#this guy has all his paws and ears and funny markings

[suppenzeit]

got meself a marten skull and a wild fox pelt :)

[c4n1d43cup1d]

Some hogcanons. notes (me rambling) under the cut

So silver was the reason i wanted to make this in the first place despite him looking the most on model (not entirely obviously, but i don't have many hcs for him). Mostly i wanted to draw his height compared to the other hedgehogs since him being freakishly tall despite being younger than sonic and shadow is funny. I saw someone say hes probably the most conventionally attractive hedgehog and i think that's true, hes a pretty boy and his fur/quills are really sleek and well maintained. The fluff on his chest is less spikey and more fluffy looking plus i put some fluff in his ears as well. I think his paws and nails are black and he doesn't wear eyeliner his lashes are just really long and hes got black markings on his eyes. Coming back to this after writing Amy's desc but i think hes genderqueer in some way idk maybe bigender i need to study him under a microscope some more every character i touch becomes transgender

Sonic has a few more added details, i like giving him a little nick in his ear and top surgery scars because that hog is trans. I haven't really seen many people give him stylized top surgery scars surprisingly, i tried to make his look kind of lightning bolty because uh something about him being fast. idk man. i think i imagined its similar to what itd look like for him to run in a zigzag? whatever i think it looks cool. I think his claws are kind of uneven and he doesn't really care too much about how they look especially since he just has them under gloves most of the time

Amy is fat because i said so, also i gave her wavier quills and heart markings everywhere. Her ears might look a little strange since it like implies her skin is making that heart shape but i imagine thats her fur spiking into the point. Her nails are painted the same red that shadows markings and stuff are mostly because i think them being besties is cute like. i see shadamy as a queer platonic relationship. Theyve always been my favorites im going to to make them as close as i want. Anyway, i think she and sonic are tied for having the shortest ears, and hers are the rounest (might make them even rounder the next time i draw her) also not entirely related to her design but i think shes transfem and genderfluid.

Shadow my son. im taking custody from black doom and gerald. anyway, i have the most headcanons for him because he is my absolute favorite guy ever he rots my brain. I think he and Amy are the same height, his rocket shoes are like platform/heels and so when he has them on he looks like Sonic's height or maybe a teeny tiny bit taller. I give his quills extra little spikes for no reason other than i think its cute, i could bullshit that its a black arms thing but idrc. What are black arms things though are his eyes and claws, his scelera is a more yellow compared to everyone elses (jaundiced as my friend put it. thanks endy) and i didn't draw it but his pupils are slits. Claws are long but are even longer when all the way out (retractable) his gloves are thick enough that he doesn't pierce them but he probably has a few spare pairs. Also not pictured but black arms related: his teeth are fucking razors, larger than the other hedgehogs and also serrated because i think thats cool. his tail is the longest out of all of them though i think it used to be longer but was lopped off in the name of science and never properly grew back. also his inhibitor rings are connected to a sort of device that does the task of being a proper gateway between his internal energy and the rings themselves, i didn't draw them but essentially its like a smaller ring that is embedded into his wrists i think. also hes trans but in a sort of alien way, i think the black arms can do the clownfish genderswap thing and shadow has it to a somewhat lesser degree its like an internal tshot i guess idfk

ok yeah thats all if u made it to the end thanks for reading the ramblings of a mad man

[bonefall]

Better Bones Profile: Houndleap

"The horrifying eldritch fallen angel likes ME best because I'm hot"

[ID: The Better Bones AU version of Houndleap from Warrior Cats. He is a black-and-white tom with ginger flecks in his black parts, and a fluffy white tail tuft. His ears are burned away, and he has orange, swirly keloid scars. He also has a heart-shaped paw pad.]

Here by popular request! Holy MOLY you all jumped on the offhanded manwhore comment lmao.

Houndleap's a great example of cats who are in the Dark Forest for breaking non-violent commandments. The only thing he's killing is the gene pool, with his 6 known mates and the 16 kittens between them all. No, he wasn't in love with them all either, he just liked to play the game.

He is as close to the ideal Clan cat as one can get, and he knows it, and flaunts it. Tri-colored with beautiful ginger flecks, he fell victim to a terrible moor fire and came out with severe burns. His surviving was already a great mark of strength, but then he became even luckier when his shiny scars raised, and slightly spread from the initial injury.

Clan cats didn't have a word for keloids, they only knew it was gorgeous. As if StarClan had given him a scar that dances and shimmers.

Houndleap "abused" this gift, seeing as many cats as possible and cheating on his 'official' mate back home. In the modern era, he might have just been a very popular Honor Sire, but this was before the Queen's Rights and the Aftergathering. He was eventually caught, and after his death, he was banished to the Dark Forest for violating the Law of Loyalty on more than 5 counts.

Yes. More than 5 counts. StarClan was able to see that he had even more than 5 halfclan mates (and they're not even counting the wife he cheated on) but only 5 got pregnant.

Alignment: Dark Forest, ex-WindClan

Time Period: Skyfall Era

Relations: Too fucking many

Houndleap's addition to the Dark Forest is Lover's Beck, a twisted, romantic version of a spot in the Gorge where he used to meet with his secret lovers. It's his worst memory because he planned poorly and two of them showed up at the same time and that's how he got caught.

More trivia below!

Canon said he's solid-colored and I said no. Pretty boy.

There are several minor features in his design that will be seen in modern family lines. I won't point them out but there's 3 total (so far.)

I decided to use him as an example of nearly ideal beauty standards in BB, since I famously overhauled them from canon. He is brightly colored with complicated patterns, slightly chunky, and has a HUGE scar on the face.

Personality is slut. He just wants to flirt, man. Theme song is Mambo #5 he's just like that.

He works with Tigerstar in OotS mostly because it's not like there's anything better to do. Plus some of the trainees are hot, "hellooooo Ratscar"

When Antpelt dies, Houndleap is one of the cats who needs the most convincing to come back into the alliance. It's one thing when it's funny haha Attack And Dethrone God or whatever, but PERMAdeath??

Thankfully, Hawkfrost is a fantastic diplomat.

Generally, Houndleap is motivated by whatever's fun. He was one of the first to fall in line under Ashfur and will do basically anything if he's bored.

"We're teaching people how to kill? sure lmao. Oh we're attacking the living? Ok cool. Guard the prisoners? Not like I had plans anyway. Anyway wanna get evil dinner later, handsome <3 ?"

Likes drama, tea, stories, games, anything that brings him a little excitement really.

He can usually be counted on to join whatever silly project the group's up to this time, like catching Shrewpaw's Pheasant.

I cannot stress enough how much of a normal Crummy Dude he is. He's just some standard jerkwad guy. The Dark Forest in Better Bones contains several people like him, who might be sleazeballs or jackasses, but we would generally agree don't deserve Hell.

When canon comes up with a Houndleap backstory, I'll consider what to do with it. But for now we only know that Hound came from WindClan, which I've included.

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: "3, 2, 1..." for hanma i GUESS 🙄

Send "3,2,1..." for a new years kiss from my muse

Hanma makes no effort to disguise the fact that he's mainly here for the booze and food over anything else. Which, by all signs that he's seen, seems to be acceptable enough. The fact Hanma has bothered to show up at ALL is more surprising than anything else ; he's a man who ultimately obeys himself before anyone else. Even Tetta Kisaki cannot wrangle him into obedience. Hanma just happens to find his plots fun most of the time. His obedience is contractual to his interest. This event just happens to hold the promise that something funny might happen. Alcohol plus guys who like to right tends to make for an interesting combination.

Although, for how tall he is and the presence he carries, no one can seem to quite pin down the moment the reaper had appeared at the new years eve party decked out in leather and paired with a wolfish grin. Few really care anyways.

So he enjoys the drinks and food, and flashes a particularly sly grin and mocking wink when he catches Ran's scowl across the room at one point in the night just because he knows it'll rile up the older Haitani. It's quickly forgotten though and perhaps it's one last blessing from the old year that Hanma doesn't decide to cross the room to directly antagonize Ran as a source of entertainment. He lets him be and minds his own business.

Or maybe it's one last elaborate trap of the year.

Time stretches and melts together, and before Hanma knows it, the final seconds of the year are approaching. He has no particularly interest in participating in the silly traditions. He'd one it before, but there's little interest. At least, not until he sees who exactly has ended up right next to him. And then his mouth parts into a hyena grin. Well now, this was too good of an opportunity to waste.

Punishment reaches out, draping across Ran's shoulder as he turns his attention solely onto Ran. " Well fancy that ~ Christmas time and New Years? That's seeming like a bit more than chance, Ran. " Hanma draws out, leaning down a bit more to be closer to the other man's level by his ear. " What was that you said? Using holidays as excuses? If you wanted a kiss, you could just say so. "

The countdown strikes 10, but Hanma withdraws is arm, fingertips ghosting cross Ran's spine as he lets his hand fall away. It's rather deceptive, because it seems like Hanma is going to let Ran escape from the moment. It's nothing more than cruel offering, like a cat lifting its paw to let the mouse see freedom but not quite letting go. Because moments later, the same hand comes by to cup under Ran's jaw, fingers holding him captive.

The countdown hits one and Hanma bends to crush their lips together. Yet for as carefree as he makes it seem, there's nothing careless about, nothing clumsy or awkward or off the mark about it. He grins against Ran's softer lips, careless to the cheers that erupt around them as the new year is rung in. The final and first moments belong to the reaper, and that cannot be changed. It might not matter in the grand scheme of everything. Neither he nor Ran view such acts with childish, romanticized sentimentality as far as he's aware. But that doesn't crush the smug streak of satisfaction.

There is the temptation to turn this into a fight in its own right - of lips and teeth and blood that colors their lips. But he withholds ( this time ) from that particular path , though that by no means is to say that its soft or sweet. It isn't. Hanma kisses with command, Sin sneaking to rest a hand against his waist. His tongue slides along Ran's lip, swiping away any traces of alcohol and pressing his lips open. ( It's almost disappoint he doesn't need to pull those handy braids to make it easier. )

Could Ran bite his tongue? Yeah. And he wouldn't put it past him either. But such risks have never dissuaded Hanma and they should both know it won't dissuade Hanma. If anything, the violence will only have him more active. Ran got to have his fun, now it's Hanma's turn as he deepens the kiss further, till his head feels fuzzy and he pulls away with a grin.

" Happy New Years, Ran ~ "

But that isn't quite where Hanma leaves it. Because he knows damn well Ran likes to have the last say or spit out a barbed comment. He expects it, and when Ran goes to say something, Hanma utilizes his height and forcefully pulls Ran forward against him to seal their lips together a second time that night. This one is a little rougher, a tease of teeth and demand before he pulls back. For a moment he holds Ran still in his hand, licking his own lips before he lets go of Ran with a Cheshire cat smile.

" There you go Ran ~ " Hanma coos, voice rich with satisfaction. "Now you're the only one hiding kisses behind holidays. "

[jadelynlace]

Hey just went on a 4.5 hr binge reading your amazing work!! I was just wondering if you could do somthing with ivar reacting to the reader saying she is pregnant and his reaction to when she's in labour? In ink drinker?? You're amazing and I love your work!

Hello! That’s so sweet of you, thank you. Welcome to the crazy world!

And I know I said my requests are closed but Ivar & kids? The kill shot. It’s long & funny & emotional and I hope you all enjoy. I cried. 

☞ catch up here

You were late. You were late and in your haste of life, you only noticed two weeks past where you should have.

“I’m late” You texted Ivar.

“For work?” Is what he replies.

You nearly threw your phone across the threshold, the cry of delirious laughter on your lips at Ivar’s far too perfectly timed response. It had been madness with him back at work; catching up on two years' worth of delays, overbooking himself, and coming home in the middle of the night. Sleep was never easy for him, he had turned into a man who needed an orgasm to so simply think about closing his eyes. And the nights of fumblings between the sheets, soft moans and heavy breathing, Ivar telling you how he loves you, only helped him.

And you knew his pullout game sucked.

The magenta double lines that grace you back from the porcelain sink hitch your breath. After a step closer, two glances back, they remain there, almost smiling up at you. You can’t dwell on those marks, already telling yourself the tale that it was incorrect, but the other two tests, of the other two manufacturers, yielded the same promise. An ocean of chill runs down your spine, tugging against your tailbone and snapping into you like a pluck of a guitar string, propelling the sensation through to your toes. Finding your hand across your abdomen was a motion you didn’t even realize you had started, but the path was so plain. If your heart could leap from your chest and hug you back, it would. 

When you hear the creak of the garage door it’s not nearly as late as you had thought Ivar would be home. The medley of vegetables in one pot, the boiling pasta in the other, and before you can even speak, Ivar wraps himself against your back.

“Hey, handsome,” You hum, melting against him and he only squeezes tightly. 

“Hey, baby,” His lips rasp into your hair. “Missed you today,” Ivar adds as his nose trails the curve of your skull. “Are you making pasta primavera?”

“Yes,” You sigh and you’re certain you could fall asleep like this. “I got you something,” You then say, still swaying slightly with Ivar. 

“Yeah?” He rasps, finally pulling away from you for you to turn. His hair is already down, glasses where they belong for once, and he smiles when you catch his gaze. You’re quick to scurry away, yelling something about turning off the stove, and then you’re back, a small package in your hands. 

“It’s the most expensive gift I’ve gotten you,” You tease as the box shrinks when it’s in Ivar’s grasp.

“I told you that I don’t want another mustang, baby,” Ivar replies, pulling the ribbon off. “I like my Jeep.”

“It’s not….it’s not a mustang,” You snort.

“Oh, thank god,” Ivar says, shivering slightly as the thought leaves him. 

“You’ll like it, I promise,” You nudge and he finally lifts up the lid. You thought you could hear his breathing hitch, fuzziness in his eyes already starting as the positive pregnancy tests stare back at him. 

“No you’re not,” Ivar whimpers, “Are you fucking with me?” And his voice is meek, drowned out with emotion and you only tear up too. “No, you’re not,”

“We’re gonna have a baby, Ivar,” Are the first words out of your mouth. “You’re gonna be a dad,” You say, watching how his eyes move to your face, towards the test, shocked, mouth agape and he only whimpers. When he sets the box on the counter you’re there to wrap to fill his grasp. Falling into his arms and you can hear the slight sniffle from above you. It pulls one from you too, finally grasping the mental concept that Ivar really has dreamt about this moment his whole life. You wiggle slightly, pulling back and Ivar’s hands are still on your hips. With red eyes, he moves one paw to wipe the tear that’s threatening to escape. 

“I love you,” Ivar whispers and it makes you laugh when you repeat it back, hands on his cheeks as you bring your mouth to his. The kiss isn’t hurried, Ivar’s lips move as though he’s hardly focusing on the task and you can hear another sniffle as you pull back. Forehead resting along his and his eyes are closed. 

“I found out this morning,” You whisper to him.

“I’m waiting to wake up from the dream,” Ivar replies, and his eyes are still shut as he speaks.

“Your pullout game sucks, Ivar,” You say and that makes him laugh, thick from his stomach, and his eyes finally open as he pulls you to rest against him.

“This isn’t news to me, Y/N,” Ivar says. “I can’t believe we’re gonna have a baby,” He adds and when he does a new wave of tears starts in his eyes.

“Your mother is going to castrate you,” You say into the cotton of his shirt and he laughs again. “You and me Ivar,”

“Against the world,” He replies. “And as parents.”

*

His phone rings from next to him, your name on Ivar’s screen, and halfway through his sentence, he stops to smile. Excusing himself for a moment, he answers:

“Hey baby, I’m just finishing up with a client, I’ll call you right back,” And the line goes dead. You blink to yourself several times when you hear silence in your ear and as you look to the towel at your feet, you almost feel as though you’re going to cry.

After ten minutes you stop caring if he’s shooting the breeze with the person, and you’re dialing for him again as you lean against the kitchen counter.

“Hey, baby,” Ivar answers and it pulls the anger, anxiety from you and you suck in a deep breath. “Baby?”

“My water broke,” You simply say.

“When?” Ivar asks quickly and he’s standing, leaning his shoulder to hold his phone as he throws the closest thing he can reach in Sigurd’s direction. White eraser bouncing in front of him as he moves his gaze from his magazine to Ivar. “I’ll be right there,” He says. “Her water broke,” He calls to Sigurd and the man only offers a thumbs up.

“Ivar—fuck—Ivar listen to me, do not drive like a mad man,” You grit into your phone. “I need you here for this, alright?” Your words fall as he climbs into the Jeep.

“I won’t,” Ivar replies softly. “I promise. I’ll see you in a minute, alright?”

“Alright,” You say back.

“How far apart are they?” Ivar asks and you only smile. 

“Still far enough,”

“We’re going to get to meet her,” Ivar whispers and it makes your smile bigger.

His next call is to Floki, the phone ringing through Bluetooth and there’s a hum when he answers.

“Yeeeeeeees, Ivar?” Floki sings.

“Y/N’s water broke, I’m on my way home,” Ivar replies, and the laugh he’s known his whole life rings through the man’s mouth.

“Take a deep breath for me,” Floki says.

“I’ve taken several since I got into my car,” Ivar replies. “It’s the only thing keeping me from bursting into flames.” And they both laugh.

“I’ll head to the shop now, keep me in the loop. Oh—and Ivar, you have two hands. If she has to break one as she delivers your baby girl, so be it.” And the line goes dead. Ivar groans, his heart hammering behind his seatbelt and he doesn’t even bother to turn the car off when he parks in the driveway.

You’re in the same spot, hand crossing the bump and your eyes are stuck on the clock when you hear the door open. Another press of pain mangles its way through you, as if your guts are trying to come through your navel. Ivar calls your name and you turn, a soft smile on your face.

“Just put everything in the car,” You say and Ivar nods, completely ignoring your direction and coming towards you.

“I know you’re a medic—I know how many babies you’ve delivered with Hvitserk there, but this is different,” Ivar hums as he tips your chin, sealing the words to your mouth as he kisses you. “This is our baby,”

“I’m scared,” You whisper and Ivar moves his arms around to your back.

“I am too,” He admits. “Let’s get to the hospital,”

Despite how the nurse offers the wheelchair, you shake your head; walking has been the only aid to your contractions and she nods. Ivar’s hand is in yours as you’re laying along with the linens, thumb brushing your knuckles and he’s on his phone.

“Did you call your mom?” You ask.

“No,” He answers, eyes not moving to yours. “Only Floki so he can get to the shop. You need to focus on you right now,” He says, finally lifting his head to look at you. Brows towards the ceiling and the small smirk only makes you pout.

“You should try to get some sleep—”

“Baby,” Ivar says and you nod. Ivar moves only minutes later, sketchbook taking up his lap as his hand stays with yours. Your phone buzzes with a Snapchat from Hvitserk, quick zooming in of Engine 1 as one of the firefighters walk by it. You take the liberty to pan the room, from your gown-covered self, Ivar to your left and back to the windows on the other side. Less than ten seconds pass before his contact picture graces your screen.

“That’s how you tell me?” Hvitserk all but shrieks and even Ivar can hear it through the phone. “How long have you been there?”

“A few hours,” You answer back.

“Guys! Our Lieutenant’s in labor!” Hvitserk calls to the guys. “Put me on speaker—Ivar?”

“What, brother?” Ivar groans back.

“When we work labor calls, I always tell the mother that I have two hands—”

“And if she needs to break one so be it,” Ivar finishes for him, and his brother whines. “Floki said the same thing.”

“Fucking Floki,” Hvitserk mumbles. “We’ll be thinking about you two, and send us pictures.”

“You don’t want a video?” You tease.

“Nope—I know you well, but I don’t need to know you that well!” Hvitserk laughs.

“Oh, come on, it can be practice for you and Thora,” and you can see the man blush without even being in front of him. “I’ll keep you in the loop.”

“You’ve got this,” Hvitserk says and the line goes dead.

By the fourth time you find your legs in the stirrups, you’re about ready to take one out to grant the nurse’s face. The needle for the epidural was big, it was big enough that Ivar didn’t even look, that you as a regular needle handler, even felt shy from. When you feel the contraction roll through only a few seconds after the last one, you nudge Ivar. His head on your shoulder flies up and your look answers his question before he even has to ask it.

“Dad, are you cutting the cord?” The nurse asks and Ivar looks back at you as if he needs your permission before he can think of an answer.

“Yes,” Ivar says back and he’s by your side, hand tracing your bent knee, sliding your thigh and it helps to calm you. Before your first push, you’re already crying, Ivar’s there to pull the hair from your face as it sticks to where you’ve started to sweat. As you curse him, his last name, his size and weak pull-out game and Ivar only agrees with each word as they come through your lips. Before you’ve even crowned you’ve decided that you don’t want to do this anymore.

“I hate you right now,” You hiss, and Ivar nods.

Twelve hours of sitting, standing, walking, swaying, trying almost everything in the manual to help progress her just a bit further than the last hour. Ivar adorned in scrubs, trying to contain his excitement, your partner in crime trying to experience it with you as well as he could, attempting to leech some of the pain in the meantime. 

One week shy of her due date, Ivar’s there to see his daughter born. Through tears and strings of curse words, sweat-slick clothes, she is finally here.  Watering eyes flicking to yours as her cry fills the room. Your whine is there next and she’s against your chest the minute she’s able. IV poked hand coming to cup her diapered rear, head against the pillow and you’re crying. You’re crying as Ivar’s lips brush your hairline, as he’s crying, as the head nurse films the moment per your request. Ivar studies the newborn in utter disbelief, eyes switching from its cotton-covered head to your face, overstuffed with pure adoration. 

“I’m so proud of you,” Ivar whispers in your ear, his hand covering yours over the child you two created together.

“Look at her, Ivar,” You whisper and he is, he hasn’t stopped yet, the tuft of dark hair on her head that matches his own as her small hands balled into fists. His daughter laying against your chest and he has to wipe his eyes. There’s an upset from her for a brief moment, wiggle and a cry, and instinctively Ivar’s lips shush her, his voice lulling through her ears and she quiets. “That’s your dad,” You say to her.

Ivar’s moment for the skin on skin finally came and he’s next to you. Seated, shirt off, and the nurse hands him the bundle. Pink cotton on an inked chest as Ivar’s hand pats her bottom, nearly swarming the infant as a whole. You can’t hear him, but you see his lips moving, eyes peeking down at the bundle that’s looking up at him. A full conversation on his side and you’re tearing up again, snapping a picture for Hvitserk, your parents, and his, for Floki and Ivar laughs as he watches her yawn.

“Oh, am I boring you, miss?” Ivar coos and you smile. “I know you’ve had such a big day,” He says. “You have no idea how loved you already are.”

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[byunbaekby]

Mythomaniac—childhood best friend!haechan x female reader.

summary: he’s your best friend, he’s always been. but sometimes you have to stop gazing through those rose colored lenses to see donghyuck for who he really is; a liar.  warnings: recreational drug use, language, hyuck being an asshole maybe, depictions of a toxic relationship, peer pressure, happy ending? what’s that genres: childhood best friends to almost lovers (?), angst, fluff if you squint, coming of age word count: 10.5k author’s message: big thank you @yongiefilms​ and @gardenpebble​​ for proofreading this and giving me the confidence to post this. this has been a work in progress for a long time, and i hope you all enjoy it!  this story is inspired by the songs, “liar” by leon and “i swear i’ll never leave again” by keshi. i would recommend listening to these!

-

The first time Lee Donghyuck lies to you, you’re both eight years old and fighting over the playground swing.

It’s your turn, you argue, kicking the floor as tears well in your eyes. Recess is over in five minutes and you’ve been waiting for Juna to get off since it started! But then this random dark-haired boy suddenly shows up and is going to take it away from you. 

“It’s my turn!” You screech again, on the edge of a temper tantrum. 

Your shrill tone causes Donghyuck to wince, and being much more mannered than you, he sighs in defeat. “Fine, fine. I’ll push you. Tomorrow, you push me. Okay?”

Sniffling, you nod and make your way onto the swing. When you jump up and land your bottom on the seat, your toes barely brush the ground. You grasp tightly onto the swing, looking over your shoulder at the boy who’s disappeared behind you. “Not too hard, okay? Not too high.”

“I won’t push too hard.” You’re still unconvinced.

“Promise?” 

His response comes out as smooth as honey. “Promise.” His hands are already on your back, pushing you forward ever so lightly. It’s okay at first, and a bright smile spreads across your lips as you register the breeze fanning across your face. 

A boisterous laugh leaves your lips, like sparkling stars in the dark of the night. For a moment your small childish world is overrun by excitement and enjoyment; the only thing that exists in this moment is you and the swing. From the height you’re at you can almost see the whole playground. 

Wait—the whole playground? Were you already up this high?

When you reach the highest peak of your pendulum you look down, and your eyes widen at the distance from the ground that you are. Your bright laugh now turns into a terrified shriek. “Too high! Too high! Let me down!”

Donghyuck is, at first, unaware of just how frightened you are, but when you start flailing around in fear, his eyes widen. It all happens so fast. You swing back and forth a few times but your limbs are flying around so impulsively in your moment of fear that the boy has to scoot away so he isn’t hit by your flailing figure. Then one more time, you’re at the highest point of the swing when your frightened flailing becomes too much and before either of you can register, you’re flying off the swing and freefalling toward the ground. 

He’s afraid to look so he turns away, but your loud crying quickly turns him back to you as the recess bell rings, signaling the end of your playtime. When he sees you on the ground, his first instinct is to run away. But then he sees you grasping your leg and crying, crying, crying.

God, you sure do cry a lot.

“Are you… are you okay?” He asks, running to kneel beside you.

You shake your head furiously, still grasping onto your ankle which burns with pain. It’s the worst pain you’ve ever felt in all eight years of your life. Tears freely flow down the apples of your cheeks.

On the verge of panicking, Donghyuck tears your arm from where you’re grasping onto your leg in the moment of searing pain, and swings it over his shoulder. “Come on,” he says, as though encouraging not you, but himself. With the strength that a normal eight year old wouldn’t have, he stands and pulls you to your feet. Your eyes wince in pain as sharpness shoots up your right leg, but alongside Donghyuck, the two of you walk to the nurse’s office. 

He had lied. He said he wouldn’t push you too hard. He promised. 

Your parents had told you since you were a little kid, fibbing about whether or not you ate the last cookie in the cookie jar, that lying was bad. But that day, you find that maybe lying isn’t always bad. 

Because Donghyuck’s lie brings you a new friend. 

-

“Do you think things will change, Hyuck?”

Your sudden question causes him to open his eyes from where he lays in the grass. When he does, it’s as though the stars in the sky are reflected on his orbs. But no, that’s just your crush on your best friend making itself prevalent once again. 

“Things change everyday, Y/N.” His answer leaves you unsatisfied, so you roll your eyes, laying back down beside him in the grass. The playground is only a few feet away, but who are you to play at the park? You’re thirteen years old, for God’s sake. 

“I mean in high school. The first day of school is already next week, aren’t you worried?” You turn to him, eyebrows furrowing at his relaxed expression. 

His chapped lips purse in mild consideration, before shrugging his t-shirt clad shoulders. Carefree Donghyuck and worrisome Y/N, that’s your dynamic. 

“It’s just high school. Same people, different classes. Why are you worried?”

“It’s just—” You sigh, eyes staring up into the endless dark abyss of the sky. “Things change. People change. You’ve seen the teen movies! The childhood best friends go to high school, one of them is super smart and becomes a nerd, the other one goes and does drugs.”

All you get in response is a laugh. Donghyuck’s laughter is something you’ve become accustomed to over the years. He has the light, boisterous laughter where something is so absolutely funny that he can’t help but screech. There’s the mid-tier average laugh, which he often lets out around relatives to be polite, but it comes off a bit awkward. Finally, he has the low chuckle in his throat he does when he finds something amusing and almost pitiful—it’s almost always reserved for you. 

“We can definitely tell which one of us is which,” he jokes, which causes you to turn and slap his chest lightly, playfully. 

“Drugs are bad,” you respond gently, reeling back into your space on the grass. Hyuck doesn’t understand: he’s easygoing, an extrovert with a sunny disposition. He’ll have no problem making friends in high school. You, on the other hand, won’t have it so easy. You can’t lose your one and only best friend. Wrapping yourself in your hoodie, you sigh. Hyuck registers this pitiful sound and settles down a bit; he knows when you’re really upset about something.

Suddenly scooching closer to you on the grass, he speaks softly. “Listen.” You do. “Nothing is going to change. Not between us. Things will happen, we’ll meet people, but we’re best friends forever, okay?” Now he looks straight to you rather than the sky, and you stare back. There’s something in his eyes, determination clear as he speaks. “I promise there will come a day when we grow up and become old, that we’ll come back to this park and stargaze just like now. By then, we’ll be able to drive ourselves, and your mom won’t have to wait for us,” he says, nudging his head toward the curb where your mom sits in her car. This makes you laugh: it really is amusing, your mom waiting for the two of you. “So shut up and stop doubting.”

Hyuck knows your insecurity and that’s what makes him your best friend. Your only best friend in the whole world. Quietly you respond with a question, digging your hand out of your hoodie sweater paws. “You really promise?”

Easily does he intertwine his finger with yours before leaning back into his spot. “Do I ever break my promises?”

The answer is yes, because a month later it’s a Friday afternoon when Hyuck does just that—break his promise.

Your first month of high school wasn’t as bad as you had initially thought it would be, really. Your teachers seemed nice for the most part, and you had managed to make a friend. A real friend, other than Hyuck. His name is Mark, and you only meet him because he’s the TA for your biology class. He’s a year older and not completely comfortable speaking Korean yet, but you’ll take what you can get!

Sadly, you don’t have any classes with your best friend. You don’t even share the same lunch period, and it saddens you that you can’t pay witness to Hyuck laughing so hard to shoot carrot bits from his nose anymore. He made friends in his classes though, and tells you about them. Most of them are upperclassmen… it’s not a surprise that your outgoing friend would be so compatible with older kids. So, you don’t get to see him that often. But that’s what the time outside of school is spent for: your best friend. 

The two of you are supposed to meet at the park like you normally do on Fridays. It’s not a long walk from your school, and you’re halfway there when your phone vibrates in your pocket. Fishing it out, your eyes focus on the message lit on the screen. 

[ Hyuckie ] : Jaehyun hyung invited me to hang out with the guys at his house. Sorry! Next week, I promise.

You sigh. 

It’s not the first time he’s rainchecked you for that group of rambunctious older boys. The first week of school, you were supposed to get ice cream when he suddenly pulled up with those guys in tow. Just last weekend, he had promised to take you roller skating for your birthday, only to cancel when you already had your shoes on. 

It’s like he has no time for you anymore.

So with a bitter huff, you send a passive-aggressive response and turn on your heels, trudging the rest of the way home. 

-

When the bell rings, you slip your airpods into your ears and put your hood on. Finally, the day is over. Sadly, it’s only Tuesday so you still have a ways to go before the weekend.

Music rings in your ears as you tread down the halls of your high school, hands tucked into your hoodie pocket. It’s quite hot outside, winter transforming into the buds of spring. Spring and the oncoming heat make it more difficult for you to limit your fashion to hoodies.

When you push open the front building doors, the heat hits you, but you immediately walk toward a little shaded area under a tree near the courtyard. It’s where you always wait for him after school. 

As you make your way there, the group of boys leaning against the wall don’t fail to catch your attention. With their brightly coloured hair and dark shaded eyes, it’s hard to miss them.

You have to reject the urge to visibly scoff at their appearance—they don’t even go here anymore, having graduated years ago. Why do they still show up here and hang around like they own the place? 

Even if they left the school a while back, they still have a vivid reputation at the school. Though you had never paid attention, there are a few you know. Taeyong, presumably the oldest with his bright red hair and clouded gaze. Johnny, who had quickly been recruited into this group of delinquents upon his transfer from Chicago. Among them are others who you don’t care at all about.

Though their gazes follow you as you walk directly across their line of sight, you ignore them and retreat to your spot. Flopping down, your bottom meets the grass and you lean your head back against the tree. Closing your eyes, music fills your ears as your eyes meet darkness. For a moment, it’s as though you can shut out the world and simply relish in your own company. 

High school hasn’t changed you much, but the people around you have changed. 

The moment passes soon enough, as you feel a light slap on your thigh causing you to open your eyes. Your gaze lands on the sight of your best friend, who plops down beside you. A gleeful smile spreads across your face as you take your airpod out. 

“Mark,” you tsk. “You’re late.” 

“Sorry,” he apologizes, though a smile rests on his face. “Mr. Moon wanted to talk to me about something.”

“What about?” 

“Auditioning for the talent show.” You blink, your eyes widening a bit at his revelation. Mr. Moon runs the talent show every year; if Mark had caught his eye, there would be no doubt that he would get in, and maybe even win the show.

“Really? You should!”

“I don’t know,” he says, pursing his lips in thought. “Honestly I don’t think I’d be good enough.”

“Shut up, you will. Besides, it’s your last year, you’ll never know what could have been if you never try.” The thought sobers you a bit: because Mark is a year older than you, his senior year will soon be coming to an end. The idea of spending your final year without your best friend saddens you. 

Speaking of what could have been, the same time that Mark shows up, someone else also makes an appearance. 

Fleetingly your eyes flicker over the group in the corner. Lee Donghyuck joins the group, his purple hair falling over his eyes as he lets his backpack fall to the floor. You watch, lips pursed as Taeyong hands him a joint, then you turn away. 

He doesn’t call himself Donghyuck anymore. Or Hyuck, or your best friend. He’s Haechan now. 

“Hello, earth to Y/N,” Mark’s voice rings in your ear. 

Shaking your head to rid your thoughts of what could have been, you look to your best friend. Black hair is more appropriate than purple, you decide then. “Hm?”

“I was telling you that I’m leaving, but you zoned out.” You know he has his job, shifting through vinyls at the record store, in twenty minutes. Slowly, you bob your head in a nod. 

“Okay… Have fun at work.” 

“I will. I work for the rest of the week but we’ll hang out this weekend, okay?” You nod in response. He’s been a bit busy recently, but you don’t worry too much about it. “Promise.”

Your smile must visibly falter a bit, even though you try not to let it show. Mark’s eyes immediately widen slightly—sometimes he forgets how you dislike promises. How they give you a sense of false hope, and how you’d rather not give them space in your heart to do so. “Sorry,” he sounds. He stands and places a hand on your shoulder with a gentle smile. “I’ll see you.” 

Then he leaves, and you pop your music back into your ear. With a soft sigh you look out at the courtyard, at the students leaving and cars moving. Will there ever be anything more than this? You take in the sight: the students running across the yard to their friends, the school doors opening and closing, even the group of boys racketing in the corner of your vision. 

Hyuck—or Haechan as he now calls himself, though you find the name to be dumb and pretentious—is the youngest of them all. It all started in freshman year, when he met them and the distance between the two of you grew. His promises had worn thin, and eventually the string of friendship between you ripped apart right before your eyes. You can’t say that you miss him. 

Because you don’t miss Haechan, the replacement for the boy you once knew. You miss Hyuck. 

Your best friend who snuck over to your house on his bike when you had gotten rejected by Huang Renjun. The person you could always trust to push you on the swings and know your limits. 

But that’s not him anymore. 

The thought puts a sour taste on your tongue so you turn your eyes away from the cloud surrounding them and close your eyes. You don’t need him anymore. All you need is the music in your ears and the warm sun soaking into your skin. 

You’re not sure how many minutes pass, but suddenly the warmth disappears from your skin. Your eyes slide open and there he is, casting a shadow over you. The sun is gone, only cold filling your veins at the sight of the long-legged memory before you and the smell of weed filling your nose. You take your airpods out of your ears, sighing. 

Your voice comes out harsher than you intend. “What do you want, Haechan?”

Your use of his name must catch him off guard. You’ve never called him that—even when you drifted apart, like lonely boats without anchors, you always called him Hyuck in your sweetest tone. Now all you reserve for him is indifference. 

“Haechan?”

“That’s your name isn’t it?” 

He blinks, eyes fluttering underneath his lavender fringes. “Oh—” Sheepishly, he nods. It’s unlike the normal persona he employs when walking around school. That Haechan is cocky, flirtatious. “It is.”

You’re not entirely sure what it is that ticks you off. Not him, but the memory of him. “I don’t want any weed, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Haechan has the nerve to scoff. “No, that’s not what I’m asking.” You raise your eyebrow at him; he had left you in the dust when he decided to become one with those drug-doing law-breaking fools, yet he has the audacity to stand in front of you now. He takes a deep breath, tucking his hands into the pockets of his dark ripped jeans, which definitely don’t fit the school dress code. “I want to ask if you want to hang out?” 

“Hang out,” you repeat, eyebrow raised. You could almost scoff from how ridiculous it sounds. 

“Yeah.” He nods. His eyes are big, almost sheepish, and for a second he looks like your old Donghyuck. Behind the chains, the hair dye, the eyeliner, and the weed scent, you wonder if he still is. “I promised you I’d take you skating, remember?” 

“No, I don’t,” you lie curtly, rising to your feet. Skating, that was over three years ago. It’s upsetting, but something in the way he still remembers this broken promise pushes you to say your next words. “Fine.”

As though he hadn’t expected you to acquiesce so easily, he nods. “How about Saturday? I’ll pick you up at your house? You… you still live in the same place, right?” It’s both humorous and painful that he has to ask. 

“Mhm.” You sling your backpack over your shoulder and stare at him. “6PM. Don’t be late. And leave the weed at home. You stink.” 

With that, you turn on your heels and make your way home. Behind you, you can hear the group of rambunctious boys yelling, congratulating their youngest. 

-

Saturday comes quicker than normal, and it’s nearing five when you’re still not dressed for your meeting with Haechan. 

If it were four years ago, you would have thrown on a t-shirt and called it that. If you were hanging out with Mark, it would have been easy to just put on a hoodie and jeans. But something is different now. 

Why are you nervous? You ask yourself as you stand before the mirror.

It’s not… a date, but something in you wants to dress up, to look nice. But why? You don’t own many fashionable items, and it’s not a date. You hold back a self-deprecating groan as you darken your lashes with mascara and slather some lip gloss over your lips. He doesn’t deserve it. 

You had expected him to come to your door, but when Haechan pulls up to your house in his very own car, all he does is text you. You had deleted his number years ago. Had he kept your’s all this time? Is your contact name still the same? 

Fluttering down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a nicer t-shirt, you have to stop to remind yourself not to get caught up in the moment. This isn’t a date. 

“You drive now,” is your first comment as you slip into the passenger seat. 

The air is dank, reminiscent of a clear weed smell but it’s masked, as though someone had tried to get rid of it. “You look nice,” he says. 

All you say is, “Thanks,” then retire yourself to looking out the window. He drives you to the roller rink, the familiar streets sliding by. The ride is quiet, awkward. Four years ago, the two of you would have been chattering away. 

By the time he pulls into the parking lot, you’re reconsidering why you even agreed to coming here with him. After he parks, you step out and walk ahead toward the entrance of the roller rink. He jogs to catch up with you, and it’s the first time you get a good look at his outfit. 

He dons a blue flannel over a white t-shirt and blue skinny jeans. A chain hangs from his belt hook, and another by his neck. His hair is done up, unlike the purple fringe he wore over his eyes earlier in the week. The old Hyuck you knew was a fashion disaster. 

“What’s up?” He asks, tucking his hands into his pockets again as the two of you fall into the line. You need something to do with your hands, and suddenly you regret attempting to dress nice; your hoodie was a lot more comfortable.

“Why did you bring me here?” You ask suddenly, turning to him. 

“I told you,” Haechan responds. “I wanted to hang out. And I made a promise to you that I’d take you skating for your birthday, but I didn’t. I just want to lighten my conscience a bit.”

A laugh almost leaves your lips at this. His conscience?

“Does your conscience ignore the weed and loitering?” 

“Loitering? When do I loiter?”

“No, not you.” You shake your head, correcting him. “Your friends. They don’t even go to school anymore, why are they always around? Waiting for you?”

He blinks, then shakes his head. “Taeyong and Doyoung hyung are helping Mr. Moon coordinate the talent show. They have meetings with him after school. Jaehyun hyung teaches a piano class after school and Johnny tags along.”

Somehow, his answers shock you. It’s hard to picture his “friends” helping out at the school. You don’t respond, and clearly he’s less happy than you to talk about his friends because he follows his words with, “Can we not talk about them? I wanted to catch up with you, not talk more about them.” 

“Sorry,” you mumble half-heartedly as you approach the booth, grabbing your size in the roller skates. Then, you search for a spot to sit down and put them on. For a few moments before Haechan joins you with his own skates, you think to yourself, is he sincere? He keeps saying it, and you want to believe it. Does your old Hyuck, your best friend exist somewhere in there? 

Haechan approaches you, his skates in hand. You’re focused on tying your own, but you manage to scoot over on the bench you’re in to make room for him to sit as well.

But he surprises you. 

He kneels, placing his skates on the ground and before you know it, your fingers on the laces are replaced by his as he ties them into a tight knot. You look up to him, but all your eyes fall on is his face, tightened in focused concentration. “What are you…” You start. 

When he finishes tying the last lace into a tight bow, he looks up to meet your eyes. “You should tie them tight. Your laces used to always fall out when we were younger.” Then the corner of his lip tips up into a smile, and you can swear your heart races. 

It beats out of your chest and you’re suddenly vividly aware of the fact that his face is mere inches away from yours. 

But as quickly as the realization hits you, the moment is over. 

He pulls away, taking the seat next to you before putting on his own skates. When he finishes, he pulls you up by the hand to the skating area and you let him. Your legs are a little shaky, but he looks over to you with careful eyes. “I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

It’s not a promise, but it feels like one. Maybe, you decide, it’s okay to let down your walls and be with him. After all, he was, once upon a time, your best friend. 

As much as you want to pull away from him, your legs are sliding, about to give out. You grip onto his arm with both hands, trying to keep your balance, and his hearty laugh is heard in your ear. In the midst of his laugh and your attempt to stand straight, your hand slides down to grasp his instead. 

By the time you realize this, you’re already sliding halfway across the rink with gentle hesitant laughs on your lips. This is the first time you’ve talked to Donghyuck in years, yet it feels, you realize as your gaze down at your connected hands, as if you’d never stopped. 

A couple hours later when you’ve both had more pizza than your stomachs can hold and both your knees are starting to bruise from how you’ve slipped onto them, Donghyuck brings you somewhere else. 

Despite the curtain of dark over the town, you know where he’s taken you the moment he pulls into the street. 

When he parks and you slide your feet out of the car to meet the grass, you look around and take in the appearance of this old place which hasn’t felt your presence in years. Your old park. Everything still looks the same, as if your late night stargazing sessions had never halted. 

You’re still gazing when Donghyuck pulls you by the hand to the playground. “Come on,” he ushers.

“Hyuck, aren’t you a little old for the playground?” You question, not recognizing your slip. 

He stops walking altogether and blinks at you, the light of the moon reflecting off his sparkling orbs. “You… You called me Hyuck.”

You hadn’t even noticed it yourself. Pursing your lips, you respond carefully. “Well… it is your name, isn’t it?” Somehow, your gaze finds your interlaced hands. By the time you look back up, you realize Donghyuck was also staring. 

A soft smile graces the tips of his lips. “Yeah, it is.”

For a moment, a short moment, Haechan is forgotten. All that exists at the park with you is Donghyuck, your best friend since age eight when he had pushed you too hard on the swings and caused you to fracture your ankle. You had always blamed it on him in the following years, but it was never his fault. 

It was always yours, for not being brave enough. 

Even now, Hyuck pushes you on the swings after you give him a pointed look which clearly says, “Not too hard.” The force of his push reminds you how big of a role adrenaline once played in your life. Hyuck was your daily dose of adrenaline, of energy you never knew was missing from your life until it was gone. Now, he’s back again. 

After a few minutes, the two of you find yourself lying on the grass gazing up at the stars, in a similar situation that your younger selves once experienced. You’re content to sit there staring at the glistening firmament above, but his velvet voice fills the silence between you. 

“Is Mark a good best friend?” 

His question catches you off guard. It could be a trick of your mind but is that… jealousy you hear in his tone? “Yeah, he is.” You nod, the cold breeze brushing your face. “He’s nice. Understanding… I’m just not looking forward to having to spend the next year without him after he graduates.”

“You don’t have to,” Hyuck replies quickly. You turn to meet his gaze, and find that he’s gazing at you with serious eyes. “You can spend it with me.”

The thought, however hopeful, causes a twinge of doubt to ignite within you. “What about the others?”

“What about them?” 

“Are they good best friends?”

Like you, Hyuck takes a long moment to ponder over his answer. “They’re not my best friends,” he finally says when he comes to a conclusion. “They were always just placeholders. Just… people to spend time with.” 

“Spend time as in vandalizing, smoking weed, and skipping school?”

He releases a scoff at your response, as though the idea sounded absurd to him as well. “Well… yeah. I guess that’s what it seems like.” You’ve never been the type to do those kinds of things, always too afraid of losing your self control for even a moment, so you ask: “What’s it like? Smoking weed?” 

Your inquiry seems to throw him for a loop. You had always been quiet, comfortable living in a box which you knew to be safe. It was always him who had wanted to explore. He turns away from you and instead throws his gaze to the dark sky, though you remain watching him and the way the grass brushes his side profile from where he lays. 

“It’s like… searching for something. You don’t quite know what you’re looking for. I don’t know—Nirvana, epiphanies, the meaning of life, or whatever. And for a second,” he pauses, his eyes matching the twinkle of the stars in the sky, but it’s a somber reflection. “When you reach that high, it’s… it’s amazing. It really is. You feel… calm. And relaxed, a bunch of things I’ve never felt before. But when you get used to it, and you come down from that high… it just feels… empty.”

Emptiness isn’t something you’d ever think Hyuck has experienced. In your memories he was always so bright-eyed and lighthearted, filling you up with everything you needed. Had you forgotten how to fill him up? Make him happy? Or, your hopeful heart suddenly asks, are you the emptiness in his heart? When he left you, was that when his heart had begun to feel hollow, as yours had? When had things changed so much, when had the two of you grown up? It seems just like yesterday that you were two little kids with hopes bigger than the world could hold, still playing on the playground. 

Suddenly you lurch toward him, closing the space between you to lay shoulder to shoulder. The simple brush of your shoulder on his, a feeling that was once so familiar, speaks volumes to the both of you. “I wish things could go back to the way they were before.”

He sighs, a sound that’s supposed to somehow indicate that your words are easier said than done. “If only life was that easy.”

A thoughtful moment of silence passes over the two of you, the cold night air brushing on your bare arms. Your hoodies often kept you warm, but you don’t have them now. Instead, you have Donghyuck. “Are you cold?” He asks as he notices you shivering at a sudden strong gust of wind. You shake your head, not wanting him to give his flannel to you, but he does something else instead. “C’mere,” is all he says as he scoops you into his arms on the ground and presses your head into his chest. 

You start to argue at first but you soon find yourself resting your head on the expanse of his chest. Eyes widened ever so slightly as you try to maintain the erratic beat of your heart, you whine quietly, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“We used to do this all the time.”

“Yeah,” you scoff gently with a roll of your eyes. “When we were ten and forgot our jackets.”

“Not much difference,” Hyuck responds. Suddenly a teasing tone occupies his voice, almost reminiscent of Haechan’s persona. “Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

You have the decency to be shocked, hitting his chest softly, playfully. “As if.” 

He says things aren’t much different, but they are. Back then, things were simpler and easier. Your best friend was just your best friend. But now, seven years later, he’s a boy and an attractive one—that much you can admit. And, you have a history that makes your heart wrench; you had come to terms with the fact that you would no longer be able to envelope yourself in Hyuck’s bear hugs anymore, that sleepovers with him would be further nonexistent. 

Hyuck doesn’t say anything after your hasty response, and it seems like he’s satisfied sitting in the silence with you, but you aren’t. Gently you speak up, “Hyuck.”

“Hmm,” he responds, eyes closed rather than gazing at the star-stricken sky.

“What’s your dream?”

He takes a moment to think about it. A couple seconds pass with his eyes still closed, and you turn your head to gaze up at his contemplative expression with tufts of dark grass tickling his ears. A couple minutes pass like this.

You’re almost convinced he’s fallen asleep right there, so you prod once again. “So?”

Hyuck takes a deep breath. “I don’t know.” 

“What do you mean you don’t know? Everyone has a dream,” your brows furrow. 

The next words to leave your best friend’s mouth sadden you to no end. His voice is soft but his tone is tired, as if he has all but given up. “I think somewhere along the line I stopped dreaming, wishing for things. It’s not the reality I’ve grown to know.”

-

By the end of the night, when the two of you arrive at your home, you’re starting to believe that a reconciliation with your best friend is possible. All these years, they were just… a break. A time for the two of you to learn yourselves and meet new people. 

As he walks you to your front door, swinging your interlaced pinkies between the two of you, you speak first. The night, however sudden and strange, was nice. “I had fun.”

“Me too,” he quickly replies as he turns to face you though he doesn’t let go of your hand, your pinkies hooked around each other like a little unsaid pledge. 

“I really missed you,” you confess. Before tonight you had never allowed yourself to consider how much you missed your best friend, how his absence left a gap in your life. “I want to do it again sometime.”

Hyuck’s eyes widen just a bit, and he blinks as though surprised. “You do?”

Giddily you bite down on your lower lip and nod. “I really do.”

His shocked eyes soften like sweet yellow honey, and he mirrors your smile. Here with the front porch light shining on his tanned skin and some lingering grass strands tangled in his hair, he doesn’t look like the cruel Haechan you’ve seen over your time in high school. “Thank you for tonight.”

“Why are you saying thank you?” you ask, a slight smile on your lips. “It should be me saying thank you.”

“I’m just glad you came along,” he explains, tapping his foot gently against the cement. “Taeyong would have gotten me in trouble if I hadn’t asked you to come.”

You blink. What?

“I’m just really glad you agreed to go out with me today. Even though I had no choice, I think it was really good for us, and I’d love to do it a—”

“Hyuck.”

He stops suddenly, having begun to ramble, and stares at you. “What?”

Anxiety begins to creep into your stomach, building a dark heavy pit. As your breath quickens, coming to your realization, you fall into the dark abyss of that hole. You tear your gaze away from him, your eyebrows forming a tight line as the gears in your head turn. 

As he recognizes the way your chest starts to rise and fall rapidly, Hyuck leans toward you. “Y/N, are you—”

“What do you mean, you had no choice?”

“You’re shaking, you should go inside—”

You tear your hand from his, trying your best to control your accelerated breathing. Finally looking back at him, you feel despair begin to bubble inside you. “What the hell do you mean, you had no choice, Donghyuck?”

The look on his face is almost dumbstruck. He opens his mouth but no words come out. He closes it quickly, then parts his lips again after a moment. “I… I thought you knew…”

“Knew what?”

“That Taeyong hyung made me do it.”

If it’s possible for your entire world to crash in the fraction of a moment, it must be this. Suddenly your lungs feel heavy with burden and your eyes water, watching your ill-fated hope shatter before you. You want to scream at him, to yell at him, but you can’t find your voice. By your side, your hand which was once occupied by his, feels awfully, horribly cold. 

Hyuck, on the other hand, still looks stupefied that you had no idea. Stuttering over his words, uncharacteristic of him, he continues desperately. “I-I… They know about us, about our friendship, and Taeyong hyung told me to ask you on a date or…or he’d make me deliver his next package. I already got caught once, I couldn’t get caught again! I couldn’t risk it,” he pleads.

Weed. That’s what this is all about. 

“It was just for fun, they thought it was funny.”

Your throat feels dry, parched like the desert, and your voice feels like sandpaper as you speak. “I didn’t think it was funny.” A lonesome tear breaks the barrier, sliding down your cheek pitifully before being followed by another.

Clearly startled by the course of the conversation, he desperately reaches out to grab your hand. “Y/N, please let me explain—”

You whip your hand back, his touch making your skin crawl with betrayal. 

“You’ve done enough.” 

Of all the things he could say, he says the worst. “I thought you heard everything that day, in the courtyard.”

“I…” You start thinking back foggily. “I had my airpods on.” The pained look he wears at his realization of this would have been laughable if your tears weren’t threatening to flow down your cheeks.

All you want to do is run. Run inside, run away from him, run from this night and pretend that nothing had ever happened. But for some reason, your feet are stuck to the cement as though something holds you down. Burden-like weights, holding you down.

“I, I’m sorry,” he beseeches, only making it worse. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

You want to yell at him, to curse him into the next life for playing with you. For not knowing your character enough to think that for even a second, you’d be okay being a pawn in his game of dealing and dares. For giving you hope, even the slightest burning sliver. But you can’t raise your voice at him. Rather than fury, it’s sadness which erupts in your chest. You cannot find it in yourself to scream. Because he did, he did hurt you.

This must be the emptiness he was talking about. 

Any sense of blankness you thought you knew before was nothing to this. As if your heart and mind itself have been ripped out of you, you’re overcome by a horrible, horrible hollowness. Then, looking at his pitiful figure, you realize that you want nothing to do with Lee Donghyuck any longer. Whoever he is, good or bad, best friend or stranger, Haechan or Hyuck, he is no longer important to you. 

Wiping your tears against the back of your hand with an indignant sniffle, you scowl at him, but there is no anger, no resentment. Just exhaustion. You’re tired of his lies. 

“Leave me alone, Haechan. Leave me alone, and don’t ever bother me again. I can’t believe I—” You stop yourself. You can’t believe you had believed, even for the shortest moment, that things would be okay. No, not with him, nothing would ever be okay. Nothing would ever be true, nothing would ever be pure. But you refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how close you were to falling into him. 

All you do is stare once more at his cowardly figure then turn away, hiding your tears which you refuse to let him see. Just as you’re about to turn to disappear into your house however, he reaches for your wrist.

“Y/N, please—”

“Don’t,” you say softly. If he truly is your best friend, if he had ever known you for even a second, he would be able to recognize the pain in your voice, the fragility with which you’re about to break. 

But if he was ever your best friend, by now you can never truly know. 

For a third and final time, you tug your hand from his touch. “Don’t. I mean it.”

Then you disappear into your home, flying up the stairs to the confusion of your parents, and leave Donghyuck there alone, stranded and in the dark. 

-

There was a reason why you never liked parties growing up, and why you tried avoiding them at all cost, but today is different. Today is for Mark, you have to suck it up and enjoy yourself at least for him. Besides, since hitting twenty three you’ve been trying to “adult” more, and that means putting other people’s desires before your own.

You’re sitting on a couch in the bar, clutching a water bottle when you hear Mark’s voice in your ear. “Hey, you made it!”

Immediately you turn and feel your lips spread into a wide smile at the sight of your best friend looking completely ecstatic. Standing quickly, you collapse into his open arms. He pulls you tightly into a hug and you smile feeling his familiar embrace.

“Hey, you,” you say when you pull away. “Congratulations! I’m so proud of you, really.”

The beaming smile he wears back at you makes your heart warm. “Thanks, and thanks for coming! I thought you weren’t sure you were going to make it.”

“I cleared my schedule for you,” you admit cheekily. 

“Aw, I must be so special,” responds Mark playfully, pulling you in for another quick hug. Mark has just been signed onto a record company as a producer. It’s only his biggest dream ever, and you couldn’t be prouder. His record label had insisted on throwing a party to welcome their newest hire, and from the smile on his face, it seemed like all his dreams had come true. 

“But enough about me, how are you?” 

With your busy post-college schedule, you’ve had little time to meet your best friend. “Just the usual. Work, eat, sleep.” 

“Hey, at least you sleep, I’m up all night, every night working on music.”

“I believe that was your career choice,” you laugh and roll your eyes. 

Mark laughs along with you. “I guess you’re right.” He suddenly eyes the water bottle in your hand. “Don’t tell me you’re not drinking at my party.”

“I—”

“No excuses! It’s a Saturday night, don’t say you have work tomorrow.”

“But—”

“Sounds like an excuse, you better go to the bar right now and get a drink.”

“I’m—”

“Now!”

“Okay, okay, I’m going!” You finally acquiesce, rolling your eyes at your friend’s behavior. “Do you want me to grab you something?”

He ponders it momentarily, sitting down in the spot on the couch you occupied earlier. “Just one of what you’re getting,” he says, already making conversation with the other person on the couch, one of his new coworkers. 

You make your way over to the bar counter, basically shoving past the numerous people occupying the bar. With the prestige of the company that Mark has just been hired into, you wouldn’t be surprised if you were brushing shoulders with celebrities in your search for the bar.

When you finally find a spot at the crowded counter, you attempt to speak over the music to one of the two bartenders maintaining the counter. Flashing your ID at him, you sound, “Two Negronis, one with light ice!” You’re in the mood for gin tonight. You would have gotten your typical gin on the rocks, but you’re feeling a bit fancy and with the open bar, you’re fine not paying for the extra pizazz of a Negroni.

The one you originally speak to seems occupied but he hears you, nodding at you. As you pull out your phone to wait for your order, you register him calling out to someone, likely the other bartender with him. “Take care of that,” he says, likely referring to your order. 

Only a few moments pass of you attempting to type out a text until you hear it.

Though it’s not loud, you hear it. Above the music, above the crowd. 

“Y/N?”

Eyes leaving your phone screen, you find yourself face to face, eye to eye, with Lee Donghyuck himself. In front of you on the other side of the bar counter, clad in a dark apron and clutching a tall bottle of gin, with his light brain hair, tendrils falling over his eyes, it’s almost like it’s the first time you’ve ever seen him. Your gaze hasn’t fallen on him in years, not since graduation, watching him walk across the stage. Your jaw visibly tightens.

“Y/N, is that really you?”

“Who else would it be,” you joke tightly, deciding momentarily to play nice for now. 

The laugh he shares is almost believable. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s you. It’s been…”

“Five years,” you finish for him. 

Astounded, all he does is nod. “Yeah…”

The last thing you want to do is sit here and take part in a tired conversation with Donghyuck of all people, so you make a show of pointing your attention to your phone as you type a couple text messages. He seems to get the hint, and busies himself making your drinks. 

Despite the buzzing bar environment around the two of you, there’s no doubt of the tension in the air. The last time you had spoken to Donghyuck, you had demanded that he leave you alone. For the most part, he had complied. But now, five years later, you have to ask yourself, have you forgiven him? 

In the past years since your final falling out you’ve somehow learned to manage the emptiness that sprung inside you, yet now seeing him, you feel something other than hollowness, a swallow feeling in your chest. Are you… ready?

Within minutes he slides two glasses across the counter to you, red liquid occupying its volume. As you tuck your phone away into your purse and reach out to grab your two drinks, it’s clear to you that he has something more to say from the way his eyes linger on the glasses.

“What?” You ask.

“Are you…” He starts, eyebrows furrowing as he suddenly pauses, as though thinking over his words. “You got two glasses. Are you… here with someone?”

He’s curious if you’ve found someone. If you’ve brought them here and if they’ve managed to replace the empty space in your heart once occupied by him. You purse your lips, offering a tight smile as you shake your head. “No, one of these is for Mark.” 

You’re unsure if the look on his face at your answer is a relieved one, but you’re sure it won’t bring about good things. “Oh,” he says. “That’s… interesting.” What is that supposed to mean? You have no idea, but when you’re about to turn and make your way back to your friend who is surely waiting for you, he speaks up again. “I have my break in thirty minutes. Can we… talk maybe?”

Talk. He wants to talk, but at this point you’ve learned that accepting any offer from Donghyuck will only lead to trouble. What is there to talk about? Will he apologize? You’ve already told him that you don’t want his apologies. Will he try to fix things? Regardless you’re sure that whatever it is, he will attempt to make his way back into your life, your life that you had worked so hard to create without him. 

Every atom, every part of you screams at you to reject him. 

But perhaps it’s the heavy feeling in your chest that tells you to say yes. You have unsaid words, words you have held within you for years, and now you might finally have the courage to say them. 

Cautiously, you nod. “Fine. Thirty minutes?” 

He’s visibly relieved at your easy agreement, and bobs his head in response. “Thirty minutes.”

Because you’re made uncomfortable by his gaze you feel the need to thank him for the drinks in your hands. With a slight gulp you hold the glasses up in a slight gesture. “Thank you for the drinks… Haechan.” His name feels foreign on your tongue.

“Oh, it’s just Donghyuck now. I stopped going by that name a long time ago.”

-

Over the following thirty minutes, barely sipping on your drink, you try to recollect all you’ve ever felt about Lee Donghyuck.

Once upon a time, he was your playground buddy. Pushing you on the swing high above the play area, he showed you the most thrill an eight year old could have. His excitement did lead to your broken ankle of course, but he had carried your backpack for eight weeks after that. 

For many years he was the person you considered to be your best friend. The only person you could trust to share secrets with, like how your first kiss was with Huang Renjun of all people and how you were still, after all these years, afraid of the heights that came along with flying high on the swings.

In high school he was almost an enemy to you, someone you disregarded. Someone you had no respect for, with his smoking habits and dyed neon purple hair. 

Then, for the shortest moment so fleeting it felt like a blink of an eye, he was someone you wanted. Someone you desired, someone you could have seen a future with not as a best friend but as a… partner. Laying there in the wet grass beneath the stars with your head on his chest and his voice in your ears, you could have accepted him. Could have forgiven all the distance between you and made it work. Could have become one again. 

Then in the moment of truth all you could remember was anger and the pain of the betrayal. At that moment you were set on cutting Donghyuck out of your life. You could no longer take his lies, his habit of coming and going as he pleased. You cut him off.

But that didn’t mean he no longer occupied your thoughts. 

Now, standing in front of him in a private room somewhere in the bar, you realize you no longer have anger for him. He is just someone who has hurt you, someone who is part of your past. From the way he gazes at you, he wants you in his future. 

You’ve long since graduated from your hoodies and leggings. Now you don a dress, comfortable but also dressy enough for the occasion. But just because you’ve grown doesn’t mean you want him to watch you the way he does. 

“You look nice,” he starts. Familiarity rings in your mind, and you purse your lips slightly. 

“You always say that.” 

“Because it’s true,” retorts Donghyuck quickly. 

“Sometimes it’d be nice to hear a compliment not involving my appearance from you,” you respond almost a bit too harshly. 

Taking the loud hint, he quiets and doesn’t continue the topic. Instead he asks, “How are you?”

Unable to control the lilted chuckle that leaves your lips, you raise an eyebrow at him. “That’s what you brought me here for?” There’s no hostility in your tone, yet he winces. 

“Well, uh… yeah. I just—we haven’t talked since—”

“Since you broke my heart?”

This seems to be news to him, because his eyes widen ever so slightly, outlined slightly in dark kohl that seems reminiscent of your high school days. “I broke your heart?” 

He didn’t know. It’s almost laughable and you could almost be upset at him for not knowing just how strong of an effect he’s had on your entire life, if not for the fact that he looks absolutely pitiful, staring with wide eyes at the damage he’s done. You gulp, and nod tightly. “Yeah, you did.” After a moment, you add, “Tore it to pieces.”

A timeline of silence persists, before he speaks, voice low. “I’m sorry.”

He even sounds it, and from the way he looks, still clad in his apron and standing straight in front of you whilst you’re leaning on the wall, you could believe it. But at this point you’ve learned better than to believe anything that comes out of his mouth. Has he matured? Perhaps, but something tells you that he’s still the same kid you’ve known since the time before you could do long division. 

Yet despite this, perhaps to settle the disruptive fire in your heart that has been burning, aching since the moment you turned your back on him, you nod. “I forgive you.” 

Still, you continue with a scoff. “You didn’t even know. Didn’t even know that every single relationship, every promise, every smile from anyone since I’ve met you, I’ve had to reconsider. You didn’t even know, probably still don’t, how hard it is to trust someone, anyone. You were my best friend, Hyuck, and you betrayed me. How was that supposed to make me feel? Especially when you didn’t even come find me after that? You just… expected to just get away with it? You thought it’d be easy to just leave and never say anything, never apologize?”

He simply stands there, eyes trained to the ground in what seems to be shame as he takes in your words. You’re not done. 

“And to think, I almost thought that things could go back to normal, that we could be friends again. Maybe…” You catch yourself on your words. You had never admitted them out loud. “Maybe even—even…”

His eyes move up to meet yours.

“Maybe even more,” you finally release in a breath. 

“More?” The familiar emotion of surprise flashes over his dark ochre stained eyes. “You… you wanted to be with me?” 

The truth is, yes. You did. In some way, perhaps you still do. You’ve always wanted him, you’ve always been ready to freefall into him at any moment. But he doesn’t deserve it. 

“I really wanted to. But clearly that’s not possible at this point.” 

“No—” He runs a ring adorned hand through his dark locks, a contrast from the neon purple you associated with him. Other things you associate with him—sadness, betrayal, lies, yet still stars in a night sky. “Y/N, I… I love you. I’ve always loved you. I meant it when I said you were my only best friend, you’re the only one. Not Taeyong, or Johnny, or Jaehyun, or anyone. It’s always been you.” 

He… loved you. 

It hits you like a truck because as much as he claims it, he has a horrible way of showing it. “Don’t lie to me.” 

“I’m not lying, fuck—I swear. I know I was a horrible friend, and I know I hurt you. Y/N, please, please listen to me. Please believe me.” Suddenly he’s grasping at your hands, beseeching you with pleading eyes. “I’m different, I promise. I’m not that old me, I’m better. I can be better.” 

You rip your hands from his grasp. 

“I said don’t lie to me! I told you to stop making promises you can’t keep. You’re doing it again, just like always did. You had your chance, and you lost it. You lost me, Hyuck, it’s over.” He stares at you with widened eyes at your sudden outburst, his brows and lips downturned in an expression of sadness. “I was always willing to make things better, I was ready to take you back the moment you stepped in front of me that day at school and forced me to go on a date with you. I never stopped loving you, and you never stopped being my favorite person, Hyuck. But this—” you say, gesturing to the two of you. “—was doomed from the start.”

You sigh, but this time you calm yourself with a breath and grab at his hands, though you had pulled away from him earlier. “It could have been, you and me. We could have been the perfect trope of childhood best friends who fall in love and spend the rest of their lives together, but that was clearly always out of the question for us. And it’s okay, Hyuck. It’s okay. It’s okay that we’ve grown apart, and that you’ve hurt me more times than I can count, and that we won’t be able to fulfill that fantasy. It’s okay, it really is. Please, just… accept it.” 

The way he stares at you, the passion that he holds in his eyes causes a yearning feeling to infiltrate your heart. Yet your mind is clear enough for you to discern it’s not him that you miss, it’s the simpler times with him that you long for. 

His eyes are pleading when he finally opens his mouth to respond. “You’ve called me Hyuck four times now. That leads me to think that it’s possible. We’re possible, Y/N…”

“I called you that because it’s your name,” you tell him softly, eyes moving down to where your hands are comfortingly rubbing small circles on his skin. He still has the most rough, callused hands you’ve ever felt in your life. “And because I’m going to choose to remember you as Hyuck, my best friend. Not Donghyuck, the kid who pushed me off the swings. Not Haechan, the boy who hurt me. Just Hyuck, my best friend who… made me happy for a really long time, and who will always,” you say with a slight squeeze to his hands. “Always be special to me.”

His eyes are soft as you look back up to find him. “Y/N…”

“I’ve got to go,” you tell him with a small smile. Finally, everything you’ve needed to say for years has been said. 

The tears which layer upon his eyes are evident to the both of you, though you choose not to comment on it. You’re his best friend, and you’re about to walk out of his life. The last thing you offer is a comforting squeeze to his hands before you tear away from him, making your way to the door. 

“Y/N.”

You stop, not saying anything before his voice pervades through the silence of the room, despite the raucous party outside. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.” 

This time, you really believe him.

-

You slide the key into the keyhole and unlock the door, twisting the doorknob as you step into your apartment. To no surprise, it’s dark and empty. With a sigh leaving your throat, you slip in and slide off your shoes. 

As you make your way through the apartment you flick on the lights you pass to observe your home, before clicking them off to immerse yourself in the temporary darkness again. In the hallway, books and various clutter have been arranged carefully on the shelves. Entering the living room, you take note of the way the couch cushions have been straightened and a folded blanket rests neatly on one of the lounge chairs, awaiting your arrival. A quick glance to the kitchen tells you that the floor’s been mopped and the dishes put away. 

A small smile pervades across your face. 

Finally, the bedroom. 

Your calm, harmonious smile remains present on your face as you slip into the walk in closet, allowing the fabric of your dress to slide off your figure. Instead, you reach for your pajama bottoms and a thin tank top. 

After brushing your teeth and clearing your visage of any remaining makeup, you peel off the blanket and glide into the space between the comforter and the mattress. Finally, you’re home. 

You’re closing your eyes, ready to fall asleep with a newfound peace, when a hand slides around your waist. Your smile grows wider as you turn in your spot to meet the sleepy face of your fiance, Jaemin. 

“Hey,” he hums tiredly. 

“Hey. Sorry for waking you,” you respond lightly, pressing a kiss to his nose. 

A small shake of his head and a smile is all that’s needed to settle your guilt of waking him. “It’s okay,” he says while pulling you closer to him, gathering you into his chest. 

“You cleaned the apartment,” you muse in amazement at him. 

The sound which comes out of him is both smug and proud. “I did. And did you have fun?”

You nod. “I did.” 

“How was it?” 

“It was nice. I… I met Donghyuck.”

This piques his interest. “Oh? Your best friend from high school who broke your heart?”

A pitiful laugh leaves your chest, and you nod once more. “Yeah, that one.” 

“Mm, how was that? Do I need to go punch someone, teach him a lesson?” His words intend to sound menacing, but the fatigue in his tone only makes you chuckle. 

“No, honey, it’s okay really. I… I told him how I feel.” 

“How’d he take it?” He asks, resting his chin upon the crown of your head. He’s more than knowledgeable about your heart wrenching past toward your friend.

“It was difficult for the both of us but I think everything’s okay. Finally.”

You don’t have to look, but you know he’s smiling. 

Where Hyuck is a dark night sky of stars, signifying all the possibilities of the universe, Jaemin is the dawn; the sun reappearing after an arduous night to bring you hope. Where Hyuck is a world of lies, Jaemin is your truth. 

He had struggled for many years to make you see, to make you forget the scars that your time with Hyuck had inflicted on your heart. Though you had worried for many years that you were unlovable, Jaemin taught you the opposite. 

He is the truth, he is all that’s good, and he is yours. 

“Yeah, finally. I’m proud of you, honey. Can we sleep now?”

A laugh leaves your lips, and you nod. “Yeah, go back to sleep, love. Goodnight.” With this, he presses a kiss to your forehead. This small touch, the slightest brush of his lips over your skin, causes a world of love and emotion to erupt within your chest. 

So, you say proudly, “I love you.” 

He doesn’t miss a beat, replying within a second. “I love you too, with everything I am.”

With your entire heart, you believe him. You have no reason to doubt him. 

He is your last and final truth. 

[riseofthespacecats]

RISE OF THE SPACE CATS

An Eddsworld Fan-Script: Part 9

THE CAT SPACESHIP - STORAGE CLOSET

CRASH!

The SPACESHIP shakes. Various TOOLS drop from the shelves, bonking EDD on the head on their way down. EDD pockets one of them.

EDD

What was that?

RINGO

(GASPS)

What was it? What was it?

Ringo blinks big sparkly eyes.

EDD

Stop doing that!

RINGO

We are undew seige fwom an owd enemy.

EDD

Eduardo's dog is an alien too?

RINGO

Psh. No. Dis is an enemy more tewwifying dan you can imagine.

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

EDD and RINGO arrive to meet COMMANDER WODEN.

COMMANDER WODEN

(SUBTITLES)

Turn on clawmmunications.

The window looking out into space becomes a SCREEN. A large RABBIT HEAD appears while it connects.

EDD

Bunnies? Your enemies are rabbits?

RINGO

Not just wabbits. Dwywe awien wabbits, dats what dey awe.

The connection secures and the face of CHIEF JAKKA appears. It is a menacing ALIEN HARE with a bright PINK STRIPE down its face.

CHIEF JAKKA communicates in rabbit "clucks".

Chief Jakka

(SUBTITLES)

Look what the cat dragged in.

EDD giggles.

COMMANDER WODEN

(SUBTITLES)

State your purpose, longears!

CHIEF JAKKA

(SUBTITLES)

Surrender your ship, longtails, or die by our newest weapon. The laser cannon death sentence!

COMMANDER WODEN

(SUBTITLES)

Never! We'll hunt you like rodents!

CHIEF JAKKA

(SUBTITLES)

Then suffer our vicious revenge!

EDD is barely containing his giggles.

EDD

Why are you fighting these guys? They sound funny!

RINGO

Psh. Dey'we mad because we wuined de enviwoment of deir pwanet and made it uninhabitabwe.

EDD

What?

RINGO

Honestwey, you eat a few biwd species to exitnction and suddenwy it's aww "cats shouwdent be awwowed outside!". Ugh. Dwama queens.

EDD

You need to apologize!

RINGO

No way! Da whole weason we stawted the zombie apowaypse on Earth was to kiww the bunny bastawds.

EDD gasps.

EDD

You started the zombie apocalypse?

RINGO

Of couwse! Space wabbits are awergic to zombies. Dwop a bit of toxic waste hewe, bit of toxic waste dewe, and we have a pwanet of bio-weapons!

EDD

Surely you can't be serious.

RINGO

I am sweious. And don't caw me sherly.

EDD

But they're all going to kill us right now!

RINGO

Not a chance! Our piwots are da best in da gawaxy!

A RED DOT appears on the floor. RINGO'S eyes go huge. Every cat in the DECK drops down to all fours, pawing at it, each trying to catch the DOT as it zips back and forth.

EDD looks out the window. A RABBIT SHAPED SPACESHIP has a giant LAZER POINTER sticking out the front. A giant LAZER CANON suddenly pops out the other side.

EDD looks around in panic. All the cats are distracted. He stares at the control panel - it makes no sense to him.

EDD

Think like a cat, think like a cat!

EDD slaps the buttons.

SPACE

Lazer guns appear from the side of the spaceship, shooting at the RABBIT SPACE SHIP.

The ALIEN RABBITS fire back, lazers hitting the ship.

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

EDD is knocked down.

He scrambles back up, reaching over to bat at some of the switches and joysticks.

SPACE

A huge FORCEFIELD activates around the CAT SPACESHIP. The LAZERS bounce off it.

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

EDD

Hah!

He reaches up, swiping at dangling toys and strings.

space

An ENERGY WAVE eminates from the CAT SPACESHIP, hitting the RABBIT SPACESHIP.

THE RABBIT SPACESHIP

CHIEF JAKKA and the other alien rabbits yank their ears down, cringing at the loud noise

CHIEF JAKKA

(SUBTITLES)

The drill!

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

EDD watches the chaos proudly. His face drops.

Through the window we see two giant CLAWS reach out and grab the FORCEFIELD. A GLOWING DRILL pokes out from the front of the RABBIT SPACESHIP and starts to tunnel through the FORCEFIELD, making it crack.

The end of the DRILL opens, the head of a MISSILE LAUNCHER poking out.

EDD frantically slaps and yanks at everything he can, to no avail.

The RABBIT SPACESHIP shoots the MISSILE. It hits - breaking pieces off, leaving huge burn marks across the window. Alarms go off, flashing lights fill the DECK.

EDD grabs the CONTROL PANEL to stabilise himself.

EDD

Uh, a little help?

The alien cats are all still distracted, running after the DOT. A few jump on EDD as they rush past, trying to catch it.

EDD

There's got to be something else.

He spots a COLA CAN sat on the control panel. It's open. He grimmaces, covers his eyes with one hand, slowly reaches out the other... His fingertips brush the edge...

THE RABBIT SPACESHIP

CHIEF JAKKA laughs, the other alien rabbits watch.

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

EDD knocks over the COLA CAN, spilling COLA all across the control panel. It fizzes and sparks.

A GIANT LAZER CANNON appears and shoots a huge beam at the enemy ship, ripping through the DRILL.

THE RABBIT SPACESHIP

CHIEF JAKKA'S ears drop in horror as the LAZER gets closer, filling the ship with GREEN LIGHT.

CHIEF JAKKA

(SUBTITLES)

To the escape pods!

The alien rabbits flee.

SPACE

The LAZER hits the RABBIT SPACESHIP. It explodes, debris flying everywhere.

THE CAT SPACESHIP - DECK

The alien cats all cheer. EDD grins as he watches. Orange light fills the deck from the explosion.

RINGO

You did it! You saved us aww!

EDD

Hurray!

RINGO

You deserve a tweat for being a good boy!

EDD

Sweet! Can I go home?

RINGO

Haha! No.

EDD’s face drops.

EDD

But I can't stay out here. I'm really not... Feline it.

RINGO

Eh. I've heard bettew.

EDD

Purred better?

EDD/RINGO

Eyy.

Close in on RINGO.

RINGO

Edd, I understand you want to wive on youw misewable wittle pwanet, but it's actuawy-

Wide shot, the sound of running feet, EDD is no longer there.

RINGO

Oh, he's gone.

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

Baby, how do you sleep when you lie to me?

FRANCISCO ‘CATFISH’ MORALES and BEN MILLER x FEM!READER┃ TRIPLE FRONTIER.

❝ summary: Benny has flirted with another woman and now he has to bear with the consequences.

❝ words: about 2.8k.

❝ warnings: nsfw, polyamorous relationship, threesome, fingering, voyeurism, unprotected sex, language, mention of bodily fluids and I think that's all.

❝ a / n: you all can blame @chibsytelford for this because it was just a fantasy I had and she pushed me to write it because I can't refuse anything from her. I left the end open so, in case you enjoy it, I have more ideas for them.

Gif credits to the author.

You have given Ben the silent treatment since two days ago. Every Wednesday the guys and you go to a pub to share some beers and old stories and to play pool until late at night. But the younger Miller drank more alcohol than he should and started to flirt with a random chick, who was making him googly eyes since you all put a step in. Supposedly, nothing happened between both thanks to Will who stopped him —supposedly because you weren't there when that happened, as you asked Frankie to take you home; miffed and ashamed.

You have never doubted the polyamorous relationship the three of you are committed to: until that night. The thought of what could have happened if no one had separated them is killing you slowly. You love them both with your life, you can't live without them. But Ben doesn't deserve any kind of attention from you. The funny part is that he doesn't remember anything from that night and blames the beers he drank for his behavior. If he did it, he did it for a reason though.

You can't lie saying it's been easy for you to punish him. You miss him during nights when only Frankie warms you between his arms, feeling a little unprotected without Benny sleeping by your other side, even if he's in the next room. You've found yourself waking up in the middle of the night with a suffocating sensation burning within your chest, crying for the lack of his presence. And Catfish is starting to get tired of this situation.

“This has gotta end”.

The nervous movement of your knee, rising and falling, suddenly stops by the firm tone of his voice and the finger pointing out the distance between you and the boxer, both at opposite sides of the sofa. Since he has reunited the three of you in your living room five minutes away, Frankie has been walking from one side to another like a caged lion, trying to find a way to reconcile you.

“Kiss her”. The pilot demands, three steps away in front of you.

“Try to kiss me and I'll knock you down”. You quickly reply standing on your bare feet, frowning as you cross your arms on your chest.

Of course, the two men knew which would be your response, but Frankie is the one who knows how to break through your fortress when you're resentful. He walks towards you with no expression on his face, leaning forward to press his lips on yours. A soft touch as if he is asking you for permission to go ahead, although he doesn't need it. You are pretty aware of what he's trying, but you can't refuse when his charming tongue slides itself into your cavity to play with yours. You gulp an arousal gasp, feeling Benny's blue eyes —becoming darker at the view— firmly stuck on how much you enjoy Frankie's hands pawing and squeezing your buttocks while tasting the pair of lips he could die for.

You are too bewitched to notice the pilot beckoning him with a hand to come closer. Ben hesitates scratching his forearm with his head bowed down like a beaten puppy. Your indifference has caused him nightmares, pain and anguish. Yes, sex is amazing, but you're more than a girl to hook up. He needs you. He needs your hands to stitch him up after a fight. He needs your legs around him to feel like he's at home. He needs your chest to rest his forehead whenever he feels the world is falling around him. He needs your kisses to put him to sleep when insomnia takes over his brain. He needs your laugh to be happy.

You have been so assorted in your own thoughts that you haven't noticed the change until you hear Frankie's whispers in your ear encouraging Benny to touch you as his trembling fingers don't dare to do it. And now that you are feeling him this close again, you don't want to stop. You can't. The heat begins to concentrate beneath the cotton fabric of your panties, as his tongue invades your mouth and Frankie sticks his chest to your back.

“Tell him what you want”. He murmurs gripping your jawline using five of his fingers, while his free hand lands on his own growing bulge.

Ben trails a path of wet kisses to your neck, down to reach your collarbone. “I wa— want you inside me”.

“But he doesn't deserve it. Not yet”. Frankie claims, earning a whimper from his friend. “Take his hand, show him where you want it”.

Of course, he will not let the boxer have any pleasure from this round. He first has to fight for it —fight for you, after disrespecting your relationship. Because Catfish is upset with him too. Resting the back of your head on his shoulder as you grab Benny's right hand pinching one of your nipples over the dark shirt, you drag it slowly over your body. He can't help but nail his fingertips in your skin, need for your touch, desperate to feel something yours. The younger Miller swallows a knot stuck in his throat when the palm of his hand cups your heated and soaked cunt. You both moan inevitably when he gently rubs it, raising his dark ocean eyes towards yours, as Frankie peppers the top of your head with sweet kisses.

Ben doesn't wait for another signal to snake his long fingers to put your panties aside and cautiously traces the wet slit between your folds, hoping you don't pull him away at the last second. When he sees in your orbs how needed you are for him, understanding you're not going to stop him, Benny pushes softly his index finger into your center, well-aimed to your tight warm hole. You can't help but moan somewhat alleviated, placing your hands on his shoulders to find balance as your knees go weak at his touch. Frankie licking and biting the sweet spot under your ear, whilst massaging your breasts with his experienced digits, doesn't help either.

“Tell him why you are so damn tight, amor”. The pilot hums as soon as Ben's finger has reached your limits.

“I ha— haven't had sex… since Wedne— Wednesday's noon”. You whining almost brushing the younger lips with yours, so concerned that you can't stop your hips to swing looking for more friction against Frankie's hard cock pressed to your ass and over Ben's hand.

And, oh, now he already knows too why Frankie is controlling you and what he can do. And he feels more guilty now. He still can't believe he flirted with a woman who is not you and it's something that is going to chase him for the rest of his life. A life he doesn't want to live without you, nor without his friend.

“Can I put another one?” Ben almost beg, asking Frankie for permission, who continues enraptured on biting your neck with the clear intention of leaving some marks there.

“Uh-huh”. He just affirms.

Ben maneuvers inside your panties to flex his long finger to join the index one. Instantly, your hands grip the fabric of his t-shirt in two fists, strongly closing your eyelids as a pleased whine dies in your parted lips touching his. Saying that it feels so good would be insufficient. The three of you are used to have sex, at least, two times per day —some days, they're capable of overstimulating you to the point that you can't move a single inch of your anatomy. The pace of his thrusts become faster, as much as the limit of your panties lets him, in and out. He knows exactly how to curl and swirl his fingers to push your g-spot, to give you the pleasure you deserve, to make you feel desired. Frankie is the best at eating you out, as his experienced tongue can make you cum in less than a minute. But Ben is the one who knows how to use his trained hands to put you to beg for more, and more, and more.

“Amor, I need to fuck you”. The pilot hisses frustrated onto your ear, before biting and sucking your earlobe. And you are conscious of how he's going to punish the other.

Making him look without being allowed to not even touch himself.

Ben pulls his hand away causing you to grunt disappointed, so Frankie can walk you to the sofa.

“Don't you dare to taste her”. He says then pointing at the blonde, signaling the wet fingers in your juices until he cleans them in his own t-shirt. Catfish knows how much Ben loves to suck them clean, but it's part of his punishment. So he will learn to not disrespect you again.

Removing the only two pieces of clothing that cover your body, you put on four over the sofa keeping eye-contact with the younger, whilst hearing the pilot undoing the belt and the zip that keep his jeans on. Frankie positions himself behind you with a leg kneel on the sofa and the other stand on the floor. At the same time, Benny sits over the armrest, close enough at least to be able to kiss you. He needs something from you. And he'll conform with it.

Usually, Frankie loves to take his time worshipping you —slowly, meticulously— but he can't wait right now to slam his hard dick into your soaked cunt, crashing his pelvis against your buttocks. You cry out on Ben's lips, as the older is still pushing your limits as much as he can with both hands nailed strongly in your hips, almost hurting you.

“Tell me how it feels, baby”. Ben requests huskily, gripping your whole neck with all his fingers.

“Oh, god…” You breathe through your nose, causing your stomach to contract itself because of the lack of air in your lungs. “Frankie feels so good… He's too thick, Benny… He fi— fills me so good…”

“Yeah?”

“Yes…” You try to nod with your chin, as he continues balls deep inside you. “Please, Frankie… fuck me… I need you. I need you to fuck me hard”.

The way you beg him provokes Ben to clench his jaw. He loves that honeyed and painful tone of voice too, pleading him to be impaled by his length and he knows he will have to deal with this situation for some more time until you believe him —until you believe that he doesn't want any woman, but you.

“I'm gonna fuck your soul outta your body, amor”. He growls going back only leaving his glans inside you, before pounding you again with all his strength, enjoying how pissed Ben is watching you two right now, without even being allowed to jack himself off.

Frankie rocks his hips back and forth with an insane rhythm that doesn't let you recover from the hit to your g-spot when he's already pushing it to its limits. The boxer drinks your delighted gasps, not being capable of hearing you moaning Frankie you fuck me so fucking good, baby. He wants to hear his name too and the rage is consuming him by leaps and bounds. Ben always enjoys when Frankie pounds your pussy as you blow him, or vice-versa. There are other times when he's too tired and it's Frankie who worships your body with total adoration. There's no competition between them; but right now, after almost three days ignoring him, not feeling anything more than indifference, Ben is furiously needed.

But doesn't seem enough punishment for Frankie, who —not only haven't had sex since the last Wednesday— that has heard you all this time crying for Benny, believing he didn't love you or desire you anymore. Believing that he was just looking for an excuse to fly away from the two of you. And yes, you have pretty clear that if one of them decides to not continue, you will stay with the other one. You really love them both. Frankie tangles a hand in your hair, forcing you to sit up on your knees and arch your back so Ben has a better view of your naked and sweaty body being hardly fucked by him with no mercy, whilst he is just there. Watching. Feeling the painful pressure under the soft fabric of his grey sweatpants. Feeling that he could cum just of watching you being used to finding the most animal pleasure.

“Fuck, amor… you're so fuckin' tight”. Frankie hisses, placing his chin on your shoulder as his dark eyes are on the blue ones, rejoicing at how much Benny wants to leave right now and maybe hit his punching bag until destroying it. “So wet only for me… So warm you co—could set me on fire”.

Ben is aware that if he leaves now, everything will be worse. So he's doing his best to endure like a champion, biting the center of his bottom lip when Frankie tilts your head to trap your mouth and tuck his tongue into it. You feel like you're floating to the seventh heaven when he drags one of his huge hands down your torso to look for your throbbing clit, as your walls clench around his twitching dick. You're close, too close to falling above the edge.

“Please, Fra— Frankie, don't stop”. You whine against his lips, feeling some tickles because of his perfect mustache, breathing his own breath.

“You wanna cum, ah? That's what you want, baby girl?”

He can't hear your response due to the obscene and filthy dry sound his pelvis produces crashing against your flesh once and once. No mercy, rough like he has never been with you unless he has been out of town attending some kind of mission —so keen to fill your guts with his cream and mark a territory Ben isn't allowed to touch for now. Your moans become erratic, stepping on each other. Your voice is breaking with a high-pitched tone, not being able to handle it anymore. And your pettiness appears from nowhere, after what your heart has suffered. You cry out Frankie's full name with your crystal eyes, because of too much pleasure, glued to Ben's.

“Oh, fu— fuck, Francisco!”

Your vocals echo around the living room, whilst he continues going deeper and deeper. His pleased growls join yours, rolling your eyes to the back of your head when Frankie explodes inside you like an unbridled torrent, so warm that it feels like hell is concentrated in your soaked and filled cunt; abused after a short but an intense round of slams straight to the weakest spot of your anatomy.

Even so, he is still pressed against your limits, holding his still-hard dick between your wet folds whilst trying to recover your breaths. You can see Ben heavily gulping his saliva, keeping his hands away from the lump under his sweatpants. It hurts just looking at it, but these are the consequences. And he hasn't cheated you. He feels like he has done it though, and that's more painful than the erection claiming attention, or how only Frankie is allowed to touch you, to comfort you, to talk to you —to interact in any kind of way.

And now, Ben can leave to have a cold shower.

It's the third night you can't sleep. Although you're really tired, you can't find the point where your brain disconnects from the world. Curling your knees to your chest, wrapping your arms around them, you put your eyes again in the stargazing above your head. The soft breeze, sitting on the grass of the backyard of your house, calms you somehow but not enough to husk the insecurities Ben has created you.

Lost in your thoughts, you don't notice Frankie's presence until he settles himself behind you, urging you with his forearms on your chest to lie back against his. Pressing his lips on top of your head with a tender kiss, he sighs slowly and quietly.

“Benny loves you. He really does. I'm not gonna defend him, I don't understand why he did it and I don't wanna think 'bout what could have happened. But he loves you”.

“I know, but… I feel like I'm not enough for him anymore. Like we aren't enough for him anymore”. You whisper resting your head under his chin, closing your eyelids and lacing your fingers with him, looking for some consolation. “Maybe love isn't enough for him and he doesn't feel attracted to me like he used to”.

“Bullshit, baby. Didn't you see how he was lookin' at you the whole time? Like a fuckin' starving dog, and not because he hasn't had sex in three days. But because he hasn't been touched by you in an eternity. He's been following you like a puppy all around this time, sleeping against the door of your room, begging you to forgive him”. Frankie doesn't want you to convince you about anything, but what he's saying are facts. “Take your time, okay? But don't be too harsh with him. Ben is still here, right? That's the answer to your questions”.

If you’ve liked it, lemme know in a comment, I’d really appreciate it. Reblogs are welcome too, so more people can enjoy it! ✨

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[blackjacktheboss]

Happy Easter! • single parents au

“I am not going out like this,” Percy drones from behind the bathroom door.

Annabeth leans against the doorframe with her arms crossed and rolls her eyes. “Percy, this was literally your idea.”

The door violently swings open, and there stands Percy in a white bunny costume. Annabeth can feel his forlorn stare through the bunny head. “Well I’m a fucking idiot and we should never listen to me.”

Annabeth can do absolutely nothing to stifle the cackle that overtakes her as she doubles over, trying to catch her breath.

Always following her lead, Percy can’t help but begin to laugh with her, though it’s muted by  the costume. “It’s not funny! It’s really warm in here.”

Annabeth stands and wipes tears from her eyes. “You look so cute.”

“Don’t patronize me.”

Annabeth steps forward, her shoulders still bouncing as her laugh continues, and wraps her arms around Percy’s fuzzy white neck. “You are going to make one little girl very, very happy today, Percy Jackson. You’re an angel.”

Percy sighs, wrapping his bunny paws around Annabeth’s waist. “Actually, I’m an Easter bunny.”

☼☼☼

Ruthie giggles as Amelia and Teddy swing her between them, her light pink dress crinkling in the wind as she goes. Annabeth follows behind them carrying three full Easter baskets as they make their way back home from the neighborhood egg hunt, and she could not be more excited to see what happens when they make it home.

Soon they are at the front steps of their townhouse, Ruthie screaming in delight as her siblings swing her right to the top, and Annabeth hurries after them, not wanting to miss a thing.

“DADDY, WE’RE HOME!” Ruthie announces as she skips into the house. She comes to a dead stop in front of the living room, and lets out another scream, this time one of sheer terror. “THE BUNNY!”

Teddy, Amelia and Annabeth all rush to her side just in time to see the Easter bunny jolting up into a sitting position on the couch. For a moment, there is complete silence. The bunny sits and stares blankly at the trio, while Amelia covers her mouth to keep from laughing, and Teddy and Annabeth comfort Ruthie.

“He was just... taking a nap, Honeybee,” Annabeth says as she gives the bunny a pointed look. “Right, bunny?”

The bunny nods, big and slow, and gives a thumbs up.

Ruthie remains skeptical, crossing her arms as she stares down the bunny. “What did you do with my daddy?” she asks, her tone accusatorial.  

The bunny holds its arms out and shrugs in an I don’t know gesture.

Ruthie tugs on the hem of Teddy’s shirt, keeping her eyes on the bunny as she whispers. “Teddy, you gotta fight the Easter bunny.”

“What?” Teddy asks.

“Yeah,” Amelia interrupts. “Why wouldn’t you tell me to fight it? I love fighting.”

“I don’t wanna kill him,” Ruthie says like it’s obvious.

Teddy frowns at his step-sister. “No one is fighting the Easter bunny, you--”

“Kids,” Annabeth interrupts. “Let’s focus, shall we? Honeybee, I’m sure your dad is fine. Don’t you wanna say  hi to the Easter bunny? Maybe take some pictures?”

Ruthie stomps up to the bunny, who is still sitting patiently on the couch, and squares up to him with her hands on her hips. “You swear you didn’t hurt my daddy?”

The bunny nods, and uses a bunny paw to mark an x over his heart.

Ruthie’s demeanor changes in an instant, and she promptly hoists herself onto the bunny’s lap. “Ok! I trust you!”

The bunny visibly relaxes and helps Ruthie settle on his leg, where she begins to tell him about her day, thanks him for all the eggs he hid, and, once more for good measure, makes sure he has no knowledge of where her dad is.

“God, that kid can talk,” Amelia says as she leans her head back on her chair.

Teddy stuffs a peep in his mouth and talks through the marshmallow fluff. “Tell me about it.”

“I’m all done,” Ruthie says with a shy shrug, patting the bunny on the nose. “You’re a very good listener.”

The bunny holds up a paw requesting a high-five, and Ruthie gladly obliges. She hops off his lap and backs up, allowing him to stand. The bunny leans down and gives her a big hug, patting her on her head once he releases her.

“Okay, guys,” Annabeth announces. “Everybody upstairs. I know you all have to finish cleaning your rooms before Nana comes over for dinner, so please get to it.”

“C’mon, Ruthie,” Teddy says, picking his baby sister up and hoisting her over his shoulder.

Ruthie’s joyous giggles bounce around the room as she waves to the bunny, who emphatically waves back. “Bye, bunny! See you next year!”

☼☼☼

Teddy sits at his desk sketching an idea for a waterslide when there is a light knock on his door. He spins around in his chair and smiles when he sees Ruthie patiently waiting just beyond the threshold with her hands behind her back.

“What’s up, Smalls?”

“Can I come in please?”

Teddy laughs, and waves his sister over. “Of course.”

She saunters over to his bed and climbs onto it, her little self bouncing lightly as she settles in. “Can I tell you a secret, Teddy?”

He squints skeptically as he scoots his chair closer, so that he and his sister are eye to eye. “Always.”

Despite it just being the two of them, she beckons him closer until they are nose to nose, and cups her tiny hands around her mouth. “I think daddy’s the Easter bunny.”

Teddy bites back a smile. “What makes you say that?”

She brings her shoulders up until they are at her ears. “The bunny hugged me just like daddy does. And when I tell daddy to make a promise, he always crosses his heart.”

“Hmm…” Teddy says as he leans back in his chair, nodding very seriously. “You know, you might be onto something.”

Her eyes shine as they grow wide. “Does this mean me and Amelia are part bunny? Do you think we can turn into bunnies if we try real hard? Is daddy like a bunny werewolf?”

Teddy smiles at all the questions. “I don’t know, Smalls, but those are all great questions. I do know one thing, though.” “What?”

“If we are part bunny,” he says as he leans forward to rest his arms on his thighs. His face is serious. “Then Amelia’s the meanest bunny I’ve ever met.”

Ruthie is giggling yet again, flopping over onto her side, and Teddy swells with pride at his joke.

“Kids!” Annabeth’s voice calls. “Nana’s here!”

Ruthie sits back up, wiping the tears of laughter from her face. “That was so funny, Teddy.”

He winks conspiratorially. “Thanks, Ruth. Now how about we go downstairs and see if we can catch dad eating carrots.”

Ruthie’s eyes light up. “I’ll see if he has a tail.”

[markleesthighs]

I love that Mark x male reader you made, it makes us fanboys more included uwu Can you make a Jaemin version? Where the male reader has a huge crush on Jaemin a basketball player but he’s not cocky and arrogant like the others players who talk about girls, but Jaemin actually has a secret crush on the male reader

-I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for sending in this one!

Na Jaemin, the one who made your heart flutter and get all the butterflies into your stomach. You met him when you were rushing to get to class so you cut across the gym to save time. You accidentally bumped into him and he helped you back up. You still remember that sight. He was sweaty (in a good way) hair was parted perfectly, and you sunk into his eyes. You blushed as you quickly thanked him and ran off.

After you talked about your encounter with your friends that day, all them immediately knew who Jaemin was. He was the basketball star, class representative, and was one of the top ten in the class. Hearing your friends go on about him you couldn’t help but notice how Jaemin would get a confession every lunch from a girl or have a bunch of fangirls following him. Hell, there was a secret Jaemin fan club which composed only of girls. Sure, you liked Jaemin, but you didn’t know if he would like you back, you know being a guy and all, you didn’t want to assume his orientation but you still had your doubts.

The following year you had French class with Jaemin and sat directly behind him. You were pretty good at French, impressing your teacher with your conversational skills. It caught the attention of Jaemin who would turn and ask you for the date or complement your French. He was struggling with a new concept and asked you to help him after school so you would spend a lot of time with him. He wasn’t what people described basketball players to be. He wasn’t an arrogant, selfish person, he was kind and attentive and would always ask how your day was. He would even buy you a snack so you wouldn’t be hungry during your studying sessions. He eventually invited to one of the home basketball games, saying that you could “see him in his element” You agreed and he told you the time and place.

The gym was PACKED everyone in the school was there, luckily Jaemin saved you a seat on the bench where other players sat. Jaemin told his coach you were a reporter for the school newspaper, so he had nothing to worry about if you were a fanboy trying to get close and personal with the players. You were mesmerized by Jaemin, he scored almost every time he had the ball and was a good player socially, thanking the other team for the game even though they got crushed 89-24. Jaemin saw you and ran to you asking how he was. You complemented him and how he’s completely different on the court than he is in French class. He asked you to wait for him after the team meeting, to which you did, fiddling with your pen and paper anticipating what he was going to tell you. But you noticed a bunch of fan girls were waiting for Jaemin and other players. They had their fat heads, signs, and jerseys that they wore with the same number as their favorite player. When the boys came out they screamed so loud your ears started to hurt, Jaemin was about to walk up to when he was surrounded by girls asking him for his number, to sign their jerseys, and if he could take a picture with them. You sighed as Jaemin was following with the girls’ requests, getting up to leave the gym. Jaemin saw you leaving as he apologized to the girls that he had to go help you or something.

“y/n! Wait up!”

“Shouldn’t you be getting back to your fan girls? They seem pretty eager for your signature.”

“But I wanted to talk to you.”

“If you drive me home, I’ll let you talk to me.”

“Wh- how is that fair?!” Jaemin pouted

“Look, my parents are out for dinner so I need a ride home, we can kill time on the drive talking to each other.”

“Oh, ok!”

Jaemin grabbed your hand which made your heart flutter as he dragged you to his black Mercedes where he opened the door for you as he began to drive. You began to shiver a bit, not realizing how cold it had been. Then Jaemin threw his letterman jacket over your shoulders telling you to wear it. It was big on you, giving you sweater paws. As fan girls noticed you in Jaemin’s car he drove off, attempting to escape from their loud screams, knowing that it bothered you. You wanted to tell Jaemin that you liked him, it was the perfect time for it, you were alone with Jaemin. His hair blew in the wind and he always had a smile on his face. The sun was setting, it’s orange pink hue shined on Jaemins cheek.

“Hey Jaemin?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you like...that?”

“What?”

“The attention from fan girls, would you ever date one of them?”

“I appreciate their dedication and support but I’m not really into dating one of them.”

“O-oh...what are you into? I-in terms of d-dating?”

“U-umm I-I uh- I like someone who I can connect well with, who understands me and likes me for me, not Jaemin the basketball star...”

You swore you saw Jaemin blush at that question but you assumed it was the sunset.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Real funny Jaemin, but...umm...would you ever....date me?”

Jaemin giggled which hurt your heart a bit. You felt some of your tears pooling before Jaemin spoke.

“Yeah, I’d totally date you.”

Your eyes went wide.

“R-really?”

“Yeah, I may have a fan girl club, but I always have my love for some fan boys...”

“I’m not a fan boy!!”

“You seemed to act like it.”

You pouted and Jaemin kissed your cheek

“Stop pouting my little baby, you look too cute when you do that.”

“S-so umm...am I?”

“I would be overjoyed if you were my boyfriend, plus that jacket looks good on you.”

You both kissed feeling his soft lips against yours getting a little taste of his gatorade. Once you arrived at your house he hugged you and kissed you goodbye. He let you keep the jacket, since he insisted he could just get another one. As you approached your steps Jaemin shouted:

“That’s my boyfriend!”

“Jaemin shhhh!!”

“What I can’t be proud of my beautiful boyfriend?”

“Y-you can b-but.”

“Get used to it baby, I’m going to be yelling like this in the hallways.”

You sighed at you smiled at him running up to him for one last kiss under the moonlight.

[andorerso]

let the cat out of the bag

Modern AU. M-rated, no smut but lot of references to sex. Super silly!

It starts after the first time they sleep together.

They aren’t dating, they aren’t even friends – but he’s the hot classmate she always had a thing for, and when they’re paired up for a project that leads her to invite him up to her apartment to prepare, she can’t hold herself back anymore.

It’s clearly mutual; she hasn’t picked up on it before, but it’s hard to ignore it then. Cassian is giving her signals, flirting even, and she doesn’t think too much of it before she kisses him. His response is pretty enthusiastic, and it isn’t long before their clothes disappear.

Studying blissfully forgotten – for the time – Jyn has the pleasure of enjoying the best sex of her life. And that’s all it’s supposed to be. They both agree that neither of them has time for a relationship, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the hot sex between them every once in a while, and hot sex, it is. A quick discussion in bed to make sure they’re on the same page, and they move right onto round two. Then three and four.

Truthfully, they don’t get any studying done that night.

Then between rounds three and four, Cassian gets up to get a quick snack for themselves from her fridge while she goes to use the bathroom. She finds him scratching her cat’s ears when she emerges, totally unaware of the incredulous stare she’s giving him.

“Hey, cute cat,” he says, his lips quirking up into a smile when Mimi arches her body towards him, butting his palm with her head. She’s purring, and Jyn feels like she’s in a different dimension. “What’s her name?”

“Uhm.” Shaking her head free of confusion, she says, “Mimi. She usually doesn’t take to strangers like this.”

That’s an understatement. Mimi looks like a harmless floof, and it usually lures unsuspecting victims into underestimating her, which is a big mistake to make. She has a vicious streak; many a guest and even friends have ended up with nasty scratch marks for daring to try and touch her. Bodhi is terrified of her to this day and jokingly calls her Jyn’s “doppelganger.”

“She’s you in cat form,” he told her affectionately. Jyn rolled her eyes but he wasn’t too far off.

Mimi doesn’t like strangers and she doesn’t trust them. She isn’t a particularly affectionate cat to begin with, not even with Jyn – who is undoubtedly the only person she seems to tolerate.

So it’s a shock, to say at least, to see Cassian rubbing Mimi behind her ears and his hand not being bitten off. In fact, Mimi’s eyes are closed in contentment, a low purring sound reverberating through her tiny body. Jyn almost feels a little jealous – but of who, she isn’t sure.

Cassian looks up at her with a quirk of his lips, eyes sparkling in amusement.

“Guess I’m special then.”

Then it goes on.

Jyn brings Cassian home one night, pushing him to the sofa and crawling into his lap without much preamble, attaching her mouth back to his. She grabs his cock, not in the mood for foreplay, and hears Cassian hiss in response. But just as she’s about to take off her shirt, Mimi jumps up on the couch and meows loudly.

Jyn breaks away in surprise. It isn’t like her cat to be so needy – but as she blinks at Mimi in confusion, she realizes she isn’t groveling for her attention.

Of course.

Cassian laughs in amusement, like this is all funny, and reaches out to give Mimi an affectionate pat on the head.

“Hey, Mimi. Missed me, did you?”

What the fuck is going on.

Jyn stares at them both incredulously. She’s just trying to get some good dick, goddammit, and here is her own cat, usually a grouch, being a cockblock because she decided she’s just as putty in Cassian Andor’s hands as any other girl.

He really has a certain effect on the female population but this is ridiculous.

Jyn clears her through loudly, drawing Cassian’s attention back to her.

“Sorry, do you wanna keep playing with that pussy or mine?”

“Jesus, Jyn.”

Surprise etched on his face, she feels a momentary thrill of satisfaction at having scandalized him.

“Too much?”

“No, that’s… that’s fine, just – not in front of your cat.”

“Come on, she can’t understand you.”

“It’s weird.”

As they’re talking, Mimi puts her little paw on Cassian’s shoulder as though she is begging for his attention, like the desperate little whore she is. Jyn gives her a glare. Traitor.

“You just like her because she likes you.”

“Yeah, so? I must be doing something right here.”

“I’ll show you something right,” she murmurs somewhat menacingly, then kisses him again, pushing his chest until he’s lying fully on his back. Perfect.

Maybe she’ll suck his dick now. She would bet he won’t be thinking about her cat then.

Satisfied with that plan, she reaches for his jeans and promptly undoes his zipper. He gives her a weird look and glances sideways at Mimi who’s now sitting on the armrest, watching them curiously. Jesus.

“Uhm, Jyn? Can we move this to your bedroom? I don’t want your cat to see my dick.”

She rolls her eyes but stands up, landing him a hand. “Why not? I walk around her naked all the time.”

“And I’m sure she’s very traumatized from that,” he jokes, earning himself a punch to the chest. As she turns around, his echoing laughter follows her all the way inside her bedroom.

Jyn complains about it to Bodhi a few weeks later, grumbling about how her own cat likes her fuck buddy more than she likes her. It’s some sort of karmic joke for sure.

“I swear he’s the cat whisperer or something,” she groans.

Bodhi hums noncommittally. His expression is too neutral which is… worrying.

“Maybe Mimi is onto something.”

She blinks at him.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that she literally hates everybody but you.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Jyn protests feebly. “She’s just not a fan of people.”

“But somehow, she likes this guy,” Bodhi goes on, ignoring her intervention. “Think maybe she’s picking up on your feelings?”

“You’re reaching,” Jyn tells him firmly, ignoring the way her heartbeat speeds up for some reason. “I don’t even know him.”

“You know him plenty well from what I understand.”

Jyn rolls her eyes again.

“It’s not gonna happen, Bodhi.”

“Sure, okay,” he agrees like the good sport he is. She can tell he doesn’t agree but he isn’t the type to push. “But I’ll tell you this – your cat is smarter than you.”

And Jyn punches his shoulder.

She’s literally riding Cassian when there’s a distinct high-pitched meow from the other side of the door. Jyn stops bouncing on his dick, turning her incredulous stare to the closed door of her bedroom. Cassian laughs.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding with me.”

“Ignore it,” he tells her, grabbing her chin and tilting her face back to his.

“But –” she begins but can’t finish as Cassian gives her a searing kiss and rolls his hips up to hers. Fuck it. Ignore it, she will.

In the end, the noises they make are louder than Mimi’s anyway.

When Cassian is leaving that night, Mimi runs quickly to his feet, a ball of white fluff as she circles his legs, purring. And wailing. Wailing, it seems, to stop him from leaving.

Jyn buries her face in her hand, embarrassed beyond belief, but Cassian is, of course, incredibly amused by all this. She almost wonders if he actually likes Mimi more than her.

“Hey, what is it?” he asks as he crouches down and gives Mimi another good rub under her chin. Jyn’s heart gives a strange beat at the sight. “Wanna come with me? I don’t think Jyn would like that very much.”

“Take her,” she deadpans, dedicated to ignoring the weird fluttering in her stomach. “She clearly likes you more.”

He stands up, smirking at her. “We have a connection. Don’t be jealous.”

“Of who?” she retorts, her tone sarcastic… though, it could have been a serious question.

Cassian doesn’t answer but his smile widens. Almost like he sees right through her act. She can’t tell if it thrills or makes her uncomfortable.

“Goodnight, Jyn.”

He leans in to kiss her cheek, her eyes fluttering shut at the unexpected gesture. She keeps them firmly closed even as she hears him bend down to give Mimi one more affectionate rub before grabbing his coat.

At the sound of her closing door, Jyn’s eyes open, her breath leaving her chest in a whoosh. She stares at Mimi with unconcealed resentment as the cat blinks up at her in innocence.

“This is all your fault.”

So.

Maybe she’s catching feelings. Whatever. It’s fine.

It’s just her stupid cat’s fault – seeing them together, seeing him so in tune with her, it’s messing with her head. Mimi is a pain in the ass but she’s Jyn’s baby, and she’s never met anyone who actually liked her and wasn’t mildly scared of her.

That’s all. If she doesn’t see them together anymore, she’ll be fine.

The next time Cassian comes over, Jyn has locked Mimi in the kitchen with fresh water and plenty of food to last her the night. The little devil has nothing to complain about. But as soon as Cassian arrives and they start taking their clothes off, scattered along the hallway, Mimi begins to scratch at the door, wailing tragically. Jyn pretends she doesn’t hear but Cassian does not.

“Hey, isn’t that Mimi?” he gasps, out of breath as Jyn is kissing down his bare chest.

She glances up at him with a pointed look. “Are you here to see her or me?”

Then she swirls her tongue around his nipple which renders him speechless for a moment.

But he doesn’t give up. “Doesn’t she want to come out?”

Jyn pulls away now, straightening to look at him. “She’ll be fine. But if you don’t have your fingers in me in the next five minutes, I won’t be.”

With that, she pulls him towards her bathroom, and Cassian doesn’t resist any longer.

It doesn’t last though.

She manages to stop them from meeting a few times when Cassian comes over, always getting straight to business, then throwing him out the door the minute they’re done. She feels a little bad about it, honestly – but they agreed on no strings attached from the start so she doesn’t owe him anything. Besides, she makes sure to treat him really well while he’s still here so he has nothing to complain about. She’s a thorough lover.

Still, Mimi gives her the stink eye every time she lets her out of the kitchen, and Jyn realizes she can’t keep this up forever. Not if she wants to continue seeing Cassian – and well, why wouldn’t she? It’s been a few months since they started sleeping together but the sex hasn’t gotten boring yet. She’s prepared to hold out until it does, or until one of them finds an actual relationship. (Which is more likely to be him than her but alas. That’s fine too.)

Yet, the ever-rising threat of catching feelings for Cassian almost makes her reconsider. Maybe it’s better to cut her losses now. She can’t – wouldn’t – get rid of Mimi. If one of them has to go, it would have to be Cassian.

That’s what Jyn is thinking about when Cassian comes over that night and Mimi runs to the door to greet him. She had hidden under the couch the whole afternoon, refusing to move no matter how much Jyn tried. No treats, no food, no toy got her to come out. She waited until the knock on the door came and sprinted straight to Cassian’s legs.

His face lights up in a smile like he’s actually missed the stupid cat too. Jyn can only watch in horror as he crouches down to greet her like an old friend.

“Hey there, buddy. How are you today?”

It’s not like she’s gonna answer you, stupid, Jyn thinks, but she’s aware that she’s being a bit nasty. It usually tends to happen when feelings are involved.

“There you go,” he murmurs, rubbing Mimi’s chin. “Good girl.”

Jyn’s face flushes at that, remembering other times she’s heard him say those words.

“Don’t call her that,” she chokes out, voice a little strained. Cassian looks up at her, his gaze darkening with lust as their eyes meet, but he doesn’t answer. He stands abruptly, walking over to her without a word, and kisses her.

It’s a hard kiss, not something to ease them into it, just getting straight to business. Jyn doesn’t mind but her head reels from the sharp turn as he breaks away to bite her earlobe, his hands groping for her breasts. Her breath and legs are getting a little shaky. With a quick maneuver, he lifts her up, her legs locking around his waist as he carries her into the bedroom.

He goes down on her without even taking off all of her clothes, and right then, Mimi is the farthest thing from her mind.

For the first time since they started having sex, they fall asleep together.

Usually, Cassian takes a shower, gets dressed, goes on about his business. Jyn doesn’t mind, it’s the arrangement they have.

But something about tonight has been… intense and exhausting – in a good way. She could barely feel her limbs by the time they finished, and when Cassian collapsed next to her, breathing heavily, she didn’t say anything. Let him catch his breath, she figured. But the warmth radiating from him was so reassuring and comfortable that her eyes quickly fluttered closed, and she must have fallen asleep after that. When she wakes, it’s after midnight, and though she distinctly remembers resting her head against Cassian’s shoulder, he’s now gone.

Bitter disappointment unfurling in her stomach, she sits up slowly. It’s for the best. She doesn’t need any more confusing feelings. But god, her sheets still smell like him, and she admits to herself that maybe she has a little crush and it isn’t just because of her cat.

It’s a thought she regrets as soon as she walks out of her bedroom. Because there, in all his glory, stands Cassian – petting her cat.

And seeing him half-naked, hair a mess, smile soft and mellow, stroking a purring Mimi is an image that she knows she won’t be able to get rid of. She can’t take back her confession now. The longing she feels as she stares at them is undeniable.

“What are you doing?” she whispers to make her presence known, her voice still sleepy.

Cassian looks at her but his hands never leave Mimi’s head.

“I’m petting your cat.”

“I can tell. You’re supposed to be petting me,” she says, but it’s quiet and lacking the exasperation she usually feels in these moments.

“I already have,” he points out, matching her tone. The smile on his face is gentle rather than smug, in contrast with his words.

“Cassian,” she begins, taking a deep breath before biting the bullet. “You can’t do this.”

“What?” he asks, and he seems genuinely confused.

Jyn gestures around with her hands. “Be nice to my cat.”

His eyebrows rise high, looking more confused than before.

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s just – it’s not helping me a lot.”

“With what?”

“With my crush on you,” Jyn groans, giving up on fighting it. What the hell, she might as well see what he thinks. Maybe he feels the same.

And if not – well, she’s only losing the best sex of her life. She can deal with that, probably.

Stunned silence follows. Then he lets out a chuckle, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

“I’m sorry, am I so irresistible petting your cat that you’re literally asking me to stop being nice to her?”

Jyn grumbles. When he put it like that…

“I’m not asking you to kick her in the head. Just stop petting her, maybe?”

“Okay.” He nods a few times, stepping away from Mimi who meows once in outrage. Without taking his eyes off her, Cassian moves closer. “Then I have a better proposal for you. How about you let me take you out on a date and I keep being nice to your cat?”

“I…” Jyn pauses. Oh. She was hoping for this but she didn’t let herself believe in it. A slow smile unfurls on her lips. “I think Mimi would like that.”

Cassian, now close enough to touch, winds his arms around her neck, her hands going around his waist.

“And you? Would you like that?”

“Yeah.” She smiles up at him shyly. “I think I would like it too.”

And when she looks at Mimi, Jyn swears she looks a little smug

[mmamagoto]

are u guys prepared for this i put all five of the muses here on this one. so of course it’s under a cut for being long as hell

name: natoru

nicknames:

gender: female

age:

date of birth: april 30

origin of birth: listen they’re all from the human world on this blog so let me just save myself the trouble of typing that four more times

race/species: cat (scottish fold)

spoken languages:

romantic/sexual preference: middles toward aromantic

occupation: royal assistant and whatever else they can toss under the umbrella of ‘assistant duties’

hobbies: space, sports (or more specifically, competition), stereotypically Cool Boy things like dinosaurs and creepy crawlies, annoying natori

criminal record: 

disorders: none

eye color: kind of a hazel thinking emoji they’re pretty tbh

height: markedly shorter than every other cat in this dang film

scars: possibly a few very minor ones from some scrapes and clumsiness upon first coming to the cat kingdom, but they’re probably not very noticeable

birthmarks: none

overweight: i’m. not sure thinking emoji she’s definitely a solidly-built little thing but considering she’s a cat it literally could just be her body type lmao. even so, she doesn’t consider it an issue, and neither does anyone else tbh

underweight: no

favorite color: olive green, pink

favorite food: yakiimo

wants to get married / is married: n. no

gotten pregnant / had a child: no

wants a child: not really. she’s content with her cool big sister role

likes children: yes. she has kind of a natural rapport with them

can sing: i mean. she can probably carry a tune

play an instrument: probably not

can dance: ???

gotten tattoos: 

gotten piercings: nah

smoked/drank/done drugs: has probably definitely had Drinks. also like probably catnip/matatabi, which all things considered i’m not sure if it counts lmao

had a broken heart: not really

been in love: not really

a cuddler: Probably bc i’m still very amused by her and natori having to share a room during a trip to another kingdom and natori Suffering the entire time

a kisser:

scared easily: she’s skittish which is Unfortunate bc she is the ‘reacts to jump scares by punching them’ type

jealous easily: it. depends on what it is. she tends to be more the envious type, where she covets Unique and Cool objects over companionship

hot/cool tempered: generally very cool. she’s a tolerant creature, and i feel like that tends to get overlooked thinking emoji

trustworthy: mostly, particularly when compared with her two coworkers lmao

single: yes

extroverted/introverted: she’s adaptable

considered mean: this one is so funny to me bc i think, when compared with natori who is kind of in a similar position to her in the hierarchy, she’s often seen as the more approachable one which is ironic bc between the two of them she’s the uhhhh. less Understanding one. she will sell you for a corn chip

fears: sugoroku space, dogs (just slightly), stick bugs but every other kinda bug is Fine By Her, natori with a ruler in his paw

siblings: marsh (older brother)

parents: unknown

pet(s): none

name: claudius

nicknames: mostly (even now) referred to by titles by everyone except lune

gender: male

age:

date of birth: august 2

origin of birth: see above

race/species: cat (probably a persian)

spoken languages: 

romantic/sexual preference: i kinda lean toward bi or panromantic tbh

occupation: retired king so. mostly just a NEET at this point

hobbies: traveling (mostly to show off but stILL). other than that, now that he’s retired, he’s struggled with finding hobbies that aren’t just napping or following natori around. he’s not a patient or committed creature, so when he tries something new and it’s Too Hard, he tends to lose interest very quickly. that said, he definitely relies very heavily on other people, natori, natoru, and entertainers, etc. to provide him with things to pass the time

criminal record: he’s offended at this very notion

disorders: does. does strabismus count

eye color: has marked heterochromia, with one blue eye and one red eye

height: Tall for a cat jjfkdeia

scars: none

birthmarks: none

overweight: actually, no

underweight: no, tho without all the fur, he definitely has a scrawnier, less conventionally cute look to him jfjfie;a

favorite color: gold

favorite food: oden

wants to get married / is married: he maybe kinda sorta misses being married (or, more specifically, having a significant other)

gotten pregnant / had a child: yes, so long as adoption counts

wants a child: a grandkid sounds kinda nice

likes children: yes, but to absolutely no one’s surprise he’s a bad influence on them and has No Clue how to interact with them when they’re upset. he also is 100% the type to throw hands with a preschooler

can sing: OF COURSE

play an instrument: no, tho he certainly likes the idea of being able to. he’s badgered natori into trying to teach him before inevitably getting bored with the practice when he’s not instantly a genius at it (see above in the hobbies section, aha)

can dance: definitely. unless it’s not a ballroom dance. then no one wants to see that

gotten tattoos: 

gotten piercings: mm, probably not

smoked/drank/done drugs: absolutely

had a broken heart: yes

been in love: twice

a cuddler: It Depends. he was once someone’s Ultra Pampered house cat, so he’s of the five of them probably the most amenable to being pet and held, but he’s also temperamental and finicky so uh. Pet At Your Own Risk ig

a kisser:

scared easily: not really. he’s too impulsive to be scared psh

jealous easily: 100%

hot/cool tempered: HE CLIMBED HIS WAY UP A TOWER WITH NOTHING BUT HIS CLAWS AND SHEER OFFENDED WILLPOWER.............. and all with two swords strapped to him..............

trustworthy: not too much

single: it’s. Complicated

extroverted/introverted: extroverted, mostly, but he has his random introspective moments when he generally wants to be alone

considered mean: I MEAN. it really depends jfjfei;a i will go to the grave with this headcanon that he’s honestly well-liked as a ruler but has a definite reputation of being difficult-to-please and mercurial

fears: being genuinely or legitimately Disliked, pissing off lune to the point he turns his back on him, squeamish with squirmy things

siblings: none

parents: unknown. the previous queen is his mother-in-law

pet(s): none

name: lune

nicknames: an endless cavalcade of affectionate nicknames from his father and no one can convince me otherwise

gender: male

age:

date of birth: october 27

origin of birth: see above

race/species: cat (the fandom seems to have him pegged as a russian blue and i’m not gonna disagree sO)

spoken languages: 

romantic/sexual preference: probably heteroromantic

occupation: king of cat kingdom :v

hobbies: butterflies and moths, idk does urban exploration count for a cat lmao

criminal record: no

disorders: none

eye color: shares his father’s heterochromia-- one blue eye, one red eye

height: notably smaller than his father but still taller than natoru like everyone else jfkfd;a

scars: none

birthmarks: none

overweight: no

underweight: no

favorite color: aquamarine

favorite food: lots of different street foods, tbh, but his favorites are probably takoyaki and taiyaki (particularly when filled with cheese laughs)

wants to get married / is married: is married! and very happy with that marriage

gotten pregnant / had a child: no

wants a child: it’s crossed his mind, but not with any real intent

likes children: probably. he’s never really interacted with them

can sing: i mean. again, he can probably carry a tune

play an instrument: i feel like he probably can. at least one thinking emoji

can dance: yes

gotten tattoos:

gotten piercings: ........i should give him his manga earring. it’s cute

smoked/drank/done drugs: has definitely had some alcohol in his life. also the catnip thing again

had a broken heart: not yet

been in love: yES

a cuddler: i’m. not sure

a kisser:

scared easily: not in the least, but it’s mostly bc he’s a gaddang pollyanna

jealous easily: not particularly. he’s a gregarious creature

hot/cool tempered: cool-tempered, but without natori’s aloofness so he most likely comes across more reasonably or genuinely

trustworthy: Absolutely

single: no

extroverted/introverted: like natoru, he’s adaptable. and like natori, i feel that he’s become quite practiced at playing the part of an extrovert, but perhaps with more genuineness

considered mean: ABSOLUTELY NOT

fears: saying goodbye to any of the familiar cats in his life, Abrupt Change, vehicles are a little iffy nowadays

siblings: none

parents: cat king (father). the previous cat queen was his grandmother (uh, not persephone)

pet(s): none atm, but probably had numerous ones throughout his childhood, including a rabbit which ‘ran away to the mountains (aka the ninth kingdom)’ at some point. according to natori, that is

name: natori

nicknames: poppet, a long time ago

gender: male

age:

date of birth: unknown. tends to use the cat kingdom’s new year celebrations as an excuse to celebrate

origin of birth: see above

race/species: cat (oriental longhair)

spoken languages: 

romantic/sexual preference: generally idles between homoromantic and  demiromantic

occupation: royal advisor/assistant. on paper, he’s retired, but it’s never stopped him before

hobbies: keeping goldfish, music, cooking

criminal record:

disorders: none

eye color: coppery brown

height: close to the king’s height. i keep waffling back and forth on just which of them is taller

scars: none

birthmarks: it’s not necessarily a birthmark, but he does have some kind of marking on him Somewhere (x-files theme) it’s well-hidden by his clothing

overweight: no

underweight: no

favorite color: lavender

favorite food: fish

wants to get married / is married: He Doesn’t Know

gotten pregnant / had a child: no

wants a child: like natoru, he’s mostly content with his role as uncle/mentor

likes children: yes, tho he’s easily stressed by them lmao

can sing: y e s

play an instrument: i’m not really sure yet thinking emoji

can dance: yes

gotten tattoos: 

gotten piercings: he would never

smoked/drank/done drugs: like the others, has definitely had a taste of alcohol fjfjkd;a

had a broken heart: yes

been in love: he’s not sure

a cuddler: generally Not

a kisser:

scared easily: his composure drops pretty quick lbr

jealous easily: a little. a teensy bit. okay it’s much more than a teensy bit

hot/cool tempered: cool-tempered, but, as mentioned above, with a very distinct aloof edge that probably often leads to him being perceived as unapproachable

trustworthy: .............it depends

single: yyyyyyye-- no? yes. no. nobody knows

extroverted/introverted: introverted, mostly, but he plays a very convincing extrovert

considered mean: not especially, but again. probably perceived by many as being difficult to approach

fears: they are Many and Varied and most of them connect either to the collapse of the cat kingdom or the human world in its entirety

siblings: manami, sachiko (younger sisters)

parents: EXTREMELY UNKNOWN......

pet(s): three goldfish

name: yuki

nicknames: lune calls her sweetie in the manga and it kills me every time i remember it

gender: female

age:

date of birth: march

origin of birth: see above

race/species: cat (...not sure what breed she might be thinking emoji)

spoken languages:

romantic/sexual preference: biromantic

occupation: queen of cat kingdom

hobbies: she hasn’t really spent the time trying out hobbies just yet. has gotten a little into butterflies and moths bc lune likes them. has her eye on a number of more artistic pastimes 

criminal record:

disorders: none

eye color: a very pretty blue jfjf;a

height: pretty much the same exact height as lune tbh

scars: none

birthmarks: none

overweight: no

underweight: no

favorite color: plum/wine

favorite food: nikuman, pastries

wants to get married / is married: is married! and like lune, is also very happy with the setup laughs

gotten pregnant / had a child: no

wants a child: atm, not particularly

likes children: also like lune, she has very little experience interacting with them. at least, recently. but i can not see her Disliking children so. u know

can sing: probably

play an instrument: no

can dance: some dances, yes. i like the idea that lune is casually teaching her behind the scenes lmao

gotten tattoos:

gotten piercings: no

smoked/drank/done drugs: a. again, like all of these cats have probably had some alcohol lmao

had a broken heart: s. sort of

been in love: yes

a cuddler: next to the king, she’s probably second most amenable to being pet and held, but she’s not really the type to actively seek it out

a kisser:

scared easily: not particularly, but she’s definitely more wary than lune is

jealous easily: not too much

hot/cool tempered: definitely cool

trustworthy: generally

single: no

extroverted/introverted: definitely introverted, but she’s not awkward in most social interactions. she’s more awkward now than she used to be simply bc she’s still not entirely certain what to expect with her new position and clout

considered mean: definitely not, to the point that i headcanon those who don’t know her terribly well are sometimes surprised by how remote she can come across laughs

fears: somewhat insecure in her new position, a lot of her current fears come back to being ridiculed or making a fool of herself, damaging her reputation right off the bat so that no one will ever take her seriously, or that it will bleed into lune’s reputation, too rip

siblings: none

parents: unknown, however for this blog’s canon, she did spend some time as haru’s pet in the human world

pet(s): none. she’s still kinda baffled by the idea of cats having pets in the first place lmao

natori very hesitantly but cheerily introduces her to his goldfish and she isn’t sure what to say fjfjk;ea

yuki, to lune: i didn’t know cats could have pets lune: sure! i had a pet rabbit once yuki: yuki: what

[hookedonapirate]

We Own the Night

Summary: It’s a shame she’s so bloody beautiful in her low cut, curve-hugging red dress and black high heels, her green eyes glinting with mischief and her golden hair cascading over her shoulders as she leans into him. It’s a shame how sexy she is while she flirts with him and how adorable she is when she giggles and whispers in his ear, almost marking him with her red lipstick as her hand gently caresses his bicep, the warm breath against his skin making his heart race. In ordinary circumstances, they’d be engaging in more enjoyable activities, but unfortunately, he has to arrest her. 

A/N: Wow, I can't believe I wrote the first part of this story in September! I'm sorry it took so long to update. Thank you @onceuponaprincessworld​ for letting me share ideas with her and for constantly being a cheerleader. This part has not been beta'd, only self-edited so feel free to let me know if I overlooked any mistakes. Hope you enjoy!

Also Available on: AO3 l FF.N

Rated: Explicit for crude language and multiple mentions of prostitution.

Read: Part One

Part Two/Two

“I hope you don’t mind, I invited someone to join us.”

 Liam cuts Killian a sideways glance, his brows climbing to his forehead as they make their way up the walkway of the bistro. “No, not at all, but when we talked over the phone, I thought it was just going to be us brothers celebrating over rum and wings at our favorite pub.”

 “Well, make no mistake,” Killian says, clapping his hand on Liam's shoulder, “we will be celebrating and there will be rum, but I thought we could splurge and come here where we can get an actual drink. There is someone who I would very much like for you to meet, and I think the top shelf rum is better suited for the occasion instead of the cheap stuff. But don’t worry, I’m paying,” Killian assures him, in case the cost is what he's worried about.

 Liam waves off his words as they reach the entrance and wait outside. “Nonsense, little brother. We’re here to celebrate your victory, so I think I can foot the bill.” 

 Before Killian can demur, he turns his head to see a gorgeous blonde in a radiant blue dress as she makes her toward them, her high heels clicking against the sidewalk and long loose hair bouncing around her shoulders in golden silk waves that he itches to run his fingers through. His gaze travels down her form, appreciating every curve and every inch of exposed porcelain skin, before returning to her face.

 “So, who is this person joining us?” Liam asks curiously before he turns his head to see what Killian is gaping so shamelessly at. Or rather who. “Oh.”

 Killian can hear the smirk in his brother's tone, but he's too fixated on those beautiful emerald orbs glinting in the soft outdoor lighting, and that great big smile which shows off her pearly white teeth, and can't seem to tear his eyes away from her to catch the expression on Liam's face. 

 “Hi, babe,” she says, kissing Killian’s cheek in greeting.

 Placing his hand on the small of her back, a low groan bubbles in his throat when he can feel her smooth, silken skin under his palm and realizes her dress is backless. “Hi, love,” he murmurs in her ear and lifts her hand with his free one, brushing his lips over her knuckles. “You look stunning.” He places a soft kiss to her delicate, supple skin as he takes in the sweet, lovely scent of her perfume. 

 “Thank you.” She giggles when his prickly scruff tickles her skin, and her laughter warms his heart. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

 A big grin takes over his face. “Thank you, love.” He releases her hand so he can wrap his arm around her hourglass figure and pull her against him. As he eyes her luscious lips and darts his tongue to lick his own, he has to refrain from kissing her senseless while they're in his brother’s presence. 

 Right. His brother's here.

 Reminding himself he's not alone with his lovely Swan, he turns his head to Liam, who is standing there awkwardly with his arms crossed, waiting for them to finish groping each other, or so Killian assumes. “Liam, I would like you to meet Emma. Emma. this is my brother, Liam.”

 It’s funny because Killian has never introduced him to her before; he hasn’t so much as shown his brother a picture of Emma because, based on his own experience, photographs don’t do her a bit of justice. And yet Liam’s eyes widen with recognition and he’s standing there staring at her for longer than what is appropriate and necessary.

 Killian clears his throat to gain his brother’s attention as he tilts his head toward her.

 It doesn’t take Liam long to understand what Killian is trying to tell him. He quickly amends his behavior and shoots out his hand, offering it to her. “Apologies, lass. Where are my manners? It’s very nice to meet you.”

 She doesn't seem to take offense as she shakes his hand. “Likewise.”

 Liam is still gawking and scrunching his eyebrows at her, and Killian’s afraid he’s making her uncomfortable, even though she doesn't appear to be. 

 When Liam doesn't release her hand in a timely manner, Killian gives him a nudge in the ribs. Is he seriously checking out his brother’s girlfriend?

“Ow, what in the bloody hell did you jab me in the ribs for?” Liam grumbles as he lets go of Emma’s hand to rub his ribs.

 “I was gently persuading you not to ogle my girlfriend,” he teases, though his tone is void of any humor and is loaded with sarcasm.

 “I wasn’t ogling your girlfriend, Killian. It’s just…” Liam scratches his head and seems to scrutinize every detail of her face.

 She arches a brow, waiting for him to explain himself. “Just what?”

 “Have we met before?” he finally asks her.

 Emma purses her lips and pinches her brows together in assessment for a moment, then she shakes her head. “I don’t believe so. I’m not from around here.”

 Liam lifts his hand, rubbing his chin in contemplation. “Hm, you look very familiar but I don’t know where I’ve seen you before.”

 “Maybe from a picture?” Emma guesses, looking at Killian for answers.

 “No, that’s not it. Killian never showed me a picture of you.”

 “Aye, photographs don’t do you justice, love,” Killian says, winking at his lovely girlfriend.

 A pretty, pink blush paints her cheeks and she smiles at him. She leans into him, wrapping an arm around his back as he snakes his arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple.

 Liam narrows his eyes at Killian. “Come to think of it, you haven’t even told me about her. Why is that, little brother?”

 Emma glances at Killian, equally curious about the question. “Yeah, why is that?”

 “First of all, it’s younger brother,” Killian corrects Liam before his eyes move to Emma, “and secondly, I didn’t mention you because I wanted it to be a surprise.” Killian balls his fingers into a fist and points his thumb in Liam’s direction. “Do you know how long this ponce has been nagging me about finding a proper girlfriend after the last one ripped my heart out?” He shivers at the mention of his ex. He’d told Emma about her, and the gory details, but didn’t wish to bring it up again, especially tonight because it's supposed to be a celebratory one.

 Liam frowns. “Oi, I haven’t nagged you about it, I gently persuaded you to get over her,” he says, mocking Killian’s earlier words.

 Killian rolls his eyes. “Uh-huh. Gently persuaded my arse.”

 Emma laughs and shakes her head at the two bickering brothers and loops her arm through Killian’s. The three of them head inside where the hostess seats them at a booth and passes out menus. Killian slides in next to Emma, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and caresses the warm, bare skin at his fingertips as they get comfortable in the booth. Emma molds into him and rests her hand on his knee underneath the table. 

 When their waitress arrives to take their drink orders, the guys order Bicardi Superior and Emma orders a Rum and Coke.

 “A lass who enjoys her liquor, I like her already,” Liam teases Emma, “even though you're ruining your rum by adding soda to it. I’ll let it slide, though.” 

 Killian leans over to kiss her cheek. “I happen to like her too.”

 The waitress returns with their drinks and leaves when they’re not ready to order their food yet. 

 While they’re browsing the menus and chatting about what to eat for dinner, Liam keeps staring at Emma every now and then, as if he knows her. “I swear I’ve seen you before, I just can't figure out where,” he says before taking a sip of his rum.

 Killian sighs, and Emma shrugs. 

 “Sorry, I’m not sure. I’d remember a face like yours.”

 Liam grins. “Oh, really?”

 “Yeah, I mean even though you bear a slight resemblance to Killian, you have one of those unique faces. I, on the other hand, have a familiar face.”

 “I tend to disagree, love. While you do have a friendly face, your beauty is far from common.” 

 Emma blushes crimson and moves her hand to his thigh, squeezing him gently as she leans in to whisper in his ear. “You’re asking for it, aren't you?”

 “And what exactly am I asking for, darling?” he murmurs quietly so Liam can’t hear.

 “As if you don't know.”

 The clearing of Liam’s throat indicates they weren’t quiet enough or maybe they’re sitting too close and practically pawing each other on the other side of the table. Or maybe they both share that look—a look that says they’re going to rip each other’s clothes off and fuck each other’s brains out once they’re alone in her cozy hotel room. 

 When Killian returned to his hometown to visit his brother, he’d invited her to stay with him at Liam’s but she didn’t wish to invade Liam’s space, especially since she hadn’t met yet. So Killian paid for a hotel room for the night in hopes she would come around after getting to know Liam a bit and be comfortable enough to stay at his place. But with the way Liam is creepily staring at her, Killian doubts she will warm up to him anytime soon.

 “Alright, get a room, you two,” Liam grumbles and returns his eyes to the menu in his hands.

 “We have one,” Killian says to his brother, “and believe me, we’re dying to use it.” He winks at Emma, and sees her blushing and smiling from ear to ear. She is bloody adorable when she blushes.

 “You got a room for the night?” Liam asks Emma curiously. “You could’ve stayed at my place. If my knucklehead of a brother told me about you, you wouldn't have had to pay for a hotel.”

 “That’s okay. I’m used to staying in hotels for work.”

 Liam sets down the menu and curls his hand around his tumbler. “Say that again?” he asks before draining his drink.

 “I’m used to staying in hotels. I get around a lot for my job.”

 Liam spits out the expensive rum, spraying it over the table.

 “What in the blazes, Liam?!” Killian yells at him as he looks at Emma to make sure the rum didn’t get on her.

 She quickly reaches for some napkins and wipes off the table. Luckily the rum only splattered the table and menus.

 “Sorry, lass,” Liam says while grabbing some napkins and frantically trying to clean up his mess. 

 Killian notices a change in his brother’s behavior. He seems nervous about something, but he's not sure why.

 “Are you two ready to order? I’m ready,” Liam says frantically and turns his head, seeking the waitress before Killian and Emma can reply. He raises his hand to summon her over.

 “I guess we’re ready,” Emma says with a laugh and glances at her menu once more before handing it to Killian.

 The waitress takes their orders and menus before leaving the table.

 “So, do you want to explain to me what your problem is, brother?” Killian asks in irritation as he glares daggers at him.

 “Nothing, I… I’m sorry, the rum just went down the wrong pipe is all.”

 “I’m not talking about that specifically. You’ve been acting strange all night,” Killian chastises.

 “It’s nothing. I’m fine really.” His eyes move to Emma. “I just realized where I know you from. I saw your picture online. While you were working.”

 “Oh god,” Emma groans, “I look terrible in that photo. I had pulled an all-nighter right before that picture was taken.

 “I disagree, love, you looked beautiful. You always do.” Killian grins at her, remembering that photo very well. He and Emma had busted an organized crime ring that trafficked women into the local sex trade, and it was plastered all over the news. The photograph of them making several arrests had been taken for a local newspaper, but he’s not sure how Liam had seen it since he doesn’t even live in Washington.

 Liam’s face pales as he glares at Emma with disdain. 

 Killian scowls at him. He will have a little chit chat with his brother later on about displaying proper manners around his girlfriend. 

 “So, tell me, Emma, how do you like your profession?” Liam asks, his expressions steely as he observes her pointedly.

 “Oh, well, it's very challenging at times, but at the end of the day, it’s very rewarding knowing I’m making a big difference on the streets. The day that photo was taken, I single-handedly took on fifty guys at the brothel. I was so exhausted if you can even imagine.” She sighs as though experiencing that same exhaustion she had felt that day. There was so much paperwork from all the arrests they had made.

 “You were brilliant, love,” he compliments, leaning in to kiss her cheek. He was so proud of her that day. But for some reason, he can feel the burn of Liam’s stare which feels nothing like pride. He tilts his head to see him glowering conspicuously at him, appearing to be both mystified and disappointed. And Killian doesn’t understand why. 

 “So you're okay with her occupation?”

 What in the bloody hell? Here, Killian thought his brother would be happy he found someone as amazing as Emma, especially since Liam had been encouraging him to get back in the saddle after Milah broke his heart.

 “Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?” he asks, irritated by his brother’s crude behavior. “I'd be a hypocrite if I weren't okay with it, don't you think?”

 He can feel his lovely Swan stiffen at the topic, her jaw tight as she glares at Liam. “Excuse me, but even if he weren’t okay with it, no one's going to tell me what I can or cannot do for a living. Believe me, my brother has been trying since I was nine,” she says bitterly before sipping her rum and coke through a straw.

 Liam’s eyes pop out of his skull, shock washing over his features, and if Killian’s not mistaken, a hint of pity. But he has no bloody clue why. “Nine?! Wow, that's young.”

 “Well, obviously it was only a dream of mine at the time. I wanted to follow in my adoptive mother's footsteps.” 

 “Your mother was one too?” Liam asks, completely appalled. “No wonder you took to this lifestyle.”

 “Oh yeah, and thanks to her talking some sense into my brother, he came around to the idea, and now I work for him.”

 Liam claps his palm on the top of his curly-haired head. “You work for him?!”

 Emma furrows her brows at him from across the table, not sure why what's so shocking about growing up around people who were in the police force, but thankfully she doesn’t take offense, and seems okay about being hammered with so many questions. Killian supposes it’s because she was nervous about meeting Liam and was worried about whether he would like her. Killian had been quick to assure her he would absolutely love her, but now he’s thinking maybe he didn’t know his brother as well as he thought he did. 

 “Yeah, but believe me, he shows me no nepotism; he rides me hard all day, every day. In fact, he's down my throat more than anyone else,” she says, rolling her eyes at David’s constant need to dictate and tell her how to perform her job.

 Killian can actually hear his brother gasp as he slaps his hands over his cheeks. “Oh my God, your own brother?!” he blurts out, loud enough to gain the attention of other diners. “That's bloody appalling!”

 Emma wrinkles her nose and narrows her eyes at Liam’s response. He seems to take everything she says way out of proportion. “Look I know it's a dangerous job, but I'm just as qualified as any man in my field.”

 Killian agrees with a nod and strokes her back as he regards her with genuine pride. “Aye, she's a feisty lass. She has no problem taking on a heavy load.”

 “Lass, I didn't say you weren't qualified, I mean you're very… attractive—”

 “Wait, you think I got this job because of my looks?!” she demands, cutting him off. She’s clearly pissed. For good reason.

 Liam shrugs, not seeing what the big deal is. “Well, yeah. I mean I assume you get work based on your body, not your brains.” 

 Emma audibly gasps, her eyes popping out of her skull. “Excuse me?!”

 Liam raises his hands in defense and speaks casually, as though it's a typical Tuesday and he's not being a misogynistic tosser to the woman his brother loves and adores. “Well don't get me wrong, lass, I'm sure you give fantastic beejers too. Any man would be happy to have you.”

 "What the bloody fuck did you just say?!" Killian demands hoarsely. He's completely aghast, and he can see the rage spiraling through his girlfriend, he can feel her anger as she taps his shoulder, urging him to move. He feels his own anger bubbling up inside of him. He clenches his jaw as he glares at Liam, letting him know he’s not happy. Why the fuck is Liam speaking to her like she’s a prostitute? What's worse is he doesn't even appear to be apologetic.

 “Can you let me out, please?” she asks Killian in a cold, rigid tone.

 In other circumstances, he would’ve attempted to defend Liam despite his childish behavior, he would've begged Emma to say, but what his scoundrel of a brother had said was not okay—not even close. Killian slides out of the booth and steps aside so Emma can leave. Once she slides out of the booth and stands up, she goes over to the other side of the table and smacks Liam hard in the face. 

 It’s not until he feels the sting of her slap when he appears to be apologetic. As he lifts his hand to soothe his cheek, she picks up his drink and throws it at him. 

 “Oh whoops, it looks like I ruined your rum by adding a big sexist pig to it!” The bite of her tone and sting of her slap (based on how loud it sounded) are much stronger and bitter than the cheap rum at the pub. She bolts away from the table as Liam wipes off the cocktail from his face with a napkin and sighs.

 Apparently they've gained an audience because all the female customers and servers are glaring daggers at Liam, all of them ready to kick his arse. And despite being a cop, Killian wouldn't bother to stop them. Not after the way Liam spoke to his Swan.

 “What the fuck is your problem?!” Killian barks out, but doesn’t stick around long enough to hear the answer, and instead follows Emma out the door. “Emma, wait,” he calls after her as she heads to her car. “Please…” His voice is cracked with worry. He hates that she’s so upset and hurt. Even worse, he hates that his brother is the culprit.

 She stops and turns around, and his heart clenches when he sees tears sliding down her cheeks. He just wants to hold her in his arms and make everything better. His jaw twitches as he lifts a hand to wipe the tears from her face. “I will kick his bloody arse for talking to you that way. I am so sorry, baby. He’s not normally like that.”

 “It’s not your fault, Killian. I just don’t understand how he’s your brother,” she says, pointing at the building in the direction he’s probably still sitting in the booth. “He’s nothing like you.”

 Killian cups her cheeks in hands and speaks softly. “Please, just let me talk some sense into him.”

 “You can do whatever you want.” Her voice cracks as she wipes at her glistening eyes. “I’m going back to the hotel.”

 Killian nods and raises his hand to swipe some stray locks of hair behind her shoulder before wrapping his arms around her. “Can I come by later?”

 Relaxing in his hold, she rests her forehead against his, allowing a small smile to tilt the corners of her mouth. “You better.”

 “Of course I will,” he reassures, kissing her forehead before lowering his gaze to hers. “I love you,” he whispers.

 “I love you, too.” Fisting her hands around the collar of his shirt, she brings her lips to his. 

 His arms tighten around her, both hands resting on her back, pulling her flush against him as his tongue parts her lips and they lose themselves in each other. His heartbeat quickens as he thinks back to their first kiss when he was posing as a john and she a prostitute. The kiss was intense, fierce. Full of heat and raw lust. But this one is so much different. It’s passionate, slow, tender. Full of love. He combs a hand through her hair and takes his time, enjoying the hint of alcohol and soda coating her mouth. The combination is sweet and smooth against the heat of her breath, and he savors every second of her. 

 Though Emma had said she didn’t date colleagues, they both had chemistry neither of them could deny. They plotted strategies together, and how they would bring down the biggest crime ring the county had ever seen. They had met for coffees and lunches for a few months before he finally gathered the courage to ask her out on a real date. She was so relieved and said she was tired of them dancing around their feelings for each other. They went out to dinner and talked for four hours, and then he brought her home and they talked all night, just curled up in her bed holding each other and talking. That was one of the best nights of his life, and every time he’s with her gets better and better.

 When she pulls away, he does his best to keep her there for a few more precious seconds. He knows she’s ready to get away from his brother as far and fast as she possibly can. As her mouth closes, he bites down gently and drags his teeth over her perfectly pink bottom lip. A soft moan escapes her mouth, and he smiles and slowly releases her from his hold as he licks his lips.

 He walks Emma to her yellow bug and kisses her one more time before she gets in her car and drives away. Now that she’s gone, he can focus on the matter at hand—figuring out what crawled up his brother’s arse and died. Anger surges through him and he clenches his fists as he marches back inside the bistro. His heart is racing again, but for different reasons. He’s not a violent person but he feels his brother deserves a good ass-kicking. That is if he hasn't received one already from the other patrons who witnessed such an atrocity. He finds their waitress and tells her to box up his and Emma’s food and he pays for their drinks and dinner entrees, but not Liam’s. Then he storms into the dining area and is shocked to find Liam in one piece. He's working on his third glass of rum, not including the one Emma threw in his face, his hair and clothes still damp with soda and alcohol.

 Killian slides into the booth across from him and gives him a deadly stare. “So, you wanna tell me why in the bloody hell you’re being a fucking wanker?”

 Liam sets down his drink and sighs slowly and deeply before lifting his eyes to Killian and crossing his arms on the table. “Why don’t you tell me why you felt the need to pay a hooker to be your girlfriend? So I wouldn’t harp on you anymore, is that it?”

 Um, what?! Killian's temper spikes again, and he has to refrain from throwing his drink in Liam’s face. Or throwing a punch. Emma was far too kind to him. “Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say?”

 Liam reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. “You heard me.”

 “Emma is not a hooker,” Killian snarls. He’s vibrating with rage as he stands from the booth with clenched fists.

 “Oh, really?” Liam pulls up something on his phone and shows it to him. “Then how do you explain this, brother?”

 Killian grabs the phone from his hand and has to rip his angry glare from his brother to study the photo. 

  Oh.

 Liam had snapped a photo of Killian’s computer as it displayed Emma’s picture and fake ad from the Cinderella Escorts website. The website solely designed to lure men who were looking to buy sex. Confusion washes over Killian’s face. Was his brother looking to pay for a prostitute? Please tell me I don’t have to arrest my own brother. On second thought, with the way Liam behaved to Emma, he'd be happy to throw him behind bars for a night or two. “How did you find this website?” he demands through gritted teeth as he lifts his eyes from the phone to look at Liam. The man he thought was honorable. But there’s nothing honorable about buying sex. 

 “I should ask you that. That is your computer, Killian. It was in your browser history. I just found it and snapped the photo.”

 “Why were you snooping around on my computer?” he asks angrily, although he should be relieved this was just a huge misunderstanding. But he’s kind of bummed he doesn’t get to arrest him.

 “I wasn’t snooping,” Liam claims as he snatches his phone back and tucks it into his pocket. “You had left for work and I was bored so I got on your computer and found it by accident.” Liam looks him in the eye, his features softening. “Look, Killian, I know it must be lonely being away from home all the time, but a hooker?” he asks, his nose scrunched up in disgust. “I thought you were better than that.”

 Killian’s jaw clenches as he stares hard at his brother, then slaps him upside the head. “Emma is not a prostitute. She’s a cop, you prat.”

 Liam’s face pales, his mouth falling open. “She’s a what?”

 “You heard me. She’s not a prostitute, she'd been going undercover posing as one.” 

 Killian sees the transformation in Liam’s expression. He sees him processing and putting all the pieces together. He sees Liam going through his conversation with Emma in his head, and it’s now clicking with him that she was referring to arresting johns for buying sex, not sleeping with them. She was referring to her job as a cop, not a prostitute. 

 Killian sighs and reclaims his seat in the booth. “We wanted to tell you we met while going undercover. She was posing as a prostitute and I was posing as a john, so when I met her at the hotel and pretended to pay her, we tried to arrest each other.”

 Liam stares vacantly across the diner in pure and utter shame. “Wow, that’s hilarious,” he says, but there’s no amusement in his tone, his face pale with humiliation. “That would’ve been a great story to tell.”

 “I know, that’s why we wanted to tell you, but then you started asking her ridiculous questions. That night we decided to team up. We worked together to take down the biggest  organized crime ring in King County, and that is why I invited her to celebrate with us.” She and Killian had celebrated in Seattle with all the officers involved in the operation, and of course, the man pulling all the strings, Emma’s brother (he was amused upon learning how they met, but far from it when he found out they were dating. He slowly came around to the idea though). Being a thousand miles away, Liam wasn’t able to attend at the time, so Killian and Emma had planned to have a small celebration of their own where she would finally get to meet his brother. And Killian had been ecstatic at the idea of introducing his brother to the woman he’s been doting on for months. But of course, Liam ruined that when he spoke to Emma the way he did. 

 “Think about it, Liam, I’m responsible for taking down a huge sex operation, saving hundreds of women from human trafficking and getting them into programs so they can live a better life, so why on bloody earth would I be paying one to date me?” 

 “In my defense, you never told me what kind of operation you were involved in. You just said you took down a big crime ring, you didn’t mention what crime.”

 “Does it matter? I’m still a cop, an honorable one at that. And so is Emma. We both work for her brother, who is the Sheriff of King County.”

 “Oh, boy.” Liam scratches his head and suddenly goes into panic mode, realization finally sinking in. “I accused her of getting work because of her body, not her brains.” His eyes snap to Killian’s. “I thought her brother was a pimp?!”

 “Aye.”

 He buries his face in his hands, mumbling into his palms. “Bloody fucking hell, I am so sorry.”

 “No need to apologize to me, I’m not the one you thought was a hooker.”

 He lifts his head and nods. “Right. I need to apologize to her. Did she leave?”

 “She went back to her hotel room.”

 “Take me there, please?”

 Killian shakes his head. “Liam, I don’t think she wants to speak to you right now.”

 “Please, I need to explain myself to her. She needs to know this was a big misunderstanding.” 

 Killian shoots him a warning glare. “Okay, I will, but you better be prepared to do some serious groveling.”

 Liam nods furiously. “I will.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. “I’ll pay for your meals and have them boxed up.”

 “I already paid for mine and Emma’s.”

 “Okay. How much was it?” he asks, digging out his card.

 “Liam, it’s fine.”

 “How much?” he repeats. 

 Killian sighs in defeat and tells him the amount. He supposes Liam deserves to pay since he’s the reason Emma stormed away.

 ~*~

 Emma is beyond fucking furious at the audacity of Killian’s brother! He accused her of becoming a police officer because she gives good blowjobs! Emma had worked hard to get where she is. And she didn’t gain the respect of her fellow officers because her brother is King County Sheriff either. No in fact, at first they treated her like his kid sister. It took time and dedication to gain the same respect and trust they had for David. So to have someone accuse her of becoming a cop based on the way she looks or the outrageous idea that she performs sexual favors is a crock of shit! And here she was so excited to meet the reputable brother Killian always goes on about. She had no idea he was a chauvinist pig!

 Emma’s blood sizzles under her skin as she unzips her dress and pulls it off. She can’t believe the things he'd said! And to think she had bought this perfectly nice dress to wear tonight, one that was, of course, approved by Ruby.

 Oh well, she’ll just have to wear it again when she goes out with Killian. He doesn't think she’s just a piece of ass. He loves her for her mind and for who she is as a person, and she loves him for that. She still can’t believe he’s related to that fucking douchebag.

 She changes into her pjs and grabs her phone to text Killian and invite him over. After that parting kiss, she needs him, and after that terrible dinner with his jackass brother, she needs to feel her boyfriend’s warm arms wrapped around her. Emma places her hand on her stomach when it growls mercilessly. Thanks to Liam, she didn’t eat, and now she’s starving. She wonders what the restaurant downstairs has. She grabs the menu and plops down on the bed to scan it over. She had ordered ravioli at the Bistro, and that's not an option at the restaurant downstairs, but she could really go for a burger right now.

 She picks up her phone to ask Killian if he ate yet. She’s hoping he didn't stay and have dinner with his brother, because that would feel much like betrayal. She begins typing out the text but is interrupted when there’s a knock on the door. Raising a brow, she stands from the bed and strides over to the door. It must be Killian. Just in case it’s not, she peers through the peephole, but she doesn't see anyone on the other side. Her instincts as a cop tell her to grab her gun, but she can’t help it. She’s encountered many creeps while posing as a hooker, and her vigilant attitude was kicked into high gear when there was a knock on her hotel door while she’s staying in an unfamiliar city, and no one appears to be at the door. Emma grabs the gun from her bag and returns to the door, keeping the weapon at her side just in case. 

 She cautiously cracks it open, and can’t believe her eyes. 

 Kneeling on the floor in front of her is Killian’s sorry excuse of a brother holding a bouquet of buttercups, his face etched with shame and apology. Oh, and there's a sign on his forehead that says I’m a donkey in black marker. In other circumstances, Emma would’ve laughed, but the sight of him fills her with rage and she slams the door in his face. She marches away when she hears him yelling through the door.

 “Emma, wait! I can explain! You’re really gonna laugh when I tell you this. Maybe not right away but someday.”

 She scoffs and replaces the gun in her bag before making her way to the bathroom where she’ll be able to tune him out.

 “I didn’t know you were a cop, I thought you were a prostitute.”

 She stops in her tracks and waits for him to continue.  

 He pauses for a beat and speaks in a quieter voice, his words laced with apology. “I was using Killian’s computer the night you met him and saw your photo on a website on Cinderella Escorts.” 

 She contemplates opening the door to hear more of what he has to say. She did post her picture on a fake escort website after all.

 “Emma, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.”

 Emma turns around and slowly walks over to the door, hauling it open and placing her hand on her hip as the other one lingers on the doorknob. Her face remains steely though as she looks down at him. “A pig is more accurate,” she remarks, referring to the sign on his forehead. 

 “You’re absolutely right, lass.” He pulls out a black marker from his pocket, removes the sign and scribbles out the word donkey and writes pig above it before replacing it on his forehead. 

 She allows a small laugh to escape her throat, which ignites a hopeful glint in his eyes as he looks up at her again. And damn, she really wishes he didn’t have the same sea-blue eyes Killian does. Because then she might find it easier to slam the door in his face again. “Get up. You’re making a fool out of yourself.”

 “I've already done that and then some,” he says solemnly.

 “You’re not wrong about that,” Emma remarks in a sassy tone.

 Liam gulps and pushes himself up off the floor. “I’m not actually like that—I don’t view women that way, I really don’t.”

 “So you only view me like a piece of ass?” Emma says with a nod. “Good to know.”

 “No, lass, you see I was just looking out for my brother because I thought he had paid you to be his date since all I do is harp on him about not dating.” 

 “Really?” she says sarcastically. “Why would Killian pay someone to be his girlfriend? He can get any woman he wants.”

 Liam’s lips twitch into a small smile. “Aye, and that’s what I told him… after you left… before I knew you were a cop.” 

 Emma sighs and purses her lips as she leans against the doorframe. She doesn't know if she should accept his apology or not. She supposes he has a valid reason for acting the way he did. She would be concerned too if she thought someone close to her, say her brother, had paid a prostitute. Emma certainly wouldn't stand for that, but she doesn't have to worry about that, considering he's the one who started the Women’s Justice Program and is leading the initiative to reduce prostitution and human trafficking in the county. Plus he’s happily married and constantly reminds Emma of how much in love with Mary Margaret he is. He’s the last man who would seek out the company of a prostitute. Well, he and Killian of course. A thought suddenly occurs to her, and she scowls at Liam, fighting off the urge to slap him again. “Wait, you thought my brother was my pimp?!”

 “Aye.” He hangs his head in shame. “Look, I don’t expect you to forgive my behavior, but I want you to know I am truly sorry.” Liam bends over and, with his free hand, he picks up two bags he had brought with him. “I brought your dinner and ordered you dessert. Killian told me you like Tiramisu.” He hands her the bag from the bistro and Emma accepts it, peering inside. She does love Tiramisu. And she’s completely famished, so she’s not about to turn down free food. Though it wasn’t exactly free; she paid the price when she was accused of being a hooker. Liam holds up the other bag. “I also got you a bottle of Bacardi Superior and a two-liter of Coca Cola.”

 Her lips tilt into a small smile. “Thanks.”

 He shakes his head, looking down in shame. “Please don’t thank me, Emma. I really don't deserve it.” 

 The expression on his face almost makes her heart hurt. Almost. She steps back inside and opens the door wider to let him in. She goes over and places the bag on the table as he does the same and hands her the bouquet he’s still holding. 

 “I’m guessing you don’t have a vase to put these in?”

 Emma brings the flowers to her nose and inhales their fresh scent. “No, I don’t even have a vase at home.”

 “That’s okay. If you like I can keep these at my place and you can stay there for the remainder of your week here in town. I’ll make you and Killian breakfast every morning, I'll even escort you to wherever you need to go.” As soon as those words leave his mouth, his eyes squeeze shut, his features twisting with regret. He claps his hand over his forehead, where he's still wearing that ridiculous sign, which wrinkles under his palm. “Sorry, poor choice of words,” he sighs, opening his eyes again and dropping his hand. 

 Emma folds her lips in to keep from laughing. In all honesty, though, she can see the sincere apology in his eyes. She reaches over and pulls the sign off his forehead with her free hand, crumpling it up into a ball and throws it in a nearby trash can. 

 “What do you say, lass, can you give this pig a second chance? Can we start over?”

 Emma mulls it over for a moment. She supposes giving him a second chance wouldn’t hurt. She sighs and points a warning finger at him. “Okay, but that’s all you get—one shot to redeem yourself, got it?

 “That’s all I need,” he says, a grin lighting up his face as he sticks out his hand. “I’m Liam.”

 Emma dons a smile and switches the bouquet to her other arm so she can shake his hand. “Hi, Liam, I'm Emm. It's nice to meet you.”

 “Likewise. I can’t wait to get to know the woman my brother is madly in love with.” He raises her hand and plants a chaste kiss on the back of it before encasing her hand with his other one.

 Emma smirks, blush warming her cheeks. Now this is how a lady should be treated.

 As if on cue, there’s a knock on the door, she opens it to let Killian in after she sees him through the peephole and greets him with a sweet kiss on the lips. He's carrying a bag of what she assumes is his and Liam's dinner after he informs her they didn’t eat at the restaurant. Instead, Killian drove his brother to her hotel hoping she would be willing to hear him out.

 Killian curls his free hand around her hip and turns his head to look at Liam. “I just wanted to make sure my girlfriend didn’t murder you,” he chuckles.

 “What if I did? Would you arrest me?” Emma challenges, placing her free hand on his warm chest.

 The corner of his mouth tips into a smirk as he looks at her. “No, I’d help you bury the body.”

 “Oi,” Lima frowns at him. “I said I was sorry.”

 “I know,” Emma smiles sheepishly. 

 She invites them to stay for a movie, and after the three of them nuke their dinners in the microwave, she and Killian eat in the king-size bed, leaning against the headboard as Liam sits in the chair. After the movie is over, she decides to sleep there for the night, and Killian stays with her. Liam does make good on his promise though and makes her and Killian breakfast every day she’s in town.

 When she gets to know Liam more, she finds out he's not so bad after all. In fact, she’s able to look back at that night and laugh hysterically.

 ~*~

  One year later...

 “That, ladies and gents, is how my brother met the woman of his dreams.” Liam glances over at the happy newlyweds, pointing his champagne flute in Emma’s direction, “and how I thought this lovely cop was a prostitute.”

 The crowd laughs softly as the best man takes his seat.

 Killian leans over to speak into the mic in Liam's hand, “And how the best man lived to tell our story.”

 David, who is sitting next to Liam, rips the microphone from his hand, scowling at him as he adds, “And how he thought I was a pimp.”

 Another roar of laughter fills the banquet hall, this time louder and more prolonged; even David's wife, Mary Margaret who's heard the story a dozen times, is cackling hysterically. David, however, is still unamused.

 Emma is usually able to laugh about, but not on her wedding day, even though she knew it was coming. She blushes deeply, burying her face in her hands as Killian leans over and wraps his arm around his bride, kissing her temple. She’s going to kill her brother and brother-in-law once she and her husband return from their honeymoon.

 “It may have not been the best of beginnings but I wouldn’t trade meeting you for anything,” Killian whispers in her ear, instantly calming her. 

 She lifts her head, smiling at him as she rests her forehead against his. “Me neither.” She takes the ends of his undone bowtie in her hands and pulls him to her, capturing his lips and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, eliciting an eruption of cheers and whistles from the guests and wedding party. 

 When they break the kiss, she tips her champagne flute toward her husband. “Here’s to our happy beginning.”

 Killian clinks his glass against hers. “To our happy beginning.”

  They drink to that, looking forward to their future together as husband and wife.

A/N: This was inspired by a post on Tumblr about an undercover cop posing as a john. He arrested someone for prostitution who turned out to be another undercover cop. Legend has it they got married a year later. When I heard about this post, I just had to write it for cs. Thanks for reading!

[darkjanet2]

Drusilla's Soul Chapter 11 Part 2

Davis walked over to get a little drink but hundreds of green slimy Digimon called Numemon swarmed out. TK and Kari turned around when they heard screaming and they saw Davis on the ground in horror. TK and Kari burst out laughing.

“Ha ha, very funny.” said Davis, sarcastically as he got up and continued following them.

Davis asked, “So were those things Digimon?”

Kari nodded, “Yep, there are tons of other ones, a lot cuter than those.”

“And a lot scarier ones, too.” added TK.

“Do they all come out of vending machines?” Davis asked.

There were two creatures that appeared to see their partners and they were happy to see them. The winged-ears creature had blue eyes, orange fur and cream underbelly fur, and stubby legs with black claws. And the white feline had purple tuft tips of her ears and tail, her long tail striped purple and white without a Holy Ring. She must have been attacked by Unimon.

“TK!” Patamon cried, flew into TK’s arms and TK was ecstatic.

“Patamon! Boy, am I glad to see you!” said TK, it had been so long that he and Patamon were partners ever since he was 8. Davis freaked out a bit.

And there was a young man who appeared in the forest. He had big, brown bushy hair attached to his blue headband and black circular goggles, and wearing a green high school uniform.

“Tai! I told those guys you'd be alright!” said Davis.

Tai looked surprised, “Davis! What're you doing here!?”

“ Kari!” Gatomon jumped into Kari's arm and the both of them hugged, causing Kari to laugh with joy.

“Gatomon!” Kari gasped when she saw Gatomon wasn't wearing her favourite accessory. “Your tail ring! Tell me what happened.”

*Flashback*

Horn Blaster!

Unimon blasted a ball of energy that engulfed Gatomon. She screamed in pain and slammed into a tree. Gatomon dropped to the ground in pain from the attack. Gatomon opened her eyes to see Unimon preparing to stomp her out of existence. Despite her exhaustion and the damage she had taken, the small cat Digimon managed to roll away but Unimon stomped on her tail ring and was stuck to the ground. Gatomon noticed her tail ring is stuck but her survival instincts kick in when Unimon attacked again.

Horn Blaster!

She went on the prowl on all fours.

*End Flashback*

“A few weeks ago, this bossy human appeared and began making Digimon into his slaves. He said "I'm the Digimon Emperor!" I heard we're all gonna have to punch a time clock, too.” said Gatomon.

“Another human? You mean that someone else comes here besides us? There goes the neighbourhood.” said TK.

Gatomon nodded, “Yeah, and he's got this strange new Dark Digivice that makes us unable to Digivolve.”

Davis took his Digivice out of his pocket and showed it to Gatomon. “Like this one?”

Gatomon pointed a paw at his Digivice. “That's it! The Dark Digivice looked exactly like that. You work for the Digimon Emperor”!

“What!? I don't work for anybody, besides mine's not dark! I just got this thing when it came out of the computer!” Davis was outraged by the accusation.

‘So that's what came out of the egg when I picked it up, 3 new Digivices but why did Davis get one? What's his purpose in the Digital World and more importantly…who got the other 2 Digivices?’ Tai thought.

“The Dark Digivice is draining out power and making us all weak as newborn kittens.

Everything makes sense now as to why Agumon couldn't Digivolve before.” said Gatomon

“That's why you couldn't Digivolve!” said Tai, putting his hands on his waist.

Agumon crossed his arms furiously, “Yeah, if I could Digivolve , he wouldn't stand a chance!”

“What's worse, is now that I've lost my Tail Ring my powers have been cut in half, so I'm just about as useful as Rookie Digimon.” Gatomon turned to Agumon and Patamon. “No offense, you guys.”

“None taken.” said Agumon & Patamon in unison.

A Dark ring which the Digimon Emperor was using to eavesdrop on the Digi-destined flies was undetected.

“The Digimon Emperor uses these powerful Dark Rings to control the Digimon.” said Gatomon.

“Yeah, and once the ring captures you, you're a slave for life.” said Patamon.

“Those collars do everything but get rid of fleas.” said Gatomon.

Kari looked pretty pissed. “Digimon Emperor! I'm gonna slap a Dark Ring on him!”

The Digi-destined were now standing in front of the Digi-egg with Crest of Courage on it.

“Looks like a deflated beach ball, no wonder it's got a spike through it.”

“Yeah, plus it's heavier than my mom's meatloaf.” said Tai.

TK walked over and attempted to lift it up with effort but it wouldn’t move.

“It won't budge!” said TK.

“Move aside, this is a woman's job.” Kari tried to lift it with effort too but failed.

“Too bad we don't have a woman here to help.” said TK

“Guys I pump iron all the time, let me do it!” said Davis.

Davis walked over to the egg and bent down. He grabbed on the egg and expected it to be hard to pick up but it required so little effort he picked it up and landed on his back, shocking Tai and the others.

“ What did I tell ya? Light as a feather, you guys need to work out a little more.” said Davis.

“There's a problem.” said Tai.

Suddenly, an orange pillar of light burst out from the hold that was beneath the egg. A black shape was formed inside the light. It's revealed to be a small blue dragon like creature with a v-shaped mark in between his eyes. He was curled into a fetal position and opened his eyes. He exited the light in excitement.

He hops around a gobsmacked Davis. “Free at last! Free at last! You moved the Digi-egg. He stops. My name's Veemon, but you can just call me Veemon.”

“Hi, I'm Davis.” said Davis, who was in awestruck.

Digimon Analyser (Agumon): I've heard of Veemon. Supposedly he's a fun loving, adventure seeking little Digimon that brings you good luck but I thought he was just a legend.

“Nope, I'm real alright and I've been waiting a very long time to meet ya Davis.” said Veemon.

“Uh…I think you got the wrong guy.” said Davis.

“Nope, you're the one alright because you're the only one who was able to move the Digi-egg of Courage.” said Veemon.

‘That's right, even though I had the Crest of Courage I couldn't move the Digi-egg but Davis could…’ Tai thought.

Tai was taken out of his thoughts when the entire cave began to rumble and rock fell from the ceiling.

The Monochromon the Digimon Emperor sent bashes through the ceiling and roars.

“It's a monster!” screamed Davis.

“No! That's a Digimon!” cried Kari.

“Monochromon!” TK cried.

Monochromon went through the big hole he made and slid down the wall.

Digimon Analyser (TK): Monochromon! His shell is harder than diamonds! His attack, a volcanic strike sends out millions of fireballs.

Boom Bubble!

Pepper Breath!

Agumon and Patamon blast out their respective attacks but they barely faze Monochromon.

Lightning Paw!

Gatomon leapt with her fist clenched and slammed it against his face but as expected, she was pretty much useless without her tail ring. Monochromon wasn’t hurt at all and smacked the diminutive champion level Digimon with his tail. Gatomon screamed in pain and slams against the wall.

Kari ran to her partner. “Gatomon! Gatomon, are you okay?!

Gatomon opened her eyes a bit.

“I'm sorry, Kari, but without my Tail Ring, I'm useless.” said Gatomon.

Volcanic Strike!

A ball of fire flares up within his mouth, prompting everyone to make a run for it.

“Come on, let's go!” TK yelled.

“Davis!” Tai cried.

Davis yelped and followed after them right before Monochromon blasted out a powerful ball of fire. They all screamed as they ran along the cave.d

“Davis, hurry up and open the Digi-egg!” cried Veemon.

“I don't know what you're talking about!” cried Davis.

Davis and Veemon were far behind and Monochromon began to catch up with them. They finally manage to exit the cave and stop by a small Cliffside. Davis turned and couldn't see Monochromon anymore.

“That was close.” said Davis, sighed in relief.

“Davis! Get down here!” cried Tai.

Streams of flames blast out from the cave so Veemon tackled Davis off the cliff in time. Kari on the other hand fell on the ground with Gatomon.

“Davis, tell me what hurts?!” cried Veemon.

“Everything but my ear lobes.” Davis groaned in pain.

“You control the Digi-egg of Courage, you've got to use your courage to open it up.”

Tai ran over to Davis.

“Davis, get up! It's not safe!” said Tai.

Davis lifted himself up and his goggles were badly damaged.

“I can Digivolve if you open the egg but you've got to have the courage to do it!” said Veemon.

Tai nodded, “It's worth a try!”

Everyone but Kari and Gatomon ran over.

Gatomon looked at Kari on the ground holding her ankle in pain.

Gatomon cried, “Kari!”

“I can't move my ankle!” cried Kari.

Monochromon leapt off the cliff and everyone watched in shock as he proceeded to rip Kari to pieces. She gasped in horror.

“Davis!” cried Veemon.

“Have Courage!” cried Tai.

Davis was shocked as his crush was about to get killed. “Kari's in trouble!”

Monochromon got closer and Davis clenched the egg. He stood up and took off his broken goggles. “You want courage! I'll show you courage!”

Veemon cried, “Davis! The magic words are Digi-Armour Energize!”

Davis cried out, “DIGI-ARMOUR ENERGIZE!” He held out the Digi-egg of Courage and it released an orange glow.

Veemon Armour Digivolve to…!

Veemon fused with the Digi-egg and was engulfed by rings of fire that take shape as images of Agumon and all of his digivolutions appear. Out of the fire, claws extend from his fists and then a spike from his helmet.

Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!

Monochromon ran to Kari but the new fighter rammed into his side and caused him to fall over. Flamedramon lands on the ground.

Veemon has Digivolved into a remarkable Digimon slightly taller than Tai. All parts of his body were flaming pieces of armour, the Crest of Courage is emblazoned on his back, his hand and feet were tipped with sharp claws and a sharp blade sticks out from his head.

The Digi-destined are in complete awe.

Tai couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Armor...Digivolve!” said Tai.

“It was the Digi-egg!” said TK.

“Wow! What's that!?” Davis was amazed that Veemon had changed.

Digimon Analyser (Flamedramon): I'm Flamedramon! As Veemon I use the Digi-egg of Courage to Armour Digivolve. My Fire Rocket attack will charbroil the enemy like a well done steak.

Monochromon charged in but Flamedramon gets into a battle stance. Monochromon rammed into the Fire of Courage who merely held him down and stopped him in place. With incredible strength he lifted Monochromon up and flipped him backwards. A loud crash could be heard throughout the forest and the smoke cleared to reveal Monochromon was on the ground a bit weakened. He opened his eyes and roared. Flamedramon gave a battle cry and went on the offensive.

Volcanic Strike!

He blasted out 3 fireballs but Flamedramon ploughed through and cut them to pieces as if they were paper due to being a fire attribute Digimon. Monochromon growls and charges in again. He lands a hit and sends Flamedramon flying in the air. The others gasped but there was no need because Flamedramon recovers and prepares his special attack.

FIRE ROCKET!

He engulfed himself in a fiery aura and blasted off like a rocket, intent on destroying the dark ring strapped around Monochromon.

“Barbecue that Dark Ring, Flamedramon!” shouted Gatomon.

Flamedramon made a direct hit on the Dark Ring. He flipped up and the Dark Ring was broken off. Flamedramon landed on the ground and was engulfed in a yellow glow. An orange light was released and sent into Davis's Digivice. The light also went into his pocket. Davis checked it and took it out. It's a D-terminal.

“What's this?” He opened it up and the egg was now in his D-terminal.

Flamedramon had de-digivolved to Veemon and Kari had gently rubbed Monochromon who was on the ground in exhaustion.

[fyexo]

191115 Meet SuperM, the Team of K-Pop Superstars That Became One Big Family

SuperM has arrived. It’s late afternoon in Los Angeles, and voices can be heard floating through the halls of Capitol Records in L.A., muffled and low. They’re just out of sight, but if the video teasers for the K-pop supergroup’s debut are to be believed, the seven members will turn the corner burning with a smoldering intensity, walking with the confidence of an elite squad of K-pop assassins trained to vaporize the competition with a single look. All have been hand-picked for this mission from some of K-pop’s most successful groups: Taemin from the legendary SHINee, Kai and Baekhyun from the record-breaking EXO, Mark and Taeyong from the massive 21-member group NCT, and Ten and Lucas from NCT’s Chinese subunit WayV. Together, they are an industry team of aces, pairing powerful performance with immense individual skill in dancing, singing, and rapping.

But as they find their seats around a massive marble conference table, they’re more like a bunch of brothers at summer camp. Kai, an often blush-inducing dancer, has pulled the arms of his sweater over his hands to create soft paws and is hiding behind them as he whispers to giggling rapper Lucas. Baekhyun, the group’s leader and stunning vocalist, scrunches his nose in frustration as he struggles to open a water bottle. One by one, each member relaxes into their chairs and widens the gap between their slick onstage personas and their sweeter offstage selves.

Taeyong looks softer than his icy rapper persona as he yawns and stretches, the blinding silver highlight on his cheeks catching the sun as he adjusts the waves of his purple hair. Ten, usually a brooding dancer, is disarmingly friendly. When a part of the conversation strikes him as funny, he looks around the room to find someone else who is laughing and wrinkles his nose at them as if to say, “Isn’t this all so silly?” Mark, the youngest, is usually the excitable little brother of NCT. But as SuperM’s strongest English speaker (he’s actually from Toronto, Canada, originally), he matures into a calm and collected translator and only ages down again when caught in a fit of laughter.

The member with the biggest gap between onstage and off is Taemin, the group’s most senior member in terms of experience, who was selected from one of K-pop’s foundational groups, SHINee, and boasts one of the most successful solo careers in the history of the industry. When performing, Taemin is wickedly villainous, sensual, and sophisticated. In a recent interview, Taeyong went so far as to describe Taemin’s stage presence as “a bit immoral.” But offstage, in this conference room, Taemin’s small frame is almost swallowed up by his chair. He likes to hold water in his cheeks so that they puff out like a fish, and his big, round eyes, which are usually narrowed for effect when he performs, stare blankly from beneath his shiny blonde bob. He is so quiet that he sometimes appears to not be paying attention at all, but then one of the other guys cracks a joke and his entire face lights up.

The group is in high spirits, coming off of an intense October weekend of stateside promotion that included their first official appearance as SuperM, the debut of the music video for their single, “Jopping,” the release of their eponymous debut mini album, and a performance for thousands outside of Capitol’s iconic headquarters in Hollywood. SuperM carries on the legacy of SM, one of K-pop’s oldest and most-revered entertainment agencies. “If you ask me, I’d say what the world now considers K-Pop began with SM Entertainment,” says Taemin, through an interpreter, as Ten nods in agreement. “SM was the very first company to take musical influences from Western culture and incorporate Korean culture into that by rearranging and writing lyrics with our style.” When Taemin finishes, he turns to Kai in embarrassment and says, “I’m too proud of SM, huh?” But Taemin is right; the company created what is considered to be the first modern K-pop idol group, H.O.T., in 1996, and has been a dominant player in the space ever since.

The guys don’t show it, but they are under an immense amount of pressure. SuperM was conceptualized and produced by the founder of SM, Soo Man Lee, and their staff notes that curiosities are piqued, even within the company itself. “I think people are interested in this new attempt because we are not newbies. Each of us are from groups that are already well-established,” says Baekhyun, the eldest. Kai agrees, “We feel obliged to live up to their expectations.” They don’t know it yet, but in a week they will have the no. 1 album in the United States.

Despite looming expectations, the guys seem more delighted by the new arrangement than worried. “I’ve been in SHINee for 10 years, so starting a new team almost felt like getting a different job,” says Taemin. “I was excited; it felt so fresh, like a new start. To be honest, I thought the project was going to get cancelled when I first heard about it, so SuperM has a special place in my heart.” Baekhyun finishes, “Each of us saw it as an opportunity, a new challenge, and that helped…” Taeyong chimes in, “It united us.” “That’s right,” nods Baekhyun, “Now, we feel like we’re a family.”

That bond was formed quickly, over a handful of summer months in 2019. Though they all trained and worked under SM, most members had only ever seen each other in passing, like students in different grades at a large school. Despite this, the synergy between them is almost telepathic. After Baekhyun fails to break the cap on his water bottle, he silently pushes it towards Taeyong, who opens it for him with a twist of his wrist and without a single word. Members often finish each others’ sentences and exchange knowing looks across the table. Whenever Taemin isn’t sure about the meaning of a word in English, he leans over to consult Ten. At one point, Taeyong looks at Mark with pride and reaches out instinctively to stroke the youngest’s ear. This must be fairly normal, because Mark barely reacts.

When they return to Korea after this trip, each member will rejoin their respective group or solo promotions until they come together again as SuperM in November to tour the U.S. and Canada. Kai discloses that Lucas is already exhibiting separation anxiety. “This morning Lucas said to me, ‘Hyung, I wanna move in with you! Can’t we move in together?’” Kai says, using the Korean word for “big brother.” Lucas lets out a wild, guttural giggle as Kai snitches again, “Even Baekhyun said in the car that he would miss us after we all got back from the States!”

For these short two weeks in Los Angeles, they’re living together and having what sounds like the time of their lives. They’ve all taken roles around the house. Baekhyun is known for recalibrating the group dynamic, cracking jokes to lighten the mood. “I’m the reaction, I react to them,” Taemin says cheerily. “Mark and Ten are English teachers,” says Baekhyun, “Taeyong is the cook and dishwasher…” “and alarm!” chimes Taemin. “Taemin is in charge of dieting,” says Kai. Taeyong points to Baekhyun, “And he disrupts dieting,” he says, as they all crack up, “he’s the Diet Destroyer.” Baekhyun shrugs. “We’re the tall ones,” says Kai, pointing to Lucas and himself. “I’m in charge of getting things that are far away,” says Lucas, with a laugh that is almost musical. “He’s the biggest baby,” says Ten, smiling lovingly from the corner. “There are cups and plates placed high on the cupboard...” says Taemin. “And Lucas takes them out for us,” finishes Taeyong.

Like most families, they watch Netflix together. “We like zombies, especially Kai hyung. He likes The Walking Dead,” says Ten. “And Black Mirror,” suggests Mark. Taemin looks up at Ten with doe eyes and says “Stranger Things!” in a small voice, which Ten repeats at a volume everyone can hear. They go swimming in the house’s pool, play mafia and video games, and share meals, Taemin’s favorite. “I love that we eat breakfast together every morning. We wouldn’t do that if we weren’t close. We feel comfortable with each other’s company, it feels natural.” They’ve had everything from Korean meals and Chinese food to pancakes but, usually, they eat cereal. That is, until the diet destroyer gets involved. “We started off with Froot Loops,” says Mark, “and then we searched through the refrigerator and saw strawberry yogurt. Baekhyun was like ‘Alright, we’ve got to put the Froot Loops in the yogurt!’”

Between the seven of them, they speak five languages: English, Korean, Chinese, Thai, and Japanese, so “sometimes communicating gets very confusing,” says Lucas, switching into Korean for the last word, to underscore his point. Still, “we understand each other very well,” assures Mark, “and I feel like that's the true role of K-pop: bringing cultures together.” Ten nods in agreement. He can speak four languages and has remained alert throughout the interview, like a guard dog, leaning in to translate Korean or Chinese to English. “What’s cool is that we’re from different places, so when we talk we get to learn new vocabulary,” Ten notes, as Taemin looks on with cheeks full of water. “Sometimes I even teach them Thai,” he says, beaming proudly. “That’s the best part.” On cue, Taeyong presses his palms together, bows his head, and says the Thai word for “hello.”

SuperM has been focused on breaking into the United States, so many of the members have been learning English from Mark and Ten. Taemin, who is already fluent in Korean and Japanese, says “pronunciation” has been the hardest part. A few days earlier in an Instagram live stream, he playfully pleaded with fans of SHINee, called Shawols, to help him learn the language. When asked about that, Taemin smiles, shrugs his shoulders up to his ears, straightens his arms and splays his hands wide in discomfort, like a scared cat. With perfect pronunciation he says, “I hope to speak English well but...” and then makes a gesture that communicates, “I hope to get better.” Taeyong nods and says in English, “Step-by-step,” while Kai lets out a supportive, “Wow!”

In September, Baekhyun also took to Instagram to announce that he and Lucas were delighted and perplexed by the sound of one word in particular: awkward. The mention of this sets off a domino effect during our interview, as each member tries pronouncing “awkward” themselves. Then Baekhyun introduces a new word: turtle. He points to his mouth, which he has opened comically wide to get the sound just right, “Toooortle!” “The word turtle is so awkward!” summarizes Taeyong. Then they can’t be stopped—their favorite terms are flying back and forth across the table: Pronunciation! Positive energy! Level! Frog! Pioneers! Taeyong slowly sounds out “performances” and then claps for himself when he’s done. Over in the corner, Baekhyun leans back in his chair and crosses his arms matter-of-factly. “Turtle!” he says with confidence, one last time, as Mark bursts out laughing and Taeyong slaps him playfully on the knee.

The room is so warm with joy, so free from ego and pretense, that it’s easy to forget that these seven friends are some of the world’s most celebrated performers. Despite their differences—in age, language, culture, and experience—they function as a single solid, supportive unit, united by one goal.

For almost the entire interview, Mark and Taemin have been playing with two thick silver rings overlaid with heavy crosses. At one point, Taemin experienced a brief panic when Mark’s ring got stuck on his finger. “We got these as a gift from Mr. Soo Man Lee,” Mark says seriously, holding his up in front of his face. Each member’s ring bears a slightly different design, but they all “have ‘Super M’ inscribed on the back.” The accessory feels overtly symbolic: a physical reminder of the heavy expectations that unite them. “This is our Thanos Infinity Gauntlet,” Mark jokes, referencing SuperM’s branding as the “Avengers of K-pop.” As he laughs with Taemin, his face softens and he looks like the group’s little brother again. Then they both pick up their rings and place them back on their fingers, joining the rest of their team.

Source: Elizabeth de Luna

[jjpmoans]

Snowy Day | pups7

Word counts : 843 words

A/N : Just a fluffy wolf pup au for you guys.

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Thud.

Once.

Giggles and screams are everywhere and the vivid sound of the little pups are testing his limits.

Thud.

Twice.

Jaebeom turns around, irritated that his head was hit by something he can't define. Just as he turns, white covers his vision, then black, Jackson's giggles echoes in his ears.

How dare him-

"Mom!" He yells, irritated by the younger brother. It's another day of when snow decides to rain heavily and Mom gives them permission to play around with snow. All seven pups are out, playing with the snow as they can't do this frequent. Usually mom will gather them inside with hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies and read them wolf stories.

So today when they can play and run all over the place, Jaebeom decides that he can use this time to sit under his favourite tree and read his favourite nursery book. However Jackson has been hitting his back a few times now and he is really irritated. Jackson has no boundaries sometimes and thinks its funny to do that.

He turns to see Mark sitting on bench, ignoring Jackson's playful gestures which is now attacking Yugyeom and Bambam with snow balls. The little pups, though being smacked on the face a few times, still stand and laugh after countless trials of avoiding Jackson's hit.

"What's wrong Jaebeommie?" Their mom coos as the said boy comes closer, halting her motion to feed Youngjae some hot soup. "Why don't you play with Seunnie?"

Loud, irritated sigh escapes Jaebeom's lip, pouting as he takes a sit next to the smaller brother. "Seunnie is irritating. He keeps throwing the snow balls to my head!"

Youngjae, turning to him at the word ball, eyes lighting in awe. "Snow ball? Where is the ball!?" Youngjae likes balls. He likes something sphere in general, including the knitting threads and Jinyoung's cheeks. Which is why Jinyoung doesn't like being close to Youngjae, the pup will raise his chubby hands to pinch Jinyoung's cheeks. His tiny paws love patting spherical things hence imagine how irritated Jinyoung is.

"Jackson is playing with them." He saves the harsh tone under his breath, instead placing them with a sweet voice which he will only use with Youngjae. And Jinyoung.

Only two of them.

"Jackson hyung?" He lights up, quickly standing and look at their mom in hope. Mom laughs, nodding her head. "Thank you mommie!"

Youngjae runs or toddles with his tail wagging behind him towards Jackson, screaming all the way and fall flat on the snowy ground. Jaebeom's heart stops, watching his little brother struggling to stand up, short legs pushing the thick snow so he stand properly. Luckily Jackson is there to help, making Youngjae stand and wipes off the snow on his legs.

Relieved, he turns to his Mom, questioning. "Where's Jinyoungie?"

As if his Mom just remembers something, she snaps her fingers, asking Jaebeom to come closer. Curious, he keeps an wary eye on mom, terrified if Jinyoungie suddenly appears behind her.

"Jinyoungie told me to ask you to find him. He said he will be at the place where you likes the most."

Jaebeom staggers backward, too excited at Mom's little whisper. "Really!? Jinyoungie is at the cottage?"

Their mom nods, smiling even when her six years old pup grins, cresent forming from his eyes.

"Can i go to the cottage mom?" Hopeful, Jaebeom asks for permission first though he knows Jinyoung is already there.

"Go on. But bring Jinyoungie back with you too okay?"

Smiling in triumph, Jaebeom walks away, hurrying his little steps towards the cottage. His ears on top of his head is covered with some snow however he doesn't mind that, only excited with the thought of him going to the cottage.

The cottage is where their father will only bring Jaebeom and Jinyoung inside, because their father said both of them enjoys reading the most. So the cottage was built for books keeping hence they love visiting the cottage. Usually mom won't let them go without supervision but this has been the second time they are let in without their parents.

He reaches the cottage, knocking thrice before calling out the younger's name.

"Jinyoungie?" His ears perks at any distinct sound, trying to listen to any breathing from inside. Sometimes Jinyoung can be so focused, his wolf hearing will not even useful.

"Come in hyung!" His tail wags at the reply, excitedness envelop his whole tiny body.

Jaebeom wishes that it is snowy everyday. That day he can spent his time in the cottage where he can read all of the books with Jinyoungie. He feels contented and happy, that by the time he opens his third nursery book, he finds Jinyoung sliding down the floor, snuggling against Jaebeom's lap for comfort.

"Jinyoungie?"

"Mm' sleepy Jaebeommie." Jaebeom smiles, patting Jinyoung's ears to lull him to sleep. Jinyoung is like that, he likes when Jaebeom strokes his hair and scratch his ears. He will purs happily and sleep soundly.

Maybe, the day hasn't been so bad like what Jaebeom has expected.

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