#though i imagine in the moment of his defeat he realises what is happening to him

[isaacathom]

hang on lemme cook

the short of it is that this kingdom is being absolutely ravaged by a chaos mage. the way chaos works in this setting is it can only be redirected, not destroyed, and it often takes the form of this crackling purple lightning, with strong concentrations of it forming these terrifying tornados. for some reason, the chaos mage is strangely unaffected, and seemingly immortal.

in some small town, a brother and sister are both mages. through some means, the brother acquires this ancient golden coin (either as an heirloom or through shenanigans), which it turns out has the power to absorb chaos.

but, again, it can't be destroyed. the chaos has to go somewhere. the way the coin works, i figure, is by absorbing the chaos into the wielder. the first time he uses it it absolutely nearly kills him, but repeated use sort of inures him to the effects of chaos, but also is absolutely doing some Fascinating shit to him.

as an aside, the difficult thing with this would be making it clear that the thing that turns him into a villain isn't like, chaos poisoning, but his personality lmao

but he gets stronger and stronger as he faces more of the chaos mage's manipulated chaos, and having access to all that chaos inside himself incentivises him to learn how to use it as well. like disarming someone and stabbing them with their own sword.

except, of course, the Chaos Mage is practically immune to the effects of chaos, and has been rendered immortal by it. warriors and mages have tried to defeat him the Usual Ways, and have found no luck.

so how do you defeat the Chaos Mage?

by taking the ancient coin and using it to absorb all the chaos from inside him, stealing from him the reservoir of his magic and also the power that has made him immortal. you render him mortal. you kill him.

but only the kid, inured as he is to chaos, could possibly stand a chance of successfully absorbing that chaos. if someone else, like his sister, tried to do it, the chaos entering her body would kill her before it leaving would kill the Chaos Mage.

and so the brother slays the chaos mage, in the process claiming his power.

which means the brother is now immortal, and practically immune to the effects of chaos, while also being the only person who could possibly wield the coin to defeat him. Oh Fuck.

now there is a way that this COULD end well. if the brother voluntarily gave up his power, travelled to some distant realm of storm to unleash the chaos from inside him, then he would lose that immortality, and a decent amount of his chaotic immunity, while still being an unfathomably powerful mage.

but he won't. of course he wont. because the brother has come to the conclusion that, with his power over chaos, he could Fix things. he could make things Right. he could manipulate chaos to remake the world in his image. He has become the Chaos Mage.

its not the inherent nature of chaos that has done this. its the way those around him have responded to this skillset of his, the hero worship he was granted by many as the only person standing between them and the Chaos Mage. his instinct to take charge, to give orders. uhoh!

so he won't give up his power. and noone can take his power from him.

his sister, who long ago figured out that the chaos mage was her brother, somehow, is thus incentivised to, regretfully, fulfill the loop. the chaos mage was her brother, thousands of years older, full of chaos, without the coin, and yet with identical memories of their childhood together. there must be a way to turn her brother into that man. she must be able to send him Back.

however that is, its not that important. she has to trick him to get it to work. she would have told him, prior to the showdown with the chaos mage, that she thought they were the same. he would have used his defeat of the chaos mage as proof that they weren't.

she has to get the coin off him, and she has to send him back.

i imagine it probably involves preying on his ego. convincing the king or whatever to hold a great ceremony granting the brother some title. the sister finding some way to take the coin away from him. in the middle of the ceremony unleashing this spell on him. having to watch his expression change from an arrogant glee to confused horror to bitter rage. and whoosh.

[grandline-fics]

Hi :3 i just watched the new episode and i want to hit that girl she had to touch zoro and sleep wit him 💔

So may I request zoro xs/o about seeing him with the girl maybe some angst and fluff in the end?

DESCRIPTION: After an unplanned separation, you feel insecure about your new relationship

WARNINGS: angst to fluff

CHARACTERS: Zoro

WORDS: 1,852

A/N:  Thank you for this request! I think I rushed the ending a bit but I hope you're happy with it

*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*

MASTERLIST

———————

Things between you and Zoro were new, incredibly new. There was still a lot you both had to come to grips with, sorting out your feelings and boundaries with each other and still in that moment of not knowing whether what was happening between you both was just lust or if it was going to lead somewhere real. So far you’d both been content to just enjoy the time and moments shared while keeping it all a secret from the crew, deciding it was better to wait before letting them know your personal details. That had been the plan, then it all went wrong in Zou. 

You’d been standing too close to Luffy as you all discussed saving Sanji who was in Big Mom’s territory. Because of that, you were one of the ones he wrapped his arms around and leapt off of the enormous elephant. From there started the longest time you’d both been apart as a couple-albeit a secret one- but you knew Zoro would be just fine in Wano. You just had to do your part and help get Sanji back so the crew could finally be complete again and wasting time thinking about a certain swordsman would only just jeopardise the safety of the crew. 

The entire trip and rescue had been an ordeal you never wanted to go through again. The fractured relationship between Sanji and Luffy had taken its toll- even though much of what Sanji did was to protect everyone- and the battles you had to endure too. You didn’t feel like you could properly breathe any sigh of relief for most of the journey. Yes, you’d all been successful but the loss of Pedro and knowing that as soon as you reached Wano it wouldn’t be long until you were brought straight into another monumental burden of fighting and defeating an Emperor of the sea and his followers. You felt like your head was swimming and stomach was going to be twisted into knots from it all. The only thing that kept you from showing your worries to the others was the thought of seeing Zoro again after weeks of being apart. 

So imagine your shock and hurt of the first seeing him again was seeing him and Sanji interfere during the aftermath of an execution. It wasn’t the fact that he saved a child or that he immediately got into a shouting match with Sanji that got under your skin it was that he didn’t even seem to look for you in the crowd where you stood with the others. Then as fast as you saw him, he was gone again; running to safety with a beautiful woman in his arms. You told yourself you were being ridiculous, that while it seemed like they knew each other Zoro was only acting on instinct to save someone and not because of some other desires fuelling his actions. 

At least that’s what you told yourself at first but as you and the others in the crew ran to escape Kaido’s lackeys you had to listen to Brook gleefully inform a heartbroken Sanji that he had walked in on the sight of this same beautiful woman sleeping contently with Zoro. While Sanji screamed loudly at the revelation you internalised all of your hurt until you were safe and alone, finally able to take out your fury and heartbreak on some random tree in the dense forest with your weapon until your body was too exhausted to move let alone care anymore. In the coming days of preparing for the raid on Kaido’s banquet you kept to yourself, doing all you could to focus your mind on the reason for being in Wano. Still you couldn’t help but numbly rationalise Zoro’s actions. 

Of course the weeks apart would give him insight into how he truly felt. Of course he would have realised he could do better than you. Of course you both only got together in the first place because on the ship, you were the alternative to having any needs he had go unmet. You had to face facts, this was just a fling for Zoro and nothing more. It just killed you inside to realise that you felt so strongly for him, you wished things had ended before it had gotten this far for you. The only thing you were glad of when Zoro finally reappeared was that he had a new sword to hone and train with so he stayed away from you. If there was to be a conversation you wanted it to be after the fight with Kaido, a clouded mind would only lead to mistakes and in this situation it would have been fatal. 

However on the night before the planned fight while the crew had finished their preparations and were beginning to turn in, Zoro walked towards you in the quiet night. He knew you had been keeping your distance from him so he could train and he appreciated that you were so understanding that when he was focused, he needed space. But now there was no more training he could do in the short hours before things would start so he wanted to properly reach out to you. He’d missed you during the time away but to see that you were completely unharmed was a relief. If you’d come back to him with so much as a scratch he would have killed the stupid cook because at the core of the matter it would have been his fault. 

Zoro frowned when you glanced his way and immediately moved to gather your things and find a new place to rest. His hand dropped to your arm but you surprised him when you quickly and sharply twisted from his touch. Then he remembered you two were still a secret. He glanced around the space and smirked to see the coast was clear, but even if the others were still up and about he wouldn’t have cared, not after the time apart. Still if you were still worried about telling the others he’d respect that. “We’re fine. It’s just us.” He spoke lowly to reassure you but it seemed to have the opposite affect when you snapped your head up to glare at him.

“Us?” You repeated coldly, expression melting into one of mock confusion. “There’s an us?”

“Wh-” Zoro was genuinely thrown for a moment and then he became worried that you had been injured in the time away and lost your memories of him. “Of course there is! What happened?” Again he reached out for you but this time your hand slapped his fingers with a sharp snap while the fierce glare returned to your eyes.

“Oh nothing’s wrong with me, I just don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. Last thing I’d want is to get cosy with someone else’s man.” Your tone was scarily even and Zoro still didn’t know what you were talking about. He didn’t even know how to fix whatever it was that was bothering you. Thankfully you clarified by lightly tapping the hilt of Enma that was against his hip with his other swords. “It’s cute she knows the right gifts to give you so early in the romance.”  Despite the sweet words, the venom in your voice was unmistakable and Zoro finally saw the pain dimming your eyes as you regarded his new sword.

“Hiyori?” Zoro asked startled that you’d even think there was anything romantic going on there. She only gave him the sword as an exchange that was it. “There’s nothing between us. Definitely not ‘cosy’ trust me on that.” At that you let out a short, hollow breath of laughter which worried Zoro even more when he was so used to your laugh being filled with warmth and joy. 

“Well the way Brook tells it, the whole situation seemed very cosy…” Slowly you stepped closer to him, finally for the first time in ages and dragged your fingers across his chest while your other hand slid up his arm, drawing your body further into his space. Your head tilted up, purposely letting your nose gently skim against his throat until you could peer up at him with your guarded gaze. “Something like this, if i’m remembering right. You don’t call this cosy?” Zoro was stuck, if he said yes he was screwed, if he said no he was also screwed.

“Don’t worry about it Zoro. We had our fun while it lasted, right?” You forced out in as light a voice as possible. “You should get some rest while you can and I don’t want to waste anymore of your time.” When you moved to pull away you were immediately caught by Zoro’s reflexes. While you were fast, he was faster when he wanted to be. You let out a gasp to be pulled impossibly close against his chest as his arms locked around you, holding your body against his. 

You wanted to fight against the hold that was strong, secure, and -as much as you hated it- comforting. Even now with your heartbroken mind racing, you always felt safe and warm in his arms. You tried to open your mouth to tell him to let go but you couldn’t. Part of you didn’t want to  because the last thing you wanted now was for your voice to be a pitiful, weak tremble but another part knew that even if you managed out the words, he would have listened. So you kept your mouth closed. “I’ve missed you. I wished you hadn’t gone after that cook with the others.” 

Your body tensed at his words, hearing how sincere they were made your knotted worries and spiralling hurt begin to loosen slightly. You didn’t regret helping with Kanji’s rescue but you did also wish you’d gone to Wano with Zoro. “I’m sorry you were made to think the worst. I promise you there wasn’t anything going on with her or anyone. There is no one but you.”  

“Don’t say that.” You whispered, trying not to melt into his embrace. Even with him telling the truth it didn’t stop the fact that your insecurities had surfaced and with them came concerns about everything. “Compared to someone like her I’m-”

“Perfect. Mine. Everything.” Zoro interrupted fiercely before pressing a kiss against your temple. “I’ll say it as many times as it takes to get you to believe it. But first-” You staggered when Zoro let you go and began stomping towards the Sunny. “I’ve got a skeleton to kill for causing you to hurt.” Bewildered by the immediately bloodlust rolling off of his frame you had no choice but to chase after him to stop him from killing another member of the crew while shouting that you believe him. When you finally caught up to him you pulled him into another tight hug with shaking hands. While things were still new between you two and it was clear you both had a lot to work out you now knew that for as long as you wanted him, Zoro would be there. 

[snnrinc]

Free Falling For You

— PAIRING : Hawks/Keigo Takami x GN!Reader

— WARNINGS : SFW, slow burn/mutual pining, (mostly) fluff, acrophobia (fear of heights) aka reader is scared of heights/falling and has a panic attack, but Hawks is there for comfort and exposure therapy.

• — EXCERPT : You were silent for a few seconds before you let out another awkward laugh. "It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I've always dreamed of having a quirk that allows me to fly."

"Really? With your fear of heights?"

You bashfully covered your face for a second before letting it fall next to your head. "Yeah. When I was younger, I was always jealous of others who have quirks like that, especially since... well, I have no quirk. I used to fly kites as a kid and imagine what it would be like to be so high up instead," you stared up at the sky, a calm smile stretching on your lips. You followed the movement of the billowing clouds floating in the sky and the way the rays of sun fell through their openings. The shadows and colours casted on their surface made them seem like mountains of smoke, and for a moment you imagined what it would be like to fly through them and touch them. Would they be cold? Would the water in them make your clothes wet? Would the air be too thin to breathe?

Would you feel as free as you imagined?

Hawks never moved his eyes from your face. The dreamy look you had made his lips turn up at the corners in a phantom smile, barely there but still enough for the warmth to reach his eyes. His thumb unconsciously rubbed the back of your hand and made you look at him, still beaming.

"I can take you flying."

— WORD COUNT : 5.3k

You turned yet another page from the file you were carefully examining, sighing when you saw the lines of information you still had to go though and input into your computer. Putting the file down, you opened an excel sheet to check if the information matched, bringing a hand to your temple and leaning your elbow on your desk once you realised the dataset was incomplete.

Your eyes scanned over the document, trying to measure the amount of damage done to your workload and to mentally calculate just how long you'd have to work overtime to fix everything. Frustrated, you took the file from next to your keyboard and slammed it further away, near the edge of your desk, almost knocking over the drink that was being placed on the surface right at that moment. The person holding it had good enough reflexes to pull back their hand just in time to dodge the paperwork.

"Whoa," a voice called out, the drink now placed at a safe distance from your huffing form, just barely enough to reach it comfortably without accidentally spilling it. "What's got you so worked up?"

You sighed heavily once again and threw your hands up. "What the fuck am I supposed to do with these?!" you started, indignant, and pointed towards your computer screen. "There's missing data, the names right here are spelled wrong and couldn't be recognised by the system, and the information in the report I was given was not triangulated properly, so now I have to spend time searching the archive for the correct information!"

"What a bother," the person beside you nonchalantly remarked before you heard them slurp their own drink unperturbed.

You turned your unamused face to stare at the hero beside you, who was looking at you from behind the rim of his hot drink, almost seemingly waiting for your retort.

"Did you just come here to annoy me, Hawks?"

He shrugged. "I happen to work here, too. And I have a coworker that is constantly on the verge of a work-induced coma, so I figured some coffee would keep you alive."

You slumped your shoulders, defeated, and reached out for your drink from beyond the files spread out in front of you, taking a sip of your own and allowing the warm liquid to calm you down before the caffeine kicked in.

You closed your eyes and relished in the bittersweet taste of your beverage, eternally grateful that Hawks would regularly come by your desk to visit you and occasionally bring you something to drink or snack on. In the time you'd been working for the Commission after finishing your studies, you'd grown quite close to the pro hero, considering him one of your best work friends. The feeling always seemed to be mutual, what with Hawks constantly hanging around you while at the office to cure his boredom and your stress through your little inside jokes and playful banter.

He was just as grateful for your relationship as you were. Despite often keeping it professional, his time with you at work felt like a breath of fresh air. A busy pro hero such as himself, who was constantly bombarded with attention from reporters and fans any time he was not on field, was thankful to have coworkers that knew to mind their own business like you. You were always too focused on your work to care about frivolous things such as being in close proximity to one of the country's most popular heroes, and he was always too laid-back for you to take seriously, so it wasn't long before any joke or comment he made bounced right back from you. Frankly, being in each others presence was as relaxing as it was entertaining.

But right now you felt like neither of those.

"I am at my fucking limit," you mused aloud while mindlessly staring at the paperwork you still had to go through.

"Alright!" the hero beside you exclaimed in a chipper voice and placed his cup down on your desk. "Sounds like what you need is a break."

"I can't take my break now, I'll have to work overtime so I'll take it later."

"When's your deadline?"

"Um, a week from now, I think?" you opened your calendar to check and sighed. "Yeah, I have a meeting with the big bosses in like eight days. I can't slack off now."

"You call that slacking off, I call it making sure you don't pass out from a lack of sleep. I'm willing to bet you slept only three hours last night – as usual, might I add – from how dead inside you look."

"Four, actually."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Oh, excuse me, you're right. That's definitely enough sleep to function normally."

You clicked your tongue at his sarcastic comment. "I am functioning normally, especially now that my best friend in this place was kind enough to bring me coffee."

You mustered up your most toothachingly sweet smile as you fluttered your lashes at the man before both of you chuckled.

"Well, your best friend is going to take you out of this place. Who else would entertain me here if you pass away from being overworked?"

"Don't you, like, have a super busy schedule, being a hero and all?" you moved the bottom of the cup around in a circular motion. "You're barely at the office. I'd assume you get enough entertainment on the field."

He scrunched his nose. "I wouldn't call that entertainment, but yeah, I'm not always around. But it's boring and depressing when you're not here, so I'd rather not have you take sick leave."

You smirked and leaned back in your chair, shrugging your shoulders. "What can I say, I'm just a treat to be around."

"Yeah, when you don't look like you'll kill anyone who approaches you when you work. I thought I was done for for a second there." You rolled your eyes and he laughed at your reaction, before placing his hand on your shoulder in a friendly gesture, patting it softly. "Then let's go already."

"Go where?"

"On your break!"

"I told you I can't-"

"And I told you I'm not going to let you overwork yourself. C'mon, pack your things."

"But if I go then they will-"

"Then they'll know you're with me on a mission," he was dodging your protests with ease, already neatly closing the open folders from your desk and grabbing the coat that was hanging from the back of your chair.

"That's so stupid, I'm not a hero, I don't do field work!"

"Then we'll call it research." When you made no attempt to move from your seat as he turned to walk towards the exit, he halted his movements, looking at you and sighing. Your arms were crossed over your chest and the look in your eyes was almost admonishing. "You're entitled to your break, y'know? There's nothing they can do about it."

"If I stop now, I won't have any motivation to continue later."

"That's a poor excuse and you know it. Now let's go."

"Why do we need to go somewhere? I can take my break here."

His eyes narrowed. "Are you taking me for a fool? You know I'm technically your boss, right?"

You let out an amused huff and let your arms uncross, body moving forward so you could rest your elbows on the desk. "Don't give me that. If you're my boss, then give me a raise and I'll stop complaining."

Ultimately surrendering, you logged off from your computer and stood up, stretching the pain out of your lower back before you stepped towards the hero. As you were taking your coat from his arm, he brought his free hand to his chin in mock contemplation, an exaggerated deep in thought expression spreading on his face to your amusement.

"Hmm, I dunno," he mused, tapping his chin, "you don't seem to follow instructions from management very well. Maybe if you'd show a little respect and listened to me from time to time, I'd be generous enough to consider your request for a higher salary." You laughed shortly and playfully smacked his arm with the sleeve of your coat as you were putting it on. "Ow! Yet another display of insubordination added to the list. Keep it up and I might not give you that raise."

"Whatever, boss."

You both started walking towards the exit of your office, with you enjoying finally being out of the chair that was the cause for all your back and leg pains, and him enjoying your laughter at his antics. You didn't notice the way his eyes lingered on you as you smiled and softly leaned into him to bump your shoulder into his, nor the way his own grin widened at the contact. He was first to finally break the short-lived silence.

"So, where to?"

"I'm not sure. Somewhere peaceful and quiet would be really nice. I'm not in the mood to be around people right now."

"So... Where to?" he urged again.

You thought for a second, then turned towards the hero. "Where do you usually go when you want to relax?"

×

"I don't find this relaxing in the slightest, Hawks!"

Your panicked voice was only met with a carefree laugh. You would've turned towards the man to shoot a flaming glare at him, had you not been too preoccupied steadying your breathing and gripping Hawks' arm with enough force that he was sure you'd leave bruises on his skin.

Sitting on the ledge of a 30 story building was not what you had in mind when you thought of a quiet place away from people where you could spend your break, but now that you were here, looking at the view of the city in front of you — or rather, below you — you realised you asked the worst possible person to suggest a location.

The one who could fly.

Gripping the hero's arm close to your body, you registered his other arm was still snaked around your waist from where he placed it when he suddenly flew you both to the top of the building. But it did not ease your worries when the dizzying view of the far away ground seemed to keep on getting further and further away, your vision darkening and shapes and colours melding together into a kaleidoscope. Your hands started trembling, and soon the shiver crawled up your arms and cracked down your entire body like a thunderbolt. And even in such a state of panic, you didn't allow yourself to close your eyes to block the terrifying image, but instead you kept them wide open, senses forced into overdrive with only one thought flooding your mind.

Danger. Danger. Danger.

"Hey," the sound of his voice barely registered through the deafening sound of your blood thumping in your ears. A particularly heavy breeze brushed past you and made you yelp. Your entire body jolted when you felt yourself inching closer to what you thought was the imminent fall to your death, and his grip on you tightened when your breathing started coming out in heavy gasps. "Hey," he repeated, a bit more forcefully this time to get your attention. The hand you were holding onto carefully went up to your chin and moved it towards him softly so you could focus on him and not the view before you, causing you to press your body closer to his own in an attempt to maintain at least a semblance of stability. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm here. Breathe."

You listened to his soft command and mimicked his breathing pattern.

Inhale.

One, two, three...

Exhale.

Your shaky breaths mingled with his own from how close you were. After what felt like a few minutes, when your breathing evened out, you stared into his eyes, waiting for your heart to cease its restless thumping against your ribcage. He stared back at you, softly, his brows furrowed in worry. When he felt the shaking in your hands dissipate a bit and your eyes clear from the cloud of fear that was shadowing them, he pulled you over the ledge so you could sit comfortably on the flat roof of the building, never letting go of you.

"I won't let you fall," he reassured you.

You let out a half-hearted laugh. "I know, I'm sorry. I never reacted like this before. I don't know what happened."

"No, I should apologize, I didn't realise you were this scared of heights," you could see the guilt swirl in his eyes. "I just... Your office is on the top floor and I always see you at the window looking at the city. I assumed you'd be comfortable."

It was your turn to reassure the man. With a smile and a pat on his shoulder, you spoke: "It's okay, Hawks, really. You couldn't have known. I mean, when I said peaceful and quiet, I expected a secluded garden or something. I should've expected this to be a relaxing place for someone who can fly, so it's partly my fault."

"I'll take you back down," he moved to stand up but you caught his sleeve, half out of panic and the other out of impulse.

"No no, it's okay! We can stay here. Now that I'm not looking down, it really is peaceful."

He hesitated, eyes focused on you, searching for any hint of discomfort. But when he saw you lay down and stare at the sky calmly, he sunk slowly to the floor beside you. You stood in silence for a few moments before you got uncomfortable with how his eyes were seemingly boring holes into you, so you turned your head to the side to meet his stare.

"You seem more scared than I am," you said with a smirk. "I'm really fine. I'm with the one hero who can save me if I ever fall, after all."

"Your hands are still shaking."

Amusement disappeared from your face when you realised he could see right through you. Before you could come up with a good enough excuse, his hand slipped into yours, holding onto it tight and gazing at you with a serious look. You became acutely aware of how your hands were indeed still shaking in his grip, your heart pounding against your chest, and you were unsure if it was a remnant of your fear still surging through your body like an undercurrent or a result of his touch and intense stare.

Swallowing a lump in your throat, you willed yourself to look away, back at the clouds on the sky.

"Why are you forcing yourself to stay here if you're uncomfortable?" he spoke again. "We can always go to a different place for your break."

You laughed awkwardly. "This is going to sound weird, but um... I actually like heights, even though I'm scared of them." When you were met with silence, you turned your head towards him again, only to find him frowning in confusion, his eyes quietly asking if you're being serious. You sighed. "I know it sounds stupid, but heights are a lot less intimidating when there's some surface separating me from a free fall. Like the windows at the office."

"So you're telling me," he gestured in your general direction with his free hand, "you're just a walking paradox?"

"Sort of, yeah," you shrugged. You were silent for a few seconds before you let out another awkward laugh. "It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I've always dreamed of having a quirk that allows me to fly."

"Really? With your fear of heights?"

You bashfully covered your face for a second before letting it fall next to your head. "Yeah. When I was younger, I was always jealous of others who have quirks like that, especially since... well, I have no quirk. I used to fly kites as a kid and imagine what it would be like to be so high up instead," you stared up at the sky, a calm smile stretching on your lips. You followed the movement of the billowing clouds floating in the sky and the way the rays of sun fell through their openings. The shadows and colours casted on their surface made them seem like mountains of smoke, and for a moment you imagined what it would be like to fly through them and touch them. Would they be cold? Would the water in them make your clothes wet? Would the air be too thin to breathe?

Would you feel as free as you imagined?

Hawks never moved his eyes from your face. The dreamy look you had made his lips turn up at the corners in a phantom smile, barely there but still enough for the warmth to reach his eyes. His thumb unconsciously rubbed the back of your hand and made you look at him, still beaming.

"I can take you flying."

Your expression slowly morphed into a surprised one, and Hawks caught himself after realising he spoke without thinking first. This time, he finally broke eye contact and looked up at the sky.

"I mean, I know you're scared and all, I don't want to make that worse. But y'know, in the future, if you ever feel comfortable, I could..."

He trailed off, worried that if he kept talking he'd end up spouting something stupid. You smiled softly and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you, but I wouldn't wanna use you as my personal jetpack. Besides, you don't have to deal with my fear of heights or anything. I'd be the worst passenger ever."

"I wouldn't mind."

He turned his head towards you and the way he looked at you, so tender and honest, had your breath catch in your throat. Had he ever looked at you like this before? You weren't sure, but you couldn't deny the way it made your heart flutter just a bit faster.

You swallowed thickly. "I'm sure you're too busy for that."

"I'm never too busy for you."

The warmth forming in your chest spread throughout your body and you felt your hand twitch in his grip. His sharp eyes never left yours and you suddenly felt self-conscious under his scrutiny. You stared back at how the gentle wind blew through his hair and feathers, entranced with the way he looked when the sun casted a warm ray on his face, making his golden eyes glow in the light.

With rationality steadily slipping from you, you settled for the simplest answer.

"Okay."

His eyes softened and his face lit up with a boyish grin. "Great! Don't worry, we'll start slow and get over your fear of heights together."

"Thank you, Hawks," you smiled back at him.

You two stared at each other, beaming, for a long moment, before your alarm suddenly startled you. You pulled your phone out of your pocket and stopped it, sighing as you let your hand rest against your chest.

"That's my cue to get back to work."

He pushed himself up from the ground and pulled you to him, his arm back around your waist securely. It was a way to reassure you that you were safe, but to you it felt a lot more intimate than that.

"I'll take you back to the office," he stated, then paused for a second. "I think it's safer if we take the stairs this time."

×

It had been three and a half months since you started "training" with Hawks.

Three and a half months of the hero visiting you daily, either on your breaks or after your shift finished and he was not on patrol. In this time, he'd somehow managed to find a way to fit — in his already tight schedule — at least 10 minutes of meeting you daily to slowly help you overcome your fear. Each day that passed, the altitude at which he'd take you got higher and higher, keeping up with his promise of not pushing your boundaries too hard and constantly reassuring you that you were in safe hands. He was always a calm and laid back presence on the backdrop of a stressful situation, which constantly reminded you why he was a pro hero.

You, on the other hand, were positively losing your mind.

Not because each day you were facing small doses of your fear, anticipating the ground to move from under your feet as you rose into the air — after the first few weeks, you'd gotten accustomed to the feeling.

But because each day you were anticipating meeting him, holding him, listening to his soft words of reassurance whispered so close to your ear that you could feel his breath fan the side of your face from the proximity. Your bodies were always pressed so close together once you took off from the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around you to keep you safe.

It was becoming too much to handle. At this point, you didn't even know if the adrenaline pumping through your veins was from being exposed to your biggest fear daily, or from getting to spend even more time with Hawks than you normally would. Be even closer to him than you normally would.

Alas, today you had no time to ruminate over your crush on your coworker/boss. Because...

"Today is the day!"

You were back on the roof of the tallest building in the city. Except this time, you had a lot more control over your feelings, to the point that you were able to stand on your own two feet on the edge of the roof without having a mental breakdown, albeit still holding onto Hawks.

The man next to you definitely seemed a lot more excited about the situation than you were. He looked at you with a beaming smile and you almost felt your knees go weak, before your muscles tensed. You were too high up to fall now.

"Yeah, I guess so..." you answered, adjusting the visor Hawks gave you to sit comfortably on the bridge of your nose.

His smile faltered for a second. "Do you want to stop?"

"Hell no, we didn't work so hard for this to stop now."

"I don't know, you seem unsure..."

His eyebrows knitted together in a concerned look. He suddenly felt very selfish in the way he had been handling your fear of heights and, most importantly, your curiosity towards flying. Part of him jumped for joy the moment that you told him you had a passion for flying, excited that he had the opportunity not only to get closer to you and spend more time with you, but also to share a part of himself with you without compromising his professional life or yours.

But now, another part of him wanted to slap the first one upside the head for getting ahead of himself.

Sensing his restlessness in the way his hand gripped yours a little tighter, you turned towards him fully, a determined look on your face.

"Hawks, you've helped me a lot these past few months. I'm not letting it go to waste. I've dreamt of this for too long to back out now just because I'm scared." You squeezed his hand back and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm a lot braver than I look, especially with you by my side."

Relieved, the corners of his mouth lifted back up into a smirk, his eyes narrowing and the arm snaked around you pulling you even closer to his body.

"Then you better hold on tight, dove."

You had no time to even comprehend the name he called you before his wings raised then dropped quickly, catching enough wind to push both of you off the edge of the building. You let out a small scream of surprise, your arms moving to lock tightly around his neck as his beating wings brought you higher into the sky.

Your eyes were screwed shut, unable to force yourself to open them for fear that the control you had over yourself would slip out of your fingers and undo months worth of progress. Your mind was racing, muscles tense and hands clenching so tight the skin on your knuckles started to hurt as your nails dug into your palm.

Before your thoughts could slip into panic, you felt Hawks slow down his ascend and press his cheek into the side of your head.

"It's alright, I got you. I won't let you fall."

You gulped down the worry that was blocking your throat, his reassurance and the grip he had on you finally enough to urge you to open your eyes. You didn't look around. Instead, you moved to focus on his face and the soft smile he sent your way when you looked at him. The way his eyes lit up with warmth almost seemed like he was proud of how brave you were in that moment.

"There you are," he cooed. You gave him a smile in return. "How're you feeling?"

"A little cold, to be honest," you answered.

"I'd give you my jacket but it's hard to maneuver it off while flying," he moved one hand carefully to pull you closer into him, burying you in his chest so he could drape the sides of his jacket over you as much as possible. You felt how he started moving again, a slow stride through the air to get you accustomed. "Do you wanna look down?"

You turned your head to the side and realised just how high up you were. A shaky breath fell through your lips as you looked around. Worried, Hawks watched your expressions carefully, searching for any sign of fear. But when your mouth curled into an excited grin at how close you were to the clouds, it boosted his confidence enough to start drifting through the air more comfortably, his wings spread out to their full span as he took in your awestruck expression. He couldn't help but feel his heart warm up at the sight, how adorable you looked enjoying something so fundamental for him. He was glad he could share a piece of himself with you that you welcomed with open arms despite your fear, happy to make your dream come true and to have you enter a space that was once just his own little bubble, his own escape, the place he went to when he needed to get away from everything and just exist. Up here, soaring through the sky, the world seemed so far away and insignificant. Here, there was no hero, no Hawks, no celebrity that gets recognised at every street corner, no crisis he had to deal with.

There was just him.

And now, the picture was complete with you.

Your smile was brighter than the sunrays diving through the clouds, your laughter sweet like honey, and he couldn't help but echo your giggles with his own. You made every shade of colour pop out and every sound the wind brought to him become melodious.

"We are flying!" you yelled out in child-like glee, and despite the strong hold you still had on him out of anxiety, your worries started to melt away and flow into the wind like tiny droplets of rain on a spring day. You heard Hawks laugh from next to your ear and it only fuelled your joy even more.

The feeling of freedom coursing through you was unlike any other. No amount of closing your eyes while sitting on a park bench when a breeze hits you just right, imagining what soaring through the sky would be like, could ever compare to the real thing.

Like a child in a candy store, you started pointing out what you found most interesting: the way a cloud looked like a giant dragon ascending from a mountain, the way some birds would pass by you or fly alongside you, the way you could make out your office building and how tiny the cars looked. Up here, away from the world, everything seemed magical.

After a while, your joy settled into silent wonder, opting to listen to the wind blow through Hawks' feathers while admiring the view of the city below you. Although still buzzing with excitement and unrest, the comfortable silence between you was calming, soothing your worries. Without realising, you leaned your head on his and sighed in content, his heart jumping in his chest at how close your face was to his.

Much too soon, the sun began to set and Hawks returned you to the spot atop the building where you left from. Once your feet touched the ground and Hawks let you go, your knees turned to jelly from the adrenaline now draining from your body and the hero hooked an arm around you to stop you from stumbling.

"Are you okay?" he asked in worry, but his concern was silenced when you dug your hands into his collar and pulled him in for a kiss, your lips pressing into his like it was both the first and the last time you'd ever have a chance to kiss him.

You pushed yourself off of him too soon for his liking, a look of surprise dawning on your face at your actions. You opened your mouth to speak, but any word of apology and excuse that begged to leave your chest died behind the lump rapidly forming in your throat.

His eyes were on you, focused on the way your lips parted, and before you could even begin to formulate an intelligible sentence, the arm that was still hooked around you pulled you flush against him, his free hand climbing up to rest on the side of your face as he leaned in for another kiss, this time slower, savouring every breath you'd take in and every movement of your lips against his. He let himself go, wings unfurling and moving to rest around you as he poured into your lungs every last drop of yearning he'd been bottling up since you became friends.

Friends. How he'd come to hate that word and adore it at the same time. It meant he could be close to you, hear you sprinkle little details about yourself and your mundane life in between sips of coffee on your break, see the way your stressed and tired expression lit up when he'd bring you a snack and try to sneak you away on an extra break, hear the way you laugh at one of his jokes and softly slap his shoulder in amusement.

But it was never enough to pacify the urge to get even closer, to burrow in your bones and your soul and hide there for the rest of his life. Instead, he settled for a limbo that was also his own personal haven when everything else got overwhelming.

But this time, you didn't pull away. Instead you melted into him, revelling in his warmth, the smell of the crisp wind still fresh on his clothes and the softness of his lips making you feel like your head was spinning and your body caught fire. After what felt like minutes, you both pulled away just enough to catch your breaths, noses and lips still touching. He smiled, soft eyes looking at you like you were the only person in the world.

He rubbed his nose softly against yours. "Guess I should take you flying more often, huh?"

You gave him an dazed smile and chuckled. "I'd love that. It was the coolest thing I've ever done." You leaned back to look at him fully, excitement once again evident on your face as you started ranting about everything you liked about what you just experienced. Hawks smiled and laughed alongside you. He loved seeing you this happy, and in that moment he made a promise to himself to do anything to keep that beautiful smile on your face.

After all, he promised he wouldn't let you fall.

He never promised he wouldn't fall for you instead.

[avonne-writes]

You seem to like headcanons so...

What if it was the Soviets that liberated Bucky and the rest of POWs? Imagine the now-free soldiers getting into a Soviet base to sort out the paperwork regarding who they are and who do they have to ship to which base etc. And when they get that sorted out they stick at the base for a night to finally get some rest. But of course they celebrate. Bucky and some of the guys from their Stalag room go drinking with a group of Soviet soldiers. There's vodka and there's a radio. Bucky can't help himself and starts singing in gibberish even though he can't understand a word of the songs being played. The Soviets figure he won't stop singing so they teach him how to at least buther the lyrics a little bit less. Bucky in turn teaches them the refrain of Blue Skys. And as the evening drags on the youngest of the Soviets, Mirko, short for Miroslav, gets a brilliant idea to teach Bucky the hopak dance. And somehow after about a million tries, Bucky figures it out.

Fast forward to after the war and Bucky is dragging Buck to a bar. They had just moved into the house Buck had once thought would be for him and Marge, and Bucky found out about a bar nearby where other wwii vets hang out. There they meet a guy called Marcus, who was a part of the band. As it turned out he also spent some time among Soviets. He and Bucky bond and Bucky convinces him to play Katyusha, insisting he actually knows how to sing along. His vocals barely resemble the actual lyrics and his company, new to his lack of singing talent groans. Buck just leans on the bar, chuckling at the scene. After many complaints, Bucky is forced to stop singing and rather goes dancing with the rest of the group.

The band is in the mood for upbeat music tonight and Bucky's having the time of his life. He almost gets Buck to join. Almost. Accepting his defeat, he starts to dance with a pretty girl, Marcus's girlfriend, spinning her around and winking at Buck who frowns in return. The girl dances with Bucky a moment more and then notices a dance circle forming and pushes him into it. Bucky, realising what happened flashes her a grin and for god knows what reason, decides to do the hopak dance. The company cheers and he almost kicks accidentally kicks a guy called Paul in the shin. Bucky loses his balance and falls on his ass laughing. He stands up, bows, and makes way to the bar. He orders himself another whiskey and leans toward Buck, bumping his shoulder.

"Where on Earth did you learn that?" asks Buck, taking a sip of his ginger beer.

"You liked it, huh?"

"It was the Russians, wasn't it?"

"Admit it, you liked how quickly I dropped into that squat," teased Bucky, "makes you wonder how quickly I could drop to my knees." This made Gale almost snort out his ginger beer.

Bucky downed his whiskey, winked at him and skipped back onto the dancefloor. Buck just rolled his eyes with a chuckle. His eyes were still a little bit pink, though, as he watched Bucky dance.

Bucky was half asleep and heavily drunk as Buck drove them home. His head was slumped on the window and he kept murmuring that Soviet song under his breath. It sounded just as horrible as when he belted out the lyrics out loud.

I do like headcanons! Thank you so much for sharing this, dear 😊 Haha, Bucky does seem like the type who bonds with strangers over drinking songs, language barrier be damned. And he'd show off what he learned later on as well. I know what you sent is more of a fluffy plot bunny, but we can also think of the more serious aspects of what would have happened if they were liberated by the Soviets. That could also make for an interesting fic.

[lokidokieokie]

Threads of Redemption

Summary: You were always the annoying vampire that got in the way of the Scoobies, so you could imagine their annoyance when they needed you to defeat a mutual enemy. All this changes, though, when Giles is put in danger...

Pairing: Rupert Giles x Vampire!Fem!Reader

Warning(s): typical canon-like violence, kinda enemies to lovers vibes (not really tho), staking, vampire things, witches, fighting (lemme know if I forgot anything)

A/N my sister has recently really got into Buffy the Vampire slayer, and I have completely fallen for a few of the characters...please bare with me while I explore my new obsession :)

The old factory reverberated with the echoes of battle as the Scooby Gang, joined by you, confronted a coven of powerful witches. Despite the occasional irritation and banter that coloured your interactions with the group, a sense of camaraderie had grown over time.

Giles adjusted his glasses, his gaze shifting between the looming threat and the artefact clutched in his hand. "Do be careful, Y/n," he warned, his voice tinged with concern. "Our adversaries are not to be taken lightly."

You smirked, flashing a playful wink. "Don't worry, Giles. I've got enough bite to match their bark," you retorted, revelling in the banter that had become customary between you.

Xander chuckled, joining in the exchange. "That's the spirit! Show 'em what you're made of."

Buffy interjected, her tone serious. "Alright, everyone. Let's stay focused. We need to protect the artefact and take down these witches before they cause any more harm."

As the battle erupted, the witches unleashed their malevolent magic, threatening to overpower the Scooby Gang. With each surge of power, the factory walls trembled, dust falling from the ceiling.

The group fought with unwavering determination, their efforts synchronised to counter the witches' onslaught. You, harnessing your vampiric strength, leapt into the fray, striking with deadly precision.

But as the battle reached its crescendo, a surge of dark energy crackled through the air. The witches, sensing their imminent defeat, resorted to a desperate act—a final attempt to decimate the lives of their adversaries.

In a blur of motion, one of the witches summoned a stake infused with dark magic, hurtling it toward the heart of Giles. Time seemed to slow as you registered the danger, your instincts overriding any thought of self-preservation.

With a surge of supernatural speed, you intercepted the stake, the wooden weapon piercing through your chest instead of Giles'.

Shock and horror contorted Giles' features as he watched you crumple to the ground, the stake protruding from your body. The Scooby Gang froze, their cries of disbelief drowned by the sound of their racing hearts.

Giles fell to his knees beside you, his voice choked with anguish. "No, no, this can't be happening," he whispered, his hands trembling as he tried to staunch the flow of blood.

His voice wavered with desperation, denial lacing every word. "You're fine. You're going to wake up any moment now, and we'll laugh about this," Giles pleaded, his gaze fixated on your lifeless form.

Tears welled in Buffy's eyes, her voice filled with sorrow. "Giles..."

But he continued, his voice trembling with a mixture of grief and denial. "Please, don't leave me," he whispered, his words barely audible. "I can't lose you."

The Scooby Gang watched in solemn silence, their hearts heavy with grief. The weight of the moment pressed upon them, the realisation of the sacrifices made in their fight against evil.

And then, in an inexplicable turn of events, the artefact clutched in Giles' hand began to emit a radiant glow. The Scooby Gang's attention shifted from their despair to the unfolding mystery before them.

Unbeknownst to Giles, the artefact possessed a hidden ability—one that defied explanation and transcended mortal understanding. It held within it the power to rewrite destinies, to defy death itself.

In an ethereal display, the glow enveloped your lifeless form, mending your wounds and reversing the irreversible. The stake within your chest disintegrated into dust, and colour flooded back into your ashen complexion.

With a gasp, your eyes fluttered open, meeting Giles' tear-filled gaze. A hushed silence settled over the group, broken only by the collective sigh of relief that escaped their lips.

Giles stared at you, a mixture of disbelief and awe etched upon his face. The weight of his grief lifted, replaced by an overwhelming sense of gratitude and wonder. It was a moment that reminded him of the extraordinary bonds forged in the crucible of loss and resurrection.

As the battle drew to a close, the Scooby Gang gathered around, their expressions a mix of relief and exhaustion. The dust settled, and a newfound calm settled over the factory.

You and Giles locked eyes once more, a tension lingering between you that had only grown during your time together. The near-loss had stripped away the barriers that stood between you, leaving only raw vulnerability and unspoken desire.

In that moment, guided by an unspoken understanding, you closed the distance between you. The world around you faded into the background as your lips met in a tender, passionate kiss.

It was a release—an affirmation of life and the unbreakable bond forged in the crucible of grief and resilience. It was a declaration that even amidst the darkness, love and redemption could be found.

When you finally pulled away, the intensity of the moment lingered in the air. The Scooby Gang watched, their eyes filled with a mixture of shock and disgust.

Giles' voice broke the silence, his tone filled with warmth and vulnerability. "I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I don't want to face it without you," he confessed, his hand gently cradling your face.

You smiled, your heart brimming with newfound hope. "Then let's face it together, Giles," you whispered, intertwining your fingers with his.

And amidst the ruins of the battle, the Scooby Gang stood as a united front, ready to face whatever darkness lay ahead, their spirits rekindled by the threads of redemption that wove their lives together.

A/N ahhhh! I know that this is really random to post, but Giles is just...perfect! I'm not going to tag anyone, as this is not related to any of my previous content, but please, let me know if you'd like to be tagged in any of my BtVS fics!

[zaewriteshere]

Guardian of the Protocol

Doubts

AO3 Link

First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

You took a moment to gather your thoughts… And mostly yourself.

You prepared a little speech in your head for Ryo to hear.

You didn’t know why though, you never prepared for conversations.

You just blurted out what you honestly thought.

You guessed that today was really going to be a weird day.

Exiting your room, you scanned the hallway, searching for Yoru.

Not seeing him, you figured he may be in his living space. 

You walked up to the entrance, and gently knocked on the door.

…

Suddenly getting cold feet, you turned around and started walking away as you heard the door unlock and open.

He called out your name, hesitantly.

As if he didn’t believe what he was seeing.

You stopped in your tracks, starting to fidget with your fingers, refusing to turn around to face him.

You didn’t hear his footsteps behind you, so you figured that he was still next to the doorframe.

The silence stretched out, and you had no idea what to say, the speech from earlier escaping from your memory.

You wanted to apologise, but you didn’t know for what.

You also felt the need to justify yourself, but you had little idea of what you did wrong in his eyes.

… Alright, you knew some part of the story.

But why did he react that angrily, especially after saying that, what happened the night before… Didn’t matter ?

Your fidgeting grew more insistent.

You sighed softly, about to resume walking away from the situation, but he called out to you again.

“Could you turn around ?” This was no demand, but a request.

Doing as told, you faced him, a few metres away from him.

Despite the distance, you could see clear as day how… Troubled and defeated he looked.

Like he gave up on something.

He opened and closed his mouth numerous times, and you waited patiently.

“I… You know what ? Nevermind,” He finally stated, frustrated.

He closed the door behind him, leaving you alone in the hallway.

You sighed, frustrated yourself.

At what, you didn’t know. 

But you hated what was happening between you and Ryo.

Your mind brought you back to what you talked about earlier with Chamber.

How you felt like… Maybe staying wasn’t the best choice.

What if your light came to extinguish itself ? What if you won’t be needed anymore, what will you do then ?

Where would you go ?

…

What if it turned out that you didn’t belong ?

In front of the entrance of your room, you didn’t even realise that you resumed walking.

Lynn and Fynch came into your vision, and you could feel the worry radiating in waves from your ghost. 

They called out your name.

“We’ve talked about this,” They continued. “Don’t let a slope define the decision that you made. You knew it was the best solution for you,” They confirmed, trying to convince you that this was the right choice.

Maybe it was.

But after all that happened… You were scared to lose someone dear to you.

You entered your room, and sat in the middle of it, just how you would if you were to meditate.

You just wanted to gather your thoughts, and reminisce about the lessons given by Ikora.

Some didn’t really apply to this situation specifically, but others stood out to you.

One especially, which was learning from someone you didn’t imagine you could learn from.

Unexpected lessons.

Another one was about balance between feelings, duty, and what you believed was right.

Everyone had their own balance, and you just had to figure out yours.

You thought you found the right amount of everything, when you first came here.

Keeping everyone at arm’s length.

When did you let people get closer ?

Now, your previous stability was in shambles, and you knew it was time for a change.

You just didn’t know what direction to take.

It was scary, to figure out this big step, this big behaviour change, alone.

Without any guidance.

You missed Ikora, the mentor that she was to you.

She’d probably have answers to your questions, or let you find your own solutions. 

You opened your eyes, taking a deep breath. 

You realised that you had no guidance anymore.

At least, not the one you were the most used to. 

It gave you a lot of anxiety, and you wondered if you were ready.

Regardless of it, you needed to take matters into your own hands.

Taking a deep breath, you went out of your room, still shaken up by the previous events.

Your eyes met with Sage’s, who was apparently looking for someone.

When her gaze locked onto yours, she immediately speed-walked in your direction.

Calling out your name, you saw her worried but stern expression when she got close enough.

“Can you go to my office for a minute ?” She asked, and even though you were surprised, you nodded.

Following her steps, you soon found yourself in her office for the first time.

You looked around you, but was quickly called out of your quiet observation when Ling called your name.

“We… Wanted to do an assessment for you, but after what happened, I don’t think there will be a need for it,” She stated, trying her best to make her gentle smile believable.

You didn’t like that statement.

“I’m going to put you on a mental health leave,” She continued, and when you were about to protest, she held one of her hands up, speaking before you got a chance to : “After what happened in the lobby, it is best that you take a break, to recover from whatever is troubling you.”

You were the one to break eye contact, looking at your feet. 

You just couldn’t bring yourself to meet her in the eyes.

“You are welcome to reach out to me if you need a therapy session. It sounds like it’s a lot to handle, and I’ll be happy to help,” She offered, her tone soft and understanding.

You were only able to nod idly, still hung up over the fact that you were forced to not participate in any missions until…

Until when ?

Your interrogation seemed to be clear enough in your expression, since Sage answered it : 

“You’ll be on leave until you’ve found yourself in an at least stable mental state, where you’ll be evaluated,” She announced, her smile turning genuine. “I’ll let Brimstone and Viper know by default, but is there anyone else that you want in the loop ?” She questioned, taking a few steps towards you.

You took a moment to think of your answer.

Did you want to speak to your friends about this, or was it best to let Ling do it ?

… Should you let your friends know ?

It wasn’t as if they could help you with your mental health – it didn’t concern most of them, after all – so what would be the point ?

And even for the one that it did concern…

You didn’t want his pity.

… You doubted you would get it, anyways.

You shook your head, not finding the words to explain how you felt.

“I trust that you’ll let them know yourself, then. Everyone needs a good support system,” She said, as if it would be easy for you. “If you don’t, I’m afraid I’ll be the bearer of those news to them,” She continued.

It wasn’t as if you had a choice, you realised bitterly.

You nodded nonetheless, which seemed to satisfy her. 

“If you don’t have any more questions, you’re free to go,” She announced, her grin still on her lips.

Nodding, you exited the office, and you realised just how much you needed to rest your mind.

So, you decided to head towards your room for another meditative session.

Not really paying attention to your environment, you bumped into someone.

Your head shot up to meet the eyes of the person, and you were taken aback to see Chamber’s.

He seemed as surprised as you were, but it quickly melted into a gentle smile and a curious glint.

“Ah, my guardian, I didn’t expect to see you here,” He started, his smirk still on his lips. “Dis, did you have the occasion to speak to Yoru yet ?” He questioned, studying your face.

You shook your head, sheepish.

“I tried, but it… Didn’t go as planned,” You explained, not really sure how to describe the events. 

Arching an eyebrow, Vincent was quick to ask : 

“Would you like me to say a word or two to him ?” 

Feeling your eyes widen as you frantically shook your head, you immediately refused : 

“No, by the Traveller, no. Thank you, but I can handle it,” You reassured, trying your best to have a convincing smile.

He didn’t seem utterly persuaded, but nodded nonetheless and didn’t push the matter, to your relief.

“Well then, let me know if you have any trouble, d’accord ?” Chamber smiled, and you could tell he cared a lot about you.

It made you realise that you still didn’t give him any answer to his confession.

[holly-louisexox]

Saviour II X Andy Biersack- Part 1

Masterlist

(Sequel to Ribcage)

Andy and Delia had finally found their happy ending in each other, Delia was living in LA with Andy and things could not be better.

With the group reuniting to complete a UK and Europe tour, some challenges threaten to tear Andy and Delia apart. Can Andy continue to try his hardest to be what Delia made, or will the couple drift apart from each other?

"Andy Biersack announces relationship with sound tech Delia Vincent in heartfelt post on Instagram, speaking about their time together in the last 6 months. Could they be the new golden couple of the rock scene?"

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

"You're kidding right?" Andy shouts at management.

"Andy, just hear him out." Jinxx speaks whilst gently placing a hand on Andy's shoulder to bring him some form of support.

"No! It's not happening, I won't agree to it. After everything that's happened, how is that fair for me? Not to mention how it'll make Delia feel." Andy continues to protest feeling anger and hurt boil within his body.

"Imagine how good it's going to look for press though Andy. After all, it's been a few years now and you're happy with Delia which the fans love, if you can complete a tour together it's going to make headlines! Plus the fans will go crazy for it." A member of management explains.

"I... Fine, but she's only going to join us for the UK portion of the tour, I'm not doing Europe with her too. A couple of weeks is long enough, I'm not being nice to her for any longer." Andy grumbles in defeat.

"Okay, deal, I'm glad that we can agree on something to settle both of our concerns." Management nods "Although, just so you are all aware, she now goes by the name Lilith Czar, not Juliet Simms."

"Oh, of course, the bitch now goes by the name of a fucking demon." Andy sarcastically laughs "How fitting for her, at least hell should welcome her with open fucking arms."

"Dude, that's cold." CC frowns slightly; whilst none of the band were fans of her or the idea of touring with her due to what she did to Andy, they could not just stand there and see Andy crumble like this, not after everything. CC had made a mental note to text Delia after this meeting so she knew what was happening and what to expect for when Andy got back to their house.

"Honestly CC I can't say I disagree with him." Jake speaks up nervously. "We almost lost Andy and the band because of her."

"That's true." CC nods awkwardly "So only the UK shows, should be easy right?"

"Hopefully." Andy sighs in defeat "I will try to be civil but only if she is too."

"I will ensure to run by any concerns with her management."

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

"Hey love." Delia calls from living room as she hears Andy walk into the room to be with her. "I heard about your meeting, I'm so sorry Andy."

"I don't want to talk about it." Andy explains as he collapses onto the sofa next to Delia and leans his head on her shoulder, this makes Delia awkwardly put her laptop on the coffee table so that she could pull Andy's head from her shoulder and into her lap; she would never admit it, but she loved moments like this where Andy would be defeated by something and would cling to her for comfort and reassurance. His vulnerability confirmed that what they had was real and that he wasn't going anywhere. "I'm just glad you're on tour with us."

"I was actually just researching some of the venues, I didn't realise how complex some of the UK venues are due to their age. I hope you're not going to get moody with me again for a microphone not working properly and turning itself off." Delia pokes fun at him to try and lighten the mood as she remembers back to the first night of their working together; how times change, funny to think they hated each other to begin with.

"I could never." Andy smirks at Delia whilst taking a hold of her hand and gently bringing it to his lips to place a gentle kiss to her knuckles; her dahlia promise ring still sitting perfectly on her ring finger as is glistens in the light. It brought both of them amusement when, at first, paparazzi and fans thought it was an engagement ring on her finger; everyone immediately melted deep down at the announcement of their relationship and it being a promise ring. Even the rest of the group were sending texts messages of congratulations as they did not know the full details and were excited from the news. 

"I can't wait to visit London honestly, it's always been a dream of mine to visit there." Delia grins as she feels a flutter erupt inside of her from Andy's affection; even after 6 months of officially being with him, he always made her heart jump.

"We have the day after the show in London before heading to France, we could always see a West End show?" Andy suggests with a particular show in his mind.

"You're thinking Phantom of the Opera, aren't you?" Delia smirks slightly "if you are, I'm so in."

"I knew you would be." Andy smiles "believe it or not, I've never seen it in the West End so it'll be a first for both of us."

"I can't wait." Delia replies before running her hands through Andy's hair.

Andy and Delia had finally found their happy ending in each other, moments like this, laying in each others arms and appreciating each others company brought them peace of mind and confirmed that what they had was real. Things weren't perfect yet but they would be. Delia had been discharged from therapy a week ago and with the help of antidepressants the events of Seattle were a distant memory. The most recent battle came from Nick getting a diagnosis of cancer reoccurrence. As much as Delia wanted to rush back to be with her father, Nick had forbid it, stating he would be fine and the he did not want to get in the way of Delia's new life, and how he wanted her to go on the tour and do what she was passionate about. Delia and Andy phoned home frequently to check in on their parents; Andy had fully restored his relationship with his mum and dad and he was glad for it, he loved seeing how they were happy for him and Delia. Andy still had his moments in whether or not he was enough for Delia and felt he could be better for her, but what they had together was enough and was just what they both needed. They needed each other and as long as they came home to each other everything seemed right in the world.

Tour was starting again in 3 weeks meaning the group would be reunited, Delia would see Shevy again too who had become her best friend very quickly and remained that way. Delia never really had a friend group, she found no interest in making one whilst focusing on work, but now she had her dream career and the best group of people surrounding her. Deep down Andy was ecstatic about showing Delia around London and could not wait to visit Italy with her; after hearing all about her time in her father's home country, he wanted to experience that part of her culture with her and help her create new memories together.

Surely nothing could change the dynamic the group had with each other, nothing could change the way Andy and Delia felt towards each other, right?

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Thoughts on TBB 1x1

I've missed doing these analyses but I have started rewatching TBB from the beginning so I'm going to do some more breakdowns as I go through the series!

Discussion about random 1x1 moments down below! (Also spoilers for TBB S2)

Crosshair and Framing

I rewatched S1 a few times before S2 came out, so I was aware of some of the choices they made when positioning Crosshair in shots, but I didn't necessarily realise how often it happens! Right before Order 66 is given, Crosshair moves out of the frame. It's actually the last time that you see him until the order is given, meaning that you have a couple minutes of just the other four members.

What I find particularly interesting at this point though is what they are discussing. They are talking about what happens next, where they go from that point on. Now, in the context of the scene, they are discussing battle plans, but I find it interesting that they are talking about where they go from here and Crosshair isn't involved. He doesn't even contribute. Their entire conversation about what happens to them next does not involve Crosshair. He's completely out of the conversation, which I find interesting considering that the next major step that the Batch takes doesn't involve Crosshair being there. It's not necessarily a conscious decision by the Batch, but it's definitely a conscious decision by the writers to not have him involved in that moment.

But that's not the only time that Crosshair isn't in the frame! And even when he is, sometimes he's in the back and/or out of focus. (Images from cap-that.com)

Notice how he's also the only one with a helmet on here and how significant that helmet is when showing Imperial Crosshair.

This is just a selection of them, but you get the idea. Crosshair is frequently cut out, physically separated, or out of focus when the Batch are shown together. His detachment at this point is apparent.

But just to break your heart even more, guess who's the next to get cut out of a lot of the scenes. :)

Now Tech does appear in a lot more scenes than Cross and isn't cut out the majority of the time, but it stood out to me that the next person to disappear out of that first frame was Tech. I don't know if the writers knew for definite at this point what was going to happen in the S2 finale, but it's interesting how they seem to filter off in the same order that they do in the story.

The Bad Batch Being Irresponsible

This is less depressing to talk about but it made me laugh.

Hunter: "This is one meeting I don't want to miss."

Tech: "First time for everything."

As if it wasn't obvious enough that these lot are rubbish when it comes to following protocols, they straight up admit that they don't attend meetings. Imagine other members of the GAR trying to organise meetings with this squad to discuss missions and they just don't show up. They probably gave up trying to give anyone in this squad paperwork because it would never get filled out. I imagine that half of the mission reports are just second-hand accounts from other clones that the higher-ups had to talk to because none of them can actually track down any of the Batch to get information out of them.

Battle Report No. 7365-278

Accounts from multiple battalions claim that Clone Force 99 defeated the enemy by performing a series of unsafe manoeuvres that do not correspond with any of the plans laid out in the GAR regulations. Reasoning for the chosen methods is unknown as no-one has been able to contact Clone Force 99 to discuss these strategies. However, the battle was a success and all attempts to contact the squad have been abandoned by order of Commander CT-2224 who stated "You might as well give up now before you all get grey hairs trying to get them to do anything".

AZI and the Domino Twins

I said before during the S2 finale that seeing Echo with AZI reminded me of seeing him with Fives but what stands out to me even more is the fact that it is those two specifically who mark the last time we see him and the first time he is on screen again. The last time we saw AZI was with Fives. The first time we see him again is with Echo. The parallels between the domino twins are always there. :')

"Five are all that remain"

I'm hoping they touch on this in the final season because we've never really gone back to this. It makes me wonder a few things: how many were there? What were their capabilities? What happened to them? Did the Batch know them? It's all very intriguing but they've never really touched on it and I very much want them to.

Does Tarkin Know Echo?

I do wonder if Tarkin has any idea that Echo is the clone that sacrificed himself to help get Tarkin and the others out of the Citadel. I honestly think that he doesn't for a couple of reasons.

1. He doesn't seem to know much about CF99 in this episode, so he probably didn't do any reading up on them. I don't think he ever mentions their names either, so he probably doesn't know them, nor cares to know them.

2. Even if he did know them, I still don't think he'd make the connection. We've already established that Tarkin doesn't like clones, so I really don't think that he's going to remember Echo's name. I genuinely do not think he cares enough in the slightest to even try and remember him, let alone recognise him this much time later.

Wrecker with Crosshair and Tech

*Sigh* This makes me sad. Seeing all the wholesome moments between Wrecker and his brothers this episode just makes me think about how devastated he was about losing them. We know that Wrecker has very strong emotional connections to his family because he's the most open about them in the squad. Watching this episode when it was just Crosshair gone was devastating enough, but after what happened with Tech as well, it's all so painful.

There's that moment during the battle simulation when Tech gets knocked down and Wrecker tells him to hang on. It makes me think of 2x9 when Wrecker makes sure Tech is safe from the storm. And then it makes me think about 2x16... Wrecker has always been so protective of his brothers and he was the one to try and help Tech in the finale. He has always been there to pick them up when they need it and to protect them and he probably feels like a failure for not being able to do it. In a life like theirs, it's practically impossible for someone to protect anyone forever but for Wrecker, he's now left with the knowledge that he couldn't do it. None of us blame him, but I know that he probably suffers from some pretty awful guilt.

"Change takes getting use to"

The exact thing I wrote down after this line from Hunter was "oh, mate... if only you knew :')" and yeah... I think that pretty much sums it up.

The Batch have had to go through a whole lot of change and that's one of their biggest challenges. Even though they don't stick to orders, they are still soldiers and their life still holds some level of routine. But suddenly everything goes wrong, everything falls apart and a lot of that structure disappears. What happens to them between 1x1 and 2x16 is the most change that any of them have ever had to go through and none of them could've anticipated it.

"Good soldiers follow orders"

So this line has already been talked about to death but I noticed something in one scene in particular. When they are in the brig, and Crosshair says this, he takes a step towards Echo at the "follow orders" bit.

It's interesting that he directs that line towards Echo, the rule follower. Yes, he's addressing all of them at this point, but I wonder if he directs that part of the line specifically at Echo because he knows that Echo, by nature, is more likely to stick to regulations. It's an attempt at making the point stick. If Crosshair can make him believe that he can only be a good soldier if he does exactly as he's told (like Echo believed when he was in training), then he can hammer the sentiment in.

But what's also stands out is that Echo doesn't flinch. There's no pain, hurt, fear, concern, none of that. His face is kept stern and I think it's because that line doesn't stick with Echo as much any more. If someone had told him this when he was a cadet, then maybe it would've hurt him, made him doubt himself. But after everything that he's gone through, he knows that following orders alone doesn't determine how capable of a soldier you are. It doesn't dig as deep anymore because he of all people knows the need to adapt to the situation, even if it goes against direct orders.

(Not to mention that Echo is one of the most morally-driven people in the group. He knows that killing Jedi is the wrong thing to do and he is absolutely not listening to whatever Crosshair is trying to spew at him at this point).

[hayleysayshay]

Okay DnD movie thoughts!!! I loved it a lot and it’s a shame it’s not going to make its money back it seems, I would love a sequel with the same cast of characters.

This contains spoilers!!!

— I thought three cast were great! I think Michelle Rodriguez was a standout as Holga and so was Rege Jean Page as Xenx despite the more limited screen time. But the whole cast was great, Chris Pine has a lot of charm. I think Justice Smith’s accent was very good.

— Hugh Grant was very Hugh Grant and it was great

— the film was very sincere and I loved that. It was funny but very corny ina good way.

— it was pretty funny at times! Some of it was just the snarky ‘well that happened hur hut’ humour that isn’t great but there were some good set pieces.

— I loved how DnD it felt. I could just imagine a player going ‘my character loves potatoes’ as their character quirk they role play all the time and those moments really worked for me. I can just imagine people coming up with the plan around a table.

— I liked the plot construction. For example Xenx makes Edgin promise to give the treasure to the people and he does in a way that serves his character arc but also serves the plot and helps them defeat the bad guy! I just thought was really neat how the plot unfolded the way it did.

— I thought Doric was the weakest character. Like she didn’t have much to do? They obvs realised she didn’t have much conflict and gave her some tiefling angst but it wasn’t angsty enough. Maybe she could have felt out of place with the elves though they loved her and the team stand up for her and they feel like a group of people that accept her would have been a bit more than what she got? She just hates humans then goes they’re okay at the end just because she worked in a team. I just wanted a window in her personal world.

— I also think Doric should have been infernal red. I understand not wanting any odd races in the main cast due the risk of not being able to take it seriously but they could have painted Sophie Lillie red. I have seen Critical Role cos play, it could have been done fairly naturalistic. It would make the team look less samey. They also don’t explain what a tiefling is? Sophie Lillie looks adorable it’s really not clear why her parents would have cast her out unless you know DnD lore. Her being red would make it more obvious.

— I like it’s implied that Helga’s husband is just really into tall buff women and that Helga is really into halflings

— Damn it I got emotional at the end when Holga died and they do a flashback of her raising Kira I was like damn you got me movie you got me

It’s deffo like 4/5 for me I had a lot of fun. If Doric was better it could be a 5 but sadly not.

[walder-138]

Imagine: Vasili having a private conversation with Abbey about his messed up life

Be careful it's filled with ANGST.

"Sometimes.. love knows how it'll make you fall for it, and also, give you that everlasting pain that'll remain in your soul as a scar. It can cut you so deeply.. sharply, than a knife. That if you sew to suture the wound.. it'll never seem to remove from the image. It will keep on reminding you.. that you would have never been this miserable and unfortunate.. if you had never met them. Never.. just never.."

"I loved Helen.. I did.. very much." Vasili tried not to break in front of Abbey. "But I was a fool. A scoundrel. That I fell for her and did what was necessary to win her heart. Now you don't say I was brainwashed that's why I couldn't remember anything but the point is.." He looks at Abbey with a hopeless and shattered look. "Why did I let this all happen to me? What was inside of me that truly SAID you need to choose this very path? What made me choose Perseus? How did I get to Adler? Why? Because I did it myself, Abbey.. I.. I chose this. I subconsciously decided to make myself suffer for the wrong I did. I chose the wrong side.. and.. here I am. Look at me." He smiled half-heartedly, with his arms half raised.

"I was naive. Even after being this intelligent? This witty? I.. I can't seem to.. to.." His voice shivered. "Break through this very situation? Only if.. I could have used my brain, I would have never—" Vasili tried not to sob and covered his eyes with his arm, sniffing a bit. "But I deserve it, Abbey. Because I truly deserve it. I was away killing off people without realising I was now stuck with a bunch of manic criminals who wanted to destroy the world. But me? I couldn't even raise my voice.. that it also made me stop using my mind! For what it had been finally used for without my true consciousness!" He clenched his hair and sat down, in a defeated state.

"I'm tired, Abbey.. I'm so tired.." He sobbed as he rubbed his whole face to wipe off the tears. "The KGB thinks I murdered our own General.. I lost Dimitri.. Adler wished if I was dead anyway.. and sure I gave him a lesson back there and showed him my new form.. but.. even after all that.. I still feel.. lost. Like all my roads ahead of me have been blocked. And I see nothing but.. darkness.. and the light faded before I could ever reach myself through it.." He smiles sadly. "Tells a lot.. maybe if.. Adler shot me back at the cliff.. all this suffering would have ended. And I would be at ultimate peace.. a-am I right, Abbey?"

STOP IT KHUSHI. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. STOP IT. YOU BETTER BE PAYING FOR MY THERAPY AFTER THIS CAUSE GIRL IM SOBBING. IM IN YOUR WALLS NOW 😭😭😭 I WILL GET BACK AT YOU FOR THIS! JUST YOU EFFING SEE. I CANT FUCKING STAND THESE TWO

SORRY FOR THE LATE RESPONSE!

Abbey reached out, almost about to put her hand on Vasili’s shoulder, but pulled away before it could make contact. Instead, Abbey took a deep breath. She was at a loss of words, tears welling up in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she swallowed and spoke.

“Don’t say that, Vin—Vasili.” She mentally cursed herself for that mistake.

“I know you’re tired, and you’re angry, and you’re hopeless, and you feel like everyone in the world hates you and is out to get you, but wallowing in your own self loathing… you’re gonna end up wasting your life away. The paths aren’t blocked by some other entity, Vasili, you’re blocking them.”

“Wasting away means they won. That they got rid of you without even trying. Adler and Park, the rest of them responsible for what happened to you, That’s what they want- it’s what our governments do. They lie, manipulate, screw your brain up beyond recognition, then make you blame yourself for cracking under circumstances nobody could withstand.” Abbey’s voice was quiet, but there was a sharp edge to her words. Her anger, though subtle, was still evident behind the words, albeit not towards Vasili.

Noticing that she was tense, her fist were clenched, and was ranting, Abbey stopped to take a breath. Abbey’s demeanor softened as she took a seat next to Vasili, taking in his defeated expression. She gently removed his hands from his face and held onto them as she continued to speak.

“Vasili, I lo- I care about you. It’s hard for you to believe, I know, but I’m not asking you to. You’ve had every opportunity to kill me, you didn’t. You could’ve sent us all to Duga, you didn’t.”

“What I’m saying is, you’re not a bad person. You’ve done unforgivable things in the past, I refuse to put you on a pedestal, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of doing good.”

Abbey sighed, and held onto his hands tighter.

“If you ever feel like you’re alone or don’t have a place to go, you can always stay here. I don’t need a warning, and you don’t need to talk to me if you don’t want. I can sleep on the cot and you can take the air mattress; the cats might jump on you in the night so I’d keep that in mind. Jazzy and Blue expect you to feed them at dawn.” She chuckled, before letting go of Vasili’s hands.

“They love you, the cats. They really do.” Something we have in common.

Abbey fades out of existence. Bro’s hallucinating 😭😭😭

[simplytombstone]

sobland oc, ill loredump a bit below

so, Waker was interested in all things occult (or whatever is closest to that concept in sobland anyway) and was completely convinced that something more (something malicious?) was hidden somewhere and he was determined to find it. why? probably just to scratch his curiosity, or maybe to prove a point (mordred did not share his same enthusiasm on this topic)

he was correct that something was hidden, though he didnt realise that what he was searching for was a deserted wasteland, rather than the cursed realm he was probably imagining. plus that the greater spirit that he had researched in ancient writings and imagery was, in fact, dead, and would not be able to grant him any wishes or gift him divine knowledge or anything like that (plus it wouldn't have been able to do that even if it were alive)

also, Waker was Mordred's best friend, though later on their friendship was strained due to Waker's increasing paranoia/dedication and superstition (also a bit of unrequited love)

he lacked direction in life, and dedicated every moment trying to find out how to get to this realm (that he named Telo). theres some gaps here because i havent quite worked all the kinks out, but to wrap it up he does actually manage to find an entrance, and convinces mordred to come with him (again, likely to prove a point)

Waker, upon finally stepping into this realm he had so tirelessly searched for, was left with absolutely nothing. an empty wasteland with an endless ocean, nothing living that he could see asides from the Mother Occulent tree (which intrigued him at first, but she refused to speak or interact at all with the two, so she was proved useless to him)

Mordred, proved wrong, was actually pretty happy with this discovery because well, he was standing in an alternate realm! thats cool, even if he previously didnt believe it existed, but he still wasn't very moved with this new information (and that probably landed some blows to Waker's ego)

defeated, waker and mordred gathered some fruit and started to head back. their entrance was high up in the sky and they had only brought a rickety rope ladder. you can probably see where this is going. right as mordred barely makes it to the top, the ladder breaks and waker falls

mordred just continues the way he came (though faster and more panicked) and never turns back. why he did this, who knows! maybe he thought he was in danger, maybe he didnt realise waker had fell, maybe he just wanted out as fast as possible and he didnt care if waker followed, i dont know. waker was "missing" from that day forward and only mordred (and one other oc coming soon..) knows what happened to him

now, the atmosphere of telo is harsh for full-natural beings like waker, and in the years that he spent there, surviving solely off of occulent fruit and whatever liquid even makes up the ocean around telo, his mind and body obviously couldn't go unchanged. physically he became "immortal" as in he cant age anymore, just like the semi-natural beings (ie. occulent trees) and also he went crazy, sure, but thats obvious i didnt need to say that for anyone to assume as much

the mother occulent tree started talking to him at this point (not that its clear if he can even understand what shes saying anymore). shes not too fond of him (she pities him more than anything) and really only sees him as some kind pet that she didnt want in the first place

theres a bit more but ill explain it once i make the other oc thats necessary to finish wakers story off

[notdoneintentionally-blog]

It’s done.

Three things happen simultaneously: the King of Spades blimp crashes to the ground, Chishiya drops his empty gun, and Niragi Suguru lets out his last breath.

Chishiya tears his eyes forcefully from the image of the lifeless body before him, though it’s not out of grief, remorse, or even pity. Niragi serves him as a reminder of what he could’ve become if today’s events had gone differently, if it had been the other man who managed to hit a vital organ during their shootout and killed Chishiya. It would’ve been more likely for things to end that way too, considering Niragi had more experience with guns than he did, and when compared to aiming with a sniper, a simple handgun seemed easier to handle. But once again, Chishiya had been lucky and he was the one standing upright, alive and breathing, while Niragi’s body slumped against the side of the car, blood seeping out of the bullet wound and staining his animal print shirt. It’s what would’ve been his burial shroud if anyone cared enough to bury Niragi Suguru. Just as his would’ve been his white sweatshirt, if anyone cared enough to bury Chishiya Shuntaro.

His feet move on their own accord, but he doesn’t know where they’re taking him. Back to the apartment he’s been living in, he supposes, or maybe to check on whether Arisu and Usagi made it out alive from the King of Spades. His legs start moving quicker at the thought, so apparently he’s going to check on them. He didn’t have time to see whether either of them had been harmed after Niragi confronted them; it all happened in a split second, one moment Arisu and him were dropping their weapons, then suddenly he was jumping in front of Usagi to shield her from Niragi’s shot, and once he realised he’d missed, he’d started chasing Chishiya like a maniac. Only for it to end like this.

Yes, he could almost feel sorry for Niragi. It’s not fair that the man who burned him and threw him off a four-story building got to kill him and play the hero. He can imagine Niragi gritting his teeth at how Chishiya, who was just as despicable as him, could now return to Arisu and Usagi with his head held up high. ‘I did it. I defeated the big bad villain and was ready to sacrifice myself for Usagi. I’m a good person now.’ It’s a pity Niragi can’t witness how he actually feels, because now more than ever he’s aware of the abyss separating Chishiya from people like Arisu and Usagi. He’ll never be able to be like them. He couldn’t even die with the satisfaction of having done one good, worthwhile thing, because of course the imbecile had to miss the shot.

He’s nearing the place they were separated at; they’re not there. They should be close, though, he’s been hearing gunshots the whole time he’d been in his own fight against Niragi, so he turns to the right and enters a narrower street, weaving his way through Shibuya, listening carefully in case he picks up the sound of a voice. His right leg is starting to feel painful, and upon staring down at it, he realises it’s covered in blood. He might not have gotten out of the shootout as unharmed as he thought, after all, and the adrenaline must be wearing down. His limbs feel heavier and his head is beginning to ache; it’s almost as if he’s carrying his own body across Shibuya’s streets but still, he can’t afford to stop and rest. If he stops, he’s sure he’ll fall asleep on the spot.

Exhaustion is beginning to creep on him, maybe a couple more streets and if he doesn’t find them, he’ll get back to his apartment. To… he’s not sure what he’ll do once he gets there, but it’s not like he has any other place he can go to. No one else he could look for.

There could’ve been, though, whispers a traitorous voice in his mind. If you’d acted differently. If you hadn’t betrayed Arisu and Usagi at the Beach and you hadn’t abandoned—

He’s not going to think of that. He needs to keep moving.

But the universe has a funny way of acting, because right after the image of dreads and a blue bikini appears in his head, the second he turns the street he comes face to face with exactly what he’s imagining.

Chishiya’s knees threaten to buckle under his weight and he has to press his hand against the wall to avoid falling. His mouth feels suddenly dry and he doesn’t know what the rest of his body is doing because his head has just started spinning out of control. It can’t be. It can’t.

“Kuina?”

@kuinaoflight 

[berenwrites]

Whole New Us Ch13 - Stranger Things - Steddie

Whole New Us: Trauma Bonded and Beyond

A/N: Please be aware that this chapter has bad things happening to Steve - I wouldn't say any worse than what the actual show likes to put him through (s3 I'm looking at you), but darker than the rest of the fic so far. My beta reader (my sister) also called me a cow for where the chapter stops, so you have been warned ;)).

Also on AO3 | Or here CH1 | CH2 | CH3 | CH4 | CH5 | CH6 | CH7 | CH8 | CH9 | CH10 | CH11 | CH12 | CH13 | CH14 | CH15 | CH16 | CH17 | CH18 | CH19 | CH20 | CH21 | CH22 | CH23 | CH24 | CH25 (Mature) | CH25 (Fade to black) COMPLETE

Summary: Steve has been ignoring his own problems, he’s been busy. They’ve all been busy, preoccupied with fixing everything that was broken. Vecna has been defeated, but the Upside Down is still there, and the gates are not completely closed even though Hawkins has almost returned to normal. It’s been a couple of months and the aftereffects of Steve’s encounter with the demobats is about to come back to bite him. However, it also brings some unexpected hope.

Pairing: steddie (Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson)

Rating: Teen (with mature content in later chapters)

Chapter 13.    Secret Places

Robin had nipped out during her break to pick up a few things she had promised to get for her mom, so Steve was left manning Family Video by himself. Luckily for him it was completely dead. Clearly it was too early on a Saturday for anyone in Hawkins to care about renting movies. He was working on the rewind pile, but mostly he was daydreaming.

After their rather serious conversation a couple of nights previously, he and Eddie had mutually decided to take their relationship to the next level. Not what he would have described as full-on sex, but skin on skin and hands everywhere. It had given him plenty to daydream about, and Robin had complained loudly that he wasn’t paying enough attention to her after he had accidentally confessed he was thinking about his hot boyfriend, so he was taking the opportunity for what it was.

Eddie was currently at his place having a band rehearsal in his garage, since Eddie didn’t yet feel comfortable going to Gareth’s after what had happened with Jason. Steve was really hoping to hear some of Eddie’s music live soon, but today was not that day. He could imagine how sexy Eddie would be in full metal mode, however.

When the door sounded, he looked up wondering if it was his best friend back already.

The pretty blond woman and her tall hulking companion immediately put him on edge. Steve had never seen them before. But then the man smiled, whispering something, the woman rolled her eyes and they headed into the racks like perfectly normal customers. Steve watched them out of the corner of his eye for a little while, but then told himself he was being paranoid and got back on with his work, although he did glance up every now and then.

“Hi,” a distinctly sexy voice said, just after he bent down to pick up a wayward tape.

He stood up quickly to find the woman leaning on the counter. Once upon a time the way she was leaning to give an ample view of her cleavage would have had Steve flirting in a heartbeat, but there was something off that he just couldn’t shake. Instead, he simply slapped his customer service smile in place and tried to figure out what was setting him off.

“Hello,” he said, “how can I help?”

“Well,” she said, smiling at him in a very unsubtle way, “my boyfriend and I were looking for something a little naughty for the weekend. Do you have any recommendations?”

“We have a good selection of R rated movies,” Steve told her in full customer service mode, “so it would depend what you’re interested in, or we have some adult rated titles behind the curtain at the back.”

“Do you think you could show me?” she asked, leaning over the counter even more.

It was so blatant it made him uncomfortable. And that was the moment he realised he had completely lost sight of her boyfriend. As he lifted his head to look around there was a hissing sound and a sharp pain in his neck. Grabbing at it he ripped out something cylindrical, looking down stupidly at what was clearly a dart in his hand.

“Now you are ours,” the woman said, American accent completely gone.

Steve’s brain screamed Russian, but there was nothing he could do as everything started going dark. Warn Eddie was the only rational thought in his brain before someone stuck something that crackled in his back and all his muscled seized as he fell into darkness.

~*~

Steve came to with his fight or flight mode very much still active and he surged forward, only to find he couldn’t move. Metal dug into his skin, bringing him up short as he flexed from head to foot.

“Interesting,” said a heavily accented voice, “Subject A is conscious three hours before calculated estimate.”

Blinking, Steve did his best to gather his scattered thoughts to figure out what was going on. As his eyes finally focused, he discovered himself looking at the same face he had seen as he passed out, only now the woman had her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and she was wearing a lab coat. Panic made him struggle, but he couldn’t even turn his head.

He was strapped, crucifix style to some sort of gurney, almost upright, but not quite, by thick metal bands. The metal of what he was lying on was unforgiving against his back and he realised his shirt and vest had been removed. There was even a strap tight across his forehead keeping him completely immobile. It was difficult to see anything, but he could see wires coming from his chest, and a tube running to his left arm.

He was strong, but even his new strength wasn’t a match for the amount of metal pinning him down.

“What’s happening?” he asked, eyes frantically darting around at the flashing lights and computer equipment all around what he realised was a lab.

The woman ignored him, turning and saying something in Russian while she ticked something else off on her clipboard.

“Level 1,” she said in English, giving him a look he remembered all too well from his last interaction with Russians.

The woman wanted him to understand, wanted him to be afraid. He was so busy trying to figure out why, his still confused brain ignored the man moving to his left. His error became obvious when something cold jabbed him in the side. He had just enough time to flick his eyes downwards to see a long metal pole when the man holding it pulled a trigger on the end.

A cry ripped from his throat as electricity scorched through his body. Metal dug into his arms, legs and torso as his muscles cramped, spasming as the cattle prod like device delivered its painful load. For long seconds he couldn’t breathe. Something close was beeping wildly. It took everything he had to keep the otherness inside.

“What are you doing?” he gasped out when the weapon was withdrawn.

Everyone ignored him.

“No response,” the woman said, writing on her clipboard. “Level 2.”

Steve tensed, but it did no good. The pain was worse, his body convulsed just as it had before, and he was left dazed and gasping when the torment was withdrawn. He had no defence.

They got to level four before he could no longer repress the changes to his body. Claws ripped from his fingers, fangs descended in his upper jaw, and the room around him brightened considerably in his vision.

The female scientist observed him like some kind of animal, noting down things as she did, showing no hint of surprise at what she was seeing. Only then did he fully understand. They knew, the Russians already knew what he was, they just wanted to know how he ticked. The fear twisting through his body morphed into complete dread.

“Level 5,” she said.

“No please,” he begged, but they weren’t listening.

He couldn’t control the pain, he couldn’t control his reactions to it. Then the Russian’s reached level nine. Pure survival exploded through his brain. Everything vanished in a haze of pure instinct as his system screamed danger. Something popped as he surged against his restraints and he could move his wrist.

Someone was shouting in Russian as he struggled. He was fighting with every fibre of his being, and he could hear the incessant beeping of an alarm. With his heart beating wildly in his ears, he gave in to pure need until it felt like someone smothered him in fog. Between one breath and the next, the fight burned out of him. He could barely move.

The skin on his wrists and over his chest prickled and he had just about enough wherewithal to realise he had scales. He’d never done that outside the Upside Down before. It felt wrong, alien to the real world. Something inside him wanted to scream, but all he could manage was a weak moan. Even as the extreme changes faded, they left him reeling. He wished he could just let go, pass out, but his system kept on fighting.

“Inhibitor 1 successful,” his tormentor said, ticking it off on her clipboard.

She looked into his eyes and smiled.

“Level 1, stage 2,” she said, before turning to her subordinates and snapping something in Russian.

The strap he had managed to pull from its fastening was reattached and it started all over again.

He lost count as they tortured him, noting his responses at each stage of their experiment without so much as a tiny sign or remorse. They took him past the first limit, then the second before pumping something else into his system and doing it again. He was pretty sure he was in hell.

When they finally stopped, moving away to talk in their incomprehensible language, he could have cried. Maybe he did, he couldn’t be sure. Half laying, half supported by his bonds he let himself drift for a while. The drugs swimming in his system made everything hazy. He couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything, but at least they dulled the pain a little.

“Remarkable specimen,” were the words that dragged him back to a vague sense of reality.

The woman was standing right in front of him again, something he had completely missed happening, and she was looking at him like a hunter viewed prey. When the brute with the cattle prod approached again, all Steve could manage was a whine of distress, before the sadist touched it to his skin. The otherness burst to the surface as he screamed, and someone shoved something into his mouth.

Words were spoken in Russian, the pain went away, but the drugs and the aftershocks left his dazed and confused. He didn’t even try and resist as hands touched his face, too out of it to do more than register that something was happening. Moaning he tried to close his mouth, but the obstruction was keeping it open.

At first all he felt was pressure, a pull on his jaw even as his head was held immobile. He didn’t understand, not until the agony lanced through his head and he tasted blood on his tongue. The bastards were extracting one of his fangs and there was nothing he could do about it. At last, his overtaxed system had finally had enough, and darkness reached up to take him.

End of Chapter 13

Chapter 14

[stoptellinglieslois]

Love fair Act 3

Clark Kent human x Dick Grayson Vampire alternative universe

I took my horse and we galloped towards the forest swiftly and with haste, I wanted to get to him first before anything else bad happened I wanted to keep the fisherman safe and out of harm's way.

The whole land is to be in the tunnels by dawn no humans could be on the surface during night fall, I had to check to make sure and if he is at home I would have to reveal myself and I didn't want to reveal myself to him I wanted to keep my self hidden which is why I brought a mask with me, It will conceal my face and the fisherman would never know who I am.

My conscious is repeating over and over in my head to get to him quickly with no delay, It was cold and snowfall peppered the forest like a winter wonderland I was too familiar with the surrounding of the forest and would never admit it to anyone.

It was still afternoon but my father made sure no one would be seen above the surface, I got closer to the fisherman little home it was dilapidated but I could imagine living there with him.

I needed to stop day dreaming and get to him immediately as I got closer. I realised my face is revealed and put the mask on so that he wouldn't know that I was the prince.

I stopped in front of his home not getting off of the horse just yet we made are way over to the window to see if he was home, light illuminated the window and I knew he was home my heart raced quickly I never confronted him before I never spoke to him never converse with him I only watch him from far.

What do I do ?

I needed to warn him about the vampires he couldn't stay exposed here he needed to leave we could come back tommorrow morning, When the sun is up and more safer I cursed my father and Thalia for this it will be are undoing.

I got off my horse as I took a deep long breath this will be awkward but maybe this needs to be done, I walked to the house and I touched the frozen course brick with my fingers before I knocked.

"Is anyone home." I called out and knocked harder this time I was about to turn the handle when the fisherman opened the door, He looked at me silently his dark brown eyes falling on my masked face he was a bit taller then me but not by much.

He had a look on his face an expression I never saw on his face but before but could read very well he is suspicious of me. "I came here to tell you....Sir I need you to come with me." I said that all was wrong and his silence could defeat a vampire.

"What I mean to say.... may I come inside." I asked him and because I am frozen to the bone and I am getting choked up with words, He stepped aside for me to pass which is a good sign.

"Thank you."

"Who are you."

"I am.... trying to protect you from what's to come this evening, Are lands are cursed now by vampires I am here to remove you and bring you to safety." I told him I inch closer and he stepped away from me I was a stranger to him he has never met me he knows nothing of my existence I only know of his.

"Vampires ? I don't understand much about vampires why do you wear a mask." He asked. He is nervous but gentle and soothing like I would attack him at any moment.

"I will not harm you... the king laid with a princess and... and now this whole place is cursed because of what m..." I almost let it slip that the king is my father god what was I thinking.

"I ... I don't know you."

"It's fine we are strangers but sometimes strangers help one another, You can't stay here tonight though you have to leave... with me." There is a small fire that kept me warm fire wood that I left for him a few days ago.

"I....I could wait outside I need to gather something before I go." I left him alone and waited outside as snow fell hard on my head. I hope he didn't run off into the forest thinking I was touched.

I didn't get the feeling he thought I was crazy or a bandit I didn't look the part though I ran out of the castle in a hurry like a mad man coming here.

I was dressed in a light gold and green cloak that had embroidery and beading at the trim, Most peasants wear darker colours in clothing. I waited for him he was taking his time I looked through the window of the house and he was undressing I turned around quickly.

I felt a bit of shame for what I have no idea but this was not the time for it. He came out limping a little I didn't notice that before when enter his home he watched me not saying anything his eyes wanted to say so much more but didn't.

The quiet man limped and I stopped him. "Please come upon my horse you can't walk and the road is slippery." I demanded of him I needed to not do that I wanted him to be my equal, But my manner and upbringing would be hard to hide.

He mounted on my horse and the silence was deafening I was naturally talked all the time, It was my curse and my blessing but at this moment I couldn't say anything finding conversation was hard for me because it is him my fisherman this situation was an odd one I was his secret admire I left him gifts for as long as I can remember since my youth.

I was in love with him and I pray that one day he would return my affection, I never imagined saying to him that he needed to leave his home because of vampires and evil wizards and witches.

"Have we met." His soothing warm voice asked me out of nowhere it startled me a little. "No we've never met I don't know you I am just making my rounds and helping." I said.

"Who are you. You never told me why you wear a mask." He said looking at me dark brown eyes question me.

"I wear it because of the vampires they recognise me so I wear it to protect myself against them." My lies are just wow I hope it was believable.

"I thought you were someone else." He said and he seemed so disappointed like he was hoping I would tell him something more fantastic.

"Who are you expecting then." I perked up this made me more hopeful.

"It's fine. What is your name."He closed that topic before it got a chance for me to indulge in.

I couldn't give him my real name so I used the nickname father gave me since I was a boy. "Robin." I said with a smile but he couldn't see it because of my mask.

"May I have your name good sir." the wind picked up a bit on are trail.

He took a moment to answer me. "Joseph." He answered me quietly.

"Oh nice to meet you I uh... are you hungry perhaps we could stop by the castle and you could get something to fill your belly, Maybe take a bath and you could get yourself cleaned up before we head into town in the tunnels what say you." I told him.

He shivered and nodded his head at me he is too cold to answer me properly, I untied the lace that held the cloak and threw it over his shoulders.

He was surprised about what I did but something else caught his gaze as he examined me more, Taking me in as if he was putting something together in his mind.

I kept walking but I also was starting to see it was getting hard to hid who I was, But he never saw me before I never gave myself away to him at all I just left him gifts and basic needs it's all one should ask for in life.

As we got closer to town I realised I would have to split up with him at some point but I was drawn to him now even more, We are speaking which I never thought was possible.

"Maybe you go ahead without me we made it into town it's best we split up." I felt something off of him like he was shying away from my olive branch that I just reached out to him.

"No Joseph please stay close to me besides if you feel shy we could be discreet about it no one will see us." I urged I knew what I was doing stalling blocking him from leaving my grasp I didn't want him to slip away.

He looked at me with his brown eyes quite and silently took my proposal and he nodded his head. "Yes Robin thank you." He said and we made our way to the stable as I helped him off my horse.

We went in like two church mice making are way into a passage of the castle that I usually take when I didn't want anyone seeing me coming in or out of the castle and we made it through the secret halls and into the private quarters of the castle.

"Feeling better Joseph no one saw us I'll fetch us some food then." I walked out of the room and went into the main hall and walked towards the kitchen no one was here. Everyone was in the tunnels preparing for war.

I came in and grabbed as much as I can put everything in a tray to balance a jug of wine in my arm an array of food in one hand, And walk to the private quarters I put the tray on the small table in front of him. "Eat well and keep warm because god knows what tommorrow will bring." I told him I walked out the whole castle is empty so I felt free to cater to Joseph.

It felt good I'd rather give then receive it was my mother who taught me that. I gather some clothes and that I never wore and hope it would fit Joseph.

I came back Joseph is feasting on a turkey leg. "I brought you some clothes to wear I hope they fit enjoying the food I see." I smiled but he couldn't see my smile the mask prevented that.

"May I ask a question may I see you." Joseph said looking at me he looked nervous but determined as he asked me to take off the mask. "I can't right now." I said.

"I feel strange talking to you and you have it on." He said his whole body language shied away from me he didn't like the presentation of the mask and what it represented.

"Don't shy away from me Joseph please understand that this is only for now. I will take it off another time and you will see my face." I was animated when I talked and he didn't ease himself but he didn't want to run away either.

"Do you live here Robin." He asked me quietly I wasn't prepared for that answer I breathed in and out and it was there the ruby ring on his ring finger as it sparkles in the low light of the room.

I didn't know what to say to him. "What do you think Joseph." I asked him to answer his question this way it gave me time to really assess him. "I am not sure." He lied fair enough I let him lie to me as I am being pulled back out of that memory and being thrust back into the present.

All I could hear was that the woman teacher hailed and admired the chocolates and flowers that I got for him. "May I have one Clark." The red hair teacher which I found out her name is Lana asked sweetly. "Sure thing miss Lang." I hear a lovely crunch sound and hmm coming from Lana. "Dark chocolate is my favourite." That's when I heard the witch Lois barked. "Well Clark do you know who's giving you all this I mean flowers and chocolates I mean it could be like a serial killer and he's targeting you." She said arms cross she better not eat a chocolate or I swear.

"Stop being jealous and catty instead of that brown outfit you're wearing you should be wearing green with envy." Lana said her arms crossed ready to back up my Clark.

"I am not jealous of Clark Kent I mean look at him he has nothing to be jealous of." She said a smug look on her face.

"Except someone loves him out there and no one forks up chocolates and flowers for you miss Lane." Lana said not budging from her stance against Lois.

"Are you kidding me men admire me all the time." She replied feeling good about herself as she said that she better not eat anything on my Clark's desk.

"Yeah but where's the ring you're not hot stuff Lois you just need the one guy to make you feel hot." Lana said and picked up the purple lilac off Clark desk and smelled it she really was a lovely woman.

I hope she finds a man one day who will love her the same way I love Clark.

"Ladies why do I get the feeling you think it's a man I am not gay and besides I think it's woman who's doing all of this." Lana put the lilac down and looked at Lois square in the eye challenging her. "I have not seen Charles do such a thing for you ever since we all worked at the school together." She said hand on her hips Lois came close to Clark desk and reached over for chocolate.

She plucked a chocolate out of the box her well manicured long fingers are painted light pink, I watch as the chocolate went into her mouth it didn't reach her mouth yet so I did an old illusion trick of mind and turned the chocolate into a roach.

Lana exclaimed and laugh at her and pointed her finger Lois screech as if she was being tortured, And Clark face went white as he was shocked I was not a witch but I knew alchemy very well it is useful if you are a supernatural being.

"God all mighty what happen to the chocolate." I answered her like I did once before. {Not god but next time ask.} As I whisper that into her foul mind the raven cawed once more outside the school room window.

End of Act 3 on to Act 4

Thank you for reading

[honorhearted]

Ben hummed doubtfully, though a sheepish smile tipped the corner of his mouth. "Joke or no, I don't think it's entirely fair of you to put such ideas into my head. After all, I am a poor, defenseless preacher's son in desperate need of saving from your wiles," he teased.

“I did not even realise you felt anything for me until… well, after.”

"Nor did I," he assured her, "though in retrospect, I suppose all my pining was a dead giveaway. It would seem I don't even know my own heart." Chuckling, he arched a brow when Francesca laughed. He drew a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Truly, is it so funny to think of me as a rake? I may not be stellar with women, but..." He trailed off, no longer able to keep a straight face. "All right, so I suppose you've won that round. But don't get used to it."

Francesca swatted him, then was quick to announce, “I am most excited to meet this Widow Dandridge, if only to tell her just how ardently you seem to revere her.”

Ben's mouth dropped. "You wouldn't dare," he said, a look of genuine apprehension lighting his eyes despite the grin slowly curving his mouth. "You are incorrigible. If I'm an arsehole, it's only because I need to constantly be on guard!"

“I’m sorry I never got to meet him."

With the mood dampening somewhat, he softly agreed, "I am too. In fact, I'm certain you would've loved him...but hopefully not too much, given how Sammy was the one the women adored." He grinned to show her his jest, then squeezed her arm.

“If his collection of books is anything to go by, we would have gotten along famously. I fear that I may be close to having read them all by the time we leave for Connecticut.”

"I'll be sure to lend you other books," Ben promised. "After all, you haven't yet read my collection...though perhaps that's for the best." He chuckled. "What if you read my small library and suddenly realize we're incompatible?"

Once Francesca inquired about the games, he followed her gaze and offered a smug smile. "Could you truly be so eager for defeat?" he teased. "Don't you worry, that will all come in due time. I imagine it'll be any moment now, in fact...so perhaps this would be a good time to remind you that you love me, and no matter what happens -- and by that, I mean in light of my victory -- you will still love me."

Ben’s immediate reaction to her jesting - speechless? She had never known him to be such a thing - earned a slight grin, mischievous in nature and yet unsure if she should keep up the joke. Instead Francesca paused a moment as she glanced at Ben, his red cheeks almost endearing as she realised what must have set them off. "It was a joke,” she murmured. “I did not even realise you felt anything for me until… well, after.”

“If anything, Miss Eaton probably deems me far more of a rake than she initially imagined, and is even more offended by my dismissal.”

Francesca could not help but laugh at that, unable to imagine Ben as one of the infamous rakes that paraded the ton, her own brothers included. It did not seem to be his nature, and yet… she supposed that she did not truly know for certain – He had claimed that there had been no other women since his return to America, but before could have been a different story altogether. "She is more likely confused than offended – I do not believe that Alice has ever seen me as any sort of threat in that regard.”

The mention of her potential vexing qualities caused Francesca to swat lightly at his arm, a mixture of a laugh and a scowl crossing her features in conflicting bursts. “Well, if you carry on with you unfunny jokes, she is welcome to you,” came her reply, mock-haughtiness enveloping every word. “I am most excited to meet this Widow Dandridge, if only to tell her just how ardently you seem to revere her.”

Still, her smile faded as he spoke of Anthony’s demeanour, each word spoken truer than the last. It was no secret that their father’s death had changed him more so than anybody else, the role of Viscount being thrust upon him at the tender age of eight-and-ten coming a close second. Francesca did not remember a time when Anthony was the happy-go-lucky schoolboy that she had heard stories of, and yet she found that she missed him – She only prayed that her own children would never know a similar fate.

“I’m sorry I never got to meet him,” she softly replied, and the sentiment was genuine in its respect. Francesca could almost imagine it, having him join them at the festival or the beach, making quips at each other: She would have adored Samuel, no matter what. “If his collection of books is anything to go by, we would have gotten along famously. I fear that I may be close to having read them all by the time we leave for Connecticut.”

The games.

Practically startling from her thoughts, Francesca had almost forgotten about the promise of games, gaze brightening as she glanced over her shoulder. “They should be starting soon, should they not?”

[finelinevogue]

begging for an antigoni and li!yn blurb!! and i loved the ideo of them knowing each other outside the villa x

oooooh i imagine yn going crazy when she realises…

“Hi! So nice to meet you!” Antigoni hugged Ekin-Su, giving her two “European cheek kisses”.

“Is that everyone? Have you met everyone?” Gemma asked, checking before they go have a group chat.

“I haven’t seen Y/N yet.” Antigoni said smiling.

“Oh. Y/N’s lovely!” Indiyah spoke for you, grabbing a glass of bubbly for herself.

“I know.” Antigoni smirked.

“How? What do you mean?” Ekin-Su asked, completely dumbfounded.

“We’re actually best-friends outside of the villa. I was actually the one that applied her for this show.”

“Shut up no way.”

The rest of the girls gasped, looking around the circle. It wasn’t that much of drama anyways, but nothing exciting ever happens in the villa anymore so hearing this news was something new.

“Yeah. Thought I might give it a go myself. Seems like Y/N has found a good guy too.” Antigoni fished discreetly for any dirt that might not have been aired to the public, not just about Harry but they’re relationship together too.

“Oh. Y/N and Harry are inseparable.”

“Yeah, you won’t find them apart.”

“I’m happy they’ve got someone to make them smile. That’s genuinely the reason I applied for her to join.” Antigoni’s smile beamed like the sun.

“Awww. I bet she’ll love to see you.”

“It’ll be a surprise for sure. Where actually are they?”

“Her and Harry pretend no one realises they’re having a heavy make-out session in the dressing room, whilst everyone is down here talking.” Gemma answered, making everyone nod because they had noticed too.

Antigoni laughed, but her heart was so happy for you.

“Oh here she comes now.”

“With Harry in hand.”

“He didn’t even try to wipe her lipstick from his mouth.”

The group laughed again. Before Harry could give you a kiss goodbye to see the boys, you started screaming. At first Harry panicked, worrying that something was terribly wrong, before you ran in your heels across the decking and into Antigoni’s arms.

Harry walked behind you, obviously realising he had to say hello to someone new politely. Your reaction made it seem like you’d know this girl a lifetime though.

“Omg! Shut up!” You launched yourself at Antigoni and she spun you in her arms. She worked out a lot so he was very strong and muscly and able to pick you up perfectly.

“Hey, gorgeous.” She squeezed you tight before putting you back down onto flat earth.

“How— What are you doing here?” You asked shocked, not caring about anyone else seeing your reaction. This was your bestfriend and you had very much missed her. No complaints about her being here at all.

“I applied too.”

“I can see that. This better not be my mums way of keeping tabs on me better.” You laughed, causing others to laugh too. You were too shocked that your best friend was in front of you to notice though.

“No! But she does say that she approves of Harry.” Antigoni winks and you smile so hard because that’s all you ever wanted, “Speaking of….”

Antigoni looks over your shoulder to where Harry was stood awkwardly behind.

“Hi.” Harry smiled and brought her in for a hug.

You watched them both interact and immediate tears formed in your eyes. You didn’t think you’d get this moment until 8 weeks later so for your life to start filtering into this part of your life felt so surreal.

“Hi Harry. I’m Antigoni.”

“Lovely too meet you.”

“Likewise. Oh and also thank you for keeping this one happy.” She said, pulling apart and standing in between you and Harry.

“Always, yeah.” Harry sniffled.

“This is my best friend, H.” You explained and the ‘oh’ face dropped on Harry, He understood why you’d be so excited now and it made him all excited for you.

“Lovely to meet the best friend of my best friend.” Harry said, cheering his glass towards Antigoni.

“Hey. You can have her as a girlfriend, but she’s my best friend. All right?” Antigoni threatened and Harry put his hands up in defeat, because he was completely fine with that.

Even if Ekin-Su wasn’t.