#the professor energy is jumping out of this man

[sbd-laytall]

[holylulusworld]

Inseparable (3)

Summary: Professor Xavier entrusts you with the mission to locate a certain mutant with unknown consequences.

Pairing: Alpha!Wolverine x Omega!(Mutant)Reader

Warnings: angst, language, gruff Wolverine, a/b/o, a/b/o dynamics, scenting, implied true mates, you are on the run, fighting (telepathic/telekinesis), blood, unnamed characters death

A/N: Jean is not Dark Phoenix in this story. The reader is stronger than both Professor Xavier and Jean Grey. She is a telepath, telekinetic, and empath. Most of the time, she suppresses her powers.

Undefeated masterlist

Catch up here: Undefeated & Obstinate

It's been a while, huh...

Words in italics are telepathic orders

“Get out of my head!!” Stryker fights you with all he’s got. Not only the mutants he forces to protect his mind, but the man himself is an impressive opponent. “GET OUT MUTANT SCUM!”

“Hold still, bastard,” you growl while clawing your way inside Stryker’s mind. He’s still fighting me. Whatever he tries to hide from me, it must be important. “I’ll get you.”

“You sure?” Logan glances at you while fighting for control over the car. The roads are icy, and new soldiers are following you and the grumpy mutant. “Your eyes are violet for a while, and you’re fucking glowing. Your nose is bleeding too.”

“I’m fighting five telepaths and Stryker,” you snap your fingers to make Logan shut up. “Stop distracting me and drive. I can’t focus on you and that man.”

He huffs. “Fine. If you die, it’s not my fault.”

“I won’t die so easily,“ you snarl. “If you don’t total the car,” you turn your head to look at him while wiping the blood off your face, “I’ll live.”

You focus on Stryker, and the mutants again. One of them gets weaker, you can feel his control slip whenever you use your powers. “Stop protecting him. He’s a monster experimenting on us.”

The mutant fights your influence, but you won’t give in. One of them must fall first, and then you can take them down—one after another. It’s a low blow, but you show the mutant images of Stryker’s crimes. He screams in your mind, and then he’s gone.

“What the fuck was that!” Logan growls as the rear window bursts. “Y/N! What did you do?”

“Energy must get released,” you gasp for air. Your head feels like it’s going to explode when you turn it to look at Logan. “That wasn’t me, but the first one biting the dust.”

“Did you kill them?” He asks. “I thought you protect mutants.”

“I did not kill him. He’s out cold but alive. Stryker left him behind. At least, now he’s free of that monster’s influence.” Your eyes flash violet again. Focusing on the remaining opponents, you blend the grumpy alpha next to you out.

He huffs watching soft violet light surround your body again. Logan grits his teeth and slams his hands onto the steering wheel, watching your eyes bleed. “Fuck! Stop this shit. You’re going to kill yourself!”

You raise your hand to stop Logan from distracting you. “Drive and don’t stop until we are safe. You know the way.” His body relaxes, and his hands grip the steering wheel less tight.

You can finally turn your attention back toward Stryker, and the mutants protecting him. While Logan drives faster than he should to get you somewhere safe, you dive back into Stryker’s mind. It feels like pulling teeth to convince the mutants to give up. When you push one of the mutants protecting him out of his mind, the next slips inside. You know they got lied to, but slowly you are getting mad.

“STOP THE CAR!” You force Logan to stop the car. There’s no time to ask him nicely. He barely has the time to stop the car when you jump out of the vehicle. The aura protecting you turns red, indicating that you reached the breaking point.

“Y/N! What the fuck!” Logan rips the door of the car open to jump out. His eyes widen seeing your changed aura. “Okay, this is enough! Whatever is going on, you must stop. This can’t be healthy.”

You chuckle darkly—a dark, guttural sound sending a chill down Logan’s spine. You don’t look like your controlled self. The woman in front of him seems like a predator ready to pounce.

“GIVE UP NOW OR I’LL UNLEASH HER!” You scream in their minds. “NOW! OR I WON’T STOP HER!”

The mutants refuse to give in. Stryker trained them well. They won’t believe anything you say. Unlike the first one giving up, they are stubborn and strong-willed.

You fall to your knees, and dig your fingertips into the dirt. Logan watches you growl like a wild animal when the red aura surrounding you turns into human form.

He gasps watching it run toward the mutants. It disappears in the woods. For a moment, there is death silence. Only your heavy breaths and the wind tugging at his jacket fill Logan’s senses.

The hairs on his neck and arms stand up when screams pierce through the silence. Logan doesn’t wait for the red figure to return. He runs toward you, shaking your stiff form.

“Y/N, you got to stop whatever you’re doing. Can’t you hear them scream?”

“I warned them,” you murmur, like in a trance. “She won’t kill them, just show them the truth about Stryker, and force them to face their crimes.”

“Y/N—” Logan slides his claws out sensing the soldiers creep toward you and him. “Get behind me. You’re in no state to defend yourself.”

He glances at you; eyes widening when you slowly get up. The red aura is gone, but you are standing tall. Raising both of your hands, you rip the trees out of the ground, revealing your enemies.

You laugh like a maniac before flicking your wrists to throw the trees at the soldiers. “I told you to stay away. I can see your souls.” Your eyes are dark red when you look at Logan. “They are rotten to the core.”

The screams in the distance ebb up, but the ones coming from the soldiers burn into Logan’s mind. He sees them fall - one, after another. You don’t show mercy. Images of the soldiers’ victims blind your mind and conscience.

“Y/N! You need to stop!” Even Logan feels sorry for the soldiers. He knows they are not good men but doesn’t want you to have nightmares because you killed them all. “That’s a waste of wood too.”

You chuckle darkly when the last soldier falls. It’s done. They are all gone, and their sins got paid for. “It’s over.” You drop your hands, and the trees fall to the ground.

Logan grabs your arm. He tries to drag you toward the car when the red figure walks over the dead soldiers. It drags something behind it, and Logan swears, it is smirking at him.

“They are all asleep,” it says to you, ignoring Logan as it drops an unconscious Stryker next to you. It dips its head to glance at Logan, blowing the alpha a kiss before turning back into the red mist surrounding your body.

“WHAT THE HOLY FUCKING SHIT WAS THAT!” Logan backpaddles when you turn around to look at him. Your eyes are back to normal, but there’s a change in the air he can sense.

“That was my alter ego,” you shrug and crouch down to check on Stryker’s pulse. “He’s alive and won’t wake until I let him. We need to go now before the other mutants wake.”

“Wait! We are not done here! What was that thing?” He splutters, still a little shell-shocked. Logan has witnessed the powers of many mutants in his long life and saw a lot of shit go down. But tonight was a whole new level of shit.

“We don’t have time for chit-chat, Logan. Help me with that bastard.”

“You didn’t answer my question!”

“I told you, she’s my alter ego. Can we go now?” You dip your head to glare at Logan. “Do you want to waste your breath out here, or get somewhere safe?”

“So this is your ultimate power, then?” He crouches down to grab Stryker to drag the man toward the car.

“No,” you open the door to the passenger seat. “It’s only a variation of my powers. I hope you never have to witness my ultimate power…”

Part 4

Tags in reblog.

[captain039]

He’s Grumpy, I’m sunshine

Alpha!Logan x omega!reader

Warnings: AOB, age gap (legal), light swearing, grumpy/sunshine, anxiety, mental health issues, intimacy, violence, torture, plus size reader, medication usage for anxiety, depression and sleeping, heat pills, scent blockers

Set at Charles school

Your mutation: fire creation and control

I watched Deadpool and Wolverine and found my Wolverine cravings again xD

I’m in love with Hugh Jackman again

This school was your life now, having gone too many nights in a fire proof basement for your ‘out of control spells’ as your father put it. You didn’t have a bad childhood, rich parents each working hard to make their living, sending you to a nice school, college even till you set everything on fire.

You were staying at the college, it was your first month and everything seemed to be going well, your new room mate was nice a beta woman and classes were easy so far. You had your own space some clubs you wanted to check out, new places to see if you ever got the energy. Right now it was study till you passed out, get up go to class, come right back and repeat. It was draining but you needed to get use to it, your mother would call mid week and message every other day. Your father would say a brief hello on the calls but that’s all you’d hear from him, not that you minded. You kept your mutation hidden even if sometimes you felt yourself running a little hotter than usual, sometimes small flames would jump off your skin and you’d stop whatever you were doing, put some music on and focus on the moment. It was the third week, your roommate had invited you to party, you didn’t want to go, but your therapist did say to ‘get out more’ as she put it. So you went, stuck by your roommates side for most of the night till she got pulled away by some guy and they left. You were about to leave when someone approached, another girl in your class, an alpha, you’d forgotten her name but she handed you a drink with a bright smile, sat down with you and talked. It felt nice to laugh about whatever crazy story she was telling, she lived in the country, way out in the country living off home grown vegetables and herding cows. You checked your phone once your drink was gone finding it late so you excused yourself and went back to your room. You found your roommate passed out in her bed and shrugged feeling your head spinning a little, that drink definitely had alcohol in it. You laid down after forcing your jeans and bra off before curling up in and sighing. You awoke to the smell smoke and burning, you shot up, your room on fire, your roommate screaming as flames engulfed her. Your body was on fire also, the flames coming out of you. You tried to stop them tried to reel them in but you had no control, your panic worsened your anxiety worsened and the fire worsened. You heard sirens, shouting and chatter, but all you could do was stand by your roommates bed seeing her charred body. The fire brigade couldn’t stop your fire and you couldn’t cry.

“You’re alright” you frowned looking around seeing no one, but a males voice filled your head.

“Walk outside, we’ll handle the rest” you felt compelled to listen, you walked through the burning hall and outside as the voice said.

“Storm” a man called and you frowned. The world around you stopped, everything frozen but you and the group in front of you. Heavy rain poured down helping stop the flames on the building.

“I can stop this, I’m going to calm your mind, it will feel strange though” the voice said.

It did feel strange your body calming your heart slowing, the flames subsiding, just you, naked in the middle of the campus entrance.

“Jean” the older man in the wheel chair said as you quickly hid your body as the woman came over and wrapped a blanket around you. You thanked her softly shivering but not from the cold.

“Come, let’s get you some place safe” the older man said.

That’s how you met Professor Charles Xavier, Storm or Ororo and Jean grey that day. They said they found you by one of Professor Xavier’s machines he uses. Now you stay here in a fireproof room, with no one else in it, continuing your studies and nobody knew the cause of the fire. The nightmares still haunt you though, your roommates scream, she was such a lovely girl. You found out later that something had been in your drink spiked, majority of the other students just passed out for a day while it turned your powers hay wire and burnt quarter of the college down. You avoided most people, happy in your solitude and avoiding your powers. This school was full of different mutants, still some alpha douche bags around your age but it was a lot less intense and easier. Every time Professor Xavier would ask you to train your power you’d decline quickly and say you were fine with your studies. To be truthful you hated your power, hated the destruction it caused even if majority of these kids had tragic back stories too. You connected with most of the teachers, Jean more so though, Ororo was probably your second, but Jean was an alpha and reminded you of your mother somehow, so you subtly clung to her, made an attachment as your old therapist would call it. Sometimes though you’d catch whiff of another alpha on her, not Scott, Scott was a beta, nor another teacher, it was a strong intense scent you couldn’t pinpoint the smell, Whiskey was one of them, leather it would fade with Jeans scent of Grapefruit and spice.

You were going to see Jean seeing as she was one of the doctors there for some more anti-heat medication, you really wish they would come up with a stupid medical name for the stuff so you didn’t have to say it, even if you were a grown adult. You didn’t knock, figured she knows already with her mutation. What you didn’t expect was to be slapped in the face by a new scent. Slapped in the face was a little excessive, it felt like that though, you stopped in the door way stared at the alpha in the room and forgot how to breathe. Jesus Christ.

You stuttered pointing out the door cursing yourself as Jean smiled a bit.

“I didn’t know someone was here- I’ll um-“ your eyes finally left the male alpha, wondering who he was and wondering why the hell your legs were struggling to hold you up. You almost purred and bared your neck like some cat in heat.

“He was just leaving” Jean gave the male alpha a stern look and he sighed uncrossing his arms and walking to you. You forgot all manners and normal human function as he approached.

“Can I get past you Bub?” He asked voice rough and you slapped yourself mentally.

“Yes sorry, uh bye?” You moved out the way saying goodbye even if you didn’t know him. You heard him chuckle lightly and swore your stomachs did flips.

“You ok there?” Jean asks and you snap out of whatever trance you were in.

“Yes, that was embarrassing, I’ve smelt him on you before it was weird putting scent to face” god help you, you shouldn’t have said that.

“That’s even more embarrassing, I literally hate myself right now” you hung your head and walked over to her desk and sat down.

“You’re alright, how can I help?” She chuckled lightly and you sighed nodding.

“I need more um, Anti-heat pills, maybe some more scent blockers” you mumbled the last part. Scent blockers blocked your scent and others, if he was only briefly staying then good, no more embarrassing malfunctions, but if he was, damn.

“Is he a teacher?” You ask.

“No, Logan is I guess you could say he’s the muscle here even if Charles doesn’t like the thought, Logan’s helped this school more than once, he’s just got back from a mission sometimes he helps trains” she explains as she types on her computer.

“Oh, that’s cool” you say feeling a little stupid as Jean heads over to the locked room in the corner.

“Need any updates on your other meds? You’re going ok? Do you wanna come off them?” She asks.

“No they’re fine, thank you though” you answer as she returns with a small bag and hands it to you.

“Charles asked again if you wanted to join training this Friday?” She asks sitting down again and you tense.

“Oh I’m ok, thank you though” you say and stand.

“I’ll let you get back to work” you smile and say a small goodbye before leaving. You sigh shoulders sagging a little. You’re definitely not going to train now if that alpha will be there.

Next part ->

[capsi-cuminme]

Closer, Closest

summary: in which you've just joined the x-men, but land up in a situation where you're forced to get very close with logan.

pairing: logan howlett x fem!reader

word count: 4.4k

warnings: mild swearing, suggestiveness, smooching omg

author's note: This is my first ever logan fic, and my first overall full-length fic after a loooong time, so it'll probably be a bit botchy, but I hope y'all enjoy the self-indulgent logan content.

•──✦──•

Logan was not in the mood for surprises, or uncomfortable change. He’d had enough of very major, very uncomfortable changes in the past month or so - changing history wasn’t easy. So imagine his distaste when he got to the mansion after a seemingly easy mission the kids somehow managed to mess up, and instead of Jean, there was someone else that’s supposed to treat him - you.

A new recruit, he guessed. Brows furrowed, face covered with a cheap surgical mask, but eyes full of wonder, you were doing this and that to Logan’s few, easily-healable injuries, attempting to fix them. Your fingers were nimble, and shockingly not ticklish at all. He wondered if you knew you didn’t need to do half of what you were doing, considering the speeds at which Logan’s body tended to heal itself. Had Charles not told you? Well, whatever. He was too occupied with his cigar to want to speak anyways, so he waited. Waited and waited and kept on waiting for what seemed like forever but you weren’t letting up.

“Bub, are you creating new injuries to treat? I know sure as hell that it doesn’t take that long to look at any wounds on my body,” he grumbled, sparing you a glance as you continued to do whatever the hell you were doing, paying no mind to him or his questions. Your eyes were focused as they flitted around, jumping from one spot on his arm to another on his wrist to a third on his neck. It caught him off-guard, a tiny bit, the blatant indifference you displayed - as if he wasn’t an adult whose body you were tampering with, but a child who had to be dealt with. He didn’t really like it.  Nonetheless, he decided not to do anything. It was better to pass time on the bed and smoke peacefully rather than have to teach children History that he could barely remember.

Mind made up, he closed his eyes in relief, mentally applauding himself for successfully coming up with a reason to get out of class. When he opened them again, you were gone.

So was all the strength in his body.

. . . . .

“So, what did you think? Was healing him of any help to you?” asked Charles, smiling in the controlled, calm way he usually did.

You shook your head, “Not really, no, because I didn’t really heal him, you know?”

“Of course, you didn’t heal him; Logan’s body is capable enough to do that on its own means. What I mean to ask is, was he any different? Were you able to access his energy or were you unsuccessful?”

“Semi-successful would be the word, professor,” you grimaced. Taking the cup of tea he offered, you continued, “I was really not able to make any sort of progress when he was awake, so when he rested himself, I decided to drain him out comple -”

You were interrupted by the sudden bang of a door opening. As you turned around, you saw Logan standing in the doorway in all his muscled glory. God, it’d been so difficult to focus on extracting his energy and not ogle all the time he was there - being able to treat the Wolverine, being able to touch him, it was no less than a dream. Honestly speaking, half the reason you weren’t able to carry out energy identification and extraction easily was because of how distracted you were, how nervous. His muscles felt like God herself had carved them out of her best and favorite materials, while the intensity of his gaze seemed like fire itself burned inside them.

Your lust-filled train of thought was broken by Charles’s voice as he addressed the man you were dreaming about. As you turned to him, you realized that Logan was glaring at you, excellently conveying his lack of desire to be dreamt about. “Hello, Logan. How are you?”

“Who the hell is this, Charles? Why was she downstairs instead of Jean, and why the fuck did I feel like a dead body after she left?”

Oh.

Dream shattered.

You stood up hesitantly, nibbling on the inside of your right cheek, glancing at Charles for help. He didn’t return your look, simply straightening himself a little bit and then saying, “Logan, this is Vitality. She’s a new recruit, and will be helping around the mansion for some time before she’s ready to go on missions.”

Logan raised an eyebrow, lips pulled back in a sneer as he observed you. You felt practically naked under his gaze, and not in the good way; it was the kind of naked where there’s goosebumps on your skin right as you’re about to step into a shower of extremely cold water in a comparably cold temperature.

“Whatever she might be here for and whoever she might be, I couldn’t give less of a damn. I just want one answer – why did I feel so… so -” “So drained out?” you sheepishly suggested, noting his struggle to find the correct words. He didn’t look like he appreciated it, but nodded to the affirmative anyways. “Well, that’s because, as my name suggests, I deal with energy – any and all forms of energy, except what is found in living beings.”

“So what were you doing to me?”

You found yourself cringing at his words. “I wasn’t doing anything to you, Mr Logan, sir, I was experimenting with your energy. Remember how I said I deal with all energy except that of living beings? That’s because I can’t control my abilities well enough to not hurt living being if I tamper with their energy.” You stopped. You didn’t know how to continue explaining without possibly offending him.

“So, Logan,” picked up Charles, “since you’re someone who is beyond the risk of death, I asked her to try controlling your energy. It was supposed to be easier, more… convenient.”

Logan’s face had relaxed a bit, but he still looked confused and glanced at you for further explanation.

“Yeah well, in short, you don’t die and recover quickly and also have a lot of energy so you were the ideal candidate for me to practice on, but unfortunately I failed and ended up draining out all your physical energy for a short period of time,” you finished with a sorry expression your face, silently apologising.

“Why didn’t you tell me, professor?”

“Simply because you’d have spent more time asking where Jean is than actually helping in the experiment. Now,” he said, with an air of finality and dismissal, “if you’ll please leave, so that we can continue our conversation.”

You silently thanked the professor, moving to sit back down. Yeah, you had, like, a bit of a celebrity crush on him or whatever. So what? He was still intimidating and made you want to run out of the room (not before staring at him a little more). As you turned back to the professor, you were grateful the interaction with the legendary mutant was over, but you were also curious about something. Something that’d been mentioned throughout the conversation two to three times, and you felt like you’d already had enough of hearing.

Who the hell was - “Jean. Where is she though, professor? Haven’t seen her since yesterday.”

You swallowed, taken aback a little bit. Someone seemed to care about this Jean a lot. No one had told you the Wolverine had his heart set on some woman whose face you don’t even know.

Well, whatever.

“Jean’s on a mission with Scott. Now if you’ll excuse us, Logan?”

The aforementioned man grumbled something, then left after a quick, “Right, sorry.”

“I think we can resume our conversation now, no?” asked Charles, sipping a cup of tea, looking at you with a smile. Right as you started to nod, he said, “And oh, don’t worry – you’ll meet soon enough.”

Oh God, he can read thoughts. How stupid can you be?

Your embarrassment was only damped down by the mischievous twinkle in Charles’s eye and his swiftness to steer the topic of the conversation back to what it was.

. . . . .

It had been a month since you were here. A month filled with practicing extraction and infusion of energy relentlessly, all while trying to make at least a few bare-minimum acquaintances with your colleagues and the children you’re supposed to teach.

In some fields, you’d been making progress. Under Charles’s skilled eye, your abilities were sharpening quickly. Storm’s powers were similar to yours, so she would sometimes come and keep you company, sparring, chatting, lingering around. She was fun to be with – a good leader, but an even better friend. She was just the person you needed at this infantile stage of your journey to become an X-man. (X-woman? Whatever.) You’d even started teaching some of the younger kids, and they all seemed to be liking you, more or less.

There was also the not-great part.

Namely, Jean and Logan.

See, you knew you hadn’t started off on the best foot with Logan, seeing how you’d non-consensually (accidentally) drained him of his body’s physical energy for like ten or fifteen minutes, and so obviously it’d take some time for him to grow comfortable around you. Fair enough.

What wasn’t fair, on the other hand, was the fact that Logan was either in his room, or on missions, or teaching, or with Jean. Not-single, in-a-relationship-with-Scott, Jean. (Yes, you had noticed they were dating thank you very much.)

The person whose energy you were physically unable to be around, that Jean.

It seemed a cruel trick by fate.

You’d had a crush on him since forever, ever since you’d first seen him protecting kids on the news, and it wasn’t as if you wanted to fuck him or anything, no! (Although you wouldn’t be opposed to that.) But would it be wrong to want to be at least on talking terms with him? Apparently, yes. So you decided to just suck it up and carry on with your work. That’s what you were here for, that’s what you’d do; to hell with anyone who was a distraction to you.

. . . . .

Holy shit, working with these people was so difficult. It wasn’t the constant fights waiting to happen or powers waiting to erupt. It wasn’t even the fact that all this newfound energy around you, all the damn time, unsettled you heavily. No, you could get used to that.

It was their utter refusal to cooperate that was posing to be a bit of an issue.

You had asked Charles to lend you, for lack of better terms, a few mutants different to each other in terms of their abilities, so that you could practice.

So you had in front of you, the entire team – how were you supposed to not die of nervousness?

“Alright then, shall we begin? Any of you can step up first, whoever’s more comfortable,” Charles remarked quietly, observing from the sidelines the slight tremor in your arms and legs, coupled with the apprehension visible on the team’s faces. It’s a given, of course, the existence of the overall tone of nervousness. The team doesn’t know you too well, hasn’t known you for long, not even Storm.

You nod in response to Charles, signalling that you’re ready. For a beat or two, no one comes up. You stare at them, waiting; the moment you think Storm might step up, Logan strides forward and seats himself on the chair in front of you. You blink at him a couple times, not really expecting him to come up and offer himself for – for lack of a better word - experimentation so calmly when only a while ago he’d had a bad experience regarding the same thing?

Oh, well. It was a good thing, all things considered. You got someone to practice on, and it just so happened to be the person you’ve had the meanest fattest crush on forever. Works out perfectly.

So, on Charles’s cue and under the watchful eyes of all the X-men, “Logan, please close your eyes for a little bit.” As soon as he did, you started. You weren’t really trying to extract or infuse copious amounts of energy, just weeding out the bits of excessive power, that’s all.

But even though it seemed a small task, it had rendered you on your knees in only a few minutes, because a) energy extraction in living, sentient beings was not easy, b) it had only been your first or second time trying it and you were being extra careful, and c) Jean’s energy, constantly at odds with her own self, was distracting you more than you’d like. And you were concentrating, really, you were, but Kitty, apparently, was not, as she fell through the roof and on to the ground a couple of feet away from you. Her fall distracted all your momentarily built focus onto her instead, as you lost the thread of energy you had been constantly pulling out. The thread turned into a pool of energy before you realised.

You looked up into Logan’s eyes – yours were probably more fearful than his, but you still tried to give him some sort of reassurance. You could observe how quickly you were sucking up his energy; his skin was paling in an unnatural way, eyes drooping, but you didn’t know what to do. You’d learnt how to extract, infuse, and return the energy back. You couldn’t just skip the middle step, you didn’t know how. As you were scrambling to figure out a solution, a voice rang out in your head.

“Calm down. Think. The solution is what comes naturally.”

Naturally? What comes naturally?

Oh, right – your own energy. You could just infuse his energy with the tiniest bit of yours, and it’d work (most probably), so that’s what you did. You kept infusing and returning and repeating, but the amount of energy that had pooled out was so much that you were practically a cadaver by the time you were done sending it back.

“Are you okay?” you questioned softly, looking into the eyes of the man seated before you. You couldn’t muster your voice to be louder, so you hoped that your whispers and desperation were enough to convey to Logan what you were asking.

Tilting his head just a bit, he nodded, looking increasingly renewed and full of energy. You breathed a sigh of relief, finally stopping the influx of energy into his body and standing up.

The task had taken an unprecedented toll on you, what with the unexpected amount of work. So of course, the blood seeping out of your nose and ears wasn’t a surprise, nor was you fainting, unceremoniously falling to the ground right as a pair of arms gripped you.

. . . . .

When you woke up, you could make out several things right off the bat, without even fully coming to your senses - there were bunched up sheets digging into your back as your throat felt parched and scratchy. Needles pricked into your hands, slowly supplying glucose into your system, drip-by-drip. The air conditioning was making an unruly amount of noise. In the corner of the room, Logan sat on a stool, watching you with keen but tired eyes. 

“You finally up, Bub?”

It took you a second to register he was speaking to you. The movement of his lips seemed a bit unfamiliar. “Uh, y-yes. I’m up now. Awake.” 

“You feel fine now? Because you definitely don’t look the part,” he asked-or-said with the slightest smirk. At your consequent nod, he continued. “You looked the spitting image of a dead body when you fainted, ya’know? Had all of us scared, me especially, considering your decision to give me your energy or whatever.”

You tilt your head, confused. How did he know? “Did the professor tell you?” 

“Damn right he did,” he drawled, getting up from the stool and walking to your bed. 

You wished the slight increase in heart rate would go unnoticed. Just because you weren’t fully able to register your surroundings and connect the dots of what might’ve happened when you fainted, didn’t mean that you were also unable to register the veins in his arms as he folded them over his chest. God, that damn wifebeater of his - 

“Hey, you alright?” As your eyes lifted up from his chest and arms to his face, you realised he looked sort of concerned. For you. 

“Uh-huh. I’m good.” He nodded to himself, “Alright then. I’ll go tell the professor that you’ve woken up. You take some rest, okay? Don’t move from here.” With a quick dip of his chin, he turned, walking to the exit. Right as he was about to reach, you called out for him. 

“Hey, Logan? Thanks for being here and keeping an eye on me.”

“Wasn’t even here that long, but don’t mention it.” You were sure you saw the ghost of a smile on his face before he left. 

You were also certain that the sudden increase in heart rate did not go unnoticed by him, heightened senses and all. You hid your face in your palms, screaming silently. 

. . . . . 

After that day, things with Logan improved, however slight the improvement may have been. You’d gotten into a habit of greeting each other if you crossed each other in the halls and corridors, and if, by chance, both of you ended up at the breakfast table together then you’d have breakfast together too. 

Did you still absolutely lose your mind over him whenever you saw him walking around wearing literally whatever? Yes. But there was also a sense of newfound respect you developed for him as you watched him work and train students. You and he often had to substitute classes, so you’d understood his manner of work and training. As rough around the edges as he seemed, he was still a very soft-hearted person, never going overboard on any of the children and apologizing immediately if he thought he did. 

You were learning loads while working with him, and had to thank Professor X for that. So imagine your surprise when Charles called you into his office one day, and said “Congratulations, Vitality. You’re ready for your first mission, on which Logan will be accompanying you. He and Storm already know what is to be done, they’ll brief you. Now if you don’t mind, I have a class to take.” And with those words and a tiny smile, Charles sent you out of his office to embark on your first mission. 

Your first mission, with Logan. 

Oh God. You could absolutely scream. 

Was this some kind of joke? How the fuck were you supposed to carry out such a nerve-wracking task with the most gorgeous man on the planet? Yeah you’d grown sort of comfortable around him, but not if you two were supposed to go to some remote place alone on the jet. 

“Vitality?” 

You turned as Storm called you, Logan lazily walking right behind her. “Yes, what is it?”

“Did Charles inform you of the mission?” “Yes he did, but I don’t really know the details.” 

“It’s alright,” she assured, “just get ready to board the plane, Logan will explain everything to you on the way.”

. . . . .

The mission was simple. No fighting, just stealing. You had to go to some abandoned factory and take five vials of green-colored serum out of lots of multi-colored vials of serum. You’d asked what the serum was for, but Logan didn’t seem to know the answer himself, so you decided to drop it. 

As you sat in your seat, belted in and anxious, you watched Logan. He was sitting beside you, curiously looking at the jet’s controls the same way a baby regards new toys. It was kind of cute. And also very distracting, because Logan looked very good in his uniform; you hadn’t ever seen him wear it before this, so seeing him in it was doing things to you. 

“Have I got something on my face?”

You flinched, surprised at being called out. Refocusing your gaze, you were met with Logan looking at you with a crooked half-smile. “You were staring pretty hard there. Do I look that good in the uniform?” 

You resisted the urge to maniacally nod your head and instead settled for a meek apology. “S-sorry,” you squeaked out, more breathlessly than you’d like. 

“It’s alright, I don’t mind. Just didn’t think you’d be into old men like me, is all,” he remarked gruffly.

“Old?”

“Yes bub, old. ‘Ve been around for a good couple of centuries.”

Your eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. Sure, he aged slowly, but 200 years? You never knew. Before you could continue the conversation, the jet landed in the middle of the clearing. 

Both of you silently made your way inside the factory, no words exchanged, just vigilant gazes keeping check of everything around you. But even though there was no threat - nothing tangible, at least - you felt on edge. You were sensing a mixture of otherworldly and downright disturbing energies from various places within the factory, so when you finally reached the room with the vials, you couldn’t have been more thankful. 

With a silent look of understanding, Logan went in and retrieved the box containing the vials you needed. Mission complete. 

But as you guys were walking out, you bumped into one of the racks and another vial - deep purple - fell and broke right onto your shoulder. Logan turned to you with alarmed eyes. “What the hell? You’re not hurt, are you? Does it burn or something?” You quelled his worries and insisted to keep moving. After all, it didn’t burn your skin, nor did it harm you in any physically visible way, and it was an obvious assumption that the leak of energy from your body could be addressed in the jet. 

Unfortunately, you were incorrect. Despite going to the jet even faster than you guys had made it out, significant amounts of energy had started seeping out of you. 

Gasping, you said, “The serum probably had something to do with capability retention, that- that’s why I’m not able to maintain control.” You plonked down onto the jet’s floor, uncaring of the way the machinery around you rattled. 

Logan hurried to you, cradling your head and making you look him in the eyes. “What d’ya need, bub, huh? Tell me, tell me.” “Energy.”

He frowned deeply, confused. “Energy? Yours?”

Your eyes had begun rolling to the back of your head; you were about to pass out. Shaking your head aggressively, you clarified, “No, no, just- any energy works.”

Logan couldn’t understand. How was he supposed to give you energy, when yours was slipping away so fast? His lack of comprehension was annoying you. You whined, pulling him closer, hugging him completely. 

Skin-to-skin contact, the best way to get energy. 

As you basically situated yourself in his lap and hugged him like a koala in an attempt to gain back some kind of energy, your half-coherent brain could not register the rigidity of Logan’s body for the first couple of seconds, instead misinterpreting it as refusal to help. 

“Logan, please, I need you,” you borderline sobbed, shifting in his lap to make yourself comfortable, nuzzling yourself in your neck. 

“W-wait a second,” Logan said shortly, trying to comprehend what was happening. He could see that the energy leaks were decreasing, but God. This was uncomfortable in ways that weren’t exactly bad; it plagued him with guilt.

Oblivious to the workings of his mind and delirious due to the serum, you grabbed onto his arms, wrapping them around your waist, trying to get even closer. Tsk-ing, “Why can’t I get close enough?”

“Darlin’,” Logan mumbled, voice a couple of octaves lower and blood rushing south, “calm down. ‘M right here, you’ll be j’s fine, promise.” He rubbed soothing circles into your back, attempting to placate your restlessness. 

You lifted your face from the scruffiness of his neck, pouting as you looked up into his eyes. “Please Logan, this isn’t enough.” And God, he could not resist that face and that expression and that goddamned voice of yours, dripping with sticky-sweet honey and whining. So like any sane man, he did the only thing he could to get you both closer.

He grabbed a hold of your jaw semi-gently, making you look up at him. Once your eyes were finally focused enough, he leaned up to press his lips into yours. The kiss wasn’t exactly supposed to be chaste, but with the speed you opened your mouth and demanded entry into his with your tongue caught him just a tiny bit off-guard. 

He pulled back, watching you gasp for air. “This close enough for you?”

You shook your head, shifting yourself further and attaching your mouth to his, determined to get the closest you could. 

. . . . . 

As you once again regained your senses on the infirmary bed, you could make out several things right off the bat - there were bunched up sheets digging into your back as your throat felt parched and scratchy. Needles pricked into your hands, slowly supplying glucose into your system, drip-by-drip. The air conditioning was still making an unruly amount of noise. 

And of course, in the corner of the room, Logan sat on a stool, watching you with keen eyes. “You alright there, darlin’?”

You gulped, your throat feeling like the Sahara desert was in there. You’d damn well have spontaneously combusted hearing him call you ‘darling’, only you hadn’t forgotten what you’d done in the jet a couple days ago. 

“I-I’m good, Logan. Are you okay?”

He smiled. “Never been better.”

You exhaled shortly. “Good, tha-that’s great.”

“Sure is.”

You tried to breathe quietly. You felt you breathed too loud. Especially in a room with Logan. 

You were nervous. 

“You like Italian?”

Looking up, you were met with the sight of Logan, fiddling with his jeans pocket. Cute. “Sorry?”

“D’you like Italian, bub?”

“I guess, yeah.”

“Great. Wanna try that new Italian place in the city? Scott wouldn’t shut up about it.”

“Sure, yes. I’d love to,” you said, biting the inside of your cheek, trying to contain your smile. 

“Right. It’s a date then, love.”

[makkir0ll]

thinking about spiderman!makki who gets bitten by a radioactive spider. he was between jobs but now, this is his new job he figures. saving the world, and you of course.

it's late at night when you're walking home after your night classes, deciding to stop by the convenience store that is on the way to grab a couple of snacks to fuel you through your late-night studying. meanwhile, makki is doing his diligent duty of keeping the city safe at night. his legs dangle from the rooftop of someone's house, the cool night breeze brushing across his face with his mask in his hand as he peers down to see what's happening.

he watches you walk out of the store with a plastic bag in one hand and your phone in the other. you're walking with your eyes looking over emails from your professors, reminding you about the essay that is due next week (that you haven't started on, hence the energy drinks in the plastic bag).

you continue to take your usual route back to your apartment, crossing the street but you hear a loud honk coming your way, you turn your head to see bright headlights speeding towards you with no signs of stopping. you try to move but then you feel a tug on your back, and all of a sudden your face in smushed against a sturdy chest. your eyes are squeezed shut because you weren't sure what the hell just happened. you slowly open them, only to see a spider graphic with red and blue surrounding it. with the palms of your hands placed on this mystery mans chest, you push off him to crane your neck up and you are met with a masked face looking down at you. black and red web patterned stretched across the face and down his suit covered body.

your eyes widen and your jaw goes slack. no fucking way you just got saved by spiderman. the spiderman you've seen multiple times on the morning news and the online articles you read. that spiderman.

"are you okay?" he asks, you notice his hand is on the small of your back and he hasn't let go since you crashed into this chest. at a loss of words, all you can do is nod your head.

makki takes notes of your face behind his mask. he can tell you’re frazzled, and usually everyone is when they're saved by him so this is normal. but he thinks your cute and he is so glad that he has a mask on because otherwise you would be able to see his bright pink cheeks that are flushed from being so close to a pretty girl like you.

as you slowly remove yourself from his (muscular) arms he feels empty.

"thank you so much for saving me," you start, he's used to this by now. "i- i wish i could pay you back uh-" you continue, you begin to rummage through your finding from the convinience store, and end up at a pack of cream puffs that took place at the bottom of the bag. you grab them out and hand them to him. "i know it's not a lot but... thank you so much"

he smiles from ear to ear under the mask. but you can see it slightly peeking through and your cheeks turn a little red at him smiling at you. he grabs the cream puffs from your hands, fingers brushing against each other.

"no one's ever done this for me before" he says looking at the cream puffs and then back into your eyes that make his stomach do more flips than when he's jumping from building to building. "thank you."

"of course, i mean it's the least i could do" you reply shyly. voice barely above a whisper because you're still so nervous. "i have to go now, but again, thank you."

"you're welcome. make sure that you're staying safe, can't have a pretty girl like you be in danger." of course he would save you though.

as you walk home with a big smile on your face, and head not on your phone, the words "pretty girl" keeping ringing in your head like a catchy tune.

you weren't going to be able to focus on your homework tonight.

@som1ig, this one's for you!! (and me)

[theromanticscrooge]

The Shipping Corner: Voxman, A Balm for Capitalist-Induced Angst

Note: I'm sorry this took as long as it did. I've been in a pretty bad slump recently and am just now coming out of it.

Lord Boxman is the black sheep among his peers. This is first established with Professor Venomous' initial distaste towards him and the later reactions he gets when he unexpectedly shows up at Billiam Milliam's villain yacht party. The only kinds of relationships Boxman has with other villains amount to strictly business transactions to create their robot minions. The shareholders that directly fund Boxmore are especially skeptic of Boxman's destroy the Plaza side venture and see this as a misguided, Snidely Whiplash-esque escapade. He's just a Saturday morning cartoon villain and they're the respectable big leagues. When Boxman funnels so much time, effort, energy, and resources towards the Plaza attacks, it takes precious time away from robot production; the one thing he does they consider valuable or worthwhile. They threaten to cut off their support if Boxman's production doesn't increase and then gladly replace him with Darrell when the opportunity arises. Darrell fits the exact mold they need for a CEO: he focuses exclusively on production.

There's no respect. There's no interest in or concern for Lord Boxman as an individual. The dislike is mutual. Of course Boxman doesn't get along with other villains. Most of the known names and faces on screen hold the purse strings and by extension, the fate of Boxman's entire operation. He feels like he has to put on his best face and performance to keep his business afloat. Without Boxmore, he seemingly has nothing and loses everything material. After Boxman was fired by the shareholders, he becomes absolutely depressed and floats around for awhile until Venomous finds him in his trash can. As much as he hates answering to corporate interests, he's locked in as a "robot manufacturer" as much as an Average Joe is stuck at a 9-5 job because of bills, a mortgage; and most frustratingly, how easily someone can fall into the trappings of letting a job define their self-worth or sense of self.

--

When Professor Venomous gets introduced, he's partly in Boxman's mental bucket of shareholder/necessary business relationships. Boxman goes to great lengths to hide K.O., Rad, and Enid after accidentally booking his business dinner on the same night as an antagonize the Plaza event. He's scared that his 'hobby' would dissuade Venomous from buying any more of his robots and break their already tenuous business deal. Instead, Venomous starts to see Boxman through literal rose-tinted glasses and becomes interested in Boxman's ongoing Plaza rivalry but uses the robots as a continued excuse to check in again on this weird, intriguing man.

Another interesting precedent is that Boxman is more fond of Venomous from the jump. When interacting with other business partners, Boxman is over-the-top and eager to please in video calls and plays the oblivious idiot in casual settings, but behind closed doors, he's bitter towards them. Boxman won't hug his own children and scoffs at open displays of affection. Yet he wants to touch or hug Venomous as often as he can reasonably get away with. Part of his behavior is the same eager to please facade he gives other interested business parties, but the bigger part is a legitimate interest in developing a more personal relationship with Venomous.

The pink shoujo sparkles and elevator eyes Boxman has for Venomous are a blatant indicator he finds him attractive. That's a surprisingly huge part of what kicks off his interest. Look at how he reacts to Dr. Blight in the Captain Planet crossover. Boxman initially shows skepticism and disinterest towards her crazy plans, but the second she flirts with him, the flip switches. The promise of romantic interest grants her access to the full power and force of Boxmore. When she leaves at the end of the episode, Boxman is disappointed. He wanted to continue their partnership, especially their potential interpersonal one.

In Venomous' case, he gets extra points for joining in the fight after the Plaza brats interrupt dinner. He asks about the design and Lego brick-esque connectivity of the Boxbots. He's not above participating in the Saturday morning cartoon skirmish. Rather, he misses that kind of fight and yearns to experience more exploits like it. Venomous is the only on-screen character outside of Boxman's kids that shows a willingness to listen to, try to understand, and engage with Boxman in a more personable, intimate way.

--

Professor Venomous fell into villainy after he lost his powers and realized how overbearing he found the moral code heroes have. Being a villain comes naturally to him; he likes the fruits of his labor in the vast amounts of wealth, prestige, and material power that he could gain. Fast forward to present-day in the series and he's the picture of a successful villain. He figures out the easy button for amassing stupid amounts of money by threatening a Congresswoman with a death ray. He's sought out for deals involving his scientific prowess. He's respected and liked among other villains to the point he's invited to Billiam's parties. Though while he has a comfortable position, he's become jaded.

Enter Lord Boxman. Compared to the villains Venomous is used to, Boxman dances to the beat of his own drum. He's more interested in defeating the Plaza than an endless vie for prestige, wealth, or power. He says he doesn't care what the other villains think of him and how he does things. No matter what happens, he's going to carve out his own path as a villain and do what he wants to with his life. Somehow, Venomous got tied up in a new, different kind of bureaucratic process as a villain. As a hero, he felt like an outcast and a loser everybody looked down on without super powers. As a villain, he has everything he thought he wanted but it was more of a means to make up for what he lost. It was more compensating and filling in an existential hole vs actually taking meaningful control of his life. In stark contrast to that, Boxman knows exactly what he wants and puts his all into every pursuit, consequences and obstacles be damned.

Collaborating with Boxman is an epiphany. Dreaming up new schemes and plots to challenge the Plaza is fun. It's fulfilling and satisfying to Venomous in a way that heroics and solo villain ventures weren't. There's one scene in particular after Boxman and Venomous join forces for the first time and lose spectacularly. Both of them are smiling; it's joyous. Boxman was down and out without Boxmore, but building Fink's attack trike was a spark of hope that he can rebuild even if its from the ground-up. Venomous just lost his nice house and all of his current material possessions because Boxman blew everything up. But then Boxman turned around and presented the exact existential solution Venomous didn't know he needed by suggesting attacking the Plaza. It's the dinner party attack, but this time, Venomous was a full part of the planning phases. He gets to share in and fully experience the devil-may-care and more whimsical parts of being a villain he thought were long gone.

Venomous offers to buy out Boxmore and root out the shareholders. Finally, Boxman is free of one of the bigger obstacles between him and his all-time favorite venture. Not only does Boxman have free reign, but also the equal partner he so desperately desired; someone that's on his same wavelength and as invested in his kind of villainy as he is.

--

Another important dimension to Venomous' character is his destructive spiral as Shadowy Venomous. Finding that 'missing piece' in Boxman and Boxmore respectively isn't a magic solution. There's significant baggage in how much emphasis Venomous placed on his need for power. This was such a huge quest and chunk of his life that its difficult to give up on the idea entirely. Its similar to how some people spend so much time chasing after a specific job title or promotion that this elusive thing becomes an important part of what defines them or contributes to their sense of self worth. Venomous left Carol because of a gross misunderstanding that she saw him as weak. He was missing the value he assigned to super powers for so long that every new solution was always a band-aid or a stop gap.

Someone can find a thing or circumstances that significantly improves their life, but they need to see and recognize this psychologically too for it to be completely effective. In other words, Venomous needed to recognize the real-time changes and results from joining Boxmore, then figure out how to weigh those continued changes with his own self-discovery or improvement.

Boxman started improving on being a more proactive parent. Unfortunately, Venomous started getting lost in his own head and pulling away from his other responsibilities or general life. A change as big as a new partner, surroundings, and blended family would be enough to kickstart depression; especially because Venomous hadn't appropriately addressed why he needed this abstract concept of what it meant to be the 'most powerful being.' Success and self-actualization weren't included with the previous accolades he achieved as a villain. It wasn't obvious and forthcoming with Boxman either. The lack of introspection and vulnerable talks with Boxman or anyone else is exactly what led to the wind-up and eventual "I'll destroy everything if it means getting rid of the years of resentment and frustration."

--

Both Venomous and Boxman have some sort of adult trapped in the shitty corporate world element to their character writing. In a nutshell, Boxman struggles with the existential threat of losing who he is to one specific job he performs; Venomous finds villainy gratifying as more of a hobby or extracurricular activity vs a full-time job. He's successful at it but the version he's successful at is more of a distraction or a means to fill in a missing part of himself than true interest in his corporate role. Boxman's approach to villainy is considered juvenile and worthless. Venomous still loves villainy but he wants the freedom to have fun and go all-out without worrying about reputation or meeting the specific standards that comes with his current position.

In 2024, after the various rise of corporate buzzwords trying to guilt employees back to pre-pandemic work standards and inflation vs stagnant wages, there's new weight to the Boxman and Venomous character allegories respectively. These two are that success story of Boxman giving the middle finger to a crappy boss and Venomous making that leap of faith from an empty, soul-sucking job to the more wild, out of pocket thing. Venomous' ill-obtained funds becomes that treasured pile of "fuck you" money that so many people dream about having and using to take a risk on something personally, meaningfully valuable to them. Or just having a window of opportunity to enjoy life the way they want to without having to worry about bills and necessities.

More importantly though, while they describe themselves as business partners, it's two single, lonely men building a life and trying to healthfully blend their families together. Part of this life is making space for someone new that makes the other man want to work on becoming a better, more thoughtful person. Regardless of where a person sits in their job hunt or even at the height of personal achievement, the most important part is the support network they come home to or regularly interact with.

Thematically, Boxman and Venomous are the opposite side of the coin to the more straightforward found family K.O. builds and maintains. It's a reminder that no one has to be lonely. They can and will find someone that brings meaningful, valuable things to their life; someone that makes them want to change and grow. While this is about an explicitly romantic pair, the message applies whether that hypothetical person and relationship is romantic, platonic, or a new addition to a found family.

[manddor]

fluff with ajax? this boy is so 😫 😫

ikr? and i feel he’s a little underrated! btw, thanks for the request <3 this is a little long! but i hope you like!

ajax petropolus x fem!reader — friends fake dating; angst and fluff

YOU BELONG WITH ME !

Rave'N was approaching and you - despite not liking those things - needed a pair. Even Wednesday who had zero manners with people had a date and so your friends started talking about you. 'You swear nobody asked you to go to the ball?' 'Awn, y/n, don't worry, I'm sure someone will call you soon!’

So you went to Ajax's dorm and thank God he was alone. "Please, be my date for the prom-" you begged. "I swear I didn't want to do this with you, but Enid already has a date" you mumbled, glancing to see if he wouldn't get bitter by the statement. When he gave a small smirk you continued "and people started whispering behind my back about how they feel bad for me! And we've always been best friends, so it wouldn't be weird.." He rolled his eyes. "Please, please, please... you owe me! I gave my answers to you on Tornhill's test."

"Cheating on a test and being your fake date is extremily different..." he looked up, because a snake was starting to come out of his hood. "Okay, I'I go with you." he said trying to hide the animal.

You jumped out of his bed and sprinted to give your friend a hug. "Have I mentioned how much I like you?" he started laughing, hugging you back.

"That's enough, y/n, I need to have energy to pretend I can handle dating you to everyone at Nevermore" he said pushing you away with a smile on his face. "I'll be the best boyfriend you've ever had. Although it won't be difficult at all... people will think it's weird that you're dating someone so nice and handsome like me."

"Don't think so, pretty boy. People will be jealous of you for being with me" you said pointing your finger at his chest. "I'll make you some protection charms...” he rolled his eyes again and pointed to the door and muttered for you to leave. "Oh, another thing.." you giggled. "We need to start this as soon as possible to make it feel more real."

"Ugh, okay, y/n! But after prom, I'II try things with Enid again, okay?" you agreed and finally left his room wishing him a 'goodnight, boyfriend.’

The next morning, in your history class - all the lights in the room were turned off, as your professor was showing a slide about the great war - you were almost asleep, your eyes were heavy and you're fighting with the urge to pay attention in class. Suddenly, Bianca who was sitting next to you punched your arm almost making your head hit the table, you looked around without understanding and you noticed the door was open, with an intense light coming towards you. Xavier was standing next to the old man "Sorry about the confusion Professor, but my friend has something to say."

You were still sleepy, but you were fully aware that it was Ajax walking into the room with a huge bouquet of flowers, with Kent's company who had a sign - which Xavier helped him open - that was written ‘Y/n, would you like to go to Rave'N with me?’.

Holy crap.

"Y/n, honey, would you give me the honor and be my date to prom?" he asked and even your professor had a small smile on his face waiting for you to answer.

The whole class started whispering and Bianca shook you to get up at once to answer the boy who had an adorable smile on his face. You were astonished. You had told him to be your fake date, but you had no idea that his head could think of all that.

"Wow" you whispered, then cleared your throat "Y-yes! I'll go with you, Aj."

"Come here, kid." the professor said and you went to Ajax to hug him.

"I can't believe you did that" you whispered into his ear.

"It was what you deserved" he whispered back and you took the bouquet from his hand which almost fell out of your hands as they were sweating. "I'll see you later honey" he placed a kiss on your cheek and left the room. You stood there still without reaction, watching Xavier congratulate Ajax - both with the brightest smiles you ever saw. All your classmates started applauding.

When you sat down, Bianca's jaw dropped. "Why didn't you told me this before? Ajax is so cute and you guys are a match" you blushed.

The next few days were in the same intensity. He spent every meal at your side, giving you hugs and placing kisses on your cheek or in your forehead, getting a lot of questions from your friends. 'When this started?', 'You've always been so close... we should have noticed' and 'You finally decide to get to know each other deeply!'

Ajax took to answering for you, once you commented that you felt embarrassed with so much attention on you. 'Yeah... we didn't even thought about it, but it happened.'

But something strange happened. You two spent a lot of time together to show your cute little relationship, but he started ghosting you. You thought maybe he was trying to figure how he would fix the things with Enid after that.

"Aj" you called him when you were alone in the hall. "Are you mad at me?" he barely looked at your face. "You haven't spoken to me in a while.”

He looked a long time into your eyes and placed a hand on your arm, squeezing a little bit. "No! No way" he cracked a smirk.

"Great! Because tomorrow is Raven'N and we need to be super connected" you said and his smile disappeared.

"Yeah, I know" he paused for a moment. "I have class now, see you later." and he left. You felt a strange feeling, because you knew he didn’t have any class right now.

At Raven'N's day, you were surprised by how excited you were. It was actually a mix of excitement and anxiety and you didn't know why, but you decided to embrace the feeling. You got dressed up with Bianca and a few other friends, dancing and singing together.

You ended up exchanging a few messages with Ajax and even though things were still a little awkward between the two of you, he was still being cute and funny, like he always was.

And when you went to the ball, the hall was amazing, super decorated and with exciting songs. You started looking for some boy who was covering his hair but failed. "Xav, have you seen Aj?" you asked as the tall boy walked past you.

He seemed to think for a while before answering, his cheeks turning red "He... he was talking to Enid." your heart skipped a few beats. "And he's a little drunk." Shit.

You knew that interrupting their conversation would be an embarrassment, so you decided to wait for him to come talk to you. Even if he didn't spend the prom with you, if he had patched things up with Enid, you'd be happy for him. Right? You were supposed to be happy for him. He was your best friend. Just that.

So when you saw Enid come back with a huge smile on her face, you got worried and decided to look for the boy. Ajax was sitting in the hallway and you could see that he was really drunk. "Aj!"

"Oh, Y/n. I'm so sorry... I failed on that fake date thing" he said putting his hand on his face as if he was embarrassed.

"What are you talking about?" you helped him up and his body was heavier than you imagined. He ended up not answering your question and you didn't insisted. Ajax slipped and his forehead met yours. He laughed.

"I really want to kiss you right now." he whispered. Your heart raced.

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

"I do, y/n. I'm the dumbest guy in the world... I wish I had told you this a long time ago." he said running his fingers through your hair. Suddenly, all of your body felt warm.

"And the whole thing with Enid?" you knew asking questions to drunk people wasn't a good idea, but you've wanted to ask him for a while.

"Bullshit, she's just a friend.” he started laughing. “Actually she was helping me how to express my feelings" he said looking into your eyes, your heart cheered. "Fuck" he muttered and before you realized it, he had kissed you. God, how you wish he'd done this sober. But you reciprocated. Pulling him closer and feeling his little snakes stroking your hair.

You stopped the kiss and took your friend to his dorm, leaving some water by his side and a medicine that you knew he would need. The moment he laid down, you were going to leave the room, but he pulled your hand. "Y/n... I'm in-"

"Don't" you interrupted him. "Tell me that when you're sober." and then you left.

You couldn't sleep the whole night. Your heart was impatient, it felt like it had just broken, but this time hurting more. It hurt more because you knew what you were missing, you knew your heart was beating for just one person and maybe it had been beating for all this time and you just realized it now. It hurt even more that he had kissed you while he was drunk, probably knowing that it wouldn't happen when he was sober.

It was Sunday, meaning you were free of classes, but your friends were meeting for lunch together as an after-prom celebration. Ajax was waiting for you in front of your dorm's door and you walked to the place without saying a word. You knew he remembered last night, but he sure as hell regretted it.

"Where were the lovebirds yesterday?" Bianca asked as everyone saw you entering the place hand in hand. "We didn't see you the rest of the party"

"We were very busy yesterday" Ajax smirked and squeezed your hand. You pretended to smile and your friends faces were shocked by the answer.

But you started hearing murmurs behind you as the celebration was going. 'Does he really like her?', 'He's too cute for her...', 'Are you kidding? As soon as they're done, I'm going to ask Y/ n to go out with me, she's extremely hot. Aj is the one who's lucky'.

Ajax felt his face boil with anger, pulling you closer and pressing his lips to yours. You felt your heart beat faster and more desperately. You felt his tongue brush your lips and you gave permission to enter. Your breathing was heavy. He placed his hand on your neck and trailed his fingers down your back to the waist, where he pulled you even closer. You broke up when it looked like you were going to pass out from lack of air.

The entire room was silent, but your gaze didn't break Aj's for a second. What was it all about? "That's my bro" Xavier spoke, breaking the silence of your colleagues.

Once everyone was entertained with conversations and gossip from the ball, you left the place and headed towards the forest. It was raining and it didn't take long for your hair to be completely soaked. That was the best way to get your energy renewed and clear your mind.

You sat on a tree, but it didn't take long to hear footsteps behind you and see Ajax's worried face beside you. "Not in the mood for talking right now" you said putting your face on your knee, feeling the raindrops roll down your cheeks.

"But we need to" he said sitting next to you.

"This fake dating thing was a mistake, you know?" you said, feeling his eyes on you.

"I know I confused you about yesterday-"

"No need to explain yourself, Aj." you interrupted him. He shifted his position and sat in front of you taking both of your hands.

"Yes, I need." you looked into his eyes. "It was really a mistake all this" you already felt your eyes watering. "But everything I said and all my actions yesterday were honest" your heart was beating fast again. "Even though I did it in the world's stupidest way, didn't know if it's reciprocate or-"

"It is." you said without elaborating and he smiled.

"Y/n, I'm in love with you. And I'm saying this in the most sober way possible." you got up and the boy followed you.

"I can't imagine a life without you, Aj. I feel like you belong with me. The same way I belong to you" you said running your hand over his face and kissing him. “I love you.”

[n3kk1tty]

Imagine Singing an inappropriate German song in front of Nightcrawler.

Readers Mutant powers- Mechanical transfiguration. You can turn your body or manipulate machines into different kinds of machines/ weapon.

Night Crawler wants to get to know the reader but the reader suffers from social anxiety and is neurodivergent.

You were still pretty new to the mansion and though you tried your best to feel part of the team sometimes it was hard being the new recruit. It was especially hard to connect with some of the others as more often then not it felt like you stayed coped up with Hank geeking out over machines. This led to keeping to yourself outside of missions unless you were with Hank or being forced to discuss mechanical maintenance with Professor Xavier and Scott. Outside of those three it was your goal everyday to stay out of everyone else's way which didn't deter a certain group of them from trying desperately to befriend you.

This is what led to your now bizarre schedule which truly shouldn't overlap with everyone else's. Prep your meals early in the morning and take them to your mini fridge before anyone catches you then proceed with morning walk then training. This way there was no need for awkward conversations or worse forced social interaction between the extroverts. Rogue, Jubilee, Morph and the worse offender Nightcrawler. You were like a frightened dumpster cat they were trying desperately to befriend but there outgoing personality mixed with your introverted neurodivergent led to situations you dreaded as you never knew what to connect about.

It got so bad you jumped out a window before the group rounded a corner as they were trying to find you to go out somewhere. Hank of course scolded you for hiding out with him when they were having a man hunt again as he tried coaxing you out of the danger room computer system. " I know you're a little shy but I assure you (Y/n) they will adore you just like I do. I quite cherish our shared passions and friendship but making friends with your other teammates will be beneficial for you. " Hank sits at the computer chair staring at the hardware in front of him. "Nope. Nada. Not happening. " Your body slowly forms out of the mechanical hardware staring at your blue friend as he frowns.

" Hank. You understand that Kurt's teleporting alone randomly keeps my anxiety on edge. What happens if he knows where I'm at teleports in front of me and before I can even process it I've punched him across the room with a full force power punch. How will I ever look anyone in the face again. They will all think I did it on purpose and that I'm a newbie with a attitude problem, or even worse I'm not x-men material like Xavier thinks I am. " Hank sighs as like a mole you disappear back into the machine at the sound of the door opening. Jean walks in waving to Hank as she can already tell what's going on. Kurt had asked her a favor to use her telepathic powers to locate you which she had done but knew it would be better to give your location only if you wanted to be found.

"You know (Y/n) your a pretty hard person to find. Is there a reason your so difficult to locate outside of missions. " Silence hangs in the air. You don't dare make a sound but you know she knows you're here. It's not like you could hide your consciousness in the machine. Jean gently sighs sitting in the chair next to Hank. " It's okay I'm not mad. I just want to know why no one can find you. Truthfully your little fan club asked if I could locate you but I didn't want to give away your location if you didn't feel comfortable with it. I already know you asked Scott not to tell anyone else your schedule. I just want to make sure you're adjusting well and if there's anything I can do."

You don't dare to come out the machine but the gentleness of her voice helps lure a response out of your frightened form. " I just don't feel comfortable with the extroverts high energy. It feels like everyone's eyes are on me as the new person and I don't want to embarrass myself outside of missions. One on one I can handle the attention but all three at once it's just too much and I just shut down and panic. " Hank taps his pen against his check board. " (Y/n) has trouble understanding social cues at times and thanks to past rejections now has severe social anxiety thanks to it. She is worried that she won't say the right thing when she interacts with the others outside of missions."

Hank pats the control desk your body is currently absorbed to almost like he's patting a child's head. " This is why she's gone out of her way to avoid them. Which as you can tell Jean has led to where we are now with her using her mutant powers to avoid them. " Jean looks empathetic as you slowly reform your body out of the machine. Crawling out onto the floor slowly standing up as you embarrassingly stand there. " Do you not wish to interact with them at all? They really just want to be your friend and get to know you better. All of us do. Though I do understand everything has been a lot, but you have been doing wonderful on missions and the repairs around the mansion. Even the students adore you. Just have more faith in yourself okay (Y/n) I'm sure they are just excited to get to know the real you. "

Hands fiddle with the end of your sweater. Rubbing the fabric between your fingers was helping just slightly with your nerves as you stand in front of Jean. " I really do want to make friends with them as well. It's just hard to. I don't think I'm ready to face them today but I definitely will try better in the future to make steps to get closer to the rest of the team. If you could do me a favor though could you tell them I'm sorry if I've appeared rude and that I'm sorry if it seemed like I didn't like them." As Jean stands up satisfied with the conversation you quickly grab onto her arm in a panic. " Please don't tell Kurt we're I am though. Tell him I went to bed early. His teleportation makes me anxious as I'm worried he's gonna scare me and I'm gonna accidentally knock him out in panic. I feel like I've already royally screwed up our relationship with my running away. The last thing I need to do is accidentally send him through a wall. He will really think I hate him. "

Jean laughs patting your hand in comfort. " Well I'll make sure to tell him that next time he wants to talk with you that he should try walking in instead of teleporting and scaring you. Trust me I understand the shock that it can have on someone. It took a lot of us months to get used to the scare. " Jean had fulfilled her promise to you informing them all about your social anxiety and to give you space and patience. Exspecially making sure to drive the point home to Kurt that his teleporting scared you not because of his looks but because it suddenly scared you. To bad though that Jean was too late to prevent the groups scheming. See Kurt was so infatuated with getting to know you because he had a small crush on you ever since you shared candy with him on your first mission together.

He had successfully convinced the other extroverts to help with his plan of getting to know you better. This was no small task though as somehow you had managed to be the hardest person to find ever outside of missions. Even trying to learn your schedule was impossible as Scott wouldn't tell any of them at all. When Jean had comeback to tell Kurt you had already gone to bed but that you did want to get to know him he was over the moon. Taking the instructions of trying not to scare you with his teleportation to heart he was fueled with excitement to carry out his plan. See they couldn't figure out your schedule from Scott but that didn't mean you were safe from some good old stalking.

Your dorm room was right across from Rogues and with some late night staking out she was able to get a rough outline and idea around the time you'd get up. The group was able to figure out that you got up at Four every morning and would be in the kitchen prepping your meals for the day before coming back to leave them in your room. It was the only part of your schedule they had figured out but now with the encouragement that you actually wanted to know them in place they could carry out with their match making scheme. All Kurt had to do was catch you while you were cooking. Maybe make it look like he woke up early on accident and you were just so happening to be in the kitchen.

It was the perfect scheme because there was no way you'd abandon your meal prep to hide or run away so this was Kurt's chance to make some progress. Jubilee was so excited to carry out this plan as it was like playing a real life dating simulator. She excitedly prepped Kurt for the first attempt chattering on about how you were like a romantic interest and all he had to do was slowly fill your heart meter to gain more playable interactions. Morph pitched into the plan by transforming into you to help Kurt practice his first interactions. Though he didn't really appreciate the teasing he got from Morph while they wore your face. " I don't think pickup lines would go over well for a first interaction. "

Jubilee chastised Morph as they teased the furry blue elf. " Hey who doesn't like flirting. It may be a great hit with (Y/n)" Rogue shook her head not really agreeing with it either. " Now she already is like a scared cat in a rainstorm. You heard Jean we gotta be aware of her anxieties. Any mess ups may set our progress backwards. " Kurt gulped at the thought of messing this up. You were so sweet and caring on missions always worried about everyone and how things would affect civilians. The first mission he ever went on with you after the fight was over you stayed for hours making sure people were taken care things were cleaned. You had done it all with a never ending kind smile and when leaned against a wall exhausted you had offered Kurt a soft salted caramel from your pocket.

He swore that those caramels tasted like heaven. Now he was determined to win your friendship then hopefully if he was blessed enough your heart. He set off for bed putting his alarm to wake him around the time you were expected in the kitchen. He rehearsed his conversation multiple times as he lay restlessly in his bed before eventually drifting off into dreams about soft caramels.

Now was cooking all your meals at once in the dead of the morning when no one else would possibly be awake a little annoying. Maybe. Was it worth it for uninterrupted personal time before you went to go galavanting in the woods. Definitely. I mean before the X-Men you were used to this schedule as making ends meat in an adopted family of mutants was hard. So waking up to avoid the extroverts and meal prep was just easier for you in the long run anyway. Not like it was much different then back in the junkyard. Though a habit you never could break from your time in the junkyard was working in the dark. There really wasn't a need to turn on lights when your automatic eyes would just adjust to night vision anyway.

So here you were in the pitch dark of the kitchen only the slightest flame from the gas stovetop lighting the room. Which truthfully made no difference in the inky black abyss as pots clattered and things bubbled on the stove. You had on your list of foods today to make was your homemade salted caramel squares. Headphones in coffee at your side you bounced around the kitchen dancing and singing along to the songs. Of course you had a built in system to tell you how loud you were being to make sure you didn't wake anyone but that didn't stop you from aggressively dancing along to what ever came on in your play list.

I mean it was like a mini concert with just you and the stove. If anyone did wake up the turning on of the lights would alert you to cease your unrestrained shenanigans. Your previous song stops and suddenly the night-cored version of the song Doktorspiele starts blaring through. Jumping up and down you sing along to the perverse lyrics in German. You were aware of how raunchy the lyrics were actually but it's not like a lot of people knew the lyrics at first hearing. The only people you had to worry about hearing was Kurt or Anna Marie. There was no way they would catch you so swaying your hips bouncing your weight from left and right you sang your heart out to the song.

At one point you were so into the song you were singing into the spoon that was stirring the caramel while running your hands from your thighs up into your hair being playfully sensual like the song. Blissfully unaware of the Blue German speaking mutant sitting in shock and amusement on the counter furthest away from you. He could never imagine that the girl he had a crush on would be standing before him singing in his native tongue about a raunchy game of playing doctor. I mean he didn't want to stop you the words rolling from your mouth were incredibly enticing to him. If your relationship was a little closer he may have even had the confidence to act up on the lyrics suggestions.

Not wishing to ruin this he sat watching you be so open and free. He wanted desperately for you to be like this all the time. He almost forgot you weren't aware he was there until when you did your finishing move for the song spinning around his direction posing your heart out. He couldn't help but clap, enamored by the sight. That was until electric robotic eyes opened spotting him in the night vision sight. The sound that came out of you was robotic high pitched and squeaky. Like a voice synthesizer breaking to replicate as it got more robotic. You threw the spoon in pure panic leaping back in fear before crawling behind the kitchen counter as your heart and mind raced away in embarrassment.

Kurt almost immediately by instinct dashed after you trying to apologize. " Oh no, please don't run away!" You curl into a ball eyes closed tight as your heartbeat races in your ear. So tightly round up that you couldn't spot Kurt gently crawling next to you. " I'm so sorry, liebling. Even after Jean informed me to not scare you I've done it anyway. " It's like the disappointment can be heard through Kurt's voice as something about it stings. " I-i'm okay. I'm so sorry I was singing that song Kurt. I know it's perverse and I shouldn't be singing them for others to hear. I didn't wake you did I?" Bright glowing doe eyes just slightly peak into glowing golden orbs from above warm hands. Kurt smiles at how much you look like a mouse hiding like this in front of him. He truly wanted to pull you into a hug begging you to sing it again for him just so he could know the dirty promises made in German but he knew that wasn't the way to go about this.

"Do not fret over me. I was just coming to get some water. I was trying not to scare you with the lights but I couldn't help watching you be so lively and energetic. " You slowly lift your head to see the soft smile on Kurt's face as he intently looks into your glowing orbs. " You don't mind the lyrics? Or my terrible singing?" Kurt pats your hand almost jokingly scoffing at the comment. " There is no reason to mind. It is a catchy song and it sounds even better sang by a beautiful woman like you. If you wanted I could help you practice your German pronunciation. " This eases your mood as you laugh a bit. The anxiety's slowly melting away as you see the passion behind Kurt's eyes. " Maybe I should take you up on that offer in the future. "

You share a few more jokes between each other before the sound of the stove bubbling over catches your attention. Darting up you lunge towards the sweets boiling monstrously. " Oh no the carmel !?"

[generic-sonic-fan]

Diametric

Summary:

Diameter (Noun): A line dividing through the center of a body Diametric (Adjective): situated of, relating to, or along a diameter. Opposed.

To Shadow, he asked that his current friend protect his past family.

To Omega, it’s a task to protect the two humans who ruined Shadow’s life.

---

The Black Moon hung heavy in the featureless sky. Red light bathed everything below. 

Shadow tore through the chaos of objects in white space. Maria and Grandfa- the professor, they were alright, but that could change at any moment and the energy inside of him pulsed faster with every breath and time was running out. He had difficulty keeping his eyes downturned from the Black Moon. He found his gaze drifting if he lost focus for even a moment. 

He skidded to a halt in front of the entrance to the Ark memory. Six Black Arms soldiers sprung from the platforms within- and were promptly obliterated by a volley of missiles behind them. 

Omega stepped through their bloody remains. “A PASSAGE HAS FORMED TO THE BLACK MOON! DESTROY IT!”

“I need your help, it’s urgent!” Shadow shouted back. 

“WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE?”

“Protect them. Protect Professor Gerald and Maria at all costs.” 

“I DO NOT PROTECT.” Omega switched to his fists and clenched one in front of his optics. For a moment, a vision jolted through Shadow’s mind of destroying him with a fiery rain of chaos spears. But Omega lowered his fist and redrew his machine guns.

“HOWEVER. . . I CAN PROTECT THEM BY DESTROYING ALL WHO THREATEN THEM.” 

“Thank you.”

“LOCATING TARGETS OF PROTECTION. . . FOUND. GO, SHADOW! HURRY TO YOUR FINAL CONFRONTATION!” Omega jetted off with his boosters

—

Omega arrived in the zone of white space that held the ruins of the metropolitan area. His scans from a distance could not indicate what time this location portrayed, nor any hints about the location itself, and his scans up close now did little to elucidate the matter further. 

But against the ruined backdrop, the biosigns of Gerald and Maria Robotnik lit up in his scanners. They were both crammed beneath a small alcove close to the entrance of the ruins zone. The concrete surrounding them would do a pitiful job at fending off any attacks or deflecting any debris. Omega stomped towards their location. 

“GERALD AND MARIA,” the next word was slimy against his voicebox, but he grabbed it and shoved it through anyway, “ROBOTNIK. I AM E-123 OMEGA. SHADOW HAS TASKED ME WITH PROTECTING YOU.”

The little girl crawled out of the hiding spot first. She stood up straight, brushed the non-existent dirt off her skirt, before standing square with him, meeting his optics.

She was. . . unremarkable. Thin blonde hair. Blue eyes. An almost inhumanly frail muscle and skeletal structure- some of her bones were thin enough that even the force from falling on them wrong might break them. 

This was the human girl that Shadow once wanted to destroy the world for.

This was the human girl that caused Shadow to flinch at stray gunfire and to hyperventilate at flashing alarms.

This was the human girl that left Shadow weeping on the floor in the middle of the night after screaming out her name.

This was-

“Are you Shadow’s friend?” 

Omega stared at her. “YES.” 

“Good. That makes me happy.” Maria smiled, revealing brittle teeth. “Grandfather, it’s okay! Come on out!”

The first thing Omega registered was the mustache. His targeting nearly snapped onto its visage. But he held off, allowing the old man to crawl out of the alcove and stand trembling beside Maria. 

“My, you’re an impressive thing.” Gerald said. “I wonder who built you?” 

“IT IS ONLY MY PROMISE TO SHADOW THAT KEEPS ME FROM ERADICATING YOU, ROBOTNIK.”

Before he could stomp closer to the old man, Maria jumped in between. “Stop!”

“Maria!” 

Gerald grabbed her and pulled her aside. He then stepped up and puffed his chest out, as if he wasn’t about to cower before the girl had intervened. 

“AS PREVIOUSLY STATED- I AM TO PREVENT YOU FROM BEFALLING HARM. THIS LOCATION IS UNSHELTERED. FOLLOW ME.” Omega gestured over his shoulder.

He hadn’t had time to scan this new area- he hadn’t explored the confines of this white space while he was trying to triangulate Rouge’s signal, and after confirming her status, events had moved far too quickly. Now he was left guessing at wall thicknesses and scouting as he went, with two vulnerable meatbags far too close on his heels. 

He rounded the corner to find a herd of gunner robots. He destroyed them, but instead of breaking into parts they only shriveled up and disappeared. Their smoke lingered. They’d likely reappear in time, just like all the other robots in this inane dimension. As he walked through the smoke, it reacted to his air resistance, but did not cling to his frame.

It didn’t cling to Maria’s shoes either as she marched behind him. Yet she wheezed. She coughed. She froze. Omega turned around. Her eyelashes fluttered. Her pulse dropped- and so did she. 

Omega felt her between his fingers before he even registered that he’d moved to catch her. He dragged her out of the smoke and held her upright until she could plant her own feet beneath herself again.

She placed her palm on his wrist. “Thank you.” 

“Let go of her!” Gerald pouted. 

Omega looked at him, then to Maria, then back at him. He then plucked Maria off the ground so that she was sitting in his claws.

“Put her down!” 

“NO.” 

“Grandfather, it’s alright- he’s steady.” Maria replied. “In fact, it might be faster if he carries you as well.”

Omega turned and walked towards the outer wall of white space, leaving the old man jogging after them. 

“Please don’t leave him.” Maria said.

“I AM TRACKING HIM BEHIND ME.” 

“I’m sorry about what Grandfather said. It was rather rude to call you a thing.” 

“IRRELEVANT.” 

“No, it really was. You deserve an apology. You’re not a thing. You’re clearly so much more than that.” Maria put her hands on his chest plating. 

. . . he could not determine how to respond, so he didn’t. 

He arrived at the outer wall. This material, according to his scans, was far too thick for even his arsenal to blast through. He set Maria down next to it, then stepped in front of her, shielding her from the other three directions where possible threats could emerge. 

When the old man finally caught up with them, Omega was tempted not to let him in, but Shadow’s promise called itself to the forefronts of his memory banks, and he waved the old man behind him. 

“WE ARE SHELTERING AT THIS LOCATION. STAY BEHIND ME. I WILL INSTRUCT YOU WHEN IT IS SAFE TO EMERGE.” 

“You know,” Gerald said in that nasally tone of his, “you’re not exactly perfect cover.”

There was a hand placed atop his head. Like a master patting his creation. 

“DO NOT TOUCH ME!” Omega snapped around and shoved the barrel of his machine gun at Gerald’s throat. 

“Stop! Stop, he didn’t mean it!” Maria cried.

“IF YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU.”

“Even at risk of permanent damage to the timeline?” Gerald muttered into the barrel of the weapon.

“YOU OVERESTIMATE MY CAPACITY TO CARE.” 

“Let him go!”

Maria shoved Omega’s waist. It was not enough force to move him. She kicked his leg and punched his chest plating, each with barely enough force to even register on his tactile sensors. 

But then she shoved Gerald out of the way. The old man was not prepared, stumbling off to the side, and at the tip of Omega’s gun barrel his throat was replaced with Maria’s forehead. 

Her blue eyes burned into Omega’s optics. 

He lowered his weapon.

“You’re cruel!” Her lips dripped with a venom Omega didn’t even know her vocal chords could produce. “Shadow can’t possibly be your friend!”

“THEN YOU DO NOT KNOW SHADOW AT ALL.” 

Her eyes widened. Omega turned his back to her. He scanned the surroundings for hostiles. Unfortunately, there were none.  

“Tell me about Shadow, then.” Maria said, quieter.

“Don’t.” Gerald snapped. “I’m sure your treatment of us is already damaging the-”

“SILENCE, IMBECILE!” 

The old man sputtered a bit before complying.

Omega generated a few iterations of his next words before settling on one. “SHADOW IS CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU WANT HIM TO BE.”  

“By that, do you mean. . . hurting people?”

“AFFIRMATIVE.” 

“People like that devil in the moon up there?” 

“AFFIRMATIVE.” 

She paused. “Good.”

“YOU ARE NOT REPULSED BY THIS IDEA OF HIM?” 

“I don’t like the idea of him fighting at all.” Maria was silent for a moment. “But I know he’s able to. To protect everyone. He’s been fighting for us this whole time.” 

“INDEED. I HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE REGIONS FULL OF ENEMIES HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INTERACT WITH.”

“Otherwise you would have helped?”

“UNDOUBTEDLY!” Omega’s claws twitched. “IT IS FAR TOO BORING HERE.” 

“So you fight together. And it’s fun?” 

“EXTREMELY SO!”

She made a thoughtful noise. “He used to be so nervous using his powers.”

“I ENCOURAGE HIM TO EMBRACE HIS STATUS AS THE ULTIMATE LIFEFORM.” 

“He’s even using the powers from his alien side. . . he’s being so casual about it.” She paused. “He is different. You’re right.” 

“You don’t need to apologize to him, dear.” Gerald said. 

“QUIET.” Omega reminded him.

“Tell me about his other friends.” Maria asked.

“ROUGE THE BAT,” Omega pointed to her last-known location on the plateau above them, “IS A COMPETENT JEWEL THIEF AND A VALUABLE ALLY.” 

“She steals things?” 

“SHE IS VERY GOOD AT STEALING THINGS.” 

“Hmm. Is it like how it is in the movies? Heists, that is.” 

“IT IS MUCH MORE ENTERTAINING.” 

“That does sound fun.” 

Gerald grunted something. It didn’t matter what. 

“What did Shadow think of Earth?” Maria asked. “When he first saw it?” 

“Maria, stop asking these sorts of questions. You’ll learn the answers in due time, when you join Shadow back on Earth.” 

Omega rotated his head back to stare Gerald down. The man flinched backwards. Maria stood her ground. 

“HE APPRECIATES THE ‘BEAUTY’ OF EARTH. HE OFTEN GOES ON LONG LEAVES OF ABSENCE TO EXPLORE IT.” Omega turned his gaze back to the empty space ahead. 

“Good. I’m glad. He’s probably able to explore so much with how fast he can run.” Maria said.

“INDEED.” 

Before Omega could speak again, the Black Moon rumbled. One of the eyes protruding from the writhing mass stared down upon them. The portal that Shadow had entered on the top rippled, and a horde of Black Arms soldiers belched forth. 

It would be so easy to run forward and tear them to pieces, but instead Omega had to wait an agonizing length of time for them to run within range. He drew both of his machine guns and let loose into the horde. Soon they were nothing but splotches of green blood on the ground. Their essence evaporated and drifted back towards the Black Moon.

“. . . is it over?” Maria asked from behind.

“BEFORE IT COULD EVEN BEGIN.” Omega huffed. “I BET SHADOW IS HAVING MUCH MORE FUN.” 

A soft giggle filled the air. Suddenly Omega understood the meatbag metaphorical comparison of laughter to wind chimes. 

The Black Moon pulsed again, and let out a guttural noise. No enemies emerged. All previously collected data on Shadow the Hedgehog suggested that Shadow was making quick work of Black Doom. Something deeper told Omega that time was almost up. 

“IS THERE ANYTHING,” the idea crossed his processor that Shadow would be displeased with such a question, but that was not enough to dissuade him, “YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO SHADOW?” 

“He’ll be able to say goodbye, won’t he?” 

“A MESSAGE FOR THE FUTURE.” 

“Ah. . . I understand.” She said quietly. “Let me think.” 

She hummed under her breath.

Gerald cleared his throat. “Tell Shadow that I’m proud of him, whenever he needs to hear it.”

“I WILL NOT. I DID NOT ASK YOU.”

“Um. . .” Maria walked out from behind Omega and grabbed one of his claws. “Tell Shadow that whenever he’s feeling lonely, he should seek you or Rouge out, okay?”

“ARE YOU SURE THIS IS THE ONLY MESSAGE YOU WISH TO LEAVE HIM?”

“I don’t see why not. He gets lonely easily. I don’t want him to be. Now that he has you two as friends, he doesn’t have to be.” 

“MESSAGE RECORDED. I WILL PRESENT IT TO HIM,” Omega paused, “WHENEVER NECESSARY.” 

He deleted the recording.

“Thank you.” Maria let go. She glanced over her shoulder, then back to him. “And you take care of him, okay?” 

“I DO NOT ‘CARE’ FOR ANYONE.” 

“What?”

“BUT I WILL NOT ALLOW SHADOW TO COME TO HARM.”

Maria smiled again. “Good.”  

“HE IS THE ONLY ORGANIC WHO CAN POSSIBLY KEEP UP WITH ME. HE IS MY MOST VALUABLE ALLY.”

“And your friend.”

“AND MY FRIEND.” 

Omega’s scanners picked up growing energy within the Black Moon. He quickly picked up Maria and placed her behind his frame, just before a series of shockwaves hit. The old man got the worst of it, getting knocked off his feet, but with Omega’s frame curled around her, the forces against Maria’s body were minimized. 

A final, massive explosion sent purple-red smoke rolling past them. Then all was quiet. Omega turned around to find that the Black Moon was no more- he didn’t even get to see the blasted thing explode into little pieces. Sad. 

A small figure landed in the distance. Scans confirmed it to be Shadow.

“SHADOW HAS EMERGED VICTORIOUS.” Omega informed the other two. “I WILL RETURN YOU TO YOUR ORIGINAL LOCATION.” 

“Thank you for protecting us.” Maria said. 

“. . . YOU’RE WELCOME.” Omega replied. He then tapped his shoulder. “WOULD YOU LIKE FASTER TRANSPORTATION BACK?” 

She turned to Gerald. “Can I, Grandfather? Can I please?”

“Absolutely not.” Gerald spat. “Come on, let’s get back to Shadow.” 

The old man held out his hand, and she took it. Omega turned away from them.

“It’s probably for the best we don’t leave Grandfather behind. There could still be monsters about.” Maria tried to explain.

“IRRELEVANT. FOLLOW.” 

He walked them back to the ruins of the urban area. He saw Rouge take off towards some other area of the white space. Shadow went the opposite direction, closing on the ruins area and fast. 

“SHADOW IS RETURNING. I WILL ALLOW YOU TO SAY YOUR FINAL GOODBYES.” 

“Right.” Maria said quietly. 

“Nonsense, my dear. The robot clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Gerald put his hands on her shoulders. 

Analysis of his voice suggested he didn’t quite believe what he was saying either. Omega stomped off to the edge of the ruins.

Before he activated his boosters, he heard a faint “goodbye Omega!” from behind him.

He saved it to his memory banks before blasting away. 

—

The aftermath. . . Shadow didn’t remember much. The rest of Sonic’s party was a blur. He stood on the edge of it until people started to trickle out. Rouge grabbed his shoulder, told him it was time to go, and they were off. 

Halfway through their route they were intercepted. Shadow skidded to a halt and Rouge landed to find Omega with his thrusters overheating. 

After they gave him a moment to cool down, the first thing he asked Shadow was “WHAT IS YOUR STATUS?” 

“I’m okay.” Shadow replied. 

Then they went home. A few weeks slipped away. It was difficult to break out of the fog. Omega suggested a mission. Shadow took him up on the offer. 

In the now-empty hallways of this base of Eggman’s, Shadow paused. 

“Did you talk with her at all?” He asked.

“MARIA, DURING THE TIME EATER EVENT?” 

“Yes.” 

“AFFIRMATIVE.” 

Shadow waited for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, he asked, “what did you think of her?”

Omega paused. Switched back to his weapon and shot the remnants of a destroyed Badnik on the floor. Switched back to his claws. 

“SHE WAS NOT AS PITIFUL AS I EXPECTED.” 

“You thought she was pitiful?” Shadow hissed.

Omega didn’t answer; he turned and walked away. Then he paused mid-step, as if there was something else he wanted to say, before he ignited his boosters and took off down the hall.

[partyanimal167]

I’ve just been watching Bleach and in the credits to ep 118, Grimmjow gets called a Professor 👀 and now I can’t stop thinking about it…

So how about an AU where Grimmjow is a professor? Sorry if that’s too vague and random 😅

Oh no, that's not too vague. Thanks so much for suggesting. I always laugh thinking about certain characters being "responsible" adults esp when it comes to working with other people lol. I was so close to making Grimmjow a culinary professor, but it'd be too easy lol. I hope you like this!

CW: sfw, college au, gn! reader, cussing (bc let's be fr now), slight flirting near the end

There were so many signs that this class was going to be...not normal. However, when you gleamed through the professor reviews there wasn't anything out of the ordinary...well you didn't read them all. Mistake number one.

Mistake number two was not reading the syllabus (who does though) and showing up to class when it started--10am. There were a few people, but after waiting fifteen minutes, not even half the class was there and neither was the professor. After another fifteen minutes, you were starting to get a bit antsy and confused, but soon the rest of the class filled in. Then one guy came in with ripped jeans, a white jacket, shades, and a Monster in hand.

Damn, this guy looks rough. I bet he was partying too hard with the new semester starting. You jumped when a bag slammed on the teacher's desk. You tilted your head as the man's shades came off, and you were met with blue-as-hell eyes and a grumpy expression.

It seems you weren't the only one confused.

"Hey! Class was supposed to start at 10! Why is the professor late?" one guy yelled from his seat. A few other students mumbled in agreement.

"Oi, why the hell are you yelling?! Too fucking early in the morning," the man barked back. You could feel his voice rumble in your chest. It sounded as if he had just woken up not too long ago either. The man went over to his seat and kicked his feet on the desk. He popped open his energy drink and went on. "Literally on the first page of your syllabus it says that class starts at 10:30 because 10 is too fucking early and I like my sleep. It ain't my fault the dean wouldn't give me a noon class, tch."

You couldn't believe your ears. This guy can't be serious. This is my literature professor? You didn't like to make assumptions about people, but the guy looked to be around everyone else's age and even if he did teach a class, with his attitude you'd think it'd be something...not like literature.

"Anyway, the name's Grimmjow. I don't really care if you call me Professors. That's your business. This is Global Literature of the 21st Century. I hate repeating myself so listen the first time, and I don't give out extra credit unless you drop off a 12-pack of these first." the man went on tapping the can.

You sunk it your seat a little. What the hell did I sign up for?

~~~

After those first couple of weeks, you decided that you would do your absolute best in that class and avoid being a nuisance to that grumpy professor. Grimmjow definitely had a reputation on campus. Many students had a love-hate relationship with him--grateful for the extra time to sleep in, no bullshit, and the somehow rowdy yet engaging teaching. Definitely hate though for the teasing, cussing, yelling, and him being ready to chew out whatever dumb ass he picked that day.

So it certainly wasn't your best moment when the man practically ordered that you came to his office hours later that day.

You slowly opened the door to his office and met with the rather odd scene of your professor with reader's on his nose going over papers. For a moment, he looked really peaceful and actually almost professional.

"Oh wow, you actually fucking showed up."

And moment over.

You stopped yourself from messing with your elbows and nodded. "Uh yeah what's up, Grimm?" you immediately winced on the inside unsure of how the man would react to the unofficial nickname. But he didn't say anything.

He pointed at the chair, and you immediately sat. He rubbed his face and pushed the glasses off his head. "Look, I'll make this quick. Tell that idiot Jackson to stop stealing whole paragraphs from your papers or I'll break his arm."

You blinked. "Excuse me?"

There was that annoyed look again. "I'm not stupid. The guy has been copying sentences and paragraphs and piecing them together as his own work. He's already going to get in trouble, of course. But seriously, your work always seems to be included. Is he your idiot boyfriend or somethin'?"

The mention of a boyfriend flustered you a little even though you wouldn't dare consider that particular classmate. "Oh no uh- I'm single, and I kinda don't know how he's getting my assignments. I mean we do work together in the library but-,"

The man cut you off and waved his hand. "Okay, okay whatever. Just be mindful of where you're leaving your shit I guess."

You nodded then paused for a moment. "So I'm not in trouble?" You couldn't deny that being in front of the man made you nervous.

"Tch, for what? You're like one of my best students." Grimmjow easily said. "I actually think you know how to read a book and write. Some of these fools are using ai bots as if I can't tell." That was as close to compliment as you ever heard the man say. His face softened for a moment before he grinned meanly. "Well, I will give you some advice."

You weren't sure what it'd be, but you brightened up at the offer. "Sure!"

Grimmjow flicked your forehead before leaning back into his chair. "I got a rule that I don't go dating students, so you better fix how you keep eye-fucking me before I make it a problem." he snickered.

"What! I don'-,"

"Get out."

You squeaked before hightailing it out of the office--face warm and heart racing.

One thing you did know for sure though, you were certainly ready to see what type of problem your professor would give you.

~~~

Grimmjow! I want more of you lol. Thanks for reading! I'll be here if anyone has any thoughts, prayers, or ideas haha

[severinageto]

Thank you, Yoshi

(One shot for @flufftober )

(Word count: 5,822)

The keyboard echoed in Suguru's office with a mechanical, tedious rhythm, almost like an instrument in one of those repetitive songs. The words on the screen blurred together, and every time he reread them, they made even less sense. The damn PhD thesis that had been stuck in his head for years had to eventually become words, but without him realizing it, the deadline was coming at him like a tsunami, and every time he looked at a calendar, his chest tightened, his teeth clenched, and his back stiffened. Rarely had he ever felt this much pressure.

Sighing heavily, Suguru rested his elbow on the desk and ran a hand through his messy dark hair, pulling at it as if that would ease the pressure in his head. He had no idea if the clock on the wall showed four in the morning or six in the evening; he barely registered time anymore. All he felt was the constant weight on his shoulders and one nagging thought: "Hurry up, Geto Suguru."

Suddenly, the sound of his door being flung open made him jump.

"Suguru!"

Of course, it was him. The owner of that carefree, masculine voice was the only one who would dare interrupt him like that.

Suguru sighed and kept his eyes fixed on the screen. The looming deadline didn’t allow him to give in to the electrifying energy of that magnetic man. If he kept falling for Satoru’s distractions (like he had been for the last few months), he wouldn't become Geto Suguru PhD before turning forty, and that was far from the plan he’d laid out back when he became a sorcerer at the tender age of fifteen.

"Not now, Satoru..." he muttered, jaw clenched, trying to ignore the automatic desire that washed over him whenever his partner’s familiar scent hit him. "I'm not in the mood."

Gojo Satoru, bearer of the Six Eyes, user of the Limitless technique, head of the Gojo clan, and full-time professor of *whatever-is-needed-today* at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School, wasn’t going to take that for an answer. He’d expected it, sure, but he was convinced he could change it. He strolled into the office with that confidence that could be as intimidating as it was annoying, and the smirk that drove Suguru crazy. Casually, he tossed a small stack of papers aside and perched on the desk. He pulled a candy from one of his pockets, unwrapped it, and started eating.

"That’s why I ditched my students to come see you," he said, not bothering to take the candy out of his mouth. "I don’t like you spending the night working."

Suguru didn’t respond. He’d been sleeping in the school office to avoid wasting time going back and forth. He’d explained it to Satoru, and he’d sworn he understood and wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.

"And I don’t like these interruptions. You know that."

Gojo kicked his legs, like a mischievous kid, to hide his worry. When Suguru decided to chase his academic dreams, Satoru knew he'd see less of him and that his boyfriend’s intellectual side would kick in, but he never imagined a PhD would be this much work or involve something as barbaric as sleeping on the deputy director’s couch. Besides, the truth was he couldn’t enjoy his four hours of sleep without Suguru next to him. If he didn’t feel his rhythmic breathing, or catch his sweet scent, he just couldn’t relax.

He watched him. Those feline eyes were glued to the screen, his nose practically touching it, and his hands typing like stopping meant the end of the world. That couldn’t be good for his mental health. And Satoru needed Suguru’s mental health to be okay. He didn’t even want to think about seeing him slip back into a dark place.

"Hey, look at me, Suguru."

Geto glanced over, blinking excessively, partly to rest from the monitor's light and partly to emphasize his annoyance. He lit a cigarette and sighed again. He loved that sugar-proof man, but boy, did he know how to get under his skin.

"What are you trying to pull?" he asked.

Satoru answered with a cryptic smile. Geto rolled his eyes. He didn’t have the patience for his boyfriend’s childish games.

"I have stuff to do, Satoru. Wish my thesis would just write itself."

Satoru lifted his blindfold and stared at him for a few seconds. Suguru looked exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, dry skin, messy hair. "Stress is taking the best of my boyfriend," Satoru thought, "and I’m not gonna let it."

Suddenly, he scooped him up. Suguru was stunned for a few seconds until he realized what was happening. He started flailing his legs.

"Satoru, put me down!"

"Nope. You’re getting some air."

Suguru tried to wiggle free, but Gojo was faster.

"I have to write, you idiot!"

Satoru slung him over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

"Well, you’ll just have to wait, dumbass! I’m not asking, I’m telling you!"

If anyone had any doubt about how strong Gojo was, it probably vanished when they saw him running around campus, carrying a six-foot-tall martial artist who looked light as a feather and was screaming like a baby. The shouts of "Satoru, put me down, you massive idiot" and "I’ll never forgive you, you moron" echoed throughout the school, even drawing Yuuji, Megumi, and Nobara out of their curse class.

"What do you think’s going on?" Yuuji asked.

"Isn’t it obvious? Gojo-sensei’s kidnapping Geto-sensei to lock him up somewhere shady. I knew he was a yandere," Nobara said with disgust.

"Could be. He’s been whining about how he never has time anymore because of that whole PhD thesis thing," added Megumi, who had appeared behind Yuuji.

Itadori started laughing, and Nobara rolled her eyes.

"Where do you think he’s taking him? The basement? A storage closet? The abandoned cabin in the woods?" Kugisaki asked, eyeing Megumi.

"They’re probably headed to the roof of the main building," Fushiguro replied casually, staring at his phone. "They’ve got like a million ugly selfies up there."

Megumi wasn’t wrong. Satoru was heading with determination, ignoring Suguru’s complaints, toward his favorite spot. At first glance, it might not seem like much, but for him, that place held a special mysticism. The first time he stayed overnight at Tokyo’s school, unable to sleep after a long day of training, he had snuck up to the traditional rooftop to lie down and gaze at the stars. Breathing deeply and letting the night sky cover him, he realized that place had a calmness like no other, and from that moment, it became his personal sanctuary.

Until he met the one person he wanted to share his nocturnal sanctuary with. With Suguru, he discovered that not only the dark hours had that special charm he had first loved, but that peace also filled his soul at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, and of course, during the orange sunsets.

Or maybe it was just sitting there, side by side with the person he loved.

Anyhow, the rooftop was a small piece of paradise that he had decided to share with who, to him, was the only angel that had fallen from heaven. That's why he had gone to great lengths to make it comfortable for both of them. After all, what was good for Satoru was good for Suguru. It couldn’t be any other way for two people who shared the same soul.

He was thinking about this when he noticed Suguru had stopped yelling. For his part, the curse manipulator had figured out what his boyfriend was up to. And, as tired and stressed as he was, he decided to let himself be pampered by his beloved two-meter albino. As soon as Satoru jumped onto the roof, Geto rested his head on his shoulder and hugged him, feeling tender.

With that strange mix of bluntness and awkwardness that defined him, Satoru set his boyfriend down on the ground. Smiling at him, he sat beside him.

“No one can stay mad at that smile,” Suguru thought.

“You always do whatever you want,” he muttered, his voice carrying a false toughness.

Satoru, without saying a word, leaned on his legs. He took off his blindfold and, playfully, started waving it in his face.

“Being grumpy doesn’t suit you like it does Megumi. You’re not 15 anymore.”

Suguru shook his head, pulling out a cigarette. He was right. Those years when his only responsibilities were the missions, his only problems not having the highest exam score, and his only interest holding the hand of the man next to him, were gone, never to return.

Before he could take his first drag, Satoru snatched the cigarette from his mouth and tossed it far away.

“Hey!”

“I can feel your cortisol levels. Cosplaying as a chimney isn’t helping.”

Suguru fixed his eyes on the horizon. The first colors of sunset were beginning to appear.

“It helps me calm down.”

“How about you calm down by putting something else in your mouth?”

Suguru blushed. Twelve years together and he still wasn’t used to his boyfriend’s direct ways.

He stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. He was there. Better to just go with it.

“Is that why you brought me up here? Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not putting anything of yours inside me in a place where Panda might easily find us.”

Gojo started laughing. He hadn’t brought him up there for that, but it didn’t hurt to hint at how much he wanted to feel Suguru’s mouth in his cock. It had been a couple of days without Suguru’s touch. He understood his reasons, but that didn’t make him miss it any less.

“You’ve done it before.”

Suguru let out a mischievous, embarrassed laugh. That was true.

“The last time must have been the night we graduated.”

Gojo sat up and looked him in the face. He smiled at what he saw in front of him. Even with the obvious signs of sleep deprivation, he was beautiful. He took a deep breath and kissed him on the cheek. He couldn’t believe that fortune had favored him so much as to gift him the love of such a creature, for so long. What had he done to deserve it?

“Suguru, do you realize how long we’ve been together?”

Geto kissed him softly on the lips. Yeah, he realized. He had been walking alongside the great Gojo Satoru since he was fifteen years old. Sometimes it was hard to grasp how much time that really was, and he couldn’t help but wonder how things would’ve been if he had broken up with him, as he’d considered during his darkest moments. Obviously different, but never better. When he saw the loving look in his eyes, he couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t regret spending half his life with the albino. In fact, lately, he’d been seriously thinking about spending the rest of it with him.

“Yes. It’ll be thirteen years this summer.”

Satoru’s eyes widened.

“What? No, no. This spring.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember how hot it was on our first date?”

“You’re counting our relationship from our first date?!” he exclaimed, with exaggerated drama.

“Since when do you count it from?” Suguru asked, raising an eyebrow.

Satoru grinned, showing all his teeth, and gave him a shove.

“Well, from the day we met, you absolute idiot. Don't you remember?”

Suguru shoved him back.

“How could I forget, you absolute moron?”

April, 2005

Masamichi looked at the chaos that Yoshi, his sister’s hyperactive Kishu Ken, had caused in his office. He had only been taking care of him for an hour out of the three days he had promised, and he already felt on the verge of a breakdown. So when he heard his two students laughing in the hallway, the idea of handing over the puppy to them seemed pretty tempting.

“What? But we were about to leave!” Satoru exclaimed, while Shoko laughed, amused.

“Come on, Gojo. It’s not like we’ve got any hard classes tomorrow or anything,” said the sorceress, petting Yoshi.

Masamichi ignored his student’s hint and simply handed them the leash and the dog’s food.

“It’ll just be for a couple of hours. I’ve got something important to finish before tomorrow.”

With that, Yaga walked away from his students as fast as he could. He couldn’t stand Shoko’s ironic laughter and Satoru’s complaints.

“If these two are already making me age faster, I don’t even want to imagine how it’ll be with the one arriving tomorrow,” he muttered to himself as he left the academy.

Shoko waited until their teacher was out of sight and quickly handed the puppy to Satoru.

“I’m meeting Utahime, Gojo. You’re on dog-sitting duty.”

Satoru felt like he was about to explode with rage. That wasn’t fair. He had plans too. It was his last free afternoon before the first day of school, and of course, he intended to spend it with his best friend—the Nintendo Wii.

“You’re leaving me alone with this flea bag, you traitorous bitch?”

Shoko burst out laughing.

“I’d love to spend the afternoon with a nerd who calls me a traitorous bitch, but I’ve got other plans, Gojo,” she said, waving goodbye and tossing the dog food to Satoru.

Gojo stood in the hallway, dumbfounded, with the puppy in his arms. Never in his life had he taken care of another living creature. He had no idea what to do. He looked at the puppy, who started licking his face.

“Ugh, stop it, you idiot,” he said, pulling him off and putting him on the floor. “You’re kinda gross, you know that?”

Yoshi tilted his head, as if he couldn’t understand how someone could feel grossed out by something so cute. He barked, demanding attention.

Satoru looked at him in surprise, his eyes widening. Who did this furball think he was? The dog barked again, as if he could read his thoughts. Satoru glanced at the bag of food and shook it in front of him.

“Food? Yeah, well, go to hel—”

Before he could finish the sentence, little Yoshi had snatched the bag of food and, taking advantage of the fact that Gojo wasn’t holding his leash, bolted towards the exit, barking all the way. Satoru, shocked by the dog's audacity, took a few seconds to realize that the furball had escaped.

“You little son of a bitch!” he shouted as he began chasing after him.

Sure, Gojo Satoru was the strongest and his legs were probably a meter long each, but much to his annoyance, Kishu Kens were a hunting breed, known for their speed. Not only that, but Yoshi had a couple of paws and a few seconds’ head start.

Yoshi, in an obvious attempt to get away from the boring, stuck-up human, dashed towards one of the academy’s large courtyards. With his 35 km/h speed, he turned left, then right, and then sprinted straight toward one of the many koi-filled ponds that decorated the gardens. It’s not common for a dog to have an accident, but this particular one was so eager to escape from Satoru that he didn’t manage to stop in time. With a loud crash, he knocked someone into the pond, both puppy and person falling in with a splash.

Seconds after Yoshi’s high-speed disaster, Satoru appeared, panting. His breathing became even more labored when he saw a boy, broad-shouldered and about his age, who, despite being soaked from the muddy pond water, was laughing loudly while Yoshi playfully licked his face. The boy suddenly noticed Satoru’s presence and gave him a sweet look; not only were his sensual lips smiling, but his gaze was too, with feline, narrow eyes that held a mesmerizing violet color. He waved with his right hand, while his left stroked the mischievous puppy.

He was probably the most beautiful thing Satoru had ever seen.

“Uh… could you give me a hand?” the boy asked, motioning to stand up.

Satoru, startled by this strange feeling of admiration for someone of the same sex, didn’t respond. He just stood there, looking at him with a perfectly stupid expression.

The boy waited a few seconds for Satoru to help, but when he realized the guy in front of him might have some social issues, he decided to get up on his own. However, the task was complicated by the fact that the dog had his front paws resting on his lap.

“Well, if you won’t help me, the least you could do is take care of your furry friend,” he said, pulling Yoshi off him.

The boy got out of the pond and stood in front of Satoru. He let his hair down and shook it, letting a small strand fall over his left eye. Satoru stared at him intently, with only one word repeating in his mind, over and over.

“Bangs,” he said, unknowingly, out loud.

“What?”

Gojo blushed and looked away. Picking up the disobedient Yoshi in his arms, he said, “I asked who you are and what you’re doing here. You’re not a student. I don’t know you.”

The boy, also slightly blushing, leaned against the nearby willow tree.

“And how do you know everyone who comes to this school, huh?”

“Pfft. I’m Gojo Satoru. Of course I know everyone,” he said arrogantly, petting a reluctant Yoshi on the head. “And everyone knows me.”

The boy tied his hair back up and gave him a mischievous smile.

“Well, I’m Geto Suguru,” he said with a small bow, “and I don’t know you.”

Satoru took a deep breath and decided to act like he didn’t care, masking the rage he felt at this Suguru guy’s insolence.

“Doubt it,” he said, inspecting his nails. “But if you really don’t know who I am, what are you doing here, Geto Suguru?”

Suguru looked at the ground, searching for an answer. The truth was, few things had excited him as much in his short life as the prospect of starting his journey into the world of sorcery. Ever since Masamichi had found him and explained what his talent and power meant, he hadn’t stopped thinking about the institution he’d be part of for many years. That’s why, as soon as he arrived in Tokyo, he headed straight to the place, determined to see it, even though the official start was the next day.

Surprised at how easily he’d wandered onto the grounds, he began exploring, marveling at the traditional architecture and lush gardens. When he came across an old willow tree by a pond, he couldn’t resist standing there to smoke. That’s what he had been doing when Yoshi crashed into him, dragging him into the water. While he wasn’t embarrassed about that, he was a bit ashamed of the fact that he had been “illegally” smoking cigarettes in the garden of his future school.

He looked again at this Gojo Satoru. His white hair and exceptional height made him instantly unforgettable, at least to him. Or maybe it wasn’t those things, but his mysterious sunglasses and that soft yet masculine voice. Either way, he didn’t feel the need to make any excuses. For some strange reason, he felt comfortable around this arrogant guy.

He opened his mouth to reply, but instead, let out a loud sneeze. The dog mimicked him.

“Would you mind lending me a change of clothes, Gojo Satoru? And a bath for me and this little one would be nice,” he asked with his best smile, petting Yoshi’s head.

Satoru felt a strange tingle at the thought of Suguru bathing. He blinked several times, shaking away the impure thoughts, and as he took the puppy’s leash, he said,

“I’ll get you dry clothes, but only if I help with the bath.”

“What?”

Gojo turned bright red as he realized what he’d said.

“Help me! With Yoshi’s bath! His bath, not yours! Ah!” he exclaimed, pointing dramatically at the dog.

Geto might have felt uncomfortable with that Freudian slip if it had come from anyone else, but from his future partner, it just made him feel an inexplicable fondness. He laughed, instinctively flirtatious, and started walking.

“After you, Gojo Satoru.”

***

Satoru leaned against the locker room doorframe, arms crossed, chewing one of his many strawberry-flavored gums furiously. He was inexplicably nervous. The only sound he could hear was the water falling with that distinct rhythm of a shower. But that wasn’t what was driving him crazy—it was those brief moments when he could hear the soft movements of Suguru’s body under the water. That image seemed more interesting than he’d ever dare admit.

He turned and walked toward the exit of the locker room. From the moment he saw Suguru’s rebellious lock of hair, he realized he hadn’t felt this way about anyone. Sure, it was true that his short sixteen years hadn’t been free of dates with girls or the occasional teenage crush, but to be left speechless? Nervous? Saying stupid things? That was new to him. And Gojo Satoru was anything but stupid. It was a simple matter of adding two and two—this Geto Suguru confused him. Despite knowing him for less than an hour, something about him immediately mesmerized him: Suguru was calm, yet didn’t put up with any nonsense, and definitely wouldn’t let himself be intimidated. That made him a challenge. And Satoru loved challenges, the first of which was to stop thinking about how, just a few meters away, that attractive boy was naked, water running down his body, with an expression of pleasure that only cleanliness can bring.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Satoru?” he muttered under his breath, glancing down at Yoshi, who was watching him from a comfortable spot at his feet.

“And what are you looking at?” he asked the puppy. The little dog wagged its tail and looked at him with a playful, curious expression, as if he knew exactly the sea of confused thoughts swirling around the albino’s mind.

Gojo snorted, letting the puppy’s cuteness win him over. He petted him and, making sure Suguru couldn’t hear, spoke to him as if he could understand.

“This idiot’s bangs have gotten in my head because of you, Yoshi.”

The dog barked and wagged its tail, which to Satoru was a sign that not only was he the strongest, but he could probably talk to animals too.

A few seconds later, he heard Suguru turn off the water. He sighed, imagining him stepping out of the shower. He felt really dumb. He was thinking about that when he saw him come out with a towel, his black hair wet, falling straight over his broad shoulders. Discreetly, and shielded by his dark glasses, he glanced at his body.

“He’s fucking perfect,” he thought, swallowing hard as he tried to tear his eyes away from his sculpted abs and strong pecs.

Suguru wasn’t dumb either, and being the owner of such a savage, enormous beauty, he knew what he stirred in others. Usually, the lascivious stares from people he had just met disgusted him, but from this peculiar albino, they filled him with a strange sense of pride. Smiling, and calmly as he wrung out his hair, he thanked him for letting him use the shower.

“Yeah… well… you asked and…” Satoru coughed, in an exaggerated and ridiculous attempt to seem nonchalant. “…there’s your clothes.”

Suguru, still with the towel wrapped around his sculpted body, arched an eyebrow at him.

“You mind?” he said, gesturing toward the towel.

Satoru felt extreme heat rush through his body. Grumbling things in a language that didn’t exist, he turned around.

“You look… different without mud in your hair,” he said, immediately regretting it.

Suguru laughed heartily as he buttoned the pants Satoru had lent him, which were especially tight around his rear.

“Thanks?” he said, trying not to sound too ironic. “I’m ready. It’s your furry friend’s turn,” he added.

Satoru turned back around, picking up Yoshi in his arms.

“He’s not mine. He belongs to some old idiot who… ah, never mind.”

“Either way, you don’t want him to keep smelling like a pond, do you?”

Satoru shook his head. The dog really did smell bad, and while he hated playing babysitter and had no desire to bathe him, the truth was, doing so meant more time with him. Surprised by his own thoughts, he waved his hands as if to shoo them away and headed to one of the tubs. He turned on the hot water and placed his hand under the stream to check the temperature.

Suguru watched him closely and crouched down beside him. Without understanding where the gesture came from, he also brought his hand to the stream of water. Inevitably, their fingers brushed for a second. Startled, Gojo pulled his hand away.

“I think it’s…” he began nervously.

“Yeah, I think it’s perfect,” Suguru interrupted, embarrassed.

They both looked in opposite directions, their cheeks flushed. Slowly, Suguru glanced at Satoru, only to find him looking back. They locked eyes for a few seconds, until Yoshi barked loudly.

“Okay, time for the real deal, Gojo. You hold him, I’ll soap him up.”

Satoru nodded and placed the playful puppy in the tub. Yoshi, clearly enjoying himself, wagged his tail energetically, splashing both sorcerers with water.

Suguru let out a small smile. The brushing of their hands was inevitable, and it made him feel a spark he didn’t know existed. He tried to focus on the puppy’s white fur, but it was impossible. The soft touch of Satoru’s hands was becoming irresistible; he was holding back the urge to just grab his hands in his own.

“You’re good with animals, Geto,” the albino suddenly said. Of course, he felt that tension too. Time to break the ice.

Suguru smiled.

“Well… I’ve always liked them. They don’t bother with unnecessary things. If they don’t like you, they let you know and…” his heart started racing as he locked eyes with Satoru, “…if they like you, they let you know that too.”

Gojo let out a nervous laugh, but covered it with his usual arrogance.

“Or maybe they just know how to ask for shelter and food.”

Suguru raised both eyebrows, surprised by the albino’s response. “So that’s his game,” he thought.

“Well, a relationship can start from something as simple as shelter and food,” Suguru said, brushing his hands against his again.

Satoru swallowed hard. He didn’t know what Suguru meant, but he was almost convinced he was flirting with him. Geto, for his part, started whistling nervously. He didn’t know what he had meant either or why he had started flirting like that.

Suddenly, Yoshi shook himself energetically, spraying water and soap over both sorcerers. They couldn’t help but laugh. The puppy’s gesture had helped break some of the obvious tension. Still laughing, Satoru turned to Suguru.

"Hey, can you help me take off my glasses? They're covered in foam, and I can't clean them while holding this flea-ridden thing."

Suguru nodded and carefully removed the glasses from Satoru's face. Seeing him without them, he stifled a gasp of admiration. Nothing had prepared him for those eyes. The albino looked at him, smiling, and Suguru nearly fell backwards. In that brief time next to him, he had noticed his extravagant attractiveness, but he had never imagined, in a million years, that just seeing him once without his mysterious glasses would make him fall head over heels.

Satoru laughed again when he noticed Suguru staring at him with his mouth open. He gave him a playful nudge with his shoulder.

"You seriously don’t know anything about Gojo Satoru and his Six Eyes?" he said, in a smug voice.

Embarrassed, Suguru shook his head. A few seconds later, he returned the nudge.

"Geto Suguru doesn’t care about people who talk in third person."

They both looked at each other and burst into synchronized laughter, while Yoshi kept shaking himself. Satoru continued to hold the puppy with one hand, and with the other, wiped some foam off Suguru's face. Geto, stunned by the gesture and the never-ending beauty of those eyes, smiled like a complete idiot, until he realized how much he was giving himself away.

He coughed discreetly and rubbed his hands together. Grabbing the towel Satoru had left next to him, he started drying him off.

"I think this guy’s clean. And he needs a walk."

Satoru wasn’t a shy person at all, but he had to muster all his strength to ask:

"Would you come with me?"

Suguru checked his watch. He had orders to present himself to the school board the day before starting and was already running late. He glanced at Satoru. Oh well. At that moment, he couldn’t resist those eyes. And he wouldn’t be able to for the rest of his life.

"Yeah... why not?" he replied, standing up.

***

The afternoon air was warm, though the soft breeze carried a freshness that indicated spring was in full bloom. In the distance, the cherry trees in the courtyard were starting to blossom, decorating the scene with their delicate pink petals swaying in the wind. Yoshi trotted happily in front of them, gently tugging on the leash Suguru held in his hand.

Satoru walked beside Suguru, their steps in sync as they crossed the school yard in silence. But it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. There was something about Suguru’s presence that calmed him, and at the same time, made him nervous. Who was this guy really? And more importantly: was he here to stay?

"So," Satoru began, breaking the silence with his usual carefree tone, "You’re here as a student, right? I mean, you were snooping around and you’re radiating cursed energy. Pretty strong, too. I’m guessing you already know that."

Suguru looked ahead, his gaze calm and his steps steady. He took a second to respond, as if carefully choosing his words.

"Yeah, seems that way. I’ll be here…" he glanced at Satoru from the corner of his eye, "... for a good while."

Satoru couldn’t help but smile, though he tried to hide it. The fact that Suguru was staying brought an unexpected relief. There was something about having him around that made him feel an emotion he didn’t quite understand yet, but it was there, present in every exchange, every glance.

"I’m glad," Satoru said, looking up at the sky now painted with a soft orange hue as the sun began to set. "I mean, it’s cool. I figured you’d stay anyway."

Suguru glanced at him sideways, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Oh yeah? And why’s that?"

Satoru shrugged, pretending a nonchalance he didn’t feel.

"Call it intuition. Or maybe it’s just that I can’t picture you anywhere else."

Realizing what he’d said, he felt a slight warmth rise to his neck, but he kept his expression casual.

Suguru observed him silently for a moment longer, and though he didn’t say anything, Satoru could feel that his words had struck a chord. There was something between them, a tension in the air, but neither seemed willing to break the fragile balance they had.

Yoshi, oblivious to any tension, stopped to sniff the grass, and Satoru took the pause to look at the cherry trees around them. The petals were slowly falling to the ground, floating gracefully through the air. One of them, with almost poetic precision, gently landed on Suguru’s head, getting tangled in the dark strands of his hair.

Satoru smiled, amused by the sight, and without thinking too much about it, he stepped closer. He raised his hand and, with care, removed the petal from Suguru’s hair.

"You’ve got a guest," he said in a playful tone, holding the petal between his fingers before letting the wind take it away.

Suguru looked at him, surprised by the gesture, and for a second, the space between them seemed to shrink. The closeness of Satoru, the way his hand had moved with such care, caused a strange warmth to settle in Suguru’s chest. It was as if, suddenly, the air around them had grown heavier, like every small movement and every word carried a deeper meaning.

"Thanks," Suguru murmured, lowering his gaze slightly, something he didn’t usually do. Satoru, in his awkward but charming way, disarmed him in a way no one else could.

Satoru, aware of the tension but not wanting to break the moment, cleared his throat.

"No problem. Though, if you’re staying at the school, you’ll probably end up covered in petals all the time. It’s kinda a tradition." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood, though his blue eyes remained fixed on Suguru’s.

They started walking again, this time in silence, but the atmosphere had shifted. Each step they took brought them closer, not just physically, but in a deeper way, as if without needing words, they were both acknowledging something they couldn’t quite name yet. Yoshi ran ahead, happy to be outside, unaware of the little dance his caretakers were playing.

The sun kept sinking, and the sky had turned to shades of gold and pink, creating an almost surreal scene, perfect for the moment they were living. The shadows were lengthening, and as they walked, they both felt that time had slowed. The usual noise of the school had faded, and all that could be heard was the soft rustle of the leaves and Yoshi’s playful barks.

Satoru, gazing at the sunset, couldn’t help but feel like he could get used to this. To Suguru’s company, to the way his presence filled the silence without needing words. There was something warm about being by his side, something he hadn’t experienced before and didn’t want to let go of.

"It’s a nice place to stay," Suguru murmured suddenly, his eyes lost in the horizon as the sun finished setting behind the mountains. "I think I could get used to this."

Satoru glanced at him, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, me too. I mean, probably."

He wasn’t sure if Suguru was talking about the place or something else, but in that moment, it didn’t matter. They were both sharing something, something beyond words. The attraction they felt for each other was still there, present, but there was no rush to name it or act on it. They just wanted to enjoy the moment, the shared silence, and the quiet companionship they had started to build.

As the last ray of sunlight disappeared, Satoru sighed, feeling strangely at peace. Maybe, he thought, it wasn’t so bad to let himself go with what he felt. Maybe, with Suguru by his side, everything would start to make a new kind of sense.

And yet, nothing had made him realize he had just met his first love.

The one and only.

————————-

Art by https://x.com/C_WOLFxx1

[thedepthsoffandomminds]

Episode eleven - New beginnings

Jack Dawkins x fem reader

"Y/n! Let her go, please." Jack begged watching as Arthur dragged you across the factory floor.

"How would you like it done my Lord? A clean cut, or shall we beat her?" Arthur asked the Lord sitting at the table.

"Oh why not rough her up a bit." He chuckled finishing his apple, he threw it on the floor and stood.

"Just make sure it's done." He said, straightening his waistcoat.

"No, you struggle against him, finding your feet enough to push yourself upwards. You take a quick breath and jump, lifting your legs into the air and knocking Arthur the ground. He shouts and grabs you around the waist. His fist collides with your stomach and you fall to the ground.

Seeing your bravery Jack musters all the energy he has left in him and fights against the two men breaking free of their hold. He rushes forward, kicking Arthur. You manage to crawl away as the two men scuffle. The large wooden doors burst open and the redcoats surround you all.

"Jack!" You call out to him but he is lying on the floor, face in the dirt. You see Doctor Sneed rush to his side as Belle drops down beside you.

"Get them out of here!" Your father shouts. One of the soldiers pulls you up into his arms and you hold on to him. Occasionally turning to search for Jack. You see him being carried by two soldiers. Sneed seemed to be holding onto his chest as they hurried. They placed the two of you into a small cart, Sneed jumping between you.

"What is it? What happened to him?" You ask trying to pull the doctor's arm back.

"y/n, he has been stabbed in the chest, his lung is perforated." Sneed explains over his shoulder.

"We need to stop the bleeding and get air back into his lungs without killing him." A new realisation paints his face as he looked at you, "That's your blood isn't it?" He asks.

You glance down at your chest, only now realising the pain you were feeling.

"yea- yes I fear my stitches may have come undone." You breathe out. Sneed nods at you.

"Okay, alright sit very still. Belle can redo the stitches when we get back to the hospital." He uses one hand to squeeze your shoulder and guide you to lie back. You move your hand around him and find Jack's. It's limp and cold.

"Don't let him die Rainsford. Please you need to do everything you can to save him." You beg.

"I will, y/n I will do everything in my power."

The hospital comes quickly and you're lifted out, your blood smears over the soldier's coat as he carries you in. Belle ran alongside him.

"Hetty, get the surgery ready! It's Jack, and we need a second bed!" She calls to the head nurse. Hetty beckons her nurses to her side and gets to work grabbing the equipment.

Belle pushes all the equipment off the table in the preparation room and has the soldier lay you down. Turning your head you see them rushing into the theatre with Jack, through the window.

Belle stands above you with the either mask but you push her away.

"No, no just do it." You say, keeping your eyes on the man you loved. Rainsford was above him, tearing away Jack's shirt.

"Hetty, here hold this, come here!" He directs the nurse to hold the cloth to the wound grabbing the second ether bottle and pressing it to a cloth.

"How do I do this?" He asks the nurse.

"Put it over his face." She instructs.

"Okay, okay, Jack breathe in as much as you can." He said softly. More people were beginning to pile into the room. Your mother and youngest sister stood at your head. Professor McGregor and several nurses stood around, each of them ready to help if needed.

The scratching of the needle piercing your skin threatened to overtake you, but you were determined to stay awake. You needed to be awake when you Jack was done.

"Okay, here you're done. Do you feel okay?" Belle asks.

"yeah. I'm alright. Thank you."

"Fanny, stay with her I'll get a wheelchair." Belle ordered. Your mother comes up beside you.

"My darling, please don't shut me out anymore. I am so sorry" she presses a kiss to your hand, tears falling from her eyes.

"Mother, I forgive you, but stop holding on so tight. We're big girls." You say.

"It's done. I did it. Jack? Jack come on Jack, wake up!" Sneed taps Jack's face. There is a moment of silence as everyone holds their breaths.

Jack draws in a long breath and opens his eyes.

"Y/n?" He asks.

"She is here, just relax." Sneed tapes his colleague's shoulder. Your father wheels you through to him. Your eyes meet.

*_"_*_*

"you must be so excited?" Fanny asked standing in your newly decorated parlour.

"the first dinner in my new home, yes I am. Though I'm nervous." You admit. It had been two months since the ordeal and you were finally feeling well enough to host your family for a dinner. Fanny had spent most of her time with you, making sure you were always happy and well. Sneed had chosen to make Belle a doctor in training, so she had spent most of her time at the hospital.

The door bell rings and your butler answers for you, it's Jack.

"Lady Fanny, would you permit me a moment alone with y/n?" He asked. Fanny smiled wide and walked across the room, she takes a small box from her dress pocket.

"You may need this." She whispers. Jack looks down and sees the ring he had lost the night he was taken. He thanks your sister then crosses to you. Jack pulls an envelope from his coat.

"Belle read this to me."

"Oh." You whisper.

"You were going to give me all of your money. It would not have been compensation for your life." His eyebrows knit together as he speaks.

"Jack, my parents were awful to you. I wanted only to.gice you the opportunity to make your own way. With that money you could have gone to America and opened your own Hospital." You explain.

Jack shakes his head.

"I could never leave here. y/n, I am done playing Bachelor. We are both now regained our health and I will be returning to my full hours of work. You should know that as a head surgeon the days will be long and I may have to stay late, but I promise that I will always come home to you. Should I need to stay, I will send word to you and never leave you wondering, " he takes a breath and holds your hand in his, "I didn't know that anyone could feel the way I feel for you. In all the fairytales love seems the most fantastical of them all, unachievable until you. You have bewitched me with your beauty, captured my mind and soul with your humour and intelligence. I love you and I never want to be without you. You are already living in my house." He laughs.

"Jack-"

"No let me finish. Y/n if you had died no amount of money could have persuaded me to leave. I would have sat at your grave until death came for me. Before everyone else gets here I want to ask you a question." Jack dropped to one knee, holding the ring in his hand, "Will you marry me? Your father already-"

"Yes!" You say falling into his arms and kissing him. Jack winces at the left over pain in his chest. He stood to his full height and slid the emerald onto your finger. He kissed you.

"Eeeeeee!" Fanny came charging into the room wrapping her arms around both of you.

"This is wonderful!" She squealed.

"Thank you Fanny, do you think you could let go?" You ask. She pulls back and runs out to greet the other guests as they begin to arrive. You and Jack cling to each other, your arm linked with his. Your mother, Belle, Sneed, Fagin, Rotty and Hetty made their way into the house. It would be strange without your father but he was travelling back to England. There he would give over the evidence for Oliver's arrest along with Lord Branwell's. The latter would be tried for attempted murder. Edmund would hopefully return with a new head of police.

Fanny wasted no time in telling them all of your engagement and though Lady Jane tries to hide her sneer she manages to congratulate you. Part way through dinner Rainsford began to speak

"Oh, I forgot my aunt Patuna is on her way here for an extended visit. My two cousins will be with her."

"How lovely, is that Gordon and William?" Lady Jane asks. Fanny leeks up at the names.

"Yes, wonderful young lads, Twins. William has recently finished his law training and Gordon is an officer in the army. We are hopeful he may wish to take a role amongst our growing police service here." He explains.

"They are older men?" Lady Jane asks.

"On the contrary, mother, both are barely five and twenty and unwed." Belle states, grinning towards Fanny.

"Oh how wonderful!" Fanny claps.

The rest of the evening is joyful, everyone enjoys each other's company. Your mother even has a civilised conversation with Fagin. At the end of the evening everyone returned home, leaving you and Jack alone.

"I start work again in two days. A scheduled operation for Mr Smithy."

"That's good. It will be wonderful to get back to normal." You agree. He reaches over and takes your hand in his.

"How are you feeling?" He asks pointing a finger to your chest.

"Much better, I had the world's greatest surgeon fix me." You laugh, "I'm tired, shall we go upstairs?" You ask.

"Upstairs. I grew up living in an attack with thirty other children and now I live in a three story house with servants. It's bizarre." Jack mused as you walked up the steps.

"You'll get used to it. We could always make it feel less large with the latter of tiny feet." You grin at him. Jack sighs,

"I...we should wait for your heart to grow stronger before we-"

Seeing the panic in his eyes you press a soft kiss to his lips, stopping his train of thought.

"Until you say it's the right time, then." You agree. Content and happy the two of you walk into your bedroom and close the door, unknowing of the men who stand at the window.

"It isn't the right time yet." Monks says.

"I narrowly got away because of him. I want to burn his world." Arthur Sikes growls.

@fandomfan-102 @darasloves @afalls14universe

[pearlywritings]

I don’t want you to think, I don’t want you to worry

synopsis: Lately you’ve been very busy preparing for the examination to take the Akademiya professor position, and it leaves you incredibly stressed. All you need is a concerned boyfriend with a perfect way to distress.

pairing: Kaveh x fem!reader

tw: smut, oral, a lot of praise, a bit of dumbification I suppose, established relationship

word count: 3.3k+ words

a/n: Kaveh and reader are somewhere between late twenties and very early thirties.

Letters leap across the fully written scroll and your head starts hurting from how much of the words there are and how little free space there is. And when your gaze wanders to the side and in a blur makes out dozens of the similar scrolls sprawled all over your table, a frustrated groan on the verge of a whine escapes your throat.

You'll kill Alhaitham one day for convincing you to take an examination for the Vahumana professor position. But how could you resist and fight the prideful feeling rising in your chest when the Alhaitham, the man who rarely spares any praise, complimented and pointed out so many of your skills and vast knowledge, suitable for the position of such high prestige and importance. You truly were flattered, especially by his words that the Akademyia needs some reformation and even Lesser Lord Kusanali eagerly approves it… Could you really lose the opportunity and fail your Archon?

Now you think that you could, after a week of studying like a first-course student in anticipation for their very first exam. You should've denied him. For god's sake, you are the Dastur already and just one examination away from being recognized not only as a professor, but as the Herbad as well - not many achieved this in their late twenties, your multiple works are cited and analyzed during lectures, a couple even coming as close as being called fundamental, yet here you are, exhausting yourself over preparation materials, having little idea what will await you during the examination (no one knows, Alhaitham wouldn't tell and you wouldn't ask).

First few days were quite alright, but at this point you are slowly losing your sanity. Coffee doesn't work, green tea doesn't work, energetic drinks Dehya recommended you do not work… Even a relaxing almost half an hour long shower didn't help you. You can only brush your still a little bit wet hair back not to drip water on the scrolls, and sigh in frustration. You don't remember when the beautiful grandfather clock on your left counted midnight. It must be hours, but you have no desire to check - this discovery will only put you in a greater state of misery. Oh how you wish to be in bed now, surrounded by warmth and quickly drifting to sleep.

You will yourself to focus your droopy eyes back on the text, trying to grasp the last of the topic you are on. That's when you hear the shuffling behind your study's door. Ears catch the sounds of the footsteps passing by your door and going to the kitchen. Mm, looks like you are not the only one awake, but the other person at least has more chances to catch sleep today.

Ever since Kaveh moved in with you, finally convinced that you do not think of him as a burden and that no, you don't think it'd be him using you for his own benefits, he has managed to save more money and get very close to fully paying off the debt. This fixed his working hours and he stopped going all nighters like, well, you are doing right now, actually getting enough rest and energy to work on his projects' blueprints.

Why is he awake right now though? You have no idea and your brain refuses to even care, maybe it's just for a glass of water?

You change your sitting position for the hundredth time.

Only to almost jump when a voice reeking with discontent enters the room.

"Are you at it again?"

Tired eyes meet the red-wine ones of a man who always looks like he is about to give you a piece of his mind. And he totally is.

"As you can see," you want to sound sarcastic, but you are too worn out for this and have absolutely no desire to argue with the boyfriend that cares and really does a lot to lessen this weight you (and Alhaitham) have dumped upon your shoulders.

"Now I might sound hypocritic- not like I care, but you need to go to bed. Now."

His words settle in your brain, but become completely overshadowed by the picture your eyes are witnessing. Your gorgeous lover looks so ethereal. Blond silky hair is a bit messy, not held by clips, yet it only adds to his natural charm; ruby eyes glint beautifully as he steps closer to your table; strong arms cross on his bared chest, and you just can't help but ogle at how his muscles move. The only thing that spoils the visage is a deep scowl on his face.

"I can't. Not yet, pretty," you softly murmur, reaching for the scrolls to roll some of them. "See, I just have a small topic to review and that's it-"

"And for how long have you been on this topic?" An elegant arch of his brow and your face falls, telling him enough.

"Knew it."

The embarrassed expression appearing on your face and eyes casted downwards do not escape his sharp gaze. He might be just out of bed, but his profession taught him early on how to be observant and attentive to details. Kaveh sighs and resumes his walking to you.

You hear him stop by your side, nervously fidgeting with a scroll still tightly clutched in your hands. You feel slightly ashamed right now, for two reasons. First is quite easy to guess - getting caught in this state right after you nagged your boyfriend for months to start leading a healthier lifestyle and stop working till the latest hours of the night (sometimes well into the morning). And second is from feeling the weight of his gaze on you and understanding that he is worried and you are the reason for that (though you do both share the desire to kick Alhaitham's ass, since partially it’s his fault too).

But all the thoughts are wiped out of your mind when long fingers grab your chin and lift your head, tilting it back. The flash of gold, the gleam of red, and the next moment his soft lips are on yours. You melt. Fingers relax and you hear something bump your leg and then fall with a knock on the floor. Though Kaveh is quick to steal your attention, catching your hand and squeezing it, breaking the kiss just for a moment to breathe and then kissing you again. The room starts spinning.

"Kaveh…" you meekly whisper in between rushed and hot kisses, feeling your heart flutter by the way he stares deep into your eyes, before pressing his lips to your jaw.

"Come to bed with me," he urges you again, thumb rubbing over your knuckles, brushing back and forth, while more pecks are placed on your rosy cheeks.

"But-" is silenced with another kiss. Sweet whimpers form in your throat and your lover is happy to swallow them, releasing your hand and reaching for the back of your chair instead. You gasp when the piece of furniture is yanked and dragged farther from the table, giving him enough room to get in-between.

The man relishes the hazy look in your eyes, as you are looking up at him, knowing just what he is doing to you. Hovering, with palms planted on the armrests and leaning in. Oh, he loves how your gaze flickers from his face to his chest and back, which means he is actually distracting you and effectively so.

"What was that?" A smooth chuckle sends a jolt through your body and suddenly there is a tingling sensation in your core. "A 'but'-something? No, no, my lovebird, I need you to stop rationalizing everything. I want you to stop thinking. Yeah, that's right, just no thoughts and no worries about those stupid examinations. And," his gaze slides down and stops on the belt of a bathrobe you've put on after the shower, not caring to dress properly, "I might know just how to help you. Tell me, lovebird," he leans even closer, noses almost touching and lips brushing just briefly, "are you wearing anything under this?"

You swallow a lump in your throat and fidget in your seat. The excitement rising in your system becomes quite obvious.

"Ah, no, I figured-"

"Good… Means it'll be easier for me," and the next thing he does makes blood rush to your cheeks. He draws himself back and, kicking the fallen scroll somewhere to the side, drops onto his knees before you. Strong arms flex when he moves the chair closer and you jolt forward from the sudden motion, grabbing his shoulder to steady yourself.

“No, no, my love, I need you to lean back,” his hand is gentle, pressing flatly against your chest, and pushing you back against the chair. You bite your lip, when long elegant fingers hook the hem of it, and teasingly tug to the side, then the other half. The material slides down your shoulders, baring your collarbones and not falling further only due to the plumpness of your heaving chest. Kaveh absolutely loves the view before him - if he was to build a temple in your honor, he’d capture this state of yours in one of the staining glasses. He leans closer.

Your head tilts back, when his hot lips press between your soft mounds.

“Mmm… You are so beautiful… I can’t believe this smart, and sweet and gorgeous woman is mine,” he slightly turns his head and sucks on the left breast.

“Kave- aah!” You whimper, arching into him, the material threatening to slip and bare more of you. Your legs twitch and wrap around his torso, urging him to press even closer to you. Archons, you were so caught up in your preparation, that you completely ignored your body’s urges, no wonder it's reacting to his igniting touches like this. When was the last time you let your lover have you under him like this, squirming and moaning?

“Uh-uh-uh,” he clicks his tongue, palm sliding up your hip, and burying itself under the lower half of the bathrobe, grabbing your curve. “I can clearly sense you are still thinking, and I don’t want it. Come on, baby, the faster you let me wipe all thoughts out of your head, the faster we’ll be in bed enjoying that nice sleep you’ve been pestering me with for almost a year.”

“I was worried for you- mmh!” The blond-haired tempter makes use of his free hand, groping your barely clothed right breast, brushing his thumb over the stiff nipple. The teasing touch and the pressure it provides through the thin material sends another jolt right to your cunt and your legs clench even harder in an attempt to close your thighs and rub them, failing to do so with his body in-between.

“I know you did, and I am worried for you now too. You are exhausting yourself. But don’t worry, I am here to help you relax and give yourself a break. Now, before I start executing my plan to make your mind numb, why don’t you untie this knot for me?”

Through the settling fog in your head, you will yourself to concentrate on what he requires of you. If before you still had that tiny slither of understanding that you are not done with the topic yet, now it’s right out of the window. Because how can you fight, when Kaveh looks at you like this?

So your fingers reach to the loose knot, twisting and pulling it, until two ends of the belt are held separately in your hands. The kiss your boyfriend presses to the inside of your wrist makes you shiver.

“Good girl…” He murmurs in a sultry voice, and you almost whimper from two words alone. He takes your hands and let them rest on the armrests, while he is all too happy to finally open the robe and leave you completely bare to him. And the sharp inhale he takes when he does it? You feel how you are leaking.

“Archons, you are so beautiful. I love everything about you,” a tiny moan escapes your throat, when he straightens more, reaching for your neck, sliding his naked torso right between your trembling thighs. “I love the way your neck meets your shoulders…” There is instantly a kiss right in the crook where your neck descends in your shoulder. “And here, these pretty collarbones,” he trails his kisses lower. “I love the curve of your breasts, mmm,” more kisses are spared for your tender flesh, “and your hard nipple too,” he gives it a slow lick, dragging his wet muscle over the stiff bud, and you moan again. “Oh, but I can't forget about the other one. I have to play with both of them equally, can’t show favorites, right?” 

Before you can even answer his mouth envelopes your other nipple and gives it a soft suck, and then one more, and one more, and-

To his delight your consciousness is slowly slipping into pleasure. Good, he hums in content, switching back to the previously saliva-coated bud, - means you’ll indeed fall asleep in a bed tonight, and not crouched in your chair over the working desk.

You gasp when he grabs your legs right under your knees and forces them away from his body, spreading them and then quickly placing them on his shoulders. Oh heavens, your face heats, as you realize what this position is. Your pussy should be on full display for him right now. 

It turns you on even more.

“Mmm, someone’s getting wiggly,” he chuckles, sensually kissing the insides of your thighs. “That’s my pretty girl, so excited and accepting of everything I am giving her. Why don’t you play with your tits, while I am eating this gorgeous wet pussy out, mm? I want you to toy with yourself, while my face is buried right in your heat, can you do it for me?”

“What..? I- oooh, yes, I-I can… Please.”

Shit, and here the man was trying not to get a boner pleasing you. But, he has to remind himself, your pleasure is his top priority right now.

Before you can even touch your chest, his tongue is already lapping on your wet entrance. You flush up to your ears, when Kaveh moans in your sex, kissing, and sucking, and slurping, making obscene noises with how messy he is devouring you.

“That’s it, ah, that’s my lovebird. Yeah, just take my tongue, mhm, feel like it’s filling you, mmm… You like it, right?”

"Yes-!" You grab your breasts, arching even more in his awaiting mouth, only to scream when he harshly sucks on your clit.

"Mmm, so good, so pretty…" He mumbles in your pussy, giving your bundle of nerves another suck and releasing it with a wet pop. Next he presses the tip of his tongue into it, teasing with fast strokes, making you squirm in your seat. And your thighs trying to clamp around his head - Archons, he loves your thighs. He wants more.

The slurping sounds reach your ears and go straight to your core, walls clenching around nothing, and Kaveh quickly deduces it.

"How about a finger baby, m? A finger in your tight wet cunt while I am marking these pretty thighs? Oh? Can't answer? Good."

You want to, you really do, but when one digit enters you and feels right at home, snug between your walls, words have no way to form. You can only moan and pant, as your lover kisses and sucks on the tender skin of your inner thighs, all the while mercilessly fingering you. You want to tell him you love him, you appreciate him, you want more of him, but you can only look at him with pleading eyes. And when he lifts his burning gaze and your eyes meet? You know he can read all of it behind the haze in your glazed over orbs.

"I love you too, lovebird," he murmurs, planting another kiss on your thigh, "love you so much. That's why I am making sure you are going to rest, yeah? Gotta make you cum," another finger slips inside and you have to break eye contact, throwing your head back, when he curls them against that delicious spot inside, "gotta force the stress out of your system, can't have my love so tired and worried."

"Ka… veh…" You manage through your lovely moans, and the man curses right against your swollen clit. He can't help it, when the only thought on your mind is him. Oh, how much he adores you. Maybe it's not the most logical thought to have when you are knuckles deep in your woman's cunt, tongue toying with her clit, but he suddenly returns to the thought of marrying you. Once you settle in your new position, when he says 'goodbye' to that debt of his and can purchase you the prettiest ring… To ask you the question he's been meaning to for years, but then having to put the event aside due to one financial obstacle. Yeah, that sounds so right. Something about eating his wife out to help her distress makes him lose his mind and practically suffocate himself between your thighs, crashing his head. You are so close, you must be so damn close.

"Come on, cum for me, love. Cum for me, cum, cum cum-"

"KavEH-!"

When you scream and roll your eyes back, the man takes his fingers out and stuffs you with his tongue instead. Long lashes flutter and eyelids slide close as he tongue-fucks you through your earth-crashing orgasm, feasting on your juices and inhaling such a familiar scent of your natural musk. It truly feels like it’s been so long, maybe he should take you to bed like this more often. Say, every day until you pass that stupid examination as a starter. Yeah, that's perfect.

The blond takes a breath sharply when your legs relax, no longer sandwiching his head between them and stifles a couple of coughs, having no desire to worry you with his well-being. After all it is about you, he'd hate to steal the center of attention even for a second.

Going limp, you close your eyes and try to regulate your breathing. Your chest is heaving and your consciousness is slowly returning to the body. You can feel soft kisses trailing over your stomach and up to your chest, lingering on your wildly beating heart, soothing it with tender murmurs, nose nudging against the sweat-covered skin.

Kaveh is as breathless as you are, and you spend a few moments like this - pressed close, with limbs loosely wrapped around each other. You feel so contently exhausted and the warmth of your lover's body against yours provides additional comfort you've been secretly yearning for.

His palms press into the small of your back, slowly caressing, while your fingers bury in his silky locks, running through them, massaging his scalp almost absentmindedly, and Kaveh smiles in your chest, satisfied with your clearly relaxed state.

“Love?” You softly call for him, and the man hums, lifting his head to face you. Archons, the dreamy look suits you so magnificently. “Thank you. You caring for me really means a lot.”

He smiles widely, drawing his body back and carefully putting one foot on the floor, pushing his palms against the armrests and slowly getting on both feet, straightening and rolling shoulders. The legs feel a little bit stiff and he can feel numbness spreading, but he chooses to ignore it. Leaning in again instead, he places a sweet kiss on your slightly swollen lips. There is still some of your essence coating his, making a tiny flame flicker in your lower stomach.

“Of course, my lovebird,” he nudges his nose against yours, hands rubbing your shoulders to work a little on the knots you got there from your ever-sitting position. “It’s nice to see the crease between your eyebrows disappear along with the overall exhaustion practically written all over your face.”

You do not fight the smile when he says those kind words. And he is right - you feel so much better.

“So…” he muses, drawing the bathrobe up your arms and over your shoulders. “Can I take you to bed now?”

To that you chuckle, reaching your limbs to wrap around him.

“Well… Wasn’t that the initial plan?”

[juanarc-thethird]

Team RWBY and JNPR are captured by the White Fang, but to pass the time, they play FMK, and Nora questions Jaune, FMK between Sienna Khan, Eve Taurus (Adam R63), and Ilia.

Jaune: I just want to say thank you very much. I don't know what would have happened if I had stayed with that crazy woman.

Sienna: No problem.

Jaune: I just have one question.

Sienna: Hmm?

Jaune: Why are we still tied up?

Sienna: It's simple. We didn't come to rescue you. We went to rescue the priest, he is a very important person in our community. He runs the orphanage and gives the homeless people food and a place to sleep.

Jaune: Wow, what a nice man.

Sienna: Indeed. But imagine my surprise when, upon rescuing him, I find the future heiress of Schnee Industries, Weiss Schnee, the champion for 4 consecutive years, the invincible girl, and our beloved Blake, the daughter of our previous leader. So, I'm going to-

Jaune: -use them to get money in exchange for their freedom?

Sienna: Y-Yes. How did you know I was going to say that?

Jaune: The way you said it was too obvious.

Sienna: O-Oh

Eve: *Slaps him*

Jaune: What the fuck!

Eve: How dare you disrespect our leader!

Sienna: Eve, stop! I don't think that was his intention. Thinking about it, I think I was very obvious with my plans.

Ilia: Sienna, forgive me for interrupting you. I keep trying to call Beacon academy about the ransom cost but they don't answer.

Sienna: What?! What could be more important than his students?

Meanwhile:

Prof. Ozpin is drinking a large jar of super concentrated coffee, while the other professors cheer him on.

Port/Oobleck: Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!

Back to the White Fang.

Sienna: *Sighs* Just keep trying.

Ilia: Yes ma'am.

Sienna: Looks like we'll have to wait until they answer.

Silence

Nora: I know a game we can play to pass the time.

Jaune: Nora, if you say the FMK game again, I swear to Oum I'm going to....

Nora: I was going to say charades but that game is so much better. Thank you Jaune!!

Jaune: Wait no! Your game is much better!!!!

Nora: Jaune who would you Fuck, Marry, or Kill? Sienna, Eve, or Ilia!

Sienna: Excuse me?

Eve: WHAT?!

Ilia: Eh?!

Jaune: I hate you!

Nora: And I love you! Now, answer the question.

Jaune: No!

Nora: Say it!

Jaune: I don't wanna!

Nora: Say it you pussy!!

Jaune: Fuck you!

Nora: Fuck me then! I'm right here!

Jaune: *Blushing* What?!

Nora: You heard me. Be a man and fuck me!

Jaune: Ok this is getting really weird.

Nora: The only weird thing here is that you're not fucking me!

Sienna: Enough!! You, John...

Jaune: Is Jaune.

Sienna: Whatever. I'll let you and your friends go if you answer her question.

Jaune: Really? Why that?

Sienna: To be honest, I'm curious.

Jaune: Ok, if you're going to let us go… I'd fuck Eve…

Eve: I will never fornicate with a human!

Jaune: Marry Sienna...

Sienna: I see~

Jaune: ...and kill Ilia.

Ilia: Wait a minute, you would kill me. But would you fuck Eve? Do you have a death wish?

Jaune: What can I say, with that attitude it makes me want to fuck her.

Eve: Excuse me?!

Jaune: Just think about it, a girl with her attitude, being dominated by her enemy. And little by little she lets herself be tamed until she is addicted to the dick.

Sienna: That sounds very hot.

Blake: So hot

Ilia: Yes, I can see it. Very hot. Good choice.

Eve: *Blushing* Eh?! I would never let myself be defeated by something so lewd!

Blake: Oh~ I think she likes the idea.

Eve: *Red* Of course not!!

Sienna: Yes, she likes it. Do you want me to leave you alone with him?

Eve: NO!!!

Sienna: *Laughs* Don't worry, we're just playing.

Eve: I hate you all.

Sienna: Anyways, why would you marry me?

Jaune: Well, I was thinking that if I could marry you, I would love to see your face every morning when I wake up.

Sienna: Do tell~

Jaune: and maybe have a little one who wakes us up with all his or her energy by jumping on the bed.

Sienna: *Blushing* O-Oh! I see.

Ilia: Ok, that sounds really good. You're right, it was the best choice to kill me. 10 out of 10. I will die for you again.

Jaune: Thank you. So…

Jaune: ...can we go now?

[clearlydiamondz]

The Game

 Erik!Stevens X Black!Reader

Part Eight

- - - - - - - - - -  

Erik, the most popular person at  Texas Southern University, has his heart set on a particular girl.

- - - - - - - - - -    

Erik shook horrid at the envelope that he held in his hands. “Well, the letter ain’t gonna open itself.” Ms. Whitney said with her hands crossed as Erik looked at her. 

“What if it says I’m not accepted?” he asked her as she sighed putting the cigarette she was smoking in the ashtray and grabbing her shoulders. 

“I highly doubt that. You are one of the smartest boys in this building. You have a story that’ll make a grown man cry. They’ll be a fool not to let you in.” she said then stepped back. “Now open up the letter.” 

He slowly opened it, flipping it so he could read it. “To Erik Stevens, it is with great HONOR TO OFFER YOU A FULL RIDE-” he couldn’t even get the full sentence out before he jumped in the air in excitement. 

“Now would you look at that?” 

__________________

“Come on babe, we gotta go,” he said grabbing the keys off the counter as she kept refreshing the grades for her Aerodynamics class. 

“No, I need to check it before we leave just in case I have to email my professor,” she said still staring at her computer screen.

“Babe... you have A’s in all your other classes, I’m sure this will be no different,” he said grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge. 

“Ooh, it’s posted. I got an 89.9%?” she said in confusion. 

“Oh, here we go.”

“He really couldn’t round it up?” she rolled her eyes looking to see what she got on her test. “I got a perfect 100! Do you think it’ll be rounded?” she looked up at him as he sighed. 

“I’ve known that Mr. Phillip has given rounded grades after he finalizes all of the grades to the students that deserve it.” he comforted her. She shut her computer and grabbed it. She stood up with a pout. “Don’t let this ruin our road trip,” he said walking behind her and smacking her ass, then grabbing a hand full. 

The two of them walked to the car that was packed with their things for their trip to Memphis Tennessee.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was late when they arrived, about one in the morning. They were on the outskirts of Memphis. Her father had a good fair amount of farmland behind his house where he had chickens, a rooster, some goats, and some horses. They were as country as they could get. Finally, the eight-hour drive was finished. She stepped out of the passenger seat looking at her father standing on his front porch as she waved. 

“Is that my sugar bear?” he said walking down the porch as she ran to him.

“Hey Daddy..” she hugged him as he hugged her back. 

“You don’t know how much I missed you,” he said kissing her forehead. He looked behind her seeing Erik walking behind her as she stepped aside. 

“Erik, this is my daddy Eugene. Daddy, this is my boyfriend Erik.” she introduced the two as Erik reached out his hand for him to shake. 

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir.” Erik smiled showing off his dimples. Eugene looked him up and down before shaking his hands back. 

“How ya doing?” he gripped Erik's hand, a tad bit harder than he should have. Erik being Erik gave him the same energy. 

“Well let me help y’all bring this stuff inside the house, I know y’all are tired,” he said walking to Erik’s trunk to grab their things. 

After the two of them got settled into her old room, Eugene stood outside her door as he crossed his arms. 

“I hope y’all are ready to help me out on the farm too. A couple of people down at the church want to buy some eggs off of me, and the horses need to be fed,” he replied as (Y/N) chuckled. 

“Seems to me you might not have a pair of boots Erik but I got me a pair of boots in the closet that ain’t never been worn. We look bout that same size,” he said looking him up and down. “I got Erik an air mattress. It’s right there in the closet now,” he said pointing towards the closet. Both Erik and (Y/N) looked at him confused. 

“My bed is big enough for the both of us. You did not have to do that,” she said walking over to the closet and seeing a twin bed. “And the bed ain’t even big enough for him,” she said bringing it out. Her dad looked between the two before saying, 

“Well, he can sleep in the bed and-”

“We are both sleeping in my bed.” 

“(Y/M/N).”

“Daddy.“ she followed his tone. She looked at him as he stared back at her. Erik wasn’t even going to fight this battle. Mainly because her pop looked like he always kept a rifle underneath the bed. 

Spoiler Alert: He does. 

“Y’all keep this bedroom door open.” That was all he said. “Goodnight y’all.” he left the door wide open before going across the hall to his room. He shut his door locking it before (Y/N) went to the door to close it. 

“I thought he said to leave it open,” Erik said sitting on the bed and taking his jacket off. 

“I’m grown,” she said before taking off her shoes and looking around her room. 

“Dang, he really didn’t change anything.” she laughed as she walked to her dresser to see some old stuff she left behind. 

“I see.” he chuckled looking around the green-painted room with childish posters everywhere. He saw a few NASA posters, a pillow, and stuff around. “You ain’t tell me I’ll be working on the farm,” he said getting undressed. “Low key a little excited.” 

“Yeah, we might be able to even ride the horses too,” she said going through her bags to find some night clothes. 

“And how about seeing your mother?” she asked her as she sighed. 

“I’m really not trying to see her for the next few days. She actually doesn’t know I’m in town. She thinks I’m getting here on Saturday.” she replied stripping out of her clothes as Erik sighed. 

“Babe...”

“Listen once you meet my mother, you’ll understand,” she said before she turned around. “Plus, there is so little that I know about your family,” she said sitting on his lap as he chuckled. 

“I know, it’s just my family really isn’t great. Or have a good dynamic,” he said to her. She scoffed looking around. 

“The only good dynamic I have is with my daddy and both my grandma. Maybe a few cousins,” she replied. If only he had that. 

“Trust me, I’ll tell you all about them one day.” 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The rooster in the front yard woke the both of them up. It was about the break of dawn, and a little bit of sunlight went through her white blinds. She lifted the knitted quilt her father’s mom made for her a few years back. “Fucking hell, that is loud,” Erik grunted as she laughed sitting up. 

“Yeah, he’s our alarm clock.” she got out of bed, turning on the light that was on her bed table. She walked to her closet grabbing her old pair of cowgirl boots and some old jeans she had in the closet. 

“You were not playing when you said y’all were country.” he chuckled sitting up in the bed, that statement made her laugh. 

“Aye, I gave you a choice and you bought your lil happy self up here.” she reminded him. He grabbed her waist pulling her towards himself. 

“Yeah and? I’ll do it again.” she laughed as he kissed her on the chest, then on her lips. The kiss got a little more heated as his hands trailed up her nightgown and her hands gripped his dreads. It was interrupted by a knock on the door. 

“Rise and shine y’all. Time to get to movin’ now! And I thought I told y’all to leave this door open!” he yelled through the door as she rolled her eyes. 

“The A.C. is on, it probably shut when we’re sleeping!” she yelled back as she smirked at him. 

“I got these boots out here. I’ll be waiting on the back porch!” they heard him walk away as he pinched her side slightly. 

“He ain’t believed none of that. Now he gonna get on my ass.” 

“Not you being afraid of my daddy.” she laughed slipping on her jeans under her nightgown. “He ain’t gonna do nothing.”

“Ion believe it.”

After the two of them got dressed, the two walked out to the porch to see her father putting bird seeds in the birdhouse. “Sugar bear, go ahead and go out to the coup and get some eggs for breakfast. Erik, I need ya help back in the stables.” her father instructed him. She looked between the two, warning both of them to behave with just her looks before placing a kiss on Erik’s cheek then her father’s, grabbing a basket to collect the eggs. She walked in the opposite direction as the two of them stared at her. 

“This way. I know Houston has horses, have you seen one in real life?” he asked him as Erik winced. 

“To be honest. I haven’t.” 

“Yeah, most city folk haven’t. She might just gotta teach you how to ride,” he said opening the stable gates.

“I’d like that.”

“Go ahead and grab that wagon and place the hay on it so we can feed the horses,” he said to Erik as he nodded. After grabbing the hay and going to the stables to feed the horses, the two of them held a small talk about Oakland, what he was in school for, and his future plans. 

“Now listen Erik-” Eugene turned to look at him. “So far from what I can tell, you are a respectable young fellow, and I trust my daughter’s judgment because she is far from a fool.” he started as Erik nodded. 

“But man to man, I need to know that my daughter is being taken care of and protected out there in Houston. If something happens to her, I’m all the way in Tennessee. I can’t get to her. And even then I’m getting up in age. My ability to protect her will get harder as she grows older.”

“Sir, her safety is nothing you have to worry about as long as she’s with me. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure she’s straight.” Erik said. He meant every word he said. Whether it was her physical being or mental being. 

“Mhmm, how about financially. I see you drove one of them nice cars out here. You know how to make responsible financial decisions?” he asked as Erik nodded. 

“That car was bought in full with the money I saved sir.”

“You can afford a car like that yet you are a college student. It cost me an arm, leg, a kidney, and a bit of blood to buy that car she drives now. So how do you make that money?” Erik got quiet. He didn’t really make money the legal way, especially for a dude in college, but before his father passed away, he had a bank account set up for him once he turned 18 for college. With the full ride to college, that money was used for anything. He got himself an apartment, bought himself a car, and put the rest in his savings. That didn’t stop him from selling from time to time. Maybe it was just the street mentality that he could never have enough money. 

“Well, my father left me a pretty good inheritance once I turned 18,” he replied. Eugene looked him in the eyes squinting. 

“Now I can tell you ain’t lying but I can tell that ain’t the whole truth either.”

“I also sell on the side,” he whispered as her father nodded. 

“Aye, look. A man gotta do what a man gotta do to provide for himself. I appreciate you being honest.” her father said. “But, that’s a dangerous game you playing. Especially being a black man, son. If my daughter is in that car with you-” Erik cuts him off.

“I have never and will never put her in that kind of jeopardy. That was already considered, sir.”  Eugene got quiet before nodding. “With this college degree, and everything I’ve saved, I’ll be able to quit and get a job that not only I enjoy but it provides enough that she won’t ever need nothing,” he said looking at the coup to see her placing eggs in the basket. 

“And how do you know my daughter is the one that you’ll be taking care of for life?”

Erik thought for a moment. He was never asked this question by any parent of the girls he dated. Mostly because he was never the ‘take home to mom and dad’ kind. It was funny that (Y/N) was the only one. 

“Honestly, I can’t say,” he said truthfully. “But I know the love I have for your daughter is something I can’t take advantage of. When I’m around here, all I feel is happiness. My whole mood is based on her emotions. If she’s upset, I’m upset. If she’s happy, I’m happy. She’s mad, I’m mad.” he replied as his father nodded in improvement. 

“I do know that she’s the type of person that people will take advantage of mostly because she wants to see the good in everybody,” he said as Eugene nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah, she’s always had that problem ever since she was wearing pigtails and bows.”

“And that’s how I feel about her. She’s an intelligent woman with a head on her shoulders, and I love she sees the good in people. People nowadays take advantage of it, and I wouldn’t want no one to damage her because of it.” Erik said truthfully. “I just have this.. need to want to protect her all the time, be the one to defend her when someone feels like they can say whatever they want to her.” her father chuckled before scratching his beard. 

“Well son, this statement gonna be put up to the test with her mother.” 

“Is that so?” he asked as he nodded crossing his arms across his chest. 

“My Patricia. My first and only love.” he chuckled. “Was beautiful. Still is beautiful if you ask me, but boy her attitude made her the ugliest thing on this Earth,” he said with a face of disgust, then he looked at Erik. “That stays between the two of us.” 

“Loud and clear.”

“I dealt with that for 20 years. Married her when I was only 20. Had sugar bear when we were 26. Got divorced when she was around... 13 or 14. Just the way she talked to me but the way she spoke to our daughter is what made me divorce her.” he said shaking her head. 

“It was that bad?”

“Whatever you are thinking, 20 times worse. When that judge told sugar bear that she could stay with me, I ain’t never seen her that happy. Her mother hated both of us because of it. Now she did find the lord, good for her.” he said sarcastically. “Up until college, she tried to get her mother’s attention. Doing extra sports, church choir, and volunteering at different places. But her mother ignored it, didn’t stop her from bragging about it though.” he said.

“It makes sense,” Erik said to himself. Overachiever, the stress to get all A’s, never had a sip of liquor up until that party? 

“How about your family? I’m sure they’d rather have you home for the holidays,” he said as Erik sighed looking down then back at him. 

“Yeah.. that’s the thing. Don’t really have much to go back home to,” he said as Eugene raised his eyebrows. “My father died when I was 12. We didn’t have close family members, my mother left me with him when I was only a few days old. Ever since he passed, I was put in foster care.” he said as Eugene’s face turned to pity. 

Erik hated it. A reason why he didn’t tell people, the only people who really know Travis and Jakeen. 

“Damn... I’m sorry son,” he said grabbing his shoulder. “She never told me that.”

“That’s the thing. She doesn’t know.” 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(Y/N) was in the kitchen making omelets with some of the eggs she gathered this morning. Erik was sitting at the kitchen table on his laptop looking over his test grades in approval. “You were not wrong when you said the internet connection was horrible,” he said as she chuckled. 

“I warned you,” she said sipping her orange juice and leaning on the counter. He stood up walking over to her as she smirked at him. 

“Ooh. Erik Stevens, you look like a real country boy. I like this.” she teased him as he rolled his eyes playfully. She wasn’t lying though. She always had a thing for country boys, but Erik was that one city boy that stole her heart. Seeing him with the boots and the long white shirt with the jeans, and the fitted cap had her feeling in some kind of way.

“Really?” he grabbed her hand pulling her closer to him as he kissed his neck. 

“You real bold doing this while my dad can come in here any minute you know,” she whispered as he continued. He was going to say something but a knock at the front door pulled them apart. Her dad came into the kitchen and she looked at him confused. 

“It’s still early in the morning. Who is that?” she asked him. 

“That’s ya mother,” he responded as her attitude shifted. 

“Wait you told her we were here Dad!” she asked walking across the kitchen to where he was. “I told you not to say anything!” 

“She doesn’t know you’re here yet. She’s just coming by to pick up a couple of eggs,” he said grabbing the rest of the basket. She looked at Erik with an ‘Are you serious look before he walked to the door opening it. 

“Finally, you answered the door.” The two of them hid in the kitchen. “Jesus Eugene when was the last time you cleaned this place.” 

“It’s nice to see you too Pat. Here are your eggs.” 

“Ugh in this place is a mess. You really need to clean up in here.”

“Pat I really don’t have time for the company so you should go.”

“Don’t be rude. And when was the last time you talked to your daughter? I have a feeling she’s lying about bringing that boy from-” She stopped when she walked into the kitchen and saw the two of them there. (Y/N) scratched her forehead in annoyance as Erik sat there waving at her... like an idiot.

“Oh.. well excuse the hell outta me.” she placed the basket of eggs on the counter. “You must be Erin.” 

“It’s Erik.” she looked him up and down, squinting her eyes at her daughter. If (Y/N) wasn’t mistaken, it almost seemed as if she was surprised. 

“So what? You didn’t let your mother know you were in town already.” 

“Ma we got in literally at one this morning. I haven’t even had time to take a shower yet.”

“Yeah. I can see that. I wonder how you get a man like this looking like that.” she looked up, not trying to let her anger get control over her. “See how emotional she gets. Can’t tell her anything without her getting pissed off. I don’t see how you do it.” she walked over to Erik shaking his head. 

“I’m Patricia. It’s nice to meet you,” she said pulling him in for an awkward hug. He patted her back before nodding. 

“It’s nice to meet you too.” he forced himself to say. For him, it was the complete opposite of nice. If this was anyone else talking to her like this it would be different, but (Y/N) warned him that it was going to happen, and to stay on his best behavior. So, that’s what he had to do. 

“So since you guys are here, y’all can head over to the church and help set up for the Christmas service once y’all are dressed. Erik can-”

“Sorry, we can’t. We already have plans.” (Y/N) said leaning on the counter. Her mother looked at her in shock before saying, 

“You can just push your plans aside for the day. The church needs y’all help and-”

“Oh we can’t. We have plans today.” (Y/N) cut her off. Her mother looked shocked at the decline in the offer, well not really an offer to them more like the demand. 

“Well you can just cancel that and-”

“We’re not canceling.” That was all she said. Pat looked back at Eugene as he looked up at the ceiling. “Plus, we are on vacation. We are not trying to go set up chairs and tables at the church,” she responded looking back at her mother. 

“Okay... but the church needed volunteers and I already told them you were coming. I would hate for you to let them down like that.” her mother attempted to convince her. Erik had no choice but to interject. 

“How did you tell them that we were coming if you didn’t even know we were here yet?” he asked. Eugene looked at him a little surprised that he would question her. Pat looked at him in shock, then in anger before sighing. 

“Look. The church needs help and-”

“Well, what is CJ doing? I’m sure he and his girlfriend would love to help down at the church,” she said tilting her head to the side a little. Eugene looked at his daughter in shock. 

“He actually said that he couldn’t today. Something about going live on Steam for something. I don’t know! Look, you need to come down to the church. End of discussion.” she said grabbing her basket of eggs. “When did you start questioning what the Lord wants you to do?”

“I’m sure he’s not upset that I’m not going to the church to set up chairs and tables on our vacation,” she responded back. Her mother just sat there staring at her, wanting to say some more other things but she didn’t say anything. 

“Eugene can I talk to you outside for a minute.” Was all her mother said before stepping out of the kitchen? Her father walked outside with her as she turned to look at Erik. 

“I thought I told you-”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t going to sit there and let her lie to you like that. That’s wild she just lied and didn’t think twice about it,” he said shaking his head as she raised an eyebrow at him. 

“See, I told you that-” he stopped her from finishing her sentence when she kissed her on the lips. Smiling into the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands traced down to her hips. 

“Stop saying you told me so. I WANT to be here with you,” he told her. “I want to get to know your family,” he whispered to her as she grabbed his hand. 

“Hmm, so why don’t you tell me about your family?” she asked him as he sighed letting her go. “Awe c’mon Stevens. I know everything about you except your family. I know for a fact they would want you home but your spending it with me.” she followed close behind him as he turned around grabbing her hands. 

“It’s. complicated (Y/N),” he whispered with both of their hands to his mouth as she playfully rolled her eyes. 

“I am the last person you wanna talk about complicated. Did you not just see my mother?” she pointed to the door with a chuckle. She saw the look on his face and it was nothing but a joke. He was serious. “Erik there is nothing that you have to hide from me. If I’m with you, I want to know all about you. The pretty and the ugly my love.” she said touching his cheek. He grabbed her wrist before kissing the palm of her hand. She grabbed his hand walking out to the back porch where the swing sat. She dragged him to it as they both sat down she grabbed his hand and sighed. 

“I just want you to know... no other person knows about this. Only Travis and Jakeen,” he told her as she slowly nodded. He cleared his throat before speaking, 

“I never... knew my mother. She left when I was a couple of weeks old, and it was just me and my dad,” he told her. Her eyes widen in shock as she grabbed his hand. “My dad was found dead in our apartment one night. I came in from playing basketball with my friends, opened the door, and-” He didn’t finish that sentence as he looked off into the distance. 

“Erik..” Was all she could say. “Oh, Erik... I am so, so sorry.” 

“Man don’t be like that. It happened years ago and I don’t want you feeling bad,” he told her. She looked at him confused, speechless. She wasn’t going to lie, she thought his parents were some well-off folks considering the lifestyle Erik has. His car, his apartment, the way he spoils her. This was the last thing she could and would think of. 

“No. Erik. I am sorry. That is something you should not push to the side.” she said touching his cheek. “That’s a huge part of who you are...”

“Yeah, but I don’t want it to be. If and when I do tell people they look at me the way you just did,” he said to her. 

“Look..” she sighed then smiled at him. “I’m happy that you felt comfortable enough with me to tell me this. I know it must have been hard for you to tell me. I appreciate this, I appreciate you.” she said looking him up and down. He noticed her stares before saying,

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“It’s just, after everything that I know about you plus this makes me admire you so much more,” she told him. 

The statement made Erik think. “I ain’t know you admired me.” he chuckled. 

“Erik Stevens, are you blushing?” she teased him as he glared at her. “But of course I do. You kinda pushed me to stand up for myself,” she told him matter of factly. “But despite everything you’ve gone through, look at the man you’ve became.” 

He smiled at her as she smiled back at him. He kissed her on the forehead, then placed a kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he pulled her closer by the waist. 

He pulled apart looking into her eyes, then kissed below her ear. He swiftly whispered in her ear, “I love you.” she pulled away, a grin appearing on her face. 

“I love you too Stevens.”

 ___________________________

(Y/N) knew that she would eventually have to go home and visit her mother’s side of the family. She had a few cousins and Uncles that she was excited to see, but some of her family, she was dreading to see. Filled with mostly older females, they tend to be very conservative and very religious. Growing up, she was always walking on eggshells not to say something horrible. As she got older and realized how much better she could be, their opinions of her didn’t matter... and they hated that. 

Erik opened the door for her and got out, looking at the two-story house that she once lived in. She saw a bunch of cars, immediately realizing that it was family coming to help her mother cook. “Are you sure about this Erik? We can stay at pops house and go out tonight?” she asked him one last time. He shook his head knowing how important it was for him to be there with her. 

“I’ve told you this a million times. I don’t mind,” he said grabbing her face as she pouted. She was scared that her family would scare him away, but for Erik, it was the complete opposite. She nodded as he shut the door behind her grabbing her hand. They walked up to the porch and she opened the door to see the living room filled with her younger cousins. As soon as the door opened, their faces lit up when they saw her. 

“(Y/N)!” they yelled as they ran to her. Her face lit up as they damn near tackled her to the ground trying to get a hug out of her. 

“Woah, how are y’all?” she said catching her balance again as they all started talking about school, their new jobs, and new college applications. 

“Who’s that?” the youngest of them, Kaliyah only being 6 years old with her two front teeth missing, said pointing to Erik. 

“This is my boyfriend, Erik. Erik this is Kaliyah, Zion, Gabriella, and man-man,” she said introducing them as he smiled his toothy grin at them. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” They looked at him confused. 

“Yeah you ain’t from around here are you?” Gabby said giggling as (Y/N) laughed. 

“It’s that noticeable?” he asked looking between the two of them as they all nodded.

“You stand out like a sore thumb but look my man-” Zion wrapped his arm around Erik’s shoulder, him being the more sociable one. “You gotta teach me how you get your muscles like that my man, I’m struggling,” he said pointing towards his arms. It was his first year of high school, with it being Gabriella and Man-man’s last year.

“You got an extra two hours of your day to hit the gym?” Erik asked him making Zion wince. 

“And you lost me.” he unraveled his arms as Erik laughed. “But aye look, it was nice meeting you though,” he said walking back into the room. (Y/N) was going to ask them about the college applications but her mother walked into the room. 

“You know you are about an hour late right? If I tell you to be here at a certain time I expect you to be here at that certain time.” she nagged her as Gabriella rolled her eyes, even though Pat couldn’t see her. 

“That was my fault. My car got-”

“You don’t have to defend her.” she cuts him off.  (Y/N) looked at Erik with a warning face before he tried to defend her again but he stopped when he saw her face. 

“His car got stuck in the mud because of the rain. Daddy was trying to help him out,” she said taking off her jacket and hanging it on the rack reaching out for his jacket to hang. Before her mother could say anything else, she cuts her off by asking, 

“Where is everyone at?” her mom squinted her eyes at her, obviously in annoyance as she pointed to the door of the kitchen. 

“They are all in here cooking like they are supposed to,” she said, throwing shade toward her daughter a bit but all (Y/N) did was ignore her as she grabbed Erik’s hand, leading him to the kitchen. She opened the door as everyone saw her, greeting her. She introduced Erik to all of them, some of her cousins that were around her age goggled at him. A little shocked by how good-looking he was. 

Her aunties, Caroline and Ester, looked at their sister Pam with a shocked look. Before you came, they talked about how much they disapproved of you attending college. Unlike your other cousins, you didn’t want to work at the church only making $10 an hour. You didn’t want to marry a man inside the church, knowing their true intentions. Saying they were men of God, but sneakily looking at the young adults around her age.

She remembers like yesterday when her mother and she got into a huge argument about (Y/N) wanting to go to college instead of staying here and marrying Brother Ron. 

“How could you do this? Brother Ron already wants to court you and I don’t see anything wrong with him. He’s a man of god, a minister, and-”

“He’s 10 years old than me first of all. And if that’s the case, why is he talking about getting me while I’m a minor.” she snapped at her mom. “I’m going to school.”

“Now you listen here, I don’t know what little friends been putting in your head girl but you ain’t going to no damn college!” her mother yelled at her. Pat made her way to her ex-husband’s house after finding out her daughter got accepted to TSU. 

“You can’t tell me where I can and cannot go! I literally got a dance scholarship full ride and you’re telling me I’m-”

“I’m telling your fast ass you don’t belong in no damn college! All that’s gonna end up are you pregnant with a baby daddy that doesn’t want nothing to do with you!” she yelled as Eugene stood in the middle of them. 

“Patricia, are you really arguing with her about going to college? You need to be proud.” her father defended her as she scoffed at Eugene. 

“Proud? Proud that she doesn’t want to be in the church. You are a young lady, what the hell do you belong in a college for? I have not been to college and I am doing perfectly fine.” she snapped at her as Eugene nodded. 

“Oh I see, your jealous.” he laughed at her as Patricia snapped back at her. 

“Jealous? By the time I was her age, I was married and pregnant with her. Tell me what I got to be jealous of?” she smirked crossing her arms over her chess. 

“Yet you’re divorced and that said child not wanting anything to do with you.” she snapped back. That alone made her mother slap her across the face as Eugene grabbed her arm. 

“That’s it, Pat. You gotta get the hell up outta here!” her father snapped. 

“So (Y/N), how has that school stuff been going?” her Auntie Ester asked cutting the collard greens as Erik and her pulled up a chair to the table to sit. 

“It’s going good. I’m graduating within a few months which is exciting,” she said looking up at her mom. Her mother’s eye twitched at the word graduation. 

“Aw well, that’s nice. So when you move down back here what are your plans. You know the church will welcome you back.” her Aunt Caroline asked cutting up some onions. Both Erik and (Y/N) looked confused as she said, 

“Um, I don’t plan on coming back to live. Maybe to visit, but with my degree, there is nothing here for me,” she mentioned as the entire kitchen got quiet. 

“But (Y/N), aren’t you marrying Brother Ron. He’s not going to separate himself from the church for some silly degree.” her cousin Yolanda asked laughing. Now Erik was on full alert. 

“Marry who?” (Y/N) and Erik said at the same time. Erik was more of a question while (Y/N) said it with pure venom. She looked at her mom before chuckling. 

“Yeah I’m not marrying anybody any time soon and I’m most definitely not marrying no Brother Ron with his perverted self.” she rolled her eyes as they gasped. 

“You are one disrespectful little girl you know that?” her mother snapped at her as she rolled her eyes. “Now I let you go to the damn school, I let you get a taste of this boy but you need a man of God. You are coming back to Tennessee  (Y/N) end of discussion.” she snapped at her as  (Y/N) laughed. Her mother was surprised at the laughter before  (Y/N) stood up grabbing Erik’s hand. 

“Yeah okay. We’ll see,” she said walking past them as her mother followed. 

“You get back here (Y/N)!”

____________________________________

  @life-in-the-slut-house @gloglamsparks @waveynaee @lalaooopsie @luvvjada @nccu-rnc @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @leahnicole1219 @meeksmillsfrenchfries @hinatasfleshlight @kokokonako @junie04 @sourbabynaee @sociallyawkward18 @raysunshine78 @justgetitoverwith0 @lishabaybee @rbhp @ladymac82 @musicismeb @keviekevswife1 @chaneajoyyy @youlovechicky @sexicherri3 @amirra88 @jameica17695 @lishabaybee @softleoblue @automaticdragonmugalien @lynaye1993 @eterrealluvrr @xsweetdellzx @ajenae @forevermoremagcon @babbydollaaassignn @ziayamikaelson @blmcd57110 @kaireads2020 @ts1mp0ne @luvvvjada @cozyashhh @xsweetdellzx @shurixwifey1 @blkmystery @princessmel-1995 @trippyscotch @determinednot2fall @metra873 @ravynnn-12 @meeeeep5 @ts1mp0ne @jordyn-wkndafvr @lishabaybee @christinabae @kanilive @sourbabynaee @royaler1999 @ejs398

[frootloopscos]

Welcome to the Villians' World (6)

Previously

"Well this is partially your responsibility you know! So help me catch the furball! The useless bodyguard here can't use magic so that means it's up to me and you!"  And just like that, the two boys began to chase after Grim.

Now

The two boys managed to chase the monster cat into the Cafeteria. Ace groaned trying to catch the quick cat in his arms, "argh! Stop jumping around like that!" He yelled as Grim avoided him, "heh heh heh! Catch me if you can!" Grim yelled back as he avoided the ginger again. Deuce glared at Grim, "no fair climbing onto the chandelier, you coward!" He yelled at the cat, "I haven't really learned flight magic yet. . . What could I summon to hold onto him...? Hmmm... Oh! That's it!" He yelled suddenly getting an idea.

"Did you come up with somethi- Oi, hey! Stop! What are you doing?! Why are you pointing your pen at the bodyguard?!" Ace yelled, "because I'm going to launch them." Deuce said, (Y/n)'s eyes widen, "what?! No way in hell will this end well! Don't use your magic on me!" They yelled as they began to rise into the air, "seriously, do not launch them! Abort! ABORT!!" Ace yelled at Deuce remembering the punishment he tried to avoid after he had injured the bodyguard.

Deuce shook his head, "just make sure to grab him tight. I've got him in my sights, and... Go!" He yelled before throwing (Y/n) at the chandelier. Grim yells in surprise as (Y/n) reaches out to grab the cat before they end up being thrown into the fragile light figure. The two of them fall to the floor and (Y/n) hisses as they land on their back, holding Grim to their chest. Ace coughs as dust from the debris fill the air. "I cannot believe you just did that!" He yelled at Deuce.

Grim groaned in (Y/n)'s arms, "oh right! I probably should have come up with a way to soften your landing after you caught him..." Deuce said looking at the demon slayer on the ground. "You complete and total moron! We got Grim, but we hurt the bodyguard and broke the chandelier! If the headmage finds out about this—" Ace was interrupted by Crowley appearing, "if I find out about what, dear Ace?" He asked crossing his arms with a glare.

Ace's eyes widen seeing the bird man, "ah! Headmage Crowley!" "YOU. THREE. AGAIN. What have you done this time?!" Crowley yelled at the three teens and the monster cat. Grim groans as he lays on (Y/n)'s chest. "Myaaah... Everything's spinning..." Crowley's widen seeing his bodyguard on the ground with the broken chandelier, "first you attempt to burn them alive, that wasn't enough for you? Now you've injured them again and destroyed a chandelier?! Enough. All of you are expelled." Crowley said as he carefully helped (Y/n) off the ground and using his magic to hold Grim.

Ace and Deuce looked at him in shock, "what?!" They asked in surprise, "headmage, please! Give me a second chance! I can't get expelled from this school! I need to be here!" Deuce said to Crowley, "then blame yourself for your own foolish behavior." The headmage said, "I'll pay for the damages and for the bodyguard's medical bills! However much it costs!" He said in response, clearly desperate to stay in the school, Crowley shook his head.

"That chandelier is no mere light fixture. It is a magical chandelier. Its candles are powered by a magical energy source, enchanted so that they will burn for eternity. It was created for us by a legendary artificer. Possibly their finest creation. It has been here since the school was established, and I imagined it would be here forevermore. Considering its historical value, I would estimate its worth to be no less than a billion thaumarks. And you intend to repay that sum? Not only that but our bodyguard isn't from our world so they can't be while with minor magic, Professor Crewel is the one who helped heal them earlier." He stated glaring at the boys.

"A... A billion marks?!" Deuce asked in surprise and horror. "B-but I'm sure with your magical talent, sir you could snap your fingers and fix it right up!" Ace said trying to help out his dorm mate. "Even magic has its limits. Furthermore, its magestone — the figurative heart of any magical artifact — is cracked. A magestone cannot easily be replaced. I fear the candles of this majestic chandelier will never burn again." He said in fake remorse. (Y/n) groaned quietly in pain.

"This is bad..." Ace said looking to Deuce, "what am I going to do?! How am I going to tell my mother...?" Deuce said sadly, Crowley hummed in thought and then got an idea. "Ah! But there may be one way. One tiny sliver of a chance to repair this chandelier." Both the teens looked at him, "there is?!" They asked and Crowley nods, "the magestone that powered this chandelier was mined from the Dwarfs' Mine. If you can acquire a magestone with the same properties, it may be possible to repair it." He said with another nod as he gently rubbed (Y/n)'s back.

"Then I'll go find a magestone!" Deuce said, "with your permission, sir!" Crowley looked at him, "I should caution you that I cannot promise 5$343 yet remain magestones to find. The mines were closed quite some time ago. It is quite likely that all of the magestones have already been mined." Deuce nods with a determined look, "I will do anything to avoid expulsion, sir!" Crowley nods, "well then. I will suspend your expulsion for a single night. But if you fail to return with a magestone by morning, then all of you are expelled. Well, besides the bodyguard."

"I understand sir. Thank you very much for this opportunity!" Deuce said and Ace sighs, "fine then. Let's hurry down there, find a magestone, and get this whole thing done with." Crowley wraps an arm around (Y/n) as they lean on him. "You should be able to reach the Dwarfs' Mine instantly by using one of the gates in the Mirror Chamber."

——

After (Y/n) was taken care of by Crewel again, but to the adults anger at Crowley. They, Ace, Deuce, and Grim all stood in the Mirror Champer after they had volunteered to help the boys with their punishment. "Man, how did I end up in this mess? I swear, I have the worst luck." Ace said rubbing the nape of his neck. "We don't have time to complain. Let's go," Deuce said before turning to the mirror. "Dark Mirror! Take us to the Dwarfs' Mine!" The mirror lights up and the three of them enter one of the coffins to be transported to the Dwarfs' Mine.

——

Hey y'all! I'm going to try and update this more than I have been before!

Word count: 1155

Published to Wattpad: Nov. 5th, 2023

Published to Tumblr: April 24th, 2024

Edited: n/a