#that said i have been waiting MONTHS for that set to go on sale so i can get the cleo to restyle and mattel is kinda failing at the whole

[c0rpsedemon]

what if we were rlly pretty base dolls w rlly ugly dresses and we were both made by mattel creations

[wafflefries13]

Double Trouble (Floyd x Reader)

Summary: A certain pair of twins are found roaming around NRC campus. No, not those ones. (AKA, Floyd and your kids come visit from the future.)

AN: This was supposed to be a cute short fic. Now it's 20 pages and three weeks later.

Warnings: Maybe a little ooc near the end. Kids and mentions of how they're made. AFAB Reader with she/her pronouns.

It was a pretty quiet day at NRC, which meant (Y/N) was waiting with bated breath for something to go terribly wrong. 

“You worry too much!” Grim complained, hanging off her shoulder as they walked along the main thoroughfare past the Great Seven statues. “We finally have a day off! No work from Crowley, no problems with the dorms, no weird stuff popping out. And! Sam had that sale on canned tuna!” Grim pawed at the can he was holding, trying to rip open the pull tab on top. With a frustrated huff, he reluctantly handed it over.  

(Y/N) quickly popped open the can and handed it back to him. Grim gave a small cry of delight as he buried his face in the shredded tuna. “I know, I know,” She said, absentmindedly scratching him behind the ears. “I think I’m just not used to it anymore. It feels like something should happen, you know? Like, they say right before lightning strikes you can feel the static in the air. And be honest, when was the last time we had a real day off?” 

Grim looked up, licking his lips. “Well, last month we - no, wait, that’s when the fairies stole that magestone and had that fashion show. Oh, what about the weekend when we - no, that was Camp Vargas, huh? Uhh, Port Fest was really fun!” 

“We were working at the food stalls the whole time.” (Y/N) grinned at her feline-type companion. “Or at least I was.” 

Grim frowned. “Hey! Taste testing is an important part of selling food! You have to make sure your product is up to snuff!” 

(Y/N) giggled and took the empty can from Grim, putting it in the plastic bag that held the other odds and ends they had picked up from the Mystery Shop. “Of course, we couldn't have done it without you.” She shielded her eyes from the sun, squinting to look up at the sky as if to double check it wasn’t about to start falling. “I just think that-” 

“Mama!” 

Both (Y/N) and Grim jumped, the latter falling off the former’s shoulder with a yelp to float in the air. (Y/N) blinked the white sunspots out of her vision looking around for where the exclamation had come from. No sooner had she started her search than a tiny force threw itself against her legs nearly knocking her over. (Y/N) looked down, seeing a wailing child bury his head into her hip, arms clasped around her in an iron-clad grip. 

“Whoa, hey, hey!” (Y/N) said, trying to get her bearings. She pried the child’s grip away just enough for her to kneel down so they could be closer to eye level. The boy had a cherubic face, big eyes and big cheeks, with big tears rolling down them. He had teal-colored (your hair texture) hair. One of his teary eyes was a stormy gray while the other was (your eye color). A set of sharp almost shark-like teeth bit at his quivering bottom lip. 

‘Do Jade and Floyd have a younger brother or something?’ (Y/N) thought. 

She patted the boy's hair down and whipped the tears off his cheeks. He was taking big gulping breaths, trying to calm himself down. “Hey, it’s okay,” She said in what she hoped was a calming voice. “You’re okay. Did you get lost? This can be a big scary place, huh?” 

The boy took another shuddering breath and flung himself in (Y/N)’s arms. She fell back, sitting roughly, as the boy buried his face in her shoulder. 

“Geez, who the heck is this crybaby?” Grim muttered, floating nearby with his paws on his hips. 

“Grim, don’t be rude!” 

“He’s the one who ran into you! That’s rude!” Grim floated a little closer, cocking his head to look at the boy. “You know, he kinda looks like-” 

“Ah!” (Y/N) yelped, pain suddenly rushing through her hand. She had been patting the boy’s hair, trying to help him calm down, when he suddenly turned his head and bit down hard. Jerking her hand back, (Y/N) could see a fresh set of indents forming a perfect semi-circle around the joint of her thumb, two of the points already beading with blood. 

Grim immediately jumped to the defense. “Hey! What’s the big idea?” 

The boy let out another wail, picking himself up and dashing away before (Y/N) could take another breath. “Hey, wait!” She called after him. “It’s okay! Come back!” 

“Okay?!” Grim said as incredulously as he could manage. “He bit you! Look, you’re bleeding!” 

(Y/N) whipped away the blood from her hand on her skirt. “He’s clearly just scared, Grim. It was probably just an instinct. Come on, we better find him before he gets into any trouble.” 

Ignoring Grim’s grumblings, (Y/N) jogged off in the direction the boy had gone. She wondered why a kid so young would be alone in a place like this. He was, what, maybe seven or eight? Not to mention obviously terrified. And… Wait, had he called her mama? (Y/N) faltered a little when she remembered that. Maybe it was like when a kid called someone they were close to auntie or big sister? But why mama? 

“Say that again and I’ll bite your fingers off!” 

(Y/N) was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of a child’s voice yelling some… pretty violent threats. She couldn’t imagine the small crying boy from before saying something like that. Was there another kid wandering campus? Was it a family visit day or something? 

(Y/N) turned the corner to see the boy facing off against a group of students. Or, no, it wasn’t the same boy. Sure, he had the same round face, teal hair, and mismatched eyes, but he held himself in a completely different way. Instead of curling in on himself with fear, his shoulders were back, chin up in defiance, his sharp teeth pulled into a scowl, tiny fists balled with rage instead of anxiety. 

(Y/N)  didn’t want to believe it, but the students looked like they were getting ready to square up with a kid. Channeling into her de facto role of campus peacekeeper, she put herself between the kid and the students, saying, “Hey! What’s going on here?” 

One of them jabbed his finger at the boy. “This kid came out of nowhere and started insulting us! Saying our magic was weak!” 

“It is!” The boy said, peering around (Y/N)’s legs. “My papa’s the strongest guy at Night Raven College ever! He could take you all on at once! Tell ‘em, Mama!” 

“Mama?” Another one of the students said. “Prefect, you know this kid?” 

“Uh, not exactly, it’s kind of complicated. Look, he’s just a kid, he didn’t mean any harm. Let’s just all cool down for a second okay?” 

Another student stepped forward, punching his fist into his open hand. “I think he needs to learn some manners. And if his ‘mama’ isn’t going to teach them to him, we will.” 

Instinct kicked in and (Y/N) scooped the boy up in her arms. “Now, just hang on a second, you’re not really going to fight a kid, are you?” 

“Yeah, I can take all you sea cucumbers on!” The boy shouted from her arms. “You look like a sea cucumber too, and their face is their butt!” 

“That’s it!” 

As the student advanced (Y/N) took a step back. Her arms full, her body reacted without thinking about it. Her leg flew up in a high kick, landing squarely in the approaching student’s face. His face bore a perfect shoe print as the young boy in her arms started cackling. (Y/N) took advantage of the momentary stunning and booked it out of there. 

“Grim! Cover!” She yelled. Grim blew a spray of blue flames at the pursuing students, giving the new trio an opportunity to escape relatively unscathed. 

(Y/N) sprinted through the halls, the boy clutched in her arms, Grim flying close behind them. Dodging into an empty classroom, (Y/N) took deep breaths as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. The boy leapt out of her arms, clapping his hands. 

“That was so cool!” He exclaimed. “Uncle Grim was all like ‘Foosh!’ And Mama kicked like ‘bam!’ He had a footprint on his face! Did you see that, Mama? Did you see?” 

(Y/N) held her hand up, trying to order her thoughts for a second before speaking to the overly excited boy. “I saw, I saw. Did you really just go up and start insulting those guys? They have to be twice your age, you could have gotten hurt!” 

The boy pouted, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking away. “I know. I’m not supposed to start arguing with people. I’m sorry.” He recited the apology as if he had done it plenty of times before. 

(Y/N) knelt down in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I just don’t want you getting hurt, okay? I know you’re probably really tough but you can’t blame me for worrying, you know?” 

The boy grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. He threw himself into (Y/N)’s arms in a big hug. “I know. That’s why I have Papa and Mama! Nothing bad happens when you’re around! Oh!” He gasped as if suddenly remembering something. “Mama, have you seen Cas anywhere? We got split up! I need to be there to fight anyone who tries to mess with him!” 

(Y/N) rubbed his hair. “What did we just say about fighting?” 

Meanwhile, at the Monstro Lounge, Floyd was having one of his rough days. First, he had to break up a fight between a bunch of customers in the Lounge, which might have been fine normally, except they all cowered and begged forgiveness as soon as he got there, so we didn’t even get a chance to squeeze anyone. Then, Azul had started bothering him for his grades in his history of magic class. Like, yeah, it was easy and he could finish the homework no problem, but it was so boring! Why should he have to put effort into something like that, anyway? He was a great mage. Practical exams were a breeze. Why did the paper assignments even matter? Third, Jade kept talking his ear off about some rare new mushroom someone had sent him. Something about how it could let you see into the future, or bring stuff back from the past, or something. Floyd sort of zoned out in the middle of his brother’s explanation. 

And, worst of all, he hadn’t seen his dear Shrimpy all day! Usually, on days off, he’d go track her down, making himself home at Ramshackle dorm, looming over her while she tried to study in the library until she finally paid attention to him and they could go do something fun, or dragging her to his basketball practice so he could show off. But he’d been stuck inside all day. He was starting to get stir crazy. 

All he could think about was wrapping his arms around her soft, plush form and squeezing as hard as he could, until she gasped and made those cute sounds he liked. 

Floyd giggled, kicking his feet. Maybe he could sneak out? Yeah, he could be sneaky when he wanted to! It couldn’t be that hard, right? He was already out of the Monstro Lounge, past the main entrance of the dorm. All he needed to do was go down the tunnel to the mirror chamber and-

“Well, hello there, Floyd.” Busted. Floyd grimaced, turning around to see Jade smiling at him, holding a huge stack of paperwork. “I was looking for you. Professor Trien gave me the assignments you’ve missed. He asked me to make sure you got these done before your next class. You don’t have anything else to do today, right?” 

Floyd groaned, rolling his eyes. “Come on, Jade, I don’t want to do that! What’s even the point, huh? What’s some paper going to prove about casting spells?” 

Jade gave a faux sympathetic look that Floyd could spot from 10 miles away. “Oh? So you did have plans today? Such a shame that you’ll have to cancel them, then.” 

Floyd grit his teeth as Jade shoved the stack of papers into his arms. He briefly considered dropping them all and throwing a punch, if he didn’t know for a fact that Jade was one of the only people who could actually match him blow for blow. Floyd could count on one hand the amount of times they had physically fought with each other, but man, did no one ever suspect that the more calm and collected twin could be just as brutal. 

Jade took Floyd by the elbow, not so gently leading him back into the main dorm, when Floyd froze, ears perking up at a sound. 

Jade frowned. “Floyd, I said-” 

“Shh!” He interrupted, putting a finger to his lips. Floyd cocked his head to the side, trying to hear that sound again. Suddenly, he shoved the papers back at Jade, bounding down the hall and taking the stairs two at a time down to the lobby. 

The main lobby of the Octavinelle dorm took the same decor ques as the Monstro Lounge, or maybe it was the other way around. The lobby was seemingly empty, but Floyd was able to narrow in to the sound he had made out earlier, the hiccuping sound of a kid trying very hard not to cry. 

Floyd stalked over to one of the couches, peering over. A small boy was huddled against the back of the couch, trying his hardest to make himself disappear. 

“Hey, there, Guppy,” Floyd said, leaning over the back of the couch. “What’s with the sad eyes?”

Most children might have been frightened by the sight of a shark-toothed, manic eyed mer looming over them, the moody lighting on the lobby casting haunting shadows over his face. But the boy looked relieved, jumping on and over the couch to latch himself onto Floyd. 

“Papa!” He wailed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I got lost and I couldn’t find Argo, and then I found Mama, but I had big feelings and I bit her! I know I’m not supposed to bite when I have big feelings, but I forgot and it was an accident! And then I ran away from Mama, and I know I shouldn’t have, and I still can’t find Argo, and-and-and-!” 

Before he could say anything else, and before he had the chance to start crying again, Floyd scooped him up under the arms and brought him high in the air. “Wow, you have strong looking teeth!” He praised. “I bet you  can bite real hard! Show me, show me!” Floyd flashed his own sharp-toothed grin, exaggerating gnashing down. The boy sniffled weekly before giving a half-smile. “Hey, come on, you know what I mean. We want a full smile, right, Guppy?” Floyd tossed the boy into the air, catching him and swinging him around so his legs flew out behind him. Despite himself, the boy started giggling. Floyd smiled, booping him on the nose. “There’s those teeth. Look how strong you are!” 

The boy covered his mouth with his hands, trying to stifle his giggling. He made claws with his hands, baring his teeth. “Grr!” 

Floyd gasped dramatically. “Oh no! This isn’t a guppy at all! It’s a shark! Jade, help me!” Floyd theatrically collapsed to the floor, making sure to keep the boy at arms length above him so he didn’t get hurt. The boy’s mood had fully switched now, laughing and holding his arms out so he could pretend to fly. 

Jade stood in the doorway, smiling softly at his brother’s antics. But, more pressingly, wondering how a small child had found his way into Octavinelle in the first place. And, possibly, why he happened to have a certain family resemblance? 

“Pardon me,” Jade said, stepping forward. “I couldn’t help hear you say ‘Papa?’” 

“And then, I swung on this rope over the river, and it was probably, like a hundred feet high! And I let go and did a huge cannonball and it made the biggest splash ever!” The boy, (Y/N) had found out was named Argonaut, was regaling her and Grim with some pretty fantastical exploits from the last camping  trip he and his brother Caspian had taken with their Uncle Jade. The name drops were getting much too specific, and (Y/N) still needed to find out what happened to Argo’s twin, so she decided a visit to Octavinelle was the best next thing to do. 

“Wow, you did all that?” She asked. Argo walked beside her, holding her hand and swinging it back and forth in a large arc. “A hundred feet is pretty high. You must be brave.” 

“The bravest!” He said with a big sharp-toothed smile. “Papa said I have to look out for Cas because he gets scared real easy. But he knows tons of stuff and he’s really smart, so that’s okay.” He frowned a little. “I can’t read really good, so Cas helps me out. That’s why we’re a team!” 

“You sound like a very good team. We’ll find him soon, okay?” (Y/N) could tell Argo was worried about his brother. Even if he kept putting on a brave face, being lost in a big, strange place like NRC would put any kid on edge, not to mention that Argo had no idea how he or Cas got there in the first place. 

“My tummy felt bubbly like when I had too much soda that one time and there was a big light and then I was here,” He had said when she asked. 

‘More magic nonsense,’ (Y/N) thought to herself. She decided she was never getting used to it. 

Stepping through the mirror to Octavinelle, the air temperature noticeably dropped at least ten degrees. The light took on the cool blue hue of the water surrounding the glass tunnels around the dorm. Its own little pocket dimension, or however the dorms actually worked, was like living inside an intricate aquarium full of coral reefs, darting fish, and cool temperatures to remind the largely mer-based population of home. 

Stepping into the Mostro Lounge’s lobby, (Y/N) turned to Grim and said, “Okay, you stay here with him. I’m going to try and find-” 

“Argo!” 

“Cas!” 

Argo sprinted away, colliding with his double in the middle of the Lounge floor, almost knocking a poor waiter off his feet. The two boys hugged as if they hadn’t seen each other for years instead of the better part of an hour. (Y/N) felt a pull on her heartstrings at their reunion. 

“Cute,” She muttered. She took a step forward. “I-”

“Shrimpy!” 

Before she could get another word out, (Y/N) was tackled in a bear hug. Floyd pinned her arms to her sides, picking her up and swinging her around. Behind the daze of dizziness and the feeling of her ribs creaking under pressure, she couldn’t help but compare her normal greeting from Floyd to the smaller twin’s reuniting. 

“Urk, hello, Floyd. Good to see you too.” 

“Aww, that’s all you got to say? With our kids here and everything?” 

“With our- what?!” (Y/N) squirmed out of Floyd’s hold and stumbled back. 

Floyd pulled the two careening boys close, beaming like a proud father. “Come on, Shrimpy, you met our little leptocephalus, right? I’m Papa and you’re Mama, right, boys?” 

“Yeah, Mama,” Argo said, “Don’t be silly!” 

“Argo,” Cas muttered, tugging his brother’s sleeve. “Something kinda weird happened, you know? Mama and Papa look different. I think this is where they met.” 

“Yeah, Night Raven College, the best school in the world!” Argo threw his arms up in celebration. He turned back to Floyd and (Y/N). “Cas and I are gonna come here too when we get big. We’re going to be great mages just like Papa and Uncle Jade and Uncle Azul and Uncle Ace and Uncle Deuce and Uncle Grim and everyone!” 

“Everyone, huh?” (Y/N) said, starting to feel dizzy. 

Cas pouted at his brother. “That’s not what I mean, Argo.” 

“He’s right!” Grim cut in, paws on his hips with a smug look on his face. “Since I am going to be the world’s greatest mage!” 

Floyd poked Grim’s exposed tummy. “You were last on that list, seal.” 

“Mrow!” Grim started flailing his paws at Floyd, who easily kept him at bay with one long arm pushing his head back. 

“Ah, here’s where you all went.” Jade came up to the group. He was gently cradling one of his terrariums that had a strange-looking purple and silver mushroom with a dripping cap nestled inside. 

“Hi, Uncle Jade!” Argo waved. 

“Hello, nephew.” 

“Is that one of your fancy mushrooms, Uncle Jade?” Cas asked, standing on his tiptoes to try and get a better look. Jade held it down so the twins could see. Cas’s eyes sparkled in fascination while Argo screwed up his face in displeasure. 

“It is,” He said. “And I believe this is why you two came to visit us.” 

“What do you mean?” (Y/N) asked, picking Grim up to rescue him from Floyd’s teasing. 

Jade turned to his brother. “Floyd, do you recognize this?” 

Floyd stuck his tongue out. “Bleh, yeah. You made that nasty tea from that mushroom the other day and tricked me into drinking it.” 

“Tea?” (Y/N) asked. “Oh, was that the tea in the thermos you had the other day?” She frowned. “You tricked me into drinking it too, Floyd. You said it was tasty and so excited to share it with me, then laughed when I started choking on it because it was so bitter.” 

Floyd had picked the boys up, holding one in each arm. “That’s because it’s funny when it’s you, Shrimpy.” 

She narrowed her eyes. “Mmhmm, sure.” 

“I apologize that you were roped into my experiment, (Y/N),” Jade said, not looking or sounding apologetic at all. “But I believe it led to an even more fascinating result than I could have hoped for. This,” He held up the terrarium. “Is an oracleum mycoculous, the fortune-telling mushroom. A very rare specimen a fellow mycologist friend of mine sent me from the Shaftlands. He knew I attended NRC and he asked me to study the effects of magic on this particular species.”

“A fortune-telling mushroom?” (Y/N) asked. “Like, if you cut an apple in half the shape of the seeds can tell your future?” 

“It’s a bit more extreme than that. It’s rumored that when prepared in a certain way, eating an oracleum mycoculous can give one insight into future challenges, typically giving a person a strong intuition into choices they should make in the near future. My colleague had heard rumors that making a tea with the mushroom infused with magic could give the person who drinks it clearer visions of the future. I only intended for Floyd to drink it and record any dreams or premonitions he had, but if you drank it as well, Prefect,” he booped Cas on the nose, who giggled while intently studying the mushroom. “It would seem we were able to bring your future children from your future to our present.” 

(Y/N) gulped hard, finally starting to accept what she had been suspecting this whole time. “Our children?” She squeaked. 

Floyd nuzzled the two boys. “Aww, Shrimpy and I had little guppies!” He smiled wickedly. “How many tries do you think it took before we ended up with these fry?” 

(Y/N) felt her face explode with heat. “Floyd! That - I mean - We’re not even together!” 

“If I may,” Jade said. “The visions associated with the oracleum mycoculous are said to only be possibilities. It shows you options for possible futures depending on certain choices made. So perhaps your boys were drawn from one of these possible futures.” 

(Y/N) felt dizzy at ‘your boys.’ “Okay, wait, hang on-” 

“Mama, are you okay?” Cas asked. He reached out to her. (Y/N) felt a thud in her chest and took him from Floyd. 

“I’m okay, Cas,” She said, trying to hide her anxiety from showing on her face. “Just a little confused, is all. I bet your actual parents are really worried about you.” She turned to Jade. “So, how do we fix this?” 

He smiled slyly. “I have no idea. But wouldn’t it be fascinating to find out?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

The Leech family, plus (Y/N) and Grim, although, if the current children were to be believed, (Y/N) would be part of the Leech family in the future, stood in front of an annoyed-looking Professor Crewel in the alchemy classroom. 

“Sorry?” (Y/N) asked. 

“I absolutely do not approve of any relationship of this sort. Any pup of mine could do much better.” 

“Aww, Beakfish,” Floyd pouted. “That’s no way to talk to your future son-in-law, is it?” 

Crewel frowned deeper, his grip tightening on his teaching pointer that often doubled as a whip. He obviously didn’t approve of Floyd commenting on his pseudo-adoption of (Y/N). Although he had been in somewhat of a custody battle with Headmage Crowley in that regard. (Y/N) anticipated a negative reaction from her one father figure, but at least there was a higher chance Professor Crewel would be able to get something done in a timely manner, rather than the crow-coded Headmage dramatically lamenting without much work actually being done. 

(Y/N) frowned, feeling her face heat up again. “Sir, we’re not actually together or anything…” 

Floyd draped himself over her shoulders, trapping her in a backward hug. “Aww, my wifey Shrimpy is so mean to me. Why’s your Mama so mean, guppies?” 

“Mama’s not mean!” Argo defended, taking one of her hands. “Mama’s the nicest! She lets me stay up past bedtime and eat tons of ice cream and watch PG-13 stuff on TV!” 

(Y/N) looked down skeptically. “Do I really do that?” 

He smiled slyly. “If I say it’s in the future then would you?” 

“Nice try.” 

“Grandpa,” Cas said, looking up at Crewel with big puppy eyes. “You’re going to help us get back to Mama and Papa, right?” 

Crewel faltered. Not even he was totally immune to the child’s charms. He crossed his arms, huffing in feigned annoyance. “Well, of course we’ll get them home. But after we’re having a serious conversation about your future prospects, pup.” 

“Like I said, we’re not even together,” (Y/N) protested weakly. 

“Jade,” Crewel said, holding out his hand. “The oracleum mycoculous.” 

Jade clutched the terrarium close to his chest. “But it’s my only sample. I made the other one into the tea that Floyd and (Y/N) drank.” 

Crewel raised an eyebrow. “And we are in this situation because of that. I’ll have to use the mushroom to reverse-engineer an antidote to send these two back.” Jade reluctantly handed the mushroom over. “I’ll start research right away. Hopefully, we’ll get some answers soon. In the meantime, I’ll have to entrust these two in your care.” 

“Not a problem,” (Y/N) said. “You guys can stay at Ramshackle with me and Uncle Grim.” (Y/N) caught herself, wondering when it had become so easy to refer to her friends as ‘Uncle’ as her theoretical future children did. 

“Papa’s gonna come to, right?” Argo said. 

“Absolutely not!” Crewel said, griping the terrarium so tightly (Y/N) was afraid it might break. 

Floyd sniffed. “You’re going to tell me I can’t be with my children? You’re going to separate us?” 

“You’re already on thin ice, don’t push your luck.” 

“I’ll take care of it, Professor,” (Y/N) said before tempers could rise any further. “Thanks for helping us with this.” 

“Of course, dear,” Crewel said, his tone softening. He cast a suspicious eye at Floyd, who was getting a bit too close to the alchemy ingredients along the walls, lifting the boys up high so they could get a better look. “Just let me know if you need any help.” 

In the end, Floyd did end up staying at Ramshackle for the night. (Y/N) could hear the three Leech boys loudly playing in the living room while she tried to make something quick for dinner. Macaroni and cheese would probably work. Kids liked mac and cheese, right? Even if they were mer kids from the future. Or, half mer? (Y/N) wondered how that worked, specifically biologically speaking. Did the boys have mer forms like Floyd and Jade did? Did they look more human in some parts and more eel-like in others? It occurred to her that there was still so much basic mer and beast-man biology she had no idea about. But how do you ask that sort of thing without it being awkward about it?

“Mama!” Cas called, poking his head in the kitchen. “Can Argo and I go pick out our rooms?” 

“I call the big one!” Argo yelled, sprinting past his brother up the stairs. 

“Hey, don’t run inside!” (Y/N) warned. 

“Yeah, and you can’t have the big one,” Cas scolded. “That’s Mama and Papa’s room.” 

(Y/N) gulped. A sly smile stretched over Floyd’s face. “Yeah, where is our room? I should go unpack right?” 

(Y/N) shook her head, trying to get rid of certain thoughts while organizing others. She clapped her hands together. “I know. Why don’t we build a pillow fort in the living room? It’ll be like a big sleepover.” She weakly kicked at Floyd’s shin, more out of show than real malice. “Because that’s all this is.” 

“Like when there was that big storm!” Argo said, racing back down the stairs. “And the lights all went out and we had to stay away from the windows so we made that big tent in the middle of the kitchen!” 

(Y/N) smiled fondly at a memory she hadn’t made yet. “Sure, like that.” 

“I know where the biggest pillows are!” Grim called, racing up the stairs. The boys eagerly followed, making plans for their blanket fort that would stretch all across NRC campus. 

Floyd sighed dramatically, draping his full body weight over (Y/N)’s back as she tried to stir the macaroni and cheese. “How’d we get so lucky, huh?” (Y/N) purposefully ignored him, something that didn’t slip Floyd’s attention. “They’ve got my looks, of course, handsome devils. Hey, do you think we live on land or in the sea? Ooh, or we could do both! Like a summer house! I bet I make a ton of money, I got to take care of you and the guppies, right? Aww, you’d be a cute little house wife. I’ll come home after work and you’ll say ‘Welcome home!’, I can’t do your voice too good, it’s higher than mine, you know? But you’ll say ‘Welcome home!’ and I’ll give you a big hug and say ‘I’m home!’ And I’ll bring you and the kids gifts and we’ll play games after dinner, and when they’re all tuckered out and in bed I’ll pick you up and go to our room and I’ll squeeze you real tight and say-” 

“Floyd!” Floyd jumped at (Y/N)’s sudden exclamation. He felt her body tense and then sag in exhaustion. “Just… You shouldn’t say that kind of stuff, you know?”

Floyd blinked. “Huh? Why not, Shrimpy?” 

“You know why.” She didn’t say anything after that. Floyd let the remark sit. After a minute of silence between them, listening to the cheering and shouting from the boys upstairs, (Y/N) finally sighed and said, “You shouldn’t say stuff like that to a girl. Not when you don’t mean it.” 

Floyd chuckled feebly, his heart not in it. He felt torn between squeezing tighter and getting as far away from here as possible. “How do you know if I mean it or not?” 

“Because you’re always like this. You’ve been like this since we’ve met, you’re like this with everyone. And you know-” She cut herself off. She seemed to be deliberating something serious and finally continued. “And you know how I feel about you.” 

Floyd felt his mouth go dry, his heart started thumping a million miles an hour, and his stomach turned into knots. He had to say something. This was one of those moments where you had to say something, right? Of course he knew how she felt, it was pretty obvious to everyone how she felt, Floyd included. And the garden, especially what had happened at the garden. Or, rather, what hadn’t happened.  

Now, had he taken advantage of that little fact over the school year to wring out some more entertainment out of the magicless Prefect? Well, yes, of course he had. Had he meant to have his own feelings grow into something he couldn’t manage over that time? No, but it had happened anyway, sneaking up on him and socking him in the heart like a mantis shrimp when he least expected it. 

He tried to say it without saying it. He tried to show it without saying it. But why couldn’t he just say it? 

“(Y/N),” Floyd started. “I-” 

There was a crash from the living room, accompanied by a shriek and laughter. 

“Papa!” Cas called. “We need help!” 

Whatever seriousness had come over Floyd’s countenance disappeared in the blink of an eye. His signature wide grin cut across his face. If anyone was paying attention, they would notice his smile didn’t reach his eyes. He quickly reached over (Y/N)’s shoulder and stole a spoon, scooping a chunk of the mac and cheese from the pot to shove into his mouth before dashing out into the living room. 

(Y/N) stuck her tongue out at his retreating form before turning back to the stove. As she slid the dish of mac and cheese into the oven to finish cooking, she paused. Had Floyd used her real name? 

“Argo!” Cas whispered in the darkness. 

A large quilt hung over their heads, precariously draped between several chairs. Pillows were stacked on all sides making soft walls and they had layered several duvets and couch cushions below to create an improvised mattress. Mama was on the couch, which served as the left-most barrier of their fort, the quilt draping down close to her head with Uncle Grim curled up on her lap. Papa lay sprawled between Cas and Argo, arms and legs out like a starfish. 

“Argo, are you awake?” Cas asked again. 

He heard his brother mumble something before his head popped up from the other side of their dad, hair flattened against one side of his head and sticking out in every direction on the other. “Wassup?” Argo said sleepily. 

“Did you hear what Mama said with Grandpa Crewel?” Argo rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “She said she wasn’t dating Papa!” 

Argo squinted at his brother in the darkness. “But they are. Mama and Papa said they started dating at Night Raven College.” 

“But they’re not yet. Remember what Uncle Jade said? We’re only from one future. What if Mama and Papa don’t start dating in this future?” 

It took Argo a second to register what Cas was suggesting. His eyes went wide and he gasped loudly. Cas shushed him and Papa mumbled in his sleep, finally turning over on his stomach without waking up. 

“You mean we won’t exist?” Argo whispered, panicked. Cas nodded. “What do we do?” 

Cas smiled. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.” 

The next day, amid a bright blue sky painted with thin wispy clouds, Floyd had insisted on visiting Heartslabyul to “Show off his guppies to his best friend, Goldfishy!” (Y/N) sarcastically predicted that this could only end well. 

The group of five had, as anticipated, balked at the two visitors and their explanation for being there.  But the boys had taken to seeing their pseudo-uncles like, well, like merboys to water. They were outside, near the rose garden maze. Argo was practicing some kind of gymnastics, holding Deuce’s hands tightly, walking up his stomach and chest to flip in a practice summersault. Cas munched happily on a cinnamon roll almost as big as his head while watching in fascination as Ace showed off some card tricks. 

“Have you heard anything from Professor Crewel?” Trey asked, setting down a new plate of danishes on the table.  

“Nothing yet,” (Y/N) said, taking a napkin and wiping off some smeared frosting from Cas’s face. “But I assume something like this will take some time to get right.” 

“And you’re…” Trey waved his hand in a circle. “Doing alright?” 

“I’m… Okay.” (Y/N) looked over at the boys now playing tag. “This isn’t the worst magic thing that’s happened since I’ve been here.” 

“That doesn't mean it makes everything easy,” Riddle commented, gazing over the rim of his tea cup. “Especially given your… choice of partner.” 

(Y/N) rolled her eyes. “I’m well aware. Floyd’s not too bad, though. He’s pretty good with kids.”

Riddle huffed. “Considering he basically is one himself I’m not entirely surprised.” 

“Hmm? Are you talking about me, Goldfish?” Floyd said, appearing out of nowhere. He grasped the back of Riddle’s chair, pulling back so Riddle was thrown off balance, throwing his arms out to try and reestablish equilibrium. Riddle scowled, face turning red. He looked like he was going to say something, but bit his tongue as Cas and Argo ran up and started digging into the pastries. “It’s not nice to gossip about people.” 

“Yeah,” Argo said, a mouth full of cherry danish. “It’s impolite. You’re the one telling us about manners all the time.” 

“All the time?” Riddle asked.

“When you come over for dinner!” Cas chimed in. “You come over with Papa cause you work together and we all eat and you help me and Argo study!” Argo stuck out his tongue at the last part. 

Riddle went from red to white. “We work together?” 

“Yeah! You and Papa are best friends!” 

(Y/N) was momentarily worried that Riddle was going to faint. 

“And Uncle Ace and Uncle Deuce come over all the time! Uncle Deuce is going to teach me how to ride a blast cycle!” Argo said. 

“We’ll revisit that later,” (Y/N) said, ruffling his hair. 

“Can Uncle Trey still teach me how to bake?” Cas asked. “Uncle Cater was going to help me make a Magicam account to show off the stuff we make! Before Argo eats all of it.” 

“Don’t be so good at baking and I won’t be so good at eating,” Argo replied, stuffing another danish in his mouth before darting off, Cas close behind him. 

“I feel dizzy,” Riddle mumbled. 

“Sounds like you’re keeping busy,” Ace said, watching Floyd duck around the hedges with the twins. 

“When am I not?” (Y/N) said. “But at least it sounds like we’re all still close in the future. I like that.” 

“It sounds like you don’t go home, though,” Cater said, mostly to himself. “Back to your world, I mean.” 

(Y/N) hummed. “Maybe home is what you make of it.” 

“Hey, Goldfishy?” 

Riddle growned, shrugging off Floyd’s arm for leaning on him. “What is it, Floyd?” 

Floyd was quiet for a moment, such a rare occurrence that Riddle looked up at him to make sure he had been heard. Floyd was looking out at the rose garden, watching the two children darting around bushes, chasing and being chased by Ace, Deuce, and Grim. (Y/N) stood nearby, watching with a serine look on her face, chiming in every once and a while to make sure the younger boys (and the older ones, too, let’s be honest) were being careful of their surroundings. 

“You know about all that formal romantic stuff right?” Floyd finally asked. 

“I don’t know about ‘romantic.’ What are you getting at?” 

Floyd has a lazy smile on his face. “Do you know how to write a love letter?” 

Riddle felt himself blush. “I’m not getting in the middle of whatever exploits you’re up to, romantic or otherwise.” 

“Aw, come on,” Floyd said, poking Riddle’s check, causing Riddle to swat at him like a fly. “(Y/N)’s real nice, you know? She deserves something fancy. And I want-” It was rare that Floyd was at  a loss for words. Riddle looked up at him, seeing determination and focus scrunch his brow as Floyd tried to choose his next words. “I guess I want to prove it to her. That I like her. That I really like her. That I-” Floyd groaned, letting his body go limp and dragging Riddle with him to crash to the lawn. “See? I’m not good at this kind of stuff! Help your best friend out!” 

Riddle yelled, “If you weren’t so cavalier all the time, you’d be able to focus when you had to be serious!” 

Ace stalked through the high hedges of the rose maze, having been called It in the boys’ game of hide-and-seek. “Better watch out,” He called in a sing-song voice. “Uncle Ace is going to find you!” 

“Psst!” Ace whipped around, seeing Cas peeking out from behind a hedge, waving him over. He went over, seeing Cas, Argo, Deuce, and Jade sitting together, huddled under the shade of the maze. Argo had smuggled a few more pastries from breakfast and was tearing them apart to share with the group. 

“Jade?” Ace asked. “What are you doing here?” 

“My dear nephews called me,” He said. 

“Papa let me borrow his phone!” Argo said, holding up the cell, smears of frosting covering the screen. “He doesn't know he let me borrow it, but I’ll give it back before he misses it.” 

Cas put his hands on his hips. Ace had never seen a more serious looking eight-year-old. “That’s still stealing, Argo!” He huffed. “Whatever. We have something super important to talk about!” 

“Yeah!” Argo chimed in. “We need to make sure Mama and Papa kiss!” 

Deuce choked on his cinnamon roll. Jade tilted his head and smiled. 

“Oya?” Jade said. “That’s quite the goal.” 

“We want to get Mama and Papa together!” Cas clarified. “Because they’re in love and stuff! And we want to exist in the future!” 

“I don’t know how much we should be messing with (Y/N)’s love life,” Deuce said. “It feels kind of invasive, you know?” 

“Anyway,” Ace said, crossing his arms. “It’s Floyd’s fault anyway.” 

“Is it?” Jade asked. 

Ace gulped and scooted away a little before continuing. “Well, yeah. Come on, we all know (Y/N) likes Floyd, for some reason, whatever, that’s on her. If Floyd can’t string together 2+2 then that’s on him.” 

“Floyd isn’t exactly subtle with his emotions, either,” Jade said. “He might have issues directing them to a specific conclusion, however.” 

“So, you think he likes (Y/N), too?” Deuce asked. 

“Undeniably.” 

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, liking is one thing, but we are sort of talking about future marriage and kids here.” He nodded his head at the twins. 

“But Mama and Papa are in love!” Cas insisted. “And the stories Mama tells us says true love conquers all!” 

“That does sound like the sort of sappy thing (Y/N) would say,” Ace relented. 

“I mean,” Deuce said. “We can’t really force anything, right? If they decide they want to get together that’s up to them. But,” He winked at Cas and Argo. “A little push couldn't hurt, right?” 

“Great!” Cas said. “Phase one is complete! Now, we need recruits for phase two!”

It was Day 3 of having Argo and Cas at NRC. (Y/N) was fretting about what to do with the boys while she and Grimm went to class. 

“I can skip class and stay here!” Grim volunteered. 

“Absolutely not,” (Y/N). “Your grades need all the help they can get.” Floyd had offered to spend the day with the boys as well, when he had tried to worm his way into spending another night at Ramshackle. But (Y/N) had insisted he go sleep in his own bed at his own dorm. And it totally had nothing to do with the fact about how her heart had fluttered the morning after his first night there, when he’d woken up with a big yawn, hair a mess, and smiled lazily at her while wishing her a good morning. Nope. Absolutely not. 

“We’ll be okay, Mama!” Cas promised. She had set him and Argo up at the kitchen table with a box of crayons and coloring books she had snagged from the Mystery Shop (Sam really did have everything in stock). “Argo and I will stay right here and not do anything sneaky!” Argo punched his brother’s shoulder. (Y/N) raised an eyebrow, even more nervous about leaving the boys in the large dilapidated dorm for an entire school day. 

“Don’t worry about it, Prefect!” Phineas, Ezra, and Gus, the Ramshackle ghosts, said, materializing in the kitchen. “We’ll take care of them.” 

(Y/N) sighed in relief. “Thank you, guys. Boys, you be good for the ghosts while Uncle Grim and I are away, okay?” 

“Yes, Mama,” They both said dutifully. They listened intently for the sound of the front door closing before jumping up and smiling at the ghosts. 

“Okay!” Argo said, clapping his hands. “Phase three of Operation Angelfish is a go!” 

For once, everything seemed to be going as normal. (Y/N) and Grim went to classes, got an update on the return potion from Professor Crewel (Just waiting for it to reduce to a concentrated form), had lunch, went to gym, nothing out of the ordinary. Which, as previously established, put (Y/N) on edge. 

Everything seemed to be normal. Too normal, as far as (Y/N) was concerned. If she didn’t know better (and she did) it would seem like her friends were going out of their way to make it seem like nothing important was going on. There had been at least three times already where (Y/N) had walked up to a group, only for them to immediately stop talking, or very obviously switch topics, all while casting side-eyes at each other. She also couldn’t help but notice that she hadn’t seen Floyd all day. Well, maybe out of the corner of her eye, or hearing his voice, but it was always cut off, he was pulled away by his brother, or one of her friends suddenly desperately needed her over there right this second. 

She tried not to take this as some kind of commentary on the possible future relationship the two out of place children suggested. It wasn’t really that bad, was it? Her having feelings for Floyd? She knew Ace, Deuce, and Grim were pretty shocked when she had first confided in them. (“I think I like Floyd. Thought?” “And prayers.”) And while no one had ever said anything explicitly negative, besides the occasional teasing or complaining about her crush, there wasn’t anything actually encouraging either. (Y/N) knew she let Floyd get away with way too much most of the time, and only after interacting realized how moon-eyed she’d been acting. Half the time she thought Floyd might return her feelings, and the other half felt like he was taking advantage of her swayed good graces. It made her head spin and chest ache. 

And now, with Cas and Argo appearing out of nowhere? Saying that they were married in some possible future? Happily married with children? The picture the boys painted was idyllic. The kind of thing (Y/N) had only seen in magazines or at the end of some Jane Austen novel. (Y/N) felt herself blush every time she thought about it, whether it was out of embarrassment or longing, she wasn’t sure. Dinners together, people from NRC coming to visit all the time, (Y/N) bringing traditional holidays from her world to celebrate, a beautiful house by the Coral Sea where the boys would learn to swim in their human and mer forms. 

Was there a lingering darkness in the back of her mind that told her this meant she would never go back to her own world again? Sure, of course. Was there a nagging that this was only a possibility, and her own future still had a chance of being completely different? Yes, definitely. 

Did that stop her from planning how exactly she would formally confess to Floyd once she made sure Cas and Argo got home safely? Not a chance. 

Finally, it was the end of the day. (Y/N) was already planning in her head what to make for dinner when she heard someone call her name. Well, sort of her name. 

“Child of man,” Malleus called, raising a hand in greeting from the quad. 

“Oh, Horton,” She said, jogging over to him. “Hi, I don’t usually see you around now. How are you?” 

Malleus puffed up with pride, a self-satisfied smile on his face. “I’ve been recruited.” 

“Recruited?” 

“By my future nephews. I’m meant to distract you.” 

“Future-? Ah, I see.” (Y/N) had an adorable image flash in her mind of the twins and their doting Uncle Horton. “Any particular reason I’m being distracted?” 

“I’m not meant to say.” 

If they had managed to wrap Malleus into whatever they were doing, (Y/N) thought it couldn’t do that much harm. Why not let the boys have fun while they were still in the past? But just to be sure…

“Grim, you’ll make sure the house doesn't burn down while I’m gone, right?” 

Grim saluted, giving a conspiratorial nod at Malleus before flying away. 

Malleus offered his arm which (Y/N) took while they strolled away. “Should I be worried about what you’re all planning?” She asked. 

He hummed. “Not at all. Now, have I ever told you about the controversy surrounding bat-styled gargoyles versus griffin-styled gargoyles in 15th century cathedral architecture?” 

Floyd was mad. Actually mad. Sure he got annoyed or frustrated every once and awhile, but actually angry? That was a rarity that no one wanted to witness. 

Not only had Shrimpy not let him stay the night at her dorm again, which, fine, it was her house, but he’d been trying to see her all day to no avail. Either someone would pull her away, Jade would appear out of nowhere and stall him until she was gone, or they’d just keep missing each other. It would have been one thing if circumstances kept them apart, coincidences were coincidental after all, and it’s not like they had never gone a day without seeing each other. But this was intentional, pointed and deliberate. He was in a Shrimpy drought and the people around him were building a dam. 

And he couldn’t find his phone anywhere. 

Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore. His skin felt too tight and all the lights were too bright and he wanted to scream. He cut his last few classes and returned to Octavinelle. He had already started tearing off his jacket and shirt as he walked through the mirror portal, leaving clothing in a scattered trail as he marched his way to the decompression chambers that let out into the surrounding water around the dorm. He jumped into the water, the icy chill shocking his human system. He felt his muscles stretch and a comforting pressure encase his body as he shifted back to his mer-eel form, legs melding together as one as he whipped through the water. He shot through the water, scattering fish as he went. He didn’t have the patience to play with any of them today. He was finding he didn’t have the patience for a lot of things. 

She’d try to tell him, once, that she liked him. That maybe she loved him, or that could have been him projecting. (Oh, dear Seven, did he love her?) She’d asked him to meet him in the gardens after school. She said she’d been thinking a lot and there was something extremely important she needed to tell him. He’d poked her, saying she should just tell him now, in the passing period between classes surrounded by curious and eavesdropping classmates. She’d said no, that she still needed to get her thoughts in order. She’d written a letter, she said, that she was holding firmly in her hands, but she thought he would appreciate a more direct approach. So. Garden. After school. She’d be waiting. And then the bell had rung and she’d run off. 

And he’d left her waiting. 

He hadn’t shown up. He’d heard later that she’d been there so long the grounds keepers had to ask her to leave so they could lock up the bio-dome at night. He’d seen her the next morning, eyes red and puffy, huddled with her first year friends who were speaking in low, comforting tones, trying to be affectionate and reassuring in that awkward way teenage boys did. And he had waltzed right over, picking her up and spinning her around. And she hadn’t mentioned the garden. She hadn’t mentioned the letter. She never mentioned any of it again. They fell back into their old rhythm, the one Floyd knew, the one he was comfortable with, the one he could predict. 

He should have gone to the garden. 

Why the hell hadn’t he gone to the garden? 

Floyd burrowed into a reef section of a shallow, tearing at floating kelp with his claws and snapping jaws. He was trashing and writhing, kicking up the loose sand so it created a hazy cloud around him. The sand started getting in his mouth and eyes but he didn’t care. He welcomed the sting of it. 

Argo and Cas being here meant everything was okay, right? If they had kids in the future, it meant everything worked out, right? 

Floyd was mad. He was angry. 

And he didn’t understand why. 

“Floyd!” Floyd looked up, seeing Jade swimming towards him. 

He scowled, turning away to focus on wreaking havoc on the underwater flora. “Not now,” He said through gritted teeth. 

“Floyd, this isn’t the time-” Jade tried to reach out and touch his brother. Before he could make contact, Floyd whipped around with a snarl, swiping at Jade with his sharp claws.Jade quickly jerked out of the way, his surprise quickly melting to aggravation. Jade surged forward, catching Floyd around the stomach and tackling him to the sea floor. Floyd gnashed his teeth, clawing at Jade’s back. “What exactly do you think you’re going to accomplish here?” 

“Get off!” Floyd writhed, wrapping his tail around Jade and spinning to loosen his brother’s grip. Momentarily free, Floyd took the opportunity to lunge at Jade again. 

A fight, good. This is exactly what he needed. He needed to do something physical, something violent, something to get his mind out of whatever stoop he was stuck in, something so he didn’t have to focus on how bad he felt, something where the outcome could be predictable and certain, even if the certainty was pain. That was better than not knowing. That was better than letting feelings he couldn’t control take over his mind. 

He and Jade wrestled, throwing each other into the sand, striking with teeth and claws, whipping with their tails. They didn’t cast any spells, which is the only way each twin was able to understand the severity of their fight, even if it was a subconscious understanding. Fighting was one thing, using magic against each other was another. 

Finally, the two faced off, gills heaving with underwater breaths, scratches and gouges bleeding, eyes locked. Jade pushed back a little, careful not to make any sudden movements. 

“Do you really think this is the best use of your time right now?” He asked.

Floyd snapped his teeth. “Who asked you? What do you know about anything, anyway?” 

“I know (Y/N) tried to confess to you.” 

Floyd froze, then felt another surge of anger bubble under his skin. Why did Jade know? What right did he have to know (Y/N)’s inner thoughts when Floyd himself couldn’t even have them? 

“She told me,” Jade continued. “Or, I gathered from context clues. She asked if you had ever dated anyone back home, what sort of person you liked. She wanted to know if you prefer meeting in person to discuss important things or if she should leave a letter. Not that she really needed to discuss much. I would say it’s been rather obvious to anyone paying attention for the last few months. The real issue, I find, is why you haven’t confessed yourself.” 

Floyd yelled, grappling Jade and sinking his teeth into his shoulder. Jade bit his lip to keep from crying out. He took advantage of the grapple to twist and pull Floyd into a headlock. 

“I went there,” Jade continued through gritted teeth. “I went to the garden. I was planning on spying, I thought it’d be fun. But you never showed up. I kept waiting, and so did she, and you never appeared. Why in all of the deep blue sea didn’t you come?” 

“I don’t know!” Floyd confessed. He went limp in Jade’s grasp, all the fight going out of him. He let out a choked cry, something Jade hadn’t heard from his brother in who knows how long. “I don’t know, I don’t know!” 

Floyd sank to the rocky coral outcropping, collapsing. Jade observed him for a moment. He swam down, curling up next to Floyd. 

“She still has feelings for you, you know.” 

Floyd groaned deep in his chest. “I can’t.” 

“Can’t what?” 

“Can’t tell her. I can’t hear her say it. What happens after that, huh? What happens after we both say it?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“That’s the problem! How do I know what to do? Do I change, does she? And what if neither of us do? I can’t risk it, I can’t lose her!” 

“You’re losing her anyway.” 

Floyd felt his anger flash again and lashed out with a claw which Jade easily dodged. The fight drained out of him again and he flopped back down. 

Jade regarded Floyd. When he determined that Floyd wasn’t about to fly off the handle again, he came closer. “Don’t you think it’s selfish, keeping your feelings all to yourself?” 

“Eels are cowards,” Floyd mumbled.

“But humans are brave.” Floyd peaked up at Jade. “They can’t survive long in water, they don’t have the heightened senses of beastmean, nor the longevity of fairies. They don’t have claws or teeth or endless magic supplies. But they’re brave and stubborn. That’s how they’ve lasted so long, become such a force in the world. And there’s a certain human we know that is exemplary in that regard.” 

Floyd hummed. “She’s amazing. She’s pretty and smart and clever and strong and… What if I mess up, Jade?” 

Jade patted Floyd’s back. “Then I’m sure she’ll let you know and you’ll figure it out together. Relationships require two people, after all.” 

“You think she’ll forgive me? From before?” 

“If you apologize, I’m sure she will. And, brother dear, I have the perfect setting for such an apology. Come on, we need to get you fitted with your suit. And maybe some stitches there above your eye.” 

“Ow!” (Y/N) cried as she banged her shin for the third time. 

“Sorry, Mama!” Argo said, pulling her hand to maneuver her around the low table. 

“It’s fine. Are you sure I have to keep this blindfold on?” She reached up for it. 

“No!” Cas gasped. “It’s a surprise!” 

(Y/N) sighed and let herself be pulled along, gritting her teeth when she stubbed her toe on the side of a chair. 

After Malleus had brought her back to Ramshackle after their walk and gargoyle lecture, she had immediately been set upon by the boys who kept insisting that she absolutely not look anywhere near the backyard. Almost immediately after walking in the door, Vil appeared seemingly out of nowhere and shoved a garment bag in her hands. The dress was beautiful, of course, and probably worth more than she could ever afford, in her old world or this one. It seemed like almost everyone she knew was bustling around the dorm, being extremely secretive. Finally, her boys had come to get her, giving her a blindfold to wear and gingerly escorting her down stairs. 

‘Her boys.’ When exactly had she started thinking of them like that? 

(Y/N) felt a cool breeze as she stepped outside. She could feel the boys walking her up the hill in the backyard, stopping suddenly. 

“Okay, Mama,” Cas said, his voice bubbling with excitement. “You can look now!” 

(Y/N) removed the blindfold and gasped at what she saw. The large oak tree in the back dripped with tiny string lights and paper lanterns. Fireflies gently bobbed around in the oncoming twilight. A small table, (Y/N) recognized it from the Heartslabyul rose garden, had been set up underneath the glowing bows, decorated with a candelabra. 

“Oh, boys,” (Y/N) said, taking each of their hands. “This is beautiful. Is this what you’ve been up to all day?” 

“Mostly!” Argo said. 

“Yup, now it’s phase 4!” Cas said. 

“Phase 4?” (Y/N) asked. The boys just dragged her over to the table and pulled out the chair for her. They made to rush away before Argo hastily corrected himself and pulled out a wireless speaker from behind the tree trunk. He took out what suspiciously looked like Floyd’s phone, sinking it up to the speaker. Soon, it began to play a string quartet. Argo smiled triumphantly, he and Cas taking hands and rushing back to the dorm. 

(Y/N) smoothed her dress and sat down, watching the fireflies and sunset with the calming music in the background. There was a tea set on the table and she poured a cup. She paused for a moment before filling up the cup across from her as well. As she sipped the tea, she saw the silhouettes of Cas and Argo dragged someone around the side of the dorm. In the low light, she couldn’t exactly tell who it was, but based on the lanky form and fond body language, she guessed it was Floyd. She sighed inwardly, half excited to see him and half dreading it, especially in such a romantic location. So this way the boys’ real plan. She wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about that. 

She stood up as Floyd came closer, stepping into the circle of light around the tree, ready to disperse whatever plot the boys had set up, before gasping. “Floyd! What happened?” Although Floyd was wearing a nice suit and tie, he had a black eye, a split lip, and a cut above one of his eyebrows that looked like it had been hastily patched with stitches. She rushed to him, her hands hovering around him. “Are you okay? Should we go to the infirmary? Who did those stitches - why do you have stitches!” She frowned. “Honestly, I keep telling you to stop getting into fights! One day you’re going to fight someone stronger than you and then where will we be? Look at you, you’re still bleeding!” 

Floyd only grinned, leaning down so his forehead touched hers. “Shrimpy’s worried about me.” 

She weakly pushed him off. “Of course I’m worried. Gosh, did the boys see you like this?” 

Before she could take a step away, he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her in a tight hug. “I like when you’re worried about me.” 

“Is that why you keep doing stupid stuff?” 

Floyd hummed. “Maybe. If it makes you pay attention to me, then it’s worth it, right?” 

(Y/N) didn’t know how to reply. She felt heat building up in her checks, a mixture of embarrassment and longing and something else she couldn’t quite place. 

“Floyd, I-” “I like you, (Y/N).” She froze at his words. “I couldn’t say it before. I mean, I could, but I didn’t. And that’s my fault. It was bad, I was bad, I still am bad. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I just - You’re so much of everything. And I want that everything. I want us to share it, forever. I want to see you all the time because you make me so happy and I want to make you just as happy. I think we can be, together. I promise I’ll try, really hard. And I-” Floyd sniffed as (Y/N) pulled back. His face was flushed, tears dotting his lashes. He was trying to keep up his usual confidant grin, but it crumpled at the edges. “I’m sorry, Shrimpy. I’m so sorry I hurt you, that I acted like nothing was wrong, that nothing happened. I love you, you know that right? You know it now. I love you.” 

“Oh, Floyd,” She muttered, brushing his hair away from his face. “If I kiss you now, is your lip going to start bleeding again?” 

Floyd broke out into a real smile, letting out a choked laugh. He crushed (Y/N) to him, picking her up and spinning her around. He peppered kisses on her face while she giggled too. She took his face in her hands, gently lowering him closer and kissing him. 

Back at the dorm, spying out the windows, Cas and Argo high fived. 

The next morning was bright and sunny and (Y/N) couldn’t help but think it was all for her. 

Cas and Argo were making their rounds in the quad, saying goodbye to their uncles, many of whom grew misty eyed and the imminent departure. Floyd was squeezing her hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. 

“Alright, pups, everyone settle down,” Professor Crewel called, waving everyone over. He took out a paper bag and shook out two dark purple oval candies, handing one to each boy. “Here, this will get you back to your time in the blink of an eye.” He patted each of their heads. “Be good, pups.” 

The two took the candies and rushed over to Floyd and (Y/N). Floyd crouched down and picked each boy one at a time, throwing them in the air and catching them before repeating with the other. (Y/N) pulled them both into a tight hug, kissing the tops of their heads. 

“I can’t wait to meet you boys for the first time,” She said. 

“We’ll see you soon, Mama!” Argo said. 

“Mama,” Cas said. “You’re going to take care of Papa, right?” 

(Y/N) laughed as Floyd frowned. “Hey, shouldn't I be the one taking care of Mama?” 

Cas frowned, a perfect mirror of his father. “Only kinda. Mama’s the one who does all the taking care of.” 

“Well, when you get home, tell your Papa and he promised you ice cream.” 

(Y/N) quickly whipped away the tears that were forming in her eyes. She cleared her throat to try and speak without faltering. “Speaking of, I’m sure your Mama and Papa are worried about you. I think it’s time to head off. But one more hug.” They crashed back into her open arms. Floyd threw his arms around all of them, squeezing tight. 

Finally, the Cas and Argo each took the others hand, popping the candy in their mouth. Cas screwed up his face and Argo stuck out his tongue at the bitter taste of it. (Y/N) couldn’t help but laugh, comparing their reaction to hers when Floyd had first gotten her to drink the oracleum mycoculous tea. It seemed there was no good way to mask that taste. 

Before their eyes, the twins started to fade out, as if they had been projections. They stared in fascination at their disappearing bodies. They looked up and waved and everyone waved back. Eventually, they slipped out of view. The group waited another moment, giving some sort of solemn respect to the family they would meet again in the future before dispersing. 

“So,” Floyd, leaning down to speak quietly to (Y/N). “You never did answer me, Shrimpy.” 

“Answer what?” 

He grinned deviously and (Y/N) immediately regretted asking. “How many times you think it took before we got them.”

[steddieas-shegoes]

reunited

for @corrodedcoffinfest prompt 'back to indiana'

rated t | 939 words | cw: minor language | tags: famous corroded coffin, established steddie, uncle wayne is the best, steve harrington gets migraines in every universe, modern era

🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡

All of them had agreed that going back to Indiana was necessary for the tour, but they didn't expect to sell out the Ruoff within two days of their tickets being on sale. They broke a record for the venue, and a record for themselves with the largest crowd at any of their shows.

But being back in Indiana was bittersweet.

They all hated it, Eddie most of all, but it's where they became Corroded Coffin, it's where their families were. And apparently a lot of their fans.

They refused to go back to Hawkins, though. Their families would have to come to them.

The show was crazy, but they knew it would be. They added four songs to their setlist and did three songs as their encore instead of just one. It ended up being a two hour show, and by the time they stepped offstage, they were all feeling exhausted.

Adrenaline didn't hit the same anymore for them, not since their second tour. They still got hyped up, still jumped around the stage, running around cables and speakers for the duration of their set. But they no longer stayed up for hours after, still buzzing from the electricity in their veins. They were used to it now.

They were older, too. Eddie and Frankie hit 30 a few months ago, Jeff and Gareth not far behind. They still felt young most of the time, but the summer heat and constant cardio was catching up to them quicker than it used to.

"Do you think our families will be disappointed if we fall asleep waiting for them?" Gareth asked from the floor. He already had his eyes closed, sweat dripping onto the carpet under him.

"None of them just did a two hour show so they have no right to judge." Jeff sipped from the water bottle he'd just grabbed from the cooler. They hardly even drank beer after shows anymore, hating the way it made them feel bloated when they were trying to fall asleep.

"I worked 14 to 16 hour shifts six days a week to make sure you ate your Honeycombs every morning, though," Wayne says as he walks into their dressing room. Eddie jumps up from his seat on the coffee table and runs to him, suddenly full of energy. "Alright, alright. Take it easy on me. I'm an old man."

"Missed you." Eddie keeps hugging him as everyone else's families walk into the room and receive similar greetings.

They were riding a fame high, and breaks were almost impossible, so most visits were their families coming to see them in New York over Christmas or that one week they had off in the summer and they all went on a cruise. Only Jeff had been back to Hawkins, and it was only for one night in between shows nearly a year ago.

"Missed you too, kid. You doin' okay?" Wayne pulled away to look him over, nodding to himself. "You look good."

"I eat at least two vegetables a day. I even remember to shower most of the time," Eddie says proudly. "We all try to take care of ourselves."

"And that has nothin' to do with Steve constantly breathin' down your necks?" Wayne's brow raises in question. "Where's he at anyway? Thought I'd get to hug my son-in-law."

"Migraine."

"Ah." Wayne nods in understanding. "Does he need anything?"

"Nah, he's all set. He probably wouldn't mind you stopping by the bus to say hi."

"Maybe in a bit."

They continued talking for a few minutes before the entire group started chatting about the show and checking in with each other.

Steve came hobbling in about a half an hour later, apologizing for being late, still looking like he needed to sleep it off.

"Hey, sweetheart. You didn't have to come in here," Eddie said as he wrapped an arm around his waist. "We were just heading out."

"'s fine. Wanted to say hi." Steve gave Wayne a long hug before resting his head on Eddie's shoulder. "My mom called. Heard you were close. Wants to meet up."

"Do we have to?" Eddie whined.

Wayne smacked his arm. "Don't be rude."

"She's so mean, Wayne!" Eddie continues. "Last time we met up for dinner, she said she was happy that I was becoming interested in birds and when I asked where she got that idea, she said it was because I was clearly trying to build a home out of my hair for them."

Steve and Wayne snorted.

"She ain't wrong." Wayne patted his shoulder. "We gettin' breakfast in the mornin' before you head out?"

"We should all go out!" Gareth's mom exclaims, clapping her hands in excitement. "We so rarely all get to see each other."

"That sounds great," Jeff's mom nods as Frankie's mom gives a thumbs up.

Steve looks around the room, rubbing his forehead as he counts. "I'll call around."

"Oh honey, we don't need reservations." Frankie's mom says.

"When you travel with these guys, you do. We'll have to close down a restaurant. It'll be chaos if we don't," Steve explains. "It's no big deal. I'll text everyone the info."

"Even here?" Gareth's mom asked, looking concerned.

"Especially here." Steve grimaces and Eddie calls it a night.

"You boys wanna stay with me tonight?" Wayne asks.

It's really not a far drive to his house, barely even an hour. Steve needs a real bed, which Wayne has in his guest room.

"Yeah, let's crash at yours." Eddie agrees.

"Good to have ya home, boys." Wayne smiles at them as he leads them out the door and back home.

[foone]

The way it works is it's a surgery to make you immune to a bullet.

Note, that's not the same as being immune to bullets. You're only immune to a single shot: if someone shoots you twice, you're dead.

You can take the surgery again, though. The only real limitation is that you gotta wait 2-3 weeks between each time. But if you've got the money and the time, you can be as bulletproof as you want.

It doesn't "refill", by the way. Often when the surgery is explained people think it's like "a bullet a day" or "you can get shot once a year" or whatever. Nope! Once you've been shot it's just like you never had that surgery to begin with. If you want to "refill" that immunity? You have the surgery again.

No, there's no upper limit to how many times you can go, that we know of at least. There's one guy in Florida who has made it "his thing" to get the surgery as often as he can. He's currently up to about 50. Obviously there's some people online who've said they're gonna shoot this guy and lower his "record", just to be countrary.

Anyway I'm sure there'd be people who have even higher numbers (anyone who has "getting shot" as a major occupational risk, ie, politicians, soldiers, cops, and anyone doing any kind of residental survey in rural areas), but they only invented the surgery like three years ago, it's just simple math: you can't do much better than that guy.

The invention of the surgery hasn't done much to decrease gun sales, though. I mean, there's been a slight increase in people buying guns with larger capacity, for what I'd consider obvious reasons.

I did see an article suggesting that in the long run it might end up increasing the sale of guns. See their analysis is that two factors are going to drive up gun ownership:

1. People will be more willing to shoot at trespassers and thieves and such, because it'll be more like a warning shot: if they have some immunity, it won't be murder. So far that hasn't really happened as not that many people have the surgery yet. Although it's spreading fast, only major cities have surgeons trained in it, and often waits for surgery can be months long.

2. Conversely, people are going to be more likely to break in and rob and trespass if they know they can't be shot dead for it, because they got the surgery. There'll be a minor uptick in home invasions and such and this'll cause a big predictable panic among middle class homeowners who are now terrified some hooligan is gonna break into their house to steal their iPads. Thus they go throw money at security systems and cameras and guns.

So who knows at this point. If the cost (in both time and money) comes down, maybe it becomes super common for people to be so effectively invulnerable to guns that there's really no point in owning one?

I do agree with the common consensus that this is going to drive a big increase in crimes committed with knives and such. Why take a risk that your target might be immune?

Which reminds me of another thing to clarify because sometimes people online get this very wrong: it's only for bullets! You are not immune to getting hit by a car or poisoned or set on fire. Don't walk into traffic or anything, jesus.

Oh one last thing: there is a blood test that can tell if you have immunity, but it can't tell how many times you've had the surgery. You gotta figure that out yourself: so ask your doctor, search your emails, something. Every day I'm hearing from healthcare workers saying someone came in to get the blood test and it had to be explained to them that we can't tell how much protection you have: only if it's there or not. And I feel like a fool for having to say this, but REMEMBER to subtract any times you've got shot! (if you have been) Obviously!

EDIT: In light of recent events, people are sharing this post and arguing about it a lot, but let me be clear: grazes and small cuts do not count! The exact dividing line is too complicated to explain here (look up "circulatory shock" on Wikipedia), but basically if you don't end up with a big hole in you, the shot doesn't trigger the immunity.

That's how it works: you could have an ear blown clean off, and you'd still not trigger an immunity. So please stop spreading that idiotic conspiracy theory that a former president didn't have any immunity. You can barely run a high-school without being required to have immunity to hold the position, because what if someone shoots you? Come on! Of course he has immunity.

For all we know he's got some prototype experimental shit they use on president's that got him up to 200 in a couple days. There's endless rumors of the DoD funding billions in black budget items to that sort of thing, because of course. Who wouldn't want a way to make bulletproof soldiers? You don't think the soviets are pouring even more into it?

[yumeka-sxf]

Spy x Family merch updates and manga hiatus

I wanted to post about some recent fandom news, starting with the good news: while I mentioned in my 2-year anniversary post that we've been in a dry spell lately as far as SxF content, we just recently got a bunch of new merch/designs! (mostly from various Jump Festa vendors) I'll start with my favorite of the new designs, from HMV's Jump Festa set - Forgers in winter outfits ❤️

Next is the "French casual" set from Chara-Ani~ Bond's little red beret looks so cute!

Another winter outfit set, from Animate. Gah, this one's so adorable, too 😭

Next is merch from Ichiban Kuji. Not sure if it's for Jump Festa as well, but either way, I want the acrylics and the plate!

And lastly, Ensky's merch for Jump Festa - Forgers baking cakes/cookies!

Again for those who don't know, Jump Festa is a yearly event held in Japan in late December that's dedicated to Shonen Jump IPs. SxF will have its own panel with the four Forger voice actors in attendance. We've always gotten exclusive announcements and content at past Jump Festas, so fingers crossed it will be the same for this year! I'm gonna try my best to get some of this merch when it goes on sale in late December. And of course, if I'm able to make high quality scans of these new designs, I will post those as well!

Now onto the bad news, which most of you probably heard about already: the hiatus for the SxF manga has been extended to December 23rd. I believe this is the longest hiatus the series has had so far, and what makes this one concerning is not only that the date kept changing, but also the noticeable silence from Endo and other official outlets.

In the Japanese version of the manga, the last page of each new chapter typically notes the date the next chapter will come out. In the case of the most recent chapter, 107, it said it would release on November 25th, meaning Endo would be taking a break from the bi-monthly schedule, which isn't uncommon. But then, just a few days before the 25th, official English manga outlets like MangaPlus updated the release date to December 9th. It was disappointing since we had all been waiting longer than usual for the new chapter, but again, a second postponement wasn't too alarming...what was alarming though, was the third one that came just yesterday, only a few days after the last. People started noticing that official manga outlets had, again, changed the date for the next chapter to December 23rd this time.

The fandom got stirred up quite a bit when this happened, mostly out of concern for Endo's well being. What made me particularly worried was the fact that, while these hiatuses had been going on for the past month, Endo hadn't posted anything on his Twitter account, which is very unusual considering every month prior he's posted at least a few unique illustrations. Not only that, but the last thing he posted was this oddly cryptic image on October 19th, with text that says "Don't look for me." And he then deleted it soon after, which makes it even stranger.

But thankfully, Shonen Jump must have noticed the pandemonium happening in the fandom, because just a couple hours later, they made this statement on the official Jump+ Twitter, apologizing for the delay and confirming that chapter 108 will indeed come out on December 23rd.

This to me was good news, since their official statement about it makes it unlikely they'll change the date yet again. But some sort of explanation would have been nice, even a vague one. I'm not someone to spread rumors, but my own personal speculation (which could be totally wrong) is that there was some dispute between Endo and Jump. This is the only explanation I can think of as to why his Twitter would suddenly be barren for a month after he posted consistently for so long - my guess is that he has to get approval from Jump for all the illustrations he posts there. I don't know much about the inner workings of the manga industry, but I would assume he has some contractual obligations where he can't freely post stuff on social media without some sort of publisher's approval. It is possible he's just been too busy with Jump Festa and other things, but he's still posted at least a couple times a month even when he's sick or busy, so I don't think that's the main reason. Again, this is just my speculation that could be completely wrong. There's also the fact that they so quickly changed the release date to the 23rd, the day right after Jump Festa ends, which could indicate that Endo's been busy cooking something big to be announced there. Regardless, I'm happy we finally have a new chapter release date that's pretty set in stone now, though I won't feel totally better until we get clear acknowledgment that Endo is okay, either from himself on his own Twitter or somewhere else official.

Anyway, despite this setback, I'm relieved that SxF is still going strong with all the hype for Jump Festa and season 3. Between that and the new chapter right after, we'll be eating good this Christmas!

[stusbunker]

Spotless: Ziehen

Chapter Thirty One

Featuring: Dean Winchester/Reader, Dean/Bela

Other characters: Zachariah, Crowley, Dick, Bobby, Sam and Benny

Word Count: 2053, with other media

Warnings, etc: Mutual pining, still unbeta'd, talk of extra-curricular activities coming up, a thirst trap because Jensen has been unfair lately, Benny being a teddy bear, and Bela trying to make amends

Series Masterlist

“And between record store day and Phantom Traveler’s release, Q2 is looking to break records for us,” Zachariah droned on.

“Well, it’s the least they could do,” Dick added glibly.

You couldn’t roll your eyes, you were on camera, but you wanted to. Crowley didn’t reply, but Zachariah chuckled and took a beat to agree before going on down the line of his report. Bobby huffed, but kept a lid on it, which told you how much he knew Dick was right.

“Things are shaping up well with pre-orders and the appearances Bobby and company have lined up between Vegas and New Orleans with the album release.  should outshine their previous album sales by a wide margin,” Crowley tacks on, almost bored with the success.

You set that up, not Bobby, but you kept your mouth shut, nodding.

“Y’all can thank Y/N for that, you know,” Bobby said gruffly.

“Of course,” Dick agreed offhandedly, eyes darting down to other parts of his screen.

Thank God for Bobby. You simply smiled and kept listening.

“Sounds great, people! Let’s check back the week of the release to ensure we’re still on track. We’ve got a lot of numbers to move to get in the black here, but I see good things happening,” Dick smarmed and instantly sent a meeting invite for the following month. 

“Thank you!” you replied dutifully and closed the window for the chat. After accepting the invite and adding it to your personal calendar, you exhaled long and hard. You checked your phone, Bela had called again and left another two text messages. You ignored her. She could wait.

You called Bobby for a mix of mutual griping and to debrief about where that put you all going forward. 

Without even a greeting, Bobby started, “I swear they get dumber every quarter.”

“Tell me about it. Thanks for having my back in there, though, I was starting to see red by the end.”

“You and me both, darlin’.” Bobby huffed. “The amount of stuff you get done is amazing. Even without all the run-around from the last tour, you are doing more than anybody I’ve seen in your position. We appreciate ya, even if the suits can’t see past their nose jobs.”

You beamed.

“Thanks. So, what’s on the agenda for the week? I know Dean and Sam took Gibson and Pamela to the zoo.”

“Yeap. Got the Midway Museum tomorrow if you have time, got tickets for anybody who wants to go. Might be good time for pictures if you need some candids for the socials.”

You knew this was his way of telling you to come, he even gave you justification for doing it on so called work hours.

“Maybe. I might just steal some from the band. Too much to get done before the show on Thursday.”

“Well, you’re welcome to join us if you get caught up or not.”

“Thanks.” It felt like all you could say to him today. It was a small word with a lot of connotations, but you were grateful. You owed Bobby so much. Though he never gave anything he didn’t want to give or for any form of repayment. He was too good for this industry. They all were.

“I’ll keep you posted. I have calls with the next couple of venue coordinators today and then some event security stuff tomorrow morning with Benny for some non-venue signings and stuff.”

“You still want to do the battered women's shelter thing?”

“The domestic violence survivors fundraiser in Vegas? Absolutely.”

Bobby hummed.

“I know what you’re thinking, Bobby. And that’s exactly why we’re doing it.”

“Do you think it looks like pandering?”

“I think it looks like community service. And if I didn’t think Dean could handle it, I wouldn’t have signed him up for it.”

“Even after that little disappearing act on Saturday?”

“Dean is a domestic abuse survivor, Bobby. Part of what he’s gone through is accepting that.”

“Yeah, but Cas—.”

“Cas is still family. And he didn’t press charges. And you know Dean—- penance is something he needs to do for himself, too.”

Bobby sighed. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

“Trust me, this is still my good side.”

Bobby actually chuckled at that. “I bet! Okay, I should get going, promised the missus we’d hit the shops before dinner.”

“Have a good one.”

“Alrighty, bye then.”

You smiled at your desk as Bobby hung up. He was happy and Annie was good for him. It didn’t matter their pasts, they made it work, and made each other better along the way.

Which seemed utterly remarkable and unattainable for somebody like you.

But if anybody deserved it, it was them.

You put down your phone and pulled up Twitter, it was time to dig through the chaos and do what you did best: highlight the good, the band's synergy and the new momentum and bury the bad. 

Which seemed to include you this time around, unfortunately.

After Twitter, you tackled Insta, Reddit and even FB, though most people cross posted the same images and anecdotes, some people only used one of the bunch. And some only used them on pain of death, namely Dean. Meanwhile, Bela had posted a couple of great shots from the afterparties, which you liked as the band and as yourself. 

You were crabby, not petty.

And busy, damnit.

The next morning, Sam smirked at you when he caught your eye in the hotel’s gym. He was already sweating from running outside, but must have come back to stretch or work something more intensely. What you weren’t expecting was Dean to be hot on his heels, equally as sweaty, equally as mischievous.

“Trouble! How’s business?” 

You rolled your eyes and took out an earbud, not sure you really heard them.

“What’s up?”

“We’re gonna lift— you want in?” Sam was teasing you now.

You pedaled stiffly and shook your head. “Fuck no, I’m good here, got another ten mile circuit after this breather.”

“Suit yourself,” Dean taunted and grinned before he crossed his legs and touched his toes. What the hell? Luckily there was only one other guest using the elliptical, so they weren’t being complete nuisances, yet.

They weren’t even directly in your line of sight, otherwise it could have gotten awkward, and distracting.

Still, you felt them keep glancing at you, making faces, and even cheering for you when you shifted up with your ass out of the seat to get the best angle for the various hills. You flipped them off, but kept your eyes forward and your earbuds in place.

Thirty minutes later, you groaned and stepped off the stationary bike. Dean and Sam had been talking more than doing curls with the free weights, obviously being dorks about each other’s efforts.

Boys.

“Good workout?” Dean asked as you sanitized your equipment. Sweat clung to your oversized tank top, all down your back, and between your legs. Thank god you wore your black workout leggings today.

“Yeah? You?” You smirked as Dean made a show of extending his movements slowly and pointedly. Yes, Dean, your arms should be illegal, you thought.

“Good, uh— need help stretching?”

You looked at him a little dumbfounded and then back at Sam, who seemed just as surprised as you were by the offer.

“Nah, I’ve got my bands and stuff in my room. Though, I bet Sam would love to see you try and bullshit your way through a cool down routine,” you tacked on, trying to laugh off the offer. Inside you were imagining Dean’s weight against you, pushing your knees up and out, flexing your hip joints with his thick fingers digging into the meat of you…

“Hey! I was just being nice.”

“Dude,” Sam muttered.

You sighed and gave Dean an apologetic smile. “Maybe another time.”

You pretended not to hear the series of slaps that happened behind your back as you made your way to the elevator and your generic hotel shower.

Benny treated you to lunch after your video calls with the S.A.F.E. House staff and the one with the folks at the radio station who’d be interviewing the band the morning of the first Vegas show. 

“Saw your tweet on Cas’ post,” you added thoughtfully, midway through your shrimp po boys.

“Yeah, well, didn’t want him thinking he done wrong by us.”

You chewed and nodded, silently telling him that you got it, appreciated it even. 

“You hear anything else from the guys about the last show, you know, after Dean disappeared and, um, everything?”

You needed to know if the guards were loyal, but mostly you wanted to know what they had seen.

“Seemed pretty anticlimactic to most of them, from what I hear. Dean came through, sober and clean as a whistle. —Even the venue goons didn’t clock anything weird,” Benny pointed out before taking another bite, his teeth flashing in the afternoon sun.

After a few moments, Benny continued. “But, uh, that label stooge you got following Bela? He’s the one to worry about, really, seems to keep his cards close to the vest.”

Damn, you knew he was right before he even finished the sentence. Tiny would be the one to squeal to Crowley, or worse, Dick, at the end of the day. You wondered if you could buy him off or treat him in other ways while on the road. Bela wasn’t scheduled to be around until the second Vegas show, you had some time to figure out his motives. Or if he even cared at all.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.”

Benny sniffed and looked around the small patio outside the restaurant. “Bela’s not really Dean’s girl is she? She some kind of clout pusher?”

You swallowed and took a long slurp of your iced tea, washing away the now muted flavor of your lunch. “I honestly don’t know anymore, Benny. They’ve definitely been enjoying each other’s company more than I expected.”

“Perhaps—- but don’t you worry none. She’s not the type you settled down with and he’s got eyes deeper than the cut of her fancy tops.”

You huffed. Benny certainly had a way with words.

“It’s okay, Benny— I’m not in a place to be jealous.”

He just raised his eyebrows at you and took another bite.

“I did this— I set them up. I’d guess you’d call it reaping what I sow or something?”

Benny nodded and shrugged. “Or something.”

“You won’t— you won’t tell anybody, right? His story is safe with you?”

“Doll, I’ve been covering that boy’s ass since before Lisa— I’m true.”

“I know, Benny, sorry—- it’s just so much posturing all the time. I just want to take pictures and show the world how badass they are. I want people to hear the stories behind the songs, because it shows they’re human too. Sometimes I wish—-”

“Wishin’ for rain in the desert aint doin’ anybody a lick of good. You know the score, you just gotta beat them at their own game. Dean’s a good man, he knows what’s real. Don’t think we all don’t know that, too.”

“Thanks.”

“Anytime. Know who your people are, if you trust Bela— then she won’t let Tiny think anything is up. Friends have each other’s back against the world, right?”

“Right,” you agreed, suddenly feeling ridiculously immature for ignoring her for the past few days.

“Eat up, cher. It’s a long tour. You’ll need your strength.”

That was an understatement, but you dug in anyway.

“Y/N, listen— I’ve resorted to leaving you a voicemail. It’s come to that. I’m sorry. I am. I didn’t mean anything disparaging about you the other night— just maybe about how you treat Dean. Not that it's bad, overkill more like, but it’s not like you’re bad or weak for doing it.--- I know how much you loved her, Y/N, I know. Him too, it seems. I just don’t want you wasting so much of your life trying to make up for losing her. It hurts to see you so— subservient. You are so much more than an errand girl. So I’m sorry for my lack of tact. But I’m not sorry I brought it up. Okay? There. Call me back and yell at me properly already, Jesus.”

Tagging:

@deans-spinster-witch

@mrswhozeewhatsis

@cosicas-cuquis

@fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like

@suckitands33

@ladysparkles78

@deans-baby-momma

@stoneyggirl2

@sassy-pelican

@leigh70

@globetrotter28

@winharry

@lastactiontricia

@rockhoochie

@brightlilith

@coldhearted93

@djs8891

@beautiful-places-blog

@n-o-p-e-never

@spxideyver

Chapter 32: Tronco

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Exhibitionism

Dabi first started doing cam shows mostly as a joke. He didn't think that anyone would actually tune in, and some friends of his that are sex workers told him that kind of work was more reliable than arson jobs, though they kept their ears out for him on that front. He said that he couldn't risk getting an infection and not two weeks later they hooked him up with one of their hand-me-down laptops and a SD webcam along with an account they'd set up in his name. Try it once, they'd said. His look is so unique and his voice is exactly the kind of thing that other people will be interested in. The fact it had not only worked, but he had gotten off harder than he had in his entire life told him that he was absolutely fucked and that he wasn't going to be able to just stop like he'd thought. He'd started doing the cam shows, and soon got enough money to turn that into his primary source of income, and in a matter of months, enough that he was able to get a better camera, have an apartment of his own, stay healthy, survive. Things were good. 

He had been intrigued when he was reached out to on his profile asking him if he had ever considered putting on a live event. Dabi had planned on dismissing that out of hand, but the account that reached out proclaimed to be the official one for some big, well-regarded sex club in Kamino. After a little back and forth with the owner, a man named Tomura Shigaraki, they set his compensation, a date, and finalized the rest of his details. 

And the first time he had been there, in a gaudy red room with a wall of mirrored glass between him and the crowd of people who had shown up to watch him, Dabi had been floating so high afterward that he had a hard time focusing at all when Shigaraki came in after the show to check in. Thankfully, the other man was a practiced dom in and out of the club and he had just made sure that Dabi had water, a snack, and enough blankets to stop shivering until he came all the way down from the high. And when Dabi was sane again and he got his cut of ticket sales and the base fee they'd agreed to, he had been more than enticed to come back to V for a few more sessions. 

It took about seven before the flirting that had been a low simmer between he and Duster had gotten hot enough that he asked if the club owner would partner with him for one of the shows. That first time lived in infamy because it was the only time that Dabi had managed to cum five times in a single session, and he'd been sobbing at the end of it. So that became a bit more frequent as well, though they always kept things very professional outside of the red room. Not like Dabi was dreaming of the next time he could hop on Shig's dick day and night or anything. 

He wonders if it would be as good if he didn't know that there were so many eyes on them as Shigaraki holds him on the bed. They're facing the mirrored window, his back to Tomura's chest, hips framed by Shigaraki's legs, his arms tied behind him as his temporary dom touches him. A tremble goes through his skin as he does, reaching between his legs to spread him open, ignoring his cock that is already achingly full and choked with a cock plug that is stretching his insides and holding his pleasure tight behind his head. 

"Look at that, your pretty pussy is already dripping." Tomura's voice is low in his ear as he rubs his fingers over Dabi's hole, already soaked with lube from preparing for this session. "You can't help it, can you? Such a needy attention whore."

Dabi whines, "Like it when you show me off, Daddy." 

"I know you do, princess." Tomura presses a kiss to his cheek and then he reaches for the length of seven black anal beads that's waiting for them on the bed. "Now let's show everyone just how greedy your messy cunt is." The first bulb isn't that big, but the sensation of the solid silicone being pushed inside is nice. It's not the thing that has him moaning though. It's Tomura murmuring, "That's it, I'm going to stuff you full, and when we're finished, I'm going to pull them all out and show everyone how wide you're stretched. They're going to see all the way inside of you, princess, and they're all going to be so jealous that I'm the one who gets to paint your walls with cum." Dabi trembles in the other's embrace, his cock aching sharply from being plugged as Tomura pairs the words with pushing the second bead inside of him, nearly double the size of the first. He can see them in the mirror, but Dabi doesn't care about that. He just looks because he knows that beyond the thin barrier, there are people watching him as hungrily as his hole is opening up for the beads. Hotter just because he likes to put on a show and because he knows that he and Shigaraki always put on the best.

[angeliqueiguess]

Late-Night Mischief (l.dh)

005. Sales Drop

w.count: 1k

Y/n had dealt with all sorts of situations during her night shifts—quirky customers who seemed straight out of a horror movie, random power outages, and, of course, Haechan's relentless antics and unfiltered comments. But nothing could’ve prepared her for what was about to happen that evening.

Mr. Kim walked into the store looking more worn out than usual. His tie hung loose, his shirt wrinkled like it had been through one too many battles, and a folder was tucked tightly under his arm as though it could shield him from the bad news he was carrying. He leaned against the counter with a sigh that seemed to echo across the quiet store.

“The sales have been down for months,” he finally said, his tone a mix of frustration and worry. “If things don’t improve soon, we’re going to have to shut the place down.”

Y/n froze, the weight of his words hitting her like a slap. Even the familiar beep of the scanner in her hand suddenly felt deafening.

“Shut the place down?” she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief.

Mr. Kim nodded solemnly, pressing his lips together in a way that made her stomach drop further.

“Head office has been demanding cost cuts. This part of town just… isn’t pulling its weight anymore. Don't panic nothing’s official yet, but I thought you should know. It’s not looking good.”

Not panic? How was she supposed to not panic? Y/n nodded stiffly, like her body was on autopilot. Inside, her heart was racing. She could already feel the looming weight of worry pressing down on her chest. This job wasn’t just a paycheck for her—it was her anchor in an otherwise chaotic life. The predictable schedule, the calmness of late-night shifts, even the routine itself had become something she relied on. Losing it wasn’t an option.

Mr. Kim gave the counter a reassuring pat, though it didn’t do much to reassure her. Then, with another tired sigh, he left her alone in the fluorescent-lit silence of the store.

For a moment, she stood there, staring blankly at the rows of overpriced snacks on the shelves. The steady hum of the lights above her felt like a cruel reminder of the emptiness both in the store and now in her chest.

The chime of the door snapped her out of her daze.

“Back already?” she muttered, not needing to look up to recognize the carefree hum that accompanied the footsteps.

Haechan sauntered in with his usual swagger, holding a bright blue slushy that he had no doubt served himself from the ancient, sticky machine that she swore she’d get rid of someday.

“What can I say? This place is the vibe,” he said with mock seriousness. “Dim lighting, totally deserted, overpriced snacks—what more could I ask for?”

Y/n gave him a deadpan stare, too mentally exhausted to engage in his antics.

“Whoa,” Haechan said, his usual grin faltering as he noticed her expression. “What’s with the face? Did someone try to rob you again? Need me to go full superhero mode?”

She hesitated. Haechan wasn’t exactly the poster child for “reliable confidant,” but he had this bizarre ability to distract her from whatever was weighing her down. And right now? She could really use the distraction.

“They might close the store,” she finally said, her voice quieter than usual.

Haechan blinked, visibly caught off guard.

“Wait, what? Like… for real? Why?”

“Sales have been dropping,” she replied, sinking into the chair behind the counter. “Apparently, the numbers aren’t adding up. My boss said it’s not official yet, but it’s not looking good.”

Haechan frowned, taking a long, obnoxiously loud sip of his slushy. The awkward slurping noise filled the silence like a bad punchline.

“Wow,” he said at last, setting the cup down on the counter. “Okay, that’s… rough. So… what’s the plan?”

“There is no plan,” Y/n said flatly. “What am I supposed to do? Force people to buy more chips and instant ramen?”

Haechan tapped his chin thoughtfully, his expression exaggerated like he was solving a world crisis.

“You could… but I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”

She groaned, dropping her face into her hands.

“I’m serious, Haechan. If this place shuts down, I’m screwed. I can’t afford to lose this job.”

He tilted his head, watching her for a moment. Then, slowly, that mischievous smile crept back onto his face. The one that always preceded one of his ridiculous ideas.

“What if,” he said, dragging out the words for dramatic effect, “we turned this place into the ultimate late-night hangout spot?”

Y/n lifted her head, blinking at him like he’d just suggested launching a spaceship from the parking lot.

“Come again?”

“Think about it,” he said, spreading his arms like he was pitching the next big thing. “This place is open 24/7. Snacks, drinks, ice cream, a microwave—it’s got all the essentials. The only thing it’s missing is… the vibe.”

She stared at him, unimpressed.

“The vibe?”

“Exactly!” he said, snapping his fingers. “Throw in some beanbags, add a killer playlist, maybe host a ‘fastest ramen eater’ contest—people love weird little places like this. It’s all about the aesthetic, Y/n.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Is it dumb?” he countered, raising an eyebrow. “Or is it genius?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Even if I liked that ridiculous idea—which I don’t—we can’t turn this place around overnight.”

“Not with that attitude,” Haechan shot back, smirking.

Y/n opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. As absurd as his idea was, there was a microscopic part of her—barely even there—that was intrigued. The store was dead most nights anyway. What harm could trying something different do?

“Fine,” she said finally, crossing her arms. “Hypothetically, if I said yes… how would you even make it happen?”

Haechan’s grin widened.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ve got ideas. Big ones. Just leave it to me.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered.

He launched into a passionate explanation of themed snack nights and turning dusty shelves into Instagram-worthy backdrops. And as ridiculous as it all sounded, Y/n felt a tiny spark of hope igniting in her chest.

Maybe—just maybe—this insane plan could work. Or at the very least, it would keep her mind off the impending doom of unemployment.

If anyone could turn a convenience store into a late-night hotspot, it was Haechan.

prev/next masterlist

angie’s note: im scared of haechan's idea y'all...

taglist: @thegracerammy @yewshi @haefelt @pjsteroid @kodasity (let me know if you'd like to be tagged in the next chapter)

[yourmanz-sodapop]

Settling in together

Namjoon x Top! Male reader

Warnings: N/A Part 2/3

“Ok, This couch is perfect” Namjoon must’ve said that about four couches already. “Didn’t you say that about the previous couch?” you asked. “Well yes, but this one feels different than all the other ones. I’m telling you baby this is the one.” he pouts. “You’re sure this is the one baby?” “Yes, this one, let’s buy it.” he says, clapping his hands. He was excited, how could he not be? You gave him complete freedom to decorate your home. So far he had chosen the dresser and nightstand set as well as the curtains for all the rooms of the house and now the couch. 

“Ok, couch set check, next up is… kitchen table.” you see him from the corner of your eye walking off towards the kitchen area, as you're talking to an employee about what you want and how fast you can get it shipped to your house. 

Walking towards the area you last saw Namjoon, you find him sitting at the head of a kitchen table, his eyes narrowing on every empty seat. “What are you doing?” “shhhhh, I’m trying to see if this would match the look I’m going for.” “What look are you going for?” “Right now I’m leaning towards a minimalist vintage look. I think it suits us both, you're an old soul” letting out an amused chuckle you lay your head on top of his, “Anything will be fine, now hurry so we can go look at the paintings you want to hang up.” Say no more Namjoon was up and looking around trying to decide. You knew it would get him to hurry up. 

You need the house finished by next week but it seemed he forgot every other second. You’d made plans to have his parents over to actually see your new home, and to show them with proof that you are serious about their son, before it was just your words and small things you did. They loved you, they loved you just for the fact that you loved their son, that was enough for them but still you wanted to show them that Namjoon would always have a home with you, and that you could provide for him regardless of the fact that he made a shit ton of money from being an idol. I mean you also made a lot of money, you owned a finance company, one that you just branched over to Europe and hopefully soon you’ll add another branch in Korea near where you lived. As you were walking around looking at the different pieces of art, one specific one caught your eye. It was the same one you had in your office back home in America. It brought back a lot of memories.

“When are you coming back to visit?” You couldn’t stand seeing the tears on his face through the screen. “I don’t know, there was a problem with the construction crew, I need to go to Europe to see why they put a hold on it. I’m going to be gone longer than I thought I was, I’m sorry my love.” you explained. You’d already been gone for three months, signing contracts, getting permits overseeing construction for the new branch. “You promised you’d be back before I left on tour. I leave in two weeks.” he sobbed. You know how much it hurt, you haven’t seen each other in three months and now you have to break your promise about sending him off on his tour. You didn't say anything, what could you say to make him feel better? “I have to go” he whispers, “Namjoon, wait-” he hung up.  It was one of the lesser bad moments in your relationship. But it was quickly fixed, you flew out that same night and postponed your meetings to spend the remaining two weeks with Namjoon. 

“Babe!” Turning your head Namjoon was looking at you worriedly. “I called your name five times, are you ok?” He was carrying 6 pieces. “I’m fine baby, is that what you’re getting?” you asked. “Yes these, did you talk to the sales clerk about buying the couches?” “Mhm” “Ok then let's go, we still need to buy kitchen utensils and groceries. I’m not ordering take-out again.” “I’ll cook.”

Getting everything you needed for your new home took longer than you expected it to. Namjoon couldn’t make up his mind on a few things like rugs so you did have to go to a few other places the next day. Thankfully Namjoon found all the things he wanted and was satisfied with the end result of your house, now all you needed to do was wait for the weekend to come.

 You were both enjoying yourselves with this new dynamic of reality, a reality where you both didn’t have to fight your schedules to see each other, nor hide the fact that you were in love. His fanbase took it better than you expected it to, of course there was some negative backlash. Mostly  girls being upset that they wouldn’t have a chance to woo him, rather than the fact that he was with a man. It was a bit of a shock at first  but you got used to seeing your face more on social media.  The boys of course were over all the time now that the place was completely furnished with everything working as it’s supposed to. Now Namjoon understands why you got a three bedroom house.

Next>

[talk-danmei-to-me]

ranwan mpreg in og timeline + kid and 100% of chu wanning's soul/memory go to new timeline + mo ran is revealed as a BBBF early

Hi, I don't write mpreg or kid fic and I've only read the official translations so I have no idea how the souls are working at this point. Apart from there's something up with Chu Wanning's. That being said, I appreciate the prompt and I have been wanting to write something auction themed about Mo Ran for the longest time so I went with a Mo Ran BBBF reveal. Enjoy!

***

‘Shizun, have you been to one of these before?’ Shi Mei asked, leaning over the railing of their booth to peek at the stage.

‘A couple. They’re vile things, attracting all manner of filth. But, they are a good place to learn information and secure valuable items related to cultivation. That is why Xue Zhengyong suggested you accompany me. This may be the most successful way of securing you a spiritual weapon.’

Shi Mei nodded. In a matter of minutes, the Xuanyuan Pavilion auction would begin. His shizun’s face remained an unreadable mask as he waited for the Second Pavilion Master to appear and launch into her familiar spiel. Suddenly the booths were cast into darkness and only the stage was alight. The drama of it all drew a gasp from Shi Mei but Chu Wanning remained unmoved, he took a perfunctory sip of his drink as the Second Pavilion Master of Xuanyuan Pavilion stood centre stage and introduced the first item, an overpriced love potion. Exactly the type of item he expected.

The auctions were not to his taste. They were far too boisterous and crass. Selling all manner of overpriced ridiculous trinkets and treasures. The only Chu Wanning agreed to attend was due to the hopes they might finally discover who the fake Gouchen was. Due to his cultivation methods, he needed as many followers and spiritual weapons as possible. Shi Mei might also benefit from the spiritual weapon for sale. Xue Zhengyong had said as much to Chu Wanning before he left. Shi Mei’s cultivation was low. Healing seemed the most appropriate pathway, but danger lurked everywhere. If his disciple was to protect himself properly, an orphaned spiritual weapon seemed most logical.

Following the love potion came potions that promised great riches through guaranteeing the drinker success in all they tried to achieve. Shi Mei turned to Chu Wanning a couple of times, though he never dared to speak or offer a single thought.

‘Are you well?’ Chu Wanning asked after a while.

‘Fine, shizun. It really is mesmerising the amounts people will pay.’

Chu Wanning unintentionally snorted. There was nothing at the Xuanyuan auction that surprised him. Instead, he was fortunate to maintain his knowledge of  could shock or surprise him. At least, that’s what he believed before the Second Pavilion Master announced the next item.

A Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast.

A Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast in itself was not so shocking to Chu Wanning, he’d lived a while and knew of their appeal to those within the cultivation world. What shocked Chu Wanning, and the disciple beside him, was the fact that this Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast was horribly familiar. After months of painful silence, Mo Ran had returned to their lives.

The day after Xue Meng caught him robbing a whore, Chu Wanning had been so overcome with disappointment and resentment, he’d beat Mo Ran with Tianwen so hard, he fled Sisheng Peak in a rage and sworn never to set foot their again. He never even left enough time for Chu Wanning to prepare the wontons that usually soothed his soul in such times of upset. Upon his return, Xue Zhengyong remained adamant his nephew would return and yet, his optimism went unrewarded for months. Now, Chu Wanning suspected he knew why. Mo Ran hadn’t returned home because he’d been captured. Yet Chu Wanning was confused. He’d seen Mo Ran cry and his cultivation had always been exceptional. Were the auctioneers lying? It didn’t make sense. He gripped his seat and tried to focus on the words spewing from the Second Pavilion Master’s dainty mouth.

‘A real treat, this one,’ she promised, ‘a confirmed Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast, with no giveaway features. We recommend keeping this one within your bedrooms.’ 

Chu Wanning sensed the reluctance in the room. No golden tears… What if Mo Ran was a dupe? But the cultivation world’s faith in Xuanyuan was resolute. After a few seconds of awkward whispers, the bets began to float down to the stage like rainfall after a drought. The Second Pavilion Master read each one out, her voice filled with glee as the number grew higher and higher. Chu Wanning felt more uncomfortable and unwell by the second. Bile rose in his throat. Xue Zhengyong would be beside himself if he knew the kind of horrors that were about to be inflicted upon his beloved nephew. Chu Wanning also couldn’t stand the thought of one of his disciples being treated so poorly. Shi Mei’s voice rang in his ears

‘We have to do something!’ He offered Chu Wanning the pouch of money that was supposed to be for his spiritual weapon.

Chu Wanning took it and scribbled his bet on a tab before sending it floating down to the stage.

‘Woah!’ the Second Pavilion Master exclaimed, ‘We have our highest bid of the night, forty million!’

‘There’s not forty million in the pouch…’ Shi Mei said, his features twisted with concern.

‘I didn’t just bet the pouch,’ Chu Wanning said.  

He felt sick. He’d offered all of Sisheng Peak’s wealth to secure Mo Ran’s freedom. There was nothing else he could do. If someone else bid even 1 coin higher, Mo Ran would be lost to them forever, never to reconcile with his uncle and cousin.

‘Do you have any more money?’

Shi Mei shook his head, his gaze fixed on Mo Ran’s form, his youthful body draped in sheer fabric strapped to a bed on the stage. They truly had presented him as someone who was ready to be devoured. Somehow, Chu Wanning was unable to picture it, no matter how hard he tried.

Silence filled the pavilion and in as dramatic a fashion as she could manage, the Second Pavilion Master announced that the Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast had been purchased by Sisheng Peak.

That night, with the few coins they’d managed to preserve, Chu Wanning purchased two rooms at an inn so they could rest well before the return to Sisheng Peak. He told Shi Mei he would share his room with Mo Ran in case anyone came looking to steal him. Shi Mei seemed pleased Mo Ran’s safety had not become his responsibility and disappeared into his room with a faint smile. Inside his own room, Chu Wanning was at a loss of what to say to his disciple who he’d recently purchased.

‘Do you require a bath, or some food?’ he offered, completely out of his depth.

Mo Ran’s handsome features distorted into a wild expression and he sneered at Chu Wanning as he knelt on the bed, ‘Aren’t you going to fuck me, Shizun? It’s what you paid for isn’t it?’

Such crass words were enough to make Chu Wanning’s face burn. He wasn’t equipped for this, ‘I bought you so you could come home.’

‘Where’s that?’ Mo Ran asked, his tone bitter.

‘Sisheng Peak. Your uncle has been beside himself since your disappearance.’

‘Well, I’ve not been having the best time either.’

Mo Ran moved around the room as though in search of something, ‘Remember the last thing I said to you, Shizun?’

Chu Wanning shook his head, though the words were etched into his memory, he watched his disciple embody a trapped tiger.

‘I told you I’d fuck you to death.’ Mo Ran burst out laughing, ‘Could you imagine? If I’d actually done it? I’d actually have made you stronger. What a joke!’

Chu Wanning couldn’t listen to anymore, ‘Enough, Mo Weiyu. Tomorrow, we will return to Sisheng Peak. Once you have safely to your uncle, you need not suffer me any longer.’

‘Are you leaving?’ Mo Ran asked, frowning slightly.

‘I was thinking of resigning as your shizun. Unless you would prefer I was gone from your life completely.’  

‘I-’ Mo Ran faltered, ‘Well, you did rescue me, which I appreciate. I guess it’s okay if you remain my shizun too. Apparently I still have a lot to learn about the ways of the world.’  

[reyreadsandwrites]

An Imminent War or Whatever

content: Jason x named female demigod

a/n: short one this time. not sure if I like it so might delete, we'll see :/

I personally don't like writing in y/n / 2nd pov, so if you want your name in a story: send me your idea and a name and I'll try to get back to you!

warning: none

It was the first week of January. Alina and her friends had just come back from their quest to free the goddess Hera a couple of weeks ago and already she was bored. There’s only so much training you can do before your arms get tired, or your legs hurt from being slashed at so often with sharp objects. Leo had said it would take months to build a ship for the next quest in the way they wanted and, honestly, Alina didn’t know enough about mechanics to question his judgment, but that also meant that they were stuck for however long it would end up being with nothing to do but wait. 

It’s not like Alina wanted to be in constant danger and surrounded by monsters, but she also hated the wait. Alina was desperate to see Percy again, having lost countless nights of sleep over her oldest friend’s disappearance and, honestly, she was curious about the other camp. Camp Jupiter. 

Jason had told her a few things - all he could remember, anyway. He talked about it with a distant gaze in his eyes as if he wasn’t so sure if he missed it or not. She couldn’t help but be intrigued at this mystery place he had grown up at. It didn’t help that they were putting all their bets on Percy being there too. 

So, as the boredom sunk in, Alina had tried to find something to do. Her first stop had been the arena, where she won a sword fight to a grumpy child of Ares, then Bunker 9 where she had almost hammered her own hand while helping Leo. Alina had ultimately decided a walk to clear her head wouldn’t kill her, so she welcomed the cold and started her way to the beach all the while looking for a certain blond who nobody had seen since lunch. 

Speaking of the devil. She had made it to the border of the woods before she saw him. In a light blue sweater that had a stupid superman joke on itthat, of course, Alina had gotten him on a Christmas sale during her latest trip to the city, Jason was somewhere she had never expected to look - distracted, floating on air and in a tree? 

She looked up squinting from the winter sun. “Having fun up there?” 

Jason almost toppled out of the tree before catching himself with another gust of wind, seemingly spooked by her sudden appearance. Alina tried to stifle a few giggles and Jason responded with a string of curses before floating down to her side.

“I was helping a Dryad.” He said with a solemn nod, as if that explained everything. 

“Of course.” Alina answered with a smile. “Walk with me?”

—

They had made their way to the beach shortly after the tree debacle and had set themselves up on the sand watching the waves crash on the shore. They had talked themselves out and now settled into a comfortable silence, watching the sun go down. 

They had often done the same thing on their recent quest; opting to keep watch together as Leo and Piper slept. That’s how Alina knew that Jason was afraid his memories would never fully come back. And it’s how Jason knew that Alina was afraid her friend, Percy, wouldn’t remember her after everything they’d undergone together. 

“You ever wonder what you would be doing now?” Alina broke the silence. “In another universe. Where there was no threat of war or whatever.”

Alina looked at Jason. In the sunlight light, he looked almost regal. He was sprawled out in the sand, leaning on his arm, with his legs spread out in front of him and already looking at her. He shook his head. 

“I’ve never thought about it.” he started, sitting up and looking at her. He paused, thinking for a minute. “To be honest, I wouldn’t change anything, if that means having you here with me.”

Alina raised her eyes to meet his; his bright blue shimmering in the golden glow of the sun. She was all of a sudden aware of how close the two of them were sitting and without thinking much, she found that she didn’t mind. They were inches apart and getting closer. Alina swore she felt a pull; something dragging her to him. In that moment, Jason was magnetic. 

She could feel his breath, a warmth by her cheek. She looked down at his lips and watched the scar on his lipped moved with his mouth as Jason gave the slightest of a grin. She heard him whisper her name. 

For a while they stayed there, drinking in each other, the moment, the sun and in the end, it was Jason who closed the gap. He leant down to capture Alina’s lips in a kiss, holding her against him, a movement that was painfully gentle and eagerly awaited. She brought her hands to his chest as she leaned into it, grabbing a hold of his shirt to bring him closer.  

She felt sparks. Wild, magic, unforgettable. She might’ve blamed it on the fact that she was kissing the all to famous son of Jupiter - lightning and all but none of that mattered. Not the war, not the ship, not the wait. She was kissing Jason Grace and Alina was more than alright with that. 

“Imminent war or not, I’m glad I know you.” 

[abstractnaturaldisaster]

More Steddie Flower Shop / Tattoo Parlor AU

Part One is available here! Time for Steve’s perspective! c: (also available on AO3)

*** Steve had signed the lease on the studio space a week ago and he was gearing up for the opening, posting instagram updates for the followers he’d gained from his previous tattooing gigs. Steve had bounced around a few spots since he started tattooing, but he hadn’t found anywhere that felt like he really belonged. Most people assumed tattoo artists had to be overly masculine or into counterculture. Steve had never been all that alternative (other than a brief emo phase Robin has been sworn to secrecy about) and he didn’t have loads of tattoos himself.  It had been a point of contention between him and some of his past coworkers who felt that a tattoo artist should wear their ink proudly.

Homophobia was also still pretty common in some of the more mainstream shops in town and Steve couldn’t handle some of the casual comments shop owners made about his more feminine style. To top it all off he was sick of having to tattoo tribals or dandelions on college kids as he “worked his way up the ladder” at some of the more established places. Steve had managed to garner attention for his original colorful floral work on instagram and was getting enough interest that he decided to take the leap and find his own space. 

He was eternally grateful that his best friend, Robin, had agreed to help with the front of house and appointments so he could focus on tattooing. Robin and Steve had talked for hours about how to make Steve’s studio inviting and comfortable for anyone who dropped in. Steve felt strongly about gatekeeping in the tattoo community and wanted his studio to be bright and open and set people at ease who had never been tattooed or had been burned by more “hard core” shops.

Robin had taken Steve to hundreds of estate sales and thrift stores to find pieces that were homey and comfortable so that his new studio could reflect his tattooing philosophy. He’d filled the space with plants and soft fabrics and made sure that the studio had plenty of light. Steve had set up a nice waiting area that was more of a living room than anything else with loads of books and a record player to provide a soft soundtrack. He purposefully didn’t include any records heavier than Simon and Garfunkel to encourage a more relaxed atmosphere. He’d worked at a shop that only played metal and he basically lived on Excedrin to survive the headaches he’d get after a shift.

“Steve! It’s looking so good!” Robin said as she pushed through the door with the spoils from her Target run. “I really think it’s almost there. And just in time for our first appointment, tomorrow.”

“I’m really happy with it, Robs.”

“You should be! It looks awesome. Very instagrammable,” Robin added as she posed by the record stand. Steve snapped a quick pic before Robin could stop him.

“You’re right, very instagrammable,” Steve joked. He showed Robin the picture.

“Hey, that’s actually not bad. Send it to me and I’ll post it to stories to help drum up some business, kid.”

“I already had to close my books twice, I think we’re going to be okay, babe,” Steve laughed. 

It was true. After he posted some of his favorite floral pieces his DMs had blown up and he already had a full schedule for the next couple of months. Robin had agreed to help Steve in exchange for the promise that he wouldn’t overwork himself and actually take days off, so they were already scheduling clients pretty far out. To afford the overhead and keep to a more limited schedule, Steve had to broaden his initial search for studio space. They’d ended up in a slightly less desirable part of the city but since it seemed like Robin was serious about limiting Steve’s schedule it was a deal they couldn’t pass up.

“Alright, I picked up drinks to fill the mini fridge, coffee, tea, and some snacks. I also got this very cute planner to keep track of all your very important appointments,” Robin said as she pulled everything out of her grocery cart.

“I feel like we have to be forgetting something, Robs.” Steve looked around the space. He’d fully outfitted his tattooing space with everything he needed, they’d set up the printer and iPad to do stencils, and everyone had places to sit, but it still felt like something was missing.

“I think you’re overthinking it. We double checked the list last night.”

Steve walked over to the window and looked out at the busy street. He noticed the flower shop across the way. “Wait, that’s it. I wanted to go set up a recurring delivery for a flower arrangement for the front desk for each week.”

“Wow, when you said you wanted to lean into the plant gay aesthetic you weren’t kidding, huh?” Robin laughed.

“I just think it would be nice to have fresh flowers in addition to all the greenery,” Steve added.

“You’re sure you’re not just looking for an excuse to talk to the guy you’ve been checking out who works there?” Robin asked.

“I’ve been doing nothing of the kind.”

“Then why are you blushing, babe?” Robin dramatically flung herself onto the couch. “I’m so glad we got some old lady’s fainting couch for precisely this moment. It is perfect for dramatically winning an argument.”

“You’ve won nothing, Robin.” Steve pouted.

“You know I’m just giving you shit. If you’re going to go you better go now. I think they close early.”

***

Hope you guys like soft Tattoo Artist Steve! Part 3 here! 

Taglist: @maya-custodios-dionach 

[silverwarewolf]

hello hi, I will do my best to answer your advice ask tomorrow :3 for now, I offer an ask to you, requesting advice from any oc who cares to listen! (also sorry it's a few paragraphs, Ari loves to ramble and so do I haha)

“Hi! I don’t believe we’ve met before. Name’s Ari. If I could trouble you for some advice on a bit of a... delicate matter I’d be grateful.

So, I run this little diner out in Port Pirie, and there’s this one regular I’ll leave unnamed. Been coming in every couple of weeks for, ah, I think about four years now? Always orders a bunch of honey chili pork noodle stir fry and spring rolls. Quiet fellow, but we’ve become pretty friendly with each other over the years.

The situation all came to a head a couple of months ago. This rather unsavoury ex of my daughter’s had gotten a bit aggressive and stalky after they broke up, making threats on her and the rest of the family, accusing me in particular of forcing my kid to break things off... I did no such thing, mind you, the guy’s just a possessive dickhead. he comes into the diner near closing one night when it’s just me and my regular sharing some wine and a chat, shouting about making me pay and brandishing a knife in my face.

Anyway, turns out my favourite regular is a vampire, ‘cause it just sort of... tackles this guy and drinks his blood. I don’t think it meant to, I honestly think it just meant to disarm him, ‘cause it seemed completely mortified afterwards. Kept insisting it wasn’t going to hurt me and that it was very sorry for the mess and for making me see that. Then it just bolted and hasn’t come back for months.

Thing is, after some time to mull it all over, I don’t really have a problem with the whole vampire thing. I miss my friend, but given how skittish and private it was even when I thought it was human, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s way too nervous to venture back here now. Nonetheless, I’ve been trying to think of ways to lure it back to the diner and make sure it knows its welcome, but I’m coming up empty. I’d appreciate any suggestions you can give!”

Hello there, Ari.

It seems like you've got yourself in quite the predicament, yes. Although I do quite commend your friend on protecting you, your honor, and by extension your daughter as well. A monster after my own heart, unafraid of staining ourselves to defend those we care for. And I would know its burden after the fact just so.

However, when I'm asked about luring someone, that usually refers to bounties I've to kill. That's not what you need here, is it?

Hmm... what to do...

Well, the basics of luring remain the same - you ought to offer something that it wants, or cannot go without. Perhaps these "honey chili noodle pork stiry fry and spring rolls" you speak of are the heart of the matter - perhaps offer a sale or some sort of event? I doubt you could just place a bowl of it and wait for its vampire senses to pick it up, at any rate. Nor do I know the extent of said vampire senses - I would certainly be able to notice something like that, and coming from a trusted enough friend, I may just decide to bite.

But that would merely be a lure, and I do not think that's all of the issue here.

It fears not being accepted, likeliest.

In my experience, only two types of people approach me. Those who need something done, and those who hold no fear of the other.

Should you attempt the first option, perhaps pretend to be in need of hiring a guard of sorts? Although I cannot say I've ever heard of guards who swear to protect food stalls and food stalls only, other than the time I was made to guard Her Insufferable Majesty's entourage. Your friend might be worried enough to check up on you.

As for the second... I assume you've no way of contacting it? Through friends or acquaintances of it? If you do, that's the way to go. If not, then these truly are dire times.

Hm...

I've been informed that your kind has a yearly celebration where you mimic beast and monster and folktale at will. If you can set up something like that, a "vampires welcome" sign would be undetected to the untrained eye but a blatantly welcoming sign to your friend. But that's merely an odd musing of mine.

Ah, hunting a meal and hunting a bounty are tough, but ultimately simple. Hunting friendship, however, although demanding less physical exertion prove tenfold as taxing. I wish you luck, Ari.

-Alexandro

[barbwritesstuff]

i loooove blood moon and cant wait for your future ifs. i know you mentioned that you were planning on a mermaid/siren if (pls correct me if im wrong) but i was wondering if you plan on a sequel for blood moon?

Okay. I'm glad you asked this anon, because it's all a bit messy, and I think it would be good for me to explain this. Bear with me, as my brain is a bit disordered right now, so this may or may not make sense.

Will there be a sequel to Blood Moon?

I dunno. Maybe. I want there to be. But I don't know, which is frustrating (for me, as well as you).

See, it's not that I don't have ideas or anything.

I have this idea for a Blood Moon sequel that I really like. It's titled 'Thicker Than' and focuses on the vampires of the city, rather than werewolves. The MC would be a new vampire with a mission from the Night King: solve a series of murders targeting members of the Night Court.

Here's the problem:

I haven't been paid or seen any sales data from Blood Moon, in part because the Australian Tax Office is taking months to organise a document that they said would only take two weeks.

So... without any data, and with everything in life just getting more and more expensive, I literally just can't financially commit to another large project set in this world. I don't mean to be dramatic, but that's the honest truth.

I need to know how many people bought Blood Moon before I can consider writing a sequel (because a sequel is probably not going to sell better than an original). And I just don't have those numbers. I don't know when I'll get them either.

I'm really sorry about that.

Will there be a dark mermaid thing?

Again. I don't know.

I have this really cool idea for a dark mermaid thing that I think people would really enjoy. It involves pirates and ancient sea gods and cannibalism.

It'd also be another full length thing. Eg, around the same size as Blood Moon.

However, I'm holding off on using Choicescript for the reasons above (I need to have sales data).

I've been experimenting with some shorter Renpy games, the first of which I'll release next month on itch.io. If people like the style of those, I'll consider using Renpy as a tool to make the dark mermaid game... if no one buys the short games, then I'll reconfigure and try to come up with a new plan.

*

I'm sorry if all that was a bit blunt. I'm really trying to be forthright and honest about all this. I want people who read my stuff to know what's going on, and I wish there was more to say, but everything has a lot of 'hurry up and wait' energy, which is all a bit stressful.

I'm also querying a prose novel right now (asking literary agents if they want to help me sell it) which also has a lot of 'hurry up and wait' energy, which isn't helping. 😅

Despite all this admin-y stuff, I am still drafting and writing, but it might not be stuff that you get to see for a little while.

I really hope that all makes sense.

[dragonridernoobie]

UnderSwap Papyrus X Abused!reader

Stretch (Papyrus)<-

(Y/N) <-

Ex BF <-

Cashier <-

Blue (Sans) <-

Note: this is supposed to be a friendly fanfic, but if you are in a abusive relationship, don't be afraid to reach out! There's help. More info at the bottom.

Stretch was sitting on a bench at the local park. He had a cigarette between his teeth that he was taking pulls from. His hands were inside the pouch of his orange hoodie, his one leg crossed over his other, and he had on black sweatpants. It was a nice fall day, and stretch was enjoying the weather. The tall skeleton looked exhausted, bags under his eyes sockets like he wasn't getting enough sleep. He took his hand out of his pocket to pull the cig from his mouth to exhale the smoke, sighing as he did. While he relaxs, he hears someone call his name. When he sees who is calling him, he sees his best friend/crush (Y/N).

"Hmm?"

He takes the cigarette out of his mouth, looking over to see Y/N).

"Oh, hey (Y/N)"

He said, waving to (Y/N). (Y/N) sits next to him

"How are ya stretch."

"Tired. Always tired."

He said, taking another drag from his smoke.

"It's good to see you, though. What are you doing here?"

"Was passing thru the park to go to this new sandwich shop."

"Sandwich shop, you say?"

He said, intrigued.

"What kind of sandwiches we talking about."

"Don't know, it's a new shop that was opened yesterday. All I know about it is that the sandwiches are cheap. Like there 5$ per sandwich."

"You're already talking my language."

He says, giggling a bit.

"Cheap sandwiches? Lead the way."

He says with a chuckle. They then head over to the sandwich shop and go inside

"Dam...it's pretty nice inside."

"Yeah, it is."

Stretch says, looking around the joint.

"They have a lot of seating, too. That's always good, which means they're not always busy."

The shop was a nice calm look. Warm lights, warm colors everywhere. Pictures of flowers and animals, the smell of sandwiches and coffee in the air. They walk up to the cashier and look at the menu

"Hi, welcome to sandwich sky's. What can I get you to?"

"Could I get a turkey sandwich with light Mayonnaise, please? Stretch?"

"Just a BLT, extra bacon please."

Stretch says, looking over to (Y/N). He leans his elbows on the counter, looking at (Y/N) and smiling at her.

"ok, drinks?"

"Rootbeer, please, stretch?"

"Some honey would be great."

He says, his lips curving in a smile that held warmth.

"ok, that will be 13.21$."

(Y/N) pulls out her wallet and looks at stretch

"You can pay me next time by taking me back here."

She then pays for their meal and goes to sit down and wait.

"Alright."

Stretch said, watching her hand the cashier the money. After a bit, the casber comes over with their food. The cashier handed them the food.

"This place is actually pretty chill."

"indeed."

(Y/N) unwrapps her sandwich and takes a bite

"My this is good."

"Agreed."

Stretch said, taking the first bite of his sandwich. He hummed in satisfaction. The bacon was a nice touch, crunchy, but not overly salty or greasy.

"This is a damn good BLT. I can't believe they can sell these for 5 bucks, this is a great deal."

They both finish their sandwiches and just stay in the sitting area, sipping on their drinks while talking.

"God, why don't all places have cheap sandwiches this good? The last place I went was like 12 bucks, and it wasn't even as good as this."

He took another sip from his honey, setting it down. He seemed to be in a better mood, as if the sandwich helped him relax.

"prices, sales, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if prices of this place go up in the next few months."

"God I hope not. This is a great little joint."

He said, stretching out and relaxing back, his hands resting on the back of the chair.

"So, what have you been up to?"

"...well, as you know, I'm still trying to break up with my boyfriend, but it's been... hard."

"Ahhh..."

He said, not seeming surprised. He knew his friend was in a bit of a rough patch.

"Still having problems?"

"ya, I keep finding him cheating on me, and as much as I would love to break up with him, I can't because I live with him."

"He lives with you..."

He said and sighed.

"What's stopping you from kicking him on out? I feel like if he's cheating, it should be a done and done deal."

He takes another sip from his honey.

"rent, I won't be able to pay it on my own if I move I to a new place."

"No other roommates to help with that?"

He said, looking at her curious.

"Nah, so I'm just pretending to be in love with him...even tho I do that, it still hurts to find him in bed with another bitch."

"Damn..."

He said, not really knowing what else to say.

"Have, have you tried to, talk to him about this, about him cheating on you, I mean?"

"yep, and keeps saying "I promise to never do that again" biggest fucking lie."

"God, he sounds like a dick."

He says, sighing a bit and looking over to her.

"Have you at least started looking for some one-bedroom places to stay?"

"None here that's in my rage of money."

"Damn..."

He sighed, thinking it over.

"No parents or family you trust that you can stay with till you get that sorted?"

"Nah."

"Well damn, that sucks...."

He said, sipping on his honey. The honey was nearly done. He leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You could always stay with me."

He said, looking at (Y/N). She perks up at this

"That...I might do that, but what about your brother?"

"I'm sure he wont care."

He said, shrugging and making a small gesture with one of his hands. his face now holding something of an embarrassed expression.

"Hmm...IL think about it."

"Hey, no rush... Take your time thinking it over."

He said, looking away from her a bit and glancing around the diner. He leaned forward a bit on the chair, sipping his drink some more.

"You can stay as long as you like... It'd make me happy."

(Y/N) smiles and nods. She then gets up

"Anyway, I need to get going. I was glad to see ya again."

"See you soon..and I mean it. If you can stay with me, you're always welcome."

He said, leaning back and getting up.

"It was good seeing you as always, (Y/N)"

They walk out and give each other a hug before going separate ways. Their goodbye hug was long and full of warmth. He waved at her when they broke the hug, and she was walking off to go on with her day. His gaze followed her, and the smile that remained on his face was not one that would easily fade that day. Later in the evening stretch and his brother were in the living room watching TV. It was around 9 pm. While they watched TV, stretch the phone started to ring. Stretch reached into his pocket and looked down to his phone and saw that it was (Y/N) calling. He smiled at her name and answered.

"Yo, you called?"

He asked as he brought the phone to his ear. He hears sniffling and muffled crying.

"(Y/N)?"

He asked, a bit worried for his friend.

"You okay? Did something happen?"

His brother blue paused the TV and looked over at him with confusion. He waves at stretch to put the phone on speaker so he can here to, since he was also good friends with (Y/N). He nods and presses the speaker button, holding the phone out between him and his brother. They both here (Y/N) finally say something

"Can...can you come pick me up please."

She says and cries a little at the end. He looked over at his brother, confusion turning somewhat to worry on his face as he heard (Y/N) words.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, I can do that."

He said, not questioning what was happening yet, but ready to get to (Y/N) as soon as possible.

"We will be there in a bit, okay? Stay put."

When his brother and him go into the car and drive to (Y/N)'s place. She is seen sitting on the curb, hugging her knees and crying. He parked as close as he could to where (Y/N) was sitting and got out of the car, walking over. His expression changed as he got closer to her, a worried look coming over his face. He sat down beside her and gave her a comforting pat on the back. His brother is sitting next to her too.

"What's going on? What happened?"

When she looked at him, her face was covered in bruises and cuts

"I..I told him I was breaking up with him and moving out, and he beat me."

His brother, who saw how bad her face was, ran to the car to grab the first-aid kit. He gasped when he saw her face, his breath catching in his throat.

"Oh my god...."

He said, quickly putting one of his hands on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

He looked at her face, not really sure what to do in this situation.

"Was he still there when you left? Is he in the house?"

(Y/N) nodded, and let's Blue fix up their face. He looked to his brother and watched as he got to fixing her face while he remained silent. He was concerned for (Y/N), but he didn't really know what to say to help. He reached his hand out and gently rubbed her back, just offering comfort. While they are fixing her up, her apartment door opens, and her brother shouts out to her, not noticing blue or stretch*

"hey bitch, get inside and do the dishes!"

He froze and felt his body tensed up a bit, when they heard her ex shout out to her. He stood up quickly, looking over to her ex.

"Hey, buddy, let's have a talk, yeah?"

He said, his tone had a sudden shift, something more serious behind his words. His left eye slightly lighting up orange.

"What the? Hey, you the fuck do you think you are? Get away from my girl, she doesn't need your grose skeleton fingers on her."

"Actually, I think she does."

He said, stepping closer to him and getting right in his face.

"Because you're a piece of shit who hits women, the people he's supposed to love. That's all you are, a piece of shit."

He's looking straight in his eyes, his expression stone cold.

"Back off freak! You are a monster, I'm a human, and I have more rights than you!"

"Rights? You talk about rights? Your rights ended when you hit her, you have no rights. Do you really think anyone with any brain would agree with you punching someone who just wanted to leave you?"

staring him directly in the eye. He had no fear of the man, but this man had more than earned the anger of everyone in the world for what he had done tonight.

"ppfff, whatever, move."

He pushes past stretch to go to (Y/N)

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere buddy."

He pushed the man back, putting himself between the man,his friend, and his brother. not really letting him get too close to her.

"If you really are a man like you claim to be, then how about you just leave, huh? If you arent too much of a pussy that is."

"Whp the fuck do you think you are? That bitch is mine and I'll do what ever I want with her, so move."

"She's a woman who has the right to choose who she wants to be with, and she chose not to be with you. You dont own a person just because you decided to date her. She can dump you at any given time she chooses. Now, are you gonna leave her alone, or do I have to make you?"

He said, getting right up next to the man, looking at him dead in the eyes, still standing firm in-between them both. His magic flaring up. The ex is silent and scoffs. He backs away and looks at (Y/N).

"you're a fucking whore! All those time you left you went to go fuck a skeloton? Fucking freak."

"I never fucked him, he just my friend."

"bullshit!"

"Don't talk to her like that!"

"And even if she did, it's none of your business as she is not your property anymore. She can do whatever she damn well pleases. Who she has sex with is her business, not yours."

It was clear a button was pressed in him, as he went on another little rant about the guy.

"So how bout you just leave her alone? She didnt want to be with you anymore. So just move on with your life, yeah? If you're not too much of a pussy to accept that, yeah?"

"Ya!"

The Ex Bf scoffs and throws some more rants and goes back inside. He then comes back out and throws all (Y/N) belongings onto the sidewalk.

"have fun fucking skeloton's whore!"

He was now truly pissed off. Not only did the guy hit the girl in the first place, but now he's kicking her out because he wasn't happy with this relationship anymore. It made his blood boil. He walked over to the pile of stuff, picking up the things that he knew meant the most to her.

"You're welcome to stay with me until you're able to find a place of your own, okay?"

"Ya, you don't need to rush to find a place to stay."

(Y/N) smiles and nods. She helped blue and stretch, getting her stuff into the car, and on the drive back to their place, the drive was quiet. He sat silently as well, occasionally turning to look at her in the backseat, just checking on her to make sure she's okay. He didn't want to ask her if she was okay, as he hated the question himself. He just watched the road and looked over to her from time to time, but kept the silence as they drove back home. Once home, his brother told (Y/N) that she could sleep on the couch, and he would go grab some blankets and pillows. (Y/N) wasted no time to fall onto the couch.

"Hey... You sure you dont want the bed?"

He said, walking inside and seeing her laying on the couch. He had no issue with her sleeping there. It was comfortable, but he didn't want her to have a cramped neck after all was said and done.

"I'm fine with the couch...plus, don't want to steal your bed from ya."

"Eh, it's fine."

He said, sitting down on the couch next to her.

"Plus, its not like ima get much sleep when I can't stop thinking about this whole thing..."

He sighed, rubbing his skull.

"Im just glad you're safe."

He said, looking over at her. (Y/N) smiles.

"Thank you..."

He nods, and leans back. The two sat in silence for a moment before he looked over to her, his gaze still on her for a few moments longer, the expression on his face one of worry.

"I gotta ask... Are you hurt at all? I mean, besides the bruises, just... Are you feeling okay now that you're out of there?"

He asked, sounding and looking genuinely concerned for her well-being.

"he just threw punches at the face, nothing else."

"Are you sure?"

He asked, his voice full of concern.

"Any pain anywhere?"

He looked down to her, his voice sounding more gentle and caring, just wanting to be sure she didn't have any serious injuries.

"ya...."

raising an eyebrow and continuing to look for any signs of any other injuries.

"Just tell me if you're in pain anywhere."

He continued and placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch not exactly harsh and more of a comforting gesture. (Y/N) smiles and leans against him. Resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled back and let out a quiet sigh, wrapping his arm around her. He couldn't help it, but she was just very comforting to have around.

"I'm here."

He said a bit quietly, not wanting to break this very comfortable and calming silence. Not long after, (Y/N) falls asleep. His brother comes and sees her asleep and singles to stretch to help him lay (Y/N) down so he can cover her up. He gets up and helps his brother to lay her down. After that, he puts a blanket over her and covers her up to keep her cozy and warm. When Blue walks out of the room to head to bed. Stretch was about to do the same, but before he left, he made sure to give (Y/N) a light kiss on the forhead. He then whispers

"Everytbing will be ok."

Please reach out if you are in a abusive relationship, there is nothing bad for reaching help. Boy, girl, demon, woman, man, whoever. Please reach out.

[upchuckedgaming]

Sharing Hermitcraft with the Person I Love

Growing up, I never really thought about the person that I would potentially spend the rest of my life with; how our separate interests would interact and coexist. And probably, it was because I didn't think I'd meet someone with those interests or someone who would accept me for who I am. So that just never really crossed my mind, until I met my partner.

Ever since the middle of high school and into college, I always felt my interests were a little 'childish', not necessarily because they were specifically made for children, but rather that it wasn't the 'standard, main-stream' things to like. One of those interest that have been with me for a long time and is very dear to me is the Minecraft SMP server Hermitcraft. As someone who grew up with series like Minecrack and watching some veterans of the Minecraft YouTube space (SethBling, Ethoslab, GenerikB, etc), when I was introduced to Hermitcraft back in Season 2, it was something that I truly felt like I was missing before then. I had seen Minecrack, The Cube, and many other servers rise and fall over my time watching Minecraft content, but no server had ever felt so special to me and, obviously, so many others.

As such, I was hesitant to share Hermitcraft with my partner, who I knew was never in the Minecraft YouTube space much (but likes playing Minecraft), because I was scared. What if my partner thinks this is dumb? What if they think that I need to focus on other things? In retrospect, this is dumb. My partner loves me and supports me every second of every day, but that's beside the point.

At the start of Season 9 of Hermitcraft, I decided to introduced my partner to GeminiTay, one of the newer Hermitcraft players at the time, and started watching her episodes together at the start of the season so they could have a fresh start. And I am so happy I did. We have watched all of Gem's videos this season as they came out, and over the course of the season, we started watching more creators from Hermitcraft and that general Traffic SMP sphere together, and I cannot imagine enjoying this content without my partner at this point. From the start of Beef's development on Hermitcraft TCG to the depths of the Frost Citadel and Decked Out 2, we watched this world develop and I cannot be happier.

What really kicked off this post, however, was the release of the physical version of Hermitcraft TCG. Now, this was actually something that my partner bought for me first, as they ordered me the combo booster box and playbox they had on sale. But within the day or two after they bought a set for me, I decided to get my partner a set as well. So after months of waiting, they finally got delivered about a week ago. My package came a day before theirs, so we waited until we unboxed them together. Since we got the combo, we each received a special slabbed card with the potential for a signed card. As my partner opened theirs, they saw that they received a signed Bdubs card, and they were so shocked and surprised! They knew that I had been watching him for years, but also, he has become a favorite for them (both with the Hermitcraft series, but also Building with Bdubs), and it just made me so happy that they got someone that they knew and enjoyed (for those wondering: I got a signed foil XB card, aww yeah)!

And as we opened up the packs that came in the booster box, my partner was so excited to pull rare Gem, Cleo, and Scar cards (some of their faves) and already started thinking about making a deck with them. I cannot tell you how much happiness I felt in that moment as we shared our mutual love for this silly Minecraft SMP and the people that contribute to it. We joked that we initially were only going to get a single set, but getting one for each of us was so incredibly worth it. Heck, my partner even said, "Well, now we have cards for Hermits to sign if we meet!"

Now, is there really a point to this post? Not really, more so just wanted to both put my experience into perspective for myself, but also to thank all those creators in the Hermitcraft/Traffic SMP sphere for creating a space where sharing my interest of the server not only helped me grow closer with my partner, but also spawned a new fan at the same time! Sorry for the rambling!