#wanna listen to the music during battle after battle and on the pause screen

[wykwryt]

pining for my long lost love to return to me (hades ii)

[dawnwriterimagines]

This is Real: Nick Jakoby (1)

Nick Jakoby x Human!Reader

Imagine: It's not common having a human mate, as an orc, even while being the first, and only orc police official. Nick begins to recall some events that with his human mate that reminded him just how dangerous their relationship was to his human.

Warning(s): Smut, angst, rough handling during sex, Violence, etc.

Your fingers looped around his slowly, the warmth of your fragile skin ran through his palms, a tantalizing brush of your lips ran across his lips, grazing the edges of his dulled down lower fangs. Hardly able to help the shiver running up his spine, his hand came up to cup the side of your face lovingly. Your soft lips curved upwards, creating a beautiful smile he knew he was blessed to be able to wake up too. He let's a rumble roll through his chest, his arm's around your waist in an instant, devouring your lips passionately.

"Somethin' funny, Orc?"

Nick blinked, once, twice, before realizing he had been startled out of his own daydream. His head raising from the screen of his phone, where a vibrant picture of you, wearing his grey hoodie and a smile illuminating your face, stood out on the screensaver. His eyes connected with Pollard's, whose eyes hardened at the sight of him and he could already see the sadistic smirk on his face growing.

Nick huffed faintly through his nostrils. "No," he mumbled before, noticing him glance down at the phone in his hand.

He shut off the device quickly, shoving it into his pocket. Pollard only proceeded to straighten and smirk viciously, "Oh don't let me stop you," he began, Nick mentally sighed awaiting the mocking banter of his colleague. "Please, continue, I'd like to see what else she's sent you."

Nick shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, his nails digging into the fabric of his uniform, tearing into it as he glanced at the locker room where his partner had yet to step out of. "I don't want any trouble, Pollard."

Pollard shrugged, a heavy breath escaping him like a taunt. "I just wanna see what other pictures you've got of that fine girl you got back at home," Pollard chuckled watching the way the unblooded orc's hands scrunched up, knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything about the rage building up inside him. "I've always had a thing for brunettes. My last bitch was a brunette, not as great of a looker as (y/n), but--" he made a grunting sound, knocking his shoulder into Jakoby's roughly. "She sure had a tongue on her."

Nick kept his eye's on the locker room doors, willing it to open and have his partner step out. But, his wishes were in vain as Pollard only continued with Ward nowhere in sight.

"So, what's she like?" In bed.

Nick's nostrils flared, he knew what he was asking. "My wife is a wonderful woman," he answered, "and I don't think it's any of your business to know what she's like." He bit back the urge to growl, his eyes never meeting Pollard's, afraid if he did make eye contact, the humans eyes would be no more.

"Well, I was just wondering anyway," Pollard ran a hand down his facial hair before pulling out a piece of wrinkled paper from his uniform pocket. "Does she feel tight? I bet she does, but then again she takes it from an orc, you guys have been reported of killing human prostitutes during your mating seasons, haven't you?" Pollard smirked, watching as Nick tenses up, before the orc finally starts walking off. "Bet you can't even touch her without her flinching off you." Pollard followed behind the orc.

The look on your face drove him to thrust his hips harder, the way your fingers curved around the sheets of the bedding made his grip on your hips tighten. Your loud moans were music to his ears, your hair messily layered around your head like a halo gave him the urge to run his claws through it before tugging it back to force you closer. Your back arched off the sheets, your breasts lifting as if beckoning him which he quickly obliged too. His mouth latching onto your left nipple before using his right hand to pinch the other, fondling your breasts sensually as he needily drives his thick member in and out of your warm pussy.

"Oh, (y/n)," he groaned, his hands snaking to your backside, lifting you into his lap as he buried himself inside of you. Your arm's wrapped around his neck, clinging to him as your body spasms in pleasure, pain erupting from your sides before fading. Nick let's out a feral growl as your right hand presses into his shoulder as an orgasm rocks through your body along with a sting of pain.

"N-nick, baby," before you can finish, your back hits the plush surface of the mattress beneath you, his head buried into the crook of your neck as he thrusts his hips forward into your throbbing pussy, his hands pressing into your back to meet his rapid movements. For the first time in a long time, you find that the pain overrides the pleasure, but your too lost in the moment to tell him. "Break, I-i need a bre--" as if he doesn't hear you, his pace increases as he growls.

Nick let out all his frustration, his anger, his rage into this one moment, having hardly seen his loving wife in the few weeks he had been busy working. To caught up in how he felt to notice the way your hands pressed into his wrists in resistance or the way your head went back as you let out a gasp of pain. Or even the faint bruising he left from his harsh touch, how his clawed fingers gradually dig into your thighs leaving a multitude of abrasions against your fragile skin.

Having never hurt you before, it never registered that he could be doing so now. Or that mating season had begun just today, and it being the first day he was to spend it with you, never having been around you to feel the effects at the time.

Nick let out a pant, his eyes wild and feral as he began speaking in orkish. He only forced himself into you harder, rocking his hips into yours violently, almost uncontrollably as precum leaked from his member urging to spill his seed deep within you. Although he had done so, a few times since he had started his mating with you a few hours back, but it wasn't enough he had to give you more. He wanted you to know you were his, and with that mindset, he slowly felt himself losing the battle of Nick Jakoby and his own inner Orc.

Your hand found its way into his chest as your eye's squeezed shut in agony, you couldn't take the burning sensations across your body any longer or the numbing around your hips. Tears stung at the corners of your eyes, "I-i can't--god, Nick," you opened your eyes, unable to focus them as you stared at the swirling ceiling above. "I can't take it--please, Nick," your hand pushes against his chest now, but it's no use, he hardly notices as he only proceeds, driving you over the edge as your eye's roll back as his hand roughly cups the back of your neck, and with a single heavy thrust into you, he empties his load inside of you.

You gasp from the sudden feeling of your womb swelling inside of you, but as Nick, lost in himself, slowly turns his hips, rubbing against yours. His throbbing dick settling between your sticky inner walls, his thick, white substance dripping from between your legs. Nick was still for a few minutes as both your pants died down until only your spasms and whimpers were left. But, when your body didn't stop, he pulled away, the effects of his mating season dying off and way he regained his own tame persona.

"Baby..." he paused at the way your head was angled to the opposite side of him, your eye's leaking with fresh tears as your collar bone was riddled with bruises, running down to your ribs. "(Y-y/n)..." he placed both hands on the sides of your face turning you towards him, your eye's flashed with pain and you could hardly meet his eye's.

I'm...I'm fine," you answered his silent question, your eye's were half open, his fingers reaching up to wipe the tears from the corners of them. You turned, with your hands on your sides as if that would alleviate some of the pain, but you whimpered painfully and Nick noticed the bruises around your sides and thighs. The bite marks he had left surrounding your neckline, and the indents he had left in your skin from his claws, hints of blood staining them.

Quickly taking you in his arms, he rushed over to the bathroom, running you a hot bath while whispering broken apologizes into your neck. Never hating himself more than he did in that moment, he whined against your neck as you didn't respond only to notice you had already fallen asleep. Exhausted from the day, he couldn't even he say he was sorry in time.

After that day, for weeks, Nick didn't dare touch you unless you were still in pain or it was a simple kiss of the forehead. He couldn't bare seeing the marks he had left in you still so prominent on your skin. The guilt never went away. You had tried to make him see that it was ok, but he wouldn't listen, because he knew it wasn't.

Now, it was months later and you had waited long enough, you and Nick were attached to the hip again and you both were touch starved. Now, he couldn't bare to let go of you, the months away taking a toll, but you didn't mind.

"That's enough, Pollard." Nick grunted, shoving the doors open, ignoring the dirty looks from his coworkers.

Pollard, however, followed. "Oh, I touched a nerve didn't I?" He snickered, "What was it? Mating season? It had to be, you Orcs can never seem to control your own damn hormones." He sneered and Nick paused in the middle of the locker room, "I bet she's got the scars to prove it. You're all just some fucking animals, aren't you?"

Nick's fingers twitched, his claws piercing his calloused skin as they curved into his palms. His eyes locked with a Pollard at his crude words, the man straightening, stepping forward in challenging interest. "Ah, so I am right?" He snickers with a smirk, licking the upper row of his teeth with a hum of acknowledgment. "So, you really are no better than the rest of your kind, huh?" Nick's eyes flashed, "Your wife's got to be thinking that by now. But by now she's an Orc Whore for your entire community, right, buddy?" Pollard slapped his hand against Nick's shoulder and it was only a second...

Nick had his clawed hands balling up around the collar of Pollard's uniform, dragging the man up onto his toes as he spun on his heel, slamming his back into the metal lockers behind him. The room shook from the brute strength, the bolted lockers rocked for a moment, startling everyone still inside causing a buzz of panic.

Pollard held onto Nick's wrists, his eyes wide in terror, his face twisted in a type of crippling pain that must be blistering up his spine. His mouth opened but the shock was getting to him, instead, while growling maliciously, Nick leaned in close, baring his blooded, sharp canines.

"Don't you ever talk about my wife that way," he snarled as some officers finally rounded the corner, immediately rushing over, despite being hesitant of the snarling Orc, who was usually so level headed. "I'll rip you to shreds."

He swore, now allowing himself to be pulled from the stunned man. Ward, coming around the corner, his mouth agape in confusion and glancing down at Pollard, eyes narrowing in brief understanding.

[dreaming-gamer]

DMC Week Day 7: College AU

For my final entry for DMC week, I chose to write the trio as college students playing Final Fantasy XIV – Nero, V & Nico.

A self-indulgent AU fic (haven’t played Final Fantasy XIV in years) based on a few college headcanons.

Thank you to everyone and all that’s read my works during this week! Your support means a lot ❤️❤️❤️ Here we go, hope you enjoy!

Nero as Warrior, tank

Nico as Machinist, damage dealer

V as Summoner, damage dealer

***

Nero nervously stared at his health-bar steadily going down as attack after attack scratched down his life despite all the buffs his character had on. The controller vibrated furiously in his hands, his jaw clenched. The boss would be dead at any second and the healer was trying their best but the bad connection they had so far had was making Nero nervous. Wasn’t a heal long overdue? Weren’t their character just standing still?

“If you perish, I got Resurrection ready.” V said, his voice ever so calm that it actually made Nero grin. Was he ever happy he’d gotten himself this new headset that let him regulate game and party sounds separately? Yeah, they were in a bad spot, but the boss was so close to dead now. They’d get through it.

“Nico!” He called the second the limit break chime could be heard in his headset.

“On it!” Nero could basically hear the buttons on her controller being slammed, together with her laughter. “Eat this!” Nico’s machinist character pulled out the crossbow, ready for the shot that would send the boss to oblivion.

“Dammit!” Nero shifted his character as an AoE marker appeared under his feet, along with certain death as his health was reaching less than 5000. Even if V revived him instantly, Nero as the tank dying now might just spell their doom.

The boss inched after him, leaving the indicated line of Nico’s limit break. Winds whipped around their characters, but they all managed to avoid more injury.

“Whoa, whatcha doing?!” Nico exclaimed in disbelief.

“Just aim again!” Thrill of Battle was back off cooldown, restoring some of his health. Sweet.

“It got used up, asshole! Healer dc’ed!” Nico’s voice snapped his focus back. Another buff off cooldown and he used it.

“What?!” Did that have to happen at this crucial moment? One quick glance at the party list said ??? for the healer’s status.

“Nero, your Holmgang should be ready for use. Just hold on.” V calmly stated and Nero blinked as he realized V was right. Had he been counting seconds since the last four minutes??

“Fuck!” The progress bar over the boss’ life told him a tankbuster was coming. Nero waited, his finger on the trigger for Holmgang, his sweet 6-seconds of almost invincibility to save him if needed. He pushed the button, the bright orange line above the boss filled the entire way, the hit connected, the controller in his hands vibrating valiantly. Hit points sailing down to zero. Swears bubbled up in his chest, flowed out of him like a sailor when the boss started to move towards Nico. But it had sooo little HP left!

“I pushed the button, I swear!” Nero shouted in disbelief, heart pounding in his chest, did they really have to redo this??

A sharp blast of white light engulfed the boss, sending it to the ground and the screen faded to black for a second before the victory cutscene played, with Nero’s own character magically on his feet. This was why he loved having V as a summoner on their team.

“Freaking finally! We did it!” Nico celebrated. Nero grinned, feeling as if a stone lifted off his shoulders.

“Let’s check gear!”

“No healer means one less to compete with!” Nico singsonged, letting her character put her grabby hands on the treasure chest. A healer chestpiece popped up on screen. Nero’s sigh was mimicked by Nico, none of them were a healer, not even close. At least there was a Strength ring for him to grab.

Nero blinked as the notifications told him V had grabbed the healer chestpiece. Unprompted, the summoner spoke.

“Perhaps I should go as a scholar, for our next dungeon. Our luck with healers tonight has been… less than fruitful.”

“Nah man, continue with summoner if you want, we’ll be--”

“Do it!” Nico stated on the top of her lungs, her microphone bumping into her chin as she grabbed for a cigarette. “I wanna see the end of the next dungeon tonight!”

“I can go paladin for extra heals.” Nero shrugged, even if neither of his companions could see it.

“And give up that sweet damage, really?” Nico teased, making Nero huff.

“I can play defensively every once in a while.”

“Uh huh…” Nico snickered, while all he heard from V was a chuckle.

“What, I can! Come on, let’s go to the next one!” Nero prompted and grabbed for his soda, eager to go again. Leaning his head back for a sip, there were just two drops meeting his tongue. Damn, when had his beverage run out?

“As… enjoyable as progressing further would be, I am fairly certain you both have lectures in the morning?” V said matter-of-factly while there was a weak rustling of a book page being turned coming from his microphone.

“Yeah, so? I can do it for a bit longer--” Nero started, checking his phone for time. It was waaay too late! “It’s already FIVE?!”

Dry coughing made it clear Nico had just swallowed smoke.

“Y-y-yer…” Cough. “kid-ding!”

“Hell no!” Nero exclaimed.

“Why didn’t ya say somethin’?!” Nico coughed at the sole calm person.

“I did try to, both at one and three o’clock. You both were a bit too… absorbed in what we were doing.” V calmly stated, making Nero groan, oh yeah, they might have been into everything. It wouldn’t be the first time…

“I gotta scram, I’ve got an exam tomor-- today!” With that, Nico’s character was logged out, her voice chat icon offline.

Nero sighed.

“Hope that works out for her. What about you V?” The sign out option showed up at the click of a menu and Nero clicked himself out, the calming music of the title screen trickling through his second-hand headset that smelled of energy drink. At most he’d be able to get what, two hours of sleep? Was it even worth it at this point?

“I will attempt to sleep. I do not have a lecture until the afternoon.”

“Lucky you, vampire.” Nero snorted, his dormmate’s chuckle meeting his ears. “Catch you at lunch then?”

“If I have awakened until then, yes.”

“Great.” Nero knew he should log off, get some sleep. But damn, he didn’t feel sleepy at all. He knew something would keep him up, if he went now.

“Hey V?” He tried, hoping the other hadn’t shut off his headset just yet.

“Yes Nero?” V didn’t sound bothered by the quiet inquiry, despite being about to head to sleep. Nero inhaled, through his nose.

“I told you my grade dropped a bit, right? From last exam?” During the day, he brushed it off, no problem. But at night, it was hard to not feel some… nervousness over what could happen, if his grades dropped too much. Nero needed to keep it up, if he wanted a new scholarship and he not only wanted that scholarship, he needed it so badly to stay.

“Yes.” A pause, followed by V softly closing a book. “Are you worried it might happen again?” He softly asked.

Nero scratched his nose, V even knew before he voiced the issue? He wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or called out.

“Yeah, something like that. I know our subjects are pretty different…” No shit, considering V was reading the classical poems and literary works of people whose names Nero barely could pronounce. But V had great study technique, always fixing his assignments on time, something that Nero had failed to do, several times. He admired that, about the dorm vampire with a love for classical music. V’s voice was always a joy to listen to as well. Maybe he didn’t say everything he was thinking, but his voice was deep, calming at this late hour.

“But, you up for studying together? Someday this week? I think I need someone to help me not procrastinate so much and Nico is not that…” If anything, she either sat with her notes and realized she had found out something brilliant for her own studying, or she was digging the rock music Nero always put on while studying, just as much as he was.

“I don’t mind.” V replied, making Nero grin with relief over having one guy in his corner. “We can start with hiding your headphones. Or your Bluetooth speaker.”

“Right…” Maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea, Led Zeppelin did snatch his focus otherwise. Nero let out a small laugh. “But you’ll give the headphones back, right? I need those for my morning runs.”

“Hmm, perhaps.” His dormmate teased.

“Or you’ll come along on my morning runs to keep me company?” Nero tried, he had given hints to get V to join him in the fresh air, the early morning sun for weeks now.

“Too chilly for me, I’m afraid.” Was the soft reply. “I will retire for now, Nero. Do try to get some sleep.”

“Yeah, fine… Thanks V.” Nero’s eyelids actually felt a bit heavier now.

“You’re welcome. Goodnight. Or perhaps, good morning.” V replied with a chuckle.

Nero groaned, giving a goodnight before ending the voice chat.

[0106mei]

never ever || s.r

(father!steve rogers x daughter!reader)

for @barnes-parker PASENSYA SA LATENESS KO DKSKKSKSKSKS i got busy ay sus ;-;

summary: steve’s returning the stones to their proper time streams, and the reader finds out about his plans to stay with peggy in the past. to the reader’s surprise, he returns.

word count: 2747

warnings: angst, fluff?¿

a/n: OKAY. i’m hella pumped to write this bad boy over here. i know it took me ages to write but i think you guys’ll like this one. i got inspired by some fanart by @anitheas so i’ll link it down below so i don’t spoil anything! ;) (love all her work btw y’all should check her out <3)

If you could describe yourself in one word after everything was over, you’d probably say you felt numb.

Everything hurt, from the physical pain of literally being thrown across the shrapnel of the compound by Thanos himself, to the mental and emotional pain of losing Natasha and Tony, without even being able to say your last goodbyes. 

Sure, you’d won the battle, but was it even worth it when you’d lost two of your mentors in the process? Moving on would be difficult, that was for sure, but you knew you weren’t alone. You had your family. From Steve, to Sam, to Bucky and even Wanda, you knew you had your back covered. They’d be there with you through thick and thin, or ‘til the end of the line, as Steve and Bucky so often said. You felt comfortable, at home— almost. 

You had been chatting and playing with Morgan and Peter when you’d heard Steve, Sam and Bucky’s conversation. You didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but when your name came up in the middle of their chat, you excused yourself from the duo and sneakily made your way towards the room they were speaking in. You leaned in to hear their voices as best as you could.

“You’re doing what-?” Bucky asked incredulously, trying his best to comprehend what his best friend had just told him. Steve sighed, he knew Bucky would’ve reacted that way, despite his usual understanding and respectful ways.

“I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but I saw her when I went back. Buck, you gotta understand. When I saw her, all I could think about was wanting to be with her. Now that we have the technology to do so, I might just do it, y’know? You could even come with me.” Steve tried to compromise, but you could see Bucky shake his head in slight denial. Sam began to speak, “You’re crazy Steve. I’m trying my best to understand and be open about this, but when I think about it, you’re leaving a lot of things behind, man. What about the kid?” 

You noticed Steve pause for a minute before merely shrugging it off. That hurt. Deciding you didn’t want to hear anymore of their conversation, you returned to where you had been previously, not realizing the squeaky floorboard had caught their attention. Bucky sighed, looking from where you’d just left, then back to Sam and Steve. “Look, Steve, she’s going through a lot. Now, I won’t stop ya from going back in time to stay with Peggy, but maybe you should at least think about it. I’m gonna go talk to the kid.” He mumbled, shuffling off to go look for you, leaving Steve and Sam in the empty room.

All that coping you’d done felt like nothing now. Peter and Morgan had now noticed your sullen demeanour at this point, both of them reaching to ask if you were okay. You shrugged them off, plainly excusing your sadness for exhaustion, telling them you’d be off for a nap in one of the other rooms nearby. How could you tell them you were losing a father figure, when they’d just recently lost theirs? You didn’t want to bring that upon them, especially now that they were getting better. Once you’d disappeared into the guest room Pepper had supplied to you, you closed the door and began to let the tears fall freely from your (e/c) eyes. It had been days since you’d cried over Natasha and Tony, and now that you were hearing about Steve wanting to leave, you felt like you were placed back at square one. This was too much for you, you thought. 

You were just a kid after all. 

You should be going to school, doing homework, going to dances and living your best life. But then again, you weren’t really normal to begin with. Enhanced, had been on the run, snapped out of existence and returned once more, just to have everything stripped away from you. You felt weak, insecure. The thought of Steve leaving made you beyond upset. Maybe you were being over dramatic, but nobody was there to tell you that. Did he not love you like he said he did? Did he want kids that were actually his, biologically? Questions upon questions pent up inside your head, only to be disrupted by a knock on your door. Quickly wiping your eyes and nose with the Kleenex left by your bedside, you croaked a loud enough ‘come in’, to whoever it was. 

To your surprise, Bucky had stepped in, closing the door behind him. Looking at your face, it was as if he knew how you were feeling. He quickly scooped your fragile frame into his arms, embracing you as if he were going to break you if he held you too tight. You could tell he was feeling the same, having been with Steve through thick and thin. He carried a guilt with him that only you could really decipher. You reciprocated the hug, trying to muffle the sob that threatened to come out of you once more. You stayed like that for another minute or two, before pulling away to see that Bucky had tears of his own streaming down his face. After wiping his own away, he was quick to wipe yours with the sleeve of his jacket. You moved over, letting him take a seat as you felt the bed dip beside you. Sitting in a comfortable silence, Bucky was first to break it after about five or so minutes.

“Listen..I know you heard our conversation.” He started, and you froze. “I’m not mad, if that’s what you’re thinkin’, Doll. He was like a father to you, and I understand you’re upset. You wanna talk about it?” He asked, genuinely concerned for your well being. You were grateful for Bucky. If Steve wasn’t there for you to talk to, Bucky was. 

You leaned on his chest a little. “It’s- I don’t know. Maybe I’m being irrational- or selfish- whatever. I just- he was like my dad, Buck. I even called him dad!” You ranted, sighing as Bucky rubbed comforting circles on your back. “I just don’t think I’m ready to lose him. Not after I saw Peter losing Tony. He was so devastated, and after losing Nattie, I don’t know if I could handle losing Steve too. It’d be too much for me. I know you and Sam and Wanda and all of ‘em are here too, I just— I don’t know. Steve was there for me during everything. You of all people should know this, you’re his best friend for fucks’ sake.” You continued, as he nodded in understanding. The tears brimmed in your eyes again. “If he left...” You murmured, unable to finish the sentence as you began to cry again. Bucky wrapped his arms around you again, saddened by how broken you sounded. 

“Doll, I know you’re upset, trust me, I am too. But we gotta be strong. I know you are, Steve practically raised you to be. We can get through this, you and I.” He reassured you, and you sniffled in response. “I’m just gonna miss him a lot..” You looked up at him, Bucky’s eyes full of many emotions. You smiled sadly at him. “Could you tell me about her?” You asked, as he ruffled your hair. “Oh boy, was that ever a time.” He went on, smiling at you as you listened to his stories. At least he was getting your mind off the situation, even if just for a little bit. Once he’d finished, he looked at you with a slight smile on his face as well. “Now listen here (y/n), you’re not being irrational, or selfish for the way you feel, you’re just being human, much like the rest of us. You don’t have to feel bad for the way you feel, ever. Okay?” He explained, as you nodded. Hugging him once more, you mumbled a quiet, yet sincere thank you to Bucky, before he left your room to go find Sam and Steve. Looking to the rose barrette Steve had gifted you a couple years back, you clutched it gently to your chest before letting the exhaustion take over as your eyes fluttered shut.

Someone shaking you had caught your attention quickly. Your eyes opened in a flash. You may have however sat up to quickly, for your head had collided straight into whoever had just woken you up. “Ow- fuck!” You hissed in pain, clutching the spot on your forehead that had just been hit. Once your hazy vision subsided, you realized that it was Sam you’d bumped heads with. “Sorry, man. Didn’t realize I’d sleep almost eight hours.” You apologized, as he tousled up your bed head a bit more. “No sweat, kiddo. Just thought I’d wake you up and ask how you were. Bucky told me about what happened.” He explained, sitting at the foot of the bed as you stretched. “Eh..better? I mean, I’m not crying anymore so that’s gotta count for something, right?” You tried to joke, though you knew Sam could read right through your bluff. “I’m dreading this moment, Sam.” You admitted with a sigh, looking at the time on your phone. You smiled sadly at the lock screen.

It was a candid photo of you and Steve sharing earbuds, listening to the music he’d missed out on over the decades. You were talking as Steve was laughing. You remembered when you asked Clint to send you that photo. It had been your lock screen photo ever since. Even when you had upgraded your phone to a newer edition, you’d kept that photo with you on every device you owned. You wished you could go back to a simpler time, one where you didn’t worry about losing the only father figure you had.

Sam wrapped you up in a quick one armed hug. “I know.” He mumbled as you leaned into his touch a little bit, pulling away after that. “I’ll let you get ready, just meet us outside when you are.” With a silent nod, Sam let himself out, shutting the door behind him to leave yourself to look at least a little less sad and messy. Stretching again, you stood up and looked through the clothes you’d brought with you, which hadn’t been much. Putting on the grey jumper Wanda had given you for Christmas and a simple pair of jeans, you headed out the room of your door and slipped on your shoes as you exited the lake house.

Steve was caught up in talking to Sam and Bucky once more, probably saying goodbye. So you stood next to Bruce in the meantime. “You okay, little miss?” He asked, as you merely shrugged in response. “I guess. Could be better.” You mumbled. He didn’t press on further, seeing as you looked like you didn’t wanna talk about it. When Steve noticed you, a sad smile reached your face as you made your way over to your dad.

On instinct, he wrapped you up in a hug. It was warm, and it felt like home. Your throat felt dry. This would be your last hug, you thought, before pulling away. You looked at him, blue eyes boring into your (e/c) ones. You weren’t gonna cry, you were gonna be strong. He placed a hand on your cheek.

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart. You know that, right?” He began, as you nodded slowly. He took that as a sign to continue. “I’ve known you ever since you were given to your grandparents, and I’ve watched you grow and become this young lady I’m proud to call my daughter. Even if we’re not related by blood, you’ll still be like my own child.” He adds, and you suddenly feel like you’re crying again. Steve frowns a bit, wrapping you up in another embrace. “I love you, dad.” You whispered, as he held you close.

“I love you too.” He crooned, pulling away to wipe your tears quickly. “This isn’t goodbye, y’know? It’s more of a...see you later.” He comforted you, gently kissing the top of your head. You nodded, smiling at him with teary eyes. “Take care of Peggy, okay?” You told him, his eyes growing wide when you’d said her name. He kissed the top of your head one more time as you stood back next to Bucky. Lifting up Thor’s hammer- the name of it you never seemed to remember-, and the case that contained the stones, he stood up onto the platform.

“How long will this take?” Sam asked, to which Bruce responded. “For us? About five seconds. For him? As long as he needs.” Sam nodded, watching Steve as Bruce readied the machine.

“Sending you back in three...two...one.” He counted down, and with the press of a few switches and a button, Steve was gone in a flash. You couldn’t contain it anymore. Your knees had buckled, and Bucky was quick to be by your side as you fell to your knees in tears. It was over, he was gone. He was going to fulfill the life he’d always wanted with Peggy. Bucky rubbed your back gently, whispering comforting words in your ear in hopes to make you feel better. Sam was also at your side in an instant, holding you as sobs wracked your throat. Bucky stood, looking to Bruce as he struggled with trying to bring back Steve. 

A loud noise erupted from the time machine, catching Bucky and Sam’s attention quickly. They stood, alarmed, rushing towards the platform.

Bucky let out a gasp. “Steve..?”

There on the platform stood Steve Rogers, but not the Steve Sam or (y/n) would remember. He’d definitely gotten shorter, that was for certain. “What happened..?” Sam asked, as Steve analyzed himself. He’d gone back to the skinny self he’d remembered he was back in the 40’s. He was short, but he didn’t feel sick. He’d lost all the initial muscle he’d gained because of the serum, but he didn’t feel the effects of his many medical conditions attacking him at once. Bruce pushed his glasses up, looking at Steve slightly. 

“The time travel must’ve messed with the serum in his body. Now he’s reverted back to the way he was before it.” Bruce explains to Sam, as Steve and Bucky make their way towards you. You looked upon your father figure in awe. Was this the Steve before everything? Before he’d been in the war, before the serum— before the ice? He was a lot shorter than you’d remembered, and there was no beefiness left, but he was still same old Steve regardless.

You took a step towards them. You were just a little taller than Steve now. Bucky smiled, as Steve took a glance at you. He smiled, and you wrapped your arms around his smaller frame, ensuring you didn’t hug too tight. He placed his arms around your back as you looked at him in awe. “What about..well, Peggy..?” You asked him, pulling away as the three of you made your way to the bench right by the lake. “Well, I thought about it, like Bucky said. I did see her, though. We talked for a bit, and I gave her the dance I owed her, but I knew she wasn’t the same Peggy from the 40’s. I told her about you.” He explained, sitting down next to you. “Well, I’m glad you’re back, dad.” You told him, the earnest tone in your voice making him perk up slightly. “Even when I look like this?”

You scoffed a bit as he motioned towards his skinny frame. “You’ll always be the Steve I see as my dad, no matter what you look like.” Bucky chuckled. “Now I’ve got two punks to take care of,” He joked, slinging his arms around yours’ and Steve’s shoulders as the three of you shared a laugh. Sam had joined you just a moment after. He stood next to the bench, looking out over the water.

“Something on your mind, Sammy?”

He shook his head. “Nothin’ really, I’m just glad the whole Thanos and the infinity stones bullshit is over.” He replied, as you nodded in agreement. You made room for him on the bench, listening to the three men as the spoke and cracked jokes every so often. You could finally rest.

art pieces: https://anitheas.tumblr.com/post/186640549746/me-chanting-over-and-over-he-should-have-come

taglist: @softboysebastianstan @xbuchananbarnes @barnes-parker

[hale-of-stiles-heart]

for a kiribaku prompt idea: bakugo cooking a meal for kirishima as an apology after a fight?

Sorry for the long wait! This was so much fun to write (partially because it was a fun excuse to curse so much)! Also on ao3!

This is such fucking bullshit, Bakugo cursed to himself, flinging his headphones aside in favor of flopping down on his bed with an exaggerated huff. Grunting, he folded his arms over his chest and glared up at the ceiling, refusing to feel bad.

Why the hell should he? It wasn't his fucking fault other people were so obsessed with their stupid fucking feelings. They needed to pull their heads out of their asses and join the real world. Right?

He and Kirishima had gotten into a fight. While that wouldn't typically be any cause for concern — they were sparring partners, after all — this time their fight hadn't been physical. It hadn't been part of a training exercise or their extracurricular battle practice, hadn't been for their new internships.

No, it had been a purely verbal fight. A full-blown, knock-down drag-out between two boyfriends. And it had fucking sucked.

They had just been hanging out with each other after class as per the new tradition they had established once they had started dating, sprawled out on Bakugo's floor together with their backs propped up against his bed. They had long since finished their homework at Bakugo's insistence and had moved on to watching old reruns of All Might movies; the ones with cheesy dialogue and horrible CGI.

During a lull in the action on screen, in which the actor playing All Might was flirting with the movie's love interest, Kirishima had reached over to lay his hand Bakugo's. Bakugo had glanced at Kirishima out of the corner of his eye, wondering what the hell he was up to.

As the action picked back up, Bakugo had continued watching the movie, not bothering to waste his breath on Kirishima's weird desire to be so tactile all the fucking time. That is, until Kirishima had tried intertwining their fingers while resting his head on Bakugo's shoulder.

Bakugo had immediately snapped at him, yanking his hand out of reach for good measure. Kirishima had been taken aback, gaping at Bakugo and demanding to know what the hell his problem was.

Rather than explain himself, Bakugo had resorted to his usual reaction upon being questioned. He had launched into a tirade full of profanity and expletive-loaded insults, telling Kirishima to stop being so fucking clingy and just fuck off for once.

Okay, admittedly, he may have overreacted. But he wasn't good with touch, he never had been.

His mom had never been very physically affectionate, even when he was a little kid. Her preferred method of expressing affection was slugging him on the arm or pinching his cheeks.

His dad, on the other hand, was more like Kirishima. He was a toucher. He was a fan of big bear hugs and cuddling and random little touches like ruffling Bakugo's hair or holding his wife's hand as they watched their soap operas.

But even with his dad's tendency towards physical affection, Bakugo had never been able to receive much of it. With their Quirks capable of interacting in potentially hazardous ways, Bakugo's dad had always been wary of too much contact.

Somehow that had managed to result in a grumpy sixteen year old who was constantly toeing the line between being staunchly averse to touch and absolutely craving it. So when Kirishima touched him so casually, like it was so natural, his confused reactions resulted in a time bomb of frustration and irritability.

A time bomb that honed in on Kirishima as its victim.

Usually ridiculously patient with Bakugo's foul moods, Kirishima had stood and stormed out of the room to return to own right next door. The resounding slam of both doors in quick succession had echoed throughout the floor with an air of finality that left Bakugo even more frustrated.

But Bakugo refused to feel bad about it. Even if Kirishima had looked like a kicked puppy the moment Bakugo had pulled his hand away. Even if he had been the one to put that horrible look on his face.

Alright, so maybe Bakugo felt a little bad about it. Just a little bit.

After all, it wasn't like Kirishima had done anything wrong. All he had done was try to hold Bakugo's hand; it wasn't his fault Bakugo was a touch-averse garbage fire.

Bouncing between feeling totally justified in his reaction and feeling like a complete and utter piece of shit, Bakugo had spent the following three hours trying to keep himself distracted. He had gone from finishing the All Might movie to playing his favorite violent video games to doing some pushups to listening to the loudest, angriest music he could find on Spotify.

But without fail, his thoughts kept wandering back to Kirishima and dejected look on his face when Bakugo had snapped at him. He was probably in his own room right now, replaying everything in his head and finding new ways to blame himself for Bakugo's shitty attitude.

Shit, Bakugo had really fucked up, hadn't he? Why the hell couldn't he be a normal fucking boyfriend? One who didn't get upset over the dumbest shit and go off on diatribes at the drop of a hat?

"Fuck," Bakugo breathed, abruptly sitting up. He really needed to make this better.

But he wasn't good at this kind of stuff. He didn't know how to resolve arguments, he only knew how to start them. And he'd never bothered to actually make up with anyone after a fight. He had no idea how.

Yet Bakugo was nothing if not determined to a fault. He was going to figure out how to make this better even if it killed him.

Leaving his room, he made a beeline to the elevator, jabbing the ground floor button with more force than strictly necessary. The elevator ride seemed longer than usual without Kirishima chattering away in his ear the way he did when they were on their way to class or were returning from training.

Bakugo was relieved to find the common room almost entirely deserted. Only Headphones and Bird Brain were downstairs, sitting on one of the couches together with their faces buried in their phones, doing their weekly exchange of music recommendations.

While any other day, Bakugo might have joined them (their taste in music wasn't totally awful), tonight he was a man on a mission. He would have preferred it if the common room was completely empty but at least those two extras were somewhat bearable. And they were both quiet, another point in their favor.

Not bothering to acknowledge the others in the room, he headed straight to the kitchen where he started amassing the necessary ingredients and cooking utensils. He quickly set to work with single-minded focus, trying to tamp down the niggling hint of embarrassment that haunted his every move.

He dutifully made a pot of dashi stock before chopping carrots, onions, and potatoes. Setting the vegetables aside, he thinly sliced some beef and rinsed some shirataki noodles.

While boiling the noodles, he sautéed the onions and the sliced beef and mixed mirin, soy sauce, sake, and sugar in a bowl set off to the side. Once the meat was browned, he added the carrots, noodles, and potatoes to the pot along with the dashi stock and mixed seasonings.

After skimming the scum and fat off the top of the stew, he placed the otoshibuta on top and took a deep breath. With nothing else for him to do, he hoisted himself up on the counter to wait for it to stew.

He really hoped Kirishima liked this. He didn't know what else he could possibly do if he didn't. Cooking was one of the only constructive things he could actually do without making a mess of things.

His dad always cooked for his mom after a fight, even if the fights were almost never his fault, and his mom always seemed to appreciate it. Bakugo hoped that the same would be true for Kirishima. Otherwise, he was out of luck.

Playing around on his phone, he kept an eye on the time, not wanting to overcook their dinner. He couldn't afford to fuck this up.

Fifteen minutes later, he was in the middle of spooning the nikujaga into two bowls, planning to take them upstairs to Kirishima's room, when he heard footsteps on the stairs. He paused, turning to look over his shoulder in time to see Kirishima walk into the kitchen.

"Oh. Hey," Kirishima greeted awkwardly, briefly meeting Bakugo's eyes before looking down at his bare feet. He was in the same clothes as earlier; a pair of baggy gray sweatpants and an oversized Fat Gum hoodie.

Hands buried in his pockets, he started shuffling over to the pantry, actively avoiding looking at Bakugo. But before he could reach for his stash of specially imported protein bars, Bakugo softly called, "Oi, Kirishima."

Kirishima turned to him, eyes big and questioning and so cautious they made Bakugo's heart break all over again. Clearing his throat while lifting a steaming bowl and a pair of chopsticks, Bakugo lamely explained, "I made dinner."

Kirishima accepted the bowl and chopsticks with a silent nod, carrying both over to the breakfast bar where he sat down and began eating. Setting the pots and pans he had cooked with in the sink to soak overnight, Bakugo grabbed his own bowl and joined Kirishima at the breakfast bar.

They ate in silence for several long, awkward minutes before Bakugo abruptly sighed and set his chopsticks aside. He turned to Kirishima, taking a deep breath to steel himself before he chickened out like some fucking nerd.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" He blurted, feeling like an even bigger jackass than he already had before. Kirishima turned to him in surprise, a few noodles still poking out of his mouth.

"Fuck, that's not what I meant," Bakugo swore, running a hand over his face. Why were words so difficult to fucking use? What the fuck, they were just words. "I mean, I am sorry. I just... I'm not good at this but I don't wanna use that as an excuse because you deserve an explanation."

Kirishima nodded patiently, slurping up his noodles and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. With Kirishima silently encouraging him to go on, Bakugo paused to catch his breath, trying to formulate his thoughts into something at least somewhat coherent.

"I was being an asshole," he confessed, shakily meeting Kirishima's eyes. "I overreacted and I took it out on you and you didn't — you don't — deserve that. I'm sorry. I-I wanna get better at this communicating thing, I do. I'll get better, I swear."

Kirishima nodded again, waiting a few moments in case Bakugo had more to say. He didn't.

"Thank you," Kirishima said softly, keeping his voice calm and quiet. "For apologizing. Oh, and for making dinner. I totally forgot to eat earlier."

Bakugo let himself smile a bit at that, eyes riveted to Kirishima's own small grin. Licking his lips, Kirishima went on, "I know you have trouble with words and stuff, I get it. But you can't keep shutting me out, okay? If something's bothering you, you need to tell me. Even if it's just you saying 'hey, this thing is pissing me off'."

"I will," Bakugo eagerly answered, nodding vigorously. Impulsively reaching out to hold Kirishima's hand, he squeezed his boyfriend's fingers, like he could convey everything through touch, and swore, "I'll get better, I promise."

"You don't have to promise me that, Bakugo," Kirishima assured him, lips curling up in a fond smile. He squeezed Bakugo's fingers right back, tacking on, "I just need you to try."

"Alright, I'll try," Bakugo agreed, nodding again. Running his thumb over Kirishima's knuckle, he quietly asked, "We're okay, right?"

"Yeah, man," Kirishima confirmed, leaning in to peck Bakugo on the lips. Smiling broadly, he reiterated, "We're okay."

Cheeks filling with heat over the simple display of affection, Bakugo swiftly turned back to dinner, mumbling, "You should eat before it gets cold."

"Sure thing, dude," Kirishima laughed, digging back into his own serving of nikujaga. It was a bit awkward since they were still holding hands but neither one of them minded.

Behind them, watching things unfold from their place on the couch, Jiro and Tokoyami shared a soft smile of their own. Tucking their phones into their pockets, they quietly slipped out of the room to give their friends some well-deserved privacy.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 039: Deku VS Todoroki 2 - Flashback Boogaloo

Previously on BnHA: Todoroki and Izuku began their one on one! Todoroki blasted ice attacks at Deku and Deku broke up each one with mini One for All finger smashes. Todoroki’s right side slowly froze up, but meanwhile Deku went through all five fingers on his right hand and then proceeded to blow up his entire fucking left arm. You’d think this would have been the end of it, but no, this motherfucker then went and busted out another smash through his already-mangled right hand. Rather than going into shock at this point like a normal person, Deku fucking screamed at Todoroki to use his full power, because apparently he wants to die in the most spectacular way possible. I don’t even know.

Today on BnHA: Everyone just sits back and watches while Deku destroys his own body in his crazed attempts to get Shouto to use his left side. It’s not fun. Then Shouto starts having flashbacks to his horrifying past. This is even less fun. Basically no one is having a good time here. But eventually something in Shouto clicks when Deku yells at him that his power is his own. And then Shouto finally fires up his left side. So that part at least is fun, but the rest of it has me needing some damn blood pressure medication you guys.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 91 now, so any ETAs will reflect that.)

oh my god literally the first panel is a baby Shouto POV of his mom

I don’t know if I’m ready for this chapter guys

“when did I forget what came after that?” oh my god. is it so bad his mind blocked the memory for self-preservation reasons or something

Todoroki is really mad that Deku would suggest something so absurd as him using his full power. I assume Deku is going to tell him something similar to the “you’re not your dad” thing that he already said to Endeavor earlier

seriously Shouto, you can use your full power and still piss your dad off

now he’s really mad and he’s charging right at Deku

that’s maybe not the best plan

meanwhile Bakugou is watching intently and it’s so cute I have to post the panel

you go ahead and take your notes kiddo. you’re gonna need ‘em if you end up having to battle him yourself

now that they’re up close Deku is using the microwave trick again!

BUT HE’S STILL USING HIS RIGHT ARM. WHAT GOOD IS THE MICROWAVE TRICK IF THE ARM’S ALREADY FUCKED UP

PLEASE DON’T PUNCH HIM WITH A CLOSED FIST WITH YOUR BROKEN HAND, I MAY ACTUALLY FAINT OH MY GOD

I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW DEKU!!!!!!

has Horikoshi ever broken any of his bones?!! COME BACK AND WRITE THIS SCENE AGAIN AFTER YOU’VE BROKEN A BONE, ASSHOLE. COME BACK AND TELL ME THAT HE CAN FUCKING DO THAT AND NOT FALL DOWN SOBBING AFTERWARDS

the only possible explanation I can come up with is that he’s somehow completely hopped up on the adrenaline of it all and isn’t actually feeling the full pain just yet

but he SHOULD be, because that’s the body’s way of telling him, “DON’T FUCKING PUNCH ANYONE WITH THIS HAND YOU COLOSSALLY STUPID FUCK!!!”

anyway, Todoroki is FLYING ACROSS THE RING, but DEKU SHOULD BE FUCKING DEAD AND NOW I’M JUST MAD, DAMN IT

whoever wins this match has to fight either Shiozaki or Iida next, depending on who wins their match (probably Iida). and then after that, either Bakugou or Tokoyami (probably Bakugou). but I don’t know if either of these guys will actually be up for that at this rate

I can’t believe it, but Todoroki actually doesn’t look too good. just use your stupid left side already, Shouto

JESUS CHRIST CAN WE GET AN ACTUAL RESPONSIBLE ADULT OUT HERE??? ANYONE?? AIZAWA????

he’s agreeing with my hypothesis that Deku is so hopped up on adrenaline that he’s not feeling the full pain of what he’s doing to his body. and he’s already done so much damage that it can’t all be fixed in a single healing session. that’s what I’ve been fucking saying

should they stop the match? ABSOLUTELY. will they stop the match?? FUCKING WHAT DO YOU THINK

fucking hell, even Aizawa and All Might are just watching in awed admiration

SUPERHEROES ARE THE FUCKING WORST

Deku’s gonna be in the hospital for a fucking month and ALL OF THIS IS ON YOU SADISTIC FUCKS

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAIIIIINED

oh my god finally

YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A FIST IN THE FIRST PLACE. BUT OKAY. YEESHHH

now he’s... biting... his thumb...

aaand that’s another smash

this is fucking horrifying. I’m not enjoying this at all, not even gonna pretend. it’s just absurd to me at this point that they would let this keep dragging out. I hope this inspires a series of rule changes to future sports festivals to lessen the risk of children doing irreversible damage to their bodies all for the sake of a fucking exhibition match

Shouto asks why Deku is going this far and Deku says he’s “just trying to meet expectations”

All Might you need to sit down with this boy after this and explain where he’s supposed to draw the line in this regard. like, when you did the plus ultra thing? that was for a good cause! sacrificing yourself to save other people’s lives! but he’s just doing it because he has something to prove and it’s the dumbest fucking thing, ugh

sorry guys, I might be bitching about this the entire chapter if this keeps up

“I want to be a smiling, dependable, cool hero!” Deku fucking shrieks

then you might want to step back about twenty feet and take a good long look at what you’re doing so far to accomplish those goals, Deku. because right now, “smiling” and “dependable” are not the words that come to mind

OH MY GOD!!!

BABY SHOUTO WITH NO SCAR!!!

RED ALERT. GOT MY BOX OF TISSUES OUT. ICE CREAM IN THE FREEZER AND ASMR PLAYLIST CUED UP ON YOUTUBE IF I NEED SOMETHING TO CALM ME DOWN AFTER THIS SHIT

Deku says he can’t begin to imagine what Shouto’s experiences have been like or how fierce his determination must be, but...

oh my god more flashbacks oh my god oh my god

(ETA: adding this note a couple years after the fact to warn people reading these recaps for the first time that my initial reaction to the full Shouto backstory was kind of intense. I really blew up at Rei in particular because without getting into any detail, that scene hit close to home for me in regard to some experiences I had while growing up. so I kind of projected a bit without meaning to. anyway, please see here for the “part 2″ version of this post, and fwiw Rei is now one of my favorite characters.)

THIS CHAPTER IS MAKING ME SO FUCKING ANGRY I’M GONNA FUCKING HULK OUT. SHIT. FUCKING SHIT

SHOUTO’S SCREAMING AT DEKU TO SHUT UP AND I FUCKING AGREE. YOU JUST SAID YOURSELF THAT YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF WHAT HE’S BEEN THROUGH AND NOW’S REALLY NOT THE TIME TO START FUCKING PREACHING AT HIM OVER WHETHER OR NOT HE’S SERIOUS ABOUT HIS GOAL

NOW BABY SHOUTO IS HUGGIN’ HIS MOM AND SAYING THAT HE HATES DADDY AND DOESN’T WANT TO BE LIKE HIM

BECAUSE HIS DADDY “BULLIES” HIS MOMMY OH MY GOD

HE KEEPS REPEATING THAT HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE LIKE THAT

WHY DID WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS STUPID FLASHBACK. I WANNA GO HOME

I KNOW IT’S MY FAULT!! I ASKED FOR ANGST!! I KNOW!! I’M SORRY! I NEVER LEARN SOBB

SHOUTO’S MOM IS PATTING HIS HEAD GENTLY

DEKU IS SCREAMING AT SHOUTO AGAIN. STOP SCREAMING AT HIM!!!

BABY SHOUTO IS LOOKING AT THE WINDOW AT SOME KIDS PLAYING

-- THOSE ARE HIS BROTHERS?????!

AND HIS DAD SAYS NOT TO LOOK AT THEM, “THEY BELONG TO A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN YOU”

JESUS CHRIST. DID ENDEAVOR JUST WAKE UP ONE DAY AND DECIDE TO BE THE WORST??? JUST LIKE, THE WORST EVER? SINCE HE COULDN’T BE THE BEST, HE DECIDED TO BE THE WORST?!

LIKE, IF I HAD A GUN WITH TWO BULLETS AND WAS TRAPPED IN A ROOM WITH ENDEAVOR, MINETA, AND THE SKYPE VILLAIN, I WOULD SHOOT ENDEAVOR TWICE AND THEN PISTOL WHIP HIS DYING ASS UNTIL IT STOPPED TWITCHING??

NOW SHOUTO IS WALKING BY THE KITCHEN AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S ALREADY CRYING FROM SOMETHING (ABUSE, PROBABLY!!) AND HE’S OVERHEARING HIS MOM TALKING ON THE PHONE AND SHE’S SAYING THAT SHE CAN’T TAKE IT AND SOMETIMES THE LOOKS AT SHOUTO AND HIS LEFT SIDE AND HATES WHAT SHE SEES

WHAT A FUCKING THING FOR YOUR CHILD TO OVERHEAR!! AND I SEE A KETTLE ON THE STOVE! SHOULD I BE PREPARING MYSELF TO PUNCH MY COMPUTER SCREEN

SHE SAYS SHE CAN’T RAISE HIM ANYMORE

HE’S LOOKING UP AT HER WITH WIDE EYES

SHE’S LOOKING AT HIM LIKE... I CAN’T EVEN DESCRIBE IT. I DON’T WANT TO DESCRIBE IT OR POST IT

AND THE NEXT PANEL AFTER THAT IS HIM WITH A BANDAGE OVER HIS LEFT EYE

I HOPE SHE FUCKING WENT TO JAIL FOR FUCKING LIFE. MAN, I DON’T EVEN CARE. I HAVE ALL THE SYMPATHY FOR HER, RIGHT UP UNTIL SHE (A) LEFT HERSELF AND SHOUTO IN THAT SITUATION RATHER THAN TRYING TO REMOVE HIM FROM IT, AND THEN (B) FUCKING MAIMED HER OWN FUCKING CHILD, WHO LITERALLY HAD NO ONE ELSE EXCEPT FOR HER

I HATE THIS!!! I HATE ALL OF THIS!!!! I HATE THAT I AGREE WITH ENDEAVOR’S DECISION! I HATE THAT SHE ENDED UP PAYING FOR HIS GARBAGE BEHAVIOR! AND I HATE THAT SHOUTO IS NOW STUCK WITH HIM ALL ALONE!

AND IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IN SHOUTO JUST SNAPPED FROM THAT POINT ON AND HE BECAME DETERMINED TO DEFY HIM

BACK TO THE FIGHT OMG

DEKU IS GOING FULL SHOUNEN JESUS

OH MY GOD AND IT FLASHES BACK TO BABY SHOUTO AGAIN

AND HE’S WATCHING A VIDEO, AND IT’S AN INTERVIEW WITH FUCKING ALL MIGHT

HE SAYS QUIRKS ARE PASSED FROM PARENT TO CHILD, BUT IT’S NOT JUST THAT AND “ONE MUST RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE ONESELF”

FUUUUUUUUUUCK

HE LOOKS SO HAPPY AND RELIEVED AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS THE SAME BABY BOY CRUSH ON ALL MIGHT THAT BABY DEKU HAD

I’M JUST SO MAD AND UPSET THAT THIS WOMAN COULD HURT THIS CHILD, KNOWING FULL WELL HOW DIFFERENT HE WAS FROM HIS FATHER, HOW MUCH HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE LIKE HIM, AND HOW MUCH THE MERE THOUGHT OF IT HURT HIM

OH MY GOD AND NOW PRESENT-DAY TODOROKI LOOKS LIKE HE WANTS TO CRY

PROBABLY WHEN THE SAME WOMAN WHO SHOWED YOU THAT VIDEO LOST HER MIND AND POURED SCALDING WATER ON YOUR FACE

WELP

I just want to press pause for a sec and let you guys know that I’ve been listening to my “fight music” playlist during my readthrough of this chapter, and this scene was absolutely perfectly timed. got to this point RIGHT when I read that panel. I got so fucking fired up lol

so finally Todoroki has gotten over his stupid insistence on not using his left side! yay! I think Deku could have picked a better sort of therapy than this, personally, but hey! anyways, are you happy now dude?

you know what, forget I asked. no one cares about you

I’m just happy for this little guy:

THAT WEIRD SMILE AT THE END I CAN’T I’M FUCKING DEAD. HE LOOKS SO HAPPY AND DORKY

ALSO, WAY TO BLOW ANY CHANCE THAT BAKUGOU OR ANYONE ELSE HAD OF DEFEATING HIM LOL. MIGHT AS WELL JUST WRAP UP THIS COMPETITION NOW

(ETA: well I mean. it would’ve been true if this breakthrough had actually stuck lol)

well, Deku, you did it. you can pass out now

BONUS: 

Kouda’s pure, sweet face is all the ASMR I need after this chapter that fucked up my emotions in every possible way!

gotta tell you guys, I liked his design from the start. but this?

this just seals the deal. he is in fact the best character in the whole series. THIS WHOLE TIME IT WAS KOUDA, who the fuck would have ever thought

[istheresomebodywhocanimagine]

Hey I saw your ships are open again. I wanted to ask I f you could make me one for Queen and the boharp cast? I am 5’0 black curly locks that go to my mid back, green eyes pale skin and I have lots of earrings and piercings in my ear. I love to play the guitar, singing, listening to music and watching tv shows and movies. I am quite the sassy person, also sarcastic at times but I am also a very good listener and I love to smile and just goof around. Well yeah that’s it I suppose.

Hello!!! Hi sorry this took so long but im HERE NOW gosh i had so many requests before this and i already knew who i wanted to ship you with from the moment I saw this ahhhh

Anyways here goes (it’s all below the cut hehe i dont wanna clog anyones dash)

For BoRhap, I 100% ship you with Joe Mazzello!

Joe is the perfect match for you, just because he can keep up with your wit and humor so well! He loves how sassy and sarcastic you are, and his energy fuels your sharp tongue and goofy sense of humor. 

He loves goofing off more than anything (see above gif), so he’s always trying to embarrass you in public, but you just end up outdoing him anyways.

“Hey, babe, look!” he’d yell almost tauntingly, daring you to look up at him from your phone as you tried to post your picture with Lucy. When you’d look up, he’d be break-dancing rather terribly to the music playing, Ben cheering him on and recording it while simultaneously trying to not die from laughter.

But you wouldn’t be embarrassed - in fact, you’d go in and show him up, stepping between him and Ben’s phone so that you were the main focus instead. He’d try to have a dance battle with you, but would quickly give up once he realized that you were a superior dancer/master at silliness.

Ben’s video would end with Joe picking you up, pretending to be mad and storming off with you as you squealed and laughed in his arms, begging Lucy or Ben, or really anyone to help you.

Speaking of helping, you love helping him catch up on TV shows and movies once he’s been away for a while. Filming takes up a lot of his life once he’s got a job, so he misses out on a lot of good movies and shows when he’s away, which prompted you to start keeping lists of everything he needs to watch once he returns from whatever he’s working on. 

He loves this. A lot. 

What else does he love? You in baseball caps. Whether or not you like baseball, Joe is a big baseball guy, so seeing you in a baseball cap, seated next to him in Yankee or Dodger Stadium? That’s heaven to him. 

He sneaks cute little pictures of you during the game, too. A lot of them. He won’t stop until you’re grinning and trying to take his phone, and even then, he’ll sneak a few more. 

They’re his favorite pictures of you - but he doesn’t post them on social media, preferring to keep them for himself. While Joe Mazzello is no stranger to social media, he feels oddly protective about his pictures of you. He instead saves them for himself, then looks back on them all the time when he’s been away from you for a while.

While we’re on the topic of being away for a while, Joe also has a tendency to ask you for videos of you singing/playing the guitar when he’s been away. Your favorite time was when he was working on BoRhap.

“Just one!” he’d begged, his voice pleading with you over the phone to send him a video of you playing a song, any song. He didn’t even care if it was Wonderwall, or some other overplayed song. “I just want to hear your voice, babe.”

“You are hearing my voice, right now,” you’d giggle, and Joe would groan melodramatically at your cheeky way of turning it around on him. “Alright, alright, give me a minute,” you’d finally assented, Joe cheering on the other side of the phone as you grinned, shaking your head.

Once you’d sent the video, it was a moment before you’d heard back from him, but he also sent a video in response. Clicking on it, you were immediately greeted with the loud sound of him practically yelling in excitement, his face taking up the screen as he situated the phone in his hand so it was easier to hold. 

“You’re a natural!” he’d yelled, and then he’d received a small flick on the ear from an unknown person, who turned out to be Ben once you’d heard his voice admonishing Joe for being so loud while they were filming.

The camera had then turned to Ben, who’d waved and blew a kiss once he realized he was being recorded. 

Joe quickly took the phone back, focusing it on his face again with a faux stern look. “Don’t catch that kiss, babe. Let it fly. Okay, wait, catch this one. I love you. Bye!” He’d then blown you a kiss himself, and the video cut off as you’d seen Ben’s hand come into the frame, grabbing the ‘kiss’ and laughing as Joe yelled in protest.

When it comes to looks, Joe is absolutely obsessed with you. The first time he’d went on a date with you, he’d accidentally admitted that he first noticed you because of your hair and eyes. 

“It was just so striking, I had to get to know you,” he’d said, almost blushing as he recalled the first time he’d met you. You were both at a mutual friend’s party in NYC, and he’d actually gone above and beyond to come talk to you - meaning he nearly tripped over a rug on his way over. 

But he thought you hadn’t noticed, so he wouldn’t tell you that, and you’d never admit that you actually had seen his stumble. You thought his clumsiness was endearing, and it’s the reason you’d entertained his attention in the first place.

“What do you mean by that?” you’d asked, hiding your pleased smile behind your glass of wine as you watched him over the rim. 

“I mean, look at you,” he chuckled, gesturing to you and smiling widely. His eyes, which were always so animated, looked positively enchanted as he looked over you for a second. “You’re beautiful, how could I not be blown away when I saw you? That curly black hair...“ he’d trailed off, dramatically clutching at his chest as he feigned breathlessness. 

That had provoked a delighted giggle out of you, and he’d grinned goofily as he also took a drink of his wine, chuckling at himself.

And that’s how you spend most of your time together. Laughing, because nothing is better for the two of you than the feeling of making each other laugh.

Plus, Joe is damn funny, and so are you. Win-win.

For Queen, I ship you with.... drumroll please.... crickets.... Brian May!

My reasoning? Well, Brian is a bit more reserved than you, and it took him a minute to warm up to you in the beginning. Your sense of humor was a bit more advanced than his was, and he could hardly keep up with your banter, which got him flustered.

“Brian, can you help us out here a bit? You’ve been tuning Red for a fucking hour now, I think it’s good,” Roger had complained, you and him struggling to figure something out on one of the amps in the studio since John had stepped out. 

Brian had shrugged, setting Red aside and joining you two in your pondering of what the hell was going wrong. Brian almost jumped when you spoke, it was so quiet between the three of you.

“She, Rog,” you’d chastised, giving Brian a knowing look. But Brian had no idea what the hell you were talking about, and he cocked his head to the side as he looked at you curiously. “It’s a she.”

“What’s a she?” Brian had asked, completely forgetting about what Roger had just said moments ago. “The amp?”

“No, silly, Red,” you’d laughed, making Brian blush lightly as he felt like an idiot once he remembered Red, sitting back on the couch. “I reckon Red is a she, just like boats are shes. I call my guitar a she. You’ve got to treat your women right, Rog.”

“Um, yeah,” Brian stuttered out, almost confused by what was taking place. He wasn’t quite on your level, but that was okay, because Roger wasn’t either.

“What are you on about?” Roger had asked, shaking his head and not really wanting an answer. 

But he got one anyways. 

“Oh, I guess you wouldn’t know about that, would you? Treating women with care?” you’d taunted. Brian snorted and covered his mouth as Roger had protested weakly, but from then on, Brian began to appreciate your quick comebacks and seemingly unending stream of jokes.

On the other hand, he really loves that you can sit back and listen to his rants when he needed to vent. Brian is an emotional type of man, but he’s not great at expressing his frustrations in the heat of the moment, which makes him even more frustrated with himself and leads to the bottling up of his feelings until his breaking point.

The night he’d realized he’d fancied you, he was at one of those breaking points. You were both hanging around the van, the other boys still fooling around at the pub after the gig. Brian had left early, annoyed by a spat with Roger earlier that hadn’t been resolved due to poor communication. You were already on the van, sleeping in the backseat up against the opposite window when he’d climbed in.

“Oh, sorry, love, did I wake you? Shit,” he’d muttered, sitting seat across the row of seats from you when you sat up halfway to rub your eyes, still drowsy and bleary with sleep. It was awkwardly cramped in the back, and his knees were almost up to his chest as he sat there, not sure how to position himself. You remained draped across the seat, your feet resting just next to his side

“No, no, it’s alright,” you’d murmured, stretching before looking over at him and finding that he looked a bit annoyed. “You alright?” you’d asked, turning on your side and patting the seat in front of you, offering a more comfortable spot for him.

He’d obliged, laying down in front of you and letting you be the big spoon as he sighed. “I’m just pissed off, Roger doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say half of the time...”

And from there, he’d ranted for at least an hour, barely pausing to hear your input before going on. You’d listened the entire time, nodding and playing with his hair as you did so. And when he’d run out of words to say, he finally noticed that you were braiding his hair, still attentively waiting for him to speak.

“I’m sorry if I bored you,” he’d almost cringed, biting his lip as he turned on his side so he was looking up at you. You laughed softly, readjusting so that you were comfortable laying on your side next to him, and you’d dropped the braid as you’d propped your head up on your hand.

“Well, you want to know what I think?” you’d asked, Brian nodding quickly and staring up at you as you started in with your advice for him.

The entire time you’d spoke, he’d been staring at different things, admiring you. 

He admired the way your green eyes flitted around the van as you spoke, as if you were looking for the right words to say, then plucking them out of the air in that small, cramped van and putting them to use.

Also, he admired the glint of the moonlight on your piercings. Although he wasn’t a big piercing man himself, he loved them on you. In that moment, he’d realized that they only added to your beauty, which was already very present.

He’d taken a small strand of your hair in his hand as you spoke, admiring the way your skin contrasted so greatly with your hair, and he also appreciated that he wasn’t the only person having to deal with curly hair. 

Once you were done speaking, he’d smiled toothily. “You know, for someone who’s always got something sarcastic on the tip of their tongue, you sure do give good advice.”

You’d smiled at that, and that smile was what had gotten him, hook, line, and sinker. 

“Hey, no making out in the van unless it’s me!” Roger had yelled suddenly, throwing open the door as he crawled in, making his way on top of you two, and you’d both laughed loudly as a drunk Roger shoved his way between the two of you, making Brian nearly fall to the floor.

What a shit.

[dccomicsimagines]

Music Recital - Batfamily Imagine

Requested by Anon -  A batfamily story where the batsis has a music recital coming up (be it piano, violin, etc). The rest of the family is busy with the usual batbusiness, so she says nothing about it. The family finds out (how they find out is up to you) and they show up, much to the her surprise.

***

You skipped out to the car, your violin case banging softly against your leg as you went. Alfred was waiting outside of the car, holding the door open for you. 

“Hey Alfred, guess what? My teacher said I’ve improved so much that I can...” you began, hopping into the car. Alfred closed the door before you could finish your sentence. You adjusted your school uniform until Alfred was in the drivers’ seat. Just when you opened your mouth to speak, Alfred held up a hand.

“While I always love to hear about your day, I frankly have a headache from dealing with Master Damian. If you could please be quiet for me, Miss (Y/N)?” Your face fell slightly, but you understood.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you later,” you reassured, sinking back into your seat. Despite the excitement that wanted you to cheer and dance around, you held it in for Alfred’s sake. The car ride home was long and silent. 

When you got home, you dropped your bag and violin case in your room before searching for the rest of your family.

The voice of your father echoed through the batcave as you trotted down the stairs. You still had your school uniform on, not bothering to change yet. 

“Dad, guess what?” you began, hopping off the last step. “My teacher said I’ve gotten good enough that I can perform...” You froze when you saw your father glaring at you. 

“(Y/N), I’m in the middle of a meeting,” Bruce growled in his Batman voice. Your face burned with embarrassment when you saw the entire Justice League on the screen. 

“Oh.” You quickly backed up the stairs. “Sorry.” Superman chuckled as you turned to run back up the stairs. Slamming the batcave door shut, you wandered over to the desk chair before collapsing into it. You spun around in the chair.

“TT, what are you doing?” Damian demanded, marching into the study. He headed over to the entrance of the batcave. 

You brightened at the sight of him. “Hey Damian, guess what? My violin instructor said I improved enough to...”

“I really do not care, sister,” Damian snapped.  Your face fell at his words. 

“Okay,” you whispered softly, blinking back tears. Damian opened the batcave door. “Hey, Dad’s in a meeting with the League.”

“TT,” Damian huffed. He entered the cave before slamming the door shut behind him. You flinched at the noise. 

Getting out of the desk chair, you wandered toward your bedroom to change out of your school uniform. When you passed Tim’s room, a smile crept onto your face when you saw him inside. He was sitting at his desk, working on his laptop with headphones over his ears.

“Tim, guess what?” You skipped to his side, tapping his shoulder. 

He jumped in surprise. “What the heck, (Y/N)? Don’t you know how to knock?” Tim retorted, ripping off his headphones.

“I’m sorry,” you whimpered, backing away from him. “Your door was open.”

Tim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You don’t have to be sorry, (Y/N). I shouldn’t have snapped like that.” He looked at you, regarding with a studious eye. “What did you want?”

You bit your lip before backing away. “You’re busy, it’s not important,” you sighed, leaving the room. Tim frowned before putting on his headphones and going back to work. 

Heading into your bedroom, you changed out of your uniform into more comfortable clothes. You attempted to start your homework, but you found yourself too distracted to focus on it. Was it so hard to find one person to share your excitement with?

You picked up your phone before dialing Jason’s number. It went straight to voicemail, reminding you that he was on some kind of important mission for your father. Sighing, you hung up the phone without leaving a message. Next, you dialed Dick’s number.

“What’s shaking, shortcake?” Dick answered after two rings. “I’m just about to start my shift at the casino.”

A huge grin grew on your face. “My teacher said I was improving so much on the violin that I could...”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s great, honey,” Dick replied distractedly. “Listen, I have to go.” You heard someone speak to him in the background.

“Oh, okay.” The smile died on your face as your heart ached. “Be safe.”

“I will, shortcake. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up the phone, leaving only the dial tone to fill your ear. You tossed your phone onto the bed, tears slipping down your cheeks. 

“I don’t know why I even try,” you cried softly. You buried your face in your pillow, silently promising that you would do the best you could during the recital, even if none of your family had the time to hear about it.

***

Locked in the music room, you practiced long and hard for days on end. You practiced until your arms felt ready to fall off, but you knew it would be worth it.  It didn’t matter if none of your family will be there, at least that was what you told yourself. 

“Miss (Y/N), it’s time for dinner,” Alfred said suddenly, startling you. You almost dropped your violin.

“Geez Alfred, you scared me,” you laughed in relief before putting your violin and sheet music away. 

“You have been practicing more than usual, Miss (Y/N),” Alfred prompted, placing a hand on your shoulder as the two of you walked toward the dining room.

“Yeah, I have.” You thought about mention the recital, but the moment you opened your mouth, shouting interrupted from the dining room. 

“Give it back, Damian,” Tim shouted as rapid pounding of running feet echoed down the hall. 

“Not until you admit I was right, Drake,” Damian hissed. Something shattered in the dining room a moment later. 

Alfred sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Some days I swear you are the only easy one,” Alfred muttered under his breath before marching into the dining room. 

Your shoulder sank as your stomach twisted in disappointment. It seemed like something always came up.  You were about to wander your way into the chaos in the dining room when the front door opened.

“Hey, I’m here,” Dick called out as he shut the door behind him. You smiled and ran to the front entryway. Dick’s face lit up when he saw you. “Shortcake!” He dropped his duffel bag before scooping you up into a giant hug.

“Dickie!” you laughed as he spun you around. “Are you here for the weekend?”

“Yeah, I got this weekend off work,” Dick explained, setting you down. 

“Really?” you gasped excitedly, bouncing on the balls of your feet. Dick nodded, ruffling your hair. “Then that means you’ll be here for my...” Before you could finish your sentence, another crash came from the dining room. 

“Master Damian! If you throw one more plate at Master Tim, you will go to bed without supper!” Alfred scolded in a tone you rarely heard him use. 

Dick and you shared a terrified glance. “I better get in there,” Dick said quickly before running to join the battle in the dining room. You sighed, going back into the music room to practice until everything blew over.

***

Bruce peeked into the music room when he got home from patrol to find you fast asleep on the piano bench with your violin and bow in hand. He chuckled at the sight, slipping inside.

He knelt down next to you, studying you as if memorizing this moment. Despite not having the time nor the ability to be the father he should be, he treasured this moment. Carefully, Bruce took your bow and violin out of your hands and put them back in the case. He paused to study the piece you had been working on before putting the sheet music back in your folder. 

Slowly, Bruce picked you up in his arms. He gently laid your head on his shoulder before carrying you upstairs. Bumping your door open with his hip, Bruce brought you into your room and laid you on your bed. 

You opened your eyes slightly, awakened briefly by being placed on a soft surface. Once you saw your father hovering above, you closed your eyes before sighing contently.

Bruce ran a hand through your hair, loving how safe you felt in his presence. He pulled the covers around you after taking off your shoes. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead.

“Dad,” you whispered softly, still half asleep. “Does this mean you’ll come?”

“Come where?” Bruce asked quietly, his face twisting in confusion. 

“To hear me play,” you mumbled, turning to lay on your side. “It’s on Saturday.”

Bruce froze, his mind moving a thousand miles a second to try to understand what you meant. He said the first thing that came to mind. “Of course, sweetheart.”

You smiled before sighing as you snuggled deeper into your pillow. “Thanks, Dad.” Bruce pulled away, still confused. He slipped out of your room, deciding he would ask Alfred what you meant in the morning.

***

The next morning you didn’t remember the late night conversation with your father as you were too busying getting ready for school. It was the last day before the recital and you wanted to be at your best.

You ended up staying after school for an hour to work on a difficult part with your instructor. However, when you left the room, you were shocked to a halting stop. “Dick, what are you doing here? I texted Alfred I’ll be staying for another hour.”

Dick had been looking at the announcement board before turning around at your voice. “I know, but I thought I’d come early to hear you play. You’re really good, shortcake.” You blushed, looking at your feet.

“Think so?” You paused, debating whether you should mention the recital. Your fingers tightened around the handle of your violin case. 

“Yeah, I do,” Dick continued, taking your case from you. “Hey, wanna go for some ice cream? My treat.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “Won’t Alfred be mad about us spoiling our dinner?”

Dick snorted, rolling his eyes as you both left the school. “He won’t be mad as long as he doesn’t know.” He ruffled your hair, making you laugh. You thought how this would be the perfect moment to tell him about the recital, but then you realized how much a bother it would be. Pain tugged at your heart as you understood your family simply didn’t have time for you. 

“Hey, what’s with the frown, shortcake?” Dick asked, noticing how your face fell. You quickly looked back up at him, giving him a false smile.

“Nothing.” You glanced over to find your father’s Porsche. “Wow, you brought the Porsche,” you gasped, desperately trying to change the subject. Dick fell for it, unlocking the car remotely.

“What can I say? I thought you’d like it,” Dick chuckled as you ran toward the car. 

“I get to drive,” you claimed, sprinting ahead. 

“Oh no, you don’t.” Dick chased after you while being careful of your violin case. You laughed, pushing the thought of your recital out of your mind for a while.

***

“Alfred, where is (Y/N) going?” Bruce asked, after watching you climb into a car with your violin case in hand from his study window.

“Miss (Y/N) is simply going to a friend’s house,” Alfred answered shortly, carrying in a tea tray with a glass of milk and a sandwich on it. He set the tray on the desk. 

“She is going to a friend’s house dressed in one of her best dresses with her violin. (Y/N) never does that,” Bruce observed, not turning away from the window. He frowned when he saw your violin instructor was the driver. Suddenly, everything clinked. “Alfred did (Y/N) say anything about a recital?” 

Alfred froze, pondering deeply. “No, but she has been practicing quite hard lately.”

“I know, I found her asleep in the music room last night,” Bruce chuckled before sobering. “When I carried her to bed, she asked if I would come see her play.”

“But Miss (Y/N) would have said something.” Alfred seemed taken back.

“No, she wouldn’t, not if she thought we wouldn’t come,” Dick interjected, entering the study with Tim in tow. He held up a poster advertising the recital with your name listed under the soloists. “I remember she called me before I came, saying she had something to tell me, but I blew her off.”

“I did the same thing when she came into my bedroom,” Tim admitted, rubbing the back of his head guiltily. 

Alfred took the poster from Dick, studying the time. “The recital is tonight in about another hour.” 

“Then we still have time,” Bruce said, striding out of the room. “Everyone meet in the main hall in ten minutes.” He turned to look at Dick. “You get Damian and tell him if he doesn’t come, he won’t go on patrol for a month.” 

“Why me?” Dick asked to no one as everyone was already gone. He sighed, mentally preparing himself to deal with Damian.

***

You stood in the right wing of the stage, waiting for your turn. The piano soloist before you was still playing, which only made you more nervous at how good they were.

“Are you ready, (Y/N)?” your instructor asked softly, sensing your nervousness. You nodded uncertainly, holding your violin tightly to your chest. “You don’t have to be scared, hun.”

“I’m not scared,” you protested. Your instructor gave you a look that made you sigh. “Fine, I’m a little scared.” 

“You don’t have to worry. You know the piece and you’re going to do great.” Your instructor placed a hand on your shoulder. “Besides I saw your family in the audience, so cheer up.”

Your mouth dropped open. “What?” You peeked out of the curtain, searching the audience. Your heart skipped a beat when you saw your entire family crowded in a row near the front. You smiled when you saw Jason sneak in late. “Wow, they actually came.”

Distracted as you were, you didn’t realize the piano soloist finished until your instructor gave you a little push. “You’re on,” they whispered as you slowly made your way onto the stage. 

You painted a smile on your face as you readied your music in front of you. When you adjusted your chair into a position you were comfortable with, you stole a glance toward your family. You could see the pride on their faces, except for Damian’s, but that wasn’t a surprise.

Bring up your violin and bow, you closed your eyes before playing the first note. It was like magic, the notes flying into the air easily. Soon you forgot the audience, lost in the music.

“She’s amazing,” Jason whispered to Tim. Tim just nodded, unable to speak. 

“TT, she is not that good,” Damian retorted only to receive a look of warning from Alfred. Dick was grinning from ear to ear with pride while Bruce was simply dumbfound. A knowing smile found it’s way onto Alfred’s face.

When you played the last note, you froze to enjoy the thrill of finishing a piece perfectly. You were lost in your own little world only to jump out of your skin when the first claps echoed through the stage.

You almost dropped your violin, but you caught it. Your face burned as you hear your instructor whispering for you to take a bow. Suddenly shy, you gave the audience a sheepish smile before running off stage. 

Bruce was on his feet the moment you disappeared off stage. He slipped out of the aisle before running onto the stage to follow you. 

“Excuse me, but who are you?” an adult demanded when Bruce burst onto the backstage, brushing passed the next performer. 

Bruce waved a hand. “I’m Bruce Wayne, father of (Y/N) Wayne,” he explained, scanning the room for you. He found you sitting in a dark corner with your instructor trying to comfort you. Moving fast, Bruce was by your side within moments. “(Y/N), it’s alright..”

“Dad?” you asked, wiping away a tear as you hugged your violin to your chest. Your instructor stepped away, knowing you would be fine. “How did you get here?”

Bruce smiled, settling himself down to sit beside you. “You asked me to come hear you play, remember?” You frowned, not understanding until it dawned on you.

“Oh, so that wasn’t a dream,” you sniffled as Bruce reached into his pocket to hand you a handkerchief. He slipped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you to his side. 

“You were incredible up there, (Y/N). You have real talent.” His hand rubbing up and down your arm. “There was no reason for you to run off.”

“I panicked. Suddenly, everyone was clapping, and I didn’t know what else to do.” You wiped your eyes, setting your violin on your lap. “I was so into the music.”

Bruce pressed his lips against your forehead. “It’s alright, sweetheart.” He paused a moment, his mind searching for the right words. “I’m proud of you.”

A smile tugged at your lips as you looked up at him. “You really mean it?” 

Bruce nodded, smiling back at you. “Yes, I do.” He kissed your forehead again. The applause from the final performance echoed through the backstage. “We should go find your brothers before they storm the stage.”

You laughed, standing up with ease. Bruce’s knees cracked as he got to his feet to follow you. “I still can’t believe you all came,” you said over your shoulder as you skipped over to your violin case. You carefully laid your violin and bow inside before sealing it. “Especially when I didn’t get to tell any of you.”

Guilt flashed across Bruce’s face. “I’m sorry, (Y/N). I should have paid more attention to you,” Bruce admitted when you turned to face him. You gave him a bright smile, completely melting his heart. 

“It’s okay, Dad. I’m just glad you’re here.” You took his hand to lead him out of the stage door and to the main lobby. Bruce took your violin case, sensing you were about to be attacked.

“Shortcake!” Dick shouted, running to scoop you up in a hug. “You were so good.” You choked as Dick squeezed all the air out of you. 

“Geez, don’t kill her, Dick,” Tim mumbled before saving you from Dick to give you a hug himself. 

You laughed, shaking your head as you got passed to Jason who threw you up in the air. “Jay!”

“Little showoff,” Jason praised as he caught you in his arms. You giggled when he tossed you into the air again.

“Be careful, Master Jason,” Alfred scolded, making Jason set you down on the ground. You turned to Alfred to find him holding a banquet of flowers. “Well done, Miss (Y/N).”

“Thank you, Alfred,” you cooed, your eyes widening at the flowers. You took them, admiring them for a moment. Alfred pushed Damian in front of him before giving him a stern warning look. You studied Damian nervously, tensing for whatever insult he planned to throw your way.

Damian looked at his feet after sending a glare back at Alfred. “TT, your solo was acceptable.” 

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock, sensing how hard that was for Damian. You hugged him, laughing when he tensed in your grasp. “Thanks Damian.” He huffed before escaping your hug. 

Bruce placed a hand on your shoulder to get your attention. “I suppose we can go out for dinner since we’re all here.”

“Really?” you gasped, bouncing excitedly. “Do I get to chose where we go?”

The boys shared amused looks as Alfred buried his face in his hands in dread.

“Yes, you can chose,” Bruce confirmed, not noticing Alfred’s discomfort. 

Your eyes widened in excitement at this rare opportunity. “Can we go to Sonic? I want a chili cheese dog!” Alfred almost died right there and then as the boys enjoyed themselves quietly.

“Alright then,” Bruce said, looking up to find Alfred glaring at him. Bruce shrugged his shoulders innocently as you all headed toward the door. Your heart almost burst from happiness. Funny enough, you realized you weren’t so proud of playing your solo perfectly, but rather that your family had been there to see you perform.

[silvergalaxyx7]

Friday Night Funkin Original Story (Corrupta Nigrum) [Part 5: Perception]

Part 5: Perception

Later on within the evening, Boyfriend had returned back to Winterland Plaza, right as Girlfriend and Carol had left its doors, a large group of bags with them, before understandably asking where the boy had been, Boyfriend responding with the lie that he had encountered yet another enemy that he had to rap battle in order to escape from, receiving a giggle from both girls, Girlfriend asking if he had been sucked into another dimension or chased around by a manic fangirl again, much to Boyfriend’s uncomfortable and hesitant affirmation. 

Having believed his lies, the two girls and the boy had returned back to Carol’s home for some R&R as well as to just hang out for the time being, the clear skies overhead making it a perfect time to be outside before rainfall comes by as it did during the last few days.

Whatever the weather however, Boyfriend was still internally processing how he would find a way to talk to Girlfriend, especially in a small group like theirs which included Pico, her, him, and Carol, Whitty having told his new profound girlfriend that he wasn’t really ready to be around yet another person, Pico being someone who the living bomb wouldn’t want to have an argument with if it meant turning Carol’s backyard into a sinkhole. 

Either way, Girlfriend was in a good mood which meant that this was the perfect time to talk to her, but not at this very moment, rather let her become a bit exhausted, if such a thing was possible for a demon, and then bring in his concerns to her slowly and steady. 

For now however, he sat at a bench in the yard as Carol and Girlfriend talked to one another in the small pool the girl had recently bought, Pico having sat next to the boy who had vented his frustrations out to him.

“Wow, that’s, uh, a lot,” Pico commented, placing his hand on his head, “And I haven’t gotten used to your whole actually talking thing.”

“Sorry, I was just trying to remember everything Geovanni told me,” Boyfriend gave a sheepish smile before looking over at Girlfriend, “So, what do you think?”

“About what exactly?” Pico laughed in disbelief, “That your “new” new relationship is falling downhill faster than a drunk on a mountain bike? How about that your babe is holding some eldritch abomination inside her body, or was it soul? If you want my opinion, I think that guy was probably a crazy old guy on crack or something, and trust me, those do exist.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Boyfriend nodded, though his lack of a smile provided enough proof that he was uncertain of his own response, “G-Girlfriend wouldn’t lie to me, right? We’re supposed to be close enough that we don’t hide anything from each other, no matter how bad it is.”

“I mean, how long did it take her to tell you she was a demon?” Pico asked.

“About…..almost two months,” Boyfriend sighed in disappointment, “B-But she said she wouldn’t hide anything else from me, so she has to be telling the truth about not knowing anything about that.”

“Mhm…” the boy leaned back, closing his eyes as his vibrant orange hair glistened in the afternoon sunlight for a moment, knowing that Boyfriend’s lack of response meant his words hadn’t quite reached him yet, “Though maybe he is telling the truth and it just seems hard to believe so-”

“Pico!” Boyfriend exclaimed, pulling his shirt over his mouth in frustration. 

“Look, all I’m saying is that it’s pretty crazy to hide all of this from you, but there is a possibility that she did,” Pico explained, clearly conflicting his previous statement. 

“N-No, she wouldn’t…..” 

“I mean is it that hard to believe?”

“No, of course not,” Boyfriend gripped his shirt tightly, “I’ve seen things you could only begin to imagine, nearly died a hundred times over, seen monsters, demons, ghosts, whatever you see in those kids books, so a monster with that much power, hidden inside a girl who’s not only hated as much as her dad, but who’s also my girlfriend, isn’t that hard to put together.”

“You really have it rough, dude.”

“Well, that’s why I came to you.”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t think I invited you over just because, did you?”

“Right, of course not,” Pico rolled his eyes with a smile, “I’m guessing you brought me here to ask me for some advice on this whole situation.”

“Actually, I thought you could go and tell her for me instead….?”

“What?!”

“It would just be for a minute or two, and I’m working on a letter so you could read it and-”

“No, no, hang on there!” Pico exclaimed loud enough that Carol and Girlfriend's attention turned towards him.

“You boys okay there?” Carol asked.

“Yeah, we’re fine!” Boyfriend quickly responded.

“Boyfriend was just telling me about this weird bat thing he was rap battling today in the alleyway a bit north from here,” Pico explained as the girl’s continued their conversation, the boy lowering his voice as he pulled Boyfriend close by, “Listen, you can’t make me go up there and talk to her!”

“Why not?” 

“Well, for one, she’s a demon!” Pico looked over at the girl with a look of concern and fear in his eyes, “If I piss her off by telling her something you wrote, she’ll probably set me on fire or something! And two, this is your problem to solve by yourself, not mine. If you want to tell her how you feel about this whole situation, I can help you find the words to tell her in person, but if your just going to make me go to her and talk to her for you, then you’ve got another thing com-”

“Go Pico, yeah, yeah, go Pico, yeah,” Boyfriend sang, bounding up and down quickly.

“Don’t think that’s going to work on me-”

“Go Pico, yeah, yeah, go Pico,” Boyfriend continued with a pleading smile. 

“BF, just stop, I….” Pico paused, seeing Boyfriend holding his breath as he was getting ready to sing the same phrase as before, only much louder, the mercenary quickly covering the boy’s mouth, “Alright, alright, just shut the hell up!”

“Yes!” Boyfriend nudged Pico, “See? I knew I could count on you!”

“Sure, whatever, but you owe me big time,” Pico brushed over the boy’s gesture, looking at the girls with an even more worried expression.

“Aw, come on, they don’t bite, and you’ll be fine!” Boyfriend placed his arm along the mercenary's shoulder, “Just act natural and if anything goes wrong, which it won’t, I’ll take full responsibility.”

“So, you got this letter?”

“I’m….still writing it.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me-”

“Look, it’s hard to put emotions into paper alright?” the boy opened and closed his palm, missing the feel of a microphone in his hand, “The only way I’m good at expressing myself is through rap, but that’s too loud and melodramatic than a single letter, not to mention the letter is way more fancy like she is.”

“I think you and I have very different definitions of the word fancy,” Pico glared at the boy, head downcast, “Ok, so when are we doing this thing?”

“Tonight, at seven, when I’m going out to visit Geovanni’s house, and you can tell me how she reacts to it all, and then I’ll figure out how to better approach her after she knows how I feel,” Boyfriend grinned, “It’s the perfect plan!”

“No, no it’s really not,” the mercenary shook his head before standing up to stretch, “Well, until then, wanna join the girls.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” Boyfriend waved Pico off before returning to his thoughts once again.

Girlfriend was patient enough to understand his feelings, like a normal girlfriend, a normal person would, right?

Yes, his plan would work and they could trust each other, maybe even get her to trust the sorcerer in helping relieve her pain this creature might be causing her, and then Daddy Dearest and Mommy Mearest would have all the respect in the world towards him since he was able to save his daughter from a problem they had presumingly caused. 

Nothing could ruin this mindset.

Suddenly however, Boyfriend felt as if something or someone was watching him, turning around to look at the outline of rose bushes surrounding Carol’s backyard, the very sight of the flower distracting the boy from the sound of rustling within them, instead causing Boyfriend to swear he was hearing whispers emitting from them.

At that moment, he noticed something that he hadn’t the first few times he visited Carol’s house before.

Did her roses ever have thorns?

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

Unperceived and concealed from Boyfriend’s knowledge however, from beyond the bushes, now running a few blocks in the opposite direction in order to attempt to run as far away from Carol’s house as possible, was Sky, the girl holding her hand to her heart, not in any romantical or aspiring sense in which such a gesture would often be used by her when seeing the boy, but more so in an attempt to calm her ever beating heart, the nervousness and small tinge of guilt within her mind and body causing such a thing to occur.

The girl ran past a corner, entering a nearby park as she stopped and leaned against the wall of a nearby public bathroom, the sounds of melody and music muffled in the distance, the usual cheery environment of Friday Night Funkin being something that she had mostly only enjoyed through watching it on a screen rather than actually experiencing a musical outlook on life twenty four seven, though she couldn’t complain.

She gripped her shirt, the one bearing a red check mark, her initial attempt at trying to copy Boyfriend’s style in order to receive his attention. 

“Stupid!” she said in a hushed voice, trying her best to hold in her tears, though the ones that had already started trailing down her cheek had signified a failure in that regard, the girl sliding down onto the stone brick floor, “He’s just a little dumb video game character like the rest of them….”

“That’s interesting….” a deep voice came from her side.

“EEEEP!” Sky jumped back, looking to find Ruv standing right next to her, “W-What are you doing here?! Did Geovanni send you to find me?”

“I don’t answer to that man…” Ruv glared in the direction of the church, apparently knowing where it was despite everyone being covered by buildings or trees, before placing his attention back on the girl, “I came here on my own.”

“Y’know, part of me doesn’t believe you,” Sky narrowed her eyes in skepticism, pointing at the man, “And who would? I mean, look at you!”

“Грубый маленький сопляк…. (Rude little brat….)” Ruv muttered to the side.

“What was that?” Sky questioned.

“Nothing,” the man responded before extending his hand out, “Now come on, the others are worried about you.”

“I said I need some time to think,” the girl curled up, bringing her knees to her chest as she pressed herself against the wall further. 

“We have no time for that, we need to get going before-”

“Before what?!” Sky exclaimed, looking up with stained cheeks and reddened eyes, natural from her manifested form, “Why should I even care what happens to you all? You’re all just stupid video game characters inside my computer, so if that coppruted thing ever wants to come and destroy this body, then he can, cause I’ll just be put right back to my world and all of this will just be like a movie from me!”

“You don’t know that….” Ruv explained, hesitating to once again reach out towards the girl. 

“So what if I don’t?!” Sky snapped back, “I don’t matter at the end of the day anyway, right? I mean, the only reason that Geovanni helped me is because of my manifest and if I give it to him, I could go home again and not even have to bother with almost getting killed and….and….”

Sky stopped, softly crying into her hoodie as Ruv simply sighed, sitting down next to the girl.

It was a lot more quiet out here…….he liked the quiet.

“You know, you could….” the man finally decided to break the silence, feeling Sky’s eyes on him without having to even look, “You could just run away and be safe, go back to your life where you’re just a normal school girl who gets picked on for liking something different than other people, someone who wants to be appreciated, as you watch our world go to hell while you stay behind, looking at us all perish before you.”

“W-What are you saying….?” Sky sniffled, lifting up her head.

“It’s like you said, we’re all video game characters in your eyes, right?” Ruv held a leaf before crushing it in his palm, his eyes narrowing in irritation, “Just little things you can play with and throw away when you’re done.”

“W-Well, yes, but-”

“And then, when everything is over, you return back to what you described as a horrible life where you’re always running away from your problems, because other people don’t care about you and the only other people who did were just stupid little video game characters in your game,” Ruv gave a soft laugh, “But only losers talk to fictional characters, right?”

“Hang on!” Sky grabbed the pieces of the leaf from Ruv’s palm, “I don’t want you all to die!”

“Then why are you still running away, after everything he and she gave you?!” Ruv slammed his fist against the wall, forming a small crater where it had landed, pieces of brick falling onto the ground, Sky looking on in a mixture of concern and fear before her eyes softened as she held onto her hoodie’s drawstring, “Sorry, sorry, I don’t know what came over me, I’m just-”

“It’s because I’m afraid….” Sky responded, her voice a little above a whisper.

“What?” Ruv’s eyes widened a small bit, the man looking down at the girl.

“I’m afraid,” she reiterated, “Afraid that I won’t be able to change my heart, my mind, no matter where I go or what I do to try and change myself, and when I finally get close to forgetting about my obsession, I think my parents called it OLD or something, forgetting about all the horrible things I’ve done, there’s always something that brings back those memories or moments that I just wish I could forget!” 

“.....I’m sorry,” Ruv whispered, grabbing another leaf from the ground, this time fiddling it around his fingers, “You know, I once ran away too, from country to country, trying my best not to hurt people that didn’t deserve to get themselves hurt or worse, but my good deeds also became something of an obsession and that led to many good people dying whether I wanted them too or not.

That’s when I found Sarv and, while we didn’t get along in the beginning, our friendship became stronger than any I’d made throughout my journeys in other places of the world, and I thought that I was safe, that this was finally the place where I would get redeemed and forget all of my past mistakes…...but it wasn’t that simple. 

Even here people wanted to hunt me down and capture me for all the things that I’d done and, in certain days, I wished that I had just turned myself in and made this whole mess easier on her, after everything she did for me.

Sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve her kindness or that I’ll ever gain forgiveness for what I’ve done, but until then, I have her just like you have Geovanni to show us how to be better people…...even when we feel undeserving of such a blessing in our lives.”

Sky was speechless, hearing Ruv speak this much, to her of all people, being something she did not expect, before the girl simply sighed, shaking her head with a small smile.

“You guys are too much…” she stood up, brushing off dust from the debris on her jeans, “I don’t feel like I have control on what’s going on around this world, let alone my own emotions, and knowing that some freaky dimension creature is the thing that’s been encouraging me to continue doing all those things I did not Boyfriend didn’t help me feel better about myself.”

“But….?” Ruv looked at the girl, his height making his sitting position match a slightly larger height than her’s. 

“But, I guess I’ll try to believe in myself just a little more,” Sky looked up at the clouds above her, the small breeze of the evening hitting her cheeks, her shirt flowing in the wind as her hoodie anchored itself to her body, two distinct aspects of the girl that didn’t fly away from her, but instead kept her grounded and focused on a path that allowed her to do more harm than good in the world, love all people rather than one, “I’ve been in this world for seven months, a few before Boyfriend and Girlfriend had escaped from the Dearests, something beyond the normal game’s story, so what’s a few more gonna do?”

“Aтта девушка…. (Atta girl….)” Ruv slowly placed his hand on Sky’s head, causing the girl to simply giggle, placing her hand on his.

“Don’t be afraid, I won’t bite!” she grinned before taking a deep breath, “Okay, I think I’m ready, let’s go back.”

“After you…” Ruv gave a playful bow as Sky happily skipped forward, humming a tune that he had heard once on the radio Sarv kept in their church, the man actually managing to give a genuine smile before following after the girl.

As the walked, in the glint of the sunlight which dappled through the tree branches, the man could’ve sworn he saw a touch of a golden hue on Sky’s hair.

“Hmm, strange….” 

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

Meanwhile, on the other side of the park, Geovanni walked along the jade metallic fencing covering the area, the fragrance of fresh daisies and roses within the bushes helping relax the tension the sorcerer was feeling, having convinced Sarv to allow him to leave the church and go in search of Ruv and Sky, having enough arcane and magical skills to fend off any malevolent or threatening obstacles they may have faced through their path. 

The chatter of people walking nearby and the musical harmony of other groups of people in front of small speakers, ones that weren’t deceived or placed under the illusion to be the crystals that made up Girlfriend’s, the sound of pop and jazz music filling the air. 

This city was truly something to behold, just like those brochures he had seen back in his old town in Michigan had said, the cadence of beauty that filled its streets being something to marvel at constantly, making it fairly disappointing that his own home had to be placed at a distance from the main sections of the cities, though having Sarv and Ruv share the same disappointing outlook in their homing situation made him feel a bit better about his own.

Geovanni shook his head, slapping his cheeks as he reminded himself that the purpose of coming out here was to search for Sky and Ruv, not awe at the sights in the main city park. 

“Sky! Ruv!” he called out, inevitably receiving some stares from those around him, “Are you two here?!”

“Yo, did you just say Sky?” a boy called out from a group of four teenagers who were sitting on a bench next to the entrance to the park itself.

“Yes, have you seen-”

“Hey, isn’t that the crazy chick obsessed with Boyfriend?” one of the girl’s from the group questioned further.

“I heard she has a whole collection of that guy’s clothes in her house,” a gothic looking girl commented, “Must really stink there!”

“Hehehe, yeah, and she’s probably on her way to stalk on him right now with that criminal guy, Ruvy-what’s-his-name or whatever,” the last member, another boy, this one appearing to be a jock of sorts, added with a snicker, “Probably just another one of those whor-”

Suddenly the last teenager felt his shirt’s collar being pulled as his body was slammed against the back of the bench, causing cracks to form behind his back, or maybe it was his back, the boy looking up at Geovanni’s burning eyes, the magical circles from before having formed in place of his irises, though the sorcerer didn’t at all seem angry, but more so disappointed. 

“My friend, I greatly recommend you choose your next words extremely carefully,” he warned with a delicate and almost observant manner, “Now, I am well aware that ignorance at times breeds stupidity out of idiotic trash such as yourselves, but you are all quite lucky my primary mission is to preserve all living life in this planet that birthed ungrateful welches such as yourselves who are blind enough to judge a person solely based upon their own actions without truly acknowledging who they are on the inside.”

With those final words, the sorcerer released his grip, the boy leaning forward once again as Geovanni made his way into the park, leaving behind a fairly stunned and fearful group of teenagers.

“That fuckin bastard’s crazy!” the boy cried out as the sorcerer continued striding along the set path of the park’s entrance. 

“Mmm, perhaps I should burn their bodies inside out and find Myra so she may resurrect them once more, especially since I must locate her for a portal spell and her knowledge anyway,” Geovanni laughed to himself, “Or perhaps I should merely let Sky have her way with them, see if she learns to control her manifest in a productive manner, or maybe even…..”

Geovanni stopped walking, having now noticed that the chatter of voices around him had stopped, the entire world seeming to have delved into a dark silence as the sorcerer looked around, finding that there was indeed no one within the park’s boundaries, the groups of people, even those unholy teenagers, gone from his point of view as he began slowing his steps, taking some form of caution with every one that he had taken. 

He looked up, finding that the blue sea of clear skies had become a bloodshot red with black clouds replacing the outlying ones that had once been there.

“What in the world…..?” Geovanni remarked before being interrupted by what appeared to be a gurgling sound coming from the fountain at the center of the park. 

The sorcerer rushed towards it, afraid that someone could be drowning and needed his assistance, placing his hands on the edge of the fountain itself, looking down to find his own reflection staring back at him.

Only it wasn’t completely himself.

What stared back at Geovanni was a pile of flesh and snapped bone that was wearing his own clothes that tiled its head, almost as if curious as to why it had a new visitor or perhaps why its reflection was not as abnormal as itself. 

“Well now, isn’t this interesting….?” a deep and slow voice called out from the reflection which, using the broken bones sticking from its flesh, brought and melded them together to form rudimentary teeth which grinned back at him with a cunning and amused smile. 

“Goodness!” Geovanni backed away from the fountain, about to turn around before a rubble trembled underneath his feet as he could feel his balance loosening, the sorcerer falling to the ground as he turned back around to witness a scene that he had not wanted to see nor experience being a part of. 

The marble bricks of the fountain began to crack as a black liquid seemed through it, eventually breaking past the layer of rock as a wave of inky water washed upon the ground, quickly gelatinizing into some tar goo that began to form tendrils, arms, legs, teeth of broken flesh, bones, and a red crystal of sorts, as well as hundreds of heads, all of which had a centered eyes that continuously bled what he presumed was blood.

The stench of iron, rotten flesh, and moss filled the air with a tinge of…...lemon?

He looked around as the flowers that surrounded the park had wilted into piles of nothing but ash, what seemed to be the remnants of the city in the background burning as the screams of children and adults alike filled the void around him, causing the sorcerer to place his hands above his ears, but the sounds persisted even then.

“Come now, isn’t it rude to ignore the pleasant melody of DEATH?” the voice mocked his justifiable cowardness. 

As Geovanni continued looking at the cesspool of an amalgamation of abominations within his set point of view, it clicked in his mind what it was that had been standing in front of him.

This…...was the Corrupta Nigrum.

“No, no, you cannot be real, it still couldn’t have come out this early!” the sorcerer called out towards the unembodied voice around him.

“Oh, but it is too real, magic user,” the voice laughed, “Can’t you hear the screams of burning children? The bubbling of skin on top of the mouths of hungry birds?” 

“You disgusting little-”

Bzzt!

Geovanni looked down at his pocket taking out his phone, the cross which represented Sarv’s icon pictured on screen.

“Sarvente…” Geovanni gasped before readying to answer the call before his phone began bubbling, menting into a black liquid that immediately sank and joined with the rest of the pile, “W-What?”

“Upupup, being on a phone call while someone is talking to you is rude you know?” the voice said, “I mean, feed into despair and look upon the destruction of your precious little world!”

“Wait, you’re….” Geovanni stopped for a moment, “You’re desperate to scare me, aren’t you?”

“Excuse me….?” the voice responded.

“Which means that this, all of this, is an illusion!” Geovanni pressed his thumb down on the empty space where the phone once stood, a beeping sound being heard as a shimmering wave revealed that the phone was still in his hand the entire time, the sorcerer bringin it up to his ear, “Sarvente, what’s going on?”

“Geovanni, there's a Blacyx at the park currently, and I thought it might be where Sky, but now there’s two markers of them around that area-”

“No, it isn’t her, this is something completely different,” Geovanni responded.

“NO, NO, STOP TALKING TO THAT DEMON, PAY ATTENTION TO ME!” the voice commanded, the world around the sorcerer rumbling even more furiously, “CAN YOU NOT SEE THE CITY IS BURNING AND PEOPLE ARE DYING?! THEIR SKIN WILL BE EATEN BY THE MONSTERS INSIDE THE SHADOWS!”

“The only monster I see here is you…...Lemon Monster,” Geovanni turned around and, as he had expected, there he stood.

A tall and slim creature far above his own height, leaned over in a threatening position, long sharp claws for fingers, a black body that almost seemed to move in a way akin to static, a lemon shaped head, bulbous eyes, and a grin of sharp bloody teeth, the teeth themselves so disorganized that through the gap of them he swore the eyes of someone else stared back.

“Lemon what?” Sarv said from the other side before Geovanni closed the phone, cancelling the call. 

“Clever boy….” the creature, who indeed was the infamous Lemon Monster, responded with a slow clap, laughing softly and slowly, “I didn’t even need to rap battle you and you’ve already seen through my alteration.”

“I’m quite perceptive, but I must say, your tricks are quite realistic,” Geovanni crossed his arms, “In all honesty, I was planning on looking for you, although I didn’t quite know where to find you exactly.”

“That was the point of me hiding, no?” Lemon Monster began walking around Geovanni, the sorcerer's eyes peeled on him, “I saw what you did to those kids and such a strong individual like yourself felt like a tasty morsel to have, especially after those kids had already been eaten alive a few minutes ago.”

“T-They what?!” Geovanni took a step back.

“Oh yes, they were quite the delectable,” the creature once again laughed, “Although I knew you were different, having that magical barrier around your body, so I decided to alter your perception so that you could perhaps die of shock or something along those lines, and then I could have you all to myself.”

“You horrendous fiend!” Geovanni exclaimed, reaching his hands forward as magical circles formed around the tips of his fingers, the sorcerer extended them towards the monster as beams of light escaped from them, the creatures slinking to the side as the beams exploding across from them before heading straight towards the sorcerer, “I will not allow you to harm anyone else!”

“Oh, but poor and hungry me will have to disagree!” Lemon Monster grinned before slicing at Geovanni, the monster’s claw hitting the barir as it neared the sorcerer's skin, “Why don’t I remove your skin and we can make this quick, hmm?”

“In your wildest nightmares!” Geovanni exclaimed before blasting his beams at the creature who dodged them once again. 

“Mmm, but I just can't wait to have you for a feast!”

“Guh! Stand still!” another blast came forth, hitting the now frozen projection of the Corrupta Nigrum. 

“Hehehe, unfortunately, that will not be the case…”

“Argh, dearest father, I hate you!” Geovanni extended his arms to the side, multiple large circles appearing at his command before a barrage of yellow crystals shot from them, the creature slinking through the gaps in between like it was all a game, because in his mind, it was.

“Do you not get it Geovanni?!” Lemon Monster yelled, his voice echoing the park, no, the world, “I am no man, but a monster, and I will be the one to bring your quest for salvation to an end for I am your doo-ARGHHH!”

Lemon Monster looked down at his chest, two blackened claws passing through his chest, blood spilling onto the floor before becoming black, as the creature rotated his head to look at his assailant which had surprisingly been Sarvente within her demonic form, the nun gritting her teeth with fury before pulling the creature apart, ripping his body in half as the monster fell to the ground, his body pieces squirming before lifting themselves up, beginning to rebuild the body.

Geovanni immediately conjured up a magical circle before beginning to circulate his hand, manipulating the remains of the creature as they slithered tightly into a ball of death and chaotic birth at the center of his circle.

The world around the two shimmered and waved for a second before gradually melting away like mud, this whole illusion almost seeming to be a part of the monster himself, and Geovanni looked around to find what had occurred.

Multiple parts of the park had gaping holes and craters on the floor, everyone around the sorcerer backing away as they huddled their loved ones close, fearful expressions on their faces.

“W-What did….?’ Geovanni looked towards Sarv who herself was also mildly damaged, her right side of her abdomen hit with an orange glow that he had immediately recognized as his own magic, the bruise deep inside her to the point he could almost see her muscle, “O-Oh my lord, Sarvente you’re-”

“Yes, and you are lucky no one else was in the process either,” the nun grabbed the man’s body before bursting into the air with him, Geovanni keeping his spell active to contain Lemon Monster, “I should be fine, but let’s find Sky and Ruv for now, alright.”

“But you’re-”

“I said I’m fine…” Sarv reiterated before flying towards the church's direction, “It wasn’t your fault, it was that fiend’s, but you shouldn’t have hung up on me like that.”

“I know, I’m sorry, but I thought I could handle him,” Geovanni looked down as they neared a building that was close to the church’s location, though not directly towards it, “You’re much stronger than I was…...and smarter as well.”

“You flatter me, but do not think so little of yourself,” Sarv closed in on the church, “You saw through that monster’s illusion.” 

“Yes, but I still haven’t got a clue as to what his presence meant, nor why he had targeted me specifically, but at least we have one creature to contain, huh?” Geovanni looked at the ball of black ink with a smile of relief and a small amount of pride that was immediately overshadowed with guilt at what had happened, “I hope I didn’t seriously hurt the citizens.”

“No, they are fine, and the authorities will take care of the destruction, although we might need to be more covert and limit our time outside our homes for a while,” Sarv suggested.

“I suppose so….” Geovanni looked back towards the park, sighing in disappointment towards himself. 

How could he allow such a tragedy to occur?

That fruit headed monster is truly something to be reckoned with, and now he would have to contain it?

This day could not be in the line to become any worse…….could it?

- End Of Part 5 -

Friday Night Funkin’ is an open-source donationware rhythm game developed by Cameron “ninjamuffin99” Taylor, David “PhantomArcade” Brown, Isaac “kawaisprite” Garcia, and evilsk8r.

Mid-Fight Masses is a Friday Night Funkin’ Game Mod by Dokki.doodlez and all respective characters associated with it are also owned by said creator.

Sky was a mod made by bbpanzu and character inspired by bfswifeforever.