#trying the fade transition thing

[thewebspinner]

[fohatic]

“Oh No” / Avengers: Assemble (explicit lyrics)

i made another fanvideo for a bingo fill, this time for square Y4 / “starting a new team” for @cap-ironman stony bingo round 2

[quetzalpapalotl]

Humanformers IDW1 Arcee and Galvatron were child stars

[simjaexy]

𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙈𝙚 | 𝙋.𝙅.

pairing ⇀ bf! park jongseong x (f) reader

synopsis ⇀ you stop by jay’s studio to visit him and end up with him teaching you how to play the guitar. what you also end up with is his fingers inside you.

genre ⇀ smut

warnings ⇀ lower case intended, minors dni, cursing, making out, grinding, fingering, choking, cum eating, name calling (slut), lmk if there more!

w.c ⇀ 1.1k

a/n ⇀ i was planning on making it longer but i had another one shot coming soon so i’m finishing that one up. lmk what you think of this drabble! not proofread!

masterlist here!

the soft hum of a guitar filled the air as you stepped into the studio. jay was sitting on a stool, his fingers dancing effortlessly over the strings. the notes he played were soothing and intricate, creating a beautiful melody that resonated throughout the room. he looked up and smiled when he saw you, his eyes lighting up with a mix of surprise and joy.

"hey, I didn't expect you to drop by.” he said, setting his guitar down for a moment.

you smiled back, feeling a flutter in your chest, "I was curious to see you in action. plus, I was hoping you could teach me a few things."

jay's grin widened, his excitement palpable. "i'd love to.”

you walked over to him, and he handed you the guitar. his hands were warm as they guided yours to the correct positions on the strings. he explained each chord with patience, his voice soothing and encouraging.

"okay, this is a g chord," he said, placing your fingers on the frets. "now, press down firmly and strum."

you strummed the chord, and a pleasant sound resonated from the guitar. jay’s eyes sparkled with pride. "see? you're a natural."

as you continued to practice, jay moved closer, his presence comforting and alluring. he showed you how to transition between chords smoothly, his fingers occasionally brushing against yours making you flustered. each time you made a mistake, he was quick to reassure you.

"it’s all about practice," he said, his voice gentle. "everyone starts somewhere."

you nodded, feeling more confident with each passing minute. the studio seemed to fade away as you focused on the guitar and jay's guidance.

"now, let's try a simple melody," jay suggested, his enthusiasm infectious. he played a few notes, demonstrating the sequence. "give it a shot."

you followed his lead, your fingers moving hesitantly at first. but with jay's encouragement, you soon found a rhythm. the melody was simple, but to you, it felt like an achievement.

"you’re doing amazing," jay said, giving you a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. "we should do this more often."

you looked up at him, your heart swelling with gratitude, but you felt another feeling from the way he squeezed your shoulder with a gaze you couldn’t describe, "i’d like that."

as the session went on, you couldn’t help but watch jays fingers as they strum softly against the guitar. you felt your heart pang when he used his two fingers to slide up the string (yk what i’m talking about). you shook your head and cursed at yourself for thinking like that in a heartfelt moment. jay then looked up at you with a grin.

"You're a quick learner," he said, his eyes twinkling. you felt a faint hotness upon your cheeks and looked away.

“w-well thanks to you.” you stuttered. jay hummed and stood up making you stare at him confused. slowly he leaned into your space causing you to back up against the desk.

“i’m not stupid baby. i see how you looked at my fingers. what were you thinking?” jay muttered. you felt yourself getting embarrassed and put your hands on his chest.

“i-i wasn’t trying too make it weird-“ “then you should be ashamed for making it like that.” he cut you off. you gasped when you felt one of his hands creep against you waist, gripping it softly.

“well don’t back out now. tell me what you were thinking.” he smirked. you whimpered when he suddenly lifted your skirt up revealing your wet panties.

“seongie-“ “tell me. what were you thinking when i was playing the guitar?” he suddenly snapped.

“y-your fingers. they looked g-good.” you whined when you finally felt him dip his hand in your underwear.

he started off slowly by rubbing your wet folds, the sound of stickiness and wetness filling the air. you moaned in pleasure and tried to grind, but that earned a slap on the thigh from jay.

“you like my fingers? like it when they’re deep in your pussy?” he rasped out. you cried out when he circled your bud making you arch your back. he lifted you up swiftly and set you on the desk.

“seongie please! i want your fingers.” you moaned. jay smirk never faltered even when he shoved his fingers in you without warning.

you let out a silent moan feeling his thick long fingers stuffed in your pussy. you wrapped your arms around his neck.

“oh fuck! m’there!” you gasped. jay pace was deep and slow causing you to shiver in pleasure. your legs shaking beside his waist.

“such a slut for me. you’re lucky it’s soundproof.” jay commented. you nodded your head dumbly and tried grinding on his fingers. he stopped your movement making you groan.

“you’re not gonna cum until i tell you too. understand?” he said. you shook your head in disagreement.

“seongie no-“ “then you’re not cumming at all.”

you whined and sniffled, feeling his fingers still stuffed inside you. you nodded your head, “fine okay!”

he smiled and started moving his fingers again but this time faster. you gasped and cried when he angled his fingers deeper, “oh my god jay!” you screamed.

you felt your climax coming and repeatedly tapped his shoulder. he ignored you and continued to abuse your pussy. you felt your body shake as tears fell down your face. jay kissed your tears away and wrapped his free hand around your neck, slightly squeezing.

“remember what i said.” he spoke. you whimpered and nodded. your climax so close and yet so far. jay groaned when he felt your pussy squeeze around his fingers. fuck, he wanted to fuck you so bad.

“j-jay please. i’ve been good.” you sighed. jay stared at you for a few minutes before humming.

“go ahead.” was all he said before you finally came. your orgasm coming hard. you let out a shaky moan when he slowly pulled out.

you panted harshly, your back laying against the cold wall. you gasped when you watched jay out his fingers in his mouth, licking all your cum. he winked at you teasingly and kissed you. you let out a sigh feeling your slick in your mouth.

he broke the kiss and softly kissed your forehead, “we have to go now before i cum in my pants.” he said. you giggled and stood up. you felt your cum in your underwear and pouted.

“you should’ve taken my underwear off.” you complained.

jay grabbed your hand, “don’t worry. i’ll clean you up when we get home with other things.” he smiled before sticking out his tongue causing you to gasp and slap his chest. the only thing you got back was his beautiful laugh.

[skyscrapergods]

Are there such things as minor gods? Things like how Aphrodite is the main goddess of love and related things, but the Erotes are all gods and goddesses of more specific parts of Aphrodite's domain.

There are entities that come to represent a concept in their local community. The less people who know and venerate them, the less powerful they are. There are many names for boosted creatures: saints, partially ascended, demigods, etc. The world is massive and each part has its own culture.

Twilight was already growing taller and longer before Celestia supercharged the process and made her into a Godling. Godlings cannot go back to how they were before, but they can try their hardest to remove themself from the concept of their godhood and hope they don't grow any further.

An example of a venerated creature would be Rain Shine, matriarch of the Kirin and Conduit of Silence. She is taller and more powerful than the other kirin, but no one thinks of her as a god.

Hierarchy of Ascension

Patron

This pony (or griffin or dragon etc) is known for their association with a certain trait, concept, material, area, personality, etc. You wouldn't yet call this their "domain" and most people are unaware there is anything magical going on.

Rarity - fashion. She is well known as a fashionista, and her garments give an extra sparkle of inspiration and self love to their wearers. There are many of these in the world.

Zecora - exotic wilderness. Everyone thinks of her as foreign and strange but capable and kind. She is adept at using folk remedies and navigating the Everfree Forest with ease.

Spearhead - Subjective art. This royal guard-turned-artist builds strange compositions that many ponies find confusing. But he is skilled at evoking emotion with seemingly random shapes.

Conduit

People who are changed by their domain, and have notable power relating to it.

Rain Shine - Silence. She is more powerful when no one is speaking. Her magic caused already health-compromised kirin to lose their voices.

Trouble Shoes - Bad luck. Thought of as being a massive clumsy screwup, that is what he became.

Fleur de Lis and others with a similar build - We will have to do more research on their actual domain.

Sassy Saddles - conduit of sweatshops apparently

Thorax - Leadership that values the people rather than the self

Shining Armor - Protection

Bastian

Significant changes and powerful magic that can last through the ages. Lifespans extended but they are still mortal. Physical changes tend to manifest during highly magical moments, and can fade afterward. Known by hundreds of mortals.

The Pillars of Equestria, and later, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Pinkie Pie - Chaos

Harbinger

Extremely powerful creatures who are on their way to a natural ascension to godhood. They Can be killed, but if their power continues to grow they will become immortal. They can start to take on other domains as people attribute more concepts to them. Known by millions of mortals.

Sombra - He has his own chapter, to be released.

Queen Chrysalis - Terrified Reverence. Ruling through fear. Selfishness and taxes. She thinks she is the Harbinger of love, of course.

Tirek - Habinger of helplessness. He makes everyone feel terrified and unable to act.

Dragon Lord - Powerful and massive leader of dragons. This is a form of near-godhood that can be transferred from one dragon lord to the next. Usually this transition is peaceful, with the old lord announcing the new one to dragons of the world. But history is stained with the blood of battles for the title. The Lord is whoever dragons believe to be their ruler. One historically successful way to achieve this belief is to kill the old one. Thankfully, modern dragon law includes term limits.

Deity

Alicorn Post | Gods Tag

Immortal beings that are many many times their original size. Massive, powerful magic that is interwoven into the fabric of reality. Gods have multiple concepts in their domains, usually related to each other in some way. This includes "positive" gods taking on "negative" traits as part of their domain.

Known by hundreds of millions to billions of mortals.

Discord - Chaos and disharmony. He is a dimensional interloper that has gained notoriety and thus power in this dimension as well as his own.

Celestia - The sun, sky, and daytime. Main Post | Tag

Drawback: Burns

Luna - The moon, the night, and dreams. Main Post | Tag

Drawback: Nightmares

Twilight (future) - Friendship and connection. Main Post | Tag

Cadance - Romantic love and family. Main Post | Tag

Boabab (oc) - Life. The beginning, the planet

Novo - The Ocean

Godling

Godlings are creatures who have been ascended through the acts of another god. They have skipped the slow growing power gain. Instead, they manifest godlike traits while still keeping their small size. The God who ascended them will usually announce the new Godling to their followers, which immediately gains the Godling a congregation and begins their ascent rapidly. They have varying levels of power and control over their domain.

Twilight (current day) - Friendship.

Cadance (formerly) - Romantic Love

Cozy Glow (temporary) - Chaos

Sunburst - Unknown. Main Post | Tag

Flurry Heart (current day, born as a godling) - Unknown

Of course, this is just putting names to the laws of magic that govern our world. And magic, as we know, does not follow rules we try to set. If you were to ask a lorekeeper from the other side of the world or in the ocean, you would hear very different interpretations of the same system.

[dansemacabre]

hi sorry i don’t go here anymore but i feel a lot of things about the tommyinnit video and i have a lot of bit ideas and i just. i need to make a numbered list

1. obsessed with how his go to story was always “kids in school bullied me for minecraft videos” (bad, awful, sorry this happened) and not “i specifically asked for my teachers to play my minecraft let’s plays in the middle of science”. this is soooo positive and kind and affectionate because this is both something i do now (lie abt personal stories on the internet) and something i repeatedly did as a kid (deliberately got myself into Embarrassing Situations trying to mix internet and irl. i have stories too thomas….)

2. his middle name is michael. LOSER. whos name is michael. only. losers

3. i was like “wow foolish and quackity are in here a lot” until i realized that he Cannot Show Anyone Else. 75% of dsmp clips contain at least One racist and/or convicted felon

4. this guy Cannot keep fading to black and sighing. every transition it’s another fucking fade to black. Please just cut to black please just cut please just cut please please please please

5. THE TOMMY NEG CAMEO……. suddenly it was 2021 and i was on twitter at 4am and my moot was asking me if i hated philza and cheated on my girlfriend bc a random swiftie faked messages with me to be in a joke group chat i was in that dr*am got added to but never actually joined. sorry this isn’t about me but hey that was Fucking wild

6. TOMMYINNIT HAS HAD TWO GIRLFRIENDS???? I AM 20 YEARS OLD GAY AND HOT AND HES HAD 200% MORE PLAY???????? sorry. Sorry.

7. i fuck w the djo! I am crying real human tears though

8. he found himself thru stand up comedy…….. be yourself because then you’ll get more views…………. he is so wise……. i must become the most famous man in nottingham…………..

that’s all. i don’t think half of these classify as bits. this is like a React video but on tumblr which is somehow worse than a react video. doesn’t matter. It’s all love

[strawberrymothteeth]

Lost in the woods AU Once a upon a time when you was younger. They got lost in the woods at girl scout camp. Being the loner of the girl scout group no one quite noticed that you have disappeared. Crying on one of the many dirt paths you meet young cryptid sun and moon. With their help you return safely back to your girl scout group but curious about the cryptids you would continously seek them out. Over that month you and the cryptid boys forge a friendship. But as all good things it must come to an end. But you promised you would come back soon but soon they fade into just a long forgotten memory.

Fast forward you are celebrating that Vanessa has graduated Park Ranger training and is now a Park Ranger at Fazbear's nature park; that used to be the girl scout camp you went to as a young child. (can't say national because they are a for profit.) But Vanessa has been acting strangely ever since she started the training but Vanessa would never do anything shady....right? Unfortunately your naivety your good friend Vanessa is planning to sacrifice you to her good lord and savior Springtrap. close ups and tidbits

Cryptid Sun: 🎇The more "nicer" of the two. 🎇He hides toys in his chest cavity to help try to calm down children. He tried it with Y/N but it just made Y/N more confused and panicked. 🎇Can summon fire sprites from his chest cavity. Often times this would be how he guides lost hikers/children back to their camps versus showing himself. 🎇When angry his face will be engulfed in flames. but do not fret he will be fine once he cools down his temper. This rarely happens but moon is very good at pushing his buttons. 🎇is the less upset one out of the two of them of Y/N not remembering them. 🎇 Him and moon learned how to speak and write through reading the horse books left at the girl scout camp. So they have an unusual amount of knowledge about horses. 🎇Can sense what is happening through the forest through the roots and can travel through the roots to whatever location he pleases at the National Park.

Cryptid Moon: ��The more "aggressive" one of the two. (he just thinks he is just blunt and to the point.) 🌙He is currently trying to fly under the radar ever since a hiker stumbled upon him feasting on his meal. (whether it was human or not is up for debate. Ask him and he will just chuckle.) 🌙His wings got singed back when Sun couldn't control his fire sprites. He got back on him by putting a bunch of termites in his bed. 🌙Is the more upset one out of the two that Y/N forgot them. Especially when they grabbed Y/N to play with them in the sky for Y/N to panic and get dropped in the lake by accident. 🌙Moon was the first cryptid for Y/N to stumble upon when they were young as well as adults. 🌙Moon is a huge sucker for anything sweet whether they would like to admit it or not is up for debate. 🌙If Moon is the one guiding hikers back he would usually scare them in the direction they need to go. but with children he tries his best to make himself not as threatening(doesn't work half the time) and guide them while holding hands. (big softie)

Y/N: 🐈‍⬛ remember sun and moon a bit but more of just chalking it up to imaginary friends. They do have a birthmark on their neck which he showed to sun and moon as kids. but in general very secretive about it. 🐈‍⬛is in transitioning and uses he/they pronouns. 🐈‍⬛very prideful of their pitiful t-stache. but a stache is a stache. 🐈‍⬛has a HUGE fear of heights which is why they panicked when Moon picked them up like they were besties. 🐈‍⬛gets easily lost so it constantly keeps getting lost in the woods. and Vanessa's cryptic directions aren't helping him at all. 🐈‍⬛is training as well to be a park ranger like Vanessa. He has known Vanessa for a few years before she started acting very secretive and a bit unstable. 🐈‍⬛is a lot more chill with Sun but that might change after he stumbles upon Sun enjoying a meal. they are slightly terrified of both but Sun and moon just want to hang out with their bestie(?).

[korraofthereef]

SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE AN EDIT OF TIMEBOMB TO “Not a lot, just forever” by Adrianne Lenker AND ILL LITERALLY GIVE YOU THE EXACT WAY TO EDIT IT I DON’F EVEN NEED CREDITS I JUST WANNA SEE IT

Not a lot, just forever

honestly this part is optional but I feel like the audio is too much of a kickstart to start with the line below

And your dearest fantasy

stick with me on this. So it’ll be Ekko heaving and conflicted in this scene:

For the entire duration of the lyrics until it’ll transition into the next set of lyrics where… (continue reading under the next lyric)

Is to grow a baby in me

it’ll tradition to Jinx’s face in that scene also for the entire duration of this set of lyrics:

Then slowly fading into the next scene of… (continue reading under the next lyric)

I could be // a good mother

(For the “I could be” part)

Isha running towards Jinx when Vi is abt to kill her (!)

(Now for the “a good mother” part)

Jinx holding onto/trying to push away Isha when held under Vi’s fist.

So the faces are like a parallel of scenes. I would have really liked for the clip shown directly above of Jinx holding Isha to come right after the scene of Jinx on the ground after fight Ekko because then the parallels would’ve matched better but the edit needed more clip transitions and more clarification so it’s kind of a must with this order. So if y’all could maybe make it very clear it’s supposed to be referencing a parallel that would be amazing (!)

And I wanna be your wife

For every syllable we’re gonna transition to a different scene with young Powder and Ekko specifically with these scenes in this order:

I tried my best to explain the syllables=scenes lmao

So I // hold you // to // my knife

(For the “so I // hold you” part)

We’ll start with the quick panning from one scene to another because the lyrics go by quick in this part of the song—so we’ll start with the scene of Jinx holding her gun during “So I” before cutting to Ekko standing there all angry during “Hold you”

(Now for the “to // my knife” part)

The reason I separated the lyric is because “to” drags on for about the same amount of time “my knife” is sang for. So it’ll be the part where Ekko is charging at Jinx with his board and stealing the hex orb thing, then quickly panning to the part where Ekko is getting the upper hand in the fight as he leaps towards Jinx.

Kind of like the first part of the entire lyric block where thy change scenes in between the double slash mark (//)

…also I know all of the clips in this part are very out of order from the actually scene in the show but it needs to be like this in order for a complete poetic masterpiece…

And I steal // your letter

(For the “and I steal” part)

Nowwwww is where Ekko will be looking up at the mural of Powder in the Firelight Base because it’s supposed to be sort of suggesting that he stole one last memory of Powder:

(Now for the “your letter” part)

This is just the second half of the explanation above. It’s just the mural y’all. And honestly, use whatever clip of the mural you want like you could use the one where it’s zoomed in on Powder’s face, or you could use the one where it’s a wide shot that captures Ekko and Vi in the frame.

This is obviously the close up on Powder on the mural,(which is preferred) but honestly if you guys are going through the trouble of making this edit then choose whatever clip for this part bc I’m eternally grateful.

Not a lot // just forever

Because I’m running out of the amount of photos I can add to a post, I’ll merge both side of the double slash lyric scene separation (//) into one photo for explanation

The top clip of young Powder and Ekko will be running for the duration of “Not a lot” and then after that lyric has passed, then the bottom scene of them fighting it out as their older selves in real time will play for the duration of the lyrics “Just forever”

Intertwine // some together

I couldn’t really choose one parallel scene from the finale fight because there’s so many so you guys just take your pick from the groups.

P.S. the scene on the top with the the one playing during “Intertwine” and the scene connected on the bottom half with be the one playing during “Some together”

(I’ll repost with the final photo bc I’m at my photo limit 😭)

ANYWHOOOOO

I was thinking that all the clips should start with high velocity and then quickly move into slow motion for the clips especially because they’re short clips and they’ll go quickly… yeah if you don’t understand what I mean, I guess what I’m trying to say is make it twixtor and then speed it up at the beginning so it’s like smoothing transitioning Ykwim??

Feel fully entitled to transition the clips however you want, you can fade into other clips for more drama idk. Just suggesting slo-mo clips because the scene are short 👍

[mint-and-authoress]

Slime HRT - Progress Report II

<<| ⏯️ |>>

[The video opens with a familiar bedroom setup from previous recordings. In the top right corner a timestamp of ‘10 Weeks’ is shown.]

“Okay, ten weeks. We’re ten freaking weeks into this. I’m honestly really excited for this update actually because…”

[Elise stands back a few feet and rolls up her sleeves to reveal her arms. The skin has shifted from translucent to transparent, and the musculature is present underneath, a mix of bluish-gray and red.]

“Skin’s gone! …Well, not gone gone, but it’s totally cleared up! It’s all see-through now, and that means the muscle’s gonna go next. Which I’m a little nervous about.

“Yeah… that last bit at the end of the first video was my dad kinda outing me on his own because I didn’t have a chance to cover up. And that’s kinda led to this Transspecies Cold War that I’ve been forced to take part in for like… 3 weeks now? Luckily my mother is oblivious to all this so I’ve managed to skirt around that volcanic eruption. Dad hasn’t said a word to me, though, which is a bit weird, but I’m honestly fine with not talking to him. Freeing, in a sense.

“Anyway, important things first! In terms of my transition timeline, I’m actually a little ahead of schedule! Which, don’t get me wrong, it’s really exciting to experience this stuff and confirm it’s all really happening, but also kinda puts a bit of a wrench into my plans. Some gunk in the cogs, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to use more slime puns, but I’m not sure if it’s for me.”

[Elise stares off for a second before snapping back to reality.]

“...Right, the wrench. Problem. Whatever it was. Right, my job! I’m a bit worried about how long I’ll be able to keep working, seeing as though I’m gonna basically have muscular dystrophy advancing throughout my body at a rapid rate. I don’t do a ton of heavy lifting, at most I’d struggle with lifting mannequins but we barely do that. Mostly just hanging clothes and gettin stuff hung up.

“My skin, or my surface now, I guess, is a bit stickier now? From what I can tell, the surface is just a slime’s version of skin; all the goop you’d imagine just comes from underneath to gather sensory input. I guess that hasn’t happened yet because 1) I don’t have that goop yet–the goop that’ll come from all my muscles, I mean–and 2) I still have a human’s nervous system so I can still touch and understand that feeling.

“So far so good, though. No more skin, no more breakouts. Hopefully the muscles are just as cooperative.”

[The segment ends. The next segment fades in and Elise looks notably different. Her hair is gone and has been replaced with a shorter ‘haircut’ made entirely from slime. She wears a t-shirt and long pants. Elise’s surface is still clear but most of the muscle underneath is also gone, the little remaining still in small patches dotted across her body. Her face is also completely eroded away, all that remains is the skull, eyes, and the inner workings of her ears. The slime that makes up Elise’s body is now tinted green. The timestamp reads ‘5 Months.’]

“This is my entry at 5 months during transition. Holy Hell it has been a rough one. As you can see…”

[Elise slowly stands and orients the camera to face multiple parts of the bedroom, most of which has been compartmentalised and/or boxed up. She finally turns the camera to face her once more in the usual shot.]

“I am ready to get out. In fact, I’m actually headed out tomorrow morning to go live with my partner out west. Out in the wilderness, surrounded by nature. First things first, though. I gotta unpack these last months for y’all.”

[Elise starts to roll up her sleeves before seemingly forgetting that she is wearing a t-shirt, which she begins to fidget with.]

“Transition stuff first. Also sorry if I’m a bit spaced out, I’ve been a bit…well I guess I’ll just call myself out on it, I’ve been a bit airheaded recently. Doctors say it’s a side effect of the drugs, which of course it is. All in the name of science or something.

“I don’t want it to come across like I’m not happy; I’m fucking ecstatic and euphoric all the time. Life’s just been a lot lately.

“In terms of the muscular decomposition it actually kinda freaking hurts. Like when it started I just felt sore but over the course of a week somewhere around 14 weeks in I got barely any sleep. Turns out, acid dissolving you hurts pretty bad, actually. It got better when a majority of the muscle was gone but every now and again the body decides to get rid of more and unfortunately I can’t use any ibuprofen or painkillers because they inhibit some yeast growth and I just so happen to be made of the stuff nowadays.

“Also, on that note, no more caffeine, ever, apparently. Yeasts actually really don’t react well to caffeine so I’m really really glad I don’t drink coffee. No more Dr. Pepper hurts the soul, though. F in the chat for no more dr pepper.

“Also, hair. As in, no more hair, anywhere. I think they try to skirt around the fact that you will drop your hair as soon as the scalp becomes goop when they tell the trans girls about their transition. I think I would have screamed if I had the house to myself when I took that shower and my whole head felt very light. Luckily your body becomes very malleable when you take these drugs and after like four days of trying I figured out how to style my goop-hair. I’m usually covered from top to bottom in clothes to stay hidden, though, so I barely ever get the chance. And of course, since the hair is gone, my nails went around the same time. Been having to wear touchscreen gloves just to use my phone, and rubber gloves under those so I don’t seep through.

“Other changes… well, showering is pretty euphoric, honestly. Putting more water in the body kinda expands it in a way. Makes all the mass a bit sloshy but still workable if I don’t overdo it. Makes me all euphoric to have big ol tiddies whenever I want.

“I’m still able to eat normally, but I’ve started to actually digest with my slime. Lately my goal has been to taste without my tongue – which is also gone, mind you, just got lucky that I kept my tastebuds at least a little bit.”

[Elise stares off into the distance once again, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment she recollects herself and sits a bit taller.]

“Most of you have guessed by now that I’d get fired because of my transition, and yeah, that was last week. I warned my boss way in advance that I may slowly lose some physical function during transition but either she didn’t care to research my procedures or hated my guts anyway, either way I got canned for being unable to lift and perform my duties. It’s not so bad, lets me decompress and get ready to move.

“Yeah, I know, the move. Funny, you think I should have mentioned that first, or maybe a few months ago. Thing is, I had no idea I’d be moving out this early either. My transition is happening at an advanced rate for some reason and the doctors won’t be able to say before 6 months anyway so we’re all a bit in the dark about it.

“So last night I was invited to dinner with my parents. Not like an actual ‘going out to a restaurant’ dinner, no this was more like ‘Elise gets to cook and make her parents a nice meal and be forced to sit and talk about uncomfortable shit with them for at least an hour’ dinner. Lucky for them, I’m a bit of a pushover and I actually do like to cook so I made something nice.

“So, an hour and one stir fried chicken dish later, I’m sitting in the living room with my parents watching TV and absolutely trying to not shrink in on myself. That’s been an experience, let me tell you. I can just kinda ball up now if I want. Which I did not want to do considering I was still stealth from my mom.

“Of course, she has to ask how work is going and of course I had to unmask for just one insignificant second and reply that I was let go. There was a bit of a screaming match, and a ride to the hospital for my mother who legitimately had a heart attack from seeing her daughter’s skull and eyes suspended in a slightly green goop. Food colouring, by the way. Way cheaper than hair dye.

“Mom’s alright, she’s an addict so that’s what the doctors are focussed on now. Which unfortunately means that they have to deal with a whole bunch of bills and other lovely little things. Dad took me aside and made it abundantly clear that I was no longer welcome in their home. Hence, the boxes and suitcase that all hold the entirety of what I own.

“In better news, I’m gonna get an apartment with my love and we’ll be all okay by the end of the week. At some point I’m gonna also have to head into Hyper City again, check in with my doctors who all seem to have no idea why my transition is going so fucking fast all of a sudden. I mean, I was on schedule up until like that 7 weeks update and then everything went into like, I dunno, super puberty, and just shot way ahead.

“So, yeah…transition’s going great, just have to bear with all the other stuff that comes with it. I transitioned once, I can do it again. Stay strong, we’ll make it through together.”

[The scene fades to black as Elise reaches for the camera.]

}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~{

We are so back. With the Biggest. Update. Ever.

Well, not Elise. She's actually going through it af

More slime time! This post's inspiration (imma keep doing this btw, I like giving shout outs to my humble base of 40 followers) comes from both @draconic-lesbian for constant and continuous love and species affirmation, and @reliablegal who somehow derived her own slime biology and affirmed most of what I found to be true :D

catch y'all later when Elise moves into a new place and totally nothing crazy happens~

[sentientgolfball]

Devotion: Part 2

Part 1 here

oh boy nearly took me a month, but it's finally here !!

Read here or on Ao3

Pairing: Raindrop

WC: 15k

Summary: Before Dew could become fire he had to make sure the new water ghoul would fit the needs of the Ghost Project.

Dew looks around. It is dark. There is no landscape. The only sound is that of the breeze whistling around him. He looks down only to be met with the inky black depths of the lake. The water is rippling around his feet as he stands atop it. When he looks back up the silhouette with piercing red eyes is standing only a few feet away from him. Dew narrows his eyes. 

Why are you following me? He questions it. 

Like always, it just remains silent. He growls in frustration, taking a step towards it. 

Answer me! 

It stares at him. Dew walks across the water until he is standing right in front of it. He snaps his fangs. 

Tell me what you are! 

Nothing. 

He hisses, rearing back to strike when all of a sudden he feels something frigid at his feet. His head snaps down and he stares in horror as he begins to sink. He steps back from the thing but it only makes it worse. His leg plunges into the water. He struggles trying to keep himself above, but to no avail. He looks back at the thing as more of him goes under. 

Don’t just stand there! Do something! 

It watches him. 

It watches him as he falls into the water. It watches him as he begins to go under. Dew takes one more breath before he is pulled all the way in. He looks up at the surface as the depths of the lake drag him down, down, down. The thing cocks its head as he disappears. 

Dew wakes with a gasp, body tensing as he is suddenly thrown into consciousness. He blinks slowly, shifting around to get his bearings. He pauses when he hears a grumble. Right. He looks down at Rain, still fast asleep and pressed close in Dew’s little spoon. He looks peaceful. Regal. How he manages to look like a figure pulled straight from a painting even in sleep Dew will never know. But he is grateful for it. He is grateful for being such a light sleeper. It gives him something new to look forward to in his morning routine. Instead of wandering into the kitchen to scrounge for snacks while he waits for everyone to wake up, he gets to look at Rain without having to hide the way his eyes soften and the little blue blush that dusts his cheeks. 

Rain. 

The last dregs of his dream fade away as he thinks about everything that has happened in the last month and a half. He never would have guessed that violent water ghoul who popped out of the Pits with his fangs bared would let Dew hold him every night. He supposes it has something to do with the fact that they have spent pretty much every day together since his summoning. There is no more apprehension, at least for Dew, the others are still a work in progress. 

He knows when it all changed. When Rain stopped throwing his walls up around him. Dew was up late one night plucking away at a guitar Ifrit let him borrow. He figured a bit of practice before his elemental transition could not hurt, so when he was not busy teaching Rain bass he was teaching himself guitar. He had not been able to sleep, another one of those dreams had shaken him awake. Dew had just finished another scale when there was a soft knock at his door. He was a little surprised to see Rain standing there, but it made sense. He did share a wall with him after all. He had apologized, assuming he had been too loud. Rain just shook his head and asked if he could come in. Dew had suddenly felt nervous. It was the first time Rain had ever been in his room. He remembers feeling like the floor opened up under his feet when he asked Rain what was up and he cried. That was the night Dew learned about the nightmares. That was the night Dew learned why Rain was alone when he was summoned. That was the night Rain slept in his bed and never left. That was the night he swore to himself he would never see Rain cry again. 

He smiles to himself, tucking a piece of hair behind Rain’s finned ear while he sleeps. He also knows when something settled in his chest. They were supposed to be heading to the practice rooms to work more on bass basics, but first they had to stop at the library. Ifrit had asked Dew to take Zephyr their lunch. He would have done it himself, but he had gotten caught up helping the Siblings with one of the cows escaping. Dew chatted with Zephyr for a bit, asking them how things were going with Cumulus and Cirrus, but by the time he had turned around Rain was gone. Zephyr said they saw him wander off towards the bookshelves while they were talking. Dew went looking for him so they could leave. He had found him sitting on one of the couches near the stained glass window of the Morning Star offering Eve the apple. The sight had left him frozen in place. The midafternoon sun was streaming in, casting a rainbow of colors over the floor. Over Rain’s face. He did not even realize Dew was there. He had picked up a book and started reading while Dew was busy. He looked ethereal. Dew had felt his heart stop. He had never seen someone look so beautiful. They did not go to practice that day. Dew sat with him while he read, happy just to be close. 

That same feeling sits in his chest now. It never really went away once it made itself known. Dew is afraid to acknowledge it. He is not a kit, he knows what infatuation is. He knows that whatever it is is just that. Infatuation. He has been spending all his time with Rain of course that is what it is. He knows what love feels like. He loves Aether and Mountain. He knows he loves them because he has known them for so long. He cannot love Rain. Rain has barely existed Topside. He has not had the chance to find himself. Dew cannot just shove himself into Rain’s heart because he is infatuated. He sees the way Rain looks at Mountain on those rare occasions he sits with the pack. He will not stop him from finding something good just because he thinks about diving into the deepest part of the lake to find the most beautiful stone he can to leave on Rain’s night stand. He will not take away Rain’s chance to become his own person. 

But that will not stop him from stealing glances. From stealing moments like these. He can give in just a little, just enough to keep him sated. Just until Rain gets comfortable with the pack. Then Rain won’t need him anymore and he will be able to get over this stupid infatuation. Until then he is going to take every opportunity he has to admire the gift from Lucifer Himself. The proud jut of his nose, his sharp jawline, the way his lips slightly part when he is deep asleep. Dew cannot help but wonder what he tastes like. Wonder what those long, elegant fingers would look like wrapped around his—

He pauses. Blinks. Shakes his head. 

“Now is not the time to think with your dick Dewdrop,” he mutters to himself. 

His heart stops when he hears Rain hum and shift against him. He turns over, eyes slowly blinking open to look up at Dew. 

“You say something?” Rain yawns and rubs his eyes. 

Good job dumbass! 

“Huh?” 

“Nothing,” Rain shakes his head, “how long have you been up?” 

“Dunno. Probably like ten, fifteen minutes?” 

“Sorry to keep you waiting then.” 

“Don’t be. You need your beauty sleep. Something has to fix that face.” Dew grins at him. 

Rain laughs a little, returning his smile, “is that why you look like that?”

Dew huffs, staring down at him. He is suddenly painfully aware of how close they are. How he can feel Rain breathing. It would not take very much to lean forward and close the last bit of distance between them. He does not even realize he is leaning forward until he feels Rain’s hand on his hip. His eyes are still half lidded and hazy from sleep and Dew would be lying if he said did not feel his stomach twist. Fuck why is he so pretty? 

“Dew…” Rain whispers, voice raspy. 

Hearing his name snaps him out of it. No. No he cannot do this. If anything is ever to happen between them he has to let Rain choose to do it. He cannot just pounce on him the moment he wakes up. He cannot and will not put Rain in a situation where Dew is all he has. He deserves more than him. 

“We should go get breakfast before Multi eats it all.” Dew says as he slowly moves back. 

Rain stares at him for a moment before letting his hand fall from his hip, “Right.” 

Dew untangles himself from the bed, stretching with an obnoxious yawn and a sickening crack of his back. He is doing the right thing. He has to be right? That is why it makes his chest feel tight. Because the right thing is always the hard thing. He flexes his jaw and tries not to dwell on it while he checks his reflection in the mirror. His braid is not too messed up from sleep so he decides to just leave it. The skin around his gills and fins looks a little dry so he roots around in the top drawer of his dresser for his bottle of lotion. He makes a satisfied chirp when he finds it. It is something Biggs started making for all the water ghouls. His own blend of herbs that hydrate the skin without irritating it. Dew does not know the quiet earth ghoul very well, but he has never been more thankful for him. 

He applies a thin sheen over the driest spots before turning around, “You need some—“

He stops when he sees Rain dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants instead of the silk tank top and shorts he slept in. If Rain changed clothes that can only mean one thing. He wants to go with Dew to the kitchen instead of having him bring food back. It is rare that he does this, and even more so that he does it without Dew asking him to. This is probably like the second time he has willingly wanted to. 

“You ready?” Rain asks, shoving his hands into the pocket of the hoodie. 

Dew can still hear the undertone of nervousness even if he wears a cool expression. He is still so proud of him. Nothing makes him happier than the little moments Rain has where he shows he is starting to warm up to the rest of the pack. In all honesty he was worried it would never happen, especially after Rain told him how he ended up alone in the Pits. The story is pretty similar to his own actually. Though the reasons are different. Rain was chased out of his family’s territory and nearly lost his life in the process. Dew was chased out of his lake because he was a runt. He could not provide anything of use to his school and they got rid of him. Rain was chased out because he was tired of his parents trying to control him after years of leaving him to his own devices. He was the youngest of seven siblings from a noble water ghoul family. His parents paid him no mind until he was old enough to inherit his own territory to control and suddenly they would not leave him alone. He wanted nothing to do with them and they did not take kindly to that. Dew could not blame him if he never got comfortable with the pack after that. It took Mist months to get him to stop hiding in his room when he was new. But here Rain is, willingly trying to open himself up to the others. Dew hopes he knows how strong he is. How proud he is. But most of all he hopes one day Rain is comfortable with everyone. Dew wants to bask in the glow of everyone he cares about.

 He grins and closes the lotion, placing it back in the drawer, “Let’s go.” 

Dew twines his tail with Rain’s as they walk, hoping to soothe some of the fear rolling off him thick enough to taste. Thankfully when they turn to the corner the kitchen is relatively empty. Mountain, Aether, and Cumulus are the only ones that seem to be out and about. Seeing her makes his fins twitch. If she was around that meant Cirrus probably is not far behind. He would rather she not show up. He cannot focus on making sure Rain is not freaking out if he is scared shitless. 

Cumulus is the first to notice them enter, turning on her bar stool to look at them. She smiles and gives them a little wave. Dew returns the gesture, tail flicking back and forth. He does not know much about Cumulus, just like Rain she seems to prefer to stay in the safety of her room. Well not her room, but rather Cirrus’. He knows those two are mates, for how long he has no idea. But he knows that if Cirrus was the leader of their flock that means Cumulus more than likely helped run it as well, that is if air ghouls work anything like water ghouls. 

Even if she is a bit more reserved like Rain, she is much more willing to get to know her new pack than he is. Dew has noticed that when he visits Mountain in the greenhouse during the day she is hanging around. How he manages to get the attention of all four of the new summons Dew will never know, but he would like to steal some of that power. Big greedy bastard. 

As if on cue, Mountain looks up from where is cutting some fruit. His ears perk up when he realizes Rain is with Dew. Rain tries not to acknowledge anyone, sitting down at one of the empty spots at the table. He sits in the chair farthest from the one Aether is in, keeping his gaze locked on the floor. Aether pays him no mind and continues to stare at his crossword, though Dew notices the way his tail begins to slowly wag back and forth. Big guy never was good at hiding how he is feeling. 

“And what’s on the menu today dear chef?” Dew asks, taking a seat next to Rain. 

“Fruit bowls and oatmeal.” Mountain says, packing some apple slices into a nearby bowl. 

“Did you get my—“

“Yes I got your blueberries. Freshly picked this morning.” 

“Mountain ghoul I’d suck your dick if we weren’t at the breakfast table.” 

“Dew.” Mountain warns, cleaning off the knife in the sink. 

“What? She thought it was funny.” He gestures to Cumulus fighting back a smile. 

“Good to know breakfast is the one place you won’t suck someone’s dick.” Aether replies in an even tone, still staring at his crossword. 

Dew hisses and tosses a sugar packet at him. He grins though when he hears the faintest laugh coming from Rain. It is a sound he holds so close to his heart. One he does not get to hear often. Every laugh, every smile, every snarky comment is another sign Rain is getting comfortable here. Even if that were not the case, Dew still thinks that sound would still make his chest tight. Nothing makes him happier than knowing someone he cares about is happy. He catches Rain’s eye and grins at him, nudging him with his foot under the table. 

“Alright everything’s ready.” Mountain sets two bowls in front of Cumulus before doing the same for the rest of them. Dew smacks his ass when he turns around to grab his own bowls. 

Dew notices Rain staring at the oatmeal, nose twitching. He stirs it before lifting the spoon and letting some of the slimy chunks fall with a splat back down into the bowl. 

“Try the fruit.” Dew pops a blueberry into his mouth before pushing the container closer to him. 

Rain follows suit, choosing a blueberry out of the mix of apples, strawberries and banana slices. He rolls it between his fingers for a moment before placing it in his mouth. Dew does not miss the way his finned ears perk up when he chews it. He tries each of the other fruits, completely abandoning the oatmeal. Dew tries not to stare while he eats his own breakfast, but he does make a mental note of which he has the strongest reaction to. He will have to ask Mountain to keep a stock of strawberries in the fridge from now on. 

His attention is stolen though when Aether lets out a frustrated huff, tossing his pen down, “I give up.” 

“What’s the matter?” Dew asks around a mouthful of fruit. 

“I can’t figure out this word for the life of me.” Aether stabs a fork into his own fruit bowl. 

Dew reaches across the table to pick up the discarded crossword. He scans the paper, looking at the little boxes already filled with Aether’s neat handwriting. 

“What the fuck is lupus?” Dew furrows his brow at the different words he does not recognize. He can feel Rain looking at it with him over his shoulder. 

“An autoimmune disease that makes the body attack itself,” Aether supplies. 

Dew wrinkles his nose and tosses the paper back down. 

“Prevaricate,” Rain murmurs, “An eleven letter word for avoiding the subject or acting evasive.” 

The room falls into silence at the sound of his deep voice. Aether and Dew blink at him before the former picks the crossword back up. Aether stares at it before scribbling the word down. Dew grabs his hand under the table and gives it a squeeze. 

“It fits. How did you know that?” Aether looks back up at him. 

He squeezes Dew’s hand back. He flushes, keeping his eyes locked on the table, “I read a lot.” He shrugs. 

Aether smiles at him but it is nothing in comparison to the way Dew beams. He has to resist the urge to just wrap his arms around him and crush him to his chest. The moment they are alone together though all bets are off. 

They fall back into a comfortable routine, Aether and Dew carrying a conversation while Rain listens. Mountain is sitting with Cumulus on the bar stools, occasionally interjecting when he overhears something interesting. It is nice. It is one of those moments that makes Dew feel at home. Makes him realize this is everything he has ever wanted. The only thing that could take his new life is death itself. 

A knock at the door interrupts the easy morning. Mountain hops up and walks over to answer it, hooves clipping on the hardwood floor. He opens the door to see Cardinal Copia wringing his hands. 

“Sorry if I am interrupting. May I eh come in?” 

Mountain steps aside to let him in, gesturing with his hand, “No need to apologize Cardinal.” 

“Is Dewdrop around?” 

His finned ear twitches at the sound of his name. He pats Rain’s leg before standing from the kitchen table and heading to the common room. He has no idea what Copia could possibly want. He is only ever summoned by Clergy members when he gets into trouble, but he has been so busy teaching Rain bass and trying to learn guitar that he has not had time to screw around with Pebble. He swears to the Lords Below that if that little fucker pinned something on him he will drown his weed crop. 

“Cardinal.” Dew crosses his arms over his chest. 

“Dewdrop!” 

“What do you want?” 

“Sister Imperator wishes to see you. She has news about your proced—“

“That’s great! Awesome, let's go right now!” He says louder than necessary, cutting off his words. He walks past him, bumping his shoulder into him as he leaves the den. He can feel Mountain staring at the back of his head. 

He does not want to talk about the elemental transition in front of Mountain or Aether, let alone two new summons. Especially Rain. He knows the former are not thrilled about his decision. The fight from weeks ago when he first told Mountain still pierces his thoughts late at night. He knows they are not going to stop him even if they wish they could, but that does not mean he needs to bring it up. He is not stupid, he sees the way they look at him like he has a timer above his head. He knows they are convinced he is going to die, but he is too stubborn to admit their fear is probable. 

But maybe not entirely. There is a reason he has not said a word to any of the new summons, even Rain. He is confident he will be fine, but he would rather be safe than sorry. He would rather know his new pack with smiles if he is to know them for only a short time. He does not want to see the hurt and betrayal he saw in Mountain and Aether’s eyes. But he won’t die. He will be fine and he can rub it in their faces. He will be fine. 

Copia eventually catches up to him, boots clicking against the floor. He falls into step with Dew, walking by his side. Dew ignores him. He knows the way to Imperator’s office well enough. He can feel him looking at him though, eyes flicking over every so often. Dew speeds up every so slightly. He really does not want to hang around with Copia. At least this time he seems smart enough to keep his mouth shut. The walk is not long and soon enough the two are outside  the ornate doors of Imperator’s office. Dew nods at the two ghoulettes standing on each side before pushing it open and stepping inside. It always catches him off guard how fancy it is. Black furniture with gold inlays, statues and paintings depicting the Morning Star, Lady Lilith, and Baphomet, and a gorgeous stained glass window of the Serpent behind her chair. He would actually like spending time in here if not for the feeling of unease he gets from her.

Sister Imperator’s head snaps up, “Ah Dewdrop. So glad you could come.” 

“Well not like I had a choice since you sent the rat for me.” He stands a few feet in front of her desk. 

She hums, “So does that mean you’re not interested in hearing what I have to tell you? I’m sure the Cardinal told you why I called you here.” 

He huffs and sits at one of the chairs across from her desk, “Of course I do.” 

“Excellent,” she smiles, “First off, I am very impressed with how far our new water ghoul has come in such a short time. You’ve done very well.” 

Dew shrugs, running a hand up his forearm to soothe the twitch he feels in his fins. 

“Omega has informed me that there will be a solar storm some time next week. After discussing it with him and Special we believe this will be the perfect time for your ritual.” 

He can feel his heart fall to his stomach, “You’re serious?” 

“As a heart attack. While we’re…reluctant. To try to change a ghoul’s element again we will not deny you the opportunity to become closer to the Old One.” 

“In a week?” 

She nods, “In a week. I can’t tell you when exactly, but Omega said he would come to collect you.” 

This is it. It is finally happening. He made deals and did his work and now he is finally getting what he wants. So why does he feel sick to his stomach? Imperator keeps talking but he does not hear a word she says. One week. He has one more week of being water before fire will run through his veins. 

He has one week left to live. 

No. No he cannot think like that not now. But now it is real. Now it is not just a hypothetical, a hope the Clergy would listen to him. Now it is happening. Fuck what if everyone was right? What if he does not walk away from this? There is a reason why elemental transitions are just ghoul mythology. Because nobody is dumb enough to try it. In order for it to work a ghoul has to be wholly consumed by the element they desire, right down to their core. Then they have to hope their body is willing to adapt to house the new element. To survive. Delta is the only ghoul Dew knows who has actually gone through with one and look what happened to him. Dew may not have known him when he was a water ghoul, but he could guarantee he did not have those void like eyes. All he does is hang around the morgue and the cemetery, talking to himself while bolts of raw quintessence make his body twitch. Is that what is going to happen to him? Is he going to be lost if he survives? 

He could back out. He could back out right now and continue living as a water ghoul. Who is he kidding? No he cannot. Just the thought makes me feel strange. He knows he wants this, knows he is willing to take the risk to become fire. That and he has no idea what they would do with Rain. Rain is only here because Dew wants to change. If he backs out now…he does not want to think about that. Rain is already amazing on bass, he will be better than Dew in no time. And he deserves this chance. He deserves this chance to become something Topside. He is talented and Dew could not bare the thought of letting him get thrown to the side because he chickened out of his own idea. 

“Dewdrop are you listening to me?” Imperator’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts. 

“Yeah yeah I got it. Next week.” He stands from the chair and begins walking to the door. 

He stares at the floor as he walks, too lost in his mind to notice the body in front of him. That is until he slams into them. He looks up right as the doors to Imperator’s office swing shut behind him. His snarl quickly melts away when he sees who it is. 

“Multi? Fuck are you doing here?” 

There is a strange look in his eye as he scans Dew, almost like he is looking for something. In a split second his face falls into the usual laid back expression he normally wears, “I was just around and saw you. Figured I’d come bug you.” 

There is a beat of silence where they just stare at each other. Multi clears his throat. 

“So what were you doing in Imperator’s office? I never see you this far from our little fishy.” 

He could tell him. He could tell him right now what is going to happen to him. He will not though. Multi does not have many memories with Dew and he will not taint what is there with a deadline. 

Wait. 

Memories. 

Dew can almost feel the lightbulb glow above his head. He needs to go find River and Lake. 

“Multi do me a favor.” 

“Yeah what’s up?” 

“If anyone asks you where I am, you don’t know.” Dew turns down the hallway and quickly begins walking.

“What? Where are you—“

“You don’t know!” Dew calls back. 

“But I don’t know!” He watches as Dew turns a corner and disappears. He blinks dumbfounded at the empty space where Dew was moments ago. 

Dew has a feeling he knows where River and Lake may be and he is not going to waste a second in executing his idea. Not when his seconds might be limited. It takes everything in him not just to sprint all the way to the bathing pools. Really the only thing stopping him is how far they are from Imperator’s office. He walks the halls as quickly as he can though, breezing past Siblings without even offering a nod in acknowledgment. Art and architecture blend together as he lets muscle memory take over, guiding his feet while he thinks about what to say to them. 

Before he knows it, he is outside of the smoky glass doors that lead to the bathing pools. He pulls them open and walks inside, sighing when the humidity hits him. He has always loved this place. His old soaking tub and the lake have nothing on the frosted glass ceiling and walls, the deep pools carved into the stone floors, the racks of homemade soaps and fluffy towels, and the scent from the various plants hanging around. Sure as a Papal ghoul he gets his own dorm and his own bathroom, but the bathing pools feel like the home he should have had in the Pits. Ghouls lounging around, relaxing and grooming each other. Caring for each other. 

The comfort of this place stops the fast pace flow of his thoughts, but he still has his mission. He scans the large room until he spots the two ghouls he is looking for. In the farthest corner he sees Lake working soap into River’s long hair while they both soak in the water. He grins, figuring he can indulge just a bit he quickly shucks his clothes off and dives into the pool. His fins were a little dry when he woke up, he needs to soak anyways. 

He can feel the tension leave his body the moment his is submerged, a line of bubbles leaving his mouth as he sighs underwater. He ignores the handful of other ghouls, kicking his legs to get closer and closer to his targets. When they are within reach he pokes his head out of the water, half his face still submerged. 

“Hello Dewdrop.” River greets without opening his eyes. 

He stands up, water rippling around him, “How’d you know?” 

“Who else is going to make that loud of an entrance?” Lake cocks an eyebrow at him. 

“I dunno,” he shrugs, “it could’ve been Ifrit. Or maybe Chain?” 

“You know as well as I do that Ifrit only comes down here to have sex with Zephyr.” Lake cups some water to rinse River’s hair. 

“And Chain doesn’t bathe.” River tilts his head back. 

“Fair point,” Dew brushes some of his wet hair off his face, “I have a favor to ask.” 

River sighs, “Can’t Aether suck your dick? Or what about that new water ghoul, oh what’s his name…Rain!” 

Dew blushes blue from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, “What? I don’t? I’m not even…that’s not what I’m here for.” 

Lake and River glance at each other. The former has to hold back a smile, “Relax. I was just messing with you.” 

Dew huffs. 

“What do you want?” Lake leans back against the edge of the pool. 

“Would you. Perhaps. Clean out the gazebo by the lake for me?”

Dew can see the sudden intrigue on both of their faces. He hopes and prays to the Lords Below they do not ask any questions, even though he knows they will. Nosy, gossipy bitches. 

“The gazebo huh? Any particular reason we should take time out of our day to do that?” Lake narrows his eyes. 

“Trying to shirk off chores?” River tilts his head. 

“No. It’s not…the reason isn’t important just, will you do it?” Dew’s tail flicks, causing droplets of water to go flying. 

“So you want us to do this and you won’t even tell us why? I don’t know Dewdrop. I think our schedule might be full,” Lake lilts. 

Dew groans, “Seriously?” 

They both stare at him. 

“Fine. But breathe a word of this and I’ll kill you,” he sinks a little lower in the water, “I’m…I want to take Rain out there.” 

“A date!” River’s eyes light up. 

“No! This is not a date or courting or any shit like that. I just…want to do something nice. Show him I’m proud of how far he’s come in a month.” 

That is all this. Showing Rain that he cares about him, but also to give him good memories of Dew. If his time with Rain may end in a week he has to make sure Rain only has good memories. Aether and Mountain have a year's worth of things to look back on, good and bad, but Rain? Rain does not have much and Dew needs to change that incase he does not rise from the flames. He will have his time with Aether and Mountain, but he needs to make sure Rain is taken care of first. He needs to. 

“Alright Dew,” the corner of Lake’s mouth twitches up, “we’ll do it. But you owe us a favor we can cash in at any time.” 

“Deal.” Dew nods. How bad can their favor be? 

“When do you need it done by?” River asks. 

“Well we have practice and that takes a while usually,” Dew pauses and glances at the clock hung by the doors, “oh fuck practice!” 

He swims to the edge of the pool and practically launches himself out of the water. He is so very late. With a flick of his wrist he pulls all the wetness off his body, dry in an instant. He runs across the stone floor, gathering his discarded clothes. 

“Dew what about the time?” Lake calls. 

“I don’t know! Just text me when you’re done!” He yanks his shirt over his head, stumbling over his half put on pants. 

He bolts out of the bathing pools, running down the halls of the Ministry to the practice room. He hopes Rain is there. He hopes he does not think he forgot. The last thing he needs right now is for Rain to be upset with him. He does not have time for a fight. He does not have time to fix things. 

He throws open the doors to the practice room when he arrives, not caring how loud the sound of metal hitting metal is. He pauses in the doorway to catch his breath as he pants heavily. He can feel the sweat on his hairline, down his back, and soaking his shirt. When he finally raises his head, he spots Rain near the racks of instruments with his back turned towards Dew. Dew straightens before bounding over to him. 

“I am so sorry I’m late. There was a thing with Imperator and—“ 

“It’s fine.” Rain grabs his bass and turns away from Dew. 

He snaps his mouth shut and blinks, eyes tracking as Rain moves to the spot they usually practice in. He sighs and grabs one of the back up basses and joins him. 

“I really am sorry.” Dew twines their tails together when he’s close enough. 

“I said it’s fine. I understand you have other things to do.” Rain looks at him with a blank expression. 

Scents never lie. 

Dew swallows, “Let’s get started then.” 

He is not going to push it. He does not want to make Rain more upset by pointing out the fact he’s lying. He hopes that maybe once they fall into the routine of practice it will help lift the mood. He knows Rain has every right to be unhappy with him, but that does not stop the itch in his fins. The need to make things right, explain himself over and over again until it begins to sound like excuses. 

There is no conversation as they both tune. The only sound that fills the practice room are random, scattered notes. The tension is so thick Dew feels like he is choking on it. He wants to do something, but words are not exactly his strong suit. He has to break down the wall somehow though. The tip of his tail flicks back and forth as he thinks while his hands work on autopilot. 

He zones out when Rain begins to warm up, the scales they have done over and over as background noise to his thoughts. He watches him as he goes, watches his lithe fingers pluck at the strings, though he is not really paying attention. That is, until an idea forms in his head. He quickly discards his own bass, stepping closer to Rain. 

“Ready for today's lesson?” He crosses his arms. 

Rain just nods. 

Dew grins, “You’re gonna learn Year Zero.” 

This piques Rain’s interest, eyebrows raising, “You said I shouldn’t learn any actual songs yet and to focus on basics.” 

“Aw come on, that was like a month ago. Besides, you’re not doing it alone. I’ll teach you. It’s not that hard.” 

Rain looks at Dew, looks over at his bass, and then back at Dew. 

“Just trust me.” Dew opens the laptop that is hooked up to the sound system and scrolls through the files until he finds what he is looking for. 

“Ready?” Dew flashes his fangs. 

Rain tenses but does not protest. Dew takes it as his sign to continue. He clicks the mouse and the track begins to play. He bounds back over to him, coming up behind him. He grabs Rain’s hands, pressing close. 

“Dew what are you—“

“Trust me.” 

He places Rain’s hand where they need to start. He stands on his toes to hook his chin over his shoulder to watch. He keeps time with his tail, letting it flick back and forth as he counts in his head. He can feel Rain’s breathing pick up ever so slightly. When the bass comes in Dew moves Rain’s hands, pressing down just enough to make sure he gets the hint. 

“See not so bad,” Dew says directly in his ear so that he hears him over the music. He can feel Rain swallow before he nods his head. 

It really is not a difficult song. That or Rain really is a prodigy. As he gets comfortable, Dew is in control less and less. At this point he is more of a weight on Rain’s hands than anything. Until they get to the bridge. Dew squeezes his hands, taking over once more as the pattern changes. Rain easily lets him guide him. 

“Good job,” Dew says in his ear again, “very good job.” 

Rain leans back, practically sagging against him. Now it is Dew’s turn to tense as he feels something stir deep in his stomach. In hindsight maybe pressing this close to the person he is actively trying to not have feelings for was not the smartest idea. Thankfully though the song ends before Dew’s problem can poke Rain in the back. A little longer and he is sure there would have been a bulge he could not hide. 

He drops Rain’s hands and steps back from him as the static from the end echoes around them. Dew knocks their horns together before going over to the laptop and stopping the track. 

“I think maybe we should start working on some actual songs,” Dew looks over the top of the screen and smiles at him, “you really got into it.” 

“Thank,” Rain clears his throat, “thank you.” 

He cannot see his face from the way he ducks his head, dark curls obscuring his expression. However, the slightly higher pitch of his voice tells Dew everything. There is definitely a stupid little grin on his face. That is all Dew wanted. Knowing he was able to make Rain smile instead of making his mood worse makes him giddy. After everything that has happened in just a few hours, this is exactly what Dew needed. 

“What do you wanna do today?” Dew asks as he walks closer. 

Rain blinks at him, “We’ve been here for maybe 20 minutes.” 

“Okay? I’ll teach you how to play by yourself tomorrow. Come on, we can do whatever you want.” 

“Whatever I want?” Rain raises an eyebrow. 

“Anything. I wasted plenty of your time by being late so…yeah anything you want.” Dew shrugs. 

Rain hums, the corner of his mouth twitching up, “How about the lake then?” 

Son of a bitch. 

“Okay anything except for the lake.” 

“Oh come on Dew.” 

“No really! River is in heat and you do not wanna see what he and Lake get up to out there trust me.” He hopes his grimace is convincing enough. 

Rain hums, “Fine. Since the lake is off limits I want you to model for me.” 

How is it that Rain picks the things Dew really does not want to do? This is not the first time Rain has asked Dew to be his model, but this time Dew has no reason to refuse. It is not that he does not want to, it is more so he feels odd knowing Rain would be looking at every detail of his face and body. Dew does not even like having his picture taken outside of uniform, let alone letting someone sit and sketch him for who knows how long. But he cannot deny Rain. Not after promising they would do whatever he wants. 

“Alright,” Dew sighs, “I’ll be your model.” 

Rain smiles, nudging him gently when he passes him to put his bass back on the rack. Dew follows suit, picking up his bass where he left it and putting it away. 

“So what’s the plan? We head back to your room?” Dew stuffs his hands into his pockets. 

Rain shakes his head, “I have a spot in mind. Trust me.” He mimics Dew. 

Dew rolls his eyes with a grin. He can be such a snarky little thing when he wants to be. But that is what is fun about spending time with him. He gets to see parts of his personality that have been locked behind basic survival instincts for who knows how long. It always makes him wonder what else there is to learn about Rain. Who is Rain? 

This particular activity is one Dew does not know very well and he is happy to learn more, even if he does not like the thought of being his muse. Rain is an artist, always has been from the handful of stories he has been told. In the Pits before everything went to shit, he would spend his free time creating. Though water ghoul art is very different from what would be considered traditional. Everything is on the more physical side; sculptures, mosaics made of the finest gems, and impressive architecture carved into stone. It is complex and truly something to behold. 

As they leave the practice room, heading to wherever Rain is leading them, Dew pulls out his phone. He needs to prepare part two of his plan. He opens his thread with Mountain, hoping he actually has his phone on him. 

I need a favor

About a minute goes by before Mountain starts typing. 

I’m trying to teach Multi how to cook. I'm sure Aether or Ifrit would love to sext. 

Can’t a guy ask for favors without everyone thinking it’s about sex????

:|

I’m serious oh whatever I wanted to ask whenever you’re done with dinner if you could pack up mine and Rain’s

Not a problem. I hope pumpkin gnocchi and Italian sausage sounds good. 

It sounds great just don’t let Multi burn the Ministry down

Dew closes his phone and shoves it back into his pants pocket. Everything he needs is in motion. Now all he has to do is wait for sunset. In the meantime, he picks his pace up just enough to walk beside Rain instead of tailing a little behind him. They walk the halls in comfortable silence to an area Dew is not that familiar with. Though, he does have an idea where Rain is going now. When they come face to face with a wooden door at the end, Dew knows he is correct. 

Rain opens the door and they enter. It is a small room, not really used for anything except for storage. However, there are a lot of old art supplies that are kept here alongside extra furniture. Dew really has no idea what this place used to be used for, an old classroom maybe? Before the dedicated section for new Sibling studies was built. He glances over at Rain and his heart flutters at the pure joy on his face. The tips of his fangs are poking out from his lips and there is a twinkle in his eye Dew has only ever seen once before. The first time they discovered this room. 

Dew had been showing Rain around, a grand tour of the Ministry as he called it. They had come across this place when Dew took a wrong turn to get to the library. Rain asked what was behind the door and Dew had shrugged and said why not find out. The sketch pads, pencils, and colored pencils immediately had caught Rain’s eye. When Dew explained what he knew of human art that was probably the happiest he had seen Rain at the time. It had made Dew so happy that he skipped the library and took him straight to the actual art room. 

“So why are we here instead of the art room?” Dew drags the tip of his finger through some dust. 

“This is why.” Rain walks over to the farthest window and opens the blind all the way. Afternoon sunlight streams into the room. He does not stop there though. Next Rain pulls the cover off of one of the furniture lumps, the one directly in the path of the beams of light. Dew sneezes from the dust flying through the air. Under the tarp is a gorgeous looking lounging couch. The velvet is a deep royal blue that is perfectly accented by the polished wooden frame. It is intricately carved with a floral motif. Dew blinks at it. 

“I’ve been wanting to use this in a piece since I discovered it,” Rain brushes his hand over the back cushion, “and now I finally can.” 

The sparkle in Rain’s eye steals Dew’s breath away. Suddenly his reservation about being his model disappears, “How…how do you want me?” 

Rain smiles at him before extending his hand. Helpless to his call, Dew takes it, letting Rain guide him to sit down on the lounging couch. Dew blinks up at him. 

“All I want you to do is look out the window. Otherwise just sit naturally,” Rain says in a quiet voice. 

He squeezes Dew’s hand before dropping it, walking around the other side of the couch to grab a sketch pad and pencil. While his back is turned Dew does what he says. He brings his legs up to extend beside him. He rests his elbow on the arm of the couch, propping his chin on his palm as he turns to look out the window. He gets a clear view of the gardens from here. The flowers are in full bloom, the early spring sun helping them open. A light breeze rustles the hedges and trees. He can make out the shape of some ghouls and Siblings, tending to the flower beds. He thinks it is…

“Beautiful,” Rain breathes. 

Dew’s ear twitches at the sudden sound of his voice, “what?” 

“You’re beautiful Dewdrop.” His eyes trace every line of Dew’s face. 

Dew blushes blue and turns to look back outside. It is better than looking at the way Rain is looking at him right now. Like he is something precious. Something valuable. 

“Just…don’t take forever.” 

Rain is right though. Dew is beautiful. The sunlight glints off his soft blue scales, making them shine like angelite. It catches in the webbing of his ears, almost making them appear translucent. It makes his white hair practically glow, like snow banks on a sunny day. But most beautiful of all is the way the warmth of the rays makes him relax. He looks calm, peaceful in a way not many get to see. He will never believe he is as beautiful as Rain says, but it still makes his heart flutter. 

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Rain take a seat on a stool. The sound of pencil scratching on paper begins to fill the room. He can practically feel everytime Rain looks up at him. It feels like how he looked at him the day he was summoned. Intense. It makes him wonder what was going through his head that day. It makes him wonder what is going through his head now. He wishes he was not so hard to read. 

Dew tries to stay focused on the scene outside, but the comfortable warmth from the sun coupled with the even sound of Rain drawing makes his eyes droop. He jumps a little as he begins to nod off. 

“Stay still,” Rain murmurs. 

Dew just hums, blinking hard a few times to fight off the drowsy feeling prickling in his brain. It is a losing battle though. After a while Rain begins to hum as he works. It is a tune Dew recognizes. One from the Pits. One he has not heard since he was small. He never would have guessed oceanic water ghouls have the same songs as freshwater ghouls. That is his last coherent thought before he closes his eyes and sleep takes over. 

He does not dream. It is light and peaceful. He really had not even noticed he fell asleep until Rain shook his shoulder, calling his name. He groans, swatting his hand away before cracking his eyes open. He sits up slowly, hissing at the sore feeling in his neck. He looks out the window to see the sun has shifted, closer to the Western horizon as She prepares to set. He turns back to Rain with a furrow in his brow. 

He yawns and smacks his lips, “how long was I out?” 

“Long enough for me to finish.” 

“Well don’t just stand there, let me see it.” 

“No.” Rain smiles, turning from Dew to pack up the sketch pad. 

“No? Fuck you mean no, I posed here for like hours.” He stands from the lounging couch and cracks his back. 

“You’ll see it when I’m done.” 

“You literally just said—“ 

“Yeah I’m finished with the sketch. I’m going to paint it. I’ve been wanting to figure out what water colors are.” 

“And how long is that going to take?” 

“I don’t know. First I have to get my hands on some and then I have to experiment with them. I am not going into this without at least testing them out. I want it to look good.” 

What Rain does not know is Dew does not have time. He is not going to be this pretty blue for much longer. He cannot even begin to imagine what he may look like if he survives the ritual. Will Rain have to do another sketch? Will Rain even want to paint him? 

Will Rain still think he is beautiful? 

He has been so concerned on hiding it from the new summons, so concerned with whether he will live or not, that he did not even think about what he will look like. How he will physically change. What will happen to his fins? His gills? His hair? His skin? Will he look like Alpha or Ifrit or will it be obvious that there is something wrong. Like Delta. 

He crosses his arms over his chest, subtly trying to soothe his fins so they do not flare. He hopes by the time they walk back to the den Mountain will have dinner finished. He is more than ready to take Rain out to the lake. 

“I’m sure whatever you make is gonna look great.” Dew walks over to him. 

“Oh yeah?” The corner of Rain’s mouth twitches up. 

Dew nods, “Well yeah. You’re an artist aren’t you?” 

“You never know I could be a really shitty artist.” He holds the door open for him. 

“Well I could know if you just. Show me that sketch.” 

“Not going to happen.” 

“Worth a shot.” 

Rain laughs quietly and twines his tail with Dew’s as they walk. About halfway back to the den Dew feels his phone vibrate. He pulls it out of his pocket to see River has texted him. He glances at Rain before turning the brightness down. Rain may not necessarily have a grasp on human technology yet, but that does not mean he cannot read. He would hate to have his surprise ruined because he looked over his shoulder. He taps on the message after adjusting the way he is holding his phone. 

Youre all set for tonight Dewy~

Thanks hope it wasn’t too fucked up

Oh dont worry about that. We had fun fixing it up for you. Rain is going to love it <3

He hopes he does. He would really hate to have sold his soul to those two sirens for Rain to laugh at him. That begs the question though, what took them so long? There is no way they would have had fun if it was so messed up it took them all day to clean it. He shoves his phone back into his pocket without replaying. What did those two get up to? 

Guess he will find out soon because the next thing he knows they are standing outside of the heavy wooden doors of the ghoul den. He pushes them up and walks inside ahead of Rain. The smell of pumpkin and spiced meat hits him the moment he enters. He sniffs the air, sighing as he takes it in. Suddenly he is very aware of how hungry he is. Oh he hopes Multi did not fuck up dinner because he needs to eat. Though considering the first thing he sees when stepping into the common room is Multi and Mountain lounging on the loveseat, he can only assume he did a good job. Mountain would not have let him live otherwise. There is a reason Dew will not learn how the oven works. 

“Oh there you are,” Multi greets from where he is sitting, “I see you finally found our little fishy after running off to do whatever it is you were doing.” 

Dew shoots him a warning glare. He only flashes his fangs at him with that grin that seems to never leave his face. Thankfully Rain does not acknowledge the jab. Probably too concerned with the two other ghouls in the room to even care. This is the only time Dew will ever be grateful for his anxieties. 

“So how’d cooking lessons go? I see the place is still standing.” Dew walks over and leans over the back of the loveseat. Rain follows, but hangs back. 

Mountain chuckles, reaching up to run his hand through Dew’s hair, “Dinner went fine. Multi is a quick learner.” 

“What can I say? I had an excellent teacher.” He shrugs with his signature smile. 

Dew scoffs softly, “I’ll be the judge of that. If this tastes like shit I’m using your allowance to get something.” 

He pushes off the back of the loveseat, turning around towards Rain. It is only then he truly realizes that Rain is actually dressed while Dew is still in the shirt and black sweatpants he slept in. Curse Copia for deciding breakfast was the perfect time to come collect him. He looked like this all day while Rain is dressed in a nice pair of black pants and a white lantern sleeve button down. Though to be fair, even if Dew had had the time to change clothes he still would have felt inadequate for where he is taking Rain. That and the new ghoul somehow has developed a better sense of fashion in about two months than Dew has in a year. He only has one outfit that will match Rain’s. Well he hopes it does anyway. 

“I’ll be right back. I’m gonna go change.” Dew pats him on the shoulder and heads off to his room. 

“Change? We just got back.” Rain tails after him. 

“Yeah but we’re not staying here.” 

Rain gives him a questioning chirp. 

“Shh don’t worry about it. It’s a surprise.” With that he opens his door and slips inside, closing it before Rain can follow him in. He waits just a moment to see if he will walk away, but the shadow under the crack never leaves. He smiles and rests his hand on the door before turning around and throwing open his closet. He pushes past each item on his hangers until he finds what he is looking for. A simple black dress shirt. He pulls it out, tossing it onto his bed as he walks over to his dresser. He digs around until he finds the matching dress pants. 

He shucks his loungewear off, quickly pulling the shirt and pants on. He has no time to waste. He does not want to keep Rain waiting. He gives himself a once over in the mirror, popping the top few buttons on the dress shirt and running a brush through his hair. He hums in satisfaction at his reflection. It is the best he is going to get. He hopes Rain will like it. 

He takes a deep breath, locking eyes with himself, “You got this Dewdrop. This isn’t a date. There is no pressure. You’re just showing your friend a good time.” 

He nods before striding over to the door and throwing it open. Rain jumps a little from where he was leaning against the wall. His eyes scan over Dew, the corner of his mouth ever so slightly twitching up. Dew ignores the feeling in his gut that bubbles up. 

“Alright let’s go.” Dew heads back towards the kitchen. 

“You look nice,” Rain falls in line beside him, “is the surprise you not wearing a band shirt?” 

Dew narrows his eyes at him, “Funny. No this isn’t the surprise.” 

He thinks he looks nice. Dew untucks his hair from behind his finned ears so that it covers his face, hiding the little blue blush. 

“Alright then what is it?” 

“Do I need to define surprise for you?” 

Rain rolls his eyes with a small smile as they step into the kitchen. Just as Mountain promised, on the table sits two steaming Tupperware containers. Dew picks them up, pleasantly surprised that they are still warm. Mountain and Multi must have finished not too long ago. At least he will not have to give Rain cold dinner. He picks them up, tucking them under his arm. That would have been just his luck. 

“Follow me.” He smiles at Rain, hoping he conveys the perfect picture of confidence. He feels like a kit talking to their crush alone for the first time. 

He bids farewell to Mountain and Multi as they pass through the common room once more. The latter winks at him while the former smiles. Dew has to fight the urge to roll his eyes. There is no implication from them. He is reading too much into it. He is just nervous. But why is he nervous? Well he knows why but he refuses to let his stupid obsessive feelings ruin the little time he has left with Rain. 

Dew leads them to the doors that connect the abbey to the main greenhouse, twisting the knob with his tail. He shoulders it open, holding it so Rain can walk through. He gives Dew a look but goes nonetheless. Once outside, Dew takes a deep breath, the scent of wet earth filling his nose. The air feels pleasantly cool, no longer warmed by the early spring sun. It helps to clear his head just a bit. At the very least he can feel some of the tension leave his shoulders. 

He continues walking through the massive greenhouse, passing by rows of plants he never learned the names to. Though considering how often he would help Mountain water them, he probably should have. But he guesses it will not matter soon. Fire does not belong in a place like this. 

He furrows his brow and minutely shakes his head. Focus. He needs to focus. This is about Rain, not him or Mountain or anyone else. Just Rain. He approaches the door at the very end of the building that leads to the outside. He has every intention of grabbing it again, but Rain beats him to it. Dew huffs and flicks him with his tail as he passes by.

“I could’ve gotten it.” Dew pauses once outside. 

“I know, but I wanted to,” Rain joins him, “so you going to tell me what’s up now?” 

“Be patient, we're almost there.” Dew starts down the dirt path that leads to the lake. 

It is not a far walk, relatively speaking. It is about a mile away from the abbey. Every step closer makes Dew more anxious. He is an act first think later type of ghoul, and unfortunately for him it is later. His little idea seemed so good at the time, but now he worries that he might be stepping over a line. He had no idea how Rain reacts to big gestures. This very well could have the exact opposite effect Dew wanted. It could turn into a thing. Dew does not have time for a thing. Fixing his fuck up with being late to practice is one thing, but this could be something else entirely. He prays to the Lords Below that Rain will at least humor him. 

About halfway through the walk Rain pauses, “This is the way to the lake.” 

“I know.” Dew stops a few paces ahead, turning to look at him. 

“You said we couldn’t go down there because River—“

“Shh shush that’s not important. Come on, we're almost there.” He grins and turns on his heel before Rain can respond. 

He can feel occasionally glancing at him the rest of the way. He briefly wonders if perhaps he put everything together. Missing for the first part of the day, dressing up, and grabbing dinner. Rain is an exceptionally observant person, it would not surprise him if he did. Though he hopes he has not, even if he ends up hating it he would still like to surprise him. Maybe it is selfish, but isn’t this whole thing? Stealing Rain away to give him a good memory of Dew when he does not even know the danger his life is in. It cannot be selfish if he is doing it for Rain, can it? 

Either way it does not matter. The lake has come into view and…oh he is going to kill Lake and River. The darkness that began to creep in from the setting sun is kept away by the strings of fairy lights that adorn the dock and the gazebo. There is a table set up on the inside, one of the nice ones that only gets taken out of storage for Ministry wide events. On the table is a small candle and a vase with roses in it. What part of not a date did those two fucking fish brains not understand? 

He turns toward Rain fully intending to explain, but he stops. All the irritation melts away when he sees the look on his face. He is staring at the scene in awe, a smile beginning to form on his face. 

“You did this…for me?” He steps up to the gazebo before turning to look at Dew. His voice is tender and what can only be described as hopeful. 

His mind goes blank. He has never seen Rain look so soft before. The subtle orange glow of the fairy lights makes his leathery, hazy, blue-gray skin shine. There is a dusky purple blush on his face and his tail twitches behind him. He twists one of the rings on his fingers, looking at Dew with disbelief. 

“Yeah I,” he clears his throat, “I wanted to do something nice for you. So…surprise.” 

Without saying another word, Rain suddenly rushes at him. He flinches, not sure what to expect. Rain collides so hard with Dew that he makes a small oof sound. When he does not feel the sting of claws and fangs, he slowly opens his eyes. Of all the things that went through his mind that fraction of a second, a hug was not one of them. A particular tight one at that, Dew swears he heard his shoulder pop. It does not bother him though. He just hugs Rain back as best he can without dropping the food. He way the tip of his finned tail wags back and forth or his hand coming up to thread through Rain’s hair to hold him closer. He lets Rain hug him for as long as he wants. 

After what feels like an eternity, but not nearly long enough for Dew, he pulls back, “Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it,” Dew says softly, a smile pulling at his lips. 

They stare at each other for a moment before Dew speaks again, “Come on. Before this gets cold.” 

They walk into the gazebo, Rain taking a seat while Dew sets one container down in front of him. It is only when he sits down that he realizes he did not bring any sort of utensils. He briefly panics before Rain takes the top off of his container and pulls a fork seemingly out of thin air. It takes all of his power to keep the look of surprise off his face. He opens his own to see a fork and spoon in the compartment on the lid. Mountain must have somehow known Dew would forget something even if he did know why Dew wanted him to pack their dinner up. He could kiss the big green bastard. 

The food itself looks delicious. He cannot believe he is saying that considering this is probably the first time Multi has even touched the stove, but it would be wrong to say otherwise. Though looks can be deceiving. He stirs the gnocchi and sausage before taking a spoonful and bringing it up to his mouth. It's still warm, but cool enough that he does not have to worry about it burning the roof of his mouth. The moment the flavor of the pumpkin and the spiced meat hits his tongue he nearly groans. It is unfair how good it tastes. It is creamy and herbaceous and reminds him of when he saw the leaves change color while on tour. 

Rain watches him take his first bite before deciding to eat it. While his reaction is not as strong as Dew’s, he can tell he likes it by the way his eyebrows raise and pull together. Well at least he will not have to steal Multi’s allowance. 

“Dew. Is there…a reason you did all this?” Rain eventually asks. 

Many. But he cannot say any of them. 

I am going to die. 

I am not going to die but I will not be the same. 

I need you to remember me as a good person. 

I adore you. 

I want you. 

I love you. 

“Uh no not really. I just wanted to do something nice for you.” He shrugs and takes another bite of his food. 

Rain regards him silently for a moment, dark blue eyes scanning his face. He hums and goes back to his own food. Conversation flows from that point on, Rain and Dew talking back and forth about nothing and everything. Even once their plates are empty neither of them make a move to end what they have started. Dew likes it that way. He likes it when Rain talks. Of course he does not mind the fact he usually prefers to listen, nodding along and humming to the stream of words that typically is flowing out of Dew’s mouth. But Dew loves to hear his voice. Deep and rich and melodic. Maybe he is blessed with the gift of the siren’s song? Even if he is, Dew would not care. Not as long as it is Rain who is leading him into the dark depths. 

Eventually they come to a lull in their conversation. Rain breaks it though, eyes lighting up, “So. Since you lied to me earlier—“

“For good reason,” Dew adds. 

“Right. Well since you lied to me earlier, why don’t we go swimming now?” Rain sits up a little in his chair. 

“I don’t know. River might still be in heat.” Dew looks anywhere but Rain with a grin on his face. 

Rain tosses one of the roses at his head. Dew swats it away with a laugh, “Okay okay! We can go swim, no need to get violent.” 

They extinguish the little candle on the table before standing and leaving the gazebo. They walk to the dock, hands and tails intertwined. They practically stumble over each other with how close they are, but neither of them are willing to separate. They just giggle each time a foot gets stepped on or a tail gets a little tug. Dew does not think he has seen Rain this carefree since he has been Topside. It is nice. 

Once to the dock, the two waste no time and getting out of their clothes. Rain takes his off and neatly folds them, setting them off to the side. Dew just drops his in a heap on the ground. He takes a deep breath, savoring the smell of the cool night and lake air before turning back towards Rain. 

“You ready?” 

Dew’s fins immediately flare at the way Rain is looking at him. Well, not at him. When he realizes Dew has caught him staring unabashedly at his cock, he flushes and meets his eyes. 

“Sorry I just…it’s really all just out there.” 

Dew is not surprised at the reaction. This is the first time Rain has ever seen him totally naked. He still remembers how confused he was when he was met with Mist’s tentacle for the first time. Instead of getting fucked that night he got a biology lesson instead. Oceanic water ghouls have tentacles designed to help them with the constant churning of the sea. Freshwater ghouls on the other hand just have sex on the banks of the rivers and lakes they call home. 

Even if the reaction is warranted, Dew cannot help the color in his cheeks. How could he when it is Rain who is staring at him? Any other ghoul and Dew would not have given a single fuck, but Rain? Oh is he helpless. 

“Yeah,” Dew clears his throat, “Yeah it’s weird but you’ll get used to it.” 

He turns back towards the lake, walking down to the edge of the dock before Rain can get more curious. He does not think he would survive if that happened. And he is not sure he is strong enough to listen to his head instead of his heart. And his dick. Definitely his dick. 

He contemplates just jumping in without waiting for Rain, but that thought quickly disappears when he hears footsteps rapidly pounding against the old wood. He whips around in time to see Rain running towards him. He flinches, fully expecting a collision. Instead, there is a millisecond of silence before a loud splash rings out. Dew gets hit with some of the stray water droplets as Rain dives into the lake. He opens his eyes and stares at the surface, waiting for him to come up so he can yell at him for being impatient. 

When he does resurface though, every word dies on his tongue. His inky black hair clings to his face before he pushes it back and out of the way. His eyes shine now that he is in his element. He has a bright smile on his face, every fang visible. The bioluminescent markings on his shoulders are glowing a soft blue. His gills flutter rhythmically with each breath he pants out. The moonlight catches just right on his face making the water clinging to his lashes stand out. Only one word comes to mind. 

“Beautiful.” Dew breathes in awe. 

“What was that?” Rain calls to him, swimming closer. 

His heart hammers in his chest. He shakes his head a little, “Nothing. Now move out of the way so I don’t land on you.” 

Dew barely gives Rain time to process his words before diving into the lake in a perfect streamline. Bubbles spill out of his mouth and gills once he is under the water, a deep sigh leaving him as he relaxes. He nearly screams though when he opens his eyes to see Rain so close their noses are almost touching. He pushes away from him, kicking towards the surface. Rain just grins at him before following after him. 

Despite Dew getting a head start, they both breach at the same time. Rain laughs while Dew scowls at him. 

“Ass.” Dew flicks water at him with his tail. 

Rain grins, serrated teeth on display before diving back under. Dew curses and begins to swim in the direction he thinks Rain will not be. He has done the same thing to the rest of his pack enough times to know what Rain is doing. His finned tail beats behind him, propelling him through the water, but it is no use. Rain gets a hand around his ankle and pulls him under so fast Dew does not even have time to scream. 

He tries to kick away from him, but he tightens his hold and drags Dew closer. He playfully snaps his fangs near Rain’s face, pushing against his chest. Rain laughs, bubbles spilling from his mouth and floating up. He lets go of Dew’s ankle in favor of grabbing his wrists. Dew uses the split second of freedom to flare his long, colorful fins. The ones on his arms whack Rain in the face, causing him to completely let go of him. Dew immediately darts off, not waiting to see if Rain is chasing after him. 

He cannot help but smile as he swims. He never gets to play like this with River, Lake, or Mist. The former are usually too busy sucking face to even entertain the idea. Mist just does not have the time anymore. She used to before she had to take over Delta’s job of assisting new water ghouls adjust to life Topside. Even so, Dew did not really like playing with her. She would always win. Always. 

 But now he has Rain. And Rain is still new. Rain does not know all of Dew’s tricks and he certainly is not as familiar with the lake as Dew is. He swims as fast as he can to the reed beds, hiding within the tall grass. He hopes and prays Rain did not see him as he scans the dark depths for a flash of smoky blue. Luckily, his bioluminescence puts a spotlight on him. Dew can see him approaching. He sinks further into the reeds, eyes locked on Rain. 

He stops only a few feet away from the plants. He narrows his eyes, scanning the beds slowly before looking left and right. Quick as a flash he swims off to the left. Away from Dew. He waits, making sure Rain is truly gone before paddling out of the tall grass. He grins in satisfaction as he follows the direction Rain went. Oh he cannot wait to see the look on his face. 

When those shining blue lights come into view once more, Dew slows his pace. He spreads his fins, letting the current of the water carry him closer to his target. Rain does not notice him. He is too busy peeking his head into some old tree debris. Dew gets closer. Closer. Close enough that Rain can feel the water shift behind him. He whips around, but he is too late. Dew pounces onto his back, wrapping his arms around his neck. Not tight enough to choke, just enough to stay latched on. Rain struggles, tugging at him to pull him off. When Dew only holds on tighter, instinct kicks in and he rams the back of his head into Dew’s face. 

He lets go immediately, kicking towards the surface. Rain follows suit. When they breach Dew is holding the right side of his face and cackling. 

“I fucking got you! I win! Oh you should see the…”

The look on Rain’s face is one of fear. 

“Oh shit what’s wrong? Did I go too far?” Dew swims closer to him. 

“Dew your face. Did I…?” 

“Huh? Oh yeah you got me good.” 

Rain looks like he is going to throw up. 

“But it’s fine! It doesn’t even hurt. I’m fine, look.” 

Dew drops his hand from his face. Rain hit him right above his eye. While there is no blood or bruise, there is a mark blooming. Nothing deep, it will probably be gone in a few hours. Still hurts a little, but Rain does not need to know that. 

Rain scans his face with concern. 

Dew sighs, “Really I’m fine. Trust me I’ve been hurt way worse.” 

“That doesn’t make it better,” Rain says flatly. 

Dew chews his lip. This is not how things are supposed to be going. This is supposed to be a good memory for Rain, not one ruined by the idea that he hurt Dew. He has to distract him. Think Dewdrop. There’s gotta be something…

Ahah! 

“Wanna see something cool?” Dew smiles. 

“What is it?” Rain asks quietly. 

“Follow me.” Dew dives back under without waiting for a response. 

He swims for just a moment before glancing over his shoulder. The little ball of anxiety that was forming in his chest dissipates when he sees Rain is actually behind him. A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he dives deeper and deeper. He leads Rain to the farthest part of the lake. If they were to surface now, they would almost be in the forest. They are so deep now that all they can see when they look up is the tiniest sliver of moonlight. They are at the bottom of the lake. 

Dew finally stops swimming when he sees it. The familiar sight of rotting wood makes him relax. Dew has lead Rain to the trunk of a massive tree, fallen long before either of them were living Topside. It is covered in algae and other little aquatic plants that have made it their home. At the center of it is a decently sized hole lined with moss. Dew knows it very well. This was his nest when he was first summoned. When he was too scared to stay inside the ghoul den. This is a spot only he and Mist know about. 

And now Rain. 

If he was going to show this to anyone, it would be him. This spot means so much to Dew. It is the one space he has where he knows without a doubt he can be safe and alone. Soon he will never see it again. Even if he survives the transition, he will not be able to swim down here. Rain will get more use out of it then he ever will. And if he does not return from the flames then Rain has a spot just for him. One perfected carved to fit Dew’s body. 

Dew swims closer to it, beckoning Rain to follow. He gestures to the hole in the tree with a proud smile. Rain runs his hands over the bark before turning and looking at Dew. The markings on his shoulder and tail begin to pulse and flash and Dew frowns. He has no idea what Rain is trying to tell him. Freshwater ghouls do not use bioluminescence to communicate. He grumbles and points towards the surface, signaling for them to rise. 

They breach at the same time and Rain immediately looks to him, “What was that?” 

“Some old tree that’s been down there probably longer than either of us has been alive. But it’s also my nest.” Dew says the last part quieter than the rest. 

“Dewdrop,” Rain breathes. 

He spares at glance at him and the way he is looking at him with nothing but soft fondness makes his heart ache. It scares him how easily Rain can make him feel things. One ghoul should be able to have this much of an effect. But Rain does. Rain does and he hates it. He wants it to stop but he thinks if it does he might die. 

Dew ducks his head and pulls himself over to the shallows. He settles where the water meets land, resting against the sand while the waves gently wash over him. As always, Rain follows him. He never takes his eyes off of Dew. He sits with his knees pulled up to his chest, tail curling around his feet to twine with the tip of Dew’s. He waits. 

Dew sighs and tips his head back to look at the night sky, “Don’t go telling people I showed that to you. Even Mountain and Aether don’t know about it.” 

“You know I wouldn’t.” 

“I know.” 

There is a beat of silence. 

“You didn’t have to take me down there Dewdrop,” Rain says carefully. 

“I wanted to. It…was the place I would go when I was still new. When things got really bad and I needed to be alone. Mist was the only one who knew where I’d run off to and she would come and get me. Help me without whatever little thing made me run and hide.” 

He smiles softly, thinking about the words she said to him the first time she found him. 

“And I want you to have a place like that. Cause I know how hard this shit is. Hell, I’ve been here for a year and I still feel like I popped out of the ground yesterday. But that doesn’t mean you need to be totally alone. You can stay down there for as long as you want knowing I’m the only one who will come for you.” 

He looks at Rain. 

“And I will. Come for you I mean. I won’t let you deal with anything alone.” 

Before he even has the chance to dwell on his impending fate, Rain practically tackles him. Just like before at the gazebo, he hugs Dew so tight something definitely cracks. He buries his face in the crook of his neck. Dew follows suit, burying his nose in Rain’s wet hair. He closes his eyes, a single tear slipping out of the corner. 

They sit there holding each other for what feels like an eternity. Dew wishes it actually was. All too soon they slowly break apart. They stay close though, Dew looking down at Rain and him staring back up. He wants nothing more than to kiss him and tell him how much he means to him. Rain must be able read his mind because he shifts, every so slightly leaning closer. Dew wants to give in to him. He wants to with every fiber of his being. 

He cannot. Not with the elemental transition a week away. Not when he has only been here for two months. He knows if he does not come back it is going to hurt, but if he kisses him now it will only be worse. He will not do that to Rain. It aches, but he turns away from him and looks towards the sky again. 

He gasps and points, “Look.” 

“I don’t see anything,” Rain says flatly. 

“It’s a shooting star.” 

It is a satellite. Dew knows it is a satellite. Rain does not know it is a satellite. He needs some excuse for what he did. 

“I still don’t see anything.” Rain detangles  himself more from Dew. 

“They’re quick. Keep looking and you’ll see one.” 

They stare at the sky together. The silence is heavy. The only sound is the frogs and crickets enjoying the night just like them. Well they were enjoying the night. Now though Dew is not so sure. Why does this have to be so complicated? It was not supposed to be complicated. He was just supposed to teach the new ghoul bass and get made into a fire ghoul. He was never supposed to feel something. 

The silence finally gets to Dew. He points up at the stars, tracing the shapes of the constellations. He tells their stories to Rain the same way Aether told them to him. Anything to ease the tension sitting heavy in his gut. Luckily Rain humors him, following his hand each time he points to a new part of the sky. Maybe if he overloads his brain with all this information he will forget about what just happened. 

He is not that lucky. 

“I don’t understand you Dewdrop,” Rain sighs. 

“Did I lose you at the spoons or the bears?” Dew raises an eyebrow at him. 

“I’m not talking about the stars.” 

“Oh…” 

Silence. 

“I don’t get you,” Rain repeats. 

Dew does not know what to say, so he says nothing. 

“You do these things for me. You let me into your bed and show me your nest but then you push me away. I don’t understand.” 

Dew feels like he is standing at the edge of a cliff and Rain is his only hope of not falling to the jagged rocks. But little by little he is loosening his grip. 

“It’s…complicated.” Dew looks away from him. 

“Then make it not complicated.” 

“Oh like it’s that easy!” Dew snaps. He flinches though when he realizes. 

“Isn’t it? I see you give yourself over to everyone else so easily. So what makes me different?” Rain keeps his tone even. 

How can he just spill his guts? He cannot tell Rain about the ritual. He cannot tell him how much he wants to hold him close and never let him go. He would sound insane. 

“You’re different alright,” Dew mumbles. 

“What did you say?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Liar.” Rain narrows his eyes. 

Dew scoffs, “Why do you wanna know anyways?” 

“Because I thought you actually liked me. But every single time we get close you pull away. I think I deserve to know why.” 

Of course Dew has managed to fuck this up. Every single plan he had created has been a fuck up. Well he is done with plans. He is done with the heavy feeling in his chest. If Rain wants to know so bad then he cannot be blamed for what happens when he dies. 

“Fine. You wanna know,”  Dew’s claws curl in the sand, “I can’t stand to be around you.” 

“What?” Rain breathes. 

“I can’t stand to be around you because I’m not good enough for you. You’re only here because of me. Because I got myself into a mess because I’m an idiot. I thought everything would be so simple but then you came out of the ground and ruined everything.” 

Rain stares at him with a blank expression. 

“You made me fucking feeling things I shouldn’t be feeling. I can’t feel things not when…” 

When he is going to die. 

“…when I’m me.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Rain’s voice sounds hard. 

“It means I’m supposed to be the one who helps you adjust to the stupid fucking world. It was a job.” 

“So that’s it then. I’m just your job.” 

“Yes.” 

It is silent for a moment before Rain fully turns to face him. 

“Stop fucking lying to me.” 

Dew blinks in surprise. 

“Do you honestly think I’m stupid?”

“Of course not,” Dew huffs. 

“Then tell me the truth, Dewdrop. Now.” 

Dew scoffs. 

Rain waits. 

And he waits. 

And he waits. 

He sighs and begins to stand up, “Fine. Maybe I was wrong to think so highly of you.” 

Rain drops him off the cliff. 

Dew feels like he cannot breathe. He ruined it. How could he have ruined it? He did everything right. He kept his feelings away. He focused on what he had to do. Now Rain is walking away and he does not feel like he fits inside of his body. How could he have messed up this badly if he did everything right? 

“Rain wait.” He whips his head to look at him. 

He stops. He is only a few steps away from Dew. He does not turn around to look at him. 

“You’re right. You shouldn’t have thought highly of me. I’m a liar and a fuck up.” 

Rain does not turn around. 

“But that’s why I can’t stand being around you. Because I really am awful for you.” 

Dew takes a deep breath. Time to claw his way back up the cliff side. 

“I like you. So fucking much. Probably more than I should. I can’t stand to be around you because I know you’ll find better once you’re up here longer and don’t even try to deny it. I see how you look at Mountain. But you made it too fucking hard to think rationally and now we’re here. I never should have been your mentor. I never should have inserted myself into your life because of my own stupid feelings. I never should have—“ 

Rain does not let him finish. Quick as a flash, he is back on the ground, knees colliding with sand. He crushes his lips against Dew’s. He will not hear anymore. Rain kisses his excuses away. 

Rain is kissing him. 

Rain is kissing him.

 He needs to pull away. He needs to push back. He needs to…he needs to kiss him back. He needs his sea salt and petrichor taste burned into his memory. 

Dew cannot stop himself anymore. He kisses Rain back. 

[thebellearchives]

I wish you would write a fic where Inumaki watches non sorcerer!reader from a distance since the Shibuya incident. He’s always there, making sure they’re safe and healing, and reader swears they see his face in passing crowds, passing it off as a coincidence. Until a chance encounter…

𝐂𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍

~ inumaki toge ; jujutsu kaisen

✧˚ · . S Y N O P S I S : you long for the comfort of the arms of your saviour, until you realize that he might need comfort in your arms instead

‧₊˚ c o n t e n t s : gn!reader, non-sorcerer reader, mutual pining, comfort, mentions of blood, suggested trauma, a little emotional ?, probably inconsistent with the canon shibuya incident-itadori’s extermination transition

‧₊˚ a / n : i started writing and it just kept getting longer and longer and i couldn’t stOP, this one qualifies as hurt-comfort i think? so ill tag it as both fluff and angst oop, hope you like it anon 🫶🏻

Ever since Shibuya nothing has been the same. Debris, cough, grey days, lavender eyes. Fear, panic, emptiness, white hair flowing in the wind. Silence, visions, dark purple fabric. You tell yourself you must be going insane, seeing him around the corners of dark alleys, standing at at the other side of the road outside the store, in the reflections of broken glass on the floor. But you wake up from your bed every night gasping for air, wishing he’d come to your rescue once again, thinking he’d come through your door. Longing to feel in the air that sweet scent of lilies that came from his clothes when he picked you up and took you to safety. To hear once again the hypnotic sound of his voice that saved your life that fateful day.

And as you make your way back to your apartment you hold your things close to your chest. There were many things about the incident that didn’t make sense, the whole situation was just ininteligible to you. The rumbling of the floor and the loud noises, the way things would just hit on the walls or the asphalt around you and not being able to tell where they were coming from. The huge, insect-like monster that stood on its hind legs as it took impulse to lunge forwards and take your life. Until you heard his voice and the monster exploded, fading into thin air just as quickly as it had appeared in front of you. But if none of that had happened, then how did his hands on your shoulders feel so real and warm? The worry in his lovely lilac eyes as he checked that you were in perfect conditions, or the way you could almost swear you could smell the copperish scent of the blood on his lips?

As you walked, you held in your hand the small bottle of cough syrup that he had accidentally left behind that night, the only proof you had that he existed. Your brows furrowed as you stared at the bottle, your steps coming to an end. If you could only see him once more and thank him for saving you, just hold onto him and feel like everything would be okay again…

A sudden movement caught your attention from your peripheral vision. Startled, your eyes drove to a narrow alley to your left, fear almost freezing you in place. But you caught it: a little glimpse of a familiar figure. So the fear turned into anxiety, maybe you were going crazy, or maybe not, but there was only one way to figure it out. Your feet moved almost automatically, sprinting towards the alley.

“Wait!” you voiced, wishing with all your might you were talking to him and not to a panic induced vision.

The figure continued to quickly try and escape by turning into different directions to lose you but it didn’t fade away, so your heartbeat quickened. It was him, it had to be.

“Wait, please! I just wanna talk!” you tried to pick up the pace, but your rushing only made you trip. You hitched a breath and tried not lose balance, looking down by pure instinct, but when you glanced back up he was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, you started running now. You couldn’t let him go, not when he was so close to you, not when your chance to feel that relief again was escaping like water through your fingers. You turned to your left, right, left… until you were no longer sure where you were at all. The alleys seemed to had turned into a maze at some point with nothing more than trash cans and plastic bags everywhere.

A knot formed in your throat and you could feel tears of frustration gathering at the corners of your eyes. Why did he leave? Didn’t he hear you? Had you really imagined him after all?

A pile of trash fell down somewhere behind you, making you turn around instantly. Your heartbeat quickened in a glint of hope.

“Hello? Are you there?” taking a hesitant step forwards, your eyes tried to scrutinise the scene, trying to catch a glimpse of his figure, maybe his hair, anything.

“Listen, I just want to thank you… I thought…” you stopped yourself for a second, taking another step forwards and a deep breath “i thought i could just have a word with you?”

No response, a pained frown slowly appearing in your face, you bit your lower lip in doubt. Fine, one last try.

“Okay, you don’t have to talk, you don’t have to say anything, I’ll do the talking. But please… just come out, I want to see you.”

Something else fell down behind you, startling you once again and making you turn around in panic. A bad premonition grew in your chest, something wasn’t right. You could now feel it in your bones: you should not be there. And if there was something around it surely wasn’t who you were hoping for.

“What- ? Who’s there? Don’t come close!” you tried to flee, turning towards the direction you had come from.

But you ended up running into something that wasn’t there before, falling down onto the cold hard floor. You looked up just to find a horrid creature. Your eyes widened, panic weakening your legs and a scream getting stuck in your vocal cords. It was so similar to the one monster that had tried to hurt you the night of Shibuya, with dark green skin, multiple arms and eyes. The monster showed a creepy smile, widening its mouth, ready to attack.

You felt your stomach turn, your body trembling and the panic traveling through your body until your survival instinct kicked in. Somehow you managed to stand up and tried to run away, only this time you ran into something else. Or rather someone.

The white haired boy quickly grabbed you by your waist and moved you behind him, shielding you and defiantly glaring at the creature. You felt all your air freeze inside your lungs. He was there, he was real. His white hair was slightly disheveled, his purple jacket had one of the sleeves ripped off and you noticed he was now missing one of his arms. You wanted to speak to him, say anything, but you didn’t even know his name.

The creature laughed, sending a wave of disgust down your spine. Lunging forwards, it extended its arms wide and ready to attack. The boy didn’t hesitate, his powerful voice filling the alley loud and clear.

“Explode!”

The sound waves of his command hit the creature head on, causing a spark of fire to ignite in its skin and suddenly causing an explosion that sent it flying backwards, ripping its skin into shreds and filling the air with ashes and a strange smell of sulfure. You stood there behind him, eyes widened and your jaw dropped, until he suddenly started coughing.

“Are you okay?!” you tried turning him around, but he stopped you and nodded immediately, frowning a little and clearing his throat.

He glanced back at you with concern written all over his eyes. You remembered the last time had saved you and how he had stared at you just like that before holding your face in his hands and your shoulders in search of wounds. And he did just that again. He reached with his hand to cup your cheek, lifting your chin a little to make sure you didn’t have any scrapes or blood, before checking your neck and your arms.

“I’m fine, I’m-” he coughs again, your brows furrow in concern when you catch a glimpse of blood dripping from the corner of his lips “but you’re not, let me help you”

You reach to brush his hair out of his face and clean the blood, but he pulls back slightly. You freeze, and so does he, blinking a little before his eyes go back to yours cautiously.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to cross a line” you reply as gently as possible, pulling your hand away before hesitantly taking out the small bottle from your pocket “I have this… will it help?”

His eyes widen a little when he sees the small bottle of cough syrup in your hand and he can’t help but smile slightly. Nodding, he takes it from your hand and drinks it as if it were juice, sighing in relief right after and cleaning the little droplets of blood from his lips with the back of his hand. You take your time to carefully study him, trying to engrave every single detail of his into your brain. The messy rebellious hair strands that refused to go back to their place, the way his long white lashes moved along with his gorgeous lavender eyes and the lines and circles that framed his thin but rosy lips. He looked tired, like he had been fighting for longer than he should have, like he could use some comfort. The comfort that you had found in his arms last time. So when he looks back at you you can’t stop the words from leaving your mouth.

“Would you be okay with a hug?”

He blinked a little in surprise before his tense muscles relaxed slowly and a little smile lifted the corners of his lips. He nods gently again, you smile back in tender concern. Not waiting for anything else you crashed onto him, hugging him tightly. Closing your eyes, you let the warmth of his solid body calm down the still agitated beating of your heart, the worn down scent of lilies you remembered filling your senses once again.

“Thank you” you whispered “for taking care of me all this time”

Sighing, he hugged back, his arm wrapping around your waist and resting his head on yours. Now you knew it: he was real, and you weren’t going to let him go now. Not when both of you were in this dire need from the solace that your closeness brought.

“Always.”

[akirathedramaqueen]

Octavia's and Blitzø's potential relationship development

I believe that the show, despite Octavia openly hating Blitzø, gives us some hints that they have much more in common than it seems. I’ve noticed a couple of moments where Blitzø and Octavia are… pretty much in sync, if that makes sense.

Here are those moments I’ve noticed… maybe stretched in some places, but! Hear me out!

1. Here, they don’t hear each other, but both are repulsed by Stolas’s obnoxious language and express the same reaction. It’s funny that Stolas is the one calling them out.

[Blitzø]: WHAT [Octavia]: THE [Blitzø]: FUCK [Octavia]: DAD?! S1EP2, Loo Loo Land, 4:52

2. They also share a distaste for Stolas’s behavior throughout the episode, albeit in slightly different ways. In fact, this serves as a great demonstration of how deaf and blind Stolas is to obvious social cues at the beginning of the series—he doesn’t stop even when directly asked to do so on multiple occasions.

Blitzø is disgusted by Stolas’s awkward, overly sexual advances and demeaning language towards him and his work.

[Stolas]: You are so cute when you are serious! S1EP2, Loo Loo Land, 6:06

Octavia is taken aback by essentially the same. However, she blames both of them, understandably failing to recognize that Blitzø is just as uncomfortable as she is. From her perspective, Blitzø is a homewrecker who contributed to destroying her parents' marriage.

[Stolas]: You know, it's quite thrilling to see you on the job, Blitzy.[Blitzø]: Save it, bitch, I am working. [Octavia]: You both need to get a room. S1EP2, Loo Loo Land, 8:20

3. They share the hate for the same clown!

[Blitzø and Octavia]: I hate that fucking clown. S1EP2, Loo Loo Land, 8:50

4. They seem to have similar tastes in music! The song My World Is Burning Down Around Me, which Octavia plays to tune out Stella’s screaming, is also heard in Blitzø’s van when he comes to pick up Loona in the Queen Bee episode, although it’s only instrumental. Here, have a look. If, for some reason, the service with the timeframes isn’t working, I’ll also provide the timings in writing so you can check it yourself on YouTube.

Octavia turns on the song, and for a while, we can hear the lyrics before it fades into the background as the scene shifts to Stella yelling at Stolas and later to Stolas’s conversation with Octavia. S1EP2, Loo Loo Land, 2:52 - 3:50

The song’s instrumental version can be heard when Blitzø’s van arrives, and the background noise at Queen Bee’s club is different, so there’s no chance for misinterpretation. It is the music Blitzø’s was listening to. S1EP8, Queen Bee, 8:20 - 9:14

5. Haha, they freak out in the same way in the Seeing Stars episode! I know it’s probably just a stylistic choice to transition from Octavia’s initial experience with LA to Blitzø having to contact Stolas and explain what happened. However, I might be indulging in a bit of wishful thinking, suggesting that this similarity in their stress responses could have some deeper meaning.

S2EP2, Seeing Stars, 4:42

So-o... What am I trying to say with all these points I've made?

Like the kind of delulu who yells, "Ghostfuckers, save us!" (we know Viv, we know how trying to put our hopes up ends, haha), I draw a complete unhinged card and I am going to make a very bold claim:

I think that once Stolas and Blitzø finally get their shit and themselves back together, and Octavia realizes there’s much more to the story than, “Oh, it’s just horny dad cheated on my mum with a red lizard dickhead and my dad ruined my family,” Octavia could actually bond with Blitzø quite nicely, and he would make a good second dad to her! Well, don’t get me wrong. She might never want to take it to that level. Also, we don’t know how things will turn out, nor do we know her relationship with her mum, Stella.

But I do believe that their parallels were thrown in for a reason. Despite the circumstances, they can, and maybe will, be on much better terms than they currently are.

Go on, call me delusional and leave me be in my complete denial corner. <3 I admit I do tend to forget the current state of the Stolitz relationship in the series, as in my world, where I’m prioritizing my time working on that fic, they are finally together. I am bitter-sweetly excited that @tealvenetianmask and I are slowly but surely getting close to finishing it. :)

(Yes, yes, it was shameless self-promotion—sue me for the unlawful use of a speculatory-analytical post space to promote our version of Stolitz working hard to sort out their issues post Apology Tour and having some silly and horny fun along the way.)

[physalian]

Checklist of character traits prone to inconsistency:

Heyo, quick one today. It’s great to give a lot of detail to character traits and personality quirks, but they aren’t real people, you’ve made them up, and thus, might not have a perfect memory for how you’ve described them, or drawn them in the past.

So before you post or publish, do yourself a favor and make sure the following are consistent throughout your story, if applicable:

If they’re left or right handed, or ambidextrous.

Which side their hair parts on.

Which side their scars are on (especially facial scars).

Which eye has the patch or is just missing, and how much or little the character fiddles with it.

Missing glasses and how prone a character is to forgetting them or anal about cleaning them. Glasses are always dirty (do they clean them with a proper cloth or the edge of their shirt?).

Which side broken, missing, or bandaged fingers are on.

If they’re wearing a cast, how it inhibits their mobility.

If they have a leg or foot injury, how severely they limp.

If their clothing takes damage, when/how they replace it or repair it, and whether or not they’re wandering around town accidentally covered in blood or grease or all-purpose flour.

Which injuries they sustain that should still be bothering them, like pulled shoulders, bruises, shin splints, paper cuts, sun burns, cramps, carpal tunnel, arthritis, tinnitus, road rash, and stubbed toes or pinched fingers.

Which side of their body buttons, rings, bracelets, pins, brooches, badges, or name tags are on.

If they’re wearing gloves or mittens, when they take them off or how their mobility is impacted by them.

How mobility changes if their fingernails are short and stubby or long, or artificial, like typing, eating, and grabbing objects.

If they have a wheelchair, how they transition out of it, into it, and move within it, like getting dressed or putting on shoes, or lifting themselves up into cars and back down—and how public spaces do and don’t accommodate them.

If they have prosthetics, how they maintain them, how they might sound different than someone else—prosthetic feet for runners won’t sound the same as sneakers.

If they need crutches, a walker, a scooter, or a cane, and how the world accommodates them.

If they're colorblind, how it impacts their day to day and descriptions compared to other narrators.

Jewelry often jingles. Pandora bracelets are loud af especially if they’re on your dominant hand when you try to write on a desk. Charm necklaces jingle if you bounce and some earrings can jingle when you shake your head.

Where tattoos are and if they take measures to hide them and how.

An aside about characters with tattoos (from experience):

If they’re new, they still hurt for at least a week depending on the level of detail.

Tattoos are basically mega sunburns and fresh ink should either be covered from the sun or, once it’s healed enough that the skin isn’t broken, heavily sun-screened to preserve coloration. Newer ink is very noticeable in sunlight, just like a healing sunburn.

Black ink tends to turn a bit green over time and sharp details blur. Tattoos are beholden to the skin they’re on, and how it stretches or sags.

Tattoos stink, as plasma and other fluids build up under the wrap (that can either be straight plastic wrap or a dermal cover akin to the stuff used for burn victims).

Tattoos can burn and ache if they’re on the legs when you stand, as blood and your body weight settles back into place.

Tattoos do very weird things to your body depending on the amount of ink and the time it took to design. Your skin peels kind of, but not exactly, like a sunburn, and every artist has their own tips for aftercare.

If the ink is over thin skin (I have one that ends over my ankle) the ink may have a texture left behind, a raised puffy bump, that fades over time.

A character receiving a tattoo might have this kind of bell curve effect, where it hurts really bad at the start, until adrenaline kicks in and dampens it, and then again once their adrenaline runs out. There is no pain quite like tattoo pain and everyone describes them differently. I like to think of them as itching a bug bite on a sunburn, dialed up to 11.

According to my past artists, women almost universally handle the pain better than men. I have definitely suffered other injuries worse than tattoo pain.

Fine linework hurts more than broad stroke coloring or shading, because the distribution of pressure is wider with more needles packed together. The larger the needle bundle, the less it hurts. All of mine are water color and the *splash* effect for the illusion of water drops uses a single needle and it’s always the most painful part.

Feel free to tag any that I missed!

[shallowrambles]

I love the view that Dean figured out his deeper feelings for Cas in 6 & 7, and the majority of 8 was Dean arcing out of his hero-worship and people-should-never-let-me-down neuroses.

And then.

Post-perceived rejection… (Remember: Cas threw OFF Dean’s hand in Purgatory, and cut OFF cupid’s hand when it was aimed at him.)

So. Late Seasons 8 to mid-12 are Dean actively trying to get over Cas. In s9, he’s off-key paralleled with Josie Sands and Abaddon. (When it’s actually Hannah who’s “the Josie.”) Then he transitions into a reversal-power arc, towards being force-fit into the cartoonish, dare I say ham-fisted Cain role and its parallels. (They spell out the parallel in a distinctly odd way, esp for SPN. Too on the nose. Prescriptive. That’s because it’s actually mirroring Dean’s power fantasy according to Dean’s deepest, least charitable, nihilistic wishes.)

In s10, Dean still appears hung up on Cas, trusting him with the blade and begging him to help kill him if he becomes disinhibited/loses his free will again. Also, “I’m glad you’re here, man,” and Cas’s awkward reply, “Another time. There’s a female waiting in the car.” In a way, Dean’s feelings and fantasies serve to taunt him. The Cain parallel itself feels like a taunt.

Dean may realize Cas “admires” him but it’s definitely not the way Dean wants, that is: not like a secret admirer. Dean is mad for the unbalanced power dynamics re:Cas in the past. Now in Dean’s power reversal: Cas gets the wife treatment and Dean gets paralleled with the powerful Cain figure. He gets to beat Cas just as Cas beat him.

And it’s no accident the Dean’s power reversal arc culminates in a reverse-crypt. Because that’s what Dean’s bitter about. (“That’s not gonna be a problem = You can’t hurt me anymore, not like you did.”) It’s rooted in the bitterness of perceived rejection. That’s why Cas bears the brunt of Dean’s anger here.

Afterwards, Dean feels soooo guilty for being angry.

Later…

At various points, he tries to reassure Cas he’s okay with and appreciates how things are: a best friend, a comrade, a brother. Acceptance!

Dean spent season 10 dealing with his baggage and hoping hopelessly, then in season 11, I think he resolved to accept things. He may have toed the water with sexual tension and short shorts at times, but overall he was trying to live with Cas and let Cas off the hook.

He also encouraged Amara to deal with her own baggage the way he’d worked through his. Season 10 was his reversal arc: him in power for once, with Cas getting the wife treatment and Sam’s corruption being highlighted for once. And in season 11 he was spirited away, dealing with being powerless once more.

After that was done, he tried to swallow his feelings and let go of Cas, the way he encouraged Amara to let go of him.

He may perceive season 11 as his letting go of irrationally wanting Cas. The car scene may represent him giving Cas an out. Even releasing him from any perceived obligations.

So when Cas shows interest in season 12, I do think that threw him! Made him so nervous that he started hoping again, getting all tentative with his little mixtape.

Then Cas returns the damn mixtape. (Burned again!) But instead of getting bitter, Dean says to keep it, it’s a gift. Then he mumbles another “we’re all stronger together,” lil spill to cover his embarrassment.

Because now, he’s fully accepted that he loves Cas. Dean’s feelings haven’t faded so he has resolved to live with them as they are. No matter how many times he gets his hopes up and disappointed.

But now, Dean’s more scared. In season 8 he was ready to tell Cas “I love you.” He spent four years trying to navigate those unrequited feelings and convert them into familial camaraderie.

It’s much scarier in s12 with cosmic consequences on their heads, and Dean with everything he’s ever wanted just at his fingertips.

My fave thing about it all is that Dean and Cas are ready for each other at wildly different points and hardly ever sync up in between all the disasters.

[somerandomdudelmao]

I’m just imagining something. A little thought. Small.

So Casey comes out of the memory spell but Mikey is still possessing him. I like to think Casey’s eyes would be glowing a bit to symbolize Mikey’s still inside him. He looks relieved with tears in his eyes at Donnie and Raph, alive. Raph not just a robot but ALIVE. But he only stays on that for a moment before Donnie and Raph start asking Casey questions. Mikey says

“Donnie, listen to me, we need to bring Leo back NOW.”

And Donnie’s a little confused because Casey clearly had Mikey’s outfit but Mikey presses on.

“This is MIKEY and Leo’s fading FAST. I can’t hold him much longer, we need to do this right now.”

So Donnie and Raph, quickly getting the message, start preparing things while Mikey let’s Casey go back in control so he can better focus on keeping Leo stable.

Meanwhile Casey is now confused, Donnie’s already run off to get everything ready, and Raph is hurriedly getting Casey to follow as he explains what’s happening.

JUST.

Just imagining Donnie and Raph’s frantic shock as they realize Casey brought back BOTH OF THEM but Leo is actual seconds away from being gone forever. Them being slightly confused, not understanding, not really even processing what happened because they switched to “GO GO NOW” so fast.

Casey ALSO not really understanding what happened because there’s a gap in his memory from when Mikey had taken control but he’s going along with it because it adds up it makes sense and he fully understands why there is a rush. He tries to explain what he can but it’s just words strung together too fast to make any sense.

I imagine they would bring Leo and Mikey back at the same time but they’re all mostly concerned about Leo. Valid.

Maybe when Mikey comes back (before Leo wakes up) he panics, immediately swivels his head around to look for Leo and trying to wake him up. Raph, Donnie, and Casey are all trying to calm him down, remind him to breath, make sure he’s transitioning okay but Mikey is fully focused on Leo, waiting with held breath for him to gasp to life. And when Leo does, Mikey just clings and sobs. Raph and Donnie are each trying to calm the two of them down meanwhile I can see Casey just plopping himself next to them for the physical reassurance that they are, in fact, okay and back with him.

[bruhnze]

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

CHAPTER 2 – Bar-ça, Bar-ça, Barrrrçaa

Summary: Ona Batlle has had a crush on Lucy Bronze for a little while now… how will it go when she joins Barça? A 10 chapter series.

Warnings: Slow burn, angst, fluff, smut. All the things, but I give this as a complete warning for the whole series. Not every chapter involves all the warnings :).

note: i promissss the other chapters get better this one is a bit 🥴

Playing for keeps masterlist > to find chapter 1.

The sun beat down on the training pitch as the defenders gathered around in a loose circle. Lucy was bended down adjusting her socks, while beside her, Ona rolled her ankles, loosening up her muscles, shaking her legs out. They had just done some warm ups in the gym, then a couple exercises with the complete team and now they were divided in groups, depending on their place, and task, on the field during games.

“I’m so glad you’re training with us today, babe,” Mapi said, hugging Ingrid from behind with a contented sigh. “Training is always better when you’re in my group.”

Ingrid chuckled softly as Mapi placed a quick kiss on her neck.

“Perfect,” Lucy called out, eyeing them with a grin. “You keep distracting her, Ingrid, and I’ll win everything today.”

Mapi smirked, turning her head slightly. “Please. You’re just mad because I’ve been shutting you down all week.”

Ona chuckled beside Lucy, giving her a playful nudge. “She’s got a point. I’ve seen it.” She said boldly, because for some reason she liked teasing Lucy,  the teasing comment just slipped out without a second thought.  

Lucy raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. “Keep talking, Batlle. I’ll remember this when I tackle you next.”

Ona laughed, but the way Lucy’s eyes lingered on her made her heart race, just for a second it felt like her and Lucy looking at eachother was the only thing in the world.

On the other side of the group, Irene and Jana were finishing their stretches. Irene was quietly giving Jana some instructions.

“When defending corners, just stay tighter to the attacker. They’re always trying to find that space behind you,” Irene said, demonstrating with a small movement.

Jana nodded. “Got it.”

Rolfö, who was casually tying her boots nearby, chuckled as she listened in. “Or,” she said with a chuckle, “just ask Mapi to body-check them out of the way.”

Mapi laughed loudly, tapping the ball lightly in Rolfö’s direction. “Shh! According to Irene, a good defender doesn’t need the messy stuff.”

Before anyone could respond, Jonatan blew his whistle, calling out to the different groups to start the drills. Then he walked to his defenders, as they gathered around he gave a few quick instructions.

“Alright, we’re going to focus on building out from the back. Mapi and Irene, you’re in the center. Lucy and Frido, take the wide positions. Jana, Marta, and Ona, I want you rotating. Ingrid, you’ll help transition like how you would between defense and midfield.”

The group nodded, the banter from earlier fading into more focused demeanors as they moved into position.

The drill began with Irene receiving the ball from Jonatan and passing it out to Lucy on the right. Lucy controlled the ball quickly, looking up for her options. Ona made a sharp overlapping run down the flank, and Lucy flicked the ball into her path with precision.

Ona called out to her that it was a good pass as she controlled the ball easily and she accelerated as she pushed the ball forward, her eyes scanning the field before sending a clean pass back inside to Ingrid.

Ingrid controlled the ball effortlessly, her head already swiveling to assess the options ahead. “Lucy, walk up” she called out before sending a smooth cross-field pass over to Rolfö on the left.

..

After several rounds of the build-up play, Jonatan called for one-on-one defending drills. The defenders rotated in pairs, each taking turns as attackers and defenders.

Jana was up first, going against Marta. Marta, was quick on her feet, doing pretty well until she tried to cut inside sharply. Jana had read the play well, stepping in to cleanly dispossess her.

“Nice work, Jana!” Irene called out, proud at the younger footballer.

Marta threw her hands up in surrender, laughing, also impressed by Jana who was improving with every training session. “Alright, alright, that was good.”

Next up were Lucy and Ona, facing off. Ona felt giddy to be paired up with her.

Ona, with the speed and agility she was known for, feigned a move to the left before darting to the right. But Lucy was ready for her, quickly poking the ball away.

“Told you,” Lucy said with a smirk as Ona groaned in mock frustration. “Next tackle.” She offered her hand to help Ona up.

Ona hesitated, her heart flipping seeing Lucy holding a hand out to her. She shook the thought away internally and shot Lucy a mischievous look, ignoring the hand and standing up on her own. She stuck her tongue out playfully at Lucy.

“Wowww,” Lucy said, feigning offense, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “You do not know what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”

Ona laughed, extending her hand this time. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing you.”

Lucy crossed her arms with a dramatic shake of her head. “Too late. You chose this fate.”

Mapi, who had been watching the exchange with amused interest, chuckled. “You two could spend as much energy defending as you do bantering. We’d never concede a goal.”

Lucy and Ona both laughed, but Lucy shot back, “We’re multitasking, Mapi. Try it sometime.”

The drill continued with Ingrid stepping in, playing against Irene.

“You make a pretty solid center-back,” Mapi called out as Ingrid took the ball from Irene and ran away, scoring easily in the mini goal.

Ingrid smiled, shrugging lightly. “Thanks, love,” she replied, as she got behind the line next to the mini goal again.

The mood was light, but the intensity remained as the defenders pushed each other to train well until the end of the drills.

..

As the group jogged off to grab water, Mapi tossed an arm around Ingrid’s shoulder. “See, this is why you’re the glue between us and the midfield. One of these days, though, I’ll drag you into defense full-time.”

Ingrid chuckled. “Mhm. I know baby.´´

..

At the end of training they had a game with most players of the team on half the field, playing 10 vs 10.

Ona sprinted down the wing, her breath steady as she approached the ball. She was laser-focused, but just as she was about to pass, Lucy cut her off with a perfectly timed interception.

“Haha, not today.” Lucy whispered just loud enough for Ona to hear, flashing a grin as she tapped the ball away effortlessly.

Ona let out a breath, shaking her head but she recovered immediately and sprinted after Lucy.

“Gotta be quicker than that,” Lucy teased, her smile widening. “You almost had me, though.”

Nearby, Aitana called out annoyed. “You two act like you’re in some kind of competition, you two literally are on the same team.”

“We are,” Lucy shot back, still smirking as she jogged backwards with the ball. “And I’m winning.”

Ona rolled her eyes, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. “We’ll see about that.”

Ona chuckled, and as Lucy’s laugh echoed besides her, she couldn’t help but glance at her again, catching herself staring for maybe a second too long. She quickly looked away, but the thought stayed - she wanted more of this. Of her. Of Lucy. Lucia Bronze, the woman that slowly started to take over her mind.

The session wrapped up not long after, the coach blowing a whistle to signal the end of the game they were closing practice with. Everyone made their way to the locker room, chatting about the drills and the upcoming team initiation.

Ona sat on the floor of the locker-room, rolling out her calves with foam roller. The training had been intense, and her muscles were already starting to tighten. She focused on her breathing, trying to relax, but her eyes kept drifting toward Lucy, who was chatting with Alexia across the room. 

As Lucy wrapped up her conversation, she glanced over and caught Ona’s gaze. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she wandered over, her shirt casually slung over her shoulder.

“Hey,” Lucy said, sitting down next to her. “You okay? Are your muscles aching?”

Ona laughed, glancing down at the roll in her hand. “It’s precaution, actually, it prevents muscle pain. You should try it sometime.” She added, in a little bit of a know-it-all tone.

Lucy raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I’ll take your word for it. I’m more of a ‘lie on the couch and hope the soreness goes away’ kind of person.”

Ona smiled, shaking her head as she kept rolling out her calf. “I wouldn’t have guessed that, with how hard you push during training.”

Lucy leaned back against the locker, stretching her arms over her head. “Yeah, well, gotta keep you on your toes.”

Ona gave her a quick look, she couldn’t keep the challenge out of her eyes. “I think it’s the other way around.” She said, taking the opportunity to poke Lucy. She was so drawn to touching, she didn’t know what was up with her this morning.

Lucy chuckled softly, letting her arms drop. “Fair enough. You were all over the place today. How do you have that much energy after the drills?”

Ona shrugged, her lips curving slightly. “I guess I’m just young and fit.”

Lucy nudged her playfully with her shoulder. “Cocky, huh?”

“Maybe,” Ona replied, her smile growing.

Lucy shook her head, amused. “Alright, next time, I’m not going easy on you.”

“Oh please, you were not going easy.” Ona chuckled, rolling her eyes before meeting Lucy’s gaze with a raised eyebrow.

Lucy laughed, the sound light and easy. Ona was impressed with Lucy’s easy going nature, she could tease the woman relentlessly and still Lucy saw the joke of it all. “Maybe, maybe not.” Lucy smirked, ‘’Guess you’ll find out eventually.’’

For a moment, they both just sat there, the sounds of the locker room fading into the background as their eyes lingered on each other. Lucy’s smile softened, her tone dropping slightly. “But you’re fun to train with,” she said, her voice warm. “Keeps things interesting, I’ll give you that.”

Ona felt a flutter in her chest but kept her expression steady. “Same to you,” she replied, her voice quieter now.

Cata Coll, never one to miss an opportunity to shake things up, was the first to bring the coming initiation night up. The subject had clearly been simmering below the surface, no one really addressing it. She sat down on the bench, a grin spreading across her face as she looked around. “Alright, who’s excited for tonight? Initiation night! I’ve been waiting for this!”

Several players chimed in with chuckles and nods.

“You just like watching the new signings squirm,” Mariona said rolling her eyes, tossing her towel into the laundry bag. She was not really a fan of public humiliations.

Cata shrugged playfully. “Maybe I’m guilty of that. But it’s also tradition.”

Ona, sitting quietly on the floor with a foam roller, glanced over at Esmee, who was similarly quiet. Both of them had heard plenty about this night, but actually living through it was another thing. The idea of being front and center made Ona feel a little uneasy.

Lucy, sensing the tension, leaned back casually against the lockers and shot a smile in Ona’s direction. “Don’t worry, It’s not that bad.”

Mapi, overhearing, grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Only if you completely butcher the song. But no pressure.”

Ona smiled, but the nerves still lingered. “Right. No pressure.”

Esmee, undoing her shoes nearby, let out a small laugh. “I am a little bit nervous too Ona”

Alexia, who had been quietly listening, finally stood up, drawing the team’s attention. She clapped her hands lightly, getting everyone’s focus. The locker room quieted down as she stepped forward.

“Alright, everyone,” Alexia began, her voice calm but with the authority of a captain. “Let’s get this organized. See you all tonight at the hotel, and we’ll start with a team dinner. After that, we’ll watch some videos—we have a few surprises for you,” she added with a wink, making a few of the veterans chuckle. “And then we get to the main event, karaoke. Esmee, you’ll be up first, and then Ona.”

Ona tried to smile, but the knot in her stomach tightened at the thought of being on stage.

“After that,” Alexia continued, her tone light but encouraging, “we’ll have time for everyone to catch up, relax, and get to know each other a bit better. This night is all about bonding, and it’s important for us. We have our first match on the 16th, and the best way to go into it is as a tight, united team.”

She paused, looking around the room, making sure her words sank in. “That’s why we do things like this. Because, believe it or not, it helps. So don’t be afraid, Ona. Don’t be afraid, Esmee. This is just an initiation, and after tonight, you two are officially part of our Barça family.”

The room erupted into a light cheer, a few players clapping. Esmee smiled shyly, and Ona couldn’t help but feel a little better, knowing the team wasn’t out to torture her.

Alexia smiled at them both, her eyes soft but full of support. “We’ll have fun tonight. Trust me.”

The mood lightened after Alexia’s little speech, and the players started to gather their things, ready to head out.

Lucy nudged Ona with her elbow, her tone teasing but friendly. “See? Nothing to worry about. You’ll survive.”

Ona rolled her eyes but smiled. “Easy for you to say. You’ve already been through it.”

..

The hotel lounge buzzed with excitement as the FC Barcelona women’s team gathered for their initiation night. Karaoke was the main event and the new signings were about to take the spotlight.

Esmee’s turn had gone unexpectedly well, apparently she had a hidden talent for singing. Ona was happy for her but it didn’t help with her own nerves.

When it was Ona’s turn, the room erupted in cheers again. She nervously stepped up to the stage, scanning the song choices on the screen, but nothing seemed to catch her eye. Her heart raced, and her mind went blank. She chose the first song that came up that she actually knew, ROSALÍA - Malamente (Cap.1: Augurio).

The room went silent for a moment before bursting into laughter and applause as they recognized the intro. It was a daunting choice for someone who wasn’t prepared. Ona laughed nervously, gripping the microphone, unsure how to start. She wished the ground would swallow her up.

“Come on, Ona.” Aitana shouted, ‘’sing.’’

Ona took a deep breath, but before she could start, the track began playing a little earlier than she had anticipated. She missed the cue, and the awkward silence stretched just a bit too long.

Lucy, who had been comfortably lounging at the back, noticed the struggle. She had been in Ona’s shoes last year and knew exactly how it felt, especially when singing wasn’t your thing. She had escaped her own initiation ordeal by choosing ‘Sweet Caroline,’ a song everyone loved and would sing along to, masking her lack of vocal skills from her part.

Just as Ona was about to try again, Lucy spotted a stray cup teetering on the edge of a nearby table. She reached out instinctively to catch it, but in doing so, she knocked over her own drink. It spilled all over the table, and without thinking, she shot up from her seat to prevent her pants from getting wet. As she did, the room’s attention shifted to her.

The moment of distraction was all it took for Ona to glance over at Lucy with a pleading look. Lucy, now in the spotlight herself, realized there was no getting out of this one. “Oh, no, don’t look at me,” Lucy called out with a nervous laugh.

‘’Lucy! Lucy!’’ Patri quietly started, ‘’Lucy! Lucy!’’ carefully the team joined the chant.

A blush crept on the English defenders face ‘’I did this last year guys’’ she whined, ‘’and you guys know it sounds terrible when I sing’’.

‘’Lucy! Lucy!’’ The team cheered louder and louder. ‘’Lucy! Lucy!’’

Alexia chuckled, ‘’ay, go help Ona, she looks like she wants to fall through the floor’’.

Lucy looked at Ona standing alone on the podium "Well, I guess.." she pitied her, knowing how much she hated this herself, she guessed doing it together would be less bad for Ona and saying no to the captain…. not an option anyways.

She grabbed the mic Alexia pointed towards her and joined Ona on stage, the crowd cheering louder now. Lucy and Ona went to the laptop and Lucy whispered somethings in Ona’s ear before she made a few clicks and the intro of ‘Danza Kuduro’ started playing.

The team cheered, recognizing the intro all to well.

‘’Just distract them with some dance moves.’’ Lucy whispered in to Ona’s ear.

Ona shivered, the hairs in her neck standing up straight as Lucy’s hot breath brushed along her skin.

‘’For the most parts they will sing along,’’ she chuckled, ‘’pro tip, choose a song they know really well.’’

Lucy put the mic to her mouth and started singing along with the lines behind them on the screen, for some miraculous reason she had actually gotten the timing right.

Ona, relieved and now laughing, joined in as well, and soon they were both shouting out the chorus, surrounded by their teammates’ encouragement. Lucy’s unexpected entrance turned what could have been a nerve-wracking moment into a shared joke, making Ona feel at ease. She smiled so widely as she watched Lucy’s moves, she caught herself maybe even enjoying this – supposed to be horrible – moment.

Keira, standing beside Mariona, shook her head with a chuckle. “Leave it to Lucy to find a way into the spotlight, even when she’s trying to avoid it.”

Mariona laughed. “She really does have a talent for that.”

As the song ended, the room filled with applause and laughter. Lucy looked back to Ona with a grin. “You see? Easy peasy.” She said with a wink.

Ona smiled, still a bit flushed. “Thanks.”

“No worries,” Lucy replied, nudging her playfully. “But you owe me one” she whispered teasingly, holding the mic away.

‘’AND NOW PATRI! she wants to sing too I heard.´´ she said loudly in to the mic, remembering all to well who had started the chant of her name.

..

After all the singing and some dancing, things got more calm. People where talking with eachother while snacks and drinks got brought around by hotel staff.

The atmosphere in the lounge was laid-back, players sprawled across couches in small groups, laughing and talking as the evening wound down. Ona sat in a cozy corner with Salma, Esmee, and Vicky, sipping on her drink, feeling the warmth of the night slowly sink in.

Vicky leaned in slightly, lowering her voice with a conspiratorial grin. “Alright, who’s dating who?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Salma laughed, shaking her head. “Bitch you’re obsessed.” She teased her best friend quietly.

Esmee raised an eyebrow, glancing at Vicky with amusement. “You’re so random,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Vicky shrugged, not the least bit fazed. “I want to know! Boyfriends, girlfriends, spill it. Patri and Pina are boring, it’s old news. I want to hear about the interesting ones. People who date outside of the team.’’ Vicky said, rolling her eyes. ‘’Esmee, you seeing anyone?”

Esmee blushed slightly, laughing as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Actually… yeah.”

“Ohhh really?” Vicky’s grin widened, clearly loving this. “Someone from back home?”

Esmee nodded, still smiling, though her shyness was apparent. “Her name’s Danielle.”

Salma, now just as curious, leaned in. “Show us some pictures” she said, her interest piqued.

Esmee pulled out her phone, scrolling to a few photos. They all huddled around the screen, looking at the pictures with interest. Esmee’s smile widening as she showed her new friends some pictures of her girlfriend.

Once they had their fill of cooing over the photos, Vicky turned her attention to Ona, a teasing glint in her eyes. “And you, Ona? What about you?”

Ona blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “What about me?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but already feeling her cheeks warm under the attention.

“Girlfriend?” Vicky leaned closer, her curiosity in full swing. “Come on, spill.”

Ona hesitated, her mind flickering—against her will—to Lucy. She pushed the thought aside, her heart racing as she tried to find the right words. Why do I think of Lucy every time I get asked about a girlfriend? she thought, irritated at herself.

“No, no girlfriend,” Ona replied quickly, her tone a bit too sharp as she hurried to deflect.

Salma smirked knowingly, sensing Ona’s shift in demeanor. “That sounded suspicious,” she teased lightly.

Ona laughed, trying to keep it casual. “Oh, shut up, it’s not suspicious. I just don’t like being reminded that I’m single.” She quickly turned the focus. “What about you, Vicky?”

Vicky chuckled, holding up her hands in surrender. “No one! That’s why I’m so invested in everyone else’s love life,” she said, leaning back with a grin.

“Love life?” Mapi, sitting nearby with Ingrid, turned around in her chair, curious. The whole group Mapi had been talking with swiveled around too, joining in on the conversation. “Who’s dating who?” she asked, eyes sparkling.

Ona rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head. Esmee, unusually bold, saw a chance to stir the pot. “Vicky said it’s boring when people date within the team. She wants to hear more interesting stories.”

Ingrid chuckled, already knowing what was coming. Mapi, ever dramatic, stood up on a stool, puffing out her chest with exaggerated pride. “LADIES AND GENTLEM—uh, LADIES, TONIGHT, I WILL TELL YOU THE GREATEST LOVE STORY—”

“MARÍA,” Alexia cut in sharply, exasperation clear in her voice. “For the love of God, keep your voice down. We’ve heard this a thousand times. Yes, Ingrid’s a princess. Yes, you’re her knight in shining armor. It’s beautiful. But it’s getting old.”

The room burst into laughter as Mapi, with a pout, climbed down from her stool and plopped back next to Ingrid, who held her arms out playfully for Mapi to return to her side.

“Sorry, babe,” Ingrid said with a chuckle, wrapping an arm around her. “I’ll listen to the story again later.”

The teasing subsided, and Alexia made her way over to Vicky. “And you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at the youngest member of the team. “I hope you’re focusing on school and football, not dating.”

Vicky blushed, laughing nervously. “I’m not! That’s why I’m asking everyone else,” she said quickly. “That’s why I asked Ona, but she says she’s got no one.”

Ona’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red as several pairs of eyes turned to her. For a moment, the room fell into a teasing silence, all attention on her.

From another corner of the room, Lucy suddenly raised her glass, a grin spreading across her face. “YEAH, CHEERS TO THE SINGLE LADIES!”

The silence broke as laughter and chatter filled the room again, the pressure on Ona fading as the conversation turned light-hearted once more. She caught Lucy’s eye across the room and mouthed a grateful, “Thank you.”

Lucy winked, lifting her glass toward Ona with a playful smile before taking a sip. The room buzzed with energy, and Ona, despite the teasing, felt a bit more relaxed. She raised her glass in return, a small smile on her lips.

..

The night had finally come to an end, and the air outside the hotel was cool as Lucy and Ona made their way to Lucy’s car.

Ona had been nudging Lucy to go home a little bit, but she hadn’t want to be too persistent as she was not in control of the fellow defender, but she was truly knackered. Finally, about an hour after Ona had first had the desire to go home, they went to get their coats.

The soft hum of the car filled the quiet as they pulled out of the parking lot, the echo of the loud night still ringing in her ears. But Ona felt contend, she was happy she survived that god awful karaoke.

She leaned back in the passenger seat, her body feeling relaxed for the first time in hours. “Thanks for saving me back there,” she said, glancing over at Lucy, her lips curving into a shy smile. “Twice, actually.”

Lucy chuckled, eyes on the road but a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, no worries,” she replied. “You looked like you wanted to disappear when Vicky started asking you about partners.”

Ona rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling. “I think it’s cool she feel so comfortable to ask all these questions, but she’s relentless, isn’t she?”

“Always,” Lucy agreed with a laugh. “But it’s funny, and yeah I’m happy the younger players are feeling so comfortable.”

Ona nodded, her gaze turning out the window for a moment before she spoke again. “It’s weird though… I didn’t think I’d feel so annoyed about admitting I’m single. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s like everyone has someone.”

Lucy glanced at her briefly, then returned her focus to the road. “Yeah, I get it. People can make you feel like you’re missing something when you’re not in a relationship. But being single isn’t bad—it’s just different. Besides,” she added with a teasing tone, “who needs the distraction, right?”

Ona smiled, grateful for the lightness Lucy brought to the conversation. “Mhm, I guess.”

There was a moment of comfortable silence before Lucy spoke again. “So, are you feeling ready for the match against CFF Madrid?” she asked, switching the conversation casually to their upcoming game.

Ona exhaled softly, leaning her head back against the seat. “I think so. I’m definitely excited… but a little nervous, too. It’s an away game, so there’s that added pressure. And it’s my first official match with the team, like for the league.”

Lucy nodded, understanding completely. “Makes sense. It’s normal to be nervous before a big game. I was the same way when I first joined Barça. But trust me, you��ll be allright.´´ she glanced at Ona with a caring smile, ´´But you know that.”

“Yeah, I hope so,” Ona said, her voice thoughtful. “I just don’t want to mess up. You know how much it means to play for this club.”

Lucy smiled softly, her tone reassuring. “Ona, you’ve been killing it in training. You’re quick, smart, and you’re already playing into the team really well. You’ll do great.”

Ona appreciated the encouragement, and despite the nerves, her excitement was growing. “Thanks. I guess I just need to get that first match out of the way, and then it’ll feel real.”

“Exactly,” Lucy said. “And we’ve got your back. You’re not in this alone, you know?”

The thought gave Ona some comfort. She looked over at Lucy and smiled. “Thanks, Lucy. That really means a lot.”

 “No problem.” Lucy nodded with a smile. ´´Anytime.´´

The rest of the drive passed by quietly, the city lights flickering through the windows as they made their way back.

“Alright, we’re home,” Lucy said, parking the car and turning to her. “Get some rest, and don’t overthink it.”

“I’ll try not to,” Ona said with a small laugh, unbuckling her seatbelt. “See you tomorrow, hm?”

“Bright and early,” Lucy replied, her eyes glinting with a teasing smile. “Will be going with your car right?.”

Ona nodded her head with a smile, stepping out of the car. “Yup.”

----

note: aren't they are becoming such good friendssss 🥰

Masterlist Playing For Keeps