#valorant agent guide

[fogaminghub]

🎮✨ Introducing Tejo, Valorant’s latest agent! The "man of action" from Colombia is ready to shake things up with his unique strategies and abilities. Are you ready to learn how to play him effectively? Check out our detailed guide and get the upper hand in your next match! 🚀

[writer-freak]

If requests are open, could I request gekko + your favorite valorant agents with a significant other who gets panic attacks? Your writing is so lovely!

Characters: Gekko, Yoru, Reyna and Jett

A/n: Thank you so much for the request I hope you enjoy this <3. Also I think some of the women in Valo don't get enough love so I included Reyna and Jett

Gekko Gekko immediately notices when something’s wrong. He is even softer then usual as he crouches in front of you, his hands gentle as they find yours. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he murmurs, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles over your skin. “You’re safe, I got you.”

He doesn’t rush you, just stays close, offering quiet reassurances while his little buddies hover around you, sensing your distress. He starts talking about random, lighthearted things, maybe how Wingman got into trouble earlier or how Dizzy almost knocked over his drink. His voice is calm, steady, trying to give you something to focus on.

Once you're ready, he guides you to the couch and wraps you in a warm blanket. “How about a movie marathon?” he suggests, a grin tugging at his lips. “Or, better idea, I make you whatever you want to eat, and we turn this into a full-on spa day. What do you say?”

He makes sure you’re comfortable, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead before heading off to prepare your favorite food. When he returns, he settles beside you, rubbing your back or belly, or in general doing whatever you need. And with his little creatures cuddled up around you both, he makes sure you don’t feel alone, his presence reassuring.

Yoru Yoru isn't great with words, but he knows something’s off the moment he sees you struggling to breathe, your body tense and shoulders trembling. His jaw tightens, his usual cockiness pushed aside as he quietly kneels in front of you.

“Hey,” his voice is lower, more careful than usual. “Look at me.”

He gently takes your hand, placing it over his chest. “Breathe with me,” he instructs, inhaling deeply, exhaling slowly, waiting for you to follow his rhythm. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t push. Just stays there, grounding you with his presence.

When your breathing steadies, he squeezes your hand before letting go, standing up like nothing happened. “Tch. You scared me for a second,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “You know I'm not the best at the whole emotional talk thing…but, you’re not dealing with this alone. I’m here, okay?”

Then, without waiting for a response, he drops his jacket over your shoulders, his way of comforting you without making it obvious. “You’re cold,” he grumbles, avoiding eye contact. “And don’t even think about arguing.”

He stays close, even if it’s just sitting beside you in silence, his presence making you feel safe.

Reyna Reyna acts fast. The moment she notices your breathing pick up and your hands trembling, she pulls you into her arms, one hand cradling the back of your head. “Shhh, mi amor, I’ve got you,” she whispers, her voice warm and steady.

She guides you to the bed, settling you in her lap as she strokes your hair. “Focus on me,” she murmurs, her lips pressing soft kisses along your temple. “You are safe. Nothing can hurt you while I’m here.”

She doesn’t let go until your body relaxes against her. Even then, her hold is strong, protective, her fingers tracing gentle patterns along your back.

When your breathing evens out, she tilts your chin up, studying your face with careful eyes. “Better?” she asks, and when you nod, she smirks. “Good. Now, we rest.”

No questions, no pressure, just Reyna keeping you close, her presence an unshakable shield against the world.

Jett Jett notices something’s wrong immediately. She sees the way your hands shake, your chest rising and falling too fast. Without hesitation, she moves in front of you, crouching down with her usual bright smile dimmed into something softer.

“Hey, hey, you with me?” she asks, her hands gently resting on your arms. “Let’s take it slow, okay? Breathe in, like this.” She exaggerates an inhale, holding it for a moment before exhaling. “Now you.”

She stays with you, repeating the breaths until your body begins to relax. Then, in true Jett fashion, she nudges you playfully. “You scared me, you know,” she says with a small grin. “But it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

She moves beside you, pulling you into a side hug, rocking you gently. “Whenever I freak out, I do something super dumb to shake it off,” she admits. “Wanna try? We could run around, throw pillows at each other, just do something silly.”

If you’re up for it, she’ll make sure you end up laughing. If not, she stays close, running her fingers along your scalp, whispering how strong you are and how proud she is of you.

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

[art-missy]

Could you do one with Fade, where (let’s just pretend) reader is who “they took”. What if one day she finds us and how the reunion will be? I love your work ❤️❤️

Let's see...

So I made two scenarios :

Scenario A : Fade was the one fetching reader to be an agent for the protocol.

Scenario B : Reader is an agent of the protocol and knew Fade a long time ago and meet her again when she joins Valorant.

Scenario A

Fade was watching you training your aim in the range. She was admiring your concentration and how laid back you were. The gun was like an extension of your body in your hand and your eyes was as merciless as the lense of a sniper. A cold shiver ran down her spine. It was when she was watching you like that that she wondered how she managed to get you to join Valorant.

You once were a hit person and was known in the underground world to be the coldest death one could ever had the misfortune to meet.

When your gaze finally met once you were done shooting the training targets, she realized that her past self was pretty lucky when you first came face to face with eachother.

Fade was a bounty hunter before joining the protocol. She knew how to track people down and how to drag them to her employer. Cypher just had to give her a picture of you and she was on her way to fetch you. She might have overestimated her skills or underestimated yours. She had followed your trail to a disaffected warehouse. She knew you were there and had sent her prowler away to capture you to only realize her mistake when she felt a grip grabbing her hair and tilting her head back as a knife threatened her throat.

"Who have the gall to send someone against me ?" she had heard a confident but very bored voice in her ear.

You had known all along you were being followed. You were the one setting a trap, not her.

"Not against you. For you," she corrected, keeping her calm. "We want to hire you."

"We ?"

She had then explained why she was tracking you down —very calmly because you were also known for your unpredictability. When you had released her from your firm and threatening grip, she slowly stepped back to finally look at you. And that was when she met your sharp but attentive eyes for the very first time. She had felt so little under your gaze, so weakened.

Today, when Fade looked into your eyes, she mainly saw her affections for you being returned with an almost unnerving protectiveness. She almost found funny how you ended up a couple.

"Need my company already ?" you smirked at her.

Today when your hand touched her hair it was to caress them, when your hand grabbed her jaw it was for you to press a kiss on her lips. When you touched her, it was only to be gentle and loving. Today, she felt so protected under your gaze, so supported.

"Always, aşkım."

Scenario B

It was supposed to be a simple tour of the protocol, not a flashback session. All she did was turning around the corner of a corridor of the headquarters with her tour guide and she ended up frozen. Her eyes were wide opened, her lips parted and her throat suddenly so dry. She was confused, wondering if it was again another dream that was soon going to turn into a nightmare. But unlike any other dream, you were returning her stare with the same amount of shock.

"Hazal ?" you breathed out, and your voice was oh so real.

Last time she saw you, you two were screaming at each other and saying things you were both now heavily regretting. Fade couldn't even remember the cause of your argument. All she remembered, was the hole you left in her life when you disappeared without a trace. But after so many years, here you were, right in front of her. Alive and safe.

Her body moved before her mind could register its movements and, in a blink of an eye, your face was cradled in her hands. Tears also escaped her beautiful heterochromatic eyes. Tears that you immediately wiped away gently with your thumbs. Your touch was the confirmation she needed. You were there. You really were there.

"I thought I've lost you," she murmured, her breath shaky. "I found you ! I finally found you ! Why did you disappear ?"

"I...became an agent," you answered, your voice shaky as well. "Hazal, you are Fade ?"

She nodded and you took her in your arms, rocking her from side to side. You couldn't believe that the individual blackmailing the protocol all this time was her. You couldn't believe that, after all these years, you were holding her in your arms again.

You were caressing her back when you heard someone clearing their throat behind you. You looked back and saw Cypher tilting his head.

"I believe you'll take the tour from here ?"

You nodded and thanked him as he walked away, your attention returning on the Turkish new agent.

"Don't ever disappear on me like that," she murmured against your shoulder. "Please."

"I promise."

"I thought you were taken away from me."

So that was the reason of the blackmail. She wrongly thought that the protocol took you away.

"Sorry," you wiped another tear from her cheek. "Sorry for... everything. I...thought you hated me."

She took a deep breath and looked at you again. You've matured without really changing. You were still you. After all this time, you were still you.

"Me too," she whispered. "And I apologize. For what I said, for what I've done, for... everything."

[astridselixir]

"𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐭. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠."

Pairings: Yoru x fem!reader

Summary: After a stressful day filled with missions and nonstop training sessions which involved Brimstone yelling at everyone around, it was safe to say that you and Yoru were exhausted. So, as always, you two decided to let off some steam. And what better way to do that than to have his pretty lover, you, ride him?

Warnings: p in v, riding, use of pet names, bit of degradation, unprotected sex, breeding, porn w/o plot

(A/n: When I heard Yoru say this in a match, I just knew I had to write it. Istg, I go feral everytime this man speaks.)

(NSFW below the cut!)

ִ ࣪𖤐*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

“That’s it. Keep going.” Yoru breathes out, hands tightly gripping your hips as you moved up and down on his length, whines and moans of pleasure escaping your lips every now and then. Such pretty sounds, he thinks. But then again, everything about you was pretty.

“Look at you. Fuck. Such a slut for my cock, hm?” You were far too out of it to even process what he said, so you only nodded, hoping you weren’t making a fool of yourself in front of him

Seeing this, he chuckles, squeezing your supple flesh reassuringly as he continues to watch you ride him, guiding you here and there. What a glorious sight; Yoru knew this image of you would be stuck in his head for days. He relished in the way you bounced on him, tits mimicking the movement of your hips as you lost yourself in pleasure. He wished he could stay in this moment forever, within the warmth of your gummy walls.

Your eyes were screwed shut, head thrown back with a fucked out expression painted across your face. One hand was firmly planted behind you, on top of Yoru’s leg as you straddled him while the other rubbed quick circles on your clit.

Fuck, you looked like a goddess. He was losing his mind over how heavenly you appeared to be as you played with yourself.

You could say this was your favorite part of the day; sexual tension finally getting released in the bedroom, relieving both you and Yoru. This is definitely what you both need after such a stressful day. A good fuck.

I mean, working as an agent for Valorant was stress itself alone. And it’s worse knowing either of you could get injured at any given moment, or maybe even die. But you try not to think about it too much as it would only make things worse.

As you both continued, it was as if fumes from your intimate activity were clouding the entire room, creating an atmosphere of sex and need. One that felt warm and moist on your skin, added with a bit of familiarity.

“F-fuck. ‘m close, so close.” You uttered out, hips desperately grinding on Yoru’s to reach that sweet climax you’ve been working so hard for.

Hearing this, he bites his bottom lip, forcing a stop to your movements which earned a frustrated exhale from you. You opened your eyes, vision slightly hindered by tears as you turned to look at him. You tilted your head to the side, shifting in your position while giving him a look of confusion.

The agent only chuckled at this, amused by your frustration. He enjoyed seeing you suffer— it was a guilty pleasure of his. He rubbed small comforting circles onto the skin of your hips before answering,

“Come here, my love. You’ve done so much work already, let me take care of the rest.”

The minute those words left his mouth, butterflies exploded in your stomach, an even warmer sensation coating your already hot cheeks. You nodded eagerly as you moved, leaning down and wrapping your arms around his neck, nuzzling your face into his skin and planting soft kisses on it. He in response, smiled at this, kissing the side of your head before placing his hands on your back, rubbing it soothingly and getting into a comfortable position— one that he can easily thrust into.

“I love you so much.” He whispered, tucking away a strand of hair behind your ear.

Just when you were about to respond, you were cut off when Yoru slammed his hips into yours, the tip of his cock instantly kissing your cervix, causing your mouth to hang open and your eyes to roll back. The words died down on your throat, getting replaced by a loud moan that was both from surprise and pleasure as he practically drilled into your dripping cunt.

Babbles of his name rolled off of your tongue like a prayer, nails digging into his skin as you mewled, the sensation becoming almost too much to bear.

Oh, you were so close. So close that you were practically hovering over the edge. All you needed now was just something to push you off, and luckily for you, Yoru knew exactly how to do that.

Tears slipped out of your eyes, rolling down your cheeks as you sobbed, begging the man beneath you to let you cum.

“Wanna cum so bad. Please, please, please. Please let me cum.” You cried out, your whole body shaking as Yoru continued his abuse on your wet heat.

He smirked upon hearing your words, holding you tighter against him, his hands leaving marks on your hips that will surely bruise tomorrow.

“Aww, my little princess wants to cum? Go on then. Make a mess on my cock like the whore you are.” He cooed, both amusement and mockery evident on his tone. He loved seeing you like this. A literal begging mess that was ready to be picked up and pieced back together. He swears he cums almost instantly when he hears that cute, little voice of yours plead for his approval.

That was all you needed to reach your peak. It felt as if you toppled over the edge, a burst of ecstasy shooting throughout your body like electricity, sending aftershocks and waves of euphoria to ripple through your whole being. You let out an almost pornographic moan, sending the man beneath you over the edge as well.

Yoru moaned as he shot thick ropes of cum inside of you, filling you up to the brim and coating your velvety walls white. He continued to sloppily thrust, pushing his seed deeper and making sure it wasn’t dripping out. He wasn’t allowing even a single drop to go to waste.

Oh, fuck. The sole image of you swelled with his child made his eyes roll back, a shiver running down his spine at the thought of getting you pregnant. If that were to happen, he’d surely be overjoyed. But of course, he’ll always leave that choice up to you.

After that, you both stayed still, breathing heavily as you tried to calm down from your previous high. You were exhausted, sweaty, and satisfied. You couldn’t have thought of any better way to end this day.

“I love you…” You murmured, words slighty incoherent, but you’ve been with Yoru long enough for him to know exactly what you said. Your eyes slowly closed, a sigh of contentment leaving your lips while his hand smoothed over your back, occasionally tracing shapes on your skin to help you fall asleep faster.

Once Yoru was sure you were knocked out, he slowly pulled out and gently laid you down on the bed. He then got up, slipping on a fresh pair of boxers before going into the bathroom to grab a damp towel. He also grabbed clean clothes for you to change into before walking back to the bed.

He sat down on the edge, admiring your sleeping form for a while and the peaceful look you had on your face. God, you were so beautiful (he lost count of how many times he said that already), he adored every single thing about you. From your curves to your beauty marks, everything. You were the sheer image of perfection in his eyes. No one could ever compare to you. A literal supermodel could be in the same room as him, yet he’d only have his eyes on you.

Shortly after ogling over your beauty, Yoru got to work and began wiping you down. He made sure you were as clean as possible before changing you into the clean undergarments he brought. He also took off the sheets and threw them in the laundry basket, not bothering to put on new ones since he was too tired and didn’t want to disrupt your slumber.

Once he was done, he got under the covers and pulled you into his embrace, giving you one last kiss on the forehead as you snuggled closer to him. He smiled once he felt this, causing him to think that you were seeking his warmth— you were. That alone was enough to reassure Yoru, allowing him to drift off to sleep with his mind at ease.

(A/n: Alrightyy, I just needed to finish this one so I could finally start working on the requests I have! Thank you sm to all the anons that sent me requests! I love y’all 🫵🤍 Hope you guys have/had a great day‼️🎊)

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: phoenix x valorant agent male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: spending time apart is never acceptable to him.

mailmango: I wanna see Phoenix not letting reader out of his cuddles after a particularly long time apart (two days as opposed to one) because that his water boyfie

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 908

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: for me none, lmk

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Shaanxi's mayor called and asked for help, so seeing as it's Sage's home turf, she's leading the mission. She's your captain, aye, Phoenix?" Brimstone's eyes are pointed heavily on Phoenix, almost like he's pinning the man down with a look.

Phoenix takes it all in stride, despite how threatening it seems to be, "No need to question me, boss man. I got it!"

Brimstone then turns to you, his eyes softening substantially. "On the other hand, we got reports from Raze that Brazil's bay state is in a bit of a pinch. Lotta water 'round for you to play around with, Downpour."

Phoenix immediately objects, stepping between you two and covering line of sight with a raised finger. "Hold on, Brim, we not goin' together?"

The commander sighs in turn, "We've been over this, Phoenix. You two don't exactly go well together–"

"We go amazing together."

"Fire and water, Phoenix. You create something, he'll," He points his hand at you like you're suddenly a culprit, even if you are in this hypothetical situation, "just smother it."

"I–"

"It's final!"

☾⋆☆⋆☽

He should've argued harder, Phoenix thinks while he's on the mission. Even afterwards, when the agents take a little break before returning home, he's regretful. Shaanxi's beautiful and all: nice weather, respectful people–if a bit amazed by his foreigness–lotta fun with a local (Sage) as your tour guide.

Phoenix never has his way when the two of you are split. The logic is sound and clear, and everyone in the team agrees fire and water don't mix. Jett or Gecko might argue for chemistry reasons, but it never helps. None of it will ever stop him from trying, anyway.

When Phoenix steps back into HQ, he's never been happier before (even if he says that every time).

Cypher often says the Radiants' powers match them. Jett's cool and a lover of speed, so wind fits great for her. Sage is calm and caring, and so is her healing power.

Phoenix is definitely a fire. He's always flickering with excitement. He can't stay idle, he's always rushing to grow larger in some way or other. You know how flames cling and spread to anything flammable near them? That's you.

Even if you're water, he clings to you like a flame engulfing you in its warmth. You're calmer on the other end, but you still rest an arm over the small of his back and cradle the back of his head.

He's got his head in the crook of your neck, like he's trying to inhale your very being to store you in the forefront of his mind.

Besides the fact it's cute, it tickles...

"Phen," You chuckle, both from the tickling and the situation. "it's been two days."

"That is not an okay amount of time!" Phoenix pulls away, sitting up on your laugh to pound your chest harmlessly. "Seriously, it's like you don't even love me."

You huff, sitting up to meet his eye. "You don't mean that."

He wants to say he does, to tease you, to play, but he can't, not to you. "No, I don't." He says, utterly defeated.

"Good." You lean closer to steal a quick kiss. Tender and soft, and Phoenix would usually want more, but there are always other ways of closeness.

He collapses against you, forcing you back flush onto the bed to press himself against you. When every part of him is against a part of yours, legs tangled, arms around your neck, side of his face against yours, he sighs like he's complete. "I missed youuu!"

"I know." You say, and though you might've rolled your eyes at the repetition, you don't. Instead, you place your hand on his cheek and smooth your thumb over his cheekbone.

He positively melts into the touch with a blatant groan. "Say you miss me."

"I missed you." You reply easily.

"Say it like you mean it." He demands with a pout, and how could you deny him?

"I missed you."

"Aaaah...you're my boyfriend!" Phoenix drawls, like he's drunk, like you're fresh into the relationship in your honeymoon phase. "My one! Loml!"

"Loml?"

He clicks his tongue disappointedly. He sets his eyes on you with a deadpan glare. "LOML, like love of my life, you know."

"Ahhhh." So that's what that means.

Phoenix pats your cheek playfully for it. "No way you've been seein' LOML, LOML, this my boyfie, the LOML, on my insta stories that you always like n' never questioned it."

"I kinda learned to ignore it, I don't know." You answer truthfully.

"You stupid, stupid man." He teases in that silly little accent of his, stewpid. You have to hold in your laugh to tease him next.

"Heyy!" You all but pout at him.

"I'm sorry," As expected, he falls for it instantly, surging forward to press apologetic little kisses to your face, muttering a new "I'm sorry," with each one.

"Aw, you're okay, big man." You finally let go of your laugh and redirect his kisses to your lips. "C'mere."

They say water smothers fire, but whenever you're around, Phoenix is more motivated than if he were anywhere else in the world. He's more excited than when he's on stage, more focused than when he's on mission, happier than he's ever been. You can say the same thing, that he's the one to turn your lazy rivers into rapid streams.

Neither of you would have it any other way.

[papercraneswemade]

Hey there! Can you write platonic yandere headcanons for Valorant's newest agent, Tejo?

Omg wait I just saw his gameplay reveal why is he lowkey,,, 😋😋😋 I couldn't really find out more about his lore so I'll try to make the best of it!

Tejo Platonic Yandere Headcanons!

Nobody knew why he agreed to join. Even Brimstone was surprised. He chalked it up to Tejo wanting to relieve the adrenaline-filled moments they used to feel back in the military, though the voice in the back of his mind doubted so. Still, getting an experienced soldier to join the Protocol? Not a chance Brimstone would waste. So Brim kept his mouth shut, and the two of them tries their best to be civil.

He's got a cocky attitude, but it wasn't backed up by nothing. He showed them his impeccable skills during practice, and even guided Mateo to help him aim better. God knows why he's attached to the boy, perhaps he saw his younger, innocent self in the green haired agent. But he definitely didn't expect to get attached to you.

You, the hard-working, yet undeniably clumsy agent who had just joined, you, who spent the rest of the mission hiding behind Tejo because he couldn't let you out of his sight... He's lost his granddaughter before, he won't lose you, too.

It started simple. At first, Tejo protected you on missions, keeping his eyes on you with his gadgets, then he demanded you to stay close to him so he could shield you from danger, until finally, he has the audacity to forbid you from going on missions with the others.

Each time he looked at you, he remembered his granddaughter. Determined, kind, faithful and loyal. He hated those traits. Those were weaknesses. And weaknesses get you killed. He vowed to never ever make the same mistake again, which was letting his granddaughter fight alone.

So he tagged along with you, and before you could aim your gun, the enemy already has a bullet lodged inside their body. Tejo would keep you safe if it meant spilling more blood.

In his mind, he was doing his granddaughter justice, and God knows how long until he finally accepted that she is truly gone, and that you will never be able to replace her. He knew he was bound to break, but for now, he can be in denial all he want. After all, making things explode was easier than moving on.

Aaaaa I didn't know if this was what you had in mind, OP 🥹🥹 I hope I did him justice and I hope you like this 🫶!

[saltyyuuri]

Iso x Fem!Reader

🪻 Perfect pair🪻

words; 5700 ish

Song; Cheekbones, arrows in action(you'll understand why soon enough 😅)

Warnings: mentions of blood, vulgar language

Reader is a radiant, around 25, I'll leave you always surprised to discover the powers. For the sake of the story, Reader is related to Reyna- as a cousin (not that lore heavy but just to not confuse). Once more, the rest you'll have to see ^~^

K bye 😇

🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻

You finally stepped out of the aircraft that was appointed to you for your travel towards Valorant protocol, your black leather boots resonating slightly louder on the metal floor at every step you took. You're wearing quite the simple outfit, black sports leggings that had some white detailing, a black sports bra and a white racer jacket that was unzipped.

Your hair was up in a ponytail, it was swinging just slightly at every step you took. You also had a very neutral expression, almost bored as you made your way out the aircraft. You were briefly guided by a robot, seeming programmed just to make sure no one got lost. Soon enough you were entering a room where the two protocol leaders were waiting for you with some paperwork to finish up.

Viper and Brimstone didn't hold you back too long as they quickly finished up anything that was missing on the paper work, getting your signature a few times to finalize everything. You were going to be a new agent here, and you were strongly recommended by one of their own.

Reyna was actually the one to get you in, one of your cousins that you didn't get to see much considering just how busy she got As Time moved on. She was a full-time agent, ran a radiant sanctuary and was also often tasked with training newer agents- she always had her hands full no matter what. But for the few times she did visit you in the sanctuary; she was definitely proud of any progress you made during your training.

From the moment she took you in, you had an admiration for her-where her slightly terrifying Powers we're going to be used for good- you realized pretty fast that it was something you also wanted to do. Because give or take, your own powers have a twist to them that many people didn't quite like, much like hers.

"Alrighty, the paperwork is all done... Now me and Viper don't have time to give you the tour, but we got another of our agents to do it." Brimstone spoke up as soon as you were done putting down the last signature, cutting off your train of thoughts. You haven't really spoken up yet, but still just giving a simple nod and hum. Almost as if on cue, a fully masked man walked in, wearing a long white coat and a large border hat- not a single inch of skin was showing.

"Greetings, my name is Cypher." Said the masked man as the other two agents took their leave, leaving you between the Moroccans hands. "Hey, I'm (Y-N)." You responded pretty flatly, eyeing him curiously-give or take somebody who fully covered their body like this definitely strikes interest, but at the same time you could easily figure that he probably didn't say much about himself.

But surprisingly, the Moroccan was quite talkative. You had figured he would probably be a little secretive considering his get up- but you weren't complaining, it was definitely making the tour a little more interesting. "And here you have dumb and Dumber- and I'm ready to wager that within the next few minutes one of them is going to cause trouble." Cypher gestured to two agents, a black man wearing a white coat, looking like he was about to get a little fiery. The other was a Japanese man wearing mainly blue clothing and had a Blue streak in his hair, who looks quite arrogant. "I take it the Japanese guy is just adding oil to the fire?" You said, a small chuckle escaping you as you two watched from a slight distance the argument slowly getting worse.

"You're observant; indeed, that's usually how it goes." Cypher said, his mechanical eyes adjusting slightly to look a little surprised and happy. That was definitely another interesting thing-how he got his mechanical eyes to move that way. "The fiery one is Phoenix, the arrogant one is Yoru. They either work very well together... Or it turns to pure chaos. It's always a gamble with those two." He added- and just as he finished his sentence, the fiery one, Phoenix, ended up accidentally lighting Yoru's coat on fire when he was gesturing a little too animatedly throughout the argument.

Cypher simply dragged you out of the room to continue the tour instead of being bothered to intervene-something about the two of them being able to solve it at some point like adults. It was definitely a funny thing to watch- and it also kind of made you wonder just how chaotic this place could get.

Eventually You were approaching the common room, where you could already hear quite a few animated conversations from the end of the hallway you were in. Cypher was going on and on about a few different agents and how they acted-but at one point you kind of tuned him out. Until he mentions your cousin's name at least- because then, as you listen to him talk, you figured you could definitely mess with him.

"Oh and Reyna! I know she's good looking, but beware she's not someone to mess with-" Cypher was saying just as you two were going inside the common room. It was funny to hear him talk about your cousin that way, and the best part is that she was in the common room. You were definitely going to take your opportunity to mess with him slightly.

"Reyna isn't someone to mess with?" You asked him slightly innocently as you walked into the common room. The agents that were there slightly quieted down, mostly from curiosity for the new addition. Of course your cousin spotted you, and she also spotted that look of mischief- so she kept quiet with a small smirk on her face, waiting to see what you were going to do.

So you simply marched your way over to Reyna, not a care in the world as you leaned over to give her a quick hug. She let out a small laugh and gave you a small hug back. "Good to see you, Cariño. I see Cypher is having fun showing you around?"

The very casual interaction definitely took a lot of people by surprise- and the two of you had to hold back a laugh. Of course Reyna wasn't going to get mad at you for a small hug, you were family after all. And honestly seeing everyone looking so surprised and confused was definitely worth it. And this is how you started your little mischief.

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Now a few days in, you finally settled down and set up your dorm perfectly, getting to know most of the agents except the ones that were out on missions and getting used to the new environment. Today you were going to have to go through the mandatory assessments; even though you had done them back at the sanctuary, give or take the protocol had to go through them again just to document everything.

So here you were, in one of the training rooms facing one of the agents you hadn't met yet. He was a tall man, dark hair and lilac eyes, to which you seem to understand his agent name was Iso. He seemed pretty good to keep the stoic face, almost looking bored. Along with him was Sage, she was the one in charge to keep watch over the assessment tests.

The tests in question weren't that hard-essentially you were just going to start with some hand to hand combat, then there's going to be the radiant power usage, and to finalize you were going to go to the gun range to see just how good your aim is.

"So- just want to make sure. I need to use my Powers against him at some point, right?" You asked Sage slightly unsure- you knew how to control your own powers, you just weren't too sure about using them against your own teammates. "Yes and don't worry too much about it, if something goes wrong, I will take care of it."

You took another small moment just to look between Sage and Iso, obviously still slightly hesitant. Iso looks completely unfazed, his arms were crossed as he was just waiting for everything to start. Hell if you didn't know better, you'd assume he's probably bored out of his mind right now. "Alrighty then-... If you say so." You mumbled out as you walked over to the matted area, a small perimeter that was covered in mats to train on hand-to-hand combat.

Iso followed suit, waiting for the signal to start. The two of you got in position, just waiting for Sage to finish setting up. "Assessment training... Begin!" Sage called out finally, and the two of you started immediately.

You were actually the first one to make the move, hopping forward as you prepared to land a few hits. Of course, Iso being a highly trained agent, he was faster than expected and easily blocked your hits. You continue to try to land blows while avoiding his own, taking note of how he would fight. You only took an actual step back the moment he did land a punch, it definitely winded you- yet you kept your stance.

"Alright, start using your radiant powers." Sage called out, giving you the go to finally let lose. That's when your smirk finally grew, breaking your position just slightly. You went back in, going back on trying to land hits on Iso- the initial plan was to try to get as close as possible. Now of course he was holding a pretty steady defense, either dodging your hits or blocking them no matter what. And as you tried to get any closer he would take a step back, which was definitely making this a little more challenging.

You took another step back, it was obvious that the main plan wasn't going to work, so you were just going to hit it with plan b. Before anyone could react, you raised your left arm up to your mouth and just bit it, drawing blood immediately. It definitely confused the two, Iso raised a brow but didn't let his stance drop.

As soon as the taste of blood hit your mouth, you felt a rush go through you. You let your on fall back along your body, your right hand covering the bite mark for a brief instant. It was only a 2 second pause, getting back into position instantly after. The wound you had covered had already healed up, and you had a surge of energy hit you.

You pounced forward once more, this time much faster than before. Your hits landed much harder and Iso wasn't able to fully block them all, nor was he fully able to land one on you since you seemed to dodge much faster now. Ingesting your own blood gave you quite the boost- that would only last a few seconds.

Not that it would matter, now that you could get close enough to Iso. At one point he held up his arms once again to block- and that's when you decided to pull a different type of move. You just grabbed his forearm roughly before your blood rush would run out- this time managing to bite him. You have to be quick about it because he was quick to shake you off- hissing at the bite.

"Are you feral?!" Iso asked you as he looked down at the bleeding bite mark you left on his arm- just wondering why you would go to bite him. And then he looked back up at you- this time your eyes had a slight glow to them. This time you have the proper blood rush you wanted- and poor Iso wasn't expecting it.

Before he could even react you already had him tackled to the ground- this time you're speed and strength increased much more then when you just had your own blood. It only took seconds for you to have him neutralized on the ground- just like how your blood rush only lasted for a few seconds.

"Okay, enough. Release Iso." Sage called out, and you finally got off Iso. Your blood Rush was over anyways, so you just stepped back and took a moment to catch your own breath. Iso slow stood up, this time looking a bit weary. "... I definitely didn't expect that." He mumbled out, once again holding the arm with the bite mark, smeared with blood. "To be fair, you didn't really get warned." You said with a small shrug, grinning.

You took a few steps forward, holding out a hand for him. "Gimmie your arm." You told him, your hand motioning him to just stretch out his arm to you. "You better not bite it again. You have some damn sharp teeth-" He mumbled out once more, but he did stretch out his arm like you asked, letting you hold it with one hand. "Funny enough, the sharp canines are just a slight teeth deformation. Has nothing to do with my powers. But it's a damn good advantage if you ask me-" You chuckled out, lifting your free hand to cover his wound with for a small moment. And just like your own wound, was gone within a second.

"So, you're a healer?" Iso asked, looking down at his arm once again now that the wound was completely healed off and gone, not a scar in sight. "Yeah, I can heal decently- then there's my two types of blood rush abilities; the self inflicted and the enemy inflicted, as you saw both earlier..." You said, listing out your own powers. "And there's my ultimate you still haven't seen."

"And what does your ultimate do?" Iso asked you curiously, his head tilting to the side slightly as he spoke. Your unique radiant powers we're starting to catch his attention fully now, and the lack of knowledge on what your ultimate could be was nagging at him. "Do you want me to show you?" You asked him what a growing smirk, and then glancing over to Sage, trying to see if she was okay with it.

She gave you a small nod, still taking a few notes when she did so. You turn your attention back to Iso, who looked slightly eager even though you were getting a mischievous look on your face. "Sure. I'm essentially the human dummy at this point." Iso said, a small smirk starting to show on his own face.

You took a few steps back, Still standing facing him. He waited patiently, no idea what to expect- if there's something he learned by working with radiants, sometimes the ultimate didn't always match the powers. He kept a calm expression, a small smirk still on display. The worst that could happen is that you kill him- and even thought then bother him much since Sage was here to monitor everything.

"Your life is mine!" You finally said, raising an arm his way as your eyes were essentially glued on him. There was a second where Iso was just wondering what you were doing- and the next second he felt it. You drained the life out of him- leaving him nearly nothing. You really stole his whole life force, using it as an overheal on yourself whilst he fell forward, his energy almost completely depleted too fast.

He was on his knees, panting- fighting off the creeping drowsiness that was slowly starting to settle from getting the life drained out of him. You turned your attention to Sage once again, who is taking notes on your own power while keeping an eye on Iso incase. Your current overheal would be enough for you to tank a bullet or two without actually having any damage done permanently- your body would just mend up the wound instantly with the excess life force.

Sage finally moved forward and used her own powers to help Iso- helping the poor guy up and healing him a bit to try to get his life force back up a bit more. On your end, since you didn't actually need the life force it just kind of slipped off after a few minutes, some of it returning to him while the rest just kind of dissipated. Iso took a few minutes before being fully okay.

"That wasn't the most pleasant feeling -" He started off, shaking his head slightly. "I never said I was going to feel good." You said with a small smirk and a chuckle, arms Crossing over your chest as you looked over at him. "I know, smartass." He retorted almost instantly, matching your slight sarcasm with his own. "Just making sure-you almost looked hopeful~" You continued to nag him with slight sarcasm as your smirk grew.

"The only thing I'm hopeful about is you not coming to bite me again-" Iso said as he rolled his eyes, but his smirk remained- enjoying the light banter and sarcasm. "So Mister isn't masochist? How sad-" you snickered out, earning a chuckle from him before getting cut off by Sage. "Okay you two, we still have the aim training to do. Save the bickering for after."

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A few months later in and few missions in, you were finally making quite the name for yourself here. Of course, given the nature of your powers where you didn't hesitate to get a taste of blood, no matter the way, a few people in protocol were a little weary of you. Some were even a bit scared, considering that you've occasionally used your own teammates blood at occasions when necessary.

But at the end of the day, you didn't really care that much about scaring some people- you simply just didn't get teamed up with them again. Actually, you'd often just end up getting teamed up with Iso, one of the people in protocol who just didn't give more than a rats ass about your powers- hell, you probably bit him more times than necessary already, and the worst he'll do is just slightly tap your head off if you bite too hard.

And you too developed a certain chemistry - both from working together quite a bit and also from hanging out together outside of missions. You two would bicker a lot, but nothing serious. Mostly just sarcastic quips that made the arguments look worse than they actually were.

"Yu, can you move 3 inches to the left?" You asked him, currently lounging on the common room couch, a cup of coffee in hand as you were on your phone. You were leaning a bit to the right to try to avoid the beam of sun coming through the window. "Are you trying to use me to block the sun?" He asked you amusedly, a small smirk ghosting his lips in amusement. "Obviously." You were currently too absorbed with looking at whatever social media you were scrolling on.

Iso took a step to the right- the sun now directly hitting you. You immediately shut your eyes- not expecting you any intense beam. "Asshole, I said to the left-" "This is my left." "Oh excuse me, didn't know I had to specify my left. I thought it was obvious what side you had to step on with how the sun's reflecting." You retorted to him sarcastically. "I mean, I did what you asked." Iso said with a shrug, his smirk widening.

"Yu. Take a step to the right." You said, rolling your eyes at him as you watch him take a step to your left this time. Sun was finally covered and you can look up without being absolutely blinded. "There, is the princess done complaining now?" Iso asked you, obviously taunting you into extra bickering

"Don't make me get up and bite you." You said slightly disinterestedly as you continued scrolling on your phone, this time being able to look at it without squinting because your eyes are getting harassed by the Sun. "As if you aren't already using me like your personal chew toy half the time." "And I'll make it full time if you keep it up-"

Before any extra quips could come out, Reyna, who was in the room the entire time, finally looks up at you too, amused and annoyed at the same time before she spoke up. "Can you two have your couple's fight elsewhere? It's giving me a headache."

"We aren't dating though-" you once again reply pretty disinterestedly, eyes still glued onto your phone whilst Iso quieted down. "(Y-N), don't make me ask again." Reyna said much more firmly this time- and the usage of your first name instead of a nickname made you sit up instantly, pocket in your phone. "Yes ma'am-"you simply said as you got up, taking your cup of coffee with you.

There's one thing you learned from being at her sanctuary, if she uses your first name, you don't fuck around to find out. Reyna pretty much always called you "Cariño", "Chica" or "Niña"- and when she doesn't call you that you know it's not time to mess around anymore. Even if you two were family, she definitely wouldn't make any exceptions when it came to her wrath.

Iso followed you out, intimidated by Reyna even though she didn't even address him directly. He also knew better than to piss her off- retreating outside the common room right behind you. Instead you headed off to his dorm, figuring you could continue your bickering over there. Iso still trailing behind you, at first not realizing that you were heading straight to his place, only taking notice when you are a few doors away.

"Were you just going to invite yourself in my dorm?" He asked you as You both stopped in front of his room. "Obviously." You simply replied, punching in the code to his dorm room door. He stared at you blankly for a few seconds as the door opened. "Do I even want to know how you know the code to my dorm?" He asked you, but your reply came instantly after you walked in his dorm. "I could say the same on how you know my dorm code."

"Point taken." He said- following behind you to go inside the dorm, shutting the door behind him. For the brief instant he had his back turned to you- that brief instant apparently was more than enough for you to be in his closet already, snagging a hoodie. "Excuse you, that's mine-" he said, Crossing his arms over his chest, his brow raising as he watched you simply slide on the hoodie, looking quite oversized on you.

"Did I ask?" You replied with a smirk, already getting cozy on his office chair. It was one of those agronomical ones that were surprisingly very comfy, like almost lazy Boy worthy comfort. Your sarcasm earned you another eye roll from him, which left you giggling. There is a brief moment of silence before he broke it again.

"In all seriousness though, are you actually just going to steal my hoodie- because that one's my favorite one." He said, taking a seat on his bed facing you. The dorm was really small, only a few feet separating the bed from the office desk. You respond yourself around on the chair a bit as you replied. "Hm... It is really comfy. But if it's your favorite - I'll spare the theft." You said with a small Chuckle, definitely going to profit at the moment that you could have the hoodie.

"You look comfy." He hummed out, I'm getting comfortable himself on his bed, kicking off his indoor shoes before laying fully, pulling out his phone start scrolling on it. "I swear, your chair is a fancy lazy boy." You retorted- looking down on the bed he was laying in while you continue to spin around on the chair.

There was silence in the room once more, Iso scrolling his phone while you spun around and just snooped in his office desk. When you're curiosity was met with the boring contents of the desk- just some post-it notes, pens and paper clips, you looked around the room once more. Your eyes landed on Iso again- mischief starting to bubble inside of you to counter the boredom.

You hopped off the chair, nearly launching yourself on the bed. Iso flinched - instantly curling up to protect himself and also somewhat brace for impact- somewhat catching you, mostly trying to get you to fall beside him and not on top of him. You were giggling like a kid while he gave you a small tap behind the head. "Don't do that- you'll break the bedframe." Iso scolded you whilst you got comfortable.

"Okay, and?" "You realize if I tell Brimstone 'Hey, (Y-N) broke my bedframe' he's going to get all the wrong ideas." Iso said, once more swatting the back of your head as you got comfy beside him in the bed. "Then say it even more suspiciously. At least enjoy the embarrassment and awkwardness that'll come from Brim." You Snickered out, grinning mischievously.

Iso sigh, shaking his head. "I most definitely will not do that." "Then I can do it." You retorted instantly, grinning from ear to ear. "You'd rat yourself out in the most suspicious way possible just to get a laugh out of it?" Iso asked you, looking unimpressed. "Oh Yeah, that too." You replied, deciding to pull out your phone at this moment and put your attention on it.

I took a second for Iso to understand your response, pausing his own phone scrolling for a second before turning his head towards you, frowning. "Wait- what do you mean 'that too-'?" He asked you, waiting for you to reply. But he was met with silence from your part, smirking at your phone as you continue to scroll.

He was starting to try to rethink on the conversation and see what he missed- still looking your way and waiting for an answer while he tried to rethink it. There was a solid 2 minutes of silence before he let out a "oh God damn it.", which made you laugh. "Took you long enough to catch on!" You said between laughs, finding an absolutely hilarious it took him this much time to catch on that innuendo.

"Well excuse me for not catching on to you insinuating you'd sleep with me-" He grumbled out, rolling his eyes before his cheeks heated up. "You make it sound so polite like that- 'sleep with me'. It reminds me of how they would try to avoid talking about sex in the 19th century because it was too vulgar so that find very polite ways to say it." You rambled, giggling as you spoke and teased him.

"Fine, excuse me for not catching on that you were insinuating your wanted to be 'railed till your left a quivering mess' by me." Iso said, his sarcasm taking a peek, cheeks turning even redder as he spoke but tried to maintain his tone. "Jesus Christ that's a 180-" you said as you choked on air- getting slightly flustered as you started laughing uncontrollably.

The two of you laughed at what Iso said, both flustered but playing it cool. " You know you could have just said 'having sex' like a normal person-" You finally said as your laughter died out, catching your breath. "I could have- but it wouldn't have been as funny." Iso said, still slightly chuckling as he spoke.

"Fair enough." You hummed out, pocketing your phone once more, rolling over in the bed. You rolled over him- now laying on top of Iso, using your elbows to prop up your head with your hands- smirking. Iso put down his own phone as he looked at you confused, wondering why the hell you were laying on top of him now. "What?"

You once again gave him a bit of a silent treatment, leaving him to it figure out on his own. That little trick of yours was often abused of, you always thought it was funny to watch him turn the gears in his head to try to figure out why you're just sitting there quietly. You found it adorable, quite frankly.

While you just grinned to him- Iso was trying very hard to keep the cool facade, his cheeks still slightly rosy as a few thoughts were going through his head. A lot of them he didn't dare word out- but at the same time he knew whenever you kept quiet you wanted him to figure it out on his own.

The only problem is, considering the conversation you were just having and how you're just quietly laying on him now-his thoughts were only going at one place and he didn't dare say it. "What?" He asked you again, his mouth becoming just slightly dry.

You continue to keep your silence, still grinning at him as you patiently waited, you didn't mind having to wait longer for him to finally say it. Iso, on the other hand was getting a little bit antsy. His thoughts were rushing as he considered his own options on what to say.

Until he just said fuck it. "Are you trying to get me to say I'd do it too?" Iso asked you, though he tried to keep a cool face his cheeks started burning up again. You let out a small giggle as you saw his blush worsen, deciding to just mess with him even more. "Do what~?" You asked smugly- the grin on your face turning into a cocky smirk.

That was until he flipped you over- pinning you down on the bed while he was on top of you. His face was still a mess of a blush, hands either side of your head as his body pressed into yours. You couldn't muster up a sarcastic remark- stunned and also suddenly very flustered as he was starting to use your own tactics against you.

Your own face felt like it was burning when he leaned in, his face inches from yours. "You're trying to get me to say I'd fuck you." Iso said, his voice lowered. He was still blushing, but his voice stayed stable as he spoke, smooth as silk. "I would." He continued, just slightly leaning in closer. You were stunned into silence this time- your eyes glued to his , not daring to move.

"What? Didn't think I'd say it?" Iso asked you, confidence starting to take over as his tone was starting to get a bit teasing, a smirk drawing on his lips. He could see we're taking a second to try to compose yourself, looking stunned and flustered under him. He was so tempted to continue, to lean in and tease the hell out of you- but he knew better than to just act mindlessly.

"No-.. I did not..." You finally muttered out, trying to regain some sliver of composure. You were speaking much more quietly, not how you'd talk confidently. You were feeling a bit shy, every time he inched a bit closer to you to felt your face burn a bit more. There was another pause, both hesitating for a moment, unsure if the other was okay with it.

"Can I -" "Yu, if-" you both spoke up at the same time, chuckling slightly. Iso spoke up again while you chuckled quietly. "Can I kiss you?" He asked you gently, his tone softer this time, not teasing like it was earlier. Relief washed over you- you were glad he was thinking about the same thing as you, that small shyness pit dissipating a bit.

You reached your hands up to cup his face- pulling him down the short distance left between the two of you to kiss him. He let his body press against yours a bit more while he kissed you back, a sigh escaping him while he kissed you.

When you were ready to pull away- he leaned in once more, a bit more intensity in the kiss as he continued, his tongue darting out just slightly on your lips. You were trying to get a gasp of air, and when you opened your mouth to try to breathe, he took his opportunity to slide his tongue inside.

The gentle kiss had turned into a make out session, hands roaming a bit but things not going too far. You both know better than to do that on a whim- and you also both knew better than to rush things.

You never realized just how much time actually went by, the only thing that pulled you two out of that little makeout session was a knock on the door- Reyna's voice could be heard through the door. "Iso? Have you seen (Y-N)?" Reyna asked firmly.

Iso instantly got off you- looking surprised, flustered and completely caught off guard for a moment- he needed a second to realize that Reyna hadn't come in the room, she was talking behind the door. He composed himself and calmed down a bit before answering, glancing down at you at the bed, flustered and clothes a bit tussled from his roaming hands.

"Yeah- why?" He asked back a bit absently, his hands resting on your waist, thumbs rubbing into them a bit as he continued to look down at you. You were trying to stay quiet, face flushed as a quiet giggle escaped you, hands raising up to fix his shirt a bit.

Unexpectedly, Reyna pushed open the dorm room door, letting herself in even though Iso never said she could come in. At the same time, it was Reyna. "I have been looking all over for her and-" the Latina paused as her eyes locked onto you- where your flustered State just got way worse since you were already caught. You wouldn't even be able to defend yourself at this point- the tussled clothes, wearing his hoodie, reddened lips and slightly messed hair gave it all away.

There was silence in the room- Reyna taking a second to register the scene before turning around, heading out the room, chuckling. "Brimstone owes me 20$ now~" Reyna laughed as she left the room, leaving you and Iso confused and a bit embarrassed; but both laughing after a few seconds about it all.

[jettjournals]

Focus and Flow: Training with Iso | SFW

ISO x READER (VALORANT)

oneshot

You sit in the Valorant Protocol common room, the hum of activity around you as agents move about their day. Having recently joined the Valorant Protocol, every moment feels like an opportunity to prove yourself. Iso sits across from you, earbuds in and his head bobbing slightly to a beat only he can hear. His eyes are closed, but you can tell he's aware of everything going on around him.

As a newcomer, you feel the weight of expectation pressing down on you. You know you have to prove your worth to your teammates, especially to someone as skilled and respected as Iso. You've heard stories of his legendary aim and his ability to turn the tide of any battle. If you want to earn his respect, you'll need to show him what you're made of.

"Hey," you say, trying to get his attention. He opens one eye, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. He pulls out one earbud, and you catch a snippet of a song.

"What's up?" he asks, his voice smooth and relaxed.

You hesitate for a moment, feeling a bit shy about asking for help. But you swallow your nerves and speak up, "I was wondering if you could help me with my shooting practice."

Iso's smirk widens, and he nods in agreement. "Sure thing," he replies, standing up and stretching. "Let's head to the range."

As you walk side by side, you can't help but steal glances at Iso when he's not looking. There's something about the way he carries himself, the confidence in his stride, that makes your heart flutter. You've admired him from afar since the moment you joined the team, but you never imagined you'd get the chance to spend time alone with him like this.

At the range, Iso takes the time to patiently guide you through the basics, offering gentle encouragement and helpful tips along the way. His touch sends a jolt of electricity through you, and you find yourself craving more of his attention with each passing moment. You can't deny the rush of excitement that courses through you whenever his hand brushes against yours, or when his warm breath tickles your ear as he leans in to offer guidance.

Despite your initial nervousness, you find yourself quickly getting into the rhythm of things, the tension easing from your shoulders with each shot. And as the session progresses, you can't help but notice the way Iso's eyes light up with pride whenever you hit the target dead center. It's a small gesture, but it fills you with a sense of accomplishment unlike anything you've ever felt before.

Finally, as the session comes to an end, you look up to see Iso watching you with a soft smile on his face. "You're a natural," he says, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "With a bit more practice, you'll be unstoppable."

You feel a warm flush spread across your cheeks at his praise, knowing that you've made him proud. And as you pack up your gear and head back to base, you can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest at the thought of spending more time with Iso in the future. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that your crush on him isn't as one-sided as you thought.

[ahummingbirdwitch]

OH MY GREAT HEAVENS your Cypher are so good,, I would love to request a fluffy Cypher x Reader fic, possibly one where he tries to DIY a gift for you (it ends up looking not as he expected)

Thank you sm anon!! Here ya go :)

Makeshift (Cypher x F!Reader)

Summary: Cypher DIYs a gift for your birthday. So sweet it’ll give you cavities.

Pairing: Cypher x F!Reader

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 944

Warnings: none

Notes: I had the same Reader character in mind from my usual Cypher fics but y’all are free to imagine anyone you like!

Your birthday was coming up, and your gift had to be perfect.

Cypher wasn’t one to brag, but he liked to consider himself the best gift-giver in Valorant. There was no competition, really. He had every agent’s passwords, to all their devices and accounts; he knew what kinds of sites they perused, what things they added to their carts while shopping online, so when birthdays and holidays came around, he was practically Santa Claus. It wasn’t a secret how he knew what his friends wanted, but they were all grateful nonetheless.

The ones he cared about, anyway. Sova got a lump of coal every Christmas.

You were no different. He knew pretty much everything you liked, all your favorite sites and items and things you were saving up for. He could easily just buy you the first thing on your wishlist or have your favorite meal delivered to HQ, but you weren’t just any agent to him, and this wasn’t just any birthday. You were his girlfriend, and this had to be special. You deserved something straight from the heart.

So, after much deliberation, he’d decided to make something himself.

He’d made plenty of gadgets in his life, all for work, but he’d never made anything of that nature for someone. Nothing meant to be a gift, anyway. He’d thought about making you something practical, like a hair dryer or an electric massage stick, but nothing seemed personal enough. You needed something sentimental.

You loved bears, so at last, he decided he’d make his first real robot: a little bear-shaped friend.

In all honesty, Cypher struggled to put it together. He was good with tech, that much was true, but his devices weren’t nearly as advanced as Killjoy’s. He’d thought about asking her for help more than once, but ultimately, he’d stuck to his work and pressed on alone. This was his gift to you, and he could do it himself. No challenge was too big.

The night before your birthday, it was finally finished. He wiped his forehead and took a step back, admiring his handiwork. It wasn’t as flashy as something Killjoy would’ve made, but that was okay. He’d done it all himself.

He just hoped you liked it.

^ ^ ^

“Alright,” Cypher said, guiding you towards your desk chair. “Sit down, and close your eyes, dear.”

“Ooh, is it time for my surprise?” you asked, giggling as you took a seat.

“Yes. Come on now, close them.”

���Okay.” You did as you were told.

Cypher removed the bear from its box, taking a deep breath before holding it out to you. “Okay. Open them.”

You obeyed. The second you saw the bear—a miniature version of your teddy bear in white and blue colors—your eyes nearly popped from your skull. “Aww, Amir!” you exclaimed, accepting it from him. “It’s my Teddy! But he’s little!”

Cypher’s face flushed under his mask. “Do you like it?”

“Like it?” You were grinning from ear to ear. “I love it! He’s so cute!”

His heart warmed, fluttering with love and relief. “I was calling him Mini-Bear,” he said. “But you can call him whatever you like.” He took a step closer, taking the bear from you gently so he could feel around the back. “He… also speaks.”

He pressed a button, and his own voice came out of the bear: “I am always watching you, my dear.”

You stared in awe, looking absolutely delighted. “Oh my God. That’s so sweet!” You took the bear back from him. “You really made him all by yourself?”

Cypher chuckled. “Yes. It was… a bit tricky, I’ll admit. But I think he turned out okay.”

“He turned out great.” You hit the button again, beaming when another line came from the bear, also in Cypher’s voice: “Thinking of you, sokar.”

Cypher blushed. “Maybe don’t run through all of them right now…”

You gave him a cheeky grin, then hit the button again. “Sleep well, princess,” the bear said.

“Princess?” You smiled coyly. “I haven’t heard that one before.”

Cypher scratched the back of his neck. “It is… cheesy, I know. But the bear said it, not me!”

You laughed and hit the button again. “Goodnight, my dear,” the bear said. Suddenly, it began to stutter. “I—I love—love—love—”

Cypher froze, panicked. “Shit,” he muttered. He hurried to grab the bear from you. “I—oh no. Oh dear. I thought—I thought the voice box was stable.”

You looked up at him, eyes round, still smiling. “Hey, it’s okay! It just glitched for a sec.”

“No, no.” He looked over the bear, wanting to phase through the floor and disappear. “Shit. I can—fix that. It was—not supposed to do that.”

Especially not when he’d been in the middle of saying… that.

“Amir.” He felt your hands on his, and slowly, he allowed you to take the bear. “It’s okay, I promise. I love it.” You cradled Mini-Bear in your arms, blushing as you smiled down at it. “That line… were you saying what I… thought you were saying?”

Cypher looked at you, heart full. Embarrassed as he was, he could see as clear as day how happy you were, and relaxed. “Yes,” he murmured at last. “I have… been meaning to say it. For some time now.”

You got to your feet, leaving Mini-Bear in the chair before wrapping your arms around Cypher. “Thank you, Amir,” you whispered. “I love him. But I love you most.”

Hearing those sweet words from you made all of his work worthwhile, even if it hadn’t all turned out perfect. He held you closer, hugging you tightly as he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

[budgetslow]

gonna go on a little bit of a stratus hc spiel while i do the next part of ‘the archives’

enjoy!

Alpha Earth Stratus (Enkai Shinjitsu) Headcanons

if you asked them what their favorite gun to use is, they wouldn’t hesitate to say the marshal. they love scoping in, and the mobility of it.

i’d imagine stratus’s protocol room to be heavily viet inspired.

enkai worked for kingdom in japan before their recruitment into valorant.

enkai was around 24-26 when they first joined the protocol.

give stratus a few minutes to talk to any agent in the protocol, and they’ll immediate see their vulnerabilities.

stratus was given more freedom to contact more people outside of the protocol, out of the kindness of cypher.

for casual clothing, enkai usually wears loose fitting articles.

occasionally, stratus likes to pull sophisticated pranks on their fellow agents.

stratus can take any spicy food. there was one time they ate buldak, with 5 sauce packets.

stratus can make clouds, anytime, anywhere. this also means that they can ride on said clouds, and while it’s more of a party trick than anything, they don’t mind if other people ride on the cloud with them.

stratus can also make an audio visualizer with these clouds. again, a party trick.

the floating dragon horns and tail are part of stratus’s spirit. you can touch them, but they feel… phantasmic. stratus can also feel it, and it’s more sensitive. when stratus is in their ult, they are more prominent and floating fangs appear in front of their mouth.

while some may jump at the opportunity to make friends with everyone in the protocol, stratus takes thing slow. not only because they are immensely respectful of everyone’s boundaries, but because of the fact that they are afraid that whatever they might say would push others away.

if any agent needs help, stratus is always free. whatever they might be working on can wait. somehow, they keep their schedule ‘free’ for anyone to come knocking at their door.

in terms of yapping and listening, stratus is a bit of both. they are, however, an excellent listener. say whatever you want to them, and they’ll be able to speak on what their own thoughts of it.

stratus’s favorite place to be at in the headquarters is at a secluded balcony, where they can see the sun rise and set. they go there every morning and evening to witness it.

stratus loves lion dancing, especially during any festivals that celebrate asian holidays. they’ve actually done some lion dancing before they moved to japan, and, by the off-chance that there is an opportunity, they’ll participate in it.

every time lunar new year comes around, stratus sends everyone in the protocol a red envelope. even to agents that are inherently and currently rich. they wish for everyone to participate in it, too, so they host a party where they go all out in terms of decorations and food. everyone is invited. no person left behind.

stratus would absolutely take a bullet for anyone. they believe their own life is less important than their comrades’, which.. is a dangerous mindset to have.

speaking of inner thoughts, there is a lingering desire to just.. eat. not food, people. the friends around them. they wished they didn’t have to live with such urges. it’s also why their first instinct when interacting with new people is to slink away.

stratus would kill for a chance to be back in vietnam again. maybe with friends, this time. they’d be a great tour guide and deal seeker.

[whatdoseitmeantobehuman]

Echos of home epilogue full circle

The Valorant compound wasn't built for first birthday parties. It was designed for tactical missions, for protecting the world from threats beyond comprehension. But today, it had been transformed into a celebration of life, of hope, of everything they'd fought to protect.

Aria's party looked more like a military operation than a typical toddler celebration. Killjoy had engineered a play area with soft, strategically placed padding. Chamber had commissioned a cake that was more architectural marvel than dessert. Raze demonstrated party tricks that made Sage roll her eyes, while Wingman, Thrash, Dizzy, and Mosh turned gift-opening into an elaborate performance. Their daughter - their miracle - sat in the center of it all, wearing a tiny dress that Chamber had custom-tailored, complete with a miniature matching suit jacket. "Just in case," he'd winked, "she decides to join the team early." Sova watched his daughter with a smile that spoke of everything they'd survived.

Y/N caught his eye, a silent communication that made Phoenix raise an eyebrow. "Something's different," Jett muttered to Gekko. "They're up to something." Wingman chirped softly, tugging at the reader's sleeve. The little creature seemed more excited than usual, bouncing between them and the other agents. Thrash positioned himself carefully, while Dizzy and Mosh exchanged what could only be described as conspiratorial looks. "Wingman," the y/n said softly, "do you want to tell everyone something?" The creature chirped excitedly, producing a small envelope from seemingly nowhere.

As y/n opened the envelope, a collective intake of breath filled the room. Inside lay two sonogram images - perfectly clear, perfectly beautiful. "Twins," they announced simply. The compound went silent.

Phoenix dropped his slice of cake. Killjoy's tablet clattered to the floor. Jett's wind actually stopped mid-swirl. "TWINS!" Raze screamed, breaking the silence. Chaos erupted. Agents crowded around, agents cried, agents started immediate debates about godparents and training and which of them would be the "cool" aunt or uncle. Aria, oblivious to the excitement, continued playing with her new toys.

Later, after the initial excitement had died down, Sova and y/n pulled Cypher and Sage aside. The medical bay was quiet, a stark contrast to the earlier celebration. "We want you to be godparents," they said simply. Sage's professional composure cracked first. Tears filled her eyes - the woman who had guided their healing, who had seen them at their most broken, now witnessing their most profound moment of hope. Cypher was silent for a long moment. Then, his masked face turned toward Sova. "You know I'll protect them," he said quietly. Not a question. A promise. Sova nodded.

An understanding passed between them - two men who had seen darkness, who knew the cost of protection. "With everything we are," Cypher continued. Y/n’s hand found Sova's. Another circle completed. Another victory. As night fell, with Aria sleeping and the compound quiet, they found a moment of peace. "Celebrate?" The invitation was soft, laden with promise. Their room became a sanctuary. A place of healing. Of love reborn. And in that moment, surrounded by the life they'd built, they were home.

[jadexbnny]

ONE SHOT (HEADSHOT) — JUJUTSU KAISEN —concept guide.

VALORANT.

there are two teams of 5 who compete against each other. first to 13 wins, unless its a 12-12 then you get to overtime and first to get +2 rounds over the other team wins. you play 12 rounds first half, one team is attackers and the other is defenders. the attackers try to get on site (each map has either 2 or 3; these are objective points) in order to plant a bomb (spike). defenders have to either prevent this from happening or defuse the spike in time.

ROLES. —duelist : usually run in first and get kills. their whole job is to make space for the team on the map and then die (hopefully after they get a kill). very aggressive.

—controller : control the map. they usually have smokes (orbs of smoke) that split the map up so that certain angles and entry points are blocked off visually. kinda passive but depends on the agent (character) they are playing.

—initiator : active info for the team and support the duelist. they help get picks and their entire utility is usually based around flashes, info gathering, stuns, and support.

—sentinel : passive info. they usually lock down sites and delay the enemy team from getting onto site. they play a very passive role and their whole job is to just stall for time/watch our backs.

TERMS. —flank : behind you. —frags : kills. —kda : kills/deaths/assists ratio. —ct : defender spawn. —pushing : attackers are rushing into site. —rotate : go to the other site.

i'll add more as we go on.

[geckogwumi]

A Valorant Skin Tone Guide for your Valorant Art needs!

Notes before using the guide:

First, this uses the game models as the point of reference. If you are using cinematics, splash art, or sprays as a point of reference, then it is likely to be different from what's on here

Also, I still suggest you study whatever your referencing when coloring your character and not just follow this guide blindly! Colors are going to inevitably be distributed differently on each agent.

Lastly, credits go to https://kingdomarchives.com/index for creating a resource that people can use to view the models of the game really easily! It has made drawing the agents really easy for me.

I made this guide mostly for myself but the twitter people found this to be really helpful so I guess I'm going to be posting this here as well!

[lunamagicablu]

Le donne e la tentazione della bellezza Le celebrità e gli agenti venduti stanno programmando le donne a credere che il loro valore risieda nell'essere hot e belle in un modo specifico, mentre ti giurano che credono nella bellezza interiore. Questa è una psyop. Ti programmano per fare qualcosa, mentre dicono il contrario in modo che tu non metta in dubbio l'infiltrazione del programma. Il tuo valore e la tua bellezza non sono in discussione. Non hanno nulla a che fare con il tuo aspetto fisico. Ricevere o meno attenzioni maschili non cambia nulla. L'ossessione per l'aspetto fisico del corpo ti impedisce di concentrarti su ciò che conta. È fatto apposta. Trasformarti in ciò che senti essere più desiderato, così puoi esserlo anche tu, è uno spreco di tempo ed energia. Ti allontana dalla verità, ed è tutto ciò che vogliono. Le élite umane hanno un grosso problema con il divino femminile. Lo vedono come una minaccia enorme per il loro intero sistema. Le operazioni psicologiche si stanno diffondendo a destra e a manca. Non concentrarti sul combatterle. Concentrati sul deprogrammarti. da The Cat Guides art by Natalia Bonilla Vigo *************************** Women and the Temptation of Beauty Celebrities and sellout agents are programming women to believe that their value lies in being hot and beautiful in a specific way, while they swear to you that they believe in inner beauty. This is a psyop. They program you to do something, while telling you otherwise so that you don't question the infiltration of the program. Your value and beauty are not up for debate. They have nothing to do with your physical appearance. Whether or not you receive male attention doesn't change anything. The obsession with the physical appearance of your body keeps you from focusing on what matters. It's done on purpose. Transforming you into what you feel is most desired, so you can be, is a waste of time and energy. It takes you away from the truth, and that's all they want. The human elites have a huge problem with the divine feminine. They see it as a huge threat to their entire system. Psycho-ops are spreading left and right. Don't focus on fighting them. Focus on deprogramming yourself. from The Cat Guides art by Natalia Bonilla Vigo 

[rookmercar]

Fires of Funalis

Just posted the first two chapters.

Summary:

Mercar, and elven priest from the Minrathous Circle, is sent out of town with specific instructions to lay low.

One of Varric's old friends needs help breaking into a chantry.

And Harding is officially picking the next side quest.

Characters: Shadow Dragons Rook, Varric, Harding, Fenris

Minor Characters: Tarquin, Maevaris

Tags: pre-canon, heist, religion, angst, coming-of-age, friendship, Halloween, culture shock, dogs, nonbinary character

Ao3 link or read chapter 1 here:

When Mercar received orders from the First Enchanter that they would be sent out of the city for All Souls’ Day, they stormed off to their office before their tantrum could make anything worse. They couldn't even get drunk with the other junior mages because they were supposed to be working. Who ever heard of a magus priest working on a holiday?

Someone slid a note under their door shortly before Mercar left the tower. "Inquisition agents are investigating a slavery ring in Nessus. This assignment is a good opportunity to monitor their progress. Make contact with the agents without drawing attention to yourself," the note read. The Viper's handwriting. "And don't get drunk. Mind your work."

That work was assisting the Nessus temple priests with crowd control during the Funalis fires. All Souls’ Day was, technically, a religious observation, and not just a costumed bacchanal. In Minrathous, there were enough robes that the Circle deacons could pay lip and then spend the whole night vandalizing the town. Every year the templars said something about putting a stop to it and every year they didn't. In truth, most everyone thought of it as an inevitable side effect of the holiday, a recollection of something older than the readings of Apotheosis and the somber lighting of candles, and did little to stop the youngsters from lighting trees on fire and flipping carts.

Mercar had been warned that none of that nonsense would be going on at the Temple of Andraste in Nessus, where people would travel to see the rites done properly and the holy mages engaged in penitent silence. Emphasis on silence. After last year's incident, many of the young priests were being sent away to other, more traditional temples to curtail the merrymaking.

They had argued that Andraste, in whose image the holy mages lived, had quite famously been arrested. Last year's riot wasn't entirely their fault. No one listened. Not even Maevaris, who could usually be tapped to spoil her former apprentice. It wasn't fair.

Before leaving, they paced around their local wing of the tower, the Razikale wing, which housed the College of Augurs. Apprentices darted back into doorways at the sight of the enchanter, no doubt to warn the others to hide the alcohol and red goblets.

The augury department, which dealt with communications across the Veil, was decorated with festive representations of various spirits and demons. Mercar loved making them as an apprentice. Some of the paper and cloth creations were general wishes and greetings for the friendly and helpful spirits around the Circle: Hail Spirits of Wisdom, please guide me during exams. Spirits of Valor, protect our soldiers. Some were made in recognition of powerful entities that were known to the Circle or a specific mage. Mercar's office door had an old paper doll hung in recognition of a Spirit of Choice.

Mercar wasn't the only one pacing around the College of Augurs. They heard the heavy fall of templar boots.

"Tarquin."

"Mercar. Shouldn't you be heading out?"

It wasn't surprising to find Tarquin up here. With the normal functions of the Circle winding down for the last days of the month, they were both trying to escape their offices and find some apprentices to bust for drinking alcohol.

"The rites aren't for a couple days and the cart will wait. I thought I'd give the College one last sweep and make sure everyone's minding their p's and q's before I leave," Mercar explained.

"About that." Tarquin produced a leather bag containing a bottle and handed it over. "I confiscated this from some kids trying to hide it in the records floor. Can you make sure it's…taken care of?"

Mercar solemnly accepted the booze. It was nice. Imported brandy. A waste to leave this in the hands of witless brats. "I'll see that it's properly disposed of."

They matched their paces and walked, heads down, towards a more private hall area. This wing was one of the oldest in the Circle—in fact, one of the oldest habitable structures in Minrathous—and had plenty of secret doors and long, winding staircases for private conversations.

Tarquin broke the awkward silence. "We don't have any connections to the authorities in Nessus. If you get arrested, no one can come get you."

"I won't get arrested. I'm just supposed to make sure the…" Mercar considered how to phrase this. Even in these old and disused stairways, the walls had ears. "That the rites are done properly. I'm sure the Revered Father won't even have any real work for me. It's a punitive assignment."

"Punitive because last year you were arrested," Tarquin said.

"I was unfairly singled out," Mercar countered. Which was true.

"You set a produce cart on fire! You robes can get away with a lot, but what were you thinking?" Tarquin sighed.

"You wanted cover!" Mercar nearly shouted.

Tarquin lowered his voice. The cart fire had certainly drawn the authorities away from the docks, where a group of former slaves had made a successful break for the catacombs. "I didn't mean start a bloody riot. But, it did work. It just won't work again. If slavers are involved, they won't care where you work or who your daddy is. Don't get caught."

"Or what, you'll miss me?"

"Don't get carried away. You'd end up a smear on some floor and there would be no one interesting to talk to around here. Just keep playing the entitled mage and I'll keep track of the town until you get back," he said.

"That's sweet. You would miss me. Remember, magic is meant to serve man, templars are meant to serve tea," Mercar crowed.

Tarquin rolled his eyes so enthusiatically they might have gotten stuck like that. Mercar knew it was a performance, though. Someone had to give Tarquin a hard time if the bluebloods couldn't be bothered to.

"Whatever. Maybe I'll get some work done. See you," he said. He peeled off at the bottom of the staircase to go find somewhere less suspicious to pace and brood.

"See you."

That left Mercar with little excuse to linger in the tower. The cart to Nessus was waiting.

Like most of coastal Tevinter's cities, Nessus took advantage of a natural harbor formed by a small but deep delta system. In the shadow of Minrathous, it lacked its own Circle tower, but made up for it economically with a large shipping industry and busy port. Barges moved timber and agricultural goods from the interior to urban centers along the coast, where they would be processed and redistributed back upriver.

The temple was carved into the base of a dramatic cliffside, overlooking miles of delta and wetland. From the road approaching the temple, the barges below resembled rings on the skeletal fingers of the delta, like some massive creature was trying to claw its way to the sea. It was hard to make out from this close, but the cliffside above was carved into a stylized depiction of a dragon. Dumat, most likely. This temple was ancient.

An elven porter met Mercar at their cart and helped them move discreetly into the brothers' wing of the temple. No tower meant no templars. No tenured robes. No pulling rank for an elf in a strange town.

After tipping the porter, Mercar found the junior mages' dormitory and picked a room at random. The dormitories were divided between sisters and brothers, not co-ed like the Minrathous Circle facilities, but both of them looked empty anyway. Nessus might not have had any initiates or lay mages living here. No wonder they needed help with the rites.

Back home, Mercar had arranged for their own bedroom through a series of favors, to avoid complicated questions. It wasn't just about gender, though that sometimes caused confusion when they were mistaken for a sister in the brothers' hall or brother in the sisters' hall. Even in the south, elves weren't permitted to join the priesthood, and that could be a sticking point when living with other mages. That—becoming a lay priest at all—had been another convoluted series of favors and legal loopholes. As a deacon, and as the adopted heir of a house with enough military spoils to dodge retribution with bribes and bail, they had been able to claw their way into the Minrathous Circle. They had spent more than a little blood and gold to get this far. Only to be cast out like a misbehaving dog, apparently.

They spread out their light luggage, only five trunks, across the dorm. If any initiates decided to come back suddenly and claim the room, they would need to sleep on the floor. Popping one of the chests open, Mercar unfolded a set of formal robes and shook them out, letting the layers of silk and linen fluff back up.

Chantry robes were mainly shades of black, representing the silence of the Maker, with a blood red sash, representing the grief of Hessarian. Mercar's also had gold and blue beading representing the personal wealth to customize one's clothing and a linen hood to cover their ears. They admired the silk robes in the mirror as they changed into them, and hoped that there would be enough candlelight to make the expensive beading stand out among the austere temple priests. Circle magi were expected to wear a toga for formal appearances, dyed lyrium blue for junior enchanters. They struggled to pin it on without help.

In fact, all of this would be difficult without help. In Minrathous, they were never alone, especially living at the Circle. There were always other robes nearby to argue or gossip with. The mages might not always have gotten along, but there were some even that Mercar considered friends. Templars, too. If Mercar ever left the Circle district, it was on a job with the Shadows or to swim in Maevaris's pool. Maybe they needed some time away from the city.

They dropped their travel clothes on the floor in a pile, for the laundry service to pick up, if there was going to be any. A note with a drawing of a candle was folded up in the road-dirty linen robes. If the slaves here recognized it, they would know who to bring their information or concerns to, and if they didn't, Mercar would have to find another way to make contact. They didn't think it would be too difficult to gain the temple slaves' confidence. Being an elf, Mercar was usually mistaken for one anyway, and servants were forthcoming with information.

The mirror seemed unwilling to reflect a rich Minrathous debutante. No matter how they adjusted their toga and hood, it just showed a miserable elf far away from the protections of home. They were alone. If things went poorly here, they were alone.

Read more on ao3

[mianyann]

Absolution | Yoru x Reader

Chapter 3: "Revelations"

Beneath the blue sky, life pulsed within the heart of Valorant Headquarters. Agents, still battling slumber in their heavy-lidded eyes, flowed into the bustling dining hall. The clinking of plates harmonized with a symphony of breakfast aromas drawn from the corners of the globe. It didn't matter whether you craved the simpleness of a bagel or a five-star meal inspired by the distant shores of Fiji – breakfast was more than just a meal here; it was a ritual.

You entered the dining hall with a touch of shyness, immediately capturing the collective gaze of those around you. Their watchful eyes seemed to dissect you with intense scrutiny, focusing on each bandage and every wrinkle of concern. Instinctively, you sought to conceal your vulnerabilities, shielding them from the prying eyes of your newfound peers. Amid this sea of scrutiny, one island of comfort emerged - Neon.

With her peppy smile, Neon approached you, her white-haired companion, Jett, by her side. Her introduction was an explosion of unbridled enthusiasm. Despite the early hour, Jett extended a friendly hand in greeting, her groggy smile bearing traces of the just-broken morning.

"That must have been quite a morning surprise," Jett commented with a yawn, acknowledging the early hour. "Neon told me about what you've been through, and I can't even begin to imagine how terrifying that place must have been. I'm a little claustrophobic myself, but that's beside the point. If you ever need anything, rest assured we're here for you. You may be new, but we're all dedicated to making you feel at home."

You continued to stand there, ensnared in this whirlwind of introductions, your gaze shifting between Neon and Jett. Despite her morning grogginess, Jett's friendly demeanor was a welcoming sight. With a nod, Jett excused herself and made her way to an unoccupied seat. Her raised eyebrows and lingering gaze communicated her genuine interest in both you and Neon. As she enjoyed a piece of toast, you and Neon remained standing, connected by the warmth of your exchange and a sense of belonging you hadn't anticipated. It served as a reminder that, even though your past had been darkened by fear, here in the heart of Valorant Protocol, there was a glimmer of hope.

Neon, ever enthusiastic, guided you to an unclaimed table where she had laid out a simple yet inviting breakfast – a waffle beside a cup of fruit, a serving of yogurt with granola, and a steaming cup of tea. You regarded the meal with a mixture of weariness and eagerness, a poignant reminder of the nourishment you'd long been deprived of.

With genuine gratitude, you looked up at Neon and sincerely said, "Thank you." As you met her eyes, you couldn't help but notice the blush that graced her cheeks. Her already sparkling personality was further adorned by her radiant smile.

-

Phoenix sat at the end of the bustling dining hall, hastily devouring two pieces of toast topped with a fried egg while cradling a steaming cup of black tea. Breakfast had always been Phoenix's favorite, making him the first to rise and ravage the breakfast bar. He even had his designated plate for the occasion. On the opposite end of the table sat Fade, her slender fingers gently embracing a mug of black coffee while a modest bowl of blackberries waited for her attention. The room hummed with morning chatter.

As Phoenix gobbled down his meal, his amber eyes drifted toward Fade, who had been silently sipping her coffee. Their gazes collided, and with a mouth still full, Phoenix playfully pointed at a lone piece of toast remaining on her plate. "You gonna eat that?"

Responding with a sigh and an exasperated eye roll, Fade reluctantly slid the untouched toast toward him. Her attention shifted, turning toward the dining hall's open window. Outside, the naked trees swayed to the rhythm of the brisk autumn wind, their leaves having already surrendered to the inevitable descent to the ground. Fade couldn't help but smile, captivated by the chill in the air and the fading greenery. It was her favorite weather.

Letting out a contemplative sigh, Fade's gaze returned to the table, focusing on the hostage they had rescued the day before. She spoke softly, her voice laced with concern, "What a poor soul."

Phoenix, still chewing on his last bite of toast, nodded in agreement. Swallowing hard, he leaned in, lowering his voice. "Is that the Radiant?"

Surprise widened Fade's eyes as she snatched the fork from Phoenix's grasp, her fingers gripping onto his fork. "What do you know?" Her tone was both inquisitive and skeptical.

Caught off guard, Phoenix gulped and straightened up, clearing his throat before attempting to salvage his dignity. He pushed his now-empty tea cup aside. "I know nothing."

Unimpressed, Fade rolled her eyes and fixed her piercing gaze upon him. It was a scrutinizing look that could weaken even the most steadfast. Phoenix's resistance crumbled. "Yoru and I had a few drinks last night," he confessed reluctantly, "and we chatted about her. That's all. No harm."

Fade's sigh signaled her reluctance to pry further. She handed the fork back to Phoenix, though her concern still lingered. The image of Radiants, their ethereal light fading, piled together like refuse in her memory, haunted her. Fade spent all night pondering what it meant to die as a Radiant, their inner brilliance extinguished by an unknown force.

-

Yoru was the last person to drag himself into the bustling dining hall. He approached breakfast with apathy, often forgoing the meal entirely. Phoenix, with determination, took it upon himself to persuade Yoru into eating, well aware of Yoru's ability to go for days without food. At best, Yoru might relent to packaged ramen, per Phoenix's insistence, or nibble on a piece of fruit. Yoru's diet consisted mainly of steamed vegetables, fruit, and a small bowl of rice, avoiding almost everything else.

On this particular morning, Yoru strolled into the dining hall, attracting a different kind of attention. Rather than admiration, onlookers gazed at him with a mixture of disgust and concern. His usually well-groomed appearance was conspicuously disheveled. From the unruly mess of his hair, to the shirt he'd put on backward and inside out, to the bunched-up sweatpants and mismatched sneakers, Yoru appeared to have been caught in a whirlwind. The room seemed to sigh collectively at the sight of him.

Unfazed by the disarray of his friend, Phoenix, heaving a resigned sigh, made his way to Yoru. His voice carried a hint of amusement as he playfully observed, "You're a wreck."

Yoru's brows knitted together in a blend of shock, annoyance, and confusion at Phoenix's straightforward comment. With a casual arm draped over Yoru's shoulder, Phoenix guided him toward Fade and his usual table. There, he firmly seated Yoru, who displayed the same blank expression as he did when he was about to take a shot. Phoenix rolled an apple toward Yoru, positioning it beside a plate of toast. His intentions were clear: he wasn't going to tolerate Yoru's intermittent fasting any longer.

Phoenix quipped with a smile, "I'm not dealing with you not eating again. You can't maintain that physique of yours, and you won't be much of a ladies' man without it."

Fade, though slightly exasperated by Yoru, couldn't help but feel a pang of concern as she observed his condition. She knew that he had been the one to accompany the hostage and had probably seen things that were hard to shake off.

Yoru, sitting before his pitiful piece of toast, had yet to react to the morning's developments. The table remained wrapped in silence, except for the background chatter and the clinking of utensils. Phoenix, aiming to break the silence, turned the conversation toward their upcoming day off.

He inquired, "What are your plans for the day, mate?"

Fade, looking up from her mug, answered with a relaxed demeanor, "I'll be tending the gardens with KAY/O and Sage. I'm surprised Sage is getting a day off after everything that's happened."

Yoru winced at the reminder of the previous day's mission. His fork pierced through the toast, causing both Phoenix and Fade to redirect their attention to him. Yoru raised his wide eyes, issuing a nearly inaudible apology as he leaned back in his chair, arms folded.

Phoenix let out a nervous chuckle, breaking the silence that had settled around them. "Uh… what about you, mate? What are you doing today?" His voice wavered with unease, a stark contrast to the weight of the day's events.

Yoru, still carrying the burden of his thoughts, sighed and shook his head. "Probably going to the range to practice a bit on my own." He emphasized his solo venture, typically having Phoenix as his company, but he couldn't help but notice that Phoenix didn't appear troubled by the prospect.

With a reassuring smile, Phoenix turned his focus to Yoru, concern etched into his expression. He knew that Yoru was putting up a front, and he didn't want his friend to bear the weight of recent events alone. Phoenix reassured Yoru that he understood more than he let on.

-

Neon marveled at your ravenous appetite, never having met a girl with such an insatiable hunger. Plate after plate of breakfast foods from around the world disappeared before you. She tried several times to slow you down, her thumb finding its way into her mouth as she contemplated whether to intervene.

"Uh… why don't you save some for lunch and dinner?" Neon suggested, her brows furrowed with concern. "We take meals very seriously here… maybe we can find you a little snack or some water." But her words fell on deaf ears, and it took Neon physically taking your plate away to make you realize just how full you were. You let out an audible sigh, sinking into your chair as drowsiness washed over you from the overwhelming meal.

Unbeknownst to you, curious eyes had been locked onto you from the surrounding tables, casting a light shade of embarrassment across your cheeks. Neon, perceiving the situation, shot a knowing look at her fellow agents, prompting them to divert their attention back to their own meals and conversations.

With a warm smile, Neon offered you a napkin to clean the smudges of food from your face. Shyly, you tucked your body in, your gaze fixated on the blank table before you.

Neon took your hand and leaned in closer, her tone inviting. "So, today is our off day. How about we do something fun?" Her enthusiasm was infectious, and you couldn't help but nod, your voice soft as you replied, "That would be… fun."

Neon remained unfazed by your reserved demeanor, fully aware of the challenges you faced adapting to this new life. She brainstormed ideas eagerly, sharing her plans with you, "We can hang out in the common room, meet some of my friends. Oh, and we can hit the range and try out our weapons, although I might need to run that by Brimstone. But he probably won't mind."

While Neon continued to express her suggestions, your mind wandered back to the man you distinctly remembered seeing. His image was etched in your memory, right down to the color of his shoelaces. You met Neon's eyes with newfound determination, saying confidently, "I know what I want to do today."

-

Bullets flew, ricocheted, missed, hit. Magazine filled, trigger pulled. Yoru had spent hours in the shooting range. Whenever something weighed heavily on his mind, he found solace in the rhythmic chorus of bullets piercing the training bots' heads. He took an occasional drag from his cigarette, a habit reserved for stressful times, as he honed in on his target. A clean shot rang out as he sighed, setting his gun against a barrel and leaning against the shooting booth.

His cigarette was discarded, and he removed his jacket, neatly folding it and placing it on his lap. Fingers ran through his unruly hair as he reflected on that fateful day, the day he found those lifeless bodies, the day he found you. It played over and over in his mind, a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. He wasn't preoccupied with you, but rather the enigma of the Radiant race, the notion of their Radiance withering away, leaving only a decaying vessel.

Yoru's own memories surfaced, of the time he'd been discovered by the protocol, battered and teetering on the edge of death. He had needed days to recover under Sage's watchful care. But he also remembered his early days within the protocol, a time when he was seen as a weaker link. He was the subject of ridicule, his fellow agents doubting his ability to perform under pressure. It was this distrust from his peers that had made him lose respect for them. Yoru preferred working alone, saving others only when it served his interests. Phoenix was the lone exception, the only one he believed genuinely cared for him. Yet, even with their friendship, Yoru couldn't entirely trust him.

At the range's entrance, Yoru's attention was drawn to a blue-haired girl ascending the steps. She crossed her arms and questioned him, "Where have you been hiding?" Yoru scoffed and began packing up, grabbing his jacket and Vandal as he approached her. "I was just leaving."

But the girl placed her hand on his chest, halting him in his tracks. "That girl wants to meet you." Yoru's demeanor changed, and he took a step back, his gaze piercing into hers as he cleared his throat and assumed a stern expression. "I'd rather not. I have better things to do."

The girl, Neon, chuckled lightly and crossed her arms again as she looked up at Yoru. "Like what? Going on your 5th date? You can't keep walking out of these situations." Yoru shook his head disapprovingly as he hung up his gun, put his jacket back on, and made his way toward the exit. But Neon caught up behind him and grabbed his sleeve. Yoru instinctively pushed her hand away, turning to face her, his eyes locking onto hers.

Neon shifted her gaze to the side as she spoke, "She has no friends here, she's barely making friends with Jett, and everyone else seems put off by her. I don't know if you've ever experienced something like that, but when I joined Valorant, it was the same for me. It's not easy, and I'd really appreciate it if you could help her out a bit." Yoru felt a trace of sympathy for you but couldn't bring himself to truly care. Neon's eyes softened as she looked at him, her unspoken plea echoing in her gaze. Yoru sighed and turned to walk away, his voice low, "I can't."

Neon watched as Yoru walked away, her eyes following him until he disappeared from view.

-

Sage knocked on your door gently, causing it to creak open just slightly, allowing a thin sliver of light from the hallway to pierce through and dance across the cold, dark room. Her presence was a soothing contrast to the somber atmosphere as she observed you, seated at your desk, engrossed in the profiles of the various agents within the protocol. With an amused chuckle, she remarked, "I see you're adapting well, aren't you?"

You swiveled your chair around to face her, the faintest trace of a smile gracing your lips upon hearing her comforting voice. "Doing my best," you replied, before returning your attention to the screen, which displayed a wealth of information meticulously curated by Brimstone.

Sage moved closer, placing a glass of water on your desk before her hands found their place on her hips. She spoke softly, her words carrying the warmth of understanding. "Neon told me about what's been happening." You sighed, the ephemeral smile giving way to furrowed brows as you fought back the emotional turmoil within you. "I don't know what I've done wrong, but it seems like not many people like me here."

Sage sighed in response, her empathy evident. She lowered herself into the chair beside you and extended her hand, her fingers finding your shoulder with gentle reassurance. "It's not that no one likes you," she assured. "We're all very cautious about new members joining the protocol. The past breaches have left a lingering sense of vigilance, but as time passes and trust develops, that apprehensiveness will gradually ease."

Before leaving, Sage stopped in her tracks with her hand resting on the doorknob. She turned to face you once more, her eyes filled with a sense of compassion and understanding. "There's a meeting in the common room at 6. Everyone will be there. I believe it would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet everyone."

You turned your gaze to meet Sage's, a grateful and determined smile playing upon your lips as you nodded. "I'll be there."

Sage acknowledged your commitment with a nod before finally departing, leaving you with newfound determination. You resumed scrolling through the agent profiles, but one name in particular caught your attention and refused to release its grip on your thoughts: Chamber.

-

The dormitory held a somber atmosphere, heavy with the weight of the day's tumultuous events. Phoenix's voice cut through the silence, its accusatory edge echoing off the room's walls. "You did not."

Yoru, seated at the edge of his bed, met Phoenix's eyes. A flicker of defiance danced in his gaze, his arms crossed as he observed Phoenix securing the door behind them. The room settled into an uneasy stillness as Phoenix paced back and forth, his frustration palpable.

Phoenix's exasperation peaked as he pinched the skin between his eyebrows and muttered, "That was our one opportunity to get some information about what happened, and you fumbled it."

He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze lifting to the ceiling as laughter bubbled from his lips. It was a nervous, almost hysterical chuckle that seemed to drain the tension from his body. In a fit of emotion, he flopped onto his own bed, across from where Yoru sat. Yoru's expression contrasted with Phoenix's emotional turbulence; he regarded Phoenix's emotional rollercoaster with a lighthearted smirk.

Between his smirk and light-hearted chuckles, Yoru sought to clarify his stance. "I don't want to talk to her, that's all."

Phoenix turned his head slightly, propped up on his elbows, his voice matter-of-fact. "Why? What's wrong with talking to her?"

Yoru, sighing contently, finally achieved a moment of clarity. He reached for the bottle, pouring himself another shot and addressing the issue directly. "It's a waste of time."

Yoru leaned back, taking a sip and sighing, his thoughts weighing on him. It was evident that Yoru was grappling with his own internal struggles.

Undeterred, Phoenix was determined to get to the bottom of this. He seized his shot glass, filled it to the brim, and slapped his palms together to propose a challenge. "You think she's pretty, don't you?"

Yoru responded with a deadpan expression, his demeanor unwavering. "Not one bit."

Phoenix was taken aback by the unexpected response and couldn't help but laugh heartily at himself. However, as he noticed the unwavering seriousness in Yoru's gaze, he grinned widely. "Oh, you're serious. Well, I think she's pretty cute, in my opinion."

Yoru took another sip from his glass before placing it back on the table. "She smelled horrible when I found her."

Phoenix stared at Yoru in disbelief, as the stark reality of the situation weighed on him. "Well, no shit, she was in there for days."

Yoru's apathetic demeanor since the discovery concerned Phoenix. He couldn't help but sense that something deeper was troubling his friend, especially as Yoru had let go of his usual meticulous grooming habits. Clearing his throat, Phoenix set down his glass and straightened up with determination. "We're talking to her."

Yoru crossed his arms, locking his gaze onto Phoenix, unyielding. "I told you—"

Phoenix immediately cut him off, knowing Yoru was drawn to challenges. "First one to get her digits gets the bottle." Phoenix pointed to the bottle of sake, holding it up as a coveted prize.

Yoru's eyes locked onto the exquisite bottle of pure sake. He couldn't resist a good competition. With a competitive glint in his eyes, he looked back at Phoenix and declared, "You're on."