#yeah i was doing fucking memory of chaos and was like 'hmmm i should use DHIL for the SP usage' so i did and i was like 'fuck he sucks'

[solemntitty]

i'm not sure if i just haven't built my DHIL correctly but repeatedly my welt outdoes him in damage for considerably less skill points

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 105

Dirty ass voice actors! Yes indeed! XD

Nord VPN? Oh gods help us ... what the sweet fuck is THIS shit? Wow ... Liam, that is DISTURBING ... is that a Ferris Bueller reference, Sam? That was yet more weird shit from the most cringe of all the sponsors, definitely ... and yeah, I'm with you, Liam. That WAS unsettling ...

Marisha: "This is unhinged." Matt: "Now? Only now? To be honest I kicked it all off with dirty ass voice actors ..."

Oh yeah ... spin the bottle ... yeah ...

So ... yeah ... the cliffhanger ... so IS THIS really Liliana or not? Because we were DEEPLY suspicious ... something feels OFF ... The Shrine of Gilded Gifts? Hmmm ... DO WE believe this? Do we TRUST IT? I don't know. I don't LIKE IT, certainly ...

Wait ... the Weave Mind ARE here? "Terraforming"? Hmmmm ... I mean it makes sense, but ...

A memory? OH!!! Oh shit ... oh yeah, that makes a twisted kind of sense ... and yeah, SHE IS ridiculously OP'd ...

Okay, so if this IS real ... wow, this is SERIOUS, then ... of course SHE WOULD totally make a stand, definitely. It's for her little girl, she's definitely made it clear Imogen means more to her than anything else ...

History check? First roll of the evening ... Nat19 for a 23? ASHLEY JOHNSON ... very nice ...

The Pravienier ... interesting ... and NO, Chetney, that is NOT real Elvish ... XD ...

So, is it a trap or for real?

CAN THEY check in with Ira? I thought the connection was still TRICKY between here and Ruidus ...

"A hot spider"? Oh boy ... I mean yeah, Laudna definitely WOULD agree with that description of Ira, but still ... XD

Good point ... WHICH leyline nexus?

Recruit potential allies in the Seelie? Yeah, that has potential too ...

Whoa! There ARE Judicators here? Crazy ... that is ... a little disconcerting ... O.O

I love how Orym-wise 24 is considered LOW in Perception terms ... LOL

Okay, so ... a bit of pre-game prep, then ... hmmmm ... what to do? Yes ... work out what NOT TO SAY, definitely ... "the back door and your mom" ... yeah ...

Telepathic Bond? Smart move, Imogen ...

Taliesin: "What symbol is that?" Liam: "That's a pie." Taliesin: "Oh, that's a WHOLE pie. Now I'm hungry."

They have Monopoly in Exandria?

Is Fearne leaving her options open? That's interesting ... is it just because Braius is very large and hot? (I mean that DOES go a long way ...) Meanwhile Ashton is cracking up and I love it ... I think he's as curious as the rest of us on this, but then that's just the chaos gremlin in him ... XD "The little warrior"? Oh boy ... I mean HE IS hot too ...

Wow ... yeah, I agree ... IS THAT a redirect for Braius onto ASHTON? That should be interesting too ...

All the shippers are going INSANE right now ... LOL

Oh dear ... who was THAT sneaky individual? Could that be a problem? Apparently he looked a bit like Dorian ...

OH SHIT!!! Is it Dorian's DAD?!!!

Super fancy platinum golems? Fascinating ... OH!!! The silver dragon! Wow ... that is IMPRESSIVE ...

A tiny bit of pee comes out of Dorian when he casts See Invisibility ... O.O

Carkonos? Of the Fire Ashari! Aweome!

Athudashionus? Oh, the DRAGON?!!! Awesome name ... the whole room is Zone of Truthed? Cool ...

20 is the save to beat that shit? Crazy ... but Dorian Nat20s that shit, so ...

Thankfully, that was not Bolo ... XD

VOX MACHINA are going for the Malleus Key? Sweet! That's a potentially awesome one-shot I wouldn't mind seeing them play sometime ...

And the Mighty Nein are going after the Weave Mind ... sweet! That would ALSO be cool ... oh yeah, the Bright Queen would DEFINITELY be fully in support of THEM ... XD

Bells Hells for the final mission ... because nobody has a CLUE who THIS LOT are ... and now EVERYBODY is looking right at them ... oh boy ... O.O ... eep ...

Orym: "Time is short!" Ashton: "And so am I ... sorry, just couldn't hold it in!" Orym: "Careful, there's a lot of halflings in this room."

Oh yeah, Ashtong definitely ISN'T going to be finding it easy to hold his tongue right now in the face of THIS ... nice one, Dorian ...

Wow ... is Braius SERIOUSLY going to bluff and say he's a cleric of the Platinum Dragon? O.O ... oh fuck this is BOLD and seriously ballsy ... "and we have a guy who makes chairs" LOL ... ah yes, Seedling IS now a Vestige, after all ...

Gift of Gab? Oh dear ... that could have been so cool ... crap ... way to fumble the pass, Braius ...

Religion check ... well, I mean HE DID once serve the Platinum Dragon, so he COULD name a Saint ... come on Riegel ... The Fallen Saint? Saint Graham? Oh yes ... I mean that one DOES seem to fit with Braius' backstory ... and this boy clearly knows NO FUCKING SHAME AT ALL ...

A Deception check? Really? HOLY FUCK this is risky ... yeah, that really does sound like a HUGE FUCKING EPIC FAIL to me ... O.O ... yeah, good luck reading THAT mind, Imogen ... yeah, that sounds ... WORRYING ... hmmmmm ...

Oh, this douche is going after Laudna? SERIOUSLY?!!! You better fucking not ... but our girl is NOT one to just wither in response ... Persuasion check? Okay ... NAT20!!! IN YOUR FACE you stuck-up ASSHAT ...

Wow ... and then THE MATRON HERSELF comes to back her up? Oh that is SWEET ...

The Titans' powers? Oh boy ... Ashton KEEP YOUR FUCKING COOL right now ... oh shit ... all right then ... this might as well just fucking happen then ...

Yeah no, that was actually pretty good, actually ... Persuasion check, but using his STRENGTH modifier because it's Strength of Character ... okay then ... andc now Fearne's stepping up to back him up too ... even more okay than ... hmmmm ... O.O

And now they're just gonna do what they do, then ... Ashton is now Raging, and it's the Time-Bending thing ... oh boy ... and now he's HULKING OUT ... fuck, this is a WHOLE MESS OF CRAZY SHIT all unfolding at once right now ... wow ...

Meanwhile Fearne Flames On and does her thing too ... which is just all kinds of fucking HOT, of course ...

Now they're BOTH making Persuasion checks ... but VERY MUCH with advantage, then ... oof ... Ashley just COMPLETELY fucked THAT roll ... but at least Tal managed to hold up HIS end ...

So ... did that work? It's unclear ... ummmmm ... O.O

Fuck ... come on, Dorian ... get it together ... you're COOL ... and you're like VERY MUCH the heart of this crew ... YES!!! Use your words! Bard it up!

Oh, is he gonna GENUINELY Bard it up right now? YES!!! Do that! Express yourself THROUGH SONG!!! Oh ... oh, yeah, that's pretty impressive too ... that's really cool ... Coriolus? The great Equine Dragon? Sweet!

Liam: "Orym totally blue-screens." I fucking BET HE DOES ...

And now it's Chetney's turn ... oh boy ... well, he DOES have a long memory, I'll give him that ... maybe you should just WOLF OUT ... "tiny sexy breath" ... dear gods ... yeah, that's right. That's right, he DOES wolf out ... perfect ...

All that and Travis rolls a 12 on his Persuasion check ... oof ... Laura: "But it was so good!"

Come on Kiki ... bring it home for them all ...

Whoa ... a whole bunch of big fancy titles ... and yeah, OF COURSE the Saviour Blade makes his mistress DAMN FUCKING PROUD ...

Does anybody challenge? Oh fuck ... this could still go SO BAD ... O.O

Whoa ... so they actually PULLED THAT OFF?!!! Thank fuck for that ... I'm fucking DEAD y'all ...

Oh that musical cue was VERY WELL TIMED, Matthew Mercer ...

Fuck ... is Chetney a father? Is THAT what the fuck is happening right now? Bloody hell ... XD

And here comes Dorian's daddy, just as we expected ... AND NOW Mercer chooses to call it a break? YOU MONSTER!!!

"Bronte" ... oh yeah, I had all but forgotten Dorian's real name ... I still MUCH prefer Dorian Storm, though ...

Oh, I really don't like the way he said "it is your nature" ... that sounded all kinds of judgy and disapproving in THE WORST of ways ...

Fuck ... this just got unexpectedly emotional ... and doeshe even KNOW about their loss yet? I wonder how Dorian's even going to BROACH that subject ...

Shit ... he just dropped it ... he got angry and he DROPPED that bombshell ... meanwhile I can already see EXACTLY what his father's REALLY thinking, what he's gonna say ... yeah, I guess THAT ONE right on the nose ...

Honestly, I don't think Dorian REALLY needs to make an Insight check even if the Zone of Truth IS still up ... that sounded very honest to me and he IS a parent and he is going to play it AS SAFE AS HE POSSIBLY CAN ...

The sword? Holy shit ... his father's most holy ceremonial blade ... that is RIDICULOUSLY generous ... Gambolcleft the Vortex Blade? Holy shit ... sexy sexy scimitar ... very nice ...

Dorian (giving up the Gambler's Blade in return): "Here, a drunk old man who died while pissing gave this to me."

The acceptance Dorian's been chasing his whole life? Wow ... that was awkward and I was NOT fully convinced he was REALLY entirely selfless there, but still ... it was BLOODY EMOTIONAL too ...

Meanwhile with Chetney's Maybe Baby ... oh, so he's JUST A FAN ... Matt Mercver you FUCKING GIT ... that was SO MEAN ... I love that ... XD

Scalebearer Waylon ... hmmmm ... he's adorable, I swear ...

"THE C-POPPERS"?!!! Holy shit ... Chetney has a bona fide FANDOM ... I am DYING AGAIN I swear ... LOL

Oh wow Imogen ... poor sweet Imogen just got COMPLETELY BLANKED ... oof ...

Highbearer Vord comes to speak with Braius ... oh, this could be fucking awkward ... O.O

The Platinum House in Zadash ... ah crap ... here we go ... WHOA, he still has his old PD symbol? That's kinda heartbreaking ...

PIKE has come to his defence? Oh my sweet Lil' Monstah! We love you SO MUCH you darling wee lass! That's my girl! :3

Essentially he's just getting A PASS. That'll probably have to do ... wait ... is he getting an ACTUAL ARMOUR UPGRADE?!!! Holy fuck ... O.O ... bloody hell, this is some LEGACY SHIT right now ... Truthbearer? SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT ... O.O

Taliesin "He made the gift of a holy relic like an epic burn." Yeah, the Highbearer is kind of being a bit of a troll right now even in his grace and I love it ...

Shit ... that's a LONG PAPER too ...

Laudna wants to go with Chetney to see his fanboy's impressive collection of C-Pop Industries works ... wow ... this is gonna be a fucking TRIP ...

"How much Orym LOVES Dorian" ... Liam O'Brian out here feeding us more crumbs right now ... the slowburn game is FIERCE right now, damn it ... AND the wee man is swooning over the silver fox, too ... XD

Awwwww ... Ashton and Dorian are so sweet ... Ashton: "Stay soft. We need it. We lost ours." :3

Keyleth is being really kind to Imogen too ... and now she's letting HER know the truth about her mother in return ... yeah ... I mean if ANYONE can be understanding about THAT it's the Voice ... and now Imogen's just UNLOADING EVERYTHING to her ... wow ...

Keyleth: "Do you trust her?" OH BOY ...

Oh shit ... so Keyleth HASN'T talked to the other members of Vox Machina about this shit yet? FUCK ... that's ... BOLD ...

Still in full-blown FIRE GOD FORM, Fearne is now passed out in a chair ... O.O

I love how they were expecting another Keyfish there ... LOL ... that PERFECTLY derailed the moment, guys ...

So we have A WEEK to make arrangements ... okay ... so what to do, then?

Matt makes Laura do a random D20 roll ... what's THAT FOR, Mercer? I don't trust you at all ...

Yes. Ira for the Fey Realm shit. And Nana Mori. Very smart ...

Liam! Stop looking at other characters on your iPad right now!

Chetney, what are you doing? Nat19 on a Persuasion check? Nice ... he is a SNARKY LITTLE SHIT, this guard ... but that SEEMS to have worked ... an audience with the Bright Queen, then. DO NOT lose your head, Chet, I know she's a hottie ...

Oh, she is a TRICKY one. I love that ... XD ... Marisha: "Are you gonna fuck the Bright Queen?" Travis (as Chetney): "Who says I haven't already?" Matt: "She does."

Aha ... so she might still be willing to help ASHTON in this, at least ... okay ... oh, so ... is she trying to get Chetney to BETRAY Ashton instead? Fuck ... O.O

Liam: "That woman could dropkick you through time." Travis: "I'm well aware of that."

Full-on GOD MODE kiss between the two titans ... and Ashton takes SEVEN POINTS of Fire damage ... XD

Now ASHTON'S going to talk to the Bright Queen ... this will be interesting ...

"The smallest bead of light" ... ooooh, okay ... and it sounds like Ashton could actually PUNCH A WHOLE IN REALITY if he really tried ... wow ...

Chetney: "Is my calendar clear?" Ashton: "Is you collander what?"

Going after Waylon, then ... meanwhile Fearne is trying to establish if this is, in fact, A RUSE ... OH!!! WHISPERS!!! Nice ... I wonder where THAT'S going ...

This tiny wee man is TOO CUTE ... he's like A TOTAL NERD ... and now he's geeking out over the toys Chet made for the others ... a "macabre twist"? Oh my gods ... LOL

The "Chateau de C-Pop" ... oh boy ...

Holy fuck it's REAL. This kid is a MEGAFAN ... this is levels of nerd reserved for the genuine obssessive LUNATICS among fandom ... I would not be surprised if this guy has his own late mother stuffed in a rocking chair down in the cellar ... likely a rocking chair created by Chet himself ...

The safe ... of the safe ... that's the best of all ... and the egg ... sweet fuck what is THIS mad shit? O.O Oh my fucking GODS that is pretty fricking AWESOME actually ... Chetney you are a fucking GENIUS ...

THERE IS ANOTHER ... oh my fucking gods ... LOL

"An apprentice?" Waylon FAINTS. Of course he does ...

I'm sorry ... HOW MUCH?!!! O.O

Are there any fakes? Oh wow ... I am INTRIGUED ... where the fuck is this going? A perception check? Oh boy ...

Drixlitch ... GRRRRRRRRRRRR ...

Fuck ... Chetney MADE FUCKING BEDS ... this is getting truly BIZARRE ...

Chetney: "I create ... because I am." AGAIN. I'M FUCKING DYING. XD

POP-CON?!!! Dear fucking gods ...

Wow ... Braius just made it truly surreal ... I am now truly DEAD again ...

D&Dbay? Fuck ... XD

Matt: "And ... THAT is where we're gonna call it a night." Fuck ... that is just TOO MUCH for one night ...

Travis: "If we stay here ... what if I die in my sleep?"

[phantom-curve]

Happy 2nd Borthday!! From your prompt list, 24 or 29 for Willex? AU your choice.

Thank you! So, I somehow managed to combine both of these prompts and it may or may not be absolute chaos. Inspired by the time my husband told me he learned to take my tickle aversion seriously after I full on kicked him in the balls, please enjoy ticklish Alex and regretful Willie, set in a high school AU where everyone is alive!

#24: whispering in their ear, lips touching skin & #29: tickling the other one (Rated T for language)

So, it probably hadn’t been the smartest choice to let Willie know just how ticklish he was. Usually, Alex kept that little tidbit to himself as long as he possibly could. Maybe it was because Luke, Reggie, and Bobby had figured it out in third grade and continued to use it to their advantage every chance they got. Maybe it was because his dad always told him that real men weren’t ticklish. Whatever the reason, Alex didn’t typically share how ridiculously sensitive to tickling he was unless he absolutely had to. And right now, he was desperately wishing he hadn’t ever told Willie about it. Because what he had also neglected to tell Willie, was exactly how violently he reacted to tickling. And not in a cute way, but in an actual I will seriously hurt you way.

Which was why Willie was currently rolling around the floor of the Molina’s studio, curled in on himself, moaning in pain.

“Willie?! Oh my God, I am so sorry!”

Alex wanted nothing more than to reach out to comfort the other boy but given the fact that he had just elbowed him full force directly below the belt, it didn’t really feel like his comfort would be appreciated. Willie didn’t respond with much more than a quiet groan and Alex’s guilt grew exponentially.

“Okay, okay, I’m gonna...I’m gonna go grab some ice and I’ll be right back!”

He fled from the studio before Willie had a chance to respond, tearing up the path from the studio to the Molina’s house as if his feet were on fire. Julie, bent over a Calculus book with Luke hovering distractedly at her side, raised a judgmental brow as he burst into the kitchen.

“Aren’t you supposed to be having your little study date out in the studio? Where’s Willie?”

“Hmmm, yeah, yes, I am, but uhhhh, I need some ice.”

Alex had already stuck his head in the freezer, rummaging past bagged tamales left by Tía to hunt down the ice pack he knew was lurking somewhere within the frozen depths. Luke chuckled loudly from his spot at the breakfast bar.

“What gives, dude? Did you try and impress him with your mad drum skills and accidentally chuck a drumstick at his head because you were so distracted by his beauty?”

Alex pulled his head from the ice box to stick his tongue out in Luke’s direction.

“No. Not all of us fuck up playing just because the object of our affection happens to smile at us.”

Luke’s cheeks turned a bright red and Alex silently applauded his victory. Luke hadn’t managed to properly play through the bridge of Finally Free once since Julie had started sharing the mic with him during it. Take that Biceps McSleeveless. Julie rolled her eyes, oblivious as always to the underhanded barbs passed between the boys.

“Okay, so, why are you suddenly pawing through my freezer like you’re searching for Narnia? And, again, where’s Willie?”

Alex felt his own cheeks warm to match Luke’s. It wasn’t really worth lying about, even if it meant accepting a certain amount of ribbing from Luke in the aftermath.

“I, uhhh, might have maybe told Willie about how ticklish I am? And I might have maybe hit him in the balls when he tried to test just exactly what I meant??”

Julie, to her credit, maintained a strict poker face. Luke, on the other hand, lost his shit completely, falling off the stool as he laughed his goddamn ass off at Alex’s misfortune.

“It’s not my fault!” Alex tried to protest. “I told him I couldn’t be held accountable for my reactions when I was tickled! I just...didn’t tell him that my reaction might be no holds barred violence? Fuck he’s never gonna go on an actual date with me now.”

Alex felt his shoulders slump, the shame weighing heavy on his conscience. If only he could be like the other boys, normal and not so ticklish that he completely blanked and went into fight or flight mode with his dial always turned to fight. Things had been going so well before the whole tickle incident too! Willie had been kind and patient with Alex as they worked their way through a series of physics questions in his homework. At one point Alex had even sworn that Willie got so close Alex could practically feel his breath along his neck, the atmosphere shifting into a kind of charged tension as Willie whispered directions for solving the problem right into Alex’s ear. Just the thought of Willie’s lips against the skin of his neck had Alex feeling a bizarre mix of hot and cold all over. He shivered at the memory, and then remembered he was standing in front of the open freezer door. Julie squeezed in next to him, grabbing an ice pack from one of the shelves and pressing it into Alex’s hand.

“Lex, breathe, okay? Willie probably feels just as bad for tickling you in the first place. You were as honest as you needed to be about that and he’s probably kicking himself for pushing past your boundaries.”

“Right, yeah, okay? Right? Like...we can both be at fault here, yeah? I can just...go apologize and give him the ice and everything will be okay, right?”

“Right,” Julie agreed, guiding Alex back towards the back door and shooting Luke a death glare as he rolled around the kitchen floor still laughing. “Just...go apologize and see what happens. It’s not the end of the world.”

“Okay...okay,” Alex nodded. “Not the end of the world. I fucking ball racked the dude I’ve had a crush on for months but it’s not the end of the world. Yeah. Okay.”

Julie nodded and practically shoved Alex down the path back to the studio before closing the door behind him, the lock clicking into place as a clear indicator that she would not be letting him back inside before he dealt with this. Alex tripped his way down to the studio and took a deep breath to steel himself before wrenching the garage doors open and slipping back inside. Willie had managed to move from the floor to the couch, though he was still half folded over in pain. Alex offered him the ice pack with a sheepish smile.

“I’m uhhh really fucking sorry about that. I didn’t...I should have warned you that when I said I was really ticklish I actually meant ‘don’t tickle me unless you want to be violently assaulted.’”

Willie looked up at him through his long, messy brown locks, taking the ice pack with a kind of dignity Alex only wished he could fake right then. And then, he smiled, actually fucking smiled, like everything was fine.

“Don’t worry about it, dude. I shouldn’t have tried to test it. You told me you were ticklish, and I should have left it at that. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Made me...made me uncomfortable? Willie, I fucking elbowed you in the...!”

Alex gestured helplessly and then realized exactly what he was doing and let out a high-pitched whine of embarrassment. Willie giggled softly.

“I mean, I was kind of asking for it. You have a right to react like that when someone touches you in a way that you don’t like. I’m just mostly sorry that I took advantage of you like that. I swear that was not how I pictured our first date going.”

Alex’s brain short circuited. Nothing but a blank blue screen as Willie’s words repeated in his mind endlessly: first date first date first date.

“This was a date?”

Not the best line, but could Alex really be blamed for such a lame response when his brain wasn’t actually properly working anymore?

“I mean...yeah I was kind of hoping it was?”

Willie laughed quietly, only a small bit of awkwardness tinging his tone.

“No, no...I mean, yeah! I...I also wanted it to be a date...if that’s...cool with you?”

Look, Alex had never claimed to be smooth. Socially awkward and anxious, yes. Smooth? Hell no. Willie stood, stepping close to Alex until the scent of his coconut shampoo tickled Alex’s nose. He dropped the ice pack to the floor with a plop, reaching up to move an errant strand of hair out of Alex’s face with ice cold fingers. Alex felt frozen to the spot, especially as Willie leaned in close, just like before, so that Alex could feel his hot breath across his neck, his words floating through the small space to twist themselves into Alex’s ear.

“Hey Alex, wanna go on a date with me?”

Alex stuttered for a short second, desperately searching for the only acceptable words to answer a question like that.

“Yes...yeah...yes, definitely.”

Willie laughed again and Alex could swear he felt the way the other boy’s lips quirked into a smile against his skin.

“Awesome. I promise not to tickle you this time.”

Send me prompts for my second birthday!

[kyouxa]

Diabolik lovers Chaos Lineage: Kou Mukami (Story 06)

In terms of the gameplay: The black choices lead up to a bad ending, the white choices lead up to a good ending. Please no reposting onto other sites, ask me before translating this into another language too! If you enjoy these translations, please consider supporting me on ko-fi.

Place: Violet mansion — Kou’s bedroom

Yui: ….., Nn...

???: Fufu, how adorable...

Yui: (..... ? What exactly is touching me like that? It feels as if I’m being gently patted… fufu, and it tickles a bit too…)

...Nn, …..

*Yui opens eyes*

Yui: ...Eh? Kou… kun… ?

Kou: Good morning, Yui. I’m sorry, did I wake you up?

Yui: No, it’s okay...

(Kou-kun, he usually has troubles waking up earlier, so why is he up before me… ?)

When did you wake up?

Kou: Hmmm, a little while ago, I think?

Yui: If that’s so, I’d be really happy if you wake me up next time then...

Kou: Ehh, but if I do that, I won’t be able to look at your sleeping face.

It was even more fun watching your drool dribble down your face.

Yui: M-My drool!?

(Of all things he had to see, why was it that… !?)

Kou: Haha, you don’t have to wipe your face, it’s okay. I was just messing with you.

Yui: Eh, you were lying… ? But, Kou-kun!

Kou: Sorry, Sorry, I thought that you’d make a really cute expression if I made fun of it.

But… being able to see my M Neko-chan angry is also quite cute, isn’t it?

Yui: Nn...

(It’s so unfair if he shows me such an affectionate smile while saying these types of things. I can’t get mad if he does things like this)

...Now, now, that’s enough.

Kou: Fufu, thanks.

...Ah, I almost forgot to do this. Good morning… mwah.

*Kou kisses Yui*

Yui: Nn… Good morning, Kou-kun.

Kou: It’s been such a long time since I’ve been this carefree.

It’s also one of the nicest feelings waking up with my beloved M Neko-chan in my arms. I guess true happiness really is as simple as that, right?

Yui: Yes...

Kou: ...I wish this here would be the same as in the Mukami house though.

Yui: Eh?

Kou: I just remembered Ruki-kun and the others for a moment right now.

How Yuma-kun takes care of his herb garden, how Ruki-kun made breakfast for me every morning, and how Azusa-kun came to call us to eat...

And how you kept asking to help out changing my clothes.

I know it probably hasn’t been that long since I last saw them like that, but it does feel as if that’s been ages ago...

*Kou hugs Yui*

Kou: ...I really desperately want every day to be like this again.

Yui: Me too. Let’s go back to the Mukami mansion together soon.

(I want us to continuously immerse in those happy memories… but I can’t even do anything about this for now)

(But we have to hold onto those feelings and memories we have)

*Kou stands up*

Kou: Well, even if it’s okay to go home, there are many problems for the time being.

Yui: That’s sadly true. After all we don’t even know where exactly this place is...

And on top of that, everyone has messed up memories and they’re fighting against each other.

Kou: That’s right. Say, M Neko-chan, what do you think we should do now?

Yui: What should we do from now on, you ask?

Choices

1) Put an end to their fighting (black)

2) Try to regain everyone’s memories (white)♡♡♡

— Put an end to their fighting

Yui: I think it’s best to stop them from fighting first. Someone might end up getting hurt again if we don’t do so...

Kou: Stop them from fighting, huh… ? As long as they only remember that one needs to be chosen as the supreme ruler, they won’t stop so easily.

Yui: Hmm, is it possible for us to somehow deny that those memories are right?

I mean, Kou-kun and Azusa-kun… you both also ended up regaining your memories, right? So there has to be a possibility too, right?

— Try to regain everyone’s memories♡

Yui: What about regaining everyone’s memories first? I’m sure there has to be a way to make them remember.

I mean, Kou-kun and Azusa-kun ended up getting their memories back as well.

Kou: It’s surely true that if everyone would remember themselves, this story would be done really quick.

end Choices

Kou: Memories, huh. Memories, Memories… hmmm, how can we get them to remember them?

Yui: I mean, me, Kou-kun and Azusa-kun ended up getting them back. So what do those three people have in common...

(The time it happened at doesn’t matter, right? If you ate or drank something before perhaps… ?)

Kou: Hmm… it’s no use, I can’t think of anything at all!

Haa… at times like those, I wish Ruki-kun would be here.

Yui: Ruki-kun… ? Ah, maybe I have an idea!

You and Azusa-kun both regained your memories while being attacked by Ruki-kun, isn’t that right? And I remembered while my blood was being sucked by you for the first time again.

So maybe it takes a big shock for someone to regain their memories?

Kou: Maybe that’s really the case after all! I was really shocked seeing Ruki-kun’s threatening appearance like that.

It’s definitely worth a try then, right? Alright, let’s try this method on someone we’re close to in this mansion!

Yui: Eh? I-I guess we could do that.

Kou: Well then, now that we’ve decided what to do, we should prepare it right away.

Yui: (Say, Kou-kun, what exactly are we going to do?)

Place: Violet mansion — Corridor

Subaru: …..

Kou: Subaru-kun is here! Are you ready?

Yui: Y-Yeah… but, do we really have to do this?

Kou: Of course! It might be a little of a drastic measure, but this is Subaru-kun after all.

It’s without fail one of the best decisions to have Subaru-kun regain his memories instead of anyone else first.

*footsteps approach*

Kou: He’s coming closer! M Neko-chan, we’ll pull the rope all together when I give you the signal.

...Now! Go!

Yui: (Subaru-kun, I’m so sorry!)

Subaru: Hgah!?

Kou: Hooray, we caught him!

Yui: Y-Yes… we really ended up hitting his head...

Subaru: That hurts… who the fuck!?

Kou: Subaru-kun, do you remember now!?

Subaru: Hah?

Kou: Hey, Hey, do you remember anything? About the Sakamaki mansion or something maybe?

Subaru: What the heck are you talking about… wait, so you were the ones setting this rope up from the very beginning!?

Kou: Crap, he’s really angry! M Neko-chan, let’s run for it!

Yui: E-Ehhhh!?

Subaru: Hey, wait! Don’t fuck around like that!!

Place: Violet mansion — Kou’s bedroom

Kou: Haa, Haa… Ahh, that scared me. I didn’t think he’d get that angry at us...

And here I thought the shock treatment that comes from something falling down on him works, but I guess it didn’t turn as expected.

Okay, then let’s try out our next method!

Yui: (I can’t help but wonder if what we’re doing is really okay…)

Place: Violet mansion — Corridor

Subaru: Tch, just what the fuck did they want to achieve with that?

Kou: …..

Yui: (Subaru-kun doesn’t seem to notice that Kou-kun is approaching him from behind…)

Kou: ...Hyah!

*Kou hits Subaru*

Subaru: Ngh…—

Yui: (Yikes, that gave off a sound. Subaru-kun is holding his head in pain…)

U-Ummm… Subaru-kun...

Kou: Subaru-kun, how about now!?

Subaru: Not you guys doing this bullshit on me again!? What even is this shit about!?

Kou: Uwah, we failed again! Umm, see ya!

*time passes*

Subaru: …..

Yui: ...Subaru-kun, he looks quite cautious now.

(I mean, of course he’ll start becoming vigilant after this type of thing happens twice in a row)

Kou: I hope it will work out this time...

Subaru: Those guys are… nowhere to be seen around here, I think. For real, why do I have such a hard time returning to my room…

*Water drops on Subaru*

Subaru: Gah… !?

Kou: Hooray, we did it!

Yui: (Ah, Subaru-kun is now completely soaked in water because of the bucket that dropped on him…)

Subaru: And of course it’s you guys again… I’m dripping wet because of the bullshit you pulled on me again!

*Subaru punches wall*

Yui: Uwah!

(H-He punched the wall with his bare fist… ! He must be absurdly angry!!)

Kou: Crap! M Neko-chan, come here!

Subaru: Tch, just what is their goal… !?

Place: Violet mansion — Kou’s bedroom

Kou: Hmm, seems as if the shock treatment is way more complicated than we thought it would be, right?

Yui: Aren’t we just being violent rather than giving him shock therapy at this point… ?

Kou: But we can’t give up like that now. We need to do our best for Subaru-kun’s sake!

Yui: (Oh dear, I wonder if that’s okay...)

Place: Violet mansion — Living room

Kou: Subaru-kun~ ♪

Subaru: ...Did you come here to do something to me again!?

Kou: No, No! We’re really sorry about what happened earlier! We’re really regretting what we did, so we thought we should properly apologize to Subaru-kun.

Subaru: What did you do this shit for in the first place?

Kou: M Neko-chan, you can bring it in!

Subaru: Don’t ignore my question like that!!

Yui: Yes, here it is. I prepared quite a lot, so make sure to eat as much as you can, okay?

Subaru: Nn… this smell...

Isn’t this a garlic dish!? Why do you even bother handing me one of the worst dishes as an apology anyway!?

Kou: Now, Now. You might get surprised how good it tastes if you try it, don’t you think?

And as a special deal, I’ll be the one feeding you today♪ Say, aah.

Subaru: I’m not gonna eat that shit!

Kou: And how you’ll eat that! C’mere!

*Kou forces him to eat*

Subaru: Ngah...

Kou: M Neko-chan put a bunch of love into making that dish for you, so the least you can do is eat it all up, right? Open up!

Subaru: Mgh, Ngh...

Kou: And? Wasn’t that delicious?

Subaru: Nn, ...Nn…. Nn...

Yui: (Oh no, Subaru-kun has tears in his eyes…)

Subaru: ...Nn, bwahh… Haa, Haa… I somehow managed to swallow it… fuck, that damn garlic… !

Kou: Subaru-kun! Did you remember something now… ?

Subaru: How am I supposed to know!?

*Subaru punches chair*

Yui: Kyaaa!? Please calm down, otherwise the chair might break!

Kou: Ehh, was this really useless too? I thought it would surely work out like this.

Subaru: What were you two doing this in the first place!? You’re not doing this because of anything dumb now, are you!?

*Subaru hits wall*

Kou: Woah! D-Don’t just hit the wall. We only did this for Subaru-kun’s sake.

Subaru: Hah!?

Yui: (His dreadful voice is surely making a stir! It’s not good to make so much noise!)

Both of you, please calm down! If you keep making this much noise—

*footsteps approach*

Yui: ...Ah… those footsteps are...

Kou: Somehow, I have a really bad feeling about this...

Subaru: Hey… this is all just because of you...

Kou: F-For the time being, why don’t we turn around…. one, two, go!

*they turn around*

Carla: ...You all, what is this mess about?

Place: Violet mansion — Dungeon 

Carla: You shall reflect on your actions here.

*Carla leaves*

Kou: W-Wait, Carla-kun!? You know that you didn’t have to lock me up in a place like this...

Carla-kun, wait a second!

*door closes*

Yui: He left…

Subaru: Damn, why am I even here...

Kou: And you still don’t remember anything, Subaru-kun? Even though the both of us worked so persuasively on it.

Subaru: You two were literally dragging me into this malicious bullshit!

Kou: But we were not screwing around, we had a purpose for doing that!

Hey, remember already. We were so close to each other, you know!

Subaru: Just what the frick are you talking about!?

Kou: Ughh, why can’t you remember already!? You’re such an idiot!!

Subaru: You shut up!

Yui: (And once again another dispute began. At this rate, I don’t think we can restore his memories anymore…)

Monologue

—Then, only a few hours later.

Our saviour, Azusa-kun, came back from his reconnaissance and quickly noticed the situation.

After Azusa-kun then suddenly appeared, he hurried over in order to talk things over with Carla-san.

Until Azusa-kun came to open up the prison’s lock with a key, we were held captive.

Place: Scarlet mansion — Living room

Yuma: Tch…

(Reiji that bastard, I’m still waiting for him to give me new orders)

(This is probably part of his strategie, but those tactics don’t seem to fit his usual nature whatsoever)

Ahh… I’m kinda getting annoyed…

Fuck… ! Hey, Shu. I’m going out for a walk for a few minutes!

Shu: Do whatever you want… fwah… 

*Shu yawns*

[themonkeycabal]

Wandavision Ep 6 Spoilers

No really, spoilers. 

Previously on Wandavision — Wanda told SWORD to shove their drones right straight up their asses, Vision woke up to the reality that his utopian sitcom life was in fact a dystopian hellscape, their children were extremely creepy, and Agnes was being bizarre as hell and super sus. In the real world, Acting Director Dick was a dick, and Darcy and Jimmy welcomed Monica into their sciencey weird-crime-fighting team. Monica also mentioned an aerospace engineer she knows, which some suggest may be the first mention of Reed Richards in the MCU. I have conflicted feelings about the Fantastic Four. Mostly I never liked them. But, I'm open to revising my opinion.

Oh, and also X-Men 'Verse Pietro showed up suddenly and that was fun.

Anyway. the roommate and I tried to sort out a timeline — so Monica unBlips and goes back to work at SWORD three weeks later. AD Dick tells us Wanda stole Vision's body nine days previously. That means, just three weeks ago Wanda was in the middle of a battle, lost her boyfriend, was Snapped, was then unsnapped to fall right into the middle of another battle. Lost THREE additional teammates. And then sometime in the following week found out a shady government agency had Vision's body and she probably went "OH HELL NO". Because that's what I would say. So she goes to SWORD, dents a few doors, takes Vision's body and swans off to New Jersey. Look, she's been through a hell of a lot in the last couple weeks, is what I'm saying. I don't blame her a tiny bit. But, also, I don't think she's entirely behind this.

10-year old boy plus video camera = the 90s. Obnoxious opening credits. But, you know, I kind of liked them (as a one off). WAYYY better than last week's.

It's Halloween, and *sigh* Billy is breaking the fourth wall and narrating to the camera. There's childish twin bickering as you expect, Tommy's the wild and crazy twin, and Billy's the buttoned up twin. And Pietro is passed out on the couch at 4 in the afternoon. Living his best life. He teasingly scares the boys, chases them around, and there's awkward child acting.

Wanda comes down the stairs in the classic Scarlet Witch costume, and says she's a Sokovian Fortune Teller. Sokovia was more wild than I realized.

Genuinely funny flashback to Wanda and Pietro trick-or-treating in Sokovia as kids, 'the year we got typhus'. lol. Was it the fish that gave them typhus? Or was that just a special treat? Wanda doubts this version of events, and Pietro suggests she suppressed the memory due to the trauma. This gives Billy the chance to tell the camera that mom's been weird since uncle Pietro turned up to crash on their couch.

Next it's Vision's turn to appear in the classic Vision costume. Yikes. Wanda thanks him for humoring her, and he says there were no other clothes in his closet and they have a very weird second where he's not playing along and she's not sure what to do, and then he breaks into sitcom character says something about "just kidding, i know how much you love mexican wrestling" like it's a luchador costume, and then there's some super weird flirting. TMI you two.

Meanwhile, Pietro is a large child and the kids love him, of course. So there's that.

Back to Wanda and Vision, she's ready to take the kids out trick-or-treating, but Vision says he can't go, he's on the neighborhood watch and must patrol the streets ever-vigilant for wild gangs of child hooligans who might TP trees. He's gone off-script and it takes Wanda a second to figure out how to play this. She says it's the boys' first Halloween so he has to be there. Pietro breaks up the almost argument and says he can be a father figure-type and he'll help with the boys. Vision's still pretty off-script but Wanda doesn't fight it but looks uncertain, and he goes off to protect the night — or early afternoon.

Pietro is a child hooligan and wants to go do hooligany things with the kids. Wanda says he doesn't have a costume and he grabs Billy and they speed off only to return dressed in classic Quicksilver duds. Well, cheap-looking, thrown together Quicksilver duds. I laughed. The hair. lol. Good one.

Outside in the real world. The Hex field is still kind of glowing red and making bad force field noises. It only started doing that when Wanda got pissed in the last ep. Oh, goody, it's Acting Director Dick. I've learned his name is Hayward. I don't care.

Blah blah Stompy Mc-I'm-In-Charge blah. Monica is not pleased about the whole trying to kill Wanda with a missile while she was talking to her plan. AD Dick just says "now we know who we're dealing with". Um … what? You tried to kill her and her response was to tell you to go away. Yeah, boy, she's a monster.

Darcy is there to helpfully remind AD Dick that Wanda made him look like the fool he is. ILU girl. "Hey, there he is; the guy who almost got murdered by his own murder squad." Jimmy just makes a 'i'm so disappointed in you and your choices' face at him in the background.

I despise characters like Hayward. They are so tedious. Narratively they are there to incite conflict, but given the situation conflict naturally exists, surely there are other ways to bring up/drive that tension without the trope of the government heavy ready to solve the problem with the most extreme amount of force available to him. OH no! Our plucky heroes will have to find a way to save the day and fight the Man! Can they do it? Boring. It's too bad General Talbot went insane and then died; he could probably give tips on How Not To Be That Guy.

Anyway

Hayward wants to know if Darcy works for him and she's like "dunno my dude", Monica claims her, AD Dick says "which one of you is the sassy best friend" and Jimmy's like, that is quite enough Acting Director Not Very Nice Man. "There's no time to diminish your colleagues when you're about to start a war you can't win." AD Dick just wants to take out Wanda so the whole nightmare ends. Monica's like um, we literally do not know what's going on. Like, for real we have no clue. So that might not, in fact, end the nightmare, Director Murder Britches.

They argue a lot and Director Dick goes off the rails. Dude's like more unhinged than seems warranted. Unless he's just so embarrassed that he pissed himself when Wanda returned his murder drone to him, he's decided SHE MUST BE DESTROYED FOR THE GOOD OF … NEW JERSEY AND MY SOILED UNDERWEAR OR SOMETHING. 

"Captain Rambeau, you are an impediment to this mission!" Oh no! He's gonna tell her all about how hard it was to survive in a post-blip world, all those lucky blipped don't know what it was like! You just can't understand! Monica tells him not to use that as an excuse to be a coward. I'm so bored with this scene. Let me guess, the trio will have to go behind his back to save the day.

"Maybe it's a good thing you weren't here with your mother died. Because, clearly you don't have the stomach for this job." … non-sequitur much? Or is he saying she would have inherited the Director-ship (which should probably not be how that sort of agency works, let's be real). Is this scene five hours long, or does it just feel that way?

The Dick banishes the trio from his base.

"Hayward is way over-stepping his provisional authority". Jimmy Woo, you're so great. Monica says he's up to something. Yeah a tactical nuke and murder. Clearly he doesn't want to actually solve the problem, he just wants the problem to go away with a big show of macho explosions and whatnot. I suspect he might be in over his head, like he was not meant to be Acting Director, let alone Director. Also, he's a boring cliche stereotype and I loathe it.

JIMMY! I legit did not see that coming. He just pure hauls off and clocks one of the soldiers escorting them off the base, to a transport truck or something. Monica seems just as surprised for a second but then she's like "hell yeah!" and jumps in. Darcy sort of stands back and watches. lol. "Why didn't anyone tell me the plan?"

Oh look, it's my shipping container! They put the soldiers in there. Guys, it was for Hayward. Come on.

The trio disguise themselves with ponchos, which is a big step up from the usual MCU disguise of "baseball hat". That was a good bit in Ant-man and the Wasp "it's not a disguise, it just looks like us at a baseball game" (I watched that like last week. I missed Luis). Anyway …

Back in the sitcom world. The kids are ready for their early afternoon trick-or-treating. They're still talking to the camera. It's so awkward. I'm not a fan. I get it's meant to reproduce the very 90s Nick-era sitcoms and so, you know, it's spot on. Still, though.

Pietro is encouraging and supportive. "Unleash hell, demon spawn!"

Dang there are a lot of kids in that neighborhood. Wasn't Vision wondering last episode why there weren't any kids? Is the program correcting itself?

Wanda tries to test Pietro, asking him about some kid at an orphanage when they were kids. Pietro calls her on it, and says he knows he looks different. Wanda wants to know why that is. He says, "You tell me. I mean, if I found shangra-la, I wouldn't want to be reminded of the past, either." Hmm.

The kids speed off with uncle Pietro. Wanda wanders over to talk to neighbor Herb, who has a g-man earbud in and is clearly part of the neighborhood watch. In the background Pietro is stealing all the candy and smashing pumpkins and spraying the place with silly string. The hijinks are so wacky. Wanda tells Herb maybe Vision can help out with the chaos, and Herb says Vision isn't on duty. Oh no, he lied to her!

Herb goes weird "is there something I can do for you, Wanda? Do you want something changed?" Hmmm.

Elsewhere Vision is wandering the wild streets of Westview. He finds people caught in some type of weird decorating loop, the woman seems trapped but aware.

Commercial time!  What the fuck was that. "Yo-magic! The snack for survivors." No, really, what the fuck.

Night has fallen, the twins and the twins walk the streets. Wanda's making the boys give back all the candy they stole. She says Pietro is a bad influence. He says "I'm just trying to do my part, kay? Come to town unexpectedly, create tension with the brother-in-law, stir up trouble with the rugrats, and ultimately give you grief. I mean, that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"What happened to your accent?"

"What happened to yours? Details are fuzzy, man. I got shot like a chump in the street for no reason." AHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHA! no really AHAHAHAHAAH! Thank you, Pietro! Holy shit, perfect. That's some delicious shade. I expect to see this gif'd fifteen different ways when I load tumblr today.

"Next thing I know, I heard you calling me. I knew you needed me."

The kids interrupt. And now all of a sudden Tommy can zoom. Character development!

Everyone is so careful to give Wanda what she wants. Why? She's not cruel. Who wants to keep her pacified? And whoever it is cannot possibly be pleased with AD Dick messing things up. Assuming it's an outside or outside-ish force/entity, of course. I mean, I don't think she's doing this entirely, she might be the battery powering it, but despite her thing last episode to get SWORD to leave her alone, she does seem a little confused about the where, why, and how things are going.

"Don't go past Ellis Avenue." Just a kid thing or a boundary of the sitcom control world?

In the real world, our heroes are sneaking through a tent city and into the server room. The scene with Pietro and Wanda discussing his accent is playing in the background. Darcy seems put-out that Pietro was recast. lol. "He brought the wrong face."

Darcy hacks into Hayward's devices. "Hayward figured out a way to look through the boundary." "And he didn't share it with the group." I don't like Hayward. 

Something is blipping on the map on the computer. Jimmy asks if it's Wanda, but Darcy says "it's tracking the decay signature of vibranium". So Vision. Monica wants to know why Hayward is tracking Vision. Well, I'd super like to know what SWORD was doing with Vision in the first place, because they weren't just storing him, they were doing something. So …

Jimmy notices that there are other dots, the ones closest to Vision, who are other residents. Jimmy says the ones near the edge of town are barely moving.

Back to Vision. He's found a cul-de-sac to patrol. Everybody's frozen in place, the street lights flicker. Eerie. They're all dressed for Halloween. Does this mean the field is shrinking, or the effects spreading and so it's closing in, slowing and then freezing people who were earlier moving about just fine? Vision is unaffected by this whatever it is. He turns himself into himself and flies off, up above the town. part of the town is dark, and part alive with voices and laughter.

He spots a car at the edge of town. It's Agnes. She seems frozen-ish, but when he asks what she's doing there, she says "Town Square Scare. Where is it?" all robotic like. Vision helpfully tries to give directions. lol. "Took a wrong turn, got lost" she says.

Vision touches her head and she wakes up. "You! You're one of the Avengers. You're Vision. Are you here to help us?" "I am Vision. I do want to help. But, what's an Avenger?"

Hmm. Well, I guess he did say last week that he couldn't remember anything before Westview.

"Am I dead?" she asks. "No, why would you think that?" "Because you are."

What was news coverage after the Snap like, do you suppose? I mean, ridiculous, of course. But, like, I think they had bigger problems then wondering about snapped/dead Avengers, didn't they? Well, maybe not. "WHERE ARE AVENGERS TO HELP US?" or "HOW DARE THE AVENGERS NOT HELP US!" "TOTALLY THIS IS ON THE AVENGERS!" "WE'D ALL BE DEAD WITHOUT THE AVENGERS!" "NUHUH! BOO AVENGERS!" "EXCEPT VISION WHO DIED HEROICALLY, WE ALL LIKE THAT AVENGER!" "TONY STARK AND PEPPER POTTS SHARE THE DECORATING TIPS THAT TRANSFORMED THEIR RUSTIC RESTORATION PROJECT INTO A CHARMING FAMILY HOME".

Agnes starts screaming "Dead" at Vision. She's not coping well. Vision says he's going to try and reach outside town and try to figure this all out. "How? No one leaves. Wanda won't even let us think about it." I SUSPECT YOU, AGNES! Why would Wanda keep everybody trapped and miserable? I could see if she did it on accident, but this implies she's purposefully hurting people. I don't buy it. Agnes, again, seems to be in the right place at the right time to make Vision doubt Wanda. You're a very suspicious character, Agnes.  

She starts to laugh. "All is lost." Vision touches her had and she resets to sitcom Agnes. Somehow she can move again, she turns the car around on Ellis Ave and heads back into town. So, that answers that.

Vision walks across the Eillis Ave to the field beyond.

Meanwhile, Darcy continues to hack. Monica gets a text and says "that's it! My way back into the Hex will be here in an hour." Jimmy's all ready to boost a ride to take her to meet her aerospace buddy. But, Darcy says, nope. Can't do it. Monica's been through the Hex twice, and it's rewritten her cells. "It's changing you." Monica is undaunted. "I know what Wanda's feeling and I won't stop until I help her." Alrighty then.

Jimmy's finally going to get to hotwire a car! But wait, Darcy's not going with them. AD Dick has something hidden behind one last firewall. Darcy thinks it's big and can help them. She's going to find it.

I don't think Jimmy had to hotwire that humvee. It just started right up. Motorpool, pfft - they always leave the keys.

Back in Westview. Halloween continues at Town Square. Pietro asks Wanda where she was hiding all those kids. Whu? Says Wanda. "I assume they were all just sleeping peacefully in their beds. No need to traumatize beyond the occasional holiday cameo, amiright?" What is Pietro. "Hey don't get me wrong, you've handled the ethical considerations of this scenario as best you could. Families and couples stay together. Most personalities aren't far from what's underneath. People got better jobs. Better haircuts for sure."

"You don't think it's wrong?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm impressed. It's a pretty big leap from giving people nightmares and shooting red wigglywoos out your hands." No, really, what is Pietro? "How'd you even do all this?" Hmmm.

"I don't know how I did it. I only remember feeling completely alone. Empty. Just endless nothingness." She looks back at Pietro and for a second he's dead Pietro. Poor Wanda.

Darcy continues to hack Hayward's systems. Cataract classified weapons something something. They're still tracking Vision. Who continues his walk across the field and comes to the hex. He tries to push through it. Looks painful. SWORD rolls out to go overreact at him. He makes it through the barrier, kind of. It's a struggle.

Hayward standing there looking like a jackass "he really does want out, doesn't he?" Like he’s just amused by this turn of events, or watching a lab rat try to get out of the lab. 

Darcy's standing behind watching all of this. Bits of Vision sort of fly off and back into the Hex. Darcy says "oh no!" and runs towards him, screaming for them to help him. Way to give away your sneaky hiding, girlfriend.

In Westview. Billy looks up, he can hear what's going on outside. "I hear daddy in my head. He's in trouble."

Vision calls for help, while SWORD prioritizes arresting Darcy. Phil Coulson would never have behaved like this. Boo to SWORD. Vision is dissolving. It's kind of gross and sad.

Wanda asks where Vision is, and Pietro interrupts "Don't sweat it, sis. It's not like your dead husband can die twice." Wanda wallops him with some red wigglywoos.

Billy sees soldiers and thinks Vision is dying. Wanda stops everything and makes a big red boom. The Hex appears to be expanding. Whoops, now you've done it AD Dick. He runs away like the brave brave guy he is. They leave Darcy handcuffed to a jeep. "Are you serious right now?"

The Hex overtakes Vision and then Darcy. Trapped soldiers become clowns, and we're in the circus. Well, SWORD seems like a circus, so Wanda's not wrong. I'm pretty sure Jimmy and Monica made it, but sadly the bravest Director who ever braved also escaped. He deserved to be a circus clown. Better luck next week, Wanda.

Credits.

Well, I just don't know anymore.

Hayward doesn't care about Wanda, except where I think because of this someone will figure out what he was doing to Vision's body. And Vision is ultimately the thing he cares about in all this. I hope Wanda drops a house on him.

Hmmm.

Quit suggesting I watch Age of Ultron next, Disney. It’s not happening. 

[writehardwhumpharder]

Drugging Carson for fun - Carson series

(I decided to just start using the titles for works that I put on my notes lol)

Also on Ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/27982710

Carson stared at the small vial on the table in front of him, "you're kidding, right?"

Riley's expression didn't change, "it only works on magicians."

"Still I'm not gonna drink some un-tested, maybe poisonous material just for you to 'see what happens'," Carson said, pushing the vial away defiantly. Morris folded his hands over his desk in thought. "Are you really on board with this?" He asked him.

"Look, Carson, it is proven to be completely safe and could be a major help to the case. The longer this goes unsolved, the more people die." Morris said.

"Or, it could be a major waste of time. I've done the whole psychic vision thing and it sucks." Carson said, crossing his arms. He was starting to get the feeling they were taking advantage of his lack of self-preservation instincts. Some small part of him saw the vial of mystery drugs as a sort of challenge, but he's trying not to let that part get the better of him.

"We'll compensate you well if you do this," Riley interjected from where she sat perched on the arm of Morris's couch.

"I've got money. Pass."

Riley and Morris still didn't appear to be giving up. They really thought that this little stunt would somehow help them solve the case, that's just how desperate they'd gotten. "Carson, I know it'll be unpleasant but you'll be absolutely fine and it could be really helpful." Said Riley. She was using that coercive voice that always rubbed Carson the wrong way.

Finally, he sighed and gave up a little bit of his resolve, "Fine, tell me more about it and I'll think about it."

Riley launched into an explanation,"Ok so we've seized samples of this drug at four different locations now where gangs of magic-users," Carson cleared his throat purposefully, "gangs of magicians are known to operate. A few officers have given detailed reports of magicians they've encountered while using the drug. We're not sure yet if it's recreational or if it poses some kind of advantage. We're hoping to figure that out. If magicians can use this substance to strengthen themselves and become more dangerous, we need to know."

"Or it could be some dumb party drug that plays with senses only magicians have," Carson suggested.

"Such as?"

"Magical energy is visible to us if we use our senses properly. It's always there but if you really look you can see each grain of energy. They're colorful, kind of tingles a bit if you touch it. I'm not sure exactly what other people see because I'm different. I see people's souls, their life energy, and the traces of it they leave behind. You can also kind of use it to spot magicians because magic will cling to them, unlike regular people."

"Hmm, if what you say is true..."

"Which it is," Carson interjected.

"...Then it could potentially be used as an advantage. We won't really know though until we have more data." Morris said.

Carson sighed and rubbed at his face, "I still don't like the sound of this. I'm not doing it."

"Umm," Riley said.

"What?"

"It's a little late for that."

Carson's eyes widened in anger, "what the fuck did you do?!"

"I had a feeling it would be hard to convince you so I might have just put a few drops into your coffee when you came in. Just a few drops, it probably won't even have an effect."

"And you let her do that?" He turned to the man sitting across from him.

Morris practically growled at her, "You'll have to excuse my junior detective. She gets a little ahead of herself," he said through clenched teeth.

"No, no, no...I didn't sign up for this," Carson gripped the arms of his chair like he was afraid it might just up and fly away.

"Riley, close the blinds please," he told her. She hopped up from the couch immediately and covered the window of his office, blocking it off from the rest of the station. "Maybe you should make yourself comfortable on the couch." He offered.

Carson eyed the leather couch longingly, "how could I possibly do that if I don't have legs?"

Morris blinked, "you what?"

"What?" Carson repeated cluelessly.

"Nevermind." He sighed then picked up a notepad off his desk, angrily scribbling something down. "There, just so I don't forget." He said with fake cheer as he slapped it onto his computer screen. Fire Officer Miller.

"Hey!" she protested.

Morris shot her a positively murderous glare which shut her up right away. "Help me with him."

Stepping around his desk, he approached Carson calmly and carefully. He tapped Carson's pant leg. "Feel that?"

"Yeah," Carson answered. "That's your left leg." He informed him. Carson's eyes widened in surprise as Morris proceeded to tap his other leg. "And that?"

"Mhmm."

"That's your right leg." Carson wiggled his toes experimentally as if he didn't entirely believe him.

"Doesn't that couch look comfortable? Wouldn't you rather sit there?" He asked slowly. Carson seemed to think about it for a second letting his glazed-over eyes trail across the leather sofa.

"Okay."

Together they got him on his feet and guided him over to the couch so that he was lying across it. Though she didn't express it, the guilt was obvious on Riley's face at what she had done.

"I really thought a couple drops wouldn't do anything..."

"Well, you thought wrong. You better hope he doesn't sue you when he sobers up later." Morris said seriously.

With Carson safely on the couch, they both breathed a sigh of relief and took a step back. He looked mostly okay except for his pupils which seemed a bit off.

"Now what?" She asked.

"Don't look at me. You did this."

Carson lifted one of his arms to swat at the air, smiling as he caught whatever it was that he saw there. "It's always so colorful. I wish I could look at the magic all the time." He mumbled.

"What kind of magic?" Morris asked.

"Hmmm, it's just traces of this or that. A little bit of me, a little bit of you. Time has a way of shedding human souls, bit by bit, until you die."

"Well that's pleasant," he grumbled, leaning back in his desk chair. This really wasn't how he planned to spend his day. Being the lead detective did come with some responsibilities he needed to tend to. In the back of his mind he reaffirmed his decision not to have kids, these two idiots were enough to deal with already. Following that train of thought he grabbed another sticky note and jotted something down about buying more hair dye for the grey hair this would inevitably give him.

Carson was oddly quiet, kind of in his own little world. So far nothing bad had happened. He just laid there looking stoned out of his mind. Half an hour passed before Carson sat up abruptly, looking around the corners of the room for something.

"What's wrong?" Riley asked.

"Pictures," Carson mumbled. "They just..." he grabbed his head in discomfort, "ugh."

"Does it hurt?" Morris asked, sounding concerned.

"It always hurts." A tiny trail of blood dripped down his nose which Riley stopped with a tissue before it could make a mess. Carson shoved her away, taking the tissue to hold for himself. He's had enough nosebleeds that even in this state he had the sense to dab it clean. Riley tried not to look offended as she rubbed at her forearm where he had pushed her. Despite sitting right in front of him, Carson didn't seem to be fully aware that Riley and Morris were even there, choosing instead to stare off into space, occasionally blinking or shaking his head. Riley wondered if this is what it would look like if he had visions while awake, minus the usual seizing.

"Even if he figures something out with this drug, it won't be of any use if he doesn't remember any of this." Morris commented to himself.

"I never forget," Carson responded, surprising them both when he suddenly acknowledged that they were there. There was a spark of lucidity in his eyes as he looked between them. It didn't last long though…

"How long does this usually last?" Asked Riley.

"It's barely been an hour, don't tell me you're bored already." He clipped, still irritated that she would go behind his back to do something as reckless as this. "Could last all day, we don't know much about it."

"All day?" Carson whimpered as he brought his legs up onto the couch so that he could curl into a little ball.

"It'll probably get worse too." Morris deadpanned. A small sound of fear escaped him as he started to twitch with nerves. They hadn't given much thought to how this drug might affect him differently than other magicians. While it might give them more raw power to fight with, his powers were more mental, more unique. The drug seemed to have more of an effect on his psychic abilities. Honestly, it was terrifying, there was no telling what might happen. Carson tried to keep it together and stay calm but it was a struggle just to sort out what was real. His vision was clouded by magic that swirled around the room, thrumming with life. That part wasn't so bad... It was the flashes, disorganized chaos of faces and memories and facts.

A steady hum rose in his ears like the chattering of a hundred voices. If he concentrated on picking out a singular voice he could catch little phrases. Just mundane thoughts like "I'm gonna be late to lunch", or "Maybe I should have brought a jacket today."

He looked straight ahead at Riley. "Why do his eyes look like that? Fuck, I'm in so much trouble. How was I supposed to know how potent this shit was? Maybe it's stronger because he's such a lightweight."

Carson wanted to refute that last part but it was true. No point in denying it. He turned his head to Morris who was attempting to get some paperwork done. "What am I gonna do with her? If she takes risks like that in the field someone could get seriously hurt. Maybe if someone slipped her some LSD she'd think twice about these things. Ah geez, now he's looking at me. Can he even see me?"

"I can see you," Carson said quietly.

Morris froze, not immediately making the connection that he was answering a question out loud that he had asked in his head. It sounded like just another disassociated comment. "What?"

"Just... I can see you." He clarified.

"Okay," said Riley, looking confused. "What's going on in there?" She asked.

"Lots of things. Lots of voices. Nothing very important. Not about..." Carson trailed off, forgetting why he even took the drug in the first place, "not about the case," he said finally.

"Like what?"

"The reception lady is wondering if she has time to go to her favorite sandwich place on her lunch break. And the guy at the desk is wondering if her tits are real."

"Wow, alright. Let's try to filter some of that out." Morris suggested.

"It seems like the drug really can amplify a person's magic. I mean, you can't read minds all the time right...?" Riley asked.

Carson abruptly stopped shaking his knee and looked at her, "Isn't this dangerous? I mean, who knows what could happen?" He asked. She shrugged, unable to answer either of those questions. They were really in the dark here. Riley felt a pang of sympathy. He seemed so out of it. She really thought that it wouldn't do anything in such a small amount. She watched as the blood suddenly drained from his face. It was scary how fast his skin turned white, even pulling any color he had in his lips. "What if He comes?" He asked suddenly. His tone was sincere, not scared, but concerned. He was actually glad that Morris knew about his secret in that moment.

"He's not going to come here. I'm sure He has more important things to do right? It's silly to worry about it," he said comfortingly. The logic was sound, but Carson was still paralyzed with fear.

"But what if I summon Him accidentally? I might not be able to control it," he said.

Morris was really getting nervous now. Carson was a bomb that could blow at any time. He had a feeling that there was much, much more to his magic than any of them knew. Suddenly jumping back, Carson went a shade paler, resembling more of a corpse now than a human. He shrank into the corner of the sofa. "...Do you see it?" His voice was barely audible. They both whipped their heads in the direction that Carson was looking. At first, it appeared empty, but there was something unsettling about it. Something you feel rather than see. After a few moments, they realized what they were looking at. The shadow in the corner was moving. It swirled and grew, and traveled like smoke. There was darkness there. More than there should be.

"O-Oh my god..." Riley stuttered. She fell back into the chair in front of Morris's desk. Morris perked up in his seat and leaned in toward Carson, time for damage control. His instincts told him that he needed to calm him down and fast. "Carson, look at me, there is nothing there. You are in control of what you do. I know you are scared right now. Just take a deep breath, I think I know something that could help."

Carson's eyes softened slightly, "what is it?" He was eager to put hope into whatever Morris was suggesting.

The older man turned in his chair and opened the lower-most drawer in his cabinet. In it was a half-empty bottle of whiskey and under that, a neatly folded blanket. He pulled out the blanket and closed the drawer. "Here, it's clean." He spread it over Carson. The change was immediate. He let his head fall back into the couch and pulled the blanket up to his face. He was right, it was clean. He could smell the laundry detergent on it, it smelled kind of like the brand Daniel uses. Riley and Morris both discreetly glanced into the corner to find that it had settled down. Morris sighed with relief. "That's better, isn't it?" He asked Carson, who didn't respond at first but ended up giving a tiny nod. Despite being calmer he was still pale and visibly shaking. "Rest for a while. I'm going to try to get a little paperwork done."

To their surprise, Carson agreed easily, closing his eyes. It made him feel like everything was normal and he could just take a nap. It wouldn't take long though before Carson would regret falling asleep…

Since Carson seemed to doze off almost immediately, Riley and Morris assumed they were in the clear. About ten blissful and uneventful minutes later, he stirred.

"Unngghh," he groaned miserably.

"What?" Riley turned to him but he was still asleep. He looked uncomfortable, in pain almost. She leaned forward to have a better look at him.

"Just leave him alone," Morris told her.

"What do you think he's thinking about right now?" Riley asked him curiously.

"Jesus Riley, where is your common sense? Look at him, you want to know what's going on in his head? I can almost guarantee it would scar your naive, little mind for the rest of your life." He was angry. She shrunk under his gaze. Now that Carson was asleep it was as good a time as any to start discussing her punishment. He peeled one of the sticky notes off his computer screen, the one that said Fire Officer Miller. He set it down so Riley could see it.

"You're not really going to fire me, are you?" She asked.

"I could. I have every reason to. The forms are right here actually," he pulled a folder out of one of his desk drawers threateningly. "Please don't... The reports said that magicians usually took a whole vial at once. Three drops are next to nothing," she reasoned. "If I didn't do this he might have taken the whole thing, then what would have happened?"

Damn her, she had a point. Without this little experiment of hers, they would have assumed he should try to normal dosage, and judging by the effect it has had on Carson so far, a whole vial could be catastrophic. Morris paled visibly, "I'd really like to make it through the day without having to evacuate the entire block."

He tapped the edge of the folder on his desk, lost in thought although Riley assumed he was still trying to send her a message. "Please don't fire me, it won't happen again."

"Damn right it won't. I'm thinking... three weeks suspension should be enough time for you to think about your actions. Unpaid. And I want a one-page essay on how you can be a better detective, every day until the suspension is over." Morris said.

Riley frowned, "You want 21 one page essays?"

"Did I say one page? I meant three."

Riley pulled at her hair in frustration, "Fine, fine. I'll do it. But what about the upcoming field test next week? Can I still take that? The next chance to do it would be three months from now..."

"Oh darn, guess you'll have to wait," Morris said with absolutely no sympathy for her. Riley knew better than to keep begging him. He'd just tack on more and more to her suspension if she continued to protest. "Over 60 pages of writing, that's twice as long as my thesis paper," she mumbled to herself quietly.

"If you don't want to do it, you could always quit. I have forms for that too," he told her.

"Aren't you being too mean?" She whined.

Morris groaned internally. Riley tested every last shred of patience he had on a daily basis but in some twisted way, each mistake she made just made him want to help her more. He sighed, "It's my job to train you to be a detective. If you're not ready for that responsibility, then you're not ready, end of story." Carson continued to stir every minute or so but he still looked more comfortable than he did when he was awake.

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He found himself in the middle of a dream. As was typical of dreams, his surroundings didn't quite make sense and he seemed to fall into it at a completely random point with no idea how it all started. He sat up, realizing he was still on the couch in Morris's office only, it wasn't Morris's office. It wasn't even the same couch. This one was a beige tweed fabric, a stark contrast to the neat, leather sofa Morris had. Carson planted his feet on the floor noticing that that was different too. Most of the station had replaced all carpeting with tiles but here the floor was covered with a very dark green carpet that looked like it belonged in a movie theater.

A chill ran down his spine as he exited the small office, stepping into the open station. It was quieter than he'd ever seen it. Every single desk was empty and only half the lights were on. They seemed to be leading him somewhere. Carson walked through the dimly lit section of the station that took him towards the hallway that the break room was in. The whole place looked unsettling but Carson wasn't scared. He had that disassociated feeling that came with dreams, reassuring him that nothing he was seeing was real.

Carson walked slowly, he peered into some of the rooms in the hallway but they were all dark so he moved on from them. An overhead light flickered to life, illuminating a sign that said "Interrogation rooms" Carson had been down this hallway once before but everything was subtly different. For example, he didn't remember there being a door at the very end of the hallway. A distant memory provided him with the image of a potted plant, maybe a drinking fountain there, but not a door. And surely it was no coincidence that that was the only one with a strip of light shining out from underneath. He proceeded to the interrogation room, not once questioning what might be inside. As soon as he opened the door and crossed the threshold the light in the room got brighter, blinding him for a moment. When he blinked his vision clear he had magically jumped from the doorway to the table where he sat, handcuffed to one side, with a strange man sitting at the other.

"Sure took you long enough to get here, Carson," he said. His voice was deep and raspy. The man wore a police uniform but something told him he wasn’t a cop.

"How do you know my name?" Carson asked.

"I've been waiting for you to join me for a very long time."

Fear pulsed through Carson's veins at the sound of his voice. Every word out of the man's mouth felt like a wet tongue gliding over his ear. He wanted to brush it away but his hands were cuffed to the table. Which was also something that couldn’t be a coincidence.

"What side are you on?" Carson asked weakly.

"Yours, of course." The man smiled, flashing a set of yellowed teeth.

Carson shivered and squirmed in his seat. The light above them flickered and he swore he saw the man tense.  He started talking again, more urgently now. "All I want is for our people to be free. Don't you want that, Carson? Don't you want to be able to use your magic in any way you please? Is that not our right?" He bombarded him with questions. The light flickered again. He was running out of time.

"Promise me that when the time comes, you'll be on our side. Promise me!" He stood up, showing his full height. Carson cringed, seeing he was well over 6ft tall. There was something very wrong and twisted about that image. It looked like his spine had been stretched out to an inhuman length and as he leaned over the table, his arms stretched out as well, curling like tentacles. At some point this dream had become a nightmare and Carson wasn’t even sure when. Hands came to wind around his neck, squeezing his windpipe like a snake constricting its prey. Carson kicked and thrashed, trying to free his hands but it was no use. The strength was too much to overcome. He knew that immediately. 'I'm going to die, I'm really going to die like this... His mind repeated as his body struggled. Then suddenly the light went out and the room was filled with darkness. Carson felt a cold rush of air as the pressure finally eased up on his throat. He knew this darkness of course, it was Death. He should have been scared yet he felt so, so relieved by its presence.

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Carson gasped, his eyes snapping open. At first, he had no idea where he was. His vision was swimming and there were hands on him, belonging to more than one person. When his vision cleared he could make out Riley and Morris hovering over him. They breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh god," Morris breathed, "if we didn't get your hands away you would have killed yourself."

Carson coughed harshly, turning away from them slightly. "What... what are you talking about?" He rubbed at his sore neck, making Morris flinch, thinking he might start choking again.

"One second you were asleep, the next you were strangling yourself. I was about to call in more officers to come hold you down because you wouldn't let go." Morris explained.

"Why would I do that?"

"You tell me."

"There was a man, he was… I woke up in your office, except it wasn’t your office and…” Carson said, not making any sense. He started to sit up, slowly piecing things together. Without any warning he threw himself onto the floor, scratching at the carpet, "it was green. I swear it was."

"What was green? The carpet?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, dark green."

"Might have been back when I first started working here about 20 years ago." Morris added. If that detail of the dream was real, what else was? Carson stood up and walked out of the office before either of them could stop him. Carson ignored everyone else as he retraced his steps. He headed straight for the interrogation rooms. Riley practically had to run to catch up with him. She bumped into another officer on her way, barely mumbling an apology as she continued after Carson who she found standing where the hallway forked, leading to other rooms and offices.

"What the hell are you looking for?" She asked.

"It was right there," he pointed at the blank wall at the end of the hallway. His memory had been spot on in that there really were a couple of potted plants and a drinking fountain there. Certainly no door. "What does it mean? It was right there."

"Come on, let's go back," she pulled on his arm to urge him to follow her but to her surprise, Carson fell straight into her.

"Oof," she nearly lost her balance but managed to get one of his arms over her shoulder so she could haul him back to Morris's office. Riley locked the door behind them.

"Well?" Morris asked.

"I think he's lost his mind," she said breathing heavily.

"Maybe not. I called Janice and she emailed me this picture of the station in the late ‘90s."

Riley walked around his desk to get a look at the computer. "That's green alright."

Carson sank back into the couch shakily. Adrenaline had cleared his mind for a moment but as his heart rate went down, the hazy effects of the drug returned. He couldn't get those images out of his head. Who was that? How did he know him? Carson tipped over onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt like he was on a psychic carousel that never stopped spinning. The input going through his head varied from being debilitating to being more of an itch in his mind that he couldn't scratch. If he tuned into it and really listened, it was still there, all the voices and thoughts and memories of everyone nearby. All he could do now was pray that they would go away after the drug wore off.

[tournesolia]

Chaos Lineage Kanato Chapter 11 Translation

Place : Dungeon

Yui : (Ayato-kun and Laito-kun regained their memories thanks to Kanato-kun...)

*Laito unlocks the door

Laito : Here you go, get out before Carla and the others notice

Yui : Thank you, Laito-kun

Laito : We're no longer enemies after all

Ayato : Anyway, why is Yours Truly having such a bad time ? What the fuck happened ?

Laito : Beats me. Isn't it another prank from someone who has bad taste ?

More importantly, this current situation where we kill each other is a nuisance, don't you think ?

I don't want to get involved into such a meaningless battle

Kanato : Agreed

Yui : What should we do ? There's no way we can just beat our opponent, right ?

We have to recover everyone's memories and go back where we belong

Ayato : You wanna discuss with them ? So annoying

Kanato : If we track down each one of them, we might find someone who knows about our situation

Laito : Won't we have the misfortune of getting killed while we're doing that ?

Ayato : Who cares ? I won't hold back in that case

Yui : I don't want this, if possible. I would like everyone to return safely where they belong, by any means

Kanato : You could say that but, depending on the situation, you can't say such sweet things

Laito : That's right. It would be pointless if you get killed while you're saying “Regain your memories !”, you know ?

Ayato : Hey, don't you have another idea that'd get the Great Me more motivated ?

You too, Laito. Stop grinning and share an idea !

Laito : You're as nonsensical as ever, Ayato-kun

Don't be so bossy when you can't think of anything other than fighting

Kanato : You guys are being noisy. None of you is useful if you can't give a decent opinion

Ayato : Tch

Laito : What a ruthless Kanato-kun

Ah~ah, Reiji used to do this kind of intellectual work until now

It's annoying when he's here, but it's inconvenient when he's not here

Yui : Reiji-san...

(I can understand how stronger they realize Reiji-san's value in such a situation, but...)

(He's still the eldest son of another house. He hasn't regained his memories...)

We can't even seek Reiji-san's help in our current situation

Ayato : Then, how about kidnapping Reiji and make him obey us ?

Laito : Ayato-kun, how stupid can you be ?

Doing that won't solve anything if Reiji's memories don't return

Kanato : Aaah geez, please cut it out !

You're just completely useless. Can't this conversation be a little productive !?

Ayato : Oh, shut up. You don't share any great ideas either, so we aren't the only ones useless

Kanato : I recovered your memories, didn't I !? I worked more than enough !

Yui : Shhhh ! You have to be quiet, don't speak so loud

Laito : Indeed. It seems I forgot we're still in enemy territory

*footsteps approaching

Laito : Ah~ah, looks like people are coming right after your warning

Azusa : Eve... got caught... That's good

Kou : Yup. We should make a banquet tonight to celebrate ! Subaru-kun really did his best ~...

Azusa : Ah... Kanato-san, Ayato-san... and Eve got out of jail...

Kou : Eh !? You're right ! Did they break the prison door ?

Azusa : This is a... serious situation, right... ?

Kou : Yeah. We have to let Carla-kun know ! Let's go, Azusa-kun

Azusa : Y-Yeah...

Kou : Laito-kun ! Keep watch so they don't go anywhere !

*Kou and Azusa leave

Yui : (This is bad... ! They noticed us !)

Kanato : Those annoyances just keep coming one after another

Ayato : It ain't time to say such careless shit. Let's get out of here before those guys come back

Yui : He's right. We have to escape at any rate

Laito : Agreed. But to be honest, I wish we could bring back Subaru-kun's memories and take him with us...

Ayato : We don't have any more time for that

Laito : Indeed. If we get caught by Carla, we're done for

Kanato : Carla... It's one of the First Bloods, right ? Completely troublesome

Laito : For now, you guys should get out of here first without me

Yui : Eeeh... !!? What are you going to do, Laito-kun ?

Laito : Are you worried about me ? I'm so happy

But it's okay. They still think of me as their brother so I'll go back and try to buy some time

Ayato : True. Looks like they think you're still on their side

Kanato : But then, when will you plan to run away ?

Laito : Oh ? It's unusual that you worry about me, Kanato-kun

Kanato : Please don't say such gross things. I just don't want you to create extra work for us later

Laito : Well, I'll work something out. I'll catch up with you without fail. So come on, go ahead

Yui : (I see... Since it's Laito-kun, everything will go well, right ?)

Alright ! Thank you, Laito-kun

Scene change : Violet mansion – Corridor

Laito : … With this, the three of them escaped. Next, how about I come back to the Violets with a scratch on my cheek, and pretend to be beaten... ?

Carla : Laito, what are you doing in this emergency ?

Laito : Ah, Carla, listen to that. I tried so hard to not let Eve escape, but...

I wasn't able to contain her at all. Sorry ?

Carla : I see. Do you intend to play the innocent until the end ?

Laito : … Eh ?

Carla : Don't tell me you were so foolish to think your act would go unnoticed

Kou : Did you seriously think you could deceive us with such a lie ?

You pretented to be our ally that time at the dungeon, while in truth, we clearly noticed. So we appeared to you as companions

And then we went to call Carla-kun and told him “The traitor amongst the Violet brothers is coming”

Laito : Hmmm, I see

Azusa : Will you quietly... surrender... ?

Laito : Hmm, there's no way I can do that !

*Laito runs away

Azusa : Ah, he ran away...

Carla : Go after him

Kou : Okay !

*Kou and Azusa run after Laito

Laito : How did they see through me ? Oh well, it was bound to happen

Anyway, Kanato-kun and the others must have escaped safely so I just have to join them next...

I've got no choice but break throught the window in this situation !

*Laito escapes through the window

Carla : Hmph, so he escaped through the window. How far is he going to be evasive... ?

Scene change : Forest

Yui : Haa... Haa... Haa...

(We managed to escape thanks to Laito-kun. I hope he can join us sooner or later)

(Until then, we have to find clues in order to get out of here...!)

*they keep running and some time passes

Yui : Haa... Haa... Haa... Kof, kof

(It's becoming hard for me... But I don't want to drag Kanato-kun and Ayato-kun down. I have to do my best)

Kanato : You seem to suffer a lot, are you okay ?

Yui : N-No. I'm fine... !

Kanato : Are you telling me a lie ? You don't look fine. Let's take a break

Ayato : … Can't be helped

Yui : I'm sorry. We were supposed to flee as fast as possible, and yet...

Kanato : It's fine. When necessity arises, I'll carry you on my back

Yui : Thank you, and sorry

(Kanato-kun is very reliable at times like this. I'm so relieved, but...)

Laito-kun is still left, I wonder if he's okay

Kanato : That pervert will be alright. I'm sure he'll cut his way through in his usual way

Nevertheless, Laito did something like Ayato...

Yui : (Kanato-kun...)

*footsteps approaching

Kanato : – Someone is coming !

Yui : Eh... !?

Ayato : Shit, do we get out of here... !? Or...

Laito : Heeeh. You're already leaving, even though I finally catch up to you ?

Kanato : That voice...

Yui : Laito-kun... !

Laito : Hiiii, I'm back

Ayato : Wha, you're worn out !

Yui : (True, he's badly injured...)

Laito : It was a little tricky, but I somewhat managed to escape. I'm glad I've been able to join you safely

Kanato : How was it safe !? You let us flee at the price of getting such injuries... !

… Weren't you aware that you could be in danger ?

Laito : I didn't mind it at all. Because that's something I decided on my own

Kanato : I can't believe you went this far to protect us...

Yui : (Kanato-kun... As expected, he's at a loss with his emotions, just like when Ayato-kun protected us)

Kanato : What are those feelings !? I hate those emotions ! I don't understand them !

Ayato : Hey, what's with that sudden hysteria ?

Laito : What's wrong, Kanato-kun ? I don't understand a thing you're saying

Kanato : Don't you find it strange !? Laito let us flee at the price of being in that state...

So what am I supposed to feel... !?

I've never been accustomed to this until now, you know !?

Yui : (Feelings Kanato-kun doesn't know about are surely beginning to grow inside him...)

(Mutual help, brotherhood... They may confuse him right now, but...)

(These are important feelings. I hope Kanato-kun will acknowledge them someday...)

Um, I can run again now, and I think it's dangerous to stay here, so let's keep moving ?

Laito : You're right

Kanato : … Understood

Ayato : Our chasers don't seem to come over here for now, so let's find a place to settle down

Kanato : And where should we find that place ?

Ayato : Hell if I know ! Ain't there a good hiding place around... ?

… Ah !

Kanato : What is it, all of a sudden ?

Ayato : Hey ! Look at the roof over here !

Kanato : You're right. It looks like an abandoned house

Ayato : Then, isn't that house perfect for hiding ?

Yui : Yes, you're right. I think it's good ! Let's go, Kanato-kun

Kanato : … Understood. Let's head there

Scene change : Abandoned house

Laito : Well then, shall we discuss about what to do next now that we are in a calm place ?

Ayato : Too bothersome, but can't be helped. We can't stay that way forever

Laito : If only we could make Shu and Reiji regain their memories so we could depend on them afterwards...

Kanato : That seems to the most difficult task. They'd surely attack us the moment we met, and woudn't even let us talk

Laito : Then what other option do we have ?

Ayato : How about shouting “Who's that bastard who did that to us !?”

Laito : Yes, we can do that. I wanna see what will happen

Kanato : Right, that sounds fun. An enemy at the same level as Ayato might answer

Ayato : What's with those dumb faces !? You're thinking that's absolute bullshit, huh !?

Yui : (Hehe, when I watch this scene, I have the feeling the three of them clearly returned back to normal)

(That makes me happy and nostalgic...)

Kanato : Why are you grinning ?

Yui : Because I'm happy you all returned back to normal

After all, it's better when you're together, right ?

Kanato : Well... It doesn't matter to me at all

Yui : (Kanato-kun's pouting... Is he perhaps sulking ?)

Kanato : Because it's fine as long as I'm here for you, right ? It doesn't matter if the two others are here or not

Yui : (Ah, could he be jealous ? But that side of him is cute as well)

Kanato : Ayato and Laito helped us, for sure...

That's right... I thought that as long as I have you and only you, everything would be fine, and yet... Why do I have such feelings... ?

Yui : Um, Kanato-kun... ?

Kanato : – NO !

*Kanato grabs Yui

Yui : … !!

(He suddenly grabbed my shoulder...!)

Kanato : I finally understand what's wrong

You can't only care about Ayato and Laito !

Why won't you look only at me ? That's why I'm so frustrated

Yui : Eh... ? Um...

Kanato : … !

*Kanato hugs Yui

Yui : Kanato-kun ? What's the matter ? You're hugging me or something...

Choice 1 : Reject him (black roses)

Yui : N-No ! Not in front of them... !

Kanato : Why do you refuse ? If you love me, it's not a problem, right ?

Or you don't love me ?

Yui : Eh !? No ! It's absolutely not that !

Kanato : Then please be silent and accept what I'll do

Yui : (W-What does he plan to do ?)

Choice 2 : Feel awkward (white roses)

Yui : … It feels awkward here...

Kanato : What are you talking about ? We're lovers so it shouldn't be awkward to hug each other

Yui : … But your brothers...

Kanato : Please don't object. You only have to listen to what I say

Yui : (What does he plan to do ? Don't tell me he's going to go further, in front of everyone –?)

– End of choices

Laito : Helloooo ~ ? What are you two doing ?

Ayato : What are you guys doing at such a time... ?

Kanato : Let me be clear with you guys, right here

This girl is mine. If you ever lay a hand on her, I won't forgive you

I'd kill you both and look for a way to go home alone with her

Yui : Ah... !

(I see. Ayato-kun and Laito-kun sucked my blood, so...)

(Even though it contributed to their memories' return, Kanato-kun feel disgusted by it)

Kanato : So let me remind you. If you lay a hand on her, I'll never forgive you

That's why I'll show you

Yui : Ah... !

Kanato : *sucks her blood

Yui : (No way ! He's sucking my blood even though his brothers are watching...!)

Kanato : … Hmm... Haa... Your blood... *sucks blood

Yui : No... Everyone... is watching

Kanato : Of course they are. I'm sucking your blood right now to show them who you belong to... *sucks blood

Yui : But... it's embarrassing here... Hmm...

Kanato : *sucks blood

Yui : Ah... Aah !

Kanato : *sucks blood... What a nice expression

Your blood is getting sweeter as well... I can't stop

Yui : (I want to stop him because it's embarrassing, but... I have no strength left...)

Ayato : Tch. You didn't have to bother doing that, who's gonna lay a hand on Kanato's stuffs ?

Laito : That's right. It would obviously get troublesome

Ah~ah. Even under these circumstances, Little Bitch belongs to Kanato-kun after all

Kanato : Exactly. So if you understand, please don't try anything at all in the future

Yui : (Geez... He didn't have to go this far...)

(But the fact that Kanato-kun intend to make me his makes me happy)

(I love him so much, so I want to be his)

Chapter 11 : End

[nadziejastar]

How do you think Lea and Isa went from lab rats to Organization members? It makes sense that Xehanort would recruit Isa if he had already become a vessel, but why would they keep Lea around instead of just disposing of him like they presumably did to countless other test subjects?

Fear: Axel’s True Weakness

I would say there were three main reasons. The first is that Lea was Isa’s weakness. If they kept Axel around, they could control Saïx better. He may be another Xehanort, but he still wanted revenge, and genuinely teamed up with Axel. He’s more complacent if he thinks he’s working towards his own goals.

The second reason is that Axel didn’t train himself to be an assassin. He may not have been vessel material, but there’s no reason to believe Isa was the only one subjected to mind control. Females are said to be better at dissociating, so since Isa was more feminine, perhaps Axel was not deemed worthy and was given another role.

You can’t do a proper mind control plot without researching the subject first. I’m sure Nomura and his team did their homework. In my opinion, Axel was inspired by Delta programming.

Slaves are threatened with fire, like the Scarecrow. They also see people dismembered like the Scarecrow was dismembered. For them it is not an idle threat. The front alters also have hearts full of pain like Scarecrow.

The Wizard of Oz is a very popular movie used in mind control programming. A subject can be Dorothy: lost in a tornado, stuck in chaos, perpetually spinning out of control. Or the Cowardly Lion: Living in fear and the inability to act, making decisions based on fear. Or The Tin Man: only able to react in certain situations, frozen in others. These are just a few of the many characters that are used.Subjects are threatened with fire.

Pg. 38 Book 1 The Wizard of Oz: “That is true,” said the Scarecrow. “You see,” he continued, confidently, “I don’t mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesn’t matter, for I can’t feel it.”

They are told they can’t feel anything.

“It’s because I don’t have a heart,” Axel went on. “I don’t want to disappear, but I’m not upset or sad about it.”

Naminé tried to say something and failed.

Nobodies aren’t supposed to exist. Nobodies don’t have hearts, so they can’t feel anything.

It sounds just like Axel.

Pg. 79 Book 3 Ozma of Oz: “I am only a ma-chine, and can-not feel sor-row or joy, no mat-ter what hap-pens.”

That type of mechanical dissociation also coincides with Tin Man programming.

Certain alters are not given courage and most have their hearts taken from them. The alters who are programmed not to have hearts are hypnotically told the same thing the Tin Man says, “I could be human if I only had a heart.” …..Some alters are taught they are stupid and have no brain.

They are told they have had their hearts taken from them, and that they would be human only if they had one.

How is a man-made puppet any less worthy than a Nobody that was never meant to exist at all? They’re both ambiguous. Tenuous at best.

Just like Axel.

On page 38 is a poem about a Mr. Nobody. The programmers like to have alters identify themselves as “nobody”. On page 39 is a poem/story about “someone” who comes tapping…but it is “only the cricket whistling”.

They are literally told they are a “nobody”.

Axel: We are just Nobodies who have no one to be, yet we still “are.” But now you can be nothing instead of just being a Nobody. You’re off the hook.

Sounds just like Axel. When he kills Vexen, he says he has “no one to be”.

Learning ‘Over the Rainbow’ in Oz is for the slave to be in a trance, and into a certain area of the programming. To be fluctuating at both ends as an observer and not a participant or to go to the other extreme and become a participant. The theme song of the movie goes, “Somewhere over the Rainbow…there’s a land where the dreams that you dare to dream really come true.” These lyrics are a method to hypnotically confuse the brain to perceive that the “over the Rainbow experience” (which is usually horrible abuse) is a “dream”.

In Delta programming, the trainers will record delta waves on an EEG, and try to get the subject to always stay in delta state. They will do this using drugs, hypnosis and trauma. The trainers will often flash a cue, or delta (triangle) symbol on a projector overhead, and “grind in” the delta imprinting. They will wear robes with delta signs on them, and clothe the subject in robes imprinted with the delta sign.

As you can see, Delta brain patterns involve the unconscious mind and sleep. And that is one of the biggest themes of the Dark Seeker Saga. It’s what the whole Realm of Sleep was based on. The Delta trainers will teach the subject under hypnosis what deltas do, and how they act. They will be given delta jobs, and they will watch high frequency films that show delta functions. They may use a computer-like structure, showing pictures while the subject is under a deep trance. This is after creating a clean slate through trauma.

Delta programming was originally designed to train special agents and espionage agents’ minds for becoming terrorists devoid of fear and basic self preservation instincts. They are trained to be capable of incredible feats of physical endurance and murder. The Delta program was interested in training a new breed of man—one who kills and, if caught, self-destructs. This is why Axel is so fucked up, in my opinion. And I really don’t blame him one bit for it. He’s fucked up, but he’s still a saint considering what he must have gone through. I don’t blame him for killing Vexen or Zexion, or for having so much hatred. Who wouldn’t? It’s only natural.

The trainers will reward the subjects when they comply, and shock or otherwise traumatize them if they do not act like “deltas”. And all of this ties into the third reason I think they kept Axel around. As you can see, Delta programming is only effective to the extent that you can traumatize the person. And if they have something they can’t bear to lose, it makes it so much easier to do just that.

“Don’t let us down now, kiddo. Shouldn’t be too much trouble without a heart,” Xigbar told Saïx.

I think there is little doubt that Braig was Isa’s main abuser during the experiments. He all but taunts Saïx about it. Then there’s his weapon called “Cupid’s Arrow”. Cupid shoots people with arrows and they fall in love. His gold-tipped arrows are what link people in love. However, he can fire lead-tipped arrows, which cause people to feel indifference or hatred. This side of Cupid is not very well-known.From Axel’s point of view, that would be a very accurate description. I think all of this was implying that he was the main person who turned Isa into Saïx. 

One day, a man came to take me from the prison. I could not see him for the darkness, save that he wore an eyepatch.

And it JUST SO HAPPENS that he was Subject X’s main abuser, too. Hmmm, fancy that. What a coincidence, huh? Well, I think Xaldin was Axel’s main abuser. The story goes out of its way to parallel him to Axel. Notice how Axel never interacts with him in Days, and how he’s conveniently not present in 3D. And it doesn’t just say that he looks down on emotions or the heart. He is good at manipulating the hearts of others. This implies actions. This is Dilan, not Xaldin. So it’s not talking about the Beast. They describe Aeleus as NOT good at manipulating the hearts of others. Xaldin was different. There was definitely something planned with this.

Roxas: You remember the castle’s master, Xion?

Xion: Yeah, the beast we saw.

Roxas: Well, you were right. He does have something he wants to protect. Something he cares about.

Xion: Really?

Roxas: Yeah, but Xaldin says that’s a weakness.

Xion: Why would caring about something be a weakness?

Roxas: I dunno. I didn’t get it either.

Xion: I hope Axel comes home soon.

Caring about something is a weakness according to Xaldin. And 358/2 Days made a pretty big deal out of this idea. I think the story was hinting that Xaldin had a connection to Axel’s weakness. And that’s why they were given parallel stories like that.

Axel: Huh… I think you have a point there. So you don’t need a heart to have something that you can’t bear to lose then. If that’s true, then I guess the closest thing that we Nobodies have would be memories of our past. It’s the memories that create the things that we don’t want to lose.

Axel says his memories of the past are what he can’t bear to lose. Axel is ALL about memories, especially the ones of when he was human.

Xaldin was standing there.

“Is it too hard to at least knock before barging into people’s rooms?” Demyx stated, displeased, and strummed the sitar again.

“What will you do with those human memories you cling to?”

“Hah? What are you saying, old man?” Demyx’s hand stopped, and he turned just his face towards Xaldin. “What about you?”

“Nothing at all. But I’m interested in how you guys let your human memories influence you.”

“Hmm,” Demyx responded, disinterestedly, and plucked the sitar three times.

While Xaldin is the exact opposite. I can’t help but feel like Xaldin’s disgust stems from actually witnessing how Axel in particular was affected by his “weakness”.

“That which we treasure has power over us, Roxas. His heart is captive to it. And that makes it his weakness.”

“Captive…? I don’t get it.”

Everything Xaldin said only got harder and harder to follow.

“Nor should you. You have no heart to love with. Let’s not linger here.”

Xaldin says that anything you can’t bear to lose is your weakness. He calls that weakness “love”, even before he learns that the Beast loves Belle.

Roxas: Love is a power?

And all this happens on Day 150, which is called “Fear”. The whole idea is that having something you can’t bear to lose causes you to feel FEAR. This fear controls you and makes you captive to it. 

Roxas: It’s scary.

Axel: You can’t be scared without a heart!

Roxas: If my friends… If you or Xion were to disappear… It’s…scary to think of what it would be like without you guys.

Axel: “Scared” is not an emotion that can exist inside us.

Roxas: Well… I am scared right now, for sure.

Axel: Maybe it’s just that you remember what it’s like to be scared, you know? Somewhere deep inside your memories.

The whole idea of Delta subjects is that they are supposed to be devoid of fear. The only way that happens is to traumatize the subject so much that they become desensitized to fear. Why bring all of these ideas up if you are not going to do anything with them? There was originally a subplot about Axel’s weakness and the fear caused by it.

Roxas: Love? What’s that?

Axel can’t bear to lose his memories of the past, from when he was a human. But that is only relevant for him now, as a Nobody. It wouldn’t have been something that would cause him fear in the past, during the experiments.

Axel: You know, memories of the stuff we couldn’t bear to lose, back when we couldn’t bear to lose it.

The memories he refers to are about “stuff” he couldn’t bear to lose. He had something in his past that he couldn’t bear to lose. Not just memories. Something tangible. Something he treasured that made him afraid of losing it. So what could make him so afraid?

Day 150: Too Precious to Lose

Axel and I talked for a while about the things we can’t bear to lose. Axel thinks that for Nobodies, it’s our pasts, because that’s all we have to remember the pain of losing something.

Why are Axel’s memories too precious to lose? Because that’s all he has to remember the pain of losing something. He must have really treasured that thing if he never wants to forget the pain of losing it. His heart was captive to it. He considered that thing too precious to lose, and it was his weakness.

Saïx: There’s something I’ve meant to ask.

Xemnas: About Axel? The poor fool. How long will he keep chasing the illusion of friendship, when he himself lacks emotion? Trying so hard to retrieve what he has lost, when it may never have existed in the first place. He deserves nothing more than our pity.

Xemnas’ comment was about Axel trying to retrieve what he lost. And Xemnas spoke as if Axel had been chasing something he lost for a very long time. LONG before he lost Roxas. Also, Xemnas said it never existed in the first place. But Xemnas knew Nobodies had hearts. He also considered love to be a weakness, but he didn’t deny that Nobodies were capable of it.

Xemnas: Weakness has the power to awaken that which is dormant. It is clear that through his actions, however foolish they may have been, Axel has touched Sora’s heart. Perhaps HE will soon awaken.

He even said that Axel had the power to wake Ventus because he touched Sora’s heart. He knew Axel was capable of emotion, but he had to keep the script going. He also knew Roxas was not a normal Nobody, and that he had Ventus’ heart. Xemnas knew that Roxas’ friendship with Axel DID exist, and was genuine. That’s why he kept getting sent to Castle Oblivion. He was close to Roxas, and perhaps he would lead them to the Chamber of Waking.

So, I think there was a hidden meaning in his statement when he said that what Axel was seeking was something that never existed in the first place. It was not referring to Roxas. Axel had something else he lost, and was trying to recover. His memories of the past were his weakness. He was so desperate to recover something he lost that Xemnas never considered him a threat. He knew how to control Axel by using his memories of the past against him. And I think that’s why Xemnas never got rid of him.

Axel: As long as we remember each other, we’ll never be apart. Got it memorized?

Roxas: Ha ha, wow, Axel. That sounded ridiculous.

Axel: What? I thought it was pretty deep.

The sunset is a symbol of wanting to recover something important that was lost. Axel was always looking into it, long before Roxas or Xion left. He was looking at it all by himself on the day “Xion’s Keyblade”. The day Saïx acted like an asshole to Roxas and Xion. And the day Axel said he’d never have to be apart, as long as he had memories. Roxas and Xion had to be inseparable for a while, because Xion couldn’t use her Keyblade. Thanks to Roxas, she got it back, and they were happy. But Axel wasn’t. He didn’t laugh along with them that time.

Roxas: I found out about love on today’s mission–that it’s something powerful.

Axel: That’s true. It is. But I’ll never get to experience it.

Roxas: Nobodies can’t love?

Axel: You need a heart, man.

Roxas: Right…

Axel is the polar opposite of Xaldin. He wants love. Just like the Beast. It’s not the rose he can’t bear to lose. It’s Belle. She makes him feel more human than he did as a physical human. Because she taught him how to love. In my opinion, all of this was implying that Axel had more than just a weakness. He had something he loved. Like the Beast.

Axel: Love is what happens if there’s something really special between two people.

Roxas: You mean, like, if they’re best friends?

Axel: Well, you can care about your friends, I guess, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

Roxas: So then…love is like a step above friends?

Axel: Yes… Well, no. There aren’t “steps.”

Roxas: I don’t get it.

Axel: What does it matter? We’ll never know the difference.

The subtext is extremely strong. Lea was in love with Isa. 

Axel: Well, I think you can be inseparable even if you’re apart.

Roxas: Really?

Axel: Sure, if you feel really close to each other. If you’re best friends.

Roxas: What’s it like having a best friend, Axel?

Axel: Couldn’t tell ya. I don’t have one.

And Isa was what he couldn’t bear to lose. Isa was his weakness.

Axel: Does it hurt, Naminé? Watching your two childhood friends fight all because of you? You have my sympathies. From the heart. But don’t waste your time. We Nobodies can never hope to be somebodies.

Axel uses similar words to Naminé that he used with Vexen. He talks about having no one to be. His coldness was due to her causing a rift between childhood friends. Axel took this very personally. There’s only one person that Axel could possibly be referring to. These two things are connected with him. Childhood friends fighting, and not having anyone to be.

Roxas: I don’t get it.

Axel lost Isa, the one thing he couldn’t bear to lose when he was human. And it was unbearably painful for him. It’s why he took so much pleasure while killing Vexen, and why he hated Naminé. He didn’t care if he killed her at all. And I can’t say I blame him for for feeling that way.

Day 119: Hearts and Emotion

Watching that foolish beast flail about only deepens my disdain for humans and their incessant need to be pinned down by feelings. We became Nobodies precisely to avoid the shackles of emotion. It was only later that we realized the scale of that loss: that some things simply cannot be done without a heart. Nonetheless, I see nary a pleasant thing about it.

Not only was Lea in love with Isa, but I’d say Isa was his weakness in a very concrete way. Isa was Lea’s weakness that was used to traumatize him so effectively during the experiments. Because Lea cared so much about his friend, he was probably the most “foolish” subject Dilan experimented on. If there was anyone who would have inspired Lea to get the teardrop tattoos, it would have been Dilan. Isa would have been the last person to do that. Lea was very easy to control due to his strong emotions, and thus made a good assassin. He’d follow any orders to protect Isa. That was true during the experiments, and I think it’s true for when he was a Nobody.

Day 71: The Traitors’ End

Saïx had a hand in what went down at Castle Oblivion—well, more like a whole arm. Which means Axel was in on it as well. It’s a fact that Xemnas ordered Axel to take out the traitors, orders which went through Saïx. No specific names were given, but naturally Xemnas knew who the turncoats were right from the get-go.

When Xehanort possesses someone, he can see their experiences in real time. Axel told Saïx all of his secrets. All the schemes, and the gossip about the other members, etc. Having Axel around provided a ton of valuable information to Xemnas. He knew everything they were plotting and then some. Xemnas had no reason to get rid of him. He was useful. He was well-trained, followed orders, and because Xemnas knew everything he was plotting, he was not a real threat.

They only ordered him to be eliminated after he finally left and went after Roxas. Because then he became unpredictable. Xemnas thought Axel was a fool who was pitiful. I think it was because he had no idea that Saïx was NOT Isa. And he played right into Xehanort’s hand. Like Xemnas said in KH3, he was a pawn, knocked from the board early in the game.

Axel’s memories of Isa were the reason why he was kept around in the Organization. They knew he was totally loyal to Saïx, who was another Xehanort. So he’s technically not a traitor. Saïx was nothing but another Xehanort, and Axel’s friendship with him never even existed in the first place. But Xemnas knew that Axel’s memories of Isa were too precious to lose. They knew Axel’s weakness. Even as a Nobody, he had something that he couldn’t bear to lose—something that he loved. So he could be controlled by the fear of losing it.

[starstruck-thirst]

Hisoka Morow: Water into Snow

Warnings: NSFW, sexual descriptions

Continuation of the piece ‘Blood and Water’

It had been about a month since the night at the lake with Hisoka. The memory was still fresh in your mind, as if it had all happened just a few days before. The way his skin felt under your hands, slick with lake water. How warm he felt to the touch even after being doused in water and exposed to the air.

Thinking about it made you shiver… or maybe the fact that the temperature around you was cold enough to freeze a sneeze was making you shiver.

Finding jobs meant travel, and in this case you had traveled to the opposite hemisphere of that warm early summer night. Now the world was white and bright as the sun started to set behind the nearby mountain range.

The temperature shift suited your mood though, as you remembered the rest of the night at the lake, when you and Hisoka had been interrupted by a few hunters that had managed to track you down. They were most likely paid off by someone that would potentially miss the person who used to contain all the blood you had washed off.

Somehow, the job had been salvaged. Your employer didn’t seem to care that someone was so very very dead, and you had been paid all the same. But Hisoka had disappeared in the chaos of the second fight and you hadn’t seen him since.

You thought about not paying him, seeing if that would prompt him into finding you. At the same time, you felt it was best to not play silly games like that and had transferred the money to his account, as you often did when he wasn’t around to collect cash.

Though, he would have played that exact petty game to get your attention, and you knew it.

“The cabin is just ahead.” The guide pointed with one hand, and sure enough, you could see a two-story log cabin in a clearing. It stood up on stilts to keep it from the cold ground, allowing anyone inside to escape no matter how high the snow got.

“Good,” you said, shaking your hands to make sure you could still feel your fingers.

“Tomorrow the drop shipment will happen. Make sure that the items on the list are inside, and that no one sticks around to follow you back down. I don’t expect to see you tomorrow because of how long the trip is, so I’ll see you the day after.” She made a point to hand you a backpack that supposedly contained the list she mentioned. “If you get snowed in there isn’t any reception, you won’t be able to contact me. So if I don’t see you in at least four days I will assume you took off with the goods and pay someone to find you.”

“I appreciate the honesty but don’t worry, I have no intention on stealing anything.”

She nodded at your response, a small smirk showing that she believed you. “Stay warm,” she said, clamping a hand down onto your shoulder firmly before turning and carefully making her way back down the mountain.

“Damn relay quests,” you mumbled as you started for the cabin, carefully surveying the surrounding area with gyo to check for any traces of nen traps. You felt fortunate that everything seemed to be in the clear because you just wanted to get inside and warm up.

Snow started to fall from the sky again; it had already snowed two other times during your trip, but this time the clumps were thicker. You quickened your pace to the cabin and hastily punched the code you had been given during the initial brief.

The keypad beeped a happy tune and the door lock disengaged.

“Glad they didn’t fuck me over. It’s too cold for games,” you mumbled to yourself as you threw the door open and entered the mud room of the cabin.

It was a big enough space to remove your snow clothes and very little else. But already you felt warmer. In fact, you felt warmer than you should entering into a cabin no one had been in all day. Even sheltered from the wind, the cold air should have permeated into the small building, making it only marginally more comfortable than the outside world.

A purple jacket hung on one of the several hooks intended to hold the outerwear of the inhabitants, and black boots were still dripping snow on the floor.

You cursed yourself for not hiding your aura at all as you approached; whoever was here would already know you were here if they could use nen.

Sloppily, you removed your large coat and boots, knowing they would just impede your movements. If the person inside hadn’t attacked you yet, hopefully they wouldn’t until you entered the cabin proper.

First stashing the assignment bag, you drew out a knife and held it so that the blade would be concealed behind your arm. The other person might react more slowly if they couldn’t see the weapon. Praying that the door wouldn’t make any noise as you opened it, you used your other hand to slowly turn the handle and push into the main room.

The fire was alive and dancing in its home, centered in the middle of the opposite cabin wall. Nothing else moved as you carefully stepped in, taking stock of the building. A kitchen to your right was clear. A dining table to your left, also clear. Stairs on the far-left corner led up to a loft bedroom and as far you could tell it was also clear. The living room in the center of the building was half covered from your vision by a half wall that led to the kitchen. That was surely the only place the other visitor could be hiding in.

Without a sound you closed the door behind you, carefully stepping around the dining room table. The room slowly came into view and before your mind fully comprehended the other human, your hand moved. With a fast flick of the wrist, you tossed the knife at the intruder that was laid out on the couch, aiming for their shoulder as a warning shot.

But the other person was quick, and with very little effort they reached up and plucked the knife from the air. “That seems an awfully rude way to greet someone you haven’t seen in a while.”

Hisoka looked up from the book he had been reading while stretched out on the sofa, his back to the fire and a smile on his face as he waved at you with your own knife.

You blinked several times. “Hisoka? Wait.” You looked back at the door leading in and then back to his grinning face. “I wasn’t told anyone else was on this job.”

“What job?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

This only made you more confused. “I… Wha… huh?” was all you could muster as your frozen brain tried to catch up with the circumstances you found yourself in. Hisoka chuckled at you as he dropped his eyes to the book again, twirling the knife between his long fingers of his other hand. “Hey!” you called, frustrated he was acting so nonchalant in the face of your confusion.

“Hmmm?” he inquired in his usual way, without looking up from the book.

“If you aren’t here for the job, why are you here?” you asked, finally coming into the living room. The warmth of the fire helped you feel more alert and awake, and it was slowly becoming the only light source in the room as the sun continued to sink behind the mountain outside the windows.

“Do I need a reason?” he asked, turning the page with his thumb.

Frustration was building but you were too tired to deal with it. “I need something to drink,” you informed him as you turned away to go to the kitchen in search of something warm and comforting.

Hisoka didn’t say anything in response as he continued to twirl the knife and read.

You busied yourself in the kitchen making a hot drink to warm you up from the inside. You knew Hisoka’s desire to play games, so the entire time you were on alert for him to come into the kitchen while you were distracted, but he never did. From time to time you could hear the soft noise of a page turning from the living room, and once you thought you heard him drop the knife.

Against your better judgement you decided to be nice and also fix Hisoka a cup of the same drink, steam rising from the black mugs you carried in each hand in a pleasing manner. You didn’t know what he liked to drink, but figured he’d deal or make his own.

In the living room Hisoka had grown bored of playing with the knife and it rested on the side table, balanced over an unlit stick candle. He turned a page as you entered with the cups and only looked up when you placed one on the coffee table where he could reach. “For me?” he asked, voice lifted in a pleased and almost innocent tone.

“Not if you mock me it isn’t,” you reply sitting on the other end of the couch, forcing him to scrunch his legs closer to his chest.

“You’re so kind.”

With his knees pulled up you couldn’t see his face as he took the cup and sipped it. “I didn’t know what you liked…”

“Oh, I like everything,” he responded, and you laughed a little.

Hisoka sat up, small heart earrings swaying as he did so. “Did you just laugh?” he asked, looking right into your eyes.

Your shoulders tensed as you looked back at him. “Yeah. What, am I not allowed to laugh?”

One corner of his lips turned up into a strange smirk as he rested his head on the tops of his knees. “You don’t often laugh at the things I say,” he replied, never looking away from your face as he put the book he was reading onto the floor.

“You don’t often say something that is funny,” you replied curtly as you sipped your drink and looked out the nearest window. It was really getting dark, though you knew it was still relatively early. The mountain outline still glowed orange where the sun was saying its goodnight.

“I think I’m funny,” he said, lowering a leg to the ground and setting his mug down at the same time.

The hair on the back of your neck stood up as Hisoka adjusted his position. “I’m sure you do.”

“I think you find me more entertaining than you like to admit.”

“Hmmm?” You tried to mimic Hisoka in reply, which he seemed to enjoy, because a hand reached out and gently took your mug from you. “Hey! I was drinking that!”

He chuckled as he set the mug on the table with his own. The leg still on the couch stretched out behind you as his other leg plopped onto your lap. Suddenly, you remembered the kiss at the lake and your heart sped up. “I have some ideas about how we could get warm,” he teased as a hand slid into your hair.

“Gosh, I can only wonder what those ideas might be,” you replied, attempting to play coy as your empty hands felt like lead weights. You wanted to touch him, but you also knew Hisoka was dangerous. And maybe that was part of the appeal.

His other hand slid to your far shoulder to pull you into him, and slowly you let him. It was easy to fall into Hisoka’s warmth as he pulled you on top of him, grinning with pleasure. The moment he touched his lips to yours you lost that tiny string of self-control that had been strained from the moment you saw Hisoka. It snapped and your hands gripped the sides of his face as your bodies fell back into the couch.

Your mind was a hazy mess as he bit your lower lip, making you whimper in delight at the sensation of pain. Things moved so quickly you weren’t even really sure when one of his hands had made their way under your sweater to your bra, or when your hand had gripped his hip so tight it hurt your fingers.

Each of his fingers teased the skin under your bra band and you pressed your chest into his as a form of encouragement, lips still meeting his over and over again. You could feel him grin into your mouth, and you grinned back, finally pulling away enough to open your eyes and look at his face.

His yellow eyes were staring at you with that same intensity of the night in the lake and you shivered. You were on top of him but the power was still his, and he knew it.

You lifted your body off of his to grant yourself some working room and straddled Hisoka’s hips, glad that the couch was wide enough for you to do so without completely toppling over. The movement slipped his hand away from your bra and he clasped them over his chest as if watching a show.

“How do you always look so smug?” You sighed, sitting back on his lap to keep yourself out of his reach.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said innocently, but his growing grin gave him away.

Fueled by the desire to push his buttons just once, you gripped his shirt firmly in both hands. “Sit up,” you demanded.

Hisoka lifted one eyebrow again but did as he was told, and as he moved you slid his shirt off and over his head. His body had always secretly enamored you. You wondered how his skin was still so perfect despite the many fights he had partaken in, and your hand absentmindedly traced his shoulders down his chest as you thought about that.

“Like what you see?”

You rolled your eyes at the question and nudged him back into the couch with the same hand, making him chuckle again.

Already his pink hair was a mess from the couch and your grabby hands. Seeing him lying below you looking like that made your thighs twitch.

Sweetly you reached down and caressed his cheek with a hand. Hisoka leaned into your palm, his hand covering yours. You could feel him silently urging you on and you tossed the last piece of caution your brain could contain into the trash. You moved your hand into his hair and pulled his head back to expose his neck, and before he could react your mouth was on his throat.

Dragging your teeth over his exposed throat got a low groan as response. A fresh rush of adrenaline coursed through your veins and you nipped your way down his throat and across his shoulder. His hands gripped your hips, thumbs rubbing your flesh in excitement and praise. Your own hands were keeping you propped up, but the growing need and thrill was making you shake despite your best efforts to appear completely calm like Hisoka.

He didn’t comment on your shaking limbs; only his slightly rushed breathing let you know his feelings on your movements as you shifted your hips against him to better position yourself.

Hisoka tilted his head towards your face and you were drawn back into his lips, which was exactly what he wanted. With a fluid movement, he wrapped an arm around your waist to keep your body close as he flipped you onto the coffee table. The two mugs were hastily nudged off and onto the floor with one of his hands, not letting even a drop of the hot liquid touch you.

“No fair,” you mumbled as he pulled away from you to enjoy in his small victory.

“You can’t let your guard down,” he teased, voice low and sultry as he lifted your sweater to expose your stomach. You squirmed at the odd exposure as he leaned over your body and gently kissed one hip and across your stomach to your other hip.

“I can’t do this,” you mumbled between deep breaths.

Hisoka sat up to look at your face. His eyes slightly narrowed as he positioned himself over you on the coffee table. “Did you say something?” he asked, his lips hovering just over your own.

You let out a breath as you put both hands onto his chest. “I said I can’t do this,” you replied, much louder now.

With a harsh shove you sent Hisoka back into the couch and sat up on the coffee table. He managed to somewhat catch himself, barely keeping from tumbling over the back of the couch from how forcefully you had shoved him.

Trying to be faster than Hisoka, you slipped your sweater off and unclasped your bra, which just caused the magician to stare at you in confusion. It was your turn to grin, disposing of your bra to the side as you stood up and slid your pants off and underwear off. Yellow eyes followed every movement of your hands including when they finally fell upon his hips. Without moving his head, Hisoka looked up into your face with just his eyes as he allowed you to slide his remaining clothing off.

You tossed his pants to the side before finally looking away from his face to his cock. Hisoka was already hard and you admired him for a moment before you carefully straddled his hips again. “That was a dirty trick.” He ran a hand through your hair to get a few strands out of your eyes as he watched your face intently.

It was difficult to not feel smug as you grinned and ran the tip of your finger around the head of his cock that stood between your bodies. “Are you complaining?” you asked, gently rubbing your fingers down the sides. “You can’t let your guard down.”

Hisoka hissed lowly in pleasure as you pressed your pussy against him, fingers still teasing his sensitive flesh. His hands ran up your legs to the backs of your thighs. Your legs trembled as one finger brushed your labia, returning the teasing touch. “I just didn’t know you had it in you.” He laughed, hearing you gasp when he slipped a finger deeper to brush against your clit.

You knew if you teased too long Hisoka would take control back, and you didn’t want that. “I have a lot more in me than you’ll ever know,” you replied as you sat up to kiss him, providing the perfect distraction as you positioned his cock and lowered yourself onto it.

You both groaned in unison at the sensation as you slowly moved down, taking your sweet time. It was enough to drive you mad, so you could only hope it had the same effect on Hisoka.

“Show me.” It was a breathy whisper against your lips as one hand positioned on your hip to help guide you, and the other one grabbed a fist of your hair almost painfully.

If it was possible, your heart picked up its pace as a shiver ran through your body at his words. Your stomach twisted with deep arousal as you tried to concentrate on your movement, slowly taking Hisoka into your body. You hadn’t even had to check, you knew that you were wet and ready for this. The way Hisoka’s cock slid into you and made you feel full with a sensational ease confirmed that.

“Look at me.” You hadn’t realized your eyes were closed and they fluttered open at his command. When you looked at him he stopped looking at your face to watch your hips move against him. Your breath hitched as you slowly moved up and down on Hisoka’s lap. Knowing he was watching you made your body feel electrified.

A sigh of delight came from Hisoka when you finally brought your hips flushed against him, his cock deep inside of you, eyes still watching. You could feel your breathing was ragged already, as you bit your lip to keep from making too much noise.

As you raised your hips you quickened your pace, moving against Hisoka again and again with a hungry need. You watched him to take in all of his tells of enjoyment. His hips raised just a little to meet yours each time, and his grip on your hip was so strong that his nails bit into the skin.

Hisoka lifted his face and licked your breast, taking your nipple between his teeth. You gasped and he chuckled around his mouthful. “That’s better,” he mumbled before biting your breast.

“What?” you asked nearly breathless.

“You were too quiet. Moan for me,” Hisoka purred as he lifted his hips and slammed himself into you.

Caught off guard you cried out and gripped Hisoka’s shoulder for support. Both of his hands were on your hips, guiding you into his quick pace.

You didn’t have control anymore, both hands on his shoulders as you braced yourself. It was all you could do to keep strength in your legs so you didn’t collapse completely against him when he repeatedly entered you with a powerful force. Everything else felt like it was behind a fog of your pleasure and need, your voice calling his name between gasps and moans barely even registered in your mind.

“Good.” You could hear his joy at controlling the situation again. You heard him say your name in a breathy whisper but you didn’t comprehend it until he called you a second time. Your eyes had squeezed shut in your growing pleasure, so you forced them open to look at Hisoka again. “Come for me.”

You couldn’t speak and only nodded, digging your fingernails into his back and managing to stabilize your legs enough to move against him on your own will again. His deep throated moan when you took him in entirely urged you on and you both moved too fast, too rough. You could feel the building orgasm in your body, like a tight knot just seconds from coming undone.

“I-I’m close,” you muttered, keeping your eyes on Hisoka’s through sheer will. He nodded in response and shifted your legs slightly. That small movement opened your thighs the perfect amount, and he hit something inside of you that made you actually cry out in pleasure. Hisoka smiled widely, holding your hips once more and quickly thrusting into you. It felt like you couldn’t possibly take the level of sensation for much longer when one of Hisoka’s fingers touched your clit. He rubbed in wide circles with vigor, and you couldn’t even move your body any more as you became blinded by your pleasure.

Pressing your forehead to Hisoka’s you had to fight to stay focused, attempting to concentrate on the makeup icons on his face as he rolled your clit with a finger and shoved his cock into you again and again. Everything in your body tensed, you felt like you were going to give out and also collapse. Your hands gripped his hair so tight, you knew it had to hurt, but you didn’t remember moving them from his shoulders.

“I-I can’t! Hisoka, I’m going to-” You couldn’t think, it was impossible to focus.

He chuckled breathlessly. “Come for me,” he said again. This time it was half a command and half a request.

That was all you could take. Hisoka’s request and one more deep thrust pushed you over that ledge. The huge knot that had gotten unbearable inside of you released and your thighs clenched around his as you threw your head back, calling out his name. Your body loosened and Hisoka moved within you as you clung to him, riding out the euphoria of your orgasm. Each of his movements added a little bit of extra pleasure as he chased his own. “Can I come in you?”

You were so glad in this moment that you were on birth control and you nodded, still unable to speak from your high.

Both hands rocked you against him and with a final snap of his hips he groaned, finally cumming inside of you.

Breathing was a struggle, and you could feel him lift your body off of his cock after a few moments. He kept you in his lap as you swam through the dizziness of the orgasm, feeling tired and spent.

With a deep breath in, you started to feel more cognizant. You were still straddling Hisoka’s lap, hands tangled in his hair and head resting against his. With another deep breath, you managed to lift your head and looked at him to see that he was, of course, watching you closely.

Naturally he was grinning, and you could feel your face turn red. You tried to move away from him, but he kept you close as he turned his body to lay back onto the couch. He pulled you back into him, like he had earlier. This time, you didn’t even fight a little, laying against his chest and feeling your heartbeat slowly resume its normal pace.

A shower sounded so nice, but staying exactly as you were was too tempting as you listened to Hisoka’s steady heart. “You didn’t answer me,” you said, when Hisoka started to idly play with your hair.

“Hmm?”

“Why you’re here.”

His chest rumbled under your head. “Are you disappointed?”

You didn’t respond right away, since Hisoka was still dancing around your question, though really it wasn’t a question worth answering. “I suppose… you can be entertaining.”

You didn’t have to look at Hisoka to know that he was beaming, but he didn’t say anything more. He continued to play with your hair as you felt yourself slowly drift into a pleasant sleep. The last thing you were awake enough to remember was a soft song Hisoka started to hum, backed by the sounds of the fire crackling and the wind increasing outside.

[anxiousdepressedintrovert]

Otome Friday

LoveStruck under the read bar

The Royal Romance

-My Ideal opening: the light come back on and Riley is standing there with Anton’s men on the ground. She looks at Gladys “No, Gladys, I’m sorry.” and then shoots her. or something like that

-Here we go

-I’m in a public space so I can reign in my behavior

-Oh god the chapter title is Taken

-Someone call Liam Neeson!!!

-Oh fuck no! They snatched Olivia too!!!

-yeah, Anton’s gonna die

-Stiletto blade to the eye

-Why is he still wearing glasses?

-Yas Olivia. 

-....Riley’s tied up, but I’m going for the petty option. Which is the third

-Anton actually likes us? Nah, I’m good

-Claudius. Anton...why are you using their actual names?

-Ofc Claudius is someone important

-UGH

-AHHHH HE’S FUCKING HORRIFYING!!!

-I wish I could jump into this game.

-I’m gonna fight everyone

-I really wanna see Olivia go off on Anton.

-Like, take him down

-WE’RE OLIVIA’S ONLY FRIEND!!!! OMG

-It is in the midst of chaos that we find peace

-Yes! we got to headbutt him!

-Bless the woman who believes in a backup back up knife

-Oh man I’m buzzing

-shield bow sword helmet

-It’s the sword!!!

-Oh look, Gladys

-UGH

-I wanna know why!

-Tell me why Gladys. 

-I want weapons...so yeah I caved

-Oh course this is about the last Duchess

-UGH

-I’m dramatic so...rams head mace it is

-Don’t make me regret this Gladys!

-HANA!!! 

-Oh god oh god oh god oh god

-This is so fucking tense

-I can’t

-Yeah....Claudius is getting my mac in his head

-yas Liam! 

-I knew he wasn’t stupid

-Ugh the team work from Olivia and Riley is golden

-Ah this is why you don’t hire cowards

-AHHHH NO OLIVIA!!!!!

-NONONONONONONNONONOONONONONONONONONONO

-oH MY GOD

-This is so fucking stressful!!!

-Yes yes it’s over now get Olivia some medical attention!!

-Mara get away from Olivia! 

-She’s thrice the bodyguard you’ll ever be

-Bertrand! Don’t be like that!

-Everyone has people to hug, we have a corgi

-Riley wins

-Olivia why are you at the reception?!

-You got stabbed!!

-OMG Neville and Madeleine!?!!!

-AHHHH YAS MADELEINE! DRAG HIM!!!

-Peace out! 

-Gotta go make some royal babies

-Of course PB has to stick one last 30 diamonds option in there

-Hmmm, choices, choices...

-WHY DON’T WE HAVE NICE LINGERIE!!!

-Sex on a couch

-I’m kinda disappointed. 

-Leo and his MC broke shit in their hotel room

-But Liam got us roses!

-My heart! The letter!!! AHHHHHHHHH

-I swear to god! 

-I better get my happily ever after!!

-WTF is left? Huh? What’s left?

Veil of Secrets

-We are up shit creek without a paddle

-Oh thank god we didn’t hang up

-Thank you for not being stupid Grant

-Heh. Raven can pick locks

-Going to The Endurance

-Oh Flynn, you can tell me how badass I look now

-Do Grant and Flynn not get guns?

-Okay then

-My dumbass jumped behind the car. 

-I’ve seen enough action movies to know better 

-Shame

-Grant got Drake’s flesh wound

-I love you Noami

-Love you too Flynn

-Duffy, you’re being a child now “Lemme alone” 

-Sound like one of my cousins

-Wow. Duffy is really distracted. We got past him AND down into the hold

-PIERCEI SHOULD LEAVE YOU HERE TO DIE!!! 

-In fact I might !

-ofc he comes back

-YAS. Duffy’s gonna have a fucking concussion

-WHERE THE FUCK DID HE GET A BOMB?!

-Jeff you can’t do anything right

-Pierce, shut the fuck up!

-Raven was talking him down and now you’ve gone and riled him up

-Easy Jeff. It just means you don’t look like your mom

-Awww Jeff don’t fall for it

-Jeff didn’t know his birth name

-Sad

-Pierce you dumbass! 

-Why would you give Naomi’s position away?!

-EWWWW

-Jeff doesn’t have a hand anymore

-Oh man...I’m glad this choice isn’t timed. 

-hmmm, to burn or save them?

-I want Duffy to live with his choices

-But At the same time...

-Pierce could/would leave his money to Kate

-And I also want the pleasure of mocking his life choices....

-Fuck it

-Saving Duffy

-”End of the line Pierce!”

-YAS Naomi! “You have the right to remain silent”

-It fucking better be over!

-Wait! What did I miss?!

-I only have 5/6 clues! 

-What’d I miss?!

Saerys Route

-Anyone else feel like this came back really fast?

-Cause I do

-I’m happy for it but still

-Oh god. The Summary is angst

-We should have kill Yovith last season

-WHAT!!!!!!!! WHY ARE WE ALWAYS GETTING STABBED?!

-If the soul bond is gone

-Doesn’t that mean that Sigyn doesn’t have a soul anymore?

-Apparently the final form, has a final form

-This angst. 

-Ugh

-The soul plain is gonna be on fire

-....It’s dark

-Boring!

-Now we’re trying to make plans

-Why are we going to the elven domain now?

-Not just in this route but in general

-We’ve been there in Reiner and Isuel’s route

-Iseul’s route made sense and so did Reiner

-But this doesn’t really. 

-Lol, Sigyn called Reiner ‘dad’

-I spent hearts on it. Exploring the bond better work!

-Okay. We got something. 

-Good.

-Magic worked a little and the bond is still there thank god

-We have more hope now

-Iseul and Ryland flirting. 

-I ship it

-Now we’re going to the Elven domain 

-Isuel’s being cryptic 

-But we know...Well, I know

-Weepy Prince Consort

-I love him

-Sigyn and Saerys planning on living in the Elven domain so Iseul won’t visit

-Saerys is so precious!!

-I love their relationship so much!

-So they’re gonna take us to an elven garden and NOT show it to us?

-Fucking rude

-Now we wait...fuck.

Duke Route

-This is gonna be painful

-...oh no. *whispers* he’s hot

-But he’s an rude entitled man...so...no

-Kirk Steele...wtf. 

-Again with the attempts to buy Chatshpere

-Awww we get alone time with Duke

-*Spongebob voice* Imagination~~

-Kelsey is smol

-This date is cute

-Here we go...

-...While I don’t completely trust Zeke...

-...I wouldn’t mind a route.....

-Duke’s parents aren’t getting better but they can make new memories

-Robin is, once again, a gift

-I’m ready to fight Kirk Steele/

-Yeah. I’m ready to throw down

-You don’t threaten Robin. Especially when it’s unclear if they have powers in this story.

-DUKE’S NEVER HAD MAC AND CHEESE BEFORE!!!

-WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!

-This CG is so domestic and pure I love it

-And Kelsey waits days to tell the rest of the gang. Why Kelsey

-OMg this is when shit hits the fan

-Duke is being extra aggressive

-....let Duke ‘thank’ you.

-Getting head in front of the window

-OMG

-Having sex in front of the window

-And now I’m hot and bothered in the fucking library

-great

-Oh Duke. Don’t go.

Atlas Route

-Time to kick Atlas’s ass!

-At least they gave us the option to not be useless

-Jaxon is such a good friend. Not to mention shipper

-Awwww what a bonding moment!!!

-Oh Comet!!!!

-We found him!!

-Time to knock some sense into him

-Of course Zella stayed with Atlas. She needs to strangle him!

-Atlas took down 7 guards in his rage

-Jaxon ruining moments again

-Ofc the escape can’t be easy

-Ugh. This no neck bastard.

-Go Jaxon!

-Aww Comet missed Atlas!

-I feel like SP MC would be the wife that gets drunk and tries to burn her marriage certificate saying “Good luck trying to return me without the receipt!”

-Jesus, the moment Atlas gets naked Zella loses the ability to think properly

-Honestly? Same

-Top Zella

-Death is a mercy for Petros. He gets none

[sin-like-me]

Equal Measure

Pairing: John Seed x (tried for a Gender Neutral Deputy)

Word Count: 4,223

Warnings: I swear, I enjoy it, and I am unapologetic. Heads up.

Summary: Associations can be dangerous, determination concerning, and a small bit of plastic incredibly weighty. 

Quick Note: This is the first time I have ever shared something I have written. Be advised there is no beta reader. The idea sprang from owning the very quilt mentioned... Also, I deeply appreciate Ubisoft and their writers for creating this entire universe. I seek only to borrow the Seeds from time to time to do with them as I will.

<~~~~~~~~>~~~~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~~~>~~~~~~~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~~~~> 

‘What in the hell am I doing?!’

This is the thought that has been echoing in your head for the last twenty minutes; its insistence so loud it nearly drowns out the surrounding cacophony of frogs. Incredulity seeps from every pore as your heavily booted feet unerringly find purchase on the forest floor. It is your sure and steady tread through the darkness that impedes the wake-up call you so desperately need. You marvel with a slightly disconnected humor as your body takes over, blazing a trail to your possible destruction. Apparently, common sense was thrown violently from a window in lieu of a surety of heart.

‘I’m going to get myself killed over a damned ill conceived notion. Sorry Resistance members, your “hero” has perished due to their own asininity. Why, you good folk thought that if the Deputy ever fell it would be at the hands of a Peggie? Maybe a Judge? More the fool you.’

A fallen tree lies across the trail and without a second thought you nimbly vault over, landing with a surprisingly mute thump. These past weeks have improved your physical prowess and given you a new appreciation for stealth. Hell, once upon a time that little feat would have taken several tries before it was landed successfully. Who knew that fighting for survival would carry such excellent side benefits? Well, ya know, other than staying alive to see another day.

‘I am a damned fool, or maybe just damned.’

Above, a sliver of moon barely illuminates the neatly tied package hooked to your belt. The item in question was a bit bulky, though light weight and useful; loot you happened upon while clearing shelter for the night. That something so simple, ridiculous even, could quite possibly bring about your death was mind boggling. Logically you knew that what you carried would not only be welcomed but deeply appreciated by the Rye family. Alas, the moment you realized what you had chanced upon HIS face swam into view; vaguely alarming you with just how quickly you drew the association. Hell, if you had an ounce of self preservation you would turn on your heel and head towards Nick’s place.

‘It’s juvenile for fucks sake!’

Trying to push aside the feeling of panic clawing its way up your sides, you mentally recall every single detail leading you to this point.

‘Maybe I’m blissed out of my mind. I HAVE to be. Were there any of those damned Bliss flowers around?’

A few hours earlier you caught sight of the small white home, its silence deafening on the edge of the surrounding chaos. Blood was smeared across the front walk, the windows shattered and no vehicles, nor Bliss bouquets, present. It appeared abandoned, a potential place of rest. Crouching you held your gun at ready, muscles tensed as you methodically peeked through windows, watching, waiting, aware and patient.

Moving silently and swiftly you covered the entire perimeter neither observing nor hearing the slightest of sounds or movements from inside. Tossing a rock into several of the windows from behind cover of the truck, you held your breath half hoping for a confrontation and half dreading one. A minute become five. Nothing. It had to be clear. The Peggies weren’t known to be particularly patient. You stood, stretched your back. The weight from your survival pack taking a small toll after a solid 8 hour hike. Only a few more feet… deep, steadying breath and you leveled your shotgun at the door. Haste made your steps a bit louder than you would have liked, but as you threw open the door and swept the room, you had to smirk. Out of the corner of your eye you managed a glimpse of your face plastered on a wanted poster.

‘Wanted? Yeah, well, good luck you fanatics. I will not go gentle into that good night.’

Lowering your weapon once you established an all clear, you viciously ripped down their pitiful attempt at intimidation. Scoffing you made damn sure to leave a heavy boot print on its face, unrepentant sinner that you were and all. Inside boxes were stacked high enough to obscure any view outside, but they also enabled some cover. A short walk-through and you mentally noted all entry and exit points, only stopping to complain once.

“Shit.”

The back door had been completely removed.

Thinking on your feet, you pushed and stacked boxes in front of the opening. It wouldn’t stop much of anything, but it would serve as a noisy warning. Truthfully, it gave you what you were craving: the illusion of safety. As satisfied as you were going to be with the makeshift barrier, you returned to the living room. The now cleared couch seemed inviting but a sudden breeze through the window frames invoked an involuntary shiver. Maybe you could find a blanket in one of the many boxes? Hell, it was worth a shot. Heading over to a solitary box sitting atop an old armchair you pulled your treasured Ka-Bar knife from the top of your boot.  Making quick work of the tape, a surprised laugh escaped your lips when you immediately hit pay dirt. Luck seemed to shadow your every move… or perhaps divine intervention?

A quick thought was spared for the Seeds as you pulled a stack of cloth out of the box. Saviors of the modern world, yet death stalked their every move. Did they not see the blatant hypocrisy? Killing or force converting the masses in order to save them from “the Great Collapse”?! It was either utter bullshit or at the very least counterintuitive.

Ahha! Your hand skims smooth, thin blue cotton. While sheets were nice, something heavier would be better...annnnddddd BINGO! A quilt. You pulled it free and shook it out, letting the ends drop to the floor. The orange glow from the dying sun gave the back of the cream colored quilt an odd glow. Eyes scanning the windows, you made your way to the couch and sat down, sheets and quilt clutched in a fist.

Rule one of survival?  Rest before resistance. Maybe the Resistance should make their own posters and hang ‘em right next to those ever so cheery YES! signs.

The light of the day dipped beyond the horizon. Night began to settle in, snuffing out the remnants of illumination and cradling you in its embrace of anonymity and obscurity. In the dark you seem safe and hidden.

The perfect silence is interrupted by a low growl from your stomach. Ah, well perhaps you need more than rest. You debate eating the cans of tuna spotted on the kitchen counter, but forgo it in favor of a protein bar from your pack. Quite frankly jimmying the can open with your knife was a little more effort than you wanted to expend at that moment. Besides the chalky texture wasn’t too terrible if you ate it quickly.

Hunger abated you set your pack and shotgun on the floor beside the couch within easy reach, and pulled the sidearm from your hip. No one was comfortable trying to sleep with a gun digging into their side. Hmmm, maybe a bit more light for the moment while you arranged yourself on the couch. Leaning up from your semi-prone position and grabbing a glow stick from the side of your hiking pack, you snap it in half, shake and are engulfed in a faint, eerie, green glow. Ah, to sleep in combat boots or not was the question. Sleeping without shoes was a luxury you had not indulged in recent memory. You had to always be ready, prepared to defend, run, or kill at a moments notice. You learned quickly that having your fight or flight response consistently heightened was not sustainable. There were moments of breaking, of utter mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion so acute you didn’t give a damn about anything at all.

This was one of those times.

Fuck the shoes.

You sat up again to unlace the well worn, well loved boots when you froze in place. Horrified amusement broke your arms out in goosebumps as its chill trickled down your spine. Oh, but God had a sense of humor. Draped across your lap the quilt you had quickly dismissed as non-descript was anything but. Large squares repeated a pattern in red, blue and cream and you couldn’t help where you mind raced. Vivid flashes assaulted your senses:  blue eyes boring into yours, his cold, barely controlled fury lapping at your soul in ravenous waves.  

You hated that you read their file before leaving the station on that fated night. For weeks you did not let yourself stop to think and consider. To empathize. You knew their documented history, knew the hell the Seed brothers had endured throughout what should have been a normal childhood. Fingers reflexively clutching the fabric in your fist, your eyes lost focus, thoughts turning further inward.

Each Seed brother had been and were being shaped by their experiences, each twisted in a different way, all needing balance.. And maybe even kindness. You offered them no excuses, could not forget nor understand their actions, but suddenly you knew you could empathize with their pasts. You could glean some form of perspective, and that scared you. Were the lines not black and white in this struggle? Were there actual shades of grey?

‘Damn it!’

You shook your head trying to physically dislodged these uncomfortable realizations. We are all a constantly evolving product of our experiences, the Seeds included. Maybe.. Maybe it was not too late?

Following that hope was a dash of reality. Too late for what? To save everyone? To be the hero to all? For peace? That is for children’s fairy tales. This was real life.. And real life was messy.

You focus on the quilt in our hand, a wild idea solidifying into a determined decision.

It is said that hope can be a dangerous thing, well, apparently you are now on a mission to prove it.  

Before you could rethink your plan, you folded the quilt into a neat square, grabbed some of the brown packing paper forgotten on the kitchen floor, and deftly wrapped the package. No luck finding any tape, so improvise and adapt. You had some gauze strips and with a little ripping it would tie it closed in a pinch. Properly secured, you examined the finished product.. It was missing a calling card, something to let him know you had delivered it, knew where he was and that you could have easy access if you so chose… but what? Then it hit you. A slow smirk tugged at the corners of your lips as you leaned back into the couch, hand going for your jeans pocket. You didn’t know why you hadn’t sewn it back on yet, probably saving it as a perverse reminder of your escape. It would be the perfect nod to and  perhaps even a small dig at the man who considered himself just that “fresh” as Sharky would say.

Without a second thought you snaked a piece of gauze thread through the holes and neatly secure the small, innocuous object front and center.

Presently that tiny piece of blue plastic glinted up at you in the moonlight reminding you that yes, you were in fact enroute to one of the Seed’s compounds. Even knowing the danger you kept your pace, ducking under low hanging branches and freezing into a crouch as a twig snapped less than a klick to the west. Soundlessly your silenced P226 Amendment 2 was drawn and aimed towards the sound when you spotted a small pack of wolves stalking the vicinity. As long as lady luck kept your scent downwind you would be elusive, time to pick up the pace.

Keeping the river to your left you knew that the ranch was about an hour hike from your shelter, but that was assuming one could just waltz down the long drive and right up to the front door. You had no such luxury, so you kept to the riverbank and trees, skirting along the property line under the cover of night. You made decent time all things considered and when you found the dock you knew you had to scale the cliffs behind his home. Hmph. Good thing you took the time to wolf down that protein bar. Grappling on an empty stomach was difficult at the best of times, and grappling at night while surrounded by Peggies in various states of alert was NOT the best of times.

The cliff edge was approximately 30 feet from a side door leading into some portion of the vast building which John Seed called home. Cult members were stationed at lookout points along the four corners of the property with a small group at the front and to the sides. Right now the back was clear of patrols so you narrowed in on your destination: a patch of tall flowering plants. Pulling yourself up and over the final ridge with a soft grunt, you quickly crouched behind a nearby tree, scoping the surroundings before dashing into the midst of cover. The door was so damned close.. You unclipped the package from your waist and hefted its weight in your palm. You could throw it, but where was the personal touch in that? No, you did not come all this way pushing past exhaustion to just throw it and run. Sure the area was well lit, sure this was the home of one of the Heralds of the Collapse, but in this very moment you were foolishly unafraid. Unafraid or perhaps in some form of delirium from exhaustion.

Your suspicions spike when nary a soul comes to patrol the back door. It made no sense. The Seeds were many things, but unprepared and stupid were not one of them. Then a  certainty flitted through your subconscious:

John knows I am here.

Alright, let’s say he does. So, what do you do? Do you sit here and debate the reason why, do you leave, or do you oblige the curiosities of a man who for reasons unknown obviously has no immediate intention of capturing you? Why Sharky’s voice rang in your thoughts at that moment were unclear but damn he was right.

“Ride or Die.” you whisper.

Standing tall, equal parts foolhardy and confident, you make your way to the backdoor, eyes always forward in defiance of any possible threats. With a studied casualness you ascend the two steps to the cedar stoop, package in hand. Well, so far, so good. Glancing up you spot a red light. Mhm, of course John liked to watch.

‘Well Mr. John Seed, enjoy the show.’

Dropping to one knee, you make sure to mockingly exaggerate every movement.

“An offering to the god Maximon.” you mutter sarcastically staring at the camera stationed in the corner of the overhang. “Google it John.”

You wink, a delicious trill of excitement tugging your lips into a smirk.  Standing then, you flip him the nationwide symbol for get fucked, and waltz right back to the cliffs. Your shoulders feeling lighter, your burden moved. You would not be hunted this night.

He knew….and the ball was in his court.

As Fate would have it, John just happened to be on the ranch that night. He saw the Deputy the  moment a delicate hand grasped the cliff's edge. Little known fact, the first thing he had done when he bought this ranch was to make sure security cameras were installed to cover every single angle of his ranch. At the time it was expensive, but he knew he would not regret it and as he sat back in his chair, the black leather creaking slightly with his shifting weight, he basked in his foresight. On the screen the slender fingers flexed as a head of dark hair came into view. John did not consciously acknowledge how his breath hitched in anticipation nor did he stop to consider how he recognized Rook from something as small as that hand.

Cerulean eyes narrowed under dark brows absorbing every single muscle flex, every minute facial tick.

“Oh what do we have here Dep-ut-yyyy.. Tsk, tsk.. You can do so much better than this pitiful attempt at assassination.”  He leaned forward slowly, tapping the figure on the screen with a long, well manicured finger. “Frankly my dear, I am offended.”

Rook was crouching now, and John watched in amusement as the quick progression to the edge of the trees came to an abrupt halt. Time to debate that next move.

“Well, you certainly have my attention and curiosity…” eyes never leaving the screen, his hand closes around his radio. Switching to his personal security channel, his next order was very deliberate, “Call off all patrols for the next hour.”

A brief crackle of static, “Yes sir John sir.”

He smirked, they knew better than to question him and damned if they would defy him. He may lack Jacob’s military training, but he could command a flock through fear and charm.

“What are you up to my sinful Wrath?”

It was then he spotted a thick, square package being untied from the black leather belt slung snugly across the deputy’s hips.

“Explosives? How utterly mundane.” disappointment dripped from his words.

He watched as there was a sudden shift in the Deputy’s posture. From a crouching and tensely coiled machine arose a self-confident silhouette. No longer were the steps hurried, quiet, and cautious. In place was an arrogant stride, each step measured and calculated, and the demeanor focused on the goal ahead. Never once did eyes dart to look to the sides or behind. It was then he knew…

His... no, no, no…  THE Deputy knew he was watching.

A shiver danced up the base of his spine, eyes narrowing. A devilish smile curved his lips bringing a sudden softness to his usually intense face.

“My, my aren’t we the brave one? All alone with no sign of Nick or Sharky? An unapproved outing perhaps? Ahhh, secrets upon lies upon secrets. Your sins seem to know no bounds.”

Rook had reached the door after a quick climb up the two back steps. John braced his forearm along the desk and leaned in so close that the screen almost grazed his nose. He should have been focusing on the package, but his eyes would not leave Rook’s face.

“Show me your sin… show  me your wrath,” he whispers, almost begging.

In a surprising move, the Deputy falls to one knee and looks directly at the camera, eyes amused even through the technological barrier. Lips are pursed in a small smile, mocking and almost taunting him. The mic kicked on and he heard every single word that pretty little throat uttered.

“An offering to the god Maximon.” a soft intake of breath and … was that a fucking laugh?! “Google it John.”

The use of his name scattered any logical thought processes he may have had. Never before had Rook uttered it, not when tied to his chair, not when baptised.. The sound of it from those lips and in that voice was alarming. Equal parts dreadful and pleasing.

The package, which he had forgotten in his astonishment, was placed gently upon the deck and with a small pause, the Deputy looked back up at the camera and winked. His internal confusion mounted until, standing, he got the one finger salute. John barely caught the guffaw that was trying to escape his throat so what ended up coming out was a strained grunt.

“Ahhhh, and there it is mixed with a bit of arrogance.”

Did the Deputy think him a complete simpleton? He was an educated man. He damn well knew the legend behind the Mayan God Maximon. Obviously Rook was trying to draw some rather dramatic comparisons. John chuckled. Oh dear… Was it the sunglasses? My, how he enjoyed that little reference.

Watching the retreating form closely, John sat on the edge of his chair  until the deputy’s head disappeared down the cliff. Once gone from the screen and his property, John finally stood to his full height of 5’10”. Running an unsteady hand through his hair, he made a quick grab for the radio before turning to descend to the back door.

Who was he to shun any offerings left by his admirers?

Cracking the door he peeked down at the package. Nothing was blinking or ticking.. He reached to his side, grabbed a conveniently placed broom and poked it. Surprisingly the package gave way with the brown paper ripping slightly.

Cloth?!

“What do you have up your sleeve?”

Pushing the broom back behind him, John stepped out onto the stoop and picked up the parcel. From what he could see inside the hole it looked like some clothing perhaps? Was the Deputy affronted by his fashion sense? Pft. He was damn meticulous about his choice of clothes, he was the face of Eden’s Gate after all. This look went over well for the most part.

He began to pluck at the gauze tying the parcel closed when a small blue button caught his eye. It was securely fastened to the middle of the package demanding to be noticed and there was absolutely no need for an explanation. John immediately knew what it was. Memories of the moment that he had Rook tied to his chair, the room encased in harsh red light.... He had leaned down, his mouth saying how he wished he had more to say yes to...ripping open that blue button down shirt… buttons scattered, flesh visible to his feasting eyes, sponge cleaning the fevered skin, his eyes demanding of those before him, commanding obedience yet hoping for rebellion.. Oh he knew this little button well.

His fingers closed into a fist around the small bit of plastic, tightening his grip until its form bit into the soft flesh of his palm. He shook his head to bring him back to the present before pocketing the button. Ripping the remaining paper away, John flicked out the cloth within and studied it briefly before throwing his head back and laughing.

It was a quilt… a quilt with blue planes and clouds in squares around the outskirts, and a red and blue plane circling each other in the center. It was obviously made with a child in mind, but John was oddly pleased. Sure the quilt was juvenile, but it told him quite a lot. The Deputy had somehow noted his admiration for planes in the only way possible: by the pattern on the coat he had only worn once when they first laid eyes on one another. It seemed a lifetime ago, that moment where it all began. The fact that those observant eyes had paid special attention to him, that Rook felt the need to gift this to him… spoke of something more than wrath.

He smirked, picking up the trash and tossing the quilt over his forearm to carry inside. This quilt was sure to be an interesting piece, and hell he might even display it in a mocking way amongst his Eden’s Gate symbols and books. For the moment he tossed the quilt over the dining room table, ignoring the blinking message light on his answering machine.

Was the Deputy coming around? Doubtful, but possible.

He made a quick detour through his kitchen and into his garage where there was a toolbox with exactly what he needed. On autopilot he rummaged through the necessary drawers, pushing aside bits of metal until he located the needle nose pliers and jump rings.

Striding back into the dining room John pulled a chair out in a quick gesture. Sitting thoughtfully, eyes glazed in contemplation, he was unaware as his hand toyed with the leather thong around his neck. A quick blink and he pulled up, ducking absently as it slipped from around his neck. What he was doing, he would not fully comprehend in the moment, but it was something he desperately needed. That tiny piece of plastic burned his thigh where it rested, heavy with meaning. Tugging it from where it lay hidden, deft fingers attached the weighty piece of blue behind his bunker key.

This was.. His? John brought the leather up to his neck, and after a brief debate slipped it back over his head. The weight from the key caused the leather to fall silently back into place, its familiar shape coming to a rest against his bare chest. Where there should have been the cool bite of metal, instead burned the heat of a secret contained in the form of a small blue button. Yes, this was his. His to carry or expose as he saw fit.

The Deputy… HIS deputy, was a weight he would shoulder, a sin he would either condone, commit, or eventually excise and cleanse. The path was not clear to him yet, but he would save Wrath even if it meant dragging them bodily into salvation: bloody, kicking, and screaming.

John chuckled as his hand closed over the handheld, the soft crackle of open airwaves loud in the silence of revelation, “Patrols will resume in an hour.”

Immediately he received his enthusiastic response: “Yes sir!”

Tonight? Well, tonight he would grant reprieve.

[deanssweetheart23]

Cross My Heart

Title: Cross My Heart (Soldier!Dean AU)

Summary: Dean Winchester is a man who’s been to war and back, a man that’s lost loved ones and has seen too much to believe in love or fate or destiny. But when he meets a girl that radiates kindness and warmth, one that’s ready to love his shadowy corners and accept him for the man he really is, he begins to change his mind. And, when she shows him the darkness in her light, he promises himself that, no matter how hard things get, he’ll never let go of her. Because, he realizes, he loves her. And that is the beginning and end of everything. 

Author: deanssweetheart23

Characters: Dean Winchester x reader, Mary and John Winchester (both mentioned), Benny Laffite, Sam Winchester

Word count: 7026 (I know, I know it’s a monster fic, but I promise, it’s worth it)

Warnings: Fluff. Angst. Some language. Implied smut. Death of a parent. Loss. Mentions of blood and of the warzone (nothing too graphic). Bad marital relationship (not Dean associated). Domestic Dean Bean (yup, this should be a warning)  

Author’s Notes: This is my submission for @jpadjackles Double Birthday Challenge. My sweet B, thank you for letting me participate. I had the time of my life writing this and I can promise you, it ended up being a fic very close to my heart.

Special thank you to my twin @ravengirl94 for answering my stupid questions about the US Army, and being such an amazing best friend and beta. Without her, this story would have never been posted.

My prompt for this was Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg.(I am not American so every detail about the US Army in this fic is the result of research. If there’s a mistake in it, I apologize in advance.)

And, without further ado. Enjoy <3

The first time Dean sees her it’s on his mother’s birthday.

It’s a sunny day, sky a soft shade of blue, summer slowly creeping its way into his life and, even though he’s not sure of a lot of things, he somehow knows she would have loved this day.

He can almost see her, standing in the middle of their garden, sundress blowing with the wind, a smile gracing her lips while he’s whining because there’s no pie, and it’s all so tangible, so real, that he thinks he can reach out and touch her.

Her image disappears as soon as it’d appeared though, and he’s back in the middle of a crowded street, on his way home from training, all alone, with no plans for the day and no mum to celebrate with because his mother’s gone and nothing can bring her back.

The thought pulls at his heartstrings and he can feel it again, that sickening sensation of missing someone so much that all of his body cells are aching for her and he curses under his breath, already loathing the day.

And then she catches his eye.

She’s just sitting there, at the bay window of the old coffee shop that always seems to have some jazz melody pouring out of it, nose buried in a book.

She’s beautiful, he can tell that much, but what really stuns him is the way she’s holding the dog-eared book, fingers grazing the paper gently like it’s soft skin, eyes skimming the pages as she bits her bottom lip, a wrinkle in her brow. It’s been a while since Dean has seen someone so engrossed into something and he loses track of time, forgets that he’s burning holes on her until she looks up and her eyes meet his through the window.

And Dean is speechless, he’s terrified because he’s caught staring, but she smiles at him, soft and warm and genuine and it’s the purest, most breath-taking thing he’s ever seen.

So, he does what he’s never thought he’d do on a day that hurts him so much.

He returns the smile and watches as she goes back to her book, fingers tucking strays of hair behind her ear, then steals one, two, three long glances and leaves, mind already drifting to work and how he really needs to call his kid brother to see how he’s holding up.

He pretends he doesn’t think of her for the rest of the day.

Dean doesn’t believe in fate.

He doesn’t believe things happen for a reason and he’s seen enough to know that good things happen to bad people and bad to good ones and that there’s no one out there who gives a damn about how broken this world really is, no higher power that protects and loves and saves.

He’s seen kids dying, seen soldiers that had been laughing at his jokes the night before spitting blood from their mouths in the midst of a blaze of chaos and bullets. He’s seen his mum dying, his father turning into a shell of his old self and he’s returned from war only to wonder why.

Why the hell did he survive while others died?

And he knows, that there’s no one to answer.

So, yeah.

Dean doesn’t believe in fate.

But the next time he passes by that coffee shop, a couple of weeks later, he still stops for a second and lets his eyes drift to that bay window.

It’s stupid, he knows that, and makes him feel like he’s a character in a stupid Hallmark chick-flick, but he goes for it anyway, because, oddly enough, he feels like he’ll end up regretting it, if he just walks away like that.

But she’s not there, and for some reason, the day doesn’t seem as bright anymore and meeting with Benny for beers later doesn’t sound as fun.

Trying to swallow his disappointment, he crosses the street, pointedly ignoring that little building that has always seemed like a little piece of another world in the middle of his town.

He doesn’t go back for a month.

Dean’s almost convinced he’ll never see her again.

It makes sense, of course, because she’s nothing but a stranger that caught his eye for just a split second, one of those people that are somehow supportive characters in someone’s story without even knowing it, but it still baffles him a bit, still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth when he thinks of her.

Not that he thinks of her too often.

Nope.

He doesn’t.

But she’s a nice memory, lively and serene, and the image of her lost in her own world, scanning the pages of a book like it holds the world’s most precious secrets always manages to put a smile on his face in the darkest of hours, because, admittedly, he doesn’t believe in magic, but it’s comforting to know there are still a few people in the world that do.

So, he stops by the coffee shop a couple of times, but she’s never there and he loses all hope.

And then it happens.

He’s leaning against his shiny muscle car, right outside Benny’s house, arms folded in front of his chest, eyes focused on the front porch, when he hears a loud thump, followed by a string of extremely colorful expletives he doesn’t even know existed, and he stops and takes a breath to remind himself that he doesn’t have to reach for his gun, that he has no gun, because he’s safe, he’s back home in the States and his mind is just playing tricks on him.

He doesn’t have time to really dwell on it though because-

“Fuck. Fuck, fuckety fuck, fuck.” Someone mutters, voice soft and surprisingly pleasant.

And he doesn’t even realize it at first, but he’s already next to Sailor Mouth, and when he mumbles an  are you alright, ma’am and she turns to look at him, he swears that his whole world stops for a minute because it’s her.

It’s the girl from the coffee shop, cheeks a little flushed, hair a little disheveled and he wants to say something, he wants to say anything, but he can’t seem to find the words.

She smiles.

It’s gorgeous and genuine and a bit sheepish and he notes that if he’s thought she was beautiful before, now he knows she’s stunning.

“I’m fine. I’m just… Did I say all those things out loud?”

He laughs.

Even he is surprised at how easily the sound seems to bubble up his throat.

“Yeah, pretty sure you just did.”

“Oh God. I’m… It’s been a long day and I-”

“’S okay, kid.” He chuckles because she’s flustered and it’s the most adorable thing he’s ever seen. Then. “Here, lemme help with that.” He offers and crouches to the ground to pick up the books she’d dropped, eyes sweeping over the titles quickly.

“Interesting.”

“What’s interesting?” she implores, brow raised.

“Nothing, just,” he smirks a little, smug and playful, then licks his lips, “I didn’t really know people are still into Elizabeth Barret Browning. Since this is, you know, the 21st century.”

“Hey.” She whines, but there’s a smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Elizabeth Browning is frigging awesome, man.”

“Sure she is.”

She’s bothered now, forehead puckered and eyes ablaze with a sort of brightness that surprises him.

“Are you –how can you not like her? What’s next, are you going tell me you hate Shakespeare?”

“Well,” he chortles, shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, “I wasn’t going to say anything but-”

“Oh, c’mon. He’s Shakespeare.” She chants, spread-armed shrug as she stares at him in shock.

“Hmmm. Bit overrated if you ask me. Now Vonnegut on the other hand…”

“Of course you’d say that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? What could you possibly have against Slaughterhouse 5?”

“What could you possibly have against Hamlet?” she retorts, waggling the book she’s been holding.

“Look,” he tries again, titling his head to the left, “all I’m saying is the guy just whines too much, you know? And.” He jabs a finger at her. “He’s disgustingly sweet.”

“Right.” She huffs out, sarcasm laced in her voice. “Do you have a pen?”

“What?”

“Do you have a pen? It’s a simple question.” She states, then thinks about something and reaches for her bag. “Never mind, I got one. Just give me your hand.”

“I, uh,” he pauses, eyes drifting to the letters sprawled over his palm, “Sonnet 138?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What are you-”

“You should read it. Pretty sure it’ll change your mind on your whole disgustingly sweet thing.” She gushes, pink lips curling up in a self-satisfied smile that was one of the most beautiful things he’s ever seen.

“You’re-”

“Awesome. Yeah, I know.” She says, Y/E/C orbs drifting up to meet his, and beams so brightly he can’t really argue with her.

So, instead, he grins and just stares because there’s nothing else he can really do but search for colors and light and life into her eyes while he listens to her speak, about Shakespeare and the sonnets and how she’s definitely gonna prove him wrong.

He stops by the bookstore on his way home that day.

Dean’s nervous.

Sitting right next to her, he drinks in the way she throws her head back when she laughs at his joke, the way her perfume blends with the fragrant smell of fresh coffee and, even though he’s so forever stunned by how easy almost everything seems to be with her, part of him is still terrified that he’ll mess something up and make a fool of himself in front of her, like a teenage boy that just had a girl say hello to him for the first time.

“So,” she says, drumming her fingers on the table, soft smile gracing her lips, “I got an important question for you, Dean.”

He hums and arches a sly brow.

“All ears, sweetheart.”

“Apple pecan, blueberry buttermilk or coffee, walnut and chocolate chip?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

She laughs.

“They’re muffin flavors.” She explains, reaching for the catalogue. “You said you’ve never been to this coffee shop, right?” A nod. “Well. You got to try the muffins. They’re the best in the entire town. So. Apple pecan, blueberry buttermilk or coffee, walnut and chocolate chip?”

“I don’t really, uh… I’m not a muffin guy.”

A scowl.

Eyes rolled skywards.

“Not a muffin guy?”

“Yeah. I… Pie. I love pie.”

“That’s because you haven’t tried these muffins.”

He chuckles, corner of his mouth curving up in a smirk.

“Kid, no offense, but ain’t nothing in this world that’s gonna make me give up pie.”

Her lips twitch at his words, something he can’t quite put his finger on dancing in her eyes.

“You mean like there was nothing in this world that could make you come to this place?”

“Nope. See, that’s different.”

“It’s different because…?”

He smiles, a boyish grin that makes him look, at least, ten years younger.

“The only reason I agreed to this is because you said you loved this place.”

“And?”

“And I’m clearly trying very hard to impress you.”

“Clearly.”

“Now, what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” she says, mischief  coating her features, “that when the girl you’re trying very hard to impress wants you to try the muffins, you try the muffins, Dean.”

He laughs at that, but his eyes soften as they flicker over her face slowly.

“What? What was that look for?”

“Nothing…” he replies, scratching the back of his neck. “You just… You really love this place, don’t you?”

A breathless smile.

“Yeah, I really do.” She whispers, looking at him from the rim of her mug.  She pauses for a second, seemingly thinking about something, then licks her lips and continues. “My dad… He and I don’t really get along, -we never did quite frankly, so when things got a bit tough at home, my mum would bring me over here for breakfast. It was kind of our thing, you know?” she grins at the memory and looks at the table, seemingly counting the grains of sugar she’d spilled minutes earlier. “We still stop by when she visits.”

He sees the serenity that has settled into her eyes then, notices the tenderness that’s basically strapped into her soft voice, and grins, because it’s almost as if her love for that place seeps into his bare skin and makes him feel lightheaded.

Glancing at the silver band he never takes off, he twists it around his finger and just thinks for a minute.

And then-

“My mum used to take me fishing.” He tells her, absentmindedly cracking his knuckles. “See, my dad has always loved it, but he’s pretty bad at it. And I mean pretty bad, kid.” He chuckles, rough and low at the back of his throat, eyes glancing out of the bay window. “She’s always lied to him about it though. Didn’t want to hurt his feeling. So, when he said he wanted to teach me, she just took me to the lake one day and said Son, I’m gonna show you the ropes here but if your dad asks, this was all him.”

Y/N laughs at his words, nose scrunched up in the cutest of ways and leans closer, fingers tucking a strand stray of hair behind her ear.

“She sounds amazing.”

Her words are like a stab in the heart.

“Yeah. She, uh, she was.” He rasps, averting his gaze. “She died. When I was four.” He pauses, hoping that she didn’t hear the way his voice wavered. “Fire accident.”

And he waits for her to look at him like he’s a lost puppy, waits for some pitiful comment to leave her lips but instead-

“God –I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“No, it’s –you’re fine, don’t worry.” He cuts her off but she hesitates, looks at him like she might want to apologize again, so he reaches for her hand, his knuckles scraped against her soft skin. “Seriously. We’re good.”

Cracking a small, grateful smile, she traces the back of his hand slowly.

“Well. I know it’s not what you want to hear but she… She would have been proud of you.”

And she might think it isn’t much, but he feels so overwhelmed, so absolutely floored by that statement, by the kindness in her eyes and that genuine smile she’s wearing that he wants to lean over and kiss her.

He doesn’t.

“Give it a little time, kid. You might change your mind.”

“That’s not gonna happen.” She blinks. “Unless you’re a serial killer.” A chuckle. Brows raised in question. “You’re not a serial killer, right?”

“Nope.” He grins, playfulness coating his features. “But you know what they say. Got to keep my options open.”

She barks out a laugh at that, the sparkling sound spilling from her lips and filling the space in between them with nothing but gleam and sunshine and, despite the fact he’s at a coffee shop with colorful walls and jazz vinyl records, all he sees, all he can see is the bright girl in front of him, the one that’s still holding his hand and smiles the most radiant smile he’s ever seen.

He’s never felt quite at home until now.

It takes him six more dates to kiss her.

He’s walking her back home from a carnival, small hand in his large one, fingers soundly intertwined together, and she looks so absolutely breath-taking under the moonlight that all he can do is stare, at the way the soft glow dances across her face, the way her eyes shine like diamonds, the way her lips curve up into the perfect smile.

So, when they stop under a lamppost and he says something that makes them both laugh until they can’t breathe, he gathers every ounce of courage, presses his forehead against hers, clasps the side of her face with his hand, and when her eyes flutter shut for just a second, he slowly ducks in and brushes his lips against hers.

It’s a ghost of a kiss, breathy and attentive at first, but then she whimpers into his mouth and he deepens it, winds an arm around her waist and, God, she tastes like whiskey and cinnamon and that cherry pie they shared earlier.

He’s never tasted anything better.

Dean’s happy.

It’s been there for a while now, he supposes, hidden in secret smiles and quiet afternoons spent in that coffee shop she loves so much, but it hasn’t really hit him, not until he sees her in his kitchen on a Saturday morning.

She’s just standing in front of the counter, dressed in one of his crisp white shirts, coffee pot in hand while she hums a familiar tune under her breath and he stares at her, bones turning into liquid at the way she moves into the little room like she’s always belonged there, and he can feel it, he can feel happiness and serenity and warmth pulling at his heartstrings.

Quietly, he wraps his arms around her waist and presses his lips against that soft spot on her neck that never fails to make her shudder.

“Mmmm. Good morning to me.” He mumbles, the words caressing her skin while they make their way into the fresh morning air.

She laughs then, that bright, lively laugh that he’s come to love and turns around to face him, hands finding their way around his neck within seconds.

“There you are, sleepyhead.” She murmurs, pecking the corner of his mouth. “I thought you’d never get out of bed.”

Instead of replying, he smirks, all playfulness and mischief, lifts her up and sets her on the counter, long fingers caressing the side of her face gently.

“Yeah, well” he starts, tucking a strand stray of hair behind her ear, “I didn’t exactly get much sleep last night.”

“Or maybe you’re just getting old.”

Growling, he rolls his eyes at her raised brows and gets an arm around her shoulders.

“’M gonna pretend I didn’t hear that because you’re cute and last night was pretty awesome.” He gloats, nudging his nose up against hers.

“Awesome, huh?”

“Kid, you have no idea.” He hums and leans in to kiss her, lazy and soft, grinning a little into it because, dammit, it’s a good day.

It’s all pastel touches and warm lips after that and when they finally break off, he braces his forehead against hers and takes a deep breath.

“You look good in that shirt by the way.” He whispers, parting her legs with his thigh and wrapping them around his waist.

She beams at him, cheeks going a bit pinkish.

“I do?”

“Yeah. As a matter of fact,” he starts, fingers undoing some buttons as they work their way down her breasts, “I think it looks better on you.”

She chuckles at that but then he latches his mouth on her neck and she sighs, that little sigh that lets him know he’s doing everything just right, the one he loves to pull out of her whenever he can, and, Jesus, he wants to-

“Easy there, cowboy.” She chuckles. “We got a date with your brother in a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, I know.” He says, tone matter of fact as his lips move along her sternum. “He can,” another kiss, “wait.”

“No, he can’t.” she objects, but he can feel her heartbeat against his chest, knows exactly the kind of effect his ministrations have on her. “D., I’m serious about this.”

“Hmmm,” he hums, sucking a kiss into her collarbone.

“Okay, you really need to,” she pants a little, “you need to stop that. We can’t be late.”

“Why not?” he implores, pulling back.

“Because I can’t just… I mean, I want…” she huffs out a breath in frustration, clearly struggling with her thoughts, then purses her lips and drops her eyes to the floor. “What if your brother doesn’t like me?”

“Not like –kid, how could someone not like you?”

“I dunno,” she shrugs, clutching at his arm, “why don’t you ask my dad?”

And he knows it’s not supposed to sound bitter, he knows she’s just being sarcastic, but he can still taste the sourness in his own tongue, because it’s something that could have dropped from his lips, because sometimes he can see shadowy corners of himself in her lightness, can see scars that for some messed up reason match his.

“Yeah, but to Sam’s defense, your dad’s a dick. My brother’s a good kid.”

“I know that but-”

Warm lips brush up against hers, soft but persistent, and for a moment, she loses herself completely in him and everything he is.

“You worry too much, sweetheart.”

“Well, I can’t really-”

“Sssh. Lemme help with that.” He breathes against her ear as he nibbles on her lobe, hand sliding from her waist to the inside of her thighs.

“You are so not helping.” She chuckles, breathy and loose.

He hums.

“D., you really have to stop. I have to go back home.”

“You know,” Dean says as he tugs her closer, pecking her forehead sweetly, “this would all be easier if you just lived here.”

The words are out of his mouth almost immediately and she freezes and goes tense under his arms while the whole room falls silent.

And, so, he waits.

He waits for one, two, three long bits and, when she still doesn’t speak, he begins to second-guess his own self, and starts to think that maybe it’s too big of a step for them to make, or that perhaps she doesn’t want to move in with someone who can’t even whisper those three little words to her, someone who’s less than anything she’ll ever deserve.

“Are you…” she lets out a chuckle and grazes his back with her fingers nervously, eyes wide and confused. “D., do you really mean that?”

Licking his lips, he nods and tucks some hair behind her ear.

“You spend most of the time here anyways.”

“Yeah, but do you want me here? Because what we have right now-”

“What we have right now is great.” Dean interrupts her and intertwines his fingers with hers soundly, smiling when he feels her squeezing in response.

“That’s what I’m saying. And I don’t want you to-”

“No, just…” he shushes her with a finger on the lips and chuckles a little at her adorable pout. “You asked me what I want, right?”

She nods.

“I want to have this. Every day. With you.” He explains, kissing her wrist. “So,” he locks eyes with her, all openness and softness, “move in with me.”

And he expects her to say yes, expects her to laugh and squeal and giggle in his arms, but instead, she ducks in, smooths her thumb over his jaw and kisses him, deep and ardent, and when her fingers sink into his hair he thinks that, yeah, he could really get used to this.

“I guess we’re doing this then.”

“God, yes…” She breathes, face breaking into a breathless smile, so bright and so sunny that it reminds him of spring and sunflowers.

So, he chuckles and kisses her, fingertips traveling to the junction of her thigh and hip slowly.

Moaning a bit, she squeezes her legs around his waist and he smirks against her mouth and hoists her into his arms.

“Dean, what on Earth are you-”

“’M taking you back to bed,” he hushes her, pressing his lips against hers.

“Your brother is-”

“Don’t care. Want you, sweetheart.” He rasps, mouth up her jaw. “Want you so much.”

Being late for lunch turned out to be just fine.

Dean’s in love with her.

He has been for a long time, maybe even since the very beginning, but the deeper he dives into her, grasping quirks and scars and warmth, the freer he falls, feelings he didn’t even know existed wrapping around his heart like vines and reviving every withered, every dead cell.

It’s something that’s always there, in boisterous afternoons spent within the crowds, joined hands a cardinal proof that he’s not alone anymore, in quick kisses and witty remarks whispered during hurried coffee dates on bustling days, but the sentiment is always louder, always purer in moments like this, moments of stagnation, when his whole world is wrapped up in her scent and the sound of her voice and the feel of her skin on his.

As if she’s just read his mind and knows he’s thinking of her, Y/N stretches out in the hammock, cat-like, and nuzzles his chest adorably, prompting a soft chuckle from him.

“You falling asleep on me, sweetheart?” he whispers, combing his fingers through her hair.

“Mmmm… ‘M just tired.”

“Told you we shouldn’t have driven four hours to see this place.” He teases and before he even has the chance to add anything she opens her eyes and growls at him, irritation coating her features. “Can’t see why you love it so much.”

“New Hampshire is gorgeous and you know it, heathen.” She gushes, ruffling his hair.

“Pffft. ‘S okay.”

“Yeah, right.” she huffs out, looking up at him. “You love this view.”

Grinning, he pulls her impossibly close, and locks eyes with her, in love with the way they shine brightly under the afternoon sun.

“Yeah,” he whispers, not averting his gaze. “I do.” A kiss on the tip of her nose. “I really do.”

He expects her to laugh, waits for her to blush or smile or call him a cuddly ol’ teddy bear like she usually does in occasions like this, but she just looks at him, Y/E/C orbs burning into his with an intensity that reminds him of lazy mornings and tender glances, of the nights he loves to spend plugged deep into her, smoothing calloused hands over bare skin, exploring edges and curves and pulling shaky whispers of soft love out of her.

It’s that look that pulls him right in, the one that mesmerizes and terrifies him at the same time because he knows exactly what it means.

So, he lets out a nervous laugh and mumbles a what? under his breath, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Nothing I’m just… I don’t know how I got so lucky with you.”

And he’s never thought that he could be that one good thing in somebody’s life but it’s so genuine and sweet-spoken that he believes it.

“You going all cheesy on me, kid?” he grins, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Shut up.” She whines, smacking his arm. “I mean that. Before you I thought I would –I didn’t believe I’d get to have something like this. The way I grew up, I-”

“Hey,” he cuts her off, thumb brushing against her bottom lip, “we’re not your parents. We’re never going to be your parents.” He promises, clasping the side of her face.

“D., -”

“Don’t. Kid, you have no idea how much I want this to work.” He objects and reaches out for her hand, interlocking their fingers together. “God, you don’t even know how much I-” he pauses, and swallows, all kinds of pent up emotions running through his veins, threatening to spill into his voice.

“How much you what?”

He takes a deep breath then and looks into her soft eyes, drinking in the way they’re staring back at him like he’s her entire world, the way her lips are pursed in an adorable frown, the way she furrows her brows in concern and she’s so unbelievably pure in that moment, so real, that he wants to let go, wants to stop holding back, to stop being so frigging afraid.

And so-

“How much I love you.” he whispers, just three little words, out in the open. “Sweetheart, I-”

“I love you too.” She cuts him off, propping herself on her elbow to straddle him, hands cupping his face as she leans in. “I love you so much.”

And then she kisses him like she’s never kissed him before, deep and demanding and a bit desperate, and, he grips at her, lets his hands wander beneath her sundress, and he knows.

She’s been the one for him all along.

Dean’s going to break her heart.

He should have seen it coming really, should have known that nothing good would ever come out of a relationship with him, but he’d been so fascinated by her kind heart and her sweet acceptance, he’d fallen so stupidly and insanely in love with her that he’d forgotten he was practically poison for everyone and anyone around him.

And yet, now that she’s looking at him, soft, wide eyes curious and concerned, he knows he’s going to break her in ways no other man ever had.

“D? Everything okay?” she implores, hand reaching out to touch his and he shuts his eyes closed for a second and lets himself get lost in her softness.

He blinks and nods, squeezing her fingers in response.

“Was that your dad? You sounded kind of-”

“No, that was –kid, that was my CO.”

“Your CO?” she repeats, forehead puckered. “But I thought you said you had the day off .”

“I did. I do…” he sighs, running a hand over his face tiredly. “He, uh, he wanted to tell me that I…”  A glance that’s filled with sorrow and regret. “I got called back on active duty.”

Silence.

Everything around them, every single sound fades into the background until there’s silence and nothing else and even though she doesn’t say anything, Dean swears that every single thing she’s feeling floats across her face like a lonely cloud on the pristine sky.

“But you’re on reserve duty, right? They can’t just do that.”

“’S not that simple, Y/N. If they need me, they can do pretty much anything.”

She nods, eyes a little lost and face white as a hospital sheet and, God,  he wants to take her in his arms and tell her that’s everything is going to be okay, but he can’t lie to her.

“So, you have to go.” She whispers slowly, eyes drifting to the spilled coffee in front of her.

“So, I have to go.”

“How long do we-”

“A month.”

She hums, biting on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, orbs dark and misty.

His stomach plummets.

“You’re leaving in a month.”

He mumbles a yeah under his breath and notices the tears in her eyes.

He almost chocks on dry air.

“Hey,” he whispers softly, running a hand over his jaw, “don’t go crying on me now, sweetheart.”

“I’m sorry.” She whines, sniffing a bit. “I’m just… D., I can’t-”

“You’re not going to.” He objects, reaching up to wipe away the wetness. She leans into his touch, almost absentmindedly, and he smiles just a little, despite himself. “’S not my first rodeo.”

She laughs, bitter and wrecked.

“That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“Well, it should.” He smirks, all smug and swagger, even if he’s dying on the inside. “I’m not gonna die, kid. I love you too much to just leave you like that.”

She looks at him, looks into his eyes, searching for something.

“Do you promise?”

Instead of replying, he smiles, soft but honest and reaches out for her, manipulating their fingers until they’re laced together, then brings their joined hands to his lips.

“Cross my heart.” He vows and kisses her knuckles sweetly.

He lets himself store the feeling of skin against lips on memory but the serenity that simple intimacy gives him evaporates almost immediately, because his mind drifts to the small velvet box that’s been hiding in the pocket of his leather jacket for almost a month, the one with the elegant diamond ring his mum used to own.

And he prays to God he’ll get to keep his promise.

Dean’s been gone for 240 days.

He sends letters, even calls when he can, but she misses him, misses his scent and his smile, the way he throws his entire body into laughter, the way his eyes shine like caramel when the light catches them just right.

But she holds on.

She reads all the messy scribbles he sends, no matter how bedraggled and jumbled they are, listens to his gruff voice as it blends with the sound of static when he tells her he misses her and he can’t wait to kiss the hell out of her again, drives around his Baby with love and makes sure Sam’s doing okay just like she promised him she’d do.

And she waits.

She waits and hopes, no matter how much it tears her apart, because there’s nothing else she can do.

And then there’s a knock on the door one day.

She’s in the kitchen with Benny, making dinner for them and his girlfriend, when she hears it, a loud thump that sounds like a porcelain heart breaking.

Slowly, she reaches out for the towel, but Benny beats her to it, laying a hand over her shoulder.

“I got it, Muffin. Emily’s probably here early anyways.” He tells her, blue eyes lighting up in adoration and she chuckles a little at how love-struck he looks, and goes back to stirring the pasta, throwing a Call me if you need anything and for God’s sake, don’t have sex on my couch over her shoulder.

And she waits for Benny’s warm voice to echo in the rooms of the house, waits for Emily’s laugh to fill the place, waits for them to come into the kitchen, Benny’s hand wrapped around her waist, no matter how much the blonde woman claims to hate it, but nothing happens and she knows something is wrong.

So, she almost storms into the living room and stops dead in her track as soon as she sees them.

Sam standing at the door, tears in his eyes.

Dean’s dog-tag in Benny’s hands.

And she knows what that means, they all know what that means, but she still shakes her head, wraps her arms around her middle and mutters a broken no under her breath.

“Y/N, I-” Sam starts, taking a step forward, voice hoarse and numb.

“No. This can’t –there must have been some sort of mistake. Dean can’t –he’s not…” she chocks, despite the tightness in her throat.

“There was a road side bomb.” Sam tries to explain, taking a tentative step forward. “Dean –he was at a convoy somewhere with his team.”

“No.” she almost screams, bumping into the sofa. “He’s not…. He promised me. He said he’d come back, he…” she pauses and takes a deep breath, tears streaming down her face, then runs a hand over it. “I got one of his letters yesterday, he can’t just-”

“They were ambushed, Y/N. No one –only one person survived the explosion and he’s in critical condition. The bodies, they’re…. charred up, no one can know-”

“So maybe he wasn’t there.” She cries, hope floating across her face “Maybe this is some sort of mistake and he’s-”

“He’s not. He’s… Y/N, my brother’s dead.”

My brother’s dead.

The words echo soundlessly into her head as Dean’s smile flashes before her eyes.

She remembers the first time she saw him, remembers how bright his eyes were as he helped her pick up the books she’d dropped and teased her about Shakespeare.

There was a road side bomb.

She remembers the look of pure interest and concentration on his face as she talked to him about her favorite book on their first date, remembers the way his eyes sparkled every time he talked about Sammy.

Dean –he was at a convoy somewhere with his team.

She remembers the way his lips felt against her own every time he kissed her, the way their bodies always fit together like pieces of the same puzzle, the way he worshiped here, passion and lust blending with tenderness and love every time he wrapped himself around her.

The bodies, they’re…. charred up

She remembers the nights they spent laying side by side after he’d woken up from yet another nightmare, looking at each other’s eyes and muttering secrets to one another until they fell asleep,  the days of pure bliss spent by the lake at New Hampshire, filled with swimming and love-making and laughs and soft, tender touches.

My brother’s dead.

She remembers every graze of skin, every whispered promise, every smile and every tear and she realizes she’ll never have that again.

My brother’s dead.

My brother’s dead.

My brother’s dead.

She falls into her knees and begins to sob.

She’s sitting there again.

The girl with the Y/H/C hair and the bright Y/E/C eyes that found love in that small coffee shop is sitting next to the bay window, a Vonnegut book in hand while she sips at her beverage leisurely.

But she’s different now. She drives a 67 Chevy Impala and always wears a dog tag around her neck. She doesn’t radiate hope and bliss like she used to and doesn’t believe in magic anymore.

It’s the first time she visits the coffee shop in six months. She’s tried to stop by before, tried to go there with Benny or Sam but she never made it to the door because everything hurt too much.

Everything reminded her of Dean, of the day everything started, of the day that signified their end even if they both hadn’t realized it back then, and she couldn’t let herself be buried in that blur of emotions that just wouldn’t let her be, wouldn’t let her breathe properly.

Today’s different though.

Today she knows that they would have gone there together, so she’s there, sitting at the table they used to sit, pretending that he’s there with her, that he holds her hand and whispers jokes into her ear, laughing that rich, warm laugh of his that she misses so damn much.

The bell above the door dings and pulls her out of her thoughts, but she’s too overwhelmed and too spent to care.

She hears footsteps, feels someone burning holes at her from behind and, God, she wants to yell and cry at the same time because she’s so tired, so absolutely drained from all these people that look at her like she’s a beaten puppy.

But then-

“You know for a birthday girl, you look pretty miserable.”

And she freezes because that voice is so familiar, it’s the one that has been sneaking into the corners of her mind for months, the one she wishes she could hear again, just once, and it’s loud and clear and there.

So, she turns around slowly and when freckles and broad shoulders swim into view the breath hitches in her throat because the man standing in front of her might look older than he really is, burdened with death and ghosts of loved ones and loss, he might look worn out and tired, but his eyes, those eyes that can turn into a million different shades of green in the blink of an eye, are as bright as she remembers them when they lock into hers.

“You’re –you’re back. You’re alive.” She stutters stupidly, tears glistening as she gets on her feet.

“Well,” he smiles that crooked smile she’s missed so much, scratching the back of his neck nonchalantly, “I promised, didn’t I?”

And it’s all she needs to hear, everything she needs to know, it’s an answer that’s so simple, so solely and uniquely Dean, that she breaks into sobs in the middle of the coffee shop until his large hands wrap around her waist, pull her to his solid chest and squeeze like he’s afraid she’s not real, that someone will take her away from him again.

“Ssssh,” he coos, kissing the top of her head softly “it’s okay. I’ve got you now, sweetheart.”

Another sob rips through her and she clutches at his shirt, body wracking with defeat.

“They said –they told me you were dead.”

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Dean drops another kiss on her hair and then cups her chin and forces her to look at him, eyes dark and filled with unshed tears, a fading scar between his brows.

“They thought I was.” he explains, dabbing away the saltiness. “After the bomb went off, I was... I was trapped behind enemy lines. Busted my leg real bad too.”

“Are you-”

“’M fine. The pain –I could take that… But knowing I couldn’t get to you… Knowing you thought I was dead, it killed me. And I was worried… When I finally found a way to get back here I thought you’d have-”

“Don’t,” she pleas, cupping the side of his face, “don’t say that. You’re…”

He nods slowly and sucks in a breath.

“Just,” she sighs in a whose, grazing his jawline gently, “never do that to me again.”

He smiles, the first real smile in over a year.

“Never again, kid.” He promises, voice wavering, mouth millimeters away from hers. “Never again.”

She laughs the laugh of a mad woman, broken and relieved and overwhelmed, and he leans in, brushes his nose against her jaw and ever so slowly, he captures her lips with his.

He tells her everything she needs to know with that kiss, takes everything she has to give, pain and tears, love and longing, and it’s like she breathes life into him all over again, it’s like that first kiss under the lamppost in the middle of the street on a summer night, a kiss that’s able to put all of his broken pieces back together and make him feel whole again.

And Dean tastes everything, drinks everything in and gives it back tenfold, knowing that he’s really back and she’s real and she’s his, she’s always been his and he smiles against her lips.

He’s right where he belongs.

Forever Tags: @jpadjackles @supernatural-jackles @ravengirl94 @percywinchester27 @hannahindie @thing-you-do-with-that-thing @trexrambling @pickupthatamulet @impala-dreamer @imagining-supernatural @becs-bunker @wordstothewisereaders @winchestersnco @sgarrett49 @myrabbitholetoneverland @iwriteaboutdean @ruprecht0420 @captainemwinchester @mogaruke @imissyoualittlemoreeveryday @wellthatsrandomkek @jayankles @keepcalmandcarryondean  @escabell @thevioletthourr @kathaswings @tiny-friggin-human​ @winchesters-flannels​ @akshi8278​ @atari-writes​ @emilywritesaboutdean​ @ofloveandlonging​ @mandilion76​ @polina-93​ @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester​ 

Cross My Heart Tags: @jensen-akf​ @samsfabuloushair​ @shamelesslydean​

[petite-neko]

Boyhood Blues - 10

Fanfiction: Boyhood Blues Story Summary: Actions, and inactions, have their repercussions. It may not be immediate but somewhere down the line, the effect will be seen. Chapter Characters: Law, Luffy, Smoker, Caesar, Monet Pairing: LawLu Rating: T Warnings: Swearing, Universe Alteration, canon-typical violence, angst, A/N: TIMESKIP AHOY! So, there will still be a fair bit of things that will remain the same. That begin said, any changes I’ll go into detail about :D

(And please note: I’m going to be writing the next... four or so chapters ahead of schedule, due to the fact that my GF is coming down in TWELVE days for two weeks. So~ In case any of you decide to make suggestions they might not apply until much later/if any of you make comments that might influence my writing. And YES, I’ve had a few comments that made me decide to include a certain line or paragraph or flashback in my stories~)

.xxx. > Time/scene skip

.+++. > PoV change

Read on Ao3

Interlude || Chapter 10: Details || Chapter 11

“Trafalgar Law…”

Law smirked as the other uttered his name in the utmost distain. Smoker. The White Hunter. The man who despised pirates with a passion.

(Just seeing the Marine made him remember a joyful voice laughing about how he had been followed since Loguetown. About how the man despised him, not only because he was a pirate, but particularly because he was a pirate who had betrayed the Marines.)

The man who would most definitely despise him for the very same reasons. (If not more, because his guardian had been the fleet admiral until two years ago…) And that wasn’t including the fact that he had become a Warlord now – something that Smoker was vehemently against.

Of course, out of all of those things, his Warlord status was the only thing that Smoker was privy to.

“The White Hunter.” He greeted neutrally. “Just what brings you to my vacation home?”

Above all however, this was annoying. Utterly annoying. He didn’t need Marines storming in on his plans. Ruining them… He was so close to obtaining his goals he just needed…

At the very least, Smoker’s presence here would be just as incriminating as his, so it wasn’t like the other would report him unless absolutely necessary.

“We have reports that the Strawhats are on this island.”

…Oh damn it all! Those were the pirates that Caesar had captured?

(And damn those Brownbeard pirates! Why did they have to use the damn phone?)

“…you have history with him, don’t you?”

Law looked up at the Marine with an intrigued gaze, and listened as he listed off the events of two years ago. Of the Auction House and the war.

Oh, if only he knew… Law couldn’t help the smug look from gracing his features. If only he knew…

“And, by the way, we never have gotten a straight answer from you. What ever happened to the body of Fire Fist?”

Of course Smoker would inquire about that. Not to mention, if he knew Luffy’s past, he probably knew Ace’s. The guy didn’t trust him. Smart, really.

But Law wasn’t about to go ratting out Ace. He had worked hard to ensure the guy lived after all. And so he sighed, shaking his head, and diverted back to the original topic at hand.

“I’m the only one in this building White Hunter, now if you will please–”

…Fucking Caesar! Incompetent fool! Couldn’t even keep some damn pirates imprisoned while he dealt with the Marines!

Ah, well… he supposed he should clean up this mess unfolding at his feet.

“Room.”

.xxx.

“Torao!”

Law recognised that voice. That name. (It wasn’t like two years ago, no. He hadn’t blocked out the memories this time. He had no reason to, after all.)

“…Luffy-ya.”

He hadn’t exactly expected the other captain to catapult himself over and just… hug him however.

“Get off of me!” Law elbowed the idiot.

But Luffy was clinging to him and laughing and smiling and…

“Looks like we ran into each other after all, shishishi.”

Throughout his squirming, Law managed to free an arm and he pushed Luffy’s too close face away.

“Get off of me!”

Luffy’s crew had begun inquiring about how Luffy knew him, and thankfully Luffy had let him go to explain what had happened two years ago.

Thankfully, the idiot kept his mouth shut about Ace and about their past in the Marines.

“…There’s no need to feel indebted to me Luffy-ya. As pirates, we’re still enemies. Don’t forget that.”

(He didn’t need this right now, damn it!)

But, he wasn’t lying. Because if Luffy got in the way of his plans…

There was a pout on that damn idiot’s face. A pout!

(Right… there was that thing Ace had said. Lovely. Just lovely…)

Then he laughed. “Yeah, I guess, if you’re after the One Piece…”

Thankfully, this time it was his chaos that interrupted their conversation. (Of course, said chaos wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the Strawhats but, alas.)

And so he directed Luffy towards his crew. He had a clown to deal with.

And some chemicals.

.xxx.

“That’s right, you have history with him, don’t you?”

Law glanced at Monet and simply sighed. Again. Again… Why was everybody bringing up his past with the other pirate?

Of course, not very many people knew of the entire history he had with these brothers. Hell, even his crew probably didn’t know the whole story. They only knew what they happened to overhear. Although, they probably had put the pieces together by now.

Most people assumed that he had conspired with the Strawhat in the Auction House before saving Luffy from Marineford and failing to save Ace. And while Law wasn’t exactly pleased to know that people thought he failed to do something, he knew that one day that would be revealed to be false.

(Whether or not he lived to see that day remained to be seen.)

“You rescued him after the war. If it wasn’t for you, Mugiwara no Luffy would be dead, wouldn’t he?” Caesar’s laughter echoed out into the room. “Just like his brother. Such a shame isn’t it? That not even your powers could save that doomed soul as well.”

Sometimes, no… most of the time actually, Law just wonders why he puts up with this…

(Children… didn’t Caesar say something about those children?)

“What did you mean that those children were bound to return?”

…Monster. Yes, that was the accurate term to classify Caesar with, Law decided as he heard what that madman was doing to those children.

“And what about that Strawhat, Law?” He leaned in, a dark expression on his face. “Hmmm? Will your past… relations with him be a hindrance? I mean, you did save his life and all, and wouldn’t that just be wasting your efforts all those years ago?”

Law sighed and shrugged. “It was just a whim. That’s all.”

And in reality, really, that’s all it really was. Sure, he had history with the brothers but, it wasn’t like his history with them played a major influence in his actions. He was far more interested in Mugiwara no Luffy as opposed to Monkey D. Luffy after all.

Then that bastard’s laughter echoed out into the room. “Then I suppose you wouldn’t have any qualms if he required… elimination?”

Honestly? Law was finding Caesar’s presence to be overly irksome at the moment. And so, he stood up, propping Kikou against his shoulder. “I will do whatever is necessary.”

“Oi Law, where are you going?”

Very irksome…

“A walk. If you need me, you know to contact me.”

When he was a far enough distance away, he sighed softly and shook his head at the events unfolding before him.

That damn idiot!

Months, months of prep work! Hell, he even had to ally himself with the government to get to this point. Something he was far from proud of – but he was willing to do anything to get this far. And, it wasn’t like he had any real allegiance to piracy anyway – more that it was a means to an end – so if he had to send a hundred hearts to the Marines in order to obtain a Warlord status so that he could lay low in a particular area for a prolonged period of time? So be it. Sure, it left a bad taste in his mouth – not only because it allied himself with Joker of all people, but also because he allied himself with the very power that allowed Joker to run free for as long as he did.

He left the Marines for that very reason.

But it wasn’t as if he planned to remain with that power for much longer. It was only a temporary measure. He was going to abuse the very system that caused him to initially betray it. Because it betrayed him - him and the citizens of Dressrosa.

(He knew Joker well enough that he wasn’t just calmly sitting on the throne. No, Law knew the man was far too twisted to simply revel in the joys of royalty.)

He was willing to do everything and anything of obtain his goal.

And if he had to ‘eliminate’ Luffy (as Caesar so delicately put it) to do so?

It wouldn’t be something he’d relish in. It wouldn’t be something he’d do if there were other options available. (He spent a lot of time and energy rescuing those brothers from the brink after all. Not to mention Ace would be hot on his heels – and Sabo too if he happened to be the third brother and remember.) Hell, even if he only had to temporarily incapacitate him that would be far more preferable.

(He could still remember that face beaming up at him, waving frantically as he boarded his submarine. Could still remember those eyes widening and watering and all but resembling a wounded puppy when he said he was leaving. Could still remember those very eyes flooding with tears of anger and guilt and sorrow and heartbreak at the thought of losing yet another brother. As if it were yesterday.)

But, if Luffy happened to get in his way, if the boy insisted upon remaining there and a temporary incapacitation wasn’t working…

Yeah. He’d put a stop to Mugiwara no Luffy.

He was too close to his goal to give up now.

(And besides, it wasn’t as if he was planning on living to face the consequences of his actions anyway. That would be a miracle of miracles.)

.xxx.

All in all, it depended on that idiot.

In all honesty, Law was waiting for a moment like this. Well, not exactly like this, (a bit too chaotic and unpredictable) but it was close enough. And, at the very least, Luffy seemed to like him, so convincing him to form an alliance wouldn’t be that difficult.

Or, he hoped so.

He could remember Luffy commenting on when Ace had invited him to join Whitebeard’s crew.

“The pirate king has to be the captain after all!”

Not to mention the little spat the three of them had outside of the Auction House. Luffy wasn’t the man to follow under anybody else. But he seemed to value friendship a great deal. And an alliance was in the middle ground. Two people working together towards a common goal.

(Granted, Law had a few other plans, but… Luffy need not be privy to those details. It was simple hitting two birds with one stone… well more like one bird and a monster, but still.)

Thankfully, it seemed that Luffy was on board with taking down Kaido, so he wouldn’t have to deal with dealing with Luffy. Or Ace, or maybe even Sabo.

In fact, he almost seemed too eager to ally with him.

Because, well, Luffy thought that meant it gave him a free pass to cling to him or his side or his arm or…

“How many times do I have to tell you Luffy-ya! Get your hands off me! Don’t make me cut your limbs off!”

(Unfortunately that threat fell on deaf ears as Luffy asked Law to rearrange him or put his legs on somebody’s backside, or…)

At the very least, however, Luffy seemed to understand that Trafalgar Law did not like physical contact.

(It didn’t mean he refrained from pouting or whining about it however.)

Thankfully, Law didn’t have to spend too much longer with the other captain. Despite more whining about having to separate.

…Just what did he get himself into?

.xxx.

While Law would have loved to have that discussion he thought about earlier with Chopper, it just wasn’t the time.

They had a plan to enact.

(And honestly, a bit of chaos was good. Distraction – just what he needed to get into that room.)

At least Chopper seemed friendly enough. Perhaps once they succeeded in this step, he could have that conversation with the other doctor. He was curious after all. Why shouldn’t he satiate that curiosity in the time before Dressrosa?

All Luffy had to do was handle Caesar and…

–Well… fuck.

(How… Did Caesar realise? He knew it was risky to give him back Monet’s heart, but under the guise that it was Smoker’s was the perfect option… and it wasn’t like Law would go back on his word.)

He glanced back to the woman – only to realise that it wasn’t her that held his heart. Was it in the battlefield then? Was he holding it while Luffy was dealing with him?

“You certainly have grown Law.”

Ice. Ice cold water. That’s what it felt like, and it had nothing to do with the fact that somebody was squeezing his heart. He recognised that voice. (How could he forget?)

Vergo.

[kyouxa]

Diabolik lovers Chaos Lineage: Ayato Sakamaki (Story 06 + CG)

In terms of the gameplay: The black choices lead up to a bad ending, the white choices lead up to a good ending. Please no reposting onto other sites, ask me before translating this into another language too! I’m an amateur translator, but I hope you do enjoy it anyway!♡

Monologue

Ayato was imprisoned in the dungeon.

The reason was, that he was too attached to my blood and could kill me.

Naturally, I’ve been kept away from Ayato-kun since that happened.

Besides, I was supposed to live in the same room as Ruki does, probably for my own safety —

end Monologue

Place: Orange mansion — Ruki’s bedroom

Yui: (Is Ayato-kun alright...)

Ruki: That depressed face. You’re still thinking about Ayato even when he's not here

Yui: Yes, of course I am

Ruki: I thought, that I understood. I thought you’d be disgusted from him since he was only using you as his toy... but that’s not it.

Yui: (Because he is my lover, I've been going through so many things with him until now)

(Even if I’d try to explain it, he wouldn’t understand.)

Ruki: Oh well, the other day, do you remember those Scarlet guys who fought against Ayato?

Yui: ...! You mean Reiji and Shu-san?

Ruki: Correct. It isn’t always the case that they come to retaliation

Besides that, Carla from Violet won’t be too mature either.

Yui: (Really... Ayato-kun's action during this time were strange, he wasn’t thinking at all)

(If this is the case, the killing will begin in earnest)

Ruki: Well then? Do you remember anything after that yesterday?

Yui: ...Huh? Remember, what exactly...

Ruki: Naturally, you still can’t remember anything about becoming king. I’m disappointed in you.

Yui: I’m sorry, I-

Ruki: It may be a trivial thing, have you ever noticed something to think about again?

Yui: Even if I said so...

(My memories are back, but what Ruki-kun wants to know isn’t a part of it)

(Yeah, maybe I can tell him something if I’d speak honestly)

Ruki-kun. I know it’s probably funny but, could you please listen to my story?

Ruki: If that’s what you want. Okay

Yui: Thanks

So... In the first place, I think the story itself about the King and traditional Eve are strange.

Ruki: ...what?

Yui: I can't remember, but we lived in a place called Kanashimachi.

Ruki-kun is the eldest son of a house called Mukami, and his brothers lived with him, there was Kou, Yuma and Azusa Mukami.

We all became really good friends... and now they are our enemy.

And the battle to become king is a memory which is fake planted into their brains!

Ruki: ...hm. Is that all you wanna say?

Yui: Huh?

Ruki: You’re good with those fictional stories. But, I don’t want to listen to them.

I don't know what prospects have been there, but let’s not talk about unnecessary things

Yui: I-I’m sorry...

(... After all, I couldn't find any solution to my problem )

(Ayato-kun, who seems to remember little by little, but what should I do with everyone else?)

Ruki: It's frustrating that we can't go ahead even though we have Eve in our hands.

Moreover, there are few hands missing here. I need more or, this will be an exhausting battle. I have to do something ...

Yui: (Huh...? I know!)

Well, if you don't have enough hands, let's release Ayato-kun!

Ruki: Do you really want to die?

Yui: ...That is...

Ruki: Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll relieve Ayato from there.

If that man won’t behave this time. If not I’ll kill him this time.

Yui: ...Yes

(As Ruki says, Ayato-kun he’s just interested in my blood)

(This is frustrating, but reality...)

Place: Orange mansion — Kitchen

Yui: It's been a long time since I got to wash the dishes

(If I’d do nothing, I’d feel empty again)

(If I’m moving a little now and then... I should be okay)

...Tableware, there are 4 people. Ayato won’t be here to eat with us

(Ayato-kun, what should I do. I don't know how I could possibly help you.)

(And, if I actually go to see, as Ruki-kun said, ー next time I’d may be sucked to death .... ...)

But, I want to see him. I can’t stop thinking about him either.

(I regained my memories already. I remember everything about Ayato and the memories we made together)

(I can’t leave him that way)

I’ll go and see him. Even if they say no, I don't want to leave Ayato-kun alone.

Kanato: Who are you talking to?

Yui: K-Kanato-kun?!

(Since when was he behind me?)

You heard... everything right?

Kanato: Correct, I listened to you while you were washing the dishes. Do you want to see Ayato that badly?

Yui: ...Yes I do

Kanato: I’ll bring you to him

Yui: Is that... a key...?

Kanato: That’s the key to the dungeon where Ayato is trapped

Yui: Why do you have it...

Kanato: I went down to the basement and just took it. It was easy to bring it up

Yui: However, Ruki-kun will be angry if he notices the key is missing...

Kanato: Right now, Ruki is reading in the Livingroom. If you go out through the window of the kitchen, he wont notice.

Since the window of the corridor is open, please go in there. Because the stairs to the basement are right behind there.

Yui: How do I get there?

Kanato: What? I think I explained it perfectly, did you not understand?

During the time we will eat, you can go and see him as you please...

If you don't want to get in trouble with me please meet me right after we finished eating

Yui: Y-Yes...

Kanato: You will find the dungeon, or are you trying to act stupid and annoy me?

Yui: No! I will try to not act stupid anymore!

(Is he really going to help me? Maybe he noticed that I am frustrated...)

(this is an opportunity I badly waited for. I’m going to see him again...!)

Thank you Kanato-kun! I’ll be on my way to Ayato-kun now.

Kanato: ...hmh. It’s finally getting interesting.

Place: Orange mansion — Dungeon

(Really, I could’ve come here without seeing anyone. I have to thank Kanato again)

Ayato: ...ugh

Yui: Ayato-kun?!

Ayato: Chichinashi... why are you here...

Yui: I came to see you, Ayato-kun. More than that, the wound... !

(It got even worse since the last time I saw it... !)

Step aside. I’m opening the gate!

Yui: Such injuries...

Ayato: Shut up. Those are just little scratches...

Yui: That’s a lie. You’re still losing blood...

(Hey... wait. It was dim and I didn't notice, but the floor, the walls...)

W-Why is here so much splashed blood...

Ayato: I don’t know.

Yui: Did you go wild? That’s why the open wound got even worse...

Choices

1) — it’s not good (black)

2) — painless (white) ♡ ♡ ♡

— it’s not good

It’s not good! If it isn’t fixed, it will be too late!?

Ayato: My body is stronger then you think it is.

Yui: but... I’m worried about you

Why did you go wild with this kind of pain..?

— painless ♡

Painless? I'm sorry I would have taken the first aid kit with me...

Ayato: Tch... I'm strong enough to worry about it

Yui: But I don't want to see that kind of tough Ayato-kun...

Why did you go wild with this kind of pain...?

end Choices

Ayato: Why you ask? Because I wanna get out of here.

In a state of being deprived of such freedom...I'm convinced!

Yui: Ah! Stop hitting the wall! It would open your hand wounds again!

Ayato: Shut up! Don’t order me around!

Besides, it's noon that you've come to jail, is there any reason for that?

Hungry, hungry. Donate your blood until my thirst is over!

Yui: Wait...!

(My wrist gets gripped like this... it hurts...)

(But... he's actually shy. Ayato-kun changed a little)

Alright... suck as much as you want.

Ayato: ...huh?

Yui: It would’ve been better if I had stopped Ayato-kun at that time, I was able to prevent all of this

Even though I knew you wanted to be the best Ayato-kun...

If you are told to fight and become king...

I should have understood that no one could beat you, I thought it would be ...

Ayato: what’s wrong with you? Are you really going to forgive me for what I did...

Mostly, I like to say I knew it!

Yui: I’m sorry. I... know that

I'm sure I know more about Ayato-kun then he knows about himself

Ayato: Huh? What does that mean

Yui: (Ayato-kun's reason for being the best are the memories of his childhood)

(He tried so hard to make his mother proud and yet he was not able to—)

Ayato-kun get over it...

Ayato: ...ugh, what do you mean. Just a few minutes ago-

Yui: You don’t need understand. But let me tell you,

Ayato-kun will always be the best for me.

Ayato: ...always...?

Yui: Selfish, wild... clumsy. But also, delicate and gentle...

among that, the best can’t be any other man then Ayato.

Even if your memories are wrong, this time will always be the most important for me, even if you forgot it

Ayato: ...You’re... an Idiot

You came to meet the guy who had encountered you so badly, and more important... you’re not afraid at all?

Yui: Yes, it may be funny. Even so, I want to be the power of Ayato.

I don’t want you to suffer anymore. Please, drink my blood.

Ayato: What are you saying...

Fuck... If you really want me to

♡Roses♡

Ayato's mouth: Your thighs... they really are soft. Do you like the feelings of my fangs piercing your skin?

Yui's leg: What are you acting so embarrassing about? Ah, I understand. You think I might look down, on your panties maybe?

Ayato: ...if you want to satisfy me, let me suck from your thighs, that place seems perfect.

...Hmmm... Hmmm...!

Yui: Ah... wait... !

(He really is... rough. Hm, I’m... ahh)

Ayato: Heh... are you thinking about running away? Let me hear your voice coming out louder then...

I won’t give up so easily... ! ...Ahhh... Hmmm...

Yui: ...Ayato... kun... !

I won’t run away... I’d never leave...

Ayato: ... Are you serious

Yui: Yes... ah! Whatever happens, I’ll be with you...

Ayato: I see...

Yui: (...hm?)

(Now... in that moment, did I see a smile?)

Ayato: *sucks blood*

Yui: (Ah, he became... more gentle?)

(Right now... I am so happy... I can’t tell)

Ayato: Something’s... wrong... the taste, changed...

Yui: Huh...?

Ayato: This taste, could be my favorite. It’s amazing, I really like it...

Even though I was thirsty for a long time, I was so afraid of...

Ayato: ugh... that, dazzling again...

Yui: A-Ayato-kun...?

Ayato: I’m sorry... my head just started to hurt again...

Ayato: Ugh...

Yui: Are you okay Ayato-kun...

What... should I do, can I help you...

Ayato: Hm... ? Why is my head hurting so much...

Yui: Hm... are you okay Ayato-kun...

Ayato: I’m going to be okay... but—

How am I supposed to stop this—

Ayato: ... ugh...?!

Yui: Ayato-kun?!

Ayato: Right now... what was that? I saw someone’s room... it’s familiar...

Just Why? Where? Why am I remembering such a thing...

Yui: (Maybe... is he talking about my room?)

Ayato: Tch, what is it! It makes no sense!

Oi, tell me! We met before right? Where and how did we met?

I need answers, I feel so helpless! Describe it!

Yui: I uhm... uhhh...

We met for the first time when I was removed from the church —

Ayato: I know that! I remember something!

At that time... I was sleeping in the livingroom, when you came in our mansion.

I might remember something more then just that...

Yui: Oh...

Ayato: You were sent to our mansion, because you should’ve become the bride. I remember it...

You need to tell me more... I need to remember...

Yui: (He’s remembering and believing in my words. Nobody believed me until now)

(What should I say so he remembers — I...I...!)

Our home... the sakamaki mansion

Ayato-kun was living there at this place when we first met

We said that we loved each other in that mansion —

Ayato: ... Sakamaki...

*Ayato’s memories break*

Ayato: ugh... hm... !

Yui: Ah, Ayato-kun...?!

(What to do, would it be better if I didn’t say that after all? He was just suffering awhile ago... !)

Ayato: ... I’m so sorry... You worried so much...

Yui: Ah!

Ayato: You really... are a special person to me, yet you worried everyday like an idiot...

Thanks to you, I got everything back... all my memories... are back

Yui: You mean it...

Ayato: ...ugh...

Yui: Ayato-kun!

(Was he so surprised? Did he really collapse?!)

What’s wrong, Ayato-kun!

Ayato: ....zzzz....

Yui: Huh? He’s sleeping...?

(That’s good. Remembering everything probably made him very tired...)

(I’m still worried. I want him to sleep in a proper bed)

Kanato: What is going on here

Yui: K-Kanato-kun?!

(Ah, are they done with eating? I didn’t notice how much time passed at all...)

Kanato: It's already late, it's almost time for Shin to come to see you again

Are you trying to waste my kindness and laugh at me? You aren’t, right?

Yui: Well, that's not true. I am really grateful!

Ah... yes, Kanato-kun we should leave!

He will be fine sleeping on the ground like that right?

Kanato: You mean Ayato? You should go to bed and come back if you woke up.

Yui: Yes, that’s...

Kanato: Vampires recover faster then any human. You really are an idiot for not remembering that

Now hurry up, what would happen if Shin would figure out you and Ayato met?

Yui: (Ah, I should hurry!)

Kanato: Now, let’s leave already

Yui: ...Y-Yea

(We’ll leave him here...)

(Ayato-kun... I will come to see you again)