#this was in the heart of the city in broad daylight at a high school graduation a graduating senior and his father were shot and killed and

[madigoround]

💜

[cera-writes]

I’ve been on a recent X-men evolution obsession and like-

Headcannons for X-men Evolution!Kurt Wagner x Gn!reader that’s human and knows he’s a superhero but doesn’t really care? Like they’re just confused on how nobody else realizes Kurt and his friends are the x-men- (Like they don’t where no masks no nothin😭)

A/N: Riiiiight? LOL. Yeah, I can think of quite a few!

X-Men Evolution! Kurt Wagner x GN!Reader (Superhero Obliviousness)

Headcanons:

You first met Kurt at Bayville High, drawn to his quiet demeanor and dry wit. You never saw his demonic tail or sulfur scent as anything but...quirks.

One random afternoon, you saw a news report about a giant Sentinel robot attacking the city. Guess who was teleporting around it with a blue furry friend? You just stared, then shrugged and went back to your homework.

You become Kurt's confidante. He vents about the X-Men's crazy missions, frustrated that no one seems to recognize them. You listen patiently, offering support, but mostly confusion.

Phrases you use a lot:

"Wait, wasn't that... wasn't that you on TV fighting a giant metal thing?" (Kurt: 👁️👄👁️)

"So, like, why doesn't anyone else see you guys teleporting around in broad daylight?" (Kurt: 🙃)

"You're telling me the whole school doesn't know you have a tail? Have you considered... brighter clothes?" (Kurt: 😐)

You become the X-Men's unofficial "civilian consultant." You help them strategize normal people things, like disguises (which they desperately need) and blending in.

Kurt finds your obliviousness endearing. You're the one constant who sees him for who he is, not a demon or a superhero, just Kurt.

You do get worried when they leave for missions. Kurt, bless his furry heart, tries to downplay the danger, but you see the fear in his eyes.

Eventually, you confront Professor X. It's a polite but firm conversation about the utter lack of secrecy. Professor X is surprised, then impressed by your deduction skills. Maybe you could be a strategist someday? (You politely decline.)

Dating life:

Public dates are a nightmare. You constantly have to steer conversations away from the giant robots Kurt keeps "accidentally" bumping into.

Movie nights become a game of "spot the X-Men cameo." Bonus points if you can guess their power being used.

Cuddling sessions often involve Kurt teleporting in exhausted from a mission, tail twitching nervously. You just hold him close, whispering reassurances.

You're the ultimate hype person for the X-Men, even if no one else knows it. You're secretly keeping a scrapbook of their "heroic deeds" (news clippings with doodles and witty captions. You've even sketched their faces and made silly comics about them).

Overall, your relationship with Kurt is a hilarious mix of obliviousness and deep affection. You may not understand the superhero life, but you'll always be there for Kurt.

[jokertrap-ran]

[スタオケ] La Corda d'Oro Starlight Orchestra Main Story Chapter 2-2 Translation

*Starlight Orchestra Masterlist *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Main story tag will be #Main Starlight

Sakuya: Mito really does have a lot of beautifully scenic locations.

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⊳ Choice: Is it your first time here, Sakuya?

Sakuya: …I don’t think I’ve gone anywhere else other than Tokyo and Yokohama…

⊳ Choice: Let’s enjoy ourselves since we’re here.

Sakuya: What’s with that super bookmarked and labeled guidebook you have there with you? We’re not here to play, you know…

Tomoharu: Wow… Hey, this stamina ramen looks delicious. Why don’t we come to try it out next time?

Hayate: It’s said that the first person in Japan to ever eat ramen was Lord Mito Mitsukuni.

⊳ Choice: What’s a “Kodokan”?

Hayate: What, you’re from the General Education department, and you know nothing about Japan’s history?

Hayate: It’s the domain school founded by Tokugawa Nariaki, a feudal lord from the Mito Clan.

Hayate: Its development eventually had a great influence on Yoshida Shoin, Saigo Takamori, as well as the other patriots during the final years of the Edo period.

Hayate: This Bizenbori Canel seems to be part of Modern Mito’s eight picturesque sights, including the Hinuma River.

Hayate: It’s a famous historic city that has prospered since ancient times, thanks to the waterborne transport trade of the Naka River.

Joyo Male Student 2: C’mon, c’mon! Seems like it has already started!

Joyo Male Student 1: You were way too slow with that bowl of ramen!

Tomoharu: I wonder what happened? A fight, maybe?

Ginga: Maybe, but hearing them mention ramen makes me want to have a bowl of it for myself too.

Ginga: Stamina ramen chock full of ingredients, huh. But Mito Ramen sounds good too~

Sakuya: Huh? Wait… hang on.

Sakuya: Sensei? Didn’t you just cook rice back at the minivan’s kitchen? And quite a large amount of it too.

Ginga: Huh? Err…

Sakuya: And weren’t you saying how all you had to do was to purchase some side dishes for a perfect lunch?

Ginga: Ehh?  But I can just throw them into the refrigerator, can’t I~?

Sakuya: The refrigerator isn’t capable of holding that much food, and you know that.

Sakuya: Looks like it’s decided then. I’ll go buy some side dishes for us. Ramen next time, yes?

Ginga: …Fine…

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Sakuya: Honestly. His lack of planning is shockingly disconcerting.

Sakuya: And you look like you’re having fun with everything and anything, either way… Hm?

Sakuya: This sounds like… a Trumpet? But where is it coming from?

Sakuya: “Let’s go check it out”? Wait- Hey, (L/n)!

☆ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦♬◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ☆

☆ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦♬◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ☆

Sakuya: Wow… What a rich and smooth reverberation…

☆ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦♬◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ☆

Joyo Male Student 1: *sobbing* Kirigaya-san… How amazing…

Joyo Male Student 2: My heart’s been rekindled…

Sakuya: Wha- Watch out. This place is filled with dangerous-looking people!

Sakuya: Let’s quickly make our escape, (L/n). We have to get out before they notice us.

⊳ Choice: I want to listen to the performance a little more / I want to know that Trumpeter’s name

Sakuya: Now’s not the time for that!

Yasu: Oh no! Boss! Something terrible happened!

Akira: Hm? What’s happened, Yasu?

Yasu: Some guys from Kasa High are tryin’ to pick a fight out at the bridge! They seem super full of themselves!

Yasu: Our 1st and 2nd years are getting overwhelmed by about 3 or so people.

Akira: Oh? Now that’s some guts they have to be attacking Joyo in broad daylight. 

Akira: They asked for it, so I’m going to play along. Let’s go.

Delinquents: YEAH!

Sakuya: I guess they’re all going out to… fight? Everyone filed out just like that, at a snap of his fingers…

Sakuya: I don’t think they saw us at all.

⊳ Choice: I missed his name.

Sakuya: You mean that Trumpeter? I heard someone addressing him as “Kirigaya-san”?

⊳ Choice: Now my adrenaline’s pumping!

Sakuya: You’re really prone to sticking your nose into things that you really should be steering clear of.

⊳ Choice: Terrifying…

Sakuya: Well, I suppose we should count our lucky stars for having avoided them.

Sakuya: Besides, what is this place? The signboard says “Ouroboros”...

Sakuya: There’s a stage here, but it doesn’t seem to be in use.

Sakuya: Anyway, let’s get out of here quick. It’ll be troublesome if those people come back.

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Ginga: Huh, I see.

Tomoharu: A delinquent Trumpeter? Sounds like Louis Armstrong if you ask me.

⊳ Choice: Louis Armstrong?

Tomoharu: He’s an American Jazz Musician. He was sent to a Juvenile Home as a kid and had many ups and downs in life, but…

Tomoharu: Despite facing discrimination,  he was a brilliantly talented genius Trumpeter.

⊳ Choice: Yeah…

Tomoharu: I should have gone with you guys.

Tomoharu: “Ouroboros”...? I recall that that was the name of the Jazz  Café & Bar that opened for business a couple of years ago.

Tomoharu: Here, look. This video seems to have been taken from when the place was still in business.

☆ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦♬◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ☆

I saw 2 Trumpets being played on the video that Narumiya showed me on his phone.

⊳ Choice: It’s the guy from earlier!

Tomoharu: What? This performer’s the same guy you saw earlier? Wow. He’s definitely good…

Ginga: We can’t really see the other guy. The video’s too dark.

Tomoharu: It looks like this video was shot from the audience, after all.

Hayate: This uniform looks like Joyo Technical High School’s; the same school that Osakabe-san is in.

Tomoharu: What?

Sakuya: Come to think of it… Those guys were saying something about “Joyo” as well…

⊳ Choice:  Let’s check out Joyo Technical High School.

Hayate: Yeah. We’re going to ask Osakabe-san to join us, so we might as well drop by.

Sakuya: That’s the school that those guys we saw are attending, right? I’m already having a bad feeling about this…

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Previous Part: (Chapter 2-1) Next Part:

(Chapter 2-3)

[beardedmrbean]

Women wearing thongs in broad daylight on street corners, pimps following mothers taking their kids to school, and prostitutes twerking at traffic have become common scenes in California.

Local leaders claim human trafficking and prostitution are rampant in the Golden State after a new criminal justice reform that its author said aims to protect transgender women from being unfairly targeted by law enforcement.

"It’s absolutely out of control and dangerous — not just for the sex workers but for the community," San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen told the San Francisco Chronicle this week.

A road in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District has become lined with prostitutes and pimps, prompting city officials to install barricades as residents sound off that not only do they feel less safe – especially at night – but that they are worried about the women working the streets.

"From the window right there, I’ll see three [people] ganging up on a girl," one San Francisco resident told the Chronicle while pointing toward a bay window that overlooks an intersection. "They’ll be hitting her."

CALIFORNIA PROSTITUTION LAW ALLOWS SEX ABUSE TO 'RUN RAMPANT' IN LOS ANGELES STREETS, VICTIM ADVOCATES WARN

"I call the cops; no one comes. There’s nothing I can do," the unidentified woman said.

The issue isn’t isolated to just San Francisco, with other major cities such as Los Angeles and Oakland reporting the same.

Pimps in Oakland have reportedly stationed prostitutes outside a Catholic grade school, where parents said they walk their kids to school past women wearing next to nothing – or even naked.

"It's every day, during all periods of the day," mother Rosa Vargas told ABC 7. Vargas claimed that pimps have even followed Vargas down the street on a couple of occasions. Some of the prostitutes look very young and are likely underage, according to residents and local leaders.

SUSPECTED PROSTITUTION RING MOVES INTO CA NEIGHBORHOOD OUTSIDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL: 'PIMP IS BLOCKING MY DRIVEWAY'

Police departments and Republican leaders in the state are pinning blame for the overt prostitution on a new law that went into effect on Jan. 1. Senate Bill 357 repealed a previous law that banned loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution.

"California Democrats' policy of legalizing crime is creating more victims by the hour," GOP Assembly leader James Gallagher said in a statement.

"Under Democratic rule, families and businesses are moving out, while human traffickers are moving in," Gallagher added. "It was clear from the get-go that this law would encourage and enable human trafficking, but that was apparently an acceptable result for the lawmakers who backed it."

CALIFORNIA PROSTITUTION LAW ALLOWS SEX ABUSE TO 'RUN RAMPANT' IN LOS ANGELES STREETS, VICTIM ADVOCATES WARN

The original bill was introduced by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, who argued it will protect transgender women whom he said are disproportionately targeted by police.

"[The previous law] allowed police officers to arrest a person, not based on what they did, but based solely on how a person looks," Wiener recently told KGO-TV. "So, an officer could arrest someone because they were wearing tight clothing, high heels and extra lipstick."

Wiener stressed to Fox News Digital earlier this week that prostitution and human trafficking issues have long plagued certain areas of California, and he called what people are seeing in Oakland "unacceptable." But he stood by the reform.

"The police's hands are not tied," Wiener told local media. "They can arrest people for soliciting, they can cite vehicles that are stopped in the middle of the street, they can arrest ‘johns,’ they can arrest pimps."

The Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST), which is one of the largest and oldest direct service providers for sex and labor trafficking survivors in the U.S., threw its support behind the bill and told Fox News Digital that it endorsed repealing the former policy "because we know that reducing the criminalization of survivors will help prevent human trafficking."

"Traffickers rely on our systems to criminalize victims so that they are unable to access safety due to their records and are vulnerable to continued exploitation," Leigh LaChapelle, CAST's associate director of survivor advocacy, told Fox News.

"The impact of these encounters with law enforcement reinforce already heightened stigma when someone is arrested for this offense due to the difficulties securing employment and safe housing with an arrest record relating to the sex trade," LaChapelle added. "Violation of this discriminatory law also puts immigrants in jeopardy of deportation, loss of residency or denial of reentry due to a misdemeanor conviction."

LaChapelle noted that the law has only been in effect for little over a month and said leaders in the state "need to look at the larger, long-standing systemic issues that are contributing to any potential rise in trafficking in California, such as homelessness."

But Los Angeles police sources who spoke to Fox News Digital said the law is "definitely" handcuffing them from cracking down on prostitution. The police said that because of the reform they can only make arrests if a suspect admits to prostitution, which they said is a rarity.

L.A.’s Figueroa Street, also known as "The Blade," has become inundated with prostitutes and pimps, according to the police. Law enforcement officials provided social media accounts to Fox News that showed young women wearing thongs and fishnets, often with their breasts exposed while standing – and even twerking in broad daylight on street corners.

Police said with the emboldened prostitution rings come robberies, shootings, aggravated assaults and other crimes. Many of the pimps are gang-affiliated and take no issue with beating women or going after rival pimps who try to poach one of the workers, they said. Some even record the beatdowns because they "think it’s funny," police said.

NATIONWIDE PUSH TO LIBERALIZE PROSTITUTION LAWS PROMPTS CONCERNS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

The Oakland Police Department told Fox News Digital that the new law "now hinders officers' enforcement across the state."

Prior to the law going into effect, the department’s "traffic unit and patrol officers conducted high visibility patrolling," noting that the officials’ "hope is that the increased presence in different areas by these officers deter activity and do not revictimize those who are victims of human trafficking."

LaChapelle argued that police still have "many points of intervention available" to "investigate trafficking without arresting those who have not committed a crime," and they said that "jail is not outreach, and it certainly is not services."

"Using arrest as a gateway to receiving services is harmful and creates distrust in our communities," LaChapelle said. "One thing that CAST has heard from our clients on countless occasions is that being arrested was not only traumatizing and revictimizing but created insurmountable barriers to seeking employment, safe housing and immigration relief."

Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas has been focused on human trafficking issues in her district since 2019, when she took office. She told Fox News Digital that she is working on the root causes of human trafficking and to not simply move the prostitution rings to another community.

"It's a big issue. It's an issue that impacts many communities in California and outside California and has been going on for decades," Fortunato Bas said. "And so my approach has been to look at a comprehensive approach that includes law enforcement that is focused on the exploiters."

POLICE: FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT LED PROSTITUTION RING

She said she has zeroed in on exploiters and highlighted that the police department is working with the district attorney's office to build up enough evidence for prosecution. The city has increased the budget for its Department of Violence Prevention to deploy more violence interrupters on the streets, she added.

Her office has also worked to install speed bumps and better lighting on certain streets and launched other "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design" initiatives, such as traffic diverters.

"Violence prevention and the outreach to offer victims services, including housing, job training, even food, as well as working with the district attorney to provide more protection for victims who are willing to speak out" is paramount in her fight against human trafficking and women being exploited, she said.

LaChapelle added in a comment to Fox News Digital that the issue of funding amid discussions on prostitution and human trafficking need to be taken into account.

"In June of 2021, the California legislature passed CAST’s $30 million request to fund human trafficking victim service providers over three years," LaChapelle said. "This additional $30M came at a time when numbers of urgent human trafficking cases are at an all-time high.

The group is advocating for the funding to be extended, she said.

"Arresting survivors is not the answer when we are struggling to fund enough shelter beds and services," LaChapelle said.

CALIFORNIA MOVIE PRODUCER PLEADS GUILTY IN PROSTITUTION CASE

Fortunato Bas said it’s "premature" to make a declaration on the alleged issues of the reform as the new law has only been in effect for roughly a month.

But police sources equated the new law to California’s Proposition 47, which lowered felonies to misdemeanors for theft of goods valued at $950 dollars or less. Critics argued that sparked a shoplifting and smash-and-grabs explosion across the state, with multiple instances of flash mobs running into high-end stores with crowbars and bats to break display cases and run off with ritzy merchandise.

For now, police said they are bracing for the issues to only get worse and have called on state and city leaders to go on ride-alongs to see the illegal activity for themselves.

[ariaofsorrows]

I'm up at three in the morning again, so here are some CRAZY ASS™️ headcanons about Soma "I swear on my apple bottom jeans I'm not Dracula!!" Cruz.

Soma ended up getting all of Dracula's memories, which also include his polymath, science savant, genius knowledge. As a result, math and sciences come almost naturally to him, and he LOVES it.

Going off that last point, he ends up pursuing medicine because he feels it is a form of reparation. Soma believes that the way to repent for "his" sins is taking the same knowledge that killed people and using it to save them instead. But after being attacked by a cultist in broad daylight AND in public after midterms, he respectfully drops tf out to become a monster hunter instead.

But that doesn't stop him from furthering his own knowledge. He and Arikado will debate on scientific phenomena and mathematical discoveries all day long.

Soma goes to therapy regularly in order to learn how regulate his emotions in healthy manner and how to cope with traumatic experiences so that the forces of darkness cannot take advantage of him again

Soma isn't allowed to have social media due to safety reasons (I mean it'll be easy to find him) but he does so anyways. Whenever a follower of Dracula dm's him or gets to him publicly, he usually ends up memeing on them. Also his handles are a variation of somadeeznuts

He is Mina's biggest hypeman. No matter what you think of their relationship, he is her biggest supporter. He shows up to Mina's school during her exams to cheer her on. He learned how to video edit for the sole purpose of making fancams for her. Whenever he talks about her, he gets so giddy and excited that you could practically feel his joy from the other room. If you even so much as think a negative thought about Mina Hakuba, it's on site for you. He'll go and spam comment on all her instagram photos with either heart emojis or keyboard slams. So basically I see him like this:

Bad Scary Things Happen:

Soma: (￣︿￣)

Mina: breathes

Soma: (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ ) ♡ ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Soma is a FLATTY so that's why he wears long coats

He is a lightweight. Poor boy can't handle his alcohol.

During the beginning of AoS, Soma was texting his overseas friends about seeing a castle in the sky. Everyone thought he was high on something and proceeded to make of him. As per request from Arikado, he later sent a voice message telling everyone that he only saw the castle because he decided to look at the eclispe with the naked eye. Not a day goes by where they remind him of his stupidity.

(Romantic) Soma was the first among his overseas friendgroup to have a significant other. Nobody believed him when he said he was dating Mina, because he was apparently "the patron saint of dorks everywhere" and couldn't communicate to save his own life. When they did finally meet Mina for the first time on FaceTime (or smth), everyone was so shocked.

To add on to that, whenever the couple posts something romantic online (2 times a year), the friends will usually respond jokingly with videos of them crying, screaming, making affirmations that they WILL have this kind of happiness one day.

(Romantic) Soma and Mina's favourite type of date is generating a random location in the city in Google Maps and then going there

Despite being super smart, Soma is a bit of a himbo. One time, he mistakenly took Mina to a furry convention instead of an anime one. He thinks Julius is cool bc he genuinely believed that cowboys didn't exist.

Soma cannot drive for shit. It took the power of a Belmont, Belnades, AND Alucard to keep the car from flying into a ditch. When he parks, it is so slanted that it takes up two (2) parking stalls. Whenever the vampire hunters are on a long road trip, only Julius Yoko or Arikado drive. Any and all offers from Soma are shut down immediately.

He is a vintage enthusiast. A lot of his wardrobe consists of hand-me-downs and thrifted items. The only item he bought out of a department store was his iconic black turtleneck. His favourite era was the late 1990s and 2000s

Despite identifying as male, he likes to dress in a way that defies gender norms of the era. He often borrows skirts and blouses from Yoko, he has a couple makeup palettes of his own, and he'll often style his hair. Tinted lip balm and gloss are his best friends.

Soma and Julius will have mock final battles everywhere. Both of them will go to the supermarket and put their hands on the last piece of meat available. Cue the "ohoho, Belmont, you dare approach me?" "Yeah, well I can't whip the shit out of you without getting closer". They will do this for the most trivial of things.

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 08 first part

(Masterpost) (Other Canary goodness)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Rabbits

The Jiang kids have some quality time with the rabbits. Initially Jiang Cheng says it’s wrong for gentlemen to hold rabbits, which is definitely in no way related to gay-rabbit-god symbolism, but changes his mind when he discovers how fun men rabbits are to cuddle. 

Jiang Yanli says, in a moment with zero foreshadowing, that if they take one rabbit away from the others, it will miss its family and be lonely. Also if a rabbit were to watch from the rooftop while a mean enemy rabbit poured wine on the corpses of its parents, that would be extra upsetting. For a rabbit. So let’s leave all the rabbits where they are. Check. 

Speaking of cute fluffy creatures that are upset, we see this distressed look on Wei Wuxian’s face kinda often when he’s talking with Jiang Cheng.  

There are some sibilng relationships where you will always do anything to help each other because you survived a shitty childhood together, but as adults you find you don’t actually share values, and that your interactions are kinda toxic -- for both of you. This seems like one of those. 

Even though he’s younger, Jiang Cheng is in the role of the elder sibling who is being abused by the parents, and is handing the abuse on down the line to the “younger” sibling, in the form of constant criticism and casual hittings. Wei Wuxian isn’t actually younger, but he is lower ranked because he’s not a blood relation, and he gets plenty of parental abuse as well. It’s...not a healthy family. 

(more after the cut!) 

Lan Wangji has been lurking nearby during this conversation, and after the Jiangs leave, he looks at the rabbits and says farewell.  He clearly means farewell to Wei Wuxian, or else he has a really unhealthy level of yearning being directed toward the rabbits. At least, for a vegetarian.

Uninvited Gusu Guest

Lan Xichen is meditating, and because the Director of Photography loves us, we get a bunch of nice closeups of his exquisite face. He hears a noise thing and tells Wen Chao to come in, which results in a dire bird scream and Wen Chao’s muddy feet intruding on his day. Why did Wen Chao bring the bird with him? He’s trying to be sneaky, right? So...ok whatever.

Wen Chao acts like a dirtbag and menacingly reminds Lan Xichen that his didi just hit the road all by himself. Lan Xichen gets so upset he curls his fingers slightly. His beautiful, beautiful fingers.

Is it slapping time yet?

Road Tripping

Fortunately for the Lan brothers, Lan Wangji isn’t going to be alone for long. Wei Wuxian is determined to follow him, and where friend-maker Wei Wuxian goes, an assortment of other helpful cultivators will soon follow. 

Wei Wuxian leaves a note to say “I’m running away from home with the hot boy I met in summer school” and signs it with a smiley face, the dork. Jiang Cheng is angry, as usual; Yanli has confidence in Wei Wuxian, as usual, and Jiang Fengmian is autocratic and doesn’t explain what he’s thinking, as usual. JF is aware of the Yin Iron, however, so he may understand that WWX will be useful in protecting it on the road.  

Lan Wangji has changed his hair, upgraded his crown, and put on the most absurdly beautiful outfit of the entire show to go on a solo road trip totally without any hot infuriating boys. 

Quick, Lan Wangji, catch this callback to that time you rejected my advances back in Gusu! This time Lan Wangji catches the offered fruit and keeps it, presumably to consume furtively when he wakes in the dead of night, restless with unslaked thirst for Wei Ying. Or, you know, to have with his lunch while they’re riding on the boat. 

This is a level of synchronized walking-with-shoulder-contact that would make the Guardian boys proud. Lan Wangji is all touchy feely now that he’s out from under the eyes at Cloud Recesses. 

He also has upped his troll game, actually smirking after he says “boring” to Wei Wuxian’s declaration of I’m-gonna-come-along-you-can’t-stop-me. 

He also...doesn’t seem angry? Like, he is still seriously on edge, but it feels like he left the boiling rage at home.  Lan Xichen is right; having a friend IS good for Lan Wangji. And for whatever reason, Lan Wangji is ready, now, to accept Wei Wuxian’s friendship.

We Rate Birds

Wen Chao has the weirdest fucking pet. This bird has a resentful energy problem, obvs, but it also seems to be invisible except for resentful energy, but it leaves random feathers behind at places, and then when Wei Wuxian kills it, it’s a regular bird corpse with a little smoke. “Imbued with Yin Iron energy” seems to be the explanation. But Nie Huaisang said they see a lot of these in their neck of the woods. Did he mean “just a regular bird” and didn’t notice the billowing black visual FX? Either way I want to see a nest full of baby dire Yin birds, I bet they’re hideous cute. 

Wen Qing has a new outfit and an elegant fiery golden crown. There’s probably some plot stuff happening here. Wen blah blah Yin Iron blah blah. She’s so pretty. I love her ears and her cool double hair parting. The girls’ hairlines are always nice and soft, presumably because they get to wear their own front hair instead of a lacefront like the boys are glued to stuck with. 

I Call it Bondage

After the fun they had in the ice cave, it’s only fair that Wei Wuxian gets to have a turn tying up Lan Wangji. 

One of the fun things in clipping The Untamed is that the show’s editors generally didn't drop any frames when they intercut the various scenes, meaning that some longer shots can be spliced back together by removing the other camera portions, as with these two string-pulling bits.

Lan Wangji totally lets Wei Wuxian put a leash on him, quickly declaring it boring and taking control of it, pulling Wei Wuxian along behind him. 

Incidentally, at this stage about half of Wei Wuxian’s talisman’s are blue. After he loses his core, they are 100% red, but nobody notices that. Well, maybe Nie Huaisang does because he notices a LOT, but nobody says anything. 

After they play around in the field for a bit, Lan Wangji’s magic bag of plot advancement goes off, sending them to Flower Town. 

He’s Leaving Home Bye Bye

Meanwhile, at Lotus Pier, we get a nice view of the rooftops. I’d hate to be the guy whose job it is to hang up bells and tassels at any of these places. 

Jiang Cheng sneaks out to go join his brother’s road trip. He gets caught, because his idea of sneaking is to walk out the front door in broad daylight and leave the door open behind him. 

Jiang Yanli tells him to go ahead, though and he scampers off to have...the last carefree fun of his entire life, actually. Sigh. 

Flower Town

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji go to Tanzhou and immediately run into Nie Huaisang, because sure, why not. China’s not very big.

Lan Wangji’s startle response

Wei Wuxian’s startle response

Nie-Xiong and Wei-Xiong are delighted to see each other, once Wei Wuxian explains that Lan Wangji isn’t there to bust them. 

While Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang squee over each other, Lan Wangji ...tries to deal with that. His reaction is probably a mix of jealousy and social anxiety. This town has got to be overwhelming for him after the order and quiet of Cloud Recesses; he even admits--aloud!--that it’s too crowded for him at one point. Add in his boyfriend’s travel partner’s number one enabler, and it’s not a comfortable situation.

Oh great now they’re going to want me to get high and make out with them, ugh

However, with Lan Wangji in the mix, the Nie-Wei dynamic shifts away from mischief making, and they very quickly become a friend trio sharing a serious purpose. When Wei Wuxian, in his second life, refers to NHS as “that old friend of ours” when talking to LWJ, he’s not wrong. Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji become friends during this trip, and arguably remain friends, within the limits of Nie Huaisang’s revenge remit. 

From one point of view, Nie Huaisang is grown-up Lan Wangji’s very best friend (not counting his eventual husband). Everyone in the cultivation world knows what Lan Wangji’s heart desires most, after Nightless City, and Nie Huaisang gives it to him. By, uh, manipulating a crazy guy into ritual suicide. Hey, no gift is perfect.

Continued in Next Post! Soon!

[wincore]

summertime | wong kunhang

pairing: hendery x reader, side xiaocas

words: 4.5k

genre: childhood friends to lovers!au, first love, hs reunion, practically idiots to lovers, fluff, angst

warnings: none

a/n: warmup-ish fic. i don’t know why it’s so long either. loosely inspired by this. also hendery sweetest boy so i had to write something cute for him !! 

When Wong Kunhang had hit you in the face with a volleyball coated in sand, you knew it was one way or the other with him. You were either going to fall in love with him or hate him for the rest of your life, and nothing in between.

It’s a little more complicated than that, you realize at twenty-one.

The neat asphalt is now a cool grey, not as pretty and dark as it used to be when you were in eighth grade but still clean and maintained. The stone walls on either side are certainly better off, marking the houses of the beachside town your school trip led to every goddamn year. Not that you were complaining, shining blue seawater has always been a favourite sight of yours. Kunhang was just the smiling bonus you held on to.

The road slants uphill till you can see the sunlight shimmering against the vast blue of the ocean across the horizon, dotted with the tops of palm trees and pastel buildings. It’s mostly at this point you realize that Kunhang’s been talking the entire way, and that you should nod along to add to the pretence, that you’re listening to him and not the loud drumming of your heart against your chest.

But Kunhang’s not here today. You don’t even know if he’s coming.

“Hey, (name), are you listening?” Yukhei asks, steadying the surfboard in his arms when you stop. “Are you thinking about Kunhang?”

The tone of his voice is teasing, but it’s as if you’re still thirteen, trying to come to terms with the first crush you’d ever had. Your cheeks grow hot and you scoff at him, snatching your tote bag from his arms and striding faster down the road. Kunhang can come, not come—you don’t care. For all you know, he’s enjoying his new life out there, as curious and fun-seeking as he is—was. He might even have found himself a lover, you realize as the bitter taste grows on your tongue.

Kunhang has always been special. Summer after summer, he’s only grown better at that.

Your parallel lines started growing distant somewhere in the first year of college. The daily facetime calls to describe the baffling wonders of adulthood slowly turned into weekly phone calls about the strain of assignments and projects and eventually, into faded texts you still look over on your phone. He’s just a friend, so you shouldn’t be expecting any more, right? It’s only ordinary that friends will grow apart. The city downpour that was slowly erasing his voice made you long for summer even more.

When you were twelve, Wong Kunhang had hit you in the face with a volleyball at the beach you always visited as part of the school trip. Somehow, with his weird sense and cutting enthusiasm, he’d offered the corner of his shirt to rub the sand off your face instead of a towel he’d find lying just about anywhere at the beach. (“The towels were definitely covered in sand! There’s no way beach towels aren’t sandy.”) And somehow, with your poor foresight, you’d felt an audible thump in your ribcage, the kind that only comes once. It was fitting, almost.

When you were thirteen, the thump grew into an entire orchestra. They settled in before you knew, and you realized you could neither accept them nor reject them. You suddenly couldn’t comprehend sitting beside him in class without nervously bouncing your legs, or laughing a little less enthusiastically at his jokes. You felt the turbulence of your pulse every time your hands touched as he passed you an eraser or a pen, or when his face split into a grin at you struggling to unscrew the bottle cap—it’s almost as if it were the end of the world whenever he breathed near you. You were painfully honest, so easy to see through and even Yukhei caught on to the fact that you had a thing for the weird yet lovable kid and his ridiculous smile. Kunhang, however, was probably in need of prescription glasses. 

When you were sixteen, Kunhang learned how to play the drums and if anything, it made the heat bloom in your cheeks even faster. When you saw him play at the summer festival before the school trip, you wanted to stay there forever, just watch him do what he loves. Focused in the way he breathed and looking incredibly handsome for a stupid crush, you’d wanted to tell him then and there. 

You’d made up your mind, or at least part of it, that this summer trip wouldn’t go to waste. Even the short-lived love of a young boy, you wanted to see it reflected in his eyes. That summer, just like every school trip, Kunhang had passed a volleyball to you in the outline of an inside joke that doesn’t get old; and you’d swallowed harshly, choking suddenly only for him to rub his hand over your back in the same gentle manner he did most everything.

When you think about it, you can’t seem to get over how much of an idiot you were back then. Kunhang was almost an even bigger one.

“I wish I’d get better at the drums quickly,” he’d said beside the campfire, tapping his foot impatiently. 

It was only the two of you immersed in the night and if that weren’t reason enough for your incoherent thoughts, his knee was touching yours in a way oblivious to him—and the look of complete serenity over his face made you rethink your confession.

“You’re already good enough,” you huffed in disbelief.

“I can play two, er, three songs!” His voice was enthusiastic in the beginning but it hummed out to a mellow ending. He’d added in a determined whisper, “I need to practise so I don’t embarrass myself.”

Before you knew it, you’d let out a short laugh. Wong Kunhang, afraid of embarrassment? It was almost unheard of. You’d never met anyone so open before, so happy to share even the rougher, less tangible parts of himself.

Kunhang only gazed at you wordlessly, and when you met his eyes, the butterflies were let out of the cage in your stomach again. You wanted to lean in a little, kiss him right then and there, the image itself slowly curling around your head in haunting wisps as if something taboo. It didn’t make sense to you, to feel so immensely submerged in adolescent feelings—yet be comforted by his presence oh so easily. You know you weren’t the only one harbouring clandestine feelings. You’d seen them confess, you’d seen the few perfumed letters in his locker asking to meet after class.

Kunhang had turned down all of them. It didn't take solving quantum physics to realize he’d probably do the same to you. And you’d both end up losing a friend.

You’d swallowed whatever garbled confession that might have come out of your mouth that night. It’s better off this way, you told yourself, and you believed it for quite a while.

You wanted to hate him when you turned eighteen. You were going away to start a new life all on your own, and yet there he was, pretending that everything was going to be the same. Did he have to treat you so special? It wasn’t real, after all, the full wave of attention he gifted you, the adoring laughter and the occasional awkward head pats. 

(And yet, every time you close your eyes, you wish it was.)

You wonder if Kunhang knows summer the way you do—sand against bare feet, having ice cream under a beach umbrella and most importantly, the scent of young love coating you in a thick layer of nervousness. Knowing him, he probably didn’t even notice the way you struggled to keep your wide grin secret every time he offered you the coconut flavoured ice cream. You wonder if he’s forgotten summer by now.

Yukhei catches up to you just before the narrow stone steps that end in the beach sand. You stop for a second, careful of the rock you always trip over (and the memory of Kunhang there to steady you with a laugh, unless he was the one who tripped face first into the sand) as you breathe out heavily. This is your high school reunion. You don’t have to think of your awkward  teenage love right now. You can enjoy the coconut flavoured ice cream all by yourself.

You step onto the sand, taking a sharp breath at the full strength of heat that hits you. The towels and umbrellas are spread across the area, candy blue stripes everywhere your eyes visit, till your name is called by a frantic Dejun trying to get your attention. Summer feels hotter than any year you’ve visited and even sunscreen can’t protect you from the inevitably dazzling view you face.

After all this time, you thought he’d go away but the waves come crashing after all.

Kunhang has grown into a messy sort of handsome. His hair is longer since the last time you saw him, unkempt in the way it falls over his forehead yet still strangely neat. Even under the shade of the giant umbrella, there’s an unmistakable calm over his features—the look he often had on his face and no one would be able to tell what he was thinking, his own respite in broad daylight. The contrast between him and the blue around is crisp, like a sunlit field of pink tulips floating atop blue ocean water. It’s hardly been three years and he looks older, a bit more mature. 

Kunhang beams when he notices you, the effect of it almost crushing as you try not to acknowledge the tidal wave of pent-up emotions.

“(name)!” he grins wide, jogging up to you. “I didn’t know you were coming. You didn’t reply to any of my texts!”

They vanished. Your words vanished again. Fidgeting with your fingers, you abruptly clear your throat before you can respond.

“Yeah. I, uh, I changed my number.” You bite your tongue softly at the lie.

He frowns. “Oh. Well, give me your new one.”

“I- I- I forgot my phone. At the- the hotel.”

You feel yourself cringing at your voice. It’s so...so embarrassing, every rise and fall. Kunhang blinks a few times before shrugging.

“Ah. I’ll get it later then.”

You almost immediately excuse yourself and beeline to Dejun sitting by the cooler, trying hard to hold a coconut larger than his hands as he raises a suspicious eyebrow at you. Of course it’s natural you’d go straight to the guy you see everyday at university instead of visiting the boy of your unrequited affections. It’s completely normal. What’s the point of a reunion anyway?

What you don’t expect is to be sandwiched between Dejun and Kunhang, the latter enthusiastically summing up each and every point of his life at university, the lack of control over facial expressions still prominent and you try not to let your heartstrings pull too hard. Dejun hums in intervals beside you, sipping at the coconut water he so struggled to get as Kunhang skilfully ignores the growing tension. 

God, he really is an idiot. You feel like telling him you’ve been in love with him for eight years just so he’d shut up.

But after all this time, Kunhang has managed to remain himself. You smile. The sand in your hourglasses might not be flowing so differently after all. He’s still talking about most everything he finds fascinating through the smallest of details and you’re still willing to listen to the sound of his voice for hours. The scent of the ocean breeze that made you think of him, so you kept it safe—it’s overwhelming now.

Your vision is suddenly blocked by a pink paper cup, the spotless white ice cream in it already starting to melt. You turn your head to Kunhang trying hard not to make a face at you, biting onto the edge of an empty paper cup.

“You didn’t listen to anything I said, did you?” he asks with a click of tongue, after taking his cup in his hand. 

You can’t help your sheepish laugh. “I lost you when you started talking about the campus cats.”

Kunhang scratches the back of his head, smiling. “I couldn’t get a volleyball today. They increased the rent rates by ten!”

“What, you were planning to rent a volleyball just to hit me in the face with it?”

Kunhangs face breaks into a grin, positively glowing from his eyes to the line of his nose to his lips. Maybe you don’t hate this feeling so much. 

Dejun suddenly clears his throat beside you, springing up. “I’m- I’m going to go help Yukhei,” he declares, discarding his coconut somewhere over the sand.

“Help with what?” you ask, furrowing your brows.

Dejun coughs uncomfortably before shrugging and speeding off to Yukhei trying very hard to plant the wet surfboard in the sand. Somewhere in your mind, you already know the reason why he ran off. 

You turn to Kunhang with a worried look, but there’s no sign of realization over his face. You almost sigh but catch yourself in the moment. Is it pitiful? He probably can’t even imagine you that way, maybe that’s why he hasn’t caught on. 

Is it bad that you hate it? That you’re not satisfied with the friendly touches, the innocent smiles. You don’t want to keep it so pure after all—you want to run your hands through his hair, you want to twine your fingers through his, you want to feel the touch of a kiss with him.

Your gulp nervously once Kunhang’s features come into focus, still talking about something vague and nodding along to it at an uncertain rhythm. The sound of the waves come gently crashing, just as they do to the shore and the buzz of this place reminds you of all the time you spent here. What has been, what could have been.

“Kunhang,” you interrupt and he whips his head to you, eyes curious. You take a deep breath.

What value is there to words that you’re desperately trying to throw away?

“I- I’m going to go to the water,” you say, trying to cover up your nervousness. If it wasn’t any other summer trip, it’s not going to be today. It’s not going to be, at all.

If you can’t put it into words, will you be alone? You’re only chewing over your memories hoping they fade.

Kunhang springs up just as you stand, his sudden movement surprising you. 

“I…” He begins but shakes his head with a subdued smile. His voice comes out softer than you expect. “Yukhei’s that way, if you’re looking for him.”

You blink back your confusion. “Ah, um, thanks!”

The more you try to lie to him, the less you understand yourself. But if you stay any longer, you might just spill the archived secrets, the words you should have burned in the campfire that night. You can fall out of love. It’s easy, it’s easy, you tell yourself—then why couldn’t you have done it earlier? Can you even do it now?

“What are you doing here?!” Yukhei asks, furrowing his brows as he gets up from the sand. “Where’s Kunhang?”

“I- I don’t know! Why would I know everything about him?” you grumble, hugging yourself.

“You are so stupid,” he states in response.

“That’s- That’s not something you should be telling me!”

Yukhei grabs your shoulder, shaking you hurriedly. “You should go back to him! The beach is one of the top ten romantic places, come on.”

“What makes you think I still like him?!” you hiss, trying to get his hands off your shoulders.

Yukhei stops abruptly, tilting his head to greet Dejun, who makes you jump out of your skin. You move apart from Yukhei, facing him with a sigh.

Dejun tries hard not to pull a face, notifying that your other classmates are here, and it’s a lot more likely some of them are still heart-eyed for Yukhei. The two of them seem to share an inside joke as they laugh and you raise an eyebrow, not even bothering to decode the situation. 

The brunch idea was probably Dejun’s, considering how smoothly things run. The whole renting out half a bar idea was probably Yukhei’s, considering how much of a wild mess it is. The place is perfectly snug, warm and just enough for a former high school batch, right by the beach where the sand meets asphalt. The laughter and conversations overpower the low jazz undertones of the music playing through the speakers and you find yourself smiling when someone or the other reminds you of all the high school ventures you’d had under the teachers’ disapproving eyes.

“Remember when Yukhei stole the rabbit from our school garden?”

“That wasn’t even worse than when he accidentally fired the water hose at Mr. Liang!”

“Oh my god, you remember putting on makeup in between classes without getting caught?”

“Or trying to steal lunch from me, you big bully?”

Really, seeing old faces after so long and then the same faces hammered only a few hours later might just be another one of the ‘fun’ things you’ve been missing out on.

There’s Shuhui, Lunmei and Linlin—girls you didn’t get to talk much with during school, but you remember Shuhui’s face from middle school. There’s Yukhei’s friends, Shihao and Taishun, who you think you exchanged a whopping total of sixteen words with throughout high school. Yet now, with everyone gathered here, it feels like some sort of a haven of reminiscence, like you’d known each other all your life (which, to an extent, you did). It’s comfortable and warm, the blanket of old connections.

You take another sip of the punch. It’s not enough to get you drunk but it's enough to shift the gears in your ribs to begin the steam engine you can’t find the brakes on. Your face is hot, Kunhang finally not the reason behind it, and you sigh as you glance around the room slowly.

It would’ve been quieter if Yukhei somehow hadn’t started this chain of confessions. Dejun is still struggling to keep him seated, a warm blush over his face when he has to wrap his arm around Yukhei yet again while the others continue chanting “confess! confess!” to the next unlucky victim guilty of harbouring an unspoken teenage crush.

You shake your head at the whole scene, sighing once again as you lazily swirl the remnants of your drink in the glass. The night will be over soon, and you’ll go back to your own paths. For now, you can pretend it’s all just another summer adventure.

Yukhei clears his throat, everyone’s eyes turning to him instantly. “I’m sure there’s one more confession left!”

There’s a bunch of cheers and you feel your heartbeat quicken when Yukhei shoots you a knowing smile. Your eyes widen, your throat suddenly feeling dry and you turn your head to meet Kunhang’s eyes. He looks at you with no hint or clue about the reality and you look away before it fries your nerves out.

“You’re going to thank me after this, Kunhang,” Yukhei calls, a teasing lilt to his voice and the boy in question simply shakes his head, grinning in polite confusion. 

You look around in panic, from Yukhei to Kunhang and wonder if you should open your mouth. You take a breath before a roar of cheers interrupts you.

Shuhui stands up, rosy-cheeked and wobbling at the knees. You catch Yukhei blinking with furrowed eyebrows but nodding anyway, as if the decisive president in a heated debate. 

“Wong Kunhang!” she calls before coyly confessing. “I like you! I’ve liked you since eighth grade!” 

Is it the alcohol? Or the cruel realization that your mother was right when she said summer makes people fall in love? There’s another round of cheers and applause as you get up discreetly, sneaking out the door a few steps behind you. You don’t think you can stomach the sight of someone else’s arms around Kunhang, his loving attention drawn to them. 

The night air is cool, the bushes lining the sidewalk buzzing with cicadas as you step over onto the soft, warm sand. The campfire has been reduced to blazing embers, no one there to kindle it as the night progressed. You hug yourself as you walk, the calm over you strange, uncharacteristic. 

Even if it’s not you and him after all, you should have said something. You’re only a coward, slow and naive in a world too fast-paced, unable to face a reality that’s your own. You couldn’t even stay in that room a second longer. If only your chest didn’t waver so easily, your heartbeat didn't grow erratic.

You walk closer to the water, waves lapping quietly against the sand, a hush over them as if they do not know what to say to you. What do you say to someone on the verge of heartbreak? Consoling your friends at university taught you next to nothing, your own seeming beyond your help.

“(name)!”

You feel your breath hitch, hesitant in turning around. There’s a moment’s pause and when you don’t turn, Kunhang tugs at your wrist, pulling you to him.

It’s getting so that your heart can’t even flutter anymore.

Gentle and kind, and so willing to give, Kunhang could never really leave you alone, could he? He looks at you with wide eyes, almost like a puppy lost on the streets. His pale pink overshirt is hanging loosely over his shoulders, unbuttoned all the way over his white T-shirt, his hair tousled by the wind and words yet resting on his lips. You forget to breathe for a few seconds and when you inhale sharply, the onslaught of your feelings comes toppling over you.

“I hate this,” you choke on the words. “You should be in there.”

“They’re still celebrating. And drunk.” He shifts nervously.

“I hate you,” you say, not finding meaning in the words. “I hate you so much because of how stupid I was- how weak I was.”

Kunhang’s eyes shimmer with something unfamiliar, lips quivering before he steadies himself, drawing nearer.

“That’s not fair,” he whispers, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. 

You purse your lips. It isn't fair—who are you to blame him? He doesn’t deserve the vomit of emotions from your popped balloon of a heart. You bite your tongue before you can spit out the poison-infused words. 

“I’m sorry,” you whimper, voice hoarse and still angry, “I wish I told you earlier. How much I liked you. How much I wanted to be with you.”

Kunhang stays quiet, hand not ready to leave your wrist yet, the part where his thumb rests searing hot.

“I thought I could pretend I never liked you at all,” you say, biting your lip. “I thought that if I faked it then it would go away but Wong Kunhang, I- I’ve liked you for so long that I don’t know what it’s like if I don’t.”

Why are you crying? It’s like the emotions you’ve hoarded all these years have somehow found an opening to burst through, in a stream of colours that paint you in embarrassment. You feel the blood rush to your cheeks and nose, as you vigorously rub at your eyes so the tears don’t escape in so obvious a manner.

“I- I tried going on dates, I tried- I tried all those stupid blind dating apps, I tried to focus on my major and making new friends and- and still…”

Doesn’t the rain fall in times like these? Yet there’s only the hot blanket of summer, with its swaying sea wind and calling cicadas resting in the vibrant bushes.

“I didn’t want to force all of this on you. I’m so—”

It’s only fitting that the stupidest sequence of words would leave his lips.

“I thought you liked Yukhei,” he says quietly.

You pause, uncertain of what to do and breathe out in annoyance. “Kunhang, for the love of god, where did you even come up with that?”

His cheeks colour ever so slightly and he clears his throat. “I don’t kno- I just- I kept giving myself excuses too. I’m sorry.”

The wind makes his hair sway lightly by his eyes, the stars glowing cool blue in them. Whatever the ebb and flow of your feelings were, they’re crashing against the sand, violent and sorrowful at first till the moon tames them into something warmer.

And then it happens again. Kunhang smiles, shoulders relaxing. There’s a moment’s pause.

“I- I’m not good with this.”

When Kunhang presses his hand against your jaw and leans in a little, eyes waiting for confirmation, the drumming in your veins is so loud you can barely comprehend the movement of his actions. You shut your eyes almost instantly but Kunhang accidentally bumps your noses a little too hard. The two of your wince, your hand flying to your nose as a muffled cry of pain escapes your lips and he looks at you worriedly, his fingertips pressing against your cheek softly.

You choke back a laugh but it bubbles up anyway, his own following after an embarrassed pause. 

“I think- I think I was a little nervous,” he admits, looking down and then back up to you.

“We can...we can try that again,” you hum, biting back a smile.

Kunhang’s hair is in fact softer than you’d expected, and when you run your fingers through them, he smiles into the kiss, his hand at the small of your back pulling you closer. Nothing’s like you daydreamed of and yet everything is in place, the shared warmth growing with each passing second. 

It’s blissful for a few moments before you’re interrupted by a drunk Yukhei to “get it” and you jump apart from each other, flushed hot in the cheeks. Dejun apologizes for his boyfriend, waving at you guys to continue whatever the hell you were doing before tugging Yukhei along with him.

You clear your throat awkwardly before plopping down on the sand, face buried in your hands. Kunhang follows slowly, legs outstretched towards the ocean. You peek to see him smiling at the sky, leaning back on his hands and the look you love seeing on him.

“Kunhang?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t- I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Even if you didn’t like me back then.”

Kunhang turns his head to you, eyes earnest as they trail across your face.

“You don’t have to be brave.”

He reaches out to fix the hair from your eyes, a gentle touch to them as ever, but this time there’s a stronger meaning to it, almost as if he’d kiss you again right then. The two of you smile, twining your fingers somewhere along the night as he tells you to rest your head on his shoulder. The waves sing softly to accompany Kunhang’s chatter, the feeling almost unreal when you feel his pulse against your thumb. 

What has been, what could’ve been—they’re barely a breeze to what really is.

[mmvalentine]

Let Me Touch You Pt 6 | Feysand

High school AU. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 7

The next time Rhys and Feyre were alone was when they had all and gotten back to Mor's place, only for Mor to suddenly remember she was supposed to be in tutoring at the library today and had to leg it back to the school.

Rhys had started making more of a point to walk home with them. He used to make a beeline straight out of his last class and beat them home, but now he hung back on the days Feyre studied with Mor. At first, Mor had looked at him weirdly, and he had asked Feyre if she minded. She shook her head, blushed, and tried very hard to be cool about it in front of Mor.

Now they were left standing in the doorway, Mor's dust still settling, and Feyre didn't know what to do. Without a third person, the electric hum settled itself back over them. Feyre rubbed her arms as it crackled over her skin.

"Well, I guess I'll just go home then," she said lamely. "Don't," Rhys said. "I'm your friend too, you know." You are? Out loud, she said, "Okay," and put her bag down in its usual spot. Rhys put his hands in his pockets.

"Did Mor ever give you a tour of this place?" he asked her. "No, but I imagine it'd take a week." Rhys laughed. "Nearly. Do you want me to show you around?" Actually, Feyre did want to see the rest of the house. She had pretty much only been in the foyer, kitchen, and Mor's room.

So Rhys walked her around- up the spiral staircase, down long corridors, into plush sitting rooms that had such rich colours Feyre's fingers itched for paint. And then into his bedroom.

Feyre stared around the room. She thought maybe it'd be dark like his wardrobe, sparse and monochromatic. But it was so warm in here. The walls were a creamy colour, and the curtains were pulled back so that late afternoon sun poured in. Rhys' bed was in the corner, with soft looking, dove-grey sheets. He had a big wooden desk with a laptop on the close edge, the rest of it scattered with paper and coloured pencils. On the far wall leaned an acoustic guitar. And dotted through the room, on shelf edges and table corners and hanging on the arm of a lamp, were little clay sculptures.

Feyre tried not to smile at them, but they were so funny. Little alien creatures, faeries, fantastic animals with pointed ears and bat wings. Some had been brightly painted, but most were glazed simply in a light eggshell colour. She loved them.

"So... yeah, this is me," Rhys said. He stood with one hand in the pocket of his jeans, and the other on the back of his neck. The contrast of this serious, black-clad trouble maker with his whimsical, funny room made Feyre laugh out loud. She clamped her hand over her mouth as soon as it escaped.

"What?" Rhys asked, uncertain now. "Nothing," Feyre said. "I just... didn't expect your room to look like this." "What were you expecting, metal posters and weed smoke?" "Well... yeah, kinda." Now Rhys grinned. "Okay, okay, I'm still cool. Come on, I'll prove it to you."

He led her then back downstairs, through the house and into the garage. He flicked on the lights, and gestured for Feyre to walk through. With Mor's parents gone, it was mostly empty, save for a dusty, old looking, black and silver motorcyle. Feyre’s jaw dropped.

"Is that yours?" she asked. "It was my mother's, I'm fixing it up." "Woah," Feyre said. "Your mom must have been so cool." "You know, I was going for you thinking that I'm cool but yes, she was super cool." Feyre stepped forward to get a closer look.

"Can you ride it?" "Yeah, it runs okay." Feyre had to admit. This was pretty freaking cool.

"Do you want go for a ride with me?" Rhys asked. Feyre balked. "What like... right now?" Rhys grinned. "Sure." And dammit Feyre really, really wanted to. What eighteen year old girl didn't, right?

xxxxxxxxx

Rhys couldn't believe it had worked. He was for sure hoping that the motorcycle angle would earn him some points, but he didn't expect to be here, zipping her into his spare jacket.

And fuck if she didn't look drop-dead sexy wearing it. Rhys had to take a deep breath to stop his fingers shaking as he pulled the zip up her body.

You're putting her in clothes, not taking them off her, he reminded himself. Still, between her looking adorable in the oversized leather, and the clothes being his that she was now wearing, the effect was... destabilising. Rhys handed her a helmet and gloves, too, and then hauled on his own gear before stepping over the bike.

"Okay," he instructed. "See those pegs there? Those are for your feet. Yep, that's it. And you'll have to hold onto me, and and try let yourself lean with the turns and not away from them. Does that make sense?"

He looked back and Feyre nodded, then slipped her arms around his waist. A broad grin spread over his face at the thought of her little body curled around his, and when she shuffled closer, he was half delirious. He gunned the engine.

In the end, it was all over way too fast. They went for a ride through the town and into the city, then looped back to the house to pick up her bags before he dropped her home. Feyre stepped off the bike, took the helmet off and if the image of her shaking out her gorgeous, pear-scented hair hadn't stopped his heart, the adrenaline-flushed smile as bright as daylight that was painted all over her face would have done it.

He packed away the jacket, helmet and gloves as she removed them, and before she went through her front gate she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek that had him in absolute ribbons. That strange, heaviness in the air that she always brought lifted as she walked away, but now it just made him feel untethered.

Rhys watched her walk into the house, then turned around and rode home. The whole time, his mind replayed the squeeze of her arms around him and the press of her chest against his back through the leather, and by the time he got home he was going out of his fucking mind. He walked straight past a mid-sentence Mor, into his bedroom, and locked the door.

****

Alright alright that's enough of this fluffy filler shit we about to escalate. I don't know about this chapter but the next one is my favourite.

TAGLIST: @ghostlyrose2 @highladysith @stardelia @feysand-babies @tillyrubes10 @ratabrasileira @live-the-fangirl-life @maybekindasortaace @annejulianneh111 @teddytdr @thebonecarver

[chayacat]

Devil’s Sweet Star (19)

Fandom: Dead by Daylight

Ghostface x Female Reader  

Rated M for Violence, Language and Smut  

***

Ahhh...Love. The most wonderful thing in the world for anyone. Being in love and loved by someone can make you grow wings... figuratively. Life seems more radiant, exciting, fun, enjoyable when you are in love. A bond is forged between you and the one you loved. This bond can become, at the end of each road, stronger or more fragile. This is what I will call: gold yarn and black yarn. The golden yarn represents a strong love, a love that has gone through all the trials and that has come out stronger and stronger. This yarn is unbreakable.

The black yarn on the other hand... Represents a broken love. A love that ends up cracking on all sides. A love in which arguments follow, which sometimes comes to the hands. A love that, despite the desperate attempts of one or the other, ends up broken permanently. And in the end, we separate, each one rebuilding his life. Sometimes you get there. But some can't stand it... and the consequences are irreversible.

But let's go back to the positive side! It is in a serene, cheerful mood that you got up this morning. After all, there's enough! You and Jed are dating now! last night was the best night of your life. Knowing that it’s reciprocal, and that, despite the arguments to come, he will support you when it’s necessary, makes you feel lighter, more soothed. It will all be very different compared to Alex... you promised yourself that.

You and Alex dated for two years. You’ve met him in high school, he was a little genius and a sportsman, while you were more linguistic and theatral. While the first year was pleasant and fulfilled, the second was a disaster. He cheated on you from the beginning with someone else, but he didn't want to tell you. The worst part is that for him, all this was normal, the other girl was prettier, more... generous in terms of her forms. While you were just a little girl in her eyes. It broke your heart and you kicked him in the ass.

“This is all he deserves for doing that to me. Bastard.” You said to yourself.

And you’re right. No one should play with feelings. No one. But Jed is different. You know that. He'll never let you down for another one. But... What if another woman tries to steal him from you? What if she used her charms to seduce him? And that it worked? You couldn't stand it; you couldn't bear the fact that you were still abandoned because of a hottie who only wants sex and nothing more.  

Don't start thinking about that! this is just the beginning of your relationship. You've got time. And knowing Jed, you think he won't be stupid enough to succumb to the charms of another.

“I’ll treat you like a queen. Do you prefer a boring life to that? Think carefully...He or I.”

The words of Ghostface came back to you. It's true that you like to have a life of risk. That you're willing to do crazy things. But you have your own business now. Maybe it's time to think about a more settled life. Quieter. And with Jed, you can't dream better. And then, Ghostface treating you like a queen? What a good joke. You imagine Ghostface bringing you a cup of tea... filled with sleeping pills. And once asleep.... he could do whatever he wants with you.

And then, if in the early days it would be "nice", Later it will be blows. insults. And in the end, he will force you to participate in his massacres. A life that would shame your parents if they were still alive. In a sense, and even if it's sad and mean to admit it, you're glad that your parents are no longer here, or that you don't live in the same city as your uncles and aunts. Who knows what Ghostface would have done? Kill them? Surely. To use them to blackmail you and never leave him? Also. And you don't even dare imagine if you had children with this lunatic. Explain to your child that his father is a murderer, but otherwise everything is fine. You're talking about a family life.

Today is your day off. Yes, technically you spent two days in the hospital because of a fool who had the good idea to attack you in broad daylight in front of everyone. Let's hope he enjoys his time in prison. So, in real life, you could have worked today. But you're not sure you'll have a lot of people. Melina isn't working today either. It's her day off. She sent you a message last night saying she would come by today to discuss it. So, she's going to hear the news from you. And knowing her she's going to bother that poor Jed, as soon as she gets back to work tomorrow.

“Melina is Melina. I don’t think that anybody can change her. But at least, it may be better that she is so. You never get bored with her. And then... I know that she will move away all those who want to separate us, knowing her temper.” you said to yourself, laughing.  

First thing to do...clean the apartment a bit. Because since you've been here and especially since your short stay in the hospital, you live with dust sheep. And if you personally don't care, to receive guests it's not very elegant. And after cleaning, a good shower is required. Then kitchen operation! Knowing that Melina will surely come to eat at your home, hurry to know how yesterday's evening went.  

You spend a good hour cleaning everything before you shower and you dress comfortably. That's when Melina knocked on the door. All excited she gave you a big hug, a little too tight for your liking. But she finally lets you go and both go into the living room. You serve her a glass of rosé, the only alcohol you have for the guests. While for you, a homemade orange juice is deserved.

“Then tell me! How did it go last night? How was he dressed? What did you eat?? Did you kiss? Are you together??” She asks, excited like a child waiting to receive his gift at Christmas.  

“Calm down, calm down. I'll tell you all about it. But stay quiet, you look like a little girl at Christmas or in an amusement park.” you respond laughing, seeing your friend's enthusiasm.

“Sorry! It's just that...when he told me that you have a dinner with him, I was so excited to know how it happened!”  

“Well... he was really cute. Very elegant, we had a good laugh. And we eaten very well. He had made everything from starter to dessert. And we explained and...”

“Aaaaaaand ?”

“We kissed. Twice. So, we can say that we are officially in a relationship.”

“I knew it, I knew it, i knew it! Oh (y/n) you don't know how happy I am for both of you! She answered so happy.

you can't help but laugh. She's really sweet. You both eat a small pasta salad, with surimi, piquillo's, and a little tuna followed by a strawberry pie. Melina had taken the cheese and bread; she was not the type to come to someone's house empty-handed. You talk about everything and nothing, laughing at jokes, innuendo and other stupid things like that. It was good for you. You needed it. Then the phone rang: Mr Parkson. There was a click in your head.

It's been a week. And you haven't even thought about inheritance. What are you going to tell him? To give you an extra week? impossible, he had told you: a week no more. He warned you that he'll be here in an hour to talk. Then he greeted you before hanging up and when Melina saw your face restless, her smile disappeared. No choice... you’re going to have to tell her, too.

“Somethings wrong?” she asks worried.

“It was Mr Parkson. He'll be here in an hour.”

“Your Banker? It must be important for him to come to your house.”

“Well...He’s not my banker.” you answered by going back to sit down.

You tell her everything in detail. The death of your parents, the fact that you are the only heiress, that you've pushed back, all this time, that fateful moment because you're still struggling to accept this... Melina had listened without saying anything, going from attention to emotion, very sad to know the reason why, you have family photos everywhere at home.

“Well...you lie. But that is clearly understandable. No one wants to tell that kind of thing. We would like to forget it or that it never happened. We always hope that it was a nightmare and that when we wake up, we see our loved ones or call them. But deep down... we know very well that it’s real. And so, this guy... is there to carry out their last will. But you're the only one? no other family member can touch it?” she said confused.

“No. I’m the only Heiress. But my uncles and aunts deserve their shares too. My parents bequeath their house to me, and the total of their life insurance. As well as a small pecul that they had set aside. And the jewels. But I don't want it. It would hurt me too much.” you respond sadly.

“I understand. But you should take it. And then give it to your uncles and aunts. Or ask him if he can do it. “

“Yeah...you’re right.”  

Melina changed the subject to make you smile, cheer you up. She's so adorable. She's the perfect best friend for you. And yet, you only know each other recently. After an hour, Mr. Parkson knocked on your door. You don't even wonder how he knew your address, he said it to you: when he has to find someone, he's looking for information. He greeted Melina and you explain to him that she knows about it and that so she can stay. He nodded and settled down to a chair coming out of his little briefcase the documents. you offered him a coffee which he accepted as well as a coffee for you and Melina.

“Right. I don't think I need to remind you why I'm here. I left you another week to think. Now I'm going to need an answer: yes, or no?” He said placing his glasses on his nose.  

“Yes. But I want to be clear: my uncles and aunts inherit on the one hand. Everything I want to keep from my parents... are their wedding rings. Plus, my mother's amethyst. Everything else, the house the money and everything else will go to my uncles and aunts. Do you understand that?”  

“...As you wish. But your parent’s life insurance goes obligatory to you. It will be paid into your bank account automatically. It will be up to you to withdraw the money and give it away or send it to your uncles and aunts if you wish. As for the rings... I've got them here.” He replied before taking out a small jewellery pouch where your parents' wedding rings and your mother's rings were.  

“I knew your parents well. They were great people and very good friends. They wanted you to give their wedding rings for your wedding day... and your mother absolutely wanted you to give her jewels. The amethysts is there, too. If you'd rather keep only this one and give the rest to your family, I will." He said a little smile on his face.

“Thanks a lot Mr... I appreciate it. Have... Have we found the murderer? Or at least, did we find clues to know his identity?” you ask.  

“Unfortunately, not miss. He vanished. And he may even be dead by now. I am afraid that unfortunately we never know the answer to this terrible question.” he responds.  

You sign the documents, to which he adds notes on your exchange, then got up, greeted you and Melina before leaving. He left you a copy of the documents and, as requested the desired rings. Then it was Melina's turn to leave after 2 hours of discussions to cheer you up. Again. She left you her phone number and you gave her yours, so you could communicate.  

You clean the table, do the dishes and sit on the couch, the rings on the coffee table. You take them gently in your hands, tears rising slightly in your eyes. From the beginning, they intended to give them to you on your wedding day... Day they will never attend now. the rest of the day was sullen. In the evening even more. All you wanted was for Jed to be there, to hug you right now. But the poor man already has a lot of work, it's better to let him rest for now.

He sent you a message to find out if everything was okay, and you answer him by lying so he wouldn't worry. The poor man replied that he had a lot of work to do between the two Ghostface murders, but with a little coffee, he was going to make it. He wished you good night hoping to see you again soon, and you did the same. You put your phone on the table before looking at the rings again, no longer holding back your tears. They hadn't done anything...

“Well, if I knew I would have brought a handkerchief. Unless you prefer a hug? I'm very good at comforting people you know... especially women.”

You look towards Ghostface which was leaning on the table making you this little hand sign so special of the character. he's the last person in the world you want to see right now.

“Are you really going to come to my house every night? You have no better thing to do like killing poor innocent people like the sick you are? Or am I doomed to support you for the rest of my life as you told me so well?” You said a little grumpy.

“But it's that we're a little cranky tonight... my poor darling, I sympathize with your sorrow.” he said, approaching you.

“You? have compassion??? You kill innocent people who have asked for nothing and you DARE to say that you have compassion for me???”

“hey calm down my angel. I’m maybe a psycho to you but I'm still a human. I know what it's like to lose those you love. Especially when they are killed without them being asked for anything. In those moments when you have the murderer in front of you, you want only one thing: to make him regret. But back to us. I see you've made your choice quickly. I wonder if he enjoyed your lips as much as I loved them. Definitely I think I would never understand women.”

“What does that have to do with you? I much prefer Jed than you!”

“Sweety; sweety, sweety... You don't realize how lucky you are. I keep you alive because I have a soft spot for you. I could have killed you, gutted you, dismembered you, made you the most beautiful of all my masterpieces.” He lay you down on the couch, blocking your arms and legs with all his weight, and through his mask, you can guess a demonic, unhealthy smile. He drew his face closer to yours, very close to your ear. “Compared to him, I can take you beyond the seventh heaven... You'd be happy every night.”

He freed one of his arms, holding yours with the remaining arm to raise his mask slightly at the level of the mouth. Then he lifted your t-shirt stripping you to the chest. Then he lowered his head to your belly button and threw a tongue at it. Little by little, he went up his tongue to your chest. He smiled as he felt your skin shivering at his touch, while you're holding out a single sound. With his free hand, he unbuttoned your jeans, just enough for his hand to attack your privacy. You bite your lips, holding you to moan at all costs. Don't give him what he wants. Or he'll benefit even more.

“Are you resisting? How cute. I like it even more. I don't like easy women. There is no pleasure.” He replied, pressing his finger against the sensitive point, causing you to startle a little.

He chuckled, passing his finger up and down on your intimacy, which eventually made you let go of a little moan. He continued for a few minutes before stopping and getting up, hiding the bottom of his face again, allowing you to get dressed. he recoiled, sneering, while you stare at him, ashamed and angry.

“I'm going to make you languish a little. That'll be your punishment. maybe it'll make you think. or maybe not. But in any case, I'm going to enjoy it. Remember that you belong to me.  On this... I wish you good night my sweet little star. Sweet dreams.”

Then he vanished like usual. you sighed, slightly annoyed by what had just happened. He's strong, very strong even. But at least you know he's lost people in his life. At least that is what he suggested. If that happens, it had nothing to do with him. But keep that in mind. That's a good clue. In the meantime, it's time for you to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, and you need all the rest you need.

Sleep well...

Little one.  

***

(And that’s it! I'm not too far from being able to pass my code exam! but I confess that driving does not enchant me too XD but hey it's always like that at first, right? If you have any questions, feel free! Oh, one last thing! I wouldn't normally be present from April 6 to 8. So, the current chapter at that time will come out a little later than expected! this will also be the case on April 16, 17 and 18! I apologize in advance I would do my best to advance them as far as possible! Good weekend everyone! See ya!)

[writinginthedarkwood]

Alien Shoto! Capturing your heart <3

Alien Shoto Todoroki x Reader!

This is a continuation of Alien Izuku x Reader AU! You can read that here here -> https://writinginthedarkwood.tumblr.com/post/188136408454/kinktober-alien-izuku-x-fem

This was requested by a follower of mine! They gave me an idea they liked and I ran with it. I’ll write for you toooo just ask <3

Warning: contains kidnapping. Also some freaky alien sex ~

It was all over the news. It started with the disappearance of one girl. She was a freshman in college, a quieter girl. Her mother said she had anxiety and insomnia, and frequented walking in the middle of night when she couldn’t sleep. “She wouldn’t just take off, something happened to her!” She cried on camera when she was interviewed. The police chalked it up to a random incident until about a month later. Every day girls between the ages of 13 and 25 disappeared in rural America. It was slow at first, farm towns in the middle of nowhere that didn’t usually have much trouble were panicking. The police were stumped. Thirty days after the first kidnapping, that girls face with a crown on it was burnt into a soybean field near her college. At first, the police thought it was a tribute to her by other students. The farmer who owned the field was frantic. He said a bright light burnt the picture into his field, killing his crops. The police brushed him off, but people were shaken up all over the country. On the 31st day after that first girls disappearance an entire girls school in Japan was abducted, seemingly out of thin air. Girls 13 to 18, all 300 of them were gone in one night. Their beds were still made like they were in their, nothing was disturbed. One girls teddy bear was gone with her, but mostly all of their things were left untouched. The Russian government reported the disappearance of teen girls went up by 36% in all of their major cities. The strange thing was, it didn’t matter their race, how much money they had or even where they were during the time of abduction. The only thing that connected the girls? None of them were married. The world news exploded, conspiracy theorists claimed it was the end of the world. People rioted in the streets, some families were hiding their daughters in bunkers. Some randomly married their daughters off to try and prevent them from getting taken.

My mom pulled me out of college. I traveled back home, my family lives in New York City. Mom boarded up the windows to our apartment while I watched the T.V. I picked at my nails, people were gearing up for war against the Government. NYC hasn’t been affected by the disappearances. People went missing at a normal crime rate for the most part, which has people thinking the the abductions had to do with some type of project, and the New York elite prevented the government from effecting the city. “This is just a precaution darling, nothing will happen to us here. “ She said as she hammered the wood onto the frames of the window. The news was running a piece on the newest conspiracy.

“This man here say’s that he watched his daughter and her two best friends disappear out of thin air.” The man said with a shaky voice. He was at a dairy farm in Wisconsin. The farmer grabbed the mic out of the reporters hand, his face stained with tears. “They were with me, and then they were gone! A bright light flashed and they were gone.” He stuttered as the reporter tried to take the mic back. He positioned himself in the center of the camera and raised his voice. “It was aliens! I saw the light! The government is ignoring the only answer to this crisis!” He started screaming and the camera cut back to the main station.

A loud crash came from outside the window. Mom and I turned to each other puzzled. “Was that a car crash?” I asked her. She shook her head, her face pale. “It was probably nothing.” She said. People started screaming in the street below us. “Stay right there. Don’t move I’m waking up your brother.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. She rushed to the back of the apartment and banged on my brothers door. I ran to my room and looked out my window, people were running in a mob away from something. They abandoned their cars, screaming for help.

A mother pushing a baby in a stroller was panicking, a wheel of her child's stroller fell off of the curb and jammed into a sewer grate. She was trying to pull her infant out of his stroller, but people were shoving her. She froze and started crying. I threw my desk drawer open and grabbed my craft scissors. She’s just under my fire escape, I can pull them up here and to the safety of our apartment!

I shoved my window open and almost fell trying to get down the slick metal stairs. The ladder that would lead me to the ground jammed, I stomped it with my foot until it fell to the sidewalk. People scurrying out of the way. I shoved myself against the flow of the mob and looked in the stroller. The baby was red face and sobbing, probably scared to death. I cut the infant free and the mom gathered him in her arms, trying to thank me over a new deafening sound. Was that, marching?

Before I could tell the mom to climb the ladder, she took off running. What’s happening, was there a bomb? Is the army here?

The swarm of people started shoving me away from my apartment building. The wave of frantic humans wouldn’t allow me to push against them. My shoulder was shoved, I’ll have bruises all over my body if I make it out of here.I started to slip to my feet, I can’t move! A strong hand reached out and grabbed me, pulling me out of the crowd and onto the hood of a parked car. He wrapped both hands around my waist, saving my life.

He was breath taking. His face unlike any young man you’ve ever seen. He had a black military cap on, his entire uniform was black except for silver metals pinned to his shoulders. A solider? What branch of the military has all black uniforms? He had long hair that swept over his forehead. One side was bright red, and the other, stark white. He had a deep tissue red scar on the left side of his face. His eyes two very different colors. He shouted over the crowd. “I saw you save that woman back there.” I nodded my head yes, feeling shocked. “Why did you do that?” He asked, it was hard to hear him over all of the commotion. I looked over his shoulder, smoke rose over the city line, something had crashed in the middle of times square, what is that? He asked again, closer to my ear. “Why did you do that?”

Why? I don’t know why. Something came over me and I had to help her. “She was in danger, her and her baby could have been trampled.” I said close to his face so he could hear me. His face was stoic and I swallowed, he was studying me. “We need to get you to safety.” Was all he said, he stood me up and looked around, surveying his options of where to go. He helped me keep my balance, the running mob knocking into the car was making my legs wobble. He held me by my elbows, close to him. This isn’t the time to be thinking about how strong and handsome my savior is, but I can’t help myself. The sound of marching grew louder, and I saw what everyone was running from.

An invading army, men of every shape, color and size plowed through the streets in formation. They were breaking into every building and pulling women out into the streets. I gasped in horror. “What’s happening?” I screamed and the young man pulled me tighter into his arms. “Don’t worry I’m going to get you out of this shit hole.” He had a high tech watch on, he was messing with it in a language I didn’t recognize. I squinted my eyes, the apartment complex across the street from mine was being raided by the men. They wore all white uniforms, similar to my rescuer. A man pulled a woman out of the building, he had huge muscles and purple tinted skin. Are those scales painted on him? The woman didn’t fight him, in fact she looked kind of happy to be with him. She gripped onto his shoulder and before I could even finish blinking.

They were gone.

Aliens, the crazy people on the news were right. The object down the street that had crashed was shining silver in the broad daylight, it was a ship. The man who pulled me out of the street turned my body to face him. He put a hand under my chin and made me look him in the eye. “Hold on tight.” I nodded my head yes, hypnotized by his icy gaze.

“Y/N!!!” I heard a scream. I snapped my head away from him and looked up at my window. My mom was waving frantically, my brother half way down the fire escape coming to get me.

Before I could say a word, tingles ran through my whole body for just a second. Like a light current of electricity rippled over my skin and then dissipated before I could blink.

We were in an all white room, a lot of people were. It was noisy, people were chattering. I looked around. Some men in white uniforms had animal body parts, some were different colors of the rainbow. Some had extra limbs, and some looked completely normal but with brightly colored hair. They all had normal looking women with them, some girls were softly crying, and some were happy and holding onto the man that was with them. They started disappearing through sliding white doors. I realized I was still holding onto the man that saved me. I let go and took a step away from him. “What the hell is happening!” He took a deep breath and adjusted his cap. “I feel so much better getting off of that nasty planet, how do you even breathe all of that smog?” He said, ignoring me. I took another step away, bumping into a girl who was asking the same thing. Her escorting man was holding her hands and kissing them. “So you really are an alien?” She had her jaw hanging open, her tone shrill with surprise. “Yes but we’re going to be so happy together! You’ll start to feel it soon.” He said with a wide toothed smile. Before she could protest, a smile crept across her face too. “You’re so... you’re so sweet.” She said to him and he laughed and picked her up in his arms. She was terrified a minute ago, but after he kissed her knuckles she blushed and was okay with this?

With every couple that left this big white room, another would appear. I shot daggers at the two toned haired boy. “What are you.” I hissed through gritted teeth. He looked at me with a bit of confusion, but then straightened out his face. “You’ve probably gathered that I’m an alien.” He looked around the room, seeming a bit stressed. “Can you just come with me? It’s loud in here.” He stuck out his hand and I rejected it. “Start talking, why did you bring me here!” I shouted, my entire body was shaking with fear. “I want to give you all the answers, please just come with me.” I wanted to trust him, he spoke earnestly. I reluctantly followed him, but refused to touch him. He took me through a busy hall of couples, lot’s of them giggling and kissing. I saw a much younger boy, without a uniform holding hands with a scared human girl, she had to be only 13. They were talking to an older alien man who was smiling. “Isn’t she sweet Kai? You two get to be friends forever. No hurry though, you two need to grow up some!” The older man said as he ruffled the alien boys hair.

He pressed a code into a screen on the wall, a door that blended in with the wall opened and he invited me to step inside. The door shut behind us, and I realized I was in a small apartment type place. Most of the interior seemed normal, a wooden table. A microwave, a bed in the corner with white sheets. The technology on the appliances was all types of touch screen, but other than that it all looked vaguely familiar to a bigger dorm maybe. He sat at the table and I stood by the door. “Won’t you come sit with me?” He asked politely. I shuffled towards the table, sitting across from him. I eyed him carefully, he studied my face with a slight smile. “My name is Shoto.” He had his hands clasped in front of him on the table. “And you’re Y/N, right?” He asked. I nodded my head yes. “Do you believe in fate, Y/N?” He asked while staring right into my eyes.

“I’m not sure.” I said barely getting my voice out of my throat. “Well, fate is the best way to describe how we met, but it’s actually a little more scientific than that.” He gave me a small smile. “My species is very similar to yours, but we have one fatal design flaw that no amount of science can fix.” He started explaining. “Eons ago, before your planet even held homo-sapiens. My species almost died out. We evolved to produce several offspring at one time of conception, but our a mutation in our genes prevents our female offspring from living to maturity.” He messed with his fingers like he was nervous. “Our population numbers dwindled, but our amazing specialists on the matter discovered a solution.” He upturned his palm and held it out on the table, silently asking me to take it. I ignored it. A pained look crossed his face, but he retracted anyway, “We have the ability to mate with species similar to ours, and this helps the spread of much healthier genes. We’re in a constant cycle of finding a new planet, returning home, and then sending the next generation out to find another planet. The system works only if the planet we find has a species that meshes with ours.” He paused for a moment to check and see if I was following. I nodded my head, urging him to go on. “It can be very dangerous if it doesn’t work. We spend our whole lives studying the species, and we send our leader to find his mate first to make sure it works.”

The girl! That girl who disappeared a month ago!

“This is where fate ties in.” He looked like he wanted to reach for my hand again but resisted the urge. “This is my first reproductive cycle, I didn’t have the greatest role models growing up, I learned everything I know from school. So bare with me as I explain this...” A small blush sprinkled over his cheeks for just a moment. “We feel strong ties to the universe, it links us to who our partner at the right time and the right place. None of this is random, it’s all very calculated. I was supposed to find you today. That’s why I lead my squadron through your city.” He fidgeted for a moment. “When we mate we mate for life, our bond will never be broken.”

“You want to...” My face blushed wildly. “You want to mate with me?” I choked out. He nodded his head. “Of course. You’re the perfect female for me, you’ll look beautiful carrying my offspring.”

I felt faint, my head spun and everything hit me at once. “What’s wrong you look-” He panicked and stood so fast his chair hit the floor. He grabbed a bag out of the cabinet and threw it on the table. “I’m fine I just feel like I might pass out.” I leaned my head onto my arm on the table and closed my eyes. This table is so cool, I could just take a nap here. I felt a sharp prick in my arm, but I felt too weak to sit up. “Don’t worry Y/N I read about this in class.” He said softly with a hint of something frantic in his voice. I felt a jolt of energy and sat straight up. “What did you just inject me with?!” I looked at my arm in horror, he’d placed a needle and was filling me with something. “Just some organism essentials. Do you feel better?” He asked, his face riddled with concern. “I feel a lot better actually.” A light spot of blood was left where he pricked me. He dropped the needle in horror and pulled me out of my chair and slammed me on the table. “Hey!” I called out in protest. “You’re bleeding!” He yelled, studying my arm. “Humans can die from lack of blood!” He dug through his medical bag, tossing things onto the floor. I giggled, I can’t help but laugh. “It’s just a speck. You can just wipe it away and it’ll clot on it’s own.” I rolled my eyes and he stopped searching through the bag. “Oh.” He said plainly. He grabbed my arm and licked over the spot of blood, I tried to recoil but he held my arm firmly in place. His spit was extra sticky, like warm honey. He dragged his tongue slowly up and down my arm. His spit sunk into my skin and I felt a rush of emotion. I reached out and grabbed him in my arms. He was stunned at first, but then wrapped his arms around me back. He hugged me for a moment before pressing my back against the table. He planted a firm kiss on my lips and swirled his tongue around inside my mouth, I felt an extreme heat boil in my lower belly. I put both hands firmly on his shoulders and shoved, gasping for air. "What are you doing?" I said losing my breath. He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Is my saliva not working? My hormones should be coursing through you, releasing large amounts of oxytocin in your brain.” He grabbed my chin and tilted my face back and forth, looking deep in my eyes. “Your vitals seem normal...” He trailed off, feeling my pulse on my wrists. “Your spit is supposed to do something to me?” His touch alone was driving me crazy. My heart pounded against my chest, my lungs are tight and I can barely breathe. “Yes it should be signalling to your body that I’m ready to mate. Your ovaries should be excreting hormones preparing your va-” My face blushed wildly and I interrupted him. “I know how sex works!” I blurted out. “Are you trying to  brain wash me with that stuff?” I felt my arm where he had licked. Though it felt like gel before, my skin was completely dry in that spot now. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course not.” He spoke so seriously. “My chemistry causes a reaction with your chemistry better than any other potential partner. My instincts guided me to you, your pheromones are very potent to me.” He nuzzled his face in my neck, pressing me close to him with his hand on my lower back. He planted a kiss on my collar bone, he gently used his tongue to glide over the sensitive part of my skin. I shivered, goosebumps covering my whole body. He trailed wet kisses up my neck to my ear. “I can take good care of you, forever...” He whispered, his voice was growing raspy with anticipation. “You don’t need to be stubborn.” He pulled away from me and put two fingers in his mouth. He sucked on them for a moment, covering them in saliva. The sticky substance trailed from his lips and followed him to the waist band of my leggings. He placed the tips of his fingers on my entrance and moved up and down. My body betrayed my mind, I gushed onto his digits. I bit my lip, holding back a moan. He smirked and plunged his fingers into me. “Shoto...” I whined.

You don’t know this man! He invaded your planet and kidnapped you!

My rational thoughts started to fade as he swirled his fingers around. I was expecting some type of pain, his hands look so strong and callused. “Tell me how you feel...” He purred. His eyes were glazed over with want, his cool exterior melting away the more he touched me. “I- I feel good.” I mewled back, my arms shook while trying to hold myself up on the table. “Say you want to be my mate.” He commanded while pressing hard on my g-spot with his fingers. He softened his tone a bit sounding sweet. “Please Y/N... I can’t bring myself to hurt you.” He looked pained. I could see his want press hard against his pants. I melted at his sweetness. “I want to be your mate-” I said breathlessly. He ripped off his uniform jacket and threw it to the ground, the medals on the pocket clinging together as it hit the floor. I pulled my shirt off at the same time. He stopped holding me for only a few seconds but we grasped back onto each other like we were both touch starved. His lips crashed against mine, I clawed at his shoulder blades and he pulled my leggings of with a rip of the fabric. “Spread your legs.” He growled and I obeyed. My legs wrapped around his hips as he pulled his pants down and quickly stuffed himself inside of me. I took a sharp breath in and my body felt just the slightest bit of relief, finally getting what it wanted. He pounded his hips into mine, grabbing onto my back and neck for support. I held onto him as tight as I could, feeling like I couldn’t get close enough. He thrust into me with hard slow strokes. I moaned his name over and over again, feeling my body tighten with pressure. “I- I’m going to cum-!” I couldn’t help but scream. Shoto grabbed my hair at the nape of my neck and groaned a short, almost growl like sound in my ear. “Dammit-” He said under his breath, his body gearing up for his climax. I burst onto him, my body gushing all over his staff. I screamed his name and he quickened his pace, hitting me harder and faster. I started to cry out for more when he stopped and pulled me into a soft kiss, his body pulsing. “Did you finish?” I asked just before his cock changed shape, still inside my canal. I squealed as his eyes rolled back into his head and he panted. I felt a small orb leave his body and pulse into mine. A shiver ran up my spine. “What the hell!” I tried to move away from him and he firmly grabbed my ass, sliding me back to the edge of the table and holding me there. “Don’t panic.” He said with a heaving chest. Another object pulsed into me, and then another. My body suddenly squirted again, an explosive orgasm rocking my entire being. I gripped the edge of the table, unable to even make any noise. He kissed my lips tenderly and pulled out. “Oh my god...” I covered my mouth in shock at his member. It was silver with deep purple veins. It leaked a few shiny gooey drops of liquid before the opening closed, looking vaguely similar to human genitalia, but with no slit.

He quickly covered himself by pulling his pants back up, looking lightly embarrassed. “As one of the King’s generals I should have more composure.” He looked down at me, happy with how much of a mess I look. “But you’re so lovely, I just couldn’t wait any longer.” He helped me off of the table and guided me to his bed. “Come here Y/N. Let’s rest awhile before we go again.” He said devilishly as he tackled you onto the soft comforter.

Part 3~ https://writinginthedarkwood.tumblr.com/post/188289769294/alien-bakugo-x-reader-the-warrior

!!!!! My requests are open, message me let’s have a chat! If you’d like to buy me a coffee while I type your request you can do that here, I never expect tips, I write for fun. It’s just if you feel like being extra generous :)  -> https://ko-fi.com/writinginthedarkwood

[shararsblog]

BENGALURU - INDIA'S CRIME CAPITAL.

(28/07/2021)

Greetings for the day. Here I am beginning with my first blog or post whatever you can say. To begin with let's straight away come to the point. Many blogs have been written till date, with each blogger expressing his heart and mind on various issues. So I am too putting my heart and soul into a subject, which is present throughout the world, and each country has its own law policy when it comes to dealing with i.e. crime.

Here are my experiences of living in a city based in Karnataka in India for four months. Bangalore or Bengaluru as you can call it, is considered as the IT hub of India, a city from where United States of America sources the highest number of software professionals for working in projects in its own backyard. But apart from being the Information technology hub of India, Bengaluru is also the hub for highest number of crimes, along with New Delhi.

Though I have stayed in Pune too a city in neighbouring Maharashtra state another IT hub, and visited Mumbai which is close by, but never ever had this fear psychosis of happening to see gang wars, because the law and order machinery in Pune, Pimpri - Chinchwad and Mumbai was by far very much in control by police authorities there. So why Bengaluru has become lawless? during my four months of stay there, every morning I happen to open the newspapers and the Bengaluru section showed up at least one or two murders, the result being gang wars. The killers regular criminals and their victims also history sheeter's. These gangsters or rowdies carried on with their killings on the streets of Bengaluru with so much audacity, that they never possessed any fear of law. The recent killing of Joseph Babli who himself a rowdy inside a bank in Koramangala, highlights the brazenness of killers, that Joseph was chased inside the bank, and hacked to death in broad daylight in front of scores of customers and bank employees, goes on to show complete failure of law and order machinery in Bengaluru.

Not just this, another murder of a former corporator Rekha Kadiresh that too in broad daylight in cotton pet area of Bengaluru, was an added feather in hat for an inefficient Bengaluru police. Slaying rivals in daytime in full public view, indulging in rowdism, road rage, harrasing innocent people, chain snatching gangs over bikes on prowl in every area, So where is the Bengaluru police in picture, that is the question?

And why rowdies in Bengaluru have no fear of police?

Bengaluru police and Karnataka politicians are to be blamed for this. The answer here lies in police - criminal - politician nexus. Also you may be surprised to know that Karnataka state ranks top in corruption index in whole of India. Power hungry politicians, greed for money and coupled with it the biggest major factor which has led to rise in goondaism is land deals. Bengaluru city is considered as one of hot cakes for real estate market, land grabbing is rampant and where higher acre's of land is involved for deals corrupt politicians, mafias and police are hand in glove.

Though land is very less available in Bengaluru urban areas and even if available, the prices are skyrocket and rowdies ultimately with blessings of politicians get involved. This rowdies - karnataka politicians nexus have blossomed to such an extent, that middle class families, who despite can afford to own plots at higher prices never dare to get involved. The problem begins from the bottom of organizational hierarchy in police department. The rot is so deeper that for example, say five out of every ten constabulary rank officials within Bengaluru police force, are hand in glove with the rowdies, this relates to daily hafta collection or in simple language extort money through these rowdies from hawkers, bar restaurant owners, share in commission arising out of disputed land deals and many illegal activities done by these rowdies. The buck does not stop here, the Bengaluru traffic police have a set target of collection fixed by every DCPs in their respective zones, so regular office goers either in two wheelers, four wheelers, rickshaws, commercial vehicles face the brunt of hafta collection. What an irony! Never ever in the history of Policing across the world, has there been so much rampant corruption, as has been the case with Bangalore police.

Kamal Pant Bengaluru police chief : completely clueless.

But then whose responsibility is it to discipline the Police?

Karnataka is a state, which has seen two parties struggle for power, back in 2018 Congress - JDS (Janata Dal secular) combine wrestled power from BJP (Bharatiya Janata party) headed by BS Yeddyurappa. Kumaraswamy son of former prime minister Deve Gowda became the chief minister, the BJP despite being the single largest party could not garner the numbers required to form the government. But two years later the tide turned completely in BJP's favour, the biggest drama unfolded in Karnataka, with accusations of horse trading leveled by Congress - JDS combine against BJP. The Kumaraswamy govt was reduced to a minority, and it failed to retain power. The BS Yeddyurappa led BJP stormed to power in Karnataka. Power tussles are nothing new in Indian politics, but the sad part is the lust for power has taken a huge toll on law and order machinery in Bengaluru. The Karnataka politicians already neck deep in corruption, have left the city to rot at the mercy of rowdies. Another major factor for rise in hooliganism is the patronage provided by political parties to rowdies, take any party be it the Congress, the BJP or JDS have rowdies seated at their party offices, the favour these goons do for these political class may vary, it may be anything even getting a cup of tea for the party youth leaders or district incharge, distribution of pamplets during elections many other things and obviously the favour is returned, with blessings of these political parties rowdies have a say, in every tender issued by the Karnataka government, almost 99% of contracts sourced out by the local corporation body of Bengaluru i.e. the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has been handed over to rowdies, whether related to garbage collection, disposal, road repair contracts etc. When elections are round the corner, the hooliganism is at its peak, these very leaders are accompanied by these rowdies, threatening people who raise their voices, gangwars involving rowdies from rival political parties, if an in-depth analysis is done of the extent of criminals invasion into political parties, shocking as it may sound close to 80% of these so called party workers are rowdy elements. As it is said, the strong basis for students to pass with good marks in school and later to excel in life and become ideal citizens of the country, the onus lies on the principal and teachers and the education imparted in schools getting students to value good culture, respect for one another, and focus on studies. If one or two students fail in all these aspects, the blame can be put on students themselves, but just imagine if the whole class fails, then obviously the principal, the teachers are responsible. So the same applies to the police force of a state as well, the police department is a big school in itself, and the chief minister of the state is the principal and teachers his respective cabinet colleagues, so they are the torch bearers for these law enforcement agencies, and giving them guidance drafting policies is the sole responsibility of chief minister his cabinet colleagues. But here the entire Bengaluru police machinery has failed miserably and politicians governing the state are solely responsible.

BJP has been at the helm of Karnataka for almost two years now, even in these two years chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and his home minister colleague Basavraj Bommai miserably failed to bring crime rate down in Bengaluru. What can you expect from a police force, when the chief minister himself is embroiled in an illegal land deal. The bench of Karnataka high court led by justice Ravi malimath and Micheal Cunha even refused to give him any relief on the matter. Also infighting within the state BJP, and some leaders unhappy with Yeddyurappa's style of functioning has led to the CM busy trying to save his own govt, fighting his detractors, leave development of state at God's mercy and Bengaluru of course at rowdies mercy. And finally infighting within the BJP took its toll, Mr. BS Yeddyurappa resigned from the CMs post. And as usual came the drama with his resignation, an emotional Yeddyurappa in tears thanking Prime minister Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda for giving him an opportunity to serve the people of the state. Mr. Yeddyurappa we can understand your emotions but you should have stopped at that, your immature and misleading comment that, "Bengaluru is turning into a world class city" is the biggest Joke of the millennium. The reality is you and your predecessor Mr. Kumaraswamy have turned Bengaluru into a world class gangsters city.

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa : equally responsible for lawless Bengaluru.

Corruption in police department is not something new and is prevalent across India. Also let me make it clear, not all cops are corrupt, there are a few who put their heart out and perform their duties. Even in Bengaluru police department there are officers at constabulary rank, inspectors, senior inspectors, who have excellent track record in curbing crime and have acted tough against rowdies but there are also a few with questionable track record and it is this few dark sheep within the police that has led to rowdies wrecking havoc in the city. Also this time things really aren't good in Bengaluru at all. Though police chief Pant on his behalf is doing everything thing to bring crime rate down, Bengaluru CCB has siezed a large cache of drugs, several drug peddlers have been nabbed, several rowdies homes have been raided a large cache of weopans recovered, but still the rowdies menace has been increasing in Bengaluru rapidly.

Mr Kamal Pant now you also need to bring the hammer down harder on some of your own men, women within the force, who have links with these rowdies. Cleaning must also be done at home. There was a time when Mumbai city in Maharashtra state, also known as the financial capital of India was under the grip of the underworld gangs in 90s, things had totally spiralled out of control due to gangwars, prominent builders, film personalities, small time business men became victims for refusal to pay extortion and some for links with rival gangs.

It took the combined effort of the Mumbai police who formed hit squads later on called as encounter specialists to eliminate the gangsters. And the credit for completely wiping out the underworld from Mumbai, goes to then Mumbai police commissioner Mr. MN Singh. Bengaluru is facing the same problem today, that Mumbai faced in 90s. And Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant will have to take a leaf from what MN Singh did in Mumbai.

Also political interference in police working has been the biggest problem in India. That police work under political pressure is not a hidden secret. And this has been one of the reasons for rowdy explosion in Bengaluru. Rowdies enjoy political patronage, from all three the Congress, JDS and BJP. In Mumbai the police turned a deaf year to political influence, and took on underworld in a spirited way under guidance of MN Singh. Certainly Bengaluru police go weak in their knees when it comes to politicians, and none but Mr Kamal Pant will have to put his foot down on such interferences, when it comes to dealing with rowdies, even if it means confrontation with a ruling party and also take action against political leaders who are linked to these rowdies. Kamal Pant and Bengaluru police have a long long way to go if they want to rid Bengaluru from gangsters. And I have no doubt at all that things have come to a level where Bengaluru cops have to form a separate hit squad to eliminate the rowdies like Mumbai police did.

Also Bengaluru being an IT hub and one of the cities with higher number of foreign tourists visiting for trips as well as official company work, such lawlessness does not augur well for the city, the image of Bengaluru has already taken a severe beating at international level and it will have severe consequences. Foreign direct investment will be hit, if things don't improve, that day won't be far when other countries start issuing advisory or warning to its citizens to deter from visiting Bengaluru, as it has already happened in New Delhi's case, and if it happens in Bengaluru's case prime minister Narendra Modi's 'ache din' or 'good days' of his promise to citizens of India will be dented beyond repair.

[absoluteindulgence]

Drunk Passion (Server Collab Prompt)

A/N: Hey y'all, I just barely made it lol. I'm moderately happy with this fic, I hope you guys enjoy it.

Pairing: Mirio Togata X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Drinking/Alcohol Mention

Word Count: 1.8K

5 hours earlier, you stood in your room, giving yourself once overs in your full body mirror, complimenting yourself for choosing the right dress. Only to receive a call from your date who had to cancel due to "unforeseen circumstances." It was an understatement to be frustrated, and doubtlessly, you took it as a sign of them calling you ugly and blowing you off on purpose.

Your roommate, Mina, watched as you paced the living room rethinking your plans for the night. She reminded you of her third annual valentine's day party. This gathering initially started after the horrific event of her date happening on the love day, and trying to propose to her in broad daylight. From there on, she promised herself that she'd never be that naive again and dedicate the day to enjoy with friends.

Usually, you were away from home during this time of the year and briefly knew of the function. She always tried to invite you, but to no avail, you weren't around. Mina, the charismatic matchmaker, created a space for the people who hated, loved, or felt indifferent to the holiday, labeling it as the "Who Needs Love?" Party. You thought it would be a complete disaster, but it turns out, her parties equate to finding your "soulmate." Without plans to roam the city with a date, you were now a secondary host to the love fest.

The apartment you shared with Mina had a decent size and came with a balcony. There was a time where neither of you could afford to live on campus, and so you had to find a roommate to manage to stay enrolled, or else the work you wanted to do would be spoiled by a mere living situation. Moving into this luxury apartment was less than luxury, hence why it was so cheap. With Mina being a fashion designer and your skills being a moderate decorator, you created a space where you two loved the teamwork and effort put into it.

Looking way too good for no particular reason, you became a hit on every guy's list. A lot of the faces you saw weren't recognizable as you haven't met Mina's friend group from high school, but she made sure to introduce you to them. During the introductions, she seemed the fondest of the guy with the spiky red hair, favoring a porcupine. A twinkle in her eyes as she said his name with a discreet smirk directed your way. You were a great hostess making sure to check on the hordes of mixed emotions.

Passing through the warm atmosphere, you were grabbed by your forearm. Turning around, your eyes met with a tall, blonde-haired hottie. His eyes were piercingly blue as the grin was brightly targeted at you.

"Hey, I'm sorry to grab you, but I had been trying to get your attention for a while." His smile was faintly smug, but his tone was smooth like honey. He gently loosened his hold on your arm as he saw your immediate reaction of disgust, wondering who would dare lay hands on you. A chuckle came from his lips as he apologized instantly, "I didn't mean to upset you, I just wanted to know where I could get some air?"

He held onto a cup,  on the other hand, probably full of booze awaiting your answer. As you were about to tell him, he thought you had already started speaking and moved in closer. He leaned ear first into your right shoulder, the heat from his breath, warming the back of your neck and shoulder. "I'm sorry, beautiful, I couldn't hear you."

The shocks running through your body, halted you from speaking. The blondie was so close you could see his jawline intensify and gather a hint of citrus and lime from the cologne he wore, even catching signs of his broad chest thanks to his button-down shirt being open below his collarbone. You quickly answered him, maybe too loud for comfort as he winced and smiled back after you pointed in the direction of your balcony. Bejeweled with gratitude, he nods, fading back into the crowd.

You try to peek over to see where he goes briefly talking to the red porcupine, with an indigo-haired guy and a periwinkle-haired girl close to his sides. The three seemed to be good friends laughing at your witty roommate's jokes as her crush, Kirishima, casually wrapped his arm around her shoulder. It looks as if only you caught how pink her face was as she snuggled closer to him. The buff blondie waves off from the couple and makes their way to the balcony.

Before he can leave your area of vision, you lock eyes. His azure sights peer into yours with a knowing, warm smile. A winking motion is made as he grins wide, heading out with his friends. The indigo guy was very antsy about leaving the crowded room, wanting more air than conversation. 

You turn to leave the living room and head into the kitchen, bringing out more snacks and to acquire a drink for yourself. Placing pocky, shrimp chips, and gummy candy all throughout the coffee table between your long black couches. Being cautious of how you bend, not trying to give anyone a free show. Heading back into the kitchen, you pour some light liquor into a shot glass, wanting to feel a small buzz.

Just one for now while I make my rounds.

As you finish the shot and place it back on the marble counter, the blondie glides in with the same cup, but it's now empty. You stare up at the buff blondie, catching your breath as you get to take him in; hair down bang almost tickling his eyelashes as the rest of his mane rests at his brawny shoulders. Seeing him up close made your heart flutter as you didn't understand how attractive one man could be. His eyes wandered to your attire, and you blushed under his gaze. The kitchen area felt small now that he's sharing the same air as you.

As you were about to ask him for a drink, the periwinkle haired girl came in. She went into a ramble about the drinking game that was about to start until she saw your face, "You are so pretty, what's your name?"

You told her your name, and her eyes twinkled, "Ah, so your Mina's roommate, that's so cool! I'm surprised we haven't met before."

"I'm usually away during this time of the year, but I had no plans, and so I'm here, hosting tonight."

"That's great, I came to look for Mirio and found you too so please, play with us!"

You could see the intensity in this girl that had introduced her friend before herself. Her personality seemed overbearing but good-natured, she noticed your small smile and took that as non-verbal agreement. Taking your hand, along with her athletic friend. You took a quick glance at the blondie as he apologized, "Sorry about this, Nejire-chan likes making new friends. And yeah, I'm Mirio."

Reaching the central area wasn't an easy task since there seemed to be more people that came during the time you were taking a shot. Examining the room, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was a heap of smiles, blushed faces, and laughter roaring through. Reaching the couches, Nejire sat next to you as Mirio was on the other side of her. Across from you, was Mina, with a big grin talking to Kirishima and a couple of her other friends from high school.

An angry-looking guy with spikey ash-blond hair stood up from his spot on the couch, "Okay, so if you're sitting, we're gonna play a game of Mafia!"

Another guy chimed in, his hair yellow with black stripes on one side, "Mafia isn't a drinking game!"

"It is now if you don't figure out who the hitmen are!"

The banter continued, and Nejire took her time to remind you who everyone was. She didn't just tell you who was playing; she made it her mission to remind you of each soul in the room. The process is too reminiscent of speed-dating as she told their jobs and personalities like stats. Made for a one-sided conversation until she got to Mirio, the blonde hunk.

"And this is Mirio-" 

"I know you told me, maybe he wants to introduce himself to me?" You stare at him with pleading eyes to keep Nejire quiet for more than a millisecond.

He catches your signal and automatically laughs, he reaches out to give you a handshake with a pleasant grin as he greets you. "Don't worry, Hado-chan, I can say my own stats." Her mouth gets a little puffy as he briefly apologizes to her.

Bakugou brought us back to attention, "Alright, so let's go over how to play, and we'll start."

______

Four grand rounds, and you could officially say you were drunk. You hadn't drunk this much since new years and worried this would result in alcohol poisoning. With the shuffling to and from couches, to make the game more interesting, Mirio had finally been seated near you. At times when it was time to discuss who was plucking off the civilians, you shared small details with each other, getting scolded by Bakugou at times.

Mirio looked at your giggly, flustered form and smiled warmly. He was happy to see you enjoy yourself and him being the reason. The game resulted in good friends with exquisite poker faces. Sero asked for another round since he hadn't gotten the chance to play God, and Bakugou refused. 

"Hey, do you want to get some fresh air?" Mirio leaned over into your ear, "You look like you're ready to sleep for a thousand years."

You giggled with a nod. You raised your hand for Mirio to guide you and informed Tamaki that he was taking you to the balcony. You didn't notice, but the room was clearing out little by little. Assuming that the lovebirds were happy with their choice of the night, you smiled, realizing that maybe the same is happening to you.

Leaving the living room into the balcony was a change in atmosphere, you felt the chill air of midwinter hit your skin like a cool kiss, which was comforting from the sauna of an apartment. Mirio nicely placed you onto one of the outdoor chairs you owned as he positioned himself next to you with the other.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm happy," You smile, "I didn't realize how much fun her parties were."

"Me neither, this is actually my first time coming. I'm usually at work, so Nejire would try to drag Tamaki and end up coming by herself."

You share a laugh and stare at him. You look down at his hands and then back at his eyes, overfull of sparkles as they gaze into yours. He rubs the back of your hand with his thumb, and the night continues on as you share innocent rambles of your plans to see each other more in a drunken passion.

[souvcniir]

*  bopping  along  to  rude  boy  by  rihanna  is  𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐀  ❝   𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐎   ❞  𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓  ,  the  twenty  one  year  old  cis  woman  thrown  back  to  their   hospitality  management with  some  of  her   memories  .  voted  most  likely  to  star  in  their   own  reality  tv  show ,  rizo  was  known  for  being  flamboyant  &  loquacious ,  go  figures  you'd  always  find  them  giving  drunk  pep  talks  in  the  girls  bathroom ,  but  grew  up  to  be  punctual  &  hard  headed.  

hi  ..  how  ya  doing  ?  it’s  me  ...   again  .  gi  back  again  with  my  second  muse  who  is  just  ...  have  you  seen  her  ?  stunning  .  beautiful  .  the  mother  i  never  had   ,  the  sister  everybody  would  want   ,  and  the  friend  everybody  deserves  .  ASDFGHJ  .  let  me  stop  .  down  below  is  a  little  about  my  baby  doll  and if  you  already  liked  my  last  post  i’ll  definitely  be  bothering  you  about  plotting  with  this  baby  too  !!

*   𝐎𝐍𝐄                          𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒  .

gold   wings   dangling   in   between   collar   bones   ,   sun   light   parting   cloudy   skies   ,   vowels   dipped   in   honey   ,   baths   filled   with   rose   petals   ,    sketches   under   a   cotton   candy   sunset   . 

*   𝐓𝐖𝐎                          𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 .

full   name.   arizona  scarlett  gilbert  .   nickname(s).   rizo  ,  ari  ,  zo  ,  zona  .   preferred   name.   rizo  and/or  ari  .   past  age.   twenty  one  .   present  age.   thirty  one  .   date  of  birth.   october  eleventh  .  zodiac.  libra  . gender. cis  woman  .   pronouns. she  and  her  .   sexuality. heterosexual  .   younger  faceclaim.   charlotte  d’alessio  .   older  faceclaim.   alycia  debnam  carey   .

*   𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄                          𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐒  .

(   death  ,   specifically  cancer   ).  

    in  her  first  cry    ,     she  was  gifted  an  echo   .    something  said  to  be  a  miracle  especially  upon  ears  that  had  once  suffered  the  news  of  a  lost  future  of  bearing   children  .     that  night  ,  prayers  of  thank  you’s  were  sent  to  the  heavens    ,  and  mouths  were  stuff  with  love  sculpted  by  two  pairs  of  glimmering  emerald  hues   .   

    granted  fifteen  years  of  sweetness  and  happiness  that  painted  countenances  .    the  two  were  split  from  the  same  soul  .   her  sister  was  contagious  and  arizona  was  syrupy  .   never  each  other’s  shadow  ,  just  each  other’s  biggest  fan  .  the  girls  were  great  apart  ,  but  together  they  were  unstoppable  .  but  just  like  summer  sunshine  ,  rapid  thunderstorms  creep  up  on  you  without  warning  .  their  thunder  fell  into  their  ears  as  a  disease  too  far  along  to  promise  hope  .   in  the  blink  of  an  eye  ,  cancer  had  disguised  itself  as  her  twin  sister  ,   the  light  that  once  sparkled  in  her  eyes  died  out  .

    equivalent  to  a  nightmare  ,  when  the  sun  forgets  to  rise  and  feet  forgot  how  to  move  ;   she  was  haunted  by  a  ghost  who  had  her  face  .   swore  she  could  hear  her  in  the  dead  of  the  night  ,  and  sometimes  even  in  broad  daylight  .   grief  left  her  clinging  to  bedsheets  that  still  lingered  of  her  sister’s  memory  ,  and  soon  her  emerald  hues  became  a  reminder  of  a  child  lost  .   she  no  longer  had  her  sister  to  hide  behind  ,  and  her  parent’s  were  no  longer  able  to  pretend  they  could  look  her  in  the  eye  .

reminded  herself  she  was  alive  until  tears  hung  in  her  eyes  and  screams  left  her  mouth  until  voice  was  no  longer  recognizable    .  she  might  not  be  able  to  live  life  by  her  sister’s  side  ,  but  she  could  live  life  for  her  sister  .    that  night  ,  her  hands  were  drenched  in  cold  glue  from  gluing  herself  back  together  .  and  after  that  ,  cloudy  skies  cleared  and  only  the  lingering  smell  of  raindrops  remained  .  she’d  never  get  over  it  ,  but  she  would  not  become  it  .

*   𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑                         𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓  .  

grief  no  longer   visible  in  tawny  features  ,   she   radiated  a  warmness  that  seemed  to  be  nothing  but  intoxicating  .   clung  to  a  desperation  to  escape  a  town  filled  with  broken  hearts  and  disappointment   and  took  a  big  deep  breath  of  a  new  beginning  at   rom  valley  university  .

she  was  a  face  you  spotted  everywhere  ,  on  the  sidelines  with  pom  poms  in  her  hands  and  in  class  whispering  about  how  she  had  no  idea  what  was  going  on   .   being  involved  was  something  she  thrived  on  ,   and  because  of  that  she  was  known  for  being  the  social  butterfly  ,   the  chatter  bug  ,  and  the  girl  who  always  had  a  smile  on  her  face  . 

 not  a  dumb  girl  ,  but  she  happened  to  be  one  of  those  people  who   prioritized  their  social  life  instead  of  their  grades  .  had  to  really  apply  herself  for  anything  above  a  low  b  ,   but  as  we  all  say  c’s  get  degree’s  .  and   truthfully  she  was  more  worried  enjoying  life  rather  then  having  a  break  down  over  a  calculus  class  .  

had  a  bad  habit  of  speaking  without  thinking  ,  and  feeling  without  processing  .  life  is  too  short  so  she  refuses  to  be   someone  who  keeps  her  emotions  bottled  up  .   instead   wears  them  in  facial  expressions  and  words  of  anger  or  joy  or  sadness  .  if  you  did  something  wrong  ,  she’ll  tell  you  .  if  she’s  feeling  a  type  of  way  ,  you’ll  know  .  but  because  of  this  she  is  very  forward  with  showing  those  she  cares  about  ,  she  cares  about  them  .  her  love  language  is  pecks  on  the  lips  and  i  love  you’s  before  she  ends  the  call  .   

*   𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄                         𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓   .

not  as  open  as  she  used  to  be  ,  but  she  still  shines  bright  .   learned  to  bite  her  tongue  and  control  her  careless  ways  .  in  some  ways  ,  she  simply  just  matured  ,  no  longer  that  twenty  year  old  something  that  can  get  away  with  screaming  in  the  rain  because  she  needed  to  get  it  off  her  chest  .

thinks  about  her  sister  more  then  she  did  before  ,   her  mother  says  it’s  because  she’s  experiencing  firsts  that  she  wishes  her  sister  was  there  to  see  .  she  still  refuses  to  show  her  bleeding  wounds  ,  instead  bandages  them  up  every  night  and  whispers  i  miss  you’s  to  the  sky  .

fell  into  the  career  of  a  wedding  planner  and  has  never  been  so  in  love  with  a  job  before  ,  it’s  everything  she  had  ever  hoped  for  .  she  gets  to  be  creative  ,  interact  with  people  on  the  daily  ,  and  make  other’s  happy  .  though  ,  it  has  made  her  a  true  romantic  .

her  relationship  with  her  parents  is  special   , something  that  formed  as  she  got  older  and  began  to  understand  that  yes  she  lost  her  other  half  ,  but  they  too  lost  a  child  .   she’s  grateful  for  her  parents  and  is  constantly  reminding  herself  to  give  them  some  extra  love  .  at  the  end  of  the  day  ,  they  are  all  she  has  . 

she  lives  in  the  city  of  new  york  in  a  beautiful  apartment  ,  and  while  it  is  such  a  different  atmosphere  then  the  small  town  she  was  raised  in  ,  she  enjoys  it  .   but  her  being  her  ,  she  still  needs  to  experience  as  much  as  she  can  and  so  you’ll  her  packing  her  bags  every  so  often  and  living  it  up  in  a  different  country  or  a  different  city  for  a  few  weeks  and  of  course  dragging  a  few  of  her  friends  with  her  .

*   𝐒𝐈𝐗                         𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓  𝐈𝐍  𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓   .

it  feels  like  a  case  of  deja  vu   ,  so  familiar  she  has  to  stop  and  think  about  it  for  a  little  .   swears  she  see’s  pieces  of  her  future  in  her  dreams  ,  and  yet  they  feel  so  real  it’s  almost  as  if  she’s  already  lived  it  .  sometimes  she  feels  like  she’s  going  crazy  ,  but  most  time  she’s  losing  herself  in  the  moment  .  

*   𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍                          𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐒  .

she  wears  her  sister’s  ashes  in  a  wing  shaped  necklace  ,   and  later  on  decided  to  get  something  permanent  via  tattoo  .   her  tattoo  is  located  on  her inner  arm   and  looks  a  little  something  like  this  . 

she’s  a  travel  bug  ,  and  has  been  to  countless  of  places  .  she’s  one  of  those  people  who  has  a  journal  tucked  away  with  every  single  place  she  has  ever  wanted  to  visit  and  she  will  complete  her  list  .

in  college  ,  she  was  one  of  those  people  who  wrote  the  prettiest  notes  that  you  have  ever  seen  ,  did  she  waste  more  time  writing  them  then  actually  studying  ?  yes  .

she  started  playing  soccer  in  elementary   school  and  actually  studied  at   rvu  on  a  scholarship  .  it  was  one  of  the  first  activities  that  arizona  did  outside  of  her  sister  and  after  her  passing  it  because  a  way  to  get  her  mind  off  of  her  passing  .

*  𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓                          𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒  .

*   again  ,  these  are  simply  just  ideas  to  give  us  something  to  start  with  ,  i  am  open  to  anything  that  is  not  mentioned  as  well  am  completely  and  totally  okay  with  switching  things  around  and  adding  things  to  these  ideas !!!  i  love  plotting  and  bouncing ideas  off  of  each  other  so  don’t  be  afraid  to  stray !

                    LOOK  ,  WE’RE  IN  TUNE  ,  WE’RE  IN  SYNC   .  EYE  TO  EYE  ,  DON’T  NEED  TO  THINK  (  PAST/PRESENT  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .     labeled  as  the  duo  to  be  reckoned  with  ,  there’s  love  between  these  two  that  not  even  words  could  explain  .    a  friendship  that  has  last  a  decade  ,  you  can  hear  them  constantly  giggle  how  they’re  soulmates   .    that’s  just  their  bond  .  secrets  ,  laughter  ,  memories  ,  communication  without  words  ,  a  lifetime  of  inside  jokes  ,  being  attached  at  the  hip   .   this  is  just  a  forever  thing  .

                  WE’RE  BOTH  DROWNING  IN  GASOLINE  ,  BURNING  OVER  TIME  .   (  PAST  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .    this  friend  is  someone  that  arizona  held  close  to  her  heart  ,  when  memories  crept  back  up  on  her  and  that  empty  feeling  in  her  heart  escape  bars  she  seemed  to  always  find  comfort  in  this  person  .  and  always  promised  them  ,  that  they  could  find  comfort  or  at  least  a  set  of  ears  in  her  .

                  I  KNOW  YOU  SAID  LEAVE  ,  BUT  FUCK  WHAT  YOU  SAID  .  CAUSE  YOU’RE  STEADY  CRAWLING  ON  YOUR  KNEES  AGAIN  ,  YOU  NEED  A  FRIEND  (  PAST  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .    this  was  someone  that  brought  the  worse  out  in  arizona  .   they  are  the  whispers  of  careless  actions  in  each  other  ears  and  blurry  lines  of  what  they  are  to  each  other  .  stolen  kisses  and  screaming  voices  the  consequence  of  that  .  but  regardless  of  where  they  stand  in  one  another’s  life  ,  they’re  the  prime  example  that  not  every  bond  should  last  .

                  SAME  CREW  ,  I  AIN’T  HANGING  WITH  NO  NEW  BITCH   (  PAST/PRESENT  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .    a  group  of  friend  who’s  energy  is  contagious  .  in  college  they  were  the  ones  people  watched  from  afar  and  earned  for  something  just  like  it  .  they  had  their  fair  share  of  fallout’s  ,  nights  of  blacking  out  and  holding  each  other’s  hair  back  ,  hungover  brunches  ,  embarrassing  stories  during  each  other’s  weddings  ,   but  their  bond  is  for  life  .  

              I  MIGHT  BREAK  UP  WITH  YOU  ,  JUST  TO  MAKE  UP  WITH  YOU  .  AT  THE  END  OF  THE  DAY  ,  BOY  ,  YOU  KNOW  THAT  I’M  ABOUT  TO  WAKE  UP  WITH  YOU  .  (  PAST  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .    the  most  serious  relationship  arizona  had  in  college  ,  and  it  was  mixed  with  such  high  and  low  moments  but  regardless  the  two  always  found  their  way  back  to  each  other  .    for  arizona  ,  she  was  in  love  and  they  were  all  she  wanted  .  no  matter  what  .

             MANY  TIMES  WE  FELT  IT  ,  CAME  CLOSE  FOR  A  MINUTE  .  WRONG  PLACE  ,  WRONG  TIME  ,  YOU  WERE  ALMOST  MINE  . (  PAST  CONNECTION  ┋  OPEN   )  .    it  always  felt  like  more  .   lingering  touches  and  avoiding  the  conversation  ,  almost  never  given  the  right  opportunity  to  say  how  they  really  felt  and  in  return  for  years  watched  one  another  fall  in  and  out  of  love  with  other  people  .

[manage-mischief]

Regulus Black and the Darkest Shadows: Chapter 10

Read on AO3 or FF.net

Author’s Note: Gah sorry I’m late! This week has been crazy! Thanks, as always, for your support/comments/favorites/kudos! Y’all are the best. Enjoy the new chapter! And, as per usual, thanks to my fabulous beta reader @leahstypewriter. Follow @manage-mischief on Tumblr for more excerpts/requests!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

December 25th, 1978

Narcissa sat across the table from Regulus, her hands folded daintily in front of her. She regarded him curiously, studying his features. Regulus had no idea what to say. He knew why she had wanted to talk to him. But he wasn’t going to be the first to admit it. He tried is best to look naïve and innocent.

“Lucius told me,” Narcissa finally whispered.

“Told you what?”

“Don’t do that, Regulus. Don’t pretend.” She looked genuinely concerned.

“Alright. So, Lucius told you. What do you want from me?” He answered coldly.

“Merlin, Reg!” Narcissa scolded, “Don’t treat me like I’m one of your Death Eater friends! I’m not here to hurt you. I want to help.”

“They’re not my friends,” Regulus whispered.

“What?”  

“They’re not my friends. Not anymore,” he said, this time more boldly.

Narcissa stared at him like he was a wounded animal. “Oh Reg. Oh no.”

“Stop. I don’t need your pity or disapproval. You don’t…you don’t understand! I made mistakes, based on the lies our family has taught us! Now, I’m trying to make it right! You don’t understand what they want to do. What types of things they would have me do. You can ask your husband all about it!” Regulus snapped.

Narcissa winced from the obvious insult. “Lucius has…mentioned things. But Regulus, I’m not here to try and stop you. I’m not your mother. I’m here to warn you,” she said urgently.  

“Warn me about what?”

“That night,” Narcissa explained, “Lucius didn’t go to the Dark Lord. He Apparated home. He told me what he saw. You and that Ravenclaw Muggleborn—or girl raised by Muggles, I don’t know. But he saw you and her protecting her Muggle family. You fought against the Death Eaters, despite the fact that you are supposed to be one yourself.” She gestured to his left arm. He remained absolutely still. Her intensity scared him. Regulus had never seen Narcissa like this before.

“Regulus, Lucius told me that you betrayed him. And worse, you betrayed the Dark Lord. Now, I don’t pretend to condone all of his methods, nor do I claim to be innocent. I have my reservations, like you, but also like you, don’t dare speak of them to my loved ones. I doubt that I’ll ever fully join myself. However, whatever knowledge I have or don’t have in regards to the Dark Lord, I know that you don’t betray He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and live to tell the tale. Worse, you don’t betray the family and get away with it,” his cousin hissed.

“For Merlin’s sake, Cissa. Mum and Dad would never kill me!”

“But you’d be as good as dead,” Narcissa said, solemnly. “You know how it is. When was the last time you spoke to Sirius? And me…I haven’t so much as seen Andromeda in years. She…she was my best friend, Regulus. And I’ve heard she has a daughter now and I’ve never even met her!” Narcissa’s voice broke, speaking about her disgraced sister. “My point is, you’re playing with fire. If you think your parents would protect you from You-Know-Who and risk their own reputation with one of the most powerful dark wizards the world has ever seen… you’re deluding yourself.”  

Regulus’s heart raced. His head spun. He had known he was in danger, but Narcissa’s words made it more real, more tangible. There was a good chance that this Christmas could be his last. “So,” Regulus swallowed. “You’ve come to warn me. When will it happen? When is he coming?”

“He isn’t.”

Regulus’s jaw dropped. The Dark Lord wasn’t coming to kill him?

Narcissa exhaled. “Lucius told me about your rendezvous in the woods before he said anything to the Dark Lord. He knew how devastated I would be if I lost another one of my family members in this battle of ideals.”

Regulus was shocked. Lucius had protected him? He would have never dreamed… “But…what about the others? Macnair and the Carrows? Didn’t they…?”

“No,” his cousin replied firmly, “They have been dealt with.”

“Dealt with?”

Narcissa placed her head in her hands. “I begged Lucius to save you. He promised me he wouldn’t tell The Dark Lord, but he told me there were others who saw. So, we went to Azkaban and…” Her voice shook.

“And what, Cissa?”

“The Imperius Curse,” she whispered. “I used it on a guard. And I used the guard to Obliviate Macnair and the Carrows.”

Regulus paled. He looked across the table at his cousin, who was eerily calm. And Unforgivable Curse? His cousin had used an Unforgivable Curse for him? Regulus felt awful. Selfish, childish, and absolutely awful. Here he was, gambling away his life and he didn’t care one bit about that—but he never wanted innocent lives to be placed on the betting table. “Cissa…” he tried to comfort her.

“Don’t, Regulus. I would do it a million times over if it meant that you and the family would be safe. I’m not looking for pity. I’m a big girl, I can make my own choices. But please, please, whatever you do, be careful. I can’t ask Lucius to put his own life on the line by lying for you again. Please. Think about what you’re doing. Think about the family!” Narcissa was shouting, now.

“I am thinking about the family, Narcissa! I’m thinking about how I don’t want my only legacy to be death and pain and purity. I’m thinking about all this family has wanted me to do, and how long I’ve obeyed. I promise I will be more careful. But, I can’t promise you that I will go back to the way things were. For me, that would be a fate worse than death!” He shouted back, keeping his eyes glued to hers. The cousins were now standing inches from each other. Narcissa suddenly pulled him into a hard embrace. He returned the gesture.

“My Mum was right, Reg,” she whispered sadly into his chest. “You’re all grown up.”

---

Christmas and New Year’s had come and gone. Regulus had never been more eager to return to Hogwarts. He had instructed his new friends not to write to him, lest the letters be stolen and someone discover his treachery. Owl Post was so often intercepted, these days. He especially missed Des, whom he had thought about very frequently ever since their encounter at the hospital wing. When Bellatrix had asked him if there were any interesting women in his life, he’d immediately said no. However, in the back of his mind, he thought of Des. Regulus had begun to realize that his feelings for her may have evolved beyond the strictly platonic. He’d mostly brushed the thoughts aside. There had been way too much going on as of late. But now, with no school, friends, or Death Eaters to occupy his time, he began to imagine what it would be like to kiss her, to hold her, to feel her body pressed up against his own. Warmth filled his chest whenever he thought of her infectious laugh, her biting wit, or even her dramatic outbursts. She was like gravity for his thoughts. She pulled his thoughts towards her forcefully and was almost impossible to resist. He chided himself each time his mind wandered; this was not the time to be fixating on a schoolboy crush. Yet, Regulus continued to think about her.

One lazy afternoon, Regulus was reading a book in his room. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see light flurries of snow gently falling outside his large bedroom windows, coating the city in the white dust. He set down his book to watch, his eyes drooping as he followed the flakes’ movements. Suddenly, he heard a small scuffle downstairs. Curious, Regulus got up and crept down the steps, past the horrifying wall of House Elf heads, to see what was going on. His nerves were on high alert as he heard something—someone, breathing in the living room. His parents were not set to be home for a few more hours, and his mother had taken Kreacher with her...Who was here? Placing a hand on his wand, which was securely placed in his back pocket, he jumped through the threshold of the door into the living room to catch the intruder.

“Des?” Regulus was shocked to find his friend lounging on his downstairs couch in broad daylight. He felt his heart flutter in his chest. She looked at ease and utterly gorgeous. “How–wh-what are you doing here?”

Des’s eyes glinted mischievously. She stood up, painstakingly slowly, and walked to Regulus. Her hips swung seductively with each step. Her tight top hugged her waist, exposing the smooth skin of her stomach. Regulus swallowed hard. If his parents found her here...with him...

“We should be careful,” he managed to choke out, just as Des reached him. She stood before him, hands on hips, as if she was waiting for something.

“Well?” Des asked in a casual, expectant voice. She cocked an eyebrow and smirked, running the tip of her tongue over her soft, pale pink lips.

Regulus rushed forward to close the space between them, crashing his lips into hers. The moment he kissed her, all of his confusion faded away. She tasted better than anything he’d ever known. It was like quidditch and laughter and Honeydukes’s best chocolate, all wrapped up in the package of her lips. She breathed into him, her lips parting as he slid his tongue deeper into her mouth. Regulus felt his breath hitch as she wrapped her arms behind his neck.

His body followed his desires. He slid his hands down her back, relishing in her curves as he reached his target. Regulus lifted her with ease, and she responded by wrapping her legs around his waist. She was close. So close. Her thighs squeezed around him, providing a pleasant pressure. Des rocked into him, her moaning muffled by Regulus’s mouth on hers. How was this happening?

Regulus held her tighter and made for the couch, placing her down on the plush pillows. She released his neck and brought her hands above her own head, squirming with delight as he trailed kisses down her chest. Regulus groaned gutturally. He wanted her. “Are you ready?” He whispered in a low, throaty voice. Des opened her mouth, prepared to respond to his urgent plea.

But, instead of speaking, an odd, metallic clanging emerged from her throat. Regulus jumped up, frightened. “What the?” Suddenly, he felt a jolt of pain in his side.

Regulus opened his eyes. He was sprawled on the living room floor, next to the couch where he’d just been dreaming of Des not a moment earlier. He groaned, this time in frustration. Well, if he had any doubts about his feelings for Des before, they had definitely been resolved now. The odd, metallic clanking continued. The doorbell.

The doorbell turned into a light knocking on the door. As soon as the knuckles hit the wood, his Dark Mark began to burn furiously. Regulus bit his cheek to keep from crying out. Whoever this was--and Regulus was sure he knew--was not going to leave that easily. Fearful, Regulus tread down the hallway to answer the door. When he peered through the keyhole, his worst fears were confirmed. The Dark Lord was standing on his doorstep.

Regulus thanked Merlin he remembered the Occlumency lessons Snape had given him last year. He took a deep breath, closed off his mind as best he could (although he was still unsure if this would be enough to stop Voldemort from viewing his thoughts) and opened the door to his former master. He’d have to get very good at lying very quickly. His mind went into autopilot, ignoring the adrenaline coursing through his veins. This was life or death.

Voldemort smiled—which made his snake-like face look more terrifying than if he were frowning—and glided in. “You know, Regulus,” he spoke in a high, cold voice, “I don’t often come into London to make personal calls. Consider this an honor.” He paused and glanced at the younger boy.

Regulus realized Voldemort was waiting for him to bow. Shakily, he bent, his eyes fixed on the dusty carpet beneath his feat. “Please, have a seat. To what do I owe this honor, my Lord?” Had Lucius lied to Narcissa? Had the Dark Lord found out about the night on the Hogsmeade Trail?

Voldemort sat gracefully in an ornate, high back chair. He treated it like a throne, grasping the armrests with his long, white fingers. “I haven’t seen my youngest recruit in so long, dear boy! I thought it polite to check in. That is, after all, why I knocked on the front door.” His malicious smile stretched wider across his pale face.

“Th-Thank you, my Lord.” Oh, how Regulus wished his parents had been home. He couldn’t stand the intensity of Voldemort’s red eyes on his face, the cold air that seemed to envelop him like a cloak.

“You are quite welcome. And also, quite wise to believe that I am not merely here for pleasantries, Regulus. I have a favor to ask of you.”

Regulus dug his fingernails into his palm, using all of his willpower to keep his voice steady and his mind closed. “Of…of course my Lord. Though, I am young, and could hardly hope to accomplish as much as some of my more experienced compatriots.”

“Oh, do not worry. This is a simple favor. Barely even requires a thought.” Voldemort folded his hands as he regarded the wizard in front of him.

“You know, dear Regulus, you remind me a lot of myself, when I was young.” He waited, as if he expected Regulus to say something. However, Regulus could barely process the swords, let alone respond to them.

Voldemort’s smile faded a bit. “I know you were about to argue that you could never, not even in your wildest dreams, hope to achieve what I have. And you would be right, of course. However, your spirit, it…impresses me. You are descended from greatness, as I was—you are aware that I am descended from Salazar Slytherin himself, of course. You are a handsome, talented young boy, who has a bright future ahead of him. Yet, you see beyond.  You understand there are greater things in life than success. You strive for greater principles than money and prestige.”

Internally, Regulus laughed. Greater principles. If he only knew. “Thank you, my Lord.”

“And so, this is why I come to you, today. You have reached a higher stage of moral reasoning at 17 years old than most adults will in their lifetime.”

“What exactly is it you require of me, my Lord?” Regulus asked, hoping to end this conversation as soon as possible. Though he had decent skills as an Occlumens, he had never been as good as Severus, and could feel his thoughts struggling against the vice within which he had trapped them.

“I am in need of a house elf.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. That was all? He needed his house elf? “Of-Of course my Lord. Will you be requiring Kreacher’s services now?”

“No, no, not today. I am afraid it is too late to make the journey today,” Voldemort mused. “Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow will do. I shall pick him up tomorrow, and he will help me perform the…errand, I require.”

Regulus sighed in relief. “Very well, my Lord. Tomorrow, then. Kreacher is a good elf, sir,” He added, putting in a good word for the elf whom he cared for.

“I don’t doubt it. Thank you for your time, young Mister Black. I shall be seeing you soon, my boy.” There was a crack, and Voldemort was gone. Regulus collapsed back into his chair, almost giddy at the fact that he had managed to hide his betrayal from Voldemort. If he ever saw Severus again, he would thank him a million times over for the Occlumency lessons. Still relieved, knowing that he himself was not asked to perform any tasks for Voldemort, he cheerfully summoned Kreacher.

“Yes, Master Regulus?” the elf popped into the room as soon as his name was called.

“Kreacher, I have a very important job for you. And remember, it’s just Regulus.” Regulus smiled at the elf.

“Kreacher would be honored to perform any such task that Ma-…Regulus…deems important.”

“The Dark Lord requires a house elf to run an errand with him. He will come for you tomorrow and take you for the day. Do what he says, and then come back home? Alright?”

“Yes, of course, Regulus!” His huge eyes gleamed. “Is that all?” Kreacher asked. Regulus nodded and watched as Kreacher happily sauntered out of the room.

Regulus climbed the stairs up to his own bedroom, wanting to finish his book. His heart was still beating faster than a hummingbird’s as he lounged on the mattress. He smiled as he read. He had escaped wrath from the forest battle, he had survived an encounter with Voldemort. Perhaps, he thought to himself, life was looking up.

[ericdeggans]

A Tale of Two Videos: Why the Images of George Floyd Dying Broke the Nation

Why is the footage of George Floyd dying beneath a policeman’s knee the video that finally broke the nation?

I actually think the story of our current public chaos stems from two videos, brought to the public at nearly the same time, that outline both ends of a system which elevates white, moneyed people at the expense of everyone else -- especially those of us who are darker than blue.

In one, a white woman threatens a black man by telling him she will call the police and lie about him threatening her life. In another, a black man is pinned down by several police officers, pleading for help to breathe, until he dies.

One video shows the nightmare of overpolicing black bodies; losing your life because a store clerk thought you tried to pay with a counterfeit bill. The other shows a white woman well aware of the power that such overpolicing gives people like her when she calls 9-1-1. She knows – and assumes the black man she’s threatening also knows – whose interests will be defended, possibly with lethal force, when officers arrive.

Amy Cooper’s confrontation with Christian Cooper and the death of George Floyd have revealed the full scope of white supremacy non-white people live with every day in America. We have been talking about it for a long time; I wrote a book about it in 2012. But it is a reality many other Americans will not believe, until someone grabs a cellphone at a fateful moment, records it, and shows it to them. Again and again.

Because we have seen these videos before. We saw Philando Castile, a black man filmed in his last moments by his girlfriend, shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. We saw John Crawford, a black man who was going to buy a pellet gun at WalMart, shot to death by police within seconds of their arrival at the store after a 9-1-1 call. We saw 12-year-old Tamir Rice, playing with a toy gun in a park, gunned down within seconds of a police car driving on the scene.  

We saw Levar Jones, a black man who survived being shot by a cop during a traffic stop at a gas station as he was retrieving his license (the reason the cop stopped him? He was driving without a seat belt just before turning into the gas station.)

Eric Garner. Darrien Hunt. Botham Jean. The list of black people hurt or killed by police under suspicious circumstances is long and infuriating. How can a white college student suspected in the murders of two people who inspired a nationwide manhunt get taken into custody without incident, while a black man accused of passing a bad $20 bill winds up dead on a street, killed in broad daylight while cellphone cameras captured it all?

Beyond the frustration of the rising body count, there is frustration at the high price America demands before it will believe there is a problem in the first place.

People of color constantly have to rip open their wounds to prove to white America that racism is killing us. The videos are a blur of bottomless tragedy; a parade of pain where victims are often left screaming at officers: What did I do? Why won’t you help me?

And every time a new video emerges, black America asks that same question of the nation.

The challenge we face is summed up in a statistic from my book. I quoted a September 2011 study which found 46 percent of Americans believe discrimination against white people had become as big a problem as discrimination against racial minorities.

A study published in November 2017 by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health came up with different numbers. In that study, 55 percent of white Americans said discrimination against white people exists and 63 percent of white Americans said local police were just as likely to use unnecessary force against white people as non-white people.

This is the question at the heart of so many political and social conflicts in America: The fight over the very existence of systemic racism and prejudice.

It’s one reason conservative-oriented Fox News Channel is often so tone deaf on issues of race. Many of the channel’s pundits resist the idea that systemic racism against people of color is a serious issue. Lots of conservatives have decried George Floyd’s death; but the question of whether that death is a result of a few bad cops acting out or a result of systemic overpolicing and overpunishing people of color is the real dividing line in this crisis.

When Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson interviewed Ted Cruz on the unrest in Minneapolis, both men were careful to note they were horrified by the actions of one officer, while extolling the bravery of most police officers. But what about the notion that police officers work inside a flawed system that can shield bad cops and make it tougher for good officers, regardless of their race, to stop something terrible as it is happening?

This “one bad apple” idea – a notion expertly dismantled by comedian Chris Rock years ago – was also advanced by White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien Sunday on Jake Tapper’s CNN show State of the Union.

“I don’t think there’s systemic racism,” O’Brien said during one exchange with Tapper, before praising “99.9 percent” of police officers. “But you know what, there are some bad apples in there.”

Given all the videos we all have seen of black people hurt or killed unfairly by law enforcement in recent years, that sure seems like a lot of bad apples. And again the question rises: How many videos do you need to see, before you consider another possibility? How much pain leads to contemplating another explanation?  

Of course, Donald Trump has only made a volatile situation worse. I think his actions are summed up by a phrase I read or heard someone else say about him years ago: He can’t help saying the quiet part out loud.

So when Trump tweeted about the unrest in Minneapolis on Friday, he called protestors “thugs” – a word sometimes used as demeaning code for unruly black people – and dropped the phrase “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” That’s a saying traced back to a speech by 1960s-era Miami police chief Walter Headley, often accused of racist policing tactics during the civil rights era.

In another tweet, Trump promised protestors who came close to breaching the White House fence would be “greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons,” invoking another terrible image from the 1960s, when segregationist police would use attack dogs to break up civil rights marches.

The quiet part. Tweeted out loud.

As cable TV news was filled with reports on looting and unrest in cities across the country, I was struck by a tweet from celebrity comic Chelsea Handler, who posted “Something for all white people to think about. Reflect on our privilege and ask ourselves if we’ve ever had to protest for the lives of our white brothers and sisters.”

With all respect, I suggested something a little different. Perhaps white people should find one element in their lives that supports or reflects white supremacy: that Fox News-loving relative, the pal who posts terrible things on Facebook or the boss/coworker who says awful things about non-white people when he thinks they aren’t listening (guess what: we usually know, anyway).

Find one element and do something to address it. Do what you can to dismantle the system where you can.

Beyond that, governmental leaders of all stripes need to learn that platitudes and the “one bad apple” philosophy will not satisfy people who feel like an endangered species in their own country.

Don’t make us rip open another wound to prove something we have been telling you for a long time. Maybe this time, when black people say they need help, you could just listen. And then help.  

[aufanficfanatic]

BNHA Pokémon AU Part 1: Kirishima Eijirou

II. LYCANROC

--------

"Riot, use Crush Claw!"  

Twelve-year-old Kirishima Eijirou watched with a critical eye as a little tan canine slashed at a Geodude with extended claws, cracking its outer defence and leaving it vulnerable for further physical attacks. Geodude tried to curl its body around the vulnerability to compensate, but Eijirou and Riot were too quick. With a toothy grin, Ei shouted, "Riot, show Geodude some love!" With a cute little bark, Riot ran right up to the curled Pokémon and began vigorously rubbing his rocky collar along its body. The rocks' sharpness proved to be the end of the match when one stuck into the crack previously made by Crush Claw. Geodude fainted and was recalled by the Pewter Gym Trainer.

"Way to go, Riot! Yeah!" Eijirou cheered, running to give his Pokémon some pets. The Rockruff's blue eyes shown with affection as his Trainer rubbed between his ears, and he barked just as loudly as Eijirou cheered.

"Eiji-kun, please call official Pokémon moves when you're in a proper match, okay? That kind of improvisation is all well and good for wild Pokémon tussles, but as a Gym leader I could disqualify Riot for something like that outside the registered moveset."

"Aw, Brock-ojiisan!"

The Pewter City gym leader was thirty-seven and had been training Eijirou since the boy had turned ten. Every weekday, after he got out of school, Eijirou would run to the Pewter Gym and train with Brock and his subordinates for a few hours. Brock-ojiisan was a great teacher, knew all the tricks and tips for raising rock-type Pokémon, and was strict but fair with Eijirou and Riot. Case in point—

"Sometimes it really sucks being limited to Riot's moveset. I get lots of ideas during a match, and I wanna try them all! Why does it have to be like that, Brock-ojiisan?"

Brock tousled the boy's chin-length black hair, sighing in that particular way that meant Eijirou probably learned about this before but had forgotten. "For the same reason a Pokémon Trainer can only utilize up to six Pokémon at a time. It keeps matches fair and balanced. To even the playing field for all different types of Trainers, the rules need to be standardized across the Regions."

"I guess that makes sense. Playing fair is manly! I'll only use Riot's registered moveset next time, I promise!" The boy turned to Kanta, one of Brock's gym trainers, and bowed in apology. "Thanks for the match! Sorry for the unregistered move! It won't happen again!"

Brock chuckled, smiling warmly at the boy who's become like a nephew to him. He never quite outgrew speaking in exclamations. "And how is Riot doing compared to the timeline you drew up? Is he on-schedule? It's going to be soon, right?"

Eijirou grinned again, showing off his shaper-than-normal teeth. "He's officially level twenty-four, as of yesterday. I'm observing his experience growth... I've got it timed to Friday at 5pm on the dot! He's gonna be an even prettier Dusk colour than kaa-san's!" Eijirou was bouncing now, too excited to contain his energy. "I'm gonna have a Lycanroc! Are ya excited, Riot? Are ya, are ya?" His energy overflowed, spilling over to Riot quickly as the Rockruff bounded in circles and barked incessantly.

Brock laughed. "Alright, kid, calm down. So just a couple days, huh? And are you prepared for the aggression spike? I've noticed that Riot is already a lot rougher than he used to be ... he won't hurt you on purpose, I know that, but you've gotta prepare for an adjustment period. Have your moms walked you through everything?"

Eijirou's laugh turned into a pout. "Hey, Brock-ojiisan, I grew up on Rockruff Ranch! I've taken care of loads of Lycanroc, I can totally handle it!"

Well, that was probably true. Brock thought that he was perhaps the one who wasn't ready to handle the aggression of a Lycanroc in his Gym every day.

Suddenly, the doors flew open, banging against the wall as another gym trainer ran into the building. "Brock-sama! Pewter's downtown is under attack! Its Team Rocket!" The other gym trainers erupted with shock and anger, turning to their Gym Leader to wait for instructions.

Brock leapt into action, racing over to his bag to switch out his weaker gym Pokémon for his personal team. "Grab your teams and get to the Pokémon Center, quickly! Protect the nurses; don't let any grunts steal injured Pokémon!" The Gym emptied out quickly, and soon it was just Brock and Eijirou.

"Brock-ojiisan ..." Eijirou murmured fearfully, clenching a fist in Riot's ruff. "What should I do?"

Brock tossed a Pokéball out the door of the Gym, and Eijirou saw Brock's favoured Onix appear in an explosion of light. "Stay here, Eiji-kun, and stay safe. I'm locking you in—don't answer the door for anybody, okay? Keep Riot close, and protect each other." With that, Brock was gone, and Eijirou was left in the empty Gym alone.

"Be safe ..." Eijirou murmured, and Riot butted his head against Eijirou's hand, whining softly. "I know, boy—this is really scary! I can't believe Team Rocket would attack Pewter City in broad daylight. I feel like I should be with Brock-ojiisan, helping protect everyone ..." Riot cocked his head at Eijirou, yipping almost in admonishment. "No, Brock-ojiisan told us to stay here, Riot! Sorry boy, but we can't go." He sighed, sitting down cross-legged on the floor. "When you evolve into a Lycanroc, Riot, we'll have all the strength we need to protect everybody! Even Brock-ojiisan! So let's keep working hard when this is over, and get you your Dusk form!" His beloved partner yipped in agreement, and then settled down by Eijirou's side, blue eyes focused on the glass doors.

Nothing happened, for a long while. Eijirou couldn't sit still, opting to stand up and pace over by the reception desk to try and relieve some of his nervous energy. He tried not to worry about Brock-ojiisan, but it was proving to be difficult. "What if they gang up on him," he asked Riot in desperation, the Pokémon cocking an ear in Eijirou's direction. "What if they have lots of water and grass Pokémon and Onix gets hurt? What if—"

"Hello, hello? Is anyone there? Brock-sama? Please, let us in! Help us!" Eijirou froze in his tracks as two girls suddenly ran up to the Gym doors, one of them banging a fist on the glass while the other had her back turned, focusing on something in the distance. Eijirou recognized them from school, though they weren't in his class. What should he do? Brock-ojiisan told him not to open the door for anyone ...

And then, a Rocket grunt stepped onto the path behind the girls. He was a mean-looking brute, all muscles and small squinting eyes. He had an equally mean-looking Raticate beside him, drool dripping down its wicked teeth. He couldn't hear what the grunt said to the girls, but it was clear he was after their Pokémon.

Eijirou's heart leapt to his throat. He should do something! He and Riot had been training for two years now, surely he could handle one Raticate? His legs wouldn't cooperate. His chest hurt with how fast his heart was beating. The girls were trembling, and the grunt was getting closer to them. Why wasn't he doing anything?! He was so scared, but the girls had it so much worse. He could help them! Why couldn't he move, was he really so pathetic? Yes, he was. He was just a stupid scared loser who didn't have the right to call himself a Pokémon trainer—

"Ruff." Riot was suddenly there, nipping at Eijirou's fingers and dragging him out of his own head.

"Ouch! Riot?" Startled red eyes stared into solemn blue. Eijirou had never seen Riot look so intense before like he was staring through him. There was a determination that filled Riot to the brim, making his fur stand on end and his eyes gleam with sharpness, muzzle lifted proudly in the air.  

"Ruff, ruff!" His Pokémon's presence filled the space around him. He butted his head sharply against Eijirou's hand, chasing away the anxious, buzzing thoughts and giving Eijirou clarity for the first time since word of Team Rocket had first reached them.

"We ... can do this. We can help those girls," Eijirou said, hesitation slowly leaking out of his body and voice as he spoke. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer. My Pokémon is standing strong, so I will, too! I gotta be manly—to be anything less would be an insult to my Pokémon's hard work! Yeah! C'mon Riot, let's be heroes!"

"Ruff, ruff, ruff!" Riot barked loudly, spinning in a tight circle and then facing the glass doors with fangs bared. The grunt was leaning over the crying girls in a position of power and intimidation, one hand resting on the door over their heads and the other held out for their Pokéballs.

Eijirou's legs didn't freeze up this time. He sprinted to the door, Riot on his heels, and threw it open. The grunt was thrown off-balance and stumbled to the ground with an expletive. Eijirou used the distraction to push the girls behind him into the safety of the Gym lobby. "Close the doors behind me, don't open them for anyone except Brock-ojiisan or Officer Jenny!"

Riot had already tackled the Raticate, sending it sprawling a few feet away. The grunt recovered and narrowed his eyes at the interloper standing between him and his prey. "Who do you think you are, punk? You think you can just step in and interfere with Team Rocket? Fine, I'll take your Pokémon first! Raticate, Bite that stupid dog!"

Eijirou had never been a part of such a high-stakes Pokémon match. But strangely, all he felt was confidence as Riot dodged the Raticate's teeth and regrouped in front of his Trainer, snarling and baring his fangs. "I won't let you take their Pokémon, and you won't have mine, either! I'll stop you right here and now!"

The grunt backpedalled away from Ejirou, regrouping with his Raticate a safe distance away. "Think you're some kinda hotshot, punk? We'll see which is stronger—your rocks or our teeth!"

He sent the Raticate forward with another Bite. Riot attempted to dodge, but the vicious teeth caught one of the rocks in his ruff with just enough leverage to drag the littler Pokémon closer. Eijirou had a move ready to call out as soon as the Raticate finished its turn and withdrew—but it didn't, just held Riot between its teeth, and before Eijirou could do more than blink in confusion the Rocket grunt yelled, "Hyper Fang!" The stone between the Raticate's wide, flat teeth chipped off with the force of the bite, causing the Rockruff to yelp.

"Riot!" Eijirou shouted in shock and then turned angrily on the grunt. "You used two moves in a row, that's against the rules!"

The Raticate withdrew and hopped back towards its Trainer, who scoffed out a laugh. "What are you gonna do, punk? Call the League on me?"

Eijirou grit his teeth. Man, he hated this guy! "Riot, you good?" he asked his partner, who shook out his ruff and then barked affirmatively. "Awesome! Okay, boy, it's our turn! Looks like that Raticate wants to chew on some rocks—let's give it a whole buffet! Rock Throw!"

Riot's bright blue eyes blazed keenly as his tail began to glow, ejecting sharp stones that hurled themselves at the opponents. There were too many to dodge, but the rocks were small, and Raticate was able to take the attack standing.

Eijirou and Riot settled into the battle with tenacity and focus. Eijirou decided on a long-range battle style, determined to keep Riot away from Raticate's teeth and tail. Riot danced evasively around the increasingly-frustrated rat, picking away at its HP with Rock Throws and using his fluffy tail to sweep a few Sand Attacks into its eyes. Even so, Raticate was a vicious opponent, and its Trainer didn't follow League rules at all—Eijirou had counted six different moves used against Riot so far, often in succession instead of turn-based.

After a few successful Fury Swipes that sent bits of Riot's fur flying, Eijirou decided enough was enough. It was time to end this, the way Eijirou and Riot preferred—up close and personal. "Good boy, Riot! Now, use Crush Claw!"

Riot rushed forward, leaping in the air over the tail that had whipped around in an attempt to trip him up ("Seriously, dude, again?") and landed claws-first on the Raticate's back. Though he was the smaller Pokémon, he was still a rock-type—and therefore weighed enough to flatten that Raticate right out on the ground.  

Surprisingly, it didn't faint. It was close, though, and Crush Claw had lowered its defences even further. Riot, on the other hand, had incredible stamina and could take a few more Bites if Eijirou followed the rules; if he allowed Riot to wait his turn and end this the League way.

But the grunt had made Eijirou realize that this was no proper Pokémon battle. There were no League officials to call fouls, or Gym Leaders to disqualify him. There were no rules and regulations, other than to make sure he and his beloved Pokémon partner got out of this fight in one piece. So Eijirou was going to finish it now, his way. He grinned widely, and peripherally he could see the grunt flinch at the sight of Eijirou's sharp teeth.

"Hey, Riot! Show that Raticate some love!"

Riot nearly howled in delight and nuzzled his jagged rocks into the Pokémon beneath him in aggression more than affection. With a pained cry, Raticate fainted, and then it was finally over. Riot ran barking over to Eijriou and leapt into his arms, and Eijirou was so proud of him he couldn't contain it, laughing and spinning him through the air. "You did it! We did it! We were awesome, yeah!"

The Rocket grunt recalled his fainted Pokémon with a snarl. "You brat. You think you got the best of Team Rocket? You better think again. We got admins here, and you can bet they'll crush that stupid Gym Leader and his rock-type Pokémon to gravel! And you'll be next, I'll make sure of that."

Riot leapt out of Eijirou's hands, snarling viciously, and his tail glowed up for another Rock Throw. The grunt quickly turned tail and ran, cursing as he got pelted with small stones on the way. So unmanly.

Eijirou's Pokédex chirped with battle results and an updated account balance, but Eijirou ignored it. He paced, his victory grin fading into a nervous frown. "I'm kinda worried about Brock-ojiisan. What do ya think, Riot? Should we go find him? And maybe kick more Team Rocket butts along the way?"

Riot full-out howled, claws digging into the earth and hackles rising as he cried out his battle lust to the darkening sky. His eyes almost looked red in the light of the setting sun. Eijirou stared at his Pokémon partner in awe, suddenly understanding Brock-ojiisan's concerns a bit. "You really are getting pretty aggressive, aren't ya little man? Aw, it's kinda cute!"

That had earned him a nipped finger or five.

--------   (-o-) --------

It was a long evening. Eijirou hadn't come across Brock-ojiisan right away, instead diving in to help the ordinary citizens of Pewter City, whose homes and businesses were being looted and their Pokémon stolen by Team Rocket grunts. But Pewter people were tough as nails, and often they dove right into the fray to help each other out, double and even triple battling to send grunts packing. Riot was a force of nature, fast and vicious and tenacious. Eijirou couldn't believe he'd ever doubted this, their strength and their bond, as they won battle after battle.

By the time he found Brock-ojiisan, Eijirou was covered in sweat and dirt, had a lump in the back of his head where he'd been nailed by a stray Bullet Seed, and was having the time of his life.

To his credit, Brock-ojiisan wasn't at all surprised to see him. He just rolled his eyes, tossed Eijirou a Super Potion, and went back to soundly thrashing the Rocket Admin before him. Brock's slightly-psychotic Steelix was out to play, and Eijirou felt bad for the guy, villain though he was—there were definitely broken bones in his future.

He spared a few moments to watch Brock-ojiisan be manly and cool, and then he turned back around. "Alright Riot, let's go towards the school and make sure all the ... students are ... safe?" Eijirou blinked, spinning around and searching the ground around his feet. "Riot? Where are ya, boy?" He stuttered forward a few feet, looking around at the various battles and chaos ensuing around him, trying to catch a glimpse of tan fur. Did that rock-brained dog really just leave to fight without him? Man, he was going to be so aggressive as a Lycanroc ...

But as Eijirou finished a lap around the plaza without a sign of Riot, panic began to set low in his belly. "Riot? RIOT, WHERE ARE YOU?" He'd only taken his eyes off his partner for a second, how could he have lost him? There was no way a Rocket grunt could've snuck up behind him and taken Riot without a sound ... right?

Oh, Arceus. Eijirou broke into a sprint, picking a random street and running past Rocket grunts and Pewple alike. "RIOT! RIOT!" he called over and over, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes as all the terrible scenarios played in his mind. He was laying in a ditch, fainted and hurt. He was abducted by Team Rocket. He was lost, searching for Eijirou just as desperately ...

Out of nowhere, down some side street that Eijirou didn't know the name of, something collided painfully with the back of his knees, and he ate the pavement. It hurt; tears poured down his cheeks as he sat up and spat blood onto the street; his sharp teeth had bitten deep into his tongue. But it didn't matter, because all he could feel was joy and relief. "Riot, thank Arceus I found you—huh?" He looked up into narrow, black eyes and wide, drooling teeth, and that joy died viciously in his chest.

"Well, well, well ... just the brat we were looking for, eh Raticate?" It was him, the grunt from the Gym! But ... why was he here? Eijirou had already defeated him, he wasn't supposed to come back ...! Eijirou scrambled to his feet, mouth full of blood and heart full of fear.  

"Aw, did you lose something, Sharpedo-boy? Why don't I help you with that, huh?"

That paralyzing, choking feeling from the Gym lobby was filling him again. His body trembled. His heart throbbed in his throat, and his legs went numb. What should he do? He'd already decided to never to feel this way again, to doubt in his and Riot's bond—but Riot wasn't here. He'd left Eijirou on his own, with no other Pokémon, to face a villain who so clearly wanted to hurt him.

The grunt's eyes matched his Raticate's, black and small and vicious. "Not so tough without that yappy dog at your heels, slinging its pathetic pebbles, are you brat?" Eijirou stumbled backwards, some sort of flight instinct trying to kick in through the numbness. The grunt stayed still. "Let's see if we can make you faint this time. Raticate, Tackle."

Eijirou barely had time to throw up his hands in a defensive manoeuver before he was thrown off his feet by what felt like the force of a small train, knocking all the wind out of him and laying him flat on his back. Wheezing, Eijirou tried to scramble back to his feet, but he felt uncoordinated and dizzy.

The grunt was drawing closer. His face was so blank, and his eyes were so cold. "Quick Attack." Raticate moved so quickly Eijirou didn't have time to flinch before his body skidded across the ground and his head smacked painfully into the wall behind him. His gasp of pain made him choke on the blood that had been pooling in his mouth from his cut tongue, and he coughed. It hurt. It hurt. He wanted his kaa-san.

The grunt was standing before him now, watching him with a smirk. "That's the problem with these young Pokémon trainers, Raticate. They go traipsing around the region throwing Pokéballs at all sorts of people bigger than them, convinced that theirs is the only kind of power in the world. But take away that Pokéball and all you have left is some snot-nosed brat peeing his pants and crying for Mummy."

Eijirou coughed and spat out more blood and tried not to puke the rest of it up. "W-where ... is h-he?" he gasped. He couldn't sit up, lead lolling uselessly against the wall. "Where's ... Riot ...?"

The grunt shrugged. "Dunno. Shoved in a sack in the back of a van? Kicked into the gutter like old rubbish? Suffocating in some Muk's body? Who knows. Don't really care, I only came here because of you. I owe you." Eijirou had encountered evil for the first time in this world, was looking it in the face, watching as it looked back. This man ... this evil man looked at a little twelve-year-old's bruised and battered face and only said, "Try for a critical hit this time, Raticate. Faint him good and permanent."

Raticate shifted its weight to its back feet, ready to strike—

And then, a howl sounded through the narrow street, so deep and loud that it made the bricks beneath Eijirou's head resonate with the timbre. The Rocket grunt's head whipped around, but by then it was too late—in an explosion of rock shards and a streak of deep red, the Raticate was flung thirty-odd meters down to the other end of the street, crashed into a rubbish bin, and laid still.

The grunt had tripped backwards in shock, falling on the ground and banging his elbow against the cobbles. "Ow, what the f—" he looked up into glowing red eyes, and the curse died on his tongue.

A Midnight-Form Lycanroc stood in front of Eijirou like some avenging angel—no, an avenging devil—muzzle full of sharp teeth and wide paws tipped with wicked claws and glowing red eyes that promised nothing but complete and utter destruction.

The grunt had fear in his eyes, for the first time. He leapt to his feet and ran as fast as he could, fumbling for Raticate's Pokéball to collect him on his way out. But then four massive boulders slammed into the ground around him, boxing him in, preventing escape. Eijirou gaped. Rock Tomb, had to be, but so incredibly powerful ...! And then a fifth boulder, not nearly as large as the others but big enough to get the job done, fell right on top of his head, and the man crumbled and didn't get up again.

Eijirou was too dizzy to move, could only stare incomprehensibly at this strange Lycanroc that had come to rescue him out of nowhere. Really, it was a wonder he was still conscious at this point, so he could be forgiven for the absolute delusion that spilled out of his lips when he looked at this fierce, protective Pokémon—"Dad?"

The Lycanroc whimpered, curling into Eijirou's side and licking his cheek. Suddenly different than before, the Lycanroc curled tightly in a ball, almost in shame, and whined on every exhale.

Eijirou hurt all over. He wanted his kaa-san, but this strange Lycanroc was warm and soft. He closed his eyes, laying his aching head down onto soft scarlet fur, and let himself drift for a bit. He thought at one point maybe he'd heard the Lycanroc barking, and someone calling his name, but Eijirou decided he'd deal with it later. He slept.

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