#that comment made me howl in a way that made my dog give me :eyes: though

[spxnglr]

Strangely enough that's not the first time someone has accused me of actually being Egon in secret.

BRB I need to go kick down Dan Ak.yroyd's door.

[skellseerwriting]

Golden Retreiver!Morgie x GN!Reader Oneshot!

Summary: Morgie just wants to be given praise and affection and called a good boy. His friends had been neglecting him so he goes to you to get what he craves. Being close friends with him you give him what he needs

Warnings: Morgie gets compared to and treated like a dog (in a kind way! (dw he loves it)), sfw, fluff, fluff and more fluff, Morgie is praise and touch-starved, reader calls Morgie “puppy”(once) and “sweetie”

Word Count: 1,287

partially made this for my moot @brokenmilkcrates!

Morgie Loved his friends dearly.

He loved hanging out with them, being mean to other students with them, and overall getting to tag along with whatever.

What he loved most, though, was the rare praise he received whenever he gave a good idea or suggestion. It was mostly Uliana’s praise, but the others would also give him head pats. They were his favorite things in the world.

At one point when utilizing his extensive recreations of dog howls, Hook made a comment saying he was just like a dog. At first that bothered Morgie, but after a little while he decided that he didn’t care. So what if he was like a dog? People loved dogs! So what’s so wrong with that?

Well, it did make his friends treat him a little more like one; not that he minded. The comedic realization from Hook led to an increase in affection from everyone, adding new things like scratches and offering him treats. It was a win-win, really.

The downside, however, was when it started to cease.

His contribution this past week seemed to be lacking to the others, because they hadn’t been doing what they usually did; even calling him “Good boy”! Recognizing it made it even worse because he was desperate. He craved touch. Craved attention. He needed it.

He needed you, but you had been so busy that week with schooling he hadn’t been able to rely on you.

The two of you were just platonic friends; you were amiable with the other VKs but mainly hung out with Morgie separately. Physically, however, you were a lot closer than most. Half the school thought you were dating, and the other half would think so as well if they saw how you two were behind closed doors. That boy cuddled you like letting go would kill him.

So, you weren’t surprised at all, when, studying in your dorm, a sound not unlike scratching came from your door.  Setting down your pen, you went to answer. Opening the door, lo and behold, was a crouched down boy looking up at you like some angel who had just saved him.

Your brow creased. “Is everything okay Morgie?”

He whined.

 Morgie. Whined.

Understanding the situation and wasting no time, you brought him inside, thoughts of your studies quickly leaving. Surprisingly, you saw him crawling after you like a dog with his tail between his legs.

Oh, he had it bad.

You sat on the side of your bed, patting the area next to you. Instead, Morgie wrapped his arms around your calf and set his chin right on your knee. He looked up at you with those big brown eyes of his, lips pouting.

“Ohhh,” you tutted, bringing your hand to his cheek and moving upwards into his hair. “Is puppy attention starved?”

He closed his eyes, leaned his head into your touch, and gave a double nod.

Turning to have your fingers scratch his scalp, he let out a happy little sigh.

“I’m so sorry sweetie.” You told him, like a doting parent. “That must’ve been so hard for you”. A whimper escaped him, just happy to be so close to you. To receive your touch. To be in a sort of embrace.

“Next time they’re neglecting you, you can come straight to me, okay?”

“Nhhn.” He mumbled, clutching your leg still. “They haven’t called me good boy all week.” He murmured, pitch high.

“I’m so sorry.” You told him tenderly, giving his hair a gentle tug. “You’re such a good boy.”

He whined and grabbed your free hand, pressing it to his cheek. Then, he looked up at you expectantly. His cheeks were turning scarlet, and his eyes were heavy.

“Say it again?” He said softly, breath slightly uneven. “Please?”

“Oh Morgie,” You began, thumbing his cheek before leaning closer to him. “You’re a good boy. You’re a very good boy. You deserve all the scratches and head pats.”

Morgie’s eyes made little hearts, and anyone else would swear he looked in love. You would deny such things if they were accused of you; the last thing you wanted was to take advantage of his neediness.

But you oh-so loved his neediness. It gave you nearly as much life as it gave him, which was saying a lot. Having him in your arms constantly, him desiring as much as you could give him; it made you dizzy.

But you would never ask something more from him, you thought, as he started rubbing his head into the hand in his hair. He was so pretty when he got like this, needing you more than anyone else. Than air.

He looked up at you again and darn it he made it so difficult to not give in and kiss him right there and then.

“Would you…” Morgie began, breaking you out of your thoughts. He turned bashful and looked away. “Would you give me more?” He asked, voice quiet. You weren’t entirely sure what he meant. He had never voiced a request like that before.

“Of course, sweetie.” You mumbled, trying not to let your mind go back to your previous consideration. “Whatever you need.”

He looked up at you through his eyelashes as his mouth and jaw pressed into your knee.

He mumbled something.

“Hmm? What was that?” You asked, not catching an ounce of what his said into the fabric.

Lifting his face slightly, he let out a huff. Then, he looked left, then right; avoiding your gaze out of embarrassment.

“Would you- ” He whispered, still not looking at your eyes. “Would you kiss me?”

Your heart caught in your throat and your face set ablaze. He wanted a kiss? He wanted you to kiss him? He wanted you?

Boring into his eyes that now looked at you expectingly, you could see nothing in them but what could be described as a deep, desperate desire.

Morgie suddenly lunged towards your face, pausing halfway, a question written on his own. Still, you didn’t move.

His expression shifted to something riddled with pain; he thought you didn’t want to grant his request. Thought you didn’t want him.

Letting out the tiniest noise of pain, he began to move away from you.

Realizing what he had mistakenly thought, a rush of panic filled you at the thought of not only losing him, but him thinking that you didn’t want him.

Not giving a second to waste, you grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, then paused. He paused as well, looking at you with a hopeful demeanor now. Then, he nudged forward.

You did the same.

You both slowly brought your faces closer until your noses were touching and you couldn’t see into both of each other’s eyes at once.

“I love you, Morgie.” You whispered, then pressed your lips into his. He pushed back with twice as much force.

It was everything you had dreamed it would be and more. His arms wrapped around your waist as you brought both hands into his soft, blonde hair. Not as close as you could be, but it was enough.

It was more than enough with the way he made those pretty little sighs against your mouth, more content than he had ever been. It was more than enough to him to not only have received your praise and attention, but to finally have received your lips and your love.

Giving you a kiss so deep you thought he may have melded to you permanently, he proceeded to move back a fraction for just long enough so he could go right back to getting as many kisses as he needed from you; which would never be enough.

“I love you too.”

[ninadove]

My immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events. In their consequences, these events have terrified—have tortured—have destroyed me.

[Pluto] was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree. In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise.

[…] I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when, by accident, or through affection, they came in my way. But my disease grew upon me—for what disease is like Alcohol!—and at length even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish—even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper.

And then came, as if to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of PERVERSENESS. Of this spirit philosophy takes no account. Yet I am not more sure that my soul lives, than I am that perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart—one of the indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction to the character of Man. Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a stupid action, for no other reason than because he knows he should not? Have we not a perpetual inclination, in the teeth of our best judgment, to violate that which is Law, merely because we understand it to be such?

One morning, in cold blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree;—hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and with the bitterest remorse at my heart;—hung it because I knew that it had loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence;—hung it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin—a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it—if such a thing were possible—even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most Merciful and Most Terrible God.

I avoided the creature; a certain sense of shame, and the remembrance of my former deed of cruelty, preventing me from physically abusing it. I did not, for some weeks, strike, or otherwise violently ill use it; but gradually—very gradually—I came to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as from the breath of a pestilence.

My wife had called my attention, more than once, to the character of the mark of white hair, of which I have spoken, and which constituted the sole visible difference between the strange beast and the one I had destroyed. […] By slow degrees—degrees nearly imperceptible, and which for a long time my reason struggled to reject as fanciful—it had, at length, assumed a rigorous distinctness of outline. It was now the representation of an object that I shudder to name—and for this, above all, I loathed, and dreaded, and would have rid myself of the monster had I dared—it was now, I say, the image of a hideous—of a ghastly thing—of the GALLOWS!—oh, mournful and terrible engine of Horror and of Crime—of Agony and of Death ! And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity. […] And a brute beast—whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed—a brute beast to work out for me—for me, a man fashioned in the image of the High God—so much of insufferable woe!

Uplifting an axe, and forgetting, in my wrath, the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand, I aimed a blow at the animal, which, of course, would have proved instantly fatal had it descended as I wished. But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife.

No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice from within the tomb!—by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman—a howl—a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the dammed in their agony and of the demons that exult in the damnation. […] The corpse, already greatly decayed and clotted with gore, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators. Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and whose informing voice had consigned me to the hangman.

I had walled the monster up within the tomb.

— Edgar Allan Poe, The Black Cat

[dark-mnjiro]

[at the] bottom :: okkotsu yuuta

authors’s note: hello! This is my own submission for my “Touch of Divine Rush” collab that I ran! I apologize I’m a day late. With my grandmother’s passing - it was very difficult to focus on any projects without getting emotional. I hope you all enjoy this!

warnings: yuuta x gender neutral!reader, they/them pronouns, retelling of orpheus and eurydice, sprinkle of sukuna x afab!oc (aruna from my crown of thorns series), sprinkle of retelling of hades and persephone, angst, mentions and depictions of death, hurt/loss, comfort, yuuta not listening to directions to save his life, this is probably one of the more tame fics I’ve written but I’m super happy with it

so will you wait me out

or will you drown me out

“Yuuta!”

Panting and sweat dripping from his brow, Yuta shot up from his place next to the fire. How long has this journey gone on now? One day? Two? Three? He had seemingly lost count the further he journeyed into the underworld. Your voice was the only thing that kept him hoping and praying that this wasn’t for nothing.

He stood up before using the heel of his boot to extinguish the fire and grabbed his katana, securing it on his back. A sick feeling bubbled in his stomach. He knew he would have to fight to save you. But who could survive fighting the devil?

As he journeyed further, darkness seemingly surrounded him. The torch he used to give him light offered little assistance. It seemed the tunnel was growing longer with each step he took… and took him further down to hell.

Your name fell from his lips with a light whisper.

Your name was like music to his ears, causing a smile to curl over his lips. The sheer light in your eyes was enough to sustain him for life. With you, life seemingly made sense to him and he had a reason to continue, to keep fighting. It was as if life had meaning, had a purpose, again. Yuuta couldn’t just let you slip away so easily. He had to fight. For you… For both of you.

He called out your name again.

His voice grew louder as it echoed against the cave walls. A sigh fell from his lips as he reminisced about the last time he had spoken to you. Your hair caught in the breeze and the smile on your face only made the sparkle in your eyes even more pronounced. The way his name so easily slipped past your lips, like a chorus that constantly played over and over in his head. And almost within an instance - you were stolen from him.

Crying out your name, his voice echoed against the cave walls as he heard low growls echoing back toward him. He knew he was growing close as he slowly made out the large silhouette of what he would consider a monster.

“Cerberus,” he whispered to himself. He would have to stay quiet to sneak past the beast that guarded the gate to Hell. As his eyes strained at the darkness, he made out the yellow eyes of the three-headed dog before white teeth gleamed in the darkness. He tossed his torch aside, snuffing out the flame to confuse the beast before rushing into the darkness. If he made a run for it now, while it was confused by what direction he was coming from, he could seemingly get past it.

Or so he thought…

The beast’s massive paw came colliding with Yuuta’s body before sending him flying back against the wall. A low groan of pain emerged from the youth before he forced himself onto his feet. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as he wiped it away with his thumb.

“Clever beast,” he commented before grabbing his katana.

Yuuta rushed toward Cerberus before managing to stop its claws from striking him again with his katana before sending the blade through the flesh of the beast’s leg. Blood seeped from the wound, covering Yuuta’s face before the animal howled in pain and thrashed about, using its strength to try and take down Yuuta. Thankfully, Yuuta was able to dodge the onslaught before using the katana to injure the other leg.

“Stop!”

His body froze in place at the intruder.

“Stop it,” the voice was softer this time before Yuuta managed to make out a pair of red eyes.

“Who-?’ he asked, realizing the voice was feminine.

“What is a human doing here?” she asked.

Yuuta could feel the color draining from his face. It couldn’t be her.

“Answer me,” she hissed as the crimson in her eyes only darkened. “What is a human doing here? Get out… that is your final warning.”

It was the queen of hell herself. The lover of the devil. Perhaps, she would listen to his words.

“A-Aruna,” he began. “I’ve come here in search of my-”

Her red eyes narrowed. “... your lover is dead. You cannot save them. Not anymore,” she hissed. “Turn around and leave, mortal. You are not ready to be here.”

Her words made his stomach fall to his feet. It was impossible. “I want to see him.”

“He’ll kill you.”

“Then I’ll be with them.”

A heavy sigh left her lips as her gaze softened at his words. “You shouldn’t be in such a rush to die,” she commented. “Come…”

The walk was silent as Yuuta’s gaze stayed fixated on the dark queen in front of him. It seemed the rumors were true. She was cold and distant… it was said that her forced marriage to the king of the underworld only seemed to fuel her bitterness toward the world.

Aruna opened a door before walking inside. She signaled the guards to hold the door open so Yuuta may enter. His dark eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Sure, it was dark - a perfect place for a king of the underworld, but it was filled with blazing torches and several extravagant decorations to flaunt the God of Death’s lesser-known titles of dealings with money.

“My queen…”

Aruna paused before looking up.

“What have you brought to me?”

“A mortal was found wandering the tunnels.”

Yuuta stepped into the room before looking up and seeing the God of death, the king of the underworld, leaning back on his throne with a smirk curling over his lips.

“He wishes for an audience with you,” Aruna explained before Sukuna motioned for her to approach the lesser throne next to him. Without question, she took her seat before a sigh fell from her lips.

Sukuna rested his chin in his hand before his red eyes flickered to his wife. “��for what? That silly dead-“

“I ask you to allow them to live. Let them leave this place and live out their days with me—!”

The grimace on Aruna’s face was enough to silence Yuuta as he knew he had made a grave mistake.

“Your lover is dead,” Sukuna spat. “A lost soul. You can’t get them back…”

“Please. There must be a way. Anything. I’ll do anything.”

The king of the underworld’s attention remained fixated on Yuuta before noticing his wife’s posture tensing in the seat next to him. “Anything you would like to say, my dear wife?” Sukuna asked, leaning into Aruna’s ear.

She turned to face him. Her face remained emotionless but the pain in her eyes was evident. “I think we should hear his case,” she whispered.

“…you sympathize with him?”

“He loves them,” she countered. “That much is clear. Why would he make such a treacherous journey if he did not truly love them? Let’s at least hear him out before you cast judgment.”

The smirk on his lips spread before running a hand through his queen’s fiery, red locks. “Boy…” he commanded. “Step forward. You may speak. You have my wife to thank.”

Yuuta was confused. Why would the queen of the underworld be so eager to hear his pleas after being so callous to him? Swallowing hard, he looked up at their thrones.

“Why?” he asked, quietly.

She was quiet for a moment, glancing away before returning her attention to him.

“Once upon a time,” she whispered, beginning a tale that sounded oddly familiar to Yuuta. A young goddess had grown weary of the life she was promised by her mother. She was to remain pure, untouched by any man or celestial being, and bring forth the spring each year. Everything had been so carefully calculated for her - the young goddess had no control, no say in her happiness… her own life.

The young goddess enjoyed her time away from her mother. And one day was seduced by words and promises to pull her away from the life that had been so carefully laid out for her. Quickly, she had agreed, disappearing into the darkness with a god, who promised her riches and a title no one could rival.

“And haven’t I showered you with more love and gifts than you could want?” Sukuna asked, his eyes fixated on his queen.

Yuuta was right.

This was her story…

She remained unmoved, staring at Yuuta. “She was seduced into darkness too soon. Perhaps, it’s too soon for your lover as well.”

Sighing, Sukuna stood up. “Speak.”

His body tensed, as the energy in the room shifted. “They-they were murdered,” Yuuta explained. “Taken before their time. The fates would never wish a fate so ill on any mortal. A monster slayed them…”

“A monster?”

“A centaur…”

Aruna’s gaze softened. “It pursued them?”

“And when they refused - it murdered them… I found their body… massacred.”

“Sukuna-”

His hand rose to silence his queen before staring at Yuuta once again. “You are correct the fates would not allow a mortal to die in such a fashion by such a creature,” he explained. “But, taking a soul back from the underworld is no easy task.”

Shaking his head, Yuuta shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I’ll do anything.”

“I’ll allow you to lead their soul back,” Sukuna explained. “Under one condition.”

“Anything!”

“You may not look upon them once you begin your journey until they step out of the shadows and escape to the outside world,” he explained. “If you do… their soul is mine for eternity.”

“Sukuna-”

“Silence Aruna.”

Aruna sighed before looking away from him.

Sukuna returned his attention to Yuuta. “Do you understand?”

“…yes.”

Snapping his fingers, a figure appeared in front of Yuuta. His eyes widened before rushing toward you, encircling his arms around your body. Confusion washed over your expression, wondering just how you arrived here or why Yuuta was even here.

“Yuuta?”

His heart swelled at the sound of your voice saying his name in such a tender way before his grip on you tightened. “I’ve…I’ve come to take you home,” he whispered into your ear.

“Home…”

“Just remember our deal,” Sukuna interrupted.

“Of course,” Yuuta replied before turning away from you.

You were confused again as Yuuta refused to look at you again. “But Yuuta?”

“I’ll explain when we get out of here,” he assured you as he began walking away and motioning you to follow. Quickly, you followed trying to match the pace of his footsteps.

A sigh fell from his lips. Your footsteps… a reminder that you were still there. As long as he could make out your footsteps, he knew he could complete this challenge.

But the god of death wouldn’t give in so easily… Whispers of the dead began to fill the tunnel as Yuuta continued his long journey back with his lover in tow. He blinked, before shaking his head lightly. The whispers were becoming louder - harder to ignore. His lips fell into a frown.

“Yuuta…”

There it was. Your voice. Relief washed over him immediately.

“I’m right behind you Yuuta,” you continued.

“I know. I know.”

He strained his ears to listen to your soft footsteps, counting each one. One and two. One and two.

Are you sure they’re there?

Frozen, Yuuta stopped in his tracks.

He lied to you. He would never let anyone go.

The taunts were growing louder. Rubbing his head, Yuuta forced himself to keep going. Doubt began to fill his mind. Was she there?

“Yuuta,” you said again. “I’m right behind you.”

His steps faltered for a moment before a sense of relief washed over him again. Your voice managed to soothe the nagging sting s of doubt clouding his mind. You were there. Your steps were there. One and two. One and two.

Bright light flooded the tunnel, blinding Yuuta as he shielded his face with his forearm until his sight adjusted. The exit. Was it the exit? He took off in a sprint, knowing this hell was finally over.

“Yuuta! We did it!”

Your cheers were like music to him as the warm sunlight hit his pale face. A sigh fell from his lips before excitement filled his body. Quickly, he turned around to greet you. But what he hadn’t realized…

You hadn’t stepped out of the shadows yet.

“Yuuta… no.”

The light in your eyes before your body collapsed.

“No!”

Rushing to your lifeless body, Yuuta cradled you close to his chest. How could he have been so stupid? Tears flowed freely from his eyes before his body shook in remorse. How could he have done this to you?

He was so close.

And with that, the years passed. His body grew weary and tired. But not once did he forget about you. He embraced the idea of death, knowing you would be there to greet him one day and you could live out the dreams you once had planned for yourselves.

“Yuuta?”

His eyes widened before realizing he was standing in a beautiful garden, surrounded by flowers and trees. The blue sky above him was so peaceful that he couldn’t help but smile. He raised his hands, realizing his body was no longer frail, but young and strong again. Was this what death was truly like? What a magical place this was…

He heard his name again.

But the voice that spoke his name so gently, it couldn’t be…

Your name fell from his lips as he looked to see you standing with your arms outstretched wide.

“I’ve been waiting for you…”

He rushed toward you, embracing you tightly as a giggle bubbled from you.

“Welcome home…”

i can wait for you at the bottom

i can stay away if you want me to

i can wait for years if i gotta

heaven knows i ain't getting over you

[littlemisslipbalm]

Demonology

Part 2: Unholy Affliction

Series Summary: A new demon has come to Nashville. Josh and Jake's ways of life have been thrown off by her arrival. The angel and demon have lived with an understanding of one another, but with Y/N stirring up trouble and asking questions, they're forced to work out a new normal. And why is she so powerful for a human turned demon anyway, that's unusual, right?

A/N: hiiii heres part 2!!! Pls like comment and reblog bc it helps and makes me happy to hear what you think! Also I’ve added a taglist form so add yourself to that and I’ll make sure you get tagged from now on! Happy reading <3

Summary: Y/N finally runs into the demon named Jake. What a night!

Word Count: 4.8k | Warnings: swearing, alcohol consumption, 18+ descriptions of sex (no explicit smut yet), demon!jake ayo, i think that’s it

Taglist | Series Masterpost

Part Two: Unholy Affliction

She didn’t run into the odd angel and demon duo for two months. After the brief encounter outside of the speakeasy with both of them, nothing. She was enduring her second life back on Earth as best as could be expected as someone with little to no knowledge about the modern world with no one but her dog to talk to about things that really mattered. She insisted to Rori as they lounged around the apartment that she was having fun as he stared at her dubiously. 

She’d be more than damned to be upset that the other demon hadn’t come to find her. He probably thought he was too good for her or just didn’t care about her. Well, she definitely didn’t care. She didn’t need him to help her. Making trouble came easily to her. It was just everything else about being in this world that was hard. 

It was an accident when she finally bumped into him. At least, it was by accident for her. She had chosen to take the long way home from the bar she had made hers for the night. Swirling around to music she blared from the phone she’d picked up after a few weeks, Rori ran circles around her howling into the night. She sang along to the music and danced, staring at the waxing moon. Mostly alone, but she felt mostly alive. Wasn’t a total loss. 

She paid no attention to her surroundings. It was so late on a back road, it was unlikely anyone would be around and if they were around, she would make them sorry they bothered her. 

“Is this all you do then?” A voice from the shadows inquired. 

She recognized it immediately. She’d hung onto his voice as one of the few pieces of information she had about this ancient demon. Jake. Seemed silly to her that he didn’t have a more hellish name. It was practically still an altar boy’s name–she should use that on him if he said something really rude. 

She stops the music and her movements, coming to a complete standstill. “Jake.” 

He saunters out of the shadows, messing with his hair. He stares at her, waiting for an answer. 

“How do you mean?”

He rolls his eyes and gestures his hand to her body. “Party. Cause a little trouble. Get drunk. Wander home alone.” Sad.

She laughs, certain he was kidding, and choosing to ignore the stab in her chest she felt at the word ‘alone’. “I have my—Isn’t that the job?” 

“Just the trouble part. But altering bars to your liking doesn’t really fulfill that. There’s a lot of ways to get the job done even if your specialties are seduction and desire…” 

He narrowed his eyes at the end of his sentence. Jake thought she was silly. He didn’t take his job very seriously but he also couldn’t stand to see someone doing it differently than him. 

She didn’t feel shame but a certain strangeness about the fact that Josh had clearly talked about their night at the speakeasy to Jake. 

“You seem too young to be sent up to the big leagues. Nepo baby?”

“What baby? I don’t even know what that means.”

Jake sighs in exasperation. 

“Nepotism was around in the 70s before they dragged you down to Hell, yeah? A practice among those in power to give special preference to relatives. Erh,” Jake tried to think of a reference she might know. “Whatever. Forget it.” 

This was the third thing he added to the growing list of ways she seemed to be struggling in the modern world. This, the bars and how she wasn’t taking advantage of online ordering—he definitely hadn’t been spying on her these last two months, he just may have stopped by her place a few times. Just to see if she’d had her earthly access revoked or not. 

Jake tilts his head and his cheekbones catch in the light. He was a handsome demon. She liked his longer hair, reminding her of the boys back in the day. His brown eyes were sweet like his angel counterpart’s, but the yellow ones she had seen the other day had sent a shiver down her spine. 

“If I’m doing the job so wrong, why has it taken you this long to tell me? Maybe if you guided me or gave me information I could do the devil’s will a little better?” She tried to keep the unfamiliar nerves growing in her stomach away.

“It’s not in my interests to help you, per say.” He gestures a hand out towards the road she had been traveling, wanting them to keep walking. “But, unofficially, you're doing the afterlife life so wrong it's hurting my no good soul.” 

She falls into step with him, still watching him as he disregards her, pulling his sunglasses back over his eyes. “True demons have souls?” 

“My consciousness, whatever that I am, it doesn’t really matter what you call it. Just is the easiest term.” He grumbles. 

She smiles at his frustration with her. “So you’re gonna mentor me?” Her voice was relaxed, but she couldn’t hide the truth from herself. She wanted more than anything to have some guidance from Jake. He seemed to know what he was doing and while she denied it, she did feel unfulfilled so far. 

“I guess… It’ll get Josh off my back about your fiddling with the swing of the bars.” 

“You listen to your angel brother? And it’s really nothing, I don’t know why both of you keep bringing it up!” 

“Because people!” Jake stops, raising his voice shakily. He takes hold of her shoulders. “People have been talking about it. The first lesson of demonology is to make sure your work goes unnoticed. Evil is insidious. It doesn’t knock at the door or even bust it off its hinges, it seeps through the cracks, uninvited and unannounced until it's too late.” 

She’s alight at his touch. His hands are fire against her exposed skin that had cooled in the night air. He is literally steaming with passion and she can feel it falling off of him. She feeds off of it. Her eyes stare up into his unreadable face. His lips are parted in a perfect cupid’s bow–reminiscent of his angel origins. 

“And I don’t listen to Josh. It’s just impossible to get him to shut up.” 

She sighs, waving her hand at Rori who had returned from running ahead when he realized the two demons weren’t behind him anymore. 

“But why does Josh care?” 

“Because,” Jake shakes his head, letting go of her arms and starting to walk again. “If enough people get talking about it, then the Upstairs will eventually get a hold of it and ask Josh why he hasn’t put a stop to it.”

She’s still confused. “And?”

“For fuck’s sake…And Josh and I have a deal where we don’t step on each other’s toes. We do enough good and enough bad–at least, it had been enough–to keep the ones in charge satisfied. You’re fucking it up for both of us. Making us work.”

“It kind of sounds like what I’m doing is actually fine and you two are just mad because you don’t want to deal with it.” 

They reach a black door with a lamp to the right of it, illuminating the address number ‘666’. She stares between him and the number, tapping her nose. Jake shakes his head, twisting the door handle and grumbling something about how it was establishment-issued. The sound of the lock undoing itself is heard from inside the wall. 

He opens the door and responds indignantly. “Nuh-uh.” 

She laughs. “Uh-huh…No wonder Hell sent me up here. You’re slacking!” 

She follows him down the long dark entryway through an arch that opened into a 70s style conversation pit, completely carpeted in navy blue. The color of a deep night sky with only a few stars to keep it lit. 

“What do you expect? I’m a demon. Thousands of years old, I’ve paid my fucking dues.”

There’s a bottle of whiskey open on the coffee table in the center, half drank. In a blink of an eye, they both have full glasses in their hands. Jake doesn’t offer a salutation and drinks slowly from the glass and proceeds to remove his sunglasses. His eyes flicker between brown and yellow several times when they return to Y/N. He swore he’d seen her before.

“Plus, the humans are so much better at thinking up evil shit to do. Things I’d never even dream up.” He relaxes into his seating, looking altogether like he belonged here. Far more than he did in Heaven or Hell. 

She pulls her knees up to her chest and rests her chin on top while she takes a sip of the expensive looking liquor. She was trying to keep her eyes on Jake and her immediate surroundings rather than staring around the place with wandering eyes. It was expansive, filled with trinkets that looked older than most of the modern world, mixed in with incredible paintings and lavish decor. No house she’d been in had been this beautiful and some had been rockstar’s homes. Then again, she never had much time or lucidity to look around those places. 

Pointedly, she stared at Jake instead of the room. He had seen through her as a newbie with no real clue what she was supposed to do. She didn’t want to seem fazed by a little interior design. 

“So what do you do instead of Hell’s wishes?” 

“Play my guitar mostly,” Jake shrugs. “Then I write up a report on whatever shitty things humans have done in the last month and send it down to Hell as my deeds.” 

“You’re a musician too,” Her eyes lit up, her humanity slipping to the surface. “Tell me you play real music. Not the garbage that comes out of all the stereos around here.” 

Jake’s laugh is loud and obnoxious but she likes it. 

“It’s not all bad but I know what you mean. Nothing like the 70s around these days. Bet you would’ve liked the 90s though…There was some fantastic rock.” 

She moves closer to him, eager for Jake to talk about something she liked and cared about. He could be someone who could guide her and converse with. He shifts a little bit away from her and she tilts her head in confusion.

Jake nods at her as he swallows more of his whiskey. 

“I heard you succeeded in tempting Josh.”

“Not really,” She shrugs, immediately knowing why Jake was keeping his distance.

“Josh letting a demon kiss him to show him mystical porn…” Jake chuckles darkly. “That’s plenty of success.” 

“He’s challenging.” She tried to keep hurt out of her voice, but considering she hadn’t seen Josh either she wondered if she’d really scared him off. “Everyone else is too easy around here—and gross.”

Jake smirks. “It’s very impressive for such a minor demon to have gotten that far with an angel like Josh.” 

“It seems like you’ve had a corrupting influence on him,” she pushed back. 

“Well, yeah. But I’ve never macked on him in a speakeasy dressed like that.” Jake’s eyes wander over her figure. She wasn’t wearing the same thing as she had with Josh, but it communicated the same thing. All black, low cut and high cut all at once, and the carnelian necklace, glowing like a beacon. 

“I could make that happen for you two, if you wanted.” 

“I do not want that. At all.”

“Just checking. You sound kind of jealous.”

Jake shakes his head at her. “You’re rotten.” 

He couldn’t quite puzzle her out. She wasn’t like other demons he’d come into contact with over the years. They were solitary creatures and wretched. She wanted companionship, which was particularly human. And while she was good at the evil stuff, her desire for interaction and connection seemed to outweigh what should be her main prerogative: devilish destruction. 

She wanted to hear about his music rather than talk about how she’d almost successfully tempted an angel, for Satan's sake. Half the demons he knew barely registered music as an instrument of demonic work, much less took pleasure in it. 

“What were you doing in the 60s and 70s,” She asks. 

Jake smiled, memories flashing before his eyes immediately. His eyes go yellow at the question and she realizes it’s kind of like him closing his eyes. Like an internal eyelid or something. Something inhuman. 

Disraeli Gears began to spin on a record player somewhere in the room and her smile matched Jake’s.

“Cream was my favorite band back then. Clapton, he was the man.”

“I’m more of a George Harrison gal when it comes to British guitarists,” she says dreamily. “I saw Cream at the Troubadour when they were just starting out. But the Doors were more my style. Zeppelin, Stones and Hendrix too. God, those guys were something.”

“You were in the music scene?” Josh had said she was from Los Angeles. He hadn’t been specific about what she did.

She finished her drink and held out the glass for more. Jake just stared at it and suddenly the glass was full again. She grinned, taking a sip with a nod of appreciation. 

“Yeah. It’s what got me on the devil’s list. Sleeping with singers and doing way too many drugs. Started sneaking backstage when I was 15 and getting into trouble started about the second I walked through the door.”

Jake nodded with reverence. Her expertise made sense. Why she was so powerful, still unanswered. He finished his second glass and switched to the bottle, deciding to settle in for the night that was quickly becoming morning. 

The demons went back and forth, retelling ridiculous stories from the time where their lives first overlapped. Jake’s bad fashion choices. Her terrible taste in men. Jake’s inventions of evil. Their shared expensive taste for party drugs and liquor. 

The first whiskey and a second bottle were gone after a few hours and they were sprawled on the navy floor. She ran her hands along the soft carpet. 

“Thanks for finally coming to see me. Thought you hated me,” she murmurs.

“I hate two things in this world: Justin Bieber and global warming. I jus’ was worried you’d get me in trouble when you first got here. Needed to know if you were a snitch or not.”

She nods. Jake nods back, shutting his eyes fully. 

“Wait. Who’s Justin Bieber?” 

Jake cackles. “I keep forgetting you know practically nothing about what’s happened in the last 50 years. You’re like a child.”

Her eyes flash black at Jake’s teasing. Her defenses went up at any sign of embarrassment, but her head was swimming in brown liquor. She barely managed to sit up and stare meanly at him. With his eyes still closed, he didn’t even take notice. Though he heard her huff unhappily and it made him grin. 

“That why you need a friend? To show you the ropes of modern life?” He pushes himself up to lean on his hands. It was like he had seen inside her mind. “You kind of got sent back at a shit time. Sorry.” 

If she could still feel true shame, she might have blushed, but her body didn’t work like that anymore. Instead her eyes stayed black and her hair reddened. 

“Am I hitting a nerve?” Jake chuckles again, his cruel nature peeking out at her obvious discomfort, and his eyes flick yellow. “You’re lonely?” 

She huffs, feeling the liquor fueling a growing anger. Where was her blood-sucking dog when she needed him? Actually, she wasn’t sure if demon’s like Jake would bleed so maybe it was good Rori stuck to the shadows—i.e. gone to bed. 

“No.”

“You can’t lie to me, Sal.”

The name she gave to Josh sticks in Jake’s voice. It’s an accusation. He knew. How. 

“I’ve been lying longer than you’ve existed. I can see a liar coming from off in the harbor.” Jake continues, his jeering laugh makes her skin crawl. It’s like he’d slipped into a different part of himself. Different, but still clearly Jake. “You never asked about my speciality.” 

She had a feeling he’d tell her. Wherever he had gone to with his eyes stuck in their horrifying yellow form, he was in charge for the time being. 

“Tricksters, thieves and gluttons. Used to have lechery, but it got boring.” 

“I didn’t get to choose,” she mumbles. She had drawn her knees up to her chest again, feeling some semblance of anxiety.

Jake’s eyes flicked back to brown and his smirk turned to a frown. “You didn’t get to choose?”

“Do human-demons normally get to choose?”

“Humans don’t normally become demons,” Jake corrects. “But no matter, you’re supposed to choose.”

“I don’t know what else I would’ve chosen besides what I got, I guess. It’s just not something I’m actually passionate about.” She laughs at the irony. “I don’t want to sleep with just anybody anymore. I already did that. I just want to have a good time on my terms this time.”

He smirked with a little surprised laugh. “You’re sweet on my angel brother aren’t you? His pristine feathers got under your skin.” 

She was about to deny it when she remembered what had just happened when she’d lied to him. 

“I like a challenge. That doesn’t mean I’m only interested in him…But I need a bit of a game.”

Jake knew what she was saying. She knew it. Their almost drunken fight was forgotten. The subject matter moving along to something they had clearly been avoiding all night. Their desire. She liked the power Jake exuded, even if it scared her a little too. She wanted to see if she could get him, too.

Jake rolls his eyes and motions for her to come closer. “I bet you can’t get into my mind. Nothing you could show me could sway me into sleeping with you. How’s that for a challenge?” 

She smiled. “But don’t you want to sleep with me?” 

“Says who?” He spread his legs, his knees bowed out wide. He motioned for her to take a seat on top of him. “I could make myself look like Josh if you’d like. All I’ve got to change is the hair, our faces are the same. I know he’s been avoiding you.” 

He switches from ambivalent to cruel between sentences and she can’t find her footing. She swings her left leg over his body, settling into his lap. Her hands instinctively went to his chest as he stared up at her. He was a challenge in a different way to his angel brother. 

“Okay, lay the thoughts on me,” Jake puts a hand on her shoulder when she leans in, a knowing smirk on his lips. “And I know you don’t actually need to kiss me to transfer them. There just has to be some form of skin to skin contact.” 

She huffs in annoyance. “Spoil sport.” 

Jake laughs. “Go on, giddy up, girl.” 

She narrows her eyes at him, allowing them to slip to black as she raises her fingers to Jake’s temples. Her hands slink into his hair and take a rough grasp of his roots. He grunts in mild discomfort, but maintains his challenging stare, lowering his hands to her hips to keep her still. 

Her eyelids flicker like her eyes are rolling back in her head, but the spheres of inky black don’t change. Jake watches with tempered interest, seeing her process. 

Then his vision shifts, leaving his comfortable living room, it's cloudy, murky like a foggy night out on the ocean. It’s still familiar to him. Her figure appears through the mist, shifting with the fog. She steps closer to Jake and he now hears the lapping of the ocean and tastes the salt of the oceanair on his lips. She’d found a memory of one of his ships and made it the setting for this temptation. 

‘Your fantasies are all nautical themed,’ She speaks in his mind, her tone is curious. ‘Why’s that?’

‘Aren’t you supposed to be seducing me?’

‘Yeah, but I still have questions.’

Jake laughs inside his head and he hates the way he doesn’t hate her presence there and then he wonders if she can feel that feeling. This was new for him. 

The scene rocks melodically back and forth upon waves and a beautiful blue light descends on the room he begins to see. She’s a figure at the corner of it, leaning against a door, the entire room is cozy and she is surprised by the care that seems to exude from this recess of Jake’s mind. 

There’s a cool breeze, but overall the room is warm and Jake is sat leaning back upon the bed while he watches her approach. 

‘I don’t see anything.’ She murmurs. Jake feels a ripple in the vision, a strange dichotomy of the faux images she’s showing him and the plane of reality their physical bodies are existing on. She’s pressing harder into his real skin, in his living room, talking aloud. 

Jake says nothing. 

‘I know you have carnal desires, I can sense them,’ she continues. ‘Why are they so vague?’ 

In the vision, she has sat beside Jake now, staring at him. She looks a little different in the vision than how he has seen her physical body. Her hair is duller, her body weaker, she looks far more human to Jake. Still beautiful and sensual, but he wonders if maybe she cannot change the image of her soul in the ether as easily as she can on Earth. 

She is wearing a deep blue slip, the first time he’s seen her in a color other than black. He moves in the vision and her eyes widen, confused that he has autonomy in something she is meant to control. He brushes at her hair, allowing his hand to gently trail her face and neck.

‘I usually like to pleasure my partner. I like to give them what they want.’

She stares at him intently, feeling a shiver in her spine once more. Out of control.

‘Your big wide eyes, you’re like a helpless bug, even here. All confused why you’re not in control, showing me my deepest, darkest desires.’ 

She focuses harder on her task, searching through the wisps of memory in Jake’s mind. Like Josh, he had only allowed her into a small portion of his mind, but a small portion of an ancient creature was still cavernous. She flipped through the images in search of concrete memories rather than memories of desire. Memories of times when he had felt fulfilled, she saw him curled around beautiful women, sometimes strong and sometimes meek and she was surprised. He didn’t seem like the one to be soft in the bedroom, but she remembered his remark of giving what his partners wanted. 

‘You’re barely a demon. Still practically an angel.’ She mutters, feeling discomfort when watching the scenes of him with other people for some reason. 

‘I am not.’ His voice is warning. She doesn’t press. 

She kept digging, still unsure what to do to show him something that would tempt him. Images of him in bed alone surface after a while and she pushes harder, looking for the thoughts that had been in his head at that time. She looked for what he imagined when his hand was slipping around himself in the dark. The thoughts that made his breath quicken and his stomach shudder. Finally. 

She shifted the image, her figure below Jake and she feels a strange sort of deja vu. The Jake in the scene was over her and she was moaning the usual obscenities as his hair rocked around her. Jake’s actual consciousness was unimpressed. 

‘So sometimes I like it a little vanilla, so what? You’re still not convincing me to crave you, demoness.’

‘Your mind is strange. Hard to navigate, I guess.’

Vision Jake leans down to kiss her with a hum. ‘I like that.’ 

She shifts the scene, unhappy with him messing with her again. She shows them together in a few different positions and she feels herself pulling from the things she had shown Josh, hoping Jake couldn’t tell. She also shows Jake a scene of him between her thighs and she hears him groan, making her feel a little accomplished. 

The final scene, she had been holding onto in hopes that she would’ve flustered him enough before having to show it to him. It was risky, even for her. He was a strong demon and this could make him more upset than aroused. But if he hadn’t wanted her to access the idea, he should’ve been more careful. 

They’re in a beautiful room, draped in red and flooded with moonlight. She straddles Jake’s hips and she rocks back and forth on him. He hums as she runs her hands over every curve of his face, down his neck and across his shoulders. Then she speaks to him, her lips pressed against the curve of his ear, soft and insistent. 

‘You do not have to be good to be loved.’ She felt Jake push at her presence, but she continued, kissing at his sweaty skin. ‘You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.’ 

She kisses him deeply on the lips and vision Jake relents, giving in to her touch. Letting it consume him, he gets lost in the imagined moment, pulling her figure closer, wanting them to meld into one. In the vision, it’s almost as if they do, their souls twisting and touching in a way so foreign to the material world she was alight in a way she never had been before.

In his living room, she releases his head and her eyes flicker back to their regular color. Jake’s hands are strong, keeping her close as he blinks back to the physical plane. 

“How did you know to say that?” Jake breathes, feeling slightly off, but knowing he wanted Y/N here. “How did you see that?”

She feels the intensity of Jake’s question. “It was in a memory. You read the poem and then went to bed.” 

Jake nodded, still staring at her face but not quite her eyes, wanting her to continue. 

“I felt how happy you were that night when you came. The only thing different from other nights was that poem. Thought I’d give it a shot.” 

“Don’t ever speak of that to anyone. Do you understand me?” His fingers were burning at her sides. 

“I would never.” Her voice is sincere. She worries her lip, unsure if she should say what’s really on her mind. “I meant it.”

Jake looks up at her eyes for the first time since they had come out of the vision. “What?” 

She traces under his eyes gingerly with her thumbs, scared of him pushing her away. “I understand why you like the poem so much. I like it too. So, I meant it...You can tell me about your despair, and I will tell you mine.”

She pauses, watching Jake’s blank expression. 

“If you want. Challenge, everything, aside. I am a demon but I am also still a girl inside somewhere. Both exist within me and I don’t even like the demon stuff all that much. I’ve had 50 years to realize just how much I wish I’d done it all differently. Maybe I wouldn’t be seducing strangers as some sort of living dead eternal 27 year old. Maybe I could’ve been alive somewhere else right now, withering with a long line of family to love me as I died slowly.” 

“Oh fucking hell,” Jake sighs, releasing a hand to twirl a finger through her hair. .

“What?” 

“You’re fucking brilliant,” He shakes his hair out and then presses his lips against her just like he had in the vision. “You win,” He mumbles against her lips. 

She kisses him back, her arms snaking around his neck. “It wasn’t a gimmick. I’m serious.” 

“I know, and you win. Sincerity,” Jake moves his lips to kiss along her jaw. “Is extremely sexy, in a world where almost nothing is true. Fuck. You’re so soft.” 

She grinned up at the ceiling, befuddled but excited. 

“Do those people even know the gift they were getting when you went home with them?” His voice shakes with passion and desire. She’s certain this is not from her usual influence. Her powers hadn’t worked on Jake at all.

Jake was practically worshiping her because she was herself. Because she had found a real piece of him and shown it to him and connected with it. It felt better than any meaningless hookup she’d had before. Jake, the demon who had criticized her, was the gentlest lover she’d ever had. The sweetest soul she’d ever connected with. It felt so good to be seen.

-

To be continued….

let me know what you think

Taglist: @joshysgirl @ofthecaravel

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Whispered Rumours

Previous

"Henry!" Evie cheered, running towards the wagon, as the tall blond boy jumped down, embracing her in a hug.

Carol was sat atop of it, the reigns in her hands as she watched them all, her eyes scanning all their faces, before falling on little Archies, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Need a ride?" Carol asked them.

"Aunt Carol!" Daisy cheered, running to the wagon, the woman helping her up, then Bambi.

"Dog! Come on!" Daryl shouted, clapping his hands.

Dog ran towards them, the two homemade arrows in his jaws, that Daryl then took from him.

They headed back to the cabin, Evie and Henry walked ahead with their arms linked, catching each other up on the bits they had forgot to share over the radio, whilst Daisy and Bambi sniggered together behind them.

"I think I believe that I haven't had the chance to meet this lil lady yet." Carol walked in the back with Daryl and Natalia.

"About that..." Natalia started, handing over the baby. "He's not a lil lady." She put it gently.

Carol's eyes snapped to the couple, then back to the baby.

"A boy?" Carol asked.

"5th time lucky." She shrugged, though it wasn't luck, because she loved her girls, but it was nice to have a change.

"Meet Archie Carl Dixon, Nat came up with the name." Daryl told her.

"Oh, I love it." She smiled widely.

"Carl made me promise that if I ever had a boy, I had to name it after him, here we are, my lil CJ." She kissed her sons cheek. "The nerve of him to come out and look nothing like me, though." She glared with a smile.

"Was about to say, this is no Moore hair." Carol laughed, running her hands over the small patch of blond.

"Yeah, hair went darker with age." Daryl shrugged, the tips of his ears going a little red.

"Yeah, you were a little sandy when we first met, actually." Carol laughed.

"See, I never knew that, because He" She jabbed her thumb at him. "Doesn't seem to tell me things like this."

"Henry!" Carol called ahead, as they got nearer. "Watch out, okay!"

"Yeah" He looked over his shoulder, giving her a thumbs up.

"Don't worry Carol, your precious prince is fine." Evie teased, earning an nudge from the teen boy.

"You're a prince!?" Daisy howled, finding the idea of this absolutely ridiculous, her older sister used to talk about queens and kings, princesses and kingdoms a lot when they were younger, but they didn't really know about it except from her stories.

"Mommy, I wanna be a prince!" Bambi told her.

"You can, sweetie." Natalia told her. "Or, you can be even better, a princess!"

The twins gasped at this as Natalia caught up to them, to chat as they got situated back at home.

"She's come a long way." Carol commented, handing the baby to his father, as they watched the woman interact with all the kids.

"She has." Daryl agreed. "Kids make her happy."

"And you?" She peeked at him, as he held his son, walking towards the river so he could wash the girls arrows.

"I'm happy when she's happy." He answered vaguely. "That's all I need."

"She like living out here?"

Daryl focused on his job, knowing what she was getting at, and yet, he still answered truthfully.

"Nah, she misses 'er friends an' the other kids, the walls, but she won't go, don' know why."

"Because you won't, Nat knows you wanna be out here, so she'll go where you go, because she loves you."

"I know she does." He sighed, running a few drops of water over Archies head, cooling him down in the heat.

"How about we go take a walk?" She suggested. "Catch up."

Daryl stood up.

"Needa go check the traps anyway." He grunted, walking past her and towards his wife. "Girls, take yer arrows an' put 'em away." He told the twins, who accepted them with thanks, before running into the cabin. "Nat, me an' Carol goin' go for a walk, you gonna be alright?"

He was hoping she'd say no.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, go, have fun." She pecked his lips quickly, taking Archie and ignoring his growls of refusal, as he marched back the way they came, Carol following, Dog running ahead. "Look after my dog!"

"Following me, ain't he. My Dog."

"Uh huh." She falsely agreed. "Daddy's so silly, how he thinks he's in charge, isn't he?" She cooed  to Archie, who babbled nonsense, in response.

She looked ahead, to see Henry and Evie laughing about something, she wondered if she ever took her advise, last year.

Daryl had come back with a hare and a snake around his neck, by the looks on both his and Carols faces, whatever they went out to discuss, did not end okay, Natalia could also tell by the way he was aggressively skinning the poor animals.

"Alright, I'm going to go feed this guy, then put him to bed, uh, how about we cut this awkward tension by the time I get back, huh?" Natalia stood up from around the campfire.

"You got 30 minutes." Daryl told her, rubbing his son's head in goodnight.

"That's okay, baby, just like it was all those years ago, I'm still not eating snake." She patted his arm, standing up from the fire. "Man, I miss Jerry's snack inventions."

"He's still alive y'know... you could always go there." Carol told her. "He'd be willing to have a test subject again."

"Oh, y'know what... I just remembered." She snapped her fingers, walking away before finishing her sentence.

When she had come back outside, it was nightfall, and everyone was sat around the fire, silently eating.

"Archie is asleep, all hold your applause." Natalia bowed as her twins greeted her.

Daryl handed her a bowl of the rabbit stew, without looking up, as she sat beside him.

"How'd you get the scar, anyway?" Henry asked, looking at Daryl.

"Hen, shut up!" Evie hissed, jabbing the boy.

Daryl stared at him for a little bit, before picking up Dog's food bowl.

"Where's that dog? His food's getting cold." Daryl managed to go off course. "Dog!"

"Dog!" Daisy yelled, copying her father.

"Hey, don't talk with your mouth full." Natalia told her.

"But Daddy did it." She argued.

"You either." She looked at her husband.

"Imma go find 'im." He got up, whistling for the pet as he walked away with the bowl.

"Mom, Henry's going to the Hilltop, to learn how to be a blacksmith." Evie told her.

"Oh, that's nice, should be fun." She smiled at him.

"Yep, and Carol wants us to go with him." She continued.

"Evie, leave it alone." Henry told her.

Carol didn't say anything, she was hoping for Natalia to hear about it.

"And Dad said no."

"Why do you want us to go?" Natalia asked.

Carol shrugged.

"Think it'd be good for everyone."

"Mommy, what's the Hilltop?" Daisy asked.

"Uhm, it's a place that me, Daddy and Evie used to live, like, do you remember where we lived before here?"

They shook their heads, of course they wouldn't.

"It's a place, with this big house, and lots of cool paintings, and animals, and gardens, its real cool, and lots of our friends live there."

"I wanna go to the Hilltop." Bambi said. "Please, Mommy, can we go to the Hilltop"

"Lemme go help Daddy find Dog, okay? Carol do you mind-?"

"Yeah, of course." Carol mentally thanked Evie.

Natalia got up from the log, following the direction that Daryl had gone in.

She eventually found him, messing around with one of his traps, something he did when he didn't want to communicate that he was pissed off.

"Hey." Natalia greeted him, earning a look over the shoulder and a grunt in response, charming as ever. "Hey, Doggy, hi." She greeted the pet, that jumped at her, excitedly.

"Why ain't you eating?" He managed words this time.

"Uh, just 'cause I found out something pretty interesting." She watched as his hands froze for just a second. "Evie told me about the real reason why they're here."

"So?" He shrugged.

"The twins, they wanna go find out what Hilltop is, Bam just begged to go."

"Hm."

"Daryl... I've been patient with you, I really have, but... we've been out here for three years, the girls don't even remember Alexandria, today is the first time that Archie is meeting people, how much longer are we gonna be stuck here?"

"Thought you liked it out here, yer the one who wanted to stay so bad, always going off at me about getting away from everybody, away from him."

"He's not at The Hilltop." She kept her voice calm and even, compared to Daryl, who's temper was only getting worse. "Look, I am happy, I'm happy with you, I am with our kids, and our life, it's been nice, but y'know what hasn't been nice, the clusters of walkers that have been getting closer and closer every week, and bigger might I add, it's getting dangerous out here again, Daryl, and you want our kids out here, in this?"

"The girls can handle themselves, you saw 'em today."

"Can Archie, who is four months old, by the way."

"It'll only be for a little while, just until Henry's done learning, and we can return him back to his parents. I want our kids to be able to see a place as great as the Hilltop, so we can tell them what we fought so hard for, so they can meet cows, and goats, and even kids their own age, and see what it's like to live behind walls and houses, and a proper community, not tree's and traps and fields. And I want them to meet Rosita, and Tara, and Eugene and Jesus, and Enid, God, I miss them, too, I want to see my friends, and make sure they're still alive after so many years."

"That's really what you want?" He asked, looking away from his trap.

"Yes, Goddamn it, yes, I do."

"Fine." He sighed in defeat. "But you're packing up their shit, I ain't doing it."

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." She jumped in excitement, running over and hugging him from behind. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Alright, alright, I get it." He stopped himself from toppling over as she attacked him with affection.

"You're the best, baby, wait till everyone goes to bed, I'll show you how good you are to me." She winked, walking away and back to the camp.

"You're back." Carol smiled, when she reached them.

"Girls, go pack your essentials, we'll be heading off early tomorrow so make sure you get a goodnights sleep, Hen, why don't you go help Evie." She offered.

"It worked?! Evie jumped up happily.

"How?" Henry asked, bewildered, as the twins ran off excitedly into the cabin, cheering about going to The Hilltop.

"I'm not willing to admit my trade secrets." She shrugged, as Evie tugged him away.

"Thank you, truly." Carol said.

"Hey, if it were any of mine, I'd want the same, besides, I have a funny feeling that my daughter would've gone with your son, regardless."

"I'm glad they have each other."

"Yeah, compared to when they first met, Evie hated him." Natalia laughed. "Ruined playtime because he was so serious, apparently."

The next morning, the sun was up, and everyone was busy packing away their things, ready for the journey.

"Alright, everyone be ready to go in ten" Daryl called to the kids.

"Daddy, can I ride with you?" Bambi asked, raising eyebrows, surprised that sweet Bambi was asking to go on the bike, and not curious Daisy.

"Absolutely not." Natalia turned her down, going through the girls and Archies bags, making sure they had everything they needed.

"Why not?" Daryl shrugged.

"You said we only have ten minutes, right?" She challenged.

"She'll be alright, I'll let her ride in the front."

"I see one millimetre of wheel come off the ground, she's coming straight off, you hear me?"

"Loud an' clear." He saluted.

"Seriously, your parents are so weird, but so... perfect for each other." Henry muttered to Evie.

"Yeah, I know." She rolled her eyes.

Dog was the first to enter Hilltop, sprinting ahead as he barked happily, then Daryl and Bambi, and finally the wagon.

"It's not fair" Daisy grumped. "Why'd she get to go, and not me?"

"Because she asked first, honey, but you get to be with Mommy, that's good enough, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." She folded her arms, leaning on the vehicle as she rested her chin.

"So, Enid's still here, right?" Henry asked.

"Far as I know, why?"  Carol answered.

"Wonder if she'll recognise me." He smirked. "It's been a while, and I'm taller. Like bigger, y'know?"

Evie was staring at him, unimpressed.

"And more of a dork." She scoffed.

"You're adorable." Carol teased, as everyone climbed out of the wagon, Daryl fist bumped Tara before helping Daisy and Natalia.

"No I'm not." Henry protested. "Unless Enid likes adorable."

"Why do you care what she thinks, she's not friends with you." Evie told him, hopping out.

"Woah, one, two, three. Baby." Tara pointed at the kids, doing a quick head count, before pointing at the baby in Natalia's arms. "Where'd this guy comes from?"

"Come on, Tara, I think you're a bit too old for that kind of talk." Natalia teased, hugging her friend. "Kids, meet Aunt Tara."

"Hey!" She waved at them, fist bumping their fists, even getting one off the infant. "Who have we got here?"

"Y'know Evie." Daryl pointed at the teenager.

"Shut up, this is Evie?"

The girl blushed, feeling quite shy.

"Hey, Tara." She waved.

"Sorry, didn't recognise you under all that beauty and young womanlike energy, you're also taller than I was expecting."

"Tell me about it, she shot up in the past few years. Alright, girls, introduce yourselves." Natalia patted the twins heads.

"Hi, I'm Daisy."

"I'm Bambi." Bambi was holding Daryl's hand, slightly hiding behind him, so the girl could ride motorcycle, but not meet strangers.

"Hey dudes." She got another round of fist bumps. "And who's this guy?"

"This, is Archie." Daryl spoke up. "Four months old."

"Hey, Archie." Tara smiled at him. "Wait, have I got just the thing for these two." Tara turned to the twins, pulling something out of her pocket and handing one of each to them, two green kazoos.

"Thank you, Aunt Tara." They said in unison.

"Tara, you shouldn't have, really, you should not have." Natalia smiled, but it was totally fake.

"Regretting leaving the woods already?" Daryl muttered to her.

"Hey, you see a kazoo, you give it to a kid, don't worry, they can join the band I'm putting together."

"This is a pleasant surprise." Jesus walked towards them.

"Oh, man, We just went through introductions." Natalia groaned, passing Archie to Daryl.

"Not to worry, I overheard, I'm Jesus." He introduced himself to the girls, the name didn't have much affect on them, as this is the only Jesus they've ever heard of.

"When my Mommy and Daddy's angry, I hear them shout for you a lot." Bambi told him.

"Oh, uh, think it's a different guy." He laughed. "What brings you all the way out here, anyway?"

"Henry." Carol answered. "He's taken a stubborn interest in blacksmithing."

"Oh, we might be able to help with that." Jesus nodded.

"Thought I heard a bike."

Natalia turned, seeing Aaron walking towards Daryl embracing him and the baby, who he had no idea was there, until then.

"Good to see you, man." Daryl greeted, but was pushed away by Natalia, as she wrapped her arms around her friend, hugging him tightly.

"Hi." She spoke.

"Hey, missed you guys." He patted her back, when she pulled away. "Don't tell me, Daisy," He pointed at the girl dressed in green. "Bambi." Then the girl in blue.

"Yes." They squealed excitedly.

"And who's this?" He smiled at the baby, waving.

"Archie." Daryl answered, again, letting Aaron take him.

"Oh, wow." He raised his brows, cradling the baby. "Who knew you of all people would be the ones to end up with a small army of kids" He laughed, happy for his friends.

"What'd you doing here?" Daryl asked. "Somethin' up?"

"Yeah, Michonne still got everyone on lockdown?" Natalia asked.

"We found Rosita outside the walls yesterday." Aaron answered, quietly.

"What? Where is she? Is she okay?" Natalia demanded.

"She's pretty banged up. She's in the infirmary. And, uh, Eugene's missing. We're headed out to go find him. Could use a good tracker." He looked between the pair.

"Yeah. Of course." Daryl agreed, glancing at Natalia.

"I'll go too."

"Are you sure?" Aaron asked. "We could really use your help."

"No, you stay here, kids need ya."

"The kids, will be fine, Evie and Henry can watch them, right?" Natalia looked to Carol.

"That's a great idea." Carol agreed, joining them so she could grab Archie, after receiving lots of hugs and kisses from his parents.

"But I wanna go with them." Henry protested.

"No." She shook her head.

"Mom, but-"

"No, come on, let's go get settled, girls, come on."

"Girls, be good, and listen to your sister, okay? I expect you in bed and asleep when we get back."

"We will." Bambi answered for the both of them.

"Mom, we got this, don't worry." Evie took both girls hands, nodding at her parents as they walked to their temporary home.

"Chill, dude, I'll keep my eye on them." Tara promised.

"Wow." Aaron smiled at Natalia.

"What?" She looked at him.

"Your like completely different from that woman who threated to stab me to death whilst offering me food."

"First time I met you, you had a gun pointed at my face, whilst half your bra was out your shirt." Jesus commented, joining them. "Now look, bed by the time mom and dad get home."

"Alright, I have not threatened to kill every person I've met." She defended herself.

"You did to me." Daryl raised his hand. "An' every person you've met, except for Michonne, I think."

"She is not the only one. Hey, aren't we going out to look for Eugene" She reminded, getting them to move into action, ready to leave, instead of poking at her murderous tendencies.

Jesus and Aaron had rode on horse back whilst Daryl and Natalia took the bike, until they reached a large land of grass, a herd wasn't too far as they passed.

The four watched, crouched behind a fallen tree.

"There's about 130, 140 of 'em." Daryl shared, doing a headcount to the best of his ability.

"You ever see them do this before?" Jesus asked, watching as the walkers moved in a circle.

"No. Never." Aaron answered.

"Rosita's backtrail goes right through 'em."

"Alright, then, let's get those horses, circle back, then we'll head off." Natalia declared, turning in the direction of the large animals.

"What about them?" Aaron nodded at the herd.

"What about 'em?" Daryl asked.

"They're just milling around."

"That's not normal." Jesus agreed.

"Yeah, well, their existence isn't normal." Natalia shrugged. "Let's go before they catch us, then we'll have a real problem on our hands."

"She's right. We should go, there's a storm coming." Daryl told them, as the wind picked up. "Dog!"

"So, uhm, you still in Alexandria?" Natalia asked Aaron, as they walked back.

"Yep. Gracie loves it there, she's seven now, can you believe that?" Aaron smiled widely.

"Good, good, that's great, I can't wait for her to meet the twins." She nodded. "Uhm, how's- how's everyone, Michonne... the others."

"He's still alive, Nat." He sighed.

"No, no, yeah I gathered that, you know, apparently our friendship wasn't strong enough for the life of a worthless, no good, piece of fucking hell spawn, rotten shit dumpster fire, but, uh, y'know." She shrugged. "How's she doing though?"

"She misses you, a lot, and she misses the kids, Michonne's sorry, Nat, she is, but you know how things are, it wasn't an easy decision, and she's managing, you know, RJ is the same age as the girls, and there's not much kids his age, they'd have a lot of fun together, as well."

"And Judith?"

"She's good, real good, y'know, she saved a group, a few days ago."

"Really?" Natalia raised her brows.

"Yeah, their names are, uh, Connie, Kelly, Magna, Yumiko and Luke."

"Oh, wow, all by herself?"

"She takes' after her Aunt Nat, running towards danger." He smiled.

"God, that's... that's really great to hear, she gets it from her brother, I'm gonna go tell Daryl, he'll love it." She grinned, before hugging him again. "It's been so good to see you again, and everyone."

"Then visit more often, the gates are always open for you."

"I'm working on it." She chuckled, before jogging ahead to catch up with Daryl, Jesus had slowed down, to walk with Aaron.

"You're chatty." He commented, when she joined his side, Dog was walking beside him.

"Aaron was just catching me up on the kids, Judith, she rescued a group of people the other day, five people."

"A huh?"

"Yeah! She brought them back, all by herself, that's amazing, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's uh, real good, hol- up." He looked around, seeming to hear something.

"What is it?"

"The herd..." He walked back towards Aaron and Jesus. "Its coming for us. The wind is carrying the sound." He grabbed an alarm clock, winding it up and throwing it far across the ground. "C'mon. Let's put some ground between us and them."

"Dog, come on." Natalia called, jogging away from the herd.

They had got to a safe distance, watching the herd as it walked ahead.

"You put that herd around 140, right?" Jesus asked, looking at it with binoculars.

"Yeah."

"Looks like more than double, now." Jesus looked at Daryl, as Natalia took the binoculars, having a look for herself.

"Could be a different herd." Aaron suggested, but his tone seemed stressed. "Or it merged with another one."

"Ain't gonna be there very long." Daryl assured, as the alarm clock went off in the distance. "Don't matter how big it is, long as it's going the other way."

"I don't like this." Natalia sighed. "We need to find Eugene, and get back, quick as possible."

The storm had got heavier as they continued on, all the way into the night, surrounded by a thick fog.

They had reached a barn, Dog waited patiently outside of it.

"Go, on boy. Go find him." Daryl told Dog.

He sniffed around the place, finding a spot on some hay as he began to whine for their attention.

"Move." Daryl told him, which he did. "Good Dog."

Daryl pointed his flashlight at the hay as Jesus used his sword to move it out of the way.

"Eugene. Are you in there?" Aaron asked.

A few seconds passed before they got an answer.

"Affirmative." His distinctive voice came.

Natalia dropped to a crouch, pushing the hay completely away to find where he was hiding.

The others helped.

They lifted the wooden slab, finding Eugene hiding in a little cubby, cowering as he held his knife up.

"Hey, you're alright, okay, we're gonna get you back to Hilltop." Natalia assured, gently, moving out of the way so the men could help lift him up, instead.

He held his knee as he dropped down beside them.

"Eugene. Eugene, you alright?" Aaron asked.

"I took a bad step and dislocated my knee." He shared. "There was a herd on our six, and Rosita was forced to stash me here."

"Well, if it's dislocated. We can just pop it back in." Daryl told him.

"No." He refused.

"But it'll feel better-"

"No, we have to get out of here." He cut Natalia off. "The herd that followed us here is on its way back."

"What?" Natalia looked at him, bewildered at his sentence.

"I saw their tracks, they're gone." Daryl told him.

"No, it's not. It's already been through here twice. It's looking for me. We have to get away before it comes back." He looked around at the small group. "This wasn't a normal herd."

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked.

"When- when they passed us by, we could hear them, they were... They were whispering to each other."

"You mean they were... talking?" Aaron asked.

"I know how it sounds. But Rosita heard it, too. She'll corroborate." He panted.

"Yeah."

"You should get him back." Daryl told him.

"Yeah."

Dog started barking out the barn window, spotting something.

"Dog!" Natalia hissed, feeling completely unnerved by Eugene's confession.

The herd had reached them.

"We- we gotta go, now!" Natalia snapped, grabbing her knife.

"There's no way that's the same herd." Daryl spoke.

"They got us cut off." Aaron looked around for an escape route.

"No, no, no, no, no, no" Eugene chanted quietly, as he got up.

"So we'll backtrack, we'll go around them." Daryl suggested.

"Old Route 28 isn't far. It's the straightest shot back to the horses." Jesus confirmed.

"Lead the way." Daryl told him, as he and Aaron helped Eugene.

They ran through the woods, Jesus and Natalia clearing the path for the three, as the herd chased behind them.

"You're gonna get me-" Eugene groaned in pain.

"Come on."

"It doesn't make any sense. They shouldn't have doubled back." Jesus sighed, helping Eugene sit on a car. "And they definitely shouldn't have followed us all the way to the barn."

"I do have a theory to posit." Eugene started. "The walkers are evolving."

"How's that even possible?" Natalia asked.

"That's bullshit." Daryl dropped the idea

"They're dead, they're not evolving." Jesus whispered.

"Being dead hasn't exactly stopped them from perambulating ad infinitum, though, has it?" Eugene mocked. "They're not dead in any sense that makes sense. It takes an impact to the cranium to stop them, which means the brains alive, degraded as it may be. And if it's alive, it can change. Maybe even start to remember things, too, like how to talk." He threw his hand up in the air in frustration.

"What?" Daryl turned to look at them.

"It's not any crazier than the dead being alive in the first place. If they can learn to talk, maybe they can learn strategy and how to hunt."

"Okay, but why are we discussing this, right now, we should be more concerned about a herd following us and getting Eugene back."

"They're right on our asses." Aaron came running out of the tree's and towards them. "We've gotta get to the horses fast."

"You have to leave me behind. I'm slowing you down and tiring you out." Eugene said.

"No, we're not doing that." Natalia snapped. "We don't do that shit."

"Every time we stop, the dead get closer."

"No! We came out here to find you we're not going home without you." Jesus agreed with Natalia.

"You don't have a choice."

"Yes we do, stop being a baby and get up, let's go. It's not your call who we leave behind." Natalia finalised.

"The numbers actually work for us, we can split up. You three get him back to the horses. I'll wait for the herd to get here, then I'll draw them in the other direction. Then I'll ditch them and meet you back at the Hilltop."

"No, no." Daryl disagreed.

"We're stronger together. "Aaron said.

"That doesn't help us. Our only way out of this is to avoid a fight."

"He's right, but I don't like the idea of you going alone, they can take Eugene, we'll go together." Natalia offered.

"No. You have kids and a baby." Jesus beat Daryl to the punch.

"And I'm not planning on dying today, and I'm not letting you go alone on a suicide mission, so are we gonna keep bitching about this or are we gonna go."

"No, if anyone stays, it's gonna be me." Daryl decided. "Go. Hell, I'll probably beat you back."

Jesus and Aaron jogged to help Eugene, whilst Natalia continued in the direction she was planning on going in.

"Nat, go with the others." Daryl told her.

"No, this was mine first, so we're doing it together." She pressed.

"Why are you so frustrating." He groaned.

"Dog! Come on." Natalia refused to give him an answer, as the dog followed them.

"Come here, boy." He caved.

They had managed to find a place, was cute, like a tiny living room.

They sat on top, waiting for the herd to reach them.

Once they caught sight, Daryl lit a set of fire crackers, throwing them not too far from the pair.

Dog's barking would also help the noise factor of steering them over.

"Dog, keep 'em coming." Daryl told him.

"Daryl, look." Natalia pointed at a small group, that was acting odd, the way they were slowly trying to steer the herd back.

"Shh, shh, shh." Daryl ceased Dogs barking as they watched.

"We gotta go, we gotta get back to them." Natalia got up slowly, moving off the structure, Daryl following as they sprinted towards their friends, ending up at a graveyard, walkers were all around, they could hear Aarons cries as a whole bunch of people crowded in, fighting the undead.

Natalia sliced one down, hearing a very human cry of pain.

"What the hell is going on?" She cried out.

When there were no more, the group collected their weapons, whilst Aaron went to Jesus, who had been stabbed to death by one of the "walkers"

"Hey, come here." Daryl called, pointing his flashlight at a body.

"These walkers-- what are they?" Michonne who had turned up, asked.

Daryl had found something on one of them, using his knife to cut around one of the heads.

He yanked at it, pulling the head right off, except it wasn't a head.

It was what looked like a walker mask.

"What the fuck." Natalia spoke for everybody.

Daryl turned the walker over, revealing a very human looking face.

"Circle around." A voice whispered.

Next

[bacon-sandwich-of-dionysus]

Snippet of Chapter Three of Bloodhound

Whoop! Whoop! We have made progress! Like I said before, I am super-duper busy trying to survive school and upcoming tests so this is going to be written at a snail's pace.

Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy this little snippet of the next part of Bloodhound.

Warnings: Mentions of trauma and male violence! I'm using stuff from my old fic Baying Dogs as inspiration for this and we all know that Baying Dogs was headed in a very dark direction.

“So,” you shyly began, still eyeing your surroundings, “how come you guys decided to do some yoga?”

“Felt like we needed it, I guess.” Gaz shrugged, setting a mat on the floor.

He dusted off his hands, looking up at you from across the courtyard.

“And it also makes me feel a little at home. I used to do this regularly, believe it or not.” He smiled, “But then we had… well, Shepherd and… the stolen missiles… But, you know, we have a moment to breathe now so I’m taking it.”

“As am I!” Rudy added, placing a CD into the player, setting the lid down with a click.

“I see.” 

Good on them, you thought to yourself, Good on them!

Perhaps you should make a hobby out of this once you’ve found somewhere to properly settle, eh? You couldn’t help but smile at the thought. 

It seemed you were enjoying it so far, relishing in the ‘downward dog’ stretch, feeling your body sing with gratitude as your muscles made a start in releasing some of the tension. 

Ghost recognised your voice as he walked down the corridor, catching a glimpse of you in the sunlight, laughing as Gaz tried to keep you steady in a paired ‘tree pose’. He had to admit, it was a strange scene before him, the contentment of Gaz, Rudy, you and the instructional tape’s soundtrack of tibetan bowls contrasting with the backdrop of armoured vehicles and heavy cargo. Ghost couldn’t help but pause and watch you, no real reason forming behind the action, other than it being most likely boredom. 

“Steady, Y/N! You’re going to-”

You and Gaz fell like dominoes, with you landing right on top of him, howling with laughter. Rudy was the only one who remained standing, perfectly balanced, not quivering one bit. A small grin made itself known on his face; even with his eyes closed, he could tell what was going on. Though you were clearly no good at this, paired poses most certainly being not your thing seeing how many times you had fallen and taken poor Gaz with you, you couldn’t help but have fun. There was no real weight here to your actions, no real consequence for misstepping, no one scolding you or threatening to cleave your head from your shoulders… errors were allowed to just be. You were allowed to just be. 

Ghost was still watching, hooded eyes narrowing in curiosity. He was still trying to see what you were all about. Yesterday didn’t really give much about you apart from politeness and an eager aim to make a good first impression. Last night and this morning had presented a much more skittish side to yourself. And here? Well, here he was seeing certainly a more relaxed Y/N. You were a cackler, he’d give you that, unafraid to conceal your true laugh. Hearty chortles and snickers left your mouth as Gaz made a comment which sent you and Rudy over the edge, your laughs only intensifying as you watched Rudy lose balance and fall down. This yoga session definitely wasn’t about peace and tranquillity, but it didn’t matter, you guys were having a good time. Ghost chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he moved on to go grab something from the mess hall. He guessed he just liked the way you smiled. 

As you were settling down, still wiping tears from your eyes, you spotted a figure in the doorway.  Your senses told you this was ‘Ghost’. You felt your heartbeat begin to quicken a little, only to then die down once you saw him turn and walk away. Like a deer watching a wolf turn back to the forest after a long chase, you completely slackened with relief. He walked on, not paying you much attention. You followed him with your eyes until he was out of view. 

Did he not care?

Should you not care?

Did you overthink that whole exchange? Did you need to run?

Maybe you should go apologise. It would be a selfish apology, coming from a need to wrap this whole thing up on your end, mark this situation as officially over, but… maybe he wouldn’t care for it and just take it. Not necessarily accept your ‘sorry’, but, the again, you didn’t need that from him. 

The way he had nonchalantly moved on, like you weren’t even there, though most likely recognising you along with Gaz and Rudy, was comforting. 

“Okay!” Rudy’s voice broke through your thoughts, “I’ve fast-forwarded it to the… I think it’s called the ‘Shavasana’ part?” 

“Yeah, that’s ‘corpse pose’.” Gaz explained, getting up from his cross-legged position to go listen and assess the instructions.

He turned his head so his ear was facing the speaker, paying close attention to the CD’s soothing voice. 

“Yep,” he nodded to himself, “That’s the ‘cool down’ part.”

Then, the sergeant turned to you. 

“I know we’ve been giggly, but I think this part’s going to be better for us if we’re real calm.”

You nodded, trying to get the last of your chuckles out through taking steady breaths as guided by Gaz. You smiled a little, doing your best to focus as Gaz talked you through the breaths.

“In for four.”

You breathed in, counting away in your head. 

“Out for six.”

You exhaled, counting again. 

“Try to breathe from the bottom of your belly,” Gaz placed a hand on his tummy to show you where he meant, “and then fill your chest with air.”

You did as he said, needing a few goes before you mastered it. 

And when you exhaled, breathing out from your chest first, then your belly, it was like a part of you had left with it, dissipating into the air around you. 

“How’s that? Feel relaxed?”

You nodded. 

All three of you lay side by side, getting comfortable on your backs, ready to enter ‘corpse pose’. 

“Now, close your eyes.” The CD instructed, “Place your hands either with your palms facing up to receive, or facing downwards on the ground to release.”

Hmm, you pondered to yourself, closing your eyes, Do I want to give or receive?

To let go or accept? 

It was a tough call. 

There was a lot, particularly a lot of pain, you wanted to give up but at the same time, you wanted to receive the privileges of freedom, or at least have the hope to receive them. 

However, if you wanted to receive the boons of your new life, you would first have to properly let go of the restraints of your old one. 

Release.

You placed your hands beside you, facing downwards. 

Soon, you were back with your old friend, your haunted mind. 

In the dark, you could see the formings of your pursuers. Teeth, eyes, claws. Guns, bullets, knives. Body armour tearing, nails rendering your skin. 

You had survived them all. 

In for four. 

They were trying to put you back in the chase, when you were afraid and running from the Red Room. 

Out for six. 

However, you weren’t afraid enough to picture the setting. The pale moonlight, the forest floor, the echoes of howls and the gnashing of jaws… they were all merely descriptions. Just words. No images, no scenes. You refused to make the sights and smells tangible. Words they were, and words they shall remain. You couldn’t be scared forever, so why not make start on quelling that fear?

As you lay in your mind, another memory came forth. 

An older lamia, the one you had escaped with… who unfortunately didn’t make it. She… you were both held down by those dogs. Unsupervised, they had decided to take punishment into their own hands. 

You had seen horrible things. People beaten and bloodied beyond repair. And yet, that lamia… she had said something to you that night.

“You will learn to love men again.”

It was strange, but it stuck with you for some reason. 

“You will learn to love men again.”

You had denied it for quite some time, but in this moment of solitude, with it being just you and your thoughts, you decided it was right to acknowledge the apprehension that had been plaguing you the most. You were afraid Laswell’s lot could do what those Arcadian Sons had done. You were afraid that they were the same. 

You had denied it. However, the only other company you had ever had before this were either Arcadian Sons, the whitecoats which studied them and your comrades from the Red Room. And, as for the Arcadian Sons, a lot weren’t kind. Not all. But a lot. 

As shown by that night. 

Unit 4, the ones which had hunted you and your band of escapees, they were monsters. Regardless of what shape they took.

Men like them deserved to be tortured for eternity, put in pits of fire and burned for centuries. Have unspeakable things done to them. You wanted each and every one of those sick fucks to feel your pain, feel the fear you felt. 

However, you had forgotten to note that fear often wore the dress of anger. Letting go would not be an easy task to begin.

But you were here now and you wouldn’t let anyone hurt you like that ever again. You were in control. 

[dddytoji]

my pet

notes: naoya x fem!reader x toji // this is my first time writing a smut and my first jjk work as well so please give me any constructive feedback! (shout out to my best friend for being my editor and helping me out with this self indulgent one shot!) please enjoy! :)

word count: 4,438

warnings: 18+ NSFW; dub con, degrading, insulting, misogyny, pet play/master, slapping, spitting, pegging, cock sounding/stuffing, naoya x reader x toji, etc

You were going to a regular family dinner with your fiancé, Naoya Zenin. You were seated waiting for Naobito and Naoya to begin dinner. "Well we're just waiting on one more person for tonight's dinner." Naobito stated with a bit of distaste. He took a long sip of his sake. You peered at Naoya who looked irritated at the idea of whomever it was would be sharing a meal with the rest of you.

"I'm getting tired of waiting so let's dig in, we can't just wait on him." Naobito said, beginning to eat his food. You waited for Naoya to also have his first bite before you proceeded to eat as well. "She's such a good wom-" Naoya began before he was interrupted by the door sliding open.

"Ah, pardon the interruption." The man said walking in and seating himself right across Naoya with a small thud. He was a very well built man. Your ears burned red from seeing the way he was structured. He was more attractive than Naoya, if you so boldly admitted to yourself. "Oh, is this lady Naoya's wife to be?" The dark haired man questioned as he ate his food.

Naoya seemed more agitated, allowing Naobito to answer instead. "That's correct." Quietly, you ate your food keeping your eyes glued to the dinner in front of you. "I'm Toji, what's your name?" Toji asked you as you looked up to meet his eyes for a moment before answering politely. "Y/n," You spoke back, noticing how his face was rough with a certain gentleness when seeing it clearly.

"You need not speak to my fiancé so directly." Naoya responded staring at Toji with hooded eyes, the tone of his voice underlined with anger. "Eh? Well then how am I to speak to her?" Toji asked puzzledly, pointing his chopsticks at Naoya. Naoya replied, "Through me. She is a woman after all and mine at that."

Toji let out a hard taunting laugh. "Toji!" Naobito yelled, taking another drink of the sake bottle now in his hand. You jumped at the sudden loud voice. "Fine, fine," Toji sighed with his eyes now hooded, "but she's not even yours yet what makes you think she'll last long enough to actually stay with you. She doesn't even know if you're even capable of making her c-'' Toji was cut off by Naoya who gripped his shirt collar.

"Naoya," You spoke, grabbing his sleeve lightly, "please do not lower yourself to his level." Naoya removed his eyes from Toji's and glared back at you. Glancing back at Toji he shoved his chest and he let go of his shirt. "You're right," Naoya spoke with a distasteful tone as he glared at Toji, "I shouldn't lower myself to the level of gravel like him."

Toji scoffed a smirk playing along onto his handsome lips, "Seems like your woman knows how to restrain your leash." Chuckling, Toji shoved more rice into his mouth.

"If anyone has a leash on any one, it's me on her." Naoya responded back, taking a drink of the rice wine in his cup. Your ears burned with fury listening to Naoya speak about you in that form. You were no one's leashed pet, especially not his. You weren't even his wife yet and he already speaks of you in this way? Audacity. That's all he had. You were only obedient enough to be respected and not get insulted.

You kept up a gentle and sweet act in order to live a peaceful life in this stern household. "Naoya, I am no pet to be owned." You replied back to him in a calm and stoic tone while looking straight ahead. "She's got a point there." Toji agreed, while swallowing the food in his mouth.

Naoya turned your head to him by grabbing your chin forcefully. "No woman, especially you, shall speak to me in that manner. If I say you're a pet, then you're a fucking pet." He spat at you angrily while pushing your face away from him while releasing your jaw.

Taking a deep breath you stood up from your seat, "If you'll excuse me, I have finished my meal and will be heading back to my quarters." You announced, exiting the room without a glance back at the men sitting at the table. Toji was slightly shocked at the scene that just happened in front of him. The black haired man glances at Naoya to see his reaction.

"Pathetic woman." is all Naoya says out loud as you leave the room still being in earshot of you. You balled your fists hearing his comment.

Naobito who is also a bit shocked speaks up, "Well I think I'll be taking my leave as well." The head of the clan leaves the room with a bottle of sake in his hand.

"Go fucking apologize," Toji barks to Naoya with a bitter tone. "No, why should I? She's the one who's acting out of place." Naoya retorted, taking another drink from his cup. "You're gonna go apologize, cuz I said you are." Toji gritted out, Naoya glared at him angrily.

• • •

You had just arrived at your quarters and slammed your bedroom door shut. You were infuriated that you couldn't say anything. "What I would do to have that man on all fours in front of me." You said bitterly through gritted teeth. You began removing your kimono, annoyed at the fact that you had to wear these damn things daily.

Opening your closet door you are greeted by more kimonos and only slip on dresses to sleep in. You spotted the black box on the bottom corner of the closet. Maybe some self-pleasure would relieve my frustration. You shook your head against the thought and just grabbed the black slip-on dress.

Walking over to your vanity you removed any residue of the day's stress. You got yourself changed and ready for bed. Finally letting your hair down, you settle yourself into a futon that was placed on the ground in the middle of your room.

As you try to put your thought-full mind at ease to get some sleep, you hear the entrance door slide open then shut. Shuffling noises are heard then right after the sound of footsteps creeping to the door of your room hit the wooden floor boards.

Sitting up immediately you go to grab your robe hooked near the door as you slip it on you hear, "I'm coming in, woman." You hear Naoya's voice echo with a dejected sigh. The door slides open, revealing Naoya standing there with his arms crossed.

He's a bit shocked seeing you standing in front of him in only your open robe and your slip dress on. His face flushes and he looks away, "Put something decent on, woman."

"Woman?" You question. You were now at your wits end with him for the night. "Eh? Do I have to wear something decent in my bedroom? You came here at an indecent time, Naoya." You angrily spat poking his chest.

He looked at you now in disbelief that quickly morphed into anger. He grabbed the wrist of the hand poking his chest. "I guess it seems like you don't know your place tonight," Naoya hissed, walking you back into your bedroom getting closer to the futon that laid on the ground.

"No, it seems like you don't know yours." You mocked knocking him down to his knees and lifting his chin to look up at you. Through the faint bit of moonlight seeping through your window, you were able to see his appalled expression.

"Why you-" Grabbing his cheeks and squishing them together, you stopped all other words ready to come out of his mouth.

He grabbed your wrist with both of his hands. Before he could do anything; in a swift motion you removed the robe's waist tie and tied it around Naoya's wrists. You were surprised that you managed to tie his wrists as quickly as you did.

Holding his wrists above his head, "Tonight, I'll train you on how to be a good little bitch for your master." You growled out, releasing his face and pushing it away. "You crazy whore, let me go." Naoya swore in anger, his entire body trembled in rage as you stood looking down at him.

Pulling him down by his wrists that you were still holding, you made him land on his elbows with a thud to the ground. You laughed menacingly, walking towards the closet and pulling out the black box in the corner. "You think this is funny? You fucking cunt!" Naoya screamed at you as you walked back over to him.

You used your foot to lift his head, "It is, especially when this is how we'll be experiencing our first night together." You smiled innocently. Opening the box and emptying the contents; some toys, bottles of lube, and condoms came falling out.

Naoya looked at you stunned in fear after seeing the contents of the box displayed on the ground. "You dumb worthless wench! What do you think you're gonna do?!" He howled, anger seething through his expression. You bent down to grab his face and slapped him.

"A dog does not speak unless ordered to." Naoya's anger made his body quake. The fact you dared to speak to him in that form and to even slap him was unacceptable and ludicrous.

"Untie me you stupid whore before I decide to kill you!" Naoya cursed glaring daggers at you. You slapped him again across his face then again, and again, then again one more time.

"YOU FUCKING SLUT! UNTIE ME RIGHT NOW SO I CAN KILL YOU!" Naoya was furious at this point. You stood up and kicked his side hard enough for him to land on his back.

"I told you, I will be training you on how you should obey your master." Reaching for the collar and leash that was mixed on the ground with the other toys, you sat on him pulling at his blonde hair to lift his head from the pillow making it easier to place the collar around his neck. you smiled in love with the view of seeing him under your control.

"Get that shit off me!" Naoya demanded. Grabbing his chin you brushed your thumb pad across his bottom lip. "Now, Why would I do that? You look so good with it on. Like a proper pet." You leaned closer to him enough to let his lips brush yours.

Grinning, you whispered lowly in his ear, "The way you look right now turns me on so much." You proceeded to give him a soft kiss on his jawline. Swallowing hard, Naoya looked at you with his rage filled eyes. Awaiting what else you'd do, and how far you'd think of going.

As you slide yourself lower on him, your womanhood sat directly on his dick. Undoing his top you opened it exposing his well-built chest. Now sitting on his dick it hit you, that he was aroused.

"Well look at what we have here my slutty pet? Looks like I'm not the only one enjoying this." You grind your womanhood down on his growing bulge making Naoya's breath hitch in his throat.

You positioned yourself in between his legs with his legs on either side of your hips. "This shit is not turning me on you fucking slut." Naoya said insultingly. You removed his pants and then traced a finger on the outline of his underwear where his bulge stood out. Judging By the tent in his underwear alone, you could tell that the blonde man was huge.

"Calling me a slut when you're the one whos leaking." You poke at the tip of his dick where a small wet spot has been created from precum. Naoya had no retort for what you said, all he can do is grit his teeth in anger as you pull off his underwear. His cock springs up, the night air hitting his exposed member. You run a finger from the base of his cock to the tip.

You are just a tad bit shocked at how large his cock is. Maybe this was what he traded for instead of having a decent personality. "Well, just know I'm not nice enough to let you cum anytime soon." You commented as you reached for some lube and the beaded sound laying on the floor.

Naoya shook his head seeing the metal beaded rod in your hand he already assumed what your intentions were. "I'll make sure it doesn't hurt too much, darling." You scoffed at the word ‘darling’ leaving your lips. After having lubed up the sound you stroked Naoya's cock with your free hand to get him to relax.

As soon as he seemed more relaxed you spread the opening of his cock and started placing the beaded sound into his opening. Naoya's eyes widened, filling with tears at the foreign object being inserted into his cock. "FUCK! YOU INSANE PSYCHO BITCH!!" He bellowed out as you slowly pushed the sound into him.

After a few more curses and muffled cries, it was fully in. "Now, that wasn't too bad." You gave him a gentle smile. You stroke his dick gently feeling it twitch in your grasp. Naoya looked at you with fuming glossy eyes.

Tracing your fingers up and down his abdomen you felt just how toned he was, maybe not as buff as another certain Zenin but nicely toned. Your fingers slowly went to tease his nipples rubbing them in a circular motion.

Naoya lowered his arms down to move your hands away, "I'm not a woman! Do not pla-'' Before he could finish you pulled on the leash attached to his collar yanking him towards your face.

"If its only a place to tease women, then why is your dick twitching like a dog in heat?" You breathe out amused. Taking that moment you grab his face spitting on him. Standing up you removed your robe along with the slip dress leaving you only in some black lace-trimmed panties.

Naoya's face began to burn a crimson red, this was the first time he has ever seen your body naked. He had never seen you so exposed and bare like this, he hated to admit how much he loved the way your body looked lightly lit by the moonlight. You placed yourself back in between his legs once again grabbing the lube, you poured it on Naoya's cock letting it flood down between his ass.

Using one hand to stroke his dick while your other hand slid in between his ass. He froze sensing your second hand's action. "Don't you fucking dare you lowly whore!" He barked, his eyes widening in anger as you smirked and proceeded in plugging your index and middle finger in him. "I already let you stuff my dick! You damn lunatic!!" Naoya fumed as you resumed.

"You have no place to talk when you're g-spot is literally in your ass bitch." You sneered going further in him and spreading him out. As you began to pump into him with your fingers spreading him in the process. He muffled his moans and whimpers by biting his lip.

You let go of his dick and slapped it. "I never said not to make noise, bark for your master, disobedient bitch." You commanded as he let out a sharp gasp. He gritted his teeth, closing his eyes as you added another finger.

Proceeding to pump into him faster, making him arch his back and causing his breathing to become erratic. "S-Stop please!" He moans out, finally you had managed to hit his prostate.

"Call me master and I might consider your request, useless dog." You growled at him, pulling out your fingers. Naoya shuddered at the release of your fingers from his now begging hole. You were about to grab your strap on when you heard a knock at your bedroom door.

Frozen in place for a second, you placed a finger to your lips signaling Naoya to keep quiet, "May I ask who?" You called out as you glanced at Naoya to make sure he kept his mouth shut. Surely he wouldn't want to get caught in this situation.

"Uh, it's me Toji, I wanted to make sure Naoya didn't upset you more than he already has," Toji responded from the other side. Your mouth formed a small 'o' as you glanced back at Naoya. A smirk forms on your pretty plump lips. Naoya scowled at you and at Toji's response.

"He hasn't upset me further, but please come in." Naoya shakes his head furiously, obviously he didn't want to be seen below a woman nor did he want Toji to see his woman exposed. "Alright, I'm coming in." Toji slid the door open slowly, his head peered into the room. The dark haired male was in shock after witnessing Naoya and yours position on the futon.

"Would you care to join us?" You proposed a bit of a gleam in your eyes. Toji froze for a moment but then proceeded to walk in without saying a word, closing the door behind him. He gripped at the edge of his shirt and pulled it over his head making his way over, revealing his buff and sculpted build.

"You're into this shit!?" Naoya questioned as he saw Toji approaching you from behind. "Did I order you to speak?" You questioned, slapping his cock. Naoya flinched at the action inhaling a sharp breath.

Toji chuckled looking down at Naoya, "Seeing you getting treated like dirt by such a pretty lady, kinda tickles my taste." Toji sank onto his knees behind you.

"I'm gonna do what you haven't and fuck your woman," Toji smirked taking your breast into his hands, you could feel the rough callouses on his hands as they groped your breast. You sensed the bigger man's muscles flex against your bare back.

You bit your lip as you felt his hands roam your body. Naoya's body shook with enmity, "Get your fucking hands off of her you fucking bastard!" He demanded trying to sit himself up.

You grabbed the leash and pulled him up as close as possible to your face, "You're going to shut the fuck up and watch your master get her cunt fucked." You hissed cupping his face with your other hand. Kissing his lips roughly Naoya returned the kiss back with the same roughness. Ending the kiss you pushed him back down onto the futon.

Toji continued to explore your body with his hands. He let soft kisses touch your nape, slowly making his way to your left shoulder. His left hand was groping your right breast while his right hand wandered down inside your black panties.

"Wow, you're fucking wet," Toji breathed into your ear his deep voice causing goosebumps to rise on your skin. His fingers quickly found your clit and he began to massage it in a circular motion. He was gentle with his motion, but going at a steady pace just enough to make your body tremble with enjoyment.

You let out soft moans as he let his hands pleasure and unwind you. "On all fours pretty lady," Toji commanded, you followed his orders and positioned yourself on all fours. Your face was now in front of Naoya's throbbing cock.

The blonde man watched as you were bottomed out by Toji, this view infuriated him. He hated seeing Toji as the one you were submitting to, Naoya's frustration grew by each tortuous second. Toji proceeded to remove the garment inclosing your soaking pussy. The chill night air hitting your womanhood made you gasp softly.

Toji laid on his back his head in between your legs underneath you. You let out a moan as soon as you felt Toji's tongue start to lap your soaking pussy.

Naoya's dick began to twitch again hearing your moans get louder. It was making him more eager to have you touch him. "Fuck." Naoya exhaled.

"Tastes so fucking good," Toji moaned between each lap of his tongue gripping your thighs. He used his fingers to enter your hole, "Loosen up for me, princess." Gasping loudly, you gripped the sheets of the futon as his fingers began to pump in and out of your pussy.

You let your body move on it's own, fucking yourself on his thick fingers. "Y/n! Fuck please." Naoya breathed out desperately. Your mouth opened as you began to tongue Naoya's cock not wanting to deprive him too much.

In reality, you wanted to take Naoya's full cock in our mouth, but since you were in the midst of training this misbehaved dog, maybe another time.

"I'm going to cum!" You screamed as you came all over Toji's fingers, your legs trembling from the sensation. The dark haired male made sure to clean up all of your spilling juices with his mouth.

Toji repositioned himself on his knees and pulled you up by your arms so you were on your knees again. "Can't believe Naoya hasn't had the pleasure to enjoy your taste." Toji smirked and looked at Naoya, he grabbed your chin so he could kiss you.

"Taste yourself, my lady." Toji bit your bottom lip making you open your mouth allowing his tongue to explore the inside of your mouth. Pulling away you smiled innocently seeing Naoya's flushed face due to him being probably mad or frustrated, whatever it was you liked the expression.

"I have to give my pet the rest of his training and if he takes it well he can fuck his master's cunt next time too." You grabbed the strap on and put it on yourself, making Naoya flip and position himself with his ass up.

You proceeded to grab the lube and spanking paddle, placing the lube on Naoya to make it easier on yourself and him to slip in. Naoya was surprisingly being very complacent now, maybe seeing how Toji satisfied you made him want to do the same.

While you prepped Naoya, Toji removed his pants and underwear, tossing them to the side with the mess of clothing scattered on the floor. The heavenly carved man used his hand to pump his throbbing hard cock, getting it ready to fuck the life out of you.

"Time for some training bitch." You said sliding the attached dildo into Naoya. You hear his muffled gasp, you used the paddle to spank the blonde male's ass. Naoya jerked his head to the side at the shutter of pain coming from his ass. "Your master wants to hear her slutty pet moan, so refrain from keeping quiet." You ordered spanking him again.

Finally you were fully taken in by Naoya you then began pumping into his plump ass. You started at a slow enough pace to let Toji insert himself inside you.

You felt his cock fill you up. He was big and his girth filled your tight pussy. Your walls clenched around his cock almost about to cum from him just entering you. Toji gripped your waist, "No cumming this easily, my lady." He hummed into your ear.

Snapping back your head nodding at his command and you happily continue thrusting into Naoya. Picking up the pace Toji met you with the same rhythm while his left hand was placed on your neck gently squeezing the sides with his fingers and thumb.

His right hand squeezed and groped your left breast; with your hand on Naoya's waist to keep your pace steady. Naoya's grunts and moans echoed through the dimly lit room as you begin to hit his prostate.

"Please stop!" Naoya whimpered as he starts to feel the immense pleasure from having you fuck him. Toji's grunts and moans get louder filling the room as well. "Please, please! I hate you! You fucking piece of shit woman!!" Naoya cursed through waves of pleasure.

You used the paddle to reprimand him for cursing. You're able to see the tint of his ass get redder with the little bit of moonlight peaking in, it was a full moon out tonight and your body and mind were in bliss.

You kept thrusting, hitting Naoya's prostate repeatedly, "I wanna cum! I wanna cum! Let me cum please!" Naoya pleaded out to you. Now you just had to see his expressions, imagining it when it was right in front of you wasn't sufficing. Toji kept his rhythm as he was also close to his peak.

Your smooth hand grabbed Toji's wrist to stop him as you halted your movements into Naoya. Pulling out of the blonde man, you flipped him over on his back. His face flushed and wet with tears, his eyes sparkling with wetness making the sadistic side of yourself excited.

Seeing him in that state made your pussy get wetter than it was already. Toji felt you squeeze around his cock at the view of your fiancé looking like a pathetic animal. You grabbed Naoya's cock and removed the beaded sound slowly from his flushed-pulsing cock.

With each of the beaded rod sliding out Naoya panted and moaning once it was fully extracted from his huge cock. "Please make me cum, Master." Naoya whined while looking at you completely bottomed out.

Your face blushed as you repositioned yourself back into Naoya. Toji started again as well once you got to a good pace. Picking up the speed of your thrusts, you were ready to make his dick unload the cum he had been building up.

Naoya was now shamelessly moaning and grunting as you were hitting his sweet spot repeatedly. He arched his back to feel each thrust you did. Deciding  to add to his pleasure you pumped his cock in your hand, making him throw his head back at the blissful feeling.

Toji kept thrusting into you, hitting your g-spot and making you throw your head back in satisfaction as well. Moans cascading out of your mouth a symphony. Your panted as your walls clenched around him as you were getting close to your orgasm.

"I'm cumming!" all three of your pleasured voices mixed at once as you reach your climax. Removing yourself from Naoya, his cum squirts all over his own chest.

Toji pulls out of you, cumming on your back all the while your legs tremble as you cum as well. "I fucking hated this," Naoya grunted out breathing heavily. You smirked at your fiancé and questioned him, "Wanna get your brains fucked again, you dumb crybaby pet?"

[seb-owns-these-tatas]

7th Dimension (Chapter 4.2)

7TH DIMENSION SYNOPSIS/MASTERLIST

PREVIOUSLY ON CHAPTER 4.1

WATTPAD LINK FOR 7TH DIMENSION

Characters: Gojo Satoru x Small!Naive!Fem!Foreign!Reader | THIS IS A MULTI-CHAPTER FIC. THIS IS AN X READER FANFIC WHO HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DIMENSION OF JUJUTSU KAISEN | (Trust me, you'll live. I hope?)

Summary: The mouse was finally caught in a trap, getting lost in the depths of an abandoned cursed town out in Hatagaya where several cursed spirits parade and have been tricking people. Yet, this was a training ground for Gojo Satoru's students. You were just an NPC for the meantime. Satoru took this as an opportunity to probe in the idea over how you had his birthday as a passcode, earning nothing but the fragmented crevasse of your memories and a moment to show-off whom you were dealing with.

Warnings: Just Gojo being Gojo. HE'LL BE THE DEATH OF ME. ISTG. Let's just say that Monster's Inc. don't exist in this dimension they're in. Mike Wazowski is mentioned. The cursed spirit described here was inspired by the Roppongi Cursed Spirit, yet this one has only one eye and has a higher level rather than the one from Roppongi.

Tell me if you want to be tagged whenever I publish chapters for 7th Dimension! Send an ask or message me!

A/N: THIS IS QUITE A LONG ONE. HEEHEE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. 😭 This was actually one of the chapters that made me stare out of nowhere because it has pulled all my energy and strength over thinking how I could explain what I have visualized the scenes in my head. Tbh. Y'all will have the fluffy chapters soon enough. I know we be in the slow pace rn~

COMMENTS AND REBLOGS ARE SUPER-DUPER HIGHLY APPRECIATED! IT GIVES ME SUCH MOTIVATION AND INSPO! THERE MIGHT BE LOTS OF TYPOS AND GRAMMAR ERRORS BECAUSE I'VE JUST HAD TO GIVE THIS ONE READ BEFORE I DECIDED TO UPDATE THIS TODAY! ENJOY, SATORU---I MEAN, ENJOY READING, GUYS!

Words: 7.2k+

Disclaimer: PNG's or pictures used in edits are not mine even the GIF's too. I only own the plot of this whole fanfic. But, not Jujutsu Kaisen and it's characters. I apologize for the typos or grammatical errors by the way! English isn't my first language so I'm so sorry in advance! Character development and personalities are based from my understanding and how I want them to be.

THE CRY OF A DOG IN THE TIME OF DARKNESS. It can never be more eerie than hearing a sonorous yowl while trudging through a desolated town of Tokyo. This was an endless cycle, you huffed to yourself. A breath of native curse sounding incoherent even to yourself because of how the cold bothered you with each step you take. The entire experience was like a gateway to hell---there was no exit.

It felt entirely like a 'roundabout' playground. Boundless. Unfathomable and limitless, making you feel foolish as it circulates, constantly reminding you that your decisions were cretinous. There were living revenants, you best believe that from the stifled laughs and voices resounding from a distance. These ghosts you were hearing, those incoherent whispers of agony and delight, laughs that resounded from ear-to-ear echoed like it was taking the part of portraying pointed fingers at you for your utter stupidity. Was it really eidolons of the living dead? or was it your subconscious mind convulsing with laughter from the course of action you've made? Hence, hearing a loud howl from the distance didn't help the dread pumping your veins.

You were an imbecile for leaving the people who probably knew their way around Tokyo. It didn't help that you weren't great at distinguishing the trail out of an abandoned town. Did you take a right turn? a left?

The experience felt like a whole new kind of 'Spirited Away' from a Studio Ghibli Film. There was no out of the spirit world. You've sat in the middle of a well-built road. Emotions downcast for being anathematized by Japan's spectral anecdotes. Did the country also have one of those tales where there were particular places guarded by supernatural beings that once you've stepped within their boundaries could be untraversable?

Lamp posts were busted. Thus, keeping such an uncanny feeling as you were trapped under the Tartarean night. Humiliating. The ignominy of being dropped by an Uno reverse card for your halfwitted alternatives came back to you like a boomerang. Those hushed inputs coming from phantasms of the night begun to quiet down. Being lost in the middle of nowhere left your heart petrified rather than the supernatural beings or encounters you were trying to tolerate. Withstanding the ability to hear paranormal phenomenon was actually normal even back in your hometown. It was not new to you.

Howbeit, the chances of seeing one---would be a newfangled experience if you were given a chance. Deep inside, you were skeptical about seeing one because you didn't know how you would react.

Your knees were propped up under your elbows as you were staring blankly at a distance, sighing once you've closed your eyes and tried hard to remember the right pathway. There was only one clue you've remembered. A street's arc---in all possibility, it was the entrance or exit of the town you were trapped in.

"I've been running in circles---," you sighed for the second time, cheeks puffed from pouting like a rejected woman. The state of being lost has given you the push to thoughtlessly state your inner voices out of your head like you had someone with you despite of having no one near. You were going bonkers upon hearing yourself for the second time you've heard the words out of your mouth, it was probably the second phase now of your mental capacity on how to handle your hopelessness. A pleading of Desperation.

"---I knew it. I should've chosen to die in the hands of Satoru instead. It was probably better than dying with no return because I'VE BEEN WALKING ROUND'N'ROUND! I'll die from hunger. HUNGER! Oh, the suffering! Darn! How dramatic can I be?!"

Putting emphasis on the end of your sentence, your voice was tumultuous, amplified as your voice carried the farthest corners of the abandoned town you were currently in, "I'm stupid!" you've topped your sentence with an insult to yourself, the undersoles of your feet landed an unnecessary stomp of your foot from being desponded over the situation.

"---Is this really Japan? I just wanted to know where the airport is. The direction pointed here." you've aimlessly pointed out of nowhere, the confusion perennial still. Looking left and right, you were welcomed by another set of street, lately realizing that you were in the middle of an interlacing road.

What the heck. That tiny voice in your head exasperatingly stated, acknowledging the fact that you've already passed through that side of the road.

"If only I had my phone with me---" Your voiced got stuck in your throat when you've heard a loud crash, pulling you out of your reverie as it got you standing on your feet in a hot second. It sounded rackety and disconcerting like a building being demolished by machines.

As far as you recalled, the town appeared to be neglected because there was no one around. But, why were you hearing such turbulent clashes of structures? Was this the bell of an abandoned street out in Tokyo? The toll for an unanticipated demise for your gullibility?

Thump. Thump. The reverberant clobbering of your heart, a whistle-stop of a country race. All variegated emotions spiking through the roof for the sudden eruption from a distance. Where were you about to go? Despair and imprudence filled your thoughts, giving the streets a glance of double takes, skeptical in choosing the right path to go. The blast seemed to come from the right corner of the street which made you choose the left.

Your toes felt cold. It was twitching that you had to exhale a shaky breath whilst you raised a foot to start your trek in finding the exit to this cursed street you were in.

On the spur of the moment, there was this cogent hunch that tells you someone stood behind you. It was probably an apparition. You thought to yourself, your positive intuitions about them---your beliefs that they were real was also probably one of the reasons why they somehow try to talk you through their miseries or desires.

Apparently, you didn't have it in you---to even take a peek at who was keeping a weather eye on your form. It was looking. Someone was watching you like a hawk. This specter was observing as you took hesitant, cautious steps away.

How it left you flabbergasted to see the person you were gravely chanting for inside your head. The desperate call for a name you've staunchly give credence that he was somewhat a captor of yours, this person's name being called in vain whilst the mouse was out for a run.

Who was laughing now?

Gojo Satoru popped in front of you within a blink of an eye. You couldn't believe it with your own two eyes. It was an unorthodox sense of normality if you were talking about how you've lived back in earth---you shook your head. No. You best believe that you were on earth right? This surreal activity can happen back in earth, really. Another one of your delirious pep-talks came crashing down abundantly, question after question consisting the possibility that you weren't living in your dimension as this man who stood before you---grinning so wide, flaunting his pearly white teeth that stood under the Tartarean night, an epitome of a star ought to glimmer as if he was somehow a celestial being offering you the light to your crepuscular karma of disobeying his commands.

This man just didn't teleport right before your eyes because if so, then he was certainly beyond normal.

"Tiny-Chan! Looking for this?" Gojo sniggered, smirking from ear to ear as his simple Spatial Teleportation Technique took your breath away. Was it too soon for that? he wordlessly thought to himself, his wide smile remained plastered to his stunning features. He raised your locked cellphone right in front of your face, wanting to be in a laughing fit for how nonplussed and flabbergasted you were in, "---How'd you know my birthday by the way?" He declared, point-blank. Ignorant for how he actually felt about the whole idea that you knew his birthday and used it for your mobile password.

The Jujutsu Sorcerer has given you a minute to process everything in, slipping back your phone inside his pockets again because you weren't responding and he could hear Megumi's Divine Dog barking from a distance which was the only sounds that kept the conversation less awkward than it could been.

He probably shouldn't have surprised you in that way. Perhaps, he was a little bit too ostentatious for showing a playful trick. But, it was actually a part of a test---his test. An assessment to acquire information if these certain things happen back in your dimension.

There was also a large possibility that Yuji was bound to bring the cursed spirit to you as he could see his student's progress from the signal tower on where he stood while he snooped through your phone and kept track of everyone's movements including yours. Thus, ended with him casting Spatial Teleportation to be where you are.

To what he perceives from your reactions, it seemed like there were none. How simple and dull can your real dimension be?

He shifted from one foot to the other, leaning his body to the side to await for any counteraction. The latter had to hum out in curiosity, trying to read through your astounded expressions and ajar mouth, raising his large palms at your face to snap you out of your woolgathering.

"SATORU!" you astonishingly exclaimed, eyes all wide. Was there a little bit of twinkling as well? The Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer noticed an abrupt change of mood. You sounded like you've held a breath for too long and had to exhale all the hopelessness away.

It has given Gojo the feeling that you were actually desperate to be rescued by your idiotic decisions, triggering a simper from the latter as he looked absolutely pleased with himself.

You've read his expressions that the excitement in your tone was definitely a boost to his ego that you were actually hoping to end up seeing him in one way or another. It was that state of mind or there were also other reasons why he was acting so highly of himself---like there was something more to his cocksure responses, personality and expressions.

If he was bound for such abilities, then there was more to their world that you may not know. Supposing that the chances of being in a different dimension now reached half a hundred percent.

What tricks did this blindfolded guy had in his sleeves then?

"S-Satoru." you awkwardly cleared your throat, tone minimal and instantly regretting the smile on your face when you've felt the ends of your lips express the image of someone who sees their hero in the state of being endangered within the parameters of a cursed, abandoned town out in Tokyo.

Gojo couldn't help the chuckle that vibrated his chest, his sudden crow of delight informing you that he was gaining a lot of levity from your exhilarated response.

If he was keeping more under his sleeves, then this was the perfect time to choose your demise. Therefore, you're choosing Gojo Satoru to end this nightmare that couldn't seem to end. Dreams were bound to end. Nightmares as well, and you were sure it just takes at least an alarm clock to ruin or save your day, there was no way that God has taken it too far that it felt as if you were sleeping for a week or so.

"It was better to die this way in your dreams. At least, he was attractive as heck. I wouldn't die a discontented woman,"  You tightly kept your mouth shut and straight, brows tightly furrowed and obvious that you were opposing to show any emotions that would spur Satoru's self-esteem for his sudden trick that honestly left you in awe for a little there.

The white haired Cyclops intentionally pursed his lips, conveying his chaffs with his aimless whistling that triggered an ounce of displeasure from an emotion you never bargained for. He was enjoying this. Gojo definitely knew you actually waited for his presence.

He fished your phone out of his pockets, effortlessly opening your phone as his own face was now welcoming him through the screen. To tell the truth, nobody needed to know that Gojo Satoru was in a trial and error with your mobile gadget. A simple mobile phone that he somehow wanted to toss to the sides from how it was making him feel moronic for not having the ability to unlock despite of the number of tries. The Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer was not having that. He was lucky that there were no witness to his toiling.

Luckily, he somehow got the correct set of numbers on his twelfth try.

You could hear his annoying, distinct tee-hee's. A laugh you didn't know could be heard from such a fit, colossal man, whipping up the shame from your toes to your face when his face lit up from the brightness of your phone, making your heart skip a beat from that abnormal feeling you were experiencing since the first time you've seen him.

It felt outrageously rapturous, perchance.

Gojo was busily typing away whatever he was searching through your phone that it made you squint your eyes at him. At first, you didn't recognize your phone until you've seen your plain blue keychain dangling out of his hand, a simple tag in the color of lapis lazuli that can be inserted around a person's wrist as a chain of miniature hearts dangled on the side of the loop.

You've squinted harder, it felt like it lacked something from there. However, you knew it was yours.

"MY PHONE!" You shrieked back at Satoru, raising to your tippy toes. But, much to your chagrin and to his teasing, he'd brought it up within a height that you were not bound to reach whilst he was too preoccupied with your gadget, acting like it was his and seeming to find so much amusement that you were miserably bouncing like a bunny, "Hey---hey! Don't even try to pry through my gallery---my gallery....Huh."

Your gallery. You've ceased from jumping off your toes and breathed a long one from your exhaustion over taking what belonged to you. There was a blurry image of your gallery that seemed to be incomprehensible to see nor remember back in your head. Entirely taken aback from what seem to be a lost fragment of thoughts.

The Jujutsu Sorcerer showed your phone's screen right in front of your face, showing that there were no set of images displayed other than a picture of Satoru which seemed to be like an abrupt snapshot that he has taken not long ago---in the middle of a dark street, his lips tugged so wide that it looked horrendous from your cellphone's flash as he posed with a 'V' sign of his fingers. It has gotten you pursing your lips from the changes he made, the changes he decided to take action of.

Strange. You took a moment to yourself, staring at the screen, feeling utterly bewildered. Your mind in an disoriented mess from the hollow evocation of a gallery you thought was filled with particular pictures that you couldn't seem to recollect. Was it pictures of you? Sure. Maybe, the idea was inevitable. There must be pictures of you, your friends and family. Yet, in the back of your mind, that blank space which felt utterly fleeting constantly devours your inquisitiveness.

"There's nothing. See?" Gojo grinned from ear to ear, hastily retrieving the phone away from your face. Before you knew it, he had the lens of your back camera facing you without even bothering to count to three, quickly snapping a picture with a blinding flash. "---Smile!"

The latter went on, tapping on your cellphone screen and kept his covered eyes glued to it like the owner wasn't with him. "Now, you have another. Also, you have 'me' as your wallpaper because you and I both know that we're bound to communicate in such a long time. Yay!" he spurred on the proposal with such energy that certainly did not match your sudden nebulous spirit.

Be that as it may, the Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer couldn't refrain the queries that was bugging his patience, curiosity and soul, instigating a frank answer out of you as his cheery tonality changed in a snap.

"Again, why do you have your passcode saved using the exact date of my birthday?"

Yet, his swift change of mood has instantaneously matched yours when you began to demand for vague questions as well, answering his interrogation with a question as if you were the one who deserved to be acknowledged and not his side of story.

"Why did you change my wallpaper?!"

Satoru cocked his head to the side and gave you his response with an authentic vibe, he was trying his best to give a valid reason to his choice of changes, "Your default one? It lacked color and vibrancy to be honest," he paused, humming to himself as he raised a finger to his lips, appearing to look at the sky as he covertly kept your phone inside his pockets again.

There was no trust happening between you both. That was it for sure. Satoru understood that you weren't entirely convinced nor would commiserate to what he wanted. On that account, he was not about to give you your phone for whatever reason you wanted despite of achieving nothing from a mobile phone which held no information for him to use.

Gojo fixated his gaze on you again, a vexed frown complimenting your face in a negative way which has got him giggling like an idiot, "---Now, you have a picture of me! Doesn't it look better now? Hehehe." pause. "---Also, don't you have any friends? A clan? No anything?"

This felt like an endless cycle. Another 'roundabout' playground in which questions were being haphazardly thrown to each other with no direct explanations. Still and all, the person who was actually avoiding such was you because if you were about to be given some kind of truth serum, there were still no answers to be given to Satoru.

At the bottom of your mind, there was this nullified memories---bleary and incomplete ones that held no effigy to what he believed was himself and another person that was included in the picture. Their mere presence alone---his---Gojo Satoru's existence being an abnormal cavity to your cognizance.

You've only known his name and acknowledged his existence from the moment you've woken up back at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Before that, he was no one as far as how your memories go by now.

"I---I do! I have Angie, my family and also my college friends!" you stammered, thoroughly meek from being too deep inside your thoughts, holding down a shaky breath as your temples started to strain.

"Which is why you have zero contacts? Not even a single one?"

Satoru noticed---no, he felt it. The apprehension that surrounded you. Strange to say the least because of how swift it was for you to be comprehended, faster than how he would read his student's emotions, energy or characteristics. Yours felt like he'd read it in the back of his hands, plain sailing through his comprehension.

You were on an identity crisis. Your words weren't for him, it was for yourself. The refusal to believe the truth has always given people the reaction of withholding the idea of reality. You were in that state of your amnesia, Gojo was sure of that. Yet, his interest and restlessness has never been a good pair in between a grilling from the Jujutsu Sorcerer himself.

Everybody knew that, except you. Better yet, there was a chance that you did but chose to be mulish because you've wanted to keep your ground stable.

Not that Gojo was bound to shake that off you soon enough.

"You're keeping my phone from me."

The tone was in-depth, your eyes downcast when you felt that despite his ebullient mood and mockery held a weighty exaction of what he acquires from you. It was those sketches he had that he believed was yours. Satoru was not backing down from what he was pressuring you in---which kept you in a pensive mood that fueled his heed.

Now, you were talking. The latter smirked when he heard you responded. He gave a big nod, never ceasing to change the atmosphere surrounding you both as he wanted his answers at this exact moment, "Gotcha'! As long as you won't cooperate. I'm not also willing to amalgamate."

A blatant sigh left your lips, you were probably off with your head as you claimed, "You're crazy."

He simpered back, gratified from your abrupt averments. Satoru expected and understood that you were guaranteed to talk back to him. To say he was taken aback? Surprisingly, He wasn't. "Isn't that actually you, Tiny-chan? These sketches you have, they're entirely a confidential matter that only the Jujutsu Society knows about---Oh, only I know about because this seems to be memories of my past and a future I couldn't understand,"

Satoru took a step closer, avowed that he had the upper hand from the start or towards anyone who had always been in his way especially when the competition talked about who was stronger in the world of Jujutsu because everyone knew he was the strongest. Thus, a non-sorcerer like you were a mere bagetelle with an amnesia that could be intractable to bend.

He might as well season your brain with some valuable facts that your damaged memories could use in the future. Therefore, the latter nonchalantly went on with his discussion, bending his lofty height to loom before you and be in the same level with yours. His face crucially near for such miniscule proximity that threatened the strings of your heart, feeling them be plucked with quavery fingers.

This man probably had a habit of not knowing what personal space really was.

You held a breath, feeling Satoru's warm breath hit your face with no contrition and paying no mind about the train of details that came crashing down, filling that lacuna little by little inside that brain of yours in which he found impotent for achieving nothing today. "---To top off another confidential information so that I could earn at least an ounce of trust that I deserve for saving you tonight---," he gave himself another pause, fishing a hand out of his pocket to keep it in under his chin as if he was deliberating on the amount of particulars he wanted to share with you, "---Jujutsu Sorcerers are considered to be above normal. Probably having screws in their heads to even be working to annihilate curses. We certainly are beyond crazy,"

Gojo minimally backed away, giving your features a once over to see how you were doing---what you were thinking about. Thus far, he was still disappointed as he ever been when you were left breathless and shell-shocked to even retaliate. "---and you're talking to the best and the craziest."

Perhaps, it was expected that Shoko Ierie was going to give him a beating---verbal, that's for sure. He was untouchable for god's sake. A verbal beating was expected from the doctor for stressing out a woman who was currently in the middle of memory-loss.

Satoru idly leaned his mouth near your ear, oblivious towards that clenched fists which rested your sides. His presence alone was minacious enough, even without knowing who he actually really was and what antecedents lay before his name. Gojo Satoru. The name echoed relentlessly, trying to fill the abyss you've somehow gradually began to cognize. Was this so called memory-loss truly involved him in it?

His breath smelled of sweetmeat. Possibly, it was from all the 'mochis' he decided to intake before the whole abandoned street curse you were in. The intonation mellifluous and somehow recognizable nevertheless which has gotten you in an inaudible mess, "Your turn." he spoke lowly, hearing the smile on his face as he added, "---Why do you have those sketches with you from the moment you arrived?"

"How---How many times do I have to tell you that I didn't draw that! I'm not great at drawing people!"

That was certainly a fact. You had no talent in terms of drawing that good enough like it was sketched out of a Manga Artist's fingers.

Satoru breathed out a sigh, not giving you a chance to glance over that exquisite side of his face as he swiftly straightened his back and shoulders, leaving you wide eyed and your skin tingling from his thoughtless actions of consuming other people's proximities. Gojo Satoru will surely be the death of you just by his company alone.

"This is entertaining to be honest," he insouciantly spoke out of the blue, both of his hands inside his pockets as he leaned his head to the side, still watching you from beneath his blindfolds. "---There's a cursed-spirit coming any minute now. Right...just beside you,"

Satoru could feel the Hatagaya abandoned street curse take a sharp turn with Yuji in pursuit, running at breakneck speed---even faster than any other person would. The first year student knew where you were just by how he was trying to keep the curse within and out of your radius. Though, this curse was leaping from houses to houses, breaking walls and post-lights with each cross over which emits clangor throughout the town.

This has gotten all of your attention, pulling you out of your dwelling from the conversation you had with him. The pensive spirits you had were short-lived from your uncanny nosiness that changed in just a zippy.

"There's nothing beside me!" you exclaimed, briefly glancing everywhere to see nothing but an empty street that filled the dark.

These noises that both Yuji and the curse were creating echoed in high-speed like it was behemoth coming in for the kill from every shatter of windows and destruction of walls. You had to cease from moving an inch when the hubbubs came to a stop, curiously turning your head to see Satoru alongside with you, his height utterly towering beside yours. Still, appearing to look unconcerned from the reverberating clash of noise like he entirely knew what was happening on the other side of the town.

"Just stay beside me, Tiny-chan." You heard Satoru added in a laid-back tonality, his overwhelming warmth that stood beside you never helped the way how your heart skipped a beat, "---We're gonna have fun together."

Thus, in a split-second, you've heard an ear-splitting noise of a wall being wrecked just an arm away from you. The blow blaring your head as it was too loud for your ears to bear that you had to jump from how close you were in being hit by the broken debris it caused. Yuji and the curse's ruination catching you and Satoru in which your own two eyes could clearly see.

Upon bumping his side, feeling the cloth of his own uniform grazed softly on your skin had caught you off-guard, giving him a glimpse to see him unperturbed from the whole scene. How you were both about to be caught up in an accident of someone who were stupendously fighting within the walls of abandoned houses. You had to give Gojo a double-take, at lost for words for how relaxed he may been, holding out a hand which had him raise both of his middle and pointer finger, accompanied by his thumb as if he had some particular hand-signs that only he could activate nor understand.

Then, you've came to discern that these type of destructions came with flying debris that were ought for you to be hit with. However, there was none.

Until you've regarded that particular side of a wrecked wall, ogling at the sight of a large broken brick wall accompanied by countless of shards that were within sniffing distance, the end of a shard seeming to come to a halt on the apples of your cheeks, never bound to be touched. These debris limiting from going any less further close to you.

It was then and there, you knew that this blindfolded guy who stood beside you was controlling everything.

All the wreckage that fenced in both of your proximity held to a stop, perceiving an invisible barrier that made you blink twice. Satoru felt like he never wanted to activate his Limitless when you're around, much to his surprise which got him questioning himself. Though, this was needed as a form of evidence that he wasn't there to be a cock and bull story, right? He needed to do what was needed.

Hence, by that simple action---you were sure you were with superhumans---people who weren't exactly normal.

The night held more surprising events for you because in the midst of being dumbfounded from all, it didn't stop there as Yuji Itadori, Gojo's first year student who had been very friendly since the beginning you've seen him, screamed at the top of his lungs, yelling like it was his last hurrah as a gigantic puff of silhouette, passed above you and Satoru who stood rooted on the ground, unmoving.

"HI SENSEI!" Yuji beamed while he was in the air, lightly falling on his toes and preparing his stance before this abandoned street curse that doubled Gojo's size. He stood in front of the curse with a determined outline of his expressions, brows furrowed with pursed lips. The sensei smiled back at his student and saw that Yuji was channeling his cursed energy that bordered him, delivering the second blow of 'Divergent Fist' in the midst of the curse's disorientation which has finished him off.

Purple blood splattered everywhere due to the action, some even threatening to spill on you but due to Satoru's ability, it didn't stain you both.

"There...actually was..." You trailed off, realizing that you had watched the whole scene with both of your eyes and mouth open. Thoroughly stupefied from what kind of creature laid on the ground, lifeless.

Detailed to keep you in awe and mystified, It's body was round with burnt-sienna fur that surrounded its body. Limbs stubby but with the same length just as its body were with razor-edged nails that can slice a bitch. An enormous eye with auriferous colored pupil which eventually turned black as it was about to disintegrate soon.

Satoru deactivated his Infinity within less than a second, shielding you from the wreckage, letting all the debris fall around you both but never touching you nor him.

You could see them. That was good.

Though, he was ignorant over the wonderment that filled your eyes as Satoru snickered, cocksure that you were frightened after all the events that this curse has caused tonight, "Ah, there is? You can see curses then." he casually acknowledged, raising a finger. "---Oh, right! You've been on an accident. Memory-loss, that is."

To normal people, they were bound to be frightened by curses who weren't a day-to-day figure that you could perceive whenever you walk through streets which were highly prone to seeing a curse. These include hospitals and schools which are the hot spots for bearing curses because many negative emotions are associated with memories of those kind of places. In spite of that, these curses that occur in towns weren't new because the place might have been infested by these emotions that people despised of.

"Great job, Yuji! Your Divergent fist has greatly improved so!" Satoru was dense over the frown you had, thoroughly insensible from channeling in the guise of a concerned citizen that it had his student frowning before you as he held his fist in the air, reading through the lines of your frown and wrinkled forehead. You seemed to be...troubled that he somehow eradicated the curse with brute force.

Weren't you supposed to be freaking out and happy that this creature---a cursed spirit that harms people was now dead?

He had to take second glances on you and towards his closed fist, the cursed energy surrounded him has now subsided. Yet, from the way you have hollered out for him with furrowed brows made the juvenile ask himself what he did wrong, "Why'd you punch Mike Wazowski on the face!?"

Mike Wazowski. Itadori had to reach out for his scalp, seeming to scratch his head for the confusion. The first year student understood the word 'why', pointing him through the phrase that you were actually asking him a question. Second would be a name that surely ignited him a question as to who were you actually complaining to? Him or Mike Wazowski?

Who was Mike Wazowski? Did you thought his name was Mike Wazowski?

"Eh?" Yuji returned your question with a simple sound of bewilderment, consequently pointing to himself as he asked you back in return with a shake of his head. Technically, he did not understood you due to the language barrier.

"Uh---My name...is---ah, Itadori Yuji. Ita-Dori. Yu-Ji. No Mike-o Wazowski, Eigo-San."

To say Gojo was also letting out his voice of confusion, the Sensei inspected both you and Yuji who was currently in a conversation of getting lost in your own translations. Though, for the white-haired, blindfolded sorcerer, he was the only person---the only gateway to get a gist of what was actually being asked and uttered by each other because by some means, he could understand you very well but not by his students nor by anyone as he may presume.

It was like he didn't need any subtitles to any movie rather than others who needed any kind of paraphernalia---such translations that his students needed.

Yet, what stood out the most was that you seemed more upset now after seeing Sukuna's vessel abolish a curse that was harmful to the society. Satoru had to turn at least in a ninety degree angle, his knees slightly bent from trying to boldly gawk at the sudden turn of events, leaning on his side whilst his captivating white fluff of hair swayed as he openly expressed his stupefaction over your reactions, "Tiny-Chan," he lowly muttered in disbelief, mouth pursed as he raised a brow that you technically couldn't see with his blindfolds being a hindrance, "---You're not freaking out? Eh?"

"It looks cute. I'd rather be much scared with spirits---ghosts who had scary faces. You know, those you see from Shutter, The Nun, Insidious, The Grudge and a whole lot more horror movies. These cursed spirits you call look like stuff toys."

Was it how collected you sounded? Unconcerned? Maybe, the truck had hit you in the head a little too hard or he just really needed to educate you a lot about how his world really worked. From how desperate you were since the moment you've sat on the pavements that you've given him the impression of setting your death on the line of these curses which surrounded you kilometers away till your state of in-denial...

"EH!" Stuff toys. Gojo mentally huffed in disbelief upon hearing your standpoint over these cursed spirits that are no joke to the society.

The rat-a-pat of Megumi's boots closed in, his Divine dog: Totality disappearing into thin air before you could even get to see it, thinking that you might be feverish over his Shikigami. Worse luck, you would also be like Yuji and Nobara who would pet his Divine dogs like nincompoops. He came running through the other side of the street where you and Satoru stood, the complete opposite of where Yuji has been chasing down the cursed spirit, his face completely stoic as he acted like he hadn't obliterate the other curse that blocked his way.

"Seriously." Megumi's frown deepened, reading through everyone's expressions one by one. Yuji was beaming like he usually does. The Shikigami User found himself pilloried by his friend who began a bet that he surely had not been informed of.

"I knew she was here, Fushiguro! I told you so! I heard her scream!"

Then, there was his Sensei who went on upon staring at your upset form, pointing at the cursed spirit that was slowly drifting away with the flow of the brisk wind. You seemed to be constantly demanding questions in which had passed by Satoru's ear and to the other, ignoring you from how caught on the hop he was.

"Your divine dog was too slow, Megumi. Yuji actually arrived first," he nonchalantly informed nevertheless, acknowledging the fact that his other first year student finally came trudging in. Though, obviously nobody could see that. He was blinking back at you behind his blindfolds.

"Hai, Gojo-Sensei!" Itadori nodded back at his teacher, showing his pearly whites. His smile went minimal as he mused on, catching sight and constantly hearing the name 'Mike Wazowski' out of your mouth in a chant that Gojo obviously ignored because the Jujutsu Sorcerer had no idea who it was. He'd bet the heavens and earth that no one knew who you were pertaining to except for yourself, "---Wait, I thought you said Eigo-San couldn't see curses?" Yuji simply implored, glancing between you and Satoru with doubt.

His question has been swerved by the man himself and he continued his offhand assessments for the training they had, sounding how casual like he usually was, "---and Kugisaki got distracted by a midnight dress shop she wanted to visit since the moment she arrived in Tokyo while you guys have been busy killing curses. It's fine. From how moody she was becoming, she probably needed it badly. She's excused." Satoru straightened his shoulders, returning back to his height as he pointed an accusing finger at the black-haired student he knew very well, ruffling his feathers with a sally.

"---You've been skipping training, Megumi?"

Fushiguro couldn't help but scowl further.

"Mike Wazowski!" You exclaimed for the seventh time tonight, catching Gojo's senses when you've began to take a run for the dying cursed spirit that he had to quickly pull you back with the collar of your shirt, not having the risk of you trying to hug the heck out of a dying, cursed spirit.

"Oi, oi, Tiny-Chan!" Satoru pulled you upon your collars, making you stumble back from the force which has ignited a shriek out of you.

There was something happening through your systems, your body. You could feel it. How lightheaded you feel. The soles on your feet identifying the road like they were clouds floating in the sky. Were you drugged?

But, you've tried your hardest not to take a single bite of sushi from their table back in the restaurant, not even any amount of water.

"Did you plan to make me go sleepy bye-bye, Satoru?" your eyes widened at that, the way your brain had no other thoughts aside from wanting to just hit the hay. Everything felt like a dream and also a nightmare that you were in a dilemma in some way because deep inside, your subconscious mind did not want this to end. You briskly turned around to Gojo's surprise, bumping your head over his clothed, fit abdominals---that you highly took note of---as a result for pulling you through the collars.

Woozy as you ever were since the moment this peculiar occurrence happened, you've wobbled from the impact, everybody heard you giggle out of nowhere---definitely not the right time for some weird giggling---once you've hit Gojo's clothed abdominals with your obdurate forehead, as Satoru would describe. Your words were muffled, incoherent for everyone to hear that you began mumbling to yourself, raising an accusing finger towards his clothed chest as you lifted your chin to give him a glare that accompanied a soft smile.

"Hehehe, I knew you drugged me." was the only phrase Satoru has understood before your head fell on his body.

He'd caught you graciously through your fall, his lengthy arms engulfing your shoulders, securing you in place as you unconsciously clutched onto his uniform. Satoru napped off from your unforeseen collapse which gotten him pausing to think that this was his doing.

Did it really had a time-lag then?

"Oh, she fainted." Itadori clearly stated the obvious, "---You scared her, Sensei."

Megumi strolled closer to where everyone was, inspecting your form that was currently being held by his Sensei who went on in clutching your snoring self, he paid heed enough to catch sight that you were smiling and giggling through your sleep. "She wasn't scared." His black-haired student deadpanned back at Yuji before grumbling another that made Satoru grin to himself, "Great. Another idiot for the team."

"She's not part of the team, Megumi." He uttered, crystal-clear while in the midst of bending down to haul you over his shoulders. Yet, Gojo thought twice and picked you up bridal style instead. You were weird, yes. Have been stubborn? Probably. However, you were still a woman who deserved your forced catnap.

This has been the second time already. Satoru caught himself asking why he always had you unconscious in his arms like this would be a routine that the Jujutsu Sorcerer obviously did not want nor bargained for, "---Also, I plan to make her sleep. I didn't know it had a delay."

Itadori pursed his lips back at his Sensei, grinning back at his teacher that he idolizes so much, "Time lag." the pink-haired commented in a jest. Gojo heard you mumble his name in your sleep, brushing it off as his student's wisecracking got him shaking his head. Yuji was bringing back the time he mentioned that his Divergent Fist had a time-lag when they trained together that time.

"You know that never happens with me, Yuji." His Sensei bragged along, making Itadori laugh and backpedal from his harmless joke. Having said that, Gojo was caught-off guard despite of his false acclaims that there was no time-lag to what he planned for you before he decided that it was much better for you to join them throughout their gathering. Had it been three to five hours? four?

He shrugged to himself, momentarily ignoring the unusual response of your body to their techniques. Was this because you didn't belong to their dimension which is why you were not bound to be affected by their abilities or techniques? Gojo walked alongside with his students as he carried you in his arms, your head gently inclined to that hollow part of his neck, constantly blowing warm breaths that he somehow found homely and restful.

The latter steered clear of the zany discovery, hearing another whisper of 'Mike Wazowski' beneath your snores.

Guess you learned your lesson.

FEEDBACKS WILL BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED! THANK YOU! <3

[wincestisasincest]

Waves on the Shore - Chapter 4 Sneak Peek

Howdy! So, college is kicking my ass right now, and it looks like this next chapter will be out Friday (which I'm also considering making my update day? maybe?). She's gonna be a long one.

In the meantime, I wanted to give you guys a little preview of what's to come!!! Just as a way of saying thanks for all the support. Like, it fr means the world <3

sorry if it's kind of bad i still need to edit it kejrtkejhrt

WOTS masterlist // wc: 646 // triggers: language // tags: @edenstarkk

Even though you were breaking into a fucking boat in broad daylight, the most difficult thing was still Viktor. He wouldn’t leave until he had written a note to Jayce and left it on the table, spinning some bullshit yarn about how you two were going to the port to “take a break.”

“You can’t at least lie about where we’re going?” you whined once you were out on the quad.

“If you kill me, I want them to find the body,” he was only half-joking.

You were a little insulted at that, but decided not to tell him that you would never stoop to murder. Perhaps it was better if he feared you.

“If you want me to push you into the sea, all you have to do is ask.”

“I don’t think you could, but it is better to be safe than sorry,” he shrugged.

“You don’t think I could? You’re lucky I’m not going to take that as a challenge.”

“You would do well to remember that, despite appearances,” he shifted his weight on his cane, eyeing you coldly, “I am not helpless.”

“Oh, pfft, I don’t care about your leg,” you brushed him off, “please. I hang around sailors, remember? I’ve seen people with busted limbs raise all kinds of hell. No, I just think I could take you because, well, I could.”

“How egalitarian.”

Silence. The wind howled. That meant you were closer to the sea.

You found yourself rubbing your shoulders, trying to keep some warmth in. He’s being slow on purpose, you thought, practically green with envy at the sight of a warm coat and shoes with soles. Perhaps it was time for you to dig through the lost and found again.

“You never told me what initially prompted you to ask for the journals,” he commented, pretending to not notice your glare.

“Remember when I was gone for the afternoon a few days ago?" you kicked a wayward rock, "I was getting questioned by the Enforcers on Iron Leg. It just made me think about some stuff.”

“Some stuff?”

“Everyone, even the Enforcers, agree that there’s something weird going on here.”

“But it is not your job to figure it out. It will not prove your innocence.”

“Thanks, I know that. I guess I was just curious. Y’know, despite appearances I don’t like being jerked around like some dog’s fuckin’ chew toy. I figured that, with what little freedom I had, I could try to piece together some of this stuff. For my own closure, if nothing else.”

“I see.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I’m just certain that we do not have conflicting motivations now.”

“Oh, right. Because someone’s using your baby.”

“It is not a protective instinct,” he lied, instantly recognizing his own unconvincing pitchiness.

“Okay, good,” you faked indulging him, putting on your sardonic innocence, “because I think most people would agree that it’s a little unreasonable to be protective of a rock made in Shuriman that anyone can obtain.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what’s it like?” you challenged.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you. We’re wasting time,” he gestured in front of him, continuing forward towards the port.

The cold was awful, but at least it kept potential witnesses inside. You jogged in front of Viktor, catching the sight of your former ship in the distance.

Even now, after everything, you were still tempted to unfurl those sails and disappear over the blue horizon. It would be so easy, too. Perhaps Viktor was right to be suspicious. Upon seeing your work, your cannon, still mounted near the center of the ship’s starboard side, the idea of a blitzkrieg revenge and then swift exit was very tempting.

But you could always do that later, after this little mystery was solved.

“They called her the Kraken’s Teeth,” you told Viktor when he caught up. He seemed unwilling to entertain your sea farer’s admiration.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

[the-slasher-files]

WHAT A KILLER

BO’S S/O REVEALING THEY ARE ALSO A SLASHER (Vincent is also kind of in this)

TW: blood, gore, killing, swearing (that’s inevitable with Bo)

THIS has been sitting in my drafts for MONTHS and idk why I'm so iffy on posting it but hopefully you guys in enjoy this! It's different from a lot of what I write and I do like it, it's just specific lol.. Also the s/o in this, was the bare bones of what Amaria (my oc) started as... hope you enjoy 🔪💕

MASTERLIST

Bloodcurdling screams could be heard through the normally silent town of Ambrose as dusk fell. Crimson painted the skies and the asphalt, almost mirroring each other in perfection. Crows calling for the wasted souls Bo obliterated and Vincent could not fix. 

Shuttering at the sounds heard you could not sit there on the old couch any longer, just playing with your fingers trying to push down the urges you felt deep down. They beckoned you like the crows did for flesh. You tried so hard to hide this side but it was only a matter of time you knew, the demon had to rear it’s head eventually if you really wanted to stay in Ambrose forever, and you did. You found the man of your twisted dreams here. 

Before you were held in Ambrose against your will; well in the beginning it was against your will but that quickly faded and you fell madly in love with your kidnapper and the town he held so close; you were a drifter. A wanderer of gypsy’s blood. Never managing to hold in one place for more than 6 months, the only time you had a home was when you were growing up, but having a disgusting home life you left at 16. Fleeing home and trying to run from your growing desires you instead made a treaty with your urges, running towards them, allowing them to show when you were safe and comfortable. 

Bo never knew, all these months as you played the part of his defenceless little housewife it was growing harder to tell him. Of course you wanted to tell him but you were scared of him not trusting you, and terrified of what he would do to you; pretty ironic when you considered doing the same things to him. 

Casually you would throw a joke out there about killing someone or dreaming of snapping someone's neck, however they weren’t jokes to you. It was your wicked reality. Bo was none the wiser, but Vincent, in his quiet embers saw something beyond your delicate eyes, something he saw within himself perhaps. He started to believe your jokes and comments, carefully watching you. Wondering if for once there was a different kind of evil in the town, or if he was becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. 

Climbing the stairs and reaching the bedroom you paused, pulling in a large breath and exhaling, closing your eyes. You sank to your knees against the hardwood, pulling a long black, locked plastic box from under the bed, methodically you played with the lock and swung the top open. Placing your eyes upon the weapon your body tensed but your soul relaxed, a sick war inside your head divided. 

Running your hands along the cold metal of the black blade, you felt home once again, blood could almost be felt on your hands and screams faded in your ears. Hunger grew. A deep pleasure surged through you. 

It was your 18 inch steel black machete; with ridges menacingly flaunting themselves across the top, like a dragon’s spine. The grip you had customized to fit your hand perfectly, needing it to act like an extension of you. It was adorned proudly with a thin rope of bright red fabric tied around the end of the handle, ripped from your first victim’s shirt, it’s tails would drift gracefully in the wind juxtaposing the damage the weapon could do.

Shaky hands picked up the weapon and it seamlessly melting into your grip, your eyes darkened as you rose from the floor, feeling your demons begin to yip and howl like a pack of starving wild dogs ready to feed. Giving yourself another deep breath in and out you kicked the box back under the bed and started down the stairs and out the front door with purpose.   

The hot sticky Louisiana air hit you, flowing in your hair and the tail of fabric on your machete. Screams begin to reach you in swells, coming closer flooding you like the rising tides as a younger woman was running towards you. Under the dim streetlights she could not see what you held, for the black blade melted into the shadows perfectly, as intended. To her you were hope, a way out of her hell, maybe you could help her. The poor thing could not have been more wrong in her panic-stricken judgements. 

You could smell her blood pouring from her injuries Bo inflicted and her desperate cries, it was all too much to you, it was just like blood in the water to a shark, your twisted instincts began to take over. Eyes darkened on the prey that was heedlessly bounding towards you and with one swipe, that was it. Blood was spilt. You had killed again and it felt so damn right. Looking down basking in the sight, she was slit ear to ear, the gash threatening to show the tips of the vertebrae at the back of her neck. The demons were lurching beside you pushing you forward for more. More blood. More affliction. 

Studying the surroundings, Bo was nowhere to be found, unusual for him to let his prey escape his hunt. It was quiet now as you walked on down the street, yellow fluorescents guided your path, and the homes were just barren shapes acting as blinders leading you onward for the man you dreaded seeing at this moment, the demons couldn’t care less about your emotions or feelings, they just carried your body to more gore. 

Rounding the corner, the gas station lights gave up a tangled mess on the ground. Two men were wrestling for some sort of weapon that glinted in the lights above them. Cursing yells, threats and grunts spilled out of both of them, one more than the other of course. Bo always had a mouth on him and no one could ever shut him up, it made you smirk as you approached, but suddenly there was a sharp yell and the stranger was on top of Bo. The man had his back to you and just had eyes for the greasy mechanic, beating him with the weapon you could now see was a wrench. You could feel a burning anger rise from your core and Bo’s howls were just fuel to the fire.   

Steadily making your way up to the two wrecks of people, now standing behind the stranger you forced your long rigid blade through the core of the man, impaling him right under the sternum. Loud clanging of metal rang through the street as the man dropped the wrench as his body went limp, heaving over the weapon within him. With your boot you carefully directed the corpse off your machete and on the asphalt next to Bo, leaving your face sprayed with red from the spine of the blade. 

Your eyes met with saucer wide baby blues causing you to let out a silent breathy laugh licking your lips of blood, sickly savouring the unusual copper. Bo laid on the ground a moment longer just taking in for sure what he saw from his precious angel. Just as you were about to speak but Bo beat you to it.

“I FUCKIN’ KNEW IT!” he gloated hysterically, leaving you more than a little shocked. “I KNEW IT!” Bo got to his feet and almost looked like he was going to do a little dance, you just stood there in the streetlight beginning to laugh, relived but worried as if he had hit his head or something. It was never a dull moment with Bo that’s for sure. 

“Are you ok? like seriously, your beginning to scare me” you puzzled as he sauntered his way up to you cocky as ever. 

“I’m fuckin’ fantastic... I knew there was something in you” he held you against his chest and put his head on yours “something awful behind those beautiful eyes, my little angel of death” you laughed against him as he kissed your crown, then pulled away looking you dead in the eyes. “Why did you think I kept you around all these months? you made me wait a while... and you know how much I hate waitin” 

The words burned in your skull, was that really the only reason? Bo was still unpredictable to you in ways, especially with his dark side. Maybe he was just going to kill you now, maybe he didn’t love you, it could’ve just been the wicked charm he carried effortlessly. 

Something came alive in his blue eyes, scaring you slightly but trying to play it off when you cupped his strong jaw, breathing slowly. 

“People are my specialty baby” he drawled, then pulled you roughly into a kiss. Sweat, oil, cigarettes, and blood coated the kiss leaving you breathless as he often did. 

Bo was right, people were his perfected craft; charming, seducing, lying, playing up the sob story about him and Vincent being in foster care after both parents died. Hell, he could speak French Cajun so he could be more versatile, and charm his way out of any situation in any part of Louisiana. Bo always knew everything you were feeling even before you said it, now that you think back on it. 

“Bo? you still love me?” you hesitating in your question not sure if you wanted the answer. 

This caught his attention as his jaw tensed and eyes hardened “What would make you think I don’t?... sure I would’ve liked to know earlier, sure, but this just makes you better,” he looked you up and down like a predator before coming close to your ear and purring “and hotter.” You yelped as you were suddenly tossed over his shoulder and carried down to the basement of the garage.     

Fidgeting with the lock for a moment he swung the door open and placed you in his chair. “Oh, Sinclair there is a special place in hell for us, and I will meet you there” you laughed as Bo climbed on top of you, clashing his lips against yours, hungry and lustful.  

[jombocostello]

Lost in Translation (Polnareff x Reader)

Anonymous asked: Hey! Would you mind writing a little Polnareff fic where the reader tried to learn French pick up lines to finally drop some hints, but messes up/forgets a word and gets embarrassed? 🥺

Now this is just too sweet. I changed the request up a little bit, I hope you don’t mind!! (Also if you spot any mistakes with the French, please let me know!! I’m not sure how much my high school education of French prepared me for writing Polnareff fanfiction lmao)

-----

"(Y/N), what the hell are you doing?"

You jump, tearing your eyes from the book you're scouring. You look at Joseph, who's sitting a few feet away from you on his hotel bed. He frowns. "It's three in the morning. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I... Well..." You laugh nervously, attempting to discreetly slide the book under your pillow as you search for the right words. "Yeah. I probably should be."

Joseph stands up and turns on the lamp that sits between you two, and you wince when the light hits your eyes. "But seriously, what have you been doing?" he asks again as he sits back down. "I've been trying to get some sleep and all I can hear is you muttering nonstop over there."

You can feel yourself start to blush, and you fix your eyes on the fascinating corner of the door behind Joseph. "Ah... I was just reading out loud. It helps me take it in better, y'know?" It's not a very good lie, and though you're not looking at Joseph, you know he's not buying it. "Half of enjoying a good book is visualization, isn't it?" You're audibly anxious.

"Fine. But what exactly are you reading?" You start to sweat; he's ruthless in his interrogation.

"Uh, it's... I mean you're probably not interested in it." Joseph's patience suddenly runs thin, and he leaps up and snatches the book out of your hand. "What the hell?" you shout, forgetting about the thin hotel walls and attempting rather aggressively to grab the book back.

Joseph, thanks to his powerful Joestar genes, is easily able to hold you off. "Hmm, what is... English-to-French dictionary...?" He looks up at you, confused, and you freeze. He rolls his eyes. "(Y/N), I'm failing to see what's so embarrassing about this. You want to learn a new language? More power to you - " Mid-sentence, he seems to come to a revelation, and you wince. You had almost made it out alive.

"...You're learning this for Polnareff, aren't you?"

"Isn't that the million dollar question?" you mumble, gluing your eyes to the floor. "Yes."

You can hear him horribly containing his laughter. "You've - you've got dedication, I'll give you that!" Little giggles are starting to escape him, and as he suddenly begins to howl with laughter, you try again to grab the paperback out of his hands.

Without breaking a sweat, he shoves you back onto your bed and starts leafing through the book. "Oh my God," Joseph wheezes, wiping a tear away with one hand and holding the book close to his face with the other. "I mean I knew you had feelings for the guy, but I had no idea you loved him like this!" The word 'love' hits you viscerally and you cover your face with your hands, trying to push down your unbearable embarrassment. "Oh God, that's so cute."

"Shut up!" you hiss, finally managing to wrestle the book back from Joseph. "I don't have to explain myself to you," you spit with as much rudeness as you can muster.

"You don't have to explain a thing, my friend," Joseph replies without missing a beat. "I can read you like a book right now."

"Oh my God," you groan, turning away and looking down at the bed. Your face is on fire, and you gingerly set the book down next to your pillow and you fold your arms on your lap. "Just... Fine. You got me, okay?"

"I guess I did get you! I really didn't mean to." Joseph's laughter seems to have finally ended, and he watches as you shift uncomfortably under his gaze. "Sorry for laughing, (Y/N). I'm not trying to make fun of you, I promise - it's just so ridiculous that you're going to all these lengths to win Polnareff over when I'm sure it shouldn't be that difficult."

"Shouldn't be that... What do you mean?" You momentarily put aside your anger when you hear Joseph's words.

"Isn't it obvious? You two are perfect for each other. I'm positive that Polnareff shares your feelings."

"That's funny," you respond, huffing out a little laugh. "He's always flirting with girls, isn't he? I know you've seen him do it."

Joseph rolls his eyes. "Of course I have. That's just the way he is. He can be a bit...familiar with the young women he meets, but I'm fully convinced that you're the person he has his eyes on." Before you can interject with another rebuttal, Joseph speaks again. "Don't argue with me on this. I've been alive far longer than you and I've seen lots of people fall in love in this lovely world!"

You don't want to admit it, but Joseph's actually giving you some confidence here. "You, well... You might be right." Joseph grins. "I'm still gonna try to figure out some of this stupid language, though. I think he'll be happy to hear it - I mean, he's been away from home for a long time." You swing your legs up onto the bed and cross them, grabbing the book and flipping it open as you do.

Joseph marvels at the sheer concentration in your eyes as you force your way through the paperback dictionary. He can't believe how in love you are; it's honestly making him a little teary-eyed. "Well, goodnight," he says as he climbs back under the covers. "Want me to leave the light on?"

"If that's okay, yeah." Joseph nods and lays his head down on his pillow. As he shuts his eyes and drifts off to sleep, he listens to you faintly mutter to yourself, "Je t'aime. Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime..."

-----

The next day comes quickly, and unfortunately you haven't really slept enough to prepare for it. You'd stayed up all night after your little encounter with Joseph, so you're left with about an hour and a half of sleep to get through the day. You and Joseph quickly get ready, and you go to meet the rest of the group in the lobby.

You yawn loudly as you step out of the elevator, and Joseph takes a second to laugh at you before following. You elbow him in the arm as you walk up to Jotaro, Avdol, Iggy, and Polnareff. Kakyoin's still resting up in the hospital; you all miss him dearly.

"Good morning!" Avdol calls, watching as you shuffle into the little group. "Did you two sleep well?"

You simply shake your head, and Joseph laughs a little at your severe expression. "(Y/N) stayed up all night reading," he explains, but after you shoot a look his way he shuts his mouth.

"Oh, really?" Polnareff asks brightly, raising his eyebrows. You look up at him and feel your heart start pounding; if he asks what you were reading you think you might drop dead on the spot. "Didn't take you for the reading type."

You nearly laugh at that, looking incredulously up at Polnareff. "What the hell does that mean - are you calling me dumb?"

"No!" he says hastily, eyes wide. "I mean - maybe." You both start laughing now, and Joseph leaves to return the hotel keys and check out. "In all seriousness," Polnareff starts with a little smile on his face, "I just didn't think you could sit still long enough to enjoy a novel. You seem like a more active person, I guess."

You honestly can't - your little French study sessions have been nothing short of torture. Still, you just shrug. "Everyone enjoys a good story, don't they?"

"Yeah." Polnareff turns to Jotaro and Avdol, who have been chatting to each other. "So, what's on the agenda today?" he asks, leaning against the wall behind him.

"Well..." Avdol thinks to himself for a moment. "We're a few hours away from Cairo. I think we should stay here for a while longer and then start heading there at around midday - so we can arrive under the cover of night."

"You're a good strategist, Avdol," you comment. "I would've just had us all drive into the city and parade around to find a hotel."

Avdol huffs out a laugh. "As much as I'd like to do that, our lives are in danger. We'll have to be really careful once we get to Cairo. I'm sure Dio has eyes everywhere."

"Yeah." You turn to Jotaro, who's been silent so far. Iggy's on the ground next to him, looking as pissed off as a dog possibly can. "How did you sleep last night?"

He just shrugs. "Same old. It was nice having the room to myself, save for this little asshole." He jabs his thumb in Iggy's direction, and you snort. "But yeah, it was fine. I just wanna get this over with. I've been..." He glances down at his shoes. "I've been thinking about my mom."

You'd almost forgotten about the original reason Joseph and his grandson set out on this mission. You had heard from the Foundation a few days ago that Holly Kujo's condition was only worsening. "You're gonna see her soon, huh? When we get to Cairo we'll practically be in Dio's backyard."

Jotaro nods. "Yep. Can't wait to beat the shit out of him."

You grin and nod vigorously. "I'm with you there."

Joseph returns to your little group, and the five of you all huddle together. "So," he starts, taking a deep breath. "Are you thinking we should wait, Avdol?"

"Yes. I was just saying that we should give it a few hours before we get on the road."

Joseph seems satisfied with that answer. "Perfect. So until then... I guess we can do a bit of sightseeing! We should pair up and try to stay at least a little close by. I'll stick with Avdol, and Jotaro - would you mind going with Iggy? If anything happens, both of your stands would be more than capable of taking care of things." Jotaro rolls his eyes and hums in agreement. "Okay. That leaves you two."

The sheer glee in Joseph's shit-eating grin as he looks at you and Polnareff honestly astounds you. Polnareff doesn't seem to notice, and he looks down at you. "Well this'll be fun! I haven't gotten to spend much time with you in the past couple days, (Y/N)." There's a pure affection in Polnareff's voice as he speaks to you, and you feel yourself fall even deeper in love. "We'll see you guys here in three hours, alright?" Joseph nods, waving goodbye with a sickly sweet smile, and Polnareff takes your hand and drags you through the revolving door.

The sun feels great on your skin. You follow Polnareff out, looking at your hand clasped in his as he leads you down the street a ways. He makes you feel so, so happy, and you're overcome by the desire to tell him that. "Where are you going?" you call, laughing a little when you realize you've been following him without having a clue where he's taking you.

He halts suddenly, and you run right into his back. "Oh, shit! Sorry." He spins around and rights you, peering down at your face. "That didn't hurt, did it?"

"N-no." You wince and feel your nose, which had rammed right into one of his shoulder blades. "I'm all good." After a thumbs-up for confirmation, Polnareff is satisfied. "So we're here?"

"Yep!" Polnareff gestures to the shop you're standing in front of. It's a café by the looks of it, and it seems pretty nice. "We passed it while we were driving in yesterday."

"Oh, cool!" Polnareff heads inside and you follow him. At the counter, Polnareff orders a couple pastries and two espressos for both of you. Once he gets his order, he hands you your espresso and walks out the door. He's really intent on getting the most out of these few hours of respite, it seems.

"Now that we have some food," he says, gesturing to the little bag of desserts, "we can have a picnic!" He starts walking briskly down the street, and you nearly have to jog to keep up with him.

"Did you spot this on the way in too?" you ask. He nods. "Damn, I missed so much. I was sleeping." He laughs, and you join in. After a few more minutes, you reach your destination.

It's a little park that overlooks a small, tranquil pond. "Oh, this is neat!" you say. "It's really pretty."

"Yeah." You look up at Polnareff as he gazes out at the scenery. You haven't seen him this relaxed in a long time; he's usually being pestered by Iggy or attacked by some enemy stand user. You're really grateful that you get to share a calm, sweet moment with him before you have to head out to battle in Cairo.

You decide to take a seat on the grass a few feet away from the pond. Polnareff sits down beside you and carefully sets his espresso down on the grass, making sure it doesn't spill, and you do the same. You cross your legs as Polnareff reaches into the bag and pulls out a pastry.

"For you," he says, bowing his head as he hands you a croissant.

You laugh as you take it from him. "I'm honored," you reply, dipping your head in mock gratitude to Polnareff. He smirks a little and takes out a croissant for himself, leaning back and taking a big bite. You try yours, and it tastes amazing. "You're got a good eye," you tell Polnareff, your voice a little muffled as you eat. "This is really good."

"Well it's only natural that I would have an eye for cuisine," he replies with a smug grin. You reach over and slug him in the arm, and he lets out a startled laugh when you hit him. "Hey! It's true." You sigh and turn towards the pond, watching the little ripples in the water as the breeze gently brushes over it. Polnareff's still laughing a little beside you, and the whole scene suddenly feels completely and utterly romantic. You realize with a start that this is the perfect moment to try out your newly acquired language skills!

You pick up your espresso and take a sip; it's just as good as the food had been. Tentatively, you look over at Polnareff and find him staring out at the pond. "C'est un bon café," you say as nonchalantly as you can.

Polnareff nods and smiles faintly. "Oui, je suis d'accord," he replies, but the second the words leave his mouth he whips his head around, staring at you with wide eyes. "What did - did you just - was that French?" he sputters, starting to grin like an idiot.

You return the smile, nodding. "Oui. I'm glad you could understand me."

"Glad I could - God, (Y/N), you're so - " Polnareff suddenly reaches out and wraps you in a huge hug, knocking the wind from you as he practically pulls you into his lap.

"H-hey!" you yelp, laughing loudly as he rests his chin on your shoulder. He sighs, placing his hand at the base of your neck, and you feel a shiver run through you. After a moment, he pulls away and beams at you.

"I didn't know you knew French!" he says brightly; he looks ecstatic. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know it until a few days ago," you tell him with a little smile. "I've been picking it up little by little. I still barely know anything."

"You've been...learning it?" he asks softly, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah! I found a little dictionary at a shop about a week ago, and that's actually what I stayed up all last night reading. Can't say that I'm grasping it very well, but I'm giving it a shot just for you!" The smile drops from your face a bit when you notice that Polnareff's expression has grown somber.

"(Y/N)..." Your eyes widen when you notice tears welling up in Polnareff's eyes. "You've been such a good friend to me. You're always there to make me smile, and well, you've saved my life a few times too. But this, I - you don't know what it means to me."

You reach out and take his hands in yours, a little clumsily. "You're the one who makes me smile. You're my best friend." You're suddenly made acutely aware of the butterflies in your stomach, and you suck in a deep breath. It feels like it's now or never. "Polnareff, there's something I want to tell you." He blinks the tears from his eyes, and you hold his hands a little tighter. "I really - "

Before you can finish, you're punched in the jaw by an impossibly powerful fist. You fly back, landing hard in the grass a few feet away. As you stumble to your feet, swearing and clutching your face, you summon your stand. It fucking figures there's a stand user here. Sometimes you wonder if you're some sort of stand magnet.

Polnareff frantically pulls himself up and dashes over to you. "(Y/N)!" he shouts, holding you by the shoulders and looking at your jaw. "Shit, are you alright?!"

You wince when Polnareff ghosts his fingers over the spot. "Probably not," you mutter, breathing in sharply through your nose. Polnareff freezes, and you shrug his other hand off of you. "We've gotta beat this guy, okay?"

"Y-yeah." Polnareff summons Silver Chariot and stands against your back, scanning the area for the stand or its user. You do the same, trying to push the pain out of your mind. "There!" Polnareff suddenly shouts, and you twist your head around.

It's a man; he's standing on the other side of the pond. He stalks up to the two of you, and as he walks, his stand slowly materializes behind him. It's extremely threatening, with a build that could rival Star Platinum and deep-set, bright red eyes. You force yourself to approach him and Polnareff follows you. Your stand is an archer, suited for long-range battle, and Polnareff's works better at a closer range, so you're usually able to cover each other's blind spots. Your stand pulls out an arrow and nocks it, aiming for the head of your enemy. "(Y/N), right?" he calls, a lax smirk on his face. "And Jean Pierre Polnareff." He and his stand take another step forward, and you tense. Polnareff's Silver Chariot is ready to strike at any moment. "Easy, easy!" he says, raising his hands on either side of his head. "I'm a fair man. Allow me to explain my stand to you."

You glance at Polnareff, and after a moment of hesitation he nods his head. Your stand lowers its bow while Silver Chariot points its rapier to the ground. The man slowly and surely approaches the two of you, and his stand waits beside him. "Thank you. Truce for now?" You grit your teeth and will yourself to nod. "I'm glad. Well, my stand is the Seven of Swords. Essentially, it's extremely powerful. I doubt you'll be able to get a single hit in, if I'm being honest." You can feel rage bubbling up inside you, and as hard as you try to fight it, you just can't kick the feeling. Your gaze flits to Polnareff; he looks just as angry as you.

Grimacing, you look back to the user. "My stand specializes in strength. Every punch it deals leaves a lasting effect - as I'm sure you've noticed, (Y/N)."

You want to scream. The smug look he's wearing and the searing pain in your face is all too much, and before he can continue, you have your stand quickly nock an arrow and fire. You hit him in his right shoulder - he had punched you with that arm - and he falls back, grasping at the wound. "Shit!" he shouts, leaning against his giant stand. With its left arm, Seven of Swords reaches out and yanks the arrow from its user's body.

You start to grin; it looks like you've knocked this guy down a notch. However, just when Polnareff moves to strike and you ready another arrow, he and his stand vanish. "What the hell?" Polnareff mutters, scanning the area. "Where could they have - "

"(Y/N), I'm disappointed!" You scream when the stand wraps its left arm around your neck, squeezing painfully but just lightly enough to let you remain conscious. The man leans in far too close and speaks. "You broke our truce. I suppose I can't be too angry... I wasn't exactly being completely truthful either." The stand's grip on you tightens, and you choke out a cough. Polnareff goes to slice through the arm around your neck, but before you even know what's happened, you're on the other side of the pond. Polnareff, now a great distance away, gapes at you before running over as quickly as he can.

"My Seven of Swords is a master of teleportation," the man announces. "Everything else is just a plus." His stand abruptly releases you, and as you gasp for air, the man grins. "I'm surprised by how easy it was to take care of you, (Y/N). Lord Dio had made you sound a lot tougher." You try to swear at him, but your voice is hoarse and barely understandable.

"(Y/N)!" You turn your head when Polnareff cries your name, and suddenly you're punched hard in the abdomen. You're knocked to the ground and your head smacks into the dirt, and the last thing you see before you lose consciousness is Polnareff's face, equal parts anguished and enraged.

-----

The first thing you note when you fade back into consciousness is a strong pain in your midsection. You groan, forcing your eyes open; looks like you were rescued. You're in your hotel room, and it seems like you're alone. You glance over at the window, gritting your teeth as you shift your aching neck, and you nearly laugh out loud when you see that stupid little dictionary sitting on your bed.

You hear the door open, and you turn to find Polnareff stepping through the doorway. "Hey," you say, your voice quieter than you'd intended.

He looks down at the sound of your voice and grins. "Glad to have you back," he replies softly. "I'm so relieved that you're alright." He carefully sits down beside you on the bed.

"Of course I'm alright." You crack a smile. "I wasn't gonna let that asshole kill me."

Polnareff laughs a little and nods. "Yeah, he was a real piece of shit. After he - after he knocked you out, I held him off for a little while until reinforcements arrived in the forms of Star Platinum and The Fool. The three of us had him crying like a baby."

"Thank God," you sigh. "He deserved it." You both fall into a little silence, neither of you quite sure of what to say. You remember exactly what you had been about to tell Polnareff when you were attacked, but you can't muster up the courage to try again now. "Even if it got fucked up at the end, thank you for the lovely afternoon," you finally say. "I really enjoyed our little picnic."

"So did I." Polnareff starts to speak more, but something catches his eye. You watch as he reaches over you and grabs something; it's the French dictionary. He peers down at it and starts flipping through the pages. Almost instantly he looks completely affronted, and you feel a laugh rise in your chest.

"What is it?" you ask him as he scoffs, shutting the book definitively and setting it back down.

"They made that thing so difficult to understand! It's so much simpler than that makes it out to be, really!" He shakes his head, clearly disappointed with the publication, and you let a little laughter escape. "How about this." He leans in towards you. "Instead of learning out of that stupid book, I can teach you! It'll be a lot more fun."

He's just so...charming. He's always so sincere, especially with you, and the pure kindness in his eyes as he speaks nearly takes your breath away. "That - that would be fun," you reply, too taken with him to think of anything else to say.

He grins. "Good. We can have your first lesson right now."

You laugh at that, making Polnareff jump a bit. "Already? What, am I gonna get homework too?"

He joins in on your laughter and shakes his head. "No, no, it'll be quick." Something in his expression softens, and you blink as he reaches out and places his hand gently over yours. He suddenly looks a lot more serious. "Tell me what I'm saying. Je suis amoureux de toi."

You open your mouth, softly whispering the words. Your mind's nearly a total blank; it seems you really didn't learn much from that dictionary. You're at least determined to get the beginning. "Ah... Je is 'I', so je suis would be 'I am',  right?"

Polnareff nods. He wraps his hand around yours and holds it, just as he had earlier today. "Yes. Je is 'I', suis is 'am'..." He lifts his other hand and entwines it with yours. You're not sure what he's saying but you allow yourself to hope, just a little.

Polnareff's voice is hardly above a whisper as he says, "Je suis amoureux de toi - I'm in love with you."

A huge smile breaks across your face and you feel like you're floating. When Polnareff sees your reaction, his smile widens as well, and he leans down and wraps you up in a careful hug. "I love you too," you murmur in his ear; you think you might burst into tears if you try to speak any louder. "I have for a while now. I'm so happy you - " Despite your best efforts, you feel yourself start to cry. Polnareff leans back a bit, and you're almost amused to see that he's crying too. You probably look like a couple of lovesick fools, and you're so, so, happy.

"I'll never be able to show you how much you mean to me, (Y/N)," Polnareff murmurs before pressing a tender kiss to your cheek. "How much it means to me that you care."

"Of course I care," you whisper back, reaching up and running your fingers through his hair. "I care because you mean the world to me."

Polnareff looks down into your eyes, and you both take in each other's expressions. "You know, I think we're perfect for each other," he breathes, and as you start to agree, he moves forward and captures your lips in a kiss.

Nothing has ever felt more right than Polnareff's lips on yours. You wrap your arms around his back, pulling him as close as you possibly can. He parts from you for just a moment to help you sit up a bit, so that he doesn't cause the injury to your midsection any pain. You wince when a particularly sharp pang of pain hits you, and Polnareff softly runs his hand over your hair. After a moment, the feeling dissipates, and you kiss him again.

"Je t'aime," you breathe against his lips, and he smiles. You gently kiss the corner of his mouth and then rest your head on his shoulder. As he presses a kiss to the crown of your head, you whisper, "Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime..."

-----

It's pitch black out as Joseph drives the group's large car down the winding roads to Cairo, with only the faint radio and Avdol's occasional snores to keep him company. He isn't exactly happy about driving in these conditions, but you had needed a few extra hours of bedrest before you could start this little road trip. Every once in a while, he glances at the back seat, and he finds you, Jotaro, and Polnareff all fast asleep.

After a couple hours of driving, Joseph hears someone stir behind him. He glances up at the rearview mirror and watches as Polnareff rubs his eyes and groggily looks to his left. You're sleeping against him, with your head on his shoulder and one arm loosely wrapped around his midsection. Polnareff's mouth turns up in a little smile, and he carefully wraps his arm around your shoulder.

"So I see everything worked out for (Y/N)," Joseph comments. Polnareff looks up at him, surprised and a little embarrassed to find he was being watched, and Joseph just laughs shortly. "I've always known you two were going to end up together. You really are a perfect fit."

Polnareff's face goes red and he looks back at you. "...Yeah. I'm really lucky."

"Oh, I know!" Joseph laughs again, startling Polnareff. "You should've seen (Y/N) last night, pouring over the French language like their life depended on it. They wanted so badly to make you happy after this hell we've been through."

Polnareff almost feels like crying again. He can't believe how truly lucky he is to have found you. "Still," Joseph says, "it's not quite over yet." Polnareff watches Joseph's expression turn somber through the rear-view mirror. "We've still got to kill Dio."

"Yeah." As he gazes down at you, so peaceful in sleep, he feels a fire light in his mind. He'd do anything to keep you alive, and while killing Dio will surely be extremely difficult, he knows he's going to do it - for Joseph, for Jotaro, for Holly Kujo, and for you. "We'll do it. We'll kill him and we'll all be fine."

"You're quite the optimist," Joseph mutters, sighing. "I try to be as well, but I'm worried that our luck so far will finally catch up to us in this final battle."

Polnareff isn't quite sure what to say, but now there's no doubt in his mind that they'll succeed in the fight against Dio. He just sighs, careful not to disturb you, and rests his head against the car window. "Do you want me to stay awake with you?" he asks Joseph.

"No, I'm fine. We'll be there pretty soon." Polnareff nods and shuts his eyes, and Joseph quickly turns his eyes back to the road.

As Polnareff begins to doze off, he gently clasps your hand in his. He hasn't had a home for a long time; ever since he lost his sister, he hasn't known that feeling of having somewhere - or someone - you truly belong with. Now, next to you, he dares to hope he's feeling it again. He's always loved you, he's realizing - you've always made him feel this way, whenever you joked around together or fought side-by-side in battle. Knowing that you feel the same was the best thing that's ever happened to him.

Just before he falls asleep, he whispers a gentle, "I love you." He holds your hand a little tighter and finally drifts off.

Joseph casts one final glance at the two of you in the back seat. Unlike Polnareff, he's a little more worried about the potential outcome of the face-off with Dio. Maybe, though, just maybe - the endless love you two possess for one another will be what wins the fight.

[yamithediaperdork]

Rewarded as a bully deserves (HunterXhunter)

Killua was in a rotten mode as he headed for the closet park in town, huffing and growling over him and Gon having a fight.

It was just so stupid! Here he was, a deadly assassin and for the 6th time this month they'd woken up in a bed drenched with pee. Lord knows Gon was trying to be kind and supportive but really, who could blame him for getting tired of waking up soaked?

Gon wanted Killua to start wearing 'protection' at night to bed, but the deadliest bed wetter alive refused to go that far, he had already comprised and let Gon put rubber sheets on the bed so hotel staffs stopped giving them a hard time hadn't he?

In any case they had taken a shower and gotten dressed, and Gon asked Killua to go for a walk by himself and think about what he had said.

'Screw that nonsense.. I'm go and cheer myself up the best way I know how!' Killua thought as he came to the playground area of the park. Nothing lifted his spirits like a little bit of harmless bullying.

Scanning the play area Killua spotted a good first target. a 5-6 year old with dark tanned skin and a black brush cut was digging away in the sandbox, making a moat around a sad looking sand castle he'd made with one hand, while licking away on a mint chocolate ice cream cone with the other.

spotting a plastic bucket with some water in it for the moat, Killua smirked and strolled over.

"Nice fort little guy." He said sarcastically, getting the boys attention and the kid gave him a smile.

"thanks! I was working on it for like ever!" The little guy said, apparently not recognizing the tone.

"Heh, Would be a shame if something happened to it though." Killua chuckled. "you did get house insurance against giants right?"

"Uhhh what?"

"well what if some big mean old giant.." Killua started, stepping into the sand box now. "Just came up..and did THIS!" Killua asked and stomped his foot down on top of the fort, snickering as the little guys eyes went wide.

"HEY! WHY'D YA DO THAT?!?" the little guy yelled, starting to stand up and with tears welling in his eyes.

"Because i'm better, stronger and therefore better then you. Little dorks have to get put in their place." Killua sneer and then grabbed the arm holding the ice cream cone and make the kid smuch it onto his hair. "Geez you little dorks are SUCH messy eaters!"

The boy squealed as the sudden cold on his head and how icky it felt.

"S-Stop this! I-I" the boy tried to make his threat clear but he was also trying not to full on bawl.

"heyyy don't worry about it, I'll help you clear up!" Killua laughed, then snatched up the bucket with the water in it and dumped it on the boys head, then tugged it down over the kids eyes.

"Hey, that's a good look for you, but it's missing something." Killua said and sneered, then turned the boy around and tugged back the kid's short then tanked up on the poor little guys briefs.

"Awww, a fan of sailor moon I see!" Killua teased and hooked the back of the briefs on the back of the bucket, then booted the kid in the ass, sending him sprawling out of the sand pit.

"Alright, I had my fun, get the fuck out of here before I decide to be mean." Killua said cheerfully.

the thought that all of this had been Killua being nice light a fire under the boy's butt, and he ran/crawled off, not even trying to remove the helmet or pick the wedgie out of his butt.

"well, I feel better already." Killua commented to himself, though he noticed a few other kids and adults glaring at him.

"Oh by all means, anyone who wants to try and punish me.. " Killua said, going from a happy goofy look to his slash smile. "Step up."

no one did.

After scaring two more little guys into give him all their ice cream money Killua was in the middle of getting a cone (Double chocolate mint just like the dork had had, it had looked good after all) when he heard a familiar voice.

"That's him Carlo! that's the bully!" cried the dork from before.

Turning around slowly Killua smirked, Carlo was clearly the dork's big brother, and while he was a little bit taller then Killua he had a slim build and the same tanned skin, though his hair was a bit longer while still being short.

"Ok mister, I'm going to give you ONE chance to say sorry to my little brother, and get him a replacement cone. If you don't.." Carlo said, crossing his eyes and glaring at Killua with a death glare.

Killua, who gave those out with ease froze for a tiny fraction of a second, and his bladder twitched, but he shook it off and took a long lick of his ice cream to show he wasn't scared, and to give him time to regain his composure.

"What? If i don't you'll do -what?-" Killua asked. "Try and fight me and end up hanging from the teeth ball pole by your undies? I mean, I'm mostly in a good mood now but if it's a ass kicking you want." Killua sneered.

Carlo rolled his eyes, then smirked.

"You know..I've been in a bit of a funk lately, and beating up bullies always makes me free better.. so thanks." He said.

Killua raised a eyebrow to thank but before he could react, Carlo was right next to him, and much like Killua had done before, taken a gripe on the arm with the ice cream cone.

On small difference though, Carlo wasn't going to make him put it in his hair and had tugged open the front of Killua's shorts and undies.

"W-Wait d-don't!" Killua shrieked, his plea fell on deaf ears though and he was somehow powerless to over come the taller boy power.

As such, a high pitch wail was heard as Killua's twig and berries got a double mint chocolate coating.

Killua's eyes crossed and a cartoonish image flashed in his mind as it felt like his private had just been transformed into two ice cubes and a Icicle, then there was sudden relief and warmth, making him stick his tongue out the side of his mouth in blessed relief.. at least until he noticed the warmth was traveling down his legs.

"heh, Carlo the bully wet himself!" The little guy pointed out, snickering and getting out his phone to take pictures.

"I can see that buddy, Aww, did the cold cold ice cream make da big bad bully go wee wee?" Carlo asked, folding his arms over his chest and baby talking to Killua.

"i..I uh.." Killua stammered, Sure, he was no stranger to soaking his pants at NIGHT while he was asleep, but this was a new one for him! "I..didn't go tinkle?" He finished lamely.

"Rightt then whats that making a puddle on the ground right now and staining your shorts." Carlo asked.

"..I don't have to answer that! In fact, I've had enough of false accusation's and I'm leaveing!" Killua huffed and turned around to do just that, but also exposed his back to his new found enemy.

Carlo, knowing that Killua had wedgie his little brother Hector, moved in and with on hand tugging Killua's shorts back the other grabbed the waist brand of Killua's Barney briefs and lifted up before the poor hunter even had a chance to fight back.

Killua's mouth opened as if he was screaming, and while dogs howled in pain no one with human ears could of heard the noise coming from his mouth, it was that high pitched.

Carlo smirked at the response and said "Awww, Barney briefs? that's just soo..fitting! But I wonder how strong they are?" then adding his other hand to the back of the waist band even as Killua looked over his shoulder and shook his head no, bringing his hands together pleading, Yanked the soon to be ex-hunter off the ground by a good 2 inches if now more and dangled him there as Killua turned pale and went blank eyed.

"Oh wow, those must be reinforced Carlo!" Hector marveled, recording this all for YouTube.

"I know, kinda a shame, if they weren't they'd of snapped by now and he'd know SOME relief." Carlo chuckled then turned him and Killua better into frame for the camera.

"hi I'm Carlo and this is a big bully who tried to pick on my little brother..Huh, never caught his name.. Hey wedgie boy, whats your name?" Carlo asked and holding Killua up with just one arm delivered a hard swat to Killua's buns, which also ended up making his shorts slide down around his ankles showing off his pee stained undies.

"A-AH! M-Mah name is Killua Zoldyck and I'm super super sowwy! Pwease stop!" Killua begged and pleaded, in a voice that sounded like he'd sucked on some helium.

"I dunno Hector, what do YOU think? Has Killua had enough?" Carlo asked, and Killua shot the boy he'd bullied a pleading look, bottom lip trembling and tears welling up.

"Hmmm you know I really think..that you should use him like a yo-yo till his undies snap. THEN I'll forgive him!" Hector giggled.

With both hands on the waist band Carlo went to work even as Killua started to blubber and cry for his mommy.

It ended up taking a record breaking 55 bounces before Killua's undies snapped, and by that time Killua had gone to la-la. with his undies snapped and ripped off off he was too out of it to notice that he was currently face down butt up with nothing covering his der rear and his bubble butt and little package showing.

"oh man.. that explains why he was in such a bad mood.." Hector giggled, having turned off the camera for now but uploading the video. (after all, even with a member as small of Killua's the mods on YouTube would of removed the video)

"man, makes me feel like I picked on a over sized toddler. feeling a little guilty." Carlo said, though in truth he wasn't really.

Killua's shorts were gone by this point as the boys who's ice cream money he had stolen had retrieved them, and after finding some of the cash and taking Killua's wallet, had tossed them in a bin meant for dog waste.

"Well, nothing we can do now, we don't have any spare pants for him." Hector pointed out.

"Well not quite..remember that weird vendor we passed on the way in?" Carlo said, digging into his pocket and pulling out some bill's.

"Heh.. you don't mean.." Hector asked.

"A yup. be a good boy and run and get widdle Killua something to wear." Carlo said, handing the money over and keeping a eye on 'sleeping beauty' while Hector ran off.

Killua was having a wonderful dream about having a endless buffet of candy and chocolates and it was so nice after what must of been a nightmare where he was tormented and bullied beyond belief.

He was slowly waking up and rolling over to sit up and rubbing his eyes. "Nggggh Heyyy Gon, you wouldn't believe the night..mare..I.." Killua started to say then opened his eyes, seeing Carlo and a semi crowd all around.

"Welcome back to the land of the living tiny!" Carlo said.

Killua huffed at that and stood up, about to tell Carlo off, he wasn't THAT much shorter when a breeze blew and he noticed how much he felt it on his on buns.

Looking down his face went crimson and Killua grabbed at his shirt and tugged it down, trying to cover up his privates.

"W-WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY UNDIES? MY SHORTS?!" Killua yelled, getting roars of laughter from the crowd.

"Well your undies were totally wreaked so we tossed them." Carlo said, nodding over to a waste bin for normal trash. "As for your shorts, there was a couple of boys you really seemed to annoy earlier and after getting back they're ice cream money with interest, they tossed them in the dogie waste bin..I doubt you'll want them back."

"but..but.. I can't go around with my ding dong on display!" Killua whined and whimpered.

"That's true. don't worry, I already thought of that shrimp." Carlo said and nodded behind Killua.

Killua turned to look and there was Hector, the brat he wished he'd never of picked on, running back with a pack of...DIAPERS!?

Killua whimpered loudly, a spurt of pee coming out and soaking the bottom of his shirt as he turned back to Carlo with pleading eyes.

"Please no! anything but diapers!" Killua whimpered. "I'm not a baby!"

"heh, Are you SURE about that?" Carlo asked, looking down and making Killua's gaze follow to the damp spot on Killua's t-shirt.

"i..but..that was because.." Killua mewed then shrieked and jumped, grabbing at his bun's as Hector came in range and walloped Killua's baby butt.

Ironically when he came down he landed in Carlo's waiting arms, like a blushing bride.

"Awww how cute, but you really think I'm gonna save you?" Carlo asked, then dropped Killua onto the hard ground and onto his tender buns.

"S-Stop being s-so mean to me!" Killua whined, on the verge of anther crying fit.

"Sheesh, I should of gotten him a paci." Hector said, handing the pack of diapers over to Carlo then tugging the shirt up and off of Killua, using it as a tear rag then tossing it out.

"Oh wow, Lookie here Killua~" Carlo said, reading the pack then holding it in front of Killua's face then read from the back. " 'New little poopers punishment diapers are perfect for your so called big kid who refuses to use the potty! extra thick to ensure they waddle, it comes with a embarrassingly babyish nursery print we promise to have your little stinker blushing bright red. with a special stink guard you and the big baby won't have to deal with their stink!' Heh wow, Oh look, they offer alt versions, that's something to keep in mind if you need more lessons."

Killua meanwhile was looking at the front of the package, showing sobbing pre teens in the bulky diapers and smirking parents.

"I-I changed my mind! I'll go home naked!" Killua whined.

"Nonsense! what kind of person would I be if I let you go without the diaper you CLEARLY need!" Carlo said, as if he was doing Killua a favor. "This is gonna go down one of two ways loser. You can either lay back and suck your thumb while I put as many of these as I can on you, or I can kick your ass, knock you senseless..then put as many of these as I can on you. Either way, you're going back to diapers. YOUR choice."

Killua pouted, started to ball a fist up.. then sighed and laid back, popping his thumb in his mouth and turning away from the crowd as laughter and taunts rang out.

"Loser!"

"Big baby!"

"Wuss!"

Carlo was a little disappointed that Killua decided not to fight back, but he had to admit seeing the wanna be bully accepting his big baby fate was kinda cute.

ripping the back open open Carlo smirked, dispute being the size of a pack that should be able to hold 16 diapers, there was only 6 of them in the pack and he pulled on of the massive things out, making sure everyone could see all the rattles and paci's and teddy bears and the like all over the diaper then unfolded it.

"Ok Shrimp, Butt up! If i have to lift you up I'm giving your buns a swat!" He said and wasn't shocked when Killua's butt almost levitated up in a instant to avoid any more punishment. "good boy!"

getting the almost pillow like diaper under the loser's butt, he gently pushed Killua's butt back down and smirked as Killua loudly sucked on his thumb, getting drool going down his chin as Carlo pulled the front up nice and snug and then taped it up.

"Welcome back to babyhood Shrimp." Hector said, leaning down and snickering, and making Carlo beam with pride.

In the end they only manged to double diaper Killua, the diapers were just too massive and they ripped a third one trying to get it on the babfied brat.

After he was all nice and snug in his diapers Carlo told Killua to try and get up and to Killua's massive shame, not only could he NOT get up on his own, but he couldn't even get close to bringing his knees together.

The fourth time he just plopped down on his butt trying to get up, Carlo rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"-sigh- Ok Shrimp, let me help you." Carlo said as if he was doing Killua a favor.

Holding out his hands Killua took them and got yanked up to his feet, legs wobbling as he tried to center his balance.

"heh, you might need a bit to get used to waddling in there. Try waddling over to that tree over there." Carlo said, pointing to a tree that would of only been 10 seconds away normally, but with this massive bulk taped around his hips it might as well been a mile away.

Still, Killua knew better then to argue at this point and took a wobbly step, then anther, and smirked, thinking he was getting the hand of it.

'I got this! I can-' He was thinking when his fourth step went wrong and with a loud yelp Killua plopped on his butt, a shocked look on his face but not hurt considering the thick padding under his butt.

"Awww, widdle baby Killua doesn't know how to walk!" Hector giggled, getting more laughter from the crowd.

"yeah, guess you better stick to crawling shrimp..you CAN at least do THAT can't you?" Carlo asked, tilting his head and smirking.

Killua huffed, he wanted to try and walk again but knew he wasn't getting any help and there just wasn't anything to help him get up to his feet with around. He toyed with getting in the crawling position and pushing himself up THAT way but had a feeling while he'd be in the middle of it Carlo would just smack his butt and send him face first into the dirt.

getting on all fours and trying to drown out the snickers and flashes of camera phones going off, Killua rolled around and got on all fours and then slowly crawled over towards the tree, glad that he had been right that he could crawl at least.

'at least i didn't have to do a diaper scoot across the ground, knowing my luck it would of ripped apart the diaper and I'd of gotten a spanking.' Killua thought with a sulk as he reached the tree.

"Well well, at least you can crawl, I was worried I was gonna have to carry you over." Carlo snickered. "Now use the true shrimp and get to your feet, and shake that diapered ass and sing us a song about what a big dumb baby you are and how happy you are to be back in diapers."

"..Your joking right?" Killua asked, jaw dropping. "There is NO WAY in hell I'm gonna d-" he started started to say but Carlo cracked the knuckles on his right fist and and light tapped his fist into his open left hand.

"You SURE about that?" Carlo asked.

"..W-what If I can't think of any lyrics because I'm a big dumb baby?" Killua squeaked out, flooding his pampers.

"I'm sure you'll think of something. It's ok if your dumb is lame though, your just a diaper baby shrimp." Carlo said.

Grunting with effort, Killua pulled himself to his feet, hands braced on the three and looked over his shoulder, the crowd was watching with delight and he trying to think of something, anything to sing.

"I...I'm big baby Killua and I'm so happy.." he started, wiggling his diaper, shutting his eyes.

"Because a big strong boy put me in a nappy!

Diapers are totally wear I belong!

so I hope all of you love my big dumb baby song!

I thought I was a bully but I'm just a dweeb

filling my diapers up with pee pee

If i ask for undies look at me like I'm a nut

then make baby poop with a punch to the gut!"

The act of singing the song and keep his eyes closed so he didn't have to see the crowd (though he could hear them laughing and cheering him on) had Killua's body getting into it and he was shaking his diaper booty like there was no tomorrow.

"Stupid babies like me we don't need to think!

we just sit in our diaper and super stink!

Watch me prove that as a baby I'm the best

I'm gonna fill my diapers with a super big mess!"

Killua's eyes shot open at that, had he really just promised that!? worse, his body was again moving on it's own accord and he was squatting down now, grunting and pushing, puffing out his cheeks.

'no no no no! why can't I stop myself! GOOOON! HELP!' Killua thought.

"Killua? whats going on?" Came Gon's voice.

Killua almost didn't believe it at first, it was just he wanted Gon to save him that he heard the voice of his boyfriend! But no, a look over his shoulder showed Gon standing there, eyebrow raised.

"G-Gon you have to s-save me! I-I-I.." Killua tried to tell Gon about what had happened, how he'd been victimized but before he could get the story out, something else came out in the back of his diaper. "I'M POOPING!" Killua cried out.

if the muffled farts hadn't of been hint enough, the back of the THICK diapers bloating out and getting even bigger would of given it away, and despite the diaper's boast of super stink guard, Killua's backed up stinky load (he hadn't gone in 5 days) was filling the area with a rotten smell, driving part of the crowd away.

Gon for his part just held his nose and then shook his head.

"Really Killua? You won't wear diapers to bed despite being a bed wetter, but you'll load them in public..Your coming with me mister man." Gon scolded and walked over.

"Um.. Should we tell him-" hector started to ask Carlo, holding his own nose.

"Nah, it's better this way. you can get out of the area of effect though, I'm gonna go say by by to baby Killua."

Walking over Gon was scolding Killua and swatting his boyfriends mushy butt as Killua whined and whimpered, sucking his thumb and still going.

"Hi, I'm Carlo...I was watching your little guy today." Carlo said, holding out a hand.

"Oh, well, thanks. I'm sure he was a handful." Gon said, giving Killua a look then shaking Carlo's hand.

"well he wasn't that bad. it was a lot of fun actually. anyways, here's the rest of the diapers Killua got and asked me to put on him, and if you even need a babysitter, give me a call." Carlo said.

"Heh, i just might, give me your number." Gon said, taking out his phone and handing it to Carlo, one hand still mushing Killua's tush.

"there we go. anyways, you two have fun! Byeeee baby Killua! you were LOTS of fun to play with." Carlo said and waved bye to the stinky big baby.

"Killua, don't be rude!" Gon scolded.

Killua whimpered, knowing there was no way he was living this down, he was gonna be in diapers for at LEAST a month..and knew it was pointless to try and tell the truth now.

Sliding his thumb out of his mouth as he finished loading his diaper, he gave a weak wave to Carlo and in a small voice said

"Bye bye."

The end

[here4theheartbreak]

Lazy Dog Mornings

AO3 Link Here!

Relationships: Hoseok x Jimin x Jungkook x Taehyung Genre: smut, PWP Rating: Explicit Word Count: ~3.1k

Tags: smut, PWP, puppy play, dirty talk, rough sex, knotting cock rings, discussion of breeding, D/s relationship, oral sex, anal sex, barebacking, bottom Park Jimin, puppy Park Jimin, switch Jeon Jungkook, puppy Jeon Jungkook, top Taehyung, top Hoseok, 

Summary: Taehyung brings Jimin to spend a lazy Saturday with Hoseok and Jungkook for a puppy play date.

A/N: The first of 2021′s Kinktober fics! Due to time constraints with real life, I will not be doing all 31 days for Kinktober. There are 18 fics listed at the moment for this month’s official Kinktober, scattered from today to the 31st. Between these fics I will be publishing the rest of Moonlight as I am able, so I recommend turning on notifications or AO3 notifications if you’re interested, since my normal Monday’s only posting schedule will be gone at least for the remainder of this month. Hope you enjoy! 

“Long time no see,” Hoseok rose, hugging Taehyung. 

“Right, it’s been weeks. How’ve you two been?” Taehyung asked. Jimin slipped in behind him, smiling sheepishly at Hoseok. 

“We’ve been good,” Hoseok said. He reached out, tugging Jimin’s collar. “You’re okay, you can go play. Jungkookie is in the living room. Make sure he puts his collar on if he’s gonna play with you.”

Jimin grinned broadly and rushed into the living room, forgetting to drop onto his hands and knees. Taehyung chuckled. “He’s been asking to come see Jungkook for ages.”

“He lost his phone,” Hoseok said, rolling his eyes. He laughed as he did. “We’re getting him a new one, but that’s why he’s not talked to Jimin.”

“How’s he been adjusting to the more permanent lifestyle?” Taehyung asked as they walked into the living room. 

“Not too bad. We still keep it pretty casual, especially because he does still wanna have a regular job, all that. But on weekends like this, well – aside from a video game I know a pup would never be able to play…” He tousled Jungkook’s hair as he passed. Jungkook smiled up at him sheepishly, holding his game controller a little closer to his chest. “He’s enjoying it.”

“Oh!” Taehyung patted Jimin. “Get comfy, pet – you’re safe here.”

“Can I?” Jimin asked. Taehyung nodded. 

“Me too?” Jungkook chirped. 

“Of course.” Hoseok handed him his collar. “You want a drink, Taehyung?”

“Something light,” Taehyung said. He followed Hoseok to the kitchen. “You know, I got Jimin the neatest new toy.”

“Oh?”

“I think Jungkook might really enjoy it.”

Hoseok nodded as he dug in the fridge. He passed Taehyung a bottle of yellow alcohol. “It’s sweet,” he assured him. He reached up and grabbed a bowl, as well as a stainless-steel dog bowl, and two more bottles of the alcohol. 

The two had met at a munch nearly seven years ago. Taehyung was fresh to the scene, while Hoseok had been playing a few more years. They became fast friends, sharing tips and learning new things together. It wasn’t until five years ago that they stumbled across Jimin and Jungkook, two young men in a very similar situation, at a much, and rather new to the scene. The four formed a friendship that shifted very easily and organically into something much deeper; Jimin finding Taehyung’s close age a comfort and seeking him as a more permanent partner, and Jungkook preferring the firm hand of an elder to take care of his needs. The rest, as they say, was history. Even now, years later, they rarely played outside of their loose quad, and puppy play had become the shining key in their relationship, Jimin and Jungkook taking to it instantly.

When they returned to the living room, Jungkook and Jimin had gotten themselves far more comfortable. Their clothing was in a pile nearby and they were lounging on Jungkook’s blanket on the floor, each wearing their collars and preferred tails. Jungkook’s was a sleek, whiplike black one, as well as a pair of soft, folded velveteen ears, and Jimin’s was a curly-q one, fluffy and big, dyed in a variety of bright colors. His ears were bright yellow and white, one that stood straight up, the other flopped down, with the same fluffy fur as his tail. They were both watching the television intently, some sports program Jungkook must have found. 

Hoseok crouched, pouring one bottle into each bowl. He snapped, getting their attention. “For you guys.”

Jungkook grinned and made a small noise of appreciation, rolling over and crawling to the bowl. 

Jimin yapped, pouting at Jungkook, who’s movement had disturbing his head rest. He stayed on his back for a moment before rolling to trot to his bowl as well. Hoseok smiled softly, watching the two for a minute before leaning back on the couch, sipping his drink. Taehyung moved closer to him, brushing a hand lightly over his thigh. 

“We really need to make time to hang out more often,” Taehyung commented. 

“Hm… We do.” Hoseok leaned over, his lips grazing Taehyung’s jaw. “Oh, you smell amazing.”

“A new cologne, Jiminie got it for my birthday.”

“It’s splendid. Tell me,” Hoseok set his bottle down and slid his hand up Taehyung’s thigh, squeezing firmly. “How’s work been going?”

Taehyung sighed, leaning into Hoseok. “Same old, same old,” he mumbled breathily. “My boss is sort of a jerk but I’m making due… I’m up for a promotion next month.”

“Congrats. You’ll finally be out from under his thumb if you get it.”

“Mm, that’s the hope; I’ll be his equal. I’ll have some more flexible time too, which will be nice.”

“Come visit us more often,” Hoseok suggested, beginning to press gentle kisses along Taehyung’s jaw. 

“I’d like to. Playdates for the pups at least.”

“Oh, of course… That’s the only reason,” Hoseok teased. He shifted, meeting Taehyung’s mouth in a gentle kiss. It deepened easily, their hands sliding over one another’s bodies. Taehyung shifted his hand under Hoseok’s shirt, pinching his nipple hard enough to make Hoseok hiss. 

“Tease,” he growled, nipping Taehyung’s bottom lip.

“No… Foreplay,” Taehyung promised. He moved over, nudging Hoseok’s shirt out of the way to suck a bruise onto the firm muscle of his collarbone. Hoseok moaned softly, his eyes fluttering shut. He reached out, palming Taehyung’s cock gently through his jeans, savoring the feel of it stiffening even through the thick fabric. 

His eyes fluttered open and glanced down at their pups on the floor, chuckling. 

“I think someone’s in a humpy mood,” he teased, nudging Taehyung.

Taehyung pulled away from his neck looked over to see. Jimin had mounted Jungkook and was lazily thrusting into his mouth.

“Jimin!” Taehyung hissed. 

Jimin jumped down, doing his best to look guilty and remorseful with his cock hard and wet between his thighs. Jungkook, on the other hand, pouted. He trotted up to Hoseok and rested his chin on his knees, whining softly.  

Hoseok smiled, stroking his hair. 

“Aw, I’m okay with having a breeding session if you are, Taehyungie,” Hoseok said. 

Jungkook wiggled his butt, looking expectantly at Taehyung. 

Taehyung chuckled, reaching out and tugging Jungkook’s ear playfully. “You’re really too cute for your own good. Fine. But you mount him. Minie is in trouble for coming too fast earlier this week and isn’t allowed to fuck anything.”

Jimin whined softly, spinning himself in a small circle before play bowing to Taehyung in apology. 

“Oh! Wanna try out the new toy?” Taehyung offered, pulling it out. It looked like a leather cock ring, dyed a vibrant, ruddy red. It was thick – two strips of leather at the top and bottom of the ring, connected by a thinner strip of leather that would rest at the top and underside of the cock when attached. In the middle, where the open space was, was what looked like a piece of a thick condom. Attached to the ring was a rubber tube that ran back and attached to a little hand pump coming from where the ring attached to where it connected behind the balls.

“It’s a knotting cock ring. He can pump it up when he’s coming and knot him, just like a real pup.”

Hoseok grunted in approval. “I would love to see that. Let him put it on you, Kookie.”

Jungkook nodded. He went up on his knees and set his hands on either side of Taehyung’s knees. Taehyung leaned down, attaching the cock ring to him. As he did, Jungkook snuffled over his neck and licked him, earning a laugh. Taehyung tousled his hair and flicked his cock gently.

“Go on, breed my Minie. Make sure he howls for you like a good boy,” he cooed.

Jungkook rushed back over, tackling Jimin down. The two began to wrestle around, kissing and biting at each other’s necks and mouths. 

“Is he well lubed?” Hoseok asked, palming himself through his jeans as he watched the two.

“Oh yeah, I added a lot before we came, just in case you or Jungkook wanted to use him.” Taehyung reached out, palming Hoseok himself. “Wanna fuck my mouth while we watch?”

“No, I think I’m gonna get some puppy kisses after they get going, do you mind if I use Jimin?”

“By all means… Can I breed Jungkook?”

“Please do - he’s been itching for a new cock in his hole lately.”

Jimin yelped, drawing their attention to the two on the floor. Jungkook had him pinned on his stomach, teeth digging hard into his shoulder. He’d nudged the tail plug out of the way, using the strap around Jimin’s middle to keep it on. He was rutting away, trying to sink his cock in without hands. 

“That’s a good boy,” Taehyung cooed. “You breed him. Show him who’s the boss.”

Jungkook barked and shifted, yelping himself when his cock finally plunged into Jimin’s slick asshole. 

Jimin screamed, jerking under him as Jungkook began to fuck into him, not giving him a chance to ease into it. 

Hoseok swore softly. He sank to the ground, undoing his jeans and sliding close to Jimin. 

“Come on, Minie. Be a good dog and play with a bone.” He taunted. He fisted Jimin’s hair and pulled his head up. Jimin’s cheeks were mottled, his eyes already glazed in pleasure and Jungkook used his ass. 

Hoseok slapped his cock over Jimin’s wet, plush lips. “Come on, puppy. Be good.”

Jimin whined low in his throat. He stuck his tongue out, drooling over Hoseok’s cock before letting it slide into his mouth. Hoseok moaned happily, holding his head. “Oh, good doggie,” he groaned. 

“That mouth is phenomenal, isn’t it?” Taehyung asked, crawling onto the floor with Hoseok. His own cock was pulled from his pants, wet with his own spit as he stroked himself.

“Amazing, you’ve done wonders training him, Taehyung,” Hoseok panted, fucking up into Jimin’s mouth. Jimin whimpered and groaned, his throat making small, wet gulping noises each time Hoseok’s cock penetrated it. 

“Want me to suck it?” Hoseok offered, looking at Taehyung’s cock pointedly.

“Nope, I was just getting ready. Is Kookie’s hole ready?”

Jungkook barked sharply, his grin wide enough to show most of his teeth. Hoseok laughed. 

“There’s your answer.” 

Taehyung chuckled. He pulled his pants off and went over behind Jungkook. He pulled the plug out, sliding two fingers in instead. “Oh, good boy. Ready to get filled up, huh?” 

Jungkook grumbled happily, wiggling his ass as much as he could still humping Jimin. 

“That’s it, hump my boy,” Taehyung coaxed. “Minie needs a nice thick load from a puppy like you this week, remind him what a good little breeding boy he is.”

Jungkook growled. He laid over Jimin, panting and huffing in his ear. 

Jimin moaned as well as he could, his voice cut off when Hoseok pumped his cock back into his mouth. He held his head down, eyes rolling back. “He’s gotten so much better at deep throating,” Hoseok panted.

Taehyung slid his cock slowly into Jungkook, sighing contentedly at the tight squeeze. Jungkook yipped, his body giving a pleasant little shudder. Taehyung went still, almost all the way inside Jungkook. He let his hands rest on his hips gently. Each time Jungkook thrusted into Jimin, he pulled slightly off Taehyung’s cock, and the pull out pushed him firmly back onto him. Jungkook groaned deep in his throat.

“Good boy,” Taehyung praised, stroking his sweat slicked back. “Harder you fuck my pup, the more cock you get, you’re learning.” 

Jungkook barked. He leaned down, licking a stripe up Jimin’s neck before nipping his ear and growling deep down. He began to move faster, slamming into Jimin hard enough to jerk him forward ever so slightly. The movement made him take Hoseok’s cock a little deeper as well, his shoulders jerking when he gagged on his cock. 

Jungkook picked up the hand pump, squeezing it a few times. Jimin whined, pushing his ass back further as the knot began to swell. It wasn’t enough to lock yet, slipping in and out of his ass with a slick pop. 

“Has he taken it before?” Hoseok panted, shifting to fuck up into Jimin’s mouth. 

“Not yet,” Taehyung said. He laid over Jungkook, his own hips now working to pound deep into his ass on each thrust. “He’s knotted me with it, and it felt amazing, but he’s not had a pup to give it to him.”

Hoseok moaned softly at that. “Hear that, Kookie,” he cooed, stroking Jungkook’s hair. “Gonna be the first to knot Minie’s tight little hole. How proud you should be. Give it to him good, pet… Make him howl for you.”

Jungkook barked sharply, choking back a moan. He shifted, driving his hips harder and faster into Jimin’s ass. 

Jimin shouted around Hoseok’s cock, his tears sliding down his cheeks. Hoseok looked at him, giving a thumbs up in question. Jimin nodded as well as he could, wrapping his lips tightly around Hoseok’s cock and sucking hard even as he gagged.

Jungkook began to pant more erratically, his hips working wildly. He snarled huffed and whined, biting down on Jimin’s shoulder lightly. He grabbed the pump, squeezing it each time he thrust forward. 

Finally, Jimin yelped and Jungkook went still, spinning his hips in tiny little circles. He leaned his head back, mouth open as his body jerked gently with the force of Taehyung’s thrusts. 

“That’s a good boy,” Taehyung purred, holding Jungkook’s hips. “You breeding my boy? Hm? Filling my pup full?”

Jungkook let his tongue hang out, his eyes going a little unfocused. The sight was stunning. 

Hoseok swore softly. He shifted and thrusted hard and fast into Jimin’s mouth. He could feel drool dribbling down his cock as Jimin struggled to take him. 

“Relax, Minie,” he panted. “Just let me in, I’ll give you a yummy treat, just let it happen, oh, fuck—” Hoseok gritted his teeth. He drove his cock into Jimin’s mouth, feeling his throat clench and convulse around his tip. He held his head, his cock spurting ropes of come. 

Hoseok released Jimin’s head, letting him pull back. Drool and come spilled from his mouth and over his chin and he coughed and gagged. He went back immediately, lapping at Hoseok’s cock to clean it. Hoseok smiled softly, stroking his hair. “Such a good boy,” he cooed. 

Jungkook grunted, baring his teeth as Taehyung pounded into him, his nails biting into Jungkook’s hips. 

Taehyung shuddered, his thrusts breaking their rhythm as he neared his orgasm. He tossed his head back, grunting as he came, still driving into Jungkook’s ass as he did. Jungkook grinned broadly, looking back at Taehyung and barking once sharply. 

“Yeah, I know… Good boy,” Taehyung panted, patting his ass. 

“I think Minie needs to come still,” Hoseok worried, leaning down to stroke Jimin’s cock, leaking and hard.

“Aw, you didn’t come from being bred?” Taehyung asked. 

Jimin shook his head in something resembling a no and whined, thrusting forward into Hoseok’s hand as much as he could still tied to Jungkook’s cock. 

“I’ll milk him,” Hoseok offered. He kissed Jimin’s cheek and forehead gently. Letting go of Jimin’s cock for a moment, he swiped his hand through the come and spit from their earlier activities still on Jimin’s face, using it to ease his hand as he began to stroke Jimin with a firm, sure grip.

“Come on, pup – let it out. We gotta get you to come or you’ll get pent up, won’t we?” He coaxed, his voice soft and soothing. 

“Such a good boy, Minie,” Taehyung added, reaching out to stroke Jimin’s back. “Didn’t come without permission, you’re getting so good at that. You have permission now, puppy – you can come any time you need.”

“He is a good boy,” Hoseok agreed. Jimin smiled crookedly, letting his tongue hang out even as his eyelids fluttered. “Holding his come until we’re ready to milk it out of him. Taking Kookie’s knot all the way, taking me without so much as a complaint or a nip. You’re such a good boy, Minie.” Hoseok stroked his cheek gently, his hand working fast along the length of his cock. 

Jungkook snuffled against Jimin’s ear, whining and woofing softly. He licked a stripe up his cheek and Jimin turned his head, meeting Jungkook’s mouth in a kiss that was more tongue and teeth. 

Jimin broke the kiss to hiss, his hips twitching wildly. 

“That’s it,” Taehyung coaxed. “Let it come. Come for Hobi, Minie.” Taehyung slowly pulled his softened cock from Jungkook’s ass, slipping the tail plug back in. Jungkook let the air from the knot, pulling himself free. He crouched down, sliding his tongue deep into Jimin’s gaping hole to catch the come as it dribbled out.

Jimin groaned at that, thrusting back against Jungkook’s tongue. His eyes rolled back a little, mouth hanging open. 

“Come on, such a good boy, come for me, Minie, come on, let it all out.” Hoseok praised.

Jimin yipped, his entire body shuddering. Jungkook leaned up and pushed his tail plug back in, biting his ass playfully. Jimin’s cock jerked in Hoseok’s hand and began to spurt ropes of come onto his hand and the floor. 

“Oh, good boy,” both Taehyung and Hoseok praised as Hoseok milked his orgasm from him. When he could get no more, Hoseok pulled his hand back and both Jimin and Jungkook went forward, licking the come from it. They shared another messy kiss afterward, nipping each other’s mouths.

Hoseok settled back onto the couch, wiping his hand free of saliva and come, and tucking himself back into his jeans.

“That was very needed,” Taehyung said, slumping on the couch after putting himself away. 

“Most definitely,” Hoseok agreed, watching the two cuddle on the floor. “You boys wanna get a bath?” He offered. “After we can all take a nice nap together and then go out to dinner?”

Jimin and Jungkook untangled themselves from each other and rushed up to the two, wagging their tails as fast as they could manage. 

Taehyung laughed brightly. “Guess that’s a yes.”

The two rose and led Jimin and Jungkook down to the bathroom. Deciding it was far easier, they got the others up on their feet and showered two by two, sharing gentle kisses and touches as they passed. 

After their showers, Jungkook and Jimin were permitted to remove their plugs, leaving their ears and collars on. Hoseok let Taehyung borrow a pair of sleeping pants, and all four curled up on Hoseok and Jungkook’s bed. It was a tight fit, not that they minded; the closeness was comforting for Jimin and Jungkook after playtime, and Taehyung and Hoseok were happy to give them all they needed. They knew they weren’t in the most traditional relationship, but it didn’t bother them. They were happy, and they found joy in the small things. That was what really mattered. 

[scuttling]

Birthday

Fandom: Criminal Minds Pairing: Aaron Hotchner/Latina OFC Sophie Cortes Word Count: 2,648 Tags: SFW, Pre-relationship, Drinking, Pre-relationship minor Morgan/Garcia Summary: The team goes out for Sophie's 30th birthday. Collection: Sophie Cortes timeline, 7-12 Months at the BAU (See Masterlist for reading order) Link to AO3 or read below! “Time for another shot?” Prentiss asks, dropping two handfuls of glasses onto the table in front of them, and Sophie laughs, shaking her head indulgently.

“No more shots, Em. I’m already feeling the last two.” Her cheeks are slightly flushed, corroborating her comment, but she’s still standing steadily, so she can’t be too far gone.

“Come on, it’s your birthday!” The rest of the team joins in with a chorus of similar comments, but Hotch just smiles at their happiness and lets them battle it out amongst themselves.

“You only turn 30 once, you know,” Morgan reminds her, a hand casually thrown over her shoulder, and Reid frowns.

“You only turn every age once; what’s the significance of 30?”

“All he’s saying, Reid,” Garcia chimes in, taking a sip of her pink, fruity drink, “is that every year older is a chance to celebrate. Especially in this line of work.” Sophie sighs, clearly giving in to her friends’ methods, and she walks two fingers forward, to a full shot glass.

“Fine, fine: I will drink one more shot…” she begins, pausing as is for dramatic effect, “if someone gets me cheese fries.”

“I’ll buy the birthday girl some cheese fries,” Reid offers, and she pulls him down by the arm and gives him a kiss on the cheek, which earns howls from the team and a blush from Reid, and then she takes the shot.

“I’m hungry too, Spence, I’ll come with you,” JJ adds. “Anyone want anything?” Morgan, Garcia, and Prentiss rattle off orders, and Hotch takes a sip of his beer, doesn't notice that Sophie has made her way toward him until he gets a whiff of her perfume.

“Not hungry?” she asks, leaning against the table and facing him. She looks very beautiful in a short, silky orange dress, leather jacket thrown over her shoulders, and he lets his gaze linger for a moment.

“No, I think I’m going to call it a night.” He has reports that need to be reviewed, documents that need to be signed, and though he’s enjoying watching his team on a rare night out, he can’t help but feel old and out of place—especially as she celebrates her 30th birthday, for god’s sake. He can’t even remember his 30th birthday.

“Oh Hotch, you can’t.” She sets a hand on his arm, gently, looks up into his eyes with a clear gaze. “I know I don’t like to make a big deal of my birthday, but I’ll happily play that card with you if it will get you to stay.” Her eyes are sweet, and they look wide, almost pleading—it’s a puppy dog look by anyone’s standards, and it turns out he’s helpless against it.

“Okay, I’ll stay a little longer if it means that much to you,” he agrees, teasing a little, but her reply seems serious.

“It really does.” She smiles softly, then removes her hand from his arm, almost like she forgot that she put it there. “I’ll even share my cheese fries with you.”

She makes good on the promise, thanking Reid profusely for the gift and then running a knife through them so they make for smaller bites. She lifts her fork, takes two or three bites, and sets it down, handle pointing in his direction; he’s really not that hungry, but the way she shares with him is so effortless that it feels like an offering he shouldn’t refuse.

Later, Morgan and Garcia are dancing, Prentiss is talking to a woman she knows from the office, and Reid is making conversation with someone at table over, when Sophie takes her last bite of fries.

“They’re still not together, right?” she asks, pointing her fork at Morgan and Garcia, and Hotch shakes his head.

“As far as I know, no.”

“Same here,” JJ pipes up from across the table, nursing her drink. “And you know I’d know; I know everything.” Sophie laughs, sips her beer. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. It’s just a shame, I guess; two people who are so drawn together shouldn’t fight so hard to stay apart.” JJ gives Hotch a quick glance, which he can’t interpret, then looks back down at her half-eaten plate of fried pickles, picking at the crumbs.

“I don’t get it either. If the FBI doesn’t care, why do they?” Sophie sighs, looking back at the laughing, dancing couple, props her chin up with her hand.

“They don’t think they deserve it.” When he and JJ both look toward her—the sound of her voice is almost sad, unusual for a night like tonight—she straightens, downs the last of her drink. “I assume that’s why, I mean.” JJ gives him another brief look, and he doesn’t know what to say. It’s almost 2 AM when the party breaks up, much later than he intended to stay out, but he’s happy he did. Sophie isn’t drunk, he doesn’t think, but she’s much tipsier than she was hours ago, before the cheese fries—and she’s really adorable.

“I love you guys so much,” she tells them all as they put on their coats. “I love you, Spencer, for buying me cheese fries, thank you buddy.” She wraps her arms around him, almost dangling from his neck, and he laughs, squeezes her tight.

“I love you too, buddy, you’re welcome.” She moves to Garcia next, hugs her tight around the waist.

“I love you, Pen. I love my card and your smile and I love coming into your cave for candy when Morgan gets on my nerves.” They laugh and Morgan acts affronted, which only makes them laugh more.

“I love you too, birthday babe.”

“I love you Morgan,” she begins, pulling him into a one-armed embrace, “even though you annoy me sometimes, ‘cause we’re Chicago twins and we both like the Cubs and we both know the best pizza is from Tony’s on 4th Avenue.”

“You know it, girl. I love you too.”

“JJ,” Sophie calls, drawing out the last letter, and they hug each other equally tight. “I love you ‘cause you’re the coolest one of us; I don’t make the rules,” she tacks on when the rest of the group scoffs. “She’s super cool and you guys know it.”

“I love you, especially when you’re drunk,” JJ tells her with a laugh. “Should have made you eat more than half a plate of cheese fries.”

“It’s not your fault, I blame Emily Prentiss,” she says, accusatorily, turning to the woman in question and giving her a hug, which Prentiss returns with a pat. “I love you even though you kept handing me drinks all night. You’re a bad influence.”

“Then I guess I succeeded,” she says with an affectionate smile. “I love you, birthday girl. I’m glad you had a good time.” They separate, and when Sophie turns to Hotch, the last in line, her face changes. Her expression isn’t one of awkwardness or irritation, but… almost like resignation, and he can’t exactly tell what that means.

She smiles softly, quirking her lip as if asking if it’s okay to proceed, and he opens his arms, tries not to smile when she sags against him as if, of all the hugs she’s received tonight, this is the one she wanted most.

“I love you, Hotch,” she says so quietly he has to strain to hear, and he moves his hand carefully over her back.

“I love you too.” They stay like that for a good twenty seconds, and when she pulls back, she smiles sheepishly.

“Okay, you guys have stayed out long enough because of me. I’ve gotta order my Uber.” Morgan and Prentiss both insist they can drop her off, talking over each other, and he decides to spare them both, speaks in his unit chief voice for the only time that night.

“You guys focus on getting each other home; I’ll get her home.” Everyone agrees easily, Sophie included, and they are walking out to the parking lot before she speaks again—not exactly slurred, but a bit slower than normal.

“How are you still so... Hotch-y? You had as much to drink as I did.”

“I’ve probably got 75 pounds on you, so I metabolized it faster, I guess,” he answers with a chuckle, steering her to his SUV, and something about that makes her groan.

“Oh, I know... all about that.” He comes around to the passenger side to open the door for her, and for a moment she just looks up at him, slowly wets her lips. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She slips into the car, buckles up, and he closes the door with a sigh.

In a perfect world, this would be him taking her home from a date, maybe kissing her goodnight on her doorstep… But the world is as imperfect as she isn’t, and his little crush is both inappropriate and foolish, so he resigns himself to his role and vows to get her home safely, and nothing more.

They arrive outside of her apartment building after about fifteen minutes of softly murmured directions, and he puts the car into park, turns to look at her.

“Do you want me to come up with you?” he asks, and she smiles softly, tiredly.

“Yes, but no. I’ll be okay.” The look on her face is sweet, almost tender, and he keeps himself from reading too much into it. That way lies madness, he knows.

“It’s no trouble. It would make me feel better, to know you made it safely.” Her smile gets brighter, and she sits up, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Okay, sure. Thanks. I could make you a cup of coffee for the road, if you’d like.” He nods, and they both climb out of the car, heading toward the front door of her apartment. He keeps his hands near her, ready to catch her if she wobbles, but she is steady on her feet even in the skinny heels she wears.

She unlocks the front door, then takes him up a couple of flights of stairs, stopping outside apartment number 12. Her keys turn easily in the locks, the door swinging open to display a very clean, very white apartment. “Thanks for coming up with me. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it,” she tells him, hanging up her jacket on the hook behind the door.

“I wanted to,” he tells her, honestly, a little distracted by her bare shoulders, the slim straps that rest on them. She looks back, and if he’s caught staring, she doesn’t mention it. She leans her butt against the wall, reaching down to unclasp the buckle on her shoe, and for the first time, her balance isn’t perfect; she wobbles a little, and his hands catch her waist to steady her.

“Do you need help getting your shoes off?” he asks, looking down into her eyes, and hers are warm, liquid as she stares back. Her tongue sweeps over her bottom lip, and if it were any other woman, he would take that as an invitation to lean in and kiss her. Instead, he drops to one knee and unbuckles her shoe, slides it off carefully, repeats that with the other foot. He sets the shoes on the shoe rack by the door, stands back up to full height, touches her arm gently.

“Thanks, Hotch.” Her voice is soft, cautious, and it looks like she wants to say more, but the silence goes on too long, and she eventually clears her throat. “Do you want that cup of coffee?”

“Sure. Please.” She pads into the kitchen, which is, like the rest of the apartment, sparkling clean and gleaming white, switches on the coffee maker, and pulls a travel mug down from the cupboard overhead. “I like your apartment. It’s very… clean.” She turns, back against the counter, and smiles.

“I don’t like to leave a mess, since we never know where we’re going to be.”

“It’s a little bare,” he says gently, trying not to profile too much, and she looks down like she’s self-conscious.

“You know I’m private. I like to keep my photos and stuff in the bedroom.” She walks past him, down the hallway, looks over her shoulder and signals for him to follow.

Her bedroom is still very white—white comforter, white sheets, white pillows—but her dresser, headboard, and end tables are made of wood, and the dresser is littered with silver picture frames.

One is of Sophie and a young man who resembles her so much, it must be her brother. One is of the two of them with a pair of adults, their parents, probably. One is of Sophie with a young man and woman who look like they could be twins, another of Sophie and the man he knows is her previous partner back in Chicago.

There’s one of her SWAT squad, Sophie in the middle with a big smile and an even bigger gun. Then there’s one of the BAU team, from a get-together Garcia hosted; he remembers her apartment looking like a craft store threw up there, every bright color and pattern you could imagine, and he remembers Sophie’s face when she saw it, called it gorgeous and fitting and very Penelope.

Would he consider this apartment very Sophie? This room, maybe, but that’s about it.

“I love these. Especially this one,” he says, holding up the photo of the SWAT team. “We need to take you to an outdoor range one day, so you can blow Morgan’s mind.” She laughs, light and airy, moves closer so she’s looking at the photo with him.

“That’s a great idea. He’s seen my special tactics, now for my special weapons.” She touches the photo of her with her brother, picks it up to show him. “This is my brother, Leo—before he became a constantly high competitive surfer in San Diego.”

“Do you see him often?” Her face falls, and she sets the photo back down with a sigh.

“I haven’t seen him in about a year. He doesn’t agree with my lifestyle, calls me a government pawn.”

“He doesn’t agree with your lifestyle?” he asks, a little surprised, considering his habits, but she just nods.

“Yeah, he’s very ‘go with the flow’, finds me morally rigid. Thinks I’m not doing work that needs to be done, as if our job is less important than surfing.” He laughs, and she laughs with him, bumps playfully against his arm. “You should feel special, you know. No one else has seen my photos.”

“No one at all?” That can’t be right, she’s had people in her bedroom, certainly…

“Nope. I don’t date often, you know. And I one-night-stand even less than I date, so. No one has had the chance.” It makes him sad, generally, that she keeps her photos so guarded, that she doesn’t share them—he’s happy, though, to know she doesn’t have men in and out of her bedroom, as if that matters when he knows nothing will ever happen between them.

“You have to give someone the chance,” he says, pulling her in for an easy, one-armed hug and pressing his lips to the top of her head. He’s not sure why he does it, but it feels so right he doesn’t really question it.

“I know,” she says quietly, wrapping her arm around his waist, too, and leaning against his shoulder. “I just want it to be the right someone.” She looks up at him, so soft and beautiful in just her slip of a dress, feet bare, that his chest aches with the urge to kiss her.

He doesn’t, of course, and never will, and the moment eventually passes, their eye contact breaks. “I should make that coffee,” she murmurs, pulling away, and tries not to feel too bad about the loss.

[rjhpandapaws]

What We Grow from Ashes

Ch 1: First Small Steps

Tw: Alcoholism

Hank understood that things would change immediately after the revolution. Red tape issues like this usually took years. He had still expected some kind of change from Connor though. Clothes, hair, anything; but he was exactly the same. He kept his stiff posture and habit of bending every which way to do what was asked of him even when it was clear that he didn’t want to. Hank could understand. Everything he had known had been changed and clinging to his old routines was the only thing that was comfortable. He was going through the same thing with his drink. Whiskey was familiar and the withdrawal that came with being sober for too long was painful. Hank still wished that he would get rid of that fucking jacket. Even before the revolution one of the albeit many things he had disliked about androids wall all of the markings. The goal seemed like it had been to make them as human as possible. Then they had turned around and labelled them as machines with bright lights and what they were quite literally spelled out over their back. Yet, after everything, Connor had still kept the jacket. Hank couldn’t understand why for the life of him.

Connor had been working near constantly as well. Hank hadn’t seen him take a day off. It was that constant working that Gave Hank an idea. He could invite Connor over on a weekend to visit Sumo. He asked about the fur ball often enough. It was a small change that probably wouldn’t effect his schedule too much. He found it safe to assume Connor didn’t work on the weekends. “Hey Con?” He started while they were trying to tackle the ever growing pile of paperwork that built up between cases, “Do you have any plans this weekend?” Connor looked up at him and his LED cycled yellow for a couple of turns, “No, why?” “Would you like to come visit Sumo? He misses you.” Hank replied. Connor tilted his head and his LED cycled again as he thought about it, “That sounds nice actually.” “Cool.” He said with a nod, “I’ll pick up some stuff Friday after work and you’re can come  over whenever you’re ready.” “Alright.” Connor said as he got back to work and that seemed to mark the end of their conversation.

The week went by quietly which was a pleasant change of pace. The rougher days made him want to drink more than usual. The itch was always there, but the stressful days made it harder to resist. On the days they dealt with kids alive or otherwise Hank always had a glass of whiskey. The memories of Cole always disarmed him completely and the itch won out. As promised, when they got out on Friday Hank went to get supplies for the weekend. Connor seemed to enjoy sampling flavored shampoos so Hank grabbed a couple of those. One labeled as Tropical Breeze and another with a name he couldn’t pronounce. He found a brand of carbonated thirium packaged in old fashioned glass soda bottles and Hank thought Connor might like it. He picked up a six pack of light beers for himself. The justification he used was that a good host wouldn’t let their guest drink alone, and having hard liquor would have been inappropriate. He knew better though. He could have bought soda just as easily; he bought alcohol because he was an alcoholic. He was in recovery, but an alcoholic all the same. There were some days he was going to be weak.

He spent most of Saturday morning doing the cleaning he had missed during the week so his house wouldn’t be as much of a disaster. He wouldn’t be passed out this time either which was an added bonus. Connor’s scans would probably find things he had missed, but Hank felt better with his house at least being visually clean. It was around ten in the morning when he heard the doorbell buzz that was distinct to Connor. Sumo let out a howl to accompany it. Hank rolled his eyes at the dog before he moved to answer the door. There was Connor, in the same clothes as usual. Down to that fucking jacket. Hank kept the comment that crept to the tip of his tongue to himself and settled on a greeting instead as he stepped out of the way so Connor could come inside, “Hey kid.” “Hello Lieutenant.” He replied as he stepped out of his shoes. Connor held his hand out for Sumo as the big dog came over to investigate him again, “Hello Sumo.” “Call me Hank please Connor, we’re off the clock.” He remarked as he closed the front door. “There’s no reason to be so formal when it’s just us.” “Right, Hank.” Came the distracted reply.

Hank turned to find Connor seated on the floor with both of his hand buried in Sumo’s fur. The over sized fur ball in mention looked like this was the best day of his life and had pressed as much of himself against Connor as he physically could. Had the kid been anything other than an android he would have been flattened under the furry mass. The sight made Hank smile. He let them be and made his way to the kitchen to put away what he had been using to clean. His house was cleaner than he had ever remembered it being; which probably said a few things about him that weren’t all that great. “You got a lot done.” Connor’s voice came from immediately behind him and Hank nearly jumped out of his skin. “Jesus kid, I oughta put a fuckin bell on you.” Hank said dryly once he had gotten his heartbeat back under control, “But yeah, thanks.” Connor gave that odd smile of his, “You seem to be doing a lot better as well.” “Uh, yeah,” Hank cleared his throat. Of course Connor would have noticed being an investigator and all that, “I’ve been trying to cut back on my drinking.”

The conversation died after that and Hank moved to go get the shampoo bottles. The quiet was awkward and he didn’t know what else to do. When he came back Connor looked like he was deep in thought and his LED was rolling on a solid steady yellow. Hank didn’t want to interrupt so he set the bottles on the table and waited for Connor to find the words for his thoughts. “Hank?” He started with hesitation hitching his words, “What are you supposed to do when you want to change but don’t know where to start?” Right out with the hard questions then. He sighed, “That mostly depends on the change.” Hank took a moment to think, he needed to be careful with the words he chose. Eventually he decided that an example might be better. “Like getting to the point that I wanted to cut back on my drinking took getting bitch slapped by an asshole who decided to break into my apartment through the window.” That got a laugh out of Connor and Hank kept going, “But picking where to start was difficult. There are a lot of resources ranging from AA to substance abuse counseling. There have also been people who have decided to go it on their own and have done pretty well. I decided to try that out as well because I can always get help later. It just takes weighing your options against what you are capable of doing.” Connor gave a slow nod but his LED was still solidly on yellow, “So if you wanted to step out from under what other people expect you to be, what would you do?”

So that was the thing bothering him. Finding a place to start, he already knew what he wanted. Had he been talking to anyone else Hank would have suggested winging it. That wasn’t how Connor worked, he needed something structured, a plan of attack. Hank had only ever had to redefine who he was, he’d been born with agency and autonomy. He hadn’t had to build his sense of self up from scratch, but he would still try and help as best he could. “I would start small.” He suggested vaguely, “Change something that I have absolute control over. Make it clear that I don’t want to be associated with what it used to be, if at all.” Connor looked down at his arms, his jacket sleeves if Hank had to guess and there was a flash of red in his otherwise steady yellow LED. “I have to think about this.” He said mostly to himself, then to Hank, “Is it alright if I come over again next weekend too?” “Of course.” Hank agreed, “We’re friends. If you ever need me, I’m just a call away.” Connor gave another absent nod, “I think I am going to leave.” “Alright, be safe kid.” He replied as Connor made his way to the door.  He didn’t reply, but he did stop to give Sumo another round of petting before he left. Hank turned back to the shampoo bottles and sighed. They could wait till next time he supposed. He picked them up to put them away.

He was proud of Connor. This was a big thing and he could understand why he was so worried. Hank would be there with him though so he wouldn’t have to go through this alone. They could take their first small steps together.