#the scenery is based off a real place

[spacedoutman]

Concept for a younger Velvet Von Ragnar for the fanfiction because my brain is bleeding due to how much inspiration I have for this is has been so fucking long

[gh0st-in-green-c0nverse]

sea salt

percy jackson & gn! reader — reader comes back to camp after a long summer away

tw - implied alcoholism (not of reader but of a parent)

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

“Just call it fall. No one calls it autumn.”

The curb digs into the backs of your thighs, shorts not doing much for the growing chill.

“I call it autumn.”

“hm. Weird.”

There’s a girl who lives down the street from you, by the stop sign on the corner. She has eyes like chocolate and ribbons in her hair. Her name is—

“Penny, I don’t get why the leaves here never turn. They go from green to brown. It’s stupid.”

She takes a long, contemplative sip from her juicebox. “Weather ain’t cut out for it. It gets real pretty upstate, though. That’s where you’re going tomorrow, right?”

A beat. Right, the ‘boarding school’ you go to every school year.

“Yeah. Right. The scenery’s beautiful.” Penny takes another loud sip. “Apple?”

“Grape.” She shows you the box as if you needed proof. You wrinkle your nose.

“That’s—"

clang!

“Penny!!!!” Someone screeches. It echoes, bounces around the neighborhood in the fading light.

Her brother rounds the corner, bicycle helmet dangling from one hand, blood dripping down his knees.

“Holy hell,” Penny swears. She stands with an apologetic glance. “Have fun upstate. Send me pictures of the le—"

“Penny!!!”

You laugh. “I will! You better go tend to him. He’s clearly in critical condition.”

She rolls her eyes. “How dire.” But she jogs over to him anyways.

One by one, the streetlights flicker on. There’s a melancholy that comes with the dusk that you can’t shake.

Penny’s left her juicebox.

You start home.

.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

It feels like you’re suffocating the second you step through the front door.

It’s simple. Get the taxi money from the drawer in the kitchen, go back to your room, stay there until you can leave tomorrow. Just this one thing.

Just this last thing.

The floorboards creak as you walk through the kitchen. There are glass bottles and crumpled cans on the counter. You toss them in the bin and make a mental note to stay away from Dad.

The drawer sticks the first time you pull on it, so you pull again, harder. It scrapes open.

You grab a twenty and some change and concurrently nick yourself on the stapler. Blood wells. You hiss through your teeth.

Dad is in the living room on the couch, knocked out. His breath is sour.

You tiptoe upstairs. Just one more night. Then you can leave again.

.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

The door slams shut behind you.

You shoulder the duffel bag and close the trunk of the car.

“You sure this is where?” The taxi driver is a stern looking lady. Her hair is streaked with gray.

“Yep, I’m sure.”

You’re at the base of the hill.

“Really? Because there’s nothing here.”

“I’m meeting someone here,” you say, attempting a sure smile. “Thank you, though. I appreciate it.”

She stares at you for a moment, eyes narrowing. “‘Kay.”

The taxi sputters off.

You’ve never understood why they made the entrance to camp so damn steep. This sucks, this sucks, this sucks, muttered with every footfall.

The grass is making your ankles itch.

It’s all worth it when you cross the camp boundary, though. You can feel it, like a shift in the air. You breathe it in, feel the pressure in your chest start to dissipate.

Someone calls your name, excited and breathless. You turn and immediately are sent stumbling back by a blur of orange.

They smell like cut grass and salt. Not like sweaty salt, but like sea salt. It’s nice.

“Hey, Percy.”

He laughs into your shoulder, arms wrapped around your back.

“Hi.”

You let your head rest against his. Gods, you’ve missed this place. You’ve missed him.

Your eyes sting. The orange fabric at his shoulders bunches as you hug him tighter. He rocks back and forth on his feet but lets you cling to him.

You’re the one who pulls away first.

“You okay?” He murmurs.

He could feel the tremble of your fingers when they were laced behind his back.

“Yeah. Why?”

Percy searches for something in your eyes. You’re not sure what though. Maybe an excuse to pry about the watery sheen to them.

He doesn’t pry, though. Instead, he leads you back to the pavilion, hand in hand.

.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

By the time you’ve settled in, the sun is dipping below the pine trees. Yesterday at this time, you were on the curb with Penny. Now, you sit before a roaring campfire, the gloom of dusk chased away by kids giggling and music playing.

The smoke is sweet smelling. It draws spirals in the sky, dusty gray stark against orange streaks.

You’re somewhere off to the side of the benches. It’s too loud right next to the flames.

Percy’s shoulder is barely brushing yours.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t stay here for the summer.” His voice is quiet. It dissolves sweetly with the smoke.

“Me too.”

You can feel him turn to look at you, curls ghosting the shell of your ear.

“I missed you.”

You turn to look at him, to really look at him. There’s something sad behind his eyes, but it’s barely there. It flickers in the firelight. Maybe it’s what he saw in yours.

“Me too. It’s good to be back.”

You link your pinky with his and he smiles at you, sickeningly sweet.

It really is good to be back.

The fire roars. You let your head drop to his shoulder. Percy drops his head too, his cheek to your temple.

That night, you text Penny.

hey. you were right; the leaves are really pretty upstate. hope your brother survived. x

[yourcutelittlegayfriend]

TRANSFORMERS ONE X READER

Old Title was "Three Birds on a Wire" then got change for general (just letting you guys know)

Not really a fic I'm planning to do anytime soon but it's something that was cooking in my head after the 5th(?) time I've watch Transformers one and I just need to put it somewhere before I lose my mind.

Warnings: few headcannons, angst, Out of Characters moments, Panic attack, mentions of death, torture and familial loss, Bad English/Typos (We die like real AutoBots), sudden change of POV from 3rd to You (Watch out when the sentences either says You or Me/I).

Note: Long ass fic, Implied Reader is a Cybertronian Femme Bot, There's few weird plot holes but Reader is born from a Carrier while some are born from Forging (Transformers lore is fucking up my brain and it shows) and some dialogue might not be accurate since I'm writing this in like 1-2am and lots of cuts basing on the movie.

Pairings: (Main) D-16/Megatron x Reader, (Slight possibly maybe) Orion Pax/Optimus Prime x Reader, (Mentions) Megatronus Prime x Solus Prime and (Jokingly put for plot but like only a pinch) Sentinel Prime x Reader

--

From the Beginning it was always the three of you together, D-16 the stick to protocol one but always finds himself yielding to the shenanigans of Orion Pax, who was the more taking risk bot and the one who always makes trouble and get to be scolded by You, you who was the one looking out for the two bot everyday and takes care of them when the two of them both get caught together.

Everyday in the mines was tiresome and Dangerous frequently taking life or cause more harm to the miners from unstable minings, Cogless bots who were told to be the lifeline of the city and where the only point of being online was to provide energon everyday.

But it was tolerable when you're with the two, especially with your sparkmate D-16 who tries his best to make you happy everday, Giving you compliments and find you valuable scraps to use for things you build after you confess to seeing Solus Prime as your idol and D-16 who admires Megatronus can't help but feel like it was fate that you two love the primes who has the closes relationship together.

You and Orion Pax has the same spark to learn about different knowledge and discoveries which in turn gives you a chance to invent/build stuff and using Orion as your personal test dummy and Orion who just let's it happened as long as you help him get to the archives and not get more scoldings from D-16 since your the only one who could really stop him.

Life was simple, repetitive but happy nonetheless until-

----[0]----

"Second Place isn't that bad-" D-16 reasoned before getting cut off by racing bot who drove/flew by.

Laying on the track I laugh when it happened as I hold my leg that was almost ripped from my socket when we roughly landed.

Now sitting on Medbay after Ratchet took care of our injuries I sat in between the two as they bicker to one another making me shake my head.

"Ok that's enough-" but before I can push D away from Orion a tall black painted femme bot appeared from the open MedDoors and scanned us.

Soon as she scanned us Sentinel Prime appeared shocking us, He called the two bots before noticing me who was still struggling from standing since my leg was newly wielded.

"Please my dear don't strain yourself hahaha" Sentinel said before suddenly holding my arms and gently sat me back to the chair, I can feel D-16 stare so I looked at him and laid a servo on his arm as he side-eye the prime before nodding and sit back a little closer to me.

----[1]----

After getting forcefully sent by Darkwing to the lower levels and meeting B-127, a sweet bot who was probably a little younger than us is helping us get to the surface after finding the distressed signal.

Getting to the train was easy but with Elita-1 discovering us became a little more harder than we thought.

Arriving at the surface we admired the beautiful sceneries with the terrain simingly terraforming on it's own that is until one behind us burst the train and throw us off.

D-16 quickly grab me and the two of us hold to one another as we crash in the ground, a few moments he woke me up and help me stand as we perfectly timed seeing Orion getting Right hooked by Elita-1

----[2]----

Arriving at the cave we saw the offline bodies of the primes laying around with this organic stuff covering them showing how long they have been here......waiting.

Finding Alpha Trion and putting him online as he told us the truth was the most spark breaking thing you have ever felt in your life.

"He......he took our cogs?....w-why? I-i....what about the once born from Carriers?! surely he-.....he wouldn't right?". I asked the old prime who just looked at me with sadness.

"N-no......so all this time.....I thought my carrier......I thought she left me....i-i..." I turn away and kneel to a boulder shaking in sorrow now knowing how cruel Sentinel really was, Killing Carriers with new sparklings for their T-cogs.

D-16 wasn't really doing well either all our life and for the 50 cycles of Cybertron and Iacoon City living under a lie of a fake prime.

I was shaking and almost to a point of breaking down, realiving all the loss we have endure and the miners I have to painstakingly tried to save or build scrap prosthetics to the servos, arms, legs or pedels they loss in mining, all were sacrificed for nothing.

The rest were fighting until D-16 heard be gasping for pain as they look and see me holding my chasis as I try to breath through my vents.

My sparkmate quickly race to me and tried to calm me down as he holds my servos and leaned his helm on mine.

"All!......all this time!... all those energons!....everyone!...FOR 50 CYCLES!!-" I screamed and gasp as D-16 shush me and whispered as his optics shining a more orange hue looks into mine.

"He'll pay for what he did to us, to me and to you" He harshly spat as he laid a servo on my cheek as he tilts his helm as I nod.

He helps me stand up as we look to Alpha Tron and received the T-cogs of the older primes, coincidentally I received Solus Prime's T-cog.

As we all upgraded and slightly got bigger, I hear a gasp and turn to see D and Orion looking at me.

"W-what? do I look bad?". I asked as I tried to look at my new form.

"No! you uh look-" Orion tried to say but D beat him to it.

"You....you look just like her.....Solus Prime that is". D looked at me with those optics that I knew so much it's colors slightly lighting from it's orange tinged to yellow before going back.

----[3]----

Running away and trying out our T-cogs me and the rest tried to find away to get back to the city when we got caught and held in a High Guards hidden HQ.

Orion tried to get them on ourside but D was pulling me away to leave as I feel his annoyance and anger through our bond.

"D- wait let's-". but D snap when the guards stop him and he turns back to StarScream and tried to fight him.

It happened too fast and the next thing I know was D aiming a cannon to StarScream who was begging for mercy.

He turned to the rest and pledge his revenge to Sentinel and I stare at him as I hear the muffled chant of the High Guards around me as he stand in front of me before holding my cheeks with both of his servos as he looks into my optics as I see his finally becoming orange.

"Follow me, and I promise you all the pain and suffering you have endured..... I'll avenge you for it as long as you stay with me" There it is, the last part of rite to be conjuxes that I've been waiting to hear from him ever since we become sparkmates, the very last one I imagine where we'll be alone and spending another romantic moment and not surrounded by screaming bots as I see his angry yet desperate face.

I close my eyes before trying not to cry before reaching out and lean close to him, our lips almost touching when an explosion erupted from the roof as D quickly hide me behind his back as he prepared to take fire.

----[4]----

Waking up from my unconscious state I opened my optics and get blinded by brightlights as I turn and see my arms and legs are bound on a metal table.

I look and see Arachnid and Sentinel stand near a panel as they watch me struggle from my binds.

"It's no use in trying to escape my dear". He said as he walks closer and stood beside the table and reach out a servo to my face.

"Look at this, seems you and your little friends got a little upgrade" He smirks as I tried to tear away my face from his hold.

"Tell me how does it feel? to be better and stronger than your old look? feels great doesn't it?" He laughs before shaking my head from side to side.

"Now tell me- where's the rest of your little friends".

----[4]----

As Sentinel arrives to taunt D-16 he tells them about what's going to happen when D-16 stand up to him.

"I got nothing left to lose" He said as he glares at the false prime.

"Oh I sure did- bring her in". Sentinel said to Arachnid who nods and a bunch of bots entered and tossed something at Sentinel's pedels.

"Look at what you made me do to her" He whispered as he kicks you right in the stomach making you scream in pain.

D-16 looked horrified at the state you're in, the new paint from your new form slightly chared and a few sparks flew from your joints and optics as you groan in pain.

Sentinel only looks at him with this sadistic look before noticing the sticker Orion gave him and put on his shoulder.

"Ah Megatronus Prime-" He said before punching D down the ground.

"of course you're a fan, Megatronus is the Coolest bot, Biggest, Baddest and Toughest-". He says before leaning down to smirk down at us.

"That's why after I killed him-" then opened his chasis to show us the red T-cog of Megatronus slotted inside.

"I took it for myself". He said before turning to me.

"He was greater than you'll ever be!". D roars as he watches Sentinel drop a knee closer to me.

"Now that I think about it, It's unny how fate works huh- me having Megatronus T-cog while your little sparkmate has Solus? it was like were meant to be!". He laughs when D trashes and tries to stand up.

"Maybe this cover up story wouldn't be so bad, The traitor's sparkmate running to my arms after she finds out your little plan, and I- Sentinel promise to protect her from the derange traitorous little miner". He laughs before grabbing a hold of my head to forcefully make me nod.

He chuckles before harshly turning my head to look at D who stared back at me with worry.

Sentinel then stands back and rip off the sticker from him and inspect it.

"I'm pretty great myself but I can understand why you wanna wear his face over mine, Here-". He puts the sticker back now on D's chasis.

"Let's make sure it doesn't come off". He grins before Arachnid hands him a laser cutter and proceeds to carve a crude drawing of Megatronus symbols.

I tried to stop Sentinel but Arachnid held me down as I scream for D, feeling his pain too

----[5]----

Optimus arrived by bursting through the window with a train alongside Elita and the rest of the High Guards.

I groan before helping D up and check his chasis that has the still cooling down mark.

"Oh D.....I-i...... I'm sorry". I said as I gently tried to caress it trying to ease his pain.

D only frown and hold my servos before roughly turning me and force me to sit down on the side.

"Stay. Here". D growled before backing away as he looks at the state I'm in with anger and disappointment - to himself or me?-

He shoves off Orion who tried to stir him away from fighting off Sentinel, Orion sighs before seeing me on the side still in pain from what Arachnid and Sentinel did to me after our capture.

"_! Are you alright!". Orion panicked and kneel to me as he checks all my injuries.

"No!.... I'm fine O-orion.. please go and get Arachnid..... She's the only bot that has been around Sentinel.....use her memory and broadcast it out to Iacoon......". Orion looked at me with wide eyes.

"Wait that's-!". He said before I chuckle and cough from the pain.

"Smart? I know......been smarter than you since day one Pax". I smiled as Orion laid a servo on my shoulder pads.

"And you will always be......Friend". Orion said his optics looking sad and his voice sorrowful when he called me his friend.

"Go! I'll stay here with D! Go!". I pushed him away as I stand up and limp to find D, Orion nods before running away with B-127, who after excitedly showed me his knife hands.

----[5]----

Everyone now knew what Sentinel did to us as I watch the repeated broadcast on the holograms and screen shown around the city.

I sigh in relief as I turn to D and tried to reach for him, He looked at me but his eyes has other plans.

"NO! D! DON'T!". I screamed as he tackled Sentinel through the glass and fall through the ledge as I limp and jump after them.

Roughly landing on the platform of where the golded carvings of the 13 primes stand, I painfully watch D rages and tries to kill off Sentinel.

I watch as he aims to blast Sentinel until Orion jump the last second to take the devastating hit.

I screamed as me and D look at him in fear as I see the whole part of his left chasis and arm get blasted to nothing.

I tried to crawl toward the edge where D was holding Orion who fell but I could only look with my sparkbreaking again when D stood back up without Orion.

"No.........". I whispered as I lean my helm down as I covered my mouth to silence my cries.

I force myself to watch my sparkmate, who was kind, calm and sweet become someone that I don't recognize anymore.

Watching him become someone else, watching him become Megatron.

I kneel on the ground as everything around me distorts and get muffled as I hear thudding of heavy pedels towards me.

Looking up I see Megatron, not my sweet D-16 kneels to me and reaches for my cheek.

I should have flinch, I should have tried to move away from him, I should have leave him but.....

I couldn't stop myself from hating him, I couldn't help myself but close my eyes and lean to his palms.

"Stay with me" He says as he moves closer and leans close to me.

I look into his optics now having a deep and angry red and yet still holding an adoring emotion swirling inside, only for me.

"Remember the day we became sparkmates?". I asked him as he keep looking at me not saying anything to stop me.

"I said I'll always stay and love you now matter what.....for better or worse, that was the day I started the rite for us to be Conjuxes.......". I said before holding his face and nod.

D- Megatron smiles, deep inside was my dear D-16 as he held me close as I lean on his shoulder before looking up when I see a blinding blue light flying up in the air.

----[6]----

Looking at Megatron who limps pass now Optimus Prime, He glared at his old friend in anger before turning to me.

"_, It's your choice to follow Megatron but know that you will always be welcome back here with us" Ori- Optimus said as he looks at me with sorrow, I look at him in sadness before saying.

"I'm sorry.....Or- Optimus...for everything". I turn away before reaching for Megatron and putting his arm over my shoulders as I help him to the tracks as he shouts for the High guards and he transformers along side with me as I follow them to back to the surface.

----[Notes]----

I ain't finishing this btw, it's all I got and my writing juices are spent hahaha so sorry my fanfiction days are way too over and I just 'go, random bullshit go!' my ass haha.

[orions-choker]

Cabin Fever (Kirk Hammett x Reader NSFW)

Confessions, Riding, Unprotected Sex

Word Count: 4,588

A winter vacation she didn't even want to go on leaves Reader and Kirk closer than she ever thought.

(This is cross posted to AO3 for @mustainegf 's writing contest! mostly its shameless Kirk smut.)

Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, The Bahamas. Really there was an extensive list of much warmer places that Y/N would rather be right now for the winter holidays. Enjoying cool tropical waters, warm sandy beaches and fruity drinks. However, her choices were out-voted by the rest of the guys. No, her friends wanted a real rustic winter getaway, up in a ski lodge in the rocky mountains.

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t beautiful in its own way. It was an endless sea of white, a small little mountain town completely blanketed in fresh fluffy snow. It glistened in the afternoon sun, reflecting off the imposing mountains that bordered the town, in the distant a bright blue glacial lake that hadn’t quite frozen over yet.

The picturesque scenery did not make up for the instant dampness that traveled up to her knees as she hopped out the lifted truck. Cold and uncomfortable as it soaked through her jeans. She looked down with a frown, sticking her tongue out in disgust. “Augh, yuck, what the fuck do they not shovel around here?” She lifted her legs attempting to brush the snow off of her.

A cackle sounded behind her, and she turned with a glare to greet all the boys. “Yeah well who wears jeans and sneakers to a fucking ski resort.” Lars taunted her as he adjusted the wool hat on his head. She eyed each of the guys carefully. Truthfully she had thought they were over dressed when they started the trip here. She was envious now of James’s huge fur lined coat. Even Cliff was wearing heavier denim than usual.

Y/N scoffed and rolled her eyes, her arms coming to wrap themselves around her body as the cold winds started to soak in through her leather jacket. “Doesn’t look like much of a resort to me.” She chortled. The cabin was wholly unassuming, It was a two story building, large enough to house all of them but nothing special. A large pile of firewood sat on the front porch protected from the snow by the overhanging eave of the roof. The only standout was the large bay window. No other cabins surrounded them; they were seemingly alone.

“For the fucking price we paid it better be.” James grumbled walking ahead of the group, his luggage and snow gear under his arms as he shoved the front door open. Y/N rolled her eyes and grabbed her own small luggage. She had no intention of doing any sort of snow sport so she packed light thankfully.

The interior of the cabin was cozy. Surrounding a huge stone fireplace were long armchairs, worn leather couches and a plethora of fuzzy blankets and soft pillows decorating the seats. “First one upstairs gets the master bedroom!” Kirk called out from behind her, already dropping his bags at the base of the stairs. Of course he would, the little shit, he was halfway up the stairs when he called it out.

“Not fair!” Y/N called out, quickly playing chase as she scrambled after him, her socked feet slipping a little against the polished wood. There were disinterested groans from the boys left on the first floor as the two raced upstairs. Y/N was out of breath as she stumbled into the room, seeing Kirk already lounging on the large bed in victory. “Fuck you that was cheating.” She heaved out, flopping next to him face first into the mattress.

Kirk’s breathy laugh warmed her cheeks as he began slowly pushing her off the bed. “Too bad, so sad.” He teased. “And I’m not sharing.” She fell to the floor limply, face pressed against the cool wood as she slowly gathered her breath. He leaned over the side, looking down at her with a toothy smile.

“You are actually the worst.” She groaned, reaching up to flick his forehead. “You made me run all the way up here, the least you can do is be a gentleman and bring my bags from downstairs to my room.” She pouted, batting her eyelashes at him. Slowly she lifted herself into a sitting position, resting her back against the bed as she took in the surroundings of the room.

She was sitting on a faux hide rug, the fur soft between her fingers. The bed was a large four post bed, with warm red flannel sheets and its own large window overlooking the back of the cabin she hadn’t seen. It overlooked the actual ski resort, in the distance like ants were the small figures of people ripping down mountains, chair lifts and gondolas. It seemed so far away from where they were now.

The bed creaked lightly as Kirk lifted his weight from the mattress. “I don’t think that's how it works, You didn't have to race me.” As his feet touched the floor his hand came down roughly on her head, ruffling her already wild hair. “But I guess I kind of like you so I’ll do it.” He sighed jokingly.

Y/N watched him leave the room with a warm smile, hands gently going to smooth out her hair from where he had tangled it further, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Slowly she got up, stepping out into the decorated hallway, snow shoes, hunting gear and antlers hug upon its walls. She shuffled into a seemingly unoccupied room, nowhere near as impressive as the master.

A single bed was pushed into the corner of the room, light blue sheets and duvet. The walls were painted brighter and soft lights hung across the walls. Likely meant for a child's bedroom but it would do just fine for her. Kirk all but tumbled in after her, her bags and his own thrown across his body as he nearly collapsed from the weight. Y/N quickly rushed to grab her things from him. “Why would you take it all up at once?” She chastised him.

“Two trips are for pussies.” He grunted, readjusting the bags across his back. Y/N couldn’t help but giggle at him, the urge to push him over tingled at her fingertips. Instead she relented, grabbing a duffle bag from his hands and walking him back to the entrance of his room where she dropped it. “Thanks Y/N.” He huffed, dropping his things and running a hand through his long curls.

Y/N glanced once more out the window in Kirk's room, it seemed the sky grew dimmer already despite it being early evening, large flakes of snow were falling now. She couldn’t help the small smile that tugged on the corners of her lips. Despite all her bitching and complaining it was truly a winter wonderland outside. Kirk’s eyes stayed trained on her face with a fond look. She caught his gaze in her peripheral vision and blushed.

Suddenly there was a noise from downstairs, James gruff voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs. “Y/N, Kirk get your asses down here!” He called. The two turned to each other with a shrug. Y/N hopped down the stairs two at a time. Warmth suddenly flooded her the closer she got to the bottom, an orange flickering light danced along the walls and the crackling of a fire reached her ears.

Cliff, Lars and James stood by the door, still fully dressed. “These idiots forgot to bring beer, so we're heading back into the town before the snow gets any worse.” Cliff explained with an exasperated sigh. “Want to come with us?” He asked.

The town was about a 20 minute drive back down the mountain, and truthfully Y/N wasn't willing to brave the cold again. Her eyes drifted to the window, the snow seemed heavier now, denser, the truck outside already buried beneath it. “Is it really safe to drive right now?” She mumbled with concern. “I don’t think I’ll join but I don't know if you guys should go either.”

James twirled the keys around his finger casually. “We’ll be fine, I've driven in worse, want anything from town?” He asked with a cocky grin. Any worry Y/N had for his well being flew out the window as she rolled her eyes at him. “Kirk?” He asked the man beside her with a raised eyebrow.

Kirk thought for a moment before shaking his head. “Nah I’m good I’ll keep Y/N company here so she doesn’t get scared.” His voice wavered as he impersonated a ghost, wiggling his fingers towards her. She swatted his hands away giggling. “Drive safe you guys.”

The group bid farewell to them, a cold gust of wind ripping through the house as the door swung open. Y/N watched them carefully as they brushed off the vehicle and backed out of the driveway. As they disappeared into the distance she sighed and shuffled back into the living room. She sat on a recliner chair closest to the fire. The cold in her bones finally thawed out.

“I really doubt booze is important enough to drive in this weather.” She complained, eyeing Kirk as he moved to the T.V in the corner of the room, flipping through the collection of tapes that had been left in the cabin. Kirk's fingers stopped on a tape.

Holding it up for her, Y/N leaned forward squinting to read the title. “Don't underestimate their need to be drunk.” Kirk shook his head. “They’ll be fine, don't worry so much Y/N.” Finally she could read the title. ‘Black Christmas’.

“Kirk no,” She whined, throwing her head back as he moved to place it in the VCR. “I am so not in the mood for anything spooky right now while we're up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.” Her protests were made in vain as the hum of the T.V coming to life filled the room. “I’m going to my room.” She moved to get out of her chair.

An evil laugh escaped Kirk causing Y/N to turn her head towards him again. “You don’t want to go upstairs alone, that's where the killer will be.” He warned her with a smug smirk. He leaned back against the leather, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table and slinging his arm around the back of the couch. His eyes darted from her face to the empty spot next to him.

A chill ran up her spine, causing her to shiver violently. Logically she knew there was no one upstairs but with the thought implanted into her brain she begrudgingly moved across the room to him. Her friend smiled at her in victory. Y/N elbowed him lightly as she grabbed one of the throw blankets and sat on the couch leaving a space between them. She didn’t notice the sudden frown on Kirk's face. “I hope you know I hate you so much.” She huffed.

The opening of the movie began playing, showcasing a deranged killer breaking into a sorority house. The phone on the screen rang out at the same time the cabin’s phone did. Y/N jumped with a blood curdling scream, tucking into herself as she looked towards the offending sound. It caused Kirk to jump at her reaction, placing a hand over his chest to calm his rapidly beating heart.

“Holy shit, Calm down Y/N, the movie just fucking started.” He breathed out, looking at her in concern before getting off the couch to grab the phone off the wall. As he answered it a worried look crossed his face, eyes darting between Y/N and the window outside, it was pitch black now. “Yeah, okay, I'm glad you guys are safe, we will see you tomorrow then.” He spoke into the receiver before hanging up.

Y/N leaned over from the couch with curious eyes. “Everything Okay? Who was that?” She asked, jumping a little at the sounds of murder coming from the T.V. She watched as Kirk walked to the door, turning the deadbolt and drawing the curtains over the windows.

Kirk gave her a reassuring smile. “The guys are stuck in town.” He sighed. “Truck got stuck on the road, they are safe in a hotel so don’t worry, they're gonna get towed up here tomorrow.” He assured her as he tossed another log on the fire before settling back in next to her.

“Ugh those fucking idiots, I knew they shouldnt have left.” Y/N sighed, relieved still that they were all safe. Her body relaxed slightly. “Okay well I definitely don't want to keep watching this, not if we have to sleep all alone here tonight.” she shuddered at the thought. Fear creeping up her skin and settling there.

“What, it's just getting good!” Kirk gestured to the T.V as more violence ensued, honestly Y/N had already lost the plot. “Don’t worry I’ll protect you from crazy murderers.” He joked, opening his arms up and gesturing for her to come closer. Y/N eyed him wearily, it would be the closest in proximity she had ever been to him if she took him up on the offer. The eager and hopeful look in his big brown eyes had her sighing and shuffling over.

His arms wrapped around her shoulders as she pressed the side of her face to his chest. Their legs kicked out to the side as they lay on the couch, a sudden tangle of limbs. He smelt warm, like sage, sandalwood and maybe a little citrusy. Red stained her cheeks as she could hear his heart beating erratically in his chest, on the outside he seemed calm though.

She peaked up at him, staring at the underside of his chin, just close enough to see the faint outline of stubble coming in. His eyes seemed permanently locked onto the screen. His hands gripped onto her tightly. To his credit she did feel safer from serial killers, but not from her own ugly feelings rearing their head.

Y/N wasn’t willing to risk her friendship with him or the rest of the guys over a stupid crush, even if the crush had lasted the entire three years she had known them now, Since she first met them as a sound tech for their first tour. She peered back over to the T.V, her vision partially obscured by his arms. Suddenly it didn’t seem to matter what was playing anymore.

Pushing her face deeper into his chest she tugged the blanket tighter around them. Soft whimpers still leaving her lips at any sudden loud noises. She could feel his chest moving as he chuckled at her. “Shut up.” She mumbled against the fabric of his shirt. “It’s so not funny.”

Suddenly his hand was in her hair, gently rubbing his fingertips into her scalp soothingly. “You’re just cute is all.” He looked down at her finally. His big brown eyes seemed almost red in the warmth of the firelight. Y/N’s heart skipped in her chest, breath hitching in her throat.

“Don’t say that.” She whispered.

“Why not?” Kirk asked with a frown, a crease forming between his eyebrows. His hand stilled on her head, strands of her hair tangled between his fingers. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”

Quickly Y/N shook her head, her hands coming up to grip onto the bottom hem of his shirt. “No, it's not that.” She could feel the heat in her cheeks increase. “You just…you don't mean that in the way I want you to.” She confessed, the words spilling past her lips before she could stop them.

“Who are you to decide how I feel? Especially if I don’t even know how you want me to feel.” His eyes were glassy and sad as he dipped his head lower. His breath ghosted over her skin gently. “That doesn't feel like a fair assumption Y/N.” They settled into a silence, staring at each other accompanied only by the crackling of the fire and muffled sounds of the movie.

She blinked hard, examining his face for any tell on his intentions. If she was wrong about this she would be very, very wrong. It wasn’t a potential mistake to make lightly. “I..” The words caught in her throat. She swallowed nervously. “I don’t want to fuck this up.” Kirk’s hand moved untangling itself from her hair and trailing down to her face, his thumb rubbing underneath her watery eyes. “I don’t think theres anything you could say right now that would fuck things up.” His voice was soft and tender. She couldn’t help the way her eyes drifted to his lips as he spoke, his cute teeth poking from behind.

With a shaky sigh Y/N shifted her weight, leaning up further into Kirk’s personal space. “I want you to find me cute, not like a friend.” She started slowly, carefully watching the shift in his expression for any distaste. “I want desire to consume you the way it does me, I want your hands to shake when they brush against mine, your heart to jump in its chest when you see me, to want to kiss me-”

The sentence was cut short as Kirk swiftly leaned down, closing the miniscule gap between them. His fingers gripped against the soft skin of her cheek as he pulled their lips together. Y/N stopped breathing for a moment, her stomach twisting in surprise and anticipation. He tasted sweet like vanilla ice cream and faintly like tobacco.

Y/N was eager to return the kiss, Her hands scrambling up his body to wrap her hands in his hair, tugging him closer. Clumsily their teeth smacked against each other causing them to pull back laughing. Kirk's hand stayed cupping her face, with a fond smile. “That’s exactly how I want you Y/N.” he sighed.

Her skin burned where his thumb gently rubbed her cheek, a smile plastered on her face as she admired him closely. “You mean it?” She asked gently. Her fingers twirled around his soft curly hair. She watched with bated breath as his tongue gently peeked out, swiping across his bottom lip quickly, leaving it shiny.

“Want me to show you how much I mean it?” Kirk asked, his tone implying anything less than innocent. Like a switch was flipped, his eyes gleamed with something darker. His free hand trailing down to her hip and tugging her further up.

She was now acutely aware of the way their bodies pressed against each other, her hips coming to settle right on top of Kirks own, the pressure of something hard settled against her inner thigh. Her eyes snapped down quickly, a pleasant tingle running along her spine. She had yearned for so long to feel this desire from him. She shuffled, sitting up into a straddling position and pushing Kirk further into the couch. “Only if it means more to you than just one night of fun.” She hoped her request didn’t come across as desperate.

“Baby if I have you once I’m never letting you go.” He assured her, looking up at her in anticipation. His gaze longing as he rubbed small circles into her hips. His erection pressed against her ass as it strained desperately against his jeans. “I want you to be mine in every single way.” The confession was sincere and had Y/N’s heart aching.

Leaning down she captured him in a sweeter kiss this time, slow and steady as they learned the way their lips fit together. His skin was so soft against hers and she couldn’t help the soft whine that left her lips as she tried to drink him all in. Her hands pressed to his chest as she steadied herself above him. “Fuck, make that sound again.” Kirk groaned into the kiss, rolling his hips up to grind against her.

The sudden friction caused another moan to come barreling from her lips. She pulled back, their foreheads pressed together as Kirk held her hips in place, seeking relief from the pressure by pressing up against her. “Just like that pretty girl.” He sighed, tossing his head back against the arm of the couch with a small smile. “You sound so sweet.”

Experimentally Y/N shifted her hips, causing his hard on to rub against her core through the layers of their jeans. She squeeked, pressing down harder chasing the feeling once more. Kirk’s hips stilled, watching her in awe as she repeated the movement. Her eyes fluttered close as she rolled her hips against him. “G-god, Kirk,” She stuttered out.

“Y/N, Fuck, I need you out of this now.” He tugged on the waistband of her jeans desperately. Y/N’s eyes opened slowly, looking down on his fucked out expression. She nodded slowly and moved to stand up from the couch. Slowly her hands lifted to the hem of her shirt pulling it over her head, next unbuttoning her tight jeans and stepping out of them. She stood before him, lit only by the fire behind her casting a warm glow across her skin. His mouth felt dry at the sight of her reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra.

His eyes dropped to her chest as her tits were freed. Slowly her hands traced around them and down her body, tugging at the flimsy fabric of her underwear. Quickly he scrambled to undo his own jeans, shimmying out of them from his position against the couch, tugging them off along with his underwear.

Kirk’s cock slapped against the skin of his stomach as it sprung back. Y/N’s eyes widened a little in anticipation, quickly crawling back on top of him with a hungry kiss. It elicited a low groan from him, his hands quickly moving to cup her tits, squeezing the soft skin gently. Slowly she lowered her hips, rubbing her wet heat down his length teasingly. It caused his hips to stutter up involuntarily, knocking a shaky moan from both of them. “Fucking tease,” he hissed out.

Y/N’s giggle landed against his ears like music. She pulled her head back, sitting up straight and looking down at him with a smile. “You’re just impatient.” she giggled. Taking a moment to appreciate the sight of him beneath her, the feeling of his cock pressed against her, a delicious warmth spreading from her core and encompassing her whole body. “You can fuck me anytime you like.”

Kirk’s fingers fell from her chest, gently thumbing over her nipples as he moved down to her waist. He pulled her up, hips lifting up just enough for him to reach down between them. He grasped the base of his dick before aligning himself with her entrance. “You okay with this, I don't have a condom.” He stopped, the rational part of his brain working for just a moment.

“On the pill, don’t worry.” Y/N breathed out heavily, taking the next step to lower herself onto him. His body shuddered beneath her at the sudden warmth squeezing around him. She gasped, breath punched from her lungs with each inch she took. In this position she could feel him comfortably nuzzled against her cervix as she fully sheathed him. “F-fuck thats…a lot.” She mumbled out, head dipping low.

Feeling almost uncomfortably full Y/N lifted her hips for relief. Whining at the loss of her heat Kirk pistoned back up into her. She squealed falling forward, her hands gripped desperately at the leather of the couch, her chest pressed against his own as he began fucking up into her. “Fuck, you feel so good Y/N.” He groaned into her ear. His fingers tightened around her waist, hard enough she winced, expecting bruises there the next day.

Each soft moan that fell from Kirk’s lips left Y/N wetter, the sound of him sliding in and out of her heat bounced off the walls. He was so vocal and Y/N wanted to record each noise he made so she could replay them forever. “Harder, Kirk.” She moaned, shakily pushing herself back up to look at him.

His mouth hung open, brows furrowed as he concentrated on the obscene bouncing of her tits above him. His thrusts up into her grew more aggressive, each slam of his hips into her own left her feeling bruised inside but she couldn't get enough of it. “You’re so beautiful,” He gasped. His hand came to rest above her pelvis. Stilling his movements for just a moment, his thumb pressed against her clit.

Y/N cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders as he rolled the sensitive nub underneath his fingers. Tears sprung to her eyes at his relentless attack against her. “Oh, oh, fuck!” She chanted the pressure building up inside her, a coil being wound tightly in her lower stomach. “Please Kirky, want to finish with you.” She grasped on to his wrist in a desperate attempt to get him to ease up.

Slowly he rolled his hips again. He continued with shallow thrusts, moaning lowly at the way she clenched around him desperately. “Fuck okay, cum pretty girl, want you to cum all over my cock.” He groaned.

The coil snapped with force, Y/N’s scream echoed through the empty cabin as she came around Kirk’s girth. Her body convulsed, falling forward helplessly as he fucked her through her release. His thrusts grew sloppy as he grew close as well. She cried into his shoulder at the continued stimulation, soft hiccups and tears wetting the skin. His arms came to wrap around her pulling her close as he stilled inside her.

She could feel the soft spasms of his cock as he coated her insides with his hot sticky load. Their fluids mixing together and dripping down his length to his balls before puddling under them on the couch. His heavy breaths against her ear tickled her skin. “Oh my god.” Kirk sighed gently, pressing a soft kiss to her skin.

“Yeah that about sums it up.” Y/N giggled weakly, her body completely limp against him as they lay there, still connected as he softened inside her. Slowly he began to slip out, Y/N sighing at the sudden loss of him inside her. With it came the last of their mixed climax and she winced at the sudden fluid coating her inner thighs. “Ugh gross.” She mumbled.

“You asked for it.” Kirk chuckled, carefully maneuvering them into a sitting position. He smiled down at her, pushing her hair back from her face where it stuck to her skin with sweat. He kissed her again. A kiss more pure, free from any nervousness or temptation. It had her beaming back up at him, hopeful for the future where they shared more kisses like that.

Y/N eyed the mess they had made on the couch. “We should get up and clean that up.” She shuffled her naked body from Kirk’s lap stepping back into her underwear and her shirt, forgoing the bra or jeans. Behind them she could hear the end credits of the movie rolling.

Kirk followed suit, stepping back into his underwear and sacrificing his own jeans to clean up the mess on the worn leather. “You know, we can just share the master bedroom if you want.” He turned to her with a playful wiggle of his eyebrows. It earned him a laugh and a bra thrown at his head.

“I would fucking hope so!”

[sickuma]

ORPHIC (2) — A Simon Riley fic.

❱ This is the last part of HIRAETH ! I don't want to drag it any longer than this. It's so much fun writing this and exploring more words to add to my vocab! Everyone's been nice (except when they give me their therapy bills) I love you guys srsly, You make writing so much more fun <3

I should have gotten this done HOURS ago, but I had to do stuff and just finished working out T-T but hey, writing block isn't killing me rn.

ꜝ？This fic may contain heavy topics such as death, depression and melt-downs, if any of those are not to your liking. Please do so exit the fic. Angst warning!

➴ SYNOPSIS — Ghost mourns of what's lost; reminiscing of the memories, apologizing, begging for you to hear his desperation for your presence as he sat Infront of your tombstone.

QUERENCIA — (n.) A place from which a one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.

“Relationships in the military,”

He spoke, pausing to stare at your eyes. Searching for hesitance,

“They tend to be tragic.”

“But we’ll be together, no?”

“look , kid, it's not as easy as it sounds—”

��Do you feel the same way?”

You cut him off, not giving him the chance to speak. Catching ‘the’ simon ghost riley off guard, “Yes.” he breathes out.

“Then I don't see the problem, lieutenant, I love you, you love me. That's what barney said.”

He stares at the void, remembering yet again another memory he kept special in his heart. He wondered if you had not pursued him at that exact moment. Would he still feel the raw pain that plagued his heart now? Would it still hurt all the same?

If you hadn't stubbornly shown him how determined and real your love for him was, would he still be in this position, dreading every day that comes knowing the person he needs the most was taken from him.

throwing his gear onto the side. Making his way back to his quarters without giving anyone a second glance,

Ever since you've been gone, the base has been awfully tense. The rest understood his situation, trying their best to be there for him, all while attending to their own duties. The past few weeks had been the hardest, They could tell Ghost had been on edge.

He’d only speak to them if it's necessary, otherwise he’d be kept to himself. As if the past had repeated itself, there appeared a gap between his friends and him. He was mourning, and he plans to keep mourning,

If that means having you on his mind,

Then he’ll mourn forever.

“Ghost?”

Price’s eyes widened at the sight of Ghost, 

It’s the first month since you've passed away and the rest of the team planned to pay you a visit to show respect and also let you know how missed you are, not just by them, but also by Ghost who seemed to have shut his whole world out.

He saw how Ghost shown a tough facade when he would hear him call for her,

At night, when everyone slept, Ghost cried and wept for you to come back. Begging aimlessly for your return,

Begging endlessly to feel your arms around him again.

Price didn't expect him to be joining them. He hadn't been. The team visited your resting place a couple of times before, he’d invite him but he’ll make up reasons not to go. Price figured he still hasn't accepted that's where your body lays,

The ride to their destination felt almost eerie, the tension leading the hour long drive. Nobody dared to speak, not a single word.

Ghost’s mind resides elsewhere, watching the scenery they drove past. Chest heaving up and down as he struggles to fathom that he’d finally visit you, 

No—he was more occupied with thinking about how it’s only been a month.

It felt longer than that. It felt longer than his training days. He felt more exhausted, more agitated, and more angry. He resents every breathing thing he comes across to,

He knew it sounded cruel, but why do they deserve to live and you don't? You have been the kindest, and yet you were taken first. He couldn't understand,

As a soldier he’d lost multiple comrades, having to face funerals—visit the cemetery, and deal with death itself. Though yours felt unreal,

It felt as if his bones were crushed. He knew how pathetic it seemed, clinging onto someone who's never coming back, but he'd rather cling onto the past if it means having to hold you close to his heart forever, where you belonged.

、 

Everyone got out of the car,

Everyone but him.

Price sighed, not planning to pry. If his breath felt shallow just by being here, he could only imagine what Ghost felt at this moment, considering it was his first time to ever be here.

A few minutes passed, and the three sat quietly at first until soap had cracked a dad joke, lifting the atmosphere just a little bit. They spoke as if you were there, sitting with them, price would constantly glace at Ghost, who sat quietly in the car. He wondered what ran through his mind.

“We should give him his own time to talk to [name].” Price groaned as he stretched when he stood up, the two following closely behind him. “He needs this.”

Ghosts' eyes caught them approaching. He felt his stomach sink. He knew he planned to wait until they finished before he took his turn as he expected himself to break down and shed tears. He didn't want them to see that. And yet he still felt his heart beat faster when they came back,

Price threw him a small smile, a smile of empathy.

As if that's his cue, he jumped out of the car. Taking slow strides towards ‘your’ direction. He never thought he could ever despise a cemetery so much in his life,

The only thing he could think of was the way you laid down there, away from his grasp.

No matter how slow he walks, he soon finds himself in front of ‘you’, oh well—a stone that only proved to him that you're gone. “Have you been waiting?”

He couldn't believe it,

He was talking to a mere stone.

But he’ll take what he can get.

“Wake up.” he stared down with an expressionless face, “enough laziness, [name]. Get up from there.”

“You can have all of the shirts you want from me, you can pluck my eyebrows, do it, you can get a puppy. Anything you want just— just wake up.”

His voice betrayed him the more he spoke, 

The longer he looked at the stone, the way he kept reading the credentials written on it, the more it felt real. Every passing second is just another evidence of your disappearance,

“You always call me mean,”

He swallowed,

“Yet you're the one who left first.” his cold gaze softened, the more he looked at the ground. Under the ground where your body laid.

Where the body of his lover slept eternally.

“How do I find you now? Now that I'm stuck here?”

He recollects his promise, the promise to reunite in your next life. It all pierced through him. He’s a soldier, yet he finds himself worrying about the most ridiculous thing. What if you'd reincarnate before he passed?

What if you leave him behind again,

What if this time you find someone else to love?

What will he be then?

“Remember when you'd go on tangents about how fascinating reincarnation and universes are? I believe you now, okay? So— so wait for me.”

He sat down, quietly enjoying the breeze. He couldn't deny the pain of the piercing ache that developed in his chest. It never really went away. He would simply distract himself.

“I find it hard to sleep again, love.”

“The bed feels colder without you in it. Do i sound cheesy? Do not make fun of me. I want to be honest. Maybe doing that would lessen the overbearing hurt in my chest. It’s just—it’s only been a month since youre gone and im already a fucking mess. I mean, look at me,”

He chuckled,

“I look rough, dont i?” he sighed, “would you still find my eyes pretty even when i tire them out by crying?”

He looked away, observing the serenity of the cemetery. He wondered how many souls wandered around, and if yours were one, and if you stood close to him.

“I feel—just terrible. When I woke up, I thought I'd finally lose it, well I did. I caused price trouble, you'd have scolded me. I really did it this time, pushing everyone away as if you'd come back to tell me off. That's not ever happening, and that's what hurts the most.” 

He spoke slowly, yet he felt out of breath.

“It feels suffocating—you know? To live without you.”

“I don't know why I woke up, I wished I didn't. Maybe then I'd be with you.”

“It’s scary, [name], so scary.” he whispered, the rasp of his voice sounding more evident. “I have no certainty if we’ll see each other again; and I need nothing more than to hold—to feel you again. To hear your voice, to take in your scent. If I have to give everything up for that, I will.”

“Anything just to have you back to me.”

He stared at the words engraved on the tomb,

“but if i have to wait decades or centuries—i will—without hesitance, without a blink, i will. For you, I'll keep being patient.”

“That's how worthy you are [name]. So wait for me please, no matter how long it takes for me to find you again, please wait.”

He spoke lowly, but certainly, no matter where you are, he hoped you'd recognize him, hoping you’d recognize his eyes you loved so much,

“Even if it means i'll have to die again and again, i’ll keep searching for you until we’re back home until i can hear your voice call my name again.”

“Wait for me, [name].”

Hoping you’d recognize your Simon.

、 

Somewhere along the memories,

、 

Somewhere along the universe,

、 

Somewhere along life and death,

、 

Somewhere along—

、 

“Simon.”

“Pardon?” he looked at you, puzzled expression written all over his face. “Whatd you just say?”

“My simon.”

We're home.

[lets-try-some-writing]

Smokescreen angst where he missed Alpha Trion >:).

Coming right up anon! Yall really like seeing my boy Smokey go though The Horrors don't you? Maybe I need to right a horror one shot with him since I've done Bee.

You know what? Imma link this to the previous Smokey angst. Lets make an AU for it. Previous part here.

━━━━━━ ⊙ ❖ ⊙ ━━━━━━━━━━━━

The night was longer on Earth. At least, it felt long to Smokescreen when he stood guard.

He hadn't actually been ordered to stand guard, but Smokescreen had taken the job upon himself after arriving on the world of dust and dirt he now found himself walking. Waiting in position was familiar, and comforting. Especially since late at night, he often got the chance to perform his familiar duty of shadowing the Archivist.

"Smokescreen." The Archivist regarded him simply. Smokescreen took that as his cue to join him in his walk to the console. The dim light of the device was soothing in the quiet atmosphere of the base, especially as the Archivist stepped up to his place and sighed. It was deep and tired, the Archivist's vents long worn from millennia of functionality. Smokescreen smiled at the familiarity, especially as the Archivist began to type with speed reserved for those raised within the halls of Iacon's most prestigious institute.

He would have loved to mingle with the Archivist and his fellows back during the golden age. Sure, it had it's problems, but it was a time of learning and change. It was a time and a world he never had the chance to know. In a way, he envied the Archivist for having had the opportunity to live an arguably normal life before the war began in earnest.

He settled himself a few feet away from the console to watch the Archivist and ensure nothing happened to him during his work. His fans slowed and he stood with his arms hung loosely by his side. Before his change of scenery, the Archivist would normally assign him a datapad to read.

He had no such luxuries in his new station.

Still, in the quiet it was easy to forget and imagine that shelves filled with datapads surrounded him as he watched the Archivist work. The tapping of digits on the console, the faint green glow of the device, and the periodical tick of a file completed were all easy for Smokescreen to lose himself in as he stood at attention.

Time passed, and as it did, he found himself longing to request permission to go read something from the fiction section. Conquests and old wars. Heroes and Primes long dead. He always loved those stories. Maybe if he asked kindly, the Archivist would let him wander off for a bit. He looked busy, and his features were largely obscured due to the way the light hit him. Surely he wouldn't notice if Smokescreen fell into a good story for a while. The night was long, and a datapad would keep his tired optics from shuttering until he was released from his watch.

"Hey, Trion, could I read something in the historical section for a bit? It's hard to stay awake standing around like this." He rubbed around his optics, hoping the touch would force his vision to focus. Through blurred optics, the Archivist's plating shone a familiar purple. But as the Archivist turned from his work in confusion and began to approach, Smokescreen saw for the first time that night just who he was looking at.

The Archivist turned Prime. Red and blue bound together in firm plating designed for war and conflict. Bright blue optics that shared the same wisdom as the Archivist Smokescreen was used to serving. Powerful arms and long thin digits perfectly sculpted for handling delicate data.

This Archivist was not Alpha Trion.

"I'm sorry! I got confused for a minute..." He trailed off as those optics met his. The Prime said nothing for a moment. It was a suffocating silence as both of them seemed to stew in the maelstrom of memory that came from their respective times in the Iaconian Archives.

They came from different eras, but they shared one thing in common.

Alpha Trion.

Sweet Primus, he hadn't realized just how much he missed the quiet of the Archives or the thoughtful mumbles of the Master Archivist.

"There is no shame in missing one who you hold dear." Optimus spoke slowly, almost as if he was forcing his voice to remain steady.

"I too miss my master." The Prime vented deeply, and for a moment, Smokescreen saw a younger mech. Optimus seemed so very pained in the dim light of the console. His optics were wider and more emotive. His field was clamped close like all Iaconians, at least according to the records. Even his posture seemed softer, lacking the air of the firm commander long used to death and destruction.

He looked like a simple data clerk.

For a moment, his expression mimicked Smokescreen's.

"He taught me a lot... I miss hearing him ramble on about everything under Luna 1." He found himself opening up as Optimus's field crept around his own, pulling him in. Before he knew it, his frame moved of its own accord until he was only a foot or two away from the towering Prime.

"Alpha Trion was fond of the old tales. I spent many long nights reading accounts from the last generation to have lived before the Quintessons arrived." Optimus stared at the console as his optics cycled wide. He seemed lost in memory as he smiled softly.

"My master was not pleased to see me engrossed in something other than my work." The Prime's digits hovered over the console keyboard, almost in a contemplative manner. Smokescreen found his field opening on instinct. He couldn't help but the sense of companionship that flared in his spark as he watched the mighty Prime speak so freely to him.

"I get that. Trion caught me with my face stuck in a novel all the time." He admitted his own guilt with a quiet laugh. Optimus raised an optical ridge in surprise, but he otherwise remained unreactive. His field rippled in comforting waves, washing Smokescreen's worries away as the Prime questioned him.

"You read novels?"

"Yeah, uh, I like historical fiction." He rubbed the back of his neck guard guiltily.

"Primes, heroes, great champions and all that. I don't think Trion approved of my choice of literature." He fiddled with his digits, unable to meet Optimus's optics. All those vorns in the Archive, wasted reading silly novels. He really should have taken more care back then. But he wouldn't have traded the passing moments he shared with Alpha Trion for anything.

"He never stopped me reading while I was supposed to be on watch, but he did snatch my novel and give me more suitable material a lot." He remembered vividly the way the Master Archivist would sigh and take away the novel he was reading when on duty. Generally speaking, what he was given in return didn't peak his interest. But whatever he read, he remembered. Maybe because the Master Archivist tended to stare daggers at him when he was caught trying to reach for a novel after being caught.

It was a fond memory for him. He didn't expect Optimus to laugh so boldly as he processed what Smokescreen had said.

"That sounds like my master." The Prime smiled wide, and Smokescreen could see the sincerity in his optics as he did so. It stunned him to see such emotion on the normally stoic Prime.

"I cannot count the number of times he shut down the datanet in my sector when he caught me speaking to Megatronus. He always told me that my actions were dangerous and that strangers should not be trusted." Optimus's laughter died off as he reminisced. Smokescreen could hardly comprehend the very idea of Optimus being young and chatting with strangers on the datanet like it was the greatest sin a mech could commit. And yet as he looked at Optimus, he could imagine the Archivist looking around warily before frantically swapping tabs to send a swift message.

He could just as easily imagine Alpha Trion appearing out of the blue to press the power button. Smokescreen had been on the receiving end of such treatment before. Yet another experience they shared.

"He cared deeply for each of his students." Optimus's voice was soft, wistful. Smokescreen's spark panged in loss. Optimus really was the perfect student. He could imagine how much Alpha Trion cared for the Prime. Sure, he'd done some things in his youth, but he was wise, powerful, and more knowledgeable than half the Autobots combined. How could he not be Alpha Trion's favorite?

"I bet he really cared about you. After all, you did become Prime." His tone was more bitter than anticipated. He was going to apologize, but a firm servo on his shoulder stopped him before he could.

"Do not sell yourself short, Smokescreen. I can tell my master cared for you as well." A smile greeted him, and Smokescreen remained stunned as the Prime leaned down to mostly match his height.

"The ease in which you carry yourself, the knowledge you possess, and the fondness in your tone tells me that he treated you kindly." The Prime's field wrapped around him warmly, like a hug from the gentlest of giants. Tears gathered in his optics against his will as the Prime met his gaze with understanding.

"Our master did not offer his affection easily." His venting hitched as he registered Optimus's words. The Prime brought him in for a hug as sobs overcame him. To know that Alpha Trion cared? It eased an ache he didn't know he suffered from.

He missed the Master Archivist. He missed the quiet moments they shared and the reprimands he received for slacking off. He regretted being unable to save him, for both his and Optimus's sake.

By the time he calmed, Optimus had been humming a soft tune for a while. It felt familiar, likely from the Archive. He appreciated it.

"I still carry a few novels in my hab. If you would like them, I will give them to you." The offer came gently as Optimus pulled away. He Prime kept his servo on Smokescreen's shoulder, guiding him toward the hallway leading back to the team's habs. Smokescreen could break away if he wished, but the offer was there, and he found himself eager to follow the Prime as Optimus edged in the direction of the hall.

"You read novels too?" He could hardly believe it, and yet based on what he now knew about the Prime, it seemed in character for him to indulge in stories rather than documents cycle in and cycle out. Every mech needed a chance to unwind, even Primes.

"You are not the first student that Alpha Trion had to steal unregistered reading material from." Optimus smiled again, and this time, Smokescreen smiled with him as he followed the Prime dutifully. Their fields mingled in a companionable way and he relished in the joy of being with a fellow student of Alpha Trion, no matter how great the age difference.

"I have a small collection of works I saved from the datanet before it fell apart. One of my favorite series is amongst my small collection." Optimus's voice was filled with joy as he walked the halls, Smokescreen at his right side taking long strides to keep up.

"What's it called?" He asked, eagerness filling his field. How long had it been since he'd read a novel? He was sure that it had been a few centuries at least, even if most of that time was spent in stasis.

"Sunburst, Explorer of Crystal City." The Prime seemed truly excited to share his work as he entered his hab and pulled a box out from under his berth. Smokescreen hovered around, watching as the box was placed on the hard surface and its contents revealed. There were at least a dozen scuffed up datapads all arranged in alphabetical order just like Alpha Trion always preferred his work to be organized.

"Historical fiction?" He guessed hopefully. Optimus smiled knowingly as he pulled out what Smokescreen could only assume was the first datapad in the series.

"Yes. It is written from the perspective of a scientist attempting to find old relics within the abandoned city of the Primes. It is quite a fascinating read. I think you may enjoy it." The datapad was pressed into his waiting servos, and Smokescreen did not hesitate to smile as widely as he could. His spark flared in joy at the familiar surface of the datapad, and he didn't feel at all awkward when Optimus pulled him out a chair to sit on.

Optimus felt more like a friend as they sat together, Optimus on his berth and Smokescreen on a chair, both reading novels written in an age without war. There was probably work they could both be doing, but as the night continued on, neither of them made to move. They were content.

And just for a little while, Smokescreen was happy to pretend he was back in the Archive, resting and relaxing with a friend while he waited for Alpha Trion to come snatch his datapad away.

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Kaiju Games

@ospreyonthemoon I see your need and I answer! There's a lot of really neat Kaiju games out there.

Kaiju Klash, by NeonRot.

Kaiju Klash is a GM'less rules light game where 2-4 kaiju battle it out in a fight for might to become top dog of the city. In the centre of the city is the Capitol Building, a huge spire that the kaiju scramble up as they slash at each other with tooth and claw.

For Kaiju Klash all you need is a D20, a D6 and a falling block game like Jenga.

Make a Kaiju and battle it out in this Gm-less strategy game. Kaiju Klash includes various Kaiju types with respective skills, and incorporates the city as more than just scenery - it’s a vital battle strategy!

On any given turn, instead of choosing to attack, your Kaiju can grab onto nearby buildings for bonuses that help your next attack. However, you’re in the middle of a fight, so you have to roll randomly for the building that you grab, and the building type will have special details that inform what happens next.

I don't know what the Jenga Tower is used for exactly, but the fact that this game uses one definitely makes it more exciting for me.

Overall, the game gives me King of Tokyo vibes, so if you like smashing through a city in a big ol’ brawl, you might like Kaiju Klash.

Caltrop Kaiju, by Button Kin Games.

A gigantic, rampaging kaiju (giant monster) has shown up in your home town and is destroying everything! You must head out to observe the kaiju to find its weakness, then pass on what you know to the military at their secret base so they can defeat this monster  - all while trying not to get eaten!

This is a solo TTRPG which can be played in ten minutes as a tense, tactical puzzle, or in a couple of hours as a journaling/story game.

This one is for the solo gamers! Caltrop Kaiju is about your tiny little character trying to survive a Kaiju attack. The game comes with a grid for you to print off, with special icons to represent specific buildings in the city. You roll 2d5 to determine where the Kaiju moves on every turn, and you’ll try to move through the city before too much of it becomes damaged for you to move through. Special locations will trigger specific effects when they get destroyed, and if you get too close to the Kaiju, you might get injured - or worse, killed.

However, you need to get close to it in order to save the day, as you’re responsible for learning the Kaiju’s weakness and communicating that weakness to people who can stop the monster. Overall, the game can play pretty quickly if you just focus on dice rolls and moving through the map, but the game also comes with instructions on how to turn the game into a journaling experience, which can draw out the story as you reflect on who your character is, why they’re following the Kaiju, and what the city means to them.

Hyperweapon, by Rookie Jet Studio.

Hyperweapon is a rules-light tabletop RPG that combines the excitement of dart blasters with a vibrant and immersive gaming experience created by you and your friends. Set in a world threatened by colossal Kaiju, players take on the roles of skilled Hunters tasked with defending humanity. These Hunters utilize real world dart blasters as their primary weapons in epic battles against these gigantic foes.

Players will embark on a journey through ancient ruins, navigate diverse landscapes, interact with all kinds of people, and ultimately face off against towering Kaiju threats. The game places a strong emphasis on collaborative storytelling and worldbuilding, allowing both players and the Game Master to contribute to the creation of the game's setting, factions, cultures, and lore.

Hyperweapon is unique in how the core of the game revolves around the guns that your characters are using to bring down gigantic Kaiju. You still roll dice to determine damage, but to see whether you hit, you have to actually shoot a foam dart at a target. On top of combat mechanics there’s also locations that change the battlefield: towns have civilians and infrastructure that are endangered by Kaiju but carry shops that the players can purchase goods at. Ruins are more dangerous to visit, containing booby traps, collapsed areas, and Kaiju - but they also hold information that may be useful.

The linked page in the title also has a link to a free Quickstart, in case you want to try before you buy. If you want a high-energy game with a neat resolution system that gives you an excuse to pull out your Nerf gun collection during game night, then you want Hyperweapon.

Dawn of the Daikaiju, by Pinnacle Entertainment.

The world changed in 1953—a radioactive monster rose from Hudson Bay to terrorize New York. Now these “daikaiju” save the world!

In Dawn of the Daikaiju, players take on the roles of giant monsters called kaiju or daikaiju (the terms are used interchangeably and both mean “giant monster”). Though daikaiju range in origin from oversized insects and dinosaurs to bio-engineered alien weapons, they somehow recognize in each other a single species. Even daikaiju from different worlds work together in packs.

Savage Worlds uses different dice sizes to represent competence, and much of the character creation process uses a point-buy system, with guidance on how many points you can spend on certain things. Characters can take on flaws to give them extra points to spend on bonuses, so there’s a balance of embracing weakness in order to boost your strengths.

Savage Worlds also has both the boon and the flaw in that it’s a system meant to cover a lot of genres. You’ll need the SWADE core rulebook in order to use this supplement, but you can also use that rulebook for many other genres. If you already own the core rulebook or know how to play the game, this is a neat option to change the tone of your current game.

The Kaiju Love You, by InnocentGoblin

Walking through the ruined streets of a massive metropolitan city, each footstep crushing another building, the weight of brick and mortar collapsing underfoot. The military prepares for battle, tanks and helicopters opening fire at the behemoth.

The florists come out to see the commotion only to see a massive foot crash down in front of them, believing their end has come they cover their eyes only to find that they are safe. The Kaiju leans down, gently drops a coin that is tiny in its massive claws, in return it takes a large bouquet. It sniffs the flowers with delight and starts walking back. 

The Kaiju has a date tonight, and it has to be perfect.

A neat twist on the Kaiju genre, this is a game not just about being a Kaiju who is fighting other Kaiju, but also being a Kaiju who is falling in love with the city they are trying to protect. Your character will be balancing between big disastrous fights against other monsters, and finding ways to romance the people of their city. The more people who love you back, the stronger you are in combat; but the more that they adore you, the harder you have to work to maintain that relationship.

Thematically, I think this is a really neat concept. Character creation feels rather simple; you have only 2 stats, which are represented by numbers that are opposite from each-other on a d8. You want to typically roll at or over your personal number, so your Kaiju will probably be better at either fighting or falling in love. Altogether, it’s a really unique take on the genre, and I think that merits checking this game out more than anything else.

Giant of Light, by RudoJudo.

Giant action in the style of Ultraman! Investigate strange goings-on, uncover mysterious aliens and ancient powers, then do battle as either a Giant Hero or Kaiju!

Giant of Light is a TTRPG for 2-6 players that can be single sessions or long campaigns. This is the first edition of the game, which uses custom-built systems to allow play at both human and giant size.  

Giant of Light is designed to replicate Ultraman, so you can play a Kaiju, but you can also play a giant hero. Your characters are meant to be protectors of your city, fighting against other supers-sized threats. Your characters have both civilian and giant forms: as civilians, you’ll be investigating the newest threat as regular civilians, and then transform into Heroes or Kaiju in order to fight your foes on an even playing field.

What’s really interesting to me is that a giant Hero and a Kaiju character are somewhat different mechanically; Heroes have an energy pool that powers elemental abilities, while Kaiju have a health bar and special abilities instead. Heroes typically have more energy to spend and can bounce back, but they need to use their energy to fuel their powers. Kaiju don’t have to spend currency to use their abilities, but their health bar makes them more susceptible to falling in battle.

If you want some more info on how the game works, I reviewed Giant of Light a while back on this very blog.

Kaiju Incorporated, by Evil Hat.

Do you have what it takes to face the hazards of mayhem, destruction, biohazardous waste, human resources, minimal career prospects, and really really big footprints?

Jump into the lives of the workers for the world’s biggest multinational Kaiju-conglomerates! Rebuilding the world following giant monster attacks takes a Kaiju-sized work-force. Do you have what it takes to face the hazards of mayhem, destruction, biohazardous waste, human resources, minimal career prospects, and really really big footprints? Find out in Kaiju Incorporated: The Roleplaying Game!

Kaiju Incorporated is usable for both Fate Core and Fate Accelerated, both of which can be found for free on the Fate SRD website. It comes with suggestions for character options and stunts that are unique to the setting, and incorporates a crew structure that the group is balanced and equipped for taking on a giant monster. There’s also GM advice to help you build a Kaiju attack, and lore to help the GM if they don’t want to build the world from scratch.

Overall, Fate is very accessible since you can access the rules for free, and you can use regular d6’s if you don’t have any Fate dice. It’s a stellar system if you value maximum character flexibility, and enjoy coming up with witty turns of phrase rather regularly. If you want a bit of taste for Kaiju Incorporated specifically, there is a lovely episode of Literal Cat Pod that goes through character creation, in which they build Peter the Kaiju Reader!

Kaiju Generator, by The Bardic Inquiry.

What is a Kaiju? To put it simply, Kaiju refers to a genre of film that originated in Japan that featured giant monsters, but it can also refer to the giant monsters themselves.

The actions of these giant monsters are typically devastating to the planet and pose a global threat. This can range from the intentional destruction of infrastructure or the combat between two giant monsters.

This generator will help you to create a Kaiju that you can use in your roleplaying adventures by utilizing 4 1d66 random tables. Can your players survive an encounter with a gigantic monster?

This isn’t really a game; it’s mostly just a monster generator, but it’s very well designed and the quality of the zine makes me excited to play a Kaiju game. I think you could use this for many of the other games on this list, or use it to add a Kaiju to a game of your choice. There’s a number of roll tables for the type of Kaiju, its special ability, its origin, and its goals. As a bonus, there’s also some guidance on creating plot hooks to get your players interested in the Kaiju plot, and creates stakes that keep them invested.

Honorable Mentions

Liminal Colossus, a supplement for Liminal Horror by Mynar Lenahan.

Hey, So… We Accidentally Turned Steve Into a Kaiju and Now He’s Trying to Eat Cleveland, by lazersarus.

I Was Going To A Picnic, But Then A Kaiju Showed Up!, by BitwiseCoyote.

Twenty, by kumada1.

[akutasoda]

my eternity

synopsis - maybe an eternity couldn't last forever, especially when it's worlds apart

includes - dan heng ft express crew

warnings - gn!reader, reader is based off raiden shogun (genshin), bittersweet angst, fluff, some comfort, two socially awkward people try to express feelings, wc - 2.7k

a/n: this was requested by @supernerdycookietrashblrr! sorry this took so long hope you enoy! (i got very carried away)

you were the designated 'protector' and leader of your homeland. one filled with many traditions and people from all walks of life, but none had the knowledge to know that you were rarely actually there. in fact, the place you preferred to call your home was one you fashioned yourself, the plane of euthymia.

it was where your consciousness and physical body existed in hopes of achieving the eternity you yearned for. and in your place roamed a puppet. a puppet in your image that ruled your land for you, one that could not age or be weakened and therefore the most efficient way of ruling.

however, sometimes the endless sky in the plane of euthymia became tormenting, rather tiring and that's when you ventured outside the realm. most of the time, you'd enter in the place of your puppet who then was placed inside the plane - switching places until you got bored of the real world again.

however things seemed amiss this time. something in the plane shifted the wrong way, and because the plane was practically made from your conscience it burdened your mind and ruined any train of thought you may of had. your initial thought was that something must of happened outside of the plane and so you would leave to investigate.

but instead of being greeted by the scenery of your homeland, you found yourself within a library? it had the smell of old books and such but it really paled in looks. it was rather odd looking but the most questionable part was if you looked down and noticed the bundle of blankets and pillows.

for obvious reasons you were on edge. so as you cautiosly approached what you assumed to be the door out, it opened. and in having no time to draw your actual sword, you settled for the easier option. in mere matter of seconds, your polearm ghosted the side of a dark haired males neck.

the express was currently docked at the space station. himeko insited on doing a basic maintenance check after encountering a rather rough journey and dragged welt along for assistance. march had claimed to go for a walk to 'stretch her legs'. and so dan heng remained alone with the conductor who seemed awfully chatty about the most recent voyage.

so when an abrupt noise occurred - seemingly from the passenger cabins - pom pom practically shoved dan heng toward it and shut the door behind him until he found the answer. they were always scared easily. dan heng didn't expect much at first - perhaps something had fallen over somewhere. but he would have to see out his endeavour in 'keeping the conductor safe' regardless.

but it became a bit more alarming when he heard faint, rather slow, footsteps originating from the archives. perhaps it was one of the ghosts pom pom always claimed to see but did they even make footsteps?

warily he walked towards the archives, and when he finally pushed aside the door, the last thing he expected was the edge of a polearm immediately being raised to his throat. he caught your eyes rather quickly and felt rather intimidated by the sheer power you seemed to hold.

but what caught you off guard was when your polearm was violently shoved aside by the his own. he hadn't quite deemed you a threat yet, but first impressions weren't putting you in good favour. he moved forward with his own skill, trying to push you into a situation of hesitation - that way he figured answers may be more likely.

but he seemed to underestimate just how much skill you had because with one quick movement not only had you dodged his attack but yet again held him in a unfortunate circumstance. but before a word could even be spoken you felt a few pairs of eyes bearing into the back of your head.

'the conductor informed us that something was amiss', it was a rather low voice, one that suggested age and he continued 'drop the weapon and release our crewmate'. you let yourself up with little hesitation, in yet another quick move you turned and pushed the person you were holding to his friends, supposedly.

you could now see exactly who was confronting you know, an older man with glasses, a younger woman with striking red hair and a rabbit? 'whats everyone doing down here?' a rather cheery voice called out as footsteps became louder but before they could answer the newly arriving pinkette, you spoke.

you weren't one for combat surprisingly. sure you'd engage in it and if something wished to make you their enemy you'd gladly diminish their hopes of living. but you were wise to not resort to unnecessary violence, unless you really had to. and so you explained you meant no harm, you simply were startled by your abrupt arrival by no knowledge of your own - you also didn't like sharing.

you were met with the group opposites collective look of confusion before the red haired woman spoke. 'you have no recollection of how you got here? my, that's tricky' she paused before looking around 'why don't we talk elsewhere, please follow'.

you oblidged and followed the cautious group into a more open room. it seemed to contain a communal seating area which the woman insisted you sat down upon. she smiled before addressing you again and asking for your name. you felt no obligation to tell complete strangers your name, so instead you told them your puppets.

the conversation became rather one sided after that. the woman, you know knew as himeko, lead it with the man, welt, occasionally chiming in. you weren't one to share information, let alone to complete strangers and so the only information that you let them know was your puppets name (which they thought was your actual name) and that you aren't from here.

and unfortunately for you, that was most of the information they needed. between most of them they could easily figure out that something had happened to bring you into their world and somehow you needed to get back, however no body had a clue how to do so. after all the universe is vast and perhaps endless - but that meant it would contain the answers.

himeko dismissed herself and the others claiming they needed to discuss something before leaving you alone in the room. your briefly considered trying to enter your plane of euthymia and exiting again but two things stopped you - one, it may just bring you back and two, if your puppet was still in your homeland then atleast until you could get back, things wouldn't seem amiss to your residents.

and while you were thinking, the group re-entered. himeko yet again smiled before saying 'while we may not been a great help now, should you choose to join us, you can travel with us and perhaps have better luck in returning', she glanced over toward dan heng and nodding before turning back 'we are all perfectly fine with whatever decision you come to, but to note that it was him who suggested this in the first place'.

you glanced over to dan heng and he looked away, only looking back when you turned back to himeko. you couldn't help that agree that your chances of returning home would probably increase if you joined them and besides, you didn't have to form any connections with them in you did.

you weren't exactly the friendliest but it was for your own reasons. so you agreed. while you weren't exactly the most friendly and approachable person, you figured that your best chance on returning home would be to travel with these people, and they never said you would actually have to become their companion.

the only condition himeko explained to you was that because they travelled to help those that need it, if the occasion should arise then you should help them. she would also note that you probably have no issue in conflicts due to your unfortunate first encounter. which you found fair afterall, an eye for an eye.

it was safe to say that the atmosphere became rather uncomfortable to start with. himeko and the conductor granted you a spare passenger cabin until otherwise and that's where you spent most of your time. occasionally himeko or march would come and try to get to know you better but ultimately be met with a wall of silence.

however something you found valuable you heard from march was that the archives were accessible to all passengers. knowledge is proof of eternity, all things that have come before recorded down and passed along. so you decided to maybe spend some time exploring such archives.

however what you didn't really anticipate was how different the information seemed to be stored as. in your homeland everything was stored through scrolls and books or even word of mouth. but it all seemed so much more mechanical and modern. fortunately for you, in your confusion dan heng decided to return to his room.

you two hadn't talked at all since the day you arrived, so reasonably there was a bit of tension in the air. however dan heng could pick up on your confusion and pushed aside any awkward air to ask if everything was alright. you simply claimed that you were a bit confused by the archive.

'would you like some assistance?', the words came out his mouth before he could even process them, but you simply nodded and before he knew it he found himself beside you showing you all the records and such he kept organised.

you thanked him and excused yourself as you realised how long you had actually spent in the archives. he nodded before adding that you were free to visit anytime and then you left.

you didn't really sleep. you either didn't bother as in your search for eternity you didn't want to indulge in such trivial matters or you were on edge. this time, sleeping didn't really appeal to you as sleeping knowing people you barely knew surrounded you was unpleasant.

so you decided to re visit the archives. you found exploring this new world may be beneficial to your return and plus you could decide if it would be a enemy to eternity. so as you pushed open the door, you walked in and carefully closed it behind you as too not wake the other residents.

but whag you hadn't anticipated was that odd bundle of blankets and pillows now supported a body. upon squinting your eyes you recognized ot as dan heng, maybe you should return in the morning-

dan heng shot up and immediately pressed a hand to his head to wipe away any sweat he had. it was another nightmare, he didn't know why he bothered to try and sleep when that was all that tormented him. he raised his hand infront of himself trying to stop the shaking and level his breathing, then he looked to you.

his brain only recognizing your presence when he calmed down slightly. he simply said 'couldn't sleep well? or is there something you need?', he shoveled the think blanket of himself as he shakily stood up. you were no fool and knew he didn't want to talk about whatever gave him such a reaction so you simply shrugged and said you couldn't sleep.

he sat in front of the main screen and looked behind at you before saying 'wan't to read some old logs with me?'. well that was what you were here to do originally so you walked over and sat beside him. you two spent the rest of the night having dan heng recount the tales of the express and all the various logs added.

and before either of you knew it, it was morning. time seemed to pass quicker than usual afterwards however. you spent more time with dan heng and found yourself reluctantly letting him get closer to you than you would've liked and it appeared he felt the same. unfortunately neither of you wanted to push the other way despite your body screaming that this was a bad idea.

you both knew that as well. sooner or later you would have to return to your homeland. the bond that was forging would be cut short and mercilessly and you both would become yet another memory for eachother. yet neither of you could bring yourselves to stop it now before it could hurt either of you.

but it seemed time would be cut ever shorter for you. the express crew still had no leads on how to return you to your original realm but answers needed to come quick. your body wasn't reacting well to being outside the plane for this long - you had spent so long inside the plane of euthymia that your body adapted to its conditions.

but maybe the new universe was also taking a toll, you felt no longer like yourself and sometimes during the day your body would practically seize and you felt like a spectator to your own body, not the host. and the crew recognised this deteriorating condition - also chalking it up to long exposure to somewhere that wasn't your homeland.

and before any more tries to find answers could happen, you worsened even more. your body began aching and you really couldn't control your actions so you tried a last resort tactic. you placed yourself back inside of the plane of euthymia and could immediately regain control of your body.

but relief became confusion as you hear march's scream from behind you, turning round to see that you had accidentally brought the express crew into your plane aswell. you wanted to explain and help them back out into the express but the presence of your puppet became your biggest concern.

you turned round to confront your puppet and before you knew it the express crew had stood beside you. your lack if sharing now put them in danger and despite this they offered help. from your body language and maybe the polearm in your hand they could tell what you were going to do.

but you refused help, it was your puppet after all. you created it and so you knew it's weaknesses, this shouldn't become an issue. except it did. the express, especially dan heng, could only watch despite wanting to help as you fought with yourself.

but now you were slowly losing the rational parts of your brain, but before you knew it you had defeated your puppet. but your bodyy seemed to know possess a body of it's own as you became something that was not quite yourself, deciding for you that the express members were enemies of eternity.

you didn't mean to attack them, and they didn't mean to attack back. they wanted to help you desperately - despite your lack of interaction with most they still came to cherish you as the temporary addition to their little family. even if you didn't share, they didn't care. but now they wished you did share more often.

the fight was exhausting for both parties. you wanted to stop, to npt destroy the companions you reluctantly built over the time you'd spent with them but your mind and body weren't cooperating. and dan heng wanted to help you more than ever.

and because he hadn't pushed you away, he hadn't refused himself entirely in building a bond with you he knew how to help. he ignored the shouts for him to stay back as he had faith you wouldn't hurt him. he knew that you were still in there and he'd be dammned should he not help.

you fought so hard to not attack him. to not damage yet another relationship you had built and instead let him get ever closer. and even now as your body fell back to its original state, you could grasp why you subconsciously let him get closer even if you knew he'd leave eventually. because now you still had no way home. and as dan heng laid his head upon your shoulder, you could only think on why you shouldn't indulge in this comfort a little longer, even if this eternity was not possible.

[riyangiis]

royalty, or loyalty?

han yujin, the prince soon to be king, falls in love with a commoner knowing it would get him in trouble. he needs to convince his father to let them stay together.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 , han yujin x f!reader

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 , angst, fluff, birthday special

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 , royalty!au, lowercase intended, established relationship, yujin has daddy issues, mentions of headaches, crying, overthinking, bad parenting, mentions of marriage, not proofread, lmk if I should add more!!

𝐰/𝐜 , 5.2k

[ 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: the characters in this fan fiction are not based on real people, everything in here is purely fictional. ]

𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 !

"han yujin, I warned you not to get closer to that peasant!?"

echoes of a deep voice shouting can be heard all around the large room with fancy designs. the sound of a disappointed father scolding his son. one that yujin is familiar with, but makes his ears want to bleed and go deaf.

"you're going to be the next ruler of this kingdom, yet you decide to be with that.. commoner?! you don't know if she's just with you for the gold, for the fame?!"

this peasant his father speaks of, the commoner. is so much more than that. she helped him on how to deal with his problems even though she had little to no experience, she was with him at his lowest when no one was, she was everything.

if anything, he's extremely glad that he met [name]. yujin was way beyond grateful. he was glad that he sneaked out to get fresh air in the river.

today was exhausting, yujin just got scolded by his father again for something he messed up. I guess you could say he's used to this. still, he feels down. the amount of times his father got disappointed at him, is he that bad? he was never that hard on his younger brother.

what did he do wrong to not get that exact treatment? was it because his father was more strict on him because he was the heir to the throne? sometimes he wished swapped places with his brother instead.

yujin looks at the window, the forest is beautiful. he never got to go and play like an actual child outside. he never got to see the beautiful scenery in front, not even see his own reflection in the river. everything was just lessons, events, "stay inside the castle for your safety". it was tiring.

he wonders, what if he actually went outside? he knows it's prohibited but it wouldn't hurt to try.. prince minjoo tried it multiple times and never got caught! what about the guards you ask? yujin knows his way around the castle, his home. he knows a few secret tunnels and how to not get caught by the tight security.

after a little while, finally escaping the castle and getting a taste of the fresh breeze and the calming atmosphere of the forest, his hands were a little sweaty worrying about how he would get caught and scolded by his father again.

yujin checks the most recent map the guards have of the forest, he checks the path needed to go through in order to arrive at the river. this is quite literally the first time he went in the forest. by himself. he explores around the forest to try the experiences he missed out on. why did they prevent him from going to the forest?

he finally made his way to the river. yujin starts to get a little cold by the cold breeze, but it's definitely refreshing. he sits down on the grass and puts his hand inside the water, it's cold. just as expected. yujin tries to take a look at his reflection in the mirror. wow, he forgot how attractive he is.

he then checks his surroundings to see if anyone is near him. he spots a girl that looks near his age, sitting not so far away from him. she hasn't seemed to notice him yet, instead just drifting off in her own world.

'is there someone staring at me?'

the girl then becomes alert and checks if there's anyone near her. she spots yujin staring at her, he gets shy and looks away immediately.

'oh, it's just him.'

she's relieved that it's not some creep. although, the boy looks familiar. but the girl never saw him around the town, not even once. she then starts thinking about where she has seen the boy before, then..

'wait, is that the crown prince?!"

she swiftly turns her head to see yujin putting his entire hand inside the water. others would think he's a weirdo, but it's sort of understandable since you barely see him go outside, just on special occasions.

'what's he doing here?'

you look at him again, confused, rubbing your eyes and continuously blinking to make sure you weren't hallucinating. yujin looks back to you and sees that you're staring at him, he blushes and gets shy all of a sudden. he never really interacted with people that much, especially commoners.

you're still looking at him. he figured that he should just suck it up and talk to you. he can't put on a bad impression in front of someone, even if he's literally sneaking out.

"uh, hi.. I'm yujin, what's your name?.."

now you feel like you're delusional, like it's a dream. the crown prince? making small talk with you? the atmosphere feels even more awkward than before, yujin feels embarrassed after you didn't reply to him.

"oh, my bad.. ehh, your majesty..? my name is [name]. you don't have to introduce yourself, everyone knows you.."

you feel even more embarrassed knowing that you just made a fool out of yourself in front of yujin. this is ridiculous, you feel like sinking in a volcano right now.. yujin feels even more shy after you said "your majesty" in front of him, it feels weird to have someone call you that when you're trying to just be a normal teen making small talk with another teen..

that's basically how the both of you met. shy, awkward teenagers just making small talk with each other at the forest.

his mother just stands there, knowing that she can't do anything else than defend her son. she glares at yujin, who is still staring at the ground and fidgeting with his hands. she looks back at her husband, who is clearly raging. same as yujin and her husband, she has a million thoughts in her mind.

'this man, this isn't the man I loved. what has happened to you?'

the silence is deafening. yujin is facing down on the floor, not wanting to look at his parents. to see a face full of anger and disappointment, and a face full of worry and shock. his vision is starting to get blurry with all the tears he's holding in.

the king turns back to yujin's direction, prepared to yell and scold him.

"answer me!-"

his father, also known as the king, scolds him once again as yujin fails to reply with all the thoughts running in his head. yujin's mother cuts him off.

"that's enough. give him time to think, just look at him!!"

it hurts. his head hurts. he can't think properly. yujin's breathing gets more intense as more tears keep on rushing, he tries his best to hold it back and not make it noticeable.

he knew this was risky, he knew he had to do so much for love, yet he did it anyways. times with you were the only times when he felt free, away from the problems and the burden he carried in his back as prince. when he felt truly appreciated, when he was able to show his true self.

ever since his father found out about how you and yujin have been secretly sneaking out to see each other, he had been matching yujin up with different girls from different kingdoms. his father tried so hard to convince him to just like one of them and he's fine. as long as the queen isn't.. inexperienced as he likes to call it.

even with all of them, none of them caught his attention. he just continued attending the meet-ups to avoid having an.. argument with his dad again.

he wonders, why is it illegal to live freely? why did life have to be this way? his train of thought come to a halt and flinches when he heard his father's voice.

"I might have to let your younger brother be king instead. I'll make sure he doesn't grow up like you."

yujin's entire body, even his mind froze. meanwhile, his mother stands there speechless. his vision starts to get even blurrier, he felt something wet in his face.

drip.

the tears are coming down.

drip.

you can clearly see that he's crying.

drip.

his mother glares at her husband angrily, he's no different from his mother. yujin's father scoffs carelessly, muttering a gentle 'weak'.

"alright you're dismissed."

yujin is quick to walk and exit the room. as soon as the door shuts, multiple shouts are heard inside. he rushes to his room and wipes his tears with his hand.

"wow, I feel bad for him. jiyoon, what do you think?"

minkyung, one of the young butlers in the castle, whispers to the young maids eavesdropping with him. jiyoon was one of the many girls who admired yujin.

"eh, it's not my business. both of us don't have anything between together for me to be mad. if anything I wish him the best? [name] seems to be a good person, I met her."

the butler and the other maid beside jiyoon stared at her as if she was crazy, she didn't really feel jealous?

"what? I'll find someone who'll truly like me? I need to focus on getting money for my family. now let's go before we get scolded by mr. lee!"

the trio then rushes to get their chores done.

yujin is still walking to his room, he wishes the castle wasn't that big and that his room wasn't so far. all he just wants to do is lay down and take a break from everything.

"prince? do you want anything?"

he stops and sighs, clearly tired. he looks over to his butler, mr. lee, with a sweet an reassuring smile as if nothing happened earlier. however, mr. lee knew him for far too long that he can see through his fake smiles and sweet lies, instead he just let him be.

"mr. lee, I'm fine. I just need time to myself. so take a break from your work, hm?"

yujin's eyes and nose are still red, he can't hide anything. mr. lee sighs.

"alright, just call me when you need me-"

yujin continues walking before mr. lee finishes his sentence. he walks faster, and faster, now he's out of mr. lee's sight.

'gosh, that boy. he's growing up faster than I thought.'

where has yujin been?

you were waiting patiently in your usual meeting spot, the abandoned park in the middle of the forest, near the river. this was rare. he never missed a hangout day, when he did he would tell you why. but he just.. didn't.

maybe yujin was having problems with his dad again and he prevented yujin from going outside, right? or maybe he's just late. really late. attending some really important event and he didn't have time to tell you.

whatever, you shake your head and let go of the thoughts of why yujin isn't here. you shouldn't stick your nose to other people's business. that's what your aunt told you, she's very wise. considering he's a prince, he has a lot of stuff to handle and many personal things.

you decided to wander around and do whatever you like. whether it would be singing, or dancing, or climbing trees.. just something to relieve your boredom. you suddenly think about how you don't deserve yujin as a commoner, that he would eventually leave you alone since he's the crown prince and no one would like a nobody with almost no knowledge on royal stuff as the queen.

stop it. just enjoy the time while it lasts. don't stick your nose. into other people's business. you lay down at the grass and drift off into a peaceful sleep.

yujin stares at the ceiling in his room while laying down on his bed. he wonders if he should sneak out and go to you, but it's extremely risky at this situation. his overthinking never stopped even if it's been a long time, he should just let go and have some real beauty sleep for a bit because gosh..

knock knock.

he hears a gentle knock at his door, is it mr. lee? did something important come up? yujin feels to lazy and tired to even stand up and open the door himself. should he answer it though? are his parents done fighting? is his dad gonna scold him again?

he gets up and sits on his bed. he slowly stands up and takes one step at a time. still unsure if he should open the door.

step.

he rethinks his decisions.

step.

"yujin, it's me.."

mother? what does she want? yujin walks up to his door and twists the doorknob. his mother walks to one of the couches in the bedroom, she signals yujin to sit with her.

"we.. need to talk."

what? does he have to really let go of name?

"I want to tell you a story, of me and your father."

yujin gets curious, his parents never really told stories of them. he wanted to know about how they met, was it arranged marriage? he wanted to know about their experiences throughout their relationship.

"your father was indeed a, stubborn person. as stubborn as you. and I was the witness of it all."

we usually saw each other in some events. then.. we stumbled across each other at a random spot. alone, just us. he tried to talk to me as an attempt to make friends, and because I was lonely.

luckily I wasn't the type to be hard to get, back in my days I was rather.. extremely kind. people didn't use that against me since I was the princess.. we talked for a while until our parents called us to go back downstairs. after that event we never saw each other again.

turns out, our parents were rivals. constantly trying to avoid each other so that once they interact, it wouldn't escalate to some conflict or maybe even war. sometimes we sneak out to see each other and talk for a little while, I realized that your father was my closest and one of my only friends. I then, fell in love.

his mother found out and got mad at him, she prevented him from exiting the kingdom and if he's required to go outside he usually has assistance. as for me, my parents were okay with it. they never had anything against your father. just his parents.

"go get him, we're not going to stop you. we're fine as long as we'll stop setting you up on dates with men that you'll probably never like."

so everything was going smoothly for me, the problem is your grandmother.. I can't do anything to contact him but every night, I prayed that he would be okay and we would meet once again.

after nights, and nights, and nights, our parents eventually came to the conclusion that their fighting was useless. ridiculous? and there you have it.

"our stories are similar to yours, I don't understand why he's going against you."

yujin seems to be shocked with the story of how his parents fell in love. his father was in the same position as him before, what's his deal? his mother gave him a bouquet full of baby's breaths.

"what's this for?"

yujin was confused, was this supposed to mean something? he didn't learn much about flower language after all.

"baby's breath means everlasting love, go ahead and give it to [name]."

"but how about the guards?"

"I already handled everything. they won't stop you, go on loverboy. I'll talk to your father about it again." yujin smiles.

"thank you, mothe- I mean mom."

it warms her heart whenever he calls her mom. it's a simple thing but it let's her know that yujin is comfortable around her and that he doesn't have to use such formal names. she smiles back at him.

but she knew about him sneaking out? and she even gave orders to the guards? whatever, he has no time to waste. he needs to go to you as fast as possible.

he's nearly running out of breath, so close. yujin couldn't care less if he trips over some rock in the way and get his ankle injured. he skipped the pathway to the abandoned park, he figures that you would've wandered off somewhere while waiting for him for a long time. but you wouldn't have went that far. you're not that stubborn anyways.

while running, he nearly steps on a body laying down on the ground. is that.. you? he kneels slowly, puts the bouquet down, and pokes you. oh, you're a deep sleeper. yujin continuously shakes you until you wake up. he then lowers his head to go near your ear to whisper something..

"the gods above has blessed you, you will now have unlimited food if you wake up.."

"I'M AWAKE!!"

yujin flinches when you gets up as fast as the speed of light. you look around for your surroundings for the unlimited food to see him.

"oh, it's you. hey I haven't seen you in a long time?"

you asked yujin while sitting down on the ground. sort of asking for the reason why he was so late for hangout day that he left you sleeping on literal grass for 2 hours waiting for him, no cover and stuff. but you had a very peaceful and refreshing slumber anyway.

"uh.. are you mad?"

yujin fidgets with his fingers staring at you worried, you're not that impatient and you don't have serious anger issues..

"mm no I'm not, you have a lot of duties as prince anyway. but you owe me a date with a whole all-you-can-eat buffet now.."

he sighs and rolls his eyes, either way he would accept your request so you couldn't care less about his complaining. you look at the bouquet of little white flowers, did he get this? or his mom?..

"is this for me?" yujin scoffs. "of course it is, who else would I give it to?" you think for a short while..

"uhm your mother?" you replied.

"why else would I be here then? don't be ridiculous, my mother has her own flowers anyway."

"oh.. right. agh, don't be so hard on me! I just woke up.." yujin chuckles.

you missed that smile of him, not the fake ones you see in events. the fake ones he's wearing just so he wouldn't make a fool and a bad impression of himself and his family. you missed seeing his genuine and bright smiles. the ones you would see often when you both talk about random drama happening in your life or what you heard from others, when you talked about random stuff, interests, just talking to you in general.

it was the entire reason you fell in love with him in the first place. before, you never understood the hype and why so many girls were falling in love with him. sure he's attractive, but you don't even bother admiring him knowing that you never even stood a chance. not until the both of you met each other near the river. you get all giddy just thinking about how everything started, how.. awkward it was. how special it is to you.

you take a glance at the bouquet with pretty little white flowers, wondering what the flowers mean. did yujin's mom tell him to give it to you?you knew that yujin's mother had an interest to plants and taking care of them is her hobby whenever she has nothing to do. she also learned about flower language because she had too much free time and she wanted to distract herself from the many problems that she had to handle as the queen.

you remember seeing a lot of interesting flowers and plants when yujin had a picnic date with you in the castle's secret garden that no one else but you, him, and his mom know. she was originally planning to grow more plants and take her husband on a date since both of them were too busy to even spend time with each other properly, mostly her husband.

yujin notices you spacing out while staring and the bouquet full of baby's breaths, he holds your cheek gently and turns your head to face his direction.

"did you miss me?"

he smirks knowing his effect on you, it grows even wider seeing your cheeks turn into a light shade of pink. you smile at him sweetly and peck his cheek gently.

"yeah, I did. I stayed here for so long waiting for you with nothing to do.."

yujin hugs your waist and lays his head in your shoulder, he seems to be really tired. in that case, you're exactly what he needs.

"I'm sorry, okay? something came up. it's father again, I'll make it up to you.."

you hug him back, arms wrapping around his waist as well and holding him like porcelain. your other hand goes up to play with his soft and fluffy hair.

"I see, you don't need to do anything. I'm already fine with you here."

yujin hugs you tighter, forget about his father. forget about ruling the kingdom. forget about everything. what matters is that you're here with him, safe and sound. he's fine with that. all of his problems fade away whenever he's with you. he just wants to enjoy this moment with you while it lasts.

"what happened to you.."

the atmosphere around the quite large bedroom with luxurious designs all scattered around the walls and the ceiling. yujin's mother sits on the king-sized bed with embroidered beddings trying to talk to his father and change his mind.

"enough."

yujin's father doesn't even bother turning to look at his wife. just facing the only window that isn't covered by the curtains, watching the kingdom in a high place. his wife stands up and walks rapidly to him.

"what do you mean enough?! you kept on scolding yujin that it almost happens daily, you even threatened to take the crown away from him? you're no different from your mother, juwon."

she was no longer afraid of facing juwon, she can't just watch yujin suffer anymore. juwon stopped looking outside the window and turned to his wife.

"yeona I said enough."

"NO!! you need to listen to me, yujin was just like you when you were young. why are you repeating your mother's actions? the difficulties you went through? the both of them are young anyways, we can train [name] if they're bound to be married to each other."

juwon tries to fight back, but hesitates. he clenches his fists and his teeth.

"we have so much to teach her, we don't even know if we have enough time. and our situation is different, you're already fit for queen. we don't even know if she's loyal?!"

how dare he make such accusations of you? he hasn't even met you personally? yeona rages with pure anger and furrows her eyebrows.

"how could you say that?! [name] was there for your own son when you weren't? and most of his problems are caused by you?? go ahead, take the throne away from our son! but don't take yujin's happiness away from him."

the room is filled with silence, juwon is unable to respond to yeona. upon seeing her teary eyes, he comes to realize that he was the reason yujin is suffering. that he failed his family.

she was right, he isn't any different from his mother. he remembers how disappointed his mother looked at him, how he tried so hard to convince her to let him be with yeona.

".. I'll think about it."

yeona is contented with his response. though it's not much, it's enough proof that juwon is considerate enough to think about his actions and listen to her words.

"fine.. I'll leave you alone to think."

yeona walks away and leaves the bedroom, leaving juwon to think about his decisions by himself. as soon as she closes the door, a young kid walks up to her upset and confused.

"mom, what happened with you and dad? why are you shouting?"

she is unable to respond to her son's question, yeona puts on a gentle smile and cover everything up with a white lie. he's a kid after all.

"nothing happened, we're just playing silly games. go play with mr. lee." the kid pouts and grips his teddy bear tightly.

"but I want to play with you!" yeona giggles and holds the kid's free hand.

"alright, alright. come with me then!"

"yujin, if we ever get married and become queen and king.. do you think I'll be a good queen?"

you ask a random question out of nowhere since the both of you had nothing to talk about. you two were in his bedroom, since the guards wouldn't stop him if he sneaked out he took advantage of this and brought you to the castle. he turns his head and stares at you as if you asked him the answer to 9 + 10.

"of course, me and my mother are there to assist you. they'll give you lessons too, the both of us are too young to become queen and king right away."

you still feel worried and insecure. his mother is fine, but will his father really approve of you? you don't deserve yujin at all. he's too good for you. he should've listened to his father when he told him to date some princess from another kingdom instead. at least she doesn't need lessons.

"but your dad, will he let us stay together? will we even get married?"

he furrows his eyebrows and frowns just by thinking about it. you look at him and felt anxious and guilty if you made him uncomfortable.

"sorry, nevermind. just forget that I even asked you that."

you and yujin hear a knock on the door, you quickly try to hide somewhere safe incase it's his father. you decided to hide under the bed, it's definitely common but the only place that isn't noticeable. yujin stands up to open the door and see who's behind it, he sees mr. lee.

"[name], come out."

you struggle as you attempt to leave your hiding spot, you sat on his incredibly soft bed. no wonder he's late to your hangouts sometimes.. yujin's let's mr. lee inside the room to hear his new announcement.

"what is it?" mr. lee sighs. "the king wants to see you in your parents' bedroom."

yujin turns his head to look at you, asking if it's okay to go without even saying a single word. you nod and give him a reassuring smile.

"alright then, I'll let you go to the room by yourself."

when he was about to exit his bedroom and close the door you got up from his bed and ran as fast as you can to the door to stop him.

"yujin can I.. go with you? I'll just be there behind the door, promise!!" he stares at you for a while and thinks if he should or he shouldn't.

"fine.. that way I don't have to explain everything that happened.. let's go."

yujin grabs your hand and drags you outside the room. he shuts the door then made his way to his parents' bedroom with his hand holding yours. because of this, he steals a few glances from the maids cleaning around the hallway.

the walk to the bedroom is a long way.. you stared at the walls in the hallway, it's full of portraits from different generations. the ceiling has different ornate chandeliers. oh, it seems that you both have finally reached his parents' bedroom. why is this castle so.. big? bigger than you thought it would be?

yujin let's go of your hand and uses his other one to grab the doorknob. he glances at you then twists the doorknob and enters the bedroom. you go closer to the wall to hear everything.

'yujin..' yeona stares at her son for a while, it seems that he had fun with his girlfriend. she turns her head and glances at juwon, hoping that he actually listened to her words and has made his choice wisely.

"oh, I might have forgotten to order mr. lee to ask you to bring your.. girlfriend." what the? why are you included in this.. family stuff? guess it's your signal to go inside.

you slowly open the door and finally see the king in person. up close. no wonder a lot of people had a crush on yujin.. including you.. the atmosphere feels awkward and tense until juwon started speaking.

"I.. made my decision. I have thought about this carefully."

yeona crosses her arms with a serious look, yujin felt his heart sink, you tried to predict the outcome of this situation. there's a high chance that it will turn out good, why else would you be here in the first place if he wanted to separate you two? or there's a chance that he's ruthless and wants to see you both suffer..

juwon takes a deep breath.. "I have decided to.. allow you to date her, yujin. it will take years until I let you take the throne, so we will do our best to assist both you and [name]. eh, you basically have no choice but to marry her since all those teachings will go to waste if otherwise."

yeona smiles widely, delighted that she was able to convince juwon and change his mind. the feeling of success and victory has never felt this.. euphoric. both you and yujin were left speechless, anyone can clearly see that you're over the moon. it's as if you won 5 million from the lottery. is this a dream?

you look over to yujin who's jaw is still wide open with his hands covering his mouth. his eyes start to get teary, he finally made it. juwon grins at the sight. he's never seen yujin this happy before. he truly made the right choice, guess you could say he's the king for a reason.

yeona walks up to her husband and pulls him in a warm embrace. "you truly made the right choice, juwon." his grin turns into a smirk as he chuckled.

"you married me for a reason, yeona. I'm not putting it to waste."

"and that's how we convinced your dad to let us be together.." you sighed, exhausted from the extremely long story. juwon tried to cover up his embarrassment with a smile, he was really stubborn like yeona said..

yujin's younger brother, yunseo, finally knew the story behind everything. you figured that since he was already in highschool, it would be the right time to explain everything. it had been 2 years since that happened. you feel arms wrapping around your waist, that familiar sense of warmth..

you turn around to see yujin smirking, "did you tell him already? everything?" you nod and kiss his cheek. yeona sighs upon seeing the sight of you and yujin, meanwhile yunseo cringes.

"ew, go get a room!" yunseo covers his eyes. yeona whispers to juwon.

"they're just like us when we were younger. yujin is just as stubborn and deeply in love like you!"

"how dare you, I wasn't that in love!" juwon gasped sarcastically, yeona giggles. ah, just like the old times.

"get a room, love birds!"

all this in 3 days... with practice and exams... 😔😔

[katescribblesabit]

I absolutely adore your art style! Do you have any tips? Specifically for the fairies cause I am struggling to draw them.

thank you so much! well, this is gonna be a long post.

Im gonna be real, the best art advise anyone can give you is to use references and to break complicated stuff down into easier shapes. for example:

this is my basic body skeleton! i always start with the circle of the head and work my way down to the feet. i have highlighted some part of the body which are actually just simple shapes.

the center line down the middle of the torso also helps me draw on collars, bra cups, ties, or any other more difficult clothing more accurate!

However i have to ask you, are you comfortable while you draw?

I remember when I first started drawing digital, i was really uncomfortable with the basic set up of my program. The white canvas and the light setting of the program was really bright and irritated my eyes. And the contrast of the pure black I used for drawing wasn't really helping. sketching and doing line art was my least favorite part of drawing because of this.

you don't have to draw on a white canvas, you can also use multiple colours for sketching if you wanted. Once I stoppend using a pure white canvas I noticed i stopped staring at a empty canvas not knowing what i wanted to draw anymore!

also sometimes when a drawing doesn't want to look right, i switch back to traditional. idk why but when my brain sometimes struggles with a specific pose or character design, it comes to me a lot more easier when I switch back onto paper. i guess the change of scenery opens up the creativity again haha.

don't be afraid to simplify stuff, you don't have to draw everything! As long as it still translates to the thing, it should be fine.

these two are a bit clip studio exclusive,

but Gradient maps! god how I love my gradient maps, it just makes the colours pop! I never draw without it anymore. I always pick the sunset gradient, put it in Linear light mode and put it on 10% (cus its really saturated on 100%)

usually i have it on while i sketch and line, and turn it off so i can properly colour and shade. i turn it back on at the end again

the clip studio assets has a lot of beautiful stuff in there created from other users. (a good amount for free too) for example I got the lace pattern of my shawl from there. and its really easy to import the downloaded stuff into the program.

now this is a drawing hack that blew my mind when I first saw it! i use it all the time and I just have to share this!

whenever you want to draw something random like sparkles, stars, bubbles, feathers, falling leaves, or anything that you want to float around your characters, position them in the form of a triangle.

its even better if you put two points of the triangle closer together and then the third further away. this makes it look random but still looking appealing to the eye, and not oddly placed.

now that thats out of the way! Fairies! The one thing i struggled with when drawing them first is their hair. I suggest looking through the fop tag to see how other people have drawn them and take inspiration from your favorites and make up your own. (do not trace tho! that should be obvious!)

when I draw hair I think of it separated in two parts, the front and the back. I usually start with the front hair pieces, then draw in the jaw, ears and rest of the head, then continue with the back section of the hair.

the only outliers of this are Timmy and Peri. when I draw Timmy (Ymmit as well) I start with his hat, before drawing his hair. Since I draw Peris hair-swirl over his hairline, i start drawing his upper back hair style first before drawing his head and then his mullet.

wings can also be tricky. the fairy wings i have given then have a more butterfly look. if you also want to base off the wings to real life animals or bugs you can use them flying as references to. Or you could even cut out the wing shape out of paper, fold it in the middle and take pictures in the angle you desire.

I hope this somehow helped, I thought about what could have helped me if I had known it sooner. even if most of these were for generic drawing.

[ashwhowrites]

A angst fic based on All too Well.

Plot- Y/N is haunted by the memories of her past relationship with Eddie. A man that was older, hurt her, and left her scarred.

I've been dying to write an older Eddie fic based on this song and I loved how it turned out. I hope you guys enjoy it and it paints a picture for you all. The song is amazing, as well as the short film. If you read it, thank you so much <3

This is all angst

I walked through the door with you The air was cold But something about it felt like home somehow And I, left my scarf there at your sister's house And you've still got it in your drawer even now

Y/N shivered in her oversized coat as she snuggled into Eddie's warm body. His arm over her shoulder as he walked her through the door of his sister's house.

Y/N took in the smell of the gingerbread candle that burned near the door. The room lit up with white Christmas lights around the archway. Photos of Eddie's family covered the walls as he helped her take off her coat. Her scarf unraveled as she took in the Christmas tree in the corner. Y/N placed her scarf on the stair railing, her attention back on Eddie as he hugged his sister. The warm smile on his face as he laughed with his brother-in-law.

Something about the moment felt like home. Like she was Eddie's wife and they were at the in-laws to celebrate Christmas. Their kids would be running around, screaming, and becoming best friends.

Y/N loved that she walked into a real home. And hated leaving it behind. She couldn't smell a gingerbread candle without being thrown back to his sister's house. She remembered how she left her scarf there, expecting to return. No idea in her mind that she'd never see Eddie's sister again.

Oh, your sweet disposition And my wide-eyed gaze We're singing in the car, getting lost upstate Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place And I can picture it after all these days

Y/N walked around the small park, hot coffee in her hand as she took in the scenery around here. The autumn leaves cover the ground, crunching beneath her boots. The oranges, reds, and yellows were beautiful but she couldn't help but hate it all. The leaves remind her of the falls she used to spend with Eddie. Even after all these days, she could picture it all.

Y/N's eyes were focused on Eddie as he drove. Another trip upstate, something they did every weekend, and she never asked why. The town left behind them as they sang their hearts out. The speakers were loud, the leaves were falling, and her heart was blossoming.

And I know it's long gone and that magic's not here no more And I might be okay but I'm not fine at all 'Cause there we are again on that little town street You almost ran the red 'cause you were lookin' over at me Wind in my hair, I was there I remember it all too well

Y/N knew she and Eddie were done and the magic they once had would never come back. They burned out as fast as they lit up. The pain she felt with Eddie was something she knew she'd never recover from. It was a cut that bled and bled.

She hated that she saw him in everything. Whenever she was stopped at a red light, she swore she felt his presence in the car with her.

The music was loud, Eddie's fingers hitting against the steering wheel. All the windows were down, and Y/N's hair blowing everywhere. She kept laughing as she tried to keep it all in place but never bothered to put it up. Eddie smiled as he watched her. She looked so happy, and carefree. Her laughter silenced the music around him like his ears only wanted to hear the sweet sounds of her enjoyment.

The tires rolled fast down the little town street, the gps leading them far away from home. Hours spent on the road as they listened to music. His hand in hers. He couldn't stop the huge smile stretching across his lips. A slight chuckle left his lips. The deep sound caught her attention, her head back in the car as she looked over to him. She smiled as she caught him smiling at her. It was like time stopped. She saw their future in his eyes.

Then his head turned and he slammed on the brakes. An apologetic smile on his face as he looked back at her, but all she did was burst out into more laughter. The red light reflected on the windshield.

If only she knew he'd slam on the brakes every time she pictured their future together.

Photo album on the counter Your cheeks were turning red You used to be a little kid with glasses in a twin-sized bed And your mother's telling stories 'bout you on the tee-ball team You told me 'bout your past thinking your future was me

Black and white photos are held behind some pieces of plastic. A thick book on the counter as Eddie's mom's red nails pointed to each picture, revealing the story behind the pose. Y/N listened to every word and memorized every detail. Eddie's cheeks were fiery red as they flipped through the photo album. Pictures of Eddie growing up right before their eyes.

"You had glasses!" Y/N said, she never once saw Eddie in glasses, not even sunglasses. But there he was in a white striped uniform and baseball helmet. He held a bat bigger than him and a big smile towards the camera.

"Yeah! Realized he needed them when he never saw the ball coming at him." Eddie's mom joked, Y/N laughing but Eddie didn't look pleased. He groaned and covered his face. But he knew Y/N loved every second of learning about his past.

"Hopefully our kids won't need those." Eddie joked, his arm over Y/N's shoulder as he turned the page. She felt butterflies in her stomach, Eddie thought of them having kids. She was in awe that he pictured a future for them.

We were always skippin' town And I was thinkin' on the drive down: Any time now He's gonna say it's love You never called it what it was

She should have questioned why all their dates had to be in a different town. She shouldn't have thought nothing of it.

Every single drive was just the two of them. Alone on the open road she always felt something dropping in her stomach as they reached the next town.

It was a relationship, but he never called it what it was. He never admitted it was love.

And I know it's long gone and there was nothing else I could do And I forget about you long enough to forget why I needed to 'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night We're dancing 'round the kitchen in the refrigerator light Down the stairs, I was there I remember it all too well, yeah

In the end, Y/N knew there was nothing she could do to save them. She was slowly losing herself trying to be a version of herself that he'd love enough to show off. But that wasn't on her, that was on him and his insecurities. Sometimes she felt peace, with her mind on other things. She could feel her body healing cut by cut, her brain closing out his memory. The peace of forgetting why she was so scared.

But one trigger sends her right back. Her ghost of a body standing in the refrigerator light, a bottle of water in her hand. She got what she needed, yet her body couldn't move. She was stuck in a trance, his ghost touching her shoulder.

"May I have this dance?" Eddie asked, his warm hand on her shoulder as he spun her around. She giggled and placed down her water. Her hands laced together in his as he hummed the beat of a song. His warm body against hers as they slowly danced in the dimness of the refrigerator light. He twirled her around and around. She giggled as she felt the air in her hair and the warmness of his eyes on her. The way he held her close and kissed her lips.

She couldn't help but feel like that was what true love was. Even if they never danced anywhere but in the refrigerator light.

And there we are again when nobody had to know You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath Sacred prayer and we'd swear To remember it all too well, yeah

Laughing in the park as they walked down the dark streets. Late past midnight but the night was young for them. Y/N loved the lights and the glow on the pavement from the rain. Her hand was in Eddie's as they followed the trail.

"Why don't we ever do this during the day?" She asked, thinking nothing of it as she kicked the rock in front of her foot.

"Like to have you all to myself." He said, his hand unlocking from hers as he threw his arm over her shoulder. He snuggled her closer, as his eyes watched all around them.

She scoffed thinking about it now. He wanted her all to himself because she was a secret. She was something he didn't want strangers seeing or someone he slightly knew. She wasn't allowed at the holidays or the dinners because he didn't want people to know he was with someone way younger than him.

She was vowed to him. She'd do anything for him and he couldn't even be public with her. She hated how stupid she was. She hated how blinded by his charm she was. She'd shout from the rooftops how much she loved him and would keep his love like an oath. While all he did was find ways to keep her a secret but give her just enough love to latch on to.

And maybe we got lost in translation Maybe I asked for too much But maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up Running scared, I was there I remember it all too well

"I don't understand why I can't go with you!" Y/N pushed. But it was like everything she said ran through Eddie's ear before his brain had time to process it.

The wedding invite was on the counter, a small piece of paper that started one of the biggest fights of them all.

"I don't see the big deal! I was invited and that's it. It's just a cousin's wedding, you don't need to come." Eddie argued, his voice was loud but he wasn't yelling yet. But he was frustrated, and she didn't know from what.

"It's your family, Eddie! I'm your girlfriend and it has a spot for a plus one. You got a fucking plus one! Why don't you want me there?" She was hurt, and she couldn't understand why he didn't want her there. Why didn't he ever want her there? It wasn't just the wedding. He didn't want her at birthday dinners, holidays, work parties. He didn't want her anywhere unless it was in a home where they were hidden or in a different town.

"I'm not talking about this!" He said, slamming the front door as he walked out of her apartment. She ran to follow him, but he was gone.

That's what he always did. He ran and ran.

She dropped it, letting him attend the wedding on his own. Maybe she was asking just a little too much for him to go out of his comfort zone.

She didn't bring it up. Her friends were dying to meet him so she had them all over for dinner. They brought their boyfriends and she even went through Eddie's phone to ask his friends to join. A couple date night and she'd prepare dinner. She never met his friends and he never met hers.

That night she could tell Eddie was on edge. He barely spoke a word to her, he spent all the time talking to his friends. She couldn't help but see how all the couples were snuggled up, holding hands and whispering in each other's ears. She felt alone as her boyfriend kept moving his chair further from her.

Eddie was lost in a story he was telling, his right hand on the table. Y/N didn't think anything of it, sliding her hand in his like she'd done countless times. He continued the story with no interruptions, but his hand slipped out of hers and he gently placed her hand on the table. Next to his.

His right hand was now busy with holding his glass of wine as he laughed.

When the guests left, she couldn't hold it back. She was screaming and crying. Begging for a reason why he shoved her off like she was nothing. But Eddie never had the answers. He denied everything and tried to make it seem like she made everything up. She felt like she was going crazy. Was she upset about things she shouldn't be?

"I DIDN'T DROP YOUR FUCKING HAND! I GRABBED MY DRINK!" he screamed, his face inches away from hers.

"BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT. YOU DIDN'T TOUCH THAT CUP UNTIL I HELD YOUR HAND! WHY?"

And just like every fight, he slammed the door and ran.

Piece by piece he was destroying everything they painted together. The relationship they were building was losing a level by level.

And you call me up again just to break me like a promise So casually cruel in the name of being honest I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here 'Cause I remember it all, all, all Too well

She held the phone against her ear as she sobbed. She regretted picking up the phone when he called. Because every time she did, all he did was break her apart more. His apologies never had the word sorry or any realization of his mistakes. Just more excuses for the way he was. He liked to make it seem like he'd never lie to her so he always gave the hard truth, thinking he was never in the wrong since it was honesty.

They say all's well that ends well But I'm in a new hell every time You double-cross my mind You said if we had been closer in age Maybe it would've been fine And that made me want to die

Y/N despised how easy it was for Eddie to move on from her. She hated that there wasn't any hurt left on his part. She took all the hits and had to suffer with the cuts he left her with.

Somehow every time she thought of him, it hurt worse than before. She found new lows and suffered from no highs.

All he left her with was, if they had been closer in age she'd have the relationship she wanted. And she hated him for that. He went after her, he knew of her age the whole time. He made her fall in love, he pursued her and knew she wanted a future with him. He knew all of that and still was with her.

She wanted to die when the words left his lips. All of a sudden, the age was the deal breaker, but it wasn't sudden. It was in the back of his head the whole time. And he was the monster who let her be naive.

You who charmed my dad with self-effacing jokes Sippin' coffee like you're on a late-night show But then he watched me watch the front door all night Willin' you to come And he said: It's supposed to be fun Turning 21

She smiled as she watched Eddie and her dad laugh over a cup of coffee. The way her dad hung on every word Eddie had to say. She couldn't help but feel so much joy to see Eddie winning over her family.

But now she sat at the table with the cake in front of her. The same table Eddie and her dad sat at as they talked for hours. The flames of the candles burned her eyes, but not as much as the tears that threatened to fall.

She took in the room of people, so many family and friends. She should be happy, and she should feel fine. But he wasn't there and it ruined it all.

"It's supposed to be fun turning twenty-one, kid." Her dad said as he pressed a small kiss to her head.

Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it I'd like to be my old self again But I'm still trying to find it

She missed who she was before him. She was put together, strong, and not touched by the destructive hands of a man. But now? She's all crumpled up and hated knowing she'd never be able to be the same again.

Because she always remembers it all.

After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone

Y/N continued her walk toward home. The fresh air felt amazing as it traveled into her lungs. She passed by a small shop, with thousands of plaid shirts on sale. She felt herself shiver. She hated this time of the year and when everyone would go back to wearing plaid. Because all it did was bring her back.

Eddie held her hips softly as he pushed himself inside and out of her. His rhythm was slow and gentle as she clenched around him. Her hands were in his hair as she gasped against his lips. The way she came around him, his name on her lips was like a prayer. The night he truly made her his own.

She wore his plaid button-up the next morning, his arms around her as she made breakfast. The radio playing as his soft lips kissed her neck.

She tried to shake off the memory as she made it inside. The box he sent weeks ago was still at her front door. She still walked past it without another glance.

But you keep my old scarf from that very first week 'Cause it reminds you of innocence And it smells like me You can't get rid of it 'Cause you remember it all too well, yeah

As every day passed, Eddie never took the scarf out of his drawer. He took it off the stairs after the night Y/N met his sister. He tossed it in the backseat but forgot to give it back. Months and months that scarf sat in his backseat, neither moving it. She liked that a piece of her was in his car at all times. Like there was a memory of her.

So she never grabbed it.

The night they broke it off, Eddie took that scarf inside. He didn't want to part with it so he kept it in his drawer.

He's over the breakup and he's fine. He's got a new girlfriend and he barely thinks of Y/N.

But yet, every morning he takes out the scarf. He holds it gently in his hands like the way he used to hold her. He knew it was stupid to keep it.

The sweet innocence of the best time of his life. The realest relationship he's ever had. But he knew it would never end with them together. She was too young and he couldn't stomach the stares of everyone knowing. He didn't want to be that guy dating a way too young of a girl.

But the scarf brought happiness and a sense of safety. He remembered every moment between them and it was a relationship that would continue to haunt him, for as long as he held that scarf.

So he sent it back to her in a small box. His final goodbye to her and the haunting memory of his mistakes. A clean state without her ghost taunting him.

Because he remembered it all too well.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37

[my-adhd-gremlin-blog]

I wrote this fic based on a post I made about pirate!Scar being the same person as s8!Scar. This SMP has me in a chokehold, but Scar's character especially has me hooked. Hope you enjoy!

The tavern was alive with the sound of raucous laughter as the Kestrels threw back their ales and shared their stories.

" - and then I said, that's not my wife, that's a crab!" Martyn bellowed, swigging more ale.

"Oh, very funny, Marty," Oli grumbled, hiding his embarrassment behind his own tankard. "My wife is not a crab! She's a very beautiful, very real lady!"

The crew continued to guffaw, ruddy faced and cheery from the sheer amounts of alcohol they'd consumed.

"Oli's wife is cra-ab, Oli's wife is a cra-ab," Sausage chanted gleefully, spilling most of his drink on the floor in the process.

Disturbed by the commotion, Captain Jellie curiously wandered over from the bar, leaping into Scar's lap for a fuss. Scar smiled, scratching Jellie behind the ears. The feline began to purr.

"What about you, Scar? Did you have a special someone at home?" Martyn asked, also reaching a hand out towards the cat.

Scar met Martyn's gaze with unfocused eyes. He thought perhaps he might be trying to make fun of him, too, but Martyn's interest seemed sincere. Scar's smile grew wider, even more playful.

"Me? No! There's a whole lotta Scar to go around, it just wouldn't be fair to the world if I settled down with just one person," he replied slyly.

Martyn chuckled. "Alright, charmer. Maybe you can share some of that charisma with the rest of us, hey?"

He leaned forward, swaying slightly in his chair, surveying Scar with hungry eyes. Martyn was flirting with him, that much he knew. But a face had appeared in Scar's mind, his special someone, and his heart was twisting with guilt. Not wanting to be rude, he threw Martyn a wink and chugged the rest of his ale, hoping that would be the end of it.

"Whoo, look at me go! Martyn, Scar, look! Check out my monocle!"

Oli, who had seemingly gotten over the crab comment, was now entertaining Sausage and Kyle by balancing his monocle on the end of his nose, like a seal with a rubber ball. Inevitably, it slipped and fell to the table, cracking down the middle.

"Oh my gosh, Scar! Look at my monocle!" Grian cried, examining himself in the mirror with delight. "How do I look?"

He gave a little twirl, and Scar whistled his approval. Grian was giving him the biggest grin; he didn't think his heart could handle it.

"Perfect! I told you the hat was a good idea. Now you look like a real train conductor."

Grian laughed, flicking the tiny top hat on Scar's head. "And you still look like the world's worse salesman."

Scar gripped the edge of the table, hard. A memory he thought he had lost long ago suddenly hit him like a gale force wind, and it felt like all the air had been knocked out of him.

"Scar, you okay, buddy?" Oli asked.

Scar waved him off. "Oh, fine. Absolutely fine." He tried to stand, and immediately stumbled. "Actually, I'm a little drunk. I'd say it's time for us, Jellie and me, to hit the hay."

○

The next morning, the Kestrels, all nursing severe hangovers, set out on their first mission in hopes of earning some coin. The rough sea churned their stomachs, but they pressed on, motivated by their greed for gold.

An island grew larger on the horizon, until the ship finally rolled gently onto the soft sand. Sausage dropped the anchor and the crew disembarked, glad for once to be on dry land.

"Are we sure this is the place? It sure doesn't look like a cursed island," Kyle said, taking in the scenery.

"Of course this is the right place. Are you questioning my navigation skills?" Sausage balked.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my dear," Kyle responded with a wink.

"Oh, are we flirting? I want in on that!" Martyn threw an arm around both of their shoulders, planting a kiss on each of their cheeks.

"Sorry to interrupt this little smooch-fest, guys, but Oli is looking a little green around the gills," said Scar, pointing over his shoulder to Oli, who was curled up in the sand holding his stomach.

"No, I'm fine! I'm fine, I -" Oli rolled over, and up came his breakfast. "I'm going to have to stay with the ship," he conceded.

"Lightweight, Oli!" Sausage teased jovially.

With Martyn and Scar's help, Oli managed to pull himself up into a sitting position. He looked much more worse for wear than the rest of the crew.

"If it makes you feel any better, Oli, you look as bad as I feel," Martyn said.

Oli glared at him. "Why would that make me feel better?"

"Well, if Oli is fine to stay here feeding the fishes," said Kyle, eyeing the throw up that was slowly getting washed away by the surf, "then I see no reason why the rest of us can't go and explore the island. There may be treasure to be had. Perhaps, if you're feeling better by nightfall, Oli, you could join us for some monster-hunting?"

He threw Kyle a weak thumbs up. "You got it, boss man."

"That settles it, then," Sausage declared. "Onward, Kestrels! To adventure!"

"To adventure!" Martyn and Kyle chorused.

Scar, however, was looking into the distance wistfully. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up later."

The ground beneath their feet rumbled. Earthquakes had become pretty much a daily occurrence at this point, and most of the Hermits couldn't remember a time when gravity wasn't a little unstable. Grian tugged on Scar's arm, pulling him inside the observatory to shelter from wayward floating dirt.

At the top, they both sunk to their knees, exhausted from the climb. Nobody in Boatem had slept for days, and the fatigue was making them delirious. The bright, looming figure of the moon shone threateningly through the observatory skylight. It was bigger tonight. It was constantly getting bigger.

"It's not getting bigger," Grian announced quietly. "It's getting closer."

Scar's heart thudded violently in his chest, but all he had the energy to do was let out a meek sob.

"This is the end, isn't it? This world is coming to an end."

Grian didn't say anything. There was no point denying it. Instead, he reached out to Scar, and despite being smaller, pulled him to his chest. Scar didn't resist.

"We'll build a new world, it'll be better than this one," Grian said, stroking Scar's hair.

"But we barely got any time in this one. This place was just starting to feel like home. I'm not ready to move on yet."

Grian chuckled lightly. "I don't think we have much of a choice, if the moon has other plans," he said. "Home isn't just a place, Scar. It's in the people you surround yourself with, too. As long as you and me are together, we'll always be home. And I for one sure do not plan on leaving you."

Scar's eyes drooped. He was tired, he was scared. But now, he was also beginning to realise that he was loved, too.

"You promise?" He muttered, fighting hard not to fall asleep in Grian's arms.

Grian held him tighter. "I promise."

A promise, sealed with a kiss.

Martyn frowned, concerned and slightly puzzled. "Are you alright, pal? Not gonna blow chunks like Oli, are you?"

"I swear to God, Marty, if I had the strength, I'd like to throw some very choice words at you," Oli groaned, half-heartedly flipping him off.

Once again, Scar was dismissive of his friends' concern. "Stop worrying about me. I'm OK, really. It's just been so long since I've had a crew, I got used to being a one man show. I'd appreciate a little bit of 'me' time. It's nothing personal."

Scar had almost said 'I promise' , but the words got stuck in his throat. The last time a promise was made with him, it got broken. Still, the other Kestrels seemed happy enough with his answer.

"OK, then. We'll see you later, Scar!"

Scar waved them off with a big smile. "Bye, now!"

Oli groaned again. "And now you're going to leave me, too, aren't you? Go, Scar, leave me here to die."

Scar rolled his eyes fondly. "Don't be so dramatic, you're not gonna die. Here." Scar handed him a flask full of fresh water. "Drink that. You'll be fine. Take care of yourself, I'll be back in a little while."

The island was beautiful. White sand, lush grass, palm trees reaching for the clouds. Everywhere you looked there was some interesting flora and fauna. Scar trekked up and over a hill, finding the remains of a sunken ship on the other side. It once must have been very impressive, judging by the sheer size of the wreckage. Now all that was left of it was splintered wood, torn up sails and barnacles in every nook and cranny.

Still, there may be something to salvage.

It took Scar a good part of the day to explore the entire shipwreck, encountering issues with a particularly curious duck that just did not want to leave him alone. When the sun reached its peak, Scar took a break, nibbling on a slightly mushy banana to dull his biting hunger. He stowed away the peel once he was finished with it; another potential customer to scam.

A brief run-in with a Kite confirmed for him that whatever had been left behind had already been ransacked by one of their own (Scar swore he would sink that Tubbo's ship one day). Writing that particular mission off as a dud, Scar began his ascent again. He would go check on Oli, maybe meet up with the others, and slay a few monsters.

At the crest, Scar took a moment to take in the view. He could imagine how the night sky must look from here. How close the stars would seem to be. His eyes were starting to mist over when he caught a flash of red in his peripheral vision.

A scarlet macaw had come in to land beside him, as if completely unaware of his presence. Scar figured the animals here must see so little of humanity that they'd never learned to be afraid of him. He crouched, lifting an arm and holding it out. With a sharp whistle, Scar called the bird, and with very little hesitation, it soared up to him and perched on his forearm.

There were seeds in his bag, Scar was sure of it. With a little rummaging, he managed to grab a handful. The bird ate right from the palm of his hand.

Scar huffed a laugh. "Does this mean we're friends now?"

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, the parrot took off again, flying off in the direction of the setting sun.

The void jump wasn't planned. Scar had failed his Boatem family. His rocketship never left the ground. Still, he had hope. They were together, at least. They'd make it to the next world.

Time passed. Scar wasn't sure how long. It was Pearl who began to deteriorate first. Her body became skeletal, her lips turned blue, and not long after, they were setting her body free.

Mumbo went next. His cold, stiff corpse remained with them for days, before finally, Impulse convinced Grian to let him go.

Scar's hope dwindled as fast as his grief mounted. He was supposed to save them, but instead he was clinging to dear life and praying his last two friends were doing the same.

Impulse went quietly. He'd never liked to make a fuss. Not a word was said when his body went numb from cold. Not a word about how agonising his hunger had become. No complaints, just peace.

It was just Scar and Grian left, floating in the void, holding onto each other desperately. Grian had always been a stubborn one. Even when faced with death, he refused to die. Scar believed they'd make it. They'd live for for the ones they'd lost.

But then...

"Scar, I'm so cold," Grian murmured weakly.

"Cuddle in closer. I'll keep you warm."

"I'm so hungry, Scar," whined Grian.

"We'll eat when we get to the new world. There's bound to be a rift around here somewhere. Soon, you'll see."

Grian started to go limp in Scar's arms. Scar held him tighter.

"Scar... I love you."

And then he went still. Grian did make it to the new world, but he never got to see it. He broke his promise.

"You left me," Scar whispered into the wind.

He watched the bright plumage of the colourful bird blur on the horizon as it flew further away. A tear rolled gently down his cheek.

"I never should have trusted a pesky bird."

This got a little morbid towards the end, sorry. I was up late last night fighting stomach cramps (on a work night 😫) so I guess I just chose violence. I was gonna add a scene in which Scott and Cleo found Scar washed up, and they decide to take him in (and bury Grian's body), but it didn't seem necessary in the end. Just know that the "new world" is the Faction Isles, not season 9.

(P.s. it was Scar's comment about "not trusting pesky birds" that essentially fueled this entire fic).

[malarkgirlypop]

MEDIC! Part 31 (Donald Malarkey x Fem!OC)

Oh no trouble in paradise?

Based on the HBO show and the actors who portray the characters, not hate to anyone involved.

Tag list: @imusicaddict, @b00ks1ut , @mstiemountainhop, @awaterfalls anyone else please let me know.

“It’s like the sound of music just came to life.” I whispered to myself as the trucks pulled through Austria. 

I was jealous Julie Andrews got to run around all day in this! The movie didn’t even do justice to the scenic landscape. Rolling green meadows surrounded by the enormous mountains, the crystal clear lake that shimmered in the warm sun. It was ethereal. 

My amazement was shared by the others, as we drove through the small villages everyone’s mouth’s seemed to hang agape. 

On either side of the trucks walking back from where we had come, was the German army, retreating in all their glory. Their heads hung low as they marched out of Austria. 

People whooped and cheered as we drove by them, waving to us. We all waved back with bright smiles on our faces. It was odd to be so warmly welcome, when everywhere else we had been during our travels had been met with such protest. 

A group of young ladies lined the edge of the street blowing kisses to the men. They all seemed so excited with the attention. 

“I think the war is finally over!” Don exclaimed, waving to the women who smiled back at him. 

My stomach clenched. I looked down at my uniform, it wasn’t flattering, not like the pretty dresses the ladies wore. I probably didn’t even look like a girl, sitting here amongst the men. Was I just a welcome distraction in the middle of the war? When there was no one else but men, I was the only girl amongst them. Was that the only reason I was able to capture their attention? 

The smile fell from my lips as I sat back in my chair, I chewed at my lip nervously. This was the end of the war. People would go back to their own lives and move on. But I didn’t have a life to continue here. To be honest I didn’t think I was going to make it to this point. Not that I let myself think that far ahead, I was too busy focusing on the now. But the now has caught up and I have no plan. 

No one seemed to notice that I had withdrawn from the celebration, they were too busy waving and taking in all of the scenery. 

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

I didn’t take much notice of the promotional film flicking across the projector. I was still too busy thinking of what my plan was when this was all finally over and we would have to head back to America. 

The lights turned back on as Don squeezed my leg, “Well that was depressing.” He stood from his position. Malark took my hand and pulled me to my feet, ushering me out of the room. 

“Are you ok?” Don pulled me to the side, brushing his hand across my cheek. 

“I’m fine, just thinking.” I muttered. “I think I need to go for a walk, ok. Clear my head.” 

“Ok, the men wanted to go hunting, so I will be with them. I will find you when I’m back.” I nodded, wrapping my arms around his waist. He squeezed me in tight before he jogged off to see Lieb and the others who were waiting for him. 

***************************          

I walked down the hill towards the lake, it was so warm and the thought of soaking my bones in the water sounded heavenly. I was b-lining for the lake, but I couldn’t help myself when I saw the most ‘Sound of Music’ meadow. 

I set down my bag and walked through the long grass and wildflowers that sprung up from the earth. 

“The hills are alive with the sound of music.” I whispered as I twirled with my arms outstretched. I didn’t know the rest of the song but hummed the tune as I pretended I was a young Julie Andrews. 

I continued my journey down to the lake through the thick trees. I finally came to a clearing, a small isolated cove that opened to my own private beach. The glassy green water lapped softly at the stony shore, while the birds sang sweetly overhead. It was so peaceful it almost didn’t feel real.   

I placed my bag down on the ground, kicking my shoes and socks off as I pulled the rest of my clothes off. I stood in my underwear, but with no wandering eyes I didn’t feel like I had to hide. 

Hobbling down the beach in my bare feet was a task due to the stones that covered the shore. I stepped into the cool water, I didn’t wait to adjust to the temperature leaping forward into the depths. 

I crashed through the surface of the still water, the last time I had been fully submerged in water was after I had killed all those soldiers. I had lost a piece of me that day that I would never get back, my innocence. I could never say I never knew what it was like to take a life, it would be something I had to carry with me for the rest of my life.  

Bubbles rose to the top of the water as I continued my dive, swimming further out into the lake. I finally broke for air after a while, after catching my breath I floated on my back staring up at the clear sky above me. I closed my eyes enjoying the serenity. The quiet had been something I had forgotten, I was forever waiting for the next round of gunfire or series of shells to drop. Would I be forever anticipating artillery that would never come, nerves always set on edge for something that was in the past? 

I shook my head trying to rid the thoughts of warfare from my mind. Though easier said than done. It was something that we all had etched into our minds, not easily forgotten.

Time passed, I was unsure of how much. But when I lifted my head I had drifted a ways away from the beach where I had left all my belongings and the sun had moved further down in the sky. 

Flipping back onto my front I swam back to the cove where I had started. I lifted my head to see how far I had gotten, only to see a figure standing on the beach next to my bag. I treaded water where I was to get a better view of who had found me. 

The man lifted his arm over his head waving. “Em!” Don called, even from out in the water I could make out his cheesy grin. A smile broke out onto my own features, waving back to him from where I was. 

“Babe said you had gone for a swim, I thought I would bring you a towel.” He yelled cupping his hands around his mouth, but it wasn’t needed. His voice echoed around the mountains.   

“You’re so thoughtful. Give me a minute!” I called back before putting my head down and swimming towards the shore. 

Scrambling back up the rocks, I made my way back to my bag where Don was sitting on the ground. But it didn’t feel right, something in the air had shifted. 

Malarkey was hunched over, inspecting an object in his hands. 

I picked the towel up from off the ground, wrapping it around me.

“What are you looking at?” I asked as I dried my face. 

Don glared up at me, confusion and anger in his eyes. 

“Don?” 

“What’s this?” 

He thrusted the thin card under my nose. My heart dropped. It was my driver’s licence.

“Emily Marlena Lane, born 23rd of September 2000.” He read from the card. 

 I opened my mouth but nothing left my lips. 

“Why do you have a fake ID?” Don stood from his position still holding out the card in front of him. 

“I- uh.” I stumbled over my words, this was happening all too fast. I didn’t have a reasonable explanation for him. 

“What else do you have?” 

He didn’t give me a moment to reply, he turned on his heel picking up my bag and turning it upside down. The contents of the bag scattered onto the floor.    

My phone and headphones landed at his feet. I lunged forward to snatch them away but Don was faster. I stood still in fear as he examined the items. He opened the headphone case, plucking out the earbuds. My phone was shut off but he tapped and poked at it, his brows furrowed in suspicion. 

“Don, I can explain.” I tried to reason with him, but it only seemed to piss him off more. 

“Explain why you have a fake ID, a listening device and whatever this is!” He shook my phone in front of my face angrily. 

“Go on then, explain. Explain and then I will tell you my answer.” He hissed, I had never seen him so mad. 

I opened my mouth hoping my brain would take over, but nothing came to me. I just stood there opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water. 

“I’m waiting!” His tone was clipped. 

“I can’t. I can’t explain! But it’s not what you think.” I was desperate, I needed Don to understand that whatever this looked like to him, it wasn’t the truth.

“So you’re not a German spy?” There was no joking in his expression, he believed wholeheartedly that I was a spy. 

“What? No!” I pleaded. 

“I couldn’t put my finger on it, but you’re different. But this explains it all.” Don laughed but it was humourless. 

“You’re a spy. Fucking hell, you are a spy!” The more the words left his lips the more he was convincing himself.      

“Don, I am not a spy.”

“Don’t lie to me, Emily! Christ is that even your real name. Who are you?” Don barked, his finger jabbed into my chest. I staggered back, away from the furious man.

“I-” 

“You are different from the rest of us. You had the perfect cover, your parents are dead, no family, all bullshit. I bet they are all waiting for you back home.”

I shook my head, my features twisting in hurt, but Don didn’t let me get a word in. 

“No one is sending you mail, cause they can’t, they’ll blow your cover. You speak differently too. Wow, you got the accent down pat, but there are a few slip up’s. Your language, the way you speak gives you away. You have different sayings and words that we don’t use. God how did I not notice this!”

“And you knew! You knew about the camps. You said the nurses told you, but I spoke to Doc later that day and he said the nurses knew nothing. So how did you get that information, unless you already knew about it? And you just happened to stumble across our group when we were in Holland, a lost nurse who didn’t know her way. God Em you really played us all for fools!”

Tears brimmed in my eyes, my heart clenched with every accusation. But if I was him I would’ve thought the same thing. That was the only reasonable explanation, but it wasn’t the truth. 

“The Germans when we were in Bastogne knew our exact location. Did you tell them?” 

“No! No! Don, the Germans were literally across the field, even we could see them!” I was choking back tears. 

“No. Sure they knew our position, but they hit Skip and Penk exactly in their hole. Did you tell them the location of their hole?” 

“You think I killed them?” I uttered softly, not believing what I was hearing.    

“You told them! With this!” He held up my phone waving it around like a mad man. 

“I did not! How dare you!”

“It was all an act, give it up Em, I caught you. Stop playing dumb and just tell me the truth, tell me I’m right!” 

“You are so far from the truth Donald. So very fucking far away from it! I am not a German spy, do you really think I'm capable of killing people?” 

“You killed all of those soldiers.” 

My breath hitched in my throat. I know my actions were wrong when I lost control, but for him to bring it up and use it against me hurt so much more. 

“I wasn’t ok. I didn’t even know what I was doing!” I shouted, my voice was trembling with each word. 

“I fucked up! But what kind of spy would kill their own men?” I asked, trying to prove my innocence. 

Don didn’t answer, shaking his head angrily at me. 

“Give me the phone and I will prove to you I am not what you think I am.” I reached out my hand beckoning for my belongings in his possession. 

Malarkey hesitated, looking at the phone then back at me. He gave a defeated sigh and handed it over. 

“The ID you have isn’t fake. The birthday is correct.” I stated, trying to make my voice sound believable. 

“I’m from the future. I was born in 2000, the year I was in before I left was 2023.” 

“Don’t patronise me.” Don growled, he wasn’t buying the story. But it wasn’t a story, it was the truth.   

I held down the power button on the phone waiting for it to turn on. 

“I can show you I’m telling the truth. I know it’s hard to believe, I wouldn’t believe me either.” 

“But for every accusation, I have an answer. You said I spoke funny, that my words were odd. That’s true, they are different because they aren’t from this generation. We have very different vocabularies to you. And I don’t have a family here because they are in 2023, I mean I don’t have a family period, they are all actually dead.” I paused awkwardly, giving an embarrassed smile. 

“But if they were alive they wouldn’t be here in the 1940’s, they wouldn’t even be alive yet. The camp’s I knew about because I learnt about them in high school, everyone does. This war and the things that happened during it are often spoken about due to the atrocities that happened. In my generation we get taught it in history class.” 

With each explanation I gave the more perplexed Don looked. I could see it in his face, him trying to wrap his head around it all. It was an information dump. If I was going to do this properly I wouldn’t have spilled all my secrets immediately, so that he could try to understand. But I was trying to defend myself. I needed to tell him everything so that he could at least know the truth, even if he didn’t believe it.   

“This thing here.” I held up my phone that had finally switched to life. “This is my phone. You know the telephone, you have the one that you, y’know hold the stick part and then talk into the mouthpiece thingy.” I didn’t know how to explain the phone correctly, so I pretended to do the motions of talking on it. 

“The stick phone?” Don asked incredulously, like he was confused at how I didn’t know the correct terminology for common household items. 

“Yeah the stick phone and also the um- the, jesus christ, the one you have to pull around the circle bit.” I looked at him eagerly so that he could tell me what the hell it was called. 

“The rotary?”    

I clapped my hands together, “Yes that!” 

“Anyway, those are this, kind of. I mean it has more than just phone calls.”

“You can call people on that? Where is the wire?” Don sneered down at the small phone in my hands. 

“You don’t need a wire. Anyway that’s not the point, because I have proof here that I’m not a spy.”

Don seemed to be keeping a wide berth from me. He lent over slightly trying to peer down at the phone, but he was too far away.  

“You have to come closer, so I can show you!” I grabbed him hastily by the arms, I felt manic, desperately trying to plead my case to him. 

I turned on the phone, the lock screen appeared. I watched Don’s eyes grow large as if he was seeing magic. “This is a photo of my mother and I, before she passed. And see here this is the time and the date I left my time-” 

“Wait, how did you even get here?” Don said, pausing me mid-explanation. 

“Oh.” I stuttered. I was so caught up in trying to show my phone, I didn’t tell him the most important part. 

I started from the beginning, explaining my whole life up until I fell through the shimmer. Don respectfully listened to the story without asking questions. 

“And now I’m here.” I huffed, out of breath from quickly getting through the events of my time travel. “I can prove all of this on my phone.”

Don looked green. I’m sure all of this was quite a lot to take in, but he was the one who opened this can of worms. 

“Let me just show you this and then we can be done.” I reached out to pat his shoulder, but he recoiled from my touch. I snatched my hand back, trying to stifle the tears that brimmed in my eyes from his actions. 

“Ok, well this is the date. The phone opens with face recognition.” I held the device in front of his face, showing him it didn’t work when it was his features. I held it in front of myself and it unlocked. I went into the calendar app, showing him the date highlighted was the same from on the lockscreen and the year. I opened my photo album, pointing out the date each picture was taken. 

“That’s you?” Don asked, pointing at a photo of me. It was from my graduation, my mother had passed before I was able to finish high school. Before she died she brought me a dress, so that I had her with me in a way. The dress was beautiful, it was a soft green milkmaid dress that fell to my mid shin. It hugged my waist and chest but the skirt of the dress flared out draping down gently. In the photo I had done my makeup, I had done my signature sharp eyeliner and pink blush that made me look sun kissed. I looked like a completely different person, standing here in a towel with wet hair. 

“Yeah, that's me at my graduation.” I confirmed by zooming in on my face. My features held a bright smile, but even in the photo you could see it didn’t reach my eyes. I had still been holding hope that my mother would at least see me graduate before she passed. Having to attend graduation by myself was a kick in the gut. After that I started withdrawing, any friends I had I lost, any connection to the outside world slipped from my fingers. 

“You look so sad.” He said quietly. I didn’t reply too engrossed in the miserable girl on the screen. She was so alone, I just wanted to hug her. 

“That was the worst day of my life.” I cleared my throat.

This wasn’t the point of me showing him these photos, I needed him to believe me. 

I swiped through a couple more. I was dreading going any further back into my photos because most of them were with my mother. I hadn’t looked at those pictures in years, they just hurt so much, I couldn't even bear to look at them.  

“So, do you believe me?”      

“I don’t know.” 

My heart dropped. I was sure after he saw all of this he would have to believe me. I thought that we would walk back together and think of it as some silly misunderstanding. But here Don was standing in front of me, looking at me like I had two heads and slapped his mother in the face. 

I wanted to reach out and beg him to understand me. I had bared my truth and Don turned away. I didn’t know how to approach the conversation as we stood and stared at each other. 

“This was a lot.” 

Don’s words hung in the air. He hadn’t accepted me. I felt as if I could shatter. Crumple inwards and never get up. 

The man I loved so dearly, now didn’t feel the same. My real identity. He didn’t love me.   

Just the other night he had confessed to loving all of me. I guess this wasn’t in the clause. 

“I need time. Please just give me some space.” 

“You can’t tell the others. This is just between you and I.” I confirmed. 

He nodded curtly before striding away. 

I stood staring at the place where he once resided. Not registering all that had transpired. I had never planned to expose myself like this, but it was forced on me. Then I convinced myself that after I had just explained it all Don would understand. 

I felt hollow, numb. I hated feeling so empty. A void. 

Sitting on the stones I stared off into space. I didn’t come too again until it was dark. By this time I had dried completely. I got dressed, picking up the contents of my bag and putting them back. I felt slow and mechanical in my movements, too in my head to really focus on the task at hand. I silently wandered back to base, creeping in a side door and B-lining to my room. 

I curled under my covers, finally letting the dam break, silently sobbing into my pillow until I fell asleep. 

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

Chapter 32

[luvfy0dor]

Hello! I saw you do bsd x Reader it’s a mix of Taylor and I was wondering if you could do a chuuya x gn!reader with maroon by Taylor? Feel free to ignore if it’s too much but I thought it would be nice to request! :3

"So scarlet, it was maroon!!"- Chuuya Nakahara x GN!Reader ੈ♡˳

Warnings; wine, angst, hurt no comfort, brief references to various other Taylor songs, maybe ooc, cursing, no specified topic of argument, reader and Chuuya are both in the wrong

Description; Chuuya x reader fic based on Maroon.

A/n; god I love maroon best midnights song next to mastermind; also help I gotta memorize my affidavit for mock trial within the next 6 days but it's wtv we ball 🫡

Word Count; 3.09k (don't let it scare u pls it's not as much as u think and this is good istg u guys istg)

Fanfiction !! ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

You sat on Chuuyas couch, your body perpendicular from his with your legs resting in his lap. He held a glass of red wine in his hand; the dark color almost resemblant of the thicker, crimson liquid that became concentrated in your cheeks every time your name rolled off of his tongue. As you stared at him while he spoke, the walls and decor of his penthouse faded into nothing more than a blurry background.

"-but I also enjoy rock music." He finishes his sentence that you were there for, yet not present to fully hear; to dazed by his beauty to recognize anything besides the muffled sound of his voice. "Oh, that's cool, so do I. Do you like any artists in particular or..?" You ask, resting your head in your hand that was propped up on the arm of the couch. Hearing him speak was like a beautifully written symphony to you, the sound grabbing your attention and pulling you in like no other.

"Hmm..well, I like Limp Bizkit." He says, taking a sip of his wine. His legs were crossed and one of his arms was set on top of the couch. "What about you?" His head is slightly tilted when he asks this. "Well, I like Linkin Park, but Limp Bizkit is really good, too. I like Nookie." You say. His hand moves from the back of the couch to rub your legs gently as he looks into your eyes. "Yeah, that's a good song, huh?" He murmurs, swirling the wine in his glass ever so slightly. "What a contrast. Older romance songs compared to rock. I think that's kinda cute." You say, a small grin on your face. He furrows his eyebrows and blushes a bit.

"And why would that be cute?" He mumbles, his eyes squinted in curiosity. You shrug, leaning forward a bit more. "I don't know, just is." You say, reaching over to brush some hair out of his face. He smiles a bit and leans into your hand, similar to how a dog would. You find amusement in it and reach your hand up to scratch his head, and to your surprise he doesn't pull away. Instead, he hums in satisfaction and scooches closer to you, the movement making his wine splash against the rounded sides of his glass. "Mn, feels real nice." He mutters.

You pulled him into your body, running your fingers through his hair. He calmly breathes against your neck, pressing soft kisses to the open skin every now and again. After a moment, his head perks up to place a proper kiss on your lips, smiling into the affectionate gesture before getting up and grabbing a cigarette. "I'm gonna go smoke off the balcony, you can come with if ya want." He says, holding the cigarette in-between his lips while he searches his pockets for a lighter. You could tell it was more of a request than an offer from the way he scanned your face, watching for your reaction. You smiled and nodded.

You followed him out onto the balcony, taking in the scenery of the city below the penthouse. The sky above you had a dark pink color to it, other colors swirled into a beautiful mixture before your eyes. You smiled at the sight, leaning over the railing as Chuuya lit his cigarette, shielding the flame from the slight wind with his hand. He took a puff and then leaned over the railing with you.

"Soo, back on the topic of old romance songs. What artists do you like? Elvis?" You ask, staring into his pretty blue eyes, almost enchanted by the color alone. He nods as he takes another puff, exhaling the smoke into the warm spring air. "Elvis is good. I really like Celine Dion, too." He says. You hum and nod, leaning your head against his shoulder. The smoke blows the direction opposite of your face while you watch cars passing by beneath the two of you.

After a couple minutes, Chuuya extinguishes the cigarette in a nearby ash tray. "I have a bunch of vinyls if you're interested in seeing that kind of thing. Theres a lot of different artists, you'll probably find one that you like." He says, his hand snaking around your waist as he guides you inside. You smile and follow him, leaning into his body.

The room he led you to was decorated with numerous book cases, a desk, and a small table. The small table held a record player, and the records themselves were on the shelves. You found yourself awestruck by his large collection, stepping closer to the cases filled with vinyls and some other collectables from various musicians. The shelf was organized by artist in alphabetical order, which you quickly realized as you noticed all of the vinyls you were looking at were by people whose names started with D through H. Your fingertips brushed over the sides of them before you pinched one, pulling it out from in-between all of the other ones.

You observed the thin cardboard in your hands, taking in the women's face in. "Whitney Houston?" You say, flipping it over and looking at the track list. He hums and rests his head on your shoulder while hugging your waist from behind. "Do you not like her or something?" He asks, an amused tone of voice. You slide the vinyl back between the others while shaking your head. "I've just never really listened to her." You say, looking through the shelves some more.

"Ooo, here's Elvis." You say, taking 'Blue Hawaii' off the shelf and slipping the disk out of the case. You bring it over to the player and start the machine up. You start the album on 'Can't Help Falling in Love', the only song you knew well on the album, the soft tunes filling the room. You walk back over to Chuuya, grabbing the hand that didn't occupy his wine glass and playfully twirled him, which extracted a small chuckle from his throat. He sways with you, both of you smiling and giggling as you move around the rather spacious room. You step on his feet a couple of times, but you can tell he doesn't mind.

As the song comes to an end, Chuuya dips you, regardless of height difference. You both giggle a little and he presses a small kiss to your lips before you start to feel a liquid splashing down onto your chest. "Mn-" you hum, bringing the both of you upright by pushing Chuuyas chest backwards a bit. "Aw, I'm sorry doll. I'll be right back, I'll get you a paper towel." He says, setting the glass down, small droplets of wine sliding down the sides. "Oh, alright, thank you." You say, watching him quickly skitter away to the kitchen. You look down at your torso, your eyes immediately falling onto the large burgundy stain that covered your shirt.

You sighed a bit, not mad at Chuuya for spilling it, but slightly annoyed by the dampness of your skin and the cold discomfort it brought. And the stain, ofcourse, but you could feel all of that annoyance slip away when you saw Chuuya re-enter the room, paper towel roll in hand. He ripped of a piece and crumpled it up before dabbing it against your chest, trying to soak up as much of the wine as possible without smearing it. You blushed as he did this, watching his face of concentration.

You could see him trying to sneak a glance up at you as he bit down on his lip gently, finishing cleaning you up the best he could. "Do you..uhm, do you wanna borrow one of my shirts? I can toss that one in the washer if ya want...or you don't have to wear a shirt, either is fine with me." He mumbles, his eyes averted from your face. You think for a moment. "Well, I would never pass up an opportunity to wear your clothing." You say with a grin. He nods and fetches you a shirt from his large closet.

When he returns, he tosses it to you, grabbing the glass he left on the table and quickly drinking the small remainder of wine before walking out; going back into the kitchen with the cup and paper towels. You closed the door and switched your shirt from the stained one to the one Chuuya had so kindly offered. You find him leaned against the counter, scrolling through his phone while waiting for you. His head perks up as he notices your presence, holding out one of his hands.

"Here, toss that to me and I'll stick it in the washer, alright?" You nod and toss him the shirt, him catching it and walking off to start cleaning it, as he promised. He comes back quickly and wraps his arms around your waist, his colder hands snaking underneath the hem of the shirt and pressing against your warmer back. You shiver a little at the contrast in temperature, but you rest your head on top of his and sigh contently. He starts to press kisses to your neck, gently sucking on the skin a couple of times, making you laugh. "Chuuya, I can't pull up to work with hickeys. You're kissing above the neckline of most of my clothing." You say playfully.

He hums against your neck in response, trailing soft little kisses down to your collar bone instead. You roll your eyes a bit. "That works, I guess." You say, feeling him interlock your fingers with his and gently pushing you against the counter. He pulls away and observes the maroon mark, his fingers lightly brushing over it as he smirks. He pokes you gently on your collarbone before speaking. "That one is the most noticable. You're not walking around with your collarbone out like that on the daily, so you'll be fine. You can cover these up, but don't even bother with this one." He says, continuing to grin as he talks.

"Don't worry, I won't." You reassure him. You twirl his hair around your fingers before putting your hand on his neck, guiding him into a loving kiss. You hold him there for a while before you both break away for a moment to get air, only to find your lips crashing together once again. The force between the two of you felt magnetic, almost as if you were unable to pull yourself away from him, your hand sliding from the nape of his neck to his cheek. That feeling that you loved so much; that feeling in which you reveled in. The warmth of his touch and kiss was so pleasantly different from the heat of argumentative moments, which became more common the longer you stayed at his side.

You knew that deep down under that angry facial expression, his caring and gentle personality was lingering, waiting to break through again and embrace you. You could think of no other reasoning for these arguments than the two of you just not being meant to be. You firmly believed that there was nothing wrong with Chuuyas personality, sure he was a little hotheaded, but not hotheaded enough for arguments ending in yelling and crying every week. Seeing his face in his hands in the worst way possible became a common sight, although it never becoming less saddening. His shoulders lightly shook while you peered at him from around a corner after the metaphorical dust of the argument had settled.

The bed grew colder every day, your mind tricking you into feeling the calming aura his body usually emitted while he lay next to you. However, you couldn't shake the undeniable absence of your lover from your mind. You lost sleep over those arguments regularly, even when the two of you returned to affectionate terms. The nights you slept alone in the bedroom, you could feel his presence outside the door, lingering in the hallway while he thought about everything. He thought about the love you both shared, that turned out to be a like carnation or a daisy rather than a rose or orchid. A love that was initially thought of to be so beautiful turned into a treacherous slope of devastation and denial.

The devastation really settled in the morning Chuuya knocked on the door of the bedroom where you slept, tears staining your face from the night before. The only thing you could remember about the argument was that it started with the both of you agreeing to sit down and calmly talk. The 'calm talk' turned into blame shifting on both sides as to why these arguments were becoming so much more frequent. You were both in the wrong, yet far to stubborn to apologize in the moment, which is why you thought he was knocking to tell you he was sorry. However, it turned out to be quite the opposite.

"Y/n." His voice called out to you as he gently opened the door all the way. You rolled over to face him, sniffling. Your nose was still stuffy, too. Chuuya could clearly see the remnants of the argument on your face and he almost felt a pang of guilt in his heart, but he proceeded to talk. "I need you to leave."

You had never been snapped out of your drowsiness so quickly, immediately sitting upright. "What? Why? Chuuya, if this is about the argument, we can fix this, I promise I'll calm down this time-" you start to ramble a bit, but he cuts you off quickly. "We both say that every single time we fight and it is clearly doing nothing for us." He mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and pointer finger. Your shoulders slumped, you couldn't believe his words.

"Well, how about counseling?" You mutter, sadness evident in your eyes as your heart sunk to your stomach. "No, counseling is going to do no more for us than we can." Your lip started to quiver a bit, but you bit down on it as you angrily stood up from the bed, tossing the covers aside. "Chuuya, do you even want this relationship anymore?" You say, a lump starting to form in your throat as you tried to sound as serious and purposeful as possible. Chuuya only stared at you for a moment. "I think you know the answer to that." His face was serious, too. You exasperatedly huff.

"Fine. I'll leave." You say, grabbing a suitcase from the closet and laying it on the bed before rummaging through the clothing racks and drawers for as much of your stuff as you could fit. "I'll give you a minute." He says, exiting and closing the door behind him, leaving you alone with your angry thoughts. You huffed and puffed while shoving clothing and other essentials together in the black luggage, sniffling as you did so. The sound of your tears hitting the canvas made a soft 'tap' noise, which filled the momentary silence in between your sobs.

When you finished, you carried the case out of the bedroom, out of the living room and hesitated at the elevator doors. You slid the key to his penthouse off of your keyring and dropped it onto the coffee table he sat at while you waited for the elevator to arrive. He said nothing to you while you stood there, barely sparing you a passing glance. The wait was awkward, the silence only worsened it, making the elevator walls you had always found annoyingly boring look like the pearly gates of heaven. You leaned against the side of the small space while you waited for it to hit ground floor. When it did, you immediately looked up hotels nearby. You called a taxi and made your way to the closest one. The entire way there, you hoped and prayed for a message from Chuuya, one that asked you to come back; one that you wouldn't receive. Even though it would be very inconvenient, you would turn around from a thousand mile journey if it meant making things up with him.

Your mind flashed back to the days and nights spent with him, how couldn't he see that the happy moments you shared outweighed the negative ones by a ton? You didn't know, and it hurt you to think about it any longer. You wiped your tears before stepping out of the vehicle and renting a hotel room. The hotel wasnt the worst thing ever, which was great because you were nervous about not being able to get a last minute room. You tossed your suitcase to the side after inspecting the room to make sure no one was hiding in there or anything and flopped down onto the mattress, bouncing a bit. You gripped onto the blanket and just let the tears flow from your eyes.

The only sound coming from your parted lips were groans and sobs as you rolled over, the blanket no longer muffling your cries. You were aware of how pitiful the sight of you would be to any outsider, but you couldn't help but bawl. You had just lost someone so important to you, so near and dear to your heart in the blink of an eye. You're lost in your thoughts before you can feel the exhaustion from your crying and emotional stress wash over you. This only aids you in slipping into a light, yet peaceful and dreamless sleep.

When you awoke, your first thought hit you like a bus, though. You immediately looked around in confusion before remembering you could never return to the penthouse you once considered to be home for anything other than your left over belongings. Especially not for him.

Your hands immediately fell over your face, your chest tightening as if you were about to cry again, but you were far too dehydrated for that. You were left laying on the hotel bed, so many pent up feelings but not enough water in your system to cry and not enough motivation to get up and get any. You reached over for your phone to try and distract yourself, but you would feel these emotions no matter what and you knew that. You cursed yourself for not just apologizing, even though he didn't apologize either, but none of that mattered any more. He was gone, he had left you, running from the relationship like water runs down a stream.

A/n #2; i dunno how I feel about writing angst. Oh, also, I know it's probably "that's a real fuckin legacy to leave" without a comma but the comma makes it so much more dramatic and I'm dramatic so.

That's a real fuckin' legacy, to leave.

[shiki-aki]

Do you know how much Akira being Shiki's caretaker and guardian means so much for me in ED1?

Because being caretaker is so frustating (believe me I was the main caretaker for my late grandma in her last months and it isn't easy), I have to be patient to ny grandma who had dementia and regressed to be childish and likes to throw temper tantrum, my mental health went to the sewer, i barely manage to take care myself, my life is falling apart, im sleep deprived, i feel alone, there is many times i want to run away but i have obligation and i loved her so much to abandon her. She was like a second parent to me

My situation with Akira isn't the same, Akira doesn't have to deal Shiki throwing tantrum but he had to deal assassinations going after them in an POST-APOCALYPTIC WORLD WITH NO HEALTHCARE AND STABLE PLACE AND LITTLE TO NO FOOD??? THAT SPEAK SO MUCH DEDICATION, AKIRA DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO TAKE CARE OF SHIKI AFTER WHAT HE HAD DONE?! HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH SHIKI'S SHIT ANYMORE AND LEFT HIM TO DIE BUT NO. THIS MAN JUST STAY WITH HIM

ALSO SANITATION

Sorry, for the capslock, I got excited for a moment...

Ig this speak so much i liked the ED1 too

I definitely wasn't expecting to wake up to this, but thank you so much for this ask, I really loved reading about your experience and how ED1 resonates with you <3.

(Putting a 'read more' because my response is quite lengthy and treads into meta territory)

I don't have any experience with being a caretaker but gosh that sounds so stressful T_T. I really hope you're doing better now, and that hopefully your grandma was still able to live her life peacefully until the end. To be honest, when I think about ED1, I don't really consider the more sad/distressing aspects of it, like Akira having to be on the run with Shiki for 2 years and doing everything for him, so this was a bit of an eye opener for me. I did write an ED1 fic where it kind of detailed their life while on the run, but it wasn't that depressive, and instead focused on Akira's bittersweet feelings toward Shiki TwT.

But same, I really love how dedicated Akira is to taking care of Shiki in ED1. I think that, no matter what, Akira is the determined type of person who won't give up. He already experienced what it was like to lose Keisuke, so he doesn't want to lose Shiki, either. And I know I haven't finished my meta yet but I'll just spill a bit of my thoughts for why Akira follows Shiki in ED1:

Shiki was the one to bring back Akira's will to live when Akira was at the lowest point in his life. If Shiki hadn't found him in that alleyway, Akira would've let himself get killed by any random Igra fighter. Shiki's route is different from Motomi's/Rin's in that Akira actually sees Keisuke die in front of him, while in the other two, Keisuke just runs off, so Akira clings onto the vain hope that Keisuke is still alive. Yeah it's fucked up how Shiki went about bringing back Akira's will to live, but let's be real, that's exactly the type of character he is lol, and what I love about it is how it makes sense for him to kidnap Akira and rape him, based on Shiki's obsession with Akira's determined and defiant nature.

So now, when Shiki is at the lowest point in his life and has lost the will to live, it's Akira's turn to do the same for Shiki and force him to continue living. Which is why he sticks by Shiki's side for 2 years even when life seems absolutely miserable. (GOD I FUCKING LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH I JUST SFDGHFDHGHSDFHSDFHSDH they really get each other tbh).

But even though life seems miserable, Akira doesn't view it that way (and this is also why Shiki's ED1 is my favorite and why I personally think it's the one that most beautifully completes Akira's character arc). Like look at this:

It's so starkly different from Akira's POV at the beginning of the game. When Akira was in the CFC, he didn't care about anything and he certainly didn't wax poetic about the scenery (not that the scenery in CFC is pretty but like, you get what I mean lol). We can tell Akira is different in ED1, that his very philosophy is different, because he's looking at life from a new perspective now, taking the time to appreciate the nature around him and just... the simple fact of being alive. Whereas at the start of the game, Akira didn't see a meaning to his own life and was living just because. In Shiki's ED1, Akira does see a meaning to life, and it's why he takes care of Shiki and protects him. Because he finally understands how valuable life is, and how you should cherish it.

But I'm gonna go back to the tunnel scene real quick to touch upon what exactly Shiki said that changed Akira's perspective and made Akira want to follow him:

Akira, his whole life, was looking for a purpose/meaning to his existence, and now he's finally "found" it, but not in the way he expected. After learning about his own past/backstory and how he was experimented on in the past, Akira starts thinking that the only reason for his existence is to be a test subject/experiment, and that his blood dictates his existence. He starts having an identity crisis basically, especially since he already saw how his blood hurts/kills people (Rein users, Takeru, Keisuke), and that the whole reason for why Emma and Gwen wanted to capture him was for his blood so he could be further experimented on.

So Akira starts falling into this hole, thinking that his worth in life is only determined by his blood. And then he turns to Shiki and asks if Shiki wants to kill him, because he expects Shiki to view him as only the "null-Nicole carrier" and not Akira as a person. He knows that Shiki hated Nano for having a virus in his blood, and Akira also has a virus in his blood, even if the effect is different. So he fully expects Shiki to kill him at this moment.

And then Shiki tells him: "You're mine. That's all there is to it."

Shiki says exactly the right words Akira needed to hear at this time. He's not going to kill Akira, because he doesn't view him for his blood, but for who he is as a person. Now let me make it clear that Shiki isn't the most emotionally intelligent person out there lol but I think, even during this moment, he saw how conflicted Akira was feeling about his own existence, especially with regards to the blood thing.

So Shiki... comforts him in his own special way by saying that he won't kill Akira because Akira is his possession, but also remember that Shiki made Akira his possession in the first place because he was interested in Akira as a person. When he kidnapped Akira, it was because he was fascinated by Akira's resistance and defiance and determination. This is as close to Shiki saying he likes Akira for who he is as you're gonna get, and what I love about this dialogue is how it keeps Shiki entirely in-character. He's not gonna coddle Akira or sugarcoat his words, and he's also going to hide his true feelings by saying that Akira is just his possession, but his true feelings are there in how he refuses to kill Akira. Because again, he views Akira as his own person, and not just as someone carrying a dangerous virus in his blood.

I'M GONNA STOP HERE BEFORE I RAMBLE TOO MUCH BUT. Let me just add this one last scene from the game to end it off on this point lol.

Shiki had told him who he was: that he remained Akira, no more, no less, despite the tainted blood in his veins. That was why Akira had chosen to stay, to be as near as he could to the core of who Shiki was.

At the end of the day, this is what I love about Shikiaki. This is why I ship them so hard. Because they truly understand each other, they see each other for the "core of who they are" and are drawn to each other's character traits. Shiki dedicated his whole life to killing Nano because of the "dirty virus" in Nano's blood, but him refusing to kill Akira even after learning about how Akira has the same blood origin speaks VOLUMES about how fond he actually is of Akira, and how he views Akira as his own person.

And I feel like, at the end of it all, Akira just wanted someone to understand him and see him for who he is. He had a difficult time communicating with others his whole life because people didn't like his terse and reserved nature (even his own best friend didn't like that side of him). But Shiki doesn't care about Akira's emotionally stunted nature; he cares about how Akira is determined, stubborn, prideful, and how he doesn't take shit from anyone lol. And Shiki likes every side of Akira. His route is the only one where Akira didn't have to drastically change his personality just to make the romance work, but Akira's pre-existing character traits were strengthened over the course of Shiki's route.

*TAKES DEEP BREATH* OKAY YEAH SORRY I RAMBLED A LOT THERE and that's not even all my thoughts tbh, that's just like. A third of it LMAO. I'm saving the rest for my meta.

But okay going back to your ask, yeah the sanitation aspect is one that I don't want to think too heavily on lmao. I think it just speaks to how much Akira cares for Shiki though, that he would help "clean" Shiki up, and how again, Akira is doing all of this because he recognizes how precious life is, so he won't abandon Shiki, because Shiki didn't abandon him back in Toshima.

NO DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR BEING EXCITED ABOUT ED1 I LOVE THIS ENDING SO MUCH I LOOOOVE TALKING ABOUT IT. I ALWAYS END UP WRITING A WHOLE ASS ESSAY WHENEVER PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT IT. I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIKE ED1 AS WELL, I feel like many Shikiaki shippers hated ED1 back then because it was so sad, but I feel like in recent times people understand and appreciate ED1 for what it is? And that makes me happy ig lol, like don't get me wrong I adore all of Shiki's EDs but ED1 is just. IT HITS DIFFERENT. And I hope that in my meta I'll be able to explain why ED1 is just the perfect ending for Shiki and Akira's story despite how sad and angsty it is sfhsdhfhdghfdghgffdg.

Thank you so much for the ask and I'm sorry I wrote a long ass response in reply omg I was just really excited reading your thoughts!!!

[dumpsterfire-daydreams]

Battle plans, protective König, protective Price, soldier König, soldier Price, TW: Physical Violence, TW: Sexual Assault, TW: Attempted rape, TW: Groping, TW: Forced orgasm, TW: Implied Physical Violence, TW: Kidnapping, TW: Hostage situations, TW: Physical Abuse

(Part 2)

König POV:

There was no further conversation as the forest swallowed them whole. Both passengers were silent, rehearsing their training in their heads or perhaps whispering prayers as they flew past the trees. When they were about half a mile out, Price pulled over and shut off the engine.

"We go the rest of the way on foot," he said, jumping out of the car and not waiting before picking his way through the underbrush. But there was no need to wait. König was right behind him.

The scenery was beautiful and peaceful. A few birds called out from somewhere in the distance. And the sun was high in the sky, filtering down through the treetops like tiny, golden spotlights. König could see why Ghost had chosen this place as a retreat whenever he needed it. It was the kind of place that settlers would have told fantastical legends about. The kind of place that could soothe any troubled mind. But König was far from feeling peaceful. Perhaps it would forgive the violence that would soon descend on its tranquil haven and grant him peace afterwards. One could only hope.

As the cabin started to come into view, the pair crouched low in the tall grass. Price looked back and gave König a series of quick hand signals. And after König nodded, they each swiveled and slipped away into the foliage in opposite directions. Price wanted him to sweep the eastern side of the structure while he did the same around on the western one. König moved like a shadow, whispering through the perimeter and scanning for any clues it held for him. Ghost's jeep was prominently parked out front, so neither party needed to be told that their target was definitely in the general area.

The cabin was well-kept and modern. There was a small front porch that contained a wooden loveseat. At its foot sat an ashtray that bore the smoldering remains of a cigarette. Ghost wasn’t just in the area. He was undoubtedly just inside.

Beside the bench was the main entry to the cabin, a wooden door set between two windows. As König continued his arc around the property, he could map out a rough outline of the cabin’s layout. A common area just beyond the front door, most likely containing a small kitchen or dining room. Past that, there was a small window with frosted glass set a bit higher in the wall. Most likely a bathroom. And then past that, there was another normal window. It had plain-looking curtains that framed it inside. And based on their positioning, they granted König a narrow view into the cabin. He saw a flicker of movement and could faintly hear voices from inside. One was male. And the other was female. And he recognized both.

König had to resist stopping right then and there to take aim. But he continued on his way. This was just an assessment to gather intel and Price would soon meet him a bit further down to compare notes. The real work would come afterwards when they formulated a plan of attack. Jumping the gun now could very likely get someone hurt. Or even killed.

As König crept around to the back of the building, he found the back wall where the cabin ended. No windows there, just a plain surface of conjoined wooden panels. A few paces from it was a wooden stump where Ghost likely sat to sharpen knives or clean his firearms. Beside it sat a few oil stones, an empty ammunition box, and a dirty rag.

Having reached their agreed meeting point, König backed a bit further back into the trees and waited. After a few seconds, Price silently came into view beside him. They both kept their eyes trained on the cabin as the shared intel in short, hushed whispers.

"Main entry." König began, reporting his findings. "Bathroom about five paces past. One bedroom window, curtains parted. Movement detected. Voices, one male and one female."

Before Price could respond, he they both froze and raised their weapons when they detected movement on the other end of the clearing. Off in the distance, König could make out tiny twitches of movement just within the coverage of the tree line. But an urgent hand signal communicated that their company was friendly. Their backup had arrived and a swarm of armed figures crouched in the shadows, weapons at the ready. From what he could see, no other members of 141 were among them and it was probably for the best. If it wasn't for their ability to almost shut down any emotions the mission brought, both König and Price would be deemed compromised and potential risks to their mission. But having to brief the rest of the team of the situation and then hoping they all stayed level-headed wasn't worth the added stress. Right now, they needed as few variables on the table as possible. So Price raised a hand, motioning for them to stay back and hold their position. After ensuring they complied, Price recited his own intel to König rapid-fire.

"Entry point. One window to the kitchen, over a sink. One window to the bedroom, curtains open. Movement detected. Voices, one male and one female. Eyes on target, armed. Eyes on hostage, unarmed and restrained."

König didn't have to utter a word in question, his eyes holding every fear that spun in his mind. Just how bad was it? How was she restrained? Was she hurt? Was he hurting her right now?

Suddenly a shrill scream rang out from inside the cabin, abruptly piercing the former silence and making König’s blood run like ice in his veins. He tensed, wanting nothing more than to break cover and make whatever caused her scream to stop. But he set his jaw and gave Price a frantic glance as another blood-curdling scream rang out.

Price immediately drew his pistol and gave König a curt nod. He motioned first to himself and then to König before turning, silently creeping back towards his side of the cabin.

König did the same, claiming a well-concealed spot that faced the bedroom window. Without a sound, he positioned his rifle and fell to the ground in a prone position. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tucked the butt of the rifle against his shoulder, but he took a deep breath and lowered his eye to the scope. Price’s silent command was clear. König would wait until the captain initiated fire. That would be his signal. Then, he would follow suit and take Ghost down.

As he waited, König let his finger rest against the trigger and honed in on the gap in the curtains. He could see a shoulder. Then Ghost drifted into view and stepped directly into his crosshairs, his back facing him. The urge to take the shot was incredibly strong, but it immediately vanished when he saw something else move. And at the edge of his scope, he saw a familiar tuft of curly hair peek into view. But he saw Ghost’s shoulders twist one way before reversing the motion in a swift jerk. König's brief glimpse of Y/n flew out of sight in time with Ghost's movement, immediately followed by a loud groan of pain. König cursed under his breath, biting his lip and tasting blood as he realized Ghost had just struck her across the face. Hard.

His trigger finger was starting to twitch impatiently. König tried to focus on slowing his breathing to keep his aim from drifting even a hair. They would only get one shot at this. One opportunity to use the element of surprise before the risk of casualties sharply rose. After saying a silent prayer, König slowly exhaled and braced to fire. And he prayed that wherever Price was, that he’d open fire sooner rather than later.

I know this story includes some pretty dark themes. But at the end of the day, I care more about the well-being of my readers than I do for hits or kudos. Period. I never want my writing to conjure up emotions or feelings that negatively impact you beyond the story. This story can be dark and uncomfortable at times. But it is always intended strictly for fun and fantasy. If at any point along the way it stops being a pleasurable experience, please please close this page and walk away. My stories are never worth your well-being, loves.