#they ain’t scared of some very cute little fangs

[aliteralchicken]

i forgot about the cult of the cobra snake baby supply until you said that lmao

Danny: hey Tim how do you feel about our child having fangs?

Tim date Danny Temple is so funny cause now he take after Bruce

Bruce: he’s the leader of the cult of the cobra

Tim: you’re acting like we don’t have the Al Ghuls on speed dial, how is Talia by the way?

[trashytummiez]

Anxious Tummy Virus

After @fungusfangs posted a cute sequence featuring Tamaki sick with a stomach virus I had to make this fic ;3

Warning: contains anxiety belly kink burps fluff hiccups indigestion nausea vomiting tummy rubs

Tamaki was always so anxious whenever he and Fatgum went patrolling. He could always feel so many eyes on him. It never failed to twist the poor anxious boys stomach into knots every time.

No villains or criminals could be seen but they always had to be vigilant. Which was why both were constantly eating whenever patrolling. Fatgum stuffed his face with whatever he could get to power up his fat if the situation called for it. And if it didn't then at least he got to enjoy some yummy treats along the way. Tamaki needed the food to power his food-based quirk.

That and his stomach was rumbling loudly behind this pouch-heavy vest. It was loud enough to make poor Tamaki blush and pray that no one could hear it.

But it also made him feel a little sick. His anxiety made his tummy really weak sometimes and it would get gurgly pretty often. But it didn't usually make him feel so oddly nauseous and weak. He couldn't explain why that wasn't the case tonight.

Oblivious to this Fatgum finished munching a bunch of food and handed down something to Tamaki. "Here ya go! Try some crab onigiri!" The fat-based hero suggested as he munched.

"...T-Thanks," Tamaki groaned and slowly took the onigiri whilst trembling slightly. Usually he trembled from anxiety but right now he was trembling from not feeling very well.

Fatgum patted his young sidekick on the back and laughed heartily. "Figured ya must be hungrier than usual today! Yer stomach's growlin' like crazy!"

Tamaki held the onigiri up with both hands and trembled shakily. This time though it was totally embarrassment and anxiety induced.

"...I didn't realize it was loud enough to draw attention..." he whimpered. "...So embarrassing..."

"Don't sweat it kid! Ya need yer energy after all right?" Fatgum assured the pointy-eared boy.

Tamaki nodded like a sad dejected little boy and nibbled on his onigiri whilst still trembling adorably. It tasted great which led to him taking another bigger bite immediately after.

Still his stomach felt oddly sour in a way it didn't usually feel.

Close to forty five minutes passed along with several snack stops along the way of their patrol.

Without warning a big hearty sounding burp erupted from the patrolling pair. Only the source was unexpected.

"Whoa! Nice one kid!" Fatgum snickered and nudged Tamaki who was covering his mouth and blushing furiously. "Ya know usually it's Red Riot lettin' the big ones out like that! Heh musta really needed that huh!"

But before Tamaki could whimper out another word of how badly embarrassed he felt, an especially loud thick sounding gurgle bellowed from Tamaki's belly. It churned so heavily and forcefully that it made Tamaki freeze in place like a petrified statue. Tamaki hiccuped then whimpered as his body trembled anew.

"Oh no..." he uttered quietly and fearfully while his tummy gave another sick groan. He winced and went slightly teary eyed from the discomfort. "No no no no no no no no no..." he repeatedly dreadfully.

"...Uh...Amajiki...?" Fatgum asked. His own big grin turned to a big concerned frown. He was about to ask if Tamaki was okay when suddenly the poor boys stomach hitched aggressively with a thick churning noise.

Tamaki gave another really thick closed mouth burp that ended with him suddenly spewing bile from past his lips. He went wide-eyed and desperately tried to cover his mouth with both hands but it was too late. Tamaki gave a loud gross sounding burp that sent a heaping load of vomit spewing from his mouth and splattering horribly onto the floor.

"Ohhh crap..." Fatgum remarked suddenly in concern. He wasn't at all grossed out at the sight of Tamaki leaning forward and puking heavily. The giant blubbery hero leaned down and very gently rubbed Tamaki's cape concealed back. "S'okay kid. Just let it out..." he assured him.

Not that Tamaki had any other choice.

The poor boy panted heavily then lurched with another stream of puke expelling from his mouth heavily onto the floor. Some passing civilians saw the sight and looked mortified. Others looked concerned as poor Tamaki continued spewing the contents of his stomach disgustingly onto the pavement.

When he finally stopped throwing up Tamaki was standing wearily as bile dripped from his fangs. The poor boy was trembling with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"...m'so sorry..." he slurred groggily but Fatgum gently shushed him and kept rubbing his back.

"S'alright kid. Don't sweat it yeah?"

Fortunately there were a few passing civilians with quirks that were able to make short work of the sick while Tamaki got washed up in a nearby restaurant.

He was so mortified that he tearfully hid his face directly into Fatgum's giant blubbery tummy like a child too scared to go to the dentist.

Fatgum frowned sympathetically as he gently ruffled the top of poor Tamaki's purplish blue hair and held up a soda for him.

"Why didn't ya tell me you were feelin' sick kid?" Fatgum asked then almost guiltily said, "...I had ya eatin' soooo much today too...!"

Tamaki muffled a thick burp in his mouth that was muffled even further by Fatgum's belly fat smothering his face then he sniffled tearfully. "I thought it was just another anxiety stomachache..." he whimpered and hiccuped sharply. He sniffled again and hiccuped again. "Ohhhh-urrrp-unnngh..." he couldn't help but burp in between his groaning both with humiliation and how badly his stomach still hurt.

It gurgled thickly but fortunately not as bad as it had been before he threw up.

But it was still enough to make him tear up some more as he buried his face even deeper into Fatgum's flabby belly and cried out. "I wanna go hooooome...!" Funnily enough his whaling was muffled by thick fatness.

Fatgum frowned anew and gently rubbed Tamaki's back. "Yeaaah you definitely shouldn't be on patrol with a stomach bug kid. Can't let ya risk fightin' bad guys with yer own gut givin' ya grief."

He scooped Tamaki up like a scared puppy and walked him out of sight away from all the people. As he carried him off Fatgum used a few of his fingers and gently placed them atop Tamaki's stomach. They alone were about as large as Tamaki's hand and he used them to gingerly and carefully rub Tamaki's turbulent tummy for him while using his thumb and index finger to hold a can of soda still.

Tamaki groaned at the feeling relaxing in Fatgum's arms. But he still blushed and looked away biting his lip anxiously with a soft whimper.

"...I'm sorry for being so weak all the time," Tamaki said with a sadder sniffle.

But Fatgum scowled and lightly poked the boys chest. "Hey you ain't weak kid. If I were a bettin' man I'd bet the farm on you against any opponent ten billion times outta ten."

"...That number doesn't make sense..."

"It means yer one'uh the strongest heroes in the biz Suneater. Havin' shot nerves don't make ya weak." Fatgum's expression softened and he more gently stoked Tamaki's gurgling belly. "...Ya shouldn't keep puttin' yerself down like that kid. Especially over somethin' that ain't even yer fault."

Tamaki nodded softly and looked down. "...I'm sorry."

Fatgum rolled his eyes but in a good natured way. "...Always friggin' apologizin'. Geez. Anyway..."

He carefully lowered Tamaki to the ground when the two were alone behind a building. The boy groaned softly and hugged his stomach with one hand. Then Fatgum handed him the soda he was still carrying.

"Drink up lil buddy. This oughta help yer guts stop stirrin' as much."

Tamaki frowned as he took the soda. "...B-But soda makes me-"

"-Yeah yeah. Why d'ya think I took ya away from all those people? It's just us kid. Don't worry 'bout it."

Tamaki glanced at the soda then looked around. They really did seem to be alone. But still he looked nervous. However when he looked up and saw an assuring smile from his sensei he sighed and gave in.

He cracked his can open and carefully took a sip. It was nice and crisp going down his throat and the way the soda felt bubbling in his stomach gave him some slight relief from the more acidic churning he was enduring.

So he swigged more soda down starting to chug it a little more feverishly. His throat bobbed as the fizzy liquids poured down his gullet and settled into his bubbling stomach. Tamaki inwardly whimpered knowing what was coming but took in more of the drink anyway while breathing through his nostrils.

After getting a good amount of the can down he pulled it aside and panted with one hand gently rubbing his tummy. A second later Tamaki's hand tightened around the middle of his stomach and then his mouth parted with a huge throaty burp. It was much louder than Tamaki himself ever was and left him panting and whimpering.

Fatgum laughed and patted the boy on the back dislodging another burp in the process that made Tamaki blush even harder. "Good one kid! Startin' to feel a lil better?"

"...Define better..." Tamaki whined. Even alone he trembled anxiously at being so loud and gross if even just around Fatgum. The soda helped to settle his tummy while the carbonation helped work some much needed gas out of his system. But the fact that soda always made him so burpy didn't do anything for his anxiety.

Still if he had to choose between burping obnoxiously and throwing up violently it was a pretty obvious choice.

So he downed more of his beverage all while nursing his tummy. When he pulled the can away again he tried to hold the burps in by giving thick closed mouth burps. But some were so strong that they forced their way past his lips and just ended up even louder.

Poor little Tamaki couldn't catch a break.

If nothing else the soda and pressure release was definitely helping make his stomach feel better. Eager to be done with it Tamaki downed the rest of his beverage and tossed the can into a nearby bin. a second later his hands flew to his stomach and Tamaki released an enormous burp so strong that it sounded like it almost came out of Fatgum.

"Almost" because Fatgum's burps could literally make the ground shake if he got a good one out.

Fatgum whistled and nudged Tamaki in the shoulder. "Damn kid! Yer gettin' some good ones out tonight ain'tcha!"

This was anything but good. But the relief Tamaki was feeling made it worth it.

Tamaki slumped back against a nearby wall and rubbed his belly up and down with both hands until he coaxed out another lengthy burp that dragged on for a few seconds and left him panting. And blushing of course.

"...Hrraaaah...okay...I...I think that's all of it," Tamaki said gently patting his stomach. "...I just wanna go hooOOOOOOoorh-me..." But his pale face soon went red as Red Riot's hair when he accidentally burped the word 'home' out at the end of his last sentence.

Fatgum laughed hysterically making his giant tummy jiggle like a mountain of jello.

"...Yeaaaaah let's getcha home kid. At this point I'm more worried ya might blush yerself t'death before this stomach bug gives ya any more grief."

For as powerful as Tamaki was? If his quirk were powered by embarrassment and anxiety he'd be unstoppable...

[thiswasinevitableid]

A fun, potentially spooky prompt for Halloween season based on something you wrote in “Amnesty Records��: “Like the monster under the bed came to life, turned out to be hot, and really wants to fuck you.” Something to the theme of Little Monsters from 1989? Indruck and NSFW if you please?

This is indeed NSFW, and also came to me all in one burst.

Duck pulls the Captain Planet comforter up to his chin, sighing as he lays down. He turned seven today, and has been spoiled and fussed over. Mama Newton isn’t much of an entertainer, but she knows how to throw a birthday party. 

 A scrape  of nails on the floor and the rustle of something under his bed makes him freeze. 

“Taco, that you?”

When the cat doesn't appear, he sinks further under the covers.

“Mom?”

“No”  soft voice with a bit of hiss drifts up from under the bed.

He swallows, “Who’re you?”

“My name is Indrid. I live under your bed.”

“No you don’t, you weren’t there last night.”

“How do you know?”

“Just do. So go away.”

“No.”

“I’m gonna call my dad.”

“He won’t believe you” the bed frame rattles, “he will tell you to be a big boy.”

The monster is right, just yesterday dad was saying how proud he was of Duck being brave at the doctor. Fine, maybe if he pretends it’s not there, it’ll go away. 

“....aren't you going to cry?”

“No.” He sets his shoulders, glares at his wall.

“....not even a little?”

“No.”

“Oh.” A sigh, “I am not very good at this.”

Duck didn’t know monsters could be sad.

“Are, uh, are you a grown-up monster?”

“No. I am young and little, like you. They would not send a grown-up monster to a child, they send them to grown-up humans.”

“Grown ups don’t have monsters under their beds.”

“They do. They may not know it, but they do.”

Indrid doesn’t say anything else and Duck falls asleep. He’s hoping the monster won’t come back, but the instant his mom turns out the light, he knows he’s there. 

“I’m n-not scared.” He whispers to the ceiling.

“Yes you are. I can taste it.”

“You can't hurt me. You ain’t real.”

 A hand closes around his ankle and he yelps. The monster laughs, then hisses when Duck kicks his wrist. 

“That was not nice.”

“Neither was grabbing me”

There’s a huff, but nothing else. The third night, Duck is ready, sticking a fake sword under the bed as soon as Indrid says something. 

The sword is yanked from his hands. 

“Why is it this color?”

“Suppose to be from the future. Ain’t you seen space rangers?”

“No. That is not a movie we have down here.”

Duck is only now starting to recognize awkward pauses, but he’s pretty sure this is one.

“Will you tell me about it?” Indrid slides the sword back onto the floor by his dresser. 

He rolls onto his back. He’s not all that tired, and Juno is sick of hearing about it.

“Okay, so there’s this guy who’s a space farmer….”

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

It’s been a year and Indrid is under his bed almost every night, but Duck isn’t afraid of him anymore. Which is why he’s determined to finally get a look at him. How scary can a monster that wants to talk about T.V or trees or whatever else Duck has been up to really be?

When his mom turns off the light, Duck slips out of bed and lays on his stomach, staring into the darkness beneath it. 

Four red eyes appear, but nothing else. 

“Hey ‘Drid.”

“Hello. Why are you down here? Did you lose that action figure again?”

“Nah. Wanted to see you. Where’s the rest?”

“Hidden in shadows. I am not supposed to let humans see me. It can be dangerous.”

“Oh, uh, sorry?”

Indrid hurriedly adds, “But we can stay like this, this is okay. I think. I do not really care, I like being able to see you. You're like the baby multibear my friend has.”

“I ain't a bear.”

“No. But you are, ah, cute.”

Only Iris, Juno’s friend, has ever called him cute, and he only knows that because Juno told him. He understood he was supposed to think that was good. But he likes it much better when Indrid says it.

“What should we talk about tonight?”

Duck rests his chin on his hands, “You wanna play go fish?”

“You have a fish?” The red eyes tip to the right. 

He snickers, “No, it’s a game. Here, lemme show you…”

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

“You better give that one back.” Duck grumbles as he looks down from the bed to see his new Spiderman comic missing. 

“I have given all of them back.” He can hear the smile, the one he’s glimpsed in darkness while whispering secrets under the bed; it’s wide, and there are definitely fangs, but Indrid only ever shows it when he’s happy. He never has a mean smile like the jerks at school. 

“Where’s my Black Panther?”

“...........I dropped it in the stream when I was reading.”

“‘Drid!”

“I got excited!!”

“You owe me a new one.” There’s no anger in his words. It’s just a comic book, not nearly as special as Indrid. 

“Can I give you something from here instead?”

Duck closes the new Iron Man, holds it down to the space beneath the bed, “deal.”

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

He wakes up with a cry, too quiet to be a scream but with tremendous force behind it. As the nightmare fades, something rolls off the bed behind him. 

“‘D-Drid? Please, please say that was you or Taco.”

“It was me, Duck. I, I am sorry, you were whimpering in your sleep and I could taste more and more fear and I did not want you to be afraid. I, ah, I thought if I held you, it would make you feel better.”

“Thanks.” He shivers, the dream reaching out from all sides, threatening more horror if he falls asleep.

“Can, uh, can you come back up? Just for a little bit?” 

“I should not. It was already risky to do it how I did.”

Duck nods, forgetting Indrid can't see him. That's fine. He’ll be okay. He can handle-

A tree branch scrapes the window and he throws the covers over his head. 

“Put your hand over the edge of the bed.”

Duck slips his hand out from the blanket and lets it hang in the air. Fingers link around it, and then Indrid is holding it full on. It doesn’t feel like holding Janes hand when he’s helping her cross the street; it’s cold, smooth, and the nails are sharp. He sneaks a glance, sees red claws wrapped around his wrist, and feels safe enough to sleep. 

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

“Trouble sleeping?”

“Yeah, don’t know why I’m so worried about startin’ high school. I mean, it’s fucking Kepler, the high school ain’t any bigger than the middle school. “

“I always get nervous for new lessons. Even with some ability to see the future, I am worried I will do something wrong. Maybe it is that?”

“Yeh.” Duck rolls onto his side, hoping for a glimpse of a hand. He wishes he knew what Indrid looked like, wishes he was coming to school with him tomorrow. 

“I am sure you will be fine. You are intelligent, and funny, and charming.”

He smiles at the wall, “Thanks, ‘Drid.”

“Any time, Duck.”

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

His roommate is snoring, which is not what he was hoping for from his first night in the dorms. Class tomorrow is going to fucking suck if he hasn't slept. 

“Congratulations on the successful move.” A familiar voice slinks up to his ear. 

“‘Drid? Holy shit, did you follow me?”

“I am your monster, I go where you go. Sort of. It is complicated. What is not complicated however, is this.” The clawed hand pops up to the edge of the bed, placing a wrapped package near Duck’s head. Stealthily removing the paper shows it’s the bright orange truffles that come from Indrid’s home. Duck loves them.  

“You didn’t have to do this.”

“It is traditional in both human and monster culture to give a gift when one moves to a new home. And I like bringing you things. Are you feeling well? Excited to learn about the forest?”

“Yep. Just wish I could get to sleep.”

“One moment.”

He feels Indrid leave. Then his roommate's bed shakes and shudders, the other guy jolting awake in fright. He doesn’t look like he’ll be getting back to sleep anytime soon. 

Duck shifts onto his side, facing the wall, and whispers down the stucco, “Thanks.”

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

A perk of his roommate getting a girlfriend is that Duck gets more nights alone. He’s soaked the pillow with sweat, and is so wrung out from cumming he hasn't wiped his hands yet. 

“Are you done?”

“JESUSFUCK”

“I'm taking that as a yes.”

“Please tell me you ain’t been there this whole time.”

“No, I always leave if you are doing that. It is private.”

“Thank fuck.”

Relief is followed by disappointment, which he decides he won’t think too hard about. 

It only takes another night before he does, imagining Indrid listening to him fuck himself, whispering instructions for how Duck should do it, even touching himself at the same time, getting off on the sound of Ducks pleasure before holding his hand all night. 

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

It’s fall, and the apartment he and Juno share is close to campus, cheap, and fucking freezing.

Duck knows just how to warm up. Sliding his hand down his sweats, he starts picturing Rich, but the thought of jerking it to an ex is a boner-kill waiting to happen. So, he switches to his trusty fallback, selecting a blonde, fresh-faced yet kind of punk body for the voice under the bed. 

He wants to draw it out, but fantasizing about Indrid always sets his hand flying, too many nights like this seeding a deep desire in his veins that he has to purge fast for fear of what will happen if it lingers. The monsters name drops from his lips, breathy and urgent, and he’s too caught up to care  

“Indrid, fuck, please.”

“Please what?”

Gasping, he sits up. A figure is standing at the foot of his bed, staring at him with red eyes. In the dark room, he can’t make much out beside their glow and two short horns on the top of his head. Duck’s mind spins so fast it hurls out the first sentence that comes.

“‘Drid’s got four eyes, not tw-”

Another pair of eyes open just below the first.

“They are a secondary pair, so I can keep them shut and see just fine. I thought the sight of them might be too much combined with the rest of me.” Indrid murmurs.

“Th-though I ain’t allowed to see the rest.”

A shrug, “You aren’t. But I cannot bring myself to care right now. Not when you say my name like that.”

Summoning his courage, Duck locks his gaze onto Indrid’s own and slowly drags a hand up his dick, “You gonna show me the rest or not?”

A hissing growl curls around him as Indrid leans forward, clawed hands leading the crawl onto the bed. In the moonlight coming through the window, Duck sets eyes on the whole of him for the first time. 

His face is angular, sporting his wide toothy grin and framed by silver hair falling just past his chin. Past the claws, his arms are a mixture of tan skin and black and red scales, twining up his arms. The same combination is clear on his chest, visible above the neckline of the white tank-top. Flashes of color appear under the fabric, racing down Indrid’s spine, and Duck would ask what they are if Indrids face had not just come level with his. Standing up, the monster can't be much taller than him. But here, pinned against his headboard like a scientific specimen, Indrid bracketing him, he feels frighteningly small. 

“What happened to not spying on me when  I did this?” The words stick in his dry mouth. 

“It was accidental. I only stayed when I heard you call for me.”

“Wasn't callin.” Heat rises in his face. 

The grin widens, “Oh no?” A long tongue drags down Duck’s cheek, “You did not have even the smallest hint of hope I would her? That I would lay in the shadows, savoring the sounds of you, ah, taking yourself in hand?”

He’s so strange looking, every sensible part of Duck is screaming for him to run, to banish him under the bed and go back to his normal life. 

Duck inches his face forward, closing his teeth round the lobe of a pointed ear, “Maybe.”

Indrid chuckles, “Then maybe I have been hoping for the same. Maybe I have been touching myself and dreaming it was your hand instead of mine. Maybe” he brushes their noses together, “I have wanted this for as long as you have?”

“Least a year, more if I’m bein honest with myself.”

“Several years, but then again, I had the pleasure of being able to see your face. It made you all the more appealing.”

Duck reaches out a shaking hand, stroking silver hair. He means to say some platitude about Indrid being handsome because the affection in Duck’s heart means he couldn’t see him any other way. While that may be true,  a second, more surprising truth comes out in its place. 

“Thinkin if you’d let me see you, we woulda gotten here a lot sooner. “

There’s another growl and then he’s yelping out a laugh as Indrid yanks him flat on his back and unceremoniously rips his shirt off. His monster brings their lips together, tongue sliding between Duck’s lips as the human shoves both hands into Indrid’s hair. When he teases his tongue against Indrid’s, the monster whines, pressing closer and pawing his sides. 

“‘Drid” He mumbles. 

Another whine, higher and morphing into a chirr as Indrid grinds their hips together.

“‘Drid, you gotta let me breathe.”

The monster breaks the kiss, but coats his face in pecks as he catches his breath, chirping all the while. Something solid ripples beneath the fabric of his black pants where they rub against Duck’s thigh. 

“Holy fuck what, what exactly are you packin down there?”

“Would you like to see?”

“Hell yeah.” 

The pants and Duck’s sweats hit the ground in quick succession, Indrid’s shirt landing atop them a moment later when Duck pulls it off to kiss along the scaled swirls of his chest. 

“Well, what do you think?”

“Guh, uh, jesus, uh, ‘Drid, what’s it doin?”

Indrid looks down to where four short tendris are unfurling to reveal a ridged cock.

“Getting ready to fuck you?”

“Uh, how exactly?”

Indrid licks his lips, “Lay back and I will demonstrate. Do not worry, as much as it pains me to focus on anything but your face, I will use my foresight to be certain nothing I do leads to trouble. 

Duck rests his head on the pillow as Indrid settles between his legs, claws pricking his thighs when the monster pushes them apart. 

“Does the whole thing goOH, oh fuck.” He wiggles his hips, “fuck, ‘Drid, that feels so fuckin weird.”

‘That is not surprising. It is one of the tendrils which, unless I'm very wrong about human anatomy, none of your previous partners had.”

“Nnnnnnfuck, fuck you’re gonna fuckin ruin me, god fuckin damn that feels nice.”

“Wonderful.” Indrid bends down, hands gliding to rest by Ducks biceps. He kisses him slowly s the tendril continues stretching him open, slick and pulsing in time with the careful movements of Indrid’s hips. 

His monster noses down his throat, drgs his tongue back up it with a purr, “You taste divine.”

“If you,re fuck gonna eat me, do me a favor and do it after I cum?” Duck teases, stroking Indrid’s shoulder blades. 

Indrid laughs, “A fair request. But I have zero interest in eating you; how could I? I would lose my best friend and my new favorite past time.” The tendril thickens, making Duck moan and throw his forearm over his eyes. 

“Fuuuck, are all monsters this fuckin sappy?”

“Only yours. And it is not as if you're not that way. I remember those love notes you asked me to help with.”

“Okay okay, we’re both big fuckin marshmallows. Now, AAHnn, are you gonna help me break this bed or not?”

Indrid pulls out with another growl, kneading Duck’s ass as he lines up his cock, “Yes, yes I am.”

“FUCK, ohfuckohfuck, yeah, fuck yeah.” Duck digs his fingers into Indrid’s back as he shoves in, “‘Drid, tht’s so fuckin goodohshit, what, what’s it doin now?” The tendrils have spread, one curling around his dick, two teasing his balls, and the fourth twining up Indrid’s shaft, meaning Duck’s toes curl with new sensations on the next thrust.

Indrid grins against his neck, “Taking care of you.”

“Ain’t that, that thoughtful.”

“All for you my sweet, goodness, you’re so warm and your ass is delightful.” His lips find Duck’s cheeks, “I’ve wanted this so long, sweetheart, so very longAHhnnnn.” His head hits the pillow as Duck scratches down his back. Not only do colors flash in his wake; spikes emerge along the ridge of his spine, flickering red to purple to black.

“Is that-”

“-okay yes very, o-okay. You can touch them, they will not hurt.”

Duck runs his finger up one. It’s feathery and smooth, rising and lowering with the undulations of Indrid’s body. Tugging it makes Indrid snap his hips with a chirring growl.

“Yes, yes do that again, more, please ohahnnnnisJunohome?

“No?”

“Good.”

The words Duck meant to say give way to shouts of pleasure as Indrid slams into him over and over, sinking his teeth into his shoulder and clawing at his sides. Duck scratches his scales and skin, strokes and pulls the feathery spines, Indrid trilling when he does. His hips quicken, Duck struggling to keep pace as the monster pins him more firmly to the bed. When he cums the tendrils tighten, sending Duck over the edge right after him. Indrid kisses him again, nipping long his lips as he whimpers the monsters name. 

As his whole body spasms and relaxes, Indrid rolls him over, panting. 

“More, I want more, again, mine, you are all mine.”

Duck looks over his shoulder, grinning fondly, “Uh huh.”

“What is so funny?”

“Nothin. Just, uh, realized there's a plant your dick reminds me of.”

Indrid blinks so intently his second set of eyes join in the expression. Then he cackles, draping himself over Duck to kiss him again. 

“You can tell me all about it after we are done with the extremely pressing matter of me fucking you again.”

“Go wild, darlin.”

This time the pillow takes the brunt of the noise, Duck grunting and moaning into it as Indrid fucks him from behind, switching between slow, gentle thrusts and grabbing Duck’s hips to drive into him hard enough to set off fireworks in his brain. He’s overstimulated to the point of tears, but his whole system floods with pleasure at the intensity of Indrid’s desire, the feeling of being so utterly used and wanted all at once. When the monster pulls out, he’s cum enough that it drips down Duck’s thigh, tingling as it goes. 

“Now” Indrid flops onto the mattress, wriggling into Duck’s waiting arms, “tell me about this plant.”

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

When Juno gets home Sunday morning, Duck is in the kitchen humming long with a playlist on his phone. 

“Holy fuck man, what happened to you.” She stares at the bitemarks and bruises all around his neck and shoulders and the scratches on his legs. 

“Had a real nice weekend.”

“You got all that from a hook-up?”

Duck shakes his head with a secretive smile, “Nah. Just had a sleepover with my new boyfriend.”

[bundleofyarrow]

Chapter 10 of A Bundle of Yarrow is now up over on AO3! or you can read the latest chapter below the cut. thanks to all of you who follow me on here and let me know you’re still craving some Milo time, it helped motivate me to write some more. maybe it’s not obvious but, knowing there are people out there who appreciate my writing makes me want to write! either way, this is a shorter transition chapter, building up for some drama come Turffield. as always, i love all the feedback <3

Galar Mine

“I want this one!”

“And I get this one over here!”

Leon and Milo stood crossing their arms of their chests as you and Sonia hovered around shining crystals emerging from the cave walls. The mines glittered reflecting the light of lanterns, immediately mesmerizing you.

“Everything here is the property of Marco Cosmos.” Leon says stiffly, as if practiced. “Just one of those jewels costs my entire year of pay.”

“But look at this!” You point to a green one and aim puppy eyes at Milo while Sonia bats her eyelashes at Leon. “Wouldn’t this be beautiful on a ring?”

Milo looks strangely nervous. “We got little influence in this stuff! The League is just one part of Marco Cosmos, ‘n we’re employees of it. I’d be shocked if they even gave us a discount.”

The both of you pout and follow the boys and Charizard walking further into the cave. The air was dry and cool, every little sound echoing in the rocky tunnels. It was surprisingly well-lit for a cave, but as you all started to encounter miners at work, you had your answer as to why. Clangs of steel hitting rock and the low rumble of minecarts soon overtook the glistening sparkles of the crystals. Every once in a while you stop for Leon to take selfies with fans.

“Galar is a very industrial region.” You muse out loud, poking at a piece of coal at the top of a large stack. “You all are really into machines here.”

“Energy is our main business and export.” Leon’s eyes scan the various activities of the miners, as if he’s looking for something in particular. “The Chairman is trying to find a sustainable source of energy, because mining won’t last forever. And if our energy dwindles, so does the health of all Galar.”

You sit with this for a bit. Alola is a lot more laidback, and not as populated as here. While everyone adopts new technology as it comes out, there isn’t a rush towards anything in particular. One might say many parts are in decline, but you begin to miss the small villages among lush greenery.

“Champion Leon!”

Out from a side tunnel pops out a kid, probably a bit older than Gloria and Hop, in a full magenta coat and mop of platinum hair.

“There you are, you must be Bede.” Leon rests his sunglasses on his cap and he offers to shake hands.

The boy, Bede, ignores the gesture. “I hope you’re ready for me to beat you in the Champion Cup.” The arrogance on his face is insufferable as his eyes move over your group. “And that none of you plan on getting in my way.” Running a hand through his hair, he holds out a bag to Leon. “Here’s all the Wishing Stars I’ve found so far, make sure they get to Chairman Rose.”

And with a nonchalant gesture, he departs. Charizard lets out a brief but low growl. You couldn’t help but feel like Bede just saw you as bit extras in the play of his life.

“Charming.” Sonia rolls her eyes at his departing silhouette. “Make sure to beat him good, Milo.”

The curt nod from the usually soft Milo surprises you.

“Well folks, that’s it for me.” Leon stretches like he’s going on a run. “I have to get myself back to Hammerlocke to deliver these to the energy plant there. If I take too long I’m definitely going to have Oleana chaining me to a desk.” He turns to give a quick hug to Sonia, fist bump Milo, and then wraps his arms around your shoulders. “Keep in touch, okay?”

“Promise.”

With a final squeeze, Leon takes a few steps back and waves to you all before departing. Charizard leads him back the way you came, and soon the warm glow from his tail fades from sight.

“We should be on our way too.” Sonia looks to her phone. “Not only because there’s no service here, but Milo needs to open up the gym challenge. Turffield is going to be swamped.”

Milo begins walking in a different direction. “I know the mines pretty well, I can lead you through ‘em.”

The path through the mines are pretty uneventful, mostly winding tunnel after tunnel of miners and various extracted resources. Sonia and your conversation about when she did the gym challenge fills the air as Milo seems lost in his thoughts. The Pokemon in the mines are mostly peaceful and keep to themselves, doing their own digging or resting in dark corners. Every once in a while, Milo looks up to the cavern ceilings, searching for something.

“The exit should be gettin’ close.” He announces after checking the ceiling again.

You were about to ask him why he was doing that when you hear a fluttering from behind you, causing you to jump, scaring Sonia in the process. “S-sorry! I thought something was behind me-”

That’s when you notice something’s on your arm. And not just a little thing but a Pokemon.

You’re about to let out a scream when Milo makes a hushing noise as he walks over to you.

“It’s okay, fella ain’t gonna harm ya.” It was a ball of fur with wings, and what you think is its nose is suctioned to your arm. You’ve never seen such a Pokemon before, and if Milo wasn’t there you’d think it was trying to suck your blood. “It’s a Woobat, they are actually quite friendly, if a bit odd.” Milo lightly places his hands on the Pokemon, reminding you how he so easily calms creatures down. “Hey now, you have to ask permission before you give someone a kiss.”

Eventually you feel the snout of the Woobat peel off your skin, which thankfully isn’t painful just a little weird. But it left behind the impression of a heart on your arm. “A heart? That’s kind of cute.” You look to the Pokemon, who doesn’t have visible eyes but a cheerful smile with a single fang.

“That’s actually major good luck! Woobat don’t give that to just anyone.” When Milo lets go, the Pokemon hovered in the air next to you, and chirps happily.

You chance a look at the cave ceiling, and in the dim light you can see a bunch of heart-shaped impressions. “Were you looking up to see where the Woobat gathered?”

Milo’s gaze joins yours. “Sorta, I was checkin’ the time and how close we were to the exit. They tend to hang out near the entrances of caves, and that we don’t see Woobat means dusk hasn’t completely fallen yet.” His hand lightly touches your shoulder. “So we’re makin’ good time!”

Before the moment can sink in, he gives you a small smile and squeeze on the shoulder before moving back to the front of the group to continue leading. Not only do you and Sonia follow, but so does the Woobat. He hovers around you, sometimes visiting Sonia and Milo, but something about you has caught his interest. So you take out a few berries, and begin tossing them into the air, giggling as the Woobat swoops in skillfully to catch each in his mouth.

“Careful, you’re going to spoil him.” Sonia nudges you playfully. “But I’m glad to see you in good spirits. It’s been a wild few days for you, hasn’t it?”

You try not to think too much about it, but you nod. “I’m still trying to understand it all, but all I can do is move forward, right? To think I’m going to be battling Milo tomorrow is… strange.”

The peach-haired man in question turns to face you. “Just do it to have fun, that’s my perspective. If you’re having a good time, then win or lose, you’ve accomplished what you set out for!”

Woobat chirps in agreeance, and though you still find him a little strange, his presence is a positive one.

So you choose to believe them, that no matter what happens, it will be for the best. You’ve spent so much time in Galar worrying about your future. And as light from the outside begins to peek into view, you’re determined to better cherish the moment, for what was coming around the corner, you never would have guessed.

[sevens-binarycode]

This is how I think the Karasuno boys would react to a haunted house (sorry if some are out of character I am not really caught up on the show 😰😅)

Daichi

> I feel he would be really good at scary handling scary thing

> If you are bad at he would kind of be a security blanket

> If you are good at scary things then you guys could watch scary movies all night or see who can scary the other frst but I feel like sometimes he would pretend to be scared just to see you proud of yourself

> Haunted house workers hate him because he just laughs at the scares instead of actually being scared

Sugawara

> LOVES scary stuff

> I feel like he would get scared in haunted houses and from movies but he loves the adrenaline

> Always makes sure our ok when watching scary things if you aren’t good at handling it

> I feel like for Halloween he will want to go to all different kinds of haunted houses with you

> Would probably try to dress up as something scary but his personality doesn’t match the chaos times so even little kids aren’t that afraid

Asahi

> Cannot handle scary things

> He starts to fidget around and jumps at little noises

> However if you aren’t good with scary things he will try to comfort you despite him almost peeing his pants.

> This man can be a baby sometimes and this is one of those times

> When you are watching a scary movie, if you want him to stay with you, try playing with his hair, it calms him down and he’ll probably fall asleep but at least he is with you

> P.S this would be a great time to braid his hair

Tanaka

> Tanaka wishes he was like Daichi but he gets scared at the littlest things

> Scary story night with the team? Yeah he isn’t sleeping

> If you want to go into a haunted house he might try to act tough going in but the moment y’all walk in he is on edge

> First jump scare has him clinging to your arm

Scary movies are a no for him, if he is holding something it is being spilt on the floor at the first scare

> If you really like scary things and try to scare him he probably won’t talk to you for a few minutes but he loves you and can’t stay mad at you for too long

> Will try to get you back though with some fake rubber snake. Just pretend to be scared so he doesn’t feel too bad ok?

Noya

> Like Tanaka he wouldn’t be too good with scary things but he tries to man it out for you

> Because he is small a lot of people think he’s cute rather than attractive or sexy and he doesn’t want you to see him as a kid so he tries to deal with it

> He isn’t very good though. He can out on an act for a movie for about 20 mins before he has to ‘go to the bathroom’ and stay in there until he hears the end

> First time y’all went into a haunted house he was good for the first 3 jump scares but after that he held your hand like his life depended on it, bruising it from the force, and jumped into you while yelping at the remaining scares

Tsukishima

> Mans ain’t afraid of nothing

> Zombies? Cool. Ghosts? Whatever. Overgrown mutant human eating spiders with 20 legs and massive fangs? Not a problem.

> He is seriously no fun when you try to scare him. He kinda just looks at you like it was a pathetic attempt

> Probably suggest for Halloween you dress up as a sexy monster instead of something scary so the holiday is somewhat entertaining for him

Yamaguchi

> I feel like Yams would actually be fairly good at

> He might even enjoy spooky stuff

> Likes to watch scary movies (your first movie date was probably a scary movie)

> Not as good as Tsukishima, still gets spooked sometimes but he is kinda like Suga where he kinda enjoys the scare

> If you try to scare him he probably pretends to be scared but he is really bad at acting

Kageyama

> Kinda like Tsukishima were he doesn’t really get scared but when he does, he does

> One time you scared him so bad (good?) that he screamed like a little girl

> You had to go to the store and buy him a lot of milk for him to talk to you again

> Doesn’t mind haunted houses but doesn’t particularly enjoy them

> He doesn’t really like being scared

> If you like scary things he might try to get a movie but he most likely falls asleep through it

Hinata

> Like Noya he tries to man it out but he does having a breaking point

> I think he wouldn’t be as good about holding out as Noya would be but hew would try (probably asks Noya how he is so good at handling scary things and if he can teach him 😂)

>During scary movies he is probably cuddled into your arm trying to block out what is happening

> Avoids haunted houses like the plague unless you really want to go into them but he will hold your hand with a death grip the entire way through, ya know, to keep you safe

Sorry for any spelling/ grammar errors and if any of them are out of character

[inkdrinkershadowsinger]

Thoughts/ Background Half Blood Prince

A smash and grab for Ollivander. Not one person in this stunned group tries to shoot a stunner at these people or stop them in any way.

I am taking this way too seriously, but…. Muggleborns are the bridge between the Muggle and magical world, and the death eaters are attacking a bridge. Voldemort seems to want total separation between Muggles and Wizards, but he also wants to subjugate Muggles. Having these peaks of the Muggle world, and the destruction that wizards can cause is a great way to emphasize the delicate balance between the two worlds.

This obviously also takes place after 9/11. It would make sense that these people were more thinking towards terroism than anything supernatural. Anything could easily be blamed on that. Or faulty construction.

Hottie waitress is trying to get it from “Go”, and I don’t blame her. But, she is way too cute for his ass.

You would think that Harry would be more cautious, but then again, what easier way to fool a group of death eaters then to ride the London Underground for hours at a time.

Why would Slughorn make it look as if this house had been attacked? Why not just make it look like it had been burglared? It specifically looks as if it had been attacked. There are scratches and holes on the walls, everything is askew like hexes had been flying.

When I first saw this movie, I thought that it was a huge waste of time to see all of this magic, but now, I look at these big displays of magic and am just in awe. I love when we really get to see what magic is capable of that is more than just cursing someone else. The scene in Crimes of Grindlewald while he escapes at the beginning is one example of a huge display of magic that is both interesting and epic.

Voldemort knows what Slughorn has in his mind. They weren’t trying to recruit him, but to kill him.

Even in this picture of Lily, she looks way older than what she should be.

Dumbledore is a master manipulator. Throughout most of the series, Dumbledore refers to Harry as “Harry”, but in Slughorn’s presence he constantly refers to him as Mr. Potter to emphasize to Slughorn the prize that is before him.

Yes, Harry, you will not be messing up the fan’s OTPs today.

The Weasleys must have felt very comfortable with all of the moving staircases in Hogwarts based off of the look of the Burrow.

This is one movie where Harry and Ginny exhibit some chemistry toward one another.

Ron just casually going to touch Hermione’s face. They say that people will only let others who they are truly comfortable around to touch their face. The same goes for the attempters…. Lol

I love that Harry is barefoot in this scene. It shows that he is comfortable, and that he feels at home.

There is an old fashioned lamp on the desk which is lovely.

Mrs. Weasley was around for the first war. She didn’t participate in the Order the last time, but now, she knows, she has inside knowledge, that things are moving in the darkness. And she is rightfully terrified.

Snape’s village here is cookie cutter in the same way that Pivet Drive is. Though, Pivet Drive is clean and bright while Snape’s town is dingy and smoke ridden like there are factories or something similar nearby that is polluting the air.

Snape’s house would look like this. Floor to ceiling books. No personal photos. Dark. Two candlesticks that don’t count as bobbles because they are functional.

At this stage, Snape has fully returned to Voldemort. He also knows that Sirius isn’t the one who betrayed Lily, but that it was Wormtail. But, he can’t outright kill Wormtail because Wormtail went and performed a valuable service to the Dark Lord. So, Snape does the next best Slytherin thing and decides to torture Wormtail by making him serve him. Now, Snape has Wormtail as his personal servant and play thing until things finally break. It is no more than Peter deserves tbh.

Narcissa is the epitome of pureblood etiquette and style. She is politely making small talk with her host while Bellatrix is in the background snooping in Snape’s stuff.

Bellatrix was one of those rich girls who stole petty little objects whenever they can get their hands on something. Voldemort and her must have bonded over this.

Bellatrix lets out a snore when Snape talks about Dumbledore. She must have heard this reasoning for Snape’s supposed loyalty one too many times. She suspects heavily that Snape isn’t quite what he seems. She also resents him most likely for the closeness that he has with her master.

Snape allowed himself to be goaded into this. He invited it when he mentioned that he could help them in the first place.

The statue outside of the shop in Diagon Alley. So clever.

The twins are top level business men here. No more orange bell bottoms for these two.

Every thing is just orange and yellow and bright.

They already have on assistant. Good on you, boys.

“I will have order.” Someone really should make sure that Umbridge was sent one of these before her arse was packed off to Azkaban.

The twins are litearlly living their best lives here. Business is booming. Surrounded by people. Spreading mischief even after their school days are over.

Harry gets things for free because he financed this shop.

Harry is like, “Wait, what about DEaN??” Where was all this great acting and connection when it came time to film Seven and Eight?

Cormac ain’t a bad catch. He is very traditionally handsome.

Brown, I see your arse. You best sit down. This is not going to end well for you.

Fred and George’s shop probably has been warded to the nines from their good and yet to be introduced brother Bill.

You see one Fenrir Greyback poster in a dark alley. One: So, the film makers are sure that we know who he is. Two: This is the level with which the ministry has hunted for criminals compared to the nearly every square surface and newspaper add ins that Harry’s face get plastered on in Deathly Hallows.

Draco, even here seems to exhibit a lot of reluctance.

Draco is a smart guy. Like, I don’t think that can be denied. He wouldn’t have been able to do what he does in this movie if it wasn’t for some modicum of intelligence.

I like that movie Harry is really supportive of his friends.

Ginny and Luna BFF’s in the making.

Dean, I see your arse.

The one time ever that Harry James Potter was right about something.

Ron and Hermione should have known that Harry was up to something.

I have a feeling that more fuss from the others wasn’t made about the darkness powder probably because since they boarded the train that was about the fifth time they had seen some sort of Weasley product go off. And though, this is a compartment full of Slytherins, the odds are that at least some of them have their products in their bags as well.

Draco, however, is finally aware that stuff is really kicking off, and he is rightfully suspicious.

I don’t know if this was an intentional choice, but Draco’s appearance in this movie speaks volumes about his mental state. He looks thinner than he has in the other films, and then also, the lightness of his hair adds to the gauntness of his face.

He is sitting in chair 14.

Harry just had to get comfortable up there. Draco knows now that he can’t trust anyone at Hogwarts. He knows that he can’t trust Snape like he thought he could. He knows that Snape is really working for Voldemort, and he now knows for a fact that nearly everyone around them aren’t as they have pretended to be for so long. Draco is in a highly paranoid state because he truly feels like he has no one that he can turn to or trust.

You can see Hagrid and Fang waiting to take the first years up to the castle.

Draco looks very satisfied with himself after finally getting Harry.

I mean, that is a viscous thing to say to anyone, but Draco is now immersed in this wizard AK wizard world. It’s a wonder that he didn’t turn Harry over right then. Why not just grab Harry, apparate, and take him immediately to Voldemort? Draco had a golden opportunity here, but wasted it because in some part of his brain he still sees this as a school boy rivalry. Or would Voldemort really put killing Dumbledore over killing Harry at this point? Was he that scared of the man?

Luna is the real hero in this scene.

Movie!Harry makes me feel way happier than book!Harry sometimes. Merely because of the way that movie!Harry treats Luna and Neville. Yes, book Harry evolves in that way, but movie Harry seems to really value these friends the way that I think he should.

The way that Draco looks at the walking stick makes me sad. You know it was Lucius’, and though Lucius is a horrible prick, he is still Draco’s father, and he needs this object to feel some sort of connection to his father.

Neville is watching Hermione beat Ron, not even blinking an eye.

You do see here, and from the first that Dumbledore has aurors now watching the school. We don’t get any interaction with them, but they are a visual reminder about what’s going on security wise.

I can only hope to crush student’s dreams like McGonagall crushes Ron’s.

This movie has so many like unexpected funny moments that make it stand apart from the book in a way that the other films don’t.

So, we are saying in this film that Katie Bell is in the same year as Harry, Ron, and Hermione? I don’t know why the filmmakers settled on this. This is a Padma in Gryffindor situation again.

You really only noticed Hermoine’s bedraggled appearance here, but several of them are looking worse for wear.

I always got the feeling that Dumbledore was trying to make up for some lost time here. He largely ignored Harry in the last movie. And Harry has lost those people in his life who would event think to question him about his love life. Dumbledore is trying to make some connection with here. He misses the mark trying to connection with him in this manner especially about Hermione, but it is still very interesting.

Harry is just like, “Um, no.”

I think this interaction makes Harry feel better though. It makes him feel like he isn’t just being trained as a weapon, but that Dumbledore is actually interested in all aspects of his life. I can’t decide if this is underhanded of Dumbledore or not.

Okay, Wool’s Orphanage in the forties looks to be one of those horrible places. It looks like it is in the city, and away from anything green. The walls look like they are made of ceramic tile. Voldemort’s room literally looks out onto a brick wall. It rains all of the time in England. I mean, come on, this was the environment to raise a serial killer in. The room is bleak, only a bed, chair, and desk. Hardly any personal belongings.

I like Dumbledore’s look here. He is in the Muggle world, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to give up any flair.

Dumbledore read Tom Riddle’s mind. Is it legal to read the minds of young children because that’s what Dumbledore did here. How else would he have known that Riddle had those things in his wardrobe?

I don’t think Dumbledore would have done anything about it.

I don’t think that even if Dumbledore would have known what Voldemort would become I don’t think Dumbledore would have been capable of killing a child. I just don’t.

This sounds like Harry is about to be pimped out, which in a manner of speaking he is.

Most Quidditch scenes I could go without, but Ginny and Harry tag teaming tryouts. Ginny speaking up for slightly quieter Harry. Hermione in the stands. The people behind Ron fighting over the best brooms. It is just amazing.

You literally live in the same dorm as Hermione, Cormac, I mean, dang, and you have lived with her for years and years. Why couldn’t you have talked to her yourself?

Just like, what a situation to get yourself in. Hanging from the end of your broom.

Lavender is all fake concern and joy, over exerting her dang self, but Hermione is actually doing something to make sure that her man gets this position.

That couple behind the trios head are having an intense study-flirt session, and I approve.

Neville is dosing in that chair while he sits next to a dosy.

I always thought that the Gryffindor common room looked a lot like a fairytale. The walls are covered in tapestries, everything looks warm and inviting.

Ginny was raised with many, many older brothers. She knows how to get toys out of reluctant hands.

That’s Neville and Seamus going off to Hogsmeade in front of the trio?

Dean is laying it on thick!!! He is a slick git.

Ron is like, “That thought never crossed my…..oh… wait, yes, it has.”

Wallenbee…..

Poor Hermione, her feelings are about to pop out all over the place.

I always thought this scene was super cool, no offense to Katie. This just shows what kind of dark arts are currently being practiced in the Malfoy household

It looks to be a distinctive sort of necklace. If wizards thought for one second like Muggles they would have had people tracing the origins of that necklace. Straight up, old fashioned detective or journalistic work would have solved that question.

I love that Snape’s wand is black and sort of ordinary looking. It looks harsh almost in its plainness, almost like the man himself.

Harry is right.

“She’s got nice skin.”

I would want professor Merrythought’s office too. It looks amazing.

Blaise is silently judging everyone this whole time, and I am living for it.

Ginny has shown up really late for this shindig. She only shows up in time for dessert. Most people would just be like, “Okay, I think I’ll pass.”

Harry, your heart eyes are showing.

Slughorn really wants to justify himself, and I don’t blame him. It’s hard to admit your mistakes. It’s even harder to admit your mistakes when said mistake produced a mass murderer.

Ron, please get your head out of your ass. I feel bad. Hermione, like most women, build up romantic encounters in our head long before they even come due. She has done the same thing here, thinking that Slughorn’s party will be the place that she and Ron grow closer together, maybe even kiss under some mistletoe. She thinks that it will be the perfect place to launch a new beginning. That’s why what happens right after this scene with Lavender makes her so sad, because she then has to say goodbye to all of those dreams and fantasies.

It looks like a lot of the Quidditch team are sitting together in a show of house solidarity.

Ron’s like, “Thanks, Luna.”

Ginny normally sits next to Hermione in these scenes, but being with Dean, enables her to share the seat next to Harry. It probably is good for strategy talks as well. That Ginny Weasley knows whats up.

Neville is astonished at this turn of events during the match. Pleased, but astonished.

Luna is right by them in the stands. Cheering on her friends.

Weasley is our king. Weasley is our king… right until he kisses Lavender Brown, and makes Hermione cry because Hermione is our QUEEN!

Hermione refuses to chant her own future last name.

I mean, Lavender did shoot her shot. But you can see the just devastated look on Hermione’s face and even the “oh shit” one on Ginny’s.

Hermione found comfort here in something that she can do well. Magic. She’s reminding herself what she is the most thankful for here as well.

Hermione knows everything.

Hermione who knows everything just can’t believe that Ron is this dense. She thinks, at least subconsciously, that Ron is doing some of this on purpose.

Are we thinking that Lavender is Ron’s first kiss? I mean, first kisses are heady things, and he wouldn’t want to give it up no matter what until those endorphins start to fade, and then he quickly gets over it.

This is a great filing system in the library. And another subtle but amazing display of magic.

Hermione, girl, its hard when you get our feelings involved. Boys make us all do stupid things.

Romilda Vane is beautiful. She doesn’t need a love potion.

We all love Luna’s dress.

Draco, lounging in the corner.

Drapple pt. 2

If I didn’t get into a teacher’s club then I for sure would not be catering their event.

“Slippery little minx. “

This is more of that unexpected humor.

Cormac is like, “Please God, help me.”

Ginny looking fine in this outfit.

Draco, again, has lost all faith in those around him. And where good old uncle Sev might have seemed like another softer alternative to his father, now, he is no better than the rest of them. I have a post about this on my blog, if you want to read more of my thoughts on their change of dynamic.

This is the most awkward thing I have ever witnessed.

Ron looks constipated. He is just like, “Please, let this be over. Please.” He looks pained.

Harry is so uncomfortable he can barely stand himself.

Hermione doesn’t even have the perspective at this point to know that Ron is now suffering under Lavender’s attentions. She is just so pissed she can’t see straight.

A penguin dancing on a cake!

The twins have been pulling those for a while, look at all the old ones on the table.

Is that Hedwig sitting on the edge of the couch?

Remus feels so guilty over everything that he and the others put Snape through in school that he feels less inclined than anyone to believe that Snape is up to something nefarious.

Mr. Weasley knows when he is not welcome. Ron does not.

Tonk’s hair here upsets me to the extreme. Why did they intend to make this badass look like a soccer mom?

Some people are really irritated by this scene where Ginny ties Harry’s shoe, but I don’t mind it. I thought that it was very intimate. Harry, more than anything craves someone who is going to take care of him. Harry is someone who feels as if the whole world is looking to me. He also feels like he has no one that he can really lean on for support. He feels that support in any way makes him weak. Ginny doing these little things for him is something that he can accept. It makes them closer. She understands what he needs, and gives it to him. Plain and simple.

You can actually see rage here in Remus’ face. Don’t y’all tell me Wolfstar ain’t a thing.

Ginny doesn’t even think before jumping into the flames. Harry and Ginny at this point are battle tested veterans, and they have each others backs no matter what.

Greyback thinks that he is going to get an easy meal with Ginny, but Ginny isn’t a light snack hun.

Harry holding Ginny’s hand and pulling her close.

This was perfectly done by the death eaters. Draw the people outside, and then strike to destroy one of the only strongholds that the Order has.

Yes, I think Draco looks different.

Pineapple, nod to the books.

Harry unknowingly echoed Voldemort when he stayed behind after the first party.

This seems to be a very weird way to go about getting Slughorn to talk. Throughout this film, Harry tries to mimic Voldemort in the things that he said and the things that he did, but the way to get Slughorn to talk, I think, wouldn’t be to remind Slughorn about his failings through Tom, but to be the opposite of Tom Riddle, which eventually he ends up doing.

“The map is never wrong.” Like Godfather like godson.

Harry really is the dim one. He figures out Ron’s little dilemma way too slowly.

Love makes Ron cuddly. I like it.

Slughorn is a quick liar. No wonder he was in Slytherin.

Why is Slughorn just standing there? Why isn’t he reacting? Why isn’t he calling for help? I never understood his reluctance here. It makes me think that something like this must have happened in the past, and he was having some major flashbacks.

Hermione is about to throw bones in front of all these teachers.

“You daft dimbo.” Classic.

All of the teachers are listening just as intently as anyone else in the room. They love gossip too.

Harry just casually stalking Draco.

Draco feels so along during this whole experience, and I hate it for him. He’s just a kid.

“He was quickly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy.”

Why on Earth is Lavender, a Gyrffindor, sitting at a different table? And Dean? Free sitting on the weekends?

The look on Draco’s face when he sees Katie. He is glad sure that she is still alive, but he feels scared. He knows that Harry must have some suspicions, and he is terrified of getting found out. He knows that Voldemort will not be kind.

Draco goes from crying to defensive. Emotions are running high for him, and he just can’t handle them all. He is not thinking rationally.

The book here, almost seems to act like more of a horcrux, nefarious source then actual horcruxes do. It turns Harry into someone that he isn’t.

Ginny you coy bitch. Love it.

I just imagine that the way Harry acts in this scene is Daniel Radcliffe’s personality at all times.

Hermione should one day write a paper about the effects of Liquid Luck on people.

The story about the flower and the fish that Slughorn tells about Lily is one of the best add ons that the movie included that wasn’t present in the books.

Using that chosen one status right.

Lily was one of Slughorn’s favorites. She was in that middle picture on the shelf. She was front and center beside him in the photo.

Dumbledore is like, “Not now, I need to think.”

Dumbledore says that the objects to make a horcrux can be anything, but I disagree. I think that the objects have to be somehow linked to the wizard, some personal connection.

“I’ll be okay, I’ll be with Dumbledore.”

This is a startaling setting. One of the best ones in the films. We don’t go far from Hogwarts generally, but when we do it’s hardly to wild, nature ruled places like this.

I wish that we would have seen that memory from the Gaunt house. It would have been interesting to see Tom’s grandparent and uncle, his dad. It would have seemed essential to me to show Merope in this film. To see where Voldemort came from. I wish we would have gotten that.

And while we are listing some things I wanted from this movie, but never got: A classroom scene with Snape finally teaching DADA. We never even saw a hint of this or an illusion of this after the initial telling.

Dumbledore is hugging his knees, he is bunched up, and vulnerable.

This is the only time that inferi are seen throughout the series. You would have thought that Voldemort would have had more use for them in the final battle.

The choir scene here is particularly interesting. We have in our consciousness scenes from the previous two films using lighthearted music etc., and now they are singing this ominous song.

Snape is standing, looking out over Hogwarts like he does in seven pt. 2. This place is Snape’s home, and has been for years, and now, he unwillingly has to say goodbye to it.

It says something that Bellatrix doesn’t wear a mask while the rest of them do. It makes sense that Greyback wouldn’t wear a mask because he is recognizable as a werewolf, and he likes the fear that it inspires, but Bellatrix refuses to wear a mask because she is proud of her status as a death eater. She is unashamed of her place in the world.

If Dumbledore knows everything, why does he never act?

That boy that Dumbledore is talking about isn’t Voldemort, but Snape.

Harry has been hearing this whole movie that he is wrong about Draco and wrong about Snape, and then comes time for him to trust or turn against Snape, and he trusts him.

The look on Snape’s face after he kills Dumbledore is so haunting.

Bellatrix just loves causing chaos and mayhem. There is a certain kind of sick satisfaction that some people have when they destroy things that they used to be associated with. Her destroying Hogwarts is one of those things. For Draco, it Is just adding to that sick feeling in his gut.

All the lights from the wands of all of these people lifting into the sky and eating away the dark mark is one of the best moments of this entire series.

When I read that the locket was fake I was infuriated. I don’t think I’m alone.

Harry and his hero complex. He thinks he has to do everything on his own, but this proves that he doesn’t have to. He goes off together, with his friends, and even the friends that he leaves behind helps to keep everything going while the world waits on Harry Potter to save them all.

[allmight-amiright]

Stake In My Heart.  Tenya Iida

Request: Hi can I request iida having an s/o who has blood manipulation powers. She can basically control anyone with an open wound however if she uses it too much she’d start bleeding herself? I love angst so can you please make this hella angsty? Like his s/o dying in his arms? I hope I ain’t bothering you, I love your work! 💖 (in progress)

Word Count: 2.1K

Warnings: Gore???????? Kinda???  Swearing. 

Notes:  You say blood manipulation, I say vampires.  So, here’s a Vampire AU that no one asked for, but I’ve been in that kind of mood for literally no reason today.  

The Hunters had always been a problem, but you enjoyed scoffing in the face of danger and picking them off one by one.  At least, that is, until he came along.  

He carried the government issued crossbow that all Hunters were meant to weild, the garlic bombs hanging from the belt on his waist, the silver cross hanging around his neck.  Everything made you believe that he was one of them, except his composure.  He cowered at every moving shadow.  You could see him shaking even from your perch on top of the roof.  You smirked to yourself, your front canines taking on the pointed shape of fangs.  This should be fun.

You dropped down behind him, not making a noise as your feet hit the pavement.  “Looking for something?” You ask, blocking his only escape from the alley.  

He whips around to look at you, brandishing the cross.  All you do is cross your arms.  You can see the sweat beading on his face.  “What- what do you want?”

“I vant to suck your blood! Bleh bleh bleh!” You joke, putting on your best Dracula impression.  

He lowers the cross, taking a step away from you.  “So, you’re not going to drink my blood?”

You move closer to him, sniffing the aura around him before recoiling in distaste.  “Ew. No. ��I hate A.  It tastes like cough syrup,” you shake your head, sticking your tongue out in disgust just thinking about it.

“O-oh…”

“So, why haven’t you tried to put one of your pretty little stakes,” you start, taking one of the wooden arrows from the quiver and pointing it to the center of your chest, “and stuck it right in my pretty little heart, huh, Hunter?  Are you scared that you’ll miss and then I’ll really drain you?  Or is all this an act and you’re just waiting for some other Hunter to arrive to stab me in the back?”   You taunt, making slow circles around the quivering gentleman.  

He snatches the arrow back from you and puts it back in his quiver.  “I don’t want to kill you.”

You’re taken aback.  It’s not everyday that a vampire meets a Hunter without the desire to do his job.  “Then why do you do this, Hunter?”

“My name is Iida.  I’m looking for someone else.  The one who killed my brother.”

“Ah, so you want revenge.  That’s sweet.  But, I can’t help you there.  We do what we have to in order to survive, just like your kind does.  I’m sorry that he died, but if he was trying to kill one of us, he was asking for it.”

“Vampires kill us.  We’re trying to protect ourselves,” he argues.

“We don’t drink from people anymore.  Vampires haven’t done that since the Middle Ages.  Too many of us got the plague from you humans.  Animals tend to be safer alternatives, besides, human blood is so different.  It requires a certain pallette to enjoy.”

“Why are you doing this?  Why can’t you just leave? I’m not going to kill you.”

“You humans are fun to pick on, that’s why.  Besides, you’re too cute to leave out by yourself.”

Iida’s cheeks go pink and he averts his gaze to the ground, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“But, if you want me gone, then all you have to do is say so.  But, you and I both know that you don’t want me to go.”

And so it began.  Night after night, he returned to the very same alley in hopes that he would get to see you again.  And night after night, you obliged.  Hushed conversations in the shadows of back alleys.  Quiet chuckles and flirtatious shoulder bumps all until the teases and jokes turned into whispers of sweet nothings and soft kisses between the vampire and the hunter, it truly was a beautiful love story that unfolded in the shadows.  

But beauty doesn’t last forever.  Flowers wilt.  Butterflies die.  Porcelain skin bleeds.  

It started the same as every night.  He waited in the back of the alley for you to show up and when you appeared in front of him, he latched onto you, holding you tight.  The warmth of his body mixing with the chilling touch of your own.  “I’m glad I’m not too late,” he whispered.

His words make you push away from him.  “Too late for what, Tenya?”

Then, there’s voices.   A shouting pack coming towards your secret hideout.  You freeze, but Iida already has your hand, tugging you to hide behind a dumpster and out of their direct view.  Your eyes widen as you hear their footsteps growing closer and their voices getting louder.  “Iida, we know you’re around here, you traitor.  Where’s that bloodsucking bitch that you’ve been sucking faces with, huh?  Come out, come out, wherever you are,” a man growls.

“I’m so sorry,” Tenya whispers, eyes starting to water.  “I didn’t know they had been following me.  I led them straight to you and I swear to you, I didn’t mean for this happen.”

“How could you do this?” You hiss.  “They find us and they kill us.  I’m so stupid! Once a hunter, always a hunter.”

“That’s not true!  I didn’t know, Y/N! Please, believe me!  I would never do th- What?” he asks when he hears you gasp.

“Well, look who we found?” the man who was taunting earlier says, a smirk etched into his face.  He pulls Iida up by the collar and throws him to the ground on the other side of the ally.  You watch in silent horror as his head smacks against the wall and then again on the pavement.

“T-tenya…” you whisper, trying to move past the attacker to get to him, but you’re trapped.

“He’s not your problem now, sweetheart.  You seem to have a bigger issue on your hands.”

“Wait… I know you!  You were my best friend growing up.  What the hell happened to you, Julian?”

“It’s Fox now, Y/N.  People change.  Some for the better, some for the worse.  You seemed to have gotten worse as you grew up.  I, on the other hand, only got better,” he says, dragging you to your feet by your hair.

You can feel your fangs starting to form.  “Get the fuck away from me,” you snarl, kicking him square in the chest, sending him backwards to the ground.  You turn to run from the alley, but your path is blocked by two more goons.  

You hear Fox laughing from behind you.  “What? You really thought I wouldn’t have back up?  With a bloodsucker with your power, I’d be stupid not to.”

There’s a bandage on the cheek of one of the Hunters blocking your path and you smirk, cocking your head to the side.  “A bloodsucker of my power, huh?  Thought you would’ve done your research first.”  Your eyes glow red as you look onto the injured Hunter.  His eyes take on the same gleam as the blood starts to stream down his cheek.  You use your finger to swipe the blood as one would swipe the icing from a cake and stick it in your mouth.  “Take care of them,” you say to your new minion.

He pulls his crossbow around his body and knocks an arrow, aiming towards the other Hunter who had blocked the entrance to the alley.  You speed towards Fox, hands wrapped around his throat before he even has the chance to blink.  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t snap your neck right now.”

“Do it,” he says.  But, he’s not looking at you.  His eyes are shifted up towards the roof of one of the adjacent buildings.  The ball has returned to his.  The mind control had already taken so much of your energy.  You didn’t know if you’d be able to apparate out of the alley with the exhaustion slowly becoming more and more heavy as you had to have continuous focus to keep the mind control stable.  Fox could sense your breathing growing heavier with each moment. “I win.”  

You hear the whiz of the arrow before you feel it lodge in between your shoulder blades.  Your mouth hangs agape before the blood spills out.  You collapse to your knees, coughing up blood as your vision grows blurrier by the second.  You can make out the brown boots of Fox walk away from you and you hear his voice grow fainter as he leaves you to die in the shadows of the alley.  

��Y/N?” A faint voice calls out to you.  A pair of hands takes you by the shoulders.  “Oh shit…”  

Tenya is kneeling on the ground in front of you, an open wound on the side of his head from where he struck the wall.  You look up at him, cupping his face in one of your hands.  “You’re bleeding,” you whisper, your voice quieter and weaker than normal.

“That’s important right now.  Just, hold onto me for a minute, okay?”  He says, trying to stay calm for you.  He was grateful on the front that you couldn’t see the tears streaming down his face as your vision kept slipping.  He grabbed onto one of your arms in an attempt to support your body and pulled the slim wooden stake from your back.  You hissed in pain, your breathing growing ragged as thick red blood continued to stream from between your lips and now as it pumped from your back with each and every breath you took.  Tenya pushed on the wound, trying to get the bleeding to stop, but it just seeped through his fingers in an endless stream.  

“Please.  Please,” he whispered over and over again, pulling you into his chest, applying more and more pressure, but no matter what he did, it just wouldn’t stop.  The blood continued to flow and make a puddle all over the pavement.  “Y/N, please, just hold on.  We’ll get it to stop, I promise.  Just don’t close your eyes, okay?   You need to stay awake,” he says, holding your face in his free hand.  Salty tears drip from his face onto yours.  

“Tenya….” You whisper, trying to reach for his own face in order to brush the tears from his cheeks, but he just grabs your wrist.

“Save your energy.  Just focus on staying awake, Y/N.  Please, do that for me.”

“I’m tired, Tenya,” you mumble as you cough again, blood dribbling from your lips.  

“I know you are, but you can’t go to sleep.  It’s still dark out.  Look at all of those stars,” he says, looking up towards the sky with you.  “There’s Ursa Major, Orion-”

“Cassi,” you whisper.

“Yes, she’s up there too,” he says, smiling up towards your favorite cluster of stars. “You’re going to be just fine, Y/N.  I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay?”

“I love you, Tenya.”  Your voice is barely a ghost of breath.  Iida has to strain to hear the words that escaped your lips.

“I love you too, Y/N,” he says, looking back down towards your face.  The blood has stopped seeping through his fingers, not because your wound had healed, but because there was no more blood left to lose.  Your eyes cloud over, no longer carrying the sparkle of the stars.

The woman who owns the store next to the alley found the scene the following morning while she was taking out a bag of trash.  Her shriek was loud enough to cause the birds on the roof to flutter away.  She ran inside to phone the police to inform them of the two dead bodies that were found lying in a pool of blood from stab wounds, both straight through the heart.  One, brandishing the fangs of a vampire, the other dressed in the elegant uniform of the Hunters, dead eyes looking to the long gone stars.

[saintheartwing]

Undertales of Friendship: Toriel’s Got Talent

Toriel walked through the classroom, humming a tune from a show Mettaton had intercepted in another dimension. The song was somewhat somber and maybe a little sad, but at the same time it was beautiful.

"Come little Children... I'll take thee away... into a land of enchantment..." Toriel sang, perfectly in tone with the soft spoken singer who sang the tune. As she did, she closed her eyes and began to dance, leaving a trail of flame as she did, feeling the fire twirl about her ever so gently.

"hey Toriel."

Toriel eeped and fell over a desk as she was startled by the shorter of the skeleton brothers. She moaned and winced as sans helped her to get up, never losing that smile of his or that gentle, caring look in his eyesockets. After coming to the surface, the two had become good friends. It would never be more than that really, since sans was more like a big uncle to Frisk and Asriel, and Toriel had no interest in marrying again after Asgore.

Still...

It was nice to have a good friend like Sans. And yet he did have a knack for finding embarrassing times.

"Sans, dear, I thought you were seeing the kids to the train to Canterlot?"

Sans nodded. "i did. i saw them as they got to the station, then I closed my eyesockets once they got there so I didn't see them afterward. but I will see 'em later when they get home."

Toriel giggled. "You're so bad, Sans." she hugged her friend and went to finish up with the cleaning.

"nah, just a bonehead."

Toriel bust out laughing, neither unaware that outside two very famous ponies had been listening to Toriel's singing. The one was a greyish brown pony who had her mane done up in a nice little style, as highly refined as the Stratamarevius cello she played. Beside her was the polar opposite in many ways, wearing purple shades and having a mane done up in blue, white, and neon purple that just went everywhere, her coat white as fallen snow. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia were best friends in Ponyville and two of the finest musicians in their fields. They KNEW talent when they heard it.

And they had heard it walking by the school.

"Wow Vinyl, can you believe it? Who knew that Goat Lady was so talented?"

Vinyl shrugged. "Eh, it ain't bad that's for sure. With some wubs backing her up she could REALLY rock!"

Octavia raised an eyebrow. "Always with the WUBS, Vinyl?"

The rocker DJ chuckled. "I'm all about that Bass." She hmmmed. "But she really is a great singer. We gotta get her to share that talent."

Octavia nodded. "Yes... still we should be subtle about it. I recall Rarity telling me how she and her friends tried to get Fluttershy to sing in public. Did NOT go well."

Vinyl hmmmed. "I think I got an idea, girlfriend."

Octavia chuckled. "And there we go with the shipping jokes."

The DJ chuckled, lowering her shades. "Like I was the first one." She winked through the fourth wall, setting off to finalize things.

Later that day, Toriel was stunned at her guests. She had been busy making some pies for when her sons come home, and the smell of apple, butterscotch, snail, and even one blueberry experimental pie hung in the air.

She lived in a modest little house, like most monsters did after arriving here in Equestria. it was a cute little one story made of magical brick, several unicorns helping put it together. In many ways it looked like her old home in the ruins, with a similar house layout... except now it had a bathroom and a basement. Toriel also had a much larger kitchen here, since she was baking lots of goodies either on her own or with Muffet and Pinkie Pie. But today she had different guests.

Two very specific musicians.

"You want me to what?" She asked again, trying to place what she had just been told.

"We want you to sign up for the talent competition." Octavia said. "We heard your singing voice when we walked by your school. It was just amazing!"

Vinyl smiled and handbanged a little... oh no... she was just nodding. "Yeah, you rock girlfriend!"

"I thought I was your girlfriend?" Octavia said with a wink, the playful DJ smiling. Toriel chuckled some, thinking perhaps these two were like Alphys and Undyne in some ways. But she shook her head.

"Not interested." She said. "See... I'm really not that good. Oh I love to perform before a crowd, I do it every day a a teacher. But singing... I only really know the one song, mainly because I can relate to it."

The two ponies sat on their haunches. Octavia tilted her head. "I don't understand."

"You see... before we came here to Equestria, my ex-husband had a policy of killing any human who fell into the underground. I hated it so I left him and hid in the ruins. I was determined to protect any child who fell into the underground but... well, I failed. Now we have six human souls who don't hate us, but are still trapped, still waiting to either be freed and sent home or given new bodies."

Vinyl still wasn't making the connection. "Soooo... why that song?"

"See... I always wanted to take those kids and take them away somewhere that Asgore could not touch them. We could be happy and free, and it'd be so lovable. It was my dream for-"

*knock knock*

Toriel blinked. "Oh no... now what?" She went to the door and opened it... only to be greeted by the hulking form of her ex-husband. He was white furred like she was and had larger horns, but was also very much a goat monster, with similar floppy ears, vampire-like fangs, and a big golden beard. He was dressed in overalls and a blue shirt, as well as a big funny looking straw hat. Toriel glared at him.

"Dreemurr." She said with definitive daggers in her voice. Asgore smiled, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I just was seeing if maybe... oh there you two are!" Asgore pushed past, Toriel clenching her fists as he walked in. "I was looking all over for you two. I wanted to sign up for the talent show."

Octavia clapped her hooves. "Splendid! And your talent?"

Asgore smiled. "Strength. I have been working out on the Apple Acres Farm-"

"Sweet Apple Acres love." Vinyl corrected.

"Ah, whoops. Anyway, Big Macintosh has been helping me train my strength, and we want to work together for an act." He turned to Toriel. "Shame you won't be in it Toriel."

Toriel fumed. "And why not?"

"Oh sorry Tori, but you kinda are outdone with most talents, except maybe your pies. And I do not think those would work for the competition."

Now Toriel literally was burning up, fire forming in her hands. She turned to Octavia and Vinal and spoke with a voice that would scare Satan himself into hiding in his room under the covers.

"Sign. Me. Up." She spat, her flames intensifying. The three guests suddenly a little spooked. An upset Toriel was NEVER a good thing.

"Ummm... I better go." Asgore said, nervously walking out. He eeped as Toriel opened the door, almost getting Asgore burnt when she did. As she closed it however, she smelled something burning.

She soon realized she set her door on fire.

"Oh no!" She gasped, trying to put it out quickly, the two deciding it might have been a good idea to confirm Asgore first for this kind of stuff to prevent property damage.

Toriel stood in the main room of her home, trying to rehearse the song she was going to sing for the show. She had sang it a few times, and the snails she had caught were listening, rocking their heads in the soft time of the somber and beautiful singing.

But she felt like it wasn't right. All she did was stand there and sing... It felt a little like a part of a greater whole. She loved music, yes, but to actually sing was not her thing. From the time she was little she liked to bake more than anything, had…had Asgore been right?

Asgore. Thinking about him made her almost redouble her efforts as her cell phone rang. She sighed and answered it, the voice of her son Frisk on the other end.

"Hi mom!" He said cheerfully. "How are things back in Ponyville?"

Toriel smiled as she focused on her son for now and away from the talent show. "Oh, same as always. How is Canterlot?"

Frisk giggled. "It's fun! Asriel and I are kinda getting a few stares from ponies but overall we like it. We are doing our best to help Twilight with her work here."

Toriel smiled proudly. That was her boys, always eager to help others. "Is Asriel there, son?" She asked. Frisked chuckled some.

"He's with Princess Celestia right now mom."

"Ahhhhhhhh... Those two are going to spoil him rotten at this rate." Toriel giggled.

"More like HE will spoil THEM!" He laughed in return. The two spoke a little further before finally Toriel said it.

"By the way, I will be in the talent show later this week. But I won't tell you what I am doing yet. It's a surprise."

Frisk ahhhed. "I cannot wait to see it! Until then mom, I gotta help Twilight and Spike with some of the books, then we are going to go hang out with some of her old friends. Talk to you later!"

"Be good son!" Toriel said, hanging up, unaware that now someone else was in the room.

"hey Toriel." The familiar voice said, still making Toriel eep out of her fur.

"Sans, will you stop that?! Why do you keep popping up out of nowhere?!"

Sans shrugged. "actually i was in the closet." He said shrugging even more.

Toriel sighed. "Great, I have a closet case in my ho-" She whacked her face with her hand. "OH I soooo walked into that one!"

Sans smiled. Though he was already smiling. "nah, i came outta that one." He said, pointing to the hall closet. "hey, gotta question for ya. you think doing things outta revenge or hate is the right thing to do?"

Toriel blinked. "What? Why do you ask?"

Sans made his empty eyesocket stare. He did it primarily to make a serious point. As he spoke, he actually followed punctuation standards. This was a serious sentence.

"I think you know what I mean Tori."

Tori. The way her name was said that way. She sighed and nodded. "No... it is wrong."

"then why are you in the competition?" Sans asked. "ya doing what you want to do in it, i hope?"

Toriel sighed. "Well... Octavia and Vinyl Scratch think I should sing my song, so I am going to do that. It is my best bet right?"

Sans shrugged. "heck if i know. i am just a judge alongside the princesses and Mettatin."

"Ton." Toriel said.

"2000 pounds." Sans said without a beat missed. "but joking aside your majesty, if the only reason you're singing is to beat the king, then you're doing the wrong thing for the wrong reason. you should focus on a talent you love and want to share with the world."

Toriel blinked. "I see what you mean... but I can't bake pies for the competition."

Sans placed a bony hand on her arm. "i don't mean that. what fills you with a burning passion? what sets your heart afire?" He smiled, winking. Toriel just stared.

Sans waited but no answer came. He sighed and chuckled. "eh, you'll figure it out if you follow your heart." He placed a hand on her chest. "listen to it." He smiled and opened the oven door. "well, gotta go." He said, climbing in. Toriel opened it... but Sans was gone.

"How DOES he do that?!"

The day of the talent show arrived and Toriel was nervous as all get out. She had rehearsed her song for some time but it still didn't sound right. As she went to practice one last time, she heard another singing voice...

We were searching for our place for awhile there,

Trying to find out where we fit in!

But when we failed those times before, we kept on trying more,

Cause the Cutie Mark Crusaders don't give in!

Now there's new faces here in our home,

And they need a Crusader's help too.

So just like the friends we got, there is now a whole new lot

And we'll show them all just what we can do!

We'll make our mark!

For Changlings and Monsters too!

We'll make our mark!

Do our best to see them through

To the ultimate reward, of a Cutie Mark!

Toriel blinked, following the source of the song, and saw three very familiar little fillies, working on an adaptation for their song, making it their own.

"Miss Toriel!" One said, a familiar alabaster filly with a musical note in a coat of arms for her cutie mark. "You wanna help with the next verse? You know it right?"

Toriel smiled. She did, the Crusaders had sung it in her room so many times before. But she had one better. She cleared her throat…

Toriel: I think now I see the true path before me.

I think I know now what to do.

You've helped me see that I must follow my heart.

And I just want to thank youuuuu...

Sweetie Belle: I'm so glad we have helped when you needed.

We want to show you the way.

Together: Because if at the very start, you just follow your heart,

You can help to make it a better, brighter day!

We'll make our mark!

And we'll let our talents shine,

We'll make our mark!

And it will be so divine!

To find the ultimate reward! Our Cutie Mark!

Toriel hugged the three phillies, smiling. "That was wonderful! There is no way my singing can compete with it. You three have the true talents, not me."

The orange brown coated one, Scootaloo, smiled. "I don't think so, you have a real talent too."

Apple Bloom, the custard coated pony with reddish mane smiled. "Yeah, and you add so much, your dancing and your skill with fire, you're amazing!"

Toriel smiled. "Well, when I hear a song I like, I dunno, I just cannot keep the passion inside, I have to let the flames of it come o..." She froze. "Girls! That's It! I know what my TRUE talent is! I gotta find Octavia and Vinyl right away!"

Sweetie Belle smiled and pointed a hoof towards one of the tents near the talent show stage. "I think they are over there."

Toriel hugged her one last time, and went to see them. Now she knew what she wanted to do!

Big Macintosh smiled as Asgore lifted another pony on his back, now up to 15. He was huffing some. He had to do it. Just one more.

"Big Mac, your turn at the top!" Asgore said, sweating. Big Mac nodded, grabbing a flag, climbing the upside down pyramid held up by Asgore, everyone staring in awe. Big Mac climbed steadily until he was at the center post part at the top, and held up a flag.

Asgore straightened out, legs buckling but his strength holding as he went to full height, giving a mighty yell. From the back, Undyne and Alphys wolf whistled and cheered at the sight. With help from the pegasi, the volunteer ponies were lifted off, one by one.

"OHHH! AMAZING DISPLAY OF SHEER BRAWN YOUR HIGHNESS! ONCE AGAIN, KING ASGORE AND HIS TALENT OF UNYIELDING STRENGTH, WITH BIG MAC AND HIS SKILL OF CLIMBING AND TOSSING PONIES!" The audience cheered as MC extraordinaire, Mettaton, placed a huge smiley face on his... um... face... and rolled aside to let the slightly winded but proud king walk by. As he did, he saw Toriel.

"Tori..." He started, but Toriel shushed him.

"I still hate what you did." She said... then smiled. "But you know, you did good out there."

Asgore smiled. "Thanks. But the goal was really 30 ponies. Ah well. In any case, I wanna see what you can do Tori."

Toriel gave a little wink. "I think you will like it." She stepped out on stage, nodding as below appeared Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, instruments ready. Toriel stood on the stage, breathing deep.

It was time to show the world her passion.

The two ponies began to play a melancholy tune filled with passion, the passion of a mother whose heart was breaking, the passion of a mother who could not stand the thought of her child about to face the underground alone.

Heartache.

As the music picked up, her hands lit up with fire. She began to twirl the flames about her in a dance, spinning and leaping, trying not to cry as she recalled the last time she had heard this tone, the source of her passion as a mother.

That day in the underground, when she forced Frisk to prove himself. And he had, not fighting, letting his love shine through.

Toriel recalled this, shooting fire into the air, making the audience awe as they saw it explode like fireworks, guided perfectly through the audience and around them, not touching a one, each flame guided by her magic, each motion like a dance within a dance. All the while Octavia and Vinyl played their hearts out on the instruments, gritting their teeth, eyes filled with tears as their music filled the audience with feelings of awe, sorrow, and hope.

This was her passion. The burning desire inside her. The dance. The dance that changed everything for her, for the underground, for everyone. Frisk's Dance.

With every move the story seemed to play out for those watching, Frisk especially in awe of his mom as he watched it, recalling that last, loving hug. Asriel was unable to keep from crying, it was so beautiful.

And as the music ended, everyone in the audience was on their hooves, stamping and clapping, Toriel exhausted but smiling with a tear in her eyes. She saw Frisk and smiled.

Her children gave her the talent she had. And the happiness she felt, from the time she was one herself, could only come out in the form of her flames and in her dance.

She looked to the two musicians, who smiled, Vinyl sobbing while Octavia bowed.

"That was beautiful." Was all she said. And it was a thought shared by Asgore as he watched from backstage. That was the Tori he remembered.

He also could not stop crying.

As the show ended, Toriel went to the crusaders, hugging them again. "Thank you, little ones. Without you I might not have realized the truth. Music is a love of mine, like my kids or my baking. But when I hear it, I have to let the feelings it gives me out. I have to dance. Even if I have to fight with the music in my mind I cannot keep from making it a dance."

Sweetie Belle hmmmed. "You mean like that spider lady?"

Toriel went wide eyed. "Oh my... your right! I guess I never made the comparison, hehehe" She smiled and hugged again, unaware that Muffet had watched and, like everyone else, was in awe."

"OK, BEAUTIES AND GENTLEBEAUTIES! IT SEEMS THE JUDGES HAVE MADE THEIR DECISIONS! BEFORE PRESENTING THE GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST IN SHOW, WE HAVE PRIZES FOR OUTSTANDING TALENT!" Mettaton first held up an award with a musical note on it. "FOR BEST MUSICAL TALENT... THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"

Sweetie Belle gasped. "We... we won?!"

Toriel just beamed as she watched the three walk to the stage and collect their prize. Mettaton them picked up one with a pair of Groucho Marx glasses.

"FOR BEST COMICAL PERFORMANCE... OH MY, THIS IS BORDERLINE AGAINST THE RULES, BUT I THINK WE ALL AGREE! PAPYRUS!"

Everyone chuckled as Papyrus came up with...

...a dusty tutu.

"SANS... YOU ARE SO DEAD FOR THIS ONE."

"oh relax bro, at least that was the best Nutcracker."

"SWEET!" Everyone laughed as Papyrus walked into that one. "*SIGH*. WHYYYY MUST I TRY SO HARD FOR APPRECIATION..."

Mettaton then lifted the next trophy.

"FOR SHEER AND UTTER PHYSICAL TALENT... BIG MACINTOSH AND KING FLUFFYBUNS!"

Asgore blushed some as everyone laughed at his nickname, the two stepping forward to take the barbell trophy. Mettaton now lifted the final one.

"AND NOW, THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... THE BEST IN SHOW, THE TOP TALENT, PONYVILLE'S PERFECT PERFORMING PRESENCE! AND THE WINNER IS... TORIEL DREEMURR!"

Toriel was wide eyed as she stepped forward, everyone again giving a standing ovation complete with cheers, claps, wolf whistles, and shouts for a speech. But Toriel could only say one thing, something which, in many opinions, is the moral of this story.

"True talent is not about something your good at, or even something you love to do. Talent is, in many ways, something you are good at loving."

Well said Toriel. Well said.

THE END

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...Asriel breaks the fourth wall and smiles.

"Wasn't that an awesome talent show? Who knew mom could dance like that! And the way she could move the fire... amazing!

"Hey! You liking the series so far? Have ideas for Misterebony or NGrey651? Comment below! But... no killing okay? Please?

...

...

..."Well... that's it this time. See you in the next episode!"

[pinkevilbobdoesthings]

So I have a couple of ideas for some fics, but I don't really know which one I want to do as a long fic, so I just going to do a few one shots and see which ones I have fun with and what people like. Please let me know if you enjoy this one and if you'd like to see more in this verse.

Anyways here’s my crash landed alien stuck on 1950′s earth AU “Science Fiction Double Feature”.

_____________________________________

It was a quiet night at the Widogast farm. Caleb was reading and Nott was in her attic room up to who knew what but it was quiet so Caleb wasn’t going to complain. A loud rumble CRACK from outside interrupted the silence and made Caleb jump. He got up with a groan. It was probably just thunder and lightning, but he needed to check just in case anyways. Smoke billowed out from one of his fields. Swearing, Caleb threw on his coat to go see the damage. "If it's going to lighting and ruin my field, the least the weather could do is pay me in rain," Caleb grumbled.

As he got outside, Nott poked her head out of the attic's window. "Are you alright? I saw a meteor crashing down."

"I'm going to check it out," Caleb said. "Hopefully it didn't take out too much of the wheat."

"Need me to come along?" Nott asked.

Caleb shook his head. "Not yet. I just want to get a look at it first. You stay in where it’s warm"

"Alright. But if you ain't back in 20 minutes, I'm getting the neighbors," Nott siad.

Caleb smiled and shook his head. "I'll be fine, but thank you." He climbed into his little truck and drove out to the fields. Half a mile away from his house he pulled up to the field the smoke was billowing from. A long ditch nearly as deep as he was tall dug half way through the field. Small fires peppered the edge of it, but they weren't too bad and were already burning themselves out.

Cautiously, Caleb approached the ditch and instead of seeing a meteor at the end of it there was a big metal contraption. It looked like something he saw at the cinemas with Nott. He half expected to see some big ugly Martian to come out of it, but it remained closed. The contraption was sleek and green. There were no openings and yet it still spewed out smoke. Caleb sighed at the thing. How was he going to get rid of it? If he was lucky he could sell it for scrap and make up the loss for the crop, but that would take getting it out. His neighbors were nice enough folk and hard workers, so he might be able to get their help.

A loud scraping sound came from the thing and a hole opened from the side of it and something poked its head out of it. Caleb let out a gasp. The movies were wrong, they got aliens all wrong. It had horns like a sheep emerging from its blue head but eyes like a bug with no other facial features. A silvery dress was draped over it and left little to the imagination of how strong and powerful it was.

Caleb collapsed backwards and tried to get away from it, but he fell into the ditch instead. Pain exploded in his leg and he looked down to see it was bending the wrong way. The creature gracefully climbed out of the green contraption. It pressed its hand against the contraption and the thing shrink down to the size of an egg. With a spin, the creature jumped down into the ditch and approached Caleb.

Terror filled every part of Caleb’s being and he could not move away. He held up his hand. “Please, don’t.” But that did not stop the creature. It knelt down in front of Caleb and grabbed his hand and intertwined its three fingers with his four. Caleb blinked and then it had four fingers.

The creature had changed. It was no longer an it, but a girl with a bright smile and brighter fangs. She was still blue but much closer to human looking. Her horns were smaller but still there now poking out of fluffy blue hair. Swishing behind her was a thin, long tail. The silver dress was no longer draping, but instead a shorter, puffier, silver dress that was closer to what was in fashion or at least Caleb thought it was in fashion. Caleb still found her intimidating, but except for the color, horns, and a tail, she looked a like a cute, chubby girl.

“Hi,” she said, “I’m Jester. I really like your planet.” Caleb just blinked at her. “Are you mute? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Caleb managed to say and then he winced in pain.

Jester looked down at his leg. “It’s not supposed to go like that is it? Here’ I’ll fix it.” Before Caleb could protest, Jester grabbed his leg and straightened it. He screamed out in pain and then all at once it felt better. Her hands glowed around his leg, and she smiled at him. “Does it feel better now?”

Caleb nodded dumbfounded. “Yes, how did you do that?”

“The Traveler has granted me many gifts,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Can you get up?”

Caleb tested his leg and it held him. “Yes. Thank you. What are you?”

“Well, I like to think that I’m very pretty,” Jester said with a dramatic pose.

Caleb laughed despite himself and then sobered. “You’re an alien, aren’t you?”

Jester frowned. “Is that a problem?”

“I … don’t know.” He was in way over his head and should probably call the government, but she seemed harmless and not like the aliens that ate brains in the movies. And she did heal him. “I should be going.”

“How come? Where? Is it far?” Jester asked letting loose a torrent of questions.

“I gotta go home. If I don’t get back soon, Nott’s going to worry about me,” Caleb said. He head to his truck and Jester followed him. “Don’t you have somewhere to go?”

Jester bit her lip and shook her head. “My ship’s all busted and you’re the only one I know here. So, I kinda got nowhere to go.”

Caleb sighed. He had the distinct feeling that he was going to regret what he was about to do, but there was no helping it. “Fine, but only for tonight. Then you’re on your own.”

“Okay,” Jester said. She didn’t seem disappointed by his answer, but she was very odd so he couldn’t quite get a read on her.

“Come along then,” Caleb said heading back to his truck. Jester examined it with confusion. He opened the passenger door for her. “Climb inside.”

Jester frowned at it. “We don’t have anything like this on my planet.”

“Just think of it as a crappy spaceship.”

Jester smiled at him as he got into the driver’s side of the truck. If he wasn’t careful, he could get used to that smile. “Alright. Oh, oh.” She looked at him startled. “I don’t know your name.”

“Caleb Widogast. You crashed in my farm.” Caleb turned on the truck and headed back to his house.

“Oh, sorry Caleb Widogast,” Jester said. “You have a very nice name.”

Caleb could feel his face begin to turn red. “Thanks. You can just call me Caleb.”

“Okay, Caleb.” And there was that smile again.

Jester spent the ride asking Caleb all sorts of questions ranging from how his truck worked to what kind of plants he grew. He was glad when they finally pulled up to the farmhouse. “I’m going to have you hide in here for now, and once the coast is clear, I’ll bring you inside.”

“Why do I need to hide?” Jester asked.

“You’re not very human looking and that might scare people,” Caleb said. “Just lie down, and I’ll get you when it’s safe.”

Jester grumbled, but she obediently scrunched down so she couldn’t be seen.

Nott came out of the house and ran to the truck. “There you are, Caleb. I was about to call the Clays to go check on you.”

“I’m fine,” Caleb said with a tired smile as he got out of the truck. “About half that field is useless, but the other fields are fine, so we should be good this year.” He also had a sizable nest egg saved up, so even if this year’s crop failed, he wouldn’t be losing the farm.

“That’s a relief,” Nott said. She got up on her tiptoes and looked into the truck. “Who you hiding there?”

Caleb froze. “Hiding somebody? What makes you think I’m hiding someone?”

“Caleb,” Nott said flatly, “I can see her skirt. You’re a grown man; you don’t have to hide your sweethearts from me.”

“It’s nothing like that,” Caleb said with a squeak. “Really, just go inside.”

Nott sighed. “Caleb, I thought you trusted me.”

“I do, I do. This is just very complicated,” Caleb said.

“Can I come out now? It’s very stuffy down here.” Jester sat up showing Nott how very alien she was.

Nott’s eyes grew wide. “What? What is she?”

“Very complicated. Let’s just get inside before anyone else sees anything.” Caleb rubbed his temples with a sigh. It was going to be a long night.

Jester cheerfully went into the farmhouse looking all about it. Caleb was not one for decorating, so most of the little knick-knacks and pictures on the wall were Nott’s doing. “This is very cute. Are all houses here like this?”

Caleb shrugged. “Some are, some aren’t.”

Nott grabbed Caleb’s arm and pulled him aside. “What is she? What is she doing here?”

“From what I can tell she’s an alien and her spaceship is what took out the field. She needs a place to stay, so she’s staying here for the night and after that she’s on her own,” Caleb said.

Nott frowned and watched Jester as her tail swished back and forth. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Not really,” Caleb said. Something crashed and he turned to see a glass broken on the floor around Jester.

“Your thing jumped off the counter. It was super weird and I had nothing to do with it,” Jester said looking a little guilty.

Nott stared at Caleb. “She wouldn’t make it on her own and you know it.”

Caleb sighed wearily. “I know. But I can’t have her staying here.”

“I’ll go get the dustpan,” Nott said. “And you get rid of your denial.”

Caleb rubbed the back of his neck and went over to Jester. He didn’t notice until then that she was barefooted. “Careful,” he said, “you don’t want to get cut.”

“I can heal it easy,” Jester said with a dismissive wave.

“That doesn’t mean you should let yourself get hurt. Here.” He took her hands and carefully led her away from the glass.

Jester looked at him with a wide eyed awe. Caleb blushed and looked away. “Look,” Caleb said, “I know I told you that you could only stay for the night, but since you really don’t have anywhere else, you can stay here. You know, for now, until you find a way home or wherever you’re going.” He hazarded another glance at her and saw that same look of admiration.

“Oh, Caleb!” She picked him up in a tight hug. “Thank you!”

It was soft in her embrace and while he wasn’t a hugger, Caleb didn’t hate it. He patted her softly on the back. “You’re welcome. Stay as long as you like.” And he meant it. Caleb, who only allowed one person into his life, Nott, wanted her to stay. Alien girls worked in mysterious ways.

[ghouliday-music]

To Save Those Who Can’t Be Saved Chapter 6

Beginning

<– Previous

So I’d uploaded this to my AO3 account some time ago, but I was so self-conscious about the quality of this chapter that I was too anxious to post it to Tumblr immediately. And then I sort of forgot to do it at all. I apologize for that, but without further ado I present the sixth chapter of “To Save Those Who Can’t Be Saved.”

To Save Those Who Can’t Be Saved

AO3

Work Summary: Frisk, Asriel, and Chara go back to Waterfall to solve the mystery of the lone statue sitting deserted in its halls. Along the way, they uncover more questions than answers, and find themselves forced to face their greatest faults and failures.

Chapter 6: Something Weird in Waterfall

Chapter Summary: In which a chat with Undyne and assistance from Alphys brings up the discussion of vanishing acts, and what started out as a mere mystery snowballs into something more serious.

Rating: T

Warnings: Food mention

Characters: Frisk, Asriel, Chara, Alphys, Undyne, Asgore, Toriel

“You burn down your house once, and no one ever lets you live it down,” Undyne said as she sat at the dinner table, her arms crossed and face set in a glower.

Alphys reached over to pat her hand, which caused Undyne’s face to soften. Chara knew that expression; they had seen Asgore and Toriel regard each other in that way before their plan had ruined everything. “Uh, well, it was kind of memorable?” Alphys gave Undyne a small smile.

Frisk giggled, their face aglow with undiluted mischief. “It was.”

Undyne turned to face them and pointed a finger toward them in exaggerated accusation. “I wouldn’t say anything if I was you, punk! I wasn’t the one in charge of the stove!”

Not that it would have mattered, Chara knew. They had the vaguest hint of a memory of Frisk’s hand hovering indecisively over a knob on the oven, the smell of gas, fire, and burning dry noodles, and a blue and scaly hand all but slapping theirs away. It was one of the events of which Frisk could never alter the outcome, no matter how much they tried. If they visited Undyne on Papyrus’s request, her house would become victim to her cooking lesson.

“I promise I trust you not to repeat the mistake,” Asgore said as he ushered Asriel out of the kitchen and to the table. “However, you are both guests, and it would be rude to make you assist in making a meal.”

“It ain’t like you’re making us scrub the floors, big guy!” Undyne tried to put Asgore in a headlock of friendship, despite the fact that he was more than a few heads taller than her.

Asgore staggered slightly from the gesture, but stayed on his feet. An impressive feat. Despite that, he stood there and let her noogie his hair, nearly knocking the crown off his head and looking unsure of what to do in response.

“And, uh, helping out would be the least we could do for inviting us over for dinner,” Alphys said as she tapped her claws against the table.

“Not to mention that it’s a tradition of bonding and teamwork!” Undyne bellowed this with as much enthusiasm as when her favorite ship in her favorite anime had been confirmed.

“That is very true,” Asgore said as he gently freed himself from the headlock and took a seat, “but you have both done so much for myself and the Kingdom of Monsters. Undyne, you have served us all well as head of the Royal Guard, and you continue to aid as head of the New Royal Guard.”

Not that hard to do, in Chara’s opinion; monsters always were better behaved than humans.

Asgore turned to Alphys. “And Alphys, your work as Royal Scientist saved lives of monsters we thought could not be helped, and your current project will certainly help future monsters with accessing knowledge. And that is not even mentioning your assistance with my social media.”

Alphys chuckled weakly, her scales starting to tinge themselves red. “N–no need to thank me.”

Considering that all Asgore ever really posted were updates along the lines of “Perfect weather for a game of catch,” “The birdsong in my garden is quite lovely this morning,” or the perennial favorite of meme creators, “Nice day today!” Chara was inclined to agree with Alphys.

They still favorited all his posts.

“Speaking of helping,” Frisk jumped in, shifting closer to the edge of their seat, “Azzy, Chara, and I were wondering if you could help us.”

Chara reached over to grab their cup of tea. Whatever Undyne’s and Alphys’s responses were, they wanted to brace themself, and one such as them could not brace themself without a sip of chocolate tea.

“Of course we’ll help, punks!” Undyne’s fist met table surface with a thud so loud Chara could feel the impact in their chest. They became very glad they had picked up their teacup, as everyone else’s drinks had sloshed over their cups’ sides and into the saucers in which they nestled. She gave everyone at the table as apologetic a smile she could muster before continuing, “So, let’s hear that question!”

Frisk nodded and leaned forward. “Has anything weird happened in Waterfall?”

In retrospect, Chara should not have been surprised. The strange monster child’s appearance, disappearance, and reset-proof memories had been weighing on them, as was the current failure of locating them. However, Chara had still been slightly expecting them to have asked the question about the statue first. Chara glanced at Asriel and saw that he was staring at them with a shocked expression.

Undyne snorted. “Kid, you’re going to have to be a he–” her gaze flickered toward Asgore–“heck of a lot more specific. I could tell you all about the time everyone was terrified of a strange echoing noise coming from some out of the way corner of the place, only for me to find it was just Napstablook playing their tunes a little too loud.”

Frisk’s mouth turned up in a small smile, but their intense trepidation and curiosity returned swiftly. “Well, something weird happened when we went to Waterfall a few days ago. I saw this strange kid. They looked kind of like Munsta, but they were all gray and white. Like, no color to them at all. And they had these big pupil-less eyes. And they were missing a spike on the back of their head.”

Undyne blinked and exchanged a look with Alphys.

“They were panicking, and I don’t think they heard what I was saying very well.” Frisk set their teacup back down before wrapping their fingers around the edges of their seat. “They wanted me to forget them. But when I turned around for three seconds, they disappeared.”

“That must have concerned you quite a lot,” Asgore said. He looked very much like he wanted to give them a hug, but dared not for fear that he would do more harm than good.

“Y–Yeah!” Alphys fiddled with her glasses in a vain but commendable attempt to keep them from sliding halfway down her nose.

Undyne crossed her arms, and she frowned at her teacup as if it had been personally responsible for Frisk’s fright. “Yeah, that sounds weird all right,” she said. She looked up and smiled, although with how tense she looked she seemed more like she was baring her fangs at them. “I haven’t heard anything about missing children, but I’ll keep my eye out for them! And have a word with them about not scaring my bestie!”

Frisk shook their head so fast Chara idly wondered if it had given them a headache. “I don’t think they meant to scare me.” They spoke so quickly Chara had barely been able to understand them. “You don’t have to say anything to them.”

Undyne opened her mouth, and Chara could see Asriel tense.

Fortunately, Frisk jumped in, perhaps sensing that Undyne might not necessarily change her mind. “We have another question about Waterfall we’ve been wanting to ask you, too.” They nodded over at Asriel.

His ears twitched and he moved as if to point at his own chest. “Oh! Uh, we were wondering if any of you knew anything about the Waterfall statue?” His grin was quite wide and forced. Asgore frowned at seeing it, or perhaps from the question, but Alphys and Undyne did not outwardly react beyond confusion.

“That statue’s always been there!” Undyne said, shrugging. “That’s why it was perfect for the puzzle I made!”

“And, uh, no one knows who exactly made it?” Alphys giggled, sounding embarrassed, and gave a shrug that looked almost painful from how tense it was. “I remember digging through some old reports, and, well, nothing useful came up?” She fixed her glasses again, the gesture almost as much a nervous tic as it was to see more clearly. “But I remember coming across some old articles and interviews and stuff about it while uploading files to the database. I–I’m sure some other volunteers came across things like that too.” She fixed the collar of her T-shirt, a bright pink baggy garment depicting a catlike humanoid with something written in Japanese with a cheerful, garishly colored print. “I’ll see if I can send over some of the most helpful.”

Frisk grinned. “Thanks, Alphys! You’re the best!”

Chara nodded. “Thank you for your assistance.” They hid their amusement as Alphys’s scales, from face to tail, started to tinge red as she grew flustered at the genuine expressions of gratitude.

“You got that right!” Undyne patted Alphys’s shoulder with all the heartiness that she could muster, which was more than anyone else that Chara knew. And then she leaned over and planted an enthusiastic kiss upon her cheek.

If Alphys had been blushing before, then she had taken it to the next level. Her scales grew from red-tinged to completely scarlet, and she was babbling with an expression between anxious and blissful. She was truly the textbook example of love-struck.

A giggle broke out, and suddenly Undyne was mock-glaring across the table. “What are you laughing at, punk?”

Frisk raised their hand over their mouth, eyes shining from how cute they had found the scene. “Nothing.”

Undyne grinned and pretended to roll up sleeves she did not have. “Well, I guess I can beat you up for nothing, then!”

“Please do not beat up my children,” Asgore muttered, right as Frisk burst up from their chair and sprinted away, followed by a blue blur giving off Undyne’s trademark “Fuhuhu!” laugh. “And please do not run in the house.”

His request went unheard by the two main culprits.

True to her word, Alphys had sent over several digital documents to their phones the moment she could. So rather than spend their Monday night playing a video game together, or just discussing the events of school, Chara and their siblings spent it cozied up in Chara’s room, reading through each article.

Chara let their eyes skim the text. It was, truthfully, quite dull. The authors used a multitude of long and eloquent words to impart the fact that they had nothing new to report regarding the subject matter. Everything they had to say, Chara and their siblings had already learned. The statue had been made and placed a great deal of time before the exodus to New Home; the few outlying monsters that had settled elsewhere claimed to have no idea of its creator’s identity or motives; it played music when the “rain” pouring on its head was partially diverted onto the structures surrounding its base.

They glanced at Asriel. He looked bored as well, but his brow was creased and his upper left fang worried at his lower lip. He was determined to get through this, despite the boredom.

And Frisk?

Frisk was continuously highlighting and defining words, still struggling through the first text they’d volunteered to read.

Chara felt a wave of pity for them. While Chara’s talents in reading, arithmetic, and other such subjects had made their life before falling underground miserable, it at least had come in handy for the times they had needed to research. Frisk did not have the same skillsets, however. While reading old textbooks borrowed from Alphys had been instrumental in Frisk getting the idea for how to restore their siblings’ souls and original forms, Chara had helped define the longer words and simplify what they read. Now, without that assistance, they struggled.

But if there was one thing Chara knew about their sibling, it was that they were stubborn, more stubborn than they could ever hope to be. Even if Chara had offered to help them, they would refuse it to prove that they could do it themself. They had sunk their teeth into this challenge, and now they would refuse to let go.

It was a trait that Chara both envied and feared.

Before Chara could continue reading their own article, a soft rapping on the door caught their attention. They looked to see Toriel looking into the room, an expression of tentative concern on her face.

“I apologize for interrupting,” she said in a voice both apologetic and firm, “but I just wished to let you know that bedtime is in half an hour.”

Asriel glanced at the clock that sat perfectly on the center of Chara’s bedside table. “Huh,” he said, and stretched. Chara almost winced as they heard the popping of vertebrae that accompanied the motion. “I guess we lost track of time there.”

“Indeed,” Toriel laughed and shook her head with a gentle fondness. “You have been at those articles for hours. Have you been taking breaks to move around?”

Chara was sure the silence emanating from all three of them answered her question better than any words.

Her kindly expression melted into one of motherly sternness. “Perhaps you ought to take a break for the night and do so?” She shook her head and stepped back into the hallway.

“We shall, Mother.” Chara made a point of putting their own cellphone into its sleep mode and standing up.

As Toriel moved away, Chara realized that while Asriel was standing and stretching with his phone now resting on Chara’s desk, Frisk had made no moves to get off the carpeted floor, their fingernail still tapping away at the screen.

“Frisk, Mother said it is time to put the research away and act as if we are not Sans.” Chara made sure their voice was stern.

Frisk said nothing.

Asriel stopped stretching and poked Frisk’s shoulder. “Frisk?”

The moment his claw prodded their skin, Frisk twitched in surprise, their phone landing some feet away. On their behalf, Chara felt grateful that the carpet was thick enough to protect it against damage.

“Azzy, what’d you do that for?” Frisk scowled at him, and Chara could see him take a step back, his concerned expression now one of guilt.

“Did you not hear Mother when she told us to stand up and move?” Frisk’s gaze moved away from Asriel, who gave them a weak, guilty smile of gratitude.

Frisk frowned and dug the heel of their palm below their eyesocket. “Mom was here?”

Asriel tilted his head, looking for all the world like a curious hound, if hounds had white fur and the barest hint of budding horns. “Uh, yeah? She just left, actually.”

Still, Frisk blinked between the two of them as if concerned that they were playing some kind of prank on them, or maybe concerned that they were hallucinating mothers where there were none. Finally, they sighed and stood up, picking the phone up as they went. But as they paced around the room at a rate so slow Chara had seen faster snails, they made no effort to darken their phone screen. Instead, they read as they paced.

Well, Chara could not fault them for following Toriel’s instruction to the letter, if not the spirit.

Asriel left the room, saying something about going to water the plants in his room, leaving Chara with Frisk. And Chara found themself in the strange predicament of not knowing what to say to them.

While most memories from their and Frisk’s true resets were faded, between the two they had managed to put together enough to know that Chara was not the quietest of people. Even before the events that allowed them to regain full consciousness, Frisk had recalled having the occasional thought that had not belonged to them.

And when they did recover their full consciousness, they had not been a passive spectator, but rather a constant narrator to Frisk’s travels through the Underground. There had hardly been a moment that they did not have a comment to impart, or a pun to tell. It was not as if they could go elsewhere and do something else, after all.

But a realization that had struck them not long ago, combined with the stress of the situation, had left them nothing to say to their sibling. To the person to whom they owed their current existence, and the one who might very well be the one to take it away.

Chara’s attention was caught again as Frisk paused in the middle of their pacing, their finger hovering over their phone’s screen. They stared at whatever passage had caught their attention, holding the phone as if it held the answers to all of their problems.

“I assume you found something?” Chara asked. They would be lying if they, too, had had their interest peaked at the thought of the possibility of something new coming to light. It would certainly alleviate the boredom of reading dry texts that repeated the same information to them ad nauseum.

Frisk did not reply, instead staring at the phrase at the screen, the corners of their mouth lifting farther up into a disbelieving smile. Chara could almost swear that they were starting to vibrate in place like a Temmie upon seeing Temmie flakes.

Yes, it was time to get their brother.

They left Frisk in their room and went to Asriel’s, just next door. They rapped on the doorframe before clasping their hands behind their back and waiting for the response.

Chara heard the sound of a book closing, a soft but solid thunk. “Uh, yeah? You can come in.”

Invitation received, Chara entered Asriel’s room. A leaf from his Chinese evergreen tickled their skin as they passed the doorway; they noted that Asriel would need to trim it soon.

“Hey, Chara. What’s up?” Asriel slid a small journal into a drawer of his desk before turning it around.

Chara inclined their head. “I am sorry for interrupting you, Asriel, but I think Frisk has found something interesting.”

Asriel’s eyes almost turned a brighter shade of red as he perked up in his seat. “Gosh, really?”

As if on cue, Frisk’s voice bled through the walls. “Chara, Azzy? Where are you?”

Chara shook their head. “We are in Asriel’s room.”

Their reply received a flurry of excited footsteps in reply, followed by Frisk barging into Asriel’s room. As they dashed inside, a leaf that protruded from the evergreen plant snagged on their body and tore off the stem. It fluttered the ground, twisting and turning as if protesting its fate.

Frisk did not seem to notice. They were waving their phone in Chara’s face as they all but danced on the spot, chanting, “Look! Look! Look!”

Chara turned their gaze from the white blur that was the phone screen to their sibling’s face. “I would, if you held the phone still.”

Frisk decided to forgo that, and thrust the phone into Chara’s hands instead. Their finger obscured part of their vision as Frisk pointed at a few paragraphs at the top of the screen.

“These, here.” They tapped rapidly on the text, highlighting the word “the” and bringing up the options menu.

Chara tapped the blank space to the side of the text to dismiss said menu. “Thank you,” they said, biting back the sarcastic retort that was their first impulse.

As Chara began to read the text, they heard Asriel’s chair wobble as he left it to read over their shoulder. Asriel would not have missed out on much from skipping this file, however; asfar as Chara could tell, it was the tail end of an interview with a resident of Waterfall.

They felt their spirits dampen. At first glance, it did not seem to confirm anything they did not know about the statue.

“Uh, it’s great you finished the text, Frisk, but what did you find?” Asriel sounded slightly crestfallen.

“Did you get to the conclusion yet?” Frisk’s eyebrows rose higher than they had already been raised.

Chara scrolled down slightly on the text until a good part of the next paragraph had been revealed.

As they skimmed the text, Asriel read the words aloud. “‘The researchers could gather no more information from the interviewee, as they had disappeared with the utmost speed while they were distracted.’” His furrowed brow lifted and he met Frisk’s gaze with wide eyes. “Disappeared?”

Frisk nodded. “Like that kid in Waterfall!”

Chara suddenly felt the lateness of the evening weighing down on them. However, they would not leave their brother to let them down on his own.

“Frisk, we do not know for sure that the ‘disappearing’ the interviewee did was the same as the disappearing the child did.” Chara rubbed the heel of their palm into their cheekbone, trying to wipe away the sudden onset of exhaustion. “We do not know that Sans is the only monster with ‘shortcuts,’ after all.”

Frisk frowned, and then turned to Asriel. “Is he?”

Asriel shrugged. “I’ve never seen anyone else with that ability. What monster did they interview?”

Frisk’s eyes darted to the side as they seemingly thought back. “Uh, some sort of clam monster.”

Asriel hummed as he cast his thoughts back into what he knew of the Underground’s residents. “There’s no clam monster who lives in Waterfall. Hotland and New Home, yes, but never in Waterfall.”

Frisk shrugged. “Maybe one used to live there before?”

Asriel shrugged. “No, not one.”

And if Asriel was confident that there were no clam monsters who lived in Waterfall, past or present, then Chara believed him.

Frisk seemed convinced, as they wrinkled their nose in confusion. “Maybe they’re like that strange disappearing kid. Someone can’t be in trouble without people remembering!”

Chara shook their head. “We do not even know if this clam monster in the interview is in distress. Does the interview say they were?”

Frisk hesitated. “Not that I remember.”

“And, uh, even if this clam monster was like the kid you met,” Asriel continued, fidgeting and not meeting their eyes, “what exactly would this do to help them?”

Frisk huffed, raking their fingers down their hair. “I don’t know, but apparently no one’s even been able to find out who they are. If there are other monsters who can disappear…” They shook their head. “I don’t know. But we can’t just sit here and hope that someone else will help them.”

Well, Chara should have seen this coming. Frisk had felt responsibility for helping everyone, especially monsters, from the moment they realized there were two potential siblings they felt needed saving.

And while last time Frisk had proven capable of helping restore their lost bodies and souls, that was no guarantee that they would be able to do anything about the missing kid, or any other missing monsters out in the Underground.

But if Chara told Frisk this outright, they would not listen. Therefore, they had to lead them to their own conclusion.

“So then, if you are so determined that you alone can save them, then what is your plan?” There were no books with helpful information for them to turn to this time. Nothing on magic or soul theory could help them here, especially not without Chara or Asriel absorbing seven human souls to gain the necessary power to put it into practice.

The question brought Frisk to a halt. They averted their gaze, staring out the window over Asriel’s bed, a soft glow from a magical crystal streetlamp faintly visible through the curtains. “I don’t know yet.” Despite the softness of the voice, they sounded no less swayed out of their conviction. “But I have to try.” They bit their bottom lip. “Perhaps we could go down to Waterfall again and see if we can find the kid again, or another of these disappearing monsters?”

Chara let an eyebrow raise. “Even if there are more of these monsters as you theorize, how would you find them? You found the child by chance, not design, both times.”

Frisk shrugged. They still were looking at anything but them or Asriel. “I don’t know.”

“And if you could convince Mother could take you back down there, it would not be for months. Between our classes at school, her career, upcoming events you shall be required at… Obligations that require your undivided attention. Let those whose job it is to track down monsters in distress handle this. The child is certainly not going to be aided sooner by your neglect of the rest of the kingdom.”

Frisk hunched their shoulders and stared at their feet, and for a moment Chara braced themself for a bitter rebuttal.

Then Toriel came back into the room. “Is everything all right?” she asked, whatever she’d had to say before taking back burner.

Frisk turned around, the frustration wiping from their features like water off of a pane of glass. “Yeah, Mom, everything’s fine!”

It was almost as if seeing themself or Asriel put on a cheerful façade. Chara would have been impressed, had they not experience with hiding their own emotions for the sake of their family, and knowledge that Asriel did the same.

Toriel did not seem convinced, but she did not seem inclined to press the matter. “It is about the time that you should all prepare for bedtime,” she said, her gaze still panning across all her children as if searching for clues for what had happened before her entrance.

Finally, she convinced herself that all was well and left the doorway.

“Are you really all right?” The way that Asriel squinted at them as he asked his question made Chara think that he didn’t think so.

Frisk turned and smiled at him. “I guess so.” They gave Asriel and Chara a short wave. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Yes, Chara expected so. And maybe next time, they would press their own questions about how far Frisk was willing to go to give everyone a happy ending they deemed fit.

“Good night, then.” Asriel returned the wave as Frisk took back their phone from Chara. With his face creased with concern, he looked like he was uncertain whether or not to leave the conversation for another day or to continue hounding them until they realized that they were not responsible for solving everyone’s woes.

Frisk turned, and for the first time noticed the leaf on the ground.

“Oh, what happened to your plant?” They picked up the leaf, turning it over in their fingers. “Is it sick?”

“No, not really.” Asriel shrugged.

Chara tilted their head as they regarded Frisk’s reactions, wishing that, like their brother, they had many resets’ worth of learning to read familiar people as if all their thoughts were laid out on a blackboard in front of them. “It merely had a mishap with a body moving at great speed.”

Frisk shoulder’s hunch as they realized the events at which they were hinting. “Oh, I’m sorry, Azzy. I shouldn’t have run in here like that.”

Asriel shrugged. “You don’t have to apologize, Frisk. I really should’ve trimmed it back a few days ago. Guess I know what I’ll be doing tomorrow.”

Frisk still looked guilty as they let it fall into the waste bin beside Asriel’s desk. After one last good night to both their siblings, Frisk left the room, glancing at their phone screen.

“What about you, Chara?” Asriel asked once the door to Frisk’s room clicked shut. “Are you okay?”

Chara nodded. “I expect I shall be.”

Asriel frowned and clasped his hands together, looking like the world’s most worried therapist. “That isn’t all right now.”

They never could hide their concerns from their brother.

Asriel lifted a hand to scratch at his ear before returning to holding his own hand. “Listen, uh, I know you’re kind of upset at Frisk for something. Well, something different than this whole Waterfall thing.” He laughed, sounding more anxious than amused. Chara was sure he caught the wince they hid, because he stopped the moment they stifled the impulse. “But, well, you could always tell me. Or tell Frisk. Just don’t bottle stuff up like you always do and beat yourself up about it.”

Quite the words for him to say. He always buried the feelings that he deemed not “soft” enough, emotions like anger, and jealousy, and bitterness. Emotions that reminded him of himself in the past, when he had lost his soul.

Emotions he had to fear now, thanks to Chara.

They had let Asriel deal enough with their own issues.

And perhaps they would not confront Frisk with their own issues, their own insecurities and doubts. It would be hypocritical for them to confront their sibling about flaws that ended up making multitudes of monsters happy, when their own failings had brought them to misery.

Instead, they shrugged. “I shall think about it.”

Asriel frowned, and Chara knew he knew that their mind had already been set on its course. But he allowed them to leave with a sorrowful good night.

As Chara went to change into their sleepwear, they could not help but wonder what they could do to stop their family worrying over them for no reason.

“Chara, wake up, please.”

The soft, but urgent voice, and the gentle shaking of their shoulder woke Chara from their slumber. They peeled open their eyelids, which felt swollen from drowsiness, and saw a pale blur in the darkness.

“Mother?” They sat up, gently lifting back a corner of their blankets in preparation to get out of their bed. “What is wrong?” There had to be something important for Toriel to wake them during what could only be the middle of the night, or the early hours before dawn.

Indeed, in the dark room where the only light filtered in from the hallway, she looked on the verge of panic. “Chara, have you seen Frisk?”

Chara felt themself tense. “Not since bedtime last night.” They caught movement from the corner of their eye, and glanced out to the hallway to see Asriel, framed by the open door. He was holding his wrist as if that was the only thing keeping him tethered to calmness, and staring at Chara as if they were his only hope of being saved.

Toriel’s face grew more drawn and tense. Chara did not need her to say anything to know what was the matter.

Frisk had gone.

[activatingaggro]

scared to let your guard down

INKTOBER #4: DEFIANCE | 9686 WORDS

RICCIN KAYATA | ~9 SWEEPS / 20 YEARS OLD

PHERES DYSSEU | ~9 SWEEPS / 19 YEARS OLD

cw: discussion of age gaps and resulting consent issues, abuse, use of smoking sopor for anxiety in last chunk

"You lookin' for a pale? Don't worry about it," Cu Chul had told you. "I've got it fucking covered."

This is not what you'd thought she'd meant.

The apartment you're lounging around is in set up - well, not like a pale bordello. You've been plenty of places, but you've never been in one of those, no matter how many insinuations Dysseu makes. Nah, it just looks like a plain ol' fucking apartment, really. It's the same as half the buildings in Lang Kheh. The ceilings are low and wooden, with rafters exposed and cobwebs plagueing the corners. The room's smokey with the scent of roasting fish, and the stink of the docks from down below keeps wafting in through the cracked windows. The furniture's faded in the way that everything is, here: it doesn't matter how many doors you have, or shutters, or clothes. The salt always seems to find a way to bleach it.

It looks perfectly normal, save for the fucking floor. And that's only on account of the fact...

"Cu," you hiss, doing your best to keep your ears aloft. Your heart is in your throat, racing away like a rabbit on a track. You can practically feel each jump of your pulse. "Cu!"

She looks back at you from where she's chattering with the host, some green-eyed sprat who scarcely reaches your shoulder. He's got the sort of face that'd make your eyes linger, usually - the kind of horns that're made to take a grip - but you've got bigger issues. The room’s cute. Even you can admit that. The folks are cute, too.

Significantly less cute is the way some of ‘em are flat-out piling.

At first glance, it just looked like your regular sort of party. But nah. The two tealbloods snuggling on the couch aren’t necking, for all that one’s got her face pressed in close to his cheek. They’re whispering, their fingers laced together, and it was only when her shoulders hitched that you’d caught those were tears on her face, not fucking highlights.

Cu gestures at you sharply to wait.

“Cu!”  you yowl, louder this time. There’s an indigo and a rust braiding hair on the countertop. Every third strand, her hand goes skirting across the nape of his neck. When you jerk your chin towards ‘em for Cu to see, he actually fucking chirrs, harsh enough you can feel the vibrations through your feet, and he leans into it.

Your face’s as orange as the sun itself. You look away like you’ve been slapped, ears pulling back, and Cu -

- all she does is fucking laugh at you, lip curling like you’re being fucking silly. “I told you I’d get you piled,” she says, all full of scorn. “Cousin, you wicked nonbeliever, did you motherfucking doubt?”

“This ain’t a pile, girl!” You have to cant your voice low. The olive’s eyebrows have raised so high, they might as well be hidden in his hair, and he’s stepped back neatly into the crowd. When Cu realises he’s moving, she actually shifts to watch him go, her mouth twisting down into a mouie, and it takes you clearing your throat for her gaze to turn back to you. “This’s a fucking - fucking -”

She sighs. Then she steps in close, reaching up to grasp your braid and tug your face towards her. “Cousin,” she drawls, soft and warm, even as her cool breath puffs against your cheek. It’s honey-sweet, in a way that speaks to fucking pre-gaming that she didn’t have the grace to share. “Chillax. ‘course it ain’t one pile. How the fuck you gonna find somebody if it’s one pile? You think I’m haulin’ you out here, dragging your candy-ass all the way across the region, for one pile? You think I’m lookin’ to bend your knees and haul you into mine?”

“Nah, cuz. You wanted a pile, and I did you a good one. I gave you half a fucking dozen of ‘em.” She gives your braid a tug. “Now,” she says, “it’s up to you what you do with ‘em.”

Then she turns. “Stygia!” she calls out. “Stygia, babe, where’d you wander off to?”

What you want to do with them, as it turns out, is one hell of a question.

It’s not a pale orgy. Fuck all if it doesn’t feel like one, though. There’s folks curled around each other on every other inch of the floor, sometimes with soft shit under ‘em, more oft not. Someone’s brought out snacks, and stacked the table full of ‘em - but when you take a sniff, they’re straight all the way through, without even so much as a drop of nectar to their name. And it’s hard to be willing to linger, when there’s two fools feeding each other crackers right off of it, fangs brushing fingertips in a way that makes your throat fill with bile.

Nah, it’s just a fucking cuddlefest, is all. It’s more’n a dozen goddamn strangers, linking hands and rubbing cheeks like they’ve got no need to pay mind to all the eyes watching. Once you’re past the disquiet of it all, you can see why Cu hauled you here, and how she’d figure things would go. When you drift over to an empty bagchair, one with just enough sopor to let your breath hang free from your chest when you lay down in it, it chills you out enough that you can actually watch.

And there’s plenty of strangers like you here, trolls with eyes wide enough to see the blood-hue curling the exteriors. They roam like wayward notes across the chorus line, trying to find any place they might fucking fit in. And for the most part, it works. Is there anything more pathetic than a lost soul? You’ve always fallen for the wrong end of the square, for that. Some of the drifters are handsome enough, but there’s nothing about these sorry fucks that makes you want to lay palm on their faces, of all places.

Plenty disagree, though. And there’s something roughly satisfying about the way folks look as they start up conversations and split off into their piles. But you don’t get it. You’ve never gotten pale, when it comes down to it. What lure is there in the cup of a palm? What reprieve can be found in something so fucking mild as another fuckers words? When you’ve been upset, the only thing that’s ever soothed you is distraction. You bury yourself in work, or in song, or in chasing down Kindra’s ferrety ass, burying your body in his couch and your face in his videos. Talking’s always just dragged for you, like sandpaper across your very soul. Even with Vide, even in ash, where every words sharp with contempt, and every question you ask is done with an eye towards the solution --

-- well. You can do ash. It’s just harder to let folks do you, you guess.

But even trolls that look like they’re having that problem are getting past it. Oh, you’ve watched pale vids. Who the fuck hasn’t? You and Sipara watched Raphae’s entire catalogue, once, shrieking and shoving every time he’d come onto the screen, just so you’d fucking know. But this’s different. In the videos, everything’s always so fucking fake. You don’t need to have ever touched a pile to know when shit’s too theatrical, too expressed, too fucking genuine to ever be real.

Folks here are hesitant. It’s not just about touch: it’s about asking questions, and your gaze’s especially caught on a little teal and jade, sitting across from each other in the corner. Their legs are folded. Their hands are prim. There’s no room for their knees to so much as fucking brush, or their hands to touch, and every move is deliberate. You read the twitch of the jades lips as she asks if she can touch the other’s hand.

And when the teal murmurs no, she slides into the next question, as seamlessly as if the rejection never even struck her as a bother. They’re talking lusii. They’re talking family, the jades crechemate down in the caverns that ain’t clade nor quad, and it feels almost like you shouldn’t be watchin’ this. There’s something intimate about it, more, even, then the teals curled around each other like they’ll die if separate. But you can’t bring yourself to look away.

Not until someone nudges your boot sharp, and someone says, amused: “- like what you’re seeing?”

The troll standing in front of you is short, and round, and rust, from head to toe. Her skin’s so pale that it’s flushed in places with the colour, mottled hydrant bright at the tip of her ears, and her eyes are  almost a perfect match to Sipara’s. So’s her face, and her hips, and --

-- her bust isn’t. Blessed fucking Messiahs, her bust ain’t, and thank every saint in history for that. But then you rip your eyes right the fuck back up, because goddamn if it isn’t that kind of a party, no matter how impressive it is. “Just taking in the views, sister,” you drawl, lolling your head back, just to ensure that your gaze stays where it ought. “Tryin’ to get a feel for this shit. Wicked crazy, yeah?”

“I don’t know. I like it.” She shrugs, clasping her hands in front of her and rolling them to stretch, palms-out. She’s got tiny-ass hands. Soft as shit, from the looks of it: she ain’t the type of troll to work, you take it, at anything worth workin’. “They’re fun. Is this your first time?”

“Yeah.” You pause. It seems like you ought to say more, from the way she’s looking at you, so you add: “- boss said I ought to come, so I did.”

She blinks at you. “.. your boss took you to a pale party? Really? That’s, uh -” With a snort, she rolls her shoulders up, glancing away. “That’s kind of weird, sorry,” she admits, amused. “And, like, kinky? Wow. My boss just asks if we want, like, lunch, but I guess this is, like, also kind of like work place bonding --”

“It’s not like that,” you snap, jolting up hard enough that the bag nearly spills behind you. The idea of you and Cu in a pile - you’d be lying if that horrifying thought hadn’t struck you, when you’d first walked in, but no. Absolutely fucking not. The thought of piles strike you as nasty at the best of times. Piling with one of the priests -

Chiloa had said that voodoos aren’t there for fucking therapy. They’re a punishment. They’re a way of keeping the population under control, and for correcting bad behaviours, and that’s the reason they had no call to work on indigoes. You’d scoffed at him then, still fresh off the high of Raphae fixing your shit, but - you can almost see what he means when you think of crawling into a pile with one of the clowns. Of the risk that they might just reach past your cheek, and straight into your goddamn mind.

Cu would do that. Cu wouldn’t even hesitate, anymore than Raphae ever did with Ico, or with Iphige, or shit, probably even with you.

The rustblood was laughing, at first, but her mirth dies in her throat as she takes in your expression. It must be doing something queer, because her expression softens. “Aw, man. Wait, I’m sorry, that came out wrong. Are you -”

She pauses, wets her lips. “Do you actually, like, want to be here?” she asks, gentle, and she watches you for your response.

It’s a good question, really, because you don’t quite know the answer.

The silence sits. She’s content to just watch you, for all that there’s unease building in her shoulders, the lines of her neck. If you said no, would she go and fight Cu on your account? This little slip of a troll, with her flat orange eyes and her frame that’s more fat than muscle?

“.. I didn’t get hogrustled,” you say, and it’s close enough to a lie that it sits sour on your tongue. So you pat the bag next to you instead. “But shit’s a story, if you want to talk about it.”

As far as solicitations go, you haven’t said shit that stilted since you were four fucking sweeps and still tongue-tied over Sipara goddamn Nzinga. It’s a marvel that she doesn’t turn her back and walk the fuck away. You would’ve! What sort of an image do you make right now, sprawled the fuck out on this bag, your limbs askew and your face every shade of discomfort? It’s not the sort of sight you’d go for. There’s being pitiable, and then there’s being pathetic, and you’ve never swung towards the latter. There’s nothing to make your nook wither shut like a goddamn pityparty.

But this ain’t about bulges, or nooks, or anything close to the either of ‘em. And this girl’s better at remembering that shit than you, because she cocks her head to the side, eyes considering, before she takes a seat next to you on the bag. She’s small enough that she fits perfect against the crook of your arm, her hip a dead ringer for the curve of your ribs. And she’s warm enough that you actually lean in.

“You’re cold,” she says, surprised, shifting in nearer. “What caste are you? And what’s your name, not-hogrustled?”

“Riccin Kayata,” you say, and that earns you another laugh afore you can continue.

“I said your name! Not your age, chrome, and ID. I’m Harley. Harley Boston, if we want to be formal. And, for the record, I’m ten. You’re..” She pauses, tilts her head to the side. Her hair’s long, thick, and heavy enough that it’s pulling what ought to be tight curls loose. The cascade of it on your shoulder ought to be a little much. There ain’t a fucking purpose to this. You’re not getting laid.

But it’s nostalgic. The scent of coconut and shea’s familiar as heartache to you, and you don’t bother to try not breathing it in. “You’re nine,” she tries, squinting. Then she reaches out, presses her hand to your neck, slow enough that it’s a question.

Her thumb brushes the steady pulse of your neck, gentle as a kiss. “And teal?” she hazards. “I don’t think you’re jade, sorry.” Her fingers trail the line of your throat. “You’re a little big to be a jade.”

“Nine’s right. And castes as good a guess as any, sister,” you say, because ain’t it true? It’s hard to say you’re yellow. What is yellow, save the chrome in your veins and the spark in your eyes, when you don’t have the colour, you don’t have the size, you don’t even have the heat of your goddamn peers?

You don’t have the fucking life of a yellow. You’ve spent the last nine sweeps swathed in blue, and there’s barely been a night you haven’t played the part of one. You’ve tried playing yellow. You’ve tried wearing your chrome, and flashing your symbol, and it’d felt like a lie, all the way until you’d re-dabbed your paints.

Ain’t saying 

“We’ll call you a cusp, and be done with it,” she decides. “I’m a cusp, too, y’know? Brown and maroon, right dab in the center. The cavern couldn’t decide what I was properly, so they just said -”

“Might as well round up?”

“Exactly!” Her smile’s full of fangs, and - oh. The sight of ‘em makes you pause, because you thought they’d be sharp, but nah. They’re small and nubby, uneven in their spacing, not near as flat as Pheres’s, but coming awful near. “How’d you guess?”

.. of course they’d be nubby. The fuck were you thinking? (You know what you were thinking - of who - and you could hate her for it.) “Just a guess,” you lie, because apparently, it’s just becoming a goddamn habit.

Harley doesn’t seem to notice. She doesn’t seem to know, and that’s for the best, really, ‘cause you’re sick enough with the knowledge of it. Is this what a pile is? Flub after flub comin’ out of your mouth, ‘cause you’ve got the wrong kind of girl stuck in your fucking head? This ain’t Sipara, no matter how close she looks, or how familiar she smells. This’s Harley, angling for a different kind of quadrant already, and it’s the rankest sort of disrespect you’d ever mix up the two.

To her, and to yourself. You’re better than quadrant smearing. You’re better than a whole lot of things, and weren’t you raised to always keep that shit in mind?

“Tell me about yourself,” you tell her, half an order, and at least she’s happy enough to oblige.

She tells you about her lusus, and her quadrants, and her problems back hive as she traces the lines in your throat. The girl can’t hold the fuck still, but you can’t complain, not when the warmth of her blood is seeping into you like moonlight. “And that’s how we met! Unfortunately, like.. my kismesis still hates my matesprit, even though it’s been perigees,” she admits, “because I think they used to pail? But they won’t tell me. I think, like, they’re worried I’ll get jealous. Why would I get jealous? That’d be stupid..”

And at least, this sort of thing, you know how to respond to. It’s like creche natter. Folks know you’re always in and out of relationships. You’re a fucking expert on the ways trolls work, and it’s easy to dredge up the sort of responses she’s after. What you’re sure she’s after, because she’s collapsing more ‘n more bonelessly against your side, and she’s letting you wind your fronds into her hair, playing with the oil-sleek curls and tugging at the strands. Between the warmth of her, and the smell, and the steady, breathy thrum of her purr once your claws hit her hornbed..

It’s relaxing. Oh, you’re still stiff, but it’s not as bad as you figured it ought to be. It’s downright pleasant, in a sleepy sort of way, which’s why you’re surprised when she lifts her head and says, all at once: “- oh, but we’re not talking about you.”

You blink at her. She was tucked into your side. But now she sits up in a waft of jojoba, shrugging her hair over her shoulders as she leans forward, braces her hands on her knees. “I want to hear about you, too, Riccin,” she says, earnest. Her ears flick up. They’re long, angular things, rounded to your points, just as familiar as the rest of her. “If you want to talk about yourself.”

You know how a pile works. It ain’t like you’ve got much to talk about, but you know how one works. And sitting here - relaxed, almost, listening to her purr - it almost feels like it could work. “Alright,” you say. Isn’t the point of this that you’re supposed to try? Ain’t this why Cu’d hauled you out here? You’re not some rustcushion, to handle her business and refuse to let her at your own.“Alright, girl. Where the fuck do I start?”

A moment later, she’s climbing on top of you.

Harley tucks herself into your lap, neat as any meowbeast. Sitting like this, her shoulder fits neatly into the slope of your ribs. Her chin settles into your collarbone, her cheek cushioned against the hollow of your throat. When you swallow, she’s near enough that it’s fucking hard - and maybe this is serendipidity, the perfect way her body fits against yours, and the way you can’t seem to ignore that. “Start at the beginning,” she demands. “I want to hear about your pupahood! Your adolescense. Like, your awful, weird pre-molt sweeps. Your darkest secrets! Oh, don’t choke, I’m just, like, joking, I’m - ah -”

You spit out a chunk of her hair, clearing your throat, and then you push her head down, gentle, so the masses farther from her face. She shrieks, jolting back when she realises, then pivots to face you. Her face’s gone as bricky as a stop sign, practically shining in the dark. “Oh no,” she wails. “I’m so sorry, holy shit.” She’s going redder and redder, moment by moment. If anymore blood comes flooding to her face, you think, it’ll just up and explode.

So you do the only thing you can think of. You reach up and rest your palm on her cheek, gentle as you can. “Shoosh,” you say, a little rough, but maybe it works anyway, because she stills, staring at you.

You haven’t really stopped to appreciate Harley’s face before. It’s all freckles and pigment, skin pale enough to set all of that to stark relief. Her eyes, even wet, are bright as a sign outside. She’s adorable, is the thing, from the tip of that button nose to the soft jab of her chin. It’s striking you that she might be one of the cutest trolls you’ve ever fucking laid eyes upon, and she’s soft, too. In her features, to her neck, to the hands she presses on your shoulders, to the body she’s got curled against yours.

She leans in close, dropping her forehead against yours. This close, you can’t stop thinking of all the ways she’s pressed against you. That bust, you have to admit, remains fucking amazing. “You’re so nice,” she says, voice hitching in a laugh. “Even if I did just make you eat hair. Especially when! Thanks, dude. And, like, despite the choking attempt, I wasn’t lying! I do want you to tell me everything.”

“Girl,” you say, “I’ll tell you anything.”

Because you would. Shit, you will. Pressed up against you like this, you can’t think of a single way you’d ever fucking deny her. You’ve always liked softer trolls! You can see the beauty in all sorts - you have, you’ve never been real picky in your partners. But Sipara was your first quadrant. She’s always been your most distinctive one, and some nights, when you see a troll shaped just right, it feels like she ruined you on everything else.

On everyone else, because Harley looks close enough that -

- that -

Oh, fuck.

You don’t mean to be rough when you push her off! She yelps all the same, her ears yanking down like she’s been shot. “Um!” she says, loud, but your face’s heating up to match the chrome in hers. Oh, fuck. You’re not - but nah, you apparently are. Mind over matter, when push comes to shove, apparently means jack and goddamn shit. “Hey! Riccin! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” When your voice cracks, you wish you could rip it out and strangle yourself with it. In lieu of that, your face just darkens all at once, flooding with the ugliest shade of goddamn gold this side of the spectrum as you turn on your heel, away from her. Oh, god, you’re a quadrant smearer. You’re a fucking deviant. Leave some room for the Messiahs, Chiloa’d always said, but you never -

“I’m fine! I just - I - I need to go,” you blurt out, and you flee.

There’s three bathrooms, and the first you find, you bolt inside and slam the door shut.

You wash your face with the coldest water you can manage, like that’ll do anything to still the blood flooding it. You catch the back of your neck, too, and then, upon consideration, you splash water on the rest of you too.

And then you splash colder water on the rest of you, just to make sure. You don’t know how the fuck your bulge got so interested in a goddamn pile, no matter how warm the girl crawling on you was, but you’re not dealing with it right now. It can just join the list of things that you ain’t dealing with, like the fact you can’t stop thinking of Sipara’s fucking face.

You hate this. You hate this entire fucking quadrant. It ain’t like you need Cu to leave: you could just go, right now, and nobody would ever be the wiser. Nobody’d ever care. Go try pale, everyone’d told you, and you did! You’d tried it, and you’d proven you’re not anything more than a fucking quadrant smearing fuck, too stupid for quadrants, too stupid to remember that there’s a difference between paling and pailing.

You don’t see why anybody would ever want to do this shit. It’s stupid, and it’s complicated, and you just -

When someone knocks on the door twice, you don’t bother to give more than a snarl. It cracks open all the same, and when you don’t sound off again, it pushes all the way, because of course you forgot to lock it. ‘course you did!

The fellow in the doorway’s just scarcely smaller than you, just big enough that he has to turn his chin up to see you, but not so huge it feels like a threat. His eyes are soft and heavily lidded, with lashes dank with ink. Under them, the colour’s purple, and his face’s bare.

‘course he’s a faithless wretch. Have you ever met a fellow you liked that wasn’t? And you do like him, you think, just from the way he’s looking at you. He’s soft-lipped as a kitten, his ears tilted back in the most wretched kind of acquiescence. Ain’t ever done anything for you, motherfuckers scrapping for your attention, but there’s something to be said, isn’t there, in this sort of wordless request? “Hey, dude,” he says, and his ears tilt, apologetic enough to match his words. “Um. Sorry to interrupt, but, like.. you okay? Couldn’t help but see, like, you seem kind of stressed.”

“Kind of stressed,” you repeat back, and his lip quirks up.

“Maybe stress’s an understatement? I’ve been to a few of these, but..” He’s all lean-limbed and sharp-edged, gentleness wrapped up in a bag full of knives. It’s a queer combination, but something about it feels comfortable in a way you don’t quite grok. When the light catches his horns, thin and high in the fluorescent light, part of you balks --

-- but the warmth in your chest ain’t got nothing to do with that kind of fondness, this time around, and there’s nothing in the planes of his face that sets you to thinking of Dysseu. Nah. Motherfucker’s gray-eyed and young, with cheeks just round enough to leave a name unspoken at the tip of your tongue. “II don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody straight up bolt before,” he says, gentle.

If life was a pale porno, you think, this would be the defining moment: him, standing in the doorframe of the bathroom, sun-bright against the dim of the room behind him. You, half-lounging over the sink, water still dripping down off your nose, watching him through the mirror. There’s a sort of distance to be found in the abstract of him watching you, ‘n you watching him, all distorted through the heavy lense of the glass. You don’t want ‘em touching you. But maybe you could talk, him leaning against the far wall and you sticking to this one, keeping to the mirror.

Keeping facing the mirror. You fucking hate bodies sometimes.

His face’s soft. His voice is easy. His hands are long-fingered and soft. When he lifts one up, palm bare, and places it ever so carefully to the back of his neck, the gesture’s so calculated to draw the eye that you have to fucking admire it.

Maybe you could almost stand a pacifying touch, if it came from hands like those - but his claws are short and blunt. Kindra always takes care of his claws. They’re meticulously filed and polished. They look fucking refined, with no rough edges, and no cuticles running astray. This brother looks sloppy in comparison.

If some motherfucker can’t even take care of himself, how the fuck do they expect you to let them try to take care of you?

“I’m fine,” you say, clipped, and that easy smile falters just a touch.

“Alright! Well, if you want to talk, let me know.” He pauses. “I hope you feel better,” he says, earnest enough that it just misses pointed, and he pulls the trap door shut behind him as he goes.

This time, you lock it.

Twenty minutes later, you decide you can’t call Kindra.

You just can’t. What the fuck would he think of you? Brother practically fainted when you’d pulled out the auricular pale videos, and that’d all been sound: some girl shooshing in your ear, someone rustling a bag of chips, someone pretending they’re brushing out your hair or scraping you off the concrete. When you and Sipara had watched Raphae’s filmography, he’d only lasted until the first piling scene, and then he’d shrieked like he’d been fucking shot. He hadn’t been able to look your clademate in the eye for perigees, never mind fucking Shepherd.

If you told him you were at a party, he’d want to know what sort. If you told him that you were at a fucking cuddle party, there’d be questions. And if he found out why you just fled the goddamn pile he’s been pushing you towards --

You groan, burying your face in your hands.

There’s only one other person you can call.

Pheres’s muggy when he answers the phone, five calls in a row. “You been drinkin’?” you bark, and you can practically hear him startle.

“No!” Messiahs fucking above, a brother gets so defensive. He should, the little lush. “Why would I be doing that?” he says, waspish. “Honestly! I have hobbies, Riccin. And I was on a date.”

You’ve seen the sort of trolls he goes after. You roll your eyes towards the ceiling, mouthing a curse as you slouch back against the sink. If you close your eyes, with the phone against your ear, the din in your soundflaps almost makes him sound like he’s in the room with you. “What, a good date?”

“.. no,” he admits. “They’re a bit of a bore. And they’re old. I don’t know how I used to do it! Or - no, that’s not fair. They’re only fifteen sweeps..”

“Then they can hit sixteen. I gotta steal you for a bit, little rust.” He makes a noise like he’s going to protest, so you drop your voice, add in that plainative kind of purr that’s always snatched his attention right to you: “- it’s an emergency.”

Sure enough, it works.

Two minutes later, you almost wish it fucking hadn’t.

Pheres has to be the most expressive fucker you know. You don’t need pictures to know what he’s up to: you can hear his eyebrows raise, in a queer sort of way, as he leans forward. Is there a cord twining around his finger? Nah, you decide. It’s like as not his hair. “You’re at a pale orgy,” he says, marveling like this is the best gift you’ve ever fucking given him. “And you’re telling me, Riccin? Really? Heavens! I know you’re a little, ah - mm - adventurous, but isn’t this.. a little much? Even for you?”

“Like you ain’t done worse,” you sniff. There’s some regret in your pan! But not much. Pheres’s contempt is an easy sort of comfort. Poor brother: it’s hard being that small, you think, and you know there’s never been naught personal in his constant fucking teething. “Twice over, fucker.”

“I have not!”

“Really?” You laugh. “Really? You gonna play that on me, little rust? ‘cause, shit. Last I checked, you were still dressing up as a heiress, brother, and playing out all sorts of fucked up -”

His breath catches. Then the phone clatters. There’s a clap of air right over the speaker, like he dropped it, and - yeah, motherfucker did, because there’s the clatter. Claws scrabbling on plastic. Then:

“We’re not talking about that!” he shrills, several octaves higher than you like to deal with.

There goes the regret. There’s something so satisfying about getting him riled like this. You could’ve gone flush for this boy, you think, if he’d ever been willing to fucking commit. “No shit, Dysseu,” you purr. “I’m talking about it. You’re shrieking.”

“I will hang up --”

“Shoosh,” you mock, and this time around, the sound comes almost natural. And the spluttering he makes in response soothes all the feathers you didn’t even know were fucking lifted. “Little rust, I am at a goddamn party, getting up to all sorts of sin. You tryin’ to hedge in on this? Get a little pacification? Because my, oh my, I just don’t know if I’m ready for that sort of goddamn commitment 'tween the two of us --”

The hollow ring of the dial tone really, in hindsight, shouldn’t have surprised you at all.

At least he picks up when you call back. “If you try and get - get - raunchy with me,” he snaps, all ruined dignity dressed up in a wet cat’s sulk, “then I will hang up again! See if I don’t!”

“Nobody’s gonna get raunchy, brother.” Soothing Pheres’s easy. All it takes is the right tone, really. You’ve never met a troll long for serenity the way he does. “And I’ll set aside the teasin’. I just..”

He longs for serenity, and he’s good at bringing it. You’ve seen the way he’s hauled that feral of his under his thumb, and Dauths, and Nzinga, and every other scoundrel he’s ever encountered. He puts on his faces, and he says whatever folks need to hear, and then he cleans up the pieces afterwards. It’s the sort of thing that ought’ve netted him more than dates.

It’s the thing that has, but it’s no wonder Dysseu can’t keep a quadrant. Motherfucker’s like a caterpillar: if you want to get to the soft bits, you got to reach between all the thorns. It’s the sort of personality that only appeals ‘til the first time somebody gets stabbed.

But your skin’s always been too rough for his thorns. “It is an emergency,” you say, letting your voice drop towards a chirr. “Can you help?”

He only hesitates for a moment. “.. I was getting tired of them, anyway,” he decides. “Give me a moment.”

Ten minutes later, there’s wind in the phone and he’s walking. “So you wanted to get piled?”

“Maybe.” You’re fumbling in your pocket. You’d packed a cigarette and lighter, just in case things turned out wretched, and - there! Dried sopor’s never been your thing, but it’ll do in a pinch, and while the familiarity of Pheres’s nipping has been soothing most of your nerves, the first drag is what really lets you ease back against the wall, and all the way to the floor. You pull your knees up against your chest, and you breathe deep. “I don’t know what the fuck I want, Pheres. Thought shit was going well, and then it was just -”

“Sproing?” he says, helpfully, and then dissolves into titters a few seconds later. Going by his fucking hysteria, you can imagine the hand gesture he just made, for all that you wish you couldn’t. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, that was - ah - mmm. Unhelpful. That was deeply unhelpful, wasn’t it? Heavens. Don’t be so - it - well, it doesn’t mean you’re a deviant, Riccin, it just.. happens, sometimes. You didn’t follow it up by pailing her, right? I mean, you’re on the phone with me. I should you aren’t. Please tell me you’re not, actually.”

You should’ve brought something stronger than a cigarette. “I don’t quadrant smear,” you snap.

“Oh! Oh, of course you don’t. What was I thinking? Just because - well. That doesn’t mean you’re smearing. That’s what I was saying.” He pauses to take a breath. There’s still laughter chasing the ends of his words, but he’s recovering, now, and when he speaks, it’s evened out. “All you need is practice,” he says, brisk. “That’s all! So we can practice. Platonically, of course.”

“.. practice piling,” you say.

“Yes! It’s like - oh, don’t give me that tone, Riccin. And put your ears down! You look like an exclamation mark when you do that.” Begrudgingly, you drop your ears, and take another drag of your cigarette. “It’s like - oh - practicing pailing, or kissing, or anything else. It’s perfectly normal. It doesn’t mean anything, it’s just.. two trolls, helping each other out.”

“Platonically,” you say.

“Platonically,” he says, cheerful. “I’ve slept with you entirely too many times for me to want to actually pap you, don’t worry.”

That’s fair enough, you decide. When has Dysseu ever fucking quadblurred? Sure, he bites, but brother bites at everyone. He’d never swung properly pitchways on you, all the times the two of you were together. And he’s got a point. You’ve fucked around with plenty of trolls without it ever actually meaning nothing. There’s been a lot of folks that you’ve tried checking serendipity against, but it’s not like it’s always been about that.

Sometimes, it’s just been about stress relief. A lot of the times, really, even if you hadn’t quite realised it at the time. “.. alright,” you say, and then he says, prompt: “- alright! So tell me about yourself. That’s how piles start, you know, typically. One of the participants has a problem, and the other solves it.”

He waits.

“.. are you going to say something, Riccin?” he prompts, and you blow your next exhale of smoke straight into the speaker. “That - whatever that was - is not an answer. Or are you saying you’re just, ah - full of hot air? That’s remarkably plausible, but that’s not really something I can solve, you know.”

“I don’t got anything personal to say,” you huff. That’s a lie. You’re batting a hundred tonight on immoral fucking behaviour, and Orpheo’d disown you in a heartbeat if he knew. Good thing you’re not plannin’ on tellin’ him. And that’s - Messiahs fucking above, that’s another goddamn lie. So you correct yourself: “I ain’t got nothing I feel like saying.”

You can practically picture Pheres’s reaction. There’s that poignant pause, like he’s hoping it’ll bait you out an answer, then he huffs. There’s a crack of static that’s probably him tossing his hair. The rustle of cloth that must be him bouncing up on his toes. Then he hits the ground, heels cracking neatly onto - is that pavement? Must be. “Fine,” he says, “then I’ll start. Did I.. well.” He pauses. For a moment, you think the phone’s gone dead.

Then he says, so casual that your ears prick: “- did I ever tell you why I hate Iconic?”

You’d caught on. The name’d come up a few times, and each time, Pheres’s been.. well. He wears his masks, but it’s easy enough to see the cracks in ‘em, if you know what you’re lookin’ for. He’s always gotten stiffer when the name came up, when he’d seen something that shade of yellow in your hive. And you knew he’d known him, back in the day.

Sipara had always refused to let you near her moirail. But she’d never taken the same precautions with Ico, and you’d heard snips and pieces of him over the sweeps, just enough to paint a picture that turned out not quite accurate. Ico’d called him a frail slip of a troll, the sort of fucker always one day from a culling. He’d said he was the sort of fickle, insipid fool that didn’t deserve more’n being paint, and he’d said he’d chased after pails like he didn’t realise he belonged in them.

But Ico’s always been nothing but a mean streak, and you’d known it even then.

“Nah,” you say, and he exhales.

“Right! Well. I hate him, because -” Another pause. His breath rasps. “Well! We slept together. Back before he -- well. Before he -”

“- wnet on his murder spree?”

“- yes. That.”

Ico and Pheres is.. you don’t know how to turn over that thought. Something about it sticks. But when you think of his cavern-brooding matesprit from back in the night, with his long hair and the halberd covered in blood.. “Flush,” you say, taking a drag.

“Ah - no. Pitch,” he murmurs, and you choke on your cigarette.

He waits patiently while you splutter, your coughs echoing through the bathroom and his receiver. It takes longer to recover than you’d like. Your stomach’s curling in on itself, and there’s bile rising in your throat, more than just the burn of the sopor going down your windpipe. You were never a proper auspistice, the way that Sipara was. You couldn’t handle Ico, the way she did, and so you never really tried.

He’d never hurt you. He’d never have hurt Sipara, either - up until the fall of Wisdom, that was the only fucking thing you’d ever been certain of towards him. But it’d only ever been you. He was cruel to Raphae with the same ease that he breathed, and he and Iphige treated each other like their presence only opened up old wounds.

And his pitches..

Sipara’d always stopped him from culling them, at least.

“Pitch,” you rasp. “Pheres, what the fuck?”

“And I was seven,” he says, all in a rush. “And I didn’t think - well! I thought he was attractive, and we could be quadrants, maybe, and he’d be less - him, if we were. All the things pupas think, really, because I was seven and seven eighths, and he was ten, and - everyone was older, but they were nicer, usually, after. If I provided a service. The right sort of service. So why wouldn’t he be? And -”

He inhales, a little unsteadily. “It didn’t change anything. He just - took advantage, and told me I was still cullbait, after,” he says, brittle bright. “Just to make sure I didn’t get any ideas! Isn’t that something? And now he works with me, and I have to see his face every night I’m on that campus. I wish he’d died in Wisdom. I’ve told you before - but - I’m sorry he injured your face.”

You don’t know what to do with this information.

“So!” There’s a rustle of movement. Him pushing back his hair, probably, and you can picture it in your head: him bright-eyed at some psibuggy stop, lips thin, his face pulled taut like he’s got Andora’s box clasped in his jaws. “That’s something from me, Riccin. That’s how piles go, usually. One person goes and makes a positive fool of themselves, admitting something vulnerable, and the other one says something comforting.”

“If I could split ‘em open, brother, I would,” you say, and - it’s not right, that your voice is the one going ragged. “That’s - shit, Pheres, that’s fucked up. You don’t go pailing seven sweeps.”

“Technically speaking,” he admits, “Meukit’s scarcely older than I was --”

“You’re half a sweep older’n London’s ass.” You really, really should have brought something stronger than a cigarette. You hug your knees, burrowing your face between them as best as you can. It was easy enough to go about solving problems when it was just Harley’s relationships. You don’t - how the fuck is anyone supposed to solve a problem like this?

How the fuck can anyone solve this?

But you’re not supposed to solve it. He’s opening himself up wide, baring out his soul, so you can go and practice, and he even had the grace to give you a fucking script. “Shit’s fucked up,” you rasp. “No two ways about it. He shouldn’t have fuckin’ touched you, brother. Shouldn’t have touched you, and shouldn’t have gone rattlin’ at you in the first place - not even ‘cause you were clade. Shit’s just -” Your rattlereeds are trying to kick off, blur right into your words and run ‘em ragged. “I wish I could cull ‘em for you.”

But at least Pheres sounds a little less sharp, when he answers. “.. I appreciate the thought. Ah. Sincerely.”

“Where was your ‘rail? I mean, what the fuck - Sipa didn’t know?” You’d seen Sipara at seven sweeps. She’s looked the same at seven as she does now, all rounded cheeks and pale scars, but you’ve seen pictures of Pheres, too. You’d known Ico, but..

“She didn’t know,” he says, brisk, “and you aren’t to tell her. It’s none of her business.”

“Don’t you -”

“It’s none of her business, Riccin. This isn’t a discussion.” His voice’s edging up in pitch again, bordering on something shrill, and you don’t know why. But you chirr at him all the same, ears dropping for all that he can’t see them, trying for something apologetic instead of just fucking wretched. And that’s all it takes to deflate him, same as always. “.. I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “That was. A bit brisk of me. But please don’t.”

“.. it’s your life, brother.” She didn’t know. That’s a relief, at least. Your girl’s always been a mess. But she’s never been callous, not towards her moirail, for all that she’s been cruel to the rest of you. (But Ico’d never been callous to the two of you, either, until he’d gone and let your face get gashed open.)  “.. you two still talking?”

“No,” he says, steady. “Not for a perigee, now.”

Say something vulnerable and make a fool of himself, he’d said. So you open your eyes. You let your body ooze forward, slow, until you’re laying spread straight on the bathroom floor. The tiles are cold under your back. The smoke trails sopor-green up towards the ceiling, drifting in sticky strands all the way into the vents. “You know why we broke up?” you ask, setting the phone on your chest.

At that distance, his voice’s tinny. “No.”

You can count the cracks in the ceiling. They’ve got stucco in here, unlike the exposed rafters of the rest of the place. It’s old, you think. Older’n anything else about this building. “Found out one of her ex’s was in the culling pits,” you say, slow. “I was seven. So you were six ‘n a half, just ‘bout. And Sipa’d taken to ignoring me, yeah? You probably remember that. Shit, we were on the outs all the time back then, but - that was when it got real, and I thought, fuck, she’s gonna leave the program, and she ain’t ever gonna look back.”

“And I didn’t want her to go. And she said she wasn’t, but - shit, brother, you know Sipara. Better’n anybody else. You know how she is.”

“She lies like she breathes,” he admits.

“Yeah. Y’know what the church rats do? We do everything the jugs ain’t willin’ to waste their times on. We wash, ‘n we clean, ‘n we sing, ‘n we man the culling pits,” you say, and he’s gone quiet.

You watch the smoke. You listen to Pheres breath, and the sound of your own slow exhales, echoed through the phone. It’d be easy to leave it there, you think.

But pale’s about vulnerabilities. Pale’s about saying what needs to be said,  not what you want, and so you say: “- so I took on culling duties for the girl, ‘n I gave Nzinga the footage, after. And she came over, and she tore just about every fucking port out of my back.”

Pheres has gone very quiet.

“It was a little fucked up,” you tell him, and you take a drag.

“I’m sorry she did that,” he finally says. “She’s always - part of it is that -” His voice’s gone strange on you. The sopor’s keeping your anxiety low, and for a moment, you think it’s that.. but nah. His voice pitches up, and then you realise he’s just laughing. “I’m starting to think - we’re all very bad at pitch.”

“Gliese ‘n me are fucking serendipitous,” you huff, but he’s laughing, each one tinged just short of hysteria, and - fuck it, you’re laughing too, too drained for much more than hysteria. The sopor’s leaving you feeling boneless, and the laughter feels like it’s reeling out the tension that’s laced itself like wires through your body, one inch at a time. “Messiahs fucking above, we’re all goddamn messes.”

“We are. Take a deep breath, Riccin. You sound like you’re choking.” He inhales, slow and deep, and you shift your breathing to match. “There,” he says. “That’s a little better. Sipara.. never mentioned that. She just said you’re dangerous.” A beat. “And you are.”

“I am,” you agree, mild. “But I’m less than she is, little rust, and we both fucking know it.”

“.. you are,” he admits. “You do know.. the important bits of pale, don’t you? Even if you’ve never had one before?” When you don’t answer, he continues. “You’re supposed to be kind. That’s the most important thing, I think. Kind, but.. to the point. You don’t enable them. You aren’t cruel, and you don’t hurt them.. but you make sure they know, when they’re doing something hurtful to themselves or others, and you let them know they can do better, and you will support them in doing better.”

“Wait, brother -”

“Please don’t interrupt me,” he says, firmer than you’ve heard him in perigees, and surprise, more than anything else, quiets you down. “Sipara.. didn’t manage that. I’m not surprised she - mauled you - because. She’s always done that, I think. I stopped her from doing it very much, physically, when I could, but.. you can’t really stop someone, if they really want to do something. She’s only.. well.” He pauses. “She’s only learned better since she met Hadean. I suppose he’s a better moirail than me, in that.”

“And you can’t be unkind, because -” All of the cracks on the ceiling keep joining up into little pits. They’re dark holes in the white of the stucco, big enough for a pinkie or a nail to slide clear on through. It looks ugly. But that’s what happens, you guess. Enough fractures, and bits of a motherfucker are just apt to fall out.

In a ceiling, or in a troll. “Ah. You know my scar?” Pheres’s brisk, matter-of-fact, despite all the shit he’s saying. “She left that back when we were five. She’d just lost her arm, and we were arguing, and.. she wanted to make a point.” You wish this wasn’t over the phone. You wish you could see his face right now, because for the first time, you don’t know what he’s thinking. His voice’s so bland and even, like -

- the first time you’d met him, when he’d thought you might cull him to make a point.

You said you were dangerous. It’s a fact. But you don’t think you’ve ever managed cruel, not for just for the goddamn sake of it, not the way Nzinga does.

“I’d provoked her,” he says, mild, like every word out of his mouth isn’t vile. “And she was hurt, and she was afraid, and she’d just lost everything for me, and she felt as if I didn’t appreciate it. So she wanted to make sure I didn’t do it again. It was unwise of me. I understood it, even then, but - you can’t do that, in pale. It doesn’t matter if you’re only five. You can’t slip, and make that sort of mistake, and.. leave someone afraid of you, or it ruins them worse than some mark on their face. It doesn’t heal.”

“You have to be kind. I think that’s the most important part of the quadrant. If you’re going to try it.. if you remember that, you should do fine. You’re not a bad troll. You can be better, but..” He laughs again, but there’s no hysteria, this time. He just sounds as tired as you do.

“Can’t we all?”

Your cigarette burns out.

It’s an unceremonious end to your high. You stub the last embers out on the edge of the sink and toss it into the disposal unit, letting the dregs of smoke trail out of your nostrils. “Folks shouldn’t hurt their moirails, Pheres,” you tell him, closing your eyes. You’re tired of staring at cracks, suddenly. “Ain’t gotta lecture me on that shit. Everybody ought to know that. Yours - are just all shit folks, that’s all. And you shouldn’t be dating a fucking fifteen sweep old, either.”

“Did you come for advice,” he sniffs, “or did you come to lecture me?”

“Welcome to the goddamn pile, brother. What can I say? Motherfucker, I pick shit up fast.”  You can’t say that you wish he’d been hatched in the program like Kindra. It’s starting to settle in for you that there’s no protection there. Would Chiloa have stepped in between him and Ico, if he’d been a churchrat? Would anybody have stepped ‘tween him and Sipara? Or would it have just been a different set of indignities? “That’s all fucked up. I wish - well, shit, if fishes were wishes, we’d all have slits up to our ears. But wish it hadn’t happened.”

“It’s fine,” he lies, his voice easy, and you guess those really are just part of the pile.

You push yourself up from the floor, all too aware, suddenly, of how filthy it’s likely to be. At this rate, you’re going to have to go hive and wash your fucking scalp. How long’ve you even been down here? “So here’s my lesson plan, prof,” you drawl, scrubbing at your eyes with the back of your hand. “Since you were so kindly as to drag me through a fucking pile. Pale’s all about.. shit. You’re supposedta fucking care about them. What they’re doing, what they’re going through. And you’re supposed to keep ‘em on the right track, and support the motherfuckers all the way through that, not because you have to, or because someone’s got to, but because -”

“- because you want to. Because you love ‘em, and you want the best for ‘em, and you don’t want ‘em getting hurt. Not by anybody else. Not by fucking you,” you bite off, thinking of the groves on his face. A moirail mark, he’d told you, that first night you’d asked, and he’d let you trace the pattern along his skin. “You’re supposed to protect ‘em. And they do the same for you. It balances out. You balance each other out.”

You’ve always disliked the quadrant. But when you think of it like this.. it almost makes a sort of sense, in a way it never did before.

“And you’re not supposed to engage in conjugal affairs with them, either,” Pheres chimes up. “Or, ah, non-affairs, I suppose. Activities..? I mean! Sometimes things just happen. Physical contact is very nice, and it’s quite easy to get wires crossed, you know, if you’re not careful. Someone just, oh, hops on your hips, or you slip and fall, and maybe parts become unzipped, and. Well!” He clicks his teeth, all faux-sympathy. “Well! Maybe it’s understandable if, mm, bits of you start getting the wrong idea, and, ah.. how d’you say.. start.. adventuring out from their phantom zones, but..”

“Did you just call your fucking junk a phantom zone?”

“We’re not discussing that,” he say, prim as if he hadn’t brought it up himself. But isn’t that always the fucking case? “It is a perfectly accurate euphemism, and I am not discussing it further. You understand what I’m saying here, Riccin. Try not to let people accost you in personal regions, or whatever mishaps you were getting up to, and things ought to go just well. Pale romance does not usually, by the way, involve that sort of positioning. I find a nice over the shoulder cuddle is about as intimate as one really should get! Or just, I don’t know - maybe don’t pale people you’d rather pail…?”

“Present company excluded, of course,” he bites off, amused. “Now! Ah. As cathartic as this was.. I do have to go, now.“ A beat. “And I won’t,” he says abruptly. “Go on another date with this troll. I think - well! You might be right. They are.. maybe. A little old. For me, at least. Ah. Good light!”

By the time you open your mouth, the phone’s sounding off its dial tone.

You put it in your pocket and, standing up, you stretch. If this is what a pile feels like, you.. can see the appeal, almost. It feels like someone dragged you through the ringer. It feels like someone’s stripped a weight off of your shoulders. It’s a strange combination, all together, and one you’ll have to contemplate later, but --

-- it’s not a bad one, all things considered.

It gives you things to think about, at least.

But that’s for later. For now, you ought to go and find Cu, and think of how the fuck you’ll explain this to Kindra.

[verdigrisprowl]

Oct 30 Dancitron Movie Night - Poltergeist

Soundwave dressed as Tarantulas. Prowl nearly died. Tarantulas showed up dressed as Soundwave. Prowl DID die.

Prowl had a good night.

Today Generalbri 7:37 pm HEWWWOO NoodlesAtNight 7:38 pm *Most of the minis are off having a party with those who like Earth holidays, but a few have stayed here. Rumble - making a semi-convincing Minimus Ambus - is lounging on a couch with a sparkly orange cube in his hand. Where Soundwave usually sits is... well, it's probably Soundwave, but it sure looks different. Purple and green, fuzzy as Pit, with several pipes harnessed to his back. Even his visor has a fake set of mandibles and a yellow stripe displayed on it.* ((YO)) SpectralDragon615 7:38 pm ((SOUNDWAVE ARE YOU COSPLAYING TARA)) NoodlesAtNight 7:38 pm (( ouo )) SpectralDragon615 7:38 pm ((god you're so valid)) Generalbri 7:39 pm (( omg MedicalMurdersaurus 7:39 pm *BUSTS in through the door, painted as pink as can be* Me Swoop am COMEDIAN — wily-red-and-galeforce-gold: “You wanna be a power... Me Swoop am COMEDIAN — wily-red-and-galeforce-gold: “You wanna be a power... - wily-red-and-galeforce-gold:?““You wanna be a power ranger?” ” Generalbri 7:40 pm (( that's cute NoodlesAtNight 7:40 pm *Rumble IMMEDIATELY bursts into laughter. It takes him a second to rearrange himself into something more proper looking and serious.* //Greetin's, Earthling. Obey the Tyrest Accord 'n all that while ya stay here.// Omalah 7:40 pm *Always one for a good scary movie, Aegis slips in, not in costume but carrying some extra treats and high grade* SpectralDragon615 7:40 pm *the dragon bridges in, dragging a cart full of treats behind her. chestburster heads- you can see the lil hat remnants from where she used the same mold as the dancing chestburster sculpture she made for Soundwave -, mercury rolls shaped like xenomorph eggs where the mercury spills out when you bite into it, gummy bats and rust stick pumpkins. surprisingly, the dragon shoves the cart somewhere out of the way and vanishes back into the bridge in a blur of pink and rhinestones* Sorry, two trips! MedicalMurdersaurus 7:41 pm what THAT? *has no idea what rumble is talking about or who he is* NoodlesAtNight 7:43 pm //Only the best rules ya ever saw, 'n I'm enforcin' 'em.// *Rumble nods to Aegis and then to the dragon.* //If that dirty Soundwave 'Con was here, he'd like them treats. Made 'em to health regulations, I hope.// MedicalMurdersaurus 7:43 pm ENFORCE? kehheheh. You a POLICE bot? SunstreakerCMO 7:43 pm -stalls at the entrance. Had he missed something?- NoodlesAtNight 7:44 pm ((bri if you wanna come in as you as a human feel free, we'll just air bubble you lol. otherwise you could be someone if you want or just chill and chatter in OOC as you like 😃 )) Generalbri 7:45 pm (( oh jeez. it's been so long verdigrisprowl 7:46 pm *appears; sits in his usual s--* NoodlesAtNight 7:46 pm //I ain't a police bot. I'm a rules lawyer.// verdigrisprowl 7:46 pm *hold the ever-loving fuck on* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:46 pm Boring Me Swoop am PINK RANGER That waaaaaaaaay more exciting : > SunstreakerCMO 7:46 pm -slowly backing up. No idea what's going on in this room, at all- verdigrisprowl 7:46 pm *stares at Soundwave* NoodlesAtNight 7:46 pm *Tarantulas-Soundwave waggles one of the pipes at Sunstreaker.* Omalah 7:47 pm Ranger? What the heck is that? SpectralDragon615 7:47 pm *the NEXT cart is actually a dolly that the dragon has to push through- the cargo is that heavy! it's not a life-sized sculpture of a xenomorph queen, but it's at least three times the height of the chestburster sculpture she brought to Soundwave, molded in energon. the plates and teeth are detailed in silver, and the eyes are carefully hammered in the same metal. each piece of silver has had the same phrase carved on it in cybertronian, an earth language, and a pictographical language that Soundwave might recognize as the dragon's own. they're not spooky phrases- "from knowledge, power" and "a silver tongue is worth its weight in gold" are both there, amongst others -but it's all very heartfelt. the dragon is dressed as... a pink toad with dragonfly wings and a rhinestone fetish? hm.* Okay. That's the second one. Hi, Soundwave! *phew. she's bushed.* ((lmao I wrote all that and nearly forgot to say what it was a sculpture of)) ((dragon got spooky)) SunstreakerCMO 7:48 pm -just /stares/ back at the thing that looks kinda like Soundwave but he's not sure- NoodlesAtNight 7:48 pm *Now waggles a pipe-leg at Prowl as well and pats the seat next to himself. Little hearts float up on his visor and everything, over the mandibles.* Omalah 7:48 pm *Waves to Sunstreaker* Are you oing to come in and relax or what? SunstreakerCMO 7:48 pm ....what is going on? MedicalMurdersaurus 7:48 pm HALLOWEEN duh Omalah 7:48 pm Spooky Celebration NoodlesAtNight 7:48 pm //A duly appointed holiday.// SunstreakerCMO 7:49 pm Halloween? MedicalMurdersaurus 7:49 pm *blows raspberries at a duly appointed butt* verdigrisprowl 7:49 pm ... W-what. SunstreakerCMO 7:49 pm A holiday of what? verdigrisprowl 7:49 pm *HE'S MAKING AN ASTOUNDING EFFORT TO KEEP IT TOGETHER* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:49 pm Scary things SunstreakerCMO 7:50 pm ............ I am more confused than anything right now NoodlesAtNight 7:50 pm [[Prowl, /dearest,/ whatever is the matter? It hasn't been /that/ long since I came to a movie night.]] *Oh Primus, he is about to lose it himself. Keep sitting still, Soundwave.* Generalbri 7:51 pm *something smacks into the back of Sunstreaker's helm* oi! out of the way! *then off a tiny black toy ship flies off then transforms to land on the back of the couch* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:51 pm It a dress up spooky scare day NoodlesAtNight 7:51 pm *"Minimus Ambus" gets up to inspect the Alien queen, squinting and hrmming at it.* //Was this registrated like an invasive species with customs?// Omalah 7:52 pm Except Soundwave generally puts a pin in anything actually scary like sparkeaters so we don't have to worry about anything MedicalMurdersaurus 7:52 pm Us go fight real monsters??? :V SunstreakerCMO 7:52 pm -jerks forwards and then turns to look at the thing that hit him- ...what. SunstreakerCMO 7:53 pm And I was not told this was going on SpectralDragon615 7:53 pm *the dragon tries VERY hard not to giggle* Yes, sir! I have its paperwork right here. *hands Rumble a xenomorph-egg mercury roll* Generalbri 7:53 pm *small four legged toy flaps his arms; wearing what looks like bat wings, has fake fangs* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:53 pm Him Sideswipe do Dinobot costumes : > PAINT costume Not COSTUME costume SunstreakerCMO 7:54 pm I think I should have remained on base.... NoodlesAtNight 7:54 pm //It's a tradition. Have to keep traditions. Important stuff. Can't go ignorin' the way things is usually done.// MedicalMurdersaurus 7:54 pm Why? SunstreakerCMO 7:55 pm This is not...something I was prepared for NoodlesAtNight 7:55 pm *Rumble confiscates the xeno-egg mercury roll and gives it a lick.* //Paperwork checks out. Carry on, rhinestone thingie.// MedicalMurdersaurus 7:55 pm so? NoodlesAtNight 7:55 pm //You, little ship thing. Y'got a parkin' permit?// Omalah 7:56 pm If its too much, would it be easier for you to stay near the gate and away from the... paraphanelia? SpectralDragon615 7:56 pm Fairy dragon, sir. Thank you, sir. *the dragon awkwardly salutes, before putting the rest of her treats where they belong* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:56 pm *bounces to the song* SunstreakerCMO 7:56 pm It was unexpected NoodlesAtNight 7:56 pm *"Tarantulas" beckons Swoop closer.* [[Swoop! Would you like to go Up? Once only, of course.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 7:56 pm !!! Generalbri 7:56 pm *frowns* left it outside. need I get it? *tilts helm, wiggles* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:57 pm YES! SunstreakerCMO 7:57 pm And I think I should MedicalMurdersaurus 7:57 pm *literally does not care who this offer is from as long as it happens* Omalah 7:58 pm ((I'm going to grab food real quick)) NoodlesAtNight 7:59 pm ((starting in 15 minutes so yeah get your food and stuff!)) SunstreakerCMO 7:59 pm -and he's going to move towards the back of the room, hopefully away from the holiday stuff- NoodlesAtNight 7:59 pm *Soundwave holds out his arms in their furry mittens. Come on, then, Swoop.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:00 pm *dashes over to Soundwave and all but throws himself in the other mech's arms* NoodlesAtNight 8:00 pm //Hmm. Nah. You seem like a trustworthy bo... yer a bot, ain'tcha? Kinda small. Smaller 'n me, 'n I'm the irreductible me.// verdigrisprowl 8:01 pm *soundwave's even imitating tarantulas.* *hold on, prowl's gonna. just. he's gonna. sit down. and bury his face in his hands. and shake.* NoodlesAtNight 8:03 pm *Soundwave hoists Swoop into the air and plays back one of Tarantulas' cackles. He knows this is gonna cause trouble later and does not care at all.* Generalbri 8:03 pm *the tiny toy sticks out his tiny glossa, jumps off the couch, transforms and lands on Rumbles helm* i'm not a bot! i'm a bat! MedicalMurdersaurus 8:03 pm *SQUEALS* verdigrisprowl 8:03 pm *prowl would care. if he could breathe.* NoodlesAtNight 8:04 pm *He'll be sure to put Swoop down again before Prowl can ventilate properly.* //Oh, hey. I ain't who ya want if you're a bat. You gotta wait for a Starscream or somethin'.// SpectralDragon615 8:04 pm *oh, dear, Prowl is dying. the dragon is actually slightly concerned* NoodlesAtNight 8:05 pm *And down Swoop goes. Soundwave should probably pat Prowl on the back in comfort. That seems a Tarantulas thing to do.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:05 pm *bounces and snickers* You PRETTY good Spider Bot kehehhhehhh SunstreakerCMO 8:05 pm -what is going on in this room anymore?- Omalah 8:05 pm *Aegis isn't sure if Prowl is trying not to laugh or if he's having a panic attack so he's just going to let him have space* verdigrisprowl 8:05 pm *he certainly is dying and soundwave killed him.* NoodlesAtNight 8:06 pm *Shenanigans, Sunstreaker. So many shenanigans. This place gets a little.... off-kilter, around Halloween.* SunstreakerCMO 8:06 pm ((at least there's a medic in the room Omalah 8:06 pm ((two of 'em)) SunstreakerCMO 8:06 pm ((yup verdigrisprowl 8:06 pm *okay. okay. he's recovering. thanks for the back pats. he sits up and looks at— nope, his face is going back in his hands.* SpectralDragon615 8:06 pm Um, Super-intelligent Spider Sir, I think Prowl is dying. Generalbri 8:06 pm *makes a face* eww, no. i'll just chill right here. *notices Prowl* is he dead yet so i can suck some energon?~ SpectralDragon615 8:06 pm *that's absolutely how she's addressing Soundwave Tara* SunstreakerCMO 8:06 pm -HE CAN TELL- MedicalMurdersaurus 8:07 pm Where Her Bird? :V Omalah 8:07 pm No you may not. Have some candy instead. SunstreakerCMO 8:07 pm -He's staying in his corner, until this is over- Generalbri 8:07 pm *whines loudly, falls off Rumble* NoodlesAtNight 8:08 pm [[Oh dear, oh dear. I'll have to bind him up in spider web and take him to my laboratory for, er - intense science.]] Omalah 8:08 pm *He doesn't get to come to these movie nights often but he's wondering what Tara is going to think of Soundwave's costume* SpectralDragon615 8:08 pm *the dragon makes an undignified noise. her turn to die trying not to laugh. of all the things she expected to hear, that was NOT one of them.* verdigrisprowl 8:09 pm SOUNDW— *CHOKES* NoodlesAtNight 8:09 pm *Visor-on-the-visor smile.* verdigrisprowl 8:09 pm *HE'S TRYING NOT TO LAUGH OUT LOUD AND YOu'RE NOT HELPING* Generalbri 8:09 pm *gets back to the couch* is that tonight's movie?? NoodlesAtNight 8:10 pm //Bird ain't here, buddy. She 'n the Saw went off to that party in Praxus. Horrible. Noise violations everywhere.// MedicalMurdersaurus 8:10 pm : V : < NoodlesAtNight 8:10 pm ((I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS IN THIS)) MedicalMurdersaurus 8:10 pm Me Swoop want to noise violations too : < verdigrisprowl 8:11 pm *reaches over and, pushes soundwave. very gently.* SunstreakerCMO 8:11 pm -he doesn't want to know- NoodlesAtNight 8:11 pm *Rumble tries to catch the tiny bat.* //Hey! Don't fall. I'm an Accord enforcer, not a medic. Anyway, tonight's movie is Poltergeist. Ain't no such thing, but the spider likes them unexplained phenominomin.// *Soundwave pushes back oh so gently. He's glad Prowl took this costume well.* NoodlesAtNight 8:12 pm ((THREE MINUTES TIL START)) Generalbri 8:13 pm *rumble is able to catch the bat who just sits there* Oh.. I should tell Boomer. but we don't need a mess. NoodlesAtNight 8:13 pm //What's the mess?// SCProwl 8:13 pm *Prowl arrives--and notices nothing amiss about the room or its inhabitants* Generalbri 8:14 pm *points at Prowl and the other Autobots* them if Boomer sees them verdigrisprowl 8:14 pm *okay. okay, he's recovered. okay. all right. ... he's not going to look at soundwave again.* NoodlesAtNight 8:14 pm ((WARNINGS: Poltergeist // bady flickering/flashing lights through the whole opening portion (and once the kids are snoozing with their parents, and after they check the pool, and when tangina opens the door), foul language, dead animal, drug use, men being disgusting toward a teenager, highly disturbing imagery of varying kinds, maggots in meat, serious body horror and gore once the guy looks in the bathroom mirror, one of the early "ancient burial ground" movies, gross 'ectoplasm' stuff, some kind of ghostly sexual assault?? not entirely sure)) verdigrisprowl 8:14 pm *aHEM.* Tarantulas is going to be furious if he sees you. NoodlesAtNight 8:15 pm //Oh. Yeah, don't tell 'em. Laughter's unseemly. Ain't nothin' sour 'n strict about it.// SpectralDragon615 8:15 pm *the dragon acts as though Prowl is talking to her* I'm a fairy dragon! Why would such a Super-intelligent Science Spider be offended by me? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:15 pm *is moving around in the vague approximation of dancing as he tries to figure out what to do with himself and all this energy* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:16 pm Me Swoop want to show Her Bird costume verdigrisprowl 8:16 pm *... slow blink.* *points at Soundwave. He was talking to him.* Generalbri 8:16 pm (( i'll probably not watch just because i'm not big into horror gorey realistic movies. just enjoying chatting for once NoodlesAtNight 8:16 pm ((absolutely fair! i don't expect anyone to make themselves uncomfortable for these)) Omalah 8:17 pm ((oh is this the original?)) NoodlesAtNight 8:17 pm ((yeeeeep)) Omalah 8:17 pm ((nice!)) NoodlesAtNight 8:18 pm [[I'm never offended by myself. He--]] *Whoops. Focus more. Put the effort into the right self reference words.* [[I made myself, after all.]] verdigrisprowl 8:18 pm You know what I— *sees Rumble for the first time. snorts and claps both hands over his mouth.* NoodlesAtNight 8:18 pm *Pats the other side of the couch, opposite Prowl.* [[Up, dear dragon.]] NoodlesAtNight 8:19 pm //Hey! No laughin'. I'm just as bossy 'n important this way as in that big honkin' suit.// SunstreakerCMO 8:19 pm -okay, movie. He's going to ignore the room and watch the friggin' movie- NoodlesAtNight 8:19 pm *Folds his arms and twitches his mustache* SpectralDragon615 8:19 pm *the dragon hops up with delight* Thank you, Super-intelligent Science Spider! verdigrisprowl 8:20 pm No laughing, sir! *he says, while 60% laughing.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:20 pm *doesn't have as much to dance to, so he twists at the waist, letting his arms and wings fling around behind him* NoodlesAtNight 8:20 pm //That's better.// Omalah 8:21 pm *Finding a spot near Sunstreaker, he sits down and offers some energon candies with gooey centers* NoodlesAtNight 8:22 pm //Siddown, pink ranger. You're disturbin' the peace 'n suchlike.// SunstreakerCMO 8:22 pm -wasn't expecting that- ...hello... SpectralDragon615 8:22 pm *squishes as close to Soundwave as she dares with her squishy plush costume and giant wire dragonfly wings. she'd apologize for the offense to optics and basic color theory, but she will not.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:22 pm *decides to just be the pink ranger for a bit, bending at the knees before flinging himself backwards to flip his way into what may or may not be a free seat* Omalah 8:23 pm I guess they can afford to be wasteful in a gated community NoodlesAtNight 8:23 pm *Polite applause from "Tara" to Swoop. Then, to the dragon:* [[You look like a Chimeracon I once knew. Created?]] *He waggles a mitten hand.* [[Both.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:24 pm *strikes his best victorious olympian pose at the applause* SpectralDragon615 8:25 pm *the dragon churrs at the "compliment"* I'm glad to know that such an intelligent Science Spider approves of my aesthetics. NoodlesAtNight 8:25 pm //Improper disposin' of dead pets. Tsk.// MedicalMurdersaurus 8:25 pm ??? Omalah 8:25 pm They do realize this could be solved by turning the channel with the dial MedicalMurdersaurus 8:25 pm Her going to FLUSH bird : V kehehheh not BIRD bird SunstreakerCMO 8:25 pm They do not appear to be very intelligent Omalah 8:26 pm *Is not going to laugh, even if it's tempting* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:26 pm Dead things not HUNGRY or LONELY Them dead Omalah 8:26 pm No, but certain civilizations would entomb their kings like that MedicalMurdersaurus 8:27 pm Entomb Omalah 8:28 pm Yes, entomb. Not everyone gets smelted down MedicalMurdersaurus 8:28 pm Entomb means....? verdigrisprowl 8:28 pm That's a waste of materials that the king's subjects could have benefitted fr—pfffft! *he saw Soundwave from the corner of his optic.* SunstreakerCMO 8:29 pm -Prowl seems like he's going to be out of commission for a bit- Omalah 8:30 pm That's true but people higher up always get special consideration SpectralDragon615 8:30 pm ((ksfhkasljhfa)) ((HE'S HERE)) verdigrisprowl 8:30 pm *okay. okay, he's fine. deeeep breath.* SunstreakerCMO 8:30 pm ((HAH Omalah 8:30 pm Entomb is when someone is generally encased in a stone room, buried. NoodlesAtNight 8:31 pm *Starting to finally lose it. He hasn't seen Prowl laugh this much in... ever? Has he? It's contagious and he loves it.* [[Some buried beloved people with their royalty. Imagine it! All eternity with them.]] *"Flutters" the visor mandibles at Prowl.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:31 pm OH! Me Swoop know that. That what Autobots do to Dinobots. NoodlesAtNight 8:32 pm //Child endangerin'. That's what that is.// verdigrisprowl 8:32 pm *paps him again* NoodlesAtNight 8:32 pm *Huffing softly* verdigrisprowl 8:32 pm *... feels the fuzz. what's the fuzz like.* SpectralDragon615 8:32 pm *the dragon is going to die from stifling her laughter, and it will be a noble and glorious death* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:32 pm Me Swoop not a child. Me Swoop a Dinobot. Generalbri 8:32 pm (( gonna head out actually! have fun all! NoodlesAtNight 8:32 pm *The fuzz is softer than Tarantulas'. He couldn't figure out how to replicate setae, so they just got purple fake fur. It's quality, though.* NoodlesAtNight 8:33 pm ((aaaa! goodnight and thank you for coming by!)) verdigrisprowl 8:33 pm *meh. it's not right.* Omalah 8:33 pm *squirms at the sight of the clown* Creepy... NoodlesAtNight 8:33 pm *Alas. There can only be one real Tarantulas.* verdigrisprowl 8:34 pm *smooths the fuzz back in place and looks back at the movie* Omalah 8:35 pm How can he not like the tree, he was climbing it earlier verdigrisprowl 8:35 pm ... Seriously, though. He's probably not going to come, but he might. And if he DOES he's going to be absolutely furious if he sees you. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:36 pm *glances over at the word "furious," that's a fighting word, someone throw down, swoop wants to see a fight* NoodlesAtNight 8:36 pm [[Then he will simply have to deal with the consequences of his actions. It will have been worth it for your reactions.]] NoodlesAtNight 8:37 pm *...And while he's here, and before Tarantulas can get in and stop him? Twisting to bring his legs up onto Prowl's thighs. Ahh. Comfortable.* Omalah 8:37 pm *snorts quietly* I remember doing that with Carri NoodlesAtNight 8:37 pm //Countin' thunder?// Omalah 8:38 pm Sleeping in his berth because of the thunder verdigrisprowl 8:38 pm *startles* What—? *THAT'S MORE FORWARD THAN USUAL* SpectralDragon615 8:38 pm *aw! cuteness. Soundwave and Prowl are illegally cute. arrest them, Police Rumble.* Omalah 8:38 pm ....or the gunshots NoodlesAtNight 8:38 pm *Can't do. Nothing about it violates the Accord. Nobody's putting semicolons out of place.* NoodlesAtNight 8:39 pm //Don't tell nobody, but I heard it's comfortable sleepin' piled up. Not that I'd know. Too busy bein' alone 'n likin' it.// verdigrisprowl 8:40 pm *under the guidelines stipulated in section 194 subsection 23 paragraph 5 they're well within legal limits of adorableness* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:40 pm *the one real tarantulas.... has arrived! however he's actually just a scarily real holomatter avatar of the soundwave who's probably been mocking him* *what a time to come in tho* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:40 pm *head tilts at Rumble* Sleep alone? Omalah 8:40 pm Still not as creepy as that clown in the other room NoodlesAtNight 8:40 pm @P: [[Tarantulas regularly dares to be in your space more often than he himself does. It seemed a valid excuse to be so brave himself.]] NoodlesAtNight 8:41 pm //'Course. Ain't no room for nobody else in the Magnus armor.// verdigrisprowl 8:41 pm ... Very well. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:41 pm What? NoodlesAtNight 8:41 pm *Soundwave glances up at the newcomer and buzzes in deep amusement.* verdigrisprowl 8:41 pm *glances at the door, sees "Soundwave," and starts. looks back at the real Soundwave. looks at the door again. alternate? or—* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:41 pm *having too much fun waving his feelers, taps prowl&sw on the shoulder with one* Sorry he's late to his own party. verdigrisprowl 8:41 pm *lightbulb clicks on.* SpectralDragon615 8:42 pm *the dragon looks over. sees tarantulas. dies on the spot.* verdigrisprowl 8:42 pm *cracks up* SpectralDragon615 8:42 pm *did her rebreather fall out, or is this just the most hilarious thing she's ever seen?* NoodlesAtNight 8:42 pm *Pats himself on a feeler.* [[There, there. We've kept your seat warm.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:42 pm *doesn't know why we're laughing but laughs anyway* Omalah 8:43 pm *Looks to Sunstreaker* Do you wish you'd dressed as someone now? Also. Ew. verdigrisprowl 8:44 pm *laughing so hard he's sliding off his seat. sorry Soundwave, he's taking your legs with him.* SunstreakerCMO 8:44 pm No. I am fine as I am. NoodlesAtNight 8:44 pm *HOLD ON NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO PULL HIM OFF THE--* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:45 pm *compares self to sw, suddenly visibly upset/cringe* Wait, that's - I don't look like THAT, Primus - I mean - *tries to compose* He wonders if something is awry with you this evening, /Tarantulas/. *shock again at the mess falling off the couch* SunstreakerCMO 8:46 pm -and just looks over to see insanity on Prowl's couch- SpectralDragon615 8:46 pm *the dragon, acting more on instinct than logic, tries to grab Soundwave and rescue him. this does not work.* SunstreakerCMO 8:46 pm ......... SpectralDragon615 8:46 pm *she is a determined little bugger, but she's only the size of a fox. she loses to gravity every time.* SunstreakerCMO 8:47 pm -he's getting up now, just in case- NoodlesAtNight 8:47 pm *Soundwave-Tarantulas is half up the couch and half off it, one shoulder of fuzz pulling off in the dragon's mouth.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:47 pm *looks over at "Tara" and "SW," taking no energy to digest the situation and putting all this energy towards wishing there'd be a throw down fight* NoodlesAtNight 8:48 pm [[I'm not myself, I think.]] *Looking up to Tarantulas proper with another huff.* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:48 pm Well that's ONE way of putting it. *wavy feelers* NoodlesAtNight 8:48 pm [[Do join us?]] NoodlesAtNight 8:49 pm *Pointing.* //Movin' violation. 'S against the laws of physics. Oughta lecture the chair.// MedicalMurdersaurus 8:49 pm Punch it! : V *wants to see SOMEONE fight even if it is jsut Rumble v chair* SpectralDragon615 8:49 pm ...What is she doing to her hatchling. Omalah 8:50 pm Endangering it NoodlesAtNight 8:50 pm [[Experimenting!]] SpectralDragon615 8:50 pm Clearly. *she's not actually sure which one she's responding to, but she's responding.* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:50 pm Even /I/ - even Tarantulas wouldn't do that to such a youngling, of course not. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:51 pm *rolls his optics at the whole room* EVERYONE sooooo *makes humph noises* about YOUNG young young : P NoodlesAtNight 8:51 pm [[Thank you for coming to my defense, Soundwave.]] SpectralDragon615 8:52 pm *the dragon shakes some fuzz out from her mouth* This is why I like you, Soundwave. You're so nice to people. LyingLiarWhoLies 8:52 pm *quiet snort* *can he pull sw&prowl off the ground with feelers? does it work like that?* NoodlesAtNight 8:53 pm *He can definitely pull Soundwave, at least. Maybe not with the greatest finesse, but--* LyingLiarWhoLies 8:53 pm *the real question is did he make the avatar strong enough* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:53 pm KEHEHHEHHHHHHEHEHHHEHHEH NoodlesAtNight 8:53 pm *Startles and bangs a spine on the couch back. Winces and curls up* SunstreakerCMO 8:53 pm .............. NoodlesAtNight 8:53 pm *He was NOT expecting the tree to do that.* SpectralDragon615 8:53 pm Mhm. The spirits are trying to abduct her. verdigrisprowl 8:53 pm *is much lighter than a normal person, so tarantulas should manage it* Omalah 8:53 pm *optics brighten* SpectralDragon615 8:54 pm I suppose they want to kill her and steal her body. Omalah 8:54 pm Oh good the clown is gone... SpectralDragon615 8:55 pm Ah, yes. She's dead. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:55 pm Dead LyingLiarWhoLies 8:55 pm *sets them down as gently as he can, yeek. just gonna, sit down next to em* SunstreakerCMO 8:55 pm -well, he doesn't like this movie anymore- Omalah 8:55 pm tornadoes do -not- explain what that tree just did verdigrisprowl 8:55 pm *he's down to giggles* SpectralDragon615 8:55 pm If you can't find her, you're far too late. NoodlesAtNight 8:56 pm *Leans up on Tarantulas. Thank you for the assist.* Omalah 8:56 pm Pretty sure you have up to 24 hours before a child is assumed dead NoodlesAtNight 8:56 pm *Rubs a fuzz-covered pipe/feeler paw on his holo self's head to feel the texture. Not bad. Huh!* verdigrisprowl 8:57 pm Did— Did y— Did both of you— SpectralDragon615 8:57 pm Spirits are supposed to abduct hatchlings to replace them. *the dragon hums* I don't actually believe those stories, but that's what the stories say. radioactivibee 8:57 pm ...why did he just NoodlesAtNight 8:57 pm *Rumble suddenly looks super uncomfortable at the dragon's comment. He'll just stuff that mercury roll into his mouth now.* radioactivibee 8:57 pm why would you swim around in there SunstreakerCMO 8:57 pm ....... Omalah 8:58 pm Because they assume their missing girl is in there NoodlesAtNight 8:58 pm [[Did we what?]] radioactivibee 8:58 pm Are these humans ok? Omalah 8:58 pm Not even remotely NoodlesAtNight 8:58 pm [[Not in the slightest.]] radioactivibee 8:58 pm oh MedicalMurdersaurus 8:58 pm When the movie do fighting stuff? verdigrisprowl 8:58 pm *gestures at both of them* Did you—plan this? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:59 pm GO back to beat up tree kehehehh SunstreakerCMO 8:59 pm -right, he REALLY doesn't like this movie now- LyingLiarWhoLies 8:59 pm He has not planned anything, of course not. Not with Tarantulas, at least. SpectralDragon615 8:59 pm *the dragon didn't notice, so she's going to continue- sorry Rumble* The stories then claim that the replaced hatchling then goes on a killing spree as an adult. *grumbles* As I said, I don't believe them. We had to codify docentry because we're bad parents. There's a far more mundane solution to those tales. NoodlesAtNight 8:59 pm [[No, never. He wouldn't dare be so devious.]] verdigrisprowl 8:59 pm I'm serious. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:59 pm Us Dinobots go on killing spree any time! Newbuild, whatever! : > verdigrisprowl 8:59 pm *he's TRYING to be serious.* SpectralDragon615 9:00 pm Swoop, don't you live in a cave? radioactivibee 9:00 pm So are these ghosts or demons? MedicalMurdersaurus 9:00 pm Yup~ Yup! SpectralDragon615 9:01 pm You may not be a dragon, but I feel like you prove my point. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:01 pm ((come on rabbit let me say stuff)) LyingLiarWhoLies 9:01 pm He DID hope Tarantulas would show up as - as less of a MESS than this, but no one can be as composed as him, he supposes. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:01 pm ((I'm lagging like nobody's business)) What point? :V NoodlesAtNight 9:02 pm [[I was busy! I'm sure I'll look more presentable next time.]] @P: [[In other words: yes.]] radioactivibee 9:02 pm Humans have CLASSIC hauntings?? SpectralDragon615 9:02 pm *the dragon hesitates, and then chuffs* Don't worry about my point. I've got plenty more. Teeth grow back, and all. *she was GOING to say that "bad parenting causes killing sprees" but. Swoop probably doesn't need to hear it.* opatoes 9:03 pm /Smokescreen's a bit late, but is excited- Tarantulas! And Bee! Who does he go to? ... Is Messy next to Prowl?/ NoodlesAtNight 9:03 pm *Well, that's... that's a complex question.* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:03 pm *drops down into his ptero-mode, snapping his beak then laughing* Me Swoop have POINTS toooo kehehhehh LyingLiarWhoLies 9:04 pm *technically messy isn't here! just a holo of soundwave, and soundwave-dressed-badly-as-messy* radioactivibee 9:04 pm Dog! Oh Primus, let the dog be ok. opatoes 9:04 pm ... /The costume's convincing enough! Smokescreen's running over to give Soundwave dressed as Tarantulas a hug./ NoodlesAtNight 9:04 pm *ALERT. ALERT. THIS COSTUME WAS A BAD IDEA* LyingLiarWhoLies 9:05 pm *GR8 IDEA* radioactivibee 9:05 pm [taking pictures of the madness] NoodlesAtNight 9:05 pm [[LET GO OF HIM AT ONCE]] *That is definitely Soundwave.* opatoes 9:05 pm Messy! It feels like it's been forever and- maybe we can hang out more later? I didn't expect to see you tonight! ... Wait, what. /Lets go immediately./ SpectralDragon615 9:05 pm *the dragon FANS her wings out and snarls at Smokescreen* verdigrisprowl 9:05 pm *leeeeeans away* SunstreakerCMO 9:05 pm -okay, he's crowd watching now, at Smokescreen hugging Soundwave- opatoes 9:06 pm So, uh, Soundwave, you wanna, uh, look at the covenant later or something? radioactivibee 9:06 pm ...What the Oooooh no, nope, nuh-uh I don't like this. NoodlesAtNight 9:06 pm *Huffs in irritation and tries to smooth the moved fur back into place.* [[For Primus' sake. It's not even a convincing material, Smokescreen.]] opatoes 9:06 pm Oh! This is like the digimon movie! opatoes 9:07 pm ... Hey, it was convincing enough for me. Maybe I just need my optics recalibrated or something, LyingLiarWhoLies 9:07 pm See, that's what I mean! He doesn't look ANYTHINg- *huff* opatoes 9:07 pm /Staring at the holoform./ Wait, Messy, you're actually here? SunstreakerCMO 9:07 pm ...... opatoes 9:07 pm ... You're Messy, right? Not another Soundwave? SunstreakerCMO 9:08 pm -REALLY thinking he should have stayed at his base tonight- NoodlesAtNight 9:08 pm //So her kid's Shadowzoned or somethin'?// SpectralDragon615 9:08 pm That's not any Soundwave, Smokescreen. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:08 pm He - he's right there. *gestures toward sw with feeler. totes* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:08 pm Shadowzone? NoodlesAtNight 9:08 pm [[Don't you dare.]] LyingLiarWhoLies 9:08 pm He is Soundwave, just as always. opatoes 9:09 pm ... Hm. /Squinting at Soundwave dressed as Tarantulas./ Messy, that's a REALLY BAD Soundwave costume, you know. I can see your fuzzy bits. radioactivibee 9:09 pm Humans HAVE been to the Shadowzone before, but these humans don't look like they could ever create Ground Bridges. SpectralDragon615 9:09 pm *the dragon lifts her head up and stares at holo-tara. she'll bite.* radioactivibee 9:09 pm .......... LyingLiarWhoLies 9:10 pm *nearly dies trying not to laugh @ smokey, but it helps he doesn't have a face, so he just ends up shaking* radioactivibee 9:10 pm [is just going to watch, not even attempting to correct smokey] verdigrisprowl 9:10 pm Ugh. *glances at Soundwave and Tarantulas* Please—straighten him out. I can't handle this much stupidity in this close proximity. NoodlesAtNight 9:10 pm [[My - his - /Tarantulas'/ 'bits' are not fuzzy, thank you.]] opatoes 9:11 pm ... That's true. You weren't as soft as usual. Do spiders molt? Is that what happened? NoodlesAtNight 9:11 pm *To Prowl:* [[He's /trying./]] verdigrisprowl 9:11 pm I know YOU are. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:11 pm Tarantulas often refers to them as "setae," and he would not be here if he had molted. *crosses arms* SunstreakerCMO 9:12 pm -face in palms. He is DONE- LyingLiarWhoLies 9:12 pm *kinda hard to cross weird SW arms, he finds* verdigrisprowl 9:12 pm /Tarantulas./ opatoes 9:12 pm Hm. You know an awful lot about spiders for a Soundwave. /Squinting again at the holoform, and is going to try to touch./ radioactivibee 9:12 pm So you do molt? Smokey, remember. Soundwave has tentacles. That basically makes him an arachnid. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:12 pm Birds molt : > *is part of this conversation now thx* NoodlesAtNight 9:12 pm *It takes time to figure out how to cross his arms. A few days, when he first reformatted.* opatoes 9:12 pm Hey, spiders don't have tentacles! And I'm thankful for that. radioactivibee 9:12 pm Swoop, do you molt? radioactivibee 9:13 pm No, but he almost has 8 limbs. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:13 pm No NoodlesAtNight 9:13 pm [[It does /not/ make Soundwave an arachnid.]] SpectralDragon615 9:13 pm Tentacles are a valid and important anatomical option. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:13 pm Soundwave doesn't - HE doesn't have a sufficient number of limbs. opatoes 9:13 pm That doesn't make him an arachnid! That just makes him creepy. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:13 pm Me Swoop *bounces up enough to flap his wings* not have feathers NoodlesAtNight 9:13 pm [[Thank you, dragon.]] radioactivibee 9:13 pm He's the closest we have since Airachnid's on the moon. NoodlesAtNight 9:13 pm *Soundwave just puts his - er, Tarantulas' - face in his mitten-hands and vents into them.* opatoes 9:13 pm Hmmmm. /Smokescreen's leaning in to offer the Soundwave holoform a bit of the covenant, looking for a reaction./ SpectralDragon615 9:13 pm *the dragon puffs herself up proudly and churrs happily* radioactivibee 9:14 pm Primus, you brought that with you? Shouldn't it be in some kind of vault? opatoes 9:14 pm ... But if it's left in a vault, it'd be super easy to steal. Trust me, I've stolen from vaults before! LyingLiarWhoLies 9:14 pm *snatches right up !! but also pulls smokey in for a hug, because watching sw's holo hugging smokey has gotta be weird from the outside, rite* radioactivibee 9:14 pm Smokes, you're the only bot with a phase shifter. opatoes 9:15 pm /SQUEAKS at the "Soundwave hug, before affectionately hugging him./ Messy! You can't trick me for that long! SunstreakerCMO 9:15 pm -standing up. He's done for tonight- radioactivibee 9:15 pm ... verdigrisprowl 9:15 pm *mutters* Finally. radioactivibee 9:15 pm It was fun while it lasted. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:15 pm *signature tara laughter can be heard through the sw mask, it's probably pretty creepy* SpectralDragon615 9:15 pm *the dragon reaches out with one paw to offer a pat for Prowl* Omalah 9:15 pm *Watches Sunstreaker getting up* where you going? opatoes 9:15 pm /Making a point of hugging the holoform, practically climbing him!/ opatoes 9:15 pm Hey, I bet I could break into a vault without it. I'm pretty crafty! radioactivibee 9:16 pm One of the high security ones in Iacon? NoodlesAtNight 9:16 pm [[Get off of him!]] *That is the most horrifying thing he's ever seen.* opatoes 9:16 pm I'd give it a go! verdigrisprowl 9:16 pm *... leans away from paw reaching at him?* radioactivibee 9:16 pm I don't doubt you could break into a normal vault but SpectralDragon615 9:16 pm *okay. retracts paw.* NoodlesAtNight 9:16 pm *Already pulling fur patches off his shoulders and thighs and whatnot.* opatoes 9:16 pm Look, I snuck past the Soundwave in my universe with the forge. With THIS paint job! I'm pretty sneaky. SunstreakerCMO 9:16 pm ....nowhere LyingLiarWhoLies 9:17 pm *patpat smokey's head with a feeler* NoodlesAtNight 9:17 pm *He refuses to let Smokescreen take advantage of his holo self like this.* opatoes 9:17 pm /Squirming away from the feeler- okay, that's enough!/ LyingLiarWhoLies 9:17 pm *gently does pick smokey up off him and puts him down* radioactivibee 9:17 pm With the phase shifter or without? SunstreakerCMO 9:17 pm -Smokscreen figured things out, so he's fine now- NoodlesAtNight 9:17 pm ((this is a super gross scene btw y'all)) opatoes 9:17 pm Without, but it was in the middle of their base! And no one noticed. radioactivibee 9:17 pm ....frag, I don't think I've ever snuck past Soundwave in plain view. (( OH GOD IT'S THIS PART I SAW IT IN THE FREAKING MAZE AT UNIVERSAL opatoes 9:17 pm Either the Decepticons are just that dumb, or I'm really good at sneaking. And I don't think the Decepticons are all that dumb. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:18 pm (( THIS IS AMAZING SunstreakerCMO 9:18 pm What.... MedicalMurdersaurus 9:18 pm keeheh Melt face SunstreakerCMO 9:18 pm Oh MedicalMurdersaurus 9:18 pm *CACKLES* verdigrisprowl 9:18 pm ((look at that obvious fake model head)) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:19 pm NICE LyingLiarWhoLies 9:19 pm That - that's not even how humans work, it's - oh, good. SunstreakerCMO 9:19 pm Well then. opatoes 9:19 pm ... By the way, what IS this movie NoodlesAtNight 9:19 pm *Begins plucking off the little emerald eyes, pulling the pipes off his feelers, and so forth.* [[Poltergeist.]] radioactivibee 9:20 pm I...why are humans so gross sometimes? opatoes 9:20 pm Huh. It's about jerk ghosts, I'm gonna guess? radioactivibee 9:20 pm I love them, but that's gross. opatoes 9:20 pm I know, right? Humans do super gross things sometimes. SpectralDragon615 9:20 pm ((hey that's the scene that traumatized me when I was six!)) opatoes 9:20 pm You didn't even see the tooth fairy in the last movie! NoodlesAtNight 9:20 pm ((you okay there?)) SpectralDragon615 9:20 pm ((my dad, who is a liar, said that poltergeist was a cute and funny movie)) ((yeah I'm fine I tabbed out)) radioactivibee 9:20 pm (( this entire thing traumatizes me. i'm here for spoops (( oh no that's evil SpectralDragon615 9:20 pm ((volume's off and everything- I'm here to hang with y'all)) NoodlesAtNight 9:20 pm ((that's horrible of your dad 😐 this is not a movie for a six year old)) opatoes 9:20 pm ((awww radioactivibee 9:20 pm Smokey, the tooth fairy's not real. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:21 pm *settles back on the couch, patting sw with a feeler, but proceeds to flicker back into a holo of himself* opatoes 9:21 pm ((also yeah that's cruel No, no, this one was real and he- uh, it was gross. NoodlesAtNight 9:21 pm [[Hm. He supposes this means he has to keep his legs to himself now.]] SpectralDragon615 9:21 pm ((my dad has a very odd definition of cute and funny- he didn't MEAN to scare me to death. he's just very inured.)) ((this is the man who thought jurassic park was an appropriate toddler movie)) LyingLiarWhoLies 9:21 pm Nothing says you HAVE to, you know. NoodlesAtNight 9:21 pm //What in the flyin' fr-- uh, I mean. What is that?// radioactivibee 9:21 pm He? I thought the tooth fairy was usually portrayed as female? LyingLiarWhoLies 9:21 pm *pats his own legs, here sw* radioactivibee 9:21 pm ...What's happening? LyingLiarWhoLies 9:22 pm *cuddle up, he's feeling silly* radioactivibee 9:22 pm Is that a spark ghost? SpectralDragon615 9:22 pm ...That's a spirit. opatoes 9:22 pm I mean, it was a human who took teeth and gave money, so that's basically the tooth fairy. ... I've seen this kinda thing before radioactivibee 9:22 pm [inching his way towards Smokescreen] SpectralDragon615 9:22 pm That's a /visible/ spirit, too. She's going to eat you, foolish humans. NoodlesAtNight 9:22 pm //They /looked/ like sparks.// SunstreakerCMO 9:22 pm . . . MedicalMurdersaurus 9:22 pm Pchoooo opatoes 9:22 pm /Inching towards Bee! He doesn't feel right being near Prowl, anyway./ radioactivibee 9:22 pm That has to be a spark ghost. They look EXACTLY like that! SpectralDragon615 9:23 pm Does that mean that humans have sparks? Omalah 9:23 pm I dunno this seems kinda suspect... SunstreakerCMO 9:23 pm That is NOT a good thing woman NoodlesAtNight 9:23 pm *Settles down with Prowl and Tarantulas, flicking the mittens away. It was a good joke until then, at least.* radioactivibee 9:23 pm [vaguely wondering where Soundwave even got mittens.....] Dog, you are so good. Yes, go with the kids. Get out of there. Omalah 9:24 pm Yeah, the ghosts are all very lonely. They're so lonely they stole your daughter NoodlesAtNight 9:24 pm *Get fake fur, go to craftsmechs in New Praxus, bribe them handsomely to keep quiet and make specialized props.* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:24 pm *bounces down to sit in front of the screen, mainly to see if he can be the center of attention rather than actually caring about the movie* NoodlesAtNight 9:24 pm [[Swoop, naughty Dinobots get swept away by spark ghosts.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 9:24 pm Wicked : > SpectralDragon615 9:24 pm Spirits /are/ supposedly sad that they can't be in the living realm. Although kidnapping and eating the spirits of hatchlings to inhabit their husks seems... Too far. opatoes 9:25 pm ... Can I be swept away by a spark ghost? NoodlesAtNight 9:25 pm *Half-expecting an "if only" from Prowl.* Omalah 9:25 pm That isn't something you should be asking for... radioactivibee 9:25 pm hi Swoop. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:25 pm hi opatoes 9:25 pm I mean, I'm asking for it either way. radioactivibee 9:25 pm No idea. I haven't met another one since a few years back. opatoes 9:25 pm Being swept away by a ghost wouldn't be too bad. ... Oh, yeah. NoodlesAtNight 9:26 pm *Rumble decides this is a great time to go get a huge drink from the bar. Yep.* radioactivibee 9:26 pm They were all just reliving the moments leading up to death and... [shudders] We have a very complicated history. NoodlesAtNight 9:26 pm *....And maybe join the curling up pile on the couch.* radioactivibee 9:26 pm [Rumble has exactly the right idea] SpectralDragon615 9:26 pm *reaches out to pat rumble?* opatoes 9:26 pm ... Is that what it's like when you get to the Allspark? Primus. radioactivibee 9:26 pm Swoop, don't strain your optics too much. It's not good being that close to a screen. Omalah 9:27 pm ...that's how this movie started radioactivibee 9:27 pm No, the Allspark is wonderful. It's if you get trapped in between... What the-- opatoes 9:27 pm Ohhh- oh, yeah. /He's leaning in to hold Bee./ You should stay in this realm, though. NoodlesAtNight 9:27 pm *Rumble flinches but lets the pat happen.* *Soundwave curls a feeler around Rumble loosely but protectively.* SpectralDragon615 9:27 pm *oh no! a flinch! withdraws her paw quickly* I'm sorry. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:28 pm Me Swoop not STRAIN. Me Swoop a bombardier. Me can see for eeeeeeeeeever far away : > NoodlesAtNight 9:28 pm //Naw, 's okay.// LyingLiarWhoLies 9:29 pm (( relocate... a cemetary.... you can't just.... radioactivibee 9:29 pm Maybe far away, but what about very, very close? [Snuggling up to Smokey] Yeah. This realm's not too bad. SpectralDragon615 9:29 pm *churrs* Feeling okay? SunstreakerCMO 9:30 pm . . . Right NoodlesAtNight 9:30 pm [[If you can see forever far away, why sit up close?]] SunstreakerCMO 9:30 pm These humans are not intelligent Omalah 9:30 pm *makes a face* No one ever accused them of being smart radioactivibee 9:30 pm Wait why are they moving a cemetary? SunstreakerCMO 9:30 pm Because they are stupid Omalah 9:30 pm So they can build houses radioactivibee 9:30 pm ... That's so cursed. NoodlesAtNight 9:31 pm [[Quite.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 9:31 pm For fun : > opatoes 9:31 pm I know, right? Even if there's bots we might miss a lot- there's a lot of bots that are amazing here. verdigrisprowl 9:31 pm I get the impression that's the point. verdigrisprowl 9:32 pm *so. with costumes stripped and all, where did everyone end up on the couch.* opatoes 9:32 pm I wish I had heart. radioactivibee 9:32 pm Who are these people? You have Spark. opatoes 9:32 pm True! And that's way better, right? LyingLiarWhoLies 9:32 pm *right up next to prowl, if he allowed it!* SpectralDragon615 9:32 pm *the dragon would like to hang out as near to Soundwave as possible* opatoes 9:32 pm You can squeeze a spark! radioactivibee 9:33 pm Whoa wait what? SpectralDragon615 9:33 pm *although she's still in her horrible pink-and-rhinestone costume* NoodlesAtNight 9:33 pm *Soundwave is on the other side of Prowl, and Rumble is on his shoulder.* verdigrisprowl 9:33 pm *he certainly did allow it.* opatoes 9:33 pm ... You can squeeze one? Hypothetically? But you can't really do that with a heart, since they're so small. radioactivibee 9:33 pm Human murderers would disagree. NoodlesAtNight 9:34 pm [[He appreciates the psychic human's views on having her powers tested.]] SpectralDragon615 9:34 pm I can't imagine that it wouldn't get annoying to have people do that constantly. NoodlesAtNight 9:34 pm *So, in order from one side of the couch to the other: dragon, Soundwave and Rumble, Prowl, Tarantulas.* verdigrisprowl 9:34 pm *... puts a hand on Tarantulas's thigh.* *mmmm. fuzz.* SpectralDragon615 9:34 pm *confy dragon. free real estate.* NoodlesAtNight 9:35 pm [[...They're sparkeaters?]] LyingLiarWhoLies 9:35 pm *nearly perfect fuzz! but it's a holoform, so the weight of the setae is the tiniest bit off* opatoes 9:35 pm I mean- you can do it in a non-murdery way, too! opatoes 9:36 pm With sparks. NoodlesAtNight 9:36 pm *...He wonders whether sparkeaters will go to the Allspark.* verdigrisprowl 9:36 pm *close enough.* SpectralDragon615 9:36 pm How do human spirits not realize that they've died? Death is supposedly very, very cold... radioactivibee 9:36 pm I never tried because if I did, someone would do it in the murder-y way. Same way Cybertronians don't. NoodlesAtNight 9:36 pm [[Perhaps they perished in winter.]] opatoes 9:36 pm ... radioactivibee 9:36 pm But our sparks tend to lose their way... radioactivibee 9:37 pm so wait, this girl actually DID die, right? SpectralDragon615 9:37 pm Mhm. *the dragon considers this* I've never heard of dragon spirits being unaware of their own death. But I've never met one. NoodlesAtNight 9:37 pm [[He is not sure.]] SpectralDragon615 9:37 pm She's been taken, but not yet eaten, would be my guess. Maybe the spirit likes playing with its food? radioactivibee 9:37 pm Where'd the body go? NoodlesAtNight 9:37 pm [[He is not sure of that either.]] SunstreakerCMO 9:37 pm The beast? SpectralDragon615 9:37 pm Elsewhere. SpectralDragon615 9:38 pm Oh, my, they're actually going spelunking into the afterlife. NoodlesAtNight 9:39 pm [[...He has only just begun learning about these things, but he does not know if this is wise of them.]] SpectralDragon615 9:39 pm If they were dragons, I would say that it would be an excellent way to get consumed. radioactivibee 9:40 pm How old was this girl? NoodlesAtNight 9:40 pm [[It feeds on fear?]] SunstreakerCMO 9:41 pm . . . radioactivibee 9:41 pm Doesn't IT do that already? Omalah 9:41 pm Old enough to go to school at least radioactivibee 9:41 pm And Freddy? SpectralDragon615 9:41 pm Fear seems... unpleasant? Unsubstantial? radioactivibee 9:41 pm um NoodlesAtNight 9:41 pm [[...Rather the opposite.]] verdigrisprowl 9:41 pm Most likely, it's feeding on the souls, but uses their fears to manipulate them. SpectralDragon615 9:41 pm Not as a feeling, as a food. NoodlesAtNight 9:41 pm [[Hm. That is no more pleasant.]] SpectralDragon615 9:41 pm Spirits feed on souls all the time, so that makes more sense. SunstreakerCMO 9:42 pm What is going on here now? verdigrisprowl 9:42 pm Or, if not feeding on them, then obtaining some sort of benefit from them. Perhaps it's simply powerhungry. radioactivibee 9:42 pm Why? Eventually no one's gonna come back to the house. SpectralDragon615 9:42 pm I don't think it's thinking particularly long term. Omalah 9:42 pm Yeah but the ball got fragged up in the process radioactivibee 9:42 pm is she going through now? SpectralDragon615 9:42 pm It is somehow unaware that it is dead, after all. radioactivibee 9:42 pm this seems like a terrible idea SpectralDragon615 9:43 pm ((I never watched past the face peel scene- is there more gore I should be worried about here?)) NoodlesAtNight 9:43 pm [[What power is there to seize in the afterlife? Does it intend to topple its deities?]] *Scooting forward. Most interested now.* [[What is the pink goo?]] ((there's weird pink jello looking goo but no gore i don't think)) SpectralDragon615 9:43 pm ((thank)) NoodlesAtNight 9:44 pm ((monsters and bones and such but no like meat)) SpectralDragon615 9:44 pm Maybe it's meat. radioactivibee 9:44 pm (( yes pls and thank you! (( i'm super nauseous >.< Wow. NoodlesAtNight 9:44 pm *HUFFS* ((😧 are you ok)) SpectralDragon615 9:44 pm ((was it the face peeling)) SpectralDragon615 9:45 pm ((I still feel bad remembering that)) NoodlesAtNight 9:45 pm [[She has a point. Nobody else knows what to do without her.]] SpectralDragon615 9:45 pm Stop flirting and go fetch your hatchling, docent. radioactivibee 9:45 pm (( I've been p sick since august. dropped maybe 10lb by now? finally getting more help for it on Friday though! verdigrisprowl 9:46 pm What power is there worth seizing on Cybertron, at this point? And yet we've got Starscreams. SpectralDragon615 9:46 pm ((holy fuck, bee, that's bad)) radioactivibee 9:46 pm Anyone else thinking of that movie with the big boat that sank? NoodlesAtNight 9:46 pm ((😧 i'm glad you're gonna get seen... i hope the doc can help you get better)) verdigrisprowl 9:46 pm I figure the hypothetical gap between life and the human afterlife isn't much different from Cybertron. Dark, barren, undesirable, and dead. SpectralDragon615 9:46 pm ((oh, she's dowsing)) radioactivibee 9:47 pm (( yeah, i think it went from heat-related to stress response. been unemployed on top of that too and going through some stuff, but i have some cool meetings coming up so i have a bit of hope MedicalMurdersaurus 9:47 pm KEHEHHEHEHH it YELL radioactivibee 9:47 pm (( oh that's the thing SpectralDragon615 9:47 pm Meat. radioactivibee 9:47 pm Um. opatoes 9:47 pm ((/hugs/ yeah!! I hope they go well!)) radioactivibee 9:47 pm Ew. How the SunstreakerCMO 9:48 pm So SpectralDragon615 9:48 pm I suspect the spirits have been eating many children. SunstreakerCMO 9:48 pm He got an expert and radioactivibee 9:48 pm I'm confused. SunstreakerCMO 9:48 pm And then did not listen to her? Omalah 9:48 pm You said it before, they're not smart NoodlesAtNight 9:48 pm [[Nobody listens to experts.]] radioactivibee 9:48 pm Same, other humans. Omalah 9:49 pm Bullshit! SunstreakerCMO 9:49 pm Yes, I did say that, but I did not expect him to be THAT stupid radioactivibee 9:49 pm I still wouldn't live there. SpectralDragon615 9:49 pm ((did the skeletons in the swimming pool scene happen yet)) NoodlesAtNight 9:49 pm *Nods at Prowl. He can't imagine being in between would sound any different than just described, no. There was that whole dead universe, after all.* ((not yet)) radioactivibee 9:50 pm (( WAIT THERE'S MORE?? SpectralDragon615 9:50 pm ((yeah there's more)) NoodlesAtNight 9:50 pm (( OuO )) SpectralDragon615 9:50 pm ((I've seen the skeleton gif on tumblr.hell)) NoodlesAtNight 9:50 pm [[It is for the best. She is too young for those horrors.]] SpectralDragon615 9:50 pm I wonder if it is her. And not, well. Well. radioactivibee 9:50 pm (( how much movie is left omg NoodlesAtNight 9:51 pm //D'you gotta.// radioactivibee 9:51 pm I don't trust that girl's doll either SpectralDragon615 9:51 pm *blinks* ...No. No, I do not. I'm sorry. *shit, how long has she been making Rumble uncomfortable* NoodlesAtNight 9:51 pm *Mumbles.* //'S okay. You dunno.// radioactivibee 9:52 pm Why would you keep your kid in there?? SpectralDragon615 9:52 pm *very slowly reaches out, offering pat* radioactivibee 9:52 pm I'd keep that kid next to me as much as possible! NoodlesAtNight 9:52 pm *That one he'll take without flinching.* Omalah 9:52 pm Oh because the house is 'clean' verdigrisprowl 9:52 pm ... If I were her I'd go in in there to ensure the child is talking to her other child and not to something invisible. SpectralDragon615 9:52 pm *pat pat* Omalah 9:52 pm so it's okay NoodlesAtNight 9:52 pm [[Agreed. He would not let any of his creations out of his sight, had he any, until out of that house.]] radioactivibee 9:52 pm That's probably how the whole mess started. NoodlesAtNight 9:52 pm [[Even telepaths and those like us can be wrong from time to time.]] LyingLiarWhoLies 9:52 pm (( "get out of the solar system" that's my new insult NoodlesAtNight 9:53 pm ((heh heh)) SunstreakerCMO 9:53 pm This is not going to go well verdigrisprowl 9:53 pm Dye your hair after getting out of the house, don't leave the small ones unprotected. radioactivibee 9:53 pm (( that's such a good one for Transformers too XD SpectralDragon615 9:53 pm She's not a bright docent, it seems. verdigrisprowl 9:53 pm ((right?)) radioactivibee 9:53 pm Oh good the dog's ok. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:53 pm Docent meeeeeeeeeeeans.... Omalah 9:53 pm And that creepy doll is still there~ radioactivibee 9:53 pm Oh Primus. No No LyingLiarWhoLies 9:53 pm They really should have gotten rid of that horrendous thing. SpectralDragon615 9:53 pm Wheelijack is your Docent, Swoop. radioactivibee 9:53 pm Nooooooooooooooo SunstreakerCMO 9:54 pm ........ verdigrisprowl 9:54 pm They're too confident that their house has been cleaned. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:54 pm Creator Omalah 9:54 pm *uncomfortable whine* SpectralDragon615 9:54 pm Caretaker. My docents didn't create me, but they raised me. verdigrisprowl 9:54 pm It's reasonable to assume that the mass of ghosts passed on, but I see no evidence that the big one left. It certainly had no reason to go into the light. NoodlesAtNight 9:54 pm *Soundwave stretches the other feeler toward Aegis. Here. You can cling to that.* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:54 pm Him Sunstreaker is Bob caretaker SpectralDragon615 9:54 pm Sunstreaker is Bob's docent. SunstreakerCMO 9:55 pm I am what now? radioactivibee 9:55 pm Docent? SpectralDragon615 9:55 pm *...Bob is the bug, right? the little child bug? it seems like a good analogy* Omalah 9:55 pm *He's a bit spooked by the sudden feeler near him but smiles and gingerly curls his arms around it* *Hiss* LyingLiarWhoLies 9:55 pm Monsters under the bed, hmm? NoodlesAtNight 9:55 pm [[That would be like politely asking Starscream to leave the government because his policies were inconvenient and expecting him to go.]] verdigrisprowl 9:55 pm More or less. SpectralDragon615 9:56 pm *OH SHIT THAT'S SUNSTREAKER RIGHT HERE* You teach and take care of Bob, right? So if you and Bob were dragons, you'd be Bob's docent. radioactivibee 9:56 pm Primus, that's way too accurate. Omalah 9:56 pm *Clinging to the feeler* Cripes these humans... radioactivibee 9:56 pm Um.......... SunstreakerCMO 9:56 pm I...do not take care of anyone named Bob. NoodlesAtNight 9:57 pm [[Monsters in every part of that house.]] radioactivibee 9:57 pm what the.......????? Omalah 9:57 pm Who is the boy saying is a murderer...? SpectralDragon615 9:57 pm ...Oh. I think, then, I am talking about an alternate of yours. Who I have also never met in person. SunstreakerCMO 9:57 pm Time to get out of that house radioactivibee 9:58 pm You should've kept them IN SIGHT How did she fall down the stairs? verdigrisprowl 9:58 pm Don't touch the railings, obviously. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:58 pm Him Sunstreaker at Ark. Him Bob at Ark too now :S Omalah 9:58 pm massive spiritual pressure throwing her down the steps? SunstreakerCMO 9:58 pm Ah. That explains why I have never heard of this before NoodlesAtNight 9:58 pm ((the skellies approach)) radioactivibee 9:58 pm ew SpectralDragon615 9:58 pm ((THE SKELLIES)) radioactivibee 9:58 pm um who why opatoes 9:59 pm oh! pool pals! SpectralDragon615 9:59 pm Thank you, Swoop. NoodlesAtNight 9:59 pm [[The souls they built over.]] verdigrisprowl 9:59 pm ... I'm getting the impression they didn't move the cemetary as promised. NoodlesAtNight 9:59 pm [[So is he.]] SunstreakerCMO 9:59 pm Apparently not. radioactivibee 9:59 pm why is it such a struggle for her to get out SpectralDragon615 9:59 pm Well, they must have moved the stones. But not the bodies. LyingLiarWhoLies 9:59 pm *muttering* I never understood why people think they ought to be buried with their jewels. Being buried in the first place is already nonsensical NoodlesAtNight 9:59 pm [[She cannot get purchase.]] opatoes 10:00 pm ((man this reminds me of this park by my old high school that they like... apparently "moved" the corpses that were buried underneath to make room for an underground parking lot. that place has gotta be cursed too)) radioactivibee 10:00 pm (( i would never park there omg verdigrisprowl 10:00 pm It IS nonsensical, but humans are very invested in it. SpectralDragon615 10:00 pm ((the local reservoir flooded over a graveyard- I /know/ that place is cursed, though)) radioactivibee 10:00 pm um SpectralDragon615 10:00 pm ...It's a throat. MedicalMurdersaurus 10:00 pm *glances over at the discussion of burial and thinks of Slag again, he should try to suffocate his brother in his sleep again for giggles sometime, mental note* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:01 pm (( oh my GOD swoop SpectralDragon615 10:01 pm *yes, the dragon knows what ELSE it looks like. it's a throat.* NoodlesAtNight 10:01 pm [[You cannot take your items with you. Better to find someone worthy of them.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 10:01 pm ((it's FINE, he'll be FINE)) Omalah 10:01 pm ....do you suppose this is where unbirthing kinks started? NoodlesAtNight 10:01 pm *That's totally a throat. It has a mlah and everything.* [[He's sorry - where WHAT started.]] SpectralDragon615 10:01 pm *more firmly* It's a THROAT. SpectralDragon615 10:02 pm *do not drag this dragon into your nasty little world* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:02 pm *snort/chokes* NoodlesAtNight 10:02 pm [[No. No, don't tell him.]] Omalah 10:02 pm Live on in blissful ignorance NoodlesAtNight 10:02 pm [[Face what you have done, fleshling!]] SpectralDragon615 10:02 pm Hah. Called it. radioactivibee 10:02 pm um MedicalMurdersaurus 10:03 pm kehehhehehhwhat??? radioactivibee 10:03 pm OK GOOD THE DOG IS FINE SpectralDragon615 10:03 pm Also, feed him to the corpses. He's the one who left them there. SunstreakerCMO 10:03 pm Good idea Omalah 10:03 pm They do seem to be hungry for something SunstreakerCMO 10:04 pm Maybe retribution will fill them NoodlesAtNight 10:04 pm [[Farewell, Bumblebee.]] radioactivibee 10:04 pm ...Well sucks to be me in this movie. Farewell, cruel world. SpectralDragon615 10:04 pm Oh, look, you're breakdancing. NoodlesAtNight 10:04 pm *HUFF* MedicalMurdersaurus 10:04 pm DEAD SpectralDragon615 10:04 pm *thank you, she's hilarious* NoodlesAtNight 10:04 pm *Points.* [[That is definitely shadowzoning.]] verdigrisprowl 10:04 pm Looks like it. radioactivibee 10:05 pm i've never seen the Shadowzone do THAT. SpectralDragon615 10:05 pm ...Are you implying that dead humans live in the Shadowzone for all eternity? LyingLiarWhoLies 10:05 pm Why didn't HE get shadowzoned with it. verdigrisprowl 10:05 pm Too far away from the epicenter. SpectralDragon615 10:05 pm I. I feel like that would be very awful. NoodlesAtNight 10:05 pm [[Skyquake does.]] SunstreakerCMO 10:05 pm Well. It LOOKS uncomfortable Omalah 10:05 pm Because he has to live with what he's done? SpectralDragon615 10:05 pm No, living in the Shadowzone for all eternity. radioactivibee 10:05 pm ...Low blow. MedicalMurdersaurus 10:05 pm Skyquake a cool name SpectralDragon615 10:05 pm Especially with all the other dead. That would be crowded, surely. Omalah 10:06 pm *finally looks up the translation of Cuesta Verde* ...Green slope Wasn't that all flat? SpectralDragon615 10:06 pm Bulldozers are magical things. NoodlesAtNight 10:06 pm [[Finally, a wise action.]] LyingLiarWhoLies 10:07 pm The human wouldn't live with it, his mind would be too fragile and amorphous to handle the fright it received, likely enough. verdigrisprowl 10:07 pm From the context, I took it to mean that the "shadowzone"-like territory is a gap /between/ the conventional living realm and whatever they consider an afterlife. SunstreakerCMO 10:07 pm Yes radioactivibee 10:07 pm Primus. verdigrisprowl 10:07 pm Not the afterlife itself. SpectralDragon615 10:07 pm Ah, so it's not all the dead. Just the stubborn ones. radioactivibee 10:07 pm Oh. opatoes 10:07 pm Thanks Steve for the movie I guess LyingLiarWhoLies 10:07 pm This music is deliciously off-theme. radioactivibee 10:07 pm That makes sense. Yeah, thanks Steve NoodlesAtNight 10:07 pm [[Yes. He likes it.]] [[...]] [][][]Steve?[][][] NoodlesAtNight 10:08 pm [[None of them have gone into making movies. Music, yes, but...]] opatoes 10:08 pm Thanks a lot, Steve. SpectralDragon615 10:08 pm *the dragon stretches* I should get back. Thank you, Soundwave! *...she's gonna leave the edible xenomorph queen on the dolly. she can pick the dolly itself up next week. she really, really, really doesn't want to deal with moving it AGAIN. it's heavy!* radioactivibee 10:08 pm Pool Workers 1 and 2 NoodlesAtNight 10:09 pm *Soundwave is definitely going to gorge on that this week, don't you worry. The dolly will be clear by next movie night.* [[Travel safely, dragon.]] SpectralDragon615 10:09 pm *the most delicious spooky treat, made with love and care and silver* MedicalMurdersaurus 10:09 pm *spots an unguarded drink and, for purely entertainment purposes, decides to see how successfully he can drink while in ptero-form* *the answer is not very, but it's super fun to manhandle a glass with an oversized beak* radioactivibee 10:10 pm ...that laughter was not necessary LyingLiarWhoLies 10:11 pm (( oh my god why am i listening to bad children's music outside of work NoodlesAtNight 10:11 pm [[It set a final mood.]] radioactivibee 10:12 pm Can't argue with that. NoodlesAtNight 10:12 pm *Soundwave stretches.* SunstreakerCMO 10:12 pm ....... NoodlesAtNight 10:12 pm *This includes all six limbs. You might want to let go of that one, Aegis* Omalah 10:13 pm *He's relaxed now that the creepy clown is gone, Tara-wave can have the limb back* MedicalMurdersaurus 10:13 pm Oogie boogie :V *bounces* SunstreakerCMO 10:13 pm Do I even WANT to know? verdigrisprowl 10:13 pm *leans on tarantulas so soundwave has room to stretch.* Omalah 10:13 pm Depends on what you think of bugs verdigrisprowl 10:13 pm *... continues leaning on tarantulas.* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:13 pm You've seen this movie before, Swoop? *chuckle* NoodlesAtNight 10:13 pm *zzzzzzzzzt. Stretched out. And out. And out. And out. And... well. He won't extend it the whole length. But it makes a slight popping noise before he starts reeling it back in. Ahhhh.* MedicalMurdersaurus 10:14 pm YAH *bounces* NoodlesAtNight 10:14 pm //Heh. 'S Tarantulas.// LyingLiarWhoLies 10:14 pm *purrs pleasedly! oh prowl, you're never getting out of his hold now* Hhm- ? NoodlesAtNight 10:15 pm *Leans against Prowl, careful to let Rumble slide down his arm.* //The spider crawlin' out his head. It's purple.// NoodlesAtNight 10:15 pm ((OH YEAH. uhhhh time mark 10:30)) verdigrisprowl 10:15 pm *spiders in heads. shudders.* NoodlesAtNight 10:16 pm @P: //Ah, frag. Sorry.// LyingLiarWhoLies 10:16 pm *gentle squeeze, though he's not sure what the shudder was* verdigrisprowl 10:16 pm Hm. *if tarantulas is big enough to squeeze him, he's big enough to not crawl into his head. MedicalMurdersaurus 10:16 pm Soundwave! *yelling at Tara, because he genuinely hasn't cared enough to keep track of what's going on here* Omalah 10:17 pm Alright, I better get going. *He pats Sunny's wrist absently* Take care everyone. Dont stay up too late. NoodlesAtNight 10:17 pm [[Thank you for attending.]] opatoes 10:17 pm Hey, Hey- Bee, Bee- you wanna go home with me? I could maybe show you, you know- the book? LyingLiarWhoLies 10:18 pm *doesn't answer to sw, silly swoop. he's already in his own holoform again* SunstreakerCMO 10:18 pm Good night NoodlesAtNight 10:18 pm [[Hm?]] radioactivibee 10:18 pm Really? You'd trust me with that? Um, yeah sure. It's been a while since we had a sleepover. opatoes 10:18 pm /He's also going to ping Tarantulas a few times!/ ::Messy, Messy- can we meet up later? And do field science?:: MedicalMurdersaurus 10:18 pm Soundwave! *to whoever in the pile will listen* opatoes 10:18 pm Bee, I'd trust you with my life, I can trust you with a book! /Leaning in to nuzzle Bee's face!/ radioactivibee 10:19 pm [Quick little kiss] NoodlesAtNight 10:19 pm [[Yes?]] MedicalMurdersaurus 10:19 pm Me Swoop want to watch Nightmare Before Christmas! *hops* Want to watch with Her Bird! *hop hop* Us do THAT now! SunstreakerCMO 10:19 pm -standing up and leaving now- Thank you for the movie, and good night. radioactivibee 10:19 pm Good movie choice, Swoop. LyingLiarWhoLies 10:20 pm @Smokey: ::But of course! I have a few ideas - do make sure to bring the phase shifter with you.:: NoodlesAtNight 10:20 pm [[No, Swoop. One movie per night. Perhaps another time.]] *Nodding to Sunstreaker.* [[You're welcome. Goodnight.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 10:20 pm BUT! : < opatoes 10:20 pm @Messy: ::Of course! You've got it! What kinda tests should I expect?:: /Quick return kiss for Bee!/ NoodlesAtNight 10:21 pm [[You saw the green monster's song. That is enough for tonight.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 10:21 pm Oogie boogie LyingLiarWhoLies 10:21 pm @Smokey: ::Thrilling exploits that even I don't know the answer to yet, hyeh. Now off with you.:: radioactivibee 10:21 pm (( alright, imma head out. thanks for the stream! NoodlesAtNight 10:21 pm ((you're welcome!)) verdigrisprowl 10:22 pm *... two hands in fuzz? two hands in fuzz.* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:23 pm *floof floof* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:24 pm *whisper* ...I'm tempted to whip up a holoform Boogie Man simply to toy with Swoop... but alas, too lazy. verdigrisprowl 10:25 pm *it's so nice. floof.* MedicalMurdersaurus 10:25 pm Soundwave! Soundwave. Me Swoop want to Bird. When Her Bird coming back? : < verdigrisprowl 10:25 pm *whispers* It would just make him more insufferable. He'd be loud, and a fight would break out. MedicalMurdersaurus 10:26 pm *would fuckin THROW DOWN with oogie boogie* NoodlesAtNight 10:26 pm [[Soon, he hopes. But not tonight. She is enjoying a party. It has been a long time since she was able to go to one not held here.]] LyingLiarWhoLies 10:26 pm True, true. But just imagine the joy on his face - or, beak? MedicalMurdersaurus 10:27 pm You Soundwave show Me Swoop where that is. Me Swoop go there : > opatoes 10:27 pm @Tarantulas: ::Fine, fine- I look forward to all our exploits together! I'll be the best field assistant ever, I promise!:: LyingLiarWhoLies 10:27 pm @Smokey: ::I don't doubt it.:: verdigrisprowl 10:27 pm His joy comes at the extreme and protracted expense of everyone else's. MedicalMurdersaurus 10:28 pm ((There was the BRIEFEST flicker of a moment when I considered that Swoop had the right body type to be Jack Skellington for halloween)) NoodlesAtNight 10:28 pm [[It is in New Praxus. You should know where that is - the city in which Big Ratchet lives?]] [[The smaller of the two main squares, he believes.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 10:29 pm *nods and makes for the door, he'll find it or he'll get distracted and ruin someone else's night and either way'll be a good time* NoodlesAtNight 10:30 pm [[...That was surprisingly easy. They are in for a 'treat' tonight.]] *Glancing down to Rumble.* [[Will you be all right?]] //Yeah, yeah. Ain't nothin'. Gonna maybe go play some games with Frenzy. That cool?// *Rumble waits until he gets a nod to hop off the couch, salute everyone, and jog upstairs. Time for Distractions.* NoodlesAtNight 10:31 pm [[And you two -- should he leave you to it...?]] *He saw those floof grabbing hands* verdigrisprowl 10:31 pm To what? *he asks, still groping tarantulas's thigh.* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:32 pm *technically the thigh fluff is on the outside, but there's another panel with setae tarantulas wouldn't mind prowl playing with either* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:33 pm If you like, hyeh. Although you needn't /leave/ us to it, unless you have somewhere better to be. verdigrisprowl 10:34 pm *these two drifting toward the gutter and prowl in the middle innocently stimming.* NoodlesAtNight 10:35 pm *Considers the two different answers......... decides to stay where he is, leaned up and comfy. If it stays Prowl playing with the fuzz, then he can at least catch a soothing doze. If it goes somewhere Tara's thinking about, he can choose what to do then.* verdigrisprowl 10:41 pm *Prowl is perfectly content to lean his shoulder on Tarantulas, slide his hip against Soundwave's, and continue playing with the fuzz for a good long while.* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:41 pm *tara is equally as content !! and surely full of things to chatter on about* NoodlesAtNight 10:42 pm *Dozing it is, then! It's been a long time. He's content to indulge.* verdigrisprowl 10:42 pm *and so it was.* LyingLiarWhoLies 10:42 pm <3

[miraimisu]

Closed Books & Money Bags

Rating: T+

This is my gift for @travia-shima​ as her Secret Santa! /santa laughs, merry christmas sweetie, sorry for the delay! I had actually planned myself so I could post this on Christmas, the 25th, but well.

I wanted to make this as best as possible but exams and life got in the way, I wish I had had more time so you got the work you deserved. You are an amazing friend and bean, I love you very much Travz. I hope you enjoy this and take this as a thanks for your help through these rough weeks. I love you <3 Also this was my first student/teacher AU i hope you can forgive me if it’s not what you wanted bless you ily

There was a cute guy on the queue.

 Uraraka was never one to go around spotting people. In fact, she was was more preserved than she once used to be, and she definitely wasn’t breaking character for that guy. Not that guy. Absolutely not. His hair was golden, his eyes somewhat blistering and audacious, his mouth curved into a grimace of displeasure when the waitress didn’t dare apply the proper amount of cream to his black, bitter coffee. Yeah, he somehow seemed like a black coffee type of guy and clearly Uraraka wasn’t staring at him.

 Not at all.

 Except that she was and she wanted to bang her head against the table.

 When was the last time she has lusted over a guy this badly? Judging by his appearance, he was not her type— scratch that, any guy with those arms was clearly her type but… when had she been so struck by a guy’s eyes so badly? Was it because hers were so classically brown? Was it because he seemed to give light to the dim cafeteria with his colorful speech? Somehow, he seemed so out of the ordinary he was… shining.

 Her chin rested on her palm, slipped, and headbutted the table loudly, being met with a tap from her friend. “Everything alright? You kinda spaced out a lil’ there, girl.”

 Uraraka craned her head to look at her friend, pouting as Mina flashed a teasing smile in her direction. “Whatever you are thinking, is wrong.”

 “Right.” Mina sighed contently, leaning back into her chair with a smile. One of her eyes opened a little to glance in the man’s direction. “It’s not my fault you are drooling over… is it the redhead? he’s kinda cute!”

 “For starters, I don’t drool, I was just—” her eyes peek over to the queue, where he is still scowling at the waitress. He must have had a rough day. “I was just trying to see if I spotted the others among the crowd. Nothing sinful like you are suggesting— stop it with that look!”

 “He is kinda hot, though.” Uraraka crossed her arms and looked down, ashamed and beet red as her friend shamelessly looked at the queue. It wouldn’t take her long to see him. “I got a knack for red, you know.”

 “It’s not…” she was going to deny everything, just hope to die of humiliation if Mina dared look too close into the case, but then just gave up. “It’s not the redhead one… it’s the blonde guy.”

 “Huh? what— oh.” Mina remained silent for the next minute, and Uraraka didn’t know what to make out of her mute observation. Then, the pink-headed girl spoke again. “His hair is a wreck.” The other almost choked on her coffee. “Are you kidding me!? Is that all you got to say about him?”

While the girl coughed some, the other looked at the blonde boy with a pensive gaze. “He is cute. Not my type, but I can understand anyone who digs that appeal.” her eyes trailed to her friend again. “Why don’t you go talk to him?”

 Uraraka’s eyes widened like saucers at the almost indecent proposal. In the way Mina put it, talk meant a lot more than just talk. “I cannot go over there like nothing and talk to him! Also, have you seen how angry he is over there? He will see me as an annoying brat!”

 Mina looked over her and sighed, and Uraraka already knew what she was thinking because she always pulled the same thing. Uraraka was a shy being by nature, used to gentle things and pastel colors, like some kind of princess that she insisted on not being, but all guys had treated her like one. She enjoyed being treated like a princess, who didn’t? But she was tired of being mistaken for a simple, little and cute girl when she thought she could be so much more.

 Perhaps that was why that man’s presence was so intriguing and fascinating to her. She hadn’t even gotten to know him and something within her told her he was just different. Something in the way he didn’t straightaway solve his disputes with punches and decided to just scowl, sulk and spit some insults at whoever brushed by was… interesting. Her eyes rolled over his figure a little before he barked something else at the waiter (the previous waitress had run away in fear) and dissolved into the crowd.

 Her eyes tried to follow him, but she couldn’t, and thus her expression shifted into one of boredom as she looked at her, again, teasing friend. “You never let up, do you?”

Turns out, Uraraka did end up meeting the mysterious man again— but not in the way she wished for. And trust her… she wanted to take back her words.

 Just a second after she had sat on her chair, the blonde man came barging through the door — literally, he kicked it open with a fearsome grimace as if it was a pitiful foe — and tossed his papers on the desk before her, jumping on her chair as the man hopped to the table and sat on it, peering over his classroom in a weird mixture of boredom and annoyance. She couldn’t tell if his eyes were always that blistering, but all she knew was that the angry spark hadn’t faded ever since he left the cafeteria.

 Maybe it hadn’t faded ever since he was born and the thought scared her somewhat, yet she listened to his words carefully. For what she could tell with a sole glance, he didn’t look much older than her, and was probably going to use that minimal age difference against her. Still, she looked up despite his intimidating glare.

 Probably a child genius who had gotten the job beforehand, too young to teach. Great.

 “Nerds, I’m not gonna explain this shit twice, so you better take notes or you are rotten meat.” he was almost barking at them, yet she felt that dreadful thrill of both intimidation and expectation run through her, urging her to jot all down quickly. “No need to give me your names, I ain’t gonna remember them anyway.”

 His name was Bakugou Katsuki and he was a jerk, she could tell from the first moment he walked into the class, but the way he handled himself and his words only made it more blaring. He was constantly moving, constantly looking around and snapping at the littlest of interruptions. Despite all that, he seemed to be rather lax on exams and assignments for what he had shown them, and unlike some teachers she had the disgrace to meet, he did seem passionate about what he would be teaching, yet his manners weren’t those of a lecturer-

 It sometimes made her wonder why he was even there. In that silent ponderation, Bakugou caught her staring and slammed a hand to her table. “What’s the problem, roundface? Like what you see?”

 Her cheeks turned pinkish the moment she snapped out of it, and shook her head, probably much to his dismay because he sounded like the greatest egomaniacs of the planet. Still, he did have a good body behind that black jacket of his, she could tell. Judging by the swooning gazes some other of her peers were throwing at him, she wasn’t the only one to notice— but he didn’t seem to give a crap about that.

 When she finally got over that first impression, she started seeing things she lwas surprised with— not because they made him even worse, but because they were things she didn’t see in people all the time and… she was a curious girl. There was this moment when one of his papers slipped and fell that he cursed loudly, yet collected it with care and dusted it off. Maybe he wasn’t as careless as she thought and… actually cared more than he let on. And the way he spoke was kind of collected as well, assertive and to the point— he knew his stuff.

 He was a strange, uncanny man. Uraraka didn’t care about that, but actually felt excited to have more classes with him later on. She wanted to know this man.

 So, when the lecture, presentation or whatever it was ended, after he threatened them all to punish them with lesson if they didn’t get the shit out of there, Uraraka slowly packed her things to let everyone get out of the classroom, and walked to the unsuspecting man slowly. “Hey, uhm…”

 He almost choked with his own air when she tried to greet him. What a man of words. “What the fuck? You gave me a damn scare there, roundface!”

 At his outburst, Uraraka felt the urge to scurry away, yet didn’t. He didn’t seem that annoyed with her presence, if only burdened by whatever she would have to say next. The brunette sighed with a clumsy smile. “I just wanted to apologize for earlier! I didn’t mean to stare at you, I was just thinking about stuff and—”

 “First, stop fucking fidgeting, this ain’t high school.” at that, she stilled in her place. “Second, what the hell you apologizing for? I had already forgotten about it.”

 She felt stupid. Maybe ashamed, even. Her hands came up to fiddle with her hair as he started packing things again, only glancing back at her once or twice. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable in your first day… That’s what I’m apologizing for.”

 Bakugou zipped his hand suitcase — why did everyone have those? — and placed it on his chair before looking at her with a pensive, yet clearly piercing glare. It was as if he was hesitating between beheading her or poisoning her, teeth gritted and he would probably start barking for all she cared— she just wanted to make nice for being a freak earlier. While she withstood his knit eyebrows and fangs, her eyes settled for just a outcome for the situation.

 Seeing she wouldn’t let go of such silly issue, he sighed, and dismissed her with a wave of his hand. It was as if he was treating her like a child and she wasn’t going to let him get away with that. “I don’t give a crap about earlier, just make yourself useful and let me go home already.”

 Uraraka hadn’t noticed that she was actually annoying him, not only personality-wise, but also because he was losing his time with her, wasting it when wh knows? perhaps he had to take a train or something. “Ah! I’m sorry for—!”

 He swung his suitcase to his hand and looked at her from the corner of his eyes, not even turning to look at her. He mumbled his next words. “Stop apologizing already.” her mouth clamped shut, watching him turn heel to walk to the exit of the classroom, leaving her in a golden room full of sunset beams. “See ya.”

 Her cheeks puffed, determined to be in good terms with him even if it costed her her sanity. But man, wasn’t he a damn jerk…

Bakugou hated life sometimes.

 Just as he stared at the big screen at the entrance of the station, he realized he was fucked. He let out a deep sigh, a grimace painting his expression in the dim light of the cold station as he saw the blatant news. His train wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon due to bad weather and he just hated life sometimes.

 So he decided to make something out of it, and turned heel in direction to the center of the town. He would probably stay around a bar or some shit until he wanted to get a hotel, but knew he couldn’t delay it much more or else he’d end up being late for his meeting with the docent staff the following day. Needless to say, Bakugou was kind of screwed, but he couldn’t dwell much into it without wanting to punch something and, if possible, somebody.

 One thought teaching would appease his violent vibe, well they were dead wrong. If anything, it makes him more stressed, ergo, more prone to violent sprouts.

He kicked the door to the bar open, letting the winter mist roll into the place with a puff of air into his red scarf. He tugged it a bit off, the change of temperatures creeping through his skin and starting to make his hands kind of sweaty. His grumpy steps echoed as he stomped to a stool on the bar, sitting down with a gruff and leaning onto the wooden surface. He ran a hand through his golden locks, breathing heavily as a clock hitting late hours greeted his scarlet glare.

 He tugged on his scarf a bit further. He wasn’t that used to going to bars, preferring quieter places where no one would bother him— but hell, it had been a while since he had a drink, and after a first week of classes, he needed something to get stress off. With such fucked up weather, no jogging would do, neither would walking around. And he couldn’t get home, and he couldn’t help but frown because he needed his bed real quick.

 He wasn’t even that old, for fuck’s sake, why was he so tired? He had graduated last year, teaching now a class that was barely two years behind him. An interesting class, he couldn’t lie, but… so fucking tiring. He had better places to be yet his mind had somehow dragged him to that damned university.

 A bartender came to see him, a question lingering in his eyes he knew very well. “Hibiki whiskey.” his voice was hoarse and somewhat urgent, because while he never drank in favor of a good health — he was damn healthy, he could swear his name on that — but his parents, work and just damn paperwork were getting the worst of him. He waved him away and focused on the clock on the wall. He could take out his phone and search for some stuff, but he had ran out of battery a long time ago.

 Jesus fucking christ could this day get any worse?

 He heard the door open a crack and heard it close again slowly, and light feet tapping behind his stool until they pulled a chair out and sat by him, and he could recognize that damn cologne everywhere now, having had her swarming his ass to ‘make nice for what happened the other day’.

 He glared at her pointedly. Of course it was fucking her, of all people. His night could indeed get worse. “What the hell’re you doing here so late, roundface?”

 At the sound of his voice, Uraraka turned, the sound of her anorak shuffling in the rattle of the bar. Upon seeing him, her cheeks turned scarlet and her hands trembled a little, confused to see him out of all people, there. “Oh, Bakugo—”

 “Tch.” the bartender dropped by and swung the glass to his hand, the ice clanking against the glass as Bakugou threw a nasty glare at his student. “Don’t fucking talk or else.”

 Her hands slanted on her thighs, she looked down as the bartender looked at both with an amused look in his eyes, one replaced with question as Uraraka raised her head afterwards. “The usual, please.”

 The usual? His shoulders perked up as he scanned her figure, her little button nose, and the innocent shine to her eyes as an appeased smile appeared to grace her features. Yeah, she was damn cute, he couldn’t deny it, but she was a damn pain. He didn’t do that sparkly shit she seemed to carry with her. Never did, never will.

 Sighing, he took a sip of his glass.

 “So, what are you doing here?”

 And almost choked.

 Bakugou slammed the glass on the counter and looked at her with a severe frown. “Oi, shouldn’t I be fucking asking you that? Shouldn’t you be studying or some shit?”

 The roasty smell of coffee wafted under their noses, making them breathe sharply, and Uraraka frowned a little with a mean pout. “I hope you don’t think I spend my nights studying. I have other stuff to take care of. Besides, I live nearby.” she grabbed a little packet of sugar. “I’m here rather often. And I had never seen you here. That’s why I’m asking.”

 She made a good point there, and when her coffee finally came and she sipped on it in silence, it seemed like she wasn’t going to wait for him to answer, it probably didn’t matter to her. But she had asked, so he’d at least make a good excuse to explain why he was there. Not like he gave a shit about what she, of all people thought, but she was still a student. And he was a teacher.

 He took another long sip. “I needed some air.” which was true— misleading, but true. And she seemed to believe it, nodding to herself and humming as the coffee drowned her inner stress away. It had been a rather busy night handling stuff at home, she also needed the air.

 Her eyes trailed from his pale hand to his pale throat, then to his eyes, mesmerized by how red and burning they were. It was so amazing to have such… interesting man at her disclosure as a teacher. “You look pissed.”

 His lips were drawn into a sardonic smile, looking at her with a laugh pulling at his heartstrings. “What a damn Sherlock.” muttered he, making the ice cubes dance in the glass. “I got stuff on my mind, none of your fucking business.”

 Uraraka arched an eyebrow at him, making his own eyes widen at how bold this skank could be. Hell, most people would have already taken the hint and left, mostly cursing after his existence or dedicating him a soundful glare at his neck— but all she did was stay in silence, sometimes lie her eyes on him as he lay his on her, but that was it mostly.

 Until she decided to speak and he knew she wasn’t going to give up. He sighed loudly. “Are you always so rude?”

 “Are you always so damn nosy?”

 At this, her mouth frowned into a tight line as she scooted her coffee closer, letting the steam hit her skin. There was a mildly sweet aroma lingering around them as the hard whiskey and the soft foamy coffee melted into the other, his hard eyes staring at those hands he saw scribble daily with such diligence and skill. He had seen her grades this far — not because he was interested, hell no, but just because he wanted to know what students he had — and frankly, he was surprised to see such little girl handle so many side-classes and her career so balancedly.

 At this, he eyed a little scar o the bridge of her thumb and index, musing over how fresh it was. “So, martial-combat, huh?”

 Uraraka jumped on her seat to look at her teacher, shock swimming in her eyes. “How did—?”

 He made the chips dance in his grasp. “I am your goddamn teacher, did you think I wouldn’t look over your expedients? Above all being in front of a top tier class like yours.”

 She didn’t know how to take that because the cold stare he threw her at the end made her want to scurry out the door. Frankly, he was quite the dick, but this was her place and she refused to move out of his space when this was hers in the first place. She pouted at him. “Well, yeah. I enjoy fighting some.” judging by how incredulous his eyes were, despite being the one to actually bring up the topic, he wasn’t believing her. “Hey, I know some tricks!”

 His brows knit down in disdain, grimacing at her overly sensitive demeanor. “Stop fretting about it. Are you gonna make such a big deal out of whatever I say?” he cautiously shook his head and took a sip of his glass as she took one of hers. “No wonder you’re a fucking good student.”

 Uraraka coughed some of her hot coffee out, only for him to realize the fatal mistake he had done at complimenting her. But instead of getting the over the top reaction he had expected, she only brushed some bangs aside and smiled cheekily. How old was she again? “Well, it’s good to get a green light from such a strict teacher, thanks.”

 He blinked at her in silence as she kept to herself and set her mug on the table with an enigmatic hum of her voice. Now, she was kind of mysterious. Looking at the small scar on her hand again, so recklessly near a scorching hot beverage, he felt the urge to know more, which he drowned out with a hard chug on his glass. This was going to be a long night. “Another shot.”

 Uraraka’s ears twitched as he ordered again, looking at him in wonder. Turns out he wasn’t going to move any time soon— he was in her territory to stay. When he felt her blatant stare on him, his eyes tilted to meet hers as she rushed to look at the display of bottles behind the bar. “Oi, what’s your goddamn problem with staring at people?”

 “A-Ah!” the mug danced on her hands as she went to pick it up again, and drew strength from it’s steamy liquid. She put it on her lips. “I was just wondering… you don’t really seem like a hard drinker.”

 “What’s with this fucking bluntness you got going on, huh?

 Uraraka narrowed her eyes, unfazed and blunt again. “Do you want me to call you Bakugou-sama or something?” when he only kept his eyes on her, not speaking a word, she thought he had taking her seriously. “God, you don’t really seem to be exactly humble.”

 It was a second later when Uraraka actually remembered that this man, this rude man, was actually her teacher, the man who would be grading her exams and assignments for at least a year, who would be giving her classes and somebody she would have to live with despite her not wanting to. Seriously, he was such a good-looking man, but his personality didn’t even it all out. Regardless, she had gone over the limit, and there was this strange tension in the noisy air that proved this further.

 After letting her cup sit on the small plate under it, she sighed and looked at him in embarrassment. “I’m-”

 “I got many damn reasons to be proud of and hoist myself like a damn flag. Don’t go around telling me how I should behave.” it felt like a cut to make her feel awkward, but it was pretty much the opposite, what he did. When he looked back at her to take in her destroyed image, all he found was a soft smile. “What the fuck!”

 She closed her eyes. “I just wonder… you are not much older than me. How intelligent must you be to be teaching so soon in your life?” he held her glance, impatient but interested on being complimented. Kind of. “And don’t get me wrong, but you seem to enjoy the subject, but teaching? Not that much. Why are you here?”

 As if that wasn’t the damn question of the year. Still, he drank some whiskey and contemplated answering her, only to end up deciding against it. “I am intelligent, thank you very much.” somehow, the thought of somebody so… weird like her giving him credit for his traits seemed appealing. He was probably too intoxicated at this point to even notice. Too long since he had had a drink. “It’s a humble profession for an egomaniac, like you put it.”

 That was not an answer. If anything, it seemed like a way to rub on her face that she had judged him. Not gonna say if she was right or wrong. It made her sigh impatiently. “Yeah, I get the point.”

 After that, Uraraka simply gave up, almost bored at how incredibly tiring this man was to handle. She was almost regretting having fawned over him so hard the first day. Now, looking at him from a closer distance, he wasn’t even that attractive— screw it, he was. His hands were elegant, his skin pale and his hair completely messy like a bouquet of fresh lilies and sunflowers. Some days, when the sun filtered through the windows hard enough, his spikes made beautiful reflections.

 Not like she drooled over it or anything. It was just… some kind of hinder that wouldn’t let her go of how magnetic he was in class, and how interesting he was and spoke about things. In such detailed inspection, he looked like an ass, but something told her he was way more than just a rude teacher. She just hoped she was right.

 There was a moment when the clock hit midnight, and Uraraka found herself staring at her steamy mug of coffee, unraveled, aware of the fact that her curiosity for this man had forced her to go through several rounds of coffee, thus rendering her future night restless. But still, eyeing at how uneasy he seemed despite how long he had been there, questions started rising up again.

 Maybe it was time to ask again. Maybe it wasn’t. She certainly hoped he wasn’t this worked up because he minded her presence. “Seriously, what are you doing here?”

 He started tapping his fingers against the wooden bar, and looked away into the clock on the wall, above some shelves full of old fashioned bottles, one of which his beverage had surely come from. His eyebrow twitched as he felt her stare on his neck, never leaving his tousled hair or the bead of sweat that ran down his neck. It was infuriating. But the small swell to his ego as she stared at him had never felt this interesting before.

 But it was over soon, and Uraraka sighed in annoyance and regret. She probably had spent too much time there, trying to bond uselessly. She had to leave. “Well, I tried, I guess.” her tone had a hint of disappointment he hadn’t heard ever. And trust him, he had heard her speak a lot over his hoarse lectures and furious rambles. “You do you, I guess.”

 Uraraka planted her hands on the bar and hopped off the stool, dropping some money on the counter before sighing again with a foreign look of distraughtness in her eyes he could tell right off the bat from the corner of his crimson eyes. Why did this perky student mind him so much and why in hell did she wanna be friends with a teacher like him, of all people? He was a lone wolf, he didn’t need fucking friends, above all not a student, of all people. What was she even thinking?

 However, when she turned heel and stepped away, he grunted with a frown and let the slight effect of the alcohol waft over his system, blurring the lines of what was right in his set-on-stone morals.

 Uraraka halted her steps at that. She swore she had heard something from him, yet didn’t hear correctly as he was, most probably, talking to his neck as he usually did when he said things he didn’t want to say. She had seen him put this in practice many times during spare classes, when he was tired or just wanting to murder anyone. She craned her head to look at him from her shoulder. “Come again?”

 Bakugou grit his teeth. “I lost my fucking ride home, okay?” hadn’t it been for the slow jazz floating around them and he would have screamed louder. He only fisted his fingers, too tired to fight it back now. The doe of her pretty eyes was too mesmerizing for his liking and he wanted to smack himself for being so vulnerable and being affected by a little girl. “I got late to the station and my train had already left. There. Are you f-”

 “So you got nowhere to sleep? Is that why you are here?”

 He slammed his glass on the counter, pointing a finger to her as she walked to his side once more as a thread of courses fell off his mouth. “I swear to fucking god! Isn’t that obvious by now? And don’t give me that fucking look.” he turned away from it, because despite how beautiful it was, she was throwing so much pity at him he wanted to gag. He knew she was the kind of girl to do stuff too kindly, but this was too much for him. “Disgusting.”

 She pouted stubbornly and stomped to the stool beside him, dragging it so their knees were touching in a gesture all too private for the teacher. He had to remind himself over and over that being this close to a student so pretty like her, with a cup of whiskey on his hand was wrong in many levels… yet he felt just as drawn to her like she seemed to him, somehow. He wondered how much he could take from her before she left, eventually.

 “Don’t be so mean… I am not laughing at you or anything.” her elbows banged the counter as she stared at him, curious. His blistering gaze dropped on her like a blanket, smoothly, and it was ever so magnificent. So pleasing. He was pleasing. She tilted her head to a side. “So you’ve been here just… spending your free time?”

 His brow twitched, for she wasn’t wrong. He had been trying to distract himself with something to only find himself in a bigger mess than before — that mess being her. “Yeah. Not my favourite hobbies as I fucking rarely drink but… whatever. I don’t need to give you explanations.”

 He told himself to stop talking but she was being so invasive and he was too tired to think straight anymore. He needed to get out of there. A hand of hers dipped into one of the pockets of her sweater, and he heard the tingling of something he recognized as keys, and she smiled brightly— No.

 “No.”

 Her eyes escalated his neck to meet his eyes, and leant in expectantly. “Yes! Think about it—”

 “No because this is fucking wrong, angel face. Get off my hair already.” but he knew there was no way a kind soul like hers would let a stray acquaintance roam around the rainy streets without aim, nor was he really in the mood to pay for a hotel. “I’ll sort this out myself. Stop fretting over my shit and stop giving me that look—”

 She leaned a bit closer, knowing he wouldn’t pull away as long as she had control and knowing he had no other option than hers. “It would be just for a night! We don’t have to sleep tog- in the same bed or anything! It’s just sharing a ceiling. Nothing preposterous about that.”

 Maybe the concept had sounded bad at first but… sharing a ceiling sounded much more comfortable and spacey than it had looked like at first. And how much money did he have left? Those drinks he had gotten were damn expensive, no wonder his wallet felt so thin now. He sighed impatiently, too sleepy and hungry to care about it. “You are my student.”

 “And you are my teacher! I’m helping you out!”

 Bakugou briskly got up from his stool and slammed a bunch of coins on the counter, only stopping to look at her dead in the eye for a split second. Then, he dug his hands into his trench coat’s pockets and grunted a curt but rude “Move your ass.” before he kicked the door open, and heard Uraraka following with skipped steps before walking into the rain.

He barely remembered anything from the day before and it was eating him alive.

 He had woken up in a bed that wasn’t his, he was sure of that. Beige walls, pink streaks on a window and unfamiliar sun streaming from the window, hitting on his stabbed eyes as he picked up the smell of forest detergent wafting in the sheets draped on his body. He had palmed the bed in search for anything resembling his bleak yet fierce apartment and decor, but all he received was a painful reminder that he had given in to the kind wishes of his student.

 He had crashed real bad judging by how he was still on his shoes, how he had barely bothered to remove his coat. He could bravely guess she had been the one to cover him, and as he had discovered while tiptoeing out of the apartment, she had given up her bed as well. Her body was curled on a corner of the couch, books of his very own subject among others laying on the table — was it this important that she had read his books? a part of him considered the thought — and her head was slouched on the armrest of the sofa.

 He didn’t consider her much, he truly didn’t want to consider her much, so he left as soon as he saw it fit. Picked his own things from the entrance, glanced over her with a scoff at the excess in her kindness, and vowed to himself that he would never ever mention this to anyone.

 But the lapse between him entering her building and him waking up remained blank despite how much he glared at her as she did the homework he had put on his class — because he, of course, didn’t do this to specifically punish her for making him do something this regrettable. Letting his guard down, be vulnerable to no other than such a cheery, social and pretty student like her. And the fact that he couldn’t remember much from the day before was killing him.

 Had she taken him in because she saw how vulnerable he was to alcohol? Was it pity because he had nowhere to sleep for the night? Who knows. While grading exams as they did their own tasks, Bakugou briefly considered his student with a quick glance. By the crouch to her posture and the slight dull to her eyes, that couch wasn’t very comfortable to sleep on — her back must be sore and her brain, tired. That much he could tell, at least. And he wanted to laugh at his own uncanny attention on somebody other than himself, but a part of him wanted to be charmed by her sweet gesture.

 No fiber of him could see this as anything else other than either a offense to his strength or just her being stupid. Knowing how high she seemed to regard him whenever they interacted, he could tell it was the latter and Bakugou just didn’t know what he had done to deserve this pain in the ass. Why was she so fucking hellbent on being so generous when he hadn’t asked for this? He absolutely didn’t deserve being weak for whatever was her business.

 He didn’t care.

 “Uraraka,” the brunette snapped from her homework to look at her side as Bakugou went back to his task, and looked at her friend as she spoke in a hushed tone. “are you feeling alright? You are practically limping on the sheet.”

 At this, the girl immediately straightened her posture and laughed it off like probably everyone knew she would do. Some people like her friend Midoriya turned to look at her after Mina’s question, worried for a moment. “Ah, I’m fine.” her eyes drifted to her teacher for a moment, then she sighed. She shouldn’t have expected much from last night, yet she found herself to be disappointed at their remaining distance. “I just didn’t sleep much last night.”

 She heard a snapping noise coming from Bakugou’s direction, probably another broken pencil. He did that an awful lot lately. “You gotta take better care of yourself. I don’t want you going around like a zombie next time we go out!”

 “Which will probably be never considering the amount of work we have.”

 Mina rolled her eyes at Uraraka’s pointed look of exasperation, and focused on her work again. “Whatever. Just sleep properly for once.”

 Uraraka stuck out her tongue, and remained in a good posture for a minute before slumping over again, her writing becoming scribbled as minutes passed, the clock ticked, and before she could register it, everyone was gone and a hand slammed the desk around her, snapping her out of her awake sleep to look at the burning glare of her teacher.

 “I fucking hope you got somebody to take notes for you or else you are gonna fail the next exam.” she blinked at him, trying to focus as her back throbbed on the chair behind her. Uraraka tried to stretch it to make it feel better, aware of the fact that he knew what she was going through, but it only made it wince and bend over in pain. He crossed his arms. “Tch. I fucking told you I didn’t need your damn help. What the hell was this for?”

 Uraraka, seeing where his words were going, stood up to get her stuff, stiff as a plank to not overwork her back. Bakugou just observed her. “You needed my help for something. I just gave you a bed to sleep on. I can’t say you’d do the same, but…” she hung her backpack over her shoulder, offering him a smile. “I’m sure you are thankful for that, deep inside your frozen cold heart. Besides, it’s not like I would have been able to sleep knowing you were out there.”

 He seriously pondered the thought of telling her off for being such a damn dumbass, yet bit his words back like she should have. That girl was too fucking blunt and he didn’t know what to make of it, other than look away with a bashful expression. “Just don’t fucking go around thinking I’m a damn wimp or that I need your shitty help. I didn’t ask for it.”

 Why did he even care, again? He could see that very same question cross her eyes as she looked to a side for a moment, then looked up again with a reformed set of eyes charged with determination and unmovable kindness. The unstoppable force of her eyes and beautiful heart met the unmovable object of his stronghold heart.

 And then, something beautiful happened.

 “I don’t care what you say. I know you needed a bed, and I gave it to you. I don’t care you are my teacher, you were a person in need. We are not reduced to what we are in this university.” his eyes widened, a window slamming open to sway their hair along with the wind. “Just accept the gesture and do whatever you want with it.” with a frown to gather strength, she walked past his motionless towering posture. “I don’t care.”

 Her hand grabbed the handle to leave the room.

 “Say,” his voice came out gruff, and his expression was unreadable when he turned to look at her back facing him. Her hand gripped the handle harder. “do you still like coffee? I fucking need some explanations and you need to ginger up real bad.”

 “That’s…” her eyes looked over at him packing his stuff, and she was sure he had taken her answer for granted. What a fucking jerk. “a good idea.”

 But she accepted anyway, and boundless and free, accepted his request.

They sat down to coffee and cookies, but Uraraka felt like she was facing a final grudge.

 Sun filtered from the window as people passed past them on the street, making her aware of how thin his skin was, the paleness of it, and how thick his spirit was to fluster her so, making her shrink on her seat with her hands on her lap, looking down as the sounds of conflagration between people and mugs crashing met her ears— and suddenly, she was looking at his fierce glare again.

 “You are seriously spacing out today. I fucking hope you don’t show this demeanor in my class.”

 Great. The situation wasn’t weird enough, he had to make it worse. She looked at him with puffed cheeks, and took her mug of hot coffee. “You were the one who missed a train yesterday. Be on time next time.”

 He grunted at her, getting his own half-empty mug to sip from it. He needed the patience to deal with this. Bakugou didn’t usually go out of his way to thank someone like this, but no one had ever done something like this for him either. The whole situation was surreal and foreign to him, and he truly didn’t know what to do with his new information, or how she seemed to be smiling all the damn time.

 He was damn sure he could push her into an abyss and she’d manage to glitch back to his side, just in the same way that she thought there would never be a simple complacent smile on his handsome features. They were both possible realities, yet so intangible and complicated they could only wish it would happen once, someday.

 Man, how could their wishes be so different? She could see the burden she represented in his eyes, blatantly red and just too red, reminding her of blood and for a moment, she wondered if he had ever had blood splattered on his hands. Then, he spoke up. “You sure are sassy out of class.”

 Uraraka lay her cheek on her palm, stirring the creamy beverage without losing sight of his eyes. “I gotta be a bit more respectful to my sensei in the classroom, otherwise I guess I’d sound too familiar.” a hesitant grimace crossed his face. “Which we aren’t, are we?”

 “Of course fucking not.”

 Of course damn yes. And both knew it, that they were somehow closer — just a little, but that was enough — than they would wish, for good and for worse. He hated being so drawn to her when all she brought along was a headache. He needed to get this over with so they wouldn’t cross paths ever again— at least, out of the classroom.

 Her lips curled into a grin. “Then we are good.” Uraraka took a sip from her now half-full coffee, her nails grazing the china mug. “I’m sorry you felt somewhat indebted to make it up to me because I have a very weak back—”

 The blonde slammed a hand on the table, frowning at her. “I wasn’t fucking worried!” some people turned to look at him, preoccupied by the little girl’s sake if he was so near her. “I am just trying to be a bit nice. As you said, you gave me a bed— and I ain’t the jerk you take me for.”

 She ignored this and stirred her beverage again, grimacing a little because she was, again being a little too overbearing. “But thanks for this. It shows you have a bit of a heart, too.”

 He observed how the shadows of the passing people blended with her eyes, yet she seemed unfazed, like with the rest of the world. Their bizarre relationship didn’t burden her, nor did his heavy personality, or how fast they had seemed to crash into the other and grow this annoyingly close. A meeting, an earful, the sparkle of her eyes, her kindness meeting his animal manners and there she went, destroying his peaceful routine and paying for her coffee.

 This was stupid.

 As she kept her silence, Bakugou looked at her open bag — he couldn’t quite recall why it wasn’t closed, but it had something to do with her wanting to pay — and squinted his eyes to look at a huge book she had inside. It seemed to have something to do with his subject, but he couldn’t recall even recommending that certain read. “Roundface, what’s that book for?”

 She blinked once, twice, then looked at him with a cocked head. “Eh?” Bakugou pointed at the book, seemingly interested, and realization dawned on her when she saw the thick cover. “Oh, it’s just a complimentary book I took at the library.”

 “Complimentary? That damn thing must have my whole subject in it.” after a clap of silence, he leaned over the table to reach for it — meeting little resistance from her — and took it out of the bag to read it on his side of the table. His arms were strong and muscular, but even he could see that this book was way too thick for somebody like her to carry, despite the muscle that showed through the thin sleeves of her shirt. His eyes scanned the content. “Oi, what the fuck are you doing reading something this complicated?”

 The girl was back to fidgeting when he looked up, this time visibly annoyed to see that she was reading something as repetitive when she already had his lessons to learn from. Was she that stupid to not follow his classes? He hoped that was not the case. “I just want the extra support from other books so I get the best grades possible!”

 “So you just use this shit because you want to do your best?” she nodded eagerly. “You just want the extra support? Why the hell are you so eager for this?”

 Uraraka pursed her lips, thoughtful. There was no need for her to spill the beans this soon, or even give him a reason to pity her. Her reasons were strong, her resolve even stronger than whatever brash, snarky remarks he had in store for her. But something was preventing her from being open, it was maybe the impatience in his eyes for answers or the utter inner fear she held for his response.

 Uraraka gulped.

 “None of your business.” answered she, clear and serious, pretending to not hide anything while Bakugou knew she was hiding something, but he wasn’t interested enough to pry, and looked at the book again, half annoyed by her stupidity but amazed that she could understand its contents. He could remember having read some quotes from there in her exams. “I just want to do my best. Anything wrong with that?”

 It took him a moment to answer. “Not really. I’m just stunned you are so fucking hellbent on this. Don’t you have enough subjects to study?”

 “Nothing I can’t handle.” that was a smaller lie he didn’t need to know or care about. “I only give my all in things I’m interested in.”

 When Bakugou raised his eyes to meet hers again, there was a change in her expression. Her wide, big eyes were open to his red, raw irises were looking at him— not smiling, not fidgeting, just looking at him with no animosity, just staring like he had done many times before, and this time around, it made him consider the little girl in front of him. Then, he looked at the book, at her coffee, and the ghost of bags under her eyes.

 “You don’t need to lose your time with this bullshit.” Bakugou closed the book with a slam, refusing to look at her again, or else he’d lose his shit. “You can come to tutoring.”

 Her following reaction wasn’t what he had expected. Instead of a minor tease, a dashing smile of hers or a giggle, he got a blank, curious and confused stare, one he knew very well. He somehow knew her like the back of his hand, her being so simple, and it terrified him— that much so, he could tell what she would say next. “But you hate tutorings.”

 True. He had gone on and on to his pupils about how “they better not show up to private class, or else he’d beat their ass”, yet here he was, offering one of his best students his personal help. Let’s be frank, he at least had a reason to be interested given how implicated she was with his subject. If no one would prize her for such effort, he would sure do so, and with a certain amount of pleasure.

 “If you are gonna be cooperative and stop being a pain in the ass, I’m willing to help out. You could spend some time doing something else rather than be a fucking bookworm.” he drank from her surprised reaction, and smirked at how affected she looked for once, despite it being a good kind of surprise. Admittedly, he was surprised as well. “Just this once, to make sure you don’t have to repeat my classes next year and I gotta see your face again.”

 Then, she sighed, her shoulders dropped — just now did she realize they had been awfully tense all along — and she chuckled as her smile went back into place. “I’m glad you offered…” her smile evolved into a grin he wasn’t so displeased with. “I was so tired of carrying that book along, you got no idea.” sip of her coffee. “I didn’t know how to ask for help on the matter.”

 “I am your fucking teacher — if I don’t help you, who else will?”

 Her head tilted to a side, and after their beating hearts died down a little, for once, they took their coffees in unison.

Tutoring was somewhat easier than they had both expected, and what had began as initial banters and tension as she struggled through some units, they fell into a steady rhythm that no rain or storm could break. No matter the weather, no matter their busy schedules, and no matter what happened, somehow, they’d always meet at six o’clock at the gates to head to his office.

 It was weird, his office. Small, a desk at the back with a computer, shelves with tons of books, and a table on the centre of the room with comfy chairs. That was at least the most important things she could pick up from the get go, but she would surely see more as stuff got more boring. Something that, unbeknownst to her, would never happen.

 One afternoon, many weeks into their tutoring sessions, Uraraka had woken up from her nap damn in cold sweat, rapidly checking for her clock before dashing out, still weary and bags adorning her eyes, too tired for what she thought she could handle, and sped through town to reach the gates of her university, finding her brash yet most probably favourite teacher already waiting for her. Seeing Bakugou in such elegant clothes only reminded her of the professional gap between them, and it burnt within her in an annoyingly confusing way. Why did she feel so misplaced about this hinder in their relationship? Why should she when it didn’t seem to affect their current status?

 She couldn’t put her finger on it, but each time she thought about it, it irritated her and brought her down the wrong lane. It somehow made him feel out of reach, but why would she even consider that thought when there was nothing between them? Why would she feel so lonely with the mere thought of him being so far away? In fact, as she saw him rearrange the buttons of his shirt — why, she wondered, when he was askew in himself by nature — her mind spaced out right away.

 Fingers snapped in front of her. “Wake up already, we don’t have the whole day.”

 From closer inspection now, his eyes were somewhat weaker than usual, something akin to bags also looping under his eyes in dark rings. While falling into pace as they withdrew their eyes from the other, the image still churned in her like some kind of jinx cast on her focus, almost tripping on a step to the main doors— a mistake he obviously called out, but weaker than usual.

 He seemed pretty dim for the general roughness he displayed in his lectures. Regardless, Uraraka pretended not to care, ascending up the stairs to his office and skipping their usual small chat: chats she missed, chats on the weather, assignments, or him commenting on how stupid she was for her to respond with a snarky remark. It was always like that. Why wasn’t it now?

 He kicked the door to his office open with an ungentlemanly gesture, tossing his own bag to the nearest corner and throwing his weight on his usual chair. She joined soon after, rejoicing on the healing lights of golden sunlight streaming from the windows. “Let’s get this shit over with.” for once, he spoke up first, yet his voice was off, hoarse. She had never seen it like this.

 “Bakugou… is everything okay?” she asked, brow knit in worry, reaching out with a hand to his shoulder, only to have it swatted off in disdain, which made her flinch and look at him. He wasn’t one to be that reactive with her anymore, maybe sometimes snap verbally or bear with her for a second— he didn’t seem to have that patience today. “You look… tired.”

 He met her eyes in a sideways glare, then turning on his seat to look at her and speak with the quietest deadpan ever. “You are pale as fuck.”

 That was the understatement of the year. Her skin was pale by nature as she was usually covered in thick clothes whenever the sun shone in winter, and it was rarely hot and sunny in this town anyway. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her skin color. “What about that?”

 He cocked his head to a side like she was being bluntly oblivious to his point, reminding her again that he was a stage above her, a teacher used to scrutinizing all details he could in particular occasions. Or maybe it was Bakugou being the usual smartass as usual, but that was not the point.

 “You’re paler than usual.” grunted he, tapping his fingers against the mahogany table. “You’ve been the whole week and I can’t fucking stand it. I’m tired as hell, yeah, but I have shit to grade and therefore, a reason to be tired.” Uraraka could see where this was going, and knew she was somehow in trouble. “What the fuck has been holding you up from sleeping this time?”

 Uraraka narrowed her eyes at him, laying her cheek on her palm with a bored expression, trying to read through him but miserably failing to do so. “You’re not my fath—”

 Returning to his old self to some degree, he slammed a hand on the desk and, as concise and angry as ever, started letting the swears and profanity roll off his tongue. “You are my fucking student and that’s fucking enough, so shut up and answer me!” when she gave no answer to his earful and only looked to a side, gingerly playing with the hem of her shirt, he quickly got up from his chair and pulled out a book from his shelf, tossing it to the table and letting it slide next to her. “Where you up reading shit like this again?”

 Watching her face scrunch up to a pout, he knew what her answer was going to be and, once again, he was mortified at the thought that he could read her so well, but he wanted to blame that on her being too fucking expressive and dumb. He had seen her sprawled on a couch that morning, seen her doze off at the cafeteria, seen her fucking walk like a zombie past him, and he wasn’t going to have that in his tutoring hour.

 With a finger to her lip, she seemed to be lookin for a excuse, but he thought of her better to expect one. “I simply can’t sleep. Sometimes work does keep me up a blink more than necessary, but I can still pull it off.”

 “Pull it off my ass.” grunted he, sitting down again and staring at her for an answer, allowing her to look at the book in wonder. “I just don’t fucking understand what kind of fucking powerful drive you got to waste nights on top grades you don’t fucking need.”

 Uraraka reached to open the book and peek at it, only to be stopped by her teacher, as if the sole action of touching it would obliterate her. Uraraka tried again, but this time he pushed the book to a side and grabbed his chair to flip it and place it an inch away from hers, purposefully making her uncomfortable so she would speak up already. Seeing his best student in such condition upset him in a weird way. He crossed his arms on the back of the seat and leaned in, scowling.

 Some minutes ticked by with her not looking anywhere else but her thighs, and Bakugou letting his eyes roam around every inch of her china doll skin. Despite how ragged she looked that day, her beauty still remained there and it was driving him up the damn wall of his office. His gravelly voice could push her as much as he wanted and spit on her awful looks, but she was still too pretty for him to handle, above all when she turned like she was doing and parted her lips to—

 “My parents have a business… a pretty unsuccessful one.” mumbled she, and judging by the little hints he had seen around her — her quaint apartment, her clothes, and even her behavior sometimes, for all that he knew she wasn’t the richest person in town. And somehow, it hadn’t occurred to him that she was actually poor, despite all signs around him, until now— as if he lived by her words only. “Their style is pretty unique and… it doesn’t fit the style and needs of this city, especially after all storms that have been around lately.”

 Alright, that sounded like a valid story, a very moving plot and all, but the question still prevailed. He tapped the book before him with an arched eyebrow, glancing at her. “Still doesn’t explain what this all is about.”

 Uraraka gulped. “R-right. So,” she took a deep breath, and continued. “my parents may probably need some help sorting out the money business of the company, or I may actually start a company of my own in the future, or maybe support them economically with a job of my own…” then, she started doing that silly thing she did whenever grades were handed, or she just grew anxious, and tangled her fingers through her back hair to comb through it hurriedly. “So since I have very few options around here… this was the best I could take.”

 At the sudden influx of information, Bakugou blinked at her once, then twice, and then looked out at the window with an impassive expression that reflected on his thoughtful stance, making her grow tense. She knew he was a harsh man, full of swear words and high expectations for anyone around him to be the best they can be — as soon as they don’t meddle with his ambitions and personal life — so what if she wasn’t good enough now that she was so exposed? Maybe he found her to be pitiful, perhaps boring or just a sad, bleak—?

 “I get it, then.”

 Huh?

 “I mean,” Bakugou let his guard down somewhat, and groaned while rubbing his eyes open with a grimace of distaste. “it’s not that much of a great drive but… it’s a valid one. I can understand your case— not relate to it because my parents aren’t fucking humble, but it’s your parents, so I guess I can see why.”

 At his understandment and somehow seeing progress between them, Uraraka dared to share the start of a grin. “I’m so glad you—”

 And the grin was gone as soon as he jabbed her on the forehead, making her hiss as he shook his head in disapproval. “That ain’t mean you can fucking work yourself to death for that. You will get a good job and formation with the little effort you put at the start of the semester, so just rest for some time and don’t let it get to you so fucking badly, got it?”

 Seeing through his words to find a compliment, Uraraka smiled as she rubbed the spot on her forehead. “Thank you so much, I guess… but I don’t need the rest!” the girl eagerly started getting her stuff out of her bag. “Above all now that I’m here, we can—”

 Bakugou forcefully grabbed her bag and started stuffing all her materials inside, zipping it up again before grabbing her jacket and bending it on the table. He pointed at the make-shift pillow matter-o’-factly. “Sleep.”

 The thought of sleeping in a relatively public area seemed preposterous to her no matter how many times she had been close to doing so. “What?”

 “I said you fucking sleep.” Bakugou had been in her stressful spot of non-sleeping days not that long ago, and he knew he would have been thankful as shit for the gesture he was now offering her. “I am not in the mood to put up with you dozing off on me, so either you sleep here, or I’m sending you home.”

 The brunette gave it two seconds of thinking before giving up all too easy for what he was used to, and she crossed her arms on the pillow before leaning into it. “You can be so violent sometimes, Bakugou…” her eyelids dropped close with such ease that Bakugou was left thinking he wished she was so easy when it came to pushing her away— but it seemed pointless now. “It makes me wonder…”

 He words trailed off as she slowly fell asleep, making him feel drowsy at the thought of being in the same spot as her. He glanced up at the clock: in two hours, his train would be leaving the station, so he had quite some time to spare before she woke up, and he was tired too. Many assignments that were all copy-paste, lots of meetings and too many paperwork nights spent in insomnia later, he bent his own coat on his side of the desk and placed his head on it.

 He only became wary of how close they were when her eyes opened an inch, fluttering for a few seconds in which he reflected how it seemed like the light filled them like stars, or how tousled her hair was and the dark rings under her eyes. No matter how tired or drained she was, somehow, she always managed to look beautiful and smile again, didn’t she? Why was it that he liked it more the more often he saw her around him?

 And… why wasn’t he pulling away from her now? Why hadn’t he sent her home like he should have in the first place? Why wasn’t she pulling away either?

 Maybe, thought he as their eyes drifted close, he was too selfish to let her go, no matter how wrong it was.

 Maybe, they were too selfish to let go of this messy arrangement and relationship, the hope for company, no matter how wrong it was or how tragically it was bound to end.

 An hour later, Bakugou woke up to see Uraraka was not there.

Actually, the following day, she wasn’t there either. Her seat was vacant, people peering over her empty seat as some kind of hole knit itself to his heart, feeling like suddenly, there was no way she could be alright if she was skipping class.

 However, maybe he wouldn’t see her in class in the morning, but he sure as hell would see her at tutoring. Just as he started scripting his earful for that afternoon, the voices of that pink haired girl called Mina came to his ears.

 “She told me yesterday she wasn’t feeling well… but I bet she is skipping sleep again. She must be recovering from her illness from last week.” there was an audible sigh, then her glancing up at Bakugou in a way that made him knew she knew more than she should. “She is pushing herself too hard again.”

 And that was the last nail on the coffin for him.

Bakugou, strangely enough, wasn’t at the gates when she appeared. Admittedly, she was ten minutes late, and was deadly aware of how nitpicky he could be when it came to meetings and tutoring. That man… he didn’t enjoy wasting time, did he? Well, Uraraka had some explanations to give for her delay, and hurried to the building to fly upstairs, run across the corridors until she was face to face with his office’s door.

 A part of her felt like an intruder when he wasn’t there to walk her. Somehow, the familiarity of the situation was lost without him grunting by her side— and the sole thought made her need him again. Hesitant, Uraraka knocked on the door twice, and allowed herself in without further ado.

 “Sorry for being late!” she grinned toothly at him — trying to hide that her knees were buckling, that she was too tired for this, that she needed to lay down fast to have some sleep, and closed the door behind her. “I know you hate people being late and all but…”

 Uraraka trailed off when she saw him sitting on the other side of the room, glaring daggers at her as a shadow was cast on his handsome features— a sight that made her shudder for the fierceness it oozed, but didn’t let herself be intimidated. He was probably upset because she was late, and just as the student took in his expression and opened her mouth to explain, the teacher was already up and walking to her side with hunched shoulders. It was gestures like these that made her remember he was older than her, a teacher, yet he looked so young and carefree.

 She hated that tugging twitch at her heart whenever he stepped close. Just like the day before when they had slept awfully close and she had panicked, fleeing the scene with a mad blush across her cheeks. It was disgusting to feel this twisted feeling, and not be able to sleep because of it— because of him. She despised it.

 Bakugou stood before her for a minute, as if analyzing her sweaty temple and the mess that was her hair before taking a step closer to the table and pushing everything on it to a side, almost throwing it all away altogether, and pointed at the now clean surface. “Sit.”

 Taken aback, she looked at the very comfy chair and wasted no time on replying. “But the—”

 “I told you to fucking sit, Uraraka.” grunted he hurriedly, watching her fidget. “I’m not gonna repeat myself.”

 Torn yet curious, the brunette hopped on the mahogany table and placed her bag on the chair, kicking her feet as she waited for something else to come. His eye was twitching in impatience at the image, because he just didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. Some kind of instinct had kicked in the instant she walked through the door, and all he knew now was that he needed her to be idle, to not have control over him and just fucking listen.

 He stepped close to her again, and slanted a hand on the table, by her side. All with a very raging, angry and fed up attitude. He wasn’t good news. “You overdid it again.”

 Another set of shivers ran down her back as his hoarse words sunk in, his eyes red like fresh coal digging through her as if to get an expression out of her too still frame, that started shrinking until her hands were bunching the fabric of her skirt. “I was—”

 “Running on a damn fever.” Uraraka’s eyes snapped to meet his deep scowl, made her grimace and suddenly she didn’t know how to react to his blazing anger: should she stay silent, should she apologize for wasting his time, or maybe talk back? Honestly, she didn’t know — but one thing she knew was that he was a bit too close to her liking. “And you still came to tutoring when I clearly told you that I was sick of you overdoing it.”

 The girl blinked once, then twice, thinking her answer through whereas Bakugou was just sick of having such reckless student. Things needed to change is she really wanted the grades she needed, otherwise she would drain herself out until she couldn’t think straight and that was the last thing he needed, having a student on a catatonic state, limping in his class.

 But even while he was right and just stubborn to make her change, she had the half mind to answer back. “I already explained you the situation! It’s not like I want to stay up studying, it’s not that—”

 “I already fucking told you that you don’t need that! Can you even listen to me when I speak or are you just letting butterflies cloud your brains? Just—” he shook his head to collect his thoughts, too stressed and confused to actually think straight, letting his train of thought scatter into her parted lips and the scent of her soap hair. This was going to get dangerous soon, she was intoxicating and too damn stubborn and stupid. “Just fucking listen to me for once! I’m not gonna keep on tutoring you if you are gonna keep working even while sick!”

 “This is ridiculous— you are my teacher!” Bakugou’s eyes widened at this, as did hers at the words that had flown out of her mouth mindlessly. Nevertheless, the pushed forward. “What is it to you that I work myself to death if my grades satisfy you? What the hell am I to you to be so worked up about this!?”

 A second passed with them staring silently at the other, her eyes even wider at the words she had spluttered so carelessly and his… what was that in his eyes? Why did he seem so torn, so tormented— why wasn’t he angry at her for being so disrespectful? Why wasn’t he acting like a damn teacher and stopping this— stopping her from being so sassy!? Why wasn’t he treating her like another student, why had he always been so damn careful? Why didn’t he get angry at her like he used to, or even slap her, so something to stop the feelings that surged through her, the confusion, the anger, but the desperate sudden need to know what she was to him?

 Why couldn’t he, the powerful one, stop whatever was going on through them that was so damn wrong!? She couldn’t understand, and screwing her eyes shut in confusion and fear, she just didn’t seem to be able to put the pieces together. Why was he being so adamant on her health, why did he pretend to care or pretend to be someone else when he was no more than her fucking teacher?

 She couldn’t understand — Uraraka shook her head, and something touched her jaw — she just couldn’t—

 She didn’t even have time to realize it, because as soon as he seized her jaw with his powerful hands, his lips were pressed tightly against hers— and she couldn’t figure out what was going on, her whole world spinning before stopping on its tracks as she realized.

 Bakugou Katsuki, her teacher, the heartless bastard of the department— he was kissing her.

 What?

 Uraraka’s first instinct of course, was to melt into it— but confusion was seeping into her and her dominant fiber needed to know what was this that was happening, and she fought him back. The brunette pressed her hands against his chest to push him away with strong tugs, and though he did hesitate once, his touch faltering, he only came back stronger, and didn’t budge again. Grunting against his mouth, Uraraka continued pushing him away, shaking in his arms, kicking her feet—

 But his touch softened, somewhat. His hold became gentler, his lips angled in a much more comfortable fashion, as if letting her choose and letting her move… and her fighting stopped, it weakened until the hands on his chest weren’t pushing him away, but grabbing the collar of his shirt and pushing him closer to her, earning a hum of approval from him and suddenly, no matter how wrong this was, she was kissing him back.

 The gentleness of his touch despite how aggressive and hungry his kiss was made her swoon and let her hands creep to his neck to push him down on her, and his eyes widened because she was too sweet, her lips glossy and her skin just as smooth as he had imagined so many sinful nights ago— how long had they wanted this? Maybe for too long. Maybe she had wanted him ever since she first saw him, maybe he had, too.

 But all the hate she had felt for him and the exhaustion she had poured in him had flipped into an euphorical sensation of need and hunger, making his kiss turn into something more heated, more intimate, dipping his fingers under the fabric of her shirt to hold onto her waist as her legs curled around his hips, and he knew he was a defeated man right then. Too bad. Uraraka was no longer the good student she had intended to be, she was now making out with her too attractive teacher in his office.

 Too bad that her heart was beating this fast, too, her feelings suddenly coming clean and she knew that there was something deeper to the way they held each other, to how his lips were so tender but violent against hers. When he bit on her lower lip, she opened her mouth gladly and allowed him to slip in, toy with her until she was a shivering mess in his arms, winding her fingers into his blonde hair as he dipped her head down, drinking from her as if he was dying and she was his salvation.

 When his tongue flicked the ceiling of her mouth, a loud moan of surprise escaped her pink, bitten lips, and when he growled a curse against her, Uraraka ran her hands down his chest through his thin shirt. He allowed her touch him so, just as she let him undo a few buttons of her shirt as he ravished her for a better view. Her mind was foggy when he broke away to look at her, a thumb to her bottom glistening lip as he gazed down.

 They didn’t last like that for too long. Two seconds later, Uraraka was curling her arms around his neck as he took over her hips, tangling their lips together into another sloppy kiss to unwind all anger and frustration with bites, grunts and touches that were all but innocent. Panting, exploring each other’s mouths as they curled around one another, brushing and scratching, groaning into the other in the intimacy of the teacher’s office.

 His lips found purchase on her jaw, sucking and nibbling there and making Uraraka wipe some clammy strands from her forehead as his cologne burst through her nostrils. The kiss alone felt too good to not be wrong and sinful, and his touching wasn’t making it any better. This could only go downhill from there.

 “Bakugou…” breathed she, him sucking on her pulse and she wanted to push him away, but only ended snaking her legs around him harder. Almost thoughtlessly, Uraraka curiously dipped a hand under his shirt, gasping at how warm he was and spreading her fingers to feel his skin, one so calloused and hard it was no wonder he looked so good on shirts like these. But she had the primal instinct to tear it off, maybe just like he was attempting to do right now, biting on her buttons. “Bakugou… this is…”

 Knowing what she was going to say, he silenced her with a bite to her neck, and as her head was thrown back with a gasp, he travelled north to kiss the skin under her ear, leaving them both in a panting mess. It was getting too hot in there, he knew— and honestly, he wasn’t exactly sure of what made him become such a damn wuss when it came to her, but he couldn’t help himself any longer. The mistake was already done and sinning this bad had never felt near this good.

 This was better than he had ever imagined. Bakugou had acted on pure instinct, letting this hidden desire take over and man, it had been a pretty wrong small, hidden fantasy to have, getting it on with Uraraka in his office — emphasis: not any student, but student Uraraka Ochako — but when he saw the opening and the opportunity, he let it bloom. The question is… when had this started, why now of all times and would kissing ever stop feeling this fucking good?

 After they spent nearly another minute lip-locking and moaning into the other, they broke away, hands tangled in each other’s clothing as a ravenous blush splashed their pale cheeks, a bead of sweat running down his brow as he looked down at her with an unreadable expression of raw desire and remains of anger from… minutes? hours ago? She couldn’t remember, or care at this point.

 Uraraka tried to talk again, breathing ragged.

 “This is…” she let go of his shirt to run a hand down her face, realizing the match they had so dangerously lighted. “this is wrong…”

 He knew. A student and a teacher, making out when there wasn’t even any attraction between them— except that maybe, perhaps, only possibly, there had always been this annoying yet so tempting attraction between them without their consent, rising and  sparking so hard and suddenly that they were overcome with the feeling to kiss each other again, and it was so damn obvious there was no room to deny it anymore.

 And suddenly, he realized he couldn’t back away any longer, and groaned in disagreement. “I know.” but he brought her closer. “But I disagree.”

 She disagreed, too. Pursing her lips and blushing even harder if possible, Uraraka fought the mortification down and brought her hands to his hair, looking at him in doubt. “Then kiss me again, will you?”

 He had only needed that lead to take over, and kissed her to his heart’s content until the lines between them were blurry enough to skip over.

Uraraka Ochako had a crush on her teacher.

 Uraraka Ochako had a crush on her teacher. Of all people in this forsaken world, she had a crush on Bakugou Katsuki. And ever since that fateful day in his office, it had without a doubt turned into an awkward messy relationship.

 Or boundless friendship, companionship or whatever.

 And it mattered a lot because things had changed, maybe for the worse, she couldn’t tell. Everytime they crossed paths on the corridors or locked eyes during class, she would turn into the worst case of crush embarrassment of the century.  Her cheeks would heat up and turn steamy, her hands would be sweaty and it was just too damn awful that their previous camaraderie and companionship had evolved into her being a blushy mess and he… well…

 Bakugou couldn’t look at her without remembering what had happened and, now with his head clear, he realized it had been a horrendous mistake. Just as soon as he had come home from their heated day, he remembered so many things that he had pushed aside lately: this was a temporary job, he had a office and a salary waiting for him out of this university once the semester ended, he couldn’t afford ties with anyone here.

 Except that he had now established ties with her and his heart couldn’t bear losing their routines of tutoring, sometimes having coffee together with her teasings and her stupid butterfly laughs. It was something he had gotten used to somehow, and all he knew was that he hated her— only to realize it was all crap and had a crush on her, too.

 And it was not like she was making his job any goddamn easier, always being so close and always being… her, in every way. As days passed and final exams came to view, their tutoring sessions became scarcer and scarcer until Uraraka was sitting on a desk, finishing her exam with a smile and handling it to him in a fashion he saw too informal, so wrong.

 By the way she grimaced as she exited the room, he knew she was aware of this too. Their newfound feelings for the other were obvious, yet unspoken and only making his job harder. Their minds would go back to each other, to what happened in his office, and praying destiny would forgive this mistake.

 And Bakugou knew how to make it heal, how to set the record right again. He wouldn’t be able to stand idle and see time destroy someone he had come to treasure— not when he could avoid it.

 As soon as the classes for the semester were over, he sent over a letter to his secretary, explaining that she had to send an email to all his students to cancel all tutorings from that day onward. An hour later, when he came to his office, he was informed that all had been done as asked, but this didn’t calm him the slightest.

 He had cut one chord now. He had to walk the path and destroy the others, too.

 That afternoon, Bakugou waited for her to appear at their tutoring hour, expecting Uraraka to come with tearful eyes, printed email bunched in her trembling hands to ask for explanations— but that was nothing else than a mirage, blended with the sunset that streamed down his office.

 She never came. But somehow, he could hear her crying in the distance— maybe because he felt like crying as well, and maybe would have if he felt he had a reason to. He had a bright future ahead of him, new things awaited after this, this he was going through was supposed to be a distraction, just an economist teaching something he was passionate about.

 She wasn’t supposed to come around. But he was the one waiting for her until the gates closed, holding on for now.

He cancelled his class the following day, the last day of the semester before winter break. Everyone had been somewhat rejoiced over being able to go home earlier and meet their families— all but someone, a certain brunette who had stared at the paper on the door, checked the news on her phone and breathed deep, tears gathering in her eyes as she tore the notice from the door, alone in the corridor.

 Uraraka staggered back, tears prickling anew before flying upstairs to his office, knocking and knocking as all the time she had allowed to pass between them crumbled to nothing, feeling air leave her lungs. This was what he wanted, putting space between them so they could both figure what they wanted— but no one told her he would end up leaving her alone.

 He was her teacher. But was it that wrong to have feelings for him?

 She wanted to think it wasn’t. So she dashed down the stairs to search for him, to confront him with all she knew, all she had been told, and as Uraraka gathered all words she had to say, a mane of golden strands and pale skin crossed her vision as he walked down to the gates of the university.

 Uraraka had never ran this fast in her life, chasing after a man that was probably never meant to be hers. Her heart couldn’t bear the thought, yet punished her with the ultimate truth: he was leaving, he wasn’t looking back, he hadn’t looked for her to say goodbye.

 She needed to know.

 “I have talked with the head of your department!” exclaimed she from the middle of the path, closing her eyes as she bunched the paper in her fists. “I know everything, Bakugou!”

 That made him stop in his tracks, and stiffen. It dawned on her that he still looked as radiant as the day she had seen him for the first time, that nothing had probably changed ever since then— but she needed to know what his heart hid from her, she needed to hear the truth from his own lips.

 Between staggered breaths, Uraraka found the courage to speak again.

 “You are leaving— you aren’t coming back.”

 Two seconds of silence passed between them as they stood too far away in the empty garden of the university. Would he crumble if he looked back? Would she see how much it bothered him to leave? Would he see how much it hurt her that they had had so little time together?

 How could them being together be so wrong if they were hurting like this?

 “You… you aren’t coming back.” when he heard her voice tremble, Bakugou craned his head to look at her briefly, his scarlet eyes flashing in the same violent and hypnotizing way as before. But his brows weren’t creased, he wasn’t angry— he was tired of this. “You didn’t even have the guts to- to say goodbye to me.”

 He was a damn bastard for wanting to put space between him someone that loved him this much. He truly didn’t deserve anything good from her. And she was too stupid to not realize where she was getting into. Bakugou’s jaw clenched as a small, almost unnoticable sob escaped her bruised lips.

 Make it stop. “You never even told me what you felt… you just wanted me to leave you alone, didn’t you!?” Make it stop. “You aren’t enough of a fucking man to tell me you didn’t want me for anything else than that, huh!?”

 Bakugou let her go on, bunched the fabric of his pockets, and just kept his distance again. Like he always did and… how it was meant to be. He mumbled her name, his voice shaking, but there was no way for her to hear him considering the shivering, sobbing mess she was.

 The woman who always smiled had been dragged to her knees by the person she loved. It was… ironic, cruel, and Bakugou hated it. He didn’t want any of this. He couldn’t have any of this. She was still speaking, still blaming him— but he couldn’t listen, only hear to protect his breaking heart.

 After a minute, Uraraka didn’t see him even flinch— as if he was confirming the very truth she was spilling, and growled audibly in frustration. “That’s what you want, right? Me being gone.”

 He wanted to say no, he wanted her to run into his arms and ask for her forgiveness for misleading her— but he truly hadn’t, had he? He loved her, he wanted her by his side and he had behaved to push her along. If his future hadn’t come in between them, perhaps he would have given her the happy ending she deserved.

 His silence, somehow, was enough of an answer to her. Uraraka laughed bitterly. “I see… you do have a future in a good business, right? Y-Your parents business… you aren’t suited to be a teacher anyway.”

 Yes, he wasn’t. She knew too, right? She also thought this was the right thing to do— no matter how much it hurt. Bakugou nodded, his eyes fixated on the gate before him. In a few steps’ time, he would be gone from her life. They would be over. He wouldn’t see her ever again.

 He couldn’t fathom seeing her one last time— not like this. This wasn’t his Uraraka.

 “Y-Yeah… it’s the best for you, right?” she wanted him to answer it wasn’t, it was terrible to lie this badly. But this would be the last time she would have to. “It’s been a pleasure to be your student, s-sensei.” Don’t do that. “I hope your life is full of the happiness I didn’t have time or… power to give you.”

Bakugou screwed his eyes shut, his hands trembling. Don’t do it!

 “I’m glad I got to meet you.” a gravelly, meek sob escaped her lips, so pitiful this was when he wanted to cry for breaking her heart like this. For their future’s sake. “I’m sorry I caused all this trouble...”

 Gathering all her final strength, Uraraka threw the tear stained paper to the ground, rolling to his feet before turning heel towards the building.

 “Goodbye.”

 Bakugou probably stood for several minutes there, processing so many thoughts at once that when he turned with an urgent expression of regret in his face, ready to confess to her after months of being oblivious— she was gone.

 Her hurried steps to the building were tempting to follow, yet he couldn’t bring himself to drag this any further. All he did was gulp with a grim grunt of frustration, drowning in the many mistakes that had followed their downfall, and walked away from it all into his future.

Days were gray, nights were black, and sunshine was white. The intense vibrant color of his eyes was washed away by tedious, boring routines, the uncomfortable feel of his shirt against his skin. The world looked like a heavy, dreary place to live in that day. Everything was annoying, boring and empty for him.

 His feet stepped on the pavement seeking comfort from the rain. Perhaps he would have saved himself this trouble if he was emotionally sober enough, as this numbness in his heart was possibly the worst of illnesses he had gone through.

 He wanted to wonder, did she feel this too? No part of him had space to wonder, satisfied and busy with his own life, but he hoped she didn’t. The date flashed in front of him on a digital screen, one he recognized immediately to be the end of the last semester, in an strangely rainy summer day.

 Bakugou was a successful manager at his parents’ design company, endless tasks cluttering his head to keep him busy and away from disturbing thoughts. In the end, the job of his dreams had turned out to be no more than a placebo for the pain it had costed. It had been a heavy price, one he was still paying for.

 A price he sometimes felt to be too much of a burden considering how numb, unhappy, frustrated and messy he had become. It was a satisfying job, with a good paycheck where he did things he enjoyed — namely, bossing his secretaries around — but he missed that one feeling.

 And Bakugou couldn’t help but miss her, too, sometimes.

 Sighing, the blonde entered the crowded cafeteria and shook the water off his hair. The bell chimed animatedly as the door closed behind him, and the man glanced around the room to search for a place to sit until the rain passed.

 Then, as if the skies had opened and a crack of sunlight had broken into his life, he heard a voice.

 It was quiet, almost too quiet for what he had gotten used to back then, but it was her voice and he couldn’t help but look around, searching for her head in the mass of people that sat and queued in the cafeteria. Cinnamon and vanilla wafted in the air, making it all more familiar and blatant to him.

 Bakugou considered it to be no more than his imagination, and let it be for two seconds before he saw orange, then brown and pale skin that swirled in front of him. He wanted to reach out and touch her, make sure this was real and that after those many months of waiting and dreaming, she was before him again— and not forbidden, anymore.

 When the sound of the bells stopped ringing, she eventually looked back too, eyes widening and only confirming that this was no illusion, all feelings crossing their eyes before Bakugou was able to draw a gentle intake of air, breathe deeply, and sigh.

 There was a cute girl on the queue.

 And needless to say, Bakugou walked to her with a smile he only drew once in a lifetime, and his world exploded into technicolor again.

[ackbang]

1000

thank you to everybody for all your support. i ran a poll for this milestone gift, and was overwhelmed with the support for final tour there. you have no idea... you have no idea how much that means to me.

so please enjoy this art and fic combo using the following prompts: final tour outtake + pining kid!levi, sweater weather, supernatural. (special note to the other final tour request: that is happening in the main story soon. ;) )

i love the shit out of you guys.

Levi’s too old to Trick or Treat. And he told Erwin that at least five hundred and eleven times, but he still has spent the past half hour at the dinner table cutting out triangles from paper plates to make cat ears. It takes him three tries until he gets it right, steals a Sharpie from Erwin’s desk and hastily colors them in, to then steal some tape from Erwin’s desk and attaches them to a handkerchief he found in the linen closet. He wraps the cloth around his head and ties it behind the base of his skull, adjusting it slightly by poking the tips of the ears with the centers of his palms.

“Ish cwoooked.” Erwin says, lips puffed out around big white plastic vampire dentures. He comes up to Levi and adjusted the cloth. He smiles big, the dried fake blood at the corner of his lip cracking across his skin. “Cooote.”

Levi sneers up at Erwin. “I’m a panther. Panthers aren’t cute.”

“Youuu lookth like a houssshh cath.”

“Take those fu--stupid teeth out.” Levi gathers up his mess and walks into the kitchen and throws it into the trash. He turns to face Erwin again and nearly shouts, “Gross!”

A string of drool connects from Erwin’s hand to his mouth, the fangs open and splayed on his palm. Erwin runs the sleeve of his dress shirt across his mouth, smearing red on the cuffs as he does. “Panthers have rounded ears.”

Levi walks up to him and takes a tissue out of his pocket. Ever since his sinus infection a year ago,he never left the house without at least four neatly folded into his jeans. He shakes the tissue out and dabs at Erwin’s lips before dropping it into his palm. “Shut up.”

“I can cut them for you.” Erwin’s grin remains intact, capped with silver bricks of braces across each tooth. “For accuracy.” He squeaks a laugh as he narrowly misses a fist into his stomach, and he follows Levi back out into the living room.

“I don’t even want to do this.” Levi huffs for the five hundred and twelfth time, gathering their canvas bags for candy toting. “Jeremy will...”

“I’ll take all of Jeremy’s candy before he even thinks of messing with us.”

Levi pauses, both totes slung over his shoulder. He quirks a smile and nods. “You should have gone as Robin Hood.”

Erwin crosses into the entryway, sits at the bench in front of the door, and pulls on his fancy loafers he wears at church. Levi follows and slips on his ragged and torn black sneakers. “Dad wouldn’t buy me a new costume this year.”

“You just turned fifteen...”

“That’s what he said.” Erwin looks up at him, lips thin, and his blue eyes popping vibrantly against the black collar of his vampire cape. “I don’t see what age has to do with it.”

Levi slips on his second shoe and pulls the door open. He looks behind him, at his best friend who has an imagination too big for his own good, doomed to be caged forever inside a life of discipline and education... And there’s a sadness in his eagerness that begs Levi for compassion that he can never quite escape from giving him. “I bet I get more candy tonight.”

“In that costume?” Erwin stands up and follows Levi out the door. He snaps on the button to his flashlight, and illuminates the dark porch down to the sidewalk as they begin their annual pilgrimage around the neighborhood. “That’s not even fair. You’ll only have more because they feel bad for you.”

“Asshole.” Levi quips, smacks Erwin’s arm, only to receive a rolling giggle from high in Erwin’s chest.

“Ok, ok. If you win, what do you get?”

“All your Twizzlers.”

“All right. And if I win.... Hmmm... I get all your Necco wafers.”

“Deal.”

They make it back home an hour later with their bags full of candy. They didn’t run into Jeremy even once, and Levi even received a compliment for being a very scary looking jaguar. They greet Erwin’s father in the living room before they make their way into Erwin’s room to dump their bags of candy out onto the floor to count their tallies. Levi wins, because he always does. Erwin calls for a recount, plays it like a political matter, and demands a second recount. He goes for a third, but, annoyed, Levi just starts outright stealing from Erwin’s pile, opening the wrappers, and shoving candy into his mouth.

“I forgot to wear my teeth!” Erwin says, throwing his head back against his mattress. He’s still wearing his cape and vest, but he’s removed the cravat from around his neck and it has somehow ended up around Levi’s instead.

“They looked dumb anyway.” Levi says, popping a peanut butter cup and an Almond Joy in his mouth at the same time. Chocolate pits at the corners of his mouth as he chews.

“I looked scary.” Erwin looks down his nose at Levi and smiles crookedly when he sees Levi rolling his eyes. Lulling his head forward, he raises his eyebrow. “How else will I suck people’s blood now?”

“Gnaw gently?” Levi imagines it for a moment... Erwin’s lips and teeth on his neck, and his eyes snap wide and feels the heat rising along his collar. He tries to think of Stacy at school--she’s kind of cute. Blonde hair, blue eyes... But her lips are shiny with lip gloss all the time, and they just wouldn’t... “Like an old man vampire. Gum them to death.” There. Old men are gross.

Erwin laughs. He helps Levi sort their candy out, giving all his Twizzlers over and taking all the Necco wafers in return. He chews on a caramel with his mouth open as he talks. Levi has given up on telling him and shouldn’t be eating sticky things with braces. “Imagine being turned into a vampire when you’re that old? After you lost all your teeth? Doesn’t seem fair.” He swallows loudly, and his forming Adam’s apple bobs as he does.

“Yeah, well, life ain’t fair.”

“Big words from such a small kid.”

“I’m not a kid.” Levi shoots. He throws a bag of fruit snacks at Erwin’s face.

“Ah, right, right. You’re in middle school.” Erwin laughs again and is tackled down onto the floor by his small panther counterpart. “Ah! My house cat has gone rabid!” His laughter turns to giggling as Levi presses his forehead roughly into his chest as he lets out a throaty growl. “I’m scared!”

Levi turns his head up and snaps his teeth at him. “Grr!”

Erwin pushes his face away and shoves him lightly to the side. He tries to escape, but Levi’s body has Erwin’s cape pinned to the floor and Levi pounces on him again, growling more like a dog than a cat. He keeps pinning Erwin as he tries to get away, the growling turning into mutual giggling, until the giggling ends and Erwin is pushing back.

“Hey, hey!” Erwin says, swatting Levi’s hand away. He unties his cape and tries to wriggle away. “Knock it off, Levi.”

“W-what?”

“That’s enough. Knock it off.”

Levi sits up and scrambles away. He’s breathing heavy and Erwin’s change in tone chills him straight through--like that time he was caught in the bathroom smoking a cigarette. “S-sorry.”

Erwin sits up and adjusts his vest. He shakes his head. “It’s ok.” He doesn’t look up at Levi as he swallows a few times and shakes his head again. “You just got me in the rib a little too hard.”

They rough housed a lot, had since their friendship first started. The surrenders never happened like this. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know you didn’t. I’m just...” Erwin says. He stands up and runs his hands through his hair and sighs. “I’m going to go get ready for bed. Are you staying over tonight?”

“Can I?”

“We got you a new sleeping bag. It’s in the closet.”

Levi nods, still feeling a bit dazed by the change of mood. Erwin goes to his dresser and pulls out a fresh t-shirt, underwear, and sleeping pants and leaves the room without another word. He returns almost an hour later, hair damp, and a smile plastered on his lips. Levi had cleaned up the floor and put out his sleeping things, dressed out of his pants and cat ears, but still wore the oversized black sweater and his white crew cut socks. The uncertain guilt still roils around in his head and makes him feel sick. But maybe it was the candy. “I’m sorry.” Levi says again.

Erwin walks over and falls loftily onto his bed, arms out and legs hanging over the edge. Levi looks up at him with quiet curiosity. “It’s no big deal! I’m fine now.” Erwin gets up on his elbows and looks down at Levi, smiling still. “Thank you.”

“Ok...” Levi gets up to move toward the door to do his before bed routine, and to maybe throw up a little bit.

Erwin sits up properly and pots his hand on Levi’s shoulder. “I know you didn’t want to do this tonight. But I had a lot of fun. So, thank you.”

Levi studies him and nods, returning a soft smile. “I couldn’t have you go out there alone with Jeremy roaming the streets.”

Erwin laughs and lets his hand fall to the side of him in bed. He kicks his feet up and lays down properly, kicking the sheets down to the foot of the bed. Even in winter he rarely slept under the covers. “He’s such an asshole.”

Levi smiles wider until the grip on his heart strangles it away. He likes Erwin... Too much. “A dirty, smelly, shitty asshole.”

Erwin’s smile fades too as he closes his eyes. He’s asleep by the time Levi comes back from washing up, and he feels weird and sick and wrong that he can’t stop staring at him while he sleeps.

[howjollyjack-blog]

Leaving Home || Audition Para

tw: mention of blood. vampire feeding.

Two hundred years, Jack thought as he laid on the dusty old couch in his darkened living room. Two hundred years in that old musty dusty house. Two hundred years in the same village. He flopped over with a sigh and his hand hung on the floor. The scurrying of tiny feet skidded across the floor as a white fluff ball sniffed his owner’s hand. “Oh Zero,” Jack turned his head to look at his mutt. “Do you think I should go?” The pup jumped and barked. “Of course, I’ll take you.” He laughed as he scooped his dog up and pulled him in to cuddle on the couch. “I can’t leave you…” And so it was decided. Jack would pack his things and set off for New England.

For someone who was two centuries old, he didn't own a lot. Jack had his predominantly black wardrobe that consisted of black skinny jeans, band tees, and hoodies. He had a few suits, one all black and another black with white pinstripes, which was his favorite. He had Zero’s bed, his own bedding, a few magical relics he acquired over the years, some carvings his father made when he was a boy and a Christmas decoration his mother gave him. Shortly after starting, his enchanted trunk was packed and Zero yipped from his carrier.

The airship ride across the Atlantic was peaceful. Jack walked along the deck with Zero in tow. “Zero, old buddy,” his hands were clasped behind his back, “I haven't been this excited in ages. What do you suppose it will be like?” The dog jumped and twirled in response, “me, too.”

A few wizards stared at Jack and moved to the far side of the deck as he approached, “Good morrow, kind Sirs,” the lanky young man said as he greeted them despite their fleeing. When they just stared, he shrugged and kept moving.

When they docked in Boston, Jack wanted to see a bit of the city before making his journey to school. “What is a wharf?” He asked tilting his head reading a sign.

“Not from around here, huh? A wharf is.. well it's a wharf. They are, uh, kinda like piers except they're made outta dirt and rock from diggin’ out the foundations and stuff.” A spunky young man spoke as he stood beside Jack. “You're tall. Bet ya hear that all the time?”

“Interesting,” Jack said. “And yes, I'm not from here. I also hear I'm tall all of the time. I suppose when you're,” he paused to do the conversion to the American standard, “six-foot-four, it's bound to happen.” Jack let out a loud hearty laugh unknowingly exposing his fangs.

“Nice canines. Get them sharpened or just born that way?” Jack went to answer but the young man kept talking, “I have a cousin who paid someone to do that. Imagine that. Payin’ to have vamper teeth. Go figure. He's a weirdo. Not sayin’ you're a weirdo eithah. Just, ya know. So where ya headed bud?”

“I was going to sightsee before I headed to Greylock's Landing, Massachusetts.” He thought about it for a second and nodded as his mind confirmed his destination.

“Nevah heard of it. Prob in Western Mass. No one cares bout there, anyway. What did ya wanna see? My cousin, not the teeth one, another one, she owns this joint down in South Boston. I can take ya.”

“Sounds pretty neat,” Jack nodded.

“Cool,” the young man nodded along. “I'm Charlie, by the way.”

“Jack,” he smiled as he said his name.

“Nice to meet ya, Jack. Come on.” Charlie led the way and they headed toward an underground where there was a train. Jack never went on an underground train before. He'd been on a steam engine in his youth but they weren't very similar in comparison.

“So, where ya from Jack?” Charlie shouted over the hum of other conversations.

“Romania,” Jack shouted as well.

“Is that like Transylvania?”

“Romania is the country Transylvania is in,” Jack said with pride.

“Cool! Maybe I should send my cousin there. He can meet a vamp.” Jack thought about it for a second before Charlie laughed. “Kidding. Sheesh. Vamps ain't real. But he'd have a wicked good time lookin for one. That's for sure.”

They transferred trains and chatted some more. Well, Charlie spoke and Jack listened. He liked Charlie. He was spunky and quite the knowledgeable young man. He gave Jack a colorful historical account of different areas as they passed underneath them. When they finally reached South Boston, Jack and Charlie disembarked the train and hit the streets.

“Aye! Charlie!” A blonde from behind the bar shouted. “Who's ya friend?”

Charlie pointed to his compatriot and said, “This is Jack. He's from Romania. Jack, this is my cousin, Antonetta.”

“It's a pleasure meeting you,” Jack inclined his head to greet the woman.

“Nice to meet ya, too,” She looked at Charlie as if to ask ‘Is this guy for real?’ “Romania? What brings ya to Boston?” She brought her attention back to Jack and served them both a drink.

“Just passing through. I'm on my way to Greylock's Landing.”

“Western Mass,” Charlie chimed in and Antonetta nodded with understanding.

“Well, Jack, enjoy your time in Beantown. Don't let Charlie talk ya ear off ‘cause he can.”

“Aye!” Charlie protested.

“It's the truth. We've never figured out how to shut him up!”

“I don't mind. I like to listen.” Jack gave a sweet smile as sipped his drink. It was a shame alcohol didn't affect him. It tasted pretty good and it looked like people had fun while drinking it. He enjoyed a few spirits in his human life but the feeling was long since forgotten.

The night pressed on and Jack could feel his hunger getting the better of him. He could go days without feeding but he must have let it slip his mind between packing and planning for his big move. Back home he had a witch friend who he fed on or blood bags for when he was in a pinch. But he had no such set up while he was in Boston. All of his belongings were sent ahead of him to Ilvermorny. So, even if he had blood bags they were at school. That didn't do him very well. Now, did it?

Jack would have to feed off of someone or run the risk of becoming uncontrollably hungry. He looked around and found a lone woman. It pained him to single her out but the predator in him knew she was the easiest target. She was alone, petite and seemingly innocent.

“Good evening,” Jack smiled at her once her attention was on him. “Might I buy you a drink?” He observed a man doing the same earlier and figured it would work as a nice icebreaker. She nodded. “I'm Jack.”

“Heather,” she offered him a hand. Jack looked at it and pursed his lips. He avoided direct contact with muggles. He didn't typically want them to be off put by how cold he was, being undead and everything. But, he was planning on feeding off of her. Maybe that would be a good way to segway into it.

But she didn't comment on his chilling hands. But they did talk about comic books and movies. Heather was very sweet. Jack almost didn't want to make her into dinner. But it was that or he would become a ravenous monster.

Heather and Jack left the bar together. She invited him back to her place, which to him seemed a bit unsafe. However, he wasn't about to turn down a convenient spot to feed off of her.

The door to the three-story walk-up unlocked with a click and she pushed the door open. It creaked and made Jack smile with content. He could appreciate setting a creepy mood. “Can I get you something?” She was cute trying to be seductive. Jack wasn't exactly the type that used sex to work into feeding. Many did but for him, he sort of liked a nice approach.

“Yes,” he leaned against the counter awkwardly since it was so short and he was so tall. “But it's an odd request, my dear.”

“What is it?” She asked with wide eyes.

“Can I drink your blood?” He asked with a cute smile. He watched her bounce the idea back and forth in her mind. “Only a little. It barely hurts. You might even like it.”

“Uh,” she moved next to him, “where would you drink it from?” Jack was a bit relieved that she didn't throw a fit. However, he was uneasy by how calm she was. Were all muggles like that?

“Your wrist is preferable,” Jack’s hand took hers and turned her palm to expose the blood vessels that rested close to the surface of the skin.

“Not my neck?” She asked confused.

“Your neck is another spot,” he gently moved a finger over her carotid artery. He could feel the steady flow of her blood against his finger as her cheeks flushed. “Which would you like?”

“My wrist is fine,” she tried to hide the rouge in her cheeks but Jack could see it in the faintest of light.

“Thank you,” Jack whispered as he brought her wrist toward his lips. He bared his teeth and sank them into her flesh. Heather gasped at the initial bite but her breathing steadied as Jack continued. He listened to her heart as he fed. He didn't want to take too little but he didn't want to take too much, either. Over the decades he was able to learn when the perfect moment was to stop.

When he was done, he wiped the corners of his mouth and pulled a salve from his pocket. “This will heal the puncture wounds almost instantly.” He used a finger to rub a bit against the marks he left behind. He didn't have any potions to replenish her blood but he didn't take enough to make her too out of sorts.

“You're not what I expected out of a vampire,” she whispered.

“I'm not like most of my kind,” Jack commented. “But sadly, I must fix your memories.” He withdrew his wand and changed her memory to them having a few drinks. He typically did this when he wasn't trying to attempt to frighten anyone or if they weren't the intended target of his scare. “Thank you, again. It was a pleasure. I must be going.”

“You're welcome. Will I see you again?”

“Maybe but I find false hope to be unkind. So, the odds are no.” Jack smiled and left her apartment. Once he was outside, Jack set off her Greylock's Landing and, ultimately, Ilvermorny.

__

After setting up his new room at Ilvermorny, Jack decided to head down to the muggle town. No-maj, Jack mentally corrected himself. They say no-maj here. It was magical. Well, not magical in the sense of actual magic. It was just magnificently ordinary. He just loved watching the people as he walked around.

That was when Jack spotted something. A group of men surrounded a younger man as they walked together. They seemed to be having a good time. The older men looked at one another the most sinister grins were upon their faces. So, Jack followed them closely. He wanted to make sure they didn't hurt the younger one in the group. He was all for scaring people but he didn't like to hurt them.

Jack followed them to a bar. He watched as they played darts and billiards. A drunken woman sauntered over to Jack and started to flirt with him. His brow rose as he looked at the woman. “Pardon me, Ma’am but you are intoxicated.” He took her hand off his shoulder. “You should probably stop drinking.”

“You're just, “ she paused as she tried to remember her words.

Jack looked over his shoulder and watched the group he was following walk out the door. “I'm not anything. I will drain you dry and leave your corpse to rot,” he whispered in her ear before dropping money on the bar for her tab. He wasn't serious. He'd never do that but she didn't know that. Hopefully, it'd teach her a lesson. That lesson being, don't flirt with a stranger while not in control of your faculties.

Jack sped out of the bar and looked around for the group he was tailing. He closed his eyes and filtered through all of the noises that filled the street. Beneath the chatter, the ding of a storefront door opening, and the honking of a horn, he heard the laughter of the young man.

Jack looked up at the moon and pulled his hood over his eyes. He set the scene for a fright. After all, it was his favorite part.

“Okay guys,” He heard the young man speak, “I really should go home. It was fun.”

“Home? Nah, stay with us,” one spoke.

“Yeah, stay with us,” another chimed in.

“I really should go home,” the young man protested.

Jack didn't like what he was hearing. When someone said he was done, then he was done. He peered up from beneath his hood and observed the men pushing the other around.

Moving quickly he swiftly placed himself in the group. “Who the hell are you?” One asked as Jack let the moonlight fall on his smirk from beneath the hood. They looked at one another and the one who spoke grabbed Jack by the collar, “Get out of here before I make you, bro.”

“Bro?” Jack nodded grabbing the young man by the wrist and effortlessly bent it back. “We are not brothers,” he pushed the hood off his head. The group stepped back as Jack bore his fangs. “But you can be dinner,” he let the corners of his mouth curl into his wickedest grin.

“What the?”

“Fuck this!”

“I'm out!” And soon the one Jack was holding was alone.

“Run,” Jack tossed the young man to the ground with a hiss before turning to the remaining young man. “Are you alright, Sir?”

“Uh,” he blinked. “Yeah. Thanks?” He had to have been in shock. Jack heard of that. “Are you going to kill me?”

“Oh, no. I don't kill people. That's just rude.”

“Then can I go?” He asked quietly.

“One second,” Jack withdrew his wand and took away the memory of him being a vampire. To him, he just scared the boys away with his general demeanor. “Have a good night,” Jack smiled sweetly as he waved goodbye. He was going to love this place. He could feel it inside his bones.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

A lost stray; Dog! Bucky x teen reader

Okay I give you all the last series of my Bucky masterlist, once the 2 parts are up my MASTERLIST WILL FINALLY BE UPDATED YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!! Now I have seen a lot of fic involving Bucky with dogs (which are AMAZING BTW) but it got me thinking, what is Bucky BECAME a dog by a certain God of Mischief, and this request that I was given to by some dear friends of mine on wattpad gave me the idea for this, now bare in mind the reader is given a specific name cause that’s what they wanted so if you don’t like it then just replace the name with your own. Also I had a poll to see which bred of dog would best represent Bucky and the winner was....well you’ll find out here shortly. Now BEWARE OF SWEARING, SEXUAL INNUENDOS, MENTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE, DRUGS, all the bad stuff pretty much *so sorry* but I hope you all enjoy :)

Taglist:

@evyiione

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Okay I have no idea what I did to deserve this fate? I was simply writing in my journal about old memories minding my own business when all of a sudden my journal falls to the ground as does the pencil and when I look down I notice instead of hands, I had paws. I ran towards the nearest mirror to see that I've been turned into a dog, and to be more specific a German shepherd.

I screamed which came out as a yelp of fright as I looked at myself. Even my metal arm had turned onto a dog's leg and I heard soft chuckling behind me. When I turned around I saw Loki standing there.

I growled and ran towards him and cried out his name in anger as I leaped for him but he disappeared into a poof of green mist. I snarled down at the ground thinking I had gotten him but I paused when I saw no one beneath me.

'Grrr Loki! What the hell is this about?! Why the hell did you turn me into a fucking dog! You—you sick low life son of a—' but all that anyone else would hear is mad barking.

"If you want to know why I did what I did, go out and see for yourself. You're not the only Midgardian who has suffered if not more than you have". I turned to see Loki perched up along the windowsill as a black cat which gave me a terrific idea.

'You know for some high and mighty God you sure are clueless'.

"And what is that supposed to mean soldier of Winter?"

'Well here on Earth, the animal kingdom has many animals that are arch rivals, and the biggest of them all is dogs vs. cats'. Loki looked at me like he knew he had been caught. I lunged for him and he took off running.

I chased after him knocking over tables and expensive vases that Tony had. Barking as he yowled at me trying to escape when Tony and Bruce came in and I heard Tony say.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!"

"How did a dog get into the tower?" Bruce said in confusion.

"I don't care about that just look at all my stuff! That does it, come here you mutt!" I was then grabbed on by the neck by a rope. I barked at Tony to let me go telling him that I wasn't a dog, I was Bucky. But sadly he couldn't understand me and soon I was thrown out of the tower and locked out.

I barked as I scratched on the door begging to be back in but when no one answered whimpers came out of my throat and I decided to just walk down the streets of New York, as a freakin dog.

As I walked along the streets, people looked at me like I was still a freak especially since they stared at my metal dog arm. When I got hungry and tried to do the dog face and beg, people just turned me aside and kicked dirt or threw whatever they could at me to get me running. My stomach growled hungrily and I decided to just rest. I managed to find an alleyway with an old rotten box big enough for me to lay in. I got in and laid down on my stomach and sighed.

Who knew that even as a dog I'd be labeled a freak? No one shows sympathy for dogs like me, with handicaps and out on the street. I was a lost dog and I felt sad about it as I felt my ears bend backwards showing my sadness.

It wasn't until my sensitive ears picked up something. I raised my head up and I stood up to hear what almost sounded like someone being beaten up. I carefully followed my ears and I soon came along a corner seeing a group of teenage boys picking on two young twins a boy and a girl.

"What's the matter runts? Are you gonna cry for Mommy?"

"Hey Jared they ain't got no mommy! All they got is that bitch leader of theirs".

"Now listen up you twerps, you better tell your ring leader that if we see another one of you punks on our turf again, people are gonna get hurt, understand?" The taller boy I assumed to be the leader said as he picked up the little girl by the throat then just tossed her towards the wall.

"Amy!" The little boy cried out. Something inside of me snapped. I don't care if you're bigger than your opponent but you do not, I repeat do NOT harm CHILDREN! I came out snarled at the group of boys who turned towards me in shock.

My fangs baring, ears pointed backward and fur ruffled on end. I lunged at them just as one of the boys drew out a small handgun but I successfully threw it out of his hands and got him down on the ground. I then turned to the leader and glared at him with hatred and soon the boys ran away like cowards as they ran home to their momma's.

Once the thugs were gone, I turned to see the boy trying to wake up his sister and when I slowly got up to him, he gasped and tried to get himself and his sister away from me.

'No, don't be scared kid, good dog'. I whimpered softly as I waved my paw at him showing him that I wasn't going to hurt him or his sister. He looked at me nervously and shakily held out his hand for me. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was a gut feeling, but something was telling me that this young boy once had a bad encounter with a dog before, that's why his hand was so shaky and why he's also trying to protect his sister so much from me.

I lowered my head to his hand and softly licked it assuring him I was a good dog. When I was done, he looked down at his twin then back at me with teary eyes. I walked up to the little girl and sniffed her, I could sadly smell blood but thankfully not a lot so I proceeded to gently lick her temple licking up the blood in the process and soon she started to stir.

"Amy!" The girl's eyes soon opened and my tail wagged thanking god she was alright. When she saw me she suddenly jumped back and her brother caught her and said to her, "it's okay Amy. He's a nice doggy, he's not like uncle's dog was, aren't yah boy?" I grunted softly and sat down before them. So my instincts were right, these poor kids did have a bad experience with a dog before and by their uncle? That just broke my heart.

The little girl Amy looked at me and she held out her hand as well. I smelled her hand and nudged it playfully until it was on top of my head. She smiled softly and petted my head which made my tail swish along the floor.

"He's soft" Amy said. The little boy then reached out and stroked down my neck and gently ruffled the fur alongside my neck and he said.

"Yeah, and he's warm too, and he doesn't have a collar on".

"Look Aaron, he's got a metal leg". I lowered my ears thinking now they would leave and think I was a freak now that they see my metal arm.

"Wow, that's so cool". My ears perked up and I tilted my head in confusion.

"He must be like us, can't we take him home with us, please Aaron?" Amy begged to her brother.

"Amy, I don't think Miss Alex will allow us to have a dog, especially since we didn't tell her we lost the cat we begged to keep when we found it". Cat? What cat?

"But look at him, he's just like us. I bet he's been kicked out by the grownups, haven't you boy?" Amy asked as she took my face between her small hands. I whimpered sadly in yes.

'You don't know the half of it kid'.

"Please Aaron?" I then gave him the puppy dog eyes as did his sister and soon Aaron gave in.

"Alright we can keep him".

"Yay! You hear that boy, you get to come live with us". Amy cheered. I licked her cheek happily making her giggle and curl up. Aww how cute, she's ticklish.

"But we gotta make sure Miss Alex doesn't find him, otherwise she'll make us get rid of him, now come on let's go before she gets back". The twins then stood up and I followed them to their home.

Now I wasn't expecting much just a simple house or even apartment and this so called "Miss Alex" was to be an older woman sitting by a chair or maybe a desk but to my shock these children didn't live in any house, but in the NYC junkyard.

As I followed the young twins I soon notice a camp was set up with small forts and old, filthy mattresses and broken or used up furniture surrounding the camp. A large fire pit stood at the center and all around I could see children ranging from the twins age to teenagers. All of them looked roughed up from living out here in the streets of NY and wore scattered clothes.

"Here we are doggy, home". Amy said.

"Oh good, Miss Alex isn't here yet, maybe she's with Miss Mindy, Carly and Wendy". I titled my head in confusion when someone called out.

"Hey! Where are Amy and Aaron?"

"Uh-oh, quick doggy you gotta hide, we need to talk to Miss Alex about letting you join in". Amy quickly stated. Not wanting these kids to get in trouble with this "Alex" character I quickly hid among some of the rubble of garbage and soon coming into the camp was a girl around 19 maybe even 20 years old, long dark brown hair down past her shoulders, she wore all black and had on a long sleeved black leather jacket and I could faintly see a mark on her neck it almost looked like a tattoo.

Along with her were another girl a bit younger than her wearing the same type of clothes as she was. My dog instincts were telling me that the eldest girl could probably be "Miss Alex" as the twins have said. I stayed as low and quiet as I could and just watched carefully and listened to the conversation that would soon take place.

*My POV*

My name is Alex Pickett, I'm 20 years old with a very, very, very rough past. I'm the leader of a sacred group of special kids, you know the ones that the adults give up on, throw aside like strays, abuse them, and force them into activities that no child should have to go through. Any child in that situation, I come into the picture and bring them here to my save haven in the junkyard where no big business like Child Services can find it.

Anyways, my Right hand girl Mindy and I had just gotten back from getting some supplies like food and medicine for our pack of strays. Might as well tell you a little bit about my girl that I've allowed to be my 2nd in command. Mindy's father was sent to prison for life on a false charge caused by some hire-up business dick who wanted to sleep with her mother who was pregnant with her at the time. Depressed her mom overdosed and died as she gave a 7 month birth to Mindy.

She was taken from foster home to foster home until finally the system just threw her out. I met her just shortly I escaped my fate and the two of us began the Merry gang.

The two of us would find and pick up any child boy or girl that has been abandoned by the people they've looked up to the most in their whole lives, the people that gave them life but soon decided it was nothing but a mistake, or stolen away at their most vulnerable ages or states and taken to serve as their pets in whatever sick activity these bastards saw fit.

"They're back!" Jared called out and soon the whole gang gathered around and Carly said.

"Did you get the stuff?"

"Yep" I said as Mindy and I opened the bags revealing our food and medicine and other supplies we needed to survive at a few weeks at most.

"Hey, where are Amy and Aaron?"

"We're right here!" We all turned to see our youngest pups running towards us. I walked up towards them and knelt down to their 5 year heights. These kids boy did they have a rough story. Their uncle was the only legal guardian alive to care for these kids but the guy was a heavy drinker and he once used to host the Dog fights down in Mexico in his early days. He had the winning fight dog as his pet and whenever he got into his drunk moods, he would have the dog attack these poor children if they ever disobeyed him.

That's when I came in. I found them cowering behind a creak in the woods not far from their house trying to run away. I told them that I was sent to save them and when I heard the Uncle's drunken slurs and the dog's barking, I forced them behind me and told them to close their eyes and cover their ears. As their uncle and his dog came forward, the uncle seized his dog on me and when I was sure the twins could see or hear anything I killed their uncle and his dog with only my right arm *spoilers*.

Now a few months later these two little punks are starting to open up and recover since Child services didn't even bother even trying to look into their case, I was their savior and like to all these other kids, I am their Mother and Protector.

"Where did you two get to?"

"We were just taking a walk Miss Alex, honest". Aaron said nervously. I raised an eyebrow when I took notice of a bit of dry blood at the corner of Amy's temple.

"Amy, what happened to your head?" Amy touched her head and winced. "Oh god, Mindy get me some antiseptic cream and some band-aids from the bag!" Mindy handed me the antiseptic and the band-aids and I said as I squeezed some onto my hand and gently dabbed it onto Amy's forehead. "Okay you two, no more lies, what happened?"

"It was Butch and his goons, we got lost on our way back and accidentally went into his alleyway. He picked Amy up and threw her against the wall". I stopped as I put the band-aid on Amy's head and internally snarled.

That Butch, he and his gang of snakes have always been trying to claim certain spots of the streets as his turf even if it wasn't before. He's even tried to get me involved with a few heists of theirs in the past and a few other stuff to with him personally in his bedroom, and everytime when I'm not in front of the little ones, I tell him to fuck off and I beat the shit out of him then head back home.

"We're sorry Miss Alex, we didn't mean to, we just—" Amy started off but then she trailed off as she looked down almost about to cry. I gently ruffled her head and said.

"It's okay sweetie, I'm not mad at you or your brother. You both didn't know, okay so don't cry okay?" She sniffled and tried to dry up her tears and wiped her cheek with her sleeve. "That's my girl, now then," I stood up and said, "where's Little Thief, I've got something for him". Little Thief is whom I like to call the Black cat that Aaron and Amy begged me to keep around in the gang about a week ago. Black male cat with green eyes, always causing trouble and mischief for my group and stealing some of our food and other supplies running us dry, so I called him "Little Thief" for that.

I then looked down to see the twins looking down nervously and I said to them.

"Amy, Aaron, do you know where Little Thief is?"

"We're sorry Miss Alex, but he ran away a few days ago. We tried to catch him but he disappeared before we could, we're sorry". Aaron said. I took a deep sigh then I said.

"I told you guys that if you can keep track of your pets you could keep them, but since he's gone I'm afraid you guys can't have any more pets around. No more animals, alright?"

"Yes Miss Alex". They said solemnly.

"Now go on, wash yourselves up it's almost supper time". They sulked off together and I told the others to wash up as well and prepare the dinner table leaving Mindy and I alone.

"Well that was a little cruel of you, you know cats are agile and can easily escape if they want to". Mindy said to me.

"It doesn't matter anymore, besides that cat was trouble form the start. The thing I wanted to give him was a bullet right between the eyes". I sneered. I really did hate that cat and he always seem to target me while he stayed in the gang, and at times I did want to shoot the little bastard but I didn't want to upset Aaron and Amy. "You go and wash up Mins, I'll gather the food from the bags". She walked up and I took out the food unaware of someone watching me.

*Bucky's POV*

Wow, this girl really seemed tough on the outside, but on the inside she was sweet and gentle but she is firm when she needs to be, not letting anyone push her around, she truly was a leader, kinda like Steve in a way. But what I want to know is why does she always have to act like this? And what does she have hidden underneath that right arm of hers since I've notice that as she gathers up the food, she keeps touching her right arm like it hurts or something.

Just who was this girl anyway?

*My POV*

After supper time it was time for bed for the little ones, the teens and I tucked in the young ones in their mattress beds and covered them up with as many blankets as we could find and if they wanted a story, the destined teen would read them a story from books that Mindy and I "take" from bookstores and libraries.

Once the little ones were all tired after story time or whatever they needed, we would leave a small lantern on for them in case they needed a light and us big kids gathered around the fire pit and talked quietly.

My mind couldn't shake off the fact that Butch had harmed one of my kids and he needed to pay especially since he's done it to one of my younger and most recent members. I stood up and Mindy said.

"Alex?"

"I'm going to pay someone a visit". Mindy being my right hand woman and knowing me the best out of anyone in the whole gang knew to whom I was referring to.

"Do you want us to go with you?"

"No, Butch is mine and mine alone. I've kicked his ass before and I'll do it again, I'll be back in an hour". I walked out of the junkyard and headed towards Butch's apartment where he and the rest of his lackies like to lounge around.

*Bucky's POV*

That night when the teens had put the kids to bed, I snuck out and walked towards Aaron's and Amy's shared mattress and laid down beside them. I felt Amy place her small hand on my head petting me and Aaron snuggled into my neck. At least I wouldn't be sleeping in an alleyway or under a bridge tonight.

My ears flicked as I heard someone leaving the junkyard. I got off the mattress and safely snuck around the teens who were still gathered around the fire and followed the figure. 

As I followed the scent, I soon found out that Alex was heading into an old building of some sorts so I quickly looked around to see if there was a safer way for me to get inside, when I found an airway vent at the floor of the building. I pawed at it and when I got it opened, I walked inside and crawled through the vents, hoping to find Alex's scent again.

*My POV*

I walked up the stairs and I soon arrived at Butch's floor. All around me I saw some of his goonies passed out on the floor drunk or beyond High on coke or whatever they had in their bodies. I slammed the doors opened and all around me Butch's boys all stared at me and then I saw the high man himself with two prostitutes way older than him on either side hooked onto his arms.

"Ahhh Alex, welcome, welcome, thrice welcome my sweet".

"Cut the shit Butch, you know why I'm here!" I snarled.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about sweetheart". His Brooklynn accent strong as he cooed at me.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! You mess with any of my kids, especially the children, Mama Bear comes out in full throttle". I tore my leather jacket off revealing my secret weapon.

My right arm was entirely made of the strongest automail material, it also came with a very long extension blade that I personally can summon out by tensing up my muscles together. (A/N: For the automail arm, look up a picture of Lan Fan from FMA: Brotherhood and see her automail arm, that’s what I imagines the arm to look like here)

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho, now that's some bad ass arm you got there, I'd love to feel that around my thick—"

"Enough you pig! You want me to feel you, then try it in the dark!" I then slammed my hand against the power box and soon the room went pitch black. Butch and his gang all went screaming and frantically tried to find anything that would give them a source of light but they didn't notice that something dark was stalking them.

A blade went through one guy's chest and he let out a choked out bloody scream just before he collapsed. Butch's gang were nothing but babies as soon as one of them cried out.

"BODY!!" It was a game of cat and mouse, or as I like to call it the Mouse and the Raven. More guys kept screaming in pain as something was beating them like ragdolls before being stabbed by a blade. When the lights came back on, bloody bodies laid all over the ground and Butch stood there as the last one with terrified eyes and I stood just a few feet away from him, the blade of my automail dripping blood onto the ground as well as my whole arm.

Even my whole body was splattered with blood from my clothes, skin and even a portion of my face especially where my tattoo of a raven on flight on my neck was as I stared darkly at Butch.

"You even mess with my children again, I promise you you'll be—AHHHHH!!!" Something shocked me in the back and I was soon brought down to the ground knocked unconscious.

*3rd POV*

Older men in black combat gear came into the room and apprehended my unconscious body while the man in a full armor suit wearing a mask with a design of crossbones walked in and he said.

"Nicely done kid".

"Well it was about damn time you guys got here I thought she was going to kill me! So does that mean I'm a full-fledged Hydra member now?"

"Not yet, first we need to make sure you'll fully comply with Hydra's demands". Crossbones walked towards his men who were holding Alex in hold and touched her face and felt for her pulse.

"Comply with Hydra's demands hey I helped you guys get her doesn't that comply with Hydra's demands you son of a—" Butch was then shot point blank in the forehead with a blade and Crossbones lowered his arm and muttered.

"These damn kids, no respect for authority what's so ever. Get her in the car". Crossbones and his men walked out with Alex to a truck and drove out, unaware that a German shepherd saw the whole thing and was now trailing behind the truck.