#ugh but at the same time. she asked for space from me. what else was i supposed to assume than that she didn't want me around?

[ame-to-ame]

oh. hm.

[byproducts-of-my-imagination]

Everyone Hates Todo Except You

The best part about Todo is that you don’t have to put yandere in front of him because his normal behavior already screams delusional and obsessive.   You cannot convince me that he doesn’t sniff all your things as soon as you’re not looking.  He’s just so intense.  I love this man, need to catch up on jjk.

~1k words. Thank you to whoever requested this and I hope you enjoy!

At the Kyoto branch, nobody really bothers sticking their nose in Todo’s business.  But when there’s an enormous mound of trash bags outside his room that just keeps getting bigger, concerning glances and eyebrow raises no longer cut it.  Normally his antics earn a side eye or two, but lately it’s been a little much, even for him.  At the breakfast table the next day, the girls decide to draw straws to see who has to tell him to move his shit.

“It’s not fair!  Why do I have to do it?”  Miwa groans, cursing her bad luck for the thousandth time.  

“It is fair, you just happened to draw the short straw now go deal with it!  We'll back you up.”  Mai grins, knowing full well she rigged it.

Kasumi Miwa would rather be doing literally anything else at this moment.  She timidly knocks on the door, and says, “Todo?  Could you move all this stuff please?  You’re starting to block the hallway.”

“Yeah I’ll get to it whenever I get the rest of this junk cleaned up.  Don’t worry there’s no food waste so there shouldn’t be any smell.”

“B-but Todo…. It's been almost a week now…”  The only response was the muted sound of shuffling.

Miwa looks back in defeat at her so-called “back up” as they peek from behind the corner.  Their best bet now is to get one of the boys to convince him.  And if they fail it’s straight to Utahime-sensei.  

Todo looks at his room, emptier than it’s ever been.  He knew this was the likeliest outcome.  Takada-chan was a beloved idol, and even if she liked him back (which he thought she might have at some point) there was no way she could be with him.  He knew, but it doesn't mean it hurt any less.  There were years of carefully collected merch, thousands of dollars being stuffed into trash bags to be thrown away.  But instead of the despair he carefully denied for years, he didn’t feel any loss throwing away all the autographed posters and pictures.  No, he had something much better now, someone who could actually be with him in this wretched, boring world.  He had his wonderful, gorgeous, beautiful, perfect in every way girlfriend.  And while you weren’t aware that you were destined to be with him yet, he would make sure you’d know soon.  As soon as he finished purging his space of Takada-chan (it wouldn’t do to have pictures of an old flame) he’d confess.  

A few days later he was tying up the last trash bag, ready to enact his plan.  He asked you to meet him under the largest tree in the forest on the edge of the training field.  Several hypothetical scenarios floated through his mind, and he focused on the one where you’d enthusiastically said you loved him back and then he married you and had many children.  As he neared the confession site, Todo felt yet another arrow go through his heart as you came into view.  I’ll never get tired of seeing her.

“Todo, is everything okay?  What’s up?”  A shiver ran down Todo’s spine, goosebumps rising.  God, even your voice was perfect.

“I love you.  Promise me, y/n.  That we’ll spend the rest of our lives together.”  He got down on one knee like a proposal, looking up at you like a devout follower.

“Todo… I don’t know about the rest of our lives but why don’t we start with a date?  I like you too.”  While you were a bit taken aback by his forwardness, you brush it off as Todo being Todo.  You never disliked his honesty and unabashedness.

“My girlfriend!! I knew you felt the same!”  A single tear ran down Todo’s face.   

Back to the dorms, it wasn’t long before everyone found out and congregated at your room to badger you with questions.  

“Ugh that gorilla?  You guys are dating now?”  Nishimiya asked, firmly believing Todo to be an improper and inadequate boyfriend.  

“I thought he only had eyes for that idol Takado or whatever,” Miwa chimes.

“It’s Takada,” Mai corrects, not able to make eye contact with Nishimiya’s suspicious glance in her direction. 

“We’re dating now!  He just asked me out, and he’s really good to me.” you reply, thinking of how Todo insisted on carrying you back to the dorms, gently setting you down before running off saying he needed to ‘prepare’.  

“You can do way better than Todo, trust us.” The girls all nod in agreement.  However, Todo is outside your room balancing a tray of perfectly cooked lunch and a cold pitcher of water.  

“What are you guys talking about?”  he knows already, but wants to hear them say it to his face.  

“How y/n is too good for the likes of you.”  Mai minces no words for Todo.  With the uncomfortable tension rising, the Kyoto girls hastily make an exit.  

“My love, I made lunch for us.  I know I am not handsome, or come from wealth and a good sorcerer family like some of our classmates.  But I will be devoted.  I will never stray from you, I’d die if you asked me to.”  he says, as he sets the meal on your small desk, pulling out utensils and napkins.  His normal confidence seems to waver a bit, and it seems that not even Todo is immune to worrying about what other people think of him.  

“Todo, don’t worry about what they say and please don’t say you’ll die for me.  I like you a lot, I wouldn’t have accepted your confession if I didn’t.  I also think you’re quite handsome.”  

“You love me back?”  he whispers, kneeling at the edge of your bed, looking up at you.  While it’s a bit too early to tell, Todo’s hopeful, reverent look has you obliging him. 

“I do love you back.”  He embraces you, and you can hear his heartbeat in his bare chest.  It feels good to be loved so wholeheartedly, and you’ll give him all the love you have to repay him.  

[livesworthlivingau]

Lives Worth Living Chapter 13

ISAT Spoilers below!

(The soothing sound of Mirabelle's dramatic reading of one of her books fills your ears. You lie with your head on her lap, eye closed, smiling softly and enjoying the company and sounds. Mirabelle's voice slowly drifts off as she finishes a chapter. You perk up some, opening up your eye to check on her. You're met with a conflicted look plastered across her face.)

"Mira?..."

"Are… Are you sure you're okay Siffrin?…"

"I mean… As much as I can be I guess… You can only be so 'okay' about losing 30 years of your life, right?…"

"… Were… Were you happy? I-I mean I know I said I didn't want spoilers or anything a-and you don't have to tell me anything specific if you don't want because that might mess with the future or the time space whatever it's ca-"

"Mira!" (She jumps a bit as you snap her out of her little freak out spiral. You take her hand in yours, intertwining your fingers before wrapping your other around it as well.)

"I had… One of the best lives anyone could ask for, thanks to all of you… Yeah it's sad that it's kinda gone now but… It's also kinda nice?… To get to experience it all over again, y'know?"

"Siffrin… I can tell something else is bothering you, and I'm honestly more scared about what you're NOT telling us, I mean, how is that not already the big secret?!"

"… Mira, I-I…"

"You promised me Siffrin… It might have been over 30 years ago for you, but it's only been a couple weeks for me. You promised we'd be feelings buddies and we'd talk about this stuff!"

"I know!… I know I promised… But…" (You let out a heavy sigh, letting go of her hand before running yours through your hair, gripping it a bit.)

"It's… It's not just about me this time… It's Loop."

"Loop? What do you mean? D-Did something happen to them?"

"… I-I… Ugh…" (You let out an annoyed groan, sitting up and hugging yourself close.)

"It's… It's not my place to talk about it Mira… As much as I want to, as much as I desperately want to talk and get help about it… It's their secret too, and I can't… I can't make that choice for them."

"… Okay Siffrin… If it's out of respect for keeping their secret, I guess I'll drop it… But if this continues to be an issue I'm going to have to insist about it, okay?"

"… Thanks, Mira… I promise I'll talk about it as soon as I can." (You swear, laying your head onto her shoulder. She follows suit and lays hers against you.)

"Thank you Siffrin, and I'm glad you've told us what you have so far… I'm just worried about you…"

"I know Mira, but I promise, I'm… Well I'm just about as okay as I can be right now, all things considered." (You admit with a slightly nervous chuckle. She responds in kind.)

"I guess that's the best I could ask for at this point... Did you wanna listen to another chapter?"

"Sure! We still gotta get to the part abou-"

"SPOILERS!!!"

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

(You smile softly with your eye closed, sitting on the floor with Mira on the couch above you. Your hair fiddled between her fingers as she was braiding it in places.)

"I've always wanted to do this~!" (Mira practically squeaked out with excitement, so excited to actually get to style your hair for once.)

"Heh, yeah I guess we never used to do this, huh?"

"DO WE DO THIS A LOT IN THE FU-NO WAIT NO SPOILERS!!" (She interrupts her own excited shouting with frantic shouting, making you wince some but chuckle none the less.)

"... So how are you doing Mirabelle?... I know everyone's been worried about me and all but... You all had a lot going on too! I... I feel bad taking up all this emotional space..." (You feel her hands pause for a moment from working through your hair.)

"... I... I guess I haven't really thought about it a lot... that festival was really nice but... It just hasn't actually hit me that it's really over! I keep waiting for it to sink in, for this feeling of accomplishment, for the stress of it all to go away! But it still hasn't! I-I still feel the same as I did, just a little more relieved. I know the King's curse is gone, I know we saved everyone, I know we're 'the saviors'..."

"... But it doesn't feel like you earned it?"

"E-Exactly! I-I... Oh, you said something like that the other day, didn't you?"

"Y-Yeah but... I feel like I screwed everything up at the end there, you all were the ones who actually defeated the king!" (You feel her hands start moving again, going back to braiding your hair.)

"Okay, feelings buddies compromise time! If either of us start to feel like we didn't save the country or deserve the praise, the other has to assure them that they're wrong, deal?"

"... Okay, Deal~."

[turtlecleric]

I'm in Hell

SPOILERS FOR SYMPHONY CHAPTER 22 - THIS POST IS LONG YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

I'm so Unwell. I have never had any misunderstandings like the thing with Donnie, but I have been betrayed by someone who was my best friend for years, so this chapter... it's hitting me really, really hard.

---

When Leo first met Vi, he was studying her a lot. Remember the near-physical weight his scrutiny had felt like? You feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. ... like a pinned rabbit ... you see an obsidian edge beneath his smile that feels a little sharp as you lean into it.

And then later in her apartment:

[Leo talking] “…You know what really got me interested in talking to you?”

“What?” you ask, tilting your head. 

“Donnie came back from talking with April and he was talking about you."

This is literally Vi and Leo's first time meeting - I don't think Leo started to really hate her until after she started coming to the Lair and he saw how Donnie reacted to her presence, but he mentions that Donnie talked about her already. It's framed within Vi's mind as him being careful with his family. He's the leader, he's careful around new people, he wants to make sure she isn't a threat, etc. But even though this is before the touch thing started, there could've been the seed of hatred already there depending on how Donnie spoke about Vi to Leo.

---

He [Leo] peers at you like he can read your life story where it’s written on your soul. ... “…You don’t have a lot of friends, do you?” he asks, his voice soft and yet cutting you all the same.

and this:

[Vi talking] “I had a lot of fun tonight. I’d… like to have more nights like this one. To. To have a family. If I can.” “You can,” he [Leo] says

He knew from the first fucking time he met her that she was lonely. That she wanted friends, wanted a family, wanted to belong. He knew that better than anyone else in the family, not only because of her saying this to him but also because of how well he reads people and how much time he spent with her. He's the only one who has seen her in her apartment, too, caught her in those few vulnerable moments in her home. I'm so fucking angry.

There are so many times in the fic that... I can't even articulate... here's some quotes early on -> "you hate how much you like this guy [Leo]" and "you smile when you see [the text notification is from] Leo" and when Vi is sick in the store she says "I miss Leo" and on and on. And that whole fucking time! He was!! UGH!!!

---

When Vi agrees to make Leo some bread so that maybe he can get some of Donnie's apology cookies he texts her "ttyl i gotta go rub this in donnie’s face" and yeah that's him being a little shit as always, but it's ALSO proof of him using EVEN THEIR PRIVATE TEXT CONVERSATIONS as ammunition rile up Donnie.

---

Hey look! Bits that hit different/hint at more going on/might be Leo's mask slipping!

“How long do we hafta wait before she ain’t a guest anymore?” Raph asks, causing you to snort a laugh. 

“That’s up to Donnie,” Leo says, voice heavy with an undercurrent of meaning you’re not picking up on, causing you to look at him with a raised eyebrow. He smirks, reaching over to poke your cheek with his finger. “Y’know. He’s the one who met you first, and all that.” 

…Something tells you it’s more than that, but he’s good enough at hiding it that you don’t feel comfortable calling him on it in front of the others.

...

you have no idea how you fit in [to the family], and Leo had all but told you that the space is here, ready and emblazoned with your name on it. You don’t quite see it yet, even if he apparently does.

...

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s complicated,” Leo says easily, and it’s only just, but you pick out the thread of iron bars in his tone, ready to come crashing down if you push even a little too hard. So, you don’t.

“Okay,” you say easily, causing him to get that piercing look he gets sometimes, the one when he feels more like a ninja than a funny turtle man who tries to see how many cookies he can shove into his mouth at once and sends you pizza rat memes at four in the morning. “…Dude, we’ve been friends for like, a week. It’s cool that you aren’t ready to spill your guts yet, you know that, right?” 

His eyes go sharp, but then he hums and smiles. You feel like you did the night you first met him, like there’s a test here and it’s in a language you don’t understand. It’s a bit uncomfortable, prompting you to grab your own drink and swallow a healthy bit of it just to have something to do.

...

[Vi talking] “…He [Donnie] seems lonely.”

Leo hums under his breath, cutting a portal that feels a little like home. “Well, lucky he has you, then.”

...

“Uh, I met her first,” Donnie says, scowling, while Leo just gives him a smug look. 

...

You do, however, lean in while the others are occupied, whispering to Donnie, “So, ten dollars, which one of them tops?” and laughing when he chokes. You catch Leo’s eyes and give him a devious grin, spying him look to Donnie with a curiously blank look before shifting to a catty smile of his own when he looks back to you

...

“One portal home for a lovely lady,” Leo says as he steps through, his face going a little flat when he looks over your shoulder to Donnie behind you.

...

Leo is… astonishingly quiet for a moment, his face blank of anything for you to read as he stares at the piece hard. Then he looks up at you, and you see an unusually capable person that doesn’t feel like your best friend, even as much as it feels like the real Leonardo, here for the first time for you to see.

...

[Vi talking] “I don’t… I don’t like keeping secrets. Or lying. Not from people I care about.” 

The weight of Leo’s eyes is almost physical. It makes you remember that he’s asked you to keep secrets, and your eyes snap to his, wondering if that’s the reason why he’s gone still like this. “I—I haven’t told anyone. About the ninja thing, or the Krang thing. I’d never—”

“I know,” Leo interrupts, threading his hand through your hair so he can cup your nape and press your forehead to his own. “I trust you.” You release a sigh of relief, nodding. “I’m just… thinking it might be time for us to repay that back.” 

You blink, gaze darting between his eyes. “I don’t… what do you mean?”

“We’re a pretty close-knit family. There’s a lot of… baggage. A lot of history. A lot of stuff we haven’t told you. And it’s… it’s starting to feel a little disrespectful,” he says, looking a bit displeased. “You’re one of us. It’s only fair.”

---

We all know about the constant comments Leo makes about being Vi's "favorite turtle" and "best friend" in front of the others/in the group chat. He talks in Chapter 22 about purposefully draping himself across her and pulling her close, hugging her, scenting her, touching her in front of Donnie to piss Donnie off. But there's all these other little things that seemed so innocent at the time and now I'm losing my mind wondering about each of them, wondering - is that something he did with malicious intent? How many nice things were ONLY done to piss off Donnie? There are so many times that he compliments her - for example:

“What? I can’t compliment my bestie and her fine legs?” Leo coos, reaching over and flicking your nose gently.

“Leonardo,” Donnie warns, folding his arms.

And I remember, during my second read through after I finished Chapter 20, being so happy and grateful that Leo was pretty consistently giving her compliments, because she deserves to be complimented and taken care of and loved, because she deserves good friends who hype her up, and this WHOLE TIME-

(Side note - that time that Leo complains she smells like Donnie's lab, he shoves her away and she falls to the floor. First read, it's just Leo being playful. Second read, I wonder... is that a little bit of his frustration getting out of him in a physical way? He shoved her to the fucking floor, and then, once Donnie shows up, Leo pats the cushion next to him for Vi to sit by him. Then he wraps his arm around her and pulls her in close to smell her. But that's only after Donnie shows up.)

When Mikey takes Vi's So-Shell profile picture -> “Wha—?” you start, only to feel Leo leaning in to smoosh his cheek against yours, the distinct feeling of bunny ears brushing the back of your skull. Once again, this is in front of Donnie. Plus it's for her profile picture, so that means every time Donnie sees her So-Shell profile he'll see Leo in the picture, too. Leo was also famously the first like on her first So-Shell post and gets her to always leave nice comments/emojis on his thirst traps.

When she comes to the Lair to practice with her viola, Leo offers up HIS room first, and only once she declines does he -> “Ugh, fine, you are so boring,” he says, and removing his arm, he shoves at your shoulders hard and pushes you through the portal. (Pushing her onto the floor, pushing her through the portal... he's kind of rough with her in the beginning, and I figured it was just because he's haha silly funny turtle man, physical comedy, joking around whatever but... again I wonder. Is he letting himself be a little rough as a way to express his true feelings?)

God, all these little things that... might have an ulterior motive and might not.

It's around the time Vi gets bruised up by that guy at the coffee shop that Leo seems to start actually acting like a real friend, in my opinion. “…You don’t even get how incredible you are, do you?” he asks, causing you to roll your eyes. “You seriously don’t see it.” 

The very next chapter he gets a glimpse of her being anxious over not being able to play, while she notices that he looks tired, invites him to listen to music and lets him sleep on her back, and in that chapter it says: you sit, quiet, letting him use you. My second read through, this line hit me hard because I KEPT noticing that she really does nothing but GIVE and I feel like she's constantly doing things to be useful to others. And now, as I'm skimming through a third time, it turns out that... yeah. Yeah. He was fucking using her. In Chapter 22, Leo says "then you reach out and touch me in a way no one has. You’ve helped me, even though I was just using you" and I'm thinking this is the moment that that really started. When she first let him sleep on her. And that's also the first time he churrs with her. After that, he gets her really nice sushi, and she thinks he's guilty for drooling all over for her, but I think maybe he was guilty because he's starting to realize how nice she is and how shitty it is that he's using her like that, even though he does continue those manipulative behaviors.

---

He sighs, his face going openly affectionate. “…You’re so…” 

What he thinks you are, you don’t know, as he chooses instead to pull you into a hug. You go easily, seeking the comfort of his embrace, hoping he can feel in your arms that you truly do mean what you said. 

“You know, instead of sorry, you should say—” Leo says, though as his face gets close to your throat, his mouth snaps shut and he goes still in a manner that reminds you a little of Donnie. 

“…Leo?” you ask, going to pull back from the hug to look into his face only to feel his hands go tight on your back, holding you close while he dips his beak to your skin and inhales. When he does pull back, he’s got a look of shock on his face that he quickly schools into something more neutral, but barely. 

This is where he smells Donnie on you for the first time, and the guilt he was starting to feel, the actual genuine affection he was developing for her, may have then been interrupted/overshadowed by his anger.

Vi was right to say she isn't gonna go back and examine every detail, because it's so fucking MUDDY! There are glimpses of true softness from him sprinkled throughout with him ALSO still hanging over her and doing shit that pisses Donnie off on purpose. And then of course the scene with Leo in the kitchen when he scares her, where we get the first big glimpse into his true anger about the whole situation, where we see him being sharp and cutting and dismissive and- I'm not going to paste in that whole scene, but he's so, so, SO angry. When she has that visceral, terrified reaction, he feels so bad (I do think he was genuinely, truly horrified that he scared her), but then he finds out that Vi and Donnie are (as far as Vi is aware) dating, followed by her telling him that Donnie misses touching his brothers, misses hugs, followed by Leo deciding to tell Vi about all the family secrets... so he's wrestling with this rage and jealousy, but he's also starting to really accept her as family (I think, since he shared the info about the Krang, about Lou Jitsu, about Casey, since he asked for her help)...

It kills me that, after that, he saw her trying so hard to help, like when she went to the library and got books on PTSD and fell asleep taking notes and she wakes up with a blanket covering her and a little blue heart on a note - he saw her doing that, on top of everything else she CONSTANTLY does for other people, for his family, and HE STILL, EVEN AFTER THAT, DOES SHIT THAT'S MANIPULATIVE. THE 4TH OF JULY PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE. “What she said,” Leo purrs, his fingers fluttering on your stomach as his eyes cut off to the side. He has a sharp look to his features that you’re a bit too drunk to dissect, so you just ignore it. He HAS to be looking at Donnie, here.

(Side note - we still don't know what Leo was doing when Vi was in the shower getting ready for the party... if anything. Maybe he really was eating cookies.)

It's at the end of the party that he smells sex on Vi, I think, for the first time. And the following chapter is when he starts avoiding Vi, and she goes to confront him and he says he's "Thinking about things. About what I want.” And THAT'S when he finally stops his bullshit. Ch 22 - "I stopped. Completely. After we talked in my room.”

---

I'm still working on fully re-reading Chapters 17+ until I make it back up to 22 and putting more thoughts into that post, but. Dear God. Sam is a genius and I'm so angry at myself. I had been so confused and angry with Donnie, when in reality he truly DID NOT KNOW about the misunderstanding between him and Vi. Meanwhile, as I'm fawning over Leo and so happy Vi has him and so grateful he's been such a good friend to her... he was the one using her, this whole time. I cannot believe it. I'm SICK with rage. I can't imagine how Vi could possibly... I can't... FUCK dude

[lesbesapphic]

Mean Wanda AU

Summary - Wanda and You are stuck in an elevator. That's it.

Warning - angst, mean Wanda , panic attack , claustrophobia, etc

A/N- Hey everyone!

I am really happy for the love and support on this au! So glad that you all enjoy it. I wanted to write this sooner but recently..as usual I have been going through some financial crunch. It is hard to make it to each month with college and everything else and still be able to write and have a kitchen with filled groceries.

And it sucks that I have to ask you all every time for help but it really means alot when any of you help me whether it is through commission. Some days it just helps me eat and keep myself healthy enough to go through college and meet the bills. So thank you. Thank you very much. Enjoy!

Buy Me A Coffee | Ko-fi

____

“Looks like we’re gonna be stuck here for a while."

"Ugh." Wanda kicked the elevator door in frustration and your eyes widen when the lift shook slightly. "The fuck Wanda.." You exclaimed in annoyance mixed with fear at her actions. "Don't do that." You placed your hand on her elbow.

"Don't tell me what to do."  Wanda snapped and pushed your hand away harshly causing it to hit the wall of the lift. You hissed in pain and for a moment regret flashed in Wanda's eyes but replaced immediately with the same look of distressed.

"Fine. Do whatever you want." You pushed away from her as much as the confined space allowed you to. It had been happening for awhile now the elevator's power going off every once in a while resulting in people getting stuck in there. You two usually avoided getting in the elevator but lost in your bickering, you walked in there with Wanda following insuit, wanting to have her last word. Now you both were going to be stuck for atleast half an hour. You took out a book from your bag and sat down on the floor, hoping to pass the time quickly.

Not even two lines into the book, Wanda's constant foot tapping made you look up to the brunette, "Could you please stop that?" You asked and Wanda turned looking down to where you were sitting and you observed how agitated she looked. It was a little weird but you didn't think much of it, probably her not being able to check her phone.

"No. Just two more minutes and I am gonna break this door down." Wanda declared looking up at the vent and you got up as well, "What the fuck is your problem? It's just a matter of 20 minutes. You can't sit without your phone for 20 minutes?" You asked crossing your arm waiting for her to answer.

"It's..It's not that.." Wanda tried speaking but stopped and looked down at your book instead of you. This behaviour of her was very out of character, by now Wanda would have replied to you with a witty insult about your lack of social life or choices of friends but nothing, instead she was trying to explain her problem. It was weird.

"Wanda.." You stepped forward, placing your hand on her elbow, "No! Don't touch me.." She pushed your hand away and you looked into her eyes, the panic in them when she saw how close you were to her, sweat forming on her forehead. You instantly pulled away, "Okay Okay! I won't!" You held your hands up in the air watching as Wanda tried to keep her breathing in control. It was as if she was having a panic attack then it clicked.

"Wanda..are you claustrophobic?" You couldn't help but ask when the older girl nodded, her hand placed on her face her whole focus remaining on her breathing. You turned around searching in your bag for a water bottle, "Here." You handed it to Wanda who frantically grabbed it from you, trying to open the cap and when she failed to do so, you could see the panic rising within her very quickly.

Wanda pushed the bottle toward you and you could see the tears bubbling in her eyes and you looked away, quickly taking the bottle and opening the cap for her. She took big gulps of the liquid and turned around away from you, placing her head on the wall as she tried getting her breathing under control. You knew it was taking everything in her to not breakdown and she was desperately searching for control as she wasn't the one who to be vulnerable in front of anyone. Especially you.

You stayed quiet while Wanda got herself under control, observing the change in her breathing going back to a little normal. The brunette turned around and when she noticed you staring at her, she narrowed her eyes at you causing you to raise your hands in surrender, "You feeling okay now?" You asked and Wanda opened her mouth to reply and the look on her face told you that she was going to say something sarcastic but refrained herself and nodded instead before moving down to the floor, sitting against the wall. You decided to do the same and took out a book to read, occasionally glancing at the girl next to you incase she needed anything.

"Do you want me to read it to you? It might take you to a different place." You offered quietly when Wanda looked much more settled, the panic simmering down to intense anxiety, you could tell by the way, she was scratching the skin of her arm to distract herself. Wanda glanced at you and nodded after a moment. You didn't understand why your heart ached at how small and vulnerable the older girl looked, despite the leather jacket and the piercings, one look at her and no one would believe the terror she creates in people everywhere she'd go.

You flipped through the pages of your Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, deciding to read about the quidditch match, hoping the description of open sky and freely flying through it may distract her from the closed space she was in. You started reading, occasionally glancing over to Wanda who after a page of reading looked significantly calmer, she had stopped picking at the skin of her arm which felt like a huge relief to you.

The familiar scent of lavender mixed with cigarette engulfed your nose faster than the surprise when Wanda inched closer to you until your arms were touching and you glanced up at her, stopping your reading, "My head hurts.." She stated and you nodded softly, "Do you want me to stop reading?" You offered and watched as she shook her head, the familiar look of distress falling on face again and you wondered what was triggering it now and how you could take it away.

"No..The reading is good..it helps." Wanda reassured and you nodded urging her to speak up, "I just want to lay down but the floor is too dirty for my hair.." She trailed off and you looked at the floor and nodded in agreement. Wanda's eyebrows furrowed and you could see the frustration building up on her but you didn't know what she wanted. You couldn't just magically conjur a bed for her.

"Y/N!"

"What? What do you want me to do?" You asked putting the book down on the floor and giving Wanda your full attention, panicking a little at not understanding what the older girl wanted you to do to ease her distress.

Wanda groaned and pushed your hands off your lap, placing her head on it and lying down on the floor sideways. Your eyes widen at the physical proximity of the two of you and you were snapped back into reality when the older girl spoke again, "Read." You could hear the embarrassment in her voice and decided to not trouble her further, continuing with your reading.

Not even two page through and suddenly Wanda grabbed your hand that was on your side and placed it on her head, it took you a moment to realise what she wanted you to do and you slowly started running your hand through her hair, massaging the scalp with your shaky hand, your heart beating faster when you started noticing the little details such as how soft her hair were and how she was making those soft content humming noises and redness in her cheeks. Wanda snapped you out of your thoughts again, "Read." She commanded softly and you instantly started reading to make her comfortable.

Every now and then you would glance down at Wanda who would be humming in contentment and listening to every word you say as your hand moved through her hair. You would have to admit that being this close to the older girl was sort of nice. And as much as you wanted the elevator to start again, a very selfish part of you would be missing being able to comfort Wanda and being there for her when she needed you to.

-----

A/N - I really hope you all enjoyed it!

And if you all wish to make a commission! Please do! I would really appreciate and if you all just want to support me that would also be really helpful!!!

I have a goal of 100 dollars to be able to buy some groceries and meet the rent. I would really appreciate if you all can help me reach it.

It is not compulsory. I enjoy writing for you all regardless of the help. It is my escape and I love that you all enjoy it as much as I do. But yes this time I am really struggling. Hopefully it will work out :).

[guilty-pleasures21]

Another one?! Ugh, I get bored at work, okay?!

Another Miguel fanfic 🥲. This time envisioning him as my boss at work (please God, give me my soulmate! 😭).

1. Ergh, I don't really know if I want to write this ...

Part 1 - the protocol

Part 2 - the reveal

Part 3 - the suspicions

Part 4 - the thanks

2. I wrote it.

Warnings: None (not yet anyway ... 😈)

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

Miguel gets X to do a new protein crosslinking protocol so they can send the arachnid protein they’re working on to some other company for analysis. 

     His gaze was fixed on her, his eyes tracking her every movement as she pipetted the different chemicals and counted down the seconds for each incubation. He was so close to her that she could feel his warm breath tickling her neck everytime he exhaled. It was driving her crazy. She ground her teeth together, trying to keep her hand stable as she dropped the liquid into the next vial, careful to not expel it too quickly. Another exhale, and he folded his arms across his chest this time, his expression unreadable as he watched her through his safety glasses. She tried to ignore him as she moved onto the next sample, adjusting the pipette so it would pick up the correct volume. He leaned over her shoulder, checking to see that she’d gotten the value right, his breath blowing a strand of her hair against the back of her neck. And that was when she lost it. She swivelled around, pushing her chair back slightly to put some space between them. 

     “Can you just …” She raised her hands, holding her palms out in a defensive stance. “Can you just give me some space? Please? I can’t work with you breathing down my neck like that.” He raised an eyebrow, taken aback by her sudden outburst. But she didn’t back down, meeting his gaze as she tilted her head questioningly, waiting for his response. 

     He froze. There was something about the way her rosy lips twisted into a pout as she looked up at him, the way her almond-shaped eyes widened in a glare and the way her hair fell over the side of her face when she tilted her head like that. Just something about … her. He moved his chair a foot away, giving her the space she’d requested, and she rewarded him with a smile. That sweet smile she'd always give him, tinged with just the slightest hint of mischief, lighting up the room every time she walked into it. He turned around as she returned to her work, logging onto his laptop and clicking back into his emails. He could leave her to the protocol, she was capable of handling it. In the meantime, he had his own work to look after.

     She'd been on her way out of the lab when Hui Fen ran up to her, eyes wide with curiosity. 

     “Oh my god,” she began, stopping X in her tracks. “Did you get in trouble?” Her lips were curved into a grimace and she'd always been nice enough to X for her to know that Hui Fen's concern was genuine. Concern for what, she didn't know. But concern all the same.

     “For what?” X asked, shooting her a quizzical glance. Hui Fen gestured to the lab, leaning in closer so no one else would hear. 

     “For how you talked to Miguel in lab?” X's brows scrunched even closer together, her confusion only growing with every statement Hui Fen made. 

     “No?” she replied, unsure if she'd read the situation wrong. He hadn't seemed mad at her. Not even a little irritated, his lips pursed in thought as he'd studied her. If anything, he'd seemed … embarrassed. She thought again about the tension she'd sensed overcome him after he'd moved a foot away from her. Not because he didn't trust her, but … Well, she supposed she didn't know the answer to that either. She narrowed her eyes at Hui Fen. “Why?” 

     This time it was Hui Fen's turn to look confused. She straightened, her lips turning down at the corners as she considered X's response. “Huh. That's weird. Everyone's usually too scared of him to talk to him like that.” 

     X shifted in position uncomfortably, not liking the way Hui Fen kept phrasing it. ‘How you talked to him’, ‘talk to him like that’. Like what? She shrugged her shoulders, trying to figure out how to end the conversation so they wouldn't start spreading rumours about her disrespecting her supervisor in the lab. 

     “He is kind of terrifying,” she acquiesced, nodding her head slowly. “But, I dunno. He's nice to me. I think he just knows I can do better.” It had not escaped her notice, how he always seemed more amenable to her suggestions, her ideas. And, evidently, it hadn't gone unnoticed by others in the lab too - she'd already had three people in the lab ask her to ask Miguel for something in the past week alone! But she couldn't look too much into it: aside from the fact that he was her boss, he was also way out of her league. He'd never be interested in her, no matter how hard she pushed herself in the lab. Well, at least she'd already made so much progress in the past six months she'd been here - he'd even trusted her to be the first to try out the new protocol earlier. She started backing away from Hui Fen, getting nervous by the pensive expression on her face. 

     “Well, anyway,” X began, inching over to the door out of the prep room, “I'm gonna go get lunch. See you!” 

     Hui Fen looked up, startled. She waved at X quickly, her brain abandoning whatever train of thought she'd been on. “Oh! Yeah! See ya!” 

     She sat at her desk, munching on her nuggets as she typed up her results. The pantry was too loud today, everyone and their mother yelling at each other in excitement about whatever they usually gossiped about. She couldn’t handle the noise, so she’d usually have lunch at her desk, ears plugged up with her earphones, phone set up with whatever supernatural YouTube channel she’d gotten obsessed with at that point. She’d sneak over to the coffee machine when things got quieter, in the late afternoon, maybe, when she could sit down with someone of the friendlier interns and have a quick coffee break. A hand landed on her desk and she looked up to find Miguel leaning on her table, lips curled in disgust as he took in her lunch. 

     “You really should be eating healthier, arañita,” he  chided her. Little spider. He’d started calling her that a few weeks after she’d started, when she’d bounced into their weekly team meeting with some new hypothesis about the arachnid proteins they’d been working on. She’d zipped over to the whiteboard, research papers in hand as she’d drawn out her ideas and whizzed through messy explanations of the jumble of thoughts in her mind. Everyone else had looked at her in confusion, their minds working to decipher whatever she’d been trying to explain. But he’d studied her with a newfound interest, his hand moving to hide the way his lips had twitched at the ends. ‘Good job, arañita,’ he’d told her, impressed. Then he’d gestured to the whiteboard, no longer able to hide the amusement plain on his handsome features. ‘I’ll need that in a presentation though. I don’t think anyone else would be able to understand otherwise.’ She looked up at him now, her lips curling at the corners in a challenging smirk. 

     “Well, I hate eating and I can't cook, so …” she trailed off, shrugging her shoulders and waiting for his response. He frowned harder, crossing his arms over his chest.

     “Well, why don't you learn?” he suggested, that chronic irritation clouding his voice as he glared down at her. She pulled her eyes away from his arms, trying to ignore the outlines of his muscles through the pale fabric of his shirt. Then she shook her head, maintaining the air of relaxed amusement that always had him making that one look of exasperation that had her stomach somersaulting like mad. 

     “Oh, no,” she held up her hands, stopping him immediately. “That is a horrible idea, Dr O'Hara. Everything I make turns out both raw and burnt. It's a curse! I'm kitchen-cursed.” She let out an exaggerated sigh and, just as she'd known it would, that look of exasperation came over his face. He raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes at her, his lips quirked at the corner in question. She bit her lip, her heart fluttering in her chest at the sight. 

     “Sure,” he relented, not convinced at all. She was funny, sometimes, the way she'd say something she knew would get under his skin, then sneak a peek at him to gauge his reaction. It was like she just knew him, knew which buttons to push and when to push them. Not like other women with their forced jokes and uncomfortable attempts to flirt with him. She didn't ever flirt with him - well, not intentionally, anyway - and, if he were being perfectly honest with himself, he had to wonder why. She was cute and pretty … and smart too. Maybe she already had a boyfriend? No - he'd heard her talking with some of the interns once, and she'd said specifically that she'd never had a boyfriend. He found himself struggling to understand that, too. Was she not interested in men? No, she'd said she wanted one, in that same conversation. But anyway, this wasn't something he should have been worrying about; she was just his employee after all. Nothing more. And yet, here he was checking in on her to make sure she was taking care of herself. “At least get a salad or something.” 

     “Oh, um,” she winced at the idea, rubbing her stomach gently. “Vegetables are dangerous. I can get stuck on the toilet if I eat the wrong ones.” He ground his teeth, frustrated. 

     “There must be something you can eat!” he argued. “Other than … this.” He gestured at her food frantically and she bit on the inside of her cheek to stop her smile. She tilted her head to the side, thinking about it. 

     “Well, I do like …” she recited a few dishes off the top of her head that she enjoyed eating, delighting in the way his shoulders seemed to slump in defeat with every word out of her mouth. She rested her chin in her palms when she was done, looking up at him with a sweet smile that held an edge of challenge. He rolled his eyes and stalked away, going off to eat his own lunch.

[theculturedmarxist]

Eugenics is still the rule of the fucking day.

"People 65-plus and people who are immunocompromised should strongly consider masking during flu, RSV, COVID season while in indoor public spaces," said Dr. Céline Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News. "And for everyone else — it all depends on what their risk tolerance is."

"Depends on what their risk tolerance is." Are you fucking kidding me?

CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook says he likes to use the "weather report analogy" for the general public. "What's the weather out today? If it's raining, you will probably want to bring an umbrella. If you are in an area where there is an uptick in airborne respiratory infections like COVID, flu or RSV, you may want to take extra precautions, such as wearing a high-quality mask in indoor public spaces," he said.

People should be masking up before there's a fucking "uptick." That's how you prevent a fucking "uptick". Especially considering testing isn't the metric the people in power are going by any more, but hospitalizations, which are always going to be lagging indicators. By the time the "uptick" is registered these diseases are going to have been present and active for days or even weeks.

After COVID hospitalizations climbed nearly 22% this week, the CDC is predicting further increases over the coming month as new variants spread. This replaces previous projections from the agency that admissions would "remain stable or have an uncertain trend."

Oh, cool, so things are already bad and the are predicting that things are going to get worse, but the decision is being made to not do a fucking thing about it.

In a 2021 "60 Minutes" interview, virologist Paul Duprex explained the current (and future) emergence of new variants — a concept applicable to the current situation. "Is there anything we can do to stop the virus from mutating so much?" LaPook asked Duprex at the time. "We can certainly stop it making as many mutations by stopping it infecting as many people - if we block its transmission, if we wear a mask, if we get vaccinated, if we do social distancing," Duprex said.

None of which will be happening because "Covid Is Over" and doing any of the necessary things to prevent it are voluntary at best.

After news broke about the BA.2.86 variant earlier this month, the CDC said the agency's advice on protecting yourself from COVID-19 — which includes wearing a high-quality mask among other recommendations listed on its website — "remains the same."

Oh alright let's see what the CDC recommends

In addition to basic health and hygiene practices, like handwashing, CDC recommends some prevention actions at all COVID-19 hospital admission levels, which include:

Ugh. At least its recommendations implicitly admit that covid is airborne.

Still, some experts fear it could be hard to convince Americans to don masks again even if COVID cases continue to rise. Dr. Danielle Ompad, an epidemiologist at the NYU School of Global Public Health, said "It's a bit like putting the genie back in the bottle." Still, she has personally started wearing a mask again recently in crowded places, where the risk of exposure is greater.

Huh, I wonder why it would be hard to convince people to mask up again. Who's responsible for letting the genie out of the fucking bottle? Maybe they should be taken to task for this fucking decision?

"If I were with people who aren't public health-trained, I would wear a mask, particularly in crowded situations, because I really don't have time for COVID. Mask mandates are challenging because they make people really bent out of shape out of proportion to the ask."

What people are getting "really bent out of shape" by mask mandates? Just "people" huh? No specific people at all? Okay then.

"Who wants to get sick while on vacation?" she says. "If you're going to be in a crowded public place — the subway, an airplane, a crowded theater — those are the kind of places I would at least consider wearing a mask."

Hey maybe these fucking super-spreader places shouldn't be open especially with multiple variants spreading across the country with no mask mandates in place.

Though increased cases and hospitalizations are prompting precautions, Gounder says she doesn't see another lockdown in our future. "That ship has sailed. Has sailed for years now," she said. 

"That ship" just sailed itself, huh? Another development with no cause and no active participant? Just up and sailed on its own, did it? And there's no one to sail it back? Man, that's crazy.

[jpitha]

Same as it ever was

"Ugh, this coffee is awful!" Daniel makes a face after he takes a sip. "What is this, hazelnut? Did the person who signed off on this flavor ever try a hazelnut in their life?"

"Come on Dan, it can't be that bad." M'erian rolled her eyes and flicked her ears.

Dan sipped it again and winced. "No, seriously Mer, if you could drink coffee I'd have you try this. It's impressively bad."

"Is that why you keep drinking it? Out of some sense of admiration for someone who could make coffee that bad?"

Dan shrugged. "It's still caffeine. There isn't anything else onboard until we reach a Starbase and resupply. Maybe some creamer will help." Dan gets up and bustles in the kitchenette. A moment later, his coffee noticeably more buff colored, Dan returns to the seat. He sips again and frowns, but is no longer wincing. "That will have to do."

M'erian sipped her tea and enjoyed her time listening to Dan complain. He did it often enough that she was thankful she found it charming instead of annoying.

While they were chatting, Uumer walked in. They were a Sefigan, from this universe, and Daniel was still surprised when he saw them. He could only describe them as looking kind of like teddy bears.

Teddy bears with retractable ten centimeter claws. They were lacquered a deep blue and highly polished.

“You are making a gesture Daniel, I recognize it from the humans in our world. What is wrong?”

“It’s his coffee” M’erian gestures “It tastes terrible.”

Uumer’s ears twitched. “Oh? You can consume caffeine? It is highly toxic for us.”

M’erian shakes her head, a human gesture. “No, but Daniel was telling me about it. It’s ‘hazelnut’ and he doesn’t like it.”

“No, it’s called hazelnut. It tastes nothing like actual hazelnuts. I think you can consume them M’erian, I’ll see if I can get some next time we’re at a station.”

"Daniel, I apologize for the quality of the coffee, it was ordered by Captain Reynolds." Universal Solvent sounded apologetic. Captain Reynolds was the previous captain on Solvent. For this trip, it was just Daniel ,M’erian, Uumer, a few more Coalition races and Solvent themselves.

Daniel made another face. “Did he like this? Or was he just trying to punish his crew?”

“I seem to recall him saying it was his favorite. I also seem to recall that most of the other human crew members brought their own coffee with them.” A tone sounded throughout the ship. “Daniel, M’erian, Uumer. I must ask you to retire to your acceleration couches on the Command Deck. I am alerting the rest of the crew as well. Maneuvers will being in one hour.”

Sighing, Daniel finished his terrible coffee, and takes the time to rinse out the cup and secure it in the cabinet. They make their way through the empty ship.

Universal Solvent is a Starjumper, one of the largest human built ships in space. Only the dozen or so colony ships built for humanity to spread out in space were larger. One of the reasons it’s so large is that their design predates the development of wormhole generators. They were originally designed to ‘jump’ between the stars at half the speed of light with passengers in hibernation and enough cargo to make the trip worthwhile. These days they all have wormhole generators installed and can link from location to location like any other craft, but they’re still seen as high status spacecraft.

And sometimes they’re the only ones that can do the job.

Like, for example, if one wanted to demonstrate a relativistic impactor to the Gren. Daniel was surprised to learn that the humans in this universe developed their version of the wormhole generator - called a Flip Drive - before they ever needed to develop relativistic flight. They don’t have Starjumpers and never needed to accelerate towards the speed of light.

After the Gren came through the Gate, they fought the humans and K’laxi on that side to a standstill. The truce was tenuous and it was decided that a demonstration was needed to remind the Gren - and the Coalition - what the humans from Daniel’s dimension could do.

Daniel thought it was all a little bit dramatic and overblown, but at least they were just going to strike a planetoid in the Gren’s system. Long range scans had indicated that it was dark and cold and wasn’t a secret base or anything. Just a large rock.

As Daniel was secured in his acceleration couch, he connected to Solvent and made sure everyone else was secure. Solvent had inertial compensators, but at the speeds they were going, even a slight error in compensation would cause damage or death to anyone outside the safety of the couch. It was a bit of work to get the Sefigans and other Coalition species to interface with the couches, but humanity’s experience with the K’laxi helped.

“Daniel, everyone is in their chairs and secure. We can begin when ready.”

Connected to Solvent, Daniel was able to look through their sensors. They were currently boosting at 2gee and running at around 75% C. “Okay Solvent. We’re going to do to links back to back, so we’ll need War Emergency Power. Do you want me to say the phrase?”

“Only if you want to Daniel. I know how to work my own reactors.”

Daniel chuckled. In the old days, Captains would order the ship AI to release War Emergency Power, which would disable all fuses and limiters to the reactors. This would give the ships a tremendous amount of power for a short amount of time. It also increased the risks of the reactors destroying themselves. These days, relations with AIs are better, and most commanders know that the ships know themselves better than the commanders do. Ordering the release of War Emergency Power is seen as a bit old fashioned. “I’m good Universal Solvent. Please use your own discretion vis a vis power.”

“Aye Daniel. I will be releasing War Emergency Power for the duration of the exercise.”

At that, Daniel could feel, rather than hear the reactors. There was this noise or feeling that set his teeth on edge. It rose in tone and intensity until it almost sounded like a whistle at the edge of hearing. Uumer reached out over the ship’s comm channel “What is that noise? Is something broken?”

“Nothing to worry about Uumer, I have removed the fuses and limiters from my reactors. I need the additional power for our maneuvers.”

“You can do that?”

“Oh yes, but the risk of critical catastrophic failure is much higher now. Once we’re done, I’ll take things back to normal.”

Uumer didn’t say anything, but Daniel could feel how impressed he was.

“Daniel, we will link in 10 seconds.”

“Thanks Solvent. Once we’re back in real space, release our impactors and drop camera beacons. We’ll then link back and begin braking.”

“Aye. 5 seconds.”

They Linked.

One of the things that humans of this dimension don’t like to mention is that while their wormhole generator is considered to be much more accurate and robust than a Flip drive, it does require quite a bit more power and also has this… side effect.

About one in one thousand people who use the drive experience something like death while they’re in between points of reality.

Humanity on this side has been dealing with it for nearly a millennium and by now is mostly used to it. Sure, it frightens folks when it first happens, but like they say, you’d be surprised what you can get used to.

In fact, it’s so commonplace that they often forget to tell people that it happens.

Uumer is on his back. He feels the warm grass and bright sun. Blinking he sits up. It looks like… home. More than that, it looks like his homeworld, or at least the descriptions of it that he’s read. He’s never been there. He’s on a wide savanna. In all directions is a sea of golden grass. As he stands, a breeze picks up and the grass undulates and moves like water. Someone approaches. Another Sefigan. “You made it!” They throw their arms forward and tumble towards him in greeting. Bewildered, but happy to see someone like him, he reciprocates the gesture, a traditional greeting. “Thank you brother, but where am i?”

The other Sefigan’s ears waggle. “Brother, you are dead.”

Uumer comes back, strapped into his acceleration couch. He blinks back tears. In the moment he’s struck by a thought. The humans keep their eyes clean this way too, they also cry. “D-Daniel.” Uumer’s voice is unsteady. “What happened?”

“Uh, we linked into Gren space Uumer. We just released the camera beacons and the impactors. We’re going to link away in a second. Can your question wait?”

“Yes.”

They link away.

When they’re back in human controlled space, Solvent begins the long deceleration process. It’ll take another month to slow back down relative to their departure and be able to link to another starbase. The camera beacons caught the demonstration perfectly. The three impactors struck the planetoid at 75% C and completely obliterated it. Supposedly the flash was seen with unaided eyes by the Green Fleet Command themselves. Publicly, they declared it an unwarranted provocation. Daniel will have to wait until they’ve come to a halt and linked home to learn what - if anything - they said privately about it.

After all the excitement calms down, Uumer goes to find Daniel. He’s back with M’erian in the lounge and they’re snuggled together watching something on his pad. “Uh, Daniel?”

Daniel looks up with a start. “Oh! Hi Uumer, what did you think of the run?”

“I uh, had a question about that actually. You know that was my first link ever?”

“Oh that’s right, you would have Flipped or FlashWarped over to the starbase.” His eyes go wide. “Oh no, did you…”

“I did Daniel. Did I actually die?” Uumer’s claws are sliding in and out of their sheaths.

“Uh well, nobody really knows. It happens to us too, and the K’laxi-“ He starts idly stroking M’erian. “-but our philosophers can’t come to an agreement about whether it’s real or not.”

“Does it happen to you?”

“No, fortunately. It’s only about one in one thousand that it happens to.”

Uumer is shaking slightly, “and you’re okay with that? With a small percentage of people dying when you use the wormhole generator?”

“Uumer. For one, they all come back. For two, most report that other than the surprise, it was a pleasant experience. And for three, we’re not about to give up on a way to shrink the distance between the stars over something like that. It’s fine.”

“Uumer, it’s a scary thing. Some people in my familiar group experience it too. But really, it’s normal here. Everyone gets used to it, and if they don’t then…” M’erian’s ears flick. “They make other arrangements. They either stick to worlds they can reach via Gate, or stay in one system, or hibernate for the trip. There are options. Especially now that you and the Coalition is here. We can see if we can work out FlashWarp technology, or build our own Flip drives.”

Uumer looks at both of them. How comfortable they look. How much they enjoy being together. He’s overcome with a flash of jealousy and disgust. His ears droop. “I thought I understood humans and that over here they’d be the same as over there. I’m beginning to wonder about that.” He turns and leaves the lounge.

M’erian and Daniel share a look. He shrugs and smiles and flicks her ears and they go back to their video.

[igglemouse]

The new day crept through the windows, pulling Simón awake almost reluctantly, the weight of last night holding him down for just a moment. He groans, rubbing sleep from his eyes and seeing the form lain next to him.

"Ugh," he gaze down at her. She looked so peaceful, so content, and so without worry. It was a reminder for him of the many mornings they had shared like this. Happier times. Simpler times. Dangerous times.

He gives her a nudge, hoping to bring her into the new day gently. "Wake up," he says, just loud enough to get her to stir. Her eyes flutter open as if she had come from the sweetest of dreams, a smile parting her lips as she sees him. He wish she hadn't, it was going to make what he had to do that much harder. "You have something to do, right?"

"Yeaaa," she said, yawning, coming to her senses. The light that poured through the windows had told her that perhaps she had slept too late. "The stand ah-"

At that he starts to get up. Normally, this would cause her no alarm, but because his movements were performed with such urgency she had gotten the hint that something here was wrong.

"Simon, wait," her hand stopped him for just a moment and just for a moment he thought to throw his concerns aside, to have her again if only for just another kiss but what would that do? "Where are you going?"

"Work," he said, the grim tone in his voice told her the nature of this work. She opened her lips to protest. He knew what she would say. That what he did wasn't so bad, it was just selling, not like her father, who was a killer. That was always her excuse and he expected it. He was prepared for it even, for them to do the same dance they had done over and over again.

"You don't have to," she said instead. Surprising him and prepared to offer him something else, a new script. "A new life, remember? You can do whatever you want, something-"

"Frida," he breathed. Her plea was the last thing he wanted to hear as it was a harsh reminder that last night was a mistake. "You know as well as I do, there's only two ways out of the game I play..." and he didn't plan on dragging her along because that is what love was, right? Wanting what was best for the person you love and right now he was sure he was not what was best for her.

Why do I have the feeling that I might not see Simón again? I mean, that was the plan when I ran here, to leave all of the past behind but last night I was convinced that he is not just a part of my past but of my future.

Perhaps I was too forward or perhaps there's something more going on with him? I'm not sure but I should give him space, if that's what he needs, but I wonder if what I needed was him?

His departure makes my otherwise apple salad taste a little bland. I wish he was here, at least to share a meal with me and a few more laughs.

I'm not left to think too much about it as a knock at the door cuts through my day. It's Sara. I have a feeling that I will love and hate this woman at the same time, just a feeling! I actually welcome her right now because I do need to get my mind on something else.

Sara claims she was just passing by and wanted to say hello and besides, she had not yet visited my home and why not today? She asked how I was doing here in Oasis Springs and I tell her that so far better than expected. I leave out my somewhat confusing relationship status because I have a feeling she's fishing for information. I don't think she's doing so to be malicious but moreso she's just the gossiping type.

"Not many options for good mens here so I'm not surprised one hasn't latched on to you yet," she says, eventually steering the conversation to romance.

"Have you not had much luck?" I ask and I can tell by the face she makes that she hasn't.

Doubt colors her reply: "I don't know, I've never felt like I'm the prettiest girl-"

"Sara, you're amazing from what I know! I mean, just on appearances alone and you bring a really good energy?"

"Hmm, yeah," she's not convinced and I think while she wouldn't mind talking about my romantic life she doesn't want to dwell too much on hers. "How's your simlish coming along?"

"It's coming, I guess," I tell her but I'd really rather avoid speaking it if I can. Thankfully, Sara can speak Selvadoradian and so my conversations with her is always natural and easy. "I think the people understand me in the end and that is what matters."

"It does! Plus that accent you have is cute! I wish I had an accent but I was born here sooooooo maybe if I get a sultry accent I'll add to my magentism yeah?"

I laugh since she is joking, partly, I think? I've never thought of myself as sultry at least. "Just have more confidence in yourself Sara, any guy that isn't looking your way is a guy not worth it in the end."

The kitchen is a sanctuary for me and one I am happy to return to after Sara's visit. She has her own life to live and I have mines which is now filled with jalapeños and the scent of cheddar as I whip up my next meal. Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread. This one is new to me but I've shown the ability to master new recipes and this one isn't too difficult. It'll be up to my customers to decide how much it is worth.

So today I've upped the prices, 75% mark up, and I expected that it might make things a little slower. After all, you do reach a point where someone looks at the price of a thing and has to sit and think a little too long before giving you their simoleons and you know what? 75% is not that point!

People were buying my dishes at the same rate as before which means I make a rather easy 615 today and while I'd like more that's more than enough! You know, it's been a real sharp increase other than one day. Maybe this cooking thing is my destiny?

Night has fallen and left me well tucked inside, content to settle indoors for a more quiet kind of night as I scour the web for more opportunities on my brand new laptop. My stand might have closed for today but not my ambition and I wonder if I should get another job? The thought of being a chef in a bustling restaurant appeals to me. I'd learn something, that is sure, and I'd make vital connections, but it would be a lot of work.

I imagine a future with children and I think the 'parents' that life had given me. A mama I've never known and a papa I wished I never had known and I know I can do better, that I can build a better legacy for them and that just might mean working two jobs...

Episode List - Next

[feeblescholarmyass]

Prologue

cw: panic attack/extreme anxiety, I swear that y/n isn't this nervous all the time, originally written in 3rd person so there may be some wrong pronouns (she/her for placeholder character)

Sumeru boys x GN!reader (together because y/n is a poly bad bitch)

Hello

"Hi, I'm Y/n! I'm a first year Amurta student in the Akademiya. Hold on, I think someone is calling for me. Coming, Tighnari!"

"I'm not sure this is the best idea anymore. Maybe I should have joined Rhawatist with you instead. What if I don't know anyone? I'm gonna fail." You tugged at a strand of hair that had fallen out of place.

"Don't be silly, Y/n. You belong in Amurta. As much as I'd love for you to be in my classes, I know you'll do better there." Layla smiled reassuringly at you and squeezed your hand tight.

"Okay. If you're sure." You took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves. "We got this."

The sound of Layla's stomach growling interrupted your gathering of confidence. Layla blushed and you crossed your arms over her chest.

"Layla, what was that?"

"Uh, I may have been so excited that I forgot to eat breakfast this morning... Don't be mad!" Layla whimpered, blinking sadly.

You sighed and shook your head. "It's fine. We can go get breakfast. Thank goodness we share a dorm. Otherwise, I don't think you'd ever have a somewhat proper schedule."

"Yes, Y/n. Sorry, Y/n." Layla giggled, pulling you over to a nearby cafe. The pair sat by a window and ordered their breakfast, both too tired to have much of a conversation.

The sound of voices arguing caught their attention.

"Are you an idiot? No, I'm not getting you coffee. You should have slept last night if you wanted to be less tired."

"Oh, then what's your excuse? You just like the taste?"

"No. I acknowledge my own issues with caffeine. I may have a small addiction. But I, unlike someone, can afford to buy it."

"Ugh! You're so infuriating!"

Layla slouched deeper into the cushion of her seat, using her hood to hide her face. You raised an eyebrow at her, asking Layla for answers silently.

"Don't worry about it. They're some upperclassmen. Alhaitham and Kaveh. They're pretty well known, both for their intellect and attitude."

"Oh. Makes sense. They're already so loud." You shrugged, grabbing your smoothie from the waitress and taking a sip.

"Take a seat, you two." A grouchy sounding voice joined in. You glanced up, searching for its owner. Long, silver hair and crimson eyes captivated your attention.

Your fingers itched for your pencils, hidden deep in your bag. He was so pretty. "And who's he?"

"Oh, that's Cyno. I don't know much about him. He's their friend, I think."

"Hm..." You rested your cheek on your palm, watching the group of boys. "And who's that?"

"Tighnari. He's the more mild one in the group, as far as I've heard. I think he's from the same darshan as you." Layla yawned. Her head nodded once, twice, then once more before quiet snores overtook anything else she had to say.

You sighed, moving Layla's food out of the way so she didn't land in it, then helped her lay her head on the table in a somewhat comfortable position so she didn't wake up aching.

"Maybe that will be my first project. I'll make a sleep aid for Layla that she can actually afford. If she agrees to be a test subject, I bet I could give it to her for free in the name of research." You muttered to yourself while twirling your straw around in your smoothie.

When Layla finally woke up, the two of you finished breakfast and hurried to the Akademiya. You now stood in front of the huge main doors, surrounded by fellow students. Layla pulled you to the side, knowing that you both needed some space.

"Okay, you're going to do great Y/n. I'll see you at lunch, yeah?" Layla smiled reassuringly, only slightly less tired than earlier.

"Mhm. Lunch," You muttered distractedly. Your hands were shaking and you felt a little like you might throw up. The thought of lunch made it worse. You were lucky that you had gotten that smoothie down earlier. If you tried eating now, your really would puke.

"Go make some friends in Amurta. You're good at that. You're gonna be the most adorable first year there, you hear me? You're cute, you're confident. The stars never lie." Layla squeezed your hands twice, not letting go first.

You squeezed back and took a deep breath. "Same with you. You'd better make some friends who can keep you awake during class, or at least let you borrow notes."

"We got this," Layla grinned. You grinned back. You let go of each other's hands and began on separate paths to your darshans.

You kept your eyes on the ground, your peripheral vision going just far enough that she could avoid running into others. You knew that if you looked up and saw the vaulted ceiling and crowd of people, the tears you had already fought down would return.

You knew all of this, but you looked up anyway.

"Archons, I can't do this," you whispered, panic overwhelming you. You looked for an exit, anything that would get you out. A familiar face or a room that had a lot less people.

You found a door to a copy room and snuck in, closing the door behind you. You covered your mouth and bit your lip, trying to force the tears to go away.

It didn't work.

You grabbed the chiffon scarf you had worn specifically to distract yourself, tugged it closer around your shoulders and crouched in the corner.

Amidst your panic, you hadn't noticed that the copy room wasn't empty. An older boy watched you silently, shock keeping him quiet.

After some time, you senses started to slowly return to normal. That was when you noticed someone standing in front of you. You breath caught in your throat and you slowly looked up.

The boy with pretty hair and cute animal ears looked at you with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?"

[cuprohastes]

Uh-Oh

The human formerly known as Davce (The Human), currently running under the moniker of Phalanges Mittens, who was, for staffing purposes a two-meter-tall marsupial lizard of no particular gender paused and took a step back to look at the hardware that was causing issues.

Phalanges looked over at the equipment cart, repurposed to be the office of Cat Fantastic, a small, iguana-sized Atrix, and technically Phalanges spouse adjacent partner.

"Doing OK, Cat?" he asked and got a cheery "Graak" back.

Garfield, an actual Atrix looked amused and asked her little guy the same. "Doing Ok, Un-Named?" and got a "Grak?" from her natural pouch where her little guy was riding.

"Nobody asks me if I'm OK." said Dave The Human, an Adult female Tsin.

"Should have got yourself a Little Guy." Garfield told her good buddy cheerfully.

"Ugh. They're too big to fit in a pocket and besides my pet rat would get jealous." Dave stated, and checked, for the twentieth time, the schematics of the lump of scheming machinery.

"What about that dude who nearly ate number 43?" suggested Phalanges, shining a light behind the input pipes.

Dave tried to recall them "Oh yeah... nah, they're nice but a bit thirsty. I'm not planning on a family yet." she said. "I need someone who's less desperate to..." she looked around at the other four all of whom were legally Atrix, the least sexually oriented species known to breathe oxygen.

Even Phalanges, who's genetically human had never shown any interest in sex. "... less desperate." she said. "But I think I need someone who gets me on a more... Tsin level? No offence"

Everyone paused to consider this, apart from Un-Named Male who was asleep again.

Dave was a Big Female: The klunky translation of a concept for the Tsin gender of "The most female type of female", which culturally also carried the suggestion of being the sort of person who's in charge of everyone else: "She who shouts at everyone to clean their claws".

Tsin have at least four main genders. At least one gender is capable of swapping naturally. Dave's at the far end of the Tsin gender spectrum, biologically at least, and interpersonal relationships are complex when one's bestie girl-friend might spend too much time hanging out with you and accidentally swap to male. On the other hand (of which, Dave has four) Dave's picked a male name from a species that has two broad categories for biological genders and still managed to make things weird.

Everyone took a moment to consider this as they stared at the hardware giving them issues.

The Waste Organic Matter/Biologicals from Living Environments Recycling unit was supposed to scavenge through any organic matter that ordinary people left behind, and crack the compounds down into base blocks that could then be used to build up any other chemicals or compounds via one of the bio-reactors. Soap for example.

On a space station, this sort stuff is considered useful, since nobody wants to be hip deep in garbage and leftover food.

"We need this thing's full name." said Phalanges thoughtfully.

"Wot?" said Dave and Garf did the rippling colour display that was equivalent.

"It's human hardware. It runs on human rules, so if we knew it's full name I could call it out and it'd know it was in trouble."

Dave and Garfield, who both had degrees in Human Stuff gave each other some pretty hilarious side eye.

Phalanges pulled up the pitch shifter for the rarely used translator, and said "Squeap sqk qk sqwp, what do you think you're doing?"

Dave, startled by the use of her real, full name dropped her tablet and cringed, scales all folding flat, and her big hands coming up over her head as she pulled her small hands out of her front pocket and covered her muzzle.

Garf stared in amusement, cheeks and forehead rippling opalescently. Cat Fantastic peered from the little office that Dave and Phalanges had built him. "Graak?"

"No it's not sorcery." said Phalanges.

"Could have fooled me." muttered Dave. "Gods of the place, I see what you mean. Don't do it again, I'd have to murder you and not eat you." she muttered shaking her scales back out and patting the air down one handed to show it was meant lightly.

"Graaaaak?" asked Cat.

"Tsin eat people they like or admire, if they can, when they die. It's respectful." explained Phalanges distractedly.

"'S right." agreed Dave. "For example I wouldn't take a single bite of this squeap machine."

Meanwhile Un-Named Male who'd been disturbed form his nap, reached out unseen by anyone but Garf and pointed at the fuse panel: The fuses were fine but the wiring harness connector had been pulled half out.

Garf looked around and pushed it back with a surreptitious claw...

"I have an idea." she announced.

Garf picked up Dave's Tablet and looked at it. Then she planted herself in front of it, crossed her arms, and said:

"Waste Organic Matter/Biologicals from Living Environments unit model Zero Romeo Indigo November Zero Charlie Oscar, serial number... five dash two dash one nine seven three, what do you think you're doing? We were relying on you to do your job. You need to take responsibility for your role on this station! I'm not angry, I'm just very disappointed"

And then clicked the reset button.

She stood there with Un-named Male's nose hanging out of her pouch, Phalanges, Dave and Cat staring in surprise: Of course the recycler clicked and powered up.

"Good." declared Garfield, who passed Dave his tablet back and grabbed her tool bag. "I'm on break!" she called as she swaggered off.

"How the hell did she...?" said Phalanges, and Dave shrugged.

"I guess it really does run on human rules." she said.

[howlingday]

Knightshade Signals

Jaune: Hey, guys! (Sits down) How's your morning going?

Ruby: Fine.

Yang: Can't complain.

Nora: I ate a spider!

Ren: It was a pancake in the shape of a spider.

Pyrrha: Did your tie give you a lot of trouble?

Jaune: Uh, just a little bit. Say, where's Blake?

Yang: She was reading this morning, but she said she'd be down. Oh, and speak of the Grimm.

Blake: Good morning. (Sits down) Did everyone sleep well?

Pyrrha: I slept just fine.

Nora: Same.

Ren: Nora kicked me.

Jaune: I kind of got to bed late, but I slept pretty good, and woke up just fine.

Blake: I see. I also slept well.

Yang: Uh, are you sure you're not still sleepy?

Blake: No. Why do you ask?

Yang: Well, you're sitting awfully close to Vomit Boy.

Blake: Hm. So I am. I'm not invading your space, am I?

Jaune: No, not really.

Blake: That's good.

Ruby: (Thinking) Huh... She is sitting pretty close. But if Jaune's okay with it.

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

Blake: (Opens the door) Sorry I'm late. Professor Ozpin wanted to have a word with me.

Oobleck: Yes, yes. He informed me well beforehand. Please take your seat.

Blake: Yes, Doctor. (Sits next to Jaune)

Jaune: Glad you made it.

Blake: I'm glad to be here.

Pyrrha: (Glances over, Thinking) Was it just me, or did Jaune's eyebrows just raise at seeing Blake? Ah, I'm overthinking things, I'm sure.

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

Blake: (Taps Jaune's shoulder) Jaune.

Jaune: Huh? Wha?

Blake: You fell asleep.

Jaune: Oh, yeah... Sorry, I was studying and, uh...

Blake: It's fine. The lunch bell just rang.

Jaune: (Yawns) Did Professor Port notice me?

Blake: (Holding Jaune's hand) No, he was telling us how he killed a Deathstalker with his bare hands again.

Jaune: Oh, that one. I like that one.

Blake: It's one of his better stories.

Port: Hmph! (Thinking) To think the lad could sleep during study time! But he has such a dear friend to guide him right. And one who keeps her hands soft yet firm on him! Ah, the summer day springtime of youth...

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

Nora: Jaune, have you seen my fork collection?

Jaune: (Reading) Isn't it under your desk drawer?

Nora: No, that's the spoon diorama.

Jaune: Have you tried the closet corner?

Nora: Nope, not yet. Thanks, Jaune!

Jaune: No problem.

Nora: Hey, Blake.

Blake: Hello, Nora. Hello, Jaune.

Jaune: (Looks up from reading) Hey, Blake.

Blake: Jaune, have you seen Weiss around anywhere? Or Ruby? Yang's down in the gym, working on arm day with Sun.

Jaune: Is Neptune with them?

Blake: I think so.

Jaune: Weiss probably isn't far away, then. As for Ruby, well, she's probably over with them, too.

Blake: I'm not sure how I missed them.

Jaune: They can be pretty sneaky. Need some company?

Blake: I was about to ask you the same thing.

Jaune: I won't say no to it.

Blake: I was going to say that, too.

Nora: (Thinking) That's weird. Why didn't he talk that much with me? Wait, what was I- Oh, right! Closet corner!

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

Jaune: (Arms crossed) I'm telling you guys. I'm an open book; you can ask me anything.

Ruby: Okay! What's the best video game?

Jaune: Ninja Kung-Fu Ultimate Deathslayer 2 in my opinion.

Ruby: Eh, the first one was better.

Yang: Who do you have a crush on?

Jaune: W-Well, uh, I did like Weiss for a while.

Weiss: Ugh! Moving on. Where are you from?

Jaune: Around South Vale, a little village named Ansel. Anything else?

Blake: How are you today?

Jaune: Hm... (Opens arms, Rest hands behind head) Ah, well, my morning was kinda off, but I feel like I'm picking up.

Blake: That's good.

Yang: (Thinking) Why'd he bring his arms up like that? Heck, why were they crossed in the first place?

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

Blake: (Sighs) So much for simple field training. (Plucks debris off her outfit)

Jaune: (Rolls up sleeves) Yeah, and I don't know how they got inside, but they did, and I'm itchy.

Blake: You should wear something to cover your wrists better.

Jaune: Would they get stuck on your wrists?

Blake: No. See?

Jaune: (Takes wrist, Turns) Huh... Guess not. Oh, but you do have something here.

Blake: Where?

Jaune: On your neck. Do you mind if I...?

Blake: Sure. (Lifts chin)

Jaune: Yeah, see? It was just a... little... (Flushes) Anyway, we should get back to the others and-

Blake: Jaune, wait.

Jaune: Y-Yeah?

Blake: Do you... like me?

Jaune: I, well, uh...

Blake: I'm not asking for anything big and complicated. Simply yes or no.

Jaune: Y-Yeah, I do like you.

Blake: I see. (Pecks his cheek, Blushes) Then I guess the feeling is mutual.

Jaune: Yeah, I guess it is. Oh, and Blake?

Blake: Yes?

Jaune: (Pecks her cheek) To, uh, get you back.

Blake: (Smiles) That's fair.

Ren: (Watching from afar, Thinking) I knew it.

[deadbydangit]

Maybe a super duper fluffy moment between masked killer and S/o? Like they're laying down and they notice S/o is quiet for a second. She then takes their unmasked face and says "You're so pretty. Not sure how I got lucky to have you."

This with Ghostface, Frank, Joey Huntress and Trapper? Thank you!

I'm having a bit of trouble with this prompt, so I changed it a bit. Hope that's okay. Please enjoy.

A Reader with a mask killer s/o who wants to see their face

Ghostface, Legion (Frank), Legion (Joey), Huntress, Trapper

Ghostface

Do. Not. Touch. His. Mask.

Seriously.

Don't.

He won't even let you.

No.

Don't look at him like that.

Come on!

Ugh! Fine!

Count yourself lucky.

He's got to keep his identity hidden!

You should know that!

Only under a few conditions.

One: No one else is around.

And I mean no one but you.

Two: it's only for a second.

Three: you'll have to do something for him at a later time.

If you choose to accept, then be ready.

Cause Danny is a stunner.

Tell him he's gorgeous.

Because, deep down, he isn't the most confident in his looks.

Before he pulls his mask up, pull him in for a real kiss.

After that day, he might leave his mask off once in a while.

Only around you though.

Legion (Frank)

Even though he acts tough, he really doesn't feel that way.

Yes, his mask hides his face.

But it also shields him from the world around him.

He's experienced enough neglect and cruelty at the hand of his foster parents that he wants to hide himself.

Frank will take it off for you.

He just needs a safe space to do so.

He'd prefer if the rest of the Legion was around.

And he's only going to take it off for you when he really trusts you.

It's going to be a spur of the moment thing.

"Hey, S/O. I know you've been asking to see me with my mask on so... Here."

He'll pull it down, but he won't look you in the eye.

Find a way to show him how much this little act means to you and how much you love him.

Legion (Joey)

You want him to take off his mask?

Sure, okay.

Unlike Frank, Joey doesn't really hide behind it for anything.

Okay, he isn't very clean shaven and that's kind of embarrassing.

But other than that, who cares.

He just wears it because the rest of the Legion does.

He just kind of incorporated it into his own style and kept it.

But, yeah.

He doesn't care where you do it.

Although, keeping the other killers and survivors guessing about what he looks like adds a mysterious aura around him.

So maybe just with the other Legion around.

He's a pretty good looking guy.

Make sure to say that.

Because, if you do, he'll have it on a lot less for you.

Not to mention, kisses are just better that way.

Huntress

Has she never taken it off in front of you?

Guess not.

She'll take it off, but she doesn't want the survivors to see.

She likes to keep them scared.

The mask is the only thing she has from her mother.

So, she will take it off.

But don't expect it to leave her hands.

She has a very chiseled face with some hardened features.

But she also has pretty cute rosy cheeks.

Be sure to tell her that.

Because she'll blush and those cheeks will turn even redder.

Since Anna's mask doesn't cover her mouth, kisses are the same.

However, you can kiss her nose and forehead now!

And she loves that.

So make sure to give her plenty.

Trapper

His face?

Yeah, what about it?

You want to see it?

Why?

He doesn't find himself physically attractive and doesn't want to frighten you off.

He'll make himself seem like some monster without it on.

"I have scars and scratches all over."

"My eyes are sunken and have deep bags."

"My-"

Just shut him up.

Tell him that no matter how awful he thinks he looks, that you're always going to love him.

Make sure it's in private.

He wants the survivors and killers to be scared of him.

Or at the very least weary.

He prides himself on being a rough mysterious guy.

Albeit hesitant, Evan will remove his mask.

He does have scars and scratches.

His eyes are sunk and hollow.

But he's handsome in every way.

Tell him that.

Praise every little detail.

Let him know how much you adore him.

Kiss every inch of his face.

Then, maybe, just maybe, he'll take it off around you a bit more.

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 1

Episode 12: Invisible Brad

~Down in the Man Cave~

"Hey, hey Char?" Henry walked over to Charlotte from the back room. She was sat at the supercomputer, typing away on her PearBook.

"Yeah, what's up?" She asked him, not looking up from her screen, but giving him her attention.

"Have you..err--have you been noticing anything, like, weird about Ray and (y/n)?"

"Uhhh, every day. All the time. Why? Did you know he took her to Sotto Voce last week?" Charlotte told him.

"Wait? Really?" Henry couldn't believe what she told him.

"Yeah, but she insists it wasn't a date." The dark-haired girl gossiped, feeling the same frustration with the two adults that Henry did.

"It was totally a date, they're just too dumb to realise it." The boy said in exasperation.

"I know!" She agreed, but Henry realised he was getting off point.

"No, anyway! I mean, they've been talking... like, when nobody else is around." Henry told her what he'd been observing.

"You mean like, talking to themselves?" Charlotte asked.

"Yeah! Like, full-on conversations with people who aren't there." He said, but the girl wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure they're not just talking to each other?" She inquired, thinking that Henry had misheard them or interpreted the conversation wrong.

"No, they're talking and referring to someone else." Henry insisted.

"Okay, well, my uncle Rosco talks to his food before he eats it," Charlotte told him.

"What's he say?" 

"Stuff like..."well, hello, hamburger, you're about to take a trip to belly town." Her voice deepened as she impersonated her uncle. As soon as she had finished speaking, the sprocket opened. Ray and (y/n) came out talking, but not to each other. Weird. 

"Is that a serious question?" The woman asked, looking over to her left. Whoever she was speaking to, wasn't there.

"No, we can't go riding rollercoasters with you." Ray also said to thin air.

"'Cause we have jobs!" The woman swatted her hand, looking like she was insane.

"Stop poking me!" Ray looked behind him, also appearing like he was some kind of madman.

"Hey guys, you find out any more info on that motorcycle thief?" Ray approached the kids, (y/n) following behind him.

"Stop standing so close to me! I can feel you breathing on my neck!" A pale-faced (y/n) snapped, even though no one was close to her. She definitely wasn't referring to Ray, mainly because he wasn't that close to her, but also because she usually couldn't get close enough to him for her liking. 

"Thank you." The superhero wasn't phased by her odd behaviour, but Henry and Charlotte were concerned.

"Why are you guys staring at us?" Ray asked when he noticed their expressions. (y/n) leaned into his side, moving away from whatever was bothering her.

"Uh...." Charlotte didn't want to appear rude.

"Because you're talking to nobody." Henry, on the other hand, didn't care.

"Shhhh!" The girl next to him tried to quiet him down.

"It's got to be said!" Henry said to her firmly.

"Right, you guys don't know Brad." (y/n) could see why they were so weirded-out. When Ray first brought Brad home, she thought he'd gone crazy.

"Brad, this is Henry and Charlotte. Guys... this is Invisible Brad." Ray clicked his fingers to the space next to (y/n), feeling fairly certain that's where the guy was stood.

"Hiii, Brad."

"Looking good, Brad." The teens said hello to the air, not believing that the two adults actually had an invisible friend.

"Brad, say hi," Ray said when the man didn't answer immediately.

"They think we're insane." (y/n) whispered in his ear, so they began to feel the air around them

"Brad? Ugh. Come on, Brad." Ray grumbled as the teens kept staring. 

"He does this a lot." The woman said with a nervous laugh, as Ray felt around the room.

"Brad? Where are you? Come on, this isn't funny anymore, man. Brad!" He was wiggling his hands everywhere and even (y/n) thought he looked funny.

"This is so sad," Charlotte said to Henry, as the woman began searching too. They certainly made an entertaining sight. 

"They're not okay." They watched the friends swatting around the room until Ray finally grabbed onto...something.

"Ah, gotcha!" He wrestled with the thing in the air and then threw it into a tool trolley, knocking it over. At least it proved that they weren't lying.

"Now, say hello to those kids." (y/n) pointed to Ray's fist.

"Hey, guys. I'm Brad." An unknown, masculine voice said. Henry and Charlotte's mouths fell open and then they looked at each other in surprise.

"There's no such thing as an invisible person," Charlotte exclaimed, her strong belief in science not wanting to acknowledge something not real outside of comic books.

"Tell that to him." (y/n) gestured at the 'man' Ray was holding.

"Okay, what would you believe that Brad's real?" Ray asked the teens, who still thought it was all some kind of trick.

"Let's see him slap Henry." Charlotte challenged them.

"Yeah. Come on, slap me, Brad." Henry scoffed, not fearing a smack from a man he didn't think was there.

"Right here on my--" The boy's cockiness was literally slapped out of him, as the sting across his cheek was so brutal, it made him fall to the floor. He stumbled and slipped around as he stood up. 

"Okay, that was a bit hard." (y/n) cringed, but once the kid got back on his feet, he and Charlotte looked at each other and then at Brad.

"Heeeyyy, Braaaad." They said in small voices, believing that Ray and (y/n) were telling the truth.

~

(y/n) had set up lunch, consisting of chicken, fries, corn, chips, dips and many other tasty snack foods. Brad was sat next to Ray, who was squashed up next to (y/n), Charlotte and Henry. 

"Hey, can you pass the ketchup?" Henry asked, holding his hand out for the bottle.

"Sure. Here you go." Brad made it look like the bottle flew across the table, and it still fascinated the teens. Ray and (y/n) however, were starting to feel like he was outstaying his welcome.

"So, Brad, I have a question. Did something make you become invisible or were you just born this way?" Charlotte asked the guy, making (y/n) suck in a breath of air sharply.

"Sore spot." She coughed out, as she felt Ray tense beside her.

"Nah, nobody's born invisible." His voice seemed to have moved to behind where the kids were sat, confusing everyone at the table.

"Wait, I thought you were sitting right there," Charlotte said, looking around the air. 

"I was, but...my leg was cramping up so I'm walking around." He excused himself, his poor manners irritating Ray and freaking (y/n) out.

"How do we talk to a guy we can't see?" Henry looked at his bosses. 

"Here, Brad. Put these on and sit down." (y/n) said and lifted a pair of sunglasses behind her head. 

"Yeah, okay, sweet stuff," Brad said, the smirk in his voice evident. Ray bit his lip and curled his fingers into a fist as the woman next to him shuffled closer to him in discomfort. He took a sip of water to calm himself down, the dainty hand on his knee helping too. Brad put on the glasses to let the kids know where he was. 

"So, you turned invisible, like, when?" Henry asked the glasses.

"Five years ago. It was all Captain Man's fault." Brad told them bitterly.

"Here we go again." Ray sighed and put his arm around (y/n) so she could lean into his chest. 

"Well, what happened?" Charlotte asked.

"Okay, see, I was being chased by this insane criminal, who wanted to turn me invisible." Ray began his story.

"Why?" Henry butted in.

"Probably 'cause he hated him and knew how much he loved being visible." (y/n) answered, looking up at Ray with a grin. He smiled down at her, the pair of them making a perfect, romantic image.

"Yeah, like I used to be." Brad complained, killing the happy mood.

"It wasn't my fault." Ray protested at the invisible man.

"Yes, it was!" Brad snapped back at him.

"Just tell us what happened," Henry begged, like a child desperate to hear the end of a bedtime story.

"Okay, so this evil dude was firing at me with his invisiblaster, right?" Ray continued.

"I was just riding my bike, minding my own business," Brad growled, thinking back to the fateful day.

"When I dove out of the way, the invisiblaster's beam missed me and--" Ray explained, but Brad rudely cut him off.

"HIT ME! And that's how Captain Man ruined my life." The glasses looked at Ray, who took another chicken leg.

"How was I supposed to know you'd be riding your bike right behind me?" Ray asked him, bringing his right arm over (y/n)'s head so he could rest them both on the table.

"You owe me!" Brad barked at the superhero, who just dropped his chicken leg on the table in frustration.

"He lent you 4000 bucks so you could buy a damn hot tub!" (y/n) slammed her hand on the table, her voice harsh. She knew Brad had taken advantage of Ray's kind heart when she wasn't around, using his accident to guilt him into buying him stupid things like hot tubs.

"And, we let you stay here in the Man Cave for two months after your girlfriend dumped you." She reminded the man. That time had been horrible for her. Living with an invisible man had put her on edge because she didn't know when he was watching her, eat, change or sleep. She had locked her door every night and even slept in Ray's room a few times, her nervous nature falling to pieces with an unseeable man creeping around.

"And who paid for that nose job, huh? This guy." Ray piped up, appreciating how the woman next to him stood up to the man he knew frightened her. 

"Great. Now I have a beautiful nose that no one can ever see." Brad didn't care about all the things the two had done for him, he just hated Captain Man.

"Their relationship is really complicated," Charlotte commented to Henry, seeing how Ray hated the man who unnerved (y/n), but also felt a sense of duty to him since it was he who facilitated the accident.

"What do you want from us, Brad?" (y/n) asked in a strained voice, refusing to look at the floating glasses. The invisible man took them off and threw them onto the table, freaking her out and confusing the others.

"I want to be your sidekick!" Brad said to Ray.

"What?" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, hey! Ray's already got a sidekick, me." Henry said, his hand on his chest. (y/n) was clutching Ray's arm like a terrified child. She couldn't have Brad living in the Man Cave again, she just couldn't.

"You're just a kid, who's visible." Brad mocked him.

"Oh! So you're better than me just 'cause I'm visible and you're not?" Henry started to argue with him.

"All right, guys, come on. Let's not play the visibility card." Charlotte stopped them before the woman next to her hyperventilated.

"Brad...I think it's time for you to go." Ray started shuffling along the couch and pushed the invisible guy off of the seat.

"Think about what great sidekick I'd be. I could sneak up on bad guys, and then..." Brad started to say, then punched Ray across the face, the woman and teens on the couch fliching at the sound the collision made.

" Ow! I'm okay." Ray quickly recovered. 

"See, you never saw that punch coming," Brad told him.

"Look, he already has an excellent sidekick and that's Henry." (y/n) said, her hand gesturing to the boy.

"Thank you." The sidekick replied.

"Don't be like that, babe. What if Henry quits?" The masculine voice sent shivers down her spine, and Ray stood up a little straighter.

"I'm not quitting." Henry insisted.

"He's not quitting," Ray told the invisible man sternly.

"But what if he does? Then what?" Brad wouldn't drop the subject.

"All right, Brad. If Henry ever quits, you can be my sidekick, okay?" Ray had his back to (y/n) and couldn't see her head snap up in pure terror. Charlotte grabbed her hand and looked at her in concern.

"Are you all right?" She mumbled to her, feeling her rocketing pulse on her wrist.

"He can't be his sidekick. If he lives here, I'll never sleep again. He watches me shower, he watches me eat, he follows me around, I hate him!" She ranted, trying to slow down her racing heart.

"Does Ray know about this?" Charlotte asked her. The woman looked down in shame.

"He knows some of it, just not the full extent." She revealed. Ray didn't know how deep her fear ran since she knew how guilty he felt in regards to Brad's invisibility. She thought that he'd send her away instead of the creepy dude.

"You have to tell him." The girl told her, as they focused on what the two men were saying again.

"Anything else?" Ray said to Brad.

"Yeah, I want your shirt." The guy had a strange request, but (y/n) knew he just wanted Ray to be humiliated as he had been.

"You can't have my shirt," Ray told him, but Brad just tore it straight his body, revealing his toned chest and abs. (y/n)'s cheeks superheated to a deep red blush. She tended to avoid seeing Ray naked, feeling like it was an invasion of his privacy. She let out a small squeak as her heart rate picked up again and a fire burned in her lower belly.

"Hey! Brad! Give me my shirt back, Brad!" Ray tried to grab the material, Henry and Charlotte watching with confused faces. 

"Guys, don't...don't look at this." Ray covered up his naked torso, feeling exposed in front of them. (y/n) kept looking down, but the image of skin over hardened muscles would never leave her mind.

"Okay, seriously, though, it's not funny anymore, so...okay." Ray kept reaching for the red shirt, but Brad kept pulling it back. The half-naked man was so close to his best friend that she couldn't help but look at him, committing every freckle, bump and perfect blemish on his skin to memory. He tugged on the material, his abs flexing in her face.

"Brad. Brad! You don't wear clothes anyway!" Ray and Brad ran off across the Man Cave, leaving the kids and a starstruck (y/n) on the couch. Charlotte passed the woman her water, which she gulped down rapidly. Her mind tried to process the rollercoaster of emotions that she had just been on as she fanned her warm cheeks. 

~Henry's house, later that night~

Henry was tucked up in bed asleep. After a long days work, he had crawled under his sheets and snuggled down for a good night's rest. Sadly, he didn't hear the door open, or notice how Invisible Brad sneaked into his room. Ignorant in his bliss, the boy carried on snoozing, unaware of what was about to happen.

The door shut quietly, and Brad used all his strength to flip over the mattress Henry was on, tipping the poor boy out of bed.

"Oh, what the...what's going on?" Henry woke up with a start, his fight, flight or freeze instincts kicking in.

"Quit your job," Brad told him simply, before running away and exiting via the window.

Piper entered her brother's room, having been woken up by the noise. She gazed over the mattress and her brother on the floor with a puzzled face.

"Uh...did you feel that earthquake too?" Henry asked her, trying to find a believable reason as to why he was on the floor with half his bed destroyed. Telling her that an invisible man with a grudge against him had done it just wouldn't cut it.

~The next day, in the afternoon~

Ray and (y/n) were sat close together on the Man Cave's couch, playing a game as Henry ranted behind them about everything Brad had been doing to him. The woman was trying to find a good time to tell Ray about how much of a violating weirdo Brad was, but there was never a suitable moment.

"So, I'm sound asleep in my bed and Brad sneaks into my house and flips my bed over," Henry said angrily.

"Ah, this game's impossible. I can't get all these ants in this little pair of pants." Ray complained.

"I feel like you're not listening to me," Henry said to his boss. (y/n) had stopped playing a while ago, as she chewed her lip in thought, wondering how to tell the man.

"Look, I know Brad's kind of obnoxious," Ray said reluctantly, not wanting to admit to himself that Brad was way more than obnoxious.

"Kind of? He snuck into my school, put a bucket on my teacher's head, splashed water on my area, and then he spanked my teacher with a mop." Henry told him what had happened in school that day, and (y/n) could fully believe it.

"Yeah, that's Brad." She sighed.

"And every time, before he runs away, he goes, 'quit your job.'" Henry mimicked Brad's voice into Ray's ear, but he was too busy with the game.

"Hey! Another ant... in the pants." Ray looked at them both with a proud smile, but then they saw a metal pipe floating in the air near the elevator.

"Hey, what is that?" Henry asked.

"I don't know, looks like a steel pipe," Ray explained, and (y/n) knew exactly what was going on.

"Oh my god! He's here!" She yelled, wrapping her arms around herself in fear. 

"Brad!" Henry realised that she was right.

"What are you---" Ray was cut off as Brad hit Henry sharply in the shin with the pipe, making (y/n) scream as he bent over in pain.

"Brad!" Ray knelt down next to Henry, who was clutching his throbbing leg. 

"Quit your job. And (y/n), I love you," The voice said, before running off. 

"This has to stop!" Ray called after him, not realising how obsessive the invisible guy was over the woman who ran to Henry's side with her first aid kit. In an emergency, she could swallow her fear and help her friends with an impervious attitude. 

"Oh, why, why, why, why?!" The boy cried at Ray, his femur bone possibly cracked, fractured or broken. (y/n) took out her splints and began to immobilise the limb as Ray looked on in horror. 

"I think it's just badly bruised." She sighed after a few minutes of assessing the damage. 

"You're very lucky, but your leg's gonna hurt like hell for a few days." She told him and Ray helped him up onto the couch.

"What do I do now?" The teen looked at his boss, who looked both worried and guilty.

"I guess, we're just gonna have to wait and see what happens next." Ray breathed out, and (y/n) knew that it would take something serious to get him to act against Brad.

~The next morning~

Henry took a frozen leg out of the freezer and rested it against his swollen eye, another piece of Brad's handiwork.

"This better work," Henry said to Charlotte, as she worked on her PearBook at the kitchen table. He'd called (y/n) a few minutes before to ask them to come to his house and she'd recommended a cold compression to bring down the swelling. What she meant was like an ice-pack, but all the Hart's had was a turkey leg.

"What is that?" Charlotte looked at him.

"Turkey leg." He told her, before taking the leg off to show her his injury.

"How's my eye look?" She gazed up and winced at the deep, purple bruising. 

""Put the leg back on." She gagged at the gruesome sight. The doorbell rang, announcing that his bosses were here.

"Finally," Henry sighed and limped over to the door. His legged was still in agony from the beating it had taken yesterday.

"Your parents here?" Ray asked as he and (y/n) walked into the living room.

"Nah, just come in," Henry said, and everyone gathered in the sitting area. 

"What's he done now?" (y/n) looked at Henry from her place on the couch and knew that Brad had struck again, and judging by the turkey leg, she could guess where.

"This." The boy removed the leg and the two adults gasped at the state of his eye.

"Who gave you the black eye?" Ray asked, even though he knew the answer was Brad.

"Invisible Brad," Henry said, his voice soft but deadly serious.

"He punched you?" (y/n) looked at the boy with concern. She knew Brad was a scumbag, but she didn't think he'd stoop as low as beating a child like that.

"Worse. I was in gym class today, and I was standing in front of Mitch Bilsky." Henry began to explain.

"So what'd Invisible Brad do?" Ray questioned him.

"He pinched Mitch Bilsky on the butt! To make Mitch think I did it." Henry growled.

"Ooo, yeah guys don't like that," Ray said in a low voice.

"No, they don't." Henry reiterated in an angry voice.

"Uh, girls don't like that either, just so you know."Charlotte piped up from her laptop and (y/n) agreed with her. That kind of behaviour was unacceptable to any person. 

"We gotta do something about Brad." Henry looked at him, but Ray wasn't sure. Charlotte saw the way he hesitated and realised that he didn't know all the facts regarding Brad.

"You still haven't told him, have you?" She said to the frozen woman on the couch, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. (y/n) felt her stomach drop, as Ray looked from Charlotte to her in confusion.

"Told me what?" He asked her, and she felt the tears starting to come.

"Uh---" She couldn't find the words, and hot, fat tears started to roll down her face. Ray saw how terrified she looked, and knelt down in front of her, as Henry and Charlotte moved to the kitchen to give them some space.

"(your/nickname), you can tell me anything." He spoke to her softly and took her hands into his. Her face screwed up, and she bit back a sob.

"You know how Brad followed me around and wouldn't leave me alone when he lived with us." She croaked through the tears, and Ray nodded.

"Yeah, he has a crush on you." He told her what he thought, but she shook her head in despair.

"No, he's obsessed with me. He watched me sleep, he followed into the bathroom when I was showering, he looked at me when I changed." She listed off everything Brad had done to her five years ago and watched as anger built in Ray's eyes. His large hands covered hers completely, as she finally looked up at him.

"Please don't be mad at me." She pleaded in a small, fragile voice, and Ray felt his heart shatter. He had been blinded by his own guilt and it had gotten her hurt, something he had always tried to protect her from. 

"Oh sweetheart, I'm not mad." He pulled her into a hug on the floor, and they just sat there for a while, her glad to be safe and truthful in his arms, and him glad that she was still around for him to hold. 

"You don't have to keep things from me. You're my best friend," he whispered into her hair, and she sniffled as her tears started to dry up.

"Okay." She pulled back from the hug slowly, her mind and heart feeling so much lighter.

"What do we do now?" She asked him, as they stood up from kneeling on the floor.

"I'm going to rip that bastard's head off." He replied, making her giggle at his fierce protectiveness. Ray kissed her forehead and brought her into another hug, as he gestured for Henry and Charlotte to come back over. 

"So, what are we gonna do about Brad?" Henry asked as they all sat on the couch together. 

"Don't worry, we're gonna get him," Ray reassured the boy, but a voice behind them said otherwise.

"I doubt it." They all jumped up in fright, (y/n) especially. Ray instantly curled around her, as she kicked at the air around her.

"Quit your job," Brad said to Henry as he knocked the boy off his feet. Henry groaned on the ground, as the invisible man left the house.

"You have a beautiful home." He called out as he slammed the door. Henry ran after him and started hitting his frozen turkey leg against it in anger.

"How do we beat a guy we can't see?" Henry asked.

"Uh, we fix it so we can see him." Charlotte told him, and (y/n) was starting to see what she was driving at. 

"How?"

"Yeah, how?" The superhero duo asked, annoyed that this guy was terrorising them and they had no obvious way of defeating him.

"We could use paint." (y/n) looked at them, and Charlotte gave her a high five. Great minds think alike.

"Oh, come on, how is paint gonna..."

"I don't really think paint is the answer that we're..." Henry and Ray started but then it clicked into place for them.

"Paint!" They said together, leaving the girls to smile at how slow they were sometimes.

~Later, in the Man Cave~

Henry, Charlotte and (y/n) were setting up the trap for Brad. With Ray out to lure him back to the Man Cave, it was up to the woman and two teens to get the paint ready.

"Okay, is the tripwire set?" Henry called out to the two girls from his position up the ladder near the elevator.

"Just about," Charlotte replied to him, as (y/n) tied the wire to the leg of a machine.

"Oh, this is going to be so great. Invisible Brad's going to get covered with red paint, so then we'll be able to see him, and kick him about fifty times, right in his invisible---" Henry told them angrily as he filled up a tub of paint, wanting revenge for himself and his older friend.

"Okay, I get it," Charlotte told him to calm down. They didn't need any accidents from flaring tempers.

"Don't forget the 'ripping off his head' part." (y/n) shouted up to him, and he smiled down at her.

"Yeah, that too." He said, as the tube came down and a pale-faced Ray entered the Man Cave.

"Ray?" 

"You weren't supposed to come down the tube," Charlotte exclaimed, thinking that everything had been ruined.

"You were supposed to walk out of the elevator with Brad." Henry looked at his boss in surprise. This was not part of the plan. The large man stumbled down the steps to the couch, worrying the three that observed him.

"I...I need to sit down." The superhero mumbled out and (y/n) helped him to the couch, recognising the signs of shock.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" She asked as brushed a hand over his forehead, feeling his clammy skin.

"Is Brad in here with us now?" Henry asked, and the three looked around the hideout with outstretched arms.

"He'll never be in here again," Ray said in a quiet voice. The woman next to him looked at him in concern and took his hand in hers, much like he had done for her earlier.

"Tell us what happened." She told him gently, even though she was almost jumping for joy at the idea of never having to deal with Brad again.

"Everything was going according to plan. I told Invisible Brad that Henry quit and that he could be my new sidekick." Ray said to them.

"And did he buy it?" Henry asked.

"Ohhhh... he bought it." The superhero said. The memory still burnt brightly in his mind.

"What does that mean?" Charlotte inquired, not understanding what Ray's cryptic words meant.

"Well...we were finishing our root beers. We took a selfie; I paid the check, and then we were walking across the street together on our way here..." Ray continued, leaving them all in suspense.

"And?" (y/n) looked up at him expectantly.

"Brad got hit by a bus. I guess the driver just didn't see him." Ray finished, sending them all into reels of shock. Henry and Charlotte patted his shoulder sympathetically as (y/n) gave him a hug.

"At least it's over now." She said, and they all agreed. It wasn't the way they wanted it to go, but it was done nevertheless. 

"Yeah," Ray said, still finding comfort in her embrace.

"You kids can go home, I think we've done enough for today." The young woman gave them a tired smile, and they both knew that Ray wasn't in the mood for any more fiascos.

'Yeah, all right. See you tomorrow." Henry and Charlotte waved goodbye, as they left in the elevator, leaving the two adults alone.

~Later that night, (y/n)'s PoV~

I felt exhausted after such an emotional day. My arms and legs ached and begged for sleep but my mind just didn't want to be quiet. I had let go of one worry, in that I thought Brad was history, but now I knew that Ray would be the one to carry the burden of his death. Poor Ray, I knew he already carried the weight of the world, despite his childish exterior shielding it from view. 

I let out a long sigh and stood up from my bed. After tossing and turning for hours, I knew that sleep wasn't coming anytime soon. I glanced at the luminescent numbers on my clock and they told me it was 3AM. Running my eyes, I groaned and sat up. The eeriness of the pitch black made me shiver a little and I knew there was only one place I'd be finding any rest tonight. 

Throwing back the blankets, I wandered out of my room and down the corridor to Ray's, hoping that like me, he'd be awake. 

His door slid open, and I could see a large lump under the sheets on his bed through the darkness.

"Ray? Ray!" I whispered and sneaked in. The lump didn't move, so I gave it a small prod. Nothing. 

Taking a deep breath, I poked his shoulder hard so he groaned and turned over, his blurry vision probably seeing me like a blurry lump too.

"(y/n)? It's three in the morning." He looked at his clock and then back to me. His rough voice sent shivers down my spine, but I ignored them in favour of telling him why I was prodding and poking him in the middle of the night. 

"I can't sleep," I murmured through the dark, and I could faintly see him budge up to the right side of the bed to make a space for me. He acted as though my question bothered him, and gave a small sigh that made me wince for a second when I remembered the time and how I'd rudely disturbed his slumber. But then, he sighed and pulled the comforter back, welcoming me in. 

"Come on." I grinned and dived into the space, snuggling down into the warm, familiar scent of Ray. I was intent on just staying on my side of the bed, but Ray was a huge nighttime-cuddler. He pulled an arm around my shoulders and held me against his bare chest. I was frozen for two minutes before he finally spoke again.

"Your feet are cold." He grumbled when my icy toes brushed his leg.

"Oops." I smiled into his neck. My heart had never felt lighter and I wondered if I should tell him. If it all went wrong, I could just put it down to careless, middle-of-the-night mindlessness, and hope that he'd buy it. 'Yeah, I'm gonna say it.'

"Hey, Ray?" I said in a quiet voice, gathering all my courage.

"What?" My heart was in my mouth, which suddenly felt very dry. It was now or never, just say it, three little words...

"I--I...did you know that cows have best friends?" I stammered, changing my mind at the last minute. I couldn't. Even though I wanted to with every fibre of my being, I just couldn't. I wasn't brave enough. 

"Go to sleep." He mumbled into my hair, and I settled down into the plush pillows. I sighed against the skin of his chest, annoyed with myself since even with every ounce of courage I could muster, I was still falling flat. 

My panic began to dissolve as the lull of his heartbeat echoed under my ear, soothing me better than any lullaby. His gentle breathing played in time with it like a duet and it finally pulled me to sleep.

Maybe one day.

[survivalist-anon]

Log 26: "Great, now there's two of them"

The scenic route had calmed the tension between Fjord and Ronnie. The two were discussing on Fjord's misadventures with me in town. I was just simply listening quietly, just giving myself time to think a little.

Walking down the thicket, the smell of wet pine needles had resurrected a recent memory of mine...the first time I saw an Astartes....that....horned one. It's been surreal to see how diverse these guys are so far....but it makes me wonder what else I don't know about their lives...maybe something I shouldn't know.

"-and then, she opens the air lock, and BAM the alien gets sent into space! Man, you really ought to watch it like man. It's a classic.", Ronnie had just finished explaining the whole plot to Aliens, Fjord was listening intently.

"Ay, sounds like a brave guardsman, this... Sigourney. Hmmm...", I've always found it interesting that somethings tap into the minds of others as either fiction or real.

This whole experience has been so unreal, ever since that day....why did it comeback to the very same spot? Considering what has been going on, did grampa have anything to do with that horned Astartes?....or was it just a freak encounter....

Fjord raised his head up, sniffing the air a bit, "ah we're here. Almost in the same spot too.", as the three of us emerged from the tree lining, we were more than 'in the same spot ', we somehow ended up right on the same patch of concrete wall where Fjord was hit with those huge guns.

"I see they have yet to patch up the wall...Ha, laziness I suppose....or everyone is dead.", Fjord casually stated.

"Dead?!", Ronnie exclaimed, "W-what do you mean dead?".

Fjord tilted his head to him, "Well for starters lad, Imperial Fists never leave a job undone. Secondly, for the job of an Imperial Fist to go ud-"

Suddenly, a familiar shout echoed from the other side of the wall.

"PASSWORD!"

Fjord knew exactly who that was, and he was going to take his chance, he gave the both of us a mischievous grin. "YOUR MOTHER!", he heartily shouted.

Ronnie just stood there in amazement. "bruh... really?"

I for one was expecting another shoot out, "if anyone takes out a gun, cover your ears."

"wait they're pack heat??", Ronnie snapped his head towards me.

We could hear the scuffled stomping of metal boots, momentary labored huffing and the unfortunate clicking of someone loading a firearm. I look up and see the world's grumpiest looking mask I have ever seen, it practically had a permanent frown. "WRONG PASSWORD YOU SON OF A- ohh it's y-WAIT WHY DO YOU HAVE TWO OF THEM NOW!?!".

"Oh hey, nice to see you again, please don't shoot us again.", I give a friendly wave hoping he recognizes us from last time.

I could see he was looking at all three us, flabbergasted a bit. ".... DOES ALDERCON KNOW YOU'RE HERE!", he shouted back.

I look to Ronnie to see his reaction, he seems to be getting exited about the situation, a bit scared but he's perked up.

"damn, th-thats a huge gun...", he looks to Fjord's utility belt and sees his piece. "Oooooh...what caliber is that?", he sheepishly asks.

Fjord looks to Ronnie, "ugh .75 I believe, some use bigger shots for bigger targets-", he shoots his head to the fist, "-Ugh no he doesn't know! Surprise visit really!", I could tell the unexpected visit was going to cost us.

The guard was pacing back and forth, grumbling to himself, "ALRIGHT! BUT IM ONLY LETTING YOU IN BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR HANDLER HAVE A HOSTAGE!", he then disappears back from the top of the wall, thudding down the stairs.

Ronnie looked at the both of us, "What the? Hostage??? You guys tricked me or something?!"

"No no, let him think that, just don't make any sudden movements, comments or anything. These guys are like the jughead's back at Tallimook? Yeah, think that but way more serious.", all us then turn our heads to a near seamless door appear at the base of the wall.

"Come on. You will be escorted to Aldercon himself.", he turns to somebody out of our line of sight, "Search the new comer.", is the three of us reluctantly walk through the door way, two other Marines, one blue and another yellow one are standing guard with him.

"Well well well, I had heard that there was a handler chosen after all this time, which one is it? The female or the male?", the blue one coldly asked. "Hmf, the female most likely.... considering the Astartes." The yellow sneered, Fjord had mentioned to me that his group of Marines had always been seen in a bad light...it makes me wonder what is the reality of Space wolves in that case.

Fjord understandably gave a low growl, "you'll show respect for my 'handler'.....", I could practically see his hair stand on end.

Ronnie stuck to me like glue, "dang, this is some intense shit. Also why does one of them looks like Big Blue?".

The one with blue snapped his head towards us, "That showboating fool?! An absolute disgrace to the Ultramarines! Instead of seeking the rest of his chapter, he's gallivanting around....the Codex does NOT allow for such a grievous waste of time.", he groned.

"Hey man c'mon, he's saving lives and stoping some serious crimes in Philly. Shits serious down there. At least he's helping.", I guess Ronnie was a fan of Big Blue than.

I turn to Ronnie and whisper, "please this isn't a time to be brave, these guys are the real deal. Like straight from...where ever they're from.", unlike Fjord, I couldn't read these guys for the life of me. Whether it be their helmets or cadence in their tone....these guys were scary.

"How would you appreciate your soldiers in your homewold's army doing the same thing? Would that not be subordination?", doubling down on his opinion.

"Oh come off it! Besides, we need good rapport with the Earth mortals, I'm certain your primarch wouldn't be too upset about it. After all, he is probably enjoying his new found purpose.", the guard retorts. "Now move it.", returning to his gruff demeanor.

Motioning to the both of us, Fjord turns to us and nods, "do not worry, I'm never out numbered.", shining a mischievous grin.

I genuinely felt safer knowing that at least. I turn to Ronnie to see he was looking around cautiously. "Lorey, did ...did you go through here?"

I shake my head, "no, we went over the wall actually. That's what that big hole was."

"Speaking of which lass, you fists forgot that hole in the wall or something? Or were you all finding a nice frame for it?", he chuckled.

The two fists look at each other with shock, I guess from their perspective there was any hole.

As we walk to the other side, we can see that there was a little more activity than last time. More Marines were walking around, just tending to their own chores and such. There was that friendly marine, Sha'kal, monitoring a group of them, it looks like they're doing some military exercises. As we pass by I could see he glaces back, that smile beaming like always and a friendly.

Funny enough, the other Marines saw that, glanced at our direction to see who he was waving at. One stopped as he was jogging, causing a domino effect while the furthest in the back made a sudden stop.

The both of us winced a little, "Oops, sorry!", I had to apologize.

"Hello Lorey, it is a pleasure to see you and Fjord again! Oh and don't worry, they're fine! Right gentlemen?", as he addressed three of them on the ground getting up, groaning from their own pile up.

Ronnie's eyes were wide open, if it was anymore hammed up he'd rubbing his eyes. "Woah...I...ugh...I thought-".

"That they were all in mechanical suits? No you're half right but that's all muscle down there.", personally, I was enjoying the view.

"...yeah....ugh...they're...huge...all of them...", he glanced at Fjord who waved back Sha'kal, he started to put the pieces together. He leans to whisper, "Are these guys like....super mutant government experiments or something?".

The guard fist snaps his head to him, "Watch it mortal! We're angels of the Imperium.".

"...no idea what angles these guys have seen but ok go off.", Ronnie grumbled.

Off into the distance, Aldercon had finally arrived to the surface from another entrance, he was out of his big, bulking yellow armor and into something more akin to a standard military uniform of a high ranking officer.

"Miss.Drake! I see you have breached our agreement in a record time of 70 hours, 20 mins and 48 seconds. Hmf, calculations correct as always.", he didn't seem too angry but that snide comment of his was a good sign he wasn't too pleased. Makes sense.

He marched right up to Ronnie, immediately intimidating him. Looking at him up and down like newly recruited meat. "....Stand up straight, boy! James has relayed quite a lot about you so I expect the best out of you. So far, you have the stance of a slacker, but I can you have guts, a newly acquired chip on your shoulder to boot .... likely grieving for someone's loss, my condolences....., yet James has told me you have the qualifications of a team leader. Good. Now then.....Miss.Drake why have you breach our agreement in keeping our existence safe?". The stoic tone in his voice was giving me the strangest sense of anxiety...than again.

"It seems we may have a... situation on our hands....one of the rangers from my work place was....killed.", I would imagine the next thing was going to happen was some semblance of a report, hopefully I'm not one filing anything.

Ronnie within every word Aldercon commanded he had stood straight like a soldier, at first it was an immediate response in fear until he heard Jame's name. "Wait hol'up you know James?", he looked Aldercon in the eyes, which was considerably a big mistake.

The Ronnie's colors flushed from his face with a shift of Aldercon's eyes. His knees even started to shake a little.

"....Yes....I do know your boss James. Like Miss.Drake, he was my handler when I had first come to your world.", the look on Aldercon's eyes was one of hatred or anything truly malignant, but it was akin to being starred down but a large animal.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "It's ok Ron, he isn't going to do anything. These guys have a ....rather complex life, trust me they're serious for good reason. But they're not going to hurt you. I promise.". The look of worry on Ronnie's face was telling.

Shaking his head a little, Aldercon than turns to Fjord. "Don't you think you're out of my line of sight fuzzball! That stunt of yours with the law enforcement officer could have cost us.".

Fjord gave an awkward smile, he knows what he did. "Hehe... At least I missed?".

"Come, I believe we need to register our.... reluctant new mortal here.... considering he works close with you and James, I believe it would be wise to have.... extra eyes.", he turned around, heading towards the same entrance we had gone in before.

Loosening up a little now that Aldercon wasn't looking at him, Ron let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Bruh, Lorey...how does he know James?! What the hell is a handler? A-and-", he stopped mid sentence and saw the training group from earlier, it seemed that that were now just taking a quick break and tossing around what looked like a huge football, but I could tell it looked HEAVY. I could even hear the impact of the ball hitting there palms from all the way where we were standing.

I turn to see what he was looking at, "aw, they know how to play football."

The wheels in Ronnie's head were definitely turning, "Lore...these are built different... aren't they".

"yeah, they' are....they definitely are....", I responded.

"......why do....we feel like they're....ugh...", Ronnie couldn't find the words to say without them likely sounding insulting.....but it was probably the same thoughts as me.....

~~~~~~~~

Later, heading down into the fort, I could see Ronnie had begun to feel a lot more awe struck rather than worried.

"Daaaang this place is huge! It's like some secret government agent kind of shit.", his head was looking at pretty much all the same things I had been looking at.

The bustling construction on some of the walls have moved on to other parts of the underground fort.

"Now, 'Ronnie', what you see here has no affiliation with any of your planet's government agencies, national administrations or any corporate or political group. We are our own governing body here.", Aldercon concluded stoically.

The tilt of Ronnie's head was hard to miss, "I'm sorry...did you say 'planet', like....y'all from outer space?".

I remembered that Fjord would sparingly allude to them coming from some other world but to actually be confirmed this by Aldercon is definitely a little bit more heavy. "Ugh, can you better explain that actually? I think this is the first time I'm hearing this too.".

His eyes shifted to view both of us individually, like a mounted camera, he let out a heavy yet strangely gentle sigh for a man his girth.

"If you two will make the assumption that we as the Astartes, warriors and guardians of the Imperium are ....as some would understandable consider us...."aliens"....as per the definition of 'someone from a different/foreign land'....you both would be correct... however -", he leans over the both of us, shadowing us like a great wall.... probably comparable to the fort's concrete wall outside.

"-we....are human.....not Xenos....do you understand me?". His stare would burn holes into our brains if he could....

I nodded my head, I look to see Ronnie nodding his head as well....

"Good...now.... about that rouge marine....", he concluded.

End of log 26

@kit-williams @barn-anon @egrets-not-regrets @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan @walking-natural-disaster @starfrost740 @squishyowl @sleepyfan-blog @lawnchair86

[entink]

Demons

Y/N takes part in a summoning ritual that she doesn’t really want to take part of and actual demons get summoned. On the positive side, they’re really hot. Turns out, these demons are staying longer than everyone thought.

——————————————————————————

Y/N read the instructions and watched as her friends finished setting up the circle. ‘Why am I even doing this? And why are we doing this at my house?’ she thought to herself as she sighed.

The circle itself was just a basic circle of rocks and salt, with some herbs and stones placed at certain points around it. All that mattered was that they had done their part, so now they had to wait for the spirit or whatever it was they were trying to summon, to take its place in this world.

They all sat around the circle and joined hands. Y/N could tell that her friends were nervous and excited about the whole thing. Even Y/N couldn’t help feeling the same way. It wasn’t every day you got to summon something from another world, let alone a spirit.

One of Y/N’s friends took a deep breath before starting the chant. “Come forth and manifest into this space, so that we may speak with your kind.” She said it very carefully, trying not to get carried away by her enthusiasm. Y/N noticed how her friends also started chanting so she joined in.

As the chorus grew louder and louder, the floor underneath them vibrated slightly from the energy of their voices before it stopped. They finally finished the chant and waited. After some time, Y/N began to wonder if anything would actually happen. ‘What are the chances?’ She thought as she looked at the others beside her.

“Ugh! I can’t believe we wasted our money on this stuff-” Y/N’s friend was cut off when there was a sudden flash of light coming from the circle they made. Everyone yelped and sheilded their eyes.

When the light died down, three men stood there.

One had really pale skin with lots of beauty marks on his face, one had fluffy dark brown hair, and one had a cold expression on his face. But the thing that stood out the most was the horns protruding from their heads and tail coming from their backs.

Everyone screamed upon seeing the men. All of Y/N’s friends got up from their seats and ran out of the house, crying without even looking back. Y/N wanted to do the same thing, but felt herself unable to move. She wasn’t sure if it was fear or something else. She just stared up in shock at the three men who she presumed to be demons.

“You,” the one with the cold expression said, pointing at Y/N. “Get over here. Now,” he ordered. Y/N obeyed and slowly crawled over to him, too afraid to actually get up. “Why did you summon us?” He asked while tilting his head. Y/N gulped and didn’t say a word. The demon growled and repeated himself, “Answer me!” His voice boomed throughout the room.

Y/N cowered back a little bit, still keeping her head lowered. “Don’t make me repeat myself!” he demanded again. This seemed to be enough to snap Y/N out of it. She sat up properly and said, “I…I didn’t summon you.” Y/N’s voice wavered. The man sneered and said, “I know that’s not true. I feel the energy coming from you do there’s no use in lying to me,” the demon then grabbed Y/N’s wrist tightly and squeezed it. Y/N cried out and tried to pry the hand free, but to no avail. “I didn’t…! It wasn’t my idea and I didn’t even want to do the stupid ritual!” Y/N babbled, tears filling her eyes.

The demon snarled and squeezed her wrist, making her wince in pain. “I…I mean we…didn’t mean to summon you. I’m sorry. I really am. It won’t ever happen again swear it! Just please let go! Please…,” her words came out weak and shaky as she sobbed. The demon growled and released her wrist, leaving Y/N gasping for air as she wiped her tears off her face. “That’s better,” he said as he stepped back.

One of the other demons finally spoke up, “What were you even trying to do? You knew that you would summon…something. So what was the reason for it in the first place?” “We…well… ” Y/N stammered. “My friends wanted to…to see the spirits and talk with them. We weren’t even trying to summon demons I swear. My friends thought they should do it at my house so…now we’re here.” She pointed at the circle behind her. The demons nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. The demon spoke up again, “Well, it doesn’t matter if you meant to summon us or not, we’re here now so we have a job to do.” His voice was more serious than before, though Y/N couldn’t tell why.

“Now, wish for anything and we will make it come true.” There was a moment of silence before Y/N finally spoke, “Huh?” Her confusion was clear on her face. “Just think about whatever you would like and I’ll grant it to you,” the demon explained impatiently, rolling his eyes. The other two held in a laugh while Y/N was confused. “R..Really?” “Yes really. Now stop wasting my time and wish.” Y/N hesitantly nodded her head.

‘Wait a minute! Don’t if you make a deal with the devil you’re basically selling your soul? Does that mean that if I make a wish I’m selling my soul to them?’ she thought to herself. The demon was clearly getting impatient, waiting for Y/N to make a wish.

“I don’t want a wish,” Y/N said firmly with as much confidence she could muster. The demons laughed, clearly amused with Y/N. “Make a wish. It’s not that hard. Anything your tiny little human heart desires.” Y/N shook her head, “No. I don’t want a wish.” The demon sighed, “We can’t waste time like this. Let’s just go.” ‘Well, that was easy,’ Y/N thought to herself, letting out a breath of relief.

The three demons stepped back inside the magic circle. The one with the fluffy brown hair snapped his fingers. Y/N watched, seeing how they would magically leave, but to her disappointment, nothing happened. The demon frowned and snapped his fingers once more. Nothing happened. “Jake, what’s going on? Why are we still here?” the pale one asked, obviously feeling frustrated. “I..I don’t know your highness…its not working. I’ll try and contact the council,” Jake replied nervously. The cold demon sighed and rubbed his temples.

The fluffy haired demon, Jake, pulled out a crystal ball from his pocket and started muttering something to it under his breath. Someone suddenly appeared on the crystal ball. Jake talked to the person, “Yeah. I know, but it’s not working. No matter what we try we can’t go back. What should we do now?” Jake listened as the other demon told him what to do. He thanked them and put the crystal ball away, turning back to the two demons.

“Um, so…he said that they don’t how to send us back either. He said that it could be because we’re trying to leave without granting a wish but…” Jake said awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably under their gaze. The cold demon turned towards Y/N, “You heard that right? We can’t leave unless we grant your wish.” “Can’t you just grant someone else’s wish?” Y/N asked timidly. The cold demon laughed. “Are you kidding? You’re the one who summoned us so the only wish we can grant is yours,” he explained irritated. “Well, I don’t care. I’m not wishing for anything,” Y/N insisted, crossing her arms. The demon scoffed. “You were crying earlier but now you’re being stubborn? You do realize you can wish for anything in the world right now right? You must truly be an idiot!” The two demons behind the demon started laughing loudly at what the demon called Y/N’s stupidity.

The demon sighed once more, “Look, if you don’t make a wish, things are gonna happen, bad things. Believe me when I say that no one wants to be a part of that. So if you really don’t want anything bad to happen, I suggest you give us what we want and make a wish. Besides, if you don’t do it, we’re just going to be stuck here.” Y/N scoffed, “The only thing I wish for is for all of you to leave!” The demons went silent before Jake spoke, “Does that count as a wish?” “Yes it does! So just leave! Leave me alone!” she shouted at the demon. The other two demons laughed as the one in the center started shaking his head.

“Well…she said that’s what she wished for so we’ll grant it-“ he stopped his sentence when the room was suddenly engulfed in a bright light. Y/N shielded her eyes by closing them tightly and covering them with both her hands.

When she opened them again she put her hands down to see three separate chains in them. She blinked in surprise and turned to look at the demons.

They looked pissed, way more than before. She wondered why they were so mad. She followed where the chains led to, only to see that they each led to a collar around the demons’ necks. The cold demon looked down at the floor, curling his fists. He seemed more embarrassed than anything. The other two demons were equally unhappy as well.

“Why…why do we have this? We didn’t form a contract…” the pale one said angrily. “Maybe it’s a punishment…?,” said Jake, crossing his arm over his chest. The cold demon looked at the collar and frowned, “But we didn’t do anything wrong…we did nothing wrong…so why are we wearing this!?” “Hmm…usually, when a demon first starts the process of granting someones wish, a contract is formed which includes the collars, linking the demon to the human. We’ve agreed to grant her wish, but due to the fact we can’t leave like she wished, we can’t actually grant her wish, causing all three of us to enter a contract with her. Meaning, until we leave, we’ll be in a contract relationship with her,” Jake explained calmly.

“Wow, that was really smart Jake-“ the pale one complimented before he was cut off by the cold one, “You can’t be fucking serious. This isn’t real!” he said, stomping his foot on the ground, “We can’t leave so how are we supposed to grant her wish and end the contract?!” Jake shrugged his shoulders, “There’s not really anything we can do until the council finds a way to bring us back. It probably won’t take too long since we have the Prince with us afterall.”

“What’s going on?” Y/N finally asked while letting the chains drop to the floor. “Long story short: We’re stuck here,” Jake told her. Y/N stared blankly at him. “Seriously? You mean you guys are stuck here?!” she yelled at them, shocked. The three demons exchanged looks, “Pretty much…” “It’s not like we want to be here either.” Y/N looked down at her feet then looked at them, “Well, you’re not staying here. I don’t know where you’re going to stay but it won’t be at my house.” The demons seemed to be slightly taken aback at Y/N’s statement. “Oh? Are you sure about that?” the cold one said. Y/N glared up at the demon, raising an eyebrow, “Yeah?” “You’d better watch yourself girl or else,” the demon threatened, staring down at Y/N as if he was daring her to move.

“Or else what? Are you going to kill me?” she asked sarcastically. The demon smirked at her then walked over to the couch. He lifted it up easily with one hand and held it above his head and said, “Now, are you sure you wanna play this game with me girl?” Y/N stood there for a moment, stunned. She gulped before looking down at her feet and fiddling her thumbs. The demon raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to reply. “Well? Are you gonna make the choice or should I?”