#when his city is littered with buildings and signs and lag so much

[k-kaez]

joel genuinely gets so excited when he builds and it makes me so excited GOD HES SUCH A GOOD BUILDER

[quinncupine]

Hiiii quinn! I never realised you did requests but if it would be fine (and also because its my sole goal) could you do a boom boom boi and izubby with having their own cat or dog as a pet??? I'm seriously thinking that boom boom boi would be both a cat and dog person, don't u agree? (Ily lots and don't feel pressured to do this if you have a lot of stuff going on!)

Hi Dorki! I'm finally making my way through my requests and I was really excited to write this one! Okay, hope you like it!

Quinns Masterlist

Wanna request something?

The Boys with Pets

Word Count: 1,750

Featuring: Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo!

Warnings: dogs, cats, cursing

Izuku Midoriya

Now Izuku loves pretty much all animals, but I can totally see him getting a dog. Dogs are loyal and full of energy just like a certain green-haired hero. The perfect duo.

He would probably rescue one from the pound, the one with the biggest, saddest, cutest eyes because how could he not? But someone has to go with him because he'd try to rescue them all if there was no one there to stop him. Once a hero, always a hero I suppose.

I'm thinking for names, he would definitely pick a name that reflects his favorite heroes. Don't be surprised if he names his dog something super cheesy like Mighty or Rocky…

Wait, okay, I've decided, he names his dog Mighty and that is the hill I will die on.

The life of a hero is quite busy so when he goes off on long missions, he drops the dog off at his mom's house. Inko has fallen in love with this sweet pup, so much so that she sometimes begs him to stop by with the dog for a visit. It's the closest thing she's got to grandbabies at the moment, she'll take what she can get :)

Now, this cute pup draws in the attention of just about everyone so he's gotten an influx of attention and a few numbers slipped in his hand during their walks, much to his flustered surprise.

Best wingman ever.

This dog goes on regular runs with Izuku and sometimes even helps him with training. I'm thinking a Collie or an Aussie would just be the perfect fit for him to keep up with his personality and lifestyle. He needs an active dog!

I can see it now, he goes on his daily morning runs with this cute Lil furry training buddy and they race the whole way! A few regulars on the trail know about this and it's become sort of a tradition to cheer the two on as they pass.

 ...

The morning air was crisp with the slight scent of the coming autumn, the perfect morning for a run. Izuku, dressed in his usual training wear, had a steady rhythm going for the last forty minutes, letting out even, controlled breaths. This was the easy part of the run, a warm-up if anything, and he hadn't even broken a sweat yet. The canine jogging by his side was enjoying the dewy morning air as well, tongue happily flopping out the side of her mouth. The shared morning ritual between man and man's best friend: Mighty.

Her tail picked up speed, wagging uncontrollably as they neared the bend where the giant jagged rock towered over the path. It was the place marker to start the race. A three-mile run to the top of the hill located at the center of the park. It was also Mighty's favorite part of the morning.

"Ready girl?" Izuku grinned down at the ecstatic dog who barked in reply.

The instant the two of them passed the big rock, they both broke out in full speed, leaving behind a cloud of dust. Happy barks filled the air as she gained the upper hand. Izuku laughed as the dog turned to look back at him lagging behind her. He always did these races without his quirk to assist him. It was only fair and it helped him work on his natural stamina in case he was ever in a situation where he couldn't use his quirk. Always good to be prepared.

He watched as she bounded up the first steep hill on the trail. There were a few small hills on this route, but this one was the hardest to climb and Mighty had the advantage with her four legs so she always managed to pull ahead first. She stopped at the top and barked him on before quickly disappearing over the crest.

When he reached the top, he stopped for just a second to take in his surroundings. This part of the park was a heavily wooded area with numerous trails that many people used to hike or run. It also served as a great view of the city skyline and he couldn't help but stop and admire the rising sun from between the foggy buildings every time. Then Mighty barked to pull him out of his thoughts.

"It's not over yet!" He called after her and raced down the hill, putting on an extra burst of speed to easily close the distance.

Tail wagging, she nipped playfully at his feet as they sprinted along the path, side by side. There weren't many people out this early so he usually had the trail to himself. The only sounds were the wind in the trees, the leaves crunching under feet and paws, Mighty barking beside him, and his own unrestrained glee as they ran together.

These were the mornings he loved. Just the two of them, away from the stresses that came with pro-hero work. He wouldn't trade being a hero for anything, but sometimes it got to be too much so coming here to clear his mind with a little run was always a cathartic release, only made better by the furry companion by his side.

The short bridge that arched over the creek signaled the last mile. Getting more serious, Izuku pulled ahead of Mighty, not able to hold back the giant grin as he streaked across the bridge, startling a few birds off the railings which Mighty barked at as she came up behind him.

Up ahead was a large open meadow with a small duck pond near the center. A few benches were scattered about the path and he saw the same elderly couple sitting in their usual spot with a bag of rice and seed to feed the plethora of ducks waddling around their feet.

"You got him this time Mighty!" The old man looked up as the two of them zipped down the path towards the couple.

"Show 'em what girls can do!" The woman cracked a smile, waving her hands.

"Morning Mr. and Mrs. Fujino!" Izuku waved as he passed. "Don't count me out yet!"

Mighty barked her greeting and took a detour, herding some ducks closer to the couple then with a quick lick to Mr. Fujino's hand, she sprinted back to catch up to Izuku.

The Fujino's marked the last leg of the race. The only thing left was to climb the top of the largest hill in the park to the old oak tree at the top. That was the finishing line. It was always a gamble as to who finished first every day, but Mighty sure had a competitive spirit.

Izuku pumped his legs as he steadily made his way up to the dirt trail, Mighty just behind him before she suddenly veered left and disappeared into the shrubbery. He was so focused on the tree that slowly came into view just around the curve as he neared the top that he didn't notice.

Just as the path leveled out, almost to the finish line, he glanced back to see no sign of his dog. The tree was a few feet away when a furry mass ambushed him from the side, knocking him clean off his feet. The pro hero landed in the grass with a heavy Oof. Sitting on his chest was Mighty, looking quite proud of herself.

"Cheater!" He laughed, trying his best to hold back the slobbery licks she was determined to give him. "Okay, okay, I'll call it a tie!"

 Katsuki Bakugo

Now Katsuki on the other hand would totally be a cat person. Not that he has anything against dogs, but cats are more his style. They don't need constant attention and are pretty much self-sufficient. Just the way he likes it.

That being said, Katuski would go all out on toys and the latest gizmos to take care of his cat. Has a self-cleaning litter box, a waterfall bowl, an automatic feeder, etc. You get the picture.

Oh, and toys galore. If he has space, this cat is getting a personal jungle gym that lets him walk up to the ceiling. S.P.O.I.L.E.D.

Doesn't like to tell people just how much he actually loves this cat because he's never been one to express emotions, but this cat just gets him to his core. They share the same wavelength and he appreciates that. The cat is the only one he trusts to open up to, so sometimes you might catch him ranting to the poor thing who just stares back with big wide eyes and occasional meows. Yup, totally gets him.

I see him with a super chill cat, like maybe a Ragdoll or a Russian Blue. Something that tolerates his constant screaming and explosions.

This guy is just as bad at names. It'll definitely be something long and dramatic like Lord Cat Explosion Demon God of Furballs. Yep. He doesn't take criticism so most people call him Lord Furballs, much to his disdain.

Katsuki won't ask for attention from the cat, but the little furry feline is a total cuddler and will often find itself curled up in his lap or even on his neck if Katsuki's sitting on the couch. You better believe this guy won't be moving until that cat decides it's time to move. He's been late to meetings with friends because of this cuddly cat.

He's a hero so this cat is definitely being treated right. Katuski is no slacker when it comes to caring for his lil buddy. The vet is on speed dial should anything ever happen.

Did someone say a custom-made collar that matches his hero costume to a tee?

He's never loved anything more.

 ...

"Uh, hey Bakubro, why is your cat glaring at me?" Ejiro asked, staring down at the feline.

"What?" Katsuki didn't even bother to look up from his laptop.

"Your cat. It's giving me the evil eye. I thought it was supposed to be friendly." The red-haired hero frowned, not able to break eye contact with the cat. "I don’t think it likes me."

The small furry creature had lazily curled up in the sunspot next to Katsuki's feet, purring away without a care in the world. It seemed harmless enough, except for the heavy glare it was shooting Ejiro's way.

"Heh," Katsuki finally glanced down and crossed his arms. "He's not glaring. That's just his face."

"Ah," Ejiro nodded, "like father like son."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean!?"

Taglist: @thecindy @peachsenpie @awilddreamerwrites @miriobaby @kiyoobi @dragonsdreamoffire @amive2567 @justscar @kenmaskitten10 @freckledoriya

[stories-mostly]

Stark's Bug

Tony Stark x Son!Reader

=Masterlist=

Guess what? I'm back with another chapter! And also had a revelation when writing but it had nothing to do with writing. It's just that I realized that mammoths weren't mammoths to the people that lived with them is all. Blew my mind straight out the window. Anyway, enjoy.

Words: 2764

Warnings: none

Chapter 19

So turns out that letter your teacher gave you to hand your dad was an invitation for a parent teacher conference so now you and your dad were sitting opposite Mrs Foster who was going on over your grades and work. She was saying that she had been giving you more difficult work that was for 4th graders and above to test her theory.

You were extremely under challanged with the second grade material. And understood more advanced materials with ease. Meaning now you should seriously consider what to do now. And there really were just two options. Skip a grade or be given more advanced courses and material while remaining in the same grades as your friends.

And with that you and your dad were left to make that decision.

Your dad wasn't a fan of the idea of skipping a grade. He feared that you might not be able to befriend older kids that would be your classmates. Not that he told you that but he's just worried. About everything to be honest but especially things that concern you.

The day after the talk with the teacher he sat you down and explained to you in detail what either thing would do. And left you to form your own opinion.

It was a lot to take in for an almost 8 year old. So you did what sounded coolest to you and your friends. And all of you thought it would be really cool for you to skip some grades.

So you told your dad that you want to skip instead of getting advanced work. The teachers gave your dad lots of the curricular of the 4th grade for you to test your knowledge with. So on weekends and after school you got different homework then your peers. 4th grade math, English and such. To everyone's surprise it was easy and didn't took longer than your usual homework. So one more grade was put on the skip list.

5th grade work was harder and at least gave you a bit of a challenge but it wasn't impossible so arrangements were made that if your grades held up you would be skipping 3rd and 4th grade.

You found that very exciting and worked hard despite school not being challenging at all. And when summer break arrived you were given the clear to skip the next two grades. The next school year you will be in 5th grade.

You won't be changing schools though as your school was both elementary and middle school in one. It was just different rooms.

But you didn't have to worry about that yet. Because it was finally summer break and you could lounge about at home and do whatever the f you want!

You, your dad, Pepper, and Happy were all spending the break in New York for the most part. Because they were planning on building a tower there which is cool in your opinion. Peppers idea. What wasn't so cool however was that you had to spend a considerable amount of time inside of office buildings or the apartment they had rented, as both of them were busy and neither really wanted to go outside in this city and cause a ruckus. So Happy was basically a godsend whenever he was free.

When he didn't have to drive anyone around he spends time with you. You actually got to explore the city because of him.

Today Happy was taking you around Central Park while your dad were in a meeting room discussing the buying of some property where they want to build that tower.

You were meanwhile making friends in the park. And were all around having a much more pleasant time.

You were climbing up a tree near the playground when a boy approached you.

"Woah you're really high up!" The boy pointed out. And you were. The branches were getting thinner though so you couldn't climb much higher.

"You're really good at climbing." He pointed out and you responded with a polite "Thank you."

Making your way down you jumped off the last branch and landed infront of the kid.

"My name is Y/n, do you wanna play together?"

"Yes! What do you want to play?" The boy responded in high pitched happy tone, not giving you his name.

The two of you wandered back onto the playground and dug as deep a hole into the sand as possible together.

"Its like a tiger trap." The boy mused and your head lit up with an idea.

"We can cover it up like a trap!" You stood up, wiped the sand off your legs and ran off looking for branches and leaves. Just like in TV.

You told the other boy to do the same and put it next to the hole. Together you covered the hole with sticks, then threw on the leaf litter and topped it off with sand.

It was still clearly visible if you looked for it, but from above it just looked like an average little sand mount.

"Now we only have to wait for tigers to smell the meat." The boy said as he placed a rock on top of the mount as a lure.

"We better hide." You pointed out and the two of you ran off the hide behind a tree to wait for the tiger to come.

And the tiger came. But not like you'd have expected. Happy, who had been reading something on his cell phone before looked up and realized you were gone out of his sight.

He jumped to his feet and looked about the playground not noticing the newly covered up hole in his search for you. With one step he broke the twigs and branches and his foot disappeared into the hole.

You bust out giggling as you ran forward to shout about the tiger being captured.

The boy was more shocked, he seemed flustered and apologetic towards your uncle.

"Are you hurt sir?" He asked shyly expecting the worst.

"No kiddo it's fine. That's a nice trap you two build there. Can you fill it back up so nobody else falls in?" He directed the last question at you. You sighed, nodded and got to work. The boy joined you and soon enough the hole was no more. Happy gave you a thumbs up at that and you turned back to your new friend.

"Eugene, it's time to go." It sounded from the benches not even 10 minutes into your new game. A younger looking woman was waiting there looking over the playground.

You turned your head to see which one of the kids were going when your friend started to leave.

Oh, so his name was Eugene.

You followed him to, what you assumed was his mother. Not really ready to have him go yet.

"Do we have to?" Eugene sulked but was beside her non the less.

"Yes, your mother said she'll meet us at the zoo in 15 minutes. So we have to go now."

"You're going to the Zoo?" You chimed in grinning.

"Yes, what's your name?" The lady who was not his mother asked.

"Y/n, and you?"

"Just call me Claudia. Yes, we're going to the zoo. Are you alone here? Where are your parents?"

"My uncle is right there."

She asked you a few more polite questions a person might ask to entertain a strangers child.

"We have to go now. Eugene be nice and say Goodbye to your friend." She finally said and pushed said boy forward a little. He hugged you a bit too tightly and waved to you as he left. Being polite you waved back.

So that's that.

With a sigh you turned to Happy who was now writing something in his phone. How boring. You wished you had your costume so you could play superhero.

Now that Eugene was gone you didn't know what to do with yourself. So you did the next logical thing and plopped yourself down next to Happy and stared off I to the abyss.

"You ready to leave?" Happy asked after putting away his phone.

"Yeah."

And so you both stood up and started walking along a nearby path. As you were walking Happy pulled up his arm to look at the watch on his wrist.

"We still have about an hour to spare. What do you wanna do?"

A lightbulb went off in your head and your whole demeanour changed in an instant.

"Can we go to the zoo?"

"The zoo? Sure." So Happy being the all knowing person he is turned and steered you in the direction of the central park zoo.

After paying you sprinted from exhibit to exhibit looking to spot as many animals as you could and maybe even spot Eugene again.

Happy could barely keep track of you in the crowds of people. It was summer vacation so lots of people were visiting the small zoo.

For the next animals you walked into a building. Happy however walked past it not having seen you enter it. You were oblivious to his absence and stared at the cute lil snake in it's big terrarium.

When you reached the exit you turned to see how far Happy was lagging behind you. When you saw that he wasn't. Now you were small and he could be just behind some tall people so you waited a little thinking he'd come eventually.

But he didn't. So you panicked. Much like Happy who was backtracking to where he last saw you. Just a few seconds after he passed the exit you came out looking like the scared kid you were.

You were already thinking about how you'd get to the apartment on your own. You sort of know the way, but only barely. And the address was out of the question.

You wanted to cry, but you knew that that wouldn't help. And also you didn't like crying in the first place, much less in public. So with a blurred vision you pushed past groups and families in a blind search for your uncle.

Meanwhile he was debating whether calling the police right now was a bit too early. What about your dad? He would have his head if something happens to you.

You passed the seal enclosure and climbed up on a bench trying to see over the crowd, looking for any sign of the one person that could save you in this situation. Your family and teacher had told you what to do in the case you were in but in your panic everything flew out the window. The whole "stay put" "find a family and ask for help" "find an employee/Police officer" wasn't coming to mind right now. All that was on your mind was that you were alone and scared and in a city that you didn't know.

A woman looked in your direction and frowned. She saw the distressed look on your face and came over tugging along a boy not much younger than you. Followed by an adult man.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" She asked prompting you to look to her. She saw the tears building in your eyes and knew what happened.

"I can't find my uncle." You said your voice wavering dangerously, confirming her suspicion.

"Sit down sweetheart. What's your name? Mine's May." She said softly laying her hand on your forearm.

"Y-Y/n."

"Alright Y/n, do you know what your uncles name is? What does he look like?" The man now asked, he was crouching down in front of you.

The boy sat down on the other side of you, obviously concerned.

"His na-me is, is Happy but that's not his real name," you explained as the almost crying hiccups in your breath started, "His real name is, is Harold Hogan. And hes taller- than you and chubby. Wi-th brown hair that is short."

May was taking mental notes, the guy sounded sort of familiar.

"And what's your full name, sweetie?" She asked.

"(Full/n)-Stark." You said as the damm finally broke. You wanted to go home, you wanted your dad, you wanted to not be here right now. It was all to much and you just let it out as the younger boy patted your back.

May had been stunned speechless by your name but called into action as your cries reached her ears.

"Shhh, shhh, baby it's alright, well find him don't worry." As she consoled with words she also pulled you into her arms. This was just supposed to be a nice afternoon with Peter and her Husband and now it turned into a rescue mission for a celebrity's child. But you were a child first, and a very scared one at that.

As your sobs quieted down she had made a decision on how to find the man.

"Y/n, are you alright to stay here for a moment? I'll go look for your uncle and you stay here with Ben and Peter, okay?" She pointed at the two people who had accompanied her respectively to show which ones which.

You nodded reluctantly and leaned against the back of the bench. Now with a red nose and slightly puffy eyes.

"Peter, you look over him okay?"

The boy, Peter nodded dutifully and took your hand and started talking after May had left.

"Are you okay now?" His voice was full of concern.

You nodded.

"Do you want some water?" Ben now asked and held a bottle towards you.

"No, thank you."

It was silent for a moment. None really knowing what to do.

"Okay, let's talk about your day then shall we?" The adult tried again, attempting to keep your mind from worrying thoughts, "What did you do today?"

"I was at the Playground. And I played with a boy named Eugene."

"That's nice, me and Peter made breakfast together today. Right Pete?"

"Yeah! We made bug pancakes to surprise aunt May," the boy beamed, " They were bigger than my face and we put syrup and strawberries and stuff on them! Do you like pancakes?"

"Yeah. But I never eat them with strawberries."

"Why not? They're tasty like that!"

"Because Pepper is allergic and so we can't have them incase the strawberry stuff gets on other stuff. It's called cross contamination and it's dangerous if you're allergic."

"That sucks!"

"Hey!" Ben chimed in at that kind of language.

"Do you at least like Strawberries?"

You shrugged. They weren't your favourite but definetly not the worst.

May looked around herself quickly spotting an employee of the zoo. But before she could approach them for help a better option walked into her vision. The man himself looking around panicked, trying to spot the small lost child in the crowd.

"Excuse me!" She half shouted and jogged over to him.

"Excuse me are you maybe looking for a little lost boy?"

Happy's head turned up with a mixture of relief and confusion.

"Yes! Hes about this big, (colour) hair, wears a Blue T-shirt with a lion on it. His name is Y/n."

"That's him, I found him looking for you over there, follow me."

"Oh my God, thank you so much! I can't tell you how grateful I am that you found him!" Happy followed her to the bench were you were animatedly talking with the young boy over various breakfast foods.

"Y/n!"

You perked up at the familiar voice. Before you could even process that your uncle was there you were already swooped up into a hug. Happy visibly relaxed having you back on his radar. With a sigh he put you back on your feet and took your hand in his.

"I don't know how I can thank you Mrs...."

"Parker, and it's nothing really. I'm sure anyone would have done the same." She waved him off.

Happy contemplated before coming up with a thank you thing to do.

Next thing you know you're holding hands with Peter and eating some ice cream together with the three adults.

Peter had taken your other hand as soon as Happy started to walk towards the ice cream vendor and was now talking about everything and nothing inbetween licks of strawberry flavoured ice cream as you wandered through the zoo together. Closely followed by Happy, May and Ben, who you felt very uncomfortable adressing with their first name.

Half an hour later the ice cream long finished you parted ways with the Parker family having turned the bad thing into something great. You've also learned a lot about Peter. Apparently he really likes both animals and Superheroes and was fumbling with excitement when you told him that not only did you have a pet but you also had a superhero dad.

On the ride home you gushed very excitedly to Happy about the boy and his interests. Your new friend was so cool in your opinion even if he was a year younger.

Peter was doing the same on his ride home. Not being able to comprehend that he just met the kid of Iron Man! Who kept a crayfish as a pet! Who does that? He just met someone who did. And he didn't even know he was gonna meet him again not all that long into the future.

Tags: @shannonr2003 @art-estrange @tater-thotties @tonystanktheirondad @gaylemonshark @emilaa2001 @kindahadeschild @actualcringetm

[shianhygge-imagines]

Silver Rose [Vergil/Reader] {Devil May Cry} Nero

AN: Ahem... confession I’ve never personally played dmc4... Nero’s personality is based off of what I’ve seen of dmc4 on YT and from dmc5. 

So, hopefully this isn’t too off the mark. 

Still getting it together with the jet lag, if I’m being completely honest. I slept through an entire day just to fix it a little. And I’m still waking up and falling asleep at odd hours.

|Masterlist Link|    |First Chapter|    |Prev. Ch.| --- |Next Ch.|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come on, Y/N! You know you want to!” Dante teased, while dragging you through the streets of Fortuna. Somehow, your brother in law had managed to drag you from the confines of your room to another city almost completely isolated from the rest of society. 

At first, you’d been under the impression that Morrison had given the two of you a new job. Dante had practically burst into your room that morning with a bright grin, chattering about how the two of you had a lot to get done in the next few days. That “we’ll be set for a few months.” So, thinking that it was a high paying job for once, you’d practically flown out of bed to get ready for a rewarding mission. You’d been suspicious of Dante insisting that you ride along with him on his bike, but you’d let it go on account of Dante giving you the puppy eyes that made you incapable of carrying a grudge against him. It had taken you half a day of traveling before you’d started to read the road signs along the highway. All seemed fine until you’d read, “Fortuna - 30 miles away,” and you’d promptly screamed at Dante, who, like always, laughed at your expense. You had reluctantly agreed to wanting to meet Nero, but you didn’t think that Dante would spirit you away the very next day.

It was at that point that you realized why Dante had been so insistent on you not taking your own bike. He didn’t want you trying to run away. No matter how much you argued, Dante didn’t stop the bike the rest of the way to Fortuna. And it wasn’t like you could simply jump off a motorcycle that was going 130mph.

“This is humiliating, Dante!” You cried, digging your boot heels into the cobblestone ground as Dante dragged you backwards through the streets. If was a fact that the two of you looked ridiculous to the people of Fortuna, and you could almost hear them whisper about the rowdy outsiders.

“Well, it wouldn’t be humiliating if you’d. Just. COOPERATE!!” Dante grunted, giving a hard yank with his arms wrapped around your waist. The leather on his coat sleeve gave a protesting squeak.

“You can’t make me do this!” The protest left your mouth along with a loud yelp at suddenly being yanked.

“You’re a grown ass woman, Y/N!”

“And as a grown ass woman, I can make my own decisions!”

“Well, you sure ain’t acting like one! Stop being a coward!”

“I’M NOT A COWARD!”

“YES, YOU ARE!”

“NO, I’M NOT!”

“YES.”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“NO!”

“WHAT ARE YOU SO SCARED FOR?”

“I AIN’T GOING TO BE A REPLACEMENT!”

…..

…..

“…What?”

Your answering grumble was enough of a sign for Dante to turn you around in his arms, forcing you to either stare at his chest, or his face. You weren’t normally this unreasonable. “Y/N… what’s really bothering you?”

“… I’m scared that he won’t like me trying to play at being his mother, Dante.” You whispered, wanting to disappear in a hole at all the stares being directed at the two of you. If Nero was anything like his father or uncle, then he was the type to dislike being underestimated. “I don’t want to just pop into his life after eighteen or so years and be like, ‘Hey! I’m your stepmother, I’ve come to  support you!’ What if he thinks that I’m pitying him?”

“Y/N… you don’t have to be his mother. Just… be there for him. Nero’s not the kind of person to just take charity, but he’s also not the type to dislike a person upon meeting them.” Dante sounded so sure of himself as he reassured you, but you still fidgeted from the nervousness.

“I… I’ll go see him, but if Nero finds my presence annoying, then I’m out. I just want…” You didn’t finish your sentence as you toyed with the necklace around your neck. I just want a family, again. You didn’t have to voice the last bit, the suddenly somber glint in Dante’s eyes told you that he knew exactly what you were thinking.

“You know… maybe you should let me come to my own conclusion before you start worrying.” A playfully annoyed voice suggested from behind. An embarrassing squeak left your lips as you spun around to confront the voice’s owner, indignant at being caught unaware.

The first thing that caught you off guard was the chin length white hair, still so striking even after spending years in the company of the twin Sons of Sparda. He was young, but he was tall, almost as tall as Dante, if not a few inches shorter, and you had to tilt your head to look him in the face. It was like a slap to the face with how similar he looked to Vergil, and you found yourself taking an involuntary step backwards in shock. He had the same blue eyes that made your legs weak, stubborn, passionate sapphire eyes so much like his father’s. But that self-assured smirk was without a doubt something that Dante shared with the young man. Without a doubt, the young man that stood before you was Nero.

A silence settled over the three of you until Dante broke the silence. “Hey, Nero! Long time no see! How have you been, kid?” Your eyes narrowed at your brother in law… real smooth, Dante. Real smooth.

“We just saw each other two days ago, Dante. Not much has changed since.” Nero’s expression was absolutely blank as he pointed this fact out to Dante. It was true enough, which probably made Nero very suspicious of Dante’s sudden return with a stranger nonetheless. The young man’s eyes flickered to look you over before he directed the next question towards you. “So what brings you to Fortuna?”

“We were actually looking for you, Nero.” You winced at how uncomfortable you sounded.

Nero spread out his arms briefly as he spoke, “Well, here I am. What did you need that warranted coming back so quickly? The city’s still in ruins you know?”

“Actually,” Dante started, raising a finger to the sky, “how did you find us so quickly?”

Nero blinked once… twice… three times before using his thumb to point backwards at the large estate behind him. “You were both making a ruckus outside of the orphanage… and I live in that orphanage.”

You lifted a hand to smack Dante on the back of his head and turned to glare at him. “So your plan was to drag me kicking and screaming across Fortuna until Nero found us?! What kind of shitty plan was that!”

“Ow! Hey! Y/N! At least it worked!” Dante protested when you tried to hit him again, pointing at the much younger man. “Worked like a charm! He found us!”

“Yeah, after half of Fortuna pointed and stared at us!” You threw your arms up in exasperation before promptly burying your face in your hands and muttering, “Ugh. I’m so not ready for this.” 

“Uh. Dante? You going to introduce us?” Nero chimed in, a smirk on his face as he crossed his arms, waiting patiently for the two of you to get your acts together.

Dante gave an easy grin as he hauled you up from your hunched and embarrassed position, spinning you around and draping his left arm strategically over your shoulders so that you couldn’t lift your arms to hide your face. You shot your brother in law an indignant scowl when he proceeded to poke your cheek with his index finger. “This particular ball of pint sized sunshine… is Y/N. She’s my sister.” At this, your cheek twitched from how unbelievable this lie was.

Nero, for his part, looked equally unimpressed, and shifted his weight to lean on one foot. “Right. You don’t resemble one another at all.”

“She’s adopted?” Dante explained, sounding unsure of himself as he shrugged. “Anyways, I thought I’d bring her here to help with the relief effort. Y/N’s a bit of a do-gooder and likes to look after people.”

Oh, how you wanted to strangle Dante. You weren’t pint-sized and you sure as hell were not a do-gooder. If anything, Dante’s the do-gooder with how often he doesn’t accept payment for his jobs. Deciding that you’d deal with Dante’s lame explanations later, you slapped a friendly smile on your face and offered your right hand for a handshake, “Nice to meet you, Nero. Dante wouldn’t shut up about you.”

For a brief moment, Nero’s blue eyes flickered back and forth between your eyes and your offered hand, and you knew that you were being sized up. After a few seconds, Nero’s thin lips curved into a boyish grin and he took your hand in his, giving a gentle but firm shake. “I appreciate the help, Ms. Y/N.”

Before you could respond that Nero didn’t have to add a title to your name, a shock seemed to run up both of your arms, and the two of you promptly released each other’s hands. By your side, Totsuka hummed in recognition at the familiar presence, and Nero’s demonic arm started to glow. Nero’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at you, “Who are you, Y/N?”

“I… uh… think it’s better if we talked about this in private, Nero.” Dante suggested, getting in close to Nero and whispering, “Y/N’s connected to the Yamato.”

The younger man seemed to recoil at the mention of the Yamato, confusion plastered on his face as he glanced at your own bewildered face. “Yeah, fine, we’ll talk in the garage.” With a small wave to follow, Nero pulled away from Dante and began to stroll towards the large ornate building behind him, pulling open the nearly demolished black gate to lead the two of you through.

It might have been a very beautiful orphanage at one point, if not for the rubble that littered the property. You thought that perhaps at one point, children might have spent their time running around the large lawn, noticing the various tire swings decorating the larger trees and the metal playground. There were definitely still children living in the orphanage, as you could see their little faces peaking out at you from the orphanage windows, but you guessed that it was still too dangerous for them to be playing outside.

Around the side of the orphanage was a less ornate structure attached to the building. The garage seemed to have been a side thought to the entire structure, only added because of convenience from the looks of how bland it was.

It was only after the three of you were inside the garage that Nero turned around and demanded, “Okay. What the hell is going on?”

Dante made the expression that he normally used when he was about to start spouting nonsensical information, so you kindly stepped up to cover his mouth. “My husband was the previous owner of the Yamato.”

Nero blinked for a moment before looking down at his still glowing arm, “You’re not here to take it back, right?”

You shook your head, hand still firmly on Dante’s mouth. “No. I’d imagine the only way to retrieve the Yamato would be to cut your arm off.” When Nero defensively hid his arm from your view, you chuckled and shook your head. “Besides, the Yamato tends to be attracted to its owner’s next of kin.”

“Next of kin?” Nero muttered before something seemed to click in his head, “Wait, so does that mean my father is…”

“My husband, yes.” You confirmed, looking as uncomfortable as Nero was.

“Then… are you my mother?” You didn’t know if it was hope, anger, or sadness that made Nero’s voice tremble just the slightest.

You shook your head sadly, “I’m not, Nero.”

“But if you’re not my mother, then… oh.” Realization dawned on him at the circumstance to his birth and suddenly the boy looked pained, “I’m sorry.”

You managed a grateful smile, your hand dropping from Dante’s mouth. “You’re a sweet boy, Nero. I’m sorry that I didn’t come find you sooner. It must have been difficult without parents.”

“I wasn’t alone, though.” Nero’s blue eyes lit up from memories of happy times, “I had Credo and Kyrie to help me. I… uh… do you want to meet Kyrie, Ms. Y/N?”

You nodded the affirmative and moved to follow Nero into the main house, “I’d love to, Nero. And you don’t have to call me Ms.”

“Then, what do I call you?”

“Just Y/N is fine, Nero.”

“Y/N, then.”

….

“Seriously, guys? You just forgot about me?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Around a year later.

“Nero, behind you!�� Bang!

“Thanks for the save, Mom!”

…

The two of you stood in silence at the center of a ring of ash, having killed a good handful of demons. Both of you paused in awkward silence, your eyes wide in surprise, and Nero bashfully sporting a dusting of pink on his cheeks.

“I mean… uh…” Nero stuttered, trying to explain his slip up before huffing and giving up, scratching the side of his cheek, “Can I… call you that?”

“You want to call me ‘Mom?’” you wheezed, eyes burning from the overflow of emotion you sudden felt.

“I mean, if you don’t mind-”

“I don’t.” You interrupted, looking touched and determined to make this work. “I don’t mind if you call me that.”

Nero’s posture relaxed a great deal, a relieved grin appearing on his lips. “Seriously? That’s great.” The younger devil hunter gave a huge sigh, “Okay… Mom.”

You bit your lip when Nero called you his mother again. “Nero… I’m going to hug you now, okay?”

Your son’s eyebrows rose, but he didn’t question your request, merely opening his arms, voice just the slightest bit hoarse as he replied, “Okay.”

Before you knew it, you had Nero in your arms, pure joy flowing through you as he hugged you back. “My son. My beautiful son.”

Did you hear that, Vergil? He wants me to be his mother. He’s our son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-fi!

[red-moskito]

16. March. 2020 Málaga, Spain

Yesterday:

There are orderly lines outside of the few shops that are open. Employees in masks and gloves are controlling entry to supermarkets.

I have rarely seen Spanish people wait in such straight lines. They are respecting the suggested distances but obviously this varies as you move around a shop and then pay for goods.

One person at a time is allowed in a pharmacy. On Saturday I called for prescription medications. I have always been conscious of what privilege this is and how many people do not have it. The recording being played while instructed all people to stay limit outdoor movement regardless of age of condition. I wondered why the message was not being broadcast to the public. A couple of hours later it was on TV. I got through and got an appointment for this Tuesday. Under normal circumstances, I would have a three minute interaction with my doctor to renew my prescriptions. Now it will be done over the phone.

For many of us here it is not very common to know the names of people who work in our local shops. But older people still tend to call each other by name in the shops and bars though. I live in a beautiful, litter strewn neighborhood east of the centre of Málaga. It is one of the older neighborhoods outside of the center. Most of the buildings outside my window are one or two stories high and have terraces on the roofs with gardens. For some Malagueños, parts of Bailén-Miraflores have a somewhat poor reputation mainly because of the social class and diversity of the residents.

Though most of the businesses are still Spanish-owned, around my house many of them are owned by Chinese immigrants. Others are run by Africans and Eastern Europeans. There are also gypsies of various origin and a few other English and a mix of Euros, but not many. Since I moved in two years ago two of the flats in my building have been converted to tourist rentals. 

Spanish is a very direct language. Overweight people are gordos. Everyone is guapa or guapo regardless of what they look like. I've been told this actually refers to the person inside, but I don't know really know why it is used so much here instead of another adjective.

The local shops are often referred to as chinos which is simply the adjective for their nationality. They are more accurately called tiendas or bazars. You would almost never hear a native person from his region refer to them that way. It is not derisive by nature to call these shops chinos. So many of the products they sell also come from China of course. But because it is the adjective for both objects and people (un hombre chino, un bazar chino). I've sometimes felt the way it is used here can imply that the people and the shop are one entity.

Here children of Chinese origin intermingle freely with the Spanish, Africans and others from all over the world. But we adults lag a bit behind to be honest. I am ashamed to admit my own degree of participation in this lazy segregation. In smaller cities and towns in Spain seeing people of different ethnic backgrounds hanging out together is much less common than in the UK or USA. In Madrid and Barcelona I see it more often. 

Even though many people, no matter where they're are from don't know it, here I will always be a guiri. It doesn’t matter that I have been all but adopted by a Spanish family and accepted as a full part of this society. No como los otros. But still, un guiri.

Obviously, the shop owners and bartenders speak Spanish. I still remember a tiny bit of Chinese and sometimes say Duō shǎo qián or Xie Xie. I always say Xīnnián kuàilè and compliment new haircuts around the New Year.

But I don’t know the name of the man or woman who spend 16 hours per day 7 days per week running the general store in my building. We smile and say hello sometimes, but more often we don't.

Cuanto? Dos cincuenta. Gracias. Gracias. That's it. There's nothing wrong with that. It's that way in most shops no matter where the worker comes from. A couple of years ago when they went away for holidays, two young people came from Barcelona to run the shop, a guy and girl in their twenties. There were chattier, and we got to know each other a little, especially when there was a leak in the building and the place had to be repaired for a few days. The guy was always outside mopping or smoking a cigarette. He smiled a lot and gestured incredulously at the water coming from the ceiling.

Normally most shop workers are watching tv on their phone or a small screen while they work. Chinese men tend to watch game shows or the news. For women, soap operas, talent shows and the news.

All of my Chinese neighbors have been actively engaged in this crisis since December. They are in constant communication with their families back home. Just like we all are nowadays. Often I would see family members and friends at home on the screens wearing masks when I went to to the counter to pay. Many of the smaller local cafes where people go to hang out every day and chat or watch football are also run by Chinese-born people. In my experience they are unfailingly friendly and polite. I often see them actively working to improve their Spanish when chatting with their customers. Testing out their andaluz. Una nube, mi reina. ¡Que chorra! ¡No veas!

Walking out my doors and entering this environment is one of the many small pleasures of living where I do. It is actually a beautiful daily experience that I have thankfully never taken for granted.

The local bar I go to most often is called La Ria. The woman behind the bar is Anna. She knows almost everyone that comes in there by name. They run a football pool for the local gambling enthusiasts. I don't know Anna's husband's name. Many of the customers are retired Spanish men and women. They pass the majority of their day talking loudly sometimes at one another. Other times to no one in particular. They can spend hours there and less than five euros. Africans and South Americans drink Sprite and watch football. There are a few Russians who like to play the fruit machine.

Anna and her husband have two children who tidy up when they are not doing their required Spanish or optional Chinese language homework. They also spend a lot of time playing games on their phones too.

Their grandfather looks like he was born before the advent of airports. He sweeps the floor and collects glasses and bottles every day. He often takes breaks to smoke a cigarette outside. I have never seen him look at a screen other than the TV. He moves slowly, strongly and deliberately. His eyesight appears to be perfect.

About two blocks from from my apartment there is a large general store. I went there quite often when I moved here. The young couple that owns it is from a second tier city near Shanghai. The guy's name is Jesús. He knows exactly where to find every one of his thousands of items. He is friendly and quick to jump up to help. After I finished moving in four years ago, I didn't return for a few months because I have the small shop in my building to get drinks or snacks or lightbulbs.

The first time I went back they asked where I had been and how I was doing. Every time I return, no matter how much time has passed, they recognize me and treat me kindly.

For the last two weeks or so, many of the local bazars have had a sign outside in Spanish apologizing for wearing masks and explaining that they were for everyone's protection. Some also installed plastic screens at the counters. The first time I saw one, I just turned around and walked out. I still don’t really know why. Most of my these shops and restaurants closed days before the restrictions were put in place. I’ve been told that in other neighborhoods they closed weeks ago.

Jesús has kept his shop open. I was there four times on Saturday. On Sunday the police came to their door and ordered them to close. Of course this man and his wife are doing their best to make as much money as they can to prepare for the crisis, but they are also putting their own health at risk to provide necessities for us. Because they do not sell groceries, and even though they sell general household goods, Jesus's shop was deemed inessential. Everything I bought there was essential for me. I went there today to buy a battery for my thermometer and a flashlight. I was wearing gloves and a kaffiyeh to cover my face. 

Jesús had just closed the store, but his wife was in the street. She let me in to get what I needed. There is a sign on the door saying they will close until the situation in this country improves and "disculpa las molestias". He’d written his phone number underneath.

I asked them about their children, and if their family in China was worried about them now. They said yes. Before, we were worried. Now, they are worried. They say close the door. Stay home.

I am happy that I have treated these people and the others I interact with here with kindness and respect. But I wish I had done more. I wish I knew more of my neighbors’ names.

Today I went to a local domestic appliance shop called Juan Lucas to buy a landline phone. We have all been asked to refrain from using cellular phone as much as possible. We have also been asked to refrain from watching streaming videos or doing video chats during business hours as the network must be prioritized for people working from home and other essential communication. At this time this is a request and not an obligation, but I wanted a landline phone anyway.

The woman who sold me the phone was extremely friendly and positive. She was wearing gloves and we kept a good distance apart. But she had lowered her mask to smile at me. I told her that from now on when I applaud at the windows for our doctors and nurses I will be thinking of all of the people like her too. She thanked me and called me guapo. 

Then I bought some beans, rice and tea at a non-plastic shop run by a Hungarian man called Greg. He was quite friendly too. He said he is not worried about his family as Hungary started their quarantine with far fewer cases than we have here. He lives here. He will be staying and keeping his store open. When I got home I had to call my internet provider because I didn't know that I had to plug my phone into the router. It didn't work in the phone jack in the wall. The man that served me from vodafone was named David. He lives in Badajoz in the same neighborhood I lived in before I came to Málaga. He was calm. He took his time to be sure I had the free number to get in touch with the health services without being charged an extra fee.

There are many significant changes happening in this country right now. My inability to go outside for anything other than necessities is the least of them. I am one of the lucky ones with a place to stay.

I will applaud at my window every night for Jesus, his wife, Noelia, Greg, David and all of the others out here still doing their jobs with a smile and a kind word. They will provide us with what we need to keep our lives as normal as possible and keep our economy working.

Meanwhile there are more and more police officers, soldiers and doctors working together to keep us alive.

[meditatemoremedicateless]

Weathering the Storm 2

Part 1 Here

Tagging people who requested a second chapter: @caparun @blacknwhitekeyz

Summary: After emerging from the mysterious tunnel they had (briefly) called home, Kate and Victoria trek back to Arcadia Bay, only to find it devastated by the storm. Soon they run into Max and Chloe, and the four team up as they search for survivors.

There was no rain beating down the beach. In fact, for as far as Victoria could see or hear, everything was silent. Even the ocean refused to provide its soothing lapping, leaving everything empty. This was impossible, and they both knew it.

Victoria stumbled out onto the beach, too dazed in her disbelief to feel the sand underneath her. Kate lingered at the mouth of the tunnel, unable to leave the strange and discomforting for the familiar and impossible.

"I don't understand," Kate said unconvincingly; "where are we?"

Victoria pivoted, as if Kate's voice suddenly brought her back into reality. The question made her uneasy, and that made her harsh: "Exactly where the fuck it looks like we are, Kate. We're at the beach. We're," Victoria started to pace backwards quickly, wanting so desperately to be wrong but knowing she wasn't as soon as the body of the lighthouse came into view. She didn't yet notice what was wrong with it. She pointed up at it, as if Kate should have noticed it herself, "We're at the light house. You know, the one just outside of town? Like all of Taylor's photos are here? A good sixty miles from where we should be, possibly can be?"

Kate's hand lay on tunnel wall, gripping the stone despite the fact that it was too damp to support her at all. She still refused to leave it, like a child clutching its mother's clothes. She really had gotten attached to that frigid fragment of hell. Victoria would be pleased to never return. She'd brought her phone, and the rest could rot and rust in her pack for all she cared.

"But there's no way, right?" Kate was still trying to work this out rationally.

As Victoria retrieved her phone, she replied, "I just said there was no fucking way, didn't I? Now come out - I'll call us a ride."

She opened up her phone, immediately relieved to see the 6% still available. Thank god. She could make a phone call with six percent. And Kate was finally leaving the security of the tunnel to come join Victoria. That temporary satisfaction dissipated as soon as she saw the 'no signal' symbol.

Victoria wished she was strong. She wished she was so incredibly strong that she could just shatter her phone out of frustration like a super hero. But, try as she might, metal and plastic still trumped her. "God fucking dammit!"

"What is it?" Kate asked, finally making it next to Victoria's side. She looked like an absolute mess - pale, exhausted, and cold, wrapped as tightly as she could manage in her blanket. "Shouldn't we get our stuff?"

Victoria shook her head, looking up from her phone to the shore. Why was there no signal? How far was it to town, really? "No, just, god, leave it. Do you have your phone?"

Kate shook her head in reply, dragging her wet hair over the blanket. Unlike the rest of her, it didn't appear to have dried out at all, despite the fact that she'd unpinned it once they settled in for the night. "No. I mean, yeah, but it died hours ago. I forgot to turn it off." She turned to look at the mouth of the tunnel. "But, I mean, I still need to grab my clothes."

Victoria's grumble approached a growl, but at least now she knew what they had to do. "Fuck that, I'll buy you new clothes. I'm not going back in there." She let out a sigh, letting it fill the space while she resolved herself. She wanted to have the standards to say that she wasn't going to walk all the way back to school after everything they'd been through. Try as she might, though, she was unhappy and numb enough that pushing through the coastal cold with no feeling in her feet or hands just to collapse into her bed or the school showers sounded like enough. This was the sort of dumb-fuck display of resilience that had earned her credit in the Boy Scouts. And they were almost out of the woods, figuratively.

"Kate," she said softly, too exhausted to domineer. Gently, then, like with Taylor, "let's just walk."

Kate's lips pinched in a frown, the sound of her futilely rubbing her arms to ward off the cold the only thing in the silence. And then, "Okay."

And they left the tunnel, and their things, and the beach behind, barely aware of the fact that they encountered no one there or on the two-mile-long hike back to Arcadia Bay.

It was clear what had happened well before they ever made it to town. The closer they got, the more visible the signs of the storm became - trees stripped of their leaves and branches, litter and debris coating the road. By half a mile out it felt like they were trekking through a swamp, not a well-worn coastal highway. High winds were nothing new in Oregon storms, and they helped explain some of the eerie quiet that surrounded the two girls. It soothed Victoria as much as anything could in the cold.

When they reached the town's limits, Victoria tried her phone again. No signal.

Bullshit.

"Any luck?" asked Kate.

Victoria just shook her head and picked up the pace, though every step hurt her feet. There would be many blisters to pay for this adventure, and that, along with everything else, brought Victoria to the edge of tears.

There are no real words to describe what they saw once they left the forest behind and made it to the northern edge of town. There is a level of destruction that can't simply be reasoned in its individual parts. It was like Arcadia Bay - its homes, its gas stations, its diners, even its streets - had been pulled out by the root and thrown away, discarded like a weed. It was like the place Victoria had grown to think of as a second home, without even realizing it, was knocked over by a careless child too small to know the price of destruction, but big enough to cause it so easily. Street signs and street lights, cars and RVs were all just toppled over; every building had parts of it ripped out and scattered, smoke coiling out of a few of them that had spent the night burning.

It wasn't until they were really among the destruction that anyone said anything.

"Arcadia Bay is . . . gone." Kate's voice sounded hollow. Victoria could feel it too - that sensation that something was being ripped out of you with every step.

"Where is everyone?" Kate asked, breaking from her awe and back to her fear.

It was a question that weighed on Victoria's mind as well, but she had hoped it wasn't a question worth asking, that the fact that nobody was around was a good thing. "They must have put out a storm warning and got everyone out. That's why we didn't see anyone driving out or . . ." anyone else wandering in this dead place.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense. Plus, the city has a whole bunch of houses with Cold War bunkers, so anyone who couldn't get out was probably safe."

Victoria wished that made her feel safe. But the broken glass from overturned cars and shattered store windows was everywhere, and it begged the question: how many people could have gotten out? Is everyone really safe?

"What is that?"

There was a few seconds of lag between Kate's question and Victoria's response, following Kate's pointing to an old blue car turned on its side near the edge of the road up ahead, not really different from any of the others.

Wait, she's not pointing at the car.

Beneath the car was a blue tarp lain over something small. It didn't seem to be held down by anything, so it must have been placed in the past few hours, after the storm ended. People must have come through. Rescue crews, fire fighters, that sort of-

"I'm going to go look," Kate said, her voice finally steady for the first time since the early morning.

Victoria froze for a moment as Kate veered from the street they were on towards the coastal road that the overturned car had been parked (or driving) on. Her breathing felt loud to her amidst all the quiet. Too loud. She needed noise. She needed to keep Kate close.

"Hold up!" Victoria called after her, and Kate stopped and turned as she jogged after her.

The tarp started to feel more and more unnerving the closer they got to it, as from even a few paces away it was clear it was dry, unlike literally every other surface in town. Untouched by rain or wind after a storm . . . although it was a sign of recent life, it felt ominous.

Finally, the two of them stood over the tarp, careful as they could be not to step on the glass. Whatever was underneath the tarp was large, close to six feet long under an 8' by 8' tarp, but low to the ground.

Victoria knew what this was, but every time she tried to say it, to warn Kate, it just got choked in her throat.

Wordlessly, Kate crouched down over the tarp and peeled it back. Her body blocked Victoria's view of who it was, but not what it was. And when Kate recoiled, whether out of fear or disgust, and fell back on glass and debris, Victoria knew she had been right.

"Oh my god," Kate said, then "oh my god oh my god oh my-"

Victoria crouched down next to her, too focused on the dead kid's face to think about how Kate must have just cut herself. She knew him from somewhere. Even with the side of his face cracked open, and the dried blood caked in his hair and staining the dirt, he looked familiar. Small face. Big, brown hair. Sickly pale skin, though that might have come from being dead. Wasn't he-

"That's Warren."

That was the name.

"He's dead."

Victoria nodded. "I guess not everyone got out." She hated how flat her voice was, low and stoic. That's not what she was feeling. She must look like a robot to Kate right now, but oh, how this face filled her with a familiar dread. He was dead, and that opened the door for her that other people might be dead, too.

It took Victoria a moment to recognize an unfamiliar sound approaching, it had crept up so steadily. But finally, something out of the corner of her eye drew her attention, and she saw a red truck coming down the road, slowly, weaving as it may through the debris and muddy sand.

She tapped Kate's shoulder, and pointed over to the truck. She couldn't see who was in it yet, but it was in pretty good condition, if a little muddy, so it must have come from outside of town. It looked pretty similar to Nathan's, actually, but she knew he'd just gotten his re-painted, and this one was a rusted red.

Kate pulled the tarp back over Warren's body, then tried to get before freezing, clearly in pain.

"Victoria . . ." she started quietly. "I think there's glass in my legs."

Victoria stood, offering a hand down to Kate. As she pulled herself up, Victoria pulled up the blanket a bit to see fragments all over the back of Kate's legs, although only a few looked like they'd actually stuck in her. There were a few small cuts, though. They'd have to clean those as soon as they could. In the meantime, Victoria just did the best she could to pick off a few big pieces and delicately sweep the rest off with the blanket.

By the time they were done, the truck had made it to them and stopped, the engine cutting a few seconds later. There were two people in the truck, one of whom was-

"Max!" Kate called, making her best attempt at running over despite really stepping around glass just slightly more recklessly than normal.

The passenger side of the truck opened and Max Caulfield burst out in a rush, just managing to get in front of the truck before Kate threw herself onto her. They held onto each other tightly, not legging go as they talked fast, Kate immediately breaking down. Victoria had heard Kate cry before, through the walls of her room. It was nothing like this. This wasn't crying, really. This was wailing.

Victoria didn't want to get too close to those two, but she also couldn't bring herself to go away. Instead, she and the driver, a tall girl with a familiar but unrecognizable face and faded blue hair stood off to the side, near the back of one of the buildings, putting the truck between them and Max and Kate.

There was a good minute of awkward standing around, trying both to not make eye contact and to not look directly at the scene in front of them. Then, the tall girl chuckled, and Victoria couldn't not look at her for that.

She was shaking her head as she pulled a (miraculously dry) cigarette from her breast pocket. "You survived," she said. "Holy shit. I thought everyone was fucked."

After she lit her own, she finally turned to look directly at Victoria, then drew out another one and offered it. "You still smoke, right?"

Victoria took it, and the girl lit it for her before she responded. "Do I know you?" she asked.

The girl laughed again, louder this time so that Max turned to look (Kate was clutched to her chest and seemed to hear nothing), and it was honestly starting to get unnerving.

"I mean, I guess not," she replied after finishing a drag on her cigarette. Then, another one. "We went to school together for a few years, though."

When Victoria couldn't come up with a name, the girl just quirked an eyebrow, smiled, and said, "Chloe. Chloe Price. We had music lab together. Don't worry though, I only went like, twice before I got kicked out."

Still, finally, pieces were starting to come back together. The scruffy hair. The stupid grin. The very end of a sleeve tattoo poking out from underneath a button-up shirt that was never buttoned up.

"No, no, I remember you," Victoria finally corrected. That seemed to surprise her. "You were Rachel's friend, yeah?"

Chloe nodded, though the grin dropped from her face, and she inhaled and held her breath with the smoke like it was weed instead of a shitty cigarette. "Yeah, that was me. Rachel's friend." She seemed to lose interest in her cigarette after that, though, and just held it in her hand. "Not to uh, sour the nostalgia, but who was under that tarp? Someone you know?"

Victoria shook her head, then paused. "I mean, he went to my school, but I didn't really know him at all. His name was Warren, I think he may have been-"

The name seemed to shock Chloe though, because her composure broke and she cut in, "Whoah, what - Warren? Like, uh, the fucking nerdy kid? Max's friend?"

Victoria shrugged, although that seemed about right. It was hard to compare him to any living person she knew with his eye socket shattered and all, but she thought she'd seen him hanging out with Max sometimes. "I think so."

"Fuck."

What was even the feeling on her face? Anger? Frustration? Exasperation? What was it. It wasn't grief to be sure, but it was wildly more emotional than she'd expected towards someone Chloe had referred to as 'the nerdy kid.'

"I just . . . I literally just met him last night when Max . . . fuck."

Oh, maybe that was it. That dislocation of reality that comes when something that is here one moment is gone the next. Victoria hadn't managed to get angry about it yet. Not yet.

"But you guys. You two, you um," Chloe was struggling to get something out, so Victoria just stared at her silently until she could get it, "you two are, you know, alive! You're okay. Is the school okay? Like, everything inland, it probably didn't get hit so hard, right?"

Victoria shook her head. "We weren't in town. We were on a camping trip. I don't even know how we got here."

"Oh." She'd been pacing a little bit, but Chloe stopped. "So we don't know if . . . anyone in town is okay. We've just got one dead boy."

Victoria nodded. The gesture brought an awful, metallic taste to her mouth though. It made her want to vomit. "Yeah," she replied. "Just him so far."

"Fuck." Chloe looked over at the other two girls. Max had given her sweatshirt to Kate, who looked like she'd stopped crying and stopped holding onto Max, though Max was still petting her wet hair and talking just low enough that Victoria couldn't hear a word of what she was saying.

Chloe shook her head vigorously, as if snapping herself out of some spell. "Fuck, okay. We've got to look for others. A huge fucking storm can't just show up and nobody survives in like, their bathtub or something. And, shit, you're probably like hypothermic, aren't you? Fuck, I'm sorry, I just . . . come on, let's get in the car and go. I have a heater. Come on."

After she had been so calm, why was Chloe so shaken up so suddenly? What was the difference to her between two alive girls and a dead boy in a broken town and a dead boy in a broken town? But even though she started shouting, her voice was unsteady.

"Hey Max!" she called, "can you drive? You can drive, right? They're fucking freezing, can you just - can you drive and turn the heater on? I'll sit in the back. Please. Just. I want to see the Two Whales."

The Two Whales? That shit diner was right next to the beach. Considering how this whole area looked (and it couldn't look that much better), it probably didn't even have a roof anymore. Why would she want to go there?

Despite her silent misgivings, soon Victoria, Kate, and Max were squished into the truck's seating while Chloe sat on the edge of the truck bed, heat blasting as they worked their way slowly through the ruined town.

The scene driving through the town was worse. It didn't have the shock of disbelief like that first image of the town, laid to waste but still intangible. No, soon the buildings stopped even resembling what they had once been to Victoria at all, they were just scene backdrops to a mass murder. There will people dead in the road. There were arms sticking out of the rubble, unmoving (there is nothing we can do - we just have to wait for help to come. We can't unbury everyone). Victoria didn't recognize them, although most of them were still intact enough to be recognizable. That was, at least, until they found Evan, his clothes torn, body half-thrown through the window of a boutique (No, don't stop. I watched him die. He was taking pictures, and he just wouldn't run. Something hit his head - I, I never saw what. He's dead, I'm sorry).

Soon enough, they were parked outside of the Two Whales. About a third of it, as well as a chunk of the parking lot, was crushed underneath a display boat from a nearby boating store. The gross RV that used to hang out at the beach and in the Blackwell parking lot had rammed its way in the corner. It still had a roof, but . . .

Chloe jumped out of the truck bed before Max had even parked the car. "I'm going to see if Mom's here, just real quick, okay?" Then she rushed around the back, looking for a way in.

Max turned towards Kate and Victoria once she'd pulled out the keys. Kate just gripped her knees and said nothing, while Victoria was doing her best not to look at either of them.

"I'm going to go with her," Max said, unbuckling her seat belt and leaving without another word.

There was silence for a while. At least they weren't so wet and cold now.

"Victoria?" Kate asked.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing feels real. I feel like they're not really in there. I don't even feel real."

There was a scream somewhere deep inside Victoria. It had burrowed its way inside her after the horror had ripped her insides out, and now it sat just below her chest, demanding that she let it go. But she didn't know how. She didn't know how to do anything.

"I think we're real," Victoria replied. She'd dealt with dissociating people before, but she didn't know how to even muster the energy. She wished she could disbelieve everything she was seeing. But she didn't. It was all real. Everything was gone.

"Victoria, will you hold me?"

Victoria only nodded, familiar with this exercise from Nathan and Taylor, trying to comfort even when she was powerless to fix anything. Kate scooted closer, putting her feet up on the seat so Victoria could wrap her arms around her.

And that is how they stayed until they heard a scream another minute later. It was bloodcurdling, more enraged than frightened, unlike anything Victoria had ever heard. After a second of hesitation, Victoria opened her door and hopped out. "I'm going to make sure they're all right. Stay here. I'll be right back."

Kate nodded, looking too exhausted to even be afraid of whatever they might have found, and Victoria closed the door behind her. As Victoria approached the stairs of the front entrance (just to see through one of the windows), Max's indistinct voice came through.

"I can't, Chloe. There's no way. I ripped up the photo and it's gone. This wasn't a trade I could make, Chloe, it's a fucking hurricane."

"Max, please. Please, she's my mom. You've got to try. You've got to have more photos from Monday. I can't . . . I can't do this."

"Killing you isn't going to bring back your mom, Chloe! Okay? You were who I could save, the only-"

"Don't - don't touch me. I. I get what you're saying, okay, I just . . . I'm saying it's worth a shot. It's worth any shot, just please go back one more time."

"I won't, Chloe. I'm not going to just watch you die over and over. Even Kate and Victoria are alive, okay - I can't. I can't just throw this away."

This was blowing up. As far as Victoria knew, they were the only four survivors in Arcadia Bay. They couldn't be fighting right now - and Victoria didn't even know what these two were fighting about. She knocked on the wall outside one of the windows hard enough that they should hear, and a few seconds later,  Chloe brought her face to the window, and found Victoria out on the steps.

"We should go," Victoria said.

Once they were all back to the car, they were quick to agree where to check next. It was deep in town, not too far from where the hills started. It was at a higher elevation than almost everything else. Blackwell could still be okay, and their classmates with it. Most of them, at least.

Suffice it to say, they did not really expect their guess to be correct. They expected to find Blackwell shredded like the rest of the town, the fountain statue torn down, the trees smashed through the windows of their dorms. But they didn't. It was nothing like that at all.

Amidst the wastes of Arcadia Bay, Blackwell Academy was still entirely intact. A light breeze wafted through the trees, and the haunting silence that covered the rest of the town was interrupted here by the merry bubbling of the fountain, audible even from the road in this quiet.

Something had protected Blackwell from the storm, and somehow, that only left Victoria more afraid.