#the confusion on how to handle race in this book is hilarious :/

[triviareads]

lmao I criticize an author who wrote respectful brown and Black rep even if they're relegated to side characters, and then see these passages in I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long:

And she knew as she stretched back that the pale, smooth tops of the breasts he’d gazed upon earlier likely arced invitingly up out her gown, that her shoulders were temptingly creamy and smooth even for a man accustomed to the more exotic charms of a steadfast dusky-skinned mistress, and that no man with blood in his veins would be able to resist feasting his eyes on her, given an unguarded opportunity. 

And just like that, as surely as a swami sings a cobra out of its basket, something languidly uncoiled in her veins. He’d awakened it last night.

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: Stars of Chaos (Sha Po Lang), Vol. 2

Author: priest

Genre/s: danmei, historical, alternate history, steampunk

Content/Trigger Warning/s: war, death, depictions of chronic illness and implied mental instability

Summary (from publisher's website): Four years ago, Chang Geng and Gu Yun parted in anger. When fate draws them together again, Chang Geng, a once-awkward teen, is now an elegant and adroit young man.

But storms lie ahead. As Great Liang faces foreign pressure from without, Gu Yun finds himself embroiled in turmoil within the imperial court. Meanwhile, as the curse in Chang Geng’s blood grows, his feelings for his godfather become more painful to subdue by the day. How much longer can he keep Gu Yun from learning his secret…and what will happen when he can hide it no more?

Buy Here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/stars-of-chaos-sha-po-lang-novel-vol-2/18879407

Spoiler-Free Review: This was a DELIGHT! The stakes are so much higher now than they were before - both in terms of world events, and the relationship between Gu Yun and Chang Geng.

First, on the happy(?) couple: they are not happy. At all. In fact, they are VERY confused, ESPECIALLY about their own feelings, and it is simultaneously hilarious and DELIGHTFULLY frustrating. Gu Yun is ESPECIALLY guilty of this, as Chang Geng seems to understand his own emotions much better than he did in the first volume. The trouble with Chang Geng is that he has the wu’ergu to deal with, and so frequently has to tamp down his feelings lest they get out of hand - which is certainly NOT helped by Gu Yun having the emotional comprehension of a toddler when anything concerns Chang Geng. This means that he has a tendency to miscommunicate with Chang Geng, who THEN interprets Gu Yun’s statements entirely differently.

This stands in direct contrast to the way they work together during a crisis. Whenever something dangerous or deadly happens, they are in near-perfect synch. Gu Yun stands up front as the feared and revered Marquis of Anding, leader of the Black Iron Battalion, while Chang Geng acts in the background as the mild-mannered, seemingly innocuous Prince Yanbei, using his knowledge and carefully cultivated connections in the jianghu to ensure that any and all of Gu Yun’s plans succeed. Chang Geng’s almost uncanny ability to know what Gu Yun will do next (something that unnerves even Gu Yun himself), and Gu Yun’s own trust and faith in Chang Geng, make this partnership work, as two major events near the beginning and near the end of this volume show.

While Gu Yun and Chang Geng’s interactions are thoroughly entertaining, the events that happen around them and push them to work together are just as fascinating, and really show off the worldbuilding the author is capable of. While there was plenty of steampunk imagery in the previous volume, there is even more of that in this volume, with larger and deadlier machines coming into play, especially towards the latter end of this volume. Interestingly, the consequences are brought sharply into view as well, with the use of the farming machines mentioned in the previous volume playing a key role in the events of the first half of this volume.

There are also clear parallels drawn to actual Chinese history: specifically, that period in history when European colonial powers were racing against each other to “open” China to trade with the West. The author appears to be trying a kind of “what if?” scenario with this series, playing around with the events of actual history and filtering it all through a steampunk lens. And so far, the author seems to be handling it very well, though whether or not Great Liang’s own colonial push in the lands of the “barbarian” tribespeople will be addressed remains to be seen.

Overall, this volume more than lives up to the promise of its predecessor. It progresses the relationship between Gu Yun and Chang Geng in a way that’s supremely entertaining, while also incorporating the progress of said relationship with the events of the wider world they inhabit. With events ending on a bit of a cliffhanger in this volume, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what happens in the third volume once I get my hands on it.

Rating: five iron arrows

[wwitbeyondmeasure]

Summer at the Burrow: r.w. fan fiction

Previous Chapters

Introduction / Author’s Note / Chapter 1: The Journey to the Burrow / Chapter 2: Hidden Letters / Chapter 3: Ron’s Return / Chapter 4: Nighttime Conversations / Chapter 5: A Morning Surprise / Chapter 6: The Quidditch Match 

Chapter 7: Girl Talk

Lunch passed by in a whirl. Numerous freckled hands snatched sandwiches off plates and scarfed them down. Jokes were played on family members as messes were made on the wooden table. The atmosphere of the dinning table in the Burrow was as it always was: chaotic and wonderful. However, you had a hard time enjoying the usual festivities. Your mind, and heart, with both still upstairs with Ron in that tiny bathroom. You wished more than anything to be back there, leaning in to the one person you wanted more than anything.

You risked a glance at Ron. He was unusually silent, not bothering to jump in when the discussion turned towards Quidditch. His eyes met yours and your heart skipped a beat. His cheeks reddened as he looked away quickly. You couldn't help but think that his thoughts were also focused on the same moment that had been replaying in your head.

"Y/n, do you want thirds?" Ginny asked from across the table. She had always been clever, and her steady look let you know she noticed your absent disposition. Her arched brow and knowing eyes told you that you needed to talk- soon. You shook your head to answer her question, despite how good the sandwiches were.

The rest of the day was spent doing chores. With most of the Weasley family home this summer, along with some additional guests, the house got messy very quickly.

"Couldn't you just magic everything clean?" George grumbled at his mother when she gave the list of chores to the group.

Mrs. Weasley's tone was as cold as ice. "Maybe if you children wouldn't have dragged mud all over the house after your Quidditch game, I would be happy to use magic. But since you did bring the entire garden into this house, you will clean it yourselves!" Her narrowed glare lessened as she looked upon you and Hermione.

"Of course, I don't blame you dears. You can rest while my children- yes Harry that includes you- clean the house," she told you with a loving smile.

Despite the offer, Ginny forced you and Hermione to help her sweep and mop the floors. The twins were tasked with putting away all their joke items and Harry and Ron were outside degnoming the garden for the second time that week.

To lighten the mood, you ran upstairs to retrieve the muggle radio you brought from home. You spent a lot of your time listening to it while you were lonely, dancing around your room when you knew no one would be watching. Turning the dial to your favorite station, you placed the radio on the shelf so everyone could hear it. Then your chores begun.

Sweeping wasn't so bad while you were doing it with your best friends. You joked and laughed the entire time, singing badly and off-key to your favorite songs. Ginny used her mop handle as a microphone to dramatically serenade Hermione. The twins even joined in on the fun by dancing next to you, feather dusters in hand. You threw your head back in a laugh as Ginny fell to her knees for her final solo.

This is what family is, you thought to yourself.

You didn't notice when Ron stopped in from outside to grab water for him and Harry. You didn't notice his gaze softened as he watched you dancing with his family. You didn't notice his eyes dropping to the way your hips swayed to the music, and you didn't hear Harry mumble, "Mate, you're whipped," to his friend.

                                                            ...

The sun set as you completed your chores and you found yourself cornered after dinner.

"Sleepover. Tonight. My room. You, me, and Hermione" Ginny said with a tone that made it impossible to argue with her. Not that you wanted to argue that, you actually missed having sleepovers with your dorm mates.

You made your way over to Ron who was just finishing up washing the dishes. You tried to ignore the way his broad shoulder muscles moved beneath his thin cotton shirt. You also tried to ignore the freckles peeping out from behind his hairline. Everything about him made your head feel dizzy and you suddenly felt the need to chug a large glass of water to cool down.

"Hey," you said gently, standing next to him and picking up a dish rag to help dry the plates.

"Hi," he responded, his voice alone making butterflies erupt in your stomach.

The next ten minutes passed without either of you saying a word. You fell into the familiar comfortable silence that only best friends can experience with one another. The rhythm of him washing the plates, you drying them, and then them magically floating back into the cabinets felt good. Everything you did together always just felt right.

"So," you said, speaking up once the dishes were done, "Hermione and I are sleeping over in Ginny's room tonight." You don't know why you brought it up, maybe as just another excuse to stay around him for longer.

You were surprised by the grin that immediately spread across Ron's face. "So I don't have to sleep on the couch tonight? Wicked."

Your smile subsided slightly. Ron didn't assume you and him would share a bed again tonight like you did the night before. You were silly to have hoped that would become a regular occurrence. Confused thoughts swirled around you in a whirl as you tried to hide your disappointment.

You nodded, and as you turned to walk up to Ginny's room, you felt Ron's hand reach out to catch yours.

"Y/n- wait..." he began. You looked up to meet his eyes and your insides melted when you saw him looking at you differently. He looked at you with determination and absolute attention- the same way he looked at you earlier that day, when you thought he was going to kiss you.

"If you have nightmares tonight, you know where to find me. My bed is always open for you" he said with a cheeky smile. His smugness and arrogance took you back for a second. Fred and George must be getting to him. You blushed as you turned back up the stairs.

Was that an invitation? Or just a flirty joke that friends say to one another?

These questions filled your mind as you changed into pajamas and made your way to Ginny's room. The moment you approached her doorway the door swung open and you were yanked inside. Ginny swiftly closed the door behind you to ensure privacy.

"Talk," was all she said.

You blushed as you sat down on her worn blue carpeting. Hermione was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed with a book in her hand. The redhead plopped onto the ground next to you, laying on her stomach as she propped herself up on her elbows. This was the usual procedure for girl talk back at Hogwarts- Ginny leaning in, eager to hear your gossip as Hermione pretended not to notice but eventually gave in and joined your discussions.

"About what?" you asked innocently. Ginny rolled her eyes as Hermione shut her book, her attention now focused on you. They were two of the smartest witches you ever met, and knowing you couldn't fool them, you decided to come clean.

"I think Ron and I almost kissed," you blurted out.

Hermione's mouth hung open as Ginny exclaimed, "Shut up!"

You nodded at their reactions, closing your eyes for a brief moment to relive the moment.

"When? How?" Hermione asked, scooting closer to you.

"Upstairs, he was helping me clean my cut after the game and then I guess...we started leaning in. I don't know if the kiss actually would have happened though- we were interrupted before I could tell what was going on" you explained.

Ginny's eyebrows knit together with anger. "Who interrupted? I swear if it was Fred or George I'm gonna beat their-"

"You did, genius. Your voice carries throughout the entire house," you said with a hint of humor, cutting her off.

"Oh," she replied, her ears turning pink.

Hermione grinned at you, "well this is good! Maybe you didn't kiss that time, but there will be other opportunities."

You smiled at your friend's optimism. As much as you loved your friends for supporting you and being interested in your love life, a part of you wanted to keep a part of the interaction between you and Ron to yourself. You wanted to keep a part of him close and secret to only you, so you switched the topic of conversation.

Turning to Ginny you asked, "So, how's Harry?" You wiggled your eyebrows in a teasing manner. The question made her launch into a hilarious story about how she caught him staring at her during Quidditch and managed to knock him off his broom.

"That's what boys get for not keeping their eyes to themselves, right y/n?" Ginny joked.

You laughed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please! You should have seen the way Ron oggled at you while you were dancing today! His eyes were practically glued to your arse. I almost would have told him to get a room, it was so intense," Hermione said with a giggle.

You rolled your eyes, pretending this new information didn't make your heart race. If he really watched you the same way you watch him, maybe this fantasy of yours wasn't so far-fetched. Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way.

The rest of your girls sleepover was filled with laughter and chatter as you talked into the wee hours of the morning. As Ginny and Hermione drifted off to sleep, you couldn't help but wonder if Ron was in his room right now- waiting for you. Each time your eyes closed, all you could picture was Ron, leaning closer and closer and closer... You fell asleep to your imagination wondering what his lips would feel like against yours.

[helenaklein]

Heya, i come across your blog while talking about nelroche etc. I never know anything about l&l since i never play lovestruck, can someone give explanation which part that is similiar? While idk anything about lovestruck, I found their previous work also has similiar with manga yana of the dawn (which i have read the manga, and yes, they are pretty similiar to called it just coincidence).

okay so fair warning... this is long as fuck because there are more similarities than there are differences lol. also as a disclaimer i’m only invested in this whole thing insofar as it entertains me but if the “””””creators””””” want to fight me because i wrote this post.... they’re welcome to but i promise i’ll have more fun than they will lmfao

l&l’s about a young woman from a major city in our world who one day gets sucked via magical portal into a fantasy world filled with magic and races that are only fiction in ours. once there, she gets mistaken for their most notorious war criminal, an insanely powerful witch who committed a genocide and is center of a cult of worshipers willing to kill and die for her.

this is nelroche’s description, straight from their devblog:

now, if it was a matter of similar basic premises and setups, i’d write it off as coincidence and tell the anons who made me aware of this that i thought they were overreacting. after all, “normal-human sucked into medieval world” and even “mistaken identity” are both very well established tropes that have been done and done again and will continue to be done because many find it compelling. hell, i do too. honestly, if the devs had simply said that they drew inspiration from love & legends, i’d have understood.

but.

the similarities only begin there. and they only get more excessive. coupled with their adamant denial that they’ve never even read it....... it’s just not possible lmfao. even if they decided to change the physical appearances of the characters, the tropes behind them and their personalities are exactly the same.

the nelroche demo has:

1) the lord of a region who’s a massive workaholic to the point of self-detriment, but is very caring towards their people and their inner circle and whom everyone in the group has referred to as a parental figure.

aka.... l&l’s reiner wolfson, who’s described directly from the app as “Reiner is a fair and compassionate ruler who would defend the people of the human domain with his life.”

2) the prickly knight to said lord, who’s fiercely dedicated to their liege, very serious in personality along with stubborn and prideful, but cares deep down once you get past their walls.

literally l&l’s august falke. the demo describes them, literally as “...reminds me of the knights in the fairy tales, except, it seems, not quite as charming” whereas august’s in-app description reads “This knight in shining armor is more aggressive than the story books led you to believe...” I’ll let the similarities there speak for themselves.... lol

3) the energetic and bubbly mage who’s super tiny compared to their companions and avoids serious discussion, who happens to be a bit of a trickster and has a mysterious quality.

l&l’s altea bellerose but make it less pink! altea and “C”s similarities go even deeper but i’ll get into that a bit later.

4) the mysterious and heterochromatic-eyed figure who’s distrustful and initially stand-offish as a result of living through a life of hardship, that is excitable and actually loves to travel.

look no further than l&l’s saerys! M’s eyes are “ocean blue and purple” compared to his blue and red, but don’t let that difference fool you! their introductions are laughably similar (more on that later)... and the “travel” bit lmfao. not to be mean but they couldn’t at least change up his hobbies? come on now, work for that plagiarized bag!

5) the lazy and flirtatious one who’d rather spent their days joking and taking it easy than handling their many responsibilities, who does care but shows it in ways unconventional.

just because their hair is grey instead of white doesn’t mean it’s not l&l’s iseul idreis, babes! i’d know that endlessly frustrating man anywhere! lovestruck’s app description for him reads: “The elven prince is beautiful and cunning with a silver tongue, but his lackadaisical lifestyle leaves much to be desired”. corporate wants you to find the difference between these two pictures they’re the same dot jpg.

6) the complicated and slender blonde who wields both blade AND magic, whose eyes glow, whose power is deemed dangerous, who wears shades of blue, AND is initially described as cold? who seems like she wants to beat the hell out of her compatriots, who she seems to lead, and whose outfit is needlessly complicated?

you think i don’t know a knock off helena klein when i see one???? ME???????? helena’s in-app description LITERALLY reads “cold as ice” and “wielding both sword and sorcery with ruthless precision”!!!!! of alllllllllll the things i’m most offended by this one motherfucker you can’t just fuck around with helena on a whim okay this shit is personal now!!!!!!

7) the creepy, predatory, and combative pale-but-tanned-but-murky-skinned dude who wears robes and a creepy beast mask.

l&l’s jinhai jubal i know it’s you!!!! actually this is probably the funniest thing of the whole situation to me bc this dev decided to remove not-alain as a love interest and seemingly replace him with not-jinhai. secondary poster you a hilarious bitch i’m not gonna lie.

(here’s jinhai in his mask lmfao)

8) the mouse-looking man who seems not as confident as not-helena and not-jinhai, wears full armor AND a double-sided sword strapped to his back.

none other than l&l’s alain richter, back from the dead! im gonna let the next image speak for itself.

still with me? i sure hope so bc it really gets juicy now!!!!! the similarities don’t end with the characters!!!! no, no, no!!!! the plot and progression of the demo are identical to that of l&l’s pilot episode, beat for beat.

in the l&l pilot episode, after the mc stumbles through the portal and into the medieval town, she’s almost immediately accosted by august, a rude mf who essentially acts not very knight-like despite his appearance and forces her into the nearby castle’s dungeon.

once inside the dungeon, the l&l mc is approached by a figure with hetero-chromatic eyes, who seems intrigued and confused by the mc’s lack of knowledge about the fantasy world.

once that person leaves, in comes a bubbly woman who seems to be floating. she asks mc if she’s ready to get out of the dungeon, and mc is like!!!! finally someone willing to help me. only..... uh oh.... she takes her to her lord instead of freeing her, wtf!!!!

once brought to the lord, who seems much more calm and reasonable than his high-strung and feisty knight, he listens to mc’s story and seems to believe her somewhat, but doesn’t want to risk his people.

(he’s even standing at the window LMFAOOOOOOOOO)

then the last remaining figure (iseul) playfully suggests that the lord (reiner) allow the mc to pick which among the group she’d like to guard her while they all determine whether or not she’s being truthful about not knowing anything. this is literally! literally! LITERALLY! how the PILOT EPISODE! of LOVE AND LEGENDS! ENDS!

ARE YOU SERIOUS LMFAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOO. going through all this is literally fucking HILARIOUS to me like ak;sdfjadsfkl;asdfjlasdf how BOLD and BRAVE do you have to be to so blatantly rip something off and then deny even ever encountering what you stole from adsfkjldfasdfkasd,f. i’m not even super mad bc like.... i torment voltage for funsies. but! LMAO!!!!!!!!

lastly..... as an added bonus to all of the juicy, juicy evidence above. l&l mc has a best friend in the “real”, modern world, who inexplicably has a lookalike in the fantasy world. well..... would you believe it if i told you that the nelroche has one just like it???

that’s right! even sophie and solaire made the plagiarism cut! gotta love those girlies, i’m so happy for them :)

the end!

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV Write Entry #28: Humiliations Galore

Prompt: irenic | Master Post | On AO3

This fill is partially in response to @ahlis-xiv‘s fill for ultracrepidarian, which you can read HERE! (And it goes without saying you should read her other fills and assorted writing, too!) The Ahlis mentioned herein, of course, belongs to her. \o/

--

Synnove felt her face twist into something foul and ugly and absolutely capable of curdling milk as she stared down at the letter on her desk. Halulu took one look at her and immediately fled back to the relative safety of her own office one floor down.

The envelope was fine vellum, waxed to protect its contents, tied with twine and the tie further sealed with wax. It was unremarkable, really, and appeared no different from any other important missive that Mealvaan’s Gate might receive from near and far.

Save for the seal of the University of Radz-at-Han pressed into the wax.

Synnove’s lip curled up in a sneer.

Mama, just open it, Galette sighed from her usual perch draped around her shoulders.

Synnove grimaced, but reached for the envelope and slid it closer to herself on the desk. She wedged her thumbnail beneath the wax seal and wiggled back and forth until it popped off, then slid the vellum from the twine and opened the flap. Reaching in, she pulled out two letters, folded over and individually sealed with different wax and stamps, at which she frowned.

And then raised her eyebrows as she noticed the thicker letter of the two, the one closed by deep red wax with a plain stamp, had writing in a very familiar hand on the outside.

READ THE OTHER ONE FIRST.

Now, what in the six hells was Thaisie Valeroyant up to?

Synnove stared with narrow, suspicious eyes at the letter from the Chair of the Department of Arcanima from the University of Radz-at-Han’s College of Mathematics, drumming her fingers on her desk for long moments as she mentally flicked through a list of possibilities. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh and scowled, snatching up the other letter, popping the wax seal, and unfolding it.

My dearest Mistress Greywolfe—

Synnove dropped the parchment, recoiling with a disgusted shriek. Galette HISSED, rising to a crouch as she bared her teeth and bristled her fur, tails lashing.

She knew that handwriting, knew that deep blue ink, knew that absolutely repulsive cologne that wafted into her face.

The first letter was in her hand in an instant, wax seal ripped off and parchment unfolded.

I promise, Synnove, the other letter is worth soiling your fingers and eyes.

Synnove ground her teeth, rage roiling through her, but she took a deep breath through her nose for a five count. Held it for another five count. Let it out with a final five count.

“Thaisie, you are going to owe me so much alcohol,” she muttered under her breath. She set down Thaisie’s letter and reached up to pet Galette, soothing them both for a few moments. Then, she picked up one of the half-sticks of graphite from the pile in the corner of her desk, and used it to poke the other letter flat, sneering as she did. Once that was done, she threw the graphite into her trash bin.

Finally, with a grimace, she leaned over her desk to read the letter from Bahram Zarir.

Synnove sat back after the first flowery paragraph and exchanged a confused look with Galette. “Did he actually…?”

I think so? Galette chittered, ears flat against her head.

They leaned forward again to read the next paragraph.

“…Ah. Never mind. He still, in fact, has his head shoved up his ass so far that the apple on his throat is actually his nose. Good gods, how as he gone this long without developing critical thinking skills, or the ability to remember what he wrote in a previous paragraph?”

She continued reading, occasionally muttering comments such as, “My gods, you absolutely disgusting piece of worm-ridden filth,” to which Galette snickered. Finally, she reached the end of the letter, and slid back into her chair.

And started giggling.

It evolved into a full body guffaw, rising from deep in her belly, and Synnove bent over as she howled with laughter, for so hard and so long it became silent heaving that shook her whole body. Galette sighed and rolled her eyes, holding on as her perch pitched to and fro. As Synnove finally calmed again, she brushed tears from her eyes.

“Oh, my gods, that was hilarious,” she wheezed. “Gods, I only hope I’m there on the day his hubris gets his sorry plagiarizing ass killed so I can laugh him all the way to the Hell of Water. What a cunt.”

Still chortling and catching her breath, Synnove carefully picked up Bahram Zarir’s letter with the very tip of her thumb and forefinger, and dumped it in the trash.

“Please remind me to get Ivar to burn that later,” she said, wiping her hand on her pants.

Yes, Mama!

Then, finally, she picked up Thaisie’s letter to read.

He really is such a prick, isn’t he? It’s a wonder he hasn’t become a victim of Thavnairian politics, but then he’s probably too thick to be a credible threat to any of his relatives or their myriad enemies. Just a shame we got stuck with him. I’m fairly certain the dean was dreaming about defenestrating him and a few other of the legacy children during the last open thesis read.

In any event, I thought you might enjoy the attached to make up for the toad’s sorry attempt at civility: a copy of the abstract for Master Zarir’s latest article. It’s still technically in peer review, but you’re a peer, as dirty as that no doubt makes you feel. Do what you will with this.

Also, yes, I know, I owe you alcohol. I already have a nice bottle of arak picked out for the next time Thubyrgeim allows you off your leash, or I’m able to attend a Lominsan conference.

Kisses!

Thaisie

“You’re such an asshole, Thaisie,” Synnove said fondly, shuffling the parchment to the second page. Zarir’s greatest weakness as a researcher was that frequently, he did have original ideas…but was frankly terrible at the execution and he outright stole others’ work in bits and pieces and tried to make a whole from it that fell apart if one breathed on it too hard. So, what trash was he on about now?

She read the abstract once. Blinked. Read it again, slower this time, than gave it a third pass.

Synnove set the parchment down flat on her desk, mind racing.

Zarir’s article was in peer review, and therefore it wasn’t public knowledge or in open circulation; the only individuals with copies would be Zarir, the reviewers, and Thaisie. He wouldn’t be able to add anything, with how the University handled its legacies’ attempts at academia, the peer review was mostly for show and the article would be published in the latest issue of their mathematics journal. There would be no turnaround time for Zarir.

And there was no way for anyone else to possibly know what he was publishing. Further, it was incredibly common for academics to hit on similar ideas and develop them in parallel without knowing until the other was published.

Zarir’s idea was similar to that of someone else’s here at the Gate. Oh, not hugely similar, but enough for the mainstays in the field to have a solid guess of which articles either had been reading and drawing inspiration from. But Ahlis had gone off in a completely different direction and what was more, her math was sound, the research actually done rather than theorized, and with a high chance of her succeeding and creating a new breakthrough in arcanima. And Ahlis’s work was ready for presentation at the upcoming research symposium. At which a few of the Hannish—not Zarir, if only because the dean didn’t want to deal with the political fallout of letting him set foot in Limsa Lominsa and the resulting murder—from the University would be attending.

Synnove smiled, slow and deliberate and sharklike, a dark chuckle rising in her throat, as she reached for a piece of fresh parchment and a graphite stick. She was quite thankful now that she hadn’t replied to Ahlis’s note just yet.

Ahlis,

I think you are more than ready! You’ve done your due diligence, even surpassed it, in laying your foundation. I still cannot find flaws in the theorems and equations you’ve laid out—your mathematics might need the occasional proofing, but your grasp of the principles is superb, and we’ve all needed a second set of eyes on our work when we’ve looked at the numbers for too long.

You are an excellent arcanist, Ahlis. As intimidating as it is to present research, the symposium presents a wonderful opportunity to receive feedback and collaborate on further avenues to explore your hypothesis. And, if word on the grapevine is true, I have no doubt your work will be leaving certain members of our community absolutely green with envy.

Give ‘em hell!

-Synnove

She signed with a flourish and folded the letter into neat thirds, wrote Ahlis’s name on it, and bound it with some of the leftover twine from Thaisie’s packet. “Amandina, Roksana,” she called out as she tied off the string, “would you like to run an errand for me?”

The twins poked their heads over the edge of their basket, the picture book they had been carefully pawing through forgotten. Their ears stood straight up, noses twitching in excitement—and then they were tumbling out of the basket and darting right for Synnove’s desk. Oh oh oh yes yes yes! they peeped excitedly. Errand errand errand we can do it!

The carbunclets skidded to a halt at their mama’s feet and looked up at her with huge eyes, their mass of tails shaking with excitement. Galette huffed, exasperated as always with their endless amounts of energy, but didn’t otherwise say anything as Synnove leaned over with the letter in hand.

“Do you remember where the Gate’s mailroom is?” she said, solemn.

Yeah!

The arcanist held out the letter, and Amandina very carefully accepted it, clamping down with her teeth to hold it firmly.

“Bring this down to the mailroom,” Synnove said, “and give it to Coster, and only Coster. He’ll make sure it’s delivered to its intended recipient! And then, once you’re done, come right back here, all right?”

Okay, Mommy! warbled Amandina, a determined set to her face.

We’ll be right back! said Roksana with a peppy chirp.

Then, rather than turn and trundle towards the door to her office, as Synnove thought they would, Roksana took one of Amandina’s ears into her mouth, and with a pop! of displaced air they were…gone.

Dead silence, as arcanist and carbuncle both stared, jaws hanging open, at the space the twins had been in just a few moments before.

“When did they learn to do that?” Synnove said, faint and bewildered.

I dunno. Galette tilted her head. Can I learn how to do that?

“Absolutely not, you’ll use it to break into the coldbox for my pies.”

Galette slumped into a full body sulk.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #407

“sugar pop, sugar pop, baby here i come, straight to #1���

Do you follow any special diet? (dairy free, vegetarian, gluten free etc.) No. What’s your favourite summer activity? Swimming is all I really enjoy about summer. Who was the first person to break your heart? It wasn't in a romantic sense obviously, but my dad. First band you obsessed about? I've only ever *truly* been obsessed with Ozzy Osbourne as a band, haha. First place someone took you on a date? I want to say a local skating rink. It was a group thing. How many doors are in the room you’re in? Two, if you include the closet door. Has anyone ever drawn a picture of you? Yes. Do you have any nieces or nephews? Quite a few. Which movie villain do you find the most terrifying? Well, if you've seen the scene where Pyramid Head literally rips a woman's skin off like a sheet in Silent Hill... u kno. I genuinely do find him to be a terrifying monster though, all bias aside. Humanoid monsters with ambiguous faces unsettle me. I wouldn't want that knife swingin at me, either. Do you get grumpy when you’re hungry? Yuuuup, I sure can. Do you stick your tongue out often in pictures? I have done that maybe twice in my whole life. Which one of your family members are you closest to? My mom. If chocolate was an illegal drug - would you be a drug addict? Nah. I'd be able to survive if it was illegal, but it would suck. Are you proud of your parents? Yes in some areas, no in some others. There are things both have said and/or done that I can't say I'm proud of them for, but overall, I am. Do you say “soda” or “pop”? "Soda." Are you shy about singing in front of people? YUP. I just don't do it. If you could get backstage tickets to ANY concert - which would you pick? Ozzy. :') It'd be fantastic to tell him thank you for his music that has always brought me joy and comforted me, and also let him know for sure just how strong he is and that it is absolutely not overlooked to still be nailing out an album while fighting Parkinson's. I'd probably start blubbering like a baby while rambling at some point, haha. Which is better: orange or grape soda? Orange. I don't like grape soda. Do you sleep with a sleep mask? Well, you could sort of call it that, ha ha. I have to wear an APAP mask to subdue my sleep apnea that causes wild nightmares/terrors. Do you like techno music? It's actually grown on me the past few months. Have you ever been drunk? No, I've never quite reached that point. I've only been tipsy. Are you mad at your best friend right now? Nope, got no reason to be. Do you know anybody with a pet snake? Yes, including myself. Is there any drink that you absolutely MUST drink cold? WATER. ABSOLUTELY WATER. I canNOOOOOOT do room temperature water anymore. It's gotta be pretty damn cold for me to drink it like it's nothin'. Have you ever painted anybody's nails aside from your own? No. Do you ever donate to the less fortunate? Mom likes to donate our old clothes and stuffed animals. Did you buy an American flag after 9/11 to put on your car/house/ whatever? I was a little kid when this happened, so. I don't know if my parents did. Honestly, do you have any Hilary Duff on your MP3 player? HA, I do. I love "Who's That Girl." When was the last time you had an ice cream sandwich? Wow, probably years... I really, really want one now, ha ha. Have you ever caught a friend cheating on their bf/gf? Well, my sister's friend, anyway. I was just sitting on the computer in the living room and there they were on the couch just casually making out. Do you enjoy doing math? Fuuuuck no. Do you think your mom has secrets she’s never told you? Oh, I know she does. There are things she's done that I know I have plenty of missing details from, but I don't ask because I know they're sensitive subjects. Do you own anything you don’t want your parents to know about? No. Do you pose in your pictures or just smile? I usually just smile. Do you use scented soap in the shower? Yes. It smells like cinnamon rolls and it is HEAVENLY. Did you ever want to be a fashion designer? No. Who was the last person you danced with? Enjoyable? Ha, Sara. Yeah. Dark or light colored jeans? Dark, 100%. I never wore light jeans. Can you take apart a computer and name all the parts? No sir. Can you take apart a car and name all the parts? That's an even bigger "no." Have you ever purchased a lotto ticket? No. What is the longest amount of time you've spent playing Monopoly? Idk. Have you ever witnessed a tornado first-hand? Thank fucking Christ I haven't. I am terrified of them. Have you ever colored your eyebrows? No. Have you ever taken another person's prescribed medication? Pain medicine, yes. Have you ever played golf (not miniature golf)? No. I'm not interested to, either. Have you ever gotten dressed with the windows open? I definitely don't believe so. Have you ever taken a shower outside? At the beach, yes. If you could call it a "shower." Have you ever been to a junkyard? No. Have you ever watched the History Channel willingly? No. If you could get the cell phone of your choice - what would it be? Probably a current iPhone. Apple is such a rip-off, but damn is the camera good lmao. Do you hand out candy to kids on Halloween? This will be my first Halloween in this house, so I really don't know if trick-or-treaters happen here. Do you like huskies? Love 'em, but I could neeeever own one with all that fur. What do you smell like? I'm always self-conscious over if I smell like sweat because of my hyperhidrosis. I hope not. Do you take your dog for walks? I don't have a dog. I used to take Teddy when he was younger, though. He loved those, but I stopped when I noticed his arthritis kicking in. Have you ever went paintballing? No. Seems stupid to me, honestly... Like that shit seems painful, so like, why??? What kind of movies are you drawn to? Horror and fantasy, mostly. I don't watch movies often. How often do you update your Facebook status? Just about never because I either just have nothing to say or am afraid of saying something stupid. I only ever share posts or pictures that appeal to me. What type of pet would you like to have? A Brazilian Black tarantula. :( I will whine about that until the day I get one, ha ha. I would also really, really like a plains hognose and a woma python. What breakfast are you most likely to have? Cereal. When you're starting to feel sick, you: It depends on what kind of "sick," but odds are I'm heading for the medicine cabinet. What colors are you most drawn to? Pastel ones. :') Light and pretty. What deadly sin are you most likely to commit? Sloth. When you're away from home, what makes you feel at home? "Having my stuff with me, like my laptop." <<<< Same. Do you prefer to lounge in a hot tub or swim in a pool? Swim. How many books do you have out in the public areas of your house? None. Who makes a better burger, in your opinion? Sonic. @_@ What do you like best about the holidays? Seeing my niece and nephew so excited. You think your eyes convey: Boredom, probably. Besides screaming for ice cream, what else do you scream for? If a bug surprises me by being on me. Well, depending on the bug. Do you like fried chicken? Noooo, it is so gross to me. What do you think of belly button piercings? They are SO cute imo. I want one, but I think it would look hideous on me. Maybe if I was actually thinner. Not saying bigger people can't wear belly button piercings, I just don't think it would look good on me. Do you like plain Lays potato chips? They're my favorite! I especially like the ruffled kind. Is there a big screen television in your house? In the living room, yeah. Would you rather no heat in winter or no A.C in summer? No heat in the winter, EASILY. I can't handle no A/C when it's hot. At least if you're cold, you can bundle up with tons of blankets. Have you ever had braces? I did for a long time because we couldn't afford to take them off. Do you do your own laundry? No, honestly. Mom likes to just do it all together, so I let her do it. Which do you prefer: English, Irish, or Australian accents? Irish. Is there anything on your bedroom door? Yeah! I got a "Meerkat Lover St." sign for my door. :') What is the best vegetable? Broccoli. Guys in eyeliner: Hot or not? That shit is h o t. Have you ever seen your favorite band live? No. :( Do you drink water or soda more often? Ugh, soda. Did you collect Pokemon cards back in the day? I didn't deliberately, but only because I was awkward about asking for Pokemon stuff because I thought people thought I was weird for being a girl and being obsessed with it. I think I got one pack. I really, really wish I'd been less self-conscious about that passion. Pet turtle: yay or nay? I'm personally not interested. Did anyone famous come from your town/city/school? Yeah, but I'm not sharing who. Have you ever seen a celebrity on the street? No. Have you ever pretended to be sick? To avoid school sometimes, yes. Can you ice skate? Never tried, too scared to. The blades terrify me. Do you have your nose pierced? No, but I want to have it redone. Do you loooove Tim Burton movies? I sure do! What arcade games do you like to play? I haven't been to an arcade in forever... but I liked the racing ones. What's the most expensive gift you've ever gotten for someone else? I'm not sure. Would you rather spend a whole day with your mom, or your dad? At this moment, probably my dad. We haven't hung out in a long time. What would you say if you found out your last ex was in a relationship? I'd be happy for her and tell her she'd better let me know if the person ever fucks up so I can kick some ass, ha ha. Are you easily confused? Very. I'm slow to understand things. Where was your MySpace/Facebook default taken? My bedroom. Can you whistle with your fingers in your mouth? No. I've never understood how that works. Do you like peanut butter? Love it.

[sapphiewrites-twst]

Hey hey, ya girl Sapphie’s back with another TWST reader insert. I’ve actually decided to split this into two or maybe three pieces because of its length. Anyhow, without further ado, enjoy~

Part One Part Two

Every day, I felt love only in movies, books, or dramas, that’s how I learned of love. My heart kept racing as if it was my story, pounding and fluttering. I’m so curious that I’m going crazy! It makes me wanna know…

… What is love?

IT seemed as if none of your first years friends had time for you these days. Ever since the announcement of the school festival, all of them had been working their butts off, under the insistence of their dorm leaders or by their own terms.

Nevertheless, it did not make life any easier for you, especially so considering your rather… mixed feelings regarding the five.

Flashforward to now, when you’re sitting with Grim and a couple of second and third years during lunch break because all of your first year friends are working on their various projects.

“So, Cater-senpai,” you began, swirling your french fry in the little pool of ketchup you created, watching the interesting swirly patterns appear on the surface of the red sauce wherever you drag the fry. “What did those two say they were doing at lunch again?”

The orange-haired third year paused in his attempts at taking the same selfie for the fifth time with a peeved Riddle. “They mentioned something about studying books about design to make the first year Heartslabyul stall the best of them all, or something like that.”

Blowing a strand of stray hair out of your face, you shifted uncomfortably. It wasn’t as if you were uncomfortable with the upperclassmen themselves, it was rather the fact that some of them are a little… overbearing, to say the least.

Riddle had gotten much, much better than when you first met him, but the redheaded dorm leader still nags at you sometimes. Now, for example.

“(Name), Ace and Deuce are trying their hardest and I approve of that,” he started, finally having gotten away from Cater. “So as their friend, you should respect that.”

Everything out of Riddle’s mouth is true, but it didn’t fail to make you feel worse. You knew that, and you wanted to be proud of their dedication. But a selfish part of you longed for the days when you held all of your friends’ attention. The three of you were inseparable back then, after all.

Back then. You thought you’d never say those words about your friendship with the Adeuce duo.

“I know, Riddle-senpai, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less,” you sighed, stretching onto the table. For once, Riddle didn’t say anything about your lack of manners.

Placing a hand over yours, the redhead gave you a small smile. It was stiffer than normal, but it was a smile nevertheless. “I don’t especially understand your feelings, but I’ll be here to help you get over it, just like you helped me when things were… less favorable than now.”

Your eyes widened. Sure, you and Riddle had gotten closer after his overblot, but you didn’t think he was comfortable enough with you to offer mental support.

Returning his smile, you set your other hand over his. “Thanks, Riddle-senpai.”

Floyd decided this was the perfect moment to barge in.

You had about one second to prepare before he scooped you up and out of your chair. “Shrimpy!” Nuzzling into your neck, he spun you around a couple of times before setting you back onto the floor. You stumbled back, the world tilting around you.

Two hands steadied you, preventing you from falling back onto your behind. You looked up to see none other than Floyd’s brother, Jade. “Hello, (Name). What are you doing with the second and third years?”

You shrugged, “Am I not allowed to hang out with my senpais?” Jade chuckled, dipping his head in apology. “I didn’t intend for it to sound that way. I’m merely curious why you aren’t with your usual group of first year friends.”

“Well,” you frowned, the normally hilarious scene of Floyd messing with a very annoyed Riddle seemed bland to you in this moment. “They never seem to have time for me anymore.” Jade stood beside you, observing the scene with amusement. “Maybe they’re simply busy with the upcoming festival and all.”

“That’s the problem!” You groaned, spinning around to face the second year. “I know I’m being selfish, but for all of them to go MIA on me all at the same time?”

“You have other friends beside them, don’t you? Let them do their thing for the festival, I’m sure they’ll return the attention tenfold once their work is done.”

You gaped at the Octavinelle vice-dorm leader, eyes wide. Has your upperclassmen always been this nice to you? “Come hang out at Mostro Lounge if you get too lonely. I’m sure Azul will be more than happy to have you.”

“R-really?”

Your gratitude cracked a bit at Jade’s next words. Chuckling, the merman remarked, “Of course, there’s no guarantee you wouldn’t be roped into helping us handle the customers.”

Deflating a little, you nodded, commenting jokingly, “Why am I not surprised?”

—

“Hey, Sebek, partners?” You called out to the Diasomnia first year, gesturing at yourself. Today was the first-third year joint lesson, which happened whenever the first years were learning a rather difficult lesson in Alchemy.

Crewel-sensei wanted the students to get into groups of three. It didn’t matter what grade your partners were, as long as you had at least one third or second year in your group.

Sebek avoided your gaze, turning away and disappearing into the crowd of students. You stared at the place he disappeared from, confused and hurt. Your insides felt hollow, as if the green-haired male had taken a piece of you with him when he left.

Out of nowhere, a face appeared right in front of yours, surprising the living daylights out of you. Taking a step back, you recognized Lilia’s face, albeit upside down. The vice-dorm leader of Diasomnia flipped upright, landing gracefully in front of you.

“Would you like to be partners with Kalim and I?”

Taken aback, you blinked a couple times before sputtering out, “I-is that okay?” Kalim appeared beside Lilia, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards their cauldron, “Of course!” Encouraged by the Scarabia dorm leader’s cheery words, you followed them. But you couldn’t resist looking back to search the room for your green-haired friend.

He was with a transfer student, who was here in honor of the school festival. However, it bothered you that she was a girl. A very pretty girl, in fact. Was that why Sebek didn’t want to be your partner? With all these questions floating around your head, the lesson started.

—

“What could be troubling you, young one?” Lilia asked, dumping another vial of liquid into the bubbling mixture you three had in your cauldron.

You were too worn down by your emotions to tell your upperclassman off for calling you ‘young one’, instead opting to release a heavy sigh. “I don’t understand. All this is too perfect to be a mere coincidence.”

Kalim’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What happened?” Surprised that your happy-go-lucky senpai hadn’t heard about the weird coincidence yet, you explained it to him, including your confusion and hurt.

What you refrained from sharing was your conflicting feelings of love. You felt abandoned because your friends weren’t hanging out with you as much, right? Seeing Sebek with the pretty transfer student made your heart ache because of the possibility he would stop being your friend, right?

You loved them as friends and nothing more than that, right? Right?

“They’re just really busy in preparations for the festival.” Was Kalim’s final verdict. “You can always come hang out at Scarabia! We can have a parade and ride my flying carpet across the night sky!”

Lilia, however, said nothing, only watching with a knowing smile on his face. He always seemed to know everything and you had the sneaking suspicions that he knew exactly what’s going on with you, all without you saying a word to him.

“That applies to Diasomnia as well. You’re always welcomed to sort things out with me.” You knew whatever was going to come out of Lilia’s mouth would not be in your favor when that familiar teasing glint made its way into the third-year’s eyes.

“That’s what you young people would call a date, is it not?”

To be continued~

*Lyrics taken from What is Love by TWICE

[death-himself]

All Tied Up

Part of the Four Human-Eating Monsters and An Apathetic Florist AU!

Summary: Roman doesn't understand why he has a human foot as a soulmark, but Remus finds it hilarious

Warnings: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Remus being Remus, Small discussion of sex near the end (thanks Remus), Spiders, Talk of eating people, Dead bodies

Word Count: 2,335

Previous Next (AO3 Link)

What...the fuck...is that.

As Roman stared down at his chest, his mind grew increasingly confused. Last night, he had been preparing for the most perfectly placed soulmark in the world. He had daydreamed about his soulmate caressing his cheek, wrapping their arms around him, or maybe even kissing him as their first contact ever since he had learned of soulmarks. But this…

Remus had been cackling for the past thirty minutes, and was still going. “Stop laughing at me!” Roman shouted.

“Your...your soulmate!” He gasped out, his body curled up as much as it could be as he continued to giggle. Roman huffed.

“What about them?”

“That’s a whole-ass human foot on your chest!” Remus squealed. Roman’s cheeks went red, running a hand over the mark again. It made no sense.

“Maybe they’re a drider with some kind of...genetic disorder?”

“You have a human for a soulmate! Your soulmate is like one of those monster-fuckers I’ve heard about!” Roman ran a hand through his hair, his front two legs tapping at the stone floor as he thought.

What if his other soulmates were also humans? What if he was the only drider? What if they all got together without him? How would his human soulmates react to seeing him? Would they even want to be with him? He felt as though all of his romantic fantasies and desires for love were being swept down the river.

And then those thoughts promptly flew out of his mind thanks to Remus punching him in the face. “Ow, what the hell?” Remus just stared wide-eyed, a small grin on his face.

“Oh my gods, this just keeps getting better!” He put one of his fists against Roman’s cheek, over one of Roman’s other soulmarks, then began cackling again. “One of your other soulmates is gonna punch you in the face!”

He then proceeded to slap Roman’s other cheek, over one of Roman’s other soulmarks. “Oh you’re gonna get fucked up!” Roman punched and slapped him back, huffing and crawling into his web to sulk.

Gaining your soulmarks was meant to be one of the most exhilarating, heart-warming experiences in the world, second only to actually meeting your soulmates. It was meant to make you feel less alone, and as if you had something to look forward to.

But now Roman felt more alone and hopeless than ever.

Patton hummed as he walked down the forest path, twirling his parasol, enjoying the feeling of dirt under his feet.

“You didn’t have to come with me, you know.” Virgil spoke, tying his jacket around his waist as he realized how warm it was. They had to move into a new house due to a few accidents involving a few too many murders in their area, and Virgil wanted to explore the forest and check out the wildlife.

“I wanna try and find some cool rocks for my rock collection!” Patton chirped. “Besides, I like the outdoors. Might not be able to enjoy the sunlight, but I can enjoy everything else!” Virgil hummed, spotting a river and snapping a picture.

They continued their walk through the forest, Patton collecting a pocket-full of stones as they followed the river, Virgil taking pictures of anything even remotely cool, knowing Logan would be interested. He had decided to stay home to continue cleaning up after their move, as well as to keep Janus company while he sunbathed.

That’s when Patton and Virgil came across a cave. The opening was fairly small, maybe three normal-sized people wide and one tall, but it seemed to open up enough to fit a house inside. Patton came closer, taking a look around before reeling back with a yelp.

“What? What’s wrong?” Patton whimpered, pointing at the ground. At the entrance of the cave was what looked like a giant piece of spider webbing. Virgil gulped, remembering Arachne and Aragog from the Greek myths and Harry Potter books he read back in high school. He gently pulled Patton away from the entrance, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight.

“Stay out here, alright? I’ll check it out.” He thought for a moment, before smirking. “Five bucks this is our last soulmate.” Patton laughed awkwardly, clearly not finding the idea funny.

“Logan? I think you might want to read this.” Janus spoke up, staring down at an article he had pulled up on Virgil’s laptop. Logan peered over Janus’s shoulder, his eyes quickly scanning the article.

“People have gone missing in this forest?” Janus nodded.

“I have a feeling there might be something in there. Something Patton and Virgil might not be capable of handling.” Logan hummed, taking the laptop and looking through a few more news articles.

“It appears there are multiple reports of a large creature as well as some animals being found covered in spider webs. How curious. I suppose since creatures such as you and I exist, it isn’t too far-fetched to believe that giant spiders exist as well.” Janus stared out into the forest.

“Patton has arachnophobia and Virgil’s just a human.”

“If they come across one of these creatures, they’re likely doomed.” Logan muttered to himself. Janus nodded thoughtfully for a moment, before beginning to slither into the forest as fast as he could. “Let’s find them before Virgil tries to fuck with the wrong thing.” Logan thought for a moment, biting his lip before racing into the forest, unable to escape the anxious pit in his stomach.

Virgil ventured into the cave, the web seeming to glisten as the light was shone onto them. Spider silk covered every inch of the cave, as well as shapes that looked to be animals and a few humans wrapped up in web. He gulped as he stared up at them. Seeing human bodies hanging limp and wrapped up like that was unsettling, and that was saying something, considering he’s seen Janus swallow a live rabbit whole.

That’s when he heard clicking from the ceiling above him. A large body dropped down behind him. Virgil spun around, his stomach lurching and prepared to vomit in case a web-encased human had just fallen from the sky.

Standing there was a large red-eyed drider, baring its fangs. There was clicking behind Virgil, and he glanced back to see a green-eyed drider grinning eagerly at him. Well, he wasn’t expecting two. They looked like twins though, so he wasn’t too surprised.

He noticed the red-eyed drider had soulmarks covering his hands, similar to the hand marks on Virgil’s shoulders. The green-eyed one’s hands were clean. He then saw the footprint on his chest and had to bite his lip to stop from laughing. So that was why Patton’s foot had a soulmark on it. He raised an eyebrow with a grin at the drider in front of him. “Lemme guess, you’re my soulmate too?”

The driders moved into action, the one behind him beginning to wrap him in webbing. Virgil’s potential soulmate grabbed Virgil by the arms—right where his soulmarks were—and attached him to their larger web, where they kept the rest of their victims. Virgil felt his soulmarks leave.

“...Yup. Hey man, you might wanna let me go before this gets awkward.” His soulmate gave him a confused look. Virgil nodded down at his hands. “Something’s missing there.” The drider looked down at his hands, his eyes going blank as his mind processed what he was seeing. The green-eyed drider began to laugh.

“Hey you met one of your soulmates! And he’s already all tied up for you to...y’know,” he proceeded to make gross kissing and moaning sounds as he made out with his hand. Virgil’s soulmate snapped out of his daze, scowling at his twin. He slowly turned to look up at Virgil, his eight eyes suddenly showing so much vulnerability and uncertainty as he looked Virgil over.

“You don’t look scared.” He stated quietly.

“Bitch, this isn’t my first rodeo. Don’t think you’re special in your attempt to eat me.” His soulmate spluttered, unsure of what that meant. His twin was too confused about what a rodeo was to process anything else.

“You mind letting me down now? This is cool and all, but I prefer not being wrapped up and hanging above the ground thank you very much.” His soulmate smiled at that, slowly grabbing his shoulders again and beginning to pull him down.

That’s when a rock came flying through the air at them. Patton had aimed it at the red-eyed drider, but it ended up missing and hitting Virgil square in the face. Their soulmate turned to see Patton, trembling with fear as he tried his best to intimidate a drider with five feet of overprotectiveness.

Virgil groaned, trying to shake off the pain of the rock, turning to look over at Patton. “Hey Pat, you owe me five bucks.” Their soulmate glanced back at Virgil, seeming to understand what that meant, and trying to smile at Patton.

“Ah, so we’re soulmates too? Well it’s an honor to meet you, my name is Roman. And you are?” Roman crawled closer to Patton, who whimpered with every click of his claws on the stone. Roman hadn’t really noticed Patton’s fear, instead wanting to come closer, Virgil having brought back some of his hope of an actual relationship.

“I’m Patton. Hi.” Patton squeaked out. Roman stepped a few inches closer and extended a hand for Patton to shake, apparently too fast for Patton’s comfort, as he screamed and kicked Roman in the chest.

Roman stumbled back, the hope in his eyes seeming to shatter. He tried to come closer again to apologize for whatever he did, when he heard pounding footsteps approaching. Then his head was sent to the side as a fist connected with his cheek. Logan growled menacingly, pulling Patton behind him. Roman felt his soulmarks fade, dread filling his stomach as his worst nightmares came true.

Remus had processed the situation, realizing that the people who had come in definitely weren’t human. He eyed his brother’s soulmate for a moment, ripping him off the web and breaking him loose. “You owe me one meatbag.”

“Yeah sure, whatever Spiderman.” Remus clearly didn’t get the reference, but he cackled all the same. Virgil went ahead and got in between Roman and Logan. “Everyone calm the fuck down.”

“He tied you up and was gonna eat you!” Patton whimpered, clutching to Logan’s shirt.

“As if you guys didn’t?” Patton blinked, his cheeks going red.

“This is our soulmate, his name is Roman.” Virgil turned around to look at Roman, “Roman, I’m Virgil, that’s Logan, that’s Patton, and...where’s Jan?” He furrowed his brow, poking his head out of the cave entrance. Janus was just reaching the cave, grumbling to himself about “filthy two-leggers.” He spotted Virgil, scowled at him, then proceeded to mess up Virgil’s hair just to annoy him as he slithered into the cave.

Virgil huffed, fixing his hair and following him in. Janus studied Roman for a moment. “I’m assuming you’re our last soulmate then?” Roman nodded, bracing himself to be slapped in the face like Remus had thought. He had already scared Patton and tied up Virgil, so he would deserve it.

Janus laid a gentle hand on Roman’s last soulmark, noticing how he had tensed up and shut his eyes. “There’s no need to be afraid, darling. It’s alright.” Janus leaned in and pressed a light kiss onto Roman’s lips.

As he pulled away (with much pouting on Roman’s part) he said, “I’m assuming you tried to kill or do harm to Virgil in some way, correct? We’ve all been there, don’t go sulking about it. He does have a rather delectable scent.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Virgil asked.

“Interpret it as you will.” Janus waved his hand dismissively. Logan stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Well, I apologize for attacking you, Roman. I heard Patton scream, and couldn’t help but think the worst. If you would like something to make up for it, I’m sure none of us would mind you coming by for dinner.” He glanced back at Patton as he spoke.

Patton winced at the thought of having dinner with a half-spider person, but nodded, taking a deep breath as he stepped a bit closer. “I’ll be honest, Roman. I...feel a bit scared of you. But I want this to work. And...I know it’ll work. Virgil got over his fear of us killing him, so I can get over my fear of you.” He smiled shakily up at Roman, before hesitating, and pulling him into a hug.

Roman had never been hugged by any warm-blooded creatures. It just didn’t happen. But holy fuck did it feel good. He hugged Patton back, the warmth unbelievably comforting. He had loved Janus’s kiss, it had made his heart stop and his body completely relax. But it was a different kind of comforting having a warm-blooded creature hold him.

He whined as Patton stepped back. Patton giggled, nodding for the cave entrance and asking for Roman to follow them home. Roman nodded immediately, before pausing and turning back to Remus.

“Do you want to join, Rem?” Remus shrugged, relaxing into his web. “Nah, I’ll stay here, don’t wanna fuck up your first night having sex, y’know?” Roman scoffed, outraged.

“How would that work? Human sex organs are very different from spider organs, and I’m assuming you—” Patton slapped a hand over Logan’s mouth, shouting random nonsense over him in an attempt to get him to stop.

As they left, Remus traced the handprint on his chest. Knowing at least one of Roman’s soulmates was human had always left the door open for even more possibilities for him. Unlike Roman, he only had one person to look forward to.

Remus huffed, staring out the cave entrance as the sky grew slowly darker. Figures. Of course he would have to keep waiting while Roman thrived. He was so tired of waiting.

[velvett-darling]

Stay?

Pairing: Mammon x reader (gender neutral)

Fandom: Obey Me

Genre: Fluff? I think?

Word count: 2.4k

Warning (s): Spoilers from chapters 19 ahead!

Note: I haven't been writing for ages and I'm warming up to it. This is literally my first OM fic and ngl I'm pretty nervous to post this. This fic is (heavily) inspired by chapter 19 because it got me sobbing 😔

--

Emotions.

He wasn't unfamiliar to them. In fact, he had experienced them all - ranging from the fear of Lucifer's punishments, to the happiness he felt everytime he uses his beloved credit card, which he had named as Goldie. How about love? He wasn't unfamiliar with it either, but Mammon couldn't care less to pursue it. He was happy enough with his own company and his credit card.

All is fine in the life of The Avatar of Greed. Well, that was until you came along.

Words couldn't describe how utterly annoyed he was when Lucifer ordered him to babysit a student from the human world that day. A powerless, weak human who was randomly picked for the exchange program at RAD.. How dare the ravenette ordered THE Mammon, who is known as one of the seven rulers of Devildom, the second strongest demon among his siblings and The Avatar of Greed himself, to care for a pathetic human like you.

As if having to babysit a human exchange student wasn't bad enough, he had to deal with your personality. Everything about your personality clashes with his and both of you were always found headbutting againts each other. It's not that the other brothers were complaining though. Watching the priceless expression Mammon had on his face when you talked back to him was quite entertaining. Your snarky and sarcastic remarks towards him were the icing on the cake.

He remembers the way you glared at him on your first encounter in the assembly hall. That dirty look you gave him was enough to get him on his nerves, but then again, he couldn't really blame you for it. You were still stuck in confusion with the whole exchange program when he literally just barged in and yelled at you.

If he was fire, you would be ice. If he was oil, then you're water. Mammon was infamous for being a loudmouth - the moronic demon who didn't think things twice before acting on it. He was nothing but a troublemaker and the source of entertainment for his other brothers.

You, on the other hand, was a quiet and level headed person who wouldn't want anything to do with an overly outgoing demon like him. You had always held a calm and collective composure around the others and would prefer burying yourself with books rather than being an accomplice of Mammon's stupid schemes. 

Judging from the fact that the two of you were the complete opposites of each other, there was no way you could get along - let alone fall in love with each other. Or at least that was what Mammon had thought of everyday, especially after making a pact with you.

Why would he like you anyway? You're just a weak human with no powers whatsoever. He's far more superior to be compared to you. As if that wasn't enough to convince himself that you're not someone that he would have a crush on, you're too uptight and boring. Hell, you even reminded him of Lucifer sometimes.

There's no way he would like you. Not even in the slightest.

However, if that was really the case, why does his face gets warm everytime he sees your genuine smile? Why does he feel uneasy whenever any of his brothers gets too close to you? Why was he so caught up with the way your eyes sparkled when you were looking at the stars from the planetarium? 

The adorable, stern look on your face when you were trying to focus on something? That was something that he would want to remember for the rest of his life without him even willing to admit it.

Mammon couldn't shake off the memory of how worried he was when you were almost killed by Leviathan after that small TSL pop quiz competition. When he was tending to your injured wrist, he tried to be as gentle as he could. Even though he wasn't good enough with bandages, he tried his best to handle your injury.

There was also another time when you were almost killed by Lucifer for trying to protect Beelzebub and Luke. The second when you passed out, Mammon was more than worried for you. He stood by your side as your unconscious figure was safely tucked into Beel's bed, waiting for you to wake up. His heart was racing too fast out of worry but of course he wouldn't admit that. 

He got too worried to the point where he had to step out and head off to somewhere else just to take a breather and calm himself down. Little did he know, the second he stepped out was the time when you finally woke up with an unexpected question to leave your lips; "Where's Mammon?"

Despite how different the two of you were, both of you do work well with each other. You would always be the one who would try to keep or help him out of trouble, while he would pull you out from your shell to join his troublemaking schemes - like that one time when he forced you to eat Beel's custard, only resulting with the kitchen getting destroyed. The crazy thing is? You didn't even refuse to join him that night, despite knowing damn well that you'll get yourself into trouble for eating the custard.

There was another time when you found him hanging from his side as a punishment from Lucifer. He was left alone and crying, causing a strong pang of worry and sympathy to strike in your chest. Your heart almost broke at how miserable he looked at that moment, which then led you to your next crazy thing; releasing him by yourself. 

You knew that Lucifer would be really mad at you if you're caught releasing Mammon but you couldn't care less at that point. You hated the way Mammon was left to suffer on his own when everyone else was resting in the comfort of their bed. You would feel guilty if you did nothing to save him from his punishment this time.

Maybe both you and Mammon have grown attached to each other without even actually realizing it. Neither two of you would outrightly admit this, but being around each other gave the sense of joy and comfort. After all, you were the only one who didn't bully him as much as his brothers would, despite having constant arguments. Mammon felt more appreciated when he's around you and he likes that.

"Let's go this way!" You exclaimed as soon as Mammon told you to run away with him from Leviathan. You were walking at the hallways when the demon had stopped you and told you to hang out with him earlier. That was until the third brother interrupted your little moment with Mammon. As usual, he was in trouble with Levi for not paying back the money he borrowed. Typical Mammon, you thought.

Despite the situation both of you were currently in, Mammon couldn't help but to notice the wide grin on your face as you began picking up your pace to run from his third brother. The almost playful tone in your voice as you lead him towards the other direction to escape from Levi doesn't go unnoticed as well. You were definitely different from the way you used to be when you first got here.

Your attempt in escaping Leviathan has brought the two of you to hiding in Mammon's car trunk that was kept in his bedroom. Why was it there? You had no idea, but at least it was a good hiding place. It was a little cramped in there, yes, but now that you think of it, that was one of the last chances for the two of you to be physically really close with each other. 

It was your last week at Devildom and the thought of leaving ripped your heart into million pieces. Of course the demon brothers could easily visit you at the human world whenever they wish, but would it feel the same? 

The distance between you and Mammon will drastically increase once you leave Devildom. Would the distance affect what you had with him? Will the both of you eventually drift away as a result of not being around each other much anymore when time passes? 

"Damn he almost caught us. We're still not safe yet. Levi's a persistent bastard and if we stay here, he'll find us. How about we head outside." Mammon said as soon as the two of you climbed out of his car trunk, shaking you off from the trail of questions in your head. Before you even know it, he was already leading you out from his room to hide from the otaku.

Standing at the balcony of RAD, both you and Mammon were exhausted from all the running. The demon was wheezing and panted before proceeding to speak. "Alright, we should be far enough away that we're safe now.." There was a wash of relief through his senses as he straightened up to regain his composure. You, on the other hand, were already distracted by the beautiful view from the balcony.

The sky of The Devildom was never bright, resembling the night sky of the human world. Stars were sparkling magneficently, illuminating the almost tenebrous view. Colourful lights from the other buildings completed the scenery, making everything look more gorgeous than it already was.

You returned your attention towards Mammon as soon as he started laughing, before joining in as well. Who would've thought that running away together like this was fun? While you were laughing, the silver haired demon slowly stopped his laughter to silently admire the cheery look on your face. You looked so happy, with light blush covering your cheeks - oblivious of the way he was currently looking at you.

Damn he was smitten, and this time, he wasn't even trying to deny himself.

"Hey, Levi was totally watchin' from up on the second floor as we ran outta the house. Man, did you see the look he had on his face?" He said before laughing again. You were already dying of laughter at this moment.

"That was hilarious!" You exclaimed, pausing to wipe off a stray tear from your right eye for laughing too hard. It took some time for the laughter to reduce and once both of you were no longer laughing, Mammon looked at you.

Your eyes came in contact with each other and there was something in his eyes this time, that had caught you slightly off guard. His gaze on you has softened, as well as the smile that he had on his face. You weren't sure if Mammon even noticed himself doing it, considering how much of a 'tsundere' the demon could be most of the times.

"Y'know what? I've gotta say, I really have a lot of fun when I'm with you. When we're together, it's like I'm always smilin', always laughin'." You stood there as you listened, your heart pounding in your chest. You couldn't hold back the smile that was threatening to show up on your now slightly reddened face.

His words pulled out an unusual feeling from the depths of your heart and it wasn't unpleasant at all. It was a feeling that you had never noticed it being there before. It almost felt like your heart was doing acrobatics and you couldn't even stop it.

"Listen, why doncha just stay here from now on? Who needs the human world? Don't go back there." Oh how you wish you could stay here in The Devildom, with Mammon by your side. If only it was possible, you wouldn't even hesitate to stay. The look on your face turned apologetic, your smile slightly transitioned into a sad one. 

He saw the way your face changed and wasn't hesitant to continue his words. "I want you right here in The Devildom. I want you here with ME, all the time." You noticed how his voice softened at the end of his sentence. He wanted you and you could barely process the fact that he was actually saying this to you.

THE Mammon who prides himself as The Avatar of Greed, the one who hated you so much when you first got here, is telling you that he wanted you to stay and be with him all the time?

You knew that you were awfully silent than usual at the moment but honestly, was there even anything left for you to say? Your tongue was tied as your mind scrabbles for any reasonable response for him. Was it even possible to come up with anything at this point?

While you were trying to think of a response, Mammon leaned in closer towards your direction. Your eyes slightly widened at his sudden action, especially after seeing the unusually serious look on his face. His face was only a few inches away from yours and you would be lying to say that you weren't struggling to hold yourself together.

Maybe all this time, just like him, the only thing you had ever done was just denying your feelings towards the demon. You lied to yourself - telling yourself that you don't want him, when you actually do. Hell, you wanted Mammon more than anything right now. Your gaze flickered over his soft lips, the temptation to kiss him was growing stronger and stronger as time passes by.

Risking it all, you finally made a move on him and closed the distance between the two of you. Your kiss was short yet sweet, while at the same time you were anxious for the outcome of your action. Would Mammon hate you for kissing him? Will things change for the worse after this kiss? Have you done a big mistake?  

The silver haired demon was caught completely off guard with the kiss, his eyes widening while his tan cheeks hinted a shade of red. He looked at you with disbelief, his mind trying to process what just happened. It took him a couple of good seconds to finally give you a response.

"What're you thinking', doin' that outta nowhere.. Though, uh, on second thought, I'm gonna need you to do that again. Once isn't NEARLY enough!"

Your lips stretched into a wider smile as soon as you heard his response, with him gently wrapping his arms around your waist to bring you closer. "Come here.." His soft voice melted your heart, as you brought your arms to hang loosely around his neck. With your forehead resting againts his, your lips were almost touching when Leviathan's voice interrupted the scene.

"Found you!"

[viogsquad]

disobedience - david dobrik

authors note; smut that i wrote for another fandom but edited it so it works for david! hard turning a smut about a 1920s birmingham gangster who smokes, kills and drinks whiskey into david dobrik but hey, i think it worked! feedback appreciated. word count; 4k words. warnings; smut, dom!david, masturbation, oral.

“Take off your dress.”  

Silence occupied the room as you looked over at David with confusion. Facing away from you, he fiddled with his phone as he tried to contain the anger that was slowly building up inside of him. Leisurely licking your lips, your tried to muffle a laugh as you noticed the jealousy he proudly wore, not at all ashamed to admit that he was proud of what was his and he didn’t like sharing. It was over nothing - like always - David just couldn’t handle it when you and Jeff shared a few meaningless jokes.  

“No,” you replied, your voice firm.  

Despite coming across as self-confident, you could already feel yourself shrinking up as David turned around to look at you with a hard stare, his face palpably unenthusiastic. It was a quick glance that only lasted a few seconds but it was enough to put you in your place for a moment. David turned back around to continue scrolling through the twitter app, the hint of amusement on his face but he wouldn’t show it.  

“Funny,” he said with a chuckle. “Take off your underwear then, love.”  

Pursuing your lips, you shook your head at David, even though he couldn’t see you. Your back was pressed up against the white walls as you looked at David’s back, sensing the tension just from the way he stood. “Who says I’m wearing underwear?”  

There was a smirk on David’s face as he walked over to the kitchen and past you, not giving you the satisfaction of looking at you. “Flirting with Jeff,” David started, pausing to down the drink he had poured himself in one go, the burning taste causing him to grimace slightly. It was rare to see David drink, usually he kept his camera in his hand as he watched everyone else drink so you knew that when the booze came out, you were in for a night of it. You looked over at the bottle of alcohol and decided that you needed one to carry on with the spoilt brat act you were playing but you didn’t dare move from your spot at the other side of the room. “In the same room as me.” David stopped again and poured himself another drink of the clear liquid that glistened under the kitchen lights, the drink vanishing before you could even get a proper look at it. “And you were wearing no underwear.” David tutted in a sardonic manner as he finally turned around to look at you, the glass in his hand as he rolled his head to the side to glare at you. “Oh dear, what has happened to you?”  

“Jealous?”  

Ignoring your comment because frankly, the answer was obvious, David pointed towards the hallway and led you down to the office area which was never used. “Hurry up,” he demanded, gruff voice due to the singing at the party ringing down the hallway and into the kitchen area of the house where you would stand. You followed quickly, not prepared to take the punishment that would come for ignoring him. You were already in the bad books. “Come here,” he commanded as he leaned against the desk. David wasn’t an idiot and he knew that you would never go off with another man, the love the two of you shared indestructible, and that you were only doing this for your own deprived satisfaction. After years together, David knew your needs better than anyone else and the crafty games you would play to get what you wanted sexually.  “Come here,” he repeated when you remained stood in the doorway of the office area.  

“I’d rather go back to the party and spend some time with Jeff who actually listens to my stories and is interested in the things I have to say unlike my boyfriend who prefers getting vlog footage.”

David raised one eyebrow before scoffing. “Go on then.”  

David tried not to laugh as he watched your face twist into misunderstanding - that was not the response you wanted.  

“Excuse me?”  

“You heard me,” David replied. With fast movements, he was stood up and walking towards the door where you were stood, his hands lightly on your waist as he pushed you backwards until you were pressed against the hallway wall. “You obviously prefer being with Jeff so go on, I’m not stopping you.” When you looked down at the ground and shuffled your feet, a dark chuckle came from David who had backed away so he was now stood in the doorway. “That’s what I thought.”  

Finally moving your feet properly, you made a move to the desk to grab the bottle of booze that David had brought in with him but his body blocked you from getting any further from the door.  

“What are you doing?” you questioned, looking up at David who had grabbed hold of your wrists to stop your actions. You were portraying your eyes as innocent - fluttering your eyelashes and widening your eyes to make David take pity on you but he saw through the act. “Would you like something from me, David?”  

“Take off your dress.”  

There was a time to challenge his orders later and you planned to do so.  

You watched as David strolled back over to his desk and resumed his position of standing in front of it with the back of his thighs pressed against the wood. He raised one eyebrow, gesturing for you to hurry up which you did, slowly. Standing with your back facing David, you slipped the dress from your shoulders and allowed it to fall from your body and onto the floor. David watched with ravenous eyes and his mouth soon twisted into a smirk when he spotted that you were in fact wearing underwear.  

“Seems like we need to add lying to the list of things that you have done tonight, all to intentionally wind me up,” he said tenderly, too softly for your liking. “We have rules, doll and your meant to stick to them otherwise I have to act like this. I think deep down you love it though, don’t you? That’s why you walked around parties begging for the attention of other men because you know that all I’m going to do is take you back to that car, drive you home and have my way with you before you can even think of another man.”  

You turned to face David with raised eyebrows. Your confidence was at an all-time high as David’s eyes danced up and down your body, he would never get over how beautiful you were.  

“Take off your underwear now, doll.” David leaned back against the desk and pressed his hands flat against the surface, each hand besides him.  

“Do it yourself,” you said with a cheeky grin.

David stood up and strolled over to you before taking hold of your hand and walking you over to the desk. Your heart was racing with anticipation as you waited for whatever your punishment would be. David was a tease, he could do it all night, but you wouldn’t to get straight to the point. The tension had been building up since the moment you walked down the hallway and into the living room wearing a dress that would have your grandma blushing.

“Did you think it was okay to flirt with one of my best friends?” David asked as he picked you up and placed you on top of the desk, not being kind with his actions as you landed with a thud. You moved your hands to rest on your lovers shouldn’t as you tilted your head to the side and pouted. “Do you?” David was slowly becoming irritated with your disobedience.  He didn’t mind a little game at all but you knew how to push all of his buttons to get the most delicious amount of pleasure out of him and that was what frustrated him the most.  

“No,” you answered nervously. “No, I don’t think it was okay to flirt with Jeff.”  

David nodded. “I don’t think it was okay either, love.”  

David shuddered slightly as you ran your hands through his hair, pulling slightly just like he adored. “Jeff is just good company, that’s all. He kept me entertained when no-one else was talking to me.”  

“I don’t care if he’s the fucking King.”  

David’s face was directly in front of yours as he leaned forwards to press one chaste kiss on your lips, leaving you puckering and frantic for more. David looked at you in a mocking manner before placing one hand on your stomach and pushing you down so you were laid across the desk, the papers David hadn’t looked over pressed into your bare back. You didn’t care for the uncomfortable position, you just longed for David and the feeling of his coarse hands on your soft skin; a beautiful contrast.  

“David,” you hummed, accepting the fact that you would always fully submit yourself to the man who stood above you with his digits trailing along your legs. “Come on,” you said, hoping it would inspire him to further his actions. “Fuck me like Jeff wouldn’t, make me feel things that Jeff wouldn’t be able to make me feel.”  

David scowled at you at the mention of his brother's name. He loved his friend but he loathed the thought of him and you together, alone and in the bedroom. He would rather stick pins in his eyes.

“You are killing me,” David muttered as he started to leisurely pull down your underwear. “And you think it’s hilarious, don’t you?”  

Shaking your head, you sat up and wrapped your arms around David’s neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. David, surprised by your sudden movement, staggered forward slightly and pressed both of his hands against your hips, leaving your underwear to fall by themselves. One of his hands moved up your back at an excruciating speed as he nipped at your bottom lip, eager for entrance. The teasing inside of you switched back on as you refused to open your mouth for him, leaving him frustrated and unsatisfied. With a quick tug of your hair though, David had you gasping and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue inside of your mouth.  

“That’s better,” he whispered against your lips before delving back in, you permitting him access this time.  

You moved one of your hands to stroke David’s cheek slowly, the action contrasting the rough and wet kiss that was taking place. David was desperate, angry and jealous - a mixture of emotions that would only lead to the most pleasurable of sex. This is what you had wanted, what you had craved and he was finally giving into you, yet there was still a twisted part of you that wanted to see how far he could take your teasing and bad behaviour that went against all the rules that had been put in place.  

David moved away from the kiss and stepped back for a second as he tried to collect his thoughts. You were driving him wild.  

“Lean back,” he said as he struggled to keep his breath at a certain pace. “Now,” he demanded; his voice strict. You had somehow won back control but David would not let it stay with you for any longer.  

Obeying his orders, you leaned back down and watched him thoroughly as he tried to figure out what his next move would be. David stepped backwards for a few seconds before lowering himself down so he could see your core perfectly, his eyes never leaving yours. The desk was cold against your back and causing you to arch your back slightly which only encouraged David to move faster with his plans. Silence filled the room as you watched David grip the back of your thighs, dragging you down the desk until your legs were placed on top of his shoulders.  

“David,” you whispered, leaning up slightly to get a good looking at your boyfriend only to be pushed back down again.  

There was anger in his eyes but also lust, desire and admiration. David was desperate to be inside of you but he had to remain composed in order to keep the roles as they were. David continued to ignore you as you repeated his name over and over again, voice breathless as you prayed mentally for him to hurry up.  

“Jeff, aye?” he murmured, one finger sliding along your wet slit at an agonizing speed. “Do you think that Jeff could ever have you like this?” he asked, referring to your trembling legs and obvious desire. Looking up at you, David had a hard expression on his face as he waited for your answer.  

“No.” You shook your head and gulped. “Never.”  

“That’s right.”  

David parted your lips with his fingers and admired the mess that you were making on his desk. Slowly, just to prove a point, he ran one of his fingers along your arousal before pressing it against your clit with just enough pressure to make you jump forward slightly. He continued to rub his finger around and around, causing light moans and soft whimpers to slip from your mouth. A gentle kiss was pressed to the inside of your thigh as David got himself into a more comfortable before finally giving you what you had been craving.

“Oh, Jesus,” you moaned as David’s tongue came into contact with your clit, sucking the nub harshly.  

Lapping up your wetness, David continued to run his tongue up and down, occasionally swirling it around your clit with added pressure that had your mind dizzy. The whole time, his hands were gripping onto your thighs, digging in slightly to prove his point. He wanted to mark you up, claim you as his own.

One finger entered itself at your entrance, adding to the pleasure that you were already feeling. Pumping it in and out at a stable pace, David continued to flick his tongue on your clit and listened closely to your moans that were for him, not John.

“David - ” you whined, voice cracking with desire.

David hummed, the vibrations adding to heavenly feeling. “Yes, love?”

“Faster,” you said shakily, slightly frustrated at how slow he was going. The feeling was wonderful but you needed him; you needed to feel all of David.

David pulled away but continued to pump his fingers in and out, casually adding a second which had you frantically begging for more. A mocking tut was the only response that you got as David admired you; closed eyes, hair spread out amongst the sheets that detailed merch sales, legs shaking and breathing uneven.  

“Why should I do that?” David asked, his voice was seductive - laced with arousal and dominance.  

“Because you loved me.”  

David tilted his head to the side and smiled, agreeing with your remark. Patting his thighs, David stood up and walked over to the bottle of alcohol that was situated on the other side of the desk. He waited a minute before walking back over to your trembling body. During the silent on minute, you had managed to sit yourself up as you waited uncomplainingly for David to continue with his actions.  

“I do love you,” he said as he spread your legs apart so he could stand in between them, the cold air hitting your clit and bringing a whole other feeling. “But you fucking wind me up.” Running one hand down David’s chest, you pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek before grabbing his cock through his jeans. David looked down at you, his jaw clenched and eyebrows furrowed. “What do you think you're doing?”  

“I want to please you, Dace,” you mumbled as you pressed your forehead against his chest. After unbuttoning his jeans, just enough so you could slip your hand inside of his boxers, you slipped your smaller hand past the material and involuntarily moaned at the feeling of his hair cock. David was doing his best to keep his quiet moans hidden and away from your ears but with every touch, he knew that his walls were breaking down. His eyes were fluttering shut and his mouth was slightly opened - you couldn’t help but fall more and more in love with him with every whimper that came. There was no better sound that David’s soft moans that slipped through his teeth as you swiped your thumb against the tip of his cock that was leaking pre-cum.

David shook his head before grinning. “I don’t think so.” David removed your hand from his skin and stepped back for a second. “Put on a show for me, sweetheart.” Walking behind you, David sat himself down on the chair and waited for you to turn around of the desk so he could see you all over again. “Come on.”  

With a small smirk, and a plan, you jumped off the desk and over to where David was sat and situated yourself in between his thighs before jumping up on the desk. Your feet were rested against the arm rests as you leaned back a little.

Like always, David looked calm and collected as he waited for you to pleasure yourself in front of him. He wasn’t stupid either, he could see that you were calculating and had a plan ready that waiting to be used. However, he wasn’t going to play into it.

Running one hand across your stomach, you watched as David licked his lips. Hair was falling in your face and you arched your back, the feeling of yours fingers against your clit bringing you back to the pleasure that you had minutes beforehand. After a good couple of years of being David, him introducing you to all your sexual desires, nothing could ever compare to the feeling of his fingers. David loved seeing you in a vulnerable position, watching as your back arched, your free hand gripping onto the side of the desk. It was erotic and was sending his head spinning.

David gripped onto your ankle with his free hand and soothed it with his thumb, words of encouragement falling from his mouth as he did so. It was time to put your plan into action and finally get what you had been wanting since the moment that he had first placed his tongue against your sensitive area.

“Jeff,” you moaned loudly as you inserted one finger, doing your best to keep the smirk that was threatening to come onto your face at bay.

David’s fingers instantly stopped rubbing the skin on your ankle and instead, he gripped it harshly. “Excuse me?”

Ignoring his words, you continued to moan Jeff’s name, rubbing your clit harder as your peak was nearing. David didn’t know how to react; he knew that you were messing with him, doing it to cause a reaction but he was angry, and he was going to let you know that he was.

Within seconds, David was stood up and was grabbing onto your wrists tightly, stopping your movements. Wrapping one arm around your back, David dragged you down from the desk, so you were stood in front of him.

“I didn’t like that,” David rasped as he turned you around and bent you over his work desk, his hands pressing into your skin without any remorse, the marks that would be there in the morning reminding you of what happened when you went against the rules.. “How would you like it if I moaned another girls name? Ay, you’d fucking hate it.” While talking, David placed both of your arms over your back, leaving you pressed flat against the cold surface. Your fingers were linked together at the bottom of your back as David pressed kisses along your spine until he reached your neck. “You only moan one man’s name,” he paused and kissed the back of your neck before continuing. “And that’s mine. Is that understood?”

Looking over your shoulder, you nodded your head. “Yes, David.”

David pulled his jeans and boxers down to his thighs before lining his cock up with your entrance. There was no time to be slow, David was desperate to prove a point and as he pushed inside of you, stretching you in the most wonderful of ways, he knew that he had you. A devilish smile came to his face as you moaned his name loudly, ignoring the pain of his hand digging your own hands into your back. One hand was pressed against your hip as he found a speed that had you wriggling on the desk.

“Jeff couldn’t - ” David cut himself off with a moan as he watched you push back against his cock with eagerness to get your release. “Couldn’t fuck you like I do,” he finished with a gulp.

Using the hands that were at the bottom of your back, David dragged you up so your back was pressed against the expensive material on his chest. He wrapped one hand around your stomach as he continued to whisper filthy things in your ear, occasionally stopping to suck on the skin below your ear that would leave a mark eventually. His rings were cold against your skin, his tongue hot on your neck and you thank God for bringing you a boyfriend that fucked you so well.  

“I love you,” you cried out, wanting to get the point across. “So much.”

“I know.”

David moved one hand down to your clit where he began to rub the sensitive nub at an impossible speed which caused you to jolt forward. You had nowhere to place your hands as they were locked behind your back, no way of balancing and all you could do was allow David to continue his actions which had you screaming his name, letting the whole of his street know that you belonged to him. His rhythm was becoming harsher as he felt his peak closing.

David pulled out and spun you around, so you were facing him. Wrapping one of your legs around his waist, David lifted you up onto the desk and pushed himself back inside, already missing the feeling of your wetness soaking his cock. His mouth was on yours within seconds as he kissed you passionately, his tongue having no mercy as it claimed your mouth - claimed you.

A long line of curse words slipped from David’s lips as he felt his orgasm grow closer and with each thrust, you could feel your own orgasm getting bigger and bigger, waiting for the one thrust that would send you over the edge and into paradise.

“Come on, love,” he whispered, pressing open-mouth, wet kisses along your cheek. Running his fingers through your hair, David chuckled as he watched you squeeze your eye shut due to the pleasure that was making you see stars. Sensing that you were close, David hurried his thrusts and made them harsher as he egged you on.

With David’s words of encouragement, you felt your orgasm overpower your body. Grabbing onto David’s shoulders, you moaned loudly as you allowed the pleasure to run through your body. Your orgasm triggered Davod’s and with his hand gripping your waist tightly, he let himself go. His heart was pounding as he felt you clench around him, causing him to stagger forward into your body a little bit as he tried to calm down.

“Are you angry with me?” you dared to ask as you nuzzled your head into David’s neck, breathing in his scent.

“Never.”

You nodded your head and pressed a soft kiss against David’s neck, chuckling as he trembled at the action. “I’d never go with Jeff, you know that, don’t you? I don’t want anybody else.”

“I know.” David smirked as he looked at you with loving eyes. “Don’t ever play that game again.”

You rolled your eyes before pushing David away slightly. “I would never.”

“Good. Now, go and get upstairs because I haven’t finished with you.”

[deadpooly]

Iron Man Bingo 2019

Word count: 1222

Tony was many things, but gullible was not one of them. He shouldn't have been scared or startled. Especially after hearing the trademark giggles of Peter Parker and Shuri. But honestly what was he supposed to expect? Those two are like mystery boxes filled with gummy worms rolling around in actual mud.

So it wasn't really his fault that this happened, and according to the two teens, it was their fault either. It was the clown. Yeah okay, whatever. Blame the clown.

OoOoOoOoOoO

In hindsight, it was mostly Shuri. It was her idea to hire the clown, somehow break it into the tower and have it act like a statue that magically moved to scare the living shit out of Tony. Peter was there to laugh at Tony and record it so that's the part he played.

It started when Tony was slowly walking into the  kitchen like a zombie to get coffee because it was like 5 in the morning and he saw the clown standing in the corner. The clown didn't move it just stood there. 

“What the hell?” Tony grumbled as he turned around to the kitchen counter to finish getting coffee. He was probably hallucinating. Scratch that. He was definitely hallucinating, probably from lack of sleep, and lack of coffee. When he turned around the clown was sitting at the table and what the hell, why is a statue clown switching places and in the tower in the first place? “Yep, not awake enough to deal with this.” Tony said as he turned around and started walking towards the stairs to go up to his lab.

As he was leaving he didn't hear the small quiet snickers coming from the vents, nor did he see the clown moving to his next move.

Tony was gradually coming to life while walking up the set of stairs to get to his lab and once he got there he was awake enough to put in the lab code and navigate his way through his tech to get to his main job so that was good.

Except once he got there the clown was sitting crossed legged on the floor by the vent and the air coming through the vent was blowing his big rainbow afro. He had jean overalls and thos big stupid clown shoes and a red striped long sleeve under his overalls. Of course there was also the trademark happy clown make up on his face. Tony did a double take and just stared at the clown. What. The. Fuck. Why is there a clown there and wasn't it just in the kitchen?

At this point Tony ignored it and moved on, assuming it was a hallucination and he was going nuts or something.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Tony kept being startled whenever the clown was. He would run into it and let out a rather loud squeak, because now it was freaky. Why was he still hallucinating a clown. Also, every once and a while he will hallucinate the sound of very familiar giggling that belonged to only two people, but apparently this wasn't enough evidence for him to believe he wasn't hallucinating. Because this shit was just crazy. It happened all day, it was in the kitchen, living room, his lab, literally everywhere he was going to be. He was just lucky that Rhodey or Pepper wasn't there to make fun of him for not sleeping enough and saying “oh we told you so” in his face. However that didn't stop Peter from coming in at about 4 in the afternoon. 

“Hey Mr. Stark!” the boy excitedly greeted when entering the lab. “Anything exciting happen today?”

Of course Peter couldn't see the clown. Tony was finally going crazy. Or maybe he installed a clown statue into each room? He was so confused right now and had no idea what was going on.

“Nothing really, just the same old things. Except maybe I didn't sleep enough last night.” he said but started grumbling towards the end.

They were in his lab and Peter came in and set his suit on the table and went over to the book shelf to pull out his binder of blueprints. Tony had holograms set up around him and he was looking at some of his plans for the Spider-Man suit. Peter was smiling wide and really bubbly today so that was nice. Must have been a good day at school. And the clown was standing against the wall by the bookshelf. So there was no way Peter could see it if he didn't react to it. 

Tony was using all of his will power not to react to the clown in front of Peter, because that would not set a good example and it would be very embarrassing.

“Wait, isn't it a Saturday? Why have you not been here all day?” Tony asked Peter, who’s face went blank for a second before he answered.

“Spider-Man stuff and I had to clean my room.” was what Peter said before he turned away. But as Peter turned away he didn't notice the clown walking up behind him.

So he was looking at holograms when he heard a very loud, unsettling shout that scared the shit out of him. This also made him drop the coffee he was holding and let out a very loud curse.

“What the hell!” he shouted loudly and when he turned around the clown was standing behind him and very much in his space. Tony backed away and turned around to see Peter laughing his ass off.

“Oh my God.” the boy was on the floor pounding a fist into the concrete as he laughed. “You should have seen your face!” he pointed and him. It was at this second he could hear laughing in the vents and the vent screen opened and Shuri crawled out and fell on the floor beside Peter. Except, she was holding a camera. The third thing he saw was the clown shut down like it was some kind of robot.

“This is priceless!” Shuri said, she was still screaming with laughter beside Peter. 

Tony was still wondering if the clown was real, why Shuri is here and is it a Saturday, also why is Shuri holding a camera? Tony’s heart rate was still racing and he dropped into a nearby chair and let out a long suffering breath.

“Okay, what the hell is going on.” he asked still shaken.

“We,” Peter started but he broke out in laughs again. “Built a clown and,” the boy couldn't handle himself and took a deep breath so he could talk.

“That was amazing.” Shuri said beside him. “We built a robot clown and made him follow you around all day.” she was still giggling but she was sitting up on the floor now.

“Okay why?” Tony was still shocked and his head was resting in his hands.

“Because we thought it would be hilarious to watch a clown follow you around all day and see how you would react.” Peter said and he settled down.

“Okay but now I cant trust you guys anymore.” he said, jokingly of course because he is not a poor sport.

“What! But it wasn't me, it was Shuri’s idea!” Peter whined was starting to laugh again.

“Hey! It wasn't me! It was the clown!” 

[battlestar-royco]

What I find hilarious is that the tv show merlin, which though is fantasy is based off of real medieval times, has no issues with race. Not once is the fact that Guinevere is a black woman brought up. But G//oT which is as fantasy as fantasy gets.... Like the most recent episode with the Northerners don’t like other people, why the fuck was there a whole ass ten seconds of Missand/ei and Grey feeling uneasy as shit as the northerns stared them down.(1/2)

Heck even the tv show black sails which is somewhat based off of reality, doesn’t treat its poc like shit. I will never understand the “racism for realism” narrative. I mean even in YA can people write poc nations/characters without having all the colonization and struggles (basically how everyone writes white characters)???? (2/2)

Oh my gosh, YES, I was so confused how to feel about that! First of all, Merlin like ruined every other depiction of Gwen for me because she’s just so precious in the BBC one. Gwen and her brother are the only black people on the show (and maybe POC? I haven’t watched it in a couple years), which is yikes, but I’m glad they exist and Gwen is not reliant on stereotypes or a side role in a white savior’s storyline. And I definitely agree that Black Sails deals with racism and colonization sooooo much better than G0T. The lives of POC don’t entirely revolve around their race and being discriminated against or acting hypersexualized or violent like the Pornish and Dothraki. Racism does not need to exist in a fantasy story, especially if the writer doesn’t understand the issue well enough to do it justice. I think for a show like G0T, which has made such a big deal out of racial difference before, an acknowledgement of that difference was necessary, but the way they went about it was so bizarre. Like first of all they’re acting like the people in Westeros have never ever seen or heard of POC before. Um. That’s just stupid and not true (especially in the books). They did the same thing when Danielle got kidnapped by the Dothraki in season 6, as if the Dothraki were ignorant socially unconscious people who find white people a novelty, of course making all the WOC super jealous and catty toward her and the MOC threatening sexual violence. I definitely DO NOT wish D&D had written all the white people calling Missandei and Grey Worm names and sexualizing them, but it’s just really gross that only the POC were verbally hostile toward a white lady while all the white xenophobes stare in silence.

It’s been really interesting to talk with black fans about that moment in the show. The diversity on this show is so bad that every black viewer I know STANS Missworm even though they both get like 10 minutes of screentime a season. It’s kinda sad tbh. Everyone’s been like “Yaaas, ride those horses into Winterfell for ten seconds while being stared down by a bunch of xenophobes and saying absolutely fucking nothing!!!” and making “I got the horses in the back” jokes. Like? Can we just throw this show out the window and watch Black Panther again? In isolation, I genuinely do enjoy their characters, their relationship, and the way the actors play them. It’s the one change from the books that isn’t absolute garbage. It’s just everything around them that is so problematic. They are two of four black characters on the show (the other two having died or disappeared 3 to 6 seasons ago). The only reason they are free and continue to be on the show is because a white savior came unasked to their home and overturned the political and economic stability without a plan in place to abolish slavery in the long term. Realistically, just that one ride into Winterfell would have caused Missandei and Grey Worm so much cognitive dissonance and culture shock, but Danielle didn’t address it at all, nor did any of the other white characters. It was just there and never talked about again, paying lip service to the issue but not actually exploring it sufficiently. It just came off as Danielle saying “I have all these DiVeRsE friends but I in no way care/am prepared to support them psychologically, emotionally, or socially as they navigate this hostile and harmful environment,” and D&D saying “We are aware of the Issues of Racism and we handle them Sensitively.” This show is so fucking wack.

[mearcatsreturns]

can’t help it (falling in love)

The gentler, slower way Abby and Luka get back together after the girl lives in The Human Shield (12x07).

This is absolutely prompted by @somekindofflowergirl asking me how long I thought it would have taken for Abby and Luka to get back together had it not been for the events of The Human Shield. I wanted to say it would be by I Do, but these fictional fools could barely wait a day. Typical.

Some lines are canon-adjacent, but I couldn’t bear to not tinker with them, given how cute and flirty they were.

Rated T, about 2.5k words, and also on ao3. 

Abby doesn’t know when it turned into...whatever this is. Not that she has any complaints about what’s going on between her and Luka. In fact, her biggest issue is keeping the giddy anticipation at bay whenever she sees him.

They’re not together. Not yet. Or again, she guesses. It’s been a few months since he and Sam broke up, a few months since they started slipping into each other’s lives again. It’s so seamless she doesn’t really remember when they started going out for coffee, lunch, or even dinner when their schedules allow it, but after the long, Luka-less gap while he was dating Sam? She loves it. Cherishes it, even, though she’d never admit it to anyone.

They’re over at his place finishing up lunch. He’d called her this morning to see if she wanted to join him, and she’d had to remind herself to let him finish asking before she agreed. Yesterday had been rough, but they’d saved the little girl, and they both have today off.

Leaning back in her chair, she catches Luka smiling at her. She can’t help but grin back. “So you might be the new Chief of the ER. Will we have to call you Chief Kovač now?”

He raises an eyebrow. “No, Luka is still fine, or Dr. Kovač. Or other names if we’re very close.”

Rolling her eyes, she feels her cheeks heat. “I just think it would be cute. You know, like, ‘We’re here at County, talking to Chief Kovač…’”

“I think I’m cute either way.”

“And humble, clearly.”

“Please, you think it’s charming,” he says with a laugh.

And dammit, she does. She can’t let him know that so easily, though. “Okay, then, cutie. Since you’re so charming, do you want to do the dishes too? Or do you need me to help?”

“I’ll wash, and you can dry, if you want. Do you want to go for a walk after? It seems like a nice day, even if it’s going to get cold later.”

She glances down at her low-cut tee shirt and thinks on her fairly light jacket and shrugs. She’s from Minnesota, she’ll be fine. “Sure, that sounds good.”

It doesn’t hurt that she catches his gaze lingering on her neckline, too. “Excellent,” he says, licking his lips and finally meeting eyes.

Jesus. He’s going to kill her.

&&&

It’s a struggle not to take Luka’s hand as they walk by the lake. Their arms brush against each other’s, and Abby buries her hands further in her pockets. They’re not dating, she can’t just grab his arm, no matter how much she wants to.

It doesn’t stop her from wondering what he’d do if she did. Would he go with it? Would he gently disentangle himself? Take her in his arms? Crush her hopes? She can’t think about it. Instead, she turns toward the water. “I love this place,” she confesses, sitting on the nearest bench.

“It’s beautiful,” he agrees, smiling at her.

“I don’t even remember when I started coming here, but when I need to think or re-calibrate, this is where I come.”

“So if Clemente gets you suspended for working on an antelope next time, this is where I’ll find you?”

She elbows his side. “Hey, if you become Chief, I expect you to get me out of any and all animal-related suspensions.”

He bumps her shoulder with his and wraps an arm around her. “A worthwhile abuse of my power.”

“Hey, you said it, not me.” Abby is only a woman, and can’t help it—she leans into his loose embrace.

“That’s assuming I get it.”

“Is it something you really want?”

Luka shrugs. “I do think I’m the best candidate for the job, and I don’t think anyone else is a good fit. I’ll do my best to look after all our staff.”

“You’ll be good at it, but will it make you happy?”

“That’s supposed to be my question for you,” he says, squeezing her shoulder (and wow, is her heart ever racing at the innocent contact). “Honestly, I don’t know, but I think it’s something I have to do, at least for now.”

She smiles up at him. “Then I hope you get it.”

He bites his lip and then asks, “What about you?”

“Well, I’m not in the running to be Chief. I should probably finish my residency first.”

Laughing, he lightly pinches her. “Okay, smartass. I meant if you had some big hopes, but I can see that you’ve already achieved your dream of always having a...feisty....response.”

For a second, Abby considers telling him that it’s him that she wants, that he’s the only thing missing from her life, but she loses her nerve when she thinks of what’s at stake. Turning back to the waves, she sighs and leans back against his arm. “There is one thing.”

“What is it?”

“I really want to see that space cowboy movie with Nathan Fillion. I’ve been meaning to since it came out, it just hasn’t happened yet.”

Shaking his head in amusement, he stands and pulls her to her feet. “Well, I guess if we hurry we could probably make a matinee. I can make your dream come true.”

“Then you have my vote as Chief.”

“Too bad it’s not a democracy.”

&&&

They’ve just gotten out of the movie and gotten hot dogs when they get the frantic pages from County. With a look at each other, they book it to Luka’s car and head in. On the way, they turn on the radio and hear with alarm about the plane crash. Abby winces. It’s going to be bad, and they’re not in for a good night.

With the traffic, it takes them longer than either would like to get to County, so they hurry in as soon as they park.

In spite of Abby’s pessimism, it’s not that brutal. Yes, there were a lot of horrible things that happened, but she and Luka worked as nearly flawless team, and they saved lives. To hear their delirious patient, Baxter, tell it, they even saved lives that weren’t in mortal danger.

She smiles, walking back to the hospital from the El platform. She might not have convinced Neela to stay—and she is worried—but Baxter was hilarious, and Abby can’t remember the last time she had this much fun at work.

It’s absolutely everything to do with Luka. The easy way they work together, can communicate with a look or quirk of their lips, whether it’s how to handle a patient or trying not to giggle at said patient’s love life. There’s no one else like that for her, and she aches, she pines, she yearns.

Speaking of the tall and handsome devil, she nearly runs into him heading back into the ambulance bay. He lights up when he sees it’s her, and she beams back at him.

“How’s our favorite patient?”

“Huh? Oh, Baxter. He made it up to ICU and will be fine, even if I’m not so sure about his fiancee.”

Abby snorts. “Good, good. That’ll be...fun.”

“Not our problem, at least. Is Neela all right?”

“She will be, I was just worried about smoke inhalation.”

“She’s tough.”

Abby just nods, looking up at him. The day is catching up with her, the satisfied exhaustion of hard work mingling with her ever-present desire to just collapse into Luka. She shivers, and he reaches out with steadying hands to rub her arms.

“Cold?” His eyes are dark as he looks down at her, still smiling softly.

She bites her lip. “A little. I forgot my jacket inside.”

He steps into her space just a little more, hands moving from her arms to her back. “I’d offer you my jacket, but…”

“Yeah, that probably wouldn’t work,” she says, reaching up to take hold of the lapels. There’s maybe an inch between them now, but somehow it’s still too much.

“Might get in the way,” he says, voice hoarse. “And we wouldn’t want that.”

Abby agrees breathlessly, “Nope.”

He leans his forehead against hers, his nose brushing against hers. “We had a good night tonight.”

She’s about to say something, probably, but Luka cuts her off with his lips. The kiss starts out gentle, tentative, and more than a little sweet, but when he pulls her closer and cradles her head, she can’t help it. She wraps her arms around his neck, tongue tracing his lip, and he groans and lets her deepen the kiss.

She loses all sense of time and place as she clutches at him. At some point, he walks them back so they’re leaning against one of the stone walls. The brick digs into her back as he lifts her, one leg sliding between hers. Her supplicating whine is muffled by his lips against hers, and he’s just put one large, warm hand under her shirt when the blaring of an ambulance siren and flashing lights pull her out of her trance. Their trance, she supposes, though he’s still looking at her dazed and awed.

Clearing her throat, Abby squeaks. “I need to finish up the case notes for Baxter and the, uh, the other patient.”

Luka licks his lips and brushes them across her forehead, but lets her go all the same. “See you tomorrow?”

She needs to get away, needs to think. But she also can’t help but smile at him. “Yeah. See you then. Good night.”

“Night,” he manages in return, sounding utterly wrecked. Abby knows the feeling.

&&&

To Abby’s annoyance—and she won’t lie, a little relief—she and Luka are too busy their next shift to do more than wave at each other, and he ends up stuck there late, so she goes home without waiting for him.

It’s a couple days before they have overlapping shifts again, just long enough to wreak havoc with her nerves and send her into a storm of confusion. He still texts and pages her throughout the day like he did before, which is equal parts heartening and confusing. Maybe he does think of her in the same friendly way as he has, maybe he was just caught up in the victory of a good shift. Or maybe he does care, and just wants to talk in person?

She sighs and shakes her head. She can’t dwell on it, not now. She has to get a few things from lockup, and if she dwells on the Luka situation, she’ll drive herself crazy.

She’s pulling the meds for Mr. Huerta when someone else comes in, and when she sees that it’s Luka, those dratted butterflies start fluttering in her stomach again.

His lips quirk up when she meets his eyes. “Hey there.”

“Oh, uh, hey.”

“I need to get the prednisone.”

She moves aside, but it’s close quarters in lockup, and she shivers when Luka’s lab coat brushes against her arm. God, she is so weak for this man.

She has the meds she needs and should go, but Luka turns to her and seems to be trying to find words to fill the very expectant silence. Abby waits.

He runs a hand through his hair, and she fights the urge to smooth it down. “Ah, I—well, I just want to make sure it was okay that I kissed you the other day.”

“Oh,” she says, going still as a statue, “I mean, I kissed you back, so...yeah. It’s fine.” God, she prays he doesn’t say he doesn’t want it to ruin the friendship. She doesn’t want that either, but the days she thought of him as just a friend are long past, if they ever even existed.

His shoulders slump with relief. “Good, good.” He makes no move to leave, and he’s kind of blocking the exit.

The silence thickens, but for once, Abby can’t think of a single thing to say, not that wouldn’t leave her completely bare and vulnerable before him.

She’s about to push past him when he touches her wrist. She looks down at his hand reaching for hers and swallows.

“Abby?”

“Yeah?”

“I—do you want to go out? Sometime soon?”

His question takes her back to five and a half years before, and fills her with that same mixture of hope and nervousness, though most of the fear is gone. She smiles, and pushes her hair behind her ear. “You mean like a date?”

“Yes.” There’s no hesitation or uncertainty in Luka’s response, and it warms her to her soul.

“Oh, okay. Um, yeah. Tonight after our shift ends?”

“That’s fine—wait, our shift ends at midnight. Is that…?”

She bites her lip and stares at him from under her lashes. “Well, I don’t know what you have planned. But there’s definitely plenty we could do then.”

She recognizes the way his eyes go dark with desire and inwardly rejoices at it. He places a hand on her hip. “We could always go play pool. It is ladies’ night.”

“Is it now?”

“Mmhmm. Unless you were thinking of something more physical,” he teases.

Grinning back at him, she raises an eyebrow. “Oh, like you weren’t.”

He takes her face in both his hands and kisses her until she forgets her own name. “Always,” he breathes against her lips.

Stepping back from him, though not before running her hand over his chest—she is mortal, after all—she takes a deep breath. “Okay. See you later?”

Luka nods in assent. They have patients, but he’s still loath to let her go.

They might have stayed there basking in each other’s presence—or started making out again—had Chuny not barrelled in, taken one look at their gobsmacked and enamored faces, and smirked before asking Abby, “Do you have the meds for Mr. Huerta? He’s threatening to leave if we don’t hurry.”

“Uh, yeah,” she says, flustered. “Just let me—hold on, I’ll grab them.”

Chuny’s expression softens and she smiles. “I’ll head back to the exam room and meet you there.”

“Thanks.”

When they’re alone again, Abby reaches out for him. “Luka?”

“Yes?”

Without another word, she stands on her toes and leans up to press a tender, chaste kiss to his lips. She pulls back before he can deepen it or reciprocate, knowing she’ll never leave if she keeps touching him.

He stares at her like she’s the sun and moon, or maybe his whole sky. “I’ll come find you when the shift is over.”

“Okay,” she says. It’s on the tip of her tongue to say she can’t wait, but she can. After four years, what’s four more hours, especially when they have forever to look forward to?

[dearagony15]

Fall Into Your Sunlight.

BLOOD SERENADE.

 Chapter. 1 Fall Into Your Sunlight.

 Saint Hills. 2016.

6 am. The alarm had rung, loudly. Skyla was walking fastly out from the bathroom. She was throwing her towel on her bed and taking a rubbermaid from her desk, pulling her red straight hair to the top of her head and tighted it up. She was looking at the clock. Hm, 6am. Time is up, she said to herself and then turning off the alarm bottom. She was taking her jins jacket and her backpack, ready to go to school again.

Skyla Marianne Herbert, 16 years old. One of Lincoln High School’s students. Smart, multi talented and food lovers. She had a best friend named Dave Spencer. Skyla first best friend since she has moved here. Dave was an introvert guy and so does she. That is why, they both fits each other to rejecting people around. And Skyla loves the way Dave talking to others because he was a quite sarcastic man, full of silence and mystery. He always use the same tone when he was talking, except when he gets mad his tone will be a little bit higher. She knew him very well.

Tinnnnn tinnnnn.

Dave was beeping his car, giving Skyla a sign that it was their time to go to school together. Skyla was walking through the stairs fastly, almost like she was dancing like a queen there. Yeah, she is very active person and faster while walking or doing everything. She always win running competition at school. But never want to join sports club or athletic. She hates being sweat and now she starts to hate sunlight though.

“Sorry, it took you so long,” said Skyla apologies to Dave. She was sitting in the passenger seat and closing the door.

“Welcome back to Saint Hills,” said Dave to her without a single smile.

“Thanks.” Skyla replied cheerfuly. “Well, good morning,” she said again to him and giving the best smile to him. Wish he could say something nice today. She misses him so much.

Dave was looking at Skyla, nodded and roaring  the engine while she put the seatbelt to her body. He almost never talk or say something first except Skyla makes her moves. Kinda cold hearted guy. Makes all girls at Lincoln adored him so much.

“Hei.” Skyla shook his arm to get Dave attention. “If someone said good morning to you, you should have replied it back. It called respect and care, Spencer.” She reminds him with her soft and perfect intonation. Sounds so adorable and clingy. But that is her. Dave can stand for it.

“I do,” said Dave short and simple.

“How? I didn’t see or listen it.” Seems like she wanna starts the war, but well--- that’s her. Cheerful and hilarious. If she suddenly keep silence, means something happened to her. Dave knew it very well. And have to become accustomed with that.

“With my way.” Dave said again while driving to Lincoln.

Skyla nodded in a long silence.

Dave just kept quiet too. He was rolling down the window besides him and let the fresh air come into them. Well, it was 6;15 am by the way. Still freezing and foggy. Saint Hills was more colder because of the different climate and geographic. And she loves it.

“--- okay. Not in the good mood, Huh?” Skyla tried to humor him, at least make a joke for today before heading for a Math test together.

“Don’t be too sensitive, Skyla.” Dave turned around the steer at the corner of the street and passed a long road with many people jogging and running.

Skyla nodded. She made him mad again. Always. But he looked cute though. She smiles in the silence. “Okay.” She nodded.

Dave was driving slowly. The sun was warm outside and when he passed by the traffic light, the sunlight was shining through them by the opened window from Dave’s side.

“Ouch.” Skyla closed her eyes quickly with her palms covering her face when the sunlight passed them by.

“Are you okay?,” asked Dave. He looked at her seriously, worried. But still with a half focused on the road too.

Skyla still closed her eyes behind her palms until she makes sure that the sunlight passed by. “Yeah. I’m good,” she replied, confused though. “I forgot my sun glassess. Damn.”

Dave was opening the dashboard and giving one glasses to her. Not a sun glasses actually, just a normally glasses he knows she dropped it there sometimes. “Take this.” He gave it to her.

“Thanks.” She took it and smile to him. “My eyes---.” She was wearing that glasses and stopped to continue her words. It’s not the right time to talk about this now. No, when Dave still have a cold words to her. She hates it.

“What happened with your eyes?,” asked Dave now, finally, still driving carefully.

“Nothing.” Skyla answered him. Take a revenge now with a short answer.

“Elaborate nothing.”

“It’s just---- nothing.”

“Okay.”

Skyla was turning the radio station on to kill the damn silence situation in the car. And SUM 41 song was playing on air with the titled With Me, her favorite one. Make everything so awkward now. She checked her phone many times and opening her Math book, try to remind all the things she read and learned last night.

Dave was looking at Skyla from the mirror in front of his head. He knows this girl being too sensitive again and again almost everyday especially when she got back from England. Sounds weird because she looked different after came back here and he never asked about what had happened. “Getting irritation a whole week?” Dave glanced back at her and then back to his steer again. 100% focused. “Your eyes.” He added again with a soft voice now.

Skyla nodded. “Yeah. Somehow. It’s gonna be more sensitive. I don’t know.” She covered her face while the sunshine was shining up above the car.

“You did something wrong with your eyes? Like--- plastic surgery or something. In England.”

“Oh my God, no.” Skyla denied it. “I won’t do that even if I want to.” She added with a lower tone, like talking to herself.

“Eyes like Yuna Final Fantasy 10 is cool.” Dave smile, trying to make a joke but Skyla sulked herself.

“Yeah. That’s why you like her.”

Dave smile again and now was staring back at Skyla for a second only. “Go and do your medical check up.”

“Come on, Dave. It’s such a simple thing. This glasses help me so much. Thanks for that.”

“Okay. And when will you start to driving again?,” asked Dave, changed the topic. Trying to keep the conversation on. But in a second he thought that he chose the wrong topic. He was in a dangerous area now. And it’s too late to take it back.

“Why? You hate to see me everyday or you getting bored drops and picks me up everyday or you girlfriend doesn’t like----------,” Suddenly Skyla was losing her temper. Her emotions ups and downs. Burning inside her head. Now she can’t handled it anymore.

“Silence, Skyla.” Dave cut her words with an intense look. “You’re on period or something?”

Skyla exhaled. She was trying to control her emotions now and almost crying. “Sorry. And, no. It’s over.” God, she doesn’t know what happens with her.

“Your emotion.” Dave replied it back to her.

“I know. Sorry.”

“What happened when you were in England?,” asked Dave finally.

“Nothing. All same.” But actually not much.

Still Dave distrusted of something. “Did they fight again yesterday when you got home? Your parents.” Dave asked. He can’t believe her statement.

“I don’t have parents.” She said, fed up.

“Skyla---”

Silence for a second.

“Always,” replied Skyla then. “They always fight and throws everything around--- nothing’s changed.”

Dave nodded and keep driving. “It’s been a year. Right? Since that day. Dan.”

“Yeah.” Skyla knows what Dave wanna talking about. It’s about Dan, her brother. Who died a year ago, car accident at Saint Hills. That was the reason why she hates driving and chose to left Saint Hills a year ago. And now she has come back here. Bring all the puzzle back into this town.

“That’s your reason to stop driving?,” asked Dave in a long silence. He stopped his car in the parking lot. Waiting for her to answering his serious question. But Skyla just turn off the radio station.

“Kind of.” Skyla replied him, released the seat belt and came out from Dave’s car.

--

Lincoln. Like usually, always crowded and full of lies and dramas. Skyla was waiting for Dave to come out from his car. She was standing behind the window and seeing a red SUV car was arriving with a high speed race, parking besides Dave’s car. And then she saw a tall, modest and pale guy came out from the driver’s seat. Looks like a duplicate from Ashton Kutcher as well. Then a girl--- Maureen, maybe, as she had remembered, came out and following that tall guy. The wind blowing harshly. Make a chance for both of them to look and staring each others, feeling the same smells.

Skyla was looking at that guy and so does him. She can smells something different from him and Maureen. Something like---- not normal things, that makes her feels so addicted and attractive to them. And she doesn’t know what is it. Just a strange and strong scent around them. And it’s not like a perfume or cologne. The scent--- is more than that and it stinks her a lot.

“What is this scent?,” asked Skyla to herself. She touched her nose many times to get away that scent.

“Hi, Skyla,” said Maureen nicely. She grabbed her boyfriend’s hands tightly in front of her. Her lovely Ashton Kuthcer. And smile flirtatious. Ewww.

“Hi. Do you know me?,” asked Skyla innocent. She can hear Maureen’s boyfriend laugh and she looks so stupid in front of them. Omg, where’s Dave at the moment like this. And the scent, really makes her sick.

“Nice to see you---, Skyla.” The Ashton Kutcher twin now was talking to Skyla, smile, look nice almost perfect and--- creepy.

His eyes. Skyla doesn’t like his eyes. Reminds her of something--- or someone in her head she can’t remember clearly. It’s like a dejavu to be honest.

Maureen just gave Skyla a sweet weird smile. She didn’t answer Skyla’s question and walked away like a greedy princess with her boyfriend. The couple looked like a parody of Kate and Prince William in the real suck life. Full of fake drama.

Skyla smirked at her. “Annoying,” she said in a low tone. Grumbling about them.

“Who?,” asked Dave suddenly appeared behind her shoulder.

“Who’s that tall, white pale guy? I’ve never seen him in a while. He drove that red car like a racer. He’s new here?,” asked Skyla to Dave. Her eyes keep watching to that couple until Dave was talking and giving her an answer.

“He’s Chambells. You don’t recognize him?,” said Dave amazed.

“--- Chambells?” Skyla repeated that name and thinking for a minute. She feels so familiar with that name. “Well, You know, since ---”

“Yeah. I knew.” Dave cut her words.

“So, who’s that guy? Identical of Ashton Kutcher or something?”

“Yeah, Lucius Chambells. They looked same, actually. Do you remember The Chambells family?”

“I don’t know. Just feel so familiar with that name. You tell me.”

“Of course you do. They have been a part of Saint Hills’ for almost many years. Lucius is the youngest. He sent aboard by his father from Saint Hills for duties a year ago.”

“Duties? What kind of duties?,” asked Skyla curious.

“I don’t know. Church’s service maybe.”

“Owh, finally there’s one thing you can’t solved it.” Skyla smiled to Dave.

“It’s not my problem, anyway.”

“Yeah you’re right. Go on, continue your story.”

“Now, seems like he has come back here. With Maureen, his long term girlfriend.”

“But, how did they recognize me? They called my name, like, Hi Skyla,--- well, we’re not a friend and I’ve never talked to them as I’ve been remember in my entire life.”

“Efraim and Meredith Chambells was a priest-preacher couple at St. John. And Lucius was a part of the music team at that community. Maybe they have had met you before and you just forgot.”

“Really?” Skyla not so sure about that.

“Yeah. You left this town almost a year, right?”

“Wow. You know more about this town very well. Better than me,” said Skyla. She pushed Dave shoulder and smile, looked surprised, giving it as a compliment to him. “That’s a compliment. I’m not flirting.”

“Yes, you are,” replied Dave indifferently. He walked by, left Skyla behind.

Skyla was running to catch Dave. “Hei. I’m not flirting, Dave. I said the truth from the bottom of my heart,” she tried to pleading herself. Acted like a cute puppy. But Dave too shy to give her a response for that.

“First class, Math. Remember?,” He reminds Skyla as an order.

“Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh. You are ruining my mood!,” said Skyla punched Dave shoulder as a joke.

“You have to drive yourself home.” Dave walking to his chair and sit beside Skyla.

“No. It’s your job. You made a promise before.” Skyla reminded her best friend about that again. She grinned and showing her teeth now. Pretending to look angry or something.

“Shhh.”

“Silence. I know.”

--

During Math exam.

Dave looked fine with all the questions in his papers. His hands never stop writing. But not with Skyla. She looked flustered. She’s already done with her questions exam but something stuck in her mind. Something like what? Something like--- Oh my God, she realized that The Ashton Kutcher twin was sitting behind her and now was staring, glaring to her. His eyes full of hunger and curiously of something too. Makes her feels so cold and creepy at that moment. She look toward by turning her head to Dave, try to get his attention but Dave just focus with his paper only. It’s sucks and annoying. And when she saw a number in her paper again, her mind reminds of something. Something like a flashback memory in her mind.

30 29 28 27 ------------------------------------------ bipppppp bippppppppppppppppp.

“No. No. Please, Dan. Don’t leave me alone. Please!” Skyla screamed behind the mirror of Emergency Room at Saint Hills Hospital Center. Her body was wet, shaking, sweat and full of blood. Smells blood everywhere. She can hear the impulse slowly was going down and down from the outside of Emergency Room. No heartbeat, almost. She knows what would it be but she tried to ignored all the bad possibility. She can see the Death was standing beside Dan’s iron bed. Ready to do his jobs.

“No. No, don’t do that. Don’t do that to him. Hei! Take me! But let him go. Release him away! Hei!” Skyla screamed to Death, or someone invisible from the outside of the Emergency Room. She tried to get in but the nurse guarded against her and forced her to stay or they will get her into the medical patient, as an unconscious patient.

“Can you just sit and calm yourself down, please Miss Herbert?,” asked the old nurse lady. She was grabbing Skyla’s hands and forced her to sit back and relax. Her eyes was glaring and--- red.

“No. I can’t. He’ll take my brother if you don’t let me in and make a deal with him,” said Skyla was trying to explain to her but she knows the old nurse lady won’t understand her instead will think she was a crazy girl after became a survivor from the accident.

“Him? You mean Death? How dare yourself to make a deal with Him?,” she asked Skyla again with full of emphasized with her words.

Skyla was standing up now, looking eye to eye with the old nurse lady. And she smells something, like a weird scent of flower or sage or anything name on it. She hates that scent. More than she hates smell of blood. “How do you know that? You can see Death too?,” asked Skyla curious. She can feel something weird, strange, strong and very powerful with the nurse. She’s a witch? No. Her aura was totally different with the other people here. She’s not a part of us. No. Skyla can feel it. That was one of the gift God gave to her since she was born. Got a supernatural weird annoying sense, she called it.

“Who are you? You’re not one of us,” Skyla asked the nurse again. Her eyes was looking deeply into her red eyes too. Wish could see or find something.

“You’re fast enough to realized about it, Miss Herbert. That’s mean you will going to 17 years old. Good age to be turn. That’s a beautiful gift for you.”

“What do you mean?,” asked Skyla again.

“You will know or you have already knew.”

“I don’t have time to play Sherlock Holmes with you!”

“Yes, you’re right. Your time much less since from now.”

5 4 3 2 1--------------------------------------------- bippppppppppppppppppppppppp.

Skyla can hear it. She was turning around her head and walking toward the door of Emergency Room. “No! Please! Let me in!,” said her to the old nurse lady. Wish the nurse would help her to come inside. But the old nurse just kept quite and ignoring her. Just watching her faded. “Please,” she begging please, desperately.

The doctor and nurses tried so hard as the best as they could to saved Dan. But it’s not worked. He sustained bad injury almost all over his head and body, bleeding and swollen. That was a fatal car crashed but Skyla didn’t get any injury even her blouse and jins ripped out and dirty. No physical injury. Nothing. The doctor team had done with the medical check up but she’s fine. That was really weird and strange things.  In fact, Skyla sat in the passenger seat. So the doctor assumed that was a miracle here at Saint Hills.

“I’m sorry, Miss Herbert. That was his destiny to die, Miss Herbert.” The old nurse lady explained to her. “Just to keep you saved.” She added again.

Skyla was walking closer and now she was standing in front of the old lady, glaring her red eyes she frightened too. “I don’t need your words. I don’t need Dan to die just to keep me save. I need him alive to keep me save!”

“It’s written all in the prophecy.”

“What kind of stupid prophecy?! Back to reality, Please!” Skyla was screaming to the old lady but no one notice about them. Seems like all the circumstance frozen.

“This is your reality you have to face it through, Miss Herbert! Own it as the Chosen Lady!” She shouted back to Skyla now.

“You’re crazy. Screw you. May your soul burns in hell.” Skyla cursed her.

“You will know what’s like to be in hell when you wake up then.”

Splashed of light and Skyla can’t remember anything again. All she had known she was lying on the white bed in hospital, smells of medicine mixed with everything there. She only knows that she lost Dan. Forever. She feels so bad and her heart become so numb.

Tap tap tap. Skyla heard footsteps was coming closer. It was not the same sounds like the doctor or nurse but it was different. Tap tap tap. And no heartbeat. She was counting in her mind with her cold eyes. Mourning. Dying. And they were coming closer to her, the Chambells. Efraim and Meredith Chambells. They were walking into the room wore a couple of black suit and handed a Bible in their hand. Skyla was turning around her head and expecting her parents to come but the Chambells showed up. Where’s mom and dad now? They supposed to be here. Now. Dave. Where is he now? Skyla keep questioning it.

“Are you Skyla Marianne Herbert?,” asked Meredith nicely. Her face looked so pale like a porcelain. Her black hair was straight into her shoulder, neat and perfectly beauty. She was looking at Skyla, waiting for her answer with giving her a sweet warm smile.

“Who are you?,” asked Skyla with her soft voice. She was sitting on her bed with her hospital uniform. Looked so pale and weak. She wasn’t feel good. Seems like many blade and knive was stabbing all her body. It’s tortured her since she woke up.

“I guess your answer is yes.” Meredith nodded. Still with a smile politely.

“Who the hell are you?,” asked Skyla again. With her cold voice, her eyes glaring back at them, full of hate and anger.

Efraim taking over the conversation now. “We’re from St. John. I’m Efraim and she’s my wife, Meredith. We give our condolence about your brother, Dan.” He said with a soft tone intonation. Feel so peacefully and warm.

“Thanks,” replied Skyla.

“Where’s your parents?” Efraim asked her. Because he didn’t see anyone there.

“I don’t know. They supposed to be here also.” Skyla was rubbing her chest. She feels something burning inside and makes her want to throw up.

“Are you okay?,” asked Meredith coming closer to touch Skyla’s face. At that moment she could smells Skyla’s blood rushing through her vein. Fresh, addictive, attractive and totally pureblood. That’s why she could heal by herself and The Oracle said about this girl was right. She was caressing Skyla’s back head, acting like a mother figure she knows that girl needed the most. And she read all her mind. The Oracle has came to her already and compelled her to forget what had happened. Poor little girl. Her time will come, said Meredith.

“Yeah,” replied Skyla then.

“You were at passenger seat at that moment, right?,” said Efraim to Skyla. “I saw your last report medical check up from doctor. And it said that you’re totally good without any injury with your body.”

Meredith didn’t surprise to see Skyla’s last report in her husband’s hand. It described that Skyla’s blouse ripped out from her breast, means that maybe it supposed to be a place she could have bad injury there. And blood stain almost in her body but she’s fine, no scar. Clean.  That was a miracle? Or means something.

Skyla shook her head twice. Confused. “I don’t know. I don’t know what happened to me!,” she said full of emotional.

“Do you remember the last thing that happen before that incident?,” asked Efraim again.

Skyla was trying to remember all in her mind. But she pissed off. She was feeling so bad about it. She hates everyone around and where is her parents? Where’s Dave too?

“Please, try to remember all as you can. Maybe we could help you.” Meredith added.

“You’re here to pray or to investigating?,” asked Dave suddenly appeared behind Efraim’s back. He was staring at them one by one with his blue eyes and feeling so annoyed to them.

“Dave,” called Skyla surprised but happy.

Dave hugged Skyla tightly and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I have to handled something last night. Are you okay?” He asked while looking at Skyla’s face and he feels that her body’s temperature was so hot like a fire burned.

Skyla nodded in her silence but Dave knows her silence means something happened.

“Look at me and answer my question,” Dave said as an order.

“You can take a look by yourself, Dave. No scar or bad injury. I’m freaking alive. Like a freak one! A monster or a walking dead, maybe,” she said with a high tension of emotion. Her eyes glaring at him and she almost pass out.

Dave was so worried. He didn’t know what he’d gonna do. “Fever only? That’s impossible,” he said to Skyla with his soft intonation from his voice.

“That’s why we’re here. We could help her, Mr. Spencer.” Efraim cut their conversation though.

“You?,” asked Dave uncertainly.

“Yes,” replied Efraim politely.

“Doctor is better than your consultation, by the way,” replied Dave sarcasm.

“Doctor would never gave you the right explanation about how she could have saved from the fatal incident. I bet you saw the crime scene before you came here, Mr. Spencer,” said Meredith to Dave.

“So, you’re a Witch or something?” Dave asked.

“We can help, if you let us. But if you---”

“Get them out from here, Dave,” said Skyla.

“You allright?,” asked Dave again. He looked at Skyla. She’s sweat, pale and her body temperature suddenly became cold.

“Get them hell out from here!!!!!!” Skyla screamed in front of them.

“We’re very sorry about your brother. But this is the last thing we could do for you and for us,” said Meredith to Skyla.

“Devil,” cursed Skyla.

Meredith and Efraim didn’t care about it. The last thing Skyla could remember just, a flashed light and darkness.

End.

--

After school, in the parking lot.

“Skyla,” called Dave. But no reaction from her. “Skyla.” He repeated again and shaking her shoulder.

“Yeah?,” replied Skyla shocked for a while.

Dave was looking at Skyla’s face, guessing by himself. “What are you thinking about?,” he asked.

Skyla shook her head. “Thinking--- about what?,” she asked again, confused.

Dave pointed his finger, showing her what he questioned about. “Them?”

“Who?” Skyla asked again when she saw Lucius had a serious debate with Maureen not far from the parking lot area. She can hear them fighting each other, talking about cheating, sex things and breaking up thing.

“Lucius and Maureen,” added Dave again make it clear his statement.

“What?” Skyla had realized that she was looking at that couple almost couple minutes ago. Dave knew it and she was freaking out now. Blushing too. “No. I’m just--- I don’t know. Let’s go.”

Dave suddenly was throwing his car key to Skyla. She fastly responded and caught it with her right hand. Epic. “Nice catch.”

“Thank you.” But what’s that mean? She confused again.

“Now, you have to drive me home,” Dave said to her while walking into the passenger seat.

“No. No. Dave, I can’t.” Skyla was in panic situation.

“You can’t or you don’t want to?”

“I—I can’t. You know why.”

“I know. So what? Face it and move on.”

“Dave, it’s been a year and I’ve never ever driven since that day. Even in England.”

“Yeah. It’s been a years. So?,” asked Dave. He feels so irritated hearing Skyla blowing up about England.

“---” Skyla didn’t answer him. She kept quiet. Frozen.

“You know, everybody’s here used car. Helps a lot. It’s the only transportation here instead you prefer to walk.”

Skyla smiled bitter to him. “Seems like you don’t want me in your life anymore. You tried to pushing me away.”

“Stand up for yourself. Now I was trying to make you that way.”

“I can stand for myself, Dave!”

“But you’re not, actually. You ran away. Once you’ve done, you will do the same.”

Dave words totally hurts Skyla’s feelings. “Because I went to England?! Did you think I run away?!”

“What else?”

“What?”

“You just left that day. Remember? As a best friend, you didn’t say goodbye or anything. You just left.”

“You kept all questions in your mind and now you throwing it all in front of my face. This is the new you, by the way?”

“And this is the new you? Came back to town, you totally different. Your appearance, emotionally stuffs, reckless self control, afraid with sunlight. You’re a vampire or something?”

Skyla can feel it at that moment. Lucius was staring at her, when he ended debating with Maureen. Maureen has just left. Skyla can feel it. That looked was so intense and made her feel so--- frightened and secure too at the same time.

“Okay.” Skyla ended that stupid debate with Dave and enter into the driver’s seat. She just wanna save her pride only. She knows Lucius keep staring at her. Even it’s her first time to see him eye to eye but she feels like she have known him before, somewhere.

Dave followed her and sat at the passenger seat, waiting for her to start the engine. But she didn’t do anything except kept quiet and frozen. “What’s wrong?,” he asked. Worried though.

“Just so you know. I’ve never left without said goodbye, Dave,” Skyla was trying to explain. Her eyes focused with one red dot in front of the lensed view. Seeing Lucius keep standing outside in the same place with the same attention to her eyes, straight to the hell or heaven.

“It’s okay. I understand. I’m over it,” replied Dave cold like usually.

“No. You have to know this.”

“Meaning?”

“I came to you at that night. To said goodbye. I remembered that.”

“No, you’ve just left.”

“I called you. You didn’t answer your phone. I texted but you just read it. You chose your girlfriend and ignored me at that time. When I needed you the most. Andrea, remember?”

Dave kept quite. He didn’t say anything instead of keep listening to her.

“It’s okay.” Skyla added again. “If you wanna take your time to date some girls around, I understand. I’ve never want to tight you, though. So, I understand. I am.”

“Why did you blow it up now? You can called me from England. Phone call, email or anything.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because---” Something missing in Skyla’s head. And she suddenly stopped talking as if something forced her to stopped by.

“What?”

“----- I can’t remember it--- anymore.”

“It’s ridiculous, don’t you know that?! Have you met a guy in England? Even your parents didn’t care about you except me, Skyla. I was so worried at that time!”

“I know! I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay? I’ve told you thousand times.”

“Don’t you know secret will ruin relationship?”

I know, very well. Skyla nodded and answered it by herself.

“Okay. Keep drive, I have to do my things,” said Dave ended the arguments.

Skyla still can’t do it. Even she was trying to start the engine, the flashback and all the scene was playing back in her mind. Made her feel so horrible and frightened. She still remember that day. All the scene in her head. “I’m sorry.” She said. Released the seatbelt and came out from the car. Dave just watched. In a second he saw Lucius keep watching of him but in a next second he saw Lucius has left. So was Skyla.

--

[marcoacesabo]

Can you write something with Doctor Marco and Ace and Sabo wanna stay in bed, but they are ill? Please? :3

Marco heard the new patient was a difficult one from the nurses. It was to be expected when one deals with pirates. It was bothersome, but nothing he couldn’t handle.  The doctor knew what he was getting into when he opened this hospital after turning down Pop’s offer to see the world.

Instead, he took the chance to open a medical practice on Whitebeard’s home island with the following mission statement:  Regardless of race, class, occupation or money, the Phoniex Hosptial would never turn away a patient that needed medical help. 

At first, it had just been him, working as the island’s main healer surviving on the money Pop’s sent and the few coins the town’s folks could round up for him. 

Pops started to send people to him too. Ex-slaves who had nowhere to go, some with actual training in medicine and some who haven’t even seen a doctor. Being branded meant they could never go home without being hunted, so Marco gave them a purpose and his humbly little singular office attached to his hut grew into an actual hospital.

Then there were the nurses and doctor interns that came from other islands under Pops’ protection. He welcomed them with open arms more than willing to pass on whatever he knew.

Marco had taught himself from any books he could get his hands on, from any source willing to share and from trial and error. It was hard work filled with sweat tears and blood.

But over time, his medical knowledge grew challenging great minds around the world-such as Dr.Hogback who he had the pleasure of conversing with before his disappearance-  and his fame was talked far and wide. People all over the world started to travel to see him, and all he asked in return was a book on any kind of medical practice if the patient could get their hands on them. If not, Marco still helped. 

Most still gave him money as a thank you gift. He was unable to turn it down, having more money then he knew what to do with. So he hired more people, funded more research and did his best to help any way he could.

What was the peak of his fame, however, was when he was able to cure one of the Twelve Uncureable Illnesses. The cure just so happens to be for a certain family rival, but no one had to know that.

“Little brats”  Bluebell hisses stomping out of room nineteen. Marco was mildly surprising, he never saw her as anything but well put together.  But now her hair was atray, her clothes wrinkled and covered in what looks like the hospital lunch and a nasty dark scowl on her pretty face. “ I told them not to eat after midnight and did they listen?! No! Now we have to delay the surgery again.”

Law- Marco’s top surgeon- groan.  “This is the third night in a row. We don’t have much time before it’s too late.”

“Tell them that.” The nurse hisses throwing her hands in the air  “It’s almost like they don’t want him to get better!”

She turns pleading green eyes at  Marco who knows just what she is playing at. Curse her but big eyes are his weakness. 

 Sighing he puts down the folder to one of his newest patient- A fisherman with a nasty cold- and nods towards the young surgeon. 

Its testimony to how long Law has been around him to know just what he wants without words because the young man rolls his eyes but follows obediently. He knocks on room nineteen.

Not really waiting for a reply he pushes the door open. The first thing he notices is the patient, sitting among multiple pillows, hooked up to multiple machines and wearing a big pain wince sweating pooling at his brow. 

He looks utterly exhausted, tan skin pales nearly hiding the freckles that dot his body.  Next, to him, a blond man is sitting holding his hand until the knuckles are a white looking utterly helpless as he tries to sooth the man. 

Ah, he must have just recently had another jab of pain. Poor thing.

“Good afternoon. How are you feeling yoi?”  

The man cracks a bitter smile  “Like I’m dying”

The blond visible flinches  “Don’t say that Ace! You’re going to be just fine in a few days.” 

Marco cuts in before the other can answer getting right to the point 

 “He will if he follows instructions.” Turning his eyes onto the patient “You were told not to eat for twelve hours yoi.”

Ace winces  “But I’m so hungry.”  

Marco picks up the clipboard reading over his report.   “Ah, you have a higher metabolism disorder. No one you’re so hungry. But please refrain from eating. I can’t ask my surgeon here to operate when I know your last meal may complicate things. This is a risky surgery as it is, no need to make things worse yoi.”

He ignores the way Law crosses his arms defensively when the pair’s eyes linger on his white patches too long. If either of them so much as hint at Amber Lead Syndrom, then Marco was ordering both of them to be satiated and this surgery to get over with once and for all.

“Are you from Flevance?” The blond one asks. Marco’s face turns into a scowl as Law raises his chin.

“Amber Lead Syndrom isn’t contagious,” He says like it’s been repeated many times. And sadly it has, so many that Marco has lost count.

Blue eyes blink- huge pretty eyes- before the blond’s face pulls a confused look  “I know that. Everyone knows The Phoneix prove it wasn’t.”

Law relaxes while Marco smiles  “It’s good to know you believe the truth.”  

“The Phoneix healed my dad,” Ace says a little weary but proud. Obviously, he loves his father very much. Marco mentally goes through files looking for a Mr. Portgas he had previously cured but draws a blank. Maybe it was years ago and a one-time thing, if Marco can’t remember him.  “If he says it’s true then it is. He was able to save a bunch of people from Flevance with his papers and research.”

“He also exposed the Royal Family for withholding the information.” The blond adds

Marco blushes at the dreamy way they speak of him. He’s used to admirers but not ones as handsome as these two. - he does not like the smug look Law throws him. 

“Well, I have you know I was personally trained by Phoneix-ya since boyhood. He took me and my family in after the disaster of Flevance. You have nothing to worry about, but please don’t eat anymore.”

“You know him!?” Ace sounds so excited even if his voice is hoarse from the pain he is feeling. Marco’s face flushes more as Law gives a rare smile.  

“You do too.”

“I do?!”

“You do!?” The blond demands of him looking so betrayed it sort of hilarious. 

Clearing his throat he moved the conversation along, Marco elbows Law. Cheeky brat.  “ If we can come to an agreement. You don’t eat it for the twelve full hours and I will grant you one wish.”

“Can we meet Phoneix!? If we behave can we!?” Ace all but shouts. His friend nodding his head like his neck is broken looking just as eager “My parents are going to come tomorrow so I know my Dad would love to see him again. please?” 

Marco coughs awkwardly as Law’s shoulder shake in an effort to not burst out laughing. “Ugh sure yoi.”

“I promise I won’t eat. And I won’t ask for any more pillows. And I won’t ask for blankets and I won’t-”

Holding up his hands Marco tries to stop the fire off promises  “You can ask for pillows and blankets. Just don’t eat okay?”

“Thank you, Dr….?”

“Nest” Marco lies automatically, far too used to not giving his real name since his fame has gotten to be a hassle and regrets it the moment it leaves his mouths.  Law barely smothers a snort.

“It’s nice to meet you Dr. Nest. I’m Sabo and as you know this is Ace. Sorry about not introducing ourselves earlier, it’s-” he swallows visibly struggling to stay awake  “-It’s been a hard last few days.”

Marco nods mentally adding  Bring Sabo a futon bed to his to-do list. He had boughten enough for each of the rooms and it’s small enough it won’t be in the way but comfier then the love couches they have. 

Bluebell will bring it up with a warm blanket- he has a lot of bags under his eyes. He has been so worried he hasn’t sleep- scratch that she’ll bring up a weighted blanket later. 

He smiles at the pair. Unknown to him he’s expression warms all those in the room  “I understand. It’s a bit scary but don’t you worry I’ll do everything I can to make sure Ace will make a full recovery”

[paperspell]

Kingdom Hearts || Three Half Promises

Rating: Teens and up

@mimiplaysgames and @lyssala are most definitely the MVP of this work. That being said, go check out their stuff!  

Summary: A character study of Aqua and Terra from childhood to adulthood

Chapter 4: The sweet wilderness | I’ll show you where the dandelions grow

As promised, during the next following days Aqua tries her best, not only to be neutral, but to treat Terra with gentleness. She lets him have first pick at everything, from the food spread to chores to bath times; Terra hasn't noticed at first – he is so used to getting things without sharing anyhow – but soon he grows suspicious of her graciousness. With no preamble to her actions, she sees the confusion sweep through his face, and that in itself she finds wickedly hilarious. Terra examines whatever help she gives with shrewdness, as if she has poisoned the salt shaker, or hid the broomsticks, or flooded the bathroom if it was his turn to wash.

As retaliation, he takes three times the number of books he regularly does from the shelves, leaving her no choice but to work around it and study sections which hasn't been mention by Eraqus yet. Terra also distances himself further until training time. He does more physically taxing warmups, like jumping higher than her, just to show he can. When they spar, he wins without relenting on any of his attacks.

Despite constantly losing, Aqua feels herself gaining the experience Eraqus said they need, not just from a Master, but from each other. She still can't manage a sliding dash the same way Terra can, but her footwork is getting better, her blocks are solid, and the handling of her wooden sword is not so clumsy anymore. Terra seems to sense Aqua's improvement as well, and their matches become fiercer.

One day Eraqus ends their fight early and surprises her with a high compliment on how far she's come in a matter of a few sessions. She beams at this, and although Terra is off to the side, decidedly not happy at this recent development, it does not dampen her spirits.

The Master continues on to give them with another great announcement: both students have more or less gotten the hang of using quick blitz. They are ready to move on to various stunning strikes.

"We will save that for tomorrow, as it is a big lesson," Eraqus clarifies, just as Terra's beginning to strap his armor tighter. "Instead, why don't you two take the time to work on other aspects of endurance? I think a race across mountain path will do."

Since they're already at the summit, the race will finish by the forecourt. Whoever reaches the middle of the base wins.

"Simple enough, I'm sure," Eraqus says, standing at the starting line.

"Yes, Master."

The two of them crouch on either side of Eraqus, Terra to the left, Aqua to the right. As Eraqus begins the countdown, Aqua can't help but feel secretly pleased; she was the fastest girl of her grade in Radiant Garden. On some occasions, she was an even match for the upper years, and so when they held tournaments during summer school, she was always within the top eight. Although Terra is smirking now, thinking the race is his, she plans to give him a small shock by the end of it. Their sneakers grip the grass, their arms poised to take flight–

"Go!"

The two of them sprint past their Master, almost equal in distance before setting a steady rhythm. They rush through the narrow pathway set by the mountains before emerging on the other side. They trample onwards, and Terra inches forward. Aqua tries to keep pace with him, but it's then that she feels something is off.

Whereas she normally is able to get an early head start in any race she's participated in, she can barely keep up with Terra now. It's all wrong – she's losing her sense of balance, can hardly find steady footing on this uneven road. The dirt flies to her face as her feet land and pebbles bounce, hindering her steps. Terra gains more momentum further down the path, leaving her stumbling after him.

Aqua gasps as she trips slightly from a dimple in the road. In an abrupt understanding, she figures winning is not as simple as she thought.

She hadn't expected him to be so quick, especially since she is longer legged than he is. But here and now, there is nothing else to describe him except free flying. His body, so used to years of heading down this area, already knows the swells and dips of the land, whereas hers is just now adapting and learning. His feet do not snag, he leaps through puddles and trenches with ease, and yet still, there's more to it.

Every time Aqua is on the verge of catching up, Terra would dive into an unmarked route, leaving her with full advantage of the smoother road. Not that it matters much, because still, his decision has an unseen advantage of being a shortcut, optimized only if one knows where to precisely put down their steps to make it matter, which he has down to science.

The gap's becoming wider, leaving little judgment as to who is going to win, and so Terra, in one bold move, actually turns his head to look back.

In that moment alone Aqua feels her legs tense, her vision clears. He is ahead, but just a few paces. She begins to time her breathing, widen her sprints and the swing of her arms. Looking for breaks in the ground, she plants her feet where she deems best, never hesitating for more than a quarter of a second. With the evening of her breath, she can feel herself pulling forward now, almost reaching to where Terra is.

He comes in first, reaching the forecourt a full five seconds before she could. They pant for breath as Eraqus comes to meet them, but before he fully arrives, she can see the confident smirk playing around Terra's lips again. Of course, he had expected this, saw his advantage sooner than she did.

"Nice win," Aqua says, once she catches her breath. She reels in her annoyance, remembering what Eraqus had mentioned last night. To show camaraderie, she extends her arm for a handshake.

Terra stops short. His expression turns to one of brief confusion to that of sharp suspicion. He seems undecided, trying to see whether the congratulation she offers is genuine. However, he doesn't have enough time to work through it, because soon the Master is a few feet away, and so he musters up a monotone "thanks" before it becomes too awkward. She drops her hand back to her side.

"A splendid race," the Master intones, "the both of you were neck-to-neck during the last leg. If it stretched on a bit further, I can't honestly say who I think would win."

Terra is fully frowning now. Aqua hides a smirk of her own.

They go in for lunch, heading towards the kitchen, where Eraqus bakes them a loaf of good, warm bread, each a thick slice full of nuts and raisins. There's a pot of stew in the middle of the table, the smell rich with wild game and vegetables. When they seat themselves for the meal, Aqua and Terra both reach for the soup ladle at the same time.

Aqua withdraws her hand quickly, gesturing for Terra to serve himself a bowl. After a week's worth of this, she can now sense Terra's growing annoyance.

"It's fine," he says, voice suddenly sweet as syrup, "you're the guest."

He smiles placidly, but it does not reach his eyes.

"Terra, I would hardly call Aqua a guest," Eraqus corrects, without looking up, still slicing bread for himself. "She's been here long enough, and this is her home as well as yours."

"Okay," Terra nods, and without skipping a beat reaffirms with, "then ladies first."

The two pupils stare at each other, both tight-lipped. Aqua is wearing some of Eraqus' old clothes, from when he was younger. Although the Master had trimmed the ends and sleeves, it still looks too big, and drapes around her like a tunic. She has a feeling Terra sees her as anything but a lady, probably less since the day she's arrived.

She takes the ladle, pouring a generous amount. She drops it just as she finishes, so the moment Terra reaches for it, his hand catches the splash from the broth.

"Sorry," Aqua says, sounding not sorry at all.

"Don't worry," replies Terra with equal coolness, "you can't help it."

The Master clears his throat, and they both settle down. Terra wipes his hand with a cloth. Aqua tears a sizeable chunk of bread to her mouth. With Eraqus mediating in between them, they don't dare to disrupt the peace, passive or otherwise.

At one point Aqua stretches her leg under the table, only to bump it into Terra's. They both jolt before resuming their glare. Terra expects her to retreat back to her corner of the table, but Aqua plants her feet right next to his, since he's on her side, not his own. His legs are invading her space and stubbornly, stubbornly, she's not going to give it up. However, judging from the grim determination of his face, neither is he.

Terra's foot is steadily pushing Aqua's back. In one swift motion, she brings her heel crashing down on the tip of his shoe. To the boy's credit, he did not utter a sound. However, his fingers clench around his spoon so tight she could see the whites of his knuckles. The silent war rages on, both of them becoming more generous with overly polite formalities.

Eraqus sips his tea with a brief sigh escaping his nose.

During the span of the next few days, Eraqus goes on to dividing their chores in a way that makes it so the two of them would be on opposite sides of the castle, or at the very least, separated by surrounding walls. Both morning and evening duties are carefully paced so that Aqua and Terra would be out of each other's way when it comes to cleaning, prepping food, or maintaining the scenery outside. Aqua suspects Eraqus wants the both of them to resolve their issue on their own; he has little desire to step into something that is their responsibility, let alone time to do so.

As of recently, the Master has started traveling again to restock on food supplies and other necessities. Sometimes he will be gone for a whole day, leaving behind food and instructions for his students. After Aqua's measurements are taken, Eraqus visits an old colleague to meld proper armor for her. He also gets something for Terra too, handing the boy a burlap sack one night after dinner. Terra disappears for the whole morning on the day after, emerging from the woods only for lunch.

With so many hours left unsupervised, Aqua is free to catch up on things. However, without any company to urge her forward, she grows tired of spending hours alone, practicing the stun strikes they've just learned or studying more history. Additionally, Terra still hasn't returned the books he hoarded away, and so Aqua spends the early half of the days racing through mountain path alone. She trips less now and can actually brace her feet better on the road. She makes a game out of chasing her shadow, which usually stretches in front of her during late afternoon, when she races from the forecourt to the summit.

On the fourth day of Eraqus' absence, Aqua goes out for her usual run. She stands at the very edge of the circular court and then, mimicking Eraqus' sage like tone, remarks, "This shall do perfectly. Now, on the count of three…"

And when the count ends she shoots past the even floor to the rocky earth. Although she knows she can never catch up to her shadow, she still tries to pursue it with unparalleled gusto, sometimes envisioning Terra in its place. It works her up all the more, and she thinks how next time, next time, she won't even give him a chance to look back.

The air still holds some of the chills of winter. When Eraqus had went to fetch her from Radiant Garden, spring had just started. By the feel of it, in Land of Departure it is still early in the season, with some of the flowers just shy from blooming.

As she speeds onward, she recalls a particular lesson about the seasons, in which all the worlds that Eraqus has discovered so far rotate around their suns at the same speed, always around the same positions and finishing their year with 365 days. The Master had said it's as if the worlds know that had once been one and are trying to coincide with each other.

"Remember, each world does have a consciousness of its own, so it wouldn't be all that surprising if they are trying to replicate the pattern it knew once before," Eraqus informed them, before moving on to the tilt of a world's axis.

The wind rakes its coolness over her hair, snapping her out of the memory. She makes it to the summit in record time, plopping down on grass near the pond, to dip her feet in the water. The stillness of her body relaxing comes and goes, taking away her adrenaline and leaving behind boredom at its wake. There is something else too, something she can't really place until the hush of her surroundings reminds her – she's alone.

For all the peace she sought back when she didn't have it, she wants nothing more right now than the bustling of other children, the midnight whispers and full belly laughter during recess. How Terra can stand being by himself for this long is a mystery.

She opens her eyes in a lazy haze.

Aqua hasn't seen him since breakfast. She had lunch by herself a while ago and swept around the castle long enough to know he wasn't there. Usually, he would make at least another appearance throughout the day before the Master came back at night. She's about to wonder where he is exactly, before she sternly reminds herself that there's no point – because she shouldn't, in fact, doesn't care at all.

The water sloshes as she stands on her feet. She decides to run back to the castle again, just to add in extra practice. She jogs until it comes to view again, but instead of going to the entrance, Aqua finds herself doing a quick turn, upping her pace to a full sprint as she heads towards the pine trees. Her moves become so automatic she doesn't sense him until they bump into each other round the neck of the woods. They both fall to the ground, hard. It takes a mere second, but as soon as Terra regains his senses, he scowls at her.

"What was that for?" he huffs, rubbing his forehead.

"It wasn't on purpose," she bites back. She's rubbing her forehead as well, wincing at the pain.

"Yeah? Well, be more careful."

She doesn't have a good argument for that, but luckily, a pillar of light shines at the front of the castle. Eraqus has returned.

They look at each other for a beat, before scampering off to meet the Master. Without thinking about it, they up their speed down the road until they are racing against each other.

Terra yet again has the lead, however this time, to her immense satisfaction, Aqua notes that the gap is smaller than before.

They reach Eraqus just as the last of his armor fades.

"Master..." Terra wheezes, bowing in a way Aqua knows is less as a sign of respect, and more as an excuse to catch his breath. Although she is in no position to judge.

"W-welcome back..." she chokes out, heaving just as hard.

Eraqus smiles at the sight of them.

"I'm glad to see both of you hard at work even when I'm away. Did you have a good race?"

"Yes sir," Aqua replies, because it's obligatory, and then because she can't help it, adds "I think I've gotten faster."

"Yes, I saw," Eraqus remarks. "Your progress as a whole has improved drastically. Didn't I mention before? You have great potential."

Aqua grins at this. Her smile widens at the sight of new clothes and her very own armor, which Eraqus reveals in a flourish of light. The clothes have little flair, more on the solid and simplistic side, but she knows on sight they'll fit better, and the fact they are completely new and not worn is enough. The armor is in its repressed form, shining as double shoulder bands. They gleam as sunlight hits it.

"Thank you, Mr. Eraqus." She hugs the gifts close to her chest.

"I'm glad you like it," the Master chuckles. "You should put them away when you get the chance. I dare say your closet has been empty long enough."

The Master takes a moment to survey her enthusiasm, before remembering another gift he has yet to give.

"Ah, and Terra, this is for you."

The usual burlap sack that would normally bring delight from Terra, its contents appreciated fully only by him, is now greeted with aloofness. Aqua notes his quiet acknowledgement of the bag, and his utterance of a colorless "thank you."

It comes out quiet, so much so that it's lost under the thumps of Eraqus' retreating steps. When Terra accepts the gift, his left hand clenches the pouch tightly.

Both students hurry off in opposite directions, each clutching their presents with various degree of gratitude.

With Eraqus' business done, he becomes present around the castle again, which means once more the two children are forced to be amicable around each other. Even though Terra's comment has lessened in bite, his mood, if possible, has turned sourer. The fine line between rivalry and contempt has been breached somehow, and Aqua can't pinpoint how or when it happened. Crossing swords with Terra has become dangerous, and he would laugh meanly at her losses. He drops their mocking formalities to openly ignore her, or if the moment presents itself, to rudely correct her on this and that.

Aqua fumes in silence during one particular evening, rubbing at a sore spot where Eraqus' blade had reached her, and where Terra had taken advantage of it during their match directly after. She creeps to the opposite wing, where Eraqus' room is, to ask for some ointment when she hears the Master's voice, stern enough to make her spot at her tracks.

"…and nobody deserves it, least of all Aqua. Understand?"

There's some resistance in the air before a response.

"Yes Master," Terra grumbles, and then because he can't help himself, "but she's alright so far. Why do I even have to help–"

"Because," Eraqus interrupts, before Terra can really voice his displeasure, "if your roles were reversed Aqua would never refuse to help any new students I choose. If I told her to look after you in the same way you were supposed to for her, I have no doubt she would readily agree. She has a certain light about her that makes her reach out to people, not push them away. Certainly not out of jealously, and even less so out of fear."

"I'm not jealous!" Terra exclaims. "And I'm not scared of, of anything."

"My boy, admitting these unsavory facts is the first step to confronting the darkness. And hardly anyone is afraid of nothing."

This time the end of Eraqus' sentence is met with heavier silence, and an even more stilted "yes Master."

Aqua is about to edge away from the scene when she discovers she doesn't have to; Terra rushes out, his face darkened by what had transpired. At the sight of her, he's completely outraged. He opens his mouth, and despite not wanting to, she flinches.

No words come. In the heat of his frustration, Terra stomps off. Aqua hears him going down the steps, follow by the entrance doors being swung open. Feeling guilty, she follows him to the forecourt, where he's pacing away.

"How much did you hear?" he demands, as soon as his surprise wears off.

"Not much," she admits. "Just the part about me. I don't know anything else, really."

He stares hard at her. After some time mulling it over, he drops his gaze.

"Okay." He says. He clears his throat. "Okay."

The lapses of speechlessness between the two are always terrible, but this feels like the worse one yet. Aqua bites her lip.

"But I–" Aqua starts, before her voice catches, "I think we should try to help each other, instead of always fighting. That's what Mr. Eraqus mentioned right? It'll be easier that way."

"That is easier," he agrees, "especially for you. But your light and mine are different. There's no way I can – I can…"

Terra stops pacing. Unable to continue with this line of thought, he gives it up entirely before rounding at her with another.

"And it's not 'sir' or 'mister,'" he says sharply. "It's Master. Master Eraqus."

Although some part of her knew what Terra said was right, Aqua couldn't help but feel a rise of indignation. Terra huffs in a haughty manner, practically embellishing an unspoken so there, now you know, remark. And then, to quite possibility ensure he's getting the last word on things, he makes to go.

"Wait."

"Now what," he sighs.

"I want a race," she blurts out, surprising even herself. As soon as it leaves her mouth, however, she's sure the whole reason she followed him out tonight is to propose a challenge to end all this.

"We're gonna be doing that tomorrow, so what's the point?"

"Practice," she states simply. By the jerk of Terra's body before he halts, Aqua knew she's peaked his interest. Additional training is something he's never refused. "We can race through the same path as earlier, right to the summit."

Terra stands with his arms crossed, deciding whether or not they should, but as she heads over to the starting point, he follows. When she crouches, so does he.

"Okay, so on my mark–"

"No," he says crossly, "on mine."

"Alright…"

Terra begins the count to three. Just as the last count leaves his lips they both burst forward, feet flying over the dirt road. The wind whips around them, hitting their faces as they each pull forward to gain the lead on the other.

Tonight is just as perfect as the last, bright enough to see the path before the shine of each lantern, quiet enough for them to just concentrate on their evening out their breaths as they pump their legs harder, swing their arms faster.

Aqua feels confident. They are neck to neck, and Terra isn't able to build that distance he had during their previous races. Although she cannot see his face, she can feel his shock at her improvement, his pace no longer lax as he struggles to genuinely gain more speed. Still, he reaches the next bridge first, which forces her to splash through the stream.

No matter – she's not afraid to go off path. She'll embrace any route, so long as they led to the finish line. Terra, sensing the difference, tries to monopolize the smoothest road, which leaves her to trend on slippery grass, gravelly dirt, and more ponds to slosh in. Her sneakers are caked with mud by the time the bridge to the summit comes to view. Her chest is aching as she attempts to suck in more air. Despite it all, it's wonderfully, deliriously, fun.

Aqua laughs out loud.

Her mood further heightens as she inches closer to Terra, his back ridged as he detects her moving up, sensing that the impossible is happening. He's startled now, with his vain attempts to push forward, but she knows in her heart she's faster, and so, without much resistance, she breaks free from their matching pace. She vaguely notices Terra's alarm as he falls back, because soon his presence drops from behind her altogether.

Aqua slaps the mountain's base as she slows down to a halt. She gulps down air, wiping the sweat off her face. After righting herself, it dawns on her – she's won the race. Success is sweet on her tongue, and she's flush with triumph. She turns, ready to drink in Terra's disbelief.

He isn't there. Strange, she has expected him to be by her side now.

"Terra?" she shouts, her voice rising in pitch ever so slightly.

"Ergh…"

A low moan answers her, and she twirls around to see the boy lying face down on the ground. He was getting up slowly to a sitting position as she runs back towards him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he says, rubbing his nose. "Just tripped."

When he removes his hand, she could see blood smeared on it. Her eyes make their way back to his nose, and she's stunned to see a heavy trickle gloss over his lips, to the point of his chin, where they curve and land, with a prominent splatter on his white shirt.

Aqua extends a hand to help him up, which he ignores. He gets up quickly enough, trying to brush it off like it's a small matter. But on his first step, his ankle shakes, and Terra trembles horribly before he falls back down.

"What's the matter?" she asks in alarm. All thoughts of her victory vanish instantly.

"My ankle," Terra hisses. "I think I sprained it."

"You–" She gulps. "You really think so?"

Terra tries rotating and flexing his foot. He winces and lets out a shaky breath.

"I'll go get Eraqus–"

"No," Terra calls out thickly before she can take a step. "It's way past after hours. We could get in trouble for being out so late, and so far away from the castle. The Master…the Master doesn't need to know…"

Terra's a bit white in the face now, with his bloody nose showing no sign of stopping, even when he tips his head up. Aqua reaches for his hand, but he pulls away. He stands shakily on his good foot, but it isn't enough to support him.

"You need help–"

"I'm fine," he retorts firmly. "I've gotten plenty of sprain ankles before. They always go away after a few days."

"We don't have a few days," she reminds him. "We need to get back to the castle now."

Terra chews the inside of his cheek, knowing the truth of her words. His good foot is still shaking, and he's about to lose his balance. He sighs hard through his nose, turning to her. She walks over to his other side, looping her arm around his waist to grab a fistful of his shirt. He leans on her, however begrudgingly, as they match steps with one another. It's the best Aqua can hope for, and she's careful not to brush his arm as they hobble away from the mountains and back to the castle.

The two try to sync as best they can, but what ends up happening is either Aqua's too fast, or Terra's too slow, and they strive on, tripping over every loose rock.

"Watch it!" Terra yelps, at what is the tenth time they nearly fell.

"Sorry…" Aqua mutters.

The wind is picking up, with a hint of chill that wasn't there before. Aqua shivers. Maybe Terra hasn't realized it just yet, but there is a faint rustle in the bushes. Something is howling in the distance, far and yet too close to her liking. Occasionally yellow eyes will blink at them from the dim, and her heart races, recalling the attack that happened so long ago in Radiant Garden. It's tempting to go running back to the castle on her own, away from all this. But there's still Terra to think about, and really, she rather be together than alone in the darkness.

It's quiet when they finally get back. All the rooms had their lights put out. She's glad for the rugs on the corridors; they do well to muffle their steps and Terra's dragging foot. Careful not to stain the carpet, he pulls his shirt up to soak up the blood from his nose.

Terra whispers directions on how to get to the medic room. Up until now, she hasn't been even aware of its existence. On ground floor, they make two rights until they reach the end of the hall to a small room no bigger than a standard bedroom. Two beds are crammed on opposite corners, one of them looks slept in before, and is covered with clean sheets, while the other has no such impression. She wonders how often Terra got hurt, and how little Eraqus knows about it. She sets him down the bed, and Terra has a look of instant relief now that pressure isn't being applied on his bad foot.

"What now?" she inquires.

"I need some ice from the kitchen. It'll help with the swelling," he says, his voice muffled with a rag soaking the remaining blood on his upper lip. He points at his ankle, which is now plump and angry red.

"Okay," she nods. On her way out, she notices a roll of bandages and tosses it to him, which he catches effortlessly.

It's a hard feat, suppressing her nervousness while speeding through the dining hall to the double doors that leads to the kitchen. It's dark, so she has to feel for the ice chest. She opens it, groping for the ice, until she secures a pouch and drags it out. Slowly, almost catlike, she creeps back out of the kitchen. Aqua entertains the thought of running back. After all, Eraqus' study is well above them. There is little possibility of him still being awake at this hour–

The lights flicker on. She nearly drops the bag.

"Aqua," Eraqus says with astonishment. "What are you still doing up?"

Eraqus prods lightly at Terra's ankle, causing the boy to wince. His nosebleed has stopped, gratefully. Despite that, the drops on Terra's shirt are sure tells, and Aqua's confident they haven't fooled Eraqus for a second.

After a few more examinations, the Master confirms that a few days' bed rest is in order. Terra can walk around, but not without a crutch. The ice packet is pressed directly on the swollen joint, causing him to shudder violently.

"Sir, but what about a cure spell? Or a potion?" Aqua asks, once she finds her voice.

"Those are needed only for flesh wounds, my dear," Eraqus explains. "This is a bit more complicated than that. Aside from battle, we must not rely too heavily on magic or aides to help us. The body is also a conscious thing – it needs to learn to heal itself when it matters most."

He goes to check on her as well but does not discover any new marks of injuries. Once the Master notes that both of them are relatively well, he starts pressing them with questions.

"May I ask what you two were doing at the mountain trail, and at this hour?" he asks, quietly but no less serious.

They look away, ducking from the full onslaught of his question.

"We were just training Master." Terra says, but he ruins his confidence with the shifting of his eyes.

"Even though it is midnight?" Eraqus is not convinced. "You should know better, Terra."

"I-I," Terra splutters, tongue tied further as Eraqus raises a questioning brow. "I forgot..."

"That was very foolish of you, my boy. Various wild animals roam at this time of night – fortunately you have not encountered any of them, lest your injuries would have been far, far worse."

"Yes Master," Terra mumbles bitterly. The strands of his hair cover his eyes as his head hangs low with shame.

Aqua peeks over Eraqus' back, remorse clawing her chest.

This is all wrong. It was she who suggested they race through the mountains, she who threw caution to the wind. And yet here is Terra remarkably, inconceivably, taking the blame on both their behalf. She can't phantom why; he's made it very clear he despises her.

But as Eraqus remarks exactly what punishment should follow, it dawns on her.

Terra is not fighting back against the Master. In fact, he embraces it as just another one of his duties maybe because – as absurd as it sounds – he's now fully accepted his responsibility to help her. As the Master said, Terra knew better, and she did not. Now he has to reap the extra chores bestowed on him once he's finished healing.

"U-um..." She coughs. Neither one of them looks her direction. "Mister – uh...Master Eraqus! Sir! I..."

Aqua feels her throat closing up. However, it is too late to retract her call. Master Eraqus turns to face her in surprise.

"It was my fault too," she says, unable to keep the small quiver from her voice. "I challenged Terra to race me. It was wrong, but I told him it was for extra training...even though I just wanted to beat him at something. A-and he got hurt because of me."

Master Eraqus is silent for a while, considering the change of events.

"Is this true, Terra?"

Terra opens and closes his mouth. For the first time, he's looking at Aqua, not with the degree of sharpness she's used to, but with wonderment and maybe a little bit of hope.

"I...yes. It's true Master." He confirms this, still staring at the girl who is curiously sticking by him, even though she's shaking like a leaf.

Even more strange is yet another twist; after a moment of surveying both of them, Aqua swears she can see the corners of Master Eraqus' mouth twitch upwards, just a little.

"How unfortunate Aqua," Master Eraqus continues, "I will have no choice but to punish the both of you, then."

Both students' jaws gape open.

"However noble your intentions, both of you have still broken rules, and on top of that, got hurt doing so." Master Eraqus brushes past Aqua to the doorway. "When Terra recovers fully, both of you will be put in kitchen duty, and you are to sweep dust for both wings of the castle. Understood?"

They snap, ridged in place. "Yes Master!"

He leaves them then, and Terra breathes out a sigh of relief. Apparently, this is considered a light sentence, if his relaxed face is anything to go by. He looks much better than he did, moments ago – still, she feels the need to apologize, mainly because the guilt still hasn't settled right with her; if anything, it's threatening to come out.

"Sorry," she croaks.

"It's not your fault," Terra mumbles. "I mean, I'm the one who fell–"

He looks up to meet her eyes and is immediately startle by the tears pooling around them.

"Wha – stop!" He panics. "Stop crying! S-stop crying…please…!"

Aqua isn't even aware of it. She touches her face, smearing the tears trailing down, and responds with equal shock.

"O-oh," she sniffs, "sorry…"

She swipes at her face. Terra has good enough manners to throw some tissues her way, which she catches effortlessly. Through the tears, she can make out Terra's worried expression.

"Hey," he whispers, "are you…are you okay?"

"Yeah…" She blinks back the tears fiercely. "I-I don't know – why…"

Aqua can't find the reasons for the tears, even after they stop falling. Terra eases up a bit as her face dries, before speaking again.

"Why…" Terra tilts his head to look at the ceiling. "Do you really need…a reason to care about the things that matter?"

They turn to look at his bandaged ankle.

"It was dumb of me to run and fall like that," he says, low to the point she nearly couldn't hear it. "But…well, you were pretty fast."

He admits this with a crooked smile. Sheepishly, just enough to almost be an apology. But whether it is meant to be one or not, it's the first she's ever gotten from him.

"Thanks," she says, once she finds her voice.

Because it's late, and they need dire rest, she leaves him be.

It takes a couple of days, but once Terra's ankle heals and both children finish their punishment, Terra takes her to see his project in the woods. It's a few yards away from the creek bed the Master had shown them weeks ago, the very place Aqua had yearned to explore deeper into. Here is where Terra has stationed his secret place; a bed of flowers and vegetables growing in tilted soil, protected by sturdy planks of lumber that makes a fence. The burlap sacks he had received from Eraqus reveal themselves to be seed packs and fertilizers.

They are surrounded by towering tall pines, oaks and evergreens. However, even with this amount of seclusion, the sun makes its way through, shining past the leaves to cast streams of gold that tickles their hair, their shoulders, their feet. The air is sweeter here, in this small space, and she can hear the songs on birds much clearer.

Terra peers at her to the side, rubbing his neck. She gives him a tentative smile.

His eyes flicker at her expression. His arm drops, and the break from his face, as if something is stirring up inside him, clenches at her. He returns her smile in full.

That's when Aqua sees it, from where he stood – the first dandelion of the year, and she knows; spring has come at last.