#the “i got my face scorched” duo

[mysticalmythsart]

the sillies :)

[enteringdullsville]

Friendship ended with Gengar. Scorch the Armarouge is my new favorite Pokémon. He’s got everything I want in a creature design: sleek body with huge shoulder pads, bright colors, almost mechanical looking, and a cute little baby face. I took the first opportunity I could to catch and evolve a Charcadet, and if I hadn’t based my battling style around U-Turn Meowscarada he’d definitely be my ace.

Aside from Singe/Ceruledge (who I have but never got around to evolving), Morton/Skeledirge, and Maxwell/Quaquaval, all these are Mons I actually caught during my play through, although Deedee isn’t on my active playlist. I just recently learned how common a duo they are and had to draw them.

Consider this the sequel to the “Fabulous” piece I made when Army was first revealed.

[dasher85]

Dust.

featuring our Elucidation duo

Alhaitham x reader | y/n | you

short story

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

[ after all, it was him who loved you first ]

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

Fear and distraught are all but emotions surging from the inability to discern the outcome of an event. Alhaitham's lungs and eyes are hurting as he's exposed to the dust particles swirling in the small ruin's area. The walls have suddenly collapsed down from above. He shook his head to regain focus and stood up. No time to stop and care about his own situation, he could only throw himself into the debris of ruins. 

His arms tirelessly throws away the chunks of rubles to the side. The tip of his fingers painted crimson as it bled through the cuts and wounds after scraping through the rough surface of rubles. At least some of his fingers were covered by the thick leather.

"Y/n!" He called out before getting into coughing fits.

Determined and resilient. His mind was devoid of reasons or pain. All he wanted was to get a hold of you.

"...hang on! I got you!" He quickly clears away the rest of the rubles on the outline of your body once he gets to feel the soft fabrics of your outfit before slowly pulling you out with all his strength.

"Please… please…please-" his lungs weren't able to properly word out those endless pleading, as he worriedly tried to slowly shake your limp body. Your head and arms motionless like a lifeless doll.

The usually expressionless acting Grand Sage was supposed to calmly check your pulse but he was too scared to even think about that outcome. He knew if that happens, he wouldn't be able to get through it.

"Hai…" you suddenly weakly called out his name with a hoarse voice before coughing uncontrollably. Dusts have also collected in your airway.

He wordlessly sighed in relief.

"...I can't- I can't feel my body" you struggled to voice it out in between coughs.

"You're alright. I'm here." he assured you with a calm voice. The last thing he wanted was to make you feel panicked.

Alhaitham gently carried you with both of his strong arms. In such helpless conditions, you're not able to move or support yourself and can only completely depend on him. Fortunately, he's not just a feeble scholar as he often claims.

He swiftly sprinted away towards the exit of the ruins and easily avoided any collapsing walls in front. Your head that was rested on his left shoulder would occasionally slide down as he ran but he would quickly readjust it again. It took him great effort to make you feel comfortable during those difficult runs but he somehow managed. 

"I can't see…" panic was evident in your voice as you struggled to move your hand to rub your eyes.

"We're almost there, calm down. It'll be alright" he quickly reassured you but couldn't stop your hands from struggling because both of his arms were still carrying your body.

Your breathing was unsteady as you continued to cough. The only body part that you could move was your hands as you clenched it into a fist. From head to toe, it was impossible to move a single muscle. It felt heavy and painful. Your body surely wasn’t made for such extreme circumstances. 

Alhaitham gently placed you down on the golden sands before quickly setting up a tent after getting a little further away from the ruin's entrance.

He then took off his coat and covered your face away from the scorching sun glares as you laid there motionless, too tired to make a single movement.

"...water" you whispered. The heat mixed with the throbbing pain on your head felt so unbearable. It was getting difficult to breathe under the thick material of fabric that was covering your face.

It wasn't even long after he returned to pick you up once more and move you inside the tent. He carefully placed you down on your side and spilled running clear water on your eyes without a word.

You were surprised for a second due to the cold sensation but only slowly blink your eyes to completely clear the leftover dust particles inside your eyelids.

"Any sands left in your eyes?" He finally questions after using the whole water bottle. 

You slowly shook your head as a reply to his questions.

"...water, dust in my mouth…" you whispered the same request once more with a hoarse throat. 

He nodded and took out another bottle of water for you to drink.

"Does your head hurt?" He then questions after aiding to your previous request.

"Mmm… headache"

"Any other pain in your body?"

"...ankle"

"Left?"

You barely nodded but he quickly inspected it with at most care.

"...s- stop. That really hurts" you squeezed your eyes shut with a frown. How you wished you would just pass out and ignore the pain but you’re still amazingly conscious right now.

He sighed but quietly and carefully wrapped it with clean strips of linen. He guessed that it's either sprained or broken but he couldn't possibly make you feel anxious when he didn't even have the medicine to ease your throbbing head.

"Let me rest for a while." 

"We can't stay here, you can't walk. I need to get you back to the hospital right now" he then announced.

He gently cleared away the strands of hair on your face and inspected your head for any injuries. Surprisingly there weren't any wounds on your head. 

"...your hands are injured too" you slowly spoke after seeing his hands.

"Mmm…" he simply replied and continued to inspect both of your arms for cuts or bruises.

He applied ointments here and there upon seeing some small cuts on your skin. After he was satisfied with making sure all wounds were aided he then finally applied antiseptics solutions on his own hands.

"Hai…"

"Mmm?" His attention swiftly moved towards you.

"Thanks for helping me"

He scoffed but eventually displayed a warm smile. 

"I'm just grateful" He then gently took hold of your right hand as he usually does sometimes.

Out of sudden reflex, you somehow slowly took your hands away from him.

"Uh… sorry, I'm not-" you awkwardly tried to find an excuse to escape from the situation before looking away.

"Hmm… What's wrong? Does it hurt, did I-??"

He wished his guess was wrong and that he was just overthinking things.

"No… I'm alright" you whispered but refused to look him in the eyes anymore.

He frowned unhappily before hurriedly disassembling the tent and packing up some belongings inside a bag. As swift as he read through a book, he hid the bags of tent and some equipment behind a ruble near the ruin's entrance before getting back to you. It was too much work to bring it back right now, plus he needs to carry you.

He kept his coat wrapped up your head as a protective hood against the sun's glares before carrying you on his back. The distance from here back to Sumeru city would take a few hours of walking but he planned not to even take a break from the long journey.

"...I can walk, you don't need to-"

"Save your energy" he sternly hushed you and refused to make any further conversations.

Truthfully he's genuinely frightened to death by the uncertain outcome that would have occurred to you. Being an observant person, he can not only see but also feel the change of air in your unspoken emotions. It was distant and unreachable. He couldn't do much right now but he believed the actual doctors would have a better explanation against this. Now is not the time to sulk or get upset, as he unquestioningly prioritizes your wellbeing more than his own emotions. 

Your head occasionally bobs slightly to the side of his left shoulder as he walks down steep terrain. He had to take careful steps to prevent himself from causing too much movement.

He at least knew you still completely trusted him as you had fallen asleep even while he carried you. Eventually you finally woke up after an hour of sleeping.

"Oh no… I fall asleep. I'm sorry" you mumbled apologetically.

"Quiet, you'll spook the Dusk birds"

"Dusk birds?"

You grew fond of those birds after taking care of it for a few months. This happened after three months of wearing those matching rings.

"...not interested?"

"Just a little"

He sighed, feeling a little troubled. How should he approach this delicate problem? It weighs more than your body weight 

"Hai… Uh, Alhaitham. I'm sorry I keep calling you like that. How strange…" you slowly spoke. 

"You're just tired, have some more rest"

"Right… I was just going to inform you because my head still hurts."

You quietly rests your head once more on his shoulder before once again drift off to sleep.

An hour later, Alhaitham stood before the doctor and preached his observations about your current condition. You were still asleep on the hospital bed even after he gently placed you down in a comfortable position.

He literally knows some of the medical terms for the general injuries but wasn't sure about the reason behind your missing memories. The doctor was just amazed how he wasn't a doctor himself.

You opened your eyes after a while but you didn't know for how long you've been asleep. At least the headache has subsided. The window only displayed darkness and distant street lights from afar which told you that it's already night time. No voices were heard outside of the hospital room, it's only you and… 

'Why is he still here?' you thought with a slight frown.

His head rests on the left side of the hospital bed even while he was seated on a chair. You couldn't see his face as he was facing the other side. His greyish hair was brushing against your fingertips. 

You slowly lifted your hand away but unexpectedly caught a glimpse of a shining reflection of light from your own hand. It has reflected the lights from the candles across the nightstand.

Naturally, you carefully inspected the ring on your fourth finger, turning your hand a few times. You have no recollection of wearing such a ring for accessory purposes. Eventually you pull it out of your finger and hold it in between your index and thumb.

'When did I buy this?' you casually thought. The surface of the silver ring was smooth and shiny, looking like a typical ring you would wear but still you didn't remember buying it yourself. 

You turned it to an angle and bring it closer to observe at the seemingly text carvings on the inside of the ring.

'...just my name and-?!'

----------------------- 

A/N: Not sure if that was interesting? I was just motivated to write about dusts and debris... I’ll write part two if anyone wants an ending instead of a cliffhanger.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hello!

Do you have any "who hurt you" fics where john or sherlock goes completely scorched earth on anyone who hurts the other?

Thank you!!

Hey Nonny!

You know, I've been asked for similar-style fics a LOT this week, so my lazy arse decided to just scroll through my bookmarks because I don't have a list ready anyway, and pulled out the ones that I THINK have a similar premise :) Please note that it's been awhile since I've read these so I probably effed up a bit, hence the title I used for this list instead :P And apologies for the large chunk of FFNet fics.

As always, please add your own lists if you got them!

WHUMP WITH VENGEFUL / PANICKING / WORRIED PARTNER

See also:

John Whump with Guilty Sherlock

John Realizes How Important Sherlock is To Him

Three Garridebs Moment

Words Were Never Useful by Jenn1984 (K+, 819 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt Comfort, John Whump, Friendship, Ambiguous Ending) - ALLEY BEHIND THE BOOKSTORE, JOHN STABBED. HELP NOW. SH

Dismantle the Sun by Mount_Seleya (T, 965 w., 1 Ch. || John Whump, 3G, Angst, Grief) – After a gunshot leaves John in critical condition, Sherlock holds vigil beside his hospital bed, slowly unravelling as the night progresses.

The Four Incidents by TheGirlWithRedHair22 (K+, 1,064 w., 1 Ch. || S1 Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, John Whump, Accident, John POV, Hand Holding, Worried Sherlock, Sherlock’s Self Esteem) – The first time John was present when someone insulted Sherlock, he brushed it off as a strange coincidence.

Wreckage and Rubble by grannysknitting (K+, 1,116 w. || Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Ambiguous Ending) – Lestrade's point of view when he's called to the wreckage of the pool. He doesn't want to deal with the wreckage that would occur if London's newest crime fighting duo are parted from each other.

Let Me Through by RacheLynne (K+, 1,172 w. || Angst, Friendship, Ambiguous Ending) – Once Sherlock and John are finally reunited, things seem to be looking up. But when is it ever sunshine and roses for these two? It isn’t long before things go downhill for the pair - and fast.

Two To Tango (The Cold Hands, Warm Heart Remix) by igrockspock (T, 1,207 w., 1 Ch. || Domestics, John Whump, Worried Sherlock) – When John is wounded while pursuing a suspect, Sherlock refuses to leave his side. 

I Feel A Weakness by Jenn1984 (T, 1,389 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt/Comfort, Angst, John Whump) – John Watson is hurt. Sherlock has a hard time processing it.

Persuasion by Januscars (K+, 1,492 w. || Friendship, Crime, Angry Sherlock, Hostage John) – A gunman holds a gun to John's head, and Sherlock proves to be very persuasive when he wants to be... 

Left In The Ashes by zoltargirl (T, 1,497 w. || Angst, MCD, Angry Sherlock, Brutal Violence) – Rage is a unique quality in all human beings. In Sherlock Holmes, it's terrifying.

The 3x John Carried Sherlock, and Once ViceVersa by ShinkonoKokoro (K+, 1,673 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Friendship, Three and One, BAMF John, Sherlock Whump, Worried Sherlock, John Gets Shot) – It happens more than he suspects.

Priorities by Starlight05 (K+, 1,686 w. || Friendship, Worried Sherlock/John) – The power is out on Baker Street, so candles are the only source of light at 221B. But then, at night, things go terribly wrong, and Sherlock and John realize just how much they mean to each other.

Quite Contrary by Hollyesque (T, 1,805 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Fic, Sherlock Whump / After Mary Shot Sherlock, Hallucinations / Flashbacks / PTSD, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Lestrade POV ) – A short one-shot, alternate scene to Greg's hospital visit in HLV. Instead of Sherlock disappearing, Greg is faced with an unexpected reaction to a hospitalized Sherlock and winds up figuring out something that he really would have rather not known.

In Which Lestrade Looks in on Sherlock and Observes by Aztecwarfareandcrumping (K+, 1,833 w. || Lestrade POV, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, John Whump) – John's in hospital, which means Sherlock is, too. Lestrade takes it upon himself to look in on them.

One in Ten Thousand by Blind Author (K+, 1,856 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TGG, Friendship / Pre-Slash, Discussions of Violence, Worried then Curious Sherlock, Scars/John’s Bullet Wound, Medical Anomalies) – John seems to have unusual mobility for a shoulder wound…

The Doctor's Capable Hands by Totally-Out-Of-It (K+, 2,012 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock Whump, Doctor John, Hurt/Comfort, Hospitals, Anxious Sherlock) – Sherlock is injured during a chase. John sits watchful at his bedside in the hospital and wonders. He wouldn't leave Sherlock alone like this. Especially not if Sherlock wanted him to stay.

Ten Hours by morningdawn202 (T, 2,242 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Friendship, Worried Sherlock, John’s Cane) - It’s been ten hours since Sherlock saw John last. 

The Many Faces of Concern by sdrawkcabemdaer5 (K+, 2,473 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Angsty Fluff, John Whump, Mildly Clueless / Guilty Sherlock) – John is injured on a case, leading to some surprising reactions and discoveries about their friendship.

Domino by Deception's Call (K, 2,689 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Scared / Worried Sherlock, John Whump, Crying Sherlock, Hospital, Implied Caretaker Sherlock) – When John is injured on a case and is admitted to the hospital, those at Scotland Yard come to realize that perhaps Sherlock Holmes has a heart after all.

All in a Day by chappysmom (K+, 2,920 w. || Kidnapping, Sherlock POV) – Oddly enough, it seemed like this time, Sherlock had been kidnapped for no other reason than to pressure John. In other words, this had nothing to do with him. Really, this on top of the blow to the head was enough to make him dizzy.

Once is Enough by Jominerva (T, 3,030 w., 1 Ch. || Love Confessions, Domestic Fluff, Whump) – Just as the earth rises to meet the sun at every mountain crest, John reaches out for Sherlock and takes his hand in his own."Tell me it won't end like this," he says, blue eyes holding grey while he laces their fingers together. Sherlock lets out a shaky laugh and shakes his head. "I wish I could."

A World Without You by tinyhobbit (T, 3,133 w. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, John Whump) – After John is quite badly hurt at the scene of a crime, Sherlock reacts in a way which allows John to finally see that his sociopathic best friend cares. One-shot, set sometime between Baskerville and Reichenbach.

Explosions, Literal and Otherwise by Jennistar1 (T, 3,288 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Worried Sherlock, Sort of Rev.-Reichenbach) – Sherlock does not react well to the idea that John might be dead.

All That I Have by the_arc5 (M, 3,721 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TGG Canon Divergence, Pining Sherlock, John Whump, Anxious / Worried Sherlock, Light Angst) – In the aftermath of the Great Game, Sherlock finds himself with a new weakness. John is both the cause and the cure.

Nursery Rhymes by macrauchenia (T, 4,064 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Suspense, MCD, Unhappy Ending) – "Hickory dickery dock. Sherlock's against the clock. When the wick is gone, so will be John. Hickory dickery dock." - John is in a struggle for his life in a warehouse rigged to blow by Moriarty.

Not Without Me by Jennistar1 (T, 4,319 w., 1 Ch. || Drama, Mystery, Post-TRF Hiatus, Pining Sherlock) – Halfway through Sherlock's Great Hiatus, Mycroft comes to him with the news that John has died. But all is not what it seems…

Very Good Indeed by StillWaters1 (T, 4,531 w, 1 Ch. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Doctor John, John Whump) – John Watson was a doctor, trained to observe details; a fact Sherlock had never been more aware of than when a drugged John’s lifesaving instructions were based on an unlabeled syringe and an unconscious murder suspect’s body.

EMERGENCY CONTACT: Sherlock Holmes, RELATIONSHIP: n/a by blueink3 (M, 5,533 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt John / John Whump, Five and One, Fluff & Angst, Worried Sherlock)  – The first time John Watson’s emergency contact is called is the first time Sherlock Holmes finds out that he has the job. Part 1 of The Emergency Contact Series

Not The Hands That Kill by You_Light_The_Sky (M, 6,201 w., 1 Ch. || Winglock, Whump, Mentions of Drug Use) – Having wings does not make Sherlock Holmes a guardian angel, not in the way that John Watson is his.

EMERGENCY CONTACT: John Watson, RELATIONSHIP: Saint by blueink3 (M, 6,229 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt Sherlock, 5+1, Hurt / Comfort, Caring John, Scars) – The first time Sherlock Holmes realizes he needs an emergency contact is the first time he mentally appoints John Watson with the job. John, of course, does not know this and neither does the local hospital. Part 2 of The Emergency Contact Series

Goodbye, John by XxMildredxX (T, 7,154 w., 1 Ch.  || MCD, Angst, Self Reflection, Saying Goodbye, Holidays,, Scared Sherlock, Bittersweet Ending) – John finds it very difficult to tell Sherlock of his diagnosis, but it seems Sherlock has deduced it himself. As John says goodbye, he and Sherlock struggle with the feelings that this brings on them, and how Sherlock will go on when John has gone.

It’s Natural To Be Afraid by Jenn1984 (T, 7,283 w. || Tragedy, Angst, MCD) - Refusing to accept the obvious, Sherlock searches for what he believes truly happened the night his world was shattered.

Riddles in the Dark by Starlight05 (T, 9,255 w., 10 Ch. || Suspense & Friendship, Torture) - When Sherlock is kidnapped by an old nemesis, it’s up to John to find him and save his life. But can he find a way to get the detective out of this mess? And will they be found in time?

The Dying Doctor by Transcendental Starlight (T, 11,258 w., 3 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Sick John / John Whump, ACD Rewrite) – Loosely based off ACD's "The Dying Detective." Sherlock relives a case that should have killed him, but instead resulted in John being hospitalized for a deadly disease. Sherlock endeavors to catch the murderer, while attempting to envision a future without John Watson. No Slash.

Equilibrium by augustbird (M, 12,351 w., 1 Ch. || Flowers for Algernon Fusion || Jealous then Worried Sherlock, Sick John) – At Baskerville, John is infected by a virus that turns him into a genius. But when the infection progresses into neurodegeneration, it's a race against time to save himself.

The dying Doctor by marylouleach (T, 21,168 w., 11 Ch. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, John Whump) – Doctor Watson is gunned down in a dark alley after work, Sherlock wont rest until he finds the man responsible. Guilt riddles him when he realizes he could have prevented this.

Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained by withoutawish (M, 32,961 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Post-TRF, Case Fic, Mild Gore, Sherlock Whump) – The list that is tacked haphazardly on the refrigerator of 221B reads, ‘Kidney(s), and/or a full cadaver (preferably male, late 30s, under six feet tall), bag of fresh toes, sixteen cow’s eyes (corneas retained), dual exhaust hand –held flame thrower, an unopened first edition copy of Joseph Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness', and no less than ten abhorrently gruesome murders in the upcoming month.” The one neatly hanging next to it simply reads, “Sex.” One of these lists is not John Watson’s. If John Watson were to put what he really wanted in list form, to live in a land somewhere beyond ‘almosts' now that Sherlock Holmes has indeed returned to him, he would never be able to look his flatmate in the eye ever again.

Bloody But Unbowed by BeautifulFiction (E, 43,211 w., 8 Ch. || Abduction, John Whump, Mild Torture, Background Case Fic, Friends to Lovers, Post-TRF / S3 Rewrite, Hurt/Comfort) – When a familiar argument threatens to destroy the last remnants of John and Sherlock's failing friendship, both men are left questioning their worth to one another. Before either of them has the chance to make amends, circumstance intervenes. John is left at the mercy of his abductors, and this time, he's not sure Sherlock will bother coming to his rescue.

Wars We Fought, Things We're Not by blueink3 (M, 55,204 w., 10 Ch. || Post S3 / Post TAB, Parentlock, Fluff & Angst, Kidnapping, Whump, Post-TAB, UST/URT, 3G, Mild Peril, Slow Burn, Couple for a Case, Protective Mycroft, Infant Death Pre-Story, Friends to Lovers) –  Five months after John's world has fallen apart, Mycroft sends the consulting detective and his doctor on a case that neither is prepared for.

You Have Drawn Red From My Hands by J_Baillier (T, 67,085 w., 17 Ch. || Three Garridebs, Heavy John Whump, Hurt / Comfort, Pining, Heavy Angst, Case Fic/Adventure, Slow Burn, Sick Fic, Injury, Guilt & Depression, Just Talk Already Please, Medical Realism, PTSD) –  John getting injured leads Sherlock on a path of guilt and revelations.

The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sick Fic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him. 

Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,256 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."

Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w., 18 Ch. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he's a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover's trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world's highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?

THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF JOHN WATSON by skyefullofstars (T, 110,758 w., 24 Ch. || H/C, Kidnapping, Angst, Violence, Whump, Nightmares, Murder, Drug Addiction, Torture) – While Sherlock grapples with his new-found feelings for John Watson, he faces a very real threat: John's kidnapping and shooting at the hands of James Moriarty. And the knowledge that the love of his life is being used to test an addictive drug - at the risk of John's sanity and life. Prequel to THE BOYS OF BAKER STREET. Part 1 of THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF JOHN WATSON

Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w., 27 Ch. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller, Switchlock, Rimming, Emotional Lovemaking, Lots of Sex, HJ/BJ’s) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe

[birb-boyo]

The Farm Girl and the Hero Want-to-be

The shade has taken me hostage but the horrors must still persist!

Honestly, does this surprise anyone that I’m writing for Time and Malon again? It shouldn’t. I love them. But you know who else I love? [probably the next duo I write about]

Anyway m, I hope you enjoy my ranting through the love of my life!

The roads have not been kind. Too many blues, too many greens, too many reds. Time was starting to get tired of fighting. Scratch that, he was already tired. He’s been tired of it since the age of 12.

Yet, he persisted. He persisted with his boys. He persisted for his boys. He persisted for her.

And when he saw her in his shadow’s clutches, hanging above a black portal by the neck, it was like his bad eye glowed with anger.

There was an unusual snarl on his face. He needed to do something. But what?

“Aw,” the Shadow said, “Did I hit a nerve, old friend?”

His glare was eternal as he watched her claw at his enemy’s hand. With every passing second, he felt his chest tighten.

He had the Biggoron sword’s tip against the stone floor covered in water. If he had known that this was going to be what this room held, they never would’ve went on a detour to that house he thought looked nice. He would’ve went home to check on her first.

The Sailor was so damn noisy sometimes. He just had to ask how he knew The Shadow. Time just had to take them to this forsaken temple.

And now the temple with filled with ten bodies and a shadow instead of one body and a shadow. This was no longer a duel.

“Old man,” The Shadow sang.

“What do you want?” His voice was much more shaky than he needed it to be.

“You’re right. We should keep this short and sweet. We wouldn’t want this beauty going to waste, would we?”

He felt his nails dig into his palm. With the added fact that he picked his nails regularly, he knew his knuckles were pale.

“What do you want?” He kept his voice level this time.

The Shadow hummed, then looked at the struggling woman. Twilight wondered how that thing could hold her even with her clawing at him with, no doubt, all of her strength.

“I want to trade. We’ll see how much love you feel for your lover then, huh?” Time answered with a low growl. “The mask for her life.”

Time’s glare turned into a look of surprise. The Shadow laughed. “Your face!”

Time shook off his surprise and reached a hand into his bag. Yet, he felt a hand on his wrist. He saw the royal blue scarf first.

“Think about this. There has to be another way.” His voice was commanding, calculated too. Time was either a commander and not nearly as calculated as the Captain was. He never will be. He never wanted to be.

He stared at Warriors for only a few seconds before he fished the mask out.

He made his walk alone. He felt like he would suffocate in the shallow water as his throat got tighter and tighter as the next foot stepped in front of the other. He knew that his body was shaking.

Shaking with fear: Who knew what his shadow would do with the mask of a god? Who knew what atrocities he would orchestrate with another god on his side? A war god at that?

But she needed him. That’s what mattered now. Even if the world were to burn tomorrow, she’d be safe in his arms today.

Shaking with anger: How dare he ruin something so quickly, so effortlessly?

He stuck his hand out, the pale wood of the mask scorched his touch. It’s red and blue paint the same as the right side of his face. The mask of the Fierce Deity.

The Shadow dropped her when he took the mask, just as he had promised, and Time dropped to hold her.

She coughed and something came out of her mouth. Whatever it was, it was black. “What-“

The Shadow laughed as he turned the mask in his hands. “Oh Hylia, you are done for!”

“What have you-!” Time felt Malon’s hand squeeze his pants fabric.

“Oh? Your little woman decided that stabbing me was a good idea. I only punished her accordingly.”

He had no time to shout before his boys did. They all yelled battle cries as they ran at his shadow. The Shadow spawned a portal under him that closed just as quickly as it opened.

His boys cursed. They cursed at everything down to the water that soaked their leather boots.

She continued to cough black blood and he held her through it. He whispered words that he knew wasn’t true.

She wasn’t fine. She wasn’t okay. Why did he say that?

“Link,” her wheezing cooled down and allowed her to speak, though only in a soft voice. Her voice caught Link’s attention immediately.

“Love?” He smiled at her through the tears that threatened to spill.

“It’s okay darling,” she said, “we’ll get through this, just as we always do.”

She gripped his hand in hers and kissed his cheek. “I know how much that mask meant to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”

Time squeezed her hand slightly with a slight smile. “Don’t be sorry. You got a good hit on him. That’s all that matters to me.”

“Can I-?” Time’s eye’s found the ones of the Traveler and caught on.

“I don’t know if you can,” he said. He looked down to his shivering lover. “but please try.”

Hyrule kneeled down and laid her down on her back. Time never let go of her hand.

It was like the world was laughing at him from above. Laughing at his worries, laughing at his insecurities, laughing at his entire life. Quick to criticize what it has never gone through. In that moment, he felt all eyes on him. He felt them scoff and laugh at his weakness. He felt them laugh at her weakness, at her fear.

Maybe the world would always laugh at them, the farm girl and the hero want-to-be.

[heartshapedbubble]

May I have platonic/Familial headcanons of a gn! survivor! reader who gets along super well with Robbie? Started off rough, maybe he's being a little bit of a menace as a treat but they soon grow really close to the point where you usually wouldn't see one without the other?

Maybe he'd even go over to the survivor's part of the manor to spend time with them, much to some's horror at seeing my boy at the end of the hallway at like 6 in the morning going like 🧍

Angst idea: He slips out a 'Dolores' or refers to reader as his sibling offhandedly, I dunno I just wanna hug him so bad

Feel free to delete! Have a good day! Your writing is so warm 💖

THIS IS SO CUTEEE and thank you anon <333 i have a soft spot for mr robert white and found family so im using this prompt to hc dump😈😈

robbie and survivor!reader platonic/family headcanons🌲

robbie is one of the friendliest hunters out there!!

he doesn't take the matches seriously and doesn't consider that it might be painful or scary for the survivors - he thinks of them as games, like hide and seek or a game of tag

your first encounter with robbie was. not the best i fear

robbie downed you quite quickly with his scorching fire souls, leaving a smug smile on his face

(also robbie loves graffitis and emoting at the person on the chair. not really a good thing if you've got a short fuse)

yet you also pitied him as he got stunned by patricia and norton, feeling bad as you heard him cry and hold his head in frustration

i mean... at least you enjoyed the candy he gave you while you were chaired? you weren't expecting such a thing, considering how you got used to jack playfully tracing his blade over your skin and mary lifting up your chin whenever your attention swayed away from her

the next time you joined a duo hunters game, robbie approached you himself - survivors rarely share candy with him, thinking it's some some kind of a trap, so he remembered you easily and wanted to be friends

now you got yourself mr robert himself following you around like a duckling >:]

he's very hyperactive, always asking questions and jumping from one topic to another

"___, why does mr. prospector have a candle on his head?" "well, he needed it for his job..." "YO ___ I FOUND A SMOKE BOMB‼️‼️" "ROBBIE NO"

im straying away from the canon right here but i think robbie would have an ipad. hes not a greasy ipad kid tho he just likes watching cartoons and playing minecraft while queuing (HE LIKES BLUEY!!!!)

he would also bring his tablet to you and show you pics of his favourite dinosaurs

little man robert actually really likes survivors :) he finds you guys silly and he can't wrap his head around the fact that y'all are so nervous and scared most of the time in the game

would probably have to beg michiko for it but eventually he'll sneak into the survivor's side of the manor to visit you

just imagine. him standing menacingly in front of your door at 2am like 🕴 , scaring you shitless in the process, and suddenly whispering:

"i brought cookies"

he comes over each weekend for movie nights >:) you two build a pillow fort, bring snacks and watch disney/superhero movies

would also ask you to play roblox with him or something

besides games like minecraft and roblox he likes to play pretend/roleplay as pirates or ninjas and would love it if you joined him

he has pet rats inside his head and all of them Have names :) occassionaly he'll take them out and show them to you

asks you for piggy back rides when he's too tired to walk around

he spends a lot of his time outside playing in the nearby forest and sometimes he'll just come inside carrying like. a massive fucking frog or some shit just to show it to you

would hold your hand while walking around the manor and during matches :))))))

robbie actually looks up to you a lot, even though he's a hunter and you're a survivor :] eventually you'll find him referring to you as his "best buddy" or even "bro/sis/sib"

still haves memories of his sister and his life in the asylum - although he coped with it a long time ago since he didn't have any other option, some of his mannerisms still stem from his past experiences

like for example, sharing candy, sneaking through the manor even though he hasn't done anything bad, hiding whenever some of the hunters walk by etc.

sometimes you'll hear him mention "dolores" in the middle of his usual info dump about his interests

robbie got over the loss of his sister pretty well and loves talking about her anyway, but even with that he still lacks an older sibling/big brother/sister figure deep inside

that's one of the reasons he's very friendly in general and protective of people he likes - he doesn't want to end up all alone again no matter what, and is afraid of someone leaving him

sometimes, before you tuck him to sleep and read him a bedtime story, you swear you can hear him sob - you end up staying by his side every time until you're sure he falls asleep with a smile on his face

[zeroseuniverse]

Say Hello To Goodbyes

Warnings: angst, rejection

Summary: In which so much don’t always get a happy ending after all

Pairing: Hyunjin x reader

Rejection of a soulmate had many issues, the nausea was the first to hit, then the chest pains from separation, then the sickness leaving you bedridden until finally either the depression or the pain finishes you off. Soulmates were sacred, you were made from the same soul.

She and Hyunjin were friends since childhood, the cutest duo honestly. Until they recieved their soul bond, they didn’t realize it was each other and one of the girls in their class used it to their advantage to get with Hyunjin. Never the smartest, Hyunjin fell for the girl and hard, seemingly ditching Ki anytime the other girl showed interest. And as her health deterioated Hyunjin remained oblivious because he wasn’t the one that was rejected.

“You really should tell him.” Seungmin sighed as he wiped the wet washcloth on his friend’s head.

“And what? Have him deny it? Not believe me? No that will just increase this process, though at this point it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.” She moaned out as the heat scorched her once again, Seungmin winced as her hand grasped his wrist tightly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Hey, I’m not worried about me, You’re my priority right now.”

“You know, in another life, I think we could have been soulmates, Seung.” She smiled weakly, reaching up to brush his bangs out of his face. The boy grinned fondly down at his friend who had caught him when he was at his lowest the year before. Right before Hyunjin had chosen Areum, She had found him crying his eyes out on the stairs outside of their school because he had gotten frustrated with balancing all of his responsibilities. It started a routine, she’d help him relax and maybe take a load off of his shoulders some days, and He would look after her and cover for her as her sickness got worse.

“We are soulmates, just platonic ones. There is nobody I’d rather be stuck with.” Sadly Seungmin had been one of the few unfortunate individuals to not receive a soulmate. It was rare but it usually meant he would bond naturally with someone platonically and be their guardian. Not that she was aware, she was completely oblivious to the protective stance Seungmin took anytime she started to feel weak.

The two stayed in her bed for a few more minutes before he picked her up and helped her to the bathroom so she could get cleaned up, after running her bath and helping her get undressed he left her to wash, choosing to spend his time in the kitchen making them some food, though his train of action was disrupted by a knock on the door.

Sighing, the male walked to the door and pulled it open, revealing a familiar male holding her favorite treats…that she can’t even eat anymore.

“Uh Hey, I’m Hyunjin. You must be her soulmate.” He greeted, sticking his hand out only for Seungmin to stare at the gesture as if it was the dumbest thing in the world. Though what did bring Seungmin pleasure was that his voice sounded like he had been crying for hours.

“What do you want?” Seungmin asked bluntly, simply raising an eyebrow at the man who awkwardly pulled his hand back.

“Uh, is she here? I kind of wanted to apologize for blowing her off.”

“Aren’t you like a year late for that?” Seungmin asked bluntly, hoping he was getting under Hyunjin’s skin.

“Look just because you’re her soulmate doesn’t mean you know everything.”

“I’m not.” Seungmin was always blunt, never one to hide how he was feeling, and Hyunjin was feeling the distaste like it was hitting him in the face.

“What?”

“I’m not her soulmate, I’m the one who picked up the pieces you forgot, so excuse me but I have food to cook.”

Just before he could close the door Hyunjin shoved his foot in the doorway. “Wait, just give these to her, okay? I just want her to know I’m sorry.”

“Ha you think this will fix everything you unknowingly did? Please leave, she can’t even eat those snacks anymore.” Seungmin dismissed, kicking the foot in the door swiftly and slamming it shut in his face.

“Seung?” He heard the raspy voice call out and he immediately went to care for her.

Finding her alone was hard, anytime he saw her she was propped up against Seungmin as if he was her lifeline. But luck seemed to be on his side as Seungmin left her side to go to the bathroom at lunch and Hyunjin jumped at the opportunity to talk to her finally.

“Hey.” He breathed out as he sat down across from her, only now did he notice the pale skin, dark bags and the sheen layering her body from sweat. “Oh God are you okay?”

“I’m alive.” She gasped out before coughing a bit.

“What happened?” He panicked, reaching out to feel her forehead only for her to move away from his touch.

“Nothing.”

“I came by last night to visit you but your guard dog sent me away.” Hyunjin explained hoping for a chuckle or something at the nickname for Seungmin.

“He’s not my guard dog. And I know he told me.”

“When did you guys get close, you guys didn’t even acknowledge each other when we were friends.”

“When my soulmate chose someone else over me and he offered to help keep me comfortable til my time came.” She sighed slightly dramatically but still deadly serious. She stood up as Seungmin appeared behind her grabbing her bag and her untouched plate leading her away.

“Wait…”Hyunjin trailed off before his eyes widened, they had the same soul bond but he assumed there was no way he’d get paired with her so he moved on to a new idea. Oh god was he stupid? The thoughts that rang through his head made sense now.

[super-paper-swap]

Super Paper Swap: Ch. 1-2 (OLD)

Word Count: 2,910

Chapter Summary: Luigi, Blecky, and the newly-recruited Laddie continue through towards Yold Town for a chance to rest, unaware that their next stop has a mystery afoot.

And so, Luigi learned of the mysteries of the Next with the help of his newest partner, Laddie. While the achievement of obtaining a new partner was incredible news, our hero did not have time to celebrate as there was still a Pure Heart in need of being found.

"Follow me!" said Blecky as his keen senses led them the looming mountains ahead, the towing barrier protecting the Pure Heart hidden somewhere on the other side.

Chapter 1-2: Afoot in the Foothills

For a mountain trail leading to a populated area, the Mount Lineland pathway was an incredibly difficult road to navigate, if you were a normal person that is; luckily, Luigi was anything but normal by many standards. Case and point: Luigi's Super Jump, which allowed him to leap to heights not possible for the average man, made navigating the mountainous region a breeze. Then the enemies appeared.

It began with an encounter with a goomba and a koopa troopa, a typical sight to see among members of the Koopa Kingdom, they looked perfectly normal and indistinguishable from normal members of their races, but their behavior was peculiar. The second they spotted Luigi, they tried to attack him, actions usually attributed to them being forced under Princess Peach's commands out of fear to oppose her; this simply wasn't the case however, they attacked willingly and with a great amount of determination.

Naturally, Luigi's first action was to fight back, albeit with reluctance since he always felt a tinge of guilt in harming the normal docile creatures. The goomba ran towards Luigi, bearing its teeth as it jumped towards his face. A single swing from Luigi's hammer was enough to knock the angry fungus out cold, leaving only the koopa to fight back. It tucked its body into the ruby-colored shell on its back, using its hind legs to spin the shell at a remarkable rate and launch itself at the plumber. The attack was unavoidable, but it allowed Luigi to attack from up close as he kick the turtle in the stomach, forcing it to fall helplessly on its back and pass out when the initial impact, added with being injured and upside-down, caused it to experience a concussion.

With their foes unconscious, the trio was able to examine the cause for the sudden madness: a tiny, green sprout with a single leaf fashioned like the tail of an eighth note.

"Who would've thought such a tiny plant would be the source of our 'treble'...wait." Luigi fumbled when he realized the pun he had made and vainly tried to cover the mistake before receiving an expected glare of disapproval. Surprisingly, the look he got from Blecky wasn't one of distaste, but rather one of shock; he swore he could see a visible smile on the bats transparent face the second they made eye contact.

"I did not realize you had a 'forte' in the art of word-play." Jested the bat. What followed suit was back-to-back puns between the two parties as they moved their former foes to a safe place away from the scorching elements of the sun and proceeded upwards on the mountain trail. Laddie lagged behind them to avoid the annoyances in front of them and moved closer when the material their companions had began to run flat. At the very least, Laddie was glad the bickering duo had found common ground.

"Those are spiny tromps."

"OW!"

"You can't fight them."

"Thanks for telling me ahead of time Fang Face!"

'So much for common ground.' Thought Laddie.

The team had reached a part of the trail that was a long slope...infested with spiny tromps. The circular, spine covered rocks had a knack for conglomerating on the slopes, hence why the mountains were 'difficult' to navigate everywhere else except for the slope straight to town.

"All I'm saying is that maybe you should let me finish my analysis before you approach things all willy-nilly."

"I was trying to knock it out of your general direction you bat brain! It would have steam-rolled you into oblivion if I didn't interfere!"

"You were the one that wanted information."

"You couldn't have flow out of the way?!"

This was getting tiresome.

Laddie hovered between the other party members on the hill they argued upon, droning out the slander that was beginning to erupt and flipped them all into the Next, where the rolling foes were seemingly nonexistent, thus allowing the group to continue onward.

Another plus was that the fighting had stopped when they flipped. The hill they originally stood on was also missing in the Next, causing Luigi to plummet to the ground from his spot.

They reached the top without anymore hassle, only to be halted by an obvious gap between them and the town.

"Looks like Green pulled the bridge up...stay here for a second." Laddie didn't give either person time to respond as they flew to a distant house where the guard of the drawbridge apparently lived, a rather unorthodox action since the group could probably climb up the lifted bridge and leap to the other side, but the ladder shaped pixl needed some time away from the others, and they needed time apologize, so it seemed like a good way to kill two birds with one stone.

With nothing to do, Luigi and Blecky sat down and decided to engage in small talk, a nice change of pace compared to the yelling and word-play of before.

"I'm sorry about earlier..." Luigi was the first to admit. "I've been worried about my friends and brother, and the sudden task of rescuing the entire universe is a lot to chew as well."

"..."

"I guess I'm just incredibly reckless when it comes to having too much on my plate to handle at once. You know what I mean?"

"Not really," Blecky replied. "But I'm assuming it must be very overstimulating...I'm...also sorry. I should have realized that organic beings get stressed under different circumstances than pixls, I'm just so used to people that already know me and immediately listen to me. I should have been thinking about your problems alongside my own."

"It's ok...I forgive you." Luigi assured the bat. The mention of 'organic beings' bugged Luigi a bit though, were pixls not organic? He decided he'd ask later.

Laddie finally began their trip back to the duo, it had taken longer that usual due to Green somehow ending up in the Next and needed some time to calm down. When they arrived, the drawbridge had made its way down, over the seemingly bottomless ravine below.

Laddie saw a tall figure in green robes and an almost impressive mustache wave to them with a spear in his hand, the trio waved back or attempted to wave back as they cross the wooden bridge into Yold Town.

Yold Town didn't have much going for it, it was a small town on a isolated mountain, neighboring a ridiculously large desert that harbored hidden ruins which, in turn, were guarded by a ferocious guardian that protected a sacred treasure at the very end of said ruins. Needless to say, the town was very lackluster compared to what was ahead of it, so the prospect of anyone passing by was far from unheard of.

The trio were quick to notice a sense of unease among the townsfolk, they were nervous and glare at one another with untrusting eyes, the only exception was a young boy hopping around town in search for a playmate. The boy approached the visitors with beam of joy on his face; Laddie noticed the child's arrival and seemed to smile as well when he appeared.

"Laddie Laddie! You came back! I knew you would!"

"It's good to see you're well Bozzo." Laddie flew to the boy and gently pat him with one of their wings. "My friends, please meet Bozzo, my usual partner." They introduced him to Luigi and Blecky who couldn't help but gush at the child's playful nature. The number of eyes staring at the boy were unnerving to say the least.

"Why's everybody acting so strange?" Asked Luigi, wondering if the group had done something to wrong everybody.

"You mean you haven't heard?" A feminine voice answered. The voice's owner, a young woman who had been near the town store, moseyed over to the group, gentle pushing the child aside. "Word has it that someone from town tried to end the Mayor's game earlier today, not long after he sent his 'that' pixl", she pointed at Laddie, "over to his cousin's house in Lineland Road. Apparently he sensed this attacked ahead of time and needed to keep his special flip-magic away from his attacker. He says the assailant was someone from the town itself, so we've all been on edge trying to figure out who it is."

A failed assassination attempt? Seemed rather fishy to Luigi.

"The Mayer, I'm assuming his name Bestovius?" The hero inquired.

"Yes sir. Why do you ask?"

"I came here to speak with him. Would that be possible?"

"I don't-"

"Of coarse you can talk to Grandpa! I can take you to him!" Bozzo interjected and grabbed Luigi's hand to walk him over to the end of town. "Bye bye Miss Babs!" He said as they left.

On the way there, Bozzo talked about how much he missed his 'best friend Laddie' and how excited he was to see the beast that lived in the Yold Ruins make his annual visit to the town and bring snow to the children. This visit, known as "The Day of Ice", was a tradition that had been around since the Pure Heart was first placed in the ruins and that the beast, according to Laddie, was a creature of the heavens that insisted on remaining in the Linelands as a mortal being to bring joy to the children of the dessert. Luigi found this tradition to be incredibly heartwarming to say the least, and filled him certainty that, with this information in mind, his journey for the Pure Heart would be a bit easier.

Bestovius was an odd fellow to say the least, but that was to be expected from someone referred to as a 'Flip Wizard'. He was a red-cloaked man on a magic cloud, his eyes obscured by a pair of foggy glasses underneath a blue hat. The orb-shaped mouth characteristic to members of the Shaman race was emerald green and perfectly aligned underneath a thick mustache.

Such a man would be expected to be rather slow in both mind and body, but his quick movements and way of speaking begged to differ; he greeted the heroes with a swift and pompous "Hello" and a brash "What do you want?". Luigi, not being one to be startled off by harsh words, approached the elderly mayor and made his claim to find the assassin. The bewilderment in Bestovius' eyes was enough to tell Luigi that he would accept his offer.

He led them to a empty house in the middle of town, their place of stay for the night. Bestovius only spoke about the murder on the trip there, the rest of the walk was silent aside from Bozzo's occasional chime-in about how cool the town was, to which Bestovius himself would scorn for the child to quiet down. Bozzo's expressed confusion seemed to indicate that this behavior was abnormal for the mayor; Luigi wanted to shrug it off as Bestovius' nerves making him jumpy, but the wizard had proven to have a calm demeanor over everything else, it was as if he didn't recognize the boy as his own grandson.

Nonetheless, there was still an assassin loose in town, and such information made it difficult for one to sleep when nightfall arrived. Luckily, Blecky offered to keep watch for the night, just in case the assassin appeared; unluckily, the assassin did appear, and did everything in their power to put Blecky and Laddie to sleep before throwing the trio into a secret room underneath the house they were sleeping in. A heavily guarded room. Protected by thwomps.

Granted, the assassin made the poor decision of trying to trap our main character who, regardless of the obstacles ahead of him, would stop at nothing to accomplish his end goals. Yes, it would take a while for everyone to wake up, but what mattered most was that they would wake up at all.

Upon waking, the first things Luigi noticed was that it was very dark and that his companions were far from conscious. The next thing he noticed was the heavy breathing of Bestovius next to him and a gross gurgling sound on the opposite side of the room. The thing he noticed immediately afterward was the lack of his trusty hammer being in his possession.

The sounds of gurgling death rammed towards Luigi's direction, its attention drawn to his movement. He stood up, surprised to find himself unharmed, and ran to one of the side walls, hugging it as he slide to the opposite side of the room to draw attention to himself instead of his friends.

He felt a switch, and instinctively yanked it upward. Something large dropped from the ceiling and clunked onto its side, its single content, whatever it was, rolled out. Luigi's pursuer could be heard slurping up the spilled treasure. A hissing noise commenced and the room lit up from the place of the hunter, a simultaneously gelatinous and heavily-armored creature with millions of tiny legs akin to soggy french fries, grey-purple body plates, and a single, giant, blue-lipped mouth, puckered up as if to prevent its meal from escaping.

Stacking out of the mouth was a light blue fuse, the only light source in the room. The burning fuse entered the mouth briefly before the monstrosity combusted, miraculously not leaving any insides behind, making it easier for the author to keep this story at a K+ rating; what was left behind instead was a key, Luigi's hammer, and a bomb-shaped object.

The blue colored bomb sprung to life with beady light blue eyes and a pair of semi-circular wings of the same color. He moved with the rhythm of a ticking clock, jittery but rapid.

"BADA-BOOM! Talk about a rude awakening!" Yes, he's got a Jersey accent now, don't question it. "I ain't one to appreciate being interrupted from a nap, but I've been trying BLAM myself out of that box for the past 1,500 years or something, I was going crazy in there. Actually scratch that, I was crazy to begin with." He stuck out his fuse and held it out like a hand, "Name's Boomer, BADA BING. I'm assuming your one of them Legendary Heroes I gotta team up with, right?"

"Yeah. Um." The hero hesitantly shook the...hand...fuse, "I'm Luigi."

"Luigi, eh? Nice name." He spun around the plumber, the movement somehow created a irritating ringing inside Luigi's head that stopped as soon as Boomer ceased his spinning. "You da boss now, so here's the deal: I put up my special psychic link exclusive to you and the other heroes, you use it to help fuel my pyromaniac-like tendencies, and BADA BING, BADA BOOM, we blast our foes into dust." Luigi nodded and plucked the two remaining objects off the ground.

The key fit perfectly inside the room's only exit, and quickly unlocked; the spiked rectangles known as thwomps that slammed outside were impossible to avoid without being squished, so Luigi decided to wake his friends so he could avoid the beasts in The Next, but Bestovius had been far ahead of him. The magician, carrying Luigi's other partners, took them to The Next with much more ease than Laddie ever could and led them to the other side of the room where a ladder led to the house above.

The light outside indicated for it to be midday, the commotion outside indicated that everyone was in a panic at the disappearance of the mayor, and the confused mumbling of Bestovius seemed to indicate that he had no memory of the previous day, aside from sending Laddie to Watchitt.

"That creature...I think it took me...when I had left my guard down." Bestovius muttered, something about his voice seemed different, more genuine than before. "Are Bozzo and Laddie doing well?"

"Yes sir, are you alright?" Luigi responded, concerned for the old man's well being.

"That creature was quite aggressive, but I think I will be fine. I'm more concerned about your quest, dear Hero of Light. I shall tell Red to lower the bridge to the desert, you can stay here until you are ready to leave."

Luigi's team stayed for another night at the town, this time without the fear of some monster assassin looming above their heads; they met the shopkeeper, a look-alike cousin of the one in Flipside, and became more aquatinted with the members of the small town. Bozzo seemed quite relieved that his grandfather was acting like his normal self again and asked Luigi to say 'Hi' to the ice beast when he found the Yold Ruins.

The following morning, Team Luigi bid farewell to Yold Town, a red clothed figure waving goodbye from his distant home, and headed towards the Yold Desert. Following behind Luigi was no longer two but three pixls, loyal to the end and ready to face the scorching heat and blistering sand alongside their human leader.

[ink-filled-aquarium]

The diner off the side of the highway was empty in the early morning, except for the usual staff, and for father and daughter duo, Madeline and Dave Benson. The pair sat at a booth, with faded and torn plush cushions, across from each other. At first glance, one could tell they were family immediately. Both had dark hair and gray-blue eyes, both had straight noses and strong chins and triangle faces. Dave sported a beard that already had gray hairs growing in it. Madeline had an overgrown pixie cut that hadn’t been cut for some time. They were both wearing thin hoodies and jeans.

Madeline had ordered a fresh orange juice, Dave got a black coffee that was scorched and bitter. The two were looking at their tall menus, both propped up identically, burying their faces in the countless options. Dave put down his menu first. “Know what you’re getting yet, kiddo?”

Madeline put hers down as well. “Guess.” She folded her hands under her chin, and flashed a smile.

“Blueberry pancakes topped with fresh blueberries, and a side of sausage?” he asked, although he already knew the answer.

Madeline nodded. “And you’re getting… biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs?”

“Correct again!” The two smiled, and Madeline laughed.

After a while, their food had come. Madeline drowned the pancakes in maple syrup as soon as they arrived. The two took their time eating. They talked, laughing at inside jokes no one else would understand. They spoke of their trip; they were driving up to Illinois from Georgia to see Chicago, the two’s birth town, for Madeline’s birthday gift. They spoke about Dave’s work, about all the jobs he was applying for. They talked about music, about movies, about whatever the two could possibly talk about.

Madeline paused the conversation, getting up to use the bathroom. She returned relatively quickly, but she looked more giddy than before. Dave seemed to ignore it, though, and continued their rambling talks.

The waiter from before came up to them, a plate in his hand, and he began singing “happy birthday” in a low, off-tune, monotone voice. “What’s this all about?” Dave asked, one eyebrow cocked upwards.

Madeline smiled as the waiter set the pancake down. Bananas formed the shape of a smile on top of it, with blueberries for eyes and a whole strawberry for a nose. Where its forehead was, a tall candle stood instead. “It’s for you. Happy one year, dad. I said it was your birthday today,” she said, whispering the last bit.

Dave looked at his daughter with surprise. He looked down at the plate below him, then at his daughter, then at the plate again, and he smiled. He blew the candle out, and the waiter walked away from the table. “Thank you, Maddy.”

Madeline smiled. Her smile was bigger and brighter. She took a sip of her juice, and Dave took a sip of his coffee. Dave’s sip was slower, he took his time drinking, thinking. When he swallowed, he began to speak. “I’m sorry, Maddy, for everything before,” he said, “You didn’t deserve how I acted.”

Madeline shook her head. “I know you’re sorry. You don’t gotta apologize again.”

“I should. I treated you and your mother really badly when I was drinking-”

“But you’ve changed since then. We shouldn’t dwell on the past, not today. Today’s a day to look towards the future, y’know?”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right, kiddo.”

A silence filled the room, and the father and daughter both appeared to be lost in their own thoughts. Minutes passed before someone spoke again.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you, and I know you know that, but…” Madeline paused, taking a deep breath, “You’re still my dad. And you’ve done a great job of getting better. You’ve really… tried. You’ve been trying so hard. I just… thank you.”

Madeline began to choke up, holding back tears from her eyes. Dave stood up from his side of the booth, and sat on the edge of hers. He wrapped his arms around her, closing her in a tight hug, protecting her from the surrounding world, allowing her to cry. 

“Dad…” she muttered between heavy breaths, “I love you.”

He ruffled her hair. “I love ya too, Maddy.”

Reaching over the table, Dave cut a piece off of the pancake with his fork, and ate it slowly. Madeline laughed. - Originally written on November 18th, 2022, for my Creative Writing class. The prompt was “Reflection”

[museincarnate]

When the Scorched Saiyan had first attacked that mall, which felt like quite some time ago since the group's training had started, he didn't harm anyone other than Hakkona; his assault, even, only managing to scar the Buff Gal in several forms, and destroy the shopping center to some degree. With the two new attacks, however, entire cities were reduced to ash or ruin, and the casualties were innumerable, as identifying the bodies had become a matter of did this body part belong to one person, or another.

Sightings of the assailants, and their descriptions, heavily contradicted that of Ghost's own appearance, according to Hakkona and Tazz; leaving the eldest duo of the bunch to come to their own educated conclusions, about where this influx of Saiyans was coming from. Torno, as strategic and experienced as he was, surmised that the other Saiyans had invaded Earth from somewhere in space; taking into consideration how close together all of the three incidents were, and how their energy signatures weren't tracked enough to narrow down their whereabouts. Thus, the Mighty Saiyan, Shuen and Tater would be tasked with heading out into space, to either track down their points of origin, or interrogate the Saiyan rulers from across the universe, to learn where the trio likely came from.

Silently, however, Torno would mourn the loss of those who perished at the hands of the other Saiyans, while Shuen seemed so stunned, when it first broke, that he'd dropped whatever he was holding at the time, and isolated himself for a few minutes; the sound of heavy, controlled breathing likely serving as his means of calming himself down. Yujin and Hakkona, despite the time they spent training, seemed uneasy about the ordeal, themselves; calling a babysitter to take care of Aitez, and keep her far away from things, if something were to happen again.

Once the time came for everyone to prepare, Tater's frantic packing of a multitude of different items into the ship would be, on several instances of her passing by with items, met with a raised finger to protest or inquire about her choice of items; only being met with the lowering of the same fingers, by both her shipmates Shuen and Torno. Food was certainly a necessity, but the duo could swear they saw the Little Rabbit pack a toothbrush, changes of clothes, and other things that weren't quite needed. They certainly wouldn't halt her progress, if she was that determined to do her part and travel with the eldest Saiyans again.

While the Lagomorph and Luparian took notice of one another, the Hero of Hope and Royal Commander were each conversing with their offspring; proud expressions etched on the faces of the two fathers, despite the unease that everyone was likely feeling within themselves.

"If something happens while we're away, I'm sure you can handle yourself, Yujin. I wish we had more time to nail down your Timestamp, but we don't seem to have time on our side, do we?" Shuen would keep his unmistakable smile glued to his features, as a hand was put reassuringly on the prodigal son's shoulder. For what it was worth, the gesture would be returned in kind, as Yujin put his own hand on the shoulder of his predecessor, as he offered a less confident smile, and nodded as best as he could. "I think I've got the gist of it. As much as I wish you two could stay and handle things, in case something happens, I know that we need to be able to protect ourselves and each other, dad..."

Torno and Hakkona, however, seemed to be sharing a moment of vulnerability, as the Buff Gal was letting the Mighty Saiyan take a look at her healed wound; the shape of Ghost's hand still wrapped around her neck, as a permanent reminder of the end of the peace that everyone had enjoyed for so long. "None of us were particularly prepared for chaos to find its way back to our doorstep, princess. You were caught at a vulnerable moment, and have no reason to feel as though you're incapable of living up to my expectations. You're alive and well. That's what matters."

Hakkona would briefly sniffle, and allow a tear to roll down her face, before she wiped it away; hugging Torno tightly for just a second. "I promise I won't let anything else hurt me like that again, dad. I don't know if I can face him yet... But I'll do my best! I'm your kid, after all."

Finally, Tater had turned to clap the arms of the Paradox Saiyan and the Mighty Saiyan; capturing their attention, just as everyone's conversations had properly concluded. Oddly enough, she was the first to board the ship, and her eagerness drew a sort of chortle of amusement and awe from all of the four Saiyans outside of the ship; the group sharing a few brief hugs, before Torno and Shuen joined the Little Rabbit aboard the vessel. "Should any trouble come while we're away, I expect that you three will be able to ward it off, and triumph over it. Stay safe!"

With that, the ship would take off into the sky; ascending into the frontier of space in a flash, and leaving Tazz, Hakkona and Yujin on Earth as its first line of defense against the trio of Saiyans, should they rear their heads again. Only time would tell if or when things would become chaotic again...

Hakkona would nod in agreement with the wolfish woman, as she hummed to make sure that her best friend knew that she was listening. The Buff Gal could only imagine how grueling this training was on her, given that it was her first session with the two royals, but feeling a soft squeeze from the Luparian's hand to hers would, at least, let the Saiyaness know that she wasn't exerting herself too terribly.

In spite of Tazz being a different race than her two mentors, the way she sat up and pushed aside her body's exhaustion in favor of hunger would, without hesitation, cause the Mighty Saiyan and his progeny to smirk and giggle, respectively; the common traits between them and the wolfish woman making her feel like family, in some small form or another. Torno seemed unfazed by his new protege's reaction to his encouraging words, but the Buff Gal, on the other hand, allowed her tail to sway rather giddily, while a small grin etched itself on her features; pride for her best friend, and her father's openness, only making her feel more overjoyed. However, she knew that tougher times were ahead for all of them, and chose to simply enjoy what peace and happiness she was afforded; her demeanor, otherwise, gloom and still struggling to overcome her trauma.

The Royal Commander had always been well-versed in culinary activities, even if he didn't seem the type to possess remarkable cooking abilities, which left him rather relaxed and nonchalant about the visible reaction of the wolfish woman when she found his work to be more than acceptable for her consumption. Protein, carbs, some vegetables... It wasn't anything particularly high class, but it certainly had the slightest bit of kick to it, as well as some sweetness where it felt natural. Hakkona couldn't help herself, though, as she hummed blissfully at her dad's cooking; her predecessor's food always tasting heavenly to her.

"Thank you for making these meals for us, dad!" A hum would thereafter leave the Buff Gal, as her father then modestly vocalized that it wasn't particularly any trouble at all, to help his students stay healthy and nourished. Tazz's comment would cause both of the royal Saiyans to chortle softly in amusement, and even nod in agreement, before the three could then focus on eating as much as they needed to.

[toomanybandstocare]

{I Don't Believe in Love, Queensrÿche}

Program: Coming home from college should have meant you had all the time in the world to hang out with your best friend. Coming home, you should have been greeted with a hug and promise of summer fun. Coming home, you found the love of your life finally got the girl of his dreams. Instead, heartbreak greeted you with open arms.

Pairing: Best friend!Eddie Munson x GN, in love!Reader, slight Steve Harrington x Reader if you squint

Genre: Angst, Heartbreak

Warnings: couple of swears, drug use (just weed), angst, unrequited love, heartbreak

Length: 2027w

Series Program | Camp Upside Down Masterlist

“You’re in love with him,” Steve whispers almost like he’s afraid. What did he have to fear when you have everything to lose?

Stood frozen, unable to tear your eyes away from the new couple in the living room, your heart screams for the arms of your best friend. To finally return home after another year of sparse letters and scattered phone calls. Eyes stinging as you watch your love embrace someone else. Wondering if the stress of your final year at college drove the two of you apart, once known as the inseparable duo, or if it’s because he was accepted by the girl of his dreams at long last. Clutching the soda can as if it’s your last grasp on reality, you force out the breath caught in your throat to try to alleviate the burning in your chest. Pain scorches your insides leaving stinging pin pricks along every ticked off nerve in your body. Engulfed by a brew of overwhelming emotions - a concoction of devastation, anger, and numbness mix in the empty mold of your heart. Leaving you only to drown in the radiance of the couple’s happiness and tender care.

The chain around your neck quickly coils closer and tighter to suffocate any noise that tries to escape with your response.

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be wearing his ring on a necklace that has a typewriter key of my first initial,” you choked out, “I wouldn’t have kept a piece of him next to my heart and soul, if he was truly just my best friend”.

Steve had slowly made his way next to you and firmly wrapped his arms around your trembling body. He takes you in- looks past the brave face you put on and sees the broken lover desperately trying to hold on. Never has he seen you look this hurt in the number of fights you had encountered against the Upside Down, and Steve is terrified that you’re about to shatter before his eyes.

Eyes darting from your blank stare to the couple who had become the center of all attention, Steve so desperately wants to take away your pain. To take you away from the cause. If he held you any tighter - any closer - you would have thought you were at death’s door.

But that love, isn’t it? It lights up your entire world in a beautiful glow. Love is all consuming as it spreads its reach from fleeting thoughts to endless daydreaming.

Until it’s soul crushing. Until it erases absolutely every other meaning of your life. When its warm touch suddenly blazes, and you’re left with memories that burn.

“We can leave. We- we can get out of here. I’m so sorry,” his voice cracked. As if he’s personally responsible for your heartbreak. As if he’s holding Chrissy so tenderly in his arms, rather than Eddie.

Taking a deep breath to extinguish the flaring hurt spreading through your system as best as you could, you redirect your undivided attention to meet Steve’s pain expression with your teary eyes. You stitch up a smile, “It’s okay, Steve. I would have to be naive to think no one would notice him after all these years and finally fall for him. Even a place like Hawkins can’t turn a blind eye to the stunning beauty that is Eddie Munson”. Sniffling as Steve delicately wipes away a stray tear, you choke out, “Eddie Munson, my best friend. Light of my life”.

Absorbed as you pull away from his safe hold and sculpt a new deflective mask, Steve watches as you lock away your heart. He wants to scream. He wants to get down on his knees and beg you to stop rebuilding your walls. Steve wants you to reach out to him - to someone, to anyone - and allow him to help you grieve while learning to move on. He wants you to rip off the guise you have too quickly thrown back on to bury your emotions under a perfect smile and deflective chuckle.

With what could have looked like gleaming excitement to anyone else, you look him right in the eye. “Ready to join the rest of the group, Steve-O?”

He breathes out a half hearted laugh and looks at you with a pained look. “I feel like I should be the one asking you that. To check if you're ready and okay to head over.”

“Then get a grip, Harrington,” you joke, “I want to catch up on missed time with everyone”.

Taking his hand, you walk towards the living room and take in the comforting familiarity that mixes with unknown terrain. Dustin, Will, Mike, and Lucas sit on the floor in front of the couch with character sheets strewn amongst them. Sat behind them and arguing over stat choices, Eddie bends over to get a better look. Chrissy sits on the end of the couch with Eddie’s arm securely wrapped around her as she watches the boys in amused confusion and laughs at their banter. Robin and Max join in the argument from the other side of the couch only to spur on the boys further with the joke suggestions. An almost picture perfect memory.

Across from the main group taking up the couch, Jonathan and Nancy sit on the love seat. As the pair of you approach, they turn to swiftly include you in the ongoing shenanigans with welcoming smiles only to freeze taking in your drastically different attitudes. Jonathan opens his mouth to try to say something, but the words can’t form a coherent thought when met with your plastic smile. Nancy looks to Steve in hopes of an answer only to be met with his hard stare. Seeing the couple openly share their affection, they knew it would only be a matter of time for you to realize why you had to ask them about your best friend rather than hearing from him yourself. The two of them swiftly move to opposite sides of the couch to make room, and Steve perches on the back of the seat with his legs spread enough for you to sit between them on the seat. Keeping his gaze locked and as calm as possible, Steve clasps a hand on your shoulder and rubs gentle circles with his thumb. Nancy immediately puts her hand on your knee leaning over Steve’s outstretched leg to be closer to you, and Johnathan turns to face you better.

If you were going to seal yourself off then they were going to come at your walls from all sides. But they were going to do it on your terms. If you just wanted a night in with your friends, they’ll be damned if you didn’t get that.

Johnathan reached into his backpack at his feet and pulled out a few cassette tapes and a metal tin. “I remember you liked The Clash, right?” he mutters fumbling with everything as he looks for the right tape. “I just got my hands on a copy of Cut the Crap. We could steal the stereo for a bit- I highly doubt they’ll notice the music selection improvement based on how long they’ve been at this,” he jokes.

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” you respond dazed and distracted by the shiny tin, “I got a chance to to listen to it with a buddy back at school- I think you’d like him -before I came back. But, ah, what’s that?” you point to the tin.

He sheepishly looks between you and Nancy while rubbing the back of his neck, “It’s- it’s my stash tin. Couple of pre-rolls”. He hesitantly holds it out to you, “Want to step outside for a bit?” Nancy sighs knowing that it would probably help. Steve merely squeezes your shoulder, silently trying to convey that he would be here for you. That it was okay if you wanted to sneak out and he would take care of you.

You nod, standing up almost mechanically like you were going through the motion of actions. Jonathan reaches over to press a kiss to Nancy’s cheek as you softly smile at Steve’s serious expression. You shrug, “Helps shut off the extra voices and thoughts up here,” tapping the side of your head. “S’not a habit and won’t become one,” you breathe out and notice his gaze slightly soften.

You look at Johnathan, who stands up from his hushed conversation. Making your way out of the living room and back into the kitchen, you stop abruptly when your siren’s voice calls out your name. You can’t help turn to face his twinkling eyes.

“Are you doing a kitchen run?” Eddie asks with a glint of playfulness. You raise an eyebrow, “Why? Too comfy to get a refill yourself?” you tease. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Steve choke on his Coke while trying to hold in his laughter. Because, fuck, you are not holding anything back even if you choose to hide the truth behind those words. “Unfortunately for you, bud, we’re heading out back for a minute. Fresh air or something,” you chuckle.

Eddie’s eyebrows crease together, and he notices the tin in Johnathan’s hand. Meeting your gaze again, “Since when did you start smoking? You never wanted to in the past”.

“Yeah, in high school. You try new things in college. Stuff happens. People change,” you wave your hand in indifference.

“You said you wouldn’t smoke- seemed pretty set with that and only helping out people get their fix if they were going through something,” he huffed. Everyone’s eyes were bouncing between the two of you as the tense static of unease settled in the air.

“Maybe I became one of those people,” you pause, letting the words hang in the air and sink in. “Or, maybe I need something to help distract myself from the DJ’s poor selection tonight,” you tease.

He gapes at you as everyone bursts into chuckles and laughter. “I have phenomenal taste, thank you very much. We basically have the same taste, you little shit. You can’t say that,” he laughs though slightly still on edge.

You wink and turn back to make your way further into the house hoping to get out before another near catastrophic conversation starts.

“Oh, when you come back, I want to properly introduce you to Chrissy,” he shouts.

Walking as fast you can without damn near sprinting, you slide the glass door open and set out onto the back deck. The two of you wander to the lounge chairs and recline looking up at the starry night sky.

Johnathan takes out a joint from the tin and pulls out a lighter from his jean pocket, pausing to think, before handing them to you. “Don’t isolate yourself,” he quietly begs, “Please”. Focusing on the temporary warmth of the lighter, you take a deep inhale. The first hit of many to come. Jonathan stares at you, taking in your calm expression watching the stars flicker above.

“Have you ever heard of a band called Queensrÿche?” your voice wavered. You couldn’t bring yourself to meet his hopeful gaze.

“No, I don’t.” He sat up and fully turned his body towards you.

“I’ve been fucking with them lately. Seems to speak to my soul. Got a tape of theirs that we could throw on.” you choke out after another hit.

He lit up. You weren’t shutting them out. “Yeah, yeah! We can- we can put it on. We’ll raincheck our Clash listening party. What’s your favorite song by them? Is it included on the tape?” Jonathan has only had a few hits, but he isn’t going to call you out for stealing the joint. He isn’t going to risk you shutting in again. You’re smiling again- it looks genuine to him. You’re working through the pain- not hiding.

You hum and take another hit before handing him the joint. When your fingertips meet, you peer over to him. He looks so happy and proud. So glad that you’re engaging. Squeezing your eyes shut, you shift your focus back to the dark expanse of the sky.

“Yeah, it’s called 'I Don't Believe in Love’”, you confidently state.

[chordsykat]

Kloktober 2022 Day 27 - Fave Trope or Guilty Pleasure

The trope: A plot-mandated friendship failure (on multiple fronts but largely in the form of a band breakup) The guilty pleasure: Reading old fanfiction The bonus guilty pleasure: Sparkleface A little of both for you guys, today -- from my old fanfic. :) Art above is equally old, but I feel, quite fitting.

Some spoilery things in here if you haven't gotten to read Dethkomic to its current update. Too, this one takes place towards the very end of my very, very, stupidly long series. The girls live in an off-Mordhaus mansion called Kirsche Hall and have a ridiculous manager by the name of Jenna Syde in this one. Those things, along with a lot of what I wrote 10 years ago aren't as canon as they once were, so... maybe this is more like an AU? Maybe an AU of an AU? Honestly I have written these characters in so many forms now, I have no idea which is the real U.

But who cares, eh?! It's MTL and the canon universe is practically bound to get reset anyway. Enjoy!

--- The next morning, Nita Nirvana’s eyes flitted open as her nose recognized a distinct scent she hadn’t been privy to in almost as long as the time she’d spent living in Kirsche Hall: the smell of burnt toast.

More than curious, she pushed the black comforter of her pillow-overloaded mattress aside and got to her feet. Her silk robe was a beautiful ocean of ebony waiting crumpled on the floor next to her bed, and she eased it over her bare shoulders while stepping into a nearby pair of sandals. The scent of burning bread, among other harshly toasted things for sure, was heavier in the air when she walked through her bedroom door and out into the upstairs walkway. Not only that, she could finally hear Sparkles screeching angrily about something, a couple pans clattering around, and the ironically far more calm tone of William Murderface. All of this racket seemed to be centered entirely within the room directly below her - the house’s kitchen. She headed downstairs and, after a brief jaunt through Kirsche Hall’s never-ending dining area, Nita pushed open one of the surgical steel doors to the cook’s quarters. Normally, it was a picture of pristine sterility, but that wasn't the case this morning. Whole bags of flour had been torn open, upended and emptied of their contents which powdered the floor in generous amounts. With them were about three dozen eggs and more than a few gallons of milk. “Gordon Ramsay’s worst kitchen nightmare come to life…” the vocalist said to herself as she tried to find sturdy footing among the far larger spaces of slick surface.

The engineers of said nightmare, Murderface and Sparkles, were easily spotted beyond a jumble of pots, pans, and utensils which, naturally, hung on meat hooks from the ceiling. The duo was stove-side and engaged in a display of fantastic culinary mediocrity. Murderface was putting out a small fire which had sprung up on the corner of the cookbook he was holding while simultaneously ignoring about a dozen more mini-conflagrations going off in the pan before him. Sparkles had apparently been cracking eggs on her forehead. Large portions of yolk and shell smeared across her hairline and trailed down her unkempt bangs as evidence to this. “Awh!” Murderface sputtered, his face falling as he noticed Nita. He put the scorched cookbook down (atop another fire) on the counter. The act, by itself seemed to admit defeat. “We were gonna schurprische you!” Sparkles smiled toothily at Nita before she became distracted by the small fires. She put her hand on one and let it burn her for several seconds before pulling her palm away and hissing at it, then beating the licks of flame into oblivion with her fists. Ever since their joint attempt at a concert in Finland, Dethklok’s bassist had been spending more time at the Baen-Shee homestead, which was to Nita, a bit odd at first. Regardless, his presence had lent itself well to curb the dull sting at the back of everyone’s minds which reminded them all that Eden Nightwish was still in Mordhaus’ hospital, and still not conscious. Murderface was sometimes an opinionated, uncouth lummox with no shortage of bad ideas, but he was always kind at heart and in the very least, entertaining. Nita shot the mustachio’d man a sweet smile, “That’s so thoughtful, you guys!” She paused to look around the room and assess the damage more closely, then - It appeared extensive but salvageable. “Since I’m up, if you wanted to still cook breakfast, I’ll be happy to help. Not like I have anything better to do.” Just as she said that, a Klokateer came through the door and singled Nita out of the crowd immediately, “My lady, your manager wishes to speak with you in her office.” The female bodyguard spoke quickly and nearly slid off her high-heel boots and onto the milk and egg coated ground. When she finally had it together, she added, “It appears to be an urgent matter, majesty.” “Yes, of course.” Nita arched an eyebrow back at her two friends before, very carefully, following the gear out the door, “I’ll be back soon, guys. Keep it hot.” As she was leaving, she caught a glimpse of Sparkles pouring oil onto one of the stove fires. “That schouldn’t be a problem!” Nita heard Murderface yell just before the kitchen doors swung closed behind her. The office of Jenna Syde, Baen-Shee’s manager, wasn’t very far from the kitchen and dining area, so Nita was privy to the sounds of crashing pans and more of Sparkles’ screaming even after she found herself just outside the room’s threshold. Nita knocked timidly, but apparently loud enough to be heard. Jenna threw open the door to her chambers a second later. “Well!” was the first thing said by the offbeat manager-producer as she led Nita inside with a silly grin plastered on her face, “We’re a complete failure! Can you believe that?” “What?” Nita said, stumbling at those words in her march alongside Jenna to her desk. “What do you mean by that..?”

Jenna circled around to her chair, propped her thick boots on the fine cherry wood of her desktop and knocked over three recently emptied bottles of what must have been her breakfast beer in the process, “I mean Baen-Shee isn’t selling… and this last concert fiasco, since it was all a big hoax anyway, only put us further under…” Nita shook her head in disbelief as she sat down in the big leather chair. “Wait - hold on. Nobody’s picking us up now?” Her lips remained half-parted after she asked the question, and she could feel a hitch forming in the back of her throat. “Afraid not, kiddo.” Jenna said, picking up a stack of papers, “When the band went on hiatus the first time after Cherry passed away, there was risk signing you. Now Eden’s in the hospital and people assume there’s going to be another long wait before we get this thing back on the road again. Venues don’t like doing business with bands that are only half-together, no matter how good that one half may be.”

“Well, we can find another guitarist if we have to… we did before…” Nita wanted to bite her tongue. The idea squeezed at her heart for so many reasons. The thought of Eden not playing with them was made all the more bitter by the realization that it would only happen should the unthinkable come to pass, and the girl died. Nita wasn’t sure she could handle losing two band mates in the short course of one years’ time. “It’s worse than that, honey.” Jenna ducked down momentarily to grab another beer from the mini-fridge under her desk, “Caj is gone again.” “WHAT?” This news nearly drove Nita to an immediate breakdown… and simultaneous rage. “The guard who was on perimeter duty last night told us he saw her leaving. Naturally, you’re all free to come and go as you please, so he didn’t stop her. He gave us this…” Jenna pushed a piece of paper - obviously crumpled and then unfolded again, toward Nita’s side of the desk. The girl picked it up and her eyes immediately set to work devouring each word. She didn’t expect the story told by the meager little parchment, though, and the closer she came to the end, the further her eyelids drooped and her expression turned more pained. “I… never knew… she never told me about…” “She didn’t tell anyone!” Jenna interrupted with what almost came off as an appreciative snicker, “I almost think it’s a stunt. That PR nightmare from last week of hers…” Nita was on the defensive, then, crumpling the letter anew, “You think she faked this note and made up a crazy story so she could go AWOL again, just because she got into a little hot water over a leaked video? Honestly, Jenna!” The manager took a hefty swig from her bottle of Budweiser before continuing, “What I’m sayin’, kiddo, is that I don’t know enough about The Great Dane, and her associated band of closet-skeletons to honestly tell concert promoters that we’ll be right back to square one in no time. That’s my good name going down, there. Not yours, not Caj’s, not Baen-Shee’s. Mine” To stamp some finality on her words, Jenna then let out a loud belch that likely would have impressed even Nathan Explosion had he been present.

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this…” Nita said, rubbing two circles around either side of her head. “Well, it’s just the business, babe. I wouldn’t worry about it. You were a respectable household name before this whole thing started, anyway. Besides, you’ve already had one offer…” “What? Who?” “Hah! Rikki Kixx!” Nita’s throat clenched, “You’re joking.” And she hoped Jenna was, though her hands stopped moving around her temples, then.

[irrelevantwriter]

Embracing Misery

Pairing: Rio (Good Girls) x Female Reader/You

Rating: Explicit, NSFW

Warnings: Language, unprotected vaginal sex, mention of bodily fluids, funny Rio (he got jokes), secret feelings (bc I love to torture my characters)

Word Count: 3.6K

Summary: Part 3. Rio returns and you decide to take some initiative. 

A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the love and support on these Rio fics! It truly means so much and I am so glad you’re enjoying them. I now bring you part three of a saga that was not at all planned, but has somehow happened anyway. I blame the Rio haze I’m still very much in and my zero chill tendencies. If you guys haven't read parts one and two, then I recommend doing so, for plot purposes. I have some more things planned for this duo so we’ll see what my muse brings. Until then, I hope you guys like it. Feedback is that good shit. 💗

*Read Part 1 here

*Read Part 2 here

*Read Part 4 here

*Give and Take series masterlist

*Masterlist in bio.

***********************

It was early.

The house was blessedly quiet while your children stayed at their father’s house for the weekend. You soaked up the stillness of the early morning sun rays and crisp, cool air. They washed over you, as if cleansing what the previous night’s sleep hadn’t. You missed your kids like crazy while they were away, but the mornings alone were priceless. It was a time for you to prepare for the day. A luxury you hadn’t been afforded since before the kids were born. But now...now you got to take it all in. Enjoy the serenity.

Or so you thought.

You tied the sash of your robe as you opened the front door, preparing to grab the morning paper, but as soon as you turned the knob you knew what would be waiting on the other side. Something told you he was there. You didn’t need to look out onto the street to see the familiar sleekness of a dark tinted luxury car. You could feel him. Feel his eyes on you as you bent down to get the paper and turned, leaving the front door wide open.

Rio had been gone for nearly two months. You hadn’t seen or spoken to the man in that long. Not even a text message, though the thought had crossed your mind on more than one occasion. You had no idea where he’d been or what he’d been doing while he was away, but you’d had no choice but to conduct business as usual. Mick had been your contact, times and places for drop-offs exactly as Rio had set them up. It was as if he was still running things from wherever he was. As if he could somehow see you without actually seeing you.

During his time away you’d done nothing but think of when he’d return. You teetered on the edge of worry and longing as your thoughts raced between concern for your boss slash lover to outright arousal. You’d spent more than one night thinking about his hands on your body while yours tried desperately to replicate his touch. It would get the job done, but it was nothing compared to that gentle slide of hand or gravelly voice that sent literal shivers up your spine. Your body had missed him. And you had come to the realization that you did too.

You walked into your kitchen, hearing the click of the front door as he passed through the threshold. You went straight for the humming coffee pot, grabbing two mugs from the cabinet.

“Coffee?” You asked over your shoulder, not at all surprised to hear the shakiness in your voice.

“Sure.”

Your entire body thrummed to life at that solitary sound. You hadn’t even laid eyes on him yet and already your thighs were clenching together. Your nipples hardened against the thin fabric of your tank top, your black robe barely concealing the reaction. You poured the coffee with unsteady hands, preparing yourself to face him once again.

When you turned around, you were greeted with a familiar smirk and a magnificent throat tattoo. A tattoo that you’d missed. He looked exactly the same. Same dark button-up. Same dark jeans. Same intense eyes. Same addictive swagger. It all came together to seduce you into a trance. A trance you’d fallen victim to in the past. It was a fog of uncertainty and lust. It was powerful. Merciless. And you couldn’t stop it from taking you hostage if you tried. So...you embraced it.

You slid the mug of coffee across the kitchen island towards him, a gesture that had you experiencing déjà vu. He accepted it and the sugar you offered. You watched as he dressed his beverage. Two spoonfuls of sugar. No milk or cream. He stirred it and then sipped, nodding in approval at the taste. The entire display was odd...domestic even.

His eyes trailed over your body before coming to rest on your face.

“Did you miss me, mama?” He asked cheekily, white teeth on display. They bit sensually into his bottom lip, the action making warmth seep deep into your bones.

You laughed. You’d missed the banter. Missed his blatant want for you. It was a cruel punishment to take away someone’s drug of choice. Rio just so happened to be yours. And you’d been experiencing withdrawals for the last two months. You desperately needed a hit. Needed something to take the edge off.

“Hardly.” You quipped, smiling so that he could see the lie clearly written on your face.

He only stared back. The action was still unnerving.

You turned to pour your own cup of coffee, feeling his gaze ghost across your back. You busied yourself with adding cream and sugar, the clang of the spoon against ceramic the only sound reverberating throughout the house. You took a few cursory sips, testing the temperature of the liquid. It was hot. Too hot. But you drank it anyway.

Turning around to face Rio once again, you were surprised to find the spot across the island empty. Your eyes darted around the immediate area, catching a glimpse of him lounging on your sofa. The same sofa he’d fucked you against. Along with the kitchen island.

You left your drink behind, bare feet walking with a purpose across the cold wood floors. You rounded the sofa and took him in. One leg was crossed over the other, his mug resting against his knee as he steadied it with one hand. His free arm extended along the back of the couch, taking up a fair amount of space on the piece of furniture.

He was a picture of comfort and ease. Looking as if he belonged there. You supposed in that moment, he did.

You observed him for a long time. Long enough for his face to grow serious as he stared up at you. A myriad of emotions swirled within you. All of them seemed to be conflicting. They pushed and pulled in various directions, telling you what you should do while others persuaded you to do what you wanted to do. In the end none of it mattered. You’d already sold your soul to the devil long before you got into bed with him. It was time to accept that.

You wordlessly reached for his drink, moving the mug onto the coffee table. He let you, uncrossing his legs and watching you with a sharp eye. You grasped for the knot that held your robe together and pulled the two ends apart, feeling the material start to give way. It fell open to reveal the tank top and shorts you wore underneath. It was a far cry from lingerie, but it sent the same message. You wore no bra, an obvious fact as his eyes hungrily took you in. Your shorts were cut high, practically underwear and exposing more leg than you would’ve normally felt comfortable with. The robe fell from your shoulders and into a heap at your feet.

You swallowed, feeling the butterflies in your stomach begin to take flight. You focused on him. You focused on the way he looked at you. And how he made you feel. You let that be your guide as you pulled your top up and over your head. The garment joined the robe on the floor as you moved on to your shorts, pulling them down and letting them slide along your thighs. You were left in your demure cotton panties. You were only slightly embarrassed by their modesty, but Rio showed no inclination that he was put off. In fact, his mouth twitched, his lower half shifting against the couch.

You looped your fingers into the waistband of the cotton and pushed them down, baring yourself completely. He’d never seen you naked. Your previous trysts had been rushed with clothes shifted aside and out of the way in frenzied yearning. It’d never been thought out before. And now, here you were standing naked in your own living room, seducing the man you were sure wanted to kill you about as much as he wanted to fuck you.

It was exhilarating.

“What’re you doing?” Rio rasped, gaze locked with yours. His voice was low and tinged with desire. He looked equal parts amused and perplexed, and the thought of him trying to be a gentleman in your current state of undress only made your need for him strengthen.

“Sshh...” You soothed, stepping between his spread legs and straddling his lap.

His hands immediately gripped around your waist, the touch of his bare flesh against yours sending jolts of pleasure straight to your core. You kissed him, hands sliding up his chest and resting on the buttons of his shirt. He reciprocated your eagerness, lips moving with yours. Your tongue reached out to taste him and he accepted, his hands kneading the flesh of your ass in approval. Your lower body writhed in his lap, feeling the firm muscle resting beyond his zipper.

You longed to feel his skin against yours. To feel the proof of life beat against your own chest. To feel close to him in a way you hadn’t thus far. Your fingers moved swiftly to grant you the sensation you craved. You unfastened each button, pulling his shirt apart and gliding your palms over the smooth muscle of his chest. His hips thrust up into yours restlessly as you explored his upper body. Your lips had yet to detach from each other, completely lost in reuniting. Your nails lightly grazed down his chest and abdomen, feeling him reciprocate the action by nibbling your lip.

His touch scorched your skin, roaming freely. He cupped your heaving breasts, mouth moving to your neck as he attacked your skin with kisses. You threw your head back in blessed relief and pleasure, finally feeling as if you could breathe again. You maneuvered your hands between your bodies, aiming for his belt buckle. You were impatient. Unable to wait for him to fill you. You’d waited long enough. The abundance of slickness that slid from your walls could attest to that.

“Mmmm...” He growled against your neck when you finally pulled him free, your palm easily smoothing over the hard length. His hips rutted into your touch, his own impatience showing.

You moaned when his lips attached to a nipple and sucked. He tortured you with sensations, bouncing between gentle and unyielding. His mouth was hot and wet against your flesh, encouraging your arousal to new heights. You craved more.

Again you took the initiative and lifted your hips, angling his length to fit against your weeping slit. He pulled away from your chest and took you in, watching as you slowly impaled yourself on his cock. Your lips parted as you engulfed him, your breathing accelerating with every inch he filled you. It’d been too long and your body was taut, clenching around him in such a way that let him know just how much you’d missed his touch.

“Fuck…” He groaned when you finally bottomed out, your thighs flush with his. His fingers gripped your hips, his body completely still and waiting for you to move. His brow was furrowed, his lips pouted as he took in measured breaths. He almost looked in pain as you sat unmoving atop him. The notion pleased you.

You moaned when he shifted, his cock nudging your womb. You couldn’t prolong the torture anymore and began to swirl your hips, your palms flat against his chest. It was a new dynamic for you both. Being able to control the moment with him was not something you were used to. His demanding nature was something you secretly loved, but having him at your mercy like this was so much better. You could see every pass of ecstasy on his face. Feel it in the way he twitched inside you. It was addicting.

His calloused hands massaged your breasts as you rode him, his dark eyes glazed over with lust but still holding you captive. He slid along your walls, stretching and filling you to capacity. You only got wetter at the feel of him, the slickness so overwhelming that he almost fell from your tight clutches. You used his shoulders for leverage as you moved, your pace increasing, desperate to come undone with him.

“Damn...yeah, just like that.” Rio exhaled, hands encouraging your hips to keep their speed.

He licked his lips as you bounced, flesh slapping as you fucked yourself. You watched with heavy-lidded eyes as he sucked his thumb into his mouth and then attached it to your clit, rubbing the swollen flesh in sensual circles. You arched your back and whimpered, feeling the tendrils of climax begin to latch on.

“I’m gonna cum.” You confessed, feeling your skin slicken with perspiration. Your nails dug into his shoulders as he continued his assault on your clit, your teeth biting into your bottom lip to keep the moans at bay.

“Do it, mama.” He throatily demanded, leaving no room for argument.

“C-cum...with me.” You pleaded between breaths. He nipped at the underside of your chin and you swore you could feel his smirk against your flesh.

He didn’t waste another second.

You held on as Rio’s hips met yours, his cock hitting your cervix with a brutality that had you seeing stars. Your muscles spasmed from the inside out, your limbs locking as you came. Your walls clamped around him in stuttering patterns, giving him no other option but to feel it all. You held him to you as you shook, feeling yourself dripping down your thighs and his length. He continued to fuck you through it, his control now waning. He buried his face into your chest and neck, holding you just as tightly as he repeatedly thrust up into you.

“Inside me...please.” You found yourself begging, exhausted from your own euphoria but still wanting to feel him release deep within you. It was a sensation you thrived on. It meant he was real. That he wasn’t a figure in the night or a lone man with a gun. He’d been inside you. Painted your walls in him. Claimed you. And you wanted to feel that for as long as you could.

“You want it?” He grunted against your neck, hands digging so hard into your ass that the area would surely be sore afterwards. It was welcomed after his prolonged absence. Just another clue that he’d been there.

“Please…” You whimpered, uncaring that you sounded so desperate.

He said nothing in return. Only thrust harder as he finally came. He held you still against him, ensuring not a drop of his cum left your joined bodies. You reveled in the warmth that suddenly filled you, spreading your thighs wider across his lap. His teeth dragged along your collarbone, eliciting a shiver from you.

It was quiet for a moment, your labored breathing slowly steadying with the beating of your heart. You were pressed against his bare chest, his hands now smoothing across your flesh rather than gripping it. The sensation nearly put you to sleep.

“So you missed me then?” Rio teased, his voice raspier than normal.

You sat up straight, looking down into his eyes that were glinting back at you with boyish arrogance. You cracked a smile and shook your head.

“I’m not answering that.”

“You didn’t have to, darling.” He whispered, face growing serious as he tenderly shifted the few strands of hair that stuck to your forehead.

Laughter bubbled in your throat suddenly, effectively cutting through the moment. His fingers drifted to your lips, tracing them as you broke into a smile.

“Somethin’ funny?” He asked, an eyebrow raised. His own lips quirked up at the sound of your tired giggles, your body shaking above him.

“We haven’t made it to a bed yet.” You said between laughs, pulling his hand from your mouth and resting it on your cheek instead. You held onto his forearm, the sinewy muscle feeling sturdy under your touch.

“There’s still time.” He retorted with a sly smile, his eyes taking in your face in a careful study. The intensity of it was almost enough to make you feel bashful.

You were lost in the moment, ready to let him take you again when a knock at the front door sounded. You scrambled up, hearing a key in the knob.

“Fucking Paul.” You cursed as you grabbed your discarded robe and hastily tied the sash. “Get dressed.” You ordered Rio, that smug smirk still planted firmly on his lips.

You moved past him and through the dining room to the front door, seeing your ex shuffle through the door with a baseball bag thrown over his shoulder. Your son’s bag. He must’ve forgotten something for his game today.

“You mind?” You snapped at him, throwing a quick glance behind you to ensure he couldn’t see Rio through the entryway.

“Well, I called but you didn’t answer. Figured you were still asleep.” Paul supplied with a nonchalant shrug.

“You couldn’t wait until I actually answered the door instead of using a key? A key I was sure I got back from you.”

He rolled his eyes, not making any move to return the item.

Bastard.

“What’re you doing here, Paul?”

“Anthony forgot his mitt. Needs it for the game today.”

You inwardly rolled your eyes, both at your ex and your son. They were mirror images of each other and that extended to their forgetfulness.

You walked to the entryway bench and lifted the pillow, knowing it would be stuck there because that’s where Anthony always left his gear after a game.

“Here.” You said shortly, thrusting the glove over to him. The sooner he got it, the sooner he’d be gone.

The universe was a cruel bitch though.

A shuffling from behind you pulled both yours and Paul’s attention. You tensed as Rio rounded the corner, clothes neatly tucked back into place. He eyed your ex for a long moment, making both you and Paul uncomfortable.

“I-uh...this-,” You stumbled over your words, at a loss for how to proceed. “He was just checking on some things around the house.” You lamely offered.

“What things?” Paul threw back with a raised brow, obviously not buying your answer.

“Just taking a look at her pipes.” Rio quipped, making you cough.

The air was awkward and tense as the two men sized each other up. You could see the suspicion in Paul’s eyes as he took in Rio’s very notable tattoo. Paul’s gaze flicked to yours, attempting to read your face. You opened your mouth to cut through the silence, but Rio beat you to it.

“I gotta go. I’ll be in touch.” He said, facing you and biting his lip. The action was purposeful. A signal of sorts.

You nodded and crossed your arms, watching with bated breath as he walked past Paul. He stared at the man as if he was a nuisance, giving him a quick once over before chuckling and exiting out the door. You released a sigh of relief once the door latched, your shoulders easing now that he’d left. A wave of disappointment followed. You were hoping to spend more time with him before he ultimately disappeared again. You were sure you’d see him at your next drop off now that he was back, but that was still days away. And you’d be damned if you reached out to the man for anything other than business-related topics.

You’d just have to wait.

“Friend of yours?” Paul interrupted your thoughts, face twisted in disapproval.

“He was here to check the pipes. They were making a weird noise. Wanted to make sure they didn’t freeze over.” You explained, your attitude back in full force.

“Sure.” He replied flatly, eyes belatedly taking in your state of undress. “You should put some decent clothes on when you have strange men in the house.”

The chastising tone of his voice made you see red. It was one of the reasons you’d divorced him. Along with the infidelity. And his tendency to be an egotistical piece of shit. Your reaction was a completely different reaction to Rio’s reprimands. Rio made you feel alive...desired. Paul’s goal was to always control and make you feel less than. He’d lost that fight throughout your marriage, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to do so long after it’d ended.

“You need to go.” You demanded between clenched teeth, opening the door for him and gesturing him out.

He took the hint and walked outside to the porch, shaking his head as he did.

“The kids wanted all of us to go out to dinner. Including Erica.” He said as he turned to face you, hand held to the door that you were ready to slam in his face.

You fought the urge to scoff at the mention of his fiancé and instead nodded, a pleasant smile on your lips and pure hate in your heart.

“Sure. Text me details. I’ve gotta go before this cum running down my leg stains the carpet.”

Paul’s face was priceless. And you had the pleasure of slamming the door in it. You smiled victoriously to yourself. The unexpected visit wasn’t so bad after all.

Your two worlds were getting harder to keep separated. That was apparent after the debacle that just took place. Rio was a significant presence in your life. And it was in more than just a working relationship way. That was obvious now. But were you really ready to let that happen? To let him in? The answer was still no. It would always be no. But sleeping with your boss had to have some benefits. And you were willing to find out exactly what those were. Misery and all.

[xhanisai]

Knowing

AO3 / FFN

Pairing - Ladrien + Adrinette (With Ladynoir dynamics?)

Summary -

"Quit it. Quit all of these pretences. I'm sick and tired...so tired of being forced to pretend that I don't know who you are...pretending to not hear your pained whimpers when you sit behind me...pretending to accept your excuses when you're extra clumsy from all the fatigue..." His forehead was on hers now, dark lashes lowered as the remnants of his tears clung onto them like diamonds. "Pretending not to recognise the bandages and wounds that I worked on," "Adrien...you're going to be compromised-"

"I'm sick and tired of not being allowed to be by your side, Marinette."

.

Just as mentioned, he was no angel.

(Or, AU where only Ladybug's miraculous is released and the healing light does not protect her whilst Adrien is her self-proclaimed sidekick/partner).

~(x)~

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.

.

"...You still seem quite mad at me," Ladybug timidly peered under her lashes, the fabric of the makeshift mask shifting from her furrowed brows whilst her kwami chewed silently as she rested on her generous plate of cookies. The duo were sat on the edge of a giant, expensive bed that belonged to the other presence in the room who was also the owner of said wonderful bed and said ginormous room. Though, Adrien remained tight-lipped as if to ignore his Lady's sentence, nose still slightly flared as he gently carried on in redressing the bandages on her arm with a precision that would make many in the medical field take notes. A precision that came from countless experiences in having to patch up the girl over and over again which in turn continued to crush his heart from the sight of her covered in such painful wounds... The heroine couldn't help letting out another pouty sigh as she continued to receive the silent treatment from her self-proclaimed partner despite the boy lacking any supernatural powers or having any abilities to aid her in Akuma battles without becoming a liability. Yet, it didn't make her think of him any less and every bit of help and nosing around proved to be so much more beneficial than she'd stubbornly like to admit. If it weren't for him, she would have probably drowned that one time an Akuma got lucky and delivered a horrific blow against her skull, causing her to lose consciousness and fall in la seine like dead weight. She remembered the bloodcurdling cry of her name on his lips, Adrien tailing the battle in order to keep an eye on her and make sure to pull her aside if the fight got too brutal. She remembered the blistering feelings of glaciers seeping through her skin when the impact of hitting the water made her regain back consciousness yet her body refused to cooperate with her brain. A splash from above as she continued to sink below. The sensations of strong, firm arms crushing her into a familiar chest as she passed out anew. Soft, soft, soft on her lips whist the harsh, hot breath rushed through her mouth and hands crushed her chest until she coughed out the river water in her system and opened her eyes. "...Dieu...Dieu merci...oh my Lady," And scorching tears that belonged to him dripped down on her face as if he was rain and she was a parched, dying plant stranded in a desert. . "Is it because the Akuma broke my arm again? I swear I was being extra careful." She got a low scoff in response, his emerald greens continuing to seethe in a rare but dangerously fiery rage. . But Ladybug was well known to always throw herself within the depths of even the most deadliest of flames. . "...Or, is it because of...of our conversation from yesterday?" Her question was the final straw for the blond, his hand slamming the first aid kit shut, surprising the little red kwami, and then finally stood up to face the love of his life with an expression so stoic, it would have given his negligent father a run for his money. "Can't really call it a conversation when you wouldn't let me speak a single word." His tone was like ice burrowing through her veins like a parasite and his broader frame practically towered over hers as she cooly remained seated on his bed. "Come on, Adrien. It was a really dangerous subject and you agreed to never approach it-" "And you know who else doesn't let me speak? Père." Suddenly, she felt like she was plunged into the icy, freezing depths of la Seine once again. The mere thought of being compared to such a horrible human being that mistreated her loved one on a daily basis was the equivalent of getting knocked around against buildings by a gang of ruthless akumas. Ladybug absolutely hated it.

"Wha- don't compare ME to HIM!" Ladybug sat up instantly, having to strain her head up just to meet the boy's heated gaze due to their stark height difference as their chests were almost pressed against one another. The stabbing and persistent pain and aches of her wounds and broken arm were thrown to the back of her mind as she narrowed her eyes further at Adrien. "The only reason I couldn't let you say anything else is because of your safety, Adrien. I do this not just for Paris, but also so you're always safe and sound! I wouldn't know what I'd do if you ever got hurt because of me." "By letting yourself carry on getting thrown around by villains regularly without any help whatsoever!? By still refusing to see doctors or hospitals to check on your broken bones just to keep your secret identity!?" His trembling hands were now on her cheeks as he pulled her closer. "By forcing yourself to come to school every day??? Pretending that you're okay and not nursing ungodly bruised ribs and concussions-" Ladybug couldn't help but slap her free hand against his mouth, shaking her head, internally begging him to not say it. To not make it a reality. To not break the illusion of the line she placed between her vigilant side and civilian side. But, over half a year of knowing this boy has made her more than aware that he's no angel. A cunning, sneaky little black cat instead. One that nonchalantly inserted himself into her life on both sides of her mask and refused to leave because she is his Lady whether she liked it or not and probably, definitely knew that she liked it quite a lot. And that's why she tried so hard to maintain the wall between them because she knew that she would be completely destroyed if anything happened to the boy she loves more than life itself. Yet, he continued to crash through without a beat. . "Quit it. Quit all of these pretences. I'm sick and tired...so tired of being forced to pretend that I don't know who you are...pretending to not hear your pained whimpers when you sit behind me...pretending to accept your excuses when you're extra clumsy from all the fatigue..." His forehead was on hers now, dark lashes lowered as the remnants of his tears clung onto them like diamonds. "Pretending not to recognise the bandages and wounds that I worked on," "Adrien...you're going to be compromised-"

"I'm sick and tired of not being allowed to be by your side, Marinette."

.

Just as mentioned, he was no angel.

.

And when he threw the mask off her face and captured her lips in a desperate and raw kiss, it was anything but angelic.

His piano fingers dug through her hair, snapping the ribbons so that the midnight locks spilt downwards and tangled up within his digits. His lips slanted against hers, greedily taking in everything that was humanly possible as if to emphasise just how much she meant to him whilst his eyes remained tightly shut and his nose took in the sweet scent of her body in a frenzy.

Marinette's blood was lit up in the most delicious, fiery way she's ever experienced and she could have sworn that she was melting from his touch itself, let alone his lips taking captive of hers in a head-spinning, heart racing kiss.

Much to her dismay, she had to pull back too soon, far too breathless and winded from the boy's affections alone. That didn't stop him from chasing her lips, brushing his mouth against hers again and again and again and then trailing his lips to her jaw, his arms firm as they pressed her against his body yet being mindful of her injuries.

.

"Marinette..." He whispered into her skin, his body arched over hers whilst battling the temptation to push her into the bed behind them. "

My Marinette," The slight possessive tone in his voice had her quietly giggling as she brushed her fingers through the shorter locks on the back of his head.

"Adrien...that was dangerous," The light tone of her voice juxtaposed her sentence but she earned another protective squeeze from her partner.

"I don't care." His words were muffled since his face was buried into her neck, almost whiny and childish. All Marinette could do was sigh and continue to hold him, eyeing her kwami who now floated up to meet their gazes.

"As dangerous as this is, it was inevitable," The little Goddess started, gaining a victorious smirk from the blond whilst the heroine scowled in return. "And if nothing has happened to him so far despite knowing your identity, then we should be slightly assured that he'll continue to be fine in the future,"

"Wait. How long exactly did you know that I was...well, me?" Marinette scrutinised the boy who now sported a slightly sheepish expression as he led them back to sit on the bed. "...Adrien???" Her eyes continued to narrow.

"I think...around the start~?"

He should have known, broken arm or no broken arm, the love of his life was capable of destroying him with a bunch of his pillows. Even Tikki joined in! It took a few more minutes of him withstanding the brunt of the plush objects being thrown at him with a never-ending smile on his face for Marinette to give up with a harrumph.

"I can't believe you! All this time, all this time you knew! Ugh! No wonder you were always hovering around me like some bodyguard at school and always bought my excuses when I had to suddenly leave to fight an Akuma!" She tossed one last pillow at his head, causing it to bounce off and fall onto the floor like the rest of its family. Adrien continued to watch her with an amused yet adoring smile, unable to stop himself from giving her another kiss, earning a surprised squeak from her.

Unlike the last one, it was quite brief but never less loving and certainly had both of their hearts ricocheting within their chests. When he pulled away, the duo wore matching lovestruck faces and rosy cheeks, the older of the two interlacing his hand with Marinette's uninjured one.

"As Tikki said, it was inevitable. We're in the same class. We're best friends. Our best friends are dating." He then leaned into her face, grinning like a feline who got the cream. "So of course, I had my eye on you throughout the whole time. It wasn't long till all the extra pieces and parts were glued together as I watched you," And of course, since he was such a greedy little devil, he pressed his lips against hers once more, smiling from the feel of her lashes fluttering shut and tickling his cheekbones.

"Adrien...you can't keep kissing me to avoid the consequences of you now officially knowing my identity- mmph!" Marinette let out a warning growl whilst the boy smirked in the umpteenth liplock, playfully nipping her bottom lip and emerald greens twinkling at her dishevelled face. "I hate you."

"Oh no~ you love me. Love. Me~" He emphasised each word with a kiss on her nose and then finally gave her some space, cradling her hand with both of his and then brushing his lips against her hardworking knuckles. "I know you're worried. I know you're scared. But not once have you ever let Paris down...ever let me down," He kissed her forehead, combing her fringe with his fingers affectionately.

"But still, Adrien. Anything could happen and..."

"I'm very careful, Marinette," He tilted her chin up with his finger so that she met his eyes. "I've been trying my best to help out behind the scenes and not once has an Akuma nor Le Papillon caught a whiff of me. Or that I'm linked with your alter ego." His smile softened from the way she relaxed under his touch, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on her cheek and her baby blues twinkling.

"It's...it is a huge risk...we've seen what happens to those who are close to superheroes in films and books." She gripped his hand tightly, the one that wasn't caressing her face. "I would become a monster if anything happens to you," Adrien furrowed his brows at her declaration, placing his forehead on hers.

"I'm no Louis Lane and I'm certainly no Gwen Stacey. I'm Adrien. Your Adrien. I know I can't aid you in Akuma fights despite being a champion in fencing so that Le Papillon doesn't target me. But, I can protect you like this, in secret. Where that cowardly man can't harm us and where the paparazzi can't even get a glimpse of my interactions with your masked self." He was now tracing mindless shapes on the back of her hand, massaging the bones and savouring the softness of her skin.

"And honestly, whether we have a relation or no relation. Whether I know your identity or not. That hasn't stopped that deranged man from sending in puppet villains that mercilessly hurt innocent civilians." His expression was determined and pleading, hands quietly trembling from all the feelings and emotions that coursed through his body.

"...Tikki? What do you suggest?" Not knowing how to respond to Adrien and unsure of what decision to make, she turned to the ancient little Goddess.

"I think you're better off taking this risk rather than continuing to fight Akumas without Adrien's aid in the background. Usually, my holders are healed by the miraculous lights but because the damages you fix is so vast and so magnificent, it balances out by not healing you. Marinette, do you understand how amazing you are? You have brought the dead back to life." Tikki placed her small hands on her friend's cheek. "You're unconsciously just so selfless, you ended up becoming one of the best Ladybugs I've ever had...but because of your selflessness, you're unable to look after yourself properly,"

She then floated towards Adrien and landed on his shoulder.

"I've suspected that he knew who you are for quite a while. And I never said a word about it because he was doing everything to look after you as much as he could. He's covered for your absences in school. He's read and studied medical books just so he knew how to treat your injuries right. He always brought you coffee and breakfast because you're always so exhausted. And he loves you so much, he would do anything for you," She smiled sweetly at the flustered model. "I think...no. I know it's best to keep him in the loop. To let him continue to protect you in his own way. You deserve to be happy too, Marinette,"

All the chords within the heroine's heart were hit with flying colours, overwhelming her tiny body with so much love and emotions that her eyes began to water.

"...You really love me...?" Marinette's voice was shy and small. She wasn't entirely blind to his feelings to her with how he treated her in and out of the mask. Heck, even their friends would always tease him about being an overprotective husband and the way he would bristle if anyone he didn't like or know got too close to her.

Not to mention that they have kissed multiple times too.

For Nino's film. To snap each other out of Akuma spells. When a villain got a bit too close to either of them. And even now.

"Well, duh." He jokingly flicked her nose with a finger, a lopsided grin plastered on his face. "It's like everyone in the world knew I'm head-over-heels except for you. Ma Princesse, your parents even call me their son or son-in-law. And I only have ever kissed you." He pecked her hand, marvelling at the way the sakura hue continued to bloom across her cheeks. "Now I think the question here is, is my feelings mutual?"

.

That little shit.

He knew and yet he wanted her to say it?

.

"Duh~" Marinette parroted, her iconic alter ego's smirk now playing on her lips as she watched her partner's face melt with indescribable joy. "But you knew that anyway, like the sneaky cat you are." She was met with a shameless chuckle and he brought her into his arms.

"Not as long as I knew your identity but it's still nice to have some verbal confirmation. I think I figured it out when hit me on the shoulder for getting too close to the battles and then kissed me right away~"

"Ahh. So that's why you became even more touchy and bold at school."

Adrien pulled away just a bit, enough to face her but still having her frame within his embrace. His golden hair endearingly bounced when he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side.

"As if I'd leave the love of my life alone~" Just as he was leaning in to snatch another kiss, all the pain and aches came swarming back like a tsunami and caused Marinette to wince from the injuries. "Oh, shit- first! We are taking you to a hospital to have a thorough look at your injuries. I'll make up some excuse about how you got them but you really need to see a professional."

"Ugh...Fine. What is the excuse gonna be?"

Once again, she was reminded that her Adrien was no angel.

"Oh~ that you were so captivated by my beauty, you tripped and fell down the stairs of course~!"

"...I want a divorce."

"Oh? We're married???"

"I mean break up!"

"No, no, no. You said divorce~ So I should introduce myself as your husband at the hospital, non?"

"We're still in le collège! That wouldn't work! Tikki, help!"

"I'll take good care of you, ma femme~"

.

.

.

~(x)~

[duskholland]

frat!Tom having a choking kink... ;)

I wasn’t sure if you meant tom likes doing the choking or being choked, so I went with reader has the choking kink (that frat!tom is more than happy to oblige!!). lmk if you want it the other way around too hehe. also—I read a textpost the other day w this precise scenario and...it messed me up so. I wrote this... it killed me lmao. nsfw 18+ minors dni <3

finishing up some frat!tom blurbs !!

extended warnings: choking, fingering, slight degradation. pls take care if you practice harder elements such as choking!!!!

*:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧ *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧ *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧

Tom’s got you pressed against your bedroom door, fingers lightly grazing your throat. It’s like a dance—every time you press into his hand too eagerly, he just tightens his grasp and pushes you back down against the wooden surface. When you aren’t eager enough, he loosens his hand until you’re straining forward against it, desperate to feel his touch, aching for the pressure on your throat. Tom’s smirk is unyielding—lying loud and proud over his face.

“Such a needy little thing, aren’t you?” He murmurs.

You’re almost completely naked—clad only in a matching pink bralette and pantie duo. Your boyfriend is shirtless, but he’s still in his tough denim jeans. The blue is scorched dark, and you can make out the line of his straining cock, but any urge you felt to help him out fell away the moment he’d pushed you up against your door and decided to entertain you. Now your focus is entirely elsewhere.

“Please,” you whine.

Tom has been teasing you with his mouth, just as much as his hand. He’s been holding his kisses hostage. He knows how much you love to kiss him, and he’s weaponised that knowledge against you. As his other hand gently caresses the swells of your covered boobs, his lips linger barely in front of you, pulled into a smirk.

“What do you want, darling?” He asks, lips barely ghosting yours.

You push forward, straining to kiss him, and feeling his hand on your throat get more intense in response. It’s worth it for the brief second you get with his mouth pushing back against yours, but then you have to collapse against the door, wheezing in a breath.

“Let me kiss you,” you whimper. You moan softly as Tom’s hand slips beneath the lacy material of your bra and two fingers play with your nipple, tweaking it gently, igniting a fire between your legs.

“Aww,” he coos. Tom pulls your bra up, shoving it out of the way before dipping his head down. You whimper and throw your head back as his lips nuzzle at your breasts, leaving hard, sucking kisses to your skin until you’re moaning. Once he’s paid attention to both of your boobs, he lets his tongue lap out across the peak of your tit. “My needy baby wants a kiss.”

“Yeah.”

Tom stands straighter, apparently satisfied with the way his spit glistens on your chest. You know if he checked, he’d find your slit wet and throbbing.

“How badly do you want it, though?”

He’s back to ghosting his lips over yours, moving away every time you lean forwards to try and capture his lips in yours. He watches through dark eyes as you strain against his hand, his nose brushing yours as your body shivers in enjoyment. It makes you cunt throb to feel the pressure he inflicts on your throat due to your desperation.

“Fuck,” he whispers, voice close. “So desperate you’d be willing to choke yourself for one, tiny kiss.”

“Yeah,” you whimper, voice pulled tight from the pressure. Once more, you manage to reach his lips, only to find yourself separating a moment later when you’re forced to fall back and collect your breath.

“I wonder what else you’re so needy for…”

Tom’s hand wanders down from your chest, slipping across the soft curve of your stomach before nestling between your legs. You part your thighs and he digs two fingers beneath the waistband of your thong, sliding them down and finding home in your slit.

“Shit, angel. Is this all for me?” Tom asks, keeping his eyes on your face. You keep eye contact with him as he chokes you lightly, his other hand toying with your clit for a few moments before slipping down and sliding into your wet heat. You moan loudly as he curves his fingers and starts to slowly thrust them into you, dragging against your cunt in the most rewarding ways.

“Yeah, Tom,” you whimper. “Just for you.”

It’s so much: the combined sensations of his heavy hand pressing into your neck as the fingers of his other explore your centre. He fucks into you faster and curves his thumb up to nudge your clit, and the added pressure to the tingling bud makes you squirm against the door.

“Shh, babe,” he mutters, “Wouldn’t want to wake up the rest of the people on your floor, would you?” He smirks, and the sight makes your cunt tighten around his digits. “We wouldn’t want to have to gag you too, would we?”

Both of you know that you’d love that, but for the sake of ease, you shake your head and try to be quieter.

“Fuck, though…” He goes back to admiring your form—the way your chest heaves, and your neck strains against his hand as you continue to try and kiss him. “You’re so hot. Squeezing my fingers so tightly… Do you want to cum?”

You nod, sucking your lower lip between your teeth as you whimper.

“Please.”

Tom drops his lips against your cheek before suspending them just in front of your mouth, teasing you again.

“If you can reach my mouth and kiss me, I’ll let you cum,” he says, voice cruel but soft at the edges. “If you can’t… Well, I guess you don’t want it bad enough.”

You almost lose it there and then, sinking into his teasing as his fingertips massage your g-spot, but you’re determined not to disobey. With renewed strength, you push away from the door and stretch to kiss him. Tom chokes you, just how you like it—strong and firm, fingers holding the sides of your neck, and you’re breathless as you finally reach his lips and kiss him. Your eyes roll back as you fall into climax, Tom’s hand falling away from your throat and going to anchor your waist in place as you whimper and cum over his hand, your inner walls clenching around his digits as he fucks into you through it.

When you come down from it, you’re tired but blissed out. Tom’s lips trail over your neck, following the line that he’d had his fingers choking you along, and you sigh softly as he soothes you.

“So good for me,” he murmurs, kissing up to your ear. He moves his mouth across your face before kissing you properly, a hand cupping your cheek and holding you to him. “Always so good.”

[writersmorgue]

I'm in a nightmare but I didn't fall asleep

TW: noncon, vague description of said noncon, kidnapping, non-consensual oral sex

17+ to interact

“That’s TWO out of three sports festivals you lost, Shouto. I’m beyond disappointed in you.” Endeavor’s booming voice leaves nothing to the imagination as it echoes across the barren stadium halls.

Well, almost barren.

Sero cringes from his hiding place behind the nearest wall, making eye contact with Bakugo next to him whose brows are furrowed in concentration.

“You know what, I’m fucking done. You’re going to give me one thing, and it’s going to be the future number one hero. A hero who will beat All Might, something you will NEVER do. My faith in you has been destroyed. I’ll tell them to retrieve you on Friday.”

Shouto makes a choked noise, and the two boys look at each other in confusion.

“Father please, you don’t mean-”

“I absolutely do. I gave you three chances Shouto! You’ve wasted my time and money, and now you’re going to be used like the useless bitch you are. Only serving me one purpose.”

“Please I can do better! Please don’t take me I promise I’ll make it worth your resources- AGH!” There’s a strangled shout as Endeavor grabs his daughter’s long ponytail in his flaming fist, charring the white hair

“You will do no such thing, and don’t even try escaping, I’ll hire more men if I have to. You will be useful.” There’s a scraping sound as Shouto drags her feet as she’s pulled away.

A shrill scream lets out, quickly cut off as Endeavor’s scorching palm slams over his daughter’s mouth with a sharp shut up.

Sero turns to Bakugo, gulping, as he raises a pointed thumb towards the exiting duo, “Uh, that didn’t sound good.”

Bakugo purses his lips, “No, it did not.”

-

Endeavor shoves Shouto into the van head first and she tumbles in, careful to mind the several men surrounding her as she skids to a stop.

“I don’t care how you go about this, you’re all suitable donors. Get her pregnant in a timely manner. Do what you want with her when the baby is born.”

Shouto whimpers as the door is slammed shut, locking her in complete darkness with a group of unfamiliar voices as they discuss who gets to fuck her first.

Her right ankle is grabbed as the van begins to move, the first man growls as she tries to pull away, and his grip tightens.

She screams, hoping someone will hear her. Her mouth burns from her father’s hand.

“NO!!! LET GO! I DON’T WANT IT!” The sound of zippers undoing around her head is what finally sets her off.

Her flame erupts, burning half of her competition shirt, save for her specially made sports bra, and singes the second-place medal strap around her neck. The disc clanks on the metal floor and the men around her shout with frustration.

“He said we could do what we want-” One of them grunts, patting some embers off of his shirt, “Someone subdue the bitch.”

Her head is slammed down onto the metal floor, and she fades away.

-

“Did-” Sero’s voice cracks, and he doesn’t continue.

“Yup.” Bakugo nods, explosions popping behind him as they sprint towards the speeding van, “He just facilitated the rape of a fucking minor.”

“A MINOR!?” Sero screeches, fumbling his tape as it catches on a tree branch, launching him forward “That’s not just a fucking minor, Katsuki, that’s our fucking FRIEND.”

“SHUT UP!!” Bakugo yells right back, “I’m sort of busy trying to save her ass. Obviously, since that van isn’t a puddle she can’t get out on her own. Probably quirk proof or some shit, knowing the asshole.”

“I’m calling Aizawa.” Sero reaches one hand back to his pocket to get his phone.

Bakugo grunts something that sounds like an affirmation.

A few moments later Aizawa’s gruff voice is asking who the hell is calling him at this hour.

“Aizawa-sensei!!”

“What, Sero.”

“So um, Todoroki! She, um, her dad!!-”

Bakugo growls and snatches the phone, blasting himself with just his left arm. Sero would be impressed if he wasn’t screaming internally as the van takes a sharp left, causing them to slow.

“IcyHot has been kidnapped by her dad.”

“Bakugo, I’m pretty sure that’s called having a child legally, give Sero his pho-”

“No you don’t fucking understand!!” Bakugo shouts, “We watched him drag her away and shove her in a fucking van with a bunch of assholes. He told them to rape her Aizawa. She’s been fucking kidnapped.”

“I- you’re joking.” Aizawa’s slight increase in background noise indicates he’s finally taking action, but the goddamn attitude sets Bakugo the fuck off.

“WHY WOULD I JOKE ABOUT THIS YOU OLD BASTARD!!”

“No, you’re right, sorry. I’m getting Nedzu and sending Midoriya your way.”

“NOT FUCKING DEKU”

“Bakugo Katsuki you will shut up and help your classmate with whoever I send to you or you will be expelled.”

“FUCKIN’- whatever old man. We’re just passing the corner store.”

He shuts the phone off before throwing it carelessly at Sero.

“Bakugo!!” Sero whines as he misses the catch and watches his phone shatter on the pavement.

“Not my fault you can’t catch.” Bakugo retorts, speeding up and launching himself at the van.

Sero follows close behind.

They hear a rhythmic thumping from the inside, Bakugo pales.

“Fuck I think they’re-”

“All the more reason we should blow this fucking van open!” Sero shouts into the wind, shooting tape onto the door handle and yanking the entire thing off.

He pulls the nearest guy out by his leg and throws him onto the median.

“C’mon dipshits!! Quit-”

All fight drains out of him, instead replaced with blinding fury, when he sees Shouto.

Practice uniform already torn to shreds, she’s bleeding profusely from somewhere on her head right onto the cold metal floor of the moving van. Surrounded by several other grown-ass men, all staring at Bakugo like deer in headlights, she’s knocked out cold at their feet.

“You bASTARDS!!” He screeches, storming into the van and grabbing Shouto’s limp body into his arms, thankfully her pants seem to be relatively unharmed, it’s the glistening by her slack mouth that has Katsuki concerned.

The men seem to be too shocked to retaliate, but one of them stands, seeming to prepare some sort of excuse. Sero is faster.

Hanta whips through the vehicle, grabbing both Katsuki and Shouto with his tape, flipping the van onto its side in the process, and carrying all three of them out the other door.

The human scum scatter onto the pavement as the students roll, relatively unharmed, into a parking lot. It’s somewhere in those few seconds when Aizawa arrives, followed by a somewhat feral Midoriya.

“Where’s Shouto,” He picks one of the men up by their collar, throwing him violently back onto the asphalt when he sees his three friends laying in a heap a couple dozen yards away.

“SHOUTO!” He calls, practically teleporting to their location and digging through Katsuki and Sero to reach her.

“Jeez we’re fine too, Deku, thanks for wondering.”

Izuku rolls his eyes, pulling Shouto’s limp body into his arms, “Is she- what happened?”

Sero starts nervously explaining, wringing his hands as he looks back and forth between Shouto’s unconscious form and Izuku’s increasingly rage-filled eyes.

He WHAT?!” Green lightning crackles over his skin, stopped abruptly with a firm hand from Aizawa on his shoulder.

Aizawa walks over and crouches, pulling a swab out of his scarf, “Had Momo make me one,” He grunts at Sero’s confused expression.

He sighs, reaching over to Shouto’s face and swiping it around her lips, “Unfortunately I figured we’d need it.” He tucks it into a plastic bag and stuffs both into his suit pocket.

Katsuki huffs, an unreadable expression fixed on his face as he stares down at the girl.

“They got her pretty good,” He reaches a hand out and tucks a strand of hair over, so Aizawa can get a look at her head injury, “probably tried to put up a fight.”

The teacher nods, “and you heard her father approve this- kidnapping?”

“Yes sir,” Sero speaks up, and Midoriya growls.

“I fuckin’ knew he was bad news,” Katsuki scoffs, “always draggin’ her around and shit. Probably paid for them to fuck her up too. Said he wanted her knocked up.”

“He,” Sero’s voice is strained, “he said she was a disappointment that he was giving up on her. She knows that’s not true- right?”

Aizawa hums, pulling out a bandage to wrap Shouto’s head, “well you’ll just have to show her.”

The boys make eye contact, and Izuku pulls her closer.

“Yeah,” Katsuki agrees, “we will.”

-

Shouto wakes up screaming, clawing at her face as blood begins to seep down her cheeks.

“Todoroki wait!!! Todoroki you’re okay! They’re gone!

Hands pry her bloodied nails away and her energy is sucked away as a kiss is pressed to her cheek.

“You kids I swear, never a dull moment.” Recovery girl tuts.

She passes out again.

-

The next time is much calmer, warm light pools around her eyelids and she cracks them open, reaching a hand up to rub the sleep out of them. But in doing so she jostles the hand that had been resting on her own.

“Todoroki?” Sero whispers, raising his head up slowly, eyes widening, “Todoroki!!”

He lunges forward, encasing Shouto in a bear hug.

“Oi, hands off, she’s in a hospital bed for fuck’s sake tape face.”

“Right,” Sero smiles sheepishly, pulling back, “right sorry.

“It’s okay,” Shouto admits, because she really has no idea why there’s any need to be careful, “I’m fine.”

“Oh?” Katsuki’s raised eyebrows suggest she said something wrong, “You call a nasty concussion and almost clawing your own eyes out fucking fine? Guess we have different definitions of the word.”

Shouto frowns, “I don’t remember that last bit.”

Her head hurts slightly, but she feels like she would remember something like that even through a concussion.

She tracks her memory back to before, but she can’t quite seem to remember-

The van, the men, the smell, the sound as he shoved his-

“Shouto?”

She snaps her head up, “Huh?”

“Sorry, you were quiet for a bit,” Midoriya rests a hand on her blanketed leg and rubs it back and forth, “god nervous. You alright?”

They’re all staring at her now.

“Does he know I’m here?”

All three sets of eyes darken, but it’s Midoriya who speaks up.

“He doesn’t matter. Aizawa has custody of you as of now. Your pitiful excuse for a sperm donor has been taken into police custody for aiding in the rape and kidnapping of a minor.”

Shouto gets a distant look in her eye, “Oh” is all she says.

“They didn’t get that far,” Sero gestures to her bandaged torso, where one of the men had tried to take off her uniform pants.

“But they still-” She begins, suddenly nauseous.

“Yeah, they did. And that bastard has been taken into custody just like the rest of em’, he’s not getting out for awhile, especially since the DNA samples matched.” Bakugo informs her.

“Oh,” Shouto hums absently, “there were samples.”

“Shouto, you with us?” Midroriya squeezes her ankle gently, but she doesn’t respond, “Everything’s gonna be alright now. You can rest.”

And she does.