#the snail in my ear keeps saying ‘he can go smaller’

[cadriox]

How to draw Chilaios by me

[lomlwintersoldier]

Break Me Down II

Masterlist | Part 1

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: oof more sexual tension, mechanic!bucky

A/N: i wrote this over and over again and i realized it wasn’t working because I was trying to fit it al into 2 parts sooo....there will be a third part to tie all this up <3 

Since that day in the gym with you, Bucky can’t seem to get you out of his head. He finds that when he turns a corner, a part of him hopes he’ll run into you, to repeat the fleeting moments he’d had with you before. When he enters a room, his heart jumps in the half second it takes to find you, and when his eyes do land on you, it’s like he can hardly breathe. You’ve gotten under his skin and all the denial he felt previously about his feelings for you had disappeared. Your smile, your laughter, your darkening eyes when you're serious, and the way you look at him...he could bask in your stare forever. 

But, he can’t let on his feelings to you just yet so instead he chooses to work on the 1965 Ford Mustang that’s been sitting in his garage for weeks. He missed getting his hands greasy while he was dating Serena, she’d typically preferred when he focused all his energy on her so his own interests, such as fixing up “vintage” cars (seriously, he was older than this car by like 30 years) took a backseat. 

He heads down to the old, leftover garage at the back of the compound where he kept his beauty away from Tony’s Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches knowing the billionaire would make fun of him for having a relatively cheap and ordinary car. 

It’s pleasant to be out in the sun, working on his car, bathing in the summer heat as a light breeze blows through him every few minutes; it reminds him of the times he’d worked on various cars back in the day. Modern cars were so different from the old clunkers he used to fix up so it was a learning curve, but it wasn’t long before he fell into his rhythm and the hours passed like minutes.

It’s mid afternoon by the time he realizes he’s stuck on one of the final parts of the job. His hands, albeit expert and surprisingly delicate, were too big to get to the parts he needed deep in the hood of the car, and he sighs in frustration. He leans over the hood, hands gripping either side as he chews on the toothpick in his mouth quizzically.

Then, he has a wonderful idea.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   “Ms. Y/N, Mr. Barnes is requesting your presence in the garage.” F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s voice booms over the intercom, startling you from the book you were reading. 

“What? What does he need me for?” You inquire intently as you sit up on the couch, pushing the throw blanket that enveloped you away from your heated skin. 

“He simply requested your help. The task is undetermined,” her feminine yet robotic voice replies. 

Your heart jumps a bit although you can’t fathom what he could need your help with. Following that day in the gym, you’d found yourself holding your breath whenever you passed the common room, the kitchen, his room, just hoping that you could get a glimpse of him. You wanted his hands on you, to breathe his air, to look into those eyes again. 

And it appears you now have that opportunity.

The walk down to the garages feels endless and you find yourself walking quickly, too quickly. You didn’t want to seem as eager as your speed would show so you slow down to a snail's pace until finally, you reach the side of the compound you’re sure you’ll find him in.

You see him before he sees you and...damn. Does he look enticing. 

His back faces towards you as he bends over the hood of the vintage red car he’s working on, the white tank top he’s wearing gloriously displaying the black and gold arm the Wakandan’s gave him. Sweat glints on the exposed skin and you resist the urge to bit your lip. When he turns, a wide smile crosses his face and you suddenly feel like your cheeks are on fire. 

“Hey, doll,” Bucky calls out to you as you stride over. “Think you can help me sus out this problem with the engine?” 

You look at him quizzically as you plant your hands on your hips, glancing at the cherry red car before you. “I don’t really know anything about cars…” 

He grins, straightening up as he wipes his grease-covered hands on the towel he has tucked in the waistband of his jeans. “Don’t worry, you don’t need to.” 

“I just need your hands,” he holds his flesh hand out for you, daring you to take it with a smirk on his face. 

“Come on, doll,” he laughs. “It’s not hard.”

You roll your eyes before placing your hand in his. Gently leading you by the hand to the front of the car, Bucky points at the mess of black parts that rest under the rather simplistic hood. “There's a part under here,” he gestures towards the left side of the car, “that I can’t get to. Hand’s too big.” He raises his large metal hand and wiggles his fingers playfully. A surprised laugh escapes your lips. “This is what you asked me to come out here for?” You ask incredulously.  “Do you know how far this place is from the main building?”

“You have small hands,” he chuckles as he takes your hand and presses his palm to yours, spreading your fingers to match his and he’s right. Your hands are far smaller than his.

But now, hand pressed to his, you're abruptly aware of his presence, of his large and imposing body that towers over you as he stares intently into your eyes. Locks of his dark hair have fallen out of his bun and frame his face, the strands so close to tickling your cheek. Your eyes drop to his lips and you think, I could just….he’s right here….

“We should fix this car,” you exclaim, breaking both of you out of the moment as you drop your hand from his. You spin away leaning both your hands on the car, focusing very hard on the engine in front of you. 

You can practically hear the smile in Bucky’s voice when he says, “alright doll, I need you to wiggle those pretty little fingers down...here.” 

He places your hand over where he wants you to go as he rests his other hand on your hip. Trying to not be too distracted by his touch, you follow his instructions, reaching through the tight crevice he was unable to worm his digits between. 

“Now take...this,” Bucky murmurs against your ear as he presses his chest to your back, handing you a part with the hand that just moments ago rested on your waist. He smells of sandalwood and cypress, a deliciously intoxicating aroma that is just wholeheartedly Bucky.

As you work, you realize you no longer have autonomy over your limbs. Your hands have become his as if you’re a marionette and he, the expert puppeteer. He guides you through the process, never letting your body move more than a few inches away from his as you listen intently to everything he whispers to you. 

As you connect the last part, you circle around to face him, parting yourself from his chest. In response, he leans forward, practically caging you in against the car. Breaths intermingle, hearts beat faster. 

Fuck it, you think. 

Without stopping to contemplate the choice you’re about to make, you lean up onto your toes, connecting your lips to his with a fervor that initially catches him off guard, but he quickly sinks into your kiss, his scorching hands falling to your waist as he pulls you against him. His tongue forces its way into your mouth as you entangle your fingers in his hair, almost pulling it as you fight for dominance. 

This kiss is filled with all the tension you’ve felt over the last couple of weeks, a desperate result of the stolen glances and held breaths in each others presences. So close and so far at the same time but now, in this moment, there is only the two of you, existing in perfect sync as you ride out this impatient longing together. 

When you finally pull away, you’re out of breath, but you leave your arms tangled around his neck as his drop to your hips, resting lowly enough that his fingers graze your ass.

“What was that?” He laughs as he brushes a strand of hair from your face.

“You were getting too cocky,” you smirk as you push away from him, beginning to strut away the same way he did with you all those days before but you’re suddenly yanked back by the hand. Faster than you can react, he's got you enveloped in his arms and he’s walking you backwards until your back hits the cold cement wall of the garage.

“What’re you-” Bucky cuts your words off by crashing his lips to yours. 

While the kiss was passionate before, there’s suddenly a need, an urgent craving that you can practically feel brewing beneath his skin, a hunger so deep you’re unsure you can satisfy him. His hands come up to cup your cheeks, keeping you so tightly pressed against him that you’re almost certain no one else exists, it’s Bucky, it’s just Bucky. All of him is almost overwhelming. This kiss is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before, it sets your body on fire, ignites electricity in your veins and leaves you frantically reaching for more.  

“Was I, doll?” He murmurs heatedly against your lips. “Was I too cocky for you?” 

His hips dig into yours and you tear your face from his, breathless and gasping for air. He wastes no time in moving to your neck, sucking and kissing and biting, earning your quiet moans as he gyrates his pelvis to yours. Your legs have gone weak and the only thing keeping you standing is his waist pressed between your legs.

“Bucky!” You exclaim when he bites the sensitive skin just above your collarbones particularly hard. He takes your cry as a signal to move back up to your lips, giving you one last, harsh kiss before pulling away. 

But this time he doesn’t walk away. He keeps you pressed forcefully against him, the fiery heat between the two of you voraciously palpable as both of you try to catch your breath. 

“Come up to my room,” you breathe as you tangle your fingers in his hair once more. His eyes fix on yours, his brow furrowing as your lips part in hunger, wanting more, wanting him. 

“You sure you want that, baby?” His right, flesh hand cups your cheek and you see a tinge of real concern in his eyes, despite the bravado in his voice.

Instead of responding, you lean up and gently bite the soft skin of his neck, earning a groan from his delicious mouth. 

“More than I’ve ever been.” 

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

Next Part: Coming soon! <3

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[delldarling]

diving stars | hior

male bog mummy x male reader 3754 words citrus | mild description of death, minor mention of blood, mild description of mummy having stitches (though not getting them), kissing, implied future relationship test match-up: Waaaayyyy back when, I decided I should try my hand at some match-ups. I wanted a unique experience for those coming to me for commissions, and so went through several versions of a 'choose your own adventure' kind of personality questionnaire. Matt, or @severedreamerbeard, was one of the people lovely enough to let me test out my match-up process! Thank you a whole gosh darn bunch Matt, for letting me do so in the first place, and I'm going to heap on extra thanks because I've been such a snail about it! <3

————-　🌠　————-

Much of the bog is a terrible endless black, with nothing to reflect but the cloud covered nighttime sky. Scrubby, dried grass circles the edges of the water, the torchlight making their flickering shadows look like creeping, growing thorns across the opaque surface, ready to snag the unwary and drag them down into the depths. There’ll be no coming back out of that dark water, Hior knows, not once he’s been pushed in.

I’ll close my eyes before I go under, he silently promises, though either way he supposes it shouldn’t matter much. The last thing his body sees will only ever be darkness. He swallows, tucks auburn hair behind his ears, calloused fingers catching at his skin, and pastes on a grim smile, turning to face the gathered people. He can’t linger any longer, no matter how much he would like to, not if he wants the rest of the village to make it through this. Not many of them have gathered, either. Just enough to see the ritual through to the end. Honestly, it’s better this way. If his brother had been allowed to leave the defenses, then Hagan would have interrupted Mother Gree, ritual or not. He would have tried to stop her, tried to stop Hior, even if it meant the loss of the village.

Hagan will be angry.

Hior sweeps his eyes over the surrounding villagers, their frightened faces and trembling hands, their teary eyes reflecting the torches in the misty dark. Hagan will be angry, but the fact of the matter is that he will still be alive to hold onto that anger. Hior can’t find it within himself to regret that.

There’s no time for being maudlin, Hior tells himself, and his smile becomes a bit too wide, stretching painfully at the corners.

This will be the last he ever sees of the village if the Gods deem his offering worthy, but that’s alright. Really. As long as he knows the village will be protected, as long as he knows that his people will do their best to endure, he's willing to fight his way through the Beyond and stay there.

Mother Gree begins to speak in a rough, ragged voice, worn through by years of pipe smoke and leaning over heavily herbed fires. Her words—the spell, the prayer—drape themselves around Hior’s shoulders like a heavy blanket, sweeping away the tension of his worries and the fear of the crowded villagers. Hior’s smile softens.

Mother Gree’s only warning is the icy grasp of her fingers, twisting sharply into the hair at the nape of Hior’s neck. The blade pinches. Wet heat spills down his throat and over his chest, soaking his clothes as he begins to fall backward.

Overhead, the clouds part, and a fierce rumbling fills the air, punctuated by sharp screams. A star, smaller than a pebble, but more brilliant by far than any flickering fire, falls out of the sky. It dives after Hior’s falling body, following him down into the depths of the bog.

The last thing Hior sees is light.

————-　🌠　————-

It’s midday, or just after, and there are odd shapes in the clouds, like reaching hands backlit by the sunshine. The shifting shades of them make it look like they’re trying very hard to break through the atmosphere, a primordial being grabbing for mortals like marbles. The wind picks up, and the flicker of pale warmth and the cloud hands are blown swiftly away, hidden by a tumult of grey and violet. It shouldn’t rain for hours yet, it’s not supposed to, but you’re starting to doubt the truth of the weather forecast. The sky is very clearly telling all watchers that a storm is on the way.

And here you are: distractedly doing your best to carefully skirt the edges of dreary, muddied water, hunting for a folktale. There are weak spots throughout the area, and one wrong step will have the ground turning to mush underfoot. Which, while fitting with the tales, is the last thing you’d ever want. Risk of drowning aside, all the local stories claim that it's your soul you really need to worry about, or you'll be trapped for eternity as 'a ghost given solid form'.

In other words, from what you’ve pieced together, that might mean something like a zombie?

Water sloshes, lapping strangely at the grassy shore and pulling you clean away from your thoughts. You know you shouldn't linger with the storm on the way, but something about the water keeps you from getting more than a few paces past. The noise, rising steadily, almost bubbling, draws you closer even as tension weighs down your steps. Whatever might be down there, you doubt it's anything pleasant, and you’ve had stories of zombies running through your head all afternoon. You edge closer anyway.

The shore grows terribly soft underfoot the closer you get, and it looks like something is struggling just under the surface, wriggling, a bit like—the water fountains. It soaks your shoe and the hem of your pant leg, while icy droplets speckle over your shirt and face. For a moment, a breath, your eyes fall closed as you attempt to wipe the water away. Something smooth and cold grabs hold of your ankle, yanking your foot forward so you slam back into the ground, a quick burst of pain flares in the back of your skull. Fingernails dig into your skin. You can’t remember shouting, can’t remember a loud noise, but your ears are ringing, adrenaline rocketing through your veins as the hand—the literal hand—heaves with all it’s might, pulling you towards the water. You scrabble backwards, you kick, trying to get free, but the arm tenses, fingers curling tighter around your ankle, heavier than iron. You haven’t gotten loose, but you’re starting to pull whatever is in the water out as you struggle.

The water burbles and the haze of panic begins to clear. This isn’t a story. Someone has just grabbed hold of you. They’re not trying to pull you in, they just want you to pull them out. Because they’re trapped. You suck down air, scrabbling at the hand wrapped around your ankle, trying to get them to grab hold of your wrist instead. Their skin is strange under your touch, hard and smooth and fragile, like flowers dipped in paraffin.

A head finally crests the water, a choking, wheezing noise filling the air as liquid cascades off of his body. His breath sounds wrong though, and his cheeks are hollowed, hair and skin stained with peat. He releases the death grip he has on your ankle, bony, wet fingers smacking against your arm so you can grab hold and pull. His other hand twists into the scrubby grass, ripping handfuls of it free as he does his best to work with your desperate bid to get him out of the bog. And then a few startling things happen all at once.

Your eyes drop to his throat and the wide, old injury spanning the entirety of his throat, stitched shut with a pale cord. His eyes snap open. An eerie light gleams in his eye sockets and you do shout this time, words tripping over themselves as you give up on holding him to try and yank yourself out of his grasp. Lightning quick flashes of the zombie stories and a variety of undead flicker through your mind. He’s too strong for you, you can't push him off, even with the wasted-looking muscles of his arms. He holds on terribly tight, knees and calves and feet splashing in the water and sliding through the slick scrub grass. You continue to try to get his hands off of you, breath coming far too fast, but he lets go as soon as he’s clear of the water. His hands fall away, clutching at your thigh for balance before he finally removes his hands from you entirely. He drops to the grass, retching, and then grabs at his own throat. The tie keeping his hair back crumbles, falling away like drying clay, and though most of his hair is still slick and dark with peat, it looks like it’s normally a bright coppery red underneath the muck.

He wheezes again, hands hovering over the injury, fingers feather soft over the strangely clean stitches. After a moment, he lifts his chin, spotlight eyes roving over your face with awe.

"..you..you answered?" He asks, voice warped by withered musculature. His stained cheeks stretch, a painfully tight smile exposing teeth that don't look altogether human. They're even, and clean, but they gleam with a deep blue patina, as if they’re actually polished stones. “I—I must conf-fess,” he rasps, hands falling to his knees, nails digging into the tattered trousers barely clinging to his body, “I doubted. I..” He leans forward, gasping once more as he stares at the ground. “He answered,” he whispers, and his eyelashes flutter, the light of his eyes flickering. Despite his apparent frailness, despite his inattention, you can't bring yourself to run away now. You’re caught, the desire for knowledge outweighing the potential danger. “What would you ask of me?” He breathes, and your heart twists painfully in your chest. He sounds wretched, reverent and fearful, both, anxiously waiting for you to strike out.

"What would I ask?" You struggle to murmur, tongue thick and too-dry in your mouth. Slowly, you get up, rubbing awkwardly at your wrist and forearm. His grip had been a shade past 'uncomfortably tight', but you don’t think you’ll get anything more than faint bruising.

"In exchange," the man says, clutching tighter to his knees. He doesn't notice when you flinch, not with his head still bowed.

Your heartbeat nearly drowns out the distant thunder, adrenaline chasing the wariness out of your veins. "For what?" You demand, pleased when his head jerks up. He's acting like you're going to kick him back into the bog with a boot to his chest. "For saving you? Why would I want anything? I was just-" Your mouth snaps shut, brain desperately clamoring for you to acknowledge that there's a mummified man currently speaking to you. He’s talking, not groaning, not calling out for brains or blood or violence. He may as well be straight from the local legends and he’s… Fully conscious of his actions, nothing like the eerie embellishments all the tales carry.

"I was being decent. Helping. I didn't do it so you would owe me." Any further words slip your mind as soon as your eyes catch on the stitches in his neck again. The rest of him is withered and warped by the peat in the bog, permanently stained—but the stitches are still silvery pale. What on earth happened to make him this way?

Hesitant, he raises his head, the inhuman brightness of his eyes more than enough to make you wince. Your gaze darts to the soft glint of metal in his earlobes, trying to keep from squinting.

"For… For saving my village," he finally clarifies. "You accepted my sacrifice and allowed me the chance to speak, but surely I must complete some task to prove my faith? To win a boon and guarantee their survival?"

Thunder rattles your bones and the mummy tenses, looking past you to the sky. Nerves or not, you can’t stay out here in this, not if you want to escape the weather… Or the panic that will spread like wildfire if anyone happens to catch sight of him. You offer him your hand.

"You'll help me?" He asks, hand lifting from his knee, but not yet reaching for yours. Mist dots his cheeks, rain trying desperately to break free of the heavy cloud cover.

"Help? Yes. In the way you’re asking me to?” You can’t stop yourself from cringing, but that doesn’t seem to have deterred the bog mummy still kneeling in front of you. He’s still staring with rapt attention, caught on every word you speak. “I—I don't know if I have any answer you want, but I do know we shouldn’t stay out here in the rain." You take a single step closer, fingers splaying as you reach for him. He slips his hand into yours and the rain falls heavy upon your heads.

————-　🌠　————-

From what you’ve gathered from Hior on the trip back here, he has for all intents and purposes, traveled through time, via his death. You freeze in the doorway of the kitchen, mind whirling as you attempt to puzzle out whether he can eat or drink anything. He hasn’t needed to, not while he’s been in his enchanted… sleep down in the bog. But he’s actually dead, isn’t he? You hadn’t felt a pulse when he’d taken your hand, but you hadn’t been searching for one either, keen as you were on getting him out of the torrential rain and out of sight. He hasn’t asked for any food or drink, but your brain has seized onto hospitality like a lifeline. No matter what age Hior is from, sharing what you have is always appreciated.

Decision made, you fetch the glass, ears straining for any noise, for any hint of where he is in the house. He’s done nothing but stare at modernized gadgetry since you brought him in, taking the towel you’d offered as if he were in a dream, but he’s bound to get curious eventually. You move a little faster, though when you find him back in the living room, sitting straight backed on the edge of the couch, dampened towel around his shoulders, you feel rather silly. He just crawled out of a bog, knowing that he’d given his life for his village. Maybe he’s frightened? This can’t be like any afterlife he’d expected. “Would you like some water?” You ask, still unsure as to whether he can actually drink it or not. He’d been gasping for air when he’d broken free of the bog, but that might only be reflex, seeing as he is very much mummified.

Hior clambers to his feet, lamplight eyes skittering over your face and then down to the floor before he kneels, towel flaring out like a cloak. You pause where you are, fingers tightening around the glass in your hand, but your brain doesn’t catch up to what he’s trying to do until he speaks. “I must thank you for your hospitality. Truly. To be welcomed into the home of a God-”

You nearly spill the water, breath caught fast in your throat as you hurriedly urge him to get back to his feet, fingers brushing over his shoulder. “Ah, no, not—how about some water first?” Hior rises, the fine hairs of his eyebrows catching the light as he furrows them. They’re the same coppery red as the hair on his head and arms, and even on his legs when you take the time to glance down. “Here,” you mutter, slipping the glass into his hand as soon as his fingers uncurl. “If you don’t want it, or, or you can’t, then it’s fine. But, uh, I’m not a deity. Not a God. Just a man.” Like you, weighs down the tip of your tongue, but you clamp your jaws shut. You can’t honestly claim similarity, seeing as you still have blood flowing through your veins and your neck doesn’t have eerily clean stitches from ear to ear.

"A man," he repeats, but he doesn't sound like he believes you, "of course." Hior sniffs at the water, but he must not need it. He cradles the glass against his chest, water untouched and risks another sly glance at your face, waiting, as if he expects you to change your mind and confess to a different identity. Your brain buzzes, skipping over the hint he’s attempting to fish for.

“Those… It looks like that was a bad injury,” you murmur, gesturing to the neat stitches, a permanent, unsettling necklace. It doesn’t really help change the subject.

“Hmm,” he rumbles, reaching up a single hand. For a moment, he marvels at the sight of his own skin, turning his wrist this way and that before he finally ghosts his touch over the stitches. Hior doesn’t shy away from them, or even appear concerned, fingertip dipping between each rib of cord. “I’ve little idea how I came to possess these,” he confesses. “It wasn’t you?” You grimace, and Hior croaks out a laugh when he notices. Warmth blossoms in your chest, the sound of a real, genuine laugh soothing away some of your nerves. “No. I can see that now. And it wasn’t Mother Gree either,” he says softly, eyes lowering. “No one would have taken me from the water. The… the star?”

“Star?” The God you think I am? You want to ask, but the stiffness is easing from his limbs, memory returning, and you don’t want to interrupt. Frankly, you might be a little shell shocked yourself, but something about his question makes your brows furrow.

“It followed me into the water,” Hior adds, and your heart skips a beat, your own memories a cacophony in the back of your head. You’ve read something about that before, you’re certain of it.

“The star followed you?” You ask, clarifying. “Dove after you?”

For the first time, Hior isn’t staring past you or searching your face for any hint of divinity. A wry smile twists his lips, exposing the polished stones serving as his teeth. “From what I recall, yes. Of course, I was dying at the time,” he says quietly, humor in the arch of his eyebrows. “Perhaps I could not comprehend the visage of our Gods? They often take other shapes, so as not to cause alarm. Such as that of a man,” he says. He’s hinting again, gaze heavy on your face, but all you can think about is the phrase: the star followed me into the water, on repeat.

You lick your lips, darting past Hior for the stacks of books you’d left out this morning. “The Diving Stars,” you explain, pushing two volumes to the side and letting them fall to the floor with a clatter. You seize the elderly green book, whirling so you can brandish it in Hior’s direction. The title glitters, faintly golden but worn away by the passing years. “It’s a folktale, a legend, about… About you, I think.”

————-　🌠　————-

Hior never does drink the water. He sets it aside, fingertips lingering along the rim before you settle down on the floor, book laid open across your knees. He joins you, and as respectful as Hior has been up to this point, he sits close against your side, pressed against you from shoulder to hip so he can better see the pages. It’s intimate, and strange, and he’s… He’s not cold, not exactly, but the lack of human warmth is enough to have the fine hairs along your neck prickling with awareness. It only takes a moment before his attention drifts from the book to your face, staring at your mouth as you read the short tale aloud.

The Diving Stars

For the greater good of a war torn village, a sacrifice was made. A favored son was chosen, one beloved by the village, and kind to all he knew. He was strong, and clever, and though he was leaving behind his family, he knew he must act for the well being of all. When it came time for his sacrifice, he smiled and walked willingly to his ending, hoping that the Gods would accept his service and defend the village from invaders.

A God took notice.

You do your best not to lift your eyes from the text, heat spreading over the back of your neck when you realize how hard Hior is staring at you. You might keep trying to ignore his assumptions, but Hior isn’t going to let you forget about them completely. He still fully believes that you’re the deity from his tale.

Moved by his plight and coveting the favored son’s courage for his own hall, the God left his domain. He dove from the sky as a star, following the favored son into the depths and setting the entire blog ablaze with his magic. When the light faded, when the villagers uncovered their eyes, two men stood by the side of the water, the light of the stars in their eyes. One was the favored son, strange and withered, having sacrificed his vitality to the Gods. The other was the God who had accepted his bargain, and behind them, marching up out of the water, was a brigade of the village ancestors, led back from the underworld to help defend the home of their children.

When the battle was won, and the ancestors had marched back into the water, the favored son wished his people farewell. Lit up from within, the favored son and the God slipped back into the depths, and then two brilliant lights fountained up out of the water, diving back into the sky as stars.

When you lift your gaze away from the book, Hior’s eyes are still on you. They’ve grown even brighter than before, the shine of them sharp enough to make you wince. His hands, resting gently on his knees, are steadily curling into fists, and he’s smiling. Small and sweet and absolutely enchanted. “I knew it,” he whispers, voice tight and low, and then Hior yanks you by the neck of your shirt halfway into his lap, knocking the book completely out of your hands. He kisses you, in want or in gratitude, you’re not sure, the taste of rainwater and the chill of stone heavy on his lips. It’s… It’s not unpleasant at all, the kiss. His lips are smooth, and cool, and tingling, like the sharpness of static in the air, seeping through your skin and racing through your veins. When Hior finally allows you to wrench yourself away, lungs heaving as you attempt to remember how to breathe, all you can think about is the way he’s smiling, arousal pooling heavily in every limb.

“No matter what you might believe,” you mutter, trying to keep your thoughts in order, “I’m not a God. Not of any sort, Hior. I swear I’m not lying.” You lick your lips, the taste of rainwater still lingering on your skin. “Though, even if I don’t know how to help you yet?” You take his hand off of your arm, lacing your fingers with his. “We’re bound to find out together.”

————-　🌠　————-

[heyitsyn]

Keeping Up With Seijoh Ep. 7

a/n: im sorry but takeru could take my uwus like hes so adorable yall 🥺😭

anon:

-LETS BE HONESTTT WITH OURSELVES. oikawa bringing takeru to practice cuz he forgot he promised to watch him n so he asks you to watch him while he rushes off to change— and then takeru goes OFF after he hears that YOURE the person uncle tooru keeps talking about. he basically just exposes oikawa, gets on your good side w all the embarrassing blackmail material he can provide, and oikawa comes back to you grinning like a madwoman HAHAHAHAHA c,:

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-‘ Omg Takeru spills to his mom and grandmother how Oikawa had a crush and how awkward he is around this girl. Which leads to them inviting her over without Oikawa knowing. He comes home one day, a lil upset because yn wasn't at practice only to hear her giggling with his mother and sister while having tea ‘

NOW THIS IS THE REAL TEAAA!!!!!!!

TAKERU IS SUCH A MOOD MY GOD IMAGINE HAVING A CRACKHEAD UNCLE LIKE OIKAWA!!!!😭😭😭😭

uwu yes i love this req so lets start

so basically

two words:

uncle oikawa

bahahaha no not really but yes really tho

anyways

this is going to basically be the scenario where takeru has accepted you as his auntie

so sit down my little grasshoppers because this is finna be a long one

it all started when oikawa forgot his promise

now,

oikawa prides himself in being a know-it-all and being ‘responsible’ or shit like that but hes,,,,, far from that

like how he was currently running towards the gym where takeru’s volleyball class was at because he forgot that his sister made him promise to pick his nephew up since she was working overtime today

oikawa tooru didnt care about his appearance and the way he huffed as he sonic nyoomed his way there since he was more scared of what his sister would do to him if she finds out he was late

the sight of the gym door has never felt so good

‘TAKERU!!’

he yelled and a head peaked out that belonged to the one and only boy

‘uncle, youre so loud’

he chided and tooru rolled his eyes before grabbing his hand

‘hey, go get your stuff. im late and y/n is going go kill me if im not there’

takeru rolled his own eyes and went at a snail’s pace as he packed up his knee pads and his water bottles

‘TAKERU HURRY UP WHAT-!’

‘hmm,, dont lie uncle. you just want to see the pretty goddess nee-chan’

OKAY TAKERU DANG

so basically,,

its been mentioned that you call the boys a lot or its them calling you and oikawa happens to be the one who calls you constantly

and takeru lives with them and he’s usually up quite late so he hears tooru downstairs while talking to you

like one time, he couldnt sleep and his mom told him to drink warm milk to help him so he was just going down the stairs when he heard tooru laugh

now, dont get him wrong

hes heard his uncle laugh before so hes seen how he laughs around girls and it was like nails on a chalkboard

but this time, it sounded very genuine and his chuckles were almost,,, shy

and he figured that tooru was talking to a girl since he kept saying a girl’s name

‘y/n-chan~ youre so cute~ dont make me come over there and kiss you~’

oikawa cooed and takeru cringed 

so he was talking to you

he was no stranger to your name as he once teased his uncle for being whipped and got an hour long rant about how beautiful you were and nice and angelic and how you were just an angel on earth

so yea he knew you

tooru’s voice became clearer as he stepped foot into the kitchen

even a child like him could tell his uncle was basically in love with you

and he doesnt even really know what love is!!

‘disgusting’

the child said and tooru, who believes in ghosts and is the biggest scaredy cat, shrieked at the sudden voice 

‘oikawa-san? what’s wrong?’

your voice could be heard through his phone but tooru quickly told you good night and ended the call before he got off the chair and crossed his arms to stand in front of takeru

‘what did you say?’

he asked and takeru looked up at him, mimicking his pose

‘i said, its disgusting, uncle’

oikawa looked offended

‘what?! how could you say that?!’

takeru shrugged then he walked over to the fridge

‘yozora-kun told me that girls have cooties and we would die if we get it’

god it was such a childish thing to say but to an actual child like takeru, it sounded perfectly valid

‘its gross and nasty and he said you get all sweaty and you get a fever and ew’

tooru shook his head in disbelief before going over to help the boy get a glass

‘its not nasty or gross or disgusting, takeru. its actually,,, really nice. you dont die from it and you get sweaty when you get nervous and you dont get a fever, you just get flustered, thats all’

takeru still didnt believe him

‘well, he also said girls become monsters and they would eat your face’

KFJDSLFJSLDKIM SCREAMING

oikawa chortled 

‘what?!’

‘you heard me. all girls are monsters and you should protect yourself, uncle’

but when he met you, my oh my, you were no monster

you were,,,,,, really really really pretty

poor takeru doesnt really know the real meaning of beautiful so he settled on you being really really really really pretty

like when oikawa dragged him in the gym, takeru stared at you 

his mind couldnt process on the fact that someone as pretty as you even existed 

but that doesnt really say much since hes only like 8

BUT STILL

oikawa was hurriedly shoving them both in the gym and he was annoyed that takeru was just standing there but he was really just watching you as you scurried around to give the team their towels

‘takeru! come on!’

tooru’s voice snapped him out of it so he finally walked forward

‘y/n-chan~!’

oikawa called out and iwaizumi was about to yell at him for being late but you already had your bad bitch face on and you were strutting over

‘oikawa tooru, do you know how late you are?!’

you scolded and pulled his ear down to your height

‘eeeehhhh~~??? y/n-chan dont be so rough! it hurts! dont hurt oikawa-san!’

he teased to ease your anger but you sucked in a sharp breath

‘ill make sure it hurts more’

oikawa turned pale and started pleading and stuttering

‘please pleaseplease y/n-chan, i had to pick up takeru and it was a total mess and-’

at the mention of takeru, you let go of him and you finally caught sight of the little boy

ohmygee he was so adorable and youre just a sucker for adorable kids so you kinda squatted to his height since the height difference wasnt that big

you gave him a big smile and waved a hand

‘hey, you must be takeru. im y/n’

the poor kid’s face turned red unknowingly and he stiffened before nodding aggressively

‘my name is oikawa takeru and i am 6 years old’

he hand out his hands to prove his age and you giggled before nodding

‘my name is l/n y/n and i am 16 years old’

you held out 10 fingers then switched to having 6 up like he did

‘waaaa youre,,,’

the boy paused to subtract with his fingers before looking up at you with wide eyes

‘youre 10 years older than me!’

you sweatdropped at the sudden thought of being old 

‘hmm i guess i am’

you tilted your head to the side and continued to talk to the boy, completely oblivious to the stares from the others

they all sported a bright red blush and red ears at the thought of you being so good with kids and what if it was their own?

kindaichi gasped and held his hands to his face to cover the burst of all shades of red that decorated his entire face

OHMYGOSH THEYRE SO WHIPPED WHAT

‘ne, nee-chan, i know you’

takeru spoke as you led him to sit down on the bleacher, away from the practicing team and from any rogue balls

‘oh? you do?’

‘eung! uncle talks about you all the time! and he calls you too! i live with him, see, and nana yells at him for being on his phone during dinner because hes talking to you’

takeru admitted and you turned red, suddenly flustered

‘he talks about me? what does he say about me, take-chan?’

the little boy paused, holding his chin to think, then he lit up

‘he calls you beautiful goddess y/n-chan!’

YALL TAKERU IS SO CUTE WHAT THE HECK

‘he does?’

you asked, wholeheartedly surprised

takeru violently nods his head

‘yes! uncle talks about you all the time! my friend yozora wants to meet you too!’

‘hah? who is that?’

takeru sheepishly scratches his cheek

‘yozora-kun told uncle that girls are gross but uncle got mad and told him you were different because you were pretty and nice and yozora wants to see if you really were’

you laughed at the childish claims of this yozora boy

‘well,,, take-chan, do you think im gross?’

you asked, making the boy flustered again

‘no,,,, nee-chan is really pretty’

he mumbled while twiddling his fingers and you squealed before hugging him

‘oh, take-chan! you should visit more often!’

takeru nodded, smiling at how warm you were

‘eung! i love nee-chan! see? i can say i love nee-chan because im not a coward like uncle!’

you pulled away just slightly with a raised eyebrow

‘what are you talking about, takeru?’

the child puffed out his chest and his lip took on a smug angle

‘uncle talks to the mirror every morning! he says hes practicing! he takes forever just saying he loves you in the mirror and he doesnt let me pee! but its okay! because uncle can keep being coward but i get the pretty nee-chan!’

a disbelieving smile settled itself on your face and you absentmindedly caressed his smaller hand

‘what else does uncle do, take-chan? you see, nee-chan wants to tease him!’

takeru paused then lit up

‘oh! before i was born, mama told me uncle ate flowers because he thought his fart would smell like roses!’

‘hah?!’

your cries of shock made the boy laugh and you joined in with him

‘also! iwa-nii made me a tree house, right?! and uncle wanted to go in but he was too big so he got stuck at the front door! iwa-nii had to take the front part out and used soap to get him out!’

your cackles attracted the now ready captain and oikawa had an uneasy look

that little brat mustve told you some embarrassing stories based on how you laughed

‘oi! takeru! you shut your mouth right now, young man!’

he shouted and quickly stomped over to you at the bleachers

but you held the boy close, protecting him from the angry brunette

‘no! you stay away, oikawa-san! nee-chan will protect you, take-chan!’

you proclaimed and takeru was more than happy to snuggle closer and stick his tongue out at his uncle

you had a similar mischevious look and a wide but scary grin on your face that spelled nothing but trouble

was he,,,, being blackmailed right now?

tooru was scandalised at the thought and the act causign him to lunge over to you, tickling your sides so you could loosen your grip on the child

but you held on, giggling loudly causing takeru to also laugh when tooru’s fingers would touch his side too

‘no! stop-! ack-! tooru!’

you shouted but tooru was able to find an opening to grab takeru by under his arms and you reached over to grab him back but he was already lifted high

‘now what did you tell her, you brat?’

‘nothing!’

takeru shrieked but tooru hummed, not quite believing him

‘i dont think so’

tooru sat down on the floor and placed takeru on his lap with his fingers quickly hitting his ticklish spots

‘NOOO!!!! UNCLE!!!!’

you giggled and joined over, completely forgetting where you were and what your responsibilities are

okay can we take a second on how cute this moment is?

like despite the team practically being in love with you, they couldnt help but think of how much you guys looked like a family

iwa herded everyone to stop staring and keep practicing bc he knew that this was the first time tooru has been truly happy in a very long time

by the end of practice, you and takeru were practically best friends already

you were very sad to have to let him go home but he promised to come back soon

tooru gave him over to iwa so he could talk to you while you were packing up

you were putting on your jacket when you felt him tap your shoulder

with a smile, you turned around and he mirrored your grin

well,,, it was more like a shy and bashful grin

from behind him, you could see takeru being lifted by mattsun and his laughter echoed in the wind

tooru noticed your gaze then chuckled softly

‘thank you for,,, yanno,, keeping him busy’

you waved your hands around with a laugh

‘nonono! its okay! really! hes so adorable that i look forward to seeing him again!’

he let out a relieved sigh then placed his hands in his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet

‘y/n,, youre really good with kids’

that comment made you flustered but you waved it off

‘nah, i just connect with them more. theyre so easily entertained and the innocence is nice’

‘well,, youll be a great mother in the future’

you chuckled then ruffled his soft hair

‘youll be a great father in the future then oikawa-san’

at first, he was just going to laugh it off but then the image of you playing with a child who possessed chocolate brown locks and beautiful e/c eyes appeared

he turned red and he fumbled for a response, completely speaking gibberish with no idea of what to even say

unfortunately for him, the team was not in a far distance and they could hear oikawa sputtering nonsense so to ‘help’ him, they started shouting for you guys to hurry up

‘come on! lets go, you guys! the bakery closes in a 10 minutes!’

makki yelled and you perked up and waved to signal you were going

‘come on, oikawa-san!’

you grabbed his hand and pulled him along

takeru noticed his uncle’s red face and a cute sly smile creeped up on his face

‘hmmm,,,,’

then he started a plan

and wow god must’ve wanted him to succeed because its like the fates and the stars and the universe just aligned

takeru was walking with his mom around a supermarket when he noticed your familiar h/c hair

‘y/n nee-chan!’

he shrieked before he could even stop himself and you were startled, wildly looking around for the person who said your name

‘nee-chan!’

takeru shouted again, running away from his mom towards you

‘takeru-!’

yall what is oikawa’s sister’s name? lets name her ‘tara’

tara shouted for her son and ofc ran after him when he didnt listen

‘takeru!’

you greeted back and winced a little when the force fo the little boy crashed into your legs

‘nee-chan! momma, look its nee-chan!’

takeru said when his mother caught up to him

‘oikawa takeru! you never run in the store like that again, you hear me?’

she scolded but then smiled up at you

‘oh hello darling, you must be y/n. im tara, tooru’s older sister and takeru’s mom’

she outstretched her hand for you to shake so you awkwardly shook it

‘uh-im l/n y/n’

‘momma! shes the pretty nee-chan i told you about! and shes the one uncle talks to every night!’

you cringed a little when takeru was excitedly talking as he was attracting other people with his loud voice

tara bless her heart noticed your discomfort and told you to go and follow her to the checkout if you were done

she ended up paying for your stuff despite your protests but she excused it as ‘consider this as payment for putting up that idiot brother of mine’

takeru wanted to show off so he held your bags but you still held on to their own to help tara out

‘ne, nee-chan! why are you not with uncle? its practice today, right?’

takeru asked as you three walked down the street

‘natsu’s sick so i was picking up some porridge for him to eat. i excused today because i wanted to take care of him’

takeru lit up

‘nee-chan! you should come over! nana wants to meet you too!’

tara rolled her eyes at her son with a smile

‘no, take-kun. nee-chan needs to go home to look after-’

‘ah, its okay, oikawa-san! natsu wont be awake for a while so i can spare an hour or two’

‘yey!’

tara made small talk with you while takeru hummed in front of you

‘thank you so much for putting up with my two boys, y/n. i heard from hajime that you kept takeru company while tooru practiced’

you nodded

‘it wasnt a big deal though. i love takeru, hes a sweetheart. and oikawa-san takes good care of him’

tara chuckled

‘as much as takeru loves to poke fun at tooru, he really does appreciate him you know? without a father, i worried on who would be his male figure. but tooru lived up to his title and takeru wants to do everything he does. like say, volleyball’

you followed along and you could see the little bits of tooru even by the way takeru walked

the little skip that his uncle had seemed to copy itself on to the nephew with even the happy humming

‘oikawa-san is,,, a really great person’

you off-handedly mentioned and tara looked at you from the corner of her eye 

warmth blossomed in her chest because although she knew how much of an insecure and rash person her brother was, he deserves someone who talks about him with such love in their voice

even the look in your eyes was enough to make her think,

yep, you are the one

omg nana oikawa is ltr head-over-heels for you already

the love for y/n is an oikawa thing

when takeru opened the door, nana oikawa rushed to greet her grandson when she saw another person

a girl

‘nana! nana! this is y/n nee-chan! uncle’s pretty goddess!’

uwu nana knows who exactly you are

lets just say shes exactly like takeru and has witnessed her son lovingly talk to some y/n girl at 3 in the morning

and her son has expressed his love and admiration towards you every chance he can

so yes lets just say she knows who you are

thats why nana brightly smiled and quickly ushered you into the house

‘oh come in! come in! takeru-kun, go lead y/n-chan to the couch and make her comfortable! ill get tea!’

takeru nodded and he grabbed your hand with his small one to go to the living room

you awkwardly sat stiffly, not exactly knowing what to do as this entire family seemed to know who you are

takeru settled himself beside you and was actively talking about what they did at volleyball practice today

you were enamored in his story that you didnt notice nana walk in with a try of tea with tara trailing behind her with cookies

you moved to help her but nana shook her head with a gentle smile before sitting down at the chair beside the couch

‘here you go, dear’

you bowed slightly and held the cup of green tea

everyone was now settled and you were nervously tapping your finger against the cup

you dont even know why youre nervous

its like youre suddenly meeting your boyfriend’s family without your boyfriend actually there

‘so,’

you jumped a little at the voice of nana and she smiled at you

‘oh dear dont be so nervous! we’re not that bad! we dont bite’

‘unless you want us to’

takeru whispered and you giggled, ruffling his hair with your free hand

‘so youre the famous y/n-chan then?’

you nodded again

‘takeru told us all about his adventures at seijoh the other day and, well,, he likes to tease his uncle but,, we believe him’

tara smiled, remembering her son’s words

‘nee-chan, i told them that uncle was very weird and shy and awkward and it was so weird’

he whispered, yet still able to be heard by everyone in the room

‘oh my, when we heard that we couldnt believe a person, much less a female, could even do that to him! i worried that my son would never develop interest in any girl but it seems i was worrying for nothing!’

nana giggled and you couldnt help but smile, realizing her laugh sounded exactly like tooru’s

‘you know, y/n, tooru’s never really had a crush before. and believe me, id know but even with his last girlfriend, which was also his first, he didnt seem interested at her in that way-well, maybe he was but he wasnt exactly enamored with her like he is with you’

you knew little about tooru’s first and last girlfriend

it was the butt of mattsuhana’s jokes all the time but you never partook bc you could see how,,, sad,,, tooru looks whenever its brought up

but you turned red,hand waving at her last comment

‘oh nonono, youre wrong. uhh, how do i say this,, oikawa-san,,, he just appreciates me bc,, i,,, reject his advances,, and,,, bring him milk bread,,, and banana milk,,,, and such,,,’

you trailed off and the two older women shared a look behind their cups

heh, it was refreshing to have tooru do the chasing this time

‘you must be wondering how, we, you know, know you, right?’

you nodded at nana’s question

she chuckled then placed her tea down

‘you see, we are aware of tooru’s,,,, expiditions. and by that, we mean the interest of others in him and his returned interest. but hes our family so we know that his interest is,, actually fake’

you looked down, knowing exactly what shes talking about

‘especially with girls, we see his annoyance, his ignorance, and we’re not proud of it. but with you, when he talks about you, its as if he was talking about the,,, the love of his life!’

you were startled, not sure if you should be proud of that or confused about that

‘mom! dont say that!’

tara nagged but nana shrugged her off

‘no, i want to express my gratitude for this girl. y/n, i want you to know now that,,, my son is damaged’

‘takeru cover your ears’

tara hurried and the boy shot his mother a confused look but still did it anyways

‘tooru,,, feels that he shouldnt burden us as he’s now the man of the house after his father and i’s separation. and,,, perhaps its the past of his father’s but,,, he doesnt let anyone in, except for us and hajime’

nana oikawa’s eyes held sadness

a raw emotion that shouldnt be shown to a stranger but by how much and how often tooru talks about you, she practically knew you already

‘and he refuses to do anything that isn’t necessary. he hates doing pointless things unless they will serve him purpose in the future thats why he focuses on that damn sport so much, even giving himself injuries! i worried and worried for him but then,, you came along. all the sudden, i see the life in his eyes that was wrongly taken from him, be replaced and its all because of a girl. ive never heard tooru talk about someone else other than his team or hajime so it was quite a surprise for us that he found someone who was, what he considers, worth his time. and the way,, the way he looks when he talks,,, y/n, i believe you are what he says, an angel’

a sudden wave of tears appeared as nana oikawa looked up to meet your eyes and you let out a stiff laugh but you tightened your grip on your cup

‘you are,,, my son’s angel’

DKFLJSKDFJDSLKFJSDLKFJD MY FEELS

the conversation was quickly shifted by tara as she could see the conflict in the way your eyebrows furrowed and the rapid movement of your pupils

she knew that you were probably still at a stage that you didnt realize your captain’s real and authentic feelings for you and she didnt want you to find out this way 

tara knows how emotional her mother can get regarding her son so she switched to another topic to not get too in deep with the whole situation

next thing you knew, you were giggling and laughing at nana oikawa’s merciless onslaught of her son’s childhood events

you attempted to hide your laugh by sipping your drink but it still came out wholeheartedly

‘yes! i wondered for a whole week as to why my roses were disappearing and i never would’ve thought id find my son eating them at 6 in the morning!’

nana cackled while takeru was so laugh-tired that he slumped over to your side, completely breathless

‘oh! dont forget the mickey mouse one! you see, y/n, we spent about a week at my aunts house and tooru saw a mouse! the poor child woke everyone up at midnight, screaming about a mouse sleeping next to him! and just to top it off, we visited disneyland and, whew, we just know now to avoid mickey mouse. to this day, that child is still traumatized by that cartoon’

meanwhile at seijoh,

oikawa was sneezing nonstop and iwaizumi has bonked him many many times now

‘OI! IF YOU GET SICK RIGHT NOW I WILL HIT YOU!’

‘OH GREAT! ILL BE SICK AND HAVE A CONCUSSION AT THE SAME TIME! THANKS IWA-CHAN!’

tooru irritably snapped and iwa was even surprised at how snippy he was

‘oi, what crawled up your ass and died today’

oikawa pouted then stomped his foot like a child

‘y/n isnt here today’

‘oikawa shes taking care of her cousin! she has a life outside of us you know?’

makki teased but flinched when tooru stomped his foot harder

‘but im her life! im all she needs!’

the entire team sweatdropped at the sight of makki and mattsun holding back their bara arms vice captain from beating up their captain 

‘ill be sure to give him mickey mouse stickers next time!’

you teased and they laughed

there was still remaining giggles left when the door handle twisted and the front door opened, revealing the man of the hour himself

takeru perked up and ran to the door to greet his uncle

‘uncle! uncle!’

he exclaimed and tooru sighed before grinning at him

his ears twitched at a familiar muffled giggle but he thought nothing of it by excusing it as him missing you so much that hes now hearing you

the thought of you dampened his mood again

‘uncle is too sad to play with you, takeru’

takeru’s head tilted to the side and one eyebrow was raised

‘heh? why? iwa-nii bonk you too hard?’

tooru shook his head solemnly

‘no. my darling wasnt there today and-’

‘oikawa-san, welcome home’

you emerged into the small hallway and tooru’s jaw dropped

then he snapped out of the surprise and ran straight towards you, picking you up and twirling you around

‘Y/N-CHAN~~~~~!!!!!’

he cheered and you giggled, trying to hold on to his shoulders to stabilize yourself

‘dont be so loud, oikawa-san’

you chided but with a smile

tooru calmed down however he still held you in his arms and was looking up at you with a grin, completely missing the fact that youre even at his house

‘its so nice to have y/n-chan greet me at the door. its like i have a wife! you wanna be my wife, y/n?’

you blushed a deep red and flicked his forehead

‘oikawa-san, your mother and sister is-’

you whispered harshly but a sudden shout made you both turn

‘NO! NEE-CHAN IS MY WIFE! NOT UNCLE’S! SHES TOO PRETTY FOR A COWARD LIKE UNCLE! I WILL FIGHT FOR NEE-CHAN! SURRENDER, UNCLE!’

you and oikawa looked at each other exasperatedly but with a fond look in your eyes

‘go’

you whispered

‘avenge me, oikawa-san’

that was enough for him to drop you gently and run to tackle takeru, who was giggling and kicking the air

you returned to your spot on the couch but shrunk back at the smirks the two oikawa women were directing to you

nana oikawa wanted you to have dinner with them so you stayed and oikawa held your hand under the table

even though they could obviously see it but yanno just stay quiet

‘y/n-chan, as much as i love you being here and meeting my family, how did you get here?’

takeru proudly raised his hand and swallowed his food

‘I BROUGHT NEE-CHAN HERE! I SAW HER AT THE MARKET!’

tooru nodded and reached over to ruffle his head

‘thank you, takeru! you turned uncle’s bad day to a good one!’

you turned to him with a worried look

‘huh? did something happen while i was away?’

tooru shook his head and pouted at you with his puppy eyes

‘y/n-chan wasnt there at practice today and oikawa-san missed her very much and-’

‘oikawa-san, please refrain from speaking in third person’

‘BUT Y/N-CHAN-!’

again, the two oikawa women shared a look

yep, you are the one

oikawa naturally took it upon himself to walk you home by saying ‘y/n-chan shouldnt walk home by herself!’

but in reality, he just wanted to spend more time with you because he didnt get to do that today

he just wanted his daily fill of you

O_O

aNYwAys

you both were walking down the street, hand-in-hand

KDSFJLSDKFJ FLASHBACKS FROM THE OIKS ROUTE

‘i love your family, oikawa-san’

you said and he giggled

‘well, just wait a few years and youll be a part of it too’

you blushed and smacked him on the chest making him wince and exagerrate an ‘ow!’

‘your mom,,, really loves you. and your sister, and takeru! theyre really nice and im happy your family loves you so much’

‘what about you? do you love me?’

you hummed

‘eung! i love oikawa-san! and the boys! i love all of you!’

DKFLJSDKFJSDLKFSJD NOOOOO FLASHBACKS AGAIN TO THE KUWS EPISODE OF THEM LEAVING AND OIKAWA TELLING HER HE LOVES HER ANDFJDKFJSDKFLDKJ ACK! FEELINGS!

oikawa had a sad smile on but he didnt push any further

‘well! you met my family already so now its my turn to meet yours!’

you turned to give him a deadpan expression

‘oikawa-san, my father chased you with a broom. i dont think its safe for you to even step foot at my front porch’

oikawa scoffed and puffed out his chest smugly

‘hah! your oikawa-san is a strong man! he doesnt get scared over some broom!’

‘oh! oikawa-san! i need to get your opinion on this! i want to give iwa-san this mickey poster but-’

noticing that oikawa was no longer walking beside you, you turned around to see him staring at the spot you were previously at 

‘oikawa-san?’

he didnt answer and you giggled

‘oh? is it mickey mouse? you scared?’

you neared the phone to his face and then his eyes settled on the terrifying face of the disney character

oikawa screamed

a/n: AAAAAAAAA WE FINALLY GETTING THROUGH REQS AND IM SO HAPPY THAT MY TEACHER IS SO NICE AND OMGOMGOMG MY FRIEND GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW A BIRD GOT INTO OUR CLASSROOM AND SDKFJDSLFKJSDLKFJSDLFKJNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyways, how yall been? i know ive been gone for a hot sec but uwu hey!!! 

[spottedenchants]

(helping the self through another- recollected sorrows rest upon those who got out, who survived.)

(cw: vague references to Caleb’s backstory)

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A forceful series of knocks reaches all the way to Caleb’s bedchamber and he is suddenly very awake, hazily pleasant dreams shattered.

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This is strange, entirely abnormal.

Frightening, almost.

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Without much thought, he rises and throws on a robe, passing through door and door to the final one.

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He opens this third door, the one out to the rest of the tower, to find its only other current resident at his threshold, eye-to-eye.

The height is unsurprising given Essek’s favored locomotion.

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But Caleb has never seen Essek like this.

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A deeply haunted, half-present look in his red-rimmed eyes, his ears entirely away, followed by disheveled hair and rumpled clothing, an entire deconstruction of his usual well kept presentation. Arms crossed and clinging to his sides, clenched against the fabric there.

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He’s shivering.

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It’s concerning.

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Concerning enough to call forth a faint echo of a cold, cold tower, a lingering memory of a warm, warm dorm room, and Caleb’s forearms itch at the involuntary recall, despite how weak he’s managed it to be.

But he keeps his hands away. Takes some breaths to stave off slight nausea.

This can’t be that. It’s not. This is different, Caleb knows. He knows.

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But that look. And why is Essek shaking?

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Caleb’s words escape as a hiss wrapped in worry.

“Essek, what is wr-?”

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But dismay jolts his voice to a stop when Essek immediately glides even closer - very close - and raises a trembling hand to Caleb’s throat, wordless with shallow breaths, eyes narrowed, a slightly unfocused scowl pulling at his pretty lips and drawing his brows together.

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Caleb dare not move in this moment, dare not swallow or breathe too deep, dare not react to this uncharacteristically bold motion because there is no hunger in Essek’s shining, panicked eyes, and atrophied habit carries no follow-up without it present.

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Essek’s cold fingertips - is he actually cold or is this only further remembrance? - find that particularly vulnerable soft spot between jaw and neck and press gently, firmly, likely just enough to feel Caleb’s rapidly beating pulse.

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Ah, that’s what this is.

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Caleb dare not move, dare not scare Essek from this oddly executed assurance, this check he must be making with those intent eyes of now-dripping violet as they shift to bore into Caleb’s chest.

Right where Essek palpates cautious fingers against clothed scar tissue.

Right above the residence of Caleb’s hammering heart.

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After an unbearably tense second or century, Essek’s face, his entire form, seems to crumple small as he lets out a shaky breath, hands tightening against Caleb’s robe, head bowed and tears now unseen.

.

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Caleb dips his head, trying to catch Essek’s eyes.

“I’m alive.”

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Essek looks away further, nods, and his breathing stutters into rough sniffles as he releases Caleb’s robe, voice watery.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Hands still raised and now directionless, Essek’s tensed fingers fidget with themselves, thumbnail sides pinched by fingertips, before swiping at his eyes, as if his teardrops are frivolous things to be plucked and crushed.

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Caleb opens his arms, extending them to his sides and proffering a quiet warmth.

Essek trusts him to be here and this is different from so long ago.

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This is not comfort for survival; it’s a conscious vulnerability on both their parts.

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But Essek flinches at the motion, drifting back and away from Caleb’s embrace, away from this room they have spent time sharing, like they would catch and trap him, and he rights himself uncannily well despite the ways his face still leaks.

.

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Disappointment, concern, and relief all burn together.

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Essek does not need Caleb like that.

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Even so, his muted, jarringly pleasant façade is askew; it doesn’t fit quite right anymore now that Essek has grown to encompass more than another vizard underneath. Caleb knows, can see hesitance slip through the cracks in the way Essek clenches his hands motionless.

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Seeming to remember his magic, Essek clears his face and throat, mending the mask some.

“I’ll go. Thank you.”

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Still, Essek stays of his own volition, untethered even to the ground.

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This current bond between them is something very different from what Caleb had before, very different from what he and Essek had before; it’s something grown newer, blooming fresh of their own choosing, tended to on purpose.

This is alright.

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So what can Caleb do but continue to pay forward a gesture of goodwill and good intent, born to soothe memory and fostered to mark safe opportunity, among other hopeful sentiments?

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Slowly, slowly, as Essek watches with a level gaze, meeting his eyes all the while, Caleb takes a careful step out of the room.

Over the course of an eon, he raises a single hand to ghost fingertips over Essek’s cheek, to steady himself, to ensure Essek is willing to accept this smaller touch, and waits.

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Though he does not flinch again through these snail-paced motions, does not back away from Caleb any farther, the mask slips as Essek seems to realize what Caleb is planning and he bows his head.

Squeezes his eyes shut and buries them under taut brows like he’s anticipating a swat.

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This is nothing of the sort.

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Caleb leans in and up, and presses a gentle kiss to Essek’s forehead before withdrawing both hand and face, volunteering no further touch.

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He keeps the quiet, the closeness, but still asks, head dipped and voice soft, a murmur.

“Sit with me?”

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No response, only the same grimace, the same clenched jaw. Tear trails reappear.

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“I can show you how to count.”

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Essek’s eyes open, violet deep as pre-dawn dusk and framed by dew-melt clung hoarfrost lashes, and they grow sharper, more focused.

“I know numbers fine.”

His eyebrows slant with what could even be read as defiance against presumed patronizing.

Good, good, welcome back.

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Caleb crooks a gentle grin, feels the steep upturn of his brow line.

“But do you know my way?”

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A tiny fleck of curiosity lightens Essek’s eyes, lifts his ears; it’s a shift imperceptible enough that Caleb would miss it had he not spent time deliberately learning the difference between its presence and absence.

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So Caleb turns aside and pulls a cat-call cord, gesturing through the door to their well-familiar couch, before following his own guide. He takes the middle rather than his corner and pats Essek’s side of the seat, looking back to him, keeping his face open.

Essek follows and settles into his place, drifting down and pulling small, clearing his face again.

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A moment more and then Gretchen, dutiful as ever, waltzes into the room with a chirp, making a point to rub against Essek’s idle hands as she jumps onto the couch on her way to Caleb.

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“Hot cocoa, ice water, and some snacks, those little finger foods with fiddly bits that Jester brought last time, for my friend and I, ja?”

Gretchen purrs as Caleb scratches on either side of her jaw before she disengages, pesters Essek again to receive a few more disjointed pets, and pads away to fulfill the request.

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As they wait, Caleb demonstrates how he counts for breath when difficult thoughts swarm and tension grabs his lungs tight.

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Staying quiet, Essek breathes along, seeming to sink further into the couch with each exhale.

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Cats come and go, filling the low table in front of the couch with drinks and nibbling tidbits.

Perhaps it would be best to keep such things handy and readily present, Caleb notes.

Just in case.

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Without much deliberation, Essek claims a mug of cocoa, holding it between both hands, staring in as steam matches the jumbled swirls of his hair.

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So he does want some warmth.

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Having no specific appetite, Caleb only keeps watch on the fireplace, ready to follow along with whatever Essek decides next, even if that means Essek leaves entirely.

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The hearth plays a crackling solo to the room.

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Ice makes a single clink to glass.

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“Verin taught me that, a long time ago.”

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Caleb glances to Essek- he’s gripping his mug tight.

“Checking the pulse?”

“Mh... And I-”

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Caleb waits, listens.

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A sharp inhale.

“I apologize. For barging in and- doing that. I realize it was strange, unseemly, invasive. I couldn’t collect my thoughts well enough to say anything meaningful, but I should have kept boundaries in mind instead of falling to…”

Essek’s lips push flat as he releases his breath through his nose, an expression of consideration, Caleb decides.

“Buried… habit.”

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Habit, hm.

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Caleb absently runs a hand down his sleeved forearm before resting his hands together, held loose in his lap. Fingers to palm back, he kneads one thumb to the heel of the other, and looks back to the flames.

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“Well, I’ll be prepared should it happen again.”

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“Ah.”

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Firelight catches in condensation, bejewelling the water pitcher with golden cabochons and veins of amber.

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Caleb glances aside.

“Would you like to stay?”

Tired violet eyes turn to Caleb when he asks this, wide as the saucers on the low table.

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Then Essek looks back to his untouched drink, nods reticent.

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The ice in the pitcher catches Caleb’s ear when it shifts upon melting some from the fire’s warmth.

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He tips his head to Essek.

“Would you like me to stay?”

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Essek gives a wry huff to his cocoa.

“Would that be selfish?”

“I’d like to stay.”

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A quick shift of violet to Caleb before Essek’s gaze returns to the mug.

“Then be my guest. Or- oh. I…. Ha.”

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It could be a trick of the shifting firelight, could be Caleb’s sleepy eyes, but Essek’s expression seems to turn just a little tender, just a touch softer on the edges, as his voice lilts a murmur.

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“I suppose I’m yours, hm?”

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A gentle smile pulls at Caleb’s lips, and he watches as Essek traces the rim of his mug with a thumb, fingers and palms still held against its warming sides, the contents inside rippling slightly.

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“Is there anything else you’d like? Anything to help?”

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A glinting fang worries a lip. But no words.

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“Show me?”

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Essek looks up from his mug to Caleb, eyes flicking between Caleb’s, brows softly furrowed, but he neither says nor does anything further than the glance.

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No matter what Essek could ask for, Caleb knows this is safe.

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“I won’t run.”

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A moment.

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Caleb will give Essek all the time he needs to consider.

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A moment more.

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Then, careful and slow, not spilling a drop of his drink, Essek unfurls and abandons his corner in favor of tucking himself next to Caleb, going so far as to nestle his way under Caleb’s arm and press against his side, shoulder to hip, legs folded up and feet drawn under.

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This close, Caleb can feel Essek’s tremors immediately lessen, can feel Essek’s chest expand and contract alongside his own.

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Caleb can feel Essek’s fluttering heartbeat, rather in sync with his own.

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They are both very alive, present together.

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“This, if it’s alright?”

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Caleb remains stationary, not wanting to spook Essek from this rare moment of outreach, looking into those too-careful, entreating eyes.

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His heart feels fit to burst.

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“Ja, this is alright.”

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Essek blinks, nods, settles further into place and turns his eyes to the fire.

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And so they sit, leaning side-by-side, breathing together, sweet steam warming the air around them, the fireplace casting its gentle warm light through crystalline ice water.

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Essek’s eyes grow unfocused as he watches the flames.

Deep in thought, Caleb assumes.

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Muscles held taut relax, slowly, slowly.

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Eventually, Essek takes a sip of his drink.

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Caleb, drowsy, comfortable, definitely does not stare when Essek reflexively licks the chocolate from his lips.

He definitely does not wonder how it would taste.

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The water pitcher’s ice shifts again.

The hearth cracks in reply.

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Caleb holds Essek close until he wants his space again.

.

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Read I Lean In and Kiss Him [Right Here] on AO3

T, M/M, No Archive Warnings apply, Complete (5 Chapters, 10.9k)

[tallstars-rewrite]

Chapter 18

chapter list / previous / next

The walk back to camp was the longest it had ever felt. Everyone was quiet. Tallpaw’s despair was wrestling with a tiny flare of helpless frustration that wavered and died before sputtering back up again. He just so desperately wanted his father to understand. He wanted to support him however he could, but he could not go back into the tunnels. Sandstone walked just ahead, but hadn’t so much as glanced back on their way home, muttering unintelligibly under his breath. Just when camp was in sight, Tallpaw slowed his pace, knowing his father was keeping in step with him until eventually the rest of the patrol pulled ahead, seemingly willing to let them be alone. It took Tallpaw a while to find his voice again.

“Are you mad at me?”

Sandstone barely looked at him “I am disappointed, Tallpaw. Your mistake was dangerous. You need to do better in the future. I thought you could handle an excavation, but next time we’ll focus more on the basics of walking through the smaller, more stable tunnels, since that’s where your skills apparently are right now.”

Tallpaw chest clenched up “But I--”

“And we’ll have a lot of catching up to do since you had to waste so much of your apprenticeship so far.”

“But Father--”

“Dawnstripe will just have to understand, this can’t be humored any longer. Plumclaw was so far along at your age that I just know further delay will make it harder, you’ll never build up the right muscles to--”

“Father!” Tallpaw struggled to keep the tremor out of his voice as he at last could bear it no longer, “I don’t want to!”

Sandstone whipped around to glare at him, dark eyes flashing. “Don’t talk over me Tallpaw. At the very least you should have been taught manners when speaking to your senior warriors by now, especially to your kin.”

Sandstone hadn’t even seemed to hear him. Tallpaw felt his burst of courage already begin to shrivel. But it was too late now, he couldn’t bottle it up again. “You’re not listening to me,” he said miserably. “I said I can’t. I don’t want to tunnel again! Ever!”

Sandstone only blinked at him “Tallpaw, you’ve had only one bad experience. You haven’t even seen an inch of what tunneling can offer. You don’t know enough to make a decision like that.”

“No! I can’t stand being underground, I couldn’t breathe, I thought I was going to die. I never even said that I wanted to be a tunneler, you just told me I wanted to, and I thought there wasn’t a choice, and-and-” he took a shuddering breath “I’m sorry, I really am, I know how much the tunnels mean to you and I want your plan to succeed, but I just can’t do this.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Sandstone’s voice was dangerously quiet now, the fur on his back beginning to rise. “Being a good warrior isn’t always about doing what you want.”

“I can’t, please understand, I’m just...” he couldn’t think of what to say. All he felt was another flash of anger, anger he hadn’t realized was there, a building resentment that he felt awful for harboring at all, but it was coming out anyway. “Why don’t you care about anything other than the tunnels!? Why is that all there is?”

“I care about the future of this clan, as all warriors should!” Sandstone hissed. “How dare you accuse me of anything else? Everything I’ve done, I’ve done because I care! What about you?”

“That’s not fair--”

Tallpaw was suddenly aware now of how silent it was despite being right outside of camp. His breath caught in his throat as he spotted Dawnstripe coming down the hill, and she looked like she was bristling. Oh no…

Sandstone whipped around to her. “Why don’t you ever mind your own business?” he snapped. “This conversation doesn’t involve you!”

Tallapw wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Dawnstripe look so angry, her ears pinned flat as she glowered at Sandstone. “Actually, it does involve me. As his mentor, this apprentice is my responsibility. I’ve watched him run about trying to please you and so far I have seen you do nothing but discourage his training with me. And now, I hear from Plumclaw there was a collapse! Where in StarClan's name did you take him!?”

“Collapse is dramatic,” Sandstone rolled his eyes. “He got scared of falling dirt.”

“You know how dangerous tunnels are!” rage shook in her voice. “How dare you take him somewhere you weren’t sure was safe? Do you have any idea what could have happened if he’d run down the wrong tunnel trying to get out!?” 

“I wouldn’t have had to rush if Heatherstar wasn’t making my job so difficult! If anything, she’s to blame for not lending me any support to maintain our systems. You moor runners don’t understand anything about the tunnels, and clearly you don't know anything about Tallpaw either. I know what’s best for my own son, and what's best isn’t coddling and moving at a snail's pace. Nothing happened to him that wasn’t in his own head from how soft he’s become in his current training.”

“You wouldn’t know anything about his current training because you don’t care about it! I knew I shouldn’t have let him go, he’s my apprentice, Tallpaw is not a tunneler and he is not yours to control!”

“Control?” Sandstone snarled. “I’m the one trying to control him? He wanted to be a tunneler all through his kithood and then you and Heatherstar took that decision away from him! He doesn’t know what he wants anymore!”

I just tried to tell you what I want! Tallpaw screeched internally, but his voice had abandoned him.

“He is not a kit and is capable of making his own decisions! Do whatever you want with the tunnels for all I care, but if you try to interfere with my training any further, I’m going to have to get the leader involved. ”

Sandstone’s thin fur bristled. “Oh, you're going to get the leader involved, are you really trying to threaten me? You’re not even fit to be a mentor, I was a respected warrior when you were still mewling in the nursery, you don’t scare me!”

Dawnstripe didn’t respond to Sandstone again. “Tallpaw, please join me in camp,” she said curtly. 

Tallpaw sat frozen and desperately wished he could sink into the grass. I didn’t want to start fighting…! Sandstone’s eyes were colder than he’d ever seen them, as if daring Tallpaw to turn his back and follow her. He couldn’t stand being under his furious gaze anymore. He slunk away with his tail dragging behind him.

“Turn your back on your family and our pride then!” Sandstone spat. “Turn your back on everything you could have been! Don’t ever expect me to help you though. No son of mine would behave like such a selfish coward. If you want to be on your own, then you’re on your own!” 

A vicious sting shot through Tallpaw's chest, but he still didn’t look back. Coward. The word echoed in his head. He tried to ignore the other tunnelers murmuring amongst each other as Tallpaw found his way to Dawnstripe. She shouldn’t have had to do that. This wasn’t how he wanted the cats he looked up to to see of him. 

To his surprise, Dawnstripe only sighed quietly and said, “I’m sorry, Tallpaw.”

“Why would you be sorry? None of this is your fault.” Tallpaw dared to look up and saw the sadness in her eyes. 

“I’m afraid I may have made things more difficult. That shouldn’t have been done in front of you. I know how much you care about trying to do right by your family, but every time Sandstone speaks to you, it seems to weigh on you, and you get distracted when you're upset. I hate seeing you beating yourself up so much just because your father's path wasn’t right for you. I wish you could choose your own path and have a good relationship with your father. The last thing I want is to make you feel like you have to choose between your training and your kin. I hope he doesn’t try to make you suffer more because of what I’ve said to him.”

Tallpaw nodded stiffly, but didn’t respond. Dawnstripe touched her nose to his head. “I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished Tallpaw. You will be a worthy warrior. I hope your father will see that someday too. I’ll give you some space. Take the rest of the day to rest and wash yourself off.” 

Tallpaw wasn’t sure he could bring himself to believe that. The tunnelers were talking now, and it was too hard not to listen. Were they talking about him? Sandstone and Woollycloud were facing each other. Sandstone still looked angry, and to Tallpaw’s surprise, Woollycloud did too. Woollycloud had a half eaten rabbit at his paws and he was gesturing to it. Tallpaw knew he shouldn’t, but he scooted a bit closer. Suddenly, Woollycloud called his name and he froze.

“Tallpaw,” the tunneler said, his eyes were intense and Tallpaw braced himself. “Fennelpelt tells me you caught this rabbit. Did you catch it near the warrens where we just were?”

“Y-yes?” Tallpaw had no idea what this had to do with anything. Woollycloud turned from him back to Sandstone.

“Look at this Sandstone. Look at the belly of this doe. This is exactly what I feared would happen.”

Plumclaw sniffed at it “What on earth is that? Is there meat in this rabbit's belly? Since when do rabbits hunt?”

“They don’t,” Woollycloud said. “This was a mother rabbit. It is her own young that lay in her belly. The hunting in the east side of the moor has been getting poorer since we first started the plans for this idea last newleaf. We’re crowding them, we are tormenting them constantly with our presence underground. A mother does not feast upon her own unless she feels she is in such danger that they can’t be cared for. We’re treading into their burrows, there is nowhere they feel safe to raise their young and replenish their numbers! If our prey cannot survive here, then we will not survive here. Five extra rabbits that will never grow to have their own, or to feed us.”

“Now you're going to blame rabbits doing absurd things on us?” Sandstone hissed. “That’s what you’ve come to now? Have you run so far out of excuses?”

“Sandstone I’ve been telling you for moons that you are trying to push this tunnel project too far too fast. This didn’t happen for no reason, and it is not the first time it’s happened with a rabbit from near that area. We cannot abuse our land.”

Tallpaw was confused. Woollycloud had criticisms of the tunnel project now? He had never seen Woollycloud do anything other than support his father. He curled his tail tightly around himself in fear. Is Sandstone going to blame this on me too? If I had never caught that rabbit...

“We are not abusing our land, we are shaping it, as it was given to us and as we have the right to do. StarClan blessed us with our gifts for a reason, to use them to their fullest potential!” Sandstone shot back.

“Hazelnose has already reported the possibility that the tunnel path you wish to take will run far too close to both the eastern warrens as well the western one! We cannot afford to lose our prey, not when they haven’t even fully recovered from the sickness that brought the famine seasons ago. You want the tunnels to be more than they were ever intended to be. It was dangerous to go down there today, and you know it. Not just for our safety, but for the stability of the moors.”

“The rabbits being upset is a small issue that will repair itself. The prey will adjust or they will move to a new warren if we disturb theirs!”

“Or they will move off the moors entirely!”

“Why are you the only cat that thinks so then?” Sandstone retorted. “No other tunneler, at least none who actually helps tunnel and bothers to stay knowledgeable about our current progress, has these misgivings. And since when would you trust another cat's worries over my knowledge after all the experiences we’ve had together? This is to be our legacy, and we must fight for it, not back down because some cats are afraid!” 

Sandstone had extra edge in his voice when he mentioned the tunnelers ‘who actually helped.’ Tallpaw wasn’t sure who he could be referring to though. Weren’t all of the tunnelers helping? Well...aside from Palebird of course, as she was still ill.

Mistmouse raised her paw and Sandstone turned, Tallpaw could imagine the fierceness of his glare but Mistmouse didn’t look away from the attention this time. “It’s not just…” She started before finding her voice “It’s not just Woollycloud. I’ve spoken to Hazelnose and...he’s worried as well. He said the type of soil he smells in the area isn’t the kind that is likely to hold up the way we need it to for this project. We hit soft mud so fast today, and that always spells danger. It’s what it smelled like last time there was a… bad collapse. I know we hoped it would work but...maybe it is too dangerous.”

Plumclaw finally spoke up, sounding ruffled “Yeah, but Hazelnose has seemed more and more interested lately in hunting with his moor runner mate than with us. How confident are you that he just doesn’t want to dedicate the hard time it will take to work around the issue?”

Mistmouse looked taken aback “That’s...that’s not why…”

Woollycloud started to sound pleading, “Plumclaw you aren’t being fair. Hazelnose has always been a hard worker and never complained about it! Haven’t any of you considered that there might be a reason Badgerstar was never able to complete planning this project?”

“Badgerstar couldn’t complete it because WindClan was suffering too much at the time,” Sandstone protested. “But we are stronger now and we owe it to her memory to realize the dream she had.”

“Badgerstar didn’t have enough time planning this dream to sort out the potential dangers it may have had. Her dream was for her clan to be safe, and that must be our priority. I’ve had misgivings about this for moons, and after today I am even more sure. It could have been so much worse if we’d dug a bit farther. We don’t have the power to run tunnels all over the moor, and certainly not beyond it, without hurting something, or someone, else...I can’t pretend to have confidence that the risk of injury or death will be outweighed by the benefits we think it may have. Sandstone I've always stood by you, but as your tunneling partner I have to say I'm growing concerned that you care more about prioritizing your legacy and vision than what we can actually do. You are demanding more than our home can provide for us!”

Sandstone bristled at the accusation. Tallpaw couldn’t listen anymore. All this fighting was because of him. For all he knew, maybe he had disturbed the rabbit into eating her young. Maybe it was his fault the tunnel collapsed, he barely knew how to dig correctly after all. He’d hurt Mistmouse and now she was nervous too. He didn’t want to be around when the group finally broke up. He certainly didn’t want to know if his father would come back and blame him for all this new doubt.

While wondering if he should hide somewhere outside camp altogether, Tallpaw stumbled into the frail old molly Hen. She was laying on her side watching the clouds, and she looked down to smile kindly at him with her sun-golden eyes. He wondered if she’d overheard the clan fighting as well. 

“Where are you running to, little one?” she rasped, “It’s cold out now. You won’t feel much better out there.”

She seemed a bit distant, and even skinnier than when she first arrived. There was an off scent about her he couldn’t place, perhaps of the unknown sickness inside her. Whatever it was felt wrong. Her eyes looked glazed and far off, almost dreamlike, though if she was in pain, she didn’t show it. 

“You should be resting, shouldn’t you?” he said awkwardly, inching closer to the edge of camp.

“Rest. Indeed.” She murmured. “You know little one, these things too will pass. All things come to an end. Good things yes, but bad things as well. Keep your chin up and have some faith in yourself.”

Maybe Hen had been listening after all. Or maybe she was just rambling nonsense. It didn’t make much difference, he didn’t want empty comfort. 

At last he let out a defeated sigh and opted to simply hide away in the back of the apprentice den, with all the spare fronds of heather he could find to camouflage him. If anyone looked over, hopefully it would appear empty. Just a lumpy pile of heather with nothing underneath.

chapter list / previous / next

[mine-sara-sp]

Where it decays [ch2]

Lets not think about the fact that i took so long for me to write this, just enjoyyyy [AO3] and [Ch1]

In which the hermits come to check on Scar’s weird murder crystal.

Click, Click, Click. 

It echoes, it rings in his ears. Rhythmic and unnerving.

One of the few details still clear in this memory. Not where, not when, not the face of his host but that sound. The damp air, the soft and humid surface of the moss he was sitting on, the light weight of something placed in his hands. 

A gift.

A boney texture. Moss covering its edges and bringing it all together around a single precious crystal. 

He can drop it, sure, he would never force him to take something he doesn’t want. But it will be back in his hands the instant he wants it again. He knows. 

“You can take this as an..invitation.” 

Tempting sure, but that wasn’t the time to accept the invite yet. Still too much to do, to explore, to create. 

He lets the gift fall. For now. 

The sound of the communicator buzzing beside his bed woke him up. Messages appearing on the tiny screen. 

Oh? He needed to go check on a friend. 

----

Scar tapped his foot anxiously as he passed his new health crystal from a hand to the other. He felt the sting from pain whenever the crystal touched the bandages on his left hand but barely paid any mind to it, he kept his eyes focused on the murky waters surrounding the giant crystal and thought about his options. 

The crystal was… weird. Dangerous, but he wasn’t sure how much. The decay wasn’t really spreading past the lake for now. Still, he didn’t want to take the chance since Larry was just a few meters away from the shore, and having the entire jungle die would be a problem.

Healing it was a big no. It didn’t want to heal.

He thought about destroying it, but he couldn't. Just the thought made him feel nauseous. A horrible feeling at the start of his stomach. Maybe it was just his guts telling him that the crystal could probably do to him what it had done to the little crystal he was trying to use on it. 

 He paced back and forth on the lakeshore for a while, avoiding to look up at the shiny green stone floating at the center of the monoliths. 

How silly he thought. 

He was getting so nervous around it that he didn’t want to look at it! It’s just a big magic rock throwing a kinda deadly temper tantrum Scar! You can deal with it!

Well, maybe he could deal with it with some help. 

Not sure of how anyone could help with this but better than trying alone again. He wasn’t sure who to call, so he called everyone that felt like coming to see what was going on. 

He picked up his communicator and stared blankly at the chat. Cub and X seemed to be busy right now but Tango said he’d come and take a look. Maybe some admin commands could get rid of the crystal?  Or at least make sure nothing else could start rotting.

Scar felt a chill creep its way up to his spine. 

He finally looked up at the crystal floating in the air. 

The decay was probably something manageable but what the crystal showed to him was something- someone? Someone else. The crystal was not connected to him like all the other smaller ones were, it was connected to whoever that was.   

Scar nervously tapped his fingers on the side of his leg as he felt a bit of nausea starting to rise in his throat. Suddenly he wanted to go and hide far away, maybe he could just move to the desert with Cub and stop trying to be a magician. 

But he couldn’t give up so easily, could he?

He let out a shaky breath and kept tapping his fingers. 

“So, the spooky aesthetic wasn’t intentional?” Scar jumped away from his friend in surprise letting the health crystal fall off his hand. He didn't hear any rockets firing or steps coming from behind himself so he was caught completely off guard.

He turned around to see Grian chuckling lightly. 

“I gave you all those compliments but you didn’t say anything about the murder crystal!” He said jokingly, leaning in closer to Scar. 

The wizard smiled lightly before retrieving the small crystal from the ground, closing his hand tightly around it and pushing it into his robe pockets. 

“Did you sneak your way here just to scare me?”

“Maybe,” Grian replied with a wink. Scar laughed, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets. 

Grian moved to the side a little and looked up at the crystal. Scar didn't, tapping nervously his foot on the ground and facing the jungle and Larry.

"It doesn't look too bad honestly if it doesn't go further." 

"if." Scar remarked, "I don't know what it wants to do, maybe it's gonna stop and be happy like this or maybe it's gonna get worse. I tried talking with it and it… it wasn't nice."

Scar felt the coldness of the mist seep into his bones again. The eyes on the other side of the crystal staring at his back now. 

He didn't realize how tense he'd become until he realized his hand hurt from keeping it closed too tight. 

He let go and tried to shake it off when he saw Grian looking back at him now, frowning. 

"Wait, is the crystal alive?" 

"Alive and kinda finicky, I tried to stop it from making everything rot and it made my health crystal explode." Scar replied taking his left hand out of his pocket and giving Grian a small wave with it. 

Grian cringed slightly at the sight of the bandaged hand. 

He gave one last look at the crystal then turned around, putting a hand on Scar's shoulder. 

"Why don't we wait for the others inside Larry's shell? You seem tired." 

Scar nodded. Not looking at the crystal was probably the best idea for now. 

Grian got up first and immediately made his way into Scar's kitchen, meanwhile, the wizard stopped and stared at the doorless entrance. Did he really steal his door again? He rolled his eyes and sat at the kitchen table, putting his elbows on it and resting his face on his right hand. 

"These door bandits are getting a little out of control, don't you think?"  He said trying to sound oblivious of the other's shenanigans. Tapping his fingers to the side of his cheek. 

Grian tilted his head to the side as he reached for Scar's cookie jar and got a few out. "Yeah, they're the worst!" He took a bite off one. "I mean, who steals doors? That's ridiculous!" 

Scar chuckled and reached to grab a few cookies himself, Grian tilted the jar in his direction. 

"Luckily, I got a vault full of them." He said before starting to eat too. 

"Isn't a vault a bit too much for a few doors?" Grian asked as he sat down too, putting the jar on the table between them. 

Scar kept quietly munching on his cookie, looking at an undefined spot on the table.

 "I don't keep only doors in it." 

A light knocking caught their attention. Tango stood at the entrance of the snail house, smiling brightly.  

“I heard you needed a bit of admin magic!” 

---

The magic crystal issue seemed to have attracted a lot more attention than Scar would have anticipated, not that he didn’t expect his friends to come and help him with the situation but he knew that most couldn’t really do anything with this.

 He was the one who meddled with magic crystals and sometimes vex magic and the only result he got was nightmare fuel and a light wound. Most of his friends didn’t play around with other kinds of magic as far as he knew but they still came to check in anyway. 

Along with Tango, Impulse and Zedaph had arrived, chatting lightly as they walked around on the little island underneath the crystal meanwhile Tango went up the monolith to work with his commands and see if he could do anything. 

Scar heard Zedaph talk about things he would have tried to do with the crystal if was in his cave of contraption, list included “Extrazombiflying capsule” which he didn’t want to find out what it was supposed to do in and how it should have worked in Zedaph’s mind. 

Scar felt the need to tell him not to touch the crystal, just as a precaution, but he saw him tap the crystal a few times anyway. He didn't drop dead so it was probably fine.

Stress and Mumbo arrived together, they apparently met on the way in the jungle and decided to walk and chat the rest of the way to the crystal. Mumbo almost ignored the crystal completely as he saw a particularly cute mushroom and stopped to look at it. Stress was as amazed as him but still gave an enthusiastic wave to Scar and Grian before crouching down to get a better look at the mushroom. 

Scar choked back a small laugh, meanwhile, Grian went to fetch the two. They made him stop to look at the mushroom as well. 

This was a strangely cheerful scene considering the reason why he called them here, it made him feel a bit calmer. 

He started to tap his fingers on the small crystal in his pocket again before looking up at the shiny green problem at the center of the lake. He didn’t keep his gaze on it for too long, moving it to watch Tango on the monolith next to it. 

Scar could see him dangle his legs off the ledge and stare at his comm’s small screen with a rather lost expression. He wasn't as used to deal with bugs and problems as Xisuma was and this was a weird problem to deal with, to begin with. 

Joe wandered in at some point, appearing seemingly out of nothing and arriving under the crystal, startling Impulse that was too intent in shouting something to Tango to notice him, Zedaph had a good laugh at that. 

It was a fun scene but Scar was starting to feel a bit uneasy with the number of people around the gem, he was about to ask them to get a bit farther away from it when he heard the thud of someone landing close.

He turned to see Iskall a few steps away, bionic eye making a quiet buzzing sound as it focused on Scar. 

“Hallo!” He said with a cheerful voice, stepping closer to Scar.  

“Hey,” Scar replied with a tired smile, turning to look again at the people under the crystal. No one dropped dead still, this is fine. He can calm down.

“So that’s your problem child,” Iskall said, looking up at the gem and putting his hands in his hoodie’s pocket. 

“I guess you can call it that, It seems… calm for now.” He replied looking at the stone, feeling again as if someone was staring back at him from the other side.

The air got tense as he stiffened slightly at the sensation, no one seemed to have this same reaction, the gang under the crystal was still talking animatedly same as the others next to the adorable little mushroom. Scar took a sharp breath, tapping on the side of the gem in his pocket and then looking back at Iskall. He seemed to have noticed his sudden tenseness because he looked a bit worried. 

“it looks like iskallium, you know?” He said suddenly.

“Uhm?” Scar raised an eyebrow. 

“Iskallium is my own gem, so if it keeps causing trouble I can scold it and it will have to listen to me!” He declared with a big smile on his face. “It’s science!”

“I wouldn’t try that.”  Scar chuckled lightly. “You don’t fix magic problems with science, especially if it needs you scolding the rock that has been having deadly temper tantrums”

“Trying wouldn’t hurt.” 

Scar avoided telling him that, yes, it would. His hand was proof of that. 

The clicking rhythmic sound of his nails against the gem helped his nerves a little as he saw Tango literally lean on the crystal as he typed in something in his comm. Why was everyone so careless around that thing--

“Scar.” 

“Uhn? what?”

“Why are you doing that?” 

Scar frowned and looked back at his friend, he looked slightly worried again. 

“Doing what?” He asked confused, tilting his head a bit. 

“The clicking.” 

Clicking? oh. 

Now that he thought about it he had been a bit extra fidgety since the crystal started being a problem, tapping his fingers and bouncing his leg.  

“I guess I’m just a bit nervous, sorry.” He murmured taking his hands out of his pockets, only to find that he was starting to tap his feet instead. 

Uh. 

Scar made the effort to stay still for a moment but found it really difficult, his hands twitching slightly. 

He wasn’t that shaken, was he?

Scar pulled the health crystal out of his pocket and closed his eyes, he took a deep breath and tried to channel the gem’s properties on himself. The magic flowing through him felt like warm water taking away some of the tension he was feeling, making the wound on his hand hurt less and…

Click, Click, Click.

Scar’s eyes snapped open. His nails clicked against the glassy surface of the crystal and he couldn’t control it.  He felt the fog seep into his body again, the person on the other side of the crystal staring down at him. What did that thing put into his head?

“I-- I’m not doing it on purpose.”   

He was about to shove his hand back into his pockets to at least quiet down the sound when iskall gestured him to stop and took Scar’s hand in his. Looking down at the finger’s movements. 

“Listen.” 

Scar frowned and stared at Iskall for a moment, he looked extremely concentrated on the sound. He started paying more attention to his involuntary tapping as well even if he wasn't sure what he was supposed to hear. 

Click, Click, Click.

There was a specific rhythm to the tapping, he tried and couldn’t change it. One slow tap, two fast, two slow, one fast, repeat. 

One slow. Click.

Two fast. Click, Click.

Two slow. Click, Click.

One fast. Click.

Repeat.  

Wait.

“Morse?” He asked. Iskall nodded. 

Why in the world was he tapping morse. Maybe he could go fetch some of his old stuff from area77, Doc did give him a little paper sheet with morse code written on it. Hopefully, he didn't throw it away, they didn't really end up using it.

“T-I-M-E.”  Iskall said letting go of Scar’s hand. Eh?

“Why do you know morse, Iskall?” Scar asked shoving his hands in his pockets to not hear the sound anymore.

“Oh you know, friends.” He replied, shrugging slightly and putting his hands back into his pockets. “I’m guessing this has something to do with the magic problem child, is it making you spam “time”?”

“I guess…” Scar murmured looking back up at the giant crystal. 

“Any idea why?”

Scar nodded. There was one thing that came to his mind. He didn't really know why or how whoever was on the other side of the crystal knew about it. Still, it was worth seeing if something could be done with it. 

He glanced at the crystal one last time before walking over to the others that were still talking near the mushroom. Grian and Mumbo were discussing something about messages not being replied now. 

"These two sound like annoying lovebirds don't they?" Stress commented before getting distracted by Iskall waving at her and quickly running past Scar to go meet him. 

Scar looked at Grian and Mumbo, he was unsure if the argument was gonna continue for long so he just decided to literally jump between them.

 "Hey Mumbo, could you help me with something real quick?" He asked, grabbing the tall man's arm. 

Mumbo raised an eyebrow. "Sure, what do you need?"

Scar heard a tiny whine in protest coming from Grian as he pulled Mumbo away.

"I need you to open the vault for me, I lost the key." 

---

Breaking open the K.G.O.O.M.R. wasn't that difficult for Mumbo, not that he enjoyed it but he had already done it a few times. Scar really needed to find that key at some point. 

Nevertheless, as soon as the iron door on the floor opened Scar knelt down next to the first chest of the three. 

Grian peeked in from behind Mumbo that pushed him slightly away from the vault.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! I'm not gonna touch the doors, I'm just curious!" He said with a fake offended tone. 

Scar chucked, It's true the vault was full of doors mostly, but there was one other thing he deemed important enough to have to stay in it.

Well, not really important, more of a work in progress. An unstable work in progress. 

He opened the chest and pulled out a shiny orange gem.

To the other hermits, it might have looked like just another of his crystals but this one was different.

Using the crystals to channel healing properties was a thing, using them to play with time was another. 

It was unstable, complicated, and honestly not that worth messing with, Scar had started experimenting with it just to test his abilities, to see what he could and couldn't do. 

He managed to stop a few things in time; A plant that never withers away, an arrow stuck in mid-air forever. He brought some things back and forth, making tools rust away in a few minutes or go back to being brand new in the same amount of time. 

It was exciting at first; then he had a tiny accident with a bird that flew a bit too close when he was practicing and decided to stop working with the crystal.

 Until now, probably. 

He made the gem twirl around in his hand a few times, the lights in the room hitting it and projecting colored shards around him. 

He could feel the stone's powers, not that he'd forgotten how it felt to experiment with it. It would be difficult to forget how that much power running through your veins felt. It was a bit like Vex magic, but without having to borrow it from the fey. Being in complete control of something like that was more dangerous but more rewarding. 

If he thought about it this little gem could technically be stronger than the giant crystal. 

He could… He could turn time back on the crystal, bringing it back to being simple dust. 

But could he really risk trying that? 

Scar stared at the gem for a few seconds before putting it in his pocket. The wound on his hand burned slightly, reminding him to be careful. 

"Thank you for the door, Mumbo." Scar said smiling, before climbing the ladder up to the exit. 

"You're welcome." The redstoner replied behind Scar. 

"Grian put that door down." He heard him say as he left the room where the vault was. They followed him soon after. 

He walked over to the lakeshore and saw that now Iskall and Stress had joined the others under the crystal and that Tango was not on the monolith anymore, he was on ground level with everyone. He was gesticulating energetically while explaining something to everyone else, Zedaph was behind him mimicking the movements with a bit too much accuracy to be the first time he did it. 

Scar quietly ran his fingers on the time gem, he wasn't tapping anymore now that he thought about it. 

He didn't know if he could feel relieved about it.

With a jump and a little push of his elytra he almost got to the island, he still got his feet wet by missing by a few blocks but using a rocket would have probably made him collide with someone. The thing that Grian does less than half a second later, headbutting Joe off the island and into the water. He apologizes quickly trying to get the other hermit back on his feet.  

“And here I thought nothing could hurt as much as Cleo’s punches.” Joe gasped, hugging his stomach where Grian had impacted. 

“Grian is more dangerous than anything else here right now.” Impulse said with a grin. 

“Careful Impulse, I got more rockets.”

"This creeper farm gives him too much power Scar! Too many rockets he can get his hands on, maybe the crystal was trying to save us all along!" Zedaph gasped with an over-dramatic tone placing the back of his hand on his forehead in an exaggerated gesture. 

Scar wished he could laugh with the others at that but all he could think of right now was how much that magic crystal was starting to weigh in his pocket.

"So, anyway--" Tango started saying while rubbing the back of his neck "I was saying to the others that I don't think I can do anything right now. Maybe if I manage to get Xisuma together we can find something but on my own, I really don't know."

Scar nodded, of course, it couldn't be easy. "It's okay” He reassured Tango. 

“I think I might have a solution," he fidgeted with the fabric of his sleeve "But honestly don't know if it's a good idea, or if it's worth trying."

"Well, if it's a horrible idea we will definitely warn you about it," Joe said, still slightly bent down for the pain of the impact with Grian. 

"Okay, so… I could try using this." Scar showed the small orange gem to his friends, leaving it on his open palm."This crystal is special, I can use it to control time a little. I was thinking I could try using it to make the crystal go back to before it was... Uhm, like this?" 

There was an excruciatingly long silence. 

"I'm sorry, did you just say you can control time??? " Tango asked. 

"Kinda? I can't go back in time myself, I think, but I can change the effect of time on objects, make things older or newer." 

"Does it work on people too? Could ya turn someone into a baby?"  Stress asked leaning a bit closer to look at the crystal. 

Scar closed his hand on the crystal nervously making Stress pout. "Definitely on birds" 

"Oh, I guess Grian wasn't the only reason why I wasn't finding any parrots," Mumbo murmured. 

"Didn't you find the double-sized parrot?"  Iskall asked grinning. Mumbo chuckled nervously. 

"Anyway, what do you guys think of my idea?" Scar asked, holding tightly the gem. 

There was another moment of silence before Impulse spoke up. 

"You were the one preaching with Doc about the dangers of messing with time last season. I think you know about the risks of using this thing better than any of us." He said. 

"Also, didn't that crystal already hurt you for trying something like this?" Grian asked, gesturing to Scar's bandaged hand. "What if it does it again, and you end up being the one that gets rewind, who knows what would that cause!" 

Scar frowned. The thought of becoming suddenly younger wasn't that fun, especially since he didn't know if that would regard only his body or if his mind would be affected as well. 

"You should also think about from where you got the idea of using that thing, Scar," Iskall added, leaving the others except for Scar slightly confused. 

Scar signed and looked at the gem in the palm of his hand.

"I think you already know it's not a good idea," Joe said, putting his hand on Scar's shoulder. "We can find a different solution that doesn't require using that." 

Scar was silent for a moment then nodded.

“You’re right, I think I’ll go put it back in the vault-" A single tiny green shard fell at his feet. Suddenly he felt his blood run cold, he blinked and looked up. 

A cracking noise filled the jungle. 

[dearlazerbunny]

Let it Go (Ch. 1 of ?)

Pairings: platonic avengers team x reader, potential background loki x reader

Words: 1800

Genre/Ratings: -WARNINGS- there will be an (unsuccessful) suicide attempt by reader- chapter will be explicitly marked in advance. Drug (pills) and alcohol abuse, lots of negativity and self loathing. There will be an arc, but said arc is going to start in the eleventh circle of hell and inch up from there.

Summary: *not far enough into this one to give an accurate summary, so this’ll have to be updated eventually. enjoy for now!*

If I see another ad for Frozen, I might go homicidal.

I pass at least five of them as I work through rush-hour Manhattan at a snail’s pace. Smash Hit! Instant Classic! #1 Movie in the World! Awesome. Fantastic. Happy for you, Disney. Now please, dear god, get it the fuck out of my face.

I jerk away from narrowly shoulder-checking a businessman hustling down the sidewalk, speaking rapid-fire into the phone glued to his ear. It’s like a very, very fucked up dream; everyone in the world is in on the joke, and I just didn’t get the invite. Maybe they were spying on me. Sure, it could’ve been inspired by a fairytale, but who knows? I could sue. Demand fifty percent of the profits for copyright infringement. That’d be more than enough to set me up with a cabin in Alaska, somewhere all I’d have to worry about is making friends with the polar bears.

On the subway, I notice someone has Let it Go blaring from their earbuds. No less than three little girls are wearing something blue and covered in glitter. One has a cheap blonde plait clipped into her hair, accented by a snowflake charm dangling from the end. I suppress the urge to rip it off her head.

It isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, I want to say. It’s not Disney-dreamy like the mouse has made it out to be, living in a palace and making magical snowmen and singing power ballads about self-acceptance and overcoming your demons. In the real world, you quell those demons with a fistful of benzodiazepines, because if you don’t, something like a car alarm or a slammed door will make spikes of ice splinter through the floor around you. It’s constantly wearing three hoodies at a time, so that way if a stranger on the seat next to you brushes your arm, they don’t immediately get third-degree frostbite. It’s getting a papercut and watching the blood freeze on the tip of your finger, then melt back to liquid when you break it off and toss it away. It’s getting hospitalized when an inner-city charity doctor takes your temperature before you can object and your body temperature is barely higher than freezing, so they pump you full of warm saline and cover you in foil blankets and all that heat makes you sick, so you have to rip the IV out of your arm and walk yourself back to your apartment in your hospital gown while dodging orderlies and strange looks from passerby at 2 AM.

The kid and her parents get off at the next stop. The subway clicks along. I try to make myself smaller as the car fills up with more people.  

Maybe if they’d had Xanax in Arendelle, Elsa wouldn’t have had to deal with all that “conceal, don’t feel” bullshit. She wouldn’t be able to feel anything with all the pills and booze she’d be mainlining. Take it from me, babe, it’s a lot easier to drug those demons away. Much more effective than a song.

Something in me feels a weird flare of pride for handling this… whatever the hell it is better than a fictional cartoon princess. Then I want to laugh, because goddamn, my life is pathetic.

My meeting spot is in a back alley near Bryant Park. Some NYU kid is pawning his Klonopin for party cash, I guess. I think if you’re rich enough to be a frat boy at NYU you probably don’t need the extra fifty from your prescriptions, but whatever. I don’t have a ton of other avenues at this point.

I scan the neon bottle, then shake it open and count the pills inside. “These are only a half milligram? Fifteen.”

“Dude, we said forty.”

“Yeah, for a milligram pill. These will barely last me a week.”

“Twenty.”

“Fine.”

I don’t think the universe agrees with my choices.

The sky splits open with a shriek that balances the world on the edge of a knife. One heartbeat. Two. He and I both look up at the clear blue, unsure. Between the skyline, I see something- somethings- begin pouring from a split in the universe, ugly and black and hungry.

I wrench the bottle from the kid’s hands and run.

Run, run, run, don’t look up, don’t look back, oh jesus what the FUCK IS THIS- Midtown is a nightmare. Not from Friday traffic this time. People are scrambling, screaming and crying, trying to flee the scene. An entire side of a building gets shaved off and falls to the ground like an iceberg. A gas line broke somewhere because everything is hazy with fumes and starts shimmering rainbow colors. I round a corner, cursing and trying to keep my ratty converse on my feet as I dodge rubble and ash- don’t look up don’t look up don’t look up. I can see my breath starting to crystallize around me as my anxiety spikes, and I try to force it down. Don’t think about it. Now is so not the time for that.

In the middle of the street, six brightly clad superheroes stand with grim but determined looks on their faces. There’s Tony Stark in his mechanical suit, Captain America brandishing his shield. The star stands out like a beacon in the smoke. Cool, coolcoolcool, they’ve got this, right? They’ve totally got this. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to befineohholyshitthat’sabigalien-

I try to use an overturned car as cover. Dart to one, breathe, press my back to steel and try to shake my body back from shock, wait for a moment of silence between the chaos- run to the next pile of rubble. My footprints are outlined in frost on the cracked pavement, clean white against the ash raining from the sky. As I slam myself up against another car, heaving, I have a prime few of Captain-freaking-America bashing three ugly aliens in the face with his shield, battering them to the ground. He stops for a moment to flex his fingers, wipe some of the grime from his face.

He doesn’t see the alien rushing him from behind, mouth open and yawning in some sort of hideous grin, poised to shove a glowing blue gun against the Captain’s muscly back.

I don’t think. My feet move without my telling them to. I can taste the ash as I dart to the middle of the street, as close as I dare. The air around me is impossibly frigid. I’m not controlling anything at this point, but I can deal with that later. Hopefully.

“DUCK!” I scream as loud as I possibly can over the sound of metal and roaring monsters.

His eyes snap up to meet mine. He heard me, somehow, and then he actually heeds a random girl standing amidst the carnage and hits the deck so fast I can hear the whiplash. It’s hot enough to make my skin boil, but if I stretch my hand out and pull, I can feel something begin to crystallize in my waiting palm-

Fissures crack open in the concrete beneath me. In my hand, a thin lance of ice extends to a deadly point, too weighty for its slim frame, and while I should have all the grace and skill of an alcoholic drug addict, my aim is good enough that the alien now has an unforgiving pole of ice sticking through its breastbone. Frost creeps from the hole in its chest, discoloring its sickly black armor to a grey tint. For a moment, it's suspended in time, unmoving- then gravity takes hold and with one last nightmarish shriek it crumples to the ground in a heap.

Huh. Whaddya know. I flex my fingers, breathing hard. Take that, Elsa. Screw the power of love, I just single-handedly saved a national icon.

Said icon is picking himself up off the ground, a new layer of dust coating the front of his uniform. He looks behind him, at the ugly corpse and the ice that inexplicably hasn’t started to melt in the city’s heat. Then his eyes are on me, hard and curious.

Oh. Fuck.

Instinctively, I pull my hood up further over my head, hopefully obscuring more of my face than before. What did he see? Could he memorize my face? He knows I’m a freak show, that’s for sure. Fuck. My brain kicks in and I run, skidding over broken pavement and letting the sheer terror of a crumbling New York fuel my steps. Either we’ll all be dead by the end of this, or the strange girl with ice coming from her hands will be little more than a hazy memory after all this is said and done. I hope. Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, don’t think about it- cold prickles on the back of my neck and pushes me back towards being just another face in the crowd.

  There are over a dozen police blockades to try and control the battlefield, and between them and the rubble raining from the heavens, it takes me what feels like hours to crawl back to my underside of the city. It’s punctuated by the grinding of metal and shattering of glass and sickening cracks of lightning from Midtown, making me flinch and wring my hands deep into my sweatshirts to keep them busy with something other than frosting the ground over. Don’t think about it.

I shove my shoulder into the door, forcing it open, then close it the same way from the opposite side. I flick the locks closed, secure the ball and chains. Each one is encased in frost by the time I’m done, and the doorjamb is clogged with ice. I’m suddenly irrationally thankful that there’s only one window in the apartment. It’s a stupid comfort- those things were leveling skyscrapers, a ratty building like this would be flattened in an instant-

I wrench open the nearest drawer, sending the contents rolling. Bottles clack against each other; pills rattling against the plastic. It’s the most comforting thing I’ve heard all day. I pull one out at random, pop the lid, down it dry. In the back of my mind, the large green monster roars. I shudder and swallow another, this time chasing it with swigs from the obscenely large bottle of booze on the desk. It burns all the way down in the best way, chasing the little orange tablets and promising the sweet release of nothing.  

That should last a day. Maybe more. I fall into the bed, already feeling the combo tug at my system, making me heavy and slow. Maybe Manhattan will still be standing when I wake up. Or better yet, Manhattan will still be standing, but I won’t. I’ve never been that lucky, but it never hurts to hope.

[arthurtristankingsmen]

Night Talks

I made a little one shot of Mystery PoV in the hospital. It’s sad and a bit rough because I’m out of practice, but it’s the longest thing in a while so I’m pretty happy. Enjoy!

He could feel his gaze on him, even with his eyes closed. Something heavy settled on his chest, but there were some things he couldn’t run from forever.

Mystery finally opened his eyes, locking them with Arthur from where he’d curled into a tiny ball. He didn’t dare move, didn’t dare breathe too deep or shift or jostle the sheets. He was stone, small as possible and smaller still. A statue at the foot of the bed.

Arthur was drawn and pale, bloodless lips already trembling. His jaw locked tight and his throat bobbed with swallows, punctuated by his shallow, harsh breaths. He could hear the rabbiting of Arthur’s heart even from the opposite side of the bed.

He’d seen terror like that before. Years and centuries before, so very long ago. He’d seen men with that look, radiating with a fear so intense it rendered them silent as they drowned under it. It was the look they’d had, right before they’d fallen lifeless. Seeing it before had made him feel so smug. So powerful…

…seeing it on Arthurs’ face was a knife between his ribs. His ears pinned back, flat to his skull. An involuntary whine slipped out, half stifled.

Arthur came alive at the sound. His right arm moved to where his left should have been. His fingers fumbled with air, and he slipped on the bed, sucking in a breath and kicking up the sheets in his effort to sit up. To scramble away. He couldn’t get much further than the far end of the bed with the IV in his arm, but he stayed there, plastered and flat against the plastic headboard until it creaked in protest. He stared at Mystery with eyes crinkled at the edges with pain, so wide he could see himself in them and pupils blown. The room stayed silent, except the soft snores of Vivi as she slept in the chair beside the bed.

Mystery shifted the barest amount, and swallowed something thick and dense when Arthur’s breath caught. “…I can leave.”

Arthur’s gaze bore into him. “Wh—” He coughed, voice hoarse and cracked. “I—.” He looked down to his left, and the bandaged stump of his arm twitched. He winced and swallowed again and looked at Mystery, from the corner of his eyes. A sheen of sweat glistened on his skin and he swayed slightly. Another minute of silence.

His voice was microscopic when he found it. “…Why?”

It was such a small question, loaded like a bullet. Mystery’s gaze went to the sheets on the bed. “…There was something in the cave. A spirit—but a malicious one. I…I did what I did, to keep it from consuming you entirely.” Each word felt meticulous in his mouth, plucked with care as if any one of them might shatter everything.

Arthur’s swallow was audible. “Oh.” He slurred slightly from whatever was pumped into his system, and stayed was silent so long Mystery thought that was all he’d say. “I uh…” Arthur cleared his throat, “…I guess that—it makes sense. That cave—it…something was off.  I—I don’t remember anything. Anything besides—. ”

Arthur cut off, but Mystery knew what went unsaid. “I am sorry Arthur…but you were right. There was something there. Something dangerous. We didn’t have time for a less…aggressive measure.” He rested his head on his paws, catching the way Arthur zeroed in on the movement in his periphery. “I didn’t want to hurt you. But… I had to.”

“Was it necessary?” Arthur blurted. “I—I just—I mean Vivi was there too—couldn’t’ you have gotten her? She has all those books on exorcisms and shit she could’ve—.” He curled forward on himself.

“…There was an immediate threat.” Mystery murmured. “I—had to.”

“Why?” Arthur asked, hoarse voice turning harsh.

“It wanted to do more than possess you for a time. It wasn’t like the others.” A whine paired with his words. “It was taking you over. It was too quick for assistance. Vivi was—distracted. It wanted to hurt everyone. I just did what I could. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I had to save you.” He had to save someone.

Arthur looked away. “I—sorry. I’m just…” He trailed away, palm covering his eyes. “…it’s. God, it’s so much. I—we’ve known each other a long time. I believe you I just—.”

“It’s not something you can just get over.” Mystery offered in a muted voice. “I know what you saw. What you must have felt. And your arm… I am sorry I had to put you through it.”

“It’s—alright I won’t say it’s okay I’m just—fuck. I don’t know—I can’t even process-- this.” He shook his head hard, wincing and grabbing his shoulder. His eyes were red-ringed and his nose was starting to run and give his words a nasal twang, but Mystery chose not to acknowledge it. “I mean we knew you were something else—you said you weren’t a dog but—I don’t know. I didn’t want that to be how I saw what you were. Are. I just—can’t get it out of my head…”

Mystery tucked his tail between his legs. “….Do you want me to leave? I…would understand.”

Arthur thought for a long moment. He waded through the pause with bated breath. “I—I don’t know… no. No. You said you were protecting me. Us. I—it hurt. I’m—this is a lot. Just— fuck. But—but I believe you. That you did the best you could. I’ve known you years and—and you’ve never given me a reason to not. So. You can stay. Just…just….I don’t know. I just—I don’t want to be scared. Not of you.”

The knife already in his chest twisted. He released his breath and another soft whine broke free, coming from somewhere deeper in his chest than the last. It felt like nettles stung along his skin. “Arthur… ”

Arthur wiped at his face again. “How—what happened? Is—how is Vivi? Lewis? I don’t see him—is he here?”

Mystery’s stomach formed a new knot. “I…..” What could he even say?

He didn’t know how his face had shifted, but Arthur frowned. “That look—Mystery what’s—where’s Lewis…?”

“What…what do you remember, Arthur…?”

Arthur looked at the ceiling. “I remember—going inside the cave. Being creeped out and—a-and just not feeling great.” Arthur swallowed and looked further away. “I—remember us getting to that split with the signs. With those fake skulls. And those—things that hold the ropes. Starts with a…...something. A letter. Um. The S one.”

“Stanchions...”

“Right. Those…what you said. But…yeah. I remember feeling on edge. Then you went with Vi and I went with Lew. We were going up this tunnel and he was saying something and—…that’s it. I remember… I remember feeling sleepy. And then…. nothing. Until—my arm—” His tone lilted the last word, a twinge of fear.

Mystery’s next breath coated his lungs in cobwebs. A beat passed. Two. Arthur opened his mouth again, but Mystery finally filled the silence before he spoke. “Lewis…he… Arthur, Lewis didn’t…make it.”

“………What?”

The whispered word sank like a stone and sent ripples through the room. It seemed to muffle every other noise to nothing. “No. Nono. No. He’s okay right? Lewis is okay. Lewis is always okay. He—he’s fine. He’s just in the other room or at home with his family, right? Mystery now isn’t the time to mess with me tell me he’s okay.”

Mystery lowered himself further on the bed. “Arthur…I can’t.”

It was silent again a beat. Another. And then Arthur crashed forward, clutching at his hair collapsing all at once like a house of cards. “No-- nono no No he’s not— you can’t know that Lewis can’t be—No! I don’t believe it! I never even. I never—. He’s not allowed to be gone—” A sob ripped itself free from his chest.

Mystery could scarcely breathe. He inched forward on the bed at a snail’s crawl, closer to Arthur. Every second of Arthur’s pain garroted his insides. He wasn’t sure if he could help, but he couldn’t just sit there.

When he’d inched close enough, he went to speak, but Arthur’s arm snagged him in a loop around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Arthur buried his face in his fur and clung to his scruff with his fingers, shaking and sobbing.

He hated the relief he felt, that Arthur still sought him for comfort. He shouldn’t feel gratitude while one of the people who mattered most to him mourned a thousand things unsaid.

“Arthur—I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I wish I had been faster.” His every word was laced with whines and his ears laid flatter than ever. “I should have saved him. I could have.” He’d been right there, right behind them. And he’d just watched. Watched and refrained, in case Arthur could stop himself, because he knew transforming meant she might reach him. “I hesitated. I hesitated because I was afraid. It’s my fault...” He did his best, but his composure cracked with every tear wetting his fur. “I should have stopped this—I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“How did this happen—how do you know he’s—? How—How do you know he’s not still out there?” Arthur’s voice was soaked in his anguish, and it dripped down his neck.

Mystery’s breath caught. He couldn’t let Arthur know the truth. Not everything. He couldn’t hurt him, couldn’t do this again to him. He couldn’t take his arm and everything else. “The spirit—it killed him. You had both reached a ledge when I caught up. It—the spirit made him fall from the ledge. It killed him and then it tried to possess you.”

Arthur made a sound, an awful sound that was like teeth rending his own flesh. “Did— did I hurt him?”

“….No. No. No you didn’t Arthur.” He swallowed and nuzzled Arthur’s hair, gentle with his mouth pointed away. “I’m sorry… I wish I had done more… he—he’s gone.” It hurt to even say. To think about. Both for the way Arthur crumbled at the words, and the admittance of something he tried not to think about.

He wished dogs could cry. Then he could mourn another friend and all that had happened with Arthur.

If he could cry, at least then he’d have some kind of release.

“It’s not your fault…” Arthur regained his attention with gentle words in his fur. “I-if Lewis really…...did. You—saved me. You did what you could. You said you did. You—You can’t blame you. For not knowing what was there a-and not doing something fast enough. None of us did. And you tried to save us. You—you saved me.”

Mystery swallowed heavier. “I could have done so much more…”

“We—we all could have. We all could have kept this from happening.” Arthur whispered. “If I’d just—we all could’ve…”

Mystery whined softly, though it cut off when Vivi stirred a moment. She settled again in her sleep. “I… suppose…” He nuzzled Arthur again, if only because he could for now, and he wasn’t sure how long that would last. “I am still sorry. That it came to this.”

“That’s how I know I can trust you…” Arthur finally pulled back, red-faced still, but with a resolution on his face he didn’t expect.

The words pinged at him, but he focused on the expression. Arthur continued after a moment. “Tell me exactly what happened. Everything after I—after you…. Stopped the possession.”

Mystery frowned. “…Vivi was… she had been screaming. She had been where Lewis… fell. You were bleeding out… I knew there was not much I do much for you. But Vivi might.  I rushed to find her. She was dazed from shock, but she came with me when she knew you were in danger. She did something with her scarf. A tourniquet, to stop you from bleeding out. I helped her get you to the van and…retrieved the keys.” He shuddered. “She drove you here, to the hospital, while I tried to keep you awake.” He looked down.

“You…you both left him…?”

Mystery frowned. “We had…other priorities. You would have died, had we hesitated, or taken any longer.” And that was a terrifying thought on its own.

“Okay…” He could hear the sound of Arthur swallowing this close to him, and of his mind turning something over, the gears turning quick. “Okay. Okay. But—but if you were rushing and— dealing with me—did you check that Lewis was—that he didn’t survive…?”

That pulled Mystery’s gaze back up. “…I didn’t have to.”

“But did you check? Did you make sure?”

“No—but… it was very clear he was not alive, Arthur...” He said it in the gentlest tone he could manage.

“But you don’t know that for sure. You didn’t check his pulse.” Arthur’s voice had an emotion he couldn’t place.

“Arthur. He landed on a stalagmite.”

“—God.” Arthur’s face drained further of any blood, expression twisting and vomitous. “—But—But people have survived worse—adrenaline—.”

“Arthur… he did not survive. I know what you are thinking,” The questions made it obvious, “but he is not alive. I know you want me to be wrong, but—.”

“He could be! You don’t know!” Arthur sounded so desperate, it ached. “and even if he really isn’t—maybe he’d come back! We know that’s possible—he wouldn’t leave Vivi. We have to—I can’t let that be goodbye Mystery—This can’t be it. I can’t let this be it.”

Mystery felt the frown on his face deepen, pulling his jowls downwards. “Arthur…you are holding on to a hope that is not there. I cannot confirm he did pass in our haste, but I have no doubt he did. Telling yourself otherwise…you are going to end up disappointed.” Perhaps Lewis would come back. But Mystery refused to hold his breath and allow himself a second heartache. He had lost enough over the years not to expect the world to be so kind to him.

But if Lewis did return, he was sure he would come to Tempo to find them. Lewis would be so worried after seeing Arthur possessed, after all. So if he did find the strength and the will to remain, Lewis would come in search of them instead.

“If I end up disappointing myself, it won’t be anything new.” Arthur mumbled, before shaking his head and pulling further back. He leaned back against the pillow at the headboard. “Lewis has it worse. I just… I can’t leave him out there. Not until I know for sure. That he’s really gone. He wouldn’t leave any of us behind. I—I can’t. Vivi can’t either, I’m sure. As soon as I’m out of here…. I have to look. I have to.”

“…… If you wish, I will help you look.” Mystery relented after a long pause. “I cannot let you go alone. Vivi likely will not either. And she will want to find him as well, I am sure. So if this is what you need, then… we will not stop you. But at least give yourself time to recover. You’ve been through so much…” At Arthur’s nod, he felt his muscles ease of the tension they’d held. “Thank you. I will help you as much as I can. But I am telling you now, Arthur…… do not get your hopes up.”

“I won’t.” Arthur said, already lying by the look on his face.

Mystery could only sigh, soft and defeated. “…You should rest, Arthur. Your body needs to heal.”

Arthur nodded, and waited more cautiously than he likely meant to, until Mystery had jumped off the bed. To his credit, Arthur’s flinch as he landed was slight, all but unnoticeable to anyone else.

Mystery gave him a wider berth and watched as Arthur wriggled down into the sheets and against his pillow. He almost thought Arthur would listen and try to rest. The shadows beneath his eyes were nearly black, and the medicine had to make every further moment awake a battle. But then Arthur’s voice rose again. “How…how is Vivi…? After everything… I… is she okay…?”

“….Vivi is….off.” Mystery admitted. “She has not done much since you were hospitalized. She was also checked into the hospital, and she was brought to a place to change and shower. But she has not left your side since. She has cried some, but she’s…mostly been quiet. She has not spoken of Lewis yet. I think she may still be…processing. I have done what I can, but I am not sure how much help I have been. But I am sure she will be by far more relieved to see you awake.”

“He meant so much to her….” Arthur whispered, and he wiped at his face again. “I—thank you. For taking care of her. I’m—sure she needs it right now.”

Mystery nodded, curling up beside Vivi, giving Arthur more space he might need in the night. “I would trade anything, to not have either of you suffering like you are. But since that is not an option…. I will do anything in my power to help both of you. As long as I am here, I will do what I can”

“I know…” Arthur looked more comfortable when he was farther away, but just as quick as the relief had shown, a frown pulled down on his mouth. “What about Lance…? The Peppers…?”

Mystery looked down. “… Lance had been notified just before visiting hours closed last night. After your surgery by several hours, due to some clerical error. Vivi was allowed to stay, since she was also checked in for observation. I am positive Lance will be here the moment the hospital opens.” Arthur cracked the smallest tired smile, but said nothing, and Mystery continued. “Vivi… did not call anyone. She has not done much since you were brought here, outside of get fresh clothing I mentioned. So the Peppers may not know what happened. Or if they do… it was because Lewis’s body was… found. A police officer tried to speak to Vivi, but she did not react enough for them to have gleaned much.”

Arthur winced as he shifted, and nodded. “I… we’ll call them. Tomorrow. I’m…tired. I’ll do it so she doesn’t have to.” He was mumbling more now, looking up at the ceiling. There were new tear tracks on his face. “Thank you… I wish I—thank you. For…doing what you could. I’m sorry I can’t just— but… you’re a good boy, Mystery.”

Mystery smiled without teeth at Arthur as he said it, and watched him close his eyes. “It is alright, Arthur…” He didn’t speak more, watching until Arthur’s face had smoothed and his breath was even and slow. Only then did he let the smile slip away. Only then did he cover his face with his paws and bury himself beside Vivi’s sleeping form with a whimper. Arthur had said he was a good boy. That he’d tried his best.

If only Arthur knew how untrue that was.

[hellishvu]

Fellas, is it Gay to Fall in Love with a Spider?

—  this was so fun to write and let me tell you ! i’m in luv with this concept. also this one is WAYYY longer then my usual stories so grab your popcorn! i wanted to do it right and not force or push the relationship :) this is going to be my pride gift! since it’s so long and i’m sososo close to 200 followers so please enjoy <33

words: 4,783

☆彡 where a spiderkook comes flying through your window during a robbery chase.

Jungkook loves his role as Spider-man, he loves saving things from the world to his local neighborhood. Sometimes he would save a cute guy here and there or a friendly cat. Flying through the air when all of his community knows him very well. Of course they hadn’t known his real identity wanting to keep that a secret. He could only imagine the reaction of all his friends that he’s known for years.

So when one night a chase turned extreme very quickly, Jungkook was on the case seeing the burglar steal a handful of the local bank’s money. Jungkook being there before any of the police force wanting to take things into his own hands. The sharp turns, the fast dodges so he doesn’t hit city buildings. This guy was an expert because he knew every pathway for Jungkook to almost lose him.

There was a sudden turn where he was face front in a bright advisement billboard causing Jungkook to turn his body to a nearby window so he wouldn’t smash right into the wall. Jungkook smashed through the window seeing a male sleeping soundly till he awoke rapidly.

“Holy shit!” You screamed out as you saw a male with a spider suit groaning in pain seeing the he literally went through your window. You heard the shattered glass when he stood up looking out the broken window seeing the robber got away.

“What? What are you doing? My window!” You whined when you got up turning on the light of your room, thank god you lived alone or explaining this to anyone would be a nightmare.

“Well, I shoot webs here and there you know.” The male says with a rather cocky attitude seeing you grab a broom near the door of your bedroom.

“Well you kinda shot a web into my house.” You pointed at the residue of a web on your very favorite poster of the band you’ve been obsessed with. You turned your head towards the clock to see the time was almost 12am.

“Don’t you sleep? It’s 12am. Why are you rolling through windows?” Jungkook heard the male say swiping the glass, you got near his foot pushing the broom to signal him to move his feet so you can get all the glas. Jungkook was literally so confused, did you pay no mind that he literally could fly through your window? Or did you not notice that he was Spider-man in the first place?

“Okay, I hope this doesn’t seem egotistical but you know i’m Spider-man right? Saved the planet?”

“Hi spider-man that saved the planet. I’m y/n now go fix my window!”

“Okay I will come back later but right now I have to go.” Jungkook tried to say when he moved even a muscle caused him to wince at the pain of some open cuts. You took his arm and gave him support so he could get to your bed.

“No. You’re bleeding, luckily no glass got stuck in your skin but it’s better to stay here.”

“But I have to go, plus I just can’t reveal my identity.”

“Well Spider-man you can keep your mask on, just let me help your wounds. Let the cops take care of whatever chase you’re in.” You covered your windows by the curtains you had hoping that the male could relax about his identity. The male requested he went to the bathroom to change, of course you providing clothes for him.

Jungkook walked in the bathroom and the first thing that came to mind was “I’m so fucked.” Why did he need to chase after that one robber, why did he jump through a window, or why is this (cute) guy helping him? Jungkook looked at his reflection of the so called cuts and wow there was a lot of them he was surprised that he hasn’t dropped dead yet. Jungkook took off his spider suit leaving just the mask which looked so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but giggle in the bathroom but it hurt like a bitch so that ended quickly.

“Are you okay in there?” Jungkook heard the muffled question by the door yelling back an ok before once again looking in the mirror once again.

Jungkook opened the restroom door to see you already with an air mattress near your bed. Jungkook raised an eyebrow seeing he never intended on staying the night at so called... just now realizing that he hasn’t learned your name or he just forgot.

“What’s your name?” The male asked when you set a pillow on his air mattress. You looked up to see a well fit male that was like eye candy but you quickly snapped out of it so you could answer his question.

“Y/N, I said it before but I was in a fit of rage so it’s nice to not want to kill you.” You smiled when the male sat down next to you. You grabbed the very home-made med kit that you had for god knows how long but you made sure it was sterile. You don’t want to be known for the person that literally killed spider-man. You started with the smaller cuts some needing band aids while others needed bandages.

“Question though.”

“Shoot it.”

“Do you always jump through people’s windows?” The question has Jungkook snickering flicking your forehead in response, telling you the story from the beginning of how he ended up sitting next to you. Even if he did sleep over, he was spider-man! He’s dealt with the worst people so if you did try anything he doubts it will be tough situation. Maybe that was just an excuse to stay next to you while your warm hands touch his rather cold body. That made his face heat up but thank god you couldn’t see it or the way his ears are probably the most vibrate red in the entire world. Weakness: cute guys... truly the worst.

When the fix was done you sighed seeing the great job you did but you clicked your tongue when you saw one of them were already falling off. You went back to work while this probably will kill Jungkook, he was ticklish and throughout all of this he’s been dying to not laugh.

“Well you should be done. There’s your bed, don’t mind if it gets cold doesn’t usually get that cold in here.” Once again you hinted at the broken window, Jungkook couldn’t help but giggle a little. You laid back on your bed rolling your body away from spider-man.

“Wow he acts like I’m just a friend sleeping over.” Jungkook thought while turning his body towards you, seeing the back of your head. God this mask was suffocating though, he never realized that in battle but holy shit when you got nothing to think but about this mask.

“Do you think, you could just not turn around because I’m going to die from this mask before I die from bleeding.” Jungkook asked seeing you slowly turn to see him. You nodded having sleep in your mind rather then the superhero’s face. Jungkook took off the mask breathing in deep breaths ruffling his soft brown hair. He liked it longer, loved his natural curls.

“Hey I’m a cute boy you’re a cute boy. I have a great personality, you do too. Let’s be soulmates.” Jungkook thought once again before covering himself with more blankets feeling the chilling breeze. Jungkook yawned before resting his eyes.

You woke up rubbing your eyes, you felt something missing or someone. You looked down to see the spider kid not even there. You grumbled that he just left! You looked through the broken window trying to not get pricked by the sharp edges. Looking at the air mattress with a note on the pillow.

“Well there goes him.” You mumble under your breath as you got to cleaning the sleepover if you could call it that.

Jungkook went home, seeing that the apartment was empty so he had the opportunity to quickly change out his spider suit and giving him the well needed shower. The water on his wounds stung for a bit but he felt clean and he can finally go out to eat.

“Jungkook where were you last night?” Jungkook heard his friend that he’s been living with for years. Jungkook quickly tried to come up with an excuse as the silence was more noticeable the longer he took.

“Just slept over at my.. boyfriends house.” Oh god the regret he witnessed when Namjoon gasped loudly. Jungkook did not indeed have a boyfriend neither a brain apparently. That excuse will have to do till Namjoon forgets about it but till then he’s gotta make up a fake person or he could use you but he literally doesn’t know anything besides your name.

Jungkook got out of the shower, seeing his well missed bedroom with posters and clothes that still need to be washed. Jungkook patched himself up but while doing it he couldn’t help but miss your warm hands.

The real question was how was he suppose to help you fix your window? I mean he can’t just walk in and be like “Hey i’m the guy that like broke your window but I’m not spider-man. I’m just a guy you know? That noticed your window was broken because I’m a nice-” Now he was just rambling to himself, he wanted to see you again somehow or someway. Maybe there was another way, maybe he had to take things in his own spider hands.

Jungkook put on his suit sneaking off in the back of his bedroom window webbing across the city trying to look for that particular billboard. Jungkook found it seeing the large women with cat food in her hand while the cat literally looks like they want to destroy her. Jungkook looked inside your window seeing that you weren’t home and no lights were on.

“This can’t be a good idea, crime is never a good idea but is it crime if it’s helping? Maybe he’ll tase me and reveal my identity and send me to become the next cat food model with a cat that wants to murder me, but I won’t be the model I’ll be the cat food they will call it spidermeow.”

You walked in from the longest day of your life, time moved like a snail and you rather spend your time in your cozy bed than anywhere else right now. Playing your favorite music through your earbuds before taking them off when you entered your room. You saw your window was finally repaired with a little note stuck on with tape.

You took off the note seeing the window was actually repaired quite nicely. You knocked on the glass making sure it has the strength to stay in place. Seeing a large box of which probably where the glass was shipped in, you turned it around seeing a name and an address.

Order from: Jungkook Jeon

Ship to: Game Apartments Apt 304

Shipper’s Address: Seaside Apartments Apt 203

“Jeon Jungkook!” Jungkook heard a yell from Namjoon, groggy from taking a nap not so long ago. Jungkook opened the door wearing his slippers before seeing Namjoon in the door way. Jungkook ruffles his hair before taking the door.

“What can I help you wi-” Jungkook widens his eyes recognizing your face instantly. Jungkook cleared his throat trying to act back to normal. Not wanting to break his persona of just a normal guy.

“I think we should talk window breaker.” You grinned with the address and name sticker held up in the air.

Jungkook quickly let you inside pushing you towards his room before Namjoon could ask what was going on. Jungkook slammed the door looking back at you resting on his bed.

“So you’re spider-man?” You got up seeing his face up close and personal. Jungkook gulped stepping away from you to hide his anxious behavior.

“Me? Spider-man psh! That’s- absurd!” jungkook could feel the sweat roll down his forehead to his cheeks.

“Jungkook you don’t have to lie. Plus you wanted to meet!” You cross your hands almost like trapping Jungkook from any possibility of breaking free from this one.

“Yeah but not revealed.” Jungkook ran his hand through his hair, sighing that Mr. Park was going to kill him later about someone finding out his identity.

“I won’t share it. Call it a solid for fixing my window.” You smiled seeing Jungkook blush from seeing your cute smile.

“You also look a lot better then I imagined.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“So is that all? I know your identity and the world seems to not be exploding.” You looked out his window trying to prove the point that the world will keep spinning if you knew his name or not.

“Well once you start sharing it I’m sure the world will explode pretty soon.”

“Well I’ll just hang out with you till I gain your trust. So if I start sharing you can catch me anytime.” You declared a deal with him seeing his reaction of being uncertain that this plan will go as smoothly as you want.

“I wish I was cat food instead.” Jungkook mumbled under his breath, having to deal with this and try to explain this to Mr. Park was going to be the death of him.

“You want to get some coffee? Catch breakfast?” You asked trying to give Jungkook a chance to let loose and not think about his spider side every two seconds.

“It’s 2pm.”

“Well, what about brunch then?” You shrug your shoulders trying to meet in the middle with Jungkook.

“Fine. Let’s go.” Jungkook gestures you to leave his room, following you right behind.

“We will be back Namjoon.” Jungkook waves at Namjoon closing the door leading you to go down the stairs the thick air of awkward silence. You expected him to be louder and more out going like when he was in his spider suit.

“So.” You said in between your sips of your beverage, Jungkook holding his banana smoothie in his hand. Jungkook turns his head towards you away from the window he was just staring out of.

“So?” Jungkook raises his eyebrow, wondering when you were just gonna leave him alone so he could just handle the issue of his identity.

“You get mean when you’re Jungkook.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well when your spider-man, you’re kind and you fix windows. When you’re Jungkook you seem annoyed to be with me. I feel like you’re not even giving me a chance.” You sigh sinking in your seat, deciding if there was a way to remove your memory from that night you would take it in an instant at this point the chances of you becoming Jungkook’s friend is as equal as the planet exploding due to an alien invasion.

“It’s just- My friends don’t know, Namjoon doesn’t. I’ve been friends with them for years and they still don’t know. I wasn’t ready for someone to know.”

“And I was hoping that somehow we could meet again but as Jungkook and somehow we could be friends since you’re really sweet. If we are friends and people know who I am. You could get in so much trouble and risk to your own life just because I didn’t remember to take off the stupid sticker with my name in big bold letters.” Jungkook takes a deep breath trying to calm himself down seeing your reaction of silence. It wasn’t that you didn’t know what to say, you were figuring out when you should say things.

“Sorry I know I talk a lot.”

“No! It’s okay. I thought going to your house it would be all fun and games but now I know it’s more than that. I was ignorant for thinking it wasn’t a big deal.” You said drinking your last sip of your beverage. Setting it down leaning on the table wanting to show compassion towards Jungkook by body language.

“Thanks. I’m glad we had this talk and I could give you another chance.” Jungkook smiles showing his bunny teeth, you couldn’t help but smile back it was addicting.

“Well it’s fairly early but do you want to have a sleepover? This time I won’t be smashing into anyone’s windows.” Jungkook suggests seeing it was a Friday afternoon. You two being in the large city where snacks and arcades were less then a mile away.

“Yeah I would like that.” You both got up from the booth, setting down a 5 dollar bill in tips. Jungkook basically dragged you out of there.

Jungkook breathes in the city air of the very polluted atmosphere. You trying to guess where Jungkook could possibly take you. Jungkook standing proudly holding his backpack around his arm.

“So our first stop is...”

“Donut shop?”

“Nope.”

“Gas station?”

“We are in the city Y/N.”

“Park?”

“Okay, note taken you're not good at guessing games- Our first stop is the bookstore.”

“Oh and you call my options ridiculous!” You shoving Jungkook playfully when he laughs, Jungkook pulled his wallet from his backpack showing that he just got paid.

“Come on! Read one comic with me!” Jungkook teases you, watching you grumble under your breath.

“Just one?”

“Please!”

“Fine.”

The bookstore was filled with the smell of new books. The pleasant scent with the look of smiling Jungkook. He wore a nicely light pink open button up shirt with a white undershirt. The fluffly brown hair that you remembered from the night he slept over, when in the middle of the night you heard his little snores turning to see his hair in the moonlight.

Jungkook showed you many collections naming all of the main characters and the plot line trying to get you to chose one. Of course the describing was filled with body expressions and his sound affects.

“Oh what is this?” You teased pulling up a comic of SpiderMan, Jungkook getting shy asking you to put it back.

“It’s not even right! First they have me date a women, I’m gay!” Jungkook realized what he just said always having the habit of saying things that are personal too quick.

“You’re gay?” You asked, Jungkook rubbing the back of his head seeing you put the comic back to the original place.

“..Yeah.” Jungkook quietly said hoping that you wouldn’t stomp on his poor heart. You pulled him into a hug messing with his hair.

“Me too.” You released the hug, Jungkook had asked if you had something to write with and something to write on. You pulled a napkin from the cafe you two were at earlier.

“Do you think I could come out? As spider-man?”

“Are you ready? I don’t want to force it on you.” You asked while Jungkook took the napkin signing it, you hiding him as best as you could from the cameras so his identity is hidden.

“Spider-man is Gay #pride2019 — spider man himself”

You two walked out of the bookstore giggling like kids. Jungkook holding the comics he bought with the one you chose to read with him. You could feel the bond get tighter every moment with him. You didn’t want to lose him and you’ve only had this day with him, he looked at the world with glowing eyes rather then seeing all the negative even if he sees it all while he’s spider-man.

“I wonder if falling in love with a spider is gay?” You mumbled under your breath while Jungkook spun around wondering what you said.

“Huh?”

“I wonder if facing my fear of... heights. Was a possibility?” You could be lying or you couldn’t, you never really went to the higher buildings of the city due to not being the most famous or successful person. Jungkook held your hands jumping up and down.

“Do you want me to get you up on the buildings?!” Jungkook cheered still holding your hands. They were soft. Jungkook always wanted to take someone to the buildings with him, it was like the picture perfect romantic setting. The starry night, the good-looking guy, and Jungkook getting his first kiss with yo- It was the starry night that was romantic! Not the possibility that you two might kiss, he wants it though. Good god does he want it.

“Yeah, sure.” You nodded, Jungkook realizing how long he’s been holding your hands letting them go shyly.

Jungkook walked with you till he found a secured place to change into his spidersuit. Jungkook changed in front of you really not realizing you were there. You tried to stare everywhere but Jungkook’s toned body. Jungkook finally changed into his suit, asking if you could carry his backpack just in case anyone would recognize it.

Wow you haven’t seen him in his spidersuit in so long but now that he’s stretching in it, testing his webs, and making sure he can climb up the building. You couldn’t look in his eyes which is saddening, you love his brown eyes. Jungkook was way more louder and out-going as spider-man though.

“Okay are you ready?” Jungkook was jumping in place waiting for your okay. You pulled the backpack handles around your shoulders tightening it.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” You nod, Jungkook pulling you close to his chest wrapping his hand around you. Jungkook could feel his heart race a little quicker not because of the adrenaline of going up this building, it was your head was like not even a feet away from his face. Kissing distance was there and just thinking about it made Jungkook blush.

Jungkook shot his webs pulling you two up the building. You probably shouldn’t look down and even Jungkook warned you about it but curiosity kills you, looking down you widen your eyes. Jungkook noticed it holding you tighter to his chest. Holy shit were you high! It only been like 5 minutes and wow you could see people as ants.

“You okay?” Jungkook said underneath his mask looking up trying to find a faster way up. You laughed like a manic seeing the adrenaline of being so free.

“Yeah! Keep going!” You yelled holding a camera while you told Jungkook to pose, he stopped his web shooting for a minute smiling.

Jungkook two hours ago would never do this with you, never let you take a selfie with him, and would never climb this building with you around him. He’s falling in love which is a unknown subject to him, but he’s going to really fall if he doesn’t stop staring at your eyes.

You two reached the top of the building feeling the strong breeze. You saw Jungkook a bit cold, when he’s on roof tops he’s fighting or chasing after villains but just being on here not moving a muscle the cold got to him. You pulled off your coat wrapping it around him. Jungkook was about to take it off to give it back to you but you stopped him.

“What? You deserve it.”

You two sat down, seeing the starry night of the city. You looked at the billboards seeing many advertisements of water that is way too expensive and clothes that just say one word on it and it suddenly costs 500 dollars. You looked back at Jungkook seeing him enjoy the jacket you let him borrow since it was way bigger than him and you enjoy your coats bigger because for some reason it makes sense to you that they would warm you up more.

Soon enough you saw the twitter trends billboard change instantly seeing #PrideSpiderman and #SpidermanisGay and #Spidergay. You couldn’t help but laugh a little bit, you pointed it for Jungkook to see. Jungkook laughing loudly leaning on you so he doesn’t fall on the concrete.

Jungkook got himself together getting back up from his laughing fit, the first thing he saw your face so close to his. Jungkook took off his mask so you could see him. The blush that is generating, the raw feelings for you, and the tears that are about to come out some from the laughing and others from wanting to kiss you so bad it’s annoying.

“Would it really kill you if we kissed?” Jungkook whispered pressing his forehead to yours. The breath hitches you both exchange realizing there was no way to back out now, you were going to be in his life and in his memories if he decides to not to date you. The city would always remember him of you, that bookstore would always remind him of you, and running and chasing after villains on the rooftop he’ll always blush remembering this day.

“Jungkook you’re going to kill me.” You embrace his face pulling him even closer. Pressing your lips to his, Jungkook felt the most adrenaline in his life with you kissing him. Jungkook closed his eyes letting the strong feelings of love run through his body. You released the kissing session seeing Jungkook still closing his eyes, you flick his forehead just like how he did that faithful night.

“Can we do it again?” Jungkook asks putting himself on your lap. You chuckled pulling him in once more, Jungkook being less nervous about kissing you. It was the prefect sweet harmony and one to always remember.

“I’ve always loved your hands.” Jungkook said while you embraced him, not even minutes later Jungkook realizes just how awkward that sounded.

“Oh god that sounds a lot creepy than I meant it to be.” Jungkook looked down to hide his embarrassment. You lifted his chin making the eye contact once again.

Don’t worry you dork.” You press a kiss on his forehead. 

“How are you going to explain to Namjoon when I come over?”

“Oh I said you were my boyfriend.” Jungkook realizing he did his very own foreshadowing.

“Oh really now?”

“Well, I needed an excuse of why I was gone when I came home at like 7am. Plus I kinda wanted to be your boyfriend at the time and you were kinda running through my head all the time but at the same time I didn’t know if I had feelings for you because like could I even have feelings for you if you knew I was spider-man-“

“Oh I’m doing that thing again.” Jungkook buries his head in your neck whining that he does talk a lot out of no where.

“If you find it annoying, I’ll stop.” Jungkook mumbles wondering when he should get off your lap. You gave him silence but Jungkook took that as “plz get off my lap you weirdo.” Jungkook lifted one leg off of you but before he could get off your lap you pressed him closer to you.

“Y/N?”

“You’re precious, I love your rambles don’t ever change.” Oh god butterflies flew everywhere in his stomach. Jungkook lifting his head, kissing you softly again.

You two arrived at the apparments sharing jokes and stories along the way till Jungkook opened the door, seeing Namjoon sitting on the couch in his pajamas, snacking on carrots. Namjoon waved at Jungkook before noticing you were there.

“Is this your boyfriend Jungkook?” Namjoon asked giving a rather playful face seeing Jungkook frown from the teasing. You held his hand raising it up for Namjoon to see.

“Yup! I’m Y/N, Jungkook’s boyfriend.” You announced offering to shake hands with Namjoon. Namjoon shook hands with you feeling the ferm grip. Jungkook felt the weight off his shoulders not having to worry about that.

“Wait did he just call me his boyfriend? Is that official? Or did he just say that to protect me? Is it okay to marry someone you just started dating?” Jungkook thought while you and Namjoon converse getting to know eachother.

Jungkook decided that it was time to have alone time with you, you exchanging goodnights with Namjoon. You felt Jungkook’s hand lead you to his bedroom. Not as strangers anymore, but as lovers. You couldn’t help but have a giant grin on your face.

“Guys did you hear spider man is gay!? This is a win for the gays!” You two heard from the other side of the door. Namjoon cheering, you looking at Jungkook looking like he was on top of the moon, you pulled him in so you both were laying down on his bed. Sleeping peacefully in eachothers arms not a care in the world wether bad guys existed or good guys, all you needed in your world was Jungkook. It didn’t matter if he was the global superhero spider-man or just a regular nerd that enjoys comics a little too much. You knew he was special.

[metalotaku-da]

MerMay Shance

Prompts stolen from @justshance. all pieces are up for grabs if anyone wants to take them further or rework them. @shancemermay 5. Coral reef

“Hello, please can someone help me?” The black tip reef shark mer called out into the reef as he made his way a little deeper into the cluster of corals and sponges. He held his one good to the upper shoulder of his stump. A small cloud of red spilling from his fingers and cut along his face. A few others along his body that was littered with old scars. “Please. I need help. I was told to come here to find it.

Lance watched with others of his community from the safety of the corals to the sharks pleas. He made a move to go out into the open, but was grabbed by another cleaner wrasse mer.

“What are you doing?” Sanda hissed at him. “He is a predator and an outsider. Leave him to the tide.”

“He is hurt, and in need of help. Do we not help him because he is not from our reef?” Lance asked. “We help other predators.”

“We help those from our community. Who know should they turn on us they will not be helped again. There is nothing to stop an outsider from doing so. They will just move on to the next reef.” Sanda pointed out in a tone you would use to remind a the water is wet.

Lance puffed out his chest as he patted his work bag. “It is in the nature of a predator to kill, just as it is my nature to help.” with that lance darted out into the open behind the shark. The shark mer turning to the disturbance in the water.  “I can help you. In exchange for things you no longer need and not eating me.” lance said once the shark’s eyes were on him. His last sentence said with a nervous grin. He cringed a bit when the shark jerked back in it’s slow movement towards him.

“I won’t eat you.” the shark’s brows drawn tight in a pained puzzle. The shark eye up the much smaller mer. Nearly a quarter his own size. “I…” he was cut off.

“Good then we are in agreement.” the smaller wrasse mer flitted up to the shark with a lack fear. “I’m not the best medic. But afraid i have to do. Let me see that shoulder.” the shark pulled back.

“No, not me. I’m fine…”

“You are bleeding all over the place is does that slash on your face mess with your smeller?” he asked scrunching up his face just an arms length from the shark.

The shark let out a huff. “It does, but i know i am bleeding. But my friend needs help more. I will be fine.”

“And where is your friend?” lance asked looking around drifting in a slow circle moving up in the water column to get a better view.

The shark winced at that. “He is not here. He couldn’t make the swim. Please, come with me to help him.” the shark asked.

The wrasse mer looked nervously from the shark to the coral cluster he knew sanda was hiding in. before shaking his head and squaring his shoulders. He met the sharks eyes and gave a determined nod. “Of coarse. Show me to the person who needs help and i will help to the best of my abilities.”

The shark mer swam up to the wrasse with a warm smile. “Thank you. Please follow me. My name is shiro.”

“Lance.” the wrasse mer said with a small smile of his own, pressing closely to the sharks side near his belly keeping behind his pectoral fins and out of arm's reach. “Lead the way big guy.” the two kept close as the shark booked it to open water, lance keeping up thankfully by stay in the streamline of the shark’s body as it cut through the water with great speed despite his injuries. When ever he couldn’t keep pace he’d reach out tentatively and grab the shark’s pectoral fin. Shiro would only glance over his shoulder at the motion to make sure the wrasse stayed with him. “What is your friends name?” lance asked after a short time passed but he was much farther from home than he had ever been.

“Keith. He is also a shark, but smaller than me. Young.” shiro answered. “Thank you. For agreeing to help me. And trusting me. I know it seemed like a trick or a trap to ask you to leave the safety of your home with a stranger.”

“Trust is earned and traded.” lance recited his lesson from his favorite teacher the shrimp mer coran. “But help can be freely given should one choose. And i have chosen to follow my nature to help those in need. And you are in need.” lance gave a light squeeze to the shark’s fin. “Maybe should you and your friend not eat me, we can work on trading trust.”

“You have earned my trust already lance.” the shark answered sincerely. “Neither of us will harm you.”

“Are we close?”

“Yes there.” shiro pointed to a cluster of dead and bleached coral. Between it and the rocks they had made a rather large cave under the debris. Inside was a shark mer with longer dark hair curled up in aganony. A bloody gash seeping red into the water from his cheek. The larger mer quickly settling in around his friend. “Keith i’m back. I brought help.” shiro turned back to look to lance who was hovering at the entrance to the cave nervously. The soft pleading gaze from shiro bringing him closer to the other shark who was thrashing wildly every few minutes.

“My name is lance and i’m going to do my best to make you feel better.” he said softly opening his bag and pulling out a snail shell with a hollow urchin spin from a hole in it’s center. Moving closer to press it to the sick sharks back near his gills.

The shark jerked back and growled. Causing the smaller mer to drift away from him. “What is a runt like you going to do?” it growled.

“Keith…”

“Everything i can. You just have to let me.” lance said back sternly. “Can you tell me what’s wrong since you can insult me.”

“Poisoned.” the smaller shark growled, while the larger said it more softly.

“By something you ate or something stung you?” Lance asked quickly pulling out a deep round shell and a coral cone with a rounded bottom.

“Maybe if i eat you, i’ll feel better!” the smaller shark snapped thrashing in pain again.

“Keith stop!” shiro snapped at his friend before turning to lance, “ please, he didn’t... he won’t…” but he stopped as lance swam up easily to the smaller shark and pulled his eye lid open to look into his eyes.

“Answer the question mullet. I can’t make a remedy unless i know which. And what did it.” lance pulled the shark’s ear before smearing a salve onto the wound on his cheek from another clam shell in his bag.

“Stung.” he quipped bitterly. Wincing at the stinging wound and manhandling.

“By what or who?”

“A lionfish mer tried to take our cave.” shiro answered instead. “We fought, but keith was stung.”

Lance smiled and patted keith’s unmarred cheek. “See not so hard. I have what i need to take care of that. Was it your face here that got stung?”

“No my clasper did.” keith snarked sarcastically.

“Well either way wouldn’t be much of a loss for you i’m sure.” lance sassed back settling into the sand and pulling a few things from his bag to place into his shell and began to crush with his coral. Ignoring keith’s growling. “Shiro can you catch a small flounder or white fish? Something bland? It will help the medicine go down easier for your friend.” he didn’t even look up from his work. Even as keith thrashed again.

“Yes i can but…”

“Go it’s ok. I’m here to help. After he is free of the toxins i’ll give you both a through check up teeth and parasites and all your little cuts. He’s too sick to stomach me as he is.” lance said with a smile at the calmer shark.

“I wouldn’t be able to stomach you if i was starving.” Keith shot back.

“I take it back. How about the nastiest sea squirt you can find. Really make this medicine taste like parrotfish poop.

Shiro smiled at the fiery little wrasse, giving a light chuckle before heading out to collect a meal for his friend. Shiro returned with enough to feed all three of them. Helping lance to force feed keith who swore it was poisoned by the wrasse to kill him faster. Lance saying the initial sting was making him have hallucinations or it was part of his permanently damaged brain since he hallucinates his hair being in style. Shiro laughing it off as keith being a picky eater. But they did get him to take the med. The trashing had become far less intense just minutes after. Shiro invited lance to stay the night with them in their cave after he treated shiro’s wounds. The rest could wait till the next day, and he’d swim lance all the way home. Lance agreed wholeheartedly, snuggling up under the sharks fin for the night. .

[promisedangel]

Fresh Meat: Confinement- Chapter 21

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Chapter 21- Gathering

Chara awoke to a knock on their door. They groaned and grumbled, it wasn’t anywhere near the evening. Afternoon at most. They grumbled out, “Alphys? Is that you?” Alphys replied happily, “Yep! I’ve got some good news! Well… partially.” Chara stood from their bed. They spoke cautiously, “…Partially?” Alphys slowly slid the latch lock open. Chara looked down curiously at the panel, but it did not open. Instead, the door lock clicked open. Chara froze for a moment, fear and uncertainty flashed. The ringing returned briefly. The door cracked open to reveal Alphys’s smiling face. She was to the side of the door, away from the pile of dust. She spoke kindly, “I’m taking you out of your room for a bit!” The ringing subsided as Chara relaxed. They raised a brow curiously, “For the investigation?” Alphys nodded as she opened the door wider, “Yeah! I um… I proposed the idea that I’d watch you while the Royal Guard examined and cleaned up here!” Chara, still with a cautious gaze, approached the door, “And… he approved?” Alphys gave a nervous smile, “Yeah… but… we have to go to my room, and we can’t leave there until he says so.” Alphys began to fiddle with her claws. Chara sighed heavily. They resigned, “Well, it is better than some other options I thought he would concoct.” Chara stepped through the open door. They paused at the pile of dust. Alphys offered a hand to Chara with a smile. Chara smiled softly as they took the hand. With her assistance, Chara gracefully stepped over the dust pile. The two released their grasp before they moved on.

Alphys led Chara down hallway after hallway. A different path than Chara knew. Chara noticed cameras as they turned some corners. They locked their sight on each one. After a few, Chara perked up, “Were these cameras always here?” Alphys didn’t look back at Chara, but replied, “I don’t think any new cameras have been set up in the lab lately.” Alphys frowned as she and Chara looked at the next camera as they passed, “He’s… watching us through them, right now.” Chara’s face contorted with disgust, “He is still keeping a close watch despite the investigation?!” “He’s waiting for the Royal Guard. And for Serol’s team to arrive. They have the only keycards that aren’t in storage other than mine. So… our intruder got it from one of them.” Chara looked up at the closest camera with a glare, “So he is passing his time by ensuring I go where you said I would.” Alphys nodded. She looked at Chara solemnly, “He was really strict with me about it.”

A smile budded on her face, “But thankfully, once we’re in my room, we won’t have to deal with cameras! We can talk and relax in peace!” Chara rolled their eyes, “While we are imprisoned in your room for a change.” Alphys let the last comment be as stopped in front of a room. She beamed and exclaimed, “And here we are!” Chara stopped. They turned towards the door to immediately see the nameplate. Chara raised a brow, “You don’t have a last name?” Alphys opened the door and shook her head, “No. It’s not common for monsters to have last names. It was usually leaders and other important monsters who had last names.” Alphys stepped into the room. She beckoned Chara with a repeated downward movement of her hand, “Come in! I have a lot of stuff to show you!”

Chara stepped into the room as Alphys turned on the lights. Chara paused as they took in the sight of Alphys’s room. The room was bigger than their own and more densely decorated. The bed was the same as Chara’s but a few water damaged plushes sat at the end of the bed. A small bedside table held a lamp and a few framed pictures. A metal canister sat at the edge of the table. A bookshelf hugged the back wall with many books, VHS tapes, and an assortment of discs. All cases and books in varying condition. Against the wall opposite the bed was a wide dresser with a large square tv on one side of the dresser. A few DVD cases were to the side of the tv, as well as an attached DVD/VHS player. Next to the door was a work desk strewn with books, papers, pens, and pencils in seemingly disorganized heaps. It was easily the most disorganized looking area of the room, despite some things being strewn about the floor.

Alphys blushed in embarrassment, “Sorry about the mess.” Chara heard the door close behind them as they spoke, “It is alright. I have seen worse.” Alphys pulled the chair from her desk towards her bed, “Here! Sit! I’ve got a lot of movies, books, and tv shows we can watch!” Her eyes lit up as she gasped, “I could show you my favorite tv show ever!” Chara raised a brow as they sat down in the chair they were offered. Alphys scurried to the tv. She scooped up one of the DVDs next to it and presented them proudly. The cover was warped with a large corner of the art discolored. Most of the cover showed a human girl with pink cat ears and a tail. She had bright green eyes and pink hair. She wore a frilly maid-like outfit. Her hair, necklace, and matching pink boots were all adorned with large gold-painted bells. Across the bottom of the DVD were words in pinkie lettering, “Mew Mew Kissy Cutie! Volume 1”. Chara stifled a laugh before they belted out a loud laugh of disbelief. They exclaimed, “What is that?” Alphys pouted, “C’mon! It’s really good! Just give it three episodes! An hour an a half!” Chara crossed their arms and raised their brow, “By then, I could be whisked away, back to my cell.” Alphys opened her mouth to protest. Not one sound escaped before her expression deflated. She sighed, “You’re right. We don’t know how long we have here. I just… I thought I could show you all the things I enjoy while I had the chance. So we’d have more things to talk about.” Chara’s expression deflated as well. They rested their chin on their hands. They gave a soft smile, “Alright. I’ll give an episode a chance.” Alphys’s expression grew to an unbridled glee, “I promise you won’t regret it!”

Alphys quickly switched the discs in the DVD player, putting the disc she was using in the Mew Mew Kissy Cutie Volume 1 case. She turned on the tv, where it began to hum slightly. She grabbed a remote on top of the DVD/VHS player. She turned and walked to the bed where she sat comfortably. Chara looked over at Alphys as she began to access the DVD's menu. Chara was able to see all the items on Alphys’s bedside table. They frowned as they noticed the metal canister. Chara spoke curiously, “Alphys?” Alphys looked over at Chara, “Hmm? What’s wrong?” Chara pointed at the canister with an even expression, “Is that… the substitute?” Alphys quickly muted the tv. She placed the remote beside her with a frown. She gently grabbed the canister and held it close to her. She nodded, “Yeah. It is. I’ve already taken my dose today.” Chara held out their arm, “May I see it?” Alphys raised a brow. She extended the canister towards Chara without a word. Chara held the canister with two hands for a brief moment. They twisted the canister open to see a number of red pills within. They held one. Soft to the touch. Smaller than the one they remembered Gaster had shown to them and Asriel. Made with their blood all the same. It even had a faint scent of blood. Chara lightly smirked, “So this small pill is meant to stop monsterkind’s extinction.” Alphys shrugged and stammered, “Well… I mean… sort of? It’s only a temporary solution until the barrier is shattered.” Chara mused, “It is smaller than I remember.” Alphys blinked, “You saw it before?” Chara returned the pill to the canister, “He showed Asriel and I the prototype. Used from blood stolen from me my a moldbygg.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that. Can I ask what happened?” Chara nodded. They closed the canister. The whispers returned to them as they spoke, “Asriel and I went to explore Waterfall. Mother came along in an attempt to protect us. We were in the grasses area, and a moldbygg was hiding, flattened in the grasses. While Mother passed over it with no reaction, it reacted to me and instantly swallowed me whole.” Alphys twiddled her thumbs, “Is… that where you got those weird scab-like scars?” Chara instinctually went to cover one such scar on their arm, “Yes.” Chara held the canister out to Alphys, “Needless to say, Mother and Asriel saved me. Asriel was brave enough to resuscitate me, but he tasted my blood because of it.” Alphys nearly dropped the canister. Her eyes widened in shock. Her voice grew lower, more serious, “Asriel tasted your blood?! Wh-what happened to him?!” Chara continued calmly, “He slowly began to lose more and more energy. I believe his instincts almost caused him to attack me once, but he was quick to snap out of it.”

Alphys placed the canister back onto the bedside table. Her voice quieted and became more somber, “That makes sense. It’d be the first time he’d tasted blood after surviving off snails. His body would instantly feel the soul energy in your blood.” Chara paused. They raised a brow, “Soul… energy… in my blood?” Alphys folded her hands on her lap, “Well, we can’t eat any other animals or any plants. Some very small varieties can give us only a little nutrition at best, but we have to eat humans at some point. Did the Dreemurrs tell you why that is?” Chara scratched their head, “No. Mother, Father, and Asriel all appeared to subsist off snails well. Until Asriel tasted my blood.” Alphys pointed at her chest, “It’s because of the soul. Human souls naturally hold a lot of magic inside them. It leeches into every part of a human from the moment the soul arrives well before birth. And since monsters are mostly made of magic, we survive off of the magic of the human soul.”

Chara rested their arms and chin on the chair’s back. They gave a skeptical glance, “If our souls hold as much magic as you say, why is it that humans cannot perform magic?” Alphys blinked in confusion, “But… they can. That’s how they put up the barrier around Mount Ebbot. I suspected you can’t use magic, but no human can?” Chara shook their head, “Not that isn’t simple sleight of hand or perception tricks. Humans using magic is nothing but a legend.” Alphys quieted in thought for a moment. A shocked expression budded on her face, “Maybe…” She looked towards Chara curiously, “Did stories of Mount Ebbot include the humans who made the barrier? What happened to them?” “The legend goes that seven magicians gave their lives to seal away monsterkind within Mount Ebbot.” Alphys sighed, “I get the feeling that those could have been humankind’s last magicians.” A shiver ran down Chara’s spine, “If they failed…” Alphys grimaced, “We’d be living in a very different world. Yeah.”

The two paused as the realization sunk in. The silence became awkward. Nerve-wracking. Alphys soon cleared her throat and smiled, “Um, so… did you still want to watch an episode of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie? It’s lighthearted and… probably just what we need right now.” Chara relaxed in their chair with a sigh. They faced forward and slumped against the seat back. They smiled, “Sure. Why not?” Alphys gave a small smile before she pressed play.

——————————————————————————————

Gaster returned to the screens. After what felt like days, a team of the Royal Guard arrived to inspect and clean up the crime scene. All he had to wait for now was Serol’s team. He turned back to the screens. Someone was already in the upper lab. Serol. Gaster watched as Serol dug into a small messenger bag off his shoulder. He pulled out a keycard and swiped it at the elevator access. Gaster mentally noted that action. He watched as the elevator opened and Serol walked into the lower lab. Gaster gathered his notes; he had an interview to conduct.

Gaster teleported around the corner of the hallway to the elevator. He rounded the corner to see Serol dig in his messenger bag. He pulled out a cell phone. Serol began to dial a number but paused. He was quick to notice Gaster approach. He lowered his neck and head, “Greetingsssir. You assked to sspeak with me and my team?” He began to dig into his bag once more, “We have finalized the planss for the next iteration of the ssoul sscanning apparatuss for your approval!” Gaster raised his hand, “There will be time for that later. I summoned you and your team for a much more pressing matter.” Serol perked up. He allowed his bag to be slack at his side, “More pressssing? Did ssomething happen?” Gaster motioned for him to follow, “We’ll talk on the way to my office.” Serol nodded as the two began to walk, “The resst of the team should be here ssoon. Should I tell them to join uss?” Gaster lightly held his hands behind his back, “No. Have them wait in the lab room I spared for your team. Remind them they all must use their keycards as they arrive.” Serol dug out his phone and began to text, “Undersstood.”

Gaster’s tone turned serious, “I summoned you because we had a break in last night.” Serol nearly dropped his phone in shock, “What!? That shouldn’t be possssible!” “And yet, it happened. With the human nearly taken as a result.” Serol frowned. He replied gravely, “Oh… oh no… Please tell me-“ Gaster swiftly cut him off, “The human is uninjured. Alphys is currently keeping close guard over it. Since the intruder resisted arrest, he has been dealt with.” Serol put a hand to his chest. He loudly sighed in relief, “Thank goodnessss.” He paused and gave a curious expression, “Iss my team here to aid in ssecurity ssolutionsss?” Gaster smirked, “Something to that affect. I simply need to ask you and your team a few questions.”

Serol stopped. His voice turned serious, “You think ssomeone let thiss intruder in.” Gaster halted after a few more paces. He looked back at Serol with a knowing glance. His back was still turned to Serol. He smirked as he dug into his pockets, “I know someone let him in.” Gaster pulled out the confiscated keycard. He held it for a moment to allow Serol to see it. Serol slumped. His jaw dropped slightly. Gaster continued, “This keycard was found in the intruder’s dust. Alphys has taken inventory of all keycards. The only ones missing other than hers, which she presented, are the ones lent out to your team.” Serol crumpled to his knees. He hissed out in desperation, “I ssswear to you I had nothing to do with thisss. I promissse, I will aid in finding the traitor on my team.” Gaster stowed away the keycard before he turned towards Serol, “The fact you used your keycard to enter the lower lab lowers your suspicion.” Serol’s neck curled up, his head pointed towards Gaster. Relief washed over his face, “Thank you ssir.” Gaster frowned, “But that does not clear you of suspicion.” Serol pointed his head back towards the floor, “I am prepared to do whatever it takesss to find the traitor.”

Gaster went to speak. A chime noise cut through the tension. Gaster paused and closed his mouth. He gave a befuddled look for a moment. He quickly glared down at Serol. Serol blushed slightly through his scales, “My apologiesssir. That isss my text tone.” Gaster highly facepalmed with one hand. His other hand cradled his elbow. He groaned, “Is it your team?” Serol dug his cell phone out of his messenger bag. He smiled, “Yess. They are all nearly here.” He seemed to examine the text carefully, “Well… almosst everyone. One hassn’t returned my textsss yet.” Gaster peaked a glare through his fingers. He smirked and lowered his hands, “If all of your approaching team has their keycards, I won’t need to interview them one by one. We’ll have found our traitor.” He approached Serol. He bent down slightly and offered Serol a hand, “Shall we greet them at the door?” Serol looked up. His frown lit up to a bright smile, “Yesssir!”

The two returned to the elevator. As they turned the corner, they noticed two members of the team waiting. The elevator whirred down, supposedly carrying the third team member. Gaster approached with a strict tone, “I take it you all remembered my request?” The first team member nodded, “Yeah. Enter the lower lab one at a time. We’re all here.” The second team member rolled their eyes, “Uh, no? Malv’s not here yet!” The first team member facepalmed, “Right. Malv. Sorry, they’re so quiet, I barely notice they’re around…” The second team member snarked, “Because they put in more work than you.” The first team member snarled, “You take that back!” Gaster cleared his throat. The two team members quickly took notice. They paled and stood in attention. The second team member was quick to apologize, “Sorry, sir.”

The doors opened to the third team member. He blinked and looked at Gaster, “Oh! I didn’t know you’d be meeting us here, sir.” Gaster calmly explained, “That wasn’t my original plan, but due to your hasty arrival, I decided to skip the one on one interviews.” The third team member stepped out of the elevator before it closed and whirred back to the upper lab. His co-workers gave a confused look. He expressed their confusion, “What do you mean? What’s going on?” The second team member perked up, “Is this… not about our progress on the soul scanning device?” Serol perked up. He began, “Well, there wass-“ Gaster put a hand on Serol’s shoulder. Serol looked up at Gaster in confusion. Gaster evenly expressed, “I will explain.” Serol dipped his head down slightly, “Oh. Yesssir.”

By this time, the elevator began to go down once more. Gaster smiled as he heard the whir, “And we have our final guest.” The five stood in silence for the few moments it took the elevator to arrive at the lower lab. The door opened to the fourth team member. They blinked, “Well, this is unexpected.” Gaster smiled, “Good. All of you followed instructions. You are no longer the main suspects as a coconspirator of last night’s break-in.” The team’s faces paled in shock. The fourth team member gasped, “Wait, what?!” The first team member exclaimed, “What the hell is going on?! How could someone even break in?!” The third team member adjusted their glasses, “Oh! The keycards! Dr. Gaster asked us each to enter one by one using our keycards!” Gaster nodded, “Correct. Each one of you here has complied. However, there is one member of your team missing. Malv is now our main suspect.”

Gaster’s tone turned serious, “However, this could simply be incompetence on Malv’s part to show up. Therefore, I have no choice but to have you all detained here in the lower lab.” “What!?” “But, sir!” “You just said we’re cleared!” Most of the team members exclaimed simultaneously. Gaster shook his head, “I said you are no longer main suspects. Due to the fact the human was the target of the break-in, I have no choice but to be cautious.” The first team member’s jaw dropped, “Someone was dumb enough to try and take the human?!” “Yet intelligent enough to get past the lab’s security.” Gaster paused as the team quieted down, “Now. You will confine yourselves within the lab room I have spared for your team. You will stay there until I or one of the Royal Guard allows you to leave. Leaving before such time will deem you a coconspirator in this crime and you will be dusted as punishment. Do you understand?” The team and Serol answer at once, “Yes, sir.” “Yesssir…” Serol and his team begin to move into the lab. Gaster frowned and called out, “Serol.” Serol stopped and turned back to Gaster. He gave a confused and defeated look, “Yess?” “You will aid the Royal Guard in detaining Malv. Lead them to Malv’s home and return with them.” Serol gave a surprised expression, “Oh… right away… ssir…”

[ruffsficstuffplace]

The Viridian Vanguard (Part 20)

As Yang had warned, the line at the Pits’ administrative desk moved painfully slowly. It seemed that every number that was called was for a huge team that needed to form a secondary line as they signed and vetted their paperwork in batches, an individual who was missing some important document or other bureaucratic hang-up, or a counter had suddenly closed, and just wouldn’t seem to open again.

The take-a-number holo chimed, Weiss looked up, back down at the number in her hand, before she groaned. “This is taking forever...” she whined as she stuck it back into Pyrrha’s jacket pocket, then pulled the garment around her again. “How can this system be so slow and inefficient...?”

“Welcome to paperwork for the rest of us!” someone quipped as they headed up to the counter.

The standing crowds began to shift as folks found seats, curses and yelling erupted as others were stolen by particularly sneaky and agile individuals. Someone looked pointedly at Weiss as he put a hand on a free spot on a bench, she shook her head. The Fae shrugged, and took it.

“Oh come on!” Yang shouted as she knelt on the ground on all fours.

Weiss ignored her and continued sitting on her back, calmly readjusting her legs.

Some time later, Pyrrha returned from her trip to the “Grub Hub,” carrying a single shake. “I’m back!” she said. “I’m sorry it took so long, it looks like the breakfast rush is already here.”

“Just hand me my shake, please,” Weiss said as she held out her hand. Pyrrha did, Weiss took a sip out of it, and immediately perked up. “Mmm! This is actually pretty good! How much was this?” she asked before she took another drink.

“180 Shinies.” Pyrrha replied.

Weiss nearly choked on her drink. “WHAT?! How does the Pits expect to charge so much for this?” sheasked, looking at her cup.

“Primary business tactic,” Yang explained. “Cheap entry, jacked up everything else. That’s part of the reasons they can afford to pay us so well, by the way, so I wouldn’t be the most vocal critic of it, if I were you...”

Weiss sighed, and sipped some more of her shake, enjoying it a lot less than earlier.

Just ten minutes after six, their number finally came up. Having already read through the terms of their contracts, and briefed on any issues through holo-chat earlier in the week, all they really needed to do was personally affix their signatures on paper copies, alongside giving their fingerprints, and additional hard evidence that they were actually there at the Pits when the documents said they were.

<Is blood needed?> Weiss asked sarcastically as they seemed to near the end of the list of proofs.

<If you wish,> the clerk replied in all seriousness, reaching into his desk, and pulling out a small knife wrapped around a clean cloth, glass vials, and a box of bandages. <The Pits never says ‘No’ to additional security.>

Weiss paused, staring at them, before she said, <I was joking.>

The clerk looked mildly annoyed at that as he put the items back into his drawer.

Eventually, the newly registered Furies left the counter, each with their own personal duplicate of their copyright, contained inside complimentary waterproof, fireproof, and reinforced tubes, complete with a leather-covered chain that they could use to tie it around their wrists or waists.

“This seems a little excessive for copyright,” Pyrrha said, feeling the weight of it all in one of her hands.

“It is once we rise up the ranks, and our name starts to be worth something!” Yang replied as she tied her duplicate around her wrist. “This is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to shutdown anyone trying to take advantage of our rep without our permission, like selling ‘official’ merchandise on the sly, so keep it somewhere safe, never forget where you hid it, and do not, I repeat, do not tell anyone else where it is.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, it’s just that I’m worried about what certain unscrupulous folks will try to get all three of these babies, among other things.”

“So basically, treat this like criminal syndicates treat their real estate deeds?” Weiss asked sarcastically.

“Exactly!” Yang replied, pointing at her. “Anyway, that’s everything we needed to do in the Pits today! I’m going to go ask around and check out our competition, you guys can go do your own things now.”

“I’ll be watching a couple of live matches, then!” Pyrrha said. “Weiss, would you like to join me?”

“Maybe some other time, when I’m not as under-dressed,” Weiss said, looking down at herself. “I’m heading home, I’ll leave your jacket at the living room.”

“Alright, have a safe trip!” Pyrrha said, waving goodbye before they all went their separate ways.

Weiss returned to Keeper’s Grove, stashed her contract in her and Winter’s safe, then went down to her laboratory with Penny, working and checking on her ongoing projects, and practicing some useful skills, like how to make medicine with field equipment. Thanks to her collar, and Penny needing to stay plugged into the wall to after joining Winter on her night shift, almost everything went by at a snail’s pace.

On this particular day, Weiss didn’t mind, enjoying the peace.

Then, by ten o’clock, she got a message from Yang: “We’ve got trouble heading straight for the Grove in 15 minutes. Look decent, put your game face on, and make sure to bring either Dad or Penny with you to the road leading to the Tube station.”

Weiss tried to send her a reply, but Yang’s comm-crystal was already set to “Do Not Disturb” mode. She sighed as she took her hands off the magic oil press she was using, and muttered, “Well, this doesn’t seem ominous and menacing at all...”

“Would you like to me to ready my defensive measures, Weiss?” Penny asked. “If you carry me to the meeting location, I’ll be capable of doing one or two stunning blasts before shutting down for lack of power, but that should be enough to help you get away to safety.”

“Don’t bother,” Weiss said as she began to take off her working gloves and mask. “With Yang and Pyrrha, I’ve already got more than enough protection if things get ugly.” She noticed her loaner runeblade as she hung up her gear, before she shook her head and headed out without it.

“It’s not like I’m going to be able to do much with it, anyway...” she thought to herself.

It turned out to be the right decision as Yang, Pyrrha, and a trio of female Fae she’d never seen before also came completely unarmed, even if the atmosphere was far from friendly. With Penny in her hands, Weiss stepped up beside her friends, and checked out the strangers.

The one in the center was was a stockily built tamaraw Fae, an impressive set of V-shaped horns extending behind her head. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, and was so angry that Weiss could clearly see the puffs of hot air coming out of her nostrils.

The one on her left was a slender chicken Fae with a prominent crest of obnoxiously bright, neon green feathers styled like a Mohawk, the prominent talons of her feet making her seem even taller. She gave them all the evil eye, the decorative spikes and crystalline skulls on her clothes and accessories gleaming as ominously.

The one on her right was a meerkat Fae, much smaller and younger-looking than her companions; she seemed just as pissed as the others, but her being just as tall, if not shorter than Weiss ruined any sort of intimidating quality she had.

“Who the hell are those?” Weiss whispered to Yang.

“Big one’s Keren, tall girl’s Vigne, tiny gal is Sayuri,” Yang whispered back, eyes still on the trio.

“And why exactly do they all look like they want to kill us?”

“Because they’re not too happy we’ve got their old team name now.”

Weiss blinked. “Wait, did we steal it from them?!”

“We didn’t steal shit!” Yang snapped at Weiss, her eyes suddenly fiery red. She stopped herself, and took a deep breath, her eyes turning back to normal. “Look, I’ll explain the entire situation later, just let me do all the talking with them while you and Pyrrha stand by my sides and look tough, or just make it seem like they don’t bother you at all, alright?”

Weiss turned to Pyrrha. “We have the evidence overwhelmingly in our favour, don’t worry,” she said as she patted her duplicate, still in its tube and tied to her waist.

Weiss sighed, before she moved up to Yang’s free side, and scowled at the original Furies’ direction.

Yang took Penny from Weiss’ hands, and whispered to her, <Dedicated recording mode, multi-angle shots. Turn up the footage quality and sound sensitivity high, too, I don’t want any ambiguity if this gets messy.>

<Affirmative,> Penny said, before her tail and her ears started transforming as she hovered up between the two groups, looking like a fuzzy camera drone with auxiliary lenses, and an external sound receiver.

Satisfied, Yang stepped forward and threw her arms out. <Alright: we’re all here and ready! Lay it on us, sister.>

<Do you think this is funny…?> Keren snapped. <Get your laughs fucking us locals over?>

<On the contrary, we’re dead serious!> Yang said, holding up her duplicate. <So serious we put down money and our names on it.>

Keren stomped her hoof in the ground, hunching her shoulders as she clenched her fists. <Give it back—now,> she growled.

<You can’t demand someone to give back what you didn’t own,> Yang said calmly. <I checked several times, both on the Codex and at the Pits in-person, and have the saved and dated proof on my comm-crystal saying your copyright to our name expired at 6AM today!>

<And you think you could just steal it from right under our noses?!> Keren bellowed.

Yang’s eyes flared red again. <We didn’t steal shit!> she roared. She clenched her fists and took several long, deep breaths, before she continued, <All we did was wake up early, and stand in that line, with all our documentation in order and our Shinies ready, the same, legal process we would have done if we were going to lay claim to any other name.

<We did nothing to stop you, lie to you, or try to sabotage you in any way, nor did any of us even know who any of you were until you cornered me from out of nowhere, looking like you were about to gang up on me!

<As a matter of fact, it’s your fault you didn’t renew your copyright when you still had the exclusive right—two months before expiry, if I’m not mistaken?>

Sayuri faltered for a moment, Vigne and Keren maintained their composure. <Things happened,> Keren said quietly.

<And I’m sorry to hear that, but that still doesn’t change the fact that we were well within our right to take the name for ourselves, according to the written rules and regulations of the Pits,> Yang said. <If you three find you can’t follow those, then maybe you should all think about careers elsewhere...?>

Keren fumed, thick plumes of hot breath jetting out of her nostrils. <And maybe you three should start learning the unwritten rules of the Pits, especially since two of you fucking soft-skins can’t even understand the language they’re in!>

Yang looked like she’d just been socked in the face, her eyes flaring red and her hole body tensing up. <Look, what the fuck is it that you three want?!> she yelled. <We own the copyright from now till next year, and we have a shit ton of hard evidence to back us up! Even if you do take your beef to the honours, I am willing to bet a mountain of Shinies that they every single one of them will reject you, then charge you up front for wasting their time, trying to enlist their help to win a case that was already lost before it started!>

<Well, it’s a good thing we’re not doing that!> Keren barked, before she looked to her companions in turn. <Vigne! Sayuri!>

<On it!> they both cried.

Keren dramatically stomped both her hooves as she hunched forward and bared her horns, Vigne flapped her wings and scratched the mud beneath her with her talons, and Sayuri lunged and hissed, showing off her sharp teeth and her claws.

<We, the original Furies hereby challenge you to a duel, where the winner gets the copyright to the name!> Keren shouted. As one, the three of them dramatically pointed, and cried: <Do you all accept?!>

<Hang on, I gotta translate and consult with them first,> Yang said, before she turned her back to the original Furies.

Keren roared in frustration and started stomping about, Sayuri spluttered and fumed in confusion and anger, Vigne flapped her wings again, this time trying to calm them down and keep them from charging forward.

Yang, Pyrrha, and Weiss ignored them all as they huddled up.

“I take it the three of them are challenging us to a duel, to try to win the right to use their name again?” Pyrrha asked.

“Our name, but otherwise, that exactly, yeah,” Yang said.

“Do we really have to entertain this?” Weiss asked.

“Yes.” Yang replied.

Weiss groaned. “Ugh, please tell me you’re kidding...”

“I sincerely wish I was, Weiss, but the potential damage to our rep is just too great,” Yang said. “Even if we took our name fair and square, there’s no way folks are going to interpret our rejecting their challenge as anything other than our being too scared to fight them, or wanting to personally insult all three of them by implying they’re so beneath us we don’t even think it’s worth our time to fight them—not a good look for a brand new team, especially one that hasn’t even had a single official match in the Pits yet.

“First team impressions and reputations stick with a fighter, even long after they’ve left the group and gone on to new teams or fly solo, we have to get this right.”

“Please tell me we can at least set the conditions and the date.” Weiss said.

“We can, it’s our right as the challenged party, don’t worry,” Yang said. “The only things I have to insist on is that it be a completely vanilla, best 2 of 3 rounds toss-up, with a third-party judge and spotters, while being recorded and live-broadcasted on the Codex—ideally, the fight’s in the Pits, too.”

“Can’t we just have it at the training grounds again, with Ren and Nora officiating, and the others spotting?” Weiss asked. “All of that sounds ridiculously expensive.”

“I second that.” Pyrrha said. “We’re all down a great deal of shinies from all the fees, and it’ll be a long time yet before any of us ever see a paycheck from this, let alone that much money.”

“We’ll see if we can’t convince them to pony up the costs themselves, then,” Yang replied. “They definitely already have the dough to spend since they were supposed to register today, and it’s not like we need to spring for the fancier arenas, or high-ranking staff.”

“And if they say ‘No’?” Weiss asked.

“Then we can try to convince the Pits to make it a real, official bout, sell tickets, and HQ live-feed access and recordings to make up the costs, maybe even get a share of it if we can convince enough folks to get on board with sponsoring it.

“So with all that in mind: are we in agreement that we’re going to accept the challenge?’”

Weiss sighed, and said, “Yes… I always figured at some point I’d have to sell off pieces of my dignity to pay off my debt, anyway...”

“I’m so sorry, Yang, Weiss, but I have to say no.” Pyrrha said sheepishly.

“What?!” Yang spluttered. “Why?!”

“Will you look at her?” Pyrrha asked, pointing at Sayuri. “Even if it is legal for me to do so, I can’t willingly harm a child!”

Yang nodded. “Yeah, now that you say it loud, it would be a pretty shitty thing if we beat the crap out of someone half our age, even if she was willingly participating in a team match-up...”

“And that’s only occurring to you now...?” Weiss asked.

“Sue me!” Yang cried, throwing her arms up. “I’m used to the Valentino Underground, and trust me, shit got fucked up down there! Anyway, you want me to ask if they’ll agree to a 2v2? We’ll probably have to make it their choice who goes up against who, though.”

“I’d like to take that risk if you neither of you mind,” Pyrrha said. “I really don’t want that weight on my conscience.”

“I’m good with it,” Weiss said.

“And so am I,” Yang said, before she turned back to the original Furies. <Hey! You guys mind if we do it as a 2v2, your pick on who goes up?> she shouted.

<And why the fuck would we do that?!> Keren shouted back.

<Pyrrha here doesn’t want to fight Sayuri, says she doesn’t want to beat up a little kid!>

Sayuri’s eyes widened. <Little ki--?! I’M FIFTEEN, DAMN IT, I’M ONLY A FEW YEARS YOUNGER THAN ALL OF YOU...!> she screeched, so sharp and shrill everyone had to cover their ears.

<OW! FUCK! SORRY, FORGET THAT WE ASKED!> Yang shouted.

Sayuri stopped screeching, before she sharply spun around, and sulked.

Yang turned back to Pyrrha. “She’s actually 15!” she said loudly. “Since you’re fine with fighting Ruby, is it back to a 3v3?” she said, holding up three fingers on each hand.

“Yes!” Pyrrha replied, alongside a thumbs up.

Yang turned back around, and said, <Alright! We accept your challenge! Let’s shake on it, and start hashing out the details!>

The two teams met in the middle and started negotiating, Penny acting as witness. After finding a suitable date for all three of them, setting the terms, and convincing the original Furies to cover most of the costs of the fight (if extremely reluctantly), they sent the necessary requests and downpayments to the Pits.

<Don’t you dare bring anything less than your best, alright?> Keren snapped. <I want the whole realm to know why you don’t fuck with the Furies.>

<Ditto that, especially the rep!> Yang said, smirking. <Should really help us get off the ground, what with the stigma we carry.>

Keren started to rumble ominously, before Vigne put a hand on her shoulder and led her and Sayuri off.

“Is this going to be the first of many folks challenging us to a fight for one reason or the other?” Weiss asked flatly.

“Definitely,” Yang said, nodding. “Don’t worry though: we can definitely afford to be a lot more selective with our future fights once we win this.”

“Don’t you mean ‘if’ we win this?” Pyrrha asked.

Yang chuckled and smiled. “Aw, c’mon, Pyrrha, have a little more faith in us Furies, will ya? Fights are won before they start, after all!”

[emeraldwaves]

Title:  Undercover Emotions Chapter 4 Pairing:  Promptio, Highspecs Rating: E Word Count:  4,432 Read on Ao3 Summary: Rookie cop Prompto Argentum gets sent undercover with veteran Aranea Highwind in hopes of taking down the Caelums, longtime leaders of organized crime in Insomnia. After being assigned to assist Gladiolus Amicitia and Ignis Scientia, the pair dive deeper into the criminal underworld and find themselves caught up in a variety of shady dealings. However, when Prompto starts to learn who Gladiolus really is, his loyalties begin to shift in a direction he never expected.

Full fic under the cut! thanks to @liziscribbles for betaing this!

"You know, for someone who had no shootin' experience, you were pretty good," Gladio said and it made Prompto jump.

"J-Just a fluke I guess." He laughed nervously. "Or... maybe I just had a really good teacher." He winked in Gladio's direction, trying to play it as cool as possible.

Gladio smirked. "I guess you're my shooting protege!"

"Yup!" Prompto said, posing in front of him, looking proud.

"You're too cute," he snorted, shaking his head as he flipped through the files. His voice was so casual, so relaxed about the whole situation and Prompto's face immediately began to turn red.

"A-Ah... Cute?! I'm not cute, I'm badass!" Prompto retorted awkwardly.

Gladio burst out laughing, pushing his glasses up onto his forehead. "Ya' realize by saying that it only makes me think you're even cuter."

Prompto folded his arms over his chest and puffed out his cheeks. "Whatever," he grumbled.

"You're pretty badass too, I guess." Gladio added.

Flushing, Prompto glanced away. Why was Gladio always so damn handsome?! And why did Prompto feel his heart start to race when he complimented him?

It was so stupid, Gladio didn't even know the real him. Gladio knew Prom, the nervous, newbie assistant. He didn't know anything about Prompto... a cop, trying to take him down from the inside.

When Gladio was nice, occasionally Prompto would feel a pang of uncertainty. He had come into this expecting to hate the man. Hell, he'd even spent a long damn time brushing up on his acting skills, nervous his hatred would shine through. But now, Gladio could potentially figure him out just by being so damn nice to him.

The phone rang and Prompto jumped again. Lately, he thought he was going to die of a heart attack from how freaking on edge he was.

"Yeah... uh huh..." Gladio nodded, glancing Prompto's way. "Whaddya mean he won't pay up!?" An angry looked crossed Gladio's face, one that suited his scarred features.

Perhaps Prompto had judged Gladio too soon. Admittedly, he had been waiting for the real Gladio to slowly reveal himself. So far, Prompto had only seen the man's softer sides; a man who loved to read, enjoyed his silence, but didn't mind the occasional conversation. He liked the stars too, had mentioned it to Prompto a few times. Even when they went to the shooting range together, they'd been far away from civilization and only shot at scarecrows.

But he worked for the mafia, had grown up in the mafia... he couldn't always be as kind as he seemed. It felt so out of place.

"No. Hell no. I'll be going there right now! I gotta take these bastards off guard." Gladio snorted and slammed the phone down. "Y'ready, Prom?" he said, pulling Prompto from his thoughts.

"Eh?" he responded, glancing up as Gladio slammed a gun down on his desk.

"We're going. It's time for your first real job," he smirked.

Prompto couldn't help but swallow. Picking up the gun, he pushed away from his desk and nodded. "R-Right."

"There's no need to be scared. We just need to ask them for the money they owe us. We delivered their goods, so they gotta deliver the cash," Gladio explained. "Nothing scary. Guns are just precaution," he added, tucking his into his holster.

"'Course!" Prompto shrugged, trying to act casual as he followed Gladio out of the office.

He had to stop letting his guard down.

~~

"Nea, can you hand me the file labeled 'food'?" Ignis began.

"Of course," she said, biting back her frustration. Unlike Prompto, things were moving at a snail’s pace for Aranea. Ignis didn't trust her with anything, and she'd barely left the office.

Prompto was plenty capable, but Aranea had her worries. He'd been extremely jumpy the entire time being here, even when they met in private he seemed nervous. Additionally, he also mentioned not finding Gladio to be a terrible person. She could tell it was messing with his mind, since he was a rookie.

She glanced towards Ignis. He wasn't so terrible himself. In fact, he'd barely done anything harmful. So far, he'd been so worried about his Uncle and preparing this gala, which he seemed to be doing most of the work for.

Plus, he had told her of his plans, to make the mafia better, more clean. It was impossible to believe. Years of horrible behavior, underground smuggling... things like that didn't just go away. Once you were in the life of organized crime, it was very difficult to get out, but Ignis had spoken so genuinely about his feelings behind the plan, and how complicated it would be... maybe it was true. Maybe he really wanted to turn things around, maybe they all did.

Or maybe, Aranea just wanted it to be true.

There were two sides to every story, and while Aranea didn't think Ignis was a monster, she also didn't think there was anyway he was the perfect angel, or even the normal man he made himself out to be. There had to be more underneath. She just had to figure out how to get there.

"I don't know how I feel about this catering company," he sighed. "If I had the time I would cook all the food myself. I'm sure my recipes would taste far better than some of these dishes they're offering."

She reached forward and placed the folder in his hand, letting her fingers linger over his. She gently stroked his hand as she pulled hers away slowly. "I didn't realize you were such a food connoisseur," she purred, letting words roll off her tongue.

When she had to, she could play dirty. She only hoped Ignis was the type of man to fall for such a tactic.

"Ah yes. Admittedly, I would spend most of my time in the kitchen if given the opportunity to do so," he said. His gaze followed her hand momentarily, but he shook his head, glancing back at the file.

"Alright then," she chuckled, and leaned her hip against his desk. She folded her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts up. "I would love to try something of yours."

He glanced up at her, his eyes widening for a moment. He cleared his throat, pressing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Well," he began, "I would be happy to make something for you one of these days. Perhaps we could share lunch together."

She smiled, happy to see red dusting his cheeks. "I would love that," she grinned, letting her hand touch his shoulder lightly.

"Yes, as you know I am quite busy... but I... should take time do things I enjoy," he muttered.

"'Course you should," she smiled. "You're gonna work yourself to death. You need to do some... fun things once and awhile, Specs." She winked.

"Right," he choked out, as if he had finally realized just how close she was. "Gladiolus certainly does, which is why I'm left doing most of the work."

"You know," she began, sliding her hand up to Ignis' neck, "it's not fair you get saddled with so much. We gotta talk to Noctis and Gladio, whip them into shape." She giggled deeply, massaging at his bare skin.

"Mm..." he grunted, leaning into the touch. "You are correct, Ms... Nea, however, neither of them ever know what they're doing and in the end it creates more work for me."

"Well that's not very fair now is it," she said softly, moving to stand behind him. She let her hands glide over his shoulders, gently squeezing as she massaged at his back. "You need to learn to relax," she hummed.

"It's quite alright, Nea, you do not have to-"

"I want to," she whispered, leaning down towards his ear.

"I-"

"Specs, ya gotta relax more. You're holding so much tension here in your neck and shoulders, I can only imagine what... the rest of your body is like," she said with a soft laugh. "You need to take care of yourself, or let others-"

Reaching back, he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She slowly stepped back, not wanting to push her boundary or make him feel uncomfortable.

"I... I apologize, Nea," he said, slowly lowering his hand. He turned his chair to look up at her, his face red.

"Nah, you don't gotta apologize, Specs," she said trying to brush it off. But the way his fingers had wrapped around her wrist so quickly had taken her off guard. Ignis was far stronger than he let on. She couldn't let her guard down.

"It's... " he sighed and covered his eyes for a moment. "You are a very lovely woman," he breathed. "And-"

"Ignis, you don't have to-"

"No! No, please, I... feel I should explain," he sighed. "If I had met you under any other circumstance, perhaps I would have asked you to dinner, or better yet, cooked my own meal for you. But I... I can't be held back by... distractions."

It was Aranea's turn to blush. She had wanted to get under his skin, and apparently she had, just not in the way she expected. He was such a gentleman about it all.

"You are quite lovely, and you are here in my office everyday. But I am not Gladio and I am not about to put you in an uncomfortable situation. Nor do I have time to focus on you in a way I would like to were we to be... together."

Aranea swallowed. Ignis liked her? She supposed it shouldn't be too shocking, given the circumstance. And yet...

"Right, yeah" she said. "I overstepped."

"No! Please do not look at it as such..." Ignis said, shaking his head. "You are a wonderful lady and I wouldn't wish for you to think you did anything wrong." He glanced down. "I think this is for the best. We must keep things... professional."

"Gotcha," she nodded, making her way back to her seat as she attempted to still her beating heart and process what just happened.

~~

The warehouse down by the docks was much smaller than Prompto expected. Gulls cried out across the sky and it smelled of moldy sea air, the smell making Prompto's nose wrinkle in disgust. The whole place was falling apart. Windows were rusted, some broken, and there were large stacks of damp boxes outside too.

"Is this where you sell stuff?" Prompto asked quietly as the two approached the main entrance.

Gladio turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Hell no, Prom! We're classier than this. We sold some shipping product to this guy because he told us he could save us money on shipments, but all he's done is take our product and not pay us back. We've paid him plenty," he explained, his voice a low growl. "This is the second time I've been here, and it looks way worse for wear this time," he snorted.

"Huh..." he mumbled, glancing around at the musty crates next to him. "What do you guys ship exactly?"

"Weapons," Gladio said flatly. "S'not always illegal, but some of them aren't sanctioned in Insomnia. We gotta be discreet. A lot of the deals are done under the table, no tracking."

Prompto bit his lip. They were selling weapons... weapons which hurt innocent people, which created war. Gladio was most likely behind far more death and destruction than Prompto initially realized.

Gladio's face softened when he turned to look at Prompto. "I promise you. I'm not gonna let you get hurt. These guys... they're nothing, usually wusses." He paused to chuckle softly. "The second we walk in there, they'll panic and pay up. That's how it usually goes down, piece of cake," he smirked and gave Prompto's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

It was nice of Gladio to reassure him, but Prompto was far more concerned about the bigger picture, not necessarily this one job. "Right, yeah," he laughed nervously, his hand ghosting over the gun in his holster. "I'm ready."

"Good," Gladio smirked, and walked over towards the door. He knocked once. No answer. "Hm..." he mumbled, and knocked again. Still no answer. "Oi! Open up, this is Gladiolus from Armiger Trading!"

Turning back to look at Prompto, Gladio immediately grinned. "Guess we're kicking down the door."

"EH!?" Prompto gasped, trying not to be loud. "B-But what if they're just not home!"

"Oh, they're home," Gladio smirked and slammed his foot against the door. Shortly after he shoved his shoulder into it.

The wood looked as though it was already partially rotting from the damp, salty air around it, and Prompto had a feeling it wasn't going to hold for long. Another bash from Gladio and the wood cracked, the now very broken door swinging open.

As soon as Gladio stepped inside, a gunshot sounded out in the warehouse, and Gladio yanked Prompto inside pulling him behind a stack of boxes. "W-Woah!" Prompto called out, covering his mouth as he stumbled to kneel down next to him.

"Dammit," Gladio hissed. "Never can be easy..."

"I thought you said it was usually easy!" Prompto hissed, his eyes peering over the box momentarily.

"Stay down, idiot," Gladio said, pushing on Prompto's head. "I dunno, it varies!" he shrugged. "I didn't think they'd have the balls to actually fight us."

"We don't have your money!" A voice called out, from far in the back of the warehouse. It sounded scared. Was it just one guy?

"That's too bad!" Gladio called back. "I really wanted to have a nice conversation with ya', but it seems we're gonna do this the hard way!" There was no answer, and Gladio shrugged. "Stay here, Prom. I don't want you to get caught in this."

"Wait, but-"

Gladio rolled forward before Prompto could respond. More gun shots fired out, definitely multiple men. Prompto peered around the crate, noticing Gladio loading his pistol. Glancing down at his own gun, he took it out as well. He couldn't let Gladio die here, and he told himself it was because he still had so much of the undercover mission left. Hell, he hadn't even met Noctis yet.

Gladio stepped forward again, more gunshots firing in their direction, and this time Prompto moved closer too, sitting behind a box adjacent to Gladio's. Gladio leaned over the top, shooting the pistol towards the back of the warehouse. There was a masculine cry, as one of the bullets obviously connected.

"Got one," he smirked. "We gotta try and keep them alive so we can ask them where the money is."

Gladio stepped forward again, hiding behind a longer crate. Prompto glanced around, trying to take in his surroundings. He held his own gun close to his side, his hands trembling around it. He'd been in plenty of shootouts before as a cop, but something about this felt so different.

He turned up towards the rafters, noticing a man slinking towards Gladio's spot. He gasped, and aimed. "Gladio! Above you!" he called out, shooting at the man, only to miss. He ducked down and dove out of the way.

"Shit!" Gladio cried out, shooting his pistol towards the rafter. He hit the man, who fell backwards, rolling on the metal surface, gripping his shoulder. "Good call, Prom," he said, giving him a thumbs up.

Peering around the crate, Prompto saw two men running for the stairs. Thinking fast, he aimed for one of the men's leg, pulling the trigger. He immediately fell to the ground

Gladio smirked, giving Prompto an approving nod.

Moving forward, Prompto followed Gladio this time, watching as he slipped around another one of the boxes. Gladio shot up towards the rafters again, hitting the other man who had slipped by Prompto.

Gladio kept his gaze up there, his gun raised up, ready to take out any other men hiding up there. But Prompto's eyes widened when he saw a man charging directly for Gladio from the other side.

Gasping, he immediately raised up his gun, running towards Gladio. "Behind you!" he yelled, shooting the man in the shoulder and leg, watching as he fell to the ground. Blood seeped from the wound and Gladio peered over at the man.

"Holy shit, Prom," Gladio panted, glancing to the man writhing on the ground. "You saved my damn life. Glad ya' didn't listen to me," he winked. "This is the leader, but I don't know if there are more guys..."

Both of them immediately ducked down again, waiting for another noise, but none came. Scooting forward, Gladio wrapped his hand around the man's shirt, yanking him upwards. He whined, blood dripping from the wound Prompto had given him from his shoulder. "This is what happens when you fuck with us."

"T-There's... a box... in the backroom...with cash... just... take it," the man grunted.

Gladio released him, letting him fall to the floor, and he stepped over the body, walking towards the backroom. "C'mon Prom," he waved his arm.

Prompto kept his gun raised as he followed Gladio towards the back of the warehouse. There hadn't been too many men about, but he was wary of it being a trap.

"You really are a lucky shot," Gladio murmured, turning the door handle open. Just as the man had said, there was a locked box on the table, the key hanging on the wall. He turned the lock, pulling it from the box as his hands flipped through the wads of cash. "Hm... this probably isn't enough but I guess it'll do. Let's get the fuck out of here, Prom," he nodded, shutting the box once more and tucking it under his arm.

"I'm glad you're not walking away empty handed," Prompto said softly, looking at the bodies lying on the rafters when they walked by. He bit his lip. Who were these men? Had he harmed innocent people to ensure Gladio's safety? No... there was no way these men were kind people, not if they were dealing with shipments and weapons potentially...

And at least Gladio was alive. ...For the mission's sake.

"Yeah," he said, turning to look at Prompto. He placed his hand on his shoulder, squeezing. "Thanks... for savin' me. I'm glad I had you here with me."

His cheeks heated up... Gladio was so genuinely grateful.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't gonna let you die. My adrenaline made me an awesome shot!" he laughed.

"Sure did," Gladio smirked. "Anyway, tomorrow we gotta stop by Noctis' place and drop this stuff off. Guess you're getting all the adventures lately."

Noctis' house... just where Prompto was supposed to be going. Soon, he'd know the location... have all the information they needed...

And yet...

The more Prompto stared, the deeper he dug his hole.

~~

"Alright... don't be mad."

"Gladiolus, when you preface something with 'don't be mad' it's rather difficult for me not to instinctually get mad," Ignis said. "There's no way you won't tell me something utterly ridiculous after saying that." He pressed his glasses up as he sat at the cafe, spending their usual time together.

"Touchy," Gladio said, clicking his tongue. "I know you're stressed Igs but damn!"

Admittedly it wasn't just stress. After his awkward conversation with Nea, he was on edge. He really liked her, he'd especially liked her touch. The way her fingers had caressed his skin, her light touches against his hand...

But he couldn't be distracted... he couldn't. Oh, but what he wouldn't have gave to just kiss her one time-

"I apologize, Gladio," he muttered. "Please... tell me whatever it is you wish to burden my day with."

The last thing he needed was Gladio stressing him out even more.

Gladio snorted and folded his arms. "Well, I almost died today."

"WHAT!?" Ignis yelled, clearing his throat as he tried to regain composure. It was certainly not what he expected to hear.

"I went to go collect from that shipping company, and Prom and I stormed the place and immediately got shot at! No one wants to have a conversation these days," Gladio shrugged dramatically.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," Ignis said, finally taking a breath. "Why would that make me mad? Surprised..."

"That's not what I was gonna say," Gladio replied. "Prom was the one who saved my life... he shot a guy coming for me and dammit Iggy... I'm fallin' for him... I really am. I know you said I'm not allowed to sleep with my assistants anymore, but it's... more than just that," Gladio admitted.

Ignis let his mouth fall open. Here he was trying so damn hard not to do anything with Nea, and Gladio was off falling in love with his assistant. Okay, he hadn't said love...

"Gladiolus... I swear to you... if you lose another assistant-"

"Look Iggy, I won't lose another assistant. It's different, okay?"

"I don't see how it's different, it hasn't even been very long," he said, rubbing his face.

"I know, I know! I can't... explain it, it just is." A soft looked crossed Gladio's eyes, and Ignis hated that his best friend wasn't lying.

"Gladio, I can't stop you from doing anything. Yes, I said you're not allowed but there's no actual rule..."

Gladio smirked. "Yeah I know, but I respect you too much to not tell ya'."

"I appreciate that," Ignis nodded his head. "Like I said, I really cannot stop you. Nor... do I wish to, if this will truly make you happy."

"Thanks," Gladio said, nodding his head. "And y'know Igs... you shouldn't hold yourself back. If you want to do something fun or different... do it. The gala can wait a few hours."

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

Gladio rolled his eyes. "You can deny it all you want, but I saw how you were looking at 'Ms. Biggs' when you said goodbye this afternoon."

"Gladiolus..." Ignis warned.

"I don't know why you act like you can't have that sort of happiness."

Ignis shrugged. "I don't have the proper amount of time I would like to dedicate to such a thing."

"What are you talking about? Go to dinner with her one night instead of me! Just take her out!"

"Gladio, we work together. I need to focus on her getting her tasks done not... wishing to kiss her..."

"Aha!" Gladio teased, pointing at Ignis. "So you do wanna!"

"The thought may have crossed my mind once or twice..."

"So just go for it!"

"Absolutely not." He paused. "Maybe... after the gala..."

"There we go," Gladio smiled. "Coming from you, I'm going to consider that a win."

"Very funny," Ignis snorted.

But maybe Gladio was right. Maybe he was being too uptight about it all...

~~

"Why the long face shortcake? You're excelling at the mission," Aranea scoffed. Prompto could sense a hint of displeasure. He knew Aranea hated feeling useless, and so far, Ignis hadn't given her much wiggle room to make any sort of progress.

"I dunno..."

"Is it cause you killed some people? S'not like you haven't done that before."

"I know... I just... I saved Gladio's life today."

"Good thing you did too, cause now you're gonna get to Noctis' house."

Prompto sighed. She wasn't wrong... but he hadn't saved Gladio's life to keep the mission going. No... it had been more because he didn't want to see him die. He didn't want to lose him.

She placed the telephone down on top of the small table, connecting it to the outlet against the wall. "This should be secure enough. No one else has access to this room..." she said glancing around. "You have to call Cor."

"I know."

"Look, kid, you did the right thing, so stop beating yourself up and call the old man," she snorted, folding her arms as she leaned against the desk.

Picking up the phone, he put his finger on the first number and twisted it around, dialing the private line Cor had given them. It rung a few times before Cor answered.

"Lionheart," Prompto said into the phone, using the code word they had dictated.

"Hello Prompto," Cor deep tone echoed from the other end of the line.

"Hey Cor, been awhile."

"Glad to hear you're still alive," he chuckled playfully.

"H-Hey! Course I'm still alive! Aranea is here too," he nodded.

"Good. I take it you have news. Good news, I hope." Typical Cor, always getting right down to business.

"Uh, yeah," Prompto began, twiddling with the cord around his finger. "Gladiolus wants to take me to Noctis' place tomorrow. He seems to trust me."

"Oh, he trusts him a lot," Aranea called out.

"Fantastic. What about Ignis?"

Prompto held the phone out to Aranea who took it from him. "Ignis is difficult to crack. Apparently he likes me, but is nervous to get too close to me as he doesn't want a distraction," she scoffed. "Men."

Prompto could hear Cor laugh from the other end of the phone. "Keep it up, both of you," he said. "I'm glad to hear things are progressing. It seems both of them like you and neither of them suspect you."

Prompto took the phone back and shook his head. "No, they don't suspect. Gladio took me to a shooting range and today we went to the docks to pick up a payment. It didn't end so well... I had to kill a man to make sure Gladio didn't die," he whined. "He was surprised I was a good shot, but didn’t question it."

"Good. It's alright Prompto. We fully expect you to have to do some things you normally wouldn't."

"Yeah... I know..." he muttered, stroking his finger over the table.

"Excellent work. You’re moving faster than expected. I'm proud of you," Cor said, and Prompto felt his cheeks heat up. It was so rare Cor said those words! Normally he was scolding him for ruining something or causing property damage... "And I'll be even prouder when you get the location. Promise me you'll pay attention to everything you see, try and get an address if you can. Observe all your surroundings."

"Yes sir!"

"This mission is of the utmost importance, you realize that, yes Prompto?"

"Yes sir!" he repeated.

"With this information, we can begin what I've been striving to do for years," Cor said. "Don't screw it up. I believe in you."

Prompto swallowed. Cor believed in him, and Aranea nodded in agreement. The only problem was, Prompto wasn't sure if he believed in himself.

[mx-requests-forum]

[Fulfilled] Going Through Some Changes

Prompt: OT7 + Genderswitch AU + each member takes turns changing into a girl

Fulfilled by Moderator ReeLee~

Words: 2341 (so far~)

AO3 Link

Hyunwoo doesn't notice at first.

He gets up early, as he always does, to go waterboarding. Of course, as soon as he checks the weather and sees how cold it is outside, he decides against it. Still, he shuffles out of his creaky bunk bed and to the bathroom. Since it's still so early, Kihyun won't be getting everyone up for a while longer. This gives him the perfect opportunity to use up as much bathroom time as he wants before Hoseok wakes up and commandeers one for the good part of two hours.

So, with this in mind, he moves through the dorm at a snail's pace. His eyes are barely open, his glasses just askew on the bridge of his nose. Though, strangely, his clothes feel a bit bigger than normal... He figures drowsily that he's just been losing more weight than he'd realized lately. Maybe he should lay off the working out for a while. God only knows how much Kihyun will nag him about his weight if the younger notices just how much he's lost... His clothes are practically tents on him.  

He sits on the toilet for a while, taking care of some... important business, only flushing when there's a demanding knock on the other side of the door.

"Hyung!!" Kihyun shouts at him, his tone much too demanding for so early in the morning. "Hurry up in there! I'm about to start the rounds!" Hyunwoo hums in acknowledgment, already moving to the sink to wash his hands and brush his teeth.  

He pushes the 'old-man toothpaste'—as Hyungwon and Minhyuk like to call it—onto his toothbrush, humming a soft tune in his throat as he looks up at his own reflection for the first time that morning.

At first, he thinks he's just seeing things. His eyes are really bad, after all. He frowns confusedly, rubbing at his eyes and straightening his glasses, but it doesn't change his smaller, yet still surprisingly muscular, frame, his softer jawline... his boobs.

"Huh... I'm... a girl," he mutters to himself, the hand clutching his toothbrush stilling. His—no, her—brow creases in concern. Hyunwoo puts down her toothbrush, spitting out what toothpaste had rubbed into the sink and rinsing out her mouth.

She makes a few 'ah' sounds, her heightened tone echoing in the small bathroom. There's a certain depth to it that echoes the voice she'd had last night, but it's noticeably different.

"Hyuuung?" Changkyun's drowsy voice calls from the other side of the door, sounding only slightly worried. "You okay in there?"  

"Y-Yeah, Kkungie," Hyunwoo replies, trying to deepen her voice back to its normal range but very much not succeeding. She looks to the shower, feeling very much like a pervert for considering showering in this body. After all, this isn't his body, so what right does she have to wash it, to see it naked? She decides against it and goes to open the door without thinking about whether or not the maknae is still there. She immediately regrets such a rash decision.

Changkyun seems to take a moment to register the woman standing before him. But, his half-open eyes begin to grow wider and wider, and his jaw practically drops to the floor. He immediately looks behind her, as if expecting to find someone else there. His eyes then dart back to her, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Um... hi?" he tries, seeming utterly confused. "Sorry, I thought—"

"Changkyun-ah..." Hyunwoo says, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning at him. "I know I look different, but you don't recognize me even like this??" She finds herself feeling incredibly hurt by her dongsaeng's ignorance. Changkyun seems to only grow more confused, and she'd be amused if her feelings weren't so wounded.

"Are you related to Hyunwoo-hyung?" he asks, tilting his head to the side. "You seem very similar to him. Maybe a little softer in the face, but—"

"I am Hyunwoo," she says, as if it's obvious. Changkyun blinks once, then twice, then a third time. Then, he bursts out into a high-pitched giggle, bending forward and hugging himself round the middle.

"Yeah, good one," Changkyun tells her, reaching forward to pat her on the shoulder. "Nice to see his cousins have a better sense of humor than him." Hyunwoo frowns in protest at this, but Changkyun slips in passed her and gently guides her out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her before she can continue the conversation. She goes off to the kitchen in search of Kihyun, knowing at least that nagging little boyfriend of hers will understand.

She drifts silently through the dorm, luckily not running into anyone else, and is relieved to find Kihyun dutifully cooking away. She moves close and is about to get the boy to look at her. Though, she remembers Changkyun's reaction and decides against it. Instead, she puts her hands over Kihyun's eyes, causing the younger to jump slightly in surprise. He chuckles breathily as he relaxes, though, his hand stilling mid-chop.

"Hyung," he admonishes, earning a relieved sigh from the girl behind him, "what have I said about sneaking up on me when I have a knife?"

"You recognize me?" Hyunwoo can't help but ask, beaming from ear to ear. Kihyun hums, as if that's the silliest question in the world.

"Of course, though your voice sounds a bit off..." he mutters, causing Hyunwoo to grow rigid. "Are you sick or something?"

"You could say that," she replies. She clears her throat to deepen it a bit before adding, "I'm gonna move my hands, but you need to keep an open mind, okay?"  

"… Okay," Kihyun answers. Hyunwoo smiles, nodding as she drops her hands to the boy's shoulders and physically turns him around to face her. Kihyun, as if sensing that it's okay, opens his eyes.  

Several emotions skip over his pretty features as he takes in the girl before her. The first is utter confusion, then aggravation, then confusion again. He purses his lips, his brows squeezing together, and Hyunwoo can just stand there, nervously smiling. Kihyun grabs the hand on his right shoulder and brings the wrist to his nose, inhaling deeply. This doesn't seem to appease him, though, judging by the way he steps close and stares almost demandingly into Hyunwoo's eyes.

Hyunwoo isn't one to really show when he's nervous, but she can never hide it from Kihyun. She shuffles from foot to foot, gulping thickly.

Footsteps come into the kitchen, but they immediately stop.

"Who's this?" Hoseok's voice asks, sounding somewhat tense. Kihyun doesn't answer for a while, the silence following Hoseok's question so thick you couldn't cut it even with the sharpest of knives.

"Hyung," Kihyun finally responds, though Hyunwoo thinks for a moment it's merely the younger beckoning the second-oldest to come closer. However, Kihyun then drops Hyunwoo's hand, turning to Hoseok as he nods to the girl in the room. "It's Hyunwoo-hyung, there's no mistaking it." Hyunwoo releases the most relieved sigh she's ever let out in her entire life. Hoseok seems about to question it, but then Hyunwoo smiles, and he flaps his mouth shut.

"Was it... something you ate?" he asks, earning a protest from Kihyun.

"Bite your tongue!" Kihyun fires at him, snatching up the hand towel on the cabinet and throwing it at Hoseok's face. Hoseok ducks, pouting.

"Well, th-thorry, Kihyunnie," Hoseok defends. "What am I supposed to say?? It isn't as if it's normal to find one of your boyfriends magically transformed into a girl overnight!!!" He shuffles closer to Kihyun, smiling nervously to Hyunwoo as he mutters in the shorter's ear, "You sure it's him?"

"Don't you recognize him?" Kihyun asks, flabbergasted. Hoseok turns a scrutinizing gaze onto the girl, seemingly taking in all her features.

"I guess," he says slowly, as if deep in thought. Kihyun 'hmmph's under his breath, rolling his eyes as he begins to guide the girl in question to the couch.

"Hoseok-hyung, call our managers," he instructs as he moves. "Tell them some awful epidemic has swept through the dorm, tell them we're all either down with illness or about to be, just tell them something. We're not leaving the dorm today."

"W-What??"

"We can't leave Hyunwoo-hyung... noona... hyung..." Kihyun drifts off, glancing thoughtfully over to Hyunwoo. The girl only shrugs, telling Kihyun either honorific is fine with her, and Kihyun only shakes her head in aggravation. "We can't leave her all alone here."

"That's sweet, Kihyunnie, but I don't want—"

"No buts," Kihyun insists, holding up a silencing hand. "What if this gets worse? What if you die while we're gone? We don't know what caused this, so we're not leaving you alone. And that's that." He then stalks off, heading back to the kitchen. Hoseok gulps thickly, eyes darting this way and that as he slowly takes a seat beside Hyunwoo, seemingly at a loss for where else to go. They're silent for a few seconds, neither quite sure what to say.  

"You uh," Hoseok says suddenly, playing anxiously with his hands, "you make a pretty girl..." Hyunwoo chuckles warmly, and it sounds so close to his normal laugh that it eases Hoseok somewhat.

"Thank you, Ttoki." Hoseok meets her eyes then, a genuine smile pulling at his lips, and Hyunwoo easily returns the expression.  

Minhyuk's characteristically quick steps come into the room, but they halt as he probably catches sight of who's on the couch. He draws in a sharp breath, and Hyunwoo can only imagine his expression.

"What the fu—??"

"Language, Minhyukkie," Hyunwoo instinctively interrupts, whirling about in her seat to give the younger a warning glare. The blonde's eyes are blown wide, his mouth sealed shut. He stands absolutely still for only a moment—which is longer than Hyunwoo has ever seen him be still before—and then goes straight to the kitchen. Hyunwoo hears their hushed whispers from the room, and she crosses her arms over her chest as she relaxes against the back of the couch. She can't help but pout at knowing they're talking about her in there.  

Hoseok watches her, an adoring light filling his eyes at the expression she's wearing. Boy Hyunwoo isn't one to pout typically, but he wishes he was, because Girl Hyunwoo is adorable like that...  

"How can you be sure??" Minhyuk demands loudly from the kitchen.  

"She smells the same," Kihyun explains. "If you doubt me, just look at her eyes. She is Hyunwoo." Hyunwoo blinks, grateful that at least one of her boyfriends is able to recognize her—him—no matter what. Minhyuk hurries into the room, leaning down to glare right in Hyunwoo's eyes. His gaze searches hers, clearly on a mission for evidence. He eventually pulls away, seeming incredibly torn judging by the way he taps his foot rapidly against the wooden floor.  

He takes a seat next to Hyunwoo, his face still contorted in a thoughtful pout as he blinks unevenly at her.

"… So," he finally says, "what kind of black magic did you perform to get like this?"  

Hyunwoo only shrugs, a wry smile pulling at the corners of her lips. Minhyuk hums, his gaze guarded as he takes in the older's actions.

It takes some explaining to the other three, as well, when they see Hyunwoo and her... condition. Hyungwon, being the most gullible, is of course the first to believe it. Jooheon takes at least half the day to believe it, though, whereas Changkyun doesn’t seem to be able to swallow it until dinner time. They don't leave Hyunwoo alone throughout the entire day, resulting in a makeshift cuddle pile, of sorts, on the sectional by the time the sun sets.

Hyunwoo falls asleep to the sound of her boyfriends' snores, finding herself incredibly grateful for how they've all looked after her today. Her chest swells with love and adoration at each of the men's sleeping faces, the way they cling to her protectively.

It's moments like this, she thinks with a smile on her face, when I know I belong, that they all love me and I make them happy...  

"Hyung!! Hyung, you missed your alarm! Get up!!!"

Hyunwoo blinks open his eyes, glancing about confusedly. Kihyun's bent over, staring down at him as he ducks his head to avoid hitting Hyungwon's bunk.  

"You'd better get up now, if you want a chance at a bathroom," Kihyun tells him, leaning close to give him a small peck at the corner of his mouth. Hyunwoo confusedly looks down at himself, noting the lack of boobs and a certain appendage that most definitely hadn't been there just before...

"You okay?" Hoseok asks him sleepily from his nearby bed. Hyunwoo turns to watch him rub at his eyes, the tired pout pulling at his lips so familiar.  

"Um... yeah," Hyunwoo replies, moving to stand. He licks his lips nervously as he adds, "You don't remember yesterday?" Hoseok straightens up, tilting his head to the side.

"We performed at Inkigayo..." Hoseok begins, his eyes sparkling with thought, "we went to a fan-sign... There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, was there? Did I miss something again?" Minhyuk suddenly bolts into the room, his hair dripping wet as he throws himself energetically at Hoseok. Hoseok protests, telling the younger he doesn't want his blonde hair dripping all over his sheets.  

Hyungwon stirs in his bunk, sleepily looking at Hyunwoo after shooting a glare at the noisy two.

"You were talking in your sleep again," Hyungwon informs him, his voice groggy and slow. "Something about... being you but none of us knowing it??" Hyunwoo tries for a chuckle, waving off his boyfriend's concern.

"Just a weird dream," he answers as he turns to snag a bathroom. Hyungwon hums, turning on his other side to try and go back to sleep.  

Hyunwoo goes through the rest of the day doing his best to forget the incredibly strange dream from the night before, it eventually ebbing away to the back of his subconscious like everything else.  

[imaginetonyandbucky]

Fairytales

Part 2 of 2

A/N: I got all the Russian endearments from a website that listed endearments. I put them in Google translate and they seemed vaguely right, so... sure.

He was really not expecting this. And he wasn't ready for this conversation, not really. The panic he was feeling must be showing on his face because Bucky slouched, making himself look smaller. He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping well, which made Tony’s stomach clench with guilt. He had done that to him.

They stared at each other, before JARVIS broke the silence. “Would you like me to save the simulation results, Sir?”

Tony jumped. “Yes, yeah, save and shut it down, J.” He took a deep breath. He was an adult. He could do this. “Wanna sit?” He waved a hand at the workshop. There was the couch that he had transformed into his bed, and a few stools scattered around.

Bucky nodded, and chose the couch. “Sit with me?”

Tony sat. He was an adult. He could do this. He opened his mouth, but Bucky beat him to it.

“I’m sorry.”

Frowning, Tony turned to face Bucky. “For what?” Buck didn’t have anything to be sorry about. He was the one who ran and hid for a week, ignoring his soulmate. He was the one who was a complete asshole, not Bucky.

“For-” Bucky paused. “Whatever you need me to be?”

Tony huffed out a laugh. “What a pair,” he muttered, shoving a hand through his hair. He let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. I was an ass. I should have said something. Or not hidden away. For so long. Or said something. Sooner. Did I say that?” He mentally cringed at that terrible apology. “It really had nothing to do with you, but I took it out on you.” There, that sounded like an apology from someone who had their shit together.

Bucky nodded slowly. “I thought it was. Me, I mean. I understood.”

Tony reached over and took his hands. The contrast between the metal and the flesh hands was startling, but this wasn't the time to geek out. “No.” He said it firmly. leaving no room for disagreement or questioning. “This was 100% my hang ups.”

“That's what Natasha said. And Steve. And Clint, and Bruce, and Pepper, and Rhodey.”

Tony colored. “They all talked to you?”

(Watch out for the break!)

“I was pretty bummed,” Bucky said frankly.

Well, ouch. He probably deserved that. He definitely deserved that. “I’m sorry,” he said again. It was all he could say. “Tell me how to make this up to you.”

Bucky smirked, and there was an echo of the old Bucky Barnes from the war reels in it. “I can think of somethin’.” Then he sobered, looking more like the man Steve had brought in two weeks ago. “Give this a try?”

Tony could try. He was the king of trying. Plus, that smirk. It would take a saint to resist that.

He definitely wasn't.

“Yeah. I can do that.”

--

It wasn't easy. They had moments of awkwardness, and they had to sometimes pick their way around each other’s triggers, of which there were plenty between the two of them. They had arguments, and they spent time apart cooling off. But they both tried.

Sometimes Tony overcompensated for being an asshole for that first week, but Bucky would gently remind him that he accepted him exactly as he was, hang-ups and all, and Tony would quickly settle back into relative normalcy.

“Hey snowflake,” Tony said cheerfully. They had had a talk the night before, which was a nice euphemism for crying while talking about their emotions and needs. But like always, today was a fresh day. They had promised, early on, not to go to bed angry at each other, and it helped a lot. Their fights were further apart, and they were closer than ever. “What's up?”

“Can I just come see my cахарок[1] for no reason?” Bucky asked, wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist from behind. Tony was sitting in a stool, working on another project for SI.

“Sure you could. You haven't yet.”

Bucky kissed the side of his neck gently, and Tony melted into his arms. “So, what brings you down to my lair?”

“I brought you coffee,” he said, nodding towards the mug that was set on the work table. “And some cookies.”

Tony lit up. “Coffee? For me?”

Bucky nuzzled his nose behind Tony’s ear. “For you, baby.”

Tony half turned in his seat and kissed Bucky. “You’re my hero.”

“I know.”

“Want to stay and help with the gauntlets?” Ever since Bucky had seen Tony working on the Iron Man suit, he had been obsessed, asking question after question, and would be content to sit and watch Tony work on even the most mundane of details if it had anything to do with the suit. Eventually, Tony had started offering to let him help, and Bucky had nearly vibrated off the seat, he was so excited. When Tony asked, Bucky had shrugged, and evaded his eyes about why he loved the Iron Man suit so much.

It wasn't that important, and it was honestly pretty flattering, so Tony let it go, since Bucky seemed so embarrassed.

“Absolutely!” He seemed as enthusiastic as ever.

--

They started going out on dates, a month after they broke the news that James Buchanan Barnes was still alive, courtesy of a knock-off serum. They spun the story a little bit. Since the Winter Soldier was a ghost story for even top intelligence agencies, they didn't release that Bucky had been the Winter Soldier. All that was stated was that he was alive due to a bastardized super-soldier serum and some non-reproducible freezing methods. The very idea that a second super-soldier from World War II was still alive and young was more than enough to feed the media frenzy.

It was assumed that the real story would leak eventually, but until it did, this allowed the public to see the new Bucky before they saw him as a weapon.

Probably. The public was fickle.

Plus he was soulmates to Tony Stark, who was sometimes America’s darling and sometimes the devil incarnate. He could never keep up. He still felt a pang of sadness in situations like this that Bucky was saddled with him as a soulmate, but Bucky had said over and over that he was more than delighted to have him as his soulmate. He had no choice but to believe him.

“Here, try this,” Tony said, offering his fork to Bucky. It was salmon with a citrus sauce. Ever since they had started going out, Tony had delighted in introducing Bucky to new foods. Before the war, Bucky and Steve had been poor. During the war, the army was more interested in easy and moveable than interesting, and Hydra? All Hydra cared about was that their Asset was functional.

So now he got to show Bucky new things every time they ate out. Sushi. Fish. Duck. Escargot had been a memorable experience. They had even both tried snake, at a restaurant in LA. Tony because he would try anything at least once, and Bucky because Tony had dared him.

“It ain’t snail, is it?”

Tony shook his head. “Just salmon. You'll like it.”

Obligingly, Bucky opened his mouth and let Tony feed him the bite of salmon. Swallowing, he nodded. “S’good.”

Tony felt a flush of warmth, having picked something his soulmate liked. It was ridiculous, but he liked pleasing Bucky.

“How's your steak?” No matter where they were, if steak was on the menu, then Bucky got it. He had a ranking of every steak he had eaten so far, with several categories. Tony wasn't sure how he assigned points or kept track, but between Bucky and JARVIS, there were nearly twenty different steaks on the list now.

“Great!” Bucky said enthusiastically. “Better than last week’s steak. Want some, Лучик?”[2] He offered Tony a bite.

Tony accepted, just like he did every time. “You're right, this is better.”

Bucky gave him a quick kiss before stealing a bite from Tony’s plate.

“Hey!”

Laughing, Bucky offered Tony another piece of steak.

--

Tony still spent a lot of hours in the workshop. He did, after all, work full time as the head of R&D for SI, full time as a consultant for SHIELD, and full time as essentially the quartermaster who also designed the weapons for the Avengers. Bucky never complained, since Tony put in an effort to watch the time, and if he forgot, to leave when Bucky came to collect him.

“My Дракончик[3], you've been down here for hours,” Bucky said, startling Tony.

Tony steadied the soldering iron before he dropped it. “It's only been what, ten, twelve hours? I've gone longer, haven't I J?”

“Sir, it's been nearly twenty. And while you indeed have worked longer without sleep, that doesn't mean you should.” JARVIS’s tone was disapproving.

Frowning, Tony pulled up a clock. “It really has been twenty hours. He tried to stand, but his back protested and he sank back down. “Ouch.”

“What’s wrong?” Bucky’s voice was worried.

“Just knotted up my back pretty badly,” Tony admitted. “Have to move slower.”

Bucky settled his hands on Tony’s shoulders. “How about a hot shower, and then I give you a massage?”

Tony could already feel the knots disappearing. “What did I do to deserve you?”

Bucky brushed a kiss over the top of Tony’s head. “You did nothing but be you.” He helped Tony stand, and walked with him to the elevator.

“Flattery will get you everywhere, cupcake,” Tony told him.

“You're in no shape for what I want, Зайчонок[4],” Bucky said, his voice deep and gravelly. “At least, not yet.”

Tony felt that tone go all the way through him down to his toes, but he gave Bucky a baleful look. “Did you just call me a bunny?”

Bucky had the grace to look embarrassed, but didn't take it back. “You are pretty cute, Зайчонок,” he said, flicking Tony’s nose.

Tony rolled his eyes as the elevator door opened but didn't press it. The nicknames, as silly as they were sometimes, made his heart go a little bit gooey. “I believe you promised me a hot shower and a massage?”

“To begin with.”

--

Tony had been tossing the idea around for a while now in his head, and had even worked out a few schematics, but he wanted to ask Bucky before he went any further. The arm, while a serious piece of engineering marvel, was old. It needed near constant updates and maintenance, and while Bucky never said anything, he could tell it was causing him some stress. And the maintenance sometimes caused pain, which made Tony feel like the worst person in the world.

“J, can you get Bucky down here?”

“Of course, Sir.”

In under three minutes, Bucky appeared. “What’s up, котенок[5]?” Kitten was his favorite endearment for him, and it was growing on him. Other still made regular appearances, but котенок came out once or twice a day.

“So,” Tony started, suddenly hesitant. The arm was a painful subject for Bucky. Literally painful, given the way it was grafted on to him. Clumsily, he searched for words. He finally just blurted it out. “I want to build you a new arm.”

Bucky’s eyes widened. “You what?”

“Only if you want me to!” Tony said in a rush. “It's just- I know maintenance is sometimes painful and it's tedious and I know that it's heavy and it's a lot of work and I could help with all of that, but only if you want!” He repeated.

Bucky was looking at him with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open.

“Please say something.”

“You’d do that?”

A little hurt, Tony frowned. “Of course I would.”

As if realizing, Bucky hastened to explain. “It just seems like a lot of work, when you could be doing more important things.”

Softening, Tony crossed the room to him. “James Buchanan Barnes. There is nothing more important to me than you.”

Bucky clutched Tony’s hands. “I love you,” he said, suddenly.

Tony blinked.

“I know that emotional things give you hives, but-”

Tony raised one of their clasped hands up with his pointer finger held upright in a ‘hold on a second’ gesture. He processed the words. Bucky loved him. His soulmate loved him. Him.

Maybe fairytales did come true, sometimes.

“I love you, too,” he said hoarsely. “I really do.”

Bucky reeled him in close, and kissed him long and hard. Tony let go of Bucky’s hands to wind his hands around his neck and into Bucky’s hair.

Breaking apart for breath, Bucky peppered Tony’s face with little kisses. “I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I love you so much, Tony.”

Tony pulled him in closer, and just held him in a hug. “I'm so lucky to have you,” he replied. “And I love you too, Bucky.”

[1] cахарок - sugar [2] Лучик - sunbeam/ray of light [3] Дракончик - little dragon [4] Зайчонок - bunny [5] котенок - kitten