#two down one to go! the last one is seeking escape. or seeking freedom had not decided which wording i like better

[saintsir4n]

Okay girlie I’m never the best at request, but I’m still drunk on Stereo Love, so I was wondering if you have seen the short prequel to 2 Fast 2 Furious, where Brian making his way to Miami, so what about if he is just following her trial. Like using his cop ability to find her.- 🐜

SEEKING HER OUT

brian being a desperate bitch!

___

"Did you get that O'Conner?"

"Got it," Brian replied, holding his phone with his shoulder as he pressed on the gas, "thanks."

"Don't mention it." his ex-co-worker spoke to him, "I mean it don't, the chief is already on my ass, and this could cost me my job. you could get caught. Are you sure she's really worth it?"

Brian caught a brief look at the sign he drove past. Miami 342 miles. Carson had been living here for over a year, he came to discover.

"I wouldn't be risking my freedom if she wasn't would I?"

"Goodbye, O'Conner. Don't get caught."

Brian pulled his phone away and took another look at the address. Florida wasn't Carson's seen and he knew that because he knew her, and he knew that he fucked up, he lied to her for months, and broke her trust and her heart.

And on top of that, he was stalking her... Trailing her - what the police force would refer to it as, but he wasn't a cop anymore. He was on the run, escaping police custody once was one thing, but helping Dom, a known criminal to escape was another. He yearned for normalcy, for the love he could only give and receive from one person.

Carson Baker.

He missed everything about her, but he knew he would be the last person she wanted to see, so he couldn't go to her instantly, he needed a place to stay. Suki was the name of the girl Carson was living with but also the on-and-off-again girlfriend of an ex-street racer he was friendly with.

Brian quickly dialled the number as he went from 50mph to 60mph.

"Yo?" a familiar voice echoed through his cell.

Brian smiled, "Tej man, wassup?"

"Bullit? That you? Haven't heard from you in a minute, you still racin'?"

"Never stopped," Brian adjusted his hand on the wheel of his Skyline.

"Well if you're ever in my city, holla."

Brian hummed, "Do you still have that houseboat?"

Tej quirked up a brow, "Yeah, why?"

"Check it, I need a place to stay. You cool with that?"

"That's cool, but you're gonna have to race, can't keep that talent on the low." Tej chuckled.

Brian couldn't help but smile, "You tryin' pimp me out?"

"Call it whatever you want, but let me know when you've touched down. I'll introduce you to my people."

"I think I know a few people man. Someone in particular."

"Oh yeah, Who's that?" Tej's eyes travelled over to the stylish girl sighing as she worked over the hood of her car. "Suki, careful baby, don't over-exert yourself" Brian perked up at the mention of the girl, "You gotta a woman Brian?"

Brian stiffened, "Had. But that won't be the case for too long."

"I know that's right. Later man."

"Later," Brian ended the call and grinned.

Miami here he comes.

__

i swear in the first two films they had brian sounding so dumb, i can't. I know it was because of y2k but omg.

also yes, i love watching those bts clips of the fast and the furious, it made me stumble on the 2 fast 2 furious prelude and how serious it looked, if even started mika kelly.

[bereft-of-frogs]

I'm really struggling with what to do with Mae in the finale. Particularly with the mind wipe thing. Because I suspect it's a 'for the plot' thing, and also not even one of the 'for the plot' things I can really respect because it's not even for the plot. It feels like it's because the writers wanting to do two fundamentally opposing things: wanting the twins to end the season on opposite sides but still have them be reconciled and without conflict between them. Which you just. Can't do. Unless you do this super contrived thing where Mae is asked to give up more of herself to further Osha's goals (which also now are ???? be a Sith I guess? because hot guy gave her a speech about freedom and embracing negative emotions and told her not to worry about how he just killed her friends?). But yeah I don't think the writers wanted them to be at odds anymore, they wanted this beautiful reunion but they also wanted them to be on opposite sides and that's just...not possible without a big absurd move like this?

And I really, really liked Mae choosing justice when faced with Sol. I wish we had had some more of her motivations and emotional process returning to Brendok, and what brought her to that point of wanting legitimate justice over seeking revenge. I thought that was a great moment. It wouldn't be that hard to spin that into a great last arc that has Osha kill Sol for revenge, kill the Jedi who trained her, kill the Jedi within herself, bleed the kyber crystal and become a person fueled by hate she doesn't recognize, while Mae chooses to forgive and move on. But I don't think the writers wanted to actually dive down into either the catharsis that brought Mae to that point of letting go of revenge, or explore how difficult and self-destructive Osha's heel turn was. I suspect possibly....because seems the writers didn't want to portray Osha's turn as toxic or self-destructive at all?

aaacckkk yeah because that would explain too the kind of weirdly triumphant feel of the scene under the bunta tree, like Mae is making this beautiful sacrifice for her sister.......to go off and become a Sith. And I guess yeah, shallowly, the Sith aesthetic is appealing, don't need to scroll far in the tags for confirmation of that. But you don't even need a deep dive -- I'm not asking you for the deep legends cuts, just the top level -- to show that the Sith lifestyle is one of brutal, violent competition that destroys you from the inside out. So yeah that was my initial reaction where I was like 'oh I'm having a hard time sympathizing with this when you know it leads to the wholesale slaughter of innocent people and decades of fascist rule', (though I guess not really because Plagueis being the master means they are out of the Sith line before the prequels lol) the scene under the bunta tree is framed like they're escaping something terrible.

And I just feel like they've wrote themselves into a corner by deciding from the start where they wanted things to end. Even setting aside my issues of 'you can't do both things', if they wanted them to part amicably but on opposing sides, it would be really easy to not need the mind wipe at all. That didn't even need to be arrived at in the writer's room, reshoots would have fixed that: Mae never comes to the 'unknown planet'. I actually theorized pretty early that the planet where we see Mae and the Stranger meeting was actually Brendok, it would be easy to having Mae and Qimir's mentorship be more on the move, or back on Brendok. (It made sense to me, she showed up with the poison, Koril talks about there being an 'inland' I had my reasons.) There's the elimination of the plot issue: she doesn't know where they are, problem solved. She can go off with the Jedi and let her sister and Qimir go without worrying about giving them up.

And this was true of the other 'this was so for the plot' I was talking about last week: point #2 of 'Indara's three main mistakes., that she should have been the one to go after Torbin when he ran off and you can maybe stretch some situation and character stuff to make it work...but it doesn't really make it work. It was really just for the plot. They needed it to be Sol for the future pathos of the reveal to Osha, and they needed it to be Torbin, because he had to feel guilty enough to accept the poison rather than tell the Council. So it definitely feels like they made this decision for a scene early on (the shot of Mae on the beach listening to Qimir's monologue, Torbin's suicide) and then just...never revisited if those actually made sense when they finished writing the rest of the narrative. And it's crazy because clearly there was thought put into things! There's a lot of fun stuff about mirrors and cycles, and sure, there can be one or two missteps, I could have let the Torbin thing go easily, but Mae...this is the resolution of a major character arc. I'm struggling with what to do with it.

I feel like I'm at risk of pulling a 'every day star wars fans come on here and say 'star wars would be really good if it was good'' but...I mean it's generally a good sign that I care this much to dig into it. I'm looking forward to a marathon, I think once I let some of the things that didn't sit well with me settle down and seeing it all as a big picture I'll have less gripes like this, but right now this is my big 'makes no sense...compels me though' point.

[princesspastel8]

Chapter 65

Third POV

Police sirens can be heard, getting closer and closer to the home. The three go back to Eboni's room and climb down the window. Just as they were about to book it into the forest, a sound of a gun clocking. The three turn around, Eboni forced behind Jeff.

"Years, I waited. Fucking waited for this moment."

Eboni peeks around Jeff, sighing heavily. "....Michael? Really? How did you -"

"No one believed a word I said! I knew it was you that killed them, but I know you had help - and motive. Then we came across that kid you claimed raped you. Maaaaaaan, that was something gruesome! Smith still wouldn't listen to me! So I rain off, trusted my gut - now here we are!"

"Damn... you talk too much." BEN grumbles, rolling his eyes.

Jeff claps sarcastically, grinning. "Well, good job, dectivite! I bet this shit is feeding your ego juuuuust right - huh?" The smiling killer mocks.

"Yeah, keep smiling. I'm gonna have the last laugh! And you..." Michael trails off, glaring daggers at Eboni. "I knew you had a few screws loose. A crazy bitch like you should've been locked away in a mental institution ages ago!"

That is enough to make Jeff frown. He steps forward, making the male place a finger over his trigger. "I don't give a shit what you say about me, but you better watch your fucking mouth when it comes to what's mine."

Michael raises a brow, tilting his head. "Well, this just keeps getting better, huh!? I'll get to take away someone you care about - just like how you did me!"

Jeff stares at the male for a moment, huffing. "Gonna have to be more specific here. I have a lot of victims." He chuckles.

At this point, Micheal's face becomes red with anger. "You... YOU KILLED MY BROTHERS!"

Jeff picks at his ear, looking at BEN - the demon shrugging, not having a clue who this guy is still. "Ok? What makes you so fucking special?"

"Does the name Justin ring any bells?" Micheal questions, enjoying Jeff's reaction. "Yeah... yeah, the one you claimed bullied you alongside Spencer! You killed them... Then, after you escaped that psych ward, you killed my parents! YOU TOOK MY FAMILY AWAY FROM ME!"

"No...no I gave them peace. But Justin?" Jeff begins to laugh, eyes now bloodshot with rage. "He played a part in making me. Freeing me even! Why are you playing dumb? Trying to seek revenge for the guilt you feel? You wish you were with them that day? To save them or to die with them? Doesn't matter to me - you'd just be another victim."

Just as Jeff said that, police cars surround them. BEN curses under his breath. He's not supposed to be seen in the public, let alone known. Sure, many know of his existence and back, sorry- but there's never been any evidence to make up many claims. If any of these cops have dash cams, then it can lead to a serious problem with slenderman.

"And you'll just be another inmate on death row!"

Eboni quickly pulls out her gun, annoyed with Michael's threats. There's no way she's losing the freedom she finally gained thanks to Jeff. Just as Eboni aims her gun, a shot rings through the air. She cries out, dropping her gun and holding her shoulder in pain.

Jeff's eyes seem to bug out of his head. The two locks eyes, Eboni's drowning in pain & fear. This isn't how their Christmas is supposed to go. They're supposed to be back at the slender mansion by now. So Jeff looks at BEN for help, but he's let down and also taken aback. Michael has the watering holes, spraying the demon with water.

Michael laughs mockingly. "Not so tuff now, huh? You thought I didn't do enough research? Myth or not, I wasn't taking any chances."

Jeff lost sight of reason and raises his fist to try and punch Micheal, but Mr. Smith shoots Jeff in both of his legs. The killer stumbles but refuses to fall, so Smith & three other officers jump on him, keeping Jeff pinned to the ground and hand cuffs them.

"Jeff!- get the fuck off me!" Eboni shouts, trying to shake the two cops holding her down.

The two share a look of distress. Slenderman should know what's happening. He should be here by now, their back in his jurisdiction. There's no way he's decided to disregard them due to them leaving his bubble of protection? But Eboni's his next project. He can't be this far ahead to see that Eboni will only listen to Jeff - right?

No matter. Jeff will figure something out. He always does - he has to. He can't look defeated in front of her. She's watching his every move, every reaction. Any slight change in his face will make her piece together, his thoughts racing in panic. So what does Jeff do?

He gives her his signature smile.

"Smile princess." He instructs, earning his face to be shoved into the ground.

"Get off of him! Don't do that - Jeff!"

Jeff forces his face up despite the strength of the officer trying to force it back down. "I said smile, princess!" He laughs loudly, snickering in between.

Eboni watches, tears filling her eyes. But she smiles. This time, this short time spent free with Jeff has been the best moment of her life - the best day of her entire existence. Eboni is devoted to Jeff, so no matter what's to come- she will keep her loyalty to him. Nothing can sway her, but if... someone - something can -

"You have the right to remain silent! Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of......la- bah!"

Suddenly, all the weight holding the two lovebirds are lifted, followed by the sound of fearful screams and loud gunfire. Jeff stays on the ground due to the flying bullets but crawls over to Eboni. He places half of his weight on top of her to shield her, raising his head to asset what's happening.

His eyes widen at the sight. A being standing ten feet tall, grey gasly skin, glowing red eyes, black horns that seem to glow based on the ceatures mood, razor sharp teeth, pony ears, and sharp claws- reaching six inches. This being is also dressed in a suit similar to Slenderman's, but a few buttons are undone, and his tie is low but still together.

The creature continues its bloodbath, ripping through the officers like pieces of raw meat. It truly is a sight to see. Though, the huge question is lingering within Jeff's mind. Just what the hell is Zalgo doing here? The demon king turns to Micheal, licking the blood off his claws with its long slippery tongue - stretching six inches.

"You humans all have different flavors. All based on your final rush of emotions. Fear, anguish, desperation - but the one I favor the most is rage. The hot, steamy taste of rageful blood has a nice spicy tang to it, don't you think?"

Michael is trembling, having witnessed his colleagues being torn to shreds - but he won't show fear, at least on his face. He aims his gun at Zalgo, emptying the clip. A laugh leaves the beast, one low yet mixed with different pitches & voices. The demon king stretches his arm, his claws digging deep into Michael's stomach.

The male cries out as he lifts from the ground, blood pouring out of his mouth. The creature brings him itches from his face, his tongue licking down his cheek to his throat.

"Such fire, Michael. Hope you taste just as good!"

Zalgo would then bite the male's head off, swallowing it whole. He drops the corpse, licking his claws clean. The demon king then turns his attention to BEN, laughing at his pitiful state.

"I question why you went to Slenderman instead of living with your own kind, BEN." Zalgo sighs, using fire from the palm of his hand to dry the water quickly.

When dried enough, BEN quickly glitches away, helping Jeff & Eboni off the ground. She stares at the being, not having a clue who nor what it may be. She whimpers, clenching her shoulder. The bullet lodged in her shoulder. Zalgo moves to step forward, but Jeff is quick to pull out his knife and shield his girl.

"Step the fuck back.", the smiling killer warns.

"Or what? Gonna attack me with your wittle bitty knife? Oh goodness, I'm terrified!" Zalgo mocks, laughing.

Jeff grinds his teeth together, about to lung forward, but Zalgo holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Relax, kid! Jeez, I'm not here for you. I'm here for the girl."

Eboni's eyes widen, trying to look over Jeff. "Me? What hell you want with me? What even are you? Who are you?"

"Soooooooooo many questions, but fine - I'll humor you. I'm Zalgo! The demon king, or Lord. Either is fine - you may have heard the saying 'He comes. He who hides behind the walls.' " He grins.

"Hold on...as in -"

"Yes, yes. My two useless daughters. I am aware that you are acquainted with them. In fact, that's when I took an odd interest in you." He hums, tilting his head.

The demon king notices how still reluctantly the three are to speak, so he sighs heavily. "Perhaps I should present myself in a more friendly form."

Zalgo begins to shapeshift. His height lowers to six five, grayish gasly skin now a pale yet tanned shade. One eye is a normal oval green while the other is inky black with red irises. His nails are painted black, hair a burgundy red, markings on his throat that resemble a choker, rings littering his fingers, and piercings in his ears. He's still dressed in a suit, though this time a vest instead of a suit jacket. Eboni has to admit that he does look fairly attractive for a psychotic demon king.

"Now. Let's talk."

"What the fuck do you want with my girl?", Jeff questions with clenched teeth.

"As stated before, I'm interested in her. Not in the way you're thinking, lover boy. Still surprised you let a mere thing make her make you all soft."

"Zalgo, I'm not in the mood for your shit! Get to talking or -"

"You used to be all for shits and giggles. Jeez, you literally have a smile on your fa-"

"I didn't do that shit myself, and you know it!"

"Struck a nerve, I guess."

Eboni rubs her hand up and down Jeff's back, hoping to calm him. She turns her attention back to the demon king. "I'm nothing special, at least not to someone with high power."

"Oh, but you are, child! Slenderman has been dying to get his hands on you. God, could you just imagine the look on his face when I take you right from under him!?"

"He can't - He's faceless, dipshit."

Zalgo raises a brow, placing a hand on his chin and tilting his head. "My my...you are feisty. Just like your mo-"

"Get on with it, Zalgo. We're all exhausted after today!" BEN snaps quickly, confusing the two.

The demon lord puts two and two together, bursting into a fit of laughter. "Alright, alright. It's not my place to say anyway, but it will be if you accept what I have to offer."

"Which is?" Eboni questions, Jeff giving her a look of warning, but she shrugs it off - doubting she'll even ponder on it.

"Work under me. You know the jest- kill, collect souls - blah blah blah. You get a place to stay, anything you want I'd give you."

"What's the catch?"

"A catch? Oh kid, there isn't one! All I want are souls."

"Don't shit me. I'm not some stupid bitch. What is it that you want from me in return? When deals sound to good to be true, there's always a catch - hidden within the fine print or in your words."

"Oooooooooooo! You're a smart one! Fine, fine! It's nothing too big - nothing major. All I want is your soul."

"What!?" Jeff shouts, now fuming again. "Fuck no! She's mine! She only answers to me! Eboni belongs to me!"

Zalgo laughs, shaking his head. "Cute declaration!" He snaps his fingers, Jeff's lips disappear. "But I don't think I asked for your opinion."

"Jeff!" Eboni shouts, trying to keep him from lunging at Zalgo and scratching at his face. Thankfully, BEN steps in and holds Jeff down, using his powers as best he can to keep him at bay.

"I'll allow you to still see your boy toy or whatever he is to you - hehe, look at him squirming on the ground like a worm - anyways!" He holds out his hand, a contract and a feather pin floating in front of Eboni. "Just sign on the dotted line, and all will be w-"

"No."

"No?"

Zalgo is quick to transform back, towering over her but lowering his face down to be itches from hers. "NO!?"

Eboni gags, covering her mouth and taking a step back. To say Zalgo is surprised that the girl didn't even flinch is an understatement. After everything Eboni has gone through , a Demon king is the least frightening thing she's had to face. Despite what this being is capable of, the girl encountered plenty of monsters to know how to deal with frightening situations.

"Yeah, no. My da... Jeff is right. I only answer to him. My entire being belongs to him. And since he doesn't work under you, then I can't either. I go where Jeff goes. He leads. I follow."

Hearing this, Jeff's temper fizzles down. BEN let's him go, and Jeff springs to his feet, taking Eboni into his arms. He glares daggers at Zalgo, backing away quickly. The demon king watches on, his eye twitching but smile stretching.

"No one... has ever said no to me, except one." He laughs wickedly, eyeing BEN who hangs his head low in shame - something the two didn't notice.

Zalgo buttons up his shirt and fixes his tie, eyeing Eboni as he did so. "And that one unfortunately paid with her life. You're just as smart as her, as witty and even more beautiful. Shame, such a shame!"

The creature begins walking off, pausing mid-step, turning around to look Eboni dead in her eyes - the look chilling her, yet she still feels no fear.

"Such a shame you'll succumb to the same fate as your mother.", and with that, Zalgo disappears into the night.

[hiding-in-the-vault]

(It has been so long but at last I have nearly finished this masterpiece lol and here you go. Have some interaction my friend...and would you look at that another pool of oil whoops)

Dream stood still at the edge of his cell, looking at Bad who was on the other side of the Lava pit, the demon was smiling at him and he couldn't place why that smile was making him nervous.

He shook away his nerves as he contemplated the offer the demon had given him, he could leave Pandora’s Vault, as long as he did something for him, a favor for his freedom.

He was wary when he didn’t see Sam anywhere but when he thought of it, Bad was a guard of the Prison so maybe Warden wasn’t here since it could be Bad’s shift. If that was the case then maybe they are on a time schedule so he is wasting time and this might be the only chance he has of escape.

He didn’t want to stay here any longer.

He didn’t want to be tortured anymore.

He thought he could trust Warden to be a just and firm Warden but clearly his judgment of his character was wrong. His wounds from Sir- NO Quackity… Quackity’s sessions have proven to him that Ward-Sam was not the trusted member of this server he thought he was. He should have gone with someone else, but that is all in the past now.

Dream tilted his head at Bad before extending his hand, somewhere in the back of his mind, alarm bells were ringing but his time spent in this Box had desensitized him from listening to his instincts. Isolation to the degree he went through really did a number on him.

Bad’s smile widened to a worrying degree and Dream hesitated but kept his hand extended as Bad tossed him an Ender Pearl, he rolled the pearl in his hand a bit before he tossed it across the pit and closed his eyes. He heard it break and braced himself when felt the tug on his code as he teleported to Bad’s side. Once he felt the heat of the cell disappear he opened his eyes and looked to the side where the demon was walking away from him.

He didn’t bother to look back as he followed Bad to an opening in the wall of the prison. He was now walking towards his freedom, and nothing would stop him from achieving this one thing he desired.

He didn’t notice Antfrost come up from behind him, never even heard the Cat-hybrid drop down from his perch before he was hit with Potion of Weakness and his world turned to black.

~~~~~~~~

Bad grinned as he heard Dream’s body fall to the ground, the sound of broken glass from the splash potion cracking before they dissipated into strings of code.

Ant was standing where he landed, opening his inventory to equip his armor. Bad tilted his head when he felt the Egg’s presence, prodding at him to pick up their prize and bring him to it.

Once the Cat-Hybrid was done with equipping his armor, he moved forward to pick up Dream, only to stop when Bad waved him off.

“It’s okay Ant, I got him.” Bending down, the demon easily scooped up the drugged Admin and turned around, easily making his way through the Guards’ tunnels, the Egg’s pleased humming making him move a tad bit faster as Ant’s footsteps were heard going at a light jog just to keep up with his longer strides.

Soon. The Eggpire would have the Admin of this Server under the Egg’s control. And the Egg would never again be harmed by the other members who seek to harm the Egg. They wouldn’t dare to do anything to them when they have the Nightmare of the DSMP on their side.

~~~~~~~~

Tommy growls indignantly as he chops more of the red vines away from Prime Path. Tubbo and Ranboo were behind him as well, holding a bucket filled with water from Church Prime, pouring it out sparingly along the sides of the walkway to keep the vines away.

"This is bullshit. Why are we stuck doing this while everyone else is out fighting the bloody Eggpire." Swinging his sword more aggressively, unnecessarily ripping up the ground and vines alike. "WE CAN FIGHT TOO DAMMIT!"

The two behind him share a look before shrugging and continuing their task of pouring holy water on the vines. They both knew that as much as they wanted to fight alongside the others against the Egg, they couldn’t since they knew they would only just get in the way of the others. They would be worried about them and not the fight, which could cause more problems when they could be solving them.

“Tommy, you know we aren’t there since we would just be getting in their way, besides do you really want to be there when they go to get Dream?” Ranboo cautiously probed as he switched out his now empty bucket for another that was filled with Holy Water. Tubbo stopped and looked at his friends, Ranboo had a point and he was worried for both of them, he knew Dream really fucked with Tommy but he did not know what the deal was between Ranboo and him.

Tommy stopped whacking at the vines as he thought about what Ranboo said, clenching his teeth as he was once more reminded about what happened to him during his exile. Taking a deep breath he pushed away those memories and turned back to them, putting up a facade once more to hide how scared he was about seeing his tormentor once more even if it was just to fight the Eggpire before he was once more placed in the Vault.

“Ah, yeah you’re right Boobman, I don’t want to see that Green Bitch anymore than I need to anyway. Now let's finish up here and go see what those bastards are up to at the Prime Church!” Tommy turned and once more started to whack at the Crimson vines and cleared up more of the pathway.

~~~~~~~~

Dream groaned as he slowly woke up, his body was throbbing and aching, he could tell he was hit with a potion. But the events that led up to him being doused in a potion was still evading him. He tried to bring his hand to his face but couldn’t, his lips pulled into a frown when his arm wouldn’t move, the frown grew a bit more when he realized that he couldn’t see a thing as well.

This whole situation was confusing and he was beginning to become irritated. He just wanted to see something so that he may be able to figure out what was happening.

He wiggled as much as he could, hoping to loosen the bonds that held him, but stopped quickly when he felt that they seemed to have gotten tighter. The situation was starting to look bad, but with his head feeling foggy he was unable to think of a way out.

Continuing his sluggish attempts to get free, he missed when someone walked up to him, he only noticed when they placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched away from the hand but his bonds tightened when he moved. So he reluctantly moved closer, the hand never left his shoulder, he was just about to try to shrug the hand off when he felt it move.

The hand kept its presence known to him as it trailed up his shoulder to his neck, then up the side of his face in a soft caress, before resting over his eyes. It’s pressure over his eyes was soothing to him, the tension in his body was leaving him easily. Relaxing, he felt the hand slip under the blindfold before slipping it off, he opened his eyes immediately but closed them quickly when the lighting around him blinds him momentarily.

When he opens his eyes again, the first thing he notices is how everything is RED, his eyes look at everything as he tries to figure out where he is, it seems familiar but he can’t for the life of him remember where he’s seen this place.

Shaking his head, he looks down only to feel horror when he notices that what is binding him in place is actual vines. Red vines that have something in his head screaming at him to leave, escape before it is too late, the color and size of the plant wrapped around him is screaming unnatural and dangerous.

A whimper escapes him when he feels the hand from before wrap itself under his chin, fingers grasping his jaw before pulling his head back and he is looking up towards Bad. His head resting against the Demon’s stomach, his mind is working as quickly as it can but his thoughts are meshing messily in his head as he tries to figure out what is happening and why is it all happening to him.

Bad smiles at him endearingly, hushing him in a soft murmuring voice, whatever he is saying to Dream is not registering in his head as he tries to smile back at him but the hand holding his jaw makes it a tad bit difficult. Bad’s eyes crinkle in amusement at his attempts to smile back, his other hand now petting his face as he starts to finally relax against him. The voice that was screaming at him earlier now quiet as he closes his eyes, fully relaxed and content to stay where he is, everything besides Bad and himself forgotten.

Dream doesn’t notice when someone joins them, lost as he is in the comforting waves of bliss as Bad continues to pet the side of his face and hold him in place. His eyebrows furrow when he feels the lip of a glass bottle push against his lips and a drop of liquid lands on his face. Bad is still cooing at him as he tilts his head down slightly and the hand on his jaw squeezes slightly to open his mouth, when his lips part the bottle from before makes a return and pours its contents into his mouth.

He sputters when the acrid tasting liquid stings his tongue, his face scrunching in distaste but Bad continues his soft murmuring so he bears through with swallowing the liquid, smiling when Bad’s murmurs turn delightful so he then makes it his mission to not waste another drop of whatever he is being given. Although the taste is horrid, Dream tries to ignore how bitter and musky the drink is, and the weird little stringy bits that every once in a while get stuck on his tongue.

He tries to ignore the fright he gets when he thinks he feels one of the bits writhe on his tongue before the liquid washes it away, finally tired of drinking the weird drink, he opens his eyes to see that it is Ponk who is giving him the elixir, he’s a doctor so it must be medicine right? He then looks at the bottle that is once more being lifted to his mouth, immediately he closes his mouth as he feels repulsed by what he sees. Inside the glass bottle is a foggy red liquid and he can barely make out a piece of a red vine similar to the one wrapped around him, and bits of the vine that aren’t attached to it are horrifyingly enough, swimming around in the bottle.

His stomach lurching as he immediately wants to throw up all of what he drank, he starts to violently writhe, trying to wrench his face out of Bad’s grip but for all of his struggling, he is still held still. He whimpers as Ponk waits for him to open his mouth, his face blank but his eyes are now red which scares Dream, the fog in his mind now a bit clearer as he then finally realizes what is happening and where he is. The details of how he got here are a bit foggy but he understands the gist.

Bad is still speaking softly to him but he is ignoring him and refusing to open his mouth. He doesn’t know why they are making him drink the strange potion but he refuses to finish it, it is already bad enough he drank more than half of it but he will not drink anymore than that.

Bad frowns in displeasure when Dream refuses to relax again and seems to have finally cleared his mind of the Weakness Potion they gave him in Pandora. He tilts his head when he hears the Egg hiss it’s demands to him, looking at Ponk he sees that she is on the same page as him, he then turns back towards Dream and pulls his head back so that he is resting against his stomach once more. His hand that was holding Dream’s lower jaw, tightened which drew out a pained grunt from him, he increased the pressure he had on Dream’s jaw. Slowly, to Dream’s horror, his clenched jaw loosens itself as his body automatically responds to the pain Bad is inflicting on him.

Tears of frustration build up as he watches Ponk bring the glass bottle to his mouth and pours the rest of the contents into his mouth, he feels repulsed when he feels the wriggling vine moving around his mouth, before he can try to spit it out, Bad closes his mouth and clasps his hand over his lips and nose. Still hindered a bit by the potion, it doesn’t take long for him to swallow the disgusting concoction. Bad removes his hands and Dream immediately starts to cough and gag as he moans pitifully, hating himself for not resisting them more. He glares at the red ground and growls weakly as Bad lifts his head again and Ponk is there once more, except this time she has the big root piece in her hands and is waiting patiently for him to open his mouth once more, Dream feels his lips twitch slightly as he turns away from her to the best of his ability.

Bad sighs behind him again as he once more, grabs his lower jaw and forces his mouth open, Ponk then places the root in his mouth and Bad clamps his hand over his lips again, sealing them shut as Dream tries to wriggle out of his hold. He starts to panic as he feels the vine in his mouth start to wiggle about in his mouth. Horrified as he feels it start to crawl towards the back of his mouth, violently gagging as his gag reflex is reacting. His eyes that were watery already now overflowing as tears burn their way down his face as he struggles more violently, desperate to free himself from Bad’s grasp and spit out the repulsive vine trying to crawl down his throat.

Bad and Ponk watch Dream carefully as they wait for the Egg to infect the Admin, the Egg cooing in their minds as they wait.

(Man it's been about a year I think?? But I've been grinding at this through writer blocks and it was so tiring but I love this and hope you will to)

- ☁️

Cloud anon my beloved, you've returned from the war! <3 Funny timing, I had glanced at the last inbox fic you sent me just the other day. I still have it sitting in there :')

ANYWAY EGG AU???? DELIVERED TO MY DOORSTEP??? Poor Dreamie :( he agreed to go with him and still had to get drugged and bound. God Forbid this man get any control ever!! D';

Very cool, very angsty. I am happily eating it up, thank you very much!! <3 <3<3 Writers block sssuuuuccckks but I am very happy to see you pushing through it!! and giving me free content hmhmhm yes yes ^^

[tamagotchiabortion]

TW: mention of pet death, animal abuse, abusive household

Seeking advice on how to rescue my cats from my neglectful parents care

Two years ago I escaped from the abusive household I grew up in and moved to a different city and started learning how to live with all this newfound freedom. In the home I grew up in, we had multiple cats over the years and two out of the total four passed away when I was a child, Lola was very young and had very recently given birth to 5 kittens but one day I was the first to wake up in the house and snuck downstairs to go say hi to her and the kittens but as I went to give her a pet I realised something was wrong. I was told by my dad that she had been hit by a car whilst outside, must have gotten back home and then succumbed to injuries. My parents sold 4 out of the 5 kittens but let me keep one of them I think because they felt bad enough for me because of Lola's unexpected passing. I named the little kitten Timi and with the help of our other older cat Saphire raised her myself and treated her as my own baby. I am autistic and my biggest autistic special interest is cats, I spent my childhood quite isolated from people so I always felt closer to cats than people growing up. A few years after Timi was born, one of my mums friend entrusted her to look after her pregnant cat whilst she went on holiday. In classic fashion, my mum ignored my advice on how to help a new cat, especially a pregnant one, settle in a new home, and she insisted on letting her go outside in the garden as she pleased. Unsurprisingly, the cat ran away and for almost the entire two weeks she was meant to stay with us we tried to look for her but she was nowhere to be found. My mum had not told her friend of this and believed she would eventually be found before her friend returned from her holiday. By some miracle the cat came back to our house one day, but she wasn't pregnant anymore, and there were no kittens around to be seen. Again I went around the entire neighbourhood and every building looking for an unknown amount of newborn kittens. It was such a big relief when the very next day the mum cat (who my mum had let outside again) brought one of her kittens to our doorstep, and proceeded to over the next week brought back 4 kittens. By this point my mums friend was returning and came back to pick up her cat, to which my mum chose not to tell her anything of what transpired. The cat and her four kittens went back to their home, and when we thought that would be the end of the whole thing, a few days later my parents house was visited by the owner of the pub that was right next door to the house. They had found a newborn black kitten under the floorboards of the pub garden's decking when some of their guests reported hearing the cries of a kitten coming from the floor. They had seen the missing cat posters and as they were acquainted with my parents already knew she had to be ours. I don't remember if my mum told her friend about the last kitten, but all I know is the new kitten was now ours and I had a new kitten to look after. I named her Loulou and introduced her to Saphir and Timi who happily accepted her. Its been around ten years now since then, and I have my own life in my city with my own flat which I rent together with my amazing partner. My Saphir passed away 6 years ago now of cancer. My parents chose to not get him the surgery he needed, not for lack of funds (they are millionaires) but chose instead to have him put down. This all happened in the span of a week, them taking him to the vets and carrying out the procedure, and it happened to be the week that I was away with friends on a trip. They didn't inform me until days later when I came back home and couldn't find him anywhere, to which they casually said "oh yeah didn't we tell you?" And to say the least I was in shock.

Timi and Loulou are still living at the house, and I have concerns about neglect. For one, my mother is an emotionally unstable, alcoholic, narcissist with anger issues and access to all my millionaire dad's money. She hates the cats and will yell at them, chase them out of the house and scare them when she feels angry at them for exhibiting just normal cat behaviour. She has banned them from being able to roam and sleep in any part of the house apart from the garden and kitchen. When I was living there every night I would sneak them into my room so they could sleep with me, and I'd sneak them back down in the morning, but since ive been gone they have been restricted to just garden/kitchen. Every attempt i have made to buy them things she has thrown away because it doesn't go with the "aesthetic" of the kitchen, including toys, cat beds, cat trees, scratchers. They have no choice but to sleep on the hard floor or the chairs but she yells at them if they go on the chairs. After I moved out and stopped talking to my mum she impulsively bought herself a golden retriever puppy she proudly stated was her "new child" she got to replace me. With her dog, she cooks him fresh dog meals from scratch and has pampered him loads with toys, beds, accessories, treats, which is very good and I'm glad for the dog that he is being treated well, but it makes her hatred and neglect of the cats all the much worse because it proved to me its not that she's inadequate and doesn't know how to care for pets it's that she never cared enough to bother. The cats hate the dog, he is ten times their size and energy levels, and Loulou is especially anxious and afraid of dogs. They will stay put in the garden eveb when it's cold and raining to avoid the dog, and the dog is allowed to wonder in all rooms of the house but the cats aren't.

For the last year, my mum has been living in France with her dog which I'm glad that the cats were given a break. But the next problem is that the cats, who are both elderly now and I can tell have achy joints, are left on their own all day. My dad and sister who live at the house work all day and have openly told me all about how they can go for weeks without even petting the cats and apart from filling their food bowl once a day, don't interact with them at all.

Timi and Loulou have also, I don't think by coincidence, started fighting. Specifically, Timi will randomly pounce on Loulou and viciously try to bite her. In the rare times I get to go visit them, it is obvious to me that they are psychologically suffering from the isolation as they love human attention and interaction and can never get enough of it. To know they are being ignored for weeks on end, and with their bodies getting older I feel that they really need day to day care and attention, to help them feel at ease and safe, to feel loved and to also have supervision and help to figure out the fighting issues, i think they are also lacking stimulation. I have a safe home that would be a good environment for them, I have no personal garden but they have stopped exploring outdoors and only go to use the toilet. I have tried convincing my family to let me take then to my flat, my sister agrees with the idea and my dad says he's not against it but has to go with what my mum wants. My mum says I will never have them, but I believe she is spiteful because I have relinquished her control over me. I don't see the point in the cats staying living in a house where they get zero human interaction, barely receive an adequate diet, no comfort or stimulation or enrichment and they are clearly to me in pain, stressed and taking that stress out on each other.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my cats stories, I feel at a loss of what to do as I am afraid if I take the cats without my mother's consent that she will get police involved and try me for theft. If you have any advice for me I would really appreciate it.

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Trial opens for leaders of Ottawa-jamming ‘Freedom Convoy’ truck protests (Washington Post) The trial opened Tuesday for two of the main organizers of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations that paralyzed Canada’s capital, snarled trade at critical U.S.-Canada border crossings and spurred copycats from New Zealand to the Washington Beltway. Tamara Lich and Chris Barber face charges including mischief, obstructing police and counseling others to commit mischief in the weeks-long protests against pandemic health measures and the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The spectacle of trucks and crowds in the streets making downtown Ottawa virtually impassable last year drew international attention. In the aftermath, authorities have also come under scrutiny. The city’s police chief resigned during the protests. A public inquiry this year found that the response to the protests was marred by failures in policing and finger-pointing over jurisdiction among officials at all levels of government. Lawyers for Lich and Barber said they don’t “expect this to be the trial of the ‘Freedom Convoy.’” “The central issue,” they said in a statement, “will be whether the actions of two of the organizers of a peaceful protest should warrant criminal sanction.”

The next presidential campaign is coming into focus. It might look a lot like the last one. (AP) The end of Labor Day weekend would typically mark the start of a furious sprint to the Iowa caucuses as candidates battle for their party’s presidential nomination. But as the 2024 campaign comes into greater focus, the usual frenzy is yielding to a sense of inevitability. Among Republicans, Donald Trump is dominating the primary field, outpacing rivals with resumes as governors, diplomats and entrepreneurs that would normally prove compelling. The former president’s position strength comes despite—or perhaps because of—multiple criminal indictments that threaten to overshadow any serious debate about the future of the country. As one troubled front-runner tightens his grip on the Republican nomination, President Joe Biden is on a glide path to victory on the Democratic side. The 80-year-old incumbent is facing only token opposition for the Democratic nomination despite concerns about his age and performance from many within his own party. Whether voters like it or not, a Trump-Biden rematch may be on the horizon, raising the prospect of a deeply uncertain election season that only intensifies the nation’s political divide.

Burning Man festival road reopens, allowing thousands to escape muddy trap (Reuters) Burning Man organizers reopened the road leading out of the remote Nevada desert festival on Monday, allowing tens of thousands of attendees to escape after they had been trapped for days by mud. But many of the 64,000 people who remained on site as of Monday may choose to stay one more night and watch the festival’s giant namesake effigy go up in flames on Monday night, one day past schedule. Unexpected summer rain turned the weeklong, annual counterculture arts festival into a muddy nightmare. When the road finally reopened, a long line of vehicles snaked through the desert, inching along in an epic traffic jam. Eventually the traffic formed into an organized exodus 10 lanes wide, an armada of recreational vehicles and cars seeking the promised land of a hot shower and a clean bed.

For small biz reliant on summer tourism, extreme weather is the new pandemic—for better or worse (AP) For small businesses that rely on summer tourism to keep afloat, extreme weather is replacing the pandemic as the determining factor in how well a summer will go. The pandemic had its ups and downs for tourism, with a total shutdown followed by a rush of vacations due to pent-up demand. This year, small businesses say vacation cadences are returning to normal. But now, they have extreme weather to deal with—many say it’s hurting business, but more temperate spots are seeing a surge. Tourism-related businesses have always been at the mercy of the weather. But with heat waves, fires and storms becoming more frequent and intense, small businesses increasingly see extreme weather as their next long-term challenge.

Cuba uncovers human trafficking of Cubans to fight for Russia in Ukraine (Reuters) Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking ring that has coerced its citizens to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, its foreign ministry said on Monday, adding that Cuban authorities were working to “neutralize and dismantle” the network. The statement from Cuba’s foreign ministry gave few details, but noted the trafficking ring was operating both within the Caribbean island nation, thousands of miles from Moscow, and in Russia. Russia last year announced a plan to boost the size of its armed forces by more than 30% to 1.5 million combat personnel, a lofty goal made harder by its heavy but of yet undisclosed casualties in the war.

A half-century after Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s coup, some in Chile remember the time fondly (AP) The world remembers Gen. Augusto Pinochet as the dictator whose regime tortured, killed and disappeared 3,065 people in the name of fighting communism. But as Chile marks the 50th anniversary next Monday of the coup that brought Pinochet to power for almost 17 years, many in the country don’t see it as a dark day. Amid a weak economy and a surge in violent crime, recent polls show that many Chileans don’t think human rights are as much of a priority. They are grappling with what they see as Pinochet’s complicated legacy at a time when a large number have told pollsters they are losing faith in democracy. “Before, there wasn’t as much wickedness as there is now,” said Ana María Román Vera, 62, who sells lottery tickets. “You didn’t see as many robberies.” A July poll by the Center for Public Studies, a Chile-based foundation, found that 66% of respondents agreed with the statement that rather than worry about the rights of individuals, the country needs a firm government. That is more than double the 32% who agreed with the statement fewer than four years ago.

Daily Blackouts Strain a Poor Spanish Neighborhood. Is Marijuana to Blame? (NYT) On a recent morning, Ángel Ortiz Rodríguez was slumped on a sofa in his apartment in Granada, in southern Spain, a tangle of breathing tubes protruding from his nose. Since Mr. Ortiz had a heart attack a few years ago, his life has depended on an electronic breathing machine. But his neighborhood regularly loses power several times a day, forcing his wife, Rosa Martin Piñedo, to keep an oxygen cylinder as a backup. Daily blackouts plague the 25,000 inhabitants in this poor district of northern Granada. Food rots in refrigerators and phone batteries die. Medical devices stop working, resulting in major health complications, doctors say. The blackouts have been a part of life here for more than a decade, but they have grown markedly worse in recent years. And Endesa, Spain’s largest electric company, is blaming a surprising culprit: an increase in illegal marijuana farms. Marijuana growers, the company says, illegally connect to the grid and overwhelm it because of the powerful lights and air-conditioning the plants need. Residents acknowledge the number of illegal pot farms. But they say that the harping on marijuana’s role has given the authorities and the electric company the perfect excuse to avoid expensive repairs to a power grid that has been wobbly for years.

At least 7 people die as severe rainstorms trigger flooding in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria (AP) Fierce rainstorms battered neighboring Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria on Tuesday, triggering flooding that caused at least seven deaths, including two holidaymakers swept away by a torrent that raged through a campsite in northwestern Turkey. In Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, heavy rain flooded streets and homes in two neighborhoods, leaving at least two dead. Around a dozen people were rescued after being stranded inside a library, while some subway stations were shut down. In Greece, police banned traffic in the central town of Volos, the nearby mountain region of Pilion and the resort island of Skiathos as record rainfall caused at least one death, channeled thigh-high torrents through streets and swept cars away.

Military Graft Becomes a Headache for Ukraine (NYT) The removal of Ukraine’s minister of defense after a flurry of reports of graft and financial mismanagement in his department underscores a pivotal challenge for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wartime leadership: stamping out the corruption that had been widespread in Ukraine for years. Official corruption was a topic that had been mostly taboo throughout the first year of the war, as Ukrainians rallied around their government in a fight for national survival. But Mr. Zelensky’s announcement Sunday night that he was replacing the defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, elevated the issue to the highest level of Ukrainian politics. It comes at a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine prosecutes a counteroffensive in the country’s south and east that relies heavily on Western allies for military assistance. These allies have, since the beginning of the war, pressured Mr. Zelensky’s government to ensure that Ukrainian officials were not siphoning off some of the billions of dollars in aid that was flowing into Kyiv.

Cluster munition deaths in Ukraine pass Syria (AP) More than 300 people were killed and over 600 wounded by cluster munitions in Ukraine in 2022, according to an international watchdog, surpassing Syria as the country with the highest number of casualties from the controversial weapons for the first time in a decade. Russia’s widespread use of the bombs, which open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets or submunitions as they are called, in its invasion of Ukraine—and, to a lesser extent, their use by Ukrainian forces—helped make 2022 the deadliest year on record globally, according to the annual report released Tuesday by the Cluster Munition Coalition, a network of non-governmental organizations advocating for a ban of the weapons. Meanwhile, in Syria and other war-battered countries in the Middle East, although active fighting has cooled down, the explosive remnants continue to kill and maim dozens of people every year.

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un plan to meet in Russia, U.S. officials say (Washington Post) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plans to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin later this month, probably in the Russian port city of Vladivostok, to discuss possible weapons deals to bolster Russia’s fighting force in Ukraine, according to two senior administration officials. Russia and North Korea, both under heavy international sanctions, have not hidden their increasingly close relationship. Pyongyang is hurting for hard currency, said the second administration official, “and they’re looking for ways to buttress their foreign exchange and other earnings.” North Korea delivered infantry rockets and missiles into Russia for use by Wagner Group mercenaries last year and “continues to consider providing military support to Russia’s military operations against Ukraine,” according to new information, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week.

China’s Xi fights fires at home and abroad (Washington Post) On a host of fronts, China’s domineering leader seems to be fighting fires. Abroad, President Xi Jinping is confronted by a hardening consensus against Beijing in the West, as well as ever-present friction with regional powers and neighbors. At home, Xi presides over a hinge moment for the Chinese economy. Its meteoric growth has slowed, a brief post-pandemic surge petered out, and analysts point to profound structural issues undermining China’s future prospects. Xi and the ruling clique are struggling to address the new challenges posed by China’s maturing economy. The country’s population is both shrinking and aging, and questions loom over the potential productivity of a graying workforce. At the same time, youth unemployment has reached such striking levels that the government suspended publishing the relevant data this summer. China’s economy once seemed the new engine of the world—and the country remains a juggernaut in global trade—but a sense of stagnation is creeping in. Xi’s ever-tightening authoritarian grip over virtually all facets of life in China is arguably making the situation worse.

[college-girl199328]

A proposed class-action lawsuit over the 'Freedom Convoy' has expanded to include more potential downtown Ottawa plaintiffs and added more defendants. In Monday's decision, an Ontario court judge rejected an attempt by Freedom Convoy organizers to quash an updated version of the lawsuit against them and will allow the potential class-action claim to proceed.

“There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the plaintiffs seeking remedies against the defendants who were involved in one way or another in the activities of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ and their ‘occupation’ of downtown Ottawa,” wrote Justice Calum MacLeod of the Ontario Superior Court. The ruling rejected a motion from lawyers for some convoy organizers to strike an amended statement of claim.

That amendment filed by lawyer Paul Champ expands the boundary of potential plaintiffs to extend to much of the Lowertown neighborhood. The so-called "occupation zone" also includes the Rideau Centre shopping mall, which shut down during the protest, putting many employees temporarily out of work. Champ said the revised boundaries now have 15,000 residents as potential plaintiffs.

The lawsuit against the protest organizers that occupied the city for three weeks in January and February 2022 seeks at least $290 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges residents were harmed by constant horn honking and diesel fumes, and businesses and workers lost income during the three-week protest in January and February last year. "I feel pretty strong about this claim," Champ told CTV News. "It's based on some pretty sound principles in the law that you can't unduly interfere with an individual's enjoyment of the peace of their home."

None of the claims in the lawsuit have been proven in court, and none of the defendants have filed a statement of defense yet. The district's boundaries now extend as far south as Somerset Street, west to Booth Street, north to Boteler Street, and east to Friel Street.

The ruling also allows the plaintiffs to file the amended claim that adds to the list of defendants a “donor class” of those who gave through GiveSendGo, GoFundMe, or other means. The latest defendants include New Brunswick businessman Brad Howland, who donated $75,000 to the convoy protesters Jonker, whose trucking company had at least ten rigs parked in Ottawa.

Champ said those two defendants are being named as representative class defendants to represent the truckers who parked rigs downtown and the donors to the protest. "The vast majority of the truckers who clogged the streets of Ottawa for three weeks and were honking their horns day and night have escaped any consequences up until now," Champ said.

"The way we're leading this case, anyone who was a trucker who parked in downtown Ottawa, as well as anyone who donated a significant amount of money to the protest after Feb. 4, can be liable jointly and separately for the entire amount of damages. The class action has not yet been certified by a court. However, if it is, anyone who gave money to the convoy could be potentially liable, while plaintiffs in the occupation zone could benefit.

Champ plans to seek certification of the plaintiff and defendant classes later this year. $5 million in convoy donations has been frozen by court order and placed in escrow pending the outcome of the litigation.

Late last year, two organizers in the lawsuit tried to win access to $200,000 of the frozen funds to pay for their defense. However, their request was denied by the court. He said he felt pity for some of the people who participated in the protests, saying they were "a bit misguided" and didn't get proper advice about what was appropriate conduct.

"They just held to this idea that if they were protesting, then anything they did was acceptable," he said. "With this judgment today, I think all of them should seriously go and speak to an independent lawyer about what their exposure might be and what the best way to respond might be to strike out some language in the statement of claim, including the assertion that the protests in January and February last year made Ottawa “a living hell”, a statement the judge said was “not a material fact capable of proof.”

[tangent101]

Again... first, I do not consider Before the Storm to be the same universe as the original LiS. Because there are multiple issues that arise thanks to the entirely-too-idyllic life of Rachel Amber. And here is one of the truly big ones: the police are extremely protective of people in the law enforcement field and even a corrupt official who was thrown out of office will still be looked after by the police.

What does this matter? Simply this: if Rachel Amber went missing, then the police would continue to search for her even if her parents were blase about things. The reason is you don't let criminals get away with harming the families of law enforcement, because then criminals will start getting ideas about attacking cops where they are most "vulnerable" - their families.

In addition, it doesn't matter what ending you choose for BtS, Rachel is still abandoned in both endings. This just doesn't work well when you consider Rachel's family is actively looking for Rachel in the William Lives timeline. And when you look at the two timelines, there is one huge difference. In the core timeline, Chloe Price is part of Rachel's life. In the William Lives timeline... they never met.

Why should that matter? Well, having Rachel's family seeking Rachel in the William Lives timeline allows for us to know Rachel is missing in both timelines. (Honestly, wouldn't it be more interesting and fun if Rachel had been alive in the William Lives timeline and had been dating alt-Max? And Rachel urges Max to change things back, and to find her? It would be even more tragic for Max afterward to know that Rachel is dead, that she'll never see her again.)

Anyway. Why would Rachel's parents have nothing to do with Rachel if Chloe were a part of Rachel's life? There is an answer, and it is a tragic one but it also explains why Rachel wanted so badly to get out of Arcadia Bay: Rachel's parents were homophobes. And Rachel was out in the core timeline due to Chloe.

So. Chloe either ignored the homophobia or just didn't realize it. And it could also be the parents held their tongue around Chloe because Chloe was very in-your-face, and their prejudices were more the quiet sniping type, an emotionally-draining household that makes Rachel desperate to get out. But it's not like Chloe's household situation is any better, David is a douche and Joyce is quietly abusive. So Rachel started looking for other outlets, other means of escape.

Let's go one step further. Rachel was a straight-A student. She could have easily gotten a full scholarship to any college she wanted. She could escape that way. But what if she didn't want to go to college?

I mean, let's face it. School sucks. Few of us would return to school if we could get away with it. College is nice for the added freedom, but these days it has become an obligation. If you don't go to college then you're never going to get anywhere in your life, or so we're told. And Rachel has been hip-deep in high school drama for years now.

That would even explain why she looked into becoming a model. She had a teacher who was using her as a photography tool, and he likely flattered her, had her thinking she could make it because this was the sort of thing he did. He manipulated girls and used them.

So... getting back to the core question... why did Chloe not talk to Rachel's parents after Rachel vanished? In all likelihood once Rachel was gone, they stopped caring. Rachel was shameful. She was gay. (Doesn't matter she was bi, that's still gay to many folk.) So they probably told Chloe that Rachel had chosen to leave and they weren't interested in tracking her down, though they likely put it in... more socially acceptable language.

Obviously when Chloe wasn't a part of Rachel's life (in the William Lives timeline) then Rachel wasn't outed as bi and they cared. Their sweet innocent little girl was missing. Thus they continue looking for her and urging the police to search for her.

Getting back to BtS one last time... given what we saw of James Amber and what he had done for Rachel in the past (carrying her when she was hurt and honestly even taking Rachel with him when he'd seen Sera was spiraling downward into drug abuse rather than abandon both of them), I cannot see him abandoning his daughter. It would be out of character for the man we saw.

Mark Jefferson was not a brilliant man. The only reason Max and Chloe never realized he was a threat was because he was a teacher (and also a favorite of Max's). Given there were already rumors flying about that he had been sleeping with Rachel... it is likely that the police, working for a District Attorney (or even former DA), would have brought Jefferson in for questioning, and would have solved the case fairly quickly. So for all of the cute moments in BtS, it fails to sync up with LiS itself. The writers at Dontnod undoubtedly had a different idea in mind for Rachel's parents.

Or at least so I hope. Because one aspect of me as a writer is to create extra material that never sees the light of day, to craft an actual foundation from which the story stands firm. You may never see that foundation, but it provides the basis from which the story itself will stand. Or you could think of it as an iceberg - there is a lot of ice under the surface holding up the piece you see above the waves. If we ever to see the notes written up on each character, we'd likely see so much more than had been revealed in the game.

Why do you think Max and/or Chloe never talked to Rachel’s parents in the original game?? Or even considered doing it? I know Chloe had said they had already moved on or something, but from Max’s POV it still might’ve been worth a shot.

I might have missed something from the game, but far as I know, they never bring up Rachel’s parents again after Max asks about them.

I think Chloe knew it was a lost cause, and I think Max trusts Chloe on the matter.

Chloe got to know Rachel's family…a little too well in Before The Storm. She knows James is stubborn, and Rose likes to live in her fantasy land. It would be hard to change their minds if they were in denial. Plus, Chloe might have broken up their family, so her bond with James might have been to destroyed for them to even consider searching together.

As for Max, I assume that she just takes Chloe's word for it. She doesn't totally trust Chloe to be an unreliable narrator when it comes to Rachel (EX: Chloe says multiple times that she thinks Rachel is dead, yet Max still has some thoughts/dialogue that implies she thinks it's possible that Rachel might have left town.) but Chloe is clearly really desperate to find her and it's easy to believe that she be helping Rachel's parents if they were making an effort.

Plus, Max is super observation. She likely noticed that Chloe was the only one hanging up fliers. She also likely noticed that no one was making a big fuss about Rachel expect for Chloe. The absence of Rachel's parents can be felt through the game because they're literally doing nothing when it seems like they should be doing everything. I'm sure Max notices that too.

[verycharismaticdragon]

worthlessness of power as one of TYK’s central themes:

those who seek it do not obtain it, and those who have it do not want it.

A while ago, I wrote a bit of meta about the value of love as one of the central themes in TYK. Today, the stars were finally in postion for me to follow it up.

Among secondary characters of Tian Ya Ke, those who grab for power – whether it’s societal authority, superb martial techniques, or both – are many. All have their own reasons; all set their sights on Lapis Armor once word of it gets around. In the narrative, the Armor becomes synonymous with power; and yet, none of our main characters want it.

Because in TYK, with great power comes... distinct lack of happiness.

Which characters in this novel are most miserable? Oh, the Emperor of the country and the immortal master with peerless martial arts. 

(continuing under cut)

Helian Yi lost the person he loved first, then the rest of his friends. Jing Beiyuan faked his death, He Yunxing got married and moved to the borderlands, and Zhou Zishu stabbed himself full of nails just to get away…* So the one who holds the greatest power over the country is also the one who doesn’t get to hold onto anything else.

Ye Baiyi, by a fluke of fate, had mastered the Six Harmonies – something that many other characters fight and kill to acquire. He never even wanted it – he was only trying to save the man he loved. The Six Harmonies granted him immortality and raised his martial arts to unparalleled levels… but also trapped him on Changming mountain for decades and decades. And he didn’t even get to have any personal happiness, Rong Changqing either ignorant of or not returning his feelings. So by the time of the novel, Ye Baiyi had not only outlived everyone he cared about, but came to think of his power as being ‘the living dead’...

Right next to those two most extreme examples, of course, are none other than our main characters.

Zhou Zishu, the leader of Tian Chuang, is without a doubt one of the most powerful people in the capital – perhaps even second only to the Emperor. And yet...

But now that he thought of it, what exactly did he want? And what had he lost? He had thrown away his freedom to serve royalty in the dark; his life in a never-ending circle, anything he ever owned had to become compensations for the acts he had committed. Now he was just a loner with empty hands, having racked his brain for a triumphant escape plan that put his life at risk. [...] He suddenly pitied himself, feeling like the most foolish man even in the most foolish world. (chapter 2)

...none of that power and authority had given him any happiness, and in fact, the one person in the world he deeply cared about had died because of things he did to clear the way for Helian Yi’s ascent.** 

Wen Kexing, the Ghost Valley master, the one who emerged victorious in countless battles, is just as miserable:

“[...] I’ve been the Ghost Master for eight years, yet have never had one day of peaceful sleep. What’s so ‘impressive’ there?” (chapter 77)

To those holding power, it becomes a burden and a constraint; yet those who do not have it seek to obtain it, driven by greed or ambition. As Zhou Zishu puts it in chapter 32: “the words ‘peerless master’ alone can drive people to madness”.

As I mentioned, throughout the narrative Lapis Armor is used as a synonym for power. And what better illustrates how worthless the pursuit of it is than the fact that the Lapis Armor can not ever be opened? The entire bloody struggle for it was never gonna reward any of its participants, as Wen Kexing had long destroyed the key. All of those people with ambitions higher than heavens, even the Scorpion who nearly manages to ‘win’... none of them would get what they wanted anyway.

Or, as our boy Cao Weining brilliantly puts:

Those people scheming this and scheming that all day long, struggling to make others die while living themselves; what was the point of it? Practicing exceptional, divine arts, being number one in the realm through a thousand autumns and innumerable generations; what was the point of that? They would still be old bachelors all their lives, never getting wives. Cao Weining vaguely felt them to all be a bit pitiful. (chapter 68)

–––––– 

* we simply do not know where Lu Shen is, but anyway, at least three out of four of HLY’s friends ran off on him. ** not necessarily what happened, I think Jiuxiao’s return was at least as much love and care as it was repentance – but Zhou Zishu only sees it as the latter.

––––––

- tyk meta masterpost -

[lcahwriter]

Running (Part 1)

Pairing: Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x fem!reader

Word count: 5.2k

TW: Anxiety, past abuse, stalking, mentions of sex but no actual smut.

Summary: You ran across the country to the place you knew you’d be the safest- with Maverick on a Navy base somewhere in California. Your plan was to lay low until the coast was clear - but then you met Bradley Bradshaw. 

Will you be able to escape the man who was determined to find you? Will you be able to keep Bradley safe? To fall in love again? 

COMPLETED SERIES! Masterlist <—

Authors note: Holy shit, this has been a fun one to write. Please enjoy!

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It was 4pm on a Tuesday, the slowest day of the week at the Hard Deck. You mundanely polished the shot glasses that sat on the bar counter. Despite slow days being your least favorite – you were still thrilled to be working and not stuck alone at Mavericks house.

The Hard Deck and the navy base were the only places Mav allowed you to go to alone. Well- allowed was a harsh word. It was more of an agreement between the two of you. You knew it wasn’t safe to be alone right now, as much as you longed for the freedom. It had been 4 months since you moved in with Mav. He was like family to you- and when shit hit the fan you knew he was the right person to seek refuge in.

“Scrub those anymore and they might just disappear.”

You grinned and looked up from the shot glass. It was Bradley, a customer now turned… somewhat of a friend who was very easy on the eyes. He was wearing his usual outfit of perfectly fitting jeans and a Hawaiian shirt that complemented his sun kissed skin. You’d only seen him in his navy uniform once- he said he hated the attention it brought. You wanted to tell him he still got the attention of everyone in the room without it – but you figured he’d been flattered enough in his lifetime.

Bradley introduced himself 3 months ago on the night of your first shift. He had tried to ask you out a few times now, but you had so far successfully denied all his advances. It’s not that you weren’t attracted to him, because holy shit you definitely were. It was because you knew that if he really knew why you were here. He would want nothing to do with you.

“Another dad joke to start the evening with?” you teased him and set down the glass. You found it hard to know where to look at him since his black aviators covered his eyes. You settled on his lips- which was a big mistake. He noticed where you were staring by the looks of the tiny smirk appearing on his face.

“I was just stopping by to see how my favorite bar tender is doing.” Bradley’s voice was flirty as he leaned up against the bar and took a seat. You couldn’t help but keep grinning. He was a big flirt and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy the attention. As well as the company. Finding friends, the last four months was basically impossible.

“I’m doing just dandy Bradshaw.” You said whilst filling up a glass with his favorite beer. “Same as usual.”

Bradley scoffed.

“Not giving up much information. Same as usual” he mocked back at me. You rolled your eyes and slid the beer over the counter to him. Bradley had started to ask more questions the last few weeks. All questions that you really couldn’t answer.

“Why are you living with Mav?”

“What brought you to California”

“What did you do before bartending?”

“What’s your family like?”

“Okay fine, I am happy to report I went to the movies today.” You said confidently. Hoping that this bit of personal information would satisfy him. He looked at you through squinted eyes.

“You went to a movie today? Like before work?” He questioned. There was amusement behind his eyes. You crossed your arms.

“Yes, at the theatre on base. So what? There’s nothing wrong with a good movie before work.” Bradley let out a giggle and you shot him daggers with your eyes.

“Well, I would say most people go to the movies at night and on a weekend - definitely not at senior discount hour on a Tuesday” He grinned widely.

“Unbelievable – I finally tell you something about my day and you make fun of me for it.” You still hadn’t uncrossed your arms, but your lips were curving into a small smile.

“I think its adorable.” He says, taking a sip of his beer while beaming at you. You tried to hide your blush by looking down.

You gripped the edge of the counter when the flattery you felt turned into a deep, lulling fear in your chest. The man who was after you used to take you home and beat you if a man like Bradley complimented you at a bar.

You swallowed and tried to shake off the fear. You knew you were safe here. Maverick knew you were safe here too. The Hard Deck wasn’t a military base, but it might as well be. The place was always crawling with military men and women. No one would be able to hurt you here. Not without a fight anyway.

“You okay?”

You shook yourself out of the trance you were in when you heard Bradshaw’s voice.

“Fuck, yeah I’m sorry.” You said, rubbing your hand through your hair quickly. “Just zoned out” You said, trying to convince him you were alright.

“If the flirting is crossing the line…” He began to say but you cut him off.

“No!” You might have said that a little too quickly. “I mean. No, I like us flirting. I just- my head was somewhere else just then.” You reached over the counter and cupped your hand over his for a moment before taking it away. He looked shocked at the gesture. You honestly were surprised at yourself too.

It was the first time you’d ever touched him. He was so warm and rough- but somehow still so gentle. You were trying your god damn hardest to ignore the tingles in your hand.

A group of 6 or 7 people walked up to the bar and you thanked GOD that you somehow had an excuse to walk away from the awkward as shit conversation you were having. You flashed Bradley a smile before turning around quickly to attend to the rowdy group of customers.

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You burst into the small kitchen making a B-line for the fridge. You didn’t even bother to acknowledge Mav’s presence at the kitchen table. All you could think about was water. You filled up a glass of cold water before hastily bringing it to your lips.

You looked over your glass to see Maverick looking at you questionably.

“Try to run a mile again?” he asked.

“Two miles for your information” you retorted before filling up the empty glass once more. Your body was aching, and sweat was dripping from your forehead.

“Why do people run? Dear god its torture I swear.” You sat down at the table across from Maverick, finally feeling yourself calm down from an embarrassingly short run.

“Your therapist said it would be good for you right?”

A pang of shame popped into your chest. You nodded anyways.

“Something about helping with the anxiety.” You murmured, avoiding eye contact.

Mav was the closest thing you had to a father. Yours jumped ship as soon as you were born. But you always remember Mav being there. Between deployments and military orders, he would come by and take you and your mom out for ice cream- or to the movies. You were pretty sure your mom was in love with him at one point. But she still won’t admit that.

You missed her. But staying with her wasn’t an option. Not until this was all over. You were safest at a secured area.

“Have you heard from John?” you questioned hopefully.

John had been working with you and Maverick since you arrived in California. He was supposed to be the best private investigator around. You fucking hoped he was anyways, because neither you or Maverick could afford to pay him much longer.

“He texted me an update last night.” Mav sat back in his seat and ran his hands through his thick brown hair.

“He told me he’s still trying to recover the deleted pictures from your phone and home security cameras. He has tabs on Tim in Colorado. He is laying low there for God knows what.” Mavs jaw was clenched for a split second. You hardly ever saw him angry, but when Tim was brought up, he immediately soured – as did you. “Said once he recovers the files it will be enough evidence the Feds will have no choice but to move in on him.”

You nodded and bit the inside of your cheek. You had to involve the feds because Tim was a lead investigator at the police department in Virginia. You had tried to report him locally before- but somehow Tim would find out and nearly kill you. He had convinced everyone you were a “crazy” girlfriend. It was a hopeless situation. Until you finally ran.

“Still can’t believe an audio recording of him threatening to kill me isn’t enough.” You said sarcastically and stood up.

Mav shook his head and looked at you with sympathetic eyes. You had discussed this at length before. There was nothing either of you could do besides keep you safe and wait for John to gather evidence.

“You working at the bar tonight?” He asks. You nod.

“Yup. I better get in the shower. I’ve gotta be there by 3”

“Call me if you need me kid” He yells as you walk up the stairs of the tiny base housing.

“Always!” you shout back with a small smile on your face. You tried to ignore the aching in your chest from the conversation about Tim. Working at the Hard Deck tonight would be a good distraction from reality. Plus, you made more money there than you ever did as a Kindergarten teacher.

Your room at Mav’s place was small, but it was safe and that’s all you really cared about. You got ready for work, trying your hardest to convince yourself you weren’t wearing jeans that made your butt look good for any reason other than that they were comfortable. The tight red tank top that showed a lot more boob than you usually put on display- well that was definitely for Bradley Bradshaw. There was no denying that.

You knew you would never let him really know you- and you were pretty sure he knew that too. You were just a tease- someone he could never have. Someone nobody could have – at least not for a long time. Bradshaw was interested because he didn’t know you – once he found out you were running from a Psycho ex- he’d run like hell the other way.

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It was Saturday night so naturally; the bar was packed. Penny was working with you tonight, which helped relieve some of the anxiety you felt about the lines of people waiting for drinks. You had only been able to talk to Bradley for a few minutes before being swept away in craziness that was Saturday night at the Hard Deck.

“Hey sweetcheeks, can I get a beer?”  You looked up to see Jake, or Hangman as he had so kindly informed you many, many, many times.

“Sure thing” You went to grab the 10$ bill in his hand but he snatched it out of your reach. You let out an annoyed huff.

“Give me a kiss first.” He taunted, leaning his cheek towards you as if you would actually kiss him. You would literally rather run a marathon. Which is saying A LOT. Even if it was just on the cheek.

You took advantage of his eyes being shut and ripped the 10$ bill out of his hand.

“Never in a million years” You glared at him. Jake groaned at his failed attempt in flirting. You wanted to punch him in the face more times than you could count. But his flirting was pretty much harmless, besides the constant mental undressing of you every time you were in his vicinity.

You looked over at Bradley who was glaring at Hangman from across the bar. He looked like he was about murder him. His hand was wrapped around his beer with a death grip. You sighed and decided going over to talk to Bradley was way more fun than getting Jakes beer in a timely manner. Bradley noticed you walking towards him – he sat up and his body visibly let go of the tension it was holding.

“Hey” you said stupidly. He let a small grin come onto his face. A much more refreshing look than the death glare he had seconds ago.

“Hey” he says back softly. You sigh and grab his glass before refilling it on the beer tap beside you. Bradley’s eyes poured into yours. They were so beautiful and warm. You scanned the rest of his face. It was a masterpiece really. And fuck, he looked so good in the plain white t-shirt he was wearing. You tried not to stare at his muscles- but you just couldn’t help yourself.

A loud shout and crash startled you out of your trance. Your body went ridged at the sound of glass shattering on the floor. You turned to see that the freshly washed glasses stacked on the corner of the bar had been knocked over by someone.

The shattering still rang through your ears loudly. Your heart rate started to pick up and you could hear your blood pumping in every single part of your body. Your head was pulsing – your heart was beating out of your chest. You tried to breath but instead you choked on air. You knew you were in the bar- but your brain thought you were back with him, trapped.

The pain was like no other pain you’d felt. Glass was all around you –  you were covered in it. You looked down to see the clear shards turning a deep red. You could smell your own blood coming from all around you. You tried to get up from the glass but he was holding you there, letting you die –

“Y/N!” An arm shook your shoulder roughly. You looked up to see Penny with concern written all over her face. You started to breath faster. You looked past her to the glass on the floor, causing you to wince. Penny looked back at the glass and then back to you.

“What’s going on?” She asked gently, rubbing her hand up and down your arm. You backed away from her touch. You were somehow still standing, even with the panic rising in your chest. You looked to your right to see Bradley. Who looked like he was about to vault over the counter to get to you.

“Y/N…” he said with worry thick in his tone.

“I have to go.” You quickly said before dashing out of the bar towards the back door. You didn’t look back. You barely made it through the back door before vomiting in a bush to the left of the building. The anxiety was causing your stomach to wrench up all its contents. You couldn’t stop thinking about that night. The glass – the blood.

You sucked in air too quickly, time and time again despite your greatest efforts to calm your breathing. You slid down the cold wall of the building and tucked your knees to your chest.

You heard the back door open, causing you to flinch. Your eyes were so blurry from your tears you couldn’t make out who was there. You started to slide your body away from the figure.

“It’s Bradley.”

That made you stop. His voice was so gentle. So kind. You let out a loud sob between gasps for air. You could be embarrassed about it later.

“Stay away from me” You warn, as he walks towards you. He doesn’t listen and keeps walking. You wanted him to stay away – to go away. You didn’t want him to see you like this. He reached out his hand but you backed away harshly.

“Don’t touch me.” You said, shoving yourself against the wall in effort to escape him. He jerks back as if he had been burned by your words.

“Okay, I won’t touch you.” He said calmly.

He slid down the same wall you were against – but about 5 feet away. You breathed heavily.

“Please leave” you said, tears running down your face into your knees tucked under your chin.

This was so fucking embarrassing. You thought. You just wanted to disappear. How the hell were you supposed to come up with an excuse for freaking out over broken glass?

“I can’t leave you out here alone.” He says. You look up to see him staring at the night sky.

You shuddered at the thought of what could happen if you were alone. If he found you somehow. He would kill you.

Your thoughts got your body shaking again. Bradley noticed.

“What did you have for lunch today?” he asked. You popped your head from your knees to glance at him. He smiled softly when your eyes met him.

“Chicken nuggets” you replied, a shaky laugh left your lips. Bradley laughed loudly. “And you?” You ask weakly. You could already feel your breathing starting to slow with his silly distraction.

“Ramen noodles” he said with a sheepish look on his face. You laughed and then hiccupped immediately after. You lifted your head from your knees completely and let the back of your head lay against the cold wall. You were shaking from the fear, but it was slowly fading.

You sat in silence looking at the sky above you for at least 10 minutes before you felt the confidence to speak.

“Thank you” you say to Bradley, who was already looking over at you. His brown eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

“Anytime.” Is all he says, before looking back at the stars. You stared at him like he was art. Because he was, you couldn’t deny it.

“You have experience with panic attacks?”  You ask. He perks up at your question.

“What makes you think that?” He avoided the question.

“You knew to distract me. And to give me space.” You say, inching closer to him by sliding on the concrete. He avoided eye contact with you but nodded.

“I get them sometimes. Not so much anymore though.” He swallowed hard and you could tell he was uncomfortable talking about it. You reached out and grabbed his hand gently.

You knew you would regret it later. But in this moment, you wanted nothing more than to intertwine your fingers with his to somehow comfort both you and him at the same time. His large fingers wrapped around your hand. His thumb rubbed circles slowly on your hand, making goosebumps fly up your arms.

“You’re running from something” Bradley says quietly. You stiffen immediately but he keeps rubbing circles around your hand.

“What makes you think that?” You croak. You felt tears well in your eyes, but you bit your lip hard enough to make it bleed in attempt to stop them.

“You won’t talk about why you’re here. Or why you’re living with Mav.” He explains gently.        “You’re always looking over your shoulder like someone might be there”

You shut your eyes and take a deep breath. Fresh tears rolled down your face.  Bradley kept rubbing slow and soft circles around your fingers. You hated that he elicited this kind of response from you. A feeling of trust and safety that had to be something you just imagined in your head.

You didn’t want to give away any information. The fact that you were sitting here alone, holding his hand was bad enough. To feel safe with a man like Bradley gave you goosebumps. It made you think of an array of dirty thoughts that you definitely shouldn’t be thinking about.

Everything in you wanted to break the rules you set for yourself and pour your heart out to him. But you stopped yourself before you could.

“I need to go home. Will you tell Penny that I had to leave early?” You stood up and shakily wiped the back of your pants off. You tried to ignore how cold your hand felt now that it wasn’t enveloped under his.

“I’ll drive you home.” Bradley said sternly. He stood up next to you, towering over you. Good god you never noticed how big he was compared to you.

“I can drive myself.” You insisted while trying your hardest to avoid looking him in the eyes.

“Please- just – just let me drive you home so I don’t worry about you.” He paused for a moment “and I think Mav would kill me if he found out I let you drive home after tonight.”

Well, he was right about that one. You could try to hide what happened tonight when you got home hours earlier than expected. But you knew Maverick would eventually hear something about what happened from Penny.

“Fine”

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His car was nice, new and clean. It smelt like him. You scowled when you realized even his god damn car brought you comfort.

You looked over at the masterpiece driving beside you. His golden tan skin drew your eyes in. His arms and hands flexed whilst he drove, and you swear to god he was doing that shit on purpose. The scars on the side of his neck and face showed through the passing headlights. You found them beautiful.

You had scars too- but they made you want to vomit. You hid them away under your clothes and long hair. You even avoided looking in the mirror before showering. It was too much to see what he had done to you.

You clenched your jaw at the thought of that night again. You hated that your brain couldn’t let the trauma go. No matter how hard you wanted to forget it.

Bradley noticed you tense up, because of course he did.

Fuck.

He broke the heavy silence, just as you expected.

“Tell me what you’re running from. I can help you.” He looked over at you, and then back at the road. He looked determined.

You shifted in your seat and tugged at the fabric on your pant leg nervously. That wasn’t what you expected him to say.

“I don’t want you to get involved.” And that was the honest truth.

“Are you running because you did something illegal?” He asked, full seriousness in his voice. You snorted out a laugh.

“No. I promise I’m not a fugitive or anything” you joked, but Bradley remained serious.

“Well, then I want to be involved. Whatever it is.”

You gulped and thought about his offer. You didn’t need help escaping from Tim. You were already in the safest place you could be. But he could help you in other ways. Comfort. Companionship. Laughter. Pleasure … you clenched your thighs together instinctively. It had been years since you felt any kind of pleasure from a man.

You knew crossing that line with him would be a mistake- But God, when you looked at Bradley- you wanted to break all the god damn rules.

“You can’t help me.” You said looking out the window into the night sky. “Plus, you don’t even know me. Helping me makes no sense.” Your heart panged with sadness. Him not knowing you was the only excuse you could think of to push him away.

“I want to know you.” He said softly.

“And don’t act like I don’t know anything about you.” He mused, taking a glance at you with playful eyes. “I know your favorite beer AND that you like going to see movies with old people on Tuesdays”

You laughed and couldn’t help but smile. You shook your head and stared at him.

“Fuck.” is all you said before letting your head hit the back of the seat.

“What was that?” He asked, eyebrows raised. You stayed silent thinking about whether you should break all the rules or be good and ignore Bradley Bradshaw for the rest of your life.

“I said Fuck.” You repeated, sitting up a little straighter and puffing out your chest to gain your composure. Bradley pulled up to Mavs house and parked his car in the driveway. It was dark out, and with the headlights off you could only see parts of the man sitting next to you.

“Fuck, what exactly?” He wriggled his eyebrows and you punched him in the arm.

“You’re an idiot.” You said, smiling. You swallowed and enjoyed the feeling of being with him. You wanted to cherish it.

You looked into his brown eyes and got lost. You LET yourself fully let go for a moment. You scanned him from his hair to his thighs. You listened to his slow breathing, and you swore it was quiet enough to hear his heartbeat.

“I’m not running from something. I’m running from someone” you blurted out. You watched Bradley take in your words. His face went from shocked, curious, worried and angry all within a few moments. He stayed silent.

“I can’t believe I just told you that.” You said blankly. Slumping in your seat. You had expected to feel relieved. But instead, you felt anxiety. Fear of having to tell him more – things that you weren’t ready to admit.

“You can’t keep everything to yourself” he nudged. You wanted to run from him. You wanted to slam the car door in his face and destroy the stupid feelings that were bubbling in your chest.

“Mav knows everything. He’s like a father to me. That’s why I came here -I knew I’d be safe. Guarded by the navy and all that.” You joked half-heartedly.

Bradley mustered up a small smile, but you could tell he had a million questions to ask. You appreciated his patience.

“The glass tonight….” You trailed off and shook your head. Your eyes fell to your lap. Were you really telling Bradley Bradshaw this? When you thought about it you didn’t even know him. You had tried your best to avoid that. He wasn’t supposed to really mean anything to you – and you were just supposed to be a tease to him.

But here you are, sitting with him alone in his car- pouring your fucking heart out.

“What’s your favorite color?” you ask, looking up at Bradley curiously. He raised an eyebrow.

“Blue. And yours?”

“Green.” You explain. “Forest green, like the redwoods up north.”

Bradley hummed in response. His hands were sitting in his lap and you couldn’t help but wish they were holding yours. But you were too much of a chicken to admit that.

“I’m sorry. I just realized I hardly know you.” You admitted, giving him a small smile. “Yet here I am, about to dump all my secrets to you.” You were joked, once again to try to ease the anxiety you felt.

“Sure you do. I mean you’ve talked to me almost every day for the last three months.”

You shrugged.

“Good point.”

You unbuckled your seatbelt and turned towards him, flipping your legs up to sit crisscrossed. You leaned your back against the car door and sighed.

“The glass.” You said shakily. “It uh- reminded me…”

Fuck this was hard to talk about. But isn’t this what your therapist had told you to do? Not bottle up the memories when they arise? Make friends?

“He pushed me through a sliding glass door. I landed backwards all over the glass.” You couldn’t muster up the courage to look at Bradley. “He thought I would tell the paramedics about the abuse. I had to beg him to call the ambulance.” You whispered softly.

“So, when I heard the glass tonight- it just brought me back.” You felt the scars on the back of your neck and body burn. You sucked in a breath and peaked a glance at Bradley.

He was tense. He looked like he was trying to contain his emotions by clenching his fists in his lap. His jaw was clamped shut. But you also noticed sadness in his eyes, a true sadness that you weren’t expecting.

“That was 6 months ago.” You twisted your lips together and debated if you should continue spilling your guts out to the man across from you. You decided you’d take the risk.

“I managed to run away from him while he was on a work trip.  I went to my mom’s house a few states away, but it was only a few days before he showed up” You felt your voice grow weak. “I was at the store when he came to the house– he threatened to hurt my mom.” The pain you felt in your chest was palpable.

“I called Mav and told him I needed to hide. Until I had enough evidence for the feds to arrest him.” You looked at Bradley. “I called him on a payphone before I came here and told him to stay away from my family – because I was going to go somewhere he would never find me.” You pushed your hair behind your ears nervously. “The last thing he said was that when he found me, he would kill me.”

Bradley’s face hardened and you could see his neck was turning red with anger.

“He won’t find you.” His voice was strong and assuring. “You’ll be safe here.”

You gave him a small smile.

“Yeah, I know.” You said lightly.

Bradley gulped and hesitantly reached for your hand. You quickly met him halfway and allowed his hand to envelope yours. The intertwined hands rested on your lap.

“Thank you for telling me.” He said, rubbing those damn circles with his thumb on your hand again.

“And I swear to god that son of a bitch will not come near you again.” His voice was dark when he spoke. You gulped.

“Yeah. I really hope so.” You looked down at your hands and flinched at the thoughts that came into your mind.

“He would kill me if he knew I was holding your hand.” You said quietly. Bradley tensed.

“He’s not going to hurt you again.” He promised, giving your hand a squeeze. “I won’t let him.”  

“I don’t want him to hurt you.” You emphasized. “If he saw you with me. Even- even as friends – he would- he could.” Bradley interrupted your spiraling thoughts.

“But he won’t. He won’t hurt me, and he won’t hurt you. Okay?” His eyes met yours and you could see how serious he was. Your heart ached.

This man, who you barley fucking knew was promising to keep you safe. Was swearing that nothing would happen to you again. It didn’t feel real. You knew that promising safety wasn’t a reality.

“You’re insane.” Is all you could think of to say back to him. He cracked a big grin- which was a relief to see over his I’m going to kill your ex- boyfriend look.

“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been told that.” You smirked and took in a deep breath.

Before you could speak, he did.

“Let me take you out to dinner tomorrow.”

You laughed loudly and looked at him only to see that he was dead serious.

“Oh my god, you really are an idiot.”

Bradley laughed louder than you had.

“You know that’s the second time today you’ve called me an idiot. But somehow, I’m still infatuated with you.” He was full on smiling now, and you wished he didn’t look so fucking good.

“I just told you that my psycho ex is out to KILL me.” You reiterated. When he didn’t even flinch, you continued. “AND that if he even saw you with me, he would want to KILL you too!” You exclaimed, fear once again overtaking you. Bradley sat up and leaned into your space while looking deep into your eyes.

“Let me make this clear sweetheart. I’m not scared of that bastard.” He let go of your hand and reached up to your cheek instead. Your heart was thumping.

Oh god was he going to kiss you? Fuck. You didn’t think you were ready for that.

“And if you want to go to dinner with me then you should. Because I’m not going to let anything happen to you or me.” His eyes flickered to your lips- but only for a moment. You felt him tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear before retreating to his seat. You let out a breath you didn’t even realize you were holding in.

“I want to get dinner with you.” You said quietly. “But I’m still healing Bradley.” You said with shame dripping from your words. “Knowing that he’s out there looking for me scares the shit out of me.”

Bradley nodded his head in understanding.

“I won’t push you into anything you don’t want to do. Ever.” He said calmly. “I’ll go your pace. And if you decide that I’m an annoying nuisance then just tell me to get lost.”

You giggled at that and smiled at him.

“You’re really something Bradshaw.”

God he was handsome. His soft lips looked more kissable than ever. But you reframed from reaching for them.

“Take my number.”  you said while pulling your phone out of your pocket. You swore you saw him sneak a glance at your chest while you did. It made you smirk.

He took your phone and typed in his number while you TRIED not to stare at how freakishly large his hands were. Not to mention how long his fingers were.

“I’ll text you when I get inside.” You said, tucking your phone away. “Since I know you were going to ask me to anyway.”

Bradley grinned.

“See! You do know me.” He said proudly.

You laughed and opened the car door. You stepped out and looked back at him.

“Thank you- for everything. For listening.” You said softly.

“Anytime.” He said just as soft as you had. “I’ll wait until I see you get inside to leave.” You nodded and went to shut the door but his voice stopped you.

“AND I’ll text you about those dinner plans tomorrow.”

You blushed and nodded before shutting the car door. You walked up to the house door and unlocked it – looking back to wave at Bradley before walking in and closing the door.

As soon as it shut you rubbed your hands over your face.

Holy shit. What have you gotten yourself into with Bradley Bradshaw?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Part two coming soon if enough people are intersted <3 Comment below if you’d like to be part of tag list.

[fl0r4f4wn]

𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 : 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 | 𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐘𝐄𝐓

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 : It had been two months since the incident, and guilt gnawed at you like maggots to rotting flesh - yet you could do nothing. Confined in a room and more sanity fading by the final failed escape attempt led you to seek comfort in the arms of the man you thought was dead; little did you know others were watching. 

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 : poly! mafia! ateez x female! assasin! reader

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 : 1.3k

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : mentions of long periods of isolation, kidnapping, mention of phycological and physical abuse, mind break, mention of not eating, mention of blood & murder, suicidal thoughts, self inflicted injury, attempted suicide, implied smut, non-con recording .

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 : sorry for the delay this part somehow got deleted and took me a while to rewrite next chapter is the final part in the main story line before the bonus chapter and whoo it’s gonna be one hell of a ride 

pervious | masterlist | next

It had been two months since the incident, and you were still bound to the room, but they had removed the restraints, and now you were being given food and water. But regardless of the improvement in treatment, you still resented your capture with every fibre of your existence.

You haven't seen any members of Ateez or the Kindom clan either, which gives you a sense of relief. As you didn't want to be in their presence, one of two things could happen: one, you would try and kill them, or two, you would die of embracement for allowing yourself to cry in front of the enemy - to enable them to effect you with a stupid fucking video.

It would help if you hadn't been so frail; you shouldn't have crumbled so easily - accepting comfort from the enemy. You were weak, a disappointment, a failure. The words circled your brain like vultures, pecking at you during every waking and sleeping moment. With the intrusive thoughts and growing resentment towards everyone and everything, you were going crazy.

Pacing back and forward had become your new favourite pastime, and the camera that observed you 24/7 had become the only 'human' contact you have had in a while. As the days all blurred in one, the sense of hopelessness drove you to commit more desperate escape attempts, which led to your most extreme one yet.

It was late afternoon, and you hadn't eaten all day; sure, they gave you food - you just refused to eat it. You were sure that this sudden hunger strike wouldn't bother them. Why would it? They don't care for you; they keep you alive because they want something from you.

As you dip your pointer finger in the sauce, you mindlessly begin the smear it across the delicate china plate. Admiring how much it looked like blood, how much it brought you back to the sick old days of shooting people from afar and running free.

The thought of your former freedom brought back a sense of fondness and a searing rage. As you mourned your former liberty, you felt hopeless. The only point in your life that you wished someone would kill you. But since none of your captures seemed to be in the process of terminating their new plaything - why not do it yourself?

The spontaneous decision was a last resort, but you had no other choice. Sure, you wished you could run with your life, but at least you could escape spiritually. You laughed slightly, so this is what it had come to, killing yourself or remaining a captive for the rest of your life.

Licking the sauce off your finger, you walked towards the bathroom. You didn't even bother to shut the door. As you turned on the faucet, you splashed water on your face. Looking into the fogged-up mirror, you notice how unrecognisable you have become - skinny, dull, and corpse-like.

As your eyes trailed down towards your hand, you clenched them into fists and began to bash both of your hands against the glass. Six punches in, and the glass starts to crack. By then, you can feel the blood trickle down your arm. The sound of skin hitting against the glass was loud.

You were sure that whoever was watching through the camera could hear you. You didn't care as you continued throwing punch after punch. The mirror broke into a million shards. Blood seeps out of your hands as they rest on either side of the sink as you stare at the broken glass. You were so out of it that you didn't realise someone had rushed into the room.

"Y/N!" you jumped at the voice, immediately grabbing a large shard of broken glass and pointing it towards the intruder. "How do you know my name," you ask in response as you head on to the piece of glass for dear life. As Mingi tried to talk you into putting the shard down, you were past the talking point. You repeat your question, demanding an answer.

"I can explain, baby, just, please. Just put the glass down, and we can talk about this - theirs no need to hurt yourself." Mingi uttered, his eyes brimming with tears at your sorry state. He would have come sooner, but Hongjoong forbade it, ensuring he spent all his time and energy on missions and fruitless tasks while you withered away.

But his words did nothing to calm you as your grip on the shard of glass hardened as it pressed further into your skin, "why do you care if I live or die, huh? Why are you being nice to me? Is it because you want to gain my trust and then kill me? how do I know I can trust you" your voice cracked mid-sentence as tears streamed down your face.

"Y/N, I know you are scared, but I want to help you." Putting his hand up as the tall man slowly walked forward, as if he was approaching a scared animal. "I'm beyond help", You cried as you pressed the shard into your neck, but before you should hurt yourself any further, a pair of arms secured themselves around you. He was preventing you from finishing what you started.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" you scream as you thrash in the ateez member's firm grip, trying to reach the glass dagger before your feet. As if he was reading your head, he kicked the shard out of your reach. The suffocating grip only tightened as you continued to struggle against Mingi. Seeing that you had no intention of stopping, he did something that made you stop in shock & horror.

"hushing little angle, don't you cry; your prince charming's gonna sing you a lullaby. And if that don't, you'll get kisses till your tears dry, my little angel." Mingi gently sang as your struggling ceased. As your legs gave in, he quickly pulled you into a bridal carry so you would avoid falling onto broken glass.

As he gently pepper kisses all over your face, you begin crying again, overwhelmed with emotion - he couldn't be? Could he? "how do you know that song?" your soft voice broke the silence as you refused to make eye contact. "Angle, hey, look at me, y/n." listening to his gentle command, you glance up at the beautiful man holding you.

"Don't you remember me, princess?" the softness of Mingi's voice made you snuggle closer as your mind flooded with forgotten memories. Of you and a young boy, your first love - who you assumed was dead, as one day he just disappeared. "Minnie?" you questioned as you stared into his eyes with disbelief. "yes baby, it's your Minnie", the lovable giant mused as he wiped away a stray tear with the pad of his thumb.

As if you gripped onto him for dear life with eyes sowed shut, you felt yourself being placed on the bed away from anything you could use to harm yourself. As Mingi tried to detach himself to retrieve the first aid box, your only grip only tightened. But after a bit of persuasion and reassurance, you reluctantly let go.

The two of you now sat in silence with your dress (covered in dried blood and tears) on the floor and nothing but your bra and panties covering your body. Mingi skillfully cleaned all your wounds, applying disinfection before wrapping them in a thin bandage as he closed the first aid box and placed it on the side table.

Before he could do anything else, his lips were captured in a kiss, his eyes wide with shock, but he quickly returned the favour. As the two of you fell back onto the bed, your bare skin against his clothed chest - let's change that. Breaking the kiss, you did not give the stunned man any chance to speak. His shirt was now on the floor, but before you kissed him again, you whispered in his ear, "make me forget, and I'll make you feel good." He did so.

"Please tell me you are recording this"

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 :  @gyuslvrr @toothlessenthusiast @princessongminki @kitty4hwa @gh0stbish @eternalhongshine @malewife-supremacy @seonghwarizon @mulligrubsss @layzfeelit @woozluv @blueishwall @seokjinscondom @s3onghwaswifey

© 𝐟𝐥𝟎𝐫𝟒𝐟𝟒𝐰𝐧 | 𝙞 𝘿𝙊 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚, 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩, 𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝘼𝙏 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢.

[late-to-the-party-81]

Behave

A/N: Hi all! Major apologies for the lateness of this, my last entry for Kinktober, and the prompt Gang Bang/Orgasm Control.

As usual - unbeta'd.

Find my masterlist here

Edit: This is now a series - find the series master list here

@clearwatersfalling, I hope I did justice to your vision, this sort of ran away with me....

Grouping: Soft!dark! Steve, Bucky and Sam x Reader

Word count: 3.8k

This is a dark fic! Not your thing? Move along.

Not suitable for minors!

CW: Attempted Rape; Actual non-con/Rape; Threats of violence to reader; canon typical violence (not to reader); cohersion; kidnap; drugging; oral sex (both m and f receiving); rough p in v sex; brief mention of suicidal thoughts; slight dacryphilia

Behave

Your lungs burned and your legs throbbed as one word repeated itself inside your mind.

Run.

RUN.

RUN!

In a world gone to shit you always tried to keep your head down. You didn’t want to attract the attention of the scavenging bands who roamed the outlands, looking for a quick feed, a quick buck or a quick fuck. And they wouldn’t ask.

When the collapse of society came the great and the good flocked to safe conclaves, afforded the protection of the remaining military and police. Those in New York were lucky enough to get the added protection of the Avengers. However, the normal folk were mainly left to fend for themselves. Some managed to barter entry to a conclave, giving up their personal freedoms for security and safety, but you were not one of them.

For the last two years you’d managed to keep yourself relatively safe and healthy. You knew you were underweight, but that wasn’t unusual for an outlander. You’d avoided any major injuries and lived in a warehouse with a handful of other women, and some children. Today it had been your turn to go and seek out some supplies, and despite your care and attention, your run of luck had finally run out.

You’d been spotted and now your only hope was to outrun them and hide until they gave up. If they caught you, the best you could hope for was a beating for the hell of it. But it was more than likely that you would be raped and killed for sport, and not necessarily in that order. The scavengers barely retained any semblance of humanity any more, taking what joy they could in unfailing sadism. And your friends would mourn you and move on. People disappeared all the time, it just couldn’t be helped.

So you kept running, alert to any escape route, trying to ignore the whoops and hollers from behind you as the ‘once-men’ chased you like an animal. But the problem with looking around in such a manner, is that you fail to look down. Fail to see the small things that could set you a-cropper.

An involuntary shriek left your mouth as you tumbled to the ground. You don’t know what you caught your foot on, it could have been anything, but that didn’t matter. You felt pain lance through your knee, the thin fabric of your trousers ripping, the gravel on the ground tearing through your flesh. That was followed by your palms hitting the ground, and you skidding along before you rolled through sheer force of momentum, only coming to a stop when your back hit something hard.

You tried to get up, scrabbling for a handhold of any description. What remained of your calm was now slipping away, desperation taking hold of you. A large, rough hand grasped hold of your wrist and pulled you upright, causing further pain to shoot through your battered body. You lashed out with your free hand, and received a backhanded slap to the cheek for your trouble.

“We’ve got a live one here! Seems to be in decent nick too….”

You were surrounded by gruff laughter and lewd imaginings. One man, not the one holding you, advanced, leering and rubbing at his groin. You kicked out with your feet and screamed, but your captor just shook you until your teeth rattled.

“Can someone gag her, or tie her or something. I like a bit of spunk as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to have to work too much for it.”

Tears ran down your face, and your hysteria was rising. You looked around for some kind of weapon. You wouldn’t be able to defend yourself against this many scavengers, but you might be able to speed your own death.

Another man stalked towards you, a rope in his hands and you instinctively tried to pull away, despite knowing it was futile. And then all at once things got really crazy. The man with the rope was suddenly bowled over and something metallic rebounded off the wall behind you with a clang. Then the man holding you just crumpled to the ground as red bloomed on the brickwork. The remaining men turned to face the incoming threat, with shouts and cries, throwing projectiles and swinging chains. It seemed, in your dazed and scared state, that a giant bird came down from the sky and started to attack.

You curled up on the floor, trying to make yourself as small as possible, and closed your eyes. Your hands came up to cover your ears as you tried to block out the sounds of men being beaten and shot. An eternity later, which was probably only a few minutes, the echos of violence fell away. The only sound remaining was that of boots crunching across the ground. But you curled up tighter, shaking in fear.

“Shhhhh, bunny. It’s alright now. Come on, open those eyes for me.” The voice was deep, and smooth. And commanding. Your eyes opened, almost without volition. You looked up and were caught in a gaze of brilliant blue.

“There we go. All safe.”

You saw movement in the corner of your eye, and turned your head. Two other men stood there, one dressed in black, with shaggy chestnut hair and slate blue eyes, the other wearing some kind of pack on his back, goggles pushed up on his forehead, over close cropped dark hair, taking you in with eyes like molten chocolate.

“Don’t worry about 'em bunny, they’re with me.”

You turned back to the first man. He had dark blonde hair, and a shaggy beard. He smiled at you, teeth shining brightly.

“We’re going to take care of you, sweet thing. Never let anyone hurt you again.”

You looked up at your guardian angels, still running on adrenaline. There was a slight scratch against your arm and you turned to look. The blonde man threw a syringe over his shoulder into the pile of rubble.

“What…..what did you do?”

Your head was spinning, but you tried to push yourself up anyway.

“Don’t panic. You’re gonna come back with us now, bunny, back to the conclave. Got a nice spot all ready for you.”

He scooped you up into his arms as the world in front of your eyes turned black.

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

When you regained consciousness the first thing you realised was that you were warm. Warmer than you had been in a long time. And the second thing was that you were naked. Your eyes snapped open, and you found yourself in a soft bed. There was no-one in the immediate vicinity, but you could hear the mumble of deep voices from close-by. Sitting up, you tried to push away a wave of dizziness. Why to fuck had that man saved you, just to drug you? Who the fuck was he? Who the fuck were his fri……Oh shit.

He’d mentioned a conclave. He must have meant the New York conclave. And the only residents brave enough to leave it were the Avengers. Which meant…..

Your head whipped round as the three men walked into the room. The Captain, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier. You gripped the sheets to your chest, like completely ineffectual armour. They were out of their fighting gear now, wearing the nicest clothes you’d seen since the Downfall. They were also clean, their hair slightly damp. And you realised that you were clean as well, and you smelt…..nice. Like flowers you could barely remember. They must have washed you down and dressed your injuries whilst you were unconscious.

Sam Wilson approached you first, crouching down in front of you, so your eyes were level. His hand came up to stroke at your hair and you tried not to flinch.

“Hey pretty thing. Feeling better?”

You didn’t answer his question, instead choosing to ask one of your own.

“Why am I here?”

Your voice came out barely louder than a whisper.

“Why, to keep you safe of course. The outlands are no place for a sweet girl like you.”

His other hand slid up your leg over the thin sheet.

“You’re gonna be all safe and cosy here with me and Steve and Buck there. He don’t say much, but he’s looking forward to you staying with us.”

Your eyes darted backwards and forwards, dread pooling in your stomach. How had you thought them guardian angels? Guardian demons more like. Their words were polite and gentle, but you could feel the undercurrent of corruption.

Steve then stepped forwards, sitting himself down on the bed beside you. With a long, lean finger, he turned your head towards him and rubbed his nose against yours.

“Gonna treat you so good, bunny. You behave and you’ll get anything you want…”

A whimper left your throat and you shifted slightly, your fight or flight response threatening to overrule your head. Steve’s large hand cupped your jaw, his thumb swiping over your chapped dry lips.

The bed dipped behind you and soft plump lips started to trail their way across your shoulder blades and cold metallic fingers held onto your waist, and oh, now your body was reacting in a different, but still unwanted way.

“That’s it sweet girl,” Sam’s voice purred in your ear. “Let it all go. You belong to us now.”

“Стив, я чувствую ее запах. Так мило...”

The gravelly, underused voice of the Winter Soldier came from behind you, although you didn’t understand his words.

“I know, Buck, I can smell her arousal too.”

You could hear the amusement in Steve’s voice.

You weren’t sure what it was about the revelation of the extent of their enhancements that made something in you snap, but your eyes shot open and you tried to lurch off the bed, away from the three men.

You must have surprised them a bit, as you broke out of their holds. However, still being wrapped in the sheet you only made it a few steps before it tangled around your feet and for the second time that day, fell to the floor. Luckily for your already bruised body, there was carpet on this one. Unluckily, your actions seem to have shifted something in the three men’s mood.

Sam was closest and his hands took hold of your already sore wrists and pulled you up against his body.

“Oh, baby. Why did you do that? You weren’t listening to Steve were you? You only get what you want if you behave…..”

The purr of his voice was menacing and you couldn’t help but shiver, the sheet wrapped around you starting to bow down to gravity. His eyes, which under other circumstances would have entranced you, were hooded and cold.

“But that little stunt was not what any of us would call behaving. Which means you don’t get what you want. But I can assure you that we will.”

His lips crashed down on yours, hot and demanding. His passion was unrestrained, and you could feel his hardness pressed against your thigh. His lips forced yours apart and you squeaked into his mouth as his tongue pushed past your teeth. It crossed your mind to bite him, but as if you had broadcast the thought, Steve’s voice whispered in your ear.

“Don’t even think about it, bunny. You made us cross by trying to run. Just think how angry we will be if you try to hurt one of us……”

As his hands helped the sheet make its final journey to the floor, he nipped at your lobe both a warning and also a promise. Sam pulled his mouth from yours, lifting you up and tumbling you back onto the bed. You made to sit up, but the metal hand of the Winter Soldier spread across your stomach, easily pinning you down.

“Я хочу тебя попробовать”

His head dipped, dark hair falling across his face and his mouth latched onto one of your nipples, causing your body to arch and a cry to leave your throat. There was a chuckle, but whether it was from Steve or Sam, you couldn’t tell.

But it was Steve who captured you mouth this time, his tongue tangling with yours as he moaned into you. The stress of the day and the conflicting feelings and sensations running through your body were making you dizzy. You couldn’t stop your body responding, and part of your brain was telling you that you might as well enjoy it if you could. If they had merely wanted to slake their needs with your body, they would have done so, they had no need to make it pleasurable for you. However, your pondering was disrupted by the feeling of lips on your inner thighs, Sam’s by process of elimination. His hands pushed your thighs wide and he settled between them, before using his dexterous fingers the pry your folds apart.

“So pretty….,” he mumbled before licking a stripe up your core and diving into your pussy like a man starved. Bucky continued to worship your breasts, sucking and nipping the sensitive flesh in turn, and all the while Steve made out with you, one hand holding your chin still, the other pining your wrists above your head. You’d given yourself over to the pleasure now, Sam having to hold your hips down as he ate you, against your subconscious attempts to increase the friction. Your back was still arched under the Winter Soldier, and you mewled into Steve’s mouth. You could feel your orgasm closing in on you, the pressure growing in your abdomen. You were teetering on the edge when Steve pulled his mouth away from you.

“Stop!”

The command left his lips and immediately Bucky and Sam pulled back. You whined as you felt the pleasure slip away and you opened your eyes, searching Steve’s face. He smirked in return.

“We told you, bunny, you don’t get what you want unless you behave……”

The other two men were shifting on the bed, and when you looked you saw that Bucky had removed his clothes. Your eyes trailed down over his solid body, and cut abs, drawing in a breath when you saw his cock, hanging heavy between his thighs. He was beautiful, despite the scarring on his left side. The light in the room reflected off his metal arm. You didn’t want to think about the damage it could inflict on you. He crawled up your body, the expression on his face feral.

“Ты будешь кричать, когда я тебя испорчу.”

You were still none the wiser as to what he said, but it sounded like a promise. He began to push his way into your wet core and you cried out, desperate for something to hold on to, but Steve still had hold of your wrists.

“Fuuuuuuuckkk!!”

“That’s the idea sweetheart.”

Steve’s voice teased you but you were still distracted by the feeling of Bucky splitting you apart. He was rocking gently, but firmly, working his whole length into you. When he bottomed out he rested his head on your chest, but the reprieve only lasted a few moments. He raised his head again, took his lower lip between his teeth and pulled back, almost leaving your cunt, before slamming back in again. He set up a brutal pace, and he bit at the skin around your breasts. The pain and the pleasure mixed within you, making you delirious, breathy moans leaving your throat.

You felt a tap on your lips and turned your head to find Sam knelt on the bed beside you. He had shed his clothes as well and held his own thick dick in his hand. He traced the head over your mouth, painting you with his pre-cum.

“Come on sweetheart, be a good girl and open for me….”

You’d like to say that you obeyed through a sense of self preservation, but to be honest, with how aroused you now were, you just wanted to suck him, choke on him. You ran your tongue over your lips, tasting his essence, before opening to let him in. He filled your mouth with his cock, and you massaged the veins on the underside of him with your tongue. When Bucky thrust hard you moaned, which forced an answering one out of Sam. He took hold of the headboard for leverage and started to fuck into your mouth.

“Yeah, baby. Just like that. Taking it so well. Starting to behave now. Be good to us, we’ll be good to you….”

The coil inside you was tightening again, you were so close. Tears were leaking from your eyes as you gagged around Sam, and your hips moved to meet each of Bucky’s thrusts, your legs wrapped around his waist. And then Steve did it again.

“Stop!”

Both men stilled their movements and your eyes went wide as you looked at Steve. You tried to move your head, jerk your hips, but you were held immobile by all their hands and Steve smiled coldly at your desperation.

“Do you get it now sweetheart? Do you promise to behave?”

Sam pulled back from you, and you coughed before you answered.

“Yes.”

Your voice was hoarse, but your response clear.

“Good.”

At Steve’s nod his partners recommenced their pleasurable assault on your body. You let your eyes close, and when Steve let go of your wrists, one of your hands went to Sam’s hip and the other to Bucky’s shoulder, giving you the illusion of some kind of control over what was happening. Having been denied twice it didn’t take long for you to be on edge once again.

Bucky whispered unknown nothings in your ear, gruff and low, whilst Sam babbled his filthy thoughts almost non-stop. Steve remained silent, and you would have forgotten he was there if it weren’t for the fact that he was stroking your arm and hair as he watched you fall apart.

Sam was the first to come, spilling deep into your throat, praising you all the while. He continued with small thrusts into your mouth until he was sure you had taken every drop of his cum, before moving back, replacing his cock with his mouth and kissing you passionately. Then, because he now had more space, Bucky upped the ante. He pulled your legs up over his shoulders, and rose up onto his knees, thrusting into you even harder and at an angle that made you see stars. A litany of sounds left your throat and you gripped his biceps, your nails digging into the flesh of his right arm.

And then you were screaming, as your pleasure washed over you, shaking your whole body.

“Такой узкий, зайчик. Я сказал тебе, что заставлю тебя кричать.”

Bucky grunted in your ear and you felt him twitch and pulse inside you, flooding your pussy with his cum. He moved off you and you lay in a daze on the bed, panting as you tried to regain your breath. For a moment you forgot about Steve, but he certainly hadn’t forgotten about you. The hands that had been stroking your arm and hair moved down your body, running over your breasts, your abdomen, your hip.

“Open your eyes for me bunny, there you go.”

It took you a few moments to focus, but he was now naked, leaning over you. His body was captivating in its beauty, golden skin and ripped muscles. His hands ran back up to your upper arms, and in the blink of an eye he had flipped you both, so that he was lying on his back and you were straddling his hips. You could feel his cock resting against the crease of your ass.

“I want you to ride me, show me and the boys how well you can behave and do as asked. You behave and we’ll be sweet on you, treat you right. You’ll be our girl. But if you don’t behave, you deny us, then you will be punished. And you really don’t want that, sweetheart.”

One large hand came down and swatted you on the ass.

“So giddy up!”

You lifted yourself slightly, reaching behind you to take hold of him. Fuck, he felt big in your hand. You glanced down and gasped. He was so thick! Steve chuckled darkly at your reaction.

“I’ll fit, don’t you worry bunny. The boys got you all relaxed 'n wet for me. And in no time at all you’ll be able to take me first, get used to me stretching you out and filling you.”

He placed his hands on your hips and started to pull you down, impaling you on his cock. You were grateful now for Bucky’s release slicking up your channel and that they had allowed you to come. Despite the slow way in which he was pressing into you, you knew you would have had problems accommodating Steve if he had been first.

When your groin was flush with his you let out a whine. He allowed you the chance to adjust for a few moments, before he moved your arms so your hands were braced on his abs. He looked at you, an eyebrow raised in challenge. You responded by lifting your body, feeling his length rub against your insides, before you sank back down with a cry. He was pressed against every sweet spot inside you, pleasure darting along your nerves. You rose again, repeating the action, this time drawing a moan from the man beneath you. A flood of power washed over you, and the speed of your movements increased.

You were using him now, your eyes closed again as you just focused on how he felt inside you, how your clit brushed up against the trimmed thatch of his pubes every time you sank down. Part of you was aware that Sam and Bucky were knelt on either side of you, but it was brought home when you felt lips sealing around both your breasts. You had to move your arms, so your hands were resting between each man’s shoulder blades. Steve’s hands stroked your thighs, strong thumbs pressing into the delicate skin of the inner curves. One hand moved higher and you shuddered as he found your clit, rolling over it in smooth circles.

You ground down, clenching your walls and rotating your hips. You cared for nothing except your own pleasure now and you were suffused with it. Your second orgasm washed over you as if a dam had burst, wave after wave taking you away from the pain and fear you had been suffering, not just today, but over the last few years. Tears rolled down your face at the physical and emotional release.

“Good girl, bunny. That’s it, fuck…..so pretty, so good for us….”

Steve’s words cut off into a moan as he came, his hips bucking up into you as he rode out his pleasure.

“Everything’s better when you behave……”

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

Bucky says;

- Steve, I can smell her. So sweet...

- I want to taste you.

- You will scream as I ruin you.

- So tight, little bunny. I told you I'd make you scream.

[hispipsqueak]

Burned

Enji Todoroki x F!Reader - NSFW

A/N: So @cozykozume​ wanted me to name this “Cooling Down the Fire Daddy” so there’s that. Anyways, in case you didn’t know, I LOVE Enji Todoroki....like an extraordinary amount. Which is hilarious, because I started the series hating him but I digress. So here’s one of my favorite things I’ve written and also one of the longest posts because I just...I am just so soft for this man. <3 Pip

WC: 4.5K

TW: unprotected sex, feelings, slight size kink, oral (f receiving), drunk sex, slight angst if you squint, slight authority kink (good girl etc.)

H/N = Hero Name

When you stepped into the meeting that morning you weren't sure what to expect.

"Welcome back!" Midnight's cheery voice cut through the air, her eyes bright. You smiled at her as the rest of your colleagues responded with a variation of greetings and welcome's. You had been on a six month long mission across the globe and arrived back yesterday. Though you were slightly jetlagged, you were ready to throw yourself back in the grind of hero work.

As you took your seat your eyes roamed to the largest figure in the room. Endeavor had stayed silent, his eyes trained on the brief documents in front of him. Hell, you weren't even sure if he had noticed you had returned. Your heart sank slightly.

What did you expect? It had been six months, six long, confusing months since that night of booze and desire. Six months since you had felt his large hands wrapped around your body, his lips pressed against your neck hungrily as you grinded against him.

Fuck. You cut another glance at him. His eyes were narrowed as he read over the papers in front of him and his face was in it's permanent scowl. If he noticed you at all, he was doing a good job hiding it. 

Your thoughts were interrupted by Hawks swaggering in the room. 

"Hey h/n! Long time, no see! How was the mission?" He called out, pulling you into a friendly hug. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Enji shift. 

"Great. Managed to bust the kingpin and shut the entire operation down. Glad to be back though". You smiled back at the winged hero. He nodded, before taking his seat right next to the flame hero.

"Mornin' Endeavor!" his cheery voice rang out.

Enji grumbled a greeting, his eyes not looking up

Eraserhead cleared his throat from the head of the table.

"Let's get started."

You couldn't help zoning out as the dark haired hero discussed the current mission. You forced your eyes to stare at the file in front of you and not the man across from you. You were so focused, you almost didn't hear your name.

"H/N, you will be working with Endeavor."

Your eyes widened, and your head snapped up. You finally dared to look at Enji who's expression hadn't changed. As Eraser concluded the meeting, you steeled your nerves and walked to the flame hero.

"Endeavor, I-"

He cut you off. 

"Train. I will not be dragged down by you because you haven't sparred properly in six months." 

Your demeanor steeled. 

“I wasn’t just partying it up over there. I was working.”

If he cared, it didn’t register on his face. His turquoise eyes were fixed at the spot above you instead of meeting yours. Without another word, he turned to leave. You felt your face grow hot. Determined to not show emotion, you pursed your lips, grabbing your things to head back to your apartment.

---

“Endeavor, you lucky dog.”

Endeavor looked up from the paperwork on his desk with a bored expression.

“What are you talking about Hawks?” His voice was tinged with annoyance as he looked back down to the documents from the intel team.

“Stop pretending you aren’t thrilled to be working with H/N. She’s the BEST, and between you and me, she’s definitely one of the most beautiful heroes.” The blonde faux-whispered, tossing back his head in a chuckle.  Endeavor fixed him with an aggravated stare.

“I have no desire to work with H/N. She has been on a mission for 6 months, so we are at a disadvantage anyway, since I doubt she was actually working all of that time. Especially since her behavior is comparable to yours.”

Hawks cocked a bushy brow.

“Deny it all you want, big guy. Your body language is different when you’re around her. You should ask her out. I’m sure she’d say yes. Some girls like the mean and broody type.”

Smoke emitted from the corner of Endeavor’s desk, where his hand rested. Clearing his throat, he attempted to put it out, but not before the annoying bird hero noticed.

With a smirk, Hawks headed towards the door. 

“Don’t screw this up, Endeavor!”

----

What Hawks didn’t know is Enji had already screwed this up. Before you left, six long months ago, you and Endeavor were on relatively friendly terms. Well as friendly as one can be with the hotheaded flame hero. It was you that convinced him to go out that night with the other pro-heroes. And when the night ended, he had walked you home.

Surprisingly, he could be a gentleman when he wanted to be.

The walk home had been quiet, though you and Enji both had a bit to drink. Emboldened by the alcohol, you finally had turned to him.

“Enji, why do you try to push us away?”

Your boldness surprised him. It wasn’t a surprise he could come off a bit stoic, at best. Yet no one, especially newer heroes, called him out on this behavior. It was just “how he was”. Before he could stop himself he blurted out,

“I don’t wish to hurt people anymore.”

His face heated up and you could see a crimson blush rising up towards his ears. In that moment, you could see a glimpse of Enji, not Endeavor.

This wasn’t to say Enji wasn’t attractive. Yet, him exposing himself, allowing vulnerability? That made your heart jump in your chest. Turning away, you thought about what he meant. You knew his family had been estranged from him, his kids not a frequent presence in his life. You had seen a few gossip magazines detailing how his kids often avoided their childhood home, and you had read about Rei’s hospitalization. You imagined how lonely he must feel, though if there was truth to any of those rumors, you could see why they would be wary.

“This is your home, yes?” 

His voice broke your train of thought. You looked up and realized all too soon the two of you were outside your door. Your hand rested on the door handle and you imagined him sitting in a quiet living room, a house empty.

“Would you like to come in for a bit?” Your voice was squeaky and unsure and you were surprised when he grunted in affirmation. 

Wordlessly he followed you into the apartment. Somehow, without speaking, you could both feel it. The loneliness that bonded you, the freedom of being vulnerable in the dark blanket of the night, these moments allowing you to breathe and just be without expectation and titles. Because here, you weren’t pro-heroes, you were yourselves, seeking the tiny bits of comfort the other could provide. 

As you entered the apartment, the silence between you intensified. Your stomach was buzzing with nerves and as you looked up at him, you could feel the anticipation of who would break first. His hands found your hips and pulled you towards him, and soon his lips were on yours. He tasted like the scotch he had been drinking, warm and rich. His hands were hot where they met your skin, and you pressed closer in his embrace. Rough stubble scratched at your skin and you kissed him deeper, desperately wanting to let him in and lose yourself in him at the same time.

Your back pressed against the wall, and his fingers grazed the bottom of your shirt. Breathlessly you finally broke apart. Looking in each other's eyes, you unbuttoned your shirt, fingers trembling in anticipation. He took this as his cue to pull off his own, and you admired his strong muscles, littered with scars. You could feel his eyes roam your body as you undid the last button, leaving you in a simple bra and pants. His hands, hands that could throw buildings and fight villains, were gentle against your skin, slowly running over your belly to the edge of your bra. When you didn’t protest, he tugged at the clasps, letting it fall off your shoulders to the floor.

He pressed hungry kisses to your shoulder, slowly working his way down. His touches were gentle, as if you would break if he wasn’t careful and his mind raced, wanting to explore every inch of you. A soft moan escaped your lips as he nipped at your neck. Enji’s body tensed, and his grip tightened as he kissed lower, desperate to hear more of your sweet noises. 

His pants were painfully tight now, and you seemed to understand, because he could feel your small fingers working the latch on his belt, tugging his slacks down and exposing the tent in his boxers. He let out a low groan as your fingers wrapped around his clothed cock. Enji was a lot bigger than anyone in general, though he never really thought about it until now, when your hand was struggling to wrap completely around his thick member. 

 Maneuvering his hands from your hips, he cupped your breasts, pressing aching kisses to them. He sucked bruises into your skin, and bit back a groan as your fingers found their way under his waistband. Enji wrapped his arms around your waist, lifting you up, and you nodded to the general area of the bedroom. Nudging the door open, he gently rested you on the bed. Sliding your pants over your hips, leaving you exposed, a thin pair of black panties being the only barrier between the redhead and your sex.

His hands gripped your things, parting you open and he placed a soft kiss on your belly. He worked his way lower, hooking his fingers under your waistband and dragging the material over your curves before tossing it off the bed. Tracing over your soft mound with his finger, he pushed open the lips of your cunt. Like a man starved, he buried his face in your pussy, his tongue devouring your slick.

Your hands gripped his red hair and he groaned into you. Pulling your legs over his shoulders, he fucked you on his tongue, before sucking your throbbing clit between his lips. Eyes rolling back, your breathy moans filled the apartment. You felt yourself climbing higher and higher, so close to euphoria as you grinded on his face.

“Fuck...delicious.” He growled into your cunt. His fingers gripped your thighs, almost painfully and the vibrations of his voice pushed you over the edge. Your thighs squeezed around his head and your back arched off the soft bed as you cried out his name. He continued his assault on your cunt, slurping down your juices as your fingers tugged his locks, gasping at the overstimulation. Still, Enji continued to drown himself in you, your sweet taste like nectar of the gods. He wanted so much more of you, to stay here for hours, pulling orgasm after orgasm out of you. He could feel the muscles in your thighs tense as you came again, your body trembling from the impact.

Pulling away, he kissed your lips, the taste of you on his tongue. Your tongues entwined, as your arms wrapped around his neck, feeling the muscles of his upper back flex. Too soon and yet not fast enough he broke away, positioning himself between your legs, his massive frame towering over you. His hands rested on the bed on opposite sides of your face as he looked down at your body. Your lips were puffy from his kiss, parted slightly. Your eyes were glassy, half-lidded and hungry for more. You met his gaze and inhaled, giving him the slightest nod. He lined his cock up with your entrance, gently pushing the head in. You gasped at the stretch, and after a moment rocked your hips, spurring him to continue. Easing his cock in, he gritted his teeth at how tight your cunt wrapped around him. His hands moved to your hips as he pulled himself out of you, leaving the tip in before thrusting back into you.

Gripping your hips, he bounced you on his cock easily. Moans fell from your mouth, stuttering each time he bottomed out in you. One hand left your hip and gripped the headboard as his heavy balls smacked against your ass. Enji groaned as your legs wrapped around his waist, forcing him deeper. The headboard creaked under his force as he pounded into you, your moans of his name spurring him on, making him want to give you all of him. Your small hand ran over his chest, the dark hair soft under your fingers as you dug your nails in his skin. You felt overwhelmingly full, his thick cock filling every crevice inside you.

Enji’s fiery eyes roamed  your body, watching as your breasts bounced with each thrust. He could practically see the bulge in your belly from his cock and as lewd as the scene was, there was something so beautiful about you in the throes of passion. His name dripped from your lips like a mantra and he could feel the desire, the want that you carried, begging him to give you everything he had. Your fingers danced across his muscles, a touch so intimate. A touch he hadn’t felt in years.

With a crack, the wooden headboard began to splinter as Enji unloaded into you with a shout. Your body felt heavy as he shot white ropes of cum deep inside you, some spilling out around his cock and onto your sheets. With a final groan, he stilled, slowly sliding his softening cock out of you and collapsing next to you on the bed.

It was silent, except for the sounds of both of you breathing hard, your chests rising and falling in tandem. Enji could hear his heart thumping wildly and he turned to look at you. Your eyes were closed, breathing labored but slow and you sleepily turned towards him, laying your head on his massive bicep. 

The next morning, he was gone. The only evidence that the night had even happened was the crack that ran across your headboard and the glass of water on your night stand. Enji avoided you during hero meetings, always somehow on a busy patrol when you called, his assistant taking your message, yet again until you gave up trying.

When the months-long mission was offered to you, you accepted it without hesitation. Enji didn’t attempt to say goodbye.

-----

Now, Enji was torn. 

There was no getting out of this. He thought about reaching out to Eraserhead to ask about working alone, though he knew the sleepy hero would ask questions he didn’t want to get into. Enji furrowed his brow as he swung again at the punching bag in front of him, taken to training in his private outdoor home gym rather than the regular hero gyms to avoid you, though you hadn’t made any more attempts to speak to him.

He jabbed at the bag. This was ridiculous. He was a pro-hero. Allowing this to interfere with his work made him weak, and Endeavor was not weak. 

He wasn’t weak.

Enji threw a few more punches, shaking the sweat off as he reached for the bottle of water behind him. 

“Enji.”

He stiffened.

“Enji Todoroki, I don’t know why you are ignoring me or what I did to you, but we need to talk about what happened.” Your voice was clear, stronger than it was the day of the meeting.

He took a swig from his water bottle, biding his time. Finally turning around, he faced you. You were in a simple t-shirt and track pants, probably coming from a workout yourself. Your eyes were ablaze, demanding to get answers. Enji felt a stabbing pain in his chest as he compared the image of you now, to the image of you from that night.

“I have nothing to say. We will work on this mission, and be civil to each other. That’s all.” Enji attempted to push past you and you turned on your heel.

“You know what? Fine. You want to pretend you didn’t feel anything that night? That meant nothing to you whatsoever? Was it just to hook up, get your dick wet and leave? Because you didn’t need me for that.” Your tone was angry but Enji could hear the hurt in your statements. Facing you, he glared down.

“What do you want from me? To be your boyfriend? I’m not that man. Try Hawks, he’s into that sort of nonsense. I don’t need or want this trouble in my life anymore.” Enji’s voice was hard, the tone he used for villains or the press. You searched his face, seeking the man from that night. Enji, not Endeavor.

You thought over his words. “Enji...what are you so afraid of?”

The tone of your voice shifted. Softer, easier. He remembered how he felt when you begged for him, when you showed your desire for him through each touch and kiss. He finally looked into your eyes, eyes so full of earnest curiosity. Why couldn’t you just make this easy? He swallowed hard.

Fat droplets of water splashed onto his arms, and no sooner did he notice that the sky opened up, sheets of rain pouring over the two of you. Without thinking, he gripped your hand tugging you to the house. Even though it wasn’t a far journey, you were both soaked, and he could see you shivering. Grabbing a towel from the linen closet, he wrapped it around your shoulders. You murmured a thanks, standing awkwardly in his doorway.

He reached for your hand, leading you to the laundry room. Your hands were small in his and he tried to not focus on his heartbeat that pounded in his ears. 

“Wait here.” He grunted, leaving to grab clothes for both of you. He grabbed one of his, then thought better and dug around for anything Fuyumi or Rei may have left. No luck. He sighed, returning to the room where you were sitting on top of the washer.

Thrusting the clothes into your hands, he left to give you some privacy to change as he pulled on his clothes. A few minutes later he heard you giggling. You stepped out, drowning in his way too big shirt. The shirt extended nearly to your knees. The sweatpants he gave you were sliding off your hips and he glimpsed your thighs as you attempted to pull them up. Shrugging, you let them fall to the floor, your legs exposed.

“Sorry, but I don’t think they will stay on. Luckily, your shirt hides everything important.” You said, looking down. Enji mentally disagreed, since any inch of skin he could see would be burned into his brain forever.

Tossing both your clothes into the washer, he set the timer and then it was silent. You spoke first.

“I thought I did something wrong.”

Enji turned to you, Your gaze was fixed on the washing machine, though your eyes looked distant. You continued.

“I thought maybe you thought it was a drunken mistake.”

“I wasn’t drunk.”

You turned. Enji’s cerulean eyes were downcast at the laminate flooring. You opened your mouth to speak but he cut you off.

“I’m not good at this. I’m not stupid, I know the rumors about my family that people say. They aren’t all lies. I did fuck it up. I did a lot of bad, terrible things and pushed them away. Rei, and the kids...they didn’t deserve any of the pain I caused them.”

His shoulders sagged, the weight of his past overtaking him. “I did, I do love them. But I understand why they had to leave.” He sat on the small couch in the corner.

Enji felt your hand cover his, your thumb rubbing circles over his knuckles. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.

“Enji...doing shitty things doesn’t make you a shitty person. You can’t punish yourself forever.” Your voice was soft, soothing. Enji finally met your eyes.

“I’ve already fucked that up. I fucked this up. I don’t want to hurt people I care about anymore. It’s easier this way.”

You wrapped your arms around him. The two of you made quite a sight, the smaller figure cradling the large man. You stood in front of him and he let himself relax into you, his head resting on your chest. He could smell your scent, warm and comforting, even under his shirt. Your fingers grazed his hair, holding him to you. Enji thought of the nights where he lay in bed, allowing himself to imagine your body next to him. 

He was tired of being strong.

“Enji...I can’t say everything will be perfect. But punishing yourself before it starts isn’t going to do anything but cause more pain.”

He could feel your heartbeat, a steady rhythm that matched his breathing. He was aware of his hands around your body, your soft strokes in his hair. He thought about how it would feel to have your touches, hold you in his arms every day, every night.

Enji allowed himself to fall.

He raised his head, his lips meeting yours. With each kiss he silently told you his hopes, his fears, and his apologies. In turn, you gave him comfort and acceptance. He pulled you onto his lap, so you were straddling him, kissing you hard to make up for the months of missed opportunities. 

You kissed for what felt like forever, never wanting to stop. His hands slid down your back and across your thighs, going under your shirt. 

“You look so good in this. Wanna see this more often.” He whispered, a smirk on his face. You giggled and he had the desire to hear all of your beautiful sounds. In time, he reminded himself.

“Enji, are you flirting with me?” You teased and he pulled you close in another kiss. His hands wandered across your soft skin and he could feel the hardened peaks of your nipples through the thin cotton of the shirt. He kissed down your jaw, and your fingers grasped at his hair, causing him to groan into your neck.

“You tease me so much, Y/N.” He growled out as you grinded on his lap. You could feel his cock stir through his joggers, and you felt yourself growing wetter on his lap. He pulled your shirt up to your waist, exposing your thin panties to him. He could feel your arousal through the fabric and ran his thumb down the dark spot over your cunt. You let out a soft whimper and his eyes blazed with hunger.

 Pulling your shirt above your tits, he took one in his mouth, sucking harshly. He grazed your nipple with his teeth, causing your back to arch. He switched sides, his tongue swirling around the sensitive bud. Your hips rocked against his bulge, more prominent now and he pulled away from your chest.

“I want you Enji.” Your voice was soft and seductive, and Enji felt your words go straight to his cock. Picking you up, he carried you to his room. The lights were dim and you didn’t have time to look around before he dropped you on the bed, pushing your legs apart and lapping at your cunt through your drenched panties.

“Already so excited, sweet girl. Taste so good for me.” Enji murmured into your pussy, pressing kisses and bites to your thighs. You whined, attempting to push down your panties and he laughed, a low chuckle that rumbled in his chest. 

“So eager, aren’t you?” 

You pouted at him. “It’s been too long and I’ve missed you so much.”

Enji was grateful for the dark room hiding the blush that spread across his face. He busied himself by dragging your panties down at an agonizingly slow pace, taking the time to admire your legs, his fingers skimming the skin causing shivers to go down your spine. Enji turned to take in the scene. Your body, draped across the sheets, mouth parted, eyes full of want staring up at him, silently begging for him. He had pictured this many times, many sleepless nights, but the reality was so much better.

“So beautiful.”  HIs voice was quiet, and his heart thumped wildly. He was nervous, even though he had already been with you once before. This time felt so raw, so much more real. He wanted to be with you in every way he could, in any way you would let him and he could tell you wanted the same.

As he pulled off his shirt, your hands slid into the waistband of his pants, grazing over the head of his throbbing cock. He groaned as your fingers slid over the sensitive head, smearing precum down the shaft. You pushed down the rest of his clothes and he kneeled between your legs. Both of you were quiet, and you could feel the excitement in the air of doing this, being with each other completely. It was vulnerable, it was scary, but he trusted you to be there when he fell. And in turn, you trusted him to be yours.

Pushing into you, your breath hitched. He felt your body clamp down on him, and he slowed, easing his way in. Your nails dug into the skin of his biceps and you gasped as he bottomed out in you.

Pressing his forehead to yours, he searched your eyes for discomfort. Instead you gazed at him with complete adoration, bright eyes completely infatuated.

“You’re perfect, Enji.” Your voice was quiet and breathy, but clear. In response he pressed a harsh kiss to your mouth, trying to explain every emotion he felt, words he couldn’t say just yet. As you kissed, he rocked into you, his thick cock dragging against your walls. Your soft moans were swallowed by his kisses, and the stinging marks left on his arms only drove him crazier. He fucked into you faster, feeling your tight cunt squeezing around him, wanting so badly to stay inside you forever.

Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and the room was filled with your sweet sounds, interspersed with his praises.

“Taking me so well. Such a good girl. Fuck, so beautiful.” Enji gasped out, his high imminent. Each thrust had you seeing stars and you felt like your body was floating. Moving his hands from the sheets, he slid over your clit, teasing your body. You clenched around him.

“Fuck, right there,don’t stop!” You gasped out, grasping at the bedsheets, your back arching off to meet his thrusts. Enji complied, his rhythm speeding up as he toyed with your clit and you cried out, your body squeezing his cock like a vice. You gushed around his cock, and he fucked into you faster, feeling his body heat up. With a groan he slammed into you, holding you down as he spilled into you. His hips stuttered as he filled you with every drop, and soon the room was filled with panting as both of you struggled to catch your breath.

Easing out of you, he grabbed a towel, cleaning you up before collapsing next to you. You were both quiet and you were reminded of the time before. Nervous, you turned to him and made eye contact.

“Are you staying this time?” Your voice was small and Enji saw your fingers threading the sheets, nervously.

“It’s my house.” He responded seriously. Caught off guard, you burst into laughter. He watched you amused. You looked gorgeous and he would never get used to the sound of your laughter filling the house that had been quiet for too long.

Catching your breath, you turned back to him.

“What I mean is...do you want to do this? Together?”

Enji looked at the bed that was no longer empty, felt the life and warmth that filled the house, exuding from you just being there and entwined his hand with yours.

“Yes.”

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Carla Dark [10]

[Prologue] [01] [02] [03] [04] [05] [06] [07] [08] [09] [10] [Epilogue]

ー The scene starts in the special classroom

Yui: ( It’s my first time out in quite some time...For some reason, it feels incredibly liberating... )

( I was only allowed outside for a bit and I can’t go to my old classroom...But still, I’m incredibly happy...! )

Carla: Heh...

Yui: ...Is something the matter? 

Carla: No. You just are so easy to read.

Yui: Uu. A-Am I?

Carla: I called you simple-minded.

Yui: I’m sorry...

Carla: Enjoy your time outside to your heart’s content. Although I suppose you are aware that you cannot run anywhere. 

Yui: Yes...

( I mean, when there’s who-knows-how-many Wolves surrounding the classroom, it sure takes away your will to run... )

Excuse me...Carla-san?

Carla: Yes?

Yui: Can I go to the library? 

Carla: ...

Yui: ( I guess that’s a no...I figured it was worth asking since he told me to enjoy my time to the fullest... )

Carla: ーー Why?

Yui: Eh!?

Carla: I am asking your reasoning. Answer me.

Yui: W-Why...? Wellーー

( What answer should I give...? )

Selection

→ I want to do something to cheer me up (♡)

Yui: Um...Well...Because I could use some emotional comfort.

Carla: ...

Yui: Y-You see...Even prisoners are often allowed to indulge in reading.

Carla: I see. 

Yui: Therefore...

Carla: Are you a prisoner?

Yui: Ugh...

( I do think my situation is similar but when he puts it like that... )

I’ve spent far too long doing nothing...It’s a struggle...

Carla: That doesn’t answer my question.

Yui: I’m sorry...

Carla: ...

Yui: ( ...I wonder why? He seems to be gazing off into the distance... )

→ Just to kill time

Yui: Just to kill time.

Carla: ...

Yui: ( ...He sighed...I guess he’s upset...? But I couldn’t think of a better response... )

Carla: Dull.

Yui: Eh?

Carla: I believe that your reasoning is dull.

Yui: ( He’s disappointed in me instead... )

Carla: Now that I think about it, the two of us first met at the library, did we not?

Yui: Now that you mention it, we did...

( Back then I had grabbed Macbeth from the shelf...hoping to use it for a school assignment. )

Carla: Did you read Macbeth afterwards? 

Yui: Ah, no...You see, I was going to use it for my homework...but it seemed a little difficult, so I changed my mind.

I do know the story.

Carla: I see.

Yui: ( Does he know the book as well? ...I’m a little surprised. )

( I figured he wouldn’t read human literature... )

Carla: Go if you please.

Yui: Eh? Are you sure?

Carla: I do not mind. You cannot escape either way.

Yui: Thank you very much...!

ー Yui leaves the room

Carla: Reading, huh...?

( After being banished to Banmaden, I used reading as a way to kill the sea of time given to me as well. )

( Although I had read books before that in an attempt to learn more about the human psyche as well... )

( After being imprisoned, I spent even more time indulging in literature. )

( ...It might have also been a way to seek emotional support...Although I never thought I would be robbed of my freedom... )

ー The scene shifts to the library

Yui: ( Even though the Wolves are keeping guard in front of the school, it feels so nice to be free...Although I am given time alone at the manor as well. )

( It still feels as if I was being mentally chained down... )

I’ll try and look for a book which I can really take my time with. 

( A thick book, huh...? One with a nice story would be... )

Let’s see... 

*Creaaak*

ー The screen fades to black

Yui: Eh...!?

( W-What’s happening...!? Someone suddenly restrained my arms behind my back...!? )

???: Quiet...!!

Yui: ( W-Who...!? )

ー The scene shifts to the underground storage room

Yui: ....What do you want!?

Mertz: My sincere apologies...It’s me, Mertz.

Yui: M-Mertz-san...!? Haah, you gave me a scare...

Mertz: I am so sorry. This was the only way I could have a calm conversation with you...

Aah. We should be fine here for a while. Only for a bit though. 

I have put up a magic barrier as a distraction. It should keep the Familiars out at least.

Yui: I see...! Anyway, did you make it out alright last time? Shin-kun really did some horrible things to you...

Mertz: Please do not worry. It was no big deal.

Yui: ( Really? He received quite the beating though... )

Mertz: You are so nice, worrying about me.

Yui: Oh no, I’m not...Ah, so what brings you here today?

Mertz: I thought that maybe you had some news.

Yui: I’m sorry...Nothing of importance...

Mertz: I see...

Yui: ( He seems disappointed...Of course he is...If only there was something I could tell him... )

Ah, right. Now that I think about it...This happened the other day but Carla-san suddenly collapsed...

Mertz: Collapsed?

Yui: Yes. In the bathroom, out of nowhere...He also has various bruises across his body...

Carla-san told me not to tell anyone. I believe he doesn’t want others to know...

Mertz: Bruises...? Do you believe Shin-sama might also be unaware?

Yui: I can’t say for sure. But when I entered the room to help him, he immediately latched out at me...

Mertz: Anything else?

Yui: Not really...

Mertz: ...I see. I gained some valuable information. Thank you very much.

Yui: Oh no.

Mertz: I will take my leave before the Familiars catch oーー

Yui: Ah, excuse me...!

Mertz: ...Yes?

Yui: Well...Are the guys...doing well...? 

Mertz: Eh? 

Yui: Ah...I wonder if it’s strange for me to be worried about them? 

( It must be...Of course. I mean, when I stayed with them, I was basically a captive as well... )

( I’m sure none of them are actually worried about me, but I still can’t help but be curious... )

Mertz: It is...not weird. It is very normal for humans to form a bond with those they share a living space with.

Even if you are human, it is only natural for you to be curious about their fate.

Yui: Is it...?

Mertz: Why of course. 

Yui: ( Mertz-san is such a nice guy... )

Mertz: About them. While I am not up to date with the latest news. 

They are currently staying at Karlheinz-sama’s castle. I also heard that they are terribly worried about you...

Yui: Eh? Worried...!? 

Mertz: Yes. That being said, they struggle to be honest with themselves, so they haven’t actually admitted to it up front...

Ayato-sama has been extremely bad-tempered without you around, which has led him to take out his frustration on the Familiars.

Laito-sama...appears to be rather lonely. He has been making advances at the maids even more than usual...

I have actually spotted Shuu-sama wandering around the castle a few times, which is highly unusual. I can only assume he is looking for you. 

Aah. Mukami Ruki as well...I heard that he plans to come back here as soon as he sees an opportunity...

However, it appears that both households are currently being limited in when and how often they can leave the castle. 

The Eclipse is still ongoing at the Demon World after all...

Vampires become unstable as a result...So they are being cautious to avoid running into trouble.

Yui: ...That sounds very much like them. But you know. I am surprised to hear they are worried about me...

( I wonder if it’s because of the Eclipse? But either way, I’m happy... )

Mertz: Well then, I will get going now. 

Yui: ...Thank you very much. Take care!

Mertz: ーー Yui-san.

Yui: Ah, yes?

Mertz: Do not lose hope, okay? Well then. 

ー Mertz leaves

Yui: Hope...huh?

( He’s absolutely right... )

*SCENE SHIFT*

Mertz: ーー Good grief. That was so easy. To think she’d actually believe such blatant lies...

It is so easy for me to come up with a story about them. Even if I haven’t actually seen any of it...

Hmph...That being said, where did Carla’s bruises come from...? It seems worth looking into this...

Monologue

I was able to meet up with Mertz-san at the library.

I was relieved to find out his injuries weren’t too severe. 

And above all, I was happy to find out,

that the others over in the Demon World (魔界のみんな) are worried about me. 

Because Carla-san told me,

that Demons are only making humans believe that the two of them can understand each other,

in an attempt to control them.

While I believed that for a second, and nearly lost all hope,

I’ve been able to overcome said despair thanks to Mertz-san.

If everyone is waiting for me, I should not lose hope (希望).

Besides, I do think it’s possible for us to emotionally connect.

Once again reminded of that, my mind felt stronger than ever.

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[ghostking1]

I don’t really know what you’re into but I asked some of my other percico shipper friends and we made a list of some of our favs :)

•|| Five Times Percy Broke His Phone and The One Time It Wasn't His Fault ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29524128

• Percy/Nico

• Rated G

• one-shot

• Words: 5,726

Summary:

As punishment for blowing up the Legions armory Leo is sentenced to work in phone repair for the camps. Normally this wouldn't be too bad, phones these days are pretty bulletproof. Unfortunately, he hasn't thought of the extraordinary circumstances Poseidon’s favored son tends to regularly find himself in. This is one battle the Son of Hephaestus is determined to win. Olympus helped him.

•|| Breaking the Ice ||•

https://www.deviantart.com/leukanthes/art/Breaking-the-Ice-Slash-287857101

• Percy/Nico

• no rating, but I guess G bordering T (?)

• one-shot

• Words: 2,574

[No Summary]

•|| Could Never Imagine ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10703658/1/Could-Never-Imagine

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• 46 chapters

• Words: 103k+

Summary: The war is over Annabeth chose to leave camp to allow her soul to heal, leaving a distraught Percy behind. Soon enough though the girls at camp are coming-on to the twice savior of Olympus. Percy however has no intention of finding a new girlfriend. So how will he get them to leave him be? It's a good thing Nico is around.

•|| Family Dinner ||•

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5439187/1/Family-Dinner

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one-shot/1 chapter

• Words: 6k+

Summary: The fancy invite card read: Welcome to our new home! Please join Percy Jackson and Nico di Angelo's housewarming dinner. Please do not feel the need to bring anything. Dinner begins at 6:00pm. The address is 38501 Sunshine Lane, Long Island.

•|| Can I Clear My Conscience? ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1250188

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one shot/1 chapter

• Words: 12,222

Summary:

Death Touch: Nico’s powers have gone out of control and he’s killing living beings with a single touch. The only one who can save him is Percy.

•|| Revival ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19287157/chapters/45872164

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: Explicit

• 4 chapters (complete)

• Words: 28,903

Summary:

After the events of The Titan's Curse Nico finds himself struggling to live on the streets. Exhausted, he recklessly uses his powers to take him somewhere safe. He ends up in an unfamiliar cabin and too weak to do anything else he decides to spend the night.

Percy still feels guilty about Bianca's death. He searched and searched for Nico but was unable to find him. Something is sending him visions of the boy though as if to tell him to go find him. At last Nico ends up in a familiar looking place and Percy seeks him out. What follows is something neither of them expected.

•|| on top of the world ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184790

• Nico/Percy

• Rating: T

• one-shot/1 chapter

• Words: 16,175

Summary:

In which Gaea wins and Percy breaks another promise to Nico, and surprisingly, Nico doesn't mind.

•|| The world will never take my heart ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1712186/chapters/3646085#workskin

Summary:

where Percy and Annabeth break up, and Percy convinces Nico to move in with him and attend Goode

•|| Sensory Love ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12454985/1/Hitome-Chan-s-Sensory-Love

•Rating: M

•words: 237+

Summary:

Mortal AU where Percy and Nico are best friends, but Nico’s feelings run deeper than that.

•|| Coding and Codeine ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12457018/1/Hitome-Chan-s-Coding-And-Codeine

Summary:

post apocalypse mortal AU where Nico meets Percy in a near dead world, and the two travel the US and fall in love

•|| Seasons Change ||•

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/7838989/1/

Summary:

Mortal AU where in Nico and Percy were friends since they were little, but they had a falling out. Nico never recovered from Percy's rejection and neither did Percy. Through a twist of fate, they get a second chance

•|| The love we miss ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087406

Summary:

Canon divergent fic where Annabeth is killed during the days following the second war

•|| World Traverls ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1649647

Summary:

a series of amazing fics by awanderingmuse which follow an older Percy and Nico

•|| Kiss a boy in Tokyo town ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/337259

Summary:

Japan becomes the new location for camp half blood after the fall of the United States.Nico comes to visit percy in Japan

while annabeth is still in the US and things transpire

•|| Tribulations ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2061345

Summary:

Percy and Nico are caught in an argument between two goddesses and are put to the test. They must prove the strength of their bond to survive or lose their freedom forever.

•ll When the river meets the sea ll•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1171134

Summary:

Nico di Angelo should be his best friend. He looks over, meeting Nico’s eyes; Nico, who looks patient and a little embarrassed for some reason, and he thinks, why isn’t he?

Or: Wherein Nico has an incurable case of being a martyr, Percy grows to hate The Muppets, and Poseidon surprises the both of them with a bouncing baby demigod.

•|| Fire escapes and friendships ||•

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17810015/chapters/42019895

Summary:

“So it’s safe to assume you’re the reason she’s stalking around like she’s just sucked a bag of lemons.”

“She called me today.”

“And?”

“She just wanted to chew my ear off. You know, for ruining all her hard work and design for your cabin. And then for suggesting to Chiron that she shouldn’t be allowed to help with the refurbishment.”

Or where Percy and Nico burn the injustice that is the Hades cabin and Percy takes the blame.

Christmas parties, confessions and cozy death traps

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748753/chapters/67921453

Summary:

Ah, Christmas! That magical time of year where goodwill permeates the air, gifts are exchanged, and demigods question if they'll be smote down for singing the less secular Christmas carols! But as Nico will soon find out there are far more nefarious threats than carols this joyous time of year, a threat, in the form of an ugly Christmas sweater.

||• percico authors to support ||•

Likegallows

https://archiveofourown.org/users/likegallows/pseuds/likegallows

Bobinthecomments

https://archiveofourown.org/users/BobInTheComments/pseuds/BobInTheComments

Awanderingmuse

https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse

Midnightinjapan

https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightinJapan

anitstar_e(Kailamahine)

https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaikamahine/pseuds/antistar_e

Let me know if you need more~ :)

First of all, thank you so much for these pics. All of these were disgustingly good, like extremely disgustingly good, and I enjoyed them all immensely. But, I figured you'd want to hear my thoughts on them, and because I wanted to share my thoughts on them, so here they are :D

•|| Five Times Percy Broke His Phone and The One Time It Wasn't His Fault ||• -Amazing, a 10/10, one of my favorites, short enough that my attention span never got me distracted, great writing

•|| Breaking the Ice ||• -Another great one, this one blew me away

•|| Could Never Imagine ||• -I loved this one because it showed all of Nico's insecurities

•|| Family Dinner ||• -sooooo cute

•|| Can I Clear My Conscience? ||• -this one was kind of sad but a great healing fic

•|| Revival ||• -showed the Nico living on the streets that we never saw, very well done

•|| on top of the world ||• -dangerous situation where all hope is lost and they can only lean on one another? sign me up

•|| The world will never take my heart ||• -this was a fun fic to read

•|| Sensory Love ||• -this was pretty good, but it had cheating themes which made it hard for me to absolutely adore

•|| Coding and Codeine ||• -loved this au

•|| Seasons Change ||• -this one was a little harder to swallow, it had mature themes in it and there was cheating involved, and I always have a harder time with that

•|| The love we miss ||• -*chef's kiss*

•|| World Traverls ||• -so cute, i love this au, it’s like that could actually happen in the canon book series

•|| Kiss a boy in Tokyo town ||• -percy jackson + japan? yes please

•|| Tribulations ||• -love, love, love, love, loved it

•ll When the river meets the sea ll• -a work of art

•|| Fire escapes and friendships ||• -I really like the change in pov, this fic was really well done

•|| Christmas parties, confessions and cozy death traps ||• -loved embarrassed Nico and the creepy ending

And all the authors you recommended are great! :D

Thank you so much for all your recommendations, they were really fun to read!

[danger-noodle-uwu]

𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕

Trigger warning: Brief Mentions of death/war/violence/trauma/depression/past relationships/anxiety/etc...

Genre: angst to fluff, slight adventure.

Synopsis: 'orphic' a word used to describe something mysterious and entrancing that it beyond understanding, is how an forgotten archon like yourself would be. Yet, when the death goddess threatens to wreak havoc upon the land, then even the mighty morax seeks your help but will fate and prophecy overpower death?

𝙰/𝚗 : ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ 500 ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ғᴀɴᴅᴏᴍs. Sᴏ, ɪᴍ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ! Eɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ ᴘᴀɪɴғᴜʟ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ. Hᴏᴘᴇғᴜʟʟʏ, ʏᴀʟʟ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ!!

Rustling leaves and the faintly blowing wind—your two and only friends that brought safety to your unconscious form laid in a glass coffin like sleeping beauty. The sound of the breeze echoed in the abandoned domain as the world continued to live on without any worry or memory of the old archon. Another unknown God who will go down in history without an identity.

Perhaps, time really was flowing fast as the beautiful shore of liyue now, homes many people with the name of 'liyue harbor' and the dearly morax of yours had stepped down or how the anemo archon had blessed his city with freedom.

"How do we awaken her, my lord?" Whispers the yaksha unsure of whether what should be done next while the dark blue-haired bard tightens his grip on the lyre, in hopes of disturbing your slumber with a tender melody. A slumber originally intended to last an eternity was to be over, finally to free you from the domain of treachery.

Experienced fingers dance over the strings of his lyre playing tune more sweeter than honey. If it weren't for the current situation, this melody would resonate joy and peace instead of only drowning the atmosphere in dread, which creeps into their heart and mind.

Goosebumps adorn the soft and smooth skin of the three standing before you as the memory flashing before their eyes again. And perhaps, even the mighty morax was scared. Scared of the anger and wrath the death goddess possess which will soon be rained upon all of teyvat.

The swift wind blows softly over Vanessa's tree as the raven-haired woman growls at the people who stand in front of her. The calm breeze and sweet scent it bring could almost mask of what was truly happening between the four. Almost.

"You! How dare you, Morax!" Yelled Deidre upon the sight of the very Archon she dispised, along with this newbie who claimed the title of Barbatos and of course, the conquerer of demons by his side like two feral guard dogs trying to protect their owner with all their might.

Her wrath was polluting the atmosphere, thickening the air as if the sky crashed down on them and suddenly, the oxygen in the air isn't enough, suffocating them and compromising their ability to breathe as the yaksha swallows the lump in his throat.

"2,785 years ago, you and your disgraceful friends had me locked in slumber, like an animal. You–" with dark energy only growing like spilled ink staining a painting slowly destroying the scenery and casting a dark stain that only grows.

"How could you fall so low?! I put my faith in you yet this is the outcome of the trust! You foul-disgusting excuse of an Archon! What makes you believe that you're greater than death herself!!" The Archon rages on,

"B-barbatos, you too knew! And still continued to assist and bury those secrets for him! Now, b-because of your crimes, you will watch your civilizations drown in their own blood! This wretched land will be nothing but barren as death will remain the only being standing! Your peopl—"

"Enough is enough!" Interupts zhongli through gritted teeth, having just about enough of the other God degrading him, his friends and his people. "I understand your suffe—" "You don't!"

The tension thickens in the air, suffocating each one of them as xiao finds his heart trying to escape the confines if his chest while barbatos's jaw tightens even more and panic crawls it's way into their bodies. For the power of death should never underestimated and neither should the words that she fumes out.

The smooth melody continues to bounce off one wall to another as the reality sets down like the sun dawning upon the land. There is no-one who can escape the clutches of death especially humans who don't have a vision to defend themselves. But only one who is capable of eliminating the threat of Deidre, who could never be in fear of death and even dare be stronger than it, is fate.

Destiny, fate or whatever you may call them, can calm an Archon's wrath before the goddess of death charts her course to drain teyvat of life. Which is what brought them here at your mercy and awakening you, the God(dess) of fate and prophecy and dear friend of Deidre. Welcoming you back into the world but as the savior and not the antagonist it once viewed you as.

'Someone is calling me. Someone needs me.'

An unsettling feeling washed upon your semi-conscious figure before your eyes snapped open to an blinding light and the sight of morax, conquerer of demons and a new face, 'barbatos' whispered your intuition who continued to play the soft melody, not daring to shatter the dreadful atmosphere.

"H-how l-long..?" You choke-out unsure of how much time had passed since you've laid in this confinement. "2,785 years..." Whispers the yaksha while offering a hand which you take reluctantly but with a smile due to politeness.

Despite, the growing tension and unease, the melody soothed your heart from twisting and aching as zhongli informs your sleepy form of all that had happened in windrise and that she— "threatens to slaughter the public for our—no, my decisions and we need your assistance to avoid that from taking place..." He confesses, not daring to meet your eyes.

"And why do expect me to help when you and your disgraceful companions locked me in an eternal sleep..?" You ask quietly as the smooth melody of the lyre slowly dies down and silence falls upon the domain but the geo Archon smiles at your words being almost the same as the other.

"...b-because you're our o-only hope..." finally whispers barbatos, head hanging down in shame and humiliation as tears sting his eyes for not being capable of protecting his city or friends.

"Y-you are the onl—" he yells but is interrupted by loud and echoing footsteps and panting in the dead-silent domain that seemed to rush in your direction and through the door burst in. Who could possibly find a domain so old or get past its defense mechanism?

A man. A man who is tall and muscular with messy dark blue hair and chocolate-tinted skin. He has cryo vision hanging from his waist.

'Kaeya Alberich' murmers your intuition.

"M-master Jean!! She—!!" He screams as the colour slowly drains from your face.

Master jean was......

What happened to master jean? And why was kaeya in such a rush? Who knows...

Find out in part 2. (In progress)

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