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saetoru · 2 years ago

Text

✩ ‧₊˚ ✩ i’m afraid that’s just the way the world works (but i think that it could work for you and me)

synopsis. suguru stumbles across two girls that need a home. somehow, one step at a time, you both find yourselves navigating parenthood

word count. 5.4k (sigh...this was supposed to be a drabble)

contents. not canon compliant at all—there are still curses, but it's literally an au where everything turns out happy LMAO, teacher! suguru, husband! suguru, fem! reader, reader is referred to as "wife" and "mommy," hints at child neglect/abuse (nanako and mimiko's backstory), yuji, nobara and megumi are the ones that save nanako and mimiko—the timeline is inaccurate bc the twins are still kids when megumi and co. are teens, single dad! satoru who raised megs and tsumiki (tsumiki is ALIVE and NOT CURSED) <3, it's just fluff tbh, it's overall healing and happy i promise

notes. yeah i am telling u i literally shoved every fix-it fic idea for jjk into one fic okay and u will all nod along and agree with it. this was supposed to be a drabble but i literally just could not shut up so now its a fic

“there are these two girls,” suguru says quietly at dinner one night, pulling you from the comfortable silence. you look up as you swallow, eyeing him as you nod carefully—nothing is ever a normal conversation when your husband is a jujutsu teacher. nothing is ever a normal conversation when you’re capable of jujutsu in general, you’ve learned that well by now.

“okay…” you say slowly, “and are they your students?”

they must be new, if they are. you know all of suguru’s students; you know them well enough to pick birthday presents and bring what they each like from the bakery. you don’t think you know of these two—they must be new.

“no,” he breathes, “no, they’re too young for that. maybe someday,” he adds hopefully.

“maybe someday,” you agree thoughtfully.

suguru loves teaching. it’s not something he ever saw himself doing—but life is dark at one point, a constant cloud looming over his head as it screams it’s over! your youth is over.

sometimes it hits him all at once—no one was there to protect suguru’s youth, no one was there for satoru’s or nanami’s, and certainly not haibara’s. no one was there to make sure they could be kids, that the sun could still shine and chase the clouds away.

so suguru becomes a teacher. he’s fond of the kids—and they like him too. geto sensei, they call, geto sensei, look! and then he pauses in the hall, holds back an amused chuckle before turning to face an overly enthusiastic yuji and nobara. megumi is not far behind, that disgruntled look on his face as always, but if you look closely, his eyes are soft and laced with something close to fondness.

geto sensei is a favorite—much more of a favorite than gojo sensei is, to satoru’s utter dismay. you can’t help but watch proudly sometimes, can’t help but watch how much suguru has grown as he interacts with those kids, how much he’s allowed himself to grow, how much he’s let himself try to chase the sun instead of letting the clouds convince him the light no longer exists.

“they’re five,” suguru continues, poking the soba in front of him as he doesn’t meet your gaze. “the kids found them on a mission. in a cage.”

you know what that means instantly. you look at suguru, watching as his eyes stare numbly at the food in front of him—sometimes, you worry that suguru will once more fall victim to those bone-chilling thoughts he shares with you one night. sometimes you worry he’ll slip and fall once more and you won’t notice this time, won’t reach your fingers and grasp him at the last second.

but he blinks, looks up and meets your eyes this time, stares into them and searches them for what he needs. he finds it, you think, because there’s light returning to them once more.

maybe it’s hope, maybe it’s acceptance. maybe it’s neither, and he’s just happy to have you to come back to when the world gets too burdensome. you’re not sure, but you do know you’ll always be there, right where he needs you.

“what happened to them?” you ask gently, “was it their parents?”

“no,” he shakes his head, “the villagers. their parents are dead.”

it’s not new—you’ve seen it before too. children tend to notice their techniques at this age. it’s not new to hear about children with no family history of sorcerers being labeled as some type of other in the family, in the community, or in the village.

suguru is lucky in that way—his mother and father see him as something special, something worth celebrating, something greater than they could ever hope to be. you meet them once every year, just for a few days. they love you, greeting you with kind smiles and warm hugs, pulling you inside as they get dinner ready. you visit his old room and smile as you rake your fingers over the figures on his desk and the cd’s he used to collect. his mother keeps his room in perfect condition, even after all these years.

you remind him to call more. sometimes, he tries—just for you, he tries. it’s hard for him, you realize. sometimes suguru is guilty; sometimes, he’s haunted by what he almost did but thankfully didn’t. it’s hard to face his parents ever since, even if they’re blissfully unaware. it’s easier to love them from afar, he thinks. but you insist he calls more, so he does. sometimes hearing his mother’s voice is what he needs, even if he doesn’t like to admit it.

“so…what’ll happen to them?” you ask quietly.

“they’re at the school for tonight,” he mumbles, “there’s enough bedrooms, anyway. but…”

but they can’t stay there forever, is what he wants to say, you know that. staying at jujutsu high is hardly enough for children so young. they need a proper home, a proper family. you can’t help but stare down at your own bowl of soba. it’s hard to watch children suffer like this. it’s especially hard on suguru—he chose to teach to help those kids, to be there. somethings, however, cannot be fixed by simply being there.

“and then what will happen after?”

“they need a home,” he says quietly, “and…listen, i know we never really…we’ve never discussed something like this. but…maybe for a while, just until something better is decided, we could…”

you know what he’s trying to say before he can even say it—you and suguru have never discussed children. you don’t think you ever really want to, and you’re fairly certain he feels the same. it’s hard to lose haibara when you’re just a young kid, hard to live with the fact that someone so young and hopeful about the world is here one second and then gone the next. you see nanami sometimes—he’s kind to you, greets you politely, and asks how you are. but nothing about him has ever been the same since that day.

will your children meet the same fate? will you have them one second and lose them the next? will you patiently wait for them to come to visit the next chance they get from school, only to get a phone call no parent deserves to hear? they’re common in the jujutsu world. it’s a risk every parent has to take. some are selfish—rightfully so. some don’t care to let their children master their techniques, arguing it’s better to have a child that’s incapable and alive than gifted and dead. what if your children end up like nanami? the one who manages to live but can never accept the fact, not when someone else is dead. how will you be a pillar of strength? how can you tell them it’s okay to live as long as it’s not them who’s dead? how can you help them grieve when you are always grieving yourself?

you don’t think you ever want children, and you think you’re right in your assumption that suguru agrees.

but those girls need a home, and you know the look on suguru’s face means options are limited—scarily so. you look at him for a while, look at him and see the way he’s got his heart set on these two girls—suguru has lost more than you ever could, and if this is something he thinks he should do, you think it might be worth a chance.

“bring them for dinner tomorrow,” you say finally, bringing soba to your lips, “i’d like to meet them.”

it’s not a straight answer, but it’s a start. suguru nods, smiling gently at you before he continues with his own dinner. it’s silent after that, but it’s not uncomfortable. he still steals your last bite of soba at the end, and you still roll your eyes and let him. you wash the dishes together after that, argue over whose turn it is to rinse and whose turn it is to dry—it’s routine, and you’re grateful you have something to look forward to in this cruel world, something you can count on regularly.

—————

hasaba nanako and hasaba mimiko.

those are their names. megumi says so when he first brings them to suguru. nanako is blonde, a bit bolder than mimiko, who’s brunette. nanako is older by five minutes, and she likes to remind everyone when she can. mimiko holds nanako’s hand when she’s nervous, and nanako squeezes tightly with a smile. they’re a mellow pair, despite it all. a little distrusting and a little nervous when too many people are in a room at once.

they take a liking to suguru, however. satoru is a bit too loud and boisterous for them, but suguru is kind and soft and gives them gentle head pats when they cooperate and answer his questions. on the way home, he asks them if they’d like something from the bakery.

it leaves them a bit quiet, right until he looks over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow as he awaits their answer.

“we’ve never been to one,” nanako answers quietly, the first to speak between the two, as always.

“is that so?” suguru asks gently. they nod, still holding hands.

children of five summers, and they have never picked out a cake for even a birthday—he wonders why that is. they shouldn't have shown signs of having cursed techniques so young, there should be no reason to mistreat them so early on—the conclusion he comes to makes him even unhappier. parents should never have children if they aren’t willing to love them, he thinks bitterly.

“it’s alright,” mimiko says finally, “we don’t need—”

“come on then,” suguru grabs nanako’s free hand, gently pulling them both along the busy streets of tokyo, “my wife’s favorite bakery is around the corner. we’ve tried everything they have by now, so you’ll have to tell us what’s your favorite, yeah?”

it’s nanako who answers again first, nodding slowly before she smiles hopefully. “okay,” she murmurs.

from the corner of his eyes, suguru notices mimiko gently pull her hand from her sister’s, quickly taking a few steps as she walks across in front of him before promptly finding herself on his other side. her hand reaches for his—it’s slow, a bit unsure, so he grabs it delicately, giving a small squeeze as he grins down at her.

“wait until you try the strawberry cake,” he hums, “that’s my favorite.”

—————

suguru comes home with two small girls on either side of him and more bags than you can count from the bakery just five minutes from your apartment. you blink before rushing over and taking a few bags from his hands.

“did you just buy one of everything or something?” you ask incredulously, staring at all the boxes of goods within the bags.

he grins that closed-eye smile of his, crinkles forming in the corners as he says, “well, of course,” like it’s the most normal thing ever to buy one of every item in a large bakery in the heart of tokyo. “the girls have never been to a bakery before so i thought we could let them try everything and rank them.”

you look down at the girls, who stare at you nervously as they cling to each other. instantly, as soon as you meet their eyes, you can’t help but drop down to your knees to meet their level as you smile softly.

“why hello there,” you murmur, ruffling each head gently. they like that—suguru texted you that earlier, that they seem to brighten considerably when he offers them a gentle pat on the head in affection. “what are your names?”

“i’m nanako,” the blonde one answers instantly—suguru is equal parts shocked and equal parts pleased by her new air of confidence. he wonders if she’d be a bright and energetic child right about now, if the world hadn’t crushed her under and forced her to live meekly. “and i’m older by five minutes.”

“hello nanako, the eldest by five minutes,” you answer seriously, nodding as though it’s a crucial fact to her identity, “it’s a pleasure to meet you. and what about you?”

the brunette clutches her sister’s hand a little tighter—but nanako seems to have deemed you as safe. anyone geto sensei (as the other kids seem to call him) trusts is someone they don’t have to be on guard around. she nudges mimiko gently, encouraging her to tell you her name.

“i’m mimiko,” she says quietly. she seems to be holding a small, pink stuffed toy. it’s seen better days, you think, but a nice wash and a few stitches to the top of its head should have it looking quite a lot better.

“and hello to you too, mimiko,” you smile, “are you younger by five minutes, then?”

she giggles a little at that before nodding, “i am,” she assures, “but i’m smarter.”

“are not!” nanako says instantly, gasping. you and suguru share a look, amused and fond and relieved all at once.

“what a lovely toy,” you murmur, tracing the eyes with your finger. she droops a little at that—like being reminded of its condition is something that breaks her spirit.

“it’s ripped,” she mumbles, “it wasn’t before.”

“i can fix it,” you offer, “suguru is always ripping his uniforms, but lucky for him, his sweet little wife here is a fixer-upper.”

“really?” she brightens. you nod, chuckling as you ruffle her hair, doing the same to nanako, too, when she eyes you hopefully from the side.

“that sounds great,” suguru interrupts, “but i believe i have cakes that need to be tried and mouths that are not trying.”

you rise, rolling your eyes and standing next to him, and his hand gently grabs yours. thank you, he squeezes. always, you squeeze back.

“well, come on, girls,” you usher. mimiko grabs your free hand, and suguru grabs nanako’s—you all make your way to the dinner table. it feels oddly natural, you think. “we have desserts to try. the chocolate one will definitely be your favorite, i can feel it.”

“it’ll be strawberry,” suguru says confidently.

you meet his gaze, grinning at him as he stares at you hopelessly in love. it’s always been enough, you and suguru—it’s always been more than enough with just the two of you. so enough, that you never wanted more. but this is nice too, you think. this is something you could get used to, even if it breaks the routine you’ve learned to love just a bit.

—————

nanako and mimiko stay at your house that night, and somehow, that turns into a week. sometimes, suguru takes them with him to school, just to handle a few things that are still to be taken care of regarding their case. you find you miss three instead of one while you’re home alone for the day.

they return cheery each time, bags of deserts in hand and a newfound glow in their eyes. mimiko’s toy is much cleaner now, and the small rips have been carefully sewn shut by you from the first night they spend. she clutches it everywhere she goes, hugs it in her sleep too. it’s hopelessly endearing.

nanako takes a liking to suguru’s phone—he’s a bit too giving with her, you think. she’s managed to figure out his passcode rather quickly, and he lets her get away with it, watching her small fingers work the buttons of whatever game she's downloaded with a gentle look of affection over his features.

on the days that suguru goes to school alone, the girls are left in your care for the day—you don’t usually have someone to keep you company while you’re at home. you’ve quit being a sorcerer long ago, deciding that it’s not worth the constant back-and-forth tug of war with life and death.

perhaps it's selfish—people are dying every day, and you sit and let it happen, but you can’t help it. it’s too much, sometimes. suguru has always supported it, though, has always murmured that you’re doing the right thing and that sorcerers deserve quiet, peaceful lives, too, if they wish. so you do just that, stay home and learn a new dish or two through the day, watch a few shitty sitcoms on the television, leave and do some grocery shopping for the week, and return home to your quiet little apartment (as quiet as an apartment can get in tokyo, that is) and wait for your husband to come home.

suguru comes home by seven pm every day and gives you a soft kiss on your forehead as he says, hello, wife, to which you giggle and murmur, hi there, husband. you have dinner after that and share details about your days with each other. yuji and nobara are arguing again, suguru will tell you sometimes, i think nobara will cave and talk first this time, though. i brought fresh strawberries from the season’s harvest, you murmur behind a glass of water to your lips, got them just for you, sugu.

it’s been a routine like that ever since your marriage. you marry suguru quietly when you barely turn twenty, just a room full of the few people you dare let yourself love and the two of you as you sign the papers and share a kiss. there’s an extravagant meal waiting for you after, though, courtesy of gojo satoru, a man with more money than he could hope to use on himself. satoru is happy that day—happier than you’ve ever seen him in a long, long while. he takes his bandages off, sits and watches everything, and takes it all in even if it’ll bite him back in the ass later with a long, pounding migraine.

today, however, is a saturday—school is out, and anyone who doesn’t have a mission is free to have the day to themselves. suguru hasn’t taken a large mission in ages, years, even. he accepts small ones here and there, and if it really calls for it, he joins a tough one with his students—but it’s for their sake more than anything. but the big ones are too much for him to handle regularly anymore. the higher-ups aren’t happy—special-grade sorcerers are hard to come by, and it’s unfair that the lower-grade ones are busting their necks out there more than he is. but suguru deserves a semblance of control over his well-being, and with satoru on his side, there isn’t much of anything the higher-ups can really do.

he sits on the couch, scrolling through his phone as you click the remote, finding something to watch.

“you know, we should really talk about this,” suguru mumbles from the side. it’s early, still. barely eight am, and the girls are still sleeping. they’ll be up soon—and with that, will be gone any moment for you and suguru to share a private moment.

they didn’t warn you about that part of kids—you knew it was a busy job, watching over them, but you figured leaving them to play for a bit would grant you some peace. you and suguru quickly learn that children, no matter how well-behaved and disciplined, always need a watchful eye on them.

“talk about what?” you yawn, “it’s too early for you to speak in codes.”

“the girls,” he says, unimpressed. oh. right.

“what about them?” you say, dancing around the edge of the real issue. he sees right through you—you know he will. still, you’re petulant enough to try and dodge the topic anyway.

“it’s been a week,” he says seriously, “those kids think this is their new home. it’s cruel to make them think that any longer if we don’t…”

keep them. let them stay. let them become a part of this home and, by extension, this family that has always just been you and suguru. raise them. take them in. take responsibility over them. love them.

can you love? like that, at least? are you meant to be a mother? you’re too selfish, you think—you couldn’t even stay fighting curses for long, too weak to care about those who need you, and too focused on needing yourself. can you handle two children? if you do this, you can’t do anything else but do it right—it’s what they deserve. but you don’t know if you can give them what they deserve.

but there aren’t many better options either, you remind yourself.

suguru seems to know what you’re thinking because he murmurs, “i think it’s easier to raise children than be a sorcerer,” he says quietly.

you raise an eyebrow skeptically. “you can walk away from being a sorcerer, suguru. being a parent is for life.”

“being a parent means you get to love,” he reasons, “unconditionally. without regrets. without a contract, you know? loving a sorcerer is just betting how long someone has left to live, at the end of the day.”

“how morbid of you,” you snort.

“they’re good kids,” he says quietly, “great, even.”

“they’re lovely,” you agree. and then, quieter this time, “i…i would miss them. more than i care to admit.”

“me too,” he nods.

your head falls to his chest, and he presses a kiss to your head, wrapping his arms around you. suguru has always loved you—when the world was not worth loving, and the people were not worth saving, suguru had loved you. he still does. and the way you love him is enough to make all of those things change. the world has a little more hope, and the people are a little less ugly when you’re there to prove not everything is bad. that even where the bad exists, the good can follow. as long as he has you, suguru is complete—but he thinks more is not always so bad.

“suguru?” you ask gently. he hums, rubbing a thumb over your knuckles as he squeezes your hand, “we won’t force them,” you say firmly, “to do anything. they should exist as themselves if they want to. cursed techniques or not.”

he smiles. you don’t see it, and you don’t have to. you know it’s that deep, eye-crinkling smile that’s heartfelt and real.

“no, we won’t force them,” he agrees, “they’re perfect as is.”

—————

the girls are given the option to each get the two spare rooms you and suguru have in your apartment. that leaves ultimately no guest room, but you think they deserve to have their own space and be their own people after everything. but, as you and he had expected, they choose to share a room and stay together.

you’ll never forget the looks on their faces when they realize they’re staying here permanently, the look of pure excitement and the slightest hints of shock—you never realized how fulfilling it could be to make two children smile like that.

“we can’t paint the walls,” you hum, “we don’t own this place. but we can still decorate,” you offer.

they don’t seem all that disappointed about not being able to paint their walls—instead, they’re too excited about their beds, giggling as they jump on the mattress. suguru wants to tell them that jumping on mattresses is bad for the springs, but you stop him—they deserve to be kids for a bit. after that, you’ll teach them. but for now, they deserve to just be kids.

“can we get lights?” nanako asks—now that you and suguru are guardians to two children (parents seems…a bit too overwhelming to use right now), spontaneous dates don’t happen one on one anymore. evidently, it’s hard to find babysitters on the spot, and leaving them home alone is not an option, so you decide to simply bring them along on your weekly sunday afternoon cafe visit. nanako takes a liking to the lights on the walls, and mimiko eats three slices of cake.

you can’t wait to bring them next week, too.

“you sure can,” suguru hums, chuckling.

“and a mirror?”

“of course,” you nod, “you’ll certainly need one to make sure the beauty sleep works.”

nanako giggles, flopping onto the bed, and mimiko sits not long after, still hugging that toy to her chest as she looks around the room in wonder. they’ve been sleeping in it for over a week now, but now that they can officially call it their own, they seem to be much more attached.

“i want pink sheets,” nanako hums.

“i want blue,” mimiko mumbles, looking at you shyly.

“well,” suguru murmurs so that only you can hear, “maybe we can get them two beds. smaller one—they’ll fit on either side.”

“and what do we do with this one, then?” you raise a brow.

“we…sell it?”

“suguru, are you trying to drain every last bit of our savings?”

“we have plenty,” he chuckles, “we don’t ever do anything.”

that much is true—you and suguru hardly leave tokyo let alone japan, and though you let yourselves splurge on nice things, there isn’t much to spend on between two people. but the last few days have really put into perspective how…expensive raising children can be. clothing and school supplies (they’ll attend a normal school) and room decor and snacks, and anything else children require to be children is quite denting to bank accounts.

but you and suguru can’t say you mind—and if nanako and mimiko want pink and blue sheets, well…you think you can make that happen.

“i think we’re spoiling them,” you mumble, “should we be doing that?”

he wraps an arm around you and pulls you against his chest as his nose presses to the top of your head when he kisses it. he’s warm, just like he always is—maybe warmer now, in fact.

“nah,” he grins, “i think we’re doing great.”

—————

the girls take their time to warm up to satoru, but when they finally do, he seems to be a favorite. satoru is very proud of this fact—he’s not a lot of children’s favorite…well, maybe yuji’s perhaps, but you don’t think yuji has a single bone in his body that could really dislike anyone. or rank them, to be quite honest—you don’t think he prefers satoru or suguru over the other.

“oh, kids,” satoru calls, stepping into your apartment and letting himself in. you and suguru are in the middle of making dinner, looking back in shock from the kitchen as satoru waves enthusiastically at you both.

“satoru, how did you even get in?” you ask, raising an eyebrow. he grins, practically giggling as he points to your husband.

“suguru gave me a key.”

“what?” suguru sputters, “no, i didn’t!”

“you let me borrow them,” satoru concedes—that’s still not even anywhere near the truth.

“i left them at your place and kindly asked you to bring them to me at work the next day,” suguru corrects, crossing his arms and looking thoroughly unimpressed.

“yes, and i did what you should have done a long time ago and made myself a copy,” satoru huffs, “i’m the best friend! i deserve a key—”

“gojo sensei!” the girls call.

as most kids do, they pick up what they hear around them. everyone seems to refer to satoru and suguru as gojo sensei and geto sensei. they’re not students, but nanako and mimiko both pick up on the habit too—and it’s helplessly adorable, you can’t deny.

sometimes, you want to correct them, but they seem excited to see satoru, so you let the moment pass.

“there they are!” satoru beams, taking his blindfold off and crouching down to meet them in the eye—nanako and mimiko seem to find satoru infinitely more approachable when his eyes are out and easy to look into. you can’t imagine why—he looks like a creep. “i brought dessert! because what’s life without something sweet, right? are these two feeding you girls the sugar you need to grow into tall, healthy young women?”

“this is why you should never be allowed near children,” you say flatly.

satoru looks at you with a pointed look, “i practically raised megumi and tsumiki, y’know. saving young siblings and giving them a nice home life is old news, i already did that. be more original, please.”

what a jackass—you scowl at him, throwing the wooden spoon in your hand at his head and watching as it doesn’t even touch him and falls to the floor. curse his infinity.

“okay, now,” suguru chuckles, “i don’t want to spend the evening looking after four children instead of two—”

“geto sensei! thanks for having us over for dinner,” yuji interrupts, stepping through the door that satoru took such great care not to close, “fushiguro was a bit of a hassle to convince, though.”

suguru throws a sharp glare at satoru as soon as three of their students step into your home—you’re going to have to forget the dinner you’re making and order takeout, you think. satoru will pay.

“this is why you didn’t get a key,” suguru hisses, “because then you act like you own the place.”

“i wanted a family gathering,” satoru gasps, “tsumiki is coming too! wait for her.”

despite the way suguru grabs satoru’s hair—and satoru, for some reason, turns off his infinity and lets him—you notice the corners of your husband’s mouth twitching into a gentle smile, and you know he’s thinking the same thing as you. family—nanako and mimiko are here, and so are yuji, and nobara, and megumi, and satoru (the biggest headache), and soon, tsumiki too.

family—yes, this is family, you think.

—————

“daddy, i’m hungry,” mimiko tugs on suguru’s sleeve.

“i know, pumpkin, just give me a second and—”

“daddy, look! i beat the high score on my game and—”

“daddy is looking, sweetie, just give me one minute, nanako, yeah? daddy will look and—”

“wow,” satoru chuckles, grinning amused, “you’re really worn thin.”

“satoru,” suguru grumbles, “if you’re not going to help, then please leave.”

nanako and mimiko are seven now. in two years, their personalities have really blossomed—something which you and suguru are very grateful for. the world should not crush children so young that they don’t get to be the children they are meant to be. you and suguru take great care to make sure they know they can be kids.

and they are—they whine about bedtime and pick at their vegetables and point at everything in the store and plead for something new. they’re children—your children, and you can’t help but love them unconditionally so.

“well, welcome to fatherhood,” suguru snaps, trying his best to make lunch and entertain the two girls waiting for his attention.

suguru is a good father—a gentle one, in fact. he comes home every day from work and grins, asking in that smooth voice of his, where are my ladies? and just like that, you and your two girls meet him with excited grins. you peck his lips before he crouches down and pulls two small bodies against his chest, letting their tiny arms wrap around his neck as he hoists them up.

it’s a perfect little routine, one you cherish greatly. but the girls are getting older, and soon, they’ll be too heavy to carry like this. it makes you a little sad to think about—but if there’s one thing you’ve learned, breaking routine isn’t always so bad. soon there will be a new one, and when you outgrow that, another new one, and so on.

what won’t ever change is the way you love suguru, and he loves you, and you both love your daughters, and they love you both too.

“daddy,” nanako calls, “where’s mommy?”

“at the store, nanako,” he says patiently, sighing. this is the fifth time she’s asked.

“when will she be back?”

“soon, nanako,” he smiles assuringly, “at least, i hope so,” he adds quietly, under his breath.

satoru hears, though—and he cackles, heinously loud, too, as he watches the scene unfold in amusement. but satoru is suguru’s best friend, and yours too. and the girls love him. he’s family—and so are their students.

it’s nice, suguru thinks, it’s nice to have something worth smiling for.

“i’m home!” you call, “is satoru here? because the door was unlocked—”

“mommy!” the girls call, cutting you off with the pitter-patter of small, excited little feet hitting the ground and greeting you.

“why hello,” you gasp excitedly, laughing as they tackle you in a hug.

you and suguru share a smile as he looks back—family, it’s what you’ve both built here. it’s slow at first, and sometimes it wasn’t easy. at one point, it was just the two of you, just you and suguru, and that was okay. you didn’t think you would ever be capable of letting it be more—but it’s nice when it grows, you think. maybe one day, you can dare to hope to grow it some more.

the scene were they got 2 beds—that was me and my sister when we first moved into our weeeee lil apartment back when i was in middle school !! we were bummed bc we couldn't paint the walls but our parents let us have 2 beds so we could pick our sheets !! it was a fond memory LOL but now i DO have a room where i painted the color except i HATE the color now bc i was still in middle school when we moved into our house and got to pick colors and middle school me and adult me are soooo different so now i have a teal bedroom that haunts me

#teepods.writings #fics.#geto x reader #geto x you #geto fluff #jjk x reader #jjk x you #jjk fluff #geto suguru x reader #geto suguru x you #geto suguru fluff #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jujutsu kaisen x you

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emmafrostyyy · 2 years ago

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y'all sleeping on Astarion/Lae'zel bc this moment is so...the way the flippant demeanor drops and he doesn't hesitate to call her out for sticking with her version of Cazador like their relationship is so underrated fr...

sitting down writing this bullshit like let me peel it like an onion a bit and elaborate why this pairing is fascinating to me

It's really interesting how during the most cathartic, life-altering moment in Astarion's questline, the reactions of the other companions are more about the moral wrongness/guilt of sacrificing innocent lives. Lae'zel doesn't do that and instead relates to his hurt.

She knows what's he's feeling, the lack of control, the unfairness of being powerless for too long. This is a woman who just found out her entire life purpose was built on lies, discarded and hunted by her own people after outliving her usefulness, and groomed to basically die for an insane power-hungry lich queen. She knows all too well that power isn't always real freedom. Her first instinct is to empathize with Astarion to steer him away from his hate and resentment.

Astarion/Lae'zel is so interesting to me because they're such a classic "can we make each other worse or make a better person out of the other?".

They both have genuine appreciation for violence and respect each other's ruthlessness. Astarion was used as a weapon of seduction while Lae'zel was of warfare. Sex with people is meaningless and not real intimacy for them, and while both have little understanding/experience of interpersonal relationships beyond the physical, they still feel and love very deeply. They have no frame of reference for things like friendship and warmth, but they badly want all of that and more, even if they don't know it yet.

In-game they can sleep with each other, which is basically the foundation of the normal Tav/Astarion romance. Lae'zel saw him during combat and got horny, who knows. Astarion who's used to luring people with his charms, takes up Lae'zel's blunt offer because she's a strong hardened warrior that can provide protection and be a worthy ally, and he doesn't know how to say no. Navigating the complications between one who wants to be seen beyond as a sex object, and one who comes from a totally alien culture with no concept of love/family/connections and only sex is honestly really compelling to me. It's a transactional, mutually beneficial thing with no emotional expectations. Once you get past the skeevy rockiness of their early relationship, I really like the idea of them slowly seeing something past the exterior and realizing they may have harshly misjudged the other, an unspoken friendship blooms, and in comes the realization that they are essentially loners longing for kindness and a comforting touch in the most desperate of situations.

Lae'zel is prideful, direct, has no sense of courtship talk, and doesn't hold back her thoughts the slightest--she's not sweet/agreeable and what you see is really what you get, which I imagine would be disarming for Astarion who's used to vacuous flattery and has difficulty trusting others. But she's also insanely protective, passionate, loyal, and an initiator-- every romance scene is triggered by her first and she's always showing effort towards her relationships, which would mesh well with Astarion who does need someone to nudge him.

She doesn't purposely suppress her feelings, she's just simply at loss at how to express them sometimes due to her wildly different upbringing. She stops the sparring match you agree to and an easy vulnerability slips instantly out of her: "I don't want to hurt you. I want to protect you, and for you to protect me." and "Thus far I've taunted you, devoured you, battled you. Now I want more than anything to soothe you." are romantic as fuck and Astarion of all people really needs to hear that tbh.

Astarion is also someone who struggles with reinforcing his boundaries, and a key theme in Lae'zel's romance is that she encourages and wants you to challenge her and learn to stand your ground. It's not gentlest method, but hey, relationships are about having to make an effort to learn each other's language.

I think he also would take pleasure "educating her on the matters of Fay-run" (I believe there's a whole banter with him teasing her and teaching her pet names) and would get a kick out of coaxing Lae'zel out of her shell with her shyness at showing public affection, and making her blush. Also it simply would be fucking funny to see Astarion who's used to easy seduction, trying to pass a persuasion check just to get a smooch and generally having to work to earn regular kisses from Lae'zel lmfaooo

Lae'zel also initially struggles to see her chains as chains. When she learns about Vlaakith's betrayal, she copes instantly through denial and shuts it down. Astarion is NOT having it and calls her out, he knows her well enough to recognize that she would value blunt honesty above all.

I imagine he also despises her lack of self-preservation, the way her entire identity is tied to duty and being in service of others, and doesn't understand her desire to still help/liberate the people that want her dead and are hunting her down. He wants to make this duty-bound soldier realize that looking out for herself, and putting herself first may not be the worst thing in the world.

They're so similar to each other but are also polar opposites in some ways that make a more equal, balanced romance I think. It's not a simple, one-sided, feel-good "she/he can fix her/him" fantasy because both of them have to earn each other's love, actually cut through the other's flaws, and actively motivate each other to be better versions of themselves.

They're not at all the other's ideal guiding hand. It's rough, jagged, and imperfect, but that's how healing goes. It's so far from being the healthiest relationship -- but even if their belief systems differ, their moral compass does often align. I imagine it's a slight relief for them to have a partner where there would be less shame and judgment when they expectedly, occasionally slip up and fall into their bad habits.

Also, man, the "You showed me the betweens and beyonds. Beyond war and peace, beyond passion and obsession, most importantly, you showed me freedom.", "First you were my wound, now you were my cure.", "But you saw something else in me - someone else I could be. Someone who could break the cycle of power and terror that started centuries ago.." lines really hit hard when applied to them.

Of course, they can also make each other worse, feed into the other's negative traits that will bring out the worst part of themselves. It's this duality of their pairing that is very interesting to explore, the way it can steer in either direction because it's an intense, fraught relationship at its core.

#when he gets called by omeluum “child of the dark” and her “child of the stars” like yeah..the squid man is being literal but he Gets It fr.#lae'zel #astarion #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 meta #astarion ancunin #astarion x lae'zel #lae'zel x astarion #the rarest of rarepairs they dont even got a ship name...this is so tragique we need to discuss the pathos and potential of this pairing #bg3 lae'zel #bg3 astarion #also im a sucker for stoic knight/court darling trope and whatever variations of it yeah #bloodbruise

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pit-and-the-pen · 10 months ago

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Hi I had a fic request for really any of bat boys, whichever you feel like! My idea was that the mating bond had only recently snapped into place for both them and the reader. They’re taking things slow and getting to know each other before they accept it.

Anywho, the reader is unknowingly projecting her feelings down the bond all day/week, whether she’s excited over a book, irritated cause she’s hangry, or just downright horny lol. Thought it would be fun to see how the bag boy would react to these things happening at random points throughout the day and whatnot.

This started out as just head cannons and turned into a full Az fic. Hope you like it and sorry for the wait!

WC: 2.7k

Warnings: suggestive ( reference to masturbation and sex)

Little Gifts

Azriel never expected to get a mate. He had long given up on the idea, content with watching his brother find the loves of their lives. That was until he met you. You were new in Velaris, having moved from the summer court. He was making his usual trip to the small bakery in town to pick up Feyre’s favorite pastries, a small favor for Rhys who didn’t have time to do so. Little did he know how much he would be thanking Rhys for the task he had rolled his eyes at. It took one look across the shop for him to feel the mating bond snap into place. He asked you on a date that very day. You had blushed, mumbling out something about not expecting the shadowsinger to show any interest in you but agreed nonetheless

The date had been wonderful in Azriel’s eyes. You were sweet and kind, and had him slowly breaking out of his shell by the end of the night. It took all of three dates for the bond to snap for you, But the two of you had agreed to take things slowly. Velaris was still so new that you had wanted to find your own way before accepting the bond between the two of you.

Azeriel was more than willing to let you have all the time you needed. He would never forgive himself if he pushed you into accepting the mating bond before you were ready. Regardless of the fact that every moment he spent with you he could feel himself falling harder and harder for you. It didn’t help that he was constantly getting little glimpses of your emotions at random times of the day. Something that was unknown to you from the way you never talked about it. Azriel assumed since you haven't accepted the bond yet that it wouldn’t feel as strong with his emotions as it did for you. So he never told you, afraid to lose that little part of you that he had come to look forward to.

-----

Something was tugging at Azriel’s chest. He knew right away it was coming from you but that didn’t stop the small twinge of panic that overcame him when he felt your distress. Shadows instantly shooting out across the house searching for you. They reported back quickly, Library. Crying in the library. He walked as quickly as he could, fighting the urge to sprint to you. The door to the library was cracked open and he heard the fire crackling in the corner of the room and the tell tale sniffle that had led him toward you. Azriel walked as calmly as he could until he was standing beside you. He crouched down until he was eye level with you. You peaked over your book and jumped a little at the sight of your mate in front of you.

He reached out a tentative hand to wipe a tear from your cheek and he was rewarded with the slight coloring of your cheeks.

“You’re upset.”

“I…It’s just my book.” You held up the paperback in your hand to prove your point. Azriel felt something in his chest relax. His shoulders dropped slightly.

“I thought I saw your shadows around.” A small smile creeped onto your face. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“Don’t be. I just want to keep you safe.”

Azriel stood up to walk out of the room when you wrapped your hand around his wrist. He spun around to look at you.

“Would you stay with me?” Once again he watched blood rush to your cheeks. A tinge of embarrassment was sent down the bond. Azriel smiled so wide it made his cheeks hurt.

“Of course.” His shadows zipped to grab his paperwork that had been discarded on his deskHe sat down by the end, letting you continue to sprawl out on the couch. You didn’t hesitate to lift your legs and place them on his lap. The two of you sat in silence. Him reading over his reports, you wrapped in your own book. Azriel let out a content sigh and tried his best to focus on the words in front of him. He lasted for all of three pages before he started tracing patterns on your legs. You both sat in the library for hours until Azriel heard your stomach growl and offered you a hand, pulling you to the kitchen.

----------

Azriel didn’t know what to do. Everyone had gone to Rita’s to blow off some steam from a particularly rough high lords meeting. The one that they had dismissed for the day with a promise to reconvene in a few days because of the arguments from today. Mor had dragged you onto the dance floor almost immediately after she all but shoved some strong smelling drink down your throat.Rhys and Feyre bowed out after a drink or two, needing to get Nyx to bed. Nesta and Cassian were so close together right now that Azriel knew it was only a matter of time before they left as well. That left Azriel sitting by himself in their booth. He knew he should go join you, every fiber of his being told him to. But he wanted you to be able to have time with Mor, didn’t want to be the overbearing mate that didn't allow you to have space. So he sat and watched you. Eyes trailing up and down your body as you moved gracefully, hands in your hair, head thrown back in delight. Azriel was more than happy to just be in the same room to witness that type of joy on your face. He was so caught up in you that he didn’t even notice someone approaching until an unfamiliar body was slipping into the booth beside him. He hoped that just ignoring the female sitting next to him would be enough of a deterrent for whatever she was going to say, but she just gave him a glossy lipped smile.

“Now, why is someone as handsome as you sitting all by yourself?” She purred, Azriel could practically taste the seduction in the air. The way her hands started trailing across the table to get closer to Azriel’s gloved hands. He quickly pulled them away, putting them on his lap. He didn’t respond. Just kept looking out at his mate.

“Oh, the silent broody type. It’s fine. You don’t need to talk for what I want to do with you.” She gave a fake giggle and Azriel tried to put some space between the two of them when he felt a push of anger so strong it made him gasp. The brunette sitting next to him only laughed again, thinking his reaction was in response to her words. She started raising a hand, straight towards his wings he realized in horror when a hand shot out to grab her wrist. One moment the female was sitting and the next she was being hauled up by her wrist.

“Get away from my mate.” He heard you all but growl. He could have sensed your anger without the bond currently thrumming away in his chest. Pulsing fast like a second heartbeat.

The female in front of you had the decency to look ashamed for all of two seconds.

“YOu should keep him a little closer if you don’t want others looking.” And with one more long stare at Azriel she turned on her heel and walked away. You looked like you were fighting the urge to jump her from behind as she stalked out of sight. Azriel stood up and wrapped his arms around you. He noticed the way you were trembling slightly.

“Are you okay?” He asked into the top of your head. You scoffed, anger still radiating off of you.

“I should be asking you that.”

“I’m old, this is far from the first time someone has tried to make an unwanted advance.” That apparently was not the right thing to say. He swore your skin was heating up as the anger flared up even more, becoming pure outrage.

“She almost touched your wings.”

“I’m-”

“I swear to the mother if you say you’re used to it I’m going to explode.”

And Azriel believed her. He really did. He pulled away slightly to look at your face, trying to calm some of that raging fire in your blood.

He barely pulled back before your hands were tangling into the front of his shirt, pulling him to your lips. He was so shocked at first, matching the shock he felt through the bond, that he just stood there. But then you trailed a hand up his arm, tangling your fingers in his hair and he started kissing you back. Your lips were soft despite the searing kiss. His hands ghosted down to your waist and he pulled you flush against his body. The motion drew a small whine from your throat that had every part of his body stiffening. He felt it then, that crash of excitement through the bond. You were happy to be touching him, kissing him. He pulled away, trying to get his bearings before he hauled you over his shoulder and winnowed out of the small bar. When he looked at your face he saw a similar emotion echoed in your eyes. Your cheeks were flushed and lips were slightly swollen. Slightly damp with his spit.

He had to force himself to take another step back. Putting more space between the two of you felt wrong and that wash of disappointment through his chest almost made him laugh. Instead he reached a hand out and tucked a finger under your chin, pulling your eyes to meet his.

“When I finally get to touch you, it’s not going to be because you’re trying to prove a point sweetheart. As sweet as the notion is.” You smiled at him and held out your hand, pulling him onto the dance floor.

------

You looked like pure sin. The black dress was covered in reflective glitter, turning blue whenever you moved. His shade of blue he noted with a rush of pride. Your dress was a twin to Nestas, hers being red to match her mate. It hugged every single inch of you, showing off the parts that Azriel had only dreamed of seeing so far. The two of you had been toeing a dangerous line since the kiss you shared a few days prior. Azriel would be lying to himself if he said it hasn't been replaying nonstop in his head. The way you had melted into him, the small noise from the back of your throat. He took a deep steadying breath trying his best to quell the desire he felt from looking at you. He looked back to you and caught your eyes roaming over him in return. When you got back to his face you didn’t look the slightest bit ashamed. Instead you sent him a smirk that had him clenching his fists to stop him from dragging you back to his room like he should have done the other night. No, he forced himself to look away from you, breaking whatever spell he was caught in.

The High Lords meeting was just as much of a mess as it was the other day. No progress was made, voices raising over each other in effort to get their thoughts heard. You were sitting with your arms crossed, utterly fuming as your voice was drowned out for the third time.

“If I wanted to listen to someone who knows absolutely nothing, I would listen to the rest of my court.” The source of the voice was indistinguishable over the chaos in the room but it was obvious it was aimed at you. Azriel felt the embarrassment pulse through the bond. He was on his feet before he realized it, hands slamming down on the table.

“Watch your mouth.” His words cut through the squabbling. All eyes in the room turned to him, your own wide and unblinking. He noted the slight flush to your cheeks, the way it seemed like you were holding your breath as you looked at him.“You’re all High Lords. Start.Acting.Like.It.” He spit out the words, a calm wave pushed through the bond. That’s when he felt your hand gently stroking over his. He sighed deeply and sat back down.

A sharp jab at his mind had him hiding a flinch. Your eyes jumped to him again, eyebrows pulling tight together in concern. He just squeezed your hand, the one that hadn’t let go of his as he settled back into his chair. Rhys’ voice filled his mind. Care to explain that? He pushed him out, not bothering to respond to his brother's prodding. He just tried to focus on that thread of comfort, tinged with something he tried to ignore. You shifted slightly in your seat, your dress bunching in a motion he instantly noted as you rubbed your thighs together. He sucked in a shaky breath, the lust he felt earlier hitting him in full force. He was desperately resisting the urge to put his hand on your leg. Resisting the urge to drag you out of the damned room.

The rest of the meeting was painful, for a new reason this time. He spent the next few hours acutely aware of every little motion you made. Every squirm, every shift had him straightening in his seat. It would be one thing if it was only him but the feelings you were pushing through the bond were absolutely torture. He was seconds away from leaning down and whispering in your ear when someone clears their throat loudly. Rhys.

“I think we’ve actually made some good progress today.” They had? “It might be time to quit while we’re ahead. Same time next month?” Murmurs of agreement filled the room and people started rising to turn to whatever they had planned for the rest of the night. Azriel turned to you but you were scrambling to your feet, looking anywhere but him, he noted. You quickly gathered the ends of your skirt and all but ran out of the room. Leaving Azriel with his hands slightly extended, still reaching for you.

“Scare her off?” Cassian slapped a playful hand on Azriel’s shoulder that had him fighting not to roll his eyes. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe he did. You seemed so eager to get away from him. Maybe he had scared you when he raised his voice. Spoke over you in a way you didn’t appreciate. Ariel turned away from his brother, ready to race to find you to apologize when he felt it. That rush of electricity that made every part of him stiffen. He could practically taste the arousal that was flowing through the bond. His heartbeat sped up and he was suddenly very aware that he was standing besides Cassian.

Ariel didn’t say a word as he walked as calmly as he could back to his room. He now understood why you had left in such a hurry and a frisson of pride ran through him. While he may not be psychically touching you, it was reassuring to know he made his mate this riled up. He was thankful he had made it back to his room when he felt that first wave of pure pleasure. His mind started to wonder how you must look right now. How pretty you oiled sound, if your face would scrunch up or if you would keep your beautiful eyes fixed on him the entire time. He reached his hand down to adjust himself, now painfully hard in his pants. But he wanted to soak in your pleasure, waves after wave being sent down the bond. You must be close if his racing heartbeat was anything to go by.

deep down he knows he should shut off his side of the bond. Give you your private moment but he couldn’t help the little reach of his own arousal, he sent just a hint of it down the bond. It was like the world stood still as he waited for your reaction. He couldn’t fight the smile that creeped onto his face as he felt your answer. Were you planning on joining me? Azriel didn’t hesitate to send his reply. I’m more than happy to finish the job sweetheart. Nothing else was said as he could feel your anticipation down the bond and followed that tug deep in his chest to deliver on his promise

#acotar fanfiction #acotar #acosf #acomaf #azriel x reader #acowar #a court of thorns and roses #azriel acotar #azriel x you #azriel x y/n #acotar azriel #azriel spymaster #azriel fanfic #azriel

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uniquethingtastemaker · 1 month ago

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Ok, I had a hilarious idea for a Sylus x Reader fanfic, so here’s a long excerpt! (There’s another snippet!) This is the majority of the fanfic I have lol:

Once you’re alone, you stare straight at the security camera.

“If you’re going to spy on me, at least send the crow,” you declare before spinning on your heels and stalking away.

——————

Sylus sits back in his seat with a smirk and raised eyebrow. He takes out a slip of paper and jots something down.

————————

The next day, the mechanical bird appears outside your classroom window. You bite the inside of your lip to suppress a smirk. It seems the owner has taken your advice into consideration. Your watcher can be persuaded, which is a good sign. You’ve often had to take people out, so you’re glad you picked the right person to interact with.

You don’t spare the crow another glance while waiting for class to end.

Afterward, you casually walk into the courtyard where you last saw the critter. Your eyes sweep your surroundings to confirm the coast is clear. Then, you raise your forearm. The crow swoops in to take its perch.

Your lips twitch up. That was badass. You secretly summoned a high-tech mechanical bird down, and it responded instantly. Whoever is watching you gets bonus points for the rule of cool.

You look at the crow curiously, before noticing something on its leg.

“Excuse me,” you murmur, as you unwrap a slip of paper from its appendage.

Alright, kitten.

You blink.

You blink again, before you face screws up, confused.

“Kitten? Kitten??“ you repeat. “Is that his nickname for me? Why??”

You glance at the crow with a baffled frown.

“Fine, I’ll give your owner a nickname too… I’ll call them…“ You trail off.

You shuffle through your head for an idea. You want to stick with the animal theme. He has a crow and calls you a kitten. He must like animals, so you want to nickname him something with that in mind. However, you need an animal that’s beneath both. You furrow your eyebrows. Then, you remember Caleb’s nickname for you.

You snap your fingers.

“I’ll call your owner, Squeaker! Mice squeak and cats catch mice. It means I'll catch them eventually,” you declare, proud of yourself.

The beautiful black bird squawks, chortling in approval. Your eyes glint.

So this crow has a sense of humor. It seems sentient from its creator. You like him already. If this bird likes to bully his owner, you’ve found a friend.

You speak to the brilliant machine on your arm with reverence. “Although I also don’t know your name, oh great messenger. I’m sure Squeaker has already named you. However, I don’t know it, so I’ll give you one myself.”

You ponder before voicing your thoughts aloud.

“You’re more immaculate than Mr. Squeaker, so—Wait, is Squeaker a male?” you clarify.

The crow bobs its head.

“Thank you. As I said, you’re more prestigious than Mr. Squeaker, so your name should reflect that.”

The mechanical crow holds its head high, preening itself slightly. You grin. Yes, you like this bird. You’ll still be wary, but Mr. Squeaker has made a tempting offer of a friend.

“Yes, you are the best. Therefore, your name will be Ruby for your eyes. Rubies are often referred to as a symbol of royalty and wealth. You are certainly classy and of a noble status, my liege,” you praise, giving a slight bow to the black bird.

Your little crow friend wiggles happily on your arm, and you giggle.

“[Y/N], break is almost over!” a classmate calls.

You quietly scoff. “They’re interrupting my quality time with my bird.”

You toss your voice over your shoulder with the perfect tone of appreciation.

“Got it! I’ll be over in a second! Thanks!”

You turn back to Ruby with distaste. “Ugh, people. You, my dear, are the most interesting thing in my life, so I’ll see you later.”

You lift your arm, giving him a boost to fly away. Your new friend takes off and disappears into the trees. You have some research to do.

You jog back to your friends.

“Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it,” you reply with a cheery attitude.

You hate maintaining this persona, but it’s for your safety and protection. You’re taking a gamble with Mr. Squeaker, but if it pays off. The rewards will be great. It’s just a feeling.

————————

“Mr. Squeaker?” Sylus laughs. “Nobody has been that brave in front of me before. I look forward to the day we meet face to face, but not yet. They’re interesting. Also, I have to correct them on your name, Mephisto.”

———————

Ruby returns the next day with another note.

Cute name, sweetie, but his name is Mephisto.

“Sweetie?” you question before looking at Ruby. “Is he flirting with me, or does he give the impression of an old southern woman who calls everyone sweetie?”

The cute crow squawks, almost cackling at your suggestion. You smile.

“So not an old southern lady. Got it,” you comment before placing a thoughtful hand under your chin.

“Before I get into more theories about Squeaker, I have to address your name,” you state. “It looks like you don’t have a last name, so from now on your full name is Mephisto Ruby. Is that amiable?”

Your crow preens and you grin.

“I’m glad you like it just as much as I do, Ruby,” you reiterate.

(What do you think? Leave your comments. Can you tell I like Mephisto? Also side note: Sylus is technically not my favorite character, but man, do I like this fanfic. It’s just so funny. Reader is great. Anyway, tell me what you think!!)

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seelestia · 1 year ago

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⟡ within your waking thoughts (there i’ll be).

⎯ what do they do when they miss you? how do they cope with yearning when you're away? { y for yearning ノ ordered by @floraldresvi! (sorry for the ping!) }

RESERVED FOR! ノ characters. aventurine, sunday, dr. ratio ft. gn!reader. { 1.3k words }

FLAVOR! ノ genre. fluff, slight angst (my apology to sunday lovers yet again), established relationship.

TOPPINGS! ノ tags. aventurine has his tech savvy moment, pre-2.2 sunday (heavy references but no spoilers), ratio has two phones (king of separating work & personal life !!!).

BAKER’S NOTE! ノ thoughts. a repost! bcs tumblr didn't like it the first time. hopefully, this one will be here to stay. thank u to vivi for requesting this ‹3

in your absence, aventurine welcomes little thoughts of you that float around his mind with open arms - and the way he indulges them is by simply texting you. effective and efficient, there is a reason why the cosmos calls it the second most used means for long distance communication. what about the first? well, he would've opted for calling you with his earpiece if only his line of work doesn't require 90% of its usage time.

let's just say the idea of fellow stonehearts interrupting his conversation with you ruins the fun. besides, he has deft fingers; coin tricks aren't the only thing in his book, you know, typing a few sentences in one go is no problem at all.

but maybe, he is using that too much to his advantage . . . considering the “25+” staring back at you from your notifications every few hours or so. aventurine is truly, irrevocably relentless.

anything even remotely in your favorite color found within his vicinity? new message: Saw something that reminded me of you, you must really like crossing my mind.

an item he thinks would fit you well? new message: I got you a gift. Does it suit your fancy? [1 attachment]

reminded of how cruel fate is to separate you two for so long? new message: Haven't seen your face in a while. Fifteen hours are a total too cruel, don't you agree?

have faith that you will never grasp the true meaning of boredom when you’re apart from him. luck follows a man like aventurine, so do interesting events - remember how he won a vacation to a resort with one chip? he revels in telling you stories of his encounters while you're away. it is as if thrill revolves around him constantly. . . one wonders just how he fares living on the edge of it all.

(you, for one, are aware of his ways. he has allowed you to wander far enough behind his masquerade, after all.)

of course, texts on an illuminated screen can barely compare to seeing you in person. he prefers having you in his arms instead - but he'll live. solitude is an old friend of his, albeit distant and cold, aventurine can deal with its company every once in a while. at the end of the day, he knows you’ll be there when he comes home.

though, it's such a shame he cannot see your face when you're apart. the curve of your lips as you smile, the twinkle in your eyes with his reflection in them, and. . . ah, seems like he is making this harder for himself. maybe, he should consider buying that HD holographic communicative device on the market? his ears caught wind of some P45 officers at pier point whispering about it before.

it'll cost a large sum of credits but hey, he thinks it'll be worth it. for you? anything is possible.

(...him? clingy? well, guilty as charged.)

sunday’s self-discipline is not something to be underestimated. halovians are a species known for their enchanting voices, yet he feels as if he cannot spare any for even his inner thoughts. what an irony. his longing for your presence is persistent, tumbling at the edge of his tongue - but he is equally as, if not more, stubborn and so he swallows this yearning down instantly.

you are not confined to the dreamscape like he is, as self-imposed as that may be. sunday is aware of that, hence his first instinct is to keep quiet. the curse of sealing his lips till forevermore; watching you leave through the grand doors, letting his gaze fall to where your shadow used to be, savoring the last of your remaining fragrance from when you last bade him goodbye - all without a word.

(don't go, he wished he could say.)

is it a bad habit? “your voice shouldn't be used just to utter words that others want to hear,” you reminded him once. “it's also for you. it's yours.”

but even then, your words are akin to a faint whisper; muffled by the thoughts that plague his mind like a mist. he can't help how they fog up his reflection in the mirror, leaving remnants of something acrid that wafts in the air. something like doubts, sunday would know because he has dwelled in it for as long as he remembers.

you are outside, fluttering your wings in the sky and enjoying what it has to offer. does he have any rights to disturb you? perhaps, in his eyes, sunday views himself as a string tied around your talon, trailing all the way from the heavens where you soar to the humble ground where he resides. each time your absence compels him to reach out, it is as if he’s tugging on that string and dragging you lower from the height you truly relish in, from the height you deserve to be at.

(sunday believes that you belong to the sky, unlike him.)

so here, he shall stay and here, he shall wait until you return. sunday’s heart begins to grow cold - but the farewell kiss you've left on the apple of his cheek hasn't faded. its warmth remains, even when he brushes his freezing hand against it, it remains.

you remain.

(and that is enough for him.)

dr. ratio is a man with a packed schedule, so it's safe to say he keeps himself occupied particularly well. tasks at the intelligentsia guild are nothing short of demanding, after all. there are researchers asking for his input left and right, although some tremble while speaking to him even when he hasn't even uttered a word yet. ignoring that, he also aids in projects that require his expertise. last but not least, his students and classes which he takes very seriously.

(but be careful with how you phrase it — the doctor doesn't view them as distractions, no, he sees them as his responsibilities — saying the former might offend him.)

as you can see, he is perfectly capable of spending time away from you. . . .or at least, until it's time for a break and a part of that perfection chips off.

his office is quite tranquil, free from outside noise, just the way he likes. this place bears a similar purpose as his headgear, to let him focus in silence without disturbance - but he hasn't expected that exact silence to be this deafening. hah, how absurd! in what realm of possibility could silence ever be associated with deafening as an adjective? he supposes it could be a case of tinnitus. . . but veritas knows that isn't the case.

something's missing and it is, much to his dismay, you.

veritas has his standards. he prefers things to be set at a specific level - and this level of silence, one marred further by your lack of presence, is too low for him. he's getting too used to seeing you barge into his office with neatly packed sandwiches in your hands, a revelation he'd rather keep to himself.

veritas reaches for his personal phone, his work one left neglected at the far end of the desk. he considers making a call to you but the clock is ticking. tick tock tick tock, as if to hang the fact that his break is reaching its end over his head.

utilizing whatever time he has left, his finger gives the gallery app a tap. various pictures pop up on the screen; selfies of you with silly expressions, candid shots of veritas himself and some photos of random objects like your matching mugs. all of these were taken by you, of course. seriously, is this his phone or is it yours?

who knows at this point? he nearly lets out a snort, but that smile on his face is fooling no one. the doctor continues scrolling through his gallery, utterly content with just this until he gets home. to you.

(yes, yes, this still counts as keeping himself occupied. thank you for your concern.)

— thank you for reading! reblogs with comments are most appreciated.

#hsr x reader #—stellaronhvnters.#aventurine x reader #sunday x reader #dr ratio x reader #hsr fluff #seelestial.inks #reveriesincups

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emeritusemeritus · 8 months ago

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Hi love! If it's not too much to ask, could you maybe do a Fred fic with a bit of an insecure reader? As in, she hears some people say nasty things about her (mainly about appearance like weight) and her relationship with Fred, and she distances herself from him until one day she really can't handle staying away from him anymore? Sweet sweet fluff with a bit of making out by the end, maybe?

Hi Anon, I’m sorry this took so long! I tried to write it as if it was an insecure monologue, a little jumpy and janky like how the reader’s thought process would be. I hope you like it! 🖤

Warnings: Insecure reader, self-deprecating thoughts, bullying, verbal abuse, taunting, talks of breakups, appearance and other issues, negative mentions of weight. Kissing, implied sexual references. Happy ending I promise!

Word count: 2.7k

Fire and Ice

It wasn't easy being Fred Weasley's girlfriend.

Being with Fred, falling in love with him- that part was easy; but having such an extroverted, popular joker for a boyfriend was at times, not so easy.

You were quieter by nature, a little more introverted and a lot more insecure than Fred but you seemed to balance each other out well most of the time, ying and yang, fire and ice. Fred was always quick to silence your hateful internal monologue whenever it presented itself, reminding you that you were beautiful, important, loved- all the things he wanted you to feel, the way that he saw you. But sometimes the insecurities were too much, the voices in your head too loud that you began to believe them again.

Fred had been busy, the tri-wizard tournament had been announced and him and George were trying everything they could to work around the age restriction but upon the application. They’d been virtually locked in their dorm for days researching different ideas and brewing potions that would age them up, though you doubted it would work, they always surprised you in the end.

Their reclusion could not have come at a worse time for you, though of course you would never mention anything. You’d been stood in front of Fred when the students had gathered to watch the regal, horse-drawn carriage fly over the tips of the trees in the forbidden forest and across the Great Lake led by the majestic white winged horses that made it look effortless and well, magical. You’d stood with pure excitement as you watched the magnificent ship emerge from underneath the water and sail towards the bank until you’d all be called away for the feast.

Your excitement had dwindled almost immediately when the girls of Beauxbatons glided through the door in a whimsical and captivating display, grabbing everyone’s attention for their beauty and elegance- including Fred. You’d seen Ron look flabbergasted, a fresh pink hue on his cheeks as he looked upon the girls with mouth agape and a glazed look in his eye and couldn’t help but avert your eyes slightly to see Fred looking at them in a much tamer way, but seeing his eyes fixed upon them nontheless. It pulled at every single one of your heartstrings, that familiar sinking feeling in your gut instantly making you nauseated by the food in front of you.

Their uniforms were delicate and beautiful, tailored perfectly of the finest satin in such a rich colour that it was both feminine and powerful all in one. You couldn’t help but look away from Fred, from anything and began to pick at the edge of your frumpy school cardigan, suddenly disgusted by its mere existence.

When Dumbledore announced the entrance of Durmstrang, you didn’t even look up, already too consumed by your own self-deprecating thoughts. The uniform you’d once been so proud to wear now felt like a potato sack in comparison, shapeless and bland from head to toe. You suddenly wanted to get away, to do anything you could to get out of the shapeless mess and to prove to yourself and to others around you that you weren’t just a blob of blended wool and scruffy hair that had been haphazardly thrown into a high pony ahead of your long day of travelling back to school. But there was nothing you could do, forced to sit there in a mass of unflattering garments next to your boyfriend who had been looking at much more attractive females and pretend to be fine. Thankfully the arrival of professor Moody was enough to prompt serious discussion around you and you could blend into the background without notice, eating only tiny bits and slipping away before the end of the meal.

It continued for days, the stab in your side whenever you’d see the Beauxbatons girls in their pretty uniforms looking so sweet and dainty, often followed around by drooling boys that quivered with their every move. You were jealous, but you wouldn’t admit it, choosing instead to be disgusted by it all and very much wanting it all to be over and for them to be gone. You couldn’t forget the expression on Fred’s face when they made their grand entrance and the pain that it brought when you did remember. You’d never doubted his love for you, not really, though of course you doubted why he chose you in the first place- did he now regret that decision?

It had been days since you’d seen him and the messages he’d initially sent through Lee had dwindled to none, meaning that you were so out of communication that you felt that stinging dread all over again- was he preparing to break up? Had he found someone else? Someone undoubtedly prettier in a powder blue satin uniform?

So when you finally caught sight of that gorgeous red head in the hallway, you lit up, excited to finally get the chance to talk to him. You heard his laugh and smiled to yourself, feeling relieved already- until you noticed he was laughing with one of them. She was pretty, brown hair tucked perfectly into her blue hat and her satin cape bellowing perfectly around her.

Something inside you felt out of place all of a sudden, enraged by the injustice and the inevitable ending to your relationship. You were angry at everything, most notably Fred, the Beauxbatons, the whole stupid competition. It left a sour taste in your mouth and you realised that if Fred wanted out, he could have one of the stupid French girls.

You were sat in the great hall with Hermione quietly reading when you heard a group of people moving excitedly towards the cup which broke your concentration. You watched as Cedric Diggory placed his name in the cup and his friends cheered for him, smacking him on the back in a hearty well done when he suddenly stopped upon making eye contact with you and sent you a little smile of recognition. You smiled back with a little head nod and watched as his friends dragged him away, leaving the room in relative peace once again.

That was until Fred and George came barrelling into the room, their distinctive blend of voices crying out and echoing through the hall as they high five students across the benches, proudly clutching hold of something in their hands, professing that ‘they’d done it’.

You could barely look at them, for the first time not caring in the slightest about what they had created.

“It’s not going to work,” Hermione says from beside you and immediately you are met with their bodies either side of Hermione. You feel Fred’s hand on your shoulder, a little touch that should have given you hope but actually felt repulsive to you. You didn’t even look up from your page, nor acknowledge their arrival and if Fred noticed, he didn’t say anything- though you could feel his eyes in you. The second the Triwizard cup fought back against their tricks, propelling them into the air and forcing them back into the ground with a definitive thud, you were gone. You walked back towards the common room without so much as a glance, not caring to find out the predicted result of their attempt.

“I would just die if I had to wear their uniforms!” You heard from around the corner in a thick French accent that had you rolling your eyes. The stupid little French cackles reached your ears and it was all that you could do not to petrify them on the spot as you attempted to walk straight past them.

“Oh” one of them said, spotting you emerging from around the corner. Another small fit of laughter that was hardly concealed, upon seeing someone in the exact uniform they were mocking.

“Does it feel as frumpy as it looks?” Another one said, her accent almost indecipherable. You shot daggers at the group of four witches and tried to get past but they blocked you in.

“You’re with the tall redhead yes? I’ve seen you,” the blonde one says, making your stomach lurch at her mention of Fred. “He’s cute.”

You don’t retaliate, though you can think of many choice words you wish to say to her, presuming you didn’t reach for your wand first. Their words cut into you like a knife, though you try to block out the harsher things they say about your appearance, your weight, your ugly uniform. Only when they bright up Fred again do your barricades fall, their words tearing you apart.

“It’s funny actually, that he chose you. You look more of a girl he’d want to be friends with, definitely not one to be in love with.”

The final nail in the coffin for you was the round of laughter that echoed throughout the corridor, following you in your mind straight back to the common room until the second you passed out that night, still sobbing into your pillow.

The next morning, your eyes were virtually swollen shut from all the tears shed the night before. You felt retched, all of your fears coming true as the beautiful girls laughed at you, hitting every one of your insecurities. They may as well have called you fat, ugly, all the other things you knew about yourself but never said out loud.

You didn’t go to classes that day, never even attempting to step foot out of the dormitory or even your bed until you were certain everyone had left. You looked an ungodly mess with red puffy eyes and a mass of tangled hair that felt like a limp weight on top of your head. The tears started again within seconds of reaching the bathroom mirror, silently falling down your cheeks and landing in little droplets into the sink. You sobbed for your sorry appearance, for the loss of Fred and for the unfairness in life. Why couldn’t you just be pretty?

You eventually crawled back into bed, not even bothering to sort out the disastrous mess upon your head and forced yourself to go back to sleep, pushing all thoughts of him and them out of your head.

Three days you’d been confined to your bedroom, feigning a migraine that had managed to convince even Mcgonagall and Hermione. Ginny had tried to relay multiple messages from Fred, both verbally and in writing but you’d feigned a worsening headache, nausea and other ailments and asked her politely but definitively to leave, rendering the message unheard. You’d heard all about Harry’s selection from Hermione and how he and Ron were fighting but you’d barely listened to any of it, too consumed by your own issues.

The fourth day, you made it out of bed only to remember that it was a Saturday. You considered slipping back into bed and ignoring the sun completely but your bladder disagreed with your plan vehemently. You wandered to the bathroom and for the first time in days, looked in the mirror.

You looked so sad, so broken that it made your heart constrict a little, seeing a sad little girl staring back at you. You look younger somehow, like a first year all over again. Memories flash beneath your eyes, memories of meeting Fred for the first time, of being young and falling in love, of being the girl that he fell in love with.

Ignoring the vague rumbling of your food deprived stomach, you rush into the showers and attempt to untangle your hair using every product you can find. You shave, condition, lotion up your entire body and make a start on magically fixing your puffy face. You’re on a mission to look your best, to show those petty and judgemental bitches that you were just as worthy as them and more importantly, that you were definitely someone that Fred would- and did- love.

You dried your hair and curled it using a spell you’d found in an old teen magazine that worked surprisingly well and stood back to look at the result, feeling pleased. You looked like yourself again but better, happier.

You dressed in a nicer than usual outfit that was still casual but actually highlighted your curves rather than hiding them, something you knew that Fred liked after years of compliments on your curves. You momentarily considered grabbing a cardigan incase your confidence weakened but thought against it, instead grabbing a jumper than you’d stolen from Fred a year ago. You felt feminine and pretty for the first time in ages and actually smiled when you look in the mirror one last time.

“Well don’t you look nice,” Ginny said as you stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door from where she had walked back into the dorm, realising that everyone else was now awake. “Feeling better?”

“Much,” you replied honestly, smiling and nodding a little.Want to get breakfast?”

“I was going to have a shower, Fred’s down there though, he’ll go with you I bet,” Ginny says, grabbing a towel and her bathing stuff. You pursed your lips, not letting the glow fade as you nodded at her, butterflies starting to flutter about in your belly.

Walking down to the common room, your nerves were already starting to build as you scanned the room with your eyes, searching for the one person you hoped to see. The guilt of hiding from him, of pushing away was eating you up and you wanted nothing more than to just make it right. You spot George and Lee in one of the corners, Harry and Hermione on one of the sofas and a few more people dotted around but no Fred.

“Blimey,” you heard to your left but instead of seeing the boy you’d hoped to find, instead you found Ron. His mouth was slightly parted and he was looking at you with an expression he’d never looked at you with before, focusing uncomfortably on a piece of your chest never wished to have his eyes.

You flinched as you watched Ron get smacked in the back of the head unexpectedly, making him wince and rub his head but you didn’t see anymore after his initial reaction, instead focusing your attention on his assailant. Fred.

“Look at my girl like that again and I’ll transfigure every piece of furniture in your room into a spider,” he says gruffly as he walks past Ron, keeping his eyes on you and moves to stand directly in front of you, reaching for your hand.

“Are you feeling better?” He says carefully, eyeing you with slight trepidation, making you frown.

“Much better,” you reply carefully, watching his reaction.

“Good, then I won’t feel guilty for this,” he says, pulling you forcibly by the hand until you bump into his chest, his lips finding yours almost immediately as he kisses you with a fiery passion.

“You look so hot,” he mumbles against your lips, hands finding your synched waist and bordering on inappropriately low as one hand tucks into your back pocket. You kiss back with just as much passion, happy that all the doubts and the insecurity had been wiped away, though you still felt guilty for pushing him away. “You’re never hiding from me again.”

He begins to tug at your side and you realise he’s pulling you away, towards the stairs to the dorms.

“But Freddie, breakfast,” you weakly protest.

“Can wait,” he mumbles, the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips as he barely parts from you, only enough to push you up the stairs towards his empty dorm, giving you a teasing smack on the ass as you ascend, for good luck. You never doubted his love for you again, especially not for the next hour.

#emeritusemeritus #emeritusemerituswrites #harry potter #fred weasley #fred weasley x you #fred weasley x reader #fred weasley imagine #fred weasley masterlist #completed requests #request closed #requests

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directdogman · 10 months ago

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Hi, I hope you're having a decent day! I'm sorry if this is an invasive set of questions - feel free not to answer - but do you still actively like DSaF as your own creation, or is it more of a "it was fun while it lasted but i outgrew it and it's for the best to leave it behind" kind of project? Do you ever regret making the games? If you knew they would get so popular, is there anything you would have changed about them? Is there anywhere I could read more of your writing.

It fluctuates a bit. These last couple of years, I've really just been sorta nostalgic for it. I've seen a lot of people discuss those games being a source of comfort during bad times in their lives, people talking about how much the characters mean to them and it's hard not to smile when you see that.

It's a funny thing for close friends of yours to see people WITH fanmade DSaF merch out in the wild, or to watch a random youtube video and being hit with a DSaF reference outta nowhere. It happens from time to time, even today. On a few occasions, I've even had a person reference my work to me in real life and not realize who they were talking to, believe it or not. It's really fun to play dumb and get someone to explain your work to you like you don't know what it is.

I certainly didn't think any of that would happen when I first made the series, or even during development. I think the normal assumption would be to look at DSaF as it exists now and assume its release was a peak for it, but believe it or not, the official discord only had 30 people in it shortly before 3 dropped! The archive listing of the series (reposted to a single page after the series ended) is now sitting at over 1.1 MILLION downloads.

People kinda assume the true heyday of something is when it's new, when it's fresh and novel. For instance, some people look back at when FNaF itself was new and see that time as its peak because it had a lot of internet cultural relevance as big new indie thing on the block. But, raw numbers don't lie. The series has been continually growing since its conception and that growth has similarly bled over to its fan projects. This explains why DSaF, despite not having a new series release in almost 6 years, seems to be inexplicably growing.

Just recently, I saw someone post footage of a scene from DSaF 2 on Twitter, which got over 16k likes. People praised its writing and largely celebrated the scene. The ironic thing about that particular scene is that I remembered being unsure if it was good or not, so I showed it off in one of the FNaF community hubs. The response was broadly lukewarm to negative. Now, it's held up as one of the best scenes in those games. That's kind of the point I'm trying to make, my thoughts on the series have certainly changed with everyone's else with years of hindsight.

Heh. I'm not sure if I've talked about this in a long time, but y'know, the very first scene I implemented in-game was actually the very first Phone Guy scene in DSaF 1, more or less exactly how it appears in-game today. This was before I'd even written the bulk of the game. I was pretty unfamiliar with visual novels as a whole, pretty unsure if something like this would be palatable to a fandom that was really just used to sit 'n' survive stuff that were far more gameplay than text. I mean, there wasn't any FNaF fangames really LIKE DSaF before that point. Closest was FNaFb, a jokey turn based RPG made in the same engine.

The engine I made the game in is also not exactly fit for VNs out of the box either, and I wasn't 100% sure the idea would actually work. But, the very first time I added the image of the prize corner, Phone Guy, the audio of that iconic cheesy stock track and booted up a test screen, I had a little moment where I said "Oh. I think I'm onto something interesting here." I kinda remembering instantly realizing in that single moment how much potential the idea had. Over 8 years later, I still remember that moment like it was yesterday.

I think lately, that's the sort of stuff I think of when I see people coming to me and asking about the series. Yes, it's really rough around the edges, yes, there's jokes that've aged poorly. But, it is a source of comfort for people and entertains tens of thousands of people each month. And that's gotta count for something, right?

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matadede-good · 8 months ago

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Can't wait for post these baddies...

1st Day: Dream. I imagined a mini Bibby sleeping, then in their dream he saw Nightmare again but in a status that him isn't powerful anymore and now he's just a wondering soul who lives in the dream world.

2nd Day: Revenge. I Initially drew a hella cool scene, but after I analyzed my own drawing, I thought it was more like an AU so I made this new one based on Revenge of the King.

3rd Day: Song. When I read the prompt, I instantly thought in the song that Susanna sings to her father, but for more originality I drew her with a beautiful dress, like if she was in a restaurant thing, presenting her talent to the guests.

4th Day: Headcanon (TW: mental illness, abandonment, disorder mentioned)

My more personal headcanon is... Well, Magolor is Hyness' son, but Hyness, suffering from schizophrenia, unconscious, abandoned his son when he was a kid. Mago for this trauma, he developed a mythomaniac disorder. But several years later, no one recognizes each other.

5th Day: Royalty. This is my favorite one I've made!! I loved a lot how they both look, look so... Cool, I don't know how to describe how much I liked the result. Really I did this drawing? Ok no...

I thought something about (Take it as a HC). In reality, they were a couple/marriage. It's just... The power (and beauty) went to Sectonia's head, forgetting her past and what she experienced with her closest person, Taranza. But he never stopped to love her despite her drastic change.

6th Day: Ancient. I had a minimum crisis because, I didn't have any idea to do this one, but I searched in the wiki something related to ancient things and there was Nova...

7th Day: Ability. I didn't know what to do in these, but I asked my boyfriend about his favorite ability and he said the poisoning one, so what occurred to me draw it but with the doctor one, like contrasting personalities (There's a very very very small reference ;]).

8th Day: Phantom. I love to draw Dedede, that's all. Well, it occurred to me because when I was reading the prompts, I remembered the phantom guys from Forgot💀 land (Lovely game, I've been playing it and I loved it). I found it interesting to use these neon colors on him.

9th Day: Magic. I love top-hat fellas, more than you could imagine.

I started late, I delay a lot for some of these, and I got a creative block in the 10th day, but I hope can finish this thingtober or at least overcome the 20th day.

The prompts are here! Click on me omfg!

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chosopie · 1 year ago

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SHE’S EVIL - CHOSO KAMO

cw: mentions of gore, smut, bdsm, sub choso

Choso was absolutely obsessed with you. Every single night, he would watch true crime to stay updated with your latest murders. No one knows what you looked like, but the thought and idea of you turned him so much. A dangerous woman with enough power and skill to shake the whole country and bring it to shambles—all that got his dick leaking.

One night, as he watched the latest news about you, his eyes widened in shock and excitement after reading the headline. You had skinned someone alive, ripping their back and ribs off to make wings out of them, turning them into a fucked-up angel, then you hung them on the brick walls of an alley that was just down the corner of the street. You were so close to him. It made his heart skip a beat.

He admired you a lot, not because you were just some cold-hearted killer, but because you had motive. In a cruel world full of injustices and corruption, a lot of bad men get to walk away free from their crimes while their victims had to live the rest of their lives carrying the burdens and trauma of their past. In some way, you were a vigilante, not like Batman. You were more gruesome and violent, leaving your victims in a state that no one skilled enough could replicate. You were an artist in some wag. There was this one instance where you decapitated a man, and gutted him from the inside out, tying his organs around his body like necklaces and bracelets. You made murder look so beautiful.

Choso found it so hot.

That gave him a clue. He decided to venture to the nearby local hospital. He asked around for their most prestigious surgeon. “I need to meet the best,” he demanded. The lady by the desk called you—a classy woman who was finely dressed in a perfectly tailored blazer with a white dress shirt peeking underneath. The tight pencil skirt you wore showed off your curves. Your shoes were from a famous Parisian brand that was surely expensive and chic. You were the epitome of class and elegance.

“You can meet me by my office if you have any concerns. I’d be more than happy to help,” you flashed a smile at him, your teeth were perfect and well-kept. There was something eerie about your smile. It was too perfect that it didn’t seem genuine at all.

Choso wasted no time and dragged himself to your office. After a few minutes of waiting, it was finally his turn to “consult” you. Something in his gut made him so sure that you were the notorious killer.

“Good afternoon, mister…?” You quickly stole a glance at him, then looked back down on your notebook, your hand quickly writing notes about the previous patient.

“Choso,” he replied.

“What seems to be the problem, Choso?”

“Are you the one responsible for all those… art pieces?” Choso gulped, his face turning pale from the anxiousness the crept within his chest.

“Art pieces? I’m a surgeon, dear,” you responded without taking your eyes off your notebook, busily jotting down additional information about your patient who suffered from a severe form of hernia. You remained calm despite knowing exactly what he was referring to. The man seemed to have no ill intention towards you. Perhaps you’ve gained quite an audience and some fans.

“The angel,” Choso spoke again, hoping it would clarify things. It felt like a futile attempt. Of course, if you truly were the killer, then you wouldn’t just reveal yourself to someone like him.

“What about it? Did you like what you saw?” You finally stopped writing and stood up. Choso couldn’t help but look at your dress shirt which was unbuttoned on the top, giving him a glimpse of your push-up bra.

Choso instantly turned red, sweat forming on his temples. “Yes. Well, I think you’re very skilled. You’re the best out there,” he stuttered.

“Of course I am,” you grinned.

Now that you’ve revealed his identity to him, Choso found himself in the best possible situation he could have gotten into, right between your big thighs, his tongue swiping and sucking on your clit until you cum and squirt on his pretty face.

Choso begged you to let him fuck you, but you told him to be patient. He was on his knees, arms tightly wrapped around your leg while he desperately humps you, smearing his pre-cum all over your leg.

He amused you, and because of this, you decided to keep him around as your little toy. You can't keep relying on killing assholes to keep you excited. You needed a little fun when it comes to sex and bitches too.

Choso would frequent your office or you'd bring him to your car so he could relieve you. If he was good enough, you'd return the pleasure by riding his dick until his eyes are rolled back and his tongue was sticking out. Sometimes, he'd even ask you to hold him at gunpoint or to press a knife against him. He was your cute and freaky sex doll. Your pride and ego forbid you from admitting this, but you’ve grown a soft spot for him.

#rev.writes #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jjk x reader #jjk fanfic #jjk x y/n #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x you #choso kamo x y/n #choso kamo x you #choso kamo x reader #choso kamo x female reader #choso kamo smut #jjk smut #choso smut #jjk choso

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c4llezz · 5 months ago

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11. disappearance

after daniela broke up with you, she shoved everything that reminded her of you in a box that she later hid in her closet thinking she would never see you again. years later she still reminisces about her time with you and thinks “i should’ve taken more pictures”.

after the play ended your cast mates decided to go out and celebrate at a local club you were really familiar with at this point. they said you could invite whoever you wanted and so you took the opportunity to invite sophia and manon so obviously the invitation extended to the other 3 girls, you wanted yoonchae to come but sophia refused since she was just 17.

you were dreading the moment you would be seeing daniela but you also wanted to see her, was that weird? it’s been almost 4 years since you last saw her in person and honestly after you blocked her on basically everything you didn’t know much about what was she up to. until 3 days ago when you found out she was part of sophia’s group, after that you made a BIG dive on her life this past years that you were not in the picture.

you watched every interview, every video they uploaded on their official youtube channel, every tiktok she was part of, you even watched the whole documentary series they had on netflix. you were intrigued by the new daniela and you wanted to know more.

arriving with olivia and conan to the club was faster than expected, new york traffic could be really unpleasant. when you entered the place some of your castmates were already there and instantly got you some food and drinks.

“you still think it was a good idea to invite them here?” conan asked you, referring to olivia’s label mates.

“a little, nothing a few drinks won’t solve”

the girl on your right laughed at that “now that you took your time to watch every single interview and performances, what are your thoughts on daniela?”

“she has changed, but i have too. i would like to know this new version of her.” you answered.

“even after how she broke up with you?” it was now conan’s turn to ask.

you stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. “i’ll see how things go” just after you said that, your phone vibrated in your pocket. “they are here, i’ll go get them” you got up from your chair to meet with them at the entrance of the club, meanwhile your friends shared a concerned glance. maybe it was not a good idea to invite them to the play.

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sleepyangelkami · 1 year ago

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hi babe <3 can you write a fic where ellie takes care of drunk reader that’s all cute and fluffy?

DRUNK ON LOVE e.williams

☆ WORD COUNT - 3.4K

ELLIE WILLIAMS X FEM!READER

☆ SUMMARY - someone has just a little too much to drink on a night out under the lookout of dina woodward leaving ellie to take care of a sloppy, romantic but very drunk you.

☆ WARNINGS - not set in tlou universe, drinking, intoxication, parties, throwing up, feeling sick, crying, insecurity, dealer!ellie, mentions of drugs, sexual reference sorta, petnames, slight tiny tiny tiny mention of abuse and pedophelia (not really), use of y/n, intended lower case, nothing i write is ever proofread 🩷

you didn't drink, not really. usually at parties you were sitting at ellie's hip or atop her lap, drinking sips out of the drink she had. whether it was a bottle of bear or a couple of cans. you didn't really care, not having much love for the tangy taste anyway. more often than not, you didn't leave her sight, barely drinking a couple sips.

tonight, not so much. ellie had left you in the guidance of her good friend dina woodward, your best friend. she saw your happy smiles to see her and thought nothing of it. tonight, she had deals to do, people to sell weed to. she knew you didn't mind when she did it in front of you but she didn't like to, she thought your pretty eyes didn't need to see her doing such things.

the party had been going great. ellie knew how the college raves could be, she'd sell a little more expensive than usual because she knew the innocent college students had no idea how much it normally cost. she knew it was a little unfair but she still ended up with extra cash in her pockets.

she'd made a third more than usual that night, a smirk falling on her lips as she thought of you and the much appreciated clothes she'd be surely buying you soon enough, maybe even some of that cute lingerie she liked.

tonight, you'd been dressed in a short white dress, sort of tight but loose around the bottom of the long sleeves, sort of flowy. your hair was in two half up pigtails with ribbon strewn across it.

she'd barely been able to keep her hands to herself before you guys left.

while counting the bills in her hand, she couldn't help but grin to herself. even when you weren't around, she couldn't help but think of you. it was as if you plagued her mind. no, plagued didn't seem like the right word because that would insinuate that she didn't want to think of you.

the sound of a familliar laugh pulled her from her thoughts as she whizzed around, eyes finding jesse's. "oh, hey jesse." she spoke, pocketing the cash in her back pocket. she had made money tonight, that was for sure.

"hey, ellie." glancing up and ready to tell her what his chuckles had been all about. "dude, you should let her get drunk more often, she's so fucking funny." this caused ellie's brows to furrow. let who get drunk? she wasn't in charge of dina nor did she want to be. "your girl with vodka―" he cut himself off with another laugh, wiping his face. "unstoppable, dude."

ellie's face must then do something horrid. the colour drained from her face instantly, her cheeks turning a hollow white. "what?" she questioned, worry filling her. "y/n's drunk?!"

ellie had never seen you drunk, never thought of it either. you didn't seem like the type to get drunk, especially at some little party like this. you didn't smoke nor drink and if you did it was usually for some big event, not that you'd ever touch the weed ellie sold. always mumbling things about how the weed 'smelled gross' or the whiskey she was leaving you take sips of 'tasted disgusting' you'd once compared drinking to completely burning the inside of your throat. you drinking simply isn't something she thought she'd see, let alone have to stop. she never worried about your alcohol intake seeing as you'd never been one too eager to drink more.

before she knew it, her feet were rushing down one of the narrow hallways. her converse hit the white carpet and a couple faces glanced her way, wondering why she'd been in such a rush.

everyone on campus knew ellie williams, the infamous dealer who gave the best weed for the best price. they were no stranger to her face or her body but now, as alcohol, weed and who knows what else consumed them, they could barely recognise her.

her fingers clamped down on one of the doorhandles. jesse had informed the girl that you'd been staying in one of the bedrooms, dina had brought you here knowing that the owner of the house and a couple of her friends were all playing some drinking games.

ellie cursed herself, she should have known better than to leave you under the guidance of dina woodward.

when the door opened, she expected silence, sort of surprise to see her bursting through the door. that, though was exactly not what she was met with.

the music was still very much loud inside the room, discarded cans on the ground and bottles in the air being chugged from. girls and guys were in the room, some sitting on the couch, most on the floor, some standing and drunkenly dancing. but ellie's eyes didn't care for the half naked girls or the hazy looking guys. her eyes needed to find yours.

and surely enough, there you were.

you didn't have a drink in your hand but judging by the position you were in now, laying flat on your back on the bed with your dress sort of hiked up, mumbles falling from your lips and fingers playing with the strands of your hair. you looked confused, eyes red and pupils large, you looked completely out of it. your hair was sprawled all across the bed, up in the air as you tugged on it, swirling it between your two fingers. two girls, anna and kate, ellie believed were their names, couldn't stop laughing at whatever you were confusedly mumbling. it was clear that both the girls were very much intoxicated too.

dina was the first to notice that she'd entered the room. "ellie, have you come to join us?" a smirk dancing on her lips as she swayed lightly. there was a bottle of beer pressed close to her wet lips.

"dina." ellie groaned, her eyebrows pinching together. dina looked sort of buzzing but not drunk, not nearly as much as you were, at least. "how much did you give her." perhaps you were just a lightweight or perhaps you drank more than you thought you could handle. whatever the case, you looked more drunk than anyone else in that room.

"uh, i don't know?" glancing back to your figure. "relax, ellie. it's a part, you're supposed to drink." ellie knew this, she knew there was no harm in having a little fun. but she also knew how you could get. it may be fun in the beginning but sooner or later you'd feel all floaty and icky. "she drank some before and after the games, let's see... we played truth or drink, she drank some in that. we played never have i ever, spin the bottle, oh and they have this really cool pool table so we played beer pong―"

"wait, wait." ellie cut dina off. dina looked up, thinking she was going to ask more about the pool table. "spin the bottle? as in she was kissing people too?" for a second, ellie's heart chipped, slowly tearing in half.

"no, no, no." dina was quick to put that heart back together again. "you see, the bottle kept landing on her and she kept going on about 'els' or something, flat out refused to kiss anyone." her lips were moving and her head shaking, dina's hand finding home on ellie's shoulder. "so she had to drink, you know, i think that's the most she drank in, actually―"

"els!" you were already jumping up from the bed, spotting your pretty, also concerned, girlfriend standing near the doorway. dina moved out of the way, letting you engulf your girlfriend. soon after, dina's name had been called and she was a laughing mess, stumbling over to one of the girls. "missed you."

"missed you too." ellie was quick to respond, not ignoring the way your body practically melted into her own. "had a little too much fun, did you, baby?" her fingers moving towards your chin, turning it upwards so she could look at you.

you were a smiling mess, small giggles emitting your mouth with a wide simper on your face. "dina said i could." as if you had to ask anyone permission anyway. though, if you did, you were sure that the only permission you would seek would be ellie's. you sort of just assumed ellie had told dina this.

ellie gave you a pointed look. "dina's a little shit." glancing to her friend that was now dancing. she'd leaned your chin up to look at your eyes, taking in the way your pupils looked so enlarged, your eyes a misty red. "c'mon, let's go home, angel."

at that, a pout formed on your lip. "don' wanna go home." ellie breathed in quickly, knowing this would be harder than she thought. "'m having fun, els." though you really weren't. the entire night, you'd been in desperate need for her comfort, but this was where the alcohol was. and it was safe to say that you were rather enjoying this buzz.

ellie sighed, eyes narrowing in on you, not a glare, a soft look that looked almost exasperated. "how about this, we go home and i get you some ice cream then we watch the swan princess in bed, hm? how's that sound?" the swan princess was just about your favourite movie ever. and you really did want some ice cream. ellie could see the way your face was contemplating your choices. "if we stay, you're not allowed to drink anymore anyway." not with her around, that was for sure.

your brows pinched together, pout jutting out. "you're so mean."

"so mean." ellie mumbled, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head. "let's go home, yeah?"

"lemme say goodbye to dina." you mumbled, already trying to get out of her hold.

but ellie was quicker, she held a tight grip on your arm, already leading you out of the room that stunk of alcohol. "you'll see her tomorrow." she spoke, doing the very same when you said you wanted to say goodbye to jesse. ellie was no stranger to leaving parties, it went the same way every time. at first, it'd be a little goodbye to one of your close friends then they were begging and pleading for you to stay, roping you back in when you didn't want to be there. in some situations, that irish goodbye was just simply a better choice, this was one of the many situations.

by the time ellie had made it to the front porch, your arm was no longer in her hand but you were simply interlinking your fingers with hers. ditzy as ever, she watched as you turned your head up at the pretty stars, completely entranced.

you were beautiful, from your strongest features down to your biggest of insecurities. the way you looked up at the sky, tight lipped and breathing slightly heavier through your nose, she couldn't help but smile. everything about you was captivating, she was completely and utterly entranced by your every feature.

but of course, all beauty is strange.

she watched as you let her hand go, falling abruptly and slumping against the grass of the front garden. with slightly wide eyes, she crouched down to meet you. "hey, hey, what's goin' on?"

though the air had hit you much harder than you'd been anticipating, making your head feel all the foggier. "don' wanna walk." eyes blinking heavily, avoiding ellie's at all cost. with furrowed brows, you stared at one of the young guys that had been getting sick in a bush, you cringed, turning away.

ellie sighed slightly, realising there had been nothing really 'wrong' and it was merely you drunkly babbling. "jus' gotta make it to the car, honey."

but you were already whining, your hands twisting in your hair. "but that's... so far." glancing to ellie's truck that sat... not even ten feet in front of you. ellie always parked up real close to the house. giving in, ellie slipped her arms underneath your legs. "what are you doing?"

"pickin' you up, baby." and she did just that. she picked you up off the dewey grass that could have been wet with... anything really. her hands under your legs, other against your back as she carried you towards the car.

she maneuvered you into the car carefully before leaning over you, clicking the belt in place. you almost giggled at this her treating you like a baby. she pressed another kiss to your cheek before closing the door. you watched with loopy eyes as she walked around the truck, opening up the drivers side door. "you know, i could have drove us home?" you slurred, eyes not even looking the right way.

ellie huffed out a scoff. "you're so drunk." she'd seen you slightly tipsy before but this? this was truly unheard of. "there's no way i'd let you behind a wheel."

"'m not drunk." you argued, she scoffed again, glancing down at you. "on love, maybe." giggling in a weird tone. this was before you let your head drop, slamming it against the dashboard on accident. a loud slam could be heard and with wide eyes, ellie looked down at you again. "ow." you mumbled, not moving from your position.

"jesus christ." ellie breathed. "idiot." she also added. "you okay, sugar?"

"peachy." you yawned against the dashboard, picking your head up. you couldn't help it, it felt so heavy on your shoulders. you reached your hands up, grasping the mirror of the passenger seat, shoving it down to look at your now awfully discoloured forehead. "'s gonna bruise so bad." you could already tell. you huffed out a giggle, glancing to your concerned girlfriend who, with both hands on the steering wheel, was trying to keep her eyes on the road. "they're gonna think you hit me."

she gave you an awful look, brows pinched together and mouth open. "why would you even say something like that?" you just shrugged, sitting yourself back on the seat. perhaps you were too drunk to feel your own body right now but one thing was for sure, by morning, you'd definitely be feeling that pain on your forehead. "such a child." she rolled her eyes.

"hey!" you instantly defended as the car rolled into the driveway. thankfully, you didn't live too far from the party. "if i'm a child 'n you're dating me then you're a pedophile, wanna add that to the list? abuser, pedo―"

"how about we just get you inside, huh?" she quickly tried to change the subject.

"never fail to surprise me, william." not even saying her last name right. you almost snorted. "edward william, can i call you that?"

"you most certainly can not." before exiting her side of the truck. soon enough, she was back at your door, helping you out. you didn't need her assistance as much this time, walking with your own two legs though she still kept her hands around your waist, holding you upright. the first groan and hands to your stomach, ellie had you sitting on your knees by the toilet. she was not taking any chances tonight. "how you feeling, pretty girl?"

not entirely realising she'd been on about your stomach, you looked up, your eyes strained on your ring that danced on your fingers, pretty, silver and dainty. ellie'd gotten it for you. "floaty." is all you responded with.

her fingers were flat against your back, rubbing up and down gently. "think you'll get sick?" because as soon as you'd both walked in the door, you were complaining about your stomach. no more ice cream for you.

you turned your head up at her, confused, still very drunk expression on your face. "anna got sick?" your friend that had been laughing at you earlier.

ellie rolled her eyes. "nobody got sick, baby." realising you were still much to out of it to be answering her questions. "you wait by the toilet and i'm gonna get you some jammies, 'kay?"

"okay, els." grinning up at your gorgeous girlfriend before laying your head down on the toilet seat. she made sure you didn't see her cringe as you'd think it was directed at you and not the fact that your face was on your guys' toilet. sober you would have never even thought of doing such a thing. but ellie could tell you were too out of it to even think.

when she returned, she had in her hands a light pink jammie bottoms, darker pink hearts littered around it. the material was sort of sheer seeing as it'd been one of those hotter nights. she also held a white vest, knowing you'd be too hot to wear any shirt over it. how ellie ended up crouched in front of you and taking off your makeup? she didn't know. yet somehow, that was what she was doing. "so pretty." she mumbled as the cloth took the last stroke against your face. what had been hard was taking off all that mascara. but ellie had seen you in many different ways, lights, places and sides. you were truly and utterly breathtaking.

you hadn't brought it up again until you were sat in the bed, bin on your lap as ellie stat up right next to you, hand once again comforting your back as you felt a wave of nausea. "you really think i'm pretty?" waiting for the nausea to pass.

ellie's eyes softened in on you. you knew she thought you were pretty, she couldn't deny the way her lips curled up at the 'fishing' you'd been unintentionally doing. "so pretty." she mumbled against your skin, pressing a kiss to your cheek. "everything about you."

"bump 'n all?" you joked.

"bump and all." she mumbled back, a grin on her lips.

you couldn't help the way you leaned into her chest covered by her sleep shirt. "you're the prettiest." but as soon as the words left your mouth, she took notice of how your face changed, looking sort of green.

"in the bin, baby, in the bin." turning your head and already holding your hair up into a makeshift ponytail. she tried not to cringe as you found yourself getting sick into the bin, merely frowning as she rubbed up and down your back with her free hand, you holding the bin upright. perhaps it was best that you got sick, at least now the nausea may stop. "i know, darling, i know." hearing your pitiful whines and whimpers. you hated nothing more than getting sick. "doin' so well."

suddenly you were back in the bathroom, standing against the door despite her many protests for you to stay in bed. you watched as she cleaned the bin or 'basin' out in the sink. "'m sorry, els." with tears burning at the edges of your eyes.

"what? no, no, no." already discarding the bin as her hands came up to your face. "don't cry, you've nothing to be sorry for."

but you had everything to be sorry for. "ruined your night." you whimpered out, hugging the girl close. "'n now you have to clean everything 'n 'm not even helping."

"'cause you need rest, mlove." she hated the way she couldn't see your pretty face peeking out, heart aching at the fact that your eyes were stained with tears. "you didn't ruin my night at all, you know i love taking care of you." and it was so true. ellie adored taking care of you, watching the way you'd go soft and completely turn to putty. she liked knowing that she was there to piece you back together when you couldn't.

"b-but―" ignoring the way the fat tears rolled down your cheeks.

"no buts." she moved your head to look at her, hair matting down at the sides. "i love you so much and i love taking care of you but right now you need to be in bed, resting up and drinking some water," she'd left a glass on the nightstand. "so that you don't feel icky in the morning." because as much as she loved taking care of you, she still hated to think you felt bad.

you merely sniffled. "love you too." mumbling as you glanced down at your sock covered feet, suddenly feeling shy.

ellie couldn't help but smile at you. "you better." leaning down to press a kiss against your forehead.

"please don't touch my forehead."

"right, dashboard, sorry."

"tryna hurt me―"

"i was not―"

"abuser―"

"can you shut up?"

main masterlist/ellie's masterlist

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steamtrain52 · 2 months ago

Text

No Ordinary Boy - Chapter Eleven

WARNING: This chapter contains references to suicide. If this is something that you feel may upset and/or anger you, read on at your discretion.

I hope you understand I did not make the decision to include this lightly.

The next morning was a struggle, to say the least.

Natalie’s head was pounding as she lay in Tommy’s arms. Images flashed through her head of the previous night… the doomcoming, talking about college, Tommy taking her on the cool, soft moss, over and over again…

Her thighs were aching in the most wonderful way. Natalie smiled at first, then felt the smile slide off her face at the memory of her begging for Tommy to finish inside her.

Could she be pregnant now? Shit. She might be.

It’s about to be winter. How could I have been so reckless?

Then more of Natalie’s memories filtered through her head. The shrooms. Of course.

But how had they ended up in the soup? Could Mari have mistaken them for another type of mushroom?

When they had first begun foraging for food, Tommy and Coach Scott had pointed out several types of mushroom within the forest that were safe to eat. But that had been what, four months ago now? Plenty of time for someone to make a mistake.

I guess we should count ourselves lucky Mari didn’t accidentally kill us instead. Still, I need to watch myself. I could always ask Shauna for tips, just in case-

And then at the thought of Shauna, Natalie finally remembered the third act of the previous night. Jackie locked in the downstairs closet, Lottie laughing like a madwoman, Travis imprisoned in the tree stump while Shauna drew a knife across his throat…

Travis. At the thought of her hunting partner, Natalie finally began to move. Due to the shrooms, she hadn’t thought much of it at the time when he had run off after she and Tommy had saved him, but now… he could be hurt, he could even be dead if one of the girls had followed him and decided to finish the job…

“Tommy.” She shook her boyfriend awake.

“Mmmm?” Tommy blinked sleepily.

“We have to go; we need to find Travis.”

“Wha…” Tommy trailed off, then she saw his eyes clear as he remembered. “Oh. Oh my god, you’re right.”

He rose out of their makeshift bed, clearly alert, though Natalie was sure he was feeling the after-effects of the shrooms as much as she was.

My Tommy. Even now, Natalie couldn’t help but admire his strength, and she stepped forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

“Could you…” she whispered. “Could you say it one more time?”

Tommy smiled. “I will love you until the day I die, my darling.”

“Likewise. My darling”, Natalie giggled, despite herself. Wherever she went, she knew Tommy would be with her, and she felt her own resolve grow as he kissed her again.

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Tommy walked with Natalie through the cabin, where Tai, Van and several of the other girls were stirring feebly on the floor.

Probably a good idea to stay in the attic, Tommy thought, as he stepped past them. Who knows what might have happened if we’d crossed paths with them?

He and Natalie quickly dressed back into their hunting clothes, and stepped outside, where they were surprised to see Ben cooking something on the fire.

“You guys alright?” He asked them. “If you’re hungover, I boiled some water.”

Better than nothing, I suppose, Tommy thought, as he and Natalie each took a cup. His head was pounding. Last night was the first time he had taken anything stronger than weed, and he was in no mood to try it again, despite last night’s sex with Natalie being far and away the best they’d ever had.

I hope I didn’t get her pregnant. Please, God, don’t let me have gotten her pregnant.

It wasn’t as though he didn’t want to have kids with Natalie one day, but out here? No. No way in hell.

They gingerly sipped at the boiling water. “So, uh…” Ben cleared his throat. “What exactly did you guys get up to last night?”

Tommy instantly felt his face redden. “Not much”, he lied through his teeth. “Just... snuck off and watched the moon rise.”

“Mm-hmm”, Natalie said, her face turning as red as his felt. “What about you?” She asked Ben.

“Honestly… I’m not sure. I left the party, and I’m pretty sure I spent about six hours lying down, looking up at the sky before I fell asleep. Not sure what was in Mari’s wine, but-”

“It wasn’t the wine, it was the soup”, Tommy interrupted. “Natalie reckons there were shrooms in there.”

“What?” Ben asked, his mouth dropping open as Natalie nodded.

“I’ve done them once before, last night felt just like it did last time.”

“Oh, my god”, Ben held his face in his hands. “If that’s true, it’s a good thing Mari didn’t kill us by mistake. I think we’re going to have to re-do the lesson on which mushrooms are safe to eat.”

“I agree”, Tommy said, as he finished drinking the water. “Do you know where Travis might be?”

“I saw him go around the other side of the cabin”, Ben pointed, and Tommy and Natalie headed around the cabin to find their hunting partner, washing what looked like blood off his throat.

Tommy winced. Shit. They should have followed him last night, instead of heading back to the cabin.

“Hey, man”, he greeted Travis. “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“What?” Natalie asked. “Don’t you remember what happened last night?”

“I’m fine. No, actually, I’m better than fine. I finally got laid, so I’m fucking great.”

Jackie. No wonder she was so upset.

“Travis, we saw them hold a knife to your throat”, Tommy said. “Nobody would be okay after that-”

“I said I was fine, didn’t I?” Travis snapped. He set down the washcloth he was using. “I’m gonna go look for Javi.”

“He’s not here?” Natalie asked, as Travis began to walk off. “Well, do you want any help?”

“Nope!”

Travis walked further away, and Tommy saw Natalie look at him.

“We have to help him”, she said.

“We will”, Tommy said, as they both set off after Travis. All three of them knew the woods around them better than anyone, and they checked all the hiding spots they could think of, without any luck.

Poor Javi. Probably saw the girls screaming like banshees and bolted like a rabbit. But where on earth could he have gone?

Tommy looked up to see Travis heading further away, but as he made to follow him, he began to feel the effects of last night bubble in his stomach.

Uh oh. Tommy bent his head, and vomited out what looked like a large stream of grape juice onto the forest floor.

Mari’s berry wine. I’m not in a hurry to be drinking that again, that’s for goddamn sure.

“Are you okay?” Tommy heard Natalie say, as she soothingly rubbed his back and shoulders. “Maybe you should go back to the cabin, we can keep searching out here-”

But Tommy wasn’t listening to her. He was too busy staring at the ground in horror. How on earth could he have missed the tracks?

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“Just leave the rifle, we might need it-” Natalie said.

“You have no idea”, Tommy interrupted her, pointing at the ground he had just puked into.

Natalie followed his finger, and felt her blood turn to ice as she saw the pawprints in the ground. She hadn’t actually seen this type before, but there was no mistaking them.

Bear tracks. And they’re FRESH.

“It’s heading towards the cabin”, Tommy said, and Natalie felt even colder as she realised he was right.

“Oh my god-”

“Stay here”, Tommy said, sliding the rifle off his shoulder and setting off into the direction of the tracks.

“W-what? What are you gonna do?”

Tommy looked at her, and Natalie instantly realised his plan. “No. No, please. Tommy, no-”

“We have no choice. Stay here.”

“No!” Natalie screamed at him. “You and me. Remember?”

Tommy looked at her like he was going to argue, then shook his head. “Okay. Just… be careful.”

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Van woke up groggily on the floor of the cabin, wrapped in Taissa’s arms.

Uggghhhh…

What the hell happened last night? She remembered feeling on top of the world, having amazing sex with Tai by the creek, then stumbling back here…

Were we drunk? Guess that’s what we get for drinking berry wine none of us have any real clue how to make.

After shaking Taissa awake, the two of them dressed in their more casual clothes, then joined Coach Scott by the fire outside, where they gratefully accepted his hangover cure of boiling water.

It wasn’t long before Misty came outside as well, though she stayed away from them as she sat on the porch, reading a book as she kept shooting glances at Coach Scott.

Jesus, Van thought as she snorted. How does she not realise he’s gay? After four months in the wilderness without Coach Scott sneaking a single glance at any of the girls’ chests, it had become blindingly obvious to the rest of them, but Misty still seemed oblivious.

She’s in for a nasty shock, that one. If she wasn’t so creepy, I’d almost feel sorry for her.

At the sound of footsteps, Van looked up to see Lottie, Shauna, Mari and Akilah creeping around the cabin’s corner, still in their doomcoming dresses.

“Hey”, Coach Scott greeted them. “I boiled some drinking water, if you guys are as hungover as I am.”

“Has anyone seen Jackie?” Shauna asked, as Van saw the team captain appear in the doorway.

This isn’t gonna be good, Van thought, as images flashed through her head of them all locking Jackie in the closet.

“I have nothing to say to you”, Jackie snapped. “To any of you. I mean… what the fuck?”

“Yeah, like you’re so innocent”, Mari mumbled.

“Hey! I’m not the one who went completely fucking insane last night.”

“Right, no, you were too busy screwing Travis”, Van retorted. Though they had kept it from Tommy and Natalie, for their sake, it was well-known amongst the rest of the girls that Jackie had been nursing a crush on Tommy the last few months.

But Tom’s the most loyal boyfriend in the world, so she settled for Travis. Seriously, who does Jackie think she’s fooling?

“Look”, Coach Scott spoke up. “I’m sure that we all said and did some stuff that we regret last night on account of the shrooms.”

The WHAT? Van thought. Oh, my god…

“So, I think that the best thing for us to do is just…”

“Wait, wait”, Shauna interrupted. “Shrooms?”

“Okay, yeah. That makes sense.” Van rubbed at her face. But how on earth had-

“Oh, shit”, Taissa said. “The broth?”

Mari’s broth? Van turned her head to Mari, but the JV goalkeeper was looking right at Misty.

Akilah was doing the same. “You drugged us?” She asked Misty, and the small, curly-headed girl looked as though she wanted to sink into the ground.

“No, I didn’t”, she said, in a soft, quiet tone that wouldn't have fooled anyone. Then Misty got to her feet.

“Okay, yeah, but… it was an accident. They were meant for Ben.”

Not helping your case, Van thought.

“Oh, my god”, Mari groaned. “Do you have any idea how crazy you are?”

“They were my mushrooms”, Misty said. “And you stole them to put in your stupid soup. Besides, none of this would have even happened if he wouldn’t have tricked me into falling in love with him.”

Van’s jaw dropped open. He did what?

“Oh, Misty, would you-”

“Wait, stop!” Lottie interrupted Coach Scott. “Do you hear that?”

Hear what? Then something reached Van’s ears. Something that sounded… big…

As Van leapt to her feet and turned around, her worst fears came true, and a fully-grown grizzly bear walked right into their campsite.

Sweet Jesus, Van thought.

“Oh, God. Oh, my God!” She screamed, as everybody headed for the porch. No wonder Tom wanted us to stay out of the woods. Look at the SIZE of him.

“Okay”, Coach Scott said. “Alright, everyone stay calm.”

“How the fuck are we supposed to do that?!” Mari asked him.

“Who- who has the gun? Where’s the gun?” Taissa asked, looking around.

“Tommy. Tommy has it”, Coach Scott said.

Oh, fuck. By the time he gets here, it’ll be too late, Van thought.

Then Lottie quietly whispered “Shauna, the knife”, and Shauna passed her the hunting knife she was carrying.

What the hell?

“Lot, don’t”, Van called out, but Lottie marched determinedly towards the bear.

Oh, God. That thing is going to rip her apart-

But just as Lottie seemed one second away from becoming the bear’s next meal, the great big beast… knelt down in front of her.

What the HELL? Van felt her mouth drop open.

But just as Lottie raised the knife, a shot rang out, and Van saw the bear’s side explode in blood.

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Tommy knew he would have to get the bear from the side. He had never put down one of the great beasts before, and his instincts were telling him to run as fast as he could in the opposite direction. But he couldn’t leave the girls at its mercy. If it got into the campsite, there was no telling how many of them it may kill before it was satisfied.

Then as he drew closer to the campsite, he saw the grizzly approach the cabin, the girls screaming in fear as they backed away.

Tommy flanked the bear, heading around to the side as fast as he could.

“Stay here”, he whispered to Natalie. She may have chosen to come back with him, but she would not be dying today, if he could help it.

Then as Tommy came out of the bushes, he saw Lottie… approaching the bear, with a tiny little knife in her hand?

What’s that mad girl doing now? Tommy groaned internally, as he opened fire.

His first shot hit the bear in the side, but Tommy knew he had missed its heart.

Shit. The bear turned around to face him, standing on its hind legs, but Tommy had already fired again.

The next two bullets took it in the throat. The bear reeled back, and Tommy advanced, putting the next three in its chest, where he knew its heart would be.

The bear crashed to the ground. Tommy knew it was mortally wounded, but he was taking no chances, and he fired the seventh and final bullet right between its eyes.

Tommy loaded the rifle with seven more rounds, just in case, and approached the fallen bear cautiously, poking it in the eye.

It didn’t so much as budge, and he felt himself let out a sigh of relief.

“Is everyone alright?” He asked the group, as Natalie emerged from the brush.

Then as everyone started to breathe a bit more easily, he heard Natalie scream.

“Behind you!”

Tommy whipped around, expecting another bear, only to see Lottie advancing on him with the knife. Tommy’s survival instincts kicked in, and he smashed the butt of the rifle into Lottie’s face, knocking her onto the dirt.

“Oh, my God!” He heard Van say, as Lottie clutched her nose, rolling around on the ground.

“What the hell did you do that for?!” Natalie screamed at Lottie. “You could have killed him!”

“That wasn’t what it wanted!” Lottie howled. She turned to look at Tommy, and despite the fact that she had just tried to kill him, he was alarmed to see the damage he had done to her nose.

“You aren’t doing what it wants!” Lottie said to him, as blood streamed from her nostrils.

“Doing what… what wants?” Tommy asked. But all Lottie did was glare at him, and Tommy’s gaze was drawn to the knife in her hand.

“Please don’t tell me you thought that tiny little knife was going to do anything more to the grizzly than piss it off”, Tommy said, as Natalie moved to stand beside him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and it was only now Tommy realised he was shaking, though whether it was from fear or anger, he couldn’t quite figure out.

“That thing would have ripped you apart,” Tommy said to Lottie, “and don’t try pretending any different.”

“You didn’t have to intervene”, Lottie insisted.

“Jesus Christ, Lottie”, Tommy said. “Are you sure the shrooms have worn off?"

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Lottie went inside, most likely to sulk, and after almost two hours worth of skinning, gutting and slicing the bear apart, they sat down to eat the animal in silence, Natalie sitting next to Tommy, as both of them kept an eye on Lottie, and Misty as well.

Coach Scott had quietly informed them that Misty, not Mari, was responsible for the shrooms ending up in the soup. As for Lottie… Natalie knew it would be a long time before she forgot the image of Lottie advancing on her boyfriend from behind, with a knife in her hand and murder in her eyes.

If she hadn’t called out a warning when she did, Lottie would have stabbed Tommy in the back. The thought of killing anyone hadn’t crossed Natalie’s mind since the day her father died, but as she sat next to Tommy, eating in silence, Natalie knew that if Lottie Matthews had killed her boyfriend, she would not have hesitated to grab the rifle and empty it into the other girl.

Did that make her dangerous? Probably. But Natalie knew she did not want to live in a world without Tommy in it, and it looked like they were officially sharing a cabin with not one, but two unhinged psychopaths.

“We should say a prayer”, Lottie said quietly, and to Natalie’s surprise, some of the Yellowjackets bowed their heads. Tommy didn’t, of course, and neither did Coach Scott. Jackie and Van looked about uncertainly as well. But everyone else bowed their heads with Lottie.

What the hell is wrong with all of you? Natalie wondered.

“To the spirit of the bear, who sacrificed so that we could survive, we give our thanks.”

“Thank you”, some of the girls whispered.

“And to the ancient gods of the sky and the dirt, we give our thanks”, Lottie finished.

To the… what? Natalie wondered. Maybe it’s a good thing Laura Lee isn’t here. I can almost hear her ears burning.

“You didn’t say it”, Natalie heard Misty whisper, looking at them.

“They didn’t say it!” Misty called out to the group.

“We know you’re responsible for the shrooms, Misty”, Tommy said. “Tread lightly.”

He spoke softly, but Natalie knew her boyfriend well enough to detect the rage beneath his calm appearance.

Tommy’s words appeared to have given Jackie courage, because she suddenly spoke up.

“Thank you, Tommy”, she began. “And no, we did not thank the dirt for bringing us a goddamned grizzly bear.”

Jackie looked furious. “What is even happening right now? The fuck is wrong with you all? Misty poisoned us, then Lottie tried to murder Tommy for saving our lives, and now you’re all acting like it’s just water under the bridge?”

“It’s fine, Jackie”, Taissa said. “You don’t have to-”

“Oh, shut up, Tai”, Jackie scoffed. “Don’t pretend like you weren’t a part of it. What, we’re… we’re just not gonna talk about it? We just howl at the moon now and have fucking orgies?”

“Wait, what?” Natalie asked. Travis hadn’t mentioned that.

Then Natalie suddenly remembered Travis was still out there, looking for Javi. In the rush of Tommy killing the bear and almost dying at the hands of Lottie, she had completely forgotten about that.

“Yeah, that’s right”, Jackie said. “And somehow, we’re the ones that did something wrong.”

“Jackie, calm down”, Shauna spoke.

“Don’t tell me to calm down”, Jackie shouted.

She put down her bowl and rose to her feet. “What were you gonna do to Travis last night, Shauna? I spoke to him this morning. He had a lot to say about you.”

Shauna looked down, shame on her face.

“Well? Answer me.”

“I don’t know. I don’t… remember.”

Bullshit.

“Bullshit”, Jackie echoed Natalie’s thoughts. “He said you had a knife to his throat. If Nat and Tommy hadn’t come, you would have killed him-”

“Just shut up!” Shauna yelled, standing up. “None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you, if you hadn’t-”

“Hadn’t what?” Jackie smirked. “Huh? Stolen him? Wow. The irony.”

What? Natalie was confused. Did Shauna like Travis?

Then Jackie explained, and Natalie felt her sense of horror grow.

“Shauna was fucking Jeff behind my back, you know that?” Jackie announced to the group. “Yeah. That’s who’s really responsible for her little… bundle of joy.”

“Oh, my God, Shauna”, Natalie said.

“Thank you, Nat”, Jackie spoke up. Natalie wasn’t really sure why Jackie suddenly seemed to think of her as a friend, but she went on anyway.

“How could you?” Jackie hissed at Shauna. “You were my best friend. You don’t even like him-”

“And how would you know?!” Shauna suddenly exploded. The two of them descended into a screaming match, and Natalie stopped listening, as she closed her eyes and looked down. It was too much like home. Too much like her mom and dad-

She felt Tommy’s hand in hers, and she opened her eyes to look at him staring at her in concern.

It’s okay, he mouthed at her, as she squeezed his hand gratefully while Jackie and Shauna kept right on arguing.

“You know what? That’s it. That’s it, get- get out”, Jackie yelled, pointing towards the door. “Go on, get out!”

“No”, Shauna said, tiredly.

“I can’t be around you. I can’t even fucking look at you right now!” Jackie screamed.

“Well, that sounds like your problem. So maybe you should leave”, Shauna said. She sounded exhausted, and Natalie didn’t blame her. She felt sorry for Jackie, but hanging around her all the time would exhaust anybody.

“Maybe you’d be better off”, Mari said to Jackie. “Since we’re all so crazy.”

“Okay”, Coach Scott spoke up. “Everybody just stop. Nobody is going outside-”

“Stay out of it, Coach”, Lottie said to him.

“Or what?” Natalie asked her. “You gonna try to stab him, too?”

A very tense silence followed her words. No matter how much they tried to sweep it under the rug, or dismiss it as Lottie just acting her usual, crazy self, there was no denying that she had crossed a line when she tried to stab Tommy, and Natalie made a mental note to keep Lottie away from the knives in the future.

Then as Jackie looked around the cabin, she scoffed again.

“You know what? Fine.”

She grabbed her pillow and blankets, and stepped outside.

“Jackie, come on”, Taissa called out. “Don’t go outside-”

“Don’t pretend like this isn’t what you wanted the entire fucking time”, Jackie snapped, as she headed out the door.

“I don’t even know who you are anymore”, she said to Shauna.

“Or maybe you never did”, Shauna replied, and Jackie slammed the door, making Natalie jump.

She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to get away from here, as fast as she could, where she didn’t have to worry about being drugged or stabbed by people she’d once thought were her friends.

She stood up and strode out the door, and heard Tommy’s footsteps as he followed behind her.

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Van watched as Tommy and Natalie left. After the events of this morning… she didn’t know what to think. What Tommy had done, advancing on the bear as he put round after round into its body, knowing full well it would rip him to shreds if he failed to bring it down, had been the bravest thing she had ever seen anyone do.

But before Tommy had emerged, the bear had laid down on the forest floor, right in front of Lottie, almost like it was offering itself up to the group to be eaten. Van had seen it. They all had seen it.

On the other hand, Tommy was the expert when it came to hunting wild animals, and if he believed Lottie’s knife wouldn’t have been enough to kill the bear, Van was inclined to believe him over Lottie, who had grown up in the lap of luxury compared to the rest of them- certainly nowhere near the wilderness Tommy had spent years of his life hunting in.

And then when Lottie had charged at him, brandishing the knife… in that moment, Van had never been more scared, not even when the grizzly presented itself to them.

If Natalie hadn’t warned him… Van buried her head in her hands. She herself had frozen in that moment with shock at what Lottie was doing. Killing Tommy, the group’s main source of food in their time out here, would all but guarantee their deaths during winter, and yet Lottie had tried it anyway.

I can’t freeze again. I don’t know if we’ll make it through winter… but I do know we’re not making it through if Tom dies.

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Tommy walked with Natalie through the forest, looking for Travis and Javi. They had been searching for so long that night had started to fall, but still they kept looking.

“What do you think?” Natalie asked him. “Should we try the north side again, or-”

“Natalie”, Tommy spoke softly.

“Yeah?”

She turned to him, as the tears began brimming in his eyes.

“I- I know we haven’t talked about it yet”, Tommy said. “But… when the bear went down, I thought ‘okay, that’s it, the scariest moment of my life is over now’.”

“Then…” Tommy swallowed hard. “I saw Lottie coming at me with the knife. I… I don’t think I will ever forget the look in her eyes. It was… absolutely, one hundred percent serious. I had just saved her life, and she was going to stab me-”

“I saw it too”, Natalie whispered, and Tommy felt the fear rush in. He had spent the last few hours in a state of shock that Lottie had looked capable of murder in that moment, but now it seemed as though that shock was giving way to terror.

They were supposed to share the cabin with Lottie tonight, for God’s sake. Misty too. How the hell were they going to sleep, knowing that either one of them was likely capable of murder? Tommy remembered Misty bringing the axe down on Ben’s ruined leg, Lottie smashing her own head into a window while babbling in French about an ‘it’ wanting blood. Clearly, neither was afraid to wreak havoc when they believed the occasion demanded it.

Then Tommy felt Natalie’s arms go around him, as she buried her head in his chest.

“I love you”, his girlfriend whispered. “I won’t let Lottie or Misty or anyone else lay a finger on you that you don’t want.”

Tommy wrapped his arms around Natalie, and placed his head on top of hers.

“I love you too”, he said. “I won’t let them harm you, either, and if they do, I’ll… I’ll…”

Kill them. The words went unspoken, but Tommy knew Natalie understood.

Could Tommy really do it? Did he have what it took to pull the trigger on a fellow human being? He had done the same to dozens, potentially hundreds of animals over the course of his life, but another human?

Tommy felt Natalie’s hands cup his cheeks, her fingers stroking them softly as she looked at him. In that moment, gazing into her beautiful face, Tommy knew that he would not hesitate to kill Lottie, or Misty, or any of the others if they attempted to harm Natalie. But what did that make him?

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Natalie stepped forward, and softly pressed her lips to his. It felt like kissing a statue, but she persisted, and eventually Tommy opened his mouth up to hers.

“We’ll get through this together”, she whispered. “Winter… the girls… anyone or anything that might do us harm, we face together… and make them sorry for ever thinking they stood a chance.”

She smiled at him, and Tommy smiled back as he kissed her again.

It would be okay. As long as they had each other, they would survive.

“Oh, by the way”, Natalie mumbled as she pulled away from his lips. “Obviously we don’t know if I’m pregnant from last night just yet, but… we need to be more careful. What we did… it can’t happen again. Not while we’re out here.”

“I understand.”

Natalie looked deeply into his eyes.

“One day”, she said, softly. “One day I want to have your kids, I promise. Just… not right now.”

“I can live with that”, Tommy whispered, as he bent his head to kiss her again.

They kept looking for Travis and Javi, but after it got even darker, they heard wolves howling in the distance, and took it as their cue to head back.

As they walked up to the cabin, Natalie was surprised to see Jackie sitting outside.

She’s still out here?

They had passed her on their way out to the woods, struggling to light a fire, and now there was indeed a small flame going. If Jackie’s attitude hadn’t repeatedly pissed Natalie off over the previous four months, she would have been impressed that Jackie finally seemed to have learned something to help her survive.

“Jackie, what are you doing out here?” Tommy asked.

“I can’t go back in there”, Jackie said, continuing to stare into her tiny flame. She sounded so flat and defeated, just so small, it was hard to identify her as the same girl who had led the Yellowjackets to victory in the all-state championship.

“Jackie, this is stupid”, Natalie said. “It’s getting colder. If you stay out here, you might freeze to death. Come on.”

She held out her hand, but Jackie didn’t move a muscle.

“I’m fine, Nat. You go ahead.”

Natalie looked at Tommy. What they were supposed to do, drag Jackie inside?

“Jackie, will you please come inside? It’s not safe out here”, Tommy said.

“Thanks, Tommy, but… I’m okay out here, for now.”

“Then at least let us make the fire a bit bigger”, Tommy said softly. “You can come in when you’re ready, okay?”

There was a pause, then Jackie nodded mutely.

“Okay”, Tommy said. He and Natalie spent the next few minutes gathering branches and kindling, building the flames up until, a few minutes later, Jackie had a steady fire going. But she still hadn’t moved, continuing to stare ahead blankly.

“Jackie?”

“I said I’m fine, Nat.”

“Look”, Tommy began. “Just… don’t fall asleep. Alright? Come in when you’re ready.”

“Okay”, Jackie said, in the same tired voice.

Tommy nodded, but Natalie wasn’t convinced this was enough.

“Jackie, please come inside, it isn’t safe-”

“I said I’m fine, Nat!” Jackie suddenly snapped, and Natalie moved back.

Jesus, Natalie thought, shaking her head as she followed Tommy inside the cabin, towards the attic. Taissa and Shauna were staying up there, but neither of them said anything.

She’ll come in when she’s ready, Natalie told herself, but as she changed into her pyjamas and lay down in Tommy’s arms, she couldn’t shake the feeling that after four months in the wilderness, Jackie Taylor had finally given up.

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The early hours of daylight made their way into Tommy’s eyes, and he turned his head away from them, snuggling deeper into Natalie.

Brrr. The attic was a lot colder than he remembered it being the previous morning.

We have meat for today, he reminded himself. We can postpone the hunt, at least for now. Good thing too, I don’t know why it’s so cold-

Then Tommy’s eyes snapped open as he realised what had happened. He looked to the attic’s window, hoping he was wrong, but there was no mistaking the snow on the windowsill.

Winter. How could it be here already? He rose out of bed and walked over to the window. It should have been another couple of weeks at least, how could this be happening-

Then Tommy saw the figure laying down in front of the now-burned-out campfire.

“Jackie”, he breathed. “No!”

His shout woke the girls in the attic.

“Tommy?” Natalie groaned at him. “What’s going on-”

“It snowed last night”, he interrupted her, beginning to pull on his shoes. “Jackie’s still out there.”

“She’s what?!” Shauna screamed at him, throwing aside her own bedcovers.

Oh, God, Tommy thought, scrambling down the ladder and charging out the door, stepping on several sleeping girls in the process.

“Ow!”

“What the hell?!”

“Oh, my God. It snowed?”

Tommy ran over to Jackie, frantically brushing the snow away from her face, which showed none of its usual colour.

No. Don’t be dead. PLEASE don’t be dead. Why didn’t you come inside, you stupid girl-

Then Jackie feebly flicked his hands away from her face.

“What are you doing?” She whispered.

Tommy was gobsmacked. Jackie was still alive? But as he was about to sigh in relief, he noticed Jackie’s fingers were bright white, while her fingernails were blue as the sky above them.

They were hard to the touch, and Tommy realised what had happened. Frostbite. No, please no.

Then Tommy noticed for the first time that the edge of Jackie’s nose was waxy and white, with a slight bluish twinge.

“Oh no”, he whispered, as he felt the tears coming to his eyes.

He scooped Jackie up, ignoring her protests, and carried her inside.

“We need to light a fire, and boil some water! Get all the spare blankets we have!” He called out, as he lay Jackie down, removing her shoes and socks.

“Tommy, no. Don’t-”

But Tommy had already seen. From the tips of her toes to halfway down her feet, Jackie’s skin was white as the snow outside, and her toenails were an even darker blue than her fingernails had been.

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“We need to get her clothes off. This isn’t the time for modesty, I’m afraid.”

“We’ll do it”, Natalie stepped in, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

Why? Why did she have to stay outside? We should have dragged her in last night, kicking and screaming-

Natalie swiped at her eyes, and helped the others remove Jackie’s clothes.

“No, don’t. Stop it-”

“You heard him, Jackie, this isn’t the time”, Natalie snapped.

“Please, stop it-”

They removed Jackie’s clothes, covering her in all the blankets they could spare.

“I can’t feel my fingers. Or my toes. I can’t… I can’t really smell anything, either.”

“You have frostbite”, Taissa said to her. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna fix you up.”

She smiled at Jackie reassuringly, but the team captain didn’t smile back.

“You should have let me freeze”, she said flatly. Her tone was quiet, but everyone in the room stared at her in shock.

“W-what?” Natalie gaped at her. Had Jackie been… had she really been staying outside so that she could…

Now Jackie turned her head towards Natalie.

“You shouldn’t have made the fire bigger”, she said, in the same eerily calm tone of voice.

Then she laid her head down on the floor, and did not speak again.

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“Can we talk?”

Tommy turned to look at Ben.

“Uh… okay?” He followed his brother into his room.

“What is it? Are we doing something wrong?”

“Not exactly”, Ben said. He winced, but Tommy was confused.

They had wrapped Jackie in all the spare blankets, parked her in front of the fire, and placed her white, hardened hands and feet in bowls of the boiled water. Tommy was sure they were following the correct procedures, though he wasn’t certain what to do about Jackie’s nose-

“She’s going to die”, Ben said.

Tommy stared at him. “What? N-no.”

“She is. Unless of course, we amputate her hands and feet, and nose as well, but we don’t have any bone saws, nor do we have the resources to keep her from bleeding out.”

Ben looked at him, grimly. “I’m sorry, but… she’s too far gone. You saw her skin. That’s third-degree frostbite, no question about it. At that stage of it, way out here… she’ll be lucky to make it to next week before the gangrene stops her heart.”

“No”, Tommy whispered, felling the tears beginning to slide down his cheeks.

“We tried to tell her to come inside. Why didn’t she listen-”

Ben put his arms around Tommy as he started to cry into his big brother’s shoulder.

What do we do? What the ever-loving fuck do we do?

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Natalie stared at Tommy in shock as he told her what was going to happen to Jackie. She didn’t want to believe him, but she saw the seriousness in his reddened eyes.

Oh, dear God, she thought, as she felt his arms go around her. We didn’t save her life with the fire. We postponed her death.

It was horrible to even consider, but maybe they should have just left Jackie alone, without bothering to make her fire any bigger. At least then she might have died quietly in her sleep, instead of staying warm just enough to survive the night while catching frostbite that, according to Tommy, would only kill her slowly without the proper medical treatment.

“M-maybe we could amputate her fingers and toes?” She said, hopefully.

“With what?” Tommy asked. “None of the knives we have are strong enough to saw through her bones.”

“Maybe an axe, then? If we heat it up in the fire, we can-”

But just as the words left Natalie’s mouth, she realised how stupid they sounded. They weren’t in a hospital. None of them were doctors. They were a bunch of frightened teenagers and a crippled twenty-four-year-old soccer coach, stranded in the Canadian wilderness, which had just entered winter.

In that moment, Natalie knew that any attempt from their inexperienced hands at removing Jackie’s dying fingers and toes would more than likely cause her to die from blood loss, if she didn’t go into shock first.

She’s going to die. And there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it.

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Jackie hadn’t moved since they placed her hands and feet in the bowls of hot water, and she hadn’t said a word since telling everyone that they should have let her die.

As night fell, the others curled up asleep around them, and Tommy and Natalie tried to swap out the bowls of cooling water Jackie’s hands and feet were in with some more of the freshly-boiled stuff.

“No”, Jackie said, still staring into the fire as she lay on the floor.

“Jackie, please”, Tommy whispered, “You need this to get better-”

“I’m not getting better.” The corners of Jackie’s mouth twitched, and it looked to Tommy as though she was almost smiling.

“You think I don’t know what frostbite does to people if they don’t get proper treatment?”

“You… y-you-”

“It’s frostbite, Tommy. I’m not stupid.”

“I-I’m sorry-”

“It’s okay”, Jackie said. “I was never going to make it out here, no matter how hard anyone tried to help me. I’m just… not built for this.”

She turned her head to look at Natalie. “Nat, I have… I need something from you.”

“Uh… ok?”

“Can Tommy hold me? I’m not going to try anything, I promise, I just… want him to hold me. Please?”

Tommy saw Natalie hesitate. He knew how protective she was of him; how vindictive she could be if any of the girls dared to make a move on him.

Then he watched as Natalie swallowed, and nodded.

“I’m going to go to bed”, she whispered to him. “Come up when you’re done, alright?”

“Alright”, Tommy whispered back, as Natalie put a hand on his chest and kissed him, deep and slow, before heading up the ladder that led to the attic.

“She really loves you”, Jackie said.

“And I really love her, so if you do try anything, I’m leaving you on the floor and joining her.”

“Deal.”

Tommy slowly sat on the floor, and gently began to pick Jackie up. As he folded the blankets around the both of them, he was relieved to find that Jackie had been redressed in warm, dry clothes, as she placed her head on his chest.

“You have a strong heart”, she murmured.

“Thanks. Nat thinks so too.”

“Yeah, I bet she does.”

They were silent for a minute, before Jackie started to speak.

“I’m sorry, Tommy. I never… I never knew just how good you are at what you do, before we came here. If I did… I wouldn’t have looked twice at Jeff, I promise.”

She chuckled at the surprised look on Tommy’s face. “Maybe Shauna would have slept with you instead then, huh?”

“I would have said no."

“I believe you. I honestly believe you. You… you are nothing like any of the guys we’ve gone out with before. No wonder… no wonder Nat loves you. And you… you love her so much. I doubt I would have known that kind of love even if we’d never ended up here.”

Then Jackie cleared her throat, and he saw her smile leave her face. “I’m so sorry. For… the way I’ve acted all this time. It’s just… I’m scared, Tommy. I’m so, so scared.”

“I understand. I’m scared too. But we can’t give up. We can get through…”

Tommy trailed off as he saw Jackie turn her head to look at him.

Oh. Right. There was no we, here. In her condition, Jackie would be dead long before winter ended.

Tommy wasn’t sure what to say.

“Jackie, I’m… I’m so sorry this is happening to you. We should have done more for you. We should have brought you inside-”

“Don’t be sorry. I wanted to die.”

She said it so calmly, so casually, Tommy could almost pretend that he had misheard her. Almost.

“What?”

Jackie shrugged, and her mouth curled slightly upwards.

“We’re never gonna see home again. This is all there is for us. I wanted out, so… I chose dying in my sleep over going through winter out here. And if you and Nat hadn’t tried to help, that’s exactly what would have happened.”

“But now…” Jackie trailed off. “Maybe there’s something you can do to… help me along, so to speak.”

“Uh… what?”

Then Jackie gestured with her eyes, and Tommy saw she was looking down at the hunting knife on his belt.

“No. Jackie, no. That’s not going to happen-”

“You think I don’t know this is going to get worse?” Jackie hissed, holding one of her hands out to Tommy.

He winced. Despite soaking them in hot water all day, her fingers hadn’t lost their pale, waxy sheen, and her fingernails were still sky-blue.

“There’s no helping me, Tommy. There’s only… ending it. Please.”

“No”, Tommy said, disentangling himself from her.

“Please.”

But Tommy ignored Jackie’s pleading, and marched straight up the ladder into the attic, where Natalie waited for him.

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“Did she try anything?” Natalie grinned at Tommy teasingly as he lay down next to her.

“She wanted me to…” Tommy motioned towards his chest, holding an invisible knife.

Natalie’s eyes widened. “Did you...”

“No. No, I left her and came straight up here.”

“Oh”, Natalie said. A part of her was relieved, but the other part…

“So… what do we do with her?” She asked him.

“I… I don’t know. Make her comfortable, I guess, until… until…”

She dies. So, that was it. There was no hope for Jackie Taylor. It was only a matter of time before she passed on, and their group dropped down to eighteen people. Seventeen, if you didn’t include Javi, and after seeing what a single night in the cold had done to Jackie, neither Natalie nor Tommy were optimistic about his chances, though they didn’t mention this to Travis.

It took a long time for sleep to come for Natalie that night, and the second morning of winter did not bring good tidings. A blizzard sprung up, trapping them all inside, and for the first time since arriving at the cabin, Natalie and Tommy did not venture outside of it for the entire day.

They had to resort to using one of the cabin’s buckets as a toilet, and at the end of the day, after drawing straws, Travis ‘volunteered’ to go outside and dispose of their waste. Natalie had wondered if he’d seen Jackie out in the cold on his way back from searching for Javi. When asked, he claimed that he had come in using the cabin’s back door, and hadn’t seen her, but he looked away from Natalie when he said it, and she suspected he was lying.

If he was, she couldn’t blame him for feeling guilty, not with Jackie in her current state. Lying on the floor the whole day through, the Yellowjackets’ captain didn’t move a muscle, didn’t eat a thing, and didn’t say a word. When they checked her fingers again in the afternoon, Natalie recoiled as she saw the fluid-filled blisters starting to develop on them, swelling the digits up to almost twice their normal size. They had emerged on Jackie's toes as well, while the skin had only become even more pale and stiff, and her fingernails, toenails, and nose had become a much, much darker shade of blue. They even smelled different now. They smelled like… well, like death, Natalie supposed.

Natalie saw Tommy wince as he gazed at Jackie, and Natalie knew he was feeling the same guilt as her, though she tried to tell herself that nobody but Jackie was to blame. She had wanted to die, and Natalie wasn’t sure what would happen if she tried to make another attempt.

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Tommy knew he would likely not recover from this. He knew that there would be those amongst the group that would not understand, and hate him for doing it. But as he saw Jackie lying on the cabin’s floor, looking utterly defeated and at death’s door, he began to reconsider what she had asked of him.

Should he tell Natalie? He didn’t want to, but… he felt like she would understand.

Please, please let her understand.

How different could it be, really? Tommy had killed so many animals over the years, he was sure the difference would be… marginal, at best.

Except it isn’t. Because you’re talking about murder.

It isn’t murder, it’s mercy!

Tommy wrestled with his thoughts. He needed to talk to Natalie, so he motioned her over, and they shut themselves in Ben’s room.

“I know I said I wasn’t gonna do it, but…” Tommy motioned towards the other room. “Jackie’s not going to get better.”

That was all he said, and he saw Natalie’s eyes widen, then narrow in sadness.

“Are you sure? Are you really, truly sure there is no other way?”

“I am. I wish there was another way, but… there just isn’t.”

Tommy paused. “She’s going to die, regardless. At least this way… she won’t have to go through days, maybe weeks of suffering.”

He was trying to convince himself more than Natalie at this point, but as he saw the tears gather in her eyes, he also saw her nod.

“Okay”, she whispered, as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. “When… when will you do it?”

“Tonight. After everyone has gone to bed.”

“Do… do you want me there with you?”

“No”, Tommy said, firmly. This terrible, murderous act he was considering would not be witnessed by anyone but himself.

As they left the room, Tommy saw Shauna sitting next to Jackie, trying to convince her to eat something. Jackie didn’t so much as twitch, and Tommy immediately felt an immeasurable sadness.

They had no idea. No idea at all that this would be the last day they spent together.

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When Natalie lay down with Tommy that night, she could feel him shaking, and she snuggled further into him. She had been quietly relieved when he said she didn’t have to accompany him, but she did not envy him for what he was about to do.

The idea of killing someone, even out of mercy, repulsed her, but Natalie remembered the sight of Jackie’s pale, dead skin and darkening nails, and felt her heart harden.

It had to be done. The thought didn’t make things any easier, but… there was no other way. Natalie hoped the others would be able to accept that.

At some point during the night, Tommy disentangled himself from her arms, quietly dressed, and left the attic.

Please make it quick, Natalie thought, as she felt a tear sliding down her cheek.

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Tommy slowly approached the sleeping Jackie, gripping the knife. His entire body was trembling.

I need to be strong. I need to be ruthless. I need to be… merciful.

He gently shook Jackie awake. She blinked up in annoyance at him, but as she saw the knife, he saw her eyes widen, before she nodded.

Jackie rose into a sitting position, and Tommy knelt beside her. He was still shaking hard, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

“I…”

“Please, Tommy. Please”, she whispered.

He put one hand on Jackie’s shoulder, and heard her let out a sigh of what seemed like relief as his other hand slid the knife between her ribs.

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As Natalie awoke, shivering, she realised Tommy was not next to her, and she instantly knew where he would be. She dressed slowly, hoping to stall for time, but eventually she quietly clambered down the ladder, to where Tommy was sitting, cradling Jackie in his arms. She looked like she could be sleeping, but Natalie saw the dark stain on her shirt, right where she knew Jackie’s heart would be.

So, that was it, then. Jackie Taylor, the captain of the Yellowjackets’ Girls varsity soccer team, was dead.

As Natalie sat next to Tommy, she held out one of her hands, and he took it. Natalie wasn’t sure where things would go from here, but she knew she would not leave Tommy’s side.

“You and me”, she whispered, and Tommy nodded, the tears staining his face as she squeezed his hand.

They stayed there in silence for a moment, before Natalie saw Tommy’s eyes widen.

“What are you guys doing?”

Natalie jumped. She hadn’t heard Shauna approaching behind her.

No. God, please no. Not Shauna. Don’t let Shauna be the one to find out about-

“Jackie?” Shauna croaked, right before she started to scream.

And that's the end of season one. It has been an adventure getting here, but I am truly grateful if you have decided to read through the whole thing.

Season Two coming soon.

Vale, Jackie Taylor. Rest in peace.

#natalie scatorccio x male reader #yellowjackets #yellowjackets x male reader #natalie scatorccio #natalie scatorccio x reader #yellowjackets x reader

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