#they're going to be banging in one of the basement rooms

[northbndtrain]

Don't ever treat a customer like that again.

+1 BONUS:

[dean-a-mean-tae]

Stray Kids as Yanderes

Request: "You have yandere on your event and masterlist so would you do skz as yanderes? I know you only do soft yandere and thats fine"

WARNINGS: Obsessive behavior, Murder, Mention of suicide, Toxic relationship, Drugging, Manipulation, Humiliation, Claustrophobic issues, basements, blood, tied to a ceiling (not the reader), mention of kidnapping, delusional mindset, mental abuse, self-harm, cussing, suggestive? talking about kissing, Stalking, I think that's it

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO READ! You DO NOT have my permission to repost my work anywhere.

A/N: I wanted to expand on their jealousy, but this is already long enough. I struggled with Jisung so much! >:[ I WROTE THIS AT 2 AM WITH NOTHING BUT DORITOS AND COUGH MEDICINE IN MY SYSTEM!

Master list

*.·:·BANG CHAN

Type: Manipulative Violence: 50-100% Possessive: 86% Jealousy: 65%

Punishments: Manipulation

The relationship looks normal at first glance. Chan takes care of you, but not so much that it feels like you're dependent on him. He lets you talk to people and leave the house. He waited until you were ready before moving you into his home, and he still waited.

You were cozy in the Venus flytrap, and its jaws were slowly closing.

He'd pick your friends off one by one. Chan starts with the acquaintances. They're not close to you, so it shouldn't hurt that much for them to leave you. He puts wedges between you and anyone trying to separate you. Your friend who had a crush on you is gone.

Chan is a dangerous yandere because of his awareness. He knows what he's doing is unhealthy and probably immoral, but he wants you. Chan needs you.

I don't think Chan would really have a punishment for you.

He'd just be doing the same thing he's been doing. He'll guilt trip you into feeling bad for lashing out. You think Chan is too possessive? You're right, but can you blame him? Anyone who looks at you would want to eat you like a snack and take you home with them for leftovers. He's just being cautious.

The jaws are shut, but something is stopping you from panicking.

*.·:·LEE MINHO

Type: Possessive Controlling Violence: 56-97% Possessive: 100% Jealousy: 100%

Punishments: Isolation and Drugging Humiliation

Minho is yours out of courtesy. You are Minho's because he wants you. There is a difference. As soon as you learn it, everything will be easier for Minho for you.

As seen in this post, Minho likes to play with you. It doesn't matter if you don't want to play, he wants to play, and you will. If he can see the exhaustion in your eyes, then Minho will let you rest. Hope that he can see it. Hope, pray, do whatever.

The more "tired" you act, the less likely Minho is to give you a break. In a way, he wants you to break. How else will Minho know what not to do?

You're moving sluggish? Then we're moving around. You're about to fall asleep? Have this melatonin gummy that's actually an energy booster. Minho wants you to break so he can fix you.

If you start lashing out, Minho will make you more compliant. He'll slip it into your drink or your food. Depending on how exhausted you are, will depict how much he gives you. Minho doesn't want to kill you. He'd not let anyone else have you, not even death.

If you go, Minho goes. You are his, and you can't leave.

When you're delirious, he locks you in a room. Not your bedroom, of course. Minho wants that room to be a safe space for you. He'll lock you in the hallway closet if you're claustrophobic. Or he'll stick you in the basement with the lights off. Of course, you're in a concealed room, so nothing can get you, but you can't see that.

I'm a firm believer that Minho would humiliate you as punishment. He'll finally take you out of the house. He'll pick your outfit himself, and when you come downstairs and question his outfit, he waves you off. "I want the attention to be on you."

And it will be. What were you thinking about wearing colors to an all-black event? Why are you off the theme?

*.·:·SEO CHANGBIN

Type: Protective Violence: 75-95% (Never to you) Possessive: 100% Jealousy: 12%

Punishments: Isolation

Sure, your happiness is important, but your safety is Changbin's top priority. You need to be healthy and protected. If this means killing someone disturbing your peace, then that's okay. If Changbin is causing you distress, he'll isolate the both of you for a break. Then it's back to being stuck together.

If you let him, Changbin will take care of you. He'll feed you, he'll bathe you, and he'll dress you. He will do everything for you until you tell him to stop, and even then, Changbin will push those limits.

Changbin's possessiveness is laced in his need to keep you safe. He would love for you to live your life. But why can't you live your life in the safety of his arms?

You think he's harming you? Well, imagine everyone else. What if he wasn't there? They're worse than him. They have no regard for your being, and Changbin knows this.

He's certain of it.

Your punishment is Changbin's dream. He'll lock you up in a room where you can't be hurt. Where you're safe. Where else is better for you?

Changbin who hides the number of lives he's taking to "keep you safe." He's certain your mind won't be able to handle it. You can barely look at the news about their deaths. So imagine finding out they're tied to you?

*.·:·HWANG HYUNJIN

Type: Delusional Violence: 5% (Unintentional) Possessive: 98% Jealousy: 79-100%

Punishments: Isolation

You need him, and Hyunjin needs you. It's a fact, and you can't go against a fact. Well, you can, but you would be wrong. You and Hyunjin were meant to be. You were together in past lives. You will be together in future lives. In all timelines, you are together.

But Hyunjin is in this timeline, in the present, and he wants you now.

Hyunjin doesn't just love you. Hyunjin knows he is in love with you. He needs you like his lungs need air, how his heart needs blood. How the trees need our breath. But you don't want him? No, you're just confused.

And if not? Hyunjin will wait for the next life.

But in this life? Hyunjin doesn't mind ending it early. His body will be in the ground, his soul in the stars, and his breath in the sky. You have no choice but to be with him.

When you walk, your feet touch the ground Hyunjin's body is in. When you breathe, you inhale his air. When you cherish the stars in the sky, they sparkle and shine for you. They are his soul and past lives shining on you.

Hyunjin would never hurt you on purpose. He has no issues with locking you up if it means keeping you in check and him from lashing out at you.

"I will never hurt you. People don't harm who they love," Hyunjin tells you. He tells you this as he locks you in a room with a see-through door. Ironic coming from him, but at least you don't have to worry about him hurting you.

Hyunjin has no issues with giving you time. Time with him, but still time to realize that you are meant to be.

Hyunjin who is overjoyed when you finally return his feelings. Who is overjoyed when the Stockholm syndrome hits.

*.·:·HAN JISUNG

(I had to let him marinate cause this was pissing me off ;-;)

Type: Quiet One Violence: 76-100% Possessive: Jealousy:

Punishments: Murder (not you)

Jisung is the type with earbuds on and scrolling on his phone to make the act believable. He's not listening to anything, but no one knows that. Jisung is eavesdropping on your conversation.

Jisung watches from the shadows. He leans against walls, tucks himself into corners, and hides in plain sight. Jisung needs to know everything about you.

Jisung takes your lost pencils, favorite candy wrapper, and anything you thought you "lost." Jisung who puts your things on the shrine in his basement.

Jisung finds everything about your family and friends. He finds out their habits and their tales. What makes them tick? How can he get them to put in a good word for him? Jisung, who fakes a smile for your love.

Jisung trains himself to be around you. He sneaks into your room and stands as close to you as he can without becoming a mess. He walks a little ways away from you and shortens the distance as he progresses. Jisung who hides his obsession out of fear of losing you.

Jisung who wouldn't hurt a fly, repeatedly stabs the person stealing you. His heart is steady, his face his blank, and his body doesn't tremble. Jisung who kills those who harm you, even those you don't know.

*.·:·LEE FELIX

Type: Clingy Violence: 0% Possessive: 79-100% Jealousy: I don't know

Punishments: Manipulation

This relationship starts normal, but the longer you stay with Felix, the more his obsession progresses. It's a little hard for him to breathe without you, like running for miles with asthma and no inhaler.

Felix would never hurt anyone. You don't know that, though. Felix doesn't like death, and Felix doesn't want to hurt you in any way. Not truly, so Felix gives threats. Behave, or he'll kill *blank*. Stop acting out, or he'll take *blank* out.

If you ever call his bluff, he'll get fake blood and a dead body. Felix will stage the act. You come home, and it's peaceful until you hear noise from the basement. What's that red stuff on the counter?

When you get downstairs, there's blood everywhere, and your best friend hangs by their wrists from their ceiling. When you try to run, Felix, covered in blood, is in the doorway. He knocks you out, and you wake up in your bed.

Felix is scared out of his sleep by your panicked breaths. When you tell him of your "nightmare," his eyes will dull, and he'll look near lifeless. Your phone rings before you can question him, and it's your best friend. As you're talking to them, you glance at Felix, but he's back to normal.

Felix who kisses your cheek and wishes you a good morning before taking a shower. While he's in the bathroom, you check the kitchen and the basement, but everything is normal. When you get back upstairs, Felix is plaiting the table with your favorite breakfast food.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Felix's face is concerned, but his tone is knowing.

*.·:·KIM SEUNGMIN

Type: Laidback Violence: 26% Possessive: Discreetly at 75% Jealousy: I'm conflicted

Punishment: Taking things from you

Seungmin doesn't want you stressing at all. If you have a problem, he'll fix it. Kidnapping you is too much work, so you won't have to worry about that. Seungmin will let you see your friends and family, and let you go out without him.

He knows you would never leave him.

As an idol, Seungmin can get people to watch you when he's not with you. As a person with "normal" status, he finds a way to convince your friends that you have a stalker and he just wants updates on your safety.

They'll send discreet pictures of you so you aren't panicking. They're trying to keep you safe. What if your stalker is watching you now? Seungmin wouldn't lie about your safety. He loves you, and they know it.

You're starting to sneak around? He'll find out why you're sneaking. If it isn't a surprise for him then you have no business creeping around. He should know everything. You should willingly tell Seungmin everything, or at least make it easy for him to find out himself.

Seungmin's punishments start small. It starts with your passions. You like art? Your pencils are snapped, and your paints have been left with the caps off. You make music? Your instruments are locked away or smashed to pieces. Seungmin won't break something of sentimental value. Your studio is locked with everything inside it.

Maybe you like books? If he has to, Seungmin will go through your favorite book and fold the corners. He'll crease the spines of your books and lock them away so that when you get them back, they're messed up.

You read online? You have a Kindle or an app on your phone? That's fine. Your library is cleared out, and he'll start a new book just to make sure there isn't a "Start where you left off" option.

Seungmin isn't evil. He'll make a list of all the books in your library, online or on a shelf, and keep perfect copies. He'll buy you new paints or get you new instruments.

Seungmin who will send a picture of you with your family if you run away. "I hope nothing bad happens to them while you're gone."

*.·:·YANG JEONGIN

Type: Obsessive Violence: Depends Possessive: 50-95% Jealousy: 76%

Punishment: Isolation, self-harm,

You're all he can think about. Jeongin depends on you. He can't eat, his sleep schedule is nonexistent, and he hasn't been outside unless you bring him.

Tell him to give you space, and Jeongin will hand it to you. He'll be fucking miserable, but he'll give you all the space and time you need. When you finally come back to him, kiss him long and slow or fast and intense.

Jeongin doesn't care. He wants you to be stuck to him like glue until you get sick of him and need a break.

Jeongin is fragile. His world revolves around you. You are the sun that brightens his day and the moon that guides him in the night. Lashing out at him about anything is a direct blow to his heart and soul.

You yelling at Jeongin. = You hate Jeongin.

He can't live while you hate him. He lives to please you. If you hate him, then Jeongin has failed you. Failing you means he failed himself, and life is too good for failure as bad as this.

Jeongin who tells you with a blank face but love-filled eyes that he would die for your love. Jeongin who will proudly show you each scar as punishment for making you "hate" him.

©️DEANAMEANTAE2024

[kissorkill16]

I Want To Be Happy: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

By JJ

Summary: Nicky is finally...happy in the basement.

I growled and yanked the stupid bag off of my head.

I was tired of the shadow, tired of being trapped down here, tired of being treated like a doll!

Tired of Mr. Peterson freaking gaslighting me.

"Your friends don't care about you.", he tells me, "They're all happy you're gone.", he tells me.

Bullshit.

My friends do care about me, my parents care about me.

...But if all of that's true, then why haven't they found you yet?

I shook my head.

No, I can't think like this. It'll only make Mr. Peterson happy.

I got up and went over to the window, and just like the last few times, I shoved the fake window down to the ground and jumped through wood. I walked through the wooden halls and to the door that led to the washing machine.

As I climbed out of the washer, I kept saying to myself that my friends and family will be so happy to see me.

Especially Trinity.

After all, she was the one who called the police to try and save me from this monster.

I go up the basement stairs and kick the door open, not caring that Mr. Peterson might still be awake. Who cares? He might collapse if he's up this early...or late...or whatever.

When I got to the living room, I looked outside for a moment and I realized that it was super dark outside. But then I focused back on finding a way out.

Then I had an idea. There were some unlocked windows upstairs, maybe in either Aaron or Mya's room.

I ran upstairs and tried to get into Aaron's room, but it was locked. I tried Mya's room, but that was locked too. I was so close to screaming, but I steadied myself.

I will find a way out of this hell house.

I tried looking around the house for a makeshift exit, but Mr. Peterson seemed to have blocked all of the doors and windows with metal bars. Then I saw a window, and that seemed to be unlocked.

I walked to the window, stepping on something, but I didn't care about that. I just wanted to get out of here.

But as I got closer to the window, I saw that there were metal bars outside of the window. My eyes widened in shock, and I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt something slam behind me.

I turned around to see that there was a metal cage and fence.

I can't believe I didn't notice that! But I couldn't really blame myself, after all, it was kind of dark.

But that didn't stop me from panicking.

I hugged myself, trying to calm myself down, but it wasn't working.

Finally, I took a deep breath.

"Calm down, Nicky.", I whispered to myself. "Look on the bright side. Mr. Peterson can't catch you while you're in here."

...But how was I going to find an exit while I'm in here?

I paced around the room for a moment, then I saw someone outside in the corner of my eye.

It was Enzo, Ivan, and Maritza.

What were they doing out at this time at night? Were they walking home or something?

I didn't care, I was just happy to see them.

"Guys!", I yelled out. "Guys, help! Up here! Help me!"

But none of them turned to look up at me. I tried screaming louder.

"ENZO! MARITZA! IVAN! IT'S ME, NICKY!", I screamed, I even started banging on the window. "HELP ME! SAVE ME! I'M UP HERE! PLEASE HELP ME!"

Still, none of them looked up at me.

They walked down the sidewalk and started turning the corner, and I started banging on the window even harder. So hard, I was sure I'd probably break the glass. But I didn't care about that, I just wanted to get out of here.

Why the hell couldn't they hear me?!

"GUYS!!", I screamed, "HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME! I'M UP HERE! HELP!"

They didn't stop, none of them stopped. They all just kept walking away, and soon enough, I couldn't see them anymore.

I widened my eyes, and they started filling up with tears as I slid down to the floor.

They were right across the street from me, and I was screaming so loud that I was so sure I'd break glass. But then why didn't they see me or hear me?

"Now that just makes me sad."

I didn't bother turning around when I heard that voice, I already knew who it was.

Mr. Peterson.

He made a grunting noise, and I could tell he was pushing or pulling something. Suddenly, I heard the cage door opening behind me. He stepped in and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I told you, Nicholas.", he said. "Your friends aren't really your friends. Was that whole ordeal proof enough?"

I didn't answer, I just curled in on myself more.

"I screamed, I banged on the window, I tried so hard.", I said, "Why didn't they hear me?"

"Because they don't care about you, Nicky."

I buried my face in my knees, trying to hide my tear stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Nicky.", said Mr. Peterson. "I know it's hard to accept it, especially since you love them so much. But it's just something you need to know. They don't care about you. Why else would they blatantly ignore your cries for help or not go to the police about your disappearance?"

I shook my head.

"Stop saying that.", I said, my voice choking up.

He helped me stand up and put both hands on both of my shoulders.

"You don't need them, dear. You have me, you have Aaron, you have Lucy and Mya, you don't need anyone else.", he said, "Please try to understand. You weren't really happy out there, you only pretended because of those little kids.

I stared at the floor, and he pulled me closer into his embrace.

"They're happy without you, Nicholas. This past month has been enough proof of that."

The tears in my eyes continued to fall down my face.

"I want to be happy.", I said.

Mr. Peterson gently picked me up in his arms and carried me out of the room and back downstairs. "Let's get you back to bed, darling.", he said.

After that night, I stopped trying to escape. I just stayed in the room Mr. Peterson kept me in, trying to forget about all of my friends and my parents, playing with Lucy and Mya as I wore the bag over my head.

It was during that time that I was finally...happy.

[greg-montgomery]

Ivy - Part 10

gif by: @hotch-girl <3

Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader (Sean Hotchner x Fem!Reader)

Series summary: Your relationship with your boyfriend, Sean, is going great. Well, that is until you meet his older brother, Aaron.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

my besties <333 i'm sorry it took me a while to update, but i'm here!! don't yell at me for not tagging anyone in this, no one gets notifications from me anymore, so there was no point. idk who is gonna see this without any tags but i'm posting it for the people who ask me about it and are waiting for an update 🥹 ilysm!!!!! this chaper is hurt/comfort and they're all gonna be okay! i promise!

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

“I’m saying we should double the prize. A hundred thousand dollars for your one and only. Sounds fair to me.”

Spencer held the button of Garcia’s device so he could speak without being heard by the people on the other side of the phone. “Agree with him.”

Sean nodded, looking at his almost empty apartment, left alone now with only Spencer and Penelope.

“Fine. A hundred thousand dollars. Tell me the place and I’ll bring them to you,” he said with confidence.

“I’m not telling you the location more than half an hour before our meeting. Do you think I’m stupid?”

Yes, Sean wanted to say, but he held back. “Alright. I’ll have them ready by eight o’clock tonight.”

“Good. Wait for my call around that time then. Say goodbye to pretty Y/N for now,” the man’s mocking voice replied, before hanging up.

Sean closed his eyes, exhaling as if it was the first time he had breathed all day. “Jesus…”

“You did a great job,” Spencer said. “They think you’re gonna meet in the evening so they won’t attempt to move locations for now.”

Reid’s reassuring words were comforting, but the weight on his chest was still heavy. “I won’t feel okay until Aaron calls me and tells me he has her.”

You, in his brother’s arms. His greatest fear had somehow turned into his greatest wish. As long as you were safe, nothing else mattered to him.

--

Being tied up and alone in a basement left plenty of time for your thoughts to travel wherever they desired. At first, those thoughts were filled with Aaron, and Jack, and Sean. But after that last phone call, your fantasies had shifted. This time they were violent and they involved the chair you were currently sitting at, and you using it to hit your kidnappers in the face.

They had, at least, finally shut up and left the room; although you were certain they were still in the house. You closed your eyes to appreciate the silence before a loud bang disturbed your little moment of peace.

“FBI! Drop your weapons.”

Aaron.

Aaron was here.

You smiled. Aaron was here and it was all going to be okay.

You could hear loud noises and yells from the other room, but you couldn’t make out everything that was being said. Two sentences, though, arrived perfectly clear to your ears.

“Where is she?”

“Hotch, slow down, you’re gonna kill him.”

Listening to the mess that was taking place on the other side of the wall and not being able to see any of it was actively killing you, but that torture ended fast when the door opened and you finally got to see the love of your life after a day full of agony.

Your heart melted at the sight of him and the tears you didn’t know you still had inside you spilled.

“Baby…” you cried, as he rushed to get next you.

Derek and Emily followed him, still pointing with their guns. “There’s no one else here,” you informed them.

“Sweetheart…” Aaron’s voice got your attention again. He kneeled in front of you, and started untying you gently.

It was hard for you to get any words out, your voice choked by your sobs.

“I’m here now. You’re okay.” he said.

“You’re here.”

“I’m here. I got here on time,” he said, kissing your forehead. You weren’t sure if he was talking to you or himself. “I got here on time,” he repeated against your skin. “You’re alive, I wasn’t too late this time. I wasn’t too late.”

“What did you do to them?” you whispered.

“That’s not for you to worry about,” Aaron answered softly, helping you to stand up and then immediately lifting you up in his arms.

You could feel the eyes of his team on the two of you. You knew how it looked, yet you did not have the energy to care. You hid your face in the crook of his neck, holding onto one of the straps of his vest, as he walked you out of the building, protecting yourself from seeing the reason behind the blood that had stained the sleeves of his white shirt.

--

Getting checked up by the doctors didn’t take long since - besides the scars on your wrists and ankles by being tied up - there wasn’t a single scratch on your body.

You shut your eyes letting yourself surrender to the safety of being in Aaron’s car. He was talking on the phone with someone from his team, but you didn’t pay attention to what he was saying, his voice muffled with the sound of the few drops of rain that were falling on your windows, the soft melody coming from the radio, and the sound of the other cars passing. His hand was holding yours, resting on his lap. He squeezed it softly every few seconds as if to make sure you wouldn’t suddenly disappear.

“Sean…” you whispered.

“I called him. He knows you’re okay.”

“Good.” You smiled, and finally dozed off.

--

Your nose was buried in something soft. A hand was playing with your hair and the sweet feeling of sleep was taking over your body, but you resisted it. Where were you?

Your eyes fluttered open, being met with the fabric of a gray t-shirt. Turning your body to lay on your back and looking up, you saw a pair of brown eyes staring at you sweetly.

“What time is it?” you asked, not recognizing your own voice.

“It’s four in the morning.”

“Four?” You palmed your forehead and closed your eyes, feeling tired and confused.

“I know you needed to shower and eat, but I didn’t wanna wake you,” he explained himself. “How are you feeling?”

“My throat is dry.”

“Here.” Aaron offered you the glass of water that was sitting on the table right in front of the couch you were laying at.

The feeling of the cool water down your throat was worth a million dollars.

“I feel like shit,” you said, handing back to him the now empty glass.

“Wanna take a shower?” he suggested. “Then we can eat something. I cooked.”

You nodded.

You didn’t have the energy to talk; you didn’t have the energy to cry. And you felt immeasurably grateful it was Aaron that you were with. Someone who understood you, someone you didn’t need to fake it with.

He led you to the bathroom and quietly removed your clothes. An action he had done before, but this time there was nothing sexual in his movements. There wasn’t lust in his eyes. Only care and worry.

“That’s it,” he whispered, as you stepped into the shower. He made sure the temperature of the water was perfect and then he placed the shower head above you so the water would be poured all over you. After a few moments, he opened the shampoo bottle, and dropped some of the product on his open palm. The feeling of his fingers scratching your scalp was what broke you.

Your sobs were soft and your tears blended with the shower water. Still, it wasn’t hard to miss that you were crying. But Aaron didn’t acknowledge it, giving you the space you needed, even though he was right next to you. Just when you thought it was impossible to love him more, he made you fall for him even harder.

“I love you,” you attempted to say, not sure if the words even came out.

“I love you,” he answered, cupping your cheeks. His lips touched yours, the kiss light as a feather; a reminder that he was right there and he loved you.

Aaron moved onto washing your body, his touch reaching every single inch of you, washing away every reminder of that experience.

His clothes had gotten wet and some parts even had soap on them, so you figured it was okay if you did something that would make an even bigger mess. When he was done rinsing all the soap of your body and hair, you opened your arms and pulled him into a tight hug. You held him as close as possible to your body and Aaron lost no time before wrapping his arms around you protectively.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“Thank you for coming back to me.”

--

“Your hair is still wet. You’re gonna catch a cold,” Aaron said from the kitchen, as you made yourself comfortable on his couch. You were dressed entirely in his clothes, seeking comfort in every little thing of his.

He walked towards you, with a bawl of soup and his famous Aaron Hotchner disapproving stare. He didn’t fight you, though, letting you settle in his arms even with wet hair, and fed you the soup he had prepared when you were asleep.  

“Baby?” he said, carefully, as you devoured the food.

“Mmm?”

“Are you feeling okay enough to call Sean now?”

His question took you by surprise.

“He asked me if you could call him at some point,” he explained. “He wants to hear your voice.”

“Of course,” you said. “I’m an idiot for not thinking of it earlier. I should have called him as soon as I woke up.”

“No, you’re not. You went through a lot today.”

“Still.”

You were in the middle of dialing his number when you realized what time it actually was. “Aaron, the sun is not even up yet. Isn’t he probably sleeping now?”

Aaron’s gaze dropped on his lap, in what you figured was guilt. “He said he wouldn’t sleep until he heard your voice. He…he thinks all of this is his fault.”

“It’s not.”

“I know. But you know Sean.”

“Yeah…I do.”

As hypocritical as it sounded, you both shared a love for Sean that you were afraid he would rightfully not accept. Sean would beat himself up for what happened to you, and you would not let that happen. You had already damaged his heart enough.

Part 11

[the-red-thread-that-strangles]

Have a heartless bastards AU draft

There's a path in the woods.

And at the end of that path, there is home.

Its windows, glowing with firelight, serve as a beacon in the cold night. Shuuichi, in his haste, trips over a root, hidden by the snow. Before he manages to get himself back up, some of the ice melts into the gaps of his gloves, his boots. The cool, wet stains leave him numb.

He has to hurry. Mother is waiting.

Shuuichi's more careful, now, keeping to the middle of the path. In barely any time at all, he's at the garden gate. This is bad. The numbness is spreading through his arms. His frigid fingers won't cooperate, can't hold onto the keys. They fall and sink into the icy shadows before the gate. It looms above him as he kneels down and tries to dig. He must have been at it for minutes, but they're nowhere to be found. Fear siezes his heart - it took years for mother to give him the keys, and now he's lost them, just like that.

She'll never forgive him.

Cold seeps in through his pants, bites into his skin. He's forced to give up his search, if he doesn't want to freeze to death. He drags himself up, bangs and screams against the impossibly tall door, but of course, in the storm, no one hears a thing.

He's all alone.

Shuuichi slams himself against the door, but still it won't budge.

There's one last option.

His father's hunting rifle has never failed him before. He slings it off his shoulder, lines up the shot, and pulls the trigger. The bullet pierces the lock, shatters it.

Shuuichi hugs the rifle to his chest, the warmth of its barrel comforting against his cheek, and slams himself against the door. This time it gives. He falls face-first into the snow on the other side, but there's no time to waste. He pushes himself off the ground, scurries up the stairs to the house, and breaks through the living room's glass doors.

Where did mother go? She was supposed to guide him.

As he crosses the threshhold, he's hit with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. He clutches his chest, all of it too achingly familiar. The Christmas tree, the fireplace. Shukichi's stocking hanging right in front of, illuminated by the fire's glow. The warmth it's radiating draws him in, like a moth to the flame. Fire and warmth and comfort and home.

He doesn't belong here, doesn't deserve this, not anymore.

The flames hiss at his rejection, singe his frostbitten skin, dry his eyes. A spark snaps onto his chest, sets his clothes ablaze like tinder. He's forced to stumble back, drop and roll to try and extinguish the flames that cook his flesh. Searing pain cuts through all thought, through the pleasant numbness that had kept it at bay before. He's left heaving, breath too short, his heart burning in his chest.

It hurts. Why won't it stop hurting?

No matter what he does, he can't seem to douse the flames. Shuuichi can't stay; the blaze is spreading through the room. Already, the tree is set alight in scintillating red.

Charred and blackened, embers lurking beneath his skin, he creeps across the floor, a trail of ash and dust dancing behind him.

The only way out is down. He just has to endure the heat for a little while longer...

With a deafening crack, the floor gives, the structural integrity damaged beyond salvation, and he falls, face first, into the basement.

Shuuichi blinks his eyes open.

"You're late", mother chides, but her smile is one of pride, still. She gently lifts his useless body, no longer able to move by itself, and puts it in a cushioned chair. The ritual circle carved into the stone flares a brilliant crimson.

"I got lost on the way."

She hugs him - he presumes, without the accompanying physical touch. The only sensation left in his body is the nuisance in his chest, pumpinh liquid fire in his veins.

"I'm sorry. You had to forge the path yourself, or the anchor would be worthless."

His head lolls, can't manage the nod.

"It's fine."

He does his best to smile, hopes mother sees and knows it's meant for her.

For just a moment, hesitation washes across her features.

"Are you certain you want to go through with the ritual? You won't be able to go back."

His heart burns in incandescent agony.

He'd do anything to make it stop.

"Yes."

She straightens, and before his eyes, his mother disappears. In her place stands Mary Sera, arch witch of Blackpool, a statue hewn from glass and steel.

"Akai Shuuichi, blood of my blood. In accordance with the edicts passed down to us by the progenitor, do you surrender your anchor to us, so it may become the instrument of your unbinding?"

Weakly, he nods.

"Yes. Yes. Yes."

Thrice it's said, and done.

The woman wearing his mother's face squats down in front of him, and pries the hunting rifle from his grip.

"No-", whispers a tiny, weak voice in the back of his mind. "That's father's rifle, I was supposed to give it back when he returns-"

But even if he wanted to, Shuuichi doesn't have the strength to resist. It's ripped away like a band-aid, leaving his skin too raw, too exposed. He shivers.

At the witch's word, the rifle starts glowing red, orange, white, and Shuuichi's world explodes in searing pain. This shouldn't be possible. He's gone through fire, but it didn't burn this deep within his bones, didn't melt who he was, who he could be, into a single focus of possibility.

The woman bends the rifle, agonizingly slowly, compresses it into a bar of metal, the wood burnt away. From it, she forges a blade. Each strike of her hammer reverberates through Shuuichi, shatters his bones, his mind, until there's nothing left but fire.

Blessed is the moment she drops the blade into ice water; the breath stops in Shuuichi's lungs as he's sumberged with it, a brilliant clarity of mind to stare at his impending death.

The witch is upon him momentarily, knife in hand. She kisses his forehead, cold radiating from her lips throughout his body. He freezes.

Then she plunges the blade into his chest.

It hurts just once, on the way in, overwhelmingly sharp and cold. She carves a circle in his chest, and as she goes, the link between his searing, beating heart, and the rest of him, is severed.

When the witch tugs, something gives within his chest.

A mess of blood and crystal, connected to his body by wet, red strands, pulsates weakly in her hand.

Ah. So that's the tumor that was causing all his pain.

With one last cut, the witch rends his heart from his chest.

Good riddance.

Sweet relief washes over Shuuichi, and he blacks out.

It's over.

.

When he comes to, his mother leads him through the basement to the family vault.

He has no use for his heart, would've liked to toss it away. But after that whole procedure, it still must be kept safe. How annoying.

Shuuichi places the heart in a bed of crushed ice, and slams the door of Pandora's box shut.

He's got a plane to catch.

[jinx-on-mars-19xx]

Monsters Are People

🩸Previous Parts Here🩸

Dom x Colson (Yungblud x Machine Gun Kelly)

Warnings: ABO dynamics (knots, slick, heats, mpreg), alpha serial killer/hitman Dom, omega mob boss Kells, cursing, threats, night terrors, insomnia, overprotective Dom, underlings being idiots, mentions of murder, past abuse, past assault (SA), M being absolutely awful, attempting to out someone, guns, knives, mentions of castration, stalking, scared boys, Collette being sneaky, anxiety, enemies to lovers 💣 Rating: mature

All ideas helped by @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker 🖤

The couple didn't make it into work until a little late the next day. They'd spent the night and early morning showering off the mess they'd made of each other and cuddling in bed, too tired to continue their play. Though around dawn they'd had their first instance of a child banging on their door in fear. Blain had slept terribly and had a night terror he couldn't seem to escape from. They were happy to sit up with him in the living room watching tv until both he and Colson fell asleep, one leaning on Dom’s shoulder and the other in his lap. The Alpha didn't move until they woke but couldn't bring himself to rest. He didn't think he would be able to until Megan was taken care of.

Kells hadn't expected to click so well with the teen so quickly but Blain hadn't much left their side since his nightmare. He wouldn't talk about it but they could see the darkness behind his eyes and Col didn't mind having yet another shadow. The kid was small but they found a crop top that fit him like a tee. He barely came up to Col’s sternum so everything else was out but the clothes he wore over. When the young omega asked to go to work with them he promised to stop at a few stores along the way which got him a look and a plea for ‘only where Dom goes’. Rude but alright. His style wasn't that far off from his mate's but since he had to act professional he couldn't always show it. He could let kids be kids though. Especially since they were all getting along.

The boss could tell his lover was drained but the other man just kept pushing himself. It was his second night at least with no sleep and he was running on fumes, ADHD, and fucking Dr. Pepper. The taste on his lips made Colson’s nose wrinkle but whatever helped he supposed. After an impromptu shopping trip and a late breakfast they got to their basement building to find a mess. The underlings led by Pete were visiting and trying to apologize but they weren't supposed to fucking be there.

Most of the office was part of their cover, A PR company that controlled a good portion of the area's nightlife and funneled money to charities from rich assholes trying to get richer. Of course the only public relations they worked on were the side companies Kells actually owned but the cover still helped and the street boys knew not to fuck with it. Finding them outside his office was a middle finger to more of his rules than he could stand for after having Megan shit all over them. He knew he needed to put his foot down but fuck he was tired. He just wanted to make a plan about her and ignore everything else.

“Why they here?” Blain grumbled from behind him as Col led the way past the crowd. The kid had noticed two of the beta's who helped keep him hostage the day before.

“Because they're fucking idiots with a death wish. Come on, let's get you settled with Tom and Mod.” He sighed as he shut the door behind him, right in Pete’s face.

“But I want to see wha’ you do. Especially if you ripping them a new one. I'll be good. Won't even notice me.”

Colson shared a look with his mate over the boy's head but the killer just shrugged. He didn't exactly believe the kid but he wouldn't kick him out. They wanted him to feel welcome even if that meant he saw the gritty truth of their lives. He had to learn it sooner or later and he'd already watched them both commit murder- with his help. What was a bit of yelling and threats of violence after that?

The boy stayed mostly hidden between them until they were settled in the main meeting room, after getting introductions out of the way and seeing how comfortable the couple was he seemed to relax and gravitated to Tom and Mod anyway. The boss had thought his mother would love him but yet again she was missing. It was starting to worry him, especially since Tim was at the table. She'd been mostly absent since the break in and he really hoped she wasn't trying to take her own revenge. Sometimes she liked to be the matriarch but he was the leader of the family. Mostly. Normally. Well fuck he was supposed to be.

After making sure to get his jacket settled and his glasses fixed above his nose the omega allowed Pete to enter with his tail between his legs. He caught the way Blain watched him hide and for the first time he felt a little shame. He couldn't let everyone know but at the same time he didn't want to make the boy think he couldn't be himself. He had to push the worry away for the time being but he'd revisit it later with Dom. Maybe his closest men were fine with following an omega but everyone knowing? He'd be run out of town. It was a sweet thought hoping to change the world for the kids but it couldn't happen and he shouldn't be the example. He'd never even thought about it before.

“Boss, I'm sorry I went along with her without asking you first but she said it was a gift for you! She told me she searched all over and found your stolen shipment and she could guarantee a reward and that I'd finally get a seat at the table. I didn't even think! She's always been your second. Was she really stealing from you?” Pete was obviously terrified but completely confused. Colson hadn't even worked out how to explain without giving too much away. He'd been too busy the day before.

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, he had a pounding headache already and just wanted a nap. He'd walked around too much while out shopping and he was really starting to second guess his want to be the boss. Where was the good again? “How long have you worked for me Pete? Have I ever allowed anyone to surprise me?”

“No boss. You fucking hate surprises. I've been with you a decade and I know better. She's just so-”

“What? Manipulative? Hot? Controlling? What are you about to call her? You gonna say she's an Alpha and you can't deny her? Did she fuck you to obey?” He wasn't normally so catty and he knew he was trying to catch the beta in a trap. It wasn't fair but he was overheated and his hormones were running amok.

“N-no! Of course not! I'd never fuck your girl, boss! Swear! I thought it was different because it was her! She said she'd be in charge soon and she'd make sure I got promoted. I figured it was a wedding gift or some shit. It's not my place to question your old lady.”

Colson felt like he'd been hit in the face and his shock was so strong his eye twitched behind his purple shades. His lover swallowed a growl beside him but it was Blain who laughed. “Wrong Alpha, dick bag!”

Someone must have given him a look because his next giggle was muffled but Pete still looked at the boss even more conflicted and ashamed. “So you aren't banging her? When she said she'd be in charge I just assumed…”

“Yeah and look at you making an ass out of yourself. Look… Ten years right? Maybe I should have promoted you already, maybe that's my bad. I think this proves it wasn't though. But at the same time if you were part of my circle you'd already know she's on the outs. What were her exact fucking words?” Colson asked as he leaned forward on his seat. It was hard to be intimidating when trying to hide a baby bump but he still saw the fear in the beta's eyes.

“She just said ‘I’ll be your boss soon, don't worry about Daddy, I'll take care of him. If you help me with this and bring your boys I swear you'll get a seat.’ and some shit about she knew how bad I wanted it. She said she planned to branch out and we'd be even bigger than just LA. Made it sound like she'd keep me in mind for some big shit in the future. She's damn good boss. A fucking snake.” All the energy seemed to go out of the man and he leaned against the wall. He seemed entirely defeated and probably thought he wasn't walking out alive. The thought of shooting him did go through the boss's mind, especially when he called him daddy in the mock girl voice but… he couldn't decide yet.

“Thank you for telling me. Whatever she meant… It wasn't about us getting married.” Kells shuddered at the thought. “I need you to check in with everyone outside and make sure they don't know anything extra. After that send them the fuck away and remind them of my rules. If they show up here again without invitation they're worse than fired.” He watched the man nod and swallow hard, probably thinking the same applied to himself. “Come back after to update me. I'll have a decision about you then.”

The go-between stumbled out, even saluting Colson in his fear. He was trying so hard to make up for his mistake and the boss knew that. He also knew the idiot had served him well for ten years. Maybe he needed to let new people in sometimes. “Tim, good to see you back. I hope you're planning to stay?” He asked the older man who was sat at the other end of the table. He looked like he belonged there because he had. Anyone who Travis trusted was good in his book.

“Thanks brother. I figured I might help out until this situation is resolved. Maybe longer. It's nice to be back.”

Kells looked around the room at his nearest and dearest, he wished his mother was among them but he supposed some decisions could be made without her. They couldn't keep putting shit off. “First, anyone have anything against bringing Pete in? He's been good before this.”

“You're actually asking? You're the boss bro. Pete's cool enough and he's got a good rep with our dealers and the other buyers and shit. I think it'd be good to keep him close.” Rook shrugged and they all went around the table agreeing.

“So that's that.” Col nodded, glancing to his mate next to him who just watched everything happening. He looked so tired the omega wanted to send him home for a nap. “So Megan…” He started the conversation instead and Dom sat up straighter automatically.

“I vote we kill her.” Blain spoke up and Kells fought not to roll his eyes.

“Does half pint get a vote?” Rook asked which got a glare from the kid.

“You got a mirror? Obviously not wiv tha' mop ya call hair.” Blain snarked back and Rook burst out laughing.

“I like this one. Can we keep him?”

“We're adopting him so yeah. I mean… as much as you can adopt without paperwork. We’ll get you new papers actually, Mod?” It hit the omega they should have thought of that already and his actual second in command nodded. He and Tom had been quiet and to themselves all day but whatever was up with them was too much for the boss. He had a lot on his plate already.

“You fucking wha’ mate?” The young boy asked, his spring green eyes wide as if he hadn't even dared to think about that.

“Yeah. What did you think we meant? We'll get you papers. If you want to talk about this at home though..?” It started to dawn on the man that it might be a little overwhelming. Especially since he'd only moved in the day before. He was so used to taking in people but deep down he knew this was different.

Dom laid a hand on his knee under the table and patted softly and he reached to twine their fingers. “Yeah um… later. Fanks.” Blain explained softly and sat back in his chair but didn't look away from them.

“So besides death, what are our options with Megan?” Tom brought the conversation back around thankfully and opened up the floor to suggestions. No matter how much she deserved it, it hurt the man to think about taking her out.

“You do it or I do.” The Alpha spoke up and though Colson already knew it still surprised him. Dom didn't normally speak up during work.

“I know.” Kells whispered, taking off his glasses and setting them on the table to rub his temples for a moment. He needed the world to pause it's spinning, he really didn't feel well.

Of course it didn't though and like the old adage when spoken about the devil appeared. Megan stalked her way into the office with Pete running behind her seemingly trying to stop her before she could. Her heels clacked on the marble floor and when she got to the table she glared down at Blain in her spot. Of course it was normally Collette’s now, Dom was on his other side. There wasn't a seat for the female Alpha because she no longer belonged. It felt final enough for Col but it obviously didn't say shit to her. Narcissism was hard to break through.

“Daddy-”

“I tried to stop her boss. I'm sorry!”

Colson held up his hand to them both and glared. A part of him said to put back on the glasses but there was no reason to hide. Not with her. He wanted her to know an omega ruled here and she had no place in his family. “How the fuck did you think you could waltz in here after the shit you pulled? Stealing from me? Trying to sell omegas I saved? Going to my fucking enemies? What part of the past few months has told you you're even allowed on the goddamned property?”

She tried to look contrite and pout but he saw through every fake look she'd ever given him. Her whole existence was starting to feel like a lie as she stood there and seemed to work through her options. Eventually she stood up straight and crossed her arms, dropping any mask of false familial love or respect. “I think you understand the gravity of your situation now Daddy. You know what I know. You can say yes to me and we share everything, I'll even let you keep your title- but not the pet. He's barely fucking housebroken and I want your devotion. Or I can tell everyone the truth and you lose everything. I think it's a simple question. Besides, you already know I know how to make you scream.”

She couldn't see the look on Dominic’s face because she was standing partially behind him but Kells could. Calling him a pet was one thing, the Alpha could handle that, but her last implication of the time she assaulted his mate was too far. His tired eyes were crimson and his lip was raised in a quiet snarl. If she moved to touch his partner he would kill her. Full stop.

“Oh and anything the mutt gave you, that's gone too but don't worry. If you want to be a real family we can be.” She cooed.

Dom had his blade out and was about to lunge before Kells stopped him. He didn't want more blood shed in the office. Thankfully his mate had only made it as far as pulling the knife and Megan hadn't even realized how close to death she was. Colson patted his lover's thigh under the table to soothe him before he sat back and arched a brow at her. “Yeah, I don't think so. I think instead you're fired. Cut off. Out on your ass and blacklisted. If you don't leave California I'll let him finish what he's desperate to start. Honestly, I'd leave the States if I were you. I can't keep him leashed all the time.” He gave her a faux pleasant smile.

“Fine! It's your funeral.” She huffed, stomping her way closer to the middle of the table. “Everyone! I know I should have told you sooner and I'm sorry I didn't but I thought Travis would want me to protect his dirty secret.” Her voice was that whiny pitch that meant she was trying to seem genuine. It hurt Col's head. “I'm ashamed to admit that as amazing as Travis was, he was lying to all of us and so is Colson. I thought he could be a good leader anyway but he's the same as they all are.”

Kells pushed himself to stand up as he let her keep rambling and he slowly started unbuttoning his jacket and laid it behind him on the chair. He was left in a shirt that obviously showed off his stomach but she didn't seem to notice. Too wrapped up in her pitiful tale.

“I found out when he was young and tried to sleep with me. You all know how much I loved Travis, we all did. But I always thought he and I had a special relationship. I can say that without Collette here, I'm just trying to be honest.” That made Colson chuckle but she just raised her voice and ignored him. “When she stopped my relationship with him I was heartbroken and thought Cols would be good for me. He was young but, you know why not? At least I could be part of the family.” It made the omega's stomach roll to think about, especially when he looked to Blain and knew he'd been about that age. It would be like Dom trying to sleep with him. Absolutely fucking not. “I should have told you all when he took Travis's place but I didn't think he'd let his designation run his life. But no, he just rolled over and presented for the first asshole Alpha he came across. Our boss is an omega and I think we all know I can take care of us better. Travis would want me to.”

Everyone stayed silent as they looked between her and Kells who was sitting back and holding Dom’s hand on top of the table. Eventually Rook spoke up, even raised his hand and the boss had to fight back a laugh. “Can I tell her?” He asked and Col nodded. “We know Megs. We know about boss and the baby and we like Dom.” He explained simply. “It's gross as shit you know what we do and would still talk about omegas like that.”

“Um I'm new ‘ere but wouldn't you ‘ave been the first asshole Alpha he saw? Seems like he didn't present for you.” Blain added his two cents and she glared at him. The boy wasn't wrong but the fact that she knew… he still wasn't sure who fucked who between them.

Tim spoke up next which kept Col from fully spiraling. “Travis wouldn't have touched you with a ten foot pole, he was head over heels for Collete and he loved Col like the good father he was. After all he did to keep your dad out of jail you should be more thankful. You're just lucky we don't deal with traitors like we used to. At least they might leave you with a pretty corpse.”

“I won't.” Dom growled softly and the room went quiet around them. When the Alpha stood up Kells let him. He could at least give him the respect of trusting he knew what he was doing. They'd taken a big step on trust the night before and he wanted to do better. Dom wasn't a slave to his instincts but she'd threatened his family one too many times. He knew there was a blade hidden in the boy's hand but he kept it from view and didn't even appear that threatening as he stared her down. “So you fucked Travis aye?” He hummed. She seemed confused by his change of tone but obviously tried not to show it.

“I- we wanted to. He had to act like I didn't matter but I know we wanted to.” For a moment there was almost something genuine in her voice and it made them start to wonder if she was mental.

“And because ya couldn't ya moved on to ‘is boy? Next best fing.” He asked, his tone almost conversational. Colson wasn't sure how his lover held his rage back.

“Colson and I were drawn to each other. Twin flames. He's supposed to be my omega.”

“But you fhought he were an Alpha when you took ‘im to bed?”

“Of course. I was just trying to give him birthday sex. I felt violated that he'd lied to all of us.”

“So he fucked you?”

“He was black out drunk, you really think he could get it up?”

“Course yeah. Omegas ‘ave trouble staying ‘ard anyway. Add booze-”

“Among other things.”

“Among over fings… So you topped?”

“Once I realized what he was, how could I not? What are you getting at here? Do you like hearing about his conquests? What kind of Alpha are you?”

“Oh jus' one wiv principles and a list of fings I ‘ate. You drugged and assaulted an underage omega under the old boss's protection. Armstrong, wha’ would ‘ave been done bout tha’?” Finally the Alpha flipped open his blade and even though she tried to act strong and was on the other side of the table she backed up a few steps.

“Oh-ho fuck. Before Trav made the streets a bit nicer? Castration. Alphas normally didn't live through it. Not that they'd want to.” Tim laughed, sitting back in his seat to cross his arms and enjoy the scent of her fear.

Dom didn't even seem to put effort into a jump; he just appeared to spring up onto the table. It irked Colson but watching his lover crouch with his feet flat always weirdly turned him on. That was how Dom normally blew him. “And Mr. Armstrong, wha’ about fhreatening an unborn baby of a mated omega?” The killer purred, resting the tip of his knife between his lips. Kells had to squeeze his thighs together. Why the fuck was he getting wet?

“Death.” The older beta said simply, shrugging as he watched the show play out.

“Maybe it's my child. You don't know when we last had sex. He was a mess before you showed up. I could have done anything I wanted.” She huffed.

“Aww, fanks Megs. I always ‘ope I'm good for ‘im but it's sweet of yas to say. Believe me, I know ya didn't fuck ‘im any time recent before me. I could tell. And I know tha's me baby. You should ‘ave played ya ‘and before I came around. Cause luv? He were already a badarse, I jus' made ‘im feel safe to do it as ‘imself. But I'm done playing wiv yas. By the way, did you ever guess who I was?” He asked, hopping off the table onto her side of it.

“Dominic don't play with your prey. It's unbecoming of you. At least not in front of the children.” Tom sighed, which had the Alpha throwing him a look. It was just enough time for her to reach the door.

“You'll regret this. All of you. I'm not going anywhere and you forget, I'm not the only person you fucked over recently. You boys had your chance but believe me, I can find better.” Dom moved to grab for her but Pete tried to as well and the beta fumbling at the door gave her freedom to escape.

“Stop. Let her go. Pete, send someone to follow her. She knows too many fucking people to do this in broad daylight. Fucks sake!” Colson was pissed and felt disgusting inside and out. He hated that his men knew what she did to him but none of them seemed to think any different. They all still waited on his word and looked to him with respect.

If he felt awful before he felt twenty times worse, more than anything he wanted to go home and curl up in his mate's hold. He wanted to make sure his family was safe and he wanted to forget the last hour. It hurt his heart but he knew… she couldn't live. Dom wouldn't stand for it. “Baby? You look… let's sit down yeah?” The Alpha looked worriedly at his lover and rushed around the table to his side. He helped ease his pale partner back into his seat but he wanted to take him straight to The Doctor. “I'm sorry I pushed so much. I know ya wanted to know but I should ‘ave waited. It felt like one of my kills and-”

“Shut up. I'm not upset with you dumbass. I'm tired. Exhausted really. Pissed at her and my-fucking-self.” Kells grumbled back, burying his face in his hands. He could feel his skin soaked in sweat and even his hands seemed pale. Adrenaline come-down could be a bitch. “You got caught up in the moment and you're right, I wanted to know. It's fucking sick what she did but I'm glad we know. It settles it. You're right. You're all fucking right. I have to kill her.”

“I can do it!” At least three different voices chimed in and Col knew one of them was far too young. They'd have to train their adoptive son just like Travis trained him.

“Let's not worry about it right now. ‘Ow about we go ‘ome?” Dom offered and Colson waved him off.

“Why don't you fuck off for a sec and let me piss? Unless you want to join me again so soon.” He tried to fix his anger before he hurt his mate. He knew the Alpha was just worried about him.

“While tha’ sounds lovely I fink I'll let ya go. I'll send some people to check the flat before we go. Good?” The psycho hummed, a soft smile on his face as he sat against the table and helped his partner stand.

Colson leaned forward enough to kiss him gently because he wasn't upset at him, he was pissed at the situation, he just didn't want to come off wrong. He could show affection even when enraged at something else. He had to learn to compartmentalize, especially before the baby came. He refused to be anything like his bio dad. He couldn't be the way he used to be where he ruled everything with an iron fist, even his personal life. He had to keep trusting and let people in. “Good. Thank you. Don't worry about checking the bathroom, remember before you I was still a badass.” He winked and patted the gun under his arm and got a gentle swat on his ass for using Dom’s words against him.

The Alpha watched his lover leave but he couldn't help poking his head out the door after he was gone to look around. The female Alpha’s scent was still in the air but dying down a bit. Blain came up beside him with his own blade in hand which he held tighter as he slipped out the door. “I gotta go too.” He winked and though the kid was small it reassured Dom that he cared to watch over Kells. He hoped it would be good for his mate to have a young omega around. If they helped him see the strength in what he was, maybe it could help the other man feel it.

“Dom? Can you come over here?” Mod interrupted his sentry duty and deep thought and with one last glance down the hall he turned back to head over to his roommates. They'd been acting odd all day but he wasn't sure why. He was scared he was about to find out though.

Both men looked nervously between each other and Dom but he stood by and waited for someone to speak up. Finally the beta elbowed the younger man as if whatever was about to be said should come from someone the killer would be less likely to hurt. Mod was a smart man. “What he's too much a pansy to explain and why we felt you shouldn't go after Megan tonight…” Even Tom seemed worried. It wasn't like him, he always felt safe talking to Dom.

“Yeah? Can't be worse ‘an ‘er.” He shrugged but the omega tilted his head like he wasn't so sure.

“So we realized… Megan wasn't the only one stealing from the company. Now, it may be absolutely nothing and just… Taking what's hers but we were worried about bringing this to Colson with everything else.” The photographer continued to speak without saying much.

“Collette is funneling a lot of cash somewhere. We can't track where. It could be something they've agreed on or something Travis set up but… With her being gone so much lately we were worried.” Mod finally helped out.

“We'll keep trying but we figured the easiest thing to do would be to tell you and you may ask her or Cols, whatever you believe is right.” Tom added and the Alpha nodded.

Dom wasn't actually sure how the fuck to handle something that felt so big. They were both right, it could be absolutely nothing, but it could also be catastrophic for his mate. If Col’s mother was working with Megan or hiding something huge… the man already had so much trouble trusting anyone. “Fanks I'll… I'll figure it out. Jus’ send me wha’ you got.”

The killer felt almost numb as he made his way to the door to wait for his partner to return. He couldn't bother with that right now, he had so much to focus on already. When Kells finally got back he still looked ill and it worried the boy even more. “You know, I think home actually sounds good. We can send a few ahead to check it out but I'm tired. Plus I want to check on mom. I don't know if she's sick or what.” The man sighed as he wrapped Dom in a hug and used him for physical support. After a moment he turned around to lean against the Alpha so he could text Pete and add to what he needed to do. Hopefully the beta could handle his new responsibility.

Dom sighed as he held his baby mumma close, his hands sliding under the bump to hold a little of the pressure for Col who moaned a bit louder than he meant to in relief. He almost hoped Collette was just sick or something, at least then she wouldn't be out sneaking around. The more he thought about it the more he realized he couldn't leave it alone. Killing Megan was important but their child was coming soon and more than anything but maybe him- Colson needed his mum. He just had to make sure they could still trust her. Bollocks, he was never getting to sleep again was he?

Author's Note/Tags: @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker @hollywoodxwhore @jaxbreaker @fenoy7 @cole-way-iero28 if anyone wants tagged let me know 🖤

I told you the plot was about to start plotting. There might be a little more smut left but we're nearing the big ending. Don't worry, I already have plans for part 2 if you're loving these boys. We have to see how they handle family time! I hope you're all still enjoying it 🩸🖤

[tsuvvy]

Familial Fondness

Pairing: Larry Trainor/Negative Man x platonic!telepath!gn!reader

Summary: You get annoyed with the spirits anger towards Larry that you decide to go to his room, waking him up and telling him to shut it up (You're a psychic that gets overwhelmed with how loud Larry and his Spirits thoughts are).

Warnings: There is quite a but if cussing. This is a little bit of a rollercoaster, so I apologize for that 😭 I don't really like this either

A/n: Larry is so underrated, and I need more people to write platonically for him. I swear I can see him as such a good, like, adoptive dad or older brother. I had an oc in mind for, but edited it to be able to post for a reader.

Larry was awoken with a jolt by a loud banging against his door. It paused for a moment before it kept going.

"What!?" Larry yelled as he sat up, looking at the door.

"Can you like.." He heard (Y/n)'s voice from the other side. They sounded stressed. Like usual. "Shut your, weird, spirit thing up! Or just, ya know, be nice to it!!?"

Larry paused. Looking up from the ground to the door. Can (Y/n) hear the spirit? Larry knew the young kid heard him. They hear everyone's thoughts. Of course, they heard it. The only thing he heard was (Y/n) walking away.

Larry walked into the basement, looking around before spotting (Y/n) at the TV. They were watching their tapes while rifling through the others.

"Go. away." They spoke slowly but pointedly. Larry didn't listen, only walking toward them and looking at the TV with the VHS tape in it.

Niles rolled into the room. And as soon as he did the door closed behind him. (Y/n) was pacing around the room on the opposite side of the table as him.

"I'm not gonna tell you where my mom is." (Y/n) answered before he could ask. "And I'm not gonna join this dumb CIRCUS you have!!" They slammed their fists on the table as they screamed. "This shit you have going is just a big, fucking COMEDY ACT!!"

Niles winced, feeling a pressure against his head. "(Y/n), I think we might need to calm down."

"Calm down?" (Y/n) let out a huff of laughter before it turned into actual laughter, "Oh.. You're telling me to calm down? Yeah, that's reeeeal easy when I'm locked in a room, then interrogated against my will." Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Then the tape turned to static. Cut short there.

"Shut up." (Y/n) spoke before Larry could talk. They took the tape out of the TV, putting it into a pile on the desk. "I've already made it very clear I don't like interrogations.." They sniffed, but they weren't crying.

"I don't want to interrogate you." Larry spoke.

(Y/n) whipped around in their chair to face him, "Then why are you here?" They asked. An unreadable expression on their face. But it was either angry or sad, cause they definitely weren't happy.

"You said you could hear him." Larry didn't say or even gesture who he meant. But he knew (Y/n) knew.

"Yeah.." (Y/n) zoned their gaze on nothing for a moment, swallowing thickly before turning away. Already anxious at the questions they knew would be coming.

"What does he say?" Larry pushed.

"Please, you're making everything louder." (Y/n) said desperately, begging him to just leave them alone.

Larry stepped forward, putting a hand on the arm rest of their swivel chair as he kneeled to the ground and spun them around to face his masked face.

"(Y/n)," he spoke gently, "Please tell me what he says." Tears welled up in their eyes, the sound of the angry spirit almost blasting in their ears. One tear fell as they swallowed thickly.

"H-He.." (Y/n) stuttered.

"It's alright," Larry offered any comfort he could. "Take your time." He said gently.

"He.. He hates you." (Y/n) finally spat out. "He hates you for everything you're putting him through." They stared at his now glowing light blue chest as if they're some sort of messenger for the spirit. "And that he enjoys watching you suffer the pain you put him through.." More tears fell from their eyes as they spoke.

Larry nodded his head gently. Sighing as he took in the words. "Alright.." He nodded softly before looking at them. "Thank you," he patted their head gently. When he was getting up, he pressed his bandage covered nose to the top of their head for a moment. (Y/n) didn't shy away from his attention, which was a slight surprise for him. "I really appreciate it. I'm sorry I put you through that."

He always found it odd. He felt fond of the kid from the moment they arrived. He realized now. That what he felt was familial. He knew (Y/n) knew. Of course they did. Cause again. They could read everyone's minds effortlessly, with the exception of Rita who she promised she would never read the mind of. And Jane who they couldn't. And if (Y/n) wasn't telling him to shut up, or go away, or to go fuck himself. Then they obviously didn't mind his familial fondness of them.

[ourlittlevampire]

Imagine Early Sunsets Over Monroeville but it's Mikey getting turned into a zombie. There's no way Gerard would be able to bring himself to kill Mikey, even when he's in that state. He lets him live, trapping him in his basement room so he can't hurt him. For weeks he stays in their childhood home slowly running out of food. Gerard is also slowly losing his mind. He's used to being alone and not going outside, that's not the problem. The problem is that Mikey won't shut up. His little brother is constantly growling, moaning and banging around down there at all hours of the day. He can't sleep with that sound. He can't sleep because he's starving. He wishes Mikey would just shut up. He doesn't know why he's making that much noise. He wasn't like that a couple weeks ago, when he had first turned.

Starving, Gerard realised. Mikey is starving, just like him. He knew what those shambling things outside ate. Watched them attempt to do that with his beloved brother. It made him shudder just to think about. But what if Mikey didn't eat? He couldn't claim to know the first thing about. He didn't know if they could starve to death. What he did know was that the zombies he saw outside seemed to be less now. Maybe they had just moved on from New Jersey... or maybe they had eaten all the humans they could and starved to death.

Coming out of his thoughts, Gerard suddenly realised that the house was quiet. Quiet for the first time since his brother had first turned. He had an overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. Against his better judgment, he unbarricaded the door to the basement. It was so dark in there. All of his stuff was thrown around, his precious comic books torn to pieces. He would be furious, if he wasn't more focused on his little brother sprawled out on top of those shredded comics.

"Mikey?" He called out, concern rising in his voice. At the sound of his voice, the zombified man lifted his head. It looked like it took all of his strength to do so. He growled weakly, a hand barely twitching toward him.

This wasn't good. When he'd gotten Mikey into this room, he had had to beat him off with a broom. His little brother had been strong, almost stronger than him. Now he couldn't even get up. His little brother had always been skinny, but his body underneath the shreds of his t-shirt looked positively emaciated.

Mikey was starving to death. He knew that now. But what could he do? Feed himself to Mikey?

That thought played inside his mind for an uncomfortable amount of time. He was only pulled out of it when he heard screaming. Human screams. In the early days of the infection, it hadn't been uncommon to hear suffering. Now, though, it was something startling. He rushed upstairs and looked outside.

A woman, a relatively young one, was on the street outside of his house. She was covered in blood and holding a hand to her side. She was screaming for help as she limped down the lane. He didn't know what had happened to her, but she was probably bit. He already had one zombie to deal with, he didn't need another. Gerard moved from the window, content to be a bystander. Then, he rethought.

Gerard opened the front door. He cautiously peeked out. Surprisingly, no zombies around.

"Hey!" He called out. "Are you bit?" He asked.

The woman whorled around to look at him. Relief washed over her face. She started coming towards him.

"No!" She replied. "I cut myself climbing through a window." She moved her hand to show a giant gash in her tank top. He couldn't really see the wound, but all that blood did not look promising. "Do you have any medical supplies?" She asked.

"Yes.... They're down in the basement." He replied.

-

The screams had been horrible. It was worth it, though, to ensure his little brother would stay alive. He could hear him banging around down in his former room once more. He just hoped Mikey wouldn't get hungry again any time soon.

[looneyleyle]

mick's sister ~ a. tobias

synopsis: mick's (hot) older sister is back from college, much to anton's delight.

warnings: smoking, kinda suggestive?

words: 1105

third person pov

"hey mick, have you seen my black heels?" the three boys in the basement turned to see stephanie, mick's sister, coming down the stairs.

"yeah i think so, lemme go check," mick said, reluctantly getting up off of the couch.

"hey pnub, hey anton," stephanie greeted the boys, waiting for her younger brother to come back with her heels.

"hey steph!" pnub greeted, holding back a laugh as he looked to anton. he was almost drooling, eyes not leaving her figure.

"anton, stop eye-fucking my sister. it's gross. steph, here're your heels, though i don't know how useful they'll be," he said, handing the pumps back to her, except one was... misshapen in a way.

"you tried to make a fucking bong out of my fucking shoes?" the girl yelled, contemplating murder. mick held his hands up in the air in defense, the baggie he was holding swaying with the abrupt motion. she simply snatched the bag from him, making her way back to the stairs.

"bye pnub, bye anton, fuck you mick," she exclaimed as she walked back up. finally, pnub was able to let out his laughter.

"man- you're so pathetic- you can't even talk to her!" he gasped, clutching his stomach. anton kicked pnub's shin in retaliation.

"yeah man, you've gotta get over it. i mean, come on, she's my sister for fucks sake. that's gross."

"your sister's fucking hot man" was all anton was able to get out. he had been infatuated with mick's sister for years, and when she left for college this year, he was devastated. what even was the point of coming over to mick's if he couldn't see his hot sister?

"he's got a point, she's got a banging body. are you sure you two are related?" pnub chimed in, earning a smack over the head from mick.

"whatever. smoke your shit and shut up."

steph, as anton learned, would be back at the house for a month before going back to college. so, anton found himself leaving his basement and going over to mick's nearly every day, having absolutely nothing to do with his smoking hot sister being there, of course.

one day, as anton came up to the window he normally slotted himself through, he found that it was locked. pnub said that they would both be there, so anton went to the front door. he knocked, and none other than hot sister stephanie opened the door, eyes slightly red.

"hey anton," she said, opening the door a bit wider so he could come on in.

"mick and pnub just went to go grab some snacks, you can come up to my room until they're back if you'd like," she offered, already making her way back upstairs. anton felt himself about to deny, but he mentally chastised himself. when would he get another opportunity like this? so, he followed her up the stairs, unabashedly looking up at her butt as they ascended. when she opened the door to her room, though the incense tried to mask the smell, it reeked of weed. anton wondered how mick's parents never noticed, between steph, mick, pnub, and him constantly blazing up the house. she sat back down on her bed and patted the spot next to her, grabbing her bong. she took a hit before handing it over to anton. he took a long drag from it before handing it back, unable to wrap his head around the fact that he was here, in steph's room, smoking with her. it was euphoric. if he died right then and there, he would have died a happy man. as he spaced out, steph turned to him with a smirk.

"hey, anton? can i try something?" she asked with an innocent smile. he turned to her, wondering what she had in mind. she moved herself onto his lap, much to his surprise. she then took a hit from the bong, holding it in her mouth. with delicate hands, she gently grabbed anton's chin and opened his mouth slightly. then, leaning in, she blew out the smoke straight into anton's parted lips. anton swore this wasn't real, just one of the countless dreams he had about his two favorite things; smoking and steph. he had a far out look in his eyes, to which steph smiled. she readjusted herself on his lap, bringing him back abruptly to the situation. his hands immediately grabbed her hips without a thought, preventing her from moving anymore, causing her to smirk.

"what's the matter anton?" she drawled. he took in a shaky breath, not knowing what to say, too many things going on for his brain to comprehend.

"can i do it again?" she asked. he merely groaned in reply.

"i'll take that as a yes." and so, she took yet another hit, and once again, leaned down impossibly close to anton's lips, and exhaled. anton's grip tightened on her hips. steph stayed close to anton, eyes flickering from his dazed eyes to his lips. anton didn't know what to do with himself.

"what are you waiting for?" she teased, her lips brushing against his as she spoke. with her prompting, he leaned in to close the millimeter gap in between them. steph's hands rested on his cheek and shoulder, while one of anton's hands wandered from her hip to her waist, scooting her closer to him, causing him to groan in the process. after a bit she broke away from him, giggling.

"is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me," she teased. he groaned for the umpteenth time today, rolling his eyes.

"shut up," he mumbled.

"wow, he speaks!" she continued. anton, not caring for the teasing, simply brought her back to him, kissing her with years of pent up need behind it. she reciprocated, moving up to lightly pull on his hair. anton was sure he was in heaven at this point. that is, until he heard his friends call out.

"steph, have you seen anton? he said he was coming over ages ago," mick called up. steph pulled away giggling, anton's eyes still closed and lips still parted, now a vibrant pink shade.

"that's your cue," she whispered to him, hopping off of his lap. his hands immediately flew to his lap, covering up his last shreds of dignity. steph landed one more slow kiss to his lips before pushing him off the bed.

"see you later," she called after him as he left the room. from upstairs, she could hear pnub laughing hysterically while mick started yelling.

"you were getting it on with my sister?!"

[thesinglesjukebox]

SCREAMING FEMALES - "BRASS BELL"

With John, we say goodbye to Screaming Females...

[7.19]

John S. Quinn-Puerta: This has been my song of the year since it came out. Maybe it's just the familiarity -- when a single is released in January, it has 12 months to make its way into my heart. Maybe it's that I saw Screaming Females for the first -- and last -- time in March at the EARL (East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge), surrounded by friends I didn't have a year before. Maybe it's the rawness of Paternoster's guitar and vocals, her insistence on a rhythmic minor key riff that I just don't hear much without the layer of pretense that can surround it. There's no valorization of the '70s here, no bemoaning of what music used to be, but a reaffirmation of what the guitar always could be, of the idea that anyone, no matter how small and quiet they might seem, can close their eyes and yell and become a star, even if just in tiny rooms drenched in domestic beer and cigarette smoke. I did not know, when I submitted this song, my rediscovery of a band that I had first found doing college radio in 2012, that Screaming Females would announce their breakup a week later. I did not know that even as I wondered how I could possibly write a blurb for this, the most important song of my 2023 by any metric, would also be the swan song of an 18-year... it almost feels wrong to call the band a titan. That's never what Screaming Females was in ethos. They simply made the music they wanted to, beholden to no one but themselves. I have no means to eulogize them, but I still had to try. [10]

Nortey Dowuona: "I hope they keep going forever." -- Steve Albini [8]

Tara Hillegeist: Screaming Females may be the only grunge-indebted band to exist whose songs have only gotten better the clearer and prettier their production has become, and I've been on team "Marissa Paternoster is one of America's greatest living rock & roll singer-songwriters" since Castle Talk, without a single reason to betray my ideological loyalty in that regard in all the years up till now, either. And since "Brass Bell"'s got riffs that would make even Ratt bang their heads in appreciation, and lyrics like if Cocteau Twins wrote a Neil Young song -- in other words, it's a Screaming Females song... yeah, of course I think this is amazing. It'd take a harder sell and a colder heart than me to think anything else. [8]

Micha Cavaseno: Truly, I don't think of songs beginning with that kind of analog distortion as leading to the sort of gallop and retreating riff cycle pattern I associate with stoner rock and beard metal. I don't think in any of the times people would've mentioned this band I would've expected that I needed to make comparisons to Torche or Mastodon. And go figure: this first note is the note they're going out on. Hell of a way to go out, and just my luck really. [7]

Taylor Alatorre: Two weeks after Screaming Females released Desire Pathway, the J Mascis side project Heavy Blanket came out with Moon Is, an album of instrumental stoner-psych jams aimed squarely at those for whom "rip" is the default verb for guitar solos. There's no doubt that a similar path is open for Marissa Paternoster if she wants it; as if to confirm this, she played a show with the Dinosaur Jr. frontman just a few days after her band's break-up. "Brass Bell" is a solid showcase of the trio as a tight-knit riffing machine and not just a one-woman fireworks show, though there are a few too many concessions made for the radio airplay that never came. The flange effects feel like tacked-on regressions, and the wings of a high-flying, late-coming Paternoster solo are clipped after four terse measures. The sad reality is that the airwaves only seem to have room for one basement-band-doing-stadium-rock at a time, and if your name isn't White Reaper, you may just be out of luck. [6]

Ian Mathers: I mean, kudos to whoever made the wiki entry for this album list "punk blues" as the genre (follow your bliss!) but in every sense except the subcultural this is absolutely classic rock. The production, Marissa Paternoster's vocals and especially and gleefully so her soloing. It's great, in a way that makes me want to take up the air guitar and reach for words like "stentorian." [7]

Katherine St Asaph: I think I like this because of, not despite, the early-'00s radio rock feel. At times it almost feels like it's going to turn into Trapt (not an insult I swear). [7]

Brad Shoup: "Brass Bell" has something I always admired about Screaming Females, which is their uncanny ability to make nu-rock. They never really coded as "punk" for me: maybe stoner metal, but with a lighter guitar tone and an ability to write a hook. Because I grew up in butt rock's salad days, I guess I tend to hear it everywhere. But these riffs (the start-stop one and Phrygian-sounding one) and the way Marissa Paternoster punches into the chorus are modern-rock radio gold. Hell, the chorus even has the kind of fake-deep imagery that should get over. (Would a different alloy make living in a bell a tolerable situation?) Godspeed, Screaming Females. I'm sure all your subsequent bands will rock. [7]

Dorian Sinclair: Having spent the past three weeks on a placement where I learned, in great detail, about the history and function of carillons (bell towers, specifically those with two octaves of bells or more), I am definitively able to confirm: living in a brass bell would be really fucking loud! Central metaphor holds up! [7]

Rachel Saywitz: Sounds like a disaster on the horizon and a heroine's call to arms. [7]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Everything starts to crumble once the actual verse arrives -- you can't feel the jaggedness of the start-stop guitar riff, and the band sounds all too eager to go straight into the chorus both the first and second time around. Unfortunately, the central metaphor there is too awkward, and is shouted with a conviction that leaves no room for it to be a proper hook. They almost convince me with the detours taken in the final third, but the radio-rock sheen is all too much: it sounds like I'm at a bar and the local band is trying way too hard to convince everyone of their energy. [3]

Alfred Soto: Marissa Paternoster's vocals are the right kind of arch and posh: when she complains, "It's too loud!" she sounds like a country club member sneering at Rodney Dangerfield. The rest of the riffage is not too loud, with interesting changes. [7]

David Moore: Every time I get really into a band a few years late they break up within the year. I take full responsibility and vow to stop listening to music. [8]

Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: Long live Screaming Females, they rocked harder and longer than a lot (A LOT!) of posers, and they have songs that showcase their gnarled hookiness better than this (download "Ornament" for clear skin etc. etc.). [8]

Aaron Bergstrom: Thirty-five seconds of "When are they gonna get to the fireworks factory?" synth build, but we're talking about one of the most dependable indie bands of the past decade-plus, so you better believe they get there. Whether it's Marissa Paternoster screaming on guitar, or Marissa Paternoster just screaming, they've always lived up to their name. She deserves the plural all to herself. RIP to an institution. [7]

Frank Falisi: Screaming Females was an underrated experiment in texture. They could shift tactility live on the ridge of a dime. The big metal monster would suck in its woofer and start to strut different, guitar puffing over tom hits, which were doing the riffs. The bass was too big to hear and the bass was mercury. Something about playing live means performing life, which means playing the changes. Texture in music is a signal. It prepares your body to sound different. "Brass Bell" begins with washing electronics, a loop. It leers and jeers, like a Mica Levi film score on your fretting fingers. The mouth of sound is broad. "Brass Bell", Desire Pathway -- these are the descendants of All At Once (2018), of Marissa's Peace Meter (2021). Once you master bass and guitar and drum and the human voice, you can unmaster it, unwind it, break a string. "Brass Bell" breaks open after the noise into perfect form, crunched production, crisp like adenoidal panic. There's a perfect breakdown in the middle of the song, a perfect bring-it-all-down with a minute left before drumming back up, before one last chorus. "It's too loud!!" How many times have I said this at the Screaming Females gig? How many times has the sound entered my ears, all my complicated receptors and sets of crevasses ringing, only to feel my own texture quake at the sound? We talk sometimes of the collective frisson of the gig, of being a body among bodies. Divine. I think something like that happens on a studio sound too. Me and all my changes, a flange forever. [8]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[magicalgirlartist]

New Teacher AU update!

Summary: a bear has gotten into the school.

CONTENT WARNING: this chapter is about a school that has entered a lockdown. I know that could be a potentially triggering or upsetting topic for some people to read about and there's really no getting around that that's the plot of this chapter, and it's a fairly plot-heavy one. If it's something that you can't handle reading a whole 5k word chapter about and/or you're not sure if it will be harmful for you to read, I am posting a brief summary under the readmore so you can decide for yourself. Fic tags have also been updated appropriately.

TL;DR IMPORTANT PLOT BEATS VERSION

The gang fights the bear in the gym in order to rescue Takua, who is stuck in the gym supply closet, revealing that they have elemental powers. Onewa manages to send the bear back to the woods and Vakama promises everything will be explained tomorrow.

LONGER FULL-ASS SUMMARY

Vakama announces the lockdown and Tahu immediately locks down his class. Unfortunately, he then realizes Takua isn't there, so he puts Jaller in charge and leaves with a baseball bat to look for him.

Lewa, Gali, and Onewa are still face to face with the bear after Gali alerted Vakama via text. It's wearing some kind of stone mask that is dripping with green goop. Lewa wants to help the bear, but Onewa sends them both around the corner and out of the way before getting smacked around and knocked out by the bear. Lewa and Gali drag him into the staff room and lock themselves in, and the bear quickly loses interest and leaves. Gali makes sure Onewa is fine, just unconscious, and Lewa says they should go check on their class. They aren't supposed to leave once they're safe, but they decide they can probably handle it and leave.

Kopaka has been locked out of his classroom and can't find any rooms that are unlocked. He's very grouchy about this. The first person he runs into is Tahu, who also didn't bring his keys with him but promises that Jaller will let them in once he's found Takua. Not having any better ideas, Kopaka goes with him.

Takua is hiding in the basement stairwell, but decides that's not a good place to hide since he's still out in the open for all intents and purposes. All the rooms in the basement are probably locked, so he decides to go for the gym supply closet, which is usually propped open and locks on its own. On his way there, he runs into the bear and bolts for the gym.

Pohatu knocks Onua over by accident. They compare notes, and both are convinced Matau is taking care of their classes while they're locked out. Tahu and Kopaka arrive, then Lewa and Gali. They hear a scream, realize it's Takua, and run off to find him.

The bear is in the gym, banging its paws against the supply closet door. Kopaka reveals that Takua is hiding in there, not explaining how he knows that even with the door closed. Tahu declares they have to get the bear out of there to rescue Takua, and Onua has the idea of luring it outside. They spread out around the gym, and the bear charges Tahu. He projects a shield and it bounces harmlessly off it. He's also somehow set his baseball bat on fire. The bear charges Lewa instead, and Onua sends a shockwave through the ground that knocks it off its feet. When it gets back up, Lewa jumps over it to swing from the rafters instead. Pohatu starts kicking soccer balls at the bear, one of them knocking its mask askew. It stops attacking and acts like a normal bear for a moment, but as Lewa jumps on it to try and remove the mask it attacks again, flinging him into Kopaka.

Gali activates the overhead sprinkler system, drenching the bear and pooling water around its feet. Kopaka freezes it to the floor. Lewa says the mask hurt when he touched it, and that they should try and get it off the bear. Pohatu, Onua, Gali, and Lewa attack using their elements, while Kopaka keeps it frozen. Tahu delivers the final blow, smashing his on-fire bat into the mask and splitting it in half. Without the mask, the bear starts acting like a normal bear again. Vakama and Onewa show up, and Onewa sends the bear back to the forest.

After school, Vakama is exhausted and just wants to go home. He spent the whole afternoon coordinating getting all the kids sent home and fielding angry calls and emails from parents while Nokama dealt with the school board. Gali shows up to talk to him, and he promises to tell them everything tomorrow, but he just can't right now because he's about to collapse. She agrees and leaves. As Vakama is leaving for the day, he looks at a photograph of one of the former principals of Kini Nui, Lhikan, wondering what he would have done in his place.

[sunshine-on-marz]

reader is an enderman hybrid because they're so gender tbh

also some lore stuff: blazeborns are blaze hybrids. endermen make vocalisations similar to felines (bc i adore the headcanon that they purr). enderman hybirds are usually 7 feet tall, where reader is 8 and full endermen are 10 feet.

also this is a bit messy but thats just how i write (bc adhd and getting off track easily lmao)

- 🦭

Sapnap had shown up at your doorstep in the middle of a storm one night, and you had ushered him inside. You wanted to hug him, especially when you noticed the tear streaks on his cheeks, his hair sticking to his face from the rain. He looked miserable, and you could tell by his shaking hands that he was trying his best to stop himself from grabbing onto you. Being an enderman hybrid made you allergic to water no matter what, and you appreciated his restraint, even if you wanted to pull him close and never let go.

"Oh, Sap… Wait, I'm gonna get you a towel and some dry clothes, okay?" You cooed, turning around and hurrying to the closet in your bedroom, grabbing a couple towels and a few different shirts. They would all act like dresses on the man. You were taller than the average enderman hybrid, but not quite as tall as a full enderman.

You stalked back into the living room, tail swishing behind you. The tips of Sapnap's hair were already a bit dry, and you figured that because he was a blazeborn, he dried faster than others because of his body temperature. He had already changed clothes, you assumed he had found them in the closet by the basement door. Still, you didn't want him to catch a cold so you walked over, a low rumble in your chest as you sat down on the couch and gently started drying his hair with the towel, handing him the other.

"... Do you wanna talk about it?" You asked, your tail curling around his forearm as he leaned back against your knees, his long hair laying in your lap while you gently untangled his hair and dried it. You made sure to be careful around his horns. They were taller than your own, and went straight up, where your own curled around your droopy, elf-like ears like a ram's horns would. Sapnap shook his head, although the slight sniffle told you that he probably had a fight with his fiancés. He hadn't told you about them a lot lately, but from the bits and pieces he did say, they didn't know where Quackitt was and Karl was acting.. different. But, if he didn't want to talk about it, you wouldn't force him.

After his hair had dried enough, you finally put away the towel and grabbed the hair brush you had on the coffee table, gently brushing his hair with your fingers carding through the strands to section them up. You started humming softly, watching the fiery orange of Sapnap's hair as it shimmered. It wasn't quite made of fire, but it looked a lot like it.

"Have I… Ever told you how much I care about you?" You whispered as you finished sectioning off his hair, long fingers holding his hair as you started braiding. There was a low purr in your throat, your tail thumping against his arm as you thought about what to say next. "And I think you deserve better than this."

Sapnap stayed quiet, so you stopped talking as well. You continued braiding his hair, his bangs framing his face so perfectly, and he looked so pretty, and you just wanted to wrap him up in your arms and keep him for yourself, but it wasn't your choice to make. If he didn't want to stay, he didn't have to. You would never force him to stay by your side, especially when you weren't the one he loved. No matter how much you love him, that fact won't change.

That didn't stop you from hoping that one day you would be.

This was so good…

And oh my god I’m so short I’m fucking jealous of reader

[moviemuncherao3]

A snippet from my original fiction's first chapter. Meet Dan and Gavin, and yes I named Gavin after the DBH character 😭

___

"What's your name?" The man asked, breaking him out of his thoughts, "and that was quite a tumble earlier, sure you're okay?"

"I'm… I'm alright." Dan replied, but now that it was mentioned, he finally felt the stinging in his knees and soft palms. Frankly, he was aching all over from his mad dash and subsequent fall. "And I'm Daniel, Dan."

The man snorted, sounding disproportionately amused for the entire situation.

"Okay, Daniel-Dan, I'm Gavin." The man teased, and Dan flushed. This was hardly the setting to be embarrassed by his own awkwardness, yet here he was. Luckily, the man didn't linger on it and instead added, sympathetically; "Raiders found your place, huh?"

Dan nodded this time, not trusting himself not to start rambling and humiliate himself further. He'd already fallen flat on his face in front of the guy. 

"That sucks. I've seen groups like that, they're the worst." Gavin said, clucking his tongue disapprovingly. Dan nodded again, he hadn't actually seen any before, but he had no doubts that a group going round and smashing stuff up, and chasing people (himself for example) were an unpleasant bunch. "Lucky you were quick on your feet."

The jovial tone belied the clear grimace the man gave after his words. 

"Yeah. I'm sorry… for crashing into you. I wasn't looking…" Dan replied. The weight of his words hit him, no he hadn't been looking. He could have ran straight into one of the infected, or like he originally thought, another raider. His panic could have gotten himself killed! Gavin was speaking, but he was too busy hearing his own blood rush around his ears as his heart banged out a loud and fast beat. 

"Dan!" Gavin snapped his fingers, the sharp noise making him jolt. "You sure you're okay? Did you hit your head?"

"Why did you help me?" Dan blurted out, but in for a penny and all that. His voice took on a noticeably strained tone. "Why did I follow you? You could have been a raider, and I followed you willingly!"

"Dude…" Gavin exhaled, but he didn't sound offended. If anything, maybe a little contrite? "I just wanted to help, but yeah, you probably should have been more careful. You can leave, if you want. But if it's not dark already, it will be soon."

Dan glanced in the direction of the stairs. The man before him hadn't given any sign he wanted to hurt him, but he also hadn't given him anything concrete to trust. Sure, he wasn't hurting him, hadn't dragged him along, but still, Dan knew his safety was precarious at best in the hands of a stranger. Gavin stepped aside, further into the room. Away from the stairs, away from Dan. 

"I… sorry." Dan deflated, and irrational guilt immediately clawed for place in his mind. Had he insulted Gavin? More than likely. He tried not to let it shame him though, he was right to question him, he was. 

"No need to be sorry." Gavin answered, voice softer than before. "I understand. Just stay here tonight, tomorrow, you can do whatever you want."

Dan nodded, and Gavin gave him a fleeting smile, but the man retreated further into the room, taking a seat on what looked to be an old desk. Dan looked down at his own trainers, which were in much better shape than Gavin's. They were pretty clean actually. That and his own clothing was too, a simple pair of pretty flexible jeans, a long sleeve button up and then his pullover jumper. He'd left his warmer jacket in the library earlier that day, judging it warm enough to not need it whilst he simply tried to forage more supplies from abandoned houses. That would be a mistake. The days were warm still, the nights were cooler, and in a cold basement, he was sure to feel it soon. 

"Just gonna stand there?" Gavin asked, and Dan flushed again. He'd struggled being in the presence of strangers even when things had been normal, relying on friends and the veneer of professionality at his workplace to get by. 

"Erm, no?"

[murfpersonalblog]

The Wake - my IWTV dream last night

I had an AU dream about IWTV and had to write it down.

In my dream, AMC's Louis and Lestat are married with 3 children (ABO/mpreg for life), but are currently seriously considering divorcing--Lestat's cheating, and Louis' more married to his job (a book editor who works nights remotely). Claudia, Madeleine/Madeline & Viktor are just kids (14, 10 and 6), caught in the middle--Claud wants to stay w/ Louis, Madeline* wants to stay w/ Claud, Vik* doesn't want them to split at all.

*10 yr old Madeline resembles a much younger Bailey Bass, but with bluer eyes cuz of Lestat, and darker skin cuz of Louis. *Vik is Lestat's mini-me, just with curlier hair.

Gabrielle babysits the kids when Loustat's fights get too nasty, but she hates babysitting, and even though she doesn't get along w/ Louis, sometimes she gangs up on Lestat with Lou ("ugh, you're just like your father!"). It's a whole mess. Where do we go from here?

Gabby recommends they all take a break at their tropical vacation home on Night Island (ofc she does). But one night, in the middle of a(nother) particularly bad argument that the kids are unfortunately there to witness, there's a bad storm--lightning, power goes out, etc. In all the ruckus, there's suddenly banging on the back patio door facing the stormy ocean, the front door by the main road, and the basement door in the wine cellar.

Les checks the entrance, Lou checks the back, Gab checks the basement. The kids hide in their rooms.

Lou sees someone unconscious on the beach, about to get sucked into the water by the waves. It's "Lestat," dressed in ancient clothes. Running up to him from the side is a frantic "Louis," also dressed in ancient clothes (1700s*--the Ep7 ball blouses), soaking wet. He's speaking rapid French, looking for the owners of the house, cuz his "Lestat" is unconscious, and 1700s!Lou has no idea where they are--their ship to Paris sank.

*1700s!Loustat is still the AMC 2022 version, cuz I have no interest in the book/film Loustats anymore, ick.

Les sees someone (a corpse!?) unconscious & bleeding in their driveway, with several broken limbs. It's "Louis," dressed in vintage clothes. A blubbering "Lestat," also dressed in vintage (1930s--all black from Ep5), is on the front porch. He's crying heavily, face bloody. He had taken Louis flying over NOLA but dropped him, and they somehow landed here.

It's a whole isekai anime, pretty much. Everyone's struck dumb once they realize they're looking at their doppelgangers, while their spouse lies "dead" before them. They need to all get in the house. The 2 Lous carry "Les" in from the water, and the 2 Lestats carry "Lou" in from the front porch.

But inside, the kids' screaming suddenly seems to have doubled, and Gab's cussing up a storm. There's another "Gab," dressed in muddy 1700s hunter's gear, catfighting modern!Gab & tearing up the basement. And there's 2 sets of kids running around scared of each other (1700s "Claudia" is 5, 1700s "Madeleine" is 21ish, and 1990s/2000s "Viktor" is 18ish--they all look like younger/older versions of the modern kids).

The chaos doesn't stop until everyone notices the half drowned "Les" & bleeding "Lou," and the confusion/panic increases.

There are 3 Lous:

modern!Lou (online book editor; looks like Dubai!Louis btw)

1700sLou (was on a ship to Paris with drowned/swamp!Les)

1930sLou (Ep5 broken & bloody, after 1930sLes dropped him)

There are 3 Lestats:

modern!Les (cheating; former rockstar; music producer)

1700sLes (drowned/swamp!Les; was on a ship to Paris)

1930sLes (guilty after having dropped broken!Lou in NOLA)

There are 2 Gabrielles:

mod!Gab (old money paleo-archaeologist)

1700sGab (old money adventurer)

There are 2 sets of kids:

Claudia (14 & 5)

Madeline (10 & 21)

Viktor (6 & 18)

The Gabs are the first to recover--mod!Gab performs CPR on drowned/swamp!Les, and the 2 awake Lous corral the kids away. 1700sGab sets broken!Lou on the floor and rearranges his limbs, while the 2 awake Lestats start pouring blood on his wounds.

The unconscious Les & Lou are still out cold, but are visibly healing. Everyone hovers around awkwardly, not knowing what else to do but wait, like they're sitting at a funeral wake almost. Everyone's clearly got burning questions.

1700sGab is distraught to see HER 1700sLes out cold, but 1700sLou doesn't know who she is. But he knows 5 yr old Claud & 21 year old Mad, and they know him.

1930sLes is the most horrified--he's seeing double of his mom, whom he hasn't seen in "centuries," and he recoils from 14yr old Claud. He doesn't know the other kids at all. He is stunned by sexy & confident modern!Lou, and pities 1700sLou, who is hella sad & weepy. (Modern!Lestat tells him to keep his eyes on his own Louis--which modern!Louis finds HIGHLY ironic.)

No one knows "Vik," but he recognizes his 6yr old self, and mod!Loustat as his dads. He doesn't know his sisters, and they don't know him, but they know each other.

They all have the same questions for each other, but don't get very far that night, as emotions take over, and everyone's confused as to how they all got there, from obviously very different time periods. But the sun is rising. The doppelganger Loustats are shocked by all the modern fixtures, and ESPECIALLY the UV windows. The modern Loustat are used to being up during the day, but the older ones aren't--1930s Les, 1990sVik, and 1700sGab are the only ones who can stay up just fine (they're strong, and more curious than tired), but all the other doubles are tired. The broken Lou & comatose Les are sheltered in spare coffins in the basement (which the chagrined Gabs offer to clean). The modern!Sisters double up in mod!Claud's room so the doppelganger!Sisters can share mod!Mad's room. 1700sLou is given the guest room so he can cry himself to sleep. 1930s Les, 1990sVik, and 1700sGab are all fine on the pullout couches in the den.

This is where my dream got spotty, and it was skipping around a lot as it kept going, like I was seeing scenes out of order. (It actually felt like episodes of The Real World or some other reality tv show--it went from suspense & drama and creeping me out like the Tethered in Us; to actually making me laugh myself awake right when I got the sense that the different Loustats were attracted to each other. O_O)

It's been bothering me how AMC said the show will still be called IWTV, not VC, cuz the big question's who's gonna keep doing the interviews? How will the interviews play out for TV, rather than in the books?

But basically the jist of my dream was that the "Interview" was amongst themselves, as the vampires all tried to figure out what had gone wrong with all of the Loustats' relationship. The most immediate concern was how the injured Lou & Les ended up that way--and it's quickly apparent that their corresponding spouses are lying/hiding things. 1930sLes was way too withholding, and 1700sLou was so emotional & guilty.

Modern!Loustat's impending divorce is mirrored in the other Loustat's issues, which start slowly coming to the fore, as they all realize that all of their relationships hadn't been great for awhile, and the kids are caught in the middle. The Gabs slowly start speaking up, revealing the part they've been playing; how Lestat's neglect of his kids & husband reflects her own bad marriage to his father, and her neglecting her own kids. Gab and Lou are too similar, and history is just repeating itself.

The ones who are most candid end up being the kids--the fact that the kids know SOME of the Loustats or siblings but not others is very telling. 1930s'Les' bad reaction to 14yr old mod!Claud is troubling, and the fact that he's so unprepared to see his mom(s), and has NO idea who the other kids are. 5yr old Claud's reaction to ALL of the Lestats is the worst, but she loves all the Lous. 21!Madeline is the most cool & collected, very detached, and clings more to bb!Claud, as Madeline isn't too comfortable around ANY of the Loustats. 18!Vik is the oddest one of all. He's the spitting image of the Leses, but no one knows him. But he seems to catch on the quickest out of everyone, like he knows/suspects what's going on, but he's very quiet & patient & sticks mostly to himself. He's most interested in bb!Vik, who's excited to have a big brother he can show off all his toys & comics to (Vik is quickly spoiled on a few plots--the most upset he's seemed to date).

It's only once the injured 1700s!Les & 1930s!Lou finally wake up that the truth starts coming out more:

1700s!Les had actually been chasing after 1700s!Lou, who'd run off with the girls to Paris. They were afraid of Les, cuz he was practically criminally insane--sick and sadistic, mean to Lou and the girls, a complete sociopath and psychopath. He was masking his fear that they'd leave him in extreme acts that only made them more desperate to leave than ever. 1700s!Loustat came to physical blows on the ship, and 5!Claud got between them and knocked Les overboard to get him away from Lou. But Lou jumped after Les, Claud accidentally(??) fell overboard (she's hard to read), and Mad jumped after Claud. Loustat & the girls magically washed ashore at the house.

1930s!Lou was indeed dropped from the sky--but Les did it intentionally. He had tried to wine & dine an increasingly disassocative Lou, who was depressed after their own 14!Claud had run away and been killed by another vamp (Bruce?Armand?). Les took Lou up into the air to try and be romantic, but they ended up arguing over Claud anyway. It got NASTY, and Lou spat "I hate you, let go of me!" Petty & vindictive, Les dropped him, and soon regretted it, but when he flew back down they were isekai'd.

18!Vik finally pipes up that he was sent to them by the Talamasca. He comes from a different dimension/time than book!Viktor. Dr Fareed still created Vik as Lestat's clone, but this Vik HATES that he grew to be an adult never knowing his father(s). He asked the Talamasca to help him find a way to make it so Les never missed out on Vik's childhood, and was never separated from Louis either. So the Talamasca sent Vik to this dimension, where he soon realizes that bb!Vik would end up raised in a broken home (mod!Loustat), or not be born at all (1700s/1930s Loustat) if Loustat didn't realize that they are a family, genuinely love each other, and that they need to learn to communicate better--not get into petty arguments, fisticuffs, or leave when things get hard.

So all three Loustats learn the error of their ways. No one divorces, amends are made between parents and children. They all go back to their proper timelines, but as better people. And 18!Vik is happy to know that even though he missed out on knowing his parents as a kid, he has eternity to get to know them now, and that at least Loustat in his timeline managed to figure all this stuff out without him, before dragging anymore of their kids into their mess. So Vik learned to appreciate what he already had; and everyone lives happily ever after.

Good for them and all--but I'm still sleep deprived.

[wroteonedad]

Sims 2 DS Is GOATED

Just before Christmas, I decided to purchase a 2DS. A pink one to be exact, I've been looking for one in pink for what felt like the longest time. I thought most of the other colour combinations of the 2DS weren't cute, but the pink one??? Slay. I bought it for two reasons. The first reason being my beloved DSi that I've had for 12 years finally decided to pass away and never turn on again and secondly because I never got to play the 3D games that came out because I never had the model. This console was on Facebook Marketplace for a mere £30 and so I bought it. Though it was a little embarrassing because I sent my grandparents to collect it for me and I got a message from the lady that said 'I hope your daughter uses it more than mine.' It's me, I am the daughter. But since I got the 2DS, I've been spending some time playing my old DS games, and I can't get over how good Sims 2 actually was. The card stopped reading in my DSi and I thought that meant I was going to have to go and buy another game, but thankfully it was just the console itself.

Here's how the story of Sims 2 DS goes because it's nothing like the life simulation game we're used to on PC and other consoles. Your car breaks down in this dead end village, you run a few errands and suddenly you find out the old hotel manager has conveniently just walked out and alas you are left to run this hotel and get to know the people of Strangetown.

After you've built a casino aka the first room you need in your hotel and killed Emperor Xizzle by spraying water on him, you start earning money to build more rooms in your hotel. These include lounges to go DJ mode, a gym where you can tan until you become a different race ??? the art gallery where you can paint to your hearts content and learn whether or not your work is garbage or if you've just created your magnum opus. My personal favourite room has to be the secret warehouse purely on the grounds that you walk into there and Bigfoot is living in there. All you need to do is feed my man every day until he becomes your best friend and then he leaves the basement and sort of just resides somewhere in your hotel until the end of time. The entire hotel is like a giant tardis, the size of this hotel from the inside simply is not correct if you are looking at it from the outside.

Some of the music is really creepy. I remember being scared to leave my hotel to defeat the aliens in the square just because of the alien song that plays and how the game drops to 2 framerates per second. Seriously. This was the same with the goons and the sudden robot invasions that would happen. You couldn't make up how insane this game was. I want to know what the game developers were on when they created this game and the narrative because I want what they're having. The game almost felt creepy and eerie. How was the town full of NPCs but how did the town look empty the whole time? Why was I completing a mission for a creepy mobster who wanted me to plant a bomb in the town hall? And why can you dig up alien mummies in the desert and then perform surgeries on them in your government base room that is just placed randomly in the basement of your hotel? To add to this, how did this small little town come to light when it is literally smack bang in the middle of this endless desert, and people never leave. You check them into your hotel, they check out say 2 days later and then you come back to your hotel lobby to find that they are there all over again. I can't say I blame these Sims for going insane, pissing on the floor and wallowing in pity all the time, I would be too if that was real. Your Sim also runs off a sanity meter which runs down depending on environment and needs. If this sanity bar is empty then your Sim seems to have a nervous breakdown and ends up waking up in the manager's suite in a vegetative state. They would hobble around for a little bit before going back to normal again.

Let's discuss notable characters, briefly and efferently.

Emperor Xizzle. This little alien that lives somewhere deep in the desert wants to take over the hotel, who knows why. He likes to invade the town square and sometimes will kidnap your Sim. All in all a weird guy.

Lord Mole. I'm in the middle of replaying the game at the moment and so I don't quite remember his full story, but I really wish that he would stop chewing at my powerlines. Prior to his storyline I feel like this guy probably lived in the walls.

Ava Cadavra. Thanks to this little lady, I had Prime Heifer in my basement and half of my hotel guests hypnotised. She wears a rotten egg coloured lipstick which says it all about what type of a person she is.

Horus Menhoset IX. Dug a mummy up in the desert after receiving an anonymous text to tell me about the dark evil in the town and it was this guy. Insane.

Optimum Alfred. Some big robot who was obsessed with cleaning but who was also plotting to mass murder everyone in the town. I am still unclear as to where this maniac spawned from in the first place. I was also given the Ratcave soon after he took over the penthouse so now my Sim gets to karate chop robots and goons ????

Tristan Legend. His girlfriend was literally taken away by scorpions so he chose to catch a meteorite in his bare hands to help him cope. I've seen a lot of mental illness in my time, but this has to be the cherry on top really.

Every character in this game is ultimately insane, from burning your paintings when they're in a bad mood to getting upset from a ghost spawned into the hotel lobby. The glitches, my 13th reason was when Honest Jackson straight up glitched in the game not long after the arrival of Ava and has not returned to the town hall since despite him saying that he is still there. Also, it is very weird that I can walk around the town and pick up nuclear fuel rods with my bare hands, that doesn't sound safe does it? This game is truly terrifying and for that reason I can't stop playing it.

Here's a fun link to Reddit where they speak about the creepy lore of the game and lastly, a link to the games night time music which is sort of fun and soothing, but also really eerie simultaneously.

[titanicfreija]

Sneaking

"I don't think it's any aliens," Sunny whispered. "Probably some animals."

"I don't smell any animals."

Cabal ships dropped from the sky loudly, shifting landing gear and swooping wind, and Freija groaned.

"We're heading to the North point," Sunny reminded her Guardian. "They're not like the Eliksni. They'll be looking for a foundation for a fort, not supplies. We might be able to use the garage before they notice."

Freija ran to the second floor, more a balcony around the central "body" of the bird, and kept an eye on her radar and her ears on the Legion. "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be Caiatl's," she joked.

"They're not."

"I'm kidding."

~

The doors caved in with an ear-shattering bang and the Legionaries, grunting amongst each other, marched inside. The formation split up and spread out methodically, followed by squad leaders followed by their higher ups. None of them noticed her, but six were coming up the first set of stairs and were getting closer.

Three soldiers continued up the second set, marching into view of Freija.

She ducked to hide as they rumbled past, then snuck away behind them as they finished.

More thundered below, and spread into the cavernous space port foyer. The second floor had the smallest space-to-space-rhino ratio, so Freija sought out a narrow gap next to the stairs to drop through.

Sneaking past the Cabal never did challenge Freija much–they were louder than her. Just moving around, they were the one opponent that made more noise than Freija. 

The second floor investigation team searched through the numerous restaurants and shops, giving her the time to dash past them. Benches, signs, architecture and debris allowed her to dash along unnoticed. They stopped at the beginning of the wing hallways.

The basement ran a train through, the tracks for which remained relatively clear, and the Cabal seemed disinterested so far. She almost got caught going for it, but the single Legionary that turned apparently dismissed the sight and moved on.

The tracks took her to the Northernmost atrium, a massive room of high glass windows and ceilings overlooking the take off spots. The garage on the other side of the air field was more like a hangar for its size. She could definitely work with that."

The pair hopped out a broken window pane, and Sunny only just stopped Freija from running blind in the open. "Please! Sneak!" She cried, pointing an arrow to cover under a dead plane.

The Titan groaned and shambled to cover. "Yes, ma'am," she drawled.

"That's a good girl," Sunny teased gently.

Once in the hangar, they found some good parts, but no good fluid. The best part, though…. 

"Amanda would have loved this," Freija said, stepping back to admire the wall of equipment. Every kind and size of ratchet, screwdriver, wrench, socket, connector– all of it sat in nearly perfect condition. "It's too big to 'mat and take with us, isn't it." 

"Right now? With my power? Yes," Sunny confirmed. "We might be able to talk someone into coming with us to get it."

"Coordinates can't be precise, but we'll do what we can," Freija said. Her ship finally finished taking shape in the work bay. The parts appeared on the ground nearby.

With the work laid out and the bay somewhat closed off and the garage somewhat isolated, they could work together in silence and listen for the Cabal without worrying, and Sunny could guide Freija's every move using screen indicators and symbols.

~

On a Walk

First Step

Into the Dark

Detour

New Experience

Traveling

The Spaceport

Sneaking <-

Nobility

Rescue Operations

Caught

Gratitude

Pride