#why should they be concerned about anyones feelings and now they got them hurting each other over their dumbass feelings

[spencersliv]

EVERYONE NEEDS TO MOVE OUT OF THE BAKER HOUSE RIGHT NOW

[savanir]

The Consequences

The comforting ticking of clocks fills the air, Danny cannot help himself but look at the many gigantic gears working in tandem each time that he pays Clockwork’s tower a visit.

“Alright, I’m here” Danny waves the green post it note around.

“Good,” Clockwork appears and gestures to an open door, “there is something I wish to show you, come”

Danny follows Clockwork into the room that appears to be an infinitely stretching hallway both left and right from him with the two of them in what he must assume must be the middle.

The young ghost takes a moment to process this and comes to the conclusion that this is just typical Infinite Realms ghost bullshit because clearly, logically, this is impossible.

There is a line on the hallway wall.

“Okay, what am I looking at”

“Time”

Danny takes a long deep breath of air before exaggeratingly rolling his eyes and giving Clockwork bombastic side eye, which the guy very rudely ignores.

“can you please be a little less vague Clockwork…”

the older ghost who has shifted into the appearance of a child grins at him, “very well, this line represents here, you could say it’s ‘my’ time.” a line which would sound ominous as hell if it were said by anyone other than the Ancient of Time itself.

“Did you call me here to tell me more about yourself” Danny quickly looks from Clockwork to the very important line and then quickly back to Clockwork  “is this a bonding thing, are we ghost bonding? Do you show this to all your favorite ghosts?”

“Daniel” Clockwork has shifted to his elderly form.

Danny rubs the back of his neck, "It's really cool- in a way. I kinda do feel like there is more to it though.” It’s also a little underwhelming, just a infinitely stretching dark grey stone hallway with a line on the wall, He’d expect Clockworks time to be… well… okay, so he’s got no clue what he was expecting Clockwork’s time to look like but it wasn’t this.

One thing is for sure though, Danny is no longer thinking about touching the Time Line.

“you would be correct,” Clockwork has shifted to his adult form, “let’s get back on track, the reason why I am showing you this is this discoloration over here” Clockwork gestures where to look with his staff.

“the blackish bit?”

“Correct, this is what I like to call missing time” Clockwork huffs, “I used to not mind it, but times have changed” he’s got the young king to be to worry about now.

Danny is somewhat startled while taking a closer look at the small black bit of the time line, “you’re missing time!? … please do not ask me to go find it for you”

Clockwork chuckles, “no there is no need, I know quite well where it is.” then it’s not actually missing is it?

“alright uh… I’ll just ask- What happens when you’re missing time, do you just… black out? orrrr, like, just what’s going on here”

Child Clockwork starts to explain, “During that period the Infinite Realms will move without me.”

Adult Clockwork continues, “from what I have learned of these events in the past it’s safe to say something will soon happen in this section of the realms, something big and dangerous, the tower is protected against these events- by going into a form of stasis.”

Elderly Clockwork finishes, “like I said, in the past this was of no concern of mine, the tower functions as intended, preserving me and time itself as it should, but I worry for you Daniel.”

“I’ve called you here to warn you, mayhap you could find out what this danger is, not to prevent it, but to ensure you yourself will not get hurt.” preventing it is sadly no longer possible. with the dark coloration on the wall the event happening is all but set in stone.

“can’t you look forward to see what it is? or maybe give me a hint or something?”

“sadly not, for me the time is wholly missing, in the sense that it will happen, and so in a way has already happened, which means-” Danny quickly waves his arm around to prevent Clockwork from going into a time tangent and give him a legendary headache, “-which means you will not be able to help me now, or during, or after. I understand.” the boy then sighs, “I’ll look into it I guess”

“Be careful” Clockwork says gravely in his adult form.

Danny nods, and deep in his core he can feel the unspoken please.

—✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*---*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧—

The young halfa really does try to figure out what might happen, what might be wrong, but it is incredibly hard when you have no clues what so ever.

Time passes, life goes on as usual- as it always does.

And then it starts.

Ripples go through the realms, an oppressive pressure building up. minor shades and blob ghosts scatter darting in every direction as long as it’s away from the perceived threat.

Not long after that there is strange crackling and rumbling, artifacts start behaving weirdly, powering up rapidly.

Walker’s prison becomes a fortress that he’s quickly losing control over locking everything and anything down tight.

Both Skulker’s and Undergrowth’s domains life grows rapidly. And although Undergrowth doesn’t mind Skulker certainly does, his jungle is his hunting playground, not the other way around! And that wouldn’t even be that much of a problem if his suit wasn’t completely on the fritz.

Desiree hides herself away deeply in her haunt, frightful of her own powers going absolutely haywire with every wish she grants, usually she enjoys the chaos- but this is rapidly getting out of hand.

Clockwork manages to catch Pariah’s keep going into its own magical automated lockdown before his tower does the same in its own way.

More and more ghosts decide to evacuate away from this corner of the realms, opting to temporarily stay somewhere else and return once whatever this mess is is over.

While all that is going on in the realms outside in the realm of the living Danny still has no clue what’s going on but his powers are freaking out more and more and he’s very glad that there are no ghost attacks because he’s not sure what will happen if he actually has to put some power in his abilities.

For now he’s simply not using them, instead deciding that while this is going on he’s just a regular living human boy with no special gifts, and you know, maybe it’ll all just blow over on its own and settle down.

So far any attempts on Team Phantom’s end to figure out what the hell is going on in the realms has led to nothing. They can obviously detect the surges of power slamming through the zone but they can’t find the origin. 

The best they have got so far is that whatever it is has something to do with leylines. a suggestion brought up by Sam after Tucker mapped out some of the ripples and Sam recognized some of the shapes from her occult witchy books.

This sadly didn’t answer much and honestly only made Danny go, “This better not be some culty bullshit then”

and Tucker hissing, “bro don’t jinx it!”

When it all comes to a head it was just a normal average school day. After hearing them all out Jazz decided that the best course of action was to lock the doors of the portal just in case, and look further into ley lines later that day.

English class had a little outing planned, the whole class went on a short trip out of the city and into the forest for a special assignment.

Mr Lancer told them to find a scenery there that would inspire them, take a picture, and then write three pieces about it of various word counts, this was to teach them about word use and what not. Just regular shit, Danny wasn’t paying that much attention.

while trudging around in the woods, trying to avoid Dash and Kwan and find something to photograph does he feel it. It’s like his entire skeleton freezes over, a thin layer of frost over his entire insides that shatters right after.

Tucker yelps, “Danny what the hell was that!?”

Danny slaps his hands over his mouth, “I think that was my ghost sense? but like insane?”

“what”

Then a small portal opens and a tiny green blur speeds out and crashes right into Danny’s chest.

Danny can’t help but catch whatever it is and he quickly identifies it as Cujo when he can take a proper look.

The poor thing is shivering and whining and abrasions on his paws quickly clue the gang in that the little dog is hurt.

“Jezus, what happened to him?” asks Sam looking worried for the little guy.

Cujo whines and burrows down Danny’s jacket and into Danny's shirt, by now the A listers as well as Valerie have noticed something weird is going on. 

once Valerie recognizes the puppy butt going down Danny’s shirt does she shout, “that vile beast! Let me at them! Don’t worry Danny I have something that will deal with that thing real fast, just stand still!”

Sam immediately jumps in front of Danny to shield him and Cujo.

“Uhm, that’s a puppy,” says Paulina derisively while Star next to her starts to coo as Cujo’s small head pops up from Danny’s neckline, snuggled in fully and clearly content to be and stay right where he is.

"Sooooo cute!” Star just wants to snuggle it, if only all ghosts were adorable little animals, then the whole ghost thing all the time wouldn’t be nearly so annoying.

“That thing is evil,” Valerie fumes.

“It’s a fucking puppy, Gray. What the hell is your damage” Paulina and Valerie viciously verbally tear into each other and Sam hates to admit it but she’s really glad for Paulina’s redirection of Val’s ire.

because she’s right, Cujo is just a puppy.

Mr. Lancer shows up noticing the commotion and increasing volume of Valerie and Paulina’s now borderline screaming match to put an end to all that.

And it’s right then, right when everyone is fully distracted that a flash happens in the distance quickly followed by a tremor through that they can feel in the ground.

Then the sound reaches them, a loud boom and right after dark clouds quickly rise up in the distance where the flash originated.

All of it happens incredibly fast but right after Mr. Lancer wastes no time to round them all up and head back to the meeting point

“Holy shit that came from Amity”

“Did the town blow up?!”

“I’m texting my parents”

"Hi? mom? Are you okay? yeah? what the fuck happened!?”

dread pools in Danny’s stomach, it grows heavier as he gets no response, it does not lift even slightly through Mr. Lancer’s general reassurances to the whole class, holding Cujo tightly to his chest helps a little, but the frantic feeling keeps surging through his body as the whole class gets into the bus to head back home.

Back in Amity it’s just chaos, police sirens, fire fighters, people out on the street, for once there are no ghost warnings blaring and it’s all the stranger for it, all the more worrying.

This isn’t a ghost attack, this is a normal explosion, and it’s so much worse because of it.

Everyone is used to ghost attacks, they aren’t used to normal explosions.

Once back in Amity things get a bit blurry for Danny, he vaguely remembers school, there was a lot of rushing of people, he vividly remembers constantly trying to contact his parents and Jazz and being incredibly worried and frustrated that they aren’t responding to anything.

He very clearly remembers that Mr. Lancer was there through all of it, when everyone else got picked up, Danny remembers both Sam and Tucker not wanting to leave him and go with their parents, but he’d… well there wasn’t really…

things stopped making sense when the police showed up specifically for him. 

After that it was all just one big dark smear.

—✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*---*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧—

The street is pulverized, his house and those adjacent to it are reduced to rubble.

The other buildings are badly damaged enough that the people have to be relocated until repairs are completed and they are confirmed to be safe, for the ones closest to the explosion there is a high likelihood that the structural integrity is compromised. 

They might need to be torn down as well if that’s the case.

All the windows are smashed in a very wide radius around the initial point of the explosion, overall the scene looks like… like something out of a war documentary.

Danny doesn’t get to see much of that though, he’s put in a meeting room, or office, with some things to snack on and water to drink, both untouched, and Cujo in his lap.

The basement exploded, well, the lab or even more specifically, the portal exploded. But the local authorities don’t know about all that stuff so for them right now it’s just the basement.

And seeing as there is honestly nothing left, it's very possible that they are never going to realize there was a gateway to the realm of the dead under that house in the first place.

His mom and dad are… gone, as well as Jazz, she was most likely upstairs- studying.

Danny swallows and holds Cujo closer, nobody has bothered him about the ghost dog, everyone is just treating the little guy like a regular dog, Danny would appreciate it if he wasn’t completely numb.

He’s trying very hard to just keep it all together and not start spiraling cause this is all very painfully familiar, explosion, death, they are contacting Vlad, it’s taking really long.

But from this point forward he’s going to have to do everything in his power to not slip, this is it. He can’t afford- Cause Clockwork isn’t availa- is that it? 

Is all this caused by the mess in the realms!?

Now Danny has to fight the thoughts that he should have done more, taken it more seriously, researched harder, he’d gotten an on time proper and clear warning for fucks sake! Why didn’t he- Why didn’t he-!?

But he did didn’t he? There was basically nothing to go off of, he tried really hard with the tools that he had and he had been making progress, it just wasn’t enough, he didn’t- couldn’t figure it out on time, and-

Why is it taking so damn long to contact Vlad and get this nightmare fully going he wants out of this room it’s getting suffocating!

The door opens, the nice sounding lady regretfully informs him that there seems to be more bad news, she brings it very gently and carefully, most likely trying to not re traumatize him again.

But it comes down to this, Vlad’s estate has blown up as well and nobody knows where he is, they haven’t found, ahem, him yet.

Danny swallows, that’s not how this is supposed to go.

“You think Vlad is dead?” he stammers out.

“We-” she starts clearly thinking very hard about how to word this, “Right now he’s considered missing, I’m afraid that any attempts to reach him hasn’t been answered but search and rescue-”

Danny blinks, he knows Vlad’s phone just has reception in the zone, and something as a portal explosion wouldn’t take him out, the guy should be chomping at the bit to come and get him. So he’s… incapacitated.

“-however, in the meantime the Foley’s have generously accepted to temporarily take you in, I have heard you are good friends with their son Tucker so-”

Danny perks up a little, and Cujo sleepily snuffles before settling in again, “that sounds good, as much as anything can sound good right about now”

The lady tries to hide her wince and gives him a pitying smile instead, both suck.

The next thing Danny knows he’s wrapped up in a tight hug by his best friend.

“You’ll get through this man, we’re here for you, Sam is in spirit here with us right now, if you’re very quiet you can hear her furious yelling at her parents to let her go so she can hug you too”

Danny gives him a watery laugh, “thanks, I just- fuck”

“yeah… yeah”

it’s bad, but it’s not like that time with Nasty Burger, he’s still got Sam and Tucker, Mr. Lancer too, who is certainly not stopping checking in with Danny either.

And Vlad is missing.

—✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*---*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧—

The zone is a mess, it’s also devoid of life, more than usual, devoid of unlife might be a better way to put it? 

Suddenly tracing the point where this mess came from is a lot easier, Sam came with the idea that the one or ones or thing or whatever that started all this probably did something to hide what they were doing.

They go past Clockworks tower, still encased in a perfect time still bubble, seeing none of the outer gears move even an inch is rather unnerving.

eventually they reach a gigantic neon green flaming crack in reality, or at least that’s what it looks like. 

with Cujo’s aid they move back into the living world somewhat to the right of the reality tear.

It turns out that on the living side of things the tear is a big erupting neon green magma spewing volcano.

By Danny’s estimates the green is ecto adjacent but feels horrible wrong.

“so this volcano was connected to the realms somehow and when it erupted…” Sam shivers, “so natural disaster?”

Tucker looks from his PDA trying to make sense of the ecto energy readings and the still spewing volcano, “there is no seismic activity here, that volcano was dead, something triggered it”

“or someone” hisses Danny, “I’ll have a closer look around as Phantom, do not hesitate to contact me if you see someone or something” 

Sam and Tucker both agree and Danny transforms and heads into the volcano.

the place is… weird, there are ruins, and some ritualistic areas, there is a huge mostly destroyed pool where new debris occasionally still falls into, causing a new explosion, Danny takes a few samples of the stuff in the pool to investigate later, cause even though it’s the same toxic green it’s clearly different from the stuff the volcano is spewing into the air.

Then he makes a quick sweep through the underground caverns and stumbles upon a sight he was not expecting.

Unconscious Vlad. Though upon closer inspection it’s revealed to Danny he’s very cold and stiff, so properly dead Vlad. 

The idea is… ridiculous.

So is that it then? Vlad found some neat new place to fuck around with shit he shouldn’t and he found out in the most explosive way possible, and now there is some manner of ecto volcano or whatever, though probably not cause it just doesn’t feel like ecto… But anyway it all exploded in Vlad’s face and he died and caused another Pariah Dark level event through the Realms and somehow managed to also kill Danny’s parents and Jazz while he was at it.

Danny lifts Vlad’s corpse up and takes him with him to Sam and Tucker. Whatever happened down there happened, but Vlad’s corpse doesn’t deserve to just be left there to rot, just like Danny’s parents and Jazz, he didn’t deserve to die (fully).

Sam and Tucker startle violently when he carefully lays his body down nearby.

“Ancients! is he-” Sam takes a hesitating step forward

“I don’t sense anything from him anymore, like, there is supposed to be something there and there just isn’t so…”

“fucking hell” Tucker wipes a head over his face, “can we- I would really like to go home now, I think I’ve gotten enough of this place”

The trio agrees and after some back and forth they have decided that Danny will put Vlad’s corpse in a not yet combed through section of his estate. Search and rescue will find his body, and then… uhhh…

“I worry about everything after that when we get there, alright?” Danny says, and that’s that.

It feels… wrong, but none of them can come up with a better plan so…

It’s not long the next day that the same nice lady contacts Danny about Vlad.

Danny was expecting that. 

What he wasn’t expecting was that eventually in that conversation a whole new bomb got dropped on him.

Because apparently Vlad has registered him as his heir, as in like heir to Dalv.co

And heir to a lot of money.

Time passes, the world is in magical chaos, the Justice League is solving it. Danny isn’t involved in any of it. 

He just had a funeral and is now looking at the graves of his parents and his sister, and a little bit over there is Vlad.

Cujo is still with him, the little guy seems to have decided that he’s just not going anywhere without Danny so he has a dog now, he’s always wanted a dog.

There is a man a respectful distance behind him, apparently that’s Vlad’s butler, his butler now, since when did Vlad have a butler? Danny cannot remember there being a butler the last time he was forced to go to Vlad’s creepy mansion.

It’s starting to rain.

“Master Daniel,” oh no, he’s going to have to put an end to that right away.

Danny turns and takes a step to the guy, “please call me Danny”

“time stop”

Danny startles as everything around him stops moving, rain drops freezing in place.

The butler in front of him now looks a lot like Clockwork.

“First I want to give you my condolences, I am very sorry for your loss Danny” Clockwork looks well and truly remorseful, he’s genuine. There is a tiny part of Danny that instantly wants to rage and scream at him about the unfairness of it all. But Clockwork cannot do anything, not this time.

“And secondly,” he changes back into the very regular human butler appearance, “I’ll be around to aid you along this new path”

Danny blinks.

oh, well, okay then.

Clockwork introduces himself as Conrad W. Kronus and makes it very clear that to everyone that matters he’s always existed. 

There will be no need to worry about any paperwork or whatever, from here on out Danny will get to stay at the other estate Vlad got in Amity so he could do his Major work more easily and he’ll get to live there with his butler and his dog.

That way he can finish school in Amity Park comfortably.

There is of course still the matter of Dalv.co to worry about but Clockwork reassures him that he doesn’t have to think about any of that just yet and to focus on grieving properly instead.

He says all that while driving them home in one of Vlad’s fancy cars, Danny didn’t think the old ghost would know how to drive at all…

It’s when they arrive and Cujo jumps out of his arms to explore his new home while Clockwork goes about his own maybe butlery duties while Danny kind of just stands in the main living room that a sudden realization comes to him.

“oh- this is… I’m like Bruce Wayne now”

[satorusugurugurl]

The Headboard

Summary: when you find yourself in a compromising position, you’re lucky that you’re a hot neighbor who just so happens to be a firefighter, is just next door.

Pairing: firefighter!Toji Fushigurux AFAB!Reader

Word Count: 2,935

Warning: Language, smut, p-in-v, mentions of sex toys, degradation, name calling, unprotected smut.

A/N: A genuine fear I had often thought about when people tell me this is what they do. Plus, the DILF vibes were strong today.

Fushiguro Toji had no complaints about having you as a neighbor. You’re kind and quiet; you even watched Megumi for him if he needed a sitter. You would invite him and his son to your apartment for dinner, or he would do the same for you. The whole of being neighbors became friendship, and friendship turned into longing. Toji hated it when you would bring home someone who wasn’t good enough for you. He would spoil you rotten but didn’t want to ruin your friendship.

Nothing would be worse than an interaction after an awkward one-night stand that ended with you both not talking to each other because he would be the first to admit that he liked having you over for dinner. He enjoyed it when you came over with cookies or watched a movie with him and his son. If things were to become awkward or standoffish with you, that might be one of the worst things to happen to them in a very long time.

So, he would wait a bit to see how things would progress with you. Maybe once the lingering glances and the accidental brushes of your hands would turn into a little bit more. Perhaps once he better understood you and how you might feel, consider telling you he wanted to be more than friends.

Those thoughts ran through his mind as he sprawled out on his couch, not paying any attention to the movie on the television. Megumi was at a sleepover with his best friend Yuuji. He was all alone, not being stuck at the firehouse on call, filling his quiet evening with boredom.

Maybe he should call and ask if you want to come over; you could both watch a movie to make the most of a boring night. Just as he reached for his phone to call you, your name and profile picture popped up on his phone. Toji answered the phone with a slight grin, holding it against his ear.

“Hey, I was just about to call you. Do you wanna come—”

“Toji, you’re a firefighter, right?”

Your voice sounded breathless, almost with a hint of timidness. “Yeah, you know that. Why did you start a grease fire next door? Do not try to put it out with water; smother it with some flour.” You laughed only to be cut off with a whine.

“Uhm, uh—no, not that.” you sighed, “Y-you've seen some weird stuff, right? Like helped people?”

“Yeah, despite the title firefighter, I’m also medically trained and have helped many people in different scenarios. Why, what happened?”

The silence for a long moment told you to think that maybe, just maybe, the line disconnected before he heard him wince. “I-I need your help. But you have to promise you’ll never tell a soul about this.” A mixture of different emotions currently course through every nerve of his body. He’s concerned that you’re hurt, and his interest is peaked as to what you got yourself into this time.

“Of course, you have my word. I promise I won't say anything.”

“Good,” cloth rustles in the background, “you can come over right now. You still have my spare key. You still have my spare key.”

“Yeah, you gave it to me to water your plants that always die.”

“I don't have a green thumb sue me! Now please grab your medical bag and get your ass over here!”

The tone of your voice had him getting off the couch in a snap.” Alright, be there in a sec.” without you even having to ask, Toji grabbed his medical bag and your spare key.

You're nowhere to be found when he steps inside your apartment. “Hey?” He calls out, smirking slightly. “Fire department.” A squeak resonates from the bedroom.

“In here!” you call out, voice shaky, “b-but before you come in, I will emphasize that if you tell anyone! And I mean anyone about this, I will rip your balls off and shove them down your throat!”

Toji almost tells you not to threaten him with a good time, but he knows you from the whine that leaves the room. You were obviously in pain, and we’re taking this very seriously. Instead of making lighthearted jokes and conversation to push your buttons, he put on the best professional face before entering your room. The second he looks at your bed, his jaw drops to the floor in shock.

You’re naked from the waist down, your body bent forward, your ass pressed against the headboard. Your knee must’ve gotten stuck between the headboard and your mattress from how you're bent. Making it impossible for you to move in the predicament you found yourself in. Your cheeks are flushed as you averted your gaze, not daring to look at him. Toji was a smart guy; he was able to put two and two together.

Someone was having some alone time, and things had taken a terrible turn.

“What happened?” Toji clears his throat as he trots forward, opens his medical bag, and slips on some black latex-free gloves.

You want to crawl under your bed and cry out in embarrassment. How could you have put yourself in such an embarrassing situation? It was bad enough that you had gotten yourself stuck, and it was ten times worse now that the man you’ve had a crush on since you moved into the building was here helping you! But you would rather him find out what a size queen you were than call the fire department.

“I uhm, the uh—” you motion back to your headboard where your thrusting toy was stuck to your headboard. “It hit—my cervix hard, and I jumped, and my knee slipped between my mattress and my headboard.”

“Huh—okay, just try to relax a bit. I will look into getting that knee out first.” He gets on the bed behind you before gently grabbing your knee. As he does, the movement causes you to slide further down the toy, causing it to hit your cervix for a second time. The sharp, pleasurable pain can be felt from the tips of your toes to your head as you let out a pained moan. “Sorry.” Toji’s voice sounds more profound and more fierce. That you had never heard before; it was a voice that made every nerve in your body slowly awaken with lust.

“I-It’s okay—”

He gently moves your leg again, freeing it slightly. “So,” he goes with the questions when you were sure he was going to ask, “your boyfriend busy or something?” His question held no humor to it; instead, it was pure curiosity, and his voice made the nerves that reignited tingle with anticipation.

“What boyfriend? Who said I had a boyfriend?”

Toji glances at the curve of your ass, admiring the arch of your back, before he goes back to gently moving your leg. “Oh, I just assumed a pretty thing like you had one.” His hand gently grumps your ass as he maneuvers your leg a little bit more to the left, freeing it another inch.

“Do you honestly think if I had a boyfriend, I would’ve stuck a dildo to my headboard?”

“Hey, to each their own. So, no boyfriend?”

“Yep, single and ready to mingle. I let my friend convince me to try this position. She said it would liven up my solo sessions.” For as long as you can remember, the only way you masturbated was on your back. When you had mentioned this to your friends, they had been mortified, telling you there was more than one way to get yourself off. You so stupidly let them talk you into buying this stupid, expensive dildo and decided to give it a shot. That shot ended up with your knee stuck between your mattress and the wall and having to rely on your neighbor to help you.

“Hm,” Toji gave your ass a firm squeeze before gently pushing you forward off the toy a couple of inches, drawing out the sweetest sounds from your throat. “Would now be an inappropriate time to ask you out?”

A choked sound of shock cut off the moan that had begun to rise in your throat. There was no way he had just asked you out on a date—your hot neighbor. The sexy firefighter next door asked you on a date. Was this a prank? Oh god, why did he have to ask you out now, of all times? Despite the searing embarrassment, you can’t help but giggle, turning to look back at the massive man.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, I think you’re hot and good with my kid; plus, I can make you feel so much better than this stupid toy.”

Heat began to pool in your abdomen as you continued to watch him carefully. “Oh, is that so?” he pulls his hand away from the fat of your ass, only to bring it back down, slapping it, making you help in pleasure and surprise.

“It's a fucking promise.” The tip of his pink tongue runs over the scar on his lip. “So, dinner?”

You laugh breathlessly, throwing your head back as he massages the sting out of your ass. “Would you be opposed to me counteroffering that?” Toji hand on your leg gently moves another inch, freeing you from the abyss you had been stuck in.

“Well, that depends on what your counteroffer is?”

The muscles in your leg burn with relief as you stretch it out, getting the blood flowing to it. Toji watches with dark eyes as you slowly in yourself off of the 9-inch toy that’s coated in your slick arousal. The sight of the coral-colored silicone covered in your wetness has his throat so dry it hurts.

“My counteroffer is that we skip the first date, and you help me with my current problem. You are a firefighter. It’s your job to help people.”

“Oooh, are you asking me to fuck you right now?”

“Maybe~ if I were to ask you to do just that, what would you say?” When you turn your head to look at him, your face is quickly snatched in his hands. His hand grips your chin tightly towards his mouth.

“I would say it’s about fucking time.”

His lips slam against yours in a symphony of desperation and need. He quickly shifts behind you, pushing you towards the center of the bed and away from the cavern you had found yourself trapped in moments before. The entire time he moves you, his lips never leave yours. It’s a messy open-mouth kiss, with tongue and groping hands as he releases his grip on your face, panting heavily as a string of saliva connects your lips.

“Do you know how hard it’s been trying to control myself? I try so hard to be a good, friendly neighbor. One that doesn’t come off as a creep.” he positions himself behind you down his gray sweatpants, spraying his thick fat cock. “Let me tell you, it’s been fucking hard; you are so goddamn fucking beautiful. Smart, funny, a great cook.”

You grip the sheets underneath you as he continues his confession. He told you how much he admired your strength and beauty. The pure admiration and raw need that’s in his voice makes your pussy clench, your arousal seeping out of your twitching hole. God, you knew you liked him, but knowing he was so damn bad for you, made you want him even more.

“I need you to fuck me.” There’s no doubt in your words that's precisely what you wanted. The word ‘want’ isn’t even included in your sentence! You didn't like this, and you needed it on a physical level.

“Yeah~? Need me to fuck that tight slutty hole?” His hands connect with your ass again, so smacking it hard, leaving a faint hand print in its wake. “Is that what you need, baby~?”

“Yes!” you shake your ass in front of him, dropping down low, revealing your wet hole to him as if trying to convince him to hurry the fuck up.

“Mhmm, that's a good little slut; tell me exactly what she wants; no, wait, I’m sorry, what she needs.” he grabs his thick cock in one hand. Toji held his cock, smacking it over your pussy. “And she claims that she needs my cock.”

You rock your hips back, fingers digging into the sheets as your chest heaves in anticipation of being filled to the brim by human flesh and not cold silicon. “Yes, please.” Toji tsks behind you giving your pussy, another sharp slap with his cock, the tip snagging at your entrance before he rubs it over your clit.

“Nah, I think you could do better than that. Try again to tell me what it is that you want.”

“I need you!” you cry out loud this time, shutting your eyes and anticipation of him thrusting inside of you, just feeling the head of his cock snag over your clit for the second time. “Please, Toji! Please, please, please.”

Grabbing the base of his thick, heavy cock, he gently presses it over your entrance over your slick hole. “Please, what baby girl~? Use your words, big like pretty little slut you are.” this was an absolute tort. Having your kit in your pussy, teased with nothing but finger-like touches, have you jerking and writhing against the bed.

“Please fuck me, Toji!” you screamed, not having to worry about your next-door neighbor complaining about the noise.

“That's a good girl.” Toji slapped your ass with a snarl, gripping the skin and spreading your cheeks. “I always knew you were a good girl. Always so sweet and friendly, the perfect innocent neighbor next door. but who would’ve thought that you would be fucking a toy against your headboard.” He spits his words before suddenly burying his cock fully into you.

You screamed out loud as his cocked stretched you like you'd never been stretched red d before, sending your eyes rolling back. "Nnngh~! Mmph~ Toji!"

“Fuck-Ngh.” Toji moaned, feeling your walls convulse around him. "You feel so good, baby. Fuck—baby, baby! Shit—being inside of you was so worth the wait!”

“Oooh fuck~!” Toji’s hands press into the middle of your back, pushing your shoulders down further into the mattress, allowing your back to be pushed down, beautifully showing the curves of your body for him. “Just like that, Toji, fuck, don’t stop, please don’t stop!”

“Oh, I’m not stopping until you’re crying. Your in need a good dicking down since you weren’t able to finish, I’m assuming.”

“Y-Yes!” You cry out, gripping the sheets tighter as you rock your hips back into his. “Yes, I want to cum so bad~!”

“Oh, I know you do, baby,” Toji smirked as he pushed you by your shoulders down into the bed, thrusting deep and hard.

His cock continues to hit your g-spot and your cervix, but his warm hot tip is nothing compared to the silicone. You had been using it earlier. So your eyes roll back. "Oh fuck! ~!" At this rate, you weren't going to last very long.

“Hoooly fuck.” Toji moaned, feeling your walls flutter around him as your legs started to tremble. "Fuck-Ngh. You’re about to cum. Fuck—baby, baby! Shit--I’m going to fucking fill you up. Is that okay?” he didn’t give you much time to answer as he angled his hips, thrusting precisely against that sponge spot inside of you. The one that had you seeing stars as your orgasm hit you like a freight train.

You whimpered loudly, turning to desperately kiss Toji as you squirted all over cock. "Ah~! Nnngh!!" your eyes rolled back as your body convulsed with the waves of your orgasm.

"Fuck! Fuckfuck—M’ cumming, I—Ahhh ahah—nngh!" Toji doubled over, his forehead pressing into your back as he kept cumming, releasing the months of pent-up desire into you.

He collapsed on top of you quickly, putting his arms out on either side of your smaller frame, bracing his weight upon them in an attempt not to crush you. You painted happily, grinning as you turned your head to stare up at the flushed, sweat-coated man who had fucked you thoroughly. He smirked, his scar stretching as his lips curled up.

His smirk, however, is short-lived as you push back against him, causing him to slip out of you as his back lands against your mattress. As he blankly waters, it allows you to straddle his hips, dribble, drop combined cum, and rub all over his dick as you so lewdly rub your pussy up and down on him. “I hope you have more where that came from because I’m far from being done with you, sir.”

“Hey,” he smirked, putting both his hands behind his head as he watched your position, his cock at your entrance. “Im a firefighter have pretty good fucking stamina. Let’s see what you got.” Little did he know you were a fire that could not so easily be put out. Not that he was complaining.

Forever Tag List:

@darkstarlight82 @pandoness @nealeart @simp-plague @sugurubabe @chilichopsticks @reap3erslov3

[summer-nights19]

Hey, heard you wanted more TDB requests, so I'm here to deliver😊. Could you do the Tokyo debunker boys (you can pick who you want) with an MC that is extremely accident prone, like you take a look away from them for a second and their covered in multiple cuts and bruises, and the cherry on top is that whenever this happens the MC is like "oops". Please and thank you.

Ofc anon ! As someone who falls over all the time, I love this idea

Tokyo debunker guys x klutz MC

Characters: The Frostheim + Vagastrom + Jabberwok guys

Kaito

He finds it adorable honestly

Because he's not particularly strong as far as ghouls are concerned, he sometimes struggles to live up to the image of your "knight in shining armour", so he 100% would use this as an excuse to catch you in his arms while you fall

Will sometimes tease you about it in a good natured way

Also uses it as a way to get you to agree to hold his hand everywhere "so that you can't fall over"

It doesn't always work - sometimes you both just end up falling over

Luca

He worries about your safety so much - you might not think it's a big deal, but what if you fall and injure yourself seriously ?

Walks right next to you everywhere you go to make sure that he can catch you easily if you fall

Unlike Kaito, Luca always catches you successfully. He then proceeds to carry you bridal style the rest of the way "so you can't fall" (not that you're complaining)

Is even more protective of you when you go on missions - will not approve of you going unless he's there to guarantee your safety, and, even then, he doesn't let you leave his sight

Carries a little first aid kit with him so he can patch up any injuries you get from falling

Tohma

"Oh for God's sake MC, why are you on the floor again ?"

Found it exasperating at first - why did you not manage to stay upright on your own two feet ?

However, some part of him does find it kind of endearing

Cannot keep an eye on you at all times due to his work as vice captain, but when he's around you he definitely tries

I could see him linking arms with you like they did in the olden days to prevent you from falling

If you do fall, expect a gentle lecture as he disinfects any bruises you got

Jin

At first, he finds it kind of cute. He definitely teases you about it when you're in private

However, if you're on a mission, his protective side kicks in - what if you fall and he isn't there to help you ? From now on, you are only allowed to go on missions with him or Tohma (preferably him) so they can keep you safe

Would definitely catch you as you were falling and carry you the rest of the wa like Luca

He pretends to be annoyed if you do fall, but in reality he loves taking care of you

Has tried using his stigma on you and telling you "Don't fall" as you hold his hand. This works well ... but only if you hold hands

Leo

This shouldn't surprise anyone, but he'd mostly be kind of a dick about it

He teases you about it SO much

Instead of helping you, he'd stand there and tease you or even record you so he can laugh at the video later

"You should have seen yourself, MC ! You fell face first right into that puddle !"

If he ever hurts your feelings he'd feel bad and try to be less mean (with limited success) but he wouldn't outright apologise

However, on a mission it's completely different - he's always by your side and picks you up at lighting speed if you fall

Will help you with any injuries, though he'll grumble about how clumsy you are

Sho

He teased you so much about it at first, but when you guys started liking each other, he begun to find it kind of cute (not that he'd ever admit it)

If you do fall, he always picks you up. At first, he's a bit too shy to carry you afterward, but eventually he starts to do it

Is so thorough about treating any injuries you might have

If you're on a mission, he keeps a very close eye on you and catches you immediately if he so much as sees you stumble. Good luck convincing him to let you go on one without him (he never will)

Alan

Jokes about giving you piggybacks/carrying you everywhere and low key starts to do it if you're into the idea

If he's not carrying you, then he's holding your hand so that you don't fall

Will physically not let you fall - he always has his eye on you and us ready to catch you

Another one who will only let you do missions with him, because no one else can protect you adequately

If you do still manage to fall, he'll dress all your wounds and kiss them better (if you're in private)

Also, if he discovers anyone giving you shit for your clumsiness, he will not hesitate to drag them into the pit and give them hell for it

Haru

Thinks it's absolutely adorable - you move like a baby giraffe !

He would also joke about holding your hand or carrying you everywhere and end up low key doing it

Always keeps a watchful eye on you to make sure you don't fall

If you do end up falling, he gives you a hug as he treats your wounds with the first aid kit he carries everywhere

Towa

Would look at you kind of sadly and offer you a hand up if you fall

Tries to catch you but doesn't always succeed

His hugs are honestly the best pain medication

Brings you flowers he found to distract you from your injuries

Ren

Won't admit in a million years that he finds it kind of cute and acts like he finds it annoying

At first, he just rolls his eyes at you and tells you to get up, but after some time passes, he starts to offer you a hesitant hand up and allow you to lean on his arm if you're injured after checking that you're ok

If you're in a private place, he'll tend to your injuries

Masterlist

[darlingdaisyfarm]

₊˚ʚ Rain in the woods (Ford Pines x fem!reader) ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

part 2 | part 1 | part 3

author note: hey friends, so im sorry for taking so long, i wanted to post it this Saturday but i got lots of work, it's not proofread so I'm so so so sorry for any mistakes, i promise ill fix them a bit later!

also im working on some pre portal stan x reader x ford fic and it's filled with what we love the most - glass and angst (smut included!!), i know i always say it, but im so excited to share it with you guys <3

nsfw, minors dni

Stanford Pines — the enigmatic genius who’s always just beyond your reach, a mind so vast, it feels like trying to grasp the stars. You should be focused, but your gaze keeps flicking back to him. You’re utterly captivated, heart racing, mind spinning.

And then it happens. One moment, you're holding the mug, your fingers curled around it and the next it slips. No! The mug tumbles from your grasp, its ceramic form hitting the floor with a sharp, brutal crack that echoes through the room. You watch in helpless horror as it shatters into a thousand pieces, each fragment piercing the silence like a blade through your chest.

Your heart skips, thundering in your ears, and your face goes hot with embarrassment, an awful flush spreading across your skin as you turn your wide, panicked eyes toward Ford. His gaze meets yours, a mix of surprise and concern, but it’s his calm that gets you. 

“Oh shit—” your voice cracks and you curse yourself silently, mortified. Of course, you would screw up right now, in front of him. Stanford fucking Pines, the man whose brilliance makes your own thoughts feel clumsy, an intellectual giant, and here you are, tripping over a damn mug. The pieces of it seem to scatter in slow motion, like a dream you can’t wake up from. You’re so stupid. You feel so stupid.

“I’m sorry— I'm so sorry,” you ramble, desperate to somehow undo the mess, your hands trembling at your sides. You want to sink into the floor, disappear, fade away. How could you be this careless?

But then Ford takes a step forward, and everything inside you freezes. His eyes are soft, so much softer than you expected, softer than anyone else’s gaze ever could be. He’s not angry, not even irritated. Instead, he’s. . . calm. “Hey, it’s alright,” he says, a chuckle escaping him, as though the whole situation is laughable, as though you’re not standing there, mortified in front of him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve dealt with worse. Trust me.”

For one second, everything really seems to slow down as his words sinks into you like a balm. You believe him. It’s impossible to not. He’s seen everything and here you are, worrying over a broken mug.

“Im really sorry,” you stammer again, caught off guard by the softness in his tone, the tenderness in his gaze. What did you expect? That he’d scold you, dismiss you? But no. He’s calm, like this minor catastrophe is nothing. As if nothing could rattle him, as if you, standing there like a fool, didn’t matter at all.

Stanford laughs. “You know, after all I’ve been through, interdimensional beasts, curses, that damn triangle demon, a shattered mug would be nothing. So don’t apologize.” his eyes meet yours. “Im not made of glass. It takes more than a broken cup to rattle me.”

And then his voice lowers with that quiet authority. “Sit down,” he commands softly. “I’ll handle this. Don’t want you getting hurt.”

You can’t help it. His voice sounds so low, commanding, yet laced with something so tender it makes your skin tingle. The words come easy from his lips, but when they’re aimed at you, they tear through you. They make you feel like you’re something precious, something to be cared for, protected. But more than that, a part of you craves to be held by him, right now, right in this moment. To be pressed back into the cushions of the sofa, feeling the strength of his arms, making you feel like you’re the only one in his world.

You’re not just obeying his words, you’re aching to obey. 

That’s why without thinking, you sink into the soft cushions. And shit, there he is �� bending down, his bare chest covered with scars still glistening from the rain, droplets make you ache. They fucking shimmer on his skin, taunting you, daring you to touch him, taste him, make him yours. Every inch of him is fucking perfect. God, how are you even supposed to think straight when he looks like that? Your body is screaming for him, for his touch, for everything. 

You try to look away. You can’t. His broad shoulders, his strong fucking arms, his hard chest. It’s too much. He’s a fucking masterpiece and all you want is for him to paint you in ways you can’t even process yet. Your body betrays you, again, that warmth spreading low in your belly, growing. You cross your legs, trying to hide the desperate need that’s already pooling between them. Fuck, how are you supposed to calm this down? It only gets worse.

He’s everything you’ve ever wanted and it’s all laid out in front of you, impossible to ignore. His every movement is so natural, so fucking sexy, it makes your pulse race. You just know he can make you feel things you didn’t even know your body was capable of.

You’re trying to calm yourself, really, you are. 

You cross and uncross your legs again, desperate to release some of the tension building between your thighs, but it only makes it worse. Fuck, why is this so hard? Every thought you have is consumed with him, with what he could do to you, what he should do to you. And the more you try to control it, the more your body betrays you.

You need to touch yourself, but you’re stuck, just waiting, consumed by the need for him.

And then, the thoughts take over completely.

You’re delusional to the point where you feel his hands on your legs, parting them, spreading you wide. You imagine him on his knees, lowering his head, his lips tracing the inside of your thighs, so fucking gentle, so goddamn slow, as he watches you with those eyes, sharp, hungry, possessive. And then, he presses his tongue to your clit, licks you like you’re the sweetest thing he’s ever tasted, making you whine for him.

You bite down on your lip, trying to hold it back, but it’s impossible. You need him. You want him between your legs, fucking you so deep you can’t think straight, making you beg for it. Fuck, what would he say? “That’s it, baby. . . just like that… good girl, taking what I give you. . .” the words seeping into your skin like a drug you can’t quit.

You bite down hard on your lip, desperate to keep quiet, but your body is louder than you’ll ever be. Fuck, your body’s soaking through, your pussy throbbing for his touch, and all you can do is stare at him, mesmerised. His body is a goddamn work of art, and you want to trace every inch of it, feel it on top of you, pushing inside you, taking you.

It’s so fucking embarrassing, but you can’t stop it. Your body’s so ready for him, for his hands, for his cock. You can almost taste him, can almost feel his cock sliding inside you, filling you so nice.

Fuck, any writer of erotic novels would envy your imagination. The thought of him getting rough with you, pushing you down into the cushions, fucking you into the sofa until you can’t think, can’t breathe. “You’re mine now, sweetheart. Mine to fuck whenever I want. You belong to me.”

The thought of him pounding into you, his hands gripping your hips, pulling you closer, makes you want to lose your mind. You just want to hear him growl your name as he fucks you like you’re the only thing that matters.

And you know you’ll let him. Let him claim you, take you apart, until you’re nothing but a mess of pleasure, a good girl begging for more.

“Hey,” Ford’s voice drags you back into reality, unwantedly. Your heart stutters in your chest as you blink, trying to focus on anything other than the way your body’s still burning, aching for him. He’s looking at you, brows furrowed, the concern on his face so fucking intense it almost makes you want to tell him everything you’re feeling, right here, right now. But you can’t. God, you can’t. Not when the way he looks at you like that.

“Are you alright? You don’t look too well.” his voice is full of worry, but there’s that edge of guilt creeping in as he mutters, “I really should’ve checked the forecast before dragging you out in this mess. . . feels like a bit of a fool for that.” his fingers are rubbing the back of his neck in that shy way he does, that little sign of guilt that makes your stomach clench in a way that’s too much to handle.

But it’s his fucking proximity that’s driving you wild. He’s so close now, standing there shirtless, looking like some goddamn wet dream come to life. You can’t focus on anything but his body, the way the rainwater trails down his skin, glistening so beautifully. Fucking fuck. 

“No, Ford, im absolutely okay, I swear—”

“Hold still,” Ford commands and that’s when you feel his hand so damn warm against your forehead, sending a shockwave of need straight through you. His touch is too fucking soft and yet it feels like it’s scorching you. Or maybe it’s just the fact that you’re so goddamn horny your body’s reacting to the smallest contact.

You try to calm yourself, try to act normal, but it’s too fucking hard. You force a weak smile. “I told you, I— I’m fine,” you answer, the lie tasting bitter on your tongue. It’s all you can do to not let the truth slip. You want to scream it, how much you need him, how much you ache for him right now, but you don’t. Not yet. Never probably.

Ford’s brows knit tighter together and his eyes lock onto yours. He’s not fooled, not for a second. “You’re lying. Don’t try to brush it off. If you’re not feeling well, you need to tell me.”

The urge to confess everything is unbearable. You want to tell him you’re not sick, you’re just fucking drenched in need, that’s all! Aching for him to pull you into his arms, to kiss you until you can’t breathe. But instead, you do the only thing you can do: you force a nervous laugh, a weak attempt to play it off.

“No, I swear I’m fine! I could go on a thousand more anomaly hunts with you!” the words spill out with a little too much enthusiasm, a little too much frenzy and you pray to whatever god is listening that it’s enough to get him off your case.

Ford’s eyes narrow and he crosses his arms, still towering over you, still so close

Man, just step back or I'll pounce on you and eat you.

“Cold rain can do a lot more damage than you think. You could’ve caught something serious, and ignoring it won’t help. Do you have any idea how quickly a fever can develop if you’re already run down?”

Oh no, his voice shifts into that familiar, lecturing tone, the kind that makes you want to both roll your eyes and lean in closer to hear more. 

When he says something about cold exposure affecting the immune system, you should be paying attention. You try to focus on his words, but it’s hard when he’s standing there — half naked, with his chest on full display, his messy hair slightly wet from the rain. God, he's just so fucking handsome. The serious, worried look in his eyes makes you weak and you can’t help but sink a little deeper into the sofa.

Just as Ford’s lecture hits a peak, the door swings open with a loud bang and Stanley Pines strolls in, halting mid-step as his eyes zero in on the scene before him. Ford, half-naked, standing too close for comfort, and you, perched on the sofa with that nervous smile plastered across your face.

Stan’s grin stretches wide, clearly loving the situation as he leans casually against the doorway. His eyes flick between you and Ford, then he gives Ford an exaggerated once-over, raising an eyebrow at his lack of turtleneck. “Well, ain’t this cozy,” he drawls sarcastically, giving a smirk that only widens when he spots Ford’s obvious discomfort. “Ya know, Sixer, when I said ‘show the girl a good time,’ I didn’t mean literally strip down to do it.”

Ford’s eyes snap toward his brother, his mouth twitching in a way that’s almost a grimace. His posture straightens, arms crossing defensively as he glares at Stan. “Stanley, really? Must you always reduce everything to your level? She dropped a mug and I was helping her avoid a mess. You wouldn’t understand, but maybe try acting your age for once.”

“Hey, all I’m sayin’ is, if ya plan on gettin' cozy, maybe take it to a couch that ain’t mine.” Stanley’s gaze slides over to you, flashing a wink. “But if you’re lookin' for company, darlin’, I’m more than happy to—“

Before you can let the awkwardness spread more, you spring into the conversation, desperate to steer it somewhere less humiliating. “Stan, actually, Ford was just helping me to—” you force a friendly smile, trying to make light of the situation.

Stan laughs like he’s heard it all before. “Sure thing, toots. But between you and me. . . you’re doin’ a hell of a job of keepin’ my brother here on his toes. Haven’t seen him all riled up like this since. . . well, ever.” your heart thump so loudly in your chest, you’re sure everyone can hear it.

Ford’s jaw clenches so tight, you can practically hear his teeth grinding, but he doesn’t look away from Stan. The vein in his neck starts to twitch.God, it’s almost painful how much he wants to just end this conversation, end this moment, and pull you somewhere private, somewhere safe, where he can have you all to himself, but he doesn’t. “Stan, enough. We have an anomaly to inspect. Something I’d actually prefer not to delay any longer.”

Stan lets out a low whistle, clearly enjoying every second of Ford’s discomfort. “Yeah, yeah. Go on, Sixer, run off to your little projects. Just don’t forget there’s a real world out here, alright?” he gives you a quick nod, still smirking. “and you, don’t let him lock you in his lab too long, sweetheart.”

***

Grumpy Ford. The kind of irritated, scowling Ford you never realized you’d find so irresistibly enticing. That brooding frustration, that laser-sharp focus, you can’t help but imagine all that intensity turned on you, directed into every inch of your body.

God, if he just shoved you back onto that workbench right now, you’d let him. You wouldn’t care if his precious equipment went crashing to the floor, wouldn’t even flinch at the thought of papers and tools scattering everywhere. All you want is him, his body pinning you down, hands gripping you like you’re the anomaly he’s desperate to dissect, figure out, devour. 

Holy shit, you want him to push you up against that wall, pin you down until you’re writhing underneath him, his body grinding against yours, every bit of that frustration poured right into you.

Slick heat building between your thighs as you watch him, the way he moves around his lab, muttering in frustration as he punches numbers into some device, brows knitted in that fierce focus. And all you can do is want his hands on your hips, his mouth on your neck, his cock driving into you like you’re all he’s thinking about.

“The rain seems to have masked the anomaly’s energy signature. I suspect it might be due to ionization in the— are you even listening?”

His voice snaps you back, he’s tearing right through your flimsy attempts at focus with that intense gaze of his, as if seeing everything you’re thinking. You offer him a small, sheepish smile. “Of course I am! Gravity, paranormal. . . s-signatures, right?” you say, hoping he doesn’t notice the way your eyes keep drifting over his body, your ache throbbing inside, thighs pressing together as he stands there, so close you could reach out, slip your fingers through the fabric of his clothes, feel the warmth of his skin.

Ford lets out a soft, exasperated sigh. “Honestly, you’re as distractible as Stan.” 

He turns away, but your eyes don’t leave him. Instead, you let your gaze slide over the room, until something catches your eye. A strange, helmet-like device bristling with wires and so, without thinking, you ask, “Hey, what’s that thing?”

Ford’s gaze follows yours, his expression changes as he considers whether to answer. “That’s a thought-reading device. Designed to access certain mental frequencies,” he explains, stepping closer to it and closer to you. “It can pick up surface thoughts. . . theoretically, anyway. I was working on it before I. . . uhm, it’s meant to strengthen and protect someone’s mental processes. Block out. . . certain entities from gaining access to their mind.”

A mind-protective device. Of course, he’d build something like that. It’s so him, his beautiful mix of intellect, caution, that underlying fear of what he’s seen, what he’s had to fight.

“So, it could let me peek into that brilliant mind of yours?” it’s a playful a tease, mostly. But inside you just ache to know, to wonder, to feel his thoughts. Would he think about you. even once, in the same filthy, breathless way you think about him?

Stanford grins. “In theory, yes, but it’s hardly necessary. My mind is. . . complex, too complicated for most people to understand."

And then, suddenly, unexpectedly, Ford lifts the machine, his grin is bigger. “Why don’t you try it on?”

Your heart slams against your chest and panic sears through you, cutting under your carefully held composure. Oh god. No. No, no, no. Every filthy thought, every desperate image of him, of those long, deft fingers tracing down your skin, of his mouth, his hands, of him pinning you down and splitting you open on his cock, of moaning his name until you can’t breathe. All of it, laid bare, displayed for him to see? 

You choke down the crazy urge to run, instead forcing yourself to laugh. “Why, Professor Pines, are you doubting my integrity?” you counter, flashing him a daring smirk, praying it’s enough to distract him from the heat that’s burning its way up your cheeks.

Ford chuckles in response. “Integrity?” he repeats, his tone mocking. “No. But curiosity? Oh, absolutely. I think it would be enlightening to see what actually goes on behind that amused little expression of yours.”

“There’s nothing interesting in my mind,” but your words barely sound convincing to you, let alone to him.

Ford tilts his head, arching his brow in that all-too-familiar, skeptical way that makes you want to simultaneously squirm and melt. “Oh really? You know, most people would be thrilled to test out new technology. But you. . . you’re avoiding it like it’s some kind of torture device.”

“Oh, yeah, you know,” a poor attempt at casual. “I just. . . don’t wanna risk, you know, brain cells or something.” you resist the urge to roll your eyes. God, please just buy it. . . 

Ford’s laughter rumbles and by the look on his face, you know he doesn’t quite believe you. But, mercifully, he lets it slide. “Alright, alright,” he relents. “I’ll spare you. This time.”

***

The rest of the evening is a haze of Ford’s intense meticulous rambling as you both sit tucked away in the quiet of his lab, soft lamp light casting warm shadows that stretch over the various gadgets, books, and uncharted maps sprawled out on every available surface, his domain, the world he’s always losing himself in.

He’s explaining again, his words so precise about the anomaly you saw earlier today. His voice rises with each detail, the way the rain altered it, how it vanished before either of you could even think to grab it. You should be focused, but his beautiful voice turns into a lullaby. Your eyelids grow heavy, your body sinking deeper into the chair. 

And Ford notices.

The way your head tilts too far, your eyes fluttering closed just a little too long. He’s not as lost in his thoughts as he likes to think. His gaze sharpens, flicking to you with that careful, assessing precision he’s always had. He sees that quiet exhaustion in the way your posture slumps, the way your breath catches unevenly as your body fights against the pull of sleep.

His voice softens. “You’re exhausted,” he murmurs. “Of course you are. . . It’s too late. Go, get some rest. This. . . all of this will still be here tomorrow.”

A sigh tries to escape your chest before you can stop it. You want to protest, to stay longer, to pass just little bit more time with him. But the way he looks at you makes the words die before they can leave your lips. There's something unspoken in his eyes, a quiet concern mixed with that stubborn, unyielding sense of responsibility.

You try to stifle a yawn, your hand reaches out, fingers brushing the fabric of his sleeve, as if the touch might change his mind. “Maybe. . . maybe just a bit longer?” however even your own voice sounds tired.

His answer is gentle but final. “No. You need to sleep. I’ll be here, as always.”

You don’t argue. When you step away, you catch one last glimpse of him, standing amidst the piles of notebooks, the soft light casting shadows along the lines of his face, catching the silver in his hair in a way that’s so painfully beautiful so you let yourself stay a little longer before you close the door.

***

The silence that reigns in the room after you leave feels like a huge, endless void that stretches to all corners of the laboratory and suffocates in its stillness. Ford exhales slowly, a sigh caught between frustration and something deeper he can’t quite name. His gaze lingers on the door, where you disappeared through just moments ago, soft sound of your footsteps still echoing in his mind. God, he’s such a fool, he thinks, fingers pressing to the bridge of his nose, rubbing at the ache that’s been building inside him ever since you spoke those soft words, just a little longer.

He couldn’t stop it, couldn’t ignore it. The way you leaned in, hanging onto his every word, as if he were something more than he really was, something beyond the man who hides behind his work, behind his mind. The weight of your trust presses on him and with it comes the unbearable pressure of knowing he doesn’t deserve it.

And God, he tries to keep himself restrained. He tells himself that this is madness, that you’re too young, that every second he spends watching you, wanting you, is a betrayal of everything he’s tried to build.

But you’re gone now and his lab feels emptier than ever. Even as he reaches for his journal, his thoughts are still tangled with you, with the way you looked at him, the way your sleepy eyes followed his every move, the way you seemed to hang on to every word, every breath he took. Did you even realise what you were doing to him?

And as he opens his journal, he knows there will be no more notes on anomalies tonight. No theories, nothing but the restless, fevered words he can never, ever say aloud. Ford knows that if these thoughts ever slipped past his lips, they’d destroy you. You’d never look at him the same again. And he can’t lose you. He couldn’t bear to watch that disgust fill your eyes, that revulsion as you saw him for what he truly is: a man with a heart full of shame, but aching for you all the same.

He writes with a fever, the words coming too quickly for him to even think them through. He’s confessing things he’ll never have the courage to say to you. The way you make him ache, how wrong it feels, how unnatural it is to want you this way. You’re so young, so vibrant, so full of life. How could someone like him, an old man, a man of logic and reason, ever think he could want someone like you?

And yet, it’s all he can think about. It’s all he does think about.

God help him, he wants you.

Stanford’s hand trembles as he writes fast.

“The way she seems to lean closer with every word I speak, as if I’m some kind of god to her. I can’t breathe when she’s near, but I can’t stand being away from her either.”

He’s sickened by it, disgusted by the way his hands ache for you, by how his thoughts run into places he can’t control. But even so, he thinks, I can’t stop. I can’t stop wanting you.

“If only she knew what I was dreaming about, how I want to erase all layers of distance between us. I want to melt into her, touch every inch of her skin, as if she was made to belong to me, only to me.“

Ford can’t let you know how deeply he feels, how far he’s fallen for someone like you, someone so out of reach, someone who might never look at him the way he looks at you. Because if he did, if he let those words slip from his lips it would ruin you. It would break you.

And he can’t do that.

Not to you.

So, he writes. He writes because it’s the only way he can make sense of the mess inside of him. The only way he can be close to you without breaking everything.

“God, if she knew, she'd never see me as anything but the perverted old man I am.”

“God help me. . . I want her breathless. I want her shaking, clinging to me as I bury myself inside her, feeling every inch of her wrap around me like she was made for this. I want her to be mine. The years between us be damned—”

One sentence, scribbled with shaking hands: “if she knew how much I want to make her come on my cock while explaining the fundamental laws of interdimensional, she’d never look at me same way again”

“I want her shaking, spent, marked by me, by the man twice her age who should know better but can’t help himself.”

“I picture teaching her how to harness interdimensional energy, but my mind twists it, images shifting until it’s my body pressed to hers, whispering “concentrate sweetheart,” while I trust into her from behind. Her breath would stutter as I correct her technique with my hands on her hips.”

“I shouldnt crave her, not with the years that separates us like an unyielding chasm. Yet when she laughs, carefree and obvious, I imagine making her cry my name, hands guiding her hips as I thrust inside up into her, showing her exactly what an older man can do. Showing her why age doesn’t matter when she’s trembling and breathless beneath me.”

“She's got no idea, does she? I want her bent over my desk, books and notes scattered beneath her, while I thrust into her like some animal in heat, filling her over and over until there's nothing left of her but soft, pleading sounds and the way her body pulls me back in with every move. I’d guide her, make her feel exactly what it means to be touched by a man who’s twice her age and twice as obsessed.”

Meanwhile, now, alone in your room, you’re haunted by the memory of your lovely scientist, pulsing between your legs, leaving a needy ache that’s impossible to ignore. Just thinking about him, the strong lines of his hands, those six fingers that could make you see stars. . . it all sends a jolt straight through your body and suddenly, you’re melting, undone, utterly helpless to this craving for him.

You let yourself fall back into your bed, eyes closed, his presence wrapping around you like a ghost you can’t shake off. You can’t even catch a steady breath now, the dampness pooling between your thighs, every inch of you begging to be touched — not by yourself, no. You need him, his skilled, explorative touch, those six clever fingers. The memory of every stolen glance, every careful brush of his hand, it all coils up inside, a slow, delicious torment, and now it’s throbbing there, heavy with need.

You drag your fingers down the length of your body, tracing where his hands might go as you imagine him, his fingers slipping lower, finding that sweet, drenched ache and grazing it with a delicate touch that he’d know so damn well. 'Fuck,' you’d gasp, his name like a prayer on your lips as his six fingers roam, rough and relentless, pressing right against that needy opening, filling you up until you’re nothing but breathless whimpers and cries for more.

“God, sweetheart,” you hear his voice, “I’ve wanted this for so damn long. Do you feel that? How hard you make me?” and then he’d press his cock between your legs, hot veins throbbing against your entrance, and you can feel his breath on your neck as he tells you what a beautiful mess you’ve become for him.

Your fingertips brush over your clit as you imagine his hand there, gentle but insistent, exploring you with that scientist's curiosity, his six fingers pressing slow, circling that sensitive bud, coaxing soft gasps from your lips. “Let me feel you. Take it slow, sweetheart. Let me make you mine.” but even as you touch yourself now, imagining his fingers in place of yours, it’s still not enough

You arch from own hand, fingers gliding through the wetness now slick and ready, you press a little harder on your clit, circling it faster, imagining the way his hands would dig into your skin, his strong arms wrapped around you as he thrusts into you, “take it all, darling. Every inch of me.”

And by some lucky chance, Ford stands outside your door, his pulse slamming hard against his ribs, a wreck of a man just clinging to sanity. The sound of you — all gasping, breathy moans slipping through the thin wood, whispering his name in that desperate little voice — he can’t help himself as his hand flies up to the doorframe, his fingers digging in so hard they’re going white, knuckles taut, trying to keep himself together. 

But the universe is laughing at him, at his pathetic attempt at control, at the sheer uselessness of his restraint, because fuck, every gasp you make sinks its teeth into him.

Something hot runs through him, then it sinks low, thickening in his chest, then spreads down between his legs. His cock twitches, rock-hard and aching, straining against the fabric, pressing hard, begging for the attention he keeps denying it. He shouldn’t be here — hell, he should be miles away by now, somewhere that isn’t two inches from falling apart at the sound of you! But he’s not. He’s a goddamn mess, held hostage to the way you’re sighing his name.

“Fuck, sweetheart. . .” he’s going insane out here.

Ford knows how you look right now, imagined it thousands of times, laid out on your bed with those soft thighs parted, hands trailing down, fingertips grazing over warm, damp skin, teasing yourself open, getting yourself wet just for him. Fuck, he thinks, I shouldn’t be this fucking desperate.

Ford lets his hand slip down, pressing hard against the hardness straining in his trousers, feeling himself throb against his own palm. There’s no relief, just that painful, growing ache that has him grinding his teeth, biting back the low, broken sound that wants to rip free from his throat. He’s a man undone, ruined just by the thought of you, the image of you with your legs open, your body calling out for him like he’s the only one you need.

“Jesus, fuck. . .” his free hand reaches down, trembling as he slides it beneath his waistband, wrapping around the throbbing heat of his cock, feeling himself swell, hard and pulsing against his palm. It’s wrong, so wrong to be here, touching himself to the sound of your little whimpers, but fuck if he can stop.

The sounds coming from your room grow louder and it’s too much for him. He’s already so fucking close as he imagines himself on top of you, sinking inside you, feeling your cunt wrapped tight and hot around him, your body arching, your hands clawing at his back, those delicate fingers pulling him close, begging him not to stop. 

Ford’s back collides with the lab door as he stumbles in, chest heaving, adrenaline of hearing his name on your lips. He locks the door behind him.

Fumbling hands tug at his belt, fingers clumsy, impatient, tearing at the fabric as it’s the only thing standing between him and relief. Finally, the belt slides free, and he wraps a shaky hand around his cock, swallowing down a low hiss as the raw heat of his own skin meets his grip. 

He strokes himself roughly and desperately, letting his thumb graze the sensitive tip with a ragged groan that he’s helpless to contain. His mind runs further, and he pictures you, perfect and pliant, sinking to your knees before him with eyes so innocent, with lips parting as you take him into your mouth. As you let him fuck your throat.

A shiver runs through him and he leans his head back, sighing, groaning and grunting louder as he loses himself in the fantasy. God, if you only knew. If you could see him like that, a desperate moaning and trembling mess with his hand wrapped around his leaking cock. 

“Ahh— ffuck,” hell, just how much he wants to hear you make those sounds too, moan for him, he wants to feel you beneath him, warm and soft, clinging to him, legs tangled around his waist as he sinks into you. His strokes become faster. Ford imagines pressing you down onto the lab table, your dripping pussy welcoming him as he thrusts deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper until there’s no part of you he hasn’t claimed. His breath hitches, hips bucking into his hand as he imagines the way your walls would tighten around him, clenching, pulling him in. 

He’s shaking now, barely able to hold himself together, his free hand clutches at the edge of the workbench, knuckles white, as he lets himself sink fully into the fantasy. You’d look so damn perfect spread out for him. Ford’s hand moves faster, tighter, fueled by the image of you writhing beneath him, helpless, pleading, so sweet and open, absolutely his, his beautiful girl, sweetest thing. 

The pressure building until he can’t take it anymore. His hips jerk, a loud needy moan spilling from his lips as he cums, his body shuddering with release. For a few long, breathless seconds, everything fades: his mind, his shame, everything but the overwhelming, blinding wave of pleasure.

***

The morning breaks, a new day arriving, one that promises to be spent with Ford close by— and, isn’t that something to look forward to?

When you meet Stanford the first thing you hear is, “Did you not learn anything from last time?“

You bite your lip to keep from laughing, but before you can protest, Ford is stepping closer, his coat swishing around him. The wool of his scarf unravels with practiced ease, and in a smooth motion, it’s over your shoulders, the warmth of it spreads around your neck. You want to say something, but all you can focus on is the way Ford’s thumb traces the edge of the scarf, his touch so delicate it feels too intimate for something so simple.

This shouldn’t feel like it does, you think, but your body screaming what your mind refuses to admit.

“There,” Ford says, stepping back. “you’ll thank me later.”

“I thought you checked the forecast this time,” you tease, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t today supposed to be sunny?”

Ford crosses his arms with a smile. “Yes, well. . . One can never be too cautious. After all, last time—“

“—last time, I nearly froze my ass off,” you finish, the laughter bubbling up between you and Ford shoots you a look that’s equal parts exasperated and fond, like he’s about to scold you but can’t help himself.

“I wasn’t going to put it quite so crudely,” he says, but that reluctant chuckle escapes him before he can hide it.

When the sun climbs higher, the forest around you changes in hues of gold, the leaves thinning just enough to let the light filter through in soft rays. You walk side by side, close enough to hear the rhythmic crunch of your footsteps in the fallen leaves and Ford’s murmured observations, but it’s all you can do not to lose yourself in him. His words float past, about terrain, weather, anomalies and predictions, but your mind doesn’t follow, not when your eyes keep straying to him.

You can’t help but wonder if there’s any room left for you in his head, if he ever thinks about anything other than those damned anomalies. A piece of you wants to shake him, to pull him from his thoughts, to remind him that life is more than equations and mathematics. But, god, there’s something so cute about him when he’s like this, so fully consumed by his world, and you can’t look away.

“You’re thinking about something,” Stanford starts, pulling you out of your trance. “Is it the anomaly, or. . .?”

“Just wondering what it is we’re actually tracking. I mean, last time it disappeared before we could even get a good look, so. . . what’s the plan if it shows up again?”

Ford’s face lights up with approval at your question. “It’s an elusive creature, no doubt,” and again, his voice slips into that familiar lecture tone, one you’ve learned to love despite yourself. “But this time, I have a better understanding of its behaviour. The rain threw it off last time, but if my theory is correct, today’s dry weather should keep it on course! And if we can corner it near the ravine, there’s a chance we might get a clear reading on its—”

“Ford,” you interrupt, he stops talking, his brow lifting slightly. “I mean, yes— corner it near the ravine,” you repeat. Wait, what did you just say? 

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Ford asks, smiling at you. “If you’re still tired from yesterday, I can handle this on my own.”

You scoff, rolling your eyes, crossing your arms as you look at him defiantly. "Oh, please. I said I could do this a thousand times over with you and still keep up,” you challenge.

He laughs again and his laughter is so damn cute. “That, I don’t doubt.”

Time pass and as you walk beside Ford, your mind drifts, you're not really thinking about the anomaly or the hunt anymore. No, your thoughts are elsewhere. Again. Somewhere they shouldn’t be, but there they are. You can’t help but notice the way the sun highlights the strands of silver in Ford's hair, the curve of his shoulders as he walks, his posture so effortlessly confident and strong. And you think about how much you liked the way his body looked in the rain yesterday, when the wetness clung to his clothes and made every line stand out even more. 

You sigh inwardly, watching him from the corner of your eye. The weather, as perfect as it is, only makes you feel a bit wistful. Why did it have to be sunny today? You had been hoping for more rain. The kind of rain that soaked him through and made his clothes cling to his skin, the droplets tracing the curves of his chest. That was a sight you’d never forget. But today sun is too bright, too cheerful.

The soft breeze brushes your hair against your face, and you snap out of your thoughts just as you see the clearing ahead. Ford slows his pace, his gaze scanning the area with his usual calculated precision. And just as yesterday, air here feels different. You feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, the unease settling in. This is it, the spot where the anomaly was last seen.

But, of course, there's nothing. The clearing is quiet, calm, completely empty.

Ford steps forward, looking around with a frown, muttering something under his breath. You stand there for a moment, waiting, listening to the wind rustle through the branches and the distant call of a bird. But there's nothing. 

“Where is it?” you ask and Ford turns to you, his expression calm but with that familiar hint of worry in his eyes, the kind that usually only surfaces when he’s feeling frustrated. 

“Don’t worry,” he says, though his voice sounds more like he’s trying to reassure himself than you. He straightens up, adjusting his glasses. “The anomaly will show itself. We’ve got all day to catch it.” he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

All day with Ford? 

Your heart skips a beat and you have to fight to keep your expression neutral. What could be better than spending the entire day with him, just the two of you in this quiet, secluded place? No distractions, just you and Ford, and the anomaly that might never show up.

It takes a little more time while you and Ford are waiting for the anomaly to appear and so, a dialogue ensues.

“I’ve seen some more strange things. In all my years of research, there have been anomalies of all shapes and sizes. Creatures from dimensions we can’t even begin to understand. Some are harmless, just curious things that wander around, never meaning to cause harm. Others. . . Others are far more dangerous. I've seen creatures that could tear through steel without breaking a sweat. Their behavior is— well, unpredictable.”

“What about the really dangerous ones?”

“There's one anomaly, one creature that I’ve encountered that still haunts me, to this day.” he looks away for a moment, as if weighing the decision to tell you more. “a beast unlike any other. Its skin is like iron, nearly impenetrable. And its mind is relentless. It doesn’t think like us. It doesn’t have the ability to reason, only the ability to kill and survive.”

Wow, you already can see it in your imagination, a massive, hulking creature, covered in jagged, metallic plates, with eyes wild like an animalistic hunger.

“And you’ve seen it?”

Ford nods slowly. “Yes, once. And it wasn’t an experience I care to repeat.” and then he calls you by your name. “Listen, if we encounter anything dangerous, you stay behind me. Don’t try to be a hero, don’t try to ‘help out.’ I’ve trained for this. I know these creatures; I know their instincts and behaviours. You. . . you don’t. It’s crucial that you follow my lead.”

“I’m not helpless, you know,” you mumble, folding your arms. “I can handle myself.”

But Ford only smirks, oh how cute you are. “And if you ever find yourself lost between dimensions, the key is to stay calm. Panicking is a surefire way to make yourself vulnerable. Reality in those places doesn’t play by the same rules. Your mind can trick you, distort what you’re seeing” 

You stare at him, a mixture of awe and confusion washing over you. “Well, thanks, Ford, for the guide on how to travel through dimensions and fight the monsters that live in them.”

“Years of experience. Sometimes the hard way. But you don’t need to worry about that, alright? Just stick close, keep your wits about you, and we’ll make it out just fine.” he smiles.

“Easy for you to say,” you mutter, dropping your gaze to the forest floor. “You’re. . . you’re Stanford Pines. You’re used to dealing with this kind of thing. Me? I’d probably end up wandering off into some other dimension if I so much as blink wrong.”

He chuckles softly, and you feel his hand gently rest on your shoulder. “That’s why I’m here. To make sure you don’t.”

You open your mouth to respond, but then— crack. A twig snaps somewhere in the trees to your left. The sound is sharp, distinct, echoing through the quiet forest.

Your heart skips a beat and you instinctively grip Ford’s arm, eyes widening. He tenses, immediately going on alert as his gaze darts toward the source of the noise. “Stay behind me.”

You swallow, nodding as you press yourself close to him. Ford moves slowly, keeping himself between you and the sound, his shoulders squared, every muscle tense and ready.

Another rustle, this time from the other side. You bite your lip, feeling the cold prickling sensation of fear clawing up your spine. This doesn’t sound like a bunny, not in the slightest.

The sounds grow louder, surrounding you both. Ford’s posture tightens, his gaze focused and determined, while you hover close behind him, whatever lurks in the shadows isn’t friendly, and Ford, as always, stands ready to protect you at any cost.

Suddenly, Ford raises a hand, signaling for you to stay still. One. . . two. . . three

A small, furry creature darts out of the bushes, a pudgy raccoon, more plump and inquisitive than fearsome. It scampers out, blinking innocently at you both and you feel sigh with a relief.

You slip out from behind Ford, who’s still standing rigidly and eyeing the raccoon with disbelief. “Well, would you look at that,” you say, glancing up at him with a slight grin. “Our terrifying forest intruder was just looking for a snack, huh?”

“Don’t get too close,” Stanford warns, still frowning. “These things are rarely alone.”

You laugh softly, crouching down and letting the raccoon sniff at your hand. “Oh, come on, Ford. You really think this little guy is hiding—”

The words die in your throat as you catch the look on his face, his eyes wide with sudden horror, mouth open as he shouts, “behind you!” and you whip around just in time to see something that makes your heart freeze, a hulking mass with matted fur and claws like daggers, looming in the shadows. Its eyes flash like yellow lanterns and a rank smell hits you, earthy and rotten all at once. You barely manage a step back before it lets out a furious roar, its maw wide enough to fit a head and then some. The sound is so loud it rattles through you and a splatter of spit flies from its jaws, landing on your clothes. You go stock-still.

“Th-that’s. . .” you stammer, but Ford’s voice interrupts you.

“Stay calm. It’s eyesight’s weak, but sound-sensitive. Just— slowly step back.”

You barely have time to take in his words before the beast’s head snaps toward you again, snarling with an intensity that shakes the trees. Immediately, Ford pulls out his gun, aiming directly at the creature, he fires off a round that echoes through the forest, hitting the beast and it lets out a howl of pain that sends birds scattering from the treetops. But it’s still very much alive, and now it looks angry, furiously angry. The monster's gaze is fixed on Ford with a vengeful glare, and he rushes towards him with a blood-curdling growl.

Ford stands firm, taking careful aim as he readies to fire again. But just as he steadies his grip, a branch underfoot shifts, making him stumble. The gun slips from his hand, landing somewhere in the tangle of roots and leaves and suddenly, he’s weaponless, the monster mere feet away.

Panic flares in your chest as you see the creature, claws poised, ready to strike. Ford scrambles back, but it’s too close, and something snaps inside you. Without thinking, you dart forward, adrenaline flooding through you and you grab a thick branch from the ground. With a yell that’s as much out of fear as it is determination, you swing it at the creature with everything you have, landing a blow that momentarily distracts it from Ford.

But that monster retaliates, slashing out in a blind fury and suddenly you feel the sting of claws raking across your leg. Pain flares sharp and hot, but you grit your teeth, ignoring it, keeping yourself steady enough to stay upright.

Ford seizes the moment, his eyes flashing with a mix of fury and fear as he snatches his gun from the ground, turning back to the creature. His voice is hoarse but resolute, “what are you doing?” he shouts irritably, calling your name again. “I told you to listen to me!”

With a final, controlled shot, he fires, the bullet hitting its mark. The monster lets out an agonized cry, staggering back before it turns and lumbers off into the dense woods, its snarl fading into the distance.

The adrenaline ebbs, leaving you and Ford alone in the sudden silence. His gaze finds yours, mad and worried all at once, his hand reaching out to steady you as your breathing finally starts to slow.

Ford’s face twists with frustration, jaw clenched tight and when he speaks, his voice is seething with barely controlled anger. “What the hell were you thinking?” he snaps. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed, charging in like that! I told you to stay back!”

You swallow, feeling a flush creep up your cheeks, not out of embarrassment or fear, but because, god, he’s hot when he’s angry, with that fire in his eyes and his tone like a damn storm. You force yourself to stay upright, despite the dull ache pulsing in your leg. “Ford, it’s fine. I just wanted to—”

But he’s already looking at you, really looking, his gaze flicking from your face to the way you’re leaning on your uninjured leg. “You’re hurt,” his tone dips from anger to something softer and worried. “Damn it, I should’ve never brought you out here. I’m such an idiot—“

“No, Ford, it’s just a little—” you try to brush him off, waving your hand dismissively, but as you shift your weight, a sharp bolt of pain shoots through your leg. You bite back a wince, forcing a smile. “Just a scratch, really.”

“Don’t even think about hiding this from me,” Ford turns annoyed and dead serious again, he steps closer as he assesses you, and there’s something really fierce in the way he insists, “Let me take a look. Now.”

For a moment, you think about arguing. But the pain flares again and you realise there's no winning against that look in his eyes. With a sigh, you give in, nodding reluctantly as you show him your new wound, from where the blood has already soaked into the fabric, turning it dark red.

Ford’s face changes instantly. “Damn it,” his hand hovers uncertainly like he wants to reach out, to touch, but doesn’t quite know where to begin. “This is— this isn’t just a scratch.”

His fingers finally settle gently around your calf, supporting you, his touch unexpectedly gentle as he examines the wound. You can feel his pulse under his fingertips, it’s obvious he’s anxious, and for a second, he doesn’t look like the Ford who always has the answers.

“This was my fault, I shouldn’t have— damn it, I should’ve kept you safe.”

***

The journey back to the shack feels agonizingly silent. Ford has one arm around your waist, nearly carrying you as you limp along, every step makes the wound throb in your leg. The sting, the ache, it’s all mingling with a sick sense of regret. You feel it settling in your chest. The whole day had been a disaster. You both went out to catch that anomaly, that one lead he was so excited about. . . and instead, you ended up facing something brutal. The monster had nearly killed you both.

Ford hasn’t spoken a word since the forest and with each passing second, it gnaws at you more. The thought appears in your mind, he must regret it. Bringing you along, letting you be there, yeah. . . he’s mad and not in the way you find hot. He’s distant, still supporting you, guiding you with a firm hand, but it’s as though he’s somewhere else entirely.

When you finally make it to the Shack, you find it blessedly empty. No Stan’s loud jokes or questions to break the heavy silence between you. Ford helps you to walk, still wordless and the whole way, you’re trying to find something to say. Some excuse, some apology, but every time you look over at him, you just see that grim look and you stop yourself.

Inside, he lets you sit on the couch. You clear your throat, forcing yourself to speak, to try to lift that heavy cloud around you. “Ford, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for things to go that way. I didn’t mean to—”

But Ford cuts you off. “No, don’t apologize. It’s my fault. I should never have let you come along, I put you in danger.”

That serious tone. . . You nod, saying nothing more and after a beat of silence, you get up slowly, mumbling something about heading to your room. Ford doesn’t stop you, and he watches you go, still worried as fuck, but he doesn’t say anything. He’s rooted there, expression tight as he watches you limp down the hall.

When you get to your room, you close the door softly behind you, but the pain in your leg has started pulsing heavier, sharper, demanding your attention. You look down and finally decide, you’re going to check it, even if just to prove to yourself that Ford’s look wasn’t warranted, that maybe you’re not as bad as he seemed to think.

You settle on the edge of your bed, carefully and slowly taking your pants off, but as you pull the fabric, the sight that greets you isn’t reassuring in the slightest. The cut on your thigh is deep, seeping a fresh, dark line of blood that’s begun to smear against your skin. “Fuck. . .” you curse, tilting your head to get a better look, your fingers hovering over the edges of the wound. Just as you’re mentally preparing to find the first aid kit, a familiar voice cuts through the silence.

“No, please, just— let me help still. I won’t be calm until I—”

In the midst of your concentration, you hear the faintest creak of the door, and before you can even react, it opens. 

You barely have a moment to react, still sitting on the edge of your bed, the bloody gash on full display as Ford steps inside, eyes widening as he looks at you. He freezes and for a moment, you both just stare at each other in silence. You’re sitting there in your panties and a t-shirt, and you don’t know if to be happy or not, realising how exposed you must look. Ford’s gaze flickers to your bare legs, to the wound on your inner thigh.

You cross your legs in shock and embarrassment. “Ford, what—” you start, but he quickly raises a hand, cutting you off.

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to—“ Ford approaches, he kneels beside the bed, looking up into your eyes. “I— I can’t just leave you like this,” he pleads. “Please. . . let me help.”

“Ford—“

Ford’s hands hover over your leg. “You need to stop the bleeding, disinfect it, make sure it doesn’t get infected. It’s going to hurt, but, I can help. I’ll be gentle. Just let me. . . please.”

His eyes search yours, a quiet desperation in them that seems to say more than just his words ever could. Ford may be brilliant when it comes to the unknown, but in moments like this, when it’s you that’s hurt, he’s lost, even if he tries to sounds smart. He doesn’t want to mess this up, doesn’t want to fail you.

Slowly, you nod, the vulnerability in his gaze too much for you to ignore.

“Alright,” you whisper. “but be careful, okay?”

[honeycreammilkshake]

as both a sukuita and sukuna fan, chapter 268 killed me. at first i thought it was because we finally got another really intimate and highly emotional scene between sukuna and yuuji, and that sukuna chose to die over accepting yuuji's kindness, but now i can't stop thinking about how this entire chapter was such a good character study and a metaphor for one of the most important themes in the story.

in chapter 21, there's a really interesting conversation between junpei and mahito, where junpei disagrees with the quote "the opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference." he knows how evil people can be so he chooses to feel indifferent about human suffering instead. mahito's view on this is also really intriguing, especially considering how he is a curse born from the hate people share for each other.

i could be wrong but it sounds like the basic message here is that deadening yourself to such intense feelings — love or hate — is a type of retaliation for being hurt or consumed by them. which makes me wonder if sukuna had a similar story to junpei, and if that explains how he became what he is.

we know that sukuna wasn't wanted as a child. he was more than likely rejected by both normal society and the jujutsu world. like junpei he was probably treated cruelly or strongly made aware of the many people who hated him. sukuna claimed to know what love is, but i think what he actually understood was the absence of love. he understood maybe what it means to others, but he had never felt or experienced it himself.

which brings me back to junpei's idea that indifference should be the solution. this is kind of the same philosophy sukuna has: he believes in this unshakable hierarchy of strength where the weak should have no right to lament their suffering. his idea was that the strongest were indifferent to suffering, that it's greedy to be lonely because of this. he calls it his "nature" to live in this self-indulgent way that is completely uncaring and selfish.

but then there's yuuji.

yuuji has been alone for a lot of his life. at the beginning, he doesn't have any really close friends, since even the other occult club members don't know him all that well. his only family was wasuke, who was difficult and pushed people away, including yuuji.

after his grandfather's death, he wanted to do right and fulfill wasuke's request of helping people, to be able to die surrounded by those he cares about. he pretty much gave his life to help other people by accepting responsibility as sukuna's vessel, and shows concern and kindness even to strangers.

he seems the exact opposite of sukuna and he stands for all the things that the king of curses hates... so why is it that someone sukuna considers so weak has so much power over him?

the only one who's really managed to make sukuna rethink his ideas of the world has been yuuji. even sukuna acknowledged that he was affected more by yuuji than anyone else.

to him, those who challenged him 1000 years ago were "other people." his relationship with yuuji was and always has been so special that even he admits it.

sukuna mostly strived for indifference his entire life. consuming so many humans was merely a way for him to pass the time until death, as he said, and those tastes were passing and unmemorable for the most part. everything was so unfeeling about the way he made his philosophy sound during his conversation with kashimo, and he couldn't answer as to why he would decide to cross the ages into modern life if his life before had been truly satisfactory. it's like he wasn't even moved to support his own ideals.

but here yuuji is... an annoying brat he called weak and boring, yet every time they fought sukuna looked thrilled and even impressed, though he resented it. and every time yuuji challenged him, sukuna was bothered enough to challenge him right back.

"the opposite of love is indifference." if this is true, sukuna was most likely forced into his indifference due to the fact he was never wanted or loved. but yuuji awakened so many feelings inside of him, too many. living as sukuna's vessel, they shared such a close connection while still opposing each other in every single way. yuuji represented the intense feelings of both love and hate in the way he fought so hard for others while sukuna's own indifference started to break the longer he spent inside of yuuji. he was far more reactive to yuuji than with others, and had even given him special treatment. there were many times he could have killed yuuji or his friends, but he didn't.

yuuji has made it clear that he hates sukuna's indifference to the value of people's lives.

sukuna's indifference towards life is against everything yuuji believes in but strangely enough, yuuji was still willing to accept sukuna. to not only pity him, but to have genuine empathy and compassion for such a monster as well.

he even says to sukuna that they are the same, despite seeming to be complete opposites of each other.

to me, yuuji saying that the monster sukuna became was a matter of chance, shows that he understands how indifference cut sukuna off from having a different fate.

there is a vast area of shades between love and hate, unlike the overwhelmingly static state of indifference. yuuji was showing those shades of love and hate to sukuna, telling him that they could live in the mixed shades of both.

and i really wished sukuna chose to coexist with both that love and hate and remain with yuuji. but he was too used to being indifferent and rejected that offer.

i'm really hoping we get to see yuuji's thoughts on this in the next few chapters, because he looked truly disappointed by sukuna's rejection.

[danieyells]

@2flowerz NOW I CAN POST THEM LOL HERE'S ED TO START WITH

PERVY OLD VAMPIRE IS AN ABSOLUTE GOOBER. . .he's also very very tired. But he has a very nice reaper taking care of him and a friendly dog that wants him to go outside more, so he has people who love and care for him even though he's. . .a little troublesome haha.

also I changed the format from previous posts and added the specific times and seasons and such for each dialogue! this should help lessen some confusion about how to get them.

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"Ah, there you are. I've a favor to ask of you— come to my room and I'll explain."

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Oh? It appears we have some letters. Alas, my eyesight is not what it used to be. Read them out to me, would you?"

well maybe if you didn't stare at your tablet all day. . . .

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"I have much to learn about the human world... Rui is teaching me a lot, but I cannot seem to divorce myself of careless blunders."

y'know, it's good he's trying to learn anyway. 400 years old is never too late.

"What did I do before Darkwick? I eked out a humble existence in Eastern Europe. Hm? The most powerful vampire? No, those are just rumors. "

didn't you confirm it yourself in the main story though--also if he was living in eastern europe for the past 400-ish years i wonder if he saw lyca when he was young, even if in passing? then again eastern europe isn't exactly small.

"I was taken by a sudden whim to travel abroad. I had heard good things about Japan so I came over to play, but alas, I was captured."

so he went to japan just to have a nice time for a while but the Institute decided to keep him trapped in Darkwick. . .and then they didn't listen to any warnings or concerns he had. . .no wonder he doesn't give a shit what's going on around here, why would he? They abducted him while he was on vacation--and for what?

"I have no interest in harming humans. After all, they die so quickly. They should enjoy their short lives while they can."

"(cough cough) Oh, it's you... I'm feeling worse than usual today. I don't suppose you could carry me to bed?"

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"(yawn) Good morning... What time is it? ...Still that early? Wake me up again at midday, would you?"

honestly Ed? Mood.

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"If this is about a mission, I can't help you, I'm afraid. I leave such day-to-day duties to Rui, so I suggest you ask him instead."

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I'm more or less confined to this house most days, for various reasons. I'm on my best behavior. But I'll do what I can to support you from the sidelines."

y'know, he's offering to help a little even at Affinity 3 and that counts for something in my book.

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"My favorite channel should be posting a new video at any moment... Sorry, but could we continue this tomorrow?"

you have not yet reached the stage of friendliness where you're more important than a youtube video lmao

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I don't suppose you know where Rui is? How troubling... My YouTube video has stopped playing..."

well at this hour i'd check either the bar or his room???

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Oh, it hurts... I cannot seem to shake this ache in the place Rui touched me earlier... I think I'll rest a while."

so it seems like either his limbs pop off/part of him breaks open when Rui touches him, or he suffers a great deal of pain for an extended period of time, maybe his body actively fighting extremely rapid necrosis? Rui did say that he basically insta-kills anyone who isn't super strong, so Ed being in excruciating pain instead of dying or losing a limb now and then makes sense.

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"I can't survive much sunlight. Without my parasol, I can barely go outside... (sigh) It really is quite punishing..."

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Sounds like Lyca's having fun, from all that yapping. I think it's good for him to develop some temporary bonds with humans at this time in his life."

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I felt the urge to go stargazing, so I went to a hill nearby, but Towa was there already and he chased me away."

TOWA STOP BEING MEAN HE actually he probably would have bothered you and if he smells like a corpse to you that would have been annoying even if he didn't talk to you BUT STILL DON'T BE MEAN.

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"You ought to be getting ready for bed. Me? Oh, I'll turn in soon... Just one more YouTube video."

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"Are you going for a walk? Take care not to spend too long in the garden. Humans are rather susceptible to the miasma there."

WE NEVER DID LEARN ABOUT THE MIASMA. WHAT'S UP WITH THE MIASMA WHY'S THE AIR IN OBSCUARY FUNKY.

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Do you realize that human society is controlled by a shady cabal of elites? There are many videos about it on YouTube."

I AM ONCE AGAIN ASKING FOR HIS LAPTOP TO BE TAKEN AWAY OR TIME ON IT RESTRICTED. . .HE'S INTO CONSPIRACY THEORY YOUTUBERS HE'S GONE TOO FAR DOWN THE RABBITHOLE

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"The ghouls are rioting again? Ah ha ha ha, they certainly are full of energy. If you'll excuse me, I was in the middle of a YouTube video."

he simply does NOT GIVE A FUCK lmao the ghouls could be dying out there and he'd probably shrug it off. Maybe keep an eye on things with his sixth sense or have some bats watch. Maybe that's part of why so many ghouls dislike him? he doesn't have any concerns for their plights and problems?

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"How strange... I can't find my other sock. I could have sworn I put it here... Have you seen it?"

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"Lyca made a mess again? Ah ha ha ha. Try not to judge him too harshly—he's not human, after all."

i think even for non-humans there's some cleanliness to be strived for. . .even pigs are pretty clean animals from what I hear. . . .

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Rui? Is my lunch ready yet? ...Oh, it's you. You wouldn't happen to be feeling heartsore, would you?"

he's asking if you're sad because he feeds off of tears more than blood. . . . .he wanted to see if you'd cry for him. . . . . . .wait how does Rui usually go about doing this!? Does he cry every day for him???

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Rui has his tavern work at this hour. He made sure I had everything I needed before he left, though."

ed's all cozy in bed with a nice bottle of tears and his fully charged tablet, all the dirty laundry's off his floor and everything--and now you're here! everything is perfect.

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Has night fallen already? Do keep in mind that my vitality returns at this hour. You really should be more careful."

i'm kinda getting Taiga vibes here where as his affinity goes up he kind of clearly wants to eat you more, except where Taiga kinda tried to keep away from doing it until Affinity 24 where he snaps and ties you down and starts hurting you, Ed just starts warning you 'you're in danger being around me right now' lol. When he tells you to be careful he makes the sadist face, so he is telling you to be careful around him specifically. . . .

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"You can't sleep? Come, close your eyes. I'll hold you in my arms until you surrender yourself to the land of slumber."

isn't Ed's skin cold. . .I feel like it may be hard to sleep like that for most people lol then again maybe he'd be perfect for temperature regulation?

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"Ah, thank you for coming so early. I slept even worse than usual last night... The cleaning can wait. Let me rest my head on your lap, would you?"

'the cleaning can wait' huh. . .is this another Jin situation where he's started to expect you to clean up his room all the time lmao I MEAN RUI ONLY CLEANS IT ONCE A MONTH SO A LITTLE SUPPLEMENTARY CLEANING WOULDN'T HURT. . . .

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"How are you finding Obscuary? Anomalies live quite differently to humans, so you're adapting to it remarkably well... Perhaps you're predisposed?"

'hey i know you're probably scared about becoming an anomaly that will harm your loved ones and all but you may already be showing signs so you should just stop worrying and join us!' also do they really live so differently. . .so far the main difference is cleanliness lmao

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"My, where did the time go? Talking to you is just so relaxing. Why? Perhaps it's because I know I could feast upon you at any moment."

in Japanese he says something like "The sense of security of being able to strike at any moment"--he's saying he could bite you and you're so comfortable with him you wouldn't even put up a fight before he could do it. He's making his 'sadist' face, but I think he means it in a 'you're relaxed around me, and it makes me feel comfortable to' way. . . .or not. He could just mean that he appreciates you as easy prey 8D

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Really. You became embroiled in another petty human dispute? How absurd you humans are. Come here."

he feels so bad for you and always getting involved in some shit. . .you know you wouldn't have to do any of this if you abandoned your humanity and just became an anomaly?

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"So, you've come sneaking into my room in the middle of the night? You really are a wicked girl. What were you hoping for? Go on, say it."

Do you want him to feed off of you? Or do you want him to feast upon you? Or were you just that starved for his company? I feel like he's willing to put aside his tablet for you at this point, especially if you're coming into his window late at night for a little tryst.

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"Being with you brings up old, old memories... Perhaps it's because you remind me a little of her."

well he is hundreds of years old, so of course he had lovers in the past. . .I wonder if she was also mortal, and if he refuses to see humans and anomalies as compatible because of heartbreak. Or maybe he doesn't get heartbroken like some humans do, and it's just nostalgia. But for someone who struggles to remember things sometimes to have old memories stirred up, I think that's a good thing. He must feel quite old at this point, but having someone around who reminds him of being even a little younger must be nice, even if he doesn't think it will last. . .then again maybe that's part of why he seems like he encourages you to become an anomaly in his character stories. Because he'll get to have you around for longer.

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"The plants in our garden become rather lively in the spring. See? There's a little cannibalism going on over there."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"My favorite channels have been updating more frequently than usual of late. I suppose humans really do experience spring fever."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"(yawn) I look more tired than usual? Must be the spring weather... Goodnight."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Cherry blossoms are fascinating organisms. Born carrying the stench of death and falling all too soon... Just like humans, really."

i don't think most humans smell like death(unless we're referencing the poem about sakura trees having corpses beneath them to make the petals pink again) but go off i guess--also it makes it seem like he wishes humans lived longer? funny thing for a guy who thinks humans aren't compatible to say.

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"Obscuary is lovely in summer. It's so dark and cool, with a lovely miasma breeze. I've no desire to step outside its confines."

honestly living in eternal night during the summer doesn't sound bad aside from all the bugs. but the tentacle plant in the garden probably keeps most of them away, so. . .obscuary in summer sounds lovely.

(between 11am and 4pm)

"How the sun mocks me... Vampires across the nation are advised to avoid going outdoors unless absolutely necessary."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"It was so hot this morning that Rui was walking around after his shower in just a towel. A sight for sore eyes, I must say."

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH HE IS BISEXUAL. in Japanese he says that Rui was walking around soaking wet and that he's incredibly handsome but doesn't mention the towel--so Rui may have been wet and bare naked walking around Obscuary. . . .

(between 8pm and 5am)

"My air-conditioner? I believe I have it set to 64 degrees. Hm? You're cold? Humans truly are such fragile creatures."

that is almost 18 degrees celcius for the non-americans! it's not that cold imo but it's definitely a little chillier than most people like their personal space.

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"Humans take extra delight in their meals during the harvest season, do they? Interesting. Perhaps I'll follow suit."

lap up your tears nice and slow and sensual--

(between 11am and 4pm)

"The stamina and physical strength of a vampire is dozens of times that of a human. We don't need to work ou— (cough) (wheeze)"

YOU GOOD BUDDY YOU STARTED COUGHING WITHOUT EVEN MOVING i mean i get it i have asthma but still--

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Ah, the curtain of night closes. Now that the days are becoming shorter, my physical and mental health have much improved."

does that mean you don't need help getting dressed for a while--

(between 8pm and 5am)

"How beautiful the moon looks tonight. Its light is such a comfort to us non-humans. You look rather lovely bathed in it too."

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"(sigh) Even in the dead of winter, Lyca is so full of energy in the mornings... Just try to imagine waking to him barking in your ear."

that explains why you lock him out of your room lmaoooo

(between 11am and 4pm)

"What do you think of my dressing gown? Rui made it for me. It's surprisingly warm."

MOM RUI STRIKES AGAIN MAKING HIS BOY COZY CLOTHES FOR THE WINTER

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"(cough cough) I only took a few steps outside, yet I felt as though my heart froze over... It's best not to leave one's room on days like this."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"They say that on cold nights like this, humans long for the warmth of another. Well? Shall I provide it for you?"

DO YOU POSSESS THE WARMTH OF ANOTHER SIR I RECALL YOUR SKIN BEING DESCRIBED AS COLD

His birthday: (November 10th)

"Having you celebrate my birthday makes all these long years of life worth it. How old am I? A gentleman doesn't tell."

given your estimate was 'idk 400 i stopped counting around 300' i think it's less you won't tell and more you can't tell lmaoooo

Your birthday:

"It's your birthday, is it? I'll have to give you a present. What do you want? Go on, tell me."

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year. I heard it's a tradition in this country to impart small monetary gifts. Here, for you."

OTOSHIDAMA GET!!!!

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"My, is this for me? I'm touched. I don't usually partake of human food, but I suppose I'll make an exception."

it's about the symbolism! it's the principle of the thing, even if the chocolate tastes bland to your vampire taste buds!

White Day: (March 14th)

"It seems that today those who received chocolates on Valentine's Day are supposed to return the favor. What a conscientious country this is..."

yeah but what'd you get them tho--

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"Oh, I'm burning up... I'm not long for this world... Won't you grant me one last request? ...No need to make that face. I'm joking, of course."

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Trick or treat. I'm a real vampire, you know. Give me your blood, or I'll play a trick on you."

probably the only time he's directly stated wanting to drink your blood lol

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Merry Christmas. Rather amusing for a vampire to celebrate a holy day, don't you think? Let's fill tonight with magic and wonder."

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"I'm going to lie down a while. If you need something, ask Rui."

(13 affinity and above)

"Hello? Oh good, there you are. It would be troublesome for me if you were to disappear. Let me know next time you decide to wander off."

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'D BE TROUBLESOME. I guess it's because you clean up after him and help him and stuff. . .and at higher affinities maybe he feeds off of your tears and/or blood. . . .

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"Well, hello there. It's been a while. Come over here—I've been looking forward to your return."

OUR SLOPPY LIL VAMPIRE BOY. Flirts, drinks tears, minds his own business, and is on his best behavior despite that he was abducted by Darkwick. They should be thankful he's not angrier, considering he's apparently strong enough to LEVEL A BUILDING ON HIS OWN. As his affinity goes up he seems to be more comfortable around you, although that comes with the concern that he expresses less human thoughts more openly. . .which isn't a bad thing, imo. He should be allowed to be an anomaly. He's not harming or preying on you, just saying he could and that he's dangerous. But he also just seems to like physical affection and flirting and having you do chores for him so he can be lazy. . . .

I love him lol he's stinky

[atxxzist]

spring in our hearts | c.s (preview)

summary: the spring where you finally fall in love and experience everything that comes with it; the good and the bad

pairing: choi san x f!reader

genre: angst, slice of life, suggestive, romance, fluff?

release date: sometime around next week, idk

and he probably didn’t push too hard because it’s almost like he knew you’re gonna be there; waking up before it’s even 7 and sitting at the same table from before, watching guests go in and out of the room hoping to catch the boy that sent you the text last night.

his face lights up the same as you when he enters, waving in the air and heading your direction, you really shouldn’t feel so nervous but excited at the sight of him walking.

“hey!” he greets cheerfully, sliding into the seat across with a smile.

“good morning,” you return, hands curled in your lap and happy he can’t see them because you wonder what he’d think.

“how you’d sleep?” he ask the same time he combs over his morning hair, never in your life has someone looked so good doing so, you didn’t even think it was possible.

“good,” you manage to answer with composure. “and you?”

“alright.” he shrugs. “wooyoung was just mostly drunk and annoying from last night’s dinner.”

a small giggle also laced with empathy escapes from you. “well i’m sorry to hear. i hope today will be better.”

he nods. “hopefully.” then realizing you haven’t even gotten your food, talking in a concerned tone, “don’t tell me you were waiting for me.”

“i was,” you say. “don’t worry about it. i’m not that hungry. the dinner last night kept me filled plenty.”

“if you say so…” he lingers a bit before continuing, “should we go now?”

“sure.”

you also get close to the same thing you got last time, with the exception that they’ve switched out pancakes for waffles, getting a question from san after sitting down about your food choices.

“well, i really only eat korean foods,” you tell him. “i’m not too fond of anything else besides what’s on my plate right now.”

“ahh. so you’re a picky eater?”

“somewhat. that’s why yeosang hates going out to eat with me.”

san lets out a quiet snicker, something more mischievous bubbling in his eyes that you don’t read into.

“you talk about yeosang a lot… does yours and his relationship ever bothers your other friend?” he asks, the question stopping you from sipping your coffee.

the friendly and harmless tone still in the air but you can’t hide the fact the question flusters you a little.

“well, me and yeosang have known each other for a while… even before grace, so she understands that we don’t see each other like that at all.”

san quirks his lips and nods, taking your words for it.

“why?” you speak again. “do we give out that kind of vibe?” you ask worriedly, because you would never want to unintentionally (or intentionally) hurt grace in any ways. on your life you have never seen yeosang for more than the annoying middle schooler you couldn’t get rid of.

but as san shakes his head, you feel a sense of relief, watching as a light smirk creep up on his face.

“just wondering,” he says, so calmly but eerie at the same time, you can’t quite grasp the intention. but then something else comes over, and you forget all about deciphering san’s answer; not really wanting to but letting the intrusive thoughts win.

“and that girl you were with yesterday? you guys together?” you ask, no menance in your voice; just a natural curioisity because you wanna know… not for any reasons deeper.

“she’s a friend,” he answers fast and casual. “i know her from my previous school because we were under the same program and have similar interests and whatnot.”

“i see,” you mumble, a light smile anyone would’ve missed because you don’t wanna admit to anyone why the fact brings you a sense of comfort.

but it doesn’t cut it with grace.

“that’s what they always say!” she cries dramatically, after storming into your room when she was finally done sleeping past noon and the events of yesterday hit her.

but you don’t have any reasons to doubt san, even if you love your best friend and wanna take her words for it, you don’t think it’s fair to assume someone you barely know is trying to take your man that isn’t really your man.

“for all you know, they could be fucking behind doors.”

“grace!” you yell your friend’s name at such accusation, your ears turning red at even the thought of it.

“sorry,” she mutters, but barely meaning it, only shrugging off what needed to be said.

“i just don’t want you to be hurt in the end,” she says, voice a kind of sympathy you didn’t even know you need.

because yes, you think san is handsome. he is kind and unusually attentive to you for whatever reasons, and seeing someone else by his side made your stomach queasy all for the wrong reasons… but you don’t feel justified in feeling a certain way just because your friend says you should.

you’re not with him and you still don’t even know if you wanna be with him.

“trust me, grace,” you assure her, a confident smile settling on your lips that she only frowns to. “i’ll be fine.”

and as much as she wants to believe it, it’s hard not to doubt knowing the way you are.

how, though you’ve navigated through life barely getting romantically involved with boys, it wouldn’t be difficult for someone like san to get you wrapped around his fingers if he wants to.

the guy way too charming; how he just casually checks all criteria from looks to personality, the girl herself rooting for you and him initially, but quickly rethinking the choice after last night.

[live-laugh-lenney]

What about George when his girl is insecure?

oh, he'd be the sweetest. you cannot tell me otherwise. he's a big old softy when it comes to her feeling insecure...

"oi, you. why are you hiding in here?"

yn tears her attention away from her phone and she directs her eyes over to the bedroom door, the quietness of the room being broken by her boyfriend's hushed voice. his head being all she could see as he peered into his bedroom, with the door being kept ajar so she could still hear the commotion of arthur's housewarming party from down the hallway, loud music and heavy chatter bouncing off the walls.

with a spare room going at george's, with arthur hill and chris taking the other two, they had offered it out to 'mister television' and it was an offer he took kindly. immediately making the flat his own from the moment he had started moving in.

"i just needed a bit of peace," yn replies softly, "everything okay?"

george nods softly and steps into the room, a bottle of peroni in his hand and, as he sat down beside her, she could smell the booze on his breath; intoxicating to her because there was something about drunk george that she couldn't get enough of. the way his eyes would darken after each beer, the way his lips got wetter and wetter, the way his hands would wander her body... it was something special and she longed for a night out where the two of them could let loose.

except, this night, she just wasn't feeling it.

she just wasn't feeling herself.

her relationship with george had been common knowledge for over a year now, his followers welcoming her in with open arms and the sweetest of messages, and she thought she'd gotten lucky in barely coming across any hate and messages that were simply posted out of pure jealousy and rage... until that morning, when she was sat at the kitchen island in george's flat, scrolling through her twitter and her instagram on her laptop and spooning porridge into her mouth, taking advantage of the quiet flat before any of the boys had woken up.

and, for some reason, the majority of her 'recommended' tweets were about her. the top comments showing on her most recent instagram post were hateful towards the way she looked. the most retweeted and the most liked comments were about how george should be with someone else because she was boring and holding him back from his career.

'anyone else feeling bored of her now? george needs someone better'

'george isn't so active on here anymore... we haven't had a video from him for months. single him was so much better'

'him and gkbarry were my endgame. i hate how yn came into his life and ruined the dream'

'she's so ugly... why her?'

she knew that reading one bad tweet would drown out the majority of the nicer comments but those comments were hard to ignore. if they were said out of spite, and if they were said to hurt her, then they were achieving exactly that... and it was silly because they were from online outlets.

"is that really the reason?"

"what?"

"that you needed some peace. baby, you've been off with me all day," george states, his bottle of beer being placed on the bedside table next to his side of the bed, freeing both hands so he could hold hers tightly, "if something is bothering you, you can tell me."

"i know," she smiles softly and he leaves the space beside her and kneels down in front of her, resting his arms on her thighs and her hands being kept in his tight hold, "i know i can."

"then talk to me."

she lifts her head from her lap and she can feel her chin wobbling as soon as she made eye contact with his eyes, concern and confusion flooding his orbs as he sees her demeanour drop from her usual self. the bubbly personality having gone missing that day. no jokes being shared, she didn't tease arthur for something he'd said, chris couldn't even make her laugh and she didn't break into song with arthur hill when she saw him.

"what's happened?"

"i just," she huffs out a heavy and shaky breath, her head rolling back and she looks up to the ceiling, "people are so mean online, george."

"i thought we spoke about not going looking for those kinds of tweets and messages," he reminds her, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles in a soothing manner, "there's no point getting sucked in to the hate and the negative tones on social media. blacklist the words."

"but i didn't go looking," she states, "they were just there. right when i opened twitter this morning. on my instagram. people were saying you could do better than me. that i'm ugly. that i'm stopping you from doing your job. it just made me feel bad. insecure, almost. like, i know you can have anyone you like. just look at you."

he tuts and shakes his head, a displeasing look on his features and he squeezes her hands in hopes she would look at him in the eye. which she did. in a manner that was slow and cautious because she knew she was being silly, dealing dramatically with the situation, yet she just couldn't help it. she had feelings and when they got too much, she just needed a relief in letting them out before she felt better.

"george-"

"you have nothing to be insecure about, alright? i love you," he says with the cheesiest grin on his lips, "i love you. always. everything that i do, it's done so that i can spoil you and take you away with me and treat you so well. not them."

"but-"

"no," he interrupts her and stops her from continuing, bringing up a finger to hold against her lips, "you're gorgeous. you're beautiful. you are my favourite person in the entire world, okay? yeah, they may have gotten me into this whole crazy dream of mine but, i get to live that dream with you."

her heart triples in size, thumping hard in her chest, and her lips curve into a smile against his finger.

"i'm so lucky to have you, baby. my number one fan, my number one tiktok commenter, my number one."

"that was cheesy," she murmurs and he rolls his eyes, standing to his feet and holding his hands out, "you know i'm going to tell them you just said that."

"don't," he warns her, pulling her to her feet and bringing her to his chest, her cheek resting against the t-shirt on his upper body and his lips pressing against her forehead, "you ready to come back out? the others have been asking for you."

she nods and looks up at him, standing on her tiptoes and placing a kiss to his lips.

"i love you too, by the way."

short and sweet for our georgey boy there. thank you for sending this in! i do love a bit of fluffy and boyfriend-y george fics - he just screams simp for his girlfriend, you can't tell me otherwise. xx

[fnaffancontentbutmostlyglamrocks]

This is primarily aimed at Security Breach fans in particular, not FNAF fans as a whole.

You all are so damn toxic sometimes.

Even worse is that people are just being mean to Monty fans right now

"Don’t get all angry because your favorite wasn't in the game," and I don't think they get that he’s the ONLY one not to be in the game.

I hate being a fan of Monty cause we had to deal with the Glamrock Bonnie fans harassing anything to do with Monty on Tiktok or Twitter. "MONTY KILLED BONNIE!"

FOR FUCK SAKES THIS SERIES HAS A LITERAL CHILD SERIAL KILLER WHO ABUSED HIS CHILDREN! WHY IS THE ANIMATRONIC ALLIGATOR WHO MIGHT. LET ME REPEAT THAT. MIGHT HAVE KILLED ANOTHER ANIMATRONIC MET WITH THE SAME ENERGY AS SAYING SOMEONE SIMPS FOR DAHMER?

Not only that, Monty fans have been playing each game hoping Steelwool will treat him better. Expand on his character a bit more. Instead his negative personality traits and "evilness" being played up more and more cause Steelwool and Scott saw some people hate him, and thought it wasn't enough.

In Ruin there's not one moment Cassie shows any concern for him. It's that Monty thing, it hurts to look at. Than they made him just the worst off of the trio, and fucking killed him.

Now even in a game he rightfully should appear in. He's the ONLY one cut.

Monty fans get the short end of the stick.

We are harrassed by fans

Our boy is treated worse and worse each game. Physically, mentally, and even in narrative.

Now, he’s just fucking gone with little fanfare.

Its like why are you obsessed?

Honestly, because Monty speaks to me. This is mostly head canon, but based on how he acts.

I used to have really bad anger issues in elemantary and middle school. Even worse, I had to deal with a mentally abusive teacher telling me I wouldn't amount to anything. I was bullied relentlessly because they knew that when I reacted with my outburst class would be delayed. I even lived in the same neighborhood as them so I couldn't escape. It got so bad I attempted suicide. What saved me was after so long of being harrased, after so long of people only judging me based on what they heard. Never defending me. Someone finaly went to the principal and told them to look at my bullies before I reacted. Suddenly, the bullying stopped. What's sad is, it's not like I didn't try. I went to the principal and guidance counselor every dat. In the end to them I was that punk kid who would snap at any moment. Not a person.

With Monty I see someone who was like me. With anger issues because he hates himself as much as he thinks everyone hates him. I wonder if in universe he's constantly reminded he's not Bonnie. He sees fans clamoring to see Freddy while ignoring him. People always bring up the Missing message and his Arcade game to judge him. Then seemingly forget about the message that states he will skip shows to be over Monty Golf. You know the same shows he apparently killed Bonnie to appear in. What I see is someone who needs to work on his anger issues and get better, but isn't evil. They're dealing with the fact that one day their anger got the better of them, and they did something they couldn't take back. Something that I think many people with mental health problems can relate too.

My anger issues didn't just get me bullied. I was an embarrassment to my parents. I hurt people I loved. I was violent. I didn't hurt anyone, but I threw books and flipped tables. I was in this loop of feeling like everyone hated me because of my anger issues, and that only made things worse and worse. Even now I have a hard time loving myself.

That's why Monty means so much to me. I saw someone who was like me. I saw someone with anger issues but was more than that if people gave them the chance.

All I wanted was to see Monty one last time before he was retired when the new band is announced.

I couldn't even get that.

Before you make fun of me, this is what a comfort character is. I'm sure there are fans who relate to Roxy’s insecurities. Who have an eating disorder and feel for Chica. Who felt lonely and wanted attention like Sun. Who lost a loved one like Freddy.

I just wanted people to understand why this is just more than "my favorite didn't make it" for some people

I really hope Steelwool sees how much people really love Monty and not only put him in HW2 fully. They also treat him better

[destinygoldenstar]

My Evil Arin AU Prediction (Fully Expecting To Be Wrong)

So Arin, caught up in Sora’s lie, believes in the false hope that he has his abilities starting to be figured out. That with Lloyds, Sora’s, and his own minds support, he can be a valuable ninja and be a great asset to the mission to get Kai and Bonzle back.

My prediction of this is that Ras and the gang come up with a plan to revive the blood moon to get the other elemental masters freed. So the ninja after realizing this plan have to return to the dragons to come up with a way to save Kai and Bonzle.

But oh no, Egalt (sorry I still can’t spell his name) still things Arin isn’t good enough.

Arin is by no means arrogant of his own abilities after his success, (that’d be very OOC in my opinion), but he is more trusting in himself and blindly optimistic that he has more of this figured out than he actually does.

He tries to prove this, but no matter what he does, he just can’t get it right.

Even Lloyd starts to get confused. But, you know, Arin could do it, so he has faith in the kid that practice will make perfect.

There could even be a scene where Lloyd tells Arin about his experience of getting possessed by Morro (maybe Euphrasia is also in this scene to give her character development), and how his own master, Master Wu, set him up for something so impossible that Morro became twisted jaded and arrogant in himself to achieve something he couldn’t.

Lloyd is saying this as a warning for Arin. While he by no means thinks Arin is acting the same way Morro was, he had the paranoia that he could. And Lloyd totally knows he isn’t setting Arin up for something impossible. He saw Arin get better and be able to do his tricks. So it’s not an impossible standard. Totally not.

Then there’s Sora, who is trying to keep her distance from Arin, who doesn’t know why. The guilt of what she’s done is killing her, and it’s cost her some sleep knowing that either route she could take could potentially end her friendship with Arin. Keep the lie and watch Arin meet his downfall, or tell him the truth and crush his spirits for good.

After all, she was the one person who since the very beginning believed in Arin. Even when no one else did.

And then she didn’t.

She can’t ever take that betrayal back.

Then, you know, she’s learning Spinjitsu. But Arin isn’t completely bothered by it so long as he’s got his own thing going too.

Arin is obviously hurt by her distance, unsure if there was something he did wrong. But maybe there’s a scene where he pours his heart out to her about their friendship, how their belief in each other is something nothing can undo, and how no matter what is bothering her, she should know very well how forgiving he is.

So she’s ready to be honest and tell him-

And then one of the generals of the villain faction attacks them (and whoever else you want to say is here). For now I’m gonna say Jordana, but anyone can take this slot.

And in this fight, Sora gets knocked down, and Arin is ready to defend her using his object Spinjitsu…

But he fails.

And Jordana reveals to Arin, against Sora’s consent, that Sora lied to him and used her own tech to move that object in that fight. She really taunts it in that his best friend and companion never believed in him and was lying to him the whole time.

How does Jordana know this? Idk maybe she found out in a scene before this.

Arin is obviously so devastated that he’s zoned out and unable to defend himself.

Sora, enraged from Jordana having zero respect, protects Arin and does Spinjitsu for the first time.

Jordana is forced to retreat at Sora’s power, part of that has to do with her anger. And once she’s gone, Sora cools off and tries to help Arin. She doesn’t even care or process that she did Spinjitsu, she’s more concerned about her friend.

But Arin is just… blank. Spaced out. He should be furious at Sora, yell at her and express how absolutely betrayed he feels…

But instead, nothing comes out of him. His feelings towards Sora, or the fight, or everything else is replaced by… nothing. And Sora now being able to do what he can while he’s still him is just icing on the cake that Arin is basically nothing now.

Blah blah, in some other points of the season they can learn more about the elemental masters and the wolf masks and the reveal of Ras’s master.

But Arin is mostly just a spaced out person in the way of all of this, it seems.

Lloyd obviously chews out Sora for her stunt and lying about it, but it’s clear she’s very much aware of the damage she’s done and wants to figure out how to apologize and make it right. She doesn’t know how though with Arin’s condition. Lloyd is quick to forgive her so long as she’s willing to try this apology towards Arin.

Lloyd is also trying to help Arin the best he can. It doesn’t matter to him that Arin doesn’t have anything figured out yet. Lloyd himself didn’t, even when his destiny was written in stone. Arin is just… a late bloomer, shall we say.

This doesn’t help Arin, and even tries to get Lloyd to tell him the ‘truth’. That he is a failure of a ninja. He can’t even help with beating Ras. He can’t even find his own parents…

But Lloyd still refuses to call Arin a failure.

That’s a shred of hope that Arin has that maybe the voices in his head, and Ras, are wrong. As long as his idol believes in him.

Maybe he even expressed how much he misses his birth parents. He misses the life he had before the merge. Even everything made sense. Maybe then he could be a kid DREAMING about these big things and not having to think those dreams would ever come true. That was the simple life.

Then there’s the mission to save Kai and Bonzle. And stop Ras and the others. A plan that’s so tight on the ninjas end that they NEED this to go PERFECTLY. Otherwise, a lot could go wrong.

As such, Lloyd makes the call to leave Arin out of the field part of the mission. Instead he’s gonna be working in the back on comms or something.

Arin tries to convince the others that he wants to be out there and help save Kai, but there’s no convincing the others. They all have agreed to leaving Arin behind for his own good. Especially Lloyd. He lost Kai to this and Kai was a professional. He can’t drag Arin into this and lose him too, if a vision of his is correct. (Maybe he sees Ras grabbing Arin’s hand or something, and he’s come to the conclusion that Ras would use Arin as a sacrifice too)

So they leave, and Arin is stuck on comms.

But eventually, seeing one of them get knocked down hard, Arin decides to refuse the order to stay in place. He goes on the field anyway, ready to prove himself and help the ninja as a ninja.

So far, the plan on the ninjas end is going very smoothly. They got Bonzle out and are ready to get Kai out too, and they’re fending off the villains pretty good…

But then Arin interferes, trying to help. You can decide exactly what he does, Im not sure.

Point is, that because of Arin’s actions, and specifically that, everything goes wrong.

More of the elemental masters get out, (probably using Euphrasia as one of the sacrifices), and not only that, but they are unable to get Kai out of there.

They try hard, very hard, but ultimately… they fail.

Four of the elemental masters get out, and they’re ready for the last one when Lloyd realizes Arin is here and Arin is the cause of this disaster.

Not only were they not able to save Kai, Lloyds beloved surrogate brother, but they also now lost others too (whoever you want to imagine got sacrificed. Pick two more characters you think did alongside Kai and Euphrasia). And it’s all Arin’s fault.

So in a bit of rage and unable to think straight (also from his own mental health issues making him irrational), Lloyd lashes out at Arin.

Arin ruined everything.

Arin didn’t listen to him.

Arin should’ve stayed behind.

Arin doesn’t know what he’s doing out here.

Arin is a failure.

And as soon as that last one gets said out loud, Lloyd snaps out of his rage and realizes what he’s done.

He just confirmed all of Arin’s insecurities. That everyone who said Arin was a failure and a terrible ninja were correct. That absolutely nobody believes in him to do the right thing.

Lloyd IMMEDIATELY regrets it. He immediately tries to take it back! He didn’t mean it! He’s sorry! They’re gonna figure something out! He’s so sorry-

And then Ras gets behind them and knocks away Lloyd. After a short fight, Lloyd becomes the last sacrifice for the spell, all while Lloyd is begging and screaming for Arin.

Arin is obviously devastated by what he’s heard and can’t even process the situation. All the elemental masters are freed and it’s his fault. His idol is gone and it’s his fault.

The very idol that said to his face that he was not good enough.

…was he even an idol anymore?

Arin kneels down to Ras in surrender, ready to be defeated. But he becomes surprised when Ras instead shows pity towards the kid.

Instead, Ras offers Arin a way to find his parents. To go back to his old life and not worry about any of these people who never believed in him.

All he has to do is join Ras and help him out. In exchange, he would spare him and his parents. He even offers the wolf mask to help Arin reach his full potential and become the powerful fighter he saw in him.

And with nothing else left, Arin accepts this deal, allowing himself to be corrupted by the mask.

Almost immediately, his insecurities vanished and are replaced with a sense of purpose, of belonging, of power. With nothing holding him back.

He decides to commit to going rogue and finding his parents with this power. He doesn’t care if Ras wins or loses so long as Arin gets what he wants.

With Arin leaving and now on the dark side, Sora, who I guess was knocked out during the fight or something, realizes what has happened.

It’s not hard to imagine her bawling her eyes out and realizing she just lost her best friend. Maybe she even blames herself.

For the remainder of the season, Arin is just kinda along for the ride with Ras’s forces and the master taking a liking to him and helping him control his new abilities. Maybe he’s able to do the object Spinjitsu without much issue thanks to the mask power. But like I said, Arin doesn’t really care about these villains and their plans, so he’s not concerned which side wins, so long as he gets what he wants.

I’m going to say that Sora, making an army with whoever is remaining, sets up one last fight to rescue the sacrificed ninja.

And TLDR, they win and they’re all fine.

I mean, it’s Ninjago, what do you expect?

The only notable thing is that at some point of this fight, Sora is cornered and most certainly going to get a killing blow by someone, but Arin stops them to ‘focus priority on something more important’.

Even evil, Arin can’t bring anyone, especially not himself, to kill his best friend.

It’s short, but it’s enough that after the fight, Sora says that she knows Arin is still in there and there may be a way to save him in the future.

She doesn’t know how yet, but with her power is a strong responsibility to use it properly this time, and she’s making it her own personal mission to get Arin back. No matter how hard the road of struggle and training is, and no matter how long it takes.

Then of course she has to explain to the others, especially Lloyd, that Arin has turned to the dark side.

Lloyd is the most hurt by this, for obvious reasons.

He failed his student.

He can imagine Wu’s ghost shaking his head in disappointment in Lloyd.

From here on, (season three), Lloyd kinda changes as a mentor. He’s still caring towards the kids, but he’s much stricter on them and very cryptic and demanding of them. Kinda like how Wu was in the first couple of seasons of the main show. It’s obviously taxing on the others. But they also kinda understand how paranoid Lloyd is that he’ll fail another person.

With Ras’s forces defeated and the main members scattered, (whoever you want to say is alive or dead), Arin is alone with a bind of his own to Ras’s master guiding him.

Arin becomes a rogue wanderer searching for answers on where his parents are. And while he doesn’t resort to killing, he still will not let anyone get in his way or let him feel that despair of failure ever again. Not even the ninja.

I expect this to be totally wrong. As I said, I don’t think this theory will come true at all. At most I expect Arin to be turned good again and fixed after like one episode. Whereas this AU theory has Arin’s villainy be expanded further into Dragons Rising where Arin becomes a reoccurring antagonist. But while a villain and having seen a villain origin story unfold, we the audience are still routing for Arin anyway in a pretty twisted kind of way. I don’t know, I thought that’d be an interesting angle instead of ‘And then he became a heartless monster’

[ventingfanfics]

Best Date Ever (Shuri x Reader)

Maybe engineering wasn’t Shuri’s only talent. She was also decent at acting. Every time you two were around each other, she managed to keep her cool, despite internally squealing. Riri, Okoye, M’Baku, and Nakia were the only ones aware of her true feelings. And they teased her accordingly. You recently started working at the lab as a paid internship while you went to school. According to Shuri’s sources, you were a player. Okay, so not officially. You were very charming and easy to get along which garnered a lot of suitors. There was only one person, however, who had your interest. 

“Hey princess, I like your kicks,” You said. It was getting late, which explained why many of the staff were proceeding to leave the lab. You were in no rush. Sometimes you didn’t mind staying late if it meant tomorrow would be easier for you. Plus, it meant you got to spend more time with Shuri. “You should let me borrow them.”

“I don’t think we wear the same size,” Shuri replied.

“Where’d you get ‘em from? Maybe we can go to the store and you can help me find a pair.”

“I got these online.”

Anyone else would probably be a little annoyed, but you just grinned. “Doesn’t mean I have to. Come on, Shuri, put me on. Where do you get your fashions? Unless you design them all.”

“Pretty much,” she said with a smirk and gestured around at some of her creations. 

You pretended to think, though you did wonder the answer to your next question. “What would it take to get you to design some gear for me?”

Shuri cracked a smile, and you mentally fist-pumped. She controlled her laugh. “Let’s see…maybe not being an intern.”

“Ouch. Ice Princess it is, then, huh?”

She folded her arms, looking you up and down, as if saying “and what about it?”

You sighed. “Well, that was unsuccessful.”

Shuri laughed and watched as you packed up your bag. Unbeknownst to you, the look in her eyes became longing. You looked up, ready to say bye, and you saw her quickly avert her eyes. She cleared her throat. 

You raised an eyebrow and looked on, amused. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow…”

“Mhm. You will.”

“Tomorrow’s a long time, though. Why are you rolling your eyes? I mean it, Shuri.”

“I know you tell all the girls this.”

“No, just the ones I’m attracted to. And there’s only one person occupying that space.”

Shuri’s heart raced at the boldness of your words and gaze. You stepped close to her and she stiffened like a board, except for her trembling hands. 

“What’s wrong, pretty?” You asked, concerned.

She refused to look at you, but you stopped that by grasping her jaw. 

“N-nothing,” she answered, solemnly peering at you. 

“Doesn’t seem like nothing, princess.” You separated from her only to sit on her desk and sit her in between your legs.

She blushed. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Yes, you are.”

She battled a smile, meanwhile you happily showed yours with ease. She sighed, leaning back against you, which made your heart swell. You wanted to hold this moment. The two of you stayed like this until she thought someone was coming. At that, she budged and went around to her desk, busying herself.

You laughed lowly, shaking your head at the engineer. “Princess, you’re grown.”

She gave you a look. “Duh, Y/N.”

“So, why did you scramble away like you got caught stealing?”

“Maybe if you didn’t have the reputation you have, I would be more relaxed,” she said in defense. 

“And what reputation is that?” You asked, though you were sure you knew the answer. You had suspected that some kind of fear was holding Shuri back. You just weren’t sure what the fear stemmed from.

“Really, Y/N? You’re going to sit there and pretend you don’t know people call you a player.”

“So that makes it true?”

Cat got her tongue.

“I just don’t want to get hurt,” she admitted quietly. Even though you were offended, you wanted to hug her right now. You knew she’d been through a lot. Her heart was probably in a very fragile state. “But that doesn’t mean I should judge you without getting to know you.”

You smiled. “Does that mean you’ll go on a date with me?”

~~

Shuri laughed when your destination turned out to be a sneaker store. 

“I promise this is a small part of the date,” You told her. 

She didn’t say anything, just amusedly walked inside the store, looking around. You were amazed at how quickly she found the very pair of sneakers you were interested in. They were a nice replica of Shuri’s pair, though she had made her own customizations. 

“Try them on,” she said and waited for you to do so. You felt warm at her treating you like you were her child, asking you how they fit and if they were comfortable. “Do you like them?”

You confirmed that you did and she nodded, walking off to go pay for them despite your protests. 

“What do you say?” She asked teasingly as you left the store. 

“Thank you, princess.”

“You welcome. Mine are still better, though.” 

Next, you took her to a tattoo parlor. She had recently mentioned at the lab that she was planning to get another tattoo. By the widening of her eye and parted lips, you knew she was surprised that you knew. 

You encouraged her to squeeze your hand. She insisted that it was no thang. She would go on to squeeze your hand, however, reasoning that she was rusty because it had “been a while.” 

“Are you gonna get one?” She asked, smiling.

You told her you’d think about it. “It’s not about me tonight,” You said in her ear and you could see a big smile spread on her face. 

When you arrived a fondue restaurant, Shuri failed to contain a giggle. 

“Why do you keep laughing, woman? Are you trying to crush my ego?”

Shuri’s amusement turned into a side-eye. “First of all, Y/N, no one should have that kind of power over you. And second, I’m laughing because I feel like a kid again.” She smiled.

“I get it.” 

She kissed your cheek and pulled you to follow the usher who led you both to your table. Dinner was a hit and not just because of the food. Shuri wasn’t just beauty and brains, she was easy to talk to and banter with. You decided you could probably talk to her all night and truly not get bored.

“What was your first impression of me?” You asked. 

“Oh,” she said and you both shared a soft laugh. She stared at you deeply. “I thought you were…hmm…” She stroked her jaw. 

“You thought I was a player, apparently.”

“No, you right, I did. But I thought you were nice, smart, and a baddie.”

You smiled widely. “Oh, I’m a baddie?”

She conveniently sipped her drink. 

“I thought you were all of those things…and…” You paused for dramatic effect.

“And?” She pressed.

“A little stuck-up. Just a smidge.” You made the gesture with your thumb and pointer. “At least towards me. But I like it.”

She rolled her eyes. “I am not stuck-up, Y/N.”

“Just a little smidgington. Come on, you know you’re sassy.”

“I disagree, I’m just clever.”

“That too. You’re all of those things, and I’m not mad. You have every right to be, with your fine princessy ass.”

She struggled not to laugh. “Y/N!” 

You chortled, pleased with her reaction as she held her stomach, doing the silent kind of cracking up. She got up and sat next to you, grabbing your face. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Hopefully something…nah, let me stop.” You held off from saying something inappropriate. Shuri was flustered as it was, though she clearly entertained by it. 

“What do you want to do to me?” You questioned softly. Oh, you thought, noticing her stare harden. And before you knew it, she tightened her grip, kissing you firmly. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, leaning her forehead to yours. She didn’t mean to kiss you roughly. She wanted you to like her kiss. You opted to encourage her physically. You stroked her forearm before softly and slowly molding your lips together once more. Craving more, Shuri leaned closer to you, enabling you to feel her body warmth. Your name never sounded better, courtesy of her mouth. “Y/N…”

“Mhmm,” you hummed, kissing her neck. She looked so blissed out. It was beautiful. 

She gripped your thigh as if for relief. Her breathing picked up when your neck kisses progressed into sucks. You marveled at her sensitivity, which was also surely heightened by being in a public place. You wanted her so bad you didn’t care. But you could’t have y’all go out like that. She whined a little when you ended your efforts to give her a love bite. 

“Sssh, we can continue this at my place, if you want, only if you want to,” You assured her. You meant this, too. It was up to her to decide if she wanted to proceed. You wanted her to be completely sure. 

After fighting over who would pay the bill, you both agreed to split the check. You don’t know what came over Shuri, but when you reached the car, she restrained your wrists, launching another make out session.

This was the best date ever.

[teenrickwubbadubdub]

A writing piece of two of my dear friends. Morty C-137 and Eff- I'm sorry,that name sucks. Em. I'm calling them Em. Here it is.

Effie and Morty ( By Rick Sanchez D-127)

The day was happening. It happening,it was day. Then Evil Mor- sorry, Effie,dumb name,said," Hey,Pookie,look who I killed." Then Morty C-137 (the c stands for cunt,and the 137 is how many times Rick Prime should've hit him when he kidnapped him) said," Wowie,even though it would be in character for me to be scared and concerned, I instead am gonna kiss you even through you have nearly killed me numerous times and constantly do violent and evil things,but because you got mean words said to you by an old guy,it excuses you for nearly killing me and my grandpa, even though your trauma is more of a reason than an excuse, and you took hundreds of mortys from their families for nobodys goals but your own." Effie the Terrorist,slave owner and dictator,shook their head and said," Come here and kiss me,ya big lug." The two kissed. Then....LIGHTNING CRASHES! NIGHTHAWKS SWARM THE SKY AS HE EMERGES.........TEEN RICK (dun dun dun!) " Hey guys." Teen Rick said,forgetting why he was there. Morty says,"Oh,look who it is? The fucking [CENSORED] [REDACTED]". Morty and Effie high five,and [####] each others [#########]. Teen Rick goes," You guys are kinda dumb,to be honest. You're kinda stupid,the way you act." Effie stands up (I forgot mention,they're laying on a blanket) and says," Hey,don't talk to my shnuckums that way!". Morty says," Pookie,that was so manly,I might faint. Oh,I'm so dependent on you! You're my OOoooOooOoonly personality trait now! Somehow I consider hanging out with you better than hanging out with Rick! Maybe it's cuz you can legally kiss me and I'm attracted to you! Which kinda implies that I'm just attracted to myself! I also view a girl that I liked but I was still friends with as meaningless even though I literally killed for her multiple times!" Teen Rick raises an eyebrow," Uh...I.... wh-what? You know what-uh...you wanna hear a joke?" Effie puts a hand in their pockets,(they as in multiple people. They also put their hands in Morty's pockets because he's so dependent on Effie he can't even put a hand in his own pockets.) Teen Rick,with his chiseled jaw, shiny hair, muscular teeth and his strange choice of adjectives, says..." I'll take that as a yes? Uh.... Hey,you know what? I'll do some jokes from the audience." Morty raises a hand," Ooh! Ooh! Me! If...if that's alright with you,Effie..." Effie says,with a chuckle and a smirk that has lived through genocide that they have caused completely by themselves, " Sure,bitch." They smack Mortys ass. "Aw,geez,okay. Well,yeah,do some jokes about me,You fucking fuckhead! Fuck!". Teen Rick says, " That sounded forced- uh,okay. Hey,what's up with that hairline-" Effie stands even more up...somehow,and they yell, while charging at Teen Rick, " DON'T TALK TO MY LITTLE MOONPIE CHERUB THAT WAY!". Effie pins Teen Rick to the ground,and starts punching him in the face while yelling at the top of his lungs. Morty watches with a smirk even though he should be concerned because the whole point of him is that he's more human and concerned about the safety of other people,but oh wait,he's dating the person who's doing the violence,so it's fine. Teen Rick yells, " OH GOD JESUS NO NO NO OH THIS IS NO LIFE FOR ANYONE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN THIS MULTIVERSE OH GOD THIS IS REAL FOR ME I'M SO MUCH PAIN HE'S EATING MY ARM HE'S EATING MY- AAAAAAHHHH!". Effie gets off of teen rick,and turns to Morty. "Heh...he shouldn't have awoken the alpha." Morty smiles and nods," It's like I say,baby sweetie pie, Hurting Someone's feelings is worse than senseless murder and violence." Effie and Morty leave while teen Rick is choking on the floor. Then Teen Rick Prime rescues him and heals him he doesn't die. The End.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY KAIDAN ALENKO *  assorted dialogue from mass effect

it’s my fault.

i’m glad we didn’t lose you.

you had to push me out of the way.

the blast knocked you out cold.

i’m glad to see you’re okay.

maybe you’re right. things went bad. real bad.

is that why you’re here? because of your family?

i don’t see how we could’ve done any better.

i’ve wasted enough of your time for now.

off the record, i think there’s something wrong here.

there’s writing on the wall here, but someone isn’t reading it.

maybe i was romantic in the beginning.

i’m not question the mission. i’m just concerned.

there was never any proof of that.

we kept our clothes on.

i won’t let you down.

you make a habit of getting this personal with everyone?

i’ll need some time to process that.

do you have time to talk now?

we’ve got some tough calls to make.

i’ve seen what cutting corners can do to someone, and i’d hate to have that happen to you.

you tell me if i’m going too far.

maybe there’s someone else you’d rather confide in.

i don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.

i apologize for bringing it up.

i’m not questioning any decision you’ve made. let me be clear about that.

i want to help you.

if i’m out of line, just say the word.

just think about what i said.

if i ever get a speeding ticket, i want you to be my advocate.

we haven’t had time together since our last chat and... a lot was said.

sorry. not sure where i stand. you seem a bit... uh. distracted.

i don’t want to distract you too much.

maybe my intentions were noble, but i lost control. i killed him.

this is all ancient history. i’m over it.

you don’t have to worry about me. i won’t be a burden on you.

all right, but it’s embarrassing you had to tell me that.

i might need to loosen up a little. i’ll try.

it’s just been a while.

i’ve got a few scratches and dents. i hope they just give me character.

i outgrew the blame game years ago.

they aren’t... malicious. they’re just slow to change.

don’t ream me out for having an opinion.

i thought we respected each other more than that.

i’m here. i’m not going anywhere.

you saved my life. i’m grateful for that.

sorry for anything i said back there. adrenaline.

should i be afraid of them? or in awe of them?

i’m not trying to make anyone uncomfortable.

i’m not jealous. i’m confused.

if you’re not serious about me, it’ll hurt but i’ll get over it.

i’ve got a lot tied up in you.

did i misread you? jeez, what else have i got wrong?

we’re closer than ever, thanks to you.

i don’t think i’ve ever met someone like you.

please, you’ll make me blush.

you know you can count on me.

if i can be of any help, let me know.

i hope i’m not out of line saying that.

i always leave a way out. you know that.

i’m here for you.

that’s what i... appreciate about you.

you’re something else, you know?

i hope we’re close enough after everything we’ve said already.

what happens if this doesn’t work out?

well if i didn’t think you were doing the right thing, i wouldn’t be here.

you know what, you’re right... about everything.

i think about losing you and i can’t stand it.

you make me feel... human.

[wawanakwawritings]

Can I get Brick, Scott, and Zoey with a s/o that's very flirty and likes to pick them up bridal style?

Brick, Scott, and Zoey with a flirty S/O that likes carrying them bridal style

a/n: thanks for the fun request!

Brick

Someone who's very flirty & forward is one of the best potential matches for this boy! He's spent his whole life training, but dating is something no manual could ever prepare him for. An s/o that takes initiative and constantly affirms their feelings for him helps him feel secure in what's definitely his first relationship.

It's easiest to fluster him when you two are in the infancy of your relationship; a simple smile or compliment sent his way is enough to make him lose his focus. Please have mercy on him, S/O. He's prepared to deal with enemy distractions, not S/O distractions!

Thankfully (for him), you flirt with him so often that he eventually gets used to it, at least to the point where he no longer trips over his own feet when you comment on his muscles. Now he only trips over his words! Maybe his drill sergeant will allow you to attend his training sessions again.

One thing that never changes is how happy it makes him to be literally swept off his feet. He swoons every time. Even if he's injured! He was pretty worried the first few times it happened though; he's a heavy guy, S/O, are you sure? He'd hate for you to get hurt because of him.

If it's a regular thing for you, he comes to expect it. He's prepared to jump into your arms at any given moment — just give him the order!

Scott

You're going to make Scott insufferable with how much you're inflating his ego. For example, someone thinks his voice is annoying? Well, you once said you could listen to it all day and as far as he's concerned, yours is the only opinion that matters. Why should he care what some loser thinks?

He likes to think he takes the flirting in stride, but he gets so red when you do things like hold his gaze and confidently tell him his blue eyes are the prettiest you've ever seen. He does his best to return the compliments, but fumbles and mixes up his words more often than not.

Keep the flirting directed at him. If you're flirty in general, it's going to cause problems in your relationship until you have a discussion with him about it. Underneath all that scheming and general mean-spiritedness lies an insecure farm boy who worries he's not a good enough boyfriend for you!

It honestly wounded his pride a little the first time you easily scooped him up in your arms. He's got some impressive upper body strength, y'know, you could hop in his arms next time!

Scott gets a little frustrated with himself if you can do something for him that he can't do for you, so the best course of action here would be to take turns carrying each other. He gets to enjoy some time off his feet in your arms and you get to do the same. It's a win-win, hun.

Zoey

VERY easily distracted by you and your flirting. You think her perfume smells nice today? Wow, thanks, S/O! It's not actually perfume, she's trying out this new berry body wash and... well, she's glad you think it smells nice! She was worried it'd be too strong. Everything else seems to melts away when you shower her in compliments.

It makes her especially happy when you flirt with her in front of her peers. She spent a long time thinking she's too plain to be noticed by anyone, it's so nice to have a S/O that's unashamed of being with her. She hopes she makes you as happy as you make her!

Don't worry, she's not the sole receiver of sugary words in this relationship. Zoey's way of flirting is more lowkey and earnest, but no less sweet. You styled your hair differently? She's the first one to notice and tell you it looks amazing. Is that a new shirt, S/O? It really suits you! And so on.

Like Brick, she swoons every time you sweep her off her feet. It's a little cheesy, but in a good way! A really good way. Just give her a head's up beforehand, okay?

She tries to carry you too! Keyword: tries. She's decently strong, but her arms and legs give out ten minutes after she's picked you up. It's nice to have you in her arms once in awhile regardless.

[chloe-spade]

A Rose Sword Act One: The Darkness

Amore and Silver stared at each other and for a moment, the world stopped for them.

"You have my eyes," Amore gasped, "I mean, it's rare. I never seen anyone with that eye color before..I mean, don't you see it?"

"Y-yes," Silver nodded, "I see it. I mean, now I do."

Amore grinned and got up with a smile. "Well, I should thank you for saving me from those pixies! I didn't know about them…like that."

"Well, that's how they are." Silver said, "They love tricking people or pranking humans until they manage to steal something out of them. They're categorized as Trickster Fae."

"Oh? I always heard of Fae," Amore recalled, "but I never seen them before…well, that's because I never left the outskirts of my own cottage. I mean, I have, but not without a guardian to take care of me. Maybe that's why I never saw faes or mythical creatures before."

"Well, I do see that," Silver agreed, "I'm only allowed to go out without a guardian too. I actually did sneak away from my older brother."

"Really?"

"I heard you," Silver confessed, "and your little issue."

"Oh, right." Amore gulped with a small laugh, "I understand. But I do thank you for saving me, uh…I didn't ask for your name, didn't I?'

"It's Silver."

"Oh, like your hair color? Aw, that's adorable,"

"And I'm going to guess this doesn't mean your name is Golden." Silver joked.

"Nope, Amore," he laughed happily, "Though, I do think Golden matched, if I was named after my hair like you. Though, I never see silver hair before. Not in a bad way," Amore gulped in nervousness, "I just think it looks great."

Silver blushes a little and gets up. "Well, I do think I look pretty cool with it. But, we should be going."

Amore nodded in agreement and went to grab his basket but gasped as he realized that it was empty, no more berries to be found.

"Oh no!" Amore whined, "Those Pixies stole all my berries. I wanted to give them to my family for desert."

"Yeah, they do that. How about we find some new ones before I take you home."

"Yes, please."

Amore and Silver spent the next few minutes, finding some replaceable berries for Amore, who was worried about it. But Silver kept a cool head, helping Amore with it.

"So, how come you never left?" Silver asked.

"Hmm? Oh, it was about something about being in the woods being healthy for a young kid lile me," Amore asked, "But it also means I talk to animals, and not people. As if people come into the woods as well. Other than my family, I never had many to talk too."

Silver nodded in agreement.

"Same with me as well, but I am more aware that I think it's because I am human, unlike my family. They were always concerned when I got hurt or if they saw blood on me. It does make me feel small in comparison like I wasn't strong enough to take care of myself. But i train with my father daily, so I am getting stronger."

"But being a human has those disadvenatage."

"It does."

After a bit, they filled the basket full of berries, much to Amore's relief.

"Thank you so much…now I need to go before my uncle Finch atcually sends a search party for me."

Both boys had a small laugh before Amore rushed off as he waved back at Silver, with a grin before disappearing into the darkness, leaving Silver alone.

🌹

Amore panted when he arrived at his cottage. Amoré rushed back and with his luck, it was before the others came back. But sneaking back without being noticed was harder than he planned.

"Amore, where have you been?!" Finch asked, now examining Amore.

"Sorry if I was late, Uncle Finch!" He panted, "I had a good day."

Finch gasped, looking at Amoré's soaked clothes. "What happened to your clothes?! Why are you wet!?"

"I accidentally fell in on my way back! And you won't believe me if I told you that today something extraordinary happened!!"

Finch sighed, "Get some dry clothes on! I don't want you to catch a cold."

Amoré nods happily and walks back into his room.

"Silver…" He whispered, "I hope I can see you again. Maybe someday, when we have time."

⚔️

Silver managed to convince Malleus that he walked off to just see more of the land, so he wasn't so freaked out when Malleus found him.

"I do hope you never do that again," Malleus sighed and started to walk down the path, "But I do understand your curiousity."

"Sorry, Malleus," Silver grinned. "I do have a question."

"Ask,"

"Has there been anyone with the same eyes as I have?" Silver asked.

"Oh, maybe in another land," Malleus asked, "your eyes are extremely rare and that makes you much more special than everyone else. Things like that makes you unique."

"As a human?"

"As a person, Silver. No matter if you were born as a fae or a human, I believe that everyone is special, even some don't see it."

Silver looked up at Malleus and had a sincere happy look.

When entered the cottage path, Malleus stopped and looked down at Silver.

"I can rest here," Silver yawned softly, "I just need a small nap."

"Anything that you wish," Malleus laughed, "I'll see you tomorrow, little one," Malleus said his goodbyes and walked off, leaving Silver to rest again on a tree to doze off.

Silver's slumber didn't last as he heard a crack of a nearby branch. Though sleepy, he looks around for the person who woke him up.

He saw another boy his age, one with animal ears and a tail behind him, and in his arms was some food, mostly sugared bread, surprised to see another kid around the forest.

"Hello," Silver whispered, going over to the boy, "are you ok?"

The boy looked up at him alarmed at Silver's sudden appearance.

"…y-yeah," he answered and looked at him, "what are you doing in the middle of the woods?"

"I live here. And you?"

"This is my not-so-secret spot to eat before I eat dinner." The boy huffed, "It's weird to see someone out here, other than me. Did you sneak out here too?"

"My family lives in a cottage nearby, "Silver explained, "and what's your name?"

The boy looks away, "Ruggie…and yours?"

"Silver. Whatcha got there?"

"Just some food…" Ruggie sits down, "and it's for me to eat."

Silver nods and sits next to him, "Sugared bread?"

"It's good food…want one?" Ruggie took one and handed it to Silver, "…I took a lot so…might be nice to eat with someone else for a change."

Silver smiled and took one, "Thank you," and took a bite.

They ate in comfortable silence for a bit, but they began to talk to each other before the sunset.

"Oh…I lost track of time," Ruggie laughed, "You know, your fun to be around, Silv."

"Silv?"

"Your nickname." Ruggie answered, "You never had a nickname before?"

"U-uh," Silver blushes a little, "…you should come by tomorrow. And bring some food with you?"

Ruggie smiles, "I'll look forward to it! But you might to be patient with me, I do get here late,"

"I don't mind," Silver spoke up, looking back at Ruggie. "I do want to see you again."

Ruggie flashed another smile and walked away.

Silver gets up and walks back to his cottage, thinking about what a day he had before he opened the door and greeted everyone inside.

He just greeted them and walked up into his room, watching the stars appear in the night sky. He wondered how Amore was, being so far from him. Maybe one day, they'll meet again.

🌹

Amore managed a small breath as he walked around a dark path. He was surrounded by darkness, but what scared him was a massive roar and green fire that surrounded him as he tried to run away from the shadow of a dragon that went closer and closer to him.

An evil chuckle was in the background.

It was always like this.

Why did he keep having these nightmares?

He had them after a horrible illness, and they haven't stopped since, and get worse depending on the day. Amoré knew his nightmares had a sinister meaning to them, but he wished he could find out.

A rundown, he was always running from something, something that could only be described as a dragon, fierce and loud, breathing fire towards him as he ran, but he tripped, and the figure of a woman stood before him. She would cackle at Amoré's defenseless body as she slowly spoke, "It is almost time, my child, the time for you to…" And that's when he awakens, shaking and crying. Nothing could stop those horrendous nightmares, not even his caretakers could get rid of them. He walks up to his window and rests his head on the edge, getting annoyed with his nightmares.

Chirp! *

Amore gasped awake again as he saw a bluebird by his window.

He groaned as he got up and opened the window, feeling the fresh air. He very much needed it after such a bad nightmare, which again, is repeated.

The Bird chirped and handed a small paper from his feet onto Amore's hand. He sighed but managed a small smile, taking it.

"Time to write about these dreams again, Silver, I apologize for having nothing else to talk to."

After their meeting, he never saw Silver since but wrote to him very often and he writes back. The main reason for the sudden writing was the fact they lived on opposite sides of the forest and who knows how far they were, how many hours or days? It's one of the many mysteries Amoré wants to solve, but he does know that the enchanted forest is in the center. Amoré smiles and unrolls the letter.

Dear Amoré,

How are things over there? As for over here, things seem as normal as they could be, but Ruggie and I have been hanging out a lot more and getting close.

You probably wouldn't want to hear me ramble about a crush. How about something a little more concerning?

As of late, I've been recently having nightmares, where a dragon of sorts chases me, and at the end, I see a woman, and she says something, but the only words I could remember were "My child, the time for you to die it's near!" and I wish what she meant by it all. Do you have something similar? Please do tell.

With great memories,

Silver

Amoré gasped at the mention of Silver's nightmare, a similar one to his with a different ending. He grabbed a piece of paper and began to write, with only a dim candlelight lighting up the bedroom.

⚔️

Silver woke up with a chirp and watched as his bluebird carefully peeked at his head. "Hmm… morning." He yawned and lifted himself, "Did Amoré write another letter?" He takes the note from the blue bird's neck and begins to read.

Dear Silver, I did have the same dream!

It wasn't a coincidence either but I don't wanna jump to conclusions, especially when my family doesn't know much of you yet.

For me, it was similar, but the woman said to me, "It is almost time, my child, the time for you to…", and that's it!

Could we be having the same dream all this time? And we didn't realize? It's just like our meeting all over again, so much mystery all around me today. But I would love to hear about you and Ruggie soon!

With great love,

Amoré

Silver gets up and begins to get ready for the day. As for when the nightmare starts with him? It started after he was ill, so badly that it almost resulted in death and those nightmares seemed to reflect that.

Was it saying that he was supposed to die of the illness or something else? He always felt an uneasy feeling after he woke up, so he wished he knew why. But today wasn't the day.

He got ready for the day and walked downstairs, meeting with his family, luckily with Wisp making breakfast.

"Good morning," Lilia greeted with a smile until he saw Silver's tired eyes, "Oh, another bad dream?"

"I can't help them, father," Silver yawned, "but they are becoming more normal these past weeks. I hate that I am used to it, but I'm living with it."

"Not once a good dream after your illness?" Pondered Holly, "Do you need something, my dear?"

"No, it'll pass on it's own, I'm sure of it." Silver spoke up.

"Ugh, Lilia," Elva huffed, "I knew that wasn't a good thing for teach Silver, now he's ignoring something as bad as nightmares."

"Hey, Silver decided to listen to me," Lilia pouted, "I only gave him that advice once and once only. It shall not my fault if he follows what I say like it's fact."

"Enough," Wisp laughed, setting down breakfast, "Flapjacks with eggs and bacon with lovely orange juice to start the day."

"Thank you, Aunt Wisp," Silver thanked and started to eat.

🌹

Amore snored at the dining table, as he couldn't sleep after waking up that morning. It was a habit that everyone had figured out by now, and it worried Dew as he shook Amore awake.

"Darling, please don't tell me you had another nightmare and couldn't sleep?" Dew sighed, looking down.

"I'm sorry, father but I couldn't."

"I can see,"

"Oh, I don't know what to do," Amore whimpered, "I tried everything to avoid these nightmares but they always continued and now I can't even sleep because of them. But I want to be happy when I wake up in the morning, but it's hard when you have someone saying that you'll die."

"WHAT!?" gasped Dew.

"Oh, my boy," Lake soothed, holding Amore into a hug, "Dreams have the affect on people. Dreams can do that, regardless if they are good or bad, but it's up to you to change the narritive of a dream to whatever you want it to be. Now, rest up and we will make something delightful for breakfast, just for you."

"Like a berry tart?" Amore yawned. "Flapjacks too?"

"Of course, my dear," Dew smiled, "but please rest for a bit. Sleep and have a beautiful dream."

Amore nodded as Lake settled him onto the couch where he fell asleep.

"That damn witch will continue to upset me, day after day, after day," Dew growled as he begins to cook, "These children do not deserved this from her and look at her, hurting innocent youth just for fun."

"Not purely for fun, Dew," Lake reminded, "it's for revenge. Fae knows that being uninvited is clearly an insult to us. Her being upset is not all that surprising, but cursing mere children is."

"I know, but I come to cherish Amore as my own, so I do have a…obligation to take care of him like you would as a parent. It will break my heart when I have to let him go in the future."

"Oh, Dew, you are such a kind soul and we are lucky for your leadership."

Dew sighed and looked back at the flapjack mix as he slowly began to stir.

⚔️

"More nightmares, Lilia?" Malleus asked, watching Silver training.

"Much more horrid than before, I fear," Lilia answered, "he seems to ignore them but I cannot. The Mistress seemed to be adamant about torturing these boys until their birthday in a few years. I know how she is, she'll be ready when the time stricks, but she must be so bored."

"More unhinged," Malleus answered, "She curses those around her who speak against her. Death, she says, is the ultimate punishment for those who go against her. She always dreams about the day she'll capture and kill you for your betrayal, even mentioning that you loved my mother and her husband?"

Lilia stiffened before sighing, "In a sense, I did. Though rude and unforgivable, she had good qualities that made her lovable. Like her love for you."

"Really?"

"Oh, she adored you since you were still an egg, she didn't care when or how you hatched. She would rather wait patiently than rush you out like The Mistress had planned. Levan, your father, was the same and adored you from the beginning, but something happened and he disappeared. I wish I knew more," Lilia sighed.

"You were the first person to tell me actual things about my mother," Malleus admitted, "Grandmother only spoke of her death and how she was killed by the humans…Silver's real parents, that is."

"Oh, I am so sorry," Lilia managed to speak sadly and looked up at Malleus, "I do want you to know that your parents loved you so much and that love is why you are here today."

"How about you, Lilia? What was your fondest memory?"

"If you wanted me to be honest," Lilia smiles, "it was you hatching in my arms and I just…started bailing, tears just couldn't stop. And everything just stopped for a moment in time."

Malleus felt his eyes tear up at Lilia's sincere answer, watching Lilia reminisce about the memory.

They talked for a while and they didn't even notice Silver sneaking off into the forest.

Once he is there, he sees Ruggie with food like their first meeting. But it was more varied, with donuts, bread, steamed veggies, and meat, all those that Silver knows he stole. It's not something he is not a fan of, but knowing Ruggie's backstory and life, he didn't complain about it.

"Hey, I got some more yummy food," Ruggie grinned as Silver sat down.

"That's great," Silver yawns softly.

"Again?" Ruggie groaned, "Ugh, Silver, these nightmares must be tiring for you for now."

"I am indeed used to it," Silver admitted, "I won't let it bother me and my day, as my father advised." The squirrels rested on Silver's head as he spoke and Silver carefully placed it on his lap. "But I do miss peaceful dreams," Silver looks over at Ruggie, "But I'll be ok, I promise you."

"Eh, I don't know," Ruggie mumbled, "Having nightmares continuously makes me think of childhood. My Gram always told me it means that you can't let go of something. And something is coming soon, like a foreseen prophecy, or premonition."

"Yeah, a woman telling me that I have to die soon was actually chilling and Amoré also has these nightmares."

"Oh yeah," Ruggie messes with the leaves, "That could be something too."

"Enough about me," Silver looks at Ruggie, "how about you? Anything new you would like to tell me?"

Ruggie groaned, "Ok, this is not exactly good news, but still news. So, My Gram caught me again, so she decided to enroll me in knighthood. Against my will."

"Oh? Really?"

"Yes! And it wasn't a massive thing either, but now I'll be supervised and taught some swordsmanship. So… maybe you could teach me?"

Silver looks over in surprise, "M-me?"

"Yeah," Ruggie grinned, "You told me that your father taught you the way of the sword, and maybe I could ask you so I can at least be prepared. Cause, I saw you train today, and you did so amazingly…and it's making me jealous."

Silver blushes and smiles. "Well, you asked nicely, so yes, I'll teach you. But I'm not sure much about the techniques."

"It'll work."

"Let's start with stance.." Silver started.

After what seemed to be hours, Ruggie was on the floor, panting for his life. "I forgot that you were an expert," Ruggie panted, "but that was so exhilarating, and man, you are a good teacher."

Silver helps Ruggie up, "Thank you, but my father actually deserves the praise. All I did was retaught what I learned."

"But the stance and the advice? I'm sure they were your own. And you were so swift and fast." Ruggie stammered. Silver looks down. "Trust me, if you weren't forbidden to leave the forest, I would've took you to the knights so you could show them."

"Ruggie, they're professionals compared to me." Silver looks down, "And look at me, someone not even worth looking at."

Ruggie cleared his throat, "I think I would beg to differ. If you asked me," He looks at Silver, "You're pretty awesome, Silv."

Silver blushes and smiles, "Thank you."

"Now, all of this training is making me starving." Ruggie sat down and held out a donut to Ruggie, "Let's eat already."

Silver took the donut and sat next to Ruggie.

🥀

In the highest tower of the Castle of Blair Valley, The Mistress sneered among the people below.

After all, who wouldn't be when your curse turned over your head, and the princes gone missing for almost sixteen years now? When The Mistress found out she wasn't invited to a christening, one of the Royal family no less, she was furious. After she sacrificed to get Queen Serena to where she was, she was betrayed, to say the least. And before she knew it, she decided to punish the infants that Serena had given birth to mess with the queen. It was nothing more than a petty revenge scheme, and she knows it. But thinking about it gave a slight delight to her face.

But as soon as she found out that the infants had gone missing or taken, she sent goons everywhere to find them, as they were now hidden under her nose. It was clearly a way to save them, a weak attempt, she thought. A weak but efficient way, she could admit as she couldn't find the twins or their caretakers.

"It's been so long," She wallowed, "Was it wrong to curse those who wronged me?" She asked her raven, Scarlett, in such a pitiful tone. "I wish I knew where they have been hiding," she looked down, "then my plan could be a success. A way for little Serena to remember who she betrayed that unfaithful night." She walks back inside, sits on her throne, and looks back at Scarlett, "Is Malleus safe?"

Scarlett nods, ruffling her feathers. "Good, if those humans dare touch my grandson, it'll be over for them as we speak, you do know that, my pet? But alas, simple nightmares will do."

Malleus walked in, looking at his grandmother.

"Oh, my precious grandson," The Mistress cooed, "how was your day?"

"Fairly normal, Grandmother, however the creatures seem stress from the number of humans that come by the forest."

"I figured as such," She sighed, "Have the Tree Golems say anything about them?"

"They are led by a woman."

"Ah, no need to tell me no longer. Tell them to squish her if she ever comes back." Malleus nods, "Do you know her, Grandmother?"

"Just an old friend who tried to hurt me in the past. And has been banned from the forest." Malleus nods and walks away as goons rush in, laughing.

"Oh, hush it!" The Mistress ordered, "Now, tell me, have you found them?"

"No, your evilness, but we are still checking every single house and cottage! And even small cradles!"

The Mistress stopped and laughed, "Did you hear that, my pet? They searched every cradle, they said. They think there's still a baby to look for." Her laughter turned into a growl before she waved her staff, causing lightning, "You fools!!! Now listen to me carefully, find those boys! One with golden hair and one with silver hair! You better not forget it!!"

Malleus stiffened at her orders. He knew who she was looking for and sometimes, he wished for it to be different, but it was an empty promise.

"Grandmother, although I have returned, I request some fresh air?"

"Oh, of course, my dear grandson," The Mistress spoke with a grin, "but please be back before supper."

Malleus nodded and quickly walked outside his kingdom. He knew what he needed to do, but he felt Baal watch him across the gardens, his young grandson accompanying him as per usual.

"Ah, Master Malleus," Baal spoke, bowing to him. "I do not often see you this freaked out."

"Oh, you do not need to worry," Malleus looked and smiled at Sebek, "It is a plesure to see you, Sebek."

"And a pleasure back, your highness," Sebek spoke and bowed.

"What happened?" Baal spoke up, "You look frightened, nearly half to death."

"I am," Malleus spoke then gulped, "I am merely upset. I have a person I want to protect but I have no clue how."

"You know how the queen is," Baal looked up at him, "I understand that you may be uncomfortable with her actions but you have to understand that what she does is for you and all of fae kind."

Malleus looked back and sighed. "I wish you'd understand my plite, Baal."

"Pardon?"

Sebek tilted his head in confusion, but seeing Malleus's sad eyes, he felt sad too.

"Please excuse me."

Malleus rushed away, deeper into the forest until he found himself back at Lilia's cottage again. He wanted it all to go away, his guilt, his involvement, his grandmother's spell. He was young when that happened, and he remembered the spell he created to help the young twins, and now after seeing his grandmother, he had enough. He wanted to help more, to even protect them before their inevitable sleep.

He knocked on the door, watching the stars form above him.

"Yes? Oh, Malleus?" Wisp gasps sofetly, "Oh, please do come in. You look so upset."

"I am, Lady Wisp. I cannot help the guilt I feel," Malleus sighed, "I want to be better than her. She is now someone I cannot recognize, a fae full of hatred. I want to tell everyone to stop searching for them, but they are not my guards, they are my grandmothers."

"Oh, Malleus," Wisp comforted, "you have done well already. You have helped us much more than you know. You saved them from death, and that is something we can appreciate. You did all of this for twins that you barely know from day one, you are protecting them, like a guardian angel."

Malleus finally let those tears fall and felt the warm arms of Wisp around him, clearly not upset at him.

"Thank you, Lady Wisp," he mumbled, "you have the loving heart of a mother."

"Hey, every person deserves that love. You, especially."

"May I see Silver before I leave?"

"Of course, but he is sleeping at the moment. I hope he doesn't have any nightmares tonight."

Malleus nodded and walked up the stairs into his room, watching Silver sleep with a face of discomfort. He knew the nightmare was torturing him again and like what he had done in the past, he decided to do what; was right.

He rested his hand upon Silver's head and whispered, "May the power of the great fae protect you and your twin brother from the horrible nightmares my grandmother has cast upon you. May you be content with your life, don't forget who you love, Silver."

Silver lets out a sigh before smiling in his sleep once more.

Malleus walks away and closes the door, "That should end the endless nightmares now."

And with a proper goodbye, he walks deep into the enchanted forest, figuring out his next plan when the unfortunate day arrives.