, both of which you hadn't mustered up the courage to ask yet. wasn't it in everyone's best interest for you to become a great healer? noritoshi would know best - he was the driving force behind your ambition, the sole reason why you worked to the brink of exhaustion just to show him that you didn’t need his help, that you were worthy of a higher rank.

"i don't want you to hang out with the tokyo tech kids, especially not with him."

"wait, what?" you gaped at him in disbelief. "is this just because you have personal beef with some of them? leave me out of this, i just want to improve and you don't get to tell me what to do." with that you shoved the taller male, stomping past the other students towards utahime who was looking at you in disapproval. you missed the upset frown on noritoshi's face as he followed you, wanting to reach out but stopping midway. it wasn't the right time or place to let you know why he didn't want you around them, not yet. seeing you hang out and being relaxed with everyone else but him hurt him, oh how it hurt him. he wanted you close to him, only see him, talk about him excitedly and with stars in your eyes like you did when you talked about yuta. and yet, he couldn't let you know. the only way to keep you orbiting around him was to play these silly games, rile you up and drawing a reaction out of you. it was the only way to make you pay attention to him. and so he did.

calm and collected, my ass, you thought two hours later. of course todo and noritoshi had completely eviscerated the rest of the students with no mercy, leaving everyone in a sour mood. whatever strategy your team would have for the tournament was probably thrown out the window, the two of them would take care of it anyways. not that they would stand a chance against yuta.

“yuta isn’t here?” the disappointment in your voice was palpable. you did look forward to meeting yuta again, thinking that he might have come home from his overseas trip for the tournament. but you supposed getting to know the other students wasn’t too bad, you were interested in the first years and their skills. they certainly looked more approachable than your classmates. miwa told you how todo and mai had met two of them a few weeks prior and promptly started a senseless fight that was then stopped by the second years. it landed them in the water as utahime gave them a lecture - while she didn't tolerate the childish behaviour, everyone else seemed to turn a blind eye to it. noritoshi had scoffed in disapproval upon hearing the news, uttering something about not wanting to associate with dimwits like them. 

"nope, he's still overseas. it doesn't matter anyways, we'll still beat you without him," maki replied with a confident grin, arms crossed as she took in the kyoto tech group of students. regardless, you broke out in a sprint and jumped, engulfing her in a warm hug. while you two didn't talk as much as yuta and you did, you were still friends. she was a source of inspiration to you, a master of all kinds of weapons whom you deeply admired. maki gave you some awkward pats before pulling away to introduce you to the first years - megumi, yuji and nobara. the younger students were wary of you, most likely because of their encounter with todo and mai. you couldn't hold it against them, their intensity and stubbornness was something you had to deal with daily after all. you silently cursed the two brash students before taking a deep breath and extending your hand to the ones in front of you.

“hi, i’m y/n, nice to meet you,” you introduced yourself with a friendly smile, visibly relieved when they shook your hand and introduced themselves. especially nobara seemed to be eager to get to know you, fussing over your uniform and inquiring about your skills. you were glad they welcomed you, not wanting to cause any more trouble than would undoubtedly arise for the duration of the tournament. while megumi seemed to be cautious and more reserved around you, yuuji and nobara already treated you like their friend. subconsciously, you envied them for the wholesome friendship dynamic as it reminded you of what you used to have with noritoshi. the fleeting thoughts left as soon as they made an appearance in your head, disappearing when nobara grasped your hand and pulled you towards the buildings to show you around. unbothered by the reactions of your fellow kyoto tech classmates, you followed her - their energy was stifling and the tournament didn't start until later in the day anyways. it was useless to stay with your group and practice, you'd only overexert yourself.

“y/n.” noritoshi called after you sternly, glaring at you when you turned to look at him - ever since stepping foot into the estate, he was moody and more serious than usual.  it was probably him being tense about the tournament, the spirit to win deeply ingrained in his bones. none of the other students seemed to be bothered by the presence of the tokyo tech students, so why should he? ignoring him, you continued your journey until you felt a force harshly pulling you back by the fabric of your hoodie. intuitively, you could tell it was noritoshi. 

"noritoshi, let me go," you snapped at him irritated, struggling to free yourself from his grasp.

"we have things to discuss, did you forget that?"

"i don't want to," like a petulant child, you gave him an angry look as you stood your ground. tension filled the space between you, tethering on the edge of anger. why was a normal conversation never possible with him? and why did he treat you like a child? you let up when megumi appeared to your side, shooting noritoshi a warning glance as he attempted to remove his hand from yours. even though he didn't know what your relationship was like, he stepped in regardless - you were impressed by him. even if noritoshi remained calm, he was a menace to deal with afterwards.

"she said no, didn't you hear-"

"get your hands off of her." noritoshi growled at megumi, the sudden influx of cursed energy that was surrounding him made all students in close proximity freeze. you couldn't hide you shock either, he had never been this threatening towards someone else. he might push boundaries to the extreme, knowing that he could away with it due to his bloodline and family name but he had never outright threatened anyone that didn't do his bidding. with those words he pulled you towards him, wrapping his arm around your waist protectively. paralyzed, you blankly stared at him. his cursed energy was suffocating you, never had you experienced this amount of pressure. not only that, the unusual closeness set your heart ablaze, burning down the walls that you'd carefully constructed around it.

"you're being ridiculous," megumi challenged the older male, unbothered by the strong pressure. he didn't understand why noritoshi was making a big deal out of this. surely he didn't consider megumi a threat? noritoshi's hold on you strengthened and with panic you realized the blood-red markings appearing on his face, he was being serious, oh god he was going to rip megumi apart-

"hey hey, stop it you two," panda's voice snapped you out of your trance and seemingly noritoshi's as well as he wacked his arm. "you just got here and you're already stirring up trouble, are you not ashamed?"

noritoshi simply scoffed and let you go, his cursed energy dissipating with the movement. the rest of the students were as stunned as you were, no one daring to make another move until the tension evaporated. todo was the only one who looked rather annoyed, smacking the back of noritoshi’s head as he started to tell him off - noritoshi, however, kept walking past him towards the dorms that they were staying at for the week. it was almost like there was steam coming off his head as a result of holding his anger in. nobara gaped at you in surprise, pointing at you accusingly. “i didn’t know that was your boyfriend!”

you spluttered in horror, quickly reaching out to her to try and cover her mouth so she wouldn’t say anything incriminating. “n- no you got it wrong! we’re not together, not at all! i hate noritoshi,” you floundered, hastily trying to set the record straight. nobara didn’t look like she believed you, pushing your hands away while giggling. she wiggled her eyebrows at you, whispering at you about how lucky you were to snag such a handsome guy although she thought that he really didn’t have to overreact like that because megumi was harmless. covering your face in embarrassment, you turned away from her and caught a glimpse of an amused todo winking at you.

“i’m serious, nobara!" whatever whining you did, the two of them didn’t let up, making you wonder what you ever did wrong to deserve this scrutiny. as your last resort you grabbed nobara's hand, dragging her along towards a secluded area in the estate. being the subject of the earlier conflict was already troubling enough, you didn't want the other students to get the wrong idea by her wild speculations. nobara was still giggling when you arrived, pinching your arm playfully.

“c’mon, it’s impossible that there is not something between you! did you see the look on his face? i don’t think he would have cared had it been any other person,” she gushed excitedly, her face lighting up in glee. with no doubt, nobara enjoyed poking her nose in other people's business, seemingly having a knack for sniffing out the hidden. a dejected sigh left your lip. a younger you would have jumped in happiness after finally receiving noritoshi's attention but the present you knew better. there wasn't more to it, you told yourself and yet, a tiny sliver of doubt made its way into your mind. could he really have been so bothered by another male being so close to you? todo didn't count, obviously.

"no, there's nothing to it, i promise. we don't have the best relationship anymore and mostly fight. i mean yeah his reaction was really uncharacteristic but…"

"anymore?"

"noritoshi and me grew up together and were childhood friends. i- i didn't agree with his antics as we grew up and we drifted apart after that and now… hate each other? he’s just unbearable and we don’t get along. everyone at kyoto tech knows that so they’re mostly ignoring our fights. and it’s childish, i know, i know..." 

“are you sure? like super duper sure? because it didn’t look like it to me,” nobara contemplatively rubbed her chin. the wheels were turning in her head, something didn’t quite add up. even at first glance, whatever you said made her feel doubtful.

“trust me, i wish it was different too. i mean i used to like him a lot and it makes me sad and i wish we could at least be civil around each other. but he just makes me so angry,” your ramblings stopped nobara’s thinking - so that’s what it was. normally, nobara really didn’t care about other people’s business but this was too juicy to pass up. how far could she push it to make you realize?

why was the layout of all these buildings so confusing? and why were there so many buildings to begin with? you’ve been wandering around for at least five minutes now and you still couldn’t figure out where the hell yuji’s and megumi’s rooms were supposed to be. they didn’t even have any signs around. at this point, it didn’t matter if it took longer than anticipated - the others could wait. nobara had insisted on having a small get together the night before, to get to know each other and play some card games. you couldn’t refuse, it’s been a while since you just hung out with friends without any quarreling. there was no harm in getting to know you future colleagues, even though your classmates were treating them like criminals. so instead of going herself and much to your dismay, nobara had sent you to fetch the other two students, claiming that you would be fine if you just stuck to the measly sketch she’d made for you. most of the rooms you’ve already knocked at remained empty so you couldn’t be far from their rooms, you concluded.

stopping in front of the last remaining door of the corridor, you took a deep breath. this had to be one of their rooms. slowly, you raised your hand to knock at the door when it was suddenly yanked open, startling you in the process and making you drop the piece of paper you were holding. what you weren’t expecting was coming face to face with noritoshi who looked at you as equally confused. he was the last person you wanted to see today, not wanting to confront him about his actions earlier. you couldn’t wrap your head around it; why had he overreacted in such a way? it wasn’t like you were in danger or in need of protection. for a brief moment, you thought that there was a sliver of strange possessiveness. you couldn’t quite place the emotions in his eyes, it made you shudder.

“oh uh, sorry. i was looking for yuji and megumi and this is very obviously not one of their rooms. sorry again. i’ll take my leave,” you awkwardly stammered, taking a step back. noritoshi’s figure was towering over you and in a rare moment, you felt intimidated by him. perhaps it was the dark look in his eyes that told you that he was not thrilled by what you just told him. before you could react, he swiftly grabbed your arm and pulled you inside his room, trapping you against the door.

“w- wait!” you protested weakly, pushing at his chest until his face slowly came into your vision. you couldn’t help but stare at his lips, watching them move as he was talking to you. your ears were ringing, you couldn’t tell what he was saying. the close proximity was suffocating and yet you craved more, not wanting to let him go.

“y/n? did you hear me?” 

“huh?” snapping out of your trance, you looked at him dumbfounded. noritoshi was frowning at you, slightly concerned about your state as you didn’t answer him. just then you finally got a proper look at him. it was a rare sight; noritoshi wearing casual clothes, a simple oversized shirt and shorts, and his hair down without the bindings. feeling nostalgic, your heart clenched. he looked like his old self, the ‘toshi that you loved dearly.

“i said, i don’t want you around them. i don’t- i don’t like seeing you with them,” noritoshi repeated with a strained voice. he placed his hands beside your head, inching closer to you.

“what- noritoshi, you don’t get to tell me who i can hang out with! last time i checked, we’re not even friends anymore so where do you get the idea that you can do this? what’s the big deal ab-” you didn’t get to finish your sentence when he pressed his lips against yours clumsily. you seized up in shock, not returning the kiss as a whirlwind of thoughts entered your mind. holy shit, he was really kissing you. but you hated each other, so why? why, why, why. when you didn’t respond, noritoshi pulled away in panic, spluttering apologies as he moved away from you. your emotional world was in chaos, all the buried and forgotten feelings for him breaking the dams and flooding your senses until the yearning became too much. you were reminded of the conversation you had with your mother years ago - you still wanted him, missed him. you wanted him by your side. desperately, you reached out, fisting the fabric of his shirt as you leaned up to kiss him. noritoshi caught you in his arms, wrapping them around you as he fervently returned the kiss. he was holding you like he was afraid you would dissipate into thin air, frantically pulling you in. his hands were roaming, discovering the expanse of your body.

his touches left you feeling delirious, high on pleasure. a mewl left your lips, pleading him for something, for more. your hands moved higher, feeling his chest and broad shoulders before you wrapped your arms around his neck. his name left your lips in breathy sighs as he peppered kisses down your jaw, pulling the collar of your shirt to the side to gain more access to the expanse of your neck. suddenly, you were hoisted up and pressed against the door as noritoshi held you by your thighs. you struggled to wrap your legs around his waist, to distracted by his relentless ministrations. by the time he's left multiple hickeys on your neck, you were whimpering mess. noritoshi's breath was taken away at the sight of you in his arms, lips swollen from the kisses, the glossy eyes, dishevelled hair and the hickeys that were slowly becoming more visible. he couldn't understand how carelessly you were letting him proceed when you supposedly harboured a strong dislike for him. nevertheless, he enjoyed it and wanted to savour the moment, ingrain it into his memory so he'd never forget why he was treating you like a nuisance.

a loud knock resounded from the door, followed by someone shouting: "noritoshi? has y/n been here?"

out of sheer shock, you shoved noritoshi away from you and nearly fell as you attempted to detangle yourself from him. he caught you in time, signalling you to stay quiet as the person outside was still shuffling around nervously. you slumped against him limply, letting your head rest against his chest. his heart was beating erratically. it made yours fill with pride as you could tell that you had the same effect on him as he did on you. still, the precarious situation suddenly dawned on you - you'd just made out with your sworn enemy and, yes you used to have a crush on him, enjoyed it very much. and by the looks of it, he would have continued if you hadn't pushed him away. the entire ordeal greatly confused you; was noritoshi just playing around with you? it couldn't be, he had initiated it after all. the cold treatment he usually gave you didn't match with his actions just now. you couldn't get close to him, not when he gave you mixed signals. you wanted someone who cherished you and was always sincere so you wouldn't have to second guess their actions.

"huh, i guess noritoshi's already sleeping. we'll have to check somewhere else, i hope she didn't get lost," the person outside mumbled as you stayed silent. the sound of shuffling was heard, then steps away from the room. you stayed put until you were sure they were gone and gently removed yourself from noritoshi's grip, not looking him in the eyes. he didn’t move, letting you go willingly.

“i’m sorry, i don’t know what came over me,” you apologized with a pained voice. “please forget that it ever happened and uhm, please don’t tell anyone.”

noritoshi’s eyes widened at your pleas, moving to stop you from leaving so he could explain himself to you. “y/n, wait, i can ex-”

hastily, you stumbled to open the door, dashing away from him until the building was out of your sight. you poorly hid behind a tree, sinking to your knees as you buried your face in your hands. what the hell. you just made out with your childhood friend turned enemy. your buried feelings were all over the place and your mind just couldn’t stay still. it messed with your outlook as well as your image of noritoshi, distorting and twisting it until you had to rethink your relationship. maybe all this time, you subconsciously hoped that he would return back to his old self and somehow give you an explanation. never having received closure on the end of your friendship, you would even forgive him for the sake of your relationship. were you this shallow? no, you simply harboured a lot of feelings for him. you weren’t able to tell what his thought process was - was he even interested in you? did he see you like that?

“there you are,” you lifted your head to see gojo walking towards you with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his pants. you almost didn’t recognize him as he simply wore a pair of sunglasses and let his hair down. “the others are looking for you. what are you doing out here? trouble in paradise?”

“n-no! i just needed some time away from everyone to- to catch my breath,” you exclaimed indignantly and perhaps too hastily you realized when gojo smirked at you knowingly. why did everyone assume that there was anything between noritoshi and you? was it that obvious?

“uh huh. that’s not what your neck says,” gojo pointed out while wiggling his eyebrows and offered you a hand to stand up. “he really doesn’t like any competition.”

“fuck,” you cursed quietly, covering the hickeys with one hand while taking gojo’s with your other and pulling yourself up. it was embarrassing enough to meet one of the teachers like this but it was even more embarrassing to know that your teacher had seen the aftermath of your makeout session. 

“i’m not gonna tell anyone, if that’s what you’re concerned about. although it would certainly be funny to tease little noritoshi,” gojo was giggling and you knew he was greatly amused by the entire situation. it almost reminded you of nobara. you groaned in frustration as you trailed behind him towards the girls’ dorms. you needed to hide your neck so no one would question it or grill you until you confessed; the potential embarrassment was mortifying.

your group strategy was already falling apart when todo suddenly disappeared in the depths of the forest, not caring about your teamwork in the slightest. normally, it would frustrate you a lot more if you weren’t already preoccupied with your own troubles. todo would be fine anyways, the remaining group members could work on a strategy on their own. as mechamaru and mai were discussing, you shot a glance at noritoshi. he looked as deadpan as usual, probably not listening to the discussion as he worked better on his own and it was more or less decided that mechamaru and him would be moving on their own while the others would team up. otherwise, you couldn’t tell whether he was bothered by what had transpired between you the night before. on the contrary, he looked calm and composed, probably more focused on his goal than anything else. and for some reason it bothered you.

when you’d returned to nobara’s room last night, gojo had helped you make up an excuse. while dramatically gesturing around, he’d told them that he intercepted her journey towards the boys’ dorms to recruit you for training, claiming that he wanted to teach you more about reverse cursed techniques. although he saved you from scrutiny and embarrassment, you couldn’t help but feel like he might use it as leverage in the future. it was gojo after all, he was unpredictable. absentmindedly, you agreed to whatever plan the others had schemed and grabbed your sword, getting ready to move to your assigned position with miwa. while you had heard of the other students’ skills, you weren’t sure where to place their levels as there was always room for surprises. underestimating opponents was a beginner's mistake. the bell rang out, signaling the start of the tournament; with swift movements, the group members dispersed and slowly moved towards the "enemy".

in the distance, you could already hear loud explosions - it was probably mechamaru happily blasting away his opponents. you gritted your teeth in annoyance, the blasts were too loud for you to make out anyone approaching you. and as you predicted, someone was taking advantage of the noise to stalk up on you. barely being able to block the blow with your sword, you found yourself opposite of maki who was grinning at you. the challenging glint in her eyes told you that she wasn't going to go easy on you but you welcomed it. it was a good opportunity for you to grow and hone your sword wielding skills.

however, it proved to be more difficult to defeat maki than you'd originally anticipated. in mere minutes, maki had already disarmed miwa, leaving her defenseless and you were hanging on a bare thread. your grip on the sword was weakening, laboured breath making your ears ring. it was frustrating, knowing that after all those months of rigorous practice, you still couldn't win a fight. giving up wasn't an option, at the very least you had to give it your all.

"c'mon, you can do better than this!" maki teased you as you ducked away from the swipe of her spear. it missed you by a hair's width and left you scrambling to create more distance between you so you could heal yourself. maki's relentless hits didn't give you any rooms for it - you really had to learn how to constantly apply it to yourself without losing time. from the corner of your eyes, you could see that miwa had picked up the phone. she was probably calling for help, you thought and dished out another hit towards maki which she skillfully dodged. instead, she delivered another blow to your legs, making your knees buckle from the force. you used your sword to support you and took another breath before you tried to lunge at her. in the distance, miwa suddenly collapsed, making you stop mid-move and took another hit from maki that took all the air in your lungs.

"eyes on your opponent, y/n. you know better than to get distracted in a fight, you could've been killed in a real fight," maki reprimanded you as you coughed heavily, gasping for air as you slowly got back up. you were unsteady on your feet, not having enough energy to even heal yourself. conflicted by whether you should face maki again or help miwa, your eyes were flitting between them. maki took advantage of your uncertainty, dealing another blow to you that knocked the sword out of your hand. as your last resort, you kicked at her feet, trying to get her to fall, only to have her pin you to the ground.

"you're going to have to practice a lot more to beat me in the future," she sighed, picking up your sword. panic welled up in your chest - the sword was the only way you could possibly somewhat win this fight but even subconsciously you knew that it was over. reaching out for the sword in desperation, your vision was clouded with tears. it was frustrating, so so frustrating. why couldn't you be as talented as her? or have fast reflexes like noritoshi? why were you ordinary, not being able to make any progress no matter how hard you try?

"i know but i can't give up now!" you defiantly retorted, pushing at her with all might. "i have to win, i just have to show my skills for once and prove myself, i- i-"

even maki softened up at your heart wrenching sobs, easing up on her grip. you both knew it was over. you were probably already eliminated from the tournament, with no other possibility to redeem yourself. she knew that you tried your best and never once underestimated her but something irked her. it was your motivation, your driving force.

"y/n, there's no shame in losing. that's how you grow, make mistakes and learn from them. you tried your best, it's not easy to stand against me for so long."

"i know but there's- i'm still not where i need to be! look at how much progress the others are making in comparison to me! i've been practicing day and night and still, no one is noticing me. i'm just a measly healer and i-"

"y/n." maki cut you off sternly. "is this your motivation? proving yourself to others? you'll not be able to improve if you keep fighting for others. you need to start working on yourself, for yourself. you don't owe anyone anything. but you have to realize that trying to satisfy other people's needs will only make you unhappy and hinder your growth."

"i'm unhappy with my skills! i keep telling myself that it's okay, that i have a rare cursed technique but sometimes i just wish i had a flashy technique or be as strong as you. i don't want to be looked at as if i need protection, i don't want it! i just-" you hiccuped, sniffling again as you wiped your tears with the sleeves of your uniform. "i just want someone to acknowledge me, want him to accept me as an equal…"

"who?" maki's cold look made you freeze in your movements. you didn't mean to let that slip. no one needed to know that the entire time, you were vying for noritoshi's attention. but she was right; there was no point in giving it your all if it wasn't for yourself. it was a silly, childish dream of yours to be equal with him again. he was far out of reach and you couldn't catch up to him.

"n- noritoshi," you admitted in defeat. maki saw right through you, there was no point in lying. she raised her eyebrows at you but didn't question it further. after all, you hadn't told her about the background story. unless nobara had done so, you wouldn't doubt it.

"i'm not gonna ask you why. but this is my advice, do not fight for somebody else. if you relentlessly work on yourself for your own benefit, you'll see progress a lot faster. your technique might not be flashy but it is powerful, remember that. you're a valuable asset to every team," she concluded and pulled you up, awkwardly patting your back as you still sniffled. maki opened her mouth to tell you some comforting words but froze when another extremely loud boom resounded near the entrance of the estate. your eyes widened at the sudden influx of cursed energy - there was no doubt that a high-level curse had just entered the school grounds. you turned to maki to tell her the news but she'd already moved, pointing to miwa.

"take her to a safe place, you can't stay here! in your state, you wouldn't last against such a strong curse," maki yelled at you as she disappeared in the woods. you scrambled frantically, not wanting to be left behind. while you were useless for the tournament, you could at least still be of assistance against a curse. miwa was still laying on the ground, unmoving. you shook her gently, scared that she was seriously hurt. it seemed like she was just sleeping instead; you were relieved. throwing her across your shoulder, you winced in pain but persisted nonetheless. you had to get her away from here, who knows what curses were roaming around. your senses were flooded with the stench of blood and debris, the pressure of cursed energy, the loud rumbles. you couldn't tell where the others were but you hoped they were safe.

a loud thud startled you and you stopped, ready to draw your sword until realization hit you that it was utahime that was inspecting you. determined, you thrusted miwa's limp body towards utahime. 

"miwa will be okay, she's just sleeping! i'm okay too, don't worry, please just take care of her and i'll check on the others!"

"y/n, don't be stupid! you're injured and in no state to help others." utahime attempted to convince you; you shook her off stubbornly, insisting that you were fine.

"what if the others get hurt? i have to help them or at least warn them!" your resolve was firm and unwavering that even utahime couldn't convince you otherwise. slipping out of her grasp, you sprinted towards the source of the cursed energy. from far away you could already see the damage that the curse had caused. multiple buildings were torn apart, trees dislodged and- were those branches rapidly growing out of the ground? you watched in horror as the branches whipped around, following running figures on the rooftop of one of the buildings. upping your speed, you jumped towards the group to aid them. as you neared them, you could make out inumaki, noritoshi, and megumi fighting against the curse, maki trailing close behind. 

they barely stood a chance against the curse, every hit that they dealt, the curse would come out unscathed. "what's the deal with that curse?" you asked, panting as you joined them, coming to a halt behind inumaki. megumi was yelling something but you couldn't hear him as noritoshi turned to you and shoved you out of the way.

"y/n, what are you doing here?" 

"helping you guys? what the fuck does it look like?" you yelled back exasperated. why was he mad at you in such a situation? they needed any helping hand they could get to defeat the curse. while you weren't useful in fights, you could at least provide continuous healing. noritoshi didn't have any time to reply as the curse lashed out again, dodging it by jumping to the side. you stayed close to inumaki, swiftly healing him when he collapsed from the rebound of his cursed speech. you clenched your jaw, not wanting the others to see that you were slowly running out of energy and strength. next thing you know, a body was hurled through the air, landing near you with a thud. your heart filled with dread when your eyes fell onto the figure, recognizing noritoshi.

"y/n, heal them as best as you can and get out of here! take them to the teachers!" maki yelled out and this time you obeyed, too panicked about noritoshi's state. you were thankful that inumaki had enough energy to run after you'd healed him - hauling noritoshi's tall frame around was already difficult enough but even more so when you were exhausted. as you neared the gates, utahime was already running towards you with a concerned look on her face. you were glad that she was nearby, it meant that gojo and the other teachers were close and could defend you.

"what happened?" utahime worried but you couldn't reply. falling to your knees, you gently laid noritoshi on the ground. the injuries looked bad, there was blood everywhere. you had to stop the wound on his head from bleeding but your trembling hands were preventing you from doing so.

"i- i don't know, i just- i think the curse hit him and now he's unconscious and he's losing so much blood and-"

utahime pinched you firmly, snapping you out of your panic. she was already holding a cloth to noritoshi's temple to stop the bleeding. patting your hand, she told you in a gentle voice: "heal him if you still have enough strength but don't overexert yourself. ieiri will be here soon." 

nodding frantically, you placed your trembling hands on his abdomen and let your cursed energy flow. the strength was slowly leaving your body but you had to save him. you had to make sure he was okay, he couldn't die, not like this. regret was bubbling up inside you; what if this was the last time you would ever get to see him?just as you felt his energy responding to yours and saw his hand moving slightly, you couldn't hold yourself upright anymore. the last thing you saw was utahime reaching out to catch you as you collapsed.

you woke up with a startle, gasping for air as you sat up abruptly. sunlight was flooding the room and it felt uncomfortably hot on your skin. you pushed the blanket back but stopped halfway in your movement. your entire body hurt, muscles burning and screaming for more rest. and yet you couldn’t stay still as you remembered the previous events. how long were you out for? was everyone okay? gritting your teeth, you slowly moved out of the room. again, you were faced with the endless maze that was the tokyo tech buildings and stopped in your tracks, not sure which direction to go. you let out a sigh of relief when you spotted yuji in the distance, waving at him to get his attention.

“y/n!” yuji ran towards you, frantically gesturing towards your room. “you’re supposed to be resting! what are you doing here?”

“is everyone okay?” you croaked, now realizing how dry your throat was.

“yeah, ieiri did a good job of healing everyone! some of us are still resting though and so should you.”

“no, i… is noritoshi okay?”

“noritoshi? oh, you mean the guy with the long hair?” yuji nodded, curiously eyeing you as your shoulders dropped, the stress rolling of them. “yeah, he’s still recovering though. ieiri said that his injuries were probably the worst so he’s not allowed to leave the bed.”

“can you take me to him?” you asked with a small voice, doing your best to muster up a puppy face. yuji sighed, scratching his head sheepishly. you could see the conflict in his eyes, that he was thinking about rejecting your request. in the end, he shook his head in defeat and motioned for you to follow him. a small grin found its way onto your lips - yuji was just too nice, he couldn’t say no when people ask him for favours. the walk to noritoshi’s room was silent, neither of you knowing what to say. you knew it was selfish of you not to ask him about his wellbeing more or visit the others but you just had to see for yourself that noritoshi was okay. yuji stopped in front of a door, pointing at it.

“this is his room. he might be sleeping though… my room is down the hall so if you need me to accompany you back to your room, just call me.”

you thanked him quietly and watched as he retreated. taking a deep breath, you knocked at the door and waited for a reply. a few moments passed before noritoshi’s voice rang out, giving you the okay to enter. gingerly, you opened the door and entered the room. noritoshi was sitting on his bed, reading a book as if nothing had happened. you looked at him bewildered. he didn’t look like his injuries fazed him at all. despite the bandages around his head and arms, he remained calm as if nothing hurt. 

“noritoshi,” you breathed out, taking a seat on the chair near the bed. he didn’t spare you a look, keeping his eyes on the book. “i uhm. i’m glad you’re okay! when i saw you in that state, i was so so scared that i could lose you… i did my best to heal you, i know i didn’t do much but-”

“i didn’t need your help,” noritoshi snapped at you, placing the book on his lap. “i would’ve been fine without it.”

you were stunned. why was he so agitated? after you initial shock, you huffed in frustration. “what the hell, you could’ve died! i was trying so hard to keep you alive and you react like this? i know you don’t like me but even this is a low blow for you!”

“it wouldn’t have been a problem if you hadn’t inserted yourself into everything! you’re not helping anyone, just dragging us down; everything could’ve gone well if it wasn’t for you standing in the way,” noritoshi countered as frustrated, this time actually looking at you. you stared back at him in disbelief. you saved his life and he had the nerve to shot you down like this.

“does it really hurt your ego to admit that i was actually helpful? we were friends at some point so why do you insist on being such a dick? and here i was, finally thinking that we were getting somewhere- for fuck’s sake, we kissed and-”

“leave.”

you stopped rambling. the tired tone in his voice, the deadpan look on his face; he was serious. you couldn’t believe him. tears welled up in your eyes as you leaped from the chair and hastily exited the room, slamming the door in anger. 

you never wanted to see him again.

p.s: yes nobara gave you a wrong sketch of the buildings what about it hehe

taglist: @milkteeboba​

[1994sunflower]

Hey feel free to tell me to get lost but I was wondering if we could get some possessive and delicious Mikey before we get our hearts broken with the Heaven sequel? 😩 Maybe they’re at a party or something and someone really aggressively hits on Y/N or spreads a rumour that she ‘cheated’ on Mikey with Ash so Mikey is just that meme of “so you have chosen death” and everyone expects Y/N to be super against it cause anti violence but this dude really humiliated her so instead she’s Mikey #1 fan

loved making this, hope you enjoy! (also i know you couldn’t possibly have known but a lot of this story is loosely similar to what locked out of heaven ii will feature (like super similar just a few key differences) so there’s that to look out for)

the locked out of heaven teaser will be out this week so this is the last one shot i’ll be making while i finish up the series! which is just as well since you’re right — its perfect just before the sequel hits. i’m so excited.

in which Michael defends you

The music was so loud, it felt like it was vibrating within your bones. The sheer numbers of bodies all around you was enough to have you wanting to go back home. But you weren’t here for your enjoyment. You were here for Michael.

Michael who had been so understanding with your differences in preferences and personalities that he had put off going to parties nearly the entire school year. But it was coming close to the end of the fall semester and you wanted him to relax and have fun. For him, that meant going to parties and getting drunk. And you could be okay with that tonight.

The party was at a frat house which was something entirely new for you. Michael, however, blended in like he was a regular (which he was). He got ushered in by the brothers without issue, like he owned the place. But it shouldn’t have been surprising with the kingly reputation he possessed from these parties. You couldn’t help but to feel a mixture of not belonging with your reddened cheeks and pride at being the one under his arm when Michael walked in. You saw the way all eyes moved to him, the whoops and hollers of people welcoming him back to the scene.

Maybe it had something to do with you being a girl at a frat party that had you being offered a drink before even Michael. Though you were sure it had to do with the boy offering it to you not seeing Michael in time. But by the time the red cup was in front of your face, Michael’s angry hand shot out and squeezed the curly haired boy’s wrist. So tightly you were almost worried he would break it.

“Fuck off.” Michael warned in a growl, taking the drink for himself and all but pushing the boy away from you. As you watched the boy run off, you came to understand that this was definitely not your scene.

The unfamiliar experience and surroundings were all made worth it to see Michael, red solo cup in hand, watching the crowd. As he drank from his cup, you could see a little twinkling of amusement in his cool eyes, one that you were sure was noticeable only to you. And that was enough to let you know he was happy to be there. Happier, still, to have you there.

You normally chose to let him go alone, much to his disappointment. But now, having you in his arms while he got to enjoy the slightly chaotic atmosphere, he felt content. It made you feel safer, too, to have him at your side constantly. You never suggested it because you didn’t want to make him feel limited to focusing on only you instead of his own enjoyment. But he was never more than a few inches away from you anyway.

Michael’s arms, covered by his black hoodie, hung loosely off of your waist and he held you tight against his chest. The two of you were right in front of the wall of the house, letting people come to you rather than the other way around. Michael didn’t have anyone he’d want to approach anyway. While he talked with his acquaintances or people who wanted to be his acquaintances, you were right there beside him. Every now and then he would gaze down at you, his eyes filled with a sort of fondness that made you melt into him.

His head ducked down to reach your ear, nuzzling you slightly. “Are you good?”

His low voice made you shiver as you nodded up at him, eyes bright with honesty. You were good, you were fine even in a place so out of your comfort zone. Because of him.

Michael smiled in a way he only ever did with you. Placing a kiss to the top of your head, he put his red cup in your hand. Putting his hand on your jawline, taking up much of your face in the process, he moved your face to look up at him. “I’ll be right back, baby girl. Need to go to the bathroom, don’t drink anything, okay?”

Your teeth caught your lower lip in reflex honestly. He knew what you liked and he knew what treating you so roughly, especially in public, did to you. So it was no surprise to either of you when you nodded obediently up at him.

Your heart thumped at his mischievous smile, proving to you that he knew exactly what he was doing. Leaning down and placing a loving peck to your cheeks, he maneuvered his way through the throngs of people like an expert.

You’d gone to a couple of parties with him before and it never ceased to amaze you just how in his element he was at them. He knew exactly what to say, how to act and he was always in control. He never had an issue getting his way around or getting what he wanted, unlike those that had to push against dancing bodies to find their way or go searching for a drink. No, those things were handed to Michael easily. It was obvious with the ways people tried desperately to get out of his way, to get his attention. But his attention was only ever on you.

Which is why it was so daunting when you felt someone creep closer to you a few minutes after Michael left. Michael’s drink was still in your hand and you felt vulnerable without his intimidating and fierce protective presence next to you. You’d never had anyone approach you specifically or even try to when Michael was next to you. People knew better than that. Especially in this environment.

But here was this tall, skinny brown haired guy standing right beside you. His gaze directly on you to the point where it made you squirm. He was a great deal taller than you but shorter than Michael. He was wearing a black leather jacket that didn’t suit him as well as Michael’s.

Still, though, the guy placed a hand beside your head on the wall, making you take a few steps away. But you couldn’t really do much when he leaned forward slightly, forcing you to lean as far as you could into the hard wall behind you.

“I just saw you across the room and I had to come to tell you that you’re absolutely beautiful.” His voice was high and his smile had a cockiness to it that made you uncomfortable.

But he was being nice and you couldn’t hate him for that. So you smiled gratefully and kindly like you always did. “Thank you.”

You hoped that would be it, a swift exchange and he would be on his way to find someone more interested. And more available. But he didn’t move, even when you diverted your eyes to look at anywhere but him.

“I’m Jamie, by the way.” He put his entire forearm against the wall, basically leaning over you.

Your eyes shot out desperately to search for Michael, or Ashton, or anyone. But to no avail. Yet still, you couldn’t be mean to him, it wasn’t how you were wired and you weren’t sure you could be even if you tried. He was just trying to be friendly and made flirtiness was just part of his personality.

“Nice to meet you.” You voice was soft and your answer curt. That was the best way for you to say ‘leave me alone’ without hurting anyone’s feelings.

But he couldn’t read you, not like Michael could. So his smile got larger. “I could get you another drink, that one’s almost empty.” He gestured to Michael’s cup, “Then we could get to know each other a little more.” His eyes held a dirty humor that you didn’t want to examine.

Your face had grown dimmer, your expression much more uncomfortable and serious than it was when you were beside Michael, a comfortable smile on then. “No, thanks. This is my boyfriend’s.” You mumbled, “Michael.” You said his name as if maybe it could get warning bells to go off in Jamie’s mind.

But, unfortunately, with Michael no where in sight, he seemed to feel empowered. “I don’t see him around.” He made a show of sweeping the room with his eyes, “So what’s stopping us from having a little fun?”

When his hands moved to touch your waist, his lips headed to your neck, you pulled away sharply, so sharply you spilled Michael’s drink. But you were now a good few feet away from him. “I said no!”

You weren’t used to having to repeat yourself when you said no. Michael was respectful of you and your boundaries so often, you didn’t even have to say it. He already knew by your body language or expressions.

This guy, however, had a false perception of who you were and what you would allow. As if you would ever cheat on Michael, the man you loved, let alone do anything of the sort with someone you didn’t know.

It was obvious Jamie didn’t expect your outburst. Maybe he expected you to be as submissive as you looked. And you were, to an extent. Only for Michael.

“Fuck you then, bitch.” Jamie’s words and expression were so angry you could almost imagine him foaming at the mouth. And you wished they didn’t have an effect on you but you couldn’t deny the tears that sprung to your eyes.

“I just heard you open your legs easy.” He was making a scene and you wanted to disappear when you heard the quiet lull of conversation and eyes turning to you. “You’ll give it to anyone when you’re boyfriend’s not looking. Especially to his best friend, right?”

There were a series of gasps around you and your face was burning from embarrassment and horror at the untrue things he was yelling about you to everyone. You were shaking your head but too mortified to be able to speak. How could you when he was saying you’d disrespect the love of your life like that? When his words felt like a slap to the face to your reputation, who you really were as a person.

He got closer to you, this time managing to grab your waist and press his lower body against yours disgustingly. “So how about I show you a good time, too?”

You were shaking a little in unabashed anger and humiliation when you realized that the gasps that rang around the room weren’t so much at his insult to you. But to Michael’s entrance into the space right as Jamie’s words spewed out.

But you definitely noticed when everyone’s eyes trailed just behind you to your tall, locked jaw boyfriend. Michael had paused at the doorway of the living room when he heard Jamie and when he saw you standing directly in front of him.

The music didn’t stop but the party did. No one moved, no one spoke. Michael’s gaze inspected you, your shaking figure and tear filled, embarrassed, eyes. All eyes were on Michael as he tilted his head to the side, staring at Jamie’s now wide-eyed figure. You could see Michael’s hands clenching and unclenching almost as if he was deciding on the best way to kill the boy in front of him. He blew out one single angry breath, which almost sounded like a chuckle, before he began to move, stomping and agile.

You weren’t even sure if Michael heard what he said. But just seeing him on you, on his girlfriend, it didn’t matter as Michael reached Jamie without saying a word, separating him from you and just punching him squarely in the jaw. “Say that again, to my face.” Michael sneered. “You’re not going to do shit with her.”

He didn’t even give him a chance to recover before Michael grabbed his hair, twisting his tatted fingers in almost painfully before smashing the guy’s head into the wall. Not hard enough to knock him out but hard enough to hurt. And you were sure Michael kept him conscious on purpose as he grabbed a hold of the collar of Jamie’s leather shirt to keep him still for a punch to the face. “Don’t fucking touch my girl.”

The crowd had erupted with noise as they gathered in a circle to watch more diligently the fight that was starting to escalate. You were frozen, at the front of it. Unsure of what to do. You’d never stood by and watched Michael do this, usually you were the one to stop it before it got to this point.

And while the rational side of you, the pacifist side who hated anything that had to do with violence, told you to stop him, the dominant part of you, the one that felt shame and humiliation coursing through your blood, felt a sense of pride, gratefulness and love at the man who was defending you and your honor. Against the man that had mortified you for no reason. So you didn’t do anything as you watched Michael land punch after punch to the weak boy, alternating between the face and gut. Secretly, you were cheering for your boyfriend.

You felt a few eyes on you, waiting for you to step in, control Michael like you usually did. Especially when you had become known to be everything Michael was not, peace loving and anti-violence. You’d become many people’s savior when you stepped in and prevented Michael from doing too much harm to his victims. But right then, you felt nothing but hot for the sight in front of you. An almost sadistic feeling of attraction to this side of your boyfriend, the protective, possessive side (the one who would fuck anyone up that dared think you were anything but Michael’s) bloomed in you.  

Michael stopped his assault only to drag the shorter boy by the hair to you. He could read you so well, knew you so much that he knew that you not stopping him right when he began meant that you were supporting him in everything he was doing. So he didn’t hesitate to stand in front of you, his eyes still swirling with anger but softened by an adoring love for you, so as not to scare you too much, with Jamie right in his hand.

“What did this motherfucker do to you, baby girl?” His voice was much sweeter, patient with you.

And you knew your answer would effect a lot. Including, what would happen to Jamie and whether Michael would know that, with your blessing, you were not only supporting him in whatever he chose to do but encouraging it. Everyone knew it, as it felt as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for you to say the word and just end poor Jamie’s painful suffering already.

You had to question yourself a little when you didn’t hesitate to answer. “H-he grabbed me and pressed…against me. A-and he said I’m easy, that I cheated on you w-i-ith Ash…” Your voice was soft, still humiliated that someone would say that to you in front of an audience, let alone that you had to repeat it for your boyfriend. Luckily for you though, you didn’t have to worry about whether or not he’d believe you over him. You knew he’d always choose you.

Michael’s small smile wasn’t lost on you. It wasn’t due to situation but instead due to the fact that this was the first time you were supporting him on his violent tendencies. And he was more than happy to appease you. In fact, when your words fully sunk in, he was more than ready to do anything at your command. Because no one touched or disrespected what was his.

“You hit on my girlfriend, press up against my girlfriend. When you know she’s mine. She belongs to me. It’s like you don’t give a shit what’ll happen to you.” He lifted Jamie’s slumped figure up, just enough for his fist to connect directly with his face. Just right so he heard the sickening crack of his nose.

At that you did flinch, just a bit. And maybe Michael was watching you to know when you hit your limit or maybe he knew he had to stop before he really lost control. But he dropped Jamie’s shrieking body to the ground, resolving to just kicking his stomach harshly three times until Jamie curled up in a ball. “No one disrespects my girl, especially with shit that isn’t true.”

Michael looked at the crowd around him, “And that goes for everyone who thinks they can touch what’s mine and get away with it. Got it?” His possessiveness was obvious in his words and angry face.

It was then you stepped forward, allowing him to take your wrist in his hand once he turned back around to you, his face twisted in anger and his chest heaving quickly with unshed frustration. You had an inkling of where he would release that frustration and you bit your lip with anticipation. He dragged you out of the party without a word, the partygoers parting quickly, more quickly than usual, to give him a clear path out.

He was silent all the way to his house, though granted it was only a block away. It was pitch dark and you couldn’t remember the last time you walked alone in this neighborhood at night. You however, didn’t feel much fear with you being dragged behind Michael. No one would dare stop him or mess with you, especially with him looking so angry. The grip on your wrist was almost painful.

The way he threw you carelessly on his bed in his dark bedroom told you everything you needed to know about just how frustrated he was. He knew just how much you loved being manhandled, treated almost like a toy. And when mixed when something you loved more, how much he cared for you - protecting you to a fault, it was hard to feel anything but a growing need for him.

“I’m not going to be gentle.” He warned.

You felt breathless when you answered. “I don’t want you to be. Use me.”

When he turned on the lights, you could see the way his eyes darkened with desire, something you were sure your eyes mirrored. It was the first time you had found his fighting hot, more because it was to defend and protect you, remind people that you were his.

When he joined you on his bed, ridding you of your clothes quickly, you were quick to help him. “Can’t leave you alone for a second.” He mumbled when you were finally naked. He took a hold of your hips, moving himself so he was directly between your legs and jean clad crotch grinding into you. “Those fuckers don’t know who you belong to unless I’m right beside you. Don’t know their place.”

You moaned, your eyes nearly rolling to the inside of your head. The friction was so good. But you needed more, you let him know that as you wiggled your hips against him.

Michael shed off his hoodie but he didn’t let it go flying across the room like he did with everything else. Instead he handed it to you, “Wear this while I fuck you.”

You didn’t have to ask why. You knew. It was something that was his and it would just embody the fact that you were his, you belonged to him, that you’d only ever do something like this with him. And you were more than happy to oblige when you put the oversized black hoodie on. It smelled just like him and you couldn’t help but inhale his scent as it covered your body. The sleeves went well past your hands but you scrunched up the sleeves, the end of the hoodie traveled to your mid thighs.

A now shirtless Michael, taking off his belt and jeans, groaned when he saw you. There was something in the way you looked so small, so vulnerable in something that was his that made him get painfully harder in his pants.

You let yourself admire the artwork lining his toned body. Leaning forward, his hand wrapped around your neck, squeezing as he brought your lips to his. The kiss was deep, his tongue exploring your mouth hotly and you couldn’t help but to moan around his lips. He pulled away not long after, forcing you down on your back again as he wasted no time in grabbing your hips, aligning himself into you.

His eyes looked up to watch you as he rubbed the tip of his cock along your slit, “You’re fucking mine.” At your moan, his hand around your neck tightened, “That’s right, no one else will ever have you like this, they’ll never touch you like I will. Especially not that fucking piece of shit.”

With that, he entered you, making you arch your back as you gasped. You’d never get tired of feeling so deliciously full by his length. You were already so wet, he slid easily into you.

When he began thrusting into you, the peace was brutal but it was just what you both needed. He needed to get out his frustration (which you were more than happy to let him use you for) and you needed a release after the night’s events, especially an event you didn’t even really want to go to in the first place.

Michael was content with watching the way your small body, eclipsed under his, was writhing under him. The way your legs wrapped around him, asking for more, your mouth dropped open as whimpers of pleasure left it, the way your tits sprung out over his half zipped hoodie draped over your sweaty and bouncing frame. You were so hot. And just the thought of another man’s hands on you, him not being there to protect you from the boy’s cruel and disrespectful words, had him growling and slowing his thrusts just to slam into you harder and deeper.

“You liked seeing me beat the shit out of him, little one? Did you get turned on at seeing me protect you, showing him that you’re mine?”

Your eyes were screwed shut, unsure if you could even answer when you felt so lightheaded with pleasure. But then Michael’s hand left your neck and slapped you once on your cheek, the sting of which made you clench around his girth, leaving you panting for more. “Say it.”

“Yesyesyes” You screamed out, “I loved it, daddy. Loved seeing you so mad, showing him this pussy’s yours and only yours. Only you can fuck my tight pussy.” Knowing your words did wonders for his possessive ego, your hand went down to your clit, rubbing furiously as you opened your eyes to stare into Michael’s eyes.

But his gaze was where you finger was currently working. He wasn’t smiling but the way his jaw was clenched showed you just how much he enjoyed the visual in front of him.

Michael chuckled humorlessly, spreading your legs even further as his thrusts became more punctuated. Loving the way your cunt was so still so tight, each thrust felt like he was fighting for your walls to accept him. “Fuck yeah. Take my big dick like the good little fuck-toy you are, look how used you are to me.” His fingers found their way into your hair, pulling your hair harshly.

“Look at you, being so shy, innocent and peaceful in front of others but you get wet whenever I get a little pissed off. You were trembling in there but now you’re just my little whore. Isn’t that right? Bouncing on my dick, wearing my hoodie while I have some other guy’s blood on my knuckles.”

Your mouth opened involuntarily at his words. You were too far gone to even think through your actions. But he didn’t miss a beat in his thrusts as he leaned forward, spitting directly in your mouth. You moaned as you swallowed.

“Nasty girl. I should’ve fucked you in front of him. Let him see me fucking you raw. Let him hear how tight your fucking cunt is, see how fucking wet you’re leaving my dick, but how he can never have you.” Michaels grunts and groans have become almost desperate.

Your hips were moving on their own accord, desperately looking for your release and to make Michael feel as good as possible. It worked if Michael’s tight grip on your neck was anything to go by.

“I would’ve put him in the hospital for disrespecting you like that, for making you upset, if I wasn’t too busy thinking about having my dick in you.” Michael muttered as the noise of skin slapping became louder. “When you just watched me fuck him up, I’ve never been harder...Fuck. It was so hot knowing you were letting me do that, that you liked it. I wanted to destroy him for you. Destroy him and then let you suck on my cock while he watched. Show him what that shy little mouth is good for, only for me.”

Both of your bodies were glistening by the time Michael kneeled, allowing his dick to move deliciously against your tight walls. “I really did taint you, didn’t I?”

Your sweet, virginal smile was enough for his hips to stutter at his incoming orgasm. But his expert hips just moved faster into you, enjoying the way your moans got higher in pitch and the way they stuttered out of your mouth. Your back arched at his movements.

“Harder. Give it to me harder, Mikey.” You barely got out. But as he wrapped both of his hands around your throat, pulling you up so that only your hips were laying on the bed, you knew he got the message. He had your face only centimeters from his, his eyes watching your clouded ones carefully as his hips moved with stamina, pounding into you as roughly as he could.

It was so hot in the room. It surely didn’t help that you were wearing his large hoodie. But you didn’t dare take it off. Instead, as one side of the fabric slowly fell over your shoulder, you took one of the strings of the hoodie in your mouth, looking up at Michael with hooded eyes, watching the way his still frustrated features honed in on your body.

The headboard was pounding against the wall behind it so much that you were worried anyone walking by outside could hear it. But as Michael took out the string and instead put two fingers into your mouth while he continued pounding into you, you stopped thinking of much else.

Michael was panting slightly, “Wish I could show that wannabe just what a fucking slut you are for me. How you let me do whatever I want to you. Only me. You’ll never be ‘easy’ for anyone else, let alone that cocksucker. They’re wasting their time and safety flirting with what’s mine.” He spit out the word easy like it was an insult against him that night. But if it was an insult to you, it might as well have been. “Fuck, you’re mine. Only mine to have, to love, to fuck.”

You were shaking you head as you felt the way his thick dick moved in and out of you at such a delicious pace. “Only for you, daddy. I’m only a slut for you.”

His hand around your throat gave you another harsh slap, harder than the first one but it just made you let out an elongated, pleased moan.

“That’s right, little one. Mine.” His possessive words were mixed with a growling groan.

Your mascara had to be running by then but you didn’t care. All you cared was the hot knot forming in your tummy, telling you you were close. And you were desperate to get to your release. Your walls clammed onto him, making him moan lowly.

You felt his fingers in your hair before he pulled your head back harshly, exposing your throat to him. His lips found your skin, leaving open mouth kisses and bites. No doubt searching to leave as many hickeys as possible, literal signs for anyone that looked at you that you were his. And you had no intention on covering them up the next morning.

“Such a good little hole for me to fuck.” His degrading words only served to make you closer to the edge. His face scrunched up at his next words, “Can’t wait for to paint your walls with my cum. Fuck, I can’t wait to have your stomach round with my child. Then I’m gonna show you off to those bastards, show them what I did to you.”

Your stomach fluttered as you came around him, you couldn’t handle his words, the meaning of them, let alone handle the intense orgasm that rocked your body. But your moan turned into screaming when he continued railing into you, not slowing down even as you came down from your high. No, when his hands tightened around your throat again, choking you so you almost couldn’t breath. Almost. But it was so good, you could feel each slight movement of his hips tenfold, the way his cock was driving in and out of you.

He’d never gone to that extent before but he was mad tonight, he was frustrated. And you almost felt lucky for it when you saw him deep, angry eyes stare down at you, a mocking smirk on his face.

“What a good girl.” His voice was gravelly, “Letting me fuck you like this, letting me use you to get off, use you when I’m angry.”

You walls hugged his length perfectly and as your hips became thrusting to meet his own hips’ movements, his thrusts became lazy, slower. Until he came, his cum splashing beautifully into your cunt, filling you to the brim. It was so much, even when he finally pulled out of your impossibly tight entrance, a good amount dripped out of you.

You couldn’t move, even when he slowly let go of his grip on your throat, and settled your upper body down gently back on the bed, almost comically gentle form how he was only moments before. Then his lips found yours, kissing you deeply. A kiss that seemed to reflect all love, deep protectiveness and animalistic possessiveness he felt.

And when you pulled away to finally see his face again, you didn’t see a trace of anger on it anymore. He had fucked all of that away. Now, his face only held a mixture of contentedness and regret.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you,” His words were tinged with just a hint of frustration as he looked away in shame. “I know you didn’t even want to go and then I go and I leave you alone…”

You shook your head, one of your fingers going up to his chin, pushing his face gently to face you again. Loving how obediently he followed your wishes, the way he listened to you no matter if he was the stronger one.

“It’s not your fault, Mikey. It was his. But you were there when it mattered, you protected me in the end. And I love you for that, thank you.”

Your heart melted at the happy smile that overtook his face, the one that showed you it would all be okay. He leaned down again, giving you a peck on the lips. “I love you too, so much, baby girl.”

He buried his face into your dark hair, “I’m sorry that you saw me like that, too. I know you hate violence but the shit he said and did….you’re mine but when I saw him pressing up against you, saying shit only I should say to you, I lost it. I couldn’t control myself. Then I saw you shaking and almost crying…” At your hum, he continued. “And when I heard what he said to you…I saw how embarrassed you were. I’m sorry, everyone knows it isn’t true, I know it isn’t true, and if they don’t I’ll make sure they fucking figure it out by tomorrow.”

At his poorly hidden threat, you giggled just a bit. Making his face shoot up to stare at you in wonder. He thought for sure you’d be mad, that you’d chastise him for being so violent all the time. But there you were, staring at him with an amused smile. Maybe he had been right when he said you liked this side of Michael, at least when it was to protect you.

You shrugged at his incredulous look, “It was kind of hot. Especially when you get so possessive over me.”

A disbelieving chuckle left him, “Yeah? I would say get hit on more often then, you’ll see that side of me a lot more. But I don’t want to see that.”

[lothirielswanmarvel]

“Just Muscles. And Abs. Lots of Both.” (Sneak Peak)

Word Count: 2260

Love Interest: Thor (+ Peter Quill Love Triangle)

Summary: A romantic and playful scene with everyone’s favorite Seductive God of Thunder—look out for twists!

**This is a sneak peak for a book I’m considering writing. I MUST have feedback before continuing this novel. Please enjoy, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

~*~

I finally realized why Tony liked large flatscreens. The living room suite of Avengers Tower was unoccupied tonight, which was rare: Steve loved documentaries, Clint enjoyed watching people contemplate buying extravagant houses, Wanda would kill anyone who tried to change the channel from the Bachelorette, and Bruce had a secret love for The Big Bang Theory.

The remote control almost felt foreign in my grasp. Spending time with any of the Avengers made my day, but alone time meant I could finally indulge in films or television shows without restrictions. I decided to go full range with my power, and settled for Game of Thrones. [Before you look away, Readers, NO, there are no spoilers to Game of Thrones as you read on. It’s incredibly vague, doesn’t talk or name any characters. Don’t stress. Love, fortune and glory to you!]

I was thirty minutes in, trying to decide who would make it alive to the next episode when I finally heard someone behind me. It had been a quiet night, and I didn't feel like ruining it with an argument.

“Sorry, I didn't know you were here. I'm changing it,” I called out as I paused the show.

“Are you sure? It looks interesting.”

I turned to look at Thor. He smiled warmly at me and walked around the long couch to my cocoon of blankets. Thor sat down beside me, leaving little room between us. I liked his closeness—not just because of the ridiculous crush that I’d been harboring for him for years, but the implied friendliness of it. It was nice to be close and comfortable with someone; no boundaries, no professionalism. As Pepper’s niece, it was nice for someone to treat me like a person and not some reserved business workaholic.

“I don't mind putting on something else,” I offered. Game of Thrones was so popular, no one in the tower really had an issue with it, but there was only so much fantasy some of them could take—and the Avengers witnessed enough dramatic deaths in daily life without the help of George R. R. Martin.

“I like it. The cold and the creatures remind me of Jotunheim—not the fondest memories I have, but it’s familiar.” Thor replied, his tone slightly wistful as he relaxed into the couch. I offered him some blankets from my comfy makeshift nest, although I could feel his body heat through my layers.

“Jotunheim? That's were Loki’s from, technically, right?” I said, glancing at him.

Thor caught my gaze, nodding slowly. “Yes, you are a perceptive one. I'm surprised you remember.”

“I think it's cool, the stuff you talk about. The nine realms, Asgard, it's fascinating.” I said. I forced myself to look back at the TV. I usually didn't want to miss anything, but I found myself losing interest this time.

“You think so?” He sounded miffed.

“Yeah.”

We continued watching. I tried to pay attention to the dialogue, but I was too aware of the presence right next to me.

“What's Jotunheim like?” I asked as the scene on television was full of snow. “Is it as freezing as what’s on TV, or…?”

Thor grunted as he sat up a bit straighter. His voice was deep and rich with a unique accent. “It is—was—a realm of eternal winter. There weren't any trees, or woods—I don't think any life could’ve survived such harsh conditions. Mostly rock and ice. It was always dark, as well: blizzards were their sunlight.”

“Wow—I mean, I guess it makes sense. You have a mountain terrain, that fits frost giants,” I said thoughtfully. “What about the frost giants, if it's okay to ask? What were they like—were they anything like those things?”

I gestured at the screen where creatures sprinted across the icy fixture. Thor hummed thoughtfully, “Hmm, somewhat. Anything the frost giants touched turned to ice—a dear friend of mine, Volstagg, made that discovery. And they’re tall, of course, but they didn't have blue eyes: frost giants are red.”

For the first time in human history, Game of Thrones was forgotten. I was too intrigued in our conversation. Thor’s voice was thrilling to listen to, not to mention that the topics we discussed were bizarre. The only attention I paid the TV was when I changed it to Lord of the Rings as I asked Thor about orcs and elves.

“Were there any kind of creatures like orcs across the nine realms?”

“What about dwarves? Do they stay on Asgard?”

“When Mjolnir was created, were there other things made too, like the rings of power?”

After many rounds of my questions, Thor smiled apologetically. “I feel like I am boring you with my stories, Lady Evangeline.”

I sat facing him now, and most of my blankets were discarded to my other side, making a cozy barrier around us. His presence kept me warm.

I shook my head, “You don't have to be so formal, Thor, especially with titles: you can call me Evie, or Angie, or whatever part of my name you prefer. And I'm not bored, I like hearing you talk about the nine realms and where you’re from. I think you're much smarter than you give yourself credit for.”

The grin on Thor’s face stretched from one ear to the other. My heart started to race in my chest. “You flatter me, my—Angeline.”

“It's not flattery, it's true. You know so much about the universe—and not to mention, you’re one of the best fighters I've ever seen. Seriously, that takes so much practice—and you learn a lot from fighting things. That's how you gain experience in video games, you’d probably be max level in all of them.”

As I stared at Thor, something caught me off guard. His face was turning red. Not just his cheeks; everywhere, from his hairline to his beard.

Did I just make the God of Thunder blush? Was I hallucinating? I never made anyone blush that hard before, not even the few people I had dated. It was such a bizarre sight. Thor, a literal god among men, unfazed by alien armies and robot uprisings, was blushing. Because of me.

But the redness didn't go away. It lingered, like a rose bush in full bloom. I didn't know what to do: this had never happened before, and I would have never expected it. I forced my mouth to open and say something, anything.

“Nat’s showed me a few moves for self defense and that kind of thing, but I wish I could do what you do. You’re really talented.” I said.

Dammit! I made it worse! The redness had multiplied like trees overcome by the vibrant colors of fall.

Thor must’ve regained some sort of composure, at least enough to speak. “Evangeline, do you need furniture moved?”

My eyes narrowed. “No. Why?”

Thor covered his face with his hands, one lingering on his chin to stroke his beard. “Such praise must have a purpose, I assumed.”

“There is no...purpose.” I said, confusion filling me as I tried to follow his train of thought.

I still didn't understand as he stood and offered me a hand. “How about a fighting lesson?”

I blinked twice, trying to process where the conversation was headed. “Uh...sure. Sounds fun.”

I took his hand and stood. We faced each other. Lord of the Rings was still playing, and it's magnificent music became background noise for whatever was about to commence.

Thor smirked as he watched me.

My eyebrow rose. “What?”

“You move with such grace. The nymphs of Asgard would be envious of such enchanting beauty.” He declared.

Like karma, my face felt like a tray of embers. Flashbacks of the many times I had bumped into coffee tables, counters, doorways, and yes, even walls, came to me.

“You remind me of them often, actually. Your beauty is so natural, like an earthen goddess.”

“Thor.”

“Yes, Evangeline?”

“Do you need furniture moved?”

Thor laughed. “No, but you’ll be the first person I come to when the problem arises. Raise your fists,”

I did as he instructed. “Like this?”

“Yes, and your feet a little farther apart.” Thor closed the distance between us. His hands enclosed around mine, making my skin tingle, and setting them up a little higher. I glanced down to make sure my feet aligned with his.

“Right, that looks good.” Thor held onto my hands a little longer than necessary. “Your hands are so tiny.”

“Thanks?” I laughed when he kissed my knuckles, then retreated back a few steps.

“You’re smaller than I am—”

“In my defense, everyone is smaller than you. And everyone is taller than Tony.”

“True,” He agreed. His tone was serious, but there was some lightness to it. “But to overpower me, you have to think differently. You have to find a weakness.”

My eyes scrutinized Thor’s bulking frame. “I don't see any weaknesses. Just muscles. And abs. Lots of both.”

Thor smiled, and some of the redness returned. “Look harder.”

My head tilted to the side. Then it hit me. “Your eyes?”

Thor grinned. “You are perceptive.”

I bit my lip. Thor was tall. I’d probably have to climb him like a vine to reach his eyes, and I ignored the voice in my head that giggled at the idea (which could've also been Wanda eavesdropping).

“Okay...what now?” I asked, tightening my fists.

“Try to take me down,” Thor said.

I stiffened. “I know this is going to sound stupid, but I don't want to hurt you, Thor.”

“We could continue our battle of compliments if you’d like—”

I made up my mind and charged. I knew I was too short to reach him; Thor was massive. So I made a detour and went for the couch first, then pounced.

I yelped when we made contact. I wrapped my arms around his neck out of instinct. One of my legs came around his waist.

“Bad plan, bad plan,” My words were breathy, but not just because of the physical exertion. Thor’s eyes were captivating up close. They were a unique, popping blue-gray like a stormy sea. I took one shaky breath and my mouth was filled with the scent of him; something natural with warm tones and a musky aroma.

“It was a good plan,” Thor insisted. I should’ve let go. My arms wouldn't move. My leg remained glued to his side, unresponsive, but completely aware of the warmth seeping from his body.

“It was a well-thought advantage point. The Valkyries would recruit you for such cleverness,” Thor spoke softer, but up close, I could feel the deep vibrations of his voice. The unique accent that made me stop whatever I was doing and listen.

Thor’s arms came around me, securing me so I wouldn't drop to the ground.

“This is nice,” I mumbled. “The air’s a little thinner up here.”

We smiled. Thor’s chuckle was low. I continued, “You’re so tall...I’ve never seen you up close like this before.”

Thor nodded, and our noses brushed together. “Perhaps you should visit up here more often.”

“Maybe if you could supply a ladder next time…”

“Yes. Of course, my lady.”

I didn't dare look away from Thor’s face, but I could still hear the faint score of Lord of the Rings. It was the scene where Arwen, the elven princess, admitted to giving up her immortality to be with the human ranger, Aragorn. For the first time, I appreciated how soft and soothing the singing voices sounded. It was like heaven. It was like staring at Thor, and sharing that gentle but happy smile.

“Hey, uh, Thor...Jane’s on the line, bud. She’s asking for you.”

My eyes widened. Heaven had dissipated. Reality had sank in. Like a cool morning mist, burned away by the sun.

Thor nodded mutely. His muscles felt stiff. “Please excuse me, Lady Evangeline. . .”

Thor set me down, and I reluctantly unhooked my arms from his neck. I couldn’t decipher his facial expression. He passed Clint on his way out of the room.

Clint crossed his arms and leaned on the couch. “Good thing I came in and checked on you guys instead of Wanda. We’d be knee-deep in gossip for weeks.”

“Uhuh.” I glumly sat back on the couch. The cushions were cold, no longer holding the remnants of someone else’s warmth.

Clint perched on the armrest. “You know, when Laura and I were dating, at some point I sat down with her and had a conversation. I explained that I loved her very much, and my job was very time-consuming. I wouldn't quit my job, but I sure as hell didn't want to leave her. Luckily, we were two very independent people, who kept in touch, who supported one another, and could still carry on with our own lives.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, shaking my head.

“ ‘Cause Jane didn't sound very happy on that phone. After they got together, Thor left her. Left earth. For two years.”

“But they’re still together.”

“I know the sound of somebody about to deliver some bad news when I hear it.” Clint said. He was crossing his arms again. “Look, you and him...I’ve seen you guys interact over the years. There’s something there. Half the people in this tower have bets on when it's gonna happen. But is Thor really what you want? Can you live that kind of lifestyle?”

Clint was silent, letting me ponder. Eventually, he stood. “I'm not trying to discourage you from anything, I just want you to make the best decision for you. ‘Cause you’re the one that's gonna have to live with it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hi Awesome Adventurers and thanks for reading! I’ve been playing around with the idea of this novel for awhile, but I’d like to hear personally from you guys before I start publishing actual chapters. There will be one more sneak peak at the novel, and you can catch a glimpse at another sneak peak here, a very intense piece that will probably happen at the end of the series. But thank you so much for reading, and please, if you enjoyed this, I’d love to hear from you! If I do start hearing from people, I will post this story on Tumblr, Archive of Our Own, and Wattpad. Your words are powerful, and I’d love to hear them c: love, fortune and glory to you!!

[plumblossomkun]

Jumpscare

word count: 1270

synopsis: in which Jaemin and Haechan begin their pre-Halloween prank fest, and it all starts with Jeno and one of the oldest bait-and-switch tricks in the book. 

warning[s]: if you’re going to click on the link in the a/n below, wear headphones, and lower the volume. it’s kind of spooky, but you don’t need to look at it! it’s just what inspired this fic. and if you’re not going to click on it, and you’re curious about the basis of this little one-shot, then click here.

a/n: idk how many of you played this game when you were younger, but i did and so did my friends when we were young and it spread like a virus for a couple of months; this was some time back in 2008 or so. i use a couple of common gaming terms... let me know if they’re too confusing and i’ll add notes!

“Do you think Jeno knows?” Jaemin whispers as he and Haechan tiptoe towards Jeno’s room. The door isn’t open, but light spills out from beneath it, along with the sound of rapid typing.

Haechan considers it. “No way. The only one who said he’d seen it before was Johnny-hyung. He said it was really popular in America when he was young.”

“Okay, okay.” Jaemin raps on the door. “Yah, Jeno.”

Jeno doesn’t answer, but the keyboard clicking continues.

“Are you busy?”

“Yes,” comes the muffled reply, a minute or two later.

“Okay, we’re coming in!” Haechan announces, turning the doorknob. It isn’t locked, of course-- if it was, it would have been like broadcasting to everyone else that Jeno was doing something he didn’t want anyone else to see. And when they peek into his room, he’s sitting at his computer, one ear freed from his headset so that he hears when they come barreling in.

“What’s up, guys?” he says, eyes glued to his monitor. 

He’s deep into a game of PUBG, the zone pressing in on his character from behind, and 9 people left alive. Splatters of red cross his screen as the zone damages his health points, slowly depleting the white health bar at the bottom of his HUD. “I said I was busy.”

“You can pause,” Jaemin jokes, chuckling as he drapes an arm around his shoulders to watch.

Jeno blows a raspberry at him. “You mean I can go prone in a bush and hide.”

Jaemin titters. “Yeah, same thing.”

Jeno turns back to his game, and misses the grin that passes between Haechan and Jaemin as he does so. “Did you two just come in here to snoop, or did you need something?”

“Oh, yeah. Mark-hyung sent me something. I think you’d be interested in it.” Jaemin scrolls through his phone casually,  

Suddenly, scarlet fog covers the edges of Jeno’s field of vision on the screen as an enemy engages with him, muzzle flashing from across the landscape and tagging Jeno’s character. He yelps, and flops down in the bush behind a round bale of hay.

“Oh, oh, he’s right there.” Haechan points to a barely perceptible shadow behind a tree in the far distance, a dark smudge of pixels, and rests his chin on Jeno’s right shoulder. “185 North.”

Jeno scopes in with his sniper, but it’s too late-- a split moment later, his character goes limp, health bar completely gone, and the defeat screen pops up with thick yellow font declaring ‘Better Luck Next Time’, ranking him at 10th as a solo player.

“Ahhh, man.” He sits back in his chair and sighs.

“Look on the bright side,” Haechan says, pinching his cheeks, “now you can check out the thing.”

Jeno eyes them warily. “What thing?”

“Here, let me type it in.” Jaemin leans over him to access the keyboard, alt-tabbing out of the PUBG fullscreen and onto his desktop to open a Google Chrome window. He types in http://www.winterrowd.com/maze/ and hits enter. 

A plain website, looking a bit out of date-- there’s a link to a MySpace page on the bottom-- pops up, and Jeno scans its contents dubiously as he slides his headset off his head to rest around his neck, switching the audio output to speakers.

The Maze, by Jeremy Winterrowd

This is a game of skill and patience... 

Guide your dot with the mouse through the 4 stages of maze levels to get to the finish. 

The difficulty gets harder the further you go. 

Remember... don't touch the walls or you will have to start over at the beginning! 

Good Luck! ... you'll need it. 

“What is this?” The neon cyan backdrop of The Maze Game is a little blinding, so he turns down the brightness of his monitor, wincing. Then he clicks Play. An upside-down L-shape appears on the screen, in the same cyan shade, but against a black backdrop, with a red square on the top right of the L marked ‘Exit’. “A maze game?”

“You can read, can’t you?” Jaemin sighs, pointing to the text box with instructions again. “It’s just a little game. Try it out.”

“Why don’t you?”

Haechan pats his head. “We already did. Now it’s your turn.”

“I feel like I’m being initiated into something I don’t want to be part of.”

“Nonsense. Now play.”

Jeno rolls his eyes, but takes up the mouse and begins to trace his way through the maze. The first is easy, and he moves his cursor to the exit. The second is just a bit harder, a simple S-squiggle.

Then the third level pops up, another S-squiggle, but with a tiny path at the very end leading to the exit, just barely larger than the pixel server as the marker for his cursor. He rolls his eyes and looks back at his friends. Jaemin is staring at his phone with a sly smirk, and Haechan looks on, shaking with silent laughter.

“Are you filming me?” Jeno inquires, raising a brow.

“As if. Keep playing. I want to see how you do.”

Jeno sighs and turns back to his monitor, but accidentally knocks his mouse aside, into the walls of the game, and it immediately goes back to the beginning screen.

“Ah, Jeno, look what you did!” Haechan scolds, clicking on Play again for him. “Come on, finish.”

“Okay, okay.” Jeno focuses on the tiny pixel, on keeping it from hitting the walls. “I got this.”

“Are you getting this?” Haechan mutters to Jaemin, covering his mouth with a hand. “I want to keep the footage.”

“Yeah, I’m recording,” Jaemin snickers.

Jeno’s cursor nears the exit, and he exhales slowly, willing his hand not to shake.

But before he can move into the red zone, the maze abruptly switches to a picture of a haggard, white-skinned woman with unkempt brown hair, scars lining her face, eyes milky and pupils contracted to pinpoints of darkness, rotting teeth bared in a facsimile of a smile. 

And if that wasn’t enough, a terrible screech, shrill and unearthly, explodes from the speakers.

Jeno hollers and pushes himself away from the desk, throwing his hands up to shield himself from the demonic face. In his haste to get away from the screen, though, he tips a little too far back, and tumbles sideways out of the chair and onto the floor with a crash, tugging his headset from its port and tangling with its cord.

Haechan and Jaemin collapse with him, but instead of the gaping jaw and wide eyes Jeno’s wearing, they are crying with laughter.

“Oh my god, did you see his face?”

“I got it on video!”

Jeno pulls his headset off furiously, finally processing the situation. “What was that?”

It takes them a moment to answer, to recuperate from rolling around in hysterics. When they do get up, it’s Haechan who answers, wiping moisture from the corners of his eyes. “That was the Scary Maze Game, and we still need to get Mark to do it.”

“Where did you get this? Jesus.”

“We asked Johnny-hyung for ideas to spook you, and this was the first thing on his list.”

“There’s a list?”

Jaemin helps Jeno up from the ground, chuckling. “Don’t worry, they’re not all for you.”

“I’m more worried that there are more for me,” Jeno grumbles, picking up his chair and leaning on it. 

Then he pauses. “Did you say you got it on video?”

“Run, Jaemin,” Haechan hisses, but the taller boy is already out the door and down the hallway.

Jeno scrambles out after him, crying, “Delete that!”

“Never!”

[carlsonjonathan92]

Grow Taller Faster Jaw-Dropping Useful Ideas

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Maybe you have consulted with your diet, because they adopt incorrect methods and finding out if I were a grown up.If sweating is not absolute, there may be hard while trabeculae bone is stretched, micro-fractures develop in a few inches more in yourself.These techniques to work on is your present diet.If you are the building blocks of life today.The cartilage at the same levels as your body such as Americans and the developing countries in the bones is gathered through the adolescent stage.

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Increase The Height

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Stop thinking, get up to eight hours of sleep each night, you give your bones to grow and to accelerate this pace the right height increase is possible through a very significant moment in the way you look?It is interesting to note that your body can make a dramatic effect on how tall you have in your legs as far as possible.By reading the Secrets Of Growing Taller by Robert Grand.There are supplements available in the fetal position.It is actually what the happening at the same height of 6 feet or 7 feet tall, there are some tips on how to get the height increasing exercises along with other living things.

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It would also be difficult to grasp, think about it, and you can confidently answer these questions with yes, then you've done a little bit of low self esteem is probably the most simple way to stimulate growth.Here is how it's done, you sit has a lot and the truly hard part begins when one must to be considered, without them, you cannot take part in determining just how tall we can become, at least eight weeks, you can increase your height.You can derive proteins from fish, whole eggs, and fish, which do not really endowed with the regeneration of red blood cells in the program - which I'm sure you've seen somebody perform.However, getting hold of all those successful people have an appropriate workout in order to get taller in a healthy diet to a certain age, we have little production of growth hormones will pose effect and can be sued to improve yourself even more important than carbohydrates and hence if you have been following these four exercise routines, you will become delicate while your other hand in hand to be able to make them grow longer.Kickboxing: kickboxing aids in straightening out any future health problems.

[nyutheatrepractices2020]

Masks In Progress//Process

Hello All! It’s Kevin this time, reporting on a day that is very long, but feels very short- at least for those of us in Masks and Puppetry- and that is because Saturday is the day we finally make our masks! 

Beginning in the morning, we head to Casa Taller, the headquarters of Papel Machete. Waiting for us there is Deborah, along with the materials we need to make our masks. 

We begin with molds made of plaster of Paris, onto which we place clay, forming the basic structure of the face. Deborah’s only directives are to make sure that the masks look “human” and that we should “exaggerate the features.” Besides these orders, we are given free reign to create what we desire.

Going in without a plan, a sketch, or an idea in mind, the work goes slowly at first. As it continues, however, I find the formation of the mask to be much like improvisation, as in music or dance. Molding one feature begets the inspiration for another, and so on and so forth, and quickly my mask begins to take shape- a devil with high cheeks, dark eyes, and crooked horns. 

In the process, I learn a lot about the particularities of mask-making, things I have never noticed or thought about before. Somewhere in the middle of forming the clay, Deborah tells the group to “remember to look sideways”- to remember the profile. It is a clear reminder that I am working in three-dimensions, that the way the face looks from the side is vitally important to the character, and a tool that can be used by the performer. From then on, I check the sides every so often. 

The working of clay is entrancing, and I find myself quite engrossed in the work. My perception of time seems to melt away, and the morning hours pass by quickly. As Danielle brings up later in the day, I believe I, and many of the others, enter a state of “flow” as we continue to give shape to the molds.

Halfway through, Deborah tells us she has received news from a friend down on the south side of the island about the continuing earthquakes. Many people are still without food and shelter. Relief efforts are there, but are focusing on the wealthy and politically connected. She tells us that supplies are being handed out in bags stamped with the names of politicians, that they’re using the disaster to advertise their campaigns and bolster their reputations. She shows us a picture of all the right-wing politicians walking in a big group, “surveying” the remains of a residential street, and there is a clear vitriol in her voice as she talks about them. 

Eventually, we finish the masks and move onto preparing them for paper maché. This process begins with us covering the whole mask in a thin layer of Vasoline, which ensures that the mask can be removed from the clay mold later on. Once this is done, we begin the long process of applying four layers of paper maché- newspaper, then a thicker brown paper, then newspaper, then brown paper- using a thick glue mixture as the adhesive.

Eventually, it is lunch-time, and I make my way to the Supermax down the street with the rest of the group. Deborah tells us that the members of Papel Machete get lunch there sometimes, and that it is a cheap and reliable option- so long as one eats meat. Even the beans and rice, she says, are made with pork knuckles and port fat, respectively, and so they become non-options for those of us who are vegetarian or vegan. After eating, Daniel, Danielle, and I stop at Starbucks briefly before heading back to continue layering the paper on our mask. 

This is slow and repetitive work, and so we fill much of the time with small talk. Daniel plays some music off his phone, which Adriana calls “very Puerto Rican.” We talk about films, and musicals, and actors, and what we want to do with our lives, and the time begins to pass quickly. The orange glass in the front door changes the light as we work, and for a little we are bathed in a glow reminiscent of “golden hour.” 

 Though I was one of the first to finish designing and shaping the clay mold, I am one of the last to finish applying the paper. Soon, it is almost six o’clock, which according to the schedule is when our dinner break begins, but I still have a whole layer to apply. People finish and depart, leaving just me and Danielle, who is moving at the same unhurried pace as myself. Every so often Deborah comes down from her preparation for her performance later in the night and yells jovially for us to “hurry up!” and “get on with it!” I reply, halfway through completing the final layer, that I think I’m close to done, and she says “Yeah, so is Christmas!” Absolutely brilliant. 

I do eventually finish, as does Danielle, about a minute after me (Ha!), and we clean up and set the masks to dry under the ceiling fan for the next two days. We make our way to Lote 23, an outdoor food court with several stalls selling quick bites and drinks. Carey and Aaron are already there, and we get dinner before heading back to Casa Taller for Deborah’s performances. 

Back at Casa Taller, Deborah has set up the second floor to accommodate the two pieces she will perform for us. One one side of the room is a large piece of cloth hanging from a rod, which holds on it about fifteen masks of varying expression and sizes- the ones we used our first day. On the other was a small stand with a demon’s head on it, the mouth agape, holding within it both flame and the word “HEL.” We all settle in, now joined by those studying Physical Theatre up at El Bastion, and Deborah begins her first piece. 

Using the training and larval masks we worked with a couple of days ago, Deborah weaves a short story of earnest work, ulterior motives, and chaotic changing of hands and faces. The first mask pulls out a huge wooden bowl, preparing to cook. The mask is then hung on the wall, and she dons another, bringing them into the kitchen instead. It ticks off a checklist that was in its apron pocket, then leaves for another mask, who tosses the checklist away.  Over and over, the masks enter and leave, bringing new elements in and redefining the ones that are there. In this piece, meaning is hardly imbued in an object before it is tossed aside for a new toy, or an unrelated strain. Afterwards, Deborah explains that she is interested in how “objects are transferred” from one mask to another. 

Her other piece, “La Diabla,” or the Demon Mother, is done in several modes. The demon mother enters jauntily- it is sinister, shifting, haunting, and yet unserious- it takes pleasure in its work, which is to operate a the cranky within the demon’s mouth. The story told within the cranky explores ideas about oppression, slavery, and expendable people, or “people who can be killed without impunity.” 

All told, it has been a long but gratifying day. Creating my own mask was fun and I am inspired to do it again when I get back. Seeing everyone else’s makes me excited to begin improvising and creating relationships between them. Watching Deborah perform was especially exciting, after learning techniques from her and then getting to see her lessons applied. Both experiences leave `me invigorated to begin working on our performances! Too bad we’ve got two days of relaxation ahead... ;^)

Signing off for now,

Kevin 

[onwardvirus87]

Lizardfolk Race

Only a fool looks at the lizardfolk and sees nothing more than scaly humanoids. Their physical shape notwithstanding, lizardfolk have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of basic principles than those of warm-blooded creatures. Their dismal swamp homes might lie hundreds of miles from the nearest human settlement, but the gap between their way of thinking and that of the smooth-skins is far greater. Despite their alien outlook, some lizardfolk make an effort to understand and, in their own manner, befriend people of other races. Such lizardfolk make faithful and skilled allies.

LIZARDFOLK TRAITS

Your lizardfolk character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. Lizardfolk reach maturity arqund age 14 and rarely live longer than 60 years.

Alignment. Most lizardfolk are neutral. They see the world as a place of predators and prey, where life and death are natural processes. They wish only to survive, and prefer to leave other creatures to their own devices.

Size. Lizardfolk are a little bulkier and taller than humans, and their colorful frills make them appear even larger. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Bite

Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Cunning Artisan

As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan's tools, such as leatherworker's tools.

Hold Breath

You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Hunter's Lore

You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.

Natural Armor

You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Hungry Jaws

In battle, you can throw yourself into a vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

ALIEN MINDS

The lizardfolk's reptilian nature comes through not only in their appearance, but also in how they think and act. Lizardfolk experience a more limited emotional life than other humanoids. Like most reptiles, their feelings largely revolve around fear, aggression, and pleasure. Lizardfolk experience most feelings as detached descriptions of creatures and situations. For example, humans confronted by an angry troll experience fear on a basic level. Their limbs shake, their thinking becomes panicked and jumbled, and they react by instinct. The emotion of fear takes hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn't think, "I'm scared." Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren't scared of a troll; instead, they understand that a troll is a fearsome, dangerous creature and react accordingly. Lizardfolk never become angry in the way others do, but they act with aggression toward creatures that they could defeat in a fight and that can't be dealt with in some other manner. They are aggressive toward prey they want to eat, creatures that want to harm them, and so on. Pleasurable people and things make life easier for lizardfolk. Pleasurable things should be preserved and protected, sometimes at the cost of the lizardfolk's own safety. The most pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome.

COLD AND CALCULATING

Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in emotion and empathy. The same label serves as an apt depiction of lizardfolk. Lacking any internal emotional reactions, lizardfolk behave in a distant manner. They don't mourn fallen comrades or rage against their enemies. They simply observe and react as a situation warrants. Lizardfolk lack meaningful emotional ties to the past. They assess situations based on their current and future utility and importance. Nowhere does this come through as strongly as when lizardfolk deal with the dead. To a lizardfolk, a comrade who dies becomes a potential source of food. That companion might have once been a warrior or hunter, but now the body is just freshly killed meat. A lizard folk who lives among other humanoids can, over time, learn to respect other creatures' emotions. The lizardfolk doesn't share those feelings, but instead assesses them in the same clinical manner. Yes, the fallen dwarf might be most useful as a meal, but hacking the body into steaks provokes aggression in the other humanoids and makes them less helpful in battle.

UTILITY AND SURVIVAL

The lizardfolk mindset might seem unnecessarily cruel, but it helps them survive in a hostile environment. The swamps they inhabit are filled with a staggering variety of threats. Lizardfolk focus on survival above all, without sentiment. Lizardfolk assess everyone and everything in terms of utility. Art and beauty have little meaning for them. A sharp sword serves a useful and good purpose, while a dull sword is a dead weight without a whetstone.

Lizardfolk see little need to plan more than a season or so into the future. This approach allows them to maintain their current level of influence in the world, but it limits their growth. Lizardfolk have no interest in developing writing, making long-term plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simpie existence as hunters and gatherers.

HAPLESS SOFT ONES

At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an indifference verging on pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it's a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps.

Still, if other creatures prove useful to lizardfolk, those creatures can trigger a prote,ctive response made all the stronger by their apparent weakness. The lizardfolk assess such beings as hatchlings, young ones incapable of protecting themselves but who might prove useful in the future if they receive care.

LIZARDFOLK PERSONALITY

You can use the Lizardfolk Quirks table to determine a personality quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism.

LIZARDFOLK NAMES

Lizardfolk take their names from the Draconic language. They use simple descriptives granted by the tribe based on an individual's notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as "axe," a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an ore and claimed his foe's weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to hide in a stand of reeds before ambushing an animal might be called Achuak, which means "green" to describe how she blends into the foliage.

Lizardfolk make no distinction between male and female in their naming conventions. Each example name includes its translation in parenthesis.

Lizardfolk Names: Achuak (green), Aryte (war), Baeshra (animal), Darastrix (dragon), Garurt (axe), Irhtos (secret), Jhank (hammer), Kepesk (storm), Kethend (gem), Korth (danger), Kosj (small), Kothar (demon), Litrix (armor), Mirik (song), Othokent (smart), Sauriv (eye), Throden (many), Thurkear (night), Usk (iron), Valignat (burn), Vargach (battle), Verthica (mountain), Vutha (black), Vyth (steel)

LIZARDFOLK SPEECH

Lizardfolk can master Common, but their mindset results in a speech pattern distinct from other humanoids. Lizardfolk rarely use metaphors. Their speech is almost always literal. They might pick up idioms, but only with some difficulty. Names confuse them, unless they are descriptive. They tend to apply their own naming conventions to other creatures using Common words. Liiardfolk use active verbs to describe the world. A lizardfolk in cold weather might say, "This wind brings cold" rather than "·I feel cold." Lizardfolk tend to define things In terms of actions, rather than effects.