#buddy's got a bit of a staring problem with them big ol' eyes of his

[the-face-in-the-mirror]

Meliodas eye sketches, anyone?

Thought about linearting these, but... nah. They look better as sketches and they're only meant to be references anyway. And for you're enjoyment, of course. The roughness gives them charm, I think.

I had the insatiable need to draw the boy and his freaky second set of eyes, and how they affect his facial expressions. My freaky little boy, the morally dubious light of my life. And there's a better look at what his horns look like in the middle, there! Wasn't sure what to do with the demon marking in that one, so I just played around.

Enjoy the crumbs of content! One day we'll post the comic prologue on here, I promise. For now, school is beating my ass. But we'll get there!

[phyrestartr]

Happy Place (HOUND) (Miguel x M!Reader)

Geneticist!Miguel x Guard!Reader Part 3 of HOUND | w/c 3.8k

#NSFW, zombie AU, apocalypse AU, mentions of exploitation and abuse, body horror, gore, immoral research and experiments, power imbalance, reader is a criminal, miguel is a scientist, dark themes, reader is morally grey, bottom!miguel, top!reader, hurt and comfort, it's fluffy in the end, bussy loading lmao

Note: Genuinely had a really fun time writing this!! Was not really planned, but I cannot resist the idea of reader being a big softie towards people he kind of gives a shit about :sob: some angst, some miscommunication, and some good ol' FUCKIN'. Hope you like it! I have an idea for another part, but idk when/if I write it u-u we shall see.

--

You started behaving differently around him. Miguel rationalized it was just because of the sex–you’d suddenly found a new resource in your “owner,” and so started looking to him to find it, to get a piece of something you’d been without for a long, long time. 

But primal instincts suggested something else; you didn’t just look at him like a fuck doll, you looked at him with soft eyes, slow blinks, and gentle patience. Normally, in those hellish meetings you were dragged to, you would stare straight ahead, listening to everything, but not giving away thoughts or opinions. And now?

Whenever Miguel glanced your way, he found you watching him, eyes half-lidded and lovey. The scientist forced himself to look away. He rubbed his mouth, trying to pet away the embarrassment (and will away any uncouth thoughts). Miguel liked the change, of course, but it had to be investigated. 

He brought you to Lyla to get some tests done. She was all too happy to see you, calling you a “good dog” and her “best boy” to which you merely huffed and smirked smugly because, yeah, you knew you were the best mutant puppy they had. 

“So? To what do I owe the honour of seeing my favourite guy?” Lyla asked as she reached up to fluff up your hair. You bowed your head like a dire wolf leaning in to let a chihuahua preen. 

Miguel crossed his arms, equally enamored with your gentility as he was perplexed by it. “He’s different. Less strict and serious, more…” Miguel pursed his lips when a faint grunt of approval boomed in your chest as Lyla scritched a particularly good spot. “That. This. Whatever this is.” 

“Awe, come on, he’s just a big puppy. That’s what we made them to be, right? Not a big deal.” But Miguel didn’t buy it. Still, he knew Lyla wouldn’t so easily dismiss his claims, either. “Anything change with you, big guy?”

“Sex,” You answered.

Miguel rubbed his face with a groan. “I–you–”

“Wow, getting in the freak seat, huh, Miguel?” Lyla teased. “Sex puts anyone in a good mood.”

“This isn’t just a good mood. It’s a complete 180.” His hand dropped from his face to gesture towards the teddy bear. “Look at him. He doesn’t do this. What if it becomes a problem?”

“Actually, his cortisol levels’ve been down since he got back to watching you,” Lyla argued, suddenly a tinge more serious. She glanced your way, and her expression shifted just the slightest bit before returning to Miguel. “Really don’t think it’s a big deal.”

“You don’t think?” 

“Pal, buddy, come on–”

“Please, just–just run tests. Just check.” Echoes of snarling mouths rippled to the forefront of his mind. His palms began to sweat. “I need you to check.” 

She must have understood.

Lyla agreed, and assigned Miguel with a temporary HOUND escort. While it was humiliating to need a babysitter around the clock, Miguel couldn’t go without one–every blind corner, every door sitting sealed sent his heart into a panic, made him want to curl into himself and disappear. Having a superhuman by his side was the only thing that gave him some sense of comfort. 

Miguel paused in the doorway and looked over his shoulder. He glimpsed your back turned to him as Lyla dutifully prepared for the examination. 

“When do I get him back?” Miguel asked, like he didn’t just demand Lyla take him. 

The woman in question shrugged. “Eh. Dunno. Shouldn’t be more than an hour. Probably less than that. If there’s a problem, I’ll keep him longer.” 

Oh. Miguel didn’t like that. 

–

You came back about an hour later, tagging out your substitute and finally, finally, taking up your spot by the door. Miguel’s shoulders relaxed with the buzzing in his mind. Things were okay again. 

“So?” Miguel asked, pulling himself up from his desk to saunter towards you. “Anything?”

You glanced his way with a familiar, stony set to your stare. “Not much.”

“Really.” He could tell you’d snapped out of whatever lovey dovey daze you’d gotten stuck in, though. Your body wasn’t so open anymore, what with your arms crossed and eyes simmered down into burnt-out coal. “You expect me to believe that?”

You didn’t answer. But your silence said enough. 

–

Things went back to normal. You remained distant and far off, but attentive and responsive to Miguel’s needs and wants; you stood closer to him if his stress peaked, you never left his line of sight, you fucked him if he beckoned you to the bed. You reset back into the dog you used to be.

Miguel didn’t like it. He’d taken you to Lyla to see if something was wrong with you, if you were going to break and snap, turning into the thing that’d tried to kill the both of you. He didn’t want you to reset. He didn’t want you pulling away.

–

The undead were slowing down. Another winter had hit, and it hit hard, knocking out the city’s electricity and tearing down power lines. But it’d frozen the dead, rendered their bodies useless and slow in the frigid streets of New York. 

It made capturing specimens easier and faster for the HOUNDs, just as it made extermination easier for the military as they scrambled to secure a quadrant of the city before winter passed into spring. All reports suggested the reclamation efforts were going well with few accidents and even less resistance from each point of interest hit. The amount of hideaways and survivor camps were astonishing as well, all tucked away into the tops of skyscrapers or underground in the darkness of parking lots. Civilians were truly incredible. 

But the HOUNDs were working double time, hardly having ample opportunity to shut their eyes before being requested again and again and again–there was always a building that needed to be cleared, a squadron that needed to be found, civilian colonies that needed to be relocated, and your sort was best suited for it all. 

Thankfully for you, retrieval efforts took a brief pause after a 99% clearance was announced, and the military began construction for official sector lockdown. Finally, there would be a safe space for the public to exist in, sealed off from the rest of the decaying, hungry world. 

And you would get a break. A chance to let the frostbite heal, to get shot up with painkillers, and bask in the synthetic warmth of Alchemax. Or, they’d kill you and let you rest forever if your test results came back as troublesome or unpromising. God, you hoped you were still promising. 

You’d done your best, shoved away the shreds of affection you felt for your keeper to maintain focus and keep worried eyes away from you. Your mind was clear. You felt fine. You really did. But they were human, and they were scared of what they created (what else is new), even though they depended on you and your ilk so heavily for safety, and for the most dangerous of missions. 

The sort of missions that had some of your kind put down after abnormalities, consistent with the incident several months ago, were detected in their DNA. The sort of missions that gave some of your kind the chance to make a run for it out in the field, daring the outside world in favour of living as a slave to Alchemax. You could understand it. You could sympathize, even; freedom was a beautiful idea, but with the world in such a state, the confines of your prison promised more freedom than the wildlands of the old world. 

Idiots. Every single one of them. 

The truck jostled you back to consciousness. The pounding in your head worsened, the pressure in your sinuses amplified, and your will to go on slowly withered away. But, thank whatever was left of God, you were almost back to Alchemax. Almost home. 

You wished you could collapse into Miguel’s bed beside him and sleep it all off, but that uncomfortable panic your soft side threw him into wasn’t acceptable. You didn’t understand it, but you weren’t going to fight it. There wasn’t any point. 

–

Miguel awoke to you standing by his door, arms crossed, back against the wall, and head bowed as you quietly snoozed. Normally, you didn't sleep on the job. Normally, you didn't look like shit either, though; you had a mask of sorts covering the bottom half of your face, probably one equipped with an air purifier to keep illness away from the rest of the building, and your skin lost its natural light to it, accentuating the deep crescents of shadows under your eyes.

He needs rest. That was the first thought in his mind, and the one that got him up and out of bed to get you. He expected a fight, honestly, but you were easily guided to where Miguel led you in your hardly-conscious state. 

“‘M fine,” you grumbled, brows furrowing and weak hands lamely trying to free yourself from Miguel's touch. 

“You need to lay down.” And somehow, he made it happen. Miguel got you in the bed and pulled off your boots before settling back down himself. It was strange, he realized, how he felt safe with you simply sleeping beside him, and sharing your warmth with him. Maybe he didn't need you to stand guard and sacrifice sleep for his sake anymore. 

–

Miguel didn't know when he'd fallen asleep, but waking up pressed into the warmth of your too-big frame was a welcome surprise. Your limbs were tangled all around him, your legs threading through his, your arms draped around him, your nose pressed into his mess of chestnut hair while deep, rumbly purrs rolled against his back. Your claws were out, too, every now and again gently kneading against his chest and stomach when happy dreams danced through your mind. 

It was when you let out a grumpy growl that Miguel smiled. He couldn’t stop himself from trying to carefully, slowly, turn in your arms, avoiding getting nicked and waking you up just to catch a glimpse of your sleeping face. Miguel settled back in, feeling you adjust and watching your brows furrow the slightest bit while you unknowingly made accommodations for him. 

“What’re you dreaming about, huh?” Miguel murmured when your expression slackened again and the drone of purring resumed. He reached towards your face carefully, running his thumb against the mess of scars intersecting with your bum eye; you never let him touch your face, always shying away or wincing in a recoil whenever he so tried. He never knew if he hurt you, or if you didn’t want to be reminded. It’s not like he ever knew what was going on in your head, anyway. 

Maybe I should. A thought that plagued him far too often. As far as he knew, the others didn’t bond too well with their guards, at least not to this level. But maybe they should have taken the time to. Maybe they should have matched you based on personality compatibility, or something similar to make sure you’d get along, to ensure nothing like that abomination could have happened in the first place. Maybe then they’d care about the HOUND division more. Maybe then you wouldn’t be seen as expendable. 

Your good eye opened when Miguel’s thumb dipped down into the scar resting flush against the bone of your damaged eye socket. You recoiled with a wince and sat up in a hurry, looking around the room in confusion and running a hand through your hair. 

“What the fuck,” you grumbled, voice hoarse. You coughed into your arm, but the mask caught it for you “Didn’t mean to–”

“I made you lay down,” Miguel said, firm. 

You looked at him, confused for a moment before relaxing into your plain, uncaring state. You rolled your shoulders a few times before reaching for the hem of your shirt and pulling it up bit by bit; Miguel was almost too distraught by the bandages and marks marring your body for him to realize what you thought he wanted. 

“Wh–hey, no, no.” He sat up and stopped you, grabbing your arm to give you pause. “Just–stop. Relax.” 

“You’re giving me mixed signals.” Your brows furrowed. “Don’t like me lookin’ at you, don’t want me getting too comfortable–”

Miguel’s gut twisted. “I didn’t know if something was wrong–”

“You that scared of me?”

“I’m not–”

“Then what is it.” 

Miguel didn’t have the words. He didn’t know. He couldn’t straighten out his thoughts enough to give you a succinct, reasonable answer that’d make sense and cover everything. He didn’t know what he was thinking or feeling during those blurred days of the apocalypse. 

“I don’t know.” Miguel stared hard at your arm. His fidgety hands fussed with the bandages. 

You waited for a beat for him to continue, but he didn’t. You leaned in the slightest bit like it’d encourage him before you prodded further. “You don’t know?”

“Anything. About all of this–everything. Everything’s ending.” Ah. How optimistic of him, one of the men tasked with giving the world a fighting chance, to save humanity. “Nothing good happens anymore.” Right?

You stayed quiet for a long while. Miguel didn't know how to read that look on your face. He could only imagine what someone like you, someone hardened and fucked over by the world, was thinking, what you were judging by his words and– 

“Some dinosaurs got fucked by volcanic ash,” you interrupted, “but some changed, and turned into birds. Like chickens ‘n shit. Some things turned into us, too. Somehow.” You cleared your throat and rubbed at the mask covering your mouth. “Don’t like the idea that we evolved from a fucking dolphin or whatever, but it happened. We're here, too, like those fucking chickens. Despite the world ending.” You spared him a look this time. “Things still lived, even if they changed.”

Miguel was dumbstruck. And he understood what you were saying. So much more than what you tried to convey. You were starting to make sense to him. 

“Huh. That was almost optimistic. Profound, even,” he offered with a soft smile. “Didn’t know you knew so much about chickens.” 

You scoffed. “My kid loved that stupid fun fact. Loved dinosaurs. Told me about them all the time…fuckin’ chickens and dinosaurs.” You were smiling, too. He heard it in your voice, saw the creases by your eyes. 

“Sounds like a smart kid.” 

You nodded. “She was.” 

–

He convinced you to keep him company for the day, the night, and the morning. It was a relief, waking up next to you again, feeling just a little less hopeless as the hours passed in your presence while chicken fun facts echoed in his thoughts. Hell, he was even starting to like being the little spoon, especially when he felt stiff, morning excitement pressing up against his ass. 

You weren’t that shy about it. You pulled his hips closer and ground up against him, grumbling and sighing through that stupid mask into his ear. Maybe you were still asleep, indulging in your body’s wants as dreams carried your subconscious into similar territory. Miguel only hoped you were dreaming about him. 

He jumped when your large hand groped his hardening cock through his joggers. He started scrambling and reaching for the side table for the bottle of oil he kept on hand for the nights he had you in his bed (and for his own personal time), nearly dropping the damn thing when you started pulling and tearing at his pants, suddenly deciding you were beyond impatient to have him. 

“Wait–hey, just–wait a second–” Miguel scrambled to shove his sweats down before you could do anymore damage. You huffed a laugh in his ear when you finally groped his hot skin. The sound lit an inferno in his chest. “Impatient pendejo.” 

“Lube.” 

“I'm working on it.” He lathered two fingers with oil and reached back, prodding before pushing in as you spread him wide. Your impatience had his fingers pumping in and out quicker, hastily convincing his tight ring to relax and loosen for the main event. Your hand gripped his cock and tugged firmly, making his hips buck back against you and lodge his digits in deeper with an embarrassing squelch. That, in your mind, meant he was ready to go. 

You pulled his hand away rudely before yanking down your waistband and jamming yourself into him. Miguel gasped and struggled against you before you thrust forward, simultaneously pulling his hips back, and fully seating him. Your arms snaked around him to cage him in and stop him from wriggling away if it got to be too much–you wouldn't have it. Miguel liked it that way. 

“Mierda, you–” he choked down a whine when your hand curled around his throat and held firm. “D-Don't get too carried away.” But thorny barbs pushed at his skin, teasing and kneading while Miguel's core melted and eased around you. His hand felt down, jolting a little at the bump jutting out from his flat stomach. Sometimes he forgot how big you were. 

You pushed two fingers into his mouth when you started moving, rutting into him lazily and sloppily, dragging rugged moans out of his chest with every draw of your bodies together. He bit down on your fingers hard and grasped your hand at his neck to find some kind of anchor point. Another breathy laugh had Miguel opening his legs wider, his back arching off of your chest. You wrenched your fingers from his mouth and pulled him back in, adjusting yourself to make use of his compliance and fuck him better. 

“Such a good little thing,” you grumbled, voice roiling with dark thorns. “You like being manhandled, huh?” And you squeezed his thigh and his throat hard, digging in your barbs just enough to threaten injury. “Like bein’ a whore?” 

Miguel wanted to snap at you, to tell you to shut the fuck up and stop teasing (bullying) him, but you hit him where it counted and freed his mind from the concept of speech. One of his hands balled into the sheets while the other clawed back at you, trying to sink further into his set anchors.

“Hm? You tryna say somethin’?” You asked with such condescending mirth in your words. “You wanna tell me how good it feels?” 

The hand around his throat was joined by the one leaving his thigh, and you squeezed harder. Delicious sparks of blackness muddied his vision, the near-death feeling accentuating the hard cracks of your hips into his, the white-hot blaze curling his toes and shaking his thighs. 

“Tell me,” you demanded again, a little louder, a little more annoyed. But how was Miguel expected to speak when he was so close to the edge of life, death and pleasure? He was nearly there, so close, just a little more–

But you pulled out.

Miguel heaved in breaths and blinked away the fog shrouding his sight. He wondered if old wounds gave you pause, or if fatigue had finally gripped you and extinguished your desire. And it concerned him, the idea you weren't ready for this, that you might've felt pressured or–

“Tell me.”

–oh, no, you were just being a cocky asshole. Figures. 

Miguel scoffed and reached back, weakly pawing for your slick cock rubbing against the curve of his ass, trying to guide it back to where he needed it. You should've known well enough how good you were, and yet–

“Words.” 

“I-It’s good,” Miguel croaked, cringing at his stuttering. “I–can’t you just–” Your charge choked on a mangled cry when your claws broke skin and sunk deep. But the afterburn fuelled the explosion boiling in Miguel’s gut. God, what was wrong with him? 

“Please,” he finally whined. 

A pleased purr vibrated against Miguel’s back. “Please?” 

Miguel screwed his eyes shut to ward off the wave of embarrassment crashing down him. “Fuck me. I have to–I need to–” 

You slammed back in, and Miguel almost shattered. He half-turned out of your grip, chest brushing the sheets while his abdomen twisted to still give you his ass; but you were a benevolent menace, and rose to your knees, guiding his hips up with you while he buried his pleas into the mattress. 

“Good. I'll give you what you want. I can do that.” 

And after a few bullseye hits, Miguel came undone. His hips jittered and stuttered, overwhelmed and ecstatic with the electricity shooting through his body and burning him alive. You held him tightly, moaning lowly as you plowed into his stifling heat, determined to plunge off the edge yourself while torturing your partner with wave after wave of tumultuous ecstasy. You really were too good at this. It was almost unfair. 

“Por favour,” Miguel gasped. He was breaking. It was too much. Too much–

“Shut up,” you grunted, but the plea must've done the trick; your hips jolted to a stop once flush up against Miguel's ass, and a familiar flood of heat filled his guts. Miguel pulled on fistfuls of his hair and bit down on his other hand's knuckles. He probably would have passed right out if he hadn't grounded his soul with a little bit of pain. 

You slumped on top of him unceremoniously, like a dog flopping back onto its owner. You grumbled and wheezed in a way that sounded far too dad-like, in a way that almost made Miguel laugh and did indeed bring a tired smile to his face. As much as you were an insufferable asshole, you were just as cute and silly. Miguel quite possibly loved that about you. 

“What? All that shit-talking tire you out?” Miguel asked. 

You huffed. “Still sore.” Ah. Maybe your earlier torture was to disguise your need for a break after all. “You got me going too much.” 

“Sorry? You're the one who started it.” 

“You're the one who begged to get fucked,” you retorted like an annoying teenager. “Like a bitch in heat.”

Miguel sighed. He knew he wasn't about to win this one, but he had to try. His stubbornness wouldn't let him back down. 

“You're the one who woke up hard. Grinding against my ass to–” he stuttered when you pulled out suddenly before flopping down beside him in bed, “--t-to get off.” Christ he hated you. You were so fucking annoying. 

“You liked it.” You watched him grab some tissues from the side table and clean up as much as he could before rolling on his back to stare at the ceiling. “You're horny as fuck.” 

Miguel lamely slapped a hand at your chest, and you caught it, pinning it against your warmth. Miguel didn't mind. It felt nice. 

“Yeah. Well. It's the apocalypse.” 

“It's the apocalypse,” you agreed.

[queenxxxsupreme]

Hi Love!

Can I ask for Lambert having soft spot on reader and actually taking care of her but still being asshole around her? And Eskel developing feelings for her, but feeling really bitter about her relation with Lambert. And one day wolves were drinking together and Lambert blurted out that reader may be interested in Eskel because she often talks about him and stares at him from afar.

A/N: This might have turned into a two part-er but I’m not sure, it just depends on how everyone likes/doesn’t like this, but anywho I did change this a bit because I wanted to keep Eskel’s feelings/reactions in character but I hope you like this! Also, I really enjoy making Lambert the reader’s wing man xD

***

You hummed softly as you brushed Scorpion’s coat. You had busied yourself all afternoon with tending to the animals in the stable at Kaer Morhen, wanting to help Eskel out and take some of the responsibility off of him. He was usually the one to tend to the animals after all. He claimed the goats- Lil Bleater especially -and he seemed to have an affinity for the few hens kept in the stable as well as the horses. Even Roach, who rarely let anyone aside from Geralt touch her, preferred Eskel’s company. 

“Hope you’re gonna brush out mine next.” Lambert spoke as he moved into the stable atop Champion, his horse. “Wouldn’t want ole Champ feeling left out, would you?”

“You can brush him while I finish up Scorpion’s mane.” 

“That’s not fair. You’re picking favorites.” He climbed down from Champion. He guided the horse down to the stable on the very end, peeking into Roach’s stable. “Roach didn’t even get brushed down!” 

“That’s because Roach is very picky about who brushes her. If Geralt was here, she’d be okay with me brushing her. But since he isn’t around, she wants nothing to do with me.” You glanced over to Roach’s stall. The mare was peering out of her stall, eyeing you. “She’s only giving me attention now because she knows I have carrot pieces in my pockets.”

“I swear, Geralt keeps picking meaner and meaner horses every time.” Lambert sighed, shaking his head. He approached you, holding his hand out. “Gimme one of those pieces of carrots for Champ.”

“Brush him down.” You said as you placed the chunk of carrot into the witcher’s palm. 

Lambert rolled his eyes. He moved back to Champ, patting the horse’s shoulder. 

“Sorry, boy. Guess it doesn’t surprise me Y/N doesn’t like you much.”

“Lambert.” 

“Her favorite is Scorpion. Big surprise, I know.” He muttered, unbuckling the saddle. 

“I don’t pick favorites!” You exclaimed, placing the brush and picked a different one up for Scorpion’s mane. 

“Sure you do! Why else would you spend all day out here in the stables of all places tending to a bunch of stinking animals and brushing down one horse?”

You glared at Lambert out of the corner of your eye. 

“Don’t worry, pipsqueak. Your secret is safe with me.” Lambert put the saddle over a couple bales of hay and turned to face you, a sly grin coming to his lips. “But oh, the stories these horses could tell if they talked.”

“Shut up, Lambert.”

“All the conversations we’ve had around them.” He snickered, pulling off the saddle blanket and throwing it over the wall to Champion’s stall. Lambert paused to think about the different conversations. He scrunched his nose up. “Like a couple of teenage girls.”

“Lambert!” You groaned.

“I’m just teasing you, kid.” Lamberet chuckled. He picked up the brush you had put down and began to brush off Champion.

“You’re a dick.”

“That’s why you love me.” 

The doors to the stable opened and in walked Eskel. 

“Look what the cat dragged in.” Lambert said. 

“Lambert. Y/N.”

You gave the dark haired witcher a timid smile, nodding your head once in acknowledgement. 

“Y/N here’s spent nearly all day in here with your mangy animals, Eskel.” Lambert told him. 

“They aren’t mangy.” Eskel sighed, moving towards Scorpion. The horse perked his ears up upon seeing Eskel. “Thank you, Y/N. I appreciate it. You’ve saved me quite a bit of work.”

“It was nothing, Eskel.” You shook your head with a smile. “I was already in here brushing my own horse down. Figured I’d help out.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“It was no bother.”

Eskel nodded, a little smile tugging at the scarred corner of his lips. 

“Thank you again.”

You meant to do the polite thing and say you’re welcome or no problem, but all you found yourself doing was smiling stupidly at him and somewhat nodding your head. 

Lambert let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. No wonder you hadn’t gotten anywhere with Eskel. 

“Come on, Y/N.”

You turned your head to watch the young wolf leave the stable. You excused yourself from Eskel and slipped out, following Lambert towards the keep. 

“That was fucking painful.”

“Wh-What was?” You looked over at him, brows furrowed together. 

“That back there. Were you not there? Did you not feel the awkward tension in the air? You stood there like an idiot.”

Your stomach twisted up into knots. You crossed your arms and diverted your gaze to the ground as you walked. 

“M’only telling you this ‘cause I don’t want you to make yourself look like a fool again. Especially not around someone you…. someone you’re interested in.” Lambert pushed the heavy door to the keep open with his shoulder. 

“I-I didn’t think you’d be wanting us to….” You trailed off, following behind him. “He’s your brother.”

“Don’t make this any weirder than it has to be, pipsqueak.”

You put your hand on Lambert’s arm, making him stop. 

“Thank you, Lambert. For everything. For helping me and for-for not letting me make too much of an idiot out of myself.”

He looked down at you, a little grin creeping on to his lips. 

“Don’t worry, kid. You manage to do that by yourself just fine.” He patted your arm. “Come on. I need your help in the kitchen getting dinner ready.”

***

Dinner had long since been over. You went to bed some time ago, favoring a good book underneath a warm blanket rather than staying up and drinking with the wolves. 

The three brothers sat around the dinner table drinking and making conversation. Well, Geralt and Lambert were making conversation. Eskel was too busy gazing at his tankard to join his brothers. 

“You’re being awfully quiet.” Lambert commented, glancing over to Eskel. 

“Just tired.”

“Sure, buddy.” The young wolf rolled his eyes. “You’ve been staring at your drink all night like it might get up and walk away.”

Eskel shifted in his seat, shrugging his broad shoulders. 

“Been thinking, I guess.”

“About what?”

Eskel said nothing.

“What’s he thinking about, Geralt?”

“Why are you asking me?” Geralt swirled the liquor in the bottom of his mug around. 

“‘Cause you can practically read his mind. You two have some sort of weird twin power thing going on.”

“Except we aren’t twins.” Eskel pointed out.

“Right, which makes it even more weird and freakish. So come on. You wanna talk about what’s bothering you or do you want a distraction? I’ve got a good idea for a distraction.”

“About Y/N.” Geralt hiccuped. Lambert furrowed his brow. Eskel stiffened up, sending the White Wolf a glare. “It’s just Lambert, Eskel.”

“What about Y/N?” Lambert asked, slumping his shoulders a little. Were his brothers not as fond of his guest as he thought? It was your first winter at Kaer Morhen so there were bound to be some rocky moments, but he thought you were getting along with everyone just fine. 

“Nothing, Lambert.” Eskel shook his head. He didn’t want to start any sort of conflict, especially so early on in the winter. It would be literal hell to have to go the entire winter fighting with Lambert. 

“Was there a problem with her brushing down the goats and your horse this morning? If there was, I can talk to her about it. I don’t want her stepping on anyone’s toes. I didn’t think it was a big deal but if it was then that was my bad, brother.”

“No, it’s not that.” Eskel shook his head. 

Lambert nodded, dropping his eyes to his drink. 

“Huh.” He thought out loud. If it wasn’t about what you had done earlier that morning, then why were you on his mind? “You know she likes you right?”

Eskel’s head shot up, yellow eyes immediately finding his little brother’s.

“What?”

Lambert thought about what had just happened, the reality of what he had just said setting in. He cursed and rubbed his eyes, pushing his mug of liquor away from himself before he could do anything else that was stupid. 

“Cat’s outta the bad now I guess.” He sighed. “Uh, yeah. She’s, uh, liked you for a bit.”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know. She’s talked about you from time to time since she met you in Cintra last year.”

A little smile tugged at the corners of Eskel’s lips. Beside him, Geralt wore a smug grin. 

“I told you.” The white haired witcher nudged Eskel with his elbow. 

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Lambert told me when he and Y/N first arrived.”

“So you both have known for the last three weeks and you haven’t said anything about it?” Eskel looked between his brothers.

“We wanted to see if you two could work it out yourselves.” Geralt explained. 

“But watching you interact is fucking painful.” Lambert leaned back in his seat, rubbing his face with his hands. “Like a fucking kick to the balls, I swear. Eskel, I thought you had more charm to you than that, brother! I’ve seen you win over plenty of ladies in taverns. Why is Y/n any different than them?”

Eskel held Lambert’s gaze for a few moments before looking back to his tankard. He brushed his thumb over the wood. 

“I…. I thought you and her…. I just assumed that with the way you two always interacted….” Eskel trailed off.

Lambert dry heaved, putting his hand on his chest. 

“Me and Y/N? Oh gods, I’m going to be sick.”

“It wasn’t very far off to think that, Lambert. I mean, I’ve seen her leave your room late at night on more than one occasion and even early in the mornings.” Eskel’s tone became a little more hostile as he spoke. The topic made him upset. He didn’t like to talk about it. 

“Eskel, you’ve got it all wrong.” Lambert shook his head. “Y/N sometimes…. sometimes she has trouble sleeping, so she just comes to my room so I can keep her company. She knows I don’t sleep either and she likes to be an annoying little pain in my ass. But that’s all she is. She’s…. She’s like a sister to me, Eskel. That’s all our relationship is.”

Eskel said nothing for a while. 

“You’re sure she likes me?” He asked quietly. 

“I’d never lie to you about that, brother.”

Taglist: @pressedinthepages @mishafaye @whitewolfandthefox @wolfyland07 @belalugosisdead @persephonehemingway @keira-hulmaster @dinonuggs69 @greatestauthorofmygeneration @shadow-hunters-lover @dancingwith-thesunflowers @tedi-fach-las @thecomfortofoldstorries @raspberrydreamclouds @natkowaa @disasteren @weathervanes-my-oneandlonely @onlyhenrys @wackylurker @criminaly-supernatural @magpie343 @permanently-exhausted-witcher @hina-chans-stuff @the-space-between-heartbeats @havenoffandoms @carriebee1 @ger-bearofrivia @naominami @writingawaymylife @reaganjenelle @theawkwardpedestrian @scarlettwitcher @badassspaceprincess @just-a-sad-donut @summersong69 @an--actual--human--disaster @rubyqueen819 @omgkatinka @c-a-v-a-l-r-y @vonxcon @mazakeen @bravelittlesunflower @thereagles @awkward-turtles-world @menalliha @cotton_mo @maan24 @thefirelordm @monkeymo @krenee1drful @nympha-door-a @unadulteratedtreecrusade @Aquarius-pisces-rose @mentallyscreamingsincebirth @fl0ating @sometimesiwrite @you-fxcking-wish-bish @thanks-bruh-for-nothing @maan2442 @thegaydeath @creatingstuffinpeace @wellthisstinks @andyrazzledazzle @ameliasmistake @winterwolf @caraqas @bluscryn @thefirelordm @y-napotat @henrycavillbesty

[show-choir-gal]

“Pinky Promise?” Oliver Wood Imagine

Guide: Y/N: Your Name Y/F/F: Your Favourite Flower

Words: 3,098

*************

Every now and again, I like to reflect on Oli and I's friendship; how we started and how we got here.

*Flashback*

It was our first year at Hogwarts, we met each other on the Hogwarts express. I had gotten a booth early, since my parents hated being anywhere near late for anything. Oliver had hopped on and was looking for a place to sit. I was sitting and reading this week's newspaper of Quidditch Weekly. "Mind if I sit here? I love Quidditch!" He said with bright eyes. "Of course! I'm Y/N McCormack, what is your name?" I asked as I reached out my hand. "I'm Oliver Wood. Wha- Wait, did you just say that your surname was McCormack? Is Cartiona your mum?" "Why yes, she is." You replied with a chuckle, "I didn't expect someone my age to know who she is." "She was an amazing Chaser for Pride of Portree and absolutely nailed herself a place on the Scottish Quidditch Team and a place in Quidditch Hall of Fame! How could I not know her!?" Oliver replied. We spent the whole train ride  talking about our love for Quidditch. You could just feel the pure happiness radiating off of us and our newly found friendship. *End Flashback*

Oli and I had only grown closer and closer with each passing year. He has been my best friend in the whole known universe. We both made the Quidditch team our second year, not much of a surprise for either of us. We were a package deal, like George and Fred Weasley. Oliver was a Keeper and I was a Chaser. We killed it on the pitch each and every single practice and game. We were, and are, unbreakable. Pretty much from the moment we woke to the moment we went to bed, we were together. Nothing could break us apart. In our Fourth Year, Oliver was chosen as the team captain, which made me a bit disappointed because I really thought I was going to get the position. I was a little hurt, not going to lie, but still... my best friend was the captain. He ended up appointing me as his "second in command" aka, his assistant captain.

I remember the moment like it was yesterday, the moment I realised I was in love with Oliver. It was the end of our fifth year. It was our last match of the year, we didn't win but Oliver gave us a killer speech about how proud he was of all of us. Once we were all changed, Oli and I walked back to the castle, but he stopped suddenly. "Oli... Is everything okay? Are you ill?" I asked, walking closer Oliver grabbed my arms and pulled me in for a hug. Butterflies started  flying inside me. I didn't understand the feelings at first so I brushed them off. "Thank you for dealing with me, thank you for being you." Oliver said to me, I hugged back. "Oli, it's no problem. You're my best friend, it's the least I could do...Someone has to put you in your place." I replied with a chuckle as we let go of each other. We continued our way back to the castle for dinner, "Do you want to come over this summer? My parents wanted to know if you wanted to come on holiday with us." Oliver asked. "I would love to, I'll just have to ask my parents." I replied. "Oh no worries, I have the Wood charm. Who could say no to this smile?" Oliver said, flashing that world winning grin at me. He's right, who could say no to that smile.

Summer was around the corner, and the school was really trying to do a "secret admirer" thing to get spirits up. Oliver was getting flowers left and right, as well as giggles from girls of all houses. Oliver was bragging to Fred and George about it, and they were just fuelling his ego. Oliver and I weren't together, but I was jealous. All of a sudden I was jealous, and not in the way I usually was. I was suddenly hit with all these feelings for him, feelings I have never really felt before. Every girl sending him flowers and flirting with him and him flirting back...stung. It stung like I had just been stung by a handful of wasps on the pitch during a practice. It never stopped. In class? Nope. In the corridors? Nope. In the middle of a conversation with me? Apparently that stopped no one. It wasn't even time for lunch and I already just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away. Oliver and I finished our last Charms exam for the year and we headed to lunch together, we just about reached the dining hall when a group of sixth year girls came up to us and gave Oliver all their flowers and hurling flirts in his direction. Oliver was so preoccupied with those girls that he didn't even notice that I had walked away and entered the dining hall by myself. I walked to my usual seat and sat down and started to put food on my plate. Just as I was about to take my first bite, a yell of my name made me jump out of my skin and I looked towards Fred whose voice I recognised. "Oi, you're not eating yet." Fred said. "What's going on?" George chimed in. "I don't know what you are talking about." I said as I took a bite of my sandwich. "Oliver isn't with you." The twins said in unison. "Oh, yeah. A group of sixth year girls stopped him and were just gushing their feelings about him. I'm annoyed so I walked away." I replied as I took another bite, seeing out the corner of my eye that the twins shook their heads at each other and then fixed their gaze on me again. "Sounds like someone is jealous..." George said with a wink. "Jealous that other girls are giving ol' Oli attention." Fred said as he nudge George. "Me? Jealous? As if! Why would I be jealous?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow as I turned to face them. "Be honest Y/N." George said. "It's obvious you like him." Fred chimed in. "You like him and want him for yourself." George continued. "It's quite obvious, you can't fool us." They said in unison. "You two are just ill. Should I take you two to Madam Pomfrey?" I said as I tilted my head in "concern". "Believe what you want," George started. "But trust us." Fred finished. "Make him jealous back." They said in unison and gave me a wink. Their attention quickly went to the front of the dining hall, I turned my head to see Oliver walking in with those girls trailing behind him. I rolled my eyes and just kept eating. Oliver went on and on about it, and I just slowly started to feel sad. It was so bad that Fred and George were trying to signal Oliver to stop. They didn't want to see me this sad. He would not get the hint though. He was too absorbed in the euphoria he was feeling. I decided I had heard enough and was getting ready to get up when Professor McGonagall came rushing into the dining hall. "Ms.McCormack, this is.." Professor McGonagall started, but was then cut off. "Mr.Carneirus, I'm a big fan of you and your mum," He said as he started to shake my hand, "This is the photographer Adrian. We're both here for the Daily Prophet." I gave a puzzled look. "Although Gryffindor didn't win the last match, all we can say were that all eyes were on YOU. There were Quidditch scouts here to scout out who they might want on their teams in the coming year, but eyes never left you. We want to write an article about you, the new and upcoming Quidditch star!" He said with a smile. "Oh...wow! I'm extremely flattered!" I replied, in awe of the situation in front of me. "No need to thank us! Thank yo-" He was cut off by your mother, who had a new broom with her, which she threw in your direction. "Thank me." My mother said with a smirk as I caught the broom. My eyes widened, "Wow! Is this a new broom.?" I questioned. "It's more than new," My mother said with a smile, "It's one of a kind. A Firebolt Supreme. My buddy patented this design and wants to see it in action. It won't be out for a few more years." We all talked for a few and then I realised the time. Fred and George brought my broom down to the changing rooms and Oliver and I went to class. We were discussing how the paper wants us to have a game against Slytherin to test out the broom...and make me look good.

Dinner came around, and everything was back to normal. Well, now the school was buzzing over me. Fred, George, Oliver, and I were mid conversation when Fred and George went silent and stared behind Oliver and I. Oliver and I made eye contact and we looked behind us. "What do you want Flint?" Oliver said aggressively. "Relax Wood, I'm not here for you, I'm here for the beautiful girl right next to you." Flint said with a smirk, and I immediately started to blush. Marcus removed his hand from behind him, revealing a beautiful bouquet of Y/F/F, "I've been quite interested in you for a while now and would love to know if you would want to go on a date in Hogsmeade before the year ends?" He asked, with a smirk as he slightly blushed. " I would love to." I replied with a smile and he handed me the flowers and took my hand. "I will see you tomorrow beautiful." He said before he kissed my hand and walked away, but not before he sent a wink to the group of boys around me. Oliver and the twins started to stand up but I grabbed them to stay down. "He just wants you for the spotlight." Oliver said, face becoming as red as a tomato. The twins were about to say something but Angelina chimed in before they had the chance, "He's been interested in her since second year. I hear about it ALL the time in the classes we share." Those words shut the boys up. Eventually we finished dinner and Oliver had the team head to the pitch for a practice. Just because it was to test the broom and show me off, doesn't mean Oliver won't have us go in blind.

The morning rolled around and I had to be down at the pitch extra early for pictures and the interview. The whole team decided to come down early as well to support me. Once I was in full game wear, I walked out onto the pitch and was greeted by the editor, photographer, and my parents. While pictures were being taken, the Slytherin team  was walking in to change. Marcus and I made eye contact and he sent a wave and wink over in my direction. I saw that Oliver almost went over to do something but the twins held him back. I will admit, it did make me giggle. After the pictures, the interview went off without any issues. Apparently I had been deemed as "The Mini McCormack", I like the nickname not going to lie. All the stands were filled to the brim with people. From students to their parents, fans of my mother to Quidditch Scouts. Not an empty seat in the stadium. As soon as the Gryffindor team emerged from the sideline, applause roared through the stands. I was going to let Oliver lead the team up for a few laps around the pitch, but he wanted me to lead with a few fast laps by myself to show off the Firebolt Supreme. And that's what I did. I mounted my broom and went up to see all my peers. My eyes laid onto my parents who hugged and waved at me. I braced and took about 3 laps to myself, going as fast as this new broom allowed me (which was very fast). I was met by my team and slowed down to stay in formation, having Oliver lead the team like we normally did. We lowered ourselves to let Slytherin do the same. The game was well underway, and we were beating Slytherin, but not by much. As we witnessed a Quaffle go through Slytherins middle hoop, I went up to Angelina and the other Chaser and whispered "Parkin's Pincer". We all smiled and as soon as Marcus had the Quaffle, Angelina got on his right and I on his left. "You're quite handsome when you play." I said with a wink, trying to distract him. "It's all for you love." He replied, but before he could send me a wink back, our other chaser was heading right for him. He got nervous and released his grip on the Quaffle. Angelina grabbed it right out from under him and flew up, all the Slytherin chasers went up to follow her, but I knew what she was doing. I flew as fast as I could towards the Slytherin hoops. I looked up and she threw it ahead of me without climbing down. I flew and caught it and went straight for the hoops. I threw and I scored. This game went on and on until we had caught the snitch! This wasn't real game, but it sure did feel good to win against Slytherin. I took a victory lap around when a stray Bludger came hurling my way. Without thinking I grabbed a bat from Fred and got my angle right and hit the Bludger with all my might into the open box Madam Hooch was holding. I came back down to see Oliver's mouth open. "I- I didn't know you could hit..." Oliver somehow sputtered out. "My dad was a Beater, I'm not entirely my mum. Now close your mouth before flies get in." I said as I shut his mouth myself. I was about to walk away into the changing when I felt hands wrap around my waist, I looked and saw it was Marcus. I smiled. "She's quite a woman, Wood. Isn't she?" He said with a smirk. Oliver almost swung at Marcus' head, but I stopped his hand. "Get in the changing room. NOW!" I said sternly to Oliver. "You better listen to her or else you'll end up like the Bludger." Marcus said with a chuckle. I playfully slapped his arm and shot him an apologetic look before I made my way into the changing room.

It was September 1st, the first day of our Sixth Year. I boarded the train first, like I had every year previously. Fred and George joined me next, they were filling me in on how their summer was and how their youngest brother was a first year. Oliver followed not super long after the twins. He sat down beside me and we told the twins of the holiday we went on with Oli's family, and how we made some amazing plays for the upcoming Quidditch season. Suddenly, there was a knock on the booth's door. We all looked, and it was Marcus. I excused myself and went to talk to him outside, out of earshot of the boys. Soon after, Marcus and I kissed and he went to the Slytherin car. Oliver was a little weird after that, but nothing too bad. The year continued to just get better and better, until two days before the House Cup match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Marcus broke up with me, well, I confronted him about cheating on me and he admitted to it. I had a tutoring session with a third year but rescheduled it due to "personal reasons". I went down to the pitch and just let everything I could out. I grabbed my broom and flew around the pitch. Eventually, I grew tired of flying aimlessly, so I decided to just watch the stars and hoping Merlin showed me some help and sympathy.

I heard someone come onto the pitch, but I didn't move. I stayed staring at the stars. It wasn't until Oliver was right in front of me that he was the one who had entered the pitch. "Why weren't you at dinner?" He asked, concern grew in his voice. "Personal reasons." I spit out, trying not to cry. "You're my best friend, what is wrong Y/N?" He practically begged me to give him an answer. I started to let it all out, "He cheated on me." The anger grew inside Oliver, but this wasn't the time to be angry. He brought both of us down to the pitch and just grabbed me in a hug to comfort me. I had my best friend back, the man I was truly in love with.

The day of the match came and went. Gryffindor had won because I rewrote a play last minute, I was so happy for Oliver. This was the moment he had been waiting for. I let him enjoy the glory he had been wanting for so long. The Gryffindor party started without a hitch. I kind of just stayed on the sidelines while my team was off flirting with whomever their heart desired. I didn't mind being alone, I wanted everyone else to have a good time. Oliver was heading my way despite the army of girls trying to get his attention. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to the front of the common room. "Oliver wha-" I started but before I could finish, Oliver had one hand on my waist and the other grabbing my face and pulling me in for a kiss. This was a kiss of pure love. Don't ask me how I know, I just know. This was love. I was in shock, mixed in the same silence from the whole room looking at us. I was speechless. "I love you, and I have since we first met that September 1st of our first year. Now can you promise you'll be mine forever now?" Oliver asked, with tiny tears swelling his eyes. "Pink promise?" I asked with a smirk. "Pink promise." He replied as we pinky promised and kissed again. The twins roaring for us in the background.

[blackmissfrizzle]

City Boy and His Country Girl

Characters: Erik x black!reader

Summary: Erik promises to help the reader navigate New York.

Request: "Country Girl goes to New York and meets a tough guy New Yorker who teaches her the ropes and then they get together"

Requested by @nervouspetsonanime​

With a lot on your mind, you set your purse down on the table and went to refill your drink. The stress of the workday was getting to you and you were only midway through it. Before you went back to work you had to figure out a way to deal with some of your shady coworkers.

Making your way back to your booth, you saw two men standing there arguing. You were hesitant to go back and was about to find a new seat to avoid the scene but then you remembered your purse.

“Man, I’m telling you put that shit back or we gonna have a real problem here,” you heard, getting closer to the two.

“How about you mind your business?” The other guy asked, moving his arm behind his back. That’s when you noticed he had your purse in his hand. The dread head was trying to get this thief to put down your purse.

Noticing movement near him, your savior turned to you. Pointing to your bag, he asked, “Aye, lil mama is that your bag?”

Your mind short-circuited for a moment because of this man. He was so damn sexy. Tall, dark, and thick just like you liked em. He sorta reminded you of the guys back home except for the Oakland accent.

Finally, gathering your bearings you answered the man. “Yeah, that’s my bag and I don’t know why it’s in his hand.”

The Good Samaritan stared down the potential thief and pulled up his shirt to reveal his gun and v-cut you couldn’t keep your eyes off of. “You got 10 seconds to figure out if that purse is worth a hospital bill.”

Dropping your purse like a hot potato, the thief handed you your purse and ran out the restaurant. He wasn’t as tough as he thought.

“Next time don’t be leaving your shit hanging around.” The asshole told you before leaving.

Even though he was a little rude, you didn’t want him to leave. To stop him, you tried wrapping your hand around his bicep, but you were only able to cuff half of it. “At least let me buy you lunch as a thank you.”

He looked down at your hand and back to you. Quickly, you removed it, sensing he didn’t like being touched. “All right lil mama.”

His big body slid into the booth and you followed his suit. Stretching his hand across he introduced himself. “I’m Erik.”

“Y/N.” You took his hand to shake and his grip was tight, and you were thoroughly impressed. Your daddy always said you could tell a lot about a man by his handshake, especially when it was with a woman. A firm handshake with a woman said the man respected you, saw you as his equal.

“So, Y/N why you leaving your stuff where just any ole body can steal yo shit?” Erik took a sip of his drink and eyed you curiously.

Erik’s gaze made you hot and nervous. You had to train your eyes to look anywhere but him just to speak. “Well it wouldn’t have happened back at home and also my mind was elsewhere.”

The waitress brought both of your meals and y’all laughed at the identical plates, bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings.

“Ok then, what had you all messed up that almost got you robbed?”

Deciding you’ll probably never see this man again, you told Erik your office drama. “Basically, I’m the boss’ new favorite and my coworkers can’t stand it. God, sometimes I wish Tony Stark never found out about me.”

“Word? You work for Stark?” Erik raised an eyebrow, beginning to become more intrigued with this southern belle. He met Stark plenty of times before and respected his work as a scientist but couldn’t understand how someone could put up with him for hours on end.

“Yes sir,” you replied, making Erik shift in his seat at the mention of you using such a formal name for him. “My mentor who’s an old college buddy of Mr. Stark’s, sent my business management assignment to him and then the next morning, Mr. Stark was on my daddy’s porch offering me a job.”

Erik chuckled and stretched his fist out for you to dap him. He was proud of you, a black woman seemingly from a small town, working for the most renowned business mogul. “Oh, shit! That’s how you do it. Lemme guess your co-workers lack melanin?”

“Yes! And I really tried to work with them, but they hate my guts for whatever reason. But they have no problem taking credit for my ideas.” That’s why you were in a frenzy now. Cody (which btw was such a typical douchebag white boy name) pitched your idea of throwing a big gala to impress a fellow businessman for a potential partnership as his own to Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts. Then guess who he expected to do all the work? You, of course!

Finally getting the chance to vent felt good, so poor Erik had to hear all your frustrations. “And then don’t get me started on this stupid city. First off, people are rude! No one knows how to say excuse me and when I call someone ma’am, they look at me like I just called her a bitch. Second, rent is expensive! Thank you to sweet baby Jesus, for Mr. Stark hiring me, because I wouldn’t be able to afford living here. Do you know what kind of house I could buy back in Texas?”

Erik was amused at your rant. He enjoyed seeing you get all this passionate despite only knowing you for half an hour, so he decided to entertain you. “No, what kind?”

“A big ass house! Probably a ranch with all the damn animals already on it. And then this city has no good bbq. How is a girl suppose to live without some brisket!?”

Done with your rant, you took a bite on your burger and realized you just dumped your whole life story on a man who was basically a stranger. “I’m sorry, you had to hear all that. It just whenever I vent to my friends back home, they tell me I’m not appreciating this opportunity and I can’t tell my mama and daddy, because I’m paying their bills and I don’t want them to feel guilty.” Catching yourself offering up more information, you slapped your forehead. “Oh, there I go again oversharing. I’m sorry.”

Erik somewhat understood your situation. Adjusting to life in Wakanda was a culture shock and he had to figure out how to navigate in his father’s homeland. Grabbing the hand that hit your forehead, Erik massage it, focusing on the knuckles and the spaces between the fingers. “Nah, you good ma. But I do know what you need to do.”

“And what’s that,” you asked, leaned back amused.

“You need to toughen up, Texas.” Erik advised you.

Leaning on your elbows, you teased Erik with your own nickname. “Oh, really now? And how’s that gonna happen, Oakland?”

Immediately on the defense, scared that you were someone from his past, Erik asked, “How do you know I’m from Oakland?”

“Calm down, cowboy,” you patted his forearm to soothe him. “Your accent is a dead giveaway. You sound just like Marshawn Lynch.”

Erik kissed his teeth and crossed his arms. He liked Marshawn, even respected him, but when you mentioned him with practically heart eyes Marshawn became public enemy number 1. “That nigga a’ight. Anyway, imma toughen you up. Teach you how to survive these mean streets of New York and how to deal with these colonizers.”

Your eyebrows furrowed and you repeated Erik, “Colonizers?”

“White people,” he said as if he should understand his lingo.

“Oh okay, what a weird insult, but when do we start?” you asked anxiously, you were excited at the chance to spend more time with this diamond in the rough man.

“This weekend?” Erik tried his best to keep his cool, but he was so excited to see this country girl as soon as possible. He would’ve asked for tomorrow, but he didn’t want to come off clingy and he had too much work to do at the Outreach and Y/N would’ve been a major distraction.

Making yourself be still and hide your excitement, you replied, “That’s perfect. I had no plans but to do my laundry and catch up on some Netflix.”

Erik bit back a smile. “Cool. I gotta get back to the office, lil mama. Give me your number and you’ll hear from me very soon.”

You and Erik exchanged numbers. While you were putting your number in his phone, you didn’t notice Erik slyly pay the waitress for your meals. When you both were done exchanging numbers, you said your goodbyes and then Erik left, making you already crave his presence.

“Excuse me, miss, can I get the check?” You flagged down the waitress, digging into your purse for your wallet.

“Oh, your friend paid for it already. He said you had enough troubles today and that you didn’t need to worry about paying for him.” The young lady walked away and started cleaning your table as you stood there dumbfounded. Erik was a man full of surprises and you couldn’t wait to find out more.

Tagging: @twistedcharismaaa @marvelmaree @ladydragonpurplefire @l-auteuse @thehomierobbstark @titty-teetee @nerd-lovely @nervouspetsonanime @soufcakmistress @chaneajoyyy

[illdesigns]

Kloktober Day 9

crossover or fave au

my favorite au featuring the most coveted ship - magnus/therapy

rated m, warnings for brief talks of canon typical violence, self harm

The office had a smell. That was the worst part. Not the pastel walls or the various ceramic kittens and cherubs or the pale yellow sofa that sagged as Magnus sat in it. It had an absolute perfume smell to it, like he had his face buried in a field of flowers at all times.

Well, it wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was a special kind of torture that most people were not privy to - the sound of mechanical fingers clicking a pen.

“You gotta talk for this to do anything, you know,” Magnus’ eye tracked the man behind the desk as he wheeled back and forth in his office chair. “C’mon, big guy. I know you got a lot going on in that head of yours. What’re you thinking about?”

“Leaving,” Magnus replied briskly. “So I can have a beer and pretend this didn’t happen.”

“You use alcohol like that a lot?” Twinkletits asked curiously, pausing his rolling but not the pen clicking. “To cope with things? You a heavy drinker?”

“No,” he snapped. (Translation: Yes.)

“When you drink, how many drinks do you have? Just one or two, five or more?” he wasn’t subtle in what he was asking. Which is why Magnus hated therapists. He had tried it, once or twice, even before everything in his life really went to shit. When he was just depressed about being in his early twenties because being in your early twenties fucking sucks. And there had been one afterwards but, well, she just didn’t work out either. Dropped him after the whole stabbing story. “Talk with me, Magnus. You’ve got a friend worried about you, you know.”

“I don’t have friends,” it was out of his mouth faster than he intended and he winced. Whatever. If that got back to Toki somehow, Magnus could sue right? Patient confidentiality, HIPAA or whatever? Twinkletits wrote something on the pad in his hand. “What are you writing?”

“Don’t worry about me. My job is to take notes about this stuff for future reference, you just talk. Why don’t you think you have friends? Toki cares about you a lot. He set this up for you, asked you to come down and see me. That’s a friend, right?” Twinkletits offered.

“Yeah,” Magnus spoke with a hint of guilt, looking at his hands. (Translation: Yeah, actually.)

He felt the urge to sneeze, covering his face with the crook of his elbow, rubbing his nose and sniffling. That fucking smell was still covering every surface of his nostrils and it was starting to give him a headache.

“What’s that smell?” he asked.

“Bless you. Lavender. Keeps people calm,” Twinkletits beamed at him. It was funny, because he felt the urge to bash his head into a wall the more he had to inhale it. Not very calming. “And speaking of calm…Toki told me some interesting stuff about you.”

No. No, no, no. Magnus looked up at him again and his eyebrows knit together in suspicion.

“Like?” he asked, knowing the answer.

“So, do you wanna tell me about what happened back in…” he checked his notes. “1999? Ol’ Nate mentioned it too. Feels like it’s important to bring up.”

“Oh, he tell you he did this?” Magnus gestured to his dead eye.

“He told me he did that after you, uh, you stabbed him. But yes, he did,” Twinkletits wrote another little note. Magnus could only imagine what the little dossier Dethklok has on him now will look like. But it’s easier to imagine Offdensen smirking as he reads it, easier to imagine a list of reasons why Toki shouldn’t hang around him laid out in front of him, easier to imagine all of his plans unraveling because he went along with this.

“He, uh…” Magnus paused. Even if he was going to lie about what happened (not that he would be believed by a guy on their payroll anyway) he wasn’t sure...what had happened. It was always a blur when he tried to remember the details - his thought process, why it happened. It was like he blinked and opened his eyes to Nathan beating the shit out of him. “Not much to say if he told you.”

“What about from your point of view?” he prodded, steepling his skinny robot fingers. Why did their therapist have robot arms, anyway? Magnus found that more interesting.

“I dunno, man. It just happened!” he was defensive already, arms crossed over his chest, leg crossed. Shut off. “Things just happen, you know? Like before then I’d have problems with getting mad really easy. People would like, call me stupid and I’d blow up on them or something bad would happen and I’d get depressed and cry it out then take it out on people. And they started to hate me for it, and I started getting worse than that. I see you writing, dude, what are you writing?”

“Just writing what you’re saying. Helps me keep track, okay? Nothing bad,” Twinkletits waved him on. “Go on.”

“I...well, I dunno. It just got worse. I was mad all the time. Thought about hurting myself a lot. Then I started doing that. Thought about hurting other people a lot after that, and then…” he shrugged his shoulders. “Then I did. And got kicked out and live in a little one room apartment while my old friends have this giant sprawling mansion and shit now, who cares.”

“Do you think about that still?” he picked his head up curiously. “Do you think about hurting yourself or others?”

Magnus paused for a moment and thought. Who didn’t think about hurting themselves? You know, just get so frustrated and filled with nervous energy you had to hit yourself in the head a few times? And there was the time before last that he had hung out with Toki, where Toki had sat and talked and talked and talked for too long and Magnus had imagined grabbing his hair and slamming his face into the table to shut him up.

His mind flashed to a basement in an abandoned building. Silver chains and a silver face, both hungrily waiting for their captive.

“No,” he said softly. “I’ve gotten better with that.”

Twinkletits smiled. Checked his clock.

“You know, I gotta wind this down today but...thank you for opening up! Doesn’t it feel nice?” he stood as Magnus did, breaking the distance quickly. He held out a hand to shake and Magnus found himself taking it. His grip was stronger than he expected but metal couldn’t be limp wristed, could it? “I appreciate you opening up at all. We can continue this next time you stop by to hang out, okay? Toki can fill me in so I can make space for you. Oh, before you go-o-o-o-”

He turned to grab something from his desk. A sticker sheet. Magnus frowned as he watched those mechanical fingers peel one off.

“I’m not in Kindergarten. I don’t need a gold star,” Magnus grunted as he felt Twinkletits’ hand on the lapel of his jacket.

“Oh, this isn’t a gold star, buddy! It’s something better,” he beamed up at him. “It’s a banana sticker. For a job well done! You obviously don’t open up easily and I’m sure all that’s a sore subject, so even the little bit we talked about was probably a big step for you!”

Magnus looked down. Well, it sure was a banana sticker. Okay. Seemed a little too gay for his taste but whatever. He was just going to peel it off and toss it the second he could anyway. Twinkletits gave him a wave when he departed and Magnus was stopped outside of the therapist’s office by all but running into Toki dead on.

“Hows it go?” he asked excitedly, then his eyes found it. “Ohhh, you gots a stickers already?! That’s goods, it took me forevers to get ones! Man I gots to do somethings specials as we hangs out today!”

“What?” Magnus raised his eyebrows in confusion as he spoke, looking down at it. It was just a goddamn sticker.

“It’s a big deals! Means you dids a good jobs. I’m prouds of you, pals!” Toki said, face lighting up and eyes crinkling as he looked at Magnus.

Proud. For a sticker? But, Magnus tried to really think of when the last time someone told him they were proud of him. Whatever. He’d take it. He let out a little grunt as Toki wrapped his arms around him in a crushing hug and that gave him more pause. His arms hung by his side limply, his chest and throat suddenly hurt and Magnus wracked his brains for the last time that someone had given him a hug, either. More than ten years ago probably, five figures huddled in front of a camera to commemorate some successful show or something.

So Magnus kept the sticker. So what? It wasn’t anyone’s business if he did or not. Or if he kept the others that he accumulated over the next few months. Or if he found it easier to keep his hair up in a bun at this point. He’d been growing it for years, he could keep it up now and then. Or if he did a few other things, like wear a shirt now and then, change up his style a little bit. And there was a tiny part of him that found it funny as fuck when Dethklok stared at him with a mix of confusion and horror as Toki drug him into the living room of Mordhaus, proudly talking about his brand new friend.

[inkribbon796]

Like a House of Cards Ch. 2: Not What He Seems

Summary: With their new glitch in the system captured, the heroes need to figure out what to do.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

After they had finally caught him, Logan didn’t scream or hiss at them. He was entirely too calm, just sitting within the circle, seemingly meditating or sleeping. One leg knit under the other, his back perfectly straight, and his eyes closed.

It wasn’t until Marvin walked in that Logan seemed to glare at him with unfathomable hatred, and because Nate and Bing were close enough that they watched his pupils dilate with robotic precision.

He didn’t say anything, just staring at Marvin and Nate.

“Logan?” Joan came as close as he was allowed. “You okay, buddy?”

The trapped Suit broke eye contact with Marvin to look at Joan. To them he seemed perfectly normal. His normal polo shirt and square glasses. His mouth was its usual flat line. “I am more than sufficient.”

To Joan, Logan didn’t look like a demon. He looked like he always had.

“Hey big guy,” Marvin smiled, leaning down a bit with his hands on his knees. “Don’t worry, we’ll make yeh[1] feel better soon.”

“When I get out of this, I will shove your tongue through your larynx and make a xylophone out of your rib cage,” Logan threatened Marvin.

“Yikes,” Marvin commented, the venom in the threat surprising everyone. “What did I do? Piss in yer[2] coffee?”

“If you had just done that I would have killed you outright and been done with it,” Logan didn’t even blink.

“How far gone is he?” Marvin asked, “I’ve ne’er[3] seen one go through a shift.”

“Hard to say,” Nate sighed. “He should still be within the first stages, but he’s got all the signs of a fully turned demon.”

“Would twenty fookin[4] years be enough?” Marvin suggested.

Nate shook his head, “No, he would have much more apparent signs that the process was starting.”

Ethan and Chase ran in, Ethan was looking around, “You guys catch him?”

Then he stiffened nervously, “Oh there he is, is that Logan, he doesn’t look like a demon.”

“Yeah, that’s the problem, he reeks of glitch demon aura,” Mare told him. Mare got dangerously close to the circle, hoping for a territorial reaction but Logan just stared at him. “He’s been coached. He should be hissing at me. He should be doing something.”

Logan just stared at him, not blinking and not defending or rejecting Mare’s accusation.

“So who got you that body?” Mare asked. “I know you’re in one.”

“Perhaps you should go and pleasure yourself with a cactus, you might find your answers there,” Logan told Mare.

“Points for creativity, Pixels,” Mare smiled and he could have sworn he saw the shadow of a smug smile on his face.

“How far along is he?” Ethan asked, kneeling next to Logan but not within arm’s reach. “I didn’t know people could turn into demons.”

“They do it all the time, if there’s enough trauma to the soul to cause it,” Mare explained.

Bing suddenly raced out of the room, he’d been trying to get the base off the lockdown protocol and the instant he did was flooded with messages and warnings. The city was in a crisis while they’d been off line. “Battle stations, everyone. There’s something wrong.”

Wade, Jackie, and Marvin raced out with Bing as Mare and Nate hesitated next to Logan. Ethan was right behind the three and Jackie had already dashed off to the comms room as fast as the corners allowed.

Once the three remaining heroes had cleared the doorway, “Ethan” elbowed through a piece of weak glass and pressed in a code before hitting the big button that sealed the entryway and the common room from the rest of the base.

Wade turned around to see the smile on Hearts’s face as the door shut closed and the anti-magic wards came up to protect the base from magical intruders.

“The hell, Crank,” Nate shouted.

“Chase” took out a baton and slammed it into Mare, and caused the demon’s tentative corporeal form to shatter apart and rush for Nate’s body for safety. The sudden rush of aura caused Nate to collapse and drop to the ground, unconscious.

“Five minutes,” Chase set his watch.

“We won’t even need two,” Ethan chuckled as he took something off his belt and cuffed Nate’s hands in magic-nullifying cuffs. Then he pulled up a chair and smiled at Logan. The Suit made a pretty pathetic mockery of Logan’s voice. “I’m not gonna get captured, I know what I’m doing. I’m fuckin’ Logan. I’m hot shit in a fucking champagne glass.”

“Enough,” Logan glared at him.

“Oooh, I can go through walls, I’m unstoppable” Ethan taunted.

“Are you going to help me or not?” Logan growled, clearly angry.

Ethan leaned forward, the tip of his nose centimeters from crossing the circle’s barrier, “So how’s Patton?”

“Safe,” Logan promised, his tone dangerous. “I told you, he doesn’t feel anything anymore. Complete topor.”

“I know not to trust a demon,” Ethan reminded. “ Especially when they’re trying to sell me bullshit. I saw him when you took him out last time. He was looking bad.”

“He’s fine,” Logan snarled. “I have the situation under control. He is not a threat, he is sleeping.”

“Fine, let me hold him, and I’ll let you back out,” Ethan proposed.

“You are not taking him anywhere,” Logan growled. “He is mine.”

“You demons are just sad, old bastards who can’t let the past die,” Ethan reminded. “If you actually cared you’d take Patton out into the Mojave and I don’t know, turn him loose. Not like he’s gonna start killing immediately. You guys don’t lose everything day one, right?”

Then bangs on the door began in earnest and Chase glared at Ethan, “Two minutes, huh?”

“Hey math, wasn’t my strong suit,” Ethan chuckled and broke the circle with his foot. Logan immediately rushed for the door. He was out first before slamming into the barrier that had been designed to keep Lunky in now kept Logan in.

Chase caught up and his hand went through the back Logan’s chest and grabbed the handle of a blue solid state drive, a single golden heart locket hanging from the notch on the drive. the nanites surged into the drive just before Chase took him through the boundary. Ethan was hot on his heels as they raced out. They stilled to a halt at the sight of the huge black energy dome that covered over half the town.

“Well that was fast,” Ethan said as he looked up. “What is this, the second time we’ve seen the dome?”

“Yeah,” Chase commented and brought up a nanite shield and braced as Jackie slammed into it. “Fookin’[4] go!”

The nanites surged around the solid state drive and Logan appeared, his eyes still glowing a fierce blue for a couple seconds after forming.

“I’ll get the generator,” Logan called out as Ethan disappeared with his invisibility. He took a step before Bing was facing towards him with a laser.

“Yer not goin’ anywhere,”[5] Bing warned.

“Crank, where are yeh[1]?” Marvin demanded angrily. “I just wanna[6] talk.”

“The hell are yeh fookers?”[7] Jackie spat at Chase. “Yer[8] not Average.”

Jackie felt a ripple of time wash over them and at first felt relief, until he was suddenly face-first on the asphalt, Bing was a block down from them and fighting with Logan, and Marvin felt already drained of some magic in a fight he couldn’t remember.

Then there was the harsh force of a foot stomped into Jackie’s back. “Why don’t you take a rest, ol’[9] boy?”

Jackie felt horror coursing through his system, a matching look on Marvin��s face. The speeder knew that voice, he hadn’t heard it in years and it was half buried by a filter, but the cadence was the same.

He looked up to see J.J standing there, his foot planted squarely on Jackie’s back. He should have felt relief that he was here to help. But all he felt was a cold chill.

J.J was mute. Magic nor medicine had helped after Anti’s first attack against him and his emerging powers had destroyed his vocal cords.

And the idea of fighting another J.J terrified him.

“You seem troubled, old boy,” J.J had a smile on his face, his voice sounded like an old timey radio announcer, but that voice was fed through a crackling speaker of some kind.

“No,” a slow dawning washing over Séan like an ice bath. How the imposters had gotten so close. How they had managed to stay unseen for so long. And how none of them had been reset to prevent it.

If not for Joan’s text who knows how long they would have gotten away with it?

“How?” Jackie asked. “What’d yah do ta J.J?”[10]

“Well the lad wouldn’t keep helping us so he had to take a little vacation,” false-J.J admitted. “He should be back in about two weeks.”

“What do yeh[1] want with us?” Jackie demanded. “We got somethin’ yeh want?”[11]

That question earned Jackie a smile, and moved to open his mouth but another ripple in time happened and J.J jumped back just in time to not get hit by Silver who was flying by. Bob and Amy charging in at the same time. Bob’s shield hitting something as he was rolling in. Which was Ethan, and it caused his invisibility to go out for a second which let Marvin blast him with magic and Ethan was further knocked back.

“Googs, now is not the time ta grow a ****in’ conscious, help me catch ‘im!”[12] Bing shouted as he was chasing Logan back towards the base who was shooting from electrical outlet to electrical outlet trying to escape towards the Gainesville part of the city. Google wasn’t that far behind.

Chase’s arm was covered with nanites and he snagged Logan out of the air, pulling out his solid state drive by the handle. Marvin watched the little locket jingle. “Hold it, hold it Lo.”

There was an angry crackle of electricity before Logan reformed as Bing and Google followed him out of the closest electrical outlet or bundle of wires.

The heroes and villains around the area facing down against the Suits as the dome loomed overhead in the city’s skyline.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Accessibility Translations

1. you

2. your

3. never

4. fucking

5. You’re not going anywhere

6. want to

7. Who the hell are you fuckers?

8. You’re

9. old

10. What did you do to J.J?

11. We got something you want?

12. Googs, now is not the time to grow a fucking conscious, help me catch him!

[argentdandelion]

Memories of the Surface Chapter 3: Special Attack

Rain pattered in the distance. It wasn’t a real, fresh-smelling rain, Gerson knew, but good enough.

A brook babbled behind him. It wasn’t a real, sun-warmed brook brimming with life, but it was good enough.

The stars glittered above him. Not real. But...beautiful. The ceiling never changed, as if its ‘stars’ of shining stones were frozen in time. Sunrise never came. Constellations never shifted with the seasons.

Gerson stopped on the path close to the star-stones and turned his face up. His eyes leaped from constellation to constellation, before finally settling on one cluster of seven vertical stars.

“The Bunny’s Ears.”

Someone had told him about that constellation before...Harrold, that was his name. His old war buddy, the timid bunny monster. A faint smile cracked open Gerson’s face.

Yes, those unchanging stars embedded in a cave weren’t real. But they were good enou—

Gerson crouched, his opponent sailing over him. In an instant, his war hammer blinked into existence from his inventory with a disorienting spark. His hammer-shaped bullets manifested several paces before him as he rose to his knees, his neck raised, his hammer lifted…

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite hero-in-training! You’re getting faster and faster! You sure are lucky you don’t sound like a human, or you’d already be down.”

Undyne’s blue spear disappeared. “How’d you dodge my attack? I was ‘strat-ee-gic’ this time!”

“Well, it’s ‘cause of your battle cry! You don’t give your opponents warning!”

Undyne looked to the side and frowned. “Well, uh...you’re Gerson! I need to give you some warning! It’s honorable! And...um…” Undyne looked sheepish. “I don’t have any humans to practice on.”

Gerson sat down by the ledge with a subtle wave towards the fish girl. “Be thankful you don’t, kiddo.”

Undyne sat by him, aimlessly kicking her legs. “But when they show up...I’ll fight them.” Undyne said, the steely determination at odds with her fidgeting.

“Hopefully when you’re older and better at fighting.” Gerson replied, staring into the distance.

“That’s the problem!” Undyne exclaimed. “Gerson—I’m nearly eleven and still haven’t found my special attack! Everyone in my class has found their special attack months ago! If...If I can’t find my special attack...I…”

“Don’t worry about being a late bloomer, kiddo. The ol’ Hammer of Justice was a late bloomer too.”

Undyne’s eyes went wide. “Really?! You?!”

“Wahaha! Yeah, really. I figured out my special attack when I was much, much older than you! In fact, I learned it very late in the war...the First War of Humans and Monsters…”

---

Gerson woke up to another tense, quiet morning in the camp by that old pasture-turned-battlefield.

Harrold wasn’t on his mat at the other end of the tent. Must have woken up early...probably to go see that dragon woman of his in her tent across camp. His journal opened, he picked up a quill and wrote: Nice day today. He paused. Probably won’t get slaughtered. Fluffybuns is still negotiating surrender.

Something poked out of the journal, and Gerson’s hand flipped though the pages.

A map---a coarse piece of paper, a bit faded, a bit water-stained.

A bear and a skeleton packed up the monster market. Things weren’t bustling like they used to…

“Take it.” A brown-haired human girl (woman?) said, handing him the map. “One of my aunts lives in that town. She’s nice to monsters.” The girl tensed. “Just...tell her Abelai loves you.”

Abelai, that was her name! How could I forget the name of my old childhood friend?

Because I don’t see a lot of humans anymore...at least, ones worth talking to.

Gerson carefully slid the map back into place. It was mere months ago...feels like years.

She sure acted odd that day...Gerson thought. Like Harrold and his girlfriend. He laughed out loud. Oh, an old childhood friend, crushing on a forbidden monster love? Isn’t that the perfect fairy tale?

Gerson shook his head. Didn’t matter, did it?

--

“Gerson! That’s not about the special attack!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll skip ahead.”

----

“Good to see you, Harrold. Didn’t see you at breakfast. Gone off to find a private bush for relieve yourself?”

“N...no.” Harrold replied distractedly. “It’s Samrel. I haven’t….seen her lately.”

The silence stretched on. No birds chirping. No frogs peeping. Not even the breeze made a sound as it gently fluttered clothes and hair. Only the intermittent clank of armor being dropped into the carts for later salvaging split that awful quiet.

Harrold paused in his picking. “I don’t know where she is.”

The idea was left unspoken, and yet he could hear it, loud and clear...those faceless piles of dust blended together so much…

They carried on in silence for what felt like hours.

Gerson lifted up a promising chest piece...one with no big hole in the back.

Just my luck! Not one outfit that could fit a shell!

But at least I’m still wearing my clothes. Dust can’t wear anything. Gerson snorted. “It’s sometimes hard to tell what belongs to what,” Harrold began, as Gerson outright chuckled. “the wind keeps tossing the dust away from their uniforms.”

“Look on the bright side, Harrold,” Gerson said, holding back laughter. “Maybe…wa...hah....you’ll see your girlfriend...without her clothes.”

Harrold’s face darkened in disdain. “How can you laugh like this!?”

“Gotta keep up some cheer in times like these. And it was at least worth a smile.”

 Nose wrinkling, Harrold walked away in a huff.

  Without her clothes without her clothes.

All those bodiless clothes in the sack…

He couldn’t stop laughing. He couldn’t stop laughing, not even when the shame flooded up inside him, boiling him. He couldn’t stop laughing...until he choked on the dust on the wind.

---

“It was not a good joke,” Gerson said.

“Yeah!” Undyne said. “Monsters don’t wear clothes all the time!”

“Where was I…? Eh, you’ve waited long enough. I’ll just skip to the good part...the part where I learned my special attack.”

----

Two humans, their hands on strange objects.

Harrold, distracted. Stuck in one spot, not noticing them.

“Harrold was in a tough spot...somehow, two humans had shown up on the field...”

Two humans. Radiating menace. Their hands on the objects...weapons. Drawing them—ranged weapons!

Harrold. Still distracted by his tears.

Gerson raised his hammer…

“But my old tactics wouldn’t work. They were too far! And I couldn’t hit both…”

The smell of ozone wafted through the air. Gerson’s magic glowed, manifesting into the world…

“And so I drew upon a power I had never known before….”

Manifested into his hammer.

Thunk.

Twang.

“And I split my hammer in twain!”

Two huge, ghostly images of his hammer flew away on impact---

And struck both humans dead.

“Those humans had no idea what was coming! They were down in an instant!”

For an instant, the humans just stared at him in shock...then they fell like cut trees. Their breaths rattled as Gerson knelt before Harrold.

“Harrold. Harrold!”

Harrold slowly turned his head to Gerson, his eyes wide.

“And, oh, Harrold was so grateful I had rushed in to save him, had discovered my special attack at just the right time! Real surprised, he was! We had a big ol’ hug!”

Gerson rushed in to embrace him. “You’re alive! You’re—”

“Haa…”

Two arrows stuck out from Harrold’s other flank. They went right in through his armor.

“Haa...haa...” He shuddered just like the humans on the field. “Haa...haa...”

“Haha, right! You...you get the joke…” Gerson said quietly.

----

“We were friends to the end, Harrold and I.”

Gerson sat down from his dramatic telling, setting his hammer down on the stone floor. He put a thoughtful hand to his face as he stared intently at Undyne.

“You remind me of him, actually.”

“Was he brave?” Undyne said, her mouth slightly apart in excitement.

His face crumpling in fear.

“Nope.”

“Was he strong?” Undyne’s lips moving.

His arm reaching weakly to Gerson. A sudden crack in the air.

“Nah.”

“Then why am I so much like him?” Undyne set her mouth into a frustrated scowl.

Harrold giving one last, big, toothy smile.

“It’s your big buck teeth, of course!” Gerson guffawed, and then leaned over and patted Undyne on the head.

“Now remember: if it took that long for the Hammer of Justice to find his special attack, then you’ve got nothing to worry about! Now go out there and show the world all you have to offer!”

And Undyne ran off, her normal blue spear attack summoned, shouting at imaginary enemies.

Harrold’s body dissipating with a hiss. His arms...burdened with a hideous lightness.

And he never even saw what the human SOULs looked like before they shattered to pieces.

Gerson shrugged. He slowly rose from his spot.

And the imitation stars kept shining in the most beautiful spot in the Underground.

[bambisfuneral]

Ｅｎｔｅｒ ｐａｓｓｗｏｒｄ： ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

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Ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ Ｄｒ． Ｔｅｎｄｏｕ

——————————————————————————

The staff fridge swung open and Semi’s eyes scanned the racks for his dinner, “who the hell took my bento box?”. He spun around scowling at his co-workers that sat at the group table before his eyes landed on Tendou who was tossing a kiwi slice into his mouth. Semi kicked the door shut and Tendou slid the box in front of the empty seat next to him, “gee, thanks asshole” Tendou snorted and bumped his shoulder with Semi’s when he sat down.

“Yeah? Well you’re welcome, cause I coulda ate it all” Tendou’s comment caused Semi to scoff and role his eyes, “I’d appreciate it if you just stopped eating my food altogether, why don’t you ever just bring food when you gotta stay overnight? That’s probably why you’re so skinny” Tendou squinted at his silver haired co-worker before smirking deliberately. Congratulations, you’re not that much bigger then me bub. “So Tendou, what’s going on with that new patient of yours?” Leon asked before stuffing an onigiri in his mouth, “Yeah Tendou, you make a breakthrough?” Goshiki following with a question of his own.

A breakthrough? Not exactly, I’m still trying to get her comfortable with me being around. “It’d seem like it to you guys but no, it’s gonna take a lot longer for me to get a breakthrough with her”. This made Leon hum in confusion, “well how long could it take? She seemed pretty..... normal to me. I walked passed the room that had her group therapy and I stayed back a little bit” Tendou shook his head and stretched his lanky limbs out. “Oh Leon, you know nobody’s ever normal. But if you have to know, her files said she has major manic and depressive episodes, she’s schizophrenic, and that she used to be a compulsive liar”. His lips poked out and he rested his chin on the dorsal sides of his hands.

Shirabu swallowed the food in his mouth before dropping his hands on his lap, “So what? She has voices talk to her and stuff?” A loud slap echoed in the room because Leon slapped the back of his head. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Tendou shrugged leaning back in the wooden chair with his arm on the headrest, “I mean..... he’s not completely wrong, not all schizophrenics hear voices but I’m guessing she does cause when it gets quiet, it’s like she’s having a conversation with her face...... she’s a very expressive person, just not in a verbal way. At least not that I know of now, maybe she’s different when she’s not like this”

It got silent and all you could hear was Semi, Goshiki, and Shirabu chewing their food and swallowing, it made Tendou and Leon look at each other before they both busted out laughing. Semi just ignored them and continued to eat while Goshiki and Shirabu looked at each other with confused looks. “What’s the funny?” Leon snorted and shrugged, “oh gee, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that it was dead silent and all we could hear was the food going down your guys’ esophaguses” Shirabu frowned and slammed his hands down on the table lightly, “It’s not my fault my skull is the way it is”.

Tendou just rolled his eyes and chuckled, “oh calm down you big baby, we’re just messing with you. You can keep eating your dinner now” which Shirabu did but with a pout. Goshiki chewed slowly before pausing, “hey, where’s Ushijima? I thought he was s’pose to stay overnight too?” Semi got up to throw his trash away and stretched, “I dunno, he said something about going to see his father. He’s been working a lot of overtime lately so they let him leave. Now Tendou, what’ve you been doing with Miss L/N? I haven’t seen you at all today until about half an hour ago and it’s 8:30 right now” Leon snorted and pointed at Tendou with his plastic fork, “Dude didn’t you know? He spent the rest of the day with her, you should’ve seen them out in the halls. He was following her around like a puppy, I still don’t understand how you didn’t get through with her. I mean.... you’ve been with her for seven hours almost!”

For some odd reason this made Tendou’s eye twitch, “Yeah, like I said. It’s gonna take some time you asshole, not everybody opens up on the first day” he took a breath before shrugging. “I don’t know, I’m just not trying to push it. I just feel like I’m not seeing who she actually is cause of her little episode that’s going on right now so I’m trying to get her to open up, I know there’s more to her. I just gotta be patient” he sat there pulling at his fingers with his co-workers staring at him, “Usually you’re sure about how you’re going to handle things with patients you’re assigned to, but this time you seem.......” a muffled nervous cut Semi off and sighed because of it. “Not nervous but... you seem unsure which is a little out of character coming from you, usually you’re so confident in what you do even if the outcome could go wrong”

This left Tendou quiet as he stared down at his lap. Semi, Leon, Goshiki, and Shirabu met eyes in worry and Goshiki frowned, “Oh great job Semi, you broke him! Okay Tendou, what did you and L/N end up doing anyways?”

“So Mr. Tendou, where are we going?” I grinned and just kept walking, “I told you I was gonna hang that little picture board of yours up on the wall so I gotta go grab some command strips. Then maybe we could decorate your room some more and it won’t feel like you’re trapped in hell whenever you’re in it”. I felt Y/N poke my back and I looked over my shoulder at her for a moment, “Wait, you’re leaving?”. Pursing my lips together I shook my head, “Awe, don’t sound so sad doll. We got some in the staff room, plus I gotta stay overnight today anyways so I’m not going anywhere. Maybe we can do something later”.

I watched her beam and tilt her head to the side like a child, “promise?”. My jaw slacked open slightly and a breath of air escaped me, the corners of my mouth curled up and I chuckled silently. “Yeah I can’t promise that, I got a couple buddies that work here and they’re a buncha assholes. So I might be a little too caught up with them, but if I can I’ll come by your room at ten. How’s that sound?”

Tendou swung his leg over the other, “Nothing really, like I said, I was just trying to get her comfortable with me being around her all the time.” He drummed his fingers against the table briefly before glancing at the clock above the door, “oh would you look at that! It looks like it’s time for me to go~ now if you jerks will excuse me. I’ll catch you guys later...... probably tomorrow” and with a few strides he was out the door.

“Where does he think he’s going? He does know that clock’s broken right? And that he has to stay overnight with us?” Leon leaned on his arm with an amused smile, “hell if I know, we’ve all known each other for years now, and I still can’t figure that guy out” Semi snickered. “Well if you guys had common sense, you’d know that Tendou would be going to see Y/N” Shirabu claimed smugly, “........... shut up Shirabu”.

Tendou patted the pockets on his scrubs to find his phone, pulling it out when he did. Damn, it’s only 9:25. She’ll be fine with me being a little early though. What else could she be doing? Wow, how considerate of you Satori. What do you mean? She’s the one that wanted me to stop by, if anything she’d be happy I came early”. He shook his head snapping himself out of his own thoughts when he figured he was near her door, he slowed down his pace some so when he got there, it was 9:35. When he came up to her door, it was closed again but there was a bright light creeping out from under the door and he could see her shadow moving back and forth. As he got closer, he could hear voices which one he clearly knew was Y/N and his face scrunched up but he knocked on the door without a second thought.

It got silent in the room before the door swung open and Y/N was standing there breathlessly. This made Tendou raise a brow as he slid passed her, he did a once over of the room which seemingly looked nonchalant but everything looked the same as when he left earlier that day. “Dr. Tendou.... you’re early?” Tendou spun around and dropped on her bed with a huff, “Awe what happened Miss. L/N? Is that a problem? I thought you wanted me to be here? That hurts my little ole soul” he pouted clutching at his chest momentarily until he busted out into hysterics.

“But seriously, my friends didn’t really have much going on so I just decided to come by early. Did you grab some dinner yet? They’re closing the cafeteria pretty soon” She just shrugged and stared at him intently, “I ate like..... an hour or two ago” Tendou’s smile dropped and he squinted at her with a slight frown. “Yeah you’re full of shit, don’t lie to me. They start serving dinner at five and they shut it down at seven thirty. Now when’s the last time you ate?” Y/N frowned and huffed, “I’m not hungry so don’t worry about it, I can just-“

“Oh that’s great to hear! Now let’s go, I know somebody that has some pretty decent food” Tendou got up and poked Y/N’s cheek when he walked passed her. “I told you I ate already, and I’m not hungry” she huffed following behind him with crossed arms, Tendou spun around and started walking backwards. “Yeah you ate about... what? Nine hours ago? Don’t give me that crap, I know you’re hungry. You’re a lot paler than you were when I saw you earlier, you can’t get nothing passed me sweetheart. I was in your place once too”. This made Y/N’s face scrunch up in confusion resulting with a cackling red haired doctor.

“Story time for later I’m guessing?” He smirked slightly before spinning around and pushing the staff door open. When he did Leon, Semi, Goshiki, and Shirabu were still at the same tab with expressions like they just got caught doing something terrible. A moment of silence was met before Goshiki and Tendou roared in laughter followed by small chuckles coming from Leon, then Semi and Shirabu were just shaking their heads with amused grins. When the laughter died down Tendou gestured for Y/N to hold the door open and he walked over to the fridge, “The hell are you guys doing in here? Semi, you got any more food? Dummy here decided to starve herself today” . Y/N frowned at Tendou’s comment but smiled a little when she was met with four pairs of eyes, “I’m-”.

“L/N, yeah we know. What are you guys planning anyways? Patients are supposed to be in their rooms in ten” Leon reached over and slapped the back of Shirabu’s head for being so blunt, there usually isn’t an issue with it but sometimes it seems rude towards others that aren’t within the circle. “Excuse him, don’t take it the wrong way. Dr. Shirabu’s just a little straight forward. But do you guys have planned?” Y/N just shrugged and glanced over at Tendou, now Semi was standing next to him by the fridge and they were talking in hushed voices. She tilted her head to the side slightly before looking back at Leon and Shirabu, “Dunno, Tendou just said he was gonna stop by to talk to me before lockdown”

“Oh that’s nice of-” Tendou slammed the fridge shut holding a little tray and walked out the door, “C’mon L/N, it’s about time we go” her eyes followed him for a second and she looked over at the group of his co-workers with a confused look, Leon and Shirabu looked just as confused as her but Semi was leaning against the fridge with an irritated look on his face. She turned and jogged lightly after him without another word. Y/N could feel the indignation radiating off of him, she wanted to ask him what happened but he just stayed quiet. She began questioning him even more when he turned down a corridor that wasn’t familiar to her, “Dr.Tendou, I thought we had to go back to my room?” She poked at him meekly slowly trying to test the waters with how he was going to react with her talking to him.

“Satori, and nope. I got something else planned so just wait”, They ended up in a small rectangular room with an elevator and as they went up, she couldn’t help but stare at him in anticipation. Tendou didn’t say anything the whole time but he was smirking because he could feel her gaze on him the entire way up, when the elevator doors opened Y/N realized they were at the top of the building and there was a couch at the edge. She followed him and sat down slowly when he patted the empty spot next to him, “alright, what’s the issue? Cause you’ve been staring at me the whole time but you haven’t been saying anything” she puffed her cheeks out when Tendou placed a wrapped up bento box in her lap.

“Well..... you seemed fine when you came and got me but when we went to go see your friends... co-workers?....... friends? Okay anyways, when you and that silver haired guy were talking you got all mad afterwards so I didn’t know what to do so I was just gonna wait until you talked to me first which worked because you did and now we’re up on the roof of the building, so what are we doing here and are you okay?” Tendou stared at her all perplexed as a smile slowly creeped up on his face, and then he threw his head back laughing. “What’re you talking about you weirdo? I’m fine, I was never maaaad you just thought I was!” He booped her nose which made her swat his hand away, “and we’re here to talk, that’s all. So you eat and I’ll do a story time. Then when I’m done with my story, you can tell me anything you feel comfortable with telling me. How’s that?”

Ａｒｅ ｙｏｕ ｓｕｒｅ ｙｏｕ ｗｏｕｌｄ

ｌｉｋｅ ｔｏ ｓｉｇｎ ｏｕｔ？

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[bloodshot-interactive]

Our Love is Nothing but a Game

A one-shot drabble about how Bliss and Madison’s breakup went down. Be warned of implied sexual themes

Story under the cut

The Grand Metropolis skyline illuminated brightly with pride throughout the late night sky as the motorcycle sped ahead of the other vehicles on the road. Madison was clearly upset as he drove his way to a bar. Not only does he like and want to drink, but it was also his way to cope, to let loose and clear out whatever was holding him back.

Speaking off holding back.

He got reminded of what happened earlier…

Flashback a few hours…

As Madison returned to a cheap hotel from his gig, the entire suite was quiet. He assumed Bliss was already asleep so he walked further to the living room calling for Bliss that he was home. No response. The only noise was a cheesy old sitcom on TV.

“Come on, Bliss…” he muttered under his breath as he picked up the remote from the table and turned off the TV. He walked over the only bedroom in the suite.

Bliss wasn’t sleeping. She wasn’t there at all. The only things left lying about on the bed was a small note and a banquet of pink and red roses. The raven’s brow was raised as he picked up the note and read it.

“Sorry Maddie. It’s time we move on...” followed by a kiss mark…

End flashback...

He sighed, rolling his eyes as he parked in front of the bar. He took off his sunglasses, and stuffed it inside his leather jacket before walking inside. ‘Don’t worry about that, just have fun…’ he thought to himself.

Everyone at the bar is living lively, having a chill time talking, laughing and dancing, lights dimmed purple, magenta and blue. Madison sat down at the barstool and waved at the squirrel tending the bar.

“Gimme a glass of whiskey, extra ice” he ordered to the squirrel, and with that they were quickly right on it as requested. They slid the drink over to Madison as he caught it. Taking a small sip of the drink, the bird smiled. Cold. Exactly how he liked it.

As the raven turned around to watch everyone having a good time, he saw a couple making out in the corner, and another pair leaving the bar, happily drunk, holding onto each other for dear life and giggling at whatever. He sighed, leaning back on the counter, taking another sip. He really wished it was him….and Bliss.

There's a sudden faint floral smell in the room. That fragrance was all too familiar to him. Putting his drink down, he hopped off the barstool to follow it.

Is that really who I think this is?

That can’t be. Right?

The floral smell got stronger and warmer as he stood at the round table staring directly at who it belonged to. Madison’s eyes widened. Heart skipping a beat.

It was her.

“Bliss?”

As the moth was in the middle of her waiting daze, surrounding herself in heavy pink smoke from her e-cigarette, she turned to the voice belonging to the familiar raven. She tilted her head and gave him an unnoticeable, fake smile, her small, crimson sunglasses gave off a shine from the dimmed multicolored lights.

“Ohh, hi, Maddie! I didn’t think you’d find me here of all places. What brings you here?”

Madison folded his arms and glanced away at the silk moth. “Ah ya know, just trying to let loose, meeting new people, just vibing… ya know?” He chuckled sheepishly, hiding the fact by how hurt he was. He’s having the urge to ask her a question, biting his lower beak.

Bliss chuckled softly, taking a drag of her e-cig. She then blew out more smoke as she spoke, “That's good to hear. You deserve to vibe after all that hard wor—“

“So what’s up with the note?”

The moth’s antennae flicked at the sudden question from the raven. She switched her e-cig off and stuffed it into her hot pink purse. “Excuse me?”

Madison’s voice was a bit firm, held out his hands for gesture as he leaned a bit forward, “The note! And flowers on the bed. You left me!” his arms drooped down in a bit of defeat “Why? I thought our relationship was strong.”

“The note…” the silk moth thought for a moment with a mutter, “Oh right, the note! Yeeeaah, about that” she pushed her sunglasses down a bit, her pitched black eyes staring up at the bird. She clearly has no pupils but Madison can tell she was looking at him. “I got bored. So I left.”

“Bored…?” He muttered monotonously in question

“Yup” she laid back on the cushioned seat, one leg over the other, giving the raven a cold smirk, “honestly, I never actually loved you. I only wanted you for your money, but it seems like you have nothing left on you after you waved goodbye to that degenerate gang of yours. You really believed that our love lasted that long?”

“I DID!!” The raven’s yelling caught everyone’s attention to the former couple. They all stopped talking and everything they were doing, even the music came to a halt. All eyes are on them now. It made Bliss flinch quite a bit but it didn’t bother Madison none.

His feathers bristled, leather gloved hands clinched to fists, “You think our relationship is a game to you?! I put so much effort on my love for you! I gave you everything you wanted!!”

Madison’s brows furrowed with the sign of confusion and anger but didn’t break eye contact with Bliss. The poor guy was heartbroken. “Bliss! I loved you!!”

The silk moth frowned and turned away, crossing her arms impatiently. No response.

“I spent most of my money on a fancy dinner, an amusement park, the goddamned movie theatre! And on top of that, I ditched my fucking gang so I can spend more time with you while on a solo gig!” Madison facepalmed at the last thing he’s ever done. That was the biggest mistake on his part.

“My boss is gonna want me dead by now…!”

Bliss turned back to Madison, a sultry, cat like smirk returned to her face, “That's good! Dirt cheap men like you deserved it. Anyone I touch will suffer beautifully. And you’re one of them. I can see it on your pathetic little face...” her dangerous smile grew wide.

The raven was disgusted by her statement, “So you want me dead after everything we had together?! Are...are you fuckin’ hearing yourself right now??”

“Nope.” The silk moth got up, snatching her overcoat and purse off the seat, “I honestly don’t have time to deal with you right now. You men are nothing but sorry excuses who don’t know to treat a lady. It’s over between us. At least there’s someone else out there with better class!” As soon as she’s out of her seat, she sees someone calling her name. Her wings fluttered as she flew quickly away from the bird, calling out sweetly to the one bulky grey wolf. “Big Daddy~!”

Madison looked on at his ex and that wolf in disbelief.

“Aye, there’s my lil’ Creme Puff! Sorry I took so long, hadda take care of some business.” the wolf gave the moth a toothy smile, gently squeezing at her ass with a hug. He then took a look at a confused Madison across from him. “That bird botherin’ ya?”

Bliss’s gloved claws gliding elegantly, at the wolf’s broad chest, nonexistent hues staring pleadingly at him, “Oh Big Daddy~ indeed~! That mean ol’ bird won’t leave me alone!” She pushed herself against him, “Please, Big Daddy, make him stop!” As her silky, seductive voice and wanton touch puts the wolf under a spell, his clawed hand gently slides down at the moth's soft hair with a huff, smirking at her.

“Aight, let Big Bad handle this one. Ya stay put, my lil’ Creme Puff” the Wolf, known as Big Bad walked over to Madison, towering over him. “Ya gotta problem with my girl?”

“Your girl?” Madison scoffed and folded his arms, grayish blue eyes locked at Big Bad orange ones, “You mean, my girl, right. You hardly ever met her!”

“Oh yeah?” That’s when Big Bad grabbed Madison by the collar of his jacket, bumping each other’s heads. “Lemme tell ya somethin’, buddy, Bliss is my girl now. So ya betta stay away from her, or else we gon’ have some problems, ya feel me!?”

The raven growled in anger as he looked over at the wolf’s shoulder and spotted Bliss, who’s smiling deviously at the both of them. He looked back at the Wolf and pushed him away. “Yeah, I understand perfectly. Though, I got one advice for you, my man. You better keep ya eyes open, ‘cause you’re dealing with something that you’re gonna regret!”

“Tha fuck’re tryin’ a say?” Big Bad’s orange hues staring up and down at the bird, looking to punch this guy senseless.

“All I’m saying is, to her, you’re nothing but a pot of gold, but she’ll leave you to rot if you ain’t got shit for her like she did to me just now. So you better count your fucking days, bucko, you’ll be biting the dust before you know it!”

As soon as Madison was on his way out, he was grabbed from the back of his jacket by Big Bad, and was tossed towards the very back where the DJ was playing his tunes, crashing forcefully at the wall in the process. Everyone gasped and muttered about as to what’s going on.

Madison slowly sat up and took out his handgun

from inside his jacket. This caught everyone’s attention. “That does it, you’ve crossed the line!!” But before he attempts to pull the trigger, Bliss was in the way, hugging Big Bad lovingly, pecking kisses at his face. Madison lowered his weapon and stuffed it back into his jacket in defeat.

“Oh~ Big Daddy, you’re such a big, strong man~! You're turning me on already!” Bliss’s voice was too sultry, too sweet to resist, but her stare at the poor raven was deadly and devilish for sure.

“Heh, what can I say, they don’t call me Big Bad for nothin’ ya know?” The grey wolf wrapped his arm around the silk moth before they left the bar. “Let’s head over to my club, too many creeps n’ freaks up in this joint”

Watching this newfound duo leave, Madison brushed himself off in anger and kicked the dirt off the floor. He aggressively took off his jacket and threw it to the floor. He noticed all the patrons, even the DJ and the bartender were watching this in concern and fear.

“What the fuck are are you all looking at??” He muttered, grabbing his jacket off the floor and stormed out of the bar.

Driving back to the hotel, he smirked and started laughing to himself. What a fool he was; and to think he and Bliss had something special and now he’s been played. He should’ve listened to ZigZag and Diesel about leaving the gang, but he was too blindly in love with the moth that he had to. Now he’s a dead man walking and he had to figure out ways to not be seen by the bikers to get himself killed. Fuck that! He’s not gonna take shit from anyone. He’s gonna let everyone in Grand Metropolis know that he’s not a game, that he’s not the man to mess with.

And he sure as hell, karma will soon creep at that Bitch.

Their love was nothing but a game...

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #458: Beach Day (Sonic)

12:30 p.m. at Emerald Coast......

Sonic: ('Sighs Relaxingly') The beach....A place for rest, relaxation....

Tails: (Smiles Brightly while Holding a Surfboard) And for some good ol' fashioned surfing! (Turns to Sonic) You wanna come with?

Sonic: No can do, lil' bro. You know me and water don't mix together. Besides, what if I slip and fell off those bad boys?

Tails: (Gives Sonic a "Really?" Look) Sonic, I've seen you rode a snowboard and Extreme Gear with little to no problem.

Sonic: ('Scoffs') Well that because neither of them are nowhere near as slippery. (Stares at Tails' Surfboard) I mean, look at that thing.....(Stutters at the Thought of Slipping off of Surfboards in the middle of an Ocean) I don't trust them already.....

Tails: Sonic, you gotta get over your fear of water eventually.....

Sonic: Yeahhhhhhh.....Not in a million years. (Ruffles the top of Tails' Hair) Why don't you go on ahead and enjoy the waves for yourself, bud. But don't enjoy too much, ya hear? I don't want you to drown.

Tails: (Sighs While Rolling his Eyes and Walking Away) Okay, dad. I'll be careful-

???: And where do you think you're going, young man?

Tails: (Stop and Turn to see Amy Giving him her Usual Big Sister Glare Towards him with a Sunscreen Bottle in her Hand) Oh. Amy. I was...uhhh....about to catch some waves and stuff....

Amy: Not without sunscreen you're not.

Tails: ('Sigh') But-

Amy: No buts, mister. Do you have any idea what happens when you stand above the sun for too long? You get sunburns! And I don't want that for you.

Tails: You're really that worried about me, huh?

Amy: The essence of being a big sister knows no bounds, sweetie. Now come here so put some sunscreen on you.

Sonic: (Chuckles Lightly) Better listen to your big sis, bud. She knows what's best after-

Amy: You too, Sonic.

Sonic: Yeah- (Eyes Widened) Wait. What?

Amy: You heard me. I want you to join us here so I could put sunscreen on you too.

Sonic: Ah c'mon, Ames....I wasn't going to go anywhere or anything.

Amy: I know. But I wanna make extra sure just in case. Like last time.

Tails: (Starts Snickering) You actually let Amy put sunscreen on you before?

Sonic: (Starts Blushing) It was only one time, Tails!

Amy: Three times, actually. ('Sighs Dreamingly') All of which were such a romantic moment~

Sonic: Not helping, Ames.......

Amy: Well, it's the honest truth, 'hon. But in the meantime, I want you two to sit down so I can put sunscreen on your backs.

Sonic/Tails: Yes, ma'am.......

Once the trio made their way to their spot at the beach. Amy begins to slowly but surely put sunscreen lotion onto Sonic and Tails' backs, while the both of them put some on each of their arms.

???: Is that you, Sonic?

Sonic: (Begins to Smile Brightly Once he Turns to see Espio sitting Few Feet Away from the trio's Spot) Yo, Espio! Long time no see my man.

Amy/Tails: (Happily Waves at Espio)

Espio: Likewise. But if you don't mind asking, what exactly are three of you doing?

Tails: Letting Amy put sunscreen on our backs.

Amy: (Smiles Brightly) I wanna make sure my boys stay safe from sunburns.

Espio: I see. So I'm guessing the essence of being a girlfriend knows no bounds then?

Sonic: You have no idea, man..... But enough about us. What are you doing here?

Espio: I'm here on a vacation of sorts, waiting for the team, Cream, and Ms. Vanilla to arrive since I got here a bit earlier.

Amy: Awww~ You guys are on a family vacation already?

Espio: More or less. (Chuckle Lightly) I suppose our bonds with one another has gotten stronger to the point of being an actual family.

Tails: (Turns to Amy) Hey, that's kind of like our relationship, sis.

Amy: (Smiles Brightly) You know it, sweetie! (Gives Tails a Kiss on the top of his head)

Sonic: (Whispers to Espio with a Sheepish Smile) Amy adopted Tails as her little brother not too long ago.

Espio: (Nodded) Gotcha. (Turns to Amy and Tails) I suppose a congratulation is in order.

Amy/Tails: (Smiles Brightly) Thank you!/Thanks!

???: Espio!

Espio: (Smiles Softly once he Turns to see Silver and Blaze Making their towards his Spot) You two came.

Silver: (Gives Espio a Loving Hug with a Bright Smile) Of course we did. There's no way we would miss beach time with you guys! (Gives Espio a Kiss on the Cheek on his side)

Blaze: (Joins in on the Hug) We wanted to make sure we got everything before we got here. (Gives Espio a Kiss on the Other Cheek on her Side) You missed us?~

Espio: (Blushes into a Different Color While Hugging Both Silver and Blaze) Very~

Amy: ('GASPS') !!!!!!

Sonic: (Eyes Widened in Complete Shock) NO WAY!!!

Tails: (Already Starting to Get Embarrssed by his two Siblings) People are about to stare, you guys....

Blaze: (Turns towards the Trio) Oh. It's been a while, you guys.

Silver: (Smiles Brightly) How's it going?

Sonic: (Points at Espio) Y-You.....(Then Towards Blaze) A-And her?.....(Then Towards Silver) A-A-And him?!....A-All of you?!

Amy: You three of you are DATING?!

Espio: (Smiles Softly) Yes.....(Gently Holds Both of Silver and Blaze's Hands) Yes we are.

Tails: (Smiles Softly) Wow, you guys. Con-

Amy: CONGRATULATIONS!!!~ (Begins to Squeal Happily While Giving the Couple a Big Hug) We are sooooooo happy for you guys!!~

Tails: (Sighs While Rolling his Eyes) Yeah.....What she said.

Sonic: (Smiles Brightly) I say! This is way past cool. When did all this happened?

Espio: Not too long ago really. The three of us started to go on missions together ever since Vector appointed Silver and Blaze as honorary members of the Chaotix. As time goes on, We.....(Starts Blushing a Little) started to have feelings for one another....which led all of us to confessed those feelings towards one another.

Blaze: (Starts Blushing while Smiling Lovingly Towards her Boys) And we love each other ever since~

Silver: (Smiles Brightly while Blushing as Well) Now and hopefully forever more~

And with that Blaze and Silver begins to kiss both of Espio's cheeks. Which instantly causes him to change into a completely different color.

Sonic: (Starts Snickering) You change colors every time they kiss you?

Espio: ('Sigh') Yes..... It's the nature of a chameleon unfortunately......

Blaze: (Pouts at Espio) Espio! It is not unfortunate!

Silver: (Pouts at Espio as well) Yeah!! It's cute and precious. Just like you!~

Espio: (Immediately Changes into a Different Color) Y-Yes....(*Clears Throat*) Well....

Amy: Oh my gosh! This is literally too adorable for words!!~ We HAVE to go on six-way date one of these days!

Sonic: (Shrugged) Why wait when we can go on one later on today?

Silver: (Smiles Brightly) Nice!

Blaze: (Smiles Softly) That sounds like a great idea, Sonic.

Espio: (Smiles Softly) We would like that very much.

Tails: I dunno....I think I'll might pass on this one.....

Amy: (Eyes Widened in Shock) What?! B-But why not?

Tails: (Starts Rubbing the Back of his Head Back and Forth) It's cause I'm the only one out of the five of you guys, who isn't dating. I don't wanna slow you down by being the sixth wheel.....

Sonic: (Place his Hand on Tails' Shoulder) Buddy, you won't slow any of us down or be some kind of "sixth wheel".

Blaze: (Smiles Softly) Sonic's right, Tails. We would love nothing more than for you to join us.

Amy: (Gently Grabs both of Tails' Hands while Giving him the Sad Puppy Dog Eyes) We promise we'll have an amazing time together if you give this chance. Pretty pleeeeeease?~ With a cherry on top?~

Tails: (Finally Begins to Giggle Softly from Amy's Puppy Dog Look) Okay. Okay. I guess it wouldn't to tag along with guys. But I'm only doing this because I'm not a fan of seeing my big sister sad.

Amy: (Squeals in Joy as She Pulls Tails in for a Big, Loving Hug)

Sonic: (Chuckles Lightly) Alright! A date it is then!

@keyenuta

@26shann

@albion-93

@cyber-wildcat

@miki-13

@ma-lemons

[zephyrthejester]

Sorry! Not quite sure how to write down the sound that’s in my head right now. Let’s say it’s a very intense feeling overall.

...........Wow, dude.

OKAY! Let’s take this BIT by BIT! One at a time! Starting with the least complex up to the most complex! This is gonna be a L O N G P O S T so click below to see the rest.

1: First up, Cactus Stevens. That’s very obviously a plant, namely, a Cactus, that Steven brought to life with his plant powers. You know, like the Watermelon Stevens? Except these/this malformed Cactus Steven/s are looking a fair bit demonic. Erm... Yeah, I guess that’s what this would have to be, right? Unless the bright glow from their eyes and mouths are telltale signs of some outside force making them evil. What I want to know is, what’s so special about this thing that it’s more than just enemy-of-the-day? What’s so special about it that it landed a spot in the show’s intro? Perhaps it is more representative of Steven’s own actions becoming problems. Out with Pink Diamond leaving behind problems, time for Steven to deal with his own mistakes?

2: More Lapis Lazulis. Both wearing Lapis’ old outfit, so I guess that really does prove the skirt was the standard homeworld uniform for Lapis’... Not that I even asked that question, heh. So! We have a Shoulder gem Lapis with a bob and upward curling bangs, with a steely sneer down at us, and then a Belly gem Lapis with relatively short, unkempt hair and what appears to be a tied ponytail in the back, with an expression that’s a bit softer, and more confused/surprised than anything.

Wow, so... Lapis Lazulis, huh? Comin’ in to be bad guys, huh? Wow, that’s pretty interesting, really. Who’d ever predict this? So... Here’s my take on how to explain them. Our Lapis Lazuli was sent to Earth to terraform it, right? Now, per Season 2 we know that Earth was destined to become a mega-colony, all but hollowed out. And, well, that just seems like a job too big for just one terraformer. I can’t believe I never thought of this, but... Yeah, our Lapis probably had some help. So... I guess that’d be a logical reason why these two would be antagonists. They have unsettled beef with our Lapis.

I guess water wings aren’t based on gemstone location, eh? Heh.

3: That’s unquestionably Aquamarine. The very same Aquamarine who hauled Steven and Lars to Homeworld. But... She’s very different. If that is a fusion, we don’t know for sure. Whatever the second Gem that Aquamarine is fused with isn’t visible here, and it looks more like a bizarre mix, like good ol’ “Cotton Candy Garnet.” Cotton Candy Garnet is the only thing this version of Aquamarine looks like, really... However, the extra set of legs is a big hint pointing towards it being a fusion. Hmm... So, yeah, I’d say this absolutely is a fusion featuring Aquamarine and not some weird half-Corrupted form.

That said, she looks to be the same size as default Aquamarine, so whoever she fused with must have been tiny... Maybe tinier than she was already!

Also, between the collared shirt and the tie, that makes me think of the whole “Dad” fiasco, where Aquamarine was looking for “her Dad” by mistake. So congratulations Aquamarine. You have become the Dad.

Finally... Why is Aquamarine an antagonist? This is a question we’ll have to wait and see for. Previously, Aquamarine was simply a stickler for the rules and her job, though she did show a moment of tender mercy by forgiving Topaz’s attempted mutiny.

Finally finally, her mouth is doin’ the cat thing. You know, the :3 thing. Oh boy.

4: We got giant spiky death beast over here. Yeah, um. Yeah, no, I dunno, dude.

Is it a corrupted Gem? Some manner of Fusion Experiment or Cluster off-shoot? A full fledged alien unrelated to Gems? Some sort of primordial Ur-Gem? Its spikes give the impression of being metallic, like steel, or they could just be reflective gemstone material. Whatever this thing is, it’s givin’ me the willies. Look at those sunken eyes with naught but pinpricks of light shining through...

Ah... *sigh* It’s pink colored, by the way. Its got pink skin and pink glowing eyes. Gee, I wonder if this thing has anything to do with Pink Diamond... I dunno, what do you all think?

....Is it just me, or does it have a human nose? That snout looks like Steven’s, frankly.

I have a trillion questions. WHAT ARE YOOOOOU.

5:  I think I know exactly what’s going on here. Now, it may be tempting for some to say that this is some sort of White Diamond clone or replica or what have you, I think the simple truth is that this IS White Diamond, just straight up. And she’s currently having some trouble controlling her emotions.

Think back to the ending of Change Your Mind. The moment Pink Diamond’s composure was broken, the moment her world was shattered around her, the moment she became inescapably affected by the words and actions of another... She began to glow pink all over her body. This, I strongly believe, was literally the emotions and overall world view of Steven bleeding over to her and directly affecting her.

And this? I think this here is White Diamond experiencing too much of a good thing. Look at how she’s grabbing at her head; A typical motion to represent someone struggling with pain in their head. This is a White Diamond who is losing herself to an overwhelming force from beyond herself.

The color White contains all colors, right? What happens when one of those colors takes over...?

6: It’s her. She’s baaaaack.

Jasper is endlessly fascinating to me. When I first liveblogged this show, I wasn’t particularly a fan. But the more I watched, and the more I rewatched, and the more I thought things through? Yeah, no, Jasper’s got all my attention, man.

Born a perfectly flawless Gem in a perfectly awful Kindergarten that produced nothing but Off Colors, born to fight in a war for a Diamond she never met, doomed to failure after a shattering she couldn’t prevent... She ardently clung to her “perfection,” the only thing she had left, which wasn’t even enough to defeat abominable fusions... Until she threw her morals away in a desperate bid for victory, becoming a fusion herself, which resulted in months of mutual mental torment, leaving her addicted to the suffering. She tamed the feral beasts her Diamonds reduced her former comrades to, she was beaten and broken without contest, she lost her mind as she stared down the one person she hated more than herself as he claimed not to know what he even did to her...

AND THEN WA-BAM! She returns to consciousness and suddenly the Diamonds are best buddies with Rose Quartz and Rose Quartz was actually Pink Diamond the entire time and the whole War that Jasper lived through her entire life was literally for nothing but the cruel selfish game of the person she was born for, and, and--

And that’s where we left her.

Jasper, oh, Jasper. What happened to you? Where did you go? What are you thinking?

I need to know.

[andtails]

A Prelude to Chaos Control - Chapter 2: The Great Emerald’s Power

Click here to start from the beginning. You can also read this story on FanFiction.Net or Archive of Our Own.

*****

“Sure…is…cold in…here…” Sonic said to himself, shivering as the cool air from the freezer pierced his fur. Balancing on a step stool to reach the top level of his refrigerator, the blue hedgehog sifted through various frozen foodstuffs until he found a half-consumed tub of vanilla ice cream.

“There it is,” Sonic declared, grabbing the plastic handle and pulling the gallon container out from the freezer. Careful to maintain his balance, Sonic stepped down from the stool and placed the ice cream on the kitchen countertop.

“It’s colder than Ice Cap Zone in there,” Sonic said, rubbing his hands together to warm his body, his shivering beginning to cease.

Sonic raced around the kitchen, grabbing a variety of ingredients so he could put together the perfect ice cream sundaes for him and his little brother. After placing the ingredients near the tub, he proceeded to shovel large scoops of ice cream and drop them into the two bowls, totaling three helpings each. The hedgehog then microwaved a container of hot fudge and evenly poured the contents over the scoops. From there, he smothered the ice cream with whipped cream, sprinkles, and crushed peanuts.

“I almost forgot,” Sonic exclaimed as he went back to the cupboards to grab an unopened box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies. Recently purchased by the duo to benefit the youth scouting organization, he was surprised to find that the two-tailed fox hadn’t already gobbled-up the delectable morsels.

“He must’ve forgotten about them,” Sonic said to himself before quickly realizing the foolishness of this thought.

Silly hedgehog…Tails would never misplace a minty treat!  

Not wanting the hot fudge to melt the ice cream too early, Sonic poured some of the cookies into a sealable plastic bag and crushed them with a rolling pin, breaking the cookies down into tiny pieces.

“That’s the way the cookie crumbles,” Sonic mused to himself, pouring the crumbs over the ice cream.

Finally, after adding a few cherries to the top of each sundae, and staking the scoops with cookie straws, the hedgehog took one final look at his delectable creations before placing the bowls on the coffee table in the living room and returning to the workshop to fetch his younger brother.

*****

“That should do it,” Tails said to himself as he placed the last component in its final corresponding pile on his workbench. “Now I just gotta find a place to store everything.”

The young kitsune glanced over at the unfinished detector, the light from the mid-afternoon sun reflecting off its glass surface. Tails picked it up, staring at it while rubbing his head with his free hand, wracking his brain for ideas on how to get the detector to work.  

Sighing heavily, the discouraged fox slumped in his chair, allowing his arms to dangle freely as he stared up at the tall ceiling of his workshop.

“Hey Tails, the ice—"  Sonic began to say as he came back from the kitchen, stopped short by the sight of the apathetic kitsune in front of him.

Knowing what he’d say next, Tails sat motionless for several seconds, looking away from the hedgehog as if in a daydream, before turning his head in his direction.

“Okay, Sonic,” he replied in a somber, emotionless tone before getting up and making his way to their living quarters, no spring in his step.

As they entered the house, Sonic ran to the couch, beckoning his brotherly companion to join him.

“I think you’re going to enjoy this!” the hedgehog said, waving an arm in his direction.

Tails sat down next to his older brother and looked down at the treat before catching a whiff of something utterly delightful.

“Is that…is that mint?” the orange kitsune asked, taking in a few deep breaths right above his bowl as the feelings of failure begun to dissipate, replaced only with the desire to consume his favorite dessert flavor.

“It sure is, pal,” Sonic replied. “Crushed-up Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies, to be precise.”

Tails licked his lips in anticipation of the treat as he witnessed a flow of hot fudge dribbling down a hill of vanilla ice cream, taking bits of peanut and cookie crumbles down its stream. Using a cookie straw as a spoon, Tails took a bite of the sundae, ensuring that it contained a diverse mix of ingredients.

“It’s so good!” Tails exclaimed, before munching on the cookie straw and grabbing a metal spoon from the coffee table, ready to dig into the rest of the dessert.

“Glad ya like it,” Sonic replied, pleased to see him enjoying his confectionary creation.

Grabbing his own bowl with one hand, and the television remote with another, Sonic began flipping through channels while taking a few bites of his own cold treat.

“Anything you wanna watch?” Sonic asked, looking over at the orange kitsune, hot fudge dripping from his lips.

“Not really,” Tails replied, distracted by the sundae that remained half-eaten in his lap. “Nothing too scary, though.”

“You got it,” Sonic said, searching for something that the brothers could enjoy together.

“How about this?” Sonic asked, pointing the controller at the television. Tails winced at the sound of gunshots bellowing out of the television set, exchanged between a group of bank robbers and the police officers attempting to stop them.

“A bit too violent,” Tails replied, setting down his empty bowl on the coffee table, scooting closer to his brotherly companion.

“Alright,” Sonic said as he continued changing programs. “How about this one?”

Tails looked on to see a group of 20-somethings crowded in a large apartment, having conversations about their relationships, artificial laugh tracks regularly interrupting the dialogue.

“Too cheesy,” Tails replied, yawning into a gloved hand.

Finally, in a last-ditch effort, Sonic found a channel that he was sure would be to Tails’ liking.

Sonic nudged Tails’ shoulder, at this point leaning against his own, as he pointed towards the television. It was a nature documentary featuring a narrator with a rhythmic, slow voice describing, in detail, the mysterious origins of flickys and how their evolutionary track diverged from their avian brethren.

“Sure,” Tails said in a tranquil voice, leaning further against his big brother while shutting his eyes. Sonic set the remote down and settled in for a documentary that he’d likely find boring.  

Sonic looked down at the orange fox, cuddled peacefully against him, his tails covering his chest like a blanket.

Sure has been sleepin’ a lot lately.

Sonic took a closer look at the sleeping kitsune, noticing that his face was still stained with hot fudge. To remedy this, he reached for a tissue and gently wiped below his lips, not wanting him to wake.

Crumpling the used tissue into a ball and throwing it toward the coffee table, the blue hedgehog sighed, drowning out the television as he lost himself in thought. 

If only I knew what was going on in that big ol’ head of his, maybe I’d do a better job of helping him feel better. Ice cream sundaes won’t work every time.

Itching below his nose, Sonic peered over at the distant wall, observing the clock near the kitchen.

4 PM, huh?

Not necessarily accustomed to sleeping this much in a day, Sonic allowed himself to nap, his little brother still snuggling against him.  

*****

The sun gave way to the glow of the halfmoon in the sky, pouring its dim light through the dark living room housing the sleeping orange fox and blue hedgehog. Sonic was in a sitting position, arms resting against the back of his head as he snoozed, when a physical force against his belly woke him up.

“Owwooo,” Sonic yelped, placing a hand on his lightly bruised belly. After realizing that no harm was done, he looked to his left to find the source of the attack: his kitsune companion rustling in his sleep. After falling asleep against his shoulder, he shifted to his back some point after Sonic began snoozing. The blue hedgehog looked on as his little brother continued raising his knees for small kicks in his direction while flailing his arms.

“H..Help me, Sonic,” Tails said, although not to Sonic himself. The hedgehog scratched his head before coming to the realization that Tails was having a bad dream.

“S..sa…save me, please,” Tails begged, choking up as his arms and legs continued moving around as if controlled by a puppet. Sweat rolled down his fur, and a pained expression appeared on his face.

Getting out of harm’s way, Sonic got up from the sofa and dropped to his knees next to his little brother. He gently placed his gloved hand on the kitsune’s head, rubbing his fur back and forth gently enough to prevent the fox from waking up.

“It’ll be okay,” Sonic said, hoping that his voice would reach Tails’ subconsciousness. “I’m here now.”

As if by magic, Tails’ limbs ceased moving, and his face relaxed. His breathing was no longer labored, instead returning to a slow, consistent pace.

“Th..thank you, Sonic,” Tails said in his dream, presumably having been saved by the blue blur himself from whatever was tormenting him in his nightmare.

“No problem, buddy,” Sonic said, padding the excess sweat from Tails’ forehead with a small towel from the coffee table.

After drying off his little brother, Sonic covered him with a blanket, tucking his body in to ensure that he stayed warm and comfortable.

“Sleep tight, little bro,” Sonic said, smiling at the knowledge that, even in his sleep, he can help him feel better.

Not wanting to be too far away from Tails in case his bad dream returned, Sonic crept to the closet to find a blue sleeping bag, generally only used on long expeditions but perfect for an impromptu sleeping solution in emergencies such as these. The hedgehog unfurled the bag on the floor facing the sofa, got in, and zipped himself shut. After a brief yawn and a final stretch of his arms and legs, Sonic fell back asleep.

*****

Surrounded by Eggman’s army of robots in a wide, metallic corridor, Tails reached for his utility belt to find that his supply of ring bombs had been depleted.

“Damn it,” Tails said to himself, looking around once more to find Eggman’s minions approaching him from all sides, stepping over shards of their own fallen comrades previously destroyed by Tails’ arsenal of bombs and physical attacks.

The orange fox, whose only option now was to make a strategic retreat, decided to use his twin namesakes to propel himself out of harm’s way. Before he could begin rotating his tails, however, he felt a cool hand grab both from behind, pulling the fox backwards.  

“Ahhh!” Tails cried as he fell to the cold floor, the army of robots now mere feet away from the cornered fox.  

Realizing that there was no longer any way out, he covered his face with his arms and screamed, “Help me, Sonic!” His voice echoed across the room, ricocheting against the metallic walls, echoing back into his sensitive ears.

But Sonic wasn’t there to save him. Not this time.

The robots surrounding the orange kitsune targeted him with their front-mounted machine guns as the robot nearest Tails pulled him up by the neck and raised him in the air.

“Put…me…down,” Tails struggled to say, gasping for breath as the robot tightened its hold on his neck. Tails flailed his arms and legs around, attempting to escape the robot’s wrath before he suffocated from the lack of air.  

“S..save me…please,” Tails yelled, now attempting to pry himself out of the robot’s metallic grasp with his hands.

So this is how it ends, huh? After all the years battling Eggman, I’m going to die at his hands.

All alone.

Worthless.

That’s all I really am.

That’s all I really was.

Tails closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, when he heard exploding robots in the distance, the whooshing of a blue blur pulverizing the mechanical slaves at a rapid pace.  

By the time he opened his eyes, all the robots were already destroyed, save for the one still holding him above the ground. Finally, this machine met its own demise, destroyed in the same manner as its metallic colleagues, sending Tails careening to the ground. Before Tails collided with the floor, however, Sonic, with outstretched arms, caught the terrified fox and dashed away from what was now a robot graveyard.

Bracing for impact just a few seconds prior, Tails loosened the muscles in his face and slowly opened his eyes to reveal the blue hedgehog running swiftly, determined to get the two out of harm’s way.

“Th…thank you, Sonic,” Tails said in a raspy voice, still recovering from the excruciating chokehold.

The blue hedgehog simply gave his trademark wink and said, “No problem, buddy.”

The orange kitsune could hardly keep his eyes open as his blue savior jumped out of an open window, landed gently on the cement surrounding Eggman’s base, and ran away, traveling toward what appeared to be a large void of white.

“Sleep tight, little bro,” Sonic said, clutching Tails in his arms, helping him feel safe and secure.  

But then he found himself lying on the ground, all alone in the white void, no presence of Sonic anywhere.

“Where am I?” Tails asked himself, as he lifted himself up and attempted to find any landmarks that could provide a clue of his location.

There was nothing but white.

“Well,” Tails began to say to himself, stretching his arms. “I’m sure Sonic couldn’t have gotten far. Maybe if I wait here, he’ll find m—”

His monologuing was interrupted by the sound of beeping coming from his utility belt. Reaching into the belt, he was surprised to find one of its pockets full, the same compartment he found empty when cornered back at Eggman’s base. After fishing around a bit more, he retrieved the object responsible for making the artificial noise.

“My Chaos Emerald detector?” Tails asked himself in wonder, his pupils dilating in surprise. “What are you doing here, and…are you detecting something?”

As if answering his question, the glass screen surrounding the circular device began displaying two blinking dots: one in the center and another a short distance ahead. The central dot represented the location of the device, whereas the other dot was…

“…a Chaos Emerald?”

Astonished that his device was working, and eager to verify the contraption was tracing the Chaos Emeralds’ unique energy signature, the orange kitsune began sprinting forward. After gaining enough speed, he switched to his twin-tail propellers, going as fast as he would when racing against Sonic the Hedgehog himself.

After a minute of flying, a large structure became visible in Tails’ line of vision. He continued racing forward as the object grew larger, and when he was but a few yards from his destination, he stopped to catch his breath and analyze what he found.

“The Master Emerald shrine?” Tails asked himself, scratching his chin as he wondered why the device brought him to the large gem that gave power to the smaller Chaos Emeralds that he was truly after. As if responding to his question, the detector began to beep more loudly than before, beckoning the orange kitsune to climb the stone steps to greet the Master Emerald in-person.

Taking the hint, Tails traversed up the shrine, wondering why the Master Emerald wasn’t being guarded by Knuckles the Echidna, the sole protector of the priceless gem.

“And if the Master Emerald is here,” Tails asked himself, “wouldn’t that mean Angel Island fell to the ocean?” He was, of course, referring to the fact that the Master Emerald kept the floating island from falling to Mobius. But he saw no ocean. No island either, for that matter. Only the shrine in the forefront of an empty void.

The kitsune reached the top of the stairs. He stared at the large green emerald that awaited him before stepping forward, keeping the detector in one hand as its beeping grew louder by the second.

As if acting by instinct, Tails reached out with his other gloved paw and placed his palm against the emerald, its warmth radiating up his arm, across his torso, and down his legs, providing the fox with a renewed sense of vigor.

Putting the device back in his pocket, Tails placed his free paw on the gem, feeling the energy coursing from the emerald continue to bridge over to the young kitsune. His heartrate intensified as he looked down at his furry body, glowing with an orange hue unlike anything he’d ever seen before. Indeed, the great emerald’s power allowed him to feel a sense of hope and fulfillment, emotions that had been dormant as of late.

Finally, as he was about to let go of the Master Emerald, he heard a young woman’s voice permeate his thoughts.

The controller serves to unify the chaos.

“Huh?” Tails asked himself, looking around for the source of the voice. Before he could look further, however, the emerald began to glow various shades of green before disappearing into nothingness.

“Wait a second!” Tails yelled, jumping headfirst towards the vanishing emerald. Instead of catching the mystical gem, however, he found himself falling belly-first down an endless white void, the shrine having disappeared along with the Master Emerald.  

“Ahhhhh!” Tails yelled, as the fall appeared never ending, his rotary namesakes unwilling, or unable, to save their owner from certain death.

Staring downwards into white emptiness for several more moments, Tails finally noticed the appearance of solid ground below. A few seconds later, he was able to make out a bed of sharp spikes waiting below to turn him into a freshly skewered fox. Bracing for impact, the kitsune covered his face with his arms.

*****

He didn’t feel any painful spikes dismembering his body. Instead, he only felt the warmth of a blanket covering his legs, arms, and torso, tucked in to ensure that he’d stay warm and comfortable. He slowly opened his eyes, surprised that the white void was replaced with a dark living room, the sound of steady breathing coming from the floor below.

Tails rolled onto his side to get a better peak at the noise, peering down at his hedgehog companion soundly sleeping in his blue sleeping bag, only exposing his face and quills from the open end of the zipped-up blanket. Looking back down at his own tucked-in blanket, and the empty ice cream sundae bowls on the nearby coffee table, the orange fox’s eyes welled-up, thinking about his best friend’s kindness and generosity as a smile filled his face.

“Thank you, Sonic,” Tails whispered to himself. “For everything.”

Before he had the opportunity to lie back on the couch, however, the young kitsune began to feel a radiating sensation in his lower abdomen similar to what he experienced when interacting with the Master Emerald in his dream. Taking a few moments to comprehend what was going on, he placed an arm behind his head, lightly blushing in embarrassment, as he realized that he needed to use the restroom.

After making his unscheduled pitstop, Tails crept silently back to the couch to resume his sleep, only to find Sonic sitting on the sofa waiting for him.

“Ohh, hiya Sonic,” Tails said, pleasantly surprised to find him awake to greet him.

“How are you feelin’, bro?” Sonic asked.

“Well,” Tails said, looking behind him in the direction of the restroom he just vacated. “I feel a bit better now!” The two companions chuckled in unison at the fox’s literal toilet humor.

“Hey Sonic?” Tails said, his heart beginning to race once more.

Before Sonic could respond, though, the fox ran into his arms and gave him a hug.

“Thank you.”

The blue hedgehog, taken off guard by the sudden display of affection, regained his bearings and returned the hug, rubbing Tails’ back as he did in the workshop that afternoon.

“You treat me just like family, even though I always mess things up,” Tails said, looking down at Sonic’s sneakers and his own bare feet.

“I’m so lucky to have you as a friend,” Tails continued, moisture from his tears beginning to dampen Sonic’s furry chest.

“Hey,” Sonic replied. “That’s what best buds are for, right?”

“Mhmmm,” Tails said, his voice muffled in their shared embrace.  

The young kitsune was the one to end their hug, choosing now to sit on the sofa.

“Do you wanna hear about my dream?” Tails asked, drying the moisture around his eyes with his hands.

“Sure,” Sonic replied, taking a seat next to the orange fox.

“Well, you see,” Tails began. “The first thing I remembered was getting cornered in one of Eggman’s mechanical fortresses. A robot took me by the neck, lifting me yea high,” he described, standing on the couch and raising his arm up in close approximation to the height the robot took him.

“But then,” Tails continued, “You showed up.”

“I bet I mopped the floor with those mechanical thugs,” Sonic exclaimed, punching the open air as if fending off robots in real life.

“You sure did,” Tails replied, a smile on his face, as he dropped back down to the couch.

“But then,” he continued, looking up at the ceiling while rubbing his chin. “You took me away to a white void, and you disappeared. I was left all alone.” Tails’ voice became somber as his eyes peered down at his feet, dangling off the sofa cushion, too short to reach the floor.

“That’s how you knew it was a dream, right?” Sonic asked. “Because I would never abandon you like that in real life.”

“I know, Sonic,” Tails replied, a small smile returning to his face as he looked back at the blue hedgehog. “That isn’t even the craziest part.”

Tails proceeded to complete the story, telling his hedgehog companion how his detector led him to the Master Emerald, how the mystical gem filled him with immense energy, about the woman’s voice who spoke a mysterious hymn, and how he fell into a pit of death.

Performing a long whistle, Sonic said, “That sure is one weird dream!”

“It felt so real, too,” Tails replied.

Sitting in silence for a few moments, Tails stood back up, this time on the floor, and turned to Sonic.

“This may be a longshot,” he began. “But what if it was a sign?”

“What d’ya mean, buddy?” Sonic asked, not used to his little brother speaking in riddles.

“Well, I’m not quite sure,” Tails replied, placing an arm behind his back in embarrassment before he looked sternly at the blue hedgehog, allowing his arm to drop back down. “But I almost felt like the Master Emerald was…calling for me.”

Sonic looked at the determined fox in bemusement, unsure of how to respond to his theory.

“I say we stop by Angel Island and run this by Knuckles,” Tails proposed. “Maybe I can even bring some equipment, try studying the Master Emerald to see if it could help get the detector to work.”

The controller serves to unify the chaos.

“That hymn,” Tails said to himself, as it played back in his mind, pondering its meaning as he placed a hand on his chin.

“Either way,” Sonic replied, standing up and giving the orange fox a thumbs up. “We can see what Knuckles thinks.”

“You mean it, Sonic?” Tails asked, happy to see that the blue hedgehog appeared on board with the plan.

“Of course,” Sonic replied. “After all, I’ve been wanting to stop by Knucklehead’s island for a while now. No time like the present!”

“Then let’s go,” Tails said, rushing to put his sneakers on near the front door.

“Hold on a sec,” Sonic said, sticking his arms out, motioning Tails to stop. “You do know what time it is, right?”

“Huh?” Tails replied, with one sneaker on one foot and the other in his hands. Sonic pointed to the clock behind him across the living room.

“10:30 at night,” Tails said to himself. “I guess I lost track of time.”

After sharing a few laughs, Tails said, “I feel wide awake, though.”

“Well yeah,” Sonic replied. “Between our nap at the oak tree and your rest just now, it’s no wonder why you’re so awake!”

“I suppose I messed up our sleep routine, huh,” Tails asked, sticking an arm behind his head once again.

“No sweat,” Sonic replied. “We can just wake up for our morning run extra early tomorrow.”

Tails slipped off his shoe, placed them neatly back by the door, and proceeded up the stairs to his bedroom.

“G’night, Sonic,” Tails said as he walked past the blue hedgehog.

“Sleep tight,” Sonic replied, collecting the sundae bowls to wash before heading off to bed himself.

As Tails slipped into bed, pulling his comforter over his chest, he stared at the ceiling, reflecting on his prior dream.

“Even if it was just a dream,” Tails said, rolling onto his side. “I’m just happy we finally have a plan.”

Tails turned off his bedside lamp, turned on his alarm clock, and closed his eyes, excited to visit Angel Island and, with some luck, finally find some answers.  

*****

Chapter 3

[yodawgiherd]

Midnight Snack

Rating: E

>>>Read on AO3<<<

Not much to say about this one, just a little bit of good ol' fun.

If you know what I mean.

Enjoy!

Mutual silence, the kind that left you feeling relaxed and at peace, was nice, and Mikasa was no stranger to it, but right now, it just wasn’t doing it for her. And while Eren seemed completely content with watching the movie, with Mikasa’s head in his lap, stroking her hair with one hand while stuffing his mouth with the other. Somehow he managed to do both these tasks at the same time effortlessly while also preventing any crumbs from falling on his girlfriend. To be fair, Eren was very good with his hands, Mikasa knew that, from her vast experience. Yet, she wanted to talk, so turning her head slightly, to get Eren’s munching face into view, she began.

“So, how was your day?”

“Huh?”, tearing his attention from the screen, Eren looked down at her, “My day? Nothing special, just the usual.”

“Really? I thought that there was some kind of emergency at the hospital.”

“A car crash.”, he explained, expression turning a bit sour, “A lot of heavily injured people, had to do surgery after surgery to keep up.”

Mikasa knew how much Eren hated losing patients, hated the inevitability, as no matter how hard he tried, he sometimes lost the battle with death anyway. And judging from his face, today was one of those days.

“How did it go?”, she asked softly, wanting to see if he perhaps needed to talk about it. It was a very good therapy, to let it out. Mikasa was sure that Hitch would agree.

“It was all right, fine.”, he gave her a slight smile, “I’m just worried about one guy.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Lots of internal bleeding, broken ribs, stuff like that. I stitched him up the best I could, but he was still critical by the time I was leaving the hospital.”, Eren let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his messy hair, “I wanted to stay longer, but Erwin gave me the look that suggested it’s not up for discussion.”

“You already did a twelve-hour shift.”, reaching up, Mikasa tapped him on the chest, “Remember what happened the last time you kept overworking yourself? Wouldn’t want that to happen again, would you.”

“Of course I remember, still got the scar on my back.”

“Tsk. Scar? That’s no scar. Just a little bit of raised skin, that’s all.”

Despite her bold words, Mikasa could feel her cheeks coloring slightly. It was her doing, after all, the long thin line that Eren had on his back now, spanning all the way from the hip to the opposite shoulder. Reminder of that one time when they went too far.

“You’re right, it’s nothing.”, sliding his palm down from her scalp, Eren cradled her cheek, swiping the thumb over her own scar there, “It’s definitely not as pretty as yours.”

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere you know.”

“Incorrect. It got me here.”

“And where is “here”, exactly?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”, Eren gestured around the living room, “Sitting on a couch, watching a movie, eating some great chips, while my amazing, beautiful and smart fiancé, who is also a model, rests her head in my lap. If you ask me, that’s basically the definition of heaven.”

She giggled at the absurd cheesiness of it all, but inside her chest the warmth blossomed. Nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit of praise. But looking up at Eren’s own grin, as he was most likely very satisfied with himself right now, she saw that the light of the fire in his eyes wasn’t just about her.

“You love it, don’t you.”, she said, “Working at the hospital, saving lives. It’s such a big part of you.”

He shrugged.

“Just doing my job.”

“While loving it.”

“Well, I’m not going to lie, it’s amazing to make others feel better. To set them free.”

“Set them free? That’s a phrase I’d expect to hear from a serial killer, not a doctor.”

“Please, I don’t mean it like that. It’s more like…”, returning his hand to its original position, he once again began to comb his fingers through her raven strands, “freeing them of their injuries, you know? Letting them enjoy their lives to the fullest, without anything holding them back. I just hate seeing the amazing people I meet limited, controlled by something that they can’t break free of.”

“And that’s where you come in.”, Mikasa finished, “The warrior for the freedom of humanity.”

“That’s me.”, Eren went silent, just watching her face for a time, hand continuing to caress her. But then he realized that he must look like a creep, just staring down, so he cleared his throat, averting his gaze. It was hard.

“Enough about me, how about your day?”

“Let’s see….”, Mikasa stretched, working the stiffness from her muscles, “I was at the gym most of the time, the classic, then I went to check out a few tattoo places, to see how they would handle the wings we want, and then I had ah.. appointment.”

“Appointment? With who?”

“Really?”, frowning up at him, she turned her head left and right to give Eren a bit of a better view, “You can’t see any changes?”

Of course he knew, from the moment he came home and saw her, but teasing was way too much fun. So instead of answering, Eren just shrugged, making her sigh.

“Hairdresser. I had my hair cut.”

“Ooh, right. I didn’t even notice.”

“Sure you didn’t dummy. Now, are you going to keep playing stupid or can you finally tell me what you think about it?”

“I mean… It looks nice?”

“Nice? When I had my hair cut to very short, you called it nice. When I had it grown out, you also said that it was nice. And now, when I’m back to my classic shoulder-length cut, another nice. You really are the worst, you know that.”

“Hey, don’t blame me. Not my fault that you look absolutely gorgeous with any type of haircut.”

She wanted to be mad at him, at least a little bit, but the boyish grin made it really hard. But then she remembered a little payback card that was in her back pocket, one that was sure to get under Eren’s skin.

“You know, you didn’t ask me who was with me at the gym.”

“I didn’t know that you had company. Was it Levi?”

“Nah..”, smiling herself, Mikasa paused for a bit, letting Eren cook before finally revealing her mysterious workout buddy, “Jean. I was with Jean.”

Exactly as she expected, Eren’s expression almost immediately turned sour.

“Jean huh… Well, nice to see that the horse is a good company.”

“Don’t call him that. He’s a very handsome young man.”

Eren grumbled something, looking away from her and back to the screen, brows furrowed. This childish rivalry he had with Jean, it was honestly a bit of a mystery to Mikasa, because while they were perfectly capable of being friends, they just both seemed way more comfortable with endlessly competing. Kinda adorable. Deciding that she tortured him enough, she slid her head off his lap and climbed in instead, loping her hands behind Eren’s neck.

“Jealous?”, she purred, very much enjoying the flash of fire in his eyes, accepting the challenge she threw him.

“Why would I be? You want to tell me that you did something else than working out?”

“Maybee…”, Mikasa drawled, watching as the fire grew into a roaring inferno, Eren’s fingers curling around her to dig the tips into the flesh of her ass, hard enough to make her gasp.

“Don’t test me.”, Eren growled, “You know very well that if you act like a bad girl, I’ll have to punish you.”

But she was feeling extra bratty tonight, so pulling back, Mikasa raised an eyebrow.

“That’s rich coming from a guy who licked my shoes just a few days back.”

“In my defense, those were some very nice heels.”, he countered right back, not shaken in the slightest.

Well, if she couldn’t get him this way, time to try another one.

“And who says that I would even let you punish me?”

“Playing hard to get huh?”, Eren answered her mocking face with an easy grin, “That’s fine, I can work with that.”

“Really?”

“Sure thing. If you want, we can do it the difficult way.”

“You really are full of confidence aren’t you.”, inside, Mikasa was a bit surprised how easily Eren was keeping his calm. He usually tended to be a bit hotheaded when challenged, but that didn’t seem to be the case right now. “Let’s say that I want to punish you too, what would you do about it?”

“Ah, the classic problem of two switches. How will we ever solve such an issue.”

“Well, we could always,”, reaching behind herself, Mikasa took his hands from her butt and pinned them to the couch instead, right next to Eren’s head. “wrestle for dominance?”, she suggested.

“If you want.”

“Giving up the top so easily? And here I thought that you were determined to get me.”

“Who said anything about giving up?”, the grin on Eren’s face didn’t slip, not even for a second. It made her frown.

“It’s logical, because I would totally crush you.”, to make a point, Mikasa increased the pressure she had on his wrists for a second, “You know that.”

“Nah, you wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would.”

“Nope. You’d let me win.”

“Let you win?”, Mikasa’s brows flew up, “And why would I ever do that?”

Leaning closer, Eren whispered into her ear, voice dropping lower into that perfect low tone he could do.

“Because you want to submit to me.”

“How…”, she had to swallow, because her throat was suddenly so dry, same as back at the bar. It was just the effect this Eren had on her, and she couldn’t do anything about it. “How are you sure?”

“I’m simply looking at the latest trends, love. In the last two months, do you know how many times did you top me? Want to guess?”

“Uhm, ten? Twelve?”

“Nope, eight. How about the other way around?”

“Twenty?”

“Thirty-six. See the little difference?”

She gaped at him.

“So many? That’s a joke, right?”

“Why? You are kinda nympho, you know that.”

No way, the count couldn’t be that high, because that would mean that she subbed basically every time that they’ve done something intimate together. Then again, remembering the past few nights, there were just a few where she didn’t end up being tied up or restrained in some way. Eren joked that it must be her Japanese genes acting up, since she’s such a pervert, but being wrapped up in a nice tight shibari, the ropes gently biting into her body, that was just…  fun, so much fun. Hmm. But thirty-six to eight? Seriously? Mikasa would never have guessed that the gap between them grew so large, but Eren wasn’t one to lie about something like this. True, lately, she felt like preferring the submissive side, both because it was easier to do, as the dom was the one who usually had to prepare everything, and of course had to be in control all the time, always ready to end it if the safeword was said, but mostly because Eren was just so damn good at blowing her mind with his performances. All the things he did, the dark looks, the raspy voice, the rough touch, it didn’t matter that she was stronger, technically, because anytime he was like this her muscles seemed to turn into jelly. So much for balance.

“Fine.”, she conceded, watching his grin grow even winder, “I guess you’re right.”

“Hey, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”, Eren immediately assured her, “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to just relax and leave me in charge. I’m more than happy to take the reins.”

Releasing his hands, Mikasa sat back on his lap, scratching the back of her neck. Sure, maybe she liked it when Eren was the dom, but she had to do something with that shit eating grin on his face. Can’t let him have all the victories, can she. The shift in her posture however put her weight right on Eren’s crotch, and she could feel him reacting to her, slowly, her heat right above the hardening. He couldn’t help it, his body reacted on its own, completely ignoring any efforts to keep the swelling down, for the sake of the serious conversation they were having. All his good intent to fully appreciate the intellectual side of her just flew out of the window, because his brain was experiencing a mild shutdown caused by the literal goddess made flesh straddling his lower half.

“What do you say Miki.”, giving in to his base instincts and reaching down, Eren ran his hands up and down her bare thighs, caressing her pale firm legs, “Want to go to the bedroom and have some fun?”

The “yes please” almost tumbled out of her lips, but she just managed to catch it, determined to put at least one dent in that confidence of his. Clamping her mouth shut, she shook her head, making him blink in surprise.

“I don’t want anything fast from you now, take your time, and let’s do a.. uhm… our thirty-seventh some time later, okay?”

He nodded, and she could already see the numbers of ideas forming behind those emerald eyes.

“But for now,”, once again taking hold of his wandering hands, she pinned them to the couch, same as before, smiling down at her victim, “I’m going to reclaim some of my own dominant energy and get my numbers up. You interested?”

The hitched breath and flushed face were all the answer she needed.

“You..”, Eren cleared his throat, “You need some gear?”

She tapped her chin for a second, before shaking her head.

“Nope, I’ll keep it nice and simple. All you have to do is do obey my orders. Absolutely.”, hooking a finger beneath Eren’s chin, Mikasa angled his head until they were staring into each other’s eyes, “Understand?”

His answer was immediate.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Very well, take your shirt off.”

Eren’s eyebrows rose a bit upon hearing that, but the witty comeback died on his lips when he saw Mikasa’s face. She was not in the mood to negotiate tonight, and he knew her to be more than capable of leaving him out to dry if her orders weren’t followed to the letter. Swallowing whatever he wanted to say, Eren pulled the fabric over his head, putting it on the couch next to him.

“Good. Now raise your arms above your head.”, she continued.

Obeying without question, Eren raised his hands, clasping them as high as he could stretch, much to her enjoyment. Leaning closer, Mikasa pressed her forehead against his, staring deep into Eren’s eyes, loving the way he looked under her, surrendered and vulnerable, hers to play with.

“Now you’re going to keep your hands where they are, no matter what I do. If you move them, I’ll stop immediately.”, the grin that spread her lips was downright sadistic, “Get it?”

The Adam’s apple in Eren’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, the tightness of his pants slowly becoming unbearable.

“Yes.”

“Perfect.”

She kissed him then, swallowing the tiny noise of surprise he made, sneaking her hand under his chin to take a firm hold of it, completely in control. The palm of the other one began a slow journey, starting in Eren’s messy hair and down, over his cheek and down to the throat, applying a bit of pressure from the sides there. The light choking and the fact that Mikasa was basically draining any air from his lungs through the kiss left Eren rather lightheaded, the sensation only getting better as she started stirring her hips, sliding the inviting heat right along his now very much awake length. He wanted to touch her so badly, to run his hands along her curves, slide them down her back to the eighth world wonder that was her ass and grab a handful for himself. But he couldn’t, she told him so, and the battle against his own needs was a hard one. Mikasa could feel it, the way his arms twitched where they lay stretched above Eren’s head, the tiny movements happening before he could stop them. Yet he kept them there, obeying her. Good boy. Taking a tiny break, Mikasa pulled back and eased her hold she had on Eren’s throat, watching him gulp the sweet air in, now that he was permitted to breathe. Red face, unfocused eyes, kiss-swollen lips, all the signs of a job well done were there, but little did Eren know that Mikasa was only getting started.

Reclaiming his mouth, she let herself enjoy the feeling, slipping her tongue inside to touch his, and it was messy, and perfect at the same time. Eren kissed her back, as much as she allowed him to, but otherwise remained still, not even complaining when Mikasa decided to test his limits and sunk her teeth into his bottom lip. Such obedience should be rewarded, so stopping the abuse of Eren’s mouth, Mikasa moved past, dragging the warmth of her lips over his throat and down, littering kisses and bites everywhere she went, some of them hard enough to leave marks. Should be fun to try and explain those at work. Making a stop at Eren’s chest, Mikasa licked her way around one stiff nipple while pinching the other, loving the choked gasp that was the reaction to her care. Usually, it was the other way around and Eren was the one playing with her breasts, an activity he completely adored, despite the relatively small size of her bust. His appreciation and assurances were the main reason why she got over the insecurity regarding that part of her body. Now, it was her turn to have fun, so biting down on the flesh, Mikasa made sure to leave a very pretty bruise over the area.

Lower and lower still, she found herself once again face-to-face with the defined ridges of Eren’s abdominals, although this time the owner of those was very much awake, watching her every move. Repeating her actions from that night, she nipped at the edges, tracing the outlines with the tip of her tongue after, very aware of the way Eren’s breath kept getting more and more excited. Because all this, it felt great, but there was a certain part of him that would appreciate those attentions so much more. She knew it, he knew it, but the question was, will she ever move there? Or is this endless torture of his body being Mikasa’s plaything going to continue, with no satisfaction in the end? Flicking her eyes up, Mikasa made sure that Eren didn’t move an inch, which he didn’t, the only difference between the start and now were the red marks that were blooming on his tanned skin, landmarks of her journey.

“Keep your arms where they are.”, she reminded him, getting a firm nod in reply.

Resuming her adventure, Mikasa once again descended, torturously slow, pulling Eren’s underwear down just enough to get access to the nice V shape he had underneath the stomach, but not freeing him yet. There would be enough time for that. She even went as far as to press her mouth against his length through the barrier of clothes, the twitch that this caused downright adorable. On his part, Eren was this fucking close to begging, because the tease that Mikasa is was driving him completely insane, blood pounding in his ears, which was weird because right now he felt as if every red cell of his body was concentrated between his slightly trembling legs. So, when she got his attention, telling him to raise his hips, removing his underwear and gracefully kneeling on the ground in front of him after, he thought that yes, this is finally it.

Yet, he was wrong.

Instead of going straight for the prize, which was undeniably standing at attention, begging for her, Mikasa began working her way up, putting her teeth to work at Eren’s inner thighs, determined to mark as much of him as she could. Nothing said “mine” so soundly like a map of bruises all over Eren’s body. And he endured it, still as a statue, save for the occasional shudder or gasp, endured her journey upwards, until she found herself at said journey’s end, right in front of his unlawfully ignored member. Reaching out, Mikasa curled her fingers around the thick stiff piece, angling it to side to get a better look at the throbbing vein. Eren’s mouth was now hanging open, breath bated, just hoping that this isn’t another one of her tricks, but actually the thing he was so eagerly waiting for. Meeting his hopeful gaze, Mikasa gave him a wink, and finally, after what felt like an eternity and half, lowered her head to drag her tongue all the way from the root to the tip, welcoming the familiar taste.

But she wouldn’t just take him in straight away, that would be too easy, so instead, Mikasa decided to finish the last part of her kissing adventure and worked her way back down, pressing her lips against him. Although this time, she went easy on the teeth, and Eren very much appreciated the notion. When she got to the sack underneath, not leaving any part of him out, Mikasa at least took a little pity and began moving her hand, sliding up and down his length, not very fast but not that slow either. It was good to keep him excited, but she had no intention of letting Eren come this early, that was no fun. Then, as she finished her road for good, Mikasa replaced her mouth with the other hand, gently playing with Eren’s jewels, moving her head back to the main course of the evening. Entrapping the sensitive tip inside her warmth, she sucked on it gently, swiping her tongue against the slit, while her hand kept moving up and down over the rest of him, the other busy with little bit of ball fondling. Engaging activities, all those. Sinking lower and lower, inch by inch, Mikasa continued in taking Eren in, swallowing often to ease the passage. The gag instinct was there, but as usual, she managed to move past, having done this an uncountable amount of times already, relaxing her throat to make room, not stopping until Eren was all the way inside, her nose buried in his pubic hair. Above her, Eren, who originally wanted to keep silent, lost his battle about half an inch through, cursing and moaning, and really wishing that she had tied his hands in some way, because now he was the one who had to keep them in check. Arms trembling, he really wanted to just reach down, to push his fingers into her hair and help her along the way, but he was given an order, and if Mikasa would pull back now, ceasing her efforts because he’d break it, Eren would most likely really go crazy.

Needing to breathe, she finally did pull back, the string of saliva connecting her to the object of her worship completely ignored by both parties, because as soon as she regained her oxygen Mikasa moved back down. If the kiss was messy, this was hundred times more sloppy, but hundred times more enjoyable, the steady bobbing of her head, up and down, spiced up by her hands, still hard at work, and the expert application of the tongue, moving Eren closer and closer to heaven. To suck someone dry is just a phrase, but Mikasa was doing just that, an undeniable expert in the activity. Almost there, on the edge, Eren moaned the warning, that he’s so fucking close, a simple courtesy since Mikasa was more than okay with swallowing his load. But, as it usually went with her, his expectations were completely subverted. The fingers that were up until now giving his jewels a massage suddenly turned into a vice, clamping down hard, making Eren’s eyes shoot open while a long groan escaped him. The finish, that was just outside the reach drifted back down, denied by her move, fading into obscurity. Just like that. Meeting his understandably bewildered gaze, Mikasa took a small break, pulling off Eren’s cock with a wet sound, her swollen lips turning into a smile. She was so wrecked, her face a mess, but still, the control in her eyes was still there. No matter how she looked, Mikasa was in charge.

“Something wrong puppy?”, she asked in such a sweet voice, made slightly raspy by the merciless usage, so much in contradiction with her earlier harsh action.

And logically, what could Eren do? Complain? Yea, that wasn’t going to happen. So, collecting his senses from somewhere where she blew them just a few seconds away, he shook his head.

“No ma’am.”

“Good boy.”, a small praise, another shining smile, and she was back on the job, pulling Eren’s length inside the unimaginably tight embrace of her throat. Flexing his hands above his head, he gritted his teeth, knowing very well that Mikasa isn’t done playing. Not by a long shot.

The prediction came true, because after a short trip to paradise, brought upon by her S+ levels of blowjob skills, he was once again crashed to earth just before he could finally spill, denied by the grip on his balls. This time, he didn’t even warn her, but Mikasa knew him too well, effortlessly picking the right moment to stop the finish, keeping the edging she enjoyed so much going. Gear and costumes were fun and all, but this was the base of why she enjoyed her dom position, this control she had. Mikasa didn’t need cuffs, she bound Eren with a word. She didn’t need any contraption to stop him from cumming, her hands were more than enough. Pressing on, she returned to her fun, building her lover up before letting him fall, very empowering for her, while Eren felt his mind slipping away part by part every time she denied him. Just as he was about to lose it, he realized something. She didn’t tell him to keep quiet, did she?

“M…Mistress?”, he tried, cringing internally, because if he remembered wrong, there was a huge possibility that the fun was done, and he would be left completely blue balled. Memory wasn’t serving him very well at the moment. Luckily, that didn’t seem to be the case, because Mikasa released him from her mouth, looking up.

“Yes?”

Bingo. Well, if he can talk, he can beg too. Dignity was a vastly overrated concept, anyway, especially with Eren knowing how Mikasa can get absorbed in her fun, and he could very well be edged for hours to come, if he didn’t do something.

“Can you let me…uhm…finish? Please…”

“You want to cum? This early?”

Early? Seriously? It felt like millennia since she first put her mouth on him.

“Please, I can’t take it anymore.”

Mikasa clicked her tongue, tapping the side of his weeping, spit covered member with one finger, apparently unsure if he earned it yet.

“How about this. I’ll let you come, but you’ll have to do something for me. Sounds good?”

At this point, Eren would literally murder someone if she ordered him to, that’s how good Mikasa was at this. Understandably, he agreed immediately.

“Anything.”

“I want some you to cook me some nice dinner after I’m done with you.”

That was it? Honestly, all she had to do was ask, he would cook for her any day of the week. Seeing him nod, Mikasa grinned. The request was easy, but that wasn’t the point. Eren literally agreed to do anything for her, as long as she would let him come, and if that wasn’t a complete and utter definition of control, she didn’t know what was. Let him get away with just cooking this time, there were thousands of other nights where she can take full advantage of his desires. Satisfied, she moved down again, going back to work. Eren was so built up that it didn’t take her long at all, before the telltale clenching of his abdomen returned, eyes rolling back, whole body shaking, and this time, Mikasa didn’t stop it. Sealing her lips around him, she sucked vigorously drawing circles on the twitching head with her tongue. The orgasm that wrecked through his body was strong, understandable after all the teasing, but she didn’t mind, taking it all without flinching with audible swallows. Perfect appetizer before dinner, one could say, if one would have no shame. And right now, they were both far beyond the phase of blushing.

All of Eren’s senses were covered in a pleasurable fog, his vocabulary reduced to the word “Fuck.”, repeated over and over, brain out of commission, chest heaving, overall the image of being utterly and completely destroyed. He could feel Mikasa still, down there, her warm tongue sliding over him, licking him clean, but he couldn’t even properly thank her right now. Eren really needed a minute. One that was graciously granted to him, but after that, there was a tap on his chest, demanding attention. Blinking his eyes open, a few tears falling, Eren did his best to focus the spotty gaze at Mikasa, who for some reason was still on her knees.

“Hey.”, came her voice, finding a way into the barely functioning ears.

“Hi.”, he croaked back, throat completely dry. She said something back, but Eren didn’t catch it, senses just about restarting.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“I said, we are not done yet, I want a ride.”

This time, Eren did catch it, eyes widening at the implication of what she was saying.

“I.. uh…”, eyes moving from her face to his quite dead member, he sighed, “I don’t think I can be of service.”

Following his gaze, Mikasa shrugged.

“I’ll get you hard.”

As she said, she’s done, albeit Eren had to clench his teeth and breathe hard. Oversensitiveness is no joke. It took her a few minutes, even with all her considerable skills, because dead is dead, but if there is a mouth in the world capable of resurrections, Mikasa had it. Patient, she worked him until he was ready, rising from the ground after to stand in front of the couch. Shrugging her shirt off, Mikasa didn’t miss the way Eren’s eyes flew to her chest immediately, taken by what he saw. Doesn’t matter how many times he saw her topless, it was still a sight to be cherished, especially now that she was turned on, her nipples hard and raised. Stepping out of her panties after, Mikasa reached down, taking a firm hold of his slick length, slowly and carefully guiding it inside her. Pushing past the tip, she went down slow, tantalizingly so, just as before with her mouth, letting their juices and her spit combine to create a natural lube, much easing the process. Eren almost forgot himself, again, aching to put his hands on her hips, but the order was there, imprinted inside his mind, and luckily for everyone involved, him mostly, he stopped before breaching the unwritten contract. Finally, after all of him was sheathed inside her scorching hot tightness, she was back on his lap, hips flush against each other’s. And as much as Mikasa enjoyed playing with her food, she was rather desperate at this point too, turned on beyond words, so, with no great ceremony, she began to move.

Nothing fast outright, rocking back and forth, turning it into small circles after, fanning into bigger ones. There was no rush, just them, here and now, and who in the right mind would rush to end such a connection. Up and down after, putting a bit of legwork into it, the muscles of her core were a great help, as always. There it was, the burning need, for something faster and rougher, flaring up from between her legs to the whole body, a need Mikasa was quick to answer. Planting her feet up on the couch, hooking her arms behind Eren’s head, she intertwined their fingers, as his own arms were still raised as she ordered him to, her riding increasing in speed and power, taking his breath away. The couch creaked with the strength of her thrusts, their hot breaths mingling together, but neither of them had the mental capacity to even kiss their partner, the sensations overwhelming. Mikasa was close and growing closer with every slam of her hips into Eren’s, body clenching in expectation. He felt it too and made sure to keep his eyes open and trained on her face, because when she came, Mikasa always made the most beautiful expression, one he was determined to see again. There it was, the way her eyes rolled back, mouth dropped open, and now Eren was the one who had to squeeze her fingers in between his, making sure that she had at least some kind of anchor to hold onto. The orgasm was here, hitting her like a tsunami wave, washing over her gasping, trembling body, vision going dark, with only Eren’s green orbs burning through it, helping her enjoy it to the fullest. Done, spent, she sagged against him, the pistons in her abdomen ceasing their work while Mikasa panted into his neck, her usually pale skin flushed pink. She loved this. Loved this so much.

“Earth to Mikasa, you there love?”

She grumbled. He laughed.

“Can I touch you now? Please?”

She nodded, eyes still closed, and soon was enveloped in a warm strong hug, gentle hands running over her sweaty back. Eren didn’t demand anything, or spoke really, just enjoyed the feeling of her weight seated on him, breathing in the unique scent she had, spiked with sex. Mikasa was the first to move, taking a deep breath and pulling back, pushing herself off of him.

“What are you…”, he began, watching her stretch and shuffle around on her knees until her back was to him, and then slowly but surely coming back down.

“You didn’t come.”, she observed, her hand back on his length, guiding him inside her for a second time that evening.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to…oh god.”

Whatever Eren wanted to say got cut off, with Mikasa not being in the mood to talk, moving on with her plan uninterrupted, which meant that just now was the moment when his super sensitive tip found itself back inside her tight heat. Moving faster this time, it didn’t take Mikasa long to have all of Eren’s length in, with the slight difference that now, she was facing away from him. A different position, the same goal.

“But don’t expect me to do all the work.”, she frowned at Eren’s surprised face over her shoulder, pushing some sweat stained strands back behind her ear.

Insatiable, that’s what she was. Eager to help her, Eren reached down, taking a firm hold of her hips, helping her move, find the right rhythm that sat well with them both. More of a rocking now, back and forth, with a bit of added movement upwards and downwards, Mikasa found it, falling into the steady pace with Eren’s help. The burning sensation in her might have been taken care of, but the embers still smoldered, so she very much enjoyed the slippery feel of him moving inside her, rubbing the right places. Considering that she just came, Mikasa realized that teasing another one out of herself this soon might need a bit of help. With her lover’s hands busy, she reached down, touching her clit, rubbing small circles on the engorged nub, feeling the effect almost immediately. Leaning back, Mikasa hooked her free hand behind Eren’s neck, burying her face into it, her back pressed right against his chest.  Breathing, that didn’t even get a chance to calm down, was labored again, and the pressure was back, rising, rising, before pushing her over, and that was it. The tremors of her second finish, the clenching of muscles, was most noticeable inside her, right where Eren was sheathed in, and it was just the thing he needed to find his own release, spilling into the warmth.

They both grew still after, calming their bodies while hormones raced freely in their brains. Eren was the first one to somewhat wake up, reaching over and handing Mikasa some paper wipes to clean herself a bit, before they make it to the bathroom. Carla raised no brute, after all.

It took them a considerable amount of time to leave the bath and get back to the kitchen, as they were both rather exhausted. Eren would kinda prefer to just call it a night right after, his body still feeling like jelly, but he promised Mikasa food, and she wouldn’t let that get away from her. With some poking and prodding on her part, and considerable amount of coffee to wake their tired brains, they finally made the perilous journey, and Eren got to work while she watched over him from her perch at the counter.

“Time to get to cooking then.”, Mikasa pointed out, dressed comfortably in clean panties and Eren’s shirt she shamelessly stole after their visit to the bathroom and getting cleaned properly. Normally she would help him with it, they both enjoyed doing it together, but he promised to cook by himself so…. Considering himself the winner, since this was so fucking worth it, he moved to obey, only to be stopped by her tired voice.

“And Eren?”

Straightening, he softly smiled at her.

“Yes baby?”

“When you…. “take the reins”, it better be amazing.”

“Relax. Have I ever let you down?”

She shook her head, the wet midnight strands dancing.

“Nope. Hope you’re not planning to start now.”

Instead of answering, he winked at her and went back to slicing meat.

[ramblingshit]

The Uninvited - 1944 - 5/10

long ass exposition voice over - beautiful ominous scenery, craggy cliffs, white water frothing against dark rocks,

tall large bricked house with vines climbing up the walls, doorways twice the height of people; smart funny concise script with light-hearted orchestral music to match, large columns, clear crystal chandeliers, large curve staircase; that one locked door; open fire by the bath; brother and sister couple who act authentically like siblings, loving and reassuring and taking care of each other ; large open white and naturally lit house on the edge of a dangerous cliff which has a dead tree at its edge.the creepy house always has an old name. house rumoured to be haunted  but the idea is shrugged off and laughed at. damn nice transitions and cuts. creepy and ugly room cold and damp and fills them with doubt and depressive thoughts and flowers wilt. there's always a dog barking at things. being black and white they have an awesome eye for contrast and tone. acting is eyyyyyy. okay they tried to edit together two parts of the same conversation and it was ew. ohh theres another one. omg this shit is so good - the little bits and pieces making the characters real and relateable and funny. suddenly flickering candles. the sound of a woman's heartbroken crying echoing around the house, coming from nowhere but sounding from everywhere and it stops at dawn. doors closing by themselves. ol mate jumped and hid under his sheets lolol. men interrupting girls and calling them delicate and needing to calm themselves. damn refusing ol mate to see his grandaughter - this doesn't mean we are of equal social standing like lol what an ass - 'Great Scott!!' secret meetings with the granddaughter ooohwerrooooh. ol mates all lovey with this 20 year old lass. 'golly!' using these terms completely unironically amazing. 'they're hardly our sort'. ol ol mate knows the house is haunted but won't admit it. 'go to your room!' 'don't be impertinent'.  vases taller than a person and flowers and bouquet just as tall. fuck that dress is gorgeous but i don't trust this granddaughter she was so mad at the start looked like she had decided on something and now all of the sudden she's buddy buddy? yeaaaaaah alriiiightt. this chicks twenty what twenty year old is actually this mature and wellspoken. he just stares smilingly at her enamoured with just listening and watching her talk. man at the piano, beautiful young girl listening to him, three candles in a candlestick on the piano. he literally seems old enough to be her dad, but he's goofy and excitable oooooh the candles went down and he started being sad and she noticed and wasn't affected? she's fleeing!! sprinting out to THE CLIFF IN HER WHITE DRESS HOLY SHIT he caught her at the last moment she didn't even realise she was doing it - right at the place where her mother fell by the dead tree, and now they make jokes and are singing to lighten the mood NEVERMIND a lady is SCREAAAAMING oh shit it was Lizzie - the studio is fucked up making people depressed and there was a creepy mist or some shit by the door now she says it was the ghost of a woman - gets one fright and lizzie is like lmao bye im not staying here - fkn smart lady - Stella is MIA. nope she's collapsed, is she dead 'stella, darling' she looks so dramatic in her long white dress - bish faints and they're spoonfeeding her soup and keeping her bedridden and not wanting to risk moving her. oooHoooo the great scary tale of the house comes out, everyones dying off in the house with their secrets, there's the strange smell of flowersss and lightss creepin about stellas gone out the window lol oh no she's creeping out behing the curtains. its very dark. she's convinced her mother is haunting the house, she sounds and looks mad lmao i still do not trust this bitch. he's declaring his love and she's tryna talk about her mother's ghost and how she wants to go to the house and he's like nah you're never getting back imma tear it down - 'i hate you for that!' 'oh stella' an they kiss??? ah no he kisses her and she's like fuck off and runs away and he's actually CONFUSED? moron lolol out here expecting her to want to marry him and him be her life and she's out here with her own problems wanting to go and do things and see her mum like mate stoppp they've known each other like a few weeks and he's out here tryna tell her what she can and can't do who he think he be?? she's not listening to me - she's on the edge of a mental collapse! ohhhh the faked seance is realllll damn sonnn oh wtf she's possessed the doctors all for it what a mate she's speaking in a language she doesn't knowwww ey mate spanish and the scent is back. is she maybe the spanish lady's baby and not the woman she thought? ooooooh spooky mist they're trapped in the dark cold room oh yikes its got a scary face grandad just showed up lmao she's spending half the movie in bed and the granddad is a fkn asshole stupid ass prick - he killed his daughter maybs? whos miss holloway all fancy n shit shit they drugged stella what this bitch what are these two up to. they're kidnapping her? dumping her off at holloways' house - she has secretsss; was friends with stella's mum. the mystery in this is really good and interesting. oh fuck miss holloway was a trained nurse and watched mary mereidith go over the cliff (stella's mum) they mentioned blonde hair, and holloway and stella have dark hair - important?? i'm getting very into this lolol. "Why are you whispering?" "Why are you?" the music is awesome to express thoughts and actions. an eccentric older lady with bows and scarves and a basket full of eggs "miss bird' i love her immediately wait its a basket of stones. i love her. holloway loves the stones and miss bird cute. she's a psychologist? a very successful psychologist with a big beautiful house and she's definitely a fucking lesbian mate she loves mary meredith. they hate spanish women in these movies. oh shit the spanish lady was gonna yeet the baby stella over the cliff that's hilarious. certainly don't trust this chicka either. she literally has an enormous picture of mary in her office between two bouquets of flowers taller than they are. she started a sentence and caught herself - secretssssss. god their dresses are next level gorgeous. so holloways house is actually an asylum and she's trapped. holloway hates stella and stella confronted her about it and she didn't deny it - she's glad stella's chucked in. wtf lady went to the doctor cause she thought her baby was delirious cause he was laughing lolol what the actual fuck it's a baby. miss holloway murdered carmel!!! they are so chill about it. shit's pretty dull. the book just turned pages - they smell the flowers again. what IS she up to - fkn holloway's eyes are in shadow while stella's face is completely brightened. wtf is she UP TO. damn that door is gorgeous - arched and a head an a half and with six squares of incredible carvings in the wood. she's too happy about all this. about sending stella to the house - to the 'cliff and the rocks below the cliff! that's where mary went, that's where she died' she's cray cray. 'i've done what she wanted at last - haven't i mary, it's all straight now.' mate how did she go from being suss to being mental. they didn't lock their front door??? 'i'll be alright now - i'll be with my friends! :)' okay she's not evil? she's actually excited and cute about being allowed to stay in the house. she's all alone - whtfuck there's a man snoring/groaning? someone calling her name - in the studio! its gdad. whats he doin here. her voice is so musical and soft and smooth and breathy - these women man. teh ghost is pretty cool - i  think the sight of it just killed him tho. oh shit ahaha she screm and flee. toward the cliff!!!! over she go!!!!!a a lot of people saying 'darling'. he's so enamoured with her and she doesn't give a shit ahahah. now she thinks shes cray- nevermind the smell is back and the doors just flung open. broke her arm twice in a year? CARMEL HAD A BABY TOO. SHE's for SURE carmel's baby!!! I told you!!! stellas chill with it. carmel's laughing instead of crying and then she's all good the ghost has been freed ---- nevermind. Rick's seen something and shut the door - mary meredith is cray?? she has icy rage - she wants Stella! creepy gaunt face with white scarf flappin in wind and no body or legs - she was gonna kill the kid if she couldn't have it herself. rick's being mean to the angry ghost. lol he threw lit candlestick at her? ew wtf the sister is getting with the old barely a character doctor? and now he's expecting yet again that stella is all for marrying him jfc. alright its over start was much better than end yikes.

[trans-shuichisaihara]

the first chapter of “Empathy without Sympathy”, aka the linked emotions oumota au! bonus points if you can tell who’s linked w/ each other aside from the obvious lmao (also it’s a bit longer than the stuff I normally post so I went ahead and linked it below)

read on AO3

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

He woke up with a deep unease brewing in the back of his mind. The type that tore across his entire body, constricting his muscles and leaving him shaky and nauseous. Kaito groaned, curling in on himself. That action was quickly reversed as the smell of blood hit his nose; a dark patch sat in the corner of his pillow where he’d spent parts of the night coughing into.

What a crappy way to start the morning.

Mentally berating himself for his weakness, he forced himself up, dragging his tired body to the bathroom to clean up. Fuck, why was he so fucking tense? He scowled at his reflection in the mirror, splashing water onto his face to resist the pull of negativity (and to clean the bits of blood off, but he didn’t want to think about that). Deep breathes, don’t cough, inhale, exhale. Everything was fine.

It calmed down, only to rise again with the morning announcement. He grit his teeth, trying to push down the sudden fear rising in his body. Dammit. He wasn’t scared of those stupid fucking bears. Thankfully this attack passed almost as soon as it came, though leaving him tired nonetheless. He felt a swell of empathy for Shuichi; it was clear from how he quivered like a leaf that he suffered from some sorta chronic anxiety issues, and dealing with this on a regular basis? Fuck, that had to be hell.

Though, the situation they were in was probably an even worse hell. He sighed, tossing his jacket on and leaving for breakfast, greeting a downtrodden Shuichi after a few minutes of lingering around. That wasn't surprising; the murders of Angie and Chabashira and the trial that had followed the day before had been rough on the entire group.

He herded his sidekick towards the cafeteria, pushing any distracting thoughts to the side. It’d be bad if he made the others worry; weakness from him would lead to fear in the group. He was the leader figure after all, so he had to keep everyone together to avoid another murder.

Of course, Ouma had to make that difficult. Even without the dark mood lingering over the hall, him opening his lying mouth was always a pain. At least he wasn’t moping like the rest of the group, though Kaito couldn’t say if that was from a lack of concern or what.

On a positive note, Yumeno was attempting to stand strong. If he didn’t have his hands full with Shuichi and Harumaki and his coughing, maybe he’d invite her to train with them. She could use someone to guide her along, even if Chabashira had given her a big push forward with her final words.

As he was finishing off his miso soup and attempting to nudge Shuichi into eating more of his eggs, Gonta finally lumbered in, worry written clear as day on his face. As he explained the addition to the writing in the courtyard, Kaito felt bad that he was finding himself bored with the turn of events. Was his training regiment just not enough to keep his ambitious mind focused? Maybe they were missing something, something that could snap his mind back into gear. He was Momota Kaito, Luminary of the Stars; he wouldn’t allow himself to become disheartened.

Just as he was jerking himself back into reality, Monokuma decided it was time to make his post-trial appearance. Stupid fucker and his stupid kubs, acting as if getting to access new areas was worth the lives of their friends. Disgust swelled in him at the very sight. It didn’t help that Ouma was acting all buddy-buddy with them.

Monophanie held up a stone and a paintbrush to the group, eagerly declaring them to be the latest keys before turning to her brother. “Come on, Monotaro; give them the third item.”

He tilted his head. “Huh? What item? I don’t have nothing!”

She gasped. “You lost it?! That was the motive!” She hit him upside the head with the frying pan again. Guh, he was tired of this stupid comedy routine.

“Oh, a motive?” Ouma sounded interested. “How disappointing, the game won’t be exciting without a motive.” He grinned. “But maybe that means I won’t get murdered after all!”

“Can you shut the hell up,” Kaito grumbled, though he had to admit he was relieved. He glanced towards the others; Shuichi looked deep in thought, eyebrows knitted as he looked to the silent Monokuma.

Who wasn’t silent for much longer, as he chuckled. “Oh, that old thing? I think it was dropped somewhere, but whatever! I got a better idea for a motive, so I enacted it right away! In fact...” His red eye flashed. “... some of you might be feeling it right now.”

Feeling? Kaito was no Ultimate Detective, but it didn’t take one to hear the implication that something had been done to their bodies. Was... Was whatever was making him cough the next motive? Were the rest of them sick too? A deep dread broke through his repressed emotions.

“What do you mean?” Harumaki asked, fixing the bear with a glare. They received no answer to her question, however, as Monokuma simply laughed at them and made his exit. The kubs hung around, though Monophanie was quick to follow her father’s lead, leaving her brother to the wolves. Not that he would be useful, with his convenient amnesia.

“Jeez, just forget about the stupid motive.” He scratched the back of his head, trying to appear nonchalant. “Let’s just go check out the new areas or whatever.”

“Hm, no, I don’t think so,” Ouma had to object, “I think I’m gonna go look for that third motive item; that sounds much more exciting!” Exciting? More like worrying; last time Ouma messed around with the motives, Hoshi learned that Harumaki had his motive video and watched it, leading to him choosing to give up his life to Toujou.

“I said,” Kaito repeated louder, “Forget about it.”

“Gee, who died and made you leader,” Ouma replied with a grin, dampening the mood further from the verbal attack. He clenched his fists, trying to hold himself back as a wave of anger followed the sadness.

“What's your fucking problem?!”

Ouma smirked, pulling his hands behind his head. “What’s your problem, Momota-chan? Are you that scared of what little ol’ me will do with Monokuma’s motive?” His expression quickly changed, big blobs of wetness filling the corners of his eyes. “I, I thought you trusted meeee!” He sobbed in his obviously fake way.

“Who’d trust a liar like you?”

The room was quiet as Ouma’s face returned to a more neutral expression. “Oh, well, I guess you’re right. That was a lie anyway.” Kaito bit down on his tongue as a stabbing pain hit his chest. “I’ll be going now; have fun with exploring!”

“Wait-!” Before he could stop him, Ouma ran out. Instinct forced him to run after, ignoring the others shouts.

It was probably a poor decision, he realized after a few minutes of “playing tag”. Just attempting to keep the other in view forced his body to its limit far too quickly. Frustration flooded him as he pushed himself harder, Ouma’s mocking jibes echoing back at him. This continued until he lost him somewhere on the 3rd floor, his chest throbbing in protest. He slumped onto one of the benches near Harumaki’s lab, glaring at his clenched fists and trying to hold down the cough threatening to rise. Why did he have to be like this? So... So weak.

... Now wasn't the time to sit around feeling sorry for himself. With a grunt, he pulled himself up, wandering up to the 4th floor. The place was still creepy as hell. He didn't linger long, especially when he discovered stairs leading up to the 5th floor. Shuichi must've unlocked it. His sidekick was becoming more reliable, thanks to his training of course.

And speaking of Shuichi, it didn’t take long to find him, along with Harumaki. The two of them were on the far side of the 5th floor, inside what appeared to be the Ultimate Detective’s lab. With the door left cracked open, he was able to catch bits of their conversation as he approached them.

“... only useful after it’s too late.” Shuichi hung his shoulders, eyes trailing along the floor in defeat.

Harumaki crossed her arms. “Why are you so gloomy all of a sudden? Do you want to die?”

He flinched. “You’d kill me just for that?!” Kaito snorted in amusement, before deciding it was as good of time as any to make his entry. After all, what kind of leader would he be if he didn’t step in to inspire him?

Once the ‘Shuichi pep talk’ session was concluded and he wandered off to go use the second item, Harumaki sighed. “He’s high maintenance. Not that he’s the only one; are you going to go look for Ouma again?”

He scratched the back of his head. “Prolly not. If he doesn’t want to be found, looking for him’ll just be a waste of time. I bet he’ll come running back when we find the Flashback Light.” He grinned. “So let’s get looking, Harumaki!”

She huffed. “Both him and you are a pain. Stop calling me that.”

They scoured the 5th floor, checking every nook and cranny on a level of thoroughness that would impress Shuichi. After some time searching in silence, Kaito got the feeling that Harumaki wanted to say something and turned to her expectantly. She stared back, before sighing again.

“So, what do you think the motive is?”

A paralyzing terror nipped at his nerves. “Uh, I, I dunno. Something to do with our bodies..?”

She glanced away. “I do feel a bit strange. Not sick or anything, but...” She hesitated. “Oddly excited? There’s nothing exciting me though.” She trailed off, running her fingers through one of her twintails.

“Huh, weird. Maybe it’s-” His eye caught on a distinct shape. “Oh, the Flashback Light!” He approached the pillar, finding it hanging on a nail far above the others reach. For him or Gonta, however, it would be easily obtained. “Great, let’s gather the others!”

Harumaki stayed silent for a long second. “Alright, fine.” Ah, was she upset with the sudden topic change? He’d have to make it up to her later.

The Flashback Light was horrifying.

Fire raining from the sky. Panicked screams, pushing, shoving, sobbing. The memories of dark times etched itself into his mind, into all their minds. He curled his hand into a fist on the table, using it to steady himself. The others were equally as unstable; Iruma shook until she fell into a chair, bringing her knees to her chest to assume the fetal position. Shuichi stood stock still, eyes wide with terror. Gonta started crying on the spot.

He had to take control of the situation. He knew that, yet his body would barely move. His chest felt like it was in a vice, terror constricting to the point he could barely breathe. His eyes languidly moved across the scared faces of his friends, until they met Ouma’s. Stone-faced, unreactive towards the chaos around him. Mask firmly in place. His lips split, corners turning up into a false smile.

An abyss opened up in Kaito’s chest, swallowing all the feelings the Flashback Light brought down into it until he was left with nothing but apathy. No, not apathy - Emptiness would be the better word. He felt numbingly empty, a dull ache leaving his body tingling.

“Fuck! I’m so fucking tired of this!” Iruma wailed, pulling his attention away. With her terror-filled shouts, the watergates opened, prompting conversation among the group about what they saw. The meteorites. The cult. The Gofer Project. It all sounded so surreal, but...

“It wouldn’t be so strange if something beyond common sense happened, would it?” Ouma pointed out, “I mean, with Monokuma and the Exisals, is anything really too far out there?” His conceited smirk both pissed him off and confused him.

“What are you getting at?”

“Hm? I’m not getting at anything,” he lied. Kaito scowled as he felt his interest in whatever Ouma was keeping to himself rise.

“Buncha BS,” he muttered in response, shaking his head. He couldn’t waste time indulging Ouma’s lies. “Anyway, don’t worry guys, I’m sure everything’s gonna turn out okay. We’ll find a way to escape this fucked up Killing Game and see with our own two eyes that everything’s fine!”

He clenched his fists, anger pumping in his veins. Out of the corner of his eye, Ouma slipped out of the cafeteria. Whatever. He could deal with him later.

“While I agree,” Kiibo hesitantly begun, “I think... I think I would like some time to myself to think about this. All this new information is, well, quite fatiguing to take in.”

Shit, yeah, the others did look pretty tired. He sighed, scratching the back of his head. “Guess you’re right. But don’t forget what I said, alright!” He might as well been talking to a brick wall as the others shuffled out, Iruma quivering and mumbling to herself while Yumeno dragged her feet, head hung. Shuichi went out the interior door back into the school by himself while Shirogane ducked into the kitchen.

“Um, Momota-kun,” Gonta spoke up as Harukawa was leaving, “If there is anything Gonta can do to help, just let Gonta know.” He pulled his glasses off, dragging his sleeve across his tear-streaked snotty face. “Gonta wanna be helpful to everyone, so he took manhole cover back off.”

He gave him a smile and pat on the back. “Hey, no need to cry man, you’re doin’ fine. I don’t think we’ll be challenging the underground passage again though.”

Gonta slumped. “O-Oh. Gonta think more of how he can help then.” He turned to leave as well, prompting Kaito to shout encouragements into his back. Damn, what a mess. His chest was burning after all that stress.

Guess it was time for a bathroom break.