#then he makes sure its just close enough to freak out the hero but with enough plausible deniability that they aren't at risk

[headcanonthings]

*During their first date* Bernard: So… what do you like to do in your free time? Tim, sleep deprived with no filter: I like to stalk. Bernard: Oh! Well I like to make Youtube videos Tim: I know.

[blackenedsnow]

can you do a keatlejuice x fem reader who passes out a lot due to illness?

faint of heart

WARNING: Mentions of fainting due to illness

PAIRING: Beetlejuice x (Fem) Reader

NOTE: Love this idea! I have this problem as well, just not due to illness. So I hope it wrote it decently enough.

SUMMARY: You’ve been dealing with a medical condition that causes you to faint more often than you'd like. Luckily (or unluckily), Beetlejuice, is always nearby when it happens.

You were used to the feeling by now—the lightheadedness that crept in without warning, the sudden exhaustion that drained the strength from your limbs. Still, no matter how accustomed you were to your illness, it didn’t make it any easier when the world around you started to blur and tilt on its axis. It was happening again, the familiar darkness creeping in at the edges of your vision.

“Damn it…” you muttered, swaying on your feet as you reached out to steady yourself against the wall.

Unfortunately, the wall wasn’t much help, and neither was your body. You could already feel yourself slipping, your knees buckling under you as you collapsed. Just before the darkness fully swallowed you, a voice broke through the haze—raspy and loud, with a hint of annoyance.

“Whoa, whoa, hold up there, sweetheart!”

And then, everything went black.

When you came to, the first thing you noticed was the sensation of being cradled in someone’s arms—scratch that, not someone. You didn’t need to open your eyes to know who it was. The smell of dirt, mildew, and that faint hint of something otherworldly told you everything you needed to know.

“Beej,” you groaned softly, trying to sit up, though a wave of dizziness made you reconsider.

“Yeah, yeah, I gotcha,” Beetlejuice’s voice came from above you, and you felt yourself being jostled slightly as he adjusted his grip on you. “Don’t go makin’ it a habit to pass out every time you see my face. I know I’m hot, but c’mon.”

You blinked up at him, his wild hair and striped suit filling your vision as you tried to focus. He was holding you, bridal-style, with a grin plastered on his pale face that was just shy of mischievous.

“Y’know, I could’ve just let you hit the floor. But nooo, I’m the good guy here, right? Heroic ghost with the most, swooping in to save the day.”

You sighed, shaking your head weakly. “Thanks, Beej… but you’re really not a hero.”

He scoffed, his grin widening. “Sure I am! Who else is gonna catch you when you go timber like that? Nobody cares for ya like I do, babe.”

As much as you hated to admit it, there was some truth to his words. Despite his odd personality and penchant for making a scene, Beetlejuice was always there when you needed him. No matter how irritating he could be on a daily basis, when it came down to moments like these, he never failed to show up. Somehow. At the perfect time.

“Seriously, though,” he said, his voice dropping into something that almost sounded like concern, though he tried to hide it behind his usual bravado. “You gotta stop doin’ this. You’re startin’ to freak me out.”

You managed a weak chuckle, patting his chest. “I don’t do it on purpose.”

“Yeah, I know.” Beetlejuice let out a huff, shifting you in his arms as he looked down at you with those mismatched eyes. “Still doesn’t mean I gotta like it. I mean, who’s gonna laugh at my jokes if you’re passed out half the time, huh?”

“You’re plenty funny without me,” you teased, though your voice was still quiet and a bit shaky.

“Nah,” he smirked. “I’m only funny ‘cause you laugh at all my dumb shit.”

For a moment, you both went into a comfortable silence. Sure, he was Beetlejuice—weird, loud, and often over-the-top—but beneath all that was something softer, something that genuinely cared about you. He wouldn’t admit it outright (that wasn’t his style), but the way he stayed close during your fainting spells, the way he always made sure you were okay, said more than his snarky comments ever could.

“You okay now?” he asked after a beat, setting you down gently on the couch. “You need anything? Water? Smelling salts?”

You shook your head, leaning back into the cushions as you took a few deep breaths. “I’m alright… just give me a minute.”

“Take all the time you need, dollface,” he said, plopping down beside you, legs crossed and his elbow resting on the back of the couch. “But hey, if you feel like passin’ out again, at least let me know so I can catch ya in a cool way next time. Maybe do a little spin, toss ya over my shoulder—y’know, something real dramatic.”

You smiled at him, grateful for the way he could turn even the scariest moments into something almost light-hearted. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Beetlejuice winked, tapping the side of his nose. “That’s my girl.”

[physalian]

Creating Tragedy Through Human Error

One of my favorite sci-fi movies is Sunshine (07). In it, a team of highly skilled scientists is sent on a mission to our dying sun to essentially nuke the core to restart nuclear fusion and keep the star alive. They are aboard the Icarus II, the second attempt by a slowly-freezing Earth to attempt this hail mary, after Icarus I was lost. When the team stumbles upon the Icarus I’s distress signal, they have to make a choice: Detour to potentially save survivors and get double the payload (a second chance if they miss or it fails), or waste more time that Earth doesn’t really have straying from their mission.

They decide to detour, reward worth the risk, and when the ship changes trajectory, part of it becomes exposed to the intense heat of the sun outside the ship’s solar shield, and catches fire, burning up their only way to refresh their oxygen. Now, they have no choice to find Icarus I both for the payload and any chance of making it home, and chaos ensues for the rest of the movie.

The whole inciting incident for this chaos isn’t detecting the Icarus I’s signal, it’s the failure on part of the flight engineer to properly account for shifting their solar shield when they change course. It’s a simple, yet catastrophic human error, and he takes it incredibly hard—if the mission fails and they all asphyxiate before the payload can deliver, he will have killed Earth’s last chance for survival. All because he did some math wrong.

—

There’s something brutally tragic about a disaster that comes not from without, but within. Sunshine would have had the exact same stakes if the solar shield had simply malfunctioned and it was fate or the power of god that had killed them. Based on the name for their ship—Icarus—one can assume that human error, human overconfidence, flew them too close to the sun.

Sometimes shit just breaks. Sometimes the tech doesn’t work. Sometimes the bullet misses in a freak gust of wind. It’s a random fender bender on the highway. Not saying these plots are wrong at all, and having a character feeling like fate and the universe are against them is a compelling enough premise on its own.

But some of my favorite tragedies are tragedies because it all could have been avoided if one character made a different choice. One of my favorite TV shows has a climax where everything they’ve been working for, everything they’ve fought for all boils down to successfully inputting a code into a thing for a Sunshine-esque world revival. They’re winning the race, gaining ground, they’re at the console, the villains have lost. Meanwhile, the lone team member back home coordinating everything chooses to ignore a phone call from their allies because he’s busy and thinks they’re far less important. The villains then take these allies captive and hold them hostage—hand over the code or the innocent bystanders die right before their eyes—and the heroes balk, the consequences of which are devastating.

Had this one character stopped, thought, and not dismissed their allies’ call for help, none of this would have happened. Sure the villains could have shown up out of nowhere with them with zero buildup and just said “we caught them offscreen, uh, doesn’t matter how” and the choice would have been as agonizing to watch, but knowing it all happened because one character couldn’t be bothered makes it so much worse.

—

Some things to consider about doing this:

Try to avoid deus and diablos ex machinas. The latter tends to receive less backlash, because shit going wrong for no reason is less story-ruining than shit going right for no reason, but you can do better

This is high above a character simply forgetting about a macguffin or forgetting important information or something conveniently breaking or failing to turn on at the last second for no reason other than to be dramatic, this is something that the audience might not see coming before it happens, but understands immediately once the damage is done.

If you’re going to make it a fault of a character, make sure it’s a fault that character already has, a choice they would realistically make, instead of randomly making them an idiot to further the plot

Up to you whether you want the characters to realize the human error in all this. In Sunshine, that was the whole point, in the tv episode, I don’t think they ever connected the dots, but we did as the audience.

Typically, these are tragedies, and the choice that was made is irreversible. The character who makes it either dies regretting everything, or has to live regretting everything, but there is no quick fix. It’s not a quick “oops let me correct that,” it’s devastating.

Hope this helps, now get writing!

[tsaritza-mika]

More Tadfools Shit that We all Need

BECAUSE WE NEED MORE CHAOTIC FOUND FAMILY SHENANIGANS DAMMIT!!!

I need Astarion learning he can spider crawl on the ceiling, and then completely fucking with everyone. Everyone’s helms keep coming off their heads when they’re walking out the door? Astarion is failing at trying so hard not to laugh and give himself away. Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Gale, and Halsin’s hair keeps coming undone? Astarion is being a little shit again and stealing the ribbons/clips that hold them in place! Wyll and Karlach discovering their horns now have ridiculous looking ornaments/bells hanging off them? Astarion stole a bag from a shop and thought the two could use some more decoration!

I need Gale to decide that its time to remind everyone in camp where the real power is, and cast a protection spell on himself that makes him immune to intense heat, while making dinner as spicy as fuck! Then he can sit around calmly while everyone else is either crying about how they’re going to die, or rushing to dunk their entire head in the Chionthar

I need Halsin deciding he’s had enough of Minthara’s ‘Drow are so superior’ talk and secretly instructing everyone to act as if all is normal, while leaving an increasing amount of carved ducks around her tent area. Every time she enters/leaves her tent there are more and more freaking ducks!! And then she wakes one morning to find herself covered in them and her bedroll floating in the middle of the river!!

I need Shadowheart and Karlach to go around while everyone’s asleep and use her makeup to draw dicks and other offensive things on everyone else's faces, but then to make sure they aren’t caught, they do it to each other but it's super obvious they were the culprits cause they’re the only ones with compliments on their faces

I need Jaheira to absolutely misuse vine whip as an improvised leash so that keeping these stupid children she’s been saddled with from running off to die ridiculous deaths will be easier

@the-skeleton-speaks We need Astarion being designated the camp tailor, but he’s low-key salty about it because what the fuck do these people just not take care of their shit!? So he deliberately uses thread that is either the same color or just a tad too light/dark and embroiders insults into each of them

We need Karlach helping Wyll with his horns/hair, because he’s not used to working around them, but it takes her a while to get it the way he likes, and by the time she’s done, his neck and her hands are so damn sore

@ultimmmmmp We need Minthara and Lae’zel being absolute trolls and slipping Selunite trinkets/symbols all around Shadowheart’s tent, and then making comments about how bad she’s been at trying to convince them she was such an edgy cleric and followed Shar

@basiliskfree We need Karlach and Wyll getting too damn excited about all the hero stories to the point that they start role playing the fights and quoting terribly cheesy heroic banter

@ryttu3k (this is as close as I’ll get cause I’m not on the bloodweave ship XDDD) We need Astarion messing w/ Gale while he’s asleep by moving all of his bookmarks to the wrong pages, relocating his books around to other parts of the camp, and even being so brazen as to dogear a page or two in some of his known favs @soul-of-rei We need Astarion, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart to be the mean girl crew, commenting on everything and everyone and just being general catty menaces! The three of them turn Vicious Mockery into an art to be feared! Practicing your fighting technique? Pathetic Istick! A Gith wouldn’t need to do it more than twice, yet you’ve been doing it all afternoon and you’re still sloppy as a hatchling! How about your makeup? Shar save us from your pathetic attempt at a smokey-eye... Is yellow your color? Darling if yellow was your color, then it wouldn’t leave you looking like a rotten lemon! @scourgiez Gale and Jaheira just coming to the end of their patience with the aforementioned mean girl crew and casting silence on the lot of them, because holy fuck do they have to comment on every fucking thing within eyesight!? Also please tag me if you draw these, I want to see all the things XDD

[cakerybakery]

“We’re already late, asshole. You can primp later. Heaven is waiting for us.” Adam tried to push Lucifer past the shiny reflection in the Heaven embassy, but the king of hell was dead stopped and Adam couldn’t move him an inch.

Lucifer made sure his eyebrows were perfect and fixed his jacket, “Heaven wants a bad guy, so I’m giving them one. Now be a dear and help me sell it, really look angry and upset I have you on a leash.”

“I am angry and upset you have me on a leash. I’ve been telling you all morning that I hope they make you release me from our contract so I can go back to heaven.”

“That’s it baby, keep it up.” Lucifer teased Adam. He knew Adam didn’t like being chained and teasing him like this was going to piss Adam off even more than normal. Lucifer wanted that. He wanted Adam to tell heaven Lucifer was a monster.

He wanted heaven to make a move against him. So he could remind heaven that he was the big boss of hell and the power he welded as such. Lucifer had grown tired of playing the fool. Especially since heaven was so clumsy at playing the hero.

Lucifer promised himself he would make it up to Adam later.

Adam anger was palpable. Lucifer tongue flicked of its own accord and the taste in the air was delicious.

The doors slammed open, causing everyone in the room to jump. He had not meant to open them so harshly but he didn’t regret scaring the angels present when he spotted Charlie barely controlling her demon form.

He nearly lost control of the situation by reacting. Instead he flicked his hand and let his seat at the end of the table pull out for him. He dropped into it and kicked his feet up onto the table. Lucifer manifested Adam’s chain and yanked him to his side.

Adam stumbled and it took a considerable amount of self control for Lucifer to not react.

“What is the meaning of this?” Some angel created long after Lucifer was banished shouted, slamming the table and pointing at Adam.

“Adam?” Sera’s voice was full of concern for her once priced mortal, though she barely moved. “We thought you died? Lucifer, what is the meaning of this?”

“He forced me to sign a contract, selling my soul to him for protection.”

“Nonsense. Sera, you know as well as I do, I can’t force someone to sign a contract with me. That would make it void, contracts must be signed willingly. However, I can make sure the alternative is, unpleasant.” Lucifer leaned into this more aggressive version of what happened. He did nothing to incentivize Adam into wanting a contract with him, but heaven didn’t need to know that.

“This is unacceptable!” That mouthy angel made demands. “Coercing someone is just as wrong, you demon scum!”

Charlie came to his defence but what she said slipped from one ear and out the next.

Lucifer was bored with that heavenly whiny little bitch. He only had room for one of those in his heart, and Adam didn’t even appreciate it. Which was fine. He like Adam, wild.

So if he wanted to get to the meat and potatoes of this meeting he was going to have to get rid of the salad course. Lucifer raised his hand straight out so from his view it was just to the side of that problem angel. Then snapped his hand closed in a tight fist.

The angel didn’t have enough time to squeak as his body was crushed, as though squeezed suddenly by a large unseen hand.

The angels freaked out, screaming and taking to the air. Charlie sat horrified at what she’d just seen. Adam’s knees wobbled as he instinctively backed away. Sera took the brunt of the blood, having been sitting next to the angel at the other head of the table.

Weapons turned on Lucifer and with a swat of his hand he knocked those who threatened him aside. He touched the table lightly and got up from his seat.

As he walked the length of the table his fingers burned into the tabletop. “Sera. It seems I’ve been away too long if newbie angels think they’re a match for me. Did you forget? You’re in my house.”

He increased his size until he crowded even the vaulted ceilings. Lucifer plucked the unlucky angel up and poured what was left of his golden blood into his mouth. “Delicious.” He dropped the body on the table.

“How?” Sera’s tone was shaky. “How did you- this is trick.” She became more confident with the thought. “Whatever you’re doing, stop. This trickery won’t get you anywhere.”

“I don’t care what heaven thinks of wants. Hand Lilith back over to hell or I will get her myself.”

Sera flew up to his face. “You have no power to do so. This is an empty threat.”

“Have you ever wondered why I allowed the exterminations? Souls make a realm powerful, do they not? Isn’t that what you were afraid of? If hell grew too strong it could take on heaven?” He grabbed her in his blood covered hand, careful not to crush her, and grew even larger. The building broke and he attempted to keep it from crushing Charlie and Adam as he grew. “The exterminators would make hell weaker. But I allowed it because killing sinners allowed me to devour their souls. How many has heaven killed for the last eight or nine thousand years? Close to a billion? And all those souls, all the power within them belong to me now.”

With his free hand, Lucifer reached the seal above hell and tore through it like wet paper towel. He peered through the portal at the gate to heaven.

“You. Fetch me Lilith Morningstar, before I get her myself.”

The angel pressed against the gates. “I am the keeper of the gate and I will not allow-“ he was cut off as Lucifer pressed a claw to his throat and cut off his air supply.

“Go. Now.” He released the angel, please to see he scrambled to do as he was told.

Lucifer shrunk down. Letting Sera go as he did.

With an exaggerated wink at Sera he snapped his fingers and the two of them watched and everything reversed itself.

“You-“

“I.”

“How long have you been able to do this?”

“Centuries. I simply didn’t care to do anything until you lot started threatening my daughter and her hotel. Get back into your place and let’s try this again, shall we?”

Lucifer took his seat once more and as a shaky Sera sat back down in her seat, Lucifer snapped his fingers and restarted things.

“This is unacceptable!” That mouthy angel started again. Then choked on his own breathe. He grasped his chest and shook. A sense a dread overwhelming him.

No one else seemed to notice the time shift. Charlie, ever the good person she was, offered the angel a glass of water.

Lucifer was pleased it worked so well. He’d never actually tried that before to such an extent. At most he would use it to undrop something.

“I think we should begin negotiations, don’t you Sera?”

“Yes, we should.” Sera’s voice held an edge of fear to it that Lucifer relished.

It had been too long since he got to really show off what he could do. Lilith would already be on her way from heaven. Lucifer hadn’t undone that. Charlie would have her mother again. Lucifer was going to keep Adam. Adam would come around eventually, he’d already given Lucifer a couple shy kisses over the last few weeks even if he was being pissy today. And no more exterminations, unless heaven wanted to make him even stronger, just like his baby girl wanted.

It was a good day to be king.

[edgepunk]

Earth-2710 thoughts yapfest

I've been mulling over the idea of Peter having the symbiote permanently and I think I'm gonna go with it in this AU. It's mainly from pettiness, because the comics refuse to give Peter any new powers, or anything to shake up the status quo. Meanwhile some of the other heroes get neat gadgets or powers.

I've talked about this, but I can't find the original post, so anyway - I got the idea from the ps5 game where the symbiote left remnants in Peter's body when he wore it for a longer time, and it was starting to bond with him on a cellular level. However, in this AU he was completely unaware of the remnants. They are dormant and slowly growing inside of Peter’s body, using some of his tissue and nutrients to get stronger. This symbiote is its own entity, now. It's not the Venom symbiote anymore (Eddie is Venom ofc).

Fast forward about 8 months later when Peter notices his super strength is a little wack. At first, he thinks he's just being careless, but after he accidentally sends a couple of thugs into the hospital, he starts getting worried. It's driving him a little insane, thinking that he doesn't know how to hold his strength back anymore. It causes him a lot of stress and he has trouble sleeping. He becomes more careless and makes a lot of mistakes during fights. All the stress and sleep deprivation catches up to him during an intense fight with the Sinister Six. He's anxious, tired and he can't keep up with them. They defeat him.

They carry Spider-Man's unconscious body to Times Square and hijack the billboards, livestreaming his defeat. They wanted to do this to humiliate him in front of all the citizens he promised to protect. However, it's not enough for Doc Ock and he has other plans. He wants to kill him and make sure all of NYC sees it. The other villains try to stop him, but one of his tentacles pierces right through Peter’s chest.

Side note: Peter and Otto weren't close at all in this AU. However, Peter used to look up to him and his scientific achievements when he was in high school. That is until Otto became a villain, of course.

So, you've probably put two and two together - when Otto killed Peter, the symbiote fully awakened and revived him. Peter is freaking out that he somehow has the black suit again, but shifts his focus to send the Sinister Six back to jail. Then, he tries to remove the symbiote, but it hurts him so bad that he collapses and is physically unable to do anything. He seeks help from Reed Richards who does a full body scan and finds out the symbiote is a part of Peter - removing it would kill him.

Peter is in full freak out mode, unable to think clearly. He goes home and has a breakdown. Days pass, his stress levels are off the charts, but he tries his best to keep it together. MJ is there to keep an eye on him, she's scared for him. The last time Peter had the symbiote, it almost turned him into something unrecognizable. MJ doesn't want to lose him this way.

All the stress and lack of sleep isn't doing Peter any favors - he's getting more aggressive and sending thugs into the hospital left and right, and he starts isolating himself from everyone. And he completely loses it, he goes feral and turns into this spidery humanoid alien amalgam.

ngl I'm not good with monster(-ish) designs but here's a rough doodle of feral symbiote Peter with regular Peter for scale. I've never liked him turning into big muscular Venom, I think that should be Eddie's thing. Peter should be more spidery imo

With the power of love, Peter turns back and spends weeks learning to control the symbiote. And then we'll get the Hybrid Suit, which IS the symbiote but Peter made it look like an edgier version of the classic suit.

Peter still has the lingering fear of turning into that thing again, but tries his best to control his anger since removing the symbiote is impossible without killing him. Sometimes he gets a little too agitated, though. But it would require a lot more stress/anger for him to turn again.

[killerpancakeburger]

Bloody nose // Miguel O'Hara

Pairing: Miguel O'hara x female reader

Summary: You find out that your 14yo niece is spider-woman and are very pissed about her keeping it a secret from you. But as you're lecturing her, her boss from the spidersociety shows up. Needless to say you are not happy to see him.

Warnings: canon violence, swearing, mention of alcohol drinking.

Tags : comedy, action, slow burn, Reader has superpowers, but is neither a hero nor villain, BAMF!Reader, Reader takes no shit, Miguel takes a beating but he's fine I promise, no use of Y/N.

Words: 2539.

A/N: Haven't written fics in years and its my first time writing one in English so, uh, go easy on me i guess? 😅

Part 2

The night was falling on New York. The booming laughs of your coworkers were resonating in the bar where you were spending your evening after work.

Being a bodyguard/security guard meant working in a field oversaturated with testosterone, but you made it work somehow. After all, a demonstration of your powers was always enough to deter any doubts on your abilities, and the rare stubborn ones left who harassed you about it were eventually convinced by a good beating. You quickly gave up on hiding your powers, since no one who saw you get shot and walk away with bruises would believe you were normal. But that's when NDAs came in handy. All in all, you liked your current company, your boss, and your teammates. To the point of spending time with them outside work, which meant a lot coming from you.

You're sipping your beer on a stool as usual, listening in on the conversations, when a notification makes you look at your phone. It's a text from an unknown number with a file attached. The text, laconic, says: "Thought you might wanna know about this."

When you recognize what's happening on the picture you received, you spit out your beer in shock and start choking.

"What the fuck!" You manage to groan.

Unfortunately your behaviour haven't gone unnoticed by your coworkers, and before you can say anything else, they start poking fun at you.

"What's happening to you? Can't handle your alcohol anymore?

"I know the beer is bad but its not that bad. You're gonna give the barman a complex."

"Did you receive a thirst trap or something?"

You do not grace them with an answer.

Beyond the good-natured mockeries, you see your closest colleague discreetly checking that you're not really choking to your death.

You have no time to lose. You finish your glass in one shot and gets up. Protests and falsely upset booing rise around you.

"It's way too early to leave!"

You cut short the argument with two words: "duty calls", which everyone of them know is code for “urgent private family matters”.

You grabs your leather jacket, your helmet, you dump a bunch of cash on the counter than is enough for your drinks, tips, and more, and you get out of here like the devil's on your heels.

Once outside, the fresh air helps to clean your mind. You take a deep breath before you start texting the number from earlier.

"Surely you wouldn't sent me this without coordinates?"

You can hardly stay still waiting, but the response comes up barely a minute later, with coordinates and a sarcastic message: "She's on top of an abandoned building of 50 floors. So have fun with that."

You swear at the new information. "Great! Just fucking great!"

You straddle your motorbike and take off like a shot. As you drive, the photo you received is stuck in your mind. Naomi, your 14 years old niece, wearing some kind of superhero suit, sitting carelessly on the ledge of a building. Between her recklessness and the fact that she kept being apparently a freaking superhero from you, when you've always been close, you feel your blood boiling. You imagine how the upcoming confrontation will go. Will she be ashamed? Panicked? Angry?

Not sticking exactly to the speeding limits has you right where you want to be in a short time. You inspect the building from outside. Abandoned means no electricity, and no electricity means no elevator for you... You leave your helmet and your bike behind. You assess the building, noticing large enough grips for climbing, and figure out how high you can get just by jumping. Then you walk backwards a few meters, take off running, gathering speed, and leaps as high as your superhuman body can. As soon as you reach the peak of your jump, you grab the closest ledge. Secure in your climbing, you start your ascension, going as fast as you can. Missing Naomi because you were too slow is out of the question.

You soon reach the top and dust yourself off a bit before going after your niece. The bright colours of her suit makes her easy to catch. You sneak behind her, ready to catch her if she falls, and calls her full name in a tone that betrays your frustration. You hate sounding like a parent grounding their kid – there are reasons why you’ve never had one after all –,  but it's too late now.

She has more or less the reaction you were expecting – she flinches hard, and turns to look at you with a melange of shock and horror that makes you feel like the Grim Reaper coming for her life. She puts a hand on the back of her neck in embarrassment, and offers you a smile that looks like a grimace more than anything else.

“Au-auntie… what… what are you doing here…?”

She lets slip a nervous little laugh as she gets up from the edge but keeps a distance from you.

You cross your arms and looks at her sternly, trying to communicate with your glare that she better not try to bullshit you.

“I’m the one who should be asking you that question.”

The grimace widens and she avoids your gaze. You notice beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

“Oh well it’s a funny story, see-“

“What the hell are you wearing? Are you trying to be a superhero?”

“I’m not trying-“

She seems insulted at the assumption, and regains a bit of confidence for the first time since you arrived.

“You really thought you could hide this from me?”

You are her only family member with superpowers, even if you never tried to be a superhero.

“Oh auntie, it’s not like that…”

She looks genuinely sorry, like she understood that you felt hurt by being shut out.

“Then what is it? I can’t believe you hid this from me. I’m not your dad. I wouldn’t have been mad at you. Did I make you feel like you couldn’t tell me?.”

You sigh and bow your head with a disappointment you can’t contain.

Naomi makes a step towards you, worry on her face, extending her arm like she wanted to comfort you.

“Listen, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, but they made me promise not to…”

Your eyes open wide in horror and realization dawn on your face. Your whole body tense.

“They? Who the fuck is they? Are you being blackmailed?!”

You can’t help from raising your voice. Panic surges through you. You’re not one to lose your cool easily, but your niece is the exception to the rule. You’ve loved Naomi unconditionally since she came into this world. She could probably become a murderer and your feelings wouldn’t change. However, since her mother died – since your sister died –, she became the apple of your eye. You’ll be damned before you let anyone harm her.

Meanwhile Naomi panics too, but for what seems to be considerably different reasons. She grabs her hair and start walking in circles.

“Damn it! That’s not what I meant… I’m not supposed to… I promised I’d… Crap! Listen, I’m not being blackmailed, I swear!”

“Oh yeah? Then what-“

You’re interrupted by an incessant beeping that you quickly identify as coming from some kind of watch Naomi’s wearing. You narrow your eyes in defiance. You’ve never seen that thing before.

“What is that?”

Before you can finish, Naomi hurried to, quite uselessly, hide the watch behind her back.

“NOTHING!”

Another nervous laugh.

The beeping doesn’t cease.

You pinch the bridge of your nose with a mix of irritation and weariness at her shenanigans.

“Naomi. Whatever this is, make it stop.”

Reluctantly, Naomi brings the watch before her and pushes a button on the side of it. A flip screen deploys. Immediately, a male voice blasts from it. Its owner sounds riled.

“Naomi. I was expecting your report three hours ago. Explain yourself.”

 His commanding and uncompromising tone immediately rubs you the wrong way.

“Oh, hi Miguel… I just… uh… I’m about to send it, I just ran into some… trouble…”

You post yourself at your niece’s side and get a peek of  “Miguel”.

His striking red eyes are the first thing that catches your eye – you’ve never seen a hero with ones. Only villains. His face is broad, his features defined and his jaw unyielding. His thick, dark eyebrows are frown and his full lips aren’t smiling. Dark brown, pushed back hair that reaches the back of his neck frames a visage that must be pretty when not stuck in a perpetual expression of irritation.

Before he can formulate in response what obviously seems like criticism, you grab Naomi’s wrist, bring the watch closer to your face and articulate as clearly as possible :

“Consider this her official letter of resignation, dipshit.” You end the call.

Naomi instantly starts screaming in protest.

“Auntie! What the hell! Why did you do that!?”

“Is that fucker pressuring you? Who does he think he is, talking to you like that?”

“No! It’s not like that!” She sounds intent on defending that rude asshole. “He’s just… argh, I’m not supposed to tell others about the Spider Society!”

As soon as she finishes her sentence, she puts both hands on her mouth, as if it could stops her from blurting out more classified information.

“The Spider what?”

She shakes her head, mimicking the action of zipping her lips, and keeps a stubborn silence.

You roll your eyes at her childish antics and decides that enough is enough.

“I’m gonna get answers about this, whether you’re the one telling me them or not, are you aware of that?”

Silence. You put your hands on your hips and sighs.

“Whatever. I’m bringing you back home. And I’m telling your father about this.”

Suddenly her lips come undone.

“What! NO! Auntie, come on!”

You shake your head, implacable, and starts leaving, knowing she’ll end up following you anyway.

“This is not a negotiation, kid.”

“Nooo, you can’t do this to me! Please! He’ll ground me til adulthood! I’m begging yo-“

Naomi’s whining suddenly come to a halt as you start hearing some kind of… music? Coming from behind you.

*Spider-Man 2099’s theme starts playing*

[Insert "Why do I hear boss music?" meme.]

You turn around to see some kind of unstable orange-red hexagon floating over the ground and the man from the watch exit from it. You stay speechless, blinking in incomprehension.

“What the fuck.” You let slip under your breath. You’ve seen more strange phenomena than the ordinary mortal but this is something else entirely.

Unfortunately “Miguel” didn’t wait for you to come back to your senses and took advantage of your silence to start admonishing Naomi.

“Not only you let a civilian discover your identity but you showed them your watch? How much did you tell them?”

Miguel’s appearance seems to have turned your niece into a frightened mouse. She takes one step back for each he makes towards her, and you’ve never seen her so thoroughly shaken. Each words coming out of her mouth sounds like it’s tripping over her teeth to get out.

“I… I didn’t tell her anything… w-well I said the word Spider Society once but…”

Miguel grunts in frustration.

“ I knew it was a bad idea to take you in.”

You post yourself protectively in front of Naomi and are forced to note the size difference between him and you. He is massive. But you quickly pull yourself together – your strength always put you on top, even when your enemy had 30cm and 30kg on you. You narrow your eyes and throw a murderous glare at the man in costume.

“Leave her alone. She did nothing wrong.”

He immediately argues back.

“You-“

“I followed her here. There’s nothing she could have done to stop me.”

“Auntie has powers too”, pipes up Naomi behind you.

“Great, fantastic. Does that mean you’ll keep your mouth shut about this?”

You can feel your anger raising in your chest like a wave.

“There won’t be anything to shut my mouth about, because Naomi’s superhero’s business ends here and now.”

“But-“ starts Naomi.

“It’s out of question. This world needs a spiderman to protect it.” Announces Miguel like it’s law.

“Then find another spiderman!” you exclaim, exasperated.

“There is no other Spiderman.” He hisses back.

“Aren’t YOU a spiderman?” You gesticulate in direction of his suit.

He passes a hand over his face like explaining this to you is the bane of his existence.

“I’m the spiderman of Earth-928. There is no one else who can do this.”

“Tough luck.” You snap back. “My niece isn’t going anywhere.”

The tone between you two keeps raising, and soon you’re engaged in a shooting match.

“It’s not up to you. Her being spiderman is a canon event.”

You look at him like he’s insane – he must be.

“It’s a WHAT? No, wait, I don’t care. Deal with your own shit and leave my family out of it.”

You illustrate your words by shoving him hard in the chest, and he’s pushed back a few meters. His eyes flashes a bright, menacing red, and you swear he’s about to pounce on you when Naomi get between you two, arms outstretched in each of your directions.

“Don’t fight! We’re all on the same side!”

“He wants to use you!”/ “She can’t be reasoned with!” you both shout.

“The town needs me, insist Naomi in your direction.

You take your head between your hands.

“Can’t the town wait til your majority?”

But as the words leaves your lips, you already know how senseless they sound.

You sigh hard. Pinch the bridge of your nose. Knowing you are going to regret immensely what you’re about to suggest.

“What if I did it instead?”

“No.” reply instantly Miguel, a harsh expression on his face.

You roll your eyes. He could at least hear you out.

“Think about it for a second, smartass. I have had years to master my powers, contrary to a teenager. I have combat experience with both humans and supers. I’m a bodyguard. It’s literally in my job description to identify threats and neutralize them while protecting other people. I know how to work with a team and on my own. You won’t find a better recruit anywhere else.”

Never in your life you would have imagined presenting your resume to Spiderman, but looks like things are only gonna get crazier.

Miguel grunts, like agreeing with you was physically painful for him.

“Fine.”

“See, I knew we could come to a compromise!” Naomi beams. “Miguel is meaner than he looks, she adds to your intention. Well except for the time he threw a desk at me but-“

“He threw a WHAT at you?!” you scream in astonished rage. The fury who accumulated inside you all evening boils over.

“You fucking piece of shit!” You snarl at Miguel. He doesn’t have the time to react. You punch him in the jaw hard enough to send him flying through one, two, three buildings before you stop counting.

[glaciertea]

Masterlist here~

Tales the Songs Weave

Ch.9<< >>Ch.11

Notes: You and Miguel are together.

CW: He will smell something coming off of you, Miguel does have anger issues

Chapter 10: Same Way That the Stars Adorn the Sky...

Word count: 6.1K

Nearly a month passed as you and Miguel began to date. Well, as far as dating goes, there technically weren't any labels attached, but you assumed it was because Miguel was nervous about hopping into a relationship after so long.

You two still did the lovey-dovey couple activities; you were just strings attached with and without the string. Highly confusing, but you didn't mind.

Tapping your foot along to your music, you cook up some shrimp-fried rice. You came to realize that his job tends to hold him back, and you understood. Being a high-ranking worker and a hero can consume anyone's time, so who were you to be upset if he showed up late?

Especially when you took into consideration that he was missing hours to be with you when you would hang out every Wednesday night before.

You felt there was no reason to complain.

You got into the music more and more. You began to twirl and slide across the floor as if no one was watching you.

“You look so adorable dancing around.”

You jumped out of your skin as Miguel leaned against the pantry door.

“Miggy! I swear!” You feigned a grumpy pout as Miguel couldn't help but grin.

“I didn't hear you come in! Did you use my window again?” You turned one of the stove dials down, rotating over to him.

He just blinked and shrugged his shoulders. He was guilty.

“I made you a custom key and everything, and you still insist on using the window?” You tried to keep up the upset charade.

“I prefer it. It's more convenient to me.”

There was a day when Miguel stumbled through the window, gravely injured with a giant gash wound near his chest. You remembered freaking out, wondering why he didn't go to his job.

Apparently, he set his watch to go straight to your place after the mission was over but didn't take into account the collateral damage that was going to beseech him.

Miguel didn't have time to head to HQ, so he painstakingly taught you how to close it up just enough so it could revitalize properly on its own. With a first-aid kit, a fresh sewing needle, and thread you got from your job, you went to work.

Your hands never felt that steady in your life. You didn't realize how much blood a human could hold... or how much puke you'd held back after finishing.

You made sure to vomit when he was deeply asleep.

He ended up replacing your entire mattress, managing to find the exact bedsheets you had owned.

But ever since, he's been crawling through that window, no matter how much you whine about it.

“Miggy. The door.”

“Mi corazón.” He dragged out your nickname.

“I have a door right there. See, see! Door!” You expressively gestured toward it.

“Corazón!” He pushed himself off the pantry, entrapping you in a bear hug, and lifted you up with ease. “Mi chula. Mi adorable corazón.”

He trailed kisses from your forehead down to your neck as you rapidly patted his shoulders, laughing loudly.

“No, no, stop! That tickles! Miggy!” You squealed harder as Miguel tickled your sides, making you squirm. 

“He-hey! Not fair.” You giggled as Miguel went to kiss your neck again, randomly pausing.

He got a whiff of something. Something strong. 

“Miggy? You okay?” You calmed down and caught your breath as Miguel buried his head deeper into the crook of your neck. “Miggy?”

You've never seen him do something like this before, and it started to raise alarms. Miguel sniffed you and released a groan. Feeling the vibrations in his chest, his grip was gradually getting tighter. 

“Corazón…” Miguel grunted before snapping out of his haze. “¡Mierda! Lo siento mucho, corazón, no era mi intención hacer eso, algo se hizo cargo y no sé qué–” 

He placed you back on the floor before you lightly whacked his chest. “Hey, hey, it's okay. As long as you're okay. So, are you okay?”

Miguel gave a troubled nod. You motioned for him to come to you, to which he obliged. He bent over just enough so you could reach him. Holding his head, you gave him two pecks on the forehead, then pressed yours to it.

“Good, I'm glad you're okay. Now come on, the food should be ready.” You smiled brightly before giving him one more kiss on the lips.

Miguel still wasn't managing the relationship aspect well for himself. He was tremendously grateful for you enduring his moments and tendencies; however, he was still nervous about hurting you. 

“How was work today? You are a bit earlier than usual. I had a weird hunch that would happen too, so thank goodness I cooked when I did.”

Miguel collapsed on your couch, a habit he picked up even before you got together, and massaged his temples.

“Where do I even begin? We had two anomalies stuck on E-374, so that meant double the workers in that case, and I had to be there for that. What should have been an hour's work ended up turning into three when Jess's new rookie decided to do her own thing instead of following directions!”

You handed him his serving as he thanked you and hurriedly sat up to give you room to sit.

“Oh, the ghost teen? Yeah, teens tend to want to try and venture on their own path. Like any child, they require a lot of patience. Especially teens.”

Crossing your legs on the couch, you both began to devour the meal.

“I try to give them the patience; it's just so hard when you hand them those simple tasks and they still try to be all rebellious and diverge!” Miguel complained in-between bites.

“You're telling me you weren't a rebellious teen?” You placed a hand on your hip.

“No, I wasn't.” Miguel pushed his plate onto the table and crossed his arms.

A smug smile appeared on your face.

“Okay, yes, but that's different. What about you, then? Even though you wouldn't have struck me as one.”

“Hey! I did some rebellious things! I knew where the liquor cabinet was.”

“And did you drink any?” He picked his meal back up.

“Yes! I had a sip–then decided to wait until the legal drinking age. Oh, oh! I did sneak out once. But then they had to turn around fifteen minutes later because I kept crying about getting caught. Then there was that one time I asked permission about sneaking out…”

“My thoughts exactly. You were a good teen who followed directions! If only they were like you, I wouldn't have to deal with this.”

“But that's it; they're not like me. Like how you're not like me, and vice versa. We may have similar viewpoints about things, but we're our own individuals who are still learning to this very day, particularly teens. It's why they need patience so they can grow and understand the world around them.”

You stood up to grab water bottles. “You just have to explain your side.”

“I do!” He took the two bottles from your outstretched hand and opened one up.

“Without getting upset, listen to theirs. She probably saw something you didn't see, but the ideas may have clashed. We had our moments like that.”

“But the difference is that you actually hear what I have to say.” 

You smiled and bumped his shoulder, minding his meal and drink. “Well, I also don't get the yelling end. Perhaps that's why it's easier for us.”

“Why would I yell at you? You wouldn't do anything that would warrant it. In fact, I would never raise my voice at you.”

A small curve formed on your lips as you remembered the time Miguel mistakenly butt-dialed you as you heard Miguel shouting at Peter B. about him bringing his baby again on a mission. It was a chaotic five minutes of squealing laughter from a child and Peter and Miguel going back and forth.

Miguel had the urge to recoil until his body blipped out of existence when you told him. After that commotion, it worried you, so you taught him some breathing techniques if he ever felt that rise of aggravation begin to bubble.

It's been semi-helpful for him. He didn't realize how much he had to use to control his temper.

As a few hours crept by, Miguel's watch blared during the middle of a film you both decided to mindlessly check out.

“Miguel! We need you! Strong Sandman variant in E-2230! Truck. Truck! Hurry, Miguel!” An unfamiliar voice sprang out from the communicator as absolute chaos resounded in the background.

“Ay dios mío. ¿Puedo simplemente relajarme por el día?” He glided his hands through his curls. “¿Por un día?”

“Sounded pretty serious.” You nestled yourself into the soft blanket you were sharing beforehand.

“I guess it is if they need me.” He materialized his suit, leaving the mask off, and released a displeasing gruff.

“Still on for that rooftop date this week?” You pulled your body up so you were standing on the couch long enough to reach him.

“I'll see what I can do, corazón. It's just tough to make time now with all that's going on, and I ju-” 

You stole a kiss from him. “You know, I'll understand if we have to postpone. Now go out there and be the good guy that you are.”

You affectionately rested your forehead on his, garnering a smile from him.

“Gracias, mi corazón.”

“Of course, and use the door! The door–Miggy! The door. The door!”

Miguel sprinted towards your bedroom and right towards the window. “In a rush, mi corazón! More convenient!”

And with that, he was swinging into the city's night. You gave a bemused smile before laughing to yourself, resting on the wooden sill, gazing out over Nueva York's luminous view.

Miguel chuckled to himself as he grappled and flung from lamppost to building. He wanted to revel in the moment, especially after spending time with you, but his comrades wouldn't allow it as his wristwatch beeped and blared again.

Grating his teeth, he spawned a portal in mid-air and leapt right through. For once, he weirdly felt prepared to take on this situation. That's a common reaction, but now he seemed unstoppable.

This was the dynamic. You and Miguel appeared more lively—well, as lively as Miguel can get.

Ronnie nearly ecstatically backflipped off the shop's roof when you first told her you and Miguel were together.

You made sure to leave the Spider-Man part out.

And the spiders detected that Miguel didn't get irked as much. He still has his pissy moments, but they came off oddly tame.

Snuggling in your favorite cover, you stared at the sky. You focused your eyes on locating any other stars but found difficulty as the light pollution canceled it out.

“I swear one of these days I'm going to move out of the city.” You huff, rubbing your arms.

He was running late, but you didn't mind. You couldn't fully comprehend his work or what he exactly does, yet you were aware of the on-demand position he faced, and he was definitely worth the wait. 

Shutting your eyes and taking in the crisp air, you visualized an iridescent flare covered in a multitude of tinier colors.

“Hola, mi Miggy.” Your voice held that delight.

Miguel eyed you from behind, as he could picture the smile you were giving.

“Mi corazón. I'm so sorry I'm late! I got caught up in another mission. This time I was stuck with the cockney punk, Peter, and Jess's apprentice. Lo juro, estoy tratando de escucharlos, corazón, de verdad, es cuando hacen estup-”

“Come sit down, Miggy.” You tapped the empty spot next to you, not peering back.

Miguel didn't bother to phase his suit away and took the hint. You encased him in the blanket and cuddled up in his chest. Eyeing his state, his suit was a bit dusty; attempts at freshening up the sweat, the cuts, and dried blood. His gleaming, tanned skin bathed in the moonlight.

He was a rich, fine painting.

“You don't have to apologize, you know. If that were the case, it'd be an endless loop.” You knocked your head on his muscular arm.

“I knew what I was getting into. As long as I get to be with you, I'm fine if you're late. If it's one hour or two, hell, even eight, it'll be alright.”

“The forbearance of a saint. I swear, you make it seem so easy.” Miguel wrapped his arm around you, dragging you closer.

“Well, it's not something you wake up with one day. Just a commodity I've learned from years of what I've seen and gone through.”

Checking the time, you slapped at his thigh a bit. “Give me ten minutes. I'm going to run and make us some tea. I also made some cookies! Uh, the pre-made dough kind. I would've baked some, but I couldn't overcome the case of... laziness.”

He gave a slanted smile and whiffed a chuckle out. “That's fine, corazón. Take your time.”

With a cheer, you rushed down to your place as Miguel zoned out the minute you were out of sight.

This is what he should be used to. This is what he wants to be used to. No troubles, no pestering from spiders that do whatever they please, no anomalies, and no daunting pressure about a universe collapsing.

Even though it's wedged permanently into a part of his brain, it partially dwindles into a bean-sized thought when he's beside you. Whenever he's ready to see you, his heart and stomach flutter in anticipation.

Your smile, laughter, kindness, affection, and more embellish his formidable and stressful life. It's to the point where he daydreams about a future with you. He notes it to be utterly pathetic, as if he's some hopeless romantic. But he just can't stop the thoughts.

Living in a gorgeous, rustic farmhouse by a lake. A garden spirited with fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers as his children pluck away weeds or harvest some of the delicious foods for the night's dinner.

As the heat passes through, he'll bring out some fresh lemonade as his kids dash in his direction, laughing with your smile. They'll chug it down and immediately want to wrestle before you warn them not to, as they just drank, and it'll make them sick.

They’ll share a calming moment before joining back together and helping in the mini-farmland. He's one with peace—a warmth he hasn't been acquainted with in so long. He'll look up, his heart melting as the kids' curiosity seeps through, and you'll answer, giving your words of compassion and wisdom.

He'll be happy. At that moment, he was happy. In this moment, he wants to be-

“Miggy? You okay?”

Miguel, containing his discomfiting reaction, turned over to the voice. You'd held a tray with a plate full of gooey chocolate-chip cookies and two mugs with steam flowing out of them.

“Si, corazón. Going over the assignment from earlier. Thinking how it could've gone smoother.”

Placing the tray in front, you carefully handled his tea and settled it in his hands.

“I'm sure everything went well, Miggy. You got that wicked, intellectual, massive brain power going on up there. Knowing all those big boys science and math to help you out!”

Miguel didn't know, but rather to be fazed or amused by that, before a hardy laugh broke out.

“Big boy science and math?”

“Yeah. Especially math, because you calculate the problems!” Your eyes crinkled as you granted him a giant, wide-mouthed smile.

Miguel sat the tea beside him and rested his claws over his face. An absurd, muffled wail of agony escaped the man as he shook his head.

“Ay dios mío–where's the suit? You must be hiding it somewhere.”

He cradled you in his arms and pokes your sides as snorts of laughter spewed out from you. You both eventually recovered from the antics and munched on a few cookies while sipping the herbal tea.

“Oh, hey, it's the start of a new month. A new beginning.” You signal at the waning crescent and lone star.

Miguel stalks to where your attention was directed, as his eyes go back and forth between the two.

“I know about the new month and how it signifies the time change, but new beginnings?”

“Mhm. In a way, a new month is the start of something fresh. When you close the last day of the month, the calendar rolls over to a whole different part.”

You take a sip of your beverage.

“Sure, the days and months are the same every day of every year, but when they change, so can life. The moon and star can start and continue a story, but the chapters will be different. Progress! Progress will always be made, no matter how you look at it.”

Miguel sat his mug down. He let your words sink into his depths as he took your views into consideration.

“Do you think I have progressed?”

“For the month? Yeah, they're small but still noticeable. I've noticed you have been doing the breathing exercises whenever something irks you. You say what's on your mind a bit more, which I'm really happy for.”

You snuggle next to him, your head near his pec.

“You slightly ask for more help instead of struggling because of that control you try to unhealthily keep fed. You take my compliments a bit better; you still have moments of rejecting them, but it's still a good step.” You placed your mug next to his.

“You know, now that I say all that out loud, they're bigger progressions than tiny ones from my standpoint.” You giggled as Miguel just stared.

“Miggy, is everything okay? I didn't upset you, did I?”

He only shook his head, placing your hands in his. “I-I just remembered something I read a long time ago.”

Squeezing his hands, you waited for him to speak his mind.

“Osram ne nsoromma. The moon and star also represent love, faithfulness, and harmony. The symbol represents a bond between two lovers. It's usually for marriage, but I now believe it can go even further.”

Your heart raced as your mouth gaped open. “Miguel…”

“Luna. Mi Luna. Corazón, you are my moon. Whenever you illuminate the night's sky, I will always be there, right next to you or all around.”

He caressed your cheek as he wiped a tear away.

“How do you say star in Spanish?”

“Estrella.”

“Mi Estrella, my star. The moon and star. Even if all the other lights try to hide them, they will manage to shine the brightest.”

Your lips met in a fiery, impassioned kiss, entangled in an embrace that you both refused to separate from.

“I swear… we are so cheesy like year-old cheddar.” You dried your eyes, as more teardrops flowed and a shiver of laughter escaped from you.

“Si, mi Luna, but if it's near you, I would be the cheesiest cheese in the entire universe.”

Miguel pulled you up and tightly hugged you. He embedded his face in the crook of your neck and lightly kissed it. Trembling on the flurries from his lips, a whimper leaves your mouth.

Then that scent punched his nostrils. 

“Corazón…”

A strangled moan escaped from Miguel. His grasp refused to loosen. His tongue was swirling and teasingly gliding against your delicate skin.

You forced your squeaks back, as you didn't want anyone to hear you both up there. But when he grazed his fangs against your skin, a whiny cry found its way out. Miguel slipped his claws under the hems of your shirt, faintly nicking your flesh with his talons.

“Mi corazón. Hueles tan delicioso. Tu aroma perfecto y tu piel aterciopelada es adictiva, mi Luna.”

“Mi-Miguel, wa-wait. Fuck–Mm!” You bit your tongue, mewls coming from your throat as you gripped his hair.

His calloused fingers left circled patterns over your waist, his teeth sinking into your supple skin, nipping and sucking roughly. His claws sneakily palmed your breasts, squeezing the wretched fabric that stood in between him and your lovely mounds.

“Mi Estrella–” you slurred in lust, your mind racing in rounds until it was dizzy.

Miguel removed his mouth, and a giant reddish-purple splotch lay proudly for all to see.

He grabbed your sides, mindful of his sharp nails. His dangerous, carmine eyes pierced into yours. You stared back, heaving, as Miguel brought his thumbs down to your puffy lips, parting them with ease. Your tongue marginally slipped out, an indication he took to run them down your glossy appendage. Your breaths were ragged—how hot it was against his fingers.

He moved them away, causing you to whimper. Your aroma managed to become stronger, and that sprang another part out of him.

“Mi Luna is going through a time. She's about to begin... Mi corazón is going to start.” His husky voice huffed against your neck as you moaned out loudly.

He bundled up a portion of your hair, bringing your neck closer to his mouth, and bared his fangs. You quivered violently, petrified, and yet intoxicated, as you were ready to be bitten–

“¡Ah, mierda!”

Miguel yanked away, sporadic wheezing expelled from you both. Miguel drew back his claws, and you uncoordinatedly straightened your hair back to its original state.

You were a few inches apart as you two gazed out into the city's skylines.

You debated if you should question what happened but refrained from it and peeked over at him, observing his ashamed face. You could tell he was rebuking his actions mentally, and it crushed your soul.

“Don't, mi Estrella. I enjoyed it. I very much loved every second of it.” You filled that shred of space that he made between you two.

“Corazón, I nearly bit you. What if I accidentally punctured an artery? What if I hurt you? What if I-”

Thud.

Your forehead was on his, and your digits were kneading his shoulders to relax him.

“I know you wouldn't, Miggy. I trust you with my body. I know that's crazy to say, but I'm saying it because I'm comfortable around you. I know you'll never do anything to harm me in any way. Well–”

You leaned into his ear and licked his earlobe. “Unless I asked for it.”

An electric bolt shocked down his spine, making him grunt. His eyes were scanning yours, as he only saw that consideration and understanding. That love. That affection.

A string snapped to the ground.

“Come with me to my job.” Miguel snaked his arms around your waist, pulling you down.

Letting out a squeaky “oomph,” you landed on his hard chest. “Hu-huh?! Do what now?”

You balanced your elbows on his pecs and scooted your way to face him. 

“Come back to the HQ with me. Spend the night.”

You flickered your eyes, confused at so many things.

“Wait, wait. Several questions.”

“Alright, adelante.” He nodded to let you continue.

“One. You stay at your job? Two, spend the night tonight? Or another night tonight? Three, is that allowed? I know you can have visitors, but not after closing hours.”

“One, yes. I have an apartment near the top floor. Two, yes. Tonight. Three, I'm the leader; I'm allowed to bring in anyone.”

You couldn't argue with those results, but that angel on your shoulder was vocalizing their worries. “Fair, fair. We'll be okay, right?”

“Si, mi Luna, but we'll have to go through the back entrance.” Miguel arranged you so you were straddling in his lap.

“Not the front?” You angled your head upward.

“I don't want them harassing us both. They are a very nosy and gossiping bunch.”

Bowing your head, you began to gather the dishes. “Well, if that's the case, help me clean while I pack up some clothes! Do you think you'll be able to get me to work tomorrow?”

“If I can turn a forty-minute walk into ten, I can definitely get you there in the same amount of time or less.” Miguel swiped up the tray for you.

“Sounds like a plan! Alright, give me some time, and we can head on out.”

With a pep in your steps, you packed a small drawstring bag with your pajamas, extra clothes, and a few hygienic products.

Miguel proposed swinging you both over to the headquarters, just so you could become familiar with the process.

You loved that idea. Being lifted off the ground into the metropolis’ gleaning nightfall. The ambience that will ring around them.

Who would regret a choice such as that?

 

You regretted that choice.

 

Clinging onto his front for dear life as the winds violently whipped your hair and face. Screeching, you realized whiplash was certainly what you were going to feel as he propelled his body from building to building, with the occasional extreme free fall.

His claws were grating up the infrastructures before being aggressively snapped forward whenever he flung his neon web out.

No wonder he had you wear your bag upfront as he deathly tied the opening. All of your items would've been scattered across Nueva York like a scavenger hunt. 

Miguel touches down behind the tower with a powerful thump, his hand patting your back.

“Alright, we're here. You're okay, right?”

Skidding down his body, you dared not  speak one word, dropping down to the pavement floor on your hands and knees. You appeared as if you were a wet cat who just got pushed into the water.

“I love solid ground. I would make love to every inch of this sidewalk if given the possibility. Oh God, I'll just wake up early and walk to work. Yeah. Yeah, I'll go with that.”

Miguel rolled his eyes and puffed a chuckle out. He assisted you up, stabilizing you to make sure you reclaimed your bearings.

“Okay, but if you're running late, mi Luna, that'll be on you.”

You nuzzled your head into his torso, giggling into it. “I'll take the repercussions. But, if I'm desperate, I'll ask for the express pass.”

You bumped your hip into his side and looked up.

“So this is the place. Jeez, Miggy, how do you not get disoriented with this?”

Miguel shrugged his shoulders. “Second nature? You get used to these things.” He twisted his body around, making sure the coast was clear.

“Alright, let's head on in.”

Miguel took your hand into his and led you towards a narrow pathway with a singular street lamp illuminating a very unused pathway.

At first glance, it seems to be a regular wall that's attached to the building, but hidden away, tucked in a corner, were two steps leading to a single steel security door. It's blocked out, even from a bird's-eye view, just as he wanted it.

He specifically demanded to have a secret back entrance when he wanted to sneak away from it all. He scarcely uses it, but when the time is desperately desired, he heads on off. You observed as he punched a few buttons on a digital keypad, intrigued by the separate world behind that barrier.

Jitters snuck its way to you as he pulled the door open for you. You were ready to view the vast amounts of colorful spider-people swinging by and crawling up the walls from all sides.

Then your face dropped. Buzzing lights, white panels, and dirt-free, blue tiles underneath filled the hallway from as far as you could see.

“It looks like a bad clinic horror film.” You swirled your head from wall to wall.

“It's designed to be like this. It doesn't get any sort of traffic. Only two of us know about this. Well, three now, but I'm one of them. Come on.”

The walk seemed endless. The corridor looped endlessly for you as nothing changed. Finally entering a new section with spread-out hanging wires and brighter lights, a single door on wood panel partitions stared them down.

“Are there more apartments, or is it just yours?”

“There are spare rooms, but not like this.”

He fumbled for his key and opened it when new voices began to close in on your direction. Miguel shoved you in and briskly slammed the door shut.

“So after every mission, you have to make sure that you file a report in the system. That way, everything is orderly, and—oh, evening, Miguel.” Jess acknowledged her superior and pinned her hands to her hips.

A teen with half-shaven, ear-length blonde hair saluted Miguel, then immediately finger-gunned. “Evening, captain. Or do I call you Miguel? I'm still trying to figure that part out. The other spiders say leader; others say superior. I hear the vampire overlord from time to ti-”

“Gwen. Shut up.” Jess pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Shutting up.” She zipped her lip and pretended to throw away the key.

Miguel narrowed his eyes on her, still dissatisfied with the earlier events, even more so with the ‘vampire overlord’ nickname he didn't know about.

“Oh, Lord, anyways, I was meaning to contact you about you taking off right after the mission. You usually stay behind to make sure things are in proper order, but they said you just took off. What happened?” Jess dryly asked.

“I had to do more coding for a molecular device I'm wanting to use for the Go Home Machine. And I'm creating a new invention that will smooth and increase the portal's wrap speeds.”

Miguel leaned his back against the wall and glared at the two. “I wanted to jump back into it.”

“Oh, sweet, you are? Thank goodness, I swear, when I'm blasting through, my stomach feels as though it's being yanked out of the soul and the bod-”

“Gwen!” Jess turned to her with a disbelieving, scrunched frown.

“Gotta lock that key from me! Lock it up and just throw it. Okay, I'll just–” She nervously tittered before taking three steps back.

“Right. Miguel, you've been working on these projects for a while now. I've noticed the influx of days you've been missing to work on them. Look, if you need me to have Lyla or Spider-Byte assist you in the work, we can reduce their time on other proj-”

“I don't need assistance. I'm fine doing it by myself.” Miguel shoved himself off the hardwood.

“You say that, but for the past, what? For three and a half months, you've been working on these, and I'm hardly seeing any progress being made. Plus, the extra reports and anomaly cases have started piling up on my end. I've been telling you, Miguel, I need help.”

“They take time, Jess. I'm doing them. I just don't want to waste productivity on tedious paperwork.” He hissed, trying to curb his temper.

Lies. Lies. They were all lies, and he knew it.

“I know that stuff takes time, Miguel, but you promised that you wouldn't leave me in the open like this.”

“Jess, yes, I get it. I just need the time." Miguel's breathing picked up as Jess continued her tirade.

“I recall alerting you months prior that there's been rampant increases in anomaly activities. And I'm just alerting you now that the papers have been accumulating over the week, and I need you to-”

“JUST SEND THE DAMN REPORTS. I'LL DO THEM.”

He rammed the wall with his closed fit, causing a piece of wood panel to collapse on the ground. Gwen covered her face, hoping not to get smacked by plywood.

He brazenly inhaled and exhaled out the nose and mouth. His strained, ragged breathing saturated the tense air between the three. Gwen pretended to check her phone as Jess closed her eyes, the noiseless space ringing until she spoke up.

“Miguel. I know things have been tough lately, but like you tell us, focus on the tasks at hand. Right now, these tasks need to be reported, making sure those anomalies’ messes are thoroughly scrubbed clean. That's all I'm asking.”

Miguel withheld any comments about that. Refusing to even make a peep. Pressing her lips together, Jess tapped Gwen's shoulder.

“Let's go. I'll show you an efficient way to document your assignments.”

Gwen returned it with a thumbs-up. “Sounds good. Uh, see you around, boss.” She gave a stilted wave, then hastened her steps to the opposite end.

“I'm not trying to attack you, Miguel.”

“That sounds exactly what you're trying to do.” He harped back.

She opted to ignore that. “You've been more distracted as of late, and it's been stressful for us as well. I just want to be on the same page.”

He averted his attention to the floor. He hated how she was right. He scorned the fact, but he couldn't tell the reason.

It'll damage them too much. 

“Night, Jess.”

Jess clicked her tongue. “I'll send you the folders. Goodnight, Miguel.”

No other words were exchanged. No more needed to be.

Your ears perked when you heard the door hinges squeak a bit. “Everything okay? I heard a loud bang.”

Miguel trudged over to his couch, where you resided, and slouched next to you. 

“Just my secondary refusing to understand that I have other things to attend to. I have too much on my plate, and she just wants to pile more shit on me!”

You sensed the heated vexation emitting off him as his leg juddered. Your right hand positioned itself over his knee and waited. It took a minute, but it decreased in speed.

You knew.

“Being a leader is hard. They always look to you for everything or the right choices. You're held to these impossible standards just because you're the overseer… but is the leader also not allowed to have someone to rely on as well?”

You rubbed your hand in circular motions as he drooped on the sofa more.

“You have so much weight on you; does no one help take some of it off your shoulders? I know Peter, but what about the others?”

Miguel kneaded his temples and sighed out. “In a way, they try, but they don't do it right. I have to do so much, but more things pop up, and it never ends.”

“Ah, that unhealthy habit of you fueling that control. You haul it around to the point where you're burning yourself out, mi Estrella.”

“I just don't want anything to go wrong, but I have things that I need to do. It's an endless cycle of so many things that need to be taken care of. But I can't do those things because of moments like this!”

His claws dragged against the cushions, ripping up some of the padding. You removed your hand from his knee to his hand.

“Remember at the gardens how I said I envied flowers?”

Miguel turned to you with a quizzical gaze. “Yes?”

“And how they're able to show vulnerability.”

“Yes. I remember.”

“From the things you've told me, it sounds like you're used to doing everything by yourself because you're worried others will mess up, but it's okay to slip up and show vulnerability and ask for help. We rely on each other, from the smallest of things to the biggest.”

You interlaced his and your fingers together.

“Maybe try telling your secondary, uh, Jess? That's her name, yeah, if there's anyone who can help out with some of the stuff that has to be done. If there's hundreds of spider-people working here, I'm pretty sure they're all crazy smart to take on some of the endeavors that you do.”

Was Miguel being biased in this situation? Yes, he was, but hearing it from you was soothing. That benign, good-willed nature as you conversed with him instead of tearing him down.

“I-I will see what I can do, mi Luna. Simplemente, no puedo creerlo. How are you so gentle?”

“I'm not gentle.” You giggled. “I just want to make sure that you're okay. I deeply care for you, Miguel, and I only want the best for you.”

“No, no, mi corazón, you are very gentle.” He engulfed you in a firm hold, kissing your forehead as you laughed, and grabbed his arm with both your hands.

“Alright, alright. I'll be gentle as an excuse to forgive you for pushing me into your apartment.”

“Ay, I'm sorry, mi Luna. I panicked when I heard others, and I didn't want them harassing you and-”

“Hey, hey, it's okay; I'm just teasing.” You placed your lips on his forearm and nuzzled more into him.

Miguel sheepishly grinned and buried his face in your hair.

“So…”

“Si, mi corazón?”

“Going to show me around your place? It's so dark in here, I nearly stumbled over many unknown objects.”

“Ah–sorry about that. Yes, I'll show you around.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@ella-janehaven @prozacgooble @sanguwuxyoonbummy

[maybeitsalivescribbles]

Day 8: Reunion/Friends

While she was frantically moving the files to her USB drive, Reporter kept giving worried looks to the door.

It was locked. Everyone was at the Socialite’s reception downstairs, no one had any reason to give alarm, but still, if she was caught...the computer was not helping things. Like every computer, it was a freaking liar. “Only less than sixty seconds left”, it was announcing since at least five minutes. She tapped on the desk nervously, struggling against her impulse to just rip off the drive and run away like hell was on her tail. Not that the office was especially threatening, with its light walls and the pictures drawn by children exposed everywhere. But- well. If that were the inside that counted, then what was on the computer was enough to wanting to flee to another country. She jumped at every furniture creaking – and maybe it was her own nerves, but they were creaking a little too much. She had looked for cameras, and she was sure she had deactivated all of them, but she felt observed. While the computer was still working – now it announced two minutes left, the traitor – the door opened. Reporter opened her mouth, a smile plastered on her face, ready to find an explanation, any explanation – but the hallway was empty. She sighed in relief, her heart pounding.

Then something pressed against her mouth, preventing her to scream. Her legs buckled. For a few seconds, she felt she was going to faint, but then she squinted and threw her elbow behind her. There was a groan of pain and a voice sounded in her ear:

“What are you doing, dumbass?”

Her eyes widened:

“Hero?” she whispered.

He relapsed her grip on her, and she turned to face him. Now she could see him, his annoyed expression, and his stomach that he was massaging.

“What are you-” she began.

“Let’s get out before getting caught.”

She let him grab her hand while they went off - as long as she didn’t let go, she’d be just as invisible as him. They stayed silent during their runaway, but when he led her to the rooftop, she risked a:

“Are you really sure we should go up?”

“It’s the safest way. ”

And true enough, although there was no guard there, the roof next to the building was close enough to jump. Reporter landed on both her feet. She glared at the roof, at the city, and at her clenched fist that was still holding the flash drive.

“I repeat,” said Hero. “What the hell were you doing?”

“You got nerve! You were snooping too.”

“I wasn’t, actually. I volunteered to play the wardens, to make sure there’s no problem during the party.”

She gave him a disgusted look:

“So you could lick the boots of this guy? What, does the Hero Agency needs a couple of millions for pocket change?”

“So I can look around and notice anything suspicious, dummy. Ever learned of working undercover?”

He stuck out her tongue at her, like he did ten years ago when he was upset with her, and she made a face in answer. It had been a while. Somewhere buried in their phone, the two of them had the same photo of two teens wearing the same silly hat and drawn mustache. Years of birthdays, parties and diploma celebrations flashed through both their minds. Neither of them smiled. Reporter frowned, snorting:

“Oh, and it’s the Hero agency who asked you that?”

“No,” he acknowledged. “What about you ? Did you enter legally or did you break in?”

“Oh no, the richest man in the city just let me waltz in his private office all the time - take a wild guess.”

He sighed. She crossed her arms, staring at him.

“Are you going to arrest me, then?”

He shook her head, rolling his eyes:

“You know that proof that are found illegally wouldn’t help in a tribunal.”

“I know my job,” she replied dryly. “Whose notes did you copy when you were “sick” at the university?”

For the first time, Hero smiled. That was a tired, small smile, but a smile nevertheless.

“That was a simpler life,” he said.

Reporter gripped her elbows, as if a cold wind suddenly blew:

“But not better”, she said. “Your mother was sick, I had to take care of my sister- We were already overwhelmed by- by everything.”

“Ah, but we got a lot drunker together.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle. He lightly punched her shoulder and she did the same.

“What are you doing to do with it?”

“Well, read it first. Information is power. And then, use it to catch him red-handed.”

“All by yourself?”

“Do I have a choice? Everyone loves that guy. Including your bosses. Why are you suspicious of him?”

“Made my own research. You’re right. Several employees died this last month. Someone here is up to something;”

There was a silence before adding quietly:

“Villain is terrified of him.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“I should interview them.”

Hero’s laugh died on his lips when he realized she said that stone-faced.

“What? No! Why would you take that risk instead of-”

“Instead of?”

He waved at himself vehemently:

“Teaming up with me, obviously! Look, I know it’s been years, but you - we were friends! We were best friends! Are you going to resent me forever because I became a Hero?”

“I know why you did it. You needed the money for your mother, and you wanted to control your invisibility power.”

“But you stopped talking to me like I made a bargain with the devil.”

“I don’t trust the Agency.”

“Me neither. I don’t ask you to. But I want a second chance.”

Reporter looked at him, at the big guy in the cheap costume, and saw a teen with a goofy smile. Come to think of it….yeah, come to think of it, she missed him too. She bit her lip and held out her hand. He hugged her in relief.

“I’m still going to interview Villain,” she said after a moment. “Alone or with you, that’s your choice.”

“Oh, dammit ! Fine.”

*

Back to the Hero x Villain Masterlist

Whump/Horror Masterlist

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Elastic Heart Ch 6 (Linked Universe story)

Summary: When Sky goes missing, the Chain scrambles to figure out where he is and what happened before it's too late.

(AO3 link)

First chapter

<<Previous // Next>>

Chapter 6: The Damned

The world was strangely disconnected. Sight, taste, sound, touch, nothing seemed to connect. Nothing quite processed, nothing quite stuck except for the single thought in his mind.

That’s the old man. That’s the Hero of Time.

The Shadow, wearing Time’s face, smirked at him. “Surprised to see me? You have been looking awfully hard. I’m almost flattered, really.”

Link felt like he was back in the Skyview Temple facing Ghirahim for the first time. The otherworldliness of this creature, wearing such a familiar face—

The face of a friend. The face of someone he’d failed. The face of someone who didn’t entirely trust or like him, and for good reason .

Of all the faces to take… 

Would it have been better if it looked like one of the others? Would it have made him feel better or worse? Wouldn’t looking like the Link who disliked him make this easier ?

Because this was a trick. This had to be a trick. Right? There was no way the Shadow was actually Time all along . He’d seen it change shape, it was a freaking lizalfos at one point for heaven’s sake. There was no way this was Time. There was no way it was in league with him.

Right?

Could shapeshifters change to look like people? He supposed it wasn’t impossible. But all he could think was, that’s the old man. That’s the Hero of Time .

The Shadow stepped towards him, his eyes narrowing as his brow deepened. Link felt an innate sense of danger , and his mind snapped back into focus.

He couldn’t be in league with Time. That wasn’t who the old man was at all. Also, the Shadow had attacked Twilight. There was no way Time would hurt his descendant, his most precious member of the group. None of that made sense.

This was Demise, messing with him.

The fear of a child long gone drained out of him, replaced with an anger that slowly filled him from the core outward, distantly familiar like reuniting with an old friend. 

“Your curse won’t save you here,” Link hissed, settling into a ready stance. “I’m ending this.”

His words gave the Shadow pause, which in turn made him wait to see what was happening. Why was the monster suddenly watching him, head tilted to the side? Had…

No. He wasn’t wrong about this. He wasn’t . He knew this had to do with Demise. Perhaps the Shadow was a servant of his. Either way, he’d get to the source. He'd come all this way - he wasn't giving up now.

Time’s dark reflection laughed, harsh and grating, making Link’s skin crawl. “You think I’m Demise ? That’s absolutely charming . I must admit, you’re at least close, but oh Hero - surely you must realize by now.”

Here the Shadow started pacing, his teeth bared in a sadistic smile. “You, Demise, you’re cut from the same cloth. Two spiritual titans battling for the fate of the world. Such a fight isn’t without consequence, as you are well aware.”

Link stiffened. No, no, don’t say it, not while the others were in earshot—

“I don’t suppose the rest of you realize those consequences, do you?” the Shadow questioned the others, looking down at them from the pit where they were stuck.

“Why don’t you just come down here and fight?!” Wind yelled, swaying on unsteady feet. Link’s worry for him bubbled in his chest, and he took a small step forward.

The Shadow snorted. “You think that’s all I want? To fight?”

Link gritted his teeth. “Enough of this. Leave them out of it. This is between you and me.”

“Oh, but is it?” the Shadow questioned, its red eyes glancing down at the other heroes again. “I suppose they don’t recognize that it is very much about you.”

“Quit your damn stalling and let’s get to it!” Legend challenged, sword at the ready. Link knew he was baiting the enemy, trying to draw him down so they could fight as one.

The Shadow knew it too. “Call it what you will, Hero of Legend. But I figure you ought to know the truth. It will give me some satisfaction before your deaths, either way. Perhaps it’ll give you some peace of mind.”

Time finally sighed, taking the bait. “What are you talking about?”

Link lunged forward to attack with a yell. They didn’t have to know, they didn’t need to know—

This was entirely about them and not about them at the same time. Link had a job to do and he wasn’t going to let them get hurt, physically or emotionally.

Is that really why you’re so desperate to keep the secret? Are you protecting them? Or yourself?

The Shadow parried the blow, holding their blades in a lock as it laughed. “You truly don’t get it , do you? You don’t understand how terribly you failed?”

“Shut up!” Link screamed, pushing both blades forward, making the Shadow lose its footing before it leapt around to the side, getting behind Link. The Skyloftian gasped, rolling to avoid a swipe that would have cut him clean in half. The others down below cried out to him.

“Oh, I can only imagine how much that curse weighs on you, you miserable wretch! I am not Demise,” the Shadow yelled in return, almost proudly. “But I bear his power, his signature, his heritage . Don’t you understand, Link? I’m born from his malice, but you are my true progenitor.”

Link froze.

Wh… what?

“You think all that malice that the demon king contained could possibly all be sealed into that sacred blade? You think he could have uttered such a curse, damning every Hero after you due to your own shortcomings, and a simple mortal child could stop him? You may have killed a god, but there are consequences, and the ripple of power that infected every inch of time is one of them!” Shadow said, pointing at Link with his blade. The heroes below had grown still and silent. “Demise’s curse follows you, your successors, and the goddess wherever you go, but I am the physical embodiment of that confrontation, the piece of your soul that was corrupted by malice.”

Link felt his mouth go dry. What—this couldn’t—what—

Shadow stepped forward, his form changing with the same disturbing liquid-like movement before it rearranged itself into a familiar face. Link’s blood ran cold.

Shadow turned into him .

His dark reflection smiled. “You made me, Link.”

Link’s mind went blank with horror before it screamed everything all at once. 

This can't be true! What is he saying?!

This is entirely my fault. This is entirely my fault!

This was the cruelest joke Demise could have pulled, the worst insult, the most horrifying truth to cut him to his very soul.

Because his soul had been cut, apparently, his unbreakable spirit had been broken .

This monstrosity had to be lying ! He was lying! There—there was no way he could be right!

But what if he is? It isn’t impossible - Demise was a god, he imbued his blade with a soul just as Hylia did with Fi. What could stop him from corrupting—

He couldn’t even finish the thought. He felt utterly violated, like he couldn’t even trust himself anymore, like he didn’t even know who he was anymore .

Just let him kill you .

The thought made him stop breathing a moment, a bone sinking exhaustion and despair that he could hardly hold at bay.

But he did hold it at bay - because beyond the horror was something else.

The others were still here. And this thing, whether it was him or not, was going to hurt them. And he wouldn’t allow that .

Besides… if it’s me, then… if I kill it…

He didn’t finish the thought. He glared instead, enraged beyond words, exhausted beyond measure, tears stinging in his eyes but dried with white hot fury.

“I wanted to attract as many heroes as possible,” the Shadow purred with grim satisfaction, basking in Link’s silence. “The more I can feed off the Spirit of the Hero, the more I can escape the confines of just being a shadow relegated to the darkness of the world. I hadn’t dared to hope I’d catch the original in my net.”

Snapping its fingers, the Shadow grinned as monsters appeared down below, distracting the others. Link cried out to them but immediately had to parry an attack from the enemy as the Shadow lunged towards him with ferocious energy, and all out war erupted in the room.

Link dodged the attack hastily, his world silencing everything outside of the fight. The Shadow was now his size, leveling the playing field between the two of them, but it didn’t fight like him at all. A small part of his mind tacked that away for later, a piece of hope he desperately latched onto as it whispered if it was you it would fight like you while another argued back but if it’s been around for millennia, it would change and adapt—

His thoughts were interrupted as Shadow shield bashed him in the chest, making him stumble backward. His body screamed, already exhausted from fighting so much. He reached hastily into his adventure pouch and found his last potion bottle, which barely housed a few sips. When he found he couldn’t take a deep breath, he decided it was time to finish it off.

The two gulps revitalized him enough, his determination covering the rest, and he yelled as he parried an attack just in time to send Shadow stumbling backwards.

Link scoffed, “You’re too sloppy to be me.”

The Shadow roared in retaliation, shifting forms once more and turning into Time, towering over him. Link gritted his teeth as he barely dodged a downward strike, giving him an opening to potentially dislocate his enemy’s shoulder as his arm was hovering just in front of him, but the Shadow was too quick, despite his bulkier form. Or, well, he utilized it, shoving his entire body weight into Link shoulder first, and the Hero of the Sky twisted so their backs scraped against each other instead, leaving him dizzy and twirling to the opposite side of the beast. Shadow shifted again, turning into Four, throwing Link off balance and swiping for his waist. Though Sky stepped backwards, the tip of the Shadow’s blade cut into his belt a hair.

The Skylfotian gasped desperately to catch his breath. That potion hadn’t nearly fixed enough, and he couldn’t figure out a good weakness on an opponent who kept changing .

Not to mention he knew he was flinching and stepping away as the Shadow continued to take the forms of his friends. He tried to remind himself that it wasn’t actually Four or Time, but the thought of making anything that looked like them bleed made him physically ill.

Down below, fire burned monsters in large swathes, the heat rising up to their battleground. Link didn’t have time to see Warriors use the fire rod, to hear Hyrule yell as he set half a room ablaze, to notice Wild and Legend freezing enemies with ice magic immediately after they were roasted, making their bodies shrivel in the drastic environmental changes. 

He did hear Twilight’s cry of pain, however, and he turned in horror, the bottom of his stomach dropping out, before his peripheral vision reminded him of an incoming attack. He sidestepped hastily, lost his balance, and summarily twisted his ankle on an uneven stone as he slammed into the ground, pain shooting all the way up to his hip.

Time heard it too. The eldest Link whirled, both eyes opened in fear and protective anger, when he saw his pup fighting a handful of beasts alone while trying to climb the walls to get to Sky. Wild hastily turned his arrows towards the small horde, giving a warning yell before firing this time. Twilight ducked, his shield hovering overhead to protect himself as ice rained from the sky. Time used the hookshot to latch onto a lantern and pull himself to his descendant, cutting the frozen beasts in half.

“Are you alright?” he immediately asked.

“Fine! Fine, I promise ,” Twilight insisted. “Just nabbed me a bit, look.”

The rancher showed him the wound, superficial as it was, but enough to leave him limping. Time immediately reached into the boy’s bag, pulling out the last of the milk he’d had earlier.

Twilight opened his mouth to protest, and Time immediately said, “Don’t you even dare . You haven’t earned the right to downplay your wounds after last time. I’m not saying use your last potion. Just drink this so I know you’re fine.”

Twilight sighed in defeat, downing the liquid.

Despite the small reprieve for the pair, the battle on the ground level had barely let up. Warriors cut through swathes of half burnt enemies, what little magical ability he had mostly depleted, and he choked back a gasp and rolled as a moblin swung for his head. Wind tore past him, stabbing the beast’s knee. When the moblin wailed and its leg gave out, the sailor hastily removed his blade, twirling to give himself moment before his sword cleanly cut through the creature’s neck. The fierceness in the child’s eyes was nearly palpable, and he nodded mutely to the captain before continuing on.

The captain surveyed the battle, eyes analytical. They’d eliminated nearly a third of the horde, but it was slow going. After already partially clearing a dungeon and pushing themselves all day, there were weak points he was beginning to notice. Twilight had been one, but Time was covering him. Wind seemed steadier on his feet, but he’d also just been knocked out a few minutes ago. Hyrule and Four had paired up while Legend and Wild held enemies at bay from a distance.

His brain automatically tried accounting for Sky out of habit, and he felt his heart skip a beat as he glanced upward. He couldn’t see anything from this vantage point. But he couldn’t worry about it right now - they’d be useless to Sky if they couldn't eliminate the immediate threat down here.

Heading for the sailor, he watched the boy’s back while he took on a pair of bokoblins.

Up above, Link found himself wishing he was outside. The stale air and dust was hardly doing him any favors with as much as he was desperately trying to suck in breaths. Nevertheless, he raised his blade with a prayer, feeling power emanating from Fi as she sang in sync with his cry. The Shadow’s eyes widened, his dark blade unable to match such an attack, and he barely dodged the strike. It did manage to create distance between them briefly, allowing Link a moment to recover before raising his blade once more.

The Shadow took the opportunity, rushing ahead in a risk of either getting to his foe in time while he was wide open or being cut cleanly in half. 

The former option won out. 

Link managed to deflect a full-on stab with his shield, but the blade still cut through his side as it slipped out of reach. He hissed, feeling fire erupt in his side as blood immediately began to trickle from the wound. The Shadow smirked, not breaking contact, and Link growled defiantly, slamming his head directly into the other’s. His enemy yelled, stumbling backwards as Link saw stars and attempted to blink them away. He stumbled until he felt a breeze blow by him with a sharp whistle, and he belatedly realized it was an arrow. Had the Shadow changed tactics again?

The arrow arched and landed on the ground on the other side of the platform, freezing the stone around it temporarily. Link whirled, but the Shadow was only glaring at him with sword and shield still in hand. Who had—?

Wild.

At the ground level, the champion pulled out different arrows, glaring fiercely up above as Legend covered him.

“You should probably let our Ordonian figure this out!” Legend again warned him as he cut down some keese. “He knows this place better than any of us!”

“He almost got ambushed,” Wild fired back, shaking his head. “I got this!”

“What the hell have you got?!” Warriors snapped from across the way.

“Focus on your own fight!” Wild fired back, eyes narrowing as he looked for his next target.

He wasn’t going rogue. He wasn’t deviating from the plan. He wasn’t going to abandon the group to solely go after Sky. 

He would bring Sky to them .

He nocked three arrows, looking over their red bulky tips, and yelled as loudly as he could, “Fire in the hole, Sky!”

Up above, the voice rang in the ears of his brother-in-arms, who immediately moved into the center of the platform to avoid another stray attack. Shadow didn’t quite understand what was happening, though he mirrored Link’s steps, making him inaccessible to the others down below. Link didn’t give the monster time to figure out what was happening, closing the space between them with a diagonal slash and forcing him to block. Three arrows flew over them, aimed far, far above where it should have been if Wild had any intention on hitting them.

Realization sank into Link like a stone.

He looked up a moment too late to see the arrows collide with the ceiling. 

Ah, shit.

Link watched massive chunks of stone fall from above, forcing him to run towards the edge of the platform just as the Shadow did. The pair were close enough to exchange blows as they ran, neither hitting with particular strength or accuracy, though enough to divide their foe’s concentration. Link pulled out a clawshot, throwing care to the winds as he slapped his shield on his back. He fired for a few stakes at the top of a broken stairway, and Shadow latched onto him the instant the chain pulled. The monster’s grip sank into his fresh wound, making him scream and nearly let go.

Honestly, he had to let go. If he followed through on this move he was going to just hit the stakes and be stuck hanging with the Shadow holding onto him. He wouldn’t be able to defend himself.

But if he let go the sailcloth might not stop both of them from slamming into the ground.

Link huffed, an insolent smile curling his lips, and he released his grip.

The Shadow snarled at him, panic in its red eyes, a strange look on his own face. But Link’s sense of victory was short lived as the Shadow twisted them so that Link was at the bottom and reached for his sailcloth.

The Skyloftian wrestled ferociously with his dark counterpart, preventing him from latching on to their one saving grace, but it didn’t seem to matter either way - their sideways momentum continued long enough for them to slam into a staircase instead of making it all the way to the floor, and Link couldn’t help the scream of pain that was ripped out of him as he felt a rib snap.

Cries rang out from below.

“Champion what the hell— ”

"I didn't mean for it to grab him!"

“We can get to them now, let’s go !”

Time took off in a heartbeat alongside Twilight and Legend. The falling stones had separated the rest from the stairway, though they also killed the majority of the remaining monsters. The eldest Link could see Sky up ahead, pulling himself to stand just in time to parry an attack from the enemy, who seemed just as shaky on its feet.

Despite the Shadow’s efforts, it couldn’t break through Sky’s defense. The boy was the best swordfighter in the group. Sky found an opening and went for it, and though the Shadow jumped to dodge, the knight still managed to cut through fabric and make the monster bleed, though superficially.

Hissing, the Shadow stepped back further, creating distance between them and shifting into a dark liazalfos. With its increased speed it slithered quickly around Sky, bashing him into a wall with its tail. Sky hit the ground and didn’t move. 

Twilight yelled the same time as Warriors, but the captain was being held back by multiple monsters while the rancher had to focus on enemies encroaching on him and Time. Wind, Hyrule, and Four had their hands full as well, and Wild was too far away to be of any use. Legend pulled out a boomerang, charging ahead as the Shadow shifted back into Time’s darker half.

Smirking, the demonic visage of their leader said, “And now you get what you deserve, Chosen Hero .”

Raising its sword, the Shadow thrust it down to pierce Sky through the heart when its motion was stopped. The Shadow jerked with a jolt, blinking rapidly and looking down to see an arrow wedged between its ribs. Snarling, it turned its head to glare at its heroic reflection, who was fixing it with a withering, seething glare as he lowered his bow.

“Get away from him you bastard!” Legend screamed, getting within throwing distance. The Shadow raised its shield to deflect the boomerang and then turned to flee, too wounded to continue the fight. Legend pursued it as Time ran to Sky, who was still motionless on the stairs.

The sounds of battle seemed to quiet down in Time’s mind as he finally took the last three steps in one long stretch and knelt down by the teenager who they’d been chasing for days.  

“S-shadow…” Sky said with a trembling voice.

“He’s gone,” Time soothed the boy gently. “He’s gone.”

The Skyloftian watched him, eyes watering and filled with desperate hope, and he let out a tired, barely audible laugh of relief.

“What were you thinking?” Time whispered, his voice quivering as he held pressure on one of Sky’s many, many wounds. There were far too many , and they were all in various stages of bruising and bleeding. He’d been accumulating them all day from multiple battles.

Sky’s trembling breath halted for a heart stopping moment before he continued to try and suck air in. A gurgling, bubbling sound accompanied it, and Sky coughed harshly. Time flinched, drawing the boy into a seated position as blood flew out of his mouth in little bursts of specks. When his fit had settled, he smiled at Time weakly, who was held captive in terror and horror as blood started trickling freely out of the corner of his mouth and nose. “M-making… amends…”

“Sky!” Legend slid onto his knees, careless of the layers of skin he no doubt just scraped off in the action. His hands shot to Sky’s shoulders, shaking him. “Sky, you blasted idiot , what were you thinking —”

Time steadied the veteran with his available arm, pulling his hands off the Skyloftian knight as shaking him was absolutely not helping. “Vet, get a potion.” 

“I don’t have any!” Legend yelled in a panic without a second thought. “I used my last one on the captain earlier in the dungeon, remember?! Where the hell are your fairies?!” 

Time shook his head, feeling dread fill him. “There are none left.” 

Trembling fingers brushed against Time’s face, barely tracing one of his markings. He immediately returned his attention to Sky just as Twilight came running over. “I’m… I’m…” 

“Save your strength, young one,” Time said softly, taking Sky’s hand in his own. “It’s going to be okay.” 

Sky swallowed, determined. “I’m… sorry. I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry .” 

“What… what is he… why is he saying that?” Legend asked, eyes wide. “Sky, what are you talking about? Listen, if you believed that shithead’s story for one second I swear to the goddesses I will smack some sense into you.”

Twilight was searching madly through his pouch, movements frantic and uncoordinated. Legend reached for Sky again, and the boy went limp, his eyes closing with a shuddering breath.

“Sky. Link. Link , stay with us .” Time pulled Sky to him, cradling the young knight in his lap, supporting his head with his right hand. His other hand slid down the boy’s arm, curling around his wrist in a desperate attempt to find a pulse.

It was there. Thready and steadily slowing. Time’s heart sank with a chilling realization, one that was all-too-familiar.

Twilight’s breath quickened as Legend started to shout the knight’s name. The rancher pulled out a bottle filled with red liquid. “I’ve got a potion, I’ve got one!”

Legend snatched it from Twilight without a word, tearing the cork off the bottle and shoving it in Sky’s face, when Time pushed him away.

“He can’t drink it when he’s unconscious,” Time said, not even bothering to hide the utter defeat in his voice.

Wild and Warriors were by his side next. Warriors stood over the group so as not to crowd Sky, but Wild had no such qualms and squatted directly across from Time.

“Is he okay? What’s happening?!” Wild asked, terrified.

The air grew colder and quiet. Three more pairs of footsteps hurried over, and Time couldn’t find his voice to explain what was happening.

He gave the boy a strong shake. Sky didn’t flinch. His skin was almost as white as his sailcloth. 

He heard Warriors first. The captain sucked a shuddering breath in through his nose, taking a step back; he’d seen enough comrades die in battle, he knew the signs. 

He was already mourning. 

Legend sank into the ground on his hands and knees, his fists slamming the stone. “ Fuck. No, no , nonononono …”

His pleas devolved into sobs, wracking his entire body. Wind was asking what was happening, his voice trembling, his face already implying he knew exactly what was happening, even if he didn’t want to accept it. Four was still as a statue, his expression drawn in horror and devastation. Twilight’s hand slid to Wild’s shoulder, gripping it harshly as the rancher squeezed his eyes shut and looked at the ground, tears freely falling down his cheeks.

“Does anybody have a fairy?!” Wild yelled desperately, his head and hair whirling around as he looked from member to member.

He knew they didn’t. They all knew they didn’t. Between the previous world and this dungeon, they’d exhausted many of their supplies.

Pop.

Time glanced to his left to see Hyrule knocking back a green liquid, chugging it like his life depended on it. The boy almost choked at one point before continuing. 

Elixir.

Dropping the bottle carelessly, Hyrule shoved Wild aside and took a deep breath, reaching his hands over Sky. Time watched him tiredly, his heart a pile of ash, his mind settling on the inevitability of the situation.

These wounds were from the Shadow. One wound from the Shadow nearly killed Twilight. One wound took Hyrule all night to barely scrape by with enough healing magic to make sure Twilight survived the night. Sky had too many. Although none were individually as severe as the one the ranch hand had sustained several weeks ago, together they were enough. Together all of it was enough. Sky had been fighting armies by himself this entire time.

Why? Why?!

Why did Sky do this?! Why did this happen?!

Time couldn’t watch this. He couldn’t watch Hyrule wear himself to the bone on something so utterly beyond his ability to save.

“Traveler,” he said softly, barely mustering the strength to speak.

“Don’t—you— fucking— dare.” Hyrule hissed between gritted teeth.

Wild shifted from where he lay splayed on the ground from being pushed. Twilight hadn’t bothered to help him up, too transfixed in hope and horror at the sight in front of him. The champion then glanced around between the heroes before locking eyes with Four. The two nodded firmly to each other.

Standing, the champion grabbed Wind and guided him away. “Come on. Give him some space.”

Four also stood and gently went to Legend, whose cries hadn’t stopped since they’d started. The veteran didn’t seem to notice him, but Twilight also rose and helped the smithy pull Legend to his feet. The veteran shuddered, trying to get a hold of himself as he caught sight of the glow of Hyrule’s life spell. Time heard Warriors shuffle behind him, drawing closer rather than farther.

Sky remained limp in Time’s arms. The blue glow cast by Hyrule’s magic made him look ghostly, as if heralding what was to come. Time swallowed thickly. He wanted to smack the traveler for putting himself through this, for wearing himself thin over such a futile effort.

Sky wasn’t coming back from this.

Time started to shake. Warriors’ hand was warm on his shoulder.

Hyrule started to gasp for air, sinking to the floor as his magic faded from his hands. Sky didn’t move. His pulse slowed even more. Time could barely feel it now. Wind and Legend could both be heard crying in the background as the group had been watching in the distance.

Warriors shuffled to the other side to stand behind Hyrule, ready to pull the weary traveler from the attempt, ready to help the group accept the reality of the situation while Time was still drowning in it.

He’d failed him. He’d failed one of his boys. He’d failed as a hero, as a protector, as a leader.

Sky’s gone .

A million thoughts whirled in his mind. What were they going to do? How would they tell the boy’s family and friends? What would they do with the body?

How could he keep moving forward after losing someone else?

Time bit his tongue until he tasted blood. He knew he could keep moving forward. He’d lost many friends. But this…

This was somehow so much worse .

Warmth engulfed him all of a sudden. Acutely aware of the change, Time was ripped out of his grief and looked around, wondering if perhaps a portal had opened or enemies had arrived or��

Hyrule was glowing .

“You—” Warriors muttered, awestruck, staring at Hyrule’s hand. Time followed his gaze, squinting through the blinding light, and he saw it.

The Triforce.

“I told you,” Hyrule said softly, clutching his left hand with his right as the Triforce burned through the skin. “I don’t know the meaning of giving up.”

[trippygalaxy]

Hello! I'd love a sacred realm headcannon for Time with a shy SO, if you wouldn't mind?

AWEEEEE ABSOLUTELY!!! FHJDSKFJKS

Pairing: Sr! Time x shy!reader (gn) Warning:none?

Time

Okay I can honestly see this dude going two ways with how he reacts/handles having a shy s/o! But either way he does love and care for you, your more reserved nature would never change that!

I can see him being someone who would try to get you a little more out of your comfort zone (whether that be with social interactions, speaking up for yourself, or just being out in public!) near the beginning of your relationship as a way to get you more comfortable in said situations

Both in life and death he would often find himself in very...extroverted circles and wants you to be as comfortable as possible considering you might be around those circles quite a bit!

Now, as you two grow in your relationship and he comes to realize, or you tell him, that his actions weren't helping and just making you even more uncomfortable he quickly stops them

he isn't the best with words, so his verbal apology might seem a bit off putting, but he tries to best to make it up to you! (whether that be in gifts, quality time, or making sure that you're alright in whatever situation you two are in!)

BUT i can also see him as the sort of guy who, if he was aware of your shy nature before dating, wouldn't care that much at all! If anything he finds it rather endearing, making you less of a headache to be around :3 /j

He understands that you're naturally more revered and respects it. The hero of Time isn't actually the most outgoing person either, so it would be a TAD hypocritical for him to judge you on such a trait!

NOW!! For how he acts and interacts with his shy lover? HEHEHEH

Time honestly, but secretly, really likes when you stand by his side-or more like hide by his side! He subtlety broaden his shoulders to cover you when you find yourself inching behind the might hero while you two are in a social interaction that leaves you tired or anxious

This tall, grumpy ass man gets a little giddy, and proud, if you grab onto his cloak to keep him close!

Lets you play with his hand if you're anxious and can't leave, will glare at ANYONE who makes a comment about it LMAO

Wild had pictures of Time looming behind you, VERY INTIMIDATINGLY, whilst you quietly spoke to a shopkeeper! The owner couldn't see the hero, but his mere presence was enough to make the owner turn ghost white!

YOU TWO ARE TOTALLY THE 'They asked for no pickles' COUPLE!!!

Oh, did they mess up your order and you don't want to bother them again? First, you wouldn't be bothering them it is quite literally their job. Second! Time is already halfway towards the tavern's counter with your incorrect meal in hand -3-

Will NOT tolerate people making fun or joking about your shy nature. He doesn't care if its one of the other heroes or a living person, he can and WILL put them in their place one way or another.

OH OH!! Time is also totally the type of lover who would encourage you to take the lead in some situations (which he has difficulties with but thats more because hes a control freak), quietly reassuring and praising you as the day goes on but if he notices its getting too much for you he is quick to take charge once more!

Now, as much as he loves you he would not treat you as a baby. He is willing to be by your side no matter what, but you also have to learn how to survive on your own! Both in and out of battle!

But even with being said (by him, many times) its very common to see him speaking on your behalf -with your consent and agreement- in loud situations!

All an all, He loves you and wants to make sure you feel nothing but comfortable around him!

tag list! @the-cucco-nuggie @baileyboo2016

[giggly-squiggily]

Uhhh is it okey if i ask u to write for lee hawks and ler dabi pls?

Ahh, Dabihawks! My beloved! I've gotcha covered, anon!

Mild CW: Swearing (It's Dabi, afterall)

Cloud 9 (Taglist)

@myreygn, @thatbigbisexual29, @duckymcdoorknob, @baby-tickles2022, @cupcake-spice13, @backy-san

“Take that back.” Dabi was glaring, eyes electric with threat.

Hawks only smirked, eyes glinting as he leaned closer. “Make me.”

~~~

Dabi was a patient man.

Perhaps it came with being an older brother, or maybe he developed it through being around the League. Shigaraki was their leader, but patience was a massive requirement when dealing with the younger man.

 He found that he rather enjoyed sitting back at the bar, sipping whatever concoction Kurogiri made as the dusty villain groaned about Toga and Twice’s daily antics. He liked listening to the tales Kurogiri shared when they were alone, even if they grew a bit long winded at times. He even had the patience to entertain Mr. Compress’ eccentric personality; though he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed by the occasional magic trick.

Hawks was like a razor blade to his patience. Thinning it day by day until sometimes Dabi wants to set the world on fire with how off-centered the other made him feel. It was like he had a guide to every nerve on Dabi’s body- the exact buttons to press to make him react.

It was both exciting and frustrating for the flame-villain. Things around the League were boring. Hawks made it exciting.

For the most part. Today, he was just annoying.

~~~

“Damn it, birdie- would you cut that out?” Dabi swatted at the lone red feather brushing against his neck, turning to glare at its grinning owner. “Haven’t you done enough with those things?”

“Not at all- I feel like I’ve only brushed the surface.” Hawks leaned into his hands, eyes twinkling as he made the feather dance around between them. “Don’t you love them? They’re so soft- these wings of mine.”

“If you like how soft they are, keep them to yourself.” Dabi rolled his eyes as he returned his attention to the lake before him, watching the moon shake in its reflection. “I don’t want them touching me.”

It was a rare evening for them- with no assignments from Shigaraki and it being Hawk’s day off; they were doing…normal stuff. Going on a date.

Granted, it was nearly 2 in the morning and there wasn’t a soul to be found, but a date.

“That’s not what you said the other day.” Hawks sounded so smug, Dabi wanted to throw him in the lake. “You were all over me- you wouldn’t let me go. You said you could sleep in them, that’s how much you love my wings.”

“I was drunk. I say a lot of things when I’m drunk.” A lie and they both knew it. Dabi felt his face burn.

“Sure you were.” Hawks cooed, the feather flying close again and brushing his cheek. Dabi scrunched and swatted at it with a curse, making the other laugh. “You’re so ticklish!”

“I’m not fucking ticklish!” Dabi snarled. “Those freaking abominations are annoying!”

“Mm hm. Sure you’re not ticklish.” He sounded closer now, Hawks' voice was softer as he crawled up to the villain. “You definitely weren’t ticklish the other day in that meeting, right? Now ticklish at all as my feather dragged up and down your skin~”

“Hawks, I swear to god.” Dabi growled, leaning away. When did it get so hot out? “Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Dare what? Dare to tickle you? To let my feathers run wild against your soft skin? To watch you squirm and giggle like the absolute cutie you are? You know- that handsome laugh of yours makes me wonder.” Hawks’ hand was on his thigh, making the villain freeze. “I’d say you rather enjoy it when I tickle you, Dabs.”

“Take that back.” Dabi narrowed his eyes, electric blue glaring harshly into gold.

“Make me.” Hawks smirked, unfazed.

Dabi didn’t hesitate, pouncing onto the hero.

~~~

“AH! Ahehahhahahaha! Wait wait waiHAHAahhahahhait!” Hawks writhed beneath the other, arching away as fingers pressed into the soft spots along his stomach and waist. “STahahhahap it you ahahahhahhass!”

“Aww, what’s the matter? Tweedy can’t handle a little tickling?” Dabi teased, grinning like a Chershire cat as he watched the blonde squeal. “What happened to all that confidence from earlier? You sounded sooo smug.”

“I tahhahahahke it bahahahahck! I tahhahahke it bahahahck Dahahhahahabihihihihihii!” He whined through a squeak, spasming as Dabi creeped his fingers upward, scribbling along his upper ribs. “Plehehehhahahhaahase!”

“Hm…no. I don’t want to.” The flame villain chuckled as he scooted upward, his other hand coming up and brushing along the base of his wings. “You’re not fighting me; you must really like this, huh birdy?”

“Shuuhuhuhuhuhut yoohohohohohour moohohoohohuth! Dohohohohn’t tahahhahalk so lohohohohoud!” Hawks all but screamed when his boyfriend pinched along his wings, his squirms increasing with his giggle fits. Right now, his face felt like it was fire, and he could barely see beyond the tears blurring his vision. “Gehehehhehet awahahahhahahhay frohohohohohm thehehehehhere!”

“New spot?” Dabi did as instructed, dragging his fingers down the other’s spine before coming to rest on the spot where his hips met his thighs, pressing his thumbs in repeatedly. “What about here?”

“DHAHAHAHAHAHBI YOHOHOHOHOU JEHEHEHEHRK!” Hawks nearly went silent with laughter.

“Rude! I don’t like your attitude- here.” He dropped a hand lower, giving Hawk’s thigh a proper squeeze. Now he went silent. “That’s better.”

“Dahahahhahbiihiihihihihi!” Hawks breathed, his voice just barely over a whisper with how hard he guffawed. Reaching out, he tapped rapidly against the other’s shoulder.

Immediately Dabi stopped, pulling his hands back as he watched the other collapse, sucking down greedy breaths. “Heh, do you take it back now?”

“Heh…hehehe..I ahahahready did.” He groaned, tossing a tired arm over his eyes. “Yohohohu’re truuuhuhuly a villiahahan, you know that?”

“Pfft- sure I am.” Dabi grinned, reaching out and pulling Hawk’s arm aside, resting their foreheads together. “I’m the dastardly villain whose main goal is to bring down the shining hero. Be it fists or fingers, I’m gonna getcha.”

“A villain through and through- but a cute one.” Hawks reached up, running a finger along the stables against Dabi’s cheek. “But forget all that right now. I don’t want to play villains and heroes. I want to just be us right now. Just you and me.”

Just them. Just two guys on a date beneath the stars.

Dabi had no complaints about that.

Thanks for reading!

[karasbroken]

I'm alternating, so you all have to put up with my sex shop AU this week. I think I'm doing this wrong, though, because so far my number of steamy sex scenes is .25 and my number of trauma flashbacks is 4.

This WIP fragment is one of the latter, not the former. The hardest initial part of making this AU work is coming up with a reason for our boy scout hero, John Crichton, to be visiting a pro-domme in the first place, let alone frequently enough to get that "regular at a coffee shop" vibe. I complicated my challenge by making him sort of in a relationship with Gilina too, so it can't be prurient curiosity.

I've started my plot with John going about life--attending a bachelor party, trying to spice things up with his girlfriend--while dealing with the aftermath of a fatal car accident. It wasn't his fault, but the other man died (yes, this is Crais's brother). And the scenes I've had the easiest time writing have been when John has been triggered by something and is having a panic attack.

I've never had this kind of trauma response, though. Closest thing to it was when I was trying to learn to drive, and panicked behind the wheel. That was thirty years ago, and my fear of driving wasn't really caused by an actual event, so I didn't have anything to flashback to.

Well this is how I'm thinking of starting the third chapter. If you are reading this and are familiar with PTSD, I'd be curious if I'm getting this right, and if not, what I should change. (There's nothing graphic below, just some fear and a little 20th century machismo.)

“I don’t know what to do, DK.” John was fighting to breathe evenly, trying not to sound the way he felt--completely panicked. He wasn’t even sure where he was exactly. Some side street in Sydney that he’d pulled onto, trying not to vomit, where he’d managed to find a stretch of empty curb to park in. He had no idea if he’d woken his friend up, a world away in Florida, and at the moment he didn’t care.

“You’re going to be ok, John, just take a deep breath and calm down.” Deke didn’t sound mad, just confused. “Tell me what happened. You said you were driving and freaked out? Is this your first time back in a car since the accident?”

The accident. A city street, lit with neon and billboards above and reflections from the rain-slick pavement below. Headlights on the wrong side of the road, coming at him so fast. Or was he on the wrong side? Car horns blaring, all around. The lights blinding him, diving in the same direction as he tried to dodge. The impact was just a shudder, only clipping his fender, but it  ripped him around as the other car spun in matched orbit. John saw it skid across the lanes with a clarity that felt like slow motion, only broken when it hit a streetlight at far too many miles an hour, peeling open and flinging its driver through the shattered windshield.

John closed his eyes, but it didn’t help, so he opened them again. It wasn’t raining. There were no flashing police lights or blaring sirens. No one screaming. There was nothing wrong. “Yes. My first time, as the driver at least. Just picked up my rental back from the repair shop a couple hours ago. I was supposed to meet Gil near downtown.” No one local was supposed to know about Gilina, but he hadn’t been able to keep a secret from his best friend. “I was doing fine, nervous, I guess, but it was doable. Until the car in front of me got cut off, and laid on their horn. I just completely lost it. Hands started shaking, I hit the brakes so hard the guy behind me almost rear ended me, and then he started honking too. I totally froze up.” It had been worse than that, he’d thought for a moment he was going to gray out, his vision blurring like it did in heavy G’s. DK didn’t need to know that. 

“But you’re safe now?” 

The worry in DK’s voice actually made John feel calmer. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Pulled over and parked, and then I called you.” It sounded simple, but he had barely managed it. But why? After he was hit head-on when he was nineteen, getting back behind the wheel hadn’t been hard at all. A little more wary on blind curves for a while, but that was it. And that time his car had been totalled, and he’d almost died! John didn’t know why this accident was affecting him so much more. Well, other than that the other man had died this time. 

“How can I help, John?” his friend asked. “What do you need?”

John’s hands hurt. He was gripping the steering wheel too hard. Finger by finger he made himself relax. It hadn’t been his fault. He wasn’t in trouble. He was just jumpy around cars. It happened to people all the time. PTSD. “I think I need to see someone. A therapist. Maybe get some actual chill pills.” He tried to laugh, but it came out more like a cough. His chest hurt too.

“You can’t do that man, you’ll get scrubbed!”

John wished he could believe the panic in DK’s voice was only concern for him. That his friend wasn’t thinking about the probable damage to his own career, if needing to replace John as the pilot led to a cancellation or delay of the Farscape Project.

“I was just joking about the pills, Deke. And look, so what if I’m a little shaky driving right now. There’s nothing for me to hit in the upper ionosphere. I’m not going to be piloting a car up there. I just need to talk it out with someone, get some CBT. Breathing exercises or something, so I don’t freeze up when I hear horns.”

“You can’t go to IASA doctors about this, John. And if Canaveral finds out you’ve gone to someone else because you’re having panic attacks, that’s going to be even worse.”

“I’m not-- I mean, of course I’m having a little trouble, DK. A guy died in front of me! But that’s why IASA has therapists on staff.” Now that his heart rate was starting to slow down, John could see how bad it had been. He needed to deal with this. “Mission command wouldn’t need details, just that I talked to someone after the accident to process my feelings.” He tried to smile as he used the cliche, but he didn’t know if it came across over the phone. “Since this is completely unrelated to being a pilot, it shouldn’t matter to the project at all.”

“Shouldn’t, but you know it will, John. You know it will. There’s no such thing as doctor-client privilege when the mission commander is the one getting head shrunk.” John heard his friend sigh. “I hate to say it, buddy, but you gotta get this under control on your own. If anyone-- anyone-- hears that you almost crashed your car because someone honked at you…”

“Fine,” John cut him off. It was depressing, but DK was just being honest. Sure, IASA made everyone do therapy, but almost no one took it seriously. Aeronautics was still too macho for that. “You’re right. It’s stupid to risk it.” He realized he was hunching over the wheel, still and made himself sit back, pulling the keys out of the ignition. “I’ll figure this out, DK. It’s just going to take some time. I’ll stay out of traffic for a while. Try not to drive at night. I’m sure it will get better, it hasn't even been a month.” 

“I know you will, John. It’s just nerves. You just need to take it slow. Do you want me to come down?” There was a hesitation in his friend’s tone. Getting to Australia would be expensive, especially short notice, if DK could even leave the lab right now. And it would be almost impossible to get IASA to sign off on a trip without a justification they would have to lie about.

John did his best to put on the big brother voice he always used to calm Deke down, even though his friend was the older of the two of them by a year and a half. “No. No man, I’m good. Thank you, but no. You have too much to do there. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get over this.” He closed his eyes and focused on sounding like mission commander, not a fucking crybaby. “Now since I have you on the phone anyway, tell me what the materials guys are saying about the heat shielding…”

[bronzecats]

Current version of the Vriska Serket playlist.

All the non-soundtrack songs, with pertinent lyrics:

Don't Have to Like You by The Pack a.d. (Vriska says fu Eridan) "I don't have to like you if you bring me flowers, I don't have to like you cry for hours."

Room of Angel by Mioune. (Spidermom song) "So many seeds have been sown in the field, and who could sprout up so blessedly, if I had died? I would have never felt sad at all. You will not hear me say "I'm sorry" Where is the light? Wonder if it's weeping, somewhere."

Rocket by The Pack a.d. (Vriska has SHIT TO DO, get out her way) "What if I made all the stars go out for me? Killed the light that covers everything you see. Like a fire that burns and leaves its ashen heart I would be the rocket burning in the dark."

Girls by Marina and the Diamonds (Abrasive) "I feel I've been riding in a fast car. Burning dirty gas won't get you that far. I feel I've been riding up the wrong path, but I'm gonna make sure I get the last laugh."

Eight by Sleeping At Last (Go to be the hero even I'm a fucked up kid) "Now you won't see all that I have to lose, and all I've lost in the fight to protect it. I won't let you in, I swore never again, I can't afford, no, I refuse to be rejected."

Body Parts by The Pack a.d. (KA8OOM!!!!!!!!) "New, Things, Always shine, Lose, Things? Well, that's fine. You're such a freak x7 Go on, get your coat and cover up yourself, you're a disgrace. Barely even human body parts, will give yourself away."

Prime by Allie X (Scourge Sisters fucking around) "Why not give it a try? Be a beautiful monstrosity. When you're just getting by and happily terminal. Yeah, breathe it in 'til we're high. Healthy isn't fun or amusing. Forget what I need, give me what I want and it should be fine."

It Took Me By Surprise by Maria Mena (Tavros/Vriska or John/Vriska song) "It took me by surprise, the hatred in his eyes. I've pushed this man as far as he could go. But he lacked the words to let me know. He acted out, now I concede it is my fault."

8 by The Pack a.d. (M8ke her p8y) "I could break you, you could break me, we could do that but I think that. My robot can kill your robot with the power of my mind. I know your pain and share your pain, let's have, soup together I'll lift a rock and kill the world and then we'll have lunch. I, Think, Your, Friends, Would, Hate, My, Friends."

Blood Sisters (another Scourge Sisters song) "Secrets we keep 'til death. I promise you, I swear to you. Burn out 'til nothing's left. You know the truth, it's all for you. Hiding the things we do, torture me, I won't confess. We took an oath for life, my little murderess."

Homewrecker (Ah, insecurity) "I'm only happy when I'm on the run. I break a million hearts just for fun. I don't belong to anyone. I guess you could say that my life's a mess. But I'm still looking pretty in this dress, I'm the image of deception."

In for the Kill by La Roux (Gotta go kill Jack) "I'm going in for the kill, I'm doing it for a thrill. Oh, I'm hoping you'll understand, and not let go of my hand."

You Can't Stop Me by Guano Apes (Gotta go find the weapon and defeat English in the dreambubbles) "Why are you coming out to see the road of last destination. I won't look back for the shadows, they're growing up to me. We're trapped in this song, so we leave them to head our salvation. Another you, another me, where's the difference, tell it to me. You can't stop me, to love the world with all its lies. (keep it to myself, keep it to myself) You can't stop me, I'm close enough to kiss the sky (keep it to myself, again)"

Be Your Man by Katy Rose (relationship fuckery) "I'm gonna be your man. I'll find your deepest place, of making you feel safe, and then I'll let you be afraid again. I, I'm gonna be your man."

Oh No! (general Vriska song) "Don't do love, don't do friends, I'm only after success. Don't need a relationship, I'll never soften my grip."

Dear Marie by Dessa (Vriska </> Kanaya song) "You said that I could leave you lonely in a crowded room. Just by smiling bright for everyone but you. And I'm embarrassed to confess it, but it all rings true. You said that charm of mine was easy to abuse."

Glory and Gore by Lorde (I'm your sav8or baby ::::]) "You could try and take us, but we're the gladiators. Everyone a rager, but secretly they're saviours. Glory and gore go hand in hand, that's why we're making headlines. You could try and take us, but victory's contagious."

I Don't Have To Try by Avril Lavigne (In charge) "Hey, you, follow me I'll take the lead, can't you see? Don't you question me, you just do what I say. I don't care what you're sayin', I don't care what you're thinkin'. I don't care about anything, get ready, motherfucker, 'cause I'm happenin'. I don't care what you're sayin'. I don't care what you're thinkin' I don't care about anything, get ready, motherfucker, 'cause I'm on the scene."

[zonecode]

     Oh, great, so this guy thinks he's a real hotshot too. This place suddenly felt stuffy, both of their complexes made the area feel claustrophobic. Anyone who calls himself a king deserves to get popped in the mouth for saying something so stupid. No, the dude's haughty style and arrogant confidence made him out to be a punk in the tenrec's mind. He probably wasn't even worth her time—

     —Movement. Too quick, too sudden. Unexpected, the distance between them is gone, just like that. It's blink-and-you-miss-it, but she didn't need to see to believe. There's a finger in her face, and she has to force down a flinch from the surprising bout of speed.

     ...So, there's more to him than just looking like her.

     That ambivalent attitude, it stays strong. Her half-lidded face, it is muscled back into place. She wouldn't shrink to the other's act. No. Instead, those sharpened fangs of hers just bite out at the finger shoved in her face; it says 'move that thing before you go and lose it' without any words necessary.

     "Tch... You're right about one thing. Speedy is the only thing around that gives a half-decent challenge. The two-tailed freak is made outta glass, and Doc... what's the name, Robotonic? Get his little metal toy outta the way and he's even more fragile than the fox. But ol' fleet-feet..."

     Oh, there is a growl, deep and guttural in nature. In such close proximity to the tenrec, the other would surely feel their quills stand on end as electrostatic is built alongside her hatred. Boiling hatred. A vitriolic rage that powers her soul like dynamo. It burns her palms as fists clench, the material of gloves pulling taut. Teeth could shatter if a jaw were to tighten any further. Lightning surged in her eyes.

     "I almost had him. That damn, dirty, know-it-all was RIGHT. THERE. You call yourself a king, but I was a god. Hands around his neck, everything I could've ever wanted. I felt his waning heartbeat pulse against my palms, he was dying right there in my grasp. But then it all shattered, my power source popped like a faulty lightbulb. GONE IN AN INSTANT!"

It's an electrical storm unleashed, it can no longer be contained. Volatile and uncontrollable as it is dangerously painful. The grass beneath, it would scorch with a zorch, a nearby tree daring to catch on fire as lightning splits some hanging branches dangling that little bit too close to the walking talking safety hazard.

     But worry not for possible forest fires, for a shot of reversed lighting would instead finish the job and split the tree's trunk in half, straight up its center. All in the blink of an eye. A hideous crack ran a jagged highway up the length of the once-full tree, two halves making one whole crash of burning firewood. It sputtered out of this life behind the living power source as it toppled, all from so little as a twitch from the tenrec.

     Ravenous eyes shuddering in their sockets, they... they settle. Fists grip with enough strength to punch a star from the sky. All before they release any and all tension, falling slack to her sides.

     The tenrec, she breathes. She focuses...

     She turns a gaze towards the green hedgehog. "How 'bout you, Kingsly? Sounds like that conceited little hero is more than just a friendly face t'you, too."

The hedgehog brushes the underside of his nose with his index finger and snarls at that little comment about "imitation," giving an irritated rhythmic tap of the foot and flexing the quills on the back of his head. Similar razor-like teeth mirror Surge's sneer. She's comparing herself to him? Ha!

"Fan club? You really got no idea who you're talkin' to, do ya sparkplug? You're speaking to the King right now, so start watching whatcha say."

Scourge's expression turns from annoyance to that smug grin that he seems to put on whenever he's around other people. There's a green blur as Scourge takes a step that closes the distance between them in a flash, leaving a finger pointed in Surge's face. If she can't get it through her head that he's more than an imitator from words alone, then a burst of speed should communicate the message.

"As for whacking around Sonic's buddies or whatever, I'd say congrats, but let's be real for a second: that ain't much of an accomplishment, is it? Anyone can deliver a thrashing to a bunch of wimps - but how about Blue himself?" A deliberate provocation, just to test their response - and spoken with mental preparation to start dodging the moment the tenrec tries to start throwing hands or trying to zap him.

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Halloween prompts no. 31 (part 13: Finale)

Ras al Ghul was concerned. The Lazarus pits had been literally boiling and frothing at the edges. In fact the pit seemed to be steadily growing in size.

Ras did some tests and discovered the chemical components of the pits had not changed, but none of the bodies thrown in were revived, instead ever single one was turned into a rage filled zombie that glowed with the pits power. He still wasn't sure what to make of this when he got word that it wasn't just his pit that was reacting this way, but all of them. More pits were even opening up at a rapid pace, but strangely enough it was only happening in North America.

As time went on the pits continued to react more and more strange. Lightning began to dance across the surface and strike anyone or anything that got near. Any inanimate objects struck would begin acting on thier own and attacking anyone who got close. Fascinating.

He was just about to inform Batman of this development because as interesting as this was he did want his pit back. Unfortunately, it was just as he thought this that crap hit the fan.

The pits in America transformed into Portals to an unknown realm and creatures of all sorts began spewing forth followed by an army of skeletons, human, animal, alien, demon, dragons, you name it. It was there. Ras wisely decided to stay out of this one.

-------

The US was quickly overrun by myths and monsters, Green Arrow and his team was getting thier butts kicked by glowing stone gargoyles, the speedsters were dealing with a herd of colorful unicorns with hair made out of lightning, a freaking Kraken had emerged in one of the great lakes and was destroying everything it could. A purple dragon with a neon green underbelly began attacking Gotham and Red Hood asked, "Who the hell pissed off Barney?!"

It was only after they defeated an arrogant black dragon and its necklace was knocked off did they have a way to fight back. Hood hurriedly put on the amulet and turned into a large red dragon. Granted he rampaged a bit before he was attacked by one of the much smaller skeleton dragons and he began fighting them. He and 'Barney' got into what was essentially a dragony fistfight and Jason roared in victory after defeating it.

Tim got thrown into one of the pits and came out with pit madness and attacked anything that moved, roaring and baring his teeth all the while until he calmed down about twenty minutes later.

Similar things began happening all over the US where odd green lightning danced across the ground bringing inanimate objects to life and driving people to either temporary or permanent pit madness when struck.

Meanwhile,

Wonderwoman was being greatly outnumbered by chimeras and armed skeleton warriors while something similar was happening with Superman, save for the fact the skeletons he was dealing with wore armor made out of kryptonite.

After hours of fighting and the skeleton armies purposely burning and tearing down any buildings they saw things suddenly changed. All the creatures collectively froze for approximately two seconds before resuming the battle, this time with the intent to capture the heros in bubble prisons instead of killing them. The first captured was Superboy.

It spiraled from there with Superman and Wonderwoman being taken out and dragged through the portal

Shazam was being herded by spirits who were trying to protect him and were preventing him from fighting.

Tim freaked out upon learning about Superboys capture and went out of his way to go through the portal and save him. And the others of course.

He manages to land of the back of a giant glowing green bird and (with a lot of difficulty) gets it to land at what looks like a prison. He finds and frees Superboy and Martian Manhunter from thier bubbles and cells, but they seem to be the only heros here. The other inmates look like true eldrich horrors and the three of them try not to look directly at them as they escape. They work together to try to find the other imprisoned heros. They instead come across a pitch black castle with a welcoming white glow and sneak inside. MM shape-shifted into one of the skeletons and went unnoticed by the strange people roaming the castle, this, unfortunately did not fool the skeletons that were on guard duty and/or patrolling the castle and they all attacked them, leading them to try to hide in a nearby room that was actually heavily guarded. Locking the door behind them, they were pleased to note the skeletons couldn't seem to get through. They were all breathing heavily when a soft beep from behind them caused them to whirl around.

Instead of a threat, they found a seemingly very much alive boy around eight to ten years of age laying in a plush bed, guarded by a growling green puppy and hooked up to what seemed to be a heart monitor and other medical equipment. The heartbeat was dreadfully slow however. Superboy picked up the black crown that was resting on the bedside table and they all shared a look.

Was this the prince? It didn't look like he was leading the charge seeing as he was clearly in a coma, but whatever was happening the boy was clearly involved somehow.

A knock on the door startled them again, followed by an eerily calm voice, "Intruders of the Realms. You have been granted audience with the sister of the prince and currently reining princess of the Realms. Come quietly and you will not be harmed."

They talked amongst themselves and agreed to talk to the princess in hopes of getting more information. If they're attacked then they would at least have a change to fight or run rather than being stuck in a room with a comatose child. Sure they could use him as a hostage, but just the thought of doing that to a little kid made Tim's stomach sick, so no.

The princess was not at all what they thought she would be. She was a little girl not much older than the boy with bright orange hair and a blue dress with a matching oversized bow on her head. She seemed just as alive as her brother and very, very angry. She claimed she was Jasmine, but to call her Jazz. The American government had committed hundreds of war crimes against the Realms and even more "acts of war". Appearently they attacked the prince directly while he was trying to settle disputes between the living and the dead caused by a portal to the Infinite Realms that the humans had created. (The creation of the portal itself broke several ancient treaties) This wasn't unusual, and Prince Phantom often forgave them, even though they didn't deserve it. Many spirits have grown increasingly angry with the living over the past year or so this has been occurring and swiftly flew into a wild rage when it was discovered thier sweetheart of a prince was captured by the GIW and tortured for months until someone rescued him. When he was returned to the castle he cried himself to sleep and hasn't awoken since.

This was bad. Really bad. It sounded like the US was the aggressor, which explains a lot of things, like why only the US was being attacked,why the president was killed and government places like the pentagon and White house were so thoughly destroyed and its staff picked off.

Jazz explained that they were capturing anyone that was involved in the horrors committed against the Realms and its people and dragging them back to the dungeons to face the same tortures they had or had planned to put Phantom and the others through.

The princess then offered them a way home so long as they told the other heros the truth about what was happening and that this was a war between two government bodies.