#thinking about her stealing an artifact that shrinks her really small

[miniemew]

marvel oc that I grip with my fists and shrink so so small

[therenlover]

The Doctor Is In (Part Two of Till Forever Falls Apart, A Peter Maximoff/Reader Series)

Synopsis: Peter’s first few days in his new home are mostly uneventful, so he decides it’s the perfect time to dust off his running goggles and steal some shit. The building with the massive circular stained glass window seems like a great place to start! People with buildings that lavish are usually rich and weak, so what could possibly go wrong?

Tags: Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn, Falling in Love, Attempted Theft, Secrets, Suspicions, 

Rating: T

Warnings: Mild Language, Slight Sexual Innuendo

Word Count: 2800~

This work, as well as the other completed parts of this series, have been crossposted to my AO3! 

-----

To Peter’s credit, it had all started with good intentions… okay, semi-good intentions, but that was the best defense he had to offer.

One moment he’s speeding into a funky building with a cool glass window looking for a knick-knack to take home to Y/N and the next he’s falling through endless darkness, searching for anything he could possibly grab onto. It was hell. Worst of all, though, he couldn’t use his speed. The world was only emptiness and darkness for as far as he could reach. Well, it was until he hit the ground.

It was a sudden jolt after what felt like hours of captivity when Peter hit the cool tiles of the flooring below him. The bright light after total darkness burned his eyes. He winced against it, lifting his arms to shield his face. There was no time to acclimate to his new surroundings, though, which were definitely not part of the building he had been inside before he might add, because the second his vision came back into focus a booming voice rang out from behind him.

“Peter Maximoff, what purpose did you have for breaking into the Sanctum Sanctorum?”

Peter spun around quickly on the ground to find a man floating behind him. Wait, floating? He didn’t even have time to question how the stranger knew his name while he was questioning what the hell he was. Was he a mutant? The man looked furious, his red cape billowing out behind him in an almost menacing manner while he stroked his goatee, eyebrows pinched together with rage. Peter had no clue what his deal was or who the hell he was looking at but he did know he had to calm him down fast if he wanted to avert disaster.

Apparently, he was thinking too long though because he wasn’t fast enough.

“I’ll ask you one last time,” the man’s hands came down to chest level, whirring with some sort of orange power, “why did you break into the Sanctum Sanctorum? This is your last chance,”

Somewhere in the distance, a dull thud sounded against the tile, like someone dropping a purse or bag. Peter didn’t have time to think about that, though. He was too busy saving his own life. All he had to do was get to his feet so he could run off! Unfortunately, that was better said than done.

“Woah, Woah, Woah!” he scrambled backward trying to stand but found his feet bound with the same orange sparks that were growing by the second in his attacker’s hands, “I have no clue what the hell a Sanctum Sanctorum is! I think you’ve got the wrong guy, man,”

His assailant cocked his head to the side. “So you’re telling me some other inhumanly fast kleptomaniac mutant from another dimension broke through all of my wards and tried to steal priceless magical artifacts from the Sanctum?”

Peter shrugged nonchalantly. “Magical artifacts? Dude, magic isn’t real. You’ve got the wrong guy,”

Thankfully, the man sighed in exhaustion, letting the orange sparks in his palms disappear as he pinched the bridge of his nose leaving only the ones around Peter’s ankles remaining. For the first time in his life, Peter was glad to be annoying.

“Jesus, I should have had my coffee before dealing with you…”

“I know right?” Peter propped himself up on his hands, “it’s always tragic when you catch the wrong guy, but I’m sure you’ll find your thief eventually. In fact, I think I saw some super speedy dude running towards Central Park when I was walking past that fancy building with the big circle window. That’s so weird! Maybe you should let me go so you can go find your guy,”

The man only seemed to get more pissed off the further Peter dug himself into his own grave. “Oh, I’m not planning on letting you go any time soon. I’m just avoiding a reckoning by letting your keeper know I’m taking you into the Avenger’s custody before we go,”

He was so screwed. “That’s not a-”

Before Peter could even finish his sentence, a crash echoed from across the room.

“STEPHEN STRANGE,”

Now, Peter couldn’t decide if he was saved or even more screwed than before.

There, across the room of what he had now gathered to be a large exhibit at some sort of museum, was Y/N. To say she looked furious would be an understatement.

The art on the walls seemed to shake in her wake as she stormed into the open center of the room, eyes boring holes into Peter’s assailant as she rolled up the sleeves of her paint-stained denim button-up. He could only imagine that this was the reckoning the magic dude was trying to avoid.

The man, Stephen, didn’t waver despite Y/N’s entrance. “Would it kill you to just use my title? I got my doctorate for a reason, you know,” His tone was flat and almost bored as Y/N seethed.

“Fuck you,” she spat, “what the hell are you doing with Peter? And bringing him here of all places? I thought you were supposed to be the responsible Avenger,”

“And I thought you were supposed to keep this menace under control. It looks like we both have a few responsibilities we aren’t keeping up with, huh?”

Across the floor, Peter winced. He hadn’t intended on getting anyone in trouble, he was just looking for a little fun to pass the time and maybe a housewarming gift that would fit in with the rest of Y/N’s antique decor. How was he supposed to know that a crazy, magic, floating guy would take him to what he could only assume was magic prison for breaking into his wizard’s lair? Surprisingly, Y/N picked up his movement.

“Peter, are you okay?” Her eyes never left Strange, flaming with a ferocity that bordered on homicidal, but her voice softened considerably as she spoke to him. He was quick to respond.

“I’m all good! A little tied up at the moment, but it’s nothing I can’t handle!” He shouted back.

Y/N nodded. “Good, just stick tight while I deal with this asshole,”

As the last words left her lips all the softness she had mustered for Peter’s sake dissolved, leaving behind pure, unbridled anger once more.

“You had no right to take him, Strange. We made a deal,”

“You’re right, we did make a deal,” Stephen responded, floating to the ground and taking a step closer to Y/N, “but my duties as Sorcerer Supreme will always come first,”

“That has nothing to do with him! He poses no threat to this universe!”

“He was attempting to steal extremely powerful magical artifacts, Y/N! If a mutant from another dimension had gotten their hands on the Book of Vishanti or the Clock of the Ages who knows what might have happened?”

Y/N stilled. “Peter,” her voice wasn’t the same as it had been when she was shouting at Strange, but it also wasn’t half as gentle as it has been before, “did you steal anything from Stephen?”

Peter, still dazed from the entirety of the experience, was quick to defend himself.

“No! No, I didn’t steal anything!”

One sharp look from Stephen and Y/N sent him spiraling for an excuse.

“Okay, I went in with the intention of stealing, but I had no idea that stuff was magical! I didn’t even know wizards existed! Witches I understood but wizards too? In the middle of New York? Besides, all of this is a moot point! I didn’t actually take anything,”

Surprisingly, Y/N’s expression seemed to soften once again. “See, Stephen? Peter didn’t mean any harm. Now let him go, and this can all be a thing of the past,” As she spoke, he could have sworn that her eyes began to faintly glow.

“I still don’t think it’s a great idea to let him roam free,” Stephen ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair and the restraints around Peter’s ankles tightened slightly.

“Then you’ll have to take him from me,” Y/N brought her hands up, small rippling balls of light beginning to grow in her palms. Peter had never been so scared and aroused in his life. Was this the ‘small power’ she had mentioned to him when he moved in?

“I have remained civil with you and the mages of your order, Strange, but you have no power over me, especially on my own home turf. You lack the time stone now, so you know what will happen if you and I go toe to toe again. Besides, none of that matters. Peter is mine. Mine to protect and defend until he returns to his rightful place in his universe. So, will you let him go, or will we have to settle this the old-fashioned way?”

Y/N’s eyes were definitely glowing now, a brilliant green gleaming from within her as a rough breeze began flowing in from the door across the room. Stephen made no move to attack though. Instead, he heaved a sigh. “You can have your man child back Y/N, calm down,”

Slowly, the glow dissipated, the orbs of light shrinking into nothingness as she lowered her hands. “Thank you, Stephen,”

In an instant, it was as if the pair had gotten along the whole time.

He nodded. “Don’t thank me, just keep him away from ancient magical secrets next time,” Strange paused as if he was finished speaking, but then chuckled softly. It was the most human Peter had ever seen him. “You know how this ends, Y/N. We both do. Are you really sure you want to go through with this?”

It was Y/N’s turn to nod. “I appreciate that you’re looking out for me, but I made my choice a long time ago. There has never been another path for me. Please respect that,”

Peter was clueless as to what any of their exchange meant, too busy rubbing the ache out of his newly freed ankles to think too deeply about whatever deep exchange was happening in front of him, but a nagging feeling in his chest made him think that it must have something to do with him.

Then, in a burst of golden light, Stephen Strange was gone, leaving Y/N and Peter alone as they took in everything that had just happened. It was silent for a moment, the two of them caught between being stunned and glad to see each other, before Y/N’s angry facade melted away.

“What a fucking asshole,” she snickered, making her way over to Peter and offering him a hand, “I hate that guy,”

Peter took her hand and, with a soft pull, was finally upright again. “I know, right? He seems like a total douchebag,”

“Right? Like, yeah it’s terrible enough to kidnap you and try to take you into Avengers custody, but trying to get me to hand you over at my job? That’s just rude on a whole new level,”

“You work here?” Peter gestured at the art on the walls, making Y/N smile.

“Yeah, this is where I go every day. Welcome to the Brooklyn Museum!” She began to lead him out towards the door, linking her arm around his in a strangely intimate act. Peter was sure that she didn’t mean it like that but something about her closeness made his heart flutter.

He guffawed as they walked, passing happy couples and exhibits packed full. “It’s cool here, but I just assumed you worked somewhere… I dunno, more hero-y?”

Y/N laughed. “Everyone always does, but I’ve been attached to restoring paintings since before I ever took up the whole hero gig. I guess it’s the one stable thing I’ve had for my whole life.”

Watching Y/N’s face light up almost made Peter forget that less than an hour earlier he’d been shoved in an infinite dark dimension and threatened with imprisonment by a wizard. It was like she was the only thing worth seeing in a building full of priceless art.

“I’ve always felt strangely comfortable in museums,” she continued, hand brushing against Peter’s bicep in what he could only assume was an accident, “being surrounded by history just feels right to me. It’s like coming home,” Peter couldn’t help but grin, holding back a snicker.

“I’m guessing that’s the real reason you offered to take me in,” he teased, gently ribbing Y/N and making her giggle, “just couldn’t help but bring home a blast from the past who still has their youthful good looks,”

“You caught me! I just couldn’t resist your elderly charms,”

In a moment of poor judgment, Peter found himself leaning into her touch but was surprised to find her leaning right back into him. His heart began to pound faster. He could only hope she couldn’t tell. The feeling of being close to Y/N, listening to her laugh, being the shoulder she leaned on… it was like nothing Peter had ever felt before.

The short remainder of their walk to Y/N’s destination was mostly quiet, but neither of them tried to pull away from the other. Their moment only ended when they reached a large door labeled ‘Staff Only’. Y/N finally unlinked her arm from Peter’s before turning to face him. He was proud to note the flush on her face.

“I’m gonna go grab my bag,” she muttered, worrying the edge of her lip with her teeth, “do you mind taking me home? Traveling with you would probably be faster than hailing a taxi, and way less expensive,”

Between the thought of getting to be close to Y/N again and the excitement of getting to show off his powers, Peter was eager to please. “Sure thing! Do you want me to grab your bag for you? I’m sure I’d be quicker?” He emphasized his statement with a wink. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the desired effect.

Instead, Y/N looked almost nervous as she shook her head no. “I’ve got it, Peter,” she insisted.

He quirked up an eyebrow in surprise. “You sure? We could be home in a minute tops, just say the word,”

“There’s just a lot of important museum stuff back there! I trust you Peter, but this is priceless art we’re talking about, so I’d rather not take any chances. I’ll be back in a second!”

She slowly backed towards the door, offering him one last smile before disappearing into the darkness beyond. Something about her expression turned Peter’s stomach. It wasn’t unfamiliar, she had acted similarly in a few days Peter had known her at seemingly random times, but it just seemed… suspicious, like there was something he should definitely know that he was being kept in the dark about. Despite everything, he shook off the feeling, chalking it up to him not understanding all the intricacies of this new universe. If love made him blind, he was willing to take that chance.

It only took a few minutes for Y/N to emerge, a small messenger bag in hand, but when she did she was joyful once again, offering Peter an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. Did I miss anything while I was gone?”

He shook his head, pulling down his goggles and offering her his hand. “Not much, just the end of the world,”

She giggled. “So do I just hop on your back or what?”

Peter’s heart skipped a beat. In a second he was down on his knee. “All aboard,” He did his best to keep still as Y/N settled herself on his back, then he was lifting her easily, arms hooked under her knees as she giggled into his hair. “What’s so funny?”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders securely as he stood. “I just expected you to call yourself the Bohner express,”

It took all of Peter’s strength to keep his laughter under control. “You tell me that now? After the opportunity to use it has passed?”

Y/N squeezed him a little tighter. “I’m sure you’ll get to use it next time,”

The thought of a next time sent Peter’s heart rate through the roof. Oh, it was on.

“I’d hold on if I were you,” he said, smirking, “the Bohner express is leaving the station,”

Y/N was quick to snap back. “Let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint,”

“Oh Y/N, the Bohner express never disappoints,”

“Prove it,”

Peter had them back to the brownstone in record time.

[xialing-gf]

house key (chidi x eleanor)

10th and final installment in my songfic series!

Summary (based on the song house key by scott helman): eleanor and chidi make plans for their future together

Wc: 989

a/n: this takes place during the season finale of season 3 (pandemonium)!

Playlist (listen to while reading the fic!):

✾arms unfolding by dodie

✾northern downpour

✾tokyo by joan

✾good side by troye sivan

“Janet did a really good job at making these not-human-humans look human,” Chidi commented as he and Eleanor strolled along the neighborhood’s cozy cobblestone streets, glancing at the people they walked past.

“Janet seems to always have something up her sleeve. That girl is really something,” Eleanor remarked, tilting her head up to read a colorful sign attached to the front of an equally vibrant store. “Huh. Jen and Berry’s Ice Cream. I wonder what their ice cream tastes like.”

“Would you believe my guess that it would taste something like Ben and Jerry’s ice cream?” Chidi joked, lacing his fingers with Eleanor as they continued to walk side by side.

Eleanor gasped dramatically, covering her mouth with her free hand to further exaggerate her mock surprise. “What a surprising guess! I would’ve never thought that! How did I, a dirtbag from the stinky armpit of America called Arizona, manage to find a genius like you?”

“I guess the universe just works its wonders,” Chidi grinned, tightening his grip on Eleanor’s hand. The neighborhood was peaceful-other than the sounds of Janet making not-human-humans- and it seemed like everything was perfect. That was the word he had been looking for: perfect. Maybe Chidi wasn’t in the most ideal situation but right now, he had Eleanor and that was all he needed right now. All his life, Chidi had been searching for a purpose, a reason why humans existed and now he had accepted that he had to allow the universe to guide everything.

“Do you think the universe wants us to be together forever? I’m getting a feeling that universe seriously ships us together,” Eleanor commented, glancing up at the sky as if she was trying to find the universe’s face somewhere among the fluffy clouds suspended in the blue sky. She also wore a hopeful expression that brightened Chidi’s day. It was rare for Eleanor to be honest about such important topics, like their future together, without an excessive amount of humor. She seemed to never want to commit fully to anything (“no strings attached” was one of her favorite catchphrases) so the fact that she was the one to bring the subject up warmed Chidi’s heart.

“Yes, I do think we’re meant to be, as cheesy as it sounds. I would be more than willing to spend forever with you. Besides, we are literally stuck here forever so we’ve got all the time in the world,” Chidi swung his interlocked hand forward and back, feeling like a little boy again. He had never felt as emotionally connected with anybody as he did with Eleanor and felt relieved that the feeling was mutual.

“We’ve got all the time in the world,” Eleanor echoed, her cheeks turning rosy with affection.

“Even if we lose and Shawn tortures us eternally in the darkest pits of the bad place, as long as I’m with you, I’m as happy as can be.”

“Are you sure about that? The stuff Shawn told Michael he’d do to us sounded pretty intense,” Chidi replied, guiding Eleanor to a small table in front of a cafe. They sat down across from each other, still holding hands.

“Even if we have to deal with Shawn’s weird torturing methods, I’m sure I’d survive as long as I’m with you,” Eleanor kissed Chidi on the lips and looked him in the eyes, smiling a wide, genuine smile. Chidi leaned in for another kiss but before he could kiss his girlfriend, he was interrupted by Tahani.

“Hello Chidi and Eleanor. I just- oh, are you two having a moment here? I’m sorry if I rudely interrupted you,” Tahani paused mid-sentence, a mild look of surprise crossing her face when she saw Chidi leaning in.

“Oh no. You’re fine. What were you saying?” Eleanor cleared her throat, turning to face Tahani, her smile shrinking. She still had her hand in Chidi’s and Chidi found it comforting.

“Michael wanted me to let you know that our new resident is coming in a bit,” Tahani informed rather sheepishly, fidgeting with the folds of her flowery dress. Eleanor nodded and replied “Okay I’ll be there in a bit. Give me a second.”

Tahani nodded, quickly leaving Chidi and Eleanor. Eleanor kissed Chidi on the lips and gave his hand a tight squeeze. As she pulled away, she said, “I’ll be back before you know it. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Chidi replied as she stood up and walked away. He sat in the chair for a solid second, staring after the love of his life, wondering how he got so lucky.

~

Whatever happened to forever? Just days ago, Eleanor and Chidi had been happily exploring the neighborhood together, speculating and daydreaming about their future together. Now, Chidi didn’t even recognize his own girlfriend. Technically, Eleanor wasn’t Chidi’s ex-girlfriend because he never officially broke up with her but since he didn’t know her now, she was an artifact from his past.

Eleanor barely got through the introduction with Chidi and tried hard to keep herself together as she gave a quick tour of the neighborhood, but now that she was truly alone, she allowed herself to think. She had learned to numb her feelings and promised to never fully fall in love, mainly because of what happened between her parents, and the one time that she thought she found the love of her life, the universe had to steal him from her hands.

As much as Eleanor wanted to believe that everything would end up okay, she was terrified that she was never going to be able to hold Chidi in her arms again and that she was going to be alone forever. But she remembered the hope the sparked between her and Chidi right before he forgot everything and held onto that small speck of something, hoping, waiting, and wishing for a way for him to find her again.

~ 

this was my first good place fic! i love love love this tv show but haven’t written any fics for it for some reason haha

check out the tag #sam’s songfic series for more fics in this series

[supremeuppityone]

Drowning Secrets in the Sea

This is a gift for the lovely @klarolinesbuttons — thank you for all of the wonderful works you created for the Klaroween Bingo Event! I hope you like your gift!

In this AU human story, Klaus discovers the archaeological find of the century with an ancient underwater city and now he’s expected to share credit with a brazen blonde upstart who enjoys arguing and flirting in equal measure.

Historical note: In 2001, there was an amazing archaeological find — the underwater city of Heracleion, that plunged into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt nearly 1,200 years ago. Definitely ‘worth a Google’ when you see the amazing artifacts they’ve found! 

 “The thief is not the one who steals, but the one that is caught.”

— George Bernard Shaw

               Its bite radius seemed to be the size of a bloody golf cart, and rather than shrink back in terror when faced with arguably the most dangerous shark species in the world, Caroline appeared to be glaring at it while forcibly grabbing several gold Egyptian idols she’d excavated from the seafloor. Klaus swore that blonde menace was bloody insane as she faced off with the aggressive bull shark, defiantly swimming off without a backward glance to see if it intended to chase after her.

           As lead archaeologist for the ancient city of Heracleion, Klaus had endured a mind-numbing amount of red tape as his board of regents dictated every aspect of his research off the coast of Egypt, but he lost count of the number of times he almost quit after they sent Caroline Forbes to join his team. She arrived a month ago, with her sunshine curls, mischievous blue eyes and maddening spreadsheets that rearranged every one of his excavation processes. And her insufferable know-it-all attitude left him gritting his teeth after he secretly fact-checked her various research arguments with him only to discover that she might be the foremost expert in Egyptology.

           And that was when he knew he was in trouble. Because in his decades-long academic career, he’d never allowed anyone or anything to distract him from his research. But Caroline was a force of nature who swept into his life and left him completely out of his depth for the first time in his life. Klaus had tried to maintain a comfortable professional distance, but his control was worn thin every time she argued with him about proper sarcophagi preservation while wearing those distracting mid-thigh scuba suits she preferred.

           Shaking his head in irritation at the blonde’s recklessness, he forced himself to ascend slowly in the warm water to avoid decompression complications. When he finally broke the surface, he scowled at the cheeky grin that greeted him. Caroline leaned over the lower deck of their research vessel to help him scale the steel ladder. “Took you long enough, Klaus. I was starting to think my friend decided to play tag with you,” she teased.

           “Your ‘friend’ has a fearsome reputation for jaws of steel that ruthlessly hang on with no tolerance for provocation, and you chose to taunt the beast by encroaching on his territory. What the hell were you thinking,” Klaus growled, hating how his schoolboy crush made him irrationally angry at his colleague.

           Rolling her eyes, she bent over, inadvertently giving him a front-row seat to the perfection that was her magnificently sculpted arse as she retorted, “Well, I was thinking my friend could wait his turn because it’s finders keepers.” Straightening with one of the tarnished gold idols, she shrugged carelessly, “It’s the law of the land.” Excitedly stroking the statue, she gushed, “Do you see the beautifully rendered electrum? I estimate it’s 80% gold and the pharaonic head covering almost perfectly mimics the Amun-Gerb temple burial masks!”

           It was that unique adventurous spirit, along with her obvious enthusiasm for their scholarly endeavors, that had him completely captivated, Klaus realized with a small smile. Just the other day, the bloody lunatic had casually shooed away a venomous lionfish that had grown curious about an extraordinarily well-preserved stele she’d unearthed.

           But she wasn’t always so fearless.

          The first week she’d arrived, they’d breached a narrow passageway in the underwater cave where the oldest artifacts seemed to be located. Excited at the prospect of uncovering more priceless treasures, Caroline barely paid attention to the rope guideline strung along the cave walls as she paddled deeper into the dark cavern, their safety lights reflecting off of the vibrant red and orange coral.

           Irritated that she wasn’t following basic marine archaeology protocol, he quickly increased his speed to catch up her, intent on airing his grievances with his board of regents as soon as they surfaced. However, his indignation was short-lived when a cloud of air bubbles suddenly blocked the passage. Concerned about Caroline, he slowly floated forward, taken aback when he saw her furiously struggling against a jagged crevice. Her eyes were fearful as she flailed her limbs wildly, clearly unable to break free.

           Hating the helpless look of panic on Caroline’s face, he quickly moved into her line of sight, doing his best to calm her down so that she wouldn’t prematurely deplete her oxygen supply. His presence seemed to calm her down slightly, although she held her body rigid as he leaned closer to investigate the tangled ball of fishing line that prevented her tank from clearing the narrow passage.

           Klaus gestured for Caroline to grip her regulator so that it would remain safely in her mouth while he carefully helped her out of the buoyance compensator so that he could cut through the tangled line with his diving knife. Once he’d freed her scuba equipment, he helped her put everything back on, noting the slight tremor in her hands as she snapped the buckle in place.

           He watched her carefully as they slowly made their ascent, pleased to see that she’d shaken off her fear and was now swimming with smooth, confident strokes once more. Once back on deck, she’d quietly sat there, dangling her feet off the side as she stared aimlessly at the stunning turquoise waves that lapped gently at the boat.

           Sitting next to her, Klaus quietly told Caroline, “I was diving an ancient Greek trading vessel in the Black Sea a few years ago, and managed to get tangled in an old lobster trap. I lost my head for a bit, thrashing about in the water, but fortunately, one of the other divers appeared to help me. Later, he told me, ‘The sea is full of tricks; it doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight.’”

           She considered his words, squeezing his hand as she murmured, “I’m used to working alone. I’m very grateful you don’t, though.” she told him, the depth of her gaze searing into him, leaving him to wonder about all the things she’d left unsaid.  

           Realizing she’d caught him staring at her a beat too long, he replayed her words and finally answered, “Yes, yes, you’ve already established your superior appraisal skills with this site’s artifacts. Fairly certain I caught you drooling over the gold coins of Ptolemy the First you had spread out over the tables yesterday morning.”

           “Only because you kept classifying them incorrectly! It’s supposed to be creation date then metal weight, or else those stoner interns you brought along will never get them catalogued properly in time for your university’s unveiling,” she argued cheerfully.

           As she carefully set down the idol, she added, “And, it’s thanks to my superior appraisal skills that I secured your funding for this dig site another two years. Seriously, Klaus, you’ve been short-changing yourself for years if you’ve simply relied on a cursory estimated value of the artifacts you excavate. When you write reports to your board of regents, you have to sell them on not only the historical value of the artifacts but also the prestige and interest they’ll generate when unveiled to the public. They care about money and generating even more money under a thinly veiled guide of scholarly endeavors.”  

           He grumbled, realizing she had a point. “You’re quite well-versed in the duplicitous ways of academia, sweetheart. You must drive your own board of regents barking mad trying to keep up with your exacting demands,” he observed fondly.

           Caroline replied, “It’s really more about knowing people and how to appeal to their greed.”

           Klaus noted the slightly bitter tone to her voice, suddenly feeling the need to commiserate. “I know a fair bit about the greed in people’s hearts,” he began, resisting the urge to brush aside her wet strands when she jerked her head sharply at his statement. “My father fancies himself a world-renowned collector of priceless artifacts, but he’s actually a foul cutthroat who exploits the black market in an attempt to sate his bottomless greed.”

           Raising an eyebrow, she asked wryly, “So, you set out to become an accomplished archaeologist in one of the oldest civilizations known to man out of spite? I can respect that.”

           Not wanting to discuss his wretched father another moment, Klaus gave her a brief smile, and asked, “Well, what of your parents then? We’ve been so busy navigating the underwater work site that I’ve barely learned anything about you, love.”

           Carefully stowing the waterproof metal detectors, Caroline bit her lip, something he’d learned she did whenever she was debating something. “I never knew my father. You’ll have to tell me if that’s better or worse than having one like yours. My mom’s all I ever had.”

           Klaus observed the hard edge her voice took on — there’d only been one other time he’d heard it — when she found out he’d contacted her university to double-check her credentials. She’d been furious that he hadn’t trusted her and much to his chagrin, had forwarded him the incredibly detailed background check his own university had performed when they vetted her to join his research project. “Apologies, love, I didn’t mean to pry,” he replied, “I just thought since we’d been spending so much time together, it might be nice to get to know each other,” he finished awkwardly, feeling the tips of his ears burn slightly at the quirk of her lips.

           Caroline shook her head, scattering water droplets across the deck. “I’d like that.” Letting out a long sigh, she helped him carefully place the idols into bins of nitric acid and fresh water to start their preservation. “But, getting to know me is kind of a depressing conversation that requires many, many drinks. So, why don’t we finish up here and the first round is on me.”

           The acrid smoke filled his lungs as he made his way through the narrow bar, looking for Caroline. It was one of the oldest bars in Alexandria, a mishmash of old world-charm of the ancient Mediterranean port city with the eclectic vibe of the various tourists that drunkenly wandered in from the cruise ships. Klaus finally spied her blonde waves as she leaned over the well-worn bar to order a drink. When a drunken lout squeezed in beside Caroline and grabbed her wrist, her voice carried over the tinny, muffled classic rock playing through the speakers. “Let go before I make you let go.”

           Klaus was taken aback by the heat in her threat — even when furious, her tone was steel wrapped in sunshine. He was distracted from his thoughts when the stranger aggressively jerked her closer, slurring, “Just having some fun, but now I get to teach you uppity bitch a lesson.”

           Just as Klaus raced forward, blood rushing angrily in his ears, Caroline’s scowl turned into a dangerous blade and in one fluid move, she’d delivered a vicious uppercut to his sagging jawline with her left fist, and when he quickly released her right hand, she wrenched the boorish tourist’s arm behind his back, effectively pinning his sweaty head to the scuffed bar top with a hard thunk. Klaus arrived in time to hear Caroline hiss in his ear, “Go back to your cruise ship before I teach you a lesson, bitch.” With a final, cheeky pat across the back of his pastel polo shirt, Caroline let the stranger make his hasty, stumbled retreat out of the bar.

           Raising an eyebrow, Klaus couldn’t deny the small thrill he felt watching Caroline display this unexpected new side. “Impressive. I dare say you could use a drink.”

           As he signaled the bartender, she slapped a brown leather wallet on the bar between them, casually digging through it until she held up a credit card, announcing, “I agree, and it looks like Mr. Saltzman generously has agreed to foot the bill.”

           Against his better judgement, he fell for that impish wink she threw him, and slid the card toward the bartender to start their tab. Clinking their beer bottles together, he commented, “Care to tell me where you learned how to fight like that? Or that pickpocket routine, sweetheart?”

           Admiring the scribbles in various language along the wall behind them, she shrugged, “I grew up in a rough neighborhood. When no one’s looking out for you, you’ve got to look out for yourself. And I may have picked up a few other...unorthodox skills somewhere along the way.”

           As Klaus considered what Caroline wasn’t saying, he asked carefully, “Earlier you mentioned it was just you and your mother. What happened that she wasn’t looking out for you, love?”

           “My mom’s been sick for a long time which is why I started taking on more specialized assignments to try to keep up with her medical bills,” she ventured, taking a long drink from her bottle.

           Feeling a pang at her confession, he couldn’t help but inquire, “How bad is it, sweetheart?”

           “She needs a kidney and I’m not a match,” Caroline told him, worry lining her brow as she stared off into space. “There’s this waiting list and it’s her only hope now and I don’t know what I’ll do if...” she trailed off as she seemed to struggle to rein in her emotions.

           Klaus hated how defeated she sounded, all traces of her vibrant personality were gone and she looked so alone that he squeezed her hand. He suddenly felt the unexpected urge to tell her, “I had a little brother, Henrik, who was sick. By the time they found the leukemia, there was only time for a few rounds of chemo...we lost him within a year. I read him Greek mythology stories every day he was in the hospital.” A small, sad smile touched his lips as he added, “His favorite story was the one about the minotaur and the maze.”

           “My mom likes me to read Ovid to her when she’s getting her dialysis treatment. We’re both fans of Jason and the Golden Fleece,” Caroline said, nudging his shoulder.

           Klaus contemplated his beer as he revealed, “I think that’s part of why I became an archaeologist — to connect with that childlike wonder at ancient myths bigger than the world as we know it. There’s always a mystery to unravel with each new artifact; we’re restoring a bit of humanity’s lost heritage that we never even knew was missing. Unlike the other priceless works lost to the ages and likely never to be recovered like the coronet of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, or the end piece of the Bayeux Tapestry.”

           Caroline’s hand stilled as she reached for her beer, finally grasping it to clink it against his once more, cheerfully telling him, “I’ll drink to that.”

           He suddenly was aware of how close they were sitting. He watched her carefully, cataloguing too many emotions to decipher them properly. Heart pounding, he decided to take a chance. He closed the space between them, meeting her lips with his in a kiss that was hesitant but hopeful. Ignoring the catcalls of the drunken patrons, he deepened their kiss, encouraged by the way her hands touched his face, as if wanting to keep him in this moment.

           Suddenly, Caroline broke their kiss, her blue eyes full of regret as she told him sadly, “I can’t. We’re heading in different directions and it’s not fair to you. I’m sorry, Klaus.” Not waiting for his response, she abruptly left, disappearing into the night as he struggled to understand what happened.

           Several shots later, Klaus left the bar, weaving a bit as he made his way through the market square and back to the cramped office space that had been rented for the research project. He didn’t understand Caroline’s rejection — they were both respected archaeologists specializing in the same regional histories, their research project had been extended for several years — why did she believe were they heading in different directions? His thoughts were muddled from drinking, but he wasn’t sure it would make more sense after he sobered.

           He fumbled with his keys, finally fitting the correct one in the lock. He didn’t bother turning on the lights in the downstairs work area, instead slowly trudging through dusty piles of boxes until he was at the foot of the stairs that led to the staff’s sleeping quarters. As he began the unsteady climb, he paused when he heard Caroline’s irritated voice. From the sound of it, she was arguing with someone on the phone. “It’s over, do you hear me? I’m done!”

           Was she fighting with a lover? He strained to hear more, not caring about something as inconsequential as manners if it turned out Caroline had only turned him away because she needed to end something with someone else first. “No,” she swore angrily, “no more. I told you I’m done and I mean it!” Klaus held his breath, waiting for her to speak again, but when he didn’t hear anything further, he finished climbing the stairs to his quarters and fell into bed.

           The next morning, the sun blinded him, and from his throbbing head, he could tell his hangover was shaping up to need more than his usual greasy breakfast to cure. Groaning, he clumsily pulled on less-rumpled clothes and made his way over to Caroline’s room across the hall. He hesitated before he knocked, replaying last night’s events from their heated kiss to her confusing rejection and then the argument he overheard. He cared for her, but if she didn’t feel the same, surely he could set aside his hurt so that they could continue working together.

           Easier said than done, mate. Every time he replayed her words and the regret in her eyes, his heart sank in his chest. Rubbing a hand over his scruffy jaw, he squared his shoulders as he gently knocked. “Caroline? Would you care to join me for breakfast before we start cataloging our excavations?” Frowning when there was no response, he knocked a bit more firmly, her door swinging wide to reveal her bed was already made. Gray eyes narrowed, he noticed that the small closet was open, showing that it was empty save for a few coat hangers. Caroline was gone.      

           His hangover was no match for the rising panic he felt, terrified that he’d pushed her away with his impulsive kiss. He raced downstairs, unsure what to do. Spying his phone on a desk, he grabbed it, frantically looking for her number. Before he made the call, however, a noise near the back of the office caught his attention.

           A local bank had donated a vault to secure the artifacts, and Klaus realized that the noise was coming from inside. Feeling a slight glimmer of hope that it was Caroline, he ran inside, stopping short at the sight that greeted him.

           It was the flash of silver on the gun that he noticed first, his gaze tracing the length of the pistol until he registered that it was his father who held the gun. “Mikael,” he snarled, refusing to show this contemptable man any fear. “We haven’t spoken in years. Why are you here?”

           Mikael’s smile was cruel and twisted as he revealed, “To finish the job my assistant couldn’t get done.”

           Klaus hated the way his father possessively ran his hand across the piles of gold and bronze coins, eyeing the intricately carved statue of Hapy, god of floods, with pure greed. “What are you on about? What assistant?”

           He nodded behind Klaus, the blade of his smile sharpening as he greeted, “Why, the lovely Caroline, of course.”

           Caroline suddenly entered the vault, stoic and coldly calculating as she studied Mikael. “I told you I was out. I’m not helping you steal this treasure from Klaus.”

           Klaus felt his temper rise, forgetting the gun his father had trained on him as he growled at her, “All this time, you’ve been working for my father?! Was anything you told me real?!”

           “Yes,” she snapped, momentarily tearing her eyes away from the gun, “My mom was on a waiting list for a kidney but Mikael used his connections to get her kicked off of it. He said he’d only get her put back on if I pulled this job for him.” At Klaus’ noise of disgust, she shouted, “That list is her only chance! She’ll die without a kidney and I already used everything I had to pay her medical bills — there was nothing left to try to buy her one off the black market!”

           Despite his anger at being betrayed, he also felt a sliver of sympathy for her situation. It was the most vulnerable he’d ever seen her, even when he saved her in the underwater cave it didn’t compare to the raw emotion he now found in her eyes, and it took everything in him to hang onto his fury. Gray eyes narrowed, he replayed her words, picking up on her obvious familiarity with the black market, not to mention the other unusual traits he’d noticed but carelessly shrugged off. Whipping his head around, he asked Mikael suspiciously, “You could’ve used any thief to steal from me. Why Caroline?”

           “Because she’s the best grifter in the world,” he answered with an approving nod in Caroline’s direction, “among her illustrious accomplishments, she stole the end piece of the Bayeux Tapestry from a collector whose family had hidden away for generations.”

           Klaus’ gray eyes widened and he couldn’t help but be impressed — the final section of that famous medieval work had vanished sometime before the 16th century. Over the centuries, it only had been spoken of in whispers in the academic and art worlds, believed to be lost forever.

           Caroline seethed as she corrected his father, “I’m a treasure hunter, NOT a thief.” Flicking her gaze back to Klaus, she explained, “It’s how I knew so much about ancient artifacts.”

           “Obviously, you’re not a professor of Egyptology at the University of Chicago,” Klaus muttered, feeling completely ridiculous — he’d been quietly working on a lecture series that he’d intended to petition his own university to approve a visiting professorship for Caroline once their project grant had been depleted.

           Caroline sheepishly replied, “I may have picked up some digital forgery skills at some point,” she shrugged, “I knew your board of regents performed extensive background checks, so I wanted to be prepared.”

           Mikael sighed mockingly, “As amusing as this interlude has been children, it’s time to put an end to this embarrassing debacle.” Waving his pistol in Caroline’s direction, he ordered, “Start hauling the treasure to the front of the office. I’ve arranged for secure transport within the hour.”

           Despite the obvious danger, she narrowed her gaze at him as she challenged, “And if I don’t? Seriously, do you have any idea how many times I’ve had a gun pointed at me in my line of work?”

           While he admired her courage, Klaus barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her complete lack of self-preservation. He realized he was subconsciously angling his body as though trying to block Mikael’s line of sight.

           Mikael’s voice retained that cold, vicious certainty that had terrified Klaus as a child. “If you don’t follow my instructions, the fact that I will shoot both you and my worthless son is inconsequential. What should concern you is the depraved, agonizing torture I will visit upon your poor, sickly mother once you’re dead.”

           “Leave Caroline out of this, Mikael,” Klaus shouted, his heart plummeting when he saw how pale she’d grown the moment her mother was threatened.

           The fleeting warmth he felt when she flashed him a grateful smile was doused when his father chuckled darkly. “Useless boy, too foolish to understand he’s already dead.” The deadly click of the hammer as he cocked the pistol echoed throughout the bank vault, and Klaus hated the helplessness he felt, knowing he was about to die.

           Suddenly, Caroline whipped out a black handgun that had been concealed behind her back, tucked in her waistband. “Not him, Mikael. You.” She confidently stepped away from Klaus, keeping her cold gaze trained on Mikael.

           “You’re nothing but a scared little girl. You won’t pull the trigger,” Mikael taunted her with a sinister curl of his lip. Klaus registered the predatory way his father stalked toward Caroline, and he instinctively moved to protect her.

           A shot rang out with a sharp crack, sending adrenaline flooding through his system as he grabbed Caroline and threw them both behind a pile of dusty boxes. As he lay halfway on top of her, he quickly scanned her for injuries while listening for his father.

           He was surprised by the gentle press of Caroline’s palm on his back. “Klaus, it’s ok. It’s over.” She moved out from under him, pulling him to his feet as her smile turned grim.

           Klaus followed her gaze across the floor to where Mikael had fallen. The small bullet hole was centered in his forehead. A perfect shot. How the bloody hell did she know how to do that? “You saved my life,” he acknowledged in a harsh whisper, staring down at the monster who’d haunted his dreams for as long as he could remember. “He’d planned on killing me regardless of your decision to help him steal the treasure, and yet you risked your own life to save mine.”

           As she put away her gun, Caroline looked uncomfortable, shuffling her feet a bit as she muttered, “Well, I couldn’t just let you die after everything...” she trailed off awkwardly. As though noticing the way his eyes kept wandering back to his father’s body, her brow furrowed worriedly and she grasped him by the arm, leading him out of the vault and into their main work area. Biting her lip, she told him, “Mikael said there’s a transport arriving within the hour — so, we have a few options to take care of this. I just need to know whether you want him to have a burial. Or, do you just want him gone?”

           His thoughts raced as he processed her words. How in blazes did she know about these things? He thought back to his horrific childhood with that vile creature, and realized that he only felt relief as he’d stared at his father’s corpse. The cold, calm certainty of his voice still surprised him as he decreed, “Mikael was an abusive monster who deserves every indignity you care to inflict.”          

           Nodding once, she pulled out her phone, typing a quick message. Flicking her blue gaze at him, she announced, “Understood. I called in a favor and everything will be taken care of before Mikael’s security detail arrives. My friend has secured a safe house for you to continue your work at the site and the artifacts will be transported safely.” At his shocked expression, she gave him a small smile, explaining, “He’s the one who commissioned me to find the missing Bayeux Tapestry piece.”

           Curious, Klaus asked, “How did you find it?! The bloody thing has been lost for centuries without a trace — How did you even know where to begin?”

           Shrugging, Caroline coyly said, “I just happened to hear a few interesting whispers that seemed like they’d lead to an adventure.” Her tone grew serious as she seemed to search for something in his expression. “I’m sorry for everything. I lied to you and while I had my reasons, it doesn’t change what happened. I fell for you, Klaus.”

           Laughing nervously, she shoved her phone back in her pocket, playing with the frayed belt loops on her jeans as she couldn’t seem to look at him when she confessed, “I put everything I had into fighting it, but I couldn’t help myself — you’re so passionate about your work and fiercely intelligent when we debate and you have this crazy charismatic pull and my god, you look like you’re chiseled from marble...” she rambled, cheeks flushing. “And I’m sorry I left — it’s just all I’ve ever known; it’s what I’m good at. But it hurt my heart to do that to you, so I came back because I couldn’t stand the thought of what Mikael would do to you.”  

           Caroline fell for him. Klaus took a breath, not knowing what to say. It was everything he’d wanted to hear, but somehow, it still wasn’t enough. She’d lied to him. She’d every intention of stealing those artifacts, possibly irrevocably damaging his career. How could he trust her after that?

           She studied his face, as though cataloguing every emotion that flickered across it. In a small voice, she asked him, “Now what?”

           He sighed, suddenly exhausted. “I don’t know, Caroline.” Running fingers through his curls in frustration, he hated the way bitterness started to bleed into his voice. “I don’t know if I can move past everything. I don’t know if could ever trust you.”

           She was wistful as she replied, “I understand,” and placed a quick kiss on his cheek as she walked away.

           Klaus stopped her when she opened the door. “What’s next for you then? Off on another adventure?” He was still greedy for her presence, wanting to soak up their last moments together, but couldn’t bring himself to tell her how he really felt. Stubborn arsehole.

           “In my downtime here, I’ve heard a few interesting whispers that might lead to an adventure.” Caroline winked, taking her heart with him as she walked away.

           For the next week, he walked around the new office like a ghost, barely paying attention to his research as his every thought was plagued by Caroline, and occasionally yelling at one of his irksome interns if they dared to breathe wrong in his presence. He was a miserable bastard and knew he only had himself to blame. He let her walk away. Caroline was off on a new adventure and probably had forgotten all about him.

           When the package arrived, he’d been staring off into space, remembering the endearing way Caroline used to flush an angry red whenever he argued with her about discrepancies found in radiocarbon dating techniques. She’d been a veritable wealth of knowledge — surely it wasn’t solely the result of treasure hunting. Yet another thing he’d never know about her, he thought grimly. Mindlessly opening the box, he paused when he registered the crudely wrought bronze. A quick assessment revealed two bracelets, an axe head, four sickles and a handful of spear points. Was he actually  holding a shipment of priceless artifacts from the Bronze Age?

           Klaus’ hand trembled as he recognized Caroline’s handwriting:

           “There’s more where this came from. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, maybe you could stop by?”

           She’d written a series of GPS coordinates that made his heart hammer with excitement. Klaus knew that this interesting whisper would definitely lead to an adventure.

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[haouintheworld]

Prologue & Epilogue

OOC: Dropping mun’s first fanfiction in a decade featuring Judai and Johan before and after the events of Bonds Beyond Time. 

Pairing: Spiritshipping

Edit: Typos are fixed and now there are links in the text if you want know about more about Johan’s nightmares dreams and the mysterious mask, go follow @itsashowtime​ to learn more!

___________

The former Osiris Red student had been traveling the globe alone for almost a year now and had fallen out of touch with most of his schoolmates. He texted occasionally with O'Brien and Jim, mainly because they both felt the need to look after Judai as if he was their youngest brother. Asuka checked in once and a while, providing updates on her and Manjyome's lives. Kenzan texted when he could to update Judai on how quiet life had gotten at the Academy. Edo had badgered Judai into downloading Snapchat and they kept up with each other's adventures through brief pictures. The last Judai heard from Edo was a couple videos of Ryou moving in with him a few weeks prior. They'd made Judai laugh especially when he heard Sho complaining in the background. Despite Judai leaving without really saying goodbye, Johan had never drifted away. It was like Judai and Johan hadn't separated. Johan ensured they texted and called each other regularly while he was at university. Judai loved hearing about Johan's path to getting a degree in the history of dueling with a focus on ancient Rome. Apparently, his university had a acquired a few artifacts from an old nameless kingdom. They consisted of some golden braces and a gold-platinum sword which eerily matched this old mask Johan's family had kept for generations. 

Johan didn't mind staying up till odd hours just to talk depending on what time zone Judai was in. Judai didn't care about keeping odd hours either, especially if Johan needed to talk after a nightmare or a bad day. He'd found himself keeping a clock of Oslo's time zone on his home screen and sending postcards to Johan when he remembered to. 

Regardless of the miles between them, the connection he had with Johan only grew. Judai admitted to himself he missed his best friend more than anyone else. He'd said multiple times that he wished Johan could travel with him.

Judai shouldn't have been surprised with what happened in Venice. He traveled there following a lead about someone who'd stolen Ryou's Cyber End Dragon.

He'd just finished asking a batch of local workers if they had seen or heard of a mysterious masked stranger stealing Duel Monster cards. Then Johan called and after a few minutes of talking, Johan asked Judai to describe his surroundings. "Well if you'd just video call me, I could just show you." Judai pouted. "Judai, I told you my camera isn't working after I dropped it. Come on, I wanna hear about it." Johan dragged out the syllables in his name teasingly. Judai sighed, signalling that he agreed to humour his best friend. The giggle he heard from Johan made him smile involuntarily. "Well, I just walked out of a big library and behind me are two very tall columns with different statues on them... They both have wings?" Judai trailed off as his description of his surroundings turned into a question. Johan laughed, "You're the one who's there! And that big library is called the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana."   Judai smiled, he liked the sound of Johan's Italian. He noticed windy feedback on Johan's end. "Are you on your run or something?" Judai inquired, reminding himself how more than a few times they'd caught up while Johan was working out. "Yep, I called you right before I walked out of my place," Johan confirmed before adding, "now go on." Judai rolled his eyes, "There are plenty of tourists around and jeez these people like their fancy archways. I'll have to send you a picture." "Ha, please do. I love that there's all these religious details and then they just have four horses randomly on the centre arch." "I know, right?" Judai glanced up at them before asking, "Have you been here before?" "Not until today." Judai's brain didn't process that the source of Johan's voice had changed for a second. He'd opened his mouth to question his best friend and then his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, his brain screaming at him to turn around. 

So he did.

And his heart soared.

"Johan."

"Judai." 

Closing the small distance between them, the two boys embraced each other. They both laughed joyfully, lost in their own little bubble. Judai even picked Johan up and twirled him around. They didn't realise the few kind looks they received from tourists and locals alike. Another couple was walking toward the water and looked knowingly at each other.

"What are you even- don't you have university or work?" Judai wondered, this was the last thing he'd expected to happen today. He was so thankful to see Johan in person instead of on a tiny screen! He was considerably taller than him now too! He held on to Johan's arms, not wanting to break their connection as if the bluenette would disappear. "I did this crazy thing called finishing a school year?" Johan teased before adding, "I was planning to come find you no matter where you were since I'd have the time. It's been too long and I... I really needed to see you." Judai smiled softly, he was so touched. He'd desperately missed having Johan by his side. As much as he appreciated Hane Kuriboh, his professor, Pharaoh, and the other duel spirits, Judai wanted to be with people that didn't exist on another plain of existence. Moreover, he missed getting lost in those emerald eyes. "I needed to see you too, Johan." Neither spoke for a beat, something unspoken shared between their souls. They were happy to just be in the moment with each other.  

Johan would've been the first to break the silence had not Ruby Carbuncle and Hane Kuriboh appeared angrily looking in the direction of a plaza. Swooping over their heads with a piercing metal screech, was a darkened version of Cyber End Dragon. Its tail running through the central part of the library Judai was just in. Everyone in the streets began screaming and sprinting in directions away from the dragon. Within seconds Judai and Johan had dropped their respective bags. They loaded and activated their duel disks in sync before calling out their ace monsters. "Let's go Elemental Hero Neos!" "Come on out, Rainbow Dragon!" The two monsters shimmered into existence, Judai tapped into the powers given to him by the Supreme King to materialise the monsters into real beings. 

Whoever was doing this had some serious power behind them.

Rainbow Dragon allowed Neos to fly near his head as the two sped towards Cyber End Dragon, their powers charging. However, before either could act, an unfamiliar pearly dragon appeared and rammed Rainbow Dragon into the ground in a flurry of stardust. The force sent Johan and Judai to the ground as Crystal Beasts and Elemental Heroes appeared around them.

"RAINBOW DRAGON!" Johan cried out. He pushed himself forcibly to his feet so he could run to his largest family member. Before he could sprint, Rainbow Dragon disappeared in a flash of light along with his respective card. The remaining dragons flew upwards and began circling the city. Neos barely had time to move out of danger's way and touched back down in the crater Rainbow Dragon was in.

"No... No. No! NO!" A chorus of denial sang from the Crystal Beasts and their Protector who fell to his knees. 

Amethyst Cat roared alongside with Topaz Tiger before lying around Johan. Ruby Carbuncle cried as she climbed into Johan’s arm and he cradled her. Emerald Tortoise settled himself next to Topaz before shrinking into his shell in an effort to hide his tears. Cobalt Eagle landed atop Emerald with a strained call. Sapphire Pegasus and Amber Mammoth flanked their family closely, both crestfallen. 

Judai watched the group mourn for a moment before moving to throw an arm around Johan. His best friend leaned into the touch and let his tears fall, his shoulders jerking. Judai had felt Rainbow Dragon disappear and couldn't sense him with any of his powers. He looked to his heroes and they shared looks of awe and disbelief. He could barely process what had just happened or how in the world something could defeat Rainbow Dragon that quickly. Where did the card go? Who was doing this and why?

A few minutes passed like this and Judai got the feeling there was more to Johan and his family's reaction. Something had been wrong as of late... Judai wondered if it related to the bad dreams Johan had that he hadn't even wanted to describe. Suddenly, Johan stood and turned, startling Judai and the duel spirits around them. "Sapphire. Cobalt. We're going up to get some answers. I’m not letting this happen again." His tone was firm as he made to mount Sapphire, Ruby hopping out of his arms and onto Sapphire's back. To Johan's shock Sapphire denied him, "You can't be reckless, we don't know what we're facing." "He's right," Amethyst chimed in, her voice painted with sadness, "we have to think about this." "We're not all being separated again." Amber added. Judai felt unknown guilt flood him at the idea of the Crystal Beasts being separated. Johan began to protest when Topaz growled back toward the sky. Everyone turned to witness a darkened Rainbow Dragon emerge from gathered clouds. A maniacal laugh echoed above. Emerald emerged, murmuring, "Judai Yuki..." His words carried more than a name. Emerald's tone and eyes asked Judai for an answer. For a hero.

Judai nodded and flashed a reassuring smile. “I'll bring Rainbow Dragon back! This guy won't know what hit him!”

Johan spun towards Judai, his face a conglomerate of incredulous, concerned anger.

“You're not going in there alone!”

Judai scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking a few backwards steps towards the chaos, “I won't be! I've got duel spirits too you know.”

“Judai! Whoever that is you can't duel them by yourself!”

“Watch me, Duel Academy prepared me for crises. Plus, if they're after rare spirits, you have to protect them and keep them away from the fight.” Judai motioned to the worried Crystal Beasts.

“Judai, I swear to- Fine! I'll use my Gem Knights then, that way their cards don't-”

"I CAN'T lose you again!" Judai implored and almost screamed, his eyes flashing gold. 

Johan looked taken aback, his eyes, red and glassy from crying, widened. Judai followed his impulse to close the distance between Johan and him. He took Johan's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. 

"Johan... You have to be safe, I can't duel, let alone think clearly at the thought of losing you, seeing you hurt like this..." Judai's eyes stared into Johan's emerald ones, willing him to understand.

Off in the distance, sounds of buildings crashing, dragon roars, and people screaming were heard. The two didn't have time to speak what their hearts yearned for.

Johan wrapped his arms around Judai's waist and squeezed him tight. They both shut their eyes for a beat.

“Go save Rainbow Dragon… and the world too while you're at it.” Johan relented, eliciting a chuckle from Judai.

“As you wish.” Judai joked, his eyes opening to see Johan's beautiful green eyes and a ghost of a smile. He was thankful to see those eyes.

“I'll wait for you here.” Johan loosened his grip so Judai could step away.

Judai smiled and made his “Gotcha” sign before sprinting towards the Piazza San Marco.

----

With a grin, Judai waved to Yusei as the latter started up his D-wheel and sped through a portal back to his time. Feeling the breeze pick up, Judai turned and observed his surroundings. He was back in Venice and the sun was setting, washing the buildings with shades of gold. His heart had settled after the intense duel with Paradox and once in a lifetime chance to tag duel with the King of Games. His smile wouldn't leave his face as he thought of all the incredible combos they pulled off to save their respective timelines. As Judai relived the duel, his thoughts were stolen by how Paradox had corrupted Rainbow Dragon also known as the reason Judai battled the villain in the first place. He pulled out his deck and flipped the top card. "It's good to see you, friend." Judai murmured to the card. He felt the dragon's gratitude channeled towards him before he heard what sounded like an ancient voice question him. "My protector, I am sure, is worried about both of us." The dragon ventured, echoing in his mind. At those words, Judai's heart started beating erratically and he clutched the cards in his hand tighter. Johan... With a quick movement, the cards were back in the deck box he kept clipped to his belt and Judai took off towards the place he'd last saw his best friend.

Gratefully, he admired how it seemed the destruction Paradox caused earlier disappeared because now he could appreciate the view. There weren’t many people lingering around. Judai wondered if anyone remembered how close they came to danger or if Time’s magic had interfered.

Either way, he could make out the silhouette of his best friend looking out over the water. Only Ruby sat on his shoulders now. Judai felt in his soul that he’d made this walk to Johan many times in this life and the one previous. He didn’t know very much about his past as the Supreme King besides the dreams he sometimes had. Once in a while, something might trigger a memory, but those moments were few and far between in this past year.

This was one of those moments. It was brief, but as the sunset shifted from golds to reds, Judai swore he saw Johan in glittering armour complete with a cape billowing in the wind.

As quick as it came, the illusion faded away as Ruby turned his way, alerting Johan of Judai’s return.

“What is it, Ruby?” Johan murmured, inclining his head towards her.

She chirped happily before disappearing to the plane duel spirits existed on. Judai assumed that’s where the other Crystal Beasts were along with his own duel spirits. He could hardly feel any of their presences, he wasn’t even sure Pharaoh was nearby?

They were purposefully leaving Judai alone with Johan.

Judai was good with that.

Johan turned to him, his eyes full of concern, doubt, hope, and something else Judai couldn’t decipher.

“Judai…”

Judai stopped an arm’s distance from Johan, trying his best to keep a straight face. Ultimately, he failed the second he reached back for his deck and pulled out Rainbow Dragon’s card. He smiled reassuringly and held it out for Johan.

“You did it!” Johan carefully took the card and held it to his heart. “I knew you would, but I was- we were all so worried, but when the buildings went back to normal I- How did you do it? What happened? I...I don’t know how to thank you.” Johan rushed through his words, his bright smile making Judai smile even bigger.

“It was no problem, I’d do anything for you!” Judai admitted happily as he watched Johan return the precious card to his deck. A dim rainbow halo emit briefly from the deck and the duelists knew things were back to normal.

They looked back at each other and laughed, pulling one another in for a victory hug. Johan’s arms wrapped around Judai’s neck while Judai’s went round Johan’s waist.

“You’re my best friend.” Johan said softly after a minute, making no move to end the embrace.

Judai responded by holding Johan a little tighter. His heartbeat pounded as something in his mind clicked into place. Judai couldn’t help but smile as he realised what he was about to do. This was something his heart and soul had known longer than his brain. Now, Judai wouldn’t let himself leave this spot without putting it into words.

“You’re mine…” Judai said finally, matching Johan’s tone. “Hey, I have an idea on how you could thank me.” He added playfully.

Johan pulled back and suspicion was etched on his face along with an unknowing smile. “What did you have in mind?”

Johan withdrew his arms from their hug only to have Judai take both of his hands into his. Judai loved seeing the blush which crept on Johan’s cheeks. Judai could feel his own cheeks burn at the what he was about to do.

“Just listen for a second, okay?” Judai asked.

Johan gave him a small nod. His emerald eyes were wide and his pupils dilated as he searched Judai’s face for a hint.

Taking a deep breath, Judai started, “I got to tag duel with Yugi Mutou and my new friend from the future Yusei against the jerk who stole Rainbow Dragon. It was incredible that we got to work together and meet up despite being from different times. Afterward we talked about how, somehow, we’d meet again because the friendship we made defies time.”

Johan reacted to everything Judai said and clearly had tons of questions from the way his jaw dropped. At the mention of defying time, Johan’s expression grew more serious, as if he was remembering something.

“And it’s just… such a cool thought that people can do that. No matter the adversity or what the world throws at us, people find their way back to each other.” Judai interlaced their fingers together at that and held his gaze on them.

“Johan, you’re… I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier, I realised in that moment… No I think I’ve known for a while that I… I’ve learned so much this past year being on my own. Most of all I learned how important you are to me. I care about everyone else from school too and our duel spirits. But you and I go through so much together and you’ve always been here for me even with continents and evil between us.”

Judai paused and looked back into Johan’s eyes, “I wish I had the words sooner and no matter what you say, I just hope you can let me stay in your life. I want to protect you and be by your side for as long as you’ll let me because... I’m in love with you. I have been a long time, so long that-”

“You don’t remember when you started?” Johan finished for Judai. The look on his face was one Judai will never forget because he knew that the love he felt for Johan was reflecting back at him. Their faces were a couple inches away.

Judai grinned, “Exactly...”

With that, they both leaned in and kissed each other tenderly. Johan disentangled one of his hands to cradle Judai’s face while Judai’s free hand found its way around Johan’s waist. They both smiled into their series of kisses, breathless and happy.

“I love you, Judai.”

“I love you too, Johan.”

[torturedwarrior]

Ed Gein:

        Who is Ed Gein? What where is his crimes? How did Gein die? What did the police find in his home when they searched it? What was Geins childhood like?  Ed Gein was an American serial killer whose gruesome crimes gained worldwide notoriety and inspired numerous books and horror films. “When I see a pretty girl walking down the street, I think two things. One part wants to be really nice and sweet, and the other part wonders what her head would look like on a stick.” -Ed Gein, “I had a compulsion to do it.” -Ed Gein.  

         Ed Gein (Edward Theodore Gein) was born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, On August 27, 1906. He was the second of two boys of George Phillip Gein (1873-1940) and Augusta Wilhelmine Gein (1878-1945). Geins older brother whose name is Henry George Gein (1901-1944). Gein left his family farm to go to school but outside of school Gein would return to the farm to work his chores. When Gein was a child he was known to be shy and his classmates and teachers remembered Gein has having strange mannerisms like randomly laughing for example like he was laughing at his own personal jokes. The worse of his childhood was every time he would make friends his mother would punish him for it.

Death in the immediate family; April 1, 1940, Gein’s Father George had died from heart failure that was caused from his alcoholism. George was 66 years old when he passed. Henry and Gein then worked odd jobs around town to help cover the living expenses and they were considered from the residents in the community that they were reliable and honest. Henry began dating a divorced single mother of two and planned on moving with her. Henry began to worry about his brother, Gein and his attachment to their mother and often spoke of her illness around Gein who responded with shock and hurt. May 16, 1944, Henry and Gein were burning away marsh vegetation on their property and then the fire began out of control. The fire drew the attention of the local fire department and by the end of the day when the fire was out and the firefighters were gone, Gein then reported that his brother Henry was missing.

A search party was formed and set out to look for Henry, whose dead body was found lying face down but he had been dead for some time and it appears the cause of death was heart failure since he was not burned or injured by the fire. It was said later in a biography by Harold Shechter; of Ed Gein ‘Deviant’, that Henry had bruises on his head. Shortly after Henry’s death, Augusta, Geins mother had a paralyzing stroke which Gein devoted himself to caring for her. Later Augusta had a second stroke that landed her health deteriorating rapidly, she then on December 29, 1945, died at the age of 67. After his mother’s death, Gein became very devastated and his words in the author Harold Schechter, Gein had “lost his only friend and one true love. And was absolutely alone in the world.” -Ed Gein.

         Gein was hanging on to the farm and earning money from odd work. He boarded up his mother's quarters, including the attic, parlor downstairs, and living room, keeping them intact; while the rest of the house was exceedingly squalid, these areas remained untouched. Gein stayed next to the kitchen in a small room. He was involved around this period in reading pulp magazines and stories of adventure, especially those involving cannibals or massacres by the Nazis. Gein was a handyman who earned a federal government farm subsidy from the beginning of 1951. Occasionally he worked in the area for the local street team and crop-threshing workers. He also sold an 80-acre (32 ha) parcel of land purchased by his brother Henry sometime between 1946 and 1956.

         November 16, 1957, A Plainfield hardware store owner, Bernice Worden had disappeared and a resident in the community reported that a hardware store truck had been seen driving out from the rear of the building around 9:30 am in the morning. Worden’s son who is a Deputy Sheriff named Frank Worden; he entered the store at 5:00pm and discovered the cash register to be open and blood steins on the floor. He also noticed a sales slip for a gallon of antifreeze was the last receipt written by Worden the morning she disappeared. That evening Gein was arrested at a west Plainfield grocery store and then the sheriff began to search Gein’s farm. Waushara County Sheriff’s Deputy searching Gein’s property discovered Worden’s decapitated body in a shed on Geins property, hung upside down by her legs with a cross bar at her ankles and ropes at her wrists. Her torso was ‘Dressed out’ like a deer and she had been shot with a .22-caliber rifle, also the mutilations were made after her death.

Searching the house, authorities found: Whole human bones and fragments, A wastebasket made of human skin, Human skin covering several chair seats, Skulls on his bedposts, Female skulls, some with the tops sawn off, Bowls made from human skulls, A corset made from a female torso skinned from shoulders to waist, Leggings made from human leg skin, Masks made from the skin of female heads, Mary Hogan's face mask in a paper bag, Mary Hogan's skull in a box, Bernice Worden's entire head in a burlap sack, Bernice Worden's heart "in a plastic bag in front of Gein's potbellied stove", Nine vulvas in a shoe box, A young girl's dress and "the vulvas of two females judged to have been about fifteen years old", A belt made from female human nipples, Four noses, A pair of lips on a window shade drawstring, A lampshade made from the skin of a human face and lastly Fingernails from female fingers.

When being questioned by investigators Gein told them between 1947 and 1952, he made as many as 40 nocturnal visits to three local graveyards to exhume recently buried bodies while he was in a “Daze-like” state. 30 of those visits, Gein said he came out of his daze while being in the cemetery and had left the grave in good order and returned home empty-handed. On the other occasions he would dig up the graves of newly buried middle-aged women who resembled his mother which he took back to his house where he then tanned their skins to make his paraphernalia.

         Gein acknowledged stealing from nearby cemeteries from nine graves and guided researchers to their positions. Allan Wilimovsky from the State Crime Laboratory was involved in the opening of Gein's three test graves. The caskets were inside wooden boxes; crossways (not lengthwise) were running through the top boards. The tops of the boxes in sandy soil were about 2 feet (60 cm) beneath the surface. Shortly after the funerals, Gein had robbed the tombs while the tombs were not finished. The test sepulchers were exhumed because the authorities were unsure as to whether the slight Gein was able to dig a grave on its own during a single night; they were just as Gein described: two of the exhumed sepulchers were found empty (one had a crowbar instead of the body). One barrel was empty; one-barrel Gein had failed to open when he misplaced his pry bar; and most of the corpse had vanished from the third grave, but Gein had recovered rings and parts of the body. Thus, Gein's confession seems to be corroborating.

         Shortly after the death of his mother, Gein started to construct a "girlfriend costume" so that "... he could become his mother — to practically climb inside her skin. “Gein denied having intercourse with the corpses he exhumed, explaining:" They smelled too horrible. Gein even confessed to the shooting death of Mary Hogan, a pub owner who had been missing since 1954 and whose head had been discovered in his room, but he later denied memory of details of her death. One 16-year-old young boy whose parents were Gein relatives, who engaged in ball and film games with him claimed that Gein kept shrinking heads in his home that Gein identified as Philippine artifacts and sent them from a cousin who served on the islands during the Second World War 2.

         During the police investigation, human face skins were determined and deliberately taken out of the corpses and were used as masks by Gein. In many other cases for Wisconsin, Gein was also identified as a suspect, including Evelyn Hartley, a babysitter from La Crosse, missing in 1953. Waushara County Sheriff Art Schley allegedly attacked Gein during the interview by smashing his head and face into a brick wall. The first confession of Gein was therefore ruled unacceptable. In 1968 before Gein's proceeding, Schley died of a heart failure at 43 years of age. Many of those who met Schley said they had been traumatized by Gein's horror, which, with the fear of having to give testimony, led to his death (especially on Gein's assault). One of his friends said: "He was a victim of Ed Gein as surely as if he had butchered him."

         In Waushara County Court, on 21 November 1957 Gein was arraigned on a first-degree charge of murder, where he pleaded not guilty for insane reasons. Gein has been diagnosed and found mentally incompetent and therefore not suitable for testing. He was sent to the Criminally Insane State Hospital (now Dodge Correctional Institute), Waupun, Wisconsin to provide a high-speed security unit, and later transferred to Madison, Wisconsin, Mendota State Hospital. In 1968, the psychiatrist decided that Gein "mindfully had the possibility of listening to the lawyer and taking part in his defense." A doctor testified that he did not know whether Bernice Worden's death was deliberate or accidental. Gein told him the gun went from, murdered Worden, when he checked a pistol in Worden's shop. Gein revealed that he released a bullet after trying to fire into the weapon. He said that he had not targeted Worden's rifle, and that he didn't remember anything else that morning.

         Gein's trial was carried out without a jury at the behest of the State, presided over by Judge Robert H. Gollmar. On 14 November Gein was sentenced by Gollmar. A second case concerned the health of Gein; after testimony from doctors for the prosecution and defense, Gollmar ruled that Gein was "not guilty for insane reasons." Gein lived in a mental hospital the rest of his life. Judge Gollmar noted "Gein was convicted for one murder — Mrs. Worden's, with prohibitive costs. He agreed that Mary Hogan would also be murdered."

Gein died at the Mendota Mental Health Institute on July 26, 1984, at the age of 77, due to secondary respiratory failure due to lung cancer. Souvenir hunters chipped bits from his gravestone at the Plainfield Cemetery over the years until the stone itself was stolen in 2000. It was found near Seattle in June 2001 and placed in storage at the headquarters of the Waushara County Sheriff. The tomb itself is now unidentified, but not unknown; Gein is interred in the graveyard between his parents and brother. Ed Gein's narrative has had a lasting effect as seen in his various performances in film, music, and literature on American popular culture. In the fictionalized version portrayed by Robert Bloch in his 1959 horror book, Psycho, the story first came to widespread public notice. In comparison to Bloch's 1960 feature, Psycho, by Alfred Hitchcock.

                                            Work Cited:

         “Ed Gein.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Jan. 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein.

        Inspiringquotes.us. “Top 3 Quotes of ED GEIN Famous Quotes and Sayings: Inspringquotes.us.” Inspiring Quotes, https://www.inspiringquotes.us/author/7075-ed-gein.

Jenkins, John Philip. “Ed Gein.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 23 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ed-Gein.

[elysiumscenarios]

My Revelation [Hyunseong]

“Lo! Who walks by yonder garden wall?!”

“It is...I, the great, uh, master thief?”

The script was snatched out of Hyunseong’s hands, a quiet protest escaping his lips.

“No, no, no! That’s not how you do it at all. You’re the best thief in the world, and you’ve been all around the globe stealing the most valuable artifacts. You’ve got to be confident, and sassy, because you’ve never been caught and you don’t believe you will be anytime soon,” she scolded. Hyunseong sighed as she continued her monologue, her hands flying everywhere. His eyes wandered over her face, taking in her lively eyes and soft pink lips. He flushed suddenly as he became aware of his own staring, looking down at his hands and pulling his sheet music closer to him.

“...and that’s how you act the part! Got it?” “Drama girl” puffed up with pride at her own explanation, and Hyunseong just laughed awkwardly.

“I...don’t think I’m good at this whole acting thing, honestly,” Hyunseong muttered. She looked incredulous.

“Wh-what?? Anybody can be an actor! Though, you’re a bit more stiff than most are...but it’s okay! We can practice.” The confidence in her voice made Hyunseong smile slightly, but he shook his head nonetheless. “C’mon...please?”

Hyunseong pulled his composition notebook in front of him and pointed at the cover. “This one is what I’m good at. I’m really just...happy to watch you act.” The sudden confession surprised even him, and he felt his face redden as he realized what he’d said. Luckily, drama girl was off in her own world, contemplating something, and Hyunseong let out a sigh of relief as he started working on his composition.

---

Waving goodbye to Donghyun as he stepped into the piano room, Hyunseong nearly ran straight into drama girl as he turned around. There was a sparkle in her eye that signalled some sort of plot, and Hyunseong felt his heartbeat speed up.

She grabbed his hand in excitement. “I have a great plan! You see, I’m working on writing a play that’s set in the early Joseon Dynasty, and you’re a traditional music major! Isn’t that perfect?”

The words she was saying barely registered as the heat of her hand travelled through Hyunseong’s arm and, seemingly, straight into the core of his being. Lightheaded, he simply nodded. She grinned and started talking animatedly about something, but Hyunseong couldn’t focus on the words, closing his eyes briefly as he enjoyed the warmth filling his chest, bright and clean as the sun.

-----

The next few days were a haze to Hyunseong; all he could remember was the frenzy of composition, the notes that poured from his mind to his fingers to the page. He composed at all hours of the day, even during his other classes, something that earned him a stern talking-to from Mrs. Kim. Donghyun just laughed at him and said he was “whipped”, but Hyunseong shrugged and kept going. He could see it already: the happy smile and enthusiastic praise that would rain down on him when he was finished, the hug that he would receive.

Hyunseong composed the entire soundtrack in a week. As the last strains of music faded from his head and his hand stilled, he leaned his head back and let out a long sigh. Rubbing his wrist, Hyunseong smiled tiredly and stared up at the ceiling. He felt completely drained but entirely content. Slowly gathering together the pile of papers, Hyunseong made his way back to the piano room he’d been avoiding for the past week.

She was sitting there as usual, chewing on a strand of hair and studying a playbook intently. As Hyunseong shut the door behind him, the slight click made her look up.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you around. Doing well?” she asked, tucking the hair behind an ear.

Hyunseong wordlessly held the stack of papers out to her. She looked intrigued and confused, but accepted them and began leafing through.

“Wow, this is...wow. Really good stuff. If we could have this playing here, and put this piece there…” she murmured, eyebrows raised. She looked through the papers for another second before setting them down carefully on the piano. “Thank you,” she whispered, and suddenly launched forwards and caught Hyunseong in a hug.

He almost fell backwards with surprise, but righted himself and awkwardly held his arms above her body. Was it weird to hug her back? Would it be okay?

After a few seconds of drama girl not letting go, Hyunseong let his arms slowly come to rest around her torso. “Umm, you’re welcome. I hope it’s okay…” he muttered shyly, trying not to get too close to her face. She looked up at him, a brilliant smile spreading across her face.

“It’s perfect! Everything I could’ve wanted and more. I knew I could count on you, traditional music boy.”

Finally, she let him out of the embrace, the heat of her body still lingering against Hyunseong’s bare arms. He coughed slightly and started edging out of the doorway, the embarrassment catching up with him. Drama girl had already begun working again, tapping the pencil against the piano as she got lost in thought.

Hyunseong had almost left the room when a small bud of light blinked to life in his mind. “Umm, hey. Would it be okay if...you let me compose some more music for you in the future…?”

She turned her head to look at him. Hyunseong almost felt like shrinking under that unyielding gaze, but forced himself to stay still. Finally, a gentle, almost loving smile worked its way across her lips.

“I’d love that.”

-----

So uhh I kind of wrote a sequel to My Inspiration, and it’s not as good as my original but here it is anyways :’)

- Admin Syne