#without worrying about failure or impressions. because i am smart. i have a lot of ideas and i ask a lot of questions

[collisiondiscourse]

Man, why does it feel like the threshold for success has a time limit? I always feel like if I'm not an insanely popular artist or powerful influencer by the time I turn eighteen, then I am an utter failure and a waste of my teenage years. I think one of the biggest pitfalls of how the generation of kids today has been raised is that we've basically been socialized to think that our best achievements have to come in our youth or else they become virtually worthless.

Like... Oh? you're a talented pianist and played in front of an auditorium of hundreds at an opera house? how old were you when that happened?

A forty-seven-year-old would be met with a few impressed nods, maybe, and people congratulating them for all their hard work and experience.

A fourteen-year-old would get news articles. they'd go viral on the internet and thousands of people would be clambering over each other to sing praises of how they were blessed with such innate talent.

I get it. It's impressive, right? Because they're young and haven't had plenty of years of experience. These kids, by all means, deserve all the praise and attention for working hard to get where they were!

But that's not the case, is it? And the culture of people putting more credit for young people's achievements doesn't even fuckin end there.

Because not only does this exact same pattern happen with literally every single thing ever, even totally non-competitive hobbies like painting, it happens with such frequency that it's considered normal. Articles use age markers about successes to serve as clickbait for their articles. Cable companies start shows purely about young prodigies and how they've beaten their adult competitors. Because who wouldn't wanna hear about a ten-year-old chess champion, right?

And what's even worse is that it then becomes a competition even among young people themselves! You scroll down on a video of a pre-teen playing Winter Wind and I promise you there will be at least one asshole saying shit like "This kid is not impressive. I saw a nine year old do the same thing the other day!"

It eats away at you! It really fucking does! because we go down this stupid rabbit-hole wherein younger and younger kids get paraded around and raised to be prodigies and meanwhile here you are, sixteen, and having a panic attack because you can't go back in time and force your eight-year-old self to keep playing the violin. It's stressful. It aches. Instead of bringing up younger people around us, we're stuck in this miserable zone where we constantly get compared and pitted against each other because we couldn't "maximize our childhood".

Isn't it enough to just... exist?

There have already been many conversations on the nature of college. How it's utter BS that people have to choose what career they want for the rest of their lives as early as junior year in HS. But what a lot of people don't talk about is just how early people are forced to decide what hobbies they want to do for the rest of their lives. People who start learning how to play an instrument at 28 can't do so without constantly being questioned why they started so late. A drawing with decent coloring garners more credit and attention for the average tween than the struggling middle-aged woman, despite both having an equal amount of experience with visual arts.

Parents constantly tell their children to study harder, to practice more--to just keep on work, work, working until their children become the perfect model dolls they use flex to one another over brunch. It's constantly having your name be followed up by your latest achievement and not anything about who you are as a person.

"This is Codi. She is a straight-A student and got invited to compete at Harvard."

"This is Codi. She is on her school's math team and knows how to play the piano."

"This is Codi. She is--"

I am a human being, thank you.

It's never "This is Codi, and he loves fashion and losing at video games." or "This is Codi, and he likes listening to annoying pop songs from the early 2010s and laying down in the rain."

Why? because none of that matters! None of that is worth listening to because anything less than what I can do to represent my family, my school, my team, my country will never be anything more than a waste of time. It's toxic, how today's generation of teenagers have to be celebrities or important figures or champions or prodigies before they are people.

It gets worse, though.

People start counting your talents like tally marks for points. You can't "just be an artist" anymore. If you draw, then you also have to be good at writing. And poetry. And graphic design. And a sport. Oh, you only know one language? Oh, you've only learned the basics of the guitar? It's like a fucking marker, ticking off boxes to determine the worth of these teenagers on the marketability of their achievements.

And, okay, it's a misrepresentation to only blame parents, right? Because it's a systematic thing. A new societal expectation for kids to be the next fucking Renaissance--with peer pressure for things like relationship experience and wild stories too. We kids now worry about not being special enough, not phenomenal enough, or beautiful enough, or talented enough, or smart enough, or experienced enough. And it's weird!

It's weird how teens now flex how tired and burnt out they are! It's weird how I've had conversations that turned into competitions of how many bullshit responsibilities we have on our plate. It's weird how I've met kids on the honor roll that are so adamant to prove to people that they've gone to parties, had alcohol, and slept around.

It's a goddamn tragedy, watching so many of my peers turning into burnouts before they've even graduated high school.

We are expected to be the most. If that one singer could do it, if that one global warming activist could do it, if that one Olympic athlete could do it--then why can't you? Why can't you have over 20.7k followers on Twitter? Why can't you have started your own band and release a popular album? Why can't you have published your own book by now? Why can't you be good enough?

I sit here, typing away at this stupid post and being unhappy and feeling like I am not good enough. I am an artist. I am a writer. I speak more than one language and play more than one instrument. I used to be a straight-A student and nationally competed in maths and sciences competitions. I am an international finalist for my sport and have multiple gold medals from foreign countries.

Yet still, I feel like my timer is running short.

[letarasstuff]

When everybody turns into an oracle

Summary: Nothing puts more pressure on you than other people teling you your grade will be perfect, because behind that stands so much more than a number on a sheet of paper. Same goes for Spencer's daughter.

Warnings: School, grades, angst (there is fluff and a badass moment), fear of failure/disappointing someone

Wordcount: 1.5k

✨Masterlist✨ __________________________________

“I really pooped this quiz. What about you, (Y/N)?” Before the teenager is able to answer, another classmate comes up from behind the two. “She’ll get a 100, like always.”

“I-I don’t know. Question two and three really got me there, I’m just happy to pass it.” The little group of people around her groans.

“You always say that.” “And get a perfect score”, the first one adds, “Just stop to make us look bad, because we really do have to worry about passing this class. What do you have to worry about? Getting straight A’s like that. I really want your problems.”

(Y/N) just keeps it quiet. She stopped a long time ago trying to defend herself. ‘I am on my way to the BAU’, she shoots a text to her father and exits the school building. Today she doesn’t take the train. There are too many noises and all she wants is some peace.

The words of her classmates echoes through her head. Yes, she always has a good score and she intends to keep it up. She is just doing her best, right? Her problems have to be still valid, don’t they?

“Ahh, Wonder Baby. I thought you forgot about us and decided you are too cool to hang out with us”, Derek calls out after her as soon as he spots his godchild. “Nah, Uncle Derek. Nobody can be too cool to hang out with you. I just hadn’t had much time because of school work. But there are only two weeks left before spring break starts and the only thing I have to do now is waiting for my results.”

“Right, Spencer told us you are stressing yourself out about those. Your last quiz was today, wasn’t it? The one you dread the most apparently?” Emily joins the conversation. “Uh, I did. But don’t get your hopes up too high, I really don’t have a clue what I did there. The grade can range between passed to 100.”

“Naw, Smartypants, you say that every time. What are you afraid of? Telling us you are real smart? Don’t be humble, we work with your father. We know how to handle geniuses.” Derek isn’t exactly helping her with that. (Y/N) just turns red and tries to change the subject. “Uh, no. Another thing: Where is Dad?”

“Spencer went to pick some reports from the M.E. in D.C. who helped us on the last case. He should be back in half an hour. But Penelope wants to see you, something about trying new vegan cookies she baked last night”, JJ informs (Y/N) as she passes the group to drop some files off.

For the remainder of the day the teenager hides out in the lair, blocking any human reaction out with her earphones. She just can’t handle any more insensitive stuff like earlier. Later her father picks her up to go home together.

“So, Emily told me you didn’t do well on your test today? Do you wanna talk about it?” He asks, choosing his words carefully as he prepares dinner with his daughter sitting at the kitchen table and watching him. The doctor knows the pressure created by asking his daughter about school related topics.

“I don’t know. Everyone keeps telling me I’ll get a perfect score and I think it’s admirable that all of them turn out to be able to look into the future. How do they know better than me what I get?”

It’s months of pent up stress and anxiety finally making its way up to the surface. (Y/N) tries to fight the tears down. “I really don’t understand this. I get asked how I did, I tell them I don’t feel good about the test and then they talk over me every single time. And when I say I don’t know it, I say it to not get anybody’s hope up high. I don’t want to disappoint anybody.” Finally tears stream down the teenager’s cheeks.

“Oh Sweetheart”, Spencer makes his way over to her and engulfs his daughter in a hug. “Shhh, don’t cry. I know it’s incredibly difficult to live up to their expectations, but you don’t need to. You don’t need to impress them, because their opinion doesn’t matter. Neither your classmate’s, your teacher’s nor the team’s. Not even mine should be important to you. Also, it doesn’t matter what you do, I’ll always be so proud of you, words can’t even describe it. There is literally nothing you can disappoint me with. You pushed and still push through so much crap and still you don’t fail to amaze me. You can never fail to amaze me. You can fail any class and become a professional card counter, I’ll still be proud to be your father. Please don’t cry over something you shouldn’t care about.”

They remain like this for several minutes, grasping each other until (Y/N)’s tears eventually die down. “I just want to be something more than just the smart girl with the good grades. I don’t want to feel like a two dimensional side character in a show, only there to provide the main characters with knowledge. I don’t want to be Velma, River Song, Frozone or Domino from Deadpool 2. I don’t want to be overlooked like this anymore.”Finally talking about her deepest insecurities lets her feel like a weight is lifted off her shoulders.

“And you are so much more”, Spencer encounters, “Some people just choose to ignore it, because you are so much more than their small brain with a low capacity is able to comprehend. They just pick the trait they understand the easiest. But never stop being you. Stay loud, stay complicated and, if you want to stay, uncomfortable for them. The right people will take the time and effort to get to know the real you, not just a copy others think you are. I know, it takes a great amount of patience to wait for them, but it’s worth it in the end. You hear me?”

(Y/N) looks up at her father, a small smile forming on her face. He would walk to the end of the world if it means to see it. “I hear you, Dad. Thank you so much.”

This night the teenager doesn’t get a lot of sleep. There are many thoughts that want to be, well, thought through. Still she wakes up and goes to school with a new amount of confidence.

This sadly only lasts until her first period. The teacher, one who is typically known for grading student’s work pretty fast, gives back yesterday’s quizzes. A small tumoult ensues as everyone compares their scores with each other.

(Y/N)’s anxiety rises into the unmeasurable until her teacher puts down her worksheet without a word. Confused she looks at the B- sitting at the dotted line, where the grade is supposed to be.

Now, a B- isn’t bad or anything, but she spots several answers her teacher didn’t tick as right or wrong. He must have oversaw them. Deciding to ask him about it after class, she puts it away and focuses on the material he is teaching.

So there she is, waiting for other classmates asking their questions regarding the quiz until it’s her turn. Meanwhile her lab partner Masey comes up to the teenager. “And, how did you do?”

“Uh, I got a B- bu-” “Oh my god, I’m better than the class nerd. I’m better than The Brain. Casey, I got a higher score than (Y/N)! I think you, too! Wow, I didn’t know I’m that smart. But no worries, (Y/N). I can explain this unit to you later, so you can do better next time.” This is the final straw for her.

“Hold on a sec, Masey. I’ll get that A, because Mr Harries didn’t see some of my answers. And just for your information: I didn’t ask you about your grade last time, because I knew you would poop that one after trying to explain it to you for four times while I got another A. Like every single time until now. Stop trying to appear cleverer than you are, it doesn’t suit you as much as these pants don't, because they are at least two sizes too small.”

The line finally moves up and (Y/N) is able to show Mr Harries his mistakes. He apologizes profusely, admitting that he maybe was too tired to grade these last quizzes and rewrite the B- to an A.

With her head held high she walks past her classmates, a content smile on her face.

It may be a long road to accept that you can’t be perfect and your grades don’t have to be, but forget this for a second and appreciate the feeling you get proving someone wrong like this.

Taglist:

All works:

@agentshortstacc

Criminal Minds:

@averyhotchner @mggsprettygirl

[drariellevalentine]

Medically Inevitable

Chapter 10- Puzzling Pathways

Characters:- Ethan Ramsey, Arielle Valentine, Alyssa Raines, Arabelle Raines, Naveen Banerji, Sienna Trinh, Elijah Greene, Jackie Varma, Landry Olsen, Harper Emery

Pairing:- Ethan Ramsey x Arielle Valentine

Warnings:- Swearing

Arielle’s PoV:-

You wake up quite early with a throbbing head and roll out of bed, making sure not to wake up Belle and Aly. The sun hasn’t risen yet, so you assume it’s around 4. After your morning routine, you pick up Naveen’s latest test reports with a cup of tea and head over to your balcony. Going through it, you can’t find much that catches your eye. You head back inside after an hour and find the duo awake.

“Good morning...”, Belle greets you accompanied with a yawn.

“I thought you were sleeping. I’ll head straight to Flair’s HQ and get ready there with Belle. Our flight ’s at 9pm.”, Aly replies while heading towards the bathroom.

“Hey Belle, are you ready to see daddy again?”, you ask.

“Mhm, can’t wait. I'm going to tell him all about yesterday, it was so much fun.”

“Oh really? What happened yesterday?”, you ask. She launches into a story about how they went to the library and then made pizza for dinner.

“I was going to ask for dessert but I fell asleep. I woke up and saw you sleeping by me. Mommy told me that you brought me here.”, she says with a sheepish grin.

“Well I’m sure you can eat all the ice cream you want when you fly home. Tell daddy to call me, okay?”

“I will!” Aly comes out of the restroom, completely ready.

“Belle, come on. We need to get ready and so does Aunt Arielle.”

“Okay! I’ll be quick!” Aly helps Belle get ready while you decide to make lunch for you and Naveen. You head outside the room to find Jackie and Sienna entering the apartment.

“Good morning Ari! Ines and Kyra just left. I thought you were asleep so I didn’t wake you.”, Si says.

“You both have noon shifts, right? Lucky!”, you reply.

“Yeah, we’ll be nursing our headaches if you need us.”, and with that they both head inside. Opening the fridge, you grab all the ingredients needed for Naveen’s chicken wrap. You get to work, starting with grilling the chicken with a bunch of spices, meanwhile julienning some greens and veggies. After shredding the chicken, you cook the tortillas and layer the fillings, topping them off with dressing and finally wrapping them up. You’re just finished packing the wraps in a container when Aly and Belle come out of your room.

“Alright Belle, it’s time to go. Go say goodbye to everyone.” You point Belle towards Si’s room, she comes out a few minutes later, candy bar in hand.

“Look at what they gave me!”, she shouts with joy leaving both of you to chuckle. She puts the candy bar in her backpack and wraps you up in a hug, or rather your legs. “Bye!...I’ll miss you! When will you come to visit?!”, she asks as you lift her up into your arms and hug her goodbye.

“Maybe during Christmas, okay? Be safe and a good girl!”

“Tell Uncle Ethan and grandpa that I’m leaving!”, She says handing you a few York candies as you lead them to the door. “Bye Arielle, we had a nice time.”, Aly says as she hugs you.

“I did too.” You reluctantly wave them goodbye as they head towards their Über, Belle shouting one last goodbye. “Okay Arielle, time for work.”

A little while later, you’re heading to the nurses’ station after rounds when you see a small crowd near one of the OR’s. Overhearing one of the resident surgeons congratulating Bryce, you head over after the crowd disperses.

“Hey, looks like someone made a good impression!”, you say.

“There was a complication with the surgery and the general surgeon was taking too long to arrive. So I stepped up and performed the procedure, meanwhile scoring a free solo surgery.”, he replies with a smirk.

“Nice! Although I don’t think your friends are happy about that.”, you reply noticing the scowls on the other interns’ faces.

“I came here to be the best surgeon, and right now Dr. Tanaka thinks I’m one of the best.”, he replies.

You smile, “You’re right”-

“Valentine, enough chitchat. Head to the ER.” You whirl around to see Zaid with a scowl on his face.

“Yes, Dr. Mirani!” You shoot Bryce an apologetic look as you head to the ER.

As you enter the E.R. Sarah directs you to the bed of your patient. You find a young woman sitting on the bed along with a guy near her age sitting beside her with a worried expression. As you near them the boy gets up from his seat and to shake hands with you.

"Hi doctor!" He smiles as he shakes your hand enthusiastically.

"Wow, hi and hello," you smile back at both of them and then pick up her chart.

"Willow?" You read out the name.

"That's me, and this is my twin brother, Rowan," she points where the boy is standing.

"Willow and Rowan? Aren't those both-"

"Trees. Yeah. Our parents are uh...outdoorsy type-"

"You can tell the nice doctor, Rowan. She’s a total hippie."

You smile at the twins banter. "What about you too? Have you followed their footsteps?"

Willow grins, "Well I'd say we are... hippie-like."

"We like the environment and all but we also like indoor plumbing," Rowan adds.

"Sounds like a compromise I could get on board with.”, you reply chuckling. Willow laughs.

"How long have you been feeling itchy, Willow?", you ask when noticing her continuously itching her skin.

"Uh...mmm...I’m not sure?" She says nervously.

"She‘s had it for a few weeks now, I guess," Rowan answers.

Nodding, you move closerand notice the darkened spider angiomas under her skin. You take a closer and better look at her eyes to find it jaundiced.

"You haven't had it checked out?" You ask, looking for more symptoms.

"Well, I took her to Mass Kenmore the other day but-" he never gets to finish the sentence as Willow cuts him off.

"But the doctor was a jerk. My friend says the doctors here are much more nice."

Willow's voice is filled with nervousness. But you don’t consider it much thinking it's probably because of her sickness.

"Smart friends," you try to lighten the mood. "Willow, I am going to have to listen to your belly. Lie back." You help her lie down.

"Push your hand on your sides," you order and she does so. "Yeah just like this. Now I'm going to give you a little tap."

You lightly strike one side of Willow's abdomen resting your hand on the other side.

"What are you doing?" Rowan asks both confused and concerned.

"That was fluid wave test for ascites. Fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity," you answer his question.

"What did the doctors at Mass Kenmore say?" You ask after noting the symptoms. Willow and Rowan share a nervous glance.

"He, uh... didn't spend that long with me. He said it's probably the...flu," Willow stammers.

"The flu?" You ask shocked. What doctor in their right mind would diagnose a patient with these symptoms as a flu!

"Yeah? He was kinda sketchy," Rowan trails off.

"He was very sketchy. Just because my chest hurts doesn't mean you have to do the whole consultation with my boobs, right?" Willow lets out a nervous chuckle. Their behavior is suspicious but you decide not to jump to conclusions.

"Okay. What did he prescribe?", you ask.

"Just some antibiotics."

"Antibiotics? But influenza is a virus," you get more concerned now. Was he even a doctor? First he misdiagnosed a simple disease and then he prescribed antibiotics for flu!

"Uh...yeah. So dumb right. He was so...old," Willow tries to laugh it off.

"He was so old, he looked like Yoda," Rowan tries to joke.

"But a mean. A mean Yoda,"Willow adds.

"Okay, but Willow I'm afraid it's not the flu,"you say. "It's likely Hepatitis C."

"Hep C?" Willow asks, her voice tracing fear.

"It sounds scary but it's now curable in a matter of weeks," you try to comfort her.

"That umm...sounds expensive," Rowan says nervously.

"Uhm, yes, Hep C treatment is notoriously costly," you say sadly.

"How costly are we talking?" Willow asks.

"The list cost is $28,000 per month. And we are talking about three months of supply,", you answer.

"It's a lot but it's important for you to get treated," You add, "Hep C causes huge damage to your liver. It can cause total organ failure, even can lead to cancer. It can kill you."

"But how are we supposed to pay for it?" Willow's voice is sad.

"Your insurance can help. Wait a minute, let me take your information,"You say and reach for the paper to note the details down.

"Our insurance info. Uhm...we...gave it to the hospital staff when we got here. Right, Ro?" Willow trails off nervously.

"Yeah, right…" Rowan agrees.

Their behavior looks suspicious to you and suddenly it all clicks into place.

"Wait, you guys don't have insurance, do you?”, you tentatively ask.

The twins look at each other helplessly. "...No. We don't," Rowan says after a brief moment of silence.

"Usually when I’m sick, I just hope for it to go away. But this time the symptoms are getting worse," Willow states.

"Mass Kenmore wouldn't even look at Willow without insurance," Rowan adds.

"And we definitely can't afford 28 grand a month," Willow states.

"Yeah, I know. It's total bull. Believe me it makes my gut churn when I have to tell patients they can't afford what they need to survive.", you reply with anger.

"But what can we do about it?" Willow sighs.

"I am not sure…" you try to think of a way to help them.

"Please doctor. I'll do whatever I can to help Willow but I don't earn much either. Our parents don't have any savings. They don't even believe in modern medicine," Rowan says angrily.

"I told my mom I was sick and she said to sleep with an amethyst on my chest," Willow adds.

"We're already in debt from college.This bill will ruin us. Isn't there anything for me to do. Could I work it off somehow?" Rowan asks.

"It's not a restaurant, Ro. We can't do dishes or something. We'll just have to...go," Willow says sadly and gets down the bed.

"But you heard what Dr. Valentine said could happen," Rowan says concerned.

Willow get up to leave.

"Wait, don't go yet. I'll see what I can do," you stop her.

"You'll help us?" Rowan smiles hopefully.

"I can't promise anything. But I'll try," you say sincerely.

"Thank you Dr.Valentine," Willow smiles and for the first time the smile seems genuine.

You reply back with a smile,"First things first. We can't treat Hep C without knowing it's genotype. So I'll need to draw blood sample."

After admitting Willow, you’re trying to think of a way to get the vial to lab. But you know the you can't hand it over to the pathology lab without a resident's signature. And you'd need to do it without anyone asking questions. That's when you see Ines. "The just person for the work," you think and walk towards her pleading for the best. "Hi Arielle. All done in the E.R.?" she asks as you approach.

"Yeah. I was actually looking for you!" You try to smile but your nervousness gets in between.

But she doesn't really seem to notice the hesitation."At you service. What do you need?",She asks smiling. You hesitate for a moment. Weighing your options you decide on telling her the truth, even though it might have risks.

"My patient has Hep C. And I need to run a blood test for further treatment but…" You pause not sure how to say,"but they don't have any insurance."

Ines understands what you are saying and her face falls slightly.

"Oh…"she says after a moment of silence.

"I admitted her. But she can't afford to be here, let alone treatment. She wanted to leave," you state sadly.

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to let her."

"But…" you stop not knowing what to say. You thought that out of all people maybe Ines would understand and help you.

"One of the hardest thing is to learn you can't help everyone. As a doctor your responsibility is to help the people you can help." She puts a comforting hand on your shoulder before walking away. You lean against the nearest wall as a wave of disappoinment washes over you. Later, you head towards the cafeteria for a quick break and then a few more post-op check-in’s.

After checking on one of your post-op patients, you carefully sneak around the construction site and enter Naveen’s room, lunch in hand.

“Sunshine! What a lovely surprise!”

“Hi dad, I brought lunch. Belle and Aly went back to Flair. Their flight’s at 9.”

“Belle was a nice surprise yesterday. You know, I think she managed to make Ethan like her.”, he replies.

“Yeah, she told me all about how she went to the library and Uncle Ethan read her a bunch of stories.”, you say as you draw blood for another test. Filling the vial with blood, you dispose of the needle and wash your hands.

“So, what have you made for lunch?”

“Your special chicken wraps.”, you reply with a smile as you hand one to him. You both take a bite. “So? How is it? Does it resemble yours at least a little?”

“It’s quite close, but the seasoning is slightly off.”

You roll your eyes. “That’s because it’s your recipe! And no one can perfectly make your recipes!”, you exclaim.

“She’s right Naveen. Your recipes are quite tricky to master.” You turn around to find Ethan standing in the doorway.

“Dr. Ramsey. I looked over the files but I couldn’t find much. The blood sample I drew is over there, I think we should try again but maybe..”, you discuss with him about the next steps.

“Ethan. Arielle.” Both of you turn to him. “Will you let a man eat in peace?! Both of you, eat and then discuss whatever you need to.”

“Fine.” You hand a wrap to Ethan.

“Have one, I made a lot more than I can eat.” He tentatively takes one and takes a bite.

“It’s quite good.”

“Thank you. I almost forgot, Belle asked me to tell you that she was leaving tonight and asked me to give these to you.” You hand out the minty chocolate treats to both of them, popping one in your mouth. “Seems like you made quite a good impression on Belle, she likes you a lot.”

“I’m convinced that Ethan likes her more than me! You should have seen him yesterday!”, Naveen exclaims as Ethan groans. Your pager beeps with the results of one of your patient’s tests. Sighing, you pop the last piece in your mouth and close the empty box.

“I have to go, I’ll see you later.”, you say as you kiss him on the cheek and gather your stuff. “Oh and Dr. Ramsey, I didn’t find anything much but I think this might be a small lead.”, you say pointing to the sample and highlighted part of the report. He nods as you exit the room.

After discussing a treatment plan with one of your patients, you’re heading towards the locker room to wrap up your shift early, when your phone chimes. It’s Bryce.

After responding, you change into a pair of jeans and a spaghetti strap top and grab your stuff from the locker. You head to the parking lot, and drive your way home. You unlock your door and find Si dressed up in a 30s theme. “Si! You look beautiful! That side twist is gorgeous! I didn’t know that people dressed up for this.”, you exclaim as you take off your heels.

“Well, I won’t be the only one! I got you a little something.” She rushes into her room and comes out holding a bag in her hand. “I picked out this ivory outfit for you, try it on!”, she exclaims as she hurriedly pushes you into your room to get dressed.

“Okay, okay! Give me a sec!” You pull out the beautiful outfit from the bag and lay it on your bed as you strip and carefully slip on the silky outfit. You tentatively open the door as Si gasps. “So...what do you think?”

“Oh my gosh! You look so pretty, all that’s missing is a matching hairstyle and jewellery. Quick, sit here! I’ll do your hair!” She quickly ushers you on your stool and starts to style your hair with the combs on your vanity. Pulling your hair into a side swept bun, she applies a coat of a pink shade on your lips and lastly helps you add matching accessories. You eye a pair of earrings that match Si’s dress.

“Here! Wear these!” She gasps.

“No way! They’re way too expensive, I can’t wear these!”, she counters.

“Oh shut up! You’re my best friend! You can wear whatever’s in my room.” You quickly trade her earrings and clasp yours on her as she looks in the mirror.

“Wow...these are really pretty.”

“Then keep them, they look much better on you.”, you reply.

“What, no! I can’t possibly”-

“Nope! I won’t take no for an answer.” She finally agrees and hugs you. You both look at yourselves at your floor length mirror for one last time. “Wait! One last touch!”, you say, carefully clasping on the necklace that Naveen gave you.

“Give me your phone! This is a perfect opportunity for a photo op.” She leads to a luminous corner in your room and snaps a pic as you do the same for her.

“These came out amazing! I’m posting mine, then we’ll leave.” You both take a few minutes to post your pictures. Just as you’re about to leave, Si’s phone chimes. She picks up the phone and replies, hiding the screen from you. “Hey, you can go without me. I’ll be there a bit later.”, she says.

“Okay…”, you bid goodbye and leave the apartment. You’re strolling down the sidewalk towards Boston Common, eyes sweeping through the crowd for any sign of your friends when finally you spot them.

“Damn, you look even classier in person!”, Bryce says patting the spot next to him. You place your things nearby and squeeze in by Bryce.

“Where’s Sienna? She said she was waiting for you.”, Elijah asks.

“I don’t know.”, you respond. “Just as we were about to leave, she got a text and said she’ll come by a little later.” Just then, you hear a familiar voice greet Elijah.

“Hey.” You all turn around to see Phoebe.

“Ohh...this guy’s got it baaaad…”, Jackie says, noticing the blush on Elijah’s cheeks.

“Shut up!”, you whisper to Jackie.

“Hey Phoebe. You came.”, Elijah spits out, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah...I said I would make it.”, Phoebe replies equally as awkward. You wince at the awkwardness and decide to play the role of Cupid once again.

“Phoebe! I’m glad you made it. Come sit here!”, you say gesturing to the comfy space by Elijah as he mouths a thank you. The pair sit together and click by talking about Star Trek, leaving you, Bryce and Jackie waiting for the screening. You’re about to ask Bryce when the movie starts when a smell of buttery goodness wafts towards you. All three of you turn around to find Sienna and Danny holding a small picnic basket. “Ohh...so that’s what the text was about. Let’s see how she gets out of this.”, you think. “Hey Danny, Sienna didn’t tell us she invited you! Come on, join us!” You scoot over, leaving just enough room for the pair to sit together.

“Hey Arielle. I had an idea, so I went and picked up a few pastries from a nearby bakery.”, he replies with a slight blush on his face. “Ahhh! These two are so cute!”, you think. Sienna hands out the treats as the opening credits roll. You sink your front teeth into a chocolatey croissant. “Mmm...this is good! Great idea!”, you exclaim. All seven of you relax and watch the movie.

After a while, Landry perks up saying, “Hey Arielle, did you find anything on Patient X?”

“Oh yeah Ari! Did you find anything?”, Elijah asks.

You carefully mull over what to say. “Umm…I don’t know anything. “, you say.

“Bullshit!”, says Jackie.

Thankfully, Si comes to your defence. “She’s serious! Zaid was chewing her out today for asking a bunch of questions.” Jackie rolls her eyes as everyone shifts their attention back to the movie. You mouth a thank you to Sienna and watch the movie. A little while later, you and Elijah are getting some drinks for the gang.

“So, I noticed you were a little down when I saw you before lunch today. What happened?”, he asks. You sigh and explain Willow’s condition. His face hardens.

“Elijah?....Elijah?!”

He blinks and turns to you. “Oh sorry.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s alright.” You can clearly tell he’s lying.

“I’m not an idiot.”

He sighs, “It’s always that, don’t treat the condition or you’ll die; or treat the condition you you’ll be financially ruined.” You give him a look.

“...I was diagnosed with chronic spinal cord damage when I was 5. A surgeon came up with a solution to save my life, but it bankrupted my parents. They had to sell everything for my surgery. That’s why I wanted to become a doctor, you know? If it weren’t for that surgeon, I wouldn’t have been here right now. That’s what I wanted to do, find solutions for people who have nowhere to turn to.”, tears slowly trailing down his face.

Your heart wrenches. “I’m so sorry Elijah. And for what it’s worth, I know your parents would have made that decision over and over again for you.”

“I know. Do you know that there are government clinical trials for some patients?”, he asks.”

“Oh! I didn’t know that.” He doesn’t get any better.

“You are worth it, do you hear me? You are an amazing, wonderful and sweet person and whoever has gotten the pleasure to know you are blessed.”

He nods as he returns your hug. You buy the drinks and head back towards your friends.

Long into the movie, you’re completely bored and lost. “Does anybody know what’s going on?”, you ask.

“Well, Rosie’s supposed to hide out in Richard’s office until he leaves for the files of...or Wait I think it was...Oh forget it! I’m lost too!”, Landry exclaims. Your friends start talking, ignoring the movie as Bryce turns to you.

“So, you want to ditch this place?”

“I thought you were the one who said this would be ‘fun’!”, you counter.

“Hey! No point in making mistakes longer than you need to! Now, you coming or not?”, he asks.

You give him an incredulous look. “Where would we go? And I’m dressed like this!”

“We’ll go on an adventure. And maybe fashion you up some clothes meanwhile.”

“Okay, lead the way!” The two of you sneak away from the group and Bryce leads you to a mall. “Really? A mall? This is your definition of an ‘adventure’?”

“Well first, we need to get you some clothes. Second, who said a mall can’t be an adventure?! Just follow my lead!” You and Bryce enter the mall to find the mall mostly empty. “Okay, first you need an outfit change! So, does Miss Celebrity shop at stores like Forever 21 or only high-end brands?”, he teases you.

You roll your eyes. “I shop at Forever 21! And a bunch of other stores that aren’t high-end!”, you defend yourself.

“Okay then! First stop, picking out an outfit for you.”, he walks to the directory and scans the list for Forever 21. “Ah! There it is, second floor. Let’s go!” Both of you take the escalator up and enter the near empty store. “Now, I want you to sit here-“, he pats a bench near the dressing room, “While I go pick out an outfit for you.”

Before you can protest, he twirls around and heads into the women’s section. You decide to check your messages, seeing new texts from Si and Ethan and click on them.

You’re about to go look for Bryce when he appears out of nowhere. “Crap! You scared me!” He gives you a sheepish grin.

“Hehe, sorry about that. Now, go try this on and see if you need a different size.” He hands you the black bag and pushes you into one of the dressing rooms. You open it to find a lace black bralette with an olive green cover-up and jeans. “Hmm...not bad scalpel jockey.”

You slip on the outfit and open your door as Bryce lets out a low whistle.

“Looks like it fits perfectly.”, he replies.

“It does.” You quickly hand over the clothes to Bryce and give him your purse, but he doesn’t take your purse. He comes back in a few minutes and tosses the outfit through the top. “Hey! A little heads-up would be nice!” You slip on your new outfit and fold your other outfit into the bag. You head out of the dressing room and sit on a bench near Bryce, who’s texting someone.

“It’s Jackie. She wanted to know where we went.”, he says without looking up.

“I told Sienna though.”, you reply confused.

“Apparently, both pairs of lovebirds are grossing Jackie out.” You both laugh. “Just a sec, okay.” You nod and look at the nearby display of nail polish when you hear a click. Turing around, you see Bryce smiling and your phone chimes. Pulling out your phone, you see that Bryce took a picture of you and sent it to you.

“Hmm...who knew scalpel jockey had such photography skills?! I might post this.”, you tease him as you post it.

“So, does that make up for wasting your time?”, he asks.

“Maybe...depends on what adventure we’re going on next.”, you reply.

“Well, first we need fuel for our adventure. We’re getting some food!”, Bryce exclaims.

“You really know the way to a girl’s heart.” He flashes his signature grin and leads you to Chick-fil-A after paying for your outfit.

“How do you know I like Chick-fil-A?”, you ask.

“I don’t .”, he nonchalantly replies. He heads inside and orders two chicken burgers with a side of fries and an Oreo milkshake. You both take a seat in the booth after picking out your favourite sauces and water.

“I come here only for the mayo, and then stuff as many packets as I can in my pockets. It’s sooo good!”, you exclaim as he laughs.

“You remind me of my sister.”, he says.

“Careful Lahela, then I might come to the conclusion that you like me as a friend.”, you tease. He’s about to reply when the employee calls out your order. You get up but he doesn’t let you, and carries the tray full of goodness and carbs back to your table. “Such a gentleman.”, you say. Taking the burger from the tray, you unwrap it and take a bite (not before adding a little extra mayo, of course). “Ohmygod…”

“There’s nothing like comfort food.”, he says handing you a spoon for the Oreo milkshake.

“Yeah, comfort food becomes your best friend after a breakup.”, you say.

He raises an eyebrow. “And when was this?” He notices the hesitation on your face and places a hand on your shoulder, “Hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s okay...he was my first love. We met at med school, he was in his second year of med school for neuroscience and it was my first for internal medicine. It was my first week, I was in Hopkins’ central library trying to reach for a book and managed to pull down the whole section of books somehow.”

He chuckles, “Sounds like you, alright!” You roll your eyes.

“It sounds cliche, but he helped me up and with the books, then took me out to cheer me up. After that, we met up more and more and found ourselves going on dates. He didn’t have classes together so we mostly met up during the weekends and texted everyday. Later, I met Laura.”

“Who’s Laura?”, he asks.

“She is...was my best friend through all of med school. I’ll explain. We started dating three months later and made it official at the end of the year. We took it slow, both of us respected each other’s careers and dreams so we never had many disagreements. It was amazing, all 5 and a half years of med school. I had a wonderful, kind considerate boyfriend who knew everything about me and a best friend that always had my back. Everything was perfect, he never used me for my connections and treated me as a normal person.”, you say.

“Hah! Imagine my surprise when I looked you up on Insta!”, he says. You laugh, remembering the day when Raf and Bryce had found out about your celeb status.

“Because he was studying to be a neurosurgeon, he had an extra year so we both ended med school in the same year. His medical idol is Dr. Harper Emery, he would talk about her all the time and really held a level of respect.”, you continue.

“She is mine, too. Have you met her, like personally?”, he asks.

“I have once. It was quite a few years back during one of Edenbrook’s charity galas. Naveen had taken me there as his plus one and I met her, she was someone that you would just hold a certain level of respect.”, you say.

“Woah, woah, woah. Hold on, do you mean Naveen, as in Naveen Banerji, as in the greatest diagnostian of all time?!”, he exclaims. You wince, completely forgetting about that. Taking your time, you explain what happened with him, except about his illness. “Damn, that’s impressive. I mean, changing your last name and starting completely fresh without using any influence. Anyways, continue.”

“As you know, my inspiration and my idol was Dr. Ramsey, and we both wanted to get into Edenbrook for our residency. Laura wanted to go to Johns Hopkins Hospital for their peds program. And after our final exams, we found out that I had gotten into Edenbrook for my residency...and he didn’t. Laura didn’t get into Johns Hopkins either.”, you say recalling the horrid memories after that moment.

“I’m guessing that’s where the problem started.”, he says.

You nod. “At first, he was really happy for me and so was Laura. But after a week, he started acting cold, like he was keeping a grudge against me. I tried talking to him but he didn’t try to talk it out. One day, I couldn’t take it anymore and burst, screaming at him why he was doing this.”, your throat hitches.

“What happened?”, you can see the anger in his eyes.

“...he had the audacity to say that I had used people to get into Edenbrook for my residency. I was shocked, having thought that the person who knew me so well thought I was using my name to rig the system. We didn’t talk for a week after that, and when I was cleaning out my clothes from his closet,...I found a velvet box. It was an engagement ring.”

Bryce’s eyes go wide. If only he knew what happened next. “I thought that we could fix this, I thought that he loved me, our relationship could be saved and we would be happy. So, I knocked on his door but no one answered. After a while, I couldn’t wait so I unlocked the door with the key he gave me and…” You take a deep breath. “...Laura was kissing him….and he was kissing her back.” By now, tears are slowly making their way down your face.

“That asshole! What the hell was he thinki”- He stops at the sight of your face and takes a seat beside you, comforting you. “Hey, hey, hey. Don’t cry now. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met and I’ve met a lot!” That makes you smile a bit. “That guy is an idiot, alright, for letting one of the most kind, compassionate and selfless women I’ve ever known. He doesn’t deserve you, alright!?“

You nod, brushing away your tears. “Okay.”

“Now, no more crying. Tonight, we’re going to have the time of our life! Now, finish up and we’ll go.” You finish up your food as Bryce tells you about the crazy parties he went to at Stanford.

“Oh my god! I can’t believe you did that!”, you shriek.

“I did. Now, let’s go!” After throwing away everything, you head out and Bryce leads you inside Walmart.

“What are we doing here?”, you ask.

“Just watch.” You watch as he strolls casually near a rack of clothing and yells, “There’s a snake in here!!” Your mouth and eyes widen in horror as everyone screams and runs away, leaving racks and displays to topple over each other, making a mess. “Oh sorry guys! It was just a scarf!” He quickly runs away pulling you with him out of the store before the employees can see you.

“What the hell did you do that for?!”, you half shout.

“What are you talking about, that was epic!? My mission today is to cheer you up, and I will do whatever it takes even if I have to makeshift a zip line from the 5th to the 1st floor.” You try to hide a smile but unsuccessfully end up bursting with laughter.

“Those people were sooo scared! And then I swear, one lady looked like she was about to bite your head off!!”, you say.

“Well, we’re not done yet.”, he drags you away before you can protest. A few minutes later, you’re standing in front of Urban Outfitters. “I have one more idea, and then it’s your turn.”, he says.

“What! No, there’s no way!”, you exclaim.

“Uh, uh, uh. You’re doing it.” He drags you into the store and randomly grabs three different pairs of jeans and heads towards the dressing room. “Wait here.” He points to a secluded corner as he goes inside the dressing room.

After several minutes, the door suddenly bursts open and Bryce makes a big scene. ”Ugh! What kind of jeans are these? None of them are leak-proof!” He says as he throws the jeans to the side and disappears in the racks, a few seconds later appearing by your side. You have to clamp your mouth shut after witnessing the attendant ‘s flustered and wide-eyed face.

After you both manage to escape from the shop without the woman noticing, you burst out in a fit of giggles. “Leak-proof?! That poor woman was astonished!”, you manage to blurt out in between laughter. You look up to see him smiling at you.

“What?”, you ask.

He gives you a devilish grin. “Now, it’s your turn.” Your eyes widen.

“No, no, no, no, no! There’s no way I’m embarrassing myself, that too on purpose! I have a reputation to uphold!” He looks at you. “Fine! Let me think!” You look around and spot an abandoned shopping cart, which triggers the memory of a prank Mark played before. A smirk fills your face as you say, “I have an idea. All I need is some clear beading wire.” He looks at you. “Don’t worry! I know what I’m doing!”

This time, you’re the one dragging him inside Michael’s and quickly pick out a strong wire. After paying for it, you turn to him. “Is there like a grocery store or something here?”

“I saw a Target on my way here. I think it was on the second floor.”, he says. You go down to the second floor and spot the Target.

“Okay, so are you going to tell me what your master plan is?”, he asks with a raised eyebrow. You pull him down and whisper in his ears. His eyes widen. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Well, you should now by now that I’m full of surprises.”, you say as you enter the shop. After wondering around for a bit, you find the perfect place to execute your plan. You carefully set up the wire as Bryce goes to get a shopping cart.

“Did someone ask for a shopping cart?” You roll your eyes as he pushes the cart to you. “Shut up and help me with these wires.” After another 15 minutes of prep, you are finally ready to execute.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”, he asks.

“It was your idea. Plus, I’m not backing out now. Ready?” He nods as the both of you take your places. He mouths, “3...2...1!” You let out a high-pitched scream as the shopping cart rolls towards you. Attracting attention, you quickly run across the aisles as the shopping cart mysteriously follows you at quite a speed. People start shouting and screaming and you keep running and shrieking, Bryce nearby controlling the shopping cart with the wires. Everyone is freaking out, screaming and shouting, things on the shelves are completely scattered, the floor a huge mess until suddenly, you’re pulled back. Turning around, you see a security guard holding the wire, exposing you and Bryce. Shit!

A while later…

“So, I guess you being an actor and all didn’t help...that wasn’t a good idea was it?”, he says. You’re standing outside the mall you’ve been banned from for a month.

“No it wasn’t…”, you both burst out laughing. “I had an amazing time Bryce. Thank you.”

“Of course, you’re my sister from another mister.”, he makes you laugh for the millionth time as you both walk back to your apartment. By the time you reach home, it’s already 11.

“Just keep in mind that everything won’t always have a readymade solution. Sometimes you have to make your own path. Goodnight Elle.”

“Goodnight Bryce.”, you lightly kiss his cheek and head inside. After getting ready for bed, you slide into your sheets and let today’s events wash over you...when it hits you. “I know how to save Willow!” Hopping out of bed, you quickly grab a notepad and a pen. Propping open your MacBook, you start typing in a search query, knowing you have a long night ahead of you.

The next morning, you’re walking to the front desk to ask the whereabouts of Chief Emery.

“Hey Arielle! Need help with anything?”, you look to your right and see Danny walking towards you.

“Good morning Danny. Have you seen Chief Emery? I need to ask her about a treatment for a patient.”

“Umm...I think I saw her go into OR 6, but there isn’t any surgery though.” He shrugs and walks away. You shout a thank you and head to the sixth floor where all the scheduled surgeries are performed. The door is ajar as you near the OR, taking a peek inside, you see her hovering over the surgical tools, hands running over them as if she’s greeting an old friend. You wait for her to notice you until she turns around, your signature vanilla scent wafting in the air.

“Dr. Valentine. What can I do for you?”, she asks. You take a deep breath and launch into your prepared pitch for Willow’s treatment. After you’re done, your nervousness gets ahold of you leading to you biting your lip.

“So you’re telling me you want to exploit a fully funded government study for a patient’s treatment?”, she asks.

“It’s the only way for my patient to be able to afford her treatment. Edenbrook won’t be held of any charges.”, you reply thinking that as the chief, that’s what she’s worrying about.

“You sound like Dr. Ramsey.” You don’t know why, but your heart swells with pride.

“I take that as a compliment.”

She thinks it over, leaving you thinking that you blew it until, “Hand it here.” You can’t stop the smile blooming on your face as you hand her the papers. She signs them and gives them to you when your pager beeps.

“Excuse me.” You see that Willow’s being discharged. Crap! You quickly grab the papers and run back to the 1st floor all while shouting, “Thank you!” You swear that you hear her laugh.

By the time you burst into Willow’s room, you’re out of breath and the pair of twins look at you like you’re wearing an octopus as a hat. “Dr. Valentine? Is everything alright? Is something wrong with my sister?”, Rowan asks nervously. You look up to see Willow dressed and all her belongings packed as you catch your breath.

“You don’t have to leave! I found a way for you to receive your treatment!” You explain your findings and the government study. “So, it will cover all your medical expenses but both of you will have to agree.”

“Of course, I’d do anything for my sister. But, we both are still in college debt. I’ll just have to work a few extra shifts. Thank you so much, Dr. Valentine!”

You pull out the check you wrote yesterday night. “I want you to have this. It will help with your debts.” His eyes widen as he looks over the amount.

“I...I can’t possibly take this. It’s way too much”-

“No please, keep it. What’s the point of being rich if you don’t use it to help others?”, you say. Rowan hugs you.

“Thank you so so much for all your help Dr. Valentine. We’ll never forget this.”, Willow says.

“Of course.” You’re interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. Opening it, you find a doctor, but not one of Edenbrook’s.

“You must be Dr. Valentine. I'm the doctor you spoke with on the phone yesterday. There is some initial paperwork which has to be looked over and signed.

“Ah yes. You must be Dr. Martin. We’ll get started.”

After finishing up the paperwork, you head to the nurses’ station with a big smile on your lips. "What are you smiling about?" A familiar baritone voice from behind you grabs your attention. You turn around to find Ethan looking at you raising his brows.

"I found a way to help some people who deserve it. It's a really good feeling," your smile broadens.

"Well done, Rookie,", he shockingly offers you a rare smile before leaning closer. He rests one of his hands on your arm."And thanks for not telling anyone about… my patient." He sighs sadly as you study his features.

He doesn't seem happy or relieved but surely seems better rested. You sadly smile at him, "Of course...you’re not the only one who wants him to get better."

He nods at you understanding. His hand rests on your arm for one last moment after he squeezes your arm as a thank you, letting them fall to his sides.

You turn away as he requests for one of his patient charts from Marlene. You freeze seeing Dr. Emery standing across the hallway, looking at the two of you thoughtfully. You are brought back to reality by Ethan's voice, thanking the nurse and leaving. Harper looks at you one last time before walking towards the direction where Ethan went.

Ethan's P.O.V

You are forced to look up from Naveen's recent test results when you hear a knock.

"Come in," you say keeping your voice devoid of any friendliness, thinking it was some intern. “Or a certain intern with violet hair!”, your mind reminds you. The door opens, revealing Harper who waltzes in and takes a seat opposite to you.

“What can I do for the Chief of Medicine today?”, you ask.

“I just wanted to see how my friend was doing. Is that a crime?”, she asks.

You scoff, “I’ve known you for a long time Harper, and quite well enough to know when you want something.”

“I’ve been noticing you’ve been quite distant these past few weeks, you’re never found in your office, always somewhere around the hospital.”

“So she has been noticing your behaviour.”, you think. “I’m not distant. I’m just busy.”, you reply with a roll of your eyes.

Her voice softens, “Ethan, you know I’m still your friend. You can talk to me.”, she says.

“Not anymore, not when you’re the Chief of Medicine I can’t.”, you think. You blatantly lie, “I’m perfectly fine Harper. Now I’m sure you have much more important work to do.” With a sigh, she exits your office.

”I know she’ll discover this someday, but when she does...would everything be alright?”

Part 1 of taglist:- @kaavyaethanramsey @rookie-ramsey @ohramsey @ohvamsey @hopelessromantics4life @realmrsramsey @mysticaurathings @binny1985 @maurine07 @alina-yol-ramsey @helloitsthiv @tsrookie @arcticlumineer @mary-c92 @sad-satan-herself @whippedforethanfreakingramsey @archxxronrookie @ethansrookie02 @semanticsandsea-lemons @mrandmrsramsey @nikki-2406 @deepikakkannan @siaramsey @katkart122 @openheartthot @imonlybibecauseofethanramsey @akshara16 @luvevelynclaire @literaryexpress @miss-smrxtiee @nadeen-ahmed11 @mrsalanrickman394 @drstellavalentine @ethandaddyramseyx @annekebbphotography @custaroonie @ladyrileybrooks @robbies-sutcliffe @cralinedp @bladesofopenheart @ezekielbhandarivalleros @daddyethanramsey @aquirkychica @romewritingshop @lilyvalentine @xpandabeardontcarex @in-love-with-a-trans-girl @coastalengineer @starrystarrytrouble @clowneryme

[oureuphoria]

Liars, Humans and Werewolves, Oh My.

Synopsis: Your father (a werewolf) and your mother (a werewolf) were concerned about your friend-making skills so they made deal with Jungkook to befriend you (a human). He knew he shouldn’t have agreed, he knew from the moment he spoke with you that it would blow up in his face but he genuinely believed what you didn’t know couldn’t hurt you. It was a friendship founded on lies but to Jungkook it was the realest thing he knew.  or “I don’t study fictional characters for fake friends, Y/N.”

Genre: fluff, angst, crack

Pairing: werewolf!jungkook X  human!reader

Word count: 7.9K

Warnings: I don’t think there is any but lemme know if I’m wrong.

Note: Hiiiii!! Okay, so this oneshot was long overdue I am so sorry but I hope you enjoy. I’m not American and I’m not a werewolf so if any information is inaccurate I sincerely apologise. I proofread but there's a chance there might be some mistakes because I am a fool. 

 You approached your father as he was loading the car. “Why do we have to go?” You whined while also sluggishly lugging extremely large bags into the car to help him. “It’s a learning experience Y/N. Stop whining.” Your face fell at your his stern exclamation but the second he turned around you stuck your tongue out at him. “I just don’t understand the fundamentals of going to New York for 2-weeks just for a stupid party where you, mom and Miri have loads of fun while Henry and I suffer.” He ignored you as he closed the trunk and told you to get in. You were not making the car ride easy and your dad had to threaten to leave you on the side of the road to get you to stop complaining.  

You were fully aware that werewolves were often stigmatised and misunderstood but you couldn’t help but panic a little when you were stuck in a room full of them. Sure, your fear was foolish since both humans and werewolves had been at peace for centuries but for some unrecognisable reason, all knowledge of the peaceful history left your mind the moment you entered the huge hall. Your dad was a human but turned before your mom gave birth to your eldest sister, Miri. She came out a werewolf, you and your younger brother Henry, however, didn’t. Although your sister was considered a full-blooded werewolf (and thanks to your mother an extremely prestigious werewolf at that), you and Henry were outcasts. It was uncommon for human-turned-werewolves to reproduce humans ‘lacking the wolf gene’ and being dragged to this party with your family just reminded you of the fact that you were in retrospect, a failure. At least you had your 14-year-old failure of a brother by your side. 

While everyone coexisted in tranquillity, it was unorthodox for a human to know about werewolves unless they were a werewolf’s mate or in your rare case, a failed human child of two werewolves. You were sure you could never be any werewolf’s soulmate or anyone's soulmate for that matter, your heart was sworn to Netflix and 50 cats. The unorthodoxy of your situation meant that there was always an impenetrable tension between you and werewolves, one that made you extremely uncomfortable. 

Despite all the weird stares and snarls that were hurled your way, your dad was optimistic. He always thought that being a human was great and that these parties were just simply learning curves that you needed to get past. “Henry, if you eat one more cupcake you’ll turn into one. Slow down!” He mocked you before shoving the other half of the cupcake in his mouth. You rolled your eyes and walked away to find him a napkin before you were kidnapped by your father. “Dad, what-“ “Y/N, say hi to the Jeons.” You didn’t really remember the Jeon family that much. All you knew was that your father and Jeon Songwook used to be super close. You also knew that when Songwook later married his beautiful wife, he had 2 children. Junghyun and Jungkook. Junghyun was the eldest and graduated with your sister, he was standing there clad in an expensive suit next to his girlfriend who’d you’d met at the last extravagant party. Jungkook was standing there also clad in an expensive suit with his eyes trained on your sister. You mustered the best smile you could though you were sick and tired of being the family’s pity show and tell story. 

“Y/N, I’ve heard a lot about you, you’re the same age as Jungkook right?” You nodded subtly, unsure where this conversation was going. “I heard you got a perfect score on your SAT.” You saw Jungkook’s face morph into one of anger in the corner of your eye. “Dad-“ Before Jungkook could finish his father put his hand on your shoulder. “Walk with me, Y/N?” You looked at your father for help but he just shrugged. Your mother mouthing ‘don’t fuck this up’ at you as you walked past her. “Jungkook, he’s very athletically talented but he’s not the most academically inclined. He got into Princeton but purely on sports and I’m concerned that if he doesn’t get his grades up, he won’t have a back-up plan.” You nodded understandingly, he seemed like a genuinely nice man from what you could tell so you listened to him. 

“What are you asking me to do, sir?” He chuckled at your worried eyes. “Just call me, Songwook, Songy if you want, that’s what your dad calls me.” You let out a small laugh, fighting back the urge to yawn. “I know that you’re going to Princeton too and I also know you’re taking a class in photography. Your dad showed me a couple of your photos, they really are beautiful.” Before you could even begin to thank him he continued. “My son is majoring in corporate law, like you, and I just thought it might be easier for him to start off if he had the support of someone as intelligent as you.” “Sir, I’m really not that smart-” He cut you off with a wave of his hand. “Nonsense, every parent in this room wishes they had a child as smart as you.” You laughed a little harder than last time. You wished that was true but you knew it was quite the opposite. Everyone here was just glad they weren’t raising two humans. 

“So, do you want me to tutor him?” He nodded with a smile and you smiled back half-heartedly. You were already on bad terms with the werewolf society and now you were about to get on the bad side of the human one. Jungkook went to your high school but it was big and you never really talked to him. He was popular, naturally, and the attention that he generated was mostly from girls, also naturally. He was seen as untouchable though, he was nice, polite and a true charmer but he never stayed with a girl long enough to call her his. It felt weird to call him a fuck boy because he didn’t fit the image. He wasn’t reckless or cruel and he wasn’t a complete boneheaded idiot with a lack of morals. He was admirable, truly and from what you had known there was not a single person who hated him. You had a theory that he was emotionally unavailable because he was waiting for his mate but you never spent too long on it, you never really cared enough to.

Songwook walked you back to the cluster that was your merged families and once your family was alone you were bombarded with questions from your parents. “What did he say to you?” You gave them a pointed look to which they gave you a playful slap on the arm. “Hurry!” You took a deep breath creating suspense before ruining all their hopes in one sentence. “He just wanted me to tutor his son.” Your dad elbowed you slightly before letting out a long sigh. “We were worried he was going to ask you to marry Jungkook or something.” You started laughing uncontrollably before stopping abruptly. “What’s Miri doing with him, she knows he’s just into one night stands.” Your father shrugged before your mother interfered. “We warned her but your sister is old enough to make her own decisions.” You scoffed before turning to face them with crossed arms. “So, she can have sex with a guy that you know is going to leave after but I can’t buy a Nintendo Switch? She’s only 2 years and 7 months older than me!” Your parents just blinked at your outburst before they floated away to go impress another family.  

You went to find Henry but he was nowhere to be seen and you literally searched everywhere. He was probably hiding in the men’s room on his phone watching Netflix but you couldn’t just go in there. You saw Jungkook leaning against a wall on his phone so you approached him without really thinking about what you were going to say. “Jungkook!” He looked up from his phone and gave you a tired smile. “This might be a little weird but do you think you can go into the men’s bathroom to see if my brother is in there?” He looked at you with widened eyes, he nodded slowly before making his way to the bathroom, you trailing behind him, he turned around and scratched his neck sheepishly. “Uh…what’s his name again? Sorry, I forgot.” You let out a laugh that you were trying to suppress before letting him know that his name was Henry. 

Once Jungkook made it out, your brother next to him, you gave him a huge beaming smile. “Thank you!” He just nodded in return before making his way off to the bar. “Oh shit, you have a crush on Jungkook!” You turned around to look at your brother with a face of confusion. “What?” You gave him a good slap on the back of the head but he was undeterred. “You totally find him cute.” You rolled your eyes before putting your arm around his shoulder. “Everyone finds him cute. Now, I think I found a way to convince mom and dad to let us buy a Nintendo Switch.” 

You had spent hours with Henry, even though he was 14, you were closer to him then you’d ever be to Miri. That wasn’t her fault though, it just turned out that way. “So, are you going to buy the new Resident Evil game?” You already knew where this was going. “Yeah, so that you can play the entire game before me.” He groaned at your stubbornness, refusing to let that one incident go. “How many times must I say I am sorry?” He was swinging your arm back and forth while exclaiming dramatically. Eventually, though, your parents came back and let you know it was time to go back to the hotel. 

You were moving to New Jersey in 3 days and Henry did not like that. “Take me with you, I can fit inside your luggage if you make a little room.” Henry had been attached to your hip ever since this week had started. “I told you, I’ll kidnap you after I leave so it doesn’t seem suspicious.” He laughed, flopping down on the couch next to you. “I’m going to miss you. I don’t know how I’m supposed to survive as the only person of culture in this household” You furrowed your eyebrows at him. “Dad’s okay sometimes.” He gave you an all-knowing look and you sighed. “Okay so you’ll have to be the only person of culture for a bit but I’ll be back before you know it.”  

Jungkook had avoided you the first week there. Whenever you tried to approach him he’d pretend he was busy or blatantly ignore you. You called your dad for help and he just said he’d talk to Songwook about it but it had been 2 days and he still made you feel like a plague-infested rat. You were in the library, reading over your schedule and trying to make sense of it. You were horribly bored but there was nothing better to do so you sat there and played games on your phone.

“You’re a snitch.” The voice scared you so much you threw your phone and lost at the game. “And you made me lose a chance at beating my high score!” You picked up your phone and looked up to be met with an angry Jungkook. “Yikes, who hurt you?” You went back to your phone but he snatched it out of your hand. “I don’t need your help.” You put your arms up to ‘surrender’ though you had no idea why he was so angry. “I didn’t know, your dad-” “My dad doesn’t care about my grades, just my reputation. You’d know all about damaging your parent's reputation though so no wonder he asked you.” You gulped, that was unexpected. “Gee, thanks.” You packed up whatever you had out on the table as quickly as you could and left. “Fuck…Y/N wait I didn’t mean that!” You heard him yell after you but you didn’t care, this was the one place where you thought you could escape it but your image followed you everywhere as long as a werewolf was there. 

You rented an apartment alone, not wanting to deal with the havoc of dormitories or live with your sister and her chaos. You had saved up enough to maintain yourself for a while, doing small jobs at your dad's law firm sure helped but now you needed a real job. You weren’t too stressed about finding a job yet because you had some time and you were a master procrastinator. What really stressed you out was college. If anyone found out about your ‘background’ everyone would think that you bought your way in and that was the last thing you needed, all you had to do was avoid anyone you knew and remain unnoticed. Which would be hard considering your sister and Jungkook were around.

Thinking about Jungkook was starting to make you mad again so you got up and stretched, ready to unpack the few boxes that now contained your entire life. The apartment came furnished and you had already been up there to get the bulkier stuff settled with your family’s help so now you just had to sort through smaller things which you did with a frown. Once you were done, you expected to feel a sense of completion, excitement even, but you felt nothing. If anything you felt scared. 

It was a Wednesday in your second week of college. You desperately hoped it would go better than your first week though you can’t think of a way for it to go any worse. But of course, the world is full of surprises. “Y/N!” You turned the other way when you saw Jungkook jogging towards you. You tried to walk with as much speed as you could muster but he was an athlete, you should’ve known better. “Y/N, I’m sorry, what I said was horrible.” He stopped in front of you while you looked at your feet. “It’s okay, I won’t snitch. I already forgot about it.” You tried to reason but he clearly didn’t believe you. “Why’d you turn around the other way then?” You stayed silent because you had no good excuse. “Let’s meet for lunch, my treat, I owe you.” You shook your head quickly. “I already ate lunch.” He looked at you weirdly before laughing. “Y/N it’s 8:30, I believe we call that breakfast.” Your face morphed into an embarrassed smile as you wished desperately for the ground to swallow you whole.

“So, you’re an alpha?!” Jungkook gestured for you to quieten down as while he looked around cautiously to see if anyone overheard. “No way, you totally don’t seem like an alpha.” He looked at you with an offended face which you just shook off. “Come on, alphas don’t run after people just to apologise, Jungkook.” 

 “Well, they can.” He retorted with just as much spite as you. “Evidently.” You looked him up and down while you said it and he flicked your forehead in response. You tried to take a bite of your burger but parts of it started slipping out. “I don’t know why they say Miri is the better sister, you clearly have so much class.” He said this while you were trying to eat your now deformed burger but you were not enjoying the scrutiny. “You’re��so funny.” You replied mockingly which just made him laugh in return. “So, why the sudden change of heart? You used to look at me like I ran over your dog.” He winced at the memory before putting his fork down. “It was embarrassing, I never asked for help before and it was weird for me. Besides, I didn’t actually need help my dad was just paranoid.” You nodded understandingly because you sure did understand, you hated asking for help just as much as the next guy but you weren’t as well-rounded as Jungkook was, you definitely needed help in some areas. 

“If I was a werewolf, I’d be an alpha, right?” Jungkook gave you one look before laughing obnoxiously, you put a hand on your heard feigning offence. “You’d be a beta.” You were now genuinely offended but pushed that back for the moment to provide room for your curiosity. “Why?” When he looked at you with a playful gaze you were prepared for a snarky comment. “Because people who want to be alphas are automatically betas. You don’t choose your role, your role chooses you.” You gave him a playful nudge into the wall as he was walking you home. “Okay Gandalf, when did you get so wise?” He laughed harder than he should’ve and you gave him a questioning look. “Who even is that?” Your eyes widened in shock. “Gandalf, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit?” When he still looked at you with the same blank stare you shook your head disappointingly. “Only a nerd like you would reference something from Lord of the Rings.” You nudged him a little harder this time but he was more prepared. “Y/N, I really am sorry about what I said.” You waved him off.  “Admit I’d make the best alpha and I’ll forgive you.” His eyes met yours in an annoyed glare but they still seemed so beautiful to you. You had to tell yourself to stop staring before it got awkward. Maybe Henry was right, maybe you did have a tiny crush on Jungkook, but in reality, who didn’t?

“You’re late.” You quickly sat down in front of him, 15 minutes after you’re appointed time. “I know, I’m sorry. The lecture ran over schedule.” He shook his head in fake disappointment and you sighed before playing along. “A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.” Jungkook looked at you blankly, blinking far too much in an attempt to make you realise how random your references were. “Gandalf, again.” He muttered ‘nerd’ under his breath and went back to his papers. You hit him with your pen. Despite his father’s word, Jungkook was doing well but you had to admit that he was trying a lot harder than he did in high school.

“Thanks for joining me, I didn’t want to study alone.” You peered over your shoulder to look at the group of girls that were staring at him and giggling. “Could’ve asked someone from your fan club.” When he looked up at you in confusion, you cocked your head to the side that they were on and he sighed heavily. “They do that to every guy, trust me.” You nodded your head with a teasing look which he didn’t find amusing but he didn’t say anything after and you grew worried. “Hey, do you mind covering for me for tomorrow’s 2pm class? I have a wolf thing I have to deal with, just tell the professor that I had a meeting with my coach.” You nodded hesitantly, concerned about what had been stressing him out so much but you didn’t press. It had been 2 weeks since your lunch with him and since then you’d found out a handful of things about Jungkook. He was a competitive swimmer, he had a fear of microwaves, he did not hook-up with your sister and he didn’t like sharing information about himself. 

When Jungkook showed up the day after the 2pm class he had to miss, he looked horrible. He had a cut on his lip that was healing and scattered bruises on his face. With how fast werewolves healed, you assumed this was far better than what it had been last night. “You look like roadkill.” You wanted to ask what had happened and if he was okay, but you knew where that would have gone so you skipped the small talk. “Shit, really?” He seemed panicked about what you said which made you even more concerned, it was obvious you were kidding. “No, you look fine just a little beaten. Are you okay?” He didn’t face you so you grabbed his shoulder to make him though when you did you felt a bandage through his shirt. He winced at the contact and you pulled your hand off like it was a hot stove. “Sorry. Jungkook, what happened?” He turned to you and smiled, pulling you by the forearm to your morning class. “There was already a pack here and you can’t have two alphas so I had to fight him. But I won and I’m fine. Trust me, he looks even worse.” You laughed but it seemed half-hearted, you were glad he shared this much though, it was more than you hoped for. 

“So, recap on the class. Professor lost his shit at Daniel because he kept swinging on the chair and fell. We discussed conflict of interest in workplaces so shit got gory and someone walked in drunk. Welcome to Ivy League, huh?” He chuckled but it seemed fake and you wondered if he was even listening. You didn’t press further, you thought he had done enough sharing for that day. “Anyways, I have my photography class now so I’m going to go.” He nodded absentmindedly and you walked away with a clouded mind and a heavy heart. You worry made you realise that you definitely liked Jungkook in a completely non-platonic way. You were royally screwed. 

You had made a friend in your photography class, his name was Berlin and he approached you for help at first which you didn’t really mind, you needed friends anyway. He asked if you wanted to join him after class to take some pictures around the college to help him with his new DSLR. You agreed with a little hesitation, unsure of how he got into the class with that little knowledge about cameras but you didn’t think much of it, his parents were probably rich. He had a black eye too but he told you it was from his martial arts classes and you believed him because it seemed like a genuine excuse. You had explored almost every surface of the giant campus and surprisingly had a lot of fun, it was refreshing to find someone with the same hobby as you. You called it a day at around 6pm, your class having finished at 4pm. You said goodbye and went home, determined to eat the cereal you had been craving. After saying goodbye, you went home to your eerily quiet apartment, you missed Henry. 

“So, how’s college going?” You were eating with your sister who had finally found time for you in her extremely busy schedule. “It’s fine, I hate Professor Golden though.” She laughed, almost choking on her food so you passed her the cup of water. “Thanks. I totally remember hating Professor Golden too, we all made jokes about his last name.” You laughed a little before returning to your food. A thick tension grew in the air, your talks with her were always silent and awkward. You had very little in common. 

“I can’t believe my baby sister is already a college freshman.” She cooed at you and you couldn’t help but laugh. She was almost 3 years older but sometimes she made it feel like 13. “Any college guys you find cute?” Your brain stopped working for a moment and you were unsure if you should tell her. “Come on, you can tell me.” She tried to pry it out of you while you just nervously smiled, trying to avoid her questions. Eventually, you gave up because it wasn’t like her to give up on gossip. “I think I like Jungkook.” Her face dropped dramatically and it made you panic a little. “Miri, what’s wrong?” She held your hand and looked at you sympathetically. “Y/N, he’s a werewolf.” She said something that wasn’t new to you. You’d repeated this to yourself far too many times to count. “I know. I’m not expecting anything to happen, I didn’t even expect this to happen it just did. Besides, I’m not in love with him, I’ll get over it.” You felt judged under her stare but you knew she meant well, no matter how harshly she came off sometimes. “Well, he rejected my advances so I really don’t think he’d be interested in you. I’m sorry, Y/N.” 

Miri said stupid things often. She lacked the emotional filter behind her words and offended people a lot. You grew thick skin thanks to her but this was where you drew the line. Your entire life you felt lesser than her and she promised you that she’d never do anything to make you feel that way and yet here she was, making you feel like you’ll never amount to her prestige. “Sorry, I need to get back I forgot I had a paper due by 5.” You left a $50 bill on the table and left before she could say anything else to potentially worsen the low blow she just gave you. You felt bad for walking away so abruptly, but you were not in the mood to argue with her, not again.

Unfortunately, your plans of moping on the couch all day were ruined when Jungkook had come over after hearing about the failure of a lunch with your sister, however, you spared him the details. “I bought a bag of junk food, McDonald’s and a whole pack of banana milk.” You smiled at him thankfully from your sad position on the couch which you were sure you were chemically bonded with now. “Did you get popcorn?” He was sorting through the bags before turning to you. “And risk dying via microwave? No thanks.” You laughed before getting up to join him. “Wait till I tell your pack that their alpha is scared of microwaves.” He gasped before clasping his heart dramatically. “You wouldn’t dare.” He started chuckling straight after, an adorable smile on his face.

You watched like 3 movies already and Jungkook was yet to feel sleepy, you, however, were seconds away from passing out. You were both on the couch, legs intermingled under the blanket, your head on his shoulder. It was your first time being this intimate with him and you hated how good it felt. “Jungkook, I’m sleepy.” You looked up at him and he smiled sweetly, forcing you to immediately look away. So, much for ‘getting over it’. “I’ll get going then.” He stood up to stretch, you following him. He grabbed his things off of your coffee table and walked to the door. 

“Jungkook, wait!” He turned around as he watched you come towards the door with the pack of banana milk. He fought back a smile as you dropped it into his arms. “Take it, you like them more than I do now.” He chuckled as he watched your eyes intently. “Thank you.” You smiled back at him before realising he was staring at you. Your smile fell as you stared back. “What? Is there something on my face?” You moved your hand to go over your face and he shook his head through hushed laughter. “Goodnight, Y/N.” He had just opened the door when you called out his name and once he turned, you kissed him. He didn’t pull away, just stood there in shock, you first to pull away actually and a flood of regret came crashing into your head immediately after. “Jungkook, I’m so sorry-” Before you could finish he was out the door and you cursed yourself for your spontaneous impulses. 

Jungkook had ignored what had happened miraculously, even during your apology he seemed unbothered. He probably felt bad for you but you were just glad he wasn’t mad or upset, besides, now you could truly focus on trying to get over him. You spent most of the day working on your study notes, trying to memorise stuff as best you could. By the time you stopped, it was already 8pm and you had skipped both lunch and dinner. You scavenged your fridge to look for something edible and settled on a pudding cup. College Y/N was doing great.

At around 9, you got a knock on your door which you cautiously went to answer, after seeing that it was Jungkook through the eyehole you opened the door to let him in, strangely, he was really angry. “What the fuck is this, Y/N?” He held out his phone of you to show a picture of you smiling, the sender being Berlin. “It’s a picture of me, how do you know Berlin? Are you friends?” Your lighthearted tone made Jungkook realise it wasn’t your fault that Berlin decided to get to you and that there was no way you could have known. “Y/N, Berlin is the alpha of the pack I took over, he’s messing with you to get to me.” You were mostly shocked but you also felt a little upset. You genuinely thought he was your friend. “I don’t want you anywhere near him, he’s dangerous.” You shook your head a little. “Sure he may be a little mad at you but we’re friends, I-” “I mean it, nowhere near him.” You held your hand out for him to pass his phone over so you could double-check that it was Berlin. You compared the number to the one on your phone to realise that it was indeed him. “You have his number already, fuck Y/N.” Your face hardened before you turned to him. “Sorry, I don’t have a ‘wolf’s intuition.’” You added air quotes for effect which he didn’t quite appreciate. 

You noticed his wet hair and his gym bag. “Did you just finish training? Jungkook it’s nearly 10pm.” He shrugged, grabbing his phone back from you and crash landing onto your couch. You couldn’t help but wonder how he could look so beautiful all the time. Sure, you always knew that he was good-looking but it felt like you were looking at a completely different man than high-school-Jungkook. He had endearing eyes, they could look so wide at moments and so closeted in others. His lips were soft, perfectly contrasting his sharp jaw, complementing each other beautifully. He was incredibly alluring in so many ways and it was impossible to escape it, no matter how hard you tried.

Jungkook held onto his shoulder, seeming like he was trying to soothe it from pain. You got up from your seat across from him and moved to stand behind him, taking over his hands and rubbing his shoulder for him. “Fuck, you’re good at this.” You hummed in agreement before laughing jokingly. “I am, right? They should call me Dr Bones.” He leaned his head forward to give you more access, ignoring your joke. You could physically feel how tense his muscles were and it made you worry a lot. Jungkook was the type who could work himself to death, stare at his dead body and still claim that he didn’t work hard enough. “Stop, or I’ll fall asleep. Thank you though.” He got up and grabbed his bag from the floor and made his way to the door. He turned around right before he left. “Y/N. I mean it, stay away from Berlin.” You nodded but you weren’t sure how you were supposed to just start avoiding him without seeming suspicious, besides, he was your only photography friend. 

“Hey, Y/N!” Berlin took the seat next to yours like he had been this past week, you didn’t say anything about it because you thought it would be fine but you did begin to regret it when he started whispering to you. “Why so quiet?” You gulped while playing with your camera bag. “I just didn’t get much sleep.” He nodded though you were sure he didn’t believe you. “Meet me behind this building after class. It’s important.” You probably shouldn’t have agreed and you probably shouldn’t have followed through with it but you did because you were an idiot. “You’ve been quiet. Jungkook told you, didn’t he?” You were playing with the sleeves of your jumper when you nodded, he sighed in return. “He took away my pack, my position, it seemed only right that I take something of his.” You gave him a pointed glare, staring at him without a wave of newfound anger. 

“I’m a person if you haven’t realised. Not a pawn in your stupid scheme for vengeance. Whatever you have with Jungkook is between you and him, don’t drag me into this.” You were about to walk back but he stopped you, blocking your way with his arm. “Y/N, don’t make me hurt you. All I want is for you to tell Jungkook to back down from my pack.” You smiled with feigned innocence. “Why don’t you tell him? I thought alphas were supposed to be brave…or did Jungkook take your balls too?” Berlin pinned you against the wall, his hands around the collar of your jumper. “You don’t wanna fight me, Y/N.” You pushed his arms off of you, straightening out your clothes. “You’re right, I don’t but since you so gracefully shared with me your perspective, I feel like I have to.” He laughed mockingly before leaning down to stare directly at your face. “And how do you plan on beating a werewolf?” You smiled again, so sweetly it made Berlin sick. In all honesty, you were terrified. If he called on your bluff this would turn into a complete shit-show, you had no fighting experience, you were all bark and absolutely no bite. 

“I’m going to fucking kill you.” Before you could decipher where the voice came from Berlin was leaning against the wall against you in pain after the fresh punch to his face from Jungkook. When Jungkook’s eyes locked with yours, he cocked his head to the side. “Go.” You would have protested but his face kind of scared you. You walked away, looking over your shoulder every few steps to make sure no one was dead. 

“What the fuck were you thinking? Y/N has nothing to do with this.”  “But she does, doesn’t she…?” Berlin started and Jungkook eyes narrowed. “She’s going to find out eventually and then she’ll hate you for not telling her.” Jungkook grabbed him by the collar while he was still against the wall. “If she finds out, it won’t be from you.” He let Berlin go roughly and glared at him before walking away. “She’s going to hate you, you know!” Berlin screamed but Jungkook continued walking away, unsure of how Berlin even found out about Jungkook’s secret.

“Stripes or no stripes?” Jungkook was making you choose between his endless collection of ties and you were so bored you started counting the dots on a polka-dotted one. “Y/N!” You snapped back into reality and faced him with a sheepish smile. “Sorry…no stripes, makes you look more mysterious.” He nodded before putting his stripped ties to the side. “Why are you so stressed about this dinner, anyway? It’s just my family and your family in some fancy restaurant talking about the same boring things over and over.” Jungkook desperately wanted to tell you what had changed but he couldn’t, not yet. “No reason, I just want to impress your parents.” You gave him a scrutinising look and he just avoided it. “Since when do you care about impressing anyone?” He sighed before snatching his polka-dot tie out of your hands. “Go get ready, we’re going to be late.” 

“Take the next left…and the destination should be on your right.” You spoke while mocking the navigator which just made Jungkook stare at you weirdly. “I’m bad with directions, I live off of this thing.” You held up your phone to gesture to the navigation app before getting out of his car. “Do I look okay?” He asked nervously and you looked at him, he looked much better than okay. He was clad in slacks and a dress shirt, no tie to your distaste. You remembered arguing with him after he had chosen to not wear a tie after all your efforts. His hair was getting longer but you loved it, especially the way he had styled it that night, not to mention the fact that he had his sleeves rolled up and his top few buttons open. You stopped yourself from staring too long by nodding. “Do I look okay?” Your eyes morphed into offended ones when he winced. You scoffed out loud but he just laughed at your reaction. “I’m kidding, you look great nerd, now move it, we’re already 15 minutes late.” You rolled your eyes, mumbling as you walked in. “Maybe if you didn’t make me spend 40 minutes helping you choose a tie…” He elbowed you slightly, reaching the reception desk and asking about your reservation, once you had taken a seat everyone, including Henry, had their eyes on the two of you. 

“Sorry, we’re late,” Jungkook commented, shaking your parent's hands as he sat down. “Wardrobe malfunction.” You joked as you secretly pointed at him. Everyone laughed a little and you were glad you had relieved some of the tension. You saw your brother the day before and boy did he have a lot to tell you, he seemed so excited about this dinner and you were still yet to know why. Now that you were here it seemed like everyone knew something you didn’t. 

“How’s college going, made any friends?” Jungkook’s mother asked, directing it at you. You choked because of the sudden question and scoffed down half the glass of water. “College is fine, I haven’t really been focused on making friends.” She nodded, Songwook laughing before joining in. “I wish Jungkook was the same. He befriended half the entire campus on the first day!” Everyone laughed while Jungkook shook his head jokingly, your mom suddenly called your name. “Y/N, could you grab me another napkin dear, I already spilled wine on mine. Clumsy me!” She giggled but it seemed fake, you wondered why she didn’t just ask a waiter to do it. You stood up to grab one from the desk nonetheless. 

The moment you left your mother leaned in. “Tell us, Jungkook, does she know?” He shook his head, his father joining in. “I’m glad you suggested we make Jungkook befriend her, otherwise we would have never found out.” “Found out what?” Your mom gasped when you were behind her, napkin in hand. The entire table was silent. “Wait...you forced Jungkook to befriend me? Do you think I’m that intolerable?” Jungkook rubbed his palms over his face, the inevitable was coming. “Y/N, we just know how you struggle with making friends and we thought it would be better to start you off with one,” Miri spoke this time with a tantalising tone. 

“So the whole tutor thing, that was a part of this as well? That’s why you were so mad at me about telling my dad that you were ignoring me? Because you didn’t want to fake being my friend?” You directed the question at Jungkook that time and he tried to apologise but you stopped him. “This isn’t about my social skills, is it? You still pity me for being a human so you gave me a werewolf to make me feel better!” You were speaking in a hushed tone so you wouldn’t warrant any unwanted attention but internally all you wanted to do was scream. “Henry, did you know about this too?” When he didn’t reply you scoffed, throwing your hands up in defeat. “Y/N, darling, we-” Songwook had spoken this time but you were quick to cut him off. “Forget it. I’m leaving.” And with that, you grabbed your bag and left. “Y/N come back, I’m your ride.” Jungkook tried reasoning but you were still walking away, your pride clearly getting in the way of your rationality because walking 30 minutes in heels was not rational. 

You stared at your sore feet in your Iron Man pyjamas as you cried to Spongebob, this wasn’t your proudest moment but you liked to think there were worse ways you could’ve handled the situation. Your family (Henry and your dad) kept blowing up your phone so you turned it off and sat not-so-peacefully on your weirdly comfortable couch. You heard a knock on the door and you didn���t open it, already knowing who was behind it. “Y/N, let me in please, I have your food.” The idea of opening the door to Jungkook seemed painful but you were also painfully hungry so you opened it anyway, snatching your food out of his hand. You tried to close the door but his foot jammed it and he pried it open with ease despite you using all your effort to keep it shut. You needed to start bulking. 

After he got in, you gave up and went back to your couch where you wrapped the blanket back around you and continued watching TV, now with food in your hand. “Y/N, I’m sorry but you have to believe me, I genuinely wanted to be your friend ever since we had that first lunch together, I promise.” You didn’t reply, in fact, your reaction (more so the lack thereof) had him thinking he didn’t even say anything at all. He grabbed the remote from your table and turned off the TV. You gave him a fleeting glare but didn’t say anything else. “Y/N.” You didn’t react once again, eating your pasta with aggression. “Y/N, look at me.” He grabbed both of your shoulders so he could turn you to face him. “I mean it, I’m sorry about how it started but I promise I wanted to be your friend.” You put your foot down, your sadness overpowering your hunger. “Wanted is past tense, should I be worried?” You joked but the tear that slid down your face taunted you straight after. You wiped it quickly but before you knew it more were springing down. He moved his hand to softly wipe your tears away and let out a breath of relief when you didn’t flinch away. 

“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil. But these are so stop crying, nerd.” You darted your eyes up so quickly the blood rushed to your head. “Gandalf!” He smiled at how excited you were. “I don’t study fictional characters for fake friends, Y/N.” Your excitement fled a little but you smiled at him slightly. “There was a reason we had that dinner tonight.” Your smile fell and your face looked puzzled. “Why?” Jungkook took a deep breath before continuing. “If I tell you, you can’t get mad at me. I kept it from you because we all wanted to tell you tonight.” You nodded a little hesitantly, scared about what he was going to tell you. 

“Y/N, remember that night you kissed me and I walked out?” You nodded, wincing at the memory. “That night, I found out you were my mate.” You inhaled so quickly you started choking. Jungkook pat your back though it seemed useless. Once your cough calmed down, you punched Jungkook on his arm harshly. “You asshole! I spent that entire night sulking because of you.” He laughed but your glare made him stop abruptly. He took both of your hands in his. “I panicked, I wasn’t expecting it to be you.” You thought he was disappointed so your smile turned into an apprehensive one. “Oh…” He grabbed your face by the chin and made you face him. “I wasn’t expecting it but I was so fucking glad it was.” You started feeling bashful under his gaze so you tried to avoid his eyes. “Is that why Berlin was so adamant on dragging me into your issue, did he know too? I let that bitch use my good camera!” Jungkook sighed at the memory of him but he nodded nonetheless. You jumped up from the couch quickly. “Wait, that means I can turn and then people can stop looking at me like I’m an alien!” Jungkook nodded, laughing at your random outburst. “Only if you want to though, you don’t have to decide that yet, we have time.” 

He pulled you back to the couch, this time you landed on his lap. He wrapped his arm around your waist and you leaned your head on his chest. “You’re an ugly crier.” You sat up to frown at him but he just pulled you back to his chest. “I lied, it’s just because I never want to see you cry again.” You pinched his arm and he exclaimed loudly. “What was that for?” You laughed before cuddling into him again. “Insulting me for your selfish desires…wait I have pasta!” You sprung out of his lap to go back to eating your food, turning on the TV in the process and Jungkook wondered how he managed to get paired with someone quite as unique as you. 

“I think you’re half-fish.” You said once you saw Jungkook after the swim meet. “If I was would you still love me?” You stopped walking to ponder before shaking your head. He cocked his eyebrow at you before you nodded in agreement with yourself. “I hate fish so, no. Unless you were like a merman, that would be hot. Wait but what if you turn into an actual fish then how-” He pulled you by the arm to continue walking to his car. “I was kidding, Y/N.” You were still stuck in thought. “Yes, but the premise is interesting.” He pinched your cheek in a surprise attack. “Remind me why I’m dating a nerd?” You shrugged before interlocking your hand with his. “Remind me why I’m dating a fish?” He gave you an unamused look which you instantly matched before laughing at him. 

“Can I drive?” You asked, mustering the most convincing face you can create, already in the passenger seat. “No,” Jungkook replied sternly, hoping you’d let it go because his resolve was quick to disappear with you. “Please, I need to practice.” He frowned before whining childishly.  “Y/N, this is a Mercedes Benz can’t you practice on a Toyota or something?” You rolled your eyes at his dramatic rejection but you came up with a better plan. “I don’t know anyone who drives a- wait, do you think your friend Hoseok would teach me? He drives a Toyota.” Jungkook gave you an annoyed look before begrudgingly exiting the car. You got out excitedly as you rushed to the driver's seat. “You’re evil, you know that?” He asked angrily and you nodded, giving him a kiss on the cheek which forced a smile out of him. 

The second you started the engine he began tutting in disappointment. “What?” You turned to him annoyed but he just moved over you to grab the seatbelt, clasping it in place and giving you a kiss which you had to pull away from before it escalated. “I did that on purpose because I knew you would do it for me.” Jungkook just hummed in fake agreement but you paid it no mind. You always felt obnoxiously happy each time he kissed you and you were almost sure you’d never stop. “Jungkook?” He turned to expectantly before you gave him a beaming smile. “I love you, fish or human.” He turned away from you, annoyed at your random confession. “Just focus on the road, okay?” You nodded dutifully and about 5 minutes into your drive home, he randomly called your name. “What, did I turn 0.3 seconds too late?” You joked but he just stared at you. 

 “I love you too, nerd.”

[solartranslations]

AF2 Common 12/28: A Long Night

Even if they’re somewhere new, what doesn’t change is the time they spend at the bar. …It’s the start of a long night

~*Scene: Nordia Bar*~

Pace: So gooood! I’m so glad Nordia has lasagna too

Debito: Ahh, that hits the sport…Nordia has the best drinks

Luca: I can’t believe you two…a client is coming to meet us soon. Be professional

Debito: What for. I thought this was a friend, not a client

Pace: *eating*…Debito’s right! Wouldn’t she actually get mad if we acted that way?

Luca: Maybe, but…

Felicita: Who is it? A friend of yours, Luca?

Luca: Yes. You met her the other day. It’s Agata

Felicita: Agata is…

Debito: Don’t worry, Bambina. She is strict, but she won’t do anything while over a meal

Pace: Huh? She’s scolded me while I was eating before. Agata’s whip sure is painful

Agata: That was because your behavior required discipline. I don’t raise my hand to others without reason

Pace: Uwah!? Agata, when did you get here? Don’t scare us like that

Debito: Our guest of honor is finally here. You’re late

Luca: Sorry for calling you out here when you’re so busy

Agata: I don’t mind. I wanted to talk with you all too

Agata: It’s been so long since we were all together. Debito, Pace, Luca, have you all been well?

Pace: Of course! You still got your whip, Agata?

Luca: Pace, don’t be rude! That’s no way to greet someone

Debito: You could show us if you wanted. It’s been a while after all

Luca: Debito! I said not to be rude!

Agata: Haha, you really haven’t changed. They sure must be a handful for you, Luca

Luca: Yes, dealing with these two certainly is

Pace: Really? I thought Luca was the handful. Right, Ojou?

Felicita: Um…

Debito: Yeah, Bambina’s definitely had it the hardest. You tell her how much of an airhead your attendant is

Luca: Are you trying to say that my head is filled with nothing but air?

Luca: It’s not true. I think a lot about Ojou-sama, but not air…

Pace: Same thing, isn’t it?

Debito: Yeah, it is

Luca: It’s not!

Felicita: You all need to settle down…

Agata: You all are causing trouble for your lady. Pay more attention to those around you

Debito: Wow~, nice one, Agata. You haven’t lost your touch at all

Pace: Your whip sure is quick, Agata. …It’s scary though

Felicita: Um…thank you, Madam Governor

Agata: Agata is fine. No need for titles. I regret that we couldn’t talk more the other day

Agata: So I was excited at the chance to talk to you now. There’s no need to be humble, just act as usual

Felicita: Thank you, Agata

~*Scene: Nordia Bar VIP Room*~

Felicita: [There was a room for special guests in the back of the bar]

Felicita: [We were able to talk freely there]

Agata: So tell me, why did you call me here?

Debito: Well we had to say hi to you since we came out to Nordia after all this time. It’s a courtesy, right?

Agata: You’ve got guts to talk about courtesy. There’s more to it, right?

Luca: Ah, it’s nothing too important…we just wanted to see you, that’s all

Agata: —Let me put it this way then. Are you curious about the contract with Vir that I mentioned the other day?—

Pace: Why are you bringing that up? Didn’t you say you couldn’t talk about it?

Agata: I just thought it’d be a dull and pointless topic to end things on

Agata: Anyway, I have things I wanted to ask you too

Agata: If that girl with Vir really did hurt Sumire, then I can’t stay quiet about it either

Agata: It won’t sit right with me until I hear the whole story

Luca: Agata… you don’t need to worry about Mama

Luca: Though she did suffer some shock and will need to recover with rest

Felicita: We don’t know why Mama got hurt. But…I don’t think Neve is the kind of person who would do that

Agata: Right, Neve. I know of her too

Agata: Sumire is like a little sister to me. I understand why you’d blame Vir, and I have no intention of sticking up for him

Agata: But for Nordia, Vir is—

Agata: Someone we need. The basis of our contract is that Vir lends us his power

Agata: So we can’t lose him, no matter what…

Agata: I’ll say it again. I won’t get in your way. But I can’t help you either

Agata: I’m under that contract. It’s to protect Nordia—

Felicita: If it’s to protect Nordia…. Can we help with that in any way?

Pace: Yeah. If it’s something Vir can do, we might be able to help you instead

Agata: No, it’s…

Luca: You can’t talk about the details of your contract then

Debito: Any more talk is pointless. I have an idea. How about we play a game?

Agata: A game? What kind?

Debito: Chess. We used to play it a lot, right?

Agata: Hmph. Looks like you’re all quite desperate to get information out of me

Debito: As you know, I’m the kind of person who doesn’t do anything without a good reason. And I’d still only do the minimum

Agata: Huh, interesting

Agata: The masquerade is soon. We should have a match for the tournament on its last day

Debito: Then let’s make a deal. The loser will have to do one thing that the winner wants

Pace: Huh!? Should you really promise that? Every time we played against Agata before…

Agata: I’m surprised you’d bet with such high stakes against me…

Agata: Hm… did you forget our games in the past, or are you that confident you’ve improved?

Luca: Debito…are you sure? Do you have a plan?

Debito: No I don’t. It’s just the only way I can think of to get any information

Agata: Having the loser listen to the winner’s request is too obvious. You just want information on Vir, right?

Agata: How about this. The loser will tell the truth about what they’ve been hiding. You’ll be witness, Felicita…

Agata: We’ll use “The Lovers”

Felicita: You want me to use “The Lovers” to see if you’re telling the truth…

Luca: I see. Even if it was a lie, Ojou-sama’s powers will see through it

(*smirk) Debito: I’m fine with that. Let’s get started

—And then—

~*Scene: Nordia Bar VIP Room*~

Pace: Yay! Haha, I won!

Felicita: Amazing, Pace! Even Debito and I couldn’t win…

Luca: It must have been his animal instincts

Agata: I truly didn’t think I would lose. I underestimated you

Debito: Since we won, we’ll be asking the questions then. Pace, what have you got?

Pace: I’ve been curious about something ever since we started playing

Felicita: Curious…?

Pace: Yeah. We never told you about Ojou’s powers, right Agata? So how did you know that she can use “The Lovers”?

Felicita: Right

Luca: Can you tell us, Agata?

Agata: That’s simple. I heard about them from Vir. That’s all

Luca: It was from him? But we never told Vir about her powers

Felicita: Yeah, I don’t remember saying anything

Agata: You didn’t have to. He knows everything about the Tarocco…

Pace: Huh? Is Vir really that smart?

Debito: That’s not what you should be impressed about

Agata: He knows about the Tarocco you all host too

Luca: …Just how much does he know?

Felicita: Who exactly is Vir?

Agata: Vir has formed a contract with “Agata” to protect Nordia for generations

Debito: Protect it from what?

Agata: A great storm that occurs once every 100 years, “Acqua Tempesta”— (TN: storm water)

Agata: It causes much greater disasters than when a normal acqua alta raises water levels (TN: when high tides cause flooding in Venice etc.)

Agata: And Vir protects Nordia from that threat…as is our contract

Pace: But that doesn’t make sense. Vir still looks so young…

Debito: Don’t be dumb, Pace. She said it was for generations

Debito: She just means he inherited the name “Vir” like she did with “Agata”

Luca: He’s right. Even if we don’t know how old he is, a person can’t live for hundreds of years

Luca: Probably, I think…

Agata: …Yes. You’re right

Debito: So the contract you made with Vir was that he’d protect the city from the Acqua Tempesta…now it all makes sense

Felicita: So that’s why Agata says she can’t help us

Agata: I had no choice but to keep it a secret. But it’s just as you say

Agata: The next Acqua Tempesta is in January…when the New Year comes, the whole town will be washed away. We can’t stop it on our own

Agata: I will protect Nordia no matter what. It’s my reason for being “Agata”—

Felicita: Your reason for being “Agata”…?

Agata: If we survive this Acqua Tempesta, the next one will be in a hundred years

Agata: In that amount of time, I can persuade my people to move elsewhere to safety

Agata: And if technology advances enough so that we don’t have to, all the better

Agata: Time brings change and progress. But, time makes people forget as well

Agata: I wasn’t able to get my people to believe me in time

Agata: The burden I carry from my ancestors is heavy—

Felicita: Agata…

Agata: People are like pawns in God’s game

Agata: And right now, I’m a failure at carrying out my duty as a pawn

Debito: Saying that’s not like you

Pace: Yeah, it’s like you’ve gotten old, Agata

Agata: Idiot, just say I’ve matured. I’m only old enough to be your sister

Luca: You’re older than Mama though

Agata: …I thought you were a genius when you were younger, but now I know you’re just normal. Well, maybe not. I see you have a one-track mind with your Ojou-sama

Luca: Um, why am I the only one you’re saying that to?

Pace: Why don’t you like hearing that? Being obsessed with Ojou is something to be proud of!

Felicita: Pace, I don’t think she means it in a good way…

Luca: It definitely isn’t praise!

Felicita: [Agata shoulders the responsibility of Nordia and its people. No matter how hard it is, she doesn’t give up and tries to find a way]

Felicita: [Agata is strong…that’s clear to me. I want to protect Regalo too, so I send my thoughts out to its people…]

Agata: Isn’t there anyone besides Pace who can challenge me?

Luca: You’re just too strong, Agata. Strategy games like this are your forte

Agata: You’re not wrong. I couldn’t be governor if I wasn’t

Felicita: Agata…I want to play another round with you

Agata: We’ve already seen the outcome, so no. Maybe another time

Felicita: …Please?

Agata: *sigh*… Children are so tiring. If you were my son, I’d have brought out my whip

Pace: You did that to us too before

Debito: Yeah. No mercy at all

Luca: Then, how about you play against me next? Is that alright?

Agata: Yes, let’s give it a go

~*Scene: Nordia Bar VIP Room*~

Luca: It’s been so long since I’ve played chess with you, Agata

Agata: Yes, it has. And just like before, only Pace would be able to win out of the three of you

Luca: I think I’ll be joining him this time. I will win

Agata: I can’t believe you can say that while looking at the board now. Your king and queen are cornered

Luca: This is where I turn things around

Agata: Haha, very interesting

Felicita: Luca’s good at chess?

Pace: Hmm, he could get pretty far but…

Debito: Yeah, but he could never finish it. Neither of us have ever won against Agata

Luca: If I take this pawn next…

Agata: That won’t work, unfortunately

Luca: Wha?

Agata: Checkmate

Debito: Oh well. Luca lost

Luca: Another loss… You certainly are strong

Agata: Those who think too hard about their actions won’t win against me. But people who act on instinct are harder to read

Agata: I’ve won this time…but you were the ones to ask questions during the last round

Agata: I know. I’ll give you an opportunity

Pace: What opportunity?

Agata: You can do it when I’m not around, but answer one of Debito’s questions

Luca: We’ll answer Debito’s questions…?

Debito: Huh? What’s that about? I didn’t ask for you to give me your prize

Agata: Luca, you are a very stubborn man. You try to maintain balance even while fooling yourself. It’ll be easier if you break that just once

Luca: ……

Pace/Debito: ……

Agata: I will take my leave then. You all can do as you wish

Felicita: I should probably go too…

Debito: …Yeah, let’s go. I’ve got nothing to ask anyway

~*Scene: Nordia Street*~

Pace: Wow, it’s totally dark out. All the shops are closed too

Debito: It’s not that late. And isn’t this when grown-ups really start having fun?

Luca: Only for you. And if that causes you to stay in bed until noon, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities

Debito: It’s not your problem

Luca: It is. The Coins are always…

Felicita: !?

Luca: That person getting off the gondola is…

Pace: It’s definitely Vir

Debito: Perfect. We’ve got business with him after all

~*Scene: Nordia Waterway*~

Vir: Hm?

Luca: Haaah!

Vir: *laugh*…

Luca: He knocked away my attack!?

Vir: It looks like alchemy hasn’t advanced one bit

Vir: It’s the same as it was 400 years ago. No, it’s actually gotten weaker

Luca: …!

Debito: I guess Agata meant what she said literally

Pace: You mean when she said she’s known him for 400 years?

Vir: You really thought such a small flame could capture me?

(*click) Debito: Nope. These are the real goods

Vir: That’s quite the greeting. Hm? Your right eye…

>Debito Route

>Pace/Luca Routes

Vir: What a nice gem. It should last you the rest of your life. Perhaps I should sell some in my store

Vir: But, that amethyst won’t last much longer. Do you have a replacement ready?

Luca: Why would you know…we don’t need your concern. I have a replacement

Debito: Tch, you really do know everything…

Vir: That gem was made with alchemy. Is it your creation?

Luca: …

Vir: You’re even better than your teacher. You couldn’t have made that if you hadn’t watched him for so long

Vir: I’d love a gifted student too. Will you join me?

Luca: I humbly decline

(Luca: Because I have Ojou-sama) (This line is Luca route only)

Vir: Unfortunate. But, it seems those two do need you too. Now then

(*shing) Felicita: You aren’t getting away

Debito: We came all the way from Regalo to capture you

Pace: Yeah. Finding you here makes things a lot faster

Vir: Didn’t Agata tell you? You can’t touch me yet. This is Agata’s city. You aren’t the law here

Vir: And I’m not someone you can catch that easily

Vir: Haaa!

Dodge!

>Hit

(+10 Amore)

>Miss

(-20 Amore)

(*dodge) Felicita: Hah!

Felicita: Ah…

Luca: Ojou-sama! Watch out!

Luca: … L’Armonia della Luce!

Vir: Haha, you can run if you like. I’m not in the mood to fight you today

Felicita: Well I am!

Vir: Stubborn aren’t you…fine then

Debito: You’re fighting me too. So don’t turn your back!

Felicita: Debito! I’ll cover you!

(*whish) Felicita: Yah!

Attack!

>Hit

(No Amore)

>Miss

(-20 Amore)

Vir: Guh…

Vir: That’s all you’ve got?

Vir: You have to mean it if you’re going to attack me. And you won’t catch me anyway

Pace: If you’re just going to run away, doesn’t that mean you’re actually weak?

Vir: I’m running for your sake. If you hit me with your powers, punishment will befall you

Felicita: Punishment…

Debito: You’re not going to trick us with a joke like that

Vir: Is it really a joke?

Pace: If you won’t attack, then I will!

Pace: Hyaaah!

Vir: Hah, that won’t hit me…

Debito: Didn’t I tell you already? You’re not just fighting one of us!

Debito: Hahaha!

Vir: Those bullets won’t work on me. I’ll just erase them

Felicita: No you won’t!

(*whish) Felicita: Haaah!

Attack!

>Hit

(+10 Amore)

>Miss

(-20 Amore)

Vir: Guh…Right. You’re here too

Vir: Where are you aiming?

Vir: …So tiring. This is all the time I have for you today

Vir: Haaah!

Luca: All of you, get away from Vir!

Luca: I’ll block his attack, so get behind me!

Felicita: Right…!

Luca: Guh…

Vir: See you tomorrow then

Felicita: Luca! Are you alright?

Luca: *panting*…Yes. I’m sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve fought that hard…

Debito: I am interested in one thing he said

Luca: ……

Debito: He said “You couldn’t have made that if you hadn’t watched him for so long”

Felicita: …

Debito: If this hadn’t happened, I never would have asked…

Debito: Back then…who’s side were you on?

Pace: Debito…

Luca: I…

Debito: Honestly, I don’t care what the truth is though

Pace: It feels late bringing this up now, but I’ve been hiding things too

~*Flashback: Back Alley*~

Pace: Um, because of a special trait of my Tarocco, I––

Pace: I can only live until age 30

~*End Flashback*~

Pace: I guess Debito’s been the most honest out of us

Debito: Shut up, Pace

Pace: I guess the best thing is for Luca-chan to come clean and for us to give him one good hit for hiding it?

>Luca, I want to know too…

>I think you should tell Debito and Pace

Luca: Ojou-sama…

Luca: Right. I never was good at keeping secrets

Luca: And I didn’t plan on hiding it this long either

Luca: It might make things easier if I just told the truth…

Luca: I don’t know if hearing this will help them

Luca: But I think it will be better for me

Luca: It hurts to keep this a secret. …I just want to tell you

Luca: This is the opportunity that Agata gave us

Luca: I’ll tell you…about the secret I’ve been keeping

Luca: Back then, I had a lot of feelings that I had a hard time putting into words

~*Flashback: Bedroom*~

Debito: Uw, ahhhhh!

Pace: Debito!? Where are you?

Luca: I can’t see him…but I can hear him. Are these Debito’s Arcana powers…?

Debito: *panting*…

Pace: Ah! There’s blood near the bed… Debito, are you there?

Debito: Uaa, Pace…

Luca: If I could see you, I could neutralize your powers with mine, but I can’t touch you like this

Pace: Ah! I see him! Debito, can you hear me? Debito?

Debito: ……

Luca: He’s not conscious. And his right eye is bleeding…he hit himself on that pillar…

Luca: Hurry, Pace! At this rate, Debito will…

Pace: But where should we…

Luca: We’ll take him to Jolly

~*Flashback: Alchemy Room*~

Pace: Jolly! You have to help Debito!

Debito: Guh…ahh…

Jolly: …What happened

Luca: Debito’s powers are out of control. He struck his eye against a pillar…

Luca: He settled down after losing consciousness, but he hasn’t woken up yet

Jolly: His powers…

Pace: Jolly, what’s going to happen to Debito?

Jolly: He’ll die if we don’t do anything. He must not have the emotional strength to handle his powers

Luca: …No way

Pace: I don’t want Debito to die! Since you experiment all the time, can’t you save him!

Jolly: …I have an idea. But I can’t guarantee that it will work

Jolly: Do you still want to save Debito?

Pace: Of course we do!

Luca: Yes…

Jolly: Good. I’ll get started

Jolly: We’ll put this gem in Debito’s right eye. It will amplify his emotional strength to make up for what he lacks

Luca: An amethyst…

Pace: You’ll stick that in him!?

Jolly: He won’t be able to use his eye anymore either way. This is better than dying

Debito: Ahhhhhh….!!!

Jolly: This should last for a while

Pace: Thank you, Jolly

Luca: Thank you

Luca: Jolly…

Jolly: Pace already left. Was there something else, Luca?

Luca: I know you saved Debito…but will he really be alright like this…

Jolly: Hmph, I don’t plan on leaving this be. You’ll be paying me back for saving him

Jolly: …How about this. From now on, you’ll have no contact with Debito or Pace

Luca: Wha…

Jolly: Or you’ll help me with my experiments again. It’s an equivalent exchange. You’ll pay me back one of those two ways. The choice is up to you

Luca: …I…

~*Flashback: Bedroom*~

Pace: Don’t worry us like that, Debito. I told you not to push yourself

Debito: Yeah, but I had to. I’m not good at staying put

Luca: Calm down, you two. Debito’s awake, and that’s all that matters

Luca: I’ll be going now. I’m doing a little favor for someone

~*Flashback: Alchemy Room*~

(*knock knock)

Luca: It’s me

Jolly: Come in…

~*End Flashback*~

Luca: My…heart was always with you two, but I was acting on Jolly’s orders

Luca: I stayed to protect you. But, it’s true that I was still observing you as directed by Jolly too

Luca: I wanted to protect you, but still felt guilty. I thought protecting you was my duty

Luca: And it’s why I feel so conflicted into inaction now

Luca: And then, Ojou-sama’s powers went out of control

Felicita: …!

Luca: I was ordered to live with Ojou-sama, and went to that small house with her and Sumire-sama

Luca: I had a peaceful life there. And that’s when I realized that I was making up for what I did to you two…

Luca: It’s because of Ojou-sama that I found the strength to accept myself

Luca: It’s thanks to Ojou-sama…that I realized what I should protect

Luca: I’m the weakest one out of us. I just couldn’t live on if I lost even a single one of you

Felicita: Luca…

Luca: ……Is that all you wanted to know?

Felicita: Luca…!

Luca: Wah! O-Ojou-sama…

Debito: You shouldn’t be crying at your age

Pace: Yeah. You’ve hit a milestone so you really should grow up

Felicita: Luca, how could you keep smiling before now?

Luca: Because…you all…were with me

Debito: Oh get a grip! Pace, let’s throw Luca in the canal!

Pace: Okay! Heave-ho!

Luca: *bubble bubble*…

Felicita: Luca, are you okay!?

(*splash) Luca: *cough*…

Debito: Yeah, he wouldn’t drown

Pace: Yup. That’s his punishment from us instead of getting hit

Debito: Yeah I figured

Luca: You weren’t going to let me get washed away, right!?

Debito: Okay, let’s head back

Pace: Oh wow Luca, you look just like Dante. Let’s go, Ojou

Felicita: O-okay…

Luca: Can you at least pull me out of here!!!

~*End of Scene*~

(Continue to Common Route December 31 (Pace Route)) Coming Soon!

(Continue to Debito Chapter 4)

(Continue to Luca Chapter 5)

(Back to Directory)

[sandraharissa]

Alastor’s motivation

The only suggestion of what Alastor’s true motivations might be that I’ve ever seen brought up is that he wants to become the king,,, and you can probably already tell that I’m about to disagree with this.

Imo the problem with this conclusion is that it’s too far-fetched. It’s only based on the idea that he wants power and the king has the most power so he must be aiming for that. The problem with that is that currently it’s completely out of his reach. It’s the typical ‘character is so smart I’m sure he’s got it planned 2000 steps in advance’ despite the fact that he’s in no position to think this is something that’s achievable for him.

This idea is only not overcomplicated in terms of Alastor’s plan if he’s aiming for marrying Charlie, then it’s pretty straightforward but also something that is purely wishful thinking on the part of the shippers and something I’m 100% certain will never happen but I won’t get into it here.

In the pilot there’s a lot of talk from Alastor about being bored and needing entertainment. My initial impression was that it was all just a bunch of (really weak) excuses. Because whatever sinister plan he has, he obviously can’t reveal it to Charlie, so he needs to lie to her about why he wants to get involved and saying something like ‘I’m in a mood/I don’t need any reason I’m just chaotic like that’ is one of the easiest things he could have done.

But then I found “Alastor’s Game” by The Living Tombstone. Alastor sings a song that’s a description of your typical deal with the devil, the only part that stands out is the ‘entertainment’ element to Alastor’s deals. I don’t think this is standard, the devil is usually portrayed to be very menacing and taking the deal seriously.

Pleasure to play, how I enjoyed you

It was such a gas, I really am amused

You were lovely entertainment

In this song there’s also a lot of talk about help that Alastor provides, more so than is typically provided by the devil, who usually just tries to trick someone and gives nothing in return, but here Alastor even offers to provide any help needed during tough times.

I’m your first last resort so call me when you need a helping hand

I'll help you feed them

A casual whisper just to guide you

It’s also way more personal and pleasant, with Alastor waiting for you, and he’s your sweet radio demon, even tho the devil usually doesn’t care about becoming friends with their victims or even about keeping up appearances.

Waiting and primed until I could find you

Just sign on a line and we can be friends I'll be here for you until your world ends Enjoy all your toys, I will supply

You can bet that you're deserving

Why, it's almost like you're flirting

Sorry, I don't mean to alarm you If you ask me to stay, I would be charmed to

I'll be your sweet radio demon

Now you're at the final episode, eternity with me in hell

So what this conveys to me is that Alastor was honest about everything he said in the pilot, it is indeed about entertainment for him, cos what he finds entertaining is indeed human drama “reality, true passion”, playing games and making deals with ppl. I guess the only thing is he lied by omission.

Omitting the fact that he intends on making deals with the patrons of the happy hotel. That’s why he’s there, because it’s the perfect place for him. Only the most desperate in the whole of hell would go to such a place like Charlie’s hotel, so it’s the perfect hunting ground for him. He won’t need to wait or search ppl out, the ones most susceptible to him will be themselves coming to him, all he needed was to be given access to those patrons. And bringing in Husk and Niffty is a genius move on his part, where the patrons will be directly exposed to two ppl who owe Alastor, but because it’s likely Alastor brought in the specific two ppl that he’s on good terms with and because they are shown to be treated fairly and generously by him, that would make it more convincing to the patrons to also make deals with Alastor. And the making of more deals will result in him rapidly gaining power but via a plan that’s doable by him.

And him saying he wants to help Charlie while also believing her plan will never work doesn’t seem like such a contradictory behavior anymore. He doesn’t think it’s possible to redeem a demon but the fact that Charlie believes it doesn’t get in the way of his plans. It would actually help for the already desperate ppl who got their hopes up for something Alastor takes for granted will only lead to their failure to look for other alternative solutions to their problems and make them more susceptible to Alastor’s manipulation.

I want to watch the scum of the world struggle to climb up the hill of betterment, only to repeatedly trip and tumble down to the fiery pit of failure.

Also this is essentially exactly what he’s doing to Charlie, the whole helping her, being charming to her, just without the handshake but everything that followed fits with Alastor’s usual routine. Maybe the princess owing you a favor would be a nice cherry on top of a cake but in that moment most importantly he needed her to agree to giving him access to the hotel (note how Charlie herself was somewhat desperate and hopeless in that moment, Alastor saw it and sought her out, but she was clearly not desperate enough to make a sketchy deal, yet).

It also makes sense with my personal assumptions. Thinking that Alastor has complicated plans and that the hotel is just a small part of it would make me think that that would relatively soon call for the falling apart of the found family. Because Alastor doesn’t care about the cohesiveness of the family, he only needs it around for as long as it furthers his goals, which wouldn’t last long if his end goal is to try to go from hotel employee to king. However that wouldn’t be what I’d expect from a story that is named after the hotel (home of the found family). But if his end goal is the hotel itself, then that aligns better with how I’d expect the story to go. That even tho Alastor isn’t really sentimental toward the family now, that he’d still from the very beginning care about keeping the family together for as long as possible and protect it, to keep everyone on good terms for as long as possible and to keep his secrets from Charlie for as long as possible, because he can only continue benefitting from this arrangement as long as it lasts.

That also fits perfectly with how I’d expect the conflict between Alastor and Charlie to go. Because of the set-up in the pilot with Alastor as part of the family I’d expect that he’s gonna be given a redemption arc. A lot of ppl are worried that he’d directly hurt Charlie but this doesn’t sit right with me, I think he’s gonna directly hurt the patrons, which won’t be directly abusive toward Charlie herself but it’d still hurt her and violate her trust.

So Alastor’s there to make deals. This isn’t a crazy revelation and really it’s something that maybe should have been obvious either way, but I’m glad I managed to make an argument for why this might be the case instead of ‘duh, obviously he’s there to make deals’.

[selfhelpskillss]

The Obsession Method Review: A Program For All Gentle Men!

Are you having big problems in your romantic relationships?

Do you feel that you are not attractive to women?

Or have you tried your best but still can’t get the girl you like?

Most of such men don’t know what their reasons for failure are. They all think that women are the most mysterious creatures on the planet and no one can understand them.

The obsession method will reveal a woman’s secrets. From there, suggest a plan to help you make her love more. Here, check out the obsession method review to better understand what this program has to offer.

Overview

What is the obsession method?

Kate Spring obsession method is a unique product that uses several tricks to impress girls.

This is an interesting program for men. The Obsession method studied the psychology of women, then wrote them down in a coding language. From there, men can get closer to the women they like.

Many men have failed to pursue their women. However, they have tried many different ways. But with this method, you can make any woman take off her hat. Not only that, but you also create an irresistible desire for love that keeps her from leaving you.

The obsession method uses the Harvard Psychological Method that very few people know about.

The great thing about this method is that it doesn’t require you to have an attractive personality or anything special. Therefore, whether you are fat or thin, ugly or beautiful, you can apply the method.

And as the name implies, the obsession method helps you make her ‘obsessed‘ and fall in love with you. She will teach you how to properly communicate with girls while revealing the best way to make eye contact.

Thanks to that, you can completely control your partner’s psychology and make her fall in love with you.

Kate Spring – program founder

Kate Spring – program founder

Kate Spring is the creator of this product and has successfully helped men who have problems with the woman he likes.

Kate lives in Vancouver – Canada, and completed her graduation from Victoria University. People know her as a dating coach. Besides, Kate also owns a youtube channel called ‘Love Learning‘ with a huge number of followers.

As an expert in helping men conquer the women of their dreams, Kate is famous worldwide. People from different countries look to Kate for guidance.

By applying Kate’s training, whether you are short, ugly, or unemployed, you can seduce any woman. Over the years, Kate Spring has supported many men. And then successfully turned them into alpha males extremely attractive to women.

So, if you’re having a hard time in your relationship, try reaching out to her once. I am sure you will never regret spending money on this program. Because the obsession method is worth buying.

The Obsession Method Review

What’s in the obsession method?

The obsession method tend to be positive because Kate Spring has researched and tested it thoroughly. So the product is for all men. You can learn many interesting ways to impress a woman and make her fall in love with you.

In the obsession method, there are 9 parts as follows:

Precision tactics

Precision tactics in dating

A correct strategy will guide you on the right path to the easiest success. Tactics will teach you how to capture the best moment. In this section, you will be able to answer questions such as:

When should you move closer to your opponent?

When is it possible to start the first kiss in a two-person relationship?

When should I ask her out?

Yes, the problem here is time. You may feel that this is not an important aspect of conquering a girl.

But can you point out when the best time is? Because women’s psychology is very sensitive and elusive. If you do it at the wrong time, it will be easy to make her uncomfortable.

According to the obsession method, you will have information about the most appropriate events and times. Now you can take the next steps without fearing her rejection. And of course, she will appreciate what you do.

Body messages

No woman likes a man who is slow and has boring gestures. If you’re like that, we’re sure you’ve lost points in her eyes.

Obsession method Kate Spring will teach some unique body language. And of course, they all have the effect of attracting the woman you choose.

Unlike men, women understand body language very well. And they react to these messages faster than any of your words or actions.

Because for them, the body massage is the subtlety that a man needs to have. So if you know and do it, it will initially successfully attract her.

Story mode

Story mode

Girls are not easy to talk to, especially some women who don’t speak to strange men. Unless she thinks you and her have some sort of relationship.

In front of such girls, a lot of men give up halfway. But this time of giving up may make you regret for the rest of your life losing your daughter.

Coming to the obsession method, Kate will teach you some unique talking techniques. You can use this method to start a conversation with any girl.

Of course, it’s easy to get the favorable results you want with Kate’s technique. I’m sure she will yearn and have a deep desire for your love.

Unstoppable pickup

Unstoppable Pickup is one of the techniques Kate teaches in the obsession method course. This way helps you attract girls even if you appear with old pickup trucks. Apply it, and I’m sure you will never fail.

A guy who says nonsense at the first meeting is not going to make a difference. And she may never want to talk to you again. But if you use Kate’s Unstoppable Pickup technique, any girl will like to learn more about you.

Desire protocol

In fact, some women only date for gain, even ‘seduce‘ him to “take advantage“. This is the main reason why men fail in relationships with them and feel more distant.

But what if you can conquer and make her fall in love with you? Do you think this only happens in movies?

Not so, with Kate’s Desire Protocol method, you’ll be surprised at the results. Following the Desire Protocol, you can make a woman yearn for love like never before.

Marriage man

Marriage man style

In the eyes of women, material things always have an important meaning. Because material things in marriage are always a necessary factor to ensure a longer-lasting relationship.

In case you show off the weird style, you can lose her. But using the Mariage Man method, you will understand what your woman wants. From there, you can become the man she just wants to marry.

Turn her on

Many men don’t know how to seduce a woman to fall in love with you completely. No need to worry anymore, the obsession method Kate Spring will teach you to ‘seduce‘ a woman to fall in love with you.

This technique will change everything as it will stimulate her to take the initiative in this relationship.

Text seduction

In today’s social time, chatting and flirting sentences are no longer strange. But how does texting get that girl interested?

Some men have bad texting errors and are very bland. Maybe it’s because they don’t know how to write a message, or they’re lazy.

Whatever the reason, women don’t like that type of man. So, in the obsession method, Kate will share three unique messages. Based on this, you can apply when texting and make an instant impression on the girl.

SUBLIMINAL 3’s

Subliminal 3’s technique includes 3 methods. The effect of this technique is to help you make the woman crazy about you.

She will ‘love’ you from your looks to everything related to you. Even the obsession method technique can make her want to sleep with you right away.

Who can use the obsession method?

As long as you want to conquer your woman, you can use the obsession method. It doesn’t matter if you are a thin or fat man, white or black.

The method works even if the girl has not seen you before, or she is not interested or is out of your reach.

This is a strength of the obsessive method. The program is suitable for every man globally, no matter what he does or where he is. As long as you love and desire the other person, you can completely apply the method to make her want you.

Is this method safe?

Science has proven that this method works very well and works in all cases. The obsession method has been tested on real issues before selling to the market. So you can completely trust the effectiveness and safety of the technique.

The program will teach you what you never knew about women. That helps you understand and learn about their needs.

In school, the booking and the education system only teach you slight gender differences. No one tells you how a girl’s mentality is and how to meet a woman’s heart.

We can vouch for the safety of the method. Trust it because thousands of men have applied and succeeded.

Moreover, the language in the book is very easy to understand. So you can easily deploy exactly what’s inside.

Benefits of using the method

Here are the benefits of the obsession method:

Win the heart of any woman you like

Make the woman you want to desire and desire you

Make her more active in the relationship and want to sleep with you right away.

Make her sincere in love with you

Help you become the ideal man

Make her miss you anytime

The Obsession Method Review: Pros and Cons

To wrap up the obsession method review, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages of the method. To help you have a better overview of the technique.

Advantages

The outstanding advantage of the method is its ability to make a woman want to fall in love with a man. With the techniques learned from the obsession method, you can easily meet a woman’s heart. It will help you to conquer the girl you never dreamed of before.

In addition, everything in the program uses smart digital. So you can use electronic devices to store information easily.

And you won’t have to worry about forgetting the techniques at the crucial moment. At the same time, thanks to that, you can learn and enrich your knowledge anytime and anywhere.

Besides, the obsession method guarantees a 60-day money-back guarantee if you fail to apply. This is like a mortgage that ensures you won’t fail. If you are interested in this course, buy it here to get the best deals.

Disadvantage

Honestly, we didn’t find any downsides to the method. But for a man like me, I’m too lazy to read or watch anything. Therefore, I would like the program to be produced in audio file format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost?

The cost to own the obsession method is $69.65. This is not a very large number. For just $69.95, you will make yourself more attractive to the woman you desire.

For $39.95, the desk also includes a video course that will change your life forever. Not only that, but the system also offers free e-books.

In which, there are 3 titles, including “How to Make Her Approach you,” “sex texts,” and “Sexual Wordsmith.” All of these books are products that go with the course.

The Obsession Method Review: Is this a scam?

We confirm this is not a scam. As mentioned, the method has been tested in real cases and has been successful. So if you are a man who is having trouble finding a relationship, you should buy this product.

Conclusion on The Obsession Method review article

Above is the obsession method review that we want to share with you. Indeed the obsession method is a comprehensive guide on how to text and how to express yourself through body language. The program offers solutions to help you conquer the woman you love.

In short, with the obsession method, you almost don’t have to try too hard and still make an impression in her eyes. Because basically, this method is to help her love you more. So use it and experience big changes in men’s lives.

Credit by: https://selfhelpskills.net/the-obsession-method-review/

[hiddendreamer67]

Couple’s Quarrel

Summary: Logan and his werewolf boyfriend Roman are having their first fight, and Patton is there to help Logan through it.

October Prompt #27: Quarrel.

Check out more of my writing at @hiddendreamerwriting!

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

Logan sighed, closing the front door with an uncharacteristically dismal attitude. He stepped into the living room, taking a moment to process the multiple pieces of fabric stacked haphazardly before the tv.

“Logan!” Patton’s happy face popped out from the front of the tent. “Welcome back, I missed you!” Indeed, it had been nearly a week now since Logan had returned to the human apartment. “Where have you been? Do you want to join me in my blanket fort?” 

Logan cringed inwardly, having hoped to avoid human interaction on tonight of all nights, possibly because for once he was craving it. “Ah…”

“Don’t worry, there’s enough room.” Patton scooted over, patting the spot next to him. “And it’s real comfy, I promise.”

“Very well then.” Logan tried to appear begrudging as he sat down in the aforementioned location, careful not to cuddle too close to Patton for fear of appearing desperate for companionship.

Patton cuddled closer anyways. It seemed his best friend could read him like a book. “I was gonna watch Into the Woods, if that’s okay?” 

Logan thought about it, how that particular musical portrayed werewolves as dastardly and cruel. It wasn’t accurate, but it might provide him with a grim sort of satisfaction. 

“That’s satisfactory.” Logan agreed, content for a while to watch the film as Patton babbled along in his ear, trying to provide some sort of distraction. It was working, for a while, until inevitably they came upon the first wolf scene.

“...oh.” Patton petered off, his face falling as he paused the movie. “Sorry, I forgot about that part. Let me change it-”

“No need.” Logan assured him.

Patton paused, turning around to give Logan a confused glance. “But, what about Roman?”

Logan pretended to remain ignorant, staring straight ahead at the screen and the predator depicted there. “What about him?”

Patton winced, and Logan knew that despite trying to hide his emotions Patton had become sympathetic due to his strange behavior. After all, Logan was often very adamant about removing media that depicted lycans incorrectly, seeing as it was downright insulting to one of Roman’s kind. The wolf had moaned about it enough that Logan had caught on to the habit in a fond sort of manner. 

“Are you two fighting?” Patton guessed. 

Logan considered this question. “I do believe we are having our first quarrel, yes.”

Patton was quiet a moment. “...do you want to talk about it?”

“I am uncertain.” Logan shrugged noncommittally.

“That’s fair.” Patton scooted closer to him, taking the remote and turning off the screen. He grabbed one of Logan’s hands, gently rubbing his thumb against the back of Logan’s palm. “Then maybe instead of talking about your feelings, you could just tell me what happened? And we can work it out together.”

Logan took a tense breath, trying to sort out the facts from the irrelevant details. “I’m not exactly certain what occurred myself.” He admitted. “I’ve been visiting Roman for a while now, he invited me to stay longer than usual to get to know their customs. But at that point I didn’t want to spend any longer in that house because it can be quite stifling with the amount of pack members present at all hours, although I doubt you would understand.”

“Logan.” Patton said, only a bit stern. “Just because I’m more extroverted doesn’t mean I don’t understand the need to be alone every once in a while.” 

“Indeed, my apologies.” Logan waited until Patton nodded in thanks to continue. “So I was walking along the edge of town, just to get a breath of fresh air. A being unknown to me approached, obviously hostile in nature.”

Patton gasped, giving a much more dramatic reaction to Logan’s stoic retelling.

“Relax, I am fine. I clearly survived.” Logan assured him with a small smile, giving Patton’s arm a pat. “Roman appeared, the two got into a scuffle, similar to... dogs asserting dominance, I suppose. Roman won and the beast disappeared into the forest.” 

“So Roman saved your life.” Patton’s eyes widened, impressed. “Wow Logan, that’s so- romantic! It doesn’t sound like a fight between you two, it’s kinda heroic.”

Logan grimaced, remembering the quarrel that came directly afterwards. “Well, you see…”

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

Logan’s heart was still beating rapidly, failing to retract to its normal pace as the threat limped back towards the forest. Roman stood, puffing out his chest and breathing raggedly until the being was truly gone. Then he turned to Logan, a wild gaze in his eye.

“Are you hurt?” Roman asked, and Logan forced himself not to flinch as Roman grabbed his arms, looking over the human with an intent gaze. How had Roman known to come? Had he followed Logan here? 

“I- no, Roman, I am uninjured.” Logan tried to tug away, but Roman’s superior strength held out. “It was nothing more than a close call.”

“That was really close this time. Too close.” Roman slouched forwards, giving Logan a stern look like one might give when scolding a child. “Please, promise me you’re going to listen to me and be more careful in the future.”

“I am not an adolescent, I can take care of myself.” Logan insisted. 

“You clearly cannot.” Roman gestured towards the woods. “This is why you need to stay with us, I’m more certain now than ever, come on-”

“No!” Logan protested, digging in his heels to slow Roman as the werewolf attempted to tug him along. “Roman, stop!”

Roman did stop, looking at Logan with an unreadable expression. “What, so you just want to keep running away from your problems?” His eyes were still manic, darting back and forth as if waiting to pick another fight. Roman’s claws were extended, grazing against Logan’s wrist in their firm grip. For the first time in months, Logan felt afraid of him.

“Roman, you’re scaring me.” Logan admitted, and his words miraculously made Roman flinch back, releasing his grip. “Stop treating me as though I’m just some sort of bauble to keep as a prize.”

“You know I don’t see you that way.” Roman whined, not unlike a puppy that was terrible with listening. 

“Do I?” Logan wasn’t so sure now. “Everyone else in your family seems content to treat me like a dog, ironic given your canine appearance.”

“That’s low, even for you.” Roman glowered, clearly fuming. “Do you hate them so much that you’re willing to get yourself killed over it?”

“I didn’t intend to throw my life away.” Logan rolled his eyes, considering that to be obvious. “If you had thought to warn me about the dangers of the surrounding area, I would have been prepared.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Roman insisted. “You’re too weak, but I can protect you from all that.”

“Even yourself?” Logan huffed. Roman’s face fell into such a state of despair that Logan immediately regretted his words, but was too prideful to take them back. Instead, he turned on his heel, content to not face Roman any longer. “I’m going back to the apartment.” 

“Logan, wait.” Roman reached out for Logan again.

“Don’t touch me!” Logan dodged out of his grasp, now full on running back towards the town. If Roman wanted, he could easily catch up with Logan at any moment. 

He didn’t.

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

“And that’s when I arrived here.” Logan finished.

Patton let out a low whistle. “Ah. So… lots of tempers, then.”

“Indeed.” Logan glanced at Patton, hoping his emotional friend would be better at deciphering what had just occurred. “Might you offer some assistance in regards to what this meant?”

“Well… emotions were definitely high.” Patton tapped his chin in thought. “I mean you were both just through a scary experience, so I think you said some things you didn’t mean. But it sounds to me that you’re feeling frustrated because Roman’s pack is not welcoming of your relationship, or appears that way, and being surrounded by werewolves was overwhelming for you.”

“Yes, that is accurate.” Logan agreed.

“And Roman…” Patton hummed, his nose scrunching up in thought. “I think… he feels like a failure.”

“A failure?” Logan raised an eyebrow at this deduction. “But he was the victor of the scuffle.”

“No, not that sort of failure.” Patton shook his head. “Roman wants to protect you, but he doesn’t understand how to do that without stifling you because he’s used to being around wolves who can take care of themselves and he sees you as more fragile. Physically, at least. And he doesn’t know how to protect you from his family, emotionally, so he just puts more and more effort into protecting you physically because it’s all he knows.”

“That’s barbaric.” Although Logan’s tone sounded indecisive. “The mindset of a neanderthal.”

“It’s sorta sweet, Logan.” Patton corrected, putting his arm around Logan’s shoulders. “I mean, I think you were right to come here, you both need some space to cool off, but if you two learned to communicate better I’m certain you could figure out some smart-brain way to make it work.”

“But how?” Logan protested. “The next intelligent step in our relationship was sharing a living space to test compatibility, and that has clearly failed. It is only logical that our arrangement must desist.”

Patton hummed, laying his head on Logan’s shoulder. “Logan, you are one of the smartest people I know. But sometimes, you are also one of the dumbest.” 

“I beg your pardon?” Logan looked aghast, staring down at Patton with a scoff.

“Are you really going to let a thing like Roman’s family stop you two from being together?” Patton looked up at him. “I mean, if you really care about each other- which Roman clearly cares about you- that’s all that should matter.”

“The world does not operate that way.” Logan argued.

“Well, it should.” Patton said firmly, giving him a smile. “It’s okay to take a step back in your relationship when you realize you needed more time. Maybe try living apart for a while.”

“I doubt Roman would allow that.” Logan frowned, exasperated. “He often bemoans having to leave my side, and I imagine stopping all visits to his home would only make him more insufferable.”

“Yeah, well boundaries are also a thing.” Patton giggled a bit nervously. “If you don’t want to see him that much, you’re allowed to have time to yourself.” 

Logan’s cheeks turned a bit pink, Patton misreading his statement. “Well, ah… I would not explicitly say I’m opposed to that much contact myself…”

“Then he can come over here!” Patton suggested excitedly. “I’d love to meet him more, and you’d feel less overwhelmed. He could even stay for a while if you two feel comfortable trying to live together again, I don’t mind.” 

“Truly?” Logan was surprised at Patton’s eagerness. “I suppose… but it’s only delaying the inevitable. Roman is a pack animal by nature, I doubt he would abandon his family for a single individual.”

“You never know.” Patton shrugged. “But even if that’s true, we could always invite just one or two of his packmates over here so you could get to know them, and so they can learn you’re not so bad yourself.”

“You’re quite optimistic.” Logan bemused.

“And you should be too.” Patton informed him. “Maybe I’m wrong, and nothing is ever gonna work out. But you’ll never know unless you two just talk things through.”

[shadowthrone-ammanas]

Ghost Kid Chapter Ten: Repairs

Hat Kid was getting close to finishing her attempt at repairing the ship. She wouldn’t know if it was successful until she finished and turned it on. Once on, its self-diagnostics systems would tell her if the ship could fly and if so, how well.

It was nerve-wracking being so close to an answer on whether or not she was stuck here or if she’d have to truly start to consider how people back home might react to her new form. Despite that she buckled down on it, taking breaks only to read her book in lieu of sleeping.

The Subcon history book was dense and thick, lasting her far longer than any of the fairytale books had. The images of Subcon before it had been cursed were the most interesting. It was just a normal small kingdom surrounded by normal woods. It seemed to be a peaceful place, a few wars had been fought over it but not many and none of them particularly bad, all ending in peace treaties. It was actually kind of boring, not what Hat Kid had been expecting at all. It kept her busy when not working on her ship so she kept reading, hoping for more interesting stuff to pop up deeper in the book.

But eventually she reached a point where she finally, at long last had done everything she possibly could to repair her ship with what resources she had. She’d had to cut a few corners but in theory it might work. Only one way to find out.

The ship fired up just fine. Maybe it took a few seconds longer than normal but that might’ve just been her anticipation making it seem longer. She sat at the command desk… where her body had been and thus where she’d died! … Nope, she wasn’t thinking about that right now even if she just realized she’d been avoiding this spot until now. But she had no choice, it was the ship’s command desk.

She quickly punched in some commands, starting the ship’s self-diagnostics. It took it a few minutes but the overall result came up yellow. More info revealed that it was functional but being careful was advised, especially when warp jumping. The computer also advised going home for immediate proper repair. But that was possible, according the computer which was rarely wrong, the ship could safely make it all the way back home. Meaning despite all odds she’d done it, she’d gotten her ship space worthy again. All she had to do now was fix the window and she was free to go home whenever she pleased because she already had all the Time Pieces back – she’d only been sticking around to do the Death Wish contracts.

It almost didn’t feel real. How long had she been working on this? Weeks and weeks for sure, months even. And now it was basically done. But… did she still even want to go home?

Would she be accepted back as a ghost? Would returning dead count as having failed the final test? If so, they’d want take her ship away. Did she want to risk that with how strict the Headmaster was? Her ship meant everything to her, losing it or giving it up was out of the question, it was hers. But… she’d worked so hard to go back home, both before and after her death. And it was home she couldn’t just abandon home without even trying even if it meant risking her ship, could she?

With a sigh, she exited through the broken window, floating down to the forest floor. If only she could take a nap, get away from thinking about this decision for a while. She could read, that helped a lot but… she wasn’t in the mood to slog through more the history book right now.

Instead, she went for a wander. Getting away from the ship and just looking around the forest was nice, especially now that there weren’t any hazards to her. Eventually she inevitably ended up looking for Snatcher. It had been a while since she’d talked to him, days in fact. She found him in his favourite reading spot in the giant hollow.

“Snatcher,” she said in way of greeting as she floated in.

“Hmm… hello,” he replied, not looking up from his book.

“Um… I finished repairing my ship.” That got him to lower his book and look at her. “All I need to do now is fix the window and I can go home.”

“That’s great news,” he replied with a smile. “I’ll finally be rid of you. I can’t wait.”

“Yeah, but…” Hat Kid lifted a hand to rub the back her neck, far too used to the feel of her own ghostly form now. “I don’t know if I want to go to back home.”

Snatcher’s eyes narrowed as he actually closed his book now. “Why not?”

“I uh… don’t know if… they’d let me back like this. They might… count my death as a failure and… take away my ship.” And without that, what was the point? She had no family, a friend yes, but… would Bow want her back like this?

“Who’s ‘they’?”

“The school. I didn’t teach myself how to fly and repair a space ship, you know, someone had to teach me.”

“Honestly kid, if you told me you did, I might actually believe you.” Oh! A compliment, that was unlike him. Exciting stuff. But before she could call him on it, he continued. “But why are they teaching children that stuff in the first place?”

Should Hat Kid answer this? She’d been told not to say anything about her home planet to any intelligent life she discovered. … He was her BFF though so it was probably fine, especially since he wasn’t likely to be able to do anything with the info even if he wanted to. Besides, the rule had been about intelligent life and Snatcher was not alive so telling him was technically not breaking the rules. So…

“Well,” she said, “most of the kids aren’t given a real ship to fly until they’re a bit older. I’m what they call a ‘prodigy’ though, meaning I’m like real smart or something. I went through the classes super-fast so I would be allowed to fly a spaceship.” Once she’d learned that that was on the table, she’d been determined to do it no matter what it took. “Some of the teachers complained about how fast I was elevated because like a lot of the pilot tests and training things are super dangerous and people get hurt during them. They quickly stopped caring though after I aced the first one.” And she’d never cared, danger was fun and more than worth dealing with if it meant she got to fly her ship.

Snatcher frowned. “That sounds like a major lawsuit waiting to happen. They’re going to get sued into the ground sometime soon, the fact that they haven’t been already is a miracle.”

Hat Kid shrugged; she didn’t know much about that kind of thing. “I don’t know if they can be.” She didn’t really care either. “I’m pretty sure they’re heavily backed by the government or some big important organization that wants more trained pilots for their space fleet. They’re into ‘exploring outer space and expanding their galactic influence’ which I’m pretty sure means they’re into conquering weaker planets and expanding their space empire.”

Now Snatcher actually looked offended. It was comical. “That’s even worse kid. What the peck is wrong with your home planet?”

“I don’t know.” Hat Kid hadn’t thought anything was strange about it, though she had grown up with it so maybe he was right? She didn’t care though, she just wanted to fly her space ship. But…  “Why do you care so much?”

“I don’t.” Lies, he put on a calm demeanor now that didn’t change how openly offended he’d just been. “I’m just saying, a school training children and other young people to be part of basically their army is amoral. I have no doubt there’s a lot of brainwashing going on there. The fact that their training is dangerous makes it even worse, especially since they let literal children take part in it.”

“What about all your contracts? You forced me to work for you, doing some pretty dangerous things. And the Death Wish contracts are super-duper dangerous, I almost died doing them more times than I can count. So, aren’t you just as bad as they are?”

“That’s different.” Snatcher made a dismissive gesture. “I’m not in charge of your wellbeing. People who take on the responsibility of raising and teaching children should at least try to raise them well.”

“So, what you’re saying is if you adopted a kid, you’d be a good parent?” Hat Kid would like to see that. She couldn’t even imagine Snatcher trying to be good, it’d be hilarious.

“Oh uh… I guess I’d try to be.” Snatcher shrugged, examining his nonexistent nails. “I’m not going to adopt any children though. I hate kids, they’re the worst. There’s one in particular that won’t stop bothering me, she’s without a doubt the single most annoying person I’ve ever met.”

Hat Kid couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “I’ll take that as a compliment. You’re old so you must’ve met a lot of people, the fact that I’m the most annoying one is impressive.”

“I’m not old.” Despite his contrary words, his expression and tone were closer to being soft than he probably intended. “Or well… maybe I am old in a way. Nothing wrong with being old though. And it wasn’t a compliment, it was an insult. Being annoying is a bad thing kid, it makes people not like you.”

“Well, you seem to like me plenty despite that so I’m not too worried.”

Snatcher scoffed. “In your dreams kid.” He could say that all he wanted but she knew the truth, this conversation confirmed it. But speaking of that, the thing she’d come here to discuss with him wasn’t resolved, they’d got sidetracked.

“But uh… anyway,” she said. “I was tasked with visiting three planets to gather data and stuff, this one wasn’t really planned, as a final test. I was supposed to fly back home and graduate and the ship would officially be mine.” It already was hers as far as she was concerned. “But… since I died, they might view it as a failure and take away my ship. I… would rather not return if that’s what they’re going to do.”

“How likely is it that they’ll take your ship?”

“Uh… I don’t know but… I fear it’s high.” Was she just being paranoid though? Or was she judging them accurately? “And I don’t know much about ghosts on my home planet but… I know there are ghost hunters who hunt them. I don’t know what they do with them once they catch them though.” There was a very real possibility she’d find out if she went back. “So… I don’t know if I should go home but I’ve worked so hard to go back and it’s still home so… I’m not sure what I should do.”

“Hmmm… sounds like you’re in a bit of pickle.”

“Yeah, can you uh… help me? Give me advice or something? I know you probably don’t have any experience in this kind of thing but… I don’t know what to do.”

Snatcher was silent for a few seconds before replying. “Depending on the exact laws of your planet, you might be able to make a legal case for keeping your ship and graduating. You’re a child without a legal guardian though so that complicates things a bit on top of the fact that the school itself is already unethical so they wouldn’t play fair and they’d be able to get away with it because they have a lot of money and a powerful backer. And you’re a ghost, if they’re the kind who want to eradicate ghosts, then you’re probably screwed if you return. So, I would say, if you comfortable taking the risk, then go for it, otherwise, cut your losses and find a new home. You already said you don’t have any parents and the way you spoke about it suggested you don’t have any family either so there’s really nothing keeping you from not returning.” His tone suggested he thought that was the right course of action.

“Uh… okay. I need to think about it some more than I guess.” But really… she’d already decided, hadn’t she? She’d just wanted someone to tell her that that was the right choice or at least an okay choice to make. And she needed one more thing… “If I do decide not to go back though can I… stay here?” Because where else would she go? She was a ghost, a haunted forest full of other ghosts would be the most logical place for her to call her new home. With a bit of work – and probably with Snatcher’s help if he was willing – she could get a docking bay for her ship in the forest so she could take off and land at will. She could take her ship to the nearest spaceport to repair it fully before returning and then from then on this would be her home base. Assuming of course that Snatcher was okay with her staying indefinitely.

Snatcher opened his mouth as if to answer but grimaced instead. “Uh… you know what, fine,” he finally said, relaxing back into his chair. “Since you died, you’ve been less of a bother anyway, so I guess you can stay, provided you continue to stay out of my way.”

“All right, I can do that. Thank you!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go figure out what you want to do.” He made a shooing gesture towards her. “And then tell me so I know if I should expect you to stick around or not.” He picked up his book again, opening it and already ignoring her again.

Previous / Next

[thedupshadove]

G-d of My Father’s

Summary: An interesting fact about Newton Pulsifer comes further to light. Newt, as usual, frets.

Author’s Note: This was sort of written to be set within @jewish-kulindadromeus “HaSofer”, but I’m over-eager, which means that only Chapter One of that fic is actually up as I write this, which means that further chapters of that fic may render this one incompatible with it, which is fine as that author is within her rights to write whatever kind of story she wants, seeing how we’re not actually working together.

“Say,” said Crowley after the sixth time Newt overheard him giving Aziraphale some Judaism 101 lesson and interjected with a helpful clarification, extra information, or his own view on things only to hastily shut himself up, “how come you know all this? I remember asking you if you were Jewish and you said no.” In fact Newt had looked at the ceiling, stammered a bit, pulled his mouth into a thin Muppety line, rubbed the back of his neck, and then said no, but Crowley hadn’t given that much thought at the time, since that was barely more awkwardness than Newt tended to display when asked to make a definitive statement on anything. “What, did an old girlfriend teach you?”

“His current girlfriend could have taught him.” said Anathema pointedly, walking into the room. “Although I suppose if that were it he’d wax fondly about boyoz instead of babka.”

“No,” Newt finally forced out after exhaling the breath he’d been holding in since Crowley had started addressing him. “No, it…it wasn’t any girlfriend. It was, er, well it’s all stuff I picked up from my father’s old synagogue.”

“Uh-huh.” said Crowley in a much-is-becoming-clear-to-me voice. “Your father’s old synagogue. Your mother, I take it, not having one.”

“Right.”

“And may I further hazard a guess that your father, family obligations aside,  is not what one would call a pious man?”

“Oh, completely non-observant. And pretty well atheist too. Since well before he met my mum, mind, so don’t go blaming her.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it” Crowley deadpanned. “So, you were dragged to the synagogue sometimes, probably mostly for b’nai mitzvahs, and couldn’t help but absorb a few things. I see.” He made as if to turn back to Aziraphale.

But Newt suddenly looked distressed and a little defensive. “Well I wouldn’t say dragged.” he protested. “I mean they didn’t have to drag me. Why would they? It was something special, something wonderful. A day to be spent surrounded by relatives, plenty of whom I didn’t see very often. Getting to see some cousin have a shining moment. Good food, good music, good conversation, us kids sneaking off to go exploring or play hide-and-seek during the reception, what wasn’t to look forward to?”

“Alright, alright, I apologize.” said Crowley, seemingly a little taken aback.

But Newt seemed now to feel that not enough had been said. “And it wasn’t just b’nai mitzvahs either. I mean there were a lot of those, but there were some weddings too, and of course a few funerals. Those obviously weren’t fun, per se, but they were…good. In a way. Like, if this relative was going to die, I’d much rather that we’d all gathered and done this funeral than if we hadn’t. When I first heard that my grandfather had died I was just…numb, and it wasn’t until we were all standing around the grave and it was my turn to shovel in some dirt that I think it really hit home. And that was a good situation to have that happen in, I think. And we would go to the Seders at my aunt’s house pretty regularly.”

That made sense, Crowley reflected. If there was any one holiday that even the most secular Jew might go home for, it would be Passover, being not only very major and important but also placing such an emphasis on family and gathering and togetherness. And food and drink and storytelling and, if you do it right, laughter.

“I even…” some of Newt’s natural state of embarrassment seemed to have caught up with him again, but he soldiered on, powered by some inner spring of…something that needed to get out. “I even did the Four Questions a couple of times, until the cousins younger than me started getting old enough to take their turns doing it. But I remember my Dad teaching me how in the weeks before the holiday. Took me forever to get it right: I kept forgetting myself and using a soft ‘ch’.

“And sometimes Dad and I would just…talk about it. I mean, he didn’t keep any of the practices or rituals anymore except at family things, but I never got the impression that he, you know, really hated it now or anything. I would want to know something about what’s this holiday or why that rule or how come this is kosher but that isn’t, and he would tell me, and he never seemed to mind. Even seemed to kind of enjoy it. Not, I figure, from belief surging anew but,” Newt shrugged, “nostalgia, you know. And often that question led to other questions, and discussions, and sort of…arguments but without anger. I remember one time, after he’d got done explaining that ‘animals that walked on the ground’ had to have the right kind of hooves and the right kind of chewing habits, but any kind of bird was okay, I pointed out that perhaps our ancestors had not made a close examination of the usual behavior of the average chicken, and he,” Newt made an upward striking motion with his hand.

“He hit you?” Aziraphale gasped, shocked both at the sudden turn of the story and the fact that Newt’s tone hadn’t changed with it.

“What? No, no, no.” Newt said hastily, realizing his failure of communication. “He pantomimed dope-slapping me, but he didn’t actually make contact, and he was smiling. Smiling like he would sometimes when we had those talks. Like I was the biggest little smart-arse he’d ever met, and he loved me for it.” Newt was smiling too, now, bathed in his own nostalgic glow.

“Did he ever start one of these talks?” asked Crowley.

“Not often, no. The only times I can think of when he did were when they tried to teach us something about Judaism in school, and I’d come home and tell him about it, and it turned out school had got it wrong, or not given the whole picture.”

“So you grew up with Jewish family, going to Jewish events, celebrating (some) Jewish holidays, and getting a Jewish education at home pretty much for the asking.” Crowley clarified.

“That’s about the size of it, yeah.”

“But you’re not Jewish.”

“Well I’m not, am I?” Newt shrugged in agitation. “There’s a set of criteria, and I fall outside it.”

“Love,” said Anathema gently, “There’s been a lot of talk lately about reconsidering how strictly the matriliniality rule needs to be adhered to…”

“Yes, yes, I know about that. And it would be one thing if my immediate family really practiced Judaism regularly, or if I’d been bar mitzvahed myself, or anything like that, but we didn’t, and I wasn’t, so I’m not.”

“Well, that must be a relief then.” said Crowley, in a tone that could have pickled meat.

Newt stared at him. “What?”

“To have that escape clause.” he went on nastily. “I can understand why you would want it. Historically speaking, being Jewish has rarely been easy. Why be part of a weird minority if you don’t have to? So yes, you just go ahead and lean on that mother of yours. No one would blame you for pushing the…oddities of your heritage and past under the rug. No, don’t worry; you don’t have to be Jewish if you don’t want to be.”

Newt stood slack-jawed for a moment, then exploded. “Don’t say that, how dare you say that?” he demanded, with far more heat than it probably should have been safe to direct at a being like Crowley. “Haven’t you been listening? The times I spent…” he fumbled for words “…in Judaism have consistently been some of the happiest of my life. Laughter and connection and this…this feeling that I never got anywhere else. A feeling of warmth, of rightness. It was almost like believing in something. Not in G-d, maybe, but sometimes, even if it got more fleeting and less strong as I grew older and started to really understand the kind of half-breed hanger-on I was, sometimes, I believed that I belonged.

“And as to your veiled references to the fluctuating but ever-present antisemitism or just simple ignorance of mainstream society, trust me, I know. When I was younger it was listening to a classmate confidently explain to her friends that Jews weren’t allowed to eat leavened bread at all, ever, and not having the courage to interrupt the conversation and correct her, and more recently, it’s been these three co-workers at United Holdings who I can only assume think they’re funny. Or possibly they think that they can get away with it if they pretend to think they’re funny, which, to be fair, so far they have. But I  get to listen to them gathered around the water cooler across from my cubicle making Lynch-The-Black jokes and Gas-The-Jew jokes, and they both make me angry, but the second category undeniably hits a deeper, more personal well of anger than the first.”

Here he paused. “I’m not…proud of that, by the way. It would almost certainly be better if every cruel or bigoted joke I heard hit me just as hard as the ones that make me picture my father and my aunt and my closest cousin and my new little second cousin being dispassionately yet hatefully murdered. But that’s not how my mind works. I would even hazard to say that it’s not how most people’s minds work.”

Crowley, who had withstood the storm with equanimity, leaned in closer and raised his voice a hair. “So are you Jewish or aren’t you?”

“I-DON’T-KNOW!”

“Because it seems to me that your position right now is that people who tell you that you’re Jewish are wrong, and people who tell you that you’re not Jewish…are wrong.”

“Well…maybe! Maybe they are both wrong!”

Crowley’s voice gentled a little. “Then what’s right?”

Newt sighed and deflated. “What’s right is…that I can’t say I’m Jewish. But I’m definitely not not Jewish. And sometimes I feel closer to it than other times. And sometimes I can manage to be sort of okay with this ebb-and-flow relationship, and then sometimes I want to be really Jewish so badly my teeth hurt.”

For a moment, Crowley looked distinctly like he’d just gotten exactly what he was looking for. “Then why don’t you do something about that?”

Newt blushed again. “Because…because I never know where to start. Because even if I knew enough to just jump in and start doing more, it would feel wrong of me to decide that I was allowed to do so. But trying official conversion, and having to explain my particular position to a Rabbi,  always seemed to promise its own stew of awkwardness. So I’ve just…sat with this uncertainty. For years.”

Aziraphale glanced at Crowley, and an awful lot seemed to pass between them in quite a short time. “I think,” the Angel then said, “that I should quite like to have a classmate. Someone to collaborate with on homework. Someone to gang up on the teacher with, if need be.”– Crowley put his hand to his forehead in mock horror– “An extra brain to keep things interesting. If you think you can stand to bring yourself down to my level–”

“Oh, there’s loads I don’t know.” Newt interjected. “My ‘Jewish education’, such as it was, was incredibly piecemeal and haphazard, really just getting answers to questions I happened to think to ask. I’m sure that plenty of the basics will be new to me. Heck, you’re an immortal angel; you probably know a lot of things that I don’t.”

“Then we’ll make perfect complementary students, won’t we? Will you join us?”

And so, shaking almost imperceptibly, Newt sat down.

[thesagedahlia]

💦Rihanna + ASAP Rocky💦

Now...when the rumors came out....did EYE think Rihanna & ASAP Rocky are dating? Of course not. For two reasons; Rihanna (aside from the fact that she's in her bag & is not worried about no niggas rn) is not interested in playing games with 'boys', & ASAP Rocky (aside from the fact that he is a freakity freak), is not is STILL not in a place where he wants to really settle down. Mind you, per my personal opinion, this is where I feel these individuals are at in their lives/careers rn. Not to say that they aren't friends or what have you, but those two feelings alone made me say "pffft, Rih is not dating no damn ASAP. That's her homie." But you know, I had to come through & see if I was gonna debunk some things, & no sooner was I in disbelief about what I've read. Some things I expected, others I was a little surprised & sipped my tea. To put it plainly, it was an interesting read, & I respect their relationship, even with the hurt....lemme not spoil it.

**DISCLAIMER**

I am not declaring, nor am I insinuating, that anything I say in my predictions are true accounts of any of the parties involved. This reading is for entertainment purposes only, & should only taken as such. All in good fun, folks 🤷🏾‍♀️🧿

💦Energy surrounding the relationship?💦

It doesn't feel like much emotional connection is there & I feel like Rihanna has made up her mind when it comes to ASAP. Rihanna can see the type of game he plays with women even though there is a connection between them. She feels the Union will lead to destruction, & dealing with ASAP is not a smart conscious move on her part, I see him dealing with other women & secrets, & Rihanna would rather pass on that; she feels failure is the inevitable outcome of be really dated. I feel ASAP has expressed his passions & he has already tried his hand at her, but it feels less recent, like when they first became friends. It never happened then because he wasn't stable or the type to be stable within a relationship, same rules apply here. They even separated because there was conflicting factors about him & his dating life that she didn't care for or trust. I'm actually getting the impression that they DID try at one point, privately, but ASAP was messing with other hose & I feel it put a strain on their friendship, where I think they weren't speaking for some time. It's also an energy of being better off friends & not revisiting such a circumstance. I feel like dealing with him was a hindrance on her intuition & growth, & something that really took a toll on her emotionally. With that being said, that isn't to say that they never hook up from time to time, however their relationship doesn't feel very active right now.

💦Rihanna's feelings toward ASAP?💦

She feels ASAP, in a way, create situations of confusion for a woman, that just causes trouble in the end. He hangs with the type of crowd that wouldn't promote a faithful attitude, & his lifestyle include groupies. I feel like they have come to a peaceful resolution after having dealt with each other before, & they have actually been estranged from one another for some time. She is well aware that he is not in a stable place emotionally, so she knows better not to deal with him on that level. She has been very vocal that she would rather remain friends, to avoid ruining their connection any further. The stability within their friendship really took a hit, & it was actually something that made her mad or pissed off. I don't think the situation is properly confronted or addressed, but it feels like trying to be socially & publicly cordial, without opening up a can of worms. I don't think she ever got clarity from him & she would rather not take it there; the lack of accountability turns her off as well.

💦ASAP's feelings toward Rihanna?💦

So, ASAP seem to have a fear of committing to her, which caused him to have act out in a deceptive way ( i.e. infidelity). His unwillingness to be honest & need for control over relationship is what was his downfall & a woman like Rihanna is intimidating to him. It feels as if he wants to heal the situation with her, regarding whatever happened between them. I feel him wanting to come clean & be honest about the past, but I feel hesitation. He feels as though their friendship is strained, & he feels he suffers for his past mistakes with her. I feel a lot of hesitation when it comes as little as taking accountability. I also feel it is what it is, & that it is just an imbalance/incompatibility. I feel he will only continue to be to defensive & has yet to allow himself to take responsibility.

💦Are they dating/will they ever date?💦

Short answer; no & no. Like I said before, there was already a trial-and-error in the past, & Rihanna isn't going to waste her time again. Financially, she doesn't feel like it is a good move to try & deal with such a distraction to her. The friendship is there, whenever someone wants to reach out, but they seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. They were a very passionate pair, but ASAP has a 'dangerous sex drive' that can get him in some trouble with his relationships, Rihanna is hip to this. She doesn't know about things be from before, but she knows that he was 'being a thot', for lack of a better term. She wouldn't let it happen either, however, if she is clear about the past discretions. She's waiting on that clarity because she feels lied to, before she'd ever take ASAP serious again.

💦BONUS QUESTION💦

💦Are ASAP & Rih 'friends with benefits'?💦

I don't think they are as much, but they definitely used to be. But I feel like it wasn't conducive for Rihanna because she would be the only one feeling a way afterward, whereas ASAP definitely wasn't too bothered. Rihanna is aware of ASAP 'lifestyle' & she isn't going to get a stable situation with him I feel like it would be times where it happens & it isn't planned, like afterparties, etc, but it doesn't lead to anything for the long term. I don't think Rihanna feels it's in her best interest to allow it.

Long Live ASAP Rih 🖤

[snkpolls]

SnK Chapter 116 Poll Results

The chapter poll closed with 1,671 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

  RATE THE CHAPTER 1,533 responses

The chapter overall had positive reviews, with only 19 respondents leaning toward disliking the chapter. Will Isayama be able to keep up this momentum with the rising action?

Amazing as always. Definitely I always get surprised by Isayama each chapter, you never know what can happened in the next chapter, and i love that. Thank you Isayama

It was amazing. Can't wait to see how things will play out

Felt short, little content. I'm happy Porco can be seen when Pieck says "hey there", nice touch

I don't understand how some people thought this chapter was boring. I found it to be the most entertaining one in ages! Hyyyype. Also yay Colt!

I'm glad it looks like we'll get a bit of a break from the political conspiracies and constant double crossing. This is not the kind of stuff I started reading this manga for.

Pretty good chapter with a lot of characters stepping up imo. It's getting pretty tense and I was hoping for more information regarding Ymir or more of Zeke but reasonably this chapter was necessary.

FAVORITE MOMENT FROM THE CHAPTER

1,634 responses

This chapter had no shortage of excitement, and we nearly had a three-way tie for the favorite moment of the chapter. For 14.7%, Eren coldly calling Pieck’s bluff was chilling enough to be their favorite moment. In contrast, 14.6% most enjoyed Pieck’s betrayal as she turned to name Eren her enemy. Despite Porco’s failure to incapacitate Eren, 14.1% still loved the Jaw Titan’s surprise attack! He tried!

Nice to see Eren playing 4D Chess with Pieck. I loved Pieck's "Please take care of me!" as she went up the stairs! And Yelena standing up for Sasha was a great moment in my book too - a bit extreme like, but that's Yelena's style though! Eren at the end returning to his old self - angry and legless - was my favourite moment though!

my favorite moment was jean, just jean, jean all the time but that wasn't an option :(

Reiner finally showing his beautiful face again is the best, one can only hope that we get Annie soon.

This chapter was amazing and really set the tone for the upcoming battle. That last page with Reiner looking down at Eren was my fav moment.

  WHO WAS THIS CHAPTER’S MVP? 1,627 responses

This wasn’t much of a competition - with Pieck taking the MVP title for Chapter 116 with more than half (56.2%) of respondents thinking her actions were exactly right (as expected). We had a close race for second place, with Jean (17%) taking a slight lead over our problematic protagonist (15.4%).

I never really got invested much in the new Marley characters, but god damn if I don’t love Pieck more after every chapter. I mean the pointing thing? That was SICK

I liked Nicolo's defending of Sasha and it hurt to see her family forced to listen to that guy degrading her. And because of his feelings for her and for eldians, I chose him as the MVP for now :)

Grior. He showed us how deeply Nicolo felt about Sasha, he created a scene where Jean got to show his worth, and he opened the door to everyone seeing exactly how creepy Yelena is. He made EVERYONE (besides Yelena) look good. :D

ERENS ABS

  YOUR FEELINGS ON PIECK GIVING GABI A DOSE OF REALITY? 1,578 responses

The vast majority are happy to see someone from Gabi’s side of the war finally tell her the reality of their situation. 12% of respondents don’t think it will ultimately matter as Gabi is too stubborn to change her views. A smaller portion feel that Pieck doesn’t actually believe what she’s saying to Gabi at all.

Gabi is easily the character whose future development I look forward to the most.

I feel like Gabi needs to listen but Pieck here really means there's another method on the way; the rest is just her LARPing as a restorationist to gain Eren's trust, just as Armin did with Annie in the past.

Gabi's already gotten so many doses of reality that have done nothing. I honestly don't feel anything about these moments at this point.

Pieck isn't entirely lying here. She believes that eldians should fight for themselves and is using Marley to get what she wants. Good on her for calling out Gabi's blind devotion to Marley! Stupid child.

Pieck is showing her true thoughts but won't act on them, because she won't betray Marley and everyone she knows.

Gabi truly believes that all the Warriors are doing what they do in the name of Marely, Zeke turned his back on Marley to accomplish his ultimate goal and Pieck revealed that she doesn't trust them at all. Gabi may understand that simply being an honorary Marleyian isn't why the Warriors fight for Marley, they simply fight for themselves, even if it does help Marley to an extent.

I'm more interested in what it means for Pieck's viewpoint tbh. She says this, and is clearly smart enough to know this to be true, and yet is still apparently fighting for Marley. I'm very interested to see whether she actually has any ideas on how to win Eldian freedom after the Paradis battle.

Pieck was telling half-truths to Gabi, she knows about the danger of the Eldians being obsolete but Eren is not the answer for the survival of her people in the mainland.

  WHICH MEMBER OF THE 104TH DO YOU MOST AGREE WITH ABOUT EREN’S ACTIONS? 1,582 responses

70% of respondents feel similarly to Jean, believing that Eren wouldn’t do everything he’s done without a good reason for it. 21% feel similarly to Armin, just wishing to understand Eren’s actions and why. A smaller percentage feel similarly to Connie and agree that Eren has simply become irredeemable regardless of his motivations.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD MEANING BEHIND EREN’S ACTIONS, TRUST MY WORDS

I still don't know how to feel about Eren and his plans

I really like how Jean was trying to see Eren in a different light to try to understand him and Connie's ongoing grudge against eren.

  WHICH JEAN ACT SOLIDIFIED HIM AS BEST BOI? 1,582 responses

Jean provided some much-needed comfort this chapter, and 38.4% were most pleased that he decided to finally introduce some much-needed objectivity to the Eren discussion. On top of that, another 26.1% were most impressed with his ability to stay calm despite the stressful circumstances.

All of the above. Any of these moments in isolation would have been good, but it's all of them taken together that made Jean amazing this chapter.

Now our favourite Jailbirds: I'm so happy to see them after a few months. Jean continues to be the best, and my most favourite boy, I liked how rationally and objectively he viewed the situation -- and the fact that he was still vouching for Eren, and showing so much care for Mikasa made my heart flutter a lil bit.

Horse-face standing up for that suicidal bastard was the best moment in this chapter!!! Jean growing so much makes him best boi-horse ever!

He should join the yaegerists, then we can talk about best boy

Literally anything the majestic stallion does classified him as best boi. He breathes and he’s best boi.

Jean's actions in this chapter show the signs of a good leader, and I hope he is rewarded for it down the line.

getting the SOLID gift of character development that just KEEPS ON GIVING

Oh so for THIS one you ain't got 'all of the above'? WHERE IS ALL OF THE ABOVE

You utter fools, everything Jean has done since Season 1 has solidified him as best boi

  MIKASA ISN’T WEARING HER SCARF. DOES THIS HAVE SIGNIFICANCE? 1,569 responses

Is it getting hot in that jail cell or did Mikasa take off her scarf for more personal reasons? Almost half of us believe this is hinting at Mikasa breaking away from Eren in some way, but more than a third think it’s just another of many instances where Mikasa has gone scarfless for practical reasons.

Isayama probs used it to sew another seed of doubt so that we'd ask this exact question.

she's sad :(

It's typical for her to take the scarf off when it's warm, so it shouldn't have any significance, however it's hard to think she would just casually remove/interact with the scarf after that conversation. I feel like Mikasa'd either keep it with her at all times, or get rid of it completely (though if it's the latter, the chapter should've focused on the absence of the scarf more). For now, the scarf situation has me really confused.  

She doesn't want to think about Eren right now

She finally saw how hot Jean is. Just as everyone else in that cell. That's it.

She is Sad, not Mad at Eren

This can mean that she is still shaken up after what Eren said to her, but that doesn't mean she's sick of him. She's probably realizing that her attachment to him is not doing her any good so far.

She wants to let go

  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ONYANKOPON ALLYING WITH YELENA? 1,562 responses

The majority are still uncertain about where Onyankopon stands. Less than 1/4th of the fandom believe he’s truly on Yelena’s site.  Many agree that he needed to side with Yelena at that moment regardless of what he truly believes. Nearly half the fandom (45.6%) selected “He’s been too hard to predict, I hadn’t made up my mind.”

My man is legit Yelena’s hostage. He never asked for this.

He looks very hesitant, so I am also hesitant to make a call

he’s sweating and eyeing yelena like he’s worried so he is just playing along with. i think he’ll go free the 104th during the commotion!

At the very least, he and Yelena are not on the same page. In a way, they've been foils since their introduction: from the way they interact with the Survey Corps, the ways they assisted in Liberio, to their stance on God. I've always loved their dynamic, and I definitely look forward to more of these two in the future!

Great way for Yams to maintain tension in the storyline. It doesn't really matter what he chooses, but he works great as a character to bounce concepts off of.

He is on Yelena's side for now. You can tell that the guilt is weighing on him.

He's just here until the next Star Wars movie

  ON A SCALE OF 1-5 HOW BADLY DID YOU WANT TO PUNCH GRIOR? (1: HE WAS IN THE RIGHT SOMEHOW; 5: I’VE NEVER ROOTED HARDER FOR YELENA.) 1,574 responses

Perhaps the most interesting thing in this result is that 51 people in our fandom don’t want to punch Grior. The vast majority (72.2%) selected the highest choice, “I’ve never rooted harder for Yelena”

She's nuts but she's fun and gets props for shooting Grior.

Jheez the disrespect coming from Grior. Connie and Nicolo were rightfully fuming. Yelena putting a hole in his head has been the best thing she’s done in the whole story.

Fuck Grior

I wasn't a fan of Grior, but shooting him was an overkill. Yelena did it in front of the kids no less.

  WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FEELINGS ON YELENA? 1,576 responses

“Crazy” was the most common reaction with nearly half the fandom (41.9%) selecting that option.

Although she's 'cray cray', I would feel bad for her and Zeke if they find out that Eren is using both of them. I'm staying neutral to her.

I hate fanatics. I hope Zeke steps on her and we never see her again.

I love Yelena. Truly, her actions aren't that right, but everyone in this show depends on some corrupt decisions. I'm sure she has good reasons why she's that way and she shows to the 104th some of her weak as well as nice side. I think she would be a good ally for them, but we will see!  

She's very interesting, although her motivations are indeed 'crazy' (not normal admiration for the Yeager brothers), her actions stay logical and reasonable considering her goal.

First she kills people in ruthless way and few minutes later she is crying and tells others about Yeager bros being gods. Yet, I have to admit that she is a good character.  

She’s an interesting combination of things tenacious, devoted and cunning. I can’t wait to find out if what her and Zeke want is actually the same thing.

cray cray, but still, P O U N D T O W N

  WHY WAS ARMIN CRYING? 1,573 responses

Another strong consensus in the poll! 65.4% selected “He realized Eren would never agree with what she said, and is still on their side”.

Armin is trying to like to gain the upper hand

he must've felt overwhelmed with something, and decided to play it to his advantage

Biggest mystery of the whole manga imo. Ymir fritz and he origins of the titans? Nah fam, I need to know why Armin crying was important enough to take up a whole pageworth of panels.

Boy tryna get tf outta here even if it means temporarily joining yelena’s wack ass cult

He just got heads-up about some harsh truth.

He was definitely faking

He's figured SOMETHING out, we don't know just yet. I'm so excited, it's been a while since we've seen his tactical cunning side!

He's obviously manipulating her. Yelena is a bit of a nut case, but she's also really passionate. Armin is using that to his advantage. 

I think he's genuinely crying, but certainly not for the reason he said. As for why exactly... Not sure, it might be for a lot of things… I think he understood something about what Eren's plan might be

he could be crying from relief. he has known eren the longest, knows how much he values freedom, and knows he would never agree to euthanasia. after 112, he was really asking himself whether eren was actually on their side or not. he's definitely seeing through his mask now and realizes that he's playing zeke and his cult like a damn fiddle.

  THIS MONTH SEEMS TO CONFIRM THAT EREN KNEW ABOUT THE WINE PLOT. ARE YOU SURPRISED? 1,576 responses

Ahem. The Snk Poll Team would like to remind you that we asked this question in the chapter 111 poll and at that time only 27% believed he knew about the wine. Just sayin’ :P

  DO YOU THINK THAT EREN KNOWING ABOUT THE WINE HAD ANY INFLUENCE ON HIS DEFECTION? 1,556 responses

The larger half of the fandom doesn’t feel that the wine plot had anything to do with Eren taking his own actions. Still, nearly half feel it’s possible it could have influenced his decisions.

Eren is planning something

Eren is suspicious.

  HOW DO YOU THINK EREN FEELS ABOUT FALCO INGESTING THE WINE? 1,580 responses

Nearly 75% of voters feel that Eren does care about Falco’s situation, but not enough to distract him from his plans. Nearly 15% feel that Eren doesn’t actually care about Falco at all, and 9% believe that he is feeling concerned for Falco.

Sympathizes with another unknowing Eldian pawn

Eren collapsed a building on Falco, like, are we forgetting this.

He thinks he cares, but has decided that the end justifies the means. How noble

I think that Eren thinks it sucks but that 'it be like that'

He’s so cray cray right now that I don’t know what to think

  WHO IS THE OTHER WOMAN THAT EREN IS SAYING HE DOESN’T TRUST? 1,575 responses

Was Eren shading Yelena? 30% of the fandom seems to think so. 23% feel that he is referring to Kiyomi. 20% don’t want to make any calls yet but feel that this is something we’ll be calling back to down the road, while 10% think the rest of us are making a big deal out of a small statement. A few write-ins also listed Annie, Hange, Gabi and Historia as potential options.

He's talking about Pieck, the translation is weird.

Can we hack Eren's brain?

Have we considered Historia? I'd love for Historia to be one of the big players herself.

Either he's talking about Pieck if you take the translation as "just as she doesn't trust me" or Yelena, since he's not on board with her plan as a whole.

"That woman" is Kiyomi and she will appear like a wildcard next chapter.

I think that he means Pieck doesn't trust him either? I don't really know, the translations are so wildly different.

  WHO PLAYED THE OTHER BETTER? 1,608 responses

Regardless of who wins or loses the upcoming titan battle, Pieck won the chapter with more than 75% believing she won this particular meeting of the minds.

As expected of Pieck, she's best girl (hope she won't die too soon).

Erem seemed way too easily convinced by Pieck that she would point out her colleagues. Yes he threatened her with his pricked finger, and yes he was ready to transform on the roof, but it felt like he went along with everything too quickly.

I love pieck and eren and I didn't know I needed them to meet until now!

I was super worried that Pieck wouldn’t be given any spotlight and would stay in the background forever. Now all I need is her last name and I will die happy.

  PORCO FAILED TO EAT EREN AGAIN. WILL HE EVER GET HIS MOMENT OF GLORY? 1,571 responses

Sorry Porco. Most (73.1%) of us have no confidence in you. But look on the bright side - 17.1% think that maybe you can be redeemed. Oof.

Coming up through the roof *was* his moment of glory. It's all downhill from there.

His moment of glory was getting to see ymir's gorgeous face four years back

I believe that his mission was about injuring Eren, not eating him. I hope he will have his own five minutes because he is strong as a titan and knows very well how to use his powers.

Eating Erens legs off is pretty impressive on its own right tbh

Eren is gonna eat him before he gets another chance to do something impactful

He'll be forever a failure but I still love him very much! He's trying his best!!

  WHAT WAS THE GRIMMEST GRIM REMINDER? 1,577 responses

The opening scene, and one of the most iconic, has had several imitations since. The slight overall majority, at 51% think that Eren turning the tables and being the one to deliver the grim reminder in chapter 100 was the grimmest.  33.5% of you prefer the classic scene that started it all.  9.2% thought that this chapter offered the grimmest circumstance, with Marley’s blimps appearing overhead.

The grimest reminder was chapter 84 for the simple reason that heroes of the story showed the worst side of humanity and ever since then I think they don't deserve happy ending.

THOSE BLIMPS HAVE MOUNTED MACHINE GUNS

It’s so cool that we get to see another grim reminder, again, so soon, as to ensure that it has little emotional impact!

  WHICH MARLEY CHARACTER WERE YOU MOST EXCITED TO SEE RETURN THIS CHAPTER? 1,564 responses

There was some genuine excitement at seeing Reiner’s return to Paradis. Of the Marley cast, 84% where most excited to see him.

Why you gotta be assuming people are unanimously excited for Marley characters to return? I literally could have gone this entire series without any of them.

ITS BEEN SO LONG MY SON IS BACK i missed you reiner youre doing amazing sweetie pls dont die @_@

BEST BOY REINER IS BACK AND READY TO KICK ASS

My ovaries exploded when Reiner showed up looking badass with those swimming goggles. I missed my best baby boy so much.

REINER VS EREN ROUND 4 BABY!!! hopefully reiner can win! he deserves to win a fight with eren once at least lol

I was so happy to see Reiner again. It's so ironic of Isayama, that Reiner looks like a hero in this panel and Eren as the bad guy.

cOLT STILL EXISTS BOIS YEE HAW

  REINER, MAGATH, AND COLT ARE ALL WEARING PARACHUTES. WHO (IF ANY) WILL BE GOING SKYDIVING? 1,566 responses

In chapter 92 we saw Reiner join his comrades by jumping out of a blimp; will he do it again?  And if so, who will join him?  The general consensus, at 92.8% think Reiner will be skydiving once more; and about half at 52.2% think Colt will join him this time.  36.6% of you think Magath will as well, with 73.4% feeling he’ll likely command from the skies.  2.8% of you think no one will be leaving the blimp anytime soon.

Reiner again! I still fear that Colt will end like Farlan, but it's just me.

I freakin' wish Pixis weren't in jail. I'd love to see him and Magath match wits while commanding large forces.

Colt is allowed to exist dammit

I think Marley is going for the same tactic they used in Slava: sending in Pieck and Porco on the ground, then deploy Reiner via parachute. Zeke will also show up last this time and fire on enemy ships, the difference being that the enemy isn’t marley and the ships are airborne.

I didn’t realize Colt was even in this chapter until I filled out this survey

  WILL EREN USE THE WAR HAMMER POWERS IN THE UPCOMING BRAWL? 1,575 responses

With Eren recently acquiring the unique and awesome war hammer abilities, many of us are waiting with bated breath to see him show them off.  87.5% think that Eren will utilize them in the battle, and 8.3% think he already has.  While his titan form doesn’t seem radically different yet, it seems to have formed in the style Lady Tybur’s did.  Only 4.2% don’t believe Eren will break out these powers.

Disappointed that Isayama didn't give Eren's titan form a redesign after eating the Warhammer Titan. Hopefully we'll be able to see how Eren's going to utilize its power in the next chapter.

Marley came prepared to deal with the Founding+Attack+Warhammer Titan. If he's overwhelmed, he may get desperate and who knows what could happen then.

I thought Eren easily fell into a trap, and I don't see why he can't easily take down the blimps with his Warhammer power.

After that Awesome entrance I really wanna see warriors kicking his Eldian ass, but I just somehow know that Eren Warhammer will wreck them.

i'm really hoping to see some badass war hammer action

i am ready for the war hammer boy

  THE LAST TIME EREN FACED THAT WARRIORS HE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE SURVEY CORPS. THIS TIME HE IS ALONE. DO YOU THINK THAT WILL AFFECT THE OUTCOME? 1,615 responses

The results here are relatively divided. Nearly 40% of the fandom believe that Eren’s going to be able to handle himself in this battle without the help of the Survey Corps. 23% are certain that he will be defeated. 30% feel it could go either way and don’t want to make a solid prediction.

Eren will struggle but ultimately not be taken captive

He is totally going to get kidnapped😆

They will help him anyways. They need to protect their home, and without Eren it's impossible

Eren's fine. He's been able to predict and deal with everything up to this point. If he knew there were already spies on Paradis, he could've predicted the invasion. Might be too much credit, but he might've even used Pieck's arrival as the opportunity to lure everyone out.

With the help of Zeke and the Yeagerists I believe he’ll be able to hold his own

I sure hope so. He better fail. And he SC better only reluctantly help him they have to; ends don't justify means Eren. You made your bed, you gotta lie in it.

He has the support of the Yaeger faction, Eren has shown massive improvement with his fighting ability in titan form in Marley, and with the power of the Warhammer he can only improve.

He will not be able to overcome them on his own BUT WITH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP will win out once Armin convinces everyone of the truth

Last time he didn’t have the Warhammer’s abilities, now he does. He also has the Yeagerist faction with him. I say he takes it.

We've never seen Eren in a fight where he was completely on his own.  He always relied on an assist from either the Survey Corps or an Ackerman.  It's going to be  really, really interesting to see how he does without his cheat codes.

  WHO ELSE WILL JOIN THE FRAY FOR THIS FIGHT? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) 1,488 responses

Another battle finally erupts!  What other challengers will approach?  Zeke is the most popular option at 68.7%.  Armin, Mikasa,  and Jean all had about half the fandom voting for them, and Connie and Floch just below that, but still popular choices.  About 90% of you think Levi and Hange will sit this one out whilst on their own little adventure.

I suspect that Zeke will show up with the Yeagerists in time to save his younger brother.

If Zeke should appear, then the battle is almost certainly lost to Marley.

Zeke will probably show up at that moment so he can save Eren just as he claimed he would long ago. His promise to Eren was even brought up Pieck this chapter, who we know is exactly right!

Reiner is going to get SO depressed when Armin transforms into the Colossal. Also not a big fan of Annie but she needs to get out now.

Now Eren is facing the strong enemies alone. I would like to see how he can handle them, that why I hope that Zeke and SC won't join. I want Reiner to win at least once.

Floch and co. will come to the rescue after Eren starts losing

I'm sorry but ew who wants to see Floch?

Floch needs to make an appearance I wanna see the rest of the 104th rip him a new ass hole tbh

Floch is best boy

I just really wanna see all titans fighting each other. Just Imagine how Eren is standing there with Zeke like : Hey We just won and then Eren is kicked from behind by Annie and then Levi show up + Armin (and others) gets out of prison and transform to fight Eren.

I know I've said that I hoped Hanji and Levi stay away from this war as long as they can but LORD please tell me how they've been currently.

  WHO AMONG THE SC, IF ANY, DO YOU THINK WILL EVENTUALLY CHOOSE TO SIDE WITH EREN? 1,519 responses

Has Eren burned every bridge?  The majority, at about 55% think both Armin and Jean will still end up siding with him.  Just below that, 47.7% think Mikasa will continue to support him.  28.9% think everyone listed will oppose joining up with him.

Eren alienated Mikasa and Armin so i think they won't join, but they can't abandon him either.

I bet Eren broke ties with Armin and Mikasa so that they wouldn't get involved in this fight, because he's seen a scenario where they die here.

It's hard to tell because Eren's "side" is still quite a mystery. If he truly believe in the euthanasia plan then I doubt anyone in the SC will join him, even Mikasa. But if it turns out his plan is something else we don’t know, then they might help him in the end. Most likely Armin and Jean. But I doubt any of the SC joins the Euthanasia side, now we just need to find out if that's actually Eren's side.

Mikasa believes that the Eren now isn't the Eren she knew back when he saved her

I think it would be interesting for at least one warrior to join forces with him.

  IS THIS THE FINAL BATTLE? 1,570 responses

The warriors have returned to Paradis Island on the offensive!  Will this be the final conflict in the manga, or is there more to come?  78% of you feel there will be another fight after this one; while 22% think we’re in the endgame with this brawl.

I'm concerned that if this does turn out to be the final battle many important characters like Levi, Hange, Historia and Annie will not be involved.

I think this is the start of the final fight but depending on how you look at it the fight may pause and continue on elsewhere, but this is for sure the final conflict I think

The chapter is a kickstart to the final climax of the manga, and I'm excited to see how the end turns out.

I hope this isn't the final battle, if so, I hope its very long

The final battle will end up decimating the entire island. No one will survive.

I really like that Pieck was pointing her finger at Eren, as he asked on the rooftop where the enemy is and she said 'there'. I'm wondering if this has a special meaning that Isayama will turn Eren into the last 'antagonist' for his final arc. Maybe the last fight, includes the whole world vs. Eren, but who knows?

This chapter was great! i thought pieck will side with eren and others but nope. Also hyped for final battle!

I hope it isn’t the final battle. I’m so confused by everything happening.

  HOW HAS YOUR OPINION ON THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS CHANGED?

The biggest winners this month were unsurprisingly Jean and Pieck, with huge upswings in popularity. On the other end, Onyankopon, Yelena and even poor Connie took a hit. It seems Connie’s distrust of Eren might have upset a few people.

I don’t know who in the SC will side with Eren but I am almost completely sure Connie won’t.

I'm glad we got to see more of pieck! best girl snapped on this chapter. She was playing it safe and smart with the things she was saying to both Eren and Gabi.

Could someone please punch eren in the face

Honestly feels like Onyankopon is just a side character that won't affect the plot much at all and therefor is pretty much irrelevant.

Also, WTF are you doing, Onyankopon?

Can't say I was surprised about how things unfolded. The SC are still in jail, at this point it's laughable. Pieck and Marley attack - who didn't see it coming? Onyankopon is still shady. Yelena is still cray cray. Eren is still acting like a heartless asshole. Gabi is beyond redemption, she would have shot Pieck if she hadn't been stopped. So nothing much was new :D

Still tryin to figure out what's the point of Gabi in this story.

AT THIS POINT, AROUND WHICH CHAPTER DO YOU EXPECT THE MANGA WILL CONCLUDE? 1,561 responses

Just like last time, most respondents (37.5%) believe that Chapter 130 is most likely to be the final chapter of the manga. 85% think that the manga will go until at least 130, and 48% think it will go until at least 134. With the recent announcement that the manga will continue for another 1-2 years, it’s looking like we won’t be getting a conclusion before Chapter 128 (or 130 if we are going by volume-ending chapters and chapters per volume remains the same).

  WHO DO YOU MOST HOPE TO SEE NEXT CHAPTER? 1,554 responses

We may or may not have forgotten to include Annie on this list, but aside from that, people seem overall most anxious to get an update on Levi’s condition, as well as see Historia (presumably doing something other than sitting in the rocking chair). Floch… sorry, dude.

Annie wake up and kick some people in the head.

Can we get some annie or is she just like the basement we'll never get?

PLEASE JUST SHOW ME HISTORIA, WHERE IS SHE

I just want to see Bertoto at some point again :(

I still curious with Levi's and Hange's condition after Hange throws herself to the river.

I wonder how many more angles can we view Historia from that rocking chair.

WHERE DO YOU NORMALLY DISCUSS THE SERIES?

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE CHAPTER?

Porco and Pieck look good in Paradise Military coats...

It would make the most sense for Eren to lose this upcoming fight because he abandoned his friends, while the opposing side is united because of their friendship (if we're speaking in narrative terms). But we still don't know what his thoughts are, how much he knows, what his plans are, or his reasoning for anything. How can he be the main antagonist of this fight if we don't know this much? Idk but I hope we'll get some clarification during the fight (but I doubt it)

Will Reiner overcome his sufferboi status to finally do something right for himself? That's what I want to see.

I want to know if they have Hot Chocolate in the cell or some coffee. Why only tea? What is Eren planning withholding the coffee?

Armin's ability to manipulate has levelled up so much! He might be overplaying it a little bit with the tears, but considering previously he was really bad at making the emotions on his face reflect what he was saying, he's getting better at it. It both excites and saddens me. Excites because it makes him all the more dangerous; saddens because my greatest wish for Armin is that he needn't know these skills at all. Just let him be free and travel and see cool things! He deserves it.

What a ride!  And what a turn-around.  I love how the narration has come around to Eren being the villain, and Pieck and Reiner being the heroes.  I also can't wait to see Eren get his ass stomped.

I'm so happy that it looks like the remains of the 104th might actually do something soon.

The direction the manga is going it’s fucked up. I think the manga has lost that sparkle that once had. Basically at this point everybody is waiting just to see who makes it out alive and lives to tell the tale.

Eren is finished. Maybe imprisoning your best soldiers, crippling your strongest trump card, having Zeke titanize a bunch of Scouts, and generally wreaking havoc in Paradise wasn't such a good idea.

I was really impressed with Eren. He’s become such an interesting and amazing character. And he didn’t fall for Pieck at all, and it was so smart when he healed his finger in front of her to show he “trusted” her, meanwhile still having another finger cut and hidden. And his overal distrust and not telling Pieck anything he knew. He obviously didn’t trust her. *sniff* my baby going out to destroy people

JEAN FOR BEST STALLION

Jean and Connie are both right. Eren's not absolved just because he has reasons for his actions. Lying and manipulating your friends is shitty, especially if you're doing it "for their own good." That's not a solid friendship. I hope Isayama sticks to his guns on this. And also get Historia out of that damn chair, I'm so tired of it. But mostly I really liked this chapter, particularly the arrival of Reiner and Co. And Gabi and Pieck!

Pieck is the best girl of all time. You CAN’T change my mind.

The Marleyan military is attacking Paradis. Them killing Eren and getting his powers is bad for Paradis. I have no idea why there are fans saying the Survey Corps will outright abandon Eren or even fight against him right now. Helping the people currently attacking them is...unwise, to say the least.

I know Eren looks like a tasty snacc, but I would be extremely grateful if Porco keeps his filthy mouth away from Eren. He can eat a 10 foot flaming pineapple for all I care, please and thank you!

Best part of this chapter: no Zeke. Thank you Yams.

Porco and Pieck look good in Paradise Military coats...

It would make the most sense for Eren to lose this upcoming fight because he abandoned his friends, while the opposing side is united because of their friendship (if we're speaking in narrative terms). But we still don't know what his thoughts are, how much he knows, what his plans are, or his reasoning for anything. How can he be the main antagonist of this fight if we don't know this much? Idk but I hope we'll get some clarification during the fight (but I doubt it)

Will Reiner overcome his sufferboi status to finally do something right for himself? That's what I want to see.

I want to know if they have Hot Chocolate in the cell or some coffee. Why only tea? What is Eren planning withholding the coffee?

Armin's ability to manipulate has levelled up so much! He might be overplaying it a little bit with the tears, but considering previously he was really bad at making the emotions on his face reflect what he was saying, he's getting better at it. It both excites and saddens me. Excites because it makes him all the more dangerous; saddens because my greatest wish for Armin is that he needn't know these skills at all. Just let him be free and travel and see cool things! He deserves it.

What a ride!  And what a turn-around.  I love how the narration has come around to Eren being the villain, and Pieck and Reiner being the heroes.  I also can't wait to see Eren get his ass stomped.

I'm so happy that it looks like the remains of the 104th might actually do something soon.

The direction the manga is going it’s fucked up. I think the manga has lost that sparkle that once had. Basically at this point everybody is waiting just to see who makes it out alive and lives to tell the tale.

Eren is finished. Maybe imprisoning your best soldiers, crippling your strongest trump card, having Zeke titanize a bunch of Scouts, and generally wreaking havoc in Paradise wasn't such a good idea.

I was really impressed with Eren. He’s become such an interesting and amazing character. And he didn’t fall for Pieck at all, and it was so smart when he healed his finger in front of her to show he “trusted” her, meanwhile still having another finger cut and hidden. And his overal distrust and not telling Pieck anything he knew. He obviously didn’t trust her. *sniff* my baby going out to destroy people

JEAN FOR BEST STALLION

Jean and Connie are both right. Eren's not absolved just because he has reasons for his actions. Lying and manipulating your friends is shitty, especially if you're doing it "for their own good." That's not a solid friendship. I hope Isayama sticks to his guns on this. And also get Historia out of that damn chair, I'm so tired of it. But mostly I really liked this chapter, particularly the arrival of Reiner and Co. And Gabi and Pieck!

Pieck is the best girl of all time. You CAN’T change my mind.

The Marleyan military is attacking Paradis. Them killing Eren and getting his powers is bad for Paradis. I have no idea why there are fans saying the Survey Corps will outright abandon Eren or even fight against him right now. Helping the people currently attacking them is...unwise, to say the least.

Best part of this chapter: no Zeke. Thank you Yams.

I know Eren looks like a tasty snacc, but I would be extremely grateful if Porco keeps his filthy mouth away from Eren. He can eat a 10 foot flaming pineapple for all I care, please and thank you!

[thequeenoffish]

17 Years of Freedom - Chapter 2

Ship: Starker

Warning: Incest

Summary:

In a world were omegas must have a legal alpha there is only one loophole, children. If an omega has a child and is not mated, they effectively own themselves till their youngest child comes of age. If that child is an alpha, they take over legal ownership, if not, the omega is owned by their last alpha guardian or the government.

Tony Stark is 24, he has been owned legally by Obadiah Stane since he was 17, but he knows Stane is tired of owning him legally without mating with him, so he gets pregnant. 9 months later Peter Stark is born, he is an alpha. Tony loves his son more than life itself and is determined to raise an alpha who truly respects omegas. But, as his son grows into an adult, things start to get complicated for them both.

Read Chapter two here on Ao3

---

Tony wakes the morning after his rescue to find 5 missed calls and ten text messages, all from Hill and Fury. The messages make it clear that Fury is pissed that Peter intervened and that they went back to the tower instead of straight to S.H.I.E.L.D. to be debriefed. Tony looks at Peter, curled against his chest, still dead asleep. He kisses his hair gently and lays in bed till voices drift into the room. “Of course, Phil, I’ll get them. Just wait here,” Tony hears Pepper’s voice. Tony’s arms tighten around Peter involuntarily at the mention of the agent being in their home. He doesn’t want S.H.I.E.L.D. near Peter. He’d taken significant measures to stop them finding out he’d been bitten and gained powers. Up till now, Peter has been content to train with Tony and build a suit to fit his powers, but Tony knew he’d want to use them for more soon…

Pepper opens the door and smiles softly at the scene. “Tony, S.H.I.E.L.D. needs you and Pete for the debriefing,” she tells him. Tony groans. He can feel Peter starting to stir. “Come on, Bud, time to wake up and come to work with Daddy,” he jokes. Peter lets out a soft groan and presses closer to Tony’s chest. “Five more minutes” he mumbles, voice thick with sleep. Tony laughs and rolls him onto his back. “Sorry kid, if you want to be a hero, you have to get used to the part of the job where you get shouted at for doing the right thing,” he tells him. Peter groans. “You’ll be with me?” he asks, eyes fluttering open. Tony strokes his cheek. “Wouldn’t let them separate us, kid,” he reassures. Peter leans into his hand and smiles sleepily.

---

An hour later, they’re sitting in a meeting room at S.H.I.E.L.D. Peter and Tony, being forced to wait in uncomfortable chairs, have pushed them closer together so they can lean against each other. Peter keeps scent marking Tony. It makes Tony’s heart ache. Peter must have been so worried. “You think I have time for a nap?” Peter asks, yawning. At that instant, the door opens. “No, you don’t, Spider-Boy,” Nick Fury exclaims. Peter seems unintimidated. He simply looks at the man and says, “You know, I think you were right about waiting to be a hero, Dad. ‘Boy’ really doesn’t have the same ring to it as ‘man,’ does it?” he asks. Tony grins, extremely proud of his son. “Boy is a little patronising,” he agrees. Fury does not appreciate the joke. He strides across the room and puts his hands on the table. “You did something incredibly dangerous, Pup. This is no laughing matter!” he snaps. Peter’s nose crinkles at the word, a word used only by parents for their own children unless it’s being used as an insult to talk down to someone else’s child. “And you were all just standing around! At least I did something. In fact, I did a lot of somethings,” he points out. Tony chest warms at how confident Peter is against this full-grown alpha.

Fury growls. The warm feeling disappears and in a second Tony is standing, hands on the table as he growls at Fury, right in his face. “You don’t fucking growl at Peter,” he spits out. “If you do, then you can forget this whole debrief, clear?” The two stare each other down. “In case you’re forgetting, Director, I tracked down the location my Dad was being kept hours if not days before S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to. I called and gave you the coordinates in time for S.H.I.E.L.D. to arrive 30 minutes after I did. As much as you want to act like I’m an idiot, I thought about this before I did it, and I am not going to apologise,” Peter says, voice confident, though it wavers a bit on the last word. Fury pulls back and glares at Peter. “It was reckless and dangerous, and you could have ruined the whole operation if you’d been caught,” he snaps. Peter rolls his eyes. “But I didn’t, did I?” he points out. “How exactly did you do it, Pete?” Tony asks, sitting back and sliding his arm around Peter’s shoulder. “You didn’t get a chance to tell me yesterday, and despite already seeing the footage that I sent to S.H.I.E.L.D., they’ll want the details in your own words” he points out. Peter smiles proudly at Tony. “I tracked you by following the unique trace of the arc reactor,” he says. Tony raises an eyebrow, impressed. “That took a few hours to get right, and then I used my override code to activate four Iron Man suits,” he explains. “I arrived at the coordinates with just the mark 13, then had my drone do a flyover to get a basic scan of the building. I went in through the vents since basically no one else would have been able to get into them. The vents had sheer drops with nowhere to attach a line to lower yourself down. I listened in from the vents, found out where you were being held, got into the room you were in, and beat the shit out of the two fucking asshole rapists. Then S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived due to my tip, with backup from the two other suits. Then the mark 12 and 13 came to pick us up, we helped S.H.I.E.L.D. clear the building a little, and then we flew back to the tower,” Peter finishes.

Fury looked unimpressed. “If you had been caught, you would have tipped them off, and then you, SI tech, and your Omega would have all been taken,” he snaps. Peter flinches. “Yes, well done, you do understand failure,” he snaps back, “But if my Dad had waited for you, he would have been raped!” Peter exclaims, a growl creeping into his tone. Fury steps forward again. “He knew the risks of fighting and getting caught as an omega!” he growls. Peter’s sensitive ears ring with the loud growl and he sways, but he won’t back down. Tony stands, ready to hit Fury for talking about him like that and growling at Peter again. “Stop!”

Their heads all snap to the door. It’s Steve. He’s glaring fiercely at Fury. “I can’t believe you just implied that, Fury, and watch your damn tone with Pete, he’s only a kid!” he snaps as he strides towards them. “I think this meeting is over. Come on, guys,” he says. Tony grabs Peter’s arm and pulls him out of the room as Peter continues to glare at Fury until he’s out of sight. Steve leads them through the base in silence to a rec room where the rest of the Avengers are.

Before Tony can speak and defend Peter, Steve is turning and hugging Peter. “Well done,” the Captain says. Peter blinks and hugs him back. “T-thank you,” he stutters, surprised. Steve pulls back enough to look him in the eye, hands still on his shoulders. “We may technically work for S.H.I.E.L.D., but we aren’t that conformist,” he pauses. “I think we can admit that, before yesterday, we might not have listened to you if you came to us with a plan since we still see you as a little kid sometimes. But next time, tell us your plan and we can go together without their approval, okay kid?” he asks quietly.

Peter’s eyes fill with tears and he nods. “O-okay,” he stutters. “You were very brave to do what you did, and I am so grateful that you were smart about it and that you saved Tony,” he says, voice quiet. “We watched the footage, Pete. Your upper hook needs some practice. We’ll have to spar together,” Natasha tells him, smiling. Peter looks shocked. “I, I’d like that Nat. I normally only spar with my Dad and Rhodey.” “You need to practise your aim,” Clint states. “We can practise with your stun darts,” he says, putting a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly Peter is lifted up from behind. “You are a warrior, Pete, and so on Asgard a man!” Thor exclaims as he hugs him back into his chest. Peter laughs. “Then put me down!” he exclaims. “I am a superior warrior. I get to hug you,” Thor tells him smugly. Peter laughs and Thor puts him down after a few more seconds. Bruce comes closer. “You’ll have to show me how you tracked Tony down so fast, Peter,” he tells him, smiling.

Tony watches them all, a warm feeling in his chest, and thinks that this is what it’s like to have a large family.

--- After the kidnapping incident, Peter finds himself becoming more protective and possessive of his Dad. This, however, is not an entirely new feeling for him. Peter was 12 when he first smelled alpha cum on his Dad. The stink of sex and alpha clinging to his skin made his nose scrunch up and the first protective alpha instincts rise in his chest.  His Dad assumed that the possessive hug was because Peter smelled another alpha on him. Not because, despite the shower Tony took to wash away the smell of sex, Peter’s enhanced nose can still smell the other alpha’s claim. At the time, Peter wasn’t sure what the smell was exactly, just knowing in his chest that it was in some way another alpha’s mark on his Dad. Peter remembers holding his Dad tight and wanting to keep him away from anyone who’d put that kind of mark on him ever again.

Now Peter is 15 and he controls himself better, understanding that his Dad is entitled to enjoy his freedom while Peter is maturing into a proper alpha. But then Peter starts smelling the same alpha over and over, and only him, for two months, and he starts to get worried. He needs to do something, now. He primes his innocent puppy eyes and pout that he knows his Dad can’t resist and one night during dinner he casually says, “Are you serious about this alpha?”

Tony chokes on his food for a few seconds.

“Which alpha?” he asks, looking guilty. “The one you smell of whenever you come back from ‘business dinners.’ I’m not stupid Dad, god,” he says, rolling his eyes. Tony laughs and rubs his neck. “Sorry, Buddy, I should have told the truth. We are pretty serious,” he admits. Peter looks at his Dad with wide puppy eyes. “I thought you wanted me to be your Alpha and look after you,” he says, making his voice sound soft and hurt. Tony’s face contorts in pain at seeing Peter upset and he reaches for his hand and squeezes it. “I, I am sorry, baby. I just met someone and they’re pretty nice and I like them a lot. I didn’t plan it,” he explains softly. Peter hums and then pouts. “I get to meet them! I don’t care if I’m not your guardian Alpha yet, I want to keep you safe!” he demands. Tony laughs and squeezes his hand again. “Okay, Bud, it’s about time anyway,” he agrees. Peter smiles. Step one of the plan is a go. ---- Peter hates the dinner.

Sitting and eating dinner with some businessman named Carl Werewood and having to watch him touch his Dad all over like he owns him feels like torture. Carl’s hand is always around Dad’s waist, on his thigh, holding his hand, or on his lower back. It takes a lot not to break his hand when he sees the man squeeze his Omega’s ass when he thinks Peter isn’t looking. What’s worse is the scent of slight arousal coming from his Dad at the action.

And aside from all of that, disregarding his jealousy over this strange alpha, his spider-sense tells him the man is dangerous. Before, he was jealous, but now he’s worried too. Peter is the perfect son, polite and intelligent, and Carl seems impressed with him. Alphas are often very protective so it isn’t strange when Peter asks lots of questions and even makes Tony sit in the back of the car with him on the way back from dinner. “I was worried that might go badly, with you full with hormones and all, but I forgot it’s you, Pete. I don’t know why I was worried,” Dad says, kissing his cheek when they are back home. Peter’s chest swells with the praise. “I wanted to make a good impression for you, Dad,” he says. Tony smiles fondly. “You did great, thanks,” he says, eyes full of love. “What did you think of him?” “He seemed nice, smart, rich. He seemed to like you a lot,” Peter suddenly looks at his feet and pauses. “It, it might be nothing, but...” he trails off. Tony tilts his chin up. “But?” he asks, frowning. “He triggered my spider-sense. He felt like danger. Maybe it’s nothing, but... be careful okay?” he says softly. Tony hugs him. “I know that your sense can be pretty serious, so I promise to be careful, okay?” he murmurs. Peter hugs back tightly. “Love you, Dad.” “Love you too, kid.” ----

Now Peter’s got a name, a face, and a scent. He’s ready to start phase two. He is sure there’s something wrong which, while concerning for his Dad, is convenient for him because if there is, he doesn’t have to compete against the alpha in the same way. He had been planning to stalk Carl to find out his flaws and attempt to expose them, but if there is something really wrong, this won’t be needed. The next date they are going on is a few days later. In a show of protectiveness that he is sure Tony finds cute, he asks where he is going and when he will be back. Tony tells him and promises to stay safe.

Peter first has to negotiate with Karen. “Here’s the deal: either you don’t share my location with Friday, or I leave my watch, phone and suit home and risk getting hurt with no backup.” Karen is silent. “Locking baby monitor protocol for three hours,” she finally responds. Peter grins. “Great.” He goes to the restaurant and waits outside on the rooftop in his stealth suit. A little while later, Tony and Carl leave the restaurant. They kiss, far too passionately for Peter’s liking. He doesn’t like the man’s wandering hands.

He follows Carl’s taxi. This is day one of surveillance and he expects to simply find out where he lives, but instead Carl takes the taxi to a BDSM dungeon. This is an immediate red flag. He and Tony are exclusive. Peter already knows Carl is probably cheating, but there’s a chance Tony could forgive that. He needs to know what the man goes there to do. The suit changes to its normal colours and he strides in, going up to the counter where the beta hostess stares at him in shock. “I need information for an investigation I’m working on. How much?” Peter asks, getting straight to business. The woman blinks a few times. “Depends what it is.” “I want to talk to the person who served a man who has been here before and is here now, and I want to know how many times he has visited,” Peter explains. “I’ll pay you and the person who served them.” The woman looks him up and down. “$500 for what I can give you, but I won’t negotiate for them,” she answers. Peter draws out his wallet and counts out ten $50 bills. He offers half of it. “Other half after you give me the information,” he demands. She takes it. “Name.” “Carl Werewood,” he answers. Her face turns grim. “At least 4 times a month for the last 5 months or so,” she tells him. He nods. “Can I talk to anyone who served him?” he asks. She checks her computer screen then nods. “Yeah, one of the boys is free right now. Come through here so you don’t run into him,” she tells him, guiding him into a room. It’s half BDSM dungeon, half bedroom. “I don’t have anyone for 40 minutes, I’m on break-” the man stops when he sees Peter. “Spider-Man,” he whispers. Peter gives the woman her other $250. “He just wants to ask some questions. He pays well,” she tells him. The man nods, looking at Peter with wide eyes. “What do you need, Sir?” he asks. “I need to know what Carl Werewood pays for here,” Peter says. The boy’s face turns pale. Whatever it is must be bad to provoke such a reaction. The man swallows. “He shouldn’t be allowed here, but he pays the mistress too well,” he whispers. It is bad. “What does he do?” Peter repeats in a gentler tone. The omega twists his hands together. “He picks the omegas who are older like me and have some muscle and brown hair, and then…” he trails off, shaking. “He beats us half to death, then has sex with us, and then beats us again till he’s satisfied. It, it takes hours for him to be done. I was in the hospital for a week,” he whispers. Peter feels disgusted. “I‘m very sorry for what has happened to you,” he says softly. He takes out the other $500 and presses it into the omega’s hand and then gets out some more. “Give the other $500 to whoever he’s with now, for me. Could you do that?” he asks. The omega nods, wiping his eyes. Peter nods. “Thank you,” he says, starting to leave. “There is something e-else,” the man says suddenly. Peter turns back. “Yes?” “He, he calls us Tony,” he whispers.

Peter barely restrains a growl. “Thank you for telling me. If I can, I will ensure that he never touches you again,” he promises before striding out.

---

He gets back to the tower just as Tony calls him. “Hey,” he calls. Tony turns, hand falling from his ear. Peter pulls his mask off. “I’m glad you’re here, but why wouldn’t Karen tell Friday your location?” he asks worriedly, striding towards him. Peter looks at the floor. “I bribed her not to because I was doing something you’d disapprove of,” he says quietly. Tony cups his face in his hands. “Baby, what were you doing?” he asks quietly. Peter surges forward and hugs Tony tightly. “I was worried, Daddy, so I followed Carl after the date. I just felt like something bad was going to happen,” he says, voice shaking, face buried in Tony’s neck. “Peter, that is a violation of his privacy. I am angry about that and we will be discussing it, but are you satisfied that he is fine now?” Tony asks sounding upset and angry but not too much due to Peter’s tears. Peter pulls back. “Something did happen, Dad,” he whispers as he cries. Tony’s face morphs into concern. “What? Is he okay?!” he demands. Peter nods, still crying. “Karen, play, play from when I arrived at the place C-Carl stopped,” he orders. A screen flickers to life and Tony lets go of him and steps away to stare at it as he watches Carl enter the club. “Th-that doesn’t mean he’s cheating. He might just have business there,” Tony says, but Peter can hear the worry. “Keep playing, Karen,” he whispers. He steps closer to his Dad, and when the man he questioned starts talking, he watches Tony’s face transform into betrayal and then horror, especially at the last line. “I’m sorry,” Peter whispers because he is. He thought maybe the guy was involved in under the table dealings or crime or wanted Tony for his money, but not this. Tony is shaking. “He, he hurt all those men to, to maintain a facade, to stay calm around me so I trusted him, and, and then when I couldn’t leave, he would have…” Tony trails off. Peter reaches forward and touches his shoulder. “Omega?” he whispers. Tony needs his Alpha, not his son, right now. Tony looks at him so scared, shaking and almost crying. “It’s going to be okay. You’re safe. Come here,” he coaxes. Tony steps closer and Peter pulls him into his arms. “I’ve got you,” Peter promises. “It isn’t your fault, any of it. It’s going to be okay, Omega,” he promises. Tony lets out a sob, then another, and another. Peter holds him in the kitchen, and then in bed. The next day, Tony confronts Carl, and Peter is there for support as Tony shouts at the alpha. The man denies it and denies it, and when Tony steps back to leave saying he doesn’t care to be lied to anymore, he grabs Tony’s wrist, his eyes full of anger, and raises a hand. Peter surges forward and grabs his wrist and throat. “You let go of my Dad right now or you will regret it,” he growls. Carl gasps for breath and Peter squeezes. He lets go. Tony spits on him. Tony keeps it together till they get back to the car. Peter holds him as his Dad cries. Later, when they’re eating ice cream, snuggled up on Tony’s bed, he whispers, “I don’t deserve such a good son.” Peter strokes his hair. “I love you. I want you to be safe and happy, Dad. I’ll always be here for you,” he promises, lacing their fingers together. Tony presses closer. “Love you too, Pete.”

---

Peter tells Aunt Nat the basics of what happened. She assures him that the man will get his comeuppance in the future with flames in her eyes.

---

Tony doesn’t come home smelling of another alpha’s cum for 9 months after Carl. Peter feels bad because Tony now seems to have lost trust in himself, and his Dad is nothing if not wonderful and smart. But now if he has anything more than a passing interest in an alpha, they very quickly meet Peter so he can check them out with his spider-sense.

First is Sarah. He has a bad feeling about her. She is caught attempting to steal the plans for the Iron Man suit.

Second is Harry. He is involved in black market dealings.

And finally, when he is 16 years and 5 months, there is Charles. He is a gold digger, mixing in high society circles in order to marry and social climb. Peter observes him on the date and he seems genuinely charmed by Tony. But in the end, Peter decides he can’t trust Charles with something as precious as his Dad’s heart. Tony is used to social climbers after so many years so he mostly shrugs off the evidence until Peter cups Tony’s face in his hands and looks into his eyes. “Dad, you deserve someone who would love you even if you were dirt poor. You deserve so much better than Charles.” Tony’s eyes fill with tears and he looks away quickly, blinking them back. “O-okay,” he whispers. A few days later, he breaks it off.

Peter feels bad about Tony’s loss of confidence and tries to rebuild it when they work together in the lab and when they train in the gym together, but him being wary of alphas in a romantic sense isn’t something Peter tries to dispel. It’s still 7 months till Tony is his Omega. He doesn’t want someone to take him away before that.

----

Tony sometimes wakes up in cold sweats thinking about what could have happened if Peter hadn’t warned him. It reassures Tony to have Peter come and meet alphas he has been on more than two dates with, telling them he wants them to get along when really Peter is protecting him. Not even his Alpha yet and protecting him.

It reassures Tony. Peter is protecting him from all these alphas. He clearly doesn’t intend to just sell him off to the highest bidder. But perhaps even his sweet, wonderful son has a price.

[purpleswans1]

The Sports Festival

Here’s another one for my Villain!Izuku AU that won’t be tagged for Villain Month despite using the prompt “Quirk.” Unfortunately there are basically no canon villains in this one, unless you count Endeavor *glare at that flaming trashcan*

Read also on FF and AO3.

The day of the UA Sports Festival, Izuku made the executive decision to watch the event in person. He justified it to Uraraka by saying he wanted to observe contestants the cameras might not focus on, but in reality it was to avoid Tomura for a while. His brother had become insufferable since the failed attack on the USJ, especially since he blamed Izuku for the failure.

To be fair it had been Izuku’s plan, but he really didn’t need to be around a grouching Tomura when his failure against Kachan was still fresh.

Still, this was a wonderful opportunity. He’d bought tickets at the last minute so he was stuck in the nosebleeds, but that was just fine with Izuku. He had some decent goggles, and he was less likely to be recognized that way. He wasn’t wearing much of a disguise -- just a green hoodie and some sunglasses -- and was going to be relying on his inconspicuousness to keep the authorities off his back. He did have his gun and a knife hidden in his hoodie, but he’d rather not use them. He was able to get to his seat without incident, so the disguise must be doing some good.

The festival took place over the course of 3 days, one for each grade. Usually the volume of spectators gradually increased each day, with the 1st years attracting the least amount of people, but this year more people showed up on the 1st day than usual. This didn’t affect Izuku, but he did wonder whether it was because of his attack on class 1-A.

It was likely that the world was expecting more from that class now, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Anyway, the opening ceremonies were pretty much the same as every year. As soon as the announcer invited Kachan up to give the oath, Izuku knew that his former bully was going to do something ridiculous. He did feel somewhat vindicated when all the other students yelled at Kachan, so that was a plus.

The first event was an obstacle course. Izuku took note of a few quirks being used creatively -- Mineta’s strategy certainly wasn’t very sporting, but one couldn’t argue its effectiveness -- but overall was underwhelmed by the display. He already knew a lot about the capabilities of 1-A, and most of the other classes were not going out of their way to show off. Izuku wondered if this was an actual strategy or if they just didn’t have that impressive abilities.

Well, they are only 1st years. They have 3 years of schooling to get through before they’d be expected to act like pros.

The final obstacle was a minefield. All of the students either walked around them carefully or used their quirks to glide across, which was pretty standard reaction. Izuku kind of wished there were more creative students among them, since controlled explosions could be very useful, if you were daring enough. Even Kachan, who should know better than anyone else how to use explosions, didn't capitalize on the mindfield's potential. He just used his own explosions to fly over the mines, not daring to touch them.

As such, it wasn't surprising when the student with the most powerful quirk -- Todoroki -- won the race, with Kachan as a close second. Izuku was happy to see his old rival humiliated, but was still disappointed the first event ended without anything interesting.

The second event was a cavalry battle. Izuku had high hopes for this one, since he could gauge the student’s teamwork. An individual hero was only as powerful as their quirks and their training, but a team could fly high or fail spectacularly depending on the group dynamics. Izuku could get all the information he wanted on quirks and individual stats using the school’s database, but he could only judge the future heroes’ teamwork by watching events like this. The way students chose teams might also showcase their analytical skills, but he didn’t have high hopes on that front.

They were only 1st years, after all. He’d figured out a long time ago that people with strong quirks usually only focused on their own abilities and didn’t consider how they could work with other quirks. UA did a decent job of breaking them out of that habit, but it took time.

Izuku tapped his pen on the edge of his notebook. I wonder what it would be like if I could give these future heroes tips on working together.

He quickly pushed that thought out of his mind and focused on the cavalry battle. No point in dwelling on what-ifs.

Izuku was pleasantly surprised by the cavalry battle. With 1-B’s poor performance in the obstical course he’d dismissed them, but both they and a few gen-ed kids were the true stars of this event. True, both Kachan’s team and the group supporting Todoroki remained in the top two spots the entire time, but the other top spots were a fierce battle between the rest of 1-A, a few noteworthy 1-B teams, and this one group in complete synergy headed by a gen-ed student. The top four ended up being team Todoroki, team Bakugo, the team headed by Monoma from 1-B, and the group with that tired-looking gen-ed student named Shinsou.

Looks like the 1-B students deliberately hid their powers to give themselves an edge, Izuku thought. Not a bad strategy, but it can only be used once and defeats the publicity purpose of the sports festival. Then again, they’re getting 2 more chances to show off like this over the course of their high school career, and not many people usually watch the 1st years. Plus, the one-on-one battles are where individuals can shine so they could have been counting on getting to that point which wasn’t smart since only 16 students get that far…

“Uh, you okay kid?” a nearby man asked. “You’re muttering to yourself.”

Izuku jumped. “Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s an old habit! My teacher and brother keep telling me to stop it, but it always slips out when I’m concentrating or overly enthusiastic about something.”

The man laughed. “It’s fine, kid. I was just worried about you.”

I should probably get away for a while; he might try to start a conversation and ask questions. “Hey, mind letting me out? We should have some time until the next event and I want to beat the line to the bathroom.”

The man graciously let Izuku out of the stadium row. Izuku quickly gathered his stuff -- just a few spare notebooks, his laptop, and his wallet shoved in a backpack -- and headed down the stairs, looking for a secluded place he could review his notes.

I need to look back over my stats on those 1-B students. I should also check the school’s database for info on that gen-ed student… I shouldn’t have focussed only on the hero courses; there’s usually a few kids from gen-ed who get bumped up to heroics by the end of the year.

The closest bathroom was jam-packed -- apparently, everyone else was taking advantage of the break before the main event. The same was true for the bathroom on the next floor down, and the next one. Izuku kept descending, looking for somewhere he could work in peace. Even an unlocked supply closet would be fine, but he didn’t see any of those.

Eventually, Izuku reached the bottom of the stadium, where he’d entered. He still didn’t have a place to work where nobody would see what he was doing. He did see another set of stairs, going even further under the seats.

Maybe there will be less people down there, Izuku thought as he walked down the new staircase.

He was right; there were significantly less people down there. The dark hallway would have looked abandoned if it wasn't so clean. It reminded Izuku of the setting in a horror game, where the player was led into a false sense of security before the monster popped up in a jumpscare. There wasn’t enough light for him to read his notes, but his phone had a flashlight and his laptop was fully charged.

Izuku turned a corner and sat on the floor, firing up his laptop and pulling out his notes. The light from the screen gave him just enough for him to make out his handwriting, but only when he tilted the notebook a certain way. He found the notes on 1-B as quickly as he could, but gave up after a while since he could get the same information on his computer anyway. He had a trojan horse installed on the school’s database, so it didn’t take much for him to hack into it again.

He was still shuffling through the information he needed -- Mind Control certainly explains how that one team was able to be in perfect sync -- when he heard a raised voice echoing along the hallway.

“You need to stop this childish rebellion! Use the quirk I gave you already!”

A much softer voice replied, but Izuku wasn’t able to catch what was said.

“Don’t you dare talk back to me, boy!”

That’s Endeavour, Izuku realised. He put away his laptop and stood up. What’s Endeavour doing yelling at someone at UA’s sport’s festival?

Izuku knew he should have just left. He had all the information he needed. Endeavour was a pro hero, and wouldn’t hesitate to arrest someone like Izuku, especially after the role he played in the USJ attack. It would be in his best interest to just leave and blend back in with the crowd.

Without even thinking about it, Izuku’s feet moved, taking him down the hall in the direction of Endeavour's booming voice.

“You are my successor, Shoto!” Endeavour said. “You were born with both powers in order to surpass All Might!”

“I will not be what you want me to be.” The softer voice replied.

Izuku peaked around the corner. Endevor’s back took up most of his view, but he could also see a familiar boy with two-toned hair.

Why is Endeavour shouting at his son Shoto?

“I am your father, and you will do what I tell you!” Endeavour shouted.

Shoto’s face was impassive, a stark contrast to his father’s emotional outbursts. “You’ve controlled everything in my life. How long I have to spend training, who I get to spend time with, even what I eat. My school and my career path were both decided for me, as your masterpiece. You may be able to control all of those things, but you don’t get to decide how I use my power. I will become a hero without using my fire, just to prove that I can.”

Endeavour stormed off, walking through a doorway behind Shoto. “You won’t make it that far. You need my fire, it’s the only way you'll surpass All Might.”

“I don’t care about surpassing All Might. I just want to get away from you.”

Endeavour continued to stomp off, leaving Shoto in the darkened hallway.

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief.

“Who’s there?”

Izuku’s breath caught. Did he hear me?

Shoto walked forward and turned the corner, staring at Izuku. “I don’t think anybody but the contestants are supposed to be here.”

“R-Realy?” Izuku laughed, feigning innocence. “I’m sorry, I just got lost looking for a bathroom…”

“It’s fine.” Shoto’s face remained impassive, not giving Izuku any hint as to whether he was suspicious of not.

Izuku tapped his fingertips together. Common sense said that he should leave well enough alone, but… “It sounds like you two were having an argument. Do you want to talk about it?”

Shoto turned away. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself over.”

“Oh, okay.”

The hallway was silent for a few minutes, until Shoto spoke up. “I refuse to use my fire in battle. He doesn’t like that, since I’m supposed to be his successor.”

Izuku frowned. He had noticed that Shoto hadn’t used the fire half of his quirk in either the USJ or this Sport’s festival, but he hadn’t thought about it much. He figured it was because ice could be more versatile, it could contain a villain without much injury, or just personal preference in training. He didn’t realize it was a conscious, controversial decision. “Why don’t you want to use your fire?”

“It’s his quirk.”

So, is it some family trouble? Izuku wondered.

Shoto sighed. “I hate my father. He’s obsessed with surpassing All Might, but knows that’s not possible with his own limitations. So, he decided to train me to do it for him. He’s been training me with my quirk since I was four years old.”

Izuku sucked in his breath. Wow, I thought Endeavour was terrible for how he used excessive force on low-level villains, but this…

“Mom tried to protect me, but… It was too much. She hated him, hated being in that house, and eventually reached a breaking point.” Shoto touched his face, where an ugly, red scar marred his features. “She said my left side was unightly, that it reminded her of him, so she took the tea kettle and…” Shoto didn’t finish his sentence, but he didn’t have to.

Fuck. “Do you hate your mother, for doing that to you?”

Shoto stopped, contemplating Izuku’s question. “No, no I don’t think I do.” He sounded surprised, like he’d only just figured that out. “I understand that it wasn’t really her fault, that my father drove her to that point. Plus, she was always trying to protect me. I guess it’s not fair to hate her for one act of anger, especially compared to the years of abuse we’ve both suffered under my father.”

Izuku thought about the people in his own life. Sure, Tomura and Sensei both were cruel to him at times, but compared to the years of bullying he received from Kachan… It wasn’t that bad, right?

Right?

Well, at least he still had some good times with Tomura-nii, while he couldn’t remember why he put up with Kachan for so long anyway.

Stop thinking about that. “I’m really sorry all that happened to you. I can understand why you don’t want to use your fire, but are you sure you want to keep handicapping yourself?”

Shoto frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, most quirks dealing with extreme temperatures have a side effect on the user’s body temperature. I know that Endeavour gets overheated if he’s pushed too far, and I’ve noticed your body was accumulating ice during the last two events. I imagine that using both powers would allow you to keep your body temperature under control.”

“... You’re not wrong. That is the reason my father deliberately married a woman with an ice quirk.”

“Exactly!” Izuku nodded. “I know you hate your father, but I'm sure there are less self-destructive ways to get back at him.”

Shoto didn’t say anything.

“I’ll tell you what,” Izuku pulled out his phone. “How about we exchange numbers? I’d like to help you get away from your father, if I can.”

Shoto pulled out his own phone, firing off a string of digits Izuku added to his contacts under the name “Shoto Todoroki.” He then sent a text to his new contact.

Me: Hi! I’m Izuku Midoriya.

Me: Go ahead and add my contact info.

Shoto’s phone vibrated and he read the text. “So… Your name is Izuku?”

“Yep! Feel free to text me at any time. I’m homeschooled, so you don’t need to worry about interrupting me during class.”

Shoto nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He pocketed the phone again. “I… Well, thank you for listening. It was nice to finally get that all off my chest.”

“Well, isn’t that what friends are for?”

“Friends…” Shoto frowned. “I wouldn’t know. I never got the chance to interact with kids my own age growing up… and I think most of my classmates are scared of me.”

There was a pang in Izuku’s chest. “I kind of get where you’re coming from. Until about a year ago, I hadn’t interacted with anyone other than the people in my house very much. It’s nice to have a friend on the outside.”

An announcement rang out through the stadium. Izuku couldn’t hear the exact words due to the echo, but he was sure the next event was about to start.

“Looks like I need to get to my seat if I want to see the action, and you need to ge ready for your fight.” Izuku started walking towards the lit doorway, but thought of something else he wanted to say.

He turned around, and although Shoto’s features were obscured by shadows, Izuku noticed how his body stiffened.

“By the way, would you do me a favor and kick Katsuki Bakugo's ass?” Izuku asked. “He doesn’t deserve to be a hero.”

Shoto walked forward. When the light reached his face, Izuku noticed how determined he was. “I’ll do that, so long as you promise to do everything in your power to help me get revenge on my father.” His eyes bore into Izuku’s own. “Including whatever you used to get into the USJ.”

Izuku froze. He recognized me!

Shoto was up the stairs and on his way to his classmates before Izuku could even think of stopping him.

Izuku took a deep breath. It’s fine. If he warns the heroes, I’ll just hide until I can go home.

Still, he couldn’t stop looking over his shoulder every other minute as he walked back to his nosebleed seats.

He continued to worry about who Shoto might tell. That is, until the Final Battle of the 1st year’s tournament, when Shoto Todoroki won 1st place by using a giant fire blast against Katsuki Bakugo.

----------

The 2nd years weren’t particularly impressive. Izuku took a few notes on how those students had developed since the year before, but otherwise considered the whole day a waste. He should have stayed at home and helped Uraraka train her quirk.

The 3rd years were also more of the same, with one key exception.

Mirio Togata.

Izuku already knew to keep an eye out for the big three thanks to web gossip. Tamaki Amajiki fell out of the running early on (Izuku suspected it was stage fright) and Nejire Hado exhausted herself in the first round of the tournament, but Mirio Togata continued to distinguish himself.

Izuku knew that Mirio participated in a work study that would have improved his fighting abilities, but to go through such a dramatic growth…

No, this isn’t natural. Something else is going on.

And so, Izuku watched Mirio closely. Marked his stats, his changes, his moves. Eventually it became clear that it was mostly Mirio’s physical strength that had improved so drastically. Sure, his technique and super moves had evolved, but it was his strength that gave him the edge in all these structured events.

During the final battle, Mirio didn’t even use his permutation quirk, just his fists. It was like watching a pro boxer or even…

All Might.

Izuku was watching every detail of Mirio’s fights, so he was probably the only person who picked up on the faded, yellow energy surrounding his entire body. It shone just a little bit brighter when he was about to attack, and followed him even as he perminated through things. I crackled like lightning, and appeared to be the source of this new strength.

During the final match of the tournament, Mirio’s opponent was almost able to push him out of bounds, but the yellow energy grew brighter than ever before, focusing around his arms. Mirio released the energy in a magnificent punch strong enough to not only send the other fighter out of bounds, but produce a wind blast that affected the entire stadium.

There is no way that was the result of normal strength training.

Izuku continued to analyze Mirio as he stepped off the stage, nursing a mysteriously broken arm. He noticed a spinely, blond man approached the boy and embraced him. It could be a congratulatory hug from a proud relative, but their features were too different to be a close relation.

Izuku taped his chin. What are you hiding, Mirio Togata?

------

Izuku locked himself in his room for three days following the sports festival. Both Kurogiri and Uraraka tried to drag him out to at least eat, but had to leave plates of food outside his door when he wouldn’t budge. Even Tomura was worried, from what Izuku could make out through his door.

Still, he didn't regret it. Izuku couldn’t handle distractions right now. He had some idea where he went wrong with the USJ incident -- essentially, underestimating the students because they were only first years -- but the mystery of Mirio Togata was the issue he spent most of his time on.

First he looked through the boy’s history -- every grade, every sports festival, every status update from his time at the Nighteye agency -- but couldn’t find any clues. He went through family history and their connections -- the blond man from the sports festival wasn’t anywhere close on the family tree -- but still came up with nothing. No predisposition to mutation quirks, no connections to questionable experiments, no support personnel who may have snuck something in.

It’s like Mirio Togata spontaneously developed another quirk.

Izuku was about to contact Sensei and ask if he’d given a UA student another quirk without telling anyone when he remembered there was another person capable of passing on a quirk.

Could it be…?

His research then pivoted from finding every detail about Mirio Togata’s life to uncovering a certain Pro Hero’s secrets. He found data on the number of incidents resolved by each hero per year. Most fans on the hero forums attributed the sudden data change six years ago to lack of media coverage, but Izuku knew better. He watched hundreds of amateur videos on a particular hero to compare the forces of a punch. He catalogued everything from more than six years ago to present day and looked for trends.

What he found was so obvious he should have noticed it a long time ago. He would have, if he hadn’t been deliberately avoiding the relevant information.

All Might’s time doing hero work had been steadily decreasing over the last five years, but his overall strength had remained the same until 10 months ago. Then, both his time as a hero and his overall strength started decreasing rapidly.

Combine that with what Izuku had noticed at the sports festival, as well as their mutual connection to the Nighteye agency, and there was only one conclusion to be made.

Izuku wrote it in his notebook, clear, bold letters describing a world-shattering truth:

Mirio Togata has inherited One For All from All Might.

Izuku leaned back and took a deep breath. All Might had passed on his power, and Mirio Togata would one day fight All For One.

I should tell Sensei. He needs to know.

Izuku knew this was true. If Sensei found out that Izuku had figured this out and didn’t share the information, he’d be mad. All For One had been gravely injured in his fight against the eighth user, so he needs to start preparing now if he has any hope of surviving the ninth.

But… For some reason, Izuku didn’t want to share this. It was a piece of information he’d slaved to uncover, and he didn’t want to give it up just yet. This information gave him a miniscule amount of power over All For One, and he wanted to savor it.

Or maybe it was something else.

Whatever the reason was, Izuku closed his notebook, put it up in his desk, and left to eat dinner with Uraraka, putting the new discovery out of his mind.

[rookisaknight]

MBTI and the Seeds

Religious bullshit, meet personality bullshit. I took to 16personalities for a direction on this and was actually pretty convinced by the majority of the results (which is whack because 16personalities almost always gets at least one letter off), but I have an unfathomably large amount of information about this test stored in my grey matter so I’ll be hopping off a bit to fill in my own blanks. Also notable is the severe trauma each of the Seeds have been through

This is going under a cut because it's a long post and honestly might be more worthwhile as a reference for myself and how I write the Seeds, but I can’t be the only personality nerd in this fanbase.

Jacob Seed: ISTJ. The Logistician

I wasn’t sold on this one initially given that Jacob seems far more comfortable with out of control situations than most Js generally are, but I find the overall profile fits him better than ISTP. My explanation is that his time in the juvie, the military, and the foster system has forced a maturation of this particular function due to constantly feeling out of control, which makes him more open to adaptation than he would have been otherwise. 

Strengths:

Honest and Direct: Notably Jacob is arguably the least manipulative Seed. He “tricks” you in a sense with the conditioning but that is more a strategic concealment than any deception. Unlike the other three, Jacob does not pretend that his actions come from any sense of love or divine calling. He is always straightforward with the deputy, even if that doesn’t restrain his cruelty.

Strong-willed and Dutiful: Basically see all of the Book of Joseph, as well as his “you think I care if I die” comments. I lump very responsible under this. 

Calm and Practical: I don’t think I have to explain this part. Jacob never reacts from an explicitly emotional place. The “did you think you were free” is the closest to losing his temper I think we see from him. He has expectations, and failure to meet them will be punished. He doesn’t see a need to get emotional about it, preferring to detach himself

Create and Enforce Order: Well, culling the herd is an unconventional tactic, but...

Weaknesses: 

Stubborn: As Joseph said, Jacob has been getting into it since he was a kid. Even with the brother, he’s willing to die for, he explicitly argues with him. And even in the face of his own death, he refuses to rescind his own philosophy, or even demonstrate any regret for the path he’s chosen.

Insensitive and Judgemental: Jacob’s a shithead no I will not elaborate

Always By the Book: an illegal paramilitary cult, yes, but one that holds to Jacob’s exacting standards. 

Often Unreasonably Blames Themselves: Loath as I am to woobify Jacob at all, there’s a pathos to him. As Joseph says, he thinks of himself as a “weapon without a purpose. A soldier without a legacy”. As a child, he protected his siblings and as an adult, he views himself as little more than a meatshield. There’s a sense that he objectifies himself, reduces himself down to simply the function of violence and protection, and those high standards mean that he views death as simply another failure.

can bastard be a personality type

Joseph Seed: ISFP- The Observer

The test originally gave me INFP, but I find that unconvincing for two reasons. One, INFP’s are predominantly defined by an open-minded approach to life and to ideas, which doesn’t fit well with a guy so convinced he got religion right that he was willing to kidnap and murder people. Two, while Joseph is definitely contemplative and deals with the symbolic, his “visions” are not flights of fancy but are in some sense practical. He doesn’t really appear to engage in thought experiments, merely interpret sensory (or in this case extrasensory) information that he is presented with.

Strengths:

Charming: The man runs a successful church for a reason, and it can’t just be good cheekbones and dogwhistling

Sensitive to Others: Joseph has a keen insight into other people’s emotional state, which is what makes him so effective at manipulating them. He tends to meet people where they’re at with a certain deftness that would be impressive if he didn’t use it the way he did

Passionate: about the LORD. No, but I’ll give this to the man, he’s certainly got a vision, and sticks to it with intensity.

Curious: I think anyone working in the business of people has to have an inherently curious mind, and while Joseph may believe he has all the answers, his fascination with the Deputy to me indicates that he has an inherent draw to things that disrupt his world. I also think about how he would get in trouble as a child for seeking out forbidden material, such as Spiderman comics. those Satanic webs...

Weaknesses:

Fiercely Independent: He’s developed a supportive community now but Joseph has always marched to the beat of his own awful, awful drum, which has gotten him kicked out of at least one job and lost him at least one set of foster parents. He doesn’t seem to need people as much as he acquires them 

Unpredictable: Sometimes with blood, sometimes with forgiveness, it's hard to say how Joseph will respond to disruption on any given day. Where the spirit leads, I suppose. 

Easily Stressed: This one I’ll actually argue that his turbulent history and the demands of his job have at least taught him to cover this up, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t cracks in the armor. “yOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!!!!!”

Overly Competitive: He’s a sore loser with a tendency to punish people for failing him (see: Faith and the statue)

Fluctuating Self-Esteem: He’s dealing with a joint worldview where he is at once God’s chosen and a “no one from nowhere with nothing”. How much of that is genuine we may never know, but I don’t think the fluctuation is outside the realm of possibility

John Seed: ESFJ-The Consul

I was a little on the fence about N vs S but ultimately found that John’s a bit more concrete than conceptual.

Strengths:

Strong Practical Skills: I mean, the man orchestrated a hostile takeover of an entire county, he knows how to get things done when he wants

Strong Sense of Duty, Very Loyal: This part is likely underdeveloped given how tempestuous forming relationships was for most of his life, but given how bound he feels to Joseph its clearly in him.

Good at Connecting With Others: He’s a shitstain, but according to Joseph he had business connections everywhere and was basically a walking secret storage bin. John can probably be very charming if you don’t know how he spends his weekends in the bunker. 

Sensitive and Warm: again, underdeveloped given his background, but there’s clearly a lot of emotions broiling just below the surface given how volatile he can be and how easily Joseph can access them. Joseph also describes him as a very sensitive kid, for what that’s worth

Weaknesses

Worried About Their Social Status: The boy is a climber

Inflexible:  He holds pretty firmly to his headcanons on Hope County (for fuck’s sake John Nick’s sin isn’t Greed, its Sloth) and has a very definite view on how things should be. Not to mention he seems very particular, just based on the state of his home and his clothes. He has rituals and habits, and will not deviate.

Vulnerable to Criticism: If you say anything about his future receding hairline he will cry. He just will. Not to mention I’m citing that look he gives you when you’re apparently costing him paradise by not converting

Often Too Needy: He will either get attention or he will die trying. 

Too Selfless: Honestly, selfless isn’t the right word here, but I’ll copy the way 16 personalities describes it because I think it fits really well for John. “ Consuls sometimes try to establish their value with doting attention, something that can quickly overwhelm those who don’t need it, making it ultimately unwelcome. Furthermore, Consuls often neglect their own needs in the process.” John is a deeply selfish person but he does act like someone who tries to get affection by giving everything of himself, often to the point that he makes the other person uncomfortable.

I literally love this dramatic edit it's so good

Faith Seed/Rachel Jessop: ENFP-The Campaigner

I have nothing to add, it just fits. At the most, I think Faith is a little more pragmatic than she lets on (given that whole “if violence is the only language you choose to speak”) but to me, that can easily be an extension of the ENFP’s ability to connect emotionally. It means they know how to cut people off 

Strength

Curious: I mean you don’t end up in a cult willingly without a little curiosity. Faith also seems mildly intrigued by the Deputy’s resistance, and while this eventually culminates in frustration with our intractability, I believe there’s a genuine investment in the journey to conversion

Observant: Faith is cued into her public perception, both from the resistance and the cult, and consciously constructs it. She also shares Joseph’s ability to tune into emotions and exploit them.

Energetic and Enthusiastic: How much of her ray of sunshine persona is constructed for the benefit of converting people will probably never be answered, but I don’t believe it can be constructed whole cloth. I think Rachel always was a person with a lot of heart and enthusiasm for her passions, even if it's not as constant as Faith Seed wants you to believe

Excellent Communicators: There’s a reason she’s regarded as the Siren. She can talk people into things even they don’t want to do. Certainly left me shook

Know How To Relax: *insert weed joke here*

Very Popular and Friendly: Again, her Siren persona may not be 100% genuine, but you can’t fake that level of charisma

Weaknesses:

Poor Practical Skills: Listen, Rachel is smart as hell (definitely smart enough to develop a drug and orchestrate mass production thereof), but her planning skills? Not great. Up until Burke gets taken out of the Bliss her plan seemed to be “talk with the Deputy over and over until they change their mind”. She kicks it up a notch after she finally gets annoyed with us but it seems a bit more “making it up as she goes”, and she falls back on strategies that have worked for her before but aren’t really effective for the Deputy. In fairness, I don’t think any of the Seeds are strong in the planning department

Overthink Things, Get Stressed Easily: Unlike with John and Jacob, Faith doesn’t really let us in to see her darker side. She prefers to speak of her flaws in the past tense. Yet clearly anxiety has been an issue in her life, given how deeply her isolation sat with her and her sense of worthlessness. Using drugs as an escape from stress also makes sense for her character, at least from my perspective

Highly Emotional: Faith communicates in emotional terms, manipulates people through emotions, and unlike someone like Jacob Faith loses her temper. She shouts at us, demonstrates her frustration very openly, even screams at us that we couldn’t possibly understand her.

Independent to a Fault: Her personal history gives her some interesting codependent issues with Joseph but based on what we hear of her from Tracey Rachel resented anyone trying to control her, even if they had her best interests at heart, and was perfectly willing to burn bridges over people questioning her choices. 

If people are interested I can develop these out more. I may eventually do these for the police force members too but frankly, we’re given less to deal with for them, in particular with Joey and Staci, so who knows.

[helloanonymouswriter]

Second Thoughts || Phan

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/410757529-phan-one-shots-~-second-thoughts

Second Thoughts

Words: 8382

Summary: Dan's dared to date Jessica Lester. However to do so, he needs to befriend her brother and be approved by him.

"It's pointless mate - she might like your mug but she doesn't date anyone unless her brother approves. He has a 'good guy' radar or something." Joe snickered at Dan who stared at Jessica Lester as she walked by. She was the most beautiful girl in school with her long strawberry blond hair, porcelain skin and bewitching blue eyes. Her curves prominent as she swayed.

"Give it up Howell." Derek chuckled, "You'd never bag a girl like her." Dan turned round and glared at his friends. Well, he said his friends - more like the assholes who were in the 'popular' clique that he happened to be a part of. Putting up with them at least got him a lot of positive attention and no endless line of girls. He liked the attention, liked being popular. However he did miss having a real friend; the closest person to that description was his neighbour Louise but she went to a different school.

"I could so." Dan rose to challenge - ego flaring. "And I'm not going to get just any girl like her, I'm going to get her." Dan smirked. He was an idiot - but he always found himself doing stupid things to remain on his popular pedestal. It earned him respect ... something Dan could do without if his ego was anything to go by.

"Yeah right." Sam grinned and stuffed his lunch in his mouth.

"You'll see. All I have to do is be friends with this Lester guy right? It's easy." Dan boasted although he was panicking a little inside. Why did he always dig himself into these messes?

"Alright but if you haven't bagged her by the end of the month you owe me ten quid." Joe smirked.

"Deal."

Dan was an idiot.

~

Dan bit his lip, staring at the back of Phil Lester's head. How the hell could he spark a possible friendship without being too obvious with his intentions? He frowned as he tried to figure out a plan. The lesson was nearly over and Dan was frustrated with his lack of ideas. He felt like a failure by the time the bell rang and was already thinking of the smug expression on Joe's face when he forked over ten pounds.

He eyed Phil as he left, noticing how Jessica joined him in leaving the classroom - clearly they were close so he couldn't chance offending Phil in any way when he finally got Jessica. "Mr Howell." The teacher drawled as he was about to leave. Dan stiffened before gritting his teeth and turning towards the maths teacher - Mr Archer. Dan had the daunting suspicion that this was about his grades - he'd been slacking off because of all the parties he'd been invited to. Honestly he'd rather stay in bed and watch anime but he could never let his friends know. They'd class him as one of those hentai weirdos. Besides, Dan had an image to uphold and going to parties was cool.

"Yes sir?" Dan asked with a false smile.

"I don't think you should be smiling young man. We both know what this is about. You should spend less time socialising and more time studying. Exams are coming up y'know. I suggest you get a tutor or risk failing your exam." The teacher spoke sharply and Dan felt a sinking in his gut. Despite his popular-boy image he really did care about his grades. He didn't let anyone know but he was the top in English - it was his strongest subject and he hoped to pursue it in university. Once high school was over he didn't need to worry about labels anymore - he could be his normal anime loving self.

"Yes sir." Dan muttered before trudging out of the room. Well his day got ten times worse. He'd have to cut down on the parties. Dan gave a huff before an idea struck him. Phil was smart right? He grinned. "Thank you Mr Archer." Dan whispered to himself before hurrying to his next class.

Fortunately he shared that with Phil as well. He waited impatiently for the hour to pass until the bell rang again. He almost jumped out of his seat. He waited as a few of his friends were having a conversation with him. Just before Phil was about to leave Dan tapped his shoulder, feeling a little nervous. The boy turned round and Dan was struck for a moment - most of the time he saw the back of his head and wasn't prepared for the similarities he and his sister had. He had the bright blue eyes and porcelain skin - not to mention the natural smile that seemed to rest on their pink lips. However instead of strawberry blond a black fringe adorned his head which was a stark contrast to his skin like ink on snow. Dan was momentarily speechless; he had never admitted it to anyone other than Louise, but he was bi and Phil was definitely ticking all the boxes for his male type. Dan quickly shook that thought away. He may have been attractive but Jessica was like an angel - pure and beautiful.

"H-hi." Dan found himself blurting and internally groaned as he stumbled back to normality.

Phil continued to smile, a hint of curiosity behind his eyes. "Can I help?"

"Uh, yes you can actually." Dan began, finding his confidence once more and smiling charmingly at the boy. "Basically my grades have been a bit lacking in maths recently - which was brought to my attention by the ever charming Archer who politely suggested that I get my shit together and find a tutor." Dan explained and Phil chuckled a little at Dan's tone. "So, basically, with a slight loss of dignity, I'm asking if you'd help me." Dan asked and bit his lip. He would have had to kiss Jessica goodbye if Phil said no - trying again would only make the boy suspicious. He probably wouldn't be allowed to kiss Jessica goodbye now that he thought about it. Phil'd probably kick him in the nuts.

Phil clicked his tongue, thinking it over. Dan found a bit of desperation leaking through his eyes; he honestly couldn't stand Joe's gloating. A loss of ten quid wasn't anything to celebrate either. "Alright, but if we're doing this we're doing it properly. No being a dick, no blowing me off for parties and I don't want any shit from your asshole friends ok?" Phil laid out the rules and Dan felt an anxiousness wash over him. Phil knew about Dan and his friends; he was a lot more cautious than he predicted. Dan would have to tiptoe on eggshells to lower Phil's guard - especially within a month.

"Aye, aye captain." Dan found himself replying with a smirk. Phil just smiled.

"Alright, we'll start tomorrow after school. We can go to mine as Jessica has volley ball practice and my parents are working." Phil suggested - more like commanded.

"Sounds peachy." Dan grinned cheekily and Phil shook his head lightly before turning to leave. He got two steps before turning round again. "We should probably exchange numbers so I can schedule our sessions." Phil added.

"Kinky." Dan found himself saying with a grin before internally panicking. Oh god did he just let his flirty bisexual side out a little there? God he needed to get a handle on that quick or Phil could get the wrong idea.

Phil looked a little surprised at his comment but laughed anyway. "Well, give me your phone then." Dan found himself fumbling about his skinny jean pockets until he clumsily handed it over. He needed to get a fucking grip. Phil typed in his number and created a contact before swiftly handing it back. "If you don't text me before tomorrow afternoon then I'm not tutoring you, I don't have time for trouble." Phil warned, staring right into Dan's eyes. Dan swallowed, did he actually feel ... intimidated? Phil did have a bit more muscle than him - specifically in his arms and shoulders ... jesus his shoulders ... focus Dan!

"Don't worry about it." Dan assured and finally Phil was gone. Dan stood alone in silence for a moment, trying to comprehend his actions from the previous conversation. "I need a slap." he sighed to himself before leaving the classroom.

~

"You're late." Phil raised an eyebrow. Dan furrowed his brows.

"By five minutes." He pouted.

"You're still late." Phil smirked. Dan rolled his eyes in response - was Phil going to be one of those strict teacher types? Dan felt a curl of frustration in his gut at the thought of holding back around him. He naturally liked to challenge people and hated the thought of censoring himself.

"Who are you, the time police?" Dan snorted before internally cursing. He was supposed to make Phil like him, not insult him. Although, he doubted anyone would really call it an insult. Dan was cautious though - he needed to leave a good impression.

"No, Time Lord actually." Phil smirked and started walking towards his car, expecting Dan to follow.

"More like a Judoon with that nose." Dan muttered under his breath. However Phil turned back to him with wide eyes. Crap.

"Excuse me?" Phil laughed in shock.

"Hm?" Dan played dumb, internally cursing himself once again for not holding back on the retaliation.

"I'd make a crack about how bad of an insult that was but honestly I'm too shocked that someone like you actually watches Doctor Who." Phil smirked. Dan felt oddly offended.

"Someone like me?" Dan asked and watched as Phil slid into the drivers seat. He jumped into the passenger before repeating, "Someone like me?"

Phil giggled. "Yeah." Dan scowled, just who did he think he was?

"And what exactly am I like?" Dan asked as Phil turned the key in the ignition.

"Oh you know ... popular ..." Dan couldn't argue with that. "... pompous ... arrogant ... egotistical, proud, petty, vain." Dan's jaw dropped.

"I beg your pardon?" Dan spluttered. Making friends seemed like a goal out of reach at this point. Phil only chuckled again. Dan opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. He let his frustration leak through, "I am not petty or arrogant or pompous ... and I don't see how that makes me someone who wouldn't enjoy Doctor Who." Dan ranted.

Phil's lips quirked, "Touché, I apologise if my stereotypes wounded you." Dan was about to retort but held his tongue. Patience Dan, you're here to make friends not enemies.

"I am wounded." Dan pouted instead.

"Aw I'm sorry." Phil grinned brightly - his expression seemed to contradict his apology. Dan felt blinded - god he was like a ray of sunshine. How the hell was he supposed to be mad at someone like that? Dan flushed at his thoughts.

"Mhm." Dan hummed before staring out the window. God Dan just act normal. You need to get on his good side not act like a fool.

A few minutes passed by with comfortable silence until Phil spoke up again. "I am actually sorry. I don't usually stereotype. I'd hate if someone did that to me." Dan turned to see a more serious expression on Phil's face. Dan didn't like it, he preferred Phil's happy face.

He smiled despite himself, "It's honestly fine Phil. I get why you think that way." Dan sighed, feeling a stab of self deprecation in his gut. Sometimes he hated who he was - most of the time he liked being popular - there were nights however where he wanted to tear through the polished skin of high school douche bag and be the anime loving sexually ambiguous nerd he truly was. He pushed the feeling down - he didn't need to start feeling insecure in front of Phil. They hardly knew each other and Dan didn't feel like revealing his inner demons so early into the friendship.

"Well I believe in getting to know the person before judging them, I guess it just slipped out." Phil continued.

"What all those words just slipped out one after another. I dunno you sounded pretty sure to me." Dan teased.

"Shut up." Phil smiled softly before turning into his driveway. It wasn't long until they were in the door, up the stairs and approaching Phil's room. Dan was tempted to ask when Jessica would be home but knew it would only arouse suspicion. Soon they were in Phil's room and Dan paused in the doorway, taking in the onslaught of colour. Posters covered almost every inch of wall, faded blue peeking through the cracks.

Dan felt excitement swell in his chest when he spotted the 'Origin of Symmetry' and 'The Resistance' posters above his bed. "You like Muse?!" He found himself blurting before he could process this information. Almost everyone he knew at school had no idea who they were - too obsessed with the mainstream crap looping the charts. He'd tried to engage Louise in his obsession but she just didn't share his absolute adoration for the band and Matt Bellamy's glorious vocal range.

"Duh, they're my favourite band." Phil beamed and Dan felt a jolt in his chest. Dammit I can't not like him now. He tried to tone down his inner fanboy.

"Yeah they're cool I guess." Dan tried to pass off and Phil chuckled again. Dan was a little annoyed with how he could see right through him. "Anyway." Dan coughed, subtly admiring the other bands and TV shows that adorned his walls. God dammit does he have no faults? Dan pondered.

"Let's jump right in. Get your maths notes out." Phil instructed, settling comfortably in his desk chair. Dan sat on the bed.

He went to reach for his bag then paused. "Oh ... um ..." Dan started, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. Phil raised an eyebrow. "I um ... I don't have my notes ..." Dan admitted sheepishly. Phil stared at him incredulously, trying to process Dan's idiocy.

"You don't ... what?" Phil frowned. "Why the hell don't you have your maths notes for a maths tutoring?" Phil asked, confusion clear. Dan felt his body get hotter in embarrassment.

"W-we didn't have maths today, I didn't pack it." Dan tried to defend himself.

"Unbelievable." Phil shook his head before tossing his notes to Dan. "You can use them this time but please don't forget them again." Phil chuckled.

"Thanks." Dan muttered, trying to calm his red complexion.

"Okay, let's start with surds..."

~

"Uuuuuuuuuuugh." Dan groaned - textbook squashing his face. He was done with Maths - absolutely completely fucking done. He didn't give a shit if he failed the exam - his brain couldn't cope.

"Hush up cry baby." Phil chuckled from his desk chair. This had been happening all week - three days of tutoring and fractions and algebra and vectors and AAAAAAAAAH. Dan thought he'd explode; he was so sick of numbers he felt ill whenever he saw them.

"Can we please take a break?" Dan pleaded weakly, textbook sliding off his face as he turned to look at Phil.

"It's only been half an hour." Phil scoffed.

"Yeah out of 10 hours this week!" Dan nearly shrieked in protest. He could hardly process in class and felt tired from the evenings with Phil and his damn Algebra.

"More like 2 hours, you get distracted too easily." Phil muttered.

"Oh I'm sorry we spent the whole time talking about more interesting things!" Dan huffed, sitting up and crossing his arms at the other boy.

"I'm here to tutor you not chat with you." Phil countered.

"Sorry if I thought friends actually talked to each other." Dan snorted before pausing. Oops, had he really let that slip? Wasn't that being pushy? Shit shit shit.

"We're friends?" Phil asked with a smirk and Dan felt himself flush. Crap - he doesn't want to be friends - it was all for nothing and now he had a math-induced headache. What a waste of fucking time, honestly. He'd really liked talking about his interests too! Ungrateful Lester who didn't appreciate his efforts.

Instead of voicing these thoughts he stuttered, "W-well I-I dunno, m-maybe I thought- but maybe not I-I guess we're not- I just assumed 'cause w-we'd been talking- but whatever forget it." Shoot me and my god damn bumbling mouth. Dan thought bitterly.

Phil giggled - breaking Dan out of his depressed bubble. Honestly the guy didn't have to laugh - how could he have a 'nice guy' radar when he was such a douche? "I was just kidding Dan. I'm just a little surprised you'd label us that way after knowing each other only a few days. Then again that might be me stereotyping you again. So sorry ... again ... I guess." Phil finished sheepishly.

I take it back. He's not a douche. Dan found himself smiling. He hadn't failed; he felt so happy. He shouldn't feel that happy - it was just a step on the ladder leading to Jessica. He had enjoyed speaking to Phil though ... and they had tons in common. Come to think of it he hadn't acted like his 'normal' self like he had in school. If anything he was a completely different person around Phil which wasn't good. Being friends was good, sure, but for Phil to have so much power and blackmail over him wasn't wise when he was trying to get with his sister for admittedly selfish purposes. God Dan really was a shitty person.

"Dumbass, stop embarrassing me." Dan mumbled and Phil only grinned. Stop grinning at me you're doing weird things to my chest. And he was - Dan had noticed it every time Phil smiled or got excited with him over something; they hadn't reached Dan's anime fanboy material yet as that was one thing he was determined to keep under lock and key. No way was he risking his asshole friends finding out - his popular career would be over.

"Yeah yeah whatever." Phil dismissed. "Come on let's at least get another half an hour's study done before you give up completely." He insisted.

"Fine." Dan reluctantly agreed.

~

"Party tomorrow night Howell, you better be there." Derek instructed as the four of them left school.

Dan frowned, "You know I can't guys."

"Are you serious?!" Joe asked in irritation. "What the hell's happening to you?"

Dan scowled a little. "Hey it's your fault in the first place. I'm having to go to Lester's house every day after school for tutoring just so I can win this stupid bet. He told me if I miss one then he will stop because he doesn't put up with that shit." He retorted.

"Ugh, it can't be that bad. No one's that strict - just make up an excuse or something." Derek shrugged.

"He'll find out. Besides it's a school night - he'll definitely notice if I'm hungover tomorrow." Dan insisted.

"Then don't drink." Sam suggested.

"No point going if I can't drink." Dan grumbled, feeling frustrated. Couldn't his friends stop being peer-pressuring assholes long enough for him to just get this bet done? It was hard enough juggling two different personas.

"For god sake Howell stop being a killjoy." Derek sneered and Dan glared at him.

"Hey, it's not your money or pride on the line is it? I just need to not party until the end of the month - then I'll be back to normal." Dan explained through gritted teeth.

"It's like you're hiding who you are. Probably won't be believable to Lester if you don't slip up even once. Won't he get suspicious?" Sam asked. Dan internally groaned.

"I want to stay in his good books." Dan tried again a little desperately.

"God this bet is such a pain. You're no fun anymore." Joe rolled his eyes. "Just pay up now and let's get pissed." He added. Dan fumed.

"No, I'm not giving up ... look I'll just tell Phil I can't make it." Dan finally admitted defeat. He was slipping. He still had a reputation to uphold and although he liked being popular - the things he had to do to keep it up were starting to become an annoyance. God could his friends not fucking back off?

"That-a-boy. Don't forget the voddie alright?" Derek grinned.

"Yeah, 'course." Dan didn't sound as enthusiastic as he'd have liked.

~

'Sorry Phil, can't make it to tomorrow's tutoring session. Got plans for a family dinner - mum'll kill me if I miss. Sorry, see you Wednesday instead :)' ~ Dan

~

Dan felt like dying. He had a pounding headache and his mouth felt like cotton. Why did he always have to get shitfaced at parties?

"Last night was epic. Can't believe you made out with Joanne. What a dog!" Derek snickered and loomed over Dan's slumped being. Dan's eye twitched in irritation. He actually hadn't made out with Joanne - that's just what she told everyone after he helped her drunk self find an empty room to sleep in. He had been nothing but gentlemanly in his tipsy state but she took advantage of it. Not that Dan was going to bother to correct them. It only added to his popular image so why bother?

"Yu-huh." He added non-comittedly and glared at his friend who somehow was unaffected by hangovers despite drinking just as much, if not more than Dan.

"You look like a zombie." Joe chuckled and poked Dan's cheek that rested on the desk. Dan swatted his hand away and lifted his head up to yell. However the words caught in his throat when he saw Phil walk in and stop to stare in his direction. Dan gave a dry swallow and tried not to show how guilty he felt.

His body tensed as Phil studied his form. Once finished Phil's eyes flashed angrily before sitting down at the front - posture rigid. Dan panicked - Phil had caught him. Dan was an idiot - he should have never given into his friends. He may have just ballsed up the whole thing. Weirdly enough he wasn't even thinking of the bet. He was worrying about whether Phil would ever talk to him again and if he'd give Dan a second chance.

"Phiiiiil." Dan whined later at lunch as he followed said boy outside. "I'm really sorry, please just listen to me!"

"No Dan. I warned you that if you blew me off for some party then I wouldn't give you a second chance. I have no time for this shit and I don't care to deal with or be a part of that world." Phil snapped, picking up the pace.

"Phil I'm sorry! Really, I wasn't thinking - it's been a while and my friends were hassling me." Dan tried to explain.

"I should have known." Phil grumbled to himself. "You told me that you and your family don't get along that well, so why the hell would you cancel to have an oh-so-important family dinner?! You lied to me Dan, what further reason do I need to stop tutoring you?" Phil spat, swerving round a corner onto the green behind the school. Dan persisted.

"Please Phil, one more chance - I promise I won't fuck it up! I really need the help, I don't want to fail my class. I actually care about my grades contrary to popular belief and I've really enjoyed spending time with you." Dan urged a little desperately.

Phil scoffed, "Yeah right, you're just using me. I bet you go home and laugh about my interests with your friends afterwards. I know how people like you are Dan! All you do is manipulate."

Dan found irritation rise up before he could stop it, "People like me?! What happened to you not stereotyping people huh? Was that all a bunch of crap?" For some reason Phil seeing him as a douchebag blow-off was really annoying him. How dare Phil say that when Dan had shared quite a bit of his real self? How dare Phil throw that back in his face?

"Well you're certainly not helping me by blowing me off for a stupid party!" Phil returned angrily.

"It was a moment of weakness! My friends wouldn't stop pestering me alright?! I'm sorry I'm weak ok? I'm sorry I'm scared to lose my reputation! I'm sorry I'm too much of a coward to say what I want and act how I want! Honestly I would have rather spent last night talking to you and hanging with you than getting buggered with those assholes!" Dan burst, panting a little after his monologue. However he hadn't processed his little speech whilst it came out and paled a little at letting his true feelings through. He didn't think Phil could get to him so much.

Phil was quiet for a moment, studying Dan with a cautious gaze. "You're not a coward." he sighed after a while. "I'm sorry for stereotyping you again. I didn't know that was how you really felt." He apologised sheepishly.

Dan flushed at his words. "U-um, it's okay. I wouldn't expect you to want to understand anyway. I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or piss you off and I tried to get out of it but ... I guess I'm a bit of a push-over when it comes to that area of my life." Dan sighed, feeling exhausted from the conversation and the last dregs of a hangover.

Phil smiled a little. "It's okay Dan ... and I do like talking to you as well. I kind of forgot you're not like that all the time ... look, I'll give you another chance. If you need help blowing off your friends we can come up with an excuse together." Phil offered and Dan wanted to cry. Phil was too nice. Dan felt awful for exploiting that kindness for a bet but after that show of determination and commitment he put on for his friends about the bet, there's no way he could just give up now.

"Thanks Phil. I'm glad we're still friends. You can be- no, you are probably better company than my other friends are." Dan found himself admitting with a shy smile.

Phil blushed himself and Dan marvelled at the contrast of his rosy cheeks on porcelain skin. Honestly the happy smile that took over Phil's face made Dan all warm inside and his heart beat fast. He was starting to get attached to the loveable goofball and really didn't know what he was going to do about this bet. At this point it didn't seem worth it - not worth Jessica's affections or the money or the gloating. He really didn't want to hurt Phil ... but he couldn't not continue the bet. He wasn't ready to give up his popular pedestal. He didn't want to suffer possible ridicule from his supposed friends. He didn't want to feel like an outcast even if it was his last year of school. Phil was wrong - dan was weak and a coward.

"Well thank you Dan." Phil grinned. "You're not so bad yourself." He winked.

Dan couldn't help but want the ground to swallow him whole. He was a despicable human being. "Thanks." Dan replied with a strained guilty smile.

~

"You did WHAT?!" Louise nearly shrieked. Dan winced. He deserved the yelling though - honestly agreeing to Joe's bet was such a stupid thing to do.

"I know ... I'm the worst." Dan pouted as he was sprawled across his best friend's bed. He couldn't find the courage to tell her about the bet or Phil for the past 2 weeks and only now did he feel guilty enough to admit his shame. I'm a shitty person.

"Daniel I expected better of you!" Louise [mum] pentland scolded. "All this so you can get in someone's pants!" Louise hissed looking thoroughly displeased. Dan sat up with a scowl.

He felt his defences flare up. "I'm not doing it to get in her pants. I actually really like her. I have some morals y'know." Dan snapped and Louise scowled back. The room fell into silence, both fuming silently. Eventually Louise let out a breath and her sharp expression softened. Dan's own face relaxed in response and he flopped back down on the bed. Louise joined him shortly after, blond curls fanning across his chest.

"You do get yourself into the most ridiculous situations Howell." Louise sighed, sounding fonder than before.

"I know. I'm sorry."

~

Phil couldn't stop laughing and Dan flushed in annoyance. "Stop it." Dan grumbled, taking a sip from his milkshake. Phil's laughter only increased and he put a hand over his mouth to muffle it. "Seriously shut up you moron." Dan scowled.

"S-seriously Dan? I-in-" Phil broke into giggles again and Dan couldn't help but smile despite himself. "In his parents' bed?!" He asked incredulously, eyes shining with humour. Dan grimaced at the memory.

"I shouldn't have told you that." Dan sighed.

"Hey I shared an embarrassing memory!" Phil protested, shoulders still shaking a little with laughter. "What did you say the next morning?" He prodded.

Dan glared at him. "I just told him he should probably wash his sheets after a party." he muttered. Phil broke into laughter again and Dan couldn't help but grin at the contagiousness of it.

"Oh fuck off." Dan chuckled and looked out the window in embarrassment. Phil noticed Dan's flushed cheeks and calmed down.

"Hey sorry. It is really funny though." Phil snickered and took a sip of his own drink.

Dan huffed. "Shouldn't we be studying?" He grumbled as he flicked at the corner of his textbook.

Phil smirked, "I said that five minutes ago but you insisted I tell you an embarrassing memory."

Dan just smiled in response. It had been two weeks now of being in Phil's company. There was a week and a half left until the month was up. The thought made Dan feel sick. He really enjoyed Phil's company. He had let down his guard more and more around the other boy and found himself not minding the lack of his other friends at all. He hardly thought of Jessica - the infatuation seemed to have faded but he didn't feel disturbed by it one bit. He just enjoyed being around Phil with no barriers. He enjoyed not being an asshole and talking about things that made him feel happy and excited. He liked Phil.

And he didn't want to hurt him.

The bet was a stupid idea and Dan knew that from the beginning but at the time he had something to prove and he liked Jessica at the time. Now he didn't want to prove anything to his asshole friends and Jessica seemed long since disregarded. He just liked being with Phil and he didn't want it to end. He didn't want to hurt Phil and if Phil ever found out it would crush him.

'Just tell him the truth. It might be hard to accept at first but he deserves to hear it from you. That way he can trust that you feel badly about it and want to make up for your stupidity.'

Louise's words rattled round his brain as Phil started waffling about something else. Dan felt too scared though. He didn't want to lose what they had. If he just stopped the bet then there'd be nothing to tell, right? Right?

~

"Seriously, you're giving up already?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dan scowled, "weren't you the one telling me to just pay up and get pissed?" He handed a crumpled tenner over to Joe who looked pleased with himself.

"Yeah but I didn't take you for a quitter. Not with how sure you were that you'd win." He shrugged and took a drag of his cigarette. That was one thing that Dan refused to be a part of and he'd done a good job of evading his friends' pressure with carefully thought-through excuses.

"Yeah well, I'm sick of it. Plus I'm not really into Jessica anymore. Feels pointless." Dan tried to reason although he felt a little nauseous.

"How can you not be into Jessica?" Derek frowned, "she's the fittest girl here."

Dan swallowed the lump in his throat. "Just seems like a lot of high maintenance to me. I don't have time for that shit." God I can be an asshole.

"Probably still a good shag though." Derek smirked and high-fived Joe. Dan really hated his friends.

And he hated himself a little too.

~

"Are you ok?" Phil asked. Dan snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at the worry in his friend's blue eyes.

"Yeah. Nothing you have to worry about. Just my friends." It was only half true. He had been feeling like shit all week. He thought the guilt would go once he ended the bet but he couldn't help but feel like he was still lying to Phil. He had spent even more time with him since and found his life as a popular becoming irrelevant when he could have the security of Phil's smile. Dan felt himself getting smitten. The thought of 'tutoring' ending made him feel ill. He didn't want to go back. His mind briefly drifted to Louise once again. He'd gone to her for advice on many an occasion.

'It's not like he's going to find out Louise. Besides it's over so ...'

'That's not how it works Dan. They always find out, trust me. Just tell him!'

'I can't ... I don't want to lose him ...'

'But you will lose him if you don't tell him and he finds out. Believe me the consequences will be much worse the more you wait.'

'But ... I can't- I just ... alright-okay just ... I'll tell him but not right now. I just ... I need him. He's the only thing besides you that makes me feel happy right now ...'

'Don't wait too long Howell'

Dan knew she spoke the truth but when he pictured the look of betrayal on Phil's face he felt like throwing up. God he was fucked.

"Just know you can tell me anything Dan." Phil smiled and Dan felt his heart rate increase. This boy. "Anyway, what do you wanna watch?"

Dan spied his movie collection and felt himself yearning to watch a ghibli film considering his vast collection. He still hadn't let his weaboo side out yet but he found himself wanting to surrender himself to Phil. Wanted to be completely himself around the boy. He wanted to be as genuine as Phil.

"Um ... Howl's Moving Castle?" Dan mumbled shyly. Phil's eyes seemed to light up and Dan's breath stuttered a little.

"You like anime?" Phil beamed. God he was too good for Dan. Dan couldn't help smile at the expression.

"Y-yeah ... just don't tell anyone yeah?" Dan stuttered sheepishly.

"Oh this opens up so many avenues for conversation!" Phil cheered. "You better believe I'm going to find out all your favourite ships. God I can recommend you my favourites too! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Phil grinned.

Dan was momentarily speechless. Phil's pure reaction had him swelling with affection and he found himself wondering why he hadn't said so earlier. Phil would never judge him ... "I don't know." Dan found himself smiling.

"Well strap yourself in we're in for an anime-filled afternoon! Hey, that alliteration though!" Phil giggled and went to find the movie. Dan looked at Phil with an expression so full of fondness. He just couldn't contain how much he liked the other boy. Dan liked Phil ... maybe even love him a little. It scared Dan upon realisation but made him feel so warm inside. It was a nice feeling. He liked it. He liked Phil.

Dan couldn't stop smiling all afternoon.

~

When Phil kissed Dan, his brain short-circuited. He'd been mid-sentence when Phil suddenly put his hand on his cheek gently and fitted their lips together. They were in the park and Dan had been ranting about how his 'friends' were badgering him to go out with them. Dan had been running out of excuses and he could tell they were getting angry with him. Dan didn't really care, he wanted to cut himself off from their toxic opinions. However he couldn't help letting out his frustration to Phil.

He'd been ranting about his 'friend's' disgusting behaviour towards this gay kid in the year bellow and how no one should belittle someone for something they couldn't change about themselves. Before he could finish however, he felt the fingers glide over his cheek and then his mind went blank. This had caused him to not respond so Phil pulled away anxiously. When Dan felt the cold on his lips instead of the consuming warmth he jumped into action.

He grabbed at Phil, fingers securing around his neck and pulling him back in for a slow and heady kiss. Their lips moved enthusiastically together and Dan couldn't help feel a happiness he'd never experienced before consume him. God, this was so much better than faux popularity. So much better than getting drunk and hooking up here and there. So much better than flirty looks in the hallway and people knowing who he was. Better than everything.

They pulled away when they couldn't stop smiling against the other's mouth. Phil laughed shakily and pecked Dan's lips once more before pulling away. "I like you." Dan blurted out, brain a little muddled.

"I'd like to think so after a kiss like that." Phil smirked and Dan pouted, only encouraging Phil to go in for another, slightly hungrier kiss.

Dan was in heaven.

~

Dan was panicking.

Phil hadn't spoken to him all day. He kept rattling off excuses and avoiding him. Dan felt sick with worry and couldn't help think of all these awful scenarios. What if Phil realised how pathetic Dan was? What if he realised he could do better? What if he was just playing with Dan's feelings? What if he was a bad kisser?

Dan sat in his room, everything tearing at his stomach. He phoned Louise and she told him to calm down. She asked if Phil had found out about the bet which only made Dan feel even more panicked. He should have told Phil sooner. They'd been 'going out' for over a week now, not that anyone else knew. It had been the best time of Dan's life and he had been so caught up in the affection that he forgot all his problems and worries.

Phil hadn't talked to him since the previous afternoon before a family dinner. The guilt and worry was eating him alive. He needed to see Phil, he couldn't let him think he was using him if he did know.

And if he didn't know ...

The thought of losing Phil so soon made Dan panic. He had to tell him. He should have told him sooner. He should have ... Dan tried Phil's phone once again and was shocked to find him answer after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"PHIL!"

"Dan." Dan felt his stomach sink.

"A-are you okay? I-i just, I've been worried and ..." Dan trailed off, his voice shaky with nerves.

"I'm fine ... well I'm not but ..." He sighed on the other line.

Dan felt even worse. He needed to speak to him face-to-face. He couldn't have this conversation over the phone. He needed to see how guilty and sorry Dan felt. "C-can I come over? Please?" Dan almost begged.

There was pause. "I'm not sure ... I don't think-"

"Please Phil. I need to talk to you. Clearly I've done something to upset you. I don't ever want to do that. Let me fix whatever it is. Please, I don't ever want to hurt you." Dan found himself pleading. The silence was deafening and he only caught on to the slightly shaky breath of Phil over the phone.

"O-ok. Um, yeah."

Dan felt relief consume him. "I'll be there in ten minutes." Dan assured. Phil hummed on the other line before hanging up. Dan had never gotten ready so fast and arrived at Phil's door with two minutes to spare. His lungs burned his calves ached but it was worth it. He knocked urgently and waited impatiently. The minuted passed like hours until he finally heard footsteps.

Dan was ready to launch into apology but his words caught in his throat when he didn't find Phil at the door. Jessica stood there, eyes just as fiery as her hair. Dan was confused, but before he could comprehend her expression the door was shut firmly in his face. Dan stared in shock before feeling the dread in his stomach once again.

She knows.

She must have told Phil. Dan can only guess one of his 'friends' had let the cat out of the bag. Louise had warned him that it was inevitable. Dan should have told Phil earlier when he had the chance. "Jessica! Please! I need to talk to Phil!" Dan pleaded, knocking on the door once again.

He ceased when he heard muffled yelling on the other side of the door. Dan bit his lip, trying to calm his racing heart. He just needed to see Phil. A minute passed and the door opened once again. This time Phil stood in his pyjamas, eyes tired. If Dan hadn't had a shit-tsunami of worry raging through his mind he'd take the time to admire how adorable his boyfriend looked. If he could call him his boyfriend anymore ...

"Phil." Dan breathed, mind suddenly going blank. Phil had that affect on him, he always seemed to make Dan feel secure. Although there was underlying uneasiness, he still felt at ease. He knew he couldn't let the boy go.

"Come in." Phil sighed and opened the door further. Dan swallowed when he spotted the narrowed eyes of Jessica Lester behind him. He followed them into the living room. Luckily the parents seemed to be no where in sight. Dan kind of wished Jessica left them to talk though. As soon as he sat down, Jessica burst.

"You asshole! Who do you think you are? Playing with my brother's feelings like that? You're a selfish coward!" She shrieked. Dan shrunk into himself, tears prickling at his eyes. He felt the guilt eating him alive. The volume of her voice made him shake - he'd never been good with people shouting at him. His father had often made him cry as a result. Dan couldn't help but curl into himself a little - a habit.

Phil, although he felt angry himself, saw the way Dan flinched and knew they needed to talk privately. "Jess, please can you just let us talk?" He asked softly.

"NO! This involves me too! How dare he? He used you Phil! To get to me! How could you let him into this house?!" Jessica shouted, anger clear. Dan clutched the armrests tighter. He felt a tear escape and quickly wiped it away. He shouldn't be able to feel sorry for himself. He was an awful person.

Phil, despite himself, felt anger at his sister making Dan cry. He couldn't help it, he had feelings for the boy whether he wanted them or not. "JESSICA." He found his voice raising. "Leave or I will leave." Phil warned. Jessica looked ready to argue but bit her tongue at her brother's expression. She scoffed, glared at Dan, then left the room. Silence enveloped the room.

Dan sat there, inner turmoil clear on his face. He should have told Phil, now he's lost him forever. "I-I'm s-sorry Phil." Dan shakily let out. Phil didn't say anything, he felt defeated almost. He had given Dan the benefit of the doubt. He'd seemed so genuine. Phil never even suspected ... Well he was a little suspicious at first but Dan had been so ... real somehow. Phil didn't want to believe it. He didn't at first and considered talking to Dan about it but ... it all seemed to make sense the more he thought about it. There was no reason for Dan to approach Phil of all people. He could have chosen anyone to tutor him - there were people better at maths in their class.

He didn't want to say anything though. He didn't like being angry. He wanted an explanation. That's why he let Dan come over. He just wanted to know why. He looked Dan straight in the eyes. Continue he urged with his gaze.

Dan tried to gather his thoughts. "Yes, it started off with a bet. I was caught up in my popular bubble and let my pride get to me when Joe dared me. At first I really did fancy Jessica and felt I had to prove something. But ..." Dan stopped, swallowing the lump in his throat. He couldn't look Phil in the eye. "But ... then I got to know you and you ... you're so beautiful. You were this ball of fucking sunshine and I felt the guilt eat me alive. I approached you out of selfish reasons and I hated myself for it. I tried to convince myself that it didn't matter but the more time I spent with you, the more I found I couldn't stand to hurt you. So I paid up, I told Joe that I wouldn't go through with it - fed him some excuse. After that ..." Dan took a breath and built the courage to look Phil in the eye.

Phil felt tears reach his eyes. He could hear the pain in his voice. He was conflicted - he really like Dan. He liked the Dan he got to know. He was cute, he was shyer than he made himself out to be. He was slow to crawl out of his armour but Phil loved him all the more for it. For showing him the true Dan. He didn't want to believe it wall all a lie. He wanted to forgive him.

"After that-" Dan continued, "I spent as much time as I could with you. I liked you. I stopped lying to myself. I never felt anything close to how I feel for you with Jessica. She was a passing fancy but once I got to know you, nothing compared. You're perfect. I've been agonizing how to tell you for weeks. I know I should have told you earlier and god knows how much shit I got from Louise for waiting too long. She's right - she's always right. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you Phil and ... I ... I understand if you can't trust me anymore ... if ... if ..." Dan choked up and Phil's heart clenched. "if you don't want to see me anymore I understand ... but I don't want to stop because you've become everything Phil. I don't ..." Dan trailed off, wiping away a tear. He couldn't speak anymore.

Phil felt his own tears reach his eyes. Godammit. He thought almost angrily as he saw his boyfriend shaking, crying and almost pleading with his eyes. He knew Dan. He got to know the real Dan. Phil found himself refusing to believe it was all a lie. No matter how much it hurt to know about the bet, Phil couldn't dismiss his feelings. He didn't want to lose Dan either.

"Dan." he said hoarsely and cleared his throat. He got up and walked over to Dan who sat on the opposite couch. Dan winced and looked down at his lap in shame. Phil's heart clenched, he looked so small. He couldn't find it in himself to be angry when Dan looked so scared. He let out a sigh and knelt in front of him. He scooped the boy into his arms and squeezed him tight. Even though Dan was taller than Phil, he felt small in his embrace.

"I love you Phil, please don't leave me." Dan said shakily, arms curling round his waist. Phil felt a warmth in his chest and couldn't help smile against his shoulder.

"I'm angry at you." Phil found himself blurting out and Dan tensed and tried to pull away but Phil held tight. "But I also don't want to lose you. I was afraid that it wasn't real ... that the Dan I got to know didn't exist. I was scared to lose what we have. I'm still angry that you didn't tell me and you need to gain my trust back but ... I love you too Dan. I still want to be with you." Phil chuckled. "God you're frustrating you know that?" Phil smirked, pulling back only to press him forehead to Dan's.

Dan couldn't help but smile shakily. "I'm angry at me too. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry. Are you sure you want to be with me? You could probably do better-" Dan found himself anxiously rambling. Phil's heart clenched at Dan's self-depreciation and knew he was fucked. He couldn't be mad at Dan for more than a day. He smiled softly and kissed his boyfriend to shut him up.

Dan made a surprised sound but melted into soft lips. He felt that swell of happiness once again. He felt safe. He clutched Phil tightly, he never wanted to let go. When they pulled apart, Dan breathed against Phil's lips and looked at him with heavy lids. He couldn't help but grin. "Love you." Dan mumbled.

Phil beamed, he couldn't help it. His boyfriend was an idiot ... but he was a cute idiot. "Love you too." He gave Dan an eskimo kiss and Dan couldn't help giggle and the sound melted Phil's heart. Dan went quiet, enjoying the moment. However his brow furrowed as he let his mind wonder.

"You're sister's going to kill me isn't she?" Dan asked anxiously.

Phil laughed and hugged Dan to his chest. "I won't let her."

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

~HelloAnonymousWriter~